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Chapter 10 "A Taste of New Opportunities"

"Why do these things always have to be so damn confusing?" Max muttered as she flipped through her new contract for the second time. While she wanted to get the contract back to Mistress Vanessa that very night, she made a habit of never signing anything she didn't fully understand. But certain parts of this one were giving her a bit of trouble. "Why can't they just straight up say what they mean instead of using all this lawyer speak?"

Her peace, quiet and concentration were all suddenly shattered as Cheryl and Aiden walked through the front door, the two of them already involved in a tense argument. "I just can't believe you, Aiden."

"Again Cheryl, I'm sorry." Aiden sighed, clearly getting tired of saying that. He immediately made for the fridge. "I'll try not to let it happen again."

"Aiden, I'm just asking you to be more open and considerate. Sometimes you just seem so distant." Cheryl sighed as well, hands on her hips. "Oh, hi Maxi." She finally acknowledge the skunk, who didn't want to get dragged into any arguments anyway. "What have you got there?"

"It's a contract for a new position at work." Max muttered as she tried to decipher a particularly wordy paragraph. "I'm going to be doing some live stripping on the internet for the club."

"You can get paid to do that? Sweet." She looked at her watch and groaned. "Dammit. I gotta get back. My parents want me to help them prep for tomorrow. I'll talk to you later, Maxi." She turned to Aiden, a stern look in her eye. "And you, call me later, even if only to say goodnight." Not waiting for an answer, she left Aiden standing there with a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"God dammit." Aiden muttered as he collapsed onto the couch next to Max, a drink and a bag of chips in hand.

"Another lover's spat?" Max asked, making sure to steal a chip as she read through her contract yet again. "You guys have not been together long enough to argue like that. What d'you do?"

"Nothing!" Aiden snorted defensively. "Anyway, she won't tell me what I did, or didn't do, wrong. We were just having an enjoyable day together, and all of a sudden she's mad at me."

"Cheryl doesn't get upset for no reason." Max countered, putting the contract down. "What specifically were you guys doing when this all started?"

"We were just shopping." Max's stare alone told the fox he needed to elaborate further, which he did with a sigh. "She was trying on outfits. She asked me how a certain dress looked, I told her it looked good, and that was it, she was mad at me."

"You said she looked 'good' when she tried something on for you?" Max frowned, rolling her eyes at him. "Aiden, she probably didn't want to just look 'good'. She wanted you to be more expressive. Jesus, you say you're a writer and the best you could come up with was 'good'."

"But she did look good." Aiden countered. "I swear, I thought it looked good. What else was I supposed to say?"

"Alright Aiden, I'm going to tell you this because I like you and because Cheryl is my friend: for some reason, Cheryl thinks you're very passionate, but that you don't show it enough. Just, be more expressive, let your feelings show more. Cheryl likes fun and excitement, so give her that. Be with her like how you are when you're writing that book of yours."

Aiden thought for just a moment, mulling this new knowledge over in his head. "But, the things is, I can't just act that way anytime I want. My brain doesn't work that way. I can only be that openly creative when I'm properly inspired."

"And Cheryl doesn't inspire you?"

Aiden shrugged. "I'm not sure. I like her, and I like being with her. And I feel I owe a lot to her, too. But I don't know if I can be as openly poetic as she wants me to be." He paused, staring off into the distance. "The reason I write that stuff is because I have trouble saying it out loud."

"You should tell her that." Max offered, picking her contract back up. "Maybe you two can find a middle ground that makes you both happy."

"Maybe" Aiden conceded, relaxing back into the couch and letting the advice sink in. "I just hope we can work something out. She's the first person in a while that seems interested in me for more than just my body."

Max paused at that, taken by surprise at the fox's admission. "Aiden, you're a great guy with a caring personality. Sure you're handsome, but you've got a lot of other things going for you too. That's the reason Cheryl sticks around, despite some of your annoying quirks."

A smile spread across Aiden's face. "Thanks Max. It's good to know somebody thinks of me that way."

"A lot of people do." Max assured him with a warm smile and a pat on the thigh. "You really are a great guy, when you can manage to stay out of your own way."

"I'll keep that in mind." They shared a chuckle as Max returned to her contract, though her face quickly became serious again. "You said that's the contract for some new position at work? Looks pretty involved."

"It's really technical." Max muttered as she reread a paragraph for the tenth time. "You're a smart, college guy; does this make any sense to you?" She held the contract towards him and pointed at a paragraph as she read aloud. "The Employee is not to use or imply use of any product to The Customer(s) that have not been licensed by The Company. Failure to comply can result in suspension or termination of employment, and potential legal action."

"Hm." Aiden read the clause again as he pondered the meaning. "I think it means you can't use name brand products while working, or you'll get fired or sued."

"Well that sucks." Max pouted as she took the contract back. "Does that mean I can't use my lube?"

"Maybe you can get away with it if you remove or cover up the label, like they do on live T.V. shows. Wait, why do you have lube?"

Max just smirked at him in response as she got up and went to her purse. "If that's the case, I am all over this job." She pulled out a pen and signed her name, already excited by the prospect.

Aiden just shook his head and returned to his bag of chips, deciding he didn't really want to know. After all, he had more important things to worry about than her provocative employment, like what he was going to do about Cheryl. Perhaps some video games would clear his head.

Meanwhile, Aiden wasn't the only one thinking about his relationship with the Torgi. Jacob was once again lost in thought, staring blankly at his T.V., XBox controller resting loosely in his hands. He was so lost in his own head, he barely noticed what was going on in the game.

"Hey Jacob! Can I get some cover fire or what?" Marcus' voice suddenly blasted in the raccoon's headset, bringing him back to virtual reality. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh man, sorry Marcus." Jacob offered, just in time to watch his friend get blown away. "I guess I spaced there for a second."

"You've been pretty distracted lately. What gives, man?"

Jacob sighed, not really wanting to go into the details with Marcus. He knew the cat wouldn't keep his big mouth shut if he learned the truth, and then Aiden would find out in a matter of days. "Well, let's just say that I've got someone on my mind, but he doesn't know it yet."

"Ah, relationship troubles." Marcus responded, trying to sound sage like. "Why not just tell the guy, if you haven't already?"

