0 comments/ 9265 views/ 0 favorites Lady Painting at the Beach By: EgmontGrigor2011 Grumpy Bastard as he was called by some, usually miffed opponents, at the golf club when he was more or less out of earshot while others knew him by his more regular name of Bob Hill, stepped on to the sands of Bob's Beach (all other locals knew it as Sandy Cove) and he stopped in shock. Jesus. A woman wearing only a bikini bottom was seated on a stool twenty yards away at an easel painting. Judging by the almost lack of no breast droop, not that he was a connoisseur or professional bra fitter, Bob thought she'd be no older than thirty, perhaps a bit more. He kept clear of her by a good 20 feet, eyes focused straight ahead. He'd usually said good morning to everyone, even dogs, but not to this trollop. "Good morning Mr Hill." Huh? "There's only you and me on the beach at this hour (5:20 am). How romantic." Grumpy Bastard was never short of a response, so beat his chest with both hands and grunted, "Me Tarzan. Good morning Jane." She giggled. Yes she giggled. Bob was under the impression females stopped giggling at the age of seventeen. "Come and check on my progress." Bob swallowed and had the urge to run but Bob Hill had never ran from anything in his life. Bare-chested, he hitched up his black shorts, pulled in his belly and puffed out his chest and walked up to her who'd used his name. She giggled (yes giggled) and said, "You don't remember me do you?" She bent back a little and her chest puffed out, a lot. Bob's mind turned to putty. "I er don't believe so." "Nikki Wells. I grew up her and you taught me to swim and to row your dinghy." Christ she was Young Nikki, his favorite of all the kids who'd regularly frequented the beach in his younger days. The Hill family had farmed the area for four generations. Bob's late father had been a lazy bastard and found farming wasn't making him rich enough and so with the city only ten miles away, applied for planning approval to subdivide half the farm off in housing sections. The council said no but would approve the scheme if it were extended to allow a public road being put through the remainder of the farm to provide public access to Sandy Cove and the ownership of the sands above high water mark be transferred to the council as a public reserve plus enough land being gifted for public toilets and dressing sheds. Bob's greedy father agreed providing the council paid all costs and the cost of developing the main road through the proposed subdivision and the council conceded. Bob's parents were killed in a train crash in India a year ago, making their only child a very wealthy landowner because at that stage all but ten acres of the farm fronting the western end of the beach had been subdivided and sites were ready for sale. "Ah Nikki, you had stayed in the UK after graduating in fine arts." "True but I'm here now, arriving three days ago. I married an art dealer, the biggest mistake of my life. He was lost most of his money gambling and operated his business from rented premises so I got fuck-all from the divorce apart of half of the proceeds of the sale of our modest apartment that had a hefty mortgage on it." Bob wasn't sure a young lady should use the term fuck-all but said he was sorry and she said it was okay. She expressed regret he'd lost his wife (drove off the highway at speed when drunk) and he said that was okay and she said, "Kiss me." Carefully placing his hands behind his back, Bob leaned over and kissed her. "God are you nervous of me dressed like this?" "No," said Tarzan. He diverted her by looking at the painting taking shape. "God this is beginning to look really good." "I painting this beach many times in England off my photographs taken over the years and they always sold better than most other of my landscapes. Um I'm grown up now as you can see. Is it okay to call you Bob?" "Yes of course Nikki. Paint me one of the cove during a big storm and I'll buy it." "I'm not seeking charity." "Then forget it." "I'll paint it and give it to you." "Forget it." "Bob don't be so grumpy. You gave me countless hours of your time teaching me to swim, to row a boat, to ride your horse, to fish. God I should have married you." "Ha, you were just a kid." "Yeah but my parents were nervous about me spending so much time with you." "Well all that associating with a dirty old groping man helped you turn out as a beautiful, charming lady." "You never ever touched me, how can you suggest that?" "Your mother thought so and your father warned me off several times and I told him to let you run wild and he'd end up with a decent kid who was not like your two insipid brothers. Then one day I goaded him a little too much. We fought, going at it for about ten minutes before he ran out of puff. He took the first swing and I yelled body blows only and he agreed because as he didn't want to be asked what had happened to his face." "But my father is bigger than you." "Yeah but in the fight Gerald was slower, not as fit and had a beer belly. He still doesn't talk to me." Nikki sighed and said her father could be stubborn like that and he never said he was sorry even if proved wrong. "Why are you painting almost in the nude, oh and great tits by the way?" She laughed and said she was glad he appeared to be thawing. "I'm painting like this to feel free. It's warm here. You have no idea knowing what it's like living in a city like Liverpool." "No and that's an experience I'd prefer to miss but I'd like to walk through Scotland