1 comments/ 17384 views/ 1 favorites Lonely Woman on Dante's Peak By: Egmont Grigor CHAPTER 1 Two years ago Conrad Blake had built the two-level house on Dante's Point and then returned to his house construction company to help give other people their dreams. Seven months later he was shot dead in an argument over another guy's wife, Conrad unable to persuade to the husband with the gun that it was just one of those things that happened in life to be found with the architect's wife, both of them undressed at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. That was a classic case, of course, where no lie could possibly bend the truth. The men struggled and the handgun went off. There was a big insurance payout for Conrad's 'accidental' death, allowing widow Katherine Blake to live on in her dream home without having to worry about money. She'd trained as an artist so occupied herself painting surrealistic seascapes that sold rather well, some of the torment she felt captured in acrylic on framed hardboard. And now more stress was on the horizon. For two days the sea had been unseasonably calm and a yellow cast in the sky reflected eerily on the sea. People in the nearby coastal city began becoming nervous as weather forecasts drew progressively worst. Then the chief of Civil Defense began issuing evacuation notices for citizens on lower-lying land around the city marina and south along the coast where expensive homes overlooking the beach had be piled through former reclaimed marshland. Huge gales were forecast and the fishing fleet scurried home. Outgoing pleasure boating was banned but surfers began arriving from afar to camp behind the low sand dunes in the expectation of huge waves. Katherine heard those warnings and felt sorry for those people who might lose their homes. She had no fear for herself although she did begin to think about dying without having had a child. Well perhaps she would remarry. Conrad the bastard, he'd been too busy going round screwing half the city's women before first doing his duty and impregnating her. She smiled, thinking after all the macho image he'd built around him, and perhaps he'd always fired blank shots. Either that or she was barren. They'd only really attempted to 'get pregnant' in the three months before his death so fertility had not been checked out. Hours later Katherine began to feel nervous. The weather warnings had become really ominous. Two deep depressions were now expected to 'collide' just off their coast, the different wind directions predicted to churn up the seas, sending unusually high tidal surges on to the coastline. Electrical storms and intense rain would hit the city. Thousands of citizens were being ordered to leave their homes and take shelter with people on higher land. TV showed lines a traffic chocking the motorways leading inland. Opinion on radio Talkback suggested a rogue wave could hit the city, perhaps up to 30 feet high. Minutes later that radio station went off the air, an endless message stating 'This radio station will resume normal transmission after the storm passes'. TV that evening focused on storm warning coverage and showed a city in panic. It was enough to panic Katherine. Was she safe? She seemed to recall that the finished height of foundations of their house leveled at 60ft above mean high water mark, whatever that meant. She panicked and called her father. Her parents' home was high up in the hills behind the city, it's foundations going into rock. That surely meant they'd be safe even in the event of mudslides if the rain really became torrential. "Dad?" "No, it's Alan Swan. Is that you Katherine?" "Yes, oh hi Mr Swan." "Are you okay up there Katherine? There's a big storm coming, according to the media, the biggest since the disaster of 1937 before the erection of sea walls." "Yes, yes. I know." "I arrived unannounced this morning just as Dick and Eva were leaving to visit your Aunt Ellie for a couple of days. She's had a small operation and..." "Yes I know." "They urged me to stay, saying they'd be back the day after tomorrow." Katherine began sobbing. "I'm not sure I'll be safe up here." "I think you will be. Like here your house foundations are drilled into rock." Katherine wept louder. "You only THINK I'll be safe. That's not overly encouraging." "Do you want me to come and stay with you or bring you back here?" "Thank you Mr Swan. That's very kind of you. Stay where you'll be safe." She cut the call and switched off her phone. Alan had been kind, very kind in fact making that offer, but why couldn't he have said she'd be safe? God, why do men have to pussyfoot around women and avoid the truth? Alan was sixty-two, her father's age. They'd gone through school and medical school together. He'd been master of ceremonies at Katherine's wedding, being a long family friend now living four hundred miles away." Two hours later the doorbell chimed. Oh god, was it a Civil Defense team arrived to evacuate her? No, no way would she leave the house but she'd appreciate them leaving her a CB radio in case the power went down, knocking out lighting and telecommunications. She opened the door and there was Alan, smiling confidently. "Hi, you look great. I was worried." "Just a few moments of weakness. Come in Mr Swan and have coffee or something stronger if you wish. Are you here to stay with me?" "Yes." "That's brave of you. You were safe where you were. May I hug you?" "Yes of course Katherine. You'll be fine now you have someone for company. Look, since we are in this together why don't you call me Alan?" "Okay and you call me Kathy." "Get the plans of the house for me Kathy while I unload the car." Alan returned carrying in succession two washing baskets loaded with provisions. "I didn't know what you had by way of food. I tried to call you but your phone was off." "I switched off because I didn't want you to come and place yourself in possible danger. I owe that to you wife Clara, your children and your grandchildren." "Oh Kathy that's almost heroic of you." Katherine lifted her head and asked Alan to kiss her. The kiss was soft and she thought possibly applied a little passionately. "That makes me feel better." "Anytime darling; just give me the call." She blushed, thinking how far would he be prepared to go. Surprised, she wondered where that thought had come from. Alan said he'd put his car in the garage in the vacant space beside Katherine's. "They should be safe, sheltered by the house." They sat in the lounge drinking coffee and Katherine turned on the TV. Bumper-to-bumper traffic leaving the city was reduced to a crawl. Police had arrested two young men for looting, breaking the plate glass window of a computer store inside the mall. The chief executive and day manager of a radio station had been arrested on a charge of allowing irresponsible broadcasting of uninformed callers lacking expertise predicting the possibility of a 30ft rouge wave. That prediction had increased panic in the community. The station had been ordered off-air. "A 30ft wave is a possibility. That radio station was just doing its job; as usual in times of stress the police over-reacted." "The police could be acting on political orders Alan." "Yes, that could be so. Politicians as enthusiastic amateurs in control; good god." "No, the commander of Civil Defense is in overall control. Let's turn to the emergency channel." "This is Lew Bright, commander of Springdale City Civil Defense. We reiterate our warning for people to get out of low-lying areas. The storm will strike in about two hours. Aim to get 50 feet above sea level. If you don't know how high that is go higher. Being safe is being high up but avoid cleared forest areas in the hills, as there could be mudslides if rain becomes torrential and that's likely. Some scare mongering predicted a 30ft rogue wave but that's pure speculation. We believe waves over tidal surges could conceivably reach 15ft and even at that height they could be destructive. Be warned, get to higher ground and try to keep dry and take food. I repeat, get to higher ground and try to keep dry and warm and take food with you. The storm will strike in about two hours. Got that? The storm will strike in about two hours. We now switch to the latest weather forecasts." "Jesus," Alan said. "Fifteen footers could be deadly. Right, where are those building plans?" "On the table." Alan looked at the house plans closely. "Okay, what we have here is this. We must stay away from the windows facing the sea. If they give there will be glass shards flying about. There are two good places to be -- these four central steel pillars hold up the stairs and support the roof. They will be engineered to perform far beyond the normal strength required. But under their protection we'd be exposed to flying debris. Therefore the safest place, apart from one exception, is the wine cellar." "The one exception?" "Well two actually. The first is poor ventilation but if a tidal surge hits the house we could be drowned in the cellar." "Oh god, read the specifications. There is a reference there as I recall about the height of the foundations level of the house above mean high water mark." "Oh really. That will be most useful.' Alan read quickly. "Oh boy, thanks to the thorough engineer who specified that measurement because I can't see it being required. The measurement is fifty-nine feet so minus nine feet for the cellar drop and that still gives us a safety margin of fifty feet and allowing for wind-driven tide surges but no freak giant wave that still gives us a good margin clear of direct water surge. A monster wave could shoot water right over the house although by then it will be mostly spray. We'll locate where you wish." "No, you are older, much wiser than me Alan. You decide, mixing knowledge with instinct." "The cellar. I feel our biggest threat will be glass shards and other debris if the windows give and we could be in danger in the central core if the roof caves in, taking the stairs with it. We could still be trapped if the house collapses in abnormally high winds. I best call Clara to inform her where I am." Alan put down his phone. "It's just bleep, bleep. Probably the phone system is hugely overloaded. Look, let's not watch TV, as it only makes depressing viewing. The power will be cut soon so I'll bring in the grill from the side courtyard and place it in the kitchen. Do you have a fold-up bed you can use?" "No but we have a blowup double bed. We can sleep together." "Oh call Clara before you get that bed." "But you said there was no phone service?" Katherine laughed when she realized she was being teased. When they had everything set up in the cellar they sat in the lounge drinking coffee, looking at the approaching storm out to sea. Their evening meal was in the oven, being cooked early. "Why did you think of bringing