"He's already in a relationship with someone." Jacob felt odd talking to Marcus about Aiden this way, but he knew that avoiding the subject all together would make the cat even more curious. "I don't want to make things complicated like that."

"Yeah, that sucks man. Hope it works out for you though." There was silence as the focus turned back to the game, and Jacob was thankful for it. But another question soon crossed Marcus' mind, the one Jacob had dreaded. "Is it anyone I know?"

Jacob froze, succumbing to sniper fire as his mind panicked. "Um, well..." Jacob swallowed hard, unsure of what to do. 'Dammit. If I tell him the truth he'll freak. And there's no way he'd keep it a secret from Aiden for long. But can I really lie to him without him figuring it out?' He felt his mouth go dry as he tried to speak. "Well, um, it's..."

"Hey, it's Aiden!"

"What?!" Jacob turned beet red at the mention of the fox's name. But he quickly realized what Marcus meant as Aiden's gamertag flashed on the bottom of the screen. "Oh, he's come online. Yeah, right."

"Man, it's been forever since we all played a game like this. Let's invite him in."

"Alright." Jacob didn't bother to argue, knowing the cat was probably already sending a game invite. He took a moment to calm his nerves. 'I shouldn't be this nervous.' He scolded himself 'You've known Aiden for years,. Why should things be any different now?'

'Because he's attainable now.' The 'coon answered his own question as Aiden joined the game.

"Hey guys. Been awhile since we've done this."

"Yeah, and it sucks." Marcus commented as a new game started. "We need to do this more often."

"Most of us are usually busy working." Aiden countered with a chuckle. "Unlike you, we don't have all day to loaf around and do whatever during the summer."

"Yeah, Terra wants me to find something to do this year." He muttered, clearly annoyed by this fact. "She's afraid I'll just sit around bored all summer long again."

"You want me to get you a summer job at the store?" Jacob offered, glad that the topic of conversation had shifted to something safe. "I can talk to Alice about it. I'm sure she won't mind."

"Thanks man, but I don't want to work." Marcus sighed. "Terra says I should get a hobby, something to occupy my time while I'm home alone. But I don't know what I want to do."

"Why don't you use that degree of yours and actually write something?" Aiden offered. "Have you even tried to write anything since graduation?"

"Now Aiden, you know I prefer the editing side of things. Besides, I really got into it so I could teach others."

"He has no motivation to write anything." Jacob translated with a laugh.

"Well, I don't have any good ideas like Aiden." Marcus quickly though feebly defended. "How's that book coming along, by the way?"

"I think I've actually made a breakthrough." Aiden replied somewhat cautiously. "I'm going to try going in a different direction that I think will flow better. At least, that's what I plan to do, if I can find a spare moment to work on it again."

"Oh, I see." Marcus grinned, both from the obvious problem and the headshot he had just scored. "Cheryl's taking up a lot of your free time, huh? No wonder I haven't heard from you in a while."

'Tell me about it.' Jacob seethed quietly at the very mention of the name.

"Yeah, we've been spending a lot of time together." Aiden admitted with a sigh. "I wish I could say it's all been great, but..."

Jacob perked up at this. Was Aiden about to complain about his relationship with Cheryl? Deep down he had been hoping things wouldn't work out, but he never expected anything this soon.

"Trouble in paradise, huh?" Marcus chuckled. "Is that whole penis things finally starting to bug you?"

"No, that's not the problem." Aiden admitted, much to Jacob's relief. "Actually, I seem to just be pissing her off a lot. I'm not sure exactly what she expects from me, but apparently I'm not meeting her expectations."

"Trouble in the bedroom?" Marcus goaded.

"No, actually." Aiden countered rather proudly. "That is one area where she has no complaints. It's whenever we do anything else together that problems arise."

"Are you thinking of dumping her?" Jacob dared to ask, hoping he didn't sound too hopeful.

"No, not yet anyway. I do like Cheryl, so I'm going to try and work things out first. It's just frustrating is all."

"You know what you need?" Marcus suddenly interjected. "A guy's night in. Max is working tonight, right? Well we should all head over there, drink and play some games, like we did in college. It'll help clear your head. And you need to cut loose more often anyway."

"I dunno..." Aiden hesitated for just a moment. "Things aren't like they were in college. And what about Terra? Won't she be upset?"

"Are you kidding? She's not even here right now. She's having a girl's night out with her friends. Plus, it's not like any of us have to work tomorrow, so we can get trashed with no worries if we want. What do you say Jacob; you in?"

"Yeah, I'm in." Jacob agreed, plans already forming in his head. He knew it seemed underhanded, but it would be easier for him to strengthen Aiden's doubts in person. Especially if alcohol was involved. "I can be there in half an hour."

"Then it's settled. Better pick the place up, Aiden, cause we're coming to party. And don't worry; I'll bring the beer."

"There's just no reasoning with you, is there?" Aiden chuckled, though he was kind of glad to he having the company. "Alright, see you guys in a bit."

Jacob couldn't stop smiling as the others signed off. "Yeah Aiden. See you soon." He knew he should feel rotten for what he was planning, but he didn't. In fact, he felt rather excited. After all, he had known Aiden for many years longer than Cheryl, and already knew what to expect from the fox. Why shouldn't he take a chance when the opportunity presented itself?

---

---

"Damn, fucking bus." Max muttered as she rushed along the sidewalk towards the club. "It would be late on the day I have to hand in paperwork." The bus had been nearly twenty minutes late that night, which put her well behind schedule. Hoping to save some time, she decided to run into the front door of the club and go straight to the Mistress's office first. "Hi Ray, I have this contract for the Mistress."

"Is it all signed?" The meerkat asked, taking the contact from her as she nodded. "I'll make sure she gets it, Miss Douglas. Also, since you're here, the Mistress wants you to look this contract over as well." He handed her a small bundle of papers. "She wants you to model for a photo shoot for a new advertising campaign. It should be pretty straightforward."

"Wow, that sound like fun." Max accepted the contract, not exactly surprised given the conversation she had overheard the night before. "Thanks Ray. And if you can, tell the Mistress I said thanks, for everything."