one day." Bob sighed. "People will soon be arriving here with their dogs so best you put your top on. If you want to walk about free completely nude and without a finger being placed on you, come and live with me." Nikki stared at him. "Do you really mean that?" "I guess so. No I do mean it, even if you decide to come for only a few hours a day." "Mum is already complaining that I'm too messy about the house and dad complains I have my music up too loud." "Then pack your bags and phone and I'll collect you. Tell them where you're going and have the row rather than have it later when they find out where you're living. You'll be in control by doing that, having them on the back foot." Nikki challenged, "Aren't you going to suggest wait two days till I've had time to think this through and then trial it for a week?" "Nope." "Do you want me that badly?" "I'd appreciate your company. I rattle around in the house alone." Nikki thought about the 60-year-old farmhouse with pokey windows and thought it was dark and dreary inside and that was incentive to get outside and look for something to do. That would be the reason why he was out walking so early. He checked the sky and said, "Well I'm off as I have a meeting in the city. Oh, don't tell your dad this but he and his two partners are tenants in one of my buildings. He doesn't know as far as I'm aware because I purchased it several months ago via a nominee company so please don't tell him otherwise he might blow a boiler and try to get out of the lease." "But mum and I visited him in the Bach Building yesterday. It's probably the most glamorous building in the city and he's ever so proud of having the top floor." "Yeah well they pay through the nose for that privilege. I felt the need to tell you so that you enjoy the irony of it." "Oh I do. Did you buy the building knowing they occupied the premium floor?" "Yes and every time I pass that building I smile at the thought. Your father loathes me." "Have you ever screwed my mother?" Bob kept his smile but waved goodbye and said, "There are some questions you ought never ask darling." Omigod, Nikki thought. Bob Hill had screwed her mum to get back at her father for carrying a grudge. He was either horribly nasty or weirdly interesting and without thinking about it, she thought it was probably the latter. "Hi mum," Nikki said, stopping at the TV room. Her mum was watching The Breakfast Show and waved a hand feebly without taking her eyes off the screen. Her dad would be in their bathroom shaving, listening to the blaring TV in the bedroom. She went to her room and closing the door turned up the speakers and let the music rip. A few minutes later her dad banged on the door and yelled, "Breakfast and turn off that fucking din." Nikki went to breakfast after turning off the music and sat at the table and said brightly, "Good morning family." Her father grunted and her mother said Shhhh." Nikki got up and brought back coffee and leaning against the bench switched off the TV. "Hey we are watching that?" "Poof dad, it's only noisy ads. I have an announcement to make." She watched the color of her father's face darken as she said, "I met Bob Hill on his beach this morning..." "It's everyone's beach, a public beach," snarled his father and a bunch of us are thinking about getting the name of this subdivision changed from being called Hills Farm." Ignoring that, Nikki continued. "As I said we got talking and he appeared to be so lively and interesting that I asked could I move in with him. Some discussion followed and he finally said yes." Her mother began crying and her father glowered and said, "I always knew Bob Hill couldn't keep his hands off you." "I think you misunderstand dad. I mean I'm going to reside in his home, an alternative to residing here where I'm obviously not appreciated. You and mum don't put your hands on me just because I reside with you." "That's baloney and you know it. That guy has reputedly seduced some of the most desirable women in the city." Nikki glanced at her mother who was sitting with her mouth hanging open and presumably thinking she was in the city's desirable screwing set. "Close your mouth Dianne or else you'll catch a fly," said her husband. "Say something to your wayward daughter." "Nikki I really don't think..." "Can it mum. I'm going and that's decided. Please think kindly of me and call me at times for a chat. As for you dad, I'll resume talking to you when you resume to having a normal relationship with Bob." "What the hell do you mean girl?" "I'm not a girl. I'm thirty-one years old. I swore to you all those years ago that Bob Hill never, never laid a finger on me or even looked as if he would and I repeat that oath: Bob Hill has never touched me sexually or said dirty things to me." "Well he's bound to try you on now." "Well if he does go after me now, so what dad? We are consenting adults. May I ask who else besides mum have you been screwed?" Gerald lost it. "Shut your mouth you vindictive girl. Just because you've lost your husband you have no need to slur other people including your own father. Tell her Dianne." Dianne, looking at her husband oddly, said, "I'll talk to you later about that so-called slur and this clearly is not the time to talk to you about becoming friendly with Bob Hill again. And Nikki surely I don't need to tell you how unhappy I am about you going to live in that mansion. The whole city will be talking about you." Mansion? Was her mum also losing it? And who would care if people talking