0 comments/ 14400 views/ 3 favorites Finding Miss or Mrs Right By: egmontgrigor2010 CHAPTER 1 The trouble with women is they act unpredictably, Gerard Evans snorted into the wind, leaning against the safety railing of the pier. He had reason for that grumble. Yesterday Gerard had been shafting his girlfriend Peggy on the dinning table when his mum walked in with her friend Mrs Walsh. There was hell to play. Peggy who was terribly embarrassed swore at Gerard and said he'd claimed his fucking mother wouldn't be home for at least another hour. His mom slapped Peggy yelling at her not to badmouth her and slapped her again for leading her lovely son into act of indecency. Peggy kicked his mom and yelled she never wanted to see him again, ever. Pushing Mrs Walsh aside she yelled, "Out of the way you old cow." Gerard's mom then slapped him and gave him one hour to vacate the house and she yelled, "You low life creature; I never wish to ever see you again." Gerard packed a bag and was gone inside ten minutes. On the way out he apologized to Mrs Walsh for embarrassing her. The old widow then really surprised him. "Oh no, it was quite all right. First I never realized you could do it on a table and second I've never seen such a thick dick in all my living days." Gerard left home shaking his head. He'd shifted into Mrs Brown's Rooming House. Walking along Marine Parade Gerard came across a woman, hands on hips, starting at her car and cursing: "You stupid bitch getting a puncture just like that." Like what? Gerard didn't understand the meaning of that but the women's curse was quite understandable although he hadn't know a woman who looked like a lady could use a phrase like 'stupid bitch'. He had the impression women loved their cars. "Ma'am, may I be of assistance?" She said apprehensively, "You could but first I must decided can I trust you with my car. I love my car." Well that appeared straightforward. She'd professed her love for her car and so the puncture apparently had merely produced a lover's tiff. "Yes ma'am, you can trust me with your car." "Oh, very well. Please change the wheel and be careful not to damage the paint." Gerard grinned. Yep no guy could predict how a woman would react and that was scarcely surprising because it probably never occurred to women to react predictably. The trunk was empty and so it was a breeze pulling out the spare wheel and completed the change with tools that were tidily in the correct place, probably never having been used. "Oh you good boy. Are you sure that wheel won't fall off?" "Guaranteed ma'am." "Oh you're such an expert. Now how may I reward you?" She reached into her handbag. Gerard thought a two-buck tip would be a disgrace. "I'm hungry ma'am." She reflected on that and asked why was he calling her ma'am and Gerard said he didn't know her name and anyway he'd been brought up to be polite to ladies. "I'm Katie White. I'm taking you home to give you a real meal. Jump in... no you drive." "I assure you that wheel won't come off Katie." The woman who appeared to be in her forties smiled and said he was on to her. "My husband is away at present attending a seminar on modern trends in internal plumbing." "Oh is your husband a surgeon?" "No he's chief health inspector at City Hall. I was just stating that wondering how safe I'd be alone in my house with just you." "Well how safe would you wish to be?" "Now you're filling my head with naughty ideas." Gerard didn't have to consider that. "Let's go to a restaurant." "No let's proceed as we so carelessly planned. I'm thinking of plying you with alcohol and then thinking about having my way with you." "How safe will I be?" "As safe as you wish to be," she cackled. Gerard told Katie his name and said he'd been temporarily kicked out of home. "Why?" He hedged. "Um I bet you were being naughty?" He grinned and asked has she been talking to his mother. She laughed and gave him her street address. "I bet your parents caught you having sex on their bed?" "Wrong." "What then?" "You won't want to know." "Oh but I do." "Mom caught me doing it on the dining table that she'd set for dinner before going out." "Oooh you naughty boy. You were masturbating." "Jesus no. I was with my girlfriend, now my ex girlfriend. Katie said that was unfortunate. Gerard sniffed thinking it really was unfortunate. Katie said, "Oh you poor boy and ruffled the 24-year-old's hair. He brushed her hand away and she laughed sexily and said he needed a good woman to tame him. She had one in mind. "Tell me about yourself," he said, a little surly. "Well I'm forty-two and own the Kate Wright Dance Studio. I suppose you'll want to know my statistics?" "Twenty-four, thirty-six, forty-eight." She whacked his ear and he howled with pain and pulled the car out of a swerve. "Don't be rude," she scolded. "That was awful of you to say that. I'm proud of my body." "Yeah well I would be too if I were female with a body like yours. Your look real cute and unbelievably good for a woman of your age, er your relatively youthful age." "Thank you. How long is your penis?" The car served and was hastily straightened. "What?" She didn't answer so he mumbled that was for her to find out. They proceeded quietly until she said to turn right at the next street and turn into the driveway of the third house on the right. He did that and he hit the remote control device and the door opened and they drove into the garage. He closed the door. "You drive beautifully," she said. "Will you have sex with me?" "Yes." "You might wish to kiss me," she said. He kissed her and soon her breath rate had increased and he palmed a little puppy and she made no effort to pull his hand away. He ran that hand down over her tummy and she said, "Leave that till we get inside. Come on." Katie was a great fuck but insisted on keeping her clothes on, her explanation being she didn't feel it was adultery if she wasn't nude. She took further gloss off the deed by wanting to lie on her back. And she didn't move much. But she squeezed his dick at the right time and Gerard dumped into the end of his condom. They both slipped off to sleep and Katie shook him awake later and whispered he should go. Gerard obeyed, receiving no kiss and not even a thanks because Katie was already sleep. As he walked off he realized she'd not fed him as promised and wondered which of them had gotten more out of that encounter. It didn't take long to work that out and confirm just how manipulative women could be. It was only 8:45 so he went to a restaurant and attacked a steak. Gerard, a bicycle mechanic, told his employer next morning he wanted to leave the job and Philip asked him to leave at the following week to give him time to locate a replacement. Gerard thought Philip would be lucky to attract a good replacement in such short time but next day Philip said he could leave as soon as he wish because the new guy was ready to start and that was rather a blow to Gerard's belief that he was virtually irreplaceable, and replaced so soon! "The world's fucking against me," Gerard said pathetically as he went back to the rooming house that evening paid up and jobless and feeling abandoned. However the former champion teenage road cyclist champion knew it could only get better. Years ago he'd hoped to develop into a world-class competitive cyclist but riding over