18 comments/  29670 views/  60 favorites

Flower Girl Ch. 01

By: DonnaBeck



Tracy Wilcox wove through the stream of pedestrians, intent on catching the next subway and arriving early to the Mid-Manhattan branch library. She hoped to make a good first impression without seeming to have tried too hard, a precarious balancing act that brought on two changes of outfits before the normally self-assured young woman felt ready. She'd settled on a black vintage dress hemmed short enough to expose her long legs and give a peek at the tattoo on her right thigh, a typewriter with two birds pulling at a sheet of protruding paper. An observant eye would notice the word "Writer" on the page, more of an aspiration than a declaration since Tracy still saw herself as a novice.

Her motivation in joining a writers group had been to get help with her craft, but you never know. The potential to meet single literate men certainly exceeded "Petals," where she spent her days selling flowers to brides or men who already had a love interest. At the very least, she hoped to meet some friends who shared her passion for writing.

Once seated, she realized she'd forgotten to bring a book and cursed herself for stepping onto a train with no shield against unwanted attention. Sure enough, she immediately noticed a guy in a Yankees cap pass all the empty seats in the car to make his way over to her. She pulled at the hem of her dress in an attempt to hide the tattoo, an all-too-easy target for conversation. But the effort was pointless, and as the guy took the seat next to her, his opening line was, "Nice tat."

"Thanks," Tracy muttered as she took out her manuscript.

"Watcha studyin'?" asked Yankees Fan.

"A piece on modern capitalism as seen through the lens of feminist-philosophy," Tracy replied crisply, knowing if she admitted, "My own book about an aging hooker trying to earn a living," she would never get rid of him.

"Oh, an intellectual," he grinned, revealing a chipped front tooth, his face far too close for Tracy's liking. "I like smart girls."

"Oh really? Me too." Already impatient with him, Tracy went straight to the lesbian card.

The guy drew his head back, confused for a moment before a crooked grin grew across his face, "Oh yeah? Do you bat for both teams?"

"Nope," Tracy answered simply, hoping for a swift and clean end to the conversation.

Yankees Fan shook his head and mumbled "Muff diver" under his breath as he moved away, but Tracy let the nasty slur glance off her -- a small price to pay for solitude on a New York subway.

* * * * *

William gazed sullenly at the three stacks of resumes covering his desk and sighed. The piles were divided and labeled with sticky notes reading "No," "Hell no," and "If it comes down to that..." He was not surprised by the number of applicants, for he had expected hordes of bibliophiles to make a mad rush for the highly coveted position at the venerable Mid-Manhattan branch of the New York City Public Library. What disappointed him was that their accompanying cover letters -- every last one of them nondescript and forgettable -- betrayed a distressing lack of initiative and imagination.

He glanced at the fourth stack on his desk, consisting solely of a manuscript Ray had given him. It was the writing of a friend of Ray's, and while William seldom had patience for neophyte writers, anything was preferable to the mound of banality otherwise cluttering his desk. The work of this unknown author suddenly cast an irresistible allure.

A few minutes later, William looked up and rubbed his eyes, surprised to find that the reading left him with a pleasant tingle. Who is this author? He went in search of Ray, whom he found in the foyer passing time with his girlfriend, Alicia. He was dismayed to learn that Ray's writer-friend was actually in the library at that very moment attending a writers group. After admitting how much he was enjoying the reading, he excused himself to go back to his desk and finish the manuscript before the writing group concluded. He wanted to meet the author who poured out her soul in such a fresh and captivating manner. That gave him twelve minutes, and at exactly 8:00 p.m. he made his way back to the foyer. That is when he first laid eyes on her.

Standing with Ray and Alicia was a striking young woman with jet black hair cut in a short bob, wearing glasses and dressed stylishly in a short black dress with red boots. She was speaking animatedly -- effervescence is the word that sprang to William's mind -- and she was showing a lot of leg. Colorful tattoos adorned one arm (not a plus in William's mind) but those legs...

As he got closer, he could hear their conversation. "So they didn't read your writing yet?" Ray asked.

"No!" Tracy answered, "I am supposed to just observe the first time. Next time I will critique other people's work, and then I get to submit mine!" She did an excited little dance by stepping in place as she added, "But just listening to them gave me some insight into some changes I need to make to improve my story."

"I wouldn't change a thing," William said.

All three turned their heads towards him. "Oh hey, William," Ray said, then turning back to Tracy, "This is my friend William I told you about, the librarian. The guy I wanted to read your Andy-Vera Story." Turning to William, he gestured toward Tracy saying, "William, meet my friend Tracy."

Tracy stuck out her hand and asked with seeming nonchalance, "What did you think?"

Behind the chunky black glasses were bright blue eyes that demanded a decision of him: maintain the reserve his normal, professional manner of speaking was designed to project, or give in to a sudden, uncanny desire to be authentic with this woman. But the decision stubbornly refused to make itself, and he became aware that the conversational lull must be broken somehow. "Um, I thought it was... well, there is so much to say... I... I... I don't know where to start..."

"What?" Ray looked confused.

There was an awkward pause before Alicia interjected, "Well, you did tell us you were impressed."

"Um... yes, well, yes... very pleasantly surprised, and... well, I would really like to talk to you about it in more detail," William answered.

"Well, hey, why don't you call me or email or something? When you're not busy at work?" Tracy pulled out one of her business cards and handed it to him.

William looked at the card with the business name "Petals" and asked, "Did you draw the tiger lily yourself?"

"I did. How'd you guess? is it obvious?" Tracy laughed.

"I am in the presence of a true artist, and am -- uncharacteristically -- at a loss for words," William said.

"That's okay, William. A librarian who can identify specific flowers can be forgiven a momentary lapse in wit." Tracy winked at him, "I didn't mean to put you on the spot. Why don't you just email me when you get a chance? I'd love to hear your thoughts on my writing."

William smiled at how effortlessly he had obtained her contact information and that he now had the opportunity to collect his thoughts before engaging her in conversation. He smiled and said goodbye.

* * * * *

Vera opened the door for Andy and apologized for her appearance. "Sorry, Andy, something came up with my brother and I have not had a chance to change yet." She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt as opposed to the sheer baby-doll nightie she usually greeted him in.

"I like it. You look so different. I can undress you; it will be like unwrapping a present. Besides, I think you look great," he said sincerely.

Vera laughed, "Oh, you are so easy to please, Andy. You are too kind to me, really. I have not even showered yet today, so you will have to excuse me for a minute."

"Oh, you don't have to shower if you don't want to... unless..."

"Oh no, you are my first client today, my only client, aside from some online stuff that did not even require me to undress. Would you like a drink while I shower?"

"I'd like to shower with you."

Vera turned and looked at him. Andy hoped he had not overstepped a boundary, but if he had, he knew Vera would only laugh it off and say no. She looked at him for a moment, and then smiled. "Wow. That would be a first. Now that I think about it, I am a little surprised we've never ever showered together. Did you know it has been ten years, Andy?"

"Really?" Andy feigned surprise. It had been ten years and two months, but he felt like he should not let on how aware he was, that he should be more blasé. "I hadn't realized. Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure because yesterday was the eight year anniversary of my brother's accident. I can't believe that either situation has gone on this long." She laughed, shaking her head as she went to gather towels from a hall closet.

Andy did not expect it to go on this long either. He first started seeing Vera when she worked as a call girl for an escort service. It was two years after Andy's failed marriage, and after a hiatus from and reentry into the dating scene, he discovered that he absolutely sucked at dating and really did not want a relationship. But he missed having sex, so he called the service thinking it was just a temporary solution. The first few escorts had been exciting, but Andy always felt like the women secretly loathed him and he felt creepy when it was over. Until Vera. Either she was the best actress on the planet, or she actually liked her job. Now Andy knew her well enough to know that both assumptions were true.

"Is there an extra charge for showering?" The thought had just occurred to Andy that he did not have any extra money. In fact, things were especially tight since his work started forcing furlough days.

"Andy-sweetie, have I ever charged you extra for anything? You get the same rate as always. Unless you want me to put a leash on you and give you a spanking! That'll cost you, mister."

"Uh, no, thanks." Andy laughed, "That doesn't really work for me."

"Well if you change your mind, I'm sure I can find a collar in your size," she joked. "I'm kidding of course. You don't know how refreshing it is to have regular sex sometimes."

"Oh, I think I understand. But I am a little hurt to hear you refer to me as 'regular.'"

Vera laughed and said, "You know what I mean, silly," as she began undressing him. "I look forward to Tuesdays, you know that." Andy smiled as he dug his hands into her hair. He was crazy over her hair, especially since he had so little himself. It seemed Vera had enough hair for three people, dark curly hair that got bigger as it got longer. Vera's exotic appearance confused him when they first met and he asked if she was from South America or Portugal. She had olive skin and dark curly hair, but a sprinkling of freckles across her nose that gave her a youthful appearance in spite of her age. "Half Chinese, half Irish," she had explained, resulting in an exotic look that had most people guessing Hispanic. Andy was not exactly sure of her age, but knew she was over forty. Her waist had thickened over the years and her large breasts hung lower than they once did, but that sweet freckled face broke his heart each week as she looked up at him, as she was doing now, on her knees in the bathroom. The water had not even been turned on, as Vera had obviously decided to take Andy in her mouth first.

Tracy was jarred back into reality by the sound of someone coming into the shop and it took a few seconds to register the familiar face in front of her. Alicia, Ray's girlfriend, gave a friendly, "Hey Tracy!"

"Hi, Alicia, how are you?"

"Good! I was just passing by. You know I live up the street, don't you?"

"Oh yes, Ray mentioned it. Are you out running?" Tracy asked since Alicia was dressed in workout clothes, wearing ear buds, and carrying a bottle of water.

"Just walking. I had a health issue, but I'll be running again soon. What are you up to?"

"Editing. And feeling a little self-conscious about all the sex in my book! When I wrote it, I wasn't really thinking about who would read this and how it might reflect on me personally. Now I am feeling -- I don't know -- overexposed and acutely aware of how sexual it is."

"Ah, yes, but it's a good story too! And it is not gratuitous sex; it has to be in there. I mean, how could you write about a prostitute and not have sex? Besides, it is a very sweet story so far. And it is fiction, so I say, 'Fuck em!' Nobody has to read it if they don't want to."

Tracy laughed at her refreshing attitude, "Aw, thanks. I actually know that, but it is good to be reminded. Especially now, after considering all those old men in the writing group," she laughed.

"Well, maybe you should start with a disclaimer, a warning in case any of them have a heart condition," Alicia laughed. "I for one am intrigued! What is going on with this fetish thing? And the brother? How does he factor in?"

"You'll need to keep reading!" Tracy smiled.

"Oh, I will. Send me chapter two when you are ready."

"I'll send it right now," Tracy said, looking back to her computer screen.

"I love your shop, by the way," Alicia gushed as she looked around and then stopped to admire the flower wall. "How did you get into this business?"

"I worked at a flower shop when I was in school. I majored in Art at Pratt and had a part-time job with a florist on the East Side and loved it! My boss was really cool and taught me everything he knew. I loved the artistry of arranging flowers, but I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the business aspects. Once I finished college, I was still not really sure what to do, and Pierre, my boss, told me about this flower shop that was for sale."

Tracy noticed that Alicia kept returning to the hydrangeas, touching them, "So he was not worried about you becoming the competition?"

"No, he actually refers business to me all the time. Pierre is very established on the East Side and we serve a different clientele as well. His arrangements are very classic French-Country, while I try to do whatever a customer desires, but I specialize in very modern design."

"Oh yeah, like your shop. It has that really cool-mod look," Alicia said, as she looked around at the mostly white interior with very modern décor. There was a natural slab of dark wood that served as a table and desk, and a concrete floor, but everything else was stark white, with the exception of a row of galvanized-metal, narrow buckets lining the wall filled with colorful flowers.

"That's what I was going for. Sleek and sophisticated. Anyway, I had a little money from an inheritance, but my grandmother said she wanted an investment and she is my silent partner. Although she often forgets the silent part," Tracy laughed.

"So," Alicia said, changing to a coy tone, "Have you heard from William?"

"What? No, not yet."

"Hmmm... he was really different when he met you, you know. He is usually confident and chatty -- supremely articulate. I'm pretty sure he's smitten."

"You think so? Well...I do hope to hear from him. He's very handsome, with a streak of nerd-appeal."

Alicia was laughing in agreement when a man walked into the shop, which she took as her cue to leave. She smiled and waved. "Time to check my email," Tracy said in an undertone. As she turned back to her screen, she was pleased to see an email from one of her favorite clients, Mrs. Hillson, requesting a centerpiece for a dinner party. Mrs. Hillson was Tracy's favorite type of client: wealthy, appreciates quality, knows what she wants but also allows Tracy artistic freedom. Attached to the email was a photo of Mrs. Hillson's dining room and table, a ten foot rectangle which was almost as big as some Manhattan apartments. She also had a list of flowers she preferred as well as a few she could not tolerate. The body of the email said, "Theodore is cooking Asian fusion, but remember -- no orchids! Otherwise I trust you to do your magic, dear."

Although Tracy was aware of the customer's presence in her shop, she usually let people just browse until they asked for help. In this case the man cleared his throat loudly, "Do you have any bouquets that are already made up?"

Tracy hopped up from her stool, "No, but I can put an arrangement together in about three to four minutes, if you're in a hurry."

"Yeah, but I'm not sure what I want, exactly."

"I can show you some ideas from my website, or you can give me a budget and tell me the occasion."

"I'm trying to get laid," the man answered dryly, "And keep it under thirty bucks." He took out his phone and started texting.

"Um, okay. But I don't have a money-back guarantee," Tracy joked good-naturedly, but the customer did not register any reaction. She quickly put together an inexpensive bouquet and handed it to him in under three minutes flat.

"Thanks," he said, barely glancing at the flowers, "but tell your boss to make up some bouquets and have them ready for guys like me that are in a hurry."

"Oh, I'll tell him," Tracy emphasized the word him, "but just between you and me, the market around the corner sells ready-made bouquets for less than twenty."

"Now you tell me," the guy said, handing over a ten and a twenty before turning and walking out the door.

"Bye-bye, cheap ass!" she whispered, and went back to her screen to have another look at Mrs. Hillson's email. No budget, it said. Wow, what a variety of New Yorkers I am exposed to, she thought to herself. And Mrs. Hillson had already given her several referrals. Tracy was glad for the advance order: she could have Antonio pick up something unique, if she decided to go that route.

A little green phone icon appeared on her screen, her twin sister Beth wanting a video chat. "Tray -- Ceeeeee!" After her enthusiastic greeting, Beth whispered in glee, "Can you talk?"

"Sure, no one is in here at this exact moment, but it's been busy this morning. Is Charlie sleeping?"

"Yes, thank god! And there is nothing more beautiful than a sleeping baby."

"Let me see him, Beth!"

"Okay, but be quiet! If you wake him, I swear I'm going to be so pissed!"

"Just let me see him!"

Tracy watched the screen bounce around as Beth carried her laptop into the nursery, then rested it on top of the crib, pointing down to reveal a six-month-old baby boy sleeping on his belly, his diapered butt high in the air. It was all she could do not to squeal.

She waited until Beth was back at the kitchen table to yell at her computer, "Oh my god, my nephew is so fucking cute I can't stand it!"

Beth laughed and said, "When can you come up and see us?"

"Not sure. I have a wedding this weekend and the following week, too. It might be a while."

"I hope Nana can come with you," Beth pouted.

"Oh my god, speaking of cute, you should have seen her this morning! She came into the shop wearing a leopard skin pill box hat! From the sixties! I said, 'Nana! Where did you get that lovely hat?' and she put her tiny hand up on her head and said, 'Oh, this old thing?'"

"She kills me. Nana the 'fashionista' would be horrified if she could see me right now!" Beth stood up revealing a stained SUNY sweatshirt and sweatpants.

"Oh my god, Beth! Your boobs are huge!" Tracy laughed, flabbergasted that her identical twin looked so different from her.

"Yeah, I'm a milk factory. Hey, how did the writers group go? Any single male potential?" Beth's eyebrows shot up in rapid succession as she punched the words "male portential."

"Oh yeah, I met this really interesting guy named Bert who is writing a mystery novel. I could tell he was totally into me." Tracy watched as her sister's face lit up. "Oh, and he is about eighty years old!"

"Aw, man! Nothing then?"

"Nope, the only guy under forty wore a wedding ring, but the group was really good. Not like that group of hipsters I tried to connect with last year. These people were serious about writing, and I can tell I'm going to get a lot out of it."


Flower Girl Ch. 01



"Well, that's good," Beth said, obviously more disappointed than Tracy.

"Oh," Tracy added, "but I did meet a male librarian who seemed interesting."

"A guybrarian? Oh my god, Tracy! Okay, tell me everything!"

"Well, there's not much to tell. He read my stuff and said he liked it, but we were with some people and it was kind of awkward. He said he would email me."

"And has he?"

"Not yet, but that was just last night! I would not expect him to right away. Anyway, my friends who introduced us said he was uncharacteristically tongue-tied and seemed to like me, but I really don't know."

"Well, what does he look like?"

"Very handsome, clean cut. A little too handsome for my liking."

"Oh Tracy, you are so damn picky, just tell me what the guy looks like. Is he tall?"

"Not overly. I'd say five-ten or eleven. I was wearing my red boots and still looking up to him, so that's good. And he was dressed in very nice clothing, very well groomed, but a little too conservative for my taste."

"Tracy!"

"Okay, sorry," Tracy laughed. "Um, light brown hair, a very light beard, sharp features."

"Oh my god, I love beards. Sorry, go on."

"Well, I think I'm done. And he is a librarian -- that certainly says a lot."

"It says that he is educated and has a job," Beth snorted, the dig not wasted on Tracy, who knew full well what Beth thought of her ex-boyfriend.

"Well, yes. Educated, has a job, obviously likes to read. I'll keep an open mind, I promise. I don't know if he is even interested in me, other than my writing."

"What? Yeah, if he's gay! Who could resist you, Tracy? You have such a lovely dainty chin."

"Why thank you. I find the curve of your neck to be especially graceful," Tracy teased back with the random compliment that the twins loved to bestow on each other.

"You are too kind, dear sister."

"Ooops, customer, gotta go. Kiss Charlie for me and say hi to Mark."

"Bye!"

* * * * *

"Sorry I'm late," John apologized, removing his jacket before sliding into the booth across from William. "Work," he said, rolling his eyes, but offering no further explanation. William sincerely did not mind. If he were late himself, it would have been more bothersome, since William held himself to a standard he knew better than to expect from other people. Besides, William had a very low-stress job compared to John and he appreciated the fact that his long-term friend honored their commitment to dinner or drinks once a week, in spite of his increasingly demanding schedule, and so William spoke his mind, "I do appreciate and enjoy your company immensely, John."

"As do I," John laughed, aware that his language naturally became more formal in response to William's.

"There are few people who know me at the depth or duration you do."

"Much to Kate's chagrin," John laughed again.

"Oh, she is fine with our camaraderie, now. In fact I am sure she is pleased. Her 'big sister instincts' are relieved to know I have a true friend in the city, someone who knows my history. Of course, she would prefer it be someone other than her ex-boyfriend."

"Location, location, location," John laughed at his real estate humor. "I'm sure Kate can appreciate the bond between two Chicago transplants in Manhattan."

"And the fact that she is happily married certainly helps."

John winced, "Ah yes: Frank, that sloth. Tell me; is he still good to her?"

"Very. The man is a saint. Her neurosis barely fazes him."

"Good," John smiled, and then ordered a martini. William was enjoying a Shapiro, his beer of choice when dining on sushi.

"I met a woman today," William offered.

"Don't you meet about twenty women every day? One of the inherent benefits of your profession?"

William refrained from commenting. Yes, it was true he met many women each day, many of them beautiful and intelligent. He could not account properly for why this one intrigued him so. He remained thoughtfully silent.

"Okay, what is it?" John probed. He knew if William bothered to mention meeting someone, it was significant.

"Well, perhaps I will tell you about her next week. I'm finding this enigma a little perplexing."

"Well, you've definitely piqued my interest. She came into the library to get a book?"

"No."

John stared, waiting for William to continue, but just then a waitress appeared with his martini.

"Well?" John looked at William who remained uncharacteristically quiet. "Are you going to tell me about this woman you met?"

"A friend from the library introduced us. She was there for a writer's group and I read a sample of her writing."

"And I take it you were impressed, or you would not have felt such an attraction."

"Did I say I was attracted to her?"

"You did not, but you most decidedly are, William."

"Oh, I am not so sure. I mean, she is very striking -- stunning actually. But the problem started before I met her."

"Problem?"

"Well, I found myself uncommonly intimidated by her. And that was before I knew she was beautiful."

"This is odd," John said, sitting up straighter. "Her writing must be impressive."

"I am not sure that it is."

John waited patiently for William to go on, silently watching him wield a chopstick to mix wasabi into a small dish of soy sauce.

"It was so unexpected. I was at work, sorting through resumes, when one of my patrons, a young man I have befriended, came in and asked me to read his friend's writing. Such requests are everyday occurrences, you understand, but I like this young man and his taste in literature. Add that to the mundane task I was faced with and I gladly took the stack of papers he handed me. You do realize that I speed-read ninety percent of the material I am exposed to? It is an absolute necessity in my profession to stay abreast of all popular literature, so I breeze through most of my reading and only slow down if the language impresses me. If I like the taste of the words in my mouth, I simply savor them and enjoy the journey. Keep in mind I am talking about a very small percentage."

"She must have had a very extensive vocabulary to impress you."

William laughed and said, "No. She actually wrote in a very straightforward manner. No artificial embellishments whatsoever. No, it was the honesty, the direct language, and content that intrigued me."

"What was it about?"

"An aging call girl trying to maintain her income by providing services to a fetish clientele."

"Oh, now you have my interest! And it is very clear why she has yours. Tell me, what particular fetish does this aging call girl appeal to?"

William looked slightly wounded as he explained, "Well, she has not written much, or at least I have read only the first chapter."

"I wonder if she writes from personal experience or if she is doing research for her book. Perhaps you can volunteer to help with her research?" John was grinning but William was not. He went on, ignoring John's barb.

"What is most remarkable is that she conveys a thread of sweetness, of innocence... even empathy, as she describes this sordid lifestyle. That is what I found so refreshing. The book is clearly organized around a feminist construct, yet is neither preachy nor apologetic. I am certain the vast majority of readers, no matter what their personal conviction, would say, 'Well of course -- this Vera is a prostitute.' She wrote it as if it were simply the obvious choice, conveying her character as neither villain nor victim."

"So, if she writes in a manner that is simple and sweet, why in the world do you find her intimidating?"

"That is what has me so perplexed." William answered, for a brief moment looking like the sad teenager whom John remembered.

"Did you get her number?"

"Indeed," William confirmed, a smile returning to his face. "But strictly in a professional capacity, and I intend to use it as such. I am expected to call or send an email in response to her writing."

"Let me guess. You have written and rewritten it in your head a hundred times."

"You know me well, John. But I know what I need to do; I will meditate prior to writing Tracy an email. And then I will not edit."

"Brave," John laughed. He was not being ironic, much less sarcastic. He respected the fact that William had learned to meditate to deal with his own neuroses. He felt a great deal of compassion for his friend. Knowing where he came from, John was amazed that William emerged with as few quirks as he had.

*****

William listened to the very soft chime that gently drew him back into his surroundings. He exhaled deeply, and then heard a slightly louder chime, as he began to gently flex his toes and fingers. At the third chime, he opened his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. He stood and walked to the kitchen to get his cup of tea, which was still warm. He had only meditated ten minutes this time, but it was sufficient to clear his mind before beginning to write.

He sat at his desk, laptop already open and waiting, recipient address made out to Tracy as well as a subject line that read "Reflections on your writing." He was prepared to be spontaneous.

After taking another deep breath and a sip of tea, William began to type;

Dear Tracy,

It was such a lovely surprise to read the beginning of your story, a moment of serendipitous joy as I was involved in a rather mundane task when our mutual friend gifted me with your writing. I apologize for my awkwardness; I am not usually said to be short on words.

I found the chapter intriguing, not only in content, but also in the transparency of the language. You let neither the words nor their usage get in the way of telling the story. Your style puts me in mind of a puppeteer who is skilled at his craft; when the audience's attention is focused on the well told story, the strings become invisible. As a reader, I was convinced that the puppets were real. This is a rare talent, and it pleases me that you have chosen to share this gift with others.

I feel compelled to urge you to stay true to yourself. I admit I know very little about you, but I get the sense you are an exceptionally confident woman, yet perhaps unsure about your writing. My impression stems from your eagerness to share your writing and listen to feedback, and that you've joined a writing group. Opinions of others can be helpful or harmful, and so I urge that you temper their guidance with your own truth. I will quote an author whose own body of work holds little appeal to me, but I do agree with this sentiment: "Don't bend, don't try to make it logical, don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly." Franz Kafka.

I am not much of a writer myself, but a seasoned reader with an appreciation for a talented storyteller. I hope that you will count me among your beta readers, and in turn I promise that I will not allow your long legs to distract me or undermine my objectivity. Scratch that. I will try. All I can promise is to try.

Sincerely,

William

He pushed "send" immediately and closed the screen, not allowing himself to reread his own email. William had strategically timed this task so he would be forced to dress and leave the house immediately and would not have time to overthink his message.

But, as soon as he got on the train, William could not resist revisiting the email in his mind. It was not what he had planned to say at all. He immediately stopped himself and opened a book, but not before cursing himself for quoting Kafka.

* * * * *

Antonio and Tracy worked quietly at the table in the center of the room, until Tracy broke the silence. "I'm winning, Antonio."

"No fair! I didn't realize we were racing."

"Always, Antonio. And I always win."

"That's because you're working from the picture in your mind and I have to work off your drawing."

"True. I'll give you a handicap, but I'm really kicking your ass, you know. I think you're losing your edge," Tracy teased. Antonio was technically her employee, but she could not bring herself to call him that. Perhaps it was because he was older than she, or because he had been in the flower business much longer, or because he was such a great help, willing to do whatever was needed. The pair worked on Mrs. Hillson's centerpiece, making it in three sections so that it would be easier to move. "You'll need to set this one up, Antonio. You know I can't trust the delivery service with this piece. Mrs. Hillson is a very important client. Did I tell you I got another referral from her? This guy emails me and asks me to send a dozen roses of mixed colors to his wife for their anniversary. Then a few days later he emails me telling me how much she loved them, asking me to send her a bouquet of roses every month on the fourteenth for a whole year! Can you believe that?"

"Ah, smart man. He makes his wife happy and you make money. But my wife is not so impressed with flowers. She wants jewelry."

Tracy laughed, "That's because you can bring home flowers every day! If you worked in a jewelry shop I bet she'd want flowers instead."

"I don't think so, Tracy."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Tracy conceded. "Want to know the last time I got flowers? High school prom."

"Do you think it is because you own a flower shop?"

"Of course! Why else would it be?"

"Because men are scared of you," Antonio stated, matter-of-factly.

"What?" Tracy yelled, holding up the scissors like she planned to stab him, "Why would you even say that, Antonio! I am not scary at all!" She was jabbing the scissors at him and attempting a scary face.

"Stop it, Tracy. You will accidently stab me and I will have to sue you."

"Okay, brat. Why did you call me scary?"

"I said men are scared of you. I did not say that you are scary."

"You sound like my nana."

"A wise woman."

Tracy backed up to look at the arrangement. "Absolutely beautiful," she pronounced, hands on her hips, shaking her head. She looked over at Antonio and said, "Intimidating."

"Beautiful yes, but intimidating?" Antonio looked puzzled.

"The flowers are beautiful. I am intimidating. You said 'scared' but I am sure you meant intimidated. I've heard it my whole life and I just don't get it! But I'm not going to try to change a thing! Besides, I know it is because I work with flowers. I mean, I wouldn't bake cookies for a pastry chef! " Tracy had raised her voice and was animatedly waving a handful of ranunculus. "But that is ridiculous! That would be like... like... a musician listening only to his own music. Maybe an artist would like to receive a painting from a friend? Maybe a poet would love to have a poem written for him! A masseuse needs a massage too, right?"

"Tracy," Antonio said quietly, "I beat you. I'm finished with my side."

"What? You cheater!" Tracy laughed, "You did it again. You aren't as fast as me, so you distract me by making me talk! Damn you!"

Antonio laughed and came to Tracy's side to help her finish. He bent over to pick up all the clippings off the ground, then stood back to admire their work. "This one is impressive. Photo?"

"Hell yeah, this one is going on the website. I want to send a photo to Pierre too." Tracy went behind the counter to get her camera.

"You will make him cry," Antonio laughed.

"I live to make Pierre cry."

Antonio laughed, "He is the only man I know who cries over flowers."

"Art! He is moved by art! Pierre is very much in touch with his emotions. He is a gifted artiste!" Tracy was getting animated again. She was passionate about defending Pierre's idiosyncrasies, yet she also understood that Antonio felt a deep respect for Pierre. "The man is a genius and he taught me everything I know."

"He's a sissy," Antonio laughed, enjoying getting a rise out of Tracy.

"Damn straight," Tracy jabbed, wondering if Antonio understood her double entendre. She turned back to her sculpture of blooms. "I think I am going to leave it right here on the table for now."

"There is nowhere else to put it," Antonio pointed out. "Besides, anyone who comes into Petals will be impressed and want the same thing."

"Not many New Yorkers have the space for this monstrosity!"

Antonio nodded in agreement and said it was time for him to go. Tracy thanked him and went back to her spot behind the counter, hoping to work on her writing for a little while, but she checked her email first. Two orders from her website, one message from her aunt, and one from a William Travis. She clicked on William and read his email. She read it again. She read it once more. She wanted to respond, but the email did not ask for a response. It did not end with a question. There was no hook. Did he want her to answer?

Tracy closed the email and went to work on the two orders, postponing her writing.

After fulfilling the two orders, she looked at William's email again. She needed help with this one and decided to ring Beth. "Can you talk?" she asked.

"Uh, I have Charlie on my boob so I have a few minutes. What's up?"

"I got an email from that guy. The librarian."

"And?"

"Well... I don't know what to make of it."

"Can you read it to me or is it too long?"

"It's pretty short. I'll read it."

After listening to the email, Beth paused. "He sounds... interesting."

"You think so?"

"Yes. Very. What did you say he looks like?"

"Overly groomed and very handsome."

"Oh, totally not your type," Beth laughed.

"I did not say that!" Tracy laughed too. "But what do you make of this email?"

"Pretty obvious: he's soooo into you."

"Well I don't think it is obvious at all. I mean, he didn't email me right away and he... he doesn't actually say... Well, I guess he likes my writing, but... do you think he could just be... being polite?"

"He mentioned your long legs."

"Our legs are ridiculous."

"Tracy, in school the boys made fun of our string-bean legs. But those were boys. Men love our legs."

"Not all men."

"Well, he was an idiot."

"He was insecure."

"Our legs are fabulous."

"Agreed. So... it seems odd. He doesn't seem to want anything, except more writing."

"Send him more. If nothing else, he seems to be a good connection in the book world."

"Okay, I will. But I am going to wait so I don't seem too eager."

"You like him!"

"I didn't say that! He quoted Kafka!" Tracy shuddered.

"Who's that?"

"He wrote that awful story 'Metamorphosis'!"

"It was really nice what he wrote. He seems like he's offering his help and he is someone worth getting to know."

"Yes," Tracy replied, then got quiet.

"Don't overthink it, Tracy."

"Yeah? Don't breathe, Beth."

"Well, try not to. You know what Nana always says."

"Yeah, yeah... my head could fuck up a free lunch."

"Potty-mouth Nana," Beth laughed. "Tracy? I need to burp Charlie."

"Oh, okay. Hey, his email has one of those automatic profile photos. Do you want to see him?"

"You even have to ask?"

Tracy laughed and said good-bye, then took a break to work on her writing.

* * * * *

Andy should have seen it coming, but somehow, he expected more warning. Sure, he had heard the rumors. He had also watched the steady decrease in accounts receivable, as he had been posting the customers' payments to their accounts for over twelve years. He thought the furlough days would be enough, but now he was sitting in a meeting along with over half of the staff being told to pack up their desks. Just like that. One guy was cussing under his breath, a woman was openly crying, and Andy was thinking of Vera.

His credit cards were maxed out and his savings close to gone. He could barely afford her company as it was. "Slacker!" He heard his ex-wife's voice in his head. "Slacker!" His efforts to keep his life low-stress were now backfiring and causing him more stress. The job market was crap, but maybe things would turn around soon. He was handed a check that included all his unused vacation and sick pay, but after taking time off to bury his mom, that too was almost depleted.




Flower Girl Ch. 01



Packing up his desk took him all of two minutes, since the company did not allow the employees to over-decorate their cubicles. "One wall hanging, one personal calendar, up to two framed photos, no sports memorabilia," was written in the company handbook. Of course no one ever enforced the policy, but Andy was not into decorating his workspace anyway. He had two coffee mugs in his drawer and a black and white photo of a foggy country road posted to the wall. He kept the photo, but tossed out the mugs.

A few disgruntled employees stood in the parking lot ranting about the injustice, but Andy felt no urge to join them. It was all a numbers game, not a personal vendetta. Besides, he was anxious to get home and sort through his bills and come up with a plan. "Hey Andy, want to get some drinks?" asked Joe from purchasing.

"Nah, not in the mood," Andy answered.

"Well I'm gonna get shit-faced!" Joe sputtered, indignantly.

"Keep in touch," Andy said insincerely, and waved goodbye. Twelve years. Maybe his ex-wife was right. His lack of ambition served her very well when they divorced. He willingly walked away from her, the small business they built together, and the stressful lifestyle that went with it, and never looked back. He never wanted that kind of stress again, the kind that had turned his sweet wife into a raving bitch. Clock in and clock out, leave it all behind at five o'clock -- that was his motto. "An accounting clerk?" she had laughed at him, a simple job that demanded focus, the hours clicking away as he counted other people's money. Twelve years.

But today was Tuesday, and Tuesday meant two hours with Vera. He thought about her freckles and grinned at the thought of what he would do with her tonight.



Flower Girl Ch. 02



Tracy exited the train and walked up the stairs into the midday sunshine and the Saturday Manhattan crowd. The air was thick with humidity, the crowd different from the usual hustle-and-bustle business population that dominated the weekdays. Today it was tourists, roving bands of teens, families, and shoppers who meandered about the sidewalk in varying speeds. Tracy joined the stream of pedestrians and made her way to Finey's, one of her grandmother's favorite dining establishments.

"Tracy!" her fashionable grandmother exclaimed. She was known as Beverly to all her acquaintances, except for Tracy and Beth, who both called her Nana.

"Nana! Are you kidding me with this dress? Where did this come from? You are so lucky I am not your size -- I would steal all your clothes!"

Beverly modestly put her hand to her broad cowl collar and said, "Well, I've had it for years, but I suspect it's a classic."

"Rickrack! That is so cool. I've never seen such big rickrack." Tracy reached out and felt the black jagged trim around the collar of the yellow and white dress.

"And you look lovely, as always, my dear. How did everything go last night?" Beverly was referring to business, of course. There was a wedding happening today and Beverly knew Tracy was practicing letting go of control and allowing her helpers to manage without her.

"Well of course Antonio's wife and her sisters came last night to assemble all the centerpieces, bouquets, and boutonnieres. It's a good-sized wedding, not too big, just seven centerpieces, but they're so pretty! Here, let me show you, Nana." Tracy pulled out her phone to show Beverly a photo.

"Oooooh," Beverly held her hand to her cheek, "Are they all in the same tea cup?"

"Yes, isn't that pretty? And 'Antonio's harem,' as I like to call them, did an excellent job. You know, Nana, I used to try and go to just check on them, maybe help out? But Antonio said they like it better when I don't come." Both women laughed and Tracy went on, "I felt so guilty before. Here are these three women working in the middle of the night, and who knows what they have to do during the day. Work? Take care of kids? Then they come and make flower arrangements in the middle of the night? But Antonio said they love it. He said that is when they are able to get away from the men and catch up on all the gossip!"

"Kind of like the sewing circles of the old days!"

"I guess so. Anyway, I didn't realize I was spoiling the party because I don't know how they interact in my absence, but Antonio asked me to stay away."

"Really? He is very frank. Good for him."

"He is a horrible brat. He said I scare them, but then admitted that they just like to get loud and talk in Spanish, so I made the big concession: I reluctantly agreed to stay home and just left a sample of each item with a note saying how many to make of each."

"And they were successful?"

"They are flawless. And the shop -- spotless. I feel so... unnecessary, Nana!" Tracy laughed.

"Oh no, Tracy, this is very good. This will allow you to get out more. You need to let your help do their jobs so that you can get out of that flower shop more often. You need to get out and meet people, single men, in particular."

Tracy rolled her eyes out of habit, although she actually agreed. "Well guess what, Nana. I met two single men just this week!"

"Oh, when it rains it pours!" Beverly put both hands to her own cheeks. "Please go on!"

Tracy paused to give the waiter her order, and then patiently waited while Beverly placed her own. Then she told her about William, and also about Matt, a guy who came into Petals to buy flowers for his mom's birthday.

"He's in a band and they are playing this weekend. He told me I should come check them out."

Beverly smiled a tight, closed-mouth smile and sipped her coffee.

"What, Nana?"

"Well, Tracy, William sounds very interesting. Matt sounds like more of the same."

Tracy sighed. She'd known Nana would say that, but she also knew it was true. "But William has not really shown an interest in me, and Matt totally flirted with me."

"Oh, on the contrary, my dear. William showed an interest with no urgency. That is to be commended. Matt took the lazy man's approach. "Come check out my band," Beverly said in a mock-macho voice, before turning her sweet smile back on. "And let me guess, tattoos? Tattered jeans? Green hair?"

"Two out of three," Tracy pouted, "No one has green hair anymore, Nana."

"Oh really? I thought it was 'classic'." Beverly teased, causing Tracy to giggle.

"I hate it when you're right."

"I know, dear. Don't take the easy road. Take your time and get to know this William, or anyone else not looking for an easy hook-up."

"Nana!" Tracy laughed, surprised that her Nana knew the term "hook-up." But Nana was right. Maybe not William, but definitely not Matt. Besides, she didn't believe those flowers were for his mom anyway.

* * * * *

Vera rolled her older brother on his back and said, "I hope you appreciate me, Victor. I never imagined in a million years I'd be wiping my brother's ass." Victor gave Vera a thumb up, one of his three favorite hand gestures. "I have to work tonight, so don't ring the buzzer unless it is an emergency, okay? Two hours. Do you want music?" Victor answered with a thumb down. "TV?" Thumb up. She turned the television on and set it on The National Geographic channel. Victor never used to watch that type of stuff before the accident, but Vera thought the narrator's voice and animal sounds must be soothing to him. The narrator was describing the complex social structure of the leafcutter ant. "Okay?" Thumb up.

Vera pulled the blanket over Victor's leg, but he violently kicked it off and his heel hit her left thigh. "Damn you, Victor!" she yelled at him, rubbing her thigh. He flipped her off, exhausting his array of communications signals. She considered giving him an extra pill so she could work, but then decided against it since it was only Andy tonight. He was the only client who really knew about her brother in the back room, but she did not consider Andy a typical client. She looked at the TV and tried not to think about Andy. She always made an effort not to think about Andy, unless he was there. It would complicate things, and life was hard enough. The narrator said the leafcutter ant could carry ten times its own body weight.

"If I were a leafcutter ant, I could toss you on my back and take you anywhere, Victor. We wouldn't need nurses, or handicap vans, or anyone else's help. Think about the things we could do! I could carry you around like a baby, like a big two-hundred pound baby!"

Victor made a grunt and gave a thumb up. Vera did not correct herself, allowing Victor to believe he was still two hundred pounds. It didn't matter anyway. She was a hooker, not a leafcutter ant. A forty-three year old hooker with no family except a brain-damaged brother.

William looked up from his screen after reading the latest installment of Tracy's writing. The library was busy, typical for a summer morning, but no one needed his attention at the moment, so he went back to reread the body of the email.

William,

Thank you for your advice about my writing. You are correct. I am very confident in some areas, but lack confidence when it comes to writing. I was not an English major, but I have always had a desire to write. I simply lacked ideas; then one day I overheard a conversation, and it got me thinking. The story you have been reading is the result of my eavesdropping and overactive imagination. Feel free to offer any criticism. I am not overly sensitive and I appreciate you taking the time to do this. I trust my legs will not be an issue, since you only saw part of them once. And that was days ago.

Tracy

William thoughtfully reread the email again. In mentioning her legs was she teasing him? Taunting him? Simply responding to what he said? Or was she hinting that there was much more to see? Or that it had been a while? The email came several days after his, indicating she was not eager to speak to him. Perhaps she is only interested in his input. He is a librarian, after all. And the leg comment, well... He mentioned her legs first. It would be odd if she ignored the comment. No, mentioning her legs was just a demonstration of her confidence, as if she were saying "Yes, I have beautiful legs. Get over it." William smiled at the thought. He could almost hear her voice uttering those very words.

"Whatcha' reading, William?" asked Melissa, a volunteer at the library.

"I am reading a story by an unpublished up-and-coming author," William answered, dryly.

"Really? Who?" Melissa probed.