about them hoping there was a scandal involved? She could effectively shut her mum up and turn the heat off her but uttering just a few words, 'I've heard something about Bob Hill and you mum." "Well I've had enough of this baloney, I'm off to the office," snarled her father. Nikki knew she could practically give her father heart seizure by saying, 'Oh daddy darling are you aware the nominee company owning that building you occupy is a front for the owner who is your dear friend Bob Hill?' Jesus no she couldn't do that because it might stop his heart. Her father slammed the door into the garage and the motor of the Mercedes roared and her mum wept and said, "Nikki I don't want you to go." "I know mum. Oh have you ever thought about you and Bob doing it? I know he's a bit younger than you." "I have no idea what you are talking about darling," lied her mother ever so perfectly. "I'll help you pack. We can still go out for coffee can't we?" "Of course and still do other mother-daughter things. The only change that is happening is I'll be sleeping elsewhere." "Will you sleep with him?" "That has yet to be decided. He might be told old for sex." "He's not, he's..." Nikki pounced and asked, "Yes mum?" "I was just thinking he has years and years of sex life ahead of him." "Mum, it he does ask me to sleep with him what should I say?" "Just be yourself Nikki and think carefully and remember there's a nine-year age gap between you two." "Oh is that all?" Dianne smiled and Nikki was pleased her mother had been open about this and wasn't displaying any sign of jealously. "I'll begin thinking about the consequences of any such action mum, I promise." Nikki kissed her mother who patted her on the back and said, "You always were a good girl Nikki and I now accept he never mistreated you because if he had, a pattern would have been set and you two would be over there screwing right now." Dianne remained out of sight when Bob rolled up in his red 2003 standard 6-speed Corvette he'd had since new and had no intention of updating. He eyed all the luggage and rolled down the window and said, "Give me ten minutes and I'll return in a freight vehicle." "Don't I rate a kiss?" Bob drove off reasonably sedately and returned within 10 minutes in a black Range Rover. It swallowed the luggage. There was a road where the track to the house had been with houses already occupied or partly built. They drove on and Dianne looked back. "The old house is now located on a farm in the country," Bob drawled. "Dad kept 110-acres on the western end of the beachfront and had a house built to mum's specs. It's a magnificent site and gets sun all day on sunny days and is sheltered by Jim's Hill from the cold southerlies coming up from the Southern Ocean.. And this time of year of course we get warm winds coming down from the tropics. You will be used to things being the opposite, coming from the northern hemisphere." "Yes well it's not been difficult to adjust. I noticed the Corvette had been converted to right-hand drive." He grinned and asked was she thinking of driving it and she just grinned. They drove through a stone gateway with the sign 'Hill Farm' on one side and 'Private Property' on the other and rumbled over a cattle stop. "Do you have much of a problem with trespassers?" "No I'm running ninety big steers and city folk think they are bulls. That does the trick and I also have a guard dog roaming the grounds of the house at night." They breasted the hill and she viewed the magnificence of the bay from that elevation and gasped, having forgotten how dramatic the view was after the passing of years. Then she looked at the two-level mansion below with a large garden and glasshouse and she gasped, "Nice pad." He grinned. They went inside and the sheer luxury of furniture and furnishing almost took her breath away. They climbed the stairs and he said he was putting her in the guest wing. "Okay." He didn't appear disappointed there was no protest. "So you are almost forty and haven't remarried?" "There was no pressure and there are woman around prepared to lend a hand." "You mean married women?" He replied calmly yes because they were generally calmer and sought only a fling whereas generally younger babes focused on marrying into money. "Which do you really prefer?" "Married women who've worked out what they like when having sex and know they are not expected to yap all the time." "But it's adultery?" "Oh yeah, so it is." He waited for the next question but none came. The bedroom suite was lovely and she said so. She held his arm and faced him. "Bob if you wish I'll sleep with you." "That's lovely of you but how about this: You come to me looking for sex when you have the desire to have sex with me. That will happen unless you run off to have sex with some other guy." "Do you wish to see me fully nude now?" "What for?" She felt a little silly and was pleased when he held her arm and said she was a lovely woman and there was no need to rush anything. He said to give herself time to learn if she liked him or not and then to go from there. "Come and go as you wish, just leave me a note. I like the idea of you returning each morning early to paint at the beach. Oh and another thing. We should start soon to plan my fortieth birthday and to decide the guest list." "Consisting of your lady friends?" she said without malice but wished she hadn't said that. He said casually, "Of course, at least some of them and their partners, most of whom I know well and your parents of course." "I