a 50 feet drop during a downhill dash had left him with a fractured skull and a broken hip that pushed him into voluntary retirement as a cyclist, based on his surgeon's advice. He felt better thinking that had been a far more traumatic setback than his present fall from grace. Gerard hit the road next day, thinking it was time to move on and start afresh. He thumbed two rides during the first three hours and then nothing. Fucking nothing. His feet were killing him when near dusk a little old lady stopped and said to jump in. "I live less than a mile away but will host you. You look pooped and in need of sustenance and a bed." Maggie was quite a character. She'd been a schoolteacher all her life prior to retirement eight years ago and had been married twice. She was lonely and loved talking and it was after midnight before Gerard could escape to bed. When on the road next morning he was whistling, his confidence being returned by the kindness of Maggie and her simple philosophy she'd shared with him, "Don't let the bastards get you down, ever." He waited at the truck stop and eventually a middle-aged driver looked him over carefully and said, "If you're heading west get in." Gerard had been intending to go north but decided west was an acceptable alternative. He traveled almost two days with Mike, a married guy with three kids, who worked one week on, one week off, and claimed his wife loved the stability of his job as a truck driver, knowing for certain when he'd be home. That made Gerard think he should simplify his thinking about his own life. He'd always been hoping that something better would turn up and had never really been satisfied with his situation. Mike said, "You should think of staying around in this little city for a while. It's my hometown and I can say you'd have to look far to find a better place to live. Over there," he said pointing, "is Ma Jenkins' rooming house and in the morning take a look on Hay Street at Harris's Ranch Supplies Depot. Mrs Harris is always looking for a good man, heh-heh-heh." Mike refused to take any money but asked for a handshake. "You're a good guy Gerard. Good luck. If you stay I'll see you around." Mrs Harris was far from being beautiful and her two daughters helping her run the depot were even more unattractive and the three guys who did what they were told looked pretty hopeless and yet the business appeared popular. Gerard had to wait forty minutes before Mrs Harris could see him. "Have you worked in a ranch supplies depot before?" "No." "Oh Jesus." Mrs Harris scratched under an armpit and asked what can he do. Gerard pointed to the hire equipment, much of it motorized. "I could run that department and do all the maintenance. I've worked on motors since I was ten." "Ten? That sounds like bullshit to me." "If you weren't so negative this business would do much better." "You don't say, asshole." "Yes bitch." Mrs Harris displayed most of her yellow teeth. "I scare the shit out of most men." "Yeah well you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Where's my job and I want good money." "God you have a cheek. See that old Ford over there? It's my car and won't go. I have to go home in one of our pickups until till it's fixed. If you tell me to put gas in the tank I'll screw your scrawny neck." "That vehicle is thirty years old. It's just a little tired, that's all and neglected. If I get the motor going do I get the hire department job with pay 50% above the going rate?" "What's the going rate?" "I have no idea." Mrs Harris grinned and said it was a deal. Fifteen minutes later Mrs Harris came running from her office when she heard the motor of the gray Ford burst into life. "That was amazing. What was wrong?" "Neglect." "Oh. You're hired." Ten days later Gerard was settled in. The daughters were not longer attempting to hit on him, he'd knocked out the aggressive male helper who'd wanted Gerard to be submissive and the three guys now assumed he was top dog. All the chain saws motors and other hire equipment had been maintained and Mrs Harris accepted Gerard's suggestion to run a notice in the local newspaper that Harris Ranch Supplies had hired a maintenance man and all hire equipment was now in fine running order. "But people who hire my equipment would have known it was in fine running order." "Oh yeah." Mrs Harris showed something that could have been a blush and said she'd run the advertisement. The day after publication seven items were hired out, almost half the hire-outs for the Monday to Saturday hire business for an average week, and the next day twelve machines were hired out. "Omigod you were right," Mrs Harris said. "Is there anything else you can do to improve my business? Right from now on I will pay you 50% above the going rate." "Thanks. I'll look around to see what else can be improved. I understand the science of systems." A guy came into the depot and asked for Gerard and he was called to the counter. Gerard gave the guy a big grin and shook the hand of Mike, the truck driver who'd brought him to the city. "It's my week free," Gerard said. "I heard there was a new guy here turning things around so guessed that must be you. Come out and meet my wife." "Nah she won't want to meet me." "Come on or will walking out of the depot get you fired?" Gerard grinned and went out with Mike and his attractive wife got out of the car to greet him and shook his hand. "You made quite an impression on Mike and he was quoting you for a couple of days. Then this morning when we were coming away from the supermarket he said we must call down here and see if it's you that people are saying has made a big difference to the depot, increasing service levels by a country mile." "Other people here have been helping me Mrs Hogan." "Well it doesn't surprise me to find you are modest. Please call me Thelma and don't ask Mike if that is okay or I'll smack your hand." Gerard laughed and said right Thelma. She asked what did he do at the depot. "Oh a bit of this and that." "Rubbish. Gerard is my assistant manager," said Mrs Harris emerging through the huge doorway and moving over and kissing Thelma. "Hi Mike. Come in for coffee guys, you too Gerard." "Um I have Harvey Harrington arriving in a few minutes to rent out our new ride-on trencher. I'll need to check he can manage it." Mike said he'd go with Gerard and say hi to Harvey. "Thelma can Gerard come to dinner this evening?" "Yes dear if he's not dating a woman." Gerard said dinner with the Hogan's would be great. "Thanks Thelma." As they walked away Mike said all this is Thelma's idea. "Our daughter Julia has taken a year off after graduating in finance with her master's and she's alleging all the decent young guys your age have left the city. Thelma recalled me telling her what a cool guy you were and said we must get you to meet Julia and so here we are. If you don't like being set-up then don't come and no one will worry, least of all Julia who'd hate the idea of being set-up. Anyway she never sticks with the same guy for long." "Cripes Mike I'm glad you told me. I'll come and pretend not to notice your daughter." "That might be difficult." ""Huh?" "Oh hi Mike," called Harvey Harrington. "I see you are buttonholing this young guy who is making a decent job of creating the depot's hire center into a decent and a half division. Maintenance