1 comments/  22090 views/  2 favorites

Leaving Him

By: sabb



I put my bags down on the front step and the screen door banged closed behind me. The noise loud, in the early morning quiet of the still dark street.

"Shit," I said under my breath, annoyed at the disturbance caused by the accidental slam 

I went back inside, grabbing my jacket and checking I hadn't left anything behind. No, I had everything I decided. But I still couldn't make myself leave, I hesitated, feeling something was left undone. 

"Shit," I muttered again, and walked quietly along the passage to the open door of the bedroom, and stood there looking in. 

Jerry lay there on his side with just a sheet pulled partly over him, and I had no idea how I could leave him. I ached unbearably for him.

His hand rested on the pillow by his head and I was struck by its size. I could remember the first time he had touched me properly, the feel of it as it had rested in the small of my back as he leaned in closer. Telling me about the building he was helping to design. My cock had leapt at the feel of it, at the lightness and the intimacy of it sitting there on me as he talked. Looking into my eyes intently the conversation had obviously become more than the story he was telling me, becoming an exploration of each other's thoughts. We had exchanged phone numbers before we parted. 

On the bed he moved in the shadows, turning his head and rolling over on to his back, his arm sliding across his body, coming to rest on his belly. His package made a mound in the sheet below his hand, his legs sprawled wide. One bent slightly. But above the sheet in the dim light were the dark smuts of his nipples and the trail of black hair that ran in a T shape, joining them together and running down his navel and under the sheet. 

My cock reminded me of the first time I had seen those two hair rimmed nipples of his. 

We had met at the beach and he had been wearing a t-shirt. Then we found a place to sit and he had stripped it off and I had seen his body for the first time. Then he was lying on his back again and his nipples had somehow leapt out at me, pointy and hard. I had looked at them and wondered if he felt anything for me as I stood over him looking down. He had laughed and said 'join me' and I had. We had swum and talked and the day had been over too quickly, and I had expected him to ask me back, but he didn't, and I had in the end asked him, not wanting the day to end.

But he had said, 'no, I have to go somewhere'. I had felt hurt. And wondered if he had someone else already. 

He called me in the week and we arranged to meet on Saturday afternoon. He came to pick me up at my house, and I had climbed into his car nervous and uncertain. He had leant over for a kiss and I had wrapped my arms about him in a sudden mad rush to possess him. He had given way to me, and I had run a hand up under his t shirt through that silky black trail of hair on his belly. He had gasped as I palmed his belly and I had felt him surrender to my mouth. It was broad daylight on the street where we were parked but I held the kiss until I was short of breath and we finally separated. 

'Come up,' I said, hungry for him. 

'No,' he'd said, looking away, 'No. Come on, we were going to take a walk along the river.' 

I was confused, but also now full of lust for him. I lay a hand on his thigh and felt myself painfully ready as he drove. The river was high with recent rain and the path was cool in the heat of the day. We talked of everything and nothing, though I took time to relax properly with him, having been repulsed earlier. 

We stopped for coffee on the way home and he glowed, and I could not resist his need to talk. I gave up thinking of what I would rather do with him and discussed the world instead.

He drove me home, glowing still, and we kissed again, but hesitantly now, and he drove off quickly. He rang me the next day and my belly turned, and my cock jumped, at the sound of his voice. I crooned at him as he nervously talked, then when the conversation seemed to be going nowhere I asked him to dinner the following night. He jumped at my offer and in a moment it was agreed and he was gone.

On the bed before me his hand moved, and his legs, as he turned his head to the other side. The sheet was pushed down by his hand before it returned to his belly and the root of his cock showed in the bush at the end of his trail of black silky hair.

My gut twisted and my cock lurched and I wondered how I could leave him. I ached for him now as much as I had ever ached for him. 

I had been in a turmoil not knowing what to cook for him, what the evening was all about, how much I wanted to share more than food with him. He had arrived and I had kissed him casually, but he had leant in and I had resumed the kiss, but deeper, pressing against him, wrapping my arms about him till he pulled away, flushed and obviously aroused. I stroked my hand down over him as he turned from me, feeling that interest of his as he moved into the dining room. 

I talked more easily than him through dinner, and he ate little. I began to feel something for him that was new to me, I felt that I wanted to shelter him. But first I wanted to take him. We moved to the kitchen to wash up and I laughed at something he said and he smiled at me and I held his eyes, and then he looked down. I moved to him and gently wrapped him up in my arms and body as I possessed his mouth and entered it. He leant in against me and I ran my hands over him pulling his butt into me, pressing his hard rod against my straining one. There was no resistance from him now. He rested his head on my shoulder as I unbuttoned and unzipped him and pushed his pants down and felt the root of his trapped cock throbbing to be released. 

On the bed Jerry's cock head had begun to peek up from under the sheet as it grew into some nighttime erection. His hand lay on his belly and I bit my lip and forced my breathing to slow as I watched his hand rise and fall with his breathing. 

When we'd broken from that long kiss in the kitchen I'd lifted him up so he was sitting on the bench and I'd sucked him off, pumping my mouth on his cock, running my hand under his balls and my fingers back to his hole. He'd come in my mouth and I had swallowed it all. Then I lifted him and he wrapped his legs about my hips and we'd kissed each other as I walked him to the bedroom. It hadn't been far to go, he was lean but muscular and no lightweight. 

I'd stopped and he had unwrapped his legs and stood and then lain back on the bed and bent and parted his legs as he looked up at me, his eyes hooded and dreamy. I had no doubt I had looked full of lust too, as I threw off my pants and went down covering his body and feeling it along mine. His thighs against mine, his belly, his chest, his mouth. We kissed again as he ran his hands up and down my back and again wrapped his legs about me. Then I had him turn over. 

On the bed in the shadows Jerry's head rolled and his legs moved as he had some image in his dream. His cock now stood up, poking above the sheet, his hand grazing his cap as he made little breathy noises in his sleep.

I had lain along the bed beneath him spreading his cheeks and moving my tongue to kiss and prepare his entrance for me. He had moaned and shivered as I worked. I stroked the brown stain of skin at his entrance with my thumb, stroking and circling. Knowing this was only the first time I would do this with him and that I wanted to remember exactly what it was like. I pushed the top of my thumb in, and he resisted me, so I withdrew to circle and stroke over his entrance again before plunging my thumb in quickly, taking him by surprise and sinking the first joints inside him and leaving them sitting there as he quivered and relaxed, accepting them. He moaned and lifted his hips to me. I slipped a hand under him and palmed his belly pulling him up to me as I fingered his hole and opened him. 

Then I turned him on his back and entered him from below, holding his spread thighs and watching his face as I took him for the first time. 

Outside the house I heard a noise and knew my taxi had arrived. But I couldn't go.

All those months before Jerry had arched up as I entered him, rolling his head back and showing his long beautiful neck. And I had fallen on it, biting it, licking it, before I rose up and fucked him shallowly. Before I plunged into him and stiffened, my body rigid as I shot my seed deep inside him. 

On the bed in the shadowy bedroom before me his cock moved against the sheet. 

After I had taken him I had turned him over again, and lying behind him I wrapped myself about him, my legs about his thighs, my arms about his chest. I had held him close, the possessor - him the possessed. Me surprised it was that way, having expected him, so muscular and masculine, to be the one to possess me.

In the morning I had asked him to stay, to move in, and he had told me he was married. I had rolled away. I had just gone through that and I wanted more. 

Now in the dark early morning I had no idea how I could leave him, I ached so much for him as I watched him lying there, sleeping. 

"You'll miss your plane."

I was jerked out of my reverie by his voice. "You're awake," I said dumbly. 

He opened his eyes and smiled. "I was dreaming about you," he said. 

"I don't want to go," was all I could reply.

"Go. You will be late. It's only three days. I'll still be here when you get back Craig. It took a while I know, but I've made my decision." 

I wanted to stay, to wrap him in my body and never release him, holding him close and safe forever. But I left him there, the screen door slamming behind me, me grabbing my bags from the porch and falling in to the taxi. The tired driver annoyed at waiting for me. 

"The airport," I said, unnecessarily.

Leaving Home



As Alicia watched the apartment community come into view through the windshield of the cab, she realized immediately it would be too expensive for her. But she was there now, and she figured she might as well check it out, perhaps more out of curiosity than anything. The cab meter read $12.80, and she fumbled through her change purse to come up with the exact amount. She handed it to the cabby, climbed out of the vehicle, and stepped onto the brick sidewalk that led to the pool house and manager’s office. 

For two months, Alicia had looked for a way to escape the confines of home. At 19, she had graduated high school and was working fairly steady through a temp agency at various administrative jobs. Her current job was slated to lead to a permanent position, and she was excited about the possibility after two successful weeks of working there. But everywhere she looked for housing was too expensive for her budget. There was one single-room efficiency she had considered, but it was roach infested, and far from her job. Even that hole in the wall had tempted her as she considered having to continue living under the roof of her mother and stepfather. She didn’t want to spend another night listening to them fight, or worse. And she certainly didn’t want them running her life when they couldn’t even run their own lives.

Transportation was another issue. She had use of a bike for two of the temp positions that were close enough to home, but she had to carpool with one of her parents for other jobs, and had to turn several jobs down because of her inability to meet various schedules. She considered against hope how nice it would have been for an apartment in this complex to work out. It was only a block from her current job, and she could walk until she could afford a car. 

In addition, it looked like a slice of paradise. The lawns were well manicured; the buildings looked beautiful and inviting; and the air smelled of pool water that made her think of relaxing in the sun and watching attractive people enjoying themselves. As if to punctuate the reality of her dream, a nice-looking couple exited the pool house dressed in swimsuits and towels, and laughing at some unknown humor. They both smiled at Alicia as they brushed past her, and even seemed to give her body a quick glance as they meandered off, entangled in their own affairs.

Alicia knew she could fit in here. She was 5 feet 5 inches with thick strawberry blond hair that reached below her shoulder blades with naturally wavy curls. Her figure was medium to slender and she liked to show off her legs, her tummy and, sometimes, a little cleavage from her pert half melons. Today, her scrumptious mounds were form fitted by a white tube top that competed with her exposed tummy for attention. Her emerald eyes and full lips were enchanting within the framework of long hair that flowed below her delicate face and around the two white protrusions before ending at the pool of her tummy. Her light blue jeans did not reveal her beautiful legs, but her tush fit tightly below her hugged hips and swayed distinctly from side to side as she walked into the pool house and spotted the door marked “Management.” 

~ * ~

Brad sat frustrated as he pored over reports at his desk in the apartment manager’s office. His frustration was not due to the strain of business. He was one of three assistant managers working at the complex, and a favorite subordinate to the manager, even his right hand man. Business was good—turnover was low, occupancy was at 97 percent and profits showed a fairly steady increase. Apartments were in high demand, and he did very little negotiating with prospective tenants. No, work was fine, his frustration stemmed from the recent departure of his girlfriend. She told him her career came first, and she moved to California with her job. In the end, she made it clear he was only a nice distraction in her life.

It was hard working near the pool after the kind of attention he was used to and suddenly being left high and dry. Admittedly, it had been a couple of weeks or more since his last sexual release by a partner. Some of his frustration at the moment was downright physical as he watched a sexy couple leave the pool house, undoubtedly to enjoy one another more fully in the privacy of his or her apartment. In addition, he missed his girlfriend’s presence in his own apartment. She helped with meals and small chores, took interest in his daily activities, and shared her life with him. He never guessed that she considered their lives to be a little mundane and needed a change, or rather, a complete overhaul. She even left some of her things, as she wanted a whole new start. 

It was not an ugly separation. She gave him a deep, appreciative kiss just before she climbed into the cab and rode off. A departing cab outside his window brought that very moment to mind as someone entered the office. For a moment, he remained distracted as he watched this cab drive off, his fingers grazing his lips where the memory of her last kiss still lingered. Something ached within as the scene of her departure played again in his mind.

~ * ~

Alicia knocked lightly on the open door. The office was large and host to four desks and chairs, but it was deserted except for a good-looking man in the far right desk looking out the window, apparently deep in thought. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. Dark brown hair lay neatly above his clean-cut, angular face with a wave of hair along his forehead that ended in a small curl on one side. Even as he leaned back in his chair, his chest seemed muscular. He was dressed in a white shirt and conservative tie that blended a number of earth tones into a pleasant vertical visage. 

“Hello,” Alicia ventured, sorry she had to interrupt the man.

Brad was startled and jumped slightly in his chair. “Oh, Hi,” he said as he immediately found his gaze wondering over her body. He didn’t recall having met her as one of their tenants before. The ache in his groin grew as he continued, “How can I help you?”

“I’m looking for an apartment,” Alicia said doubtfully. “How much do yours rent for?”

“Well, that depends on the apartment,” Brad answered. “We only have a few available at the moment. How many would be living there?”

“Oh, just me,” she said.

Brad raised his eyebrows. “Just you?” he repeated. She shook her head yes. “We have single apartments, but I believe they would be out of the price range of most … young people.” 

“Perhaps. But how much are they?” she asked with more determination.

Brad hesitated. She would undoubtedly leave with his answer, but he didn’t want to loose her that quickly. And somewhere in the back of his mind, an idea was forming. “Why don’t I show you an apartment and tell you how much it is as we discuss furnishings, services, amenities, and other options?”

“Hmm, okay,” Alicia considered and agreed. She knew even the bottom line base price would be too high, but the idea of seeing the inside of one of the apartments was appealing. Besides, the whole experience might give her something to shoot for at a later date when affordability was no longer such a concern.

Brad smiled at her and she saw his nice dark slacks for the first time as he stood up. She watched his form as he leaned over one side of his desk to retrieve a portfolio and clip board. When he looked back to her, she wore a pleased look on her face and felt a tingle flutter in her chest. He had a nice slim figure, and stood at an average height, probably 6 feet. She wondered if he worked out.

“Let’s go.” Brad led Alicia out the door. He stopped to close the door to the office, lock it, and indicate return by 2:45. Instead of leading Alicia out the front door, he took her past the pool, an obvious tactic to lure any prospective tenant, and the side entrance to a fine restaurant that catered exclusively to residents and their guests. 

“Hi Brad,” a tall blond man in a bikini swimsuit called over. “Who’s the gorgeous chick you’ve got with you?”

Brad threw him a smirk, “Someone too good for the likes of you, Joe.” He led Alicia from the pool area and pointed out the laundry facilities, the game room, a mini-gym, a small computer room, an onsite mini-putt-putt, a running trail, tennis courts, and more. As they neared an apartment, he discussed cable television, phone, internet access, utilities, cleaning services, newspaper and mail delivery, trash pick-up, etc. In addition, he mentioned other, special services such as drop-off laundry, dry cleaning, message therapy, grocery services, and catering. 

As Brad unlocked an apartment door and opened it for Alicia’s entrance, she was dumbfounded by the extravagance. While she eyed the apartment contents, his eyes were on her gorgeous figure. 

“I can’t afford this,” she finally admitted soberly.

“How old are you,” he asked, “and where do you work?”

“I’m nineteen,” she answered shyly, “and I work at Taylor’s corporate offices just down the street.” A little pride swept over her as she mentioned the job. 

He seemed visibly impressed. It was a well thought of company, but she was obviously just below ground level and had a long way to go. “Hmm, did you know the vice president in charge of marketing lives here?” he asked.

“No! Really?” she asked. “I guess I’m not surprised. This is a very nice place.”

Brad watched for Alicia’s reaction as he finally revealed the cost of living in this little apartment. “$1500 per month,” he stated simply. As she turned to him in shock, he continued, “That’s the rent for this apartment with only the basic services. It goes up from there. Do you like it?”

“Oh, yes,” she gasped, “but I never dreamed it was that high.” She looked around at the fully loaded kitchen and the plush, furnished living area. “It’s a dream. Perhaps, some day …” Finally, she turned back to Brad and asked, “Do you know where I might find something much less costly but fairly nearby.

“No,” he said with a sigh. 

Alicia looked like she was giving up. “I just don’t know where to go. I don’t have a car, and I need to be close to this job. I’ve been there two weeks, and it’s really working out great.”

Brad’s idea was formed. He hoped this young beauty would be receptive. “I do have one vacancy that just occurred. Her rent was shared with a roommate, if you don’t mind living with someone else.” 

She brightened up at the thought, then let out a small sigh, “I couldn’t even afford a three-way split, much less half.”

“I know,” he continued, “but the room is making nothing right now. Do you think you could afford $250 per month?”

“$250! For a place like this? Here?” she was animated again as a new dream suddenly came much closer to reality. It was still much for her, but it was less than nearly all of what she had looked at already. And the location … it would be perfect.

“Let me show you,” he smiled. He took her to another apartment and bade her wait a few minutes outside the door while he ‘inspected.’ After he tidied up a bit, he invited her in. She was visibly pleased. He showed her the spare bedroom, already furnished. “There are even some clothes left by the previous tenant that may or may not suit you.” He thought of a teddy he knew was in one of the dresser drawers, and how delicious she would look in it. The décor clearly identified this as a lady’s room. 

“Well, when can I meet my new roommate?” Alicia giggled with her decision. 

“You already have,” Brad smiled. As Alicia began to register understanding, and the shock that came with it, he continued. “Yes, this is my apartment. Look, the room is furnished for a woman, your rent would help defray my expenses, and you have a wonderful apartment near your job at an affordable cost and lots of amenities. Sounds like the perfect arrangement to me … if you can handle it.”

Alicia wanted to appear mature and that last phrase challenged her. She was clearly trying to think the arrangement through as he interjected again.

“We’re both adults here. Besides, you have a private bathroom entrance, cable TV, internet access, and a phone in your room.” Brad saw she was clearly tempted. “I can’t promise it will be available for long, but Debbie just moved out last week, and, fortunately for you, I haven’t had a chance to advertise the room yet.” 

“Did she leave suddenly,” Alicia almost caught Brad off guard.

“Her lease wasn’t up for another month, but I let her out of it early for a sudden job offer she accepted in California.” he answered with a smile of generosity.

“Wow, that was so nice of you,” Alicia smiled back. 

He was sure he had her. “Why don’t you think about it and get back to me tomorrow. You must have been the one in the cab I saw earlier. Do you need a ride?”

“Oh, I can …” Alicia began.

“Tell you what,” he offered smoothly. “I finish my shift in about an hour and would be happy to drive you wherever you’re staying. Why don’t you make yourself at home in the apartment, get a feel for it to help you decide, and I’ll be back when my shift is over. Sound okay to you?”

“Yeah, ok,” she agreed.

~ * ~

An hour later, Brad entered his apartment and was disappointed that Alicia appeared to be gone, until he noticed the balcony curtains swaying in the breeze. He stepped over to the curtain and pulled it aside. Alicia was lying in the sun on one of his lawn chairs, fast asleep. Her tube-covered breasts rose and fell in a slow rhythm, and her tummy did the same, leaving a gap where her jeans hugged her tummy, inviting his hand to slide smoothly down from her naval to her apex and over the object of his desire. Her legs were slightly parted as he considered the mystery protected by those light blue jeans.

