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Lucky Man

By: jax



I am a very happy and lucky man. Although I'm not rich or handsome, I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world. We met when she was an eighteen-year-old virgin, I was her first and still her only lover. She may not have a face that could launch a thousand ships, but to me, when she smiles, she brings light into my world. Her body however has no equal. Mere dimensions cannot explain the perfection of her round proud breasts, her flat stomach or her long shapely legs. On top of all this she loves me and only me and will do anything, and I do mean anything I ask. In fact she will only do certain things if I tell her to do them.

Let me explain, although I said she has a perfect body, she wouldn't think of going topless on the beach or go braless around town unless I tell her to. To be told to do these 'naughty acts makes her randy, so not only do I get the pleasure of flaunting her in public I get the benefits of her passion later.

Last year during a hot spell we decided to go shopping in a nearby large city.

I placed her clothes that she must wear on our bed.

"Where's my underwear?" she cried when she enters the room from the shower wrapped in a big bath towel.

"You only need these knickers," I said holding up a small pair of white bikini briefs.

"But what about a bra?" she asks.

"When does the most perfect pair of tits ever need support" I reply.

She then meekly gets dresses in a short wrap around skirt and thin button up blouse I have selected for her.

"Undo the top two buttons" I request, "that better" I say after she has complied. Her nipples can be seen against the thin material of her blouse as testimony to her arousal. Off we go driving the 20 or so miles, all the way I was fondling her naked thighs. By the time we have arrived she is in a right state, but I'm in no mood to satisfy her lust at the moment. We then proceed to wander around the shops in the glorious weather. I'm watching the faces of the men that pass by as they stare at this vision by my side.

"Can't we go somewhere quite for while" she begs

"Later" I tell her, "Let's have some lunch"

"I don't want to eat, you know what I want" she hisses at me.

I order a G & T for her and a coke for me, I'm driving. We find a nice quite corner of the bar to sit down.

"Open another button" I command.

"Please someone will see" she says

"That's the idea" I say as I watch her obey my command, now I could see the tops of her unfettered tits. The young barman twice came close to pick up our empties and has a good look.

After lunch we carry on shopping. I make her try on lots of short summer dresses, insisting that she come out of the changing rooms to show me how they look on, also showing a audience of men who have gathered round to watch. By the time we had finished and back in the car, she was in a highly excited state.

"Please let's stop somewhere" she asks

"Sure, find me a nice spot"

We end up down by the river in a nice secluded car park. As soon as we have parked she is all over me, undoing my zip and pulling out my hardening cock. For my part I push my hand under her short skirt and up to her now wet knickers.

"Oh yes please" she moans

"Open your blouse" I command

Her hands leave my cock to start unbuttoning, till her beautiful tits are fully exposed. I now have both hands full, fondling those lovely mounds and rubbing her between her long sexy legs. She not going to last long having had been on the verge of orgasm all day. I peeled her damp knickers off and throw then out the window.

"You won't be needing these again" I smile.

"Oh please make me come" she begs.

I now insert two stiff fingers into her wet slit and clamp my lips over her right nipple.

"Oh yes, that's right, yes, ahh"

My last hard thrust of my hand has brought her over the top to a big orgasm. I watch her face as she cums, there is nothing more exotic than seeing the love of your life in the throws of ecstasy.

"Oh thank you love" she purrs at me once she has cooled down a bit, "That was perfect" she smiles at me.

"What do you want me to do now" she added still smiling.

I'm never been a blow-job lover, preferring a tit fuck. She knows this of course, so she leans over me, engulfing my painfully hard cock between those beautiful mounds. I cum all over her tits and throat within seconds.

"How was that my love" she coos.

"Beautiful my darling, lets clean up and go home" I suggest.

She wipes herself down with a tissue from the glove box and then starts to button up her blouse.

"Stop that" I say, "leave the rest unbuttoned"

She obeys at once, leaving most of her buttons undone. I can clearly see her tits swaying beneath her thin blouse. We set off. By the time we reach home she is again highly aroused, having been driven 20 miles with her tits on display to anyone who care to looked. There was this H.G.V. driver who keep pace with us for miles, to do just that. Once unpacked she dragged me off to the lounge for another session, this time I stripped her naked and fucked her to orgasm, spread-eagled on the carpet. What a lucky man I am.

Lucky Man



You come to my place, I meet you at the door in a t-shirt and socks...nothing else...you take your shoes off in the kitchen next to the door because it's been raining all day, as I reach into the fridge for a beer. Bending over into the fridge, my t-shirt creeps up exposing my tight ass and pussy you look up in time to catch a glimpse before I close the door. 

I move to the counter and pop open your beer, take a few sips before handing it to you...you've moved across the room and stand in front of me, take the beer and forget about it. You kiss me hard and run your free hand from my knee to my inner thigh, just short of my lips skip to my belly, and under my t-shirt to my tits. I hop up on the counter and wrap my legs around you, pulling you in closer as you move up and down my body with your hands, running the cold bottle on my nipples, and between my legs. I pull off my shirt and you trickle beer on my chest a little at a time, licking and sucking it off my nipples as they get hard from the cold of the beer and from your touch. 

My hands behind your head and across your shoulders, scratching and rubbing...pushing you down between my legs, begging you to taste me. Finally your tongue runs down between my tits to my belly, you skip my pussy again and nibble at my very inner thigh. I'm crazy with anticipation and wrap my legs around your head...pulling you in close to my pussy. You descend with a rapid tongue and flicking fingers and nibble on my hard clit. Pushing fingers in and out in and out, one then two and then three as I push against you wanting more, wanting so much to cum all over your hand and face. 

You start to stand and lick and kiss up my body, I wrap my legs around you again hoping to feel your hard cock against me only to remember you've only taken off your shoes. I jump down from the counter and kneel in front of you, unbuttoning your pants pulling back the waste band on your boxers and lick the head of your cock. Running my tongue across the tip back and forth. Slowly parting my lips and taking the tip in between them, pulling your boxers and pants down and sucking down your cock putting it all inside my mouth. Pressing my lips at the base and running my tongue in circles back to the tip. Moving up and down up and down on your cock faster and faster taking it deeper every time till its all the way in, holding it there and sucking hard, running my tongue in circles around you inside me. 

You move back and stand me up. You motion towards the table as I walk backwards, you are kissing me and running your hands all over me till I hit the kitchen table. I lay back and spread my legs wide as you lean in teasing my pussy with the tip of your cock biting my nipples and sucking them hard into your mouth. Flicking them with your tongue and then slam your cock all the way up inside me. I'm so wet that it slides in easily but I gasp at the sensation of force of your cock inside me. In and out slowly, each thrust further and deeper inside. Faster and faster fucking me more and more, harder and harder. In and out. In and out. My legs are wide open and you grab my ankles and put them over your shoulders, rolling me up and fucking my pussy harder and harder. 

My hands are on your back, behind your head, on your arms, everywhere, scratching and rubbing…I'm moaning with every thrust inside me. You pull me up to a sitting position and pull me to the edge of the table, you wrap my legs around you and push your cock deep in me. Your hands in my hair and on my back. Around my waist and grabbing my ass. I beg you for more and tell you to fuck me harder. You stand me up, turn me around and bend me over the table. You pull me back up with my hair asking me if this is what I want, I whisper yes, and you tell me to say it louder, Yes I repeat and you start to tease my pussy with the tip of your cock, you ask again, is this what you want? And I scream YES pushing my body against your to get you inside me. You push me back onto the table, grab my hips and push with everything you have and shove your whole cock into me. Back and forth. In and out. Slapping my ass and pressing on my asshole with your finger as you slam into my pussy over and over again. I reach down and flick my clit as you slam into me. 

I can feel your balls on my ass and your finger's pressure on my hole and beg you for more of it. You stop instead and go to your knees, fighting with my fingers to get at my clit as you slide your fingers in and out of me. Eating my pussy, sliding your tongue in between my lips and shoving it in far. Rubbing my clit you stand again and push your cock deep into me, massaging my clit with one hand and holding my hip with the other as you fuck me harder and harder till I explode all over your thick cock. You can feel the tingling in your vein as you push a finger in my tight ass to make me cum again as you pull out your cock and spurt all over my ass and back.

As we compose ourselves, you ask me which room the TV is in. After all, that's why you came over today, to fix my TV. I tell you its in the bedroom and we laugh at the irony that we never even made it that far.



Lucky Man Ch. 01



Here's the beginning to a few stories I am going to share with you, and why I call myself a Lucky Man.

We had only been seeing each other for 2 months, but that 2 months had been great. There was lots of playing around, lots of touching, groping and heavy kissing. It came to Leanne’s 18th birthday and I was sure things would to change.

We were at my brothers house, celebrating her birthday, things got a bit heated after a few drinks and she started looking at me with lust in her eyes. A quick meeting in the bathroom and she whispered to me “Tonight.” I smiled, not really knowing what she meant. As she left and the door closed and it dawned on me, now I cant wait.

We are sitting in the lounge with our drinks and my lady, Leeanne, grabs a board game and sets it up. There are six of us there and when we sit ate the table, then realize what game it is. It looks like we are playing the drinking game, Piss-Up.

So it came to the end of the night, I make my apologies and head for the door, grabbing Leanne’s hand on the way. We head out the door and out the back gate. Once back at my house, I fall right into bed, Leeanne comes in and sits on the bed.

She leans over and kisses me on the cheek, then whispers softly in my ear, “Ill just have a shower, then I’m gonna fuck your brains out!” Needless to say by the time the door closed, I was wearing nothing but a smile and a hard-on like I've never pitched before. I was ready to rumble, I have been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Leeanne came back from the shower in just a towel. Closing the door behind her, the dimly lit lights in my room made her look like an exotic princess, golden curly hair, water running off her shoulders. She let the towel slip from her chest down to her waist, exposing her pert 18 year-old breasts, and erect nipples that looked like erasers on the end of pencils. The towel sat erotically on her hips now, with a little bit of a “V” in the front to expose a little bit of extra flesh.

I call her over to the bed and she slides in next to me. I pull her to me and slide a sheet over us. She threw her towel to the floor as I started to run my hands over her young body. Now I don’t know about you, but the fact I had a hot, young and most definitely ready female in bed with me, was just about enough to send me over the edge.

Trying to control myself, I slowly run my hands down over her naked body, only lightly touching it with my fingertips. I don’t know how I'm doing, but I gather the little smile and arched back are positive signs. Lying naked on her back I decide that my fingers have done enough walking, and its time my taste buds were put to good use. Rolling over on top of her I lightly kiss Leanne’s neck, breathing warm moist air onto her neck while doing so.

I start kissing my way down between her breasts, first cupping those perky breasts in each hand, and then I kiss them one at a time. She is now squirming at my every touch, just how I want her to be. She puts her hands on my shoulders and pushes me down to her crotch, moving her hands to the back of my head she is now guiding my tongue onto her clitoris. I have seen a couple of Motors before but never from this close, and never a bald one.

She looks down at me and says, “Like that do you? I had it done special for tonight.” So she had been planning this for a while. Nice 1. I go to work with my tongue on her clitoris, slowly at first, round and round. She pulls my face tighter against her crotch and I know to go harder. I go as fast as I can and she begins to purr like a kitten. She has begun to shake a little bit now, like she’s cold and in need of warming up. I insert a finger into her schmoo and work it in and out. She is now in the beginning of her first real orgasm, bucking and squirming like no other, soft moans now a flood of words, “Fuck yes, Oh god yes, mmmmmph!!” Finally she lets out an exhaustive cry and tells me to “Hold it there, don’t move.” I have my finger still inside her and my tongue still resting on her clit, she gives little flinches every few seconds or so as she recovers. I have a huge smile on my face, but I try not to move around too much. It is hard not to smile when you have just done what I had for the first time, and you’ve done a pretty good job of it. She pushes my head back and I slowly remove my soaking finger from her schmoo. We just lay there for a few minutes while her breathing comes back to normal.

She tells me she has made herself orgasm before, but no one has ever done it for her. She said she much prefers it this way, more powerful she says. We lay there spooning, me behind her, erection pushing into the cleft of her butt.

Leeanne looks over her shoulder, “What do we have here, is someone being left out?” Reaching around behind her with her right hand, she softly grabs my manhood and begins to move her hand up and down. I know now that all the previous activity has me peering ominously close to the edge of an orgasm, but I will try my best to hold off. Leeanne rolls over and lays me back, still with her right hand wrapped firmly around my cock. She leans over, now just inches from the head of my cock, and stops. I look down at her and she is smiling up at me, “I've been waiting 2 months to do this,” she says.

She licks then end of my dick like it’s a lollypop, again and again. She takes then bell end into her mouth and it feels amazing, she moves up and down with beautiful grace, all the time massaging my cock up and down with her right hand. She cups my hair-free (I too was ready) sack and gives it a little squeeze, I give a little jump as I thought it might hurt but it feels good. She continues moving up and down on me, massaging my dick and balls, bringing me closer to orgasm. I curl up my feet unintentionally and she sees this, “Are you ready to pop honey?” I give a little nod, speechless that this goddess of mine is pleasing me in these new and most excellent ways. She stops what she is doing and starts licking my knob end again. This feels good, but it won’t me orgasm, so at the moment I like it. 

Leeanne is kneeling beside me so I decide to reach back and massage her butt while she licks away at me. I let my hand slide from her back to her arse, I grab her butt and give it a bit of a rub then a gentle squeeze. She responds by sticking her bum a little further into the air, I take this as a good sign and move my fingers to her schmoo. I rub up and down her pussy lips and slowly work the ring finger of my left hand inside her. With my index finger I rub slowly over her clitoris, making her moan slightly. I begin working my finger in and out of her vagina and round and round her clit, “Faster, faster” she is calling to me, so as a good boy I do what I'm told. Once again she begins to shudder a little bit so I work my first and second finger inside her pussy. She moves closer to me to give me more room to work, going deeper and deeper into her snatch with my fingers. “Bugger this, its time for you to cum.” She says while sitting back on her heels while still holding onto my dick.

She lay on her back and invites me to sit on top of her. My balls are sitting between her breasts and my dick just near her chin. I put a pillow behind her head and she leans forward to take my cock into her mouth, using her hand to jerk me off and her mouth to suck me of I feel straight away the onset of an orgasm. I lean back and close my eyes and a small moan escapes my lips, “Oh Leeanne, I'm gonna cum.” She stops with the sucking and now just works me with her hands. With her right hand she jerks my dick and with her left she is massaging my balls, her tongue is stuck out with the end of my cock resting on it. I think to myself that when I shoot there is no way it is going to just ooze out into her mouth, it's going to fly out all over her face. I moan again and this time it's here, the orgasm I have been so eager for. I am not the only one who has been dying for the orgasm as Leeanne jerks harder and says, “Cum on me baby, cum all over my face!!!” Well that is all the tempting I need as I shoot my first wad of cum right over her head and onto the pillow, the second wad lands on her cheek, with the third landing on forehead above her eyes. She keeps jerking and now the rest is going into her mouth, lots more than my normal standards. Leeanne is making little “Mmmmmph” sounds as she sucks and jerks, trying to get all the juice out of me. I try to open my eyes but all I can see is little stars in them so I just leave them closed and fall onto the bed next to her. I feel so exhausted and buzzing all over, I guess this is what they mean by an all body orgasm.

Leeanne wipes the rest of my load off her face and rubs it onto her breasts; looking over to me she smiles a huge grin and says, “How long to your ready to go again so we can finish tonight off properly?”

I look down at my dick, again it is surrounded by Leanne’s soft hand, and I can feel it coming back to life. “Not long, not long at all.” “Good,” she says. “It is my birthday and what I want, I am going to get!!”



Lucky Man Pt. 01



Life is what you make it, make your luck, destiny is in your own hands.

Prologue

I might as well own up right at the front of our short-term hopefully intimate but rather one-sided relationship between you the reader and myself: I'm an arsehole, no, let's be brutally frank with you, I am one dumb stupid arsehole. And an unlucky one at that.

I never knew how well-off I was until I was temporarily very well-off, before becoming somewhat less well-off and then realised I might never again be as well-off as I was when I really was well-off. 

If you are following me so far, well done, you should be proud of yourself, I feel happier believing that at least one of us in this fleeting acquaintance has something, however small, to be proud about. 

I suppose the beginning of my sorry story is the best place to start.

Chapter 1. Beginnings

I believe I became disillusioned with my marriage about eleven or twelve years into it, which is more than ten years ago now. I discovered that my wife had been unfaithful. I came across the evidence and she admitted to a one-off affair in a fit of pique, because a short notice I was unable to accompany her on a holiday trip. She said she had immediately regretted the affair. We had planned the trip together, but I had to cancel at the last minute. We decided to stay together for the sake of our two young children, but the spell of our love was broken forever and our marriage became an empty shell.

When we met, my wife Ruth was a couple of years younger than me. By the time we married, a couple of years later, she had just left college to start working as a junior accountant, working evening classes towards becoming chartered. We were 22 and 20 respectively when we wed. She told me she was a virgin when we first met, but after 22 years of marriage I have evidence that that was a lie.

Ruth Edmundson was an only child living at home with her parents when we met. Her father was a bank manager and always seemed friendly towards me, despite our difference in class and circumstance. Ruth's mother however, thought I was something the cat had dragged in and, I believe, continually sought to undermine me at every turn with her daughter. It turned out to be an act on her mother's part; she clearly fancied a bit of rough when she tried to jump me about a month after I started seeing her daughter. I put her firmly in her place, that I would never betray Ruth and that if she tried anything again I would tell Ruth. Thereafter she never gave me reason to let Ruth know, the only secret I ever kept from her during all those years I've known her.

I was a bricklayer's labourer, living in some pretty desperate digs, having left home and school at 16 following a dust up with my father. To my future mother I was exactly as I described myself in my opening sentence. I had no education or qualifications, working as an unskilled labourer, more often getting paid cash in hand when I did work and earning absolutely nothing when weather conditions dictated otherwise. I was susceptible to work drying up from time to time. To the Edmundsons, I had few prospects for their only daughter. 

But Ruthie thought the world of me at that time, or she appeared to me to do. After all, in some circles I was considered something of a catch. I was toned fit and tanned, of only average height but with thick dark hair long enough to tie in a pony tail (my only excuse reader is that the style was very fashionable at the time even among accountants and bankers). Ruth was blond and petite with bright blue eyes and, I must say, a very nice pair of tits. 

We first met at a noisy dark disco in town and, to be honest with you, I really fancied her friend first but then so did Bob, my cousin and best mate. We both had a couple of dances with the pair of girls along with a couple of rounds of drinks in between. Her friend Carol was tall and slim, with small but high perky tits and legs that went on forever and she stood out not only by her height but her long frizzy, startling red hair. Also, she was loud and extraverted and appeared to be up for anything for a laugh, which definitely took the notice of a couple of randy fellows like my cousin and I. 

When we suggested we go on somewhere quieter where we could carry on a proper conversation or something, the girls decided to deliberate their possible acquiescence by privately discussing us in the Little Girls' Room. I was the designated driver that night, restricting myself to the regulation two lagers and lime. (Look, this was a long time ago and tastes change, ok? Do you want to follow my story or not?) 

Anyway, as I was going to be otherwise occupied in driving, my mate Robert had first dibs and naturally he opted for the willowy Carol. Damn! I thought, Carol was hot, slightly tipsy and clearly 'begging for it' big time. Bob was taller, darker, fitter, much more handsome than me, so the chances of swapsies and sloppy seconds later on was more than likely extremely bloody unlikely. 

Bugger my luck! Not that Ruth was ugly or anything, but compared to the scrumptious Carol she seemed dowdy and dumpy in that dingy nightclub, with more than a touch of puppy fat around her middle and hips, although she did have the benefit of a nice sweet face. Her outstanding tits I had already commented on. 

When the lovely ladies returned from their consultation, Carol grabbed Bob enthusiastically by the arm and dragged him off towards the exit. It looked like our argument about who had what dibs didn't count for a fig. The ladies, or one lady at least, made her choice and I distinctly got the feeling that had I lost out on the deal. 

I drove the car, so my mate occupied the back seat with Carol from where they were soon making all sorts of interesting squeals and coos. Meanwhile I was stuck with Ruth in the front seats with her trying to make small talk and me concentrating on trying to get out of town and park up somewhere secluded to fulfil some potential action of our own. By the time we stopped, though, Bob and Carol were going at it full pelt and Ruth couldn't keep her ears or eyes off what was happening on the back seat. 

I parked up in a shadowy layby that I had been undisturbed in before, pulled up the parking brake and released my seat belt. Following Ruth's example, I looked around too, it was wrong I know, but we felt compelled to. All I could see in what little moonlight twinkled through the filtering tree canopy was Carol's long black-stockinged legs in the air with a flimsy pair of white knickers comically caught up in the buckle of her shoe around her right ankle, and Bob's even whiter arse pistoning frenetically between her stockinged legs. Bob's rocking buttocks were held in a deeply-indented vice-like grip by Carol's multiple-ringed fingers, pulling him harder into her audibly slurping vagina. 

If my beat up old car had had a working radio or cassette player I could have blanked out some of those disconcerting sound effects by cranking up the volume. What did I tell you about my luck? Consistent, ain't it? Ruth and me had attempted a little small talk on the journey trying to learn more about ourselves but it was an uphill struggle for both of us and, certainly towards the closing miles of the trip, I cannot honestly remember a word either of us exchanged.

I'd had a raging hard-on for the previous ten minutes, the tent in my trousers rubbing on that big old-fashioned steering wheel that I gripped with white knuckles, as I had motored to that secluded parking-up spot and thinking to myself why can't I be jammy with luck like Bob? 

After I had stopped the car, remembering to pull up that dodgy safety brake, I spent a minute or two straining my neck staring at the spectacular bonking almost within touching distance, a taboo I had absolutely no intention of transgressing, before I tore away my gaze and looked at Ruth. She looked beautiful in the moonlight, she wore far too much make-up of course, but all girls around her age did, especially if they were not as confident about their looks as they might later become. The skin on her face looked smooth and translucent, her mouth was open slightly, her lips in profile looked fuller and more luscious then they had seemed in full face view.

I think that I was smiling at Ruth with the humour of the situation rather than any expectations of falling on my feet like Bob had. After all, when the girls were away about their ablutions earlier, both Bob and I had come to the conclusion that Carol was the one most likely to put out straight away while Ruth was the quiet one that would need investing time and effort in for a few weeks before she finally gave up the goods, if at all. Hence my disappointment in the distribution of dibs, although looking at her now I thought she wasn't bad, she certainly wasn't a plain girl.

My head turning in her direction must have broken Ruth's trance and she switched those shocked round eyes to focus on me. Then she relaxed and matched my grin with her own delightful, I thought, smile. 

Ruth has always had a beautiful smile. It is wide and generous, crinkling up the skin below her cool-blue eyes, emphasising her high cheek bones, which framed her pert nose and flared nostrils perfectly. No dimples but a slightly tapered chin which made her face look younger and quite the sweet little girl. Just at that moment I thought she was actually quite pretty in the romantic moonlight, so much better than that harsh strobe lighting in the shadowy night club earlier. 

My dick, though, was telling me that Ruth was more than just a pretty girl, she was extremely fuckable, so what the hell was I doing by not fucking her already? A young man's dick is always unruly and thinking for itself, however, we are not always ruled by its inclinations, despite evidence to the contrary.

I leaned into her and kissed her tentatively on the lips. Ruth tilted her head slightly as I closed the gap and our lips more or less met first time. We began with a couple of little daisy kisses as we sorted out each other's facial geography, while I moved my hands up to cup her face. After those first few kisses I poked a gentle enquiring tongue between her rosebud lips and she greeted mine with her own hot wet insinuating one. We changed the angle of our lips and I became gradually more articulate and forceful with my organ of taste. Our teeth clashed a couple of times as our lips adjusted and realigned their orientation but we were both borne away by the passion of simple kissing and stroking. I moved my left hand behind her head to pull her face more into my kisses and my right-hand fingertips stroked the back of her left hand which had moved up to cup my cheek. Her hand was warm and soft and felt nice, and I thought nice was so much better than nothing at all. I felt as romantic as any soppy girl at that point and thought it was time to man up and raise the ante a little.

As we increased the depth of our kisses, the fingertips of my right hand gently traced tiny circles on the back of her hand, then moved onto her forearm, before caressing her shoulder, inexorably heading for more intimate zones. Our gentle dreamy smooching was pleasurable even though it appeared to be in complete contrast to the passionate sounds not only still emanating from the back seat but escalating somewhat in intensity.

The shouts of Carol and Bob announcing their impending tandem coming, finally penetrated our concentration. I broke off our kissing, smiled warmly at the lovely Ruth and rolled my eyes skyward in an exaggerated gesture. She sniggered. Ruth possessed a little girl's giggle that attracted me then and has ever since and her innocent face lit up through a mixture of amusement and embarrassment. I was charmed, I thought to myself that this girl's stock is definitely a lot higher than my initial impression at the nightclub. I hadn't had many conquests until then but they were, to a girl, good-time slappers all. Only a handful had merited second or third dates and I'd had only two steady girlfriends until that point, neither of them lasting more than six months. No-one had come close to denting my stone-cold heart, until this girl presented possibilities. Perhaps I was just becoming more mature, so recently was I out of my terrible teens.

We tried our best to ignore the exuberant lovers and the all-pervading smell of sex penetrating every corner of the confined space of my stuffy old motor car. We resumed our own satisfactory sweet kissing, although I was seriously considering a gradual escalation might well be in order. My right hand's fingertips, which had been stroking her shoulder and throat up to that point, drifted down thankfully unopposed to fondle her ample soft left breast. I twisted my wrist so that the fingertips gravitated under that glorious orb and lightly lifted and weighed it several times to gauge its satisfying yielding ripeness and substance. Meanwhile, with my thumb I sought out and started lightly rubbing her nipple through the dulcimer thin layers of blouse and bra.

Ruth sighed and broke off our lengthy kiss but not before sucking in my lower lip and giving it a sharp nip between her even white smiling teeth, which sent a thrill of electricity through me. With another flash of her brilliant smile she tucked in her head to nuzzle and nip me in the erogenous spot where neck and shoulder meet, which sent another electric tingle through me.

"Mmmm, that's nice and gentle," she breathed referring to the mutually satisfying ministrations of my thumb. "My nipples are always sore when it's my time of the month." 

She relaxed her head on my shoulder while I continued to lightly push her stiffened nipple up and down, across and around, while she made sweet little sighing noises between alternately kissing and biting my throat and neck where my collar allowed access. One of her hands abstractly stroked the back of my head and neck, playing with my silly pony tail, the other hand tracing little circles on my back, scratching at the fabric of my thin cotton shirt with her sharp highly polished nails.

All I could think though was, "Oh shit!" 

Although I was thoroughly enjoying our kissing and light second base petting, her oblique reference to her deal-breaker monthly period soaked into my sex-obsessed thoughts. Double fucking shit!, my brain bemoaned internally. Not only have I got off with the less sexy of the two girls, ok, very recently upgraded to only slightly less sexy, it looked like I had sodding well struck out again, and would be keeping my engorged dick firmly hibernating for the rest of the evening. It was clear that yours truly, Marcus Newlands, was once again shit out of luck and would have to resort to a serious wanking session when I finally got back to the sanctity of my landlady's dingy digs before my frustrated id surrendered to sleep that night.

Behind us, the lucky bastard (bastard! bastard!) lovers had finished testing the ancient car's creaking springs to near-destruction and began their next chapter of breathlessly extolling what fantastic lovers one another were. In fact jointly agreeing they were the best lovers ever. Thanks guys, I really fucking well needed to hear all that, too.

With a jolt, as if the significance of her earlier unguarded remark had suddenly penetrated, Ruth lifted her head off my shoulder and gazed at me with wide open eyes.

"I am so sorry," she said steadily holding me with those big blue eyes and the thumb of her soft hand still gently stroking my cheek, "I am a bit of a ... erm, mess down there tonight, I really didn't realise the evening was going to get even remotely serious otherwise I would never have agreed with Carol to come along with you guys." 

She bit her bottom lip, twisting it out of shape, like a little girl owning up to her strict mother about spilling blackcurrant juice all down her best party frock five minutes before the party was due to start. 

Oh, yes, dear reader, I tell you that Ruth was getting even prettier minute by minute. How could anyone with feelings have been disappointed by her little girl lost look. Even as a 20-year-old maintaining a 25-minute hard-on that wasn't going down a hurry could forgive this girl anything. All right maybe not everyone would be as forgiving, but then what can I say? I was already half-smitten by her.

I grinned at her and kissed her on the tip of her nose, saying "You lovely girl, I am not in the least bit disappointed. I would be happy to stay all night with your beautiful head resting on my shoulder and feeling your sweet breath on my neck." 

I moved my lips down a little and kissed her lightly, lips only, on her open o-shaped mouth, briefly sucking the bottom lip, so recently charmingly masticated, and added matter of factly, "Mind you, I wouldn't mind changing seats, though, so you can stop my other shoulder from getting jealous - then can I have a nice play around with your other nipple?!" I laughed again and she joined in my amusement with her delightful snigger.

Carol was leaning over the seats between our heads at that moment, trying to see why we were being so quiet. Carol reached over, cupped my head, pinning Ruth's hand to my cheek as well, and kissed me long and lingeringly on the lips. Then she turned to Ruth and said, "He's a keeper, you don't want let him get away, girl!" 

In the back Robert indignantly said "Hey!" and tugged on his girl. Carol giggled, rolling her own eyes to the heavens, before falling back to resume snogging lover-boy Bob on the back seat.

I looked back at Ruth, perhaps she was my very own Ruthie now, if she followed her friend's advice, and said, 

"This is how it is, Ruth. Cards on the table. I like you, I like you a lot and would like to see you again, maybe on a regular basis. Hey, I would even like to keep you if you are interested in keeping me. Perhaps we can do this again, any time you like. Would you like to come out with me tomorrow?"

I thought that Ruth was a little overcome by my gushing pronouncements but my gob was on a roll and I was in my stride. I'm a quiet person most of the time, but when I feel passionate about something there's no stopping me. There was no stopping me now and I was about to open my mouth again to end the long pause, when Ruth found her voice to reply, she was clearly not as non-plussed as I had imagined.

"And if you do see me tomorrow, would you be happy just to kiss like this?" she enquired, raising one lightly plucked and fullish pencil-blackened eyebrow before giving me another wet lip kiss. She broke the kiss off with a flourish by biting my upper lip this time and blinked at me with her innocent little girl look that she has always seemed to accomplish effortlessly whenever she had a mind to. 

I nodded dumbly, I was in completely new territory. My experience with females had always been with slappers, there was no other way to describe them. I had never really felt any emotional reaction to a girl before but I instinctively believed that Ruth was one you could trust and rely on not sleeping with a stranger next week if she agreed to hook up with me. Anyway, the direction the conversation had been going, I was virtually on a promise in a few days' time anyway. Even if this relationship was doomed to failure in the long term, I might still get my end away in the very near future. When you are 20 and single, that was a result!

Perhaps my nodded affirmation had been too perfunctory, as she still looked at me quizzically, with that Mona Lisa female smile that spoke volumes without actually giving anything away.

"Yes," I emphasised, vocalising my previous gesture, "I would love to see you tomorrow. We could do anything you want: go for a walk, or a picnic or have a drink or meal out. We could start getting to know one another. If you like we could just kiss and cuddle while the sun goes down after spending the day together." 




Lucky Man Pt. 01



Author's note 

This is a two part story. Both parts are free standing. This part has no explicit sex so if that is what you are looking for, I'd advise you to look elsewhere 

***** 

I hate things like this, I feel like a spare part. All the great and the good are milling around glad handing each, other while Caroline, my wife, talks to them about helping her charity. I've already met the local MP. Then there is Roger Dewey, the local head of Children's Services; I swear if he lays his hands on her again, I'll deck the bastard. The only reason they are here is because Caroline, is doing so well. They are hoping to claim credit. They make me sick. The problem is I also make myself sick. 

Look at me; a college lecturer. I teach engineering. I've settled for semi-security and a good pension; and I hate myself for it. Before the company went broke I was the top man for control engineering. Then came the crunch, and it was a matter of move away or take a job at the college. We couldn't disrupt the children's education, so I settled for a secure salary and a pension. Ten years later the children are at university and I'm still there. Meanwhile Caroline has taken her new freedom and shown the world what she can do. 

Caroline always said that I was the clever one; she always put herself down. I knew different. She was smart, but in a different way; Caroline was an organiser, a persuader of people. She trained as a nursery nurse but she was wasted doing that; I knew it even if she didn't. By the time the children left school she worked as a frustrated nursery manager, for an organisation she was perfectly capable of running. When the manager resigned I urged her to take it on. She had the ability but lacked the confidence, so I did my best to give her that confidence. I wanted her to fulfil her true potential. Because that's what you do when you love someone. She'd given her all for us, now it was her turn. 

I didn't realise would take over her life leaving no room for me. OK, I admit I'm jealous. I'm jealous of her job, not jealous because it's better than mine, but jealous because it gets all her time and attention leaving nothing for me. I don't resent her success, I'm proud of her, proud of what she has achieved. It's just that it's ruined the plan. When the children left it was supposed to be our time. Time to do things together, see the world. Now the plan's gone to hell and I hardly see her. That's the reason I'm here. If I don't show up to these events I never get to spend time with her. Who knows if it goes well, we might even share a small moment of intimacy when we get home. 

We take our seats for the presentation ceremony. Caroline waves as she makes her way up to the stage. I move to the far side of the room and can just see her take her seat in the wings, next to that lecherous bastard from Children's Services. I watch Caroline going through her speech. Until recently she would have asked for my help, but I have no idea what's in this speech. 

A local radio celebrity steps up to the podium and outlines the agenda for the evening and the room becomes quiet. Caroline is up for two awards one for her organisation and one individual. 

I sit through the first part waiting for the Non-Government Organisations awards. We've known for months Caroline's project had won this award she was even asked who she wanted to present it. Like a fool I'd suggested the head of Children's Services. 'Doesn't hurt to get these people on side,' I'd told her. That was before I found out what a letch he was. 

'Now we come to the organisation that has made the most progress in childcare,' said our master of ceremonies. 'Presenting this award is the head of Children's Services for Welfordshire, Mr Roger Dewey.' 

People applaud, but not me. This bloke is an arsehole of the first order. I've seen him groping any woman he can get close to. He's only been in the job six months and already he's got a reputation. He's talking to us all about how the organisation rose from the ashes. You'd think he was there, but that was two years ago, and the council he represents were part of the original problem. Someone has briefed him well though. He tells us all who the winner is and Caroline steps forward to receive her award. 

He walks back to his seat and I wait for the speech. Normally I'm as familiar with the speech as she is. I'm her trial audience, her advisor; cut that; expand on this, but this time I have no idea what she will say. She looks back at Dewey and he nods to her. Almost immediately I sense something is wrong. She's talking politics, telling us of the problems caused by the government's funding cuts. 

'Keep politics out of it,' I always said. 'The people you slag off today might be in power tomorrow.' 

I glance around the room and see uncomfortable looking faces. Now she's thanking people, the trustees, the nursery managers, the case workers. She looks back at him again. 

'Last but by no means least, I'd like to thank Mr Roger Dewey without his help and support we would never have made it this far.' 

'What help and support' I'm asking myself? 

This award was sewn up before he even took the job. Why is she thanking him, without even a passing mention of me? I was the one who helped her deal with a hostile committee who wanted to close the project down. She sits down, and he puts his hand on her back. He moves his hand across her bare shoulders then lower down her back. This is not a congratulatory pat on the back from a colleague; it's the caress of a husband or... lover. 

Suddenly everything is clear. The late night meetings, the weekend conferences and the fundraising trips to London, all explained in an instant. I get out of my seat. She is making no attempt to stop Dewey running his hand over her back. Not until our eyes meet. I have no idea what expression I'm wearing, but it can't be pretty. Her mouth falls open, and she gasps, before shaking herself and talking to Dewey who quickly pulls his hand back. I make my way to the aisle, then I'm free and walking out of the room. 

Once outside I throw up in the litter bin outside the door then lean against the wall, I gasp in the cold night air and consider my position. It can't be true, not my Caroline, but I know that it is. I've not been teaching for ten years without learning something about body language. Dewey's hands were telling me 'She's mine, this is my woman.' Greedy bastard has another one at home looking after the kids. 

What do I do now? Do I go back in there and pretend nothing has happened? Can I do that? Can I look at my Caroline without seeing that slimy bastard with his hands all over her? What about him? Can I resist smashing his face in as soon as he comes near me? No, going back inside is out of the question. I've got some serious thinking to do and I can't do it here. Where is my car? Finding my car keys, I press the unlock button and the 'chirp chirp' attracts my attention and I turn to see the lights flash. 

Sitting in my car I feel better, insulated from the problems outside. I start the engine. Home, that's where I need to be, I can think there. Caroline has another award to come so she'll be tied up here for another hour or so. I'm on the road before the arguments in my head start. 

'What are you doing?' asks the voice. 'You can't be sure there's anything going on. It's not as if you caught them at it?' 

'He knows what he saw; that's all he needs to know. It was obvious.' 

'But there might be a reasonable explanation.' 

'Yes, he's fucking her what further explanation do you need' 

All this is going on as I'm driving down the hill toward the bridge. I reach the crossroads; two cars are coming towards me. The first car slows to turn left and the second car pulls out to pass. There is not enough space and I react too slowly. The car tries to pull back in but I hit the back end knocking me sideways. The impact sets off the airbags and I can see nothing. There is another impact and everything goes black. 

Blue lights are flashing outside, I reach for the door and a searing pain shoots though me. I can't move; it's like I'm pinned to the seat. The door is pulled open and a stocky man in green overalls stands before me. 

'Hello mate. My name's George, I'm a paramedic. What do I call you?' 

'John, John Fletcher' 

'OK John what have we got here?' 

He got out a torch and looked around, opened the rear door and looked around again. 

'John mate, I'm not going to lie to you, we're in serious trouble here. I want you to stay quite still. There is a tube, part of the bridge; it's come through the car, through you and the seat. I'm going to have to call out the Fire and Rescue service to get you out.' 

George leaves me, and I wonder how things could get any worse. In a few minutes he's back. He sits talking to me while we wait. More blue lights as the Fire and Rescue arrives. George goes to talk to them and then comes back to me. 

'Well John, I hope you're not too attached to this car, because they're going to have to cut you out of here. It's a piece of metal right, not important? We're going to get you out of here, but the car has got to go.' 

I nodded, and George started to move out of the way 

'George, are my legs alright?' 

'Yeah mate, they look fine.' 

'It's just that I can't feel anything down there.' 

He's trying to disguise it but his cheerful expression changes. I'm in serious trouble. 

They are cutting the car apart first the doors, then the roof. The floodlights mean that I can see the galvanised tube sticking out of my abdomen. George fills me with morphine and they cut through the tube. 

The lights are so bright and I'm surrounded by people. One man seems to be in charge and he's giving orders to the others, someone is talking to me but I can't understand what they are saying. They inject something into the back of my hand and everything fades to black again. 

I wake in a brightly lit room. My throat is as dry as the bottom of a bird cage. She is here in the room, still wearing the dress she wore for the presentation. She has her back to me. The same back that Dewey was stroking last night. I'm lying on my side, propped up by pillows. I search for water without success. 

'Water' I croak 

She turns on hearing my voice and rushes too the bed. 

'Thank God you're alright; I've been so worried about you.' 

She presses the call button to summon the nurse. 

'What happened to you? What were you doing?' 

The nurse bustles into the room and Caroline makes room for her 

'How are you Mr Fletcher?' 

'Thirsty, very thirsty.' 

'I can't give you any water yet; it will make you sick. Here suck on this; it will make you feel better.' 

She puts a small ice cube into my mouth. It's too cold but so soothing. 

'Try not to talk too much. I'll tell the doctor you are awake and he'll be in to talk to you soon.' 

Caroline comes back. Her eyes are red; she's been crying. There are tears running down her cheeks now. She takes my hand and squeezes it. 

'When the presentation was over I looked for you but couldn't find you anywhere. When I found the car missing, I had to get a taxi home.' 

'You mean Dewey didn't give you a lift,' I think. I would say it but it's hard to talk with an ice cube in your mouth. I pulled the ice cube out for a moment. 

'Why are you here Caroline?' 

'What do you mean, why am I here? The hospital rang and told me my husband was seriously injured, I came straight here. What else was I meant to do?' 

'Call Dewey and tell him the bedroom is available.' It would be cruel to give voice to my thoughts, and I find it difficult to be cruel to her. 

'Go home Caroline; get some sleep. It looks like you need it and I certainly do.' 'Anyway you heard the nurse, I mustn't talk much.' I put the ice cube back in and sucked on it. 

'Maybe I'll wait, and talk to the doctor' 

'I'm not a child Caroline. The doctor can say all he needs to say to me; after all, I am the patient. -Just go home and get some rest. If you really want to do something for me, you can call Bob at the college. Tell him what happened, and I won't be working for while.' 

'What's wrong John? Why are you being like this?' 

'I don't know; maybe it's got something to do with being run through with a steel tube.' 

'Perhaps you're right; I should go home and come back later when you are feeling better.' 

She gets up picks up her coat then bends to kiss my cheek. 

'I'll be back later,' she says as she puts her coat on. 

She reaches the door and turns back to face me. 

'I love you,' she says, and a tear run down her cheek. 

***** 

The doctor is a cheerful sort. He's arranged for me to have something to drink and he's viewing my scans on his tablet computer. 

'You're a lucky man Mr Fletcher. The tube missed all the vital organs. How do you feel?' 

'Like a survivor of the Zulu wars. I'm expecting Michael Caine to come in any minute with a progress report.' 

'What? Oh yes the film, I caught it on Netflix a while back. Good to see you've kept your sense of humour. As I say you've been very lucky just a two broken ribs that we've wired back in place. No lasting damage.' 

'So why don't my legs work?' 

His expression changes. His smile is gone and now he looks concerned. Uncovering my legs he goes through a routine of tests. He pulls a pin from the collar of his scrubs. 

'Yell when you feel something,' he says. 

I'm not watching what he's doing but I can guess. 

'Pull your toes down for me.' 

I tell my toes to move but when I look down everything stays still. 

'Now up,' he says 

Once more my brain sends out the command but nothing happens. 

He covers my legs again and makes some notes on his tablet. 

'OK, it looks like we've got some nerve damage. Now, I don't want you to panic, it's probably temporary. When the tube broke your ribs, it also displaced your spine a little. We know none of the nerves were severed but they might be deadened, or it could be some swelling in the spine putting pressure on the nerves. We'll leave it for a few days and do more tests.' 

'Not so lucky after all doc' 

'You're still alive Mr Fletcher. Given the circumstances, I'd say that was lucky.' 

He leaves me and I fall asleep. The nurses come in and make their observations and I go back to sleep. 

It's evening now. The nurses move me into a sitting position and fill me with morphine. At 6:30 pm, she walks into my room. She looks less tired but her eyes are still red. She smiles as she walks over to the bed and kisses me on the lips.  

'You're looking better; what did the doctor say?' 

'He told me I'm a lucky man. A week ago I would have agreed with him.' 

'You are lucky we both are. You survived and we still have each other.' 

'Do we Caroline? Do we still have each other? This is the first time in months that I've seen you before 9:00 pm.' 

She looks down at the floor and I wait for her to make a clean breast of it. She decides against it and gives me a wan smile. 

'You're right, I've been neglecting us, but that's all going to change. It's time I got my priorities right. I'm going to delegate more. They owe me some leave, so when I get you home I'll take a few weeks off and take care of you.' 

'I'm not coming home, I'm not sure where I'm going yet, but I'm not coming home.' 

'Don't be silly, of course you're coming home. Who will take care of you? You're not just going to get up and walk out of here.' 

For a second I wonder if she's found out about my legs, but then I realise that even the nurses won't be told until there is a diagnosis. No she's expecting me to be discharged in the next ten days and my ribs won't let me do much. 

'I'm aware of that. In fact I doubt that I'll be out of here for a few weeks, but when they do discharge me, I won't be coming home. You see I know what's been going on between you and Dewey.' 

Her face is starting to redden, and she looks off to her left before bringing her eyes back to look at me again. 

'There is nothing going on between us. Who would tell you such a thing.' 

'He did, Dewey."This is my woman," he said. Just before I left; he said it to me and anyone else who was interested.' 

'What are you talking about he hardly said a word to you last night, and I don't blame him. I thought you were being quite rude.' 

'Not as rude as I would have been if I'd known. At that point I only knew of his reputation of being a lecherous womaniser. Oh no, it was when you were up on the stage and he didn't need words for what he had to say. You know what happened you saw me.' 

'I saw you get up looking angry, but I didn't know you were spying on me.' 

'Spying? Do you think I wanted to witness you two cosy up to each other? I like to watch you, It fills my heart with pride to see you up there being the person I always knew you could be. That's how I was feeling when it all started to go wrong. When that little weasel had his hands all over your back, and you did nothing to stop him.' 

I watch her undo her top button and try to cool off by flapping the front of her blouse. 

'Why do they make these places so hot?' she says. It's a rhetorical question and offer no answer. 

'All right he gave me a little pat on the back but that surely not worth splitting up.' 

'It was more than that. I know you Caroline caressing and rubbing your back is like foreplay to you. The disturbing thing is that he knows you well enough to do the same things I would.' 

The tears start to form; it gives me no pleasure. She's dabbing at her eyes with a tissue and trying to control her breathing; she wants to say something so I wait. 

'I was going to tell you last night when we got home. When I found out what happened I decided to wait until you were back on your feet and more able to handle it. I'm so sorry John, I didn't mean it to happen really I didn't. I was under such pressure and I buckled.' 