With that out of the way, Max happily made her way to the dressing room to clock in and prepare for work. However, when she got back there she was surprised to find a small group of some of the other dancers crowded around her vanity, all whispering and giggling with each other. "Hey, what the hell is going on here?"

The gossiping stopped as all the girls turned to stare at Max. Slowly they parted, and Max immediately saw what all the fuss was about. "Oh my god..." Her vanity had been completely redone. The 'Maxi D' that had formerly been quickly attached to the top of the mirror now read 'Domino' in finely formed and elegant script. All the various drawers had been left open, revealing a wide assortment of makeup, perfumes, scented oils and other such goods, as well as a set of expensive looking brushed and a small collections of jewelry, including charms for her nipple piercings. In the center of it all was a small box with a notecard resting atop it.

"I know she said it'd be done today, but I never expected all this." She gingerly picked up the note, which simply read, in a flowing script: "Domino, I hope you enjoy the new accommodations as well as this little gift from me to you. -V" Curious, she opening the small box and gasped at the small, purple choker inside, which bore a simple, silver tag, a V elegantly engraved on the front.

"Looks like someone made a good impression." Marci remarked as she peered over Max's shoulder while shooing the others away. "Nessa only gives those to the select few that really catch her attention. Good for you, hun."

"Really?" Max was a bit stunned as she admired the choker. "I didn't do anything really. Mistress Vanessa did all the work."

"Yeah, that sounds like her style. But you probably took it really well. I recommend you wear that, too. That collar is like an unspoken status symbol around here. It clearly identifies you as one of her favorites."

Max was already clasping the choker behind her neck, admiring the jewelry in the mirror. "Yeah, I'll at least wear it while working. Though, I still can't believe she thinks this highly of me. I'm not really anything all that special."

"Oh, what the hell is this now?" The familiar and unwelcomed voice of Diamond cut in, almost ruining Max's good mood. She sauntered over, hands on her hips and an overly annoyed look already on her face. "Sorry Maxi, but it doesn't matter how much you spend on makeup. You'll still only be second rate. And Domino? Who's crappy idea was that?"

"Actually, it was Mistress Vanessa's idea." Max stated smugly. "She came up with the name for me last night, during our private meeting." She shot a look at Diamond then sat down, taking the time to look over each new item. "Of course, if you really don't like it, you can take it up with the Mistress yourself. I'm sure she'd love to hear all about how you disapprove of her decision."

Diamond, for once, was stunned speechless. She stared at the back of Max's head with a mixture of shock and contempt, which the skunk thoroughly enjoyed while watching in the mirror. It was very rare indeed for Max to have the upperhand over the wolf, and while wearing this choker, she felt particularly untouchable. She intended to enjoy this.

"What? But you... what?" Diamond stuttered as her voice slowly returned. "Wait, you had a meeting with the Mistress? Why did you get a meeting with her?"

"Well, not that it's any of your business, but the Mistress just wanted to give me a performance review and invite me to take part in a new business opportunity."

Diamond narrowed her eyes. "She didn't offer YOU a spot in the advertising photo shoot, did she?"

"You know about that?" Max was a bit annoyed that Diamond had also been offered a spot for that. But she quickly recovered with a smug grin. "Well, yes, she did actually. But I was referring to a different opportunity. I'm not really allowed to talk about it until it goes live though."

"Talk about what?" Diamond demanded, growing rather annoyed. "Why would you be offered anything before me? I'm the best performer here." She turned Max's chair around and got right in the skunk's face. "What makes you so special all of a sudden?"

But Max remained undaunted. "This new job requires a certain degree of tact and social grace. You need to be good directly interacting with customers and clients. I happen to have very high reviews in that field, whereas you are, for lack of a better term, a bitch."

Diamond jumped back in surprise at that, then her ears dropped as she snarled. "Why you annoying little..."

"Ten minutes to showtime, girls!" The stage manager announced with a quick clap of his hands before darting back out front, interrupting Diamond's rant before it began.

"We'll settle this later, skank." Diamond growled as she stormed off.

But Max just offered a small wave. "It's always a pleasure." She called out in an overly cheery voice before turning back around and losing the fake smile. "Fucking bitch. Burn in hell."

"You handled that rather well." Marci smirked as she got up to head to the D.J. booth. "I wonder if that collar is going to your head."

"No, I'm just more confident in standing up to her." Max replied coolly as she readied herself. "Afterall, I'm not just some nobody here anymore. I'm Domino, one of the Mistress's favorites. That's gotta count for something."

While Max was filled with new found confidence, Diamond was dealing with a bit of jealousy. 'I've worked here longer than her. Where's my new makeup? Where's my purple choker?" She had checked around in the few remaining minutes before opening, and quickly learned that only three people had been given those collars. Blaze had one of course, being the best male stripper in the club, perhaps even the city. The other one belonged to a male table dancer who went by Snow, because of his albino, snow white rabbit fur. And now Max, Domino, had one. 'Why do they get one and I don't?'

She tried not to think about it as she worked, hanging from the center poll as she thrusted her hips towards an already enthralled audience. But she unfortunately had a clear view of Domino's table from center stage. And as the young skunk came out to begin her first dance of the night, D.J. Double X decided to play Jessie J's "Domino", as if cementing her new persona.

She sneered, making sure to turn away from the crowd so they didn't see it. Though she had noticed several of them turn to see what all the fuss was about at the back table. 'Great, now she's stealing my customers too.' Diamond knew that all she could do now was give the best damn performance she could. But the skunk was becoming a problem. Something would have to be done about it.

"Here's to you, Aiden." Marcus declared, a bottle of beer held high. "May you someday find someone who isn't totally insane."

"Here, here!" They all laughed as they drank to the toast, already several beers and a pizza into the impromptu party. It definitely felt like old times back at college, and Aiden for once was feeling much more relaxed.

"So, what's the deal with you and Cheryl anyway?" Marcus finally asked. "I mean, you say things are great in bed, and that she's nice and hot, yet you two fight all the time. What gives?"

"We don't fight all the time." Aiden corrected. "I guess it's just that she expects something from me, and when I don't do it, she gets pissed at me. Like it's my fault even though I don't know what she wants."