He stepped through the door and loomed over her lithe body as his eyes continued to feast. There were only the smallest bumps in the cloth covering her breasts, indicating where her nipples were. He reached a hand down slowly to the nearer breast. Inches from a stolen touch, he looked back to her face for any sign of wakefulness. She continued a deep, steady breathing, indicating a sound sleep. Finally, carefully, delicately, he touched and pressed the fabric over her nipple until a small indention was made. A sigh barely escaped his lips.

Alicia did not stir. When he relaxed his pressure and moved his fingers across the nipple, it immediately hardened beneath the fabric. He raised his hand and smiled at the resulting change in shape as the nipple poked at the material. He ran his fingers along the side of her soft mound, pressing lightly. She moaned slightly and shifted her body. He swiftly stood up straight, realizing how quickly he could scare her off if caught in the act. 

He stepped back a little and spoke quietly, “Alicia, you should apply some lotion to protect that beautiful skin of yours.”

“What?” she asked sleepily as she squinted her eyes and turned her face from the sun. “Oh, Hi.”

“Lotion,” he answered. “You should apply lotion before sunbathing.”

“Oh, yes. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. The people at the pool below looked so peaceful and relaxed, I drifted off before I knew it.”

“How ‘bout that drive now?” he offered.

“Uh, okay. If you’re sure it’s no trouble.” She answered before a generous yawn and stretch that tantalized him further.  

As he glimpsed her open mouth, he couldn’t help but imagine stuffing his cock into the inviting hole. He suddenly realized he was bulging within his slacks and turned his back to her. He walked into the living room as he answered, “No trouble.”

She watched him moving back into the apartment. For a moment, she thought she saw a bulge in his pants that seemed to indicate a well-endowed manhood. From a view of his backside, she noticed a neatly trimmed hair cut, shoulders that indeed evidenced workouts, even beneath the white shirt he wore, and a nice roundness to his well-fit slacks. He was very attractive and very nice. She could think of no reason she should not accept his offer.

~ * ~ 

Alicia waved goodbye to the perfect gentleman as he drove off in his bright orange MGB. She turned to her house and was suddenly struck by loud yelling emanating from within. Her muscles tensed as she made her way up the sidewalk to the foreboding house. It was a nice suburban house except for the experiences she suffered inside. To her, it was a prison. As she opened the door, she was greeted by, “Where the hell have you been?” There was no lingering doubt. She would move out tomorrow.

~ * ~

Alicia sunk down in the garden tub. It was so relaxing. There were no parents yelling outside the bathroom. It had been a wonderful day at work and now, at home … her home … shared with the nicest, most considerate man she ever met, she felt terrific. She daydreamed of him sitting on the edge of the tub and pulling his shirt off. Her hands reached for his chest, and the pads of her fingers brushed his pecks as wisps of curly hair gave way. The imaginary touch was electrifying. 

After awhile she reluctantly ended her reverie and rose to her feet. Her body was heavy after the luxurious soak. She stepped out of the tub onto a floor towel and reached for a drying towel from a rack. Suddenly, a door behind her opened. It was opposite the door to her room. She was startled at the intrusion, and the realization that she was sharing her bathroom with the occupant of the other bedroom, and a man at that. 

“Oh, sorry,” Brad apologized as he saw her glistening wet nude body turn toward him, arms and towel flying to cover her private parts. He only got a side glimpse of her breasts, and nothing of her crotch. “Uh, it happens sometimes, but you get used to it. It’s so quiet, I forgot you were in here.”

She noticed he lingered too long, even though she was now covered by the towel, but she also noticed he was wearing nothing but a pair of dark blue boxers. Her attention was drawn to the dark curls covering his chest. “Um, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay,” he indicated before he finally withdrew and closed the door with a smile. Little did she know how hard it was for him to contain himself for the rest of the evening.

~ * ~

After three wonderful days in her new apartment room, Friday was drawing to a close. Alicia wore a white blouse with a short, peach colored, pleated skirt. She slipped her shoes off and removed her hosiery before a nice, relaxing dinner prepared by Brad. It was nothing fancy, just a little stir-fry served on standard dinnerware, but it was good and showed surprising talent for a man in the kitchen. Upon hearing a small pop, Alicia turned to see Brad opening a bottle of wine. “We should celebrate,” he suggested, referring to her first home away from home. Alicia just smiled. She didn’t want to admit she was not used to wine, but she determined she would only have a single glass, and would sip it slowly.

As the evening wore on, Brad seemed very much the gentleman. They began with small talk. Alicia told him about her new job and the excitement she felt at the prospect of a permanent position. Brad talked about his wonderful relationship with his employer and things about his job. He told some wonderful anecdotes involving other residents … people locked out of their apartments, maintenance issues involving an escaped pet mouse, disturbance calls. Alicia laughed and found herself thoroughly entertained. She was amazed he did not act like most guys she knew. It seemed they were talking like two adults. As she relaxed, she began to delve into more personal things. 

Due in part to the wine, the inevitable subject of her mother and stepfather turned her toward depression and she began to weep as she relayed her unhappy home. Brad went over to the couch she was sitting on and sat next to her with his arm across her shoulder. She looked at him and cried, “I don’t know what’s come over me.”




Leaving Home



(For Elizabeth)


"Dad, I'm leaving."

"Uh huh."

"I mean I'm leaving home."

"I know, son. Eventually."

"No, what I mean is I'm leaving home like this weekend."

"Oh. Well, you need to be clearer. As I always say, it's incumbent upon the communicator to ensure the message sent is received and understood as intended."

"Right. Got it."

"Well, that's clear enough. But you dismiss the point too readily. You'll spend a lifetime trying to make yourself understood. Remember, wars have been fought and lost because of poor communications."

A moment's silence. 

"So, whaddya think, Dad? About me leaving? Home. To be clear."

"What are your plans? When we were growing up we made a plan before we did anything drastic. Most of what we did turned out alright, didn't it?"

"I suppose. I mean yeah."

"Don't you need a plan?"

"I was thinking about moving into an apartment with a friend. He graduated the same time as I did and between our part-time jobs we can afford it. And once we get full-time work..."

"Monopoly."

"What?"

"I'm thinking about the skills you need to win the game, to go out and play."

"I'm not getting it. You're being ... what's the word...?"

"Abstruse?" 

"Yeah. I think that's it. Abstruse. Or whatever you said. Your message isn't getting through."

"Actually, I'm being rhetorical. A style of conversation. We don't want to talk or discuss or debate. Dialogue is better. It's two-way. It doesn't imply a winner and a loser. It's conversing for clarification, understanding and reaching consensus."

"Oh. Look, can we do without the big words? They're getting in the way of all three of those things. What about leaving home?"

"No thanks. Mom wouldn't approve. Besides, I like it here well enough."

"Me, Dad. Me."

"Oh yeah, right. Okay. So monopoly. Here's my analogy. Just thinking out loud here. You roll the die every day you live. You are driven by the result. You reap rewards and you pay penalties, depending on your luck and judgment. That's life. You buy 'properties'. In other words, as you acquire material wealth you can afford to take more risk. When you leave home, you roll the die and you enter the game for real. No more practicing."

"And your point is?"

"You're starting out with nothing, son. Just be sure you don't have most of it left by the time you reach my age."

"I've got my youth, my health, ambition, drive, motivation, energy, creativity. Lots of assets."

"So you do. They're all assets, as you put it, that us older folks have exhausted over the years. Interesting insight, don't you think? But I'd venture to say you have much more than those qualities alone. More sustainable qualities. What do you suppose they are?"

"Dunno."

"Think."

"I'm trying."

"You're trying to think? Isn't that supposed to come naturally by now? Anyway, I mean outside of your academics what have you learned from life over the past 23 years? What cache of wisdom and personal qualities have your acquired over that period of time that will be essential if you want to do more than just survive out there in the big wide world?"

"Well, like, I suppose I've got self-respect and self-esteem."

"Absolutely. Very important. What else? What about self-confidence?"

"Oh, yeah. Lots of confidence. Good one Dad."

"And where did you get all these qualities from? Think hard now."

"Like jus experiencing stuff, I suppose."

"I see. Any role models?"

"Shoot, yeah. Loads. Like Green Day. Billy-Joe Armstrong is way cool. Walking Contradiction is probably my favorite song of theirs."

"I've probably heard it but can't really remember. Anyway, you're a good musician and guitarist so you probably know merit when you hear it. Any other idols? Closer to home?"

"Well, I guess there was Mr. Parkins, my math teacher at high school."

"Closer."

"Closer?"

"Closer."

"Hmmm. Like how close?"

"Like home close."

"Oh, I see. You mean like right here. I get it. Role models. Lemme see. Can I choose my sister as a role model? C'ause I think she's really got it together. Like, I mean, nothing rattles her, ya know. She's got all kinds of friends, is always being invited out and such. She's got a good job and she's smart too."

"Okay, good choice. Any others?"

"Nope. None that I can think of right now. I mean, my buddy Rob is a cool dude an' all but he's way out there sometimes. Like I don't get that, but that's jus him ya know."

"I mean at home."

"No. Don't think so."

Silence. Then a broad smile.

"Aaah, geez, Dad. I get it now. You mean you and Mom, right? Of course."

"Right. I was wondering for a moment why we put you through college. Why of course?"

"Well, us kids musta got something from you guys, right? I mean obviously a home and food and clothes and all that. Sports stuff, equipment and so on. And money to buy things we liked sometimes. And...

"May I interrupt?"

"Yeah. Guess so."

"You're missing the point here. I know all about the material things we bought for you. So does our banker. What about how we helped to make you the person you are today?"

Silence.

"Your morals, your values, your beliefs? Your character and personality? How were these molded?"

Silence.

"Son, these are intangible assets but at the end of the day they will play a bigger role than anything else in determining the life you choose to lead."

Silence.

"Are you still with me?"

"Yeah, Dad, jus thinking is all."

"Again with the thinking. What about?"

"About how my leaving home has turned into this ... this weird discussion..."

"Dialogue."

"Dialogue... this weird dialogue... that word doesn't even sound right. I mean, this is all pretty much out there."

"Esoteric?"

"Huh?"

"Deep."

"Yeah, deep. And confusing."

"Let me see if I can clarify. I'm thinking about what we've taught you. Bear with me here. I'll make some ... what shall we say .... observations, and you respond. Okay?"

"Okay."

"We'll start with humility. We taught you to be humble. Well, I guess I'll grade us a 7 out of 10 on that one. Most parents have abandoned teaching their children to be a humble friend and companion. Of course we don't get much help these days. Social and educational institutions won't let kids feel like they're failing at anything! But the kids know better. They know intuitively that not everyone and all things are equal, certainly not all the time. But their public persona and, often, behavior is one of implied but false invincibility."

"Dad. Big words, remember. You're not communicating."

"Look at it this way, son. Too many kids these days are walking contradictions. You'd think they're capable of anything, but inside they have doubts 'cause no-one has ever been honest enough to tell them about their strengths and weaknesses. So, when they fail at something they internalize the disappointment. Unfortunately, sometimes these self-doubts manifest themselves in very undesirable ways."

"What's this got to do with humility, Dad?"

"Hmmm. I see your point. It's all connected though, isn't it? I mean, someone who can't express self-doubt openly never learns humility, never learns how to ask for, and benefit from, the help of others. Their false sense of security comes across as arrogance, rather than modest pride."

"But a little arrogance is good. Right? Like the time you were strutting your stuff when you beat Uncle George at pool. Remember? That was a hoot. He never challenged you again."

"Yeah, well, that was fun but also my loss. You can always keep learning from your opponents. I'd find it difficult to make a case for arrogance. Self-confidence, yes. The two are very different things. Self-confidence teaches you how to handle adversity. Not so arrogance. Arrogance simply makes you blind and a target for overly-opinionated people. 

"Son, in life you won't need to search out problems; believe me they'll find you! But you can triumph over adversity if you stay a little modest in your needs and expectations. Humility allows you to learn from your mistakes and manage the speed-bumps you'll experience during life's journeys."

"Hold that thought Dad."

"Where are you going?"

"To get a pen and paper so I can make some notes. Not to flatter you Dad. Jus so's I can have a record of this weird dialogue thing we're having. Maybe one day I can use the notes on my kids and, like, confuse them too."

****

"Okay, I'm back. Wanna put your book down and talk some more? I mean, dialogue more?"

"Yeah, why not son? Where were we?"

"You were going on about humility."

"That's right, humility. Well, just to conclude that thought, I remember when your high school hockey team won the Bryant cup. Do you recall what happened after the game?"

"Shoot, yeah. Party time. Man, we sure ... wait a minute. I'm not falling for that one again. How soon after the game, Dad?"

"Real soon."

"Like, real real soon?"

"I mean directly after the final whistle went."

"Well we congratulated ourselves and the other team before we left the ice."

"And what else did you do?"

"I remember going up to Bubba Hotchkiss. He was goalie on the other team. He was standing to one side, alone, leaning on his stick. So I went over and rubbed his helmet and told him what a great game he'd played. Even though he hadn't really. He let in a couple of soft ones. It cost them the win."

"Humility 1, arrogance 0. Parents, a modest 7. Feeling humble in defeat is easy, especially if you're not sure when the hurting is going to stop. Being humble in victory, now that's much more difficult. By the way, wasn't Bubba on your team in your sophomore year at college?"

"Yeah he was. Me and Steven, that's his real name, became quite good friends for a while. I wouldn't have gotten a passing grade in English Lit if he hadn't helped me."

"So, two more things. Burn no bridges behind you. In the future you may need them to ford rivers you thought you'd crossed for good. And, speaking of the future, steel yourself as you prepare for the unknown."

"I think I've got things pretty much in hand here."

"Contrary to current popular opinion no-one really writes their own future. Destiny is never totally within your influence to control. Your power in that regard is always prescribed."

"Why?"

"Why? Because your mother gave birth to you in the conventional way. Sorry, son. You're mortal."

"Good one, Dad. Really funny. But seriously, I do have some control over my future through the decisions I make."

"Yep. And like the rest of us you'll make good and not so good decisions. I won't say bad. They don't have to be bad if you make them with forethought. But some decisions will work out better than others, quite often for reasons you can't foresee at the time."

"So should I be cautious or opportunistic?"

"Both"

"Oh, right. So be cautiously opportunistic. Got you that time, Dad."

"Correct, to a point. That's too simplistic an interpretation of what I said."

"I was afraid of that."

"By my reckoning there is an element of chance, of winning or losing, in both caution and opportunism. Procrastinate too long and the train will have left the station. Jump on board too soon and you may find yourself headed to the wrong destination. Sometimes, the hardest decisions in life simply come down to timing, in other words deciding to decide." 

"Eh? You lost me Dad."

"Sure, be opportunistic. But look over your shoulder with each step forward. And don't allow the options you choose to undermine the very foundations upon which you've been building your life."

"I'm still lost. Can you give me an example? To clarify the obfuscation. If that's the right word?"

"Sure is. Where did you learn that?"

"From Mom. She used it to describe you."

"When?"

"Not long ago."

"Well, good word. Okay, so clarification. It's kinda like saying that the steps we take cannot be retraced without changing the footprints we leave behind, no matter how carefully we tread. In other words, look to your past and let your morals and values guide you in your decisions. For instance, say you got a job offer from a competitor to the firm you're with now. It's a full-time job. The pay and benefits are great, with lots of perks. The opportunity seems too good to pass up. But you also know that this company isn't always ethical in its business practices. What do you do?"

"Depends, I guess."

"Depends on what?"

"What they're doing wrong."

"They operate within the law. But they cut corners at the expense of their customers."

"It's so hypothetical, Dad. How can I decide?"

"Bottom line is, would you risk compromising your reputation down the road by having worked for a company that is known to be unethical?"

"No, of course not."

"But the temptation is there, right?"

"Yeah. It would be a tough call in some ways." 

"Exactly. And yet, not getting on the train this time might just see you headed in a more positive direction. At some point you'll be faced with a similar scenario, perhaps not a career decision but in your association with other people. Choose your friends wisely and remember that trustworthiness is like your name, son. It was unblemished when it was given to you. When someone gives your their trust, honor and protect it always."

"Dad, I need a washroom break."

"Okay son."

****

"Ah, there you are. Return of the prodigal son, as it were."

"Yeah. I get the feeling there's more you have to say."

"So there is. I was saying that you need to be trustworthy. In this uncertain world, one so much larger and more turbulent than the universe we grew up in, others will respect this quality in you and come to rely on it. Don't disappoint them."

"Sometimes, though, things happen right? And you have to change your mind."

"Of course. If you need to make a different decision, do so based on sound rationale. If the reason makes sense to you, it will be justifiable in the minds of others. But you make a valid point. Trust everyone. Just don't invest too heavily because they have no more control over the future than you do, whatever they'd have you believe."

"Are we done with the trust thing?"

"Unless you have any more questions."

"No. You're basically saying give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Maybe even more than once as long as they can honestly explain why they couldn't come through for you."

"Precisely."

"So, what's next?"

"Prejudice."

"Yeah, I wonder if we'll ever get rid of that social evil."

"I hope not."

"Pardon?"

"I hope not. I think prejudice is different from discrimination in at least one sense. To discriminate against someone in a way that negatively affects them cannot be condoned. But exercising prejudice is not to be feared. In fact it's perfectly natural. You can do so and still respect differences."

"So I can respect the fact that you like to wear a full beard, but my prejudice is to be clean shaven. I have the right to make that choice for myself as long as I don't tell you how silly you look with a beard and not to hang with me and my friends in public."

"Silly?''

"Chill out Dad. Jus making a point."

"Point taken. Anyway, so prejudice is determined by your morals and values. It applies to every decision when it comes to your personal preferences."

"Aaah, not so fast Dad. I've got one for you in that case. Should we consider it morally okay then for parents with a particular religious background to refuse a blood transfusion for their child even though that child might die without it?"

"Now we're exploring moralistic values."

"Is that a problem?"

"No. I can't imagine a more challenging or potentially hazardous dialogue. We should do that more fully one day. But back to your question. With the melting pot that the world has become today, there are many examples where the mingling of conflicting beliefs and increasingly liberalized homegrown policies is testing the very moral fabric of our society. Suffice to say that in my book, if you choose to live in another country you should consider it a privilege to be there and you're obliged to honor the morals of that society. Change that's needed to accommodate new customs and values happens only very slowly. It cannot be imposed on people or if so, only at great risk."

"So it comes full circle doesn't it? I mean we can welcome change at an acceptable pace while retaining our prejudices and still respecting differences."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, son."

"Actually, you did. I was just reflecting your thoughts in a didactic manner."

"Another good word. I'm impressed."

"Thanks. That one was mine. No help from Mom. I'm going to get a glass of orange juice. Want one?"

"Sure. Good idea."

**** 

"Hi again Mom."

"Hi son. You and your father finished your chat yet?"

"We're having a dialogue apparently. He certainly has a lot to say today."

"Sorry you have to experience that. It happens occasionally. Mostly he's pretty quiet as you know. Then for no apparent reason he doesn't stop talking until you walk out of the room. And then he is inclined to follow you."

