0 comments/ 16936 views/ 4 favorites Adrift and Lonely By: Egmont0409 CHAPTER 1 Two days after losing his $110,000 sales manager position in the wake of the world economic downturn killing sales of new pickups, Harrison Daniels was in a bar thinking. Two hours earlier his wife, already packed up, had taken off with their two kids from her previous marriage. He was sad about the kids going because they were likeable. The thirty-one-year old was nursing his whisky sour, still not in the mood for drinking, when he saw two cops in suits show their ID to a guy talking to a broad in a silver dress. They cuffed the unshaven guy and march him off without any resistance being shown. However the broad did yell, "Fucking cops " before she sat back in front of her drink. After ten minutes Harrison went over and said, "Fucking cops. Was he your date for tonight?" "No, just a dealer it seems. I met him outside and he invited me in for a drink. We were at high school together and he was okay then." "You are Karen King aren't you? I often see your photo in the social pages of the Tribune." She snorted, "Okay you've made your positive ID. Now shove off." "I was about to ask do you want to do a movie with dinner to follow." "Why?" "Because I'm sorry for myself." Karen's scowl turned into a smile. "Well that's a novel line. Want to buy me a drink and tell me about it?" Harrison kept it short and she listened. "So you have no woman to bed tonight so thought you'd try me?" "Nah, I'll slope off after dinner, leaving you to find your own way home." Karen looked puzzled. "Why are you doing this?" "Dunno. I guess you looked lonely after the cops took away your friend and I asked myself were we two of a kind? But when I identified you I thought no way, Karen King is not lonely, but perhaps she'll be sympathetic if she listens to me and will provide me with company at a movie." "Well isn't that fine and dandy. I have to listen to you and for my reward get taken to a movie." "And dinner." "And dinner." Harrison's face lost its smile. He apologized for bothering her and wished her good night. He only took two steps before she called, "No wait. I'm due home for dinner. Want to accompany me?" "What? Your parents are VIPs." "Yep, my mom will give you sympathy and a good dinner and offer you a bed for the night while my father will simply want to kick you over our balcony." "Charming. And you Karen?" "You appear quite couth with some style. My mind's not made up about you." "Okay, I'll come to dinner. The humiliation I received from your parents will be offset by being in your charming company." "Jesus, have you been eating sugar?" The apartment in Princess Towers turned out to be a penthouse and decorated boringly in white, black and gray, Harrison noting some pictures, glassware and flowers broke the drabness. "Good evening and who do we have here?" asked the mother in blue satin, the father eyeing Harrison suspiciously. "Introduce yourself to my mother." "No you do it." "But I don't know your name." "Oh Karen darling, this is not another outburst of irresponsibility is it?" "No, not at all Mrs King. Karen picked me up in a bar after her boyfriend was arrested." "Christ," snorted both Karen and her father for different reasons while her mother sniffed and said, "Oh Karen." "Mom he's just a big tease, aren't you?" Karen said, backing into Harrison and reaching back grabbed his genitals and squeezed and then eased off but retained her hold. "Christ," Harrison yelped. "Mrs King I'm Harrison Daniels, a new friend of Karen's. She thought I looked hungry and invited me to dinner." "Well that is a perfectly acceptable reaction from a friend Harrison. Where were you at the time of this invitation?" Harrison braced himself. "I was er looking in a jeweler's window at diamond bracelets." He felt his genitals being gently released. "Oooh, a man of refined tastes. "I still don't think..." "Shut up Arnold and get the drinks," said Mrs King. "My thinking is I'm no longer bored. Take Harrison off to wash up dear." Harrison kicked Karen's bedroom door shut and grabbed her. "Mind if I feel you up?" "Why would you want to do that?" He dropped his hands and shrugged. "I thought that's what you'd expect guys to do with you. Those shiny black curls, pale flawless skin and red plum lips get to a guy you know." "Oh I know Harrison but I had been expecting you to be different." "Well give me a chance." "Okay what do you want to do?" "Squeeze your pussy as hard as you squeezed my gear you little bitch." She laughed, spread her feet and invited him to go right ahead. "Nah," he laughed. "I couldn't go that to a lady." She smiled widely. "But I'm not lady." "To me you are Karen." She pulled back on a gasp and pointed and said the bathroom was through that door. After Karen returned from her time in the bathroom and began changing her dress Harrison said, "I would have thought you'd have big tits." "No I got the big ass instead." "It looks okay to me." "So you like big tits?" "It's a problem for me really... in bed or nude in the pool yes. But a dame can't dress cool is she has big tits." "You don't have to tell a woman that," Karen giggled. "Come on, let's