"Janet Jones," William lied, saying the first name that popped into his head. He was not sure why, but he did not trust Melissa.

"Can I read it?"

"I'm sorry, Melissa, I was given this work in confidence, but I can ask the author," William said.

"You know her?"

"Only by email," he continued the façade, then wishing to change the subject, assigned her a task in the form of request: "Would you mind taking this stack of books upstairs?"

"Sure," Melissa answered. She picked up the books then casually asked, "Do you have any plans for the evening."

"Yes," William answered, and then turned to the patron who approached the desk. Melissa sauntered away.

* * * * *

Tracy opened an email from Mrs. Hillson, who wrote to say that she was delighted with the flowers and that Tracy could expect to hear from at least one of her dinner guests, possibly two. Mrs. Hillson mentioned "The brave use of color" and Tracy smiled, feeling a sense of pride and also gratitude to have a customer who appreciated her talent -- and paid her invoices promptly and without question.

Tracy heard the door swing open and looked up to see Ray walking into Petals.

"Hey, Ray, how's it going?"

"Good," he answered, "You?"

"Work has been busy! Hey, Alicia was in here the other day."

"Really? To give back your story?"

"No, she emailed me about my writing and I sent her the next chapter. She was just passing by and came in to say hello. She's surprisingly cool."

"Yeah? What, you didn't think I would have a cool girlfriend?"

Tracy laughed a little defensively, "Oh no, I didn't mean that. I just think she looks really conservative -- you know, the cheerleader type -- but she is very down-to-Earth. She made a few funny and insightful comments about my book. Oh, and she is crazy about you, but you must know that."

"Yeah, pretty lucky for me."

"You're both lucky." Tracy let out a little sigh.

Ray took off a backpack and placed it on the counter, "I brought your next chapter back and thought I would pick up some flowers for her while I'm here."

"Oh yeah? Ready for red roses now?" She teased. Ray had been especially conscious of what type of message he sent with flowers.

"Oh, we're way past that. I'm ready for the I'd-love-you-even-if-your-butt-gets-big color."

"You're funny. Hey, I know Alicia likes those hydrangeas over there." She walked over and started making up a bouquet. "And these are on the house."

"What? Tracy, I don't want to do that," He said, reaching for his wallet.

"I want to, Ray. I don't really make money off of guys like you anyway," she laughed. "Weddings are my bread and butter. Besides, you introduced me to two really cool people and I want to do something for you."

"Two? William?" Ray asked.

"Yeah, he's been emailing me too," Tracy smiled. "He's been really nice and encouraging, but he's quite the wordsmith, isn't he?

Ray laughed and nodded, "He sure is. Maybe a double date is in our future?"

Tracy shrugged and answered that she wasn't sure William was attracted to her. "It might just be that he is interested in my writing. I'm not everyone's cup of tea, you know," she winked and gestured to her tattooed arm.

"Oh, you definitely have his number," Ray laughed, then took his lovely bouquet of blue hydrangeas and headed out the door. Tracy really liked Ray, but compared to William he lacked sophistication. Yes, she had to admit; there was something about William. Perhaps it was just the fact that he was not trying too hard. In fact, she still had no indication that William was attracted to her. He had sent another email with a few really helpful suggestions about her writing and did not mention her legs -- or any other body part, for that matter. It had been almost two weeks since she met him and no suggestion of getting together. But she knew it was likely that she would see him at the library when she went to the writers group the next evening. She tried to focus on her writing so that she would not obsess on what outfit she might distract William with.

Vera rose from the bed when she heard the doorbell and kissed her brother on the forehead before closing the bedroom door. She hung up the robe she was wearing so that she could greet Andy in his favorite type of ensemble; it was a sheer babydoll nightie, a new one he had not seen before. Andy's desires were simple to fulfill. He loved see-through fabrics and a good blow job.

Vera checked the peephole and opened the door, smiling. Andy wore a half-grin on his face as he looked her up and down, and stepped inside. Vera locked the door behind him and as she turned around, he grabbed her and pressed her into the door, kissing her and running his hand up her thigh to her ass. No words were exchanged. Vera did not kiss her other clients, but she had been kissing Andy for years. There was an ease between them as two people who had known each other a long time, but that did not detract from the passion. Although their routine varied slightly, Vera knew to expect quick, passionate sex when he first saw her, followed by a period of casual conversation, then another round of playful, slower sex. The conversations that occurred between the first and second orgasm were something Vera cherished more than she cared to admit.

Andy grabbed both of her wrists and held them in one of his hands above her head and pinned to the door, his other hand inside her sheer panties as he kissed her neck.

"Mmmm, I love it when you get like this," Vera murmured, "So nice to be with a man who --"

"Shut up, Vera," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders, pushing her to her knees. He wasn't being rude; he simply did not like to be reminded of her profession at times like this. Vera unzipped his zipper, knelt down before him, and freed Andy from his pants. With his shirt still on and his pants around his ankles, Vera began the long slow licks she knew he appreciated.

"Take it in your mouth," he ordered.

Vera complied, enjoying the opportunity not to be the one barking orders. She spent a few minutes going up and down Andy's shaft before he pulled her back up to her feet, walked her over to the couch, and bent her over the armrest. 'Oh my god', Vera thought to herself, 'he is in a mood!' He didn't even remove her sheer panties, just moved them to the side as he placed himself at her entrance.

"Are you ready, Vera?" he asked in a gruff voice, even though her wetness was apparent. Always a gentleman.

"Very," she panted as he thrust himself deeply inside her with one long stroke.

"Aaaaah," she moaned loudly.

"Quit acting," Andy teased her.

"Fuck you!" Vera gasped.

"No," Andy answered calmly and aggressively, "Fuck you. I. Am. Fucking. You. Vera." He punctuated each word with a thrust, and then reached into her hair to pull her head back and find her lips with his. Vera moaned with pain or pleasure, or perhaps a combination of both, which was difficult to distinguish. She just knew she was feeling an onslaught of sensation as Andy continued to thrust in and out of her hard and fast while steadily pulling on her hair with one hand and rubbing her pubic bone with the other. He continued kissing her as he pummeled her cunt relentlessly.

"I'm going to cum!" she warned.

"Good," Andy snapped, then released her hair to firmly squeeze a breast. He did not let up, even when he felt her squeeze all around him and felt the gush of increased wetness. Only when Vera collapsed on the couch did Andy pull out and release his seed all over her back. That was their agreement; pull out or wear a condom, and Andy alternated between the two options he was lucky to have. Vera claimed he was the only client who had that choice.

He collapsed on the couch next to her, still with his shirt on and his pants around his ankles, Vera still in her nightie. Wrapped in each other's arms, both exhaled deeply. Vera laughed, "I guess we both needed that."

"I know I did," Andy said.

"Rough day at work?" Vera asked.

"Yeah, how about you?" Andy did not want to tell Vera he had lost his job. He did not want to get in a bad mood or ruin his limited time with her, and he didn't mind hearing about Vera's work when he was temporarily satisfied. Sometimes he found it amusing. Vera pulled off her cum-soaked nightie, balled it up, and threw it aside. "My work is getting easier but weirder every day," Vera answered, while unbuttoning Andy's shirt. "I think it is very possible that in the future I might have enough online clients that I don't need to meet anyone in person."

Andy felt a panic rise in his chest, "Anyone?"

Vera laughed, and teased, "Well, maybe my prices will just go up! Seriously though, thank God for the internet."

"Did God make the internet?"

"Smart ass. Anyway, I'm going to get some professional photos taken next week, really play up this Dominatrix thing. Do you know I now have a client in Denmark?"

"Whoa. You've gone international."

"Get this; he mails me cash, regular mail to a PO Box, except it is in Euros! I have to take it to an exchange service, but he pays in advance, a whole month for guess what?"

"Well, it would have to be webcam stuff, right?"

"Yes, but not what you'd expect. He wants me to watch him masturbate!"

Andy did not answer, just played with Vera's curly hair between two fingers.

"And not only watch, but direct him. I am supposed to tell him exactly when and how he can masturbate and all kinds of conditions and... Well, he wants me to control his orgasms. Then he wants me to watch to make sure that he follows my instructions! If not, I mete out punishment."

Andy was not easily shocked by Vera's escapades anymore. Years prior he saw the big dog-cage in her kitchen and knew she didn't have a dog -- it was for a client who liked to be locked up. Since then, nothing surprised him.

"What kind of punishment can you administer online?"

"Oh, denial mostly. He likes to be punished! If I am always pleased it doesn't work, so occasionally I have to tell him I am very disappointed with him. I scold him and tell him he may not touch his own cock until I say so. Last time it was for three days! Not even to go to the bathroom. I tell him to sit on the toilet and pee like a girl!"

"And he pays you for this?" Andy laughed, letting his hands wander down to caress her bare breast as she spoke.

"Good money! And after the punishment, he is ecstatic. I tell you, Andy, when I first started doing this, it disturbed me. I felt a little guilty, like I was abusive. Then one of my clients gave me this book, 'Venus in Furs'. Have you heard of it?" Vera grinned. Andy was concentrating on her nipple with his finger and thumb and she knew this conversation was coming to an end as his dick was swelling.

"Nope. Fiction? I only read non-fiction."




Flower Girl Ch. 02



"Yes, fiction. It was written like a hundred years ago. The author's last name is Masoch, which is where the word masochism comes from."

"Is that so," Andy had rolled Vera over on her stomach and started massaging her ass with both hands.

Tracy looked up from her computer screen and realized she was blushing at her own writing. How odd. She had always been very comfortable talking about sex, to a point where she had to consider other people's comfort level over her own. Hell, she worked in a flower shop. She smiled to herself about the time she had explained to Antonio that he had his face buried in a plant's genitals. "Didn't you know that, Antonio? You work with flowers, yet did not even know that a flower is a plant's sex organ?"

She went on to explain how flowers contained both the male and female sex cells, and the single purpose of flowers was strictly to invite pollinators to help spread sperm. "Pollen is plant sperm, Antonio. All plants make flowers, except ferns and conifers. Even grass, if you don't cut it, makes a flower to reproduce." But Antonio was not gracious about this enlightenment, he begged Tracy to stop, but she would not. "The smells, the shapes, the colors -- even the white ones! They have patterns in the petals that we cannot see with our human eyes, but they are all meant to draw pollinators into the sweet spot."

"Please stop!" Antonio begged, his hands covering his ears and his nose dusted with orange pollen from a day lily.

"Suit yourself," Tracy replied. "It is not my job to teach a grown man about the birds and the bees." She could be a sassy brat when she felt like it.

"Carrots!"

"What?"

"Carrots don't make flowers!"

"They most certainly do. They just aren't the big colorful flowers that people buy."

"Coconut trees!"

"Flowering."

"Peas!"

"Of course peas make flowers. Gregor Mendel made his discoveries about genetics using the flowers from pea plants!"

"Sex, sex, sex! Does your grandmother know you talk like this, making everything sexual?"

"Flowers are sexual, Antonio. I didn't make them that way."

Antonio threw up his hands in exasperation and left the room.

"Broccoli!" he yelled from the other room. Poor Antonio didn't realize that the broccoli itself was the flower of the plant. Perhaps he would have some plant sex organs for dinner and tell his wife how crazy she was. Tracy laughed at the thought.

But her writing was making her blush. She already doubted she would ever share this body of work with the writing group. She was conscious of William reading it and she wondered what he might think of her. Of course it is fiction, she reminded herself. Not even my personal fantasies. And according to his recent email, he has read a variety of erotica. William is mature. Sophisticated. Surely this would not faze him, yet Tracy was starting to feel self-conscious and realized she cared far too much what William thought of her. Oh, this was not good, not good at all. Tracy, the girl who kept her mental finger up, Tracy with her love-it-or-leave-it attitude was letting William get under her skin. Dammit. She was about to shut down her computer just when an email from William Travis popped up.

Tracy,

If you plan to attend the writers group tomorrow evening, I wonder if you might allow me to take you out for a drink afterwards. My motives are completely selfish. I am extremely curious about certain aspects of your story.

William

Wow, Tracy thought to herself. That was short. Direct, yet still ambiguous. Except he wants to spend time with me, one on one. And what aspects could he be referring to? Surely the sexual content? Tracy smiled and knew she would wait at least twelve hours before answering yes. Obviously, William appreciates a slow brew.

Instead, she sent a text message to Beth. "Received a request to have a drink with William. Not exactly a date? But better than a hook-up. Very specific -- one drink and a designated topic of discussion: my writing."

Beth wrote back, "Show off those legs, but keep 'em closed," which made Tracy laugh out loud.

* * * * *

William watched Tracy enter the library from a discreet distance. She moved across the floor swiftly, with determined focus, straight toward the writers group. William studied her intently, smiling to himself that she wore a snug dress. Not overdressed by New Yorker standards, but definitely showing that she took pride in her appearance.

Her email reply had said, "Yes," nothing more. He must have been staring and lost in thought, for he did not notice Melissa standing at his side. When he glanced at her she said, "Hey, William, a bunch of us are going out after work to celebrate Gina's birthday. Would you like to join us?"

"Thank you, Melissa, but I have plans. I will be sure to wish Gina a happy birthday."

"Oh, okay." Melissa continued standing as William walked away. He busied himself for the next hour until he saw the group emerge from the room. Tracy was the last one to leave, walking out with a couple. When their eyes met she smiled warmly and said, "Hello, William."

It was only the second time he had seen her in person, and she took his breath away.

"Tracy," he returned the smile and added intense eye contact until she looked away.

"So, do you have a place in mind?" she asked.

"I do," he said, then turned and gestured with his hand towards the door.

"Mind if I stop at the restroom first?"

"Of course not."

William waited outside near the door until he saw her emerge.

"Do you mind a short walk?" he asked.

"If I did, I probably wouldn't live in New York," she answered, as they exited the library. They walked in silence while William used every opportunity possible to steal glances at her. She was carrying a light sweater and her dress was sleeveless, a dark purple color that accentuated her slim figure. Her leg tattoo was covered, but her left arm had a collage of flowers that started at the elbow and disappeared under the fabric at her shoulder. He wondered how far the piece went.

She had not spoken since leaving the library and William was not sure how to interpret her silence. Perhaps his impression about her was wrong. He had assumed an effervescent personality, but in reality he had only spoken to her one time. Maybe she was actually an introvert, a common trait among writers, but not what he expected from a business owner. At the first red light he studied her furrowed brow and decided something must be on her mind. Perhaps something happened at the writers group that was bothering her. He pondered asking, but decided to wait until she spoke, or at least until they were comfortably seated away from the crowd.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Just another block to the Franklin Room. Have you been there?"

"No," Tracy answered.

William chose the Franklin room for its intimate atmosphere and for the view, since it was located on the twenty-fourth floor.

Standing in front of the elevator, Tracy exhaled rather loudly, then turned to William and said, "Did you know there is graffiti about you in the ladies restroom at the library?"

William smiled. So this was what was on her mind. "No, I did not," he answered truthfully, although he was not surprised.

Tracy stared at him for a few seconds before asking, "Well, don't you want to know what it says?"

William thought for second and answered, "No. Not unless you wish to tell me."

"Someone wrote inside one of the stalls 'William Travis has a big dick,' but the word 'has' was crossed out and replaced with the word 'is.'"

William laughed but did not say anything. Tracy stared at him as if some explanation was needed until William lifted both hands and said, "I will not confirm or deny either claim."

That elicited a half-grin out of Tracy, so he added, "Women can be so spiteful. The graffiti about me in the men's room are much more flattering and tend to focus on my sexy ass."

This actually did get a laugh out of Tracy. They had entered the elevator with another couple, but she spoke as if they were alone. "I'm sorry, William. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. It's just that your name also came up in the writers group."

"Really?" William asked, in genuine surprise.

"Yes. Apparently you are a womanizer, or you are gay, depending on whom I choose to listen to."

"I would suggest you choose not to listen to any gossip at all, Tracy. Wouldn't you prefer to get to know me and form your own opinion?" William asked warmly, but still with a smirk on his face.

The elevator opened and they stepped outside. Tracy was impressed with the modern décor and was glad she chose to wear a dress with short pointy boots. They took a seat near a window and admired the view.

Tracy turned her face to William and said, "Hey, I'm sorry to bring up all that gossip. I'm not usually like that and in the writers group your name actually came up in a very positive way. Someone was asked about a book that was similar to something we were critiquing and it was mentioned that you were an expert, and well... I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, Tracy. I am sure that the bathroom graffito was a little unnerving." He was smiling again, such a charming smile that Tracy had to look away.

"Well, I'll admit something, William, I have been feeling downright disconcerted where you are concerned."

"Really?" He asked. Tracy took off her thick black-framed glasses and set them at the table and William had to remind himself to breathe. Her bright blue eyes were framed by black hair that contrasted with her flawless porcelain skin.

"Yes," she answered, and then ordered a cosmopolitan from the cocktail waitress. William ordered a dry martini.

"I think I am feeling... overexposed. I know almost nothing about you, and you really don't know anything about me personally, and yet you are reading my writing and I feel rather..." Tracy looked around and whispered, "Well, like you have taken a peek inside my mind." William had been thinking about that very thing earlier in the day. Someone had left a note on his desk that said "I have a crush on your mind," and it made him think of Tracy.

William looked away from her face and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Tracy wondered what his beard felt like, and then he spoke, "I see. Well, there is no way to rectify this situation other than to offer to answer any questions you might have and clarify some current misconceptions. I am not attracted to men. I can be a dick, although I try very hard not to be. I am impatient at times, which may have led to that conclusion, or perhaps I made someone angry unknowingly. I have been accused of being phony because I enjoy playing with language and my job allows me to play the role of an intellectual. In truth I am an introvert, so in working with the public I force myself to be a bit exuberant. Is that phony? I hope not. I consider it vocational acting, and I do admit to enjoying it at times. Outside work, I am very down-to-earth and those who know me would never call me a womanizer. The size of my dick is not something a gentleman would ever discuss on a first date, but if there is anything else you wish to know, please ask."

"Wow," Tracy laughed. "That was unexpected." She took a sip of her drink and said, "I appreciate your forthrightness, William, and I promise not to be misled by gossip or bathroom graffiti in the future."

William exhaled and looked away, then looked back at Tracy. "And you are correct. I know very little about you personally. But I am very curious."

"Well, there is no way to rectify this situation other than to offer to answer any questions you might have and to clarify some current misconceptions. You have permission to ask anything you want." Tracy teased, echoing William's earlier statement.

"Very well," he replied. "We can start with the overheard conversation that spawned your book, please."

"I was on the train, going to see my family."

"Where would that be?"

"Upstate. Albany."

"Go on."

"I was sitting across from these two guys and I didn't want to talk to them, so I had my earbuds in and my nose in a book. I couldn't hear a thing they were saying, which was how I wanted it, but then, during a pause between songs, I overheard that they were talking about sex."

"And that got your attention."

"Of course. So I discreetly put my iPod on pause and continued to bob my head to some imaginary tune. The guys were not good-looking, in case you were wondering. Two average-looking, middle-aged guys, but one of them was explaining why he had started using an escort service and paying for sex. His friend tried to talk him out of it, but the guy -- can we just call him john for practical purposes?"

"Of course."

"Well this john explained to his friend how after his divorce he'd tried dating, but it depressed and exhausted him, and he just wanted to have sex once in a while, so it seemed reasonable that he would just pay for it. His friend argued that his behavior was very sick and just the result of his divorce, and that he was also wasting his money. The john argued that he was actually being very practical."

"Makes sense."

"Yes, I thought so. This john must have been some type of an accountant, because he broke it down - how much money he would spend dating, trying to chase sex, but if he were just up front and honest and paid for it, he actually saved money, plus it was a guarantee!"

"Brilliant conclusion," William laughed.

"Well, it made perfect sense, the way the guy explained it, but his friend was so upset by it, while the john was very logical. His friend tried to bring morals into it, but the john said what he was doing was much more honest because the girls at the escort service knew exactly what they would get in return. He said all this in business terms, and it was a sound argument. His friend finally agreed that is sounded okay, but warned about letting it go on too long. When I got off the train, I kept thinking about their conversation. The whole weekend at my parents' house I thought about what kind of man would pay for sex and what type of woman would sell sex, and all the implications. I talked about it all weekend, drove my family crazy, then I started writing."

William finished his drink and immediately a cocktail waitress approached and asked if he would like another, but he ordered Pellegrino instead. Not much of a drinker, Tracy observed. She was still nursing her cosmopolitan.

"Thank you for sharing that story with me, Tracy. That was enlightening."

"Really? Because I feel like we are still talking about my writing and it must be getting old. You still don't know anything about me."

"From that story I ascertained that you are curious, mischievous, imaginative, and passionate. And that you have a good relationship with your parents and that they are still married."

Tracy laughed. "Wow, you're good. I cannot deny any of those claims," Tracy teased, using William's tone back on him again. "Except when I said 'parents,' I actually meant Mom and Stepdad."

"And you were raised in Albany?"

"Yes," Tracy answered. "What about you?"

"St. Charles, a suburb west of Chicago."

"And are your parents still married?"

"They are," William answered.

"Why did you assume I have a good relationship with my parents?"

"Well, it was a hopeful assumption, but also the fact that you feel comfortable discussing sexual matters with them."

Tracy laughed, "Yeah, well, my mom is a biology professor at SUNY. She talks about sex all the time, but in a very clinical, scientific manner. It is the purpose of life, biologically speaking, to reproduce and pass on genes. Speaking of which, you should also know that I am a twin."

"There are two of you?" William almost choked on his drink.

"Yes. I have an identical twin, Beth."

William smiled and could not speak for a moment.

"If you are thinking what I think you are thinking, the answer is no."

"I have no idea what you think I am thinking."

"Well, there are about a hundred questions twins get asked regularly, and the answer is almost always 'no'."

"I'm sorry you and your sister are not close."

"What? We're very close. Why would you say that?"

"I was going to ask if you and your sister are close, but, alas, you said the answer is 'no.'"

Tracy stared at William wondering if he was teasing. "Seriously, your first thought was not sexual?"

"No," William lied. "Okay, yes. My first thought was sexual. And the second and the third."

Tracy laughed and said, "I appreciate your honesty. Trust me, we get that a lot. A strange man in a bar once offered us five hundred dollars to make out."

William stared at Tracy's lips, waiting for her response. "The answer is always no, William." He laughed and Tracy smiled at his laugh. "You have a great laugh," she said, rather spontaneously.

William grinned at her and said, "Well, you are delightful to talk to, Tracy. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Uh oh, does this mean this date is over?"

William laughed again, "I hope not. It is getting late, but I have a few more questions I would like to ask."

Tracy's drink was empty and she did accept the offer of a fresh-up, while William asked about her business. Tracy told him all about Petals and about her grandmother, as well as how she and Beth were similar and different. William told her about his job as a librarian and they realized that their jobs shared many similarities, beyond just dealing with the public. "Except I don't meet eligible bachelors and you meet unattached women constantly."

William nodded in agreement and Tracy tried to act nonchalant, as a jealous cloud drifted over her head. She took the last sip of her drink and William's was empty.

William asked where she lived and said that his home was in Harlem. Tracy secretly hoped he would walk her to the station and wait with her for her subway, but he exceeded her expectations and insisted on getting a cab. He delivered her to her front door with a kiss on the hand and nothing more. No talk of a second date, just a confirmation of a lovely evening. Tracy had a very difficult time falling asleep.

* * * * *

The next morning, Tracy called Beth to tell her about her date. "Can you talk?"

"I'm nursing Charlie, but tell me everything! What was he wearing?" Tracy described William's narrow and modern slacks, button up shirt, and shoes. "He looked great, really handsome. Oh, and red shoe laces. I can't imagine why, but you know how I feel about color. I never dated a guy that dressed so nicely and somehow he doesn't seem vain, it is... different, but nice."

She described the bar, what they talked about, and then the fact that William refused to walk her to the subway station; he insisted on taking her home in a cab. "Our ankles touched in the cab and neither of us moved them and I swear, Beth, there was a current flowing between us! He is so incredibly handsome and different from anyone I have ever dated and..."

"Did he kiss you?" Beth whispered frantically into the phone. She only had a few minutes left until Charlie would need burping.

"On the hand."

"On the hand? What?"

"Yes, well, not like a Disney Prince or anything! When I got out of the cab, he took my right hand and I thought he was going to shake it, which would have been very disappointing."

"Very."

"Yes, well, he didn't shake it. He just held onto it as he talked to me for a few minutes, telling me how much he enjoyed the evening and getting to know me."

"Sweet!"

"Yes, then, still holding my hand he brought it to his face! And I finally felt that beard with the back of my hand. He held it there for a second or two and kept talking, then turned his face and kissed it! Like it was the most natural thing in the world."




Flower Girl Ch. 02



"Oh my God! That is so sweet."

"I know, right? It really was. So tender and sweet, so unlike... I mean, it was the sexiest most understated thing he could have done, but still so warm and affectionate. But it left me craving more and I couldn't fall asleep!"

"That's a good boy."

"What?"

"Sorry, I was talking to Charlie. Burp-time."

"Oh, okay, that was weird. Call me later. Bye-bye, Charlie!"

"Bye!"

Tracy hung up and sighed, and held her hand to her face. William. He was different.

* * * * *

John arrived first at the Vietnamese restaurant where he and William liked to meet when rushed for time. "Don't worry about it, William, my last meeting ended sooner than I expected."

"I had drinks with Tracy last night." William said, wasting no time getting to what was on his mind.

"And?"

"Well, she is incredibly charming. Smart, articulate, quick sense of humor."

John stared at his friend, waiting. William looked content.

"You have not described her appearance."

"I haven't? That is odd. Well, she is stunning. Black dramatic hair, fair skin, blue eyes, a little turned up nose and long graceful limbs. She has more than a few tattoos, but they are tastefully done."

"And the date?"

"We talked and got to know each other, and then I took her home in a cab."

"Did you get invited up?"

"No, I did not." William stroked his chin with the back of the hand. "You know, John, when playing chess, I am completely bored if my opponent surrenders the queen too quickly."

"Of course. I wonder... Have you ever been beaten by an opponent lacking a queen?"

"Yes, but only when I had lost my queen as well." Both men ate quietly for a moment.

"Hmmm," John said. "Do you tend to use your queen to full advantage, or keep her safe in the back row?"

"Of course I use the queen, John. But I do not make her do all the work. She is distracting to the other opponent, so I often lure them into focus on the queen and attack on the flank."

"Are we still talking sex?" John asked.

"Always." William laughed. "Sex is always an undercurrent, but not my master."

"Yes, well you have shown great restraint lately." John liked to tease William about women throwing themselves at him.

"John, I meet women every day whom I would like to take to bed. Rarely do I meet a woman I would like to wake up with."

John raised his glass and the two friends toasted in agreement. "What next? Did you make another date?"

"Not yet. I do have a plan that requires your assistance, if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course, William. What is it?"

William explained his idea to John, who agreed without hesitation to help his friend.



Flower Girl Ch. 03



Tracy pushed a broom around an already clean floor, trying to stay busy instead of obsessing on her email inbox. She had not heard from William after going out to for drinks and wondered if she had misread the signs? She actually believed he was attracted to her, but maybe he just likes to date? Maybe he dates several women at a time? It was his prerogative, she reminded herself. She would not waste her time thinking about someone who was indifferent towards her, although he did not seem that way last night? Then she remembered what that woman in the writing group had said, "When he talks to you, it feels like you are the only person in the room." 

"The only person on Earth," another had added. 

Tracy frowned at the memory and tried to occupy herself with work. It was still late summer, but wedding season would slow down and the holidays were busy in a different way. There were centerpieces and wreaths, a few Holiday weddings, and even her online-Etsy business selling handmade jewelry. Her tiny flowers suspended in resin had been a good source of additional income, but she wasn't sure she would even have time for that this year. 

Of course she could teach the girls who worked the shop on the weekends, Linda and Rachel, how to make the jewelry. They were both college students and would appreciate a way to get more hours over the break. Yes, Rachel would especially enjoy making jewelry. There were also her regular customers; a few boutique hotels that kept fresh flowers in their lobbies, and of course the Catholic Church up the street, thanks to her grandmother's connections, Holy Trinity provided a steady flow of business throughout the year. 

She returned to her desk and still no email from William, but a slew of internet orders to focus on. One was from a man named 'Mr. Moore' and he wanted to order an arrangement, no budget, but said the arrangement should not be audacious. He gave Tracy complete artistic freedom as well as his credit card number. The message said his assistant would pick up the flowers the following day, and please make sure the arrangement could be moved by taxi. Obviously another of Mrs. Hillson's dinner guests, and while she absolutely loved being given free rein on her creativity, Tracy felt she needed more information. 

She emailed a reply, "I would be more than happy to create something beautiful for you. Could you offer guidance by giving me five adjectives describing the recipient?" Tracy had learned from Pierre never to assume a man was buying flowers for a woman. 

There were two identical orders for a dozen red roses, the most common request, but she still tried to make them unique by including eucalyptus and an ivory bow. She checked her email again, still nothing from William. Ah, but Mr. R. Moore has replied with five adjectives. "Aesthetic, Prolific, Scintillating, Adroit, Stunning." 

Wow, Tracy though. Mr. Moore has sent me to the dictionary with some impressive adjectives. Tracy knew four of the words, just wanted to confirm their meaning. "Adroit," was a new one, which Tracy learned meant clever or skillful in using the hands or mind. This one is challenging, in such a good way, she thought to herself. Just the distraction she needed. 

She texted Antonio special instructions, "Please search high and low for dahlias, black satin and tartan." She knew tartan dahlias were difficult to find and she could use something else if needed, but this was her first choice. Then Tracy looked over her inventory and texted Antonio again. "Gardenias too." 

Just then her grandmother walked into the store. "Hello Nana!" 

"Oh Tracy, must you?" Beverly grimaced, holding her hands over her ears in complaint over the alternative music Tracy was playing from the air. "What about the Vivaldi CDs I bought you? You're going to scare away your customers." 

Tracy turned the music down and said, "Aw Nana, I do enjoy classical music, but I'm here by myself most of the day. Besides, most of my work is from the internet, not walk-ins. Hey, check out this interesting order that came through this morning." 

Beverly listened as Tracy told her about the unusual request, wide-eyed and interested. "What do you have in mind?" 

"Well," Tracy began gingerly, but quickly becoming animated and excited, "the flowers are for someone very artistic, so I am going to create my piece de resistance!" She threw her hands up in the air and Beverly smiled, her eyes widening with delight when Tracy showed her the sketch she had started. 

"This is my chance to make something that has been in my head for a long time. No budget! Oh, I'm not going to stick it to him, don't worry, but I'm going to use this opportunity to make something extraordinary and post it on my website." 

Beverly looked at the sketch and brought a hand to her heart, "So lovely, Tracy. I cannot wait to see the actual piece." 

"I know Nana, I have been inspired by the adjectives!" 

Beverly knew Tracy's habit of asking about the recipient and read the scratch paper Tracy handed her. "Ooooh, this is an exciting list. I have not heard 'adroit' in some time." 

"I know, right? The recipient must be amazing. You know Nana, the arrangement could be for a man." 

"Of course dear, a man buying another man flowers is always something to consider in our business." 

"Well I am building a flower sculpture that would make any gay man melt. A skyscraper of flowers." 

"A skyscraper?" 

"Oh, a miniature, Nana. It has to fit in a taxi cab. Maybe I should have said sky-scraper-inspired! But it will be a modern, narrow, tall arrangement. It will be amazing!" 

"You are inspired. I think I will leave you to your work." Beverly gave Tracy a hug and walked out to the door and left the store with a wave. 

* * * * * 

Andy lifted the television out of his trunk and carried it across the parking lot to the pawn shop. He had a computer and really didn't need a television, he told himself. And he could get it back as soon as he got a paycheck. He had sent out eighteen resumes that day, seven short of the quota he had set for himself. He was running out of places to send them. He would start back to the beginning of the list and also call each company to make sure they received them. 

And then there was the agency, the one with the ridiculous commercial about temporary accounting jobs. He had a test with them in the morning, but the receptionist warned they were getting a lot of applicants. 

The pawn shop offered one hundred and fifty for his flat screen television. Andy paid six hundred just a few months prior, but he was in no position to argue. "Got too many TV's anyway," the man said, reminding him he was not the only guy to find himself out of work lately. Andy rubbed his head and accepted the money. Might as well put it all in an envelope labelled "Vera," but he needed gas too. 

William's reading was interrupted by Melissa asking "Is that the new up and coming author?" 

"Hmmm, yes," William answered, trying to keep it short. 

"Did you ask if I could read it?" 

"Oh no, sorry Melissa. It completely slipped my mind." William did not consider this a lie. He had never contemplated asking Tracy if Melissa could read her writing. He reduced his screen and went to the Guggenheim website. He wanted to look at both the Guggenheim and Metropolitan sites and find an exhibit he could invite Tracy to. Melissa was still hovering about. 

There was not anything new at the Guggenheim that William found enticing, but the Met had several choices, including an exhibit by Bartholomeus Spranger, entitled "Splendor and Eroticism in Imperial Prague." William smiled to himself thinking he could suggest the new Kadinsky exhibit, then steer her into the Spranger exhibit, hoping to inspire a conversation about erotic art. 

"What's so funny?" 

"Nothing," William answered. He did not wish to be rude, but this young woman was becoming an annoyance. He was intentionally short, hoping not to encourage her, but she was relentless. He knew how to get rid of her. He looked up a book on Bartholomeaus Spranger and gave her the call number and asked her to retrieve the book. 

He wanted to send Tracy an email asking if she would like to visit the museum with him this weekend, but decided to wait and do it from home. Melissa took too long to retrieve the book, but finally returned with a slight flush and a wicked grin. Fuck me, William thought to himself. I've inadvertently sent a suggestive message. I should have asked Melissa to retrieve a book on chastity. He turned back to his reading. 

Vera was sprawled out on the couch with her feet in Andy's lap. They were in one of their post coitus conversations that Andy cherished and Vera was telling him about what her brother was like before the accident, how cocky he had been. "Do you think he would have cared for you this way Vera? If the tables were turned?" 

"Huh," Vera answered, twirling her own hair, "I've never thought about that." Then after a pause she laughed and said, "Probably not!" 

Andy was amused that this did not anger her. He loved her easy laugh, the way she did not carry a grudge, even about her customers. She was tolerant of their kinks, but also had a bottom line and would not put up with any bullshit. Andy knew she did not make them feel like perverts or deviants, oh - except the few that paid extra for the humiliation. That was a kink that even Vera admitted she could not get her head around, but she could act. 

"How do you keep your feet so soft?" Andy asked, while rubbing her arches with his thumbs. 

"Cum." 

"Fuck, Vera!" Andy tossed her feet off his lap, while Vera laughed hysterically. 

"Oh, come on Andy, I washed them!" 

Andy let her rest her feet back on his lap and asked, "So guys really want to cum on your feet? I mean, you have nice feet and all, but that wouldn't be my first choice." 

"Or your second, or third," Vera laughed, "Oh, but I really appreciate the foot fetish guys. I wish there were more of them! Do you know if I moved to England, I could probably live off of just my feet!" 

"Don't move to England!" Andy blurted out in a panicked voice, and then caught himself and calmly said, "I mean that wouldn't be good for your brother, would it?" 

"Oh, no. It would be a logistical nightmare, I can't even imagine," Vera had started stroking Andy with her foot. "Besides, I'm starting to think you like my feet," she teased, referring to his tumescent cock. 

"That's a spinal cord reaction," Andy answered, trying to hold down a smile. She could rub him with any body part she wanted; just the fact that it was Vera doing it would turn him on. 

"I got a new job," Andy told her, partly because he wanted to and partly because it was a game they played. Vera would turn it up a notch if he ignored her. "Doing payroll. Seems like a pretty good company," Andy lied by omission. The truth was, it was only a part time job and would interfere with his unemployment benefits, but he hoped they would like him and it would turn into something more, maybe something full-time. 

"Is that so?" Vera feigned interest, and was now up on her hands and knees, slowly crawling towards him with that look in her eyes. 

"Yep, start Monday," he ignored her kissing his neck and down his chest, "It's a twenty-five minute drive if there's no traffic," as she reached his very alert penis, "casual Fridays, yeah, I think I'm going to like it." 

"Oh, you're gonna like it," Vera gave a wicked smile as her hand clamped around him, before lowering her mouth. 

* * * * * 

William planned to email Tracy, but after a session at the batting cages followed by a relaxing hot shower, he picked up her business card and decided to call her. Her card listed a phone number and a cell phone number, so he took a chance and called her cell. To his surprise, she answered. 

"Hello Tracy, this is William. I hope you don't mind my calling." 

"Oh, hello! No, I'm glad to hear from you, William." 

William did not expect such a warm response and was very pleased to hear her say so. 

"Well you have been on my mind. I really enjoyed talking with you the other day and wonder if I might have the honor of spending some time in your company again." 

Tracy laughed, a sound that William found extremely endearing, and said, "My goodness William, you are so formal. Are you asking me on a proper date?" 

"Yes, I am." 

"Then you probably have something in mind, too." 

"Yes I do. That is if you have not been to the Metropolitan recently?" 

"No, honestly I think it has been over two years. I would love to go to the Met with you." 

"Ah, wonderful. There are a few new exhibits I am interested in. Are you free on Saturday?" 

"Yes, I am in fact. I just want to check on my employees in the morning, but then I'm free. Should I meet you there?" 

"Oh no. I would much prefer picking you up. Would you mind?" 

"Not at all, that would be great." She answered. 

"Would ten o'clock be too early?" 

"No, I like to beat the crowd as much as possible." 

William laughed. He felt the same way, but did not say so. He wanted to ask her a million questions, but he also wanted to wait, and so he said, "Perfect. I will see you at ten o'clock." 

"Hey William, do you mind if we go by my shop first? It is right up the street from my apartment and I want to just check on my girls...and I'd kind of like you to see my shop." 

"I would be honored," he said, sincerely. "Good night Tracy." 

"Good night William." He hung up the phone and smiled. He expected Tracy to say yes, and the truth was, while he was very interested in seeing her shop, he was even more interested in seeing the inside of her apartment. It would answer many questions he needed to know before proceeding. 

* * * * * 

Tracy hung up the phone and immediately called Beth. She got Beth's recording, but shouted into the phone, "He asked me out! I am going out with William." And she jumped on her bed and did a happy dance, before turning in for the night. 

She awoke to a text from Antonio with photo of a flower, the rare Fallen Angel Dahlia. 

Tracy sat up and texted, "How many?" 

"Two-dozen" Antonio texted back, and Tracy sent him an obnoxious row of emoticons including thumbs up, happy faces, and girls dancing. 

She looked at the photo again, admiring the radial symmetry of the dahlia that contrasted with sporadic splashes of pink. She spoke to her photo on her phone; "You know, I am not supposed to have favorites, but I really do adore you." And she kissed her phone before rushing off to her Pilates class. 

Once she arrived at Petals, Tracy saw the flowers Antonio had purchased and could hardly contain her excitement. She had a few orders to fill first, including a good sized job for the church, but she worked fast so that she could get to her skyscraper arrangement. The email said Mr. Moore's assistant would be picking it up between five and six. 

Beverly came by the shop and asked if there was anything she could do to help, but Tracy was faster on her own and expected Antonio back later, so she declined. "William asked me out," she told her, smiling as she stuck yellow roses into a foam base. "He is taking me to the Met on Saturday." 

"Oh, lovely! A proper date!" Beverly replied, clapping her hands together in glee. 

"And that is not all, Nana. He gave advanced notice, let his intentions be known that it was a date, not just 'hanging out', and he is picking me up." 

"Oh Tracy, this is marvelous. Of course you must test the soil before you buy the farm!" 

"What? You want me to have sex with him Nana?" Tracy teased. 

Beverly waved her hand in disregard, "Oh no, I mean, that is up to you dear. It's an old expression your great grandmother used to say. It means don't convince yourself something is worth buying unless you find out what is going on under the surface." 

Tracy laughed and said, "Okay, I get it, Nana. I'll test his soil, alright," she winked. "Get to know him. He could be a creep, for all I know. But so far he is very ...unique and interesting, and...did I tell you how handsome he is?" 

"Oh, I know, I've seen him." 

"You what?" Tracy's jaw dropped open and she stopped moving. 

"Well, I was in the neighborhood of the library, and I decided to just pop in and make his acquaintance." 

"You what! Oh my god Nana! Did you tell him who you are?" 

"No, I did not. I intended to, but we just started talking about books and it never came up, then someone interrupted him, and I said good bye." 

"Oh Nana! When he meets you he'll think I sent you! He'll think you are a spy! Oh, but you are a spy Nana, and a very clever spy. So what did you think of him?" 

"He is from another era, Tracy. His manners are impeccable." 

Tracy looked at her grandmother with concern. She hated to admit it, but she was a good judge of character. "Did you get the feeling he is a phony, Nana?" 

"No," Beverly looked away, "He was utterly charming. We talked about literature and he was such a delight! One cannot fake such passion." 

Tracy waited for her to go on, but Beverly smiled with closed lips. 

"But?" 

"But nothing. Only time will reveal the chinks in his armor, everyone has them, Tracy." Beverly paused before adding, "But it does seem that William has an element of sadness beneath his exuberance." 

Tracy thought for a few second, then turned silly, "Did he hit on you, Nana?" 