"Actually, it's pretty interesting. We're covering a lot of ground. I think he's coming round to my way of thinking."

"Good to hear. You'd better get going. I see he's still out on the porch, chomping at the bit no doubt."

"Thanks. Fill you in later."

**** 

"Say, Dad. What are your thoughts on different emotions."

"I think we're all stuck with them, whether or not we want them."

"Ah, yes. Message as intended. Let me rephrase. Like, what is love? Is everyone equally as confused about it as I am?"

Silence.

"Dad?"

"I'm trying to think."

"Shouldn't that come naturally by now?"

"You're a quick study son. I'll give you that much."

Silence.

"Dad?"

"What?"

"Well?"

"Okay, okay. For openers, let's say it's ... how do I put this ... well, simply it's ... it's ... hell, I don't know. A state of mind? With significant complications? That's it. It's definitely a complicated state of mind. Or something."

"I don't think that's very helpful."

"And convoluted. Especially convoluted."

"Still not helpful Dad."

"Well let's see. Okay, try this on for size. When you love, or are loved, you experience the true ecstasy of the human condition. So, love completely and you'll receive riches you've only ever dreamed about. Here's the confusing part. The more deeply you love, the bigger the ransom to be paid. Don't be discouraged though. Know that without love your world would be a desolate, empty space. How's that for irony?"

"Like, I have no idea what you just said Dad."

"I was afraid of that."

Silence.

"Why did you use the word 'ransom'?"

"Well, if you're the only one doing the loving it very soon becomes a frivolous exercise doesn't it? The other person has to invest too. If we're on the receiving end, we have to give something back in order to get more of what we crave – emotions like attention or affection and on a more pragmatic level, commitment and consideration. Half the words in the dictionary could probably be used to help describe love, its meaning and purpose. In summary, though, you might say that in order to experience love we are first required to forfeit a great part of ourselves. The more love we give and receive, the more deeply we commit to making someone else happy at some concomitant sacrifice to ourselves."

"You make it sound pretty bleak, Dad. Is it worth it?"

"It is, assuming you want your life to be more than merely an existence. Besides, being so needy, we humans are most unlikely to live very long before we end up loving someone. Love finds us and we do the best we can with it." 

"Can't we just ignore it?"

"Of course, to an extent. But if you get too good at dismissing it you'll end up very lonely. That feeling can be every bit as soul destroying as love, on the other side of coin, can be the very essence of sustenance. It is our emotional, mental, spiritual and physical elixir of life."




Leaving Home



"So, I'm in love when...."

"...when you feel like doing hand-stands in the rain at midnight for no apparent reason, grinning all the while, and you don't feel the slightest bit embarrassed in front of anyone who happens to wander by."

"That's jus weird, huh?"

"Yip. That's love. Just weird and inexplicable. Ever felt that way?"

"Yes, pretty much. For a while at college. But it didn't last. Maybe next time. So, let me see. The opposite of love would be hate?"

"Yeah, hate. Hate no-one son. It has to be the most destructive of emotions, one without any redeeming qualities. It has no redemptive value. It serves no purpose in furthering humankind's interests."

"So don't hate anyone, no matter what they do?"

"An argument can always be made for retribution as, for example, when seeking justice in the case of crime. But beyond that we raise our human existence to another level if we can find it in our hearts to forgive."

"That's tough to do sometimes."

"Precisely. And that's why forgiveness is such a high virtue. So forgive your enemies. But also do not forget them."

"The not forgetting part. That's easy."

"Good. Because I don't just mean be circumspect so you can avoid the next ambush. I'm proposing that you remember your enemies so that if the opportunity presents itself, you can be charitable towards them."

"Why? That's insane. Like, reward them for bad behavior?"

"Most who receive your considerations will overlook their privilege. But remember what we said about not burning bridges. Today's enemy may someday save you from yourself."

"If I look confused again, that's 'cause I am."

"Example. It's a bit crude but simply to illustrate the point. This is a true story, by the way. It happened to me. You're in a night club and bump into another guy on the dance floor. He has a reputation as Mr. Tough and uses every opportunity to prove it. He wants to go outside to 'settle' things. You notice his wrist is bandaged. You ask him what happened and express empathy when he relates a story about a motorcycle accident. You ride bikes, too. You tell him you know where he's coming from. The fight has gone out of him and you part ways without causing a scene. 

"A week later you're in the same club and strike up a conversation with a cute girl. She seems willing to spend time with you. At this point her boyfriend shows up at the table and stakes his claim to the girl who, it turns out, is in a relationship with him. He verbalizes his decision to 'take your head off.' Mr. Tough from the week before is suddenly at your side. He calms the troubled Casanova, explaining that 'this 'ere dude is okay' and to let your oversight slide. You're off the hook and have kept your head."

"So love your enemy and save yourself?"

"Something like that son. I hear your mother calling. Better go see what's up."

"Okay. Be right back."

****

"What did your mother want?"

"Nothing. She jus wanted to know what we were talking about."

"I see. Well, where were we?"

"You want me to love everybody when I leave home."

"Ah, yes. Well, something you can aspire to anyway. And hope."

"What about hope?"

"Stay optimistic about the future. For if you no longer hope you take strong and sole authorship of your own fate."

"But I thought you said earlier that I can't write my own destiny."

"I believe what I said was that no-one really writes their own future. That destiny is never totally within your influence to control. Yet you can influence it. It's also true to say that if you abandon all hope you also empower destiny, a fate that may or may not be benevolent."

"That's a scarey thought."

"Agreed. So, never lose faith in yourself or the hope of tomorrow. Discover what is pleasing to you and believe in those things because faith has the ability to reward by protecting and guiding you."

"So, kinda like stay optimistic and you have a better chance of coming right side up in life?"

"Exactly. But realistic optimism, based on self-knowledge."

Silence.

"Seems like pretty much everything comes down to self-something Dad. Self-respect, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-awareness, self-knowledge. Everything but selfishness." 

"Very astute, son. That's it in a nutshell. Stay true to what you know about yourself. Others will recognize the strength of that commitment and rally to your cause when the time comes for you to make a stand, whatever the issues."

Silence.

"Son?"

"Dad?"

"Are you thinking again?"

"No, Dad. Reflecting. It all comes together. Everything we've talked about comes down to just that one thing. Be true to yourself. Is that what you took two hours to tell me?"

"Why certainly. But I couldn't just tell you. You had to help write the lesson so it would be that much more memorable, as it has been for me."

"So you're Socrates now?"

"That's too much flattery, son. But thanks anyway. See, I know your Mom and I have taught you all the intangible skills to succeed out there. Your morals, values and beliefs. We taught you about humility, about modesty, about trustworthiness, choice and discretion, respect, love and commitment, hope and faith amongst other things. These are the building blocks of continuous learning in life's arena. Stay true to them. They are your compass points. Abandon them and you'll lose your way."

"Right. I'll remember."

"And while you journey on, son, smile. Smile at providence for if you do not honor her gifts she will pass fleetingly to shine on another. Know when life favors you and be grateful. Look kindly upon the face of your angel or you will find her weeping." 

"Who said that Dad. It's beautiful."

"I did. I only mean to say that I don't believe we should place our mortal existence above the spiritual plane. We do not see beyond the horizon. We do not know what powers might reside there to nurture or harm us. Respect that reality. Don't fear the unknown, but also do not challenge ignorance with arrogance."

"Makes sense, I think."

"I tend to be a little cerebral son. Your mother, on the other hand, is intelligent and highly pragmatic. You've learned much from her. Let that knowledge guide you. I think you're ready to enter the game. Now, good luck convincing her." 

"I already have Dad."

"How? When? About leaving home?"

"Every time I left the room I passed along what you were saying. I just explained things to her in my own way. And she agreed I could move out. She said good luck getting your support though." 

"So how come she never listens to me? She just keeps walking out of the room."

"Nothing wrong with big words, Dad, but it's the thought that really counts. Oh, by the way, Mom said it would be okay to come home for dinner on Monday night. See you then."

"Yeah, sure. See you then son."

"Oh, and Dad. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"One more question. Did you ever lose your moral compass?"

"A couple of times, yes."

"How did you find it again?"

"Your mother."

"Why are you're smiling Dad?"

"I'm thinking about a certain angel."

30 –



Leaving Home



Marie stood watching the sunset across the wide open field. She was half a mile from the farmhouse she had called home for 18 years, just south of little Washington, North Carolina, a small hamlet called Chocowinity, 2 miles down a dirt-gravel track off Route 17. She was the oldest and only girl of seven children. A hard-working stout girl at 5'8", she had won awards for her ability to tie tobacco and she competed continuously with her six male siblings.

She was barely aware of the beautiful sunset, wearing an expression of hurt and despair on her not so pretty face. Her father of 54 years had manhandled her less than an hour ago in the tractor barn, having lured her there with intent to help fix a tractor. Trapped against a tractor wheel and the body of the tractor he had groped her ample breasts and ass while complaining that her mother was not preforming her wifely duty adequate enough for someone as passionate as he and that her mother would not be overly concerned if she picked up the slack.

She looked down at her right hand, then, lifted it to look at the remnants of his semen she had wiped off with a shop rag. Curious, she stiffed at it. Always with a quick grasp of reality, she had saved herself from being deflowered by offering to masturbate her father. She figured he knew she would have been a worthy opponent in a scuffle to prevent herself from being taken as he accepted the offer, content to release his immediate tension, but afterward, putting her on notice of his incestuous wishes and that he would not be denied. 

Her father had always worked well passed mid-night keeping equipment in working order. Marie had threatened to tell her mother unless he agreed to her offer. She had discovered, after all, she was curious of a man's cock. Days, weeks and a month passed without Marie telling her mother that she was sneaking out of the house after everyone was in bed asleep to service her father in the barn, in a rundown cabin on the edge of the lake on the back field or even a few feet inside the crops. She managed to keep him from between her legs by jerking him off, and finally, sucking his cock or letting him stroke his cock between her naked ass crack, ever on alert for his sudden attempt to penetrate her. She had grabbed his balls numerous times, threatening to crush them if he did not cease his effort to have intercourse with her.

Early on, he had shown that he was not a selfish or self-centered man. He had coaxed her into spreading her legs to allow access for his head and not his cock. She began to look forward to their almost nightly meetings, but bottom naked and spreadeagled she learned quickly to be ever on guard.

Than, one Sunday evening when all the family had gone to revival, she had been asked to stay behind to help fix farm equipment. Still daylight, he had asked her to retrieve a machinery belt out of one of the stalls. Coming up behind her, he had swept her feet out from under her, dropping her onto her back in a large patch of hay. He was suddenly all over her, ripping and tearing at her bib-jeans. She fought to regain her breath, unable to defend herself, he, assuring her, this time, she would to give it up.

She fought like a cornered wildcat but in the end she gasped loudly when his rock-hard cock stabbed her deep. She continued to fight, filling his with lust, bringing him to an early completion, filling her belly with incestuous and very active semen. This time, he offered no pleasure with finger or tongue, but left her withering and crying in the hay. Her not so pretty face beet red with anger, she cussed him as he left the barn.

She bled a bit and hurt for a day but she did not condemn him to her mother, just avoided him... like the plague... for a few days. But, all she could think about was his cock inside of her. It had hurt like hell but moments before he ejaculated into her she had felt an immense pleasure that she could not explain or dispel from her thoughts.

When her father had come up behind her as she washed dishes, telling her to come to the distant cabin around 11 PM, she did not glare at him but merely nodded.

She arrived at the cabin as requested. She had come to terms with losing her virginity and fully expected that she and her father would fuck. She wanted to fuck... to see if it was indeed pleasurable.

She entered the cabin and instantly saw a shabby twin bed with a thin mattress that was a new addition.

"Is everyone asleep?" Her father asked, drawing her attention to the small table where he was setting, drinking a glass of moonshine.

"I suppose so. I was very careful. You know mom doesn't like you to drink."

"I'm not going to have to wrestle you tonight, am I?" He queried, smiling.

In answer, Marie gathered the cotton sack dress in her hands and lifted it over her head. She wore no bra. 

"I watched an old tom cat subdue a young female cat... ginger, I think you called her. That old tom got on her back, gripped her neck tight in his mouth and stuck her with that thorny cock of his. It was a sight to behold as that furry gal raised holy hell. She was cherry, you see. Louder than normal." He continued as she pushed the bloomer style panties off her hips, down her legs, and stepped out of them. "Next day she was sashaying around, flipping that long tail and her ass in his face! She gave every appearance, I figured, of wanting more of that cock." 

Marie made her way to the twin bed as her father stood and began to undress. She watched him by the light of a small oil lamp on the table. She saw that his cock stood rigid. Determining that there was little room on the bed for foreplay, and anxious to fuck, her legs lifted and spread as her father reached the bed and maneuvered between them.

"You came and, I figure, you are just like that young female pussy cat. Show me I'm right. Put it in for me." She heard him whisper.

She reached to take hold of his cock and placed it to her. This time he pushed into her slowly and she gasped with pleasure this time rather than hurt and shock. He pushed deep and she exhaled strongly.

The bed springs began to creak weakly, becoming a monopoly of sound as their rhythm and pleasure increased, her soft moans and his labored breathing mingling just under the surface. Soon, her lustful moans and groans claimed the monopoly of sound.

Daughter and father did not converse. Dad concentrated on fucking his daughter. Marie concentrated on being fucked, her pleasure giving her father the notion that she was fully engaged in their intercourse.

Without having to deal with a combatant, dad proved to be a compassionate lover and Marie soon found herself climbing the ladder, dropping hellbent into the throes of orgasm, bellowing loudly, her body convulsing.

The strong orgasm only added to her lust and desire to continue fucking. Dad was reaping the benefits and his hands ceased to cradle her, dropping to grab a hand full of ass. He began to fuck her with intent! His back soon stiffened as he shoved deep into the young pussy. They both felt his cock jerk once, twice, three times. Her murmurings praised him.

The 54-year-old dad was a viral old codger full of testosterone, but the realization that he had his cock in his 18-year-old daughter... his participating 18-year-old daughter... must have helped greatly keeping his cock hard, as he continued to fuck her with a moderate rhythm.

He was cradling her again. Her legs were high, her knees reciprocating I against his sides. She was wet, not only with her own lubrication, but from the cum that was sipping from her, down the crack of her ass to the sheet. She was slowly climbing the ladder once more. She was letting herself go. Losing herself in the moment, she was again very vocal with her moans, grunts and groans. Dad began to try various rhythms and penetrations to bring out her gleeful, lustful vocalizations. It was keeping him hard... arousing him more than he could ever remember.

He knew his daughter was not pretty. She was not even pleasant to look at and did not have all that good of body. Her breast were ample and her nipples raisin sized, firm and sensitive. Her ass would not draw the attention of the man on the street but it was a handful. Her belly a bit pudgy, but her pussy tight and young. And now her loud, lustful moans, groans and grunts made her a treasure to be naked in bed with... fucking.

Marie fell off the top rung of the orgasmic ladder with the same boisterous tumble as before, causing her father to ejaculate close behind her. Their bodies collapsed in total bliss.

In the coming months, Marie missed two menstrual cycles, frightening her to no end, only to arrive late my day or two.

Knowing what was inevitable, she finally confided in her mother. After a very brief moment of disbelief and madness, her mother told her she needed to leave... and very soon, if not that very day. Voicing the distress of Marie becoming pregnant by her father, her mother confided to her that the oldest brother under her would be 18 in three months and that her father had already suggested that she, the mother, service the boy after he turned 18. It now made sense now! If mother and son were fucking, who could fault a dad and daughter for doing the same. Perfect cover. Her mother said all this in a practical tone of coming events.

The very next day, after her father and the boys had left for the the fields, Marie packed a suitcase and walked the 2 miles to route 17 and caught the local Continental Trailways bus north to Norfolk, Virginia. Her mother had telephoned a longtime friend who agreed to have Marie stay with her until she found a job and saved enough money to get her own apartment. Marie's mother promised not to tell her dad where she had gone.

Martha, her mother's friend and a widow living in Norfolk, welcomed and treated Marie like a daughter. Marie however must have inherited her daddy's genes and soon longed to have a man between her legs. Men could be found in the local bars that Marie began to frequent and where she began to drink alcohol. Her best friend, instructed by her mother, had become a condom. Marie was on her back with her legs around a new acquaintance celebrating her 19th birthday.

Martha gave Marie every chance she could, but after six months she was fed up and gave Marie 10 days to vacate the premises. Marie's first thought was to go back home. Calling home, her mother informed her that she was indeed servicing her now 18 year-old brother plus her husband, no longer terribly upset with him, she having found a sexual Renaissance. If she, Marie, were to come back home, her father would no doubt share her bed and her brother would desire his share of her favors. Her mother seemed happy with her lot in life and needed no interloper.

Marie had now slept with eight men. Deciding not to move back home and be her father's sex slave, she she took her only other option and married a man, Stan, who had been after her to marry him for 4 months.

Marie would stay with Stan for five years, have two miscarriages, the last leaving her sterile. Drinking heavily and fighting like Marines, Marie and Stan nearly killed each other a couple of times. Marie fucked other men as Stan did other women, and when not arguing and literally fighting with fist, or anything within reach, they fucked each other... with passion and lust.

Marie soon landed a job at the local newspaper. She soon had enough money to leave her abusive husband, Stan. she made a concerted effort to stop barhopping and drinking. She rode the bus to little Washington to secretly meet with her mother and visit an hour or two. She discovered her oldest brother had married and left North Carolina. Her father had had a stroke and was confined to a bed, his cock a withered appendage now. But, before her dad had had his stroke two of her other brothers and reached 18 years old and had been introduced to her bed. They were now word fighting much of the time, occasionally with fists, for her feminine attention. She had said this with a smile. All and all, her 61 year-old mother was more or less content, the farm doing well. Marie, now 26, confided to her mother that she was tired and more or less unhappy.

41-year-old Andrew Turle, not Andy, not ever, but Andrew, was foreman of the newspaper print shop and run a tight ship with eight underlings. He was a staunch, if not fearful, union man sometimes creating a storm in union meetings, cursing management.

Marie and Andrew met at a company party. They dated four times before Andrew asked her to accompany him home to his rented house in Atlantic City, a very tiny section of the West section of Norfolk. They fucked, as she had suspected was his intent. In the heat of passion, she had told him that ejaculating inside of her was okay. She had made breakfast. And she stayed. She stayed for just over five months, then, she had, on a whim, told him she did not feel like sex that night. The next morning she had awoke and found a piece of paper on the kitchen table with a packed bag. "Kindly leave my house until you get your mind straight", was all the note said.

Marie spent three nights less than a mile away in the local YWCA. She was hoping Andrew come for her, but he did not.

Andrew arrived home on the fourth day to find supper on the table.

They did not fuck every night, but damn near it. Only when she was sick, sickness that could be seen outright, did she beg off or he would put her bed offering sympathy. Andrew was not after all an animal!