see if you can tame dad. That would be something to witness. He wants you out of our home, thinking you're a punk. I don't think you are." Mrs King looked at them reemerging and smiled. "You two together make a great looking couple." "Thank you Mrs King. That will be the result of Karen's good breeding." Arnold snorted and Mrs King laughed. Arnold said, "I suppose you want a beer?" "Vodka on the rocks will be fine thanks Arnold." "So Karen told you that's my drink." "Karen and I were talking body shape sir. We didn't waste time talking about you." Karen was sitting on the arm of her mother's big leather chair and Harrison was conscious he was under scrutiny so decided to play up. "Do you ever talk body shape to Mrs King?" "What?" "For her age she looks in good shape whereas you..." "Is a double shot enough for you?" "Yes thank you Arnold." Arnold glared. "What happened to your usage of Mr King?" "Mrs King and Karen are friendly to me so I assumed you would too if I showed you some disrespect." "You have a useful mouth. Call me Arnold and call Mrs King Irma." "Do I need her permission before calling her that?" "Take a risk Harrison. You appear to have taken several already. Karen doesn't have to pick up guys. The fact she pulled your out of a bar to bring you home speaks volumes although I'm uncertain what about. Here." "Thanks but shouldn't you serve the ladies first?" "Look here punk, this is my house..." "Indeed but good manners transcend boundaries." Arnold scowled, remembered his manners and lightly punched Harrison on the shoulder. "As I said earlier, you have a useful mouth. Please take these cocktails to the ladies." Over dinner Arnold and Irma were fascinated when Arnold began relating how he'd been fired from his vehicle sales manager job because sales had plummeted due to tightening economic times, his wife had walked out of him and he was in a bar when he saw the guy with Karen being arrested. "It was Billy Marks mom. He used to come here with the gang when I was at high school." "Yes I remember, a shy boy then. I'd heard he'd turned bad. I take it was just a chance meeting?" "Yes mom." "I gave it ten minutes before I went over to the young woman left alone because she looked lonely and recognized her as Karen King from her frequent photos in the newspaper at charity events and the like thinking she'd be feeling like me so invited her to a movie and dinner." "And then what?" Arnold snorted. Karen cut it. "If you must know daddy I was derisive, having heard his hard luck story and he wanted to take me to a movie as my reward for listening and then he reminded me he'd also included dinner. Because of my reaction he backed off politely, wished me good night and I felt mad with myself. I was lonely, he was lonely and I should have understood he just wanted company. So I called him back, invited him here to dinner and here we are." "Well you're twenty-eight Karen so I'm pleased to see you acting with some maturity at last," Irma said. "I guess you thought Harrison posed no threat to you?" "Indeed and what do you make of him mom?" "I really don't know." "That's exactly how I felt. I suppose it's because he feels he's been cut off and is adrift. At no time did I feel he was after sex. His invitation just to a movie and dinner and then he'd walk away from me rang true." Harrison frowned and said, "So you brought me here to play with me in front of your parents to show you are not the only person who feels cast adrift?" The two women looked at Harrison, mouths open, while Arnold said, "What is all this adrift nonsense?" Harrison was unaware Karen's last boyfriend had been killed in a road accident. "I think Harrison and our daughter have much more in common than appears on the surface Arnold." "Ha," Arnold said, "More wine anyone?" "Please place Harrison in a position in your company daddy. I intend to shift in with him." Irma said, "Think carefully about this darling" while Harrison, looking astonished said, "You haven't been invited to move in with me." And then Arnold's business brain clicked in and he lobbed the deal as he saw it. "Karen I'll place Harrison on the condition you continue living here. Harrison will be free to visit you here as much as you two wish." "Deal daddy." "Our billings are slowing. I'm appointing him assistant manager of new business. He's been a new vehicle sales manager. If he can run an operation like that he ought to be effective working under Sharon bolstering her because she's struggling under these adverse market conditions. It takes a different person when the market changes like this and my inclination is to take a risk with Harrison because he'll be hungry to prove himself." "No, place him in my team in Creative." "Cut the nonsense Karen. You two go into the lounge and discuss my proposal. It's that or nothing." Harrison shrugged. "What is there to discuss? I need a job and have been handed one. Karen if we don't hit it off and I remained in your department because of your father's commitment to me you could find yourself in an impossible situation. I have some knowledge of advertising and worked very closely with our advertising agency to try to lure buyers back