the grill inside?" Katherine asked. "I didn't want it blown away or crushed by debris. The access road into here may become impassable due to slides and washouts so we could be cut off for several days with no electricity." "So you're preparing for the worst?" "Yes." "Good man. Just look at those awesome dark clouds and there's the lightening." Half an hour later Alan said, "I'll get the cold food and water down into the cellar. Please dish up our meal." "I haven't done the gravy yet." "Fuck the gravy, look out to sea." "Oh god, it's the wind preceding the rain. Just look at the sea being whipped up." "Hurry, please Katherine." They got everything down into the cellar. Alan checked again to ensure anything hurled about couldn't block the cellar door that opened into the room. * * * They were seated at the small desk used when writing up wine notes, talking after their meal and sipping red wine, when then was a dull boom and then a clatter. "What's that?" A huge roar swept overhead like a jet plane, only it kept on roaring. "That's the wind Kathy. Near hurricane force I should think. Let's forget about it. The house is probably going to be shaken like a rag doll but here we have a floor and three walls and most of the fourth constructed of reinforced concrete. We are as safe as we can be here." The lights went out. Alan said the wind had hit the city, probably bringing down power lines. Katherine switched on a torch and said she was scared. "May I sit on you knee and hug you?" "Yes, of course." The hugged and kissed and Alan said he didn't think Katherine should kiss him with an open mouth but was ignored. A little later she reached down and said, "You're hard." "I-I apologize Kathy. It's having you so close to me, me smelling your skin and hair..." "Oooh Alan. Play with my breasts. Ease them out if you wish." "Kathy... please. I'm old enough to be your father." "Yes, and how long have I been aware of that Alan? Most of my life I should think. Something dreadful may happen to us here. I think we should fuck." "Kathy really..." "What Alan?" "Well I can't say I'm not interested." "Oooh Alan. Please pull it out for me. I want to play with it." "You are a most beautiful woman and in the prime of your life Kathy." "Is thirty-five prime?" "Yes, early into it. I'm extremely privileged that I am being given access to such a lush body." "Let's pretend this is out last fuck before we die Alan, so we must give it our all. Make me pregnant." "What? Cathy get off me, you don't know what you are saying. You are in hallucinating in fear." "Is that so? Why then am I speaking so calmly and doing what you said, attempting to ignore what's going on above us? Come on Alan, pump away, get us both excited and make me pregnant." "You can't be serious?" "Oh but I am and the coincidence is this is a good time in my cycle for that to occur." "But we would be ostracized. Clara would probably divorce me; my children and grandchild could disown me." "Not if I'm very clever about it." "Like what?" "If we survive the next twenty-four hours, then when I learn I'm pregnant I'll go away and when I return it will be with my baby. I'll simply explain to everyone I adopted it, being approved as a suitable parent with means." "I-I don't know what to say." "Say nothing. Just fuck me as many times as you wish while we're cooped up here. It will help to pass the time." "I-I mightn't be sexy enough for you." "Oh just leave that to me darling. Conrad taught me how to get a man up and going again and how to keep a man interested. They are real skills and I'm proud at last to have them as there's now a good reason to have them." "Well, I'll do what you ask Kathy and try my very best, I'll work to keep tension out of our union. Let's go on to the bed." After foreplay and Alan was inserting for the first time he almost lost it when Katherine said conversationally, "You won't be aware yet Alan that I can hook my legs behind my neck to give you a most desirable presentation if you wish to sink in to the hilt. What a way to shelter from a near-hurricane." Alan found Katherine was unbelievably good and she almost timed her climax to come with his. He thought his face must have turned purple when she clamped around his dick and held him deep inside her, the semen flow pumping. He rolled off and placed a pillow under her butt. "Stay still for ten minutes. I feel depraved saying this but keep your knees up like that. This is to facilitate my semen doing its job. Never in a million years would I have visualized at my age doing this to a young woman." "Relax Alan. In my book you're doing nothing wrong, just assisting me. You're a physician. If you do make me pregnant will my baby look old when it's born?" Alan laughed and stroked her hair and said, "Go to sleep dear. In all probability any baby would be absolutely normal." "What a lovely thing to say to me. Was that a good fuck for you Alan?" "The best fuck of my life, without question. You are beautiful Cathy with a body like a goddess." "There's no need to go overboard sweetheart. I suggest you don't tell Clara I was your best fuck ever." "Be assured Cathy I'll not tell Clara a single word about this encounter, nor anyone else for that matter.' "So our lips are sealed?" "Absolutely," Alan said. "Good, then I'll not have to kill you," Katherine giggled. Alan kept stroking her hair until Katherine fell asleep. There was insufficient light to see her expression. He peed in the bucket that was their toilet and then washed in the sink, pleased that the water supply remained connected as that indicated there was no catastrophic damage above them. Thumping and banging sounds continued unabated above the noise of the wind when Alan had crept in beside Katherine. He turned off the torch and fell asleep. During the night he awoke to find Katherine was working up his erection. "I urinated in the bucket and am ready to go again, providing you are," she whispered, biting his ear. "Ready?" That bite made Alan think he was ready to blow the head of his cock off. They'd fucked with the pillow still under her ass, so there was no need to replace it. She'd wanted to ride him cowgirl but remained on her back when Alan advised that was the optimum way although side-by-side and doggy were okay. CHAPTER 2 Katherine woke and found the torch and pointed the fading light at the veteran wall clock and just made out the position of the hands. Thank goodness Alan had found a supply of new torch batteries in her father's store cupboard. It will be dawn soon. She waited an hour and shook Alan awake. "The wind's abated -- that roaring is the sea," she said. "It's at little over thirty minutes since dawn." "A good. I'll take a quick look around up top." "Great idea but come back holding an erection." Alan scrubbed his unshaven jaw. "Kathy, I don't think you understand. I get it twice a week if I'm lucky plus my birthday and Clara's birthday." "Well those sequences are arbitrary, aren't they? Ease back on coffee and allow me to feed you pieces of chocolate and have plenty of fruit and water to speed your body to recover. I can fuck day and night." Alan grinned and said he bet she could. "Whether you know it or not, at your age you are little more than a fuck machine." "Oooh Alan. I like you talking sex to me. We you come back we can do it doggy. My big tits swinging under me will be great for your to grab and squeeze. You have permission to squeeze them hard... Alan, weren't you going out to check on damage?" The only answer that received was a huge leer as Alan assisted Katherine on to her hands and knees. After they'd rested, Katherine watched Alan with new batteries in the torch, climb the stairs in the cellar to the landing. He pushed open the door tentatively and they felt relieved as it opened fully, without obstruction. "Your house is still standing, remarkably unscarred I should think. "Excellent." He walked away for two minutes and called down to her, "Come up. Two of the big windows have cracked and there has been water seepage on to the carpet. Trees are down, blown against the house. I had a quick look upstairs. The shutters that you'd closed would have kept the windows undamaged. Everything looks fine. Couldn't see any leakage. The power is off and my telephone doesn't work." Katherine joined him. "Oooh, everything looks rather unscathed; just light repair work as you indicated. The house was designed to withstand storms because Dante's Peak is rather exposed." Alan nodded and then Katherine said, "Oh god, look out there." "What, at the lake?" "It's not a natural lake, it's saltwater over the Hutchinson's hay fields. A tidal surge has come up through that depression in the cliff top over there -- see, the fencing is down, pushed over by the force of water." Lonely Woman on Dante's Peak "God, then the city must be devastated." "Well perhaps not. That depression is really quite low and remember the city has its seawalls. Oh, duck down and bring up all the batteries. The kitchen radio works on batteries and some in dad's collection may fit." They sat eating yogurt and drinking bottled water, listening to the emergency radio station. The reports of damage and loss of life made grim listening. An estimated thirty surfers who'd defied the warnings to evacuate to higher ground had lost their lives, asleep in their tents, when the storm-driven tidal surge swept over the supposedly protective sand hills. The seawalls fronting the city center had worked as planned, deflecting the force of the incoming water upwards, leaving the city center suffering only wind damage and flooding. Some of the damage to stores closest to the seawalls was caused by pleasure boats being swept over the wall and across the street to land through plate glass windows or crashing into doorways and ends of dividing walls between buildings. "It is a scene of devastation and damage will go into the tens of millions of dollars," intoned the newsreader. "The harbormaster reports seventy percent of craft in the marine are probably insurance write-offs. According to Captain James Briscoe what saved the city but what was bad news for the surfers who drowned was the angle the tidal surge came in, hitting the town wharf first which absorbed a great deal of its pressure. Buildings on the wharf were swept away but the wharf itself appears relatively undamaged. The subsequent rain deluge has caused water damage to premises and dwellings with wind damage to roofs, flooded streets and an unknown number of people have probably died, caught up in mudslides." "It's very bad but could have been worse," said Alan. The newsreader continued with the verbal portrayal of damage. "Roads all over the region have left individuals and indeed whole communities isolated and Army and Air Force personnel in helicopters have already begun checking out these victims but landing only if