"Man, you two have not been dating long enough to have that kind of problem." Marcus said, slightly annoyed and slightly amused. "Seriously, you should still be in the lovey dovey, everything's perfect stage. You shouldn't be pissing her off for a few weeks yet."

"And what would you know about it?" Aiden quipped with a chuckle. "Since when were you a relationship expert?"

"Hey, I've been through it all." Marcus replied. "First is the perfect stage, where the two of you claim to love every annoying thing about the other person. But after a few weeks of that, you start to get on each other's nerves. That's the testing stage, where you test each other's patience. If you make it through that you get to the true relationship stage, where you learn to tolerate and live with each other's faults, and even love them more because of it."

Aiden and Jacob exchanged glances, then smirked at their feline friend. "Has Terra been making you watch chick flicks again?"

"Whatever, man. I know what I'm talking about here." Marcus huffed, feeling a bit dejected, and embarrassed since Terra had, in fact, made him sit through more than one chick flick. "Seriously, if you're not careful, the two of you could split before the end of the month. I'm assuming you want to avoid that."

"Yeah." Aiden shrugged, not so sure himself. "I'm certainly not ready to call it quits yet, and neither is she. We'll just have to keep on trying to work something out."

While that seemed enough to settle the conversation for Aiden and Marcus, Jacob had made special note of the fox's lack of conviction. Perhaps this would be easier than he thought. The 'coon quietly sipped his beer while the others shifted the conversation to video games. All he had to do was wait for the right time to test the waters.

And he didn't have to wait long, either. Just a few hours later, Marcus was passed out cold in his chair, and Aiden was having trouble sitting upright, the result of staying up too late and drinking too much alcohol.

Jacob, on the other hand, had kept careful track of his drinking, making sure to stay just loose enough to not get nervous, without being so drunk that he did something stupid. Now was the time to strike. "Hey, you look pretty tired. Maybe you should go to bed."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Aiden agreed, his speech slightly slurred. He tried to get up, but quickly found himself back on his ass. "Dammit, I think I drunk too much."

"Come on, I'll help you up." Jacob was more than eager to offer. He helped the fox to his paws, supporting enough of the drunken weight to get him up the stairs and into his room. 'I can't believe I'm really doing this.' Jacob thought as he sat Aiden on the edge of the bed. 'God forgive me for what I may do in this moment of weakness.'

He sat down next to Aiden, casually placing an arm behind his friend. "You know, Aiden, I've been thinking about your relationship with Cheryl, and I think I know what the problem is."

"Oh yeah?" Aiden muttered, doing his best to keep himself propped up and coherent. "And what's that?"

"Well, it sounds to me like Cheryl wants you to be someone you're not. She wants you to behave in a way that isn't natural to you. She just doesn't appreciate you for who you are." Jacob leaned closer to Aiden, placing a hand on the fox's warm, inviting thigh. "Aiden, you need to be with someone who likes you just the way you are. Someone who already cares about you and knows what to expect from you."

"You might be right." Aiden muttered as he attempted to unbutton his shirt. "But where am I s'posed to find someone like that?" He continued to fumble with the top button, unable to find the coordination to complete the task, but too drunk to think to give up.

"Oh, I bet you wouldn't have to look far. Here, let me get that for you." Jacob lightly swatted Aiden's hands away and slowly undid the button for him. As much as he feared possible resentment for it, the racoon felt a rush just from undressing the man. Slowly, painfully slowly, he undid each button, pulling the shirt open to expose Aiden's toned, white furred chest and stomach. "Really, the person for you could be right under your nose." It was too much for Jacob to resist anymore. He leaned in, rubbing his muzzle against Aiden's chest, inhaling deeply to take in the fox's musk. He then kissed at Aiden's chest, slowly leaving a trail of kisses in his friends fur.

Aiden moaned ever so slightly, arching his back at Jacob's sensitive touch. This was all it took to encourage the 'coon to continue. He pressed his soft lips against Aiden's stiffening nipple, kissing it once before gently sucking. Aiden gasped in response, the exact reaction Jacob was hoping for. He broke away, kissing and lightly licking the fur on Aiden's chest and neck, while he ran his fingers along the edge of the fox's waistband, daring to slip just his fingertips into his pants.

"Oh Aiden..." Jacob moaned, lifting his head to look into the fox's bright blue eyes. How many times had he stared into those same eyes, lost in fantasy. And now, finally, it was about to come true. "Aiden..." He moaned again, leaning in to finally get a taste of the lips he so longed for.

Aiden closed his eyes and pursed his own lips, preparing for Jacob's touch. It was like a wonderful dream that the 'coon never wanted to wake from. He leaned in closer, less than an inch away from paradise, when the sound of the front door opening and closing caught both their attention.

"What the hell?" Max muttered, home from a long though rewarding night at work, and thrown off by the unexpected mess and of Marcus passed out in a chair in the living room. "Boys..." She muttered, dropping her purse on the counter and heading for the bathroom. She was too tired to deal with this now, planning on letting Aiden have a piece of her mind in the morning.

Jacob listened intently as Max went about her business. He regretted neglecting to close the bedroom door, but didn't dare to make even a sound now. He knew Max would kill him if he caught him like this, making moves on her best friend's boyfriend. Eventually he heard the skunk make her way upstairs and into her own room, closing the door behind her. "That was close." He sighed, turning back to Aiden. "Now, where were we?"

He leaned in again, but this time Aiden turned away. "This isn't right, Jacob." Aiden said as he pushed the raccoon away. "The booze is gettin' the best of us. Good thing Max came home, or we mighta' done something we regretted."

"But..." Jacob's heart sank. Now he was getting a conscience? And he had been so close too. "But Aiden, what about...?" He stared into the oblivious, drunk eyes of the fox he loved, and realized that Aiden still hadn't figured it out. Anything they did tonight would just be blamed on the beer. This wasn't how jacob wanted it. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

"It's alright." Aiden shrugged, collapsing onto the bed. "I'm gonna pass out now. G'night Jacob."

"Yeah, goodnight Aiden." Jacob gave Aiden one last kiss on the chest, then retreated back downstairs, deciding it was safer for him to sleep on the couch. 'It's better this way.' Jacob tried to reason with himself as he laid down. 'I'd rather Aiden be sober enough to really want it anyway. Plus, if Max caught use, it would ruin everything.' He still felt pretty sour as he shut his eyes and waited for sleep to overtake him. But one thought made him smile. 'I made him moan. He actually liked it.' He only hoped that Aiden would remember it as fondly as he knew he would.