into the showroom but with people locking their wallets on big-ticket items one has to accept reality. I could do well in new sales and client servicing." "All right do the deal but Sharon Webb will be all over you; she's predatory." "And I'm a married man. At present I'm not about chalking up conquests of females Karen. I'm seeking to sort out my situation and you are assisting and I'd like our fledging friendship to continue. I have an idea I'll be of some assistance to you. You'll need to display stability if you are to attract the right man when that time comes." Karen said nothing but wore the look of a person who'd just heard the truth. After dinner was cleared away Irma said, "Will you stay the night Harrison?" "Thank you but no Irma. I'll trundle off home. Thank you for your hospitality." "Well at least stay for a while as I believe Karen knows you are good company for her because you are somewhat different to the men she usually associates with." "Mom!" After Karen's parents went off to bed to watch TV -- Karen told Harrison that's what they did with it set to a timer -- she asked, "Are you happy to have a job?" "Yes and all thanks to you." "You may kiss me." "I was waiting to be asked," Harrison grinned and gave her a lip smack of no more than one and a half seconds. "Call that a kiss?" Karen said fiercely, pulling Harrison back against her and kissing him soundly. They settled back into soft kissing and eventually she wriggled and Harrison found himself looking at a breast, not looking at its best because of the bra pulled up over it was distorting it but he smiled at her and said, "This is an absolutely marvel of nature -- white with a lovely nipple, so sweet. He flicked at the nipple with his tongue and pulled back and they watched the nipple thicken a little. "Ohmigod, now sexy. I've never had a guy with the patience to sit back with me and watch that happen," Karen said huskily. Karen began inching down her panties but Harrison caught the movement and eased the breast back under the bra and said he must to going. "Aw Harrison." "I'll fuck you but not tonight. My mind still needs sorting." "May I touch you to make sure I'll not be disappointed?" Harrison pulled back to give Karen access to his concealed full erection. Karen had two hands around it and pulled away smiling, saying nothing. Harrison thought he remembered seeing the cat watch his aunt pour cream into a saucer. Karen had that same expression he thought, knowing he was making that up. They walked arm-in-arm to the foyer of the penthouse and kissed deeply as they waited for the elevator to arrive, Karen guiding her groin to where the erection lay in wait. "You are very sexy," Harrison said, breaking off and stepping into the elevator. For a second Karen looked weepy but she changed that into a beautiful smile and waved. Karen went into her parent's suite and her father turned off the TV sound. "Did I do the right thing?" "You were amazing daddy, truly unbelievable." "Well I'd seen you and your mom looking at this guy. Normally your mom looks at your male friends with barely concealed distaste but on this occasion her face was unmasked and I thought what the fuck." "Arnold!" "Carry out daddy. That's simply an automatic response from living almost half a century with you." "Well I thought why not take the risk? It will keep my baby happy and if this guy turns out okay it may perhaps indicate to her what a real guy of her era is like." "But he can't be a hero daddy. After high school he only gained a two-year degree and he's married and we know nothing about him." Irma smiled. "But our first impressions are good aren't they? And he has some of the qualities of a gentleman. I offered to make up a bed for him and that would allowed him to sneak into your room, but he declined with thanks." "And he made no real attempt to seduce me on the sofa." "Is he gay?" "Daddy you have a shower with him and give me the answer." "Stop it you two," Irma sighed, watching her laughing husband and daughter end up in a hug. "How did he know your despair at being unable to find the right guy? What did you say to him?" "Nothing mom. I think he knows how to read people. You of all people must know that? He played you like an angler. Just the right amount of gentle tease until he had you slightly confused and then if that piece about me being well-bred wasn't off the top shelf of things to say to a mother I don't know what is." "Hmmm. We argued darling. He took on your father with just a slight display of aggression that warned Arnold to proceed cautiously." Karen jumped on that wagon. "And he got to you daddy when he said to you, rather than to you mom, about getting her permission to call her Irma. You were flattered he asked you first." "Yeah right, he's smoother than what one would expect. I'm giving him a job for your sake baby so please remember that. I do believe he'll be good for you." Karen kissed them both and went to bed touching herself and feeling quite excited about having Harrison inside her. Her interest in sex appeared to be zooming back. She had become so bored with it and then came the loss of Sandy when that speeding car hit him. She