'Are you saying he pressured you?' 

'Well yes, I mean no, sort of. I mean at first yes. Does it matter? It's over; I told him last night, never to lay his hands on me again. It was short,and not very sweet. I made the biggest mistake of my life, now I'm pleading with you John, please let me try to repair the damage. We can get past this I know we can.' 

'I wish I had your confidence Caroline but the fact is, I don't. I lost my self respect a long time ago but finding out that I've lost your respect, did things to me. You are not the only one who made sacrifices for our family; I sacrificed a good career because we couldn't disrupt the children's education by moving to another part of the country. When they left for university you started your career again and we stayed because I wanted you to see how good you are. I can make logical decisions, help with the plans, but I could never handle those people the way you do. You are so damned good at the whole management thing, I had to give you the chance to spread your wings and fly. Now you have that confidence; now you can do it on your own. Where does that leave me? For ten years I've been teaching kids who aren't interested, subjects far below the level I used to function at. It drove me crazy. As the years went by and they made the job more quantifiable and political I just hated it more. The only reason I stuck it out was because it was for us, you and me. Now I find there is no us, what am I going to do?' 

'No one that heard me speak last night would think I'd lost respect for you.' 

'You mean the speech where you said that you owe everything to Dewey?' 

'No I mean the second one where I told everyone how I owed everything to my wonderful, supportive, unselfish husband. People were calling for you to stand up but you weren't there. I had to tell them you were very shy. If you want to move away to find a better job, we can do that. I'll give up my job and look for something else wherever we end up. Please John let me try to make it right.' 




Lucky Man Pt. 01



'And how will you quitting your job make anything right? It will just be another thing for me to feel guilty about. It's alright, I'm not blaming you, I'm not the man you married. The man you married would never settle for the security of having a wage. He would have found a way of working around the problem even if that meant setting up his own consultancy. He wouldn't have ended up like me. I don't blame you, I don't respect me either.' 

'But I do love you and I do respect you. All the things you think of as negatives I see as positives. Yes you've changed, but you had a family to support. I wanted you to take the job at the college. I wanted a regular income. I wanted to be sure we could pay the mortgage at the end of the month. I'm sorry I never realised how much you hated the job. If you want to quit, that's fine by me. I can support us. Please John can't we leave all of this until I've got you back home. Give us some time it will all seem clearer then.' 

She doesn't see that she is just digging herself deeper into a hole. There is an uneasy silence as Caroline continues to dab at her eyes with a tissue. It is me that breaks the silence. 

'I have to get back my self respect, be the man I know I can be, just like you. I need to do that. I can't kid myself anymore. What I thought I had; the reason I used to accept the situation, is gone.' 

'We can do that together. I can help you, like you helped me. I really will be the best wife.' 

'You already have been, for more than twenty years. A better wife than I had a right to ask for, but that is over. You can't be part of the solution because you are part of the problem' 

Now comes what I expect to be the final salvo. 

'What am I going to tell the children?' 

'Whatever you like. Tell them we grew apart, or I couldn't live with your work commitments. You could even tell them the truth. I'll go along with whatever you say as long as you don't make me the bad guy.' 

That's it, it's over, there are no more arguments to bring up but she hits me with something I hadn't expected. 

'What about Roger, does he get off scot free? He's ruined our lives, and he walks away without a scratch.' 

'It takes two to tango Caroline.' 

'I know that, but it was him that did all the chasing. I deserve what is happening, but you've done nothing to deserve this. You're sitting there acting calm, but I know this is breaking your heart. I hate myself for what I've done, but he doesn't care.' 

So she's spoken to him today, well what did she expect; that he'd be grief stricken? I bet he tried to talk her into letting him come around tonight. That would explain why she is so disgusted. 

'I don't know why I am so calm, maybe it's all the opiates they are pumping into me. You shouldn't worry about Dewey, he'll get his. By the end of tomorrow the inquiry will have started and once it does there will be several women ready to jump in with their allegations. Maureen from the college crèche is one of them. I tried to tell you about her two weeks ago but you were too tired sit and talk.' 

Now she's sobbing her heart out, and all I can do is sit and watch. I'm torn between wanting to comfort her and thinking she deserves it. 

'Dewey asked her out to dinner to discuss her funding needs. He got annoyed when she wanted to bring her husband.' 

She realises what a fool she's been and what a worthless piece of shit Dewey is. She gets up and runs out of the room with tears streaming down her face. I sit and wait I know she will come back. It isn't over until she has won, or so she thinks. 

She's back, the tear streaks are washed away as is all of her make up. Her eyes are still red and she looks ready to cry again at any moment. 

'So you are going to report him. You know that it will reflect on me.' 

'You'll be alright. Your committee won't want to lose you. I should know I found half of them for you. They know a good thing when they see it; the worst you'll get is a written warning. Dewey is a different matter. Seducing women whose organisations are dependant on him for funding? I think the council will take a very dim view of that. Cheapskate that he is, he probably did it all on expenses. When I give them the dates of the weekend conferences and the fundraising trips to London, I'm sure they'll look into it. If I'm right, that's fraud, he might go to gaol. I hope you were worth it.' 

She's sits beside the bed, unable to control her crying. 

'You could try to dig him out by denying everything.' 

She's holding one hand out towards me shaking her head as she continues to cry. I'm calm unaffected by her outpouring of grief. She's grieving for what she must know has just died. 

I wait for her to stop crying and eventually she does. She dries her eyes and tries to compose herself. 

'So what happens now? If you're not coming home where will you go?' 

'I'll stay here until I can cope on my own, then I'll find somewhere to live. I'll let you know where to find me; if you decide to sell the house you can send me my half' 

'No I mean us, what happens to us?' 

'Well the doctor reckons that clean breaks heal faster so perhaps you'd better leave now and not come back.' 

'But I love you.' 

'Then set me free' 

Her head goes down and she swallows. For the first time in our life together she's given up; accepted defeat. She gets up, comes to the bed and kisses my cheek then turns and walks to the door. She wipes away a tear gives me a wave, and then she's gone. 

It's not over, not yet, not for her. She'll be back to try again. The boys will be in to see me, and they'll put pressure on me to go home; to give her another chance. Who knows if they keep it up long enough they may even find out about the paralysis. It will make no difference. It's like a switch has flicked in my brain. For the first time I am top of my priority list. I don't need anyone's pity. With what is in my head I don't need legs. The college won't move my lab to the ground floor or a building with a lift. I can probably do a deal on severance. With severance and insurance payments I'll have some time to bring my skills up to date. Perhaps the doctor is right. I am a lucky man. Lucky to be alive, lucky to have found out when I've still got time to start again. I'm lucky to have the cash to tide me over until I get back up the ladder. Why then, do I feel so empty inside?



Lucky Man Pt. 01



I really meant it, Ruth was a lovely girl and I felt she was well worth spending a day with at the very least. Whether I was actually on a sometime promise or not, I really wanted to see her again.

Ruth smiled beautifully once more and squeezed me with her arms round my neck and back. 

"Well," she said with a sparkle in her eyes, "we can do a little more than just kiss, you know." 

With that she relocated her hands to the front of my waistband, undid my buttons, unzipped the fly and pulled the elastic of my underpants to give adequate access to my crown jewels, before I could possibly react to what was happening. She didn't have to delve about for my manhood, I had been hard for at least half an hour and once released from the confinements of my St Michael's slacks and seam-strained Y-fronts, my little soldier reassuringly stood to attention in Coldstream Guards' parade ground order. 

With the sweetest smile on her lips Ruth held eye contact as long as she could as her head slowly descended. She sunk her head down into my lap and gripped the head of my stiffened knob with her hot moist mouth and languidly licked and sucked off my pre-cum which had seeped from the eye-hole, while I looked on this wondrous spectacle completely open-gobbed. 

She lifted her head after that single sweet suck and said huskily, "Mmm, you are good enough to eat". 

Then she turned her attention to the base of my erection, touched it with the end of her hot wet tongue and licked along its length from base to top before enveloping the tip of my prick in her mouth again before swirling the sensitive tip of her oral organ around the only piece of anatomy my attention was totally focused on at that precise moment. I'm not sure how I even remembered to breathe.

Ruth was clearly expert at sucking a man off. Who woulda thought it? She looked so innocent, she wouldn't have looked out of place in big blue knickers and a gym slip. Perhaps my earlier evaluation that my long run of slappers had come to an end was somewhat premature. 

After licking my shaft all the way up Ruthie rolled her tongue around the head of my dick, clamped her lips around tightly and sank halfway down my knob until my bell end grounded on the back of her throat. Then she delightfully sucked and licked all the way to the top of my prick before doing the whole sequence over, again and again. At the same time she was squeezing my bollocks with one hand and stroking my foreskin up and down my shaft with the other, all the time twisting her hand and mouth around my shaft and constantly humming, "Mmm, mmm, mm-mm, Mmmm ..."

It was unbelievable how flattering it is to have a beautiful woman giving you the most possible pleasure you could wish for and yet appear to be deriving as much if not more enjoyment out of the activity herself. I had imagined she was a 'nice girl' and I still thought she was rather nice but a lot naughtier than I had guessed. 

I was already highly charged sexually and within an extremely disappointing short space of time I felt near to bursting and, despite several vociferous warnings of my impending explosion, Ruth carried on sucking my knob like there was no tomorrow without taking the usual evasive action. 

I should have said "Yes, yes!" when I orgasmed, but I felt so apologetic about my ability to hold on that all I could say was "No! No! Shit! Fuck! Oh fuck." 

I fully expected her to swear at me for coming full on in her mouth. Also I assumed that she would quickly move her face out of the way at the first hot spurt and then I would have sprayed everywhere, such as her face, hair and clothes. Instead of enjoying my first orgasm with this girl, I could only groan that this was set to becoming a complete disaster! My fucking luck!

But no, Ruth did not take evasive action, she continued hoovering away at my jerking hose like a trouper, sucking up every drop of sperm that hadn't quite managed to gush untasted directly down her throat. She continued working me with her tongue and milking me with her oscillating hand, swallowing everything I had. Only when Ruth was satisfied that she had sucked me completely dry did she give me a final cheek-dimpling suck and came up smiling, to look me in the eye saying, "Mmm, nice cock!", smacking those delicious rosy lips. 

I pulled her face to me and kissed those lovely lips long and deep. I was probably tasting my salty seed as well as her own sweet saliva, but I didn't care. Only one girl had allowed me the luxury of a blow job before, it just didn't seem to be a part of a respectable relationship back in my younger days. The former girlfriend that was actually prepared to suck my dick only did it half a dozen times and never allowed me to come in her mouth; the one time I did was by accident and she spat out my disgusting man-juice and wasn't happy to suck me off again because I hadn't given her adequate warning of my impending conclusion. 

Blow jobs hadn't proved that pleasurable to me and so I had never really pressed any other girl to do one since. However, the delectable Ruthie just jumped onto my little head and straight into my big heart.

In conversation a few days later Ruth confided that at her private girls' school one of the teachers had taught them the essential skill of perfect fellatio in sex education classes, practicing on whatever appropriate fruits and vegetables happened to be in season. I had heard of finishing schools for girls before, perhaps this what they meant by "finishing"! 

The sex education in my secondary modern school was perfunctory at best, it was usually the youngest member of staff that drew the short straw to limit his embarrassment by showing the standard film and that was that.

Later, but not too much later, I dropped the girls off back in town by the car they were sharing that night, exchanging addresses and phone numbers. Each couple closed the evening with a last lingering ten-minute snog and I arranged to meet up with Ruth on Sunday morning at 10.30 and go for a walk and picnic if the weather continued as nice as it had been. Bob was more interested in playing Sunday morning football and spending lunchtime in a stripper pub, so I think he arranged to meet Carol sometime midweek and take in a movie, a pint, a burger and almost certainly a bonk before bedtime. 

I was expected to train for football on Wednesdays but wasn't due to play my next match until Saturday. I occasionally turned out on Sundays if the team were desperate. They would have to do without me in the morning.

Chapter 2. Picnic

In the wee small hours I checked the food situation back in my room at my digs. In my one room, basically a bed sitter, with only a tiny kitchen galley area along one wall opposite the window. This consisted of a short work surface, a kettle, a toaster and a small electric Belling oven/grill with single hob above. The sink was on the side wall. In the cupboard under the work surface I had a few tins plus a tiny fridge mostly filled with beer and a few cokes. A cupboard over the work surface held packets of cereal, pasta and rice and roughly half a loaf of white bread which, in the hot weather, had gone more than slightly blue. I binned it.

I made an inventory of what I had and needed. I found a few scraps of cheese and ham which both still smelt edible, I had a nearly-new jar of Branston pickle, a pack of bacon which I had bought for Sunday breakfast and a few eggs. The butter was kept in the fridge and rock hard, so I got it out to soften by the morning. I made a list of things I needed to get from the Indian corner shop which I knew would be open by about eight: bread definitely, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, perhaps some cake or chocolate, I know all girls love chocolate! In those days, I was paid in cash on a Friday, I budgeted my weekly outgoings with notes and coins divvied out in empty coffee jars. It was looking like about half the cash to keep me in groceries for the week might be used up by Sunday.

As an afterthought I filled up a couple of ice cube trays and popped them into the freezer compartment of the fridge. Then I set my alarm for 7.30. It was late by the time I got to bed but I still lay awake thinking about this girl I had just met and looked forward to seeing again. That was something I never normally do, unless in need of relief before sleep. I definitely didn't need that tonight. I dropped off hoping that I would remember what she looked like in the cold light of day. 

And before you ask, yes I've done that, just the once; it was very embarrassing.

So there I was in the pub car park in rural Oxfordshire where we had agreed to meet. I arrived half an hour early and parked in the far corner by the wall where there were overhanging trees from the next door garden that would provide shade to keep the car cool during the hot afternoon. There were a couple of other cars scattered about the car park, which I checked out just in case Ruth was inside but they were all unoccupied, presumably left by over-indulgers the previous night. 

It was a glorious late July morning, clear blue sky overhead and the heat already rising from the tarmac, holding the promise of a brilliant day. I sat on the warm wing of my beat-up old car and read the sports pages of the popular Sunday paper I had brought with me from the corner shop, ticking off the dragging minutes until my date arrived to put me out of my misery.

At twenty-five to eleven I had just about determined I had been stood up and pondering whether to head back home to my dreary digs with my tail between my legs or have a brisk walk around the hill and woods on my lonesome anyway and return to the car by noon, when the pub opened, to drown my sorrows. 

Then a shiny yellow open-topped Alfa Romeo Spider sports car entered the car park and with a throaty roar drew up to park next to my wretched old banger. Ruth greeted me with a cheery wave and that flashing smile of hers that I had been looking forward to seeing all morning.

"Morning, Mark, you look fresh this morning!" she said cheerfully.

"It's a good morning to you, too," I said, unable to wipe the relieved smile from my face. I reached over the driver's door and kissed her lips, her face cold from the drive, bringing a rosy flush to her cool cheeks. "You are a sight for sore eyes," I said, "can I say, Ruth, that you look absolutely stunning this morning?" 

She grinned and returned my kiss with both arms around my neck. "You can," she said "and one of these days you are going to be rewarded for being so gentlemanly." 

Boy, I felt six feet tall and was forced to lean on her lovely car to hide my rebellious lazy boner.

"Sorry, I'm late, Mummy insisted on checking over everything she packed for the picnic." She grinned and continued "I checked and wrote the route down from one of Daddy's maps last night before I went to bed. I suppose you get all the girls to meet you here, huh?"

"That's right," I smiled, "so far all but you have got lost, I have this private arrangement with the AA, it's my main source of income. After we stayed out so long last night I expected you to be fashionably late, anyway." 

Ruth poked her tongue out, "Anyway, I am almost never late, not intentionally. I like punctuality, I've been looking forward to today all night."

I moved away from her door to allow her easy egress, then took in the sight of her glorious car close up. I whistled and added "Nice ride, Ruth by the way. It is a beautiful classy motor, so it suits you to a tee." 

The Spider was only a year or so old, immaculate and its wax coat and chrome plate gleamed impressively in the morning sunlight. It made my dull, unwashed and grubby two-tone grey and green 14-year-old Hillman Minx rust bucket look the near-total wreck it was, parked next to her lovely sports car.

Ruth got out of her car and I whistled again. 

"Wow!" I said, "You look better than your car, and you know already that I love your car!" 

She blushed crimson, but looked very pleased. She had worn a scarf over her head to protect her hair in the open-topped car and as she stood up she tore it off and shook her head to loosen up her locks, which were as blond as I remembered. Another silk scarf was tied around her neck, and she had on a pair of polarized sunglasses to protect her eyes from the sun's glare. Ruth's torso was smartly clad in a thin cream blouse under a light green cardigan. Her lower half boasted a figure-hugging pair of fawn-coloured shorts which reached halfway down her shapely tanned thighs. She finished off the ensemble with rolled down white ankle socks and sensible walking boots. 

Ruth looked cool, fresh and neat, her clothes perfectly complimenting her curves. She untied her neckscarf and replaced her tinted sunglasses on the top of her head and examined me in my turn at last. Unfortunately, Sunday was usually my launderette day, so my turnout was a lot more than marginally less spruce than my date. I wore a pair of light-coloured slacks, not sure of the colour as I had bought three or four at the same time not long before. If they were relatively clean I would probably have opted for the light blue pair, which were my favourite, with a tight white v-necked teeshirt which showed off my healthy tan and rippling muscles.

"What is the plan for today?" she enquired, squinting up at me in the bright sunshine, and still smiling in spite of my inelegant outfitting. 

I thought she was delightfully demure in not commenting on my attire. Either that or unnaturally kind.

"Well," I said, "We are leaving the cars here and walking through the village, then up a grassy track to the hill over there where we'll see some nice views into the valley on either side. After a short pause we will walk along the ridge above us and come down another track back to the gate over there behind the pub. We can then either have our picnic on the tables in the beer garden here, or we can take the picnic with us and walk down to the woods where there are several large grassy clearings where we can spread out a cloth and relax in the warm sunshine. Your choice." I smiled down at her.

"The woods sound nice," she said, "What are we doing after the picnic?"

"I was hoping we could have a kiss and a cuddle, oww! or we can carrying on walking through the woods down to the river at the bottom of the valley. There are a series of attractive pools set into the hillside, this is a very nice beauty spot."

When I had got to the bit about the kiss and cuddle, Ruth had punched me playfully on the upper arm, although she still had a smile on her pretty face. 

I feigned serious injury and rubbed my arm animatedly. I added, "For your size you certainly pack a decent punch."

She grinned and stuck out her cute pointed chin, "You better remember that, mister, if you overstep the line you know what you are gonna get. And no hitting me back, or I will dump you in an instant!" She tried to look serious, but could only partly keep her grin in check.

"Ok," I readily agreed, "So this is the deal, you can hit me any time I deserve it, and I will probably deserve it a lot, and in return ..." I held up my hand at this point, and put on a formal accent like I was in a court room, "I promise I will never strike you, I swear that I will always treat you with respect. I pledge that I will treat you like the lady I know you are. However, I do reserve the right to ..." and I grabbed her around the waist, adding "Tickle you!" and tickled her sides unmercilessly as she wriggled to get away from me. 

I did receive a couple of soft punches for my trouble but was rewarded with some delightful squeals and giggles, a final cuddle and an all-to-brief snog with tongues before we sorted ourselves out for our little expedition.

I had a faded old haversack with a few bottles of coke and bars of chocolate wrapped up in a carrier bag with another bag of ice cubes to keep them cool, which I tossed over one shoulder. We locked our cars, Ruth using a locking bar between her steering wheel and brake pedal to secure her open-topped vehicle, and then we set off. I offered her my arm and she tucked her delicate forearm inside mine with a smile. After a few steps they pfell into a comfortable stride pattern out of the car park and along the main street of the village. Being Sunday all the shops were closed, except for the paper shop, although we didn't need anything from there. 

Ruth stopped momentarily to look in the windows of a couple of darkened shops before we sat for a while on a bench by the duck pond, soaking up the warm mid-morning sunshine. We shared one of my bottles of coke and talked, finding out more about each other. It was getting warmer and Ruth removed her cardigan. Her blouse, I soon noticed, was quite transparent in the sunshine and I couldn't help notice how thin and flimsy the straps of her bra were and marvelled how the thin lacy material kept her ample charms in check, purely from my overwhelming interest in the wonders of engineering, of course.

We talked, although if truth were to be known, mostly she spoke and I listened. She had a much more cultured Home Counties-set voice than my rather common South Midlands drawl. She told me about herself, how she was an only child, her father a businessman as well as being a bank branch manager, with a number of commercial interests in the town. Her mother was a stay at home housewife who busied herself with a full social life revolving around her similarly-privileged friends. Ruth was attending the local college studying accountancy. She would have liked to have gone away to a distant university, but her mother was dead set against it, so studying accountancy while living at home was a compromise. She was aiming to get her own place as soon as she left college in a couple of years. Her flashy sports car was an 18th birthday present from her parents, she'd had it nearly a year, her 19th birthday coming round in three and a half weeks' time, on a Wednesday. Ruth was on summer break from college, she didn't have or indeed need, a holiday job, although she helped out all day Saturdays at a local horse riding stables looking after the horses and training the younger students, most of them girls. She wasn't able to keep a horse of her own but she did have a pet Scottie dog called Dougie, I think, who was 14, which was apparently old for a dog. She had known her best friend Carol since school. They had attended a good prep school from age 3 until she was 13, then a boarding school until she was 18. They used to meet up and go out on Wednesdays and Saturday nights, sometimes with other friends or just by themselves. Ruth had just returned from a ten-day summer vacation in Umbria, Italy with her parents, hence her nice suntan. She had never smoked, drank very little other than a couple of glasses of wine and had never tried drugs, nor did she ever want to. 

My turn to own up. I shared with her that I was the youngest in my family, my two sisters were 12 and 14 years older than me, so I was clearly a mistake, I said with a smile. I told her I left home at 16 after an altercation with my father and hadn't spoken to him in the four years since. I had kept in touch with my mum but only without his knowledge and never saw her at the family home. I didn't tell Ruth the reason for my bust up with my father. He was a huge man, over six and a half feet tall, built like a brick shithouse and abusive to my mother and me. I had stood up for her one day when he knocked her down, I cannot remember why, and I had been beaten up, kicked unconscious and hospitalised. So after that I never had never returned home. Even my sisters had been turned against me, although I had not been on good terms with them for years, I had no idea why, but I kept all this back from Ruthie. 

I did tell Ruth that I had lived in a series of short-term digs and had even been on the Council housing list for four years with nowhere near enough points to ever secure a place of my own to rent. I was, however, in the process of trying to share a flat with a couple of friends and my cousin, Bob, my best mate, who was about three or four years older than me. We had been firm pals since the day I started secondary school and was bullied, Bob had stepped in and I never had any more trouble. 




Lucky Man Pt. 01



I explained that my sisters and almost all my cousins were within a couple of inches or so of six foot tall, while I was the runt of the litter at just five foot six. I must take after my mum, I explained, as she was quite short, but I had the bigger muscles of the two of us! I was short but well-built and was working as a labourer in the building trade. The money was pretty good at that time, comparatively speaking. I wasn't exactly a dunce at school and I could have gone onto sixth form or even college later, but leaving home at sixteen had scuppered any ambitions I may have had. 

I used to smoke roll-ups when I first started working on building sites, but it didn't sit well with my football, so I had given up over two years before. I had experimented with a couple of easily available drugs, as a kid, only to see what the fuss was all about and wasn't interested in pursuing them any more. I did enjoy a beer or two and when I wasn't driving enjoyed a few Canadian Clubs and soda but rarely to excess.

I told her I was keen on football, as a junior I had been on Aston Villa's books, but now playing at the lowest semi-pro regional league level every Saturday afternoon from September to March. I was a Villa supporter trying to get to every midweek game I could if it didn't interfere with my training or playing. 

She wasn't all that keen on watching sport, but as well as participating in horse riding she enjoyed swimming and playing tennis and badminton, although she was rusty as she hadn't played either racket game since school. She had represented the county at netball and rounders, again at schoolgirl level. She was a little self-conscious about her weight, as she had put on a few pounds since she left school and was considering playing badminton again. She played golf occasionally with her mother and her friends, though the way they played it didn't burn many calories. She was scheduled to play with them today, but had dipped out of it to come out with me. We were holding hands on the bench at that point and I squeezed her hand and stole another kiss, which started out as a peck and developed into a long passionate snog. Breathless, we decided to continue with our walk otherwise we might have stayed there whiling away the morning. I hefted the haversack on my shoulder, tied her discarded green cardigan around my waist to save her carrying it, and we continued walking, holding hands in the warm sunshine.

At the end of the street the shops and cottages petered out. Then we turned off the road and headed up a bridleway path which climbed up quite a long hill flanked by a hedge on one side and an open field of wheat or barley stubble. The crop had recently been harvested, leaving piles of bales scattered around the field awaiting collection. It was warm work walking uphill, the sun virtually overhead, the only shade being the occasional tree among the hedges. The hedgerows were filled with green blackberries plus a few red ones and the odd ripe blackberry which we picked. They were sweet and juicy on the tongue. We discussed that it would be well worth coming back in a couple of weeks and fill up a bag or two, so we made it another date. 

A great result, maybe my streak of bad luck was on the turn. I smiled so broadly at swinging another date I thought my face would set in that position. It was exhausting climbing that hill in the heat and our conversation reduced down to a comfortable silence, although we continued holding rather sweaty hands.

We reached the top of the hill and enjoyed the views to the north over fields and woods and isolated settlements and the view southward to the village we had started out from was also breathtaking. There were no seats where we halted, so I took off my shirt and spread it out on a patch of grass. Yes I know, reader, any gratuitous excuse to show off my tanned and toned torso to my new girl, I'm like an open book to you. I placed her cardigan down on one side of the shirt for her to sit on and I squatted down on the other half. I opened up the haversack and handed her a slightly warm coke and broke off a piece of chocolate for each of us. Ruth leaned into me and I put my arm comfortably around the top of her shoulders. She pulled my muscular arm about herself and planted little chocolate impressed kisses on my tanned forearm from the elbow joint to my wrist and snuggled her head and shoulder into my chest, still holding my now rather sweaty hand. She smelt heavenly of fresh meadow flowers, I couldn't breathe enough of her in.

I felt six feet tall and swore to myself that I wouldn't wash that arm for a week. Then it suddenly occurred to me that there was another part of my anatomy which had enjoyed even more intimate contact with the delectable Ruth, yet I had showered all traces away without a second thought earlier that morning. I chuckled at the recollection, the sound shaking Ruth from her own reverie, concerned to know what I found so amusing. With a smile playing on my lips I told her that I had been considering not washing for a week that arm she had kissed so tenderly and stickily. I added that I had then recalled that I had a shower this morning and washed every part of my body ... I paused for a moment for my comment to sink in before adding,

"Are you going to punch me again now?" 

She didn't need me to say any more. I told you she was bright, I'm the only stupid arsehole in this story. Instead of replying she moved her hand up to grab my ponytail and pull my head down to her waiting lips. We didn't speak for some time, when we did I suggested we move on so we could collect our lunch before it was spoiled by the warm weather. We walked along the ridge with our hands and fingers entwined. Again we were comfortably silent for a while as we walked, except where I spotted a kestrel and nightjar almost level with us on the escarpment hovering in turn over a field of potatoes and a meadow full of wild flowers below; and she pointed out and picked a couple of unusual wild flowers to press later as fragrant souvenirs of our very first date.

Back at the car, I removed a carrier bag from my boot, containing my sandwiches and drinks, still relatively cool although most of the ice had melted into cold water in a separate bag. I stuffed the bags into my knapsack and slammed the boot of my old car shut. Ruth had the tiny boot of her sports car open and there, filling virtually the whole space, nestled a magnificent straw hamper, the sort you see in films of the upper classes enjoying what they would call a spiffing day out in the country.

I could only say, "Wow! That is a quality picnic hamper, makes my Spar Shop carrier bag look a bit common, m'Lady." I mockingly touched my forelock in the accustomed manner, my servility only spoiled by the broad smirk on my lips. Her sparkling laugh was worth the soft punch I absorbed on my bare upper arm.

Ruth actually looked a little embarrassed when she regarded the basket again, saying quietly, "This is my mother's doing, she insisted on packing everything for our picnic. I think I've got enough food for a starving school party". 

She stood there chewing her lip, uncertainly. Although the English class system was breaking down gradually, the differences were more noticeable back then. I put both arms around her and gave her a squeeze. 

"This is great, Ruth, you make me feel that for just this day we are living on the set of The Great Gatsby." I kissed her cheek, "Come on, let's get into those woods and find somewhere to spread out our picnic, I'm absolutely starving!"

The basket had rope handles at each end and I grabbed one end, Ruth taking the other, it was surprisingly heavy. She locked her car boot and we carried our load across the rapidly filling car park of drinkers waiting for the pub to open at noon. We were the focus of some attention as we traversed the tarmac with our feast fit for five thousand. 

We were soon walking in the cool shadows of the woods and decided not to stop in the first couple of clearings. The first had a lot of noisy kids climbing and swinging on ropes and rope ladders from trees, the second was too small a space and walkers would have come across us without warning and we preferred seeking out a little privacy. The third clearing was the one I had in mind from memory, it was large, with plenty of long dry uncut grass and we set up our picnic on an edge of the clearing far from the central path, with a thick hedgerow as a back-screen behind us. There was some dappled shade from the trees at the back of the hedges which afforded a little welcome relief from the hot afternoon sun, so we could eat in relative comfort.

We set down the basket and I took off my haversack. I had my thin waterproof camping groundsheet rolled up and strapped to the bag; I spread this out first on a flat dry piece of grassland. Ruth opened up her woven basket and pulled out from the top a small thin gingham cloth and a large thick soft woollen rug, which we placed on top of the ground sheet.

I unpacked from my haversack a couple of bottles of lemon-flavoured sparkling water, wrapped in a bag of now-melted ice cubes, I thought these would be more refreshing than the cola we had taken earlier. I took out a box of chopped mixed salad, with shelled and quartered boiled eggs, and several separate parcels of crispy bacon, cheese and ham or strawberry jam sandwiches. I had included a pack of Mr Kipling's iced fancy cakes, which had become a little crumpled in the bag. Also wrapped with the cool drinks were a couple of bars each of Galaxy chocolate and Cadbury's Flakes. Not bad, I thought, for a first effort, I had never invited a girl to a picnic before.

Then I looked at Ruth's hamper and my jaw dropped. I remember what I packed for the lunch because I thought about what to include and prepared carefully. I can't remember every detail of the contents of that bloody hamper, though, but you will get the gist. For a start, the lining of the basket was insulated and filled with freezer blocks, so everything was still as ice cold as when it was packed. There was not only a bottle of Champagne with a pair of flute glasses in that Pandora's box, there was a second bottle of red wine, with separate wine goblets! There were proper china dinner and tea plates, silver cutlery, and folded cotton cloth gingham napkins which matched the table cloth. Packed in boxes were several different kinds of sandwiches, although I can only vividly remember those classic cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off! There were potato crisps, cocktail sausages and pickled onions, and separate containers of salads. Fruit too, apples, oranges and bananas. There were even tiny packets of mayo and sauces. Spectacular! The contents were a mystery to Ruth, too, her mother had packed them early in the morning. 

Apparently, Ruth being an only child, her parents always stayed up until she got home, and the previous night had been no exception. When her mother heard Ruth was invited to a picnic, she took over and packed everything up ready, seeing Ruthie off before going to the golf club for her game. It made my picnic fare look a little sorry, but hey, the thought was there and I had none of the advantages that Ruthie's mother had. I decided I would leave my jar of Branston in the carrier bag, but Ruthie spotted the label through the semi-transparent plastic and insisted I hand it over, with a school-marm-ish look on her face and her elegant hand outstretched. I felt like a school kid who'd been given an apple to take to the teacher and tried to keep it for himself. 

Ruthie dived into my packages of sandwiches, selected a bacon one and pounced on the jar of Branston but, try as hard as she appeared to, it was too stiff for her to open.

She looked at me like an adoring pet might and tried one more time. I grabbed it and opened it with sharp twist and held it out to her. 

"Here you are, sweetheart," I said.

"Thanks, honey," she replied with a sweet smile.

She picked up a spoon from the cutlery and took two heaped spoonfuls to liberally coat the crispy contents before munching away enthusiastically. Some pickle squeezed out of the corner of her delicious mouth, I reached across with my index finger to wipe it away and let her suck its tangy sweetness off my fingertip, which she did very theatrically and audibly. We grinned at each other, nothing more needed to be said, we were both already very comfortable in each others company. She opened a bottle of water and drank lustily. I copied her, we were both quite thirsty. 

It was hot and, in my eyes, so was she.

It was then that she took out the delicate glass flutes and expertly opened the cold Champagne with a satisfying pop! At this stage in my young life I had never opened such a bottle and would have probably used a couple of thumbs to launch the potentially damaging missile into the air, like I'd seen in the movies, but Ruthie wrapped an experienced hand around the cork and released it safely without fuss by a sharp twist, and no gushing of wasted liquid either. Easier than pickle jars, apparently, or had she been playing me like a fish on a hook?

If she was, I was beyond caring, I was hooked already and I wasn't putting up much of a fight.

Holding the two flutes in her other hand she poured with care, filling each little by little until nearly full. The liquid was ice cold and the glasses were soon covered in a frosting of condensation. The effervescent wine with its heady flowery bouquet, tasted better than I expected, like no other sparkling wine I'd experienced before. Ruthie topped up our glasses again and again until the bottle was exhausted. I felt quite giddy almost immediately and found my appetite insatiable, I yearned for food to stuff my stomach with and for Ruthie to fill up my heart and soul.

We munched our way through an enormous amount of tuck, although we barely scraped the surface of that unbelievable hamper. Once we had eaten to our satisfaction we tied up the detritus in the table cloth and cleared a space on the soft rug to lie full length, very comfortably close to one another. We were soon cuddling, kissing and becoming increasingly more adventurous in our petting, looking up and around regularly to ensure we had a reasonable degree of privacy. I discovered that without her prescription sunglasses she was extremely myopic; she had worn some hard contacts the previous day and night for far longer than she was used to and needed to rest her eyes today. Therefore as a lookout she was effectively useless and I spent more time surveying the surroundings and she spent more time exploring me. 

Look, I wasn't complaining any, there was a lot less of her than me to get around to, although her little hidden treasures were of far more interest than anything I felt I had to offer her.

Several couples, individuals with dogs and larger parties went through that public clearing, which curbed our more adventurous romancing, sometimes holding us up for several frustrating minutes at a time. The odd dog also decided to investigate us up close, I think they must have a sixth sense that we were trying to do something far more interesting than anything their walker had planned for them to witness!

Eventually we had some time to ourselves where I could access both her delicious nipples with my mouth and tongue within her unbuttoned blouse while she managed the extraordinary feat of jacking me off whilst keeping my trousers on. While trying to kid you here that this was no mean feat, in honesty I was putty in her hands and to my shame she really didn't have to work very hard to get me into a state of overexcitement. We were both enthusiastic and tender at the same time in our exploratory courtship. I think it was that very afternoon that reinforced the feeling that I had already fallen in love with this delightful girl. I wanted Ruth to be all mine and soon. Once we were relaxed with a nice romantic buzz about us, we lay back on the rug, with our arms around one another looking up at the clear blue sky, the sun by now threatened to disappear behind the trees. My lucky star was definitely in the ascendancy.

In the distance, we could just hear children enjoying themselves, climbing and jumping off trees, and the splashing of dogs and children alike cooling off that hot afternoon in the various pools dotted about the forest. Immediately around us was the chorus of flies and buzzing bees, with a background harmony of fiddler grasshoppers and wooing songbirds. We were laying in a paradise on earth.

Ruthie's face was buried in my chest, the rhythm of her breathing hot on my taut tanned pectorals, alternately laying flat the fine short dark hairs, which had only in recent years attempted to populate my otherwise smooth breastbone, with each divine exhale, then springing up again as she drew cooler air into her lungs. It was at the same time both relaxing and invigorating. We were innocent young things, 18 and 20 respectively, and as far as I knew, experiencing the towering intensity of true romance for the very first time.

The sight of her back rising and falling in tune with her delightful breathing across my chest was a wonderful experience. It was also heaven to have my nose enveloped in the meadow-sweet aroma of her fine ripe corn-coloured hair. I pressed my lips through that thick thatch feeling the heat of her head and I kissed her deeply, moistly, lovingly. She responded by burrowing her petite frame impossibly closer to me. 

I felt we were like the first two corner pieces of a life-sized jigsaw, triumphantly conjoined by fate. The first two pieces perhaps, hopefully, of a long life together, sorting through the multicoloured and many faceted interlocking elements that make up a shared experience. A long-term relationship, like the one my parents endured? No, that was not at all what I wanted. I was filled with hope that lucky chance had thrown me an opportunity of sharing something unique and exclusive, lifelong, a fulfilling existence in equal partnership with someone who appeared to be so special. 

I couldn't muck this up, could I? I realised I had no track record which I could draw on or emulate. I had no loving relationship with any of my family, with the singular exceptions of my mother and cousin Bob, but was that my fault? Did not the blame fall on my father for betraying my innocence by beating up my mother and me? I knew perfectly well, however, what a messed up, unequal, unhappy relationship was. With that experience behind me, surely I could pick out a path through life with my eyes and ears open? Could I sustain my being receptive to the feelings of a partner equal to me in every sense of the word? Was it in me to both lead the woman of my choice yet follow her choices wherever this vision of loveliness presently clutched in my arms wanted to go?

Fate had brought us to this point in our lives. We could be meant for each other all along and our future history already written up in the stars. Were we destined to tread the same path together, or were we fated to fumble around for a while before diverging into completely separate lives. It had been a chance glance through a crowded dance floor that attracted me first to her tall friend. The die had then been cast in Ruth's favour, however, my luck put me in the passive role of designated driver, reducing my options and impossibly lengthening any chance I had of landing my initial choice. It was odds on from the outset that the tall redhead Carol would opt for the favourite, the tall dark Bob, and poor runt Mark would be left with the other also ran, the comparatively diminutive Ruth. Even odds of 50/50 simply weren't on offer. The trump card appeared to fall into Bob's hand as Carol converted all her tricks, while I seemed to be dealt the Joker of the pack, being in the right place at the wrong time of the month. Bob cheerfully scooped Park Lane in the back of car, while I collected Old Kent Road in the front - I was in Jail held up for a turn while Bob passed Go with a resounding spurt finish. 




Lucky Man Pt. 01



I honestly think that luck does go in cycles. I believe that if you just stick in there, when it all seems to conspire against you, that what goes around comes around. With that thought I had comforted myself. For every spin of the wheel there are winners and losers, for every pointless roundabout there is a monumental swing. I may not have been able to ride Bob and Carol's consummate carousel ride last night, but Ruthie's "white knuckle ride" more than made up for it. 

Good luck or bad luck, life and happiness is a lottery, a game of chance, only the House or the Bookie wins every time, gambling is rigged that way. Life is what you make it, dealing with what chances and opportunities fall your way. Make the most of the times you come out on top and grit your teeth when you are down, because even long losing streaks must end on an upturn, because after all the bad cards are used up, the winning ones will eventually emerge from the stack. 

Another thought came to me as I basked in my current good fortune. Gamble only with what you are prepared to lose. Down to your last tenner? Then you better fold it up, tuck it somewhere safe and walk away from the table. It makes just as good sense to quit when you are behind as it is said to be when you are ahead. Right now I was on win, win, win, and could afford to chance my arm, take a small risk, and cheerfully throw in my hand if the stakes got too high. Ruth's heart was the pot at the end of that rainbow. She was there for me to win, but it didn't have to be this hand, or the next, if I played the options with my eyes wide open and was still in the game with chips enough to play, the jackpot could be not just mine, but ours to share.

I kissed her head again, breathing in her heavenly scent. I knew that we were both very sweaty, with our exertions, the warm sun of the day and the heat of bodies which couldn't be separated by a fag paper along our length. Her body smelled delightful, though, hay and apple blossom, tangy fruit and spice, a combination that any Parisian perfumery would give their eyeteeth for. My own sickly scent I didn't want to dwell on, my early morning semi-warm shower at my grubby digs, using the ancient hard and hairy house-shared carbolic, which only grudgingly surrendered its reluctant scummy lather, was almost certainly a perfunctory toilet compared to the hot lavender soak that had infused my companion's sweet skin with velvet soft aromatic loveliness.

I decided to take a chance, knowing that the usual gateway to my heaven was closed to me. Ruth had already shyly giggled that her period was so heavy today that she had all her No Through Road and No Men At Work signs up. She was not only lovely, she was funny, too. Who could risk losing such an irresistible combination? Particularly me, whose experience of girls so far had been of the kind that tended to take umbrage at any perceived inference to their imagined imperfections, who had no sense of humour or even the ability to have fun. While I accepted that girls were more delicate than boys, being regarded by their partner as deserving of protection and succour was far more rewarding than those females who regarded themselves as too precious for comfort. Ruth was funny and fun, which made her stand out from the rest of the crowd of women within my sphere of experience.

I continued to kiss the top of her head and she relaxed comfortably against me. I licked and moistened my fingers and sent them off to travel down her back, under the thin, readily-yielding waistband of her delicate panties and worked my fingers along her admittedly sweat-dampened crease between her convex buttocks. 

The hands and fingers of someone who shovels sand and mixes mortar, as well as stacks and carries bricks for a living every day for four years, gets a lot rougher than someone who goes to school and then college or works in an office. The skin on my fingertips was pretty hard and rough and Ruth's skin surface about her posterior was particularly soft and silky smooth. 

The moistened tip of my finger reached the puckered entrance, or should that be exit? of her anus. She hadn't stirred her relaxed body at this juncture, but when my hot lubricated fingertip persisted in stroking her wrinkled sphincter, Ruth lifted her head from my chest and looked me enquiringly in the eye. Without saying anything she held my gaze while I continued my tentative fingertip exploration of her hidden 'arsets'. She frowned slightly, when my fingertip pressed a little more firmly against the solid resistance of her tensioned arse muscle.

"Do you trust me?" I enquired, holding her cool blue eyes with mine.

"Do I have any reason not to?" she countered, looking back at me fearlessly.

"None whatsoever," I said, with a slightly smug smile, I was enjoying this exchange as I had enjoyed every experience so far with this delightful creature. 

"I have no wish to impose on you or hurt you in any way as I have already said, but I do want to give you as much as, or even more pleasure than you've given me, and this may mean trying to push the boundaries a little. I don't want to go too far or make you uncomfortable."

She nodded. 

"If you don't like anything we do together," I continued, "you can stop me with a single word. I desire to explore every delectable inch of you, not all or nothing here and now but over time as we get to know one another and build confidence and trust in our relationship. At the same time I want you to know that you can be in control whenever you want. What you say goes. So, here and now, do you trust me?"

"Yes, Mark, I do, more so than anyone I've ever known but I'm not sure if I want any penetration at all around where you are exploring right now. I'm not ruling it out completely in the future but I am sore today and more than a little out of my comfort zone, OK?"

"OK." I withdrew my finger from her panties, detouring to squeeze each butt cheek on the way out, to which she smiled.

We both sighed, and she tucked her lovely head back into my chest, laying there relaxing, almost snoozing, for another half an hour or so.

"I could stay like this forever," I whispered, reluctant to rudely break the tender comfortable silence we were enjoying.

"Mmmm," Ruth breathed in agreement. 

"Want to come out with me and do this again?" I felt compelled to ask, quietly.

"Mmmm," Ruth breathed again, this time propping herself up on one of her slim elbows to look down on me. "This has been the nicest day I have had for a long time. You show a lady a good time, Mark."

I opened one eye, just a crack to look at her. Last night she had looked attractive enough, in full war paint at the night club, and later I thought she looked quite sweet in the softer glow of moonlight. Today though, she wore little or no make-up, and quite frankly she really didn't need any. Her skin was soft and nicely tanned from her recently holiday, her face smooth and blemish free, so no need for foundation creams or powders. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from a combination of the sun, her exertions during our walking and lovemaking, so no rouge was called for either. Her eyebrows, cleansed of heightened black pencil, were naturally arched and a soft light brown colour and fortunately were quite full not plucked almost out of existence, as seen in so many girls. Her eyelashes were also fair and they softly curtained her clear blue eyes, her lids didn't need that artificial coloration which had diverted attention from those lovely eyes the previous night. Ruth was an English rose and was very naturally beautiful. Well, I was convinced so.

"I would like to see you again tomorrow." Again, I spoke softly, apprehensive in case of rejection.

"Me too," she paused, chewing her bottom lip, a gesture that I was becoming used to and continually charmed by, "I don't go back to College until October, so I'm pretty well free until then, so any time you like you can see me. As often as you like, if you want to."

"I want to, yes, I want to." I reached up with my other hand to the back of her head and pulled her down to kiss her long and deep. "I think you know that I really do like you and I want to see you as much as I can," I said when we broke off our kiss.

She smiled, looking at the tenting in my slacks, which no longer embarrassed me as much as before in Ruth's company, I was beginning to regard it as a natural compliment to her charms on my part. 

"I think I get the idea," she paused, "I suppose we should sort out when exactly we are going to sort that thing out and go all the way. I don't see any other way to make it go down ... maybe tomorrow or the next day or so. We seem to have avoided saying anything about it all day, but I haven't forgotten that I sort of promised myself to you last night." 

Again, she bit her lower lip and coyly looked at me out of the corners of her eyes.

"Well," I said, after taking a deep breath and calming down my racing heartbeat, "I know we haven't spoken about it but I have been thinking of how best to approach the subject all day."

"I thought you might have." She smiled prettily.