Beverly laughed and said, "Well, he does give his entire focus, making a woman feel like she is the only one in the room, doesn't he?" 

"Indeed," Tracy said, in her best William voice. 

* * * * * 

Hours later Tracy stood back and looked at her arrangement. It exceeded her expectations. It had been difficult, she changed her mind on a few things during the process, but the end result was a flower arrangement fitted in a six by six square base, had four corners constructed of stiffeners draped in vine, that met at the top and were tied together and held by three gardenias. There were layers, emulating floor, showcasing Tracy's skill for mixing unexpected flowers in varying shades of magenta to dusty rose, and lots of bright white. She created empty space within the structure, layers that one could intentionally see through, so the whole thing did not appear dense and square. When she stood back and looked at it, her heart ached, and she felt grateful to have the best job imaginable. 

Tracy took several photos, then texted one to Beth, Nana, and Pierre. Within seconds, her phone rang, and it was Pierre, crying on the other end of the phone, "Oh Tracy! It is lovely, it is beyond lovely, it is on the outermost region of loveliness, where lovely meets with divine!" 

Tracy smiled and wiped a tear from her own cheek, as she expressed with alarm, "Oh my god, Pierre, I am crying too! What did you do to me? I've never cried over flowers before!" 

"Oh Tracy, you are experiencing pure joy, the sublime joy of not only observing beauty, but in having a hand in creating something truly extraordinary. This is the joy a mother feels when she sees her baby for the first time." 

"Wow," Tracy said, "I just birthed a floral skyscraper? I'm going to be sore tomorrow." 

Pierre squealed with laughter, "Oh Tracy, I do miss you! Tell me everything! What was the inspiration for this exquisite arrangement?" 

So Tracy told him about the online customer, what he asked for, the five adjectives, and that someone would come pick it up soon. 

And so he did. A man in his mid-thirties, wearing a business suit showed up right on time saying he was there to pick up the flowers for Mr. Moore. He stared at Tracy a bit longer than what would be considered polite, but Tracy was used to it. She attributed it more to her unusual dress than her beauty, since today she was dressed as colorfully as her flower shop. 




Flower Girl Ch. 03



She hated to see the arrangement go, but she had forty-two photos from different angles, photos that would outlast the flowers and be the main image on her website. Even though it was Friday night, she still had a lot of work to do in order to be able to take the next two days off. 

* * * * * 

William woke up too early on Saturday morning and could not fall back asleep. He stayed in bed for a while, thinking about the day ahead. He decided to get up and run on the treadmill, just forty minutes to clear his mind, and then meditate, eat, and read. At exactly nine-twenty, he phoned for a cab, and then looked around his apartment to make sure everything was in order. Of course it was. So William went downstairs and waited on the stoop and read a book on his phone while he waited for his cab. He had a gift for Tracy at his side. 

He gave the taxi driver the address, then sat back and enjoyed the ride. It took eighteen minutes in the Saturday morning traffic. He arrived at five minutes early, an acceptable range that would not interfere with his agenda, making him appear neither late nor too eager. He paid the driver, then carefully removed the gift and from the cab and from the front her apartment he texted Tracy, "I am downstairs." 

Tracy came through the door in ninety-one seconds, carrying a purse and sweater, obviously ready to leave, but when she saw the gift William was holding, a look of shock crossed her face. William observed her emotions change from surprise, to confusion as she processed what she was seeing. William spoke before she had a chance to ask, "Yes, these are for you. I wanted to buy you flowers, but it seemed inappropriate to give my business to someone else. And I wanted to surprise you, so I hope you don't mind that I did not use my own name." 

He watched as the corners of her mouth slowly curve up and grow into a huge smile. "You scared me, William! I didn't expect to ever see that arrangement ever again, and for a second there I thought the customer returned it!" 

"No, the customer is merely delivering it to the intended recipient." 

Tracy looked at William and took off her glasses, revealing glowing mischievous eyes and demurely whispered, "Then you must find me aesthetic, prolific, scintillating, stunning, and adroit?" 

"That and much more. You limited me to five adjectives." 

His response and gesture caused Tracy to drop her head back and laugh a warm, sweet laugh that made his knees go week. She lowered her smiling face to look at him again with glee radiating from her blue eyes, and turning serious asked, "Did you know that no one ever gives me flowers?" 

"Yes, I actually imagined that would be a drawback in your profession, which is one of the reasons I chose to do so. And I was curious to see what you might create, but when you asked me to describe the recipient, I was particularly intrigued." 

Tracy looked at the flowers which she had sat on the bannister and said, "I'll admit, I absolutely love this piece." 

William laughed and said, "I was blown away. And so was my friend John." 

"That was your 'assistant'?" 

"Yes, a good friend to do me such a favor." 

"Wow. You are very clever, William. Or should I call you Mr. Moore?" 

"Well I do like to hear you say 'more'." William said with a sexy grin, which Tracy unintentionally answered with an equally sexy laugh. 

"Well, I better take these upstairs. " 

"Shall I wait here?" 

"Oh no, come up and see my place," Tracy answered, and William's heart began to race in anticipation. William carried the flowers and when they reached the third floor, Tracy put a key in the door and turned to see that William had his eyes closed and his hand on his brow and was taking deep breaths. 

"Are you okay? Are you ill?" she asked thinking he looked like he was in much too good of shape to get winded by a few flights of stairs. 

William opened his eyes and answered, "Oh, I will be okay, just give me a second." And he exhaled fully. When he looked up, Tracy met his eyes and gave a slight nod and opened the door. She went in ahead of him, took the flowers from his hands and walked over to the small dining table. 

William exhaled and his shoulders relaxed. He took a calculated look around and the room and a slow smile spread across his face. "Mid-century modern. Just a touch of Kitsch, not overdone. Clean lines, minimal clutter, no obvious obtuse collections." 

"What, you're an interior decorator too?" Tracy asked rather indignantly. 

William looked guilty for a moment and asked, "I spoke out loud?" 

"Yes," Tracy answered, "And my apartment seems to meet your criteria? What, are you planning to move in William?" 

"Oh Tracy, I am horribly sorry. It is just that I am already rather fond of you, yet I have some very unique requirements and ..." 

"What?" Tracy looked genuinely pissed now and had her hand on her hip, "What kind of 'requirements' William? Were you trying to see if my taste is up to par, or better yet my income?" Tracy asked accusingly. 

William got a look of hurt on his face and said, "No, that's not it. May I sit down?" 

"No." Tracy answered, her chin jutted out. 

"Very well then," William rubbed his hair back with his palm, "I hoped to have this conversation later, but the situation has dictated that I tell you now. I have OCD." 

Tracy's face softened slightly and William went on. 

"It is not a joke, I am not a clean freak, I don't wash my hand obsessively, or return home to make sure the stove is turned off. I have a quirk about numbers and the truth is I have a difficult, no I will be honest, I find it nearly impossible to relax in a chaotic environment." 

"So why the hell did you move to New York?" Tracy asked, but her voice had softened and she sat down in a chair. 

"I love New York, Tracy. I love the energy and I thrive off of the excitement, even the chaos. For some reason I can walk through discord rather easily. It is when I am close to an individual that has illogical thoughts, I feel very claustrophobic." 

"Please sit down, William. What do you mean by 'illogical thoughts'?" 

William sat on the couch and said, "Everyone has illogical thoughts occasionally. I am talking about patterns of thinking as they relate to materialism." William looked frustrated and said, "Okay, here is one example. I had a girlfriend in college. We were both students living in dorms and we got along fantastically, and I will admit the sex was amazing too. I was really falling for this girl and went home with her one weekend and saw her home and bedroom. She collected pigs, Tracy. Pigs." 

"Well," Tracy answered carefully, "Pigs are kind of cute when they are little." 

"Yes, well. Lea collected all types of pigs. Porcelain, stuffed, glass, ceramic. They were everywhere. She had a blanket with pigs on it, a picture frame with little pink piglets lined up on the rim. Instead of bunny slippers, she had piggy slippers. And she was proud of this fact." 

Tracy let out a slight laugh, then covered her mouth and said, "Sorry, go on." 

"It was the lack of quality, Tracy, not just the quantity. She excitedly told me how her mother would buy her anything she saw with a pig on it. Stationary, bath towels, soap dishes. I could not get out of that room fast enough. She even suggested that I might give her some swine-themed gift. We broke up soon after." 

"Well, that does sound very disturbing!" Tracy laughed her first genuine laugh. "I should warn you, I have a few antique cameras. They serve no purpose; I just like to look at them. " 

William looked at Tracy and she realized downplaying it was not the solution. "I'm sorry William. I didn't mean to make light of this." 

William remained quiet and turned his focus to the book case across from him. 

Tracy spoke again, "This is why you like libraries, isn't it." 

William turned to Tracy and said, "Yes, one of the reasons." 

"Everything is in its place, everything is organized." 

"Yes." William continued, "There are over two million books in the Mid-Manhattan. Each has a specific number and can be found in a matter of minutes." 

"And the damaged or obsolete books are periodically removed." 

William looked at Tracy in amazement. He was extremely pleased that she made that connection, but suddenly felt very tired. He focused on her flowers instead. 

"That is an extremely unique piece, and it looks like it was made for this room. Do you think you subconsciously knew it was for you?" 

Tracy laughed. "Nope. Not a clue. And William?" 

He looked back at her and she said, "I am really happy that you feel comfortable in my apartment. Let's go see if you approve of my shop as well." Tracy winked at him, not teasing, not making fun, but confidently, knowing that if William appreciated the orderly nature of her apartment, he would love Petals. 

* * * * * 

Tracy led the way to Petals, a short walk with William at her side. She was thinking about his reaction to her apartment and his revelation of OCD. Logically, she knew she should be put off by any hint of mental instability, but instead she found his vulnerability attractive and wasn't sure if this was a good thing. She also felt like she had a better understanding of his slight quirkiness and it made him seem much more authentic. He was quiet during the walk, wearing casual trousers, and a button up shirt that was rolled up to the elbows. It was her first time seeing his forearms, and she found them distracting. There were very toned and muscular, almost void of hair. She could see tendons running down to his wrist. Tracy had never felt moved by a man's forearms in this way and she wanted to touch them. 

When they arrived, William complemented her shop and admired the flowers. He utterly charmed Rachel and Linda, while Tracy looked over the online orders for anything unusual, but it was the standard fare. After saying goodbye to the giggly girls - both college students and the best of friends - William and Tracy stepped outside. William hailed a cab in a competent manner that struck Tracy as very sexy, contemplating how sometime a simple gesture could be so charming. Perhaps it was because her ex always relied on her to hail a cab, saying they were more likely to stop for a girl. William disproved this theory and it was the second time this morning that Tracy felt a strong sexual pull towards William and they had only been together a short time. She found it unnerving. She was used to being the object of lust, not the one feeling lustful. 

Tracy had tried on several outfits before deciding on a black dress with flowers around the skirt and a narrow pink belt. It was one of her favorite outfits; she felt like it was made specifically for her. She considered wearing something more form fitting, since this dress flared out around the hips, but William had already an opportunity to see her shape when they went out for drinks. Besides, Tracy did not like to look like she tried too hard and knew that if she ultimately dressed for herself, she would feel sexy and confident. So she put on black sandals with a high black wedge heel, and clasped a dainty silver chain around her ankle that had a tiny bird holding the chain together. Checking her ensemble in the mirror, she chose a black leather purse that was similar to a doctor's bag, big sunglasses, and noted that her dress and shoe combination gave her legs for days. Although not usually vain, she felt beautiful in this outfit and even snapped a selfie to send to Beth, titled "Date outfit". 

Now, sitting in a cab with legs crossed, she answered William's question about her writing. "I've started the second part. I am writing two stories and they are going to be intertwined. The second story is also about a prostitute, but the setting is one hundred years ago in a brothel in a Western mining town. Have you heard of town called Bodie?" 

"I have, actually. It is high in the mountains, a ghost town now. Open to tourists." 

"Yes! Well, anyway, I want to contrast these two women that are very similar in temperament, just born in different eras with very different circumstances and choices. Both are prostitutes who develop a special bond with a particular customer, but that is where all similarities end. I want to contrast the choices they are given, where 'Jesse' the old west prostitute will come across as having it a lot tougher than Vera. Jesse will actually be exploited by another woman, a Madam of course. " 

"Well Tracy, this sounds interesting but the problem with a story-within-a-story is the reader usually skims one to get to the other." 

Tracy furrowed her brow and William watched disappointment register on her face. Then, as if watching the gears of her brain turn, she sat up straighter and her chin jutted out. "Well I appreciate what you say and I suspect you are probably right, but I'm doing it anyway. I do not wish to be belligerent, but I have to write what is on my mind and not what I think will please others." 

William did not speak, but if he did it would be to say that Tracy's conviction and confidence turned him on immensely. They had just pulled up to the Met. 

Upon arrival at the museum, William paid the fare, opened the car door, and took Tracy's hand as she stepped out of the cab, one long leg at a time. William's eye caught the site of the anklet adorning her slender leg. Tracy smiled at him and said, "I will apologize in advance. I get extremely nerdy when looking at art." 

"I think you mean passionate, don't you?" 

"Judge for yourself," Tracy laughed, "I hope I don't drive you crazy reading the placards." 

"Well, in case the crowd becomes bothersome and we cannot get close enough, I have The Met's app on my phone." 

Tracy allowed her mouth to drop open in exaggerated surprise, "You have an app for the museum? I'll have to remember never to challenge a librarian to a nerd-dual!" 

"You would lose," William laughed. 

They walked up the steps and entered the foyer, then stood in a long but fast moving line for tickets. William felt a constant urge to touch her, but fought the impulse by placing his hands in his pockets. He recognized the woman in the ticket booth as a patron from the library and when she said, "Hello, William, how nice to see you!" he answered, "Nice to see you too, Ellen," grateful that she was wearing a nametag. 

"Are you here to see Adam?" she asked, referring to the marble statue that had recently been restored and prominent in the news lately. 

"Among other things," William smiled politely and took the tickets, before guiding Tracy away. Outside of hearing range William leaned in and whispered, "I am accustomed to people recognizing me from the library. I would have introduced you, but I don't really know her." 

"No reason to hold up the line," Tracy whispered back. Then she backed her head up and they were standing very close to each other. William glanced at her lips and then back to her eyes and realized he loved and hated her glasses. 

"You wear glasses for the same reason Clark Kent wears a suit; you have to keep your super powers somewhat hidden in public." 

Tracy laughed and said, "Actually, I need to see, William." 

"Well what would you like to see first?" 

"I usually start at the top and work my way down," she answered. William heard a sexual connotation in her statement and wondered if she meant to tease him or if it just came naturally to her. 

"Well then today we shall start at the bottom and work our way up, for it is my desire to give you a unique experience." 

Tracy lifted an eyebrow and gave a half smile as she threaded her arm through William's extended elbow, a very old-fashioned and gentlemanly gesture that sharply contrasted with the thoughts in his mind. 

And so William began his observation of Tracy observing art. He noticed that upon entering certain rooms that she paused at the entryway and gasped at the size and grandeur of the room, surely a room she had visited before. "It never gets old, does it?" she beamed, her face illuminated with excitement. 

"Never," William agreed, for her enthusiasm was contagious. At times she nearly ran from painting to painting, like an excited child. Other times she stood in front of a piece with her brow furrowed in concentration. She read the placards, or not. She shared her thoughts, or kept them to herself. William admired the art too, but used Tracy's preoccupation to study her. She was mesmerized by some of the art, and William was equally mesmerized by her silver anklet. Touching it was becoming an obsession. 

"Ah, 'The Flower Girl' he noted with amusement at the title of the painting they had approached. 

"My nickname. People have always called me that," Tracy informed him, "Even before the store, because of my tattoos." 

"Tell me about your tattoos?" William found an opportunity to inquire about one of his curiosities about her. He knew he had only seen a portion of her body art. 

Tracy let out a slightly self-conscious laugh and said, "Well, my poor grandmother. I told her I was going to get a tattoo of my favorite flower. She should have known I could not pick a favorite, so there are twenty-two." 

William grinned and Tracy went on, "You are seeing eight of them on my arm," she wrapped her thumb and forefinger around her upper arm and drew them up to her shoulder, "and here they become more spread out," she traced a line over her shoulder that William expected to extend down her back, but instead she made a turn that led in front of her shoulder, then under her arm along the side of her breast, "Then even more so," she traced a line along her waist and then over her left hip, "and it ends with a single flower here." She pointed to the upper quadrant of her left butt cheek and said, "Arabian Dahlia." 

She smiled at William and he knew now that she was enjoying teasing him. He could imagine her pale skin and the path of colorful flowers, but then he realized and spoke, "I am not familiar with the Arabian Dahlia." 

Tracy smiled and said, "Well perhaps I'll show you one soon," and she turned back to the painting to read the placard. "Oh, listen to this! I wondered why the girl held a basket full of colorful flowers in one hand, and that ugly potted plant in the other. It's a fuchsia, symbolic of the goddess Flora. The plant is figurative of frustrated love." 

William thought for a second before asking, "And is the fuchsia one of the twenty-two flowers that adorns the lovely body of work known as Tracy Wilcox?" 

"Not yet," Tracy smiled at him and then threaded her arm through his and led him away. 

On the main level, William suggested they stop and have a drink at the museum's outdoor café. Tracy ordered an iced tea and William a Perrier, and they found a small iron table where they could sit in the shade. Tracy crossed her long legs and her foot bobbed back and forth a bit, the anklet catching the gleam of the sun and William's eyes, causing both to sparkle. "I'm having a very good time here with you, William. Last time I was here, I felt rushed the whole time. You seem like you are actually enjoying yourself." 

"Well I am enjoying myself immensely, Tracy. Why wouldn't I?" 

"Oh, I don't know. You mentioned you were impatient, but I have not seen that side of you at all." 

"No, you haven't. And I said I could be impatient. There are times when I exercise extreme self-control." He gave her a serious gaze and watched her place a straw between her lips, daintily with two fingers. "But why would someone be impatient while looking at art?" 

"Well I made the mistake of bringing my ex-boyfriend here when we were still together. I knew better, but I thought since it was my birthday he would at least try and enjoy himself for my sake. But the heavy sighs and looking at his phone the whole time made it apparent he would rather be somewhere else." 




Flower Girl Ch. 03



"And now he is." 

Tracy smiled and echoed his phrase, "Now he is." 

William rested his chin on his hand and regarded her intensely, then looked away. He had done so several times that day and Tracy imagined she could feel the heat of his gaze. 

"What are you thinking?" 

William grinned and answered, "Forgive me for being presumptuous, but did that relationship end in part because you felt he took you for granted?" 

"Yes," Tracy answered, unnerved by her own transparency. She noticed his gaze was back on her ankle. They enjoyed a period of silence that was not uncomfortable, but then Tracy spoke, "I just remembered that I have flowers at home. From you." She tilted her face down and peaked over her glasses. 

William stared at her intently again, a penetrating and unnerving gaze focused on her mouth that prompted Tracy to say, "What is it William?" 

"How long will I be tortured by those lips without tasting them?" 

Tracy withdrew her breath in surprise, and then licked her bottom lip before speaking softly and slowly, "I might be a little bit of a tease, but I don't wish to torture you. Go ahead. Taste them." 

They were sitting across from each other, with a small table between them and their knees touching. William moved slowly and methodically as he placed his hand under her chin, keeping eye contact with her the entire time as he drew her closer with his hand. He brought his lips to hers very gently and met her lips with a soft tender kiss. He did not pull away completely, their faces were very close, and he paused. Tracy hoped he would kiss her again, but he stayed where he was, then he slowly pulled away and looked at her. It was the sweetest and most frustrating kiss she had ever experienced; perfect and yet completely unsatisfying, for as soon as it ended, she wanted it to start again. Tracy kept eye contact and swallowed while reminding herself to breathe. William's kiss had sent a current through her entire being and it was all she could do not to crawl over the table and pounce on him. 

William was grinning and still staring at her face, and Tracy looked flustered. He waited for her to speak. 

Tracy bit her bottom lip and looked around before whispering, "I think you are the one who is a tease." 

"And you might be the impatient one," William laughed, a sexy laugh that prompted Tracy to make a pseudo-angry expression. 

"I'm supposed to be the sexy one!" she pouted with her lips out. 

"We will take turns," he teased, pleased at the shift in power since he had felt overwhelmingly at her mercy all morning long. Then he placed a hand at the back of her neck and pulled her close to whisper in her ear in a serious tone, "You are so fucking sexy I can hardly stand it." 

Then he released her and kept staring to see her reaction. Tracy was flushed. Both drinks were empty and William casually asked in his normal tone, "Would you like to continue?" 

"Of course," Tracy stood and accepted his elbow again, acting natural but hoping he didn't notice her trembling. She tried to regain her composure and distracted herself by concentrating on several paintings. Eventually she felt comfortable again and when she saw they were near the restrooms, she said she needed to make a stop. William did the same and they agreed to meet outside. 

While Tracy was in the stall, she heard a woman come in who speaking on her cell phone. It wasn't the first time Tracy heard someone continue a conversation into a bathroom stall, but she found it appalling. She overheard the woman say, "Yes, he's here. I took a chance that he might be since he asked me to bring him that book, and sure enough he's here with a woman!" She paused momentarily before saying, "No! I mean, well, maybe. But she's weird looking. Big ugly glasses and tattoos all over her arm." 

Tracy continued to listen. She felt no anger, just curiosity. 

"Well, yes, but that doesn't mean anything." The girl flushed the toilet and Tracy cringed and thought she must be very comfortable with the person on the other end of the phone. "Yes, I will. Okay, sure. I'll call you later." 

Tracy listened while the woman washed her hands and left. Tracy finished and washed her own hands, checked her own reflection in the mirror, took a moment to reapply lip gloss and then exited the restroom to find William waiting for her with a rather serious look on his face. 

Tracy wasted no time saying to William, "I know I am not supposed to listen to gossip, especially in public restrooms, but apparently there is a woman here who is not happy to see you with me." 

"Did she say anything to you?" 

"No, not to me. Just about me, into the phone." 

William's face turned to anger and he said, "That explains why she looked so flustered and barely said hello before scurrying away. She must have realized you were in the restroom and heard what she said. She is never that quick to go away." 

"Ex-girlfriend?" 

"No," William laughed, his face softening, "A volunteer at the library. And I am sorry you were subjected to her nonsense." 

Tracy laughed and said, "Oh, no need to apologize. Shall we carry on?" 

"Certainly," William responded, placing his hand on the small of her back and to guide her through the thickening crowd. 

Tracy was accustomed to receiving prolonged glances from strangers, but always attributed it to her manner of dress. She had been focused on the art all morning, but since the incident in the bathroom she had become conscious of people stealing glances at her and William. In fact, she was noticing all the looks William got from not only women, but men as well. 

She mentioned it to William, "Are you used to turning so many heads, William?" 

He laughed and said, "I am not, but I am also not used to being in the company of such a striking woman." 

"Oh, it's not just me William. Women check you out, and men do too." 

William looked surprised and said, "Well...I don't wish to argue with you Tracy, but I don't have this effect when I am alone." 

Tracy suppressed a grin. William was handsome and well dressed, but she knew he had a presence, the way he moved with confidence. In fact, she found it very disarming. Almost as disarming as the art exhibit they had just entered on erotic art. The exhibit was full of New Yorkers, Tracy observed, confident that she could discern them from the tourists, and it would make sense that they came out to see the new exhibit. Tracy read the placard about the artist Bartholomeus Spranger, and walked around regarding the paintings. She did not spend much time on it and William asked her about it as they left room. 

"Oh, it wasn't really my taste." 

William listened with great interest, "Go on." 

"Well, the art itself was fine, but the subject matter was not very erotic, or at least not to my taste." 

William remained silent, inviting her to continue. 

"I didn't care for how the males were portrayed as either beast or demons. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, but I just don't find a man with hairy animal legs or devil horns sexy. It was all symbolism anyway, but it is funny how they attach the work 'erotic' to an exhibit and it draws crowd." 

William laughed, and Tracy spoke again, "I mean I am not a prude or anything. I love erotic art, but I'm on a different wavelength than old 'Bartholomeaus Spranger." 

"And what would be more to your liking, Tracy." 

Tracy thought for a second and said, "Well, I love paintings, but when it comes to erotic art, I think I actually prefer photography. You know; tasteful black and white photos of real people. I actually have a collection." 

"I would love to see it," William said a little too quickly and regretted his eagerness. 

Tracy grinned coyly and said, "Well, yes. I think it might be more revealing of my taste than my writing. What I write is not autobiographical, you know." 

"Of course." 

Tracy's expression changed and she looked in thought for a second before saying, "I hope you were not expecting me to be a Dominatrix!" She laughed, and then added, "Or a hooker. Sorry, I guess that was ridiculous, but some might assume I was writing from personal experience." 

"Tracy," William said calmly and assuredly, "I understand that your writing is fiction. I did not assume it reflects on your taste or experience. " 

"Well...maybe parts of it," Tracy whispered. 

William smiled and did not feel a need to answer. Why interrupt a woman while she is talking about sex? Then a dark cloud passed over his face as he saw Melissa staring from across the room. 

"Would you mind if we step outside for moment?" 

"I think that is a great idea. My retinas are exhausted," Tracy laughed. 

William led Tracy to the Astor Court, an area of the museum he found especially tranquil. They sat down and William told Tracy what he knew of the courtyard, how it was modeled after the Garden of the Master of Fishing Nets in Suzhou. Tracy listened and enjoyed the opportunity to study William as he spoke of something in his area of expertise. She looked at his piercing eyes. They were brown, dark brown, so how was it that she considered them piercing? Wasn't that a term applied to blue eyes? Perhaps it was his expressions, his focus that made him so handsome. Of course there were those lips...then something caught William's eye and his expression changed to irritation. 

"It is the dishonesty of intentions that irritates me the most. Let me introduce you to Melissa and acknowledge her presence." William stood and walked over to a mousy looking woman who was looking at her phone and feigned surprise when William approached her. She looked at Tracy, then back to William, and then the two of them walked back over to where Tracy was still sitting. Tracy stood and extended her hand as William very formerly introduced them, "Melissa, I would like you to meet Tracy." 

"My pleasure," Tracy lied, but acted polite. Melissa had shoulder length brown hair that was parted in the middle, and an attractive if plain face. She was dressed in varying shades of beige, Tracy noted. 

"Nice to meet you, I work with William at the library." 

"Are you enjoying your visit today?" 

"Oh, yes," Melissa answered, "I especially enjoyed the Spranger exhibit." She glanced at William. "I found those paintings so ...erotic." 

"Yes, well that is how they are pitched," Tracy replied. "That definitely brought the locals out today." She stole a glance at William who was smirking, "I was fascinated by the historical aspects and the man that commissioned these paintings, the emperor Rudolf II. I would love to see his kunstkammer!" 

William laughed and Melissa looked bewildered, then William said, "Well Melissa, enjoy your visit. Tracy and I have another engagement to attend." 

Tracy actually felt sorry for the woman as they walked away. She obviously had it bad for William, and she certainly could not blame her, so she told William so when they were far enough out of hearing range. William stopped walking and placed both hands on Tracy's shoulders, "Don't. She is a complete twit and not to be trusted. People like that cannot be encouraged." 

"Okay," she looked at William who was staring at her lips again. She thought she knew what was coming, but instead he put his forehead to hers instead and whispered, "I would really love to see your kunstkammer," and they both laughed. 

Tracy suggested they see the Kadinsky paintings, since that too was a temporary exhibit. She tried to take in the art, but William was becoming a major distraction. Just his presence was unsettling enough, for there seem to be an electric charge between them, but when William allowed his arm to brush up against hers, Tracy felt overcome by the warm sensation. Is this chemistry or lust? She wondered. What is it about this man that has me completely out of my mind? Sure he is handsome, but I have dated handsome men before. No, this is definitely some type of energy he is putting out. Either that, or he has cast a spell on me. 

An older woman said hello to William and he introduced her as "Mrs. Merkel, a patron of the library, and a voracious reader." Mrs. Merkel smiled at Tracy and called them a lovely couple. "Well, we must be on our way. We have another engagement," And they said goodbye. 

They had been at the library several hours and Tracy asked, "William, what is this 'other engagement'? Were you just trying to get away from those women? 

"Tracy I hope you have not made any other plans for today." 

"No, I haven't." 

"Good. While I may have had my fill of museums for today, I am nowhere close to being ready to part ways with you. In fact, I took the liberty of making dinner plans for us this evening." 

"Really? Am I dressed appropriately? It's still early." Tracy wasn't used to relinquishing control. 

"Do you trust me Tracy?" 

"Of course," she answered without hesitation. William guided her outside, his hand gently on the small of her back that caused a yearning sensation and almost interfered with her ability to walk. He opened the door to a waiting cab and took Tracy's hand to guide her inside, then slid in beside her and gave the driver an address in Harlem. They sat closer in the cab this time, and William casually placed a hand on Tracy's knee as he looked out the window in the other direction. It gave her an opportunity to study his profile; his beard was very short, just a sliver beyond stubble, so she could see his jawline. 

"Where are we going for dinner?" She asked for the second time. 

"My place," William answered, "I am cooking." 

Tracy swallowed. Yes, she trusted William. But did she trust herself?

*****

Thank you very much for reading this story. Like Tracy, I am a rookie and hopeful that people will enjoy what I have written. There are six more chapters. They are all complete and will post daily. I appreciate any comment, vote, or email I receive and will respond to emails if asked.  -DB



Flower Girl Ch. 04



A case of nerves combined with sexual tension settled upon Tracy as the cab pulled up in front of an industrial building that had been converted to residential lofts. William put his hand on the Tracy's back and guided the way, even though it was obvious which way to go. 

As he led the way to the front door, it was now Tracy's turn to curious about William's living space. She had a few of her own hang-ups, but they mostly had to do with taste. On the ride up the elevator, she prepared herself for the worst. She didn't think William could not possibly be a slob, but what if his home was cliché or gauche? She once met a man she really liked until she saw his apartment which was overly decorated in a Goth manner that resembled a Hollywood set. She smiled at the memory of the tacky apartment, and William, not knowing the reason for her smile did not respond. He was not one to fill in silences; to him they were just another part of the conversation.

When he opened the door to his apartment and held it open for Tracy, she entered and almost teased him by speaking her assessment out loud as he had done earlier that morning. Instead she simply stated, "Very nice place, William. Not what I expected at all."

"Oh?"

"Well, no. If asked to predict what your apartment would look like, I would have guessed very modern. Sleek. Minimalism. Your home has a very comfortable and warm feel." 

"Why thank you Tracy. I admit I do not have your way with color, but I do feel very comfortable here. " 

William took her purse and sweater and put them on the table, "What can I get you to drink? Wine?"

"That would be really nice, thank you." 

"Red or White?"

"Red. Do you mind if I check my email? I want to see how the girls did today at work."

"Of course not. You may use my computer if you wish."

"Oh, that's okay. It'll be faster on my phone."

"Then you won't mind if I do some quick reading?"

"Of course not," Tracy smiled. She wondered if William would always remain so gracious and polite, or if he was merely trying to impress her.

She surprised William by lying on his couch with her feet propped up on the arm. He was pleased that she felt relaxed enough to do so, and the sight of her crossed ankles was titillating. He picked up the stack of papers from his desk and sat on the chair perpendicular to Tracy.

"Oh, I didn't mean to hog your whole couch. Please, sit here," Tracy said as she kicked off her shoes and bent her legs, turning on her side to make room. William was tickled by how feline she seemed, how comfortable in her own body. And she looked incredibly sexy on her side. The position made her hip curve out and her bent legs made an 'S' shape leading down to her gorgeous ankles. 

He fought the urge to tell her how beautiful she looked on his couch. He felt he had already revealed too much and he was somewhat rattled by the intensity of feeling he was having towards her in such a short time. So, instead he sat down at the end of the couch and stared at the papers in his hands, but he was not reading, he was thinking. He realized most people are not accustomed to a person saying, "Excuse me for a moment, I would like to think and not talk. I will join you again shortly." But that is exactly what he wanted to do. 

Tracy sent a text to Rachel to make sure everything went well at the shop, but she was also using the opportunity to look around William's apartment. It was tidy and masculine, not overly decorated but with a few pieces of quality furniture. It was decent sized, but the high ceiling made it feel larger. The loft was one narrow rectangular room, so from the couch Tracy could see everything except the bathroom. She could see where he sat, where he ate, and where he slept. The bed was covered in a simple white comforter and pushed up against a brick wall that was painted a dark color with a few areas of red brick showing through where paint had rubbed off. Wood floors contributed to the warm masculine feel, and the neat kitchen with an island for eating made it seem homey. A desk perpendicular to the couch divided the living and sleeping areas.

"Where are all your books, William?"

William looked up from his papers and said, "Excuse me?"

"I assumed you would have a lot of books?"

"I would if I allowed myself to," William laughed. "I refrain from buying or saving books, although I still have a large collection at my parent's house. I do have a few here, but I keep them in the closet."

"Tell me about them."

"My books or my parents?"

Tracy laughed and said, "Parents."

William said, "Oh, well my book collection is much more interesting."

"Oh William! That's mean! Are your parents boring?"

"Ah, I wouldn't say that, but there is not much to tell. My father is a structural engineer, self-employed so he works from home. My mother was a stay-at-home mom. I have an older sister who remained in St. Charles and I will probably see them all for Thanksgiving. Oh, and my sister is married, with a two-year-old boy and another on the way."

"Are you close with any of them?"

"I would say my sister and I are very close. We don't talk very often, but we have a strong bond and understand each other."

Tracy sensed that he was not that keen to talk about his family, so she asked, "May I ask what you are reading?'

"Oh, just a little something by Cami Wright." 

"What? You can't read me when I'm sitting right here!"

"Why not?"

Tracy pouted and kicked him gently with her foot because she could not come up with a good reason, other than it made her feel self-conscious.

"So this pen name?" William asked, "A flower - a Camellia - and the homonym for 'Write'?"

"Oh my god," Tracy moaned, "I am so obvious!"

William laughed and assured her, "Most people don't overthink it. I was actually concerned that you would see through my pseudonym when I ordered your flowers."

"Mr. Reed Moore? Oh my god, William, I didn't! Not until I just said it aloud," Tracy laughed.

"Yes, well that is what I mean. Our eyes skip things over in print that we are more likely to catch if spoken aloud."

"Well, Mr. Reed Moore, I am going to let you get back to it and I am going to answer a few emails." Tracy grinned and actually sent a text to Beth that read "On William's couch, trying so hard not to jump his bones. He is irresistible!"

With no work drama, an empty wine glass she did not wish to refill too quickly, and William focused on reading, she decided to rest her eyes for a moment. 

Andy was completely out of money and unable to see Vera that week. He hated to lie to her, but he told her he was sick, afraid if she knew he had money problems she might give his spot to someone else. He did feel sick at the thought that he would not see her for another week. And then he had to make some tough choices, things like keeping the phone turned on and eating, or seeing Vera. 

She was incredibly sweet on the phone, telling him to get well and come see her next week, and that she was actually going to miss him. She even kept him on the phone for a while, telling him about taking her brother to the doctor and finding out he had developed a kidney stone.

Andy was working at his lousy new job with part-time hours that did not make him any more money than he would make sitting at home collecting unemployment. He still spent his days off looking for work, and hoped that his new employer might offer him more hours, but one of the other part-timers informed him that they never would. They would rather have two part-timers do one job and not have to pay out any benefits. Of course, Andy saw that fact himself, since he was hired to do payroll. Almost three hundred people were on the payroll, and two-thirds of them were part-time. Then Andy had an idea. What if he added someone to the payroll? Like Joe from his previous job. This company was so big and the boss was hardly ever here, so he wouldn't notice "Joseph Klien" added to the payroll. One more employee wouldn't raise any red flags. And he could get Joe to split the money with him. 

William rose and went into the restroom. He returned wearing a white t-shirt and jeans and for the first time, Tracy could really see the shape of his body, his toned chest and slim abdomen. Seeing that her eyes were opened, he said, "Hey gorgeous, I meant to ask if you are vegan?" 

"Nope. A very hungry omnivore," Tracy stood and walked over to the counter and to watch as William placed garlic, onions, spinach and oranges on the counter.

"You cook!" Tracy exclaimed, with a fretful expression.

William stared at her, not sure what she meant, and she tried to explain, "You actually cook, William! That is after looking at art all day and reading my writing and buying me flowers, and...and...you were dressed so nice and now you look totally fucking hot in a t-shirt and jeans and now you're cooking for me William! Don't you get it William? You're scaring the hell out of me!"

A dark cloud crossed over William's face as he realized he had come on too strong, but then he approached her and took her elbows in his hands and tried to put things back in perspective. "After you have a chance to eat, you will see that my cooking is not that impressive and neither am I."

"Pffft, yeah right," Tracy said, although his diffidence lightened her mood.

"Oh it's true Tracy. I am a complete ass. I even snuck a peak under your dress while you were on my couch. Very sexy panties you have on."

"Liar! I don't even wear underwear," she teased back at him.

William still had his hands on her elbows, but at that comment his eyes narrowed and he quickly dropped a hand that went under her dress to feel her butt.

"Who's the liar!" he exclaimed, smacking her ass after feeling her panties, then scooted away before she could get a smack back to nonchalantly ask her if she would like a glass of wine while she helped him cook. He had a proud little smirk on his face. Tracy stood stunned with her mouth open and shook her head. It all happened so fast, and then he darted away so quickly—oh, he exasperated her.

William started peeling garlic and then chopping onions before he asked Tracy, "Would you boil some water? The pot is right there," he gestured to the counter top. He didn't really need her help, but he liked working together in the kitchen rather than just being watched. He was thinking about what she said about how the day was too perfect and he was feeling self-conscious about perhaps coming on too strong, but he found cooking very relaxing and was surprised at how comfortable he felt in her presence. 

Tracy started the water before excusing herself to the bathroom. William thought about the other thing she said; the fact that she called him fucking hot in his t-shirt. He smiled, pleased to hear this because his attraction to her was overwhelming. Everything was going far better than he expected, he was comfortable, yet intensely turned on too. There was ease coupled with tension and this was making him feel hyper-sexual. Almost everything she did oozed sexual connotation, but he wondered if it could be just his perception.

"Wow, you have a full sized bath tub!" Tracy exclaimed when she returned. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are?"

"Yes? Well I don't use it much. I mostly shower."

"Oh my god, I would use it every day. You didn't see mine, but it is so short I can't even stretch my legs out all of the way. I would love to stretch out in the warm water. "

"Well Tracy, you are more than welcome to use my bathtub."

Tracy blushed because she wasn't sure if he meant right now, tonight, or anytime. She did kind of put him on the spot and she regretted it. In fact, the thought crossed her mind that now that she was in his apartment, how would she know it is time to leave? She did not want to leave, but worse was the thought that she might overstay her welcome. Would William be too polite to say the date was over? William asked Tracy to drain the pasta, and he set the small table for two.

"More wine Tracy?"

Tracy was conscious of how much wine she consumed. It had only been one glass so far, so she answered, "Yes, that would be nice." 

William poured two glasses and served two plates of pasta. "This looks and smells fantastic! I didn't realize how hungry I had become."

William smiled at her and started eating. He had prepared pasta with chicken, spinach, garlic, onions, garnished with diced oranges. He did not ask her preference, other than to confirm she did not object to eating meat which he could have left out. 

"Wow, you're a really good cook," Tracy commented between bites. 

William was extremely pleased, not by her compliment, but by her appetite, and she laughed when he told her so. 

"Well yes, I do like to eat."

"My sister suffered from an eating disorder, and I find your appetite extremely refreshing."

"Really? Well yes, I do eat just about anything. Except olives and bivalves."

William laughed and said, "I think that was the influence of your Biology-teacher mother. Most people would simply say 'shell fish'."

"Yes, but that would be misleading, since I love shrimp and lobster. It is the texture of bivalves that I don't like," she said, as she ate the last morsel on her plate. 

"Do you want more?"

Tracy laughed and reminded him, "You said you wanted to hear me say 'more', Mr. Moore."

"Actually, I want to hear you moan it in my ear."

Tracy laughed and leaned over the table. She put her hand on the back of William's neck, pulled him closer and quietly moaned into his ear, "Mmmmmmmore, please."

She backed up and flashed a sexy smile, but William was not smiling. He wore an intense predatory expression that made her shiver, and then he stood and came to her side of the table and pulled her up to standing. He took off her glasses and placed them on the table, pulling her close with one arm and while he used the other hand to lightly touch her face, tracing the orbitals of her eyes, the place where her glasses had just been. He traced over her eyebrow, down around her eye, across her cheek bone, then slowly to her bottom lip, focusing on his fingers the entire time, as if he was studying and memorizing her face. 

Her hands gently rested on his shoulders and felt she might pass out from anticipation. His patience was driving her mad for she had never wanted to be kissed by anyone this much, ever. Yet she half expected him to pull away, for he seemed to love teasing her. His thumb gently rubbed her bottom lip as he studied her mouth. She wanted to bite that thumb and devour him, but she waited patiently until he looked her in the eyes, then back to her lips like he just came back from somewhere else in his mind. His eyes closed. 