wondered about something her grandmother had said to her when worried that Karen was 'running with the boys'. Gran had said a good story always went with good sex. Well this thing with Harrison, only a few hours old, was already shaping into a good story. Was this what Gran had meant? Karen wondered about other parts of the story. Harrison appeared to be what he claimed to be but what about his wife. Was she somebody notable? Unlikely if he were only a car salesman, er sales manager. * * * Harrison, now without a company car, took a cab to a distant neighborhood and went into the substantial white plastered imposing house in a very chic area of mainly free-standing homes with gardens and swimming pools. The house was the wedding present from Samantha's parents and if there were to be a divorce he'd receive half of its sale price. Her parents had been so glad their playgirl daughter had married again to give her two small children stability. Samantha, a notable stage actress (more noted because of her notorious behavior rather than acting ability) had been in despair after her first divorce at the time Harrison met her at a party. They'd gone through high school together; she'd always been one of the most popular students in their classes because she had airs and graces and was so outstanding as an actress in school plays. During those school years she'd lived in the same street as Harrison and they became pals but never lovers until during the period from graduation until she entered college. Samantha had taught Harrison how to fuck in the manner most women like, mainly bestowing good attention before and after and not regarding them like a piece of meat. After that party reunion, Harrison went out with her a few times and then had sex, repeatedly, but it was hard going because she was so emotional, believing her life was ruined. But she settled in and soon was fucking as good as she ever had and claimed she'd never had a guy as good as Harrison. He didn't remind her who'd coached him. She returned to drama coaching. He organized a loan car for her with the permission of his manager, one that was rusting in the yard, and when her divorce settlement came through she purchased a new car through Harrison. She moved in with him and then announced she had two kids who were with her mother so they moved in as well and the four and five-year olds settled in very well. Eventually Samantha's parents suggested to her if she married Harrison they would purchase a quality house for them as their wedding present. Harrison sniffed thinking things might have turned out better had he refused that promotion to sales manager. He had to work longer hours and found it more difficult to get away. Samantha had returned to theatre work and probably as a result of her stable marriage -- she described her first marriage as living in hell -- she had matured and worked flowed and so did her interest in other men. She'd always said men were a welcome diversion during breaks between rehearsals. With Samantha away from home more often, the day help accepted the pay increase to become a live-in nanny and when Harrison lost his job Samantha realized the nanny and an out-of-work husband would take a huge part of her earnings. So she announced to Harrison she was ashamed of him losing his job and she was taking her children and returning to live with her parents, that he'd hear from her lawyers in due course. He assumed she wanted to divorce him. * * * Harrison went to bed thinking about Karen and wondered if she would be thinking about him. He hoped so. She'd be a great fuck. Er perhaps. In the morning he called King, Dwight Advertising and the manager of HR said she'd been expecting his call and made an appointment time of 11:30. Harrison was dressing in a business suit when his lawyer called to say she'd been advised by his wife's lawyer that divorce proceedings were being prepared on the only grounds available that the marriage had broken down irreconcilably. "Yes that's correct Sue," Harrison said, not wishing anyone to come in and attempt to patch up his marriage. Samantha had killed it by returning to having sex with other men. He'd seen her with a couple of guys and rumors had been flying. Once he's seen her when passing a restaurant and was sure by the look of their faces and the position she was in she was jerking off that guy. He'd confronted her that night and she said, "Don't worry about it darling, that is just Duncan. He often needs a girl to jerk him off. He'd that kind of guy." Adrift and Lonely Finally he'd come home early and caught her with a guy. They were kissing in the porch, the guy straightening his tie, ready to leave, Samantha in her open dressing gown, the guy touching her pussy. She'd said brazenly, "Oh hi darling, this is Duncan. He's just leaving." "Who the hell are you Duncan?" Harrison had roared. "I work on stage with Samantha." Harrison let him pass and then Duncan said, "You want to give your wife more attention and then she wouldn't need guys like me." Letting off a huge roar Harrison chased Duncan to his car. Duncan looked terrified and just got the door closed in time. Harrison kicked the door