"I've been thinking perhaps that I am not sure if it is a good idea for us to go ahead and make love tomorrow or the next day or so."

Ruth sprang up onto her elbow again and we were level eyeball to eyeball. "You having a change of heart then, mister?" She chewed her lip uncertainly again.

"Strangely enough I have had a change of heart today," I said slowly. 

Her smile had momentarily drained from her face. I squeezed her to me and kissed her gently on the lips, maintaining eye contact. I moved my lips away so I could focus on her better and continued. 

"I want to see more of you, every single day if I can, and really get to know you before we make love for that first special time. If we have a change of heart and decide that this relationship is not for us in the meantime, then so be it. I can be philosophical even about this. If we do decide to go all the way and make love I want our first time to be something memorable that we will recall and share, perhaps forever. How about we set that special date to fall on your birthday in a few weeks' time?"

Her smile lit up her glorious face again and we held each other tight for what seemed several minutes, kissing each other's neck and head without saying any words at all. When we finally looked in each other's eyes, she had tears in them and I confess that mine were a touch on the shiny side too.

"Is it a date, then darling?" I asked.

"Yes, it is a date, we'll have that special time and a whole series of dates before and after I hope. You are a special man and I already feel more comfortable around you than anyone I've ever known."

"I was thinking about phoning into work tomorrow and taking the whole week off, I've got some holiday time coming, and I can't think of anything better I want to do with it than spend some quality time with you. What do you think?"

"That's a great idea," she said, "so, what time are you picking me up tomorrow, then?"

"What time do you get up?" We laughed.

Soon the sun dropped down behind the trees and, without the sunshine, the shadow covering the clearing in our quarter began to cool slightly, although elsewhere the late afternoon was still bright and warm. We decided to move, packed up and took everything back to the cars. She let me have the unopened bottle of wine, and the leftover fruit, she thought we could share it another evening. So I locked them in my boot. The pub was still shut for the afternoon, so we had time to wander back through the woods hand in hand for a couple of hours enjoying the delightful sunny weather, but my heart would have been light as a balloon even if it had been pouring with rain. 

We had a couple of long cooling drinks in the pub garden when we got back and enjoyed sharing the glorious fiery sunset together. Then we held onto each other tightly, and kissed each other goodbye, arranging to meet early in the morning. 

Chapter 3. First time 

We had a great week, actually, after I called into work and got the time I wanted off. We walked around Virginia Water, took in the zoo, visited a fun fair on another day, and we took a trip to the coast, taking Ruthie's lovely open-top car. During that week I got rid of my beat up old car and I dipped into my post office savings book to buy a more reliable saloon car only about eight years old, the newest car I had owned until then.

Before picking Ruth up on Tuesday, our fourth date together, I had been busy making various arrangements, which involved dipping even deeper into my shallow savings. It was almost 11 o'clock before I collected her from her parents' large and intimidating house. She was waiting for me and ran out to my shameful car, so I didn't have to go in. She looked very pretty in a printed yellow cotton frock and carrying a wide-brimmed straw hat as defence against the run of fine weather we were enjoying. She had sensible shoes and white socks, ideal for our planned walk along the grand canal. No picnic with us today, we were planning to have a pub lunch.

"I thought you weren't coming," Ruth said as she perched her handbag and hat upon her lap and snapped on her seat belt. She didn't sound that happy.

I grinned and leaned over and our lips met in a quick kiss. 

"Good morning, sweetheart" I said cheerily, too happy to be deflected by her current petulance. "I did say I had a couple of things to do this morning and wasn't sure how long it would take. I thought I made good time, considering." 

As I put the old car in gear and released my handbrake, I saw the curtains twitch in one of the windows. I couldn't help myself, I was so full of bonhomie that I gave the hidden onlooker a cheery wave. The curtains twitched more violently as they closed.

"My mother's dropped a few hints that she wants to meet you." Ruth's voice was quiet and I imagined she was back to chewing her lower lip.

"Just set the date, Ruth," I said cheerfully as I steered the car around their gravel drive and down to the road. "I feel like I can take on the world this morning." 

My wide grin was infectious and I glanced quickly at her face while checking for traffic each way before joining the traffic in a sizeable gap, she was back to her usual smiling and relaxed self again.

"So," she ventured, "What have you been doing this morning that couldn't wait and with me excluded from being with you while you did whatever you were doing?"

"It's a surprise, well, two surprises really."

"Tell!" she goaded.

"Shan't!" I was enjoying myself.

"Why not?" she pouted.

"Cos then it wouldn't be a surprise... Two surprises."

"Oh!" Ruth was both momentarily deflated, yet curious as to what I had been doing. 

I cast my mind back a day, reflecting on the pleasures of a blossoming relationship. I had collected her early in the morning on Monday and we had spent all day and evening together. Today hadn't quite happened as she expected and she had probably been on tenter hooks since nine o'clock, anxiously looking for my old Hillman on the drive.

Ruth was occupied with her own thoughts, remaining quiet for a while as I carried on driving towards the canal. As the spell of silence grew, so did the grin on my face. Unconsciously I began to hum a popular tune that had been spinning around my head all morning. I could feel Ruth looking at me while I was smiling away but I knew what was coming. The soft blow from her tiny fist on my upper arm was expected and didn't disappoint, and barely affected my grip on the steering wheel at all. It did make me laugh out loud though and Ruth joined me with her delightful giggle, accompanied by another couple of pillow-soft left jabs.

"Are you keeping secrets from me already?" she said, with a degree of attitude creeping into her voice.

"I am going to have to tell you about one surprise soon anyway, as you will need to collect some appropriate footwear this afternoon." I took the opportunity of a straight piece of dual carriageway to glance at Ruth's face, she was pretty as a picture. "And the second surprise is sort of connected to the first, so I guess I'll have to tell you about that one too."

"In your own good time, then ... sweetheart," she pouted, with some petulance.

"I shall pick my moments, then," I said, testing her resolve. I couldn't take my eye off the road but I speculated that she might be biting her tongue as well as chewing her lip. She remained quiet for a while, steeling herself, refusing to rise to my bait. We silently sat until I had parked the car, locked it up and we began our walk along the tow path next to the canal, holding hands. We had exchanged smiles and another kiss as we stood together before setting off, but not a word had been exchanged for a while.

For a girl, she was remarkably patient and I was impressed. I was the one itching to tell her how I had begun to order and programme the map of our lives together but I wanted the satisfaction of having her draw it out of me. She was made of stronger stuff than any girl I had known up to now; I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised, she was so superior to any other girl I knew. We were five or ten minutes into our walk along the canal before I gave in and brought it up. There were a few people sharing the tow path at first but now we hit a stretch without houseboats or fellow strollers within hearing distance.

"This afternoon at four we are starting old-time dancing classes, so we need to drop into your house by three at the latest to get a change of footwear, I've already got my only pair of court shoes in the boot of the car."

"Old-time dancing?" she grinned, "I thought you were only into disco!"

"Hardly," I smiled back, squeezing her hand which I was happily accustomed to hold at every opportunity, "You've seen me dance at the disco, I need the dark to hide my lack of moves! I don't even have a medallion and a chest wig! A couple of reasons why old-time dancing lessons. One, we are both pretty athletic and light on our feet so don't see any reason why with a little coaching we shouldn't find it an enjoyable exercise."

I paused while she thought about it. 

Ruth chipped in then with, "I suppose the second reason is so you could put your arms around me for another hour a day without making up an excuse." She smiled and tightened the grip on my hand.

"Well, that does seem a bonus, but the second reason has something to do with your birthday." 

I suddenly lost confidence and was wondering how I was going to tell her what I had arranged without taking more liberties than I already had. I paused while my mind ran through a rehearsal of what I wanted to say without making it sound like I was being controlling. However, whichever way I tried to put it to myself I was making a big assumption as to whether she would go along with my idea or not.

Before I had worked out what to say Ruth chipped in again. "Come on mister, spit it out, I think by now you can pretty well get away with saying anything to me, I can always give you a thump if I feel you've gone too far this time!" 

She clenched her free fist and waved in menacingly under my nose. I caught it and kissed it. She relaxed her balled fist and I turned it over and put my lips to the warm palm of her hand.

With my confidence boosted I faced Ruth, holding both her hands and began, "It is to do with the arrangements I'm afraid I have already made for us on your birthday. It's just that I have only known you for three days and I fear I may have crossed a line."

"I think that even after three days we are comfortable enough to find out exactly where that line is and whether we can cross it. We've already agreed to make love on my birthday, so I assume you have made arrangements as an alternative to the back of your car or a blanket in a field?" 




Lucky Man Pt. 01



"Sort of." I still hesitated from continuing.

She smiled and reminded me, "It was you that was bold enough to put a rogue finger up my bum only a couple of days ago, and now this! I am going to have to be more adventurous just to keep up with you." 

She released her hand and put it around my waist and tucked her head under my arm and into my chest and we strolled languidly along the path. "I can see that I'm going to have to come up with some ideas of my own to challenge you." 

I wrapped my arm comfortably round her shoulders. "Bring it on young lady, I always rise to the challenge."

"I know!" Ruth laughed, "You rising up to any challenge all the time is the one thing likely to get me into trouble!"

"Well, you know what they say, 'it takes two to tango'."

"So that is your plan, then? To sweep me off my feet with some fancy moves, a dip and a twirl ... then bang me in the back of your old banger?"

I stopped walking and turned to face her, removing my arm from her shoulders and folding them across my chest.

"I'm mortally offended," I intoned, sniffily, "nobody but me calls Betsy an 'old banger'!"

"OK," she giggled, "I will admit that she hasn't let us down yet. I just can't get over that you've named your car, when did you do that?"

"Just now when you called her an 'old banger'. An old car develops a personality of its own and I thought she needed someone to defend her honour." I put my arm around her again and we resumed walking slowly. "Unfortunately old Betsy goes to the scrapper tomorrow, I got a good deal from my Dad's scrap yard. Not that he knows anything about it, but I have a few good contacts of my own there. The tax and insurance on the new car should be sorted by then and you can drive me to the garage from the scrapyard to pick it up, if you like!"

"Wow! I don't believe you! What colour is it?"

My eyes rolled upward, not for the first time, nor the last in conversations with Ruth. What could I say?

"Blue, dark blue."

She grinned at the face I pulled, "OK, I'll take you. When can I drive it?"

"Any time you like, I put you down as named driver on my policy, cost me an extra £50 a year."

Ruth thought about that titbit of information for a full minute.

"Does that mean ... that you consider that we are a couple?" she said shyly, her eyes casting downwards.

"I suppose that is one interpretation," I admitted as she glanced briefly up at me, "It is certainly the version I prefer."

She looked up at me and held my gaze as we continued to walk. We were surrounded by other walkers by then who had caught us up, and neither of us was prepared to stop and embrace even though from the looks we exchanged, we both wanted to. Silently she mouthed, "I do too". 

We hadn't exchanged the "Love" word yet, so this was the closest we had got by this point in our developing romance. Time to rack it up a notch, Mark my boy, no better time than now.

"I certainly didn't have a 'bang in the back of a motor' in mind, as you so eloquently put it," using my huffy intonation again, then added more softly, "That's why I have booked a two-night stay at 'The Poachers Inn' at Darrington."

Darrington was a small, pretty market town about thirty miles away from our town, where nobody knew us, I hoped. 

"They have an intimate restaurant," I continued, "so we can have a candlelight dinner. And they have old-time dancing every Tuesday and Wednesday night until midnight."

She stopped walking then, and nearly forced a cyclist to take evasive action. He almost end up in the murky drink. 

"Sorry!" we both called out. 

I thought the cyclist's two-fingered gesture was a little uncalled for, especially as I'm sure cycling was - or should have been - banned on that path.

"My birthday is Wednesday, I thought we were going out then?" she asked hesitantly.

"And dancing on Tuesday night continues until Midnight..." 

I left her with the thought, she's bright, but then she is a woman, they don't always think along the same lines. Her expression appeared to soften, so I continued, I had to, I was on a roll. 

"I have booked Tuesday and Wednesday night, so can you fix it with Carol so you can tell your Mum that for your birthday celebrations you are having a double sleepover with her or the rest of the girls?"

Ruth stretched her arms around me and kissed me deeply and for what seemed several minutes. I was fighting for air but not complaining.

"It's a date, Mr Newlands, I suppose I will have to be 'Mrs Newlands' for the duration of our hotel stay?"

"You can be Mrs Newlands for as long as you like, Ruth."

"Ruth Elizabeth Newlands has a nice ring to it," she smiled.

"I might have to do something about that," I said, "We will probably have to get a wedding band from a jewellers in the next couple of weeks, some of these family-run country hotels can be a bit old fashioned about having unmarried couples sharing rooms." 

"I have my grandmother's wedding ring at home that she left me, I can wear that," she said practically. "Look, honey, you are lashing out on hotel rooms and a new car. You've been buying petrol for our trips and meals, drinks, lessons, tickets, and you aren't even earning any money this week. I know you don't have a bottomless fortune. You must be dipping heavily into your savings."

"I've only paid a deposit on the room and I'm getting the car on HP," I said, "but after I shell out for the room, meals and drinks, I admit I won't have a lot left. But that's what I save for anyway, to spend it on things I like ... and you I like."

"Well, sweetheart, we are in this together. We're both doing what we like, so you really must let me go Dutch." 

I wasn't arguing with her, I hoped we would never argue. Although neither of us had said it yet, I knew was in love with her, the full head-over-heels kind! Is there any other kind?

Madame Lesinski was a hard task mistress and never had she had two more inept beginner students, clearly so poorly suited to even walk together let alone dance in time to music. She continually pointed out our continual failings with an air of exasperation, which she made no effort to temper. Ruth and I had missed the first daily lesson on Monday, so for a long while we were slightly behind the rest of the class, mostly made up of middle-aged housewives or couples advanced in their dotage. We were the youngest in the class and possessed the least idea of all present of what we were doing. The only advantage for me being I had an excuse to hang on to my beloved for an hour every day, except where Madame mixed it up and swapped us around. But that made me appreciate my intimacy with Ruth even more. 

After two solid weeks of lessons we felt were quite in tune as a couple, able to fudge our way through most of the dances without permanent damage to our respective appendages. Once we had relaxed, our movements became semi-automatic and I could gaze on Ruthie while we twirled without a care in the world. Madame Lesinski never suggested noting any improvement in our abilities, as she continued to get on our backs to work at our moves.

We saw each other every day and every evening, except Wednesday nights when I went to football training and she had her regular night out with the girls, and on Saturdays during the day when I had my football game either home or away and she spent the day at the riding school.

When her birthday came around three weeks into our relationship she told her mother that she would spend Tuesday and Wednesday night at Carol's for her birthday bash with her friends. It was as uncomplicated as that. Whether her mother believed her daughter, I wasn't sure but by then she knew who her daughter was seeing most evenings of the week. 

I told the football club that I wasn't available that Wednesday night. I got a bit of stick from the manager and knew I would probably get dropped from the following match, but considered the rewards well worth it. 

I booked us into a nice hotel for both those nights. I got the room at a surprisingly reasonable rate, being mid-week. Ruthie wore her grandmother's wedding ring, which was a perfect fit and only took it off briefly when she washed and showered before retiring.

'The Poachers Inn' was a stuffy establishment, all oak panels and plush velvet curtains. Our luggage, mine packed into my cheap battered plastic suitcase, and Ruth's in her tiny pink overnight bag, was regarded by the porter with some suspicion as to our marital status. As for the 50p tip I offered, well, I thought he was going to give it back to me, he hesitated so long before pocketing the offered crumb with disdain.

We arrived about lunchtime on Tuesday, unpacked our clothes and distributed them among the voluminous drawers and cavernous wardrobe. I had brought 12 condoms with me, which I buried in with my pants and socks, I'm a born optimist, me.

We strolled down to the market town centre and had a light pub lunch, it was a lot cheaper than the hotel menu. We walked around the historic and picturesque town and its little park for a while. The weather wasn't brilliant, windy and overcast, unseasonably chilly for mid-August, too chilly to linger. We returned to the hotel late in the afternoon and showered together for the first time. Goodness, we were so horny we nearly lost it but we had planned this day from almost the time we met and we both agreed to limit our enjoyment of each other to petting only. Neither of us wanted to spoil the event we had so looked forward to.

I changed into my only suit, a ready to wear from a high street retailer. It was a rough mainly woollen fabric, a little too thick for the summer, but it was all I had. I finished it off with a white shirt which I had ironed rather imperfectly myself, borrowing my landlady's iron. My cheap court shoes had been well worn in on the dancing classes, but they were comfortable and I polished them to as high a shine I could get on them. 

I had received a lot of stick at the building site over the past two weeks, starting work an hour early and finishing in time to attend Madame's everyday soirée at teatime. I used the early start to stack enough bricks to keep the bricky going from the time he started and had the mortar mixed all ready for him. Brickies were paid piecework rather than by time, so they earned more and I got a bit of extra cash in my envelope, which was handy, so I had some spare cash with me.

Ruth had naturally brought a couple of dresses with her that made her look absolutely stunning. That first dance night she wore a royal blue silk dress, quite low cut with the slenderest of straps, pinched into the waist and pleated so it was loose and flowing to finish just above the knee. A single string of pearls around her neck and pearl studs in her pierced ears added highlights to her ensemble. Her holiday tan of last month had been topped up with a lot of late afternoons and weekends out of doors in the good weather which had held up well until today of all days. Her black highly polished pumps must've had four inch heels as she ended up only an inch or two below me, making her calves even shapelier than ever. For the life of me I couldn't see why she had complained that her ankles had swollen up when she went on the pill a few weeks before, they looked absolutely lovely.

We dined simply, both deciding to start with the hot soup of the day, which had been chilly, followed by roast chicken for the lady, well-done steak (for that read 'burnt'), chips and peas for her 'husband'. Ice cream followed by coffee and mints completed the set meal range on the menu, again for budgetary reasons. We had a carafe of table wine and I laid off the lager and lime for the night, I was aiming to be in tip-top condition come the witching hour.

The dancehall was a separate room, across the corridor from the restaurant, and we made our way into it and occupied a table to one side, next to the dance floor. We took with us our last glass of wine each from the carafe. We sat out the first couple of dances as no-one else was up dancing yet. I didn't know enough about music to tell if the little five-piece made up of really old guys were any good or not. It wasn't the kind of music you heard on a juke box but it seemed to suit the surroundings. The lighting was subdued but a lot brighter than I had hoped for and I felt a little intimidated, having only performed in front of other beginners, who we had become familiar and comfortable with. We spent those first five or six minutes looking around as the tables spread around the room slowly filled up. The third number was a simple waltz and Ruth was itching to get out there, so she grabbed my hand and I had little choice but to follow. After all, I couldn't complain, it had been my idea to come dancing, and we did have nearly four hours to kill.

Bugger! We found that we were the only ones out there when the music started! I never seem to get an even break, do I? 

Well, we faced each other and counted to eight as we had been shown and started our practiced moves on the right beat. Soon we were smiling at each other and elaborated our dance out of the simple box and threw in a few turns to move around the small dance floor. By the time the music finished, three or four minutes later, we were laughing and enjoying ourselves. It went just as the lessons had been except that there was no Madame shouting at us. When I looked around to find our table, I was amazed to see that about a dozen couples had joined us on the floor and I had been so wrapped up in my partner that I thought we were still dancing alone.

The band started up again as we walked across the dance floor.

"This is a foxtrot, we can do this!" Ruth said, pleadingly.

I scooped her up in my arms again without hesitation and started the simple box again to the slightly different pattern until we were both in the groove before throwing in a few turns, I was not as good at this dance as the waltz, but at least her toes survived. Ruth held on to me when the music finished so I gave her sweet lips a quick peck, squeezing her hand. The music started again and this tune was upbeat and we held hands to face one another and danced to a swing number. 

Ruth was a lovely mover, she really picked up the rhythm of the music. I was as stiff-jointed as usual but it was a joy looking at her face, she was really enjoying this. Inspired by her confidence in the steps, I raised my left arm, holding her fingers loosely and she twirled to her right. I just remembered Madame's barking instructions in time to put in my quarter turn, so we faced each other again. 

We both laughed and I think I loosened up a bit then, counting the beats before raising my left hand across Ruth and she twirled in the other direction. When this dance finished I said I was in need of a drink so we left the floor. We finished drinking the wine and I went to the bar to get some long soft drinks, lemonade and lime, with plenty of ice, I remember, and charged it to the room. Before the barman mixed the drinks I ordered and downed a neat scotch, I needed that.

A couple of numbers later, we got up again to do the cha-cha, followed by a tango and then went the whole hog with a rumba. We did OK, I think, with the first two and my God, Ruthie was so sexy with the last dance while I was flailing my arms about like an unbalanced windmill in a light breeze, if it hadn't been for the wine and whisky I wouldn't have moved my hips as much as I did. 

As we walked from the now-crowded floor for a much-needed rest Ruth received a round of applause from the other dancers. I got more than a few slaps on the back from male dancers who knew I was a lucky son of a bitch to have a such a delightful partner. I know that no matter how bad your luck may be, right then I felt I had won the jackpot, this lovely lady was mine for now and after tonight I hoped she would be mine forever, or my name wasn't Marcus. 

The barman brought over several rounds of drinks after that, saying they had been bought for us, another carafe of wine, long drinks and whisky for me. I guess the barman had been quizzed as to what were our poisons. We didn't have to buy another drink all night. Everyone smiled at us, one old couple said they were there celebrating their fortieth anniversary and just assumed that we must have been celebrating at least our first as we were so much in tune with one another. Ruth and I exchanged glances and I said to them that we had not quite been married for a year yet, but we were here celebrating my wife's birthday. 

We pretty well danced every dance after that, several of which we didn't really know, like the Charleston, but we had a stab at it. Our confidence grew without the constant sniping we were used to from our teacher. The dance floor was pretty full for the rest of the evening, I didn't think these old codgers still had it in them! 

The last dance at midnight was an extended slow romantic waltz and Ruth felt like my bride as she melted into my arms and we floated around the floor as if we had become a single weightless entity. It was a wonderful evening, so much more enjoyable than I thought possible, and this was just the curtain-raiser to the most memorable night of our lives. We collected my jacket and her wrap from our table, but not before we received another round of applause and had to endure handshakes from a lot of old guys and cheek kisses and hugs from all their ladies. Well, that's what I got, I couldn't see but I guessed Ruth got enthusiastic kisses and cuddles from everyone.

Eventually we got to our room, holding hands all the way up the stairs, there was no lift in that ancient old-fashioned hotel. 

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," I said as soon as our first long exhilarating kiss ended after our tongues needed the break. I released my firm clasp around waist and neck and went to the drawer where I kept my socks. I handed her the first birthday present of the day, nicely wrapped in tissue paper with a ribbon and bow around it, a cube only about an inch and a half across. No, it wasn't a ring box, I hadn't the bottle to ask her to marry me yet, although I was already certain that no-one else could possibly come close to what I was feeling for this beautiful creature.

I don't know if she thought it might have been the dreaded engagement ring already, because the loving look she gave me followed by another sweet caress of my mouth would fill my dreams forever. Then she ripped apart the ribbon and tissue wrapping and opened the velvet covered jewellers' box. The gold earrings looked expensive, the deep red stones weren't rubies but I had been told they were very good garnets. They were antique but well looked over by their many previous owners, and didn't cost me anything like as much as they looked to be worth. I was a bit better off than a couple of weeks earlier as Ruth had been true to her word and gone Dutch on the cost of the Hotel. 

To say she was pleased with the gift would be an understatement. I couldn't really tell if she was relieved it wasn't a ring or just delighted with the earrings, as she squealed in delight, put the box down and removed her pearl ones. She popped in the new jewels, quite easily so I assume the catches were of a familiar design (I'm a guy what do I know?) and Ruth rushed off to the bathroom to check them out in the illuminated mirror. They had looked good in the shop and in the box, they looked beautiful on my Ruthie. I got my reward, lots of endearments and lashings of hugs and little kisses that developed into a passionate snog.

Without losing the intimate contact of our lips and tongues, we slowly undressed each other. Her dress was a simple back zip, and a gentle tug relieved her of its snug fit to pool at her stockinged feet. 

My clothing consisted of fiddly shirt buttons and belt, three buttons and a zipper. I helped her with the shirt buttons. We fell on the bed and kissed for a long time, we had always enjoyed kissing each other. We got to the point of second and third bases, we broke off our kissing before we lost it completely and both said "teeth!"




Lucky Man Pt. 02



It has been a busy four and a half years since I wrote the passages which appeared in Part 1. I meant to get back to you after a year, but my apologies. Put it down to good intentions and all that.

*****

Chapter 1. New life

As I said before, I settled in Beijing for a while, even taking Chinese citizenship and adopted a Chinese boy, Billy, as my heir. He impressed me from the first. He was small, the runt of his litter like me, and sent out to serve Western tourists, in any way needed. 

I put a stop to that immediately and paid off his drug-dependent minders. I put Billy back in contact with his country-based parents and eventually with his encouragement and their consent I adopted him as my son. I fed him up and gave him an education, although he would always be small for his age, he was at least healthy. I was a lot healthier, too. I ate a better diet and had a personal trainer. I was leaner and fitter than I had been since my 20s.

It was on the second leg of the journey from London Heathrow to Sydney, just after we took off from Singapore, half an hour behind schedule due to an instrument malfunction, that she approached me. I didn't see her coming.

I had had my eyes closed for half an hour or so into the flight, although I wasn't really asleep. She must have touched my shoulder, just firmly enough to rouse me from my reverie. 

I had enjoyed that dreamy state, thinking about the new boat and clear blue water to come. I recalled memories of myself in scuba gear and swimming in the warm waters of the Red Sea, rather than the Great Barrier Reef where I would be in a day or so. I had been to the first location a number of times but never the second and I was looking forward to the new experience. I was also relishing my eventual trip - sailing around the eastern and southern coasts of Australia through to my new harbour-side home in Melbourne. 

My boat had sailed from the Med weeks ago and in the meantime I had closed down my Beijing apartment and then spent a few weeks in London tying up some loose ends in connection with business. I was quite excited when the text came through that my boat was in Australian waters and would be ready for me in a day or two. I was so anxious to go, that I happily booked cabin class on the next available flight.

I opened my eyes after my shoulder was touched and was very surprised to see my ex-wife's old friend Carol leaning over my aisle seat immediately in front of me. Her hands were leaning on my armrests, so her face was very close to mine. I had to blink twice before my relaxed brain recognised it was her. I assumed she still worked for British Airways, she had been a stewardess on short-and long-haul flights for ten or fifteen years at least, but I didn't think she did flights anymore. Before replying I took in her face and clothes with a quick up and down glance. She wasn't wearing a uniform but, fitting like a glove, she wore a smart business suit in a powder blue colour cloth, cut to finish just above the knee. She was still very slim and remained in possession of the smoothest, shapeliest knees I've every seen. She was smiling at me and repeated what she had said.

"Hello, Mark," she reiterated, her white teeth in contrast to her dark red lips and deep tan, her face framed by her long strawberry hair, still as frizzy as it always was, but quite lustrous and shiny. Her eyes shone too, with faint laughter lines around her soft green eyes. She still looked stunning for a woman in her mid-forties. I had always liked Carol, she was the genuine article, all right.

"Hi, back," I said, returning her easy smile and leaning forward to kiss her on her freckle-speckled left cheek, lifting my hands from my lap to hold her gently on her firm, lean upper arms. "I go by the name Bill, now Carol, Bill Antony. You are looking good!" I commented, "Didn't think you flew any more."

"Well, I don't as a rule," she replied, her voice a little deeper than I remembered, but still recognisable, a most pleasant female voice. "I do go out training and testing flight crews occasionally, I don't sit on my butt all the time, you know!"

I shifted my gaze back down her slim frame once more, taking her all in, lingering at those lovely knees once more. I couldn't actually see her butt from my angle but her hips were certainly in impressive shape and I'm not easily impressed nowadays. I'd stopped looking at women that way, I suppose, a long time ago. Looking at desirable women had become too painful and I'd had my full share of pain. I snapped my eyes back to hers and she was still regarding me, eyeball to eyeball, a playful smile on her ruby lips.

"I can see that," I said.

Carol grinned and cocked one eyebrow, "You checking me out, mister?"

"Oh, I check you out every time I see you, which isn't nearly often enough, I can see."

She laughed out loud and tossed her flowing red mane. "Bob did say you fancied me once upon a time, a long time ago, maybe half a world away." She looked at me and moved her head a fraction closer, pouting her lips, "Was he having me on?"

I laughed back and kissed her on her smooth, beautifully freckled cheek again. "I remember that I was the one who saw you first in that nightclub but Bob got the benefit. I was stuck in the front seat driving, remember? Not sure if I could ever forgive him for that!"

Carol laughed and lightly dropped her butt onto my lap, I didn't have to see it to know her butt was definitely well-toned, perched as she was on my own regularly exercised thighs. She put her right arm round my neck whilst holding up her left hand in front of my eyes, wiggling the fingers, particularly the third finger. Very obviously displayed on the ring finger of her slim hand was a sizeable diamond rock on a thin band of gold, with another plain gold band sitting comfortably next to it. 

"Would you forgive Bob now?" she asked with a note of triumphant in her voice, "if you knew he had at last made an honest woman of me?" She fluttered her fair eyelashes in front of her green eyes, with a smile hovering on her lips.

Last time I had seen Carol was at my father's house on the day of his funeral over five years previously and she had never been married to anyone up to that point. As far as I knew she had only gone out with Bob for those first few months while I was courting my ex-wife over 25 years ago, so it seemed incredible to me that they were now married.

"You and ... Bob?" I must have sounded astonished. I hadn't even thought about Bob in those last five years. Suddenly all sorts of memories came flooding back, especially the last time when he had held and given up that fateful life-destroying letter. I wanted to expunge those emerging thoughts, memories I deluded myself that I had successfully submerged for good.

Carol continued to fix me with her emerald eyes, her lovely face becoming concerned at the obvious change in my expression. I am sure my face was drained of all colour.

"Well, somebody had to make an honest woman of me, after all we had been through. You weren't around to help us to hold onto sanity any more after you abandoned us all."

She switched on her smile again, trying hard I thought to lighten the mood. 

"So I married the best man I could ever really love, knowing he loved me and we had had to keep that love to ourselves for over twenty years, pretending each meeting was an accident and feigning indifference. We knew, lived every day at a time hoping, that one day Bob would be free, otherwise we'd never have endured all we had to go through. Bon particularly." 

She bit her lower lip, haunting me with unwanted memories of another lovely girl who used to do the same when she was unsure of what to say or how her words would be received. 

"You, Mark, sorry, 'Bill'," she said decisively, "was, is, the only other man I could love and I love you only very slightly less than Bob. You were just too tough a nut to crack. Besides ... you love my best friend, my very best friend, so romantically you were definitely off limits!"

"Not 'love your best friend', Carol, but 'loved', past tense." I corrected.

She grinned even broader than before, "I forgot, you're an English teacher."

"Was, once upon a time. I'm not a teacher any more," I grinned back at her, the mood swinging away from those leeward rocky shoals we had sailed so close to. 

I had long dreaded meeting anyone I knew from the past. I knew there was always a slim possibility that this would happen one day and had been resigned to it, expecting pain, recriminations, heartache. I was on a streak of good luck for the last five years so it had to run out sometime. But this particular encounter wasn't at all bad, as it happened. Of all the people who had hurt me during those 22 years when I was with my ex-wife, Carol had hurt me the least. Carol and Bob must have hurt each other badly too, during those years and I knew that Carol must have had a revolutionary experience to enable her to trust Bob again to even consider marrying him. 

In fact, all against my expectations, Carol looked very happy, she certainly seemed to swell with pride while showing off her pair of rings. She was most definitely not one of those countless, sad married women that had thrown themselves at me to no avail over the last few years. I chuckled, the fact that she was sitting on my lap a mile up in the air with both her hands around my neck, didn't make her a sad married woman, quite the reverse, especially as she was so innocently proud telling me about the man she loved. Even if it was a man I hated. 

Yes, I had to admit to myself that, as Carol had said as much herself: she loved me at least a little bit. I thought that right now she was probably the only woman alive in the world that I also loved even a little bit. My ex-wife and possibly my ex-daughters didn't figure in the equation at all, although I was still affected by the pain, I could feel every barb just being reminded of their very existence.

"What are you doing now, other than flying halfway across the world to Sydney?" she enquired.

I hesitated actually telling Carol that I was moving to Australia permanently to live. That is why I had applied for and had recently been given an Australian passport. I didn't really want anyone I had cut off from my past to know my business and certainly did not want to divulge my future plans.

"I'm going on vacation," I said cheerfully, which was partly the truth, "Sailing and diving about the barrier reef." That was also a long way from from being a fib.

"So, where do you actually call home now?" she probed using a casual tone which, I sensed, covered some underlying tension. 

I was becoming a little uncomfortable, both by the probing and her closeness. I hadn't been this close to any woman for about five years, let alone having a gorgeous woman I was particularly fond of sitting pert-bottomed on my accommodating lap. She was starting to have an effect on me and my involuntary reflex came in the form of a potentially embarrassing boner.

"I'm between addresses right now," I said, remaining truthful whilst maintaining a non-committal attitude.

Carol's fingers were stroking the short hairs on the back of my head. I had long ago lost my former trademark pony tail. I had to adjust my seating position slightly to shift this light, lovely woman further down my lap in case my natural reaction to her closeness became obvious or even offensive to her, married as she was to my cousin, who used to be my best friend in another life. 

Now was definitely not the right time to tell Carol that I loved her too, even if it was only a little bit, with my boner betraying feelings which I had delusionally imagined had been submerged for good. Carol was quiet, I think she was wondering where to take the conversation to next.

"So," I broke the silence. "What would Bob say if he saw you sitting on my lap a mile up in the sky?"

She smiled very sweetly and said, "He trusts me completely, he knows I am his and his only, while I know he truly loves both you and I." She stopped stroking the back of my neck and wrapped her long fingers around my face. "True love does exist you know, and when you embrace it, love is a wonderful thing that you would fight tooth and claw to keep. I think I fell in love with Bob the very first night I met him but it took a long time for him to catch on. Men are so dense sometimes, maybe that's why we love you and torment you so much." 

Her smile was wide and lit up her face. She looked stunning, a picture of a beautiful woman obviously deeply in love, neither unreachable or untouchable, perhaps, but certainly unattainable by anyone else.

What else could I say? 

"I'm delighted for you." 

I really was. I wasn't so sure how I felt about Bob, but I thought Carol certainly deserved to be happy, I just hoped that the professional deceiver had changed his ways since my Dad died, I would hate this beautiful woman's dreams to be shattered like mine had been do utterly. 

"How long have you two been married?"

"Five years, two months and ... seventeen days!" she announced triumphantly. "You would have got an invite, but you disappeared and we didn't know where you were. There's a piece of wedding cake for you wrapped in foil in our freezer in London, I could send it onto you if you like?"

Oh dear I thought, she's still trying to find out where I live, the last thing I want is Carol even knowing the state where I am going, let alone my postal address. If Carol knows then Bob will know and if Bob knows then ... then She will know. I did not want any part of that.

"My permanent residence is in a state of flux at the moment, plans-wise," I said. Well, I was certainly off balanced by this unforeseen encounter. "Perhaps once I am on track I can ..."

"I'm so glad I found you," she interrupted me quietly, perhaps accepting that my address would not be forthcoming, and kissed me slowly and gently on the lips, no tongue, just a wonderful loving kiss between old friends apart for so long. 

"I am, too," I replied when she broke off our kiss, "I had not thought I would be happy seeing anyone from my past, but it really is great seeing you again. You look stunning, Carol, just as if it was yesterday, and I am so glad you are happy." 

"I am happy, happier than at any time in my life," she said, seriously, then smiling, "And today, right this minute, is the happiest I could possibly be, finding you after all this time." She paused before continuing, "What about you, Bill? Are you happy? Is your new life everything that you want it to be?"

I considered for a few moments. I had worked so hard for the last five years and more, with only short breaks to recharge my batteries. I had laboured until exhaustion, until sleep claimed me so that my thoughts were only of the present and the immediate future. While my thoughts were thus occupied I was at peace and at least I wasn't so desperately sad for a while. Only in sleep, in dreams did I still suffer nightmares, but even these had faded in recent months. With all my businesses in such capable, trusted hands, an ability to relax and ignore the pain of my memories had influenced my decision to retire. I had someone in my life I could love and receive devotion from, my adopted son Billy. 

I was happy with my life now, not the same delusory happiness which had enslaved me for so long but a calmness had settled on me and that was better than I expected five years ago. 

"Thank you for asking, Carol," I smiled warmly, "Yes, I think that now I am happy."

I thought probably this was the last time I would see anyone who would remind me of those painful days. Despite the pleasure I was getting by seeing Carol again, a feeling mitigated somewhat by some unruly action in my loose tracksuit bottoms, solely duly to having this beautiful woman in such intimate contact with me. Unlike Carol, who wore a smart business suit, I always wore loose baggy shapeless comfortable clothes when I travelled, and the tenting in my tracksuit bottoms was becoming embarrassing. It was very fortunate that Carol seemed to have focused only on my eyes.

"You should know," she said, her voice even softer as she leaned into me closer, making me squirm more uncomfortably in my cheap seat. I tried hard not to screw my face up, which was still clamped immoveable by her eye contact and the softest grip of her graceful hands. "Your family is still looking for you, searching for you everywhere and have done ever since you disappeared. They really do miss you, Mark, er Bill. Your family still needs you."

"I have my only family here with me," I said, flicking my eyes to my left and back to Carol. "All the family I want, need and love!"

Carol turned her head towards the seat beside me on my left. As she moved her shoulders to look around behind her, she shifted slightly in my lap and her right thigh touched my rock-hard erection. She froze in mid-turn and we both looked down at the same time at the object impeding her movement.

Bugger! My body was incapable of lying about its reaction to the lovely lady sitting inches away from my dick's rebellious instincts. 

"I ... er ... I need a ... piss!" I excused myself rather lamely as I rolled my eyes before looking at her eyelids, which covered eyes that were clearly transfixed southwards.

I cleared my throat, noisily. Her eyes languidly returned to fix on mine. She did have a delicious smile on her lips to magnify my embarrassment. Everything about her was delicious, quite frankly, but she had already announced that she was exclusively another's. That gave me some comfort, strength to resist the foibles of nature. I am such a wuss, I thought to myself. I always have been weak and unable to control myself. I smiled back somewhat embarrassingly, but I actually felt quite relaxed. But then I have felt relaxed about my life for quite some time, now.

Carol leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "I confess I'm a little wet, too, but then we are very good friends."

"Good friends?" That was a relief, I thought. "I'm happy with just being good friends. You're one friend I'm quite comfortable to know again."

"What about Bob, would you be comfortable to know him again, too?" She had returned to looking at me directly with those fascinating green eyes again and her face was close to mine, very close. She was chewing her damn lower lip again, invoking memories, damn memories...

I deliberated, holding contact with her large emerald irises, gorgeously flecked as they were with browns and golds. How did I feel about Bob? Was I concerned that he appeared to be happily married to someone rather than my ex-wife? Did I really care any more that he was one of my ex-wife's lovers? I wasn't sure if I could feel anything any more, my feelings in that direction had been suppressed too long. I only knew that I did not hate him or any of them anymore, the last five years had been an unbroken period of positives and I found that a lot of those old negatives in my life had just melted away, leaving the inevitable scorched echo, but no more damage than before. I did experience hate, briefly, a long time ago but I had worked hard to eliminate it early on. You cannot hate and live and I desperately wanted to live, and live on my terms.

Before I could reply, there was a "Hurrummp!" from the adjacent seat. Bill Junior had been ignored for too long. He wasn't spoiled, I ensured that, but he was used to being the centre of attention and needed to restore that state of equilibrium. He had allowed his Old Man more than my share of the attention of this vision of loveliness before us, it was his turn now.

Carol resumed the turn she had commenced a moment or two earlier and moved into a position more comfortable to observe my companion, the only family that I currently acknowledged. I noted with some alarm that rather than just touching my, what shall I call it, my anatomical indicator, her firm right thigh rode over onto it and squeezed its rigidity into my stomach. Damn! It'll never go down now! I had to bite my own bottom lip for a change to divert my attention from the phenomenon and prevent any premature reinforcement of my embarrassment, so unaccustomed that I had become to such stimulation.




Lucky Man Pt. 02



Author's Note 

So if you wanted to know what happened to John Fletcher here it is. This story is free standing but you might find it useful to read part one first. There is some explicit sex but not a lot. 

There are no PIs no violence and no bitches get burned. If that's what you want look elsewhere. 

***** 

I don't want to do this, I never do. I must have given two dozen or more presentations and lectures in the last year, but I'm still not used to it. The butterflies are fluttering in my stomach as I walk through Embankment Gardens towards Savoy Place. 

"Good morning Michael," I say as I reach my destination. Michael Faraday says nothing; statues are like that. He just stands looking out across the gardens and the river. 

'You haven't seen a nice young lady have you? About five eight, long dark hair usually in a pony tail, high cheek bones, figure to die for, but hidden under trousers and loose sweater?' 

'No, I didn't think so. She'll be late, they always are aren't they.' 

We've struck up a bit of a relationship, Michael and I. He's the quiet one always gives me a chance to speak and yes, he's a hero of mine. No visit to London is complete without a quick word with Michael. Today I'm visiting his home, The Institute of Engineering Technology, as an invited speaker. I just wish Lauren would get here. She knows exactly when to start the video and change the slides without me having to tell her. I don't want to brief anyone else. 

'I hope she hasn't missed her train,' I say. The statue remains silent. 

My thoughts are disturbed by the click clack of heeled shoes behind me. I turn, and there she is, wearing a blue skirt suit and high heels. 

'You've got legs!' 

'Oh you've noticed. I only bring them out on special occasions, and you did say I had to smarten up a bit.' She spun around for me. 'Well how do I look?' 

I looked up at the statue. 

'Well Michael, what do you think?' 

I paused before turning back to her. 

'Michael thinks you look absolutely gorgeous.' 

'And what about you?' 

'You'll do. Come on we need to make sure everything is set up right and I'll introduce you to a few people.' 

She loops her arm through mine and we turn towards the main entrance. I reach up to rub the statue's foot. 

'Wish me luck,' I say to Michael as we head towards the steps. 

'Good luck!' 

I stop and turn around. There is no one behind me; everyone is going about their business. 

'Now what?' asks Lauren? 

'Did you hear that? Someone said good luck.' 

'Now I am getting worried. Talking to statues is one thing, but when they answer back that's something else. All I heard was the traffic. I'd better not tell them that one back at the lab. They'll think you've really lost it' 

We walk up the steps and I hold the door for her as she slips her arm through mine I am conscious of the admiring glances. I know what they're thinking when they look at me. 'Dirty lucky bastard, how did he manage to pull her? He's either filthy rich, or he's got an enormous tool.' 

Back in the day I would've had similar thoughts. They're wrong of course, we work together, we're friends, but we don't sleep together. At 32 she's a little over half my age. She's a great girl, one day she'll make someone very happy, but not me. She'll want kids, but I've been there, done that. Maybe it's selfish, but at 50 years of age I have no wish to do it again. Oh Yes I've got children, Two boys, Ross and Jamie. Don't blame me, my wife chose the names. I've got one of those as well, a wife that is, though none of us see much of each other now. It's been five years since we split; now the boys share their visiting time between us. Ross got married two years ago, that was the last time I saw her. We didn't get chance to talk. 

What's this, a reception committee? There are three of them standing between us and the lecture theatre. I recognise the one in the middle, it's Thomas Horne, president of the institute. As he offers me his hand I am aware of the cameras flashing. That's something else I've had to get used to over the last year. They're not paparazzi: these blokes normally come from in house magazines. They're not intrusive but sometimes you just wish they weren't there. 

'Mr Fletcher welcome to the institute.' 

I don't like to disillusion him but I've been a member for twenty five years and I've been here several times before. No reception committee in those days. It's wonderful how much difference an appearance on TV makes. He introduces his two sidekicks, then tells them about me. 

'Mr Fletcher is the man who made the bionic arm shown on Technospot last week' 

'No Mr Horne, Mumford Labs made the arm. I can assure you it was a team effort.' 

'Yes, of course, but you are the leader of that team.' 

'Yes I am, but each of us plays our own part. Dr Stockbridge here is our mechanical wizard. She is equally deserving of any credit.' 

Their faces take on a shocked expression as Lauren offers her hand, then after more handshaking and exchanging of pleasantries we pass into the lecture theatre. 

'You did that on purpose; you love to embarrass the old guard don't you.' 

'They deserved it. They should know better, attitudes like theirs stop girls coming in to engineering.' 

'Well since we are such a good team, perhaps you can get us both a cup of coffee while I check out the facilities.' 

I've got to admit working with Lauren has its advantages. Watching her climb up onto the stage revealed one of them. Her skirt hitched up revealing more leg and as she bent forward it pulled tight across her bum. I sigh; some lucky chap will get his hands on that gorgeous bum. 

I go off in search of coffee. A look back at Lauren reminds me of what's missing in my life. I miss the company at home; if Lauren thinks talking to statues is bad what would she make of talking to toasters and kettles. 

I miss the feel of a woman in my bed at night, reaching out in the morning to touch soft silky skin, and I miss the good morning kisses. Oh yes the sex is nice, but I can get that. My God the last time I was in Boston, Siobhan nearly killed me. What that girl didn't know about sex wasn't worth knowing. People told me Americans were wild about English accents, but that girl even wanted me to talk while I was eating her. The problem was that we couldn't be together without wild animal passion and that's not what I miss... I return to the lecture theatre with two coffees. 

Delegates are arriving as I make my way back, then I'm sitting in the front row watching Lauren getting everything ready. 