people require urgent hospitalization. In the meantime residents are urged not to return to the city until the all clear is given. Power and telephone services are out as are water supplies to some areas and raw sewage is contaminating buildings and streets, being carried along by stormwater." "It's a real mess," Katherine sighed. Alan said that was true but it fell well short of the potential devastation that had seemed likely. He returned the grill outside and lit it, asking Katherine to fetch a pot of water. "We need coffee." Later they watched a helicopter hovering over farm houses below and then begin heading towards them. Alan grabbed Katherine by the hand and said they needed to go outside. "But we're nude." "Grab a rug," Alan laughed, pulling on a pair of shorts he took from a suitcase where he'd dumped it by the front door. He also had a shirt on by the time the chopper arrived. Katherine hurried out wearing a robe. A guy sitting at the open doorway shouted through a speaker, "Hi, Sergeant Dick Willis speaking. Please listen and do what I say. Are there only two of you down there? If it's yes take two steps forward. If it's no take two big steps backwards." Katherine and Alan stepped forward. "Right, if you require medical assistance take two big steps forward. If everything is okay and you believe you can survive without assistance for another three days then take two steps backwards." They both stepped backwards. "Good, now wave confirming everything is okay and you don't need help." They waved furiously and the sergeant waved to them. The helicopter banked and flew down the valley, probably allowing observers to note the problems with the access road. Katherine locked the front door and removed her robe and then looked at Alan. Alan asked, "What?" "Let's live in the nude. You have a lean body, not the disgusting mass of fat many guys your age have." "Why nude -- most women look more provocative to men with some clothes on." "Do they really? Are you sure about that?" "Yes I am." "Well in that case find your underpants and I'll wear a demi-bra and a short skirt that has a high split and no knickers. How about that?" "Sounds perfect to me." "And you have permission to fuck me whenever you wish." "Sounds perfect to me... far better than marriage." "God Alan, you are almost funny at times. I'm taking a real liking to you." After lunch Katherine and Alan dressed and negotiated the rugged terrain down the peak until the reached the fields and from there it was an easy walk including wading above their knees through the new saltwater lake, to the Hutchinson's farmhouse. Mary Hutchinson ran out and kissed Katherine. "Oh we are so glad you are okay. We thought the violent wind last night might have demolished your house. We awoke this morning and saw it standing, appearing unmarked. I suppose you access road is out?" "Yes. Hi Dave," Katherine said, as Mary's husband emerged. Introductions were made. "We were hoping you guys had phone contact with the outside world." "No but I have CB radio contact," Dave said. "What can I do for you?" Dave handed Alan a beer and poured wine for the women. He made contact with a CB operator a guy who undertook to call Katherine's parents at her aunt's home and then call Clara advising that Katherine and David had come through the drama unscathed. Alan had gone to Catherine, taking supplies in case access was cut, which it had and had stayed with her. The house appeared to have suffered little damage. Mary noticed Alan staring at her and smiling asked what, probably thinking if Alan needed to stare at a pair of great breasts why bother with her when he had Katherine to gaze at. "Mary, please excuse the intrusion but as a new friend may I advise you to get that mole at the base of your neck, just before the start of you cleavage, looked at by your doctor?" Dave grinned and Mary looked a little offended until Katherine said quietly, "Alan is a very eminent physician." "Oh really?" Mary said in the way many women do in matters concerning health and medicine. She walked over to the window and said, "Please take a closer look Alan. Dave won't object." "I don't wish interfere... you are another doctor's patient." "Now just get over here and examine it Alan, don't be a naughty boy. Get him your magnifiying glass from the study Dave." A careful examination followed. "Well?" "Hmmmm." "Alan, please behave." "Please consult your doctor." "Very well, but what is it?" "Based on pure observation I would suggest you have it remove. In time it could, emphasis on 'could;, become a threat to your health. Has it change recently?" "Yes, it has grown and become darker." "Tell you doctor that. He may decide a biopsy is the next step." "Is that okay?" "Certainly and if I'm right he'll sent you to day surgery to have it removed. Based on my casual observation, you have nothing to fear but just begin the process in the next week or two Mary. It's impossible to be too early with possible threats." "Would you like to examine the rest of my body?" "Um no thank you Mary but another beer would go down nicely. May I say you have great skin." "You mean for mey age." "No Mary, you have great skin. Obviously you use moisturers to protect against excessive hydration which catches out many rural women who work in the open." "Damn right she does doc. Mary spends a small fortune on stuff in tubes, bottles and spray cans to spread all over her." "And as a result Dave, your wife has probably the finest skin I've seen seen on a rural woman." Dave look fondly at Mary. "Well you know I have to bitch about something love. I spend more on a vet bills than you spend at the pharmacy. And you know I do like stroking your skin." Mary blushed hugely. "Look, you two guys; get off my case." Alan laughed and said, "How is your stock after the storm Dave?" "We'd driven them into a big field behind a hill between them and the sea so most came through it okay. A couple broke legs running around in fear during the electrical storm so we had to shoot them this morning." "That's tough." "That's ranching. Oh, I was meaning to ask, what's your relationship with Katherine Alan?" The women fell silent. "I've know her since a little after her birth. Her dad and I grew up together and went to the same med school. We have been family friends ever since. Is there a problem about that?" "No, not really. I was just interested, that's all." "It must be worrying you Dave to have brought it up. If you must know, we are not related. Because of the threat of the storm and knowing she was alone I came over and stayed with her last night. We worked out the safest place to be would be in the cellar, despite that talk about a 70ft rogue wave. And I'd add Katherine went to sleep last night in my arms." "And I would expect nothing less," Mary said hotly. "God Dave, what's gotten into you?" "Nothing. I was just interested, that's all. In the same circumstances I would have done the same." Katherine asked quietly, "Considering my age and body would you have felt that as being a bothisome duty Dave?" "Oh Alan, you lucky guy' what a duty," Dave laughed, ending the tension. "Dave will talk. All my neighbours will know," Katherine said, as they climbed the slope to the house, timing to arrive before nightfall. Alan was lugging a spare gas lamp and bottle Dave had handed him. Katherine was carrying two tins of Mary's baking. "Does it really matter?" "It may get back to my parents and mom is bound to tell Clara." "I repeat, does it really matter?" "It will if I become pregnant." "Then go away for a couple of months and return pregnant. People would think one and one make... and won't be sure of the answer." "Well, I keep pretty much to myself and I know dad will stick by me and probably call you a slimy jerk and then sigh and say, "Oh well, if its yours I don't really mind." "And your mom?" "Who knows. If it went beyond simply suspicion you might be the father she may try to ripped off your balls or she may cry. Never have I been much good at predicting my mother's reactions to anything. So what about your family?" "Well actually I believe the realization will grow slowly, no one wanting to believe it until the time comes when other options run out. The big problem is Clara. She's feel humiliated, betrayed and will divorce me." "Oh god." "Don't worry. I thought about that last night and didn't expect to die. Your request to make you pregnant was just one of the greatest things anyone had asked me and I decided to try my best and do that before my brain became clouded by lust." "Oooh, you came to me in lust?" "Yes indeed. I desired to fill you until sperm came out of your ears and nostrils." "God Alan, you are making my think you are the sexiest man alive." "Be careful -- it's only an illusion," Alan laughed. As they stopped on the hillside for a breather, Alan murmered, "You are the most desirable woman I've ever thought of fucking Katherine. Am I still presented with further opportunities?" Katherine looked at him in awe and then sighed, "Yes my darling man. Until you drive away from here." A fallen tree lay over the garage roof but when they checked inside they found nothing amiss. They walked to the edge of the cliff and found below them a couple of big rocks had been dislodged and lay semi-exposed in a fresh built-up of sand. Katherine pointed out severe erosion of the clay cliffs to the south and they saw the spot where probably a big wall of seawater had breached the lower-level cliff and sped inland for form that temporary lake. Once inside Alan returned to the exterior carrying a reel of sticking plaster and a roll of wide sellotape and covered the big cracks in the two panes facing out to sea, making them waterproof. He re-rentered the house and locked the front door, grinning when he turned and saw the line of Katherine's discarded clothes. He stripped off and heard her call, "I'm on the diningroom table. Mommy feels like having pussy licked darling." During the next two days they played cards, read, drank wine and chatted. Katherine was most interested to learn about infant care. Alan said soothingly, "You are wishing for something with me that's unlikely to happen. Women of your age sometimes take months and months to get pregant despite best efforts." "It's okay. I'm entitled to wish. But if you must know I have this feeling I'm very receptive to your sperm. Let's go up to my bedroom. This time we shall lay side-be-side. With your length I'll have no trouble keeping you in and working towards timing with your pumping climax. Next day, shortly after 8am, they heard the noise of a machine approaching. It was a roadgrader with a front blade as well, driven by a cheerful corporal from the Army Corps of Engineers. Katherine pulled on a robe and ran out and greeted the guy and after he turned the grader around and stepped out of the machine she