fiercely, denting it and hobbled off back inside and slapped Samantha a couple of times across her ears. She yelled, crying, that her pussy wasn't for his exclusive use so he shut her outside and she sat on the porch weeping for half an hour until their nanny had dinner ready and he let Samantha back in. He'd interrogated the nanny and she finally admitted that Mrs Daniels brought home a different guy once a week, sometimes twice a week and they had sex. She knew that because of the noise and she'd have to take in refreshments for them. Thinking wisely, Harrison decided not to divorce Samantha. Obviously she'd tired of him. It would be to his advantage in negotiations if she sought the divorce. He'd only had to wait not quite a month before Samantha left taking the children and muttering words that meant divorce. Christ what a bitch. * * * After Harrison was signed in Mrs Helen Mayfair, HR manager, took Harrison around the offices introducing him to senior personnel and they ended up in sales and marketing where he met the so-called predator, Sharon Webb, his superior. Sharon licked her lips. "Hi welcome. Thanks Helen. This is your desk in front of mine. I've had it pulled over so we can liaise better while you settle in. We do need a push to activate sleeping clients and to bring in new big spenders otherwise people will be laid off. How long have you worked in advertising agency?" "Never." "Excuse me?" "I've never worked in advertising." "What? Then what have you been doing?" "Selling new vehicles and more recently running the sales outfit." Sharon's face fell. "Then what am I supposed to do with you?" "Er the main thrust will be what can I do for you Sharon once you show me the ropes." "Ropes." "Show me how your systems work and explain your business philosophy." "Um we've not needed one. Until now we are just been involved in client liaison, you know survey for client satisfaction and that sort of stuff and signing on new clients." "That sort of stuff?" "Now look, I call the shots around here." "Yes of course. I've been in to assist you Sharon, not to replace you. But if we click as a working duo I might be able to assist with the application of sale science. New business is out there. We just have to apply methods to find such clients systematically rather than running around like headless fowls." "Er I see. I guess you were told I came across into this position from bookings?" "No, when Mr King hired me last night..." "Mr King hired you? Oh god I'm done for." "Relax Sharon. I was just over at his place with Karen having dinner and..." "Ah Karen has put him up to do this. She and I don't gel well." "Well let's stoke up the furnace Sharon and..." "You mean sexually?" Sharon asked. "No, to get this department humming. I know some things but you know the business. We cannot work in isolation. We must work as a team hoping the strengths of one of us cancels out some of the weaknesses of the other person and vice versa. And forget about sex. Touch me and Karen will tear out your ovaries. She's trying me out as her new guy." "But Karen has never had a steady guy in her life as far as I know. She just goes in for lucky dip." "I think her parents want that to change Sharon and that's why I'm on the scene." Sharon's attitude appeared to have changed. "Thanks for telling me this Harrison. It helps a great deal." "Right, we have to be pals and no sex, right?" "Right. Come over to the coffee machine and I'll begin telling you how we operate." Karen called out to Harrison "Lunch?" and he accepted but before lunchtime she had to cancel because the setting for an ad shoot she wanted had been demolished at the weekend and the hunt was on for a new location. "What setting did you want?" "Eerie. The wall had bricks missing and was coated with cobwebs and moss." "Try one of the disused wharfs down at the docks. When the tide is out the rotting piles with barnacles and rusting bolts and slime can be very eerie. I remember it from going under there in a rowboat." "God Harrison, what a great suggestion. Bye." Sharon said. "Does Karen eye you as if she likes you?" "Yeah, you get that from a babe until they really get to know you." He grinned and Sharon cackled. She was beginning to like the new guy and perhaps thinking he might not be a spy after all. Just on dark Harrison was home wondering what soup to have for dinner. He'd make that into a meal by doing some frozen peas in the microwave and cooking some potato wedges in the fry pan. Then Karen called. "Hi, we're just wrapping up. That was inspired thinking by you. The producer said it was fairly rare for people to see things conceptually. He asked were you an architect." "Oh yeah. That promotes me up the social scale a bit." "Don't joke." "Well I was conceptualizing last night about your pussy and that's not joking." "Oh yeah?" Karen said, sounding a little breathless. "Mom and dad are eating out tonight so want to eat out with me? I'll call for you if you give me the address." "Okay, just a casual place and you won't need to go home and change. I feel like steak." "Me too if we are to have sex." Harrison groaned and asked Karen not to be angry with him. "My lawyer