What it must be like to wake up next to her in the morning? I imagine she would be softer, more tender than Siobhan. 

Doubtless some lucky sod will find out soon enough. Of course it's my own fault I feel like this. I have a wife. She sends me birthday cards every year invites me to spend Christmas with her and the family; for some strange reason she even marks our wedding anniversary. She'd take me back anytime I wanted, the boys have said as much, but I can't make myself put it to the test. 

She had an affair you see, with the man who controlled a lot of her funding. While I'd been busting a gut ensuring she had the support she needed to fulfil her potential she was giving what free time she had to another man. I never really gave her chance to explain. What explanation could there be? I didn't tell her that finding out contributed to my accident. I didn't even tell her I was paralysed from the waist down; she had to find that out from my boss. I didn't want her pity; didn't want her coming to me to ease her guilt. 

I went off to University, in my wheel chair, and started a PhD. When Mumford came along, I put the PhD on the back burner. The doctors and consultants all told me that the use of my legs should come back. However, I'm an engineer, and we work with worst case scenarios. It came as a big surprise when the feeling started to return and the muscles started to do things without being told. Fifteen months after the accident I was starting to walk again. A year of physiotherapy later and no one would believe I had a problem. 

'Where's my Skinny Latte?' she asks as she plonks herself down in the seat next to mine. I reach over to the seat on the other side and pick up her cup and passed it to her. 

'Just white coffee, I'm afraid'. 

She turns her nose up at it. 

'Think yourself lucky to have filter coffee when I started coming here the only coffee was instant.' 

She takes her coffee and sips at it. The second sip tells me it's acceptable. 

'When are we on, boss?' 

'Last spot before lunch. Prime position.' 

'So we've got a bit of a wait then.' 

'About an hour and a half. We have some interesting papers being presented first, just sit back and enjoy them.' 

It's our turn now. Lauren and I take the stage. My paper is devoted to the control system we developed. However, I know from experience, we will get questions on every aspect of our limb development. I introduce the paper and Lauren runs the video. Some people in the audience understand how difficult these things are. When we show our subject holding a wine glass in his bionic hand and tipping it up to sip, I hear a few audible gasps. I describe the multi layered system of control and take them through the way different problems are handled and then it's over and we are fielding questions. I can see Lauren is really getting into it as she fields questions on weight distribution and power transmission. Then comes question that surprised me. 

'Why did you give up teaching?' 

For a moment I'm stunned but then I come back. 

'Because I was a terrible teacher. It takes a particular person to be good at teaching, I'm not that person.' 

The first bit causes a titter from the audience but they soon calm down. 

'You weren't that bad, you got me into university and now here.' 

'I'm sorry, it's a bit dark in here sir. What's your name?' 

'Daniel Reynolds' 

'Ah, yes I remember you Daniel; perhaps we could have a chat at lunch time?' 

The MC tells them this is the last question and her voice rings out over the PA system. 

'Dr Fletcher. It is Dr Fletcher isn't it?' 

Where did she get that from? I hadn't attended the ceremony and told hardly anyone. 

'Yes, as a matter of fact, but it's of no consequence.' 

Lauren's face took on a surprised expression. 

Even through the theatre PA system I could recognise her voice. 

'What makes you give up on a project?' 

I know the significance of the question, even if the audience doesn't. For the first time I was struggling for an answer. Lauren came to my aid and snatched up the microphone. 

'He never gives up. Just files them away and waits for the situation to change.' 

The questioner comes back for one last try. 

'So what needs to happen for you to go back to a project you' previously abandoned?' 

'As Dr Stockbridge said, we wait for something to change. We review projects both active and dormant at regular intervals. If something has changed that makes the project viable we reopen it. Sometimes a member of the team might show us we were wrong to shelve it in the first place,' 

The MC announces that lunch is served, and the audience leaves. I turn to see Lauren giving me a curious look. 

'Dr Fletcher? When were you going to tell me, I mean us?' 

'I didn't want to make a fuss. People might think I was trying to compete.' 

'Don't be daft; nobody at Mumford cares about things like that. I'm glad you finished it but I'm curious as to why.' 

'I hate loose ends, and the people in America thought it would give the lectures a higher status. It really is no big deal.' 

'It seemed to be important to someone. Who is that woman?' 

She's my wife. For some reason she wants me to know that she's been keeping tabs on me. 

'Your wife; and you didn't know she was going to be here?' 

'We're estranged; I think that's the word. What I don't understand is how she got in here. This event is supposed to be closed to members and their guests.' 

'She's ambushed you hasn't she.' 

I nod and feel her arm around my waist. 

'We could turn the tables on her by going out to lunch.' 

'No the brief is that we spend lunch time networking.' 

Lauren finishes collecting up her stuff, then takes my arm. 

'Come on Dr Fletcher, let's get some lunch.' 

'We step out into the main hall and then into the Dining room where we find a sumptuous buffet laid out. Lauren goes ahead of me adding things to her plate. I'm conscious of someone close behind me, so I'm not surprised when I hear the voice. 

'You're wrong. You were a great teacher. If it hadn't been for you I might have been sailing into a war zone. Instead I'm attending things like this at the company's expense.' 

'Ah well you were a one off Daniel, and who is to say I was right?' 

'But you were. "Get your degree first," you said. "Then you can go in as an officer." So I got my degree. I learned so much that I realised that I didn't want to join the navy anymore. I wanted to design things, build new systems. You knew that would happen.' 

'You give me more credit than I deserve. I saw the way challenges affected you. I knew there was something powerful between those ears of yours. You just had to wake up and realise it.' 

He smiles at me. 'The most powerful computer in the world.' 

He'd remembered what I used to tell them at the start of every course. I tap Lauren on the shoulder and she turns to face us. 

'Lauren I'd like you to meet Daniel Reynolds, one of my students from my teaching days. Dan this is Dr Stockbridge, my colleague from Mumford Labs.' 

Lauren offers her hand and Daniel shakes it. He gives me a knowing smile. 

'I was going to ask if you fancied a beer tonight but I guess you've got better things to do.' 

'I'm sure we'd love to have a beer with you tonight wouldn't we Lauren?' 

'Only if we can start in The Savoy, I want to be able to say I've eaten in The Savoy Hotel. I won't tell them it was only bar snacks.' 

Daniel laughs and immediately agrees. As he leaves to get back to his lunch she stands before me looking every bit as good as I remember. She's put on a little weight but only on the two points where it looks best. I stand there just taking her in. Her hair is perfect, make up just so. She is wearing a pale green skirt suit which shows off her legs. I've always admired her legs. 

'You're looking well John.' 

'You're not looking so bad yourself' 

For a moment we just stand there looking at each other. 

'What are you doing here Caroline?' 

'I came to see you. I thought perhaps if I asked in person, and gave you plenty of notice, you might be able to spend Christmas with us this year.' 

Lauren is shaking my arm. 

'Lauren this is Caroline she's...' 

'His wife,' Caroline announced. 'I'm his wife' 

To me it sounds like a challenge. She stares at Lauren daring her to respond. She is not disappointed. 

'Oh so you're the one.' 

'And what is that supposed to mean?' 

'The mystery wife that everyone knows about but no one ever sees, and that includes John.' 

I admit to Lauren's reaction takes me by surprise. Normally she is my calming influence but now she seems ready for a fight. 

'If you'll allow me ladies I'll finish the introductions. 

'Caroline this is my friend and colleague Dr Lauren Stockbridge' 

Lauren picks up on my tone of voice. She makes her excuses and leaves us. I look at Caroline and for a moment, all the old desires come flooding back. Even now after five years I still want to take her in my arms and hold her. Perhaps that is the reason I cut myself off from her for all this time. I fight the urge to hug her and try to be calm again. 

'What is it you want from me Caroline?' 

'What I really want is you, but for now I'll settle for a chance to talk. We never really talked did we?' 

People are starting to gather around. It happens a lot these days. Ever since the media got interested in the arm I rarely get to finish lunch, everyone wants to talk to me, 

'Not here, not now Caroline how about tonight maybe we could have dinner or something.' 

Her face lights up the way it used to when we were first married. 

'That would be lovely, thank you' 

'O.K. meet me in the bar of The Savoy Hotel about 6:30.' 

She reaches out and strokes my arm. 

'Thank you John, I'll look forward to it.' 

Her eyes say she really means it; she turns and walks away. 

'Doctor Fletcher?' Says the man standing by my left shoulder. 'It's started, I'll be lucky to eat much of the food on my plate. Across the room Lauren is talking to a young man I don't recognise. She notices me looking and rolls her eyes. Oh dear, there's another young man wasting his time. 

I've finished my wine and eaten half the food on my plate when they call us back in for the afternoon presentations. I find my seat and Lauren slips into the seat beside me. 

'She didn't stay long; I thought you had stuff to talk about.' 

'We do, but this isn't the place.' 

'I'm sorry. I'd planned to take you out tonight, as a sort of thank you, now I'll be taking Caroline instead.' 

She puts her hand on top of mine. Her touch feels so good. Her hand is not as soft as most women. Hers, though still softer than a man's, are hands that have used tools. It's not the softness that matters; it's the tenderness it conveys, that makes me put my other hand on hers. 

'I can't say I'm not disappointed. I had hoped we could make a night of it. I don't get to London much and you need to get out more.' 

'When it comes down to it, she's your wife, and like it or not you must feel something for her or you'd be divorced by now.' 

I turned and looked into her eyes. 

'Such a wise head on such young shoulders.' 

'If you knew the conflicts going on in my head you wouldn't say that. It's just easier to see the right thing to do when you're not involved.' 

'Thanks.' I say patting her hand before turning my attention back to the stage. 

She doesn't move her hand, but just leaves me to think for a few moments. 

'John, you do know I'm always here for you don't you? Anytime, anywhere, you only have to call.' 

I pat her hand again. 

'What would I do without you?' 

'Exactly what you do now, just with someone else.' 

We fall silent as the first afternoon presentation starts. I feel guilty for not giving the presentations my full attention. I'll read the papers later. My mind is full of Caroline. Can Lauren be right? Do I still love her? Is that the reason I haven't divorced her? I always told myself that I couldn't be bothered, that I didn't have time. When I saw her today it all came back, I really wanted to take her in my arms. One thing is certain; I need to get my feelings sorted out. 

The event is over for today. Lauren and I make our way back to our hotel. She goes up to her room while I have a word with the concierge. After a shower and changing into more casual clothes I am back down in the foyer talking to the concierge again. 

The lift doors open and Lauren steps out wearing a sparkly silver cocktail dress that stops just above the knee and shows a little cleavage. Her hair is no longer pulled back into a pony tail but bounces off her shoulders as she walks. Over her arm she carries a dark green trench coat. It's no exaggeration to say that the sight of her takes my breath away. 

'Wow! I mean just Wow. If you are trying to make me regret standing you up tonight, you are doing a fantastic job.' 

She comes over and grabs my arm. 

'You didn't stand me up. It's not as if we had a date or anything. I just thought that we might go out somewhere, so I brought this dress.' 

'Well I'm sure you won't be out of place in the Savoy bar. Let me help you with your coat.' 




Lucky Man Pt. 02



I hold her coat open and help her put it on. She turns and takes my hands in hers. 

'Be careful tonight John. She ambushed you today, caught you in a place where you wouldn't want her creating a scene. You don't do that unless you want something.' 

She lets go of my hands and turns her attention to my shirt collar and my jacket. 

'Just make sure you don't give her anything you don't want to.' 

She buttons my jacket, and surprises me by kissing my cheek 

'What was that for?' 

'Just to remind you I'm always here for you.' 

She pats my chest then turns and loops her arm through mine. We set off across The Strand heading for The Savoy. 

Caroline is already there, sipping an orange juice. She seems surprised when I turn up with Lauren. She takes in every detail of the younger woman's appearance. A look of disappointment spreads across her face. 

'Oh I'm sorry I didn't realise we were going out as a group.' 

'Don't worry Caroline I think he has a plan, but he hasn't told me what it is.' 

'All will clear once Daniel arrives.' 

When he arrives, wearing jeans and a puffer jacket, he looks a little embarrassed. 

'I was expecting to go down the pub, just the two of us. Now I feel a bit out of place.' 

I order a beer for him and outline my plan. 

'Dan, I'm hoping you'll do me a favour. Lauren has always wanted to see The Lion King and I had planned to take her. However, something else has come up and I've had to change my plans, so I wondered would you be kind enough escort her to the theatre' 

'Well yeah, I suppose, but what about...' 

Lauren giggles as Daniel starts to blush but soon regains his composure. He looks across to Lauren who is sitting on a bar stool with her legs crossed. 

'I'm sorry, I mean I'd love to, I was just a bit surprised that's all.' 

I caught her eye. 

'Are you OK with this?' I whisper to her. 

She nods back and whispers. 'He's quite sweet' 

I hope that Daniel hadn't heard that, no man wants to be thought of as sweet. 

I hand the company credit card to Lauren. 

'Get yourselves something to eat. Your tickets are at the box office; just give them my name.' 

As they leave Caroline nudges me. 'You have her well trained, her disappointment hardly showed.' 

'I don't know what you mean. She wanted to see The Lion King, now she gets to go with someone her own age.' 

Caroline shook her head. 'So what are we going to do?' 

'We will finish our drinks then we are off to St Martin's Theatre to see The Mousetrap.' 

'OK that sounds nice.' 

'I take it you'd rather see The Lion King?' 

'Well Yes, but The Mousetrap is fine.' 

'Good because that's what was available at short notice. The concierge gave me a list; I chose The Mousetrap.' 

'It's all right John. I'm sure The Mousetrap will be fine.' 

'Good, now before we go I have a question that's been bugging me all day. How did you get into the seminar; it's supposed to be members only.' 

'I came as Daniels guest.' 

'You and Daniel? Surely you're not?' 

'Good god, no! He came to the house looking for you. We got chatting; he said you would be presenting a paper, so I asked him to get me in. Oh John I'm so glad I came. I saw you up on the stage with everyone hanging on your every word, I was so proud. I wanted to jump up and tell everyone "That's my husband." Then it hit me; I don't really have the right to say that anymore. I went from elation to misery in an instant' 

'Well I am still your husband unless you've divorced me without me knowing. You could you know; I've been gone long enough.' 

'You know me better than that. I don't believe in divorce. Even if you divorce me I will still be your wife. We committed for life and that means life for me.' 

We committed to exclude all others. You didn't have much trouble breaking that one.' 

She winces. 

'I lost my way for a while. I started to believe that I was as fantastic as everyone kept telling me. I put so much into making a success of everything that I felt entitled to enjoy myself.' 

'And you didn't think you could enjoy yourself with me?' 

'It wasn't like that John. I know it's difficult to understand but spending all my time working meant that I felt guilty enjoying myself with you. It was like I shouldn't be there I should be working, trying to pull the project together. All those people depended on me.' 

'Didn't stop you enjoying yourself with Dewey though.' 

'No it didn't, that's where he was clever; he made it sound like I was working for the project. It started with having dinners where there would be people who funded projects like ours, so it was like being there to secure funding. Of course, after a couple of weeks the potential funders stopped turning up, but we did get some grants. When that started to happen he made it sound like it was all down to him. I felt as if I owed him something. It was all very subtle, but I did feel pressured. When he asked me to go to London with him, I felt I owed him.' 

'So you owed him your body. You know what that makes you don't you?' 

'Oh don't John please. I've been through this so many times and you couldn't make me feel any worse than I already do. The sex didn't come into it for me; it was like the price I paid for having a little fun; fun I should have been having with you.' 

'If it all started out so innocently, why didn't you tell your husband about these cosy little dinners with prospective funders? Come to that, you could have even invited him. 

Tears are welling up in her eyes. She's had five years to rehearse all of this and she still can't do it without crying. She takes a deep breath and tries to control herself. 

'I don't know I've been over it time after time and I still can't come up with an answer to that; I wish I could. It was like work and home were two different worlds, and you didn't exist in the work world' 

'I didn't exist' I thought. 'I existed when she needed to recruit committee members to replace the ones that dropped the project in the shit. I existed when she needed to know how to lean on someone. Of course her leaning was much more subtle than mine but it was my ideas she was using. I existed all right.' 

As she pulls out a tissue and dabs at her eyes, I glance at my watch. 

'Get your coat, it's curtain up at 7:30; we need to get a move on.' 

She picks up her coat and I help her put it on. On the way out of The Savoy the concierge offers to call a taxi for us but I decline. On a dry night like this, the best way from The Savoy to the other side of Covent Garden is to walk. We set off back across The Strand. She takes my hand as we cross the road and is reluctant to let go. Realising she won't keep up my normal pace in her high heels I restrict myself to a leisurely stroll. 

'I was worried that you'd never be able to do this: walking like this I mean.' 

'You and me both. I should've believed the doctors.' 

'Why did you hide that from me? I was devastated when I found out you were in a wheelchair. It really hurt to know you would rather depend on strangers than me.' 

'I didn't want you fussing around me out of guilt or pity. If you'd known it would have taken a police presence to keep you away from me.' 

'It wouldn't have been guilt or pity. Well perhaps partly out of guilt, but mainly out of love. Is it so hard to believe that I love you?' 

'At the time Caroline; yes it was. You destroyed me that night. When the paramedic told me what they were going to do to get me out of that car, I told him not to bother.' 

She gasps and stops walking, turning me round to look at her. She looks deep into my eyes. 

'Oh my god, you really mean it don't you. You really wanted to die.' 

'At the time it seemed to solve all the problems. I wouldn't have had to deal with the situation and you'd be free to be with Dewey. 

'I've told you before; it was never him I wanted. Do you think I would be here now if I wanted someone else?' 

She throws her arms around and holds me tight, her head on my chest. The noise of the traffic shuts out what she was saying. I think she may be crying. She releases me and steps back. I can see the black lines where her mascara has run down her cheeks. She reaches into her bag for a tissue and dabs at her eyes. I take it from her and wipe the black marks from her cheeks. 

'I think we'd better stop talking about this for now. Maybe after the theatre, eh?' 

I smile at her and she tries to smile back. We walk on, into and across Covent Garden. She points out a large grandiose building lit up against the night sky. 

'What is that place.' 

'The Royal Opera House, 'I say. What I'm thinking is 'I'm surprised Dewey didn't take you there.' 

'It's very impressive.' 

'If you think the outside is impressive you should see the inside. I attended a function there a few months back. Mumford thought they should be represented and it fell to me.' 

She cuddles up to my arm as if I've impressed her somehow. We walk on to the theatre and I collect my tickets with ten minutes to spare before curtain up. 

'I must find the ladies room, I need to do some running repairs.' 

She leaves me in the foyer and I kill time looking around waiting for her return. She always liked souvenirs of trips to the theatre, so I buy her a programme. When she comes back it's two minutes to curtain up. She sees the programme and her face lights up. She kisses me on the cheek and we hurry into the theatre. People grumble about having to get up for us to get by. As we reach our seats the house lights go down. We sit and I put my hand up on the arm rest. She covers my hand with hers and gives it a squeeze. As the stage lights come up I look at her. It's like I've gone back ten years; before Dewey and before her job took her away from me. We are a happy married couple enjoying a night at the theatre. I get that warm feeling in my chest just looking at her, and I realise; it doesn't hurt anymore. I remember her putting her job before us, her affair with Dewey, even the night when I finally knew what was going on. Yes, I remember it all, but it no longer hurts more than the pole that went through my guts. I can talk about it without wanting to throw up or burst into tears. What I feel when I look at her now is affection. 

She catches me looking at her and manages a small smile before I turn my attention to the play 

By the time the house lights go up for the interval we are both engrossed. I offer to fight my way to the bar for her. 

'No thank you John I'd rather sit and talk; if that's alright with you?' 

'Fine; what do you want to talk about?' 

'Let's start by talking about you. How've you been?' 

'Oh you know, down and up. I was down when I thought I'd never get out of the wheelchair; but the university were good to me. Because of my industrial and teaching experience they gave me work supervising labs and classes. Then there was my research; that's how I came into contact with Mumford. They told me I could work for them and work on the PhD part time. I'd only been with them for six months when the feeling in my legs returned.' 

'They must think a lot of you if you can do all of this on expenses.' 

'Daniel and Lauren's meal and our hotel rooms are on expenses, I'm paying for everything else. I'm not on a lecturer's salary now.' 

'Is there really that much money in prosthetics?' 

'The arm and the walking exoskeleton are mainly for headline grabbing. It gets Mumford noticed, and the research is all funded by the type of people who invite you to the Royal Opera House. They'll make money on them but their main business is in control systems. I've got a great contract it allows me to go on lecture tours and pocket most of the fees. The arm has provoked more demand there as well. I spent six weeks in America this year.' 

'What about your personal life? Are you happy; is there someone in your life who makes you happy?' 

I might have known that one was coming. What do I tell her that I'm as happy as a pig in shit? Do I tell her the truth; that I spend all my time working to avoid spending time in my empty house? I decide on a compromise. 

'Yes I suppose I'm happy though I don't have time for a personal life. No, there is nobody special in my life at the moment. A few women passed through but none I've wanted to start a relationship with.' 

'Not even Dr Stockbridge?' 

'Good god no; what ever gave you that idea?' 

'You seemed so close, and although she hides it well she was disappointed when you told her of the arrangements tonight.' 

'We are friends and colleagues. I'm old enough to be her father, she'll be much happier with Daniel tonight.' 

I'd better change the subject or I'll end up telling her I get more sex now than I did five years ago. 

'What about you Caroline? Government inspector now I am told. How do you enjoy that?' 

'I don't. I'm being asked to check that kindergartens and nursery classes are doing things I don't believe to be right. Then in the reports I'm supposed to defend the inspectorates view point. How do you defend the indefensible?' 

'So why take the job?' 

'Well you were right, the committee just gave me a rap on the knuckles but things were never the same. There was no publicity when Roger was fired but word got around. People who used to be friends stopped calling, then I heard a rumour that I'd abandoned you because you were crippled. I just wanted to get away, work with people who didn't know me. The inspector's job was offered, and I took it. Now I know how you felt doing a job you hated.' 

'I hope you're not blaming me for spreading the rumours? I didn't tell a soul.' 

She takes my hand in both of hers and kisses the back of my fingers. 

'The thought never crossed my mind. It's not your style, lurking in the shadows whispering in receptive ears. If you wanted to say something you would make damned sure I knew it was you. Oh no, it was probably a secretary in the Town Hall. That's how these things usually start. Anyway that's all over now.' 

'So what are you going to do now?' 

'That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about, I've been offered a new job, deputy head of children's services.' 

'You don't need my approval Caroline. Take the job it will give you chance to really make a difference, and there are few things worse than doing a job you hate.' 

'Well I do, sort of need your approval, you see the job is in Cambridge; we'd almost be neighbours. I won't take it if you find it embarrassing.' 

'Take the job Caroline, apart from work I don't spend much time in Cambridge.' 

Her voice drops to little more than a whisper as if she's frightened to voice what she has to say. 

'I rather hoped that, if I took the job, you might spend more time in Cambridge.' 

Yes, I see it for the plea that it is. I'd expected it to come much earlier and be far more blunt. She was waiting for a response, one that at this stage of the game I don't want to give her. Right now I don't know how I feel. I want her; I know that every time I look at her. I want to wake up next to someone. I want someone to be with in the evenings and weekends. I want someone to talk to over the breakfast table. I want to tell her I'd like that very much, but I don't. Instead I pretend not to hear her. The bell from the bar tells us that the performance will restart in five minutes. People are coming back to their seats and the conversation ends and we settle in for the second half of the play. 

After the ovation the cast appear and ask us all not to reveal who dunnit then we leave. 

'There is a really good pizzeria up the road; we could go for a bite to eat.' 

'I'd like that.' 

It's only a five minute walk to the pizzeria, and we are soon seated and placing our order. Caroline is fascinated by the chef spinning the pizza pastry above his head. 

'You certainly seem to know your way around the West End; I'm impressed.' 

'I've been here quite a lot over the last three years and I've never had a problem remembering the geography.' 

Our wine arrives and I'm offered a taste. The waiter pours a glass for each of us. Caroline picks up her glass and offers a toast. 

'To better times.' 

'I'll drink to that,' I say and we touch glasses. 

'So Caroline, you've asked me about my private life, how is yours? Anyone special in your life? 

'There used to be, but I drove him away five years ago. Since that day I've been waiting for him to come back. I've had periods of doubt and despair. Times when I thought it was never going to happen. During those times I have allowed myself to be entertained by members of the opposite sex. There was never anyone special; certainly no one I would consider taking to my bed.' 

Our food arrives, and it surprises her. You can get pizza all over the world and for many people pizza is pizza but there is a big gap between the best and the average. This is one of the best and she is impressed. As we eat we talk. I know it's going to hurt her but I need to tell her about the women in my life. 

'I can't make the same claim as you, I've not lived like a monk these last five years. It surprised me how many women were happy to be in bed with me.' 

I hold my left hand up showing my wedding ring still on my finger. 

'For some women this doesn't mean a lot' 

It was thoughtless really I hadn't meant it as a jab at her but I can see that it hurts just the same. We finish our meal and they bring the coffee, a good Italian blend. This normally means the end of the evening and I start my end of the date speech. 

'Well Caroline it has been a surprisingly pleasant evening but...' 

She reaches out and covers my hand with hers. 

'Come back to my hotel with me. I want you to show you something.' 

I couldn't resist a little snigger before replying. 

'Do you really think that is a good idea? Haven't I seen all you have to offer? 

'I'm being serious, I brought something with me and I'd really like you to see it. Please John, come back with me. You don't have to stay, I just want to show it to you.' 

We hail a cab and ride back to her hotel. A hotel Ibis, a little Spartan but perfectly comfortable. 

In her hotel room I sit on the bed while she rummages around in her suitcase. She passes me a book and comes to sit beside me. Her skirt rides up showing off her legs. I smile as I note she is wearing stockings. I open the book and find a surprise on the first page. It's a picture of me in my wheelchair, being pushed across the university campus by an attractive young woman. 

'That's the university campus. Who took this?' 

'I did. When Bob told me they'd let you go because it was too expensive to make your lab wheelchair friendly. I was shocked. As soon as I got your address, I drove up to talk to you. I was going to beg you to let me back into your life. I hoped that once you found you needed someone you might let me back in. When I got there I found you already had all the support you needed. Was she one of your little peccadilloes?' 

'No! I was still too angry for anything like that. I'm ashamed to say I was pretty unpleasant to most of the girls at that point.' 

'She looks happy.' 

I look at the picture again. 

'Ah yes that's Amy; one of the more persistent ones. She wanted to repair the damage some woman had done to me. I treated her badly; took all the help she offered but gave her nothing in return. What puzzles me now is, if you travelled all the way up to visit me, why did you leave without doing so?' 

'Look at her, she's young and beautiful. How could I compete with her? Look at the pair of you. You are both so happy. My nerves failed me, and I could see you didn't need me. I cried most of the way home.' 

I turned the page and there were two pages of a paper I'd written for the IET. It ended up being part of my thesis but was published separately. There was a photo of me in the chair wearing a board and gown. 




Lucky Man Pt. 02



'Where is that?' 

'In the cathedral: you were there for a graduation ceremony.' 

She's right; the administrators had pressured me into attending. They thought it showed them in a good light, having disabled members of staff. 

'You were there?' 

'No I bought a CD of the ceremony and Ross pulled that picture from it.' 

Following that I found pictures from Mumford's website. As I flick through her album I see it holds details of everything I'd achieved in the last five years. The final page showed a picture of me with Jo Brinsley, the presenter of Technospot. 

'Is she as pretty in real life, you know without all the make-up?' 

'I would say prettier, she has a nice natural beauty, and she's good company.' 

'You went out with her?' 

'Yes we had dinner together after the recording. I found her very friendly and good fun. Not my type though.' 

She jabbed her elbow into my arm. 

'Yeah you wish. I happen to know that she's happily married to Euan Griffiths. I don't think you stand much chance against an international rugby player.' 

'As I said before, for some women a wedding ring doesn't mean a lot.' 

'Oh my god, you didn't?' 

'No I didn't; I can't do that to someone else just because someone did it to me. I don't care if she does claim to have an open marriage.' 

Her eyes tell me she's been hurt by what I said. I feel guilty; I'd not thought about it before I said it. With my arm around her shoulders I hugged her. 

'What made you do all this?' I asked, looking down at the book. 

'In a strange way it made me feel closer to you. It was like I was sharing some of those things with you.' 

'If you were so desperate to be with me, what took you so long? ' 

'I tried at the wedding two years ago but you ran away. As soon as the speeches were over you couldn't get away quick enough.' 

'I had a plane to catch.' 

'I know that's what you said but I'm sure you could have arranged things for you son's wedding.' 

'I did but my flight got cancelled and the only thing available was Saturday evening.' 

'So you weren't trying to avoid me.' 

'No! I'll be honest I wasn't looking forward to seeing you, but I wasn't trying to hide. I had an information exchange meeting at 9:00 am with our partner in Boston' 

She gets off the bed and kisses my cheek while I sit looking at the book. 

'I've got to go to the bathroom.' 

She disappears into the en-suite bathroom. I'm completely taken aback by the amount of stuff she has in her album. How did she get all this stuff? Has she been stalking me? I call out a question to her but she doesn't answer. I realise that she probably can't hear me. 

The bathroom door opens and I turn around. Her appearance takes me completely by surprise. With one hand on the door frame and the other on her hip she stands there, framed in the doorway. She's wearing a red teddy that is so sheer the dark circles of her areola and her prominent nipples are clearly visible. The dark triangle shows her neatly trimmed pubic hair. Little John immediately jumps to attention. 

'Well how do I look?' 

'Breathtaking.' 

She started to walk towards me swinging her hips as she moved. 

'Not in the same league as Dr Stockbridge.' 

'I wouldn't know; I've never seen her in anything less than you saw tonight.' 

Caroline stands in front of me as I sit on the bed. She's still a good looking woman. It is all I can do to stop myself grabbing her and kissing her. She drops down to her knees and takes my hands in hers. 

'In case you hadn't realised this is an invitation. I'm completely yours if you want me. I know what I want, but what about you?' 

She pulls my hands and holds them against her chest. 

'It can be just for now, just for tonight, or for the rest of our lives. Everything you see here is yours to do what you will. I love you John and I want you to love me again. I let you down, and I let myself down, but I've paid. Every day of the last five years I've paid. Missing you in my bed, knowing that you'd shut me out of your life. At times it was only the boys, our two sons, that gave me the will to carry on. I've seen everything you've achieved, and it hurts not being able to share it with you. Please, even if it's only for tonight, be my husband again. Make love to me John.' 

She stands and placing one knee on the bed she eases my jacket off of my shoulders, her breast stroking my cheek as she does so. Taking my head in her hands, she tips it up and gently kisses my lips. She unbuttons my shirt and starts to run her hands over my chest. 

'Mmm this is new, I don't remember it being this firm before' 

'You can't beat a wheelchair for giving you upper body strength.' 

'But that ended three years ago. Have you been working out?' 

'It helps to pass the time.' 

She eases the shirt off of my shoulders and pulls it down. Standing in front of me she takes my hands in hers. I look at her shapely body. There is a dark patch forming between her legs. She pulls on my hands and I stand up. Releasing my belt and unclipping the waistband she allows my trousers to fall to the floor. She pulls herself in close to me. I can't remember the last time I felt this level of desire. Her hands are on my chest now and she is moving them down to the waistband of my boxers. With her thumbs in the waistband she runs her hands down over my hips. She bends her knees and drops to the floor. One at a time she lifts my feet out of my shoes and out of the clothes on the floor. She runs her hands back up my legs coming to rest on the cheeks of my arse. As she looks up at me, my erect penis strokes her cheek leaving a wet mark. Pulling her head back she looks at it, 

'I've missed you almost as much as I've missed him,' she says nodding in the direction of my head. 

This is a hell of a change from the times I remember. In those days she refused to look at my cock let alone touch it. If I didn't initiate sex it didn't happen. I take her arms, lift her from the floor, and gaze into her eyes. 

'What's this all about Caroline? You said you'd like to make love, but this is a full scale seduction. What's going on?' 

She kissed me. 

'I wanted you to know how much I want and miss you John. I've been aching for you ever since I saw you get up on that stage this morning. 

She pushes me back so that I sit back on the bed while she holds my head between her breasts. I see her slip the straps of her teddy off of her shoulders. It drops down revealing her magnificent orbs with prominent nipples. She kneels astride me on the bed and I take one of her nipples into my mouth while I gently massage the other breast. Her head goes back, and she starts moan. She's pulling my head harder onto her breast as I use my other hand to stroke down over her hips. She starts to thrust them forward as I stroke them. I bite gently on her nipple as I rub the other with my thumb. The hand stroking her hip is pulled away and pushed hard against her pussy. As she thrusts more against my hand I can hear her roar and I realise she is already having an orgasm. With the final throws she falls forward knocking me flat on the bed as she holds me in a tight embrace. 

I stroke her back, pushing the teddy further down. Now I'm stroking her bum and she's writhing on top of me. She climbs off and sits beside me as she removes the teddy. I slide further onto the bed. She kisses me then climbs back on top of me feeding my cock into her love canal. I return to working on her back. I remember what that does to her and tonight is no different. She writhes and thrusts on top of me. She gets more active as I squeeze her ass cheeks and my finger probes her anus. She'd never let me do that before but in the last five years I've found out that plenty of women love it. I expect her to push my hand away but the push doesn't come. Instead, the grunts and groans increase and the movements get more forceful. I know that she has reached her climax when she forces her hips down onto me and hold them there while emitting a loud cry. I feel her relax so I start to push up into her until I find my release. 

We lay on the bed. She is still on top of me, lying on my chest. This is what I have missed. Having her so close; joined to me. It feels so right. In our temporary exhaustion there is still so much to enjoy. She is stroking my face, kissing my cheek. 

'Oh my love, my love, my only love. Thank you so much,' she whispers 

I gently stroke her back, bringing her down from her orgasm. She becomes so relaxed that I check that she hasn't fallen asleep. She climbs off of me and for the first time I realise that we never even pulled back the covers. There is now a wet patch on the counterpane. 

'I'm going to have a shower; care to join me?' 

I get off of the bed and as I follow her into the bathroom, I pull the counterpane from the bed. 

She opens the door and pulls me into the shower locking her lips on mine. We take it in turn washing each other. She rains kisses down on me as we clean each other's bodies. We start the drying and I'm entranced by the way her breasts move as I towel them dry. I can't resist kissing her nipples. We walk from the bathroom hand in hand and I lead her back to the bed before picking up my clothes. In a flash she's there beside me taking the clothes from my hands. 

'Don't go John, stay with me tonight, please. If you still feel anything for me, stay with me tonight.' 

I take her in my arms and hug her to me. She moulds her body to mine and we stand there holding each other before climbing into bed. I lay on my back and she snuggles under my arm and lays her head on my chest. She runs her finger over my chest and down over my stomach. 

'I've waited for this for so long; it's hard to believe that you are really here. Pinch me John. I need to know I'm not dreaming' 

I reach across and pinch her nipple. 

'Oh! That's not really what I meant; I don't need any more encouragement. The fact is I've never felt as horny as I've felt this last year. I've had to buy myself a mini John but he doesn't come close to the real thing.' 

She reaches across me and pulls herself in tighter to me. I know that this is what I've been missing. It's not the sex, which turned out to be less of a problem, even when I was in the wheelchair. It's this intimacy, this closeness, just for the sake of it. I feel so relaxed. She is kissing my chest and whispering something as I feel myself floating off to sleep. 

I'm woken by an unusual sensation, one I've felt before but wasn't expecting this morning. Caroline's head is moving up and down on my morning glory. She's never done this for me before though I've often wanted it. She always thought it was dirty. I look to the side and I can see the rest of her body. Reaching out I caress her stomach, moving up towards her breasts. She moves closer, her legs part and I can see her vulva glistening with her juices. She swings her leg across me offering her lips to my tongue. I lick my way over her mound and into her crease as I run my hands over her lower back and bum. She starts to rise and fall as my tongue does its work and her head movements become more forceful. When I squeeze her cheeks rubbing my thumbs over her tight little back door, her movements become more intense. Now she is pushing hard against my chin while her mouth weaves its magic on my cock. My hips thrust up pushing my cock deeper into her mouth. She puts her hand around its base to control the thrusting as I move my tongue down to seek out her clitoris. My thumb slips into her anus as my tongue finds her clit. Her hips pound down on me and she emits nasal squeaks as her mouth engulfs my cock completely. My release comes and I drain my self into her as she grinds her pussy against my open mouth. 

We lie together for a few minutes before she rolls off of me, then kisses her way up my body, finally planting a passionate kiss on my lips. 

'There'll be plenty more where that came from.' 

Now I see it for what it is. She thinks sex is the way to get me back. 'Sex is the way I lost him, sex is the way to get him back.' Did she ever really know me? Has she listened to me at all tonight? 

'Caroline, last night and this morning, were fantastic, but that's not the end of everything. We still have a long way to go' 

'But it's a start isn't it?' 

She throws an arm and a leg around me and pulls herself in tight to me. 

'Maybe Caroline, that's all I can say. Take the job and move if you want; I can't promise you anything.' 

She pulls herself even closer. I glance at the clock on the nightstand. It's eight thirty/ 

'Good God is that the time? I've got to go.' 

'Can't you stay a little longer? I'll treat you to breakfast before you leave.' 

'No time for breakfast. I must get back to my hotel, get packed and be back at Savoy Place by ten o' clock.' 

She holds on to my arm. 

Stay with me John. We have so much to talk about. I need you John, more than I ever did. Please stay, they'll find someone else, you don't need to be there.' 

'Caroline, people are depending on me. You must remember what that's like. I've never let anyone down before and I'm not starting now.' 

She tries to hold on to me as I get out of bed and hurriedly dress before giving her a light kiss goodbye. 

'John, we need to talk, promise me you'll call.' 

'OK I'll call you but I really must leave now.' 

Down in the street I hail a cab and get back to my hotel. 

***** 

With five minutes to spare I slot myself into my seat and heave a sigh of relief. 

'You didn't make it for breakfast so I guess you had a good night,' said Lauren as I sat down. 

'Well I thought it went well but now I'm having second thoughts. What about you and Daniel, how did you get on?' 

'Well,' she said giving me a coy look. Then she giggled 'He was sweet, and a perfect gentleman. If you must know you were the main subject of conversation. I think you're his role model. He accords you the status you give to Michael Faraday.' 

'Well he'll never find a statue of me out the front of the building,' I laughed. 

'He told me a lot about you as a teacher. He says you were a great teacher. Do you know he spent three years working on a problem you set before he left college? 

'Did he find the solution?' 

'He said he did, he was laughing about it. He said something about a chip being programmable.' 

'Oh so he did solve it.' 

'He was angry with himself for not considering that possibility.' 

'Daniel was one of the few. There were a group of them, all highly motivated, they all did well. I really don't want to talk about teaching. It was never my finest hour and I'm never going back.' 

'No one expects you to go back; but you talk about it as if it was a period of failure. I thought you should know that your students didn't see it that way. 

My silence conveys my desire to drop the subject and Lauren picks up on it immediately. 

'Caroline seems nice; and quite attractive.' 

'Really Lauren, I never thought you swung both ways. Sorry to disappoint you, but Caroline doesn't.' 

She punches me in the arm. 

'Men! Just because I say she's attractive; doesn't mean I want to go to bed with her. I can see why men would want her, that's all.' 

'Yeah, well unfortunately one too many did, and she was too receptive.' 

I've already said more than I intended. It's a relief when the keynote speaker for the day takes the mike and gets the proceedings under way. We watch another two presentations before I'm called to sit on the expert panel for the question and answer session. It's good to concentrate on their problems; it takes my mind off of the events of last night. We wind up and send the delegates away to enjoy the weekend. I step down from the stage to be greeted by Lauren. 

'Well done boss, you sent them away with plenty to think about. Now I suppose it's time for us to go home.' 

I just smiled at her. 

'What? What's funny? What have you got planned.' 

'Well I stood you up last night, so I arranged something to make up for it. We're going to Brown's for lunch.' 

'You didn't stand me up. I had a nice time and Daniel was positively charming.' 

'Yeah, but I wanted to say a personal thank you for coming down here to help me out. I let you down last night so I had the concierge book a table for lunch. Come on, no arguments.' 

There isn't going to be an argument. If she wanted to brag about The Savoy, she would definitely want to have lunch at Brown's. 

We are walking down The Strand when the questions start. 

'So did you have a good night last night? How long is it since you last saw her?' 

'I last saw her two years ago but we haven't spoken for five years.' 

'Five years and you are still wearing your wedding ring? You know she wants you back don't you?' 

'I ought to; enough people told me. My sons, my friends, they've all told me at some time or another. Now she's moving to Cambridge, the pressure will increase.' 

'And that's what yesterday was all about? She came to tell you she's moving?' 

'Partly yes. She wanted to know if I was all right with it.' 

'She wanted a lot more than that; a girl knows these things. It was written all over her face last night.' 

We turn the corner and I stop to point across the road to an ordinary looking building. 

'Voila. Brown's Restaurant.' 

'That is Brown's? The place where the hooray Henrys from the city spend their bonuses?' 

'The very place.' 

'Well the outside is a big disappointment.' 

'In that case it's a good job we are not eating outside. Come on our reservation is for one o' clock and people will be waiting at the bar hoping we don't turn up.' 

We cross the road and walk into the restaurant and in less than a minute we are shown to our table. Lauren looks at the menu and lets out a whistle. I look at her in surprise, but I know what provoked the response. 

'I'd expected something more exotic, especially at these prices.' 

'That's the lunch menu. The more exotic dishes, as you call them, are on the evening menu.' 

'Are you sure about this John? I would be just as happy eating in the station restaurant.' 

'Of course I'm sure. Nothing is too good for my right hand man.' 

She smiles, cups her own breasts and lifts them a little. 

'Ahem! Perhaps you didn't notice these.' 

'You know what I mean. You're the glue that keeps the team together when I'm not around, the one I rely on to get things done. I want you to know how much I appreciate you. Oh, and yes I definitely noticed those.' 

We are both laughing when the waiter comes to take our order. Lauren takes her time choosing and the waiter is getting impatient. I have no problem, I've been here before. The waiter leaves and Lauren pours her question into the pause that follows. 

'So that was the mystery wife last night' 

'Yes, Caroline and I are married, but there is no secret about that.' 

'Are you kidding? Two years I've known you, and you haven't mentioned her once. The rumours at work say she's on an overseas placement. They say the reason you spend so much time in the states is because she is out there. I might have believed it myself if I hadn't met a young lady called Siobhan the last time I went out to Boston. She seemed to be intimately acquainted with you and she didn't wear a ring.' 

'I could say it's nobody's business but mine.' 

'You could, and if you do I will shut up and leave you alone. Ever since she turned up yesterday, you seem troubled. I think you need to talk to someone and I'm offering to be that person.' 

She's right; I need to talk to someone. For five years I've refused to talk to anyone about it though several tried. Caroline told our sons her version of events; which, to be fair, wasn't that far from the truth. They told me how sorry she was, but I'd always refused to talk about it. At the time it hurt too much. Maybe now is the right time. 




Lucky Man Pt. 02



My travelling companion in the adjacent seat looked up with his usual sweet smile on his face. My adopted son, who I affectionately called Bill Junior, chipped in.

"Hello" he said, with only a trace of an accent, "My name is Billy, I regret that my Dad has neglected thus far to introduce us."

Bill Junior, or Billy, as he preferred, was full Chinese, small in stature, the runt of the litter. He was 13 years old but could have passed for ten, whilst maturity-wise he could have been 30. He had a very open, trusting face, was a bright and excellent linguist, his English was superb, as was his Japanese, French and German, as well as of course his native Mandarin.

"Pleased to meet you, Billy," smiled Carol, removing her hand from behind my neck to shake his proffered hand. "I'm Carol, an old friend of your father. You speak English very well, with only a very slight accent."

"That's because my English teacher's Scottish, don't you think I shound a little bit like Shean Connery?" he grinned his most charming cheesy smile, as he put on the distinctive actor's trademark lisp. He knew that all the ladies loved Billy's smile, and he loved all the ladies in his turn, did Bill Junior. He hadn't quite completed his transition through puberty, still exploring the outer reaches of his impending change, but he knew instinctively that he could turn on the charm at will and learned that its effects were much more rewarding when focussed on the female of the species.

I let Billy and Carol chat on while I closed my eyes, trying to forget about my embarrassing erection. 

Bill Junior is a very intelligent, optimistic and enthusiastic kid. He came to my notice when I first arrived at my hotel in Beijing. He was approaching each new arrival hoping to drum up business, you know, girl or boy 'company', not necessarily him, he was much too young, but he had contacts, oh yes he had contacts for anything. I engaged him in conversation, stringing him along. He hinted that he could get anything I wanted. It also seemed that he was prepared to sell himself if necessary. He called himself Billy and said he was 12 at the time, but he was tiny. When I eventually met his parents a few months later I found he was only 9. His Mum and Dad told me he was a wild and uncontrollable child and they couldn't cope, they both worked all hours to support Billy's grandparents and a couple of great grandparents in a tiny hovel some distance from the city.

I took on Billy as my first employee in China, although he didn't actually work as an employee. I sent him to school, but he ran away. I took on a number of home tutors at the hotel suite until I eventually got my own apartment, and he stayed put. His command of English grew, and he helped me with Mandarin. He then soaked up other languages, as well as science, maths, history. He was phenomenal.