has never been so good; it appears there's nothing Gerard can't fix." * * * Thelma greeted Gerard at the door and he handed her a sheaf of flowers and said shyly, "These are for you." "Oh Gerard, they are lovely. Thank you." "Julia our dinner guest has arrived. Please come and greet him." Julia came into the passage and Gerard gulped, eyeing a pair of magnificently shaped 34s, a bare belly and then came super-tight pale blue jeans to match her top. Her blonde hair was in ringlets and she was in full make-up, just like her honey blonde mom. "Julia this is Gerard Evans. Gerard this is our youngest of three children. Oh look Julia Gerard brought your flowers." "Then why are you holding them? He brought them for you didn't you Gerard?" He read the appeal in Thelma's face and replied, "My mistake. I should have brought two lots of flowers. Sorry ladies." "God what a weasel,"" Julia said. "That reply satisfies neither of us. If you'd supported mom's lie I might have half believed you." "I only met you both today. I wouldn't wish to be regarded as deceitful and it is true I did make a mistake. Your father had told me you were home and were dissatisfied by the scarcity of decent male company around your age." "Well my father talks too much. So you classify yourself as decent male company?" "Yes." "In what way?" "This must be boring for your mother. You are looking lovely Thelma." "Did my mother invite you to call her Thelma?" "Yes Miss Hogan. I am sure there is no need for you to be so aggressive." "God you have no manners. What do you want to drink?" "Nothing thanks you." Gerard said stiffly. "Oh you two, loosen up. Please tell Julia what you wish to drink Gerard. I'll have a martini thank you dear." "I'll have a white wine if available thanks." "It is. Go talk to my father. Mom you come to the kitchen." God that rude brat needed a good kick, Gerard thought sourly. He found Mike in the lounge with the front entirely off the pendulum clock and about to oil the moving parts with what appeared to be a workshop oil can. "Oh hi Gerard," Mike smiled. "This old lady is losing time, almost five minutes in a week. I think a bit of oil might help." "Oiling might not be necessary Mike and if you do so use super light oil, like sewing machine oil. But it's best to buy clock oil. When was it last oiled?" "About six months ago." "I don't know much about clocks but one every two years seems to ring a bell." Mike said, "Take a look pal and see if you can work out what to do. We don't have a handbook." Gerard took two seconds before he said, "See this brass adjustment on the end of the heavy weight? It's marked with an arrow that indicates 'faster'. So turn it in that direction sad just advancing by two of those fine marks. That's it. Restart the clock and at the end of a week check the accuracy of the time and adjust accordingly. Do very small adjustments until you get it right." "Gee pal, you're a genius. Thanks." "Dad you're not wrecking mom's heirloom clock are you?" "No baby. Gerard has fixed it." "Gerard?" "Yes the guy standing beside me. I heard your mom introduce you to him?" "I'm just surprised that's all. Most guys I meet appear to be no good at anything." "If you want anything fixed ask Gerard." Julia considered that and then asked, "Um Gerard, one of my favorite ear-rings has come adrift. Can you fix it?" "If it's quality jewelry then probably. But if it's cheap muck then probably not but then looking at you it's bound to be quality." Julia flash him a funny look and said she would get it. Mike said she needed to take it to a jeweler. His dad's old soldering kit was in the workshop but he didn't have a clue of how to use it. There was also a butane plumber's torch in the box. Julia arrived with the earring and clearly the ornament had come adrift. "I tried glue but it didn't work." ""Probably the wrong type of glue," Gerard said. "Solder will be neater and is the appropriate fix." "Take him to the workshop Julie and pullout granddad's white hobby box. Gerard will know what to look for." Gerard did. He got Julia to put on gloves and hold the metal ornament in a tiny pair of pliers. He lit the butane torch and soldered on the other piece, holding the rod in his teeth while he held the body of the earring with pliers in his other hand. Their heads were touching and as he cut the gas said to Julia to hold still till the solder solidified as it cooled. She said, "You smell nice." He said it was a male perfume called Apollo. His Gran gave him a bottle every birthday and at Christmas. That was more than sufficient for a year at he often gave some away. She giggled. "I hadn't thought of you as Apollo." "Well initially I thought of you as an arrogant bitch. But here right now, helping in this delicate task, you appear very normal and sweet." Finding Miss or Mrs Right "Perhaps I have my moments?" "I expect you do. You mom appears very nice and I wouldn't expect you to be much different. I guess you thought she was trying to set you up to date me?" "Something like that." "Right, that's it. Open your pliers slowly and pull them away without knocking the earring. That's it. You can go now. I'll tidy up and follow in a couple of minutes. Pick this up off the bench at this time tomorrow and then treat it normally. Solder takes 24-hours to attain full strength." "God is there anything you don't know?" "I'm not very good at handling women." She giggled and went off, saying thanks; it looked to be an excellent repair. Gerard biked home after a well-hosted evening and a beautiful meal. The parents were great but he couldn't understand the daughter. She said very little during dinner and then said she was going off to her room and had to be called back by her mom to say good night to their guest. "Good night and thanks for mending my earring." Gerard wanted to scream to her that he had a name but bit his tongue, thinking what was the use. She appeared to be even more self-centered than he was. He biked because he'd found no use for a vehicle, being within walking distance or bike ride distance of practically everything. Ten days later Julia called Gerard at work. "Mom said to call you because I want to go to a party and I'm expected to arrive with a date because it's a dinner party. Will you take me?" Gerard knew he was just being used so decided some aggression was required. "Okay but will we fuck?" She didn't appear to be surprised at that crude request and that rather threw Gerard and so he didn't press when she replied she supposed she could think about it. Julia said she would collect him, driving her mom's car. She told him to dress smart casual. He asked Mrs Harris what that meant and she said no tie, good quality clothes and looking attractive – dress pants, loafers, long-sleeve shirt and leather jacket or sports jacket but definitely not anything denim. Gerard had left home traveling light and so for the dinner party he bought a dark gray two-button herringbone sports jacket and light gray wool pants and a pair of charcoal loafers. Julia arrived and called through her window, "You look very smart." "Thanks," he said, going around the blue Ford Focus and jumping in. He looked at her strapless dress and asked politely, "Pull the top down to show me your great breasts." "Great breasts?" she said, almost panting. "No." For a second Gerard thought