called this morning advising she's received notification that Samantha has initiated divorce proceedings. Um I'd rather not have sex until we've completed the filing process. That way if the negotiations with lawyers get dirty I will be able to state I've never committed adultery, unlike my wife. You have to understand it will be all about tactics." "Oh of course, I understand your position. Are you okay for kissing and a wee bit of nipple sucking?" Harrison sounded like a dog panting and she giggled and cut the call. She called back seconds later for his address and she said fifteen to twenty minutes. Almost thirty minutes later Harrison got into the ebony base-model Ford Focus coupe that was Karen's company car. "Sorry I dashed home to do my hair properly and perfume up." They kissed. "More," she said, pulling him by his polo shirtfront. They ate at a low-cost family restaurant where Karen was well known. To Harrison's surprise she started with a beer before switching to red wine. "It was thirsty work down at the docks and we had no support vehicle and nothing but Coke which I detest. So I drank water all afternoon. Yuk." Harrison asked her to explain how conceptualizing applied in advertising and Karen could see he was most interested. She explained that Creative was under pressure to come up with a never-ending demand for new ideas through to new approaches from clients who wanted everything to be brand-focused, thereby narrowing the area in which Creative could work. "We have a Think Tank operating where we toss around concepts and basic ideas and in tossing things around something begins to form and we have lift-off until someone sighs and says that's not new. Usually, rather than discard it we begin looking for variations with a big edge of difference. As you know the original wheel was a round solid piece of wood but look what we have by way of design in wheels around us today." "Ah, I get it. The collaborative approach, sometimes called brain-picking." "Yes, exactly. Look we're having a Think Tank in the morning at 7:30 when we assume everyone is fresh with ideas. Do you want to join us? The same producer I worked with today will be there and will support you, along with me." "Well what's the product?" "A new line of cone ice cream." "What?" "I know, it's been done so many times before that there can't be a new angle. But if you are a Creative person sweetheart, you have to believe there is. It's out there somewhere, in someone's head or they notice something in nature that is where many great ideas have been borrowed from." "You just called me sweetheart." Karen sighed and said so? "Are you beginning to regard me and someone who thinks beyond just nailing you?" Karen colored and said, "What red wine should we order?" Later they kissed in the car outside the home in which legally Harrison had a half-share Karen had called it 'surprisingly impressive'. Harrison didn't pull out a breast and Karen didn't offer. It seemed they both had de-accelerated and were content to continue along on a kiss-kiss relationship that they both probably knew was quite remarkable for lusty people like they were. The four guys in the Think Tank group wore open neck shirts so Harrison pulled his tie loose, undid his top two shirt buttons and placed his suit jacket over the back of his chairs. He looked up to see the guys and the five women were grinning at him, including Karen. She introduced him and Mike one of the film unit producers said, "It's possible Harrison has a head full of ideas. Yesterday he gave off the top of his head a place to shoot that required an eerie background. He suggested under a disused wharf down at the docks at low tide and oh boy, did we get Eerie with a capital E as the sun was going down." Some of the group began looking at Harrison with perhaps a little respect that assisted him to feel part of the team. But he contributed nothing as the robust discussion went from person to person, broken by laughter and ideas so preposterous they were stupid but just as Karen had said he could see progress was being made. But it finally floundered. They all sat looking at the marbled faked mold of Icy Man's ice cream in a real cone sitting in a cone holder. "I wouldn't give it a lick," Ian sighed. "Pussy would be preferable." No one batted and eyelid. Sandra said it looked like pig's shit after the pig had been eating confectionary. Everyone laughed and sighed into silence. Harrison stood and leaned over and inverted the ice cream so the end of the cone was on top. Angelo the team leader waited a few seconds before asking quietly, "What are you thinking Harrison?" "Something along the lines of Icy Man's Ice Cream Tastes Good Anyway Up'. Ideas flew and finally Sandra's "Right Way Up Always Tastes Better' drew applause and Angelo said they had a wrap. Harrison looked across at Karen almost shyly and she puckered into a silent kiss, seen by half the group but no one said anything. Already word was out that the big boss had personally employed Harrison so he had to be someone special and suddenly the answer was right in front of them; Harrison was fucking Arnold's cold-ass daughter. Although all other