---

---

"Oh Aiden... That's so fucking good." Cheryl mewled as she bucked her hips, her cock buried deep in the fox's mouth, his own dick held tightly against her cheek. "Oh fuck yeah, just like that."

It had been a few days since their last argument, and Aiden's unspoken encounter with Jacob, and the two were making up the best way they knew how. "Oh god, Aiden. W-wait a minute." She suddenly lifted her hips, her dick popping out of Aiden's mouth, dripping saliva and precum all over his muzzle. "I-I don't want it that way."

"Well, what do you want?" Aiden asked softly, gently rubbing her thighs and ass. "Whatever you want, just name it."

With a whimper she lowered her hips again, giving Aiden a full view of her rear, her quivering pussy dripping fluids out and over her balls. "Aiden, please, eat me."

The fox didn't need to be told twice, especially with her begging like that. He inhaled deeply, savoring the musky, feminine scent, before pressing his muzzle against her moist lips.

Cheryl squeaked as a tongue darted out and ran over her sensitive flesh. A shiver arched through her spine, and she gripped tightly to the base of Aiden's dick, as if holding on for dear life. Recovering quickly, she ran her rough tongue up to the tip of his member, then opened her mouth wide to take in as much as she could. Aiden groaned once at the heat of her mouth, but went right back to work, burying his tongue deep in Cheryl's pussy as she sucked the tip of his dick.

'Why can't he be more intense like this more often?' Cheryl lamented as she stroked his length with one hand, massaging his full balls with the other 'He's so intent, so excited. How can he be so dull the rest of the time?'

She yelped as Aiden suddenly stuck a pair of fingers deep inside her, proving her point and causing her to pant and purr. Not to be outdone, she increased her efforts with his dick, sucking deeply while stroking and fondling. She felt his balls tighten against his body as he tensed up from the pleasure.

Aiden grunted, fingering her deeply while sucking on Cheryl's enlarged clit. Her warm, musky juices spilled out over his muzzle, which only encouraged him to finger her deeper and faster. Cheryl cried out as a rush of pleasure flooded her senses. It was all she could do to keep stroking him while his fingers massaged her deepest recesses, teasing the edges of her cervix. The hybrid tense up, her eyes rolling up into her head. "Oh god! Aiden! Fuck!"

Suddenly her body spasmed as an intense orgasm rocked her. Aiden didn't stop as her body jerked and spasmed, cum flooding out onto his chest. Just as unexpectedly, Aiden's body jerked up, a ribbon of fox cum shooting out onto Cheryl's face. He managed to get a few streams out before she hungrily devoured his cumming dick, drinking down what was left in his balls.

After the release, they both let out a contented sigh. Cheryl lifted herself up and turned around to snuggle into Aiden's sticky chest. "Damn, Aiden. I know it's been a few days, but how do you have so much spunk?"

Aiden just shrugged as he wrapped an arm around her. Now that the deed was over, he was free to think about what he had intended to talk to Cheryl about right from the start, if she hadn't pounced him the moment she walked through the door. She had almost a weeks worth of pent of desire and had refused to talk about anything until she was satisfied. Maybe now he could get it off his chest. "Cheryl, there's something we need to talk about."

She looked into his eyes, his cum still masking her face and dripping from her hair. "What's up, Aiden?" She swallowed nervously, afraid of why he was suddenly so serious and what he might have to say.

"Well..." Aiden stared back into her eyes and dripping face. "Um, are you really comfortable like that? Do you want a towel or something?"

"No." Cheryl smiled, nuzzling back into his neck. "It doesn't bother me. And I don't want to get up. I'm too happy right here, in your arms."

"You're really happy being with me?" Aiden gave her a hug, licking some of the mess off her face. "I'm glad, because you make me happy too. But, sometimes I think you expect too much of me."

"What?" Cheryl started, but quickly settled back down, though she began nervously playing with his fur. "I don't think I expect too much. I just want you to be really passionate."

"But that's not really how I am." Aiden countered, gently rubbing her back. "I know what you expect of me, and why. But the way I am when I'm writing. I can't just act that way whenever I want." He sighed, trying to come up with the right words to explain. "I write because I have trouble actually saying that kind of stuff."

Cheryl lay there quietly, not sure what to make of that. "I guess I get it." She eventually muttered, idly running her fingers across his chest and playing with his nipple. "I mean, you have to think it to write it though, right? Wouldn't it be easier to just say it?"

"No." Aiden shivered slightly at the touch, a part of his mind reminded of the other night. "It's... not so easy to explain." He sighed deeply, his difficulty in explaining this pretty much proving his point, not that he could articulate that. "Alright, it's like this; when I write, my brain thinks of things in a different way than when I do anything else. It's like I can really plan things out when I'm writing, and I don't have to worry too much about screwing things up, since it's easy to fix. I can't do that when I'm talking, you know?"

"I guess..." Cheryl muttered again, still not quite getting it. "But, you don't have to worry too much about that with me. I want you to speak your mind, and your heart. You don't have to be afraid around me."

"I know, and I promise to try. But you have to be more patient with me." Aiden responded, nuzzling her gently. "I've never had a girlfriend like you, who cared as much about how I felt, so I'm not used to expressing it."

"You must have had some boring girlfriends." Cheryl chuckled lightly. "But I guess you're right. I just want you to be the guy you are deep down inside. I know you've got a passionate side to you; I've seen it. Is it so hard to be like that all the time?"

Aiden just shrugged. "If it wasn't, I suppose we wouldn't be having these problems."

"Yeah, I guess." Cheryl murmured, though she wasn't necessarily happy with his response. "So, does this mean you're going to write poems for me to show me how you really feel? 'Cause I've never cared for all that sappy, romantic crap."

"Don't worry, I've never been much of a poet." Aiden smirked nervously. "I mean, actually that would probably work, but it's embarrassing."