Now, when Marie returned to Andrew, she soon quite the paper. It also was with acceptance of Darren, Andrew's four-year-old son. Hence, he no longer needed a babysitter as she became his common-law step-mother. Marie did not need a piece of paper, from Stan or Andrew, to define her place in the world. The new family unit performed well and the years passed.

One little bit of turmoil could be mentioned! Marie baked biscuits twice, sometimes three times a day. With a nervous tic, Andrew sat at the kitchen table and massaged biscuits in his hand until they literally disintegrated all over the table and floor. He actually consumed maybe 1 out of every 4 biscuits, causing Marie to shake her head, but she learned to keep quiet about the habit. He always seemed on edge and, of course, had a quick temper as exhibited at union meetings, but she never felt fearful.

Darren reached the age of 18 and realized a dream he had had all his life. He left for Baltimore and joined the merchant Marines. He was gone for 12 to 18 months at a time, returning home on leave for 1 or 2 months at a time. When he was home money flowed freely and he often gave Marie upwards of $5000 to hold for him so he would not spend it on wine, women, and song.

During one of Darren's extended periods away from home, Andrew became acquainted with super eight video, mainly for him and Marie to watch explicit sex films. One evening, he suggested that a super eight camera could be purchased rather cheaply and they could make their own sexual videotapes. With excitement in his tone, he theorized that they could be the stars of these tapes without showing their faces and sell them, he knew a broker, to the large naval force they had at hand. Marie reluctantly jumped on board, becoming more enthusiastic with the money she soon found in hand. In addition, their sexual intercourse got a new lease on life. Very little acting was needed as Marie loved to fuck.

Darren arrived home on leave in his 26 year, finding Marie 48 and his father 63. As in past years, Darren and his father went out almost every night drinking, playing pool, bowling and Darren womanizing. These times were the only times that Andrew consumed enough alcohol to get a buzz. Darren would often bring a young girl home to spend the night.

One evening they returned hours before they were expected due to Andrew getting sick. As the threesome watched TV, Andrew made numerous trips to the bathroom to vomit or dry heave.

"I'm sorry for ruining your night, Darren." Andrew apologize, returning from the bathroom, taking his seat in his large recliner.

"You should be!" Darin teased his father sarcastically. "Did you see the ass on that redhead! A few more minutes and she would have been sharing my bed tonight."

There was silence for a few minutes. Had one noticed, Andrew was in deep thought.

"Hey, kid!" Andrew finally said. "I think Marie was expecting a little TLC tonight. I'm certainly not up to it, so why don't you take your step-mom to bed with you."

The offer stunned both Marie and Darrin. Marie leaned forward from her position on the sofa to look past Darren and stared at Andrew, as Darren was also staring at his father.

"How much did he have to drink tonight?" Marie directed her query to Darren.

"No more than usual!" Andrew defended. "Just leave me the hell here and take his horny ass upstairs and give the boy a thrill."

"You've lost your fuckin' mind!" She exclaimed.

"Truth be known you both have been wanting to fuck for a few years now. So, go!"

"Come on, Darren." She retaliated, slapping Darren on the thigh. "If her dad doesn't mind you sticking your cock in my cunt, who am I to argue. He certainly can't get it hard tonight."

As Marie headed for the staircase, Darren leaned towards his father. "Dad! You sure about this?"

"Ever since I showed you those tapes, I know you have wanted a piece of her. It's your birthday next week. Consider it your present from both of us. She's not really pissed, Really! You'll see."

Somewhat uncomfortable, but definitely interested in bedding Marie, Darren rose from his seat and followed Marie up to the bedrooms. Not knowing which bedroom she had decided, he checked them all, finding her in the third bedroom a.k.a. guestroom. She had not turned on a light but he could see her in the darkness removing her shirt, then, bra. He began to undress.

"So, how long have you two been planning this?" Marie asked, staring out the window at a security lamp in a neighboring yard.

"Hey! I'm as surprised as you are!"

"But you have been hoping? Have you used condoms religiously?"

"Yes. And yes."

The darkness made things a bit easier. After all, Marie had been a mother to him. He moved in close behind her, reaching around to cup her breasts, squeezing and thumbing her nipples, which he found firm.

"I hope to hell he doesn't come to his senses and come up here and shoot both of us!" He whispered jokingly.

"He isn't deaf you know. Here lately, you've been flirting with me right in front of him!"

Actually, Darren had brazenly fondled her ass a number of times at the kitchen table as his father read the paper, holding it high and close to his face, receiving no harsh words from her later.

"He has joked about you and me... getting together. He showed me y'all sex tapes and wanted me to guess who y'all were. I pretended I didn't know and acted properly wowed when he told me. I have to tell you, you're a helluva woman in the sack. But I've always known that. The walls are thin."

"That's when your flirting started. He knows he played with fire showing you those tapes and now he is having trouble not just tonight. keeping it up, he's feeling tired and losing clout at work. He doesn't want to be blind-sided by what he feels is inevitable. I suppose, keeping it in the family seems completely rational to him. So, you knew right away it was me?"

"No. I knew right away it was his 30 year service watch and his body style, so, who else could the woman be."

"How many tapes did he show you?"

"Two. I've watched 8 more alone."

"Did you play with yourself?" Marie inquired teasingly, reaching behind her to take hold of his firm cock.

"You bet!" 

Marie had never been much into foreplay. A quick suck on a nipple, a hand rub of her pussy, and she was ready to go. She did not expect the kiss planted on her lips as she was turned to face him. The kiss became firm and then passionate. She felt the tip of his stiff cock poking her thickly forested mound and reached to grip it again, pulling and massaging it. She found it much like Andrews, maybe a bit quicker.




Leaving Home



Darren backed her to the rather high bed, turning her to face it. He began kissing her neck, dropping slowly down her back and hips to her ass. She leaned forward slightly and placed her hands on the bed as he squatted to lavish kisses and light bites to her buttocks. Her breath caught when she felt his hands cup her lower buttocks, his thumbs spreading her lower cheeks, pushing his nose deep into her thighs and against her labia, his tongue lapping, trying to reach the base of her clit. He retraced his steps several times causing her breath to puff, her body to quiver, but fell short each time but still pleasingly intense.

Marie was conscious of him standing and placing his cock between her thighs. She widened her stance, fully expecting what was in his mind.

"Right there! That's it. Ohhh fuckkkk." She moaned, lowering her stance to her forearms. 

Darren penetrated her slowly until he had his cock deep into her. There was enough of an incestuous feeling among them to make both feel like they were doing something very elicit and forbidden. He held deep for long, long moments before slowly beginning to stroke inside of her, occasionally pulling out to his domed head before pushing deep again, her lustful groans music to his ego. Marie's pussy was soon well lubricated and he increased his rhythm, causing her moans to be continuous and commonly, for her, loud and mindless.

Darren soon slowed his rhythm. The volume of her moans falling in proportion, He leaned over her, his hands placed to the bulging sides of her breasts, feeling the warmth of her butt against his abdomen as he placed kisses on her shoulders. His weight supported by back muscles, he fucked her with a snail-paced rhythm occasionally pushing deep into her, causing her to moan encouragement. She loved to fuck. He smooched her ears and neck, felt the wet perspiration gathered around her hairline. 

Marie lay content letting Darren have his reign. His cock was steel rod firm... much firmer than his father's had been of late. Involuntarily, she now grunted with each determined stab that she was receiving now. She started her mental count at three. At the count of twenty-one, she heard his groan of completion, felt the sharp jab of his deep penetrating thrust, felt the warmth of his semen filling her belly.

Darren remained still, his breathing barely elevated. He had remained conscious of the moment, not losing himself in lust, for every long minute he had slowly fucked Marie. With incestuous leaning, he felt the elation of ownership, marking his female conquest. His cock lost very little of its erection as he finally lifted off her back and pulled slowly out of her.

"Why don't you go freshen up a little. I'd like to have a taste."

Marie pushed herself up off the bed and headed to the bathroom. She sat on the toilet for a couple of long minutes before stepping over into the tub and squatting. She adjusted the water and was just beginning to lather up her pussy when Darren entered the bathroom. She pushed a soapy forefinger into her hole several times. She watched Darren lathering his cock in the sink and felt the pang of being taken for granted before remembering he had seen her suck his father's cock on the tapes, surely he was expecting her to suck his also.

"All you ladies do it the same."

"How do you mean?" Marie queried.

"Squat in the tub to wash your pussies. It is an intriguing, most stimulating, sight... quite intoxicating. Did you know that an Asian woman's crack goes across rather than up and down?"

"Is their clit on the left or the right?" She quizzed, seeing by his expression she had stumped him, added. "Which one do you prefer... side to side or up and down?"

"Yours!"

"Good answer!" She retorted, standing, reaching for a towel.

Returning to the guest room, Marie led the way, rolling onto the bed as she reached it. Darren crabbed onto the bed inverting himself, letting Marie know what was expected. They maneuvered and jostled into a 69 position. Marie lifted her left foot and placed it on her right calf as Darren wrapped his arms around her thighs and placed his face to her pussy. She did not immediately take his semi erect cock into her mouth. 

The oral pleasure Marie was receiving quickly became intense. Involuntarily, her desire great, she took his cock into her mouth, reaching with her right hand to grip the shaft, stroking it. Though Andrew rarely came in her mouth, she would wantonly swallow Darren's cum if it went that far. But soon, the orgasm gripped her like a boa constrictor, she spitting out his cock and groaning loudly like a wounded animal. As the orgasm subsided, she took his cock into her mouth again.

Darren had gotten his taste. Now, he wanted to couple with the woman with the forbidden treasure between her legs. He maneuvered around. He halted, giving her time to maneuver to her back and spread her legs. 

Pulling her knees back. She reached for his cock as he came between her legs, placed it to her, and felt it penetrate her deep. Her lustful mind-set and groan reminisce of a first forbidden sexual penetration. 

He reached to cradled her.

She was, once more, under the spell of the incestuous leaning of her and her stepson, butt hole naked and sexually coupled. She matched his fast determined rhythm with full participation. The large bed was mostly quiet with only their labored breathing giving a sense as to what was happening in the bedroom. She was soon lost in lust, her mutterings becoming loud and out of control. 

Downstairs, Andrew's attention shifted from the TV to the barely distinguishable sounds upstairs. He smiled knowingly. He rose from the recliner. Climbing to the stop of the stairs, he halted. He could clearly hear her moans, grunts and groans. His grip tightened on the rail each time he heard a strong grunt followed by "FUCK ME!" or "STICK IT DEEP!" or "DEEPER, DAMN YOU!". Then, with little warning he heard her bellow as the orgasm swept over her!

"Mercyyyy! You sweet stiff cock mother-fucker!" Marie exclaimed with labored breath, her body quaking. Andrew heard that too.

She had barely gotten the words out of her mouth before being locked in tight, Darren's hands gripping her ass. His mind was lost in the same incestuous leanings that had consumed her. They were in the timeless position of missionary coupling. Having orgasm, she would now encourage her lover, in her mind, her incestuous lover, with vigorous participation and words of encouragement. She knew it was all necessary to make the male feel manly and seek her out when nature calls. She wanted desperately for this particular lover, sanctioned by Andrew this one time, to seek her out again.

She soon heard his groan of completion. She praised him for his ability to mark his territory. She knew for the next few weeks two men would be repeatedly seek her favors and striving mark their territory, if not but for a day or two. Then, she pondered how often, in the limited time left before he shipped out, would she be fortunate enough to be fucked my Darren, his youthful, stiff cock. How would Andrew and Darren work it out. Andrew was the alpha male in this family unit but she could be a manipulating bitch and Andrew still had a job to go to every day.

There was less than three weeks before Darren would ship out. Fortunate for everyone involved, Andrew was rooted in reality and was aware of his limitations. It was agreed that if he desired he would have first dibs on Marie in the evening. Should he try and fail, Marie could go to Darren's bed if she so desired. The days were theirs for their desires. Andrew knew all too well that Marie, considerably younger than he, loved to fuck.

Probably because of the incestuous connotations between Marie and his son, Andrew was up for a little pussy every night and his cock remained harder for longer periods, enough to give Marie at least one orgasm. Marie would then suck his cock, ending with jerking him off. Still, Marie would wait until Andrew fell asleep, then, wander off to Darren's bedroom or meet him clandestinely in the bathroom, standing up to fuck or sitting on the toilet.

Marie and Andrew sometimes fucked early in the morning. He would fuck her with frantic lust and hurry, not coming and ignoring her orgasm. He was not unfeeling, just short on time, she acknowledged, knowing Darren would take care of her needs.

The morning and days before Marie had to start dinner was a cock-sucking, pussy-eating fuck fest. Erotic positions were tried, but Marie was no spring chicken. Her on top, missionary and doggy style generally won out after a bit of experimentation or oral foreplay. The three were happy.

With a week left, Andrew proposed making a few films. Marie of course was against the idea but was soon won over with the thought of renewed spending money. Again it was agreed there would be no facial features on the film. The film would feature only Marie and Darren.

The films were passed along, copies made by the broker, and a good amount of money was soon being made. Darren gave his share to Marie, giving Andrew a good laugh. Generally made in the evening in the beginning, due to the time allowed, Andrew suggested they film their sexual play during the day, while he was working. They faked dismay but became quite creative.

One evening, they had lost track of time setting up the camera, deciding how they would proceed to keep the faces off the camera. Dinner preparations had been neglected with their now strong desire to get sexual. Nearing twilight, bright lights pointed towards the bed had been turned on.

Darren was propped up on a couple of pillows with Marie on her knees, broadside to the camera, her ample heavy breast hanging down, her slight baby fat belly seemingly more than what it was, stroking and sucking on Darren's cock. Darren's right hand, unseen by the camera, was between her thighs, fondling her pussy, giving her desire to give oral. His moans and words of encouragement were authentic.

She was in the process of trying to deep throat his thick lengthy cock when the bedroom door clicked open. Marie absentmindedly turned her face towards the camera, her coal black, short hair partially outlining her face.

Andrew, his left forefinger to his lips, rolled his right fingers to indicate that they should continue. Marie returned to sucking cock. Andrew stood watching for long moments before he began to undress. He soon stood naked with his cock standing at attention. He gave a little thought and rationalized that if he kept his face down and straight his features would not be seen clearly. He moseyed over to the edge the bed behind Marie. He began to kiss her ass joining his son's hand on her pussy. He maneuvered into position to shove his face into her pussy, making enough of a contact to create quite a stir and sound tract for the camera.

Andrew stood and stroked his cock long moments for the benefit of the camera. He climbed up behind Marie, straddling her legs and proceeded, with dramatic effect, to enter her. She spit out Darren's cock, bobbing her head and groaning loudly when Andrew pushed deep into her.

"Suck that cock, baby!" He encouraged, placing his hand lightly on her back.

Andrew's cock was rock-hard as he began to emphasize the doggy fuck. He could not remember the last time he had had such a raging hard-on! One, with a good imagination, with Andrews large head and salt-and-pepper hair, cut short, could imagine his body covered with longer such hair, seeing him as a guerrilla mounted behind his female, mating with her. She, sucking on a hairy cock was icing on the cake. Andrew's cock slipped out of her, causing him to sit up, slap her ass with the shaft, for effect, before sticking her again. He continued fucking her.

Marie was well aware of Andrew's renewed erection. Each time he stabbed her she had to gasp, releasing the suction on Darren's cock. She soon felt Andrew was near ejaculating.

"Stick it deeper, damn you!" She commanded, continuing to stroke cock in hand with a tight grip. "Come on, give it to me! Come in my pussy! Fill my belly!!"

Andrew, unable to tolerate such banter without losing himself in lust, was doggy fucking her with a frantic rhythm. Loudly, involuntarily, he groaned as his cock exploded filling her pussy. Marie moaned her approval. He continued humping her butt until his cock withered and popped out of her. Andrew backed away, leaving the two to their devices, and made his way to the camera.

Marie moved to straddle Darren, guiding his cock, allowing the camera to capture her placing it to her hole and lowering herself onto it. 

Andrew, now at the controls of the camera zoomed in to capture their coupling, the cum clearly visible as it leaked from her around Darren's shaft.

Marie lowered her chest to rest on Darren. Darren stroked hard and fast and Marie was soon lost in the throes of passion. The camera did not capture the pain like expression on Marie's face as the orgasm gripped and shook her violently.

Darren had ejaculated into Marie countless times. The camera and also caught his cock jerking, pumping semen, into her pussy countless times. Ever in the moment, Darren continued stroking up into her until seconds before he ejaculated. Pulling out of her, sliding his stiff cock half way up the crack of her ass, the camera captured the eruption of milky white semen in the other half of the crack, it quickly pooling and oozing back down. A quick placement of his cock back to Marie's fuck hole and a quick insertion, caused Marie's ass to jump involuntarily along with a loud involuntary gasp. A quick paced fuck ensued, lasting long moments.

From extreme close-up, to a slight zoom out, Andrew expertly captured it all.

An hour later they sat at the dinner table eating and discussing the film they had just made, Marie praising Andrew for his spontaneity and satisfying screw. It would be their last film until Darren returned from his next voyage. Cleaning up the kitchen they retired to the living room and set watching TV. Andrew sat in his favorite lounge chair as Darren and Marie sat together closely on the sofa. As Marie noted Andrew's eyes fluttering with sleepiness, Marie began playfully smooching Darren. Andrew was fast asleep as Marie maneuvered to her back on the sofa, lifting her nightgown, letting her panties be removed, and guiding Darren's cock to her hole for one more than lengthy, passionate fuck before he shipped out the next morning.



Leaving Home



“Shhh,” he pulled her against his chest. “It’s okay.” One hand held her elbow while another stroked her back.

She relaxed against him, sniffling. It was nice to be pampered, cared for, perhaps even loved … such a contrast to the abuse she was used to. She stiffened slightly, however, as his stroking hand relaxed down her back and rested upon a cheek of her buttocks. The other hand suddenly lay upon her thigh. Her head was swimming as she tried to wonder at his familiarity, but she had a hard time focusing her thoughts. 

He felt her tense against his chest, but he didn’t remove his hands from the thin material of her skirt. One hand remained on her butt, and the other on her thigh. For a moment, he enjoyed the frozen contact.

“It will be alright,” he pulled from around her as if from a simple and natural hug. “I think it’s time you go to bed. It’s getting late. Here, drink this.” The last glass he filled for her had not been touched. He parted her lips with the rim of the glass and poured it down her throat as she was able to accept it. Within a few moments, the glass was empty.

“Okay, here we go,” he plunged one arm beneath her knees and wrapped his other arm around her waist. As he rose and lifted, she seemed heavier than he expected. She made little attempt to sit up or hang on, and almost seemed like dead weight. He was tantalized by the brush of his fingers against the side of her breast as he supported her torso. 

He managed to carry her to her bedroom and lay her on the bed. She shifted slightly, and had no idea how her white panties were exposed to him from beneath the peach colored skirt as it gathered around her hips. For a moment, he took in the view of her delicious body. He sat down beside her and took her hand, watching her face for reaction as he moved her hand to rest upon her tummy. She didn’t stir, and he increased his boldness with a move of his hand down, past her raised skirt, and over her panty-clad pussy. With a delicate touch, he laid the palm of his hand over her mound, and pressed the panties against her lower lips with his middle finger. Moist heat permeated the fabric.