he hadn't said that, he couldn't have said that, that no guy in his right mind would say that to a women he was dating for the first time and at the point of first contact. It would be insane. She hadn't remonstrated so perhaps he really hadn't said that but his split-second relief was over when she hissed, "God you are foul." But she made no effort to toss him out of the car. In fact she almost smiled although he noticed a slight jut in her jaw. Take it easy, he told himself; keep your comments depersonalized. He noticed she was wearing the repaired earring set but made no comment. He said he wouldn't know anyone at dinner and she said no. Gerard tried again and asked had she had a good week and she said no. That left him wondering about her purpose in life. And then she told him. "I'm bored shitless." Oh hello, he mused. Was that the explanation why almost was nothing right with her and for her and why she was such lousy company? She deserved to be stimulated mentally. "Do you fuck?" He waited... and waited... and waited. Finally she said yes. "My problem is so many times I feel I've been exploited, being treated as a receptacle for a semen-filled condom and then when the guy rolls off me I feel he's already thinking of who will be next." Amateur sex therapist Mr Evans said with great deliberation, "Ah so you experience no repeat performances or perhaps only a few?" "Exactly," she said. "Ah then you would tend to regard male penetration of your body as brutish, in the sense of inhumane or lacking sensibility?" "That's it, that's exactly it. Until now I have never heard a male describe it with such understanding. How is it you know?" "I've heard woman discuss it at dinner conversation." She sighed and muttered why couldn't she be invited to dinner parties with conversations like that. For the rest of the way to their destination their conversation wallowed mundanely. It appeared quality guys or interesting guys or interesting guys of quality were in short supply in the city because Chloe their tall brunette hostess with apparently no tits kissed him and cooed, "Christ Julia you've landed a delicious import." Emma and Ashley floated in beside Chloe and said practically the same thing but over dinner Gerard had concluded all the guys appeared okay although none of them appeared to be great looking or have standout personalities or said much that interested him. Then his heart skipped a beat when he overheard Julie whisper to Chloe, "He asked me to show my tits as soon as he got into the car" and he heard Chloe say breathlessly, "Omigod Julia I want him after he's shafted you." The message was clear: Unattached females in this city considered a guy was not interested in them unless they shafted her on more than one occasion and the guy was unlikely to get the second chance of re-entry unless he was interesting. How fascinating. It must be part of a selection process unique to this city. Elsewhere in Gerard's experience young women just wanted to be fucked and it didn't appear to matter whether guy had personality or intelligence or money or prospects. Ah, he grinned. He had it all worked out. Julia dropped him off at his rooming house and moved away when he attempted to kiss her but she remained pleasant. What the fuck? He hadn't intended screwing her on the first date but he had at least expected a kiss and a bit of a grope. Jesus she was turning back the clock and expected to be courted? Surely not. What a fucking waste of time. Before he closed the car door Gerard said, "Lunch tomorrow?" and was almost surprised when she replied yes. She drove away before he could nominate a time and how they would meet. Oh crap, his dick was crying out for a piece of Julia and here she was acting like an early 20th Century maiden. Gerard was quite shaken by this experience. In bed he decided not to masturbate in case that violated the code of something that Julia apparently observed. CHAPTER 2 Gerard cycled up to the Hogan's house next day without having any understanding of what was to happen but arriving at noon seemed an intelligent time to be arriving to commence a lunch date. He found Julia waiting with her bike and she said her parents were still at church. She handed him a backpack that she said contained their picnic lunch and she had the wine and glasses in her backpack. Gerard noticed the rug strapped on the carrier of her bicycle and they set off to what she said described as her favorite spot beside the Lassie River. "It's where I'm usually seduced," she smiled. The very experienced cyclist called Gerard Evans almost fell but managed to hold on to his bike for support. "I-I haven't brought condoms. I-l didn't think..." "I have them," she smiled sweetly and rode off. Gerard scrambled and missed the left pedal but quickly recovered. She was wearing one of those top things with a built-in bra and knotted at the front and low-cut shorts. He could see the start of her crease low down on her hairless back, Teeth-clenched Gerard focused on that crease and went after it like a man possessed and only just avoided ramming Julia's back wheel. "Are you okay? You look very red-faced." "I'm quite okay," he grunted, falling in beside her and feeling his passion subsiding. "You have highly developed calf muscles and appear slightly bandy. Are you a hugely experienced cyclist?" "It has to be that or else I've seduced a great many women." Julia's laugh tinkled Gerard's senses and his increased grip on the handlebars turned his knuckles white. "Let me see you sprint," she said, stopping and propping with one leg on the ground. "Providing you show me your tits," he said provocatively, knowing he was saying it. "Okay." Julia pulled her top up and out spilled two great-looking puppies. Ten seconds later she began stowing them and probably noticed Gerard was red-faced again. With her two-pack arranged to her satisfaction she said, "Come on we start as fast and I can and when I shout sprint I want you to put everything into it." She shouted sprint and he was away. Gerard waited for her at the end of the half-mile straight. Julia arrived, red-faced and breathing heavily and said he was a real goer, very impressive. Gerard rather liked her describing him as a real goer because that fitted what he had in mind. They rode on a scenic road on the side of the Lassie River. That finished at a track and when the track petered out they rode over a meadow until coming to a secluded grove of trees on a fenced off slope down to the river. "Here we are," Julia said. "Please remove all your clothes. Noting she was stripping, Gerard obeyed. "You really are an unlikely companion for me but are eminently suited for an afternoon of sex, judging by the look of your piece." Encouraged by he words and actions he invited, "Hold it." "No thanks. I'm about to eat." Gerard said nothing until he'd spread out the rug. He then took her around the waist and said, ""No let's fuck and then eat." Julia sighed and grabbing his dick said perhaps he could now understand why she didn't see them as being compatible. They were opposites. "And that's the way it's meant to be," he leered, folding his lips round a fat nipple. Before too long he had Julia whimpering, "Put it in, put it in". He had no problem obeying that command. "I want to be on my back." "I want you on your side. Lift your