Cheryl didn't respond at first, simply laying on his chest and listening to the soft beat of his heart. She had to wonder if all writers were this weird or if Aiden was just particularly strange. 'Maybe I should read some of his stuff though, to learn more about him.' She nuzzled into his neck, purring softly. "So, do you have anything already written I can read? Like, a book or something?"

"No!" Aiden quickly replied, blushing nervously. "Well, I mean... n-no, not really. Nothing worth mentioning."

"Oh, alright then." Cheryl smirked, reading right through his fib. 'Naive guys are the worst liars. Good thing he's such a sweetheart.' Letting it go, she pulled the covers up around them both, snuggling comfortably in Aiden's arms. "Alright, I'll try to be less judging, if you promise to be more fun. Maybe we can find a middle ground."

"I'm sure we will." Aiden whispered, kissing her gently on the lips. "Goodnight Cheryl."

"Goodnight Aiden." She purred softly after enjoying the kiss. And while she didn't quite understand his reasons, the fox's logic made some sense. They both wanted to try whatever they could to make this relationship work at least. Even if that meant a trip to the bookstore on Cheryl's next day off.

---

---

"Would you stop pacing around and just sit down?" Diamond grumbled at Max. "You're starting to make me nervous."

"I can't help it!" Max complained. It had been a couple weeks, but the day of the advertising photo shoot had arrived, and Max was suffering from a flood of both nerves and excitement.

"Oh leave the poor girl alone." Snow smirked at Diamond, then turned his calming, pink eyes towards Max. "Don't worry, they're just going to have us stand there and take some pictures. Then we get a check, grab some lunch and call it a day. Real easy."

"Easy for you maybe." Max huffed, blushing slightly. "You're not going to be half naked in front of a room full of people, all watching you." She shivered at the idea, her tail twitching with anticipation. "It's a lot to think about."

"Well, I never thought you would be embarrassed about stripping in public." Diamond sneered. "Maybe you're in the wrong profession."

"I'm not embarrassed." Max muttered, blushing profusely. "I'm just kinda nervous. This is for the club after all. I don't want to screw it up." She looked at the three other strippers, hoping they bought her fib.

Blaze got up, giving Max a comforting hug, though he towered over her 5' 8" frame. "You'll do fine, Domino. You're very talented and a great show woman. You've got nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, we're all professionals here." Snow added in with a smug grin. "I bet we'll even give those models in there a run for their money. So cheer up and chill out. It'll feel natural once we're out there anyway. Just like being out on a table."

"Thanks Blaze, Snow." Max smiled at the two men. She didn't really need the cheering up of course. But it made her feel good that they cared. "With you guys cheering me on, how could a do poorly?"

"Oh good god." Diamond muttered, rolling her eyes. She wasn't surprised that the purple trio was sticking together like this. She was the odd one out here, and she certainly felt it. "Why don't you guys just get a room already?"

Max just stuck her tongue out at Diamond, a response that seemed to piss of the wolf more than any verbal comeback could have. She was about to make a rather aggressive rebuttal when Mistress Vanessa walked over, Walter Schleck practically on her heels. "Hello boys and girls. Are we all excited and ready to be here today?"

"Yes Mistress." All four responded in unison.

"Excellent. I'm going to see how much longer it's going to be. Hopefully we'll be done in time for lunch." And she was gone again, rushing off to maintain control.

Walter Schleck stayed behind, grinning rather lewdly at Domino and Diamond. "Well, you ladies look rather good in those robes. I can't wait to see you without them." He stepped closer, his eyes darting between the wolf and skunk. "Of course, maybe I should take a look at what you're wearing now, just to make sure you look your best. For the good of the club, of course."

The girls glanced nervously at each other, all feelings of disdain for each other were lost to a shared unease as the creep closed in on them. They were soon backed against the wall, both of them thinking that death would be better than showing this man their underwear.

"Well, Mr. Schleck, I certainly wouldn't want to let down the club." Blaze cut in, stepping between the weasel and the women. "Does this look good enough?" He opened his robe, showing off his tight leather shorts, which left very little to the imagination, his package bulging against the seams. "Is this good, or should I just go with the thong I'm wearing underneath this?"

Schleck quickly turned his head with a grimace, backing off and looking anywhere but at Blaze. "Yeah, that looks fine big guy. You can close the robe now."

"Alright, they're finally ready for us." Mistress Vanessa called trom the door. "Come on, it's time for you four to show them what you're all made of. And Mr. Schleck, please leave the girls alone."

Thankful for the save, all four performers rushed into the studio, Walter Schleck following behind at a safe distance. The large room was much like Max expected it to be, with bright lights and camera's everywhere. Despite her earlier claims she was now starting to feel a bit nervous, a lump forming in her throat. This was going to be very different than just stripping on a table.

"Alright Snow, you're up first." Mistress Vanessa informed them. "Just get up there and do what the photographer and I tell you. We'll start simple and just see where it goes. The rest of you stay back here and keep out of trouble. Schleck, I want you to stay by me, incase I need a coffee or something."

Max was glad she didn't have to go first. Snow was a natural born show off too, so watching him would give her a good idea of what to expect. She and the others watched quietly as Snow disrobed, strutting in front of the camera in his tight briefs. "Make sure to get my good side."

Max was watching intently when a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned and was surprised to see the soft blue eyes of a familiar feline. "Terra?"

"Hey Max!" Terra smiled warmly, giving the skunk a hug. "Oh my god, it's been too long. How have you been? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, it's good to see you too, Terra." Max returned the hug warmly. "I'm actually here for a photo shoot. We're doing some shots for a new advertising campaign for the club, and I get to be a part of it."

"Oh honey, that's great! And I see you get Philippe as your photographer, too. The man is a genious behind the camera. Everything he does is magic."

"Excuse me." Diamond cut in, already quite annoyed again. "But isn't this a closed studio? You can't just have friends come in off the street Domino."

Max was about to say some snide remark, when Terra stepped forward, hand held out in a friendly greeting. "Terra Macintyre, fashion model. Pleased to meet you. And while I am Max's friend, I also work here. We just shot some of the new fall line earlier, which is fantastic by the way. And you are?"

"Diamond." The wolf replied, a bit stunned. "Did you say Terra Macintyre? Like, daughter of the real estate owner, who owns all those buildings uptown?"