suggest you don't even bother inviting my parents." "Don't you believe that; things will have changed by then." "Oh yeah?" He just smiled knowingly as if he'd already had possible knowledge of a outcome. "Will you have the party here?" He said no, he wanted a full sit-down dinner for fifty to sixty people. You'll be my partner and so this will be regarded as your coming out, perhaps silencing some tongues." She didn't know what to say. "Well?" Oh god, come on think. "That appears well thought out Bob." He smiled, looking pleased. Omigod, obviously he was a millionaire and obviously he appeared ready to court her. But why, did he like younger flesh to plunder? To Nikki's astonishment he explained it. "My family were the landowners in the years you were four to eighteen living nearby and my parents used to welcome on to their beach the parents and children of local people and friends their visitors. I played with kids my age and helped parents with younger children to supervise them to gain water confidence and to play in my dinghy, you know the sort of thing." "I can remember that." "Well you were the one youngster that stood out among them all. You had fire, just the right amount of risk-taking and you were pleasant and athletic and very appreciative of me in helping you to achieve skills. I liked that and began thinking of you as the young sister I never had. And then you went away to college and rarely returned to the beach because you had other people in your life and then I went 280 miles to the south-east to manage dad's big cattle and sheep station on the Central Plateau and only returned here to manage the subdivision development for dad when he and mum went on their world trip that ended in tragedy for them in India." "Oh yes, that was such a shame as they had so much of good life ahead of them. I of course was living in England when that happened, living unhappily married." "Well enough of nostalgia, I'm going down to swim. You can join me if you wish." "You mean down at the beach?" "No we have a covered lap pool running down the western side of the house." "Then I won't need a swimsuit?" "I suggest you do but it's your choice. I swim for fitness and also cycle. I must get you a cycle and women's sports clothing." "I can pay for that and pay to live here." "Only if you wish. I have plenty of money." Nikki said she'd swim with him some other time, that that'd settle into her room. He walked off saying he'd see her later. Sitting on the bed, Nikki sighed and wondered if she were pleased about what she'd done. She'd only been mildly displeased with the way her parents had been offhand with her and nagged about her noise and untidiness. Well it was their home. By moving in with Bob, she would have pushed that gap between herself and parents much wider, perhaps irreparably so with her father. Oh hec, what a mess. She began unpacking and in despair began thinking of herself as Bob Hill's live-in tart. Lady Painting at the Beach She was in the living room reading a magazine when Bob came in with a towel around his waist and using another to dry his hair. "How many lengths do you do?" "I swim till the alarm attached to the electronic touch-pads at each end of the pool beeps. That saves me counting." "Have you been swimming all that time?" "Yes." "Gee that must have been heaps of lengths. How many?" "One-fifty. Let's go to the city for lunch. I have a meeting at 2:30." She asked, "You don't mind being seen with me in public?" He grinned and asked had going to England to live robbed her of her intelligence. The long-legged Nikki, who stood 6-foot, Bob's height, walked over to him and hugged him and they kissed, a long and cool kiss. "I'm ready to be your Scarlet Woman." "You can stay without being that." "I know." "It will ruin your reputation in your hometown." "Who needs a reputable reputation at my age?" He grinned, and they kissed again, Bob reaching down and squeezing low on one of her ass cheeks. Nikki almost groaned. In the garage he began walking to the Range Rover but saw her glance over at the Corvette. He turned back and said, "We'll take the Chevy, you drive." She started the motor and Bob said to begin reversing slowly. Sensors attuned to the car would automatically open the door behind them. She must always remember to approach the garage at very slow speed otherwise the door wouldn't open. "Dad was big into gadgets," he smiled. She drove unafraid and competently. "So you've driven performance cars before?" She smiled and said in her previous life in England she often drove a Ferrari F355 Spider belonging to her mother. "That's a nice mother to have." "She was a real bitch and was in a constant panic when she drove that car so called on me to drive her about." They ate at The Health Food Kitchen and obviously Bob was a regular judging by the way staff greeted him calling him Bob. When they finished he opened his attaché case and said damn. "I left my recorder by my bedside." "Buy another one." He frowned and said he already had four. He was going to a meeting and would rely on memory. "I'll buy a jotter pad and come with you. Remember I'm a former university student who, to a degree, succeeded on my note-taking ability." "Okay thanks, you'll only have to record decisions, allegations and questions I could not answer but I give an undertaking to get back on. I'm chairman of a small company that runs two deer meat processing plants and this is our quarterly general meeting. I have to give a report." "Have you got your