kissed him and invited him in for coffee. By then Alan was dressed and was making pancakes for the guy. "Your father is a good cook," remarked the corporal and he appeared to have difficultly understanding his hostess when she said, "Yes, and in bed as well." The corporal said to drive with care and to give him twenty minutes to get down to the crossroads. He'd cleared through the toe of a big slip across the road and cleared completely away two small ones and fortunately there were no washouts. An hour later Katherine was dabbing her eyes, helping Alan to load his car. "I'll never forget you coming to my aid in more senses that one," she said. "You are the kindest of men." "Try telling Clara that," he grinned. Alan kissed Katherine lovingly and got into his car."Well, let's see what the future brings," he said, driving off, Katherine waving, holding back tears and thought she must go straight away and paint stormy scenes. But no, when settling into her studio she sketched Alan's head and shoulders as she remembered him and would labor over the painting, doing it in oils. That evening Katherine switched on her cell phone to find it was connected again. She found five messages from her mother and called. "Hi, where are you?" "Home, I've called you six times in the past hour, willing you to answer." "Five." "Excuse me?" "There were five messages from you." "Five or six, what does it matter? Alan is staying with us. He said he stayed the night of the storm with you." God, what a sneak Alan was, Katherine grinned. He hadn't told her mother he'd also stayed and screwed her another two days and nights. Oh, and this morning. He must have reached her parent's home and unpacked not long before they arrived. "Yes, and wasn't he a darling. God, if it hadn't been for him I would have died." "What did you two do?" her mother asked, voice pregnant with suspicion. "Oh, a bit of this and that. First we had to batten down. Then I got the house plans out for him and he worked out the cellar was the best place to shelter." "I see." "I took the blow-up mattress down and he slept with me." Katherine thought how dumb, they should have made sure their stories matched. Now her mother would know Alan was a liar, probably saying he stood on guard all night, going without sleep. "Slept with you?" Her mom's voice crackled with tension. "I was scared, terrified. I went to sleep in his arms." "Oh my poor darling. That's how Alan described it. Thank god he was there to comfort you." "Yes, I was a very lucky girl, luckier that you might imagine. After receiving a message you were safe I called Clara and she... well you won't believe what she thought you two might be doing. " Oh god, Katherine thought, close to panick. She had to turn her mom's mind off that. "Well we weren't on the beach making sandcastles mom, I'm telling you. Have you any idea what a 70ft wave would have done to my house?" "No, how high is your house above the beach." "Fifty feet." "Oh god, you two could have drowned, caught in the cellar, or crushed had you stayed in the house proper. You both must have been terrified." "Well Civil Defense rejected the concept of a 70ft wave. That helped but as you know Civil Defense is not always accurate in reading upcoming storm threats." "How right you are darling. I'm so delighted you are safe. I really must give him something lovely." Ah, the chance to get her mom's mind right off what Alan may have done to Katherine. "Offer him sex mom. From what I understand he's on a ration with Clara." Her mom forgot to pretend to be upset by such an audacious comment. "Are you telling me Clara's sex drive is drooping? Clara used to be the horniest young woman in our gang." "Were you horny as a young woman mom?" "Compared with Clara I was the most reluctant near-virgin around. Now where were we?" "I was suggesting you take Alan to bed." Eva giggled. "It's a thought darling but people our age are too far over the hill to engage in casual sex." "What are you like in bed mom?" "Ah darling, the garden was messed up by the ferocious wind and the garage roof leaked in a couple of places but otherwise our property came through okay and your aunt is coming along nicely. God I should have been talking sex with her rather than with you. Perhaps I shouldn't say this but Ellie was a huge goer when she was young." "A huge goer? What's that mom?" Hearing Eva draw in breath to begin an elaborate description, watered-down from the truth, Katherine knew any conversation about Alan and her was now past its use-by date. CHAPTER 3 Dr Magness faced Katherine, looking slightly uncomfortable. She said, "Bad news I'm afraid dear. You are pregnant." Katherine struggled to conceal her joy. One of Alan's wriggling little sperms had got through. Oh joy! She waited for her doctor to say more. "Um, I doubt that this is an imaculate conception dear. May I ask was the suspected father in good health to your knowledge." "Yes, very good health. An older guy... um... married." "Oh dear." "It's fine. I shall pretend it's an imaculate conception and if anyone rejects that I'll tell them it's none of their fucking business." "Good for you dear. Now I'll set up a schedule for you of tests and pre-natal classes etcetera." "Carol, please. Just the essentials and only the essentials. I do want a healthy baby so the focus must be on that. I don't smoke and from today I'll stop drinking alcohol and eating various nasties that could upset my baby farther along the line. My immediate neighbour worked for many years as a maternity nurse in the city hospital before being promoted into a bigger job." "Who are you referring to dear?" "Mary Hutchinson." "Oh glory be. She was an absolute stunner as a nurse and retired as assistant director of nursing. Mary will be a perfect midwife for you. Shall I call her?" "Um may I suggest I get her to talk to you. I'll have to breach my request to Mary very carefully, in the absense of a father, if you know what I mean?" "Oh yes dear. How wicked of me to rush you into recruiting her. Now here is a list of highly recommended websites for you to read up on pregnancy and birthing. Your own mom will be a big help, er, when you break the news and she comes to terms with it." * * * Two days later Katherine sat in a bar at their local service center with Mary Hutchinson, Mary surprised Katherine was only drinking tonic water. "What, are you getting me almost drunk before asking something?" Katherine laughed and said, "Who me?" Mary eyed her closely and ordered another wine. She gulped it down and said, "Well mission accomplished. Shoot young woman." Lonely Woman on Dante's Peak "I'm pregnant." "I wondered about that. To that old guy who stayed with you during the storm and a couple of days after." "Yes." "I thought you must have had something on offer to induce him to stay that long." "It could have been my scintillating conversation." Mary laughed and then looked serious. "So you want me to recommend a clinic for the abortion." "Oh no, I want to engage you as my midwife. I'm asking as a big favor. Please Mary." Huge delight spread over Mary's face. "Darling, I'd be honored. God, you have gotten your father's friend in the crap over this. I presume he's married?" "Yes with children and grandchildren. Mary, I set about getting pregnant and he knew that from the outset. I knew it was a good time for me and knew the onslaught of the storm would make me very emotional. He's a fit coot and still plays squash and goes to the gym." "I could have go a round or two with him myself, but just recreationally of course, not like you. Did he give a little speech and say something like it would be a great honor?" Katherine giggled. "Something like that. He was superb Mary, better than even my randy ex-husband I think." "You two must have had a great time up there alone, marooned, and here was I feeling sorry for you being in the company of that old goat. How wrong one can be." "My doctor is Carol Magness. I said I'd ask you to call her." "Oh Carol, what a sweet doctor you have. I remember years back before Carol went off to med school she received permission to attend one of our birthings. It was a prem frank breech and the mother was so small. It was delivered normal channel and when dear Carol saw how far stretched the vagina was she keeled over but our student nurse caught her." "Mary you're making my nervous." "Oh sorry darling. Just looking at you, a big strong young woman, I reckon you will birth your first at a near-breeze. Will you be fetching him back again for subsequent pregnancies?" "Mary please. I'll probably end up declaring I'll never fuck again." "I'm sure you'll have that thought darling but you being a perfect specimen for sex, I really don't think you'll be away from it for long. Once you deliver you first child you'll want more." "Do you really thing so? I've very interested in becoming a mother." "Welcome to the club darling. I had four." The next evening Mary called and to tell Katherine her midwifery license had been renewed without her being required to update. "It appears my reputation is such that I'm held in high regard. I also pointed out little has changed." * * * Visiting the village to buy milk and bread, Katherine glanced at the Public Information Board and a computer-generated card caught her attention. It was headed, 'Accommodation for an Artist as a Young Man'. An itinerant writer entering the area had liked the 'savagery;' of its coastline and was seeking full accommodation with a hospitable family with a low threshold in respect of payment for the privilege of having him or her staying with them. Katherine smiled. The person could be Irish. He/she certainly sounded cheeky and possessing character. The heading had intrigued her because in her bedroom bookshelf was a twice-read copy of James Joyce's 'A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man'. On impulse (and impulse was no stranger to her) she called. There was no reply so she left a message. Just before 7:00 that evening her phone went. "What are you doing?" "Excuse me?" Katherine said biting back an indignant reaction to some jerk phoning women at night. "I asked a perfect reasonable question and thank you for not displaying hostility." This time Katherine caught the slight accent. It was the advertiser! "I'm in the bath, soaking. And reading. My reading glasses are perched on my nose and if I claimed to be reading the Bible you wouldn't believe me." Her wit was ignored. "So what are you reading?" She sighed. "A cheap woman's magazine article on breast augmentation." "You sound interesting." "Aren't we all if studied well enough?" "Hmmm. That's deep thinking. Are you old?" "No." "Then you're young?" "No, drifting along between those extremes." "You didn't say both extremes." "Why? The word 'both' in that instance is redundant." "Ah, educated are we?" Katherine thought