Alicia was almost dreaming, but her visions were blurred. She thought she felt her mother’s presence, but background movement made her fear her stepfather, then there was a stirring in her groin. Brad’s muscular body appeared before her, and he laughed with the telling of the mouse scurrying across the kitchen floor of an elderly lady’s apartment. A moment later, she felt Brad’s body against hers and moaned with longing. As she stirred, she reached for the feeling between her legs.

Brad removed his hand just as hers covered her soft panties. His fingers felt cool in the absence of her heat, and he realized they were also slightly damp. When he saw her open her eyes, he ventured, “How’re you feeling? Would you like a little more wine to help you sleep?” His voice was smooth and strangely reassuring.

“Oh,” Alicia responded as she eased back to consciousness, if only for a moment. “No thank you. I’ll see you in the morning,” she sighed as she rolled onto her side without thought of her hand still pressed between her legs. 

Brad’s manhood was throbbing so hard against the confines of his trousers he could hardly stand it. He reached down and pressed against his shaft for a momentary burst of pleasure. Her butt was facing him now. The skirt did little to hide the panties as they formed to her curves. The tips of her fingers were barely visible at the juncture of her legs. “Good night,” she startled him with her soft but unexpected voice. He quickly stood and walked to the door of the room. Upon turning to look at her, he couldn’t tell if she was asleep or not. He quietly shut the door and sought to relieve the nearly climactic tensions by himself.

~ * ~

The next morning, Alicia woke up to the smell of bacon. She saw that she was still dressed in her work clothes from the day before, but she couldn’t remember going to bed. Her head was light with a slight hangover, but not too bad. The smell of bacon seemed to make her stomach rumble a little. As she stumbled into the bathroom, she remembered to lock the door from Brad’s room. She turned on the shower and began to shed her clothes. 

Brad poured the next batch of pancakes on the griddle and decided it was time to check on Alicia. He gently knocked on her bedroom door, but then heard the shower going. He tried the knob and found it open. The door to the bathroom was left ajar and he crept over for a possible look. She was already divested of her blouse when he caught sight of her, both in the mirror and directly. She reached between her breasts and popped open the front clasp to her bra. In the mirror, he saw the bra relax and open to reveal lively breasts. Her nipples poked out slightly with exposure, and her areolas were a light rose color. As she slipped the bra from her shoulders, the freed mounds jiggled with delight.

Even as Alicia let the bra fall, she reached the elastic of her peach colored skirt and shimmied the skirt and panties over her butt and down her legs. The blond bush that covered her mound was not sufficient to hide her slit as she stepped out of her skirt and panties. Her butt was small and made his hands itch with the desire to squeeze. Her tummy was flat. She looked delicious from head to toe as she stood up straight and pushed her hair back behind her shoulders with one last look in the mirror before turning to the shower. The room began to steam up, but he was very satisfied with his first full view of Alicia. He quietly left her room and got back to the pancakes. They were a little dark on one side, but not burnt.

~ * ~

That afternoon, as the sun began to brighten the curtains hiding their balcony, Brad was watching TV in the living room when he noticed Alicia walk into his peripheral vision naked. As he took in the sight of her, she smiled. She wasn’t quite naked, but sported a rainbow colored string bikini that left little to the imagination. A slight bounce was evident in her breasts while she walked to the curtains and let a beach towel unfold just as she reached the sliding glass door. When she stepped through the door, he watched the wrinkle in her bikini shift direction. The cleavage of her ass began just above the material of her bikini, and drew his thoughts down into the slightly concealed depths.

Alicia remained silent as she exited the apartment onto the private balcony. She knew Brad’s eyes were all over her, and she tingled as she left his field of vision. The image of him sitting in the recliner with kaki shorts and a light blue polo shirt remained in her mind’s eye. Dark curls graced his outstretched legs and resting arms. His calves and biceps appeared muscular even in his relaxed position. She imagined if she were to take another peak, the bulge in his shorts would have groan. It was fun to tease Brad. He was such a gentleman.

Alicia situated the lawn chair, spread the beach towel upon it, and lay on her back. She wanted to expose her tits to the warm sun, but she wasn’t ready to tease Brad that far. As her dry skin began to heat up, she wished she did have some oil she could rub on as Brad had suggested, but she hadn’t had time to buy any yet, and low funds deterred her from going to the store too soon. She felt a tinge of guilt at eating Brad’s food for several days without contributing, but he had insisted, knowing it would take her some time to land on her feet. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the sliding glass door.

Brad had quickly changed into his swim trunks. He grabbed lotion and oil, and his own beach towel, and headed for the balcony. Gently, he pulled the door open and stepped through. “You’re going to dry up and burn if you don’t put something on,” he said.

Alicia smiled at the bottles he held up in his hands. “You’re right. I wasn’t going to be able to stay out here long, but I didn’t want to impose on you further. You’ve been so generous already.”

“Turn over, and I’ll start with your back,” he directed.

“Hmm. Well,” she rose up enough to turn to her stomach. “I guess you’re the boss.”

“Oil or lotion?” he asked.

“Lotion. I’m pretty fair skinned and need the protection,” she relaxed with her breasts pressed against the towel. She heard the bottle shake and the lid pried open before she stiffened at the sudden chill of the lotion upon her already warmed shoulders. His hands were gentle in their ministrations as he messaged the lotion into her thirsty skin. She felt bereft when his hands departed. But she shuddered as she felt her bikini top untied and pulled away. The sides of her breasts were suddenly exposed and she felt vulnerable to his sight. As he poured a little more lotion and began rubbing again, she was acutely aware of his fingers caressing the sides of her breasts on their way down to her hips. She almost said something, but this was the adult life, and she didn’t want to appear childish. He was simply applying needed lotion to her body. 

Brad was hard as steel as he snaked his hands beside her breasts, down her sides, and back together just above the very squeezable ass checks that periodically wiggled in front of him, especially when he applied fresh lotion to some part of her body. He finished with her torso, and diligently applied lotion to her legs as well. It was very hard for him to stop the movement of his hands as they moved up her thighs toward the junction of her legs. His thumbs nearly grazed her bikini bottoms before changing to a downward motion, away from the object of his lust.

Alicia had grown quite aroused by the time Brad finished her backside, but she didn’t think he had gone too far with the possible exception of one time, when she thought she felt the crevice of her ass touched, ever so lightly, before he traveled back down her legs. She began to wonder why Brad then spent so much time rubbing her feet, not that it didn’t feel great, when he explained that the foot message was a way to pass time before she needed to turn over. What a way to pass time, she thought. But then she began to wonder what he would do to her front side.

Brad couldn’t wait for Alicia to turn over. He messaged her feet for a full 10 minutes before finally announcing that she should turn over. Alicia carefully held her bikini top in place as she made the transition. She was very successful in staying covered as he sought for a glimpse of her scrumptious nipples. She lay down carefully, aware that he was eyeing her pussy as she straightened the last bent knee to close off her exposure as much as possible. 

Brad noticed her legs were pressed tightly together as he poured lotion on her shins and began rubbing lotion into her legs. After a few moments, he felt her begin to relax beneath his hands. He slowly incorporated her thighs in his ministrations as he watched the bikini bottoms begin to turn dark with wetness just where her pussy remained hidden. 

As he reached her bikini, he explained, “I need to get anywhere the sun can see.” With that, he applied a little lotion on her belly, dipped his thumb in it, and spread the lotion just under the edge of her bikini all the way across her tummy. She shivered slightly, but did not respond further. He then ran his fingers along the edge of the lower side of the material, from her sides over the top of her legs, and within the crease on either side of her pussy. She raised her head and looked at his actions. “All done there,” he offered with apology in his voice, but not before he brushed her outer lips beneath the bikini. 

“You must do a good job shaving,” he suggested as he began at her tummy and worked his way up, but not too near her breasts yet. “I try,” she muttered somewhat nervously. Alicia was almost trembling with excitement. Had she known this would be an erotic adventure, she might have stopped him before he started. But she was also drawn to the feelings swelling up inside of her. She felt his capable hands apply lotion over her flat tummy, and was glad she kept in shape. She was drifting off in a mix of thought and daydream when she suddenly gasped at the removal of her top that had remained untied and resting upon her breasts. Her hands almost defended her honor, as she squeaked out a barely audible, “no.”

“What?” Brad asked as he cupped her soft mounds and rubbed lotion into them, kneading them with tenderness and longing. He felt Alicia relax again, her arms melting back to her sides. Finally, he was touching those wonderful mounds. Her nipples hardened beneath his hands, but he dare not pinch them or let his mouth be drawn to them, yet. He ‘finished’ with her breasts and worked his way up her collarbone and around her neck. 

“Oooh, that feels wonderful,” Alicia confessed. 

He watched her full lips and studied the youthful lines of her face as he rubbed a dab of lotion along her check bones, her forehead, and her nose. She was such a delicate flower, and so naïve. He wondered if she was still a virgin. “We should remove your bottom too,” he suggested. When her eyes opened wide in shock and added, “At some later date, of course, when you’re more comfortable with me.” 

Alicia wanted desperately to put her top back on. Sure, it felt great, but she was not used to being exposed, and the thought of removing her bottom as well was unthinkable. Even after he had touched her, the desire to replace the top and hide her breasts remained strong. She might have done so, had the top been closer at hand, but he had tossed it to a nearby patio table. Obtaining it would draw more attention to herself than she wanted, so she settled for turning back over onto her stomach for awhile. She watched Brad apply oil to himself and considered offering her services, but she lacked confidence and also needed time to cool her arousal. His body glistened with the oil he applied. It would indeed take time for her to cool down. She closed her eyes against the beautiful sight of his body, but it stubbornly remained in her vision as she tried to think of something else.

Brad didn’t mind applying his own oil. He put on a small show for her and knew she was struggling with her emotions and desires. Things had actually gone much better than he expected. Be the time he lay down to soak up a little sun, his bulge had relaxed a little, but if she looked again while he lay on his back, she would see. When the phone rang, he cursed not having brought the phone outside. She did catch a glimpse of his arousal as he got up to get the phone, but as soon as he was gone, she jumped up, grabbed her top, and put it back on. She lay on her back until she heard him return, then she stood to reenter the apartment. “That was wonderful,” she exclaimed. “I really enjoyed that. Thanks for the lotion.” She grinned and walked inside as he resigned to sunbathing a little longer, but alone.

~ * ~

“Do you like murder mysteries?” Brad asked Alicia after they finished cleaning the kitchen together Sunday evening. 

“Sure. I don’t get to see much TV, but I like to read murder mystery books,” she answered.

“Have you seen ‘Basic Instinct’?” he asked as he ran his fingers along a row of videotapes.

“I’ve heard of it. My boyfriend and I were going to rent it, but the video store didn’t have any more copies to rent out the night we checked on it. We ended up watching something else,” she explained.

“Your boyfriend?” Brad turned and looked at Alicia.

“Oh, um, he’s not my boyfriend anymore,” she corrected herself.

“I’ve got the tape here,” Brad pulled it from among the others and slipped it into the VCR.

“Great! Let’s watch it together,” Alicia said enthusiastically, glad Brad didn’t ask anything further about her ex. She sat down on the loveseat since Brad would undoubtedly take the recliner. 

Brad finished starting the tape, grabbed the remote control, and turned toward the small couch. Alicia was beautiful, making herself comfortable with a throw pillow in her lap. She was wearing a pink T-shirt and white shorts. Her legs seemed to invite his fingers to run a marathon, with the promise of reward at the end. Instead of heading toward the recliner, he sat next to her on the two-seater.

The haunting music began, and Alicia noticed Brad had surround sound. As the initial scene became clear, she was glued to the love making before her. She didn’t realize what an erotic movie this was going to be, and she became a little uncomfortable as the man’s hands were tied to the headboard. When the gorgeous female body lunged forward and thrust an ice pick in the man, Alicia jumped and realized a scream escaped her lips as she threw one hand over her mouth, loosing the throw pillow to chance. She became aware that Brad’s arm was behind her as she leaned into him a little.

Brad was pleased with Alicia’s reaction. He couldn’t believe she had never seen the movie, and it would be a joy catching each response to the thriller as it progressed. He held her shoulder as she continued to lean into him, albeit a little stiff. When Sharon Stone, as the suspect, was interrogated at police headquarters, Brad whispered, “She has nice legs, but not as nice as yours.”

Alicia smiled with a blush. When Sharon uncrossed her legs, and crossed to the other side, she exclaimed, “Wow! They showed a lot there, didn’t they?”

“Hmm, that scene’s a classic,” Brad answered smoothly as he placed a hand on Alicia’s leg. She jerked with a start, but seemed to wait a moment. He rubbed her inner thigh moving toward her crotch. 

Without a word, she picked up his hand and placed it back on his leg. As the movie progressed, she found herself very involved in the plot. “Did she do it?” she asked. 

“Wait and see,” Brad’s whisper was closer to her ear than she expected. As the cop ripped the clothes off his girlfriend and counselor, Brad could hear a groan come from Alicia. He wondered if such rough treatment was a fantasy of hers. More than an hour into the movie, the dance club scene unfolded. Brad’s anticipation stirred and he forced himself to shift while his hand continued to rest on Alicia’s far shoulder. The cop and suspect were facing each other, dancing provocatively. Suddenly, he grabbed her ass and squeezed, pulling her hard against him on the dance floor. His lips played against hers until the scene shifted to her bed where they made passionate love. Brad was ready to explode.

The scene wasn’t lost on Alicia. As Michael Douglas breathed on Sharon Stone’s neck, she could feel Brad breath upon her own neck. She was certainly getting hot, and certainly wondered if this movie was a ploy on Brad’s part to seduce her. After the characters reached their climax, Alicia tried to steady her own breathing. Had she made any noises herself? When Michael got up from the bed, Alicia exclaimed in almost comic relief, “He sure has a nice tush. But I’ll bet yours is even nicer.” Touché, she thought, as she paralleled Brad’s comment about her legs. But the effect may have been more than she intended.

“You think so?” Brad smiled. “Would you like to act out that scene with me?” he leaned further and nibbled on her ear as one hand returned to her thigh and the hand on her shoulder slipped down over her breast.

“No!” she squealed emphatically as she grabbed the groping hand and threw his arm from around her to his lap. 

“Hey! What’s the problem? I thought that’s what you wanted,” Brad exclaimed innocently, with a hint of anger surfacing. 

Alicia was confused. Had she led him on by saying the wrong things, or acting a certain way? “I’m a little tired,” she responded. “Do you mind if I watch the rest of the movie later? I’m heading to bed.”

“Not until you tell me what I did wrong,” Brad countered. “I’ve been very nice to you, and I thought we were attracted to one another. Did I miss something?”

“I … I’m sorry,” she pleaded. “I like you very much, but I didn’t mean to lead you on.”




Leaving Home



“Lead me on?” Brad stood up and seemed to loom over her like a reprimanding parent. 

Alicia quickly stood as well. “I’m confused. Can we talk about it later?” She began to walk away.

Brad was sexually frustrated. But mostly he was working against his guilt and trying to defend himself with the best defense, a good offense. He took Alicia’s arm and spun her around to face him. “You liked the way he took the counselor, didn’t you?” He grabbed the V-neck of her T-shirt and ripped it down the middle, exposing her white bra.

“No!” she gasped as she tried to grab his arm.

“I heard your moans. I know you want this.” He popped her bra open and ravished her breasts similar to the scene in the movie. 

“No,” she whimpered less forcefully. But she could not control his arms. Part of her wanted it, but part of her felt violated. As he ripped her torn T-shirt off, discarded her bra, and unbuttoned her shorts, her fear turned to a crushing sadness. There was nothing she could do. She went limp and began to cry.

Brad’s passion was overpowering as he began to ravish her body. But suddenly, he detected a departure from his fantasy. She was crying. He stepped back and looked at her. Tears were streaming down her face. “There’s no need to cry,” he said abruptly. “Stop crying.” But she could not. “Then go on. Go to bed, if that’s what you want.”

Alicia hurried from the room with one arm restraining her exposed breasts. She shut her door and sobbed loudly. After a moment, she buried her face in her pillow to muffle the noise she created, not wishing to upset him further. As she quieted down, she began to think. In the end, he let her go. He could have taken her, but he didn’t want to upset her. Could he truly have thought she wanted what he was doing? There were other opportunities for him to force himself upon her, especially the night she got drunk. But he was always the perfect gentleman. It must have been her fault. She owed him a big apology and would ask his help in understanding what she did wrong, but not tonight.

~ * ~

When Alicia woke the next morning, she still felt the weight of sadness. She went to the bathroom and locked Brad’s door according to her custom at this point. As she relaxed on the toilet, she listened, but there was no sound. She looked to his door and wondered if he were on the other side, perhaps sleeping late. It was Monday; she didn’t know what time he worked on Monday.

She put on a nice pair of navy blue slacks and a flower print blouse that buttoned neatly down the front. She brushed her hair down over her shoulders and put on conservatively light, natural makeup. As she entered the kitchen, she noticed a small thin vase with a red rose next to her place at the table. In addition was a small glass of orange juice and a plate laden with grapes and a pastry. She sat down to eat and noticed an elegant card next to her fork. The picture on the front was a beautiful mountain scene with a meadow of flowers in the foreground. Inside she read, “You are far more beautiful than this card. I’m sorry I misread your desires. Please forgive, Brad.” Alicia melted into tears again.

~ * ~

Alicia walked slowly home to the apartment from work. She was devastated. They said they could only keep some of the temps for permanent positions, and she was not chosen as one of them. They had been so nice, she never had a clue she was not making the grade. When she made a mistake, she was reassured that was part of the learning process, and not to worry about it. If this job couldn’t work out, what job would, and where would it be located in relation to her apartment, she wondered.

When she finally moped into the apartment, she heard Brad in the dinning alcove. He was setting the final touches on an extravagant steak dinner with three gold candles of varying height as the centerpiece on a dark green tablecloth. The china and crystal caught her eyes immediately, and the aroma of steak and potatoes reached her pallet before she realized how hungry she was. 

“Hi!” he greeted her. “You’re later than I expected. I was afraid you were running out on me.” He tried to sound jesting, but concern, and fear, touched his voice as he spoke.

“Where would I go? I just lost my job,” she responded bluntly with a deflated spirit. She smiled weakly and tried to sound more cheerful, “Breakfast was very nice this morning, and dinner looks wonderful. I’m sorry about last night. I must have given you the wrong signals. You are a wonderful man, and did nothing wrong.”

Brad’s entire body relaxed as guilt dissipated. “Don’t worry,” he soothed. “The temp agency will find you another job.”

“Perhaps,” she sounded unsure. “But where will it be, and how will I find a permanent job?”

“Maybe,” he thought out loud, “I could get you a job here, with the apartment complex.”

“You really think so?” her spirit picked up a bit. “That would be wonderful.”