upper leg." "Omigod I can really feel you going in. It's so afferent." Gerard assumed that meant he was strumming the right message to her nerve centers and grinned in satisfaction. Fuck a babe well and she'd stick to you for at least a few days. "Push back at me," he coaxed. "I can't, all my weight is on my bottom hip." "Rock into me on my forward stroke." "Omigod, Omigod." He munched on a tit and she erupted but scarcely paused before she was rocking again. "Bite my tits but don't mark me. I won't mind if you slobber." Hearing that thrilled Gerard because it indicated she knew how to be fucked! They went at it quite well in synch for a couple together like this for the first time. He began tiring and she squeezed and he filled her, er filled the end of his condom. He ripped it off and without tying it threw it into the backpack with their picnic. She sighed. After a five minute rest she asked was he ready to go again. He yawned and nodded. "I've decided I don't require you to wear a condom unless we decide on anal. Anal? At that thought Gerard almost blew his nuts without touching her. "That was heavenly," Julia sighed, toweling off sweat and other drying liquids. "And you were right in delaying lunch, I now feel like eating a horse." Gerard assumed she was exaggerating. Julia set out cold pasta salad and that almost had Gerard drooling because it was one of his favorite lunch dishes. She pulled out whole-meal bread rolls and then a thick apple pie. Jesus, had she been talking to his mother about his favorites? As they ate Julia said she was thinking that it did appear two opposites could mesh. "You have left me sexually fulfilled, you looked worn out and happy, I enjoyed making this picnic and you wolfed your share down. It has been so near perfect. Will you find time to fuck me tomorrow?" "Yeah sure. I'd like that. It would mean you'd continue to go with me." She looked at him strangely as if he were saying something he shouldn't know about. They arrived home to find a note on the door: 'Visiting my sister. Please stay for dinner Gerard. XXX Thelma.' "Oooh come inside to my bed and we can fuck." They were in the bath with Julia attempting to get Gerard hard again for a foot fuck when where was a knock on the door, giving Julia just enough time to throw a flannel over the half-inflated dick before Thelma walked in with two white wines and two slabs of fruit cake. "Hi darlings. We're home early. I thought you might like this to energize," she said, staring at the red bite marks on her daughter's breasts. * * * Six weeks after Julia and Gerard's first date his resignation from the depot took effect. He and Julia pooled some cash and purchased a preowned Ford F150 with a lockable canopy over the tray so they could keep their bicycles reasonably secure. With weeks of cycling and fucking they were both looking lean and fit and to her parent's delight their daughter's mood had changed completely and she now practically wore a perpetual smile and everything she said she so positive. Thelma waved them off alone because Mike was away for a week "I'm so happy for you guys," Thelma wept copiously. She was anxious the kids had no plan except to drive slowly and enjoy whatever they saw. They had camping gear but if the weather looked bad they would stay at cheap motels. They had enough money between them to last for perhaps six months. Towards evening on the second day, when they were only 225 miles away from the Hogan's house, Gerard spotted a guy treed by a horned bull that was pawing the ground and foaming at the mouth. Gerard turned off and went in to the ranch house. "A bull in the roadside pasture had a guy up a tree. It's foaming at the mouth," he said to the woman who came out to greet them. "Oh god, that's my husband," she said. "Grab a rifle and ammo," he ordered. The elderly woman rushed back inside. The woman got into the pickup and Julia, being lighter sat on her knees. Gerard said he wasn't very familiar with rifles. He worked the bolt and brought a cartridge up into the chamber. He then asked what were their tactics. "The bull has been acting strangely for some days and all morning remained lying down. Dave went over to check it out about two hours ago. I was beginning to worry that he hadn't come back. You may have to shoot it. It's old so we'll just bury it. Try to shoot it head-on, pumping bullets into its chest. Don't try for the head because it's a smaller target." "Yes ma'am." "Call me Milly. Have you fired a rifle to kill?" "Yes Milly but only at rabbits." "Well don't attempt to do this unless you are confident. Bulls can run very fast and if you loose your nerve it could be all over for you." "I'll be fine. This rifle is powerful enough to bring down a bull." "Indeed it is. Dave uses it to dispatch badly injured cattle." "Be careful Gerard." ""I'll be fine thinking it's just a giant rabbit and running at me instead of running away from me. Milly direct me to the gate into the pasture. When we get in there you take the wheel. If the bull should knock me down you charge it with the vehicle." "Oh god," Julia sobbed. "Don't distract him dear. He has to approach this unemotionally." They entered into the pasture and although the bull looked at them it went back to snorting at the ground beside the tree. Gerard got out and Milly took over the wheel. "Do nothing to distract me ladies." As Gerard approached the bull turned to watch him, snorting and drooling. "Walk slowly son. Don nothing to make him charge. When about forty paces away shoot high into his chest." It went like clockwork. Inside forty paces away Gerard waited until the bull had lifted his head and fired one shot and it dropped to its knees and toppled over. It gave a couple of snorts and shook a little. The rancher called down to Gerard, "Walk up closer son and if anything moves shoot it." The rancher climbed down, said thanks and took the rifle. He went right up to the bull and said, "It's dead. Thanks for saving ammo." He embraced Gerard and said thanks again and they walked over to the women. Back in the house, the women had been served sparkling wine and the men beer, Dave said, "Cheers Gerard. If one of my neighbors had to come to my rescue I would never heard the end of it. What you did was good. You have a level head." "You know one of our farmhands stupidly knocked into that tree and did eight hundred bucks damage to the tractor," Milly said. "Dave went out to fell the tree but the chainsaw wouldn't start and he never got round to it. Now isn't that just fate?" Milly invited them to stay the night and called her daughter to report the incident. Kitty came racing over with her husband Jack and they stayed for dinner and the drinks flowed and the guests ended up with job offers. Jack offered Gerard a job selling cars in his dealership and when Gerard said he wasn't a salesman and Julia said he was a mechanic he offered Gerard and job in the workshop but was turned down. Kitty offered Julia a job in her business bureau but Julia said it seemed Gerard wanted to keep moving on. Really wanting something good to happen for them Dave finally made then accept a check for $1000 and gave them a letter of introduction to his son Tom in Los Angeles. A month later when the duo arrived on the coast, bored with doing nothing but occasional temporary jobs and running