She felt weak in the knees and thought she might fall if it weren't for his firm grip around her waist, and then she felt it; the gentle touch of lips. She willed him not pull away again, not to tease her or torture her any longer. He didn't pull away. With his hand still on her face, his lips parted and his tongue came out to invite hers out to meet. She greeted his tongue gently with hers, and they both retreated back to their own mouths, but then came out to meet again, gingerly, softly rubbing into each other, then becoming more daring, circling and caressing each other. The kiss grew in passion and intensity as his hand slid down to her bottom and pulled her in closer. She completely lost herself in the kiss, giving in to desire, unconscious of any urge to regain composure. 

William released her and backed up to look at her face. She was panting, and flushed, with a fire in her eyes. His lust matched hers, but he took a deep breath before stepping back towards her. He placed both hands on the sides of her face, met her forehead with his and remained there for a moment, foreheads united and both looking at the ground. Her hands found his waistband and pulled him in close, creating full body contact. "Fuck, William," she whispered.

"I know," he whispered back, "that...was...intense."

Tracy allowed her hands to wander up his back, underneath his t-shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin. William's hand slid up her leg and massaged the back of her thigh as his mouth found her neck.

"William?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Can I take a bath?"

William laughed and said, "Of course you can." He kissed her near her temple and held on to her for a moment, before releasing her and saying, "Of course you can take a bath Tracy. I'll get you everything you need."

As he turned to go to the bathroom and Tracy watched him. She felt like a wild cat wanting to pounce, but she needed to catch her breath and gather her senses. William started the water, and then went to the closet, back to the bathroom again, and then he came out and approached her. She had not moved from that spot. He took her hand and walked her into the bathroom where the tub was full of water and burning candles glowed. 

"I'm sorry I don't have any bubble bath."

"Oh, I don't need it. It dries out my skin anyway."

"Well, here are some towels, one of my t-shirts if you want it. Or my robe is hanging here on the back of the door, in case you don't want to put your dress back on."

"Thank you," she said. She was staring straight ahead.

"Are you okay, Tracy?"

"Fuck yes," she said in a dead pan voice.

William laughed and left her to bathe.

Tracy wanted to be alone with her thoughts for a moment and this gave her the chance. She undressed and sat down in the warm water to have a talk with herself, but she imagined she was talking to Beth about how her "three date rule" didn't apply in this situation. The average date is three to four hours and we have been together for nearly twelve hours, so that is equivalent to three dates, she reasoned. But it wasn't just that. She wanted William. She wanted him more than anyone she had ever wanted before. But she didn't want to just have sex with him. She was feeling things she couldn't sort out in her own mind, things that conflicted with her idea of herself as a feminist. She wanted to offer herself to him and let him have his way with her. It did not feel wrong. Going home felt wrong, felt very wrong, in spite of her self-imposed rules for dating. But this wasn't dating; this was experiencing passion at a level she had only dreamt off. She remembered her grandmother telling her to test the soil, but she also remembered her saying don't fuck up a free lunch. Tracy made a conscious decision to tune out her catholic-girl mind; it was not invited to this party. Tracy was going to listen to her body, not her head.

She stood and dried herself off, but did not put her clothes back on. She did not put on William's robe or his t-shirt. She walked out of the bathroom with just a towel covering the front of her body.

William sat on the couch with a reading lamp on and a book in his hands, classical music playing softly in the background.

"William."

He looked up and saw her standing nude but holding a towel.

"I thought I would show you my tattoos."

William smiled a very sexy grin and put the book down. "Show me."

She kept eye contact and walked to where he was sitting, "Well, you've seen the flowers on my arm. This one hanging in front of my shoulder is wisteria," she purred, moving the towel over to reveal the outer curve of her breast, but not her nipple. "And this pink one," she said, lifting her arm, "Ranunculus." William traced the flower with his finger very lightly and repeated, "Ranunculus."

The flowers that followed the outer curve of her breast were different daisies, then under her breast, "Roses, of course," moving the towel over further but still covering most of her front side. "Of course," William echoed, still admiring the flowers and tracing them with his finger. "Peony, poppy, petunia," Tracy recited as he leaned forward and to gently kiss the three p's that wrapped from the front to the back. She turned so that her side was presented to him. "Lily, jasmine, tulip," she went on as he kissed each one slowly. 




Flower Girl Ch. 04



"Gardenia, um, camellia," Tracy panted through ragged breath and turned completely as his lips paused at the pink camellia, then he backed up to look where he had just kissed. She shivered before continuing the tour that now had him at the back of her hip and there was only one more; a round, dark flower. "And dahlia. The Arabian dahlia." Tracy was now standing with her back to William, her entire backside bare for him to view. He touched the Arabian dahlia at the top of her butt cheek and traced a circle around it with his forefinger. It was a very dark purple, with a touch of yellow and lime green highlights. William gently kissed the dahlia, and then backed up to look at Tracy's beautiful long body, and the display of artful flowers. 

"Absolutely stunning. I now have a second favorite flower," William said.

"The Dahlia?" Tracy whispered. "Then what is your favorite?"

William put his hands on her hips and turned her around. He gently pulled her by the arm so that she was on the couch, then leaned over and kissed her mouth passionately, pushing her on to her back. The towel was still between them, but then William sat back up and lifted it and tossed it aside. A split second of self-consciousness passed over her, as she was lying nude on the couch while William was still dressed, but the adoring look in his eyes erased any feeling of awkwardness. She felt beautiful under his gaze. 

William looked down at the narrow trimmed strip of hair that led between her legs and allowed his fingers to drag from the side of her body, over her hip down to the apex between her legs. "This is my favorite flower," he whispered as his fingers gently traced the hair down. His hand continued to move down past her sex, down her thigh to her knee. He stopped and wrapped a hand around her ankle and pulled it up towards them, causing her knee to bend. "I'm so pleased you didn't remove this piece of jewelry. It has been driving me out of my mind all day long," he said. He closed the gap between his mouth and her ankle.

Tracy shuddered. His patience was completely disarming. Just when she thought he would move in a linear fashion, he completely caught her off guard and did something unexpected. He was driving her mad as he continued to kiss around her ankle, and then very slowly kissed his way down the inside of her calf. She watched in amazement, in awe of his patience. He paused when he reached her knee and looked up at her expectant face, then smiling, drew back to admire her body, her pale skin, the little strip of hair, and the breasts she probably considered too small but he thought were perfect. Dark little nipples begged for his attention, as her chest rose and fell with each breath. Her long graceful neck led up to a defiant little chin. And those lips. Those moist, full, heart shaped lips that were parted. Her lids were heavy and she stared at him with hunger as William pulled his shirt off and watched her eyes narrow even more. 

He moved his gaze between her legs and began to gently tickle the highest point of her inner thighs, and then traced her lips with his fingertips, noting her wetness. He began to play with her, to explore the folds, first with his fingers, then with his mouth. He kissed around, and then licked her, a long slow lick from bottom to top. He heard her gasp as he increased the firmness of his licks, then he slowed and inserted a finger into her tight wet hole. "Mmmmmm." It was he that moaned as he slid his finger back out and inserted a second digit. He watched his fingers disappear inside her, then slide out wet. She was slick and hot and as much as he wanted to be inside of her, he was completely mesmerized by her body and wanted to know her completely, like an explorer finally on the shores of a beautiful beach, knowing there was a whole island to explore, but content to enjoy the feel of sand in his toes, or pussy on his lips.

He began light licks around her clit, and then paused long enough to look up at her and saw that her eyes were still open and she wore an expression of amazement. He had to kiss her.

William stood up and unbuttoned his jeans which had become incredibly uncomfortable and watched Tracy's reaction as he stepped out of his pants. She bit her lip and her fists were clenched as if she were trying to restrain herself. He returned to his knees between her legs and leaned over to kiss her. He did not linger at her mouth, instead he went down to her neck to kiss her more, while putting his hand back between her legs and rubbing the front of her mound with his palm. Two fingers found a spot on her inner wall that caused her to pant in his ear. Then he slowed. He heard her whisper "more," but he maintained his slow pace and brought his mouth down to her pert nipple and sucked firmly. Hearing "more" again, he increased his tempo and pressure very slightly. Ah, how he loved her body, not only for how it looked, but for how she responded to his touch. He knew he could easily make her cum, but he wanted to play with her longer. "More," she whispered again, and William whispered, "Patience, Kitten." 

"You're driving me crazy!" she moaned. William smiled with a nipple between his teeth, for this was exactly what he wanted; to drive her to the very edge of insanity and then catch her before she plummeted over the side. "Please," she whimpered. Her voice moved him so that he gave her what he had already learned she loved; firm rhythmic nipple sucking, two fingers moving inside, lying on top of her and applying pressure to her clit with his palm until she cried out and squeezed her legs around his hand, grabbed his wrist, pulled his hair and jolted several times. His fingers felt her clamp down over and over and her pleasure brought him more satisfaction than he anticipated. As the twitching ceased, she made a sound like a feline growl, then shuddered, and held him close as her breathing gradually returned to normal.

Overcome with emotion and vulnerability in her post-orgasmic state, Tracy remained quiet. The combination of feelings and emotions were so contrary that she didn't trust herself to speak. She felt satiated and turned on at the same time. And completely naked, as she was. William just made her cum with his hand and she was embarrassed to admit, no one else had ever done that to her before. She was used to being the one in power, the sexy one, the seductress, but it was obvious that William had more sexual experience than her and it made her feel very insecure.

And here he was lying next to her, stroking her skin gently, like he doesn't even need to cum himself? Yet she could feel his hardness pushing into her thigh at that moment and had even noticed a wet spot of precum. How was he so cool and reserved? She remembered what her Nana had said, "Interested without urgency." William was unlike any man she had ever known.

"Is it obvious how much I adore your body?" he asked.

"Yes and no. You scare me, William."

William felt disappointed. He had come on too strong and she was getting cold feet is what he thought, so he apologized, "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Tracy."

"Uncomfortable? Are you fucking kidding me? You just made me cum and ...I feel really embarrassed right now."

William quickly propped up on his elbow to look at her and say, "Why? Why would you feel embarrassed by that?"

"I don't know," Tracy spoke slowly. "I lost control. I am not used to that. I feel like the less experienced person here and ...it scares me. If you can make me feel that intense...well, it makes me feel like you have a lot of power over me."

William laughed in a reassuring way and said, "Tracy, do you remember when I first met you at the library? How I stuttered and stammered and could not get my words out?"

"Yes,"

"Well you scare the hell out of me too. And you are not a scary person, but ... I knew I was meeting someone extraordinary and I didn't know if I was ready. But as I got to know you I was completely drawn in by how warm and genuine you are. I could not pass up the chance to know you. I am very attracted to you, you must know that."

"Yes, but you were attracted by my writing too. It must have given the impression that I have a lot of sexual experience?"

"No, it didn't actually. Your writing reveals a charming level of naiveté."

"What!?!"

William laughed and said, "Don't be offended. You write a forty-three year old hooker beautifully, but not as one who has been tarnished by the experience. And your exploration of BSDM does not make you sound phony, but curious. What your writing does reveal is that you are a playful, curious, and passionate woman. You are not judgmental, but you believe sex is a very bonding experience. Both of your hookers form strong connections with one john in particular. That says quite a lot about you."

"Wow," Tracy conceded, "you really know how to read between the lines."

"Yes. And so I was not worried about being able to satisfy you physically, if you could let yourself relax with me, and you have. I have been so incredibly aroused by you all day. You have had such a confidence around me that is an incredible turn on. Do you know some people find me intimidating?"

Tracy laughed and said, "Nooooo," in mock tone.

"Well I'm sure you hear it too. Yet I feel very comfortable around you, aside from having to hide my hard on throughout the day."

"Really?" Tracy smiled, "I got you hard at the museum? I wish I would have known that!" Her demeanor had changed and she was sitting up, with a playful sparkle in her eyes.

"Oh really, why?"

"Because I would have loved to make it even harder," she whispered and began kissing William's beard. "I would have rubbed my ass into you every chance I got. And then I would have pulled you into a doorway where no one was looking and stroked you through your pants like this."

"Really? Like that?"

William then surrendered his body to Tracy, and allowed himself to be her plaything as she explored his chest with her mouth while stroking his cock gently, and when her mouth paused at his nipple, his cock twitched which she took as an invitation to play with his nipples. William placed a hand firmly on the back of her head as he realized she was getting turned on by playing with his nipples. She sucked firmly and tightened her grip around his cock. Her mouth rose to find his and her bare chest rubbed into his, gentle nipple rubbing on nipple that sent a current down to his cock and caused it to twitch. She kissed him over and over, and stroked his cock for so long that he had just accepted this was as far as she was willing to take it, when she suddenly stood up and asked, "Can we move this party to the bed?"

"Of course," William said as he followed her, and then she stood next to the bed and gestured with her hand for him to lie down. As he lay down on his back, Tracy crawled on her hands and knees up to him in a way that confirmed his feline impression and pretended she was about to kiss him, but didn't. She stopped right in front of his mouth, then with full eye contact, crawled back until her mouth was right above his very hard cock. He felt her hot breath on him. Then she licked him.

Tracy was extremely pleased when William shuddered for it gave her confidence that she could bring him such pleasure. And then there was the matter of the gorgeous cock that she now held firmly in her hand. There was a glistening drop of precum on the head, which Tracy greedily lapped up before deftly lowering her mouth on his long shaft. She brought him close to the edge and he was in ecstasy, but would not cum. When he got close, he gently pulled her up for a kiss, and then let her go back down. She tried to emulate his patience, but realized he was the master of self-control. 

"Don't you want to come?" she asked after the third kiss-full interruption.

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes!"

"In your mouth?"

Tracy paused and looked at him and said, "Yes please."

"Okay Kitten, but you must understand that I have a two-to-one policy." 

"You can explain that later," Tracy replied, and then gave one of her sexy smiles as she lowered herself back down. This this time William gently held her jaw and guided himself in and out of her mouth, marveling at how beautiful she could look even in this position, and how erotic her lips looked and felt. He let himself go this time, allowing himself to plunge over the edge of ecstasy. His cock throbbed in her hand and she squeezed firmer as his orgasm rippled out of him and surged into her mouth. She did not back off and milked every drop from his shaft, marveling that he was still semi-hard. Only when she was sure that she had every drop did she raise her mouth and smiled at his cock rather than his face.

She crawled up the bed and faced him, obviously very pleased with herself. "Thank you," she said, grinning. 

"Thank me?" William laughed.

"Yes, for relaxing with me and letting me be the sexy one, although you were obviously very much in control."

William laughed shook his head, "You are too much, Tracy. You are always the sexy one."

Tracy placed her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head. They were quiet for a moment, then Tracy said, "I really enjoy being with you William." She was running her hand over his chest, marveling at what a fantastic body he had. Long, lean, muscular, with just the right amount of hair trickling down his chest and becoming a row down the center of his abdomen. "You are not what I expected at all."

"Oh?"

"Yes, well...you came across as so intellectual, yet you are so sweet and easy to be with. You excite me and calm me down at the same time. This day has been incredible."

William was quiet and Tracy wondered if she said something wrong. After a few moments of silence, she looked him in the face and gave him and inquisitive look. "Don't go home!" He blurted out, looking momentarily vulnerable. 

Tracy smiled reassuringly, "I wasn't planning on it! I want to spend the night with you!"

"Good. I got worried that you were thinking of leaving and I still need to teach you about the two-to-one ratio," William laughed and pulled her on top of him. "The gentleman code, making double sure your woman is satisfied."

Tracy's eyes got big as she realized what he meant and her lips curled up in a sexy expectant smile. 

"I need your cooperation," he said. "I need you to crawl up here and sit on my face."

"What!"

"You heard me Kitten, get up here. I've been thinking about this all day."

"You have? All day? At the museum?"

"Yes, except when I was thinking about biting your ankles."

A low sexy laugh escaped her lips, "Oh my god, William. Wow. You are blowing my mind. How could I say no to you?"

"Don't. Get up here."

Tracy let out a sigh and kissed him first, and then, still feeling self-conscious, crawled up over his face but did not lower herself. William admired the view and used his fingers to explore her until Tracy could no longer hold out and lowered herself down on his mouth and from that angle she could feel his beard on her inner thighs, something she had already fantasized about several times. William had a hand on her butt and was licking her and then gently sucking on her clit in a slow rhythmic manner until Tracy said, "oh my god, William," and it didn't take long until she once again lost control and threw her head back as she clutched her own breast and William pulled her down by the hips and tasted her increased wetness, his own cock very much awake again as he stroked himself to the rhythm of her pulsating muscle contractions until they subsided and she lifted her leg over him and giggled.

Lying on her back, looking at the ceiling, Tracy panted, "Oh my." He was looking innocent except for his shiny beard and that made her laugh, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Pretty much whatever you want," he admitted.

He pulled her close and they both giggled into the others' necks in blissful contentedness, speaking in whisper tones, and laughing before finally settling into a comfortable silence.

William remained on his side looking at Tracy as she rolled on to her back and stared at the ceiling. He could not believe his good fortune. Of course he had wondered what she would be like, but she exceeded his imagination and was full of surprises too. She looked so confident and in control, strutting through the library in her red boots with attitude for days. But it was this side, this playful, sweet, affectionate kitten-quality that was melting his heart. And turning him on. 

His gaze followed his hand as he stroked her pale skin, gliding down the trail of flowers. He admired her long legs and wished for a moment she had not tattooed her thigh. It was different than the flowers in that it almost seemed like a sticker placed on her upper right thigh, where the flowers followed her curves. At least it wasn't too big, but what a shame to alter these beautiful legs in any way. He ran his finger along that tattoo, marveling that he could feel it, like a scar. Then he admired her breasts, and allowed his fingers to trail each, circling her areola, watching it change shape in reaction to his touch. Tracy turned on her head and looked at him with a shy grin, as she let her own hand wander. 

She looked like she was about to say something, so William kissed her in recognition of her tendency to get to cerebral when the situation did not call for it. Her expression was revealing, but after a sweet gentle kiss, it changed from affection to lust. If there was any doubt or if the look on her face had been misleading, the action of her hand grasping his hardness would have made it clear. She stroked him with a ferocity that implied intention, and he knew that she wanted him.

Rather than interrupt the moment with a discussion, William simply reached into the nightstand to retrieve a condom, and heard her let out a little whimper. It almost made William want to draw this out even longer, but in truth, he was also very anxious to be inside her. After rolling the condom onto himself, he rolled over on top of Tracy. It was time. She looked up at him expectantly as he positioned himself between her legs and placed himself at her entrance, and then paused before entering her with one very slow but complete stroke that caused her to make a sound that was half giggle, half growl. Gently stroking her face with his beard, he pulled out almost completely before sliding into her again. Tracy gasped and wrapped her legs around him.

William felt overwhelmed at just how amazing she felt. He had entered a warm and tight cocoon and enjoyed the sensation of just slowly moving around inside of her, feeling every side with himself, rubbing and stroking her on the inside and reveling in how she responded. Moving with him, hips undulating in response to the tempo he set, they rocked together slowly. William was grateful for the condom, although he usually hated them, there was just enough reduction in sensation to keep him from being overwhelmed, and he wanted to enjoy this coupling with Tracy for a long time. Sliding in and out, gently, he noticed that she was moving more from the bottom. He slowed and kissed her passionately, open mouth, tongues yearning, hands stroking, hips thrusting. Tracy's hands roamed across his back and when he stroked her face, she turned her head and began sucking his fingertips.

This caused William's throbbing cock to twitch in response and Tracy began a sideways movement with her hips. She was sucking on his fingers with increased velocity and bucking her hips now, and William understood she was rubbing her g-spot on the upper base of his cock, so he repositioned himself slightly to provide more pressure. Tracy began moaning, with his fingers still in her mouth, not wanting to let go of his hand, his butt, or his cock which she now squeezed with her pulsating pussy. Her teeth came down on his fingers, just distracting enough but not overly painful, as he felt Tracy climax, and jolt, her back arching as her body became tense. He was hypnotized by the sensation as he felt her orgasm, shudder, and finally relax. But he was not done with her.




Flower Girl Ch. 04



Her climax caused him to slow momentarily, and then with her increased wetness and relaxed state, William allowed himself to become temporarily selfish and plunge into her with a strength and force that caused her to squeal. He drove into her at a rate that drove him to the very edge of climax, and then he slowed again.

Tracy looked at him with big eyes and he knew she had not experienced this level of control from a lover before, and it made him want to please her even more. He pulled all the way out of her and turned her over. Tracy made a tiny squeal noise again, barely discernable, but was grinning as she was all too compliant, pulling up her knees with her chest still on the bed, presenting her precious pussy to him from behind. He could have cum at that moment, with his dick in his own hand, seeing Tracy on her knees like that. But he entered her again and she felt so tight he was overcome, but so was she. The little minx was already wiggling back into him and pulsating on the inside so that when he felt her cum again, he allowed himself to completely release and ride out his very long orgasm inside of her, spurting again, and again, and again, until he felt the last pulse of cum leaving his body. He still had his hand on her hip, but very carefully pulled out, keeping one hand on the condom, and removed it before collapsing on the bed next to her. 

Tracy was on her stomach, looking at William in amazement. He smiled at her, and then pushed her on her side to hug and hold her from behind. He kissed her shoulder and wanted to say something about how he felt, but did not want to overwhelm her, so he gently stroked her arm, while staying in contact with the entire back side of her body. 

"This is the best first date ever," she said, almost as if thinking aloud.

"The best ever," William agreed. 

She brought his hand under his arm and to her mouth and kissed it. "Sorry I bit you."

William laughed, "It's perfectly okay, Kitten. You were in the throes of passion." He nuzzled his nose into the back of her hair. "And so was I." He kissed her neck again, and she relaxed into his arms but felt too wound up to go to sleep, but also self-conscious about talking too much, especially after sex, so it surprised her when William asked, "Will you tell me about this ex-boyfriend? The one who lacked appreciation for beautiful works of art?" 

Tracy laughed and said, "Oh, that was Kevin. We were together for three years. We even lived together for the last two."

"It must have been serious then. What happened?"

"Well," Tracy said, "I met Kevin when I was still in school and things started out great, but we wanted different things out of life. We were good friends and hardly fought, but our relationship lacked passion and, well...the worst thing for me was when I finally decided I wanted to break up, he didn't even put a fight up about it. He just said, 'Okay Tracy, I want you to be happy' and we had the most undramatic break up you can imagine."

"Hmmm," He was running his fingers through her silky hair, "Go on."

"Well, it made me so mad because it was really hard for me to muster up the courage to break up with him and he was so nonchalant about it. I couldn't believe he was so passive about my leaving and it infuriated me that he was okay with it. I mean, why didn't he break up? He was lazy, that's why. The only hard part about disentangling our lives was deciding who would get the cat. I let Kevin keep Hemingway."

"And why did you let Kevin keep the feline Hemingway?"

"I don't know. I guess at the time I did feel guilty that I was the one instigating the break up. Plus, I didn't want to allow him to visit the cat and wonder if he wanted to see me or the cat. I don't know, does that even make sense?"

"Yes. It does."

"I miss Hemingway sometimes."

"And Kevin?"

"Well, sort of, at weird times. I mean, we were good friends more than anything else, but when we broke up we took off in opposite directions. Kind of a rubber band effect, like we had been holding each other back in some way and we shot off in different directions. He went back to playing in a band and partying, I opened up Petals."

"Ah...and since then? Other boyfriends?"

"Well, that was two years ago. I have dated since then. The longest was for four months, but...that didn't work out. What about you?"

"I have had a few long term relationships, a lot of meaningless sex, and for the past year, neither."

"Really?" Tracy rolled over to see his face, "No dates for a year?"

"I've had dates, but no sex for over a year. Until today."

"Wow," Tracy said and her mind was busy processing this. "Why?" 

"I've had a few bad experiences. Stalkers. I don't know why I have attracted a few women with obsessive natures, but I have. My friend John attributes it to my aloof nature, that I am an enigma and I make women crazy."

"Well if you did to them what you just did to me in bed, it is your own damn fault. I think you've made me crazy."

William laughed and said, "One was a woman I dated for a while, the other one I never slept with, therefore, the situation cannot be blamed on my sexual prowess. Besides, what we just experienced was extraordinary for me too. You sparked my desire in a way that borders on excruciating."

Tracy turned her head and grinned at him and said, "So I make you extra sexy, huh?"

"You do. You inspire me." William grinned at her, "In fact, I am getting inspired right now," he said, referring to his hardening member pressing on her back side.

"I can feel that Mr. 'More'. And you are inspiring me in turn." Tracy giggled and rolled on top of him for another sweet, slow, lovemaking session that left her limping to the restroom afterwards, before she came back and flopped on the bed and fell into a deep sleep in William's arms.



Flower Girl Ch. 05



Tracy woke up alone in William's bed. After a brief panic, she saw him on the floor and relaxed. He was kneeling on the rug near the couch, perfectly still with his eyes closed. She was not sure what to make of it in her sleepy state, but then it registered that he was meditating. Tracy rose quietly and tip-toed to the bathroom, and when she returned, he was back in bed. 

"Good morning, Kitten." 

"Hi," she answered, standing halfway between the bathroom and bed wearing William's t-shirt. "You were meditating." 

"Yes. Come here please? I need to kiss you." 

Self-consciously, with a hand over her mouth she answered, "I didn't bring a tooth brush." 

"There are some new toothbrushes under the sink." 

"Really? I'm going to use one, okay?" 

"Hurry back!" 

She turned and went back to the bathroom and opened the cabinet under the sink. Sure enough, there were four identical toothbrushes, four unopened toothpastes, four cans of shaving cream, and four bottles of body wash all lined up in neat rows. She smiled in recognition of the first visible signs of his OCD and felt a strange tug in her heart for him. She brushed quickly and jumped back in to bed. 

William took her in his arms and covered her face with kisses. Then he brushed her bangs back to kiss her forehead and said, "Notice anything weird in my bathroom?" 

Tracy paused before answering, "Yes I did. You have shaving cream, but a very sexy beard. Care to explain?" 

"I shave my neck, smarty." 

"And around your cock," Tracy added. 

"That too," he laughed. Then William's face turned solemn and he said, "The last woman I dated called me Howard Hughes." 

Tracy responded by stroking William's beard, allowing him to go on, "So I called her a cab and never spoke to her again." 

"Wow." Tracy was a bit taken aback; it sounded like a pretty harsh reaction. 

"I wasn't angry. But I knew it would never work between us, and I didn't want to waste my time. It was a cheap shot, neither witty nor insightful. She became unattractive after that." 

Tracy was quiet for a moment before asking, "Will you give me a second chance William? If I ever say anything stupid or thoughtless like that? I mean I wouldn't do it intentionally, but what if I am just not thinking and...well, it makes me nervous that you could change your feelings so quickly." 

"I didn't mean to put you on edge, Tracy, I'm sorry. I should have explained that my feelings for that woman were never very deep. Besides, you have enough sexiness to override a thousand blunders, at least." 

"Oh good," Tracy laughed, "Because I can be a petulant brat at times. I guess I'm really lucky you like my ass so much," she joked, as William caressed her butt cheeks. 

"Yes I do. And if I ever catch you being a petulant brat towards me, I will assume you are craving a spanking." 

"Uh-oh, be careful Mr. More! You may have just sparked a fire in my sassy side!" 

William laughed and grabbed both of Tracy's wrists, pinned them above her head and rolled on top of her. "I can torture you in many ways that would be worse than spanking. Do you know what I would like to do to you?" Tracy waited with anticipation. "I would like to tie you up and lick you until you almost cum. Then stop. Then start again. Then-" 

"William?" 

"Yes?" 

"I have not been a brat at all. Can you please reward me with a nice, lazy, Sunday-morning, proper fucking?" 

"Actually, I plan to do just that," he said, as he nuzzled into her neck, as he held her wrists, and pressed into her leg with his hardness. 

"And William? You really don't need a condom. I have an IUD and I have not been promiscuous either." 

William paused and looked into Tracy's eyes. His gaze turned serious as he said, "I would love nothing more than to cum inside you. But this is binding. If I do, we agree not to sleep with anyone else. If not, I will just grab a condom right now." 

"No condom," Tracy answered without hesitating. 

William grinned, for he was hoping she would say just that. He knew things had progressed much quicker than he had anticipated, but after last night he knew he only wanted Tracy, and the thought of her with someone else filled him with angst. 

* * * * * 

At a sidewalk table outside a bagel shop near William's place, they sat in the sunshine eating bagels and sipping tea and coffee. Tracy's ability to enjoy William's company was restricted by her busy mind; she didn't know when or how to end the date. She didn't want to say goodbye, but she didn't want to seem clingy either. Both had already joked about their extremely long first date, so when William asked what her plans were for the day, she answered that she would be having lunch with her grandmother and casually asked if he would he like to join her. William surprised her by saying 'yes', he was not ready to let her go. 

They agreed to take a cab back to Tracy's place so she could shower and change, but first William wanted to loan Tracy a book they had discussed. He showed her his book collection that was kept inside of his closet. It was large and organized, as she expected, but she observed how his OCD manifested in an obsession with numbers, not just neatness. He was very open about the fact that he had a cap of one hundred books, and before he could add one to the collection, he would need to pull one out and donate it. The same went for his clothing. If he bought a new shirt, he picked one to get rid of. He said it partially due to his abjuration of excess, but Tracy noticed all of his limits were even numbers. 

Tracy found the revelation of his OCD interesting, not creepy. It helped that he was very open with her about it, even revealing that not all women responded with compassion to what he referred to as 'his quirks.' Tracy laughed to herself thinking how mild it was, especially compared to Kevin keeping his alcohol consumption a secret. She mentioned that she thought it showed a great deal of self-discipline, but William corrected her and said it was the opposite. For him, discipline is not trying to control his surroundings, but that he allowed himself a few indulgences in his own home. 

"It's really a good thing you work in a library," she said. 

"It is. I am very comfortable among stacks of books, but challenged by social interactions." 

"That surprises me. You seem extremely socially skilled, yet I'll admit, I didn't know what to make of you at first." 

William laughed and pulled her in closer, as they were now sitting in the back of a cab. "I was intimidated by your intelligence and beauty. And very distracted by your gorgeous legs." 

Tracy laughed into his neck, "Hey, speaking of how we met, how do you know Ray? Just from the library?" 

"Yes. I watched him all winter. He was one of the indigent people looking for warmth, but I took notice of him because he was especially young and I thought, mentally ill. I tried to engage him a few times, but he would not make eye contact and I had given up on ever getting through to him." 

"Wait a minute, are we talking about the same Ray? Ray and Alicia?" 

"Yes of course. But that was before." 

"Before what?" 

"Well I don't know what exactly happened to Ray, but one day he came into the library and asked me to check a book in. I was busy and ignored him, but when I looked up and saw who it was, I was stunned. He looked me in the eye and spoke with confidence. He was well groomed and I was able to discuss several books with him. Since then I have enjoyed talking to him on many occasions, my favorite being the time he told me about a writer-friend who owns a flower shop. In fact, I am feeling extremely grateful to young Ray at this moment." 

"I am too. We should take him and Alicia out sometime." 

They had reached Tracy's apartment and she was anxious to take a shower and change clothes. William had brought an iPad and told Tracy not to worry about him, and that he was behind on his reading. Tracy glanced at the iPad and asked, "So you are not a Luddite. I assumed librarians were opposed to reading from an electronic device." 

"Not at all, I embrace technology. But I admit there are certainly times I prefer to hold a book in my hands. Speaking of which, do you have any more writing that I can see?" 

Tracy smiled, and walked over to the computer and sent him an email before excusing herself to shower. 

Vera opened the door for Andy and saw that he was holding a bouquet of roses. "Andy! How did I get so lucky? You must have missed me last week!" 

Andy nodded and eyed her hungrily. She had no idea how much she was missed, but he showed her with a passionate kiss as he walked her backwards to the couch without ever breaking lip contact. She still held the roses in her hand as he gently pushed her back to sitting, then swiftly removed her sheer black panties and buried his face between her legs. 

"Oh my, Andy! You sure know how to make a girl feel wanted!" 

Andy didn't answer, just dug into her with his entire face and two fingers. Vera relaxed and enjoyed being on the receiving end of such affection, and it did not take long until she was undulating her hips and moaning, "Ah, yes, Andy, that feels really good, oh my god, yes." Andy could tell she was pleased as she had pulled his head with her hand and was intermittently clamping her thighs on his head. Andy loved the sensation, loved the thought that he could bring her so much pleasure and he did not relent when she began warning that she was about to cum. Only after her spasms ceased did he lift his face and say, "Hi Vera," which caused her to laugh and say, "That was some hello." She was still holding the bouquet of roses in her hand. 

"Mind if I put these in some water?" 

"It can wait," he said, taking them from her hand and laying them on the coffee table. Andy kissed her deeply before rolling her over on her belly. 

"Oh, so that's how it is going to be, huh?" 

"That's right, Vera. This is how it's going to be," he said as he slid into her from behind. "I wanted you nice and juicy." 

Vera giggled and wiggled back into him, but Andy was intent on long deep strokes, so he smacked her ass with the palm of his hand which caused her muscles to clench and gave an extra squeeze to his member. "Ahhh," she moaned," I like that." 

"I know you do," Andy moaned in her ear, and then smacked her ass again. 

"Oooooh! I love the way you are fucking me, Andy." He grinned and smacked her again, each time causing an amazing tightening until he could tell she was cumming again, her back arching as she cried out. Andy gave a few more thrusts before pulling out and releasing his load on her back. He bent over and kissed her neck saying, "Stay there." 

He went to her kitchen and got a clean dish towel that he moistened with warm water and then came back and gently cleaned up her back while she purred in appreciation. After he finished, he picked up the flowers and carried them to the kitchen. "Where are your vases?" he asked from the other room. 

"The cabinet above the stove," she answered. 

When he returned with the roses in a vase, Vera was still lying on her belly with her eyes closed. "Tired?" he asked. 

"Very." 

"Work or your brother?" 

"Victor mostly. He's been particularly agitated lately. He hit one of the caregivers and two days later she quit." 

"I thought they knew that the job came with a possibility of being hit or kicked." 

"Of course, but it still sucks when it actually happens. But she gave a different reason for quitting, said she had family stuff going on." 

"Any luck finding a replacement?" 

"Not yet. Hey, how's your new job going? I see you have some new clothes." 

"Yes," Andy smiled, "It turns out my new position is more lucrative than I expected." 

"Keep it up, money bags! Maybe you'll be able to make an 'honest woman' out of me someday!" She laughed, obviously joking. Andy was not delusional enough to hope for that, but he did have something else on his mind. 

"Hey, do you have room in your schedule to see me another day?" 

Vera smiled, "What a pleasant surprise. I just let my Thursday guy go." 

"How come?" 

"He pushed one of my boundaries one too many times." Vera stated matter-of-factly. 

Andy cringed at the harsh reminder of the reality of Vera's vocation. 

William had his eyes closed and was lying on her couch with his iPad on his chest when Tracy entered the room. She thought he might be meditating, but then remembered that he would probably assume a different posture. She used the opportunity to study him; his long, lanky but muscular physique, his crew cut that was a bit tousled today, but still very clean cut, the simple white button up shirt. She was glad it was short sleeved since she was enamored with his forearms and no longer felt she had to restrain herself from touching him. Tracy took a step forward, planning to wake him with a kiss, but his eyes opened before she got there. 

"Hey beautiful," he said, making her chest burn. 

"Hey yourself. Are you sleepy?" 

"I'm okay. Somebody didn't let me sleep much last night." 

Tracy laughed in agreement, "Maybe we can take a nap together after lunch?" 

William smiled and sat up and ran a hand through his hair, then looked at her and asked, "Do you even own a pair of pants?" 

"Of course," Tracy laughed. "But I don't wear them in the summer. I have too many cute dresses." 

"And legs too sexy to hide," William added. Tracy was wearing something colorful today; a dress that was a muted yellow and had flowers stitched in a row in the same color yellow thread running vertically and off center. The dress cinched at the waist and had a square neck line and no sleeves. 

"Is that vintage?" 

"Sure is, but I hemmed it. They didn't wear dresses this short back in the fifties." 

William smiled his approval, and then looked down at Tracy's bare feet. "But where's your anklet? The little bird?" 

"My shoes have an ankle strap so I can't wear it today." 

William felt a slight wave of disappointment until Tracy came back with her shoes and sat in a chair to put them on. They were very high heels, with the soles, heels and ankle strap black, the remainder yellow. They were open in the front to display Tracy's dark crimson painted toenails. "I am quite sure I have never seen a sexier pair of shoes. What does your grandmother think of your fashion sense?" 

Tracy laughed, "My Nana is one of the best-dressed women in all of Manhattan and she was with me when I bought these. Oh, and don't be surprised if she looks familiar. She visited the library recently, on a recon mission," Tracy winked at him. 

"Oh really?" William laughed, then he stood up and they walked down the stairs and out into the street, which was now crowded with pedestrians. They were meeting Beverly a few blocks away and William offered to call a cab, but Tracy said that was silly; they had plenty of time to walk. William offered his elbow in his old-fashioned gesture and Tracy weaved her arm through. 

"My, but you turn a lot of heads," William whispered after they had walked for a few blocks. 

"Well, this is a very bright ensemble," Tracy stated. William shook his head wondering if she really believed that or just made excuses for beauty. Then they saw Beverly standing on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. "Oh no Nana, I didn't mean to keep you waiting!" 

"Oh, I'm early dear, don't worry." 

Tracy turned and made the introductions, "Nana, this is William. William, this is Beverly." William's face went from curious to recognition as Beverly offered her hand, which William took in both of his. 

"Life of Pi!" he exclaimed, and Beverly nodded in agreement. 

Tracy looked at him quizzically and he turned to Tracy and then back to Beverly saying, "I don't believe we exchanged names, but I surely won't forget the discussion we had about the book, Life of Pi." 

"It's true," Beverly raised both hands in mock-confession and shrugged her shoulders. She was wearing a beautiful grey blouse and big chunky pearls around her neck. Her hair was up and held back with what Tracy knew was a hairband made with her own hair. "Such a pleasure to see you again," she said turning to William. 

They went inside, sat at a table and ordered drinks, and then Beverly excused herself to the ladies room. "Your grandmother gave the only intelligent and plausible reason for accepting the alternative ending to The Life of Pi!" William whispered, excitedly. 

"Yes, she believes they really were animals." 

"But it made sense coming from her. She was such a delight to talk to. I recommended another book to her because it was obvious that she is a very spiritual intellectual." 

"Yes she is," Tracy agreed. "She's Catholic, but very open-minded." 

"She must love Pope Francis?" 

"I tease her about having a crush on him." 

"You can joke with her like that?" 

"I told you, she's very open-minded." 

Just then Beverly came back and William jumped up to pull out her chair. "So," she said, placing her cloth napkin in her lap, "It would appear that your date to the museum went very well?" 

Both Tracy and William grinned and looked away for just a second, and then Tracy blushed and said, "Um, yes. Very well, Nana." 

"And so, then you two spent the night together?" She said, still wearing the same smile, causing William to choke slightly on his water and plaintively look at Tracy to see what he should do. 

"That's right," Tracy answered and took a drink of her tea. William wasn't sure if she was acting casual or really was okay with this line of questioning, but he felt it had just become twenty degrees warmer in the restaurant. 

"And so you have worked out certain areas of compatibility while you are still getting to know each other?" Beverly smiled warmly at William. 

He was dumbstruck, but mistakenly tried to speak, "Um, look Beverly, I'm sorry. I didn't mean, um..." 

"You're sorry you slept with my granddaughter? That is rather unfortunate." 

"What? No! No, I am not sorry at all, I just..." 

"Well then please don't apologize, William. We are all adults here and I trust Tracy's judgment. She is a very bright woman and an astute business owner." 

William looked at Tracy who seemed comfortable bordering on cocky. Tracy shrugged her shoulders and said, "I told you she's open-minded." 

William relaxed his shoulders and his face changed as he realized that he was not being called on the carpet. He spoke with confidence and a tone of amazement as he said, "Well I am not sorry at all. Last night was incredible." He looked at Tracy who smiled widely at him, then at Beverly who never seemed to stop smiling. 

"Lovely," Beverly said, right as the waitress approached. Tracy put her hand on William's knee under the table, a gesture of reassurance that he appreciated. 

During lunch, Beverly asked questions about the library, certain books, and where William was from. Tracy felt really proud of the way William communicated with her Nana after getting over the initial shock of her directness. They laughed and spoke with ease until Beverly asked about his family. William told her the same thing he had told Tracy about his parents' occupations. 

"Well what does your mother do now? Now that you and your sister are grown and moved out?" 

William hesitated and then said, "Um, well she rearranges things a lot. You know, around the house." 

"Decorating?" 

"No, not exactly," William took a drink and did not go on. 

"Is she remodeling?" 

"Um, no, not exactly. She does little projects, but ... oh, my sister visits often, so she plays with her grandson. Did I mention I have a two-year old nephew? How old is your nephew?" He turned to Tracy. 




Flower Girl Ch. 05



"Charlie is six months. We get to go see him next weekend, right Nana?" 

"That's right. But Tracy I would like to take the train back Saturday night so I can attend Mass Sunday morning." 

"Sure Nana, that works for me too. Hey - I bought a little sailor suit for Charlie!" and she took out her phone to show a photo while William insisted on paying the bill, relieved to be off the hook. 