After a fairly quiet, but wonderful dinner, Alicia said she was going to her room. She wasn’t in much of a mood to talk just now, and thought she might read a little. Brad, however, encouraged her to stay for a little while. “It’s not good for you to be alone just now,” he counseled. “Let me get you some wine to relax you a bit.”

“Oh, no,” she said, “I drank a little too much last time. I don’t even remember how I got to bed.”

Brad raised his eyebrows at that. This was the first feedback that told him he could have gone much farther with her at the time. “I’ll keep an eye on your consumption and make sure you don’t drink too much. Just a little will help you relax and sleep better tonight. Tomorrow, you can call the temp agency. If they don’t have something right away, you can fill out an application in my office. You’ll see; everything will be fine.”

Alicia was so encouraged. She wondered how Brad could be so nice to her after the way she treated him last night. She sat on the couch after he sat in the recliner. They talked for a while as she sipped a single glass of wine. When Brad offered her another, she declined. The rest of evening was uneventful, and Brad remained the gentleman she had come to expect.

~ * ~

A few weeks later Brad said they needed to talk. Alicia felt she knew what was coming. The temp agency had made her two offers, but she could not get to either job because of transportation. Since then, the offers had dropped off. She completed and submitted an application to the apartment management, but Brad explained they had no vacant job opening at the moment. He would let her know when one came up.

“It’s not the cost of the apartment that concerns me,” he said, “but I have added groceries, and the utilities have increased with the additional usage.”

“I understand,” Alicia said, but she began to cry. Brad moved over to the couch and wrapped his arms around her. “You’ve been so good to me,” she sobbed as she embraced him beneath his encompassing arms. He felt her breasts against his chest. After a few moments, she relaxed her hug and pulled back slightly. As he looked longingly into her eyes, she looked up into his. She felt so much admiration for him she spontaneously reached up to kiss him on the cheek. To her surprise, however, he turned to meet her lips with his own. For a moment, their lips lightly touched. 

Brad was surprised by her kiss, but he was glad she advanced toward him. Before he knew it, he let his hands roam until one cupped her breast. She gasped slightly, but didn’t pull away. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. She was sad, but no tear had formed. “I only want to help you,” he said.

“I know,” she spoke very softly. For a moment, she was torn between his generosity and her need. As nice as he was, she considered that discord between them could result in her having to leave the apartment. The thought of going home to her mother and stepfather caused an ache deep in the pit of her stomach. In her current situation, she didn’t want to upset the apple cart.

She stood up and took his hands, pulling him up to stand up in front of her. For a moment, she toyed with the buttons on his shirt. She barely realized she was unbuttoning them. Then she felt her buttons being unbuttoned, and realized she had just taken them where she wasn’t sure she was ready to go. But how could she stop it? Before he finished unbuttoning her blouse, she pulled him against her, cutting off his access to the last two buttons. 

Brad was confused by her actions. She appeared to want to love him, including the intimacy he desired. Now she seemed to hang onto him for dear life. He pulled back enough to cup her face in his hands and gently began to kiss her forehead, her temple, her cheek, her nose, and finally her lips. She responded to his kiss and began to relax her arms around him, letting him take the lead. He reached down and lifted her behind her knees with his other arm behind her back, and carried her to her bedroom. 

Alicia knew he would take her if she let him. She also felt she could still stop it as she had done once before in the throws of passion, but she didn’t want to push him away. He laid her on her bed. Her thoughts were spinning. He unbuttoned the last two buttons of her blouse, and opened it to reveal her bra and tummy. As he finished removing his own shirt, she considered how gentle he was being. She unclasped her bra, but left it cupped over her breasts. He bade her sit up and removed her blouse and bra over her shoulders and down her slender arms. 

Both were topless and both still had slacks on as he lay next to her and embraced her once again, this time feeling her naked breasts against his naked chest. She melted into his kiss and hoped this was as far as they would go. For the moment, it felt nice for her and she lost herself in the passions that flowed between them.

The stirring in Brad’s groin grew till he was straining against his pants. He pressed his member behind the material and felt the sticky wetness that had penetrated his briefs and slacks. He moved his hand to her slacks and deftly unbuttoned and unzipped them at the hip. He broke their lengthy kiss and moved his mouth down to one of her hardened nipples. With one hand he kneaded the other breast and began to toy with its nipple. With his other hand he caressed her hip and moved to her belly button before reaching his figures under the elastic of her panties. From her belly, he pushed his hand under her panties and down over the pubic hair that graced her soft mound. The loose pants provided no restraint at the waist. He heard a whimper above his head, but took that as a sign of pleasure.

Alicia didn’t know what to do. She was convinced Brad was a good man, and their current situation was her fault, again. She tried to remain numb to the attention he gave her pussy as his finger slipped between her folds, but she was very aroused and leaking juices that would tell him so. 

Brad felt Alicia tremble as he ministered to her treasure. She seemed so tight, but she was responding to his efforts to please. He explored her jewel with his fingers as if learning every measurement and response. He studied her reactions to each stimulating move. As she shook beneath him with the most intense orgasm she had experienced in her young life, he continued a very slow ministration between her lower lips. When she finally began to relax, he could stand it no more. He slithered down the bed and pulled her slacks and panties with him, slowly, so as to reveal her blond pubic mound in slow motion. Finally, standing before her, he looked at her gorgeous body as he quickly shed his own slacks and briefs. His turgid member was throbbing for the sheath between her legs. Her pussy was engorged and ready for his assault. He climbed over her body and began to descend upon her hourglass figure.

“Brad,” her soft voice muttered. “I want to love you …” 

“I know,” he interrupted as the head of his shaft felt the heat of her lower lips and began to part them.

“But …” she tried to continue as his member began to enter her. “I don’t want to go all the way yet.”

The words didn’t register for Brad right away. Even as he felt his throbbing member butt up against her hymen, he realized what she said in the same instant he realized she was a virgin. It wasn’t fair. He was so aroused, so ready. And she led him here; he was sure of it. He pressed a little harder and she moaned. She wanted it, he reasoned again. She was just afraid because it was her first time. He decided he would solve her problem before she could worry about it further. It would be like pulling a band-aid from a child’s cut before the child had time to feel the pain, or so he reasoned.

Alicia felt desperate. She wondered if he had heard her soft voice and her crying. She looked into his eyes and silently pleaded, but he pulled back a little and pushed in again. He wasn’t stopping. “Stop!” she cried out with a gasp. She put her hands on his shoulders to push him away. But just at that moment, he burst through her.

Brad pushed in with all his might and determination. Her words didn’t make sense to his mind at the moment, and he was acting on autopilot. He thrust deep within her womb and held there, believing he had just helped her get over a long-standing fear. Of course, the feeling for him was incredible. Her hands rested upon his shoulders, as he remained poised above her, buried tightly within her, throbbing, bursting, ready to move. Slowly, he began to withdraw. His entire body tingled as hers seemed to resist his departure, to hold onto him at the incredible coupling they shared. Her hands fell away. With the head of his shaft removed to just within her entrance, he pushed again. She moaned. He pushed with a deliberate stroke until she was filled again, and then began the slow piston cycle anew.

Alicia was lost. She told him ‘no’ too late and relinquished her body to him with no further resistance. As he pumped in and out of her, she quickly went from resignation to sheer enjoyment. She felt the wonderful sensation of being filled over and over again. Her canal began to clamp down on him as her hips moved to his rhythm. There was a liquid heat beginning to flow through her body. “Oh, yes,” she mumbled. 

Spurred on by her affirmation, he knew he had done well. He could feel her sexually responding, finally, and his rhythm increased. As he drove into her, he watched the strain in her face register pain and pleasure. He suddenly wanted to kiss her, deeply, and forever. But their coupling would not yet allow it. The friction against his member was electrifying as he continued against her hot canal. When he heard her panting audibly and felt her begin to tremble again, he added more speed to his thrusts. She was so tight. He strained and held his breath to keep his composure. When she was gasping for air and trashing below him, he let his balls achieve their final effort. She screamed and he let loose his pent up release into her pussy, his first in nearly two months. Buried deep within her, his body remained stiff, flooding her with each pulse of his rod.

Alicia was riding higher than ever before as she felt the hot ejaculations with each pulse of his steel. She was filled as never before and never dreamed it could be so wonderful. Perhaps she had asked for it. Maybe she really did lead Brad to take her ‘all the way’ on purpose. As she continued to tingle and he collapsed upon her with his shaft beginning to recede, she wondered briefly whether she would get pregnant from this coupling. In any case, she was no longer concerned about a job. She believed her payment for the apartment and expenses was just made in full.

~ end ~

This story is merely a fantasy of mine. I hope you enjoyed the foreplay. Please vote as you feel appropriate, but feedback is appreciated even more. I’m always open to improvements and ideas, and especially the perspective of women, since I obviously am not one.  Thanks, Benjamin.



Leaving Hope



Entry:

Date: 2038, January 17

Location: Alpha post, Planet E-1585

Time: 0940 GMT

Fingerprint scan confirmation: Devyn Savoy, Captain, Department of Colonization Research

Retinal Scan confirmation: approved................

Subject: Remind me to lodge a formal complaint when I get back!

I understand that I volunteered for this mission, and that it was deemed highly dangerous, but I wasn't under the impression that the dangers and hazards I was being confronted with included BEING MAROONED ON A GODDAMN DESERT PLANET!!!!! I was promised a supply vessel promptly upon reaching E-1585 with plenty of stasis fluid and fuel to get me back to Earth. It has been almost four months, in case you people haven't been paying attention, and four months does not equal promptly! 

Anyway, since we've gotten this out of the way, Hope and I have been taking core samples of the minerals on this planet, analyzing the atmosphere, including ozone and weather patterns, and it does appear that colonization of E-1585 is quite possible, provided steps are taken to make it more livable. This is the opinion of Hope, of course. Being that I am a pilot, and not a scientist, I defer to her opinion, only offering my own that I'm not a fan of being in the desert, let alone a desert planet... Results of the samples and analyses will be sent along with this message. 

Food and water levels are at thirty percent, Hope says. If I ration these supplies any further, I'll be down to a meal and a half per day, with one quart of water intake per day. This ought to last me throughout the rest of this month and at least two more months down the line. After that, I might as well just put a bullet in my head and let Hope wait for you. Ha ha, as if you're coming for us at all!!! I'm sure by now that you can see that all is not well here. Even Hope is upset by your actions and lack of assistance. 

Nothing else to report at this time, I guess. 



"The current temperature is 107 degrees, Fahrenheit."

Devyn grumbled, "How about you keep that info to yourself unless I ask for it."

Hope nodded, "I'm sorry, Captain. You've asked almost every day since we landed, so I assumed I should show some initiative."

Sighing, Devyn climbed out of the pilot's seat and turned to face Hope, who stood there waiting for a response, "No, I'm sorry, Hope. You're right, and I appreciate your help. I just really don't like this heat, and your reports on the temperature only remind me of that. But, however, if you would be so kind as to go solo on our little core-sample field trip today, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm trying to ration my water intake as much as possible, and a trek like that would deplete what water I have left in one afternoon."

"No need to explain," Hope smiled kindly, "And, since I can cover ground more quickly, I can be back in approximately three hours."

"Okay, now you're just bragging," Devyn laughed wearily, "But thank you, Hope. I'll attempt to get the Temperature Regulator working properly while you're gone. Maybe then I won't be sweating my ass off all day."

Hope tilted her head slightly, "I don't believe that is physically possible, Captain."

"It's just a figure of speech. And... how about you just call me Devyn, okay? It's just us on this God-forsaken rock, so there's no need for formalities. Besides, when we get back, I'll probably find the guy who deemed me expendable and knock him out, and just end up getting demoted anyway. "

"Okay, Devyn. I'll get going now."

Devyn watched as Hope gathered a pack, descended the aft ramp, and began walking south-southeast towards Site G to collect more core samples. Hope stood at 5'5", and was close to 150 lbs, but there wasn't an ounce of fat on her. Models previous to hers could weigh up to three hundred pounds, and were only good for about ten years. Hope was made of much lighter materials, and was guaranteed for over fifty years of continuous and reliable service, of which she'd only been active for seven. On the outside, she resembled any female, and was anatomically correct up to a point, which is a claim that previous models lacked, unless, of course they were ordered specially. With Hope, it was standard. Her particular model was made to have fair, slightly-tanned skin, dark brown wavy hair that fell just past her shoulder blades, and eyes that matched her hair. Devyn followed her as she traversed the rocky, sandy terrain with a surety and skill that he wished he could match, and then she was out of sight.

Every pilot that flew a ship far enough to require stasis for more than a month required a sentient AI unit to monitor the pilot's vital signs, make course corrections, and to otherwise remain vigilant for hazards. Arguments had been made that simply sending SAI units instead of humans out into space to complete the missions would be a better idea, negating the possible loss of human life. However, the top brass at the DCR decided that it was a necessity to have a human being at the controls, not machines, this way any other sentient beings that the pilot might come across would meet a representative of human kind, not a machine. Of course, with models like Hope being made, the opinions of the top-brass were likely to change soon. If that happened, experienced pilots like Devyn would be out of a job, or farmed out to other areas. 

For the next three hours, Devyn tinkered with the Temperature Regulator unit, attempting to figure out why it had broken down a few days ago. Since then, he had been constantly sweaty, as if being stuck on this rock with no way home wasn't enough. Of course, by the time Hope returned, he had succeeded in nothing but stringing together various chunks of obscenities and tiring himself out. 

"I'm back," Hope announced.

Devyn bit back an angry response, instead crawling out of the duct in which the TR was housed, standing up, and stretching his sore back.

"I can massage that for you," she offered.

"Sure, but why don't you clean up first," Devyn suggested, noticing all the sand that clung to her. 

Hope looked down at herself, and replied with a smirk, "Oh, I'm such a dirty girl!"

Devyn was surprised into a laugh, "I didn't realize you were capable of humor."

She smiled, "My handlers decided that we would get along better if I was more... human. They thought it might set you more at ease."

"Those wacky guys think of everything."

Hope went to clean up, and Devyn wiped his brow. He'd been sweating almost constantly since he'd landed. Hell, he wasn't even supposed to come out this far, and would be back on Earth if not for the DCR. He had only been supposed to scout two possible planets for colonization before returning, with enough fuel and stasis fluid to sustain him all the way back, with some of each to spare. The first planet, E-1290, turned out to contain enough toxic gases in the atmosphere that Devyn was forced to abort any attempts to land on it for fear of the atmosphere eating into the hull of the ship. 

The second planet, E-1363, had looked inhabitable at first, and, upon landing, Hope had discovered that life already existed on the surface. The only problem was one of the microbial organisms, of which there was an abundance. This organism was very parasitical, and would pose a lethal risk to human life, and, to top it off, it was very resilient, almost immune to extreme cold or heat. Only Hope had left the ship on this planet, and she was forced to endure decontamination before she could be in the same area as Devyn. Fortunately, the vacuum of space was of a low enough temperature to kill the organisms. It was after this that the DCR contacted Devyn and told him about E-1585.

The change in the mission was that he would have to scout E-1585, using the fuel and stasis fluid that was supposed to have gotten him back to Earth. Once he reached the planet and confirmed whether or not it was inhabitable, an unmanned supply vessel was supposed to get to him so that he would have enough supplies to make it back. And this was where that little plan had fallen apart, leaving him stuck on E-1585 for the past four months. In fact, he had yet to hear back from those bastards. 

"Are you still brooding?" Hope spoke quietly from behind him.

"Huh?" he turned to find her waiting patiently for him, "Oh. No, I'm not brooding."

She arched an eyebrow. 

"Okay, yes, I'm brooding. Am I not allowed to brood? Is it against the rules?"

Hope sat in the co-pilot seat on his right, leaning back, "I don't remember anything in the rulebook about brooding, so brood away. However, brooders make for poor company."

Devyn sighed exaggeratedly, "Oh, goodness! We couldn't have that, now, could we?"

"I'm no stranger to sarcasm," replied Hope, "Considering that I had to learn to be able to coexist efficiently with you. From your mood, I gather that you're brooding about that promised supply vessel that never arrived, and now you're worried that the Department has deemed you expendable."

"Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm brooding about. Didn't you have an offer of a back massage on the table?"

For the next thirty minutes, Devyn was subjected to an excruciatingly pleasant massage as Hope deftly kneaded out the knots in the muscles of his back. 

"Hope, I don't care if you were manmade, you're a God-send," he groaned out as she uncoiled a particularly troublesome knot in his lower back.

"Aw, Devyn," she joked, "You really know how to make a girl feel special, don't you?"

"Smart-ass," he retorted. 

"Well, you do know that I learned that admirable trait from you."

"You could've learned worse, I suppose."

She asked, "Such as the obscenities you utter when you're frustrated?"

"Yeah, that would be a good example. I like you better when you're sweet."

Finally, she stood up, "You should be fine to fight another day."

Devyn sat up and stretched, "Wow, I think you missed your true calling."

"Did I?"

"Sure, you'd make a phenomenal masseuse."

"I'll make sure to put that on my resume," she smiled.

"Now, let's see about your skin," Devyn said.

"My skin?" Hope seemed confused.

"The wind must be really whipping out there, today," he observed by the tears in her 'skin,' "You've got some battle damage. Come on, let's get you fixed up."

They went into the small lab near the back of the ship, and Devyn brought out a bottle of repair solution from a cabinet. 

"Okay," he shook the bottle, "Go ahead and undress."

Hope grinned, "I'll bet you say that to all the girls," and began to shed her wind-damaged uniform, draping it over one of the counters. Unclothed, she was a sight to behold. 

'They really know how to make a woman!' he thought to himself.

"Are you gonna just stand there, drooling, or what?"

He shook his head, as if to clear it, "Oh, yeah, sorry."

"Well," she sighed, "I can't say I'm not pleased to get that sort of reaction."

Devyn began spreading the solution over the tears in her 'skin,' rubbing it in until the tears began to heal over. In less than five minutes, he couldn't even tell where the tears had been. As he did so, he had to marvel at how amazing she looked. If he had just met her, not knowing she was a SAI unit, he would've sworn she was as human as him. 

"You do know that, if you'd like, you can touch me," she said amiably, "I don't mind."

Devyn stood before her, shocked, and a little embarrassed that he'd been so transparent, "Oh, shit, I'm sorry. I was staring again, wasn't I?"

"I don't mind," she repeated, and then added, "I've never been touched in that way, before, but I am curious."

Devyn touched her shoulders, barely grazing it with his fingertips, feeling the smooth, pliant skin, feeling dazed, a little surreal. He moved his hands up her shoulders to her neck, slowly, to her head, feeling her chin, her cheeks, and then her lips, which were generous enough to make actresses envious. The more he touched her, the less he was able to distinguish her as a SAI unit. She simply stood and submitted to his touch, her lips slightly parted in anticipation. 

His hands explored their way back down her shoulders to her arms, and then forward to her breasts, which were not too small, and not too large, quite proportionate on her slim frame. Even the way her nipples responded to his touch by hardening slightly seemed just right to him. The people that had made her...

Suddenly snapping to his senses, he backed up, "Whoa, wait a minute."

"What?" Hope asked.