out of money Gerard called Tom who welcomed him to LA. "Dad told me what you'd done for him and I'm grateful. Look come and stay with Lynn and me for a few days." "Aw we can't impose like that." "Gerard let me tell you this. My dad at sixty-one still has a short fuse and my thinking was before hour three up in that tree expired he would have come down and attempted to outwit that bull, probably unsuccessfully. If you don't think you did much for him but pardon me, I think you did. Please allow us to host you for a few days." "Well you push hard. Okay then." Julia and Gerard arrived at the quite substantial home to be greeted by Tom who was thirty-seven and Lynn was thirty-two. Lynn was also from the Midwest so they were not at all like big city folk. After the guests had unpacked the joined Tom and Lynn beside the pool for drinks. "Julia I can perhaps offer you temporary work," Lynn said. "I'm director of finance for a smallish company and we are under resourced in our department at the moment. If you come into the office I will explain what we do, show you around and then talk about your suitability for two positions that are available." "Oh that would be lovely. Thanks Lynn." "Sorry pal but my business appears to be heading down the tubes. If I don't sell to a competitor soon there won't be much left to sell." "That's fine. I'll find something. What kind of business is it?" "A home-handyman equipment rental and I have quite a strong clientele of self-employed home maintenance guys but my costs are running away on me, sinking the business." "That's a shame if you've put in the hard yards only to see it go down the tubes. I'd be interested in taking a look at your operation?" "Be my guest. If you are thinking you might be able to offer management solutions then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I've already had an expensive consultant in and what he suggested was, well frankly, outright crap. Lynn made improvements to my admin structure and as a result I was able to drop one accounts person but all that has done is to hold off my business collapse." "Gerard has worked in ranch and town equipment hire," Julia said. "That's where I met him. He was assistant manager." "You don't say. Well for what good that will do, let's put my operation under the microscope tomorrow." Finding Miss or Mrs Right "Yes and good boy for remaining positive darling," Lynn said. By noon next day Julia had been hired to work in Lynn's department. At the rental yard Gerard spent three days painstakingly going through the inventory, checking out every item and making notes. While he was there a guy made an offer on the F150 that seemed too good to be true. He called Julia and she said accepted it and they could split the money. Gerard also looked closely at how people worked and what systems were used. He continued working at home on the evening at that third day, stopping only for dinner, and then called in Lynn to go through the company's books with him. Two hours later Lynn joined the other two watching TV and an hour later Gerard came out smiling. "We can save your business but it will require some fundamental changes and letting some people go. Perhaps the most difficult part will be committing to a $50,000 loan because your company is near insolvent and ..." "Providing the business plan is sound my father will raise the money for me," Tom said. "The ranch is practically debt-free. Come to the dining table and tell me about it." Lynn looked at Julia who nodded and they joined the men. The plan was a radical rethink. The two below-par mechanics should be fired and a self-motivated senior mechanic was engaged at a higher rate of pay but still saving half a salary. One third of the inventory must be sold off and replaced and a rigid replacement scheme introduced, the three females in admin must be persuaded to go with settlement packages of three months' salary each, a junior should be hired and a manager appointed. Tom was reluctant to on-sell equipment that was still operating but Gerard said people renting equipment did not expect it to break down and some equipment as listed was on its last legs. He won the battle. The next day Tom contacted Julia and invited her to run the office, leaving him to run the front-of-business, checking on the two guys renting out equipment and receiving it back, buying in new equipment and working at customer liaison and growing the business. He was so happy and Lynn said she was so proud of Gerard for producing what appeared to be the right fix. Julia and Gerard had been living in their own apartment for three weeks by that time and she'd just finished working for the company where Lynn have found her the temporary job in her department. The timing was good but the relationship between Julia and Gerard had taken a bit of a dive. They were arguing because he wanted to move back to the Midwest but Julia was against that. Julia began working at her new job. One evening she came home late crying and refused to talk about it and went to bed without eating. She told Gerard to go out to dinner by himself and to sleep in the spare room. He was upset by her refusal to speak about it but backed off when she insisted she was okay, that she'd just had a bad experience. Gerard expected her to talk about it in the morning but no, she just said she was quite okay and expected to have a good day. Her refusal to talk about it angered him and he thought it was systematic of what was happening to their relationship; he was now aware it was crumbling and admitting that at last left him rather shocked. Quite unexpectedly Lynn called Gerard mid morning and invited him to lunch. He accepted and although she gave no reason for the invitation he wondered if she had a job lined up for him. So far he'd not found anything he liked. Usually whenever they met she kissed him but this time gave him only a brief hug. She appeared moody and he wondered what the hell was up with women this week, not that he currently was associated with many women. She came right out with it. "I came home early yesterday afternoon and found Tom on the lounge sofa deep into sex with Julia. Both were naked and all they could say when I confronted them was sorry. I moved out of our home this morning and am filing for divorce." That revelation almost floored Gerard. "Jesus. Lynn I am so sorry. Julia came home last evening crying but refused to tell me what was wrong. She went to bed without dinner and asked me to sleep in the other bedroom. I expected her to discuss what was wrong but she said she'd just had a bad experience. I planned to wring it out of her this evening." Lynn said bitterly well now he knew. "So you will divorce Tom; there's no chance of a reconciliation." "None whatsoever. This is the second time he's done this to me that I know of." "Jesus." Lynn asked what would he do and he said he didn't know. "I've had the feeling our relationship had cooled off in recent weeks. I just assumed it was because I didn't have a job although Tom paid me generously for my consultancy. I knew Julia was feeling a little unsettled because she'd been given notice her temporary job was about to end. I had no idea she was interested in anyone else. Not a clue." "Um I say this as a friend Gerard. If you and Julia split will you take me out to dinner occasionally? My