I bought a scaffolding company first, it was a business I knew. I dealt fairly with people but was strict and took no prisoners when crossed. I made sure that every company I took over, and there were many, the staff that I wanted to keep also became shareholders and shared in the profits. I attracted the best workers and my stock rose higher than ever. I didn't bribe anyone, so I was able to undercut less scrupulous competitors' prices. I understood the value of training and safety and continually overhauling and replacing equipment and procedures. I built up a good reputation for getting the job done well, on time and on price. A reputation of getting things done without fuss or favour goes a long way in business. To the efficient businessman, it made sense to know I was worth doing business with.

I bought a construction company next, then architects, glaziers, a recycling plant, a road-building and repair company. I invested about 50 million pounds in China and in five years turned it into a multi-billion pound group. I employed about 50,000 staff in time, all becoming fellow shareholders, as well as a number of enthusiastic investors. I made friends in high and low places and three years ago was granted Chinese citizenship, an honour. Finally I could lose my old identity and I burned my fake British passport with some ceremony. 

By this time I had employed Billy's parents at my country house. There was plenty of room so I constructed a separate house in the grounds for Billy's parents and grandparents, so they were spared the grinding poverty which they had endured all their lives. It was Billy that suggested I adopt him as his son, he was virtually living that role anyway, and had easily talked his parents into it, I was the last one to know. 

It didn't take long to arrange and, as I was eager to change my name, Billy suggested William, so I would be Bill Senior and he'd be Bill Junior, what could be simpler? I had always hated the name Marcus, preferring simply Mark, so I retained Mark as a second name, but what surname should I opt for? Billy suggested that, too, he really is a smart boy, smarter than his old new Dad, that's for sure. He didn't know my history, what I was running from, nobody in my new life did, but he knew a woman was involved, a woman who I loved enough to give up everything for and move halfway around the world to forget. I told you he was smart, didn't I? He suggested the full moniker of William Mark Antony. Billy was studying history and he thought Mark Antony, who had taken on the might of the greatest civilisation in the world for the one woman he loved, even though she cheated on him with every ruler who came visiting. I was happy with it, and the name actually looked cool in Chinese script.

On the plane I dozed for a while. I woke with a start and saw that Carol was no longer on my lap and my erection had fortunately subsided, it clearly wasn't as subconscious as I had thought, maybe I would have to look up a Melbourne escort agency sometime soon. It could wait, though, it had been over five years and I had persuaded myself that I didn't miss it, much. 

Sitting in the seat next to me was Carol, with Billy stretched out asleep in her lap, his sweet head on her beehive breasts. Carol was awake and put a hand to her lips, mouthing "Shhh!" She looked happy and relaxed and very beautiful. I indicated I was going to the loo and got up to head towards the toilets.

When I got back, Billy had woken from his snooze and still sitting on Carol's lap, jabbering away to her as if they were affectionate aunt and favourite nephew and known each other all his life. I sat down and contributed the odd sentence. I trusted Billy implicitly, although he appeared to be chatting about all manner of subjects, he knew how sensitive I was about my past and how desperate I was to maintain a distance from anyone connected with it. I listened to his excited talk about scuba diving and about Beijing and Egypt and mentioned several other places I know for a fact he had never been to, but when Carol probed about where he had come from and where they were going, he gave nothing away. Smart kid.

I listened to him as he enthused about our recent sojourn in London, the shops and tourist spots, without mentioning that I had taken him to Birmingham and shown him my mother's grave and where I grew up and went to school and worked all those years. 

Billy told Carol how he was looking forward to seeing the Great Barrier Reef on our vacation without mentioning our luxury yacht and crew recently sailed from our previous berth in Monaco, next to the smaller yacht I maintained there for the Australian winter. He told her about his life in China and how we had handed over our apartment to new tenants just a few weeks ago, without mentioning our country estate, which we would be revisiting regularly during scholastic holidays. He certainly didn't mention his new school or our new home in Melbourne. Billy wasn't a liar, but he was a born raconteur who was able to twist the truth to suit the circumstance. I loved my son, in so many ways he was a chip off the old block. As far as I was concerned, he was my son and he regarded me as his Dad, a lucky boy with another father, just as important to him at home. Billy had the best of all worlds and who could deny a child exactly what he deserves?

The plane was over Australian airspace and was about to descend to Sydney airport. Carol returned Billy's seat to him and I stood up to let her out to go back to her own seat. As we stood in the aisle she pulled me close to kiss goodbye and hoped we would not stay strangers any longer. I took the address she thrust into my hand and put it in my pocket without looking at it. As we held each other again as a final goodbye she whispered that she was being met at the airport and would I speak with someone who loved me more than anyone in the world? I hesitated. I didn't want to see Bob any more than I wanted to confront Satan. I thought I might not be able to control my feelings, actions even, I didn't think that would be good for me or for Billy to see me if I lost it, so I said 

"I don't think I can see Bob or anyone from my past, Carol, I am still in pain, more so today than I thought I was."

"Dearest Bill," she said, gazing into my eyes, "we are all in pain over what happened. I love Bob with all my heart, but he is broken-hearted over what he did and through his lack of judgement allowed you to see. It really wasn't his fault, he was angry and lost and full of hate at that moment, and no-one can hate for long and stay sane." Carol shook my shoulders. "Bob needs to repair the damage with you before he can think about repairing himself, us even. Please reconsider and we will be waiting for you if you do change your mind." Then she walked away back to her berth, presumably with the aircrew. 

Chapter 2. Landing

Billy and I were originally going to use our new Australian passports to ease our way through Customs, but didn't want to risk Carol using her contacts to access our information. We had flown to and from London on our Chinese passports, to avoid any chance of discovery by my old family. I started to mention this to Billy until he grinned broadly and showed me the Chinese passport already in his hand. I shouldn't have been surprised, he's usually one step ahead of me.

I never have any trouble at Heathrow, being a Westerner with a Chinese passport, but the Sydney boys decided to shake me down this time. I wondered if Carol had had some influence, there, but no, surely the lovely Carol wasn't the vindictive kind. Customs soon found my Australian passport, along with Billy's, in a more than thorough search, I should say dismantling, of my luggage. Billy wasn't actually detained and he went through to wait with my boat skipper who I had arranged to fly down from Queensland on a charter plane to meet me. 

I never before saw the point of owning a transcontinental Lear jet, as commercial flights were so efficient, however at that moment I was considering looking into the possibilities in the very near future.

Of course Customs found nothing, although they tore through every lining of my once-beautiful bespoke crocodile leather luggage. I was subjected to ordeal by sniffer dog, the belt and braces of body scan and body cavity searches by someone who clearly enjoyed their job. But I bore it all with fortitude, I had experienced the first 16 years of life with the abuse by my Dad, these Customs' Johnnies were pussycats by comparison. 

I had all the time in the world. My son, my skipper, my charter flight and lovely boat weren't going anywhere without me and by the time I left the detention centre, which the Australian branch of my construction company had built two years ago by the way, Carol and Bob would be long gone and I could get on with the rest of my life untroubled by the baggage of my past.

I cheerfully waved the officers a fond farewell as I wheeled the wreckage of my luggage through into the cavernous Arrivals hall. I wasn't even upset that Customs had selected for me the trolley with the worst wonky wheel in the airport which refused to travel in a straight line. I remained quite stoic, even though it was actually somewhat uncomfortable to walk after the thorough examination I had undergone. By this time of night the majority of incoming flights were long gone and the Arrivals hall virtually empty except for those waiting for stragglers and the final sparsely-occupied flights of the night. I could see Billy and Skip waving from the end of the barrier and I pushed my wayward trolley in their general direction. Billy jumped up and gave me a welcome hug, then Skip slapped me on the back and took over control of the trolley and almost immediately began the task of transferring the untidy bags to a more serviceable conveyance which he pulled across from a nearby trolley park.

Then a voice from the past said "Hi Mark, how are you doing?"

I turned to confront Bob, my one-time best friend, who had connived and lied and cheated me out of happiness. How was I doing? Outwardly I was still calm, inside I was seething. Not with hate, I believe I am beyond that now, I will never succumb to that emotion again. Sadness and regret, certainly these emotions flooded through me, threatening to unbalance my equilibrium. 

I loved this man once, as a boy he was my protector, in youth and adulthood he was my constant friend that I could rely on even when my marriage was on the rocks and filled with despair and self-loathing at my surrender, my weakness. Bob was my lifesaver, until the last time I saw him when in the blink of an eye he had conveyed the instrument that ended my life on the day of my father's funeral. 

The letter he carried on behalf of my father was designed to make me realise that my whole life had been a lie, my very existence had been a plaything for my Dad's gratification. My life wasn't so much about choices I made or the chance of fate, win some lose some, it was a fiction, a plan executed by a madman who wanted to destroy at a stroke every dream I hoped to fulfil. My life had become a fabrication like a house made of playing cards, with Bob the messenger who pulled out the keystone to bring the whole pack crashing down and destroy my previous life forever. 

How could I confront Bob with a calm, even timbre to my voice, a face impassive, body language both open and unconcerned? How could I speak to him without balling my fists or biting my tongue? Through discipline and the distaste of giving him any satisfaction that his presence caused me the slightest unease, that's how. I drew breath and took comfort that Billy was here, too, a better and more loyal friend to me than I probably deserved.

"Hi, Bob." 

I felt no need to ask him how he was. I could see at a glance he was changed in the last five or so years. He was always tall dark and handsome. He was still tall, but his thinning hair was cut very short, revealing a shiny pate in his crown which almost met up with his receding widows peaks. His brush-cut dark hair was brindled with more grey than black. He was much fuller figured and particularly fat in the face, his flaccid cheeks an unhealthy red rather than the brown glow he had in his youth. His face was lined with wrinkles that weren't all laughter lines, the stresses of a life he could not quite cope with. His wife had aged much more elegantly than he had.

Last time I saw him he was barely conscious. No doubt had he been sober he would have delivered his real father's letter with his bold arrogant face holding a smile more like a sneer of contempt for me and of triumph that he was the messenger chosen by his master to destroy me, knowing that the message came from the grave and his victory over me was complete. 

Today, Bob did not sneer, he had no look of smug victory, the smile hovering on his lips was uncertain, contrite even, like a puppy aiming to please but who just had been unable to get out of the house before defecating. 

I had seen that look before, on staff or managers full of apology for losing a contract because the tender was not completed to the standard I expected, or an accountant bringing bad news about an investment or transaction that had turned out less than satisfactory. I had treated each of these situations as they arose, each on their own merits, consoling where needed, acting decisively if possible or offering solutions which could be delegated allowing everyone involved to maintain the dignity they deserved. 

Robert wanted forgiveness. It was the only thing he needed for his piece of mind. It was the one thing I could give easily, I had already conquered the hate generated by that awful letter. I had experienced Reggie's hatred of me throughout my childhood, survived it, even thrived in spite of it. I had no hate left in me, only pain, and forgiveness is the only salve that could ease Bob's pain. How could I deny my old buddy that one gift that could be given at little cost to me but immeasurably valuable, perhaps life changing to the man standing in front of me. What right did I have over anyone to deny them the right of peace of mind, of closure, possibly even revitalisation? I was not, never was and never will be, my father.

That night over five years ago the life I knew was suddenly ended. I was given a chance to do something which shook me out of that limbo I had found myself in. I was granted the opportunity to leave it all behind me, get a new identity, even a couple of new countries to owe allegiance to. I was able to build a new life, lost myself in hard work, learning to put my trust in people who turned out to be extraordinary with that trust. I had learned to love again, in Bill Junior I found someone who I could build a future with and nurture as any normal father would their favourite protege, not to seek to belittle or even destroy him as my father had tried to do to me.

I didn't hold out my hand to greet Bob formally, instead I stepped forward and put my arms around his massive shoulders and clutched him to me. I didn't say anything, I didn't have any thoughts that I had the language to express in words, nothing that would be even remotely appropriate. An embrace is worth a thousand pictures. 

Bob buried his head in my neck and silently wept, his shoulders, fully three or four inches above mine, shook in line with his sobs. I patted him on the back, silently letting him leach his pain as I had done myself so long ago. I let him have time, it had taken a long time for me to heal, too and I wasn't sure if I was whole even yet. 

I reran in my mind some of those written words of five years ago. They were still shocking even though I had soon accepted them as truth. It was so long ago, it was no longer a part of my present existence, it was almost as if it happened to someone else and I was only aware of it through some ancient unbelievable fable. I had a new life to live to the full, a new family to love and time and peace of mind to grow comfortable in.

Bob's broad shoulders ceased their vibrations and he began to unwind his embrace. In response I also relaxed my grip somewhat. From out of nowhere Carol joined us laughing, embracing the pair of us and showering us both with bucketfuls of tearful, joyful, relieved kisses.

I really couldn't help but throw my head back then and laugh out loud with them and kiss them both just as joyfully. All that tension melted away and Robert looked much more animated, much more like the Robert I remembered in good times. I had missed my mate Bob and all through my life, except for that one fateful day, I had always thought he was there rooting for me.

Bob and Carol embraced and kissed each other and cried and laughed, lost in their own unrivalled love for one another and I stepped away to give them their own space in that vast hall. Looking at them I felt a warmth within me that relaxed the tension that had built up in my shoulders and I took pleasure from just observing them sharing their happiness and release.




Lucky Man Pt. 02



When they started kissing a little more passionately, I thought I better turn and find Billy and Skip and make a move. I thought that I would be able to leave a message with the airline and arrange to meet Bob and Carol somewhere fairly neutral, say my little vineyard in Umbria, next summer. Yes, that would be nice and give us the opportunity to rebuild our relationship without jeopardising my ability to assume anonymity again should the need arise.

I turned around and stopped dead in my tracks. There, standing in front of me was the realisation of my greatest fears. She stood stock still, standing not ten feet away, clasping her hands in front of her. I would like to say she looked old for 48, that she was fat and had thick calves and batwing arms, that she was careworn and ravished by her guilt and treachery. But I could not in all honesty say any of that. 

Ruth's face appeared virtually unchanged, completely unadorned by make-up. She was a little pale admittedly, as if she had spent all winter indoors, with her blond hair was cut short and neat. She was still slim and wore a simple A-line thin light blue summer dress, showing a lot of bare shapely leg and comfortable flat-heeled white tennis shoes. Ruth presented a very trim, neat figure, every bit as beautiful as the last time I saw her. No, not quite, she looked tired, as though weighed down by problems. She had probably travelled some distance, from the Northern hemisphere somewhere, on a tip off from Carol, no doubt? Seeing her there, so unexpectedly, sent a lump to my throat so huge that I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to swallow or draw breath again.

"Hello, Mark, sorry ... Bill," Ruth said so quietly that a dropped pin would have drowned out her tiny voice.

The blood was pounding in my ears so loudly that I barely heard her. I still couldn't breath or talk or move.

With no response from me Ruth looked so little-girl-lost for a moment. Then she clearly made a decision, one of us had to, I wasn't in the game, being virtually catatonic.

Ruth took a slow step forward, then another, holding eye contact with me throughout. She strode up to me and unclasped her hands and put them round my neck and, without our bodies actually touching, slowly licked her lips and placed her warm, moist mouth against mine. She kissed me gently on the lips, but I just stared at her, I really cannot tell, but I was certain my jaw was slack and I was opened-mouthed. While she kissed me she pressed her body into me, starting with her soft breasts then a knee brushed past my leg and her hips rested on mine. I was rigid, I still couldn't breathe, my chest refused to budge, even my arms remained motionless by my side. So many thoughts ran through my head trying to analyse what I was feeling, but I was empty, all my brain could register was that my damn arse was hurting like hell. My only conscious thought was that Carol must have used her connections to hold me up while Ruth's flight got in, and the only reaction I was getting was from my tortured rear end, there was certainly no flicker from my front, and I already had recent evidence of the probity of my downstairs department.

Ruth released her lips from mine and moved her head back three or four inches, her fingers stroking the back of my head, perhaps unconsciously seeking that missing stupid pony tail. She looked at me with a furrow intersecting her otherwise smooth brow, her thick light brown eyebrows arching over her searching azure eyes just as I achingly remembered how she used to look. 

"Where have you been?" There was concern in her quiet voice although there was more than a hint of scolding in there, too. "We went home soon after the end of the funeral to find you, to explain to you what happened, but you were gone. We have looked for you every day since but you disappeared off the face of the world. We, I, didn't know if you were alive or dead. Your cancelled bloody life insurance policy was the first thing that came through after you left. We feared, I feared for your life. My life has been on hold ever since. Whatever happens tonight I'm just so relieved to know that you are still alive." 

Ruth alternately focused on each of my eyes in turn, searching for a reaction that was, frankly, beyond me. The volume of her voice dropped even lower as if it was just a thought that she hadn't intended vocalising, "I love you, Mark, I always have. I just didn't know how much until you left me."

She was tensed, as if ready to take flight. Her lower lip trembled in the face of my complete lack of reaction to her presence. Ruth's mouth opened slightly, revealing her even pure white teeth. 

Then, slowly, she started to chew her lower lip.

Suddenly I exhaled. 

Ruth flinched and closed those china blue eyes, her body tensed up but bravely maintained her body position in such intimate proximity to me, her ex-husband, her hands still around my neck, the fingers frozen where they were. I could only concentrate on getting several deep gulps of air into my lungs. My head felt feint, blood rushed to my twitching member as I remembered the way she looked all those years ago, when I had only known her for an hour or so and she had looked at me with those beautiful eyes and chewed that ripe lower lip and I had fallen in love for the first and only time.

Ruth spoke quietly, plainly, firmly, undeniably truthfully.

"Your Dad, my natural father, controlled us, all of us. He seduced and raped and sodomised us all. He abused and beat us, subjected us to the will of his desires and his alone. He robbed us of our dignity, our free will, denied us any love or jealousy or independent thought, filling us with hate, stole away our emotions, any ability we had to feel ... anything. We were weak, you were the only one who ever stood up to him, the only one who had the strength to resist his will. He tried everything he could to deny you the love we owed you, tried to take away your children, your birthright and destroy you. Too late we, I, feared he had succeeded. When he died, his control was still strong, particularly with Bob, who had been subjected the longest along with his mother and aunts. Even at the funeral and the reading of the Will we were in shock. It was Charlie and Andie who snapped us out of it, pointing out the fact that we couldn't get our numbed heads around; that he was dead and gone and we were free of him and his control at last, free to live our lives and commit to the ones we love, the ones we had loved all along. 

"To Andie and Charlie you were their only father, not this pathetic beast who didn't share any love with us, he just stole every ounce of love we had for anyone else. The girls brought us all to our senses, made us realise our shame and we went looking for you, the one sure burning beacon of love in our lives and ... and you were gone. Sweetheart, we have never stopped looking for you and we have found you at last."

Before I could gather my thoughts and say anything, I heard a voice behind me scream out "Daddy!"

I tore my gaze from Ruth's lidded eyes to the direction of the voice. A tall blond woman was running towards me with a baby in her arms. Even though her face had lost the slight chubbiness she had clung to throughout her teens, it was clearly Andie running towards me. 

Ruth released her grip on me and moved a short distance away, leaving centre stage to her eldest daughter. I had started to move my hands up before Andie called out but as Ruth's warm body left me I turned my frame in the direction my head was facing, in time to meet Andie's impetus head on.

Her slim firm young body hit mine, pressing hard and completely uninhibitedly into me, her free left arm, which been outstretched during her graceful run, snaked around my neck in a desperate clinch, before she showered my face and head in kisses. She was crying and telling me how much she loved me and missed me and loved me again, with more swooning "Oh, Daddy"s than I could count. She frantically kissed me on the lips and cheeks and forehead then lips again and neck and side of my head and a final long lingering lips-only deeply sucking kiss on my equally responding mouth. My face was enveloped in her cooling tears, my body warmed in the glow of her affectionate embrace. 

Andie broke off our kiss and beamed at me, my daughter's beautiful face wreathed in smiles, her young mother's face aglow, her cheeks glistening with salty wetness. She relaxed her lithe body, and turned into the righthand side of my body, still pressing firmly against me, her left arm sliding back until her hand stroked the back of my head. 

What was so fascinating about the back of my blasted head? I had certainly got used to my short, neat hairstyle, it helped disguise how thin my hair had gotten over the last few years. Thin, made me think, clearly Andie had got her body back in trim soon after the baby. 

I remembered the baby! I focused my gaze where Andie was now looking. The baby was completely unconcerned about her family's recent re-acquaintance; he or was it she? was asleep throughout the family drama being played out.

"Daddy," she announced, seeing where my gaze had focused. Her face was a picture of pride and joy at the impending introduction. "This is your grandson, Marcus, but we call him Markie." 

"Grandson?" I said, questioningly. The word must have escaped my lips, I thought the question would remain unvoiced and as soon as I said it I wished I hadn't. Pain, one can only take so much and my heart had borne its capacity today and I really didn't want to pass on my misery. I looked at Andie, my lips saying "Sorry" but my throat tightened with anguish and word did not come.

Andie's moist blue eyes flashed at me, she had her mother's tapering chin and it jutted out just I remembered it would, she had certainly acquired my stubborn streak, it hadn't been inherited. Again, my heart cursed my brain's infuriating logic. 

Andie barely paused to absorb my mouthed apology, she spelled out her own feminine logic in even but emphatic terms.

"You are my Daddy, the only Daddy I've known and the only Daddy I want and will ever have. I am your daughter, this is my son, you are his grandfather!" 

She clamped her plump red lips in a thin tight line, keeping her chin jutting out and defying me with her blazing eyes.

I reached over and kissed her softly, gently but audibly on her searing hot forehead and searched her face for forgiveness. Andie's eyes softened, her jaw relaxed, her mouth formed into a sweet girlish smile.

Andie shifted her arm from my neck and, with both hands, proffered her baby to me. I took the featherweight bundle and comfortably cradled him, my namesake Marcus, no, Markie, in the crock of my left arm, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I could just see his red face peeking out from his swaddling, screwed up as it was I couldn't tell if he was asleep or just shutting out the bright fluorescent light. I could see the tiniest of hands next to his chin and I poked his little silk-skinned palm gently with my rough index finger. His tiny hand closed around that digit in a determined lock and his eyelids opened just a crack, revealing a tiny fleeting glimpse of his azure irises, before he clamped his eyelids shut against the world again. 

I am a romantic at heart, I always have been. I once believed in love at first sight, I still do, more so today. I was in love again, this time with my grandson.

I looked at Andie. I repeated the word "Grandson", I repeated it this time without the inquisitive inflection. I continued "My grandson is beautiful and so is my daughter!"

I hardly got the last syllable out before her mouth clamped once more onto mine and her long slim arms crushed me and her baby to her bosom. She held that kiss for what seemed minutes, I simply overflowed with emotion, draining me until I felt feint. It wasn't long until her passion, relief, call it what you will, relented. I was beyond trying to define how I felt, my emotions, repressed for so long, were in utter turmoil. She relented her embrace with a final sweet smacker on my lips.

Andie turned and waved two other figures towards us. I saw the man first, wearing faintly-tinted glasses, probably light-reacting spectacles for short-sightedness. He was very tall, dwarfing by some inches even my elegant daughter. He was also wearing loose comfortable sports clothing, clearly only recently flown in for this confrontation. Carol had a lot of explaining to do, eventually. He was dark, possibly of mixed race, I couldn't be sure or cared, my daughter's happiness in the choice of her mate was everything. My cursory evaluation over, I turned my attention to the little girl shyly holding onto his hand, but positioning herself slightly beyond her father's leg. She looked nervous, peering up at me, timid, certainly but her diminutive chin jutted out familiarly and held my regard with piecing brown eyes under an unruly shock of blond, virtually white hair. I supposed that any little girl whose mother was crying real tears would regard the perpetrator with some trepidation, as well as heightened interest.

"This is my husband, Jim," introduced Andie by my side, her hand rubbing my back as if wanting to maintain contact after so long without. I had missed her too, the absence of Andrea and Charlotte from my life were voids impossible to fill. "And this is my daughter, Charlie, your first granddaughter."

I nodded in Jim's direction, he nodded back, grinning as he did so. He was handsome, and was no doubt clever, intelligent and charming, I was confident that Andie would have made a dependable choice, who wouldn't be dependable and reliable with a wife like my lovely Andrea? Still cradling Markie in the crock of my left arm, I flexed my remarkably wobbly knees and sat on my haunches, smiling in the direction of the little girl and saying,

"Hello," I said, "You are very pretty. You must be Markie's sister. How old are you, sweetheart?" I held out my right arm hoping she would come to me. Jim bent his knees too, coming down to her level, releasing his handhold and moving her in front of him. He kissed her on the top of her head and propelled her forward gently.

With hardly a hesitation, young Charlie stepped forward and quickly closed the gap into my waiting arm. She didn't kiss me, but put her arms around my neck and buried her head in my shoulder briefly before regarding me up close with her deep clear brown eyes. She looked very cute in her deliberations, with her snub nose, generous mouth and tapered chin, clearly very tanned from the long northern hemisphere summer. Her hair was very sun-bleached. 

"Hello Grandpa," she said, in an American West Coast accent, "You missed my birthday last week, I was three." She smiled and the cutest dimple appeared, only in her left cheek. She was adorable and I hugged her again. This time her head went over my left shoulder just above Markie's head.

"Eu!" she exclaimed. "Markie's done a poo-poo!"

This sparked a flurry of activity, her mother snatching Markie from my arm with an apologetic smile. I stood up, my jelly-legs regaining a little of their strength. I settled little Charlie onto my hip, she adjusted herself into a comfortable position, her arms still around my neck. I think she was smiling at all the fuss her brother was causing. She looked at me and rolled her eyes, which seemed to infer an unspoken, "Brothers, you can always rely on them to ruin the mood, can't you?"

Jim took the opportunity to move in and grasp my just-freed left hand with both his smooth warm dry hands and shake them, saying "It's a pleasure to meet you sir, ... Dad, I have looked forward to this day since Andie and I got together, it's been far too long," with a deep, pleasantly cultured American accent. His hand shake was firm without extravagance, his smile reaching his warm brown eyes. Yes, I liked this man. 

"The pleasure is all mine," I replied, "I hope we can quickly make up for lost time."

He nodded and smiled even more deeply before relinquishing his grip and turning his attention to help his wife find a restroom. I'd had to become good at summoning people up in the briefest of meetings. I didn't care what he did for a living but if he was anyway undervalued where he was I would find him a place in my organisation. I moved my hand to add support to holding little Charlie.

I noticed Billy, he had just finished a call on his mobile and was putting it back in his pocket. Andie was still looking for signs to the restrooms and Billy jumped straight in.

"Andie," he said, "the nearest restrooms are this way." He pointed to a distant corner of the vast hall and proceeded ahead of the pair.

I called out before they had taken more than a step, "Andie, I would like to introduce you to your brother, Bill Junior. Billy, this is my daughter Andrea and her husband Jim." Billy can always rise to the occasion, and he turned towards Andie, bowed deeply, then stepped forward with arms outstretched and lips almost pursed on his smiling mouth. He knows how appealing he appears, particularly in female company and expects nothing less than to be swept up and mothered by any female given the minimum of encouragement. I saw with pleasure that my daughter did as any woman would and they were soon embracing and kissing like the long-lost siblings they were, with Billy's new nephew buried somewhere in the mix. I was never more proud of either of them, my children, than at that point.

They broke off and arm in arm strode away purposefully with Jim in tow carrying a changing bag, chattering away like old friends. Charlie agitated that she wanted to get down and she ran after her parents, shouting over her shoulder, "See you again soon, Grandpa." Suddenly they stopped and Andie called across to me. 

"Daddy," she said, my grandson over her shoulder and my son clasped in her other hand, with my granddaughter at her side. "Charlie's in Christchurch, North Island and can't fly, she's eight and a half months' pregnant. Her number's in my phone, perhaps you could call her later?"

"I'd love to do that, Sweetheart!" I heard myself calling to her retreating back as both Jim and Billy chivvied her towards the bathrooms. As a former only child, I imagined that Billy was unaccustomed to the smell of babies, but he is a quick learner. He'd be changing Markie by the end of the week, I bet to myself, he was always eager for hands on.

"Huhum!" Skip reminded me of his presence. "I took the liberty of bringing the boat straight onto Sydney, when you were held up in London, Sir." Skip was always carefully deferential to me in mixed company, he had skippered both my boats and was a firm friend. "And we are moored some forty-five minutes' cab drive away in Sydney harbour. May I remind you Sir, that in this new boat we have four staterooms? Bob and Carol have agreed to accept Bill Junior's invitation to stay on board and Billy can bunk in with me and the crew. I assume the rest of your family can be accommodated easily, Sir. By the way Bill Junior has just ordered sufficient cabs to transfer us all to the mooring." 

I could see that Bob and Carol were already heading towards the exit, a whole host of mixed bags were now loaded on Skip's trolley. I smiled and nodded my thanks to Skip. I know I love my son as well as any father, and feel I couldn't possibly love him more than I do but sometimes Billy exceeds my expectations and finds another notch.

Just as he turned, Skip added, "The Great Barrier Reef is going nowhere soon, you know Sir. I have charts for New Zealand aboard, may I suggest we get underway at first light?" My smile was acquiescence enough, so he resumed pushing the laden trolley in Bob and Carol's wake.

I called after him, "Can you ask Adrian to throw a few more shrimps on the barbie?" Adrian was my bright young chef, he had also been with me in my last two crews and what he could do with fish was incredible. It had already crossed my mind to help finance his own restaurant in Melbourne after this trip was over, so perhaps he could sail occasionally as a guest in future, if he didn't become too famous.




Lucky Man Pt. 02



"Already in hand, Sir," came the reply. God, when I am right about people I am right. These last few years my trust in the abilities of staff given the responsibilities they were comfortable with had brought rich dividends, and monetary considerations being the least of them.

Chapter 3. Reckoning

I turned around. Ruth was fully ten feet away, three long strides, although I hardly recall moving away from her at all. She stood stock still once more, still with her hands held together just below a white belt which gave shape to the thin dress draped over her hips, lightly clinging to her thighs. She had a light brown handbag with a narrow leather strap over one shoulder. Behind her was an empty hall, the only movement to one side at the back, where a large black female cleaner was languidly removing a cumbersome floor polishing machine from a cupboard.

Ruth's eyes were either closed or focused on the floor by her feet, tears rolled down her cheeks dripping unchecked onto her cotton dress, outlining her small, still pert breasts. Her slim figure looked isolated, alone. She appeared even smaller than her elfin figure presumed, in the large space around her. I closed the distance between us in three strides and separated her hands to hold in mine. I looked at her tear-stained face and, as I took her hands, those sad blue eyes slowly lifted and returned my gaze. 

I released my left hand from hers to search my pocket for a tissue, then abandoned that one remembering that I had used it during the plane journey. I released my right hand from hers to search my other pocket and she exhaled and groaned faintly. I quickly shifted the thick wad of three or four tissues to my left hand and grasped her left hand with my right again. Ruth clenched her fingers round mine tightly as if fearing I would release her once more. I lifted the tissues to her cheek and lightly dabbed at the line of tears on her right cheek rather ineffectively, as it happens. 

Ruth smiled and then laughed shortly, in relief I think more than anything else, and lifted her spare hand from her side, pulling my left hand towards her lips and kissed it lightly. She took the wad of tissue from my fingers and dabbed at her cheeks and below her eyes, using quite a bit more force than I had attempted. 

"He hated you, your father always had. He couldn't control you like he did us." Ruth said quietly, still dabbing at her eyes. "He said you were so eager to please but he couldn't manipulate you, you were too strong for him. When he beat you, you defied him, when he ignored you, you ignored him, when he beat your mother you fought him. When he beat you to within an inch of your life, but you escaped him. Your mother drew strength from your defiance and stayed with him only so she could protect you from him ... and ... from us." She looked up at me to see how I was reacting. 

I said, "Go on, I need to hear everything, please, no more secrets."

"No more secrets," Ruth repeated very quietly. She drew a deep breath and seemed to draw inner strength to continue.

"That's why when your father went to the hospital with her after she suffered her massive stroke, he wanted her to die alone, just to get at you." She paused for a moment to steel herself to carry on. "He was a beast, Mark, we all know that now. He removed all your mother's IDs, even pulled off her rings from her fingers and left her, as a Jane Doe. Yet he remained nearby, be boasted to us in private, watching from the waiting room as she died neglected and unrecognised. Someone had reported the ambulance to a neighbour a couple of days later and followed it up but by then she had died. She was finally free of him. He wouldn't let any of us go any other way." Ruth sobbed, lowering her eyes, "My own mother was enslaved since she was 18, Reggie even made love to her on her deathbed in the hospital while I played lookout at the door. He was inhuman and the shameful things he made us do will live as guilt with us forever."

"Was Reggie your only lover while we were married?" I asked, tentatively.

I looked at Ruth and she started to cry. I waited a moment for her to pull herself together. "All your cousins were your father's children. He had power over his sisters, their husbands and his brother's wives, even the children of your sisters were his. He groomed all these children from an early age, rewarding and punishing them and when they were old enough at 18 he raped them, male or female, he took his pleasure when and how and as often as he wanted. Occasionally, very occasionally ..." She faltered and looked at me. I think she must have thought I really didn't want to hear this. 

I did.

I spoke softly to Ruth. "I want to hear everything, I need to know it all. I am owed that much. Please, Ruth. You've been broken by my father, I know that. I don't want to break you any more than you have been already, I really don't, but I do want to know, in order to try and understand."

She rallied. "He had amazing sexual power, he was a juggernaut, he knew everyone's buttons to press, but not the way a lover would, but like a monster who had to dominate and hurt. He would take us all on most of the time but sometimes for his amusement he would mix us up, men on men, women on women, mother on daughter, uncles and aunts, whatever combination was his whim. Everything was for his own amusement, fuelling his hate, he had no love for anyone. We were totally in his power, we really had no will to resist. We have all been in therapy since, but the guilt, the pain we caused you, remains."

She was crying openly now the tears rolling down her face, I wondered how much more she could cry.

We stood there, no-one else in view except the lone worker hoovering in the far corner of the cavernous hall.

"It was Charlie," she continued, "who broke the spell he had over us first. She was the last one to be influenced and the first to snap out of it. It was immediately after your Dad had been buried and the Will about to be read. It was clear that you and Bob weren't going to show up, we didn't know why then. Charlie pointed out to us that Reggie was dead and he no longer had any power over us. For some, especially your aunts, it took a while before we were able to talk ourselves all through it and then the girls and I went home to try and put things right with you. And you were gone. We saw you had been sick and feared for you. We couldn't get you by phone or text or email. You had packed hardly anything and disappeared. We looked for you. We found Bob in hospital the next day, but his memory was shot. He couldn't remember if he had destroyed the Will or not -"

"He was going to destroy it?" 

"Of course, that's why he switched Will and copy, so the sealed one sent to the lawyers was unsigned and invalid. We gathered you must have seen the original Will, plus the letter and list of all his children. Then the divorce papers came through out of the blue and I met with your lawyer. You had paid him up front and he had no contact details for you. When I asked where he was to send the divorce papers, he said you had told him not to worry about the paperwork as you already knew our marriage was over. 'Dead and buried' was the expression he used. I know I broke your heart Mark, but you broke mine too, that day. I thought that our actions, however much they were out of our control, had killed you."

She wiped the tears from her eyes with my bundle of tissues, still holding an iron grip on my right hand. 

She wasn't quite finished. "There was not a trace of you and, you silly sod, you had told the lawyer that I could have the house and all the money in the accounts. We feared for your life, especially when every trail ran cold and we received the acknowledgement that you had cancelled all the insurance policies, including the one on your life. You were nowhere to be found."

"So how did you catch up with me today?"

"Your mother's tombstone," she said. "The flowers you sent every year we couldn't trace, only that the orders came from abroad. Then this year you replaced the temporary grave marker with a beautiful headstone. You took your time over it and had faxes and emails of draft wordings and designs being sent back and forth. It was only when the headstone was erected a few weeks ago that I became aware of it, made some enquiries and, after fluttering a few eyelids, the monumental masons were only too pleased to show me that you were living in Beijing. We had your new name, we knew you were living in China as a Chinese national, we really hadn't considered that! I went to China with Bob and Carol and found your apartment building but you had already moved on. Everyone we met who we were sure must have known you were very tight-lipped, whatever we offered got us nowhere. Carol used her airline contacts and found you had flown several times to Singapore, so she went there."

She looked at me then, so I guessed she was looking for some response. 

"I was negotiating for a bridge design and build, which took up a great deal of my time for several months," I smiled remembering those endless, fruitless negotiations, thinking that while everyone accuses the Chinese of being inscrutable, they had nothing on the Malays. "We never got the contract," I added "A lot of effort and zero return."

"I couldn't stay in Beijing any longer," Ruth took up her story again, "So I went to Christchurch to be with Charlie and her husband Jacob. Bob stayed on in China but wasn't getting anywhere, so I called Andie and she persuaded Jim to get a leave of absence from San Francisco Police Department and flew to Beijing a couple of days ago. Then Carol got a tip off from London that you were leaving LHR for Sydney with your son and she got me on a flight from New Zealand and the others from Beijing, while she joined your flight at Singapore. As you know, Charlie is too far into her pregnancy to be allowed to fly."

I could see her mind was working out how to say the next thing on her mind. I gave her time to sort it out. The cabs could wait.

"We just want to be back into your life again. It is important to the girls that you see them regularly and get to know their husbands and children and vice versa. Whatever happened to us as a family in the past, and I have no excuses for our weakness and gullibility, your girls always regarded you as their Dad. As for me, I want to meet your wife and son and be allowed to see you all at high days and holidays, when you see our children and grandchildren. I want us to be friends, Mark, or at least on a level of being on speaking terms. And you really must allow me to give you your fair share of the house value and our savings, I cannot bear the thought of you wandering the world with no permanent home for your new family."

She looked at me appealingly and continued "Your sisters escaped your father years ago and managed to stay away. Your Mum helped them in this regard. When the Will was read, the version placed with your Dad's solicitors was the copy Reggie intended for you to read and was unsigned and unwitnessed." she laughed at the thought. "Bob switched them and put the original Will in your letter but Reggie hid that sealed letter away in his study. Bob drank too much while looking for it and was unable to destroy it. Fortunately, you took it with you and the solicitor was forced to refer back to the previous Last Will which they had on record, which then became the valid one. That version did not have a list of children, it just said "My surviving children", which the lawyers applied just to his legal children, your two sisters and you. Your sisters refused to take their share until you were found and could be divided reasonably, so it is still held in trust. The last valuation had your share at just over three million pounds. Mark, you are a wealthy man, there is no need for you to keep running, you could fly first class, now."

I spoke at last, changing the subject to something more important to me than any inheritance. "Reggie was very angry at his fortieth anniversary dance when we danced together so well, I thought he was going to explode. He controlled you, but you never told him about our birthday and anniversary dances, did you?"

"That was something that Reggie didn't know about. I kept it from him, knowing he would have made it dirty and sordid like he did everything else," whispered Ruth, "It was the only thing that was ours, the only pleasure we had that I could keep pure. Reggie wanted to dance with me in Edinburgh on my birthday, but I deflected him, I bought tickets for the ballet instead. It is the one thing that was for you and me ... for us. I have missed it for five birthdays now."

A movement at the corner of my peripheral vision turned my attention to where the toilets were located. There I could see Billy, Jim, Charlie and Andie, who was carrying baby Markie, from the changing room and heading for the cab rank outside the building. Bill Junior gave me a cheery wave as they headed towards the exit.

I pulled on Ruth's hand, which still held me in her tight grip, and we started to walk towards the exit and the cabs. She stumbled on behind me, as if in a dream.

"I don't have a wife, I've not remarried," I said as we picked up speed. "I never married Billy's mother. He isn't actually an orphan, his parents are very much alive but they are rather unsophisticated country people and Billy outgrew them. They all wanted me to adopt him and the arrangement works to our mutual advantage, we stay with them at least three or four times a year." I neglected to say they were staying in my country house. 

"You are right, I am ready to get to know my children again and it is to everyone's advantage for the two of us to act like civilised people and for me to be on speaking terms with my ex-wife."

Ruth stopped, pulling at my arm so I stopped too. 

"You are still married," she said, "I went to see your lawyer five years ago, but I never signed the divorce papers. I appealed to the court that you were temporarily insane, were unaware of your inheritance and was possibly suicidal, that you needed your family intact to aid your recovery following your eventual discovery. The court ruled that you should be sectioned for your wellbeing and your divorce petition denied. I am not your ex-wife, Mark, or Bill. Whatever you call yourself, you are still married ... to me." 

She looked to have gathered her composure, her tears had dried up, she had no make-up to run as she wasn't wearing any, she didn't really need it, she was a perfect English Rose. It was then, exploring her face, that I spotted she was wearing those antique gold and garnet earrings that I had bought her for her first birthday that we shared together, the night we made love. They glittered like a talisman of hope. Of course I could afford the finest rubies of champions but right now those garnets really were punching above their weight.

She chewed her lower lip again to see what my reaction would be to her latest revelation.

I pulled her to me and kissed her forehead. "I better introduce you to our son," I said. "They'll get to the cabs before us if we don't get a move on."

"Our son?" she said quietly, breathlessly, as we started to walk quickly towards the exit, with me urging, pulling her on.

"Well," I replied, "If we are still married, then he is every bit your son as much as mine. You'll love him as much as I do when you get to know him."

"I loved you from our first kiss, I thought you should know," she said very quietly.

"I know," I replied. "Me too, there has never been anyone else who came close."

Our little family group had disappeared through the door ahead of us.

"They won't actually leave without us, will they?" Ruth said anxiously.

"No they won't," I assured her.

"Not sure if I know where we are going or what's happening, honey," she said. "I think I'm suffering from information overload, it has all been a bit too much."

"Well, I imagine we will have a very nice meal waiting for us at the boat, but we will have time to clean up and change beforehand. I hope you have a good appetite. We could even have a midnight waltz or two on the quarterdeck before retiring. At first light we will sail for New Zealand to see our daughter and meet her other half, Jacob I think you said?"

"Yes, Jacob Sheerwater, he's a professional cricketer."

"Well, and hopefully see our grandchild born. I guess the trip will take four days but my skipper will confirm. We can stay on board very comfortably when we get to Chrstchurch, so we do not need to inconvenience Charlie and her hubby. After that we can be pretty flexible, perhaps sail to Fiji, or even the Reef as we originally planned. 

"The world is our oyster, Ruthie. How would you like to spend the English winter in Melbourne, then visit our families in Christchurch, California and China, before spending the spring in England, summer in the Med and back to Melbourne in time for a family Christmas?"

"Really? It sounds perfect... Could we really be that lucky?"

"Really we can, we are."

I released my hand and put it round her waist, I wanted to restore the blood flow to my crushed and tingling fingers. My wife Ruthie, the one and only love of my life, tucked her arm in turn around my waist. We hurried out the door towards the waiting cabs and the rest of our lives together, finally in charge of our own destiny, making our own luck.

The End.



Lucky Me



Part 1

"Why wait?" That's the question I am always being asked when it comes to sex. 

My mates can't believe that at nineteen, I'm still a virgin. They love to taunt me with extravagant stories of who they had last night and how many new positions they tried, and it can really get to me. So, one day, after a particularly vivid description of a mates encounter, I decided I'd waited long enough. I was going to lose my virginity and find out what I was missing.

It had been a hot day, temperature well in the thirties, and so the girls were out in their multitudes around town wearing insanely short-cut skirts and revealing tops. Had I managed to find time to stroll along the beach I would've seen plenty of topless women soaking up the rays. But, in the space of about ten minutes, the sky turned murderously black and the heavens opened, drenching everyone outside to the skin in seconds. Of course, I was in my car, driving home from college so I didn't get too wet, except when I pulled over to give someone a lift...

As soon as it started raining, I could see the looks of panic on all pretty much all of the girls walking down the street – they were all in the main wearing white tops, which very quickly became very transparent. I'm surprised there wasn't an accident with the amount of male drivers ogling out of the window as they drove past. One girl, about eighteen years old managed to catch my eye, amongst all the others. She just carried on walking regardless, even though I could clearly see a dark lace bra through her drenched top.

First of all I was shocked by her apparent lack of interest in how obvious the rain had made her, and then I was stunned by taking a second look at her entire figure. She was no model, but she certainly looked fantastic! She must've been around five foot six, slim, and with the best rack I'd seen in a long time. She had full 34C breasts that looked amazing on her, and although I've never gone all the way, I've seen my fair share of tits to compare them to. I could feel myself starting to get aroused by the sight of her, and remembering my earlier promise to myself, I thought I'd see what would happen if we met.

I pulled over as she was walking past and shouted "Hell girl you're soaked! You'll catch you're death if you stay out here. Lem'me give you a lift home." She looked as if she was going to refuse, but changed her mind and hopped into the passenger seat. "Where to," I asked, hoping that I could invite her round to my flat first. "Well... I don't suppose you could take me back to your place for a bit? Only I've left my keys at home and my parents are at work till late." Hey, I wasn't going to turn a stunner like her down and just thought to myself I must've done something right recently! Out loud I just said "Sure, no problem." 

Part 2

I drove to my flat in silence, but still semi-erect by the thought of what I had seen and what might still happen. My passenger broke the silence by introducing herself as Katherine. I replied and told her my name. "So Jason, have you got a girlfriend?" was the next thing she said. So I relaxed a bit and we started chatting: no I hadn't got a girlfriend, she was single as well after just breaking up with a boy who made to many advances, and so yes, she was still a virgin. My heartbeat quickened as I heard that, and my prick decided to wake up a bit more. I think Katherine noticed, but she didn't say anything and just leaned over to whisper something in my ear. I didn't hear what she said the first time, but when she repeated it I swerved and almost hit a truck. "I've never seen a proper cock. I can see you're interested, will you show me yours?" After I recovered my breath, I calmly nodded "Why not," as if it was something I did everyday. However my penis responded in a more excited manner, instantly swelling to full size and becoming very uncomfortable trapped in my jeans.