"I can't... this isn't..."

She frowned, "You seem to be stuck on the fact that I'm not really a woman. Well, maybe I'm not, but I do have feelings." 

She grabbed her torn uniform and fled the lab. 

"Shit," Devyn muttered, shaking his head. He'd definitely screwed that all up.

He felt the urge to go to her and apologize. Instead, he went back up to the cockpit and sat down wearily. Had he really been tempted to get it on with a SAI unit? Perhaps he'd been out here too long! If he ever got back to Earth, perhaps the time had come for a career change, one that didn't bring him into frequent contact with gorgeous, anatomically correct units. Still, wow! He didn't think even the most grounded man wouldn't at least be tempted by the sight of Hope, undressed and submissive. 

About ten minutes later, Hope sat in the co-pilot's seat, once again clothed, her uniform repaired. She didn't say anything, just stared out the windshield at the unchanging desert. The sun was going down, but the other one would be coming up in about four hours. The second sun was much further away than the first, but sunlight was sunlight. 

"Listen, Hope," Devyn sighed, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings-"

"Consider the matter dropped, Captain."

Devyn winced, noticing her reversion to calling him by his rank. He didn't know what to say to that, so he didn't say anything. 

"You should get some sleep," Hope suggested, "You've been awake for over sixteen hours."

"Yeah... okay. Thank you."

"Not a problem, Captain," she replied emotionlessly, continuing to stare out the windshield. 

He wanted to try to apologize again, but he still didn't know what to say, so he sighed and went to his quarters.

He stood in front of the small mirror that he had hung up for when he shaved. He rubbed his face, feeling ages older than his twenty-six years. His light brown hair was getting pretty shaggy; it had been at least a month since Hope had cut it for him. His unnaturally light blue eyes had been the focus of many a girl's attention all through school, and even many female pilots in the academy. The circles forming under his eyes were a clear sign of the weariness he felt, almost like bruises, that's how dark they'd become, and they made his eyes stand out that much more prominently. His nose was slightly crooked, thanks to an incident in high school where his nose met with the fist of a very jealous boyfriend. His face was slightly thinner than it had used to be, thanks to the tightening of rations, but it had never been particularly wide even when he was properly nourished. He stood at almost six feet, almost a little lanky, but still wiry strong. His skin was tan, thanks to this planet, but he had once been more fair-skinned prior to this mission, due to the amount of flying hours he'd logged. 

His parents had hated his career choice, citing all kinds of hazards of space that frequently made the news, even several that were so unlikely that he hadn't heard of them at the academy. They wanted him to be a pilot, but only a pilot who stayed within the confines of Earth's atmosphere. But he had been insistent. He didn't want to fly a passenger plane or a cargo plane. Even the fighter jets, as advanced as they had become, held little appeal to him. In fact, after viewing the Scimitar up close, the fighter jets resembled bricks with wings. The Scimitar was such a beautiful ship, so sleek that it had been mistaken several times for UFOs during its testing phase. The Scimitar was made using some of the most advanced metal alloys created, and employing a new brand of engine that took the craft to speeds that bordered light-speed, though, for one reason or another, the engineers weren't able to break light-speed. This problem was partially solved with the invention of the stasis pod, which held its occupant in a state of near-suspended animation while the Scimitar hurtled through the completely inhospitable vacuum of space. 

Looking upon the Scimitar was the final push for him. After that, and despite his parents' objections, he had signed up for the Academy's space program, and hadn't looked back... until now. Sighing, beginning to wish he'd heeded his parents' advice, he rubbed the stubble that was beginning to grow on his jaw. Finally, veering away from the mirror and plopping down on the bed, his exhaustion took hold and he fell asleep within a few minutes.

He wasn't sure when he had finally drifted off, but he was yanked from sleep by the sound of Hope's voice on the intercom, "Captain, a transmission has arrived from Earth."

Devyn rubbed his eyes, working himself into a sitting position. A transmission? He stood up and hurried to the cockpit, where Hope waited for him. She pressed a key, and a picture popped up on the display screen. It was Major Beltran, his immediate supervisor, the one who had offered the mission in the first place. The man looked noticeably older, with more gray in his black moustache and receding hair. 

"Captain Savoy," Beltran began formally, and Devyn cursed mentally.

"It's been awhile, and, unfortunately, I do have some bad news. The supply vessel that was supposed to have reached your coordinates within the week met with disaster, after it was unsuccessful in navigating its way around several thousand chunks of an impacted asteroid. And, as if that weren't enough, now General Stillson is arguing against sending another vessel your way, citing regulations against misappropriation of our limited resources. It's bullshit, Devyn, and most of the guys know it. We're fighting this with everything we've got, but Stillson has a lot of clout with the upper-end. Basically, what it all boils down to is that you're gonna be stuck out there a little longer. If nothing else, at least we might be able to get some more food and water out there to you. Gilman Burgess is gonna be flying out to scout two newly discovered planets day after tomorrow, and he says he can send a drone with the food and water to your location without raising any alarms, so you'll be able to survive a little longer, probably another six months if you ration what you get. I'm sorry, Devyn, I wish I had better news for you, but we aren't giving up on getting you home. You're one of our best pilots, and I'll be damned if I'm not gonna fight that bastard tooth and nail to get you back home! Meanwhile, just hang tight. Good luck out there, Captain."

"God-damn!" Devyn roared, "Those fucking bastards! Fucking misappropriation of resources? I'm a fucking person, and they fucking misappropriated the fuck out of me!"

He got up and paced, seething with rage, spitting out every obscenity in his vocabulary. Unfortunately, as hungry as he was, his energy didn't last very long, and he suddenly felt dizzy, falling to the deck.

"Captain? Please stay still, and I'll get you something to eat. You look very pale."

Hope stood up and hurried into the galley, returning with a pre-packaged plate of food, and a few packets of water. 

"No, not so much," Devyn protested, "I've got to cut my rations or it won't last long enough."

"If you don't consume enough proper nutrition, it won't matter how much you stretch your supply, your body will shut down."

Devyn ate half of the food on the plate and drained one of the two pint-sized packets of water before refusing more.

"According to the time and date on that transmission, Captain Burgess should've flown out over two months ago," Hope said, "So if Captain Burgess is sending a drone this way, it should arrive in about a week." 




Leaving Hope



"Yeah," Devyn had no idea on the accuracy of her math, so he decided to take her word for it, "Well, until then, I'll make do with less."

Hope returned the remainder of the food and water to the galley, and then returned to Devyn's side, crouching down. 

"Hope," Devyn cleared his throat, "Listen... I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. You didn't deserve that."

She gave a half-smile, "I understand your reservations about having intimate relations with a SAI unit. I'm aware of the taboos regarding this matter."

"Still, I..." he struggled with the words, "I mean, I don't want you to be upset with me. If it helps, just consider the fact that I'm a walking, talking asshole."

"Now there's an image," she chuckled, "Anyway, I know you're a good person, so you can't fool me with self-depreciation. The fact that you care enough about me to feel guilty for hurting my feelings is proof of it. If this is a boundary you feel uncomfortable with crossing, then we'll just leave it at that."

Devyn nodded, "Okay, I guess. Does this mean I get promoted back to Devyn?"

She replied, "I suppose I can do that for you. Now, let me help you up."

She helped him to his seat, and he leaned back in it gratefully. 

"You really need a haircut," she observed, "And perhaps a shave as well..."

"What would I do without you reminding me how unkempt I look?" Devyn smiled wryly. 

"And what would I do without you to remind me that no matter how human-like I am, I'm still nothing more than an SAI?"

Devyn protested, "Hope, I'm not trying to tell you that you're just an SAI. You're much more than 'just an SAI.'"

"But I'm still not a person, right?" Hope no longer seemed upset, but resigned, which Devyn decided he liked less than upset.

He pulled on her arm and asked her to sit down. When she had done so, he asked, "Why is it so important to you that I regard you as human? A lot of humans I know... knew... were less of a human than you, and they were flesh and blood."

She cried, "I don't care if you regard me as human! I want you to regard me as a woman!"

Devyn rubbed his face, not sure what to say to her. Sure, she was beautiful, and, on the outside she was as human as any woman he'd ever seen. But this was only a woman on the outside. On the inside, she was all alloys and fiber-optics, advanced, yes, but woman, no. The problem was that Hope wanted him to see her as a woman, not a machine, and he didn't think that he could. Yet, he also didn't want to hurt her feelings. He just couldn't see a way around this.

"But you don't, do you?" Hope persisted. 

Devyn opened his mouth, wanting so much to protest that he did, wishing he could look past the technicalities and see her as she wished to be seen. He shut his mouth, unable to say it.

"Devyn," she sighed miserably, "I really wish... no... I guess a woman could wish. You probably see it as empty words spewed out by a machine... I think I need to be alone right now."

She didn't stomp away, or run, or exhibit any signs of anger, just quietly walked away. 

For the next three hours, Devyn fidgeted with controls, checking instruments, and then rechecking them when he couldn't remember which ones he'd checked. He tried to add an entry to his log, but he was unable to keep his focus, and after almost ten minutes of internal debate and no progress with the log, he shut it off. He tried to rationalize Hope's behavior, wondering if the tech-geeks who had programmed her with too much self-awareness or something. Even as this thought crossed his mind, he immediately felt guilty for it. It wasn't as if any of this was her fault, she hadn't asked to be made the way she was, just like he hadn't been asked to love flying as much as he did. She'd been made the way she was, and there was no point arguing about what was. 

"Damn it all!" he hissed and got up from his seat, fighting off a bout of dizziness. Maybe Hope was right about how stringently he'd been cutting rations. Maybe she was right about a lot of things. He waited a few seconds for the dizziness to pass, and then went to find Hope.

She was sitting in the lab, feeding core samples into the analyzer, focusing single-mindedly on the monitor in front of her, isolating specific minerals that were essential for terra-forming the planet and making it more inhabitable. The more minerals present on the planet, the less they would have to bring with them. 

"Hope," Devyn stood at the table next to her.

"Please," Hope sighed, "I just need to be alone right now."

Devyn put his hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. She refused to make eye contact with him.

She shook her head, "I can't... I just can't, okay?"

He leaned forward and kissed her, catching her off guard. Her eyes widened in surprise for a second before fluttering shut. Even the warmth of her lips felt as real as any woman's he had ever kissed, more real than a few, in fact. The rational part of his mind protested vehemently, while the other part told him that, while she wasn't really human, she was still woman enough to want to be loved, which was enough for him. He ignored the rational part. 

They made their way to his quarters, and onto his bunk, shedding clothes along the way. She moved down to the floor, kneeling in front of him. Without a word, she took him in her mouth, caressing his organ with her tongue, sealing her lips around him, her fingers lightly scratching his inner thighs. He lay back on his bunk and happily submitted to her attention. For the next three minutes, she proceeded to bring him to the edge twice, both times holding back until he regained control. Then she climbed up and straddled his hips, guiding his throbbing flesh inside her delicious heat. Devyn groaned as she settled herself all the way down, driving him completely within her. She ground herself against him, bouncing lightly, then gyrating her hips, and then simply impaling herself on him. She grabbed his hands and guided them to her breasts, He kneaded them a little roughly, but she didn't complain, instead riding him a little harder in response. 

At this pace, it was all Devyn could do to restrain himself, trying to last a little longer. He wasn't sure how sensitive she was, but, if it was possible for this to feel really good for her, he was going to make sure that he gave her the most pleasure he could. He felt himself getting closer, and, almost as if she had read his mind, she suddenly came to a halt. She slid off of him and lay on her back, drawing her legs up to her chest. Taking the hint, Devyn positioned himself above her and thrust back inside her. She lifted her hips at each thrust, moving with him, resting her legs against his chest as he drove into her. In this position, however, there was no way for him to slow, his body wouldn't let him, so he thrust harder and faster, and then groaned, shuddering as he spilled his seed into her, more and more of it, until he was spent. He didn't move, holding himself within her, until he felt himself begin to soften. Only then did he withdraw from her, moving to lay next to her while he caught his breath.

She marveled at the sensations he'd induced in her, and at the feel of his semen as it oozed down from within her. She reached a hand between her legs and caught a glob of it as it exited her vagina to drip down her buttocks to the bed, and then proceeded to examine it, rubbing it between her finger and thumb for a moment. While Devyn's ragged breathing slowed, she got up, going to get a towel with which to clean herself of his seed. She deduced, from the levels of pleasant sensation he had given her, that, had she been completely human, she would have reached orgasm at least twice, and she yearned to be so, if only for that reason. Hope returned to Devyn's quarters, where he had calmed, almost dozing off. He looked at her and smiled, eliciting a smile from her in response.

"Come and lay with me for a little bit," he offered, and she did so, turning onto her right side to face him as he faced her. He urged her closer until their bodies touched, and then he rested his head on her breast. 

"What made you change your mind?" she asked, curious. 

He sighed, considering this for a moment, and then explained, "A machine can't yearn, can't wish to be anything more than a machine. You yearn to be more human, to experience the same sensations, the same pleasures. You wish to be loved, to be cherished, so you're can't be just a machine. You're self-aware beyond the capacity of a simple SAI, due to the modifications your handlers gave you. So... it would be unfair for me to treat you like an SAI."

She kissed him gently once he had said that, pleased to hear those words, and responded, "I'm glad you came to that conclusion. I don't suppose you would like to make love to me again..."

He found that he could, so he did. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he entered her, taking his time now, moving deeply, but slowly, enjoying the way her vaginal walls gripped him as he slipped inside her, and the kisses she planted on his neck, just under the edge of his jaw. He slid his hands down to her buttocks, squeezing and massaging them, pulling them toward him as he eased inside her again and again. In long, slow strokes, he moved within her, not in any hurry, a steady, wonderful tempo.

She, however, expressed her desire to be taken by him in every position he could think of. He positioned her on her hands and knees, her flawless buttocks raised before him. She turned to look at him as he moved behind her and sank himself into her, kneading her supple flesh, urging her to thrust back against him as he thrust forward. For about five minutes, they continued in this fashion, but the way she turned her head to watch him, as much as the physical pleasure, was moving him towards another climax, so he rolled onto his back and moved her so that she lay on her back on top of him. He opened her legs and guided himself back inside her, rubbing his hands up and down her sides, and then forward to her breasts. She lifted her legs straight up into the air, crossing them at the ankles, rolling her hips to pull more of him inside. 

For almost half an hour, they moved into several different positions, some more difficult than others, changing into a new position whenever he felt himself growing near to climax. Finally, with her once more positioned on her hands and knees, he began to thrust harder, now abandoning all control of his urges, and, within minutes, he found himself groaning loudly as he shot more of his seed into her. He emptied himself inside her for what felt like forever before he was, at last, finished. She waited until he was lying on his back, once more out of breath, before grabbing the towel and positioning it under her to catch his spend as it dripped from her. She lay on her stomach, turning her head to watch him. 

For several long minutes neither of them spoke, simply looking at each other.

Finally, it was she who broke the silence, "I hope I didn't wear you out too much."

He smiled, "I feel pleasantly worn out, but it's nothing I won't recover from."

"Good. I should get back to those samples, though. And you need to rest."

"Would you stay here with me until I fall asleep?"

She nodded, "Of course."

She cleaned herself up with the towel, which would need to be washed soon, and then slid over next to him. He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair until he drifted off to sleep a few moments later. Still, instead of immediately getting up, she stayed there in his arms for almost another thirty minutes, just allowing herself to be held as a woman does while her man sleeps the sleep of the post-coital. 



Devyn slept for almost six hours, oblivious to all, even unaware when Hope had finally gotten up. When he woke, he was alone in his bunk, still weary, and slightly sore, partly from using muscles that had weakened from lack of recent practice. He stretched and pulled himself to his feet. Hope had gathered his clothes and folded them neatly, setting them on the edge of his desk. He smiled at the thoughtfulness and got dressed.

"Hope?" he called out as he walked into the lab, and then halted when he found that she was no longer in the lab. He walked up to the cockpit, finding her in the co-pilot's seat.

"Good evening," she greeted him as he plopped into the pilot's seat, handing him the half-full plate and second packet of water he had denied himself earlier. 

"Thanks," he gratefully accepted the food and water this time, famished. 

"I'm glad you're not being so stubborn about it now."

"I'm too hungry to be stubborn," he admitted. 

She nodded, turning to gaze out the windshield at the unyielding expanse of desert before them, silent for a few moments, before asking, "Did you mean everything you said earlier? Or was it just something you said to placate me and make me feel better?"

"I meant every word I told you. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to make love to you."

Hope looked at him, returning his smile with one of her own, "I'm glad to hear you say it."

But then her smile slipped from her face as she announced, "There was another transmission. It arrived while you were resting."

She played it for him, a look of concern on her face.

Major Beltran wasn't the sender this time; instead, it was an officer he didn't know.

"Captain Savoy," the thin, sallow-faced Colonel nodded, "I am Colonel Harold T. Ramos. Major Beltran has been reassigned, so I'm your new supervisor. I'm also happy to begin this assignment with a bit of good news. After a lot of consideration and plenty of arguments, it appears that we should be able to get you home after all. Thanks to Major Beltran and his fierce determination, the Board ultimately decided that a man of your loyalty and sense of duty should not be expendable. As of 0600 this morning, an unmanned supply ship was launched, headed to your coordinates with what should be enough stasis fluid and fuel to get home."

Colonel Ramos continued, "For your enormous sacrifices on behalf of the DCR, you will be handsomely rewarded, as well as a promotion the moment you touch down. You've done us a great service. Hell, you've done the whole damn world a great service! We'll keep you posted on the supply ship's progress."

The transmission ended, and Devyn couldn't help but grin. Finally, those bastards were bringing him home! Then he looked over at Hope, whose expression of concern froze his own smile.

"What is it?" he asked, "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, "It's nothing."

"Please, I had hoped that we'd come too far to be anything but honest with each other."

"You'll be a hero when we return. But what about me?"

The meaning sank in, and Devyn was now worried, "Won't you continue on?"

"They'll most likely put me on board with the next pilot without an SAI, or, if I've become obsolete while out here, they'll decommission me."

"I don't know that they would do something like that," Devyn protested, "Maybe if I use some of my pull with the Department..."

She shook her head, "Even if they keep me in service... I'll just be another SAI unit. It won't be like it is when I'm with you."

Devyn nodded thoughtfully, "Maybe if I make sure you get paired with the right pilot-"

She cried, "I want to be with you, Devyn! I don't want to be paired with another pilot. Nobody is going to treat me the way you do. To everyone else, I might as well be the equivalent of a toaster."

"I can try to make them let me keep you," he suggested.

Hope seemed doubtful, "An SAI unit is very valuable to the Department. They wouldn't be very agreeable to allowing that. And what if they reformat my memory before they assign me to a new pilot?"

Devyn had no acceptable answer to this, which made him feel ill. 

"I don't want to lose you, but, even worse, I don't want to lose my memories of you. They're all that I have that I value."

"I wish I... damn it, I don't want to lose you, either! 

She sighed sadly, "But there's nothing you can do."