personnel began arriving after the Think Tank had disbanded, the first thing Sharon said to Harrison after they exchanged greetings was, "I hear you were invited to this morning's Think Tank. I've never been invited." "Yes well it's Karen, you know." "But even she wouldn't throw you into the Think Tank if she thought you were an idiot." "Aw give it a rest Sharon." "What do you mean?" "You know Sharon." "No I don't. Christ why do I think talking to a guy is like talking to the back of a bus?" "Um we need to develop a strategic plan. Lets work on a draft and then bring in the rest of the team." "Why, those three combined only make one brain." "But involving them makes the plan inclusive Sharon. They are left knowing they've bought into it." "Ah yes. And I can see why you are Think Tank material. Your mind works like a women's but perhaps with a better edge to logic." "Thank you Sharon. Your tits look great today. New bra?" Sharon turned sunset pink. "Christ Harrison, keep your voice down. Anyone can complain to HR hearing you talk personally like that." "Fine. Is it?" "Is it what?" she whispered. "A new bra." She nodded, the sunset deepening. * * * Karen met Harrison as a bar not far from where she lived. "Mom is expecting you for dinner tonight. I told her how you were holding off from me until divorce proceedings are fully activated and she thought that made you such a gentleman." "Oh thanks for telling me that. It's lovely that your mom has had a good thought about me." Karen was about to take a sip of wine and the gentleman said, "I spend half my day thinking of you with your feet over my shoulder and me driving into you." Wine shot over the table between them. "Oh god, sorry. You can't talk to me like that without warming." "Oh, what did I do wrong?" Karen sighed. "Oh mom asked me who your wife is and I didn't know." "Samantha Fulton-Hayes." "What about Samantha Fulton-Hayes?" "I'm her husband." Karen was too shocked to speak for a few seconds. And then, "But she's collecting rave reviews on this second comeback." "Yes but she's a proper bitch. Are you saying I shouldn't be married to someone like Samantha?" "Er no, not at all. It was just such a surprise. She's a somebody." Harrison gave a half-chuckle and looked away. "Oh god, darling. "I'm sorry. It wasn't mean to come out that way." "I know. It's okay. And it's happening to me again with you, isn't it?" "Oh no, I only receive media attention because of my mother's charity work, a little bit of notoriety from me and father being remembered for his nudes of notable women in this city in his early days as a graphic artist and painter... er before he married mom. They are now regarded as collector items. You should ask mom to show you her painting." "What of her in the nude?" "Yes, one breast lower than the other and a trimmed bush that was regarded as being oh so French in those days. She's very proud of the painting and of her figure as it was in those days before a child and age took its toll." They went to dinner and received a warm welcome from the parents. When having soup Karen waited wickedly until Harrison was just about to swallow and said, "Tell mom who're you divorcing darling." The soup flew across the table, most of it reaching Karen's chest and the napkin on her lap. She giggled and her parents looked horrified. Harrison apologized profusely but Irma hushed him and said, "Karen that was appalling timing. I'm sure you did that on purpose." "N-no Irma. She's innocent. I just didn't expect that question. I had told Karen the answer to that question just an hour ago." "But why would Karen think I'd be interested?" "The woman divorcing me is Samantha Fulton-Hayes." Irma said, "What? Oh this is unbelievable." Arnold laughed and said, "Wait to the media hears about this and begins baying for you my boy. Just at present I'd think Samantha Fulton-Hayes is bulletproof but not you young man." Harrison said stiffly, "The agreement between us as recommended by lawyers on both sides is Samantha chose to divorce me because I'd lost my job and was working long hours so was no longer fun to be with." Again Arnold laughed. "You don't expect the media to believe that hogwash do you? It has lawyer fabrication written all over it." "Well I have no wish to harm her career so I'm saying nothing." Arnold continued to push. "If you had caught her playing around disclosure would boost Samantha's career." "I repeat, I have nothing to say," Harrison said, looking across to Karen who nodded and then formed her lips into a kiss, a gesture not lost on her parents. "I'll resign as soon as you ask for my resignation Arnold. I have no wish to harm your business." "No you'll be exposed as the gentleman who won't confirm rumors of his wife's infidelity. Your wife will see that as assisting her career and the fact that you work for our agency now in middle management should be of some benefit to us." "W-what about the affect on Karen's good reputation if she is linked with me?" "Karen being linked to a gentleman will do her no harm at all," Irma said. "I now understand why you are holding back on my hot-hot daughter." "Mom!" "Sorry darling. I now understand why you are