* * * * * 

Tracy unlocked the door to her shop, walked over to the computer and turned it on, then looked around to see how the girls had left the shop. Obviously, Antonio had already been in, and there were notes from the girls and fourteen messages in her inbox. Tracy felt overwhelmed with work, but also ecstatic, for her weekend with William made her feel giddy. She tried to focus on work, but she kept breaking out into a silly grin and fought a constant obsession to check her phone. 

She scrolled through her emails and saw William's name and immediately opened it first. 

Kitten, 

What an amazing weekend. This morning I really wanted to see your face and realized I don't have a photo of you. Will you send me one? Of course I long to see you in person. When do you think we can make that happen? 

Thank you for sending me other samples of your writing. I really enjoyed reading your short stories; you know they don't have to be erotic to hold my attention. Admittedly, I would probably find your grocery list interesting at this point. I particularly enjoyed the nonfiction piece about growing up as a twin and I loved learning about the young Tracy Wilcox. I am hungry for you, so anything you send will be devoured. I am attaching the short story with some notes, but really...I would love to talk to you in person. 

Have I mentioned how I long to see you again? 

W. 

Tracy smiled so hard her cheeks were hurting. Not to mention her butt cheeks, her legs, even her breasts were sore from the previous day. The best kind of sore. How am I going to concentrate on work today? She wondered. And then Beth called; a video call. 

"Well, how did it go?" she asked with trepidation. 

Tracy didn't know where to start, so she inhaled and then whispered slowly, "Oh my god. William Travis is the hottest, sweetest, sexiest, smartest man on the planet!" 

"So you kinda like him then?" Beth asked dryly, and then laughed. "Okay, tell me everything!" 

Tracy backed up and told Beth about the flower arrangement that was actually for her, the date to the museum, and about William's coworker following them around and the overheard conversation in the bathroom. 

"Whoa, that is extremely creepy. Was she an ex?" 

"No, just a coworker that has a thing for him. Very dowdy. Anyway, then he says he has dinner plans and he takes me to his house to cook for me." 

"You mean to get you in bed!" 

"What? No, Beth. Well, maybe? Well shoot. He didn't seduce me Beth. I mean not intentionally. He just..." 

"What?" 

"Well...I am sure I wanted it at least as much as he did. We really hit it off, we have amazing chemistry." 

"And so you did it?" 

Tracy gave a cautious smile and a nod, then immediately her feminist side realized she did not have to defend her decision, "Why do women always have to justify sleeping with someone? I am sure William is not defending his actions to anyone. Oh, except Nana." 

"He met Nana!?!? And she knows? Oh my god, Tracy, You had a busy weekend!" 

"I know. It sounds crazy, but Beth - I am not going to let my head fuck up a free lunch. I am so happy right now, even if he does turn out to be ..." Tracy trailed off not really knowing how to finish that sentence. Turns out to be what? She wondered. Then she spoke, "Even if he turns out to be too good to be true." 

Beth was smiling at her. Tracy was smiling back. Twins with matching smiles. The computer screen was a mirror, except for their hair and Tracy's glasses. 

"Well?" Beth asked slowly, her grin turning coy, "How was it?" 

Tracy swallowed, looked to both sides as if to check if anyone were listening even though she was alone, then looked back to the screen and whispered, "Unbelievably fantastically amazing." 

"Wow," Beth said, but she was smiling big too. "Wow. I am really happy for you Tracy. So he went to lunch with you and Nana?" 

"He did. And came back to my place afterwards, and we just hung out until pretty late last night. The whole date started on Saturday at 10:00 a.m, and ended at Sunday 10:00 p.m." 

"A thirty six hour first date?" 

"Well, I hadn't calculated, but yes." 

"And have you heard from him today?" 

"Yes. He texted me when he woke up, and then sent me an email when he got to work." 

"Oh my god, Tracy, he is so into you! This is awesome." 

"It is. But I am so behind at work. I feel manic." 

"Well, hey, get some work done. Are you still coming up on Friday?" 

"Yes of course. Is Charlie sleeping?" 

"Yes, want to see him?" 

"Please!" 

"Okay, but be quiet. No squealing!" 

Beth carried her laptop into the nursery and let Tracy see Charlie who was sleeping with his mouth open. Beth pointed and silently laughed, then when she left the room whispered, "Like his daddy!" 

"He kills me. I can't wait to hold him in a few days." Tracy said. 

"Okay, get to work. And keep me updated on this William thing. Sheeze, the rate you two are going you are likely to be married by Thursday." 

"Ha-ha Beth," Tracy said sarcastically. "Okay, I better go." 

"Bye!" 

And Tracy forced herself to answer all her work emails before answering William and sending him a selfie with the caption, "Here is the smile you gave me." 

* * * * * 

"Hey William, what are you up to?" 

"Melissa, you startled me." William was looking at his phone at the photo Tracy sent him. It was just a face shot, but he found her mouth so erotic he was getting nasty thoughts just looking at her and hoped Melissa did not notice the bulge of his semi-hardness. 

"Oh sorry, I didn't realize you were doing anything...private." 

"Well, did you find those books?" William asked, eager to change the subject. 

"Yes, all except one. That Thomas Savage book was not on the shelf. I looked for a long time." 

"Really? Well, I do appreciate that Melissa. Thank you." William had the book in his drawer and had sent her on an unachievable mission just to get some space from her. The woman was like a gnat, buzzing around him constantly. 

"So," Melissa began, "That woman that you were at the museum with, are you two seeing each other?" 

"Yes. Wasn't that obvious?" 

"Um, yes, I guess so. But I mean... exclusively?" 

"Yes. Yes we are exclusive." William answered and realized how odd that sounded. They just had their first date, but it was true. 

"Well, you didn't have a girlfriend last week!" 

"How do you know that?" William asked, not sure how Melissa gathered this information. 

"Oh, I don't know. I mean, I just thought you didn't. I never heard you talk about her before." 

"Well Melissa, I like to keep my personal life private at work." 

"Oh." 

William's phone vibrated and he knew it was Tracy answering him. He stared at Melissa. She was inspecting a stack of books on the counter, a transparent attempt to hover about. Experience told him not to be too kind to her or she would misread the gesture, so he excused himself to the restroom. 

The text read, "Yes, tomorrow night." 

William smiled and put his phone back in his pocket and returned to work. 

* * * * * 

Vera was worried about Victor. He had not even been a pain in the ass lately, just very listless. The new caregiver helped get him in the van and she thanked him and let him go for the day. There would be people at the hospital to help once she got there. "Ready Victor?" She asked after strapping in the wheel chair and before turning the ignition. She hoped for a thumb-up, but got nothing, just a blank stare. She started the van and began the twenty minute drive to the doctor's office. She even put heavy-metal on the stereo, Victor's taste, but he did not respond. 

The doctor said he had a kidney infection again and put him on another round of antibiotics. He checked Victor's backside for bed sores and said, "He is really lucky to have you Vera. How are you holding up?" 

"Oh, you know me Dr. Wu. No complaints." 

"You sure?" He asked. He noticed bruises on Vera's arms. 

"Yes, I mean what could I complain about? I am not the one who is half-paralyzed or brain damaged." 

"Yes, well, true. But you have taken on a big burden taking care of your brother." 

"Victor is not a burden! Besides, I have help." 

"Yes, well...let me know if you need anything. My offer for a prescription is still good, if you need something to take the edge off." 

"I happen to like my edge, Dr. Wu." Vera assured him. 

"Okay Vera. Well, think about a vacation. Maybe you can have one of the caregivers stay at your place." 

"That's not a bad idea," Vera answered. She was making more money now and could actually afford a weekend away. But traveling alone? That didn't sound like fun at all. 

William was glad to have the distraction of a game that evening to occupy his mind. He worried about his mental state and had not felt completely in control of his thoughts all day. Certainly it was enjoyable to think about Tracy and quite understandable after the amazing weekend they had just experienced, but he felt obsessive and did not enjoy the feeling. Baseball, then a drink with John would get him centered again. 

He met John at Ardesia, one of their favorite bars and of course John was a few minutes late. When he arrived, William was sitting with a drink in front of him, obviously distracted. 

"Well William, I won't apologize for being late. Instead I would like to hear about your date." 

William smiled and said, "It was far beyond my expectations. And it lasted all weekend." 

John laughed and said, "Very good news. Was she surprised by the flowers?" 

"She was. Thank you again for your assistance." 

"My pleasure. I was very curious to meet this woman, and once I did, I knew your hiatus of celibacy was coming to an end. Can I reiterate how attractive she is?" 

"Absolutely. Tracy is my favorite topic of conversation. However, I am very concerned about my thinking." 

John's demeanor changed to concern as he asked, "What's going on William?" 

"I feel obsessive. I've looked at her photo fourteen times today. And while waiting for you to arrive, I checked my phone four more times." 

John knew not to laugh at his friend, but he couldn't help smiling, "That, my friend, is not your OCD. That sounds like something else." 

William looked at John waiting for him to go on. He trusted John and valued his opinion on such matters. 

"It is too soon to assume love, but please allow me to say you are, at the very least, infatuated." 

"Oh, I definitely agree, but don't you think I am being rather extreme? It is very unnerving not to feel in control of my thought patterns." 

"I know you have reason to be concerned, William, but I assure you, this is ...well, while it is not exactly normal, it is extremely fortunate. I suggest you enjoy it, as it is not likely to last at this intensity. I admit I have felt this way myself, but it has been years since I have had a woman get under my skin that way. I envy you right now, my friend." 

"So your date did not go well?" 

"No. All style and no substance." 

"Ah, I am sorry to hear that John. I wish you would take my suggestion on this matter." 

"I did take your advice William. I wore my Tagheur instead of my Rolex." 

William chuckled, "That is not exactly what I said, John. I said leave the Rolex at home," William laughed shaking his head. "Maybe you should buy a Timex since you can't seem to go without a timepiece. How else will you ever stop attracting gold-diggers?" 

"A Timex?" John shuddered. "I guess I can skip the watch." 

"And shoes, John. Honestly, how much did you pay for those shoes?" 

"These?" John looked down and admired his own shoes, "These are Italian leather? Salvatore Ferragomo. I don't recall what I paid for them, I don't consider price, I just look for quality. Very important in my line of work." 

"Of course," William agreed, "But a detriment to attracting the right type of woman." 

"I agree," John conceded, "But remember what happened last time? You had me dress like a pauper and go to that dive bar. And the women were-" 

"I know, I'm sorry. That was a bad idea." 

"Yes, well, I am disheartened but not giving up. What about Tracy? Did she ask how you are able to afford your place on a librarian's salary?" 

"No, she did not," William answered. "The only number she was interested in was my two-to-one ratio." 

John laughed and toasted William's glass. "Please inquire if she has any friends as captivating as she is," then he added, "You lucky bastard." 

* * * * * 

Tracy rolled over and turned off her alarm clock, picked up her glasses off the nightstand and checked her phone. It was the second day of waking up to a text message from William and this one said, "Good morning Kitten. I wish I were waking up next to you." 

Tracy was glowing with affection. She could barely comprehend that just a few days ago she wasn't even sure if William liked her, and now she was getting sweet good-morning messages. After a thirty minute yoga video, she showered, drank coffee, ate oatmeal, then put on makeup. She felt pretty in her dress and decided to take a selfie and send it to William as she answered his text, "Good morning to you, Mr. More." The dress had a very Mondrian-looking print, and they had talked about the artist on their date to the museum. 

A text came back immediately, "Stunning. Your legs will be sizzling on my retinas all day long." 

Tracy laughed because he was so complimentary of a mediocre photo and decided to turn it up a notch. She turned with her back to the mirror and, with her feet together, lifted her dress up to expose the entire length of her legs, and just a little crescent of butt cheek covered in a sheer black lace pantie. She snapped a photo over her shoulder and sent it to William. 

She walked the half block to Petals, unlocked the door and laid her stuff down before checking her phone again. "That pretty little butt cheek is begging for my hand." 

Tracy giggled and turned on her computer and tried to concentrate on work. They had a date planned for that evening and she wanted to make sure she could close the shop on time. The online orders were light, which was typical for a Tuesday. She would start working on the church flowers today, since they were due every Thursday. Her phone rang, Pierre calling. "Tracy my dear, can you spare any white roses? I am in a predicament!" 

"Let me check," Tracy said, and walked over to the flower wall. "I have twenty, Pierre. Do you need me to send them over?" 

"Oh Tracy, you are an angel!" 

"Oh hey, Pierre, guess what? Remember that amazing arrangement I made last week? It was for me! This man I met ordered the flowers for me and then brought them when he picked me up for a date on Saturday." 

"What? Oh, Tracy! This is the most romantic thing I have ever heard. Tell me, tell me everything! Who is this man, where did you meet him?" 

"He's a librarian at the Mid-Manhattan and I met him through a mutual friend." 

"Is he handsome? Where did you go on your date?" 

"He is very handsome and he took me to the Met. You would like him Pierre, he is a complete gentleman." With just a touch of pervert, Tracy smiled to herself. 

"Oh Tracy, you are breaking my heart! I want to hear more, I want details, first kiss - everything! But I'm afraid I have a large order to fill right away. Can we chat later?" 

"Of course Pierre! Tend to your business. I'll have Antonio run those roses over." 

"Oh Tracy, you are such a doll. I am so pleased you met a man brave enough to give you flowers. You know, no man has ever given me flowers!" 

"Yeah, a detriment of our trade, Pierre," Tracy said, then hung up and texted Antonio to come get the roses. 

"Please deliver roses to Pierre," then she added, "No man ever gives him flowers." Antonio texted back "Twenty minutes," missing her joke. 

Tracy started working on the church flowers. They had a budget, but the good thing was they were not picky so Tracy was able to use her overstock to make their arrangements. Today she was using calla lilies and yellow daises. 

"Good morning Tracy!" Beverly beamed as she opened the door. 

"Nana! Look at you, I love your hat!" 

"Why thank you dear. And I just adore your dress. It is reminiscent of a Mondrian painting!" 

"I know, right?" Tracy laughed, "So Nana! What did you think of William?" 

"Oh, utterly charming! What a dashing young man." Beverly paused. 

"But?" 

"But what, my dear?" 

"Come on Nana, I caught your hesitation at the end. What are you thinking?" 

"Well," Beverly began cautiously, "He seemed evasive about his family, particularly his mother." 

"Okay," Tracy nodded. "Fair enough. I will see if I can explore that topic further." 

"And..." 

"Yes Nana, say it!" 

"Well Tracy, I just worry that a man is going to see you as someone with money. And he is a librarian, a noble profession to be sure, but not a very lucrative career choice." 

"Okay. Well...Nana...you know I'm no money bags." 

"Of course dear, but you do own a business, and live in a nice rent controlled apartment. One might assume..." 

"And you forgot my awesome wardrobe!" Tracy stepped out from behind the counter and did a twirl in her dress. She did not want to argue with her grandmother but did not want to seem defensive. 

"Yes Tracy, you have a wonderful fashion sense. No one would believe that you buy most of your clothes second hand." 

"Smart, frugal, and stylish." Tracy winked at her. 

"And modest!" Beverly laughed. 

"Well Nana, I'll run a good soil test on him tonight. We have a date and I'll try to get a financial statement and a thorough background check. Maybe even a DNA sample. Ooops, too much information!" Tracy laughed thinking about how easily she could get a sperm sample from him. 

"Oh Tracy, I don't mean to sound like a killjoy. Just remember to keep your eyes open." 

"Not while we are kissing Nana. That's just gross." 

"Oh Tracy," Beverly laughed, "You are incorrigible. Well, I will admit he is unlike anyone you've dated. He is a very intelligent and insightful young man." 

Just then Ray came through the door of Petals and Tracy used a mock-serious serious tone to say, "Speaking of intelligent and insightful young men, I would like to introduce you to my friend, Ray Kelly. Ray, this is my grandmother, Beverly." 

Beverly turned to Ray and said, "Oh, hello Ray. So good to see you again!" She turned to Tracy and explained, "From church." 

Ray stood in shock with his mouth opened, looking from Beverly to Tracy, then back to Beverly. "Tracy is your granddaughter? " 

Beverly nodded and Tracy was slightly amused, but not surprised. Her Nana seemed to know everyone. 

Just then Antonio came in and Tracy excused herself to talk to him while her Nana spoke to Ray. Tracy kept a bicycle in the back of the shop and it was the quickest way to get flowers to Pierre, since his shop was directly on the other side of Central Park. She sent Antonio on his way with twenty white roses and returned her attention to Ray and Nana. Nana was saying goodbye and told Tracy to enjoy her dinner date. 

"William?" Ray asked, smiling. 

"Yes," Tracy smiled back. 

"Wow, that's cool. I didn't see you two together, but now it's starting to make sense." 

"I feel the same way," Tracy said. "How's Alicia?" 




Flower Girl Ch. 05



Ray's face lit up, "She's doing really good! I'm so proud of her. She dropped out of school!" 

Tracy laughed, not really sure why that was a good thing. "Well, that's great. Hey, shouldn't you be at work?" 

"I am. My boss sent me over here to do some work on an apartment up the street, so I thought I'd say hello. Do you have any more of your story? Alicia has been printing out a copy for me, but she said you haven't sent anything for a while." 

"Yeah, I had a busy weekend, but I wrote some last night. I'll send it to Alicia." 

"Cool, we'd both like that. Hey, have fun on your date tonight. Say 'hi' to William for me." 

"I will." 

"Damn, I still can't believe that is your grandmother. She even told me she had a granddaughter. What a small world, right here in New York. " 

"Well, New York is really just a ton of little neighborhoods piled on top of each other." 

"Yeah. Weird. Okay, see ya Tracy." And he turned to leave. 

Ah, finally! Tracy was ready for a little quiet time so she could think and finish the church flowers. She could be really social, but every once in a while she liked to be alone and focus on her work. After a whole hour in thoughtful silence working with the yellow flowers, she stood back to admire her creation and was pleased. 

It was then that she allowed herself to check her phone and saw a text from William, "This is going too fast. I need to take a break. Don't text me back." 

Tracy felt like the wind was knocked out of her. She reread the text. Is this a joke? She wondered. It isn't even funny. How could this be? Don't text me back? She looked back over the text messages they had sent that morning to see if there was any clue. Had she come on too strong? No, he was at least as flirty as she was. 

Tracy slumped down on her stool and stared at her phone. She wanted to cry, but wouldn't. She wanted to break something, but wouldn't. She tossed her phone in the drawer and got busy cleaning the shop. She turned up her music loud and purposely missed a call from Beth. She busied herself by cleaning the front window, and when the sun came through the window it blinded her temporarily. 

She went and sat at her stool and just stared straight ahead. Maybe this was because of his OCD. Maybe this is too much for him. Perhaps he is too unstable. Or maybe he just used her for sex and got what he wanted. She couldn't believe it. Tracy really wanted to call Beth, but she felt like she would feel judged for sleeping with him so fast. Beth would never reprimand her, but Tracy would feel it. Tracy folded her arms and put her head down on the desk. Too fast? Take break? Don't text me? 

And then she got angry. Angry at herself for ignoring the little voice that said "too good to be true." She decided to fill her orders and go home. Antonio came back with the bike and Tracy acted preoccupied so he wouldn't see that she was upset. When he left, she hung the "closed" sign on her door and went home and kicked her shoes off, pulled her dress off, and crawled under the covers. 

* * * * * 

William thought 5:30 would never come. He was finally off work and ready to go. He stopped in the employee bathroom to brush his teeth and then he stepped outside and hailed a cab. It took him twenty two minutes to get to Petals, so he was just few minutes early. He went to the door and saw the "closed" sign and assumed Tracy was in back. He called her to let her know he was outside, but she did not answer. 

The thought occurred to him that she was not there, but why wouldn't she be? They agreed that he would come by the shop at six o'clock. William wondered if maybe she went home to change. He would wait ten minutes. He called again after twelve minutes. He started feeling anxious, wondering if the plan had changed or if there had been a miscommunication. And why wasn't she answering the phone when they made plans for six o'clock. Maybe she felt ill? Surely she would call or text, but she did neither. 

William decided to go check her apartment since she lived close by. It took him only six minutes to walk to her apartment and someone was coming out so he was able to enter the building and go directly to her door. He knocked and heard Tracy say, "Who is it?" 

Who else could it be? "It's William." 

Tracy opened the door. It was dark in the apartment and she was wearing a short black kimono embroidered with cherry blossoms and no glasses. Her hair was a mess. 

"Are you okay? Are you ill?" 

Tracy glared at him. 

"What is it Tracy?" 

"I'm not going to play these hot and cold games with you William," she snapped. "Make up your mind. If you are not up for this, I don't want anything to do with you." 

"Up for what?" William was suddenly overwhelmed. Maybe Tracy was not who he hoped she was. Had he been a victim of wishful thinking? She did not show signs of mental instability before now. 

"Don't text me!" Tracy was indignant. "Don't text me? Pffft, don't worry about that, I won't text you ever again. And I won't bother you with photos of my ass anymore, except to say you can kiss it!" 

William looked at Tracy confused, and then took out his phone. He didn't see any text from his phone, so he asked Tracy to see hers. 

"Why?" 

"Because I didn't say 'Don't text me'." 

"Yes, you said some other stuff too, but I got the gist of it." 

"Tracy, please let me see your phone." 

Tracy picked it up off the end table and turned it back on. She picked up her glasses and put them on, but would not look at William. She handed over the phone. 

"That little- ...Melissa!" He looked at Tracy and explained, "I put my phone in my desk drawer today. I felt like I was obsessing on checking my messages, so I left it in my desk drawer. She must have texted you then deleted it. Look, I don't have that outgoing message on my phone." William handed Tracy his phone and the last message was about her butt and his hand. 

"She saw the photo of my butt!" 

William sat down and put his head in his hands. He was overcome with rage. He wanted to smack that little manipulative bitch. How dare she take his phone and send a hurtful message to Tracy. How dare she? He looked up and saw that Tracy seemed deep in thought, and then the corners of her mouth began to curve up. 

"So...then...you didn't tell me to back off?" She asked coyly. 

"Of course not, Kitten. That thought didn't even cross my mind." 

"And why did you put your phone in your desk?" She wore a sexy grin and was playing with the tie around her robe. 

"Because I couldn't stop thinking of you." Both were grinning and maintaining eye contact. 

Tracy came closer to where he was sitting and removed the tie from around her robe. "And you don't need a break?" 

"God no," William swallowed. She was going to seduce him. And he was going to let her. 

Tracy let her robe fall open, revealing black panties and nothing else. He could see the curve of her breast, her navel, and the panties from the photo. She held the sash in her hand and wore a playful grin. "And you don't think this is going too fast?" 

"Not at all," William answered. "I am enjoying this pace very much." 

"Good," Tracy said, as she straddled his lap. William raised his hands to her butt and Tracy said, "No, no, no, Mr. More. You made me sad and now you are in big trouble." But she was smiling as she took his hands off her butt and put them behind his own back. She used the satin sash from her robe to tie his wrists together. 

William humored her— he could get out of her silly restraint in half a second if he wanted to. But he didn't want to. He wanted to allow her to do whatever she desired. 

Tracy took his face in both hands and kissed him squarely on the lips. Then she used her tongue to part his lips, which he gladly let fall open. She rubbed her tongue gently into his and sat up a bit, arching her back, bringing her breast up to his face and presenting him with a pert little nipple which he gladly took in his mouth. "Mmmm, I missed you Mr. More. That scared me. The thought that you didn't want to see me again was just awful." 

"I'm so sorry you went through that, Kitten," William said, as he migrated from one breast to the other. 

"I'm feeling much better now," she giggled, and then she rose off his lap, knelt between his legs and unbuttoned his shirt. Tracy used both hands to feel his chest, boldly, firmly, and then she brought her mouth to his nipple and slowly sucked with very firm pulsating sucks, while she rubbed her tits over his hardness. Flicking his nipple with her tongue, she then bit gently and a moan escaped William's lips. Tracy really liked playing with his nipples much more than she ever anticipated. With her mouth still on his chest, she unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants, and then lowered them as he lifted his hips in cooperation. Then she began her licks. Slow, long, firm licks from base to head of his shaft, then she gently swirled her tongue around the head while maintaining playful eye contact. She had a firm grip around his shaft and milked a big drop of precum out of him, then used her finger to take it and wipe it on his nipple and lick it off. 

William moaned with pleasure. Oh she was good. Such a little sex kitten, and obviously enjoying being the seductress. He was in heaven as she kissed his neck and stroked his cock, and then she pushed him gently back on the couch and crawled on top of him, his hands still behind his back. "If I ride you without a condom, you will belong to me, Mr. More," she whispered. William said, "Okay," and laughed gently, for he thought that fact had already been established. 

"Say it," Tracy ordered. 

"I am yours," William whispered in her ear, and Tracy cooed her approval before lowering her wetness down on him, engulfing him completely, until he was snuggly inside of her. Tracy relaxed her body completely, for just a moment, and then she began to wiggle. Not riding him or pumping, just moving, gently side to side. She was lying on top of him, not sitting, and gently moving her hips in a circular motion. Her ankles hooked under his legs and her breath filled his ear. She was using him, like a toy, and he didn't mind at all. In fact, he found it extremely sexy that she knew just what she wanted and was taking it. Her movements became quicker, and shorter, as she used him to rub herself and he became mesmerized by the twitching he was feeling down around his cock. He didn't move at all, just felt her move and when he knew she was there he gently whispered, "Yes, cum for me Kitten." And she did. She achieved super human strength momentarily and squeezed her legs around William and he felt her tense and squeeze him, the pleasure was almost excruciating. Then she almost convulsed on him, spasm after spasms, and finally whimpered and collapsed. 

"My god, you are sexy," William said. He was still rock hard and Tracy laughed and said, "I really missed you." 

William slid his hands out of the sash to reach up and grab her ass. He decided he liked her on top, but now she lifted herself up off his chest and rode him in a different way, with long strokes. William loved watching her like this, her breasts moving, her head tossed back, smiling at him with lust in her eyes. He loved the feeling of not being entirely in control of the thrust. He liked her weight on him. Tracy was picking up the pace again and he decided to let himself join her in her next climax, so he relaxed and let her ride him. He lost himself in the sensation of her wet pussy sliding down his cock over and over until he could feel her interior tremors, which led him to surrender to his own orgasm and he felt the waves ripple through him in concert with Tracy's, crashing over and over until they both subsided and finally ceased. 

Tracy relaxed her body on top of him and he gently caressed her butt cheeks, wondering what he could say, how he could put his feelings into words, and then Tracy sighed and spoke, "I'm starving, William. Can we go eat?" 

William laughed and said, "Of course, Kitten. Let's dress and go eat." 

***** 

Thank you for your votes, kind comments, and emails. Just a reminder - this story has 9 chapters.



Flower Girl Ch. 06



"I'm surprised you like pizza," Tracy said as they sat across from each other in a booth at William's favorite Harlem pizzeria. She intertwined her feet with his beneath the table and added, "And beer." 

"Why would that surprise you?" 

"I don't know. You just seem so...formal sometimes. I am taken aback when you do 'ordinary guy' stuff." 

William laughed, "So I am not an 'ordinary guy' then?" 

"Uh, no." Tracy raised her eyebrows and looked over her glasses at him, "Not even close." 

"Then it might surprise you to know I attended college on a baseball scholarship." 

"Wha-a-at?" Tracy drew out the word. 

"It's true. Does that surprise you?" 

"It does. I mean, I know I'm still getting to know you, but you don't strike me as the sporty type." 

"If you knew me growing up, baseball was of paramount importance. I still play, on a men's league, but it is not very serious." 

"What positon do you play?" 

"Third base." 

Tracy shook her head. "I would have never guessed. I mean, I hope don't insult you, but you seem so...well, almost graceful." 

William laughed, "Yes, I am told I am graceful at baseball too. Actually 'smooth' is the term my teammates use." 

"Wow, I'd love to see that. So you must be pretty good?" 

"Pretty good, not great. What about you? Tell me something that would surprise me." 

"Well," Tracy bit her lip and looked around and thought for a minute, "Hmmm. I'm in a music video. Dancing." 

William laughed, "That actually does not surprise me at all. But tell me, how did that come about?" 

"This guy in a band just saw me dancing at a club and asked me. It was a band that has like a sixties garage sound and they wanted a couple of girls to go-go dance on pedestals. I'm wearing these cool boots and...well, I don't know," Tracy suddenly looked a little shy. "It was fun." 

"May I see it?" 

Tracy smiled and answered, "Well, it is on YouTube. I guess you can see it if you want." 

"Show me." 

Tracy took out her phone and typed a few words into the tiny keyboard and then handed it to William. The video showed the band playing and he could barely see Tracy, but then the camera zoomed in and William's eyes suddenly bugged. "When was this?" 

"Um, I don't know, not that long ago. About a year ago?" Tracy was wearing a mini skirt and go-go boots and a bare midriff top, all in bright colors with her hair flopping back and forth. She had on big retro glasses. There was another girl dancing with a long blond fall and a flower painted around one eye, but it was Tracy that held William's interest. He grinned and watched until it was over and Tracy started to feel self-conscious, but as soon as it ended William said, "That was the opposite of smooth." 

"I know, right? My movements were really jerky." 

"Yes, but what I meant was that it was hot. Look, there are over twelve hundred thumbs up and I can assure you, it is not because the band is worth listening to." 

Tracy smiled and said, "Oh come on, they were good." 

William gave her a look and she laughed and admitted, "They're not very good." 

"I'm going to watch and re-watch that video when you leave me this weekend." 

"Aw, come on William, it's only two days." She rubbed her shin along his calf. "And we have tonight." 

"Yes we do. And I intend to make the most of it," William smiled, causing her breath to catch. 

"Check please!" Tracy joked since the check had just arrived. "Hey, what happened with Melissa? Did you confront her about that text?" 

"Of course, and she denied it. I talked to my boss about it, but he said since there was no way to prove it he couldn't really do anything about it. He couldn't even cut her hours since she is a volunteer anyway, but I don't think she will be a problem anymore. I don't know why she would do something so ridiculous and assume I would not know who did it, but I made it very clear that I am not even on friendly terms with her. I think I might have frightened her a little bit." 

"How?" 

"Just by the cold and serious tone of my voice, she knew I was angry. It has only been a few days, but I have not seen her since and before that she was constantly hovering about." William changed the subject, "You have not been writing lately. Writer's block?" 

Tracy shook her head. 

"Distracting new love interest?" 

Tracy laughed, "Yes, well there is that. But the truth is I hit a major hurdle with my story line and I am so mad at myself." 

William waited for her to go on. 

"Well, I guess you figured something is going on with Andy and his stealing, right? Well I wanted to write that he gets arrested for forgery and goes to prison. I wanted Vera to visit and have conjugal visits, but as I was doing my research, I learned only a few states allow conjugal visits, and that was fine, except then I read that they don't have conjugal visits in Federal prisons, only state prisons!" 

"So, have Andy go to a state prison?" 

"I can't! You see I wrote the whole story based on the premise that Andy is kind of this...nice guy. Passive guy, you know? He might be pushed to do a white collar crime because he would justify it, but he can't rob someone! That just wouldn't work, he wouldn't do that." 

William rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. 

Tracy went on. "Plus I really wanted him in a federal prison. They're different, you know." 

"How so?" 

"Well, they are full of other white collar criminals, not violent offenders. I'm not saying it is easy in there, but not as harsh as a regular prison. William, the bottom line is I don't want Andy getting butt raped." 

William laughed, "You are concerned about the ass of a fictional character?" 

"I am," Tracy admitted. "I didn't write him to get butt-raped, I just can't allow it." 

"Well Tracy, do you think most readers will know that federal prison don't allow conjugal visits?" 

"It doesn't matter. I know now and I just can't pretend that I don't. If I had made a mistake and did it unknowingly, that would be different, but now I know. He can't do time in a state prison with all those tough prison dudes. It would destroy him. I don't know what I am going to do, William. I really need to rethink this, but I know something will come to me. It always does." 

"Well, I sincerely admire your integrity and fortitude. And I am touched by your ferocious protectiveness of your character's anus," He laughed. 

"William, it isn't just Andy's ass that I am protecting. It is his psyche. He can't do hard time." She looked at William with such intense sincerity that it overwhelmed him. Her bold and confident appearance housed the sweetest soul he could imagine. She held his gaze and then spoke, "Can we get a box for the rest of this pizza and go back to your place, Mr. More?" 

"God, yes!" He exclaimed, and jumped up to get a box so they could go back to his apartment. 

* * * * * 

Tracy and Beverly were finally settled on the train, sitting side-by-side. The feeling did not come often, but Tracy was feeling very protective over her Nana. Back in her own domain, she didn't seem fragile, but when traveling Tracy noticed how tiny and elderly her Nana was and it brought out a maternal instinct in her. She wished to rest her head on her Nana's shoulder, but she was taller, so she took her hand instead. 

"How are you feeling, Nana?" 

"Oh, very well now that we are settled on the train. I have always loved to travel by train. It is so relaxing." 

"It is." 

"And how are you, my dear?" 

"Very good, Nana. I am happy. And so excited to see Beth and Charlie! Oh, and everyone else of course." 

"And you are going to miss William, aren't you dear?" 

Tracy nodded, then said, "I know I have only known him a short time, but...yes, I am going to miss him." 

"Well this is wonderful dear; to miss someone and to be missed." 

"Yes, it is." Tracy was quiet for a few minutes before going on. "I did bring up his family again, but he avoided talking about his parents. He does talk about his sister a great deal. Oh, and I had a chance to ask about his finances. Indirectly of course." 

Beverly patted her hand, encouraging her to go on. 

"I found out he owns that place he is in. And it is much bigger than I thought. It is funny, because he is not showy with money, but does not seem to worry about it either. Well last night when I was there, he showed me his 'secret room'. I was nervous when he told me, because ...oh, you wouldn't know about that book 'Fifty Shades' Nana, but jeez, when a guy says 'I think it is time you see my secret room', well my heart just about stopped! But then he goes up to this full length mirror on the wall next to his bed and I notice a jacket hanging there, and it is on a door knob and he opens a door to another room!" 

Beverly's waited with her lips still closed, expecting Tracy to go on with a big surprise. 

"And it was empty. Can you imagine that Nana? Oh, there was a treadmill and some dumbbells in one corner, but it was a big empty room. He said he got a good deal on it and didn't really need the extra space and didn't want to bother heating and cooling it all the time, so he just built a wall dividing it in half! But then I ask him, 'Is this it?' and I was kind of teasing, but then he said, 'No, the part I really love is through that door,' so I am thinking, okay, here we go...creepy sex dungeon. But no, Nana he has a patio. Outdoor space!" 

"My goodness, that is a valuable commodity in the city!" 

"I know! And it wasn't huge, I'm guessing twelve by twelve, but he has a small tree in a planter and some other plants, and two chaise lounges, and we lay down out there and looked at the stars!" 

"How romantic!" 

"It was. But of course I had to ask how he could afford this on a librarian's salary and he said he made some good investments in the past ten years." 

"Real estate?" Beverly asked. That was how her husband made his money. 

"Partially. He said he was lucky, but when he explained I started to understand how incredibly smart he is, and not just about literature." 

"Go on." 

"He bought a small place in Chicago when he got out of school. And you know he hardly watches TV, right? Well, he said he was at his sister's house and there was one of those shows on about flipping houses, and he watched an ignorant unskilled couple flip a house outside of Las Vegas and make a quarter of a million dollars in a month, so instead of seeing the potential, he saw the flaw! He said something is askew if people can make such a quick fortune, so he sold his place before the crash!" 

"How very fortunate! Did he hold on to his cash until things turned around?" 

"He bought gold. At 615 an ounce." 

"Brilliant!" Beverly clapped her hands and held them together. 

"He is. I asked why he doesn't do something with finance for a job, but he said he finds it boring. So obviously he rode the gold wave until it also seemed out of skew and bought that place in Harlem. He also told me he didn't need much and already had more than he needs." 

Beverly nodded her approval, very pleased to learn her granddaughter had not attracted someone who would try to take advantage of her financially. Of course Tracy was not wealthy, but she would be the recipient of a reasonable inheritance. And her last boyfriend couldn't even hold down a job. 

"And I know you think I should be pleased, Nana, but this whole thing kind of bothers me." Tracy's expression turned to concern. "The truth is, I've never dated anyone...well, you know...more together than me." 

Beverly laughed and squeezed Tracy's hand. "Oh Tracy, you have so much to give, and it seems that William recognizes that fact. I have seen the way he looks at you, Tracy. Don't let your head fuck up a free lunch!" 

Tracy laughed and said, "Why do you always say that, Nana? I mean, I know I over-think things, but it seems so out of character for you to cuss like that." 

Beverly laughed and said, "Your grandfather said that very thing to me. It was one of our first dates, he had taken me to lunch and he was so obviously smitten by me, but I was explaining in great detail how it would not work between us. We were from different backgrounds and my main concern was that he was eighteen years my senior! So I kept explaining to him how it would not work, and he told me not to let my head fuck up a free lunch!" 

"Were you insulted?" 

"I laughed. He was right and I knew it. He had a very calming effect on me, you know. So practical when I would become overly cerebral. I would be busy explaining how it wouldn't work, how it didn't make sense, and he would say, 'Beverly, it does work.' And it did, for over forty years." 

Tracy smiled, thinking of her grandfather. He had been gone twenty years. Then she frowned and said, "But Nana, this thing with William is scary. I have only known him a short time, but I feel like I have given him the power to ...to really hurt me." 

"Yes Tracy, to experience true love one must be vulnerable. But fortunately, you have always been an optimist, and that is a blessing. To be romantic requires the real desire for intimacy, and the willingness to take risks and I know a pessimist cannot be romantic. It takes a certain leap of faith to place your vulnerable heart in the trust of someone else. Only an optimist can do it." 

Tracy sighed and smiled, and Beverly did not say what else she knew about her granddaughter, better to save that for another day. For Beverly knew that in addition to being an optimist, that Tracy was resilient. And she could recover from disappointment with grace and dignity. 

* * * * * 

After cleaning up her brother and getting him situated with his meds and television, Vera went to check her phone and saw three missed calls and one message from a number she didn't recognize. She hit play and was surprised to hear Andy's voice, and immediately it registered that she was pissed at him for not keeping his appointment, which he knew he should have cancelled ahead of time. Just not showing up was unacceptable. She half listened to his lame excuse, then heard him say something about not coming back and she hit the replay button. "Uh, hey Vera. This is Andy. I just wanted to tell you something came up and, well...sorry I missed my appointment. I won't be able to make it on Tuesday either. Uh, in fact Vera, I can't ask you to keep that spot for me because...well, I don't know for how long, but it looks like I am going to be here for a while. I'm in jail, Vera." The whole message was slow and awkward until he abruptly said, "I'm really going to miss you," and hung up. 

Vera stared at the phone, stunned, and then hit the replay button. After listening for a third time, she sat the phone down and groaned, "Oh Andy, what did you do?" And then Vera went to the computer to look up the number for the local jail. A few phone calls later, she determined that Andy was at Rikers Island, charged with embezzlement. He had not attempted to post bail. She would have to call back after he was arraigned to find out about a hearing. 

* * * * * 

William had been texting back and forth with Tracy all day long. The previous evening was spent at his place, and it left him with enough pleasant memories to last for days, except he already missed her. Perhaps it was just the thought that she was out of town, or it could have something to do with the increasingly flirty text messages she was sending. 

He thought about the previous night. Of course it was an evening of extremely sensual indulgence, but it was the ease of conversation between them that struck him the most - it was refreshing and comfortable. He even showed Tracy the other half of his living space, information that he usually didn't reveal, yet he had no problem showing it to Tracy. Plus, they were able to make love on the patio under the stars. He smiled at the memory. Now she was going to visit her family, and eventually he would tell her about his, but that could wait. William declined an invitation to go out with John. There was an abundance of reading he wanted to do and he looked forward to some much needed time alone. 

He found it hard to keep from obsessing on his phone, but he wasn't as worried about that any longer. In fact, they seemed to throw out any unwritten rules about how many messages one should send in a day and were just enjoying flirting with each via text. The sexy banter had increased throughout the day and William teased her about calling him whenever she was alone, so he could hear her voice. "Where do you sleep?" he texted. 

"On the couch. Nana gets the guest bedroom." 

"Will you call me when everyone goes to sleep?" 

"What if it is late?" 

"I don't care. I need to hear your voice." 

Tracy answered with a close up selfie of her mouth, licking her lips. 

"Tease!" 

"How am I a tease?" 

"I want to lick those lips." 

"I've got another pair for your tongue," She texted. 

William put the phone down. He wasn't going to last two days. 

"Tell your family to go to bed!" He texted, hoping she wouldn't take it wrong and think him rude. 

Minutes later she texted, "Two down, four to go." 

Err...William turned back to the book he was reading and after a few pages came another text, "two more down." 

He smiled and once again returned to his book, which he finished right before the phone rang. 

"Hey Kitten," 

"Oh my god," she whispered, "I thought they would never go to sleep! I've been missing you like crazy." 

"Me too. Can anyone hear you?" 

"No, they're all upstairs and in bed. Except Nana, who is in the downstairs guest room, but she doesn't hear that well and went to sleep a while ago." 

"So you are in the living room? On the couch?" 

"I am. Under a blanket." Tracy was using a whisper tone. "Where are you, William?" 

"In my bed, Kitten." 