"Yes, Joseph Macintyre is my father, and he does own a few buildings, as well as several other profitable investments."

Diamond backed off, speechless. She just shook her head as she sat back down 'It's not fair. Not only is she in with the Mistress, but she's friends with one of the richest families in the city? Why does she get all the luck?'

"What's her problem?" Terra muttered to Max as the wolf was lost in her thoughts.

"Don't mind her. She just doesn't know how to act civil." Max responded, rolling her eyes. "But, I'm glad you're here. I had been meaning to call... Oh shit."

"What?"

"Oh, I just remembered that there was someone else I've been meaning to call. Oh well. So, how have you been?"

"Well I certainly can't complain." Terra smiled warmly. "But I've always known how to keep myself busy. It's Marcus I'm worried about. He doesn't work during the summer you know. He just sits at home, bored, and then drives me nuts when I get home. I've been trying to get him to start a hobby or something, but he's shown little interest in anything lately."

"Aw, well at least he has you to keep him entertained some of the time. I admit, I'm a little jealous of you two. You always seem so happy together. How long have you been going out?"

"Oh let's see... five, no six years now. We started dating right before he got his bachelor's degree."

"Six years? I've never known anyone who's been in a relationship that long. Who wasn't married anyway."

"Yeah, well..." Terra glanced to one side, suddenly seeming a bit distracted. "I guess we're just taking our time with ourselves, apparently." She crossed her arms and pouted a bit staring intensely at no one.

Max picked up quickly that perhaps marriage wasn't the best thing to mention to Terra, unless she wanted to hear the siamese complain about her boyfriend. "Hey, do you wanna watch my shoot? I might feel better about it if you're there to cheer me on,"

"Of course, honey." Terra smiled again, quickly returning to her cheery self. "I'd love to see what you can do. Though I don't see what you have to be so nervous about. You're beautiful, girl. You'll do great."

"Now wait a minute." Diamond interrupted once again. "You can't just watch us strip for free. We are professionals and this is supposed to be a private photo shoot." She crossed her arms indignantly. "I won't stand for it."

"She's my friend, Diamond." Max shot back defiantly. "And I have the right to show anyone anything I like when I'm not working. It's no business of yours if I strip for friends on my days off, and this should be no different."

"But technically you're working now." Diamond countered smugly. "Sure, we're not on the clock. But if we're doing anything for or with the club, that counts as working. Your friend will have to pay to see anything. She can certainly afford it."

The complaint quickly led to yet another argument between the two women, with Terra barely able to get a word in edgewise. Finally she gave up and strolled over to the mustang who was trying not to get involved. "Are they always like this?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Blaze responded with a sigh, running a hand through his red mane. "Actually, now that I think about it, it's been getting worse lately. Ever since Domino got her promotion, if you could call it that."

"Coworker jealousy. I wish I could say I didn't know what that was like." Terra looked the muscular horse over and couldn't help but smirk. "By the way, I'm a fan of your work. A lot of the girls here are, in fact."

"Thanks." He tried not to sound disinterested. "I had no idea I could count supermodels as some of my fans."

"Well, I wouldn't count any of us as supermodels. We're just regular fashion models." She sighed, seeing that Max and Diamond were still arguing, though it had turned into more of an insult contest at this point. "How long will they go on like this?"

"Until someone stops them." Blaze shrugged. "I'd do it, but I try not to get involved in cat fights."

"Man, are they at it again?" Snow asked as he walked over, his session complete. "If those two don't cut it out, the Mistress is gonna be pissed."

"Mistress?" Terra couldn't help but ask.

Both Blaze and Snow pointed to the fennec fox who was too busy speaking with the photographer to notice the argument. "Mistress Vanessa." Snow explained. "She owns Stardock 69, and as such is our employer. She's kinda into the whole dominatrix thing, so we all have to call her that."

As they spoke, Vanessa finally looked up, and her face quickly soured at what she saw. Keeping an air of elegance and dignity, she hastened over to put a stop to the fight. "Is there a problem here, children?"

Both women instantly stopped arguing at the sound of her voice. They both bowed respectfully. "No Mistress." Max quickly responded.

"Actually, there is a problem, Mistress." Diamond argued, shooting a scowl Max's way. "This one suddenly think she can bend the rules in her favor and let a friend sit in on this private photo session."

"Mistress, she's a friend of mine, and I don't mind her watching." Max argued, returning Diamond's glare. "I honestly don't see the harm in it."

"It's the principle of the thing."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Girls, quiet!" Vanessa interrupted, ending things once and for all. She walked past the two to get a better look at Terra, circling the feline as her golden eye glanced over her body. "I've seen you somewhere before, haven't I?"

Terra held out her hand, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. "Terra Macintyre. I'm a fashion model. Maybe you've seen some of my work?"

Vanessa studied her a bit longer before snapping her fingers with recognition. "Last winter's Victoria Secret line, yes? You modeled the black lace teddy?"

Terra blushed a bit. "Yeah, I did. I do work for them from time to time."

The Mistress smiled. "You do good work. I bought one for myself." She turned back to the girls, who were shooting dirty looks at each other. "Alright Domino, you're up. It's okay with me if your friend watches, so long as she doesn't interfere."

"But, Mistress..." Diamond tried to argue, but the fennec cut her off with an upraised hand.

"Diamond, as one of my veterans I expect more maturity from you. This petty squabbling doesn't look good for either of you or the club. I expect better from all of you, understand?"

"Yes Mistress." Both girls bowed their heads.

"Good. Now get going Domino. We're running behind."

"Wait, it's my turn already?" She was saddened to see Snow already robed and searching for a cup of coffee. "I wanted to see his shoot."

"Then you should have paid more attention instead of fighting with Diamond. Now go."

"Yes Mistress." Max sighed, nervously maker her way to the set. The butterflies in her stomach had returned by the time she was under the lights, Philippe already behind his camera. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, and glanced over at Terra, who gave her a reassuring thumbs up. Everyone was watching her now, even Diamond, and Max felt her cheeks flush from the very thought of stripping infront of so many people.

"Alright dear, lose the robe and strike a sexy pose. Let's show off those curves." The photographer instructed.