Private entry:

Date: 2038, February 1

Location: Alpha post, Planet E-1585

Time: 1946 GMT

Fingerprint scan confirmation: Devyn Savoy, Captain, Department of Colonization Research

Retinal Scan confirmation: approved................

Subject: Always more and more complicated.

It appears that I'll finally be going home soon. This should be great news! I should be ecstatic that I wasn't simply deemed expendable by the Department. Instead, I'm worried for Hope. After everything she's become to me, the thought of her being assigned to another pilot, a pilot who would see her as nothing but another machine, and not as the incredibly beautiful, self-aware entity that she has revealed herself to be. Even worse, what if, when we get back, we find out that she's been rendered obsolete? They'll decommission her, erase her memory, and then set her to some menial task, network programming, computing long sequences, or the like. She told me herself that she cherished her memories of us together, and to lose them upon her return would be more than she could bear. Honestly, the stubbornly rational part of me knows that once her memory is wiped, she'll simply be a clean slate, no more aware of her wiped memories than a computer is aware of its lost information after a hard drive format. I know this, and I'm sure the largely analytical part of her mind also knows this. But still, there is a different part of her that feels, and feels the way that no machine was ever able to feel. She wants to be human, yearns to be the woman that she only appears to be. She wants to live, but knows that she will be forever denied the life she craves, daunted by the fact that underneath her very real-looking skin, she is composed of alloys, fiber-optics, gears, and a sentient computer system for a mind. 

I'm convinced that whatever modifications Hope's handlers have made to her weren't ever intended for SAI units. The lubrication that she produces when we make love, the fact that she was endowed with the genitalia necessary for love-making in the first place, and, most of all, her expanded awareness, which could be considered dangerous to many, seemed to set her apart from every SAI I've ever encountered, both at the academy and as my career as a pilot. I think that if anyone in the Department, outside of the handlers that had modified her beyond the allowed specifications, found out about her awareness and capabilities, they would destroy her as an example for any handlers who modified outside the allowed specifications. So, one might see how, while excited to finally be able to go home to Earth, I am also scared for Hope. I think that the one thing I never thought could happen, has happened. I think I've fallen for her. How would all my old flames respond if they knew they'd been replaced with an SAI? If only this weren't a doomed romance...

End Entry

Because their time together was likely to be short, it seemed like an extremely horrible idea to waste it. They spent a great amount of time together in Devyn's quarters, making love as much as Devyn could manage, simply lying together while he recovered, or slept. She reveled in the feelings he produced in her, the joy she felt from the love he gave her. When he slept, she lay in his arms, gently stroking his face and hair every so often, simply watching him, waiting patiently for him to awaken. But, even as Devyn gave her all the love he had, he was aware that, before much longer, the supply ship would arrive, and all of this would come to an end. 

Hope, having noticed every time Devyn's mind began to dwell on this, finally said, "Will you quit it?" 

Devyn blinked, "What? What did I do?"

"You're thinking about what's gonna happen. Quit it. There's nothing we can do about that, so let's just enjoy the time we have."




Leaving Hope



He smiled at her, "Was it that obvious?"

She returned the smile, "It gets more obvious each time you think about it."

"Sorry," he sighed.

Sadly, the day did arrive when the supply ship was supposed to land. Hope ran a scan on the sky, locating the beacon on the ship as it neared the planet's atmosphere. 

"Scimitar Alpha to Supply Ship," Hope contacted the ship.

"This is Supply Ship 462, en route to your location. Please activate your beacon."

"Beacon is activated," Hope responded, doing so. 

"Beacon signal is strong. I'll reach your location within ten minutes. Please stand by."

Hope turned to Devyn, who was again brooding about what would happen to her once they returned to Earth, "There never seems to be enough time, does there?" 

"I can't do this," Devyn shook his head, "I can't let them kill you."

He moved to her and took her in his arms, and she gratefully let him hold her. Now that it was time to go, she found that she was scared. Hell, she was almost petrified with fear. 

"There's nothing we can do about this," she replied miserably.

In eleven minutes, Devyn went outside to meet the SAI unit that had flown the supply ship. He was a new model, like Hope, but without the modifications, Devyn surmised.

"Captain Savoy, it is good to meet you, sir. I must inform you that my ship ran into trouble en route, and I was forced to utilize some of your fuel supply to make course corrections. I will upload the course corrections into your navigations system for your safety."

"Wait a minute," Devyn stopped, and the SAI took two additional steps before noticing that Devyn wasn't beside him, "You said you were forced to use some of the fuel I need to get home. How much did you use?"

"I had to use approximately 320 units, sir. I do apologize. It was necessary for me to get here."

"Wait, if you used 320 units, how does that leave us enough to get home?"

"After I used the units, I made calculations as to how to use the remainder to get you home. It will require you to lighten your ship. You will need to remove most, if not all of the equipment from your laboratory, including core samples. I can move them to my ship to maintain the integrity of both your samples and equipment."

"Okay, so, with all of that extra weight off my ship, I'll be able to get home?" 

"As long as your ship's navigation system follows my course corrections, you have a ninety-three percent chance of making it back to Earth."

"Well then, that's comforting," Devyn rolled his eyes.

The SAI cocked his head slightly, "It should be."

Devyn looked for Hope while the SAI began unloading equipment from Devyn's ship. He didn't find her in the cockpit or his quarters, so he started looking outside the ship. He found her just around a small outcropping of rocks nearby the first area from which they had taken their core samples.

"What are you doing out here?" Devyn asked nervously.

Hope was pacing back and forth, "I can't go back. I can't let them take my memories. I can't let them destroy me."

"What should I do? Whatever it is, I'll do it. If I have to, I'll refuse to leave. I'll stay here with you."

Hope gaped, shocked, "No! I can't let you stay here. This might be your only chance to get home, and if you don't take it, you may not get another."

"I don't care," Devyn insisted, "I'll spend the rest of my life here with you. That drone with the food and water should be getting here pretty soon, right?"

"Yes, in a few days, but what after that? They very well may not be sending anything else. What happens to you when you've run out of food and water? You'll die, and I'll be here alone. No, you've got to go back. If you don't go, then I'll knock you unconscious and put you in stasis myself. Promise me!"

"Damn it!" Devyn cursed vehemently, "I don't want to leave you here. Please don't make me do this."

Hope sighed, picking up a handful of sand and grit, letting it spill slowly back to the ground, "You have no choice. And if the SAI pilot is correct, I wouldn't be able to go anyway. You've got to conserve as much weight as you can, and that includes me. Now go."

Devyn pulled Hope to her feet and into his arms, holding her tightly. It took every ounce of strength he had to let go of her, which he was able to put off when she suddenly grabbed ahold of him. After a few minutes, and a few whispered words of endearment and encouragement, she let go of him, and then added, "Here is something to remember me by."

With that, she held out her hand, and he accepted her gift to him. Before he could respond, she turned and started running out into the desert, sprinting away at top speed. 

"I love you," he whispered, hesitated a moment while she disappeared into the distance, and then walked back to the ship.

"Sir, may I inquire of your on-board SAI?" the supply ship SAI asked as he began loading the fuel units.

Devyn shook his head, doing his best to maintain his composure, "She's gone. She was damaged beyond repair, so I'm leaving her here. Besides, that's one hundred and fifty pounds less aboard."

"Unnecessary weight if she is unable to perform her duties," the SAI agreed, and Devyn felt a bright spark of hatred for this damned machine, which had no feelings, no emotion, only cold calculations. Any human would at least wince, or protest. Hope would've. He struggled to keep his facial expressions neutral as the SAI walked onto his ship with him and replenished the stasis fluid in the pod. 

"You know the procedure, sir," the SAI reminded him, "I'll set your course for you before I leave your ship, and you will be on your way home in a few minutes."

Devyn nodded distractedly, "Yeah, sure. What about you? Do you have enough fuel to get back?"

The SAI replied politely, "No sir. I will remain here. While I am here, I will continue to take and analyze core samples until another ship arrives."

"Good luck with all that. Better you, than me."

"Very well, sir. Please lie down and I will initiate the stasis."

Devyn was barely aware when his ship lifted off, and was unconscious before it left the atmosphere of planet E-1585. He floated within the stasis pod, in a state of suspended animation as his ship followed the course set by the supply ship SAI, unthinking, unfeeling, unknowing. Just as it had been when he had begun this mission, he simply awoke to find that he had reached his destination. The last time, it had been Hope that had revived him. This time, it was a medical team at the Department hospital he awoke to. 

"Captain Savoy," the tall, bald doctor, whose face was the first he saw, greeted him, "Welcome back to Earth. Once you are fully functional, and have had some natural sleep, Colonel Ramos will personally debrief you. Now, get your rest. It's been a long trip for you."

"You have no idea," Devyn croaked in a bare whisper that the doctor couldn't hear. 

His eyesight was a little off, which was a mild side effect from the stasis fluid, but was nothing compared to the sudden onsets of vertigo and confusion some of the other pilots experienced. He simply closed his eyes and fell asleep, his closing thought being of Hope, snuggled tightly and comfortably in his arms. 

While they didn't name any holidays after him, there had been a parade in his honor, a new car given to him by the city, a shiny new Apollo with all synthetic leather interior, and his promised promotion to Major. Though he was one of their best space pilots, he began asking for local missions, much to the delight of his worried parents. When he wasn't flying, he was an instructor, teaching the basics of space travel to young recruits. After everything he'd been through, he had no desire for space travel anymore. His superiors found this to be expected. They did have questions as to the whereabouts of his on-board SAI unit. He explained to them that it had been damaged beyond his repair capabilities, suffering some sort of short in its head, and had run off into the desert. He had been unable to locate it. They seemed to believe him, and let it go, their spoken agreement being that perhaps all that sand had shorted out its synapses. 



-Epilogue-

Devyn lounged on the back deck of his home, a modest little three-bedroom home well within his financial means. He nursed a beer, frequently staring up at the sky, which seemed enormous, too enormous, as far as he was concerned. The sliding glass door slid open to his right, and he glanced over, seeing a beautiful woman standing there, looking resplendent in a small, red, two-piece bikini, her strawberry-blonde hair cascading down her bare, tanned back. 

"Did you miss me, sweetie?" she purred.

"Only every second we're apart," he grinned.

"Have I ever told you how shameless you are at flirting?" she sat down on the lounge with him, nudging him over with her hip.

He slid an arm out behind her, and she leaned into it, "You sure have, but I never grow tired of hearing it."

She watched him for a few seconds before asking, "Do you ever miss being out there in space?"

He shook his head, "Nah, hell, most of the time, depending on the distance, I was in stasis anyway. No, I'm just fine here on the ground. Besides, why would I want to go and leave you behind? I already had to do it once."

"You never left me, sweetie, not the part of me that loves you."





After having gotten his rest, he had heeded the instructions whispered in his ear by Hope, seeking out the handlers that had made and modified her. The handlers, both excited by their obvious successes with Hope and almost teary-eyed over everything he'd told them, had set out to build a new SAI, mostly the same as Hope had been, but with some new modifications they had come up with. Rather than create her to look exactly like the first Hope, which might make people suspicious, since Hope was supposed to have been left behind on E-1585, they gave her blonde hair, a decent tan, and had made her taller by about two inches. Also, they were able to take about thirty pounds off of her, making her a reasonable 120 lbs. Her hips were slightly more flared, her waist a bit smaller, and her breasts about a size or two larger. Finally declaring themselves finished with her body, it was time to give her a mind. Devyn produced a small, opaque cube, which they inserted into her cranium. Devyn had received the cube from Hope before she had run off into the desert, a simple program that was given to her body after the cube left her hand. The cube had held all of her programming, and her memories.

As soon as they started her up, she sat up, looking around, startled for a moment until she saw Devyn standing there, looking worried. 

Then she smiled, "I see you're still brooding."

"I was," Devyn admitted, "But now that's over."





Alternate ending: 

"You're thinking about what's gonna happen. Quit it. There's nothing we can do about that, so let's just enjoy the time we have."

He smiled at her, "Was it that obvious?"

She returned the smile, "It gets more obvious each time you think about it."

"Sorry," he sighed.

Sadly, the day did arrive when the supply ship was supposed to land. That day seemed longer than every other day spent on the miserable planet, something just wasn't quite right. Hope stood outside of the Scimitar, running a complete scan of the sky so the supply ship could be located. It should've been here by now, and its absence worried her. 

Hope knew how moody Devyn got in the heat, which was why he was inside while she was outside. Though she could feel the heat through all of the sensors in her body, she could dial down the sensitivity of the sensors until she might've been standing out in a meadow on a spring day. She had temporarily repaired the Temperature Regulator, using spare parts, though she knew they wouldn't last long. She wanted Devyn to be comfortable until it was time for him to go home. 

Devyn caught a glimpse of her as she crept down the hallway; she moved like liquid along the hallway walls. Cool liquids in the hot desert heat. 

"Hey," he waved slightly to her as she passed by, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere as she passed him by without a word. He heard her in the cockpit, speaking on the radio. He strained to hear what she was saying, but couldn't. Something was wrong. He was relaxing on his bed, hoping that she would come to him and let him hold her, something that had grown more and more precious to him as the time they had to do so grew shorter and shorter. After everything she meant to him, going home without her just seemed so wrong. How could she expect him to leave her here alone on this damn rock, to leave her here alone to deteriorate and die while he went on living?

"Hope?" he called, and after getting no response, he got up and went into the cockpit. She was still on the radio, attempting to hail the supply ship. When she noticed him there, she stood. She seemed concerned, almost distraught.

"It hasn't arrived," she spoke quietly.

"What do you mean?" he moved to her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"The supply ship," she responded, "It should've arrived by now. In fact, it should've landed about forty-five minutes ago."

"It's okay," he shrugged, "It might just be running late. I kinda hope it is, actually, because I count any extra time I get to spend with you as a gift."

"Devyn," she shook her head, "I'm worried."

"I know you're worried," he took her in his arms, a gesture that seemed so natural now, but would've been an awkward embrace before. To his relief, she responded by laying her head on his shoulder, her lips close to his neck.

"It'll be okay," he assured her, "Come to bed."

The next day, as he awoke, he found that Hope wasn't next to him. He dressed and searched for her. She wasn't in the cockpit, or the lab. He walked outside, immediately being blasted by the intense heat. She stood outside, scanning the sky for the supply ship. 

"It's still not here, Devyn," she warned, "Your rations aren't going to last much longer, and the ship still isn't here! It should've been here yesterday!"

"Hope, please," he took her hand, "Calm down. Everything is gonna be fine, okay?"

"How can that be possible?" she resisted, "You've got three weeks' supply left, and that is only at half rations. And look at you! You're already noticeably weaker."

Devyn soothed her, "Sweetheart, the more you're out here worrying, the less time you'll have to spend with me. Besides, that drone should be here really soon, right?"

"I have no fix on a beacon, and there's no guarantee as to where it landed. It would take too long to locate, even for me."

"Don't worry about the things you can't change, and just focus on what you can."

She finally allowed herself to be led back inside, but then she headed toward the cockpit. He followed, touched at how concerned she was, how much she feared for him. She began calling for the supply ship over the radio.

"Hope?" he touched her arm, and she stopped mid-call, "I don't want to go back to Earth."

"What do you mean? You must!"

"I can't... no... I won't go on without you. Any semblance of a life I could have there would be worth less than one second I could be here with you."

Hope looked abject, "No, please don't say that! I don't want to watch you slowly die. It would be worse than leaving me here alone. At least, if you go back, I can take comfort in the fact that you would still be alive."

"What's life if I can't spend it with you?" Devyn sighed, "I won't... please don't ask me to."

"Devyn..." Hope took him in her arms, "What will we do, then?"

Devyn didn't answer her question right away, considering it carefully for a while, before finally suggesting, "I want to make love to you again, and then... we can both go together."

"Go together?" she blinked, "Where do you mean?"

"You can take a syringe, fill it with morphine, inject me, and then power yourself down. That way, neither of us will have to watch the other die, and I won't have to leave you here alone."

Horrified, Hope cried, "No! Absolutely not! You're asking me to kill you, and I won't do it!"

"Either you can inject me, or I'll inject myself. Those are your options. Honestly, I'd rather you do it. It would mean so much to me. When you do so is up to you, but I'd rather you do it while I still have strength to make love to you beforehand."

"Please," Hope pled, "Don't ask me to do this. I- I don't know if I can."

"These are my last wishes," he insisted, "And I'm asking you to carry them out."

Unable to change his mind, Hope finally relented, looking lost, forlorn. 

"Now, come and make love to me, make me happy."

A few hours later, having made love twice, both times so intense that he felt as if his heart would burst with raw, unadulterated emotions, he decided that it was time. Hope left for a moment, returning with a syringe. She searched his eyes for some kind of reluctance, hoping that she could dissuade him from this course of action, but she only saw his love for her. She sat down next to him, hesitating.

"It's time," Devyn nodded, "Please, go ahead." 

She inserted the needle into the vein in the crook of his arm, and depressed the plunger, injecting a lethal dose of morphine into his bloodstream. 

"Good, now, if you would shut down with me..." he lay back, and she tossed the syringe aside before snuggling against him, feeling his arms tighten around her. She initiated a permanent shutdown mode, which was usually used to keep any adversaries from gaining access to top-secret software in her head. It would burn up the opaque cube in her head that held her programming and memories, and she would cease to be. It took a minute to fully execute, and she watched as he smiled dreamily at her, and then closed his eyes. She could feel as his heart stuttered to a halt, and his other life-functions ceased. Something flared behind her eyes just then, and she ceased as well. 

"Supply Ship 462 to Scimitar Alpha," the SAI piloting the supply ship orbited the planet, "Please activate your beacon, Scimitar Alpha."

No response was received, so the SAI activated the scanners, searching for the last known location of Scimitar Alpha and its pilot. It took almost an hour to locate it, and once it was located, still no response was received. The supply ship landed within twenty yards of the Scimitar, and the SAI disembarked. It scanned the site around the Scimitar, found it empty of all biological signs, and then boarded the ship.

"Captain Savoy?" the SAI called as he entered the ship, "Please respond."

The SAI scanned the ship for biological signs, but found none. Power to the ship was still running, as well as the temperature regulator. The ships on-board computer showed that there had been no movement for the past two days. The SAI did a search, and quickly found the captain in his quarters, deceased. The captain's on-board SAI was on his bunk, cradled in his arms. A quick inspection showed that the SAI had initiated a permanent shutdown. 

The SAI took a blood sample from the deceased pilot to analyze, quickly picking up large amounts of morphine. A closer inspection of the pilot showed that he had expired forty-eight hours ago, one day after the Supply Ship 462 was supposed to have arrived. Unfortunately, several hazards along the original flight-path forced the SAI to alter the path, costing seventy-two hours' worth of time delay. The SAI left the Scimitar, made its report, transmitted, and then boarded the supply ship. Its mission was to bring fuel, stasis fluid, and some consumables to Captain Savoy, and then remain on the planet, as it would not have enough fuel to return to Earth. In the Scimitar, Captain Savoy's corpse would remain where it was, with his SAI held in its arms.