enough of this. "So you are the Irishman for whom I left a message?" There was a pause. "I softened my accent. How the hell did you work that out?" "Intelligence usually goes with being well educated." He laughed. "My name is Danny Connor. May I come and live with you and your family?" "Are you clean and tidy and at least 90% reputable?" "Yes." "Do you lie?" "Not to a soft-spoken educated woman who's read 'The Portrait of an Artist of a Young Man. Where do you live?" "On Dante's Peak." The pause was followed by a soft, "Jesus." "Yes, most people wouldn't live at a location called that, would they? It's listed on local maps. My name is Katherine Blake, a widow, newly pregnant and I live alone and paint seascapes sold in galleries. If none of that is to your likening then obviously you'll be a no-show. Goodnight." Katherine slid her phone shut and began breathing heavily with suppressed tension. She'd expected an interesting man to enter her life if she waited patiently. She had expected it would be a meeting at a friend's home or at a gallery display opening. Was Mr Connor the one? Five days later Katherine was up a ladder cleaning leaves from the roof gutters, wearing jeans with a tear in the ass from the time she'd climbed lazily over a barbwire fence when she saw a small white car arrive. She was braless and the sweater had shrunk in the wash. She wore a tight woolen cap under which her hair had oozed out in all directions and her makeup was non-existent. "Oh god, a fucking visitor," she spat. She waved and turned back to pull out the branch she'd already dragged closer. "You being pregnant makes me wonder if that's a good idea you being up there?" The accent was softly Irish. "Hello Mr Connor. I have cleaned out my studio for you. It's beside my bedroom and faces out to sea for inspiration. Take your things up now or just leave them and I'll do it when I climb down." "I wasn't seeking excessive hospitality." "Well that's a relief." "Come down and greet me. Go carefully." "Well I'm due for coffee. I purchased tea for you." "You knew I'd come?" "Of course. The name Dante's Peak draws people with adventure in them," Katherine said, making that up. She noticed him nod thoughtfully. Danny Connor looked about thirty, dark hair, white face and a pointy nose. Not handsome but he appeared to have dark eyes and that was something, Katherine thought. He waited but she chose to go on and finish cleaning within arm's reach. He received a big tick as she climbed down and he didn't rush forward and hold the ladder and make patronizing comment. She turned to face him and giggled when he gaped and said in obvious shock, "Jesus you're tall." Danny in socks probably only just made five-ten. "So height is the privilege of males?" Katherine said grittily, annoyed that Danny was now staring at her breasts. "Exactly what did you expect me to be?" "Characterization is a great interest of mine and I'm used to instantly visualizing character when I meet people and do it quite well, I believe." "Well that suggests you are not short on ego." Danny gaped at her again. "What?" "You are quite unlike most women I've met in this country, particularly the blondes," he said as they completed shaking hands. "They are great at chatter but have difficulty conversing at a higher level. It seems to come naturally with you and you're blonde." "Careful Danny, true blondes are not as numerous as they seem." "What, are you suggesting many are bottle blondes?" "Hair coloring is a huge industry. Although I'm a true born blonde and my mother is also natural, we do enhance our blondness." Danny swallowed noticeably as if about to make a confession. "Katherine, my inner voice told me when talking to you on the phone I'd find you inspirational, and now I believe I will." "Oh? Got it wrong did you?" "Y-yes. And I admit that. You are not the person I spoke to on the phone." Katherine smiled. "Drunk again that evening?" "No, just a couple of ales with whisky chasers." "Careful Danny, the demon drink seized James Joyce." He looked at her alarmed. Katherine put the conversation back on track. "Where did you go wrong with me?" "I expected you to be wearing glasses." "I do but only for reading, mainly night reading." "I had this image you'd be much older, perhaps fifty." "Few women become pregnant beyond the age of forty. I'm thirty-five." "Oh, there's a huge flaw in my character assessment, isn't it?" "None of us is infallible Danny and the harder we hit out straps the more likely we are to expose our shortcomings. But playing cool is boring, isn't it?" "Indeed. I've been called boring." "Well, you are rather intense. Carry on about other things you got wrong about me." "Although you conversed well I visualized you as being prim with an almost flat chest." "Well, that's very honest of you Danny. I think most men would have backed off at that point in your situation. I admire you for that. Me prim? I don't think so and my flat chest does carry these puppies, Katherine said, cupping them and juggling them slightly. She regretted doing that when seeing Danny's eyes bulge. He had black eyes, or almost black. "Whatever gave you the concept I'd be small breasted?" "You saying on the phone you were reading about breast augmentation." Catherine laughed without restraint and then cut it, saying, "I'm sorry. That was not aimed at embarrassing you. I just found such an association incongruous although I can well understand you being on the phone with a vivid imagination and it running your thoughts in the wrong direction." "Running your thoughts in the wrong direction?" "Excuse me?" "That's literary phrasing." "Yes Danny, I agree and know people don't really talk like that. I must have repeated something I've read." "Did you?" "I have no idea. Pass me your laptop and portable printer. I have a back-up desktop printer not being used that I'll put in your bedroom-workroom." "Is there enough space?" "I should think so Danny -- it is as wide as half the width of this house." "Jesus." Katherine smiled. In all probability Danny was Catholic but interjecting conversation with that word 'Jesus' suggested he was relaxed about it and that would suit her fine. She was happy, knowing in her sixth sense he'd be fucking her before too long. Also having Danny living with her would explain her pregnancy to her mother and those around her including Clara. Oh well done Katherine, she beamed, leading Danny into the house. Danny followed her into his room and stopped, mouth dropping open. He let go his carry bags and raced to the window, gluing his pointed nose to it. "So inspirational, so inspirational" he murmured, and turning to Katherine he said, "Thank you. Those cloud formations are so wonderful. I am so grateful you are willing to share this with me Kathleen." "Katherine." "Oh yes, sorry. Is calling you Kath okay?" "I'd prefer Kathy." Danny looked at her. "Is there something wrong with my face?" "Not that I've noticed. I was studying your face and your pointy nose is cute. I'd like to paint you one day." "One day? Am I staying here for a long time?" "I think so. Why are you here?" "I've been commissioned by an agency to write an eight hour-long drama series about modern-day immigrants from Ireland settling in this country within the past ten years. Although fictional, it has to be based on fact in great detail. I have spent ten months on research and interviews and my last interview is with a young engineer who settled in your city and now is twice married with seven children." "Oh god, seven children." "His new wife brought five with her. You may know him; your city is not all that large. His name is Niall Duffy. "Know him. Niall did all the engineering on this house and he and my late husband became great friends until..." "Until?" Katherine bit her lip. "Until Niall's first wife who'd remarried had a brief affair which ended when her new husband caught Donna and my husband at it and in the struggle for a gun my husband was shot, fatally. "Jesus." "Thank you. I take it your surprise is flecked with sympathy." "Oh yes, yes dear woman. It was a tragedy. I'll cancel my interview." "No Danny. I forbid you to do that and use my husband as one of your characters that Niall came across in settling into his tormented life in this country. He'll be a brilliant character for you. He was out fishing by himself and saved two young boys swimming for their lives who'd been flung off their parent's boat during a violent heel in an exceptionally strong gust and had not been missed until minutes later but then couldn't be located in the choppy water. His face is burned down one side from when he saved an elderly couple trapped in a fire in their trailer home. You'll find Niall is a hero in the city Danny and he designed the new St Mary's Church that has won national awards and one international award for its unique steel and glass design. Strange as it might seem, Niall is a guy who's bigger than fiction." "You are a remarkable woman Kathy. We'll talk about this again after I've completed my interviews of Niall. You know, he grew up half an hour's walk from where I grew up in Ireland. If what you say is confirmed by Niall, and I'm sure it will be, then I'll not be surprised if I switch my draft central character to base him on Niall." "Oh I'm sure that will be the case. It will excite you to find his first wife, who remains living in the city and waits for her husband to be released from jail, is a blonde; her family was originally from Sweden I believe. But Niall's new wife is a nurse who arrived from Cork and has flaming red hair." Kathleen smiled when she saw Danny's eyes almost pop. They went down for coffee and Niall said, "Ah, paying for my room, meals and use of all facilities... I was thinking of paying $400 a month but your facilities are worth much more. This is a grand house. I'm prepared to offer..." "Two hundred a month and buy us the occasional bottle of wine Danny. I'm not short of money and welcome the company." "But that's absurd." "But those are my terms." He smiled. "Okay but in that case I'll work around here, doing jobs you want done." "I started the roof guttering just half an hour before you arrived." "Great, I'll be on to that." "That pleases me Danny. Use everything around the house as if it's your house. Perhaps you should knock before entering my bedroom if the door is closed. I'm used to walking around with little or nothing on." Danny grinned and said she shouldn't change that habit on his account. "Oh, that was rude of me. Sorry." "Are you Danny?" His face burned and he looked away. Katherine showered and dressed in a striped halter-top and a short skirt and walked out with nothing on her feet. Danny's eyes said it all and she smiled and said, "You'll find the printer on a table with a box of paper under it in my bedroom where I'll work. Shift it all to