"Oh my god, I wish I was there with you. What are you wearing?" Tracy asked, and then laughed when she realized how that sounded. 

William laughed in response and said, "Nothing." 

"Really? That is so hot. I can't wait to get back to your bed." 

"I wish you were here too. What are you wearing?" 

Tracy giggled and said, "A t-shirt and boy shorts." 

"Hot." 

"Not really," Tracy laughed again. 

"And so your long legs are bare?" 

"They are." 

"Are they silky smooth?" 

"Let me see...hmm, yes I would say so." 

"Damn. Would you gently tickle your inner thigh for me?" 

"Oh my god, William! Are you going to try and seduce me and have phone sex with me?" she whispered huskily as her hands mindlessly followed his command. 

"Yes I am," then he paused and cautiously added, "But you can stop me anytime." 

"Well," Tracy whispered into the phone, "Your voice is definitely having an effect on me, but I've never done this before." Her knees parted and she was running the tips of her fingers back and forth along her inner thigh. 

William laughed a low sexy laugh and said, "Well I haven't either. But I think it will just come naturally." 

Tracy relaxed slightly after hearing this wasn't a regular practice for William. Besides, it did feel natural. In fact, her hands were responding to William without her being conscious of it, and were naturally starting to wander all on their own. "Are you hard right now, William?" 

"Very." 

"Hmmmm. And are you touching yourself?" 

"Not yet." 

"Do it, please. Take yourself in your hand for me." 

"Okay, but I want you to put a hand up that t-shirt and feel those tits for me." 

"Really?" she asked, but her hand was already under her shirt. 

"Yes, but lick your fingers first. Get them wet." 

"Mmmm, okay." Tracy did as she was told. 

"Now gently flick your nipple with a wet finger and imagine that is my tongue." 

Her wet finger flicked back and forth over a hard nipple and she whispered, "Oh my god...William," as her knees clenched together. 




Flower Girl Ch. 06



"Now pinch it hard, Kitten. Pinch your nipple and squeeze your tit with your palm at the same time." William could hear her breath becoming rapid. 

"Okay," she panted, "William? I'm feeling kind of shy. And I don't want anyone to hear me." 

"It's okay Kitten, you don't need to talk, just listen and put the phone next to you on the pillow. You are going to need both hands." 

"Okay," Tracy giggled, "God, I wish you were here, William." 

"Mmmm, me too. Will you touch yourself for me? Through your panties? Lightly?" 

"Yes. Will you?" 

"I already am. Are you tickling your lips for me? Lightly through your panties?" 

"Mmm hmmm." 

"Good. Don't go under your panties just yet. Just tickle yourself softly through the fabric." 

Her breath was becoming louder. "Now, slide a finger under the side of your panties." He heard her breath change again. He was obsessed with her breath because it was so revealing, he could hear the changes come over her. "Don't insert a finger just yet, just lightly stroke your lips for me." 

"Kay." 

"You're wet, aren't you Kitten?" 

"Mmm hmmm, very," her voice had become sultry again. 

"Good, now part you lips and dip a finger inside. I want to lick you so bad. Will you taste yourself for me?" 

"What?" She whispered, although she heard just fine. 

"Lick your finger, Kitten, tell me how you taste." 

"Really?" 

"Yes." 

He could hear her inhale deeply, and then heard her mouth squeak ever so slightly. 

"Mmmm, good girl. How does my Kitten taste?" 

"Surprising. Kind of sweet, kind of salty." 

"Mmmm, yum, " William let out a very low laugh. "Is your hand back to your pussy?" 

"It is," Tracy whispered. 

"And one on your tit?" 

"Yes." 

"Are you rubbing your clit with the palm of your hand?" 

"How did you know?" 

"I know what you like." 

Tracy giggled and asked, "Are you stroking your cock in long slow strokes?" 

William laughed, "You know me too." 

Her breathing changed again and William encouraged her, "You don't have to say anything, just keep touching yourself like that." William listened to her breath as he stroked himself and imagined what she must look like. "Kitten...you are going to cum for me. Keep doing what you are doing, just imagine I am watching you." Tracy didn't speak, but she didn't need to. She did imagine William right there, watching her, stroking his cock as she rubbed herself and squeezed her tit. William whispered encouragement into the phone, intermittently, softly, while he stroked his cock and just listened to her ragged breath, hearing every fluctuation of her breath. He heard her getting close, then the soft sound of her orgasm, ever so subtle, the flutter of her breath. She didn't need to cry out or tell him and it was so sexy he allowed himself to cum too. He let out a low groan as he ejaculated, then grabbed a towel he had placed nearby to wipe the cum off of his chest. 

Tracy breathed heavily in the phone for a few seconds, and then giggled and whispered, "Oh my god, William did you just cum?" 

"Mmmmm hmmmm." 

"I did too!" She sounded surprised at herself. 

"I know." 

"How? I thought I was quiet." 

"You were, but when you cum, your breath does this little flutter thing, like a leaf falling. It is very sexy." 

"Really?" Tracy was stunned, "You can tell just by my breathing?" 

"Of course. I have made it a point to study your orgasms." 

"Wow. I can't believe you ...well..." Tracy said coyly, "You came too." 

"Yes. I wasn't concerned about being quiet since I am home alone. I hope you don't mind, but I didn't plan to hold you to the two-to-one ratio for phone sex." 

Tracy laughed, "I can't believe you can tell just by my breath. I thought I was so quiet you wouldn't even know. That was so hot, but I don't think it helped me stop missing you at all! In fact, I think I miss you even more now." 

"Post-coitus cuddling is difficult over the phone. I would be kissing you right now, looking at your pretty flushed face." 

"Aww," Tracy whispered, "That was the first time you called me pretty." 

"No," William said in disbelief, "Really?" 

"Well. I think beautiful and gorgeous, but there is something very sweet about being called pretty." 

"Well you are. You are very pretty. Some girls can be called sexy, but not pretty. You are definitely both." 

"Well you are handsome and sexy," She whispered back. 

William laughed and said, "I am glad that you think so." 

"I am surprised by how much I miss you." 

"Me too." 

"I am going to sleep now." 

William laughed, "Me too, Kitten. Goodnight. I will talk to you tomorrow." 

"Goodnight William." 

* * * * * * 

Four generations of the Wilcox family sat around the table enjoying brunch. Tracy's mother, Marlene, asked about Petals and Beverly just listened and smiled with pride as Tracy spoke about some of her regular customers. Years prior, Marlene had doubted her daughter's ability to buckle down and run a serious business, but Beverly believed in her and was proud to be proven right. They were a unique bunch, both Marlene and her husband were professors at the university, and Beth and her husband were both attorneys, but Beth stopped working a few months into her pregnancy. "And now Nana and I are business partners, so we are all pairs in a way." 

"And what did you say this William guy does?" Her stepdad Bill asked, even though Tracy was sure she had told him. 

"A librarian." 

"They let guys become librarians?" Mark, Beth's husband snickered and exchanged glances with Bill. 

Beverly spoke up, "When you meet William, you'll have no desire to make a joke at his expense. He's a remarkable young man." 

"Is that so? " Bill asked. "Well he has a job and is not in a band. Wait, Tracy he isn't in a band, is he?" Tracy shook her head and Bill went on, "I understand they have a salary similar to that of a teacher, which is okay in Albany, but certainly not in Manhattan." 

"William does just fine," Beverly intervened again. "And Tracy has only known him a very short time. Please allow her to revel in the joy of a new romance, which we all have experienced ourselves." 

"Oh yeah, romance. I remember that," Beth remarked dryly, as she took the fussy baby from Tracy's lap. Tracy smiled to herself. Her family could tease her all they wanted, they couldn't take away from the happiness she was feeling this morning. 

She spent the rest of the day playing with her nephew, walking with her mom, playing tennis with her stepdad and losing graciously, then cooking with Beth, all between intermittent text messages to and from William. Beth tried to get her to open a video chat so she could meet William, but he was gone for a while, then they got busy again. After a wonderful dinner cooked by the twins, Beverly and Tracy hugged everyone goodbye and Mark drove them to the train station. 

Back on the train, Nana asked Tracy what she was reading. "Oh, these are stories from my writing group. I need to critique them and bring them on Tuesday." 

"Anything impressive?" 

"Well, there is this weird old guy who says he writes 'steam punk', which I've learned to him means science fiction infused with a lot of mechanical gadgets. It is written well, as far as I can tell, but just not my thing. Then there is this teacher who wrote his memoir. He taught special education to emotionally disturbed teenagers, so it is interesting, but this is just part of a very long story and I don't really understand everything and not sure I am interested enough to go back to the beginning. But this last one is a written for teen-girls and it is an adventure story about this girl who lives in the Appalachian Mountains and she has to run through the hills for days to get the doctor because her dad is sick and her mom is pregnant. It's really good! I am very curious to meet the person who wrote this." 

"Will you be submitting your own writing?" 

"Probably not. I mean, I am lucky to have this group and maybe I will get comfortable enough with a few of them, but I'm not sure. The truth is I've been feeling kind of lonely about it. I have done all this writing and I want to share it, but it isn't for everyone... I don't know, Nana. I wouldn't want Mom or Bill to read it. Or even Mark for that matter." 

"Well Tracy, people who are able to write or talk openly about sex are unusual. It's just not the norm. A huge portion of the population is hyper-repressed by the shame-based approach to sexuality that prevails during our socialization as children. When someone reads your work and recoils from the beauty of sex, just remember that it's not a black mark on you or on them - it's a failing of our civilization as a whole, and one we need to seek and offer understanding about as best we can." 

Tracy sat quietly thinking about what she just heard, then spontaneously said, "I love you, Nana," and rested her head on her Nana's shoulder even though she had to slump way down in her seat to do so. Tracy sighed, and asked what she was reading. 

"Gilead. William recommended it." 

"Really? Do you like it?" 

"Yes I do, and this is one of the reasons I find William so insightful. When I told him how I loved The Life of Pi, he understood that it is a very spiritual book." 

"Mom loved it for the Biology." 

"Yes, he probably would have steered her towards Barbara Kingsolver, me to Marilynne Robinson. William connects books on a deep level; he is a very bright and intuitive young man, Tracy." 

"He is amazing," Tracy smiled. 

"And you are an amazing young woman, don't forget that! You write beautifully and create art with flowers. After a few more Mrs. Hillson's, you are going to need to hire more help." 

"Ugh, I get overwhelmed about that sometimes Nana. You know I want to stay small so that I can have more control. I mean, Linda and Rachel are great, but they both have other careers in mind." 

"Perhaps you should put an advertisement in the school paper at the Pratt Institute. Do you know you could get an intern and not even have to pay a salary? Someone with artistic ability." 

"Well I don't mind paying, but that would give me a chance to feel them out before putting them on the payroll." 

"And I don't want to sound sexist, but you work very well with men." 

Tracy laughed, because she was thinking the same thing. For some reason, it was easy for her to give direction to men. With the females, she always worried about sounding bossy and worried that they might resent her. 

They were close to their stop and Tracy checked her phone before gathering up her belongings. "Oh my gosh, William says he is at the station! To escort us home safely!" 

Beverly was not as surprised as Tracy and she smiled knowingly. "He missed you." 

* * * * * 

The only surprise about Andy's sentencing hearing was Vera's presence in the court room. His appointed defense attorney told him to what to expect when he pled guilty, and there was no reason to go to trial. They had all the evidence they needed to convict him of forgery, a felony due to the amount of money involved. Joe's cooperation to save his own hide gave them every bit of information they needed. His lawyer was planning to use his lack of criminal history to make him sound like another victim of the economy and hope that the judge would have mercy. 

Andy saw Vera sitting in the stands and she did a gentle wave of her hand. She was wearing professional clothing, not her profession, but that of an office worker. He was stunned to see her and the physical reaction and urge to run to her was overwhelming. He thought about what this meant when he should have been listening to the proceedings. Could it be that Vera had feelings for him too? Maybe she thought of him as more than just her stable customer and a good friend. Andy grinned at the thought and his lawyer elbowed him and told him not to smile. 

Afterward, the lawyer explained the sentencing of one year and one day. It was a gracious sentence because anything over one year meant he could do half time with good behavior. Six months. Could he survive six months in jail and make it back to Vera's arms? Would she want anything to do with a convicted felon who most certainly will have lost everything and have no prospects for future employment with a criminal record?. "You seem pretty pleased with your sentence," his lawyer said, misreading the reason for Andy's smile. Vera had come. She cared what happened to him. 

Tracy looked up from her manuscript when the group officially started and listened to the critique of Jasper's 'steam punk' piece. She was slightly intimidated by all the thoughtful feedback he was receiving and uncertain that she could add anything to what was already said, but when it was her turn, she turned to her notes and made a few comments about word choice and asked a few questions and complimented his writing. He gave a goofy grin that went ear-to-ear as he collected the stack of papers from around the room. 

Tracy was curious to hear what the group thought of the story about the teenager running through the mountains. The author was a young woman, fair with long wavy auburn hair that was in a loose braid over her shoulder. Even though it was a short story, many in the group were familiar with the woman's writing because it was part of a series and she had apparently been in the group a long time. The woman's name was Amy and she listened to the critiques graciously, until one man began to question some of the technical aspects of the story. He said it is impossible for a young teen to run through the mountains as she described, but one of the other men said, "It's fiction - intended to be inspirational!" 

"Yeah, but no young girl can run up and down mountains like she describes," the man argued, although he looked like he couldn't run ten yards himself. Amy turned her head towards Tracy and rolled her eyes. Tracy got the non-verbal message that Amy disagreed with the critique, but wouldn't bother to argue. The man went on about how some of the stuff couldn't happen and there was no way a girl could run that far and find her way along unmarked trails and Amy continued to bite her lip. The next guy was the Indian man, Narveen, who said, rather loudly, "Amy, aren't you a runner yourself?" 

"I am," Amy smiled back at him. 

"And how old were you when you started running competitively?" 

"Middle School, cross country track." 

"And have you ever run long distances in the mountains?" 

"Of course, Naveen, you know that I have." Amy almost laughed. 

"Your story is brilliant! Do not change a thing." He handed her a stack of papers, but he was glaring at the other man. 

It was Tracy's turn to go next and she cleared her throat and began, "Well, I don't know anything about running in the mountains, but I feel like I do now. Your descriptions are really good. I could feel the cold air, smell the forest, shoot, I think I even got winded reading it! And then when you described what it was like running downhill, it made me feel like running." 

Tracy noticed Amy was smiling at her. "I only wish her mom spoke to her when she left the house," she added. "Unless it was your intention to portray a very strained relationship?" 

"No," Amy said, "I actually just wanted the mom to seem overwhelmed with being pregnant and having a sick husband." 

"Well, that makes sense. But maybe she could at least go to the porch and holler after her to be careful or something? I got the sense that she didn't love her, but I didn't know if that is what you were going for." 

Amy nodded thoughtfully, and then thanked her. The next woman said the same thing Tracy did, that she wanted to know how the mom was reacting. She also questioned if the vocabulary might be too advanced for the age group, but Amy gently, almost imperceptibly shook her head "No." 

Before the meeting came to a close, three more people volunteered to be critiqued for the next meeting, but Tracy did not. When they stood to leave, Amy approached Tracy, "Hey, thanks for what you said about my descriptions. I hope I really do inspire some young girls to start running!" 

Tracy shook her hand and introduced herself. She learned that Amy taught English at a Middle School in Brooklyn. She didn't seem like a native New Yorker, and sure enough she was from South Carolina, although she had no discernable accent. Tracy thought she was very pretty in a natural, sporty type of way. They talked for a while and were the last ones to leave. They exited the room together and were still talking when Tracy saw William waiting politely in the distance. She waved him over and introduced Amy to William and enthusiastically told him about Amy's writing. 

William was his usual charming self, and after she left he asked Tracy what she thought of Amy. "She was really cool. I think it is really admirable that she is trying to do something with her writing like that, writing a series with female heroines, but realistic...attainable." 

"Do you mean the women don't wield a bow and arrow and shoot with deadly accuracy?" 

Tracy laughed and leaned in and kissed William right there in the Library and immediately wondered if she should not have kissed him at work, but he was smiling at her and she hadn't thought about it ahead of time, it just came naturally. "That was an organic kiss. Sorry for the PDA." 

"Never ever apologize for kissing me," William laughed and offered her his elbow. "You know what? I'll bet my good friend John would be attracted to Amy. Can you find out if she is available?" 

"Sure. I already have her email from the group and she said she'd love to hang out sometime." 

"Yes, find out what you can. John has a hard time meeting women who are not attracted to his bank account, although I fault him for bringing that on himself." 

"Oh, she doesn't come across that way at all, but is he athletic? She seems to be very serious about running." 

"He is a cyclist, among other things." 

"I'll feel her out. I want to get to know her anyway." 

They had reached William's favorite Vietnamese restaurant, and went inside. 

* * * * * 

Andy walked into the visiting area and saw Vera waiting for him at a desk across the glass. He wasn't used to seeing her dressed conservatively, but was glad she wasn't drawing too much attention to herself. He liked to keep a low profile among the other inmates. He sat down and thanked her for coming to see him, then he had to endure ten full minutes of her telling him off about how stupid he was and why did he do it and why didn't he tell her how bad his money problems were. "Vera, we don't have much time. I need to ask you a favor." 

And that is when he asked if she would clean out his apartment, told her where the key was hidden, and told her where she could find something for herself, for doing this favor for him. All she needed to do was put his belongings in a storage unit and use his money to pay for six months. 

"You sure you'll get out in six months?" 

"I am the model inmate," he answered. "I'm lucky they put me in a cell with another accountant. The guy reads all day long and barely speaks. But Vera, I need you to put a little money on the books for another inmate, not for me. A guy named Richard Hoymee. He's looking out for me in here. Can you do that for me Vera? Just forty bucks a month out of that money." 

"Of course, Andy. Is there anything else I can do for you?" 

"No, I've asked too much as it is. I am so thankful you came to see me, Vera. I didn't expect it. I didn't expect to ever see you again." 

Vera smiled at him and leaned in closer to the glass, giving him an eyeful of cleavage. "I've missed you Andy. More than I expected to." 




Flower Girl Ch. 06



Andy smiled back at her and a guard told him his time was up.



Flower Girl Ch. 07



Antonio helped Tracy with the bouquet and center pieces she was making for Saturday's wedding. It wasn't a big enough job to warrant calling in "Antonio's Harem", made of up his wife and her sisters, but it was a big enough task to keep him and Tracy busy for several hours. Antonio caught on that Tracy must have a boyfriend because of the giant smile that spread across her face every time she looked at her phone. 

She was unusually quiet, humming to herself as she stuck the stems of day lilies into a foam base. "These lilies are extremely potent!" Tracy commented. Antonio didn't think so, but he didn't argue with her. "I don't think I have ever smelt a stronger lily," she went on. Antonio could smell them without putting his nose close, but that was always the case with day lilies. "This is why I never use these lilies for Mrs. Hillson, who by the way, needs another center piece this weekend!" 

"How's the new guy working out?" 

"Oh, I think he's going to be great! He was really interested in my resin jewelry and asked if he can make something himself." 

"You said okay?" 

"Of course! I am curious to see what he does. He's an artist, you know. I found him at my old school, recommended by my professor." 

Antonio took the lilies from her hand and handed her the roses. "Does he know flowers?" 

"Not yet, but he's motivated and a quick learner." 

Tracy stopped placing roses and sat down with one hand on her stomach. Had she eaten anything unusual that day? No - just oatmeal and a banana, her typical fare. She did have sushi with William the previous evening. She took a bagel from her lunch box to see if that would help settle her stomach. 

After finishing up the arrangements, Antonio said goodbye and Tracy got to work on the computer, setting up delivery for the flowers and sending the bride and her mother confirmation emails with photos. She couldn't decide if she was still hungry or queasy, but then a video call from Beth came in. She gave Beth the update on William, the new intern, and how Nana was doing. Beth told her about Charlie and his new tooth that was keeping them both awake at night. 

After hanging up and processing a few online orders, it was close to six and Tracy felt like she might be ill, so she texted William before she left Petals, "Feeling kind of sick. Are you okay?" 

As she gathered her belongings and shut down her computer, William called. 

"Oh, what a pleasant surprise. I thought you'd be busy." Tracy answered. 

"Never too busy for you. I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well. What's wrong?" 

"My stomach is bothering me a bit. Are you okay?" 

"Yes, I feel great." 

"It must just be me, then. Probably caught a virus from a customer or something." 

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?" 

Tracy smiled. "Oh, I am not too sick to have naughty thoughts about you, Mr. More." She laughed. "There is plenty you can do for me, but I will save those suggestions for tomorrow." 

William laughed and replied, "Well my offer is good tomorrow, too. Or any day after that, Kitten." 

Tracy sighed softly into the phone, "Well, I guess I better just go home and take it easy." 

"That sounds like a good idea. Will you call me later?" William asked. "I don't want to wake you if you are sleeping." 

"You are so sweet. Okay, I will call you later. Bye-bye." 

"Goodbye. Feel better." 

* * * * * 

The next morning, Tracy sat at her desk in stunned silence. She shook her head in disbelief, called Beth, got her answering machine, and had to resort to a text saying "Call me as soon as you can!" She sat immobile behind the counter at Petals and didn't even bother checking her email or her phone, just stared straight ahead waiting for Beth. She remained frozen, not really sure how much time passed, but then Beth showed up on a video call. "What's going on?" 

Tracy didn't answer. Instead she held up the pregnancy test so that Beth could see it. Both women stared and neither spoke. Tracy let out a big exhale and said, "So much for the IUD. It must have come out. Remember how I had that really horrible period after I had it put in?" 

"I don't . Sorry." 

"Well..." Tracy didn't know what to say. 

"Have you told him?" 

"No," Tracy said firmly, then her voice cracked as she said, "No, no, no, oh my god, I can't believe I have to ..." and then she started crying. 

Beth put her own face in her hands because it hurt to see her twin cry when she couldn't hug her over the computer. They sat quietly for a few minutes, Tracy silent, but crying and periodically shrugging her shoulders until she could finally speak, "I felt sick yesterday. I thought it was just something I ate or maybe the flu, but I never actually threw up. This morning I still felt the same way, and on the way to work I decided to just stop and get a test to rule that out. I thought I would just clear my mind and make sure. Beth, I never expected it to be positive!" 

"Do you think you should take another, just to be sure?" Beth was grasping at straws. 

"There were two in the pack! I didn't even have to wait for it to change, as soon as I peed on it, the cross came up instantly." 

Beth took a deep breath herself and said, "I don't know what to say." 

"You don't need to say anything, Beth. Just... don't tell anyone, okay? Not even Mark. Promise?" 

"You know I won't. I never told him last time." 

Tracy paused before saying, "I don't know if I can do that again, Beth." 

"Well...you don't need to decide today. You need to just sit with this for a while and ...talk to William..." 

Beth watched as Tracy dropped her head back and made an audible groan. Just then a customer walked into Petals and Tracy said, "I'll call you later," and hung up. 

* * * * * 

William looked around his apartment and decided to leave it just the way it was. In the past, he used to mess up his apartment before someone came over to give it a more lived in look, much the same way most people straightened up their homes when guests were expected. William did not want to draw attention to his orderliness, but he had made the decision to be completely authentic with Tracy. He discovered it was easy with her, and smiled at the memory of lunch with her grandmother as he realized being non-judgmental must be a family trait. Perhaps tonight he would tell Tracy about his own family. Speaking of which, his sister had left a rather urgent sounding message, so William decided to call Kate before Tracy arrived. 

Kate was having some issues and needed to talk, so when he heard Tracy rap on the door, he asked her to just hold on for a minute and went to answer. 

"Hey Kitten," he greeted Tracy with a kiss at the door, "I'm talking to my sister. Do you mind?" 

"Oh, of course not. Take your time!" Tracy whispered and gestured to the book in her hand and took a seat on the couch. 

William went back to the phone and said, "Okay, go on. Yes, Tracy just arrived. No, she is comfortable, go on." William smiled at Tracy admiring her long legs crossed on his couch. It was the first time he had seen Tracy wearing shorts and he was getting an eyeful of leg as she had her nose in a book. 

"Oh, really? Oh no, that is awful. I'm sorry, Kate...Well yes, exactly...mmm, hmmm." 

Tracy had a foot bouncing up and down as she was reading and William saw that she was wearing her anklet today. He wanted to touch it, but knew he'd better finish the phone call first. 

"Really? Well, of course...Yes , that is just one of the many reasons I will never have children. ...I know, I know. Well, no I have not changed my mind. Why would I? Those facts remain." 

William tried to catch Tracy's eye to let her know he was almost done on the phone, but she didn't look up. He assumed it was a very captivating novel. 

"Well, maybe Thanksgiving or Christmas, but definitely not both!...Okay, we'll talk about it...yes, I want you to meet her too. Okay, we will...you too. And give my regards to Frank." 

William hung up the phone and expected Tracy to look up, but her nose was still in her book. He decided to sit at her feet and have a closer look at that anklet. With Tracy's ankle firmly in his grip, he began kissing the inside, planning to work all the way up. He looked up at Tracy and expected to see her sexy grin as she tried to ignore his affection, but instead he saw that she wore a pained expression and even had tears in her eyes. William immediately stopped and asked, "What's wrong?" 

Tracy shook her head and said, "I'm not feeling well William. I'm sorry. My stomach has been bothering me." 

"Oh, why didn't you say so? I would have come to your place!" 

"Well, it comes and goes and I thought I was doing better." Tracy was still looking at her book and not at him, but William could see her eyes were full of tears that had not spilled over. He sat next to her and took her in his arms and she rested her head on his chest and he could tell by the way her shoulders moved that she was crying. He stroked her hair gently until Tracy excused herself to the bathroom, where she remained for six minutes. When she returned, she looked fine but said she felt horrible. 

"I think I'd better just go home, William." 

"You can stay here. I'll take care of you." 

"I think I would be more comfortable in my own bed," she answered. 

William paused before saying, "Well then, I will escort you home." 

"No, no, no, you don't need to do that William. Really, I don't want you to see me get sick or anything. We have not known each other all that long." 

William felt a sting at the comment, for he thought that they both felt the length of time was transcended by the comfort they felt in each other's presence. But he shrugged it off and attributed it to Tracy feeling ill. She wanted to be strong and independent, but needn't be. "Well, allow me to at least get you a cab. I can't bear the thought of you taking the subway in your condition." 

Tracy winced, and then agreed. 

William walked Tracy downstairs when the cab arrived and insisted on paying the driver, and then asked Tracy to call him when she got home. "Mind if I just text if I don't feel like talking?" 

"Of course not." 

He felt helpless as he watched the cab drive away, Tracy's head in the back seat not turning to see him wave good bye. 

* * * * * 

William sat at a table with a beer in front of him waiting for John to show up. He checked his phone, but still no reply from Tracy, just one from John stating "five minutes". He waited patiently and did not touch his beer until John finally burst through the door and slid into the booth across from him. 

"Whew. What a day. But a good one! How are you, my friend? I see you already have a drink," a cocktail waitress appeared to take John's order. "So how's everything?" 

"Everything's good," William replied, "Oh, except Kate is having some issues with her pregnancy. She should be fine, but is put on bed rest, pretty difficult with a toddler about. She said to tell you 'hello', by the way." 

John's face turned earnest as he said, "It is unfortunate that she can't expect any help from your mother." 

"Yes, well...Frank's mother is very helpful to her. How are you anyway?" 

"Very good. I am going to London on business, so I won't be around next week." 

"Ah, you do love London." 

"I do," John agreed, pausing to nod to the waitress as she put his drink on the table, "how are things with Tracy?" 

"Um, good. I mean, it was going extremely well, but she is sick right now so I have barely heard from her these past two days. Some kind of stomach virus, I guess, but she has not been as eager to see me lately." 

"Well of course not, William. Nausea? Diarrhea? Not sexy." 

William smiled, feeling reassured. "Well we did have another amazing weekend. She wanted to go to an art opening-a friend of hers from school was having a show. You should have seen her, John! She wore a red dress that zipped up the back instead of down. The whole night I starred at that zipper, wondering if it would work its way up higher. In fact, that zipper had more than a few men in a frenzy," William laughed at the memory, "and there were a few women there who know me from the library, including Patricia. Do you remember Patricia?" 

"I am not quick to forget a woman who wears leather boots up to her thighs." 

"Damn, I loved those boots," William sighed and John laughed. 

"But not Patricia," John remembered. 

"No. She makes a great first impression, but... Patricia was extremely forward, as usual, and very touchy. But Tracy...well, it was quite refreshing to be with a woman who is so confident. Instead of becoming jealous or insecure, she simply watched with a grin on her face until she had seen enough, then she came over and was so witty and charming that it wasn't long until Patricia was flirting with Tracy and I became the wallflower!" William laughed. 

"That's hot," John said. 

"Yes, it was. And Tracy was...well, the whole evening had her in quite a state. She works a room and flirts like mad, but then makes it perfectly clear that we belong to each other and ...well, it felt like hours of foreplay." 

"Damn, you are one lucky man. Does she have any friends?" 

"I told her about your dilemma and she mentioned that she met a woman in her writers group who you will certainly find pleasing to the eyes. She is single and intelligent and does not have the characteristics of a gold digger. She is a teacher, English, in fact." 

"A naughty teacher I hope." 

"One can hope, John." William laughed again. His mood had certainly lifted since meeting with John. He needed a laugh. He missed Tracy, but it wasn't just that she was sick. Her last few texts and emails had been very brief. He really hoped she would feel more like herself soon. 

* * * * * 

Tracy filled her orders and straightened up the shop, sweeping, then mopping, then checking her email again. She had made up her mind, but she was not at peace with her decision. Instead, she distracted herself and stayed busy with work, even making jewelry in her spare time, but the smell of the resin made her nauseous. 

Beth video called as she promised, as soon as she got Charlie to sleep. 

"Traaaaaay - Ceeeeee!" she squealed into the screen, being more jolly and cheerful than the situation called for. "How are you feeling today?" 

"Eh. You were right about the crackers. That helps." 

"Well? You said you made up your mind?" 

"Yes. I am having the baby." 

Beth nodded and starred back at her twin, allowing her to go on. 

"I mean, I just can't go through that again. I can't justify it. Every time I see a six year old child I think, I wonder what my child would have been like ... and I just feel different this time Beth. I can't explain it." 

"You don't have to explain to anyone Tracy. This is your choice." Beth emphasized the word 'choice'. 

"Yes, well...I suppose it sounds incredibly irresponsible of me, bringing a child into the world without a partner, but...I would not have planned it this way, but I know I can do it." 

"Yes, I know you can too. With Nana's help and more help in the shop. Of course you can, Tracy. It won't be easy, but you can do it." 

"Yeah...hey, can I see Charlie?" 

"In a minute. We need to talk about William." 

Tracy made a face like she was irritated to cover her sadness. 

"You have to tell him." 

"Actually, I don't, Beth. I don't see any reason why I have to tell him." 

"Because he has a right to know and because it's the right thing to do." 

"Yeah? Then what? He doesn't want kids, Beth. So what happens next? He goes along with it but resents me? Or he gets pissed and doesn't want anything to do with me? Either way, I lose. But I don't need his help and I don't see any reason to tell him." 

"So you are going to break up with him and not tell him the truth?" 

"Oh, I'm going to tell him the truth. We are incompatible. And he won't know or ever have to feel responsible for this baby." 

"But he is responsible, Tracy. You are having his baby. Besides, don't you miss him?" 

Tracy didn't answer. Instead she looked up at the ceiling so she wouldn't cry, but she couldn't stop the tears from coming. She grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes and took a breath. "It doesn't matter, Beth. He doesn't want kids and I do, so we were doomed anyway." 

Beth sat quietly, not sure what to say. "I'm sorry Tracy." 

Tracy sniffed, wiped her nose and nodded at the screen. 

Beth went on, "But ... well, now Charlie will have a cousin. And you are going to be a great mom and..." 

Tracy nodded through her tears. It was a bittersweet concession. 

* * * * * 

The pain was physical. William felt like he had been stabbed in the chest and he was hyperventilating. He paced around the room, before rereading the email. He had been so happy to see her name in his inbox, little did he suspect that she would deliver such a swift blow: 

Hi William, 

I know you are probably wondering why I seemed so distant these past few days. I should be having this conversation in person, but I have my reasons. I can't deny the physical chemistry between us, and I am sure that would be a huge factor in my ability to tell you what I need to say. So I have to write it. 

It has become obvious to me that we are incompatible. I know you might wonder why I think this or how I know, and you just have to trust me on this, William. I do know. And I don't like it and it hurts like hell, but I know. 

I don't know what else to say, except I really am sure about this and I am going to ask that you respect my wishes and don't contact me. I do find you irresistible, but I don't want to feel worse pain later. 

Tracy 

William couldn't breathe. He couldn't think straight. He texted John, "Can you come over?" 

John didn't ask why, but texted back "Thirty minutes." 

William went into his spare room and paced. How could she? Why did she? Fuck, he did not see this coming. Perhaps if they were fighting, if things went on for a while...it didn't make any sense. William gasped, realizing he had not been breathing. He jumped on the treadmill and started counting his steps. By the time John knocked on the door, William had counted six-thousand and forty paces and his heart was broken. 

John showed up with a baseball glove and William took his own out of the closet and followed him back into the spare room. William had two marks on the floor that were 127' apart, the distance between third and first base, but he liked to start in the middle of the room until his arm warmed up. 

"This is the real reason you bought this place, isn't it?" John joked, attempting to lighten the mood, but William did not respond. John decided to just return the ball and wait until William was ready to speak. William was counting his throws and when he reached twenty, he paused and quoted the email he had memorized to John. Then he threw the ball again. William had backed up almost to the mark by this time and his throws were coming hard and fast. 

John didn't count the throws, just caught and returned them, although he could not match William's velocity. The two men were silent and William was distraught. He focused on making each throw hard, fast, and accurate. 

Finally, William stopped and walked towards John. "Thank you for coming over. That helped. I know you are busy and I appreciate you taking the time." 

"That's it? Don't you want to talk about this?" 

"I don't know. Is there anything to talk about?" 

"Well...yes. First of all, do you know anything you aren't telling me, or were you completely broadsided by that email?" 

William scratched his beard and thought for a moment, trying to attempt an honest appraisal. "Broadsided." 

John nodded, thoughtfully, "Women are a mystery, aren't they? Well, I don't know what your plans are, but I think you should talk to her." 




Flower Girl Ch. 07



William shook his head and quoted the email, "Respect my wishes and do not contact me." 

John nodded again. This would not be easy given William's experience being on the receiving end of stalking. He paused for a moment, then started thinking aloud, "There is something incomplete in that email, William. Even I can hear it. She mentioned your chemistry twice, but in the middle some vague notion of incompatibility." 

They were back in the main living area and William took two beers out of his fridge. He looked completely calm, but then he spoke. "I am extremely angry. We have been forthright with each other from the beginning and if there was some concern, she should have spoken to me about it. It feels so incomplete and for her to just cut off communication because she decided..." William shook his head and took a drink of his beer. 

"You should talk to her." 

William gave one slow nod in agreement. "I can't imagine not talking to her again. That feels incredibly unnatural. But I will admit...I am reluctant to hear what she might say." 

"Women. They sure do like to complicate things, don't they?" 

William didn't answer, just continued staring into space. 

"Have you eaten? I'll go to your pizza joint if you want." 

William shook his head. "I really don't feel like eating. Sorry." 

John nodded and slowly drank his beer. He wished for something witty to say, but he didn't know what. He felt like he was going to miss Tracy too, and he could only imagine what William was feeling, but he couldn't leave his friend in this state. "Do you want to see if there's a game on?" 

"John, you don't need to stay. I know you are busy." 

"Nah, not at all." John sat down on the couch and took the remote and found a baseball game and William slumped on the couch and stared, but not at the TV. 

* * * * * 

Petals was full of customers, but luckily Antonio was there to help make two bouquets while Tracy scheduled an appointment for a bride, then rang up two customers. Tracy was glad for the business because it demanded her to focus on work instead of William and she could actually forget that she was pregnant for a few moments at a time. Devin, her new helper, showed up, set his things down and immediately started helping customers. Tracy smiled, thinking how lucky she was to find him, although she didn't actually find him. She had asked her favorite professor for a recommendation and he said he knew just the right person. 

Tracy compulsively checked her email, acting like she was busy with work, but she still secretly longed to see something from William every time she looked. She was disheartened that he didn't put up a fight about not seeing her anymore, but at the same time she was relieved because her resolve felt flimsy. She knew that being pregnant changed everything and she couldn't have back what they had before anyway. The relationship would become too serious and she would be a drag, a burden. He may not even want anything to do with her. No, this was better. Better to leave with her self-esteem still intact. 

Once the store cleared out, the three looked at each other and let out big sighs. "Whew!" Tracy spoke first, "that was a rush! I am so glad you both were here." 

"Yes," Antonio said, "but look at the rose stock. I hope you don't get any more online orders today." 

"Yes, but we have still have some red. Those are the customers that want what they want," she explained turning to Devin, "customers are more flexible about the other colors." 

Antonio said goodbye and Tracy started showing Devin how to check orders on her online jewelry shop. "I don't have any orders now, but at Christmas time, if it is anything like last year I am really going to need your help. I sold fifty-five necklaces last year; the pansies were the most popular. Hey, did you make something with that resin you took home?" 

Devin looked embarrassed and said, "Yes." 

"Well, how did it turn out?" 

"I like it." 

"Well aren't you going to show me?" 

Devin looked reluctant, but then took his phone out and showed Tracy a photo. It was a silver belt buckle with the background painted white, then a piece of mistletoe suspended in the resin. 

A smile widened across Tracy's face as she realized the connotation, "Kiss me under the mistletoe? Devin! You naughty boy! You brilliant naughty boy! How do you feel about adding these to the 'Flower Girl' collection?" 

"Do you think anyone would want them?" Devin asked, a smile starting to curve up on his lips. 

"Uh, I dunno. Let's try something." Tracy asked Devin to send her the photo, then she texted it to Pierre and waited a few seconds until a text came back that said, "I must have one! Where did you find it?" 

Devin smiled widely and his enthusiasm only grew as Tracy unveiled her plan, "Women might buy them. Men probably wouldn't. Gay men will for sure. I want you to do a google search, find some novelty shops for sexy gifts and ... we need to get these out before Christmas. I'm going to order some blank belt buckles right now. Oh, and we should do some female buckles too. Maybe a 'his-and-her' set too." Then Tracy jumped out of her seat and threw her hands up exuberantly and said, "This is a brilliant idea Devin!" And she did a little excited dance to mask her pain and then even startled Devin by hugging him, but he laughed and quickly joined in on her excitement. Tracy was grateful that Devin had given her something to keep her mind busy, because she could not stop missing William. 

* * * * * 

The library was a hub of activity that afternoon, but William sat at his desk staring at the computer screen pretending to read. He noticed Melissa had started hovering about, coming a bit closer but not actually talking to him. But he wasn't concerned about her, he was thinking about Tracy. It had been eight days since he had received her email. He had seen her once since then, but she had not seen him. He had broken his resolve and went to the flower shop to speak to her in person, but there were people in the shop. He felt like a creepy stalker, but he really didn't want to walk in until she was alone, so he waited, hoping the guy would leave. He watched as Tracy spoke animatedly, and then she even jumped up and did a little dance and was laughing and smiling, and she hugged the guy. It looked like a friendly hug, but that is when William realized she wasn't even sad. He felt devastated and Tracy looked like her usual exuberant self. And so he left. 

After what felt like the longest weekend in his memory, he was trying to focus on work, but he knew he had to talk to Tracy. At the very least, maybe she would say something cruel and he could learn to hate her. He could not remain suspended in this purgatory. 

"Hey William!" 

William looked up from his screen to see Ray, a welcome distraction, "Hello Ray. How are you this afternoon?" 

"Good, man. Just came to get a book. You know there's a library closer to my house but I just wanted to say hello." 

"Very nice of you to come by, Ray. What have you been reading?" 

"Oh, I had to read some stuff from Alicia's therapist, so aside from that, just Tracy's story. Hey, did she ever come up with a title? Alicia and I just call it 'The Vera and Andy Story,' although I thought it should be called, 'Make a Hoe of a Housewife'." Ray laughed and William smiled. It was funny, but it would take a lot get a laugh out of him right now. Ray assumed William didn't get the joke and explained, "Oh, that's a rap song, man. 'Make a Hoe of a Housewife'? Dr. Dre?" 

"Yes, of course," William continued the lyrics, "A bitch is a bitch, but a dog is a man's best friend." 

Ray looked stunned for a second and then said, "Man, you are an enigma, you know that?" 

William sighed, "Yes, I've heard. I like pizza, I play baseball, and contrary to popular belief, I am not a hoe." 

Ray looked confused for a moment, and then asked, "You okay William?" 

William looked at Ray and didn't answer. He wasn't sure himself. 

"Tracy?" 

"Yes," William answered. 

"What happened?" 

"I don't know. That is the problem. I thought ...no, I know things were going fantastic. Then suddenly she says we are not compatible and won't talk to me." 

"Brutal." 

William nodded at the perfect adjective, then inhaled and tried to change the subject to books, but he couldn't even muster up any enthusiasm for literature. Fortunately, he had a book set aside for Ray and pulled it out, "Someone returned this recently and when I saw it, I thought of you. It is not new, but it is...it is a really good book." 