Max nodded as she untied her robe and tossed it aside. She heard Terra gasp as the red, silk underwear was finally revealed, gently hugging the curves of her body. Trying not to get distracted, she lifted her arms through her hair and over her head, giving her most seductive 'come hither' look. "How's this?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"Perfect." Philippe smiled. And with the first shot taken, things progressed quickly. Max wasn't allowed to hold a pose for longer than ten seconds before she had to move again. She thrusted out her hips, glanced over her shoulder, squished her breasts, bent over, hugged her legs, and dozens of other poses all in a matter of minutes, the camera taking shots rapid fire the entire time.

"Alright, time to lose the top." Philippe suddenly instructed as he adjusted his camera. "But take it off slow. I want some shots of your seductiveness."

'When did this become softcore porn?' But Max just shrugged the thought away, turning her back to the camera so he could get some shots of her undoing the clasp. 'This is more my speed anyway. Let's take our time with this.' Glancing suggestively over her shoulder, she slowly removed the bra and tossed it aside. Max kept her arms wrapped round her breasts to draw out the tease. 'Now, watch me strip. Feed me your desire.'

Unfortunately, most everyone was only mildly interested in her strip tease. The Mistress was watching approvingly, and of course Walter Schleck had been undressing her with his eyes from the start. Diamond was pretending not to watch, and Blaze and Snow seemed more interested in their conversation than Max's tits. But then there was Terra. A light blush had spread across the feline's face, her tail twitching nervously, excitedly. She was watching every move Max made, and it brought a smile to the skunk's face. 'Alright Terra, this one's for you.'

Max cupped her breasts in her hands, keeping her nipples concealed, and bent over for the camera, giving them a squeeze. She had no idea what these photos would possibly be used for, but all she cared about now was putting on a show. Slowly she want upright, lifting her arms and letting her breasts fall free with a bounce, the heart charms flying freely.

She heard Terra gasp again over the shutter of the camera, the girl slightly shifting from paw to paw. It was just what Max wanted to see. She quickly fell into a routine for the camera, and her friend. The shutter went non-stop as Max moved from pose to pose, each one sexier than the last. Terra watched intently the entire time, her hands idly roaming her body, wanting to touch herself but unwilling to risk it in public.

"Great work." Philippe stopped after a few minutes, making some more adjustment. "Now take off the panties so we can get the last set of shots."

"My panties?" It was now Max's turn to blush. She wasn't allowed to take them off at work. Why take them off for the shoot? She glanced nervously at Mistress Vanessa, who gave her a nod, letting her know that it was okay to remove them. "Well, okay then."

Excitement overtaking nerves, she slowly pulled the silk pantied down, the shutter clicking away the entire time. When she stood up and turned to face out, her tail instinctively wrapped around her waist to keep her covered, her own modesty getting the better of her. "Beautiful..." Philippe muttered as he took several pictures. "You are like the Venus. Your natural beauty is exquisite. Now, pull your tail away and show us your full potential."

Max swallowed hard, blushing profusely from such a strong compliment as she let her tail fall away. Her heart was racing now, fully exposed and naked in front of a public crowd, all with a professional photographer taking pictures. It was like a fantasy come true. And the best part was Terra's reaction. The poor siamese had her hands locked in front of her, trying desperately not to touch herself inappropriately.

'Is she that turned on by me?' As a curious distraction, she posed with her legs spread slightly, making sure Terra could just see the start of her plump pussy, her clit charm gleaming in the lights. Terra's eyes went wide as she rubbed her thighs together, licking her lips as her tail went crazy. 'Do you really like this, Terra? Do you want this?' Max teased in her head. 'Look at me, and I'll show you what you want.'

Philippe could barely keep up now, as Max fell into a groove, showing off all she had to offer, and now it was all for Terra. She finished it off by bending over and spreading her asscheeks, giving the feline, and everyone, a full view of both her quivering, moist holes. Terra faintly mewled, barely able to hold herself back any longer. It was exactly how Max liked it, and now, with her nervousness gone, she was ready to torture her friend all day of she could.

"And we're done." Philippe suddenly interrupted the fun. "Excellent job my dear. You really are a professional. Alright, setup for the next one. You can put your clothes back on now."

"Oh... okay." Max muttered, a little disappointed that her fun was already over. The entire shoot ended up taking only about fifteen minutes. Trying to regain her composure, she slipped her underwear back on, grabbed her robe and made her way off the set.

"Good work, Domino." Mistress Vanessa smiled as she intercepted the skunk, giving her a pat on the back. "I knew you were a good choice for this."

"Thank you Mistress." Max smiled back. "Oh, um, may I ask where these photos are going to be used?"

"Mr. Schleck has managed to get several venues lined up, including magazine ads, website banners, and even a billboard. Why do you ask?"

"Well..." Max hesitated. "You see, my parents don't know what I do for a living, and I'd like to keep it that way. So, if you use any of my shots, maybe keep them to online ads and only certain magazines, if that's alright with you?"

"Of course, dear." Vanessa gave Max a soft hug. "It's a shame, but I won't do anything you're not comfortable with. I'll only use your shots in adult magazines and websites, I promise."

"Thank you Mistress." Max sighed in relief, returning the hug. "You have no idea what that means to me."

"Of course. You don't worry your pretty head over it. Mistress Vanessa will take care of everything. Now go relax, while we wrap things up."

"Yes, thank you Mistress." Max smiled as the Mistress left, then walked up to Terra with an innocent look on her face. "So, how'd I do? I hope it looked alright."

"I think you did great." Terra stammered, still blushing and unable to make eye contact. "I mean, I had no idea you were so... talented."

"Thank you!" Max grinned, giving the flustered feline a hug. "It helped having you on the sidelines."

"That was nothing." Diamond interrupted. "Amateur at best. Here, let me show you what a real professional can do."

As the wolf arrogantly strutted onto the set, Max just rolled her eyes. "So, I think we're all going for lunch after we're done here. Want to join us?"

"I'd love to." Terra stammered, still awkwardly rubbing her thighs together. "But, I think I have something I need to take care of. "I'll catch you another time. Bye Max." She gave a quick hug before darting off, and Max couldn't help but smirk, filled with a deep sense of accomplishment.

"Marcus, you don't know it yet, but you owe me one."