your room." "Thanks. You look gorgeous." "Thank you Danny." Katherine walked out to the seat by the top of the cliff and made a call. It was time to tell Alan he didn't fire blanks. * * * Danny felt he'd fallen fatally on to his head and was now in heaven. The house was magnificent, Katherine was a goddess, his workroom was a dream and its view out into the blue yonder as it was today was beyond belief. What she'd told him about Niall was stupendous. The agency had insisted he'd base the series on real people and wanted that claim to feature in program promos and in all credits. He'd said yes, thinking it was a good idea, but as the time he'd spent on research and interviewing people recommended to him, he'd become increasingly despondent. He'd wanted characters for his hero and heroine who'd appear almost larger than life. Kathy had been on to that in a flash. Obviously that displayed her reading pedigree that she read beyond cheap women's magazines. Almost gloating Danny thought he was on the eve of finding his hero, Niall, married to a temperamental bitch with flaming red hair from, er, Dublin. The heroine of course would be based on Katherine. The thought had exploded into him as Kathy had come down the ladder and he first saw the tear in her jeans and then the glimpse of bare flesh. She didn't wear panties under her jeans! He then looked into her incredibly light blue eyes. It was rare indeed to see them so light away from people of Nordic ancestry. Those two diverse thoughts had exploded into his brain and his inner-voice cried 'heroine'. As Danny walked into her bedroom he smelt perfume and glancing into the dressing room saw a bra on the floor but no sign of panties. Was she out there in that short skirt without panties? Danny acquired an unexpected erection, but then when were they ever really that predictable? He grinned. A heroine who never wore panties! Er except to church and when visiting her mother. His mind meshed. Did his heroine ever visit her mother, or did her mother always had to visit her? Why was she living alone on Dante's Peak? God, he'd have to use that name; he'd have to ask Kathy for permission. It was a hugely literary name; the sheer name could set off emotions. How the hell had she fallen pregnant, er 'fallen'? Probably the word was 'become'. Oh mystery, mystery and yet such an in-your-face woman who probably could turn into a ball-breaker if she really cut loose on a guy who upset her. Oh glory! With Katherine he'd have a unique problem, having to throttle back on her as a character to avoid her appearing over-played on screen. Turning from the dresser, observing Katherine's grooming preferences and sighing over one of those spiking thoughts that always darted into his mind uninvited -- this one being was she blonde down there or was she hairless -- Danny spotted the easel. He hesitated wondering whether he should lift the cloth covering it. He decided no, looking at an artist's unfinished work was an invasion of privacy. Then he noticed the unframed paintings leaning against the wall beyond the easel. Danny lifted one up and cried, "Jesus. She's a fucking trained professional!" He resisted dancing around the room. Instead he went through the seascapes and beachscapes and shook his head in wonder. No two were the same and all were dynamically arresting. He judged her as being very good at her art but there was the hint she was even better than this collection. So where were they? Danny decided not to poke around. He'd asked to see her work and then he'd made that comment. He removed the printer and accessories to his room thinking when would he see Kathy's bared pussy. CHAPTER 4 Nervously, wondering whether she ought to rehearse her words, Katherine called the business number of Dr Alan Swan. There was instant relief; the receptionist said Dr Swan was with a patient. Katherine asked that he call her, it being a private matter. She sat looking out to sea, wondering if her guest would be at the window, looking out and wondering if he should join her, or would he have the sense to know had she wanted that he would have been invited. The Irish were difficult to comprehend at times, or so she'd read. It was something to do with what the writer had called, 'crossed-wired cultural logic'. Yes, she remembered the article and had thought it was a putdown, written by an English journalist. Lonely Woman on Dante's Peak Ten minutes later came the return call. "Hi Kathy." "Hi, are we on a secure line?" "Just a minute. It's fine. My receptionist is busy extracting the fee from my last patient." "Alan, prepare yourself. "I'm pregnant, confirmed, and there has been no one other than you." "Oh Katherine, I'm delighted for you and can give myself a pat on the back. Are you okay about this?" "I believe I'm glowing." "Excellent, and you have placed yourself under medical observation and consultancy?" "Yes." "Excellent. Now I'll set up a trust fund..." "Alan, please. This is simply a courtesy call. Your only responsibility was for the implant. You did that superbly and therein ends your responsibility and I shall always deny you were ever near me. I intend taking steps to throw nosey women close to us off the scent. You will of course be welcome to see me occasionally, as you always have, and we'll arrange clandestine visits for you to see our child if that's your wish. I have plenty of money Alan. My only wish is to keep you absolved so that you and your family remain intact. If I should fall upon difficult times over my pregnancy I shall consult with you as my supreme medical advisor if that's okay." "Yes of course. Katherine, listen to me. I am so pleased for you and so proud of myself and I admire the way in which you intend managing this matter. You are an amazing person and I truly love you. Er perhaps I should say like a daughter." Katherine laughed. "Thank you Alan. It pleases me immensely knowing you and I are on the same wavelength over this. I shall never forget our time together during The Great Storm. Oh, could you post me a good photo of yourself because my child and I will have a heart-to-hear talk about this one-day. Goodbye dear one." As she walked towards the house Katherine saw Danny standing by the big windows, still awaiting the cracked panes to be replaced. She might have to wait a few months before glaziers began attending to less urgent work. Danny waved a little self-consciously. She entered the house and called, "Danny dear?" He came running. "When I wave at you or I catch you staring at me, I'd appreciate it if you reacted without being self-conscious. I have the assets so am used to people staring. I want you being totally relaxed around me." "Okay, and that's the same for me." "Even when you have a boner?" Danny colored but grinned and said, especially when I'm carrying a boner." "Good man. What would you like for lunch?" "I prefer fairly simple fare with just the occasional pig-out. Just bread and cheese would be fine." "And wine?" "Yes thank you." "Or perhaps a beer?" Danny's face lit and he grinned, "Now you're talking." He eyed Katherine carefully and said, "Kathy, I trust you won't mind me asking this..." "Do I wear panties?" She turned back on it him and pulled up her skirt, displaying a very bare butt. "What do you think Danny?" He laughed through his blush. "Actually I was about to ask would you like to show me your work." Katherine screamed with laughter, turning pink. "Oh Danny, I'm sorry. I'm such a coarse bitch." "Steady on girl," he said. "You're too tough on yourself. That was one of the funniest spontaneous exhibitions I've ever witnessed, notwithstanding it being misdirected." "Oooh Danny, you are too kind for words," Katherine cooed, feeling she'd been pulled from the hole she'd dug for herself. "Come, we'll grab drinks and I'll show you my paintings. Except for one hanging in the music room they are all in my bedroom. May I invite you to my bedroom Danny?" "Lead on Mrs Blake," he grinned, not indicating he'd had a preview. After Katherine had showed him the collection against the wall he looked at the easel. "That one is not finished yet. It's of the recent big storm." "Ah well," Danny shrugged and turned away but Katherine said, "No wait. I don't mind you looking at it." Danny wondered if that was a disappearing blush he'd caught when looking up from her crotch and finding her staring at him. She pulled off the cloth. He stepped back for the more natural perspective and then stepped up to it. "This is most impressive. Usually lightning appears to be painted on as an afterthought. Your lightning appears totally integrated." "Thank you. Your comment is discerning." They looked at the portrait in the music room. Cathy said, "It's the new Catholic Church at sunset, a copy of the original and better painting I did for them for which I did on a $15,000 commission, which was half of what was offered. The church is community-funded so I was conscious of how taking $15,000 less would help the diocese." "That was kind of you. Are you Catholic?" "No." "What then?" "Wayward Presbyterian." He grinned and then floored her. "Where are your best seascapes?" "H-how did you know?" "I took an arts masters on literature, and my choice of options was art appreciation." "Oooh, that's a good mix for a fledging author as you would have been then. Are you published?" "Just the one novel, 'Mrs Tarzan', loosely based on the early life of Maureen O'Sullivan. But I've had twenty-three short stories published and was paid well for two scripts for films and have had one TV series shown in Ireland the UK. Since term breaks at university, I've never worked for money except for my writing and to avoid starving work on small newspapers as a reporter or feature writer until the next break came." "Well how interesting. You really need a patron. Perhaps it could be me if you and I prove compatible." "Really?" "It's just a thought at this stage. Well, since you have bled your heart to me I'll show you my best work ever. My other better paintings still unsold are in galleries in the city. Now no one knows this painting exists and I trust you never to mention it. I'll present it to the person I'm now pregnant with providing I have the courage to tell him or her who the real father is." "Kathy, that's too close a secret. You best not show it to me." "Can I trust you to tell no one?" "Yes of course, you have my word, but..." "Then I shall show it to you. It is now hanging in a steel case behind locked doors that were installed yesterday. I painted it from memory and await a photograph so I can paint in finer detail and adjust characterization." They went down into the cellar. Newly installed lighting illuminated the wall cabinet doors. "First I must tell you the sorry that led to my pregnancy." When she finished Katherine asked, "Well am I a slut or not." "No, definitely not. I