confidence will be low and it may take time for begin dating with guys again." Gerard perked up a bit. Are you wanting my company for sex?" "No Gerard although it was kind of you to think like that. It is unlikely I could bare to have a man touch me for many months, perhaps never." "Gosh this is a right mess Lynn. I'm responsible for bringing Julia to Los Angeles and now this." "You are not to blame and to a large extent neither is Julia. If it hadn't been Julia in all probability Tom would have found another woman to try out his fantasies but that's all I wish to say. Look you order, I'll make do with a couple of drinks." "I'm right off my food as well. Let's get another drink." When Julia arrived home Gerard said to her sternly, "Are you going to tell me what has upset you?" "Hasn't Lynn called you?" "Why do you say that?" "Because Tom bad-mouthed me at the office and that really upset me. I walked for almost three hours before coming home. I was so mad I could have hit him stupid." "Is that all?" "That's enough isn't it?" "How about the truth Julia?" "Omigod, you have been in contact with Lynn and she's told you." "Yes." "The bitch. Well if she decides to divorce Tom he says he'll marry me." "Careful Julia. Are you aware of what you are saying?" "Tom is certain she will divorce him because she's tired of him and Tom says she doesn't understand him any more, having lost her finer feelings for him, probably as a result of his business crisis that's now over. It's such a shame but there it is." "So if the divorce proceeds you'll go to Tom?" "Yes because he's the better option for me although you are okay." "Well I'm off somewhere for dinner. Don't wait up for me." "What aren't you inviting me to go with you?" "No Julia. I'll say no more." Next morning Gerard was up early and went cycling until he knew Julia would be at work. After late breakfast he found a room to rent and moved out and didn't bother leaving a note for Julia. She had insisted leasing the apartment in her name because they'd used her money to set up the rental and therefore he had no responsibility to negotiate early vacancy or contribute any more to the monthly rental money. Two days later Gerard struck it lucky and was hired as manager of rentals at a very large equipment rental center within easy cycling distance of where he lived. The only problem was the pay was lousy so he decided to hold off moving into an apartment. He'd switched to a new phone service provider and received a new number because he had no wish to talk to Julia or Tom again. He called Lynn for her to keep his new number in her phonebook. She sounded depressed and intended going away for a while because Tom was hassling her. Gerard gave no advice and all her said was to call him when she was settled. The general manager at Finnegan's DIY Equipment Rental Center called Gerard in at the end of his first week and said Gerard's performance had been way above expectation. "We get guys promising great performance in this trade but most of them are big disappointments," Larry said. "The boss agrees with me we must keep you and as from Monday your salary will be doubled." A happy Gerard found the studio apartment he liked on Saturday afternoon and signed up. It would be vacant in 10 days and four days after he moved in Lynn called to say she was back. Gerard knew to be easy mannered, not to be sympathetic, and so he said, "Where do I meet you to dine tonight?" "Tonight?" "Yes tonight. It's only dinner Lynn." "Well I'm in a mess here." "That's a good reason to eat out. Be strong Lynn." She said all right and gave him the address of the restaurant and suggested 7:00 and that was fine by Gerard. As he cut the call he thought it must be really difficult for a woman involved in a divorce because most appeared to have their emotions close to the surface. He arrived on time to find Lynn already at the bar with a wine in front of her. That was better than finding her with hard liquor. "Hi, you're looking much better than I expected," he lied, noting her face looked and drawn. "God I wish I felt like it," she smiled. "Perhaps my next divorce will be easier." He realized that was a joke and laughed and kissed her fairly passively and ended it with a big hug and felt her hug him back. God she was strong. "Oh you've made me feel much better already. I went home and dad was good but mom was over-sympathetic and told me ten times she knew I should never had married Tom." Gerard dodged making a reply by asking when would she start back at work? "Tomorrow. I felt it would be a bad move to resign at this time but not only to maintain my money supply. Having people I know around me will provide some stability. Everything has been filed and in about six months I'll have my divorce and as far as I'm concerned Tom will be history. Have you heard from Julia?" "No I just walked out without leaving a forwarding address and I changed my phone number. I think I left owing her less than five hundred bucks from setting up the apartment. She is now history." "Have you found another girl?" "No I haven't been looking." "Why not?" He shuffled in his seat. "Why not Gerard." "You won't like it." Frowning, Lynn said let her be the judge of that. "I want to be available in case you need me. You know in case you feel you can't trust any other guy. You'll need sex won't you?" "Oh Gerard, you beautiful, beautiful man, sacrificing yourself for me. But please listen, you just live normally and we can continue being friends. I'll be okay." "There's no hurry to commit, either way." "No Gerard, you must no waste your life like this, if could take me quite some time to become fully restored." "Well I'm remaining on hand, available if required." "But Gerard, don't you agree. We are not in love, I don't require financial support and sex is not a consideration, so what's in it for you?" Gerard sipped his wine to give him thinking time before replying, having no wish to upset her. "Now you listen Lynn. You are a lovely woman, the only female friend I have right now and that means a lot to me. Please don't take this the wrong way but I have always felt attracted to you and I guess than means sexually attracted. Lynn looked astonished. "Those are lovely words Gerard but can't you see, I'm about to have the stigma of being a divorcee and I'm older that you and men prefer younger women." "There's nothing wrong with being a divorcee and you're only a little over five years older than me and you are a beautiful woman. I have no wish to place you under pressure at this time Lynn. I suggest we eat." "Yes right. God my mind is zipping so much I can scarcely think." Gerard raised his hand. A waitress smiled, grabbed to menus and tucking them under an arm came over to them. It was a test: Gerard took Lynn by the arm. She didn't stiffen, not even initially. "I'm thinking pasta tonight," he said. "What about you?" "I'll decide on either fish or chicken but need to see the menu. I've not eaten here before. At present I'm not going to former haunts." "Good girl. I don't blame you." "Good evening sir, ma'am. I am Lucy your waitress for tonight. This way please." Almost two hours later they stood outside the restaurant. "I'm just over..." "Hush," Gerard said, placing a finger on Lynn's lips. "Phone me with the address if you wish me to visit. If we are to