"I'm not gonna let you take it out now 'cus that will cause an accident but if u like, you can put your hand in my jeans and stroke it if you like." I've got to give her credit – for someone who'd never seen a dick before, she had a good idea of how to make me enjoy what she was doing. She started by licking her fingers, then put her hand through my flies and under my boxers and then proceeded to pull back my foreskin and rub her saliva into my enlarged head. Soon I was starting to feel like I was gonna blow by load right in my jeans but fortunately I realised I was back at my flat.

"Right we're here," I said. "Do you want to remove your hand for a minute while we go inside?" Katherine laughed, her smile beaming. I decided I'd go for a kiss before we got wet again, so I leaned forward, pushed her hair back and briefly touched her lips. Then I went in again, and tried to slide my tongue into her mouth. At first she was unsure as to what she was doing, but then she relaxed and opened her mouth. I tried something a little more adventurous by suddenly moving my hand to feel her breasts. She pulled away and I stopped, but she surprised me by taking her top off instead! She then unclasped her bra and her tits fell out, perfectly symmetrical, and I could not help but stare. I leaned forward and traced the outline of an areola, causing her to shiver slightly. I lightly pinched a nipple and then leaned even closer to continue.

I kissed one boob all over and then the other, then went to work sucking one nipple to try and get it as hard as possible, while rolling the other in-between my fingers for the same effect. I could hear her moaning softly and knew I'd got myself a prize catch. Then she whispered the words every guy wants to hear "I want you to fuck me; I want to feel you're big cock deep in my pussy!" Well I wasn't going to refuse, was I, so I gave helped her put her top back on and me made a dash for my flat.

Part 3

We got in out of the rain and I led her to the couch. I proceeded to take off her top again, and then I leaned forward for another helping of nipple. This time though I slid a hand up her skirt and onto her panties and started rubbing her slightly wet pussy. I was into unknown territory myself now, but I let instinct take over. After a while, I pushed her panties aside and started to slide my finger into her virgin pussy. This time her groan was quite audible, and it helped to turn me on more than I thought possible. I abandoned her nipple to concentrate solely on fingering her, so when I started to pull her skirt off, Katherine was in no fit state to resist. Then off came the panties (which were decidedly soaked) to give me full access, and the sight of my first pussy.

When I found her clit she gasped and begged me to rub it harder so I complied. I then added two more fingers to the one already probing her slit, and her eyes flew open in desire and passion. When she started thrashing about I stopped because I thought that I was hurting her, but it was her orgasm. She screamed my name and collapsed back onto the sofa. I started rubbing her again while she recovered, until she demanded I stop. I was taken aback, but she got up, pushed me down instead and pulled my jeans and boxers down to reveal my eagerly anticipating dick. She looked at it for a second then lowered her head and kissed it. One kiss and I was in heaven – I'd heard blowjobs were good, but this was amazing! She slowly lowered her head down my shaft, and then proceeded to pump with her mouth and fingers. Very soon I was close to cumming and I told her so, but she didn't stop, she carried on and started massaging my balls. I could hold it in no longer – I shot a massive load straight down her throat and she started to gag. I pulled my cock out and sprayed the rest of my jism on her lovely breasts. We looked at each other briefly, then I went to kiss her again, tasting my cum on her lips.

"That was amazing doesn't even come close to describing that. Thank you," I uttered breathlessly. "By the way, I thing its best to tell you I'm a virgin to, so are you sure you want to go along with this?" "I need your big fucking cock in my virgin pussy, I want you to take my cherry with your prick!" was the reply, so I thought that's a good enough invitation for me. I suggested we went to my bedroom and carried on there as the couch wasn't very comfortable. I showed her where it was then gave her a minute to sort herself out while I cleaned up a bit of spilt cum from the couch. Five minutes later I knocked and entered my room to find Katherine on the bed, legs splayed wide, fingering herself like her life depended on it. I stepped forward, removed her hand and dived in head first to eat my first girl. I quickly had her close to another orgasm, so I concentrated on licking her clit furiously. She came all over my face, her juices running on the sheets but I didn't care, I just lapped it all up like a dog. After a couple of minutes rest I decided now was the time to fuck this stranger good and proper and lose my virginity.

Part 4

Katherine must've been as wet as it's possible to be so I had no problems slipping the head of my dick into her pussy. I felt her hymen and we looked into each others eyes. She nodded slightly, and I prepared myself. I pulled out and then thrust in hard, breaking her first time and taking both our virginities with it. I could see tears in her eyes from the pain so I stopped and rubbed her clit with my finger until she told me to carry on. I started slow, and then built up the speed until she was bucking her hips madly underneath me. She started groaning "Fucking shit... fuck me hard... I need your cock ... Fuck Fuck FUCK!!!" She came in an earth-shattering orgasm, and the pressure of her vagina sharply contracting round my dick sent me over the edge. I shot deep into her and kept fucking her for a couple of minutes while we finished climaxing, then I collapsed on top of her.

I woke up a couple of minutes later, still buried deep inside Katherine. I kissed her full on the lips and we played with each others tongues for a minute. I checked the time and suggested we'd better clear up so I could get her home before dark. After making the bed and putting the sheet with a couple of drops of blood in the wash, I went for a shower. Katherine joined me a couple of minutes later and we carried on from were we left off.

But that's another story... At least I had something to relive with my mates, and they would have one less thing to laugh at me over.



Lucky Me



I guess I should have figured it was going to be a pretty good weekend. Tuesday before she went to work, Bets told me she was going to Ham and Linda's for the weekend. That meant I would be home without her. Not necessarily alone.

Things really started to come together when Ruthie stopped by on her way home, knowing this was a Tuesday that Bets worked late. Only thing was she had her kids with her. They more or less settled down to watch TV with Sara, Bet's kid, and Ruthie and I were drinking coffee in the kitchen.

See, Ruthie and I had been an item for about three years when all this happened. We had done just about everything that two people of gloriously opposite sexes could do. We had cooled off and heated up two or three times, and when all this happened, we were sorta in the middle of a swing back up. We both figured Bets had to know what was going on. I figured she just preferred to have Ruthie handle the sex chores for her. Suited me. Ruthie was plenty. We only got together when her old man was outta town (two weekends a month), and when Bets worked weekends (also two weekends a month, fortunately the same two!)

Things had changed a bit in the last year or so. Dave and Ruthie had agreed to end their marriage. He was living in the big city, about 80 miles away, and had the kids every other weekend. And Ruthie was not the sort to sit around and wait for something to happen. We had been on the outs a bit because I couldn't or wouldn't face Bets down and just take Ruthie out during the time she had free. Then Bets started working evenings twice a week, and now Ruthie and I looked to be able to see each other now and then. I still hoped she would find someone and settle down again. But right now, I was enjoying the fact that she could not find enough outlets for her energy. Right now I wanted to tell her about the weekend -- that Bets was going to Linda's.

"Guess what," I said when she made herself comfortable in the other kitchen chair. 

"You're horny," she said with a look over the rim of our cup.

"THAT I would not have to TELL you. No, this is about this weekend. Bets is going to Ham and Linda's." this got her attention right away. Eyebrows up, you could see the wheels start to turn. 

"Dave is coming to get the kids on Friday afternoon." Now it was my turn for the eyebrow thing. Smiles all around.

"In that case, and if all this works out, how about a party Friday night?"

She smiled and I could almost feel her getting wet. "Well. What else do you think?" 

I was glad all this happened early in the week. Sometimes Ruthie was all set up for the weekends that Bets had off, or when Dave was getting the kids. I was getting bolder. There was something else I wanted to ask Ruthie. I wasn't sure if this was the time, but I decided to go ahead. Nothing ventured, etc. "When I said a party, I maybe meant more than just the two of us, you and me." I looked at her. Ruthie and I had done this once before, with her sister. It was a great time, but it had been sorta spur of the moment, and I wasn't sure we could ever do that again. This would be set up in advance and we would have the whole week to worry and wonder.

"Who did you have in mind, Toad?"

"I'd rather not say until ... we... talk to her. She may or may not go for it." 

"I knew it wouldn't be another guy...had to be a her."

Didn't seem to be anything to say to that.

"What if I came up with someone who could join us?" she asked.

"After what you've done for me over the past three years? I would be a fool and an ingrate not to. Got someone in mind?"

She grinned and said, "Maybe." I had called her bluff. "I'm not a nun on the weekends I can't get together with you, you know."

"Do you want to make it a foursome this weekend? It would complicate things because I don't even know if she'll go for just us, even."

That brought Ruthie back to the present. "Do I know her?"

Ruthie knew a lot of people, but I doubted she had run across Marie. Both their kids played soccer, but other than that, the mutual circles were pretty small. "Don't know," I said. "I doubt it."

Ruthie worked in a real estate office, and Marie drove an ambulance. I was in manufacturing, and Bets was a MedTech at the local hospital.

"She home now? We could call her."

I took this as a good sign. If Ruthie wanted to talk to Marie, she at least had not said, "NO!"

"Let's find out." I grabbed the wall phone and quickly dialed the number. One of Marie's kids, the oldest, answered. "Is your mom there?"

"Mmmmmmmmmmmoommmmm!!" I turned to Ruthie. "She's there. I'll talk to her and then get on an extension to let you two get acquainted. If one of the kids comes in the kitchen, just act naturally." This got me an 'ok' look, and Ruthie went to fill the coffee cups.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Marie."

"Oh, hi!" Good sign, no sudden tenseness, no immediate lowering of the voice. She could talk. 

"I don't know how much time we have..."

"Not enough to do what you want to do, and besides I have a houseful of hungry kids."

"Honey..." I tried to sound hurt, but she knew me pretty well. "Actually, I called about something else, something I wondered if you might want to be in on, something I hope you want to be in on."

"All the stuff you and I have done has been fun, just too short...and I don't mean THAT!"

We both laughed, and Ruthie gave me an inquiring look. I shrugged and pushed on. "I was wondering about this weekend. Bets is taking Sara out of town. What does it look like for you?"

After a short hesitation, she said, "Well...El is taking JD hunting. I think they are leaving Friday when he gets home from work." I couldn't help it. I grinned and made a sound low in my throat. She knew that was that was I wanted to hear.

"What about the other kids?" She had two younger sons.

"I think I can farm them out. Just Friday?

"I don't think all the luck in the world could turn this into an all-weekend thing."

She laughed, and I decided to break the rest of the proposition to her.

"There is something else...something... someone else."

"Huh?" she said.

"I was talking to a friend of mine, who also happens to be free this weekend...."

She stopped me -- "You didn't tell anyone else about us, did you?" Panic time.

I put on my most soothing voice. "Of course not, Marie. Please calm down and listen a minute. I haven't violated any trust you have placed in me, and I won't."

"I'm not interested in getting together with you and some other guy just so you can brag about it! You and I knew each other for two years before we did anything... that should tell you I'm not some teenage slut..." She finally wound down.

"I have given you the wrong idea, Sweet. Just let me finish, and then tell me what you think..." I waited and she seemed to calm down on the other end. "You OK now?"

"What's going on?" Suspicion laced her voice.

"Look, sweetheart, you know you are not the only one that likes to fool around...with me. I have gotten lucky a couple of other times."

I guess I said it just right: she laughed. I could hear the first stirrings of interest on her part.

"Well, there is a possibility that I might get someone to get together with us this weekend. Someone who might be interested in having a good time, just like us."

Silence. Then, "I'd bet my next paycheck that it isn't a guy."

I laughed. "Didn't take long for you to figure out I wouldn't go recruit a guy to fuck you when I can do that! Yes, it's another lady." Ruthie didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and just settled for not spilling her coffee. It also got me a 'Hmmph' from the other end of the phone.

"None of us are ladies when we are around you. We are more like cats in heat."

"I wish. Well, listen. I was here at home, and she just stopped by. We got to talking. She is free this weekend, too, and would like to meet you."

"She's there? Listening?"

More panic. "Yes, but I have not told her who you are, or anything about you, and I wont do anything unless you say OK. She just wants to talk right now."

Calm returned as more rational thought set in. Marie realized I had not given anything away. I pushed on. "This isn't like when one of the kids asks to have someone over for dinner, with them standing right there. You can say no without hurting anyone's feelings." I let her hear me smile. "What would it hurt to talk? You know there are other horny girls out there, like you."

"We are not talking about any girl-girl stuff here, are we? Because if you think that, you can forget it right now!"

I rushed to reassure her. "No, no, absolutely not! Ruth doesn't want that either. I ..."

"Her name is Ruth?"

"Yes."

"Do I know her?"

"I don't think so, but here is your chance to know her."

"Well..."

"Let me put her on, and I'll go get on the extension. OK?"

Pause..."Ok."

I could not help it: I made a fist in the air and said, calmly, "I'll be right back. Marie, Ruth. Ruth, Marie."

I set the phone where Ruthie could reach it, and dashed upstairs to my bedroom, grabbed the phone, and dived in.

M: Hello.

R: Hello.

I: Hello, both of you. I don't know how much time we have, so let's get to what we need to do.

M:Which is what?

I: I need to get you two to trust each other enough to agree to have a fling with me this Friday night. No Girl-Girl, just good fun.

R: Right, let's make that clear.

M: Why would either of us, Ruth, want to make this guy happy? You and I both know he is never gonna be single.

R: I don't know. He makes me happy, and he makes me laugh, and he is a good fuck. I do things with him I would never do with anyone else. Or never did until he came along.

M: How long have you two been doing it?

I: That would mean I did it with one of you first and cheated on one of you with the other. Let's never mind that. We've all fucked each other, and that's that. Good enough?

R: Probably smart.

M: I see what you mean. But I don't want to get together with someone who just does it all over. No offense, Ruth, but not knowing someone could mean bad things today. I've got a husband. I can't afford to bring anything home to. You see, don't you?"

R: Of course, no offense taken.

M: That big guy you are with is the only guy besides my husband I've done anything with since I got married.

R: I understand. He was the only one I got it on with until after I was divorced. I didn't want to tell him this, because I wanted him to stay jealous, as if he ever was, but there is only one other guy that I see when I can't see him. And he's clean."

I: Ok, we all trust each other on that score...

M & R: Not so fast!

M: What about you!?

I: I haven't done it with anyone but you guys, and once in a great while, Bets, for over three years now.

M: Well, that answers my other question.

I knew I'd had little chance of keeping it under wraps that Ruthie and I were the longer couple, here. I just hadn't wanted it to affect things right then. We went on.

I: You're right. Ruthie was first, and Marie and I have only done it couple of times, and the last time was six weeks ago. Ruthie and I were sorta on the outs at the time. Remember, Ruthie?

R: Yes. No grudges. We are all in this for the fun, and not for the hassle it would be for everyone to be jealous. Possessiveness doesn't make sense when there is nothing to possess.

M: That's very pretty. And very true.

I: I have to agree and I like the attitude. Marie, can you go along?

M: I think so. I get enough here at home, but it's not quantity or even quality that makes me go to this guy. It's just ... fun.

I: So, are we gonna have some fun Friday night?

R: Ok with me, Toad.

M: ... ... OK.

I couldn't help feeling a bit of triumph again. This was a tough bit of negotiation, and I was beginning to think we were going to get through it, and get something out of it.

I: Ok, first. Where? Ruthie? Your place is the most private.

It was true. Even though she lived in the oldest, most crowded neighborhood of the three of us, trees and alleys offered the most protection from prying neighbors.

R: I guess, but you'll have to come over Thursday and help me clean up.

M: That will give you two a head start on Friday!

We all laughed. "Ok," I said, "no hanky-panky on Thursday...save it for Friday. All of it."

"Bets works Thursday evening, doesn't she?" Ruthie asked.

"Look on that calendar right by the phone down there."

"Hmm...yes, Thursday, 3 to 11."

M: Ok, so much for where, when?

I: What time is Dave coming for the kids, Ruthie?

R: They'll be gone by 5pm.

M: El and JD will leave around noon if he can get off. Otherwise it'll be no later than 4.

I: Great. Bets will leave around 3. Marie, what about the other kids?

M: I'll have to arrange that. Right now, I don't know.

Hmmm...possible snag. Oh well, endure it, and don't whine.

I: Ok. If we can, just to keep the congestion down at Ruthie's house, I'll go to the office downtown, and get Marie to pick me up there. Will you have the van, Marie?

M: No, the truck. El will want the van.

I: Ok, there is a place to park it where no one can see it, and we'll do that when we get there, and come in the back way.

R: Ok, that's where and mostly when. We each have to guess at why, and we already know who. So, I guess that leaves HOW."

I: I have to tell you, Marie, that Ruthie made me promise that if we ever did this, I would fuck her first. I may as well tell you now if that is going to be a problem.

M: No, I'll watch the first time around.

I: Well, Maybe we can find something for you to do.

R: Just no...

I: We know, no girl on girl stuff, no. But that doesn't mean no fun at all. What we could do between now and Friday, everyone think of something they would like to do, given the chance we have given to ourselves. Then we'll talk about it Friday and see what happens.

M: Ok.

R: Sounds good.

I: And Marie, when can you find out about the other kids?

R: Yeah, he likes his anticipation, Marie.

Laughs all around. It was ok, it was at my expense, and I was getting a lot more than I could possibly give.

M: Probably by tomorrow. I'll let you know.

I: Let me call you. Bets will be home.

R: I got kids swarming here, demanding to be fed. Sounds like the same at your house, Marie.

M: Yeah. Make that big lug take you and your kids out to eat.

R: Helluvan idea!

I: Boy, two women under one roof may be more than I can handle.

M: I doubt it.

R: I know better.

I: All I can say right now is thanks for your confidence. I may need it. I will talk to you tomorrow, Marie, and thanks for even considering the whole idea.

M: Oh I have fantasies, too, you know. We'll see what happens.

R: I'm looking forward to it.

I: Me, too.

M: So am I. Bye.

I: Bye

We all hung up, and I went downstairs. Ruthie seemed surprised I was still dressed, knowing how I like phone sex. But there hadn't seemed to be time, at least not time enough to enjoy myself.

"You said dinner, so let's go. I'll treat to Hamberdonalds."

"Great. I'll see if I can keep my hands off you."

"You better! There are children present!"

Wednesday. Bets had gone to the store. I dialed Marie's number, and was glad she answered instead of one of the kids. Wouldn't do to have one of them mention all the phone calls mom was getting from some guy.

"Hi, hon, how are you?"

She sounded a bit more guarded than the day before. "I'm fine."

"You sound down. Second thoughts?" I asked.

"Anyone in their right mind would be having second thoughts about something like this. I don't know her at all, and threesomes haven't EVER been part of my fantasies. I wouldn't even be considering this if it wasn't you!"

"I appreciate that, Marie. I promise everything I do will be to help us all have more fun. No jealousy, no contentiousness, no rough stuff. Ruthie is a pussycat."

"Who is she?" I didn't recognize her voice. We're handing her a helluva piece of ammunition. I would like a little reassurance.

"She works in an office with about 10 other people, mostly female. I met her when she and Bets worked on a project for the Red Cross. She was married then."

"What does she look like?"

"Short, sorta round, brunette, big glasses, big tits, and a real nice ass."

"I didn't need that last. I don't care about her tits, you know."

"Sorry. Listen, don't beat yourself up about it. You might decide you know her and then it turns out you don't. Let's just go with it."

"Where does she live?" I want to see if I might know someone who could see me coming and going in that part of town."

"On Vicky Lane, south of the highway about 4 blocks. There are houses there, lots of trees, and the house next to her is vacant. The house on the other side can't see the driveway, and the house behind her, across the alley, in the only one that might see your truck. We can pull all the way behind the house, out of sight of the street. And by 5.30 or so it'll be dark, and the chances of anyone being able to see us will be slim."

"What street is the house behind her? Park? Or Brook?"

"Park."

"Ok. I don't think I know anyone over there, anyway."

"I understand how nervous this could all make someone. I want all of us to have a good time. Part of that has to be making you as comfortable as possible. Do all these questions mean the kids are taken care of safe and sound?"

"I talked to Cheryl. And I think the two of them will spend the night there. I already owed her a favor, and now I owe her another. This night is gonna cost me, sooner or later."

"I can you are not entirely comfortable about this. Would it be better if it was just you and me? I would be about the same as far as arrangements are concerned."

"Well, it might be a good time to go out. We never get to. We could go to the city, dance, spend the night at the Hilton..." She sorta let the thought hang there.

"Sounds great! Only problem I have with it right now, is money."

"Yeah, I know. No, I guess I'll go along with your idea. But you owe me, and I swear if anyone ever finds out, I will kill you."

"Then I guess I better make sure no one finds out!"

"Damn right."

"Bets will be home anytime. I need to call Ruthie and let her know. I feel like I also need to stay on the phone and reassure you. I don't want you coming apart on me, when we're this close to having a great time!"

"I won't come apart. I've had three kids, you know."

Laugh. "Thanks, Marie."

"Bye, you"

"Bye."

I made sure Bets was not in the driveway, and dialed Ruthie's number. "Hi. It's me."

"I figured. Did you talk to her?"

"Yes, we are on! She sounds a bit nervous about it all, but that's normal."

"Who is she? I couldn't ask last night because of the kids, but I am curious. Who wouldn't be?"

"Funny, that's the first thing she wanted to know about you."

"What did you tell her?"

"Which question do you want answered first? You know I didn't tell her anything that will come back on you."

"Yeah, I guess not...Ok, tell me about her."

"Big girl, tall, black hair, cut short, likes jeans, tight, nice tits and a big ass."

"How many times have you fucked her?"

"Just a couple. But we would fool around in her van a lot before that. Jilling her off, and like that. She likes to come. The only time I got to fuck her was last month when Sara was gone to her dads, remember?"

"Yeah."

"She's had three kids, and I'm afraid El must be hung like a horse."

"Not real tight, huh?"

"Hmmph. Like sticking it in the Grand Canyon. Now all I need is you to tell her I said something like that."

"Of course not and I'm not going to get close enough to it I would be able to tell," she laughed. "Thought about what you wanna do?"

"That and little else. Came four times last night"

"I guess sleeping alone has it's advantages."




Lucky Me



Bets and I had not slept in the same room for years.

"Sometimes," I said. 

"So, what did you think about? The old standby? You on your back with her and me on your face and cock?"

"'Fraid so. There are some things that I wanted to do, too, but I figure you guys will come up with some other things, and I don't wanna be greedy. It's just that, when we did it with your sister, we didn't quite get to do that, me on my back and like that. And I would still like to do it."

"Yeah," she said. I could hear the musing in her voice, thinking back to a hot May night a couple of years earlier. "I stopped you just when I was about to sit on your face, and told you I thought it would be good etiquette if you fucked me first."

"So I did, and then your sister didn't want to do anything else. She and I did it the next day, but you weren't there. It was OK. She helped us do it that night, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. I put my hand around your dick and started to put you in me, and you said, 'NO, no, we have someone here to help with that kind of thing."

"Yeah, and she loved it. How she did that without touching you, I don't know."

"Because you were holding me open, dummy."

"Oh yeah... She said, 'Hold still, Ruthie, and you hold her cunt open so I can see a little.' We were on the floor of the den, remember?"

I certainly remembered, fondly. "Jesus," I said. "That felt so good, one girl holding my cock and being in the pussy of another. Remember how she rubbed the head of my cock on your clit? Just like you like? That was fantastic. I found out the next day when I was with her, the reason she thought of it was she likes it too. You guys are sisters in a lot of ways."

"Maybe all of us can do that this time, too."

"Maybe we can." I doubted it. Marie was not Ruthie's sister. That lady just loved sex. Her words, not mine.

"Where does Marie work?"

I didn't really want to say. There weren't that many ambulance drivers in town. "She works in medicine."

"You mean at the hospital? Does Bets know her?"

"Only in the most offhand way. There's no problem there."

"You have fucked her, haven't you? If you haven't, this could all be a setup!"

"No, it's not a setup. I have fucked her. And no one is trying to set us up so I wind up divorced and you wind up without the kids. She would have as much to lose as we would... more even, since she has three kids and her old man makes more than both of us combined."

"Uh...hey." She started to say something but hesitated.

"Yes?"

"Were you going to bring any...er...toys?"

"You HAVE thought about what you want to do, haven't you!! 

"Just hush and answer me," she laughed.

"Did you want me to? What would you like? I was going to bring them, but only say anything if someone wanted them. Marie likes at least two of them, I know."

"You'll have to tell me about that sometime," Ruthie said.

"It was only the once, and I think she like being able to control them. I certainly enjoyed watching her use them."

Ruthie said, "Bring whatever you can haul. We can find a use for them."

"Ok. What else? Bets should be home by now."

"I figured, or you'd be using that machine of yours." Ruthie had enjoyed watching me use my vibrator several times. I usually came pretty quickly with it.

"Oh, well, maybe I just won't do anything until Friday, and you get the first load...would you like that?"

"Ok, as long as it is not in my mouth."

"Deal...I think we can do that."

"Speaking of that, did she eat you?"

"Not like you do, babe! We didn't really have time. And when we just had time to jack and Jill, I'd do her first, and then she would sorta just hold me while I did. I didn't mind, you know me. I just wanted to make her come. I really get off on that."

"Yeah," she said, "I know you do, and I'm very glad you do!"

I smiled so she could hear it.

She continued, "Did you eat her?"

"No, and I probably won't on Friday either. If we get to do what I want, at least once, I'll want to fuck her while I'm eating you."

"Will we have to face each other? Her and me, when we are sitting on you? Or will it do to have us with our backs to each other?"

"Up to you gals. I just want to come, about 4 times...maybe twice with each of you. Say, remember this, Ruthie. If there is something that upsets you, you and I will have time later to make it up. Marie and I probably won't. See what I mean? Defer pleasure for not, to make now as nice as possible?"

"Yes, dear...I'll be a good hostess. Gonna bring some movies?"

"Do you want some? You'd have to move the VCR into the bedroom."

"Yeah, I can do that."

"And what if there was girl-girl stuff on one? The only one I have that doesn't have girl-girl is High School Memories. Remember, we watched that one night when Bets was at her parents and we got to spend a whole night with each other? I think that was even before you were divorced."

"Yeah, I remember," Ruthie said. "That Haven girl you like so much."

"Only because she reminds me of you. I don't have a copy of that one, but I could see if I could get it if you want."

She thought for a minute. "I don't think it's necessary," she finally decided. "Just bring what you want. We probably won't watch much anyway."

"Have you seen the one with the two guys fucking the girl?"

"Toad, there must be hundreds like that. Which one?"

"The one with both of them in her at the same time."

"In her...?"

"YES! In her pussy, both at the same time."

"No! I haven't seen that one. Might make up for this being YOUR threesome."

"Yeah," I said. "Speaking of that, was that righteous what you told Marie about just one other guy?"

"Yes, right as rain. And he's single."

"Ouch. I guess I deserved that."

"Oh, well."

I thought a second, then said, "Maybe you and I and him could get together some time."

"No, I think he's more straight-laced than that. It would probably shock the hell out of him to know I even consider something like this ... let alone consider it FUN!"

"I really appreciate you, Ruthie. You make life a lot more fun, more worth living."

"If you ever find yourself single, look me up, Toad."

"Reckon we could have parties like this if we were married?"

"Don't know...I wouldn't rule it out. We'll get back to that, I guess." I let the silence build a second, knowing she was thinking about something. "I better have extension cords to plug little toys into. There aren't enough plugs in that bedroom in this old house."

"Whatever...we can figure out all that tomorrow night."

"Did you tell Bets you were coming over here tomorrow?"

"I'll tell her tonight... say Sara and I are coming over to have dinner...you called because you know she was working that night."

"Oh well," she said. The conversation was at last about done. "Let me know if anything else happens."

"You know I will." I hung up, too.

Thursday, after work, Bets had been off all day, until 3pm. She went to work at the hospital then, and Sara and I got home from school about 3.30. I got home about the same time, and then got cleaned up, and reminded Sara we were going to Ruthie's for dinner, and she should get her homework done. She was a pretty good kid, and hopped to it. I called Ruthie to make sure about what to bring, and when she wanted us, and got the word her kids were home, and we could not fool around on the phone. At that moment, I could not remember if it was Marie or Ruthie I had promised to go without until Friday, so I didn't say anything. (Ruthie, I remembered later.)

We got to Ruthie's house, and she and I got the food ready while the kids watched TV, and we could talk a little that way. 

"Did you talk to her?" Ruthie finally asked.

"No, I was afraid El would be home. And even if he wasn't, it wouldn't do to call too many times. The kids know me, anyway, from soccer, and I wouldn't want them to say anything to El about how many times I called before he was outta town for a weekend. She's shaky enough that the whole thing might come apart. And since we are this close, I don't want anything to blow it."

Ruthie dished the food onto plates, called the kids, and served them. They disappeared into the living room, glued to the TV. Ruthie and I sat down at the table, her foot between my legs. I said, "Remember, I don't want to do anything, until tomorrow. And you get firsties."

"That's ok. I like making you horny." Damned woman!

"Yeah, but we can't do anything. How 'bout me just making you come?" Ruthie was a more a wilter than a screamer.

"Maybe while we do the dishes," she said. She had on her floor length robe, and I would have bet the farm and the family jewels she didn't have on anything under it. Which thought brought me to another subject.

I asked her, "What are you gonna wear tomorrow?"

Ruthie looked at me for a second and said, "Probably something like this, with not much on under it."

"Got anything on under it now?" In response she reached to her collar, and pulled it down far enough I could see she wore no pajamas, anyway. "What about the other end?"

She edged her robe up along her legs, me watching every inch. Her knees, then those luscious thighs, and sure enough, as she moved so I could see, there was certainly no evidence of panties.

"Nice, Ruthie...nice. I can't wait 'til tomorrow night."

She dropped her robe back into place and said, "You'll have to. We promised."

"Yeah, but you better get that pussy of yours ready early. I don't want to hurt the poor little thing."

"Hmmph, little." She almost snorted. "You said Marie was big...I bet you told her the same thing about me, didn't you?"

"No, since it isn't true. I don't have to tell you how tight you are I bet you don't get any complaints from the other guy, either."

"No, I guess not. What is it like fucking something two sizes too large?"

"Whoa girl!" I had to rein that kind of talk in right now! "I hope you are not gonna mention anything like that while she is here!"

"No, I just wanted you to know where the best pussy is." She grinned at me, like a Cheshire cat.

"As far as that is concerned," I said, "Bets is tighter than both of you. But that is from lack of use. Other things count a lot more: Eagerness, enthusiasm, willingness to enjoy. You've known me long enough to know that."

"When was the last time you and Bets got it on?"

I had to think a while. "Coupla months, anyway. You and I have done it a dozen times since then."

"Ever think she goes to Ham and Linda's a lot? Ever think anything is going on there? You know, sauce for the gander...?"

"Gee, I hope so. That would be nice for her. Since our arrangement has just been mostly business for 5 or 6 yrs now, I hope she finds someone who makes her happy."

Ruthie studied me a moment. "You mean that, don't you..." It was not a question, but I answered anyway."

"Yes, of course. Good wishes don't cost that much."

Ruthie hesitated. "No, it's more than that. You don't want to hurt her, and you do wish her well, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. But along the way, while she is getting herself sorted out, I don't think that means I can't have a good time."

We fell to on the food, and ate in silence for a while, but for the now-and-then kid wanting a refill on the tacos. I watched as she managed things in her kitchen. I could see the good muscles in her legs and ass, and whenever she was facing me, her tits looked nice. They were a lot bigger than she was. Only about 5'2", she shouldn't have had any more than about 34s, 36s at the most. Hers were 40s, c-cups at that. I know that it ran in the family. Her sister was built about the same. Short, stacked and muscular.

Sara and I left about 9pm, after helping Ruthie and her two clean up. It was no guarantee it would be spic and span tomorrow night, but it helped. Ruthie didn't spend as much time on little things as she might have. But I wasn't complaining. I was one of the things she did instead of housekeeping.

Sara got into bed, and I went to my room, fell in the bed and slept the sleep of the dead. Tomorrow would be a big day. Or big night.

Friday, after work. I got home. Bets and Sara were gone. She had said they would be back Sunday. If she called tonight, a remote possibility, I would tell her I had been at Mikes, all night computing. Not unusual. I had done that several times. I just needed to remember to clear it with Mike. I cleaned up, listening for the phone. Marie was gonna call when the coast was clear. If I hadn't heard from her by 6, I would go to Ruthie's, and have Ruthie call. I didn't want to give Ruthie Marie's number, which complicated things, but I would do whatever I could to preserve everyone's anonymity right up until it was too late to back out.

I was drinking a soda when the phone rang. I'm afraid I jumped at it rather eagerly.

"Hello."

Ruthie. "What's up?"

"I'm waiting for her to call."

"Ok, see you at 6, regardless."

"Right."

"Ok, I'll get off," she said, then giggled. I picked up on the cue. 

"You certainly will, we all will before the night is over."

"Promises, promises." She hung up.

I waited, and waited. I had everything all gathered up. Two tapes, each with 4 pirated movies on them. I had my favorites cued up on each tape. A soft rubbery dildo, that looked like a religious statue when you looked at it from one direction, and an entirely different object of worship from the other direction. An eight--inch smooth dildo, batteries freshly stolen from work. And my own toy, a plug in model with changeable heads. This was the one I used all the time. The little bell was freshly cleaned, and the head Ruthie liked was in the bag, too. It was a round one with a little nub sticking out, just made for a clit. Everything was stowed in the overnight valise I would carry. I waited some more.

5.45. Finally!! The phone rang and I jumped again. It was Marie.

"Ok," she said. "Ready as I will ever be."

"Great. I'm glad all this worked out." I didn't know what else to say.

"Well, meet you at your office?"

"Yeah, I'll be in the back in the alley by the parking lot. Just pull through and I'll jump in. It's dark enough."

"Ok. What? 10 Minutes?"

"Yeah. I'll leave now, and be there in about 5, ok?"

"Bye." Hot DAMN! I dialed Ruthie's number. "She just called. Be there in 15."

"Ok."

I grabbed the valise, and out the door I went. Jumped in my truck and headed downtown. It was only about a 5 minute drive. The truck was still cold when I got there, but I decided to go ahead and turn it off. It would be safe enough here. I had left it here before, more than once. The police station was only three blocks that way, and the sheriff's office was only a block the other way. There wasn't much crime in this little area. I saw Marie's truck pull into the alley, jumped out, made sure the doors were locked, and waited at the edge of the roadway. She pulled up. I opened the door, greeted by a blast of warm air. I gave her a quick kiss as I got in. 

"Hi," I said.

"Hi, there." She sounded down. Nerves, I guessed.

"It'll be OK, Marie. Nothing will happen you don't want to happen."

"Yeah, I guess." She thought a moment as she pulled away from the store. "Last chance to head for the big city. I promise I can make you forget about two at once!"

"I'm tempted. But Ruthie would kill me if we skipped out now."

"Yeah. Where to?"

We were approaching Vicki Lane, and she was ready to turn left. I tried to make myself small. Traffic on a Friday night was significant.

We got to the stop sign before Ruthie's block, and I told Marie to wait. We sat there. I was just looking for anything that might be a tail, a hitch, a car moving. Nothing.

"OK," I said. "Fourth house on the left. Pull into the drive. Her car will probably be there, just go around it. There's room in back to turn around and head back out, by the garage."

She found it, turned in and got turned around. We had made enough noise so Ruthie had to be aware we had arrived. There were no lights in the house across the alley. "Nobody home back there," I said, hoping to ease her worry. "Everything is gonna be fine."

"I'm OK," she said. "Here, carry this, and let's go."

"You bet."

I took her little over night tote. I wished I had noticed it before. I would have asked her what was in it. Not much as it turned out. I gathered the handles of the valise in my hand and stepped out. I started around to her side to help her out, but that was a courtesy she was not used to. She was out already, pulling her sweater down around her waist. "This way," I said.

We went up the back steps, and Ruthie greeted us at the door.

I shook off my coat, and said, as quickly as I could, "Marie, Ruthie. Ruthie, Marie."

"Hello, Ruthie."

"Hello, Marie, welcome. I hope we can all have a good time tonight. I am glad to meet you." See why I love her? She could have made Marie's blood run cold with the same words, but these were genuine, and Marie knew it. 

Ruthie was wearing the promised robe. I steered my thoughts away from what was underneath it. For the moment, anyway.

"I don't know what he may have told you about me, but this is not the sort of thing I would do all the time."

That sort of conversation could lead to trouble, so I stepped in, helping Marie out of her coat. I hung it up next to mine on the coat rack, and we went into the kitchen.

"Coffee?" Ruthie asked.

"OK with me," I said. "Marie?"

"I'd like that." She was looking around the kitchen. The old house had a big kitchen, big living room, and small bedrooms. The kid's bedroom was upstairs, and all the action tonight would be down here.

"So," I said, "what could I do to make everyone more comfortable?" Maybe I should not have said that out loud, but I wanted to be as up-front as I could.

Ruthie said, "Let's go into the living room."

We filed in and took seats. Ruthie's grand piano took up the commanding position in the room. "Oh! Do you play?" Marie asked.

"Not as well as I would like, but yes, I play a lot."

"Piano, that is," I quipped.

"Sit down, everyone," Ruthie said.

Ruthie occupied an overstuffed chair, Marie on the couch, and I sat at the other end of the same couch. I couldn't help it. "Well, if someone saw us now, they sure wouldn't think it was an orgy!"

Marie smiled, after a quick look at the closed curtains. Ruthie laughed. "Does that mean you are in a hurry to get going?"

"No," I grinned. "Let's get comfortable, first." I meant it.

"Meaning what?" Marie asked.

"Meaning get acquainted." I wanted Marie as comfortable as possible.

Ruthie said, "Do you work, Marie?" Good question. It showed that I hadn't said too much about either of these ladies to the other. Good move, Ruthie.

Marie answered, "Yeah. I drive... Well, I've driven a bus, a truck, and some other things."

"I see. I work for a real estate company."

"I think I may have seen you at the soccer field."

"Entirely possible. Like everyone else in this town who has kids, I practically live there during the season. How old are yours?"

I liked the way things were going. Marie seemed to be relaxing and Ruthie was a champ.

"Well, all three are involved, so I am there al the time, too. I worked in the concession stand the last two seasons."

Ruthie clicked. "That is where I've seen you! And probably where you have seen me!"

"Yeah, it all fits." Marie drained her coffee cup and set the cup on the coaster on the end table.

"Would you like some more?" Ruthie asked.

"No, I'm fine. But I would like to use the restroom..."

"Sure," Ruthie said, jumping up, and leading the way toward the bedroom. The bedroom opened onto the bedroom and the entry hall. She returned in a moment. "She seems nice enough. How'd she ever get mixed up with you, Toad?"

"Just lucky, I guess, Ruthie. Give me a kiss. Are YOU ok?"




Lucky Me



"Just fine. I'm ready to have a good time."

"When Marie gets out of the bathroom, we'll see if we can adjourn to the bedroom."

"No," I said quickly, "I don't want her to feel cornered. If she wants to stay in there when she comes out of the bathroom, we'll go from there." We heard the toilet flush, and in just a moment, Marie appeared at the door of the bedroom.

"Is that a waterbed?" she asked.

I jumped at the chance. "Yes, it is. Ever use one?" Ruthie and I approached the bedroom.

"Just to sleep in," Marie said.

Ruthie weighed in. "I couldn't sleep on anything else. Some people like them, some don't."

"I don't think El and I would like one all the time. We slept on one at my sisters last year."

""Shall we sit down on it?" I asked. It was a queen-size, and there was room for all of us. Ruthie sat up near the head, by the pillows and I circled and sat on the other side. Marie sat on the corner at the foot, nearest the door to the living room.

"Well," I said, "what shall we talk about?" It had the desired effect. Marie laughed, and Ruthie leered at me.

Ruthie asked, "Is it warm enough in here for everyone? I assume we are going to take clothes off, and we need to make sure it's warm enough here, even then."

I took that as my cue. "One way to find out. I'll go first." The idea seemed to please Marie and Ruthie, so I stood up, took off my sweater. I had t-shirt on, and left it on for the moment. I stepped out of my pants, but left on my shorts and socks.

"Chicken," Ruthie smirked.

"Where did you put my bag?" Marie asked.

I jumped to get it, running to the back porch and getting the bag, grabbing mine, too, while I was there.

Marie said, "Thanks. Ruthie? Do you want to undress next? Or me?"

"I don't have that much to take off, Marie. Just this." She held the cloth of the robe by a pocket. "That wouldn't be much of a show. But if you want, I'll go next."

"Ok," Marie said. Ruthie was being a real trouper.

She stood up, unzipped the robe and let it fall. She pirouetted, letting us see her ass, and then again, slower. Ruthie was an exhibitionist at heart. Before she could sit down again, I said, "Ruthie, what about those wash clothes we talked about?"

"I'll get them," she said, and headed for the bathroom door.

To Marie's questioning look, I said, "We both thought it would be nice to have some warm wash cloths to freshen up with when we get undressed."

"That's nice. In fact, one of the things in my bag is a baggie with a cloth in it... probably not warm by now. That will be much better." I could not tell about her mood. She smiled, as though to re-assure me.

Ruthie came back in, carrying a bowl with three cloths in it. You could see the steam coming from it. Ruthie quipped, "Nothing worse than a cold cloth right before!"

We both laughed. I looked at the triangle between her legs She had over the years done amazing things to please me. Dyed her hair red once. ALL her hair. Shaved her pussy once. That little bush had a lot of memories for me.

She set the bowl on the nightstand. "Toad and I set up the VCR over here last night, Marie. Do you like X-rated stuff?" She sat on the bed, carelessly pulled the sheet over her legs. Marie answered, "Once in a while, El and I will rent one from that little place downtown. Only when all the kids are gone."

"Know what you mean. The only time I get to see them is when Toad and I are together."

I broke the subject -- "Marie? Are you comfortable enough to shuck those clothes?"

She said, "Sure, start a tape." She stood up and unbuttoned her shirt. It was one of those Western types, with snaps all up the front. She tugged it out of her jeans, then just pulled the tail apart at the bottom. Pop! Pop! Pop! POP! And there were those luscious tits of hers. I picked up a tape and put it in the machine. I didn't care at that moment which one it was. I looked back as Marie got her jeans off, and sat back down on the bed, cross-legged. The other thing she had in her tote was an oversized t-shirt. She put it on, and it came down to her waist but the way she was sitting now it didn't cover anything but her tits. Her thatch was as dark as the hair on her head, and wiry. She saw me looking and flashed me. She too picked up a corner of the sheet, and pulled it over her.

"Ruthie," I said, "where are those cloths?"

She gestured, and I picked up one and squeezed the water out of it. "Hmmm, nice and warm," I said. "Who's first?" In the hesitation that followed, I told them the story about the girls in the country hotel with no bath tub. They wanted to wash, but the city girl didn't know how to get clean without a bathtub, shower or anything other than a pan of warm water. The older girl told the younger, first you wash up as far as possible, then you wash down as far as possible, then you wash possible!

Marie looked at Ruthie, who took it as a cue, and dropped the sheet. "Just the possible, Toad, is that what you want to wash?"

I smiled, "Only if you want to possibly get it eaten later!"

I swabbed the cloth near her pussy, and cupped my hand with the cloth around it, and kissed Ruthie's cheek, face, ears and lips while I rubbed the cloth back and forth. She got a far-away look in her eye, and low growl in her throat.

I said, "Now, let me check for clean." She lay back and spread her legs. I leaned over and kissed her pussy. She reached down and pulled her pussy lips apart, and I sucked up her clit and nipped down gently, tongue covering my teeth. 

"Hmmm...more, more, more..."

"Don't be greedy, sweetheart. We have guests!"

Marie moved to the head of the bed and lay down. The shirt ended just about her pussy. I reached into the bowl and got another cloth, rung it out and turned. Her legs were already spread, and I held the cloth next to her, and began to rub it gently back and forth. I figured any juice I wiped away would be made up in just a minute. 

I saw Ruthie watching over my shoulder. "Looks like no one needs to worry about having any more kids..." She was referring to the hysterectomy scars on them both. 

"Marie has three, you have two. Enough?" I didn't really want Marie to start thinking about her kids right then. 

I leaned over and gave her the same treatment I had given Ruthie. With about the same result. She seemed to get started quicker than Ruthie. Maybe it was that huge clit. I finished with the cloth, leaned down. "Nice and clean," I pronounced. I sucked up flesh and clit into my mouth, and bit down, using my teeth. Marie squeezed her legs together, hard, around my head. I pushed a finger into her, and was rewarded with a moan and an even tighter grip on my head with her thighs. I straightened up. "My turn."

I lay between them, handed each of them a cloth. They were still nice and warm. The cloths, too. 

They sat up, one on each side, and took the cloths. Marie started on my balls, Ruthie on my cock. I think they changed places several times, but it didn't really matter. "Clean now?" I asked. Marie leaned down and took me into her mouth. She let it go with an audible 'pop.' "Tastes clean to me!" she grinned up at me. 

"Why don't you both lay down, too. I have an idea about how we could all be comfortable like that."

"Ok," they both said.

I lay in the middle of the bed, maneuvered Ruthie onto her side next to me on my left, and then Marie to my other side. I had an arm under each of them. They both snuggled up close. Marie had her right hand free, Ruthie her left. Sneaky of me. Ruthie is left-handed. 

They each had their heads on my shoulders. I didn't think they could see each other. I asked Ruthie to pull the sheet up on top of us. It wasn't' exactly summer, but I did expect the room temperature to be going up. 

Ruthie asked, "Do you have the remote?"

I raised it up, right hand. It was under the sheet. "I don't know if it will work under here."

Marie chimed in: "There are some things under here that better work... more important than that thing!" We all laughed.