Ray thanked him and took the book from William but was stunned. A really good book? Ray thought to himself. Coming from William that was a shockingly blasé book review. 

* * * * * 

Ray stopped by the flower shop and found Tracy sitting behind her computer screen crying. She quickly tried to wipe her eyes and smile when she saw Ray, but he said, "Tracy! What's going on?" 

"Oh, nothing, how are you?" Tracy answered, trying to sound normal. 

"Bullshit, Tracy. Tell me what's up? Yesterday I saw William and he looked like hell, now here you are crying?" 

"I had something in my eye," Tracy gave a fake smile, and then bit a cracker. Then she asked, "You saw William?" 

"Yeah, and the dude is not himself. Why don't you make up with him?" 

"It isn't that simple, Ray." 

Ray stood staring at her. He wasn't going to let her off that easy. 

Tracy relaxed her shoulders and rolled her eyes. "I'm having health issues, okay? I don't want him to feel sorry for me or feel obligated to stay with me or anything." 

Ray was thoughtfully quiet for a moment, obviously weighing something in his own mind. "Tell him. Whatever it is, tell him and let him decide. I don't know what I should tell you about my own situation, I'll have to ask Alicia, but she had, well she has a health issue. It's much better to know. Let him decide for himself how to deal with it." 

"But...I don't want to be a burden, Ray. I'd hate for William to stay with me because he feels sorry for me." Tracy bit another cracker. "Besides, he didn't put up much of a fight when I told him not to contact me." 

"You told him not to?" 

Tracy nodded and Ray put his hands up in exasperation. "This is ridiculous, Tracy. You're a mess, he's a mess. You need to call him right now." 

Tracy stared in stunned silence. She had been fighting the urge to call William non-stop, now having someone standing in front of her demanding that she do so was almost a relief. Tracy looked at the clock and said, "He's at work." 

"Text him," Ray insisted, "I'm not leaving here until you text him." 

Tracy made a dramatic sigh and bit another cracker. It wasn't just Ray. She was about to crack anyway. She picked up her phone and wrote the truth, "I can't stop thinking about you," and pressed 'send.' 

Ray smiled and said, "I'm not going to hang out and wait for him to text back. I need to get back to work. But you better be smiling next time I see you." 

"I hope so, Ray. Hey, take some flowers for Alicia." Tracy was grateful for the push, but was now scared to death about opening the door for William to reject her. 

After Ray left, Tracy checked her phone and email, but heard nothing. She sat and ate crackers wondering if she just made a huge mistake. It hadn't occurred to her that William simply wouldn't reply, but now that felt like a very real and very frightening possibility. 

* * * * * 

William stood on the stoop to Tracy's apartment, hoping she planned to come straight home right after work. He already knew he was going to contact her and wasn't sure what approach to take, but once she sent a text that opened the door just a sliver, he decided to come see her in person immediately. He spotted her from pretty far away, since her bold dress and black hair and determined gate made her stand out from the crowd. But she wasn't looking for him and it gave him a chance to study her. When she stopped at the corner, she took her phone out of her purse, looked at it and made a pouty face before putting it back. William's heart melted, knowing she was hoping to hear from him. 

She didn't see him until she was almost to the steps, then she reacted like a child at Disneyland who just spotted Mickey Mouse. She literally leapt in the air and shouted "William!" and ran straight into his arms, nearly knocking him over. And then she went soft in in his arms and made little cooing sounds in his ears and started whispering how much she missed him, kissing him near the ear, along his cheek, and to his mouth. William was overwhelmed. He hadn't known what to expect, whether she would be cold, angry, or standoffish. Instead, she acted like he had just returned from a long vacation. But of course he returned her kisses and asked if they could go upstairs. 

Tracy did not let go of his hand the whole time, almost as if she expected him to run off. She even maintained her grip as she dug in her purse and took out her keys, and as soon as they were inside, she smothered him with hugs and kisses again. William could not properly enjoy her affection because he didn't understand what happened, what had changed. "Tracy, hold on. I think we should talk." 

"Can we talk later?" They were now seated on the couch and Tracy had her hand on his belt buckle. 

"Why?" 

"Because I really missed you and I want to get close to you." 

"I meant, why did you do that, Tracy? Why did you put me through nine days of hell? Is this how you expect it to be? On again off again? Because it is too taxing, too painful." 

Tracy removed her hand and sat back on the couch, looking like a child who had her hand slapped or was told "no." 

William sat in silence. He was kind of surprised at himself. He could have waited to have the talk after sex, but he couldn't just pretend, so he spoke, "I need to know what prompted you to cut me off, and what your concerns are about our compatibility." 

Tracy was silent. 

William waited. There was no logical explanation for her behavior and this sort of thing exasperated him. What if she didn't have a reason? Could she just be flighty or dramatic? She seemed so ...authentic up until nine days ago. What changed? 

"Tracy...is there someone else?" 

Tracy would not look at him, but she bit her lip and slowly nodded. William felt like the floor suddenly split open and he was sliding down a pit. He had not expected that answer and was just grasping at straws. He put his head in his hands and then heard Tracy speak. 

"Yes...yes, there is someone else William. And I have been scared to tell you. So scared I thought it would be better to end it than to have to tell you." Tracy paused and swallowed. "William, that someone else is a baby. I'm pregnant." 

"What?" William looked up at her and Tracy removed her glasses to wipe her eyes and put them back on. "Tracy, how can this be? Were you telling the truth about the IUD?" 

"Yes." 

"Then...how...oh my god," William put his head back in his hands. "Tracy - you do not want to have my baby, trust me!" 

"What!" Tracy stood up, ready for a good fight, her face immediately changing from trepidation to anger. "Who are you to tell me? I am having this baby William. I don't need your blessing and I don't need your help." 

"Hold on Tracy, let me think for a second," William remained seated. 

"What do you need to think about? It's my decision!" 

"But you are making a decision without having all the facts." 

"What's there to know? I'm pregnant. I don't want to have an abortion. You don't want kids. End of story!" She threw up her hands in finality. 

William sat quietly thinking while Tracy fumed, and started pacing. "I am not having an abortion, William. My mind is made up. You don't have to stay with me, you don't have to help me in any way, and you don't even need to know the baby. I'm not asking you for anything." 

"Why not?" 

"Because you didn't ask for this." 

"Neither did you." 

"Well..." Tracy softened and sat down in the chair. "I do have the ability to end it. But I don't want to, William. I had an abortion when I was in college and ...I can't do it again. That was totally different, I was young and couldn't support myself, plus I wasn't even in love with that guy." 

William looked at Tracy to see if he just heard right, but Tracy just went on as if stating the facts. "I am old enough now and know what I want out of life and I want to be a mom. I didn't mean for it to happen so soon, but I can't ...I can't do it William." William stood up enough to take Tracy's hand and pull her onto his lap when she burst into tears, "I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't mean ...to make things get so tough." 

William kissed her forehead and wiped her tears, "I thought I was having the worse week possible, but you were trying to do this alone? Tracy, you don't have to. And honestly, you have tried to make a decision without knowing all the facts. I am sure you will feel differently if I tell you my reasons for not wanting children." 

Tracy slid off his lap and looked at him seriously, expecting him to continue. 

"Tracy, I am...genetically flawed. My mother is schizophrenic and my father is an alcoholic. My sister had a severe eating disorder and you know about my OCD, but you don't know how bad it was in the past." 

Tracy saw the pain on William's face, but knew it was time to probe, "Will you tell me about your mother?" 

William took a deep breath. He anticipated this conversation sooner or later, but he hated the way the words tasted coming out of his mouth. "Well...she is mentally ill. Sometimes she puts on a great front, but she is unpredictable. My father works from home so he can keep an eye on her, but he is ill too. He is what you would call a 'functioning alcoholic'. Most people would be shocked, for he never appears to be drunk, but in reality, he is never actually sober. He built an office out in the garage and hides out back there, he hides his drinking and he hides the car keys. I've just made him sound horribly fearful, but in fact he is a very practical man. People like him. He watches the house and make sure my mother doesn't take the car, although she has been known to sneak away on foot occasionally. Oh, he doesn't keep her captive. You need to understand that the voices sometimes tell her to do things; highly irrational things." 

Tracy nodded and stroked William's hand, but didn't speak. 

"Growing up was...well, some people have it worse. I don't want to sound as if I am full of self-pity, but certain things were...difficult. Kate and I were very close and we would have friends over, but only a select few that ...wouldn't violate our trust. Kate was tough, though. She's older, you know. She would explain to any friend I brought over what the situation was. She had this little speech, 'Our mom is not right in the head, but if you ever talk badly about her or William, I will personally kick your ass.'" 

Tracy laughed. 

"Well, yes, she said that to everyone until I was about twelve, then she said I was too big and my friends were too big, so I better just tell them myself." 

"Did you?" 

"Hmmm...I became less social." 

Tracy nodded and said, "And what about your mom? What is she like?" 

William paused, "I wish she was horrible all the time. It would be much easier not to love her. Instead, she vacillates between hot and cold, normal and crazy. Her 'episodes' as we call them have been subdued by improved medication over the years, but she is thoroughly convinced that..." William exhaled before going on, "someone is trying to communicate to her through food labels." 

Tracy's eyes got big upon hearing this, and William continued. 

"This is just one manifestation of her illness, but she removes the labels off of cans and saves them. She compares them over the years, for example, Del Monte Corn - they have changed the label three times in my lifetime. My mother compares the labels and thinks that the missing letters or word is a code to her personally. So she has file cabinets full of labels and...my dad says leave her alone because it keeps her busy, but when I was a teenager I spent an exorbitant amount of time trying to reason with her. I tried to use logic on her insanity and it drove me insane...I was institutionalized when I was sixteen." 




Flower Girl Ch. 07



Tracy was crying now, her heart breaking for the young William, but he just stared straight ahead and continued. 

"So I lost it, my sister lost it, my dad drank, and my mom has numerous organized files on things that don't matter while her children fell apart. And, well, I don't mean to go on about this Tracy, but our house was...very cluttered. Items were put where they didn't belong. Except our bedrooms. Kate and I put locks on our doors and our father allowed us to do that because he understood we needed some space that wasn't crazy. We had a bathroom that connected our bedrooms, so we would stay in there most of the time or be outside." 

Tracy wiped her eyes and silently thanked God for Kate. 

"She wasn't mean or abusive to us, Tracy. She loved us. She still loves us. She is a very sick woman and it hurts to see her in so much anguish. That is one thing I learned from my own mental break. The psychologist was able to help me see my mother as a sick person. I used to get so angry at her for not acting as a mother should, or for being illogical. Well, as you probably understand now, I decided long ago not to have children of my own. I am not opposed to having a family, but always thought I would adopt or...use a sperm donor." 

Tracy laughed, and William looked at her questioning. 

"Oh William, you don't understand. Everything you just told me was intense and sad and heartbreaking because I felt bad for what you went through. But it doesn't scare me one bit. I was terrified that I was going to lose you over this, because I got pregnant and you wouldn't want me. But you know what I thought to myself? Well, at least I will have his baby. I will always have a part of William now, even if he doesn't want me. Because I will always love you, William, no matter what you decide. I love you and I love your baby and I am not scared of any genetic disorders. Knowing what I know now, I would pick your sperm over anyone else's at a sperm bank, because I happen to think you are amazing. Other men, sperm donors, may not have your family history, but they would lack all of your good qualities that I am hoping this child gets from you." 

William stared at Tracy in disbelief and said, "Tracy, don't you understand? All those disorders have a genetic predisposition." 

"So what." 

"So what?" 

"Yeah, so what. Your sister has one and one on the way, right? Quit being a scaredy cat." 

William looked at Tracy and slowly his expression changed from bewilderment to serious. 

"Scaredy cat?" 

"Yes. I almost said 'weenie', because that is what I was thinking. You are brave in so many ways, but you are scared because this is something you can't control, but guess what William - no one can. Talk to my mom about biology and genetics. It is a crap shoot for everyone; you just think you know some of the odds. This baby could have Down syndrome or Tourette's or ...well, it couldn't be ugly coming from me and you," Tracy laughed, "But my point is, I am going to love this baby if it is healthy and even if it isn't." 

William was smiling now, "You sound like Mother Theresa. If Mother Theresa was a sex kitten and called people 'weenie', that is." And then he hugged Tracy tightly and kissed her face over and over. "We still have a lot to talk about, you know. But I think I am ready to take a break." Tracy shrank at those words, and William quickly corrected himself. "I mean from talking! Not a break from each other. Tracy - it is going to take me some time to get used to this baby idea, but last week made one thing very clear: I love you and I want you in my life." 

Tracy leaned in and kissed William lightly on the lips and ran her hand along his short beard while looking into his eyes. William stroked the side of her face and tucked her hair behind her ear, studying her face, thinking how he thought he had lost her forever. He didn't want to talk anymore, just wanted to look at her, but she spoke, "I'm sorry to put you through that, William. It was hell for me too. But it feels so good to be back in your arms." 

A devilish grin crept onto his face. 

Tracy took off her glasses and raised her eyebrows at him, wondering, hoping that he was feeling amorous. 

"You were very sassy," he said, "first calling me a scaredy cat and then almost calling me a weenie." 

Tracy grinned back at him. 

"In fact, I think your behavior qualifies as 'petulant brat.' If I didn't know better, I would think you were asking for a spanking." 

With deliberately wide eyes, Tracy drew her breath in. "You wouldn't spank a pregnant woman, would you?" 

"Oh, I most definitely would, if she deserved it." 

Tracy squinted at William, and then very slowly stuck her tongue out and drew it back in. William abruptly stood up and pulled Tracy up by her hands, and then he bent over and threw her over his shoulder and picked her up. Tracy squealed and giggled as he carried her to the bedroom and tossed her down on her back, then pinned both of her hands above her head as he lowered himself down on top of her, between her legs which immediately wrapped around him. He kissed her on the mouth and his free hand felt the back of her thigh and up to her butt and began squeezing her bottom firmly. 

Tracy moaned into his mouth and then William lowered his mouth to her breast and stopped rubbing her butt long enough to pull the front of her dress down and free her from her bra, and began slowly, teasingly, flicking her nipple with his tongue. Tracy wiggled and tried to get her hands loose, but William brought reinforcement with his free hand to hold her in place. Tracy did not want to fight it anyway, so she tried to relax as William continued to slowly torment her nipples with his tongue, lips, and teeth, until she was whimpering "please, please, please," which made him slow even more. Then he suddenly became aggressive with her breasts, kissing them firmly, over and over. Tracy loved the back and forth dance of gentle and aggressive, not knowing what he would do next. He sucked harder and removed one hand to begin massaging her breast, feeding more and more of it into his mouth, and then backed off again, flicking the tip of her nipple with his tongue, and she felt such a yearning between her legs she thought she could cum just from the friction of his waist pressing down on her pelvis. 

He is torturing me, Tracy thought to herself. I thought he was going to spank my bottom, but instead he is going to torture me by not touching me below the waist. Tracy loved what William was doing to her, but she could hardly take it, and squirming and moaning was reduced to begging, "Please William?" 

"Please what, Kitten? What do you want?" William whispered in a sexy voice and looked up at her long enough for her to see the sadistic grin on his face. 

"You know," Tracy whispered back, "you know what I want." 

William shook his head and went back to lightly flicking her nipple in a slow methodical manner. Tracy felt a pulsating yearning down below and could feel her own wetness in her panties. "Aaaah, please?" 

William sucked a nipple hard and rhythmically, like he had no interest in doing anything else, still firmly holding Tracy's arms above her head. Tracy was squirming and rubbing into him and could feel his hardness on her thigh and never wanted anything more, "Please?" She was getting louder, but William continued to ignore her pleas. "William, I'm sorry I called you a scaredy cat! Please, please, please?" 

William gently bit her nipple before calmly ignoring her requests. 

Tracy moaned, her pussy was clenching from all the nipple stimulation, "Please forgive me? Please fuck me?" she gasped. 

"I have forgiven you completely," William smiled and slowly licked her nipples. 

Tracy tried to squirm her way loose, but it was pointless. Her squirming, fighting, and begging had no effect on him, William was going to do what he was going to do, when he wanted to do it, which apparently amounted to sweet, teasing torture. Tracy was practically in tears of frustration, for she had never been denied or played with to this extent, yet it was sweet blissful ecstasy to be William's plaything. She knew it was pointless to fight it, but she couldn't keep from grinding into him from below. The pulsing between her legs was unbearable, she felt like if he touched her, even through her panties, she would cum. But he didn't. Instead he finally kissed his way up to her neck, to her ear and then across to her mouth, but Tracy could hardly kiss him back because she was panting so hard. At least now she could feel him, hard and stiff pressing against her mound through his pants and her panties, she could feel the heat between them. 

"You want me bad, don't you?" William whispered into her ear. 

"So bad," Tracy conceded. 

William ground himself into her, but still kept her arms pinned above her head. Tracy teetered on the verge of crying out in frustration and started to wonder if he wasn't just playing with her, if he was paying her back for hurting him. "Please William? I have to have you inside me." 

William leaned up and grinned, and finally let her arms free. Tracy immediately wrapped her arms around him tightly and moaned in great relief, and then pulled a hand in front of him to get his pants off. "Uh-uh. Be patient," William warned. Then he backed up to his knees and unbuckled his belt. He didn't unbutton his pants, instead he pulled the belt all the way through the loops and folded it in two, holding the ends in his hand and looked down at her with an intense expression. Tracy gulped and her eyes went big as she thought oh my god, I thought he meant with his hand. 

"Do I need a 'safe' word?" she asked. 

"I think a simple 'stop' will do," William answered as he rolled her onto her stomach. William took the two sides of her black panties and slowly lowered them all the way down her long legs, gently dragging his fingers along her skin as he did so, leaving Tracy trembling from excitement rather than fear. He stopped at her ankles and pulled one foot through, then took the free foot and placed it through the same opening so that her feet were lightly bound together, then he pulled her dress up above her waist exposing her bare bottom and the entire length of her legs. Tracy wiggled her bottom, a very sassy move for a woman in such a position, but William resisted the urge to smack her butt right then. 

"Nine days, Tracy. But my belt is not punishment. It is reward for coming back to me. Do you want your reward, Kitten?" 

She almost muttered a sincere apology, but realized she wanted to feel the sting of the belt. The bottom half of her body ached for William and she needed some relief, some contact, even if it were swift and stinging. She wiggled her butt at him one more time. 

Smack! 

Tracy felt the first sting of the belt on her right butt cheek, but did not cry out. 

Smack! 

The second caused a whimper to escape her lips. 

Smack! 

And the third lash of the belt caused Tracy to cry out, "Oh!" 

William gently stroked her sore bottom with his hand. Tracy lay panting, wondering what he would do next. The worst torture she could imagine was if he denied her. She wanted to feel him, wanted him to take her, she wanted to get on with the spanking, hoping he would enter her finally, but instead he seemed content to gently tickle her butt cheek with two fingers. 

"That was only three," Tracy whispered. 

William laughed and rolled her over on her back, and kissed her mouth, hungrily. "I can count, sassy. The rest will come when I have my cock buried deep inside you so I can feel your little butt cheeks tighten up." 

"Oh my god William! Fuck me, now! Please?" 

William stood up and Tracy nearly cried thinking he might not grant her wish. Her dress was still bunched up around her waist, her feet still bound by her panties, her tits led out and her hair was a mess, but William was fully dressed except for his belt, grinning confidently. He started to unbutton his shirt, slowly. Tracy stared at him, breathing with her mouth open. "God, I missed your body," she murmured spontaneously as he removed his shirt. When he finally unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, Tracy was making little whimpering sounds again, not looking at his eyes any longer, waiting to see his manliness, his beautiful cock that was hard and straight, and glistening with precum. 

Tracy threw her head back in delight, wiggled a foot out of her panties and spread her legs. 

William was equally delighted by the sight before his eyes, he could see her wetness coating the inside of her legs. It was time. He knelt between her legs, put his cock at the entrance, and could feel the heat radiating off her. He couldn't help but think how feral she looked, while he felt entirely in control. She looked up at him with pleading in her eyes, her expression saying more than any words could convey. "I am yours," he said, as he finally parted her sweet wet pussy that felt as tight as glove, hugging him from all sides so that he had to actually work his way in rather than slide. He kept eye contact as he slowly slid back out, her lips dragging and squeezing his shaft, then he plunged back in, marveling at the tightness. She was incredibly slick and already pulsating on him and he knew that she would be cumming soon and that he would not join her this time. She was already clenching on him, squeezing and bucking and she hooked her ankles behind his back, but William was feeling very particular about what he wanted at this moment. He reached back and grabbed an ankle and pushed her leg straight up in the air so that he could take longer, deeper, strokes that would slow her down just a moment, but still result in her satisfaction. It barely took a few strokes before Tracy was cumming and William took immense pleasure, not only in the sensation of her squeezing his cock, but in watching her face, her expression so erotic as it went from intense squinting, a tortured or pained look, then her eyes rolled back and her mouth opened, and her groans changed to a giggly sound as her face relaxed and a smile spread over her face. William had her leg up over his shoulder and was still moving in and out of her slowly as she looked up at him smiling, then she closed her eyes again and William smiled too. 

Then he slowly withdrew and rolled her over, Tracy now like an exhausted rag doll instead of being wound up. She was completely compliant, lying face down on the bed, presenting her ass to him with her knees together. She had three red stripes on the pale skin of her butt cheek, and William stroked them tenderly as he entered her from behind. Tracy cooed, sounding like a contented cat purring, wiggling back into him with her eyes still closed and a smile remaining on her lips. 

William enjoyed the deep plunge attainable at this angle and relished the sensation of sliding in and out, Tracy actively moving back into him with each thrust as they met half way. He loved the sight of her like this, the wild sex kitten, narrow waist, perfect round moons of her ass, watching his cock slide in and out, her pussy hugging him, squeezing him with each thrust, as if it didn't want to let him go. But he would take and give, take and give, take and give to her relentlessly. Tracy added to the feeling by rocking her hips to the side with each thrust and the increased sensation was becoming overwhelming. Rather than give into the feeling, he slowed a bit and smacked her ass. 

"Oh!" Tracy yelped, having forgotten to expect the swats she had coming to her. William felt the desired effect as her muscles clenched with each swat, smack-smack-smack- but it was more than that, he felt increased wetness and realized she was going to cum again, so he smacked her ass firmly but a little harder each time until she yelled, "Aaaah! More, more, more!" and he smacked her greedy little ass while driving into her in rhythm until Tracy lifted her head, arched her back and William could feel her cumming again and this time he could not restrain himself, but pushed into her deeply, smacked her one more time, then pumped into her with abandon as they came and came and came, and William shuddered and felt a tingle run throughout his body that made him tremble, before he withdrew and collapsed at her side. 

They were both panting now, covered in sweat, and William leaned over and moved the strand of hair that was stuck to Tracy's cheek. She smiled with closed eyes and brought his hand to her mouth. She kissed the back of his hand and held it there, as he continued to stroke her hair with his other hand, feeling overcome with love for her. Tracy sighed. She wanted to apologize for the pain she caused and she wanted to apologize for being pregnant, although she knew William wouldn't want to hear that. But she needed to say something. "William? Promise me you won't stay with me out of obligation. I wouldn't want you to. I can do this alone. I don't want to, I want you with me, but nothing scares me more than the thought that you will not want me but feel obligated. Nothing scares me more than the thought that you might resent me for getting pregnant." 

William continued to stroke her hair, choosing his words carefully. "I told you how I feel about you Tracy. I love you. I realized I love you before I knew you were pregnant, but now that you are...well, it does change things. It means we both have an incentive to make this work and not just for ourselves. It means you can't do that again, Tracy. You can't exert your independence and cut me off without talking to me. You must give us a chance to talk about things. One of the things I fell in love with was how you spoke your mind, but then you suddenly closed up and turned your back on me. We have to communicate, Tracy." 

Tracy sighed and rolled on top of William, taking his face in both hands and looking him square in the eyes. "You are right. And in case I did not communicate clearly, I love you William." And she kissed his lips. 

***** 

Thank you for your votes, comments, and emails. There are two more chapters to this story and they will post right away.



Flower Girl Ch. 08



The sunlight streaming through the clerestory window landed on Tracy where she lay reading on the bed. William sat drinking tea, pretending to read as well, but in reality he was studying her naked form. He delighted in the fact that she was comfortable enough with her own body to remain nude, although she complained about a thickening waistline. He could not yet perceive a change in her body. 

Tracy lay on her belly, knees bent, feet in the air crossed at the ankle, while William allowed his eyes to move slowly over her pale skin, feeling like a voyeur as he took so much pleasure in through his eyes without her knowledge. She was up on her elbows, and her feet gently rocked back and forth, and he adored her rounded bottom and the two dimples above her butt cheeks. 'Dimples of Venus' had always been a favorite part of the female body and Tracy's were pronounced. He thought about how he loved to dig his two thumbs into those indentations when it occurred to him that she would not be able to lie on her belly much longer. His mind shifted to the baby growing inside of this beautiful woman on his bed and he smile at remembering his sister's reaction to the news; after the initial shock, she was thrilled. William felt the same way. 

"What are you thinking about?" Tracy asked, looking up from her book. 

"Being a father." 

Tracy rolled on to her side, giving William a frontal view. She wanted to ask how he was feeling about being a dad, but was afraid to hear the answer. She was still getting used to the idea herself and had contradictory emotions, so instead she asked, "Are you going to tell your parents?" 

"Of course, but maybe not during this trip. I'll wait and see how things go. Besides, this visit is about Kate and the new baby." 

Tracy nodded in agreement. They were booked on a flight to Chicago that afternoon and Kate was in surgery this morning, having a scheduled C-section. Tracy didn't like the idea of meeting William's parents and immediately hitting them with the news of her pregnancy. Besides, they would have the new baby Connor on their minds. 

"Do you get nervous about flying?" Tracy asked. 

"Not at all. Do you?" 

"No. I prefer trains, but that has more to do with comfort." 

"Yes, but it's only a two hour flight and our seats are in first class." 

"Really?" Tracy asked, "Do you always fly first class?" 

"No, not usually. I just want to make sure you are comfortable. Especially in your condition." William answered. 

Tracy replied, "Come here, sweetheart." 

He rose from his chair and went over to lie next to her, both on their sides looking at each other. "You are really good to me, but coach would be just fine. I'm not a princess," she said as she lightly tickled the hair on his chest. 

"Not a princess, but precious cargo. In fact, precious cargo carrying precious cargo," William's hand stroked her still-flat belly. "Everything that matters to me is right here in this bed right now," he said, and rolled on to his back and pulled Tracy on top of him as his hands found their way to the 'dimples of Venus.' 

"How much time do we have?" Tracy asked. 

"At least an hour before we even need to get ready." 

"Good," Tracy laughed, "Enough time to adhere to the two-to-one ratio." And she kissed and licked his lips, inviting his tongue to play with hers. 

* * * * * 

"Were you able to get my stuff into a storage unit?" Andy asked. 

Vera hesitated before answering, "No, not exactly." 

Andy didn't know what to say. It was a favor; she didn't owe him anything, but then again she said she would do it. Well, he wouldn't complain. It was mostly clothing since his wife took almost everything when they split up. Besides, he didn't want to trouble Vera. He already felt indebted to her and couldn't believe she made the long drive to come visit him again. 

"Andy, it really wasn't much stuff. It seemed a waste to pay a storage facility when I have plenty of room at my place." 

Andy thought for a second, "Oh, so do you want me to pay you to store my stuff?" 

"Ugh!" Vera groaned, and then looked at Andy, exasperated that she had to spell it out for him, "No, Andy! Don't you get it? You don't need to pay me to store your stuff for you! You don't ever have to pay me for anything ever again!" 

"Oh," Andy answered, trying to process what she was saying. Does that mean she wouldn't accept him as a client anymore? 

Vera's face and voice both softened, "Look Andy, I feel pretty guilty about you being in here. I mean I know it's not my fault, but if I'd known about your financial situation, I wouldn't have accepted your money." 

"Yeah, but that's why I couldn't tell you. I didn't want to..." Andy looked around to make sure no one was listening, "I didn't want to stop being your client." 

Vera looked down at the table, giving Andy a chance to admire her cleavage, and then she looked up at him and asked, "Are you really dense enough to believe you're just a client to me?" 

Andy hesitated, hoping not to reveal too much or blow it by making assumptions, "Well...no...I mean, we are obviously friends, but even that surprises me. I still can't believe that you'd come all this way to visit. You've been a really good friend to me." 

"I'm your 'good friend' then, Andy?" then she whispered in a hissing tone, "And do you want to fuck all your good friends?" 

Andy flushed and turned red, "Well no, Vera. I didn't mean...uh...well...I just don't want to make you uncomfortable?" 

"Too late, Andy. You made me horribly un-fucking-comfortable by going to jail. You made me horribly uncomfortable by making me have to deal with how much I miss you and how much you mean to me. I am uncomfortable Andy. I don't think I'll be completely comfortable until you are out of here." 

A warm feeling spread throughout Andy's body, starting in his chest and reaching all the way to the tips of his toes and his skull. Vera really did have feelings for him. He smiled at her, basking in the warmth of her statement, wishing he could feel the warmth of her arms and her mouth. But he could not, so he offered her the best condolence he could. "Two more months, Vera. Two months and I'm outta' here and then I am gonna fuck you so hard I'm gonna rattle your fillings loose." 

Vera threw her head back and laughed a big open-mouthed laugh, "You better make good on that promise, Andy. You owe me. Big time." She winked at him, before she rose to go. 

* * * * * 

William looked up from his reading, as he heard the announcement to fasten seat belts. They were about to land and Tracy was asleep with her head on his shoulder. "Buckle up, Kitten. We are close to landing." 

Tracy smiled with her eyes still closed and said, "I dreamt we had a little boy, and he kept saying 'look mommy, look at me!' as he was running around on a grassy field." 

William rubbed her cheek with his thumb. The thought of having a son with a healthy mom momentarily eclipsed the anxiety he was feeling about seeing his own mother. 

After a pleasantly uneventful landing and car rental, they were on the road, making their way to St. Charles, William's hometown. "It feels wonderful to drive a car again," William said as soon as they were on the road. "I don't miss driving, but when I do get behind the wheel it feels fantastic to be in control of the speed." 

"We should take a road trip, sometime." Tracy said. 

"I would love that. Maybe next summer we can drive across the country?" 

Tracy hesitated. She hated to be a killjoy, but she felt frustrated that he seemed to forget at times that she was pregnant. "Um, well...there will be three of us next summer." 

William nodded in agreement, silently considering that this would be his last summer not being a parent. Tracy went on, "Maybe we could do something before the baby comes? Something shorter? It seems like too much with a newborn." 

William remained silent for several minutes, and then asked Tracy the date the baby was expected. 

"June 3rd." 

"Wow." William was quiet again, which Tracy interpreted as disappointment. After a few minutes he broke the silence with, "What do you think of taking a vacation in April? Perhaps you will not be comfortable enough for a long road trip, but we could fly somewhere and rent a car. I really wanted to visit that ghost town you are writing about. Isn't Bodie in Nevada?" 

Tracy looked at William and felt overcome with love for him at that moment, for she had erroneously assumed he was feeling negatively about how his life was changing without his control. "Seriously, William? If you are trying to make me fall in love with you, it is too late. Being completely in love with you feels like the most certain thing in my rapidly changing life." 

William glanced at her with surprise, not knowing what he had said to make her happy, but glad she was pleased. 

"California," Tracy said, "near Nevada, though." 

"Ah, we should look at a map, but I would love to fly to San Francisco. I have always wanted to see that city and perhaps we could see Yosemite too." 

"Oooo, that is perfect! I've studied the area and Reno and Sacramento are the closest airports, but I love your idea of seeing San Francisco." 

William took his hand off the wheel to place it on Tracy's bare knee. They were getting close to the hospital and William had received a text stating that Kate and baby "Connor" were both doing well and the entire family was at the hospital. William told Tracy more about Kate, her husband and son, and about their parents. He tried to prepare Tracy, but admittedly he didn't know what his mom would say or how she would act. When they reached the hospital, William asked, "Are you nervous?" 

"No. Should I be?" 

"No, no, of course not. Kate will love you, my dad loves everybody, and I hope my mother does not make you uncomfortable in any way." 

"She's allowed, William. She has an illness." 

William was quiet for a moment before saying, "I am glad you understand that, Tracy. You will not have the normal satisfaction of meeting someone's mother and making a good impression based on merit. But I don't want you to feel ..." 

"Don't worry about me, William. I'll be fine." Tracy rested her hand on his leg reassuringly. William tried to relax as he parked the car, turned off the ignition, and opened the door for Tracy. 

Kate's text told them what room to find her in, so they made their way without having to ask. As they exited the elevator and turned down the hallway, they spotted William's parents walking towards them. "Hello, Mom, Dad." Tracy watched as William hugged first his mother then father, and then turned to introduce them. "Mom, Dad, this is Tracy," and then gesturing to his parents, "Tom and Lillian Travis." 

"How nice to meet you," Tom Travis said, and immediately embraced Tracy in a bear hug. He was a thin man that looked like he swallowed a basketball, and he smelled like mouthwash. When he released her, she turned to Lillian who held out her hand. Tracy was surprised how attractive she was; she hadn't expected that for some reason. Tracy shook her hand as Lillian looking at her dress and not her face, and then she looked into Tracy's eyes and said with a knowing but friendly smirk, "I knew you'd be wearing blue." 

"Well," Tracy answered, not sure how to respond, "I like blue." 

Lillian rolled her eyes, and then with a less friendly grin whispered, "Well of course you would say that." 

Tracy looked at William, not sure what she should do, but Tom intervened with, "Billy tells me you own a flower business! And that you write sexy novels too!" 

William cringed and Tracy was not sure why. Was it being called "Billy" or the sexy novel comment? 

"Tom," Lillian whispered, "I need to get home before dark. You can talk to them tomorrow, back at the house." 

"Oh sure, sure. I'll bet you two are anxious to get in there and meet that precious baby! We'll see you two tomorrow back at the house." Tom patted William on the shoulder, "Good to see you, son. Nice to meet you, Tracy." 

They said good-bye and Tracy watched them walk down the hall. Lillian had a fast gate and Tom seemed to struggle to keep up with her. She looked at William who wore a stressed expression. "That wasn't so bad, was it? Your dad was nice." 

William shook his head slowly with dismay, "Notice that dress she was wearing?" 

"Yes, it's pretty. Does she always dress so formal?" 

"I've never seen her in that dress, but I bought it for her almost ten years ago. I meant for her to have something appropriate to wear to my college graduation, but she didn't show up." 

Tracy looked down for a second, and then asked, "Did your dad go?" 

"No. He had stopped leaving her side by that point." 

Tracy didn't answer with words, but with an embrace, and then whispered in his ear, "I love you William. Let's go see Kate and meet Connor, okay?" She released him and took his arm and they made their way to the room and knocked on the half-open door. "Come on in," they heard as they were already entering. Kate was sitting up in bed with a bundle at her breasts. 

"Will!" She whispered loudly. "Come give me a hug!" William walked to the bed and embraced his sister on her side and kissed her forehead, being careful not to squish the baby, then backed up to have a look. "So nice to meet you, Tracy," Kate held a hand out for Tracy who made the observation that she looked very much like a female version of William, with the same coloring and sharp handsome features with high cheek bones. On Kate, the features almost gave her a bird-like appearance, but even tired and without make-up, she was lovely. 

"Did you see mom and dad?" she asked, looking at William, "Dad cried when he saw Connor and said 'Oh, he looks just like Billy!'" 

William smiled and looked at the baby again, "Really? I can't even tell what he looks like yet." 

"It's the hair. He has a bunch of hair like you did when you were born." Kate pulled aside the little beanie and Tracy made an involuntary cooing noise. "You can hold him," Kate offered Tracy. "He isn't nursing any more, he fell asleep." As she pulled the baby away, both Tracy and William leaned in to look at Connor's tiny face. William looked at Tracy and then looked back at Kate. 

"He's beautiful, Kate." 

"Sit down," Kate gestured to Tracy with her chin, then told William, "Go ahead, take him." 

William took the tiny bundle from Kate and held him close in his arms before taking the few steps to hand the bundle to Tracy, who cooed and smiled at the precious baby in her arms. 

"Have you ever held a baby that young?" Kate asked. 

"Yes. My twin sister has a baby boy." 

"Ah, and old pro, then." 

Tracy nodded and continued smiling at the tiny sleeping face when William asked Kate, "Where's Frank and Roger?" 

"Frank took him outside to run around for a bit, but I'm sure Frank wanted to get away from Mom." 

"Was she difficult today?" 

"Not too bad. How was your flight?" 

"Pleasant." 

"Hey, thanks for coming out and for helping Frank with Roger. He really appreciates it too." Kate said to both, then turning to Tracy, "His mom and dad will be coming when I get out of the hospital. The baby and I need to stay here for two days because of the C-section. I can't even control my feet yet, it is such a weird sensation. Here, look." Her foot jerked under the covers. "I tried to lift both feet. Isn't that weird?" 

Tracy glanced up in time to see Kate's foot jerk, but returned her gaze to baby Connor. "Oooh, look William! Look how tiny his fingernails are!" William leaned his head in next to Tracy's and both studied the baby, thinking the same thing but not speaking. 

"Hey Will, would you mind going and getting Frank for me? Tracy can wait here." 

"Sure," he excused himself, leaving the women alone with the baby. 

"So," Kate wasted no time, "You are pregnant." It was a statement, not a question, so Tracy nodded. 

"That sure happened fast." 

"It did." Tracy agreed, wondering what else she could possibly say. 

Kate stared, waiting for Tracy to go on, but Tracy was in a rare predicament where she felt intimidated, so she continued to study the baby in her arms. 

Kate broke the silence, "You must understand how I feel. Just a few weeks ago, my brother was reiterating that he did not want children, then the woman he is newly in love with drops him without explanation, and the next phone call I get you two are madly in love and you're having his baby." Kate paused before adding in a serious tone, dragging out each word, "Do not fuck with my brother's head." And then she smiled sweetly and asked for her baby back. 

Tracy carefully carried Connor back to Kate's arms and sat back down. After a few moments of tense silence, Tracy spoke. "Look Kate, it's obvious you and William are close and he's told you all about us. Hopefully he explained that I freaked out because I was completely shocked about being pregnant and not very happy about it at first. But I love William. I don't need him, I want him." 

"He did say that," Kate smiled. "But I wanted to hear it from you. Good job standing up to me, Tracy. You are going to need that kind of backbone to deal with our mother." 

Tracy smiled in relief and hoped Kate hadn't notice her voice shake. 

* * * * * 

* * * * * 

Andy sat on his bunk re-reading the letter from Vera. Would he be an employee? It said she needed help with Victor and that she was only serving "online customers" these days. Room and board for taking care of Victor sounded like a good deal, but what would happen with Vera? Would they be roommates? How would it change their relationship? Well, he wasn't exactly sure what she meant, but the answer would be yes. He didn't know if Vera was just being kind or if she really did need his help, but he would not have any other prospects for employment or housing as a convicted felon. But either way, he would do anything for her, whatever the terms, even if it is just temporary. It wasn't just that he was indebted to her. As much as he had tried to prevent it from happening, Andy could no longer deny he was in love with Vera. 

* * * * * 

William stopped reading and rolled over on the guest bed they were sharing and asked, "Have you thought of a title?" 

"Well...I'm still not sure. It needs to reflect both stories and what they have in common is a john with a weekly appointment. It hasn't come to me yet." 

"Hmmm. Kate likes you, by the way. But I knew she would." 

"Really? I'm not so sure. She thinks I trapped you by getting pregnant." 

William laughed, although Tracy didn't know what was funny, so she looked at him expectantly. 

"Maybe I trapped you by getting you pregnant?" 

Tracy laughed and said, "I don't feel trapped. I love you." 

William stroked her hair with a flat palm and said, "And I love you." 

"Do you really think she likes me?" 

"She said so and she is very forthright with me. She can see that I am happy and that makes her happy." 

"Yes...you do seem happy. You seem...to have accepted being a father?" Tracy brought William's hand to her mouth and began nibbling his fingertips, taking his first two fingers into her mouth one at a time and sucking firmly. 

"Accepted? That is an understatement. I am very pleased with this package deal, especially since it comes with a sweet sexy woman who happens to have an oral fixation." Tracy smiled between sucking William's fingertips, then took his forefinger deeper into her mouth. "I've read that pregnancy hormones can increase a woman's sex drive," he added. 

Tracy laughed, "I'm pretty sure I'd be sucking your fingers if I wasn't pregnant." 




Flower Girl Ch. 08



"And I'd be getting just as hard," he answered, as he pressed his member into her thigh emphasizing his point and removed his fingers from her mouth to kiss her. 

Tracy pulled back and grinned before slithering down under the covers. Feeling William's two hands in her hair, she took him firmly in her hand and lowered her mouth deftly over him and heard him moan. No licking, no teasing, this time. Tracy went straight to deep thrusts, using her hand to squeeze him tightly. "Fuck," he whispered. Was it an expletive or a command? Her other hand dug into his butt cheek and she was being unusually aggressive, taking him deep and fast into her mouth, time and time again. Then she suddenly stopped, loosened her grip, and lightly twirled her tongue around the tip of his cock, tasting the salty precum that she milked out of him. Then she covered her teeth with her lips, made a big "O" before lowering her mouth back down on him again. Her tongue applied extra pressure along the underside of his shaft over and over with each dip of her mouth. 