progress let's progress unhurriedly. You'll have pressures enough. Are you going to kiss me?" Lynn gave something that passed for a kiss and then muttered, "Oh call that a kiss, this is being stupid." She grabbed Gerard by a shoulder and stood on her toes to kiss him slowly and fully. He kept his hands still and when she stepped back he said that was lovely. "Good night lovely Lynn. Will you be okay walking home unescorted?" "Absolutely. Good night and thank you for making me feel so relax. It has been wonderful." Gerard walked back to his small apartment feeling elated. He'd not really thought of having sex with Lynn until today; really thought about it, that is. When sitting on the bar stool he'd said something to her and she was framing her answer and uncrossed her legs and during that movement he'd glimpsed a flash of white flesh above her stocking top. Jesus. He had to stop his tongue from hanging out. It had looked so sexy and he'd thought of getting his fingers into that pussy above those stocking tops and thought she'd probably be quite a good fuck, perhaps very good. She would have had plenty of experience with Tom who was full on in everything he did. Oooh, if only Lynn would have sex with him he'd be a very happy man. He also suspected she wore those bras that flattened out tits to make them less conspicuous. Oh man, if she allowed him to get his hands around them and his mouth working he'd do his best to switch on her motors and make her one happy girl. He would be reasonably satisfied, although never quite satisfied, if their relationship was to be only platonic. Some robust rounds of sex would be icing on the cake. Oh yeah! Lynn baby. He resolved not to pressure her for sex by grinding her down. If it got to having sex it would be because Lynn indicated she was ready for it and wanted it. * * * Lynn walked along the well-lit street being used by many people and felt totally safe. Walking not quite 150 yards she crossed at the lights to her apartment block right on the corner and the night doorman, not knowing who she was, smiled and she said she was Lynn Hay (her maiden name), who'd recently take over unit 1009. "Good evening Miss Hay. Enjoy the rest of your evening." Lynn went into the elevator not sure if she were walking on clouds of broken glass. It had been such a surprise when Gerard had expressed interest in sex. He meant with her. She had never considered he would be interested whereas she had wondered what he'd be like in bed. She'd assumed the divorce and she being older than Gerard would have put him off her and he'd only expressed an interest in her because, well he had practically no friends. Gerard's flattery and declaration had pushed her ego into the clouds and he'd made her feel wanted, to feel worthy. The feeling of walking on broken glass was the trepidation of being deeply involved with a guy again. She realized they were simply two parallel thoughts that she was free to ignore and could do so without coming to significant harm. As Lynn entered her roomy and modern apartment she smiled, thinking she only had to call Gerard and say she wanted to have sex with him and he'd be over in a flash, or would he? He'd already indicated she was not to rush into anything. Now that was good advice. For the first time for a long time in Los Angeles Lynn felt she had someone who genuinely cared for her in the sense of someone who would stand by her. She had quite a number of friends but she was unsure whether any of them were THAT committed. When about to get into bed Lynn looked at the bottom drawer of her bedside cabinet and sighed, now it was the first time she'd thought about using her vibrator since she'd discovered Tom and Julia hard at it, Julia squealing and Tom, eyes bulging, slamming into her butt. That thought quickly melted her desire to work her vibrator but she was pleased to know sexual desire remained within her. She had of course expected it would be but this was the first flicker in weeks. That night was indeed a turning point. Lynn went to sleep thinking of options to plan her seduction of Gerard Evans. CHAPTER 3 On the Tuesday after dining out with Lynn, Gerard went to lunch at a restaurant with general manager Larry Watson and for the first time met Dan Finnegan, owner of Finnegan's DIY Equipment Center, who was seated with two other guys also in expensive suits. The introductions were made and Dan said, "Gerard this is a high-power business meeting. Chuck and Henry here are from DIY Garden & Home Depot and have been at me to buy a DIY G&H franchise. I have committed and yesterday completed buying the timber yard next to us and the failing pre-owned car yard beyond that. We will be tripling the size of our present facility and will zoom up to a multi million dollar turnover." "I have created a new company and being major stockholder will be chairman while keeping on with my public accounting partnership practice. Larry here has accepted the position of chief executive officer and will be coordinating the new building program. Larry assures me that although you have no management academic qualifications you could run the present business standing on your head because you are a mechanical background and systems and with it management of systems seem to come natural to you. On Larry's recommendation I wish to offer you the position of general manager of our restructured business. Is it yes, no or maybe. Take your time. Let's order gentlemen." "The answer is yes Mr Finnegan." "Call me Dan. Welcome aboard Gerard," Dan said, shaking Gerard's hand. "Your position takes effect two weeks from today. In the meantime you stick to Larry like a leach and learn, learn, learn. While we eat Henry and Chuck will start from the beginning explaining what is a franchise, how it works, how we have to work to make it work and how everything we buy comes discounted from the DIY Garden & Home Depot and what they don't stock then will get it for us. That ties us to the master franchiser but the system is designed so we both profit from our mutual association. Drink some beer and start your explanation Chuck." Back at his office Gerard called Lynn at her workplace. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You sound breathless." "I've landed on my feet big time. I have just been appointed general manager of the rental center where I work which is to be tripled in size, beginning very shortly. In two weeks I go on to a salary of $110,000 and that will increase to $145,000 when the extensions to the business are completed within nine months." "Omigod, that is fantastic. Look why don't you come to dinner on Saturday with a bottle of champagne and we'll celebrate? I think you would like that." "Yes, very much." Lynn gave Gerard the address and they talked for a little while longer before she had to go. He went to Larry's office to begin to find out what Larry did each day. * * * Lynn kissed Gerard warmly when he arrived at her apartment on Saturday and she fearlessly called him her clever boy for winning such a high-paying position. She was wearing a thin blue dress and it occurred to Gerard she was not wearing anything under it. "You look lovely." "Thanks. I bought this dress today just to wear at home. Um the wearer is not meant to have a bra on. I'm rather big and I don't think I made the right decision."