ask, what option did you have and answer, you took one of them. But Christ, he was a guy sixty-two years of age. The lucky bugger." Catherine said she was about to have air-con installed to control humidity and temperature which would also be good for the wine. She unlocked the doors and swung them open, taking Danny's empty bottle and saying she'd return with another beer. When she returned Danny said, "He appears to be a lovely guy. You have put a tremendous amount of work into this. In my view it's public gallery quality Catherine. You must be immensely proud of it." "Thank you. I needed to have an opinion from someone. We all know our opinions of our own work can be misdirected but I put so much heart into it I felt that would show. Usually I work in acrylics, not oils, and the application techniques are very different. What you see is in essence the finished work, but many more hours are required to finally complete it. First I need to view the guy's photograph." "A good move. What will you call it?" "Dad." Danny cackled and said, "I love it! That's perfect. Are you Irish?" She smiled. "Both grandmothers were Irish, one Irish-Irish from Shannon, the other from a strong Irish community in Liverpool in England, but I make no claim to being Irish." After lunch Katherine sent Danny off to work, saying she'd clean up. She gave him options for dinner and her chose steak and salad. "You don't eat much for a guy?' "I'm small-framed Kathy and probably weigh less that you do." "Well perhaps. Off you go. We'll eat at 8:00." Soft music played throughout Katherine and Danny's first dinner together. She was wearing only a dress, loose fitting, wondering if Danny would make a hit on her and then thinking she'd say no if he did. He wore a white business shirt and dark pants. "Thank you for dressing up for dinning. Jeans or shorts are okay for breakfast and lunch." "That's fine. I think I have a tie with me." "No, please don't wear a tie. I wasn't meaning that level of formality." "Talking about dress up, if you dropped your dress you'd be naked." Katherine blushed furiously. "Danny," she murmured weakly. "I want you dressed like that every evening. If you excuse me for saying this but I like watching your body move under your dress. I image it's your body talking to me." "Is that all? If it's turning you on I'll wear a shirt and pants." "No, it's just your body talking to me," Danny said, face impassive as if hiding a lie. Katherine chose her words carefully. "I am aware it's perfectly normal for a young man to look at a female's body." "Thank you for saying that. It restores my confidence in you." "What?" "It confirms to me that you are level-headed. I didn't want you fearful that I might jump you. I loved your earlier suggestion that we live in a very relaxed manner. I've not encountered that before. We'll develop an excellent creative working environment if we live in harmony and share intimacies without necessarily becoming lovers." "Lovers." "Yes," Danny said gently. "Tell me, have you thought about it, however vaguely?" Katherine's telephone went. She smiled and said, "Saved by the bell" and went to her phone on the coffee table in the lounge. "Ah, tomorrow evening. Could I call you back in a few minutes?" Katherine held out her wine glass and Danny topped up both of them. "Danny. That was my mom inviting me to dinner tomorrow night. I thought you might enjoy her company because although rather neurotic she lectured in English literature at college until retiring a few years ago and daddy is a doctor who is a bit of an authority on back injuries not that that would interest you unless it fits in with your writing. But before I call mom back, there is something I must point out to you." He grinned. "In time your mom and others will assume I'm the father." Katherine's relief allowed her mouth to hang open. "God, you even manage to look attractive when your jaw drops." "What, oh pardon me. H-how is it you knew what I was about to say?" "I had witnessed your first frown and guessed it must relate to me being here and you being pregnant and I thought that would show in due course to raise questions in your mother's mind, embarrassing questions. Thank you for considering my feelings but it's quite okay, a new experience. I might even work that into my screenplay." "So you're not mad at me and thinking of accusing me of entrapment?" "Was that why you responded to my notice for accommodation?" "No, it never entered my head. I was feeling lonely and thought a guy or female about to make a play on James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel would make an interesting house guest." "A woman you say?" "Yes, think about it. Your notice made no disclosure about gender." Danny thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes you're right. I concentrated on making the notice interesting and overlooked checking it for omissions. I must say you are blameless and there's no way would I accuse you of setting me up. The fact you are telling me this before exposing me to your mother clearly establishes your concern about our relationship if we venture out beyond this house together." "Oh, am I relieved you think that way. There is no need to accompany me tomorrow evening; I can continue to hide you away to avoid embarrassment." "What do I say if your mother asks am I fucking you?" "Danny!" "What?" "My mother would never phrase it that way or even approach it head-on. She would artfully use obtuse interrogation." Danny pulled out a notebook. "Why are you noting this conversation?" "I'm not, well not really. I've decided you come out with some very interesting phrasing. I'm just noting 'Mother artfully used obtuse interrogation'. "Well when you finished playing around with words would you please answer whether you want me to hide you away." "No, I'll enjoy everyone thinking you are fucking me." "Danny!" "What?" "This is so embarrassing." "Is that so. You appear to be enjoying it. Go call your mom and tell her about me and say you'll have to stay home and provide your house-guest's dinner. And being a good mother she'll say, 'Bring him along dear; I need to check him out'." "My mother would never say that," Katherine said, casting a withering look and picking up her phone. Katherine saw Danny grinning at her talking to her mom; she turned her back on him. Then when snapping her phone shut she said, "Oh god. That's what mom said. 'Bring him along dear; I'd like to check him out'." * * * Danny drove them to dinner in Katherine's Lexus. Her mother came rushing out to greet them and didn't miss the fact that Danny had been the driver, making Katherine wonder what interpretation would be placed on that... for example, what else was her daughter sharing with the house guest? But astonishingly, Eva took to Danny like butter on bread. There were times when Katherine almost thought Eva was out to seduce Danny and on one occasion her father winked at her, as if sharing her thought. Katherine beamed when Danny began addressing Richard as 'sir' until her father said, "Enough of that subservient 'sir' crap Danny; call me Dick." When her mom said, "You're very quiet tonight dear." Dick said, "Well you haven't left much space for anyone else to converse," and that gave Danny the chance to see the Queen of Withering Looks direct one of her very best at her husband. "I've seen Danny's short story the BBC made into a 30-minute film called 'An Uncomfortable Wedding' and there's a copy of it in the DVD selection at our local library," Eva said grandly. "I'll borrow it for you dear." "It's okay Mrs Finch. I have a copy of it with me plus my TV series on 'End of Tyranny at Finnegan's Underwear Factory'. Perhaps you'd like to borrow the 6-DVD set?" "Oh Danny, It would be an honor to sit through the series. Please call me Eva." Dick looked at his daughter and rolled his eyes grotesquely making Katherine giggle. This was just like the old days when Eva turned queenly when they had influential guests. Late in the evening Eva said slyly, "I understand there is no chaperone with you two at Dante's Peak?" Danny handled that with aplomb. "Oh how right you are Eva. I would regard a chaperone as superfluous to requirements." "Superfluous to requirements?" "Yes," Danny said seriously. "Chaperone's are usually female. If your daughter decided to have her way with me the unstable chaperone might step forth boldly to get into the act." "I'm sure I don't know what you are on about Danny" Eva frowned. More coffee?" Driving home Danny asked, ""Did we pull that off?" "I would think so. Apart from that one blemish about the chaperone you were a star in my mother's eye and she was amazed to hear my father inviting you to be his guest for lunch at his club on Friday. You heard her say it was the first time he'd invited anyone and he said it was because you were well-mannered, articulate and interesting." "Well it was one of the few opportunities tonight your father had of saying anything, wasn't it?" "Yes, and I believe my mom was mentally seducing you." "Your mom? You said she was over sixty." "Oh really. And at what age do you think people stop having sex?" Danny scratched an ear. "Um, I really haven't thought about it. Do you know?" "No, I think it's one of those great secrets of life." The young couple poised on the landing before turning into their respective rooms. Danny said, "That was our first outing together." "Yes, so it was. I apologize for my mother being so dominating." "It was okay. She's made her mind up about me and I have her stamp of approval." "What, to live here." "Partly that?" "What then?" "I'll tell you when you're old enough. May I kiss you?" "Yes." They kissed. Katherine said that was lovely, "Another first with more to go." Keen not to over-react, Danny asked what did she mean and was told she'll tell him at the time if he was old enough. Later they sat alone on their respective beds looking at their open door, the expression on their faces could be interpreted as being regret that somehow they'd not 'seized the day'... er not seized the night. * * * Danny came home from his five-hour interview absolutely elated. Katherine came out to greet him, hearing his old vehicle grinding up the steep climb. Danny came up to her smiling and they kissed as if they always kissed in greeting. Another first was notched up. Katherine held an arm around Danny when he'd broken away so he put an arm around her waist and they walked inside. "Coffee? I want to know all the prime points." "Niall Duffy was marvelous, still Irish but proud to be a citizen of this country, and knew instantly what I really wanted when I explained the concept of fiction based on real characters although the characters might not recognize themselves something of what they said and had achieved would be recognizable. He took me to see the church and I saw your painting