"Pressure always did bring you the best in me."

"Are you feeling pressure now?" Ruthie asked, grazing the outside of my short with her hand.

"Not a lot...just comfortable."

"Which tape is this?"

"After you and I talked last night, I thought you both might like to see the one I told you both about, with the two guys and the girl?"

"OH! Right... did he tell you about this one, Marie?"

"No... we didn't say anything about tapes or movies."

"Is it ok?" I asked quickly.

"Sure," she said. "I like them. What is this one about?"

"This is just something I thought you both might like to see. It's two guys and a girl. I thought I would show you I'm not close-minded about the idea."

"Just roll the tape, Toad." Ruthie pushed me under the sheet.

Before I could start it, Marie asked, "Ruthie, why do you call him Toad?"

We both laughed. "As far as I know, you are the only person who has ever heard her call me that."

Ruthie said, "I'm sure of it." She rose up and faced Marie over my chest. "We were watching this nature thing on TV one night, him, me, the kids, and there was this little toad from...somewhere.. Surinam or somewhere. All the male does is eat and fuck. And given the choice, he would rather fuck. It was a short jump from that to calling Toad here after that little animal. I mean, does it remind you of anyone else nearly as much?"

"I see what you mean."

"OK. If you two are through assessing me, let's see this. You might find it interesting."

I rolled the tape, and immediately, there was a picture of this cute thing on top of a guy. They were all outdoors, and he was sitting in a lounge chair. She was fucking him, and the other guy in the piece was standing near her. She was eating him. This got a couple of comments:

Marie: "I cant believe people do that with a camera rolling."

Ruthie: "I know what you mean."

Me: "Watch this."

The guy standing moved behind the girl, straddled the chair, and moved to the girls ass. 

Marie said, "Don't be getting any ideas about ass-fucking, Toad." My nickname had just been appropriated. Ruthie didn't seem to mind.

"Just so you two don't get any ideas about how well hung a guy ought to be. I may not get any ass-fucking, but you ain't getting any John Holmes, either. "

"OK."

I added, "And besides, that isn't the remarkable thing about this...watch."

After a minute or so of fucking this poor girl, cunt and ass, the guy in her ass pulled out, and worked his cock into her pussy! She had TWO cocks in there at the same time! Marie said, "I can't believe that."

"That has got to be something even you have never done, Toad."

"I got to tell you, Ruthie, I don't have anybody I'm that good a friends with, to fuck a girl at the same time like that. I just thought you guys might like to see it."

"I see what you mean," Marie said.

As we watched, the girl tried to bear down and the guys just sorta alternated going in and out, but there were times they were both all the way in the gal's pussy at the same time.

"Jeez," Ruthie said, "That must hurt. I hope she got well paid for this."

"I'm sure she did. The only people who come out in x-rated stuff are the girls. Guys don't make that much, but they are probably not complaining." Laughs all around. 

On the screen, the guy standing up had just pulled out and come. Ruthie watched and I noticed Marie burrowing into my neck, closer. "I've always wondered about that," I said. "Some girls like to watch the guy come, and some don't. Wonder why that is."

Marie said, "I don't know, exactly. I don't mind seeing a guy come for real, but on film, well, it's just not the same."

"I think it is probably the most real thing that happens in one of these films. You can't fake it, like the girls can."

I agreed. "That's true. But I never did see the attraction in a guy coming on a girls face, did you?" The other guy pulled out and came on the girls ass and cunt. "Well, seen enough?"

Ruthie turned to me and kissed me, and Marie's hand went to my shorts. "You need to take these off, Toad." I lifted my ass off the bed and she worked them off while Ruthie and I kissed, long and deep. When we broke, I turned to Marie and kissed her, and I noticed that Ruthie's hand replaced Marie's at my cock I spread my legs and put the left one between Ruthie's legs, high as it would go. I felt warmth. I pressed on between Marie's legs with my right leg and was again rewarded with heat. I felt sorta vulnerable, spread as far as I was, but I wasn't' going to give it up. "Hmmmm," I said, "I seem to have discovered pussy on each thigh! What should I do now?"

Marie moaned, and said, "Just don't stop." Great thing about waterbeds, they were both laying on my arms, and it was no sweat. I had my hands on each ass, squeezing, kneading, pushing them harder onto my legs. I kissed Marie some more, held Ruthie closer. Ruthie was the only one of us who was undressed all the way. I pressed her tits into my chest, harder. I couldn't tell which had her hand on my prick, and I really didn't care. It felt good, jacking up and down, nice and slow.

I broke the kiss, and wiggled on the bed a bit. "I want pussy to play with," I said. "You both lay back, and I'll get up on my knees." They moved away, reluctantly. I noticed as I got up on my knees they had both angled away from each other. They were making a 'V' in the bed, heads well away from each other. I straddled their legs, staying between them even now, and rubbed my hands up their legs. Up, back down without touching anything important. Then up, slower, until I got to the good stuff. Now, since I had turned around, Ruthie was on my right as I faced them, Marie on my left. Didn't matter. Ruthie's clit was tiny. I didn't see how those bone-shaking orgasms of hers could come from that tiny little piece of sweet-flesh. Marie's on the other hand, was nearly a handful. So the left hand worked out just fine on her. I didn't need to hunt for it, and even though my left hand wasn't as agile, I could play with her just fine. Ruthie, though, literally had to be stroked just right, and required the dexterity of my 'on' hand. "Got you guys right where I want you." I leaned down and kissed tummies, breasts, back and forth. Sighs, heavy breath. Once someone made me a bit nervous, moving a leg more vigorously between mine. I was hanging down, and didn't need anyone ramming a leg into my balls. "Easy, guys. I know your legs are trapped. What can I do to make you more comfortable?"

"I'm ok," Marie said, pulling my head back to her breast. Ruthie had a hand on my back, one on my cock. Marie was just clutching the bedclothes. I worked a hand into each pussy, spread the lips and rubbed the clit where the clit should be rubbed. Marie's was large, engorged. Ruthie's was hard to find. I made little circles on each of them, and got reactions like I hoped for. I took Marie's clit between two fingers and squeezed lightly, then harder. She arched her back and pushed into me. I leaned to her and kissed her. I turned my right hand to the side and used the edge near my thumb to rub the inside of Ruthie's pussy. I slowed, then stopped, and slipped a finger inside each of them. Ruthie moaned, reached for my leg and pulled me to her as she slid her hand up to my balls. 

I went back up to a kneeling position, and said, "How 'bout it Ruthie? Ready for the promised load?" 

She laughed, and nodded. "How do you want it?" In answer, I tugged her over onto her tummy. We were careful not to bump into Marie, who was wide-eyed and rubbing her pussy. Ruthie looked down and saw what she was doing.

"You don't mind me going first, do you?" Ruthie asked.

"No..." Marie was a bit breathless.

I don't know where I got the idea, but I said, "Ruthie, get up in the bed as far as you can, on your knees. No so far that I bang your head against the headboard, but as far as you can."

She complied, laying her head and hands down on a pillow. "Marie," I said, "Come back here." I didn't need to tell her I wasn't thinking about girl-girl. I think they were both too far gone to worry about that right now. But even if they had, I think they would have known I was not going to risk breaking the mood. As it was, I would be between Marie and Ruthie for what I had in mind. 

"Where do you want me, Toad?" Marie asked, standing by the bed.

I put Ruthie where I wanted her. Because she was so short and I'm not, when Ruthie and I fucked doggy-style, she had to leave her feet and knees relatively closer together, to raise her pussy as high as she could, while I put my legs on the outside, so I could lower my dick to the right height. I moved behind her, but with lots of room. "Marie, come and get behind me, on your knees, just like I am, up close." She moved onto the bed, taking position behind me. She snuggled up close, and pulled herself to me. I could feel her tits on my back, and she reached around and took my cock in her right hand. Her left arm was around my waist. "Mmmmm," I said. "Ruthie, put your head on the bed, and reach back here between your legs." She did. "Now, show us your pussy." Marie's head was around the right side, looking down where her hand was holding me tightly. Ruthie slid her hands up the insides of her thighs to her pussy. When she got there, she opened her pussy lips. I started a travelogue for Marie's benefit.

"She right here, Marie? This is Ruthie's clit." I touched it. I slipped upward toward the honey hole. "And this, riiiiight here? This is Ruthie's cunt. I must have fucked her a thousand times." Marie made a little sound in her throat. Ruthie looked back and grinned. "Pull your ass apart a bit." Ruthie rearranged her hands, reached up to her ass and pulled the cheeks apart. I said, "And you see this, Marie? This is Ruthie's little asshole. We even did it right there, once." I rubbed the pad of my forefinger around on her anus. "Nice little rosebud-looking thing." I leaned down and planted a kiss, close. "Mmmm, nice and clean, just like it should be. Thanks."

"Uhmmm..." I guess she didn't feel like talking. 

Marie reached down to my balls, cupping them in her other hand from between my legs. When she slid her hand back out, she rubbed against MY asshole. I asked Ruthie if she was ready to fuck, and she responded by getting closer. Marie looked down and held me stiff, and I remembered what Ruthie had said about her clit.

"Rub me against Ruthie's clit, the best you can, Marie." She tried and I guess she got close. Ruthie responded with a moan and an indication of impatience to have me inside her. Marie finally guided me into Ruthie. "Mmmm ... that feels good." I started a fucking motion, in and out of Ruthie, and Marie matched my motion! "May not be a lot of cock, Honey, but we got over three hundred pounds driving it in!" Ruthie looked back and smiled, and then was overtaken by the feelings. She looked straight ahead, and concentrated. 

Marie moved, and I held up, wanting to see what was happening, what she had in mind. She reached for the wash cloth, still hot in the bowl and came back to where she had been. She reached under me. She forced the cloth between the cheeks of my ass, rubbing my anus with the roughness. 

"Guess what, Ruthie," I said. "Marie is rubbing my ass... and it feels good!" I was answered with another moan. I reached around behind me, untangling arms, and put my hand between Marie and me, snaking down to her pussy. I rubbed her clit and she held me tighter. I had the idea she did it to keep from collapsing. I told Ruthie, "Now I've got my hand in her cunt, Ruthie, and my cock in you."

This was next to heaven. I was filled up with feelings, sensations, so many I could not sort them out. I moved in and out of Ruthie, my left hand on her ass. She was up on all fours, now, pushing back against the combined weight of Marie and me, loving it. Marie's tits were warm on my back, her pussy grasping my hand, her hand pushing into my ass. Ruthie and I were building to a crashing climax. 




Lucky Me



"Say when, Ruthie, and I'll try to wait for you." She answered by bucking harder, fucking back into me with enough force to push me out if Marie had not been there. Marie was matching my movement. I wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but I decided it would wait. "In or out, Ruthie?"

She gasped, "Out!"

That meant she wanted me to see me shoot. But first I needed to make her come. My right hand was the one busy in Marie's cunt. I reached my left hand down to between Ruthie's legs and busied it with her clit. She stopped bucking and squeezed my cock with her cunt, over and over. That did it. She had come, and now it was my turn. I stroked more times, until I was sure, then pulled out. Marie grabbed me, slick with Ruthie's cunt juice, and pointed me right up Ruthie's back. Ruthie turned to watch, and nearly got hit in the eye. I shot it all, on her ass, her back, then Marie sweetly rubbed the head of my cock on Ruthie's ass. That squeezed the last drop of sensation out of my cock, and Ruthie collapsed on the bed, face down. I turned and kissed Marie, "Thanks. That was perfect." 

We maneuvered around on the bed, back to where we had started. Me between, Ruthie left, Marie right. I slowly caught my breath. "Wow." That seemed to say it all. 

I turned to kiss Marie, and then Ruthie. No tongues, I noticed. That was OK. Whatever made them happy. "You guys are great," I said. "With that kind of luck, I should go looking for cash in the street."

Ruthie smile. Marie rubbed my stomach. She reached back and got the towel from the floor, cleaned up my middle. I was shrinking slowly, and she rubbed the towel on the head of my dick. I jumped. "I guess there was some feeling left in there, after all, huh?" She used her hand to squeeze me. Ruthie watched, then slid her hand under me. "Is this where she touched you, Toad?" She pressed in toward my anus.

"Yeah. Oh, yeah. You guys need to let me recover a little." There were warm breasts on either side of me, pressing into my arms and sides. My arms were around them, pulling each of them closer to me. It would have been easy to go to sleep, but there were things to do.

"Marie, you were a regular rock back there. That was great. The way you held me at the end, rubbed me on Ruthie's ass And it was almost like we were both fucking her, not just me, the way you moved with me."

"That's pretty kinky," Marie said.

"Don't worry. I mean, I couldn't tell," Ruthie said. "I mean..."

"I know," Marie said. "I bet it was nice."

"It was," Ruthie said.

I weighed in, "I guess you're next, Marie. Everyone has come but you."

"I came close, when you had me in your mouth. When you bit down on me, I nearly popped right there."

"I'll keep that in mind. Let me up a second, and I'll be right back."

I went to the bathroom. I didn't need to do anything, I just wanted to reflect a second. I looked in the mirror... "You son-of-a-bitch... you are the luckiest stiff anywhere." I brushed my hair back out of my eyes and re-entered the bedroom. Both of them were lying back, eyes closed. Seemed I had not missed any conversation. Ruthie had her arm thrown back, crooked, hand under her head. Marie was just under the sheet, hands outside. She was on the side closest to me. I knelt by the bed and put my hands under the sheet. Delights. I stroked her thigh and her breasts. I leaned down and kissed her. Ruthie moved and lay on her right side, facing us; she propped her head on her hand and watched. Marie threw off the sheet, toward Ruthie, suddenly feeling too hot, I'd bet. I gently pushed at her until she rolled over, toward Ruthie, and got her up on all fours. I ran my hand between her legs, pushed up toward her cunt. I slipped fingers into her cunt, rubbed her clit. 

"I'll give you thirty minutes to stop that," she sighed.

"Don't tempt him, Marie," Ruthie said. "He can do it that long. Especially right after he comes." Ruthie was a pillar of support. At that moment I really loved her. Hell, I loved them both. And all the ships at sea.

I said, "I'm nearly past the 'right-after' and almost to the 'just-before' phase."

Marie said, "Do you want me up on my knees, do it like we just did?"

I had something better in mind, I hoped. "No, not exactly. I was hoping you would let me do something I've been wanting to do just about forever. I want to do it to both of you at the same time."

Marie giggled. "You don't have two cocks under there, do you?"

"No, just wish I did!" What a thought. Guy with two dicks would probably never be satisfied. Come to think of it, maybe I DID have two cocks! "No, I want to use my tongue on Ruthie while I fuck you...just like in the movies."

"I haven't seen too many of those movies. Tell me about it. Just keep doing what you're doing." I was going round and round on her clit. Her breath was coming in pants, and her pussy was wet as rain: slick, slippery. Felt great. 

"I want to lay on my back, and then let you and Ruthie sit on me." I let a finger slip inside her.

"Mmmm...ok with me, as long as my pussy is not empty for very long!" She sighed heavily again...more like a shudder.

"No, it wont be," I promised. I looked at Ruthie, watching us. I jacked my eyebrows at her once. She smirked back. I took my hand from between Marie's legs and she moved toward the foot of the bed. I reached a cloth and asked Ruthie if her cunt was wet or dry.

"After watching you finger-fuck her, what would it be?" I guessed that meant 'wet.' That was one of the things I loved about Ruthie: she got turned on pretty easy, and no matter how wet she was, her pussy tasted good.

Ruthie kissed me as I lay down next to her. "Ready for another dream to come true?" she asked.

"Ready is one thing. I think I am also able." Marie reached for my cock as I lay on the bed. Ruthie knelt next to me, and got ready to straddle my head. She was going to face my feet! Now if Marie face this way instead of that way...

She did! She moved up along me, as I got comfortable at close range with Ruthie's cunt. My hand were free, more or less, and I guided Marie onto my cock the best I could, while I busied myself with Ruthie's clit. Marie took me in her hand, then into her pussy as she settled onto me. I sighed hotly into Ruthie's cunt. I worked a hand out from under Ruthie's leg and reached up to her tits. I cupped one from underneath, twirled her nipple. She squeezed me harder with her legs, pushed her cunt harder into my face. I put my tongue all the way into her pussy. Marie had found the rhythm on the other end. 

I had one hand on Marie's leg, her on her knees with her pussy lowered all the way to my legs. I was in her as far as could be. I had my tongue in Ruthie, my cock in Marie, and I felt like a porn star, without the pressure, because I didn't have to worry about when or if I could come. All I wanted now was to make Marie come. Ruthie would get off when she wanted. 

I sucked more of her pussy into my mouth and nipped down, lightly, on her clit. She hugged my head harder with her thighs, and I pushed her tits together and rubbed both her nipples at the same time. Ruthie was leaning back, away from Marie, and it gave me a great angle at her goodies. I had found one of her hands, and led it between her legs. I had a great close-up as she teased her clit. I put my tongue way up inside her again, and fucked in and out. I couldn't see Marie, and I couldn't ask her how things were going. I just had to trust that it was all ok. Seemed to be!

Marie was riding my cock like a bronco. I hadn't been with her as much as with Ruthie. I couldn't tell for sure when she was ready to come as well as I could with Ruthie. But anyone would have known she was getting close. I sucked as much of Ruthie into my mouth as I could. She pulled her legs even closer to my head. I felt the welling up of this orgasm building, building. Marie crashed down hard on me, as I covered my teeth with my lips and bit down harder on Ruthie's clit. I tongued it, and in the distance heard Marie come. I shot up inside her, not nearly as much as last time, and Ruthie jacked her cunt back and forth until I lost control and just had to let her go. We all wound down. 

Ruthie leaned down and pulled her legs up and over. I watched her pussy closely as it receded. Then I looked at Marie. I knew I had Ruthie's pussy juice all over my face, and probably looked like an idiot. With that grin on my face, I said, "Feel good, Marie?" Stupid, I know, but I wasn't up to much invention at the time. 

Marie sighed and smiled. "Yeah, I feel great. That wasn't nearly as odd as I thought it was going to be." She pouted. "You are about to slip out."

That was certain. "And there is nothing I can do about it, Sweet. I guess you guys will just have to get it going again in a while. Right now, let's just lay down and talk."

Marie moved off me, to my right. She lay down, and again pulled the sheet up over us. Ruthie helped arrange things, then we all settled down. Another inspiration! Instead of just laying on our backs, I had an idea. "Hey, ladies, let's make a spoon! First one way, then the other." I needed to lay on my side, anyway. 

Ruthie went for it quickly. "OK," she said and started to turn around. I followed her, glad not to have to decide who got to go first with this. I snuggled up behind her, reached down and put my cock in the crack of her ass, and Marie followed suit. I had my left arm under Ruthie's head, and my right hand up under her tits. Good thing I had big hands. Marie wrapped her arms around my waist, moving me back from Ruthie just a bit. It was ok. My cock was still in just the right place, right in the crack of Ruthie's ass. Nice and warm. I knew she didn't want stimulation right now, just closeness and comfort. I rested my head on Ruthie's hair. Marie pressed her head into my back. 

Marie yawned about that time, Ruthie cracked, "If we all go to sleep right now, we will all wake up in divorce court." That got everyone laughing. Good ol' Ruthie. Thanks for breaking the tension.

"No danger of that now," I said. "I don't know about you two, but I'm not through." I hoped I was not bragging with nothing to back it up. 

Marie piped up. "There was not near as much that time as the last time, Toad. Are you sure you can do it again?"

Ruthie got her two cents in. "Oh, don't worry, he can. We got so spend a night together once, and we did it five times in less than 6 hours. Practically nothing came out the last two times, but it was nice, anyway."

"That was a tribute to your sexiness."

She turned and kissed me. "You say the nicest things sometimes. Yuck! Here, let me wipe that dried pussy juice off your face. Marie won't want to kiss you with that on there."

"Right. I don't even know if I will get the chance to make him look the same way, all smeared up and wet from MY cunt juices."

I hesitated, but only for a second. I mean, after all, didn't I owe her at least that? Yeah. I thought I did. "Of course I plan to eat you, Marie. Ruthie knows I love to do that."

Ruthie replied dreamily, "Yeah, Marie, and he's pretty good at it, too. "

I said, "And not only that, tonight Marie is the only one who has eaten ME! We can set this us as a three-way thing, too, if you want, Ruthie." I knew the answer to that. Ruthie like giving oral sex nearly as much as I did.

Ruthie was all business. "OK, Toad, how do you want to do it?" Well, maybe not ALL.

I thought for a second, then said, "Marie, turn around on the bed, head toward the foot, and stay on your side, but facing me. Rest your head on my knee, if you want." Ruthie and I watched as she moved into position. I reached my right hand to her knees, spread her legs, and rest my head on her thigh. She kept her other leg off my head, and I had a great view of her pussy. 

"What about me?" Ruthie asked, sounding impatient.

"Ok, you get up on your knees," I said, "also with your head down that way, only you are going to be busy. I'll play with you with my left hand between your legs, you eat me while I eat Marie."

"OK," she said. "Are you going to come again?"

It was a fair question. She had only eaten me all the way to coming a couple of times, and those were the only times anyone had ever been able to get me to come that way. "Don't know, Ruthie. I guess it depends on how good you are." I smirked at her upside down face.

"You're being awfully smart with someone who is about to have your dick in her mouth." She sounded matter-of-fact, but I knew she was teasing me as much as I was her. She was as good as they come when giving head-jobs.

"Why do you want to know if I am going to come again?"

"I might want to put it in my pussy instead."

"Well," I said, "you worry about that. I'm just gonna do my best to make Marie come."

Marie said, "I'll vote for that. Seems we've already committed about 17 felonies and misdemeanors. May as well go for some more."

I put my right hand and arm under her waist, and reached my hand back to her ass, then her pussy. I pulled her lips apart, bent to take her clit into my mouth. She crowded her legs closer to my head, and I had to make sure I had an airway. I slipped my hand back to her ass and put my tongue inside her pussy. Ruthie made the bed heave as she moved, and I pulled away from Marie a moment, wanting to see what Ruthie was up to. Marie let me up.

Ruthie quickly explained, "I'm just going to warm up this cloth. I didn't think you would appreciate me if I put a cold cloth on your cock right then."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Ruthie." I watched that good body of hers disappear into the bathroom. I got ready to dive back into Marie's muff. 

"Just a second," Marie said, and turned to reach her bag by the bed. 'Now what?' I thought. She rummaged around for a second, and came up with a small four-inch vibrator, the ridged kind, pointed on one end.

"What do you want me to do with this, Sweet?" I asked as she pushed it toward me.

She put it in my hand, the one under her, and rolled back over to face me. She cocked her leg up onto her bottom one, resting her left foot on her right knee. She reached around behind her, to her ass. She pulled her cheek up, and slid her middle finger down to her anus. When she touched herself there, I heard a sigh. "Right there," she said.

I rolled the tip of it around her cunt, just to get some juice on it, and then slid it back where she wanted it. Her legs were still spread and I turned the little bugger on just as Ruthie came back into the room. I saw only her legs and pussy as she stopped to watch. 

"Hey, that looks like a good idea, Marie. Toad, where is your bag?"

I waved vaguely at the other side of the bed, as I continued to work the vibrator into Marie's ass. I felt Ruthie move onto the bed, and reached for her with my right hand. I bent to Marie's pussy, and kept the vibrator in her ass with my hand. I pulled her clit past my teeth, and nibbled on her, gently. I could feel her breath heaving, and she embraced my leg, pulled it close to her as she enjoyed herself. Ruthie was up on her knees, and guided my hand to her pussy where she was holding the eight-inch vibrator in her cunt. It was not turned on yet. I felt her washing me. I figured she would want me to turn the machine on when she started eating me.

I went back to concentrating on Marie. I put my tongue in her cunt, worked it back and forth. The little vibrator that could was humming away in her ass, and Ruthie was swallowing me at the other end. I held the vibrator in Ruthie's cunt, and turned it on, twirling the base while holding the main part still. Required some skill. 

Ruthie sucked hard on me as I got it going, and circled me with her hand. Her other hand was under my thigh, playing with my balls. She started to jack me as much as she could, having most of me in her mouth. She mostly kept me covered and happy with her tongue. It was ok with me. Marie must have had a good look at the whole thing, and was drooling on my knee. I tried to take my hand away from the vibrator in Ruthie's pussy, so I could play with her tits, but as soon as I started to move, it wanted to come out. I guess it worked much better with her on her back. That plus the fact she was squeezing it with her cunt, forcing it out. The one in Marie's ass just stayed there, buzzing away, though I could feel Marie's ass muscles clenching and relaxing, working away. 

I went back to Marie's clit. I felt Ruthie move up to the head of my cock and start jacking me up and down. Ruthie and I had decided a long time ago that a great blow job was just a good hand job with a really intimate kiss thrown in. That's where she was now: starting to jack me off, while kissing the head of my cock. I didn't know if she would make me come or not. Right this second, I didn't think it really mattered. 

I pushed the vibrator into her cunt some more, not enough to hurt, just gently, until it stopped. Then I started jacking it in and out. 

Eating pussy, though, is mostly mouth, tongue, lips. I kept at Marie's pussy. After a moment or two, something began to happen. Her breath was heaving, her legs were clenching and unclenching. Finally she stopped, and hugged my head to her cunt with her legs straight out, stiff. Suddenly the little vibrator was forced out, into my hand, even though I was pushing it in! I felt her pussy change under my tongue, suddenly I was awash with juice. Marie was a female ejaculator. Her thighs were soaked. There was juice running down onto the sheets. It was great. Ruthie took Marie's cries as her cue to come. She stopped eating me and concentrated on herself. I rested my head on Marie's thigh and watched as Ruthie got herself off. She was still on her knees. She hew that was my favorite way of thinking about her when she and I jacked off on the phone. She reached back between her legs and took the vibrator from me. She started moving in and out quickly. Her head was down on the bed, breath coming in gasps. I felt Marie move, and looked toward her. She was sitting up Indian-style, pussy still about even with my head, giving me quite a sight. I looked up at her. She was watching Ruthie. I moved my head back to her lap. 

Ruthie was definitely close, now. A keening sound came from her. She pressed her face into my leg. One hand was on the vibrator, the other near her ass. I put my hand on her thigh and squeezed, gently. She moved the hand from her ass to my hand, squeezing my fingers. The pulsing stopped, and she came, her legs shutting the vibrator in a death grip. When she started to relax just a bit, I held her to me, letting her drain the last of the feelings from her orgasm. We all were silent for a few moments. Marie got up and went wordlessly to the bathroom. I bent to Ruthie's ear. I occurred to me on the way I was about to talk to her in just about the only orifice in her body I had not fucked one time or another. 

"Having a good time?"

She laughed a low growl. "Timing is everything, isn't it, Toad?"

"Meaning what?" I didn't understand what she meant.

"Meaning, you ask me that right after a monster come. Of course I'm having a good time."

We sat back on the bed, her head on my shoulder. We waited for Marie to come back into the room. I didn't feel like I had to wonder anymore if Marie was OK. She had certainly thrown herself into the spirit of the evening. After a couple of minutes, Marie had not come back out. I moved off the bed and went to the bathroom door. Marie was sitting on the stool, legs pulled up, hugging herself like a little girl.

"You ok, hon?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah, babe. I'll be out in a minute."

"Want some coffee? We'll talk a while. It's not even nine o'clock yet!"

"That would be nice, Toad." I started to retreat, but she called to me. "Toad?" I stopped and looked back. She said, "You and Ruthie are nice people."




Lucky Me



Ruthie had left the bed, too, and stuck her head under my arm in the bathroom door. "We are horny people who know what we want and are sometimes lucky enough to get it."

"We are all nice, people, Marie." I looked down to Ruthie. "I think everyone has had a good time up to now, don't you?" Ruthie nodded. I looked at Marie. She smiled, dreamy.

"I'll be out in just a minute you guys." She obviously needed a bit of privacy to finish.

Ruthie stepped out from under my arm carrying the bowl with the cloths in it. She put them in the sink and disappeared into the kitchen to see to the coffee. I sat on the bed, in the center, sitting up against the headboard. The water bed sloshed. I heard Ruthie running water, rinsing out cups, then the plumbing in the bathroom started. I was surrounded by running water. Now I had to go to the bathroom. That last erection had long since subsided, more or less pouted away. It had not gotten to come. I looked down and promised, 'You'll get another chance yet, I think.' I think it believed me. I certainly meant it. I moved to the edge of the bed and waited for Marie to come out. Ruthie came in, carrying the tray with the coffee on it. She set it down as Marie came in. I stood and went to the bathroom. Standing there at the toilet, I suddenly didn't need to go as badly as I thought I had. I heard Marie and Ruthie stirring around in the bedroom. There seemed to be conversation. I was glad there was something going on somewhere, because nothing was happening here. The hard-on was gone now, but nothing was coming out. Ruthie's head appeared at the bathroom door. 

"What's happening?" she asked. "Nothing?"

"That's about it," I admitted. "Seems I need to go, but it doesn't." 

Ruthie laughed and cleared her throat. She turned to Marie and said, "Marie! Let's go help him."

I didn't know what she had in mind, but I knew that with her holding my cock, I wasn't going to go at all, let alone easier.

I stepped back. Ruthie came in and stood behind me, led me back to the toilet. Marie came in and stood close. "Did you guys talk about this?"

"No, we're just here to help," Ruthie said.

"I'm not sure that will help all that much," I said.

Ruthie reached her right hand around me and took hold of me, pointing me at the water. She said, "I've always wanted to do this."

"Envy because you can't write your name in the snow?" I asked.

"No, just curious."

Marie chimed in. "I've kinda wondered about it. What is it about a guy that makes him miss so much? I live with 4 guys and the bathroom is always a mess. I hope El hits what he shoots at this weekend better than he hits the pot."

Ruthie was laughing, shaking me up and down. "I only have one guy in the house, now, but I sure know what you mean. I don't think there's a guy born that hits the target more than half the time."

I wasn't sure this was the time to be talking about all this. It wasn't making peeing any easier. Ruthie was all warm behind me, and my cock was getting bigger. That would not make it any easier to go, either. I tried to explain, "Ruthie, if you make me hard again, it just makes it that much harder to piss."

I think she already knew that. She backed off until she was just holding me with two fingers or so. She pointed 'us' at the water, and said, "OK, stud, concentrate." I tried.

Marie was standing on my left, using her hands on my ass and middle. I felt it coming, and warned Ruthie, "Aim good," There was still a bit of dried fluid on the tip from the last erection and ejaculation. The ladies thereby got a bit of an unexpected education. When it finally started to flow, there were two streams, not one. And neither of them were going in the intended direction. She giggled and yelled, "What the fuck are you doing?" and did what anyone would probably do under the circumstances: she bailed out. I grabbed myself, and pushed from behind a little harder, finally breaking through the barrier and making just one stream again. Both the girls were laughing, saying "yuck!" and "Shit!" Ruthie wanted to know what the hell was going on. I told her to wait a minute. I got through, wiped up the mess, flushed and washed my hands, weaving through much tempting woman-flesh to do so. 

"Let's go back in the bedroom," I suggested.

We traipsed back into the bedroom, me last. I like watching Marie's ass wiggle and Ruthie's bounce. We got back into bed in what had become our regular positions. I put my arms around each of the, and they rested their heads on my shoulders. 

"Now, what the hell was going on?" Ruthie insisted.

I tried to explain. "Well, see, that stuff coming out of there?"

Ruthie interrupted, "You mean cum? Not piss, right?"

"Right, Ruthie. Cum. Or that stuff that comes out when you are getting ready, pre-cum" I help my cock up and pulled the little slit open. There was an obliging drop of fluid at the very tip. "That stuff... can dry? And stay up there at the tip." Ruthie used her finger to smear the stuff all around the head. It glistened. "Sometimes it dries across the opening, and when that happens, what you just saw happen... can happen." I looked at my pupils. They were staring my cock. "When the stuff dries really hard, stuck, it can cause what you just saw happen. The stream is not hard enough at first to force it's way through, so it has to go around."

They were a little incredulous. "You're kidding, right?" Ruthie said.

"No, I am not."

"That is why guys cant always hit what they are aiming at?" Marie wanted to know.

"It can make it hard to have it all go where you want it to go, yeah." I thought a moment. "But, not cleaning up after yourself is just bad manners, not matter who or where."

Marie seemed to have moved beyond the mini-physiology lesson, her hand moving slowly on my cock. She shook her head in wonder, "and I got four of these little guys running around my house, with feet..." She sounded defeated. Ruthie and I laughed at her. I hugged her, then Ruthie.

"I don't know about you guys, but this has got to be the highlight of my life, so far." The time with Ruthie and her sister was a real rip, too. But that was then, this was now. I wanted Marie to know how much I appreciated her going along with all this.

Ruthie sat up and made to pass out the coffee. I had forgotten about it. We sat up and took the cups, still hot. I was against the headboard, and Marie was sitting cross-legged at my right. She still had her t-shirt on, and her pussy still peeked out because of the way she sat. Ruthie was still naked, on the other side of me, also cross-legged. Her pussy was more lightly haired than Marie's, and I could see more of her flesh. Ruthie said, "Marie, you have three kids, but your tits don't sag as much as mine do." This was a surprise. Neither of these gals had enough sag to justify the term. I said so. Ruthie said, "Hush, you're prejudiced. Or maybe, not so much you... as this." At that she grabbed my cock and stroked it up and down.

I jumped. "Yeah, I still have designs on you both for tonight. But you don't either one sag."

Marie changed the subject. "Ruthie, how did you get together with this guy?"

I looked at Ruthie. It had been over three years. "I knew his wife for awhile, first. He likes to stay close to home, I guess." She sipped her coffee. "Then one night she was working, and Dave had taken the kids to the movie, and he called." She was looking at me. "He asked me if we could talk a while, on the QT, just me and him. Hell, I was ready for it. I had been wondering when he was going to call."

First time I'd heard that! This was a little discomfiting for another reason: I had used that same request when I had made my move on Marie, asking her if we could just talk, just between her and me. I looked at Marie, and could see she was thinking the same thing.

"It was still another six months before we actually did it," Ruthie went on. "But we played around a lot until then. This is the single horniest guy I have ever known. I think he would fuck 25 times a day, if he could." She had me marked.

Marie started in on me. "If you and her are so happy together, why...well, why several things," Marie said. "Why don't you marry her? Get a divorce and marry her? And why do you need me?"

I didn't have a ready answer for either of those questions. I stumbled. "Er...well, I don't know how my drive got made up. But tell the truth, Marie. Have you ever gotten enough?" Ever? Even once? Gotten so much you didn't want any more?"

She thought about it. "Not really, I guess. Putting it off does not mean you don't want it now. Never have found anything that makes me feels as good as coming." 

"Hell," I snorted. "Baby, there AIN'T nothing as good as coming! That's what has kept the human race going for thousands of generations, people wanting that feel-good feeling again, and again, knowing they could have it again if they did that thing again!" I was rambling. "It led to all the arrangements, girls cooking, guys hunting, everything!" 

I looked at my audience. No glazed-over eyes, yet. "It's the reason I knew, KNEW, the first time I came, that girls did the same thing, that they HAD to come, too. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone along with the whole thing."

Ruthie remarked, "That's a pretty long view for a young'n to take...or were you as young as I'm assuming."

"No, it was just last week..." I quipped. They both laughed.

"Seriously, how old were you?" Marie wanted to know.

"Are we going to turn this into confession time? If we are, let's get into the bed and snuggle, and tell stories." This could be quite a chance, I thought.

They seemed to go along with it. Setting their coffee cups down, they lay down by me, and threw their arms and legs over me. Again, tits were pressed into me from either side. This time, though, I noticed at least they were low enough on my chest for them to be able to see each other. 

Ruthie said, "OK, Toad, give. How old were you the first time you came?"

"About 13, I think. Didn't know what it was, at first. Frightened me to death. I thought I was going crazy. All that shit. And before long, I wanted to do it again."

"Were you by yourself? Or with some earlier version of us?" Marie asked. 

"No, I was all alone. I had been reading, looking at books, magazines. Seemed like the natural thing to do, to stroke that thing that kept sticking up when I got aroused. Then it felt better and better, and finally it just happened. Scared me to death."

"Anything come out?" Ruthie.

"Don't think so. Don't remember for sure."

"I bet it wasn't long until something came out."

"You are probably right." I noticed Marie had said nothing of all this. "What are you thinking, Marie?"

"That I have one 16, one 12, and one 10."

Ruthie laughed. "Thinking about all that time they spend in the bathroom with the door locked?"

"Yeah, I guess." Marie was learning a lot tonight.

"What about you, Ruthie. When did you start fooling around?"

She looked at the clock-radio on the dresser. "About three hours ago, now, and I'm really liking it!"

That got laughs all around. "Really. How old were you when you knew you had found something you wanted to do again?"

"I was 15, Toad," she said. "And I let this no-good so-and-so talk me into doing it. It was awful. Smelled bad, hurt for three days, and I was sure I would die from the guilt. I was sure everyone in the country could tell just by looking that I wasn't a virgin anymore."

"I'm glad you didn't let that turn you off forever. When did you come the first time?"

"After Dave and I were married." She looked out the dark window. "He was eating me, first guy who had ever done that. And I came. Simple as that. It was early in our marriage, and I hadn't had THAT much experience. Dave was as surprised as I was. I don't know if he even realized a woman could come. It was a shock to him." 

"You mean you had never even masturbated before that?" I asked.

"Nope," she said, "nothing. After that first time with the jerk when I was 15, I just left it all alone. I knew that it was something I would have to do someday, when I got married. Dave and I started before that, but it was still no big deal, until I came that first time."

"Did you start jilling off then?" I asked

"Boy, are you nosy!" She sipped her coffee. "I still don't do that much. I got plenty from Dave, and now plenty from you. And there are two kids here most of the time. Not much privacy. When you and I get together on the phone is about the only time I get to. I like it, I just don't worry about doing it that much."

"I know what you mean," Marie chimed in from my other side. "The Saturdays that El is home, they know to leave us alone until we get up. Then you call on the other Saturdays, and they leave me alone then. I like doing it by myself. I can control things that way. And it is just me. I don't have to worry about pleasing someone else."

"I can sympathize with that," Ruthie said. "I like fucking, but there is that pressure to make the other person feel good, fit what's going on with to someone else's needs. When you and I are on the phone," she said to me, "I just play and play, and come when I want. I know you'll wait for me."

"Yep," I agreed. "I always try to, anyway." I felt stirrings again in my cock. At this rate, we might be fucking again in a few minutes.

"What about you, Marie." Ruthie smiled at the other woman. "Tell us about your first time."

Marie looked up at me and said, "Not much to tell. El and I started fooling around when we were in High School. I got pregnant, we got married. I miscarried. A little girl. Then came three boys."

"You and El never even thought about splitting up, did you?" Ruthie seemed to know, somehow.

"You mean after the miscarriage?" She shook her head. Her hair swirled around her head. "No. We're together for the long haul."

I asked, "If you don't mind...does stuff like this, you and me, I mean...does that make the long haul easier? Or harder? I had my own thoughts about it, but I wanted to hear what she had to say.

"I think," she said, "that it makes it easier. I would hate to think about having to do all this if I was single." I had to look at her to find out if it was ok to laugh or not. It was OK. She and Ruthie were already shaking from suppressed laughter.

"What do you like to do, the most, I mean," I threw out for discussion. I wanted to keep them talking a few more minutes. "I mean, do you like, to fuck, suck, jill off? What?" 

Ruthie looked at Marie, who surprised me by starting off. "I like most of it. I've done just about everything. Anal is nowhere, and El and I don't do it anymore. We never did do that a lot, just a few times, when El wanted to try something new. I guess it was like, 'different hole, different person.' I thought it would keep him coming home." She shook her head and looked at us both. "So here I am with a cheating husband AND his girlfriend." I kissed her, and said thanks. 

Marie went on, "I like to suck, and be sucked on. I like the way you do it, Toad. It's different from the way El does it. I like the way he does it too, but it's nice to have something different once in a while."

"This guy is good at that," Ruthie said. "If you want to make comparisons. I mean, if the guy doesn't bite you it has to be good, right?"

I laughed. "As long as the guy does not stop when he shouldn't, I can't see where there would be much difference."

"That's where you would be wrong, Toad," Marie said. "You use your lips, tongue, mouth, teeth, nose, everything! El just uses his tongue. He never sucks me into his mouth the say you do. He makes me come, but he doesn't seem to be...well, as 'interested' as you are. Does that make sense?"

Ruthie jumped in before I could speak, "Yes, it makes sense. When this guy is eating you, it doesn't seem like he is doing anything else. He can be pretty dedicated. It is one of the reasons I wanted to do this for him tonight. Sorta like payback for all the attention he has given me all the time."

I was touched. "Ruthie, that is just about the sweetest thing ..."

Ruthie leaned over and kissed me. I watched as her hand strayed to her pussy, spread the lips, and began working on her clit. She knew that would drive me nuts. I looked over at Marie, and she was doing the same thing. Little circles going round and round on clits. I pushed back against the headboard of the bed, and watched. Marie threw her head back, her tits bouncing. I made a guess.

"This is what you two were talking about when I was in the bathroom before, I'll bet."

"You'd win that bet, Toad." Marie's voice was breathy, husky.

Ruthie untucked her legs from beneath herself and pulled her knees up. Now her pussy was peeking out from between her thighs, finger still busy. She propped herself up with her other hand, legs spread, head back, pussy gleaming wet. My cock was getting hard. I stroked it. Seemed sorta odd since there were two more than willing females right there, but it seemed what the moment demanded. Everyone was busy with their own thoughts centered, I would bet, right between the various spread legs around the bed.

Ruthie looked down and turned around so she was facing me from the foot of the bed. Marie matched her, so I was against the headboard of the bed, and they were both at the foot, facing me. Ruthie lay down, so did Marie. They were resting heads on my legs. 

Marie had both hands on her pussy, one spreading the lips, the other rubbing at her clit. My right hand was busy with my cock, so I didn't have anything I could do for her right then. Ruthie was caressing her own tits with her free hand, though, and she looked like she would not mind some help in the pussy department. I slipped a finger inside her, rewarded for the effort with a sigh and a buck closer to me. She spread her legs farther to her right, so her right leg fell off the bed from the knee down.

I leaned over and kissed Marie's leg, looked up toward where her hand was busy at her clit. She had three fingers inside herself now, pumping in and out. I resisted the temptation to reach up and bite her clit. She seemed to be doing well enough on her own. I rested back against her leg. I looked over at Ruthie. From here, all I could see were her tits, heaving, and hands, busy. She cocked up her left leg and rested her foot on the edge of the bed. Now I could see her hands at her cunt. She had her lips spread out wide, using her thumb and finger on her clit, pulling, rubbing, circling. For some reason, I decided not to come. I figured there was still a chance to fuck one or the other or both, and that chance would be even better if I hadn't just come. I stroked back and forth, just enough to keep the feeling alive. 

I switched hands, and reached to Marie's ass. I pulled the cheeks apart and watched her asshole clench and relax. I pushed up on the bed and watched. Marie opened her eyes to just a slit, and I could tell she was looking at me. Her fingers got busier, and I recognized the signs by now. Her legs stiffened, and she came. Not as big as other times, but big enough. I moved as close as I could and kissed her. Her thigh was as far as I could go, and she didn't feel like meeting me halfway. I leaned back again, and turned to watch Ruthie. She had seen me kiss Marie, and I imagined I could see a little pout on her lips, so I reached and kissed her in the same place. She took the opportunity to grab my head and press it to her leg. She held me there. I didn't mind. Anything to help.

I watched her fingers as she teased her clit. I had a great view as the muscles in her cunt spasmed, grasped, released, clenched again. She made the keening sound again and her legs pushed out stiffly. Her head pushed back against the bed as she tried to arch her back. Not easy on a waterbed. She seemed to get enough, though. Her hands burrowed even more deeply between her legs, squeezing tightly as she came.




Lucky Me



I don't know if I consider myself lucky, or unlucky. Like most, perhaps a bit of both. But looking back now, I'd have to say the day I broke my arm, along with my opposite wrist and a broken leg as well, turned out to be one of the luckiest moments of my entire life.

We had just graduated from high school and a bunch of us seniors had planned on a senior camping trip. (The girls were all supposed to come up the following day and at least spend the day with us). After setting up camp my friends and I decided to go for a hike, climb a few hills (looking for make-out spots where there would be some privacy) and generally fooling around. Well...I wasn't watching what I was doing as well as I should have. The next thing I knew, I'd lost my footing and fell about fifteen feet over the side of a small ledge. Luckily? I landed in a bunch of tall bushes. Unluckily, I broke my arm and wrist in the fall and though I didn't know it at the time, until I'd actually reached the hospital, I found I had a small fracture in my leg along with both of those.

Needless to say I was pissed, disappointed in myself and frustrated as hell winding up in the hospital instead of camping with my friends over the next few days. Not to mention not getting to spend any hopefully intimate time with my new girlfriend, especially as she'd hinted at the possibility of that. So much for my plans.

A day later I was laying in bed at home. Mom had taken a week off to look out after me as I was having a hell of a time doing things for myself. Once again luckily, I had just enough movement and use of one hand to take care of more personal intimate problems. But that was about the extent of it. Getting in and out of bed was bad enough, so for the first two days I just laid there watching TV, growing more and more bored by the minute. Not to mention horny as hell. It had now been at least a week since I'd even jerked off. By now...I was crawling the walls so to speak, and unable to do much of anything about it. I had made the attempt in fact one night late after my parents had gone to bed. The reality was, the only hand I had in order to accomplish that was my left hand. And for those who don't understand, or know...when you get used to jerking off a certain way with one particular hand, it's actually more difficult and awkward to switch off and do it with the other one. Added to that, that left hand being the one with the broken wrist, so I also had limited movement with it as it was. Eventually I gave up trying to get myself off, which left me even more frustrated and angry than I had ever been.