holding back on my daughter." As it turned out, a Sunday newspaper had a big photograph of Samantha Fulton-Hayes announcing she was divorcing her second husband, an unknown car salesman Harrison Daniels. A TV channel made brief mention of it that evening and Monday morning's newspaper carried a three-line story but on Thursday's art section carried a full page on the rising star of stage Samantha Fulton-Hayes and one of the photos was of her wedding photo to 'out of work car salesman Harrison Daniels' and then media attention died. At the office Harrison became a five-minute celebrity, being divorced by the famous tramp and actress Samantha Fulton-Hayes and was rumored to be waiting for the divorce to come through before marrying the big boss's daughter, Karen King. Karen thought that was hilarious. They began receiving invitations to dinners and parties. By then Harrison was a regular member of the Think Tank. Sharon had signed up a new client who had warehouses filled with half a million men's underpants imported from China but he's failed to move them. The 30-second TV campaign was a 'raging success' with the demand from on-sellers clearing out the warehouses within three days. The campaign was based on a line suggested by Harrison: 'Cheap enough to wear once and then throw away'. Women bought them by the dozens for their husbands and sons. * * * The day arrived when Harrison was advised the petition had been filed in the court. The marriage would be dissolved in a year's time subject to the court's satisfaction that all requirements had been met. He called Karen who was out of the office. "I'm free to do it tonight if that's what you'd like. The application is before the court." "Ooh yes. I'll be free by 3:00 I'll book into a hotel and call for you to come and meet me as I approach the office." "I'm so excited," Karen said as they drove off. "When the marriage is dissolved are you likely to want to marry me?" "It's a year away. Let's not rush it. If we are still together who knows?" "You are very wise. Mother believes you are, as she calls it, eminently suitable for me and me for you." "She could be correct. But let's see." "Oh darling." Harrison disengaged from the long kiss and tipped Karen back on to the bed. He began removing her panties. "Darling I hope you can cope. I'm soooo wet." "That's what we need, natural lube." "Oh darling you're so kind to me." Fifteen minutes later Karen had her heels over Harrison's shoulders and he began thrusting. "Ohmigod, ohmigod... I've been dreaming about this," she said and then yelled, "Ohmigod, I'm c-u-m-m-i-n-g!" "Stay with me," Harrison urged, I'll bring you through this." He began pounding and Karen, highly flushed, caught the rhythm and they both had releases and endured until they finally climaxed in near exhaustion. * * * Three weeks later Harrison and his wife's former home sold. He and Karen took the opportunity to lease an apartment. * * * The marriage settlement left Harrison with a net financial gain of $1.78 million. * * * Five months after first joining the Think Tank Harrison was accredited during the annual national advertising awards for the most unbelievably successful concept leading to Icy Man Ice Creams becoming the nation's third-top cone seller with its upside down ice cream cone campaign. At the same awards evening he was accredited for the campaign concept that moved half a million men's underpants out of warehouses to achieve a total sell-off by resellers within twenty-six days, making the undies the nation's hottest selling apparel item. Adrift and Lonely * * * Seven months after the time Harrison and Karen first had sex Karen announced she was pregnant (attempted by mutual agreement). On that evening Irma took Harrison aside and showed him a beautiful painting of herself as a twenty-four-year old. Harrison thought of asking did she still clip or even shave but through one should not ask a lady such questions. Next day Arnold King and his partner Harry Dwight appointed Harrison as general manager of their business that was no booming because it had acquired a solid reputation for innovation. * * * Six weeks after the legal dissolution of Harrison and Amanda's marriage he married Karen in the Civic Gardens in front of 128 guests. The wedding breakfast was also in the gardens in a beautifully decorated marquee. At the hotel dinner later in the evening for family and closet friends, Paula the chief bridesmaid invited Harrison to sneak off with her to her room but he declined. Karen went without such an invitation because she was obviously pregnant but she didn't mind. Her gentleman husband had working hard to encourage her to act sexually responsible and to stop booze binging and smoking pot, achieving those goals before he'd agree for her to come off the pill. Meanwhile, to Harrison's delight, he was now referred to professionally as an advertising guru. He knew he'd become a more affluent person, he couldn't miss knowing that, but he knew he'd become a better person and caught up on that same wave Karen had become a very much better and happier person. They now did everything together and no longer felt lonely and adrift. THE END