"Come here," William reached under her arms and pulled her back up, "I want to taste your mouth." 

"What?" Tracy asked, but offered up her mouth. "You'd rather have my mouth way up here?" 

"I'm lacking my usual patience," William whispered. "I've been craving your pussy all day." 

"Oh my," Tracy purred as William rolled on top of her and kissed her neck while exploring between her legs with his hand. "What about Frank? Will he hear us?" 

"I'll muffle your screams," William whispered, causing Tracy to laugh at his unusual playfulness. She felt him position his cock at her entrance and felt the head part her lips as he rubbed it back and forth along her slit. Tracy wiggled from below, her own craving reaching torturous levels, until she felt him press into her fully, filling her completely with his cock and she muttered without thinking, "I love your cock inside me." 

"Mmmmm, not as much as I do," William whispered as he ground his hips side to side without pulling back. 

Tracy gulped and began sucking the skin on his shoulder so she wouldn't cry out, for he was doing that thing that he did, rubbing her in just the right spot, seeming more mindful of making her feel good than worrying about himself. That is when she realized he wasn't just trying to impress her, that her pleasure actually was his pleasure and that this wasn't going to go away. She sucked on his skin, tasting the saltiness. She wanted to let him know how amazing he felt, but was mindful that only a thin wall separated them from his brother. William began deep thrusts and the bed made a squeaky noise and the headboard pounded the wall, "William? Can we move to the floor?" 

William let out a low laugh and whispered, "If you'd be more comfortable." And he tossed the pillows on the floor and pulled out long enough for her to relocate, then mounted her again and slid back to the warm void where he was sorely missed after a momentary absence. His cock made such a satisfying return that an involuntary moan escaped her lips. 

William's hand found its way to her breast and the massaging interspersed with intense pressure on her pubic bone triggered a trembling deep within her. She had to bite and suck his shoulder to keep from crying out. Her hips bucked and she wrapped her legs around his for leverage. Her hips lifted slightly off the ground as she rubbed herself into him, enjoying the motion of the circular grinding that was rubbing her so sweetly. She raised a foot even higher, bringing it behind his butt and holding her own ankle, giving him even greater access to grind himself deep inside her. Tracy continued to suck his skin, as the rubbing on her clit and intermittent pulsating pinch of a nipple was more than enough to spark the spasms of orgasmic bliss. William responded by mumbling in her ear, at times incoherently, but she heard mutterings of "love, sweet, sexy, so good...mmmm...ah...my, love, baby...mmm...yes, oh god, ...ahh." His moans of endearment overwhelmed her, as did the taste of skin, and the rotating plunging motion - she was seeing flashes of color through her eyes closed. The shuddering of her walls triggered him and they joined together in a sweet, long, orgasm that crashed like waves over and over, leaving both panting with ecstasy. 

William leaned up on his elbows to kiss her face and was surprised to feel the wetness of tears on her face. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" He panicked. 

"No, no, I'm not hurt. Just feeling overwhelmed at how much I love you." 

William sighed in relief and kissed her wet cheeks. 

"I feel so vulnerable William, I'm really scared. I hate feeling needy, but I feel like I really do need you so bad." 

William stopped kissing her to look in her eyes and answered, "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. I want to feel needed." 

"Really? I thought guys were repulsed by needy women?" 

"You are far from needy, Tracy. In fact, you are incredibly independent, which attracts me, but also keeps me at a distance. I want to be your solace, your safe haven, the person you don't need to be strong in front of. I've tasted your vulnerability when we make love and it's beautiful, but I want more. I want you to trust me and love me with reckless abandon." 

"I'm scared. I feel like I am jumping off a cliff." 

"Hold my hand. I'm jumping too," William answered and kissed her lips, then leaned up to look at her face. Her eyes were half closed and a contented smile rested on her lips, then her eyes widened and she looked horrified. 

"Oh crap. William!" she whispered, still mindful of Frank in the other room. "I gave you a hickey! Oh my god, I am so sorry!" 

William laughed and assured her he didn't mind, that he enjoyed getting it. 

"But your parents! Get up. We need to do the cold spoon trick." 

William reluctantly crawled off Tracy and the pile of pillows on the floor and helped Tracy up. They both dressed and tip toed into the kitchen, where Tracy found a spoon, put it in the freezer, then turned to assess the damage. It was near the collar, probably possible to hide with makeup if he allowed her. 

"Hey," Frank stood in the doorway looking disheveled in a t-shirt and boxer shorts. 

"Oh, sorry. Did we wake you?" William asked. 

"Nah, heard my name being called." 

"Roger?" Tracy asked. 

"Chips Ahoy," Frank answered, reaching up to a high shelf in the cabinet and withdrawing a pack of cookies, then looking at William said, "When the cat's away, the mouse will have refined sugar, saturated fat, and white flour. You two hungry?" 

William and Tracy both shook their heads and William said, "We are trying to minimize the hickey this little minx left on my neck." 

Frank looked at Tracy and said, "What, are you in high school?" But he was smiling and William had warned her that he liked to joke around, so Tracy teased back. 

"If I were, he'd have a whole necklace in addition to my initials on his butt cheeks. This little mark is just the result of trying to stay quiet during the throes of passion." 

Frank laughed, then glanced at William and said, "Lucky," while shaking his head. "Sure you don't want to join me?" Frank gestured to the pack of cookies and milk on the table. 

"I'll have a cookie," Tracy offered and William did too. 

"Good, I hate to party alone." 

Tracy stood to get the spoon out of the freezer and told William to hold it as she placed the flat part on the hickey. "Boy, your parents are going to think..." 

"Tom will think you're lucky," Frank interrupted, "Who knows what Lillian will think?" 

"Who knows," William agreed. 

"But I'm hoping they don't see it," Tracy added. 

"I am a grown man," William reminded her. 

"I'm not worried about what they think of you. I don't want them to think I'm a neck-sucking-pregnant-whore." 

"Aren't you?" Frank laughed. 

Tracy glared at Frank with mock-anger, but couldn't help laughing. She liked a guy who had the confidence to make fun of her. "Yeah. Pretty much. But a one-man-whore." 

Frank laughed and called William 'lucky' for the second time, while Tracy pulled the spoon away to assess the damage and shook her head, mad at herself for leaving a mark on him, but the smile on William's face told her he couldn't care less. 

* * * * * 

Tracy sat on the couch trying not to let her eyes wander around too much, feeling like she was in a museum of freakish clutter. William sat very erect at her side and periodically took deep breaths. Her nausea had returned and there was an unusual smell she could not name, coupled with an empty stomach. 

Lillian wore red from head to toe and behaved friendly and cheerful, despite the chaotic surroundings. There was barely room to sit on the couch due an abundance of throw pillows. Stacks of books, boxes, an easel, a sewing machine, an ironing board, a cabinet of trophies, and a tray of sea shells were caught by her discreet visual sweep of the room. "Do you paint?" she asked. 

"I haven't in years, but I like to be prepared when the muse hits." 

"And you sew too?" 

"Yes, when I have time." 

Tom smiled with his teeth slightly parted. He seemed eager in a friendly, canine manner and William finally seemed to relax some and sat back on the couch. "Can I show you Billy's trophies?" 

"Sure," Tracy answered, and heard an audible groan from William. 

"Billy was an amazing ball player. Did you know he got a scholarship?" 

"Yes, I did in fact." Tracy looked into the case full of trophies etched with the name William Travis. She was trying to ignore her increasing queasiness and asked Tom, "Did you play baseball yourself?" 

Tom smiled widely, looking delighted as he answered, "I did! But I was never as good as Billy. I'll tell you, that boy was a natural!" 

"I bet he's still great," Tracy smiled towards William, who did not look horribly uncomfortable any longer. "I haven't seen him play yet, but he said I can go to his next game!" 

"He gets nervous when people watch him," Lillian spoke up. "It's best not to let him know you are there." 

Tracy looked back at William as she absorbed another implication of what it must have been like for him growing up. Suddenly William spoke up, "Mom, Dad, I have some news for you. Tracy's pregnant. She's having my baby." 

Tom's face morphed into wonderment as he looked back and forth from William to Tracy, his bloodshot eyes filling with tears, then he hugged Tracy and stepped over three boxes to hug William. Tracy glanced at Lillian and noted that her expression hadn't changed. 

"Lillian, honey - isn't this amazing, sweetheart?" 

Lillian shook her head dismissively and whispered to Tom, "It isn't true." 

Everyone got quiet and looked at Lillian who looked innocent and nonchalant, until Tom said to Lillian, "Well sweetheart, I ...I...I think it is true. If Billy says-" 

Lillian put her hand up and shook her head again, with scrunched up lips and eyes closed, then she looked at Tracy and said, "She's not pregnant." 

"I am. Nine weeks." 

Lillian shook her head but was smiling now, "You may have fooled them." 

William spoke up, "Mom, this is serious. Tracy is pregnant. She may not look it yet, but soon it will be undeniable." William glanced at Tracy who wore a horrified expression, "Tracy -" 

"I'm going to throw up," Tracy warned. 

"This way!" Tom gestured to a hallway and a closed door. Tracy had to crawl over boxes and a stack of books and squeeze by a chair in the hallway to get to the bathroom and barely raised the lid on the toilet in time, and then sank down and sat on the floor. 

"Are you okay?" William asked from the open doorway. 

"I puked," Tracy answered. "I shouldn't have gone that long without eating, and there was a funny smell and...I'm sorry William." 

"Sorry?" William came and sat on the floor next to her, "for getting nauseous?" 

Tracy shrugged and William said, "Tracy, look at this bathroom." Tracy looked around at the tiny cluttered room. Every inch of the wall was papered in magazine articles. "Look at this," William pulled the shower curtain back, revealing stacks of boxes inside the bathtub. And then Tracy laughed, she couldn't help it. It suddenly seemed hilarious that she apologized for puking, and to her surprise, William joined in. 

"You've just given us a brilliant excuse to leave. Thank you." 

"Ugh...I'm going to need some water and crackers." 

"There is a convenience store nearby. Are you okay now?" 

"Yes. I'm okay now," Tracy laughed, shaking her head at the absurdity of the cluttered room. She rinsed her mouth and got out of the claustrophobic bathroom, with William helping her navigate through the obstacle course. 

After explaining to his parents that Tracy had morning sickness and needed to go lie down, Tom hugged her again and congratulated her and told William to take good care of her. Lillian whispered to Tracy, "Kate used to throw up too. She wasn't pregnant either." She smiled, knowingly, and said goodbye. 

As they walked to the car, William got another laugh out of Tracy by pointing out, "No one even noticed my hickey!" 

* * * * * 

William didn't mind being back at work on Monday, among the smell of books, the predictable clientele, the clear pathway to the restroom. He had some time before a meeting so he checked his email and opened the one from Tracy first. 

W - 

I found the card you snuck in my suitcase when I unpacked this morning. It made me so happy to hear you think I am beautiful, I actually cried. You might think I am hormonal and that may be true too, but I am so very happy that we still get to have a romance. 

Love, Tracy 

William sat at his desk and wondered what she meant, "still get to have a romance." He shook his head, pondering how woman could be so confusing. Why wouldn't they have a romance? He gathered that it was because she was pregnant, but he still didn't understand why she would expect the romance to stop. Should he ask? Did he want to know? He realized he did, so he responded. 

T- 

I know I am socially inept at times, but could you explain why you wouldn't expect us to be romantic? Isn't that normal for two people who are newly in love? 

William 

William answered the work related email and helped a patron before reading her response. 

William - 

We are not normal! We are pregnant. We discussed baby names in the same conversation where we learned each other's middle names! We have so many serious and frightening conversations ahead of us about practical matters that are not fun or sexy. It was very nice to get a card that is just you and me. 

Love, Tracy 

William got uncomfortable for a moment, and then realized it is true. They are still getting to know each other while being faced with big decisions and Tracy is frightened. Her two biggest concerns seem to be being taken for granted or worrying that he felt stuck with her. Now she worries about missing out on romance needlessly? He only had a few minutes before his meeting, but he knew he wanted to answer right away. He felt really pleased with himself that he actually figured out how to handle her. Tracy was either going to need either constant reassuring or humor, and he certainly preferred the latter. 

T- 

I want to lick your pussy while we set up a college fund for Jr. 

-W 

Her one line response assured that he nailed it, "Omg, I love you." 

***** 

Please vote or comment, I really appreciate your input. Also - I need to thank my pre-readers Yoshimatsu and Gaius Petronius for pushing me to write this chapter when I got lazy and thought I was done. This story would have been so incomplete without this chapter and I am really grateful for their help. There is one more chapter left.



Flower Girl Ch. 09



Antonio and Tracy worked together in thoughtful silence on a mammoth floral arrangement for a hotel lobby. It was something Tracy could do herself, but she wanted to practice delegating. Antonio was surprised to see her take a seat. "I'm pregnant," she blurted out. Seemed like as good a time as any. 

After a moment of stunned silence Antonio asked, "Are you getting married?" 

Tracy looked at him in surprise, not that the thought had not crossed her own mind, but that this would be Antonio's first response. "No. I mean maybe ...eventually...I don't know. I'm not sure Antonio. This was unexpected and happened pretty quickly." 

Antonio went back to the gladiolas and did not speak right away, "Does your grandmother know?" 

"Yes." 

"How did she react?" 

"Well...she was shocked and a little upset at first, but then she came around and accepted it. That seems to be everyone's reaction, now that I think about it. My mom...hell, even William and I reacted that same way. Shock, angst, acceptance. Must be the stages of dealing with unplanned pregnancies, I guess." 

Antonio nodded slowly and did not make eye contact; instead he continued to focus on the flowers. "This William. Is he a good man?" 

Tracy smiled and answered, "Yes Antonio. He is a good man. He's a very good man." 

Antonio looked Tracy in the face and said, "Well then I am happy for you. Congratulations Tracy. You will be a good mom," and he held his arms out for Tracy to give him a hug, which she did and it occurred to her that in spite of being a hugger, it was the first time she had ever hugged Antonio and that he smelt like plants. Not flowers but greenery. 

After releasing the somewhat awkward hug, he returned to the work. "You know, my youngest starts school this year. My wife is looking for a baby to take care of." 

"Really? Is she a nanny?" 

Antonio starred Tracy in the face and answered dryly, "She has raised four babies." 

"Oh yeah, of course. Well I'll talk to William about it, but I was actually planning to bring the baby to work and put one of those basinets right here behind the counter..." 

Antonio was shaking his head and laughing. 

"What?" 

"You have no idea what you're in for." 

Tracy frowned but couldn't argue. Antonio had a lot more experience in the flower business and the baby business. 

* * * * * 

"You know what I've been thinking about?" William asked over the phone. 

"Um, me I hope?" Tracy laughed. 

"Well of course, but specifically I have been thinking about the first time I made you cum." 

"Oh my god, William...I'm at work! You're so naughty." 

"It was so sexy, feeling the inside of you for the first time, then feeling you cum on my two fingers." 

"Hmmmm...I certainly enjoyed it. I love your hands." 

"I can still hear the little sound you made in my ear. I want to hear that again." 

Tracy laughed, "Well, you know how to make that happen, Mr. More." 

"In public." 

"What!?!?" 

"You heard me," William laughed. "Are you wearing a dress today?" 

"I am." 

"Good. I want you to meet me at the AMC on 84th Street after work. There are several films that I have no interest in seeing." 

"What? You're serious? You've been planning this?" 

"Very serious. Is 6:30 okay?" 

Tracy laughed and said, "I'll meet you at the theater, but I'm not agreeing to let you finger fuck me." 

"You can't resist me." 

"We'll see." 

"Indeed we will." 

"Bye-bye perv, see you at 6:30." 

"Good-bye sweet Kitten." 

* * * * * 

As they walked arm and arm along with the crowded sidewalk of 83rd street, William and Tracy both wore grins, his being smug and hers coquettish. "I can't believe we did that," Tracy whispered, "and you are so mean not to allow me to reciprocate!" 

"Well of course not, Kitten. That would be too risky." 

"And putting your hand up my dress isn't?" 

"Actually no, not according to penal code 245." 

"You know the penal code for finger fucking?" Tracy laughed. 

"I researched it this afternoon when the idea started to develop in my mind. I wanted to be certain we could not get charged with lewd conduct or indecent exposure. Your dress assured there would be no chance of either, since we didn't expose our genitals. And lewd is difficult to define, but there is part of the law which stipulates intent to annoy others. " 

Tracy laughed and said, "We are lucky no one was close enough to get annoyed. I can't believe you looked all that up. You are the nerdiest perv in the world!" 

William grinned and pretended to be insulted, "You didn't seem to mind back at...what was the name of that movie?" He joined her in laughter, then asked, "Did you know it is actually legal to have sex in a parked car in the wonderful state of New York?" 

"Really? What if it's not your car?" 

"That would be a problem," William laughed. "I also learned that it is a crime for unmarried couples to have sex in Minnesota." 

"We'll have to skip Minnesota on our road trip," Tracy laughed. 

"Yes," William agreed as his expression changed to thoughtful. 

They arrived at Tracy's steps and as she walked up in front of him, she reached back and dragged her hand along the front of his pants to rouse his cock that was already tumescent in response to reaching her front door. "Your turn, Mr. More," she smiled over her shoulder as she unlocked the door, and when she entered the apartment she tossed her purse on the chair and turned around and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Lips collided in passion as her hands wandered down the front of his chest to his belt buckle. The leather slipped through metal, the button slid through fabric, and two sides of a zipper said their goodbyes as they parted ways and allowed his very hard cock to spring free from the restraint of clothing. "Oh my," Tracy murmured as she kneeled in front of him to take a firm grip on his manhood and bring it to her inviting mouth. His hands gently rested on both sides of her head as she began to love him with her mouth and hand. She was enthralled with the cock in her hand and studied it with her eyes, hands, and mouth. This cock was hers, her prize, the manliest part of the man she loves; the part of him that brought her so much pleasure and belonged to her alone. "Mine," she whispered at her fixation, and kissed the tip to stake her claim. She lovingly rubbed her cheek along the side of his shaft, then her jawbone, and even her nose. She tossed her glasses onto the chair and began using her whole face to rub this cock, this extension of him, showing how much she loved him and especially, at this moment, this specific portion of his anatomy. Kissing with closed mouth, then open, she even used her teeth but did not clamp down. 

"What a beautiful cock," she whispered, as her tongue came all the way out and licked him from root to tip, feeling his hands on her head gently guide her down over him with her open mouth, slowly, deeply, relaxing her throat to take as much as she could, using her firm grip to make up for the base her mouth could not engulf. The tempo of her thrusts increased as she lost herself in the feeling; nothing else existed at this moment except for the hands on her head, the dick in her mouth and the man standing before her. "Fuck, Tracy, you feel amazing. Slow down Kitten, or you'll make me cum." 

That was the very last thing he should have said if he truly wanted her to slow, for the thought of making him lose control, of making him cum in her mouth increased her own excitement. She didn't slow; instead she squeezed harder, slid faster down his shaft, intermittently allowing her tongue to drag along the bottom. "Fuck," she heard again, his hands firmer on her head, guiding himself in and out of her mouth, he brought a hand to her chin and tried to warn her, "Gonna cum..." to which she moaned a "mmmmm" with her mouth full of thick, hard, throbbing cock. The jerking of his cock almost caused it to pop out of her mouth, but she held firm as she felt her mouth fill with the metallic taste of warm cum, a taste associated with so much pleasure she felt a twitch between her own legs in response. Unable to swallow properly with him deep in her mouth, she allowed his cum to fill her mouth, so much that some escaped and dribbled out the side and down her chin. As he gently removed himself, very slowly, she swallowed and allowed her tongue to drag along the shaft as he pulled out and wiped her mouth. "Wow," William muttered and leaned back into the door, still standing, he shuddered. William offered a hand to help her up, then pulled her close and kissed her open mouth, tasting himself on her but not minding at all. "I love you so much," he whispered in her ear. 

She pulled her head back and rested her forehead on his, "I know. I can actually feel how much you love me. Can you feel it too?" William nodded for he understood what she meant. She didn't just give him an amazing blow job, she made love to him with her mouth. With his pants still around his ankles, he held her close and marveled at the fact that he hadn't even known what he was missing before he met her, but he knew now he could never go back to being the unknowing person and that he didn't want to. 

Tracy knelt back down and pulled William's pants back up, "Just so you can walk to the bedroom," she explained and didn't bother to button, instead she led William to it. "Will you help me with my zipper?" she asked as they reached the bed. 

"I would love nothing more," he answered, but first he wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. He moved his hands to the zipper that ran the length of her dress and slowly unzipped as he kissed his way down each vertebrae of her spine. When he reached her tailbone, she shrugged and the dress fell to the floor. He straightened and backed up to admire the view as she turned around and with a sexy grin, unhooked her bra and tossed it to the floor. 

He closed the gap between them with one step and took her in his arms, his hands immediately on her bottom that were still covered in lacy blue fabric. He squeezed her butt as their mouths explored one another's, and when his hand slid down her thigh and lifted one leg up she instinctively wrapped it around him as they stood in embrace. His hardness pushed into her, feeling the heat through her panties. He lifted her other leg off the ground and held her, both legs wrapped around him and her crotch resting on his hard cock. Both her hands cupped his face and she giggled as he lowered them both on to the bed. He had to pause to get undressed and kneeled between her legs, unbuttoning his shirt as she watched with a sly grin and a fingertip in her mouth. He kicked his shoes off and Tracy asked, "What about my boots?" 

"Leave them on," he answered, as he shimmied her panties off her hips. He looked at her lying on her back, nude with high heeled boots, knees bent and parted. He wanted to take a photo to capture the beauty in front of him, a photo that would surpass anything he had seen in her collection of erotic photography. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" 

Tracy nodded, because she did know. Her beauty was reflected back to her by the way he was looking at her and she had never felt more beautiful. 

"I don't know what I want to do more, fuck you, or just look at you." 

"Oh, please fuck me," she said without hesitation, and he fell into her and lost himself completely. It was no longer him or her, they became one entity, moving in synchronicity, sliding in and out of each other again and again. They rolled over and over in bed, taking turns being on top, eventually resting on their sides, arms and legs everywhere, with a constant slow rhythmic thrust of pelvises. They were face to face, eyes open, just enjoying the communication of slow in and out, every stroke expressing passion as their tempo gradually grew in heightened urgency. The raw vulnerability of her facial expressions were more erotic than anything William could imagine, and when she came, her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth pulled on her bottom lip and he was so enchanted by the close up face in ecstasy that he felt surprised when he realized he was coming too. He kept his eyes open as he released himself inside of her, and watched her tense expression relax into a smile and she giggled before opening her eyes. 

They remained in embrace, catching their breath, hands stroking soft skin. Tracy sighed and rolled onto her back. "I'm so excited for tomorrow," Tracy said. 

"Really? You look forward to a doctor visit?" 

"Yes! Especially since you are going with me and will get to hear the baby's heartbeat." 

William thought about the fact that the baby had its own tiny heart pulsating pumping blood through its' tiny body, as he softly caressed her still smooth belly. 

"Plus, after that I finally get to see my man play baseball!" 

"Ah yes," William laughed, "Well I hope you won't be too bored." 

"I'll bring a book," Tracy laughed, "I'm kidding. I couldn't get bored watching you." 

William didn't answer, just kissed her bare shoulder. 

"Be right back," she said as she rose to use the bathroom, still in her boots. William remained in bed wondering about how his teammates would react when they saw his beautiful long-legged girlfriend. 

"William!" Tracy stood in the doorway, her face filled with horror, "I'm bleeding!" 

"What?" William jumped up, "A lot or a little?" 

"A little." Tracy's face was extra pale. 

"What should we do?" William jumped up. 

"I don't know? What can we do?" 

William started pacing, his hands in his hair. He wanted to yell, "Stop bleeding!" at her belly, but knew it was futile. "Hospital," he said. 

"What? No. I think it...I mean what could they do?" 

"I don't know. I just ...I don't know what else to do. Are you in pain?" 

"No, I'm scared." 

William took her in his arms. 

"Maybe I should call Beth? She'll know what to do." 

William didn't answer, just held her until she backed up and her eyes bulged, her mouth formed a little 'O' and she doubled over. 

"Hospital," William grabbed his phone and called a cab, then helped Tracy into her clothes. 

"I'm okay. It was just a really bad cramp." 

"Hospital," William repeated, and guided her downstairs to the taxi that had already arrived. Once seated in the cab, Tracy began to whimper and William was not sure if it was fear or pain, so he held her and stroked her hair. "Hospital. ER entrance," he said to the driver. 

Tracy groaned and held her belly again and William snapped, "Faster!" to the driver. They reached the hospital in eight minutes and William got out of the cab and told an attendant to bring a wheelchair against Tracy's insistence that she could walk. She winced as she stood up and the attendant helped her into the chair. William saw the blood on the seat of the cab and didn't mention it, just handed the driver a hundred dollar bill and told him to keep the change. 

* * * * * 

"Nana!" Tracy burst into tears when Beverly walked into the hospital room. 

William stood to make room as Beverly hurried to the bed and hugged Tracy. William tried not to cry as Tracy broke down in her Nana's embrace, but he couldn't keep it from coming so he whispered, "Excuse me," and tried to step around her to leave the room, but Beverly grabbed his arm and raised her tear covered face. 

"No William, we're family now. We can cry together." 

And so he joined in the three-way hug and they all wept together. 

* * * * * 

William and Beverly sat in the waiting room side by side, and when the doctor came out Beverly took his hand. 

"She's fine. The anesthesia should wear off in about thirty minutes." 

"Why did this happen?" William asked. 

"It's very common for women to miscarry in the first trimester. The fetus is defective in some way and it stops growing and nature just expels the pregnancy, but in Tracy's case I think the IUD was the culprit." 

"It was still in?" 

"Yes, that happens occasionally," the doctor answered. "It's out now. Anyway, she' back in room 214 and you can go on in there. Just be aware that it is common for people coming out of anesthesia to be very emotional and given the circumstances, she will need consoling." 

"Of course," Beverly answered. 

The two walked back and took seats beside the bed, but remained silent. Beverly was deep in prayer, William deep in thought, and Tracy in a deep sleep. 

After what felt like a very long time, Tracy opened her eyes slowly and groaned. 

William jumped up and took her hand, "Are you in pain?" 

"There's no more baby," Tracy cried. William took her in his arms and held her and neither spoke. 

A nurse came in to check on Tracy and ask how she was feeling and check her vitals. Tracy answered fine because physically she felt okay. "How long do I have to stay?" 

"We want to watch you for at least an hour," the nurse answered. "I'll let the doctor know you are awake." 

As soon as the nurse left, Tracy started talking to Beverly about work. "The store opens in few hours, Nana. Maybe Antonio can handle things until noon, but I need to be there today. The church flowers and-" 

"Don't even think about going to work today. I have spoken to Antonio and Rachel and they have it covered." 

"But Rachel doesn't work on Thursdays!" 

"She gets out of class at eleven and said she will go straight to the shop after that. Devin is going to come in later and help with the church flowers and any internet orders. You don't have anything to do today except go home and rest, and I will see to that." 

"Actually, I'm not going to work. I'll take care of Tracy." William said. 

"Even better," Beverly smiled weakly. "I'm so very tired. I will share a cab with you two if you don't mind, and go home and get some rest and call you when I wake." 

"Yes, it's been a long night," William answered. 

The three nodded in agreement and waited for the doctor. 

* * * * * 

Back at home with her head in his lap, and her face in her hands, Tracy cried silently as William stroked her hair. Finally she spoke, "I'm so glad you were here when this happened. It would have been so much worse if I were home alone." 

"I thought the same thing." 

"I can't believe yesterday I was pregnant and today I'm not. It's surreal, kind of like finding out I was pregnant in the first place." 

William didn't answer, just continued to run his fingers through her hair. 

"I'm going to admit something that I need to tell you. I have very mixed feelings and I ...I'm about fifty percent sad and fifty percent relieved. And I feel really guilty about that William, but...I really am kind of relieved. I mean, I got excited about it because I had to, but...I wasn't ready." 

William nodded. He didn't say it out loud, but he was much sadder and more disappointed than he expected, but he had been so concerned about Tracy's health and mental state that he had not really allowed himself to feel the loss completely. "We can try again. The doctor said in two months we could try again." 

Tracy took a deep breath and nodded slowly, "I'm suddenly very tired." 

William nodded and stood, "Of course. We can talk about it later. Can I put you to bed?" 

Tracy nodded and stood and walked to the bedroom. William turned out the lights and followed her. She stripped down to her panties and put on a t-shirt. William stripped down to his boxers and crawled into bed. "I love you, Kitten. You are going to make an amazing mother. We are going to make a beautiful baby...someday...soon I hope." 

Tracy's expression softened and she said, "I love you too William. But let's hold off on this baby thing, okay?" 

"Okay," he agreed, and had to meditate for thirty minutes on his back, trying to let go of an idea he had already accepted. 




Flower Girl Ch. 09



* * * * * 

Tracy woke up in the afternoon and her first thought was, I'm not pregnant. William was on his side reading and she spoke what she was thinking. 

"I'm not pregnant anymore." 

William looked up from his book and saw that she looked more surprised than sad. 

"How are you feeling?" 

"Physically? Fine. It feels weird not to be at work. I think I'll call and make sure everything is okay, and then I need to eat. Are you hungry?" 

"Starving, but I didn't want to leave in case you woke up. Your kitchen is pretty bare." 

"I need to get out." 

"You need to take it easy." 

"I just meant somewhere around here. There is a Thai restaurant on the corner." 

"That sounds good." 

Tracy suddenly clamped her hands on the side of her face and said, "Oh my god, William! What about your game!" 

William shrugged and answered, "I already let them know I wouldn't be playing." 

"But -" 

"I wouldn't be able to play, Tracy. There's no way I could get my head in to the game." 

Tracy's face fell at the awareness of William's loss. She had been thinking of herself, mostly, and the realization made her cringe. "I'm so sorry William." 

"Oh, no need. There's another game next week." 

"I meant about the baby." 

"Oh," William answered and looked away. 

Tracy scooted next to him and hugged him, taking her turn at consoling. 

* * * * * 

The bar was unusually crowded, so William was surprised and pleased to find that John was already seated and even had a beer waiting for him. 

"Ah, thank you! How are you, my friend? This was a long stretch," 

John nodded in agreement, "Yes, and a busy time for both of us too. I'm really sorry about what happened. How is Tracy doing?" John asked, having been kept informed of the situation in spite of being out of the country. 

"Physically she is doing fine. Emotionally, she is mostly up." 

"How about you?" 

"Disappointed," William answered. "I try to be positive in front of Tracy and I do feel very good about the future, but the truth is I am very disappointed. Sad, actually." William took a drink of his beer and stared off in the distance. 

John nodded, paused and asked, "What now?" 

"So now, we just get back to dating I suppose. This has been a very strange beginning. The pregnancy forced us to have some very serious conversations early on. I would not have asked for this situation, but the outcome is that I now have a very clear idea of what I want." 

John nodded, expecting William to go on. 

"I suggested we skip birth control, but no, Tracy was adamant about not being an unwed mother. " 

"Oh no! Are you actually considering -" 

"Well, not immediately," William assured him, "But I want to spend my life with Tracy, there is no doubt about that." 

"She is quite an amazing woman. Smart, funny, sexy, independent, beautiful..." 

"Too bad her twin is married." 

"She has a twin! Holy-hell William, how did you neglect to tell me that?" 

"Well, her twin sister is married. But don't worry, Tracy is getting pretty chummy with the lovely redhead from her writer's group and a double date is in our near future. And from what Tracy has learned about her, this could be interesting." 

"Ah yes, the naughty-teacher-runner-girl. Let me know when I can meet her." 

"Of course, John. I certainly will," and William lifted his bottle to toast his friend. 

* * * * * 

Tracy looked up from laptop and asked William, "How come you don't write?" 

"I do." 

"Really?" Tracy sat up and joined him on the couch. "You said in your first email that you don't write. Why did you say that?" 

"I said I don't write fiction. I wish that I had an imagination like yours, but when I overhear a conversation my mind does not take off in creating a story. Instead, I want to ask questions about the story that already exists. I want to research facts. I would really like to write a biography." 

"Why don't you?" 

"I did. Well, it wasn't a biography, actually, but I spent an extensive amount of time working on a book about 'The Bartman Play' but someone beat me to it and published a book a few years ago." 

"The Bartman Play? What's that?" 

William laughed and said, "I can't believe you are completely unaware of an event that I spent years researching in meticulous detail." 

Tracy put a hand on her hip and said in a Southern Drawl, "I may be ignorant, but I ain't stupid!" 

William looked at her in surprise. 

"That was a quote from 'Coal Miner's Daughter', the story of Loretta Lynn, the country singer?" 

William shook his head. 

"See, I know plenty of things you don't. Now tell me about 'The Bartman Play'. I assume it has something to do with baseball?" 

"Yes, it happened in 2003, during the sixth game of a playoff series between the Cubs and the Marlins. The play involved a foul ball and an innocent spectator named Steve Bartman. He tried to catch the ball and it touched his fingers tips but fell to the ground and was a very serious game changer. The Cubs lost the out and the game and consequently did not make it to the World Series. It has been one of the most talked about moments in the history of the game, but what I wanted to do was write about the fan, Steve Bartman and how his life was altered by this incident." 

"The fans must've hated him!" 

"Yes, Cub fans of course. Marlin fans tried to send him gifts, but he had them all donated to charity. He had to go into hiding, making it difficult for me to do my research, but there has been too much coverage of the incident anyway." 

"Wow, that must of have been such a disappointment for you, to do all that work and have someone else publish first?" 

"I don't regret it. It was good practice and I enjoyed the process, but I continue to keep an eye out for an interesting biography; some unfamiliar person with a story to tell." 

Tracy pensively suggested, "What about my Nana?" 

William laughed and said, "I do find your Nana fascinating, but why would the rest of the world want to read about Beverly Wilcox?" 

"Because she was a Rockette." 

William eyebrows shot up, "Your grandmother was a Rockette?" 

"Yes. I didn't mention it? Back in the early sixties. She has lived a very interesting life. Raised on a farm, came to New York to dance..." 

"I love the idea of doing a historical piece. Do you think she'd be willing to talk to me?" 

Tracy laughed and answered, "William, I can't imagine any woman in the world not wanting to talk to you, including my Nana. She happens to adore you, so just...take her to lunch or something. Feel her out." 

"My word, a Rockette. The legs are genetic." 

Tracy laughed. "Hey, I finished the Vera and Andy part of the story." 

"May I?" 

"Of course." 

Andy walked out the door into the bright sunshine and could see Vera standing on the curb next to a parked van. The guard let Andy out of the gate and he walked into Vera's open arms. 

"Finally," Vera sighed, and began kissing him. 

"Not here, okay? I want to get as away from this place as quick as I can. I hate being watched all the time." 

"Sure thing, sweetie. You want to drive?" 

"Nah...it's been a while and I am a bundle of nerves. I'll let you drive." 

Vera laughed and said, "Okay mister, get in," and she walked around to the driver side of the van and unlocked the passenger door from the inside. She drove a few miles without speaking, allowing Andy to take the lead, but he was busy looking around at all the people on the freeway. Finally Vera spoke, "Does it feel weird to be out?" 

"It feels great!" Andy sighed and finally smiled. "Thank you for picking me up, Vera. I really owe you a lot." 

"You don't owe me anything, Andy, I told you. Quit saying that," Vera insisted as she slowed for the exit to get off of the freeway and pull into a parking lot of a shopping area. Andy assumed she needed to run an errand, but she parked the van at the far end of the lot where it was empty. Then she unbuckled her seat belt and told Andy to do the same. 

"Why? What are we doing?" 

"We need to have a little talk," Vera answered as she leaned into him and started stroking the front of his pants. 

"Here?" 

"Yes. Here." She started kissing Andy and moved her hand to his belt buckle. 

"Vera! I'm on parole! Don't get me busted for indecent exposure." 

"Oh Andy, don't be ridiculous. There is no one around and I know you want this." 

Andy did not put up a fight as Vera freed his very hard cock from his trousers and began vigorously working him with her hand. Sure he wanted her and had been dreaming about it for months, but not like this, not in a parked car. But he had no control, having been locked up for months. "Vera," he moaned in her mouth, "Slow..." 

But Vera didn't listen, she did what she wanted, which was to bring Andy to a hard fast orgasm with her hand, and then giggled at the mess he made. "Jeez, Andy! You got it on the ceiling!" She laughed and reached for a roll of paper towels behind his seat. She had planned this, Andy thought to himself, But why? 

Vera began to speak as if she read his mind, while Andy put away his still semi-hard cock. "Well, I wanted to get that out of the way for several reasons! First of all, I figured you needed it. Second, I need you to last more than thirty seconds when I get you home, sweetie," Vera winked at him and Andy's cock twitched at the promise of more sex. "But most importantly, I need to have a serious talk with you and I need you to think with this," she pointed to his head, "not with this," and pointed to his dick. "I want it to make it official. I want you to be Victor's live-in caretaker, and not just for now." 

Andy immediately started shaking his head, not wanting to be a charity case to Vera. 

"Hear me out Andy. You need a job, and no one is going to hire a convicted felon with your skill set. But you are perfectly capable of helping me with Victor and I have been paying other people to do that anyway. You'd be good at it, Andy. I can trust you." 

"Yeah, but..." 

"I want you to live with us." Her smiling face full of freckles beamed with sincerity, but he still worried about how it would change things, then as if reading his mind she spoke, "Look Andy, I'm not being charitable. I've really missed you. It killed me that you were having that much financial difficulty and not saying anything, allowing me to keep taking your money like that. Besides, I need a caretaker for Victor and you need a job. You need a place to live and...well...I want you around, Andy. You are probably the only guy that could accept my line of work, although you may be happy to know I don't have any 'hands on' customers any longer. I want you to be my hands on guy, Andy. I just have one request." 

Here it goes, Andy thought. The stipulation. 

"Well...the only thing I am very concerned about it, well...I really like what we had Andy. I am kind of reluctant to give that up." 

Andy was still not quite sure what she meant, so he kept his mouth shut. 

"I don't think you realized, hell, I don't think I realized how much I enjoyed our time together. The sex and the conversation. Just to talk to a normal guy about what was going on with Victor or about your work, or anything. Plus...you are the only real nice guy I've ever known that wasn't too nice in bed and I really like that mix, Andy. And you are kind and easy to talk to. I guess I am admitting that I have always thought of you as more than a friend or a customer, I just didn't want to allow myself to feel that because it would interfere with my work, you know? It would hurt too much to admit." 

"Why would it hurt, Vera? You don't believe I just thought of you as...a..." Andy couldn't bring himself to say it so Vera did. 

"Aging hooker?" 

Andy laughed and said, "We are both aging, but yeah." 

"Well, yeah, what do think about my offer? Do you think you'd want to be with me every day Andy?" 

"Yes, Vera. Being with you every day would be my dream come true. And I say that without even hearing your stipulation." 

"Oh that?" Vera got a wicked smile, "The stipulation is that I still want to have our Tuesdays. Every Tuesday evening I want you to leave the house and return a while later, and I want to answer the door in one of your favorite nighties and I want to see that hungry look in your eyes. I am not willing to give that up, Andy! I want you to ravish me, then have pillow talk for a while, then make sweet love to me like we used to. Can we still do that Andy?" 

"As long as I can pay you with monopoly money. I love you Vera, but I'm not willing to go back to jail." 

Vera laughed and leaned over for a long hug and admitted, "I love you too, Andy. I think I have for years." 

Andy squeezed her tightly for a long while, overcome with emotion. It was worth it. Six months away just to learn that Vera felt the same way. 

"Okay Andy, loosen that vice grip and let's go home. I want you to drive and get used to this van, because after you satisfy me at home, we are going to put Victor in his wheelchair and take him to the park, okay?" 

"Sure, that sounds good Vera," Andy answered as he slid off his chair and let Vera sit in his seat. Andy started the van , put it in drive and headed to their home. 

The end. 

William looked up from his iPad and smiled. 

"Do you like the ending?" she asked. 

"I do. You gave them a happy ending. I am a bit surprised." 

"Really? Well of course I did, silly. It's a romance! Did you think I'd be cynical?" 

"I wasn't so sure up until the very end," William admitted. "So you are deeply romantic and optimistic. What about us, Kitten? Does the 'William and Tracy story' have a happy ending?" 

"Oh, hell no." Tracy frowned at him. "No way!" 

William raised an eyebrow at her wondering if she was being deliberately sassy, but Tracy went on. "Our story doesn't end. There is no way for us to have an ending that is happy. Our story has to keep going." 

"You are one clever writer, my love," William took Tracy in his arms and she laughed. 

"And you are one brilliant reader," Tracy replied and brought her mouth to his. 

***** 

Thank you for reading this story and I would really appreciate if you take the time to vote, comment, or email. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Michael, my mentor. I am so very excited for what we have ahead of us! I would also like to thank the awesome writer IanSaulWhitcomb, who also happens to be my friend. Check my bio if you want to know what's next!