And mom of course noticed the change in my normally good natured mood. Even after the accident I'd managed to laugh about it. But three days later I wasn't laughing any more. Getting a hard on I couldn't do anything about was becoming annoying for one. Mom's coming into give me a sponge bath was another. In the first place, it was a bit embarrassing, not to mention even though she was my mom, and not half bad looking either. She was still my mom. In the second place, the fact I'd even gotten aroused when she'd given me that first sponge bath was totally unexpected...for both of us.

When she got to the part where it was time to wash the part...she'd told me she'd do that beneath the sheet, so I wouldn't see her looking at it, and she wouldn't be looking at it while she did it. It wasn't much, but it was the best plan I could agree to accept at the time. So, there I was laying back, embarrassed to tears as mom rung out the wash cloth, and then lifted the sheet slipping her hand down between my legs where she proceeded to give me a thorough washing.

Almost immediately several things happened with that. 

The first thing that happened was I started to grow a little. Not rock-hard horny, but enough that I was now embarrassed about that. Mom's hand on my dick (though she was actually washing it) and it growing...some anyway. And then to make matters worse, her telling me that she needed to wash under and around the foreskin a bit, so that I didn't get stinky down there. Ok...can you imagine anything worse than having your own mother tell you that she didn't want you to have stinky dick? So now she's playing blind man's bluff with my cock, feeling around, looking for cooties or some such with her fingers. And all that's doing...is pleasuring the head of my dick, and yeah...so it's suddenly growing again, a bit bigger now. And the way she's holding it in one hand, washing the tip, and pulling up the foreskin to wash that, well...its feeling good, and I'm more embarrassed than ever. And her hand is now securely wrapped around the quickly thickening shaft. And then of course she announces that we also need to "gingerly" wash my balls too.

Fuck. I wanted to die. Actually, I wanted to find a way to come first...and then die. Neither one of which happened of course.

And then things went downhill from there. Though a short time later, they suddenly got a whole lot better too!

**

Thankfully...I was saved by the bell, or rather the phone as it began ringing downstairs. Mom immediately stood dropping the cloth into the now luke warm pan of water she'd been using and took it with her.

"I'll fix you some lunch and bring it up in a bit," she told me quickly disappearing through the door heading downstairs to catch the phone. I lifted the sheet. Ok, so it wasn't one hundred percent erect...but was still bad enough. I mean it stood by itself without any help. Maybe it wasn't all angry and swollen looking, but she wouldn't have seen that under the sheet anyway. The fact was however...it was standing tall, and that she had held in her hand as she washed it.

My next immediate problem was...I needed to pee. BIG TIME. I refused to use a bed pan. So that meant getting out of bed, which even then wasn't easy. I'd been given a wheel chair to use at least in order to move about the second floor of the house. Crutches weren't an option, not with a broken arm, and a wrist that couldn't support much weight either, let alone anything else. So I was at least grateful for the chair. I slid out of bed, into the chair and then managed (slowly) to work my way over to the door, and then down the hall towards the bathroom. As I slowly made my way, I could hear mom down in the living room below talking to my aunt on the phone. Now I knew at least who'd called. No real surprise there either. With mom being home taking care of me, my Aunt Kathy had called at least three times a day ever since checking up to see how I was doing. I really did like my Aunt, five years younger than mom was, we'd always seemed to share a more personal, almost intimate closeness with one another. I'd even shared, and confided in her shortly after I'd lost my virginity. So we did have that shared kind of a connection with one another, whereby I felt like I could tell her just about anything. Unfortunately as I was about to find out...so did mom.

I was just about to wheel myself into the bathroom when I heard mom suddenly lower her voice. A sure sign when she did that she was about to share something with her sister she didn't want overheard. The problem was, since I'd rolled out into the hallway, I did.

"God Kath, you should have seen it...I mean I've admittedly wondered, you know...I guess parents sometimes do wonder about things like that, but I never expected..." She paused listening.

"No, no...I didn't actually look, look...I was washing it under the sheet, but he was growing, getting thicker and stiffer every second. Yes, yes...he was a little embarrassed I suppose, but not enough to keep himself from getting erect."

She was listening again, just as I was, rolling a bit further down the hallway towards the stairs.

"Yes, admittedly...I was getting that way too," she giggled, "And then you called, so thank god for that, I was honestly tempted to keep washing and holding it. As silly as this may sound Kath, I am sure the poor boy is going crazy in a way. You know how men are...I'm sure he hasn't had an orgasm since the accident, he can't exactly do much of anything about that, so I'm not surprised he was getting a stiffy when I was cleaning him up some."

"Fuck...getting a stiffy, she's telling my Aunt!" I sat telling myself. "And what did she mean by getting that way too?"

"I'm sure he'll be excited to see you sis," mom stated. "Yes, yes...I'm going to fix him a bite to eat now, and then I'll tell him you're coming over this evening, am sure he'll be excited to hear that." She giggled again. "I didn't mean that kind of excited," she laughed even harder though quickly lowering her voice once again. "Ok sis...I'll do that, yes, yes...we'll see you later on this evening then."

And with that she hung up. I spun in my chair heading immediately into the bathroom where I sat on the toilet trying desperately to pee. The problem was...I was as hard as a rock again.

**

A short time later mom brought up some lunch for me, and then informed me of course that my Aunt Kathy would be coming over later to see me. I acted as though I was just hearing this for the first time of course, though being excited about seeing my Aunt wasn't really acting as I was. It had been a couple of weeks since I'd seen her last, so was looking forward to her visit.

When she arrived, she immediately came up to my room after spending a brief few minutes with mom downstairs, once again talking in hushed tones, and from where I now was, totally unable to hear anything being said. Minutes later, she and mom entered my room where she immediately proceeded to come over to my bed, kissing and giving me a hug. After that she of course had to immediately inspect my injuries, going so far as to lift the sheet in order to have a look at the cast on my leg, though by now of course I was wearing boxers, and thankfully didn't have an erection. Mom made some excuse to head back downstairs and do something, leaving my Aunt and I alone for a moment.

"So..."

"So..." I responded back.

"Not exactly the way you planned on starting off your graduation was it?"

"You might could say that," I said letting her hear the frustration in my voice.

"I imagine it's pretty frustrating in other ways too isn't it?" She then asked smiling, though I knew full well what she was talking about. Like I said, one thing about my Aunt that I did appreciate was her way of speaking with me candidly about a number of things, and not too surprisingly...this one.

"You might could say that too," I added again.

"So can't you...ah, you know," she asked raising her eyebrows just a little sort of looking towards my crotch for a moment, and then back to my face.

"I tried," I said simply not feeling too awkward or embarrassed by the admission. "All that did was...well, ah...give me a stiffy," I said using the same word I'd heard mom using earlier. "And aggravate my wrist enough that it began aching, so I had to ah...you know, give up."

"And that left something else aching too didn't it?" She then added.

"Yes...it did."

She stood then looking down at me once again. "What about...ah, your girlfriend?" She asked. "Any possibility she might drop by...say hello, see how you're doing? I'm sure your mom would be cordial and candid enough to allow the two of you a bit of privacy for a while," she openly suggested.

"We ah...don't have that kind of a relationship yet. We just started dating a few weeks ago, so no...not exactly something I could ask her, or expect her to do Kath," I said using the less formal, more intimate address of my aunt that I very often did whenever we started speaking this way with one another.

"I see," she said looking worried and concerned. Once again she just stood there looking at me without saying anything, a bit of a flush suddenly coming into her face. "Well, I should probably go down and help your mother, but...wanted you to know, I'm planning on spending the night here this evening, thought we might as well try and enjoy an evening together. Even brought a few movies along to watch later up here in your room."

"Looking forward to that," I said. Which I was, though I now had...once again the beginnings of another unwanted erection, simply from the semi-intimate discussion we'd just been having. Which unfortunately hadn't resolved my problem...if anything, making it even worse as I now sat looking at my rather attractive aunt, once again getting a "stiffy".

I was glad when she finally left, though once again feeling frustrated and angry with myself in having gotten myself into this situation in the first place. I did enjoy our dinner together later, mom of course joining us, and then staying long enough to watch a movie together. And though it wasn't exactly a chick-flick, more of a suspense action adventure, there were one or two fairly steamy scenes in it, which once again didn't help me out much at all. Even Kathy commented on that briefly, joking around about it a little, stating that she didn't realize there were such sexy scenes in the movie, and hoped that hadn't "bothered" me in a bad way...watching them with her and mom both there. Though she had in fact placed her hand on my upper thigh when saying that, squeezing my leg, almost apologetically with that knowing little look in her eye. We both knew what it was she was actually referring to.

When it finally came time to say goodnight, I was once again actually glad. Though I had indeed enjoyed the company, I was surly, aggravated, and once again very frustrated, laying there on my back, bending my leg just a little in order to better hide and disguise the erection I was once again sporting. Giving me a quick brief kiss on the lips, mom of course kissing me on the forehead, they then said goodnight and left, closing my door leaving me to lay there in the darkness cursing my stupidity.

I know that nearly a full hour had passed. I'd glanced over at the digital clock on my night stand often enough to watch the time slowly tick by with sleep eluding me as I lay there. When I heard the sound of my door quietly opening, I actually feigned being asleep, still a bit cross, I wasn't in any sort of mood to be asked if I needed anything. What I needed was to be left alone. No...what I needed was a nice hard orgasm. And at the moment as I heard the silent approach of footsteps crossing over towards my bed, I didn't think I was going to be allowed either one.

I thought at first it was mom coming in to check on me, but when I heard the soft almost whispered sound of my Aunt's voice, I finally opened my eyes.

"Jim? You asleep?" 

"Wish I was," I answered in response. Once again I'm sure my aunt heard the edge to my tone of voice as she sat down beside me there on the bed. 

"Can I get you...do anything for you to help you sleep?" she now asked.

Mom had gotten some sleeping pills for me, but I didn't like taking them, always feeling too groggy in the morning the two times that I had. "No...thanks, I'll eventually fall asleep," I assured her. She continued to sit, her hand once again coming up to rest comfortably on my thigh. I could tell by her silence she was thinking, waiting for her to tell me whatever it was she was thinking about.

"You know Jim...I may very well be your aunt and all, but...you and I have always had a very close relationship, which I've really appreciated having and sharing with you over the years. And as such, I'm always concerned and worried about your welfare...and well, just because I happen to be your aunt, that doesn't mean I don't understand certain needs...even in my own nephew." 

She moved her hand some, sliding it up my thigh, though still on top of the sheet, though she now held it mere inches away from my once again growing erection. I was beginning to think it would never go down when it finally did...and now, here it was raising up quite rapidly just because she'd semi grazed my thigh a little, causing it to do so. The fact was...I was still trying to digest her words, had she just said...just intimated what I thought she had?

"I'm ah...not sure I'm following you," I said simply.

She chuckled softly. "Yes I guess I should probably be a bit more specific as to my meaning," she said. And by way of doing that...simply slid her hand beneath the sheet. I then felt her fumbling about for a moment, suddenly reaching up locating my awakened prick, now holding it in her hand.

"Kath?"

"Shh...just relax, lay back and let me do this for you," she whispered quietly. I didn't know what to say, what to do...if anything but do as she'd asked me to do. Even in the semi darkness of my bedroom, which wasn't totally dark as the moon outside gave off just enough light to sort of see by, I looked down, seeing the movement there beneath the sheet as she slowly, pleasurably, began fondling and working my cock. "That feel good?" she now asked, a small catch to her voice, a nervous, excited trembling perhaps. The fact she was as nervous as I was, was interesting. But the most obvious, nervous, exciting thing was...my wonderfully attractive, sexy aunt...was beating me off!

"Yes...yes, oh fuck...yes. Oh god! Sorry...I didn't mean,"

"Shh," she said again still manipulating my cock, though she did so softly, slowly...not as though she was clinically pumping it up and down just in order to give me release. My aunt was actually enjoying herself while she did this. "It's ok...I understand, and not like I haven't heard the word before," she giggled softly. "Just relax, enjoy it...and if you want to say fuck again...say it. I know where you're coming from."

"Fuck." 

She giggled.

"Oh fuck!"

This time she sighed...pleasurably. 

"Oh fuck Kath...I'm...I'm...oh fuck. I'm going to come!"

"Yes baby...yes, come for your aunt Kathy, do it baby, do it...let me feel your hard strong prick squirting out all that hot naughty juice," she then said letting her own desires surface, though I'm not sure at the time she even then realized how much she really had.

"The sheet! The sheet!" I said suddenly, though why I was suddenly worried and concerned about that was a strange thought to be having at the time, especially when the sensation of my balls tightening was alerting me that I was milliseconds away from splurging what I knew was going to be one mother-fucking eruption here in a moment was beyond me. To my surprise however, my aunt must have agreed, or used that as an excuse to suddenly do what she now did. Yanking the sheet off and away from me, she now looked down, her hand more forcefully jacking my cock up and down, her mouth half open, her eyes wide. Even in the darkness I could see that, now looking down, watching her hand move up and down my shaft, the first beginnings of my orgasm even then starting to race up my shaft. "Oh yeah...yeah...yeah!" I cried out, jerking upwards somehow lifting my ass off the bed, though it might very well have been that very first skyrocketing torrent of cum leaping from my prick which caused that. 

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Kathy cried out happily, still stroking, now pumping and simultaneously squeezing my cock as jet after intense precious jet flew from my prick tip. I hadn't meant to, though afterwards as we both thought about it, neither one of us had expected the rather copious amount of cream I had actually spurted. It was everywhere, all over me...all over my aunt's robe...the sheets, the floor, the wall. Fuck...it was everywhere, and I fucking loved every single moment of it. Hands down...it was the best damn hand-job I'd ever been given, not to mention...the most needed one too.

Kathy once again kissed me on the lips before leaving, though this time I was almost one hundred percent sure her lips lingered there a bit longer than they usually did. "Now perhaps you'll be able to sleep," she told me. And then with that, she stood up and as quietly as she'd entered my room, she left it.




Lucky Me



I was asleep within minutes.

**

To be honest...I don't remember a more relaxing sleep than the one I had thanks to my sweet sexy aunt. Finally waking up with the urge to pee once again, I managed to slip back into my chair, and as before...wheeled myself down the hall towards the bathroom. And just as before...as I neared the bathroom I heard voices coming from downstairs.

"God I wish I'd been there to see that," mom was saying. "I know...I know, I suppose that sounds horrible, especially coming from his own mother, but holding it in my hand the way I did...well, you know as I've already told you, it felt harder and bigger than Jeff's is...and to be perfectly honest about it Kathy, I was horny as hell while I sat there washing it!"

"Oh yes Carol, Kathy said calling mom by name, I was too...so I know what you mean. I was so tempted to reach down between my own legs and finger myself off while I was doing that, or worse...admittedly, ask him to do it for me instead. But yes...I know what you mean, rather wicked of us both to be thinking along those lines isn't it?"

"Wicked naughty yes...and heaven help me for thinking it, but I was so jealous of you when you came back and told me how it went. God Kath! I could just see Jim's prick squirting the way you said it did...and I'm not ashamed to tell you, after you told me about that earlier this morning, I had to go into the bedroom, pull out my vibrator and get off while Jeff was in the shower getting ready for work. I didn't even care if he'd come out and found me using it as horny as I fucking was!"

Mom horny? Mom saying fuck? "Holy shit!" I said to myself, somewhat afraid of being heard, or worse found, sitting there in my chair at the top of the stairs. Luckily for me, they couldn't see me sitting in the front room the way they were obviously drinking coffee, as I could smell that too. But it was obvious they had no clue that sitting there were I was, I could easily hear their entire conversation, even when they lowered their voices as though worried I might somehow overhear them from up in my bedroom.

"Does that make me an absolutely horrible mother?" Mom asked concernedly. "To be thinking...and having such thoughts about my very own son?"

"No more than my being is Aunt," Kathy answered. "And I was the one to actually stroke him off...and admittedly get just as turned on as you are hearing about it, as I was doing it. So no sis...I don't think it's horrible for you to admit to that. Hell sweetie, we're all creatures of pleasure and arousal, even if we're not always willing to admit it. Look at you and I, look at all the things we did growing up together. I don't think either one of us turned out worse for it because we did either...do you? You have any regrets about any of that?"

Mom laughed. "No...and there again sis, I don't mind telling you, I sort of miss it. We really did have a lot of fun back then didn't we?"

"Yeah we did...and admittedly, I miss it too."

"If it wasn't for Jeff...well, he'd kill me, kill both of us if he were to ever find out about any of that."

Now my Aunt laughed. "I doubt that sis...if anything, he'd want a part of me too, in fact, I know he would. He'd want to watch the two of us going at it for him, that's what he'd want."

"You're probably right," mom joked. "He would. But that still doesn't make the desires I still have go away either. Which is exactly what we both know poor Jim has been going through, until last night anyway. I bet he's still dreaming about that hot hand-job you gave him last night in fact."

"Speaking of which..." I heard the couch as someone stood, sounding like my Aunt as she continued. "Maybe I should go up and see if he's up yet, no doubt he'll be hungry if he is."

"Shit!" I said to myself, hurriedly turning the chair in order to retreat back into my bedroom, "fuck needing to pee," I once again said to myself. Problem was, I'd not given myself enough room to turn fast enough, having to back up, turn and move forward again. Being in the hurry I was, trying to somehow lean in order to make the turn, turning the chair around, I over did it. Which is when me and the chair suddenly tipped over crashing in the hallway.

"Jesus!" My mother shouted out from down below. "Jim? Jim? Are you alright?"

Seconds later I heard the sound of footsteps racing from the room over to the stairs and then up. Only then rolling over, collecting myself, shamefacedly as I lay there looking up at the two of them as they almost simultaneously reached down asking me if I was hurt...what had happened, why I was up and out of bed without asking for help. And then curiously so...Kathy asked.

"And why are you all the way down here by the stairs?" She now asked, looking back towards the bathroom, which was midway between here and my bedroom.

I think I opened my mouth...though no words came out. And then my Aunt answered for me.

"You...you were listening to us, weren't you?"

Now one thing you have to understand...I was a horrible liar for one thing. And for another, I had never, ever lied to my Aunt. Never had a reason to, and I wasn't about to begin doing so now either. Besides, she'd have been even more mad and upset with me had I denied it. She did after all, have me dead to rights on this one. Even if it had been mom who'd asked me the question, with her just standing there, it would have been pretty much the same thing. And then what I at first saw, and thought was anger in her face, was instead embarrassment, surprise, which was the same exact look I now realized, mom was giving me too.

"Ah yes...I was," I said simply as the two of them righted my chair helping me back in it. "Sorry," I finished.

"How...ah, how ah...much, did you...ah...did you hear anyway?" Mom asked.

"Enough," I said trying to whisper it, feeling ashamed, silly...guilty as hell that I had. Even though I now found it interesting that the two of them stood there looking back and forth at one another, guilty as hell looks on their faces. "Don't worry...not like I'm in any position to say anything to anyone about it," I suddenly blurted out. And then I actually found myself becoming a bit bolder too, taking them both by surprise I think. "And just so you know...I enjoyed what happened last night, and I'm not ashamed to say it either. I did...I needed it, I welcomed it, I wanted it. And yeah...if you must know, I wanted to touch you too!" I told my Aunt, though I didn't leave it there either, suddenly turning...facing towards mom. "And just so you know...maybe I was a little embarrassed when you first came in to give me my sponge bath, but the truth there is...it made me horny, I enjoyed it, I actually found myself wishing you'd continued doing what you were...I think I'd have actually come then too. So...there, I've said it, you now have the goods on me as well!"

And with that, I pushed away from the two of them as they stood there looking a little shocked, more than a bit surprised by my sudden outburst and admission. I even managed to make it down the hallway to my room, pushing myself through the door, then closing it. I sat for a moment, surprised I didn't hear anything, no footsteps coming to my room, no footsteps going back down the stairs, and no talking either. I could only imagine what the two of them were standing there doing, no doubt looking at one another, still trying to figure it all out perhaps.

"Shit!" I said out loud turning around in my chair again. I still had to pee.

**

I opened the door to my room, still half expecting to find the two of them standing there, but they weren't, the hallway was empty. I hadn't heard them go down the stairs, so that left just one other alternative. They'd obviously gone down the hallway the other way...into mom and dad's room. I noticed then that though the door appeared closed, it actually wasn't, still opened a few inches, and then the sound of mom's voice, though it didn't sound like she was talking to my aunt...but to someone else. And once again, though you'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now...I crept forward, listening, trying to hear what was being said, discussed. Mom was obviously and quite clearly on the phone.

"Yes, I just thought I should call and tell you that, yes dear...we do have a lot to discuss and talk about when you get home. Yes...yes, I will, we will," she said. "I love you too honey, and no...don't worry about it. Kathy and I will talk to him about all that in a minute here, we'll tell you how it went when you get home from your trip," she finished, saying good-by then and hanging up the phone.

I turned into the bathroom, closing the door, not trying to be quiet about it either. The last thing I wanted them to be wondering about, was if I was trying to spy on their conversation this time, even though I had been.

It wasn't more than a few minutes when I suddenly heard a knock on the bathroom door. "Jim? When you're done in there? Can I...ah, can we speak to you for a minute?" Mom asked.

I waited for a moment before answering. "Ah yeah...sure," I said pausing again. "I'll be right out."

Although I was already done peeing, I continued to sit there in my chair now, wondering as I did what it was they had, or wanted to speak to me about. Not only that...but I also couldn't help wondering what mom had spoken to dad about on the phone. By the sounds of it, a lot...and that made me more than just a little anxious. I sat collecting myself for a minute more, and then flushed, taking time in washing my hands before finally opening the door, wheeling myself out. Surprisingly, no one stood in the hallway expectantly waiting for me, though the door was again half open, beckoning to me from down the hall. I wheeled towards it, rolling in. Mom was sitting on the end of her bed waiting for me, though she had appeared to have changed clothes, or rather was in the process of doing so perhaps as she currently had her morning robe on. Kathy on the other hand was nowhere in sight.

"You ah...wanted to see me? Speak to me about something?" I asked sounding ridicules even as I asked the question.

"I would yes," mom said actually patting a place on the bed next to her, indicating that she wanted me to come over and sit down beside her. I rolled over close enough, and then easily pulled myself up out of the chair and onto her bed.

"Where's ah...Aunt Kathy?" I now asked.

"Right here," she said, stepping out of mom's private bathroom, though I guess I should have expected that. What I didn't expect when she did...was to see her naked.

"Jesus!" I said looking over towards her, and then at mom. "Ah...someone want to tell me what the hell's going on around here?"

"If seeing me like this makes you nervous, or uneasy, I can get dressed again," Kathy said. "We just thought it might make things easier for you, for us...if we were to basically put things on an even level here while we talked. So...would you rather I get dressed again?"

This time I didn't pause or hesitate. "No!" I said almost a little too quickly. "You're ah...fine, it's cool...whatever you want," I continued to stammer, now feeling my face blushing a bit. I mean shit...my Aunt was naked!

She smiled then, crossing over to sit next to me on the bed, effectively sandwiching me between the two of them. I was still at a loss for words however, not at all sure where any of this was going...or why.

"Ok, so...someone want to fill me in on what really is going on here?" I now asked.

"What's going on..." My Aunt began looking over towards mom, "Is that we felt like it was time for the three of us to discuss...to openly discuss, things that were said, things some of us are obviously feeling and thinking about. It's not fair to you...not fair of us, to say, or do what we've both done, freely and openly admitted to, unfortunately...to one another, and no one else...yet."

"Like your father," mom said jumping in.

"Like Jeff yes...and you too," my Aunt went on. "You...overheard things, things about us, stuff we were sharing, feeling and thinking about behind your back. And to continue to do so, without you hearing all of it, is an injustice to you, as well as to everyone else...including your dad."

"Ok, but I'm still not sure I'm following all this, or why you're suddenly sitting here next to me naked...not that I mind, mind you. I don't. But...since we're all being honest here, or at least I hope that's what we're doing...then I need to tell you, ah...seeing you like this? Well, let's just say I'm starting to get aroused again."

"We were sort of hoping you'd say that," mom spoke suddenly standing, and then she too removed her bathrobe. Suddenly I was looking at my own mother, also naked now...and speechless. I'd seen her naked a few times in the past, but not for a couple of years now, and not ever for very long either when I accidentally had, though even then she'd never made an issue out of it, or any sort of a fuss over it either. Mom and dad had always been fairly decently cool when it came to things like that, even sex discussions whenever there was something I wanted to know or was curious about. Even dad...years ago, had told me all about masturbation, something I'd started doing frequently ever since. Up until recently anyway. But now...here I was, looking at my nude mother as she sat down beside me once again. 

"I'm still not sure I understand where any of this is going...or what the conversation was with dad on the phone," I tossed in, which stupidly confirmed for the two of them I'd overheard part of that discussion too, though they just grinned looking at one another, and thankfully let it go.

"We'll discuss all that later when dad gets home on Sunday," mom said. "But for now...we need to discuss the three of us."

"Us?"

"Yeah...us," Aunt Kathy said. "Here's the deal Jim, at the moment...you're sort of in an awkward situation. What I did...and what your mother in a way basically admitted to herself, which is part of what you overheard, was each of us...expressing a desire to at least temporarily help you out with that. Now...that being said, we're basically offering a few things for your enjoyment, benefit etc. As well as our own too."

"Ah huh..." I said, still not quite believing what I was hearing yet. Was this actually going in the direction it seemed to be?

"And as you also probably overheard...your mom and I, years ago now...used to ah...well, fool around together a little bit ourselves. And then with things happening the way they did here, that sort of stirred up a few of those old feelings again."

"The thing is Jim," Mom said jumping in. "Your father and I made a promise to one another years ago, which we've both lived up to. And that was...if either one of us decided to do anything outside of our relationship, we'd tell one another about it first, so far...we've done that. And so...before I could allow myself to do anything with my sister again, I had to tell him that I wanted to. And before I could approach you, I needed to tell your dad I wanted to do that too."

"Jesus! You...you talked to dad about that...all this?" I said once again glancing over towards my Aunt, and then back to mom. "And...and...he was cool with it?"

"Let's just say, he's very anxious to come home on Sunday and leave it at that for the time being. In the meantime...I'm rather anxious to explore a few things that I haven't explored in years, not to mention exploring something else, provided you're ok with it," she informed me.

Once again I couldn't believe this was happening, and had it not been for the fact my mother...and my aunt where sitting on either side of me entirely naked, I'd have thought I was dreaming. My cock told me otherwise however, having already lengthened and hardened considerably a long time ago. The fact that I was wearing nothing more than a robe, my boxers, didn't do much in concealing that fact either, which my Aunt immediately picked up on. Looking down at the tent in my robe at this point, she reached over, not touching...but parting the fold in my bathrobe. When she did, it became readily apparent as to what my cock had already decided. Sticking up through the opening in my boxers, it had already made an appearance.

"Even better looking in the light than when I last saw it," she suddenly blurted out, to which I then heard mom audibly gasp.

"Oh my...yes, it is!"

To my surprise it was mom who reached over first, the sudden sensation of her warm delicate hand wrapping itself around my cock, squeezing it gently. She moved in a bit closer to me as she did that, her voice husky, lustful. "So...is this ok, or...no?"

"Fuck!" I said by way of an answer, and then leaned over capturing one of my mother's beautiful, full breasts, her hard extended nipple sucking it into my mouth.

"I think...he said yes," Aunt Kathy laughed, now reaching over herself, her hand joining moms as the two of them sat fondling my stiff hard cock together.

I couldn't help but gasp audibly myself, though still enjoying the feel and sensation of mouthing my own mother's wonderful hard-tipped breast. The two of them however suddenly pushing me back onto the bed, allowing them to do so, though I was also in no condition, or desire to resist them in doing that.

As Kathy reached down, pulling my boxers all the way down my legs, mom likewise removed my robe, uncharacteristically, tossing it off to one side where it landed on the floor. "Don't worry about doing anything, that's what we're here for," she then told me, and slithered down my body, once again meeting up with my Aunt, who'd already begun tickling the length of my cock with her rapid-fire tongue.

I almost exploded right then and there, not so much because of how it felt, though it felt unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. But it was the mere thought that my Aunt...and now my mother were between my legs, taking turns sucking and licking my cock together. It was all I could do to hold back and keep from spurting all over their faces.

As though sensing that perhaps, I heard my Aunt giggle. "Perhaps we should give him a minute," she told my mother. "Not in any real hurry here are we?"

"You might be right...though I'm honestly anxious to finally see him squirt," mom added reluctantly pulling away. "But...as you said, plenty of time for that later. How about we...put on a little bit of a show for him now?" She ventured.

Something I was all for, so high-strung at the moment however, that even seeing that was apt to produce a fountain, and without any help of my own. But the fact I now knew the two of them used to do things together growing up, and now wanted to experience and enjoy that again...well I for one, wanted to see it for myself. 

I now propped myself up on my back using the pillows from the bed, uncaring at the moment that neither of them was touching me, almost grateful for the fact that they weren't. Looking down at myself, my prick seemed to be bigger than it had ever been, and certainly far more swollen than I'd seen it in quite some time. But the bigger picture was...watching my Aunt and mother suddenly curling up in bed beside me locked in a very wicked, very delicious looking '69'.

"God Kath...when was the last time I licked your pussy anyway? Nineteen, twenty years ago now was it?" Mom spoke, but went back to immediately licking and sucking my aunt's juicy cunt.

"As I recall...the last time was three days before your wedding day remember? We both knew that it might very well be the last time we ever did that. It was also the first time, I ever actually fucked you with a strap on dildo. Good thing you weren't a virgin any more anyway, or Jeff might have been more than a little angry with me."

"Holy shit, you mean...you fucked mom before dad did?"

Mom chuckled. "Didn't say that Jim, your dad and I had been messing around ourselves for a couple of months. He just didn't know that my sister and I were too at the time. Didn't hear about any of that until a year or so later. And then of course, he kept hoping we'd start doing so again...except by then, your Aunt Kathy had gotten married herself, and Uncle Fred would have come unglued had he ever found out about that."




Lucky Me



Aunt Kathy and my ex-uncle Fred had gotten divorced well over three years ago now, and so far as I knew, my Aunt hadn't found anyone else she was interested in settling down with. Though she had dated, and gone out a few times, she was very leery about letting anyone else dictate to her how she wanted to live and enjoy her life after that. And now it seemed...with dad's obvious approval, the two of them would be making up for lost time.

"God sis...your cunts still as sweet as ever," Kathy said as she ran her tongue up and down my mother's slit, the sounds of which could be easily heard as she did that. Mom's deep-throated moans of ecstasy and pleasure adding a nice erotic naughty accompaniment to her liquid, slippery tonguing.

"And yours is as juicy as ever too. God Kath, you always could juice up unlike anything I had ever seen before...just like you're doing now," she added. From the way they were currently positioned, I wasn't quite able to see that, though I strained my head trying to look over.

"I think Jim would like to see that," Kath told my mom giggling a little.

"Come here baby...come see this, come see how wet and juicy your aunts cunt can get," mom said coaxing me over to lay next to her, the two of us now gazing up at...and looking into my aunts hot went pussy as she pried her lips apart even more obscenely with her fingers so I could look in.

"Fuck...fuck that's hot!" I exclaimed.

"How'd you like to taste it?" Aunt Kathy asked.

"Yeah? Could I?" I asked excitedly.

As it was far easier for the two of them to reposition themselves than it was for me, I soon found my aunt crawling up to sit over my face. Looking up at that sweet bare pussy as she slowly lowered it down was a treat all by itself. But when I actually slid my tongue inside that very wet obviously juicy split of hers, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

"I'm sorry...but I'm just going to have to fuck this!" Mom suddenly said out of the blue. "And frankly Jim, I don't care if you do come the moment I do. I need to feel it!"

Perhaps having something to focus on helped, though once again it was almost more about who it was that was actually sliding down over my shaft, more than the way it felt. Though it felt...unfucking real! The realization I was inside my own mother's cunt nearly did it for me, as she slowly began moving up and down, side to side...fucking my dick. In the meantime of course, here I was...sucking my Aunt's clit, wrapping my lips around that hard little knot, drawing it inside, running and lapping my tongue against it with quick little flicks, causing her to bounce against my face almost spasmodically.

And as we all did that...the two of them were now touching and fondling one another again too, which just escalated the sensations and arousal we were all feeling.

"I love your tits."

"I love yours too Kath, have missed playing with them, holding them...sucking them, like this."

I couldn't see it of course, not with a mouth full of pussy, and not that I minded that either, I could in a way, see it in my mind's eye...though their continued commentary certainly helped.

"I always did enjoy pulling and twisting on your nipples like this," mom stated. Hearing my aunt moan, grinding her cunt against my face even more deliberately as mom did that.

"Oh fuck yes...harder sweetie, harder...you fucking know I love that! That's it...jiggle them babe...pull on em...that's right! That's right...oh fuck yes!" My aunt was all but screaming, continuing to smother me with her cunt, her juices free flowing now as my face literally started to become soaked. Meanwhile...mom's pussy was doing a rather nice dance of its own up and down my shaft now, the sounds of her pussy sucking, the liquid squishy sweetness of it lathering up my dick was driving me nearly insane. And I knew...just as mom had predicted, I was only moments away from spilling my seed inside her.

"Oh fuck...I can't...I can't...hold out...any...long...ger!" I moaned deeply into my aunt's cunt, suddenly feeling the rush of pleasure, the intensity of release skyrocketing up my shaft.

"Yes baby yes! Fill mommy's cunt with your seed baby! Give it to me...spurt that naughty delicious cum juice inside me honey...squirt it! Squirt it! Squirt it!"

By now I was...feeling one maddeningly intense ribbon of spunk, one after the other filling mom's womb, imagining the spray splashing against her cervix, coating the lining of her hot slick, slippery fuck tunnel. I was so out of it in fact at that point, I barely recall my aunt suddenly lifting off my face, nor did I even realize that mom too had extricated herself off my cock. But as I slowly came around, I looked over, mom now laying next to me on the bed, her hands fingering, toying with her own breasts, and aunt Kathy now...down between her legs.

"Fucking A!' I just managed to breathe, looking over, watching as Kathy speared mom's cunt with her tongue, then looking up at the two of us, showing us both a dollop of my sperm clinging to it as she licked it out of her.

"Now this is something we never got to do," Kathy said smiling, looking more lustful than I could have ever imagined, licking mom again, and showing us again another cum-drop, balled on the tip of her tongue before sucking it down, swallowing and then slipping her tongue in once again eating mom out.

"Hold me baby...hold me while I come!" Mom suddenly cried out, as I reached over, my free arm, the one with the much shorter cast around my wrist allowing me to do that much anyway, gathering up her breast, holding it as she placed her arm around mine pressing me to her. The moment she did, I felt, and then saw her as her ass literally came up off the bed, forcing my aunt to go with her. And then she cried out, the high screamed wail of pleasure piercing the air as she allowed herself to enjoy and feel the intensity of the orgasm that claimed her.

**

I have no idea how long the three of us simply lay there together, each of us snuggled up, hugging one another, though eventually I did feel my aunt's hand once again lifting, and playfully fondling my very limp dick.

"I think it's dead," she said waggling it back and forth a little. "I think you killed it Carol!" Kathy said. "And I haven't even had a chance to fuck him yet!"

And then...much to everyone's surprise including my own, just hearing that, suddenly began raising the dead.

"Oh my," mom said once again sitting up.

"Oh mine..." my aunt Kathy kiddingly corrected, and then slid over, once again mounting me from above.

"Pardon me for being selfish here this time...but it's important to know...I haven't come yet."

I managed to last a lot longer this time, though I once again climaxed just shortly after my aunt did, not quite as intensely as I had the first time, but it was very satisfying and pleasurable nonetheless. And the fact that I got to lay there, feeling that...watching mom as she unabashedly sat there fingering herself was something else unique and extremely erotic to watch. Seeing my own mother...masturbating. After everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, I now knew...I didn't want any of this to end...not ever. But even as I thought that, wondering...realizing that once dad got home from his trip, things could very easily change, I was content for the moment at least, to enjoy this for as long as it lasted.

**

"Well, I don't know about you two...but I'm famished," mom said. "I think...we should get something started for dinner, and then afterwards, once we've all collected our breath, gathered our strength back...we should maybe even continue this. If of course...the two of you are up for it?" She wondered asking us.

I think the grins on our respective faces answered that, though I was suddenly struck with the thought that I'd once again be banished to my bedroom upstairs, while the two of them busied themselves in the kitchen downstairs. Maybe...they saw the look in my face after having said that.

"You know what Jim, with the two of us here. I think we can manage to get you downstairs so you can remain with us while we fix something to eat. What do you think Kath? Think we can get Jim down stairs safely enough without breaking anything else?"

"I think we can manage," she assured us both. "As long as we go slowly and don't try and rush anything in doing that."

"Sounds like what you said a while ago," I teased her, to which she laughed.

"You know...something else comes to mind too that maybe we could all be thinking about while we're fixing dinner...for later, afterwards," she then hinted suggestively.

"What's that?" Mom asked as she slipped back into her robe, then helping me to get back into mine, though I decided I was good without putting the boxers back on I'd been wearing.

"I think...we should all be thinking about something we'd like to see one another do, something naughty...something wickedly erotic...very naughty."

Mom burst out laughing.

"What?"

"You're only saying that...because you've already got something in mind don't you?"

My aunt blushed, but she nodded her head. "Well yeah...I guess I do. But I don't want to be the only one with a dirty, perverted mind around here either. So...while we're fixing and eating dinner, that will give the two of you time enough to come up with something you'd like to see...feel, or do. How's that sound?"

I opened my robe, showing both my aunt and my mother that amazingly enough...my cock was stiffening again.

"Sounds fine with me!" I snickered. Seeing their surprised expressions.

"Ok, put that thing away before you tempt me too much," mom stated. "Let's get you downstairs, and then fix something to eat. In the meantime, we can all be thinking about what we want to do to one another after that."

I thought that sounded like one hell of a fine idea.



Lucky Me!



As I lay back on the motel bed with my cock fully embedded in her mouth I think, "Luck me!" 

Alright, maybe a little backs story here.

Bad day, of a bad week of a bad month… you get the picture. My wife of over ten years, well wife for the first three years followed by seven years of spending my money, had finally (I am truly grateful), agreed to a divorce. It took more then a year to finally get it done but we were officially divorced. My life was now about to get better.

Oh my… the sensation of her tongue sliding around me is exquisite. I look upon her mouth as I slide deeper and deeper and wonder, "Does it get any better?"

She opens her eyes and I spy her looking up at me. Cheeks sucked in knowing she is doing this strictly for me, I barely hold back from spurting down her throat right then! I lean forward enough to garner her attention and softy whisper, "You are amazing! I wish you could make me feel this way every moment of every day. I never knew it could be so good!"

"Mmmmh.", she hummed around the head of my fully-grown cock.

Back to the back-story. We were divorced. I was ready to date. After years of flirting with co-workers, smiling at waitresses and my recent foray into physical fitness, I knew I could get a date. Not so easy as I thought. I mean I tried it all. Bars, dating sites, friends blind dates. Nothing provided what I was looking for, a simple good time. I wanted a confident woman who had not lost her femininity. You know, a sexy woman. It was much harder then I ever thought. I kept trying and trying but only found relief by jerking off to porn. I loved the stuff! Movies and writings always gave me satisfaction. 

"Oooh, that is fantastic!" She sucked just a bit harder and let me pop from her mouth.

"I love blowing a big hard dick like yours. The cream filling is just like icing on the cake.

Closing her eyes she lowered her soft ruby red lips over the tip and teased her way to the base, taking every inch all the way into her throat. Another hum and another bout of self-control not to empty my sack. I let a growl escape and took a deep breath just barely stopping my cum from covering her tonsils. She eased back halfway up and starting swirling her talented tongue around and around giving me a chance to cool down while keeping me nice and excited.

I thought back when I was failing to get a second date with anyone. I was desperate. I knew there was someone out there for me. How to find her?!? Where to look? Then the really difficult part, what to say when I see her? Women are fickle. I learned this fact of life the hard way.

She tried to smile and it only enhanced the mood. Once more she closed her eyes and slowly, ever so gradually, moved her head down. The feeling was unbelievable! Never had anyone brought me such pleasure. I could tell she was enjoying making me feel this way. This cocksucker liked being on her knees and knew exactly what she was doing.

She eases back up and grabs my now wet dick As slowly as her lips pull away, she quickly slides them back down, down, down… until I feel her breath, through her nose, teasing my pubic just below my belly button (OK. I have a 'thing' about belly buttons!) I cannot keep my eyes open and lean back enjoying the blood rushing to meet to her suckling. 

I relished in her technique. As she eased up trying to make me cum I thought how luck I was. Having just about giving up meeting someone I stumbled across a "dating" web site. Well, I knew it was not for dates, more for professionals to find new clients. By now I was not going to split hairs. Paying for flowers, dinner and drinks to get the end result or just forking over the cash up front for the same ending. I made my decision.

A buddy I met at a bar one night told me about this service. One where diner and drinks are paid for… up, in cash to the intended. It took several weeks of mustering but I worked up the courage to call the number. I sweet voice answered, "Well big boy, where and what time. I promise a you will like what happens."

Once more she eases to my head and flicks her talented tongue over it, pushing its way into my slit and driving me to the point of no return…

She starts jacking me off, knowing I am ready to blow she does exactly what I want most.

"Alright big boy, I am ready for that sweet cum. I know it is hot and now I want a taste. Fill me up baby. Yea, yea, that's it. Those big balls are tight. Are you gonna give my cream? Are you fill my mouth with your spunk?"

I love it when she talks dirty. It gets me boiling and I wait for the final act.

Now I find myself with her hands wrapped around my throbbing cock, stroking down, once hand replacing the other as it reached the bottom of my shaft. Money well spent.

Whimpering she starts back up," Oh baby please don't make me wait. I worked so hard. Licked and sucked and swallowed you hard meat as far as I could. I want my reward. I want it now!"

My buddy told me to be ready for more than the usual. These gals know exactly how to 'maximize' the experience. He told me, "Just remember, go with the flow. Whatever happens happens right? Trust me, you will always remember what she does to you. They have spoiled me for other women!"

The entire time her hands are sliding up down but just enough to keep me stimulated. She knows I like being teased. Her hands never stop as she sticks her tongue out and begins to flick the tip of my sensitive head. I get a few tongue-lashings the begging, "C'mon, I want it now. Give it to me. It tastes so good!"

My hips start to buck, I cannot control myself, she has me totally at her mercy. I feel my white hot cum erupt. Once more my hips convulse and I know she is taking all my cum down her throat, not stopping, swallowing everything I have. Finally I calm enough to look at her, my rapidly softening prick still her in mouth, watching as she gulps the last of my contribution to this event. 

I am spent. She gives me one more burst of pleasure, sucking as hard as she can, finally releasing me from her perfectly formed 'O'. Never, I mean never, before had I experienced this.

I lay back trying to catch my breath from the most amazing blowjob ever given to Man. I feet her join me on the bed, her head on my chest with her hair flowing over me. She cupped my balls and gently stroked me getting every drop of cum from me possible. 

"I bet your wife can't do that!"

I laughed, "She never even considered sucking me off. But, she does have the money so…"

We stayed like that for a few minutes enjoying the afterglow. The silence is deafening after all the sounds of sex just a few minutes prior. It was wonderful. I was ready to fall asleep, contentment passed long ago, now into orgasm coma.

Remembering what my buddy told me, 'maximize'. I gathered my strength and asked this beautiful woman, "Where did you learn to do that so well?"

"Weeell", I can her the smile in her voice, "practice mostly. You are not my first you know."

"I am sure of that. So, you up for anything more?"

"Weeell", now her voice is different, I can tell she wants to ask me for something and I am not sure where this will lead.

"I kinda got used to providing satisfaction but most guys are not interested in giving back, ya' know?"

I understood and decided to go all out. Why not eat out tonight, "Sounds great to me. C'mere sweetie, get comfortable. I am going to make you feel as good as you made me!"

She smiled and gave me look that left me wondering just how lucky I was.

"There is one thing I like and I hope you do not mind doing it for me. I mean just thinking about it…", the look on her face had me getting hard. This girl was perfect, enjoyed giving and loved receiving.

If only my wife were like her. Well, my ex-wife now, not that she knew that. What is it about marriage that changes a great girlfriend into a lousy wife?

I felt her move away, opening my eyes I watched as she reached for her skirt, unbuttoned it and slid it over her hips. She lifted her perfect ass up to get the skirt off, sliding down to her ankles, she kicked to the floor. She wore the palest pink panties ever underneath.

"One thing before you go any further. I expect you to stay down there until I cum. If you do I promise the best sex you have ever had. If you try and skip out, I will tell your wife. Believe me, you don't want that."

I was little puzzled. After all I did promise to go down on her until she had an orgasm. I gave a her kiss and smiled, "After what you just did to me I am getting hard just thinking about that hot wet pussy."

"Weeell…it might not be like that."

I knew just how to take care of that, "Weell", I mocked her, "I guess I should get started sooner then later."

I kissed my way down her body, skipped over the enticing panties and tickled the inside of her thighs/ I was doing my best to tease her. Trying to get her hole dripping before I started my own lip service. I slowly traced my fingertips up to the satin panties. Then over them and dipped my hand under the band, smooth, no hair and defiantly no stubble. I love eating a hairless pussy. You can really get into and nothing tickling your throat at just the wrong time.

I pushed down; searching for her slit, knowing by now it would be wet and dripping.

I never found it.

I found something else.

I looked up and saw her grin, "Remember you promised!"