in the foyer -- bloody marvelous and so was his architecture. I said probably the character playing Niall Duffy would be an architect-adventurer and we'd film the church as his greatest work to date. And I met his redhead and interviewed her for forty minutes. She's awesome, just as you said." "So you are ready to write in earnest." "Yes except for one last thing." They were sitting opposite each other, he in a lounge chair, she on a sofa, a coffee table between then. Katherine pulled her legs up on to the sofa and Danny said, "Careful if you are without knickers." "We call them panties in this country," Katherine said, coloring lightly as she added, "You are entitled to see anything around you in my home that is now your temporary home. What is the one last thing?" Danny looked in the direction of her crotch and knew she knew she was safe sitting in that position with her legs close together. What a tease! "Um, oh yes. It is important I discuss this with you. The woman attorney I interviewed at length who lives some 500 miles away from here has the story of immigration behind her worthy of a heroine. She escaped being possibly murdered by partners in crime who turned ugly after she, as defense lawyer failed to get their leader off a criminal charge and he went to jail for a long term. The threats against her were very real and rather that hide in Britain she decided to emigrate." "Well that's a brilliant start to her story." "True Kathy but unfortunately she is rather mousy and her life here has been insipid. She's confined to representing clients in court on traffic offences and she and her husband have no children and few friends. I'd like to superimpose some of your story and give her your character." "I see. Very well, providing you sketch my in a little fuzzily and you don't locate her as living on Dante's Point." "Oh, but that name; it's dramatic and would bring an edge of foreboding in some viewer's minds, invoking emotion that is the element that makes good series great." "I'm sorry but there you are. Have her living on the edge of Devil's Canyon." "What? Did you make that up?" "No, it's an actual place on the far side of the city, in very broken country, wild country. I'll take you there. Because of landslides and difficult of access the last house permitted to be built there was completed sometime in the 1940s. It is still inhabited and is the last large house remaining. Landslides and bush fires have taken all the others. Just change history and say the last two houses there were built in the 1940s. The existing house is two levels so make your heroine's home one level to emphasize that house is not the existing one. There will be money in the film budget to build a fake façade and the crew can do interior shots in any 1940s style home." Lonely Woman on Dante's Peak "Kathy that's brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I'm off to clean up for pre-dinner drinks." After coffee having already cleared away after the meal, Katherine said very casually, "I'm going up to run a bath. Join me in fifteen minutes if you wish." She smiled at Danny's haste to look at his watch, that contrasted with a faked yawn and Danny stretching slowly and saying, "Oh yeah. That will be great." He then flicked over another page of his magazine. Katherine stood and said, "Don't be late" and grinned when he lifted his watch arm to take a close look at the time. Danny arrived a little nervously and he saw Katherine and swallowed, perhaps because he'd be expecting her to be almost totally hidden under a foam bath from the neck down. But no -- the bath water was clear and appeared scented. There was no cloth draped over the breasts and she had one leg drawn up and resting lazily against the side of the bath allowing him to quite clearly view a center of interest. She looked at him steadily and said, "Well?" "Your body is lush." She scowled, saying she wasn't fat. "Of course not," he said, drawing a smile. "I used that term in the sense of juicy and fleshy... your skin must be close to perfection, your breasts are full, arguably your best physical feature although an ass-man and a legs-guy would disagree." Katherine positively beamed and said sultrily, "Strip and get in here facing me you lovely man. "Er, my condition is I'll partially aroused." "Great!" CHAPTER 5 Katherine went to the bathroom feeling aroused, knowing whether or not Danny knew it, she was committed to having sex that night. If Danny failed to deliver then damn it she'd hit on her box of toys. She felt a great yearning stretching from her pussy to her heart and knew that probably heart meant her brain although the deepest feeling appeared to be in her stomach. It was her body crying out for male insertion and certainly not a finger or a small penis. She'd been looking for Danny's bulge during the last couple of days and the clear impression was size wouldn't be minimal. As she waited beside the bath for it to fill before climbing in, Katherine rubbed over her breasts, a pleasurable feeling of intimacy that was one of her delights. They looked great and even her female friends acknowledged that during girly chats over drinks with no males around. She lifted a leg on to the side of the bath and dropped a hand on to her pussy. Katherine had no shyness about that. Her fingers and her pussy were great friends. She sighed. When she felt moisture she pulled her hand to her mouth for the defining test. If her odor disgusted her as she sucked then her mood was not right. If she sucked hungrily and felt her senses responding, convincing her the taste was like nectar, then she was ready. The taste of nectar made her head reel. In the bath Katherine lay back to create the right effect in her attempt to seduce Danny, her breasts just at the right angle so the nipples were only just submerged. She pushed her right foot against the side of the bath and tilted her a knee against the side, knowing in the clear water she was be seen to be wide open. He'd see her cunt... well that was what men preferred to call it, wasn't it? * * * The sight of Danny's cock widened Katherine's eyes. Right now she was ready for a cock of any size but this one had the potential to make her gasp. Her throat tightened and she felt her nipples begin to rise. She sat up and leaned over, picking up the bottle of champagne and two glasses. Danny took that moment to clamber in ungainly, because that's how climbing into a bath was, and managing that out of sight of Katherine. She turned back and handed Danny the bottle, saying gently, "You have a lovely looking cock." He looked surprised and said he thought women considered men's cocks and balls were ugly. "Less that beautiful, granted, but I suppose it depends on the depth of any woman's interest and what she is prepared to worship when in need." "What, in need of a cock?" "Yes." Danny looked rather pleased and eased off the cork with the delightful pop that made Katherine think of the sound of a semen soaked cock pulling out of a fuck-bloated cunt awash with juices and girl ejaculation. Her face felt flushed and she became conscious of Danny looking at her intently, holding out a hand for a champagne flute. They didn't speak until he returned the filled flute and took the empty one from Katherine; She said thanks. They sipped and chatted and then, quite unexpectedly, he said, "This is a delightful overture to sex." "I think so too. I wish to remember our first." "How very flattering." There was a moment of awkward silence and the feeling of tension, but not tension of the undesirable kind. And then water swirled as the beautiful hostess moved her feet and Danny felt them come against his semi-erection and it raced to stand at full attention. Katherine began moving her feet up and down. "A foot fuck...I've often thought of asking for one but never have. "Well you won't get one today, at least not through to completion. We'll both oil up one day and I'll perform a real beauty, attempting to make you shoot right to the ceiling and then semen will splat down on both of us, Katherine said, cupping her breasts. "Jesus," Danny said, ejaculating. Katherine laughed loudly. "Jesus, that was a surprise. Are you prone to premature ejaculation?" "No, quite the opposite. Some women complain I take too long." "Oooh, I'm going to like having you fuck me Danny. I adore sessions that go on and on but my memory of those is fading. Thank you for coming into my life Danny." They went hand-in-hand into the master bedroom, still wet from the bath. Danny turned, gently kissed both nipples briefly, murmuring, beautiful tits and then kissed her slowly, Katherine groaning in delight and reaching down she began tugging his thick cock until at last she felt moisture at its tip. She sighed and tongued Danny deeply until sighing bell back on to the bed, pulling him with her. She then attempted to push him in. "Don't you want me to..." Katherine closed his lips with a long, red-nailed finger and said, "No, not this time. Fuck my ass off darling." How could a guy refuse? Those both groaned, almost musically, as Danny pushed forward, Katherine guiding him in." "You have a lovely cunt Katherine. It feels lined with soft velvet." She began pushed her stomach against him with growing urgency, complaining, "But it's grossly under-used." "Come on Danny, fuck me. Give me your best. Then we need to talk about your permanently residency." Danny grunted as his first full stroke returned to complete the downward thrust, their groins interfacing tightly. He grabbed a big tit and squeezed. Katherine groaned. Panting, she said, and I'll lease a house in Ireland because you'll need to stay there to remain connected with your roots. If I like it there we could spend all spring and summer there. I'd feel the need to be here for the fall and winter; they are my most productive times." Danny settled into his rhythm, feeling the walls of Katherine's cunt adapting to his intrusion more cooperatively and warmly. This was the place he liked to be. "Are you thinking of a longish relationship," he panted. "Yes, with plenty of this included." "I'd like that. A relationship such as that should assist my creativity monumentally." Katherine laughed and then shrieked as she came. She pulled away and turned on her side, lifting her upper leg then lifted and pulled a pillow under her butt, lifting it higher. "There's a spray of lube on the dresser on your side of the bed Danny," she said, a finger already preparing for ease of access. "This way will be useful as baby grows inside me." "Oh baby," Danny said, as he applied lube. "I think I'm in danger of losing my interest in writing." They laughed, the laugh of contented lovers, giving at one another affectionately. The eyes of Katherine reflected her pleasure: she had what she wanted. Her unhappy days alone on Dante's Peak were over. THE END