report with you?" Bob looked alarmed, dug into the inside pocket of his jacket. Nothing. He pulled out a piece of screwed up paper from the back pocket of his pants and looked relieved. "We must get you an iPad," Nikki giggled. "I'm not having one of those computer things." "Oh yes you are bumbling Bob. I'll teach you to cope." "Jesus," said Bob, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. "I'm really not suited for computer stuff." "Is that right? Don't both your vehicles but perhaps not the beach buggy operate with computers?" "If they do they operate that stuff without me." "Omigod." "What?" "I can't believe that tough, agile, smart and problem-solving Bob Hill has his mind stuck back in pre-computer days. Let me see your mobile phone." Bob handed it to her. "Jesus Bob, this thing belongs to the Ark and even school kids have basic phones five times more developed and containing more Aps than this one." "I-I wouldn't know. Let's get this jotter pad." Nikki came in against him. "Here allow me to take your arm, this sidewalk is a lot busier than when you were a boy and people carried jotter pads." "D-dad was early into computers and tried to teach me but gave up within fifteen minutes." "Then how did you learn to cope with this basic mobile phone?" "My girlfriend at the time, who teaches at high school, taught me how to use it and gave it to me because her husband had given her a new one for her birthday." Nikki giggled and said she hadn't been aware there were spin-off benefits from adultery. "And what benefit did she receive from you Bob?" "I taught her to really enjoy cunnilingus." "Oh god," Nikki sighed. She looked across the street and said, "Omigod, the city art gallery has been rebuilt." "Yeah," said proudly. "Mum led the charge and Hill Farm Family Trust was a 'top twelve' donor." "Oh Bob I'm so proud of you and your parents," Nikki said, stopping and kissing him in the middle of the sidewalk, greatly embarrassing Bob because passersby were scowling or grinning at them. "Don't be shy of spontaneity Bob or public demonstration of affection. It's good for the soul and anyway most of those people probably think I'm your daughter. Whoops, er sorry Bob." "Nah it's okay," he said. "In fact I like the thought." At first Nikki thought she was at a meeting of bank robbers. Except for Bob, the other guys at the meeting looked is if they were planning a heist. All had unruly hair, most had a moustache or beard, a few had yellow and missing teeth and they all including Bob were drinking beer instead of coffee and all except Bob had beer bellies. Oh the meanest looking guy even had a black patch over one eye and although he'd been introduced to Nikki as Brian Mellows, the guys called him Lefty. She worked out that was because the patch was over his right eye. She'd worked that out, having a knowledge of Kiwi (New Zealand) humor. She made notes of discussion on live weight and carcass weight differentials and why the northern plant had better yields. There also was a verbal report on slaughter-age weight analysis from Bud from the southern plant that created interest and she noted that. As well there was surprise at the increase on the price premiums for meat from hind legs because of more interest in New Zealand venison from Germany. The decisions noted were to congratulate the northern plant for its report on improved carcass weight yields and to thank the manager of the southern plant for his analysis of slaughter age weights from his plant and to send a copy of the analysis to the northern plant manager, and that was it. Lefty said. "Ah miss that finishes our meeting. Would you like to go shopping and leave Bob with us for a whisky or two while we chat?" "Sure, bye boys." They replied except for Bob who came over and said he'd come now. "No I'll grab a cab. You stay like the chairman should." "Are you sure?" "Geez Bob, worry like that and I'll kiss you in front of the guys." Bob took two quick steps backwards and grinned and said, "You're okay Nikki." She purchased a one-piece swimsuit and took a cab home, walking in from the entrance. She wondered if Bob would buy her a horse but then thought one of the steers might do. Walking up to the house, being greeted suspiciously by two dogs and glad the guard dog was not loose, she walked to the front door and realized the door would be looked and the alarm would be on. The door had a combination lock. She tried 'Hills', 'Hill', 'Cove' and 'Farm' without having any idea of how many digits were required for the combination. She paused, thinking. Bob's father would probably have used his wife's name in the password. She tried 'Ruby', 'RubyHill' and 'RubyH' without success and then thought Bob wouldn't want to be reminded each day of his mum in that manner. He would have changed the code when he began living in the house. She tried 'Bob', 'BobHill' and 'BobH' without success and then remembered his mum always called him Bobby. 'Bobby' didn't work but 'BobbyH' did and that also turned off the alarm simultaneously because an electronic voice said from somewhere, "Alarm disabled." Nikki felt more relieved than successful. She'd not painted on the beach that morning after changing into her bikini she grabbed a bottle of beer, her easel and paper and sitting on the bench behind the beachfront fence with a sign just beyond her stating private property, she began lightly sketching the cove from that new position. About 90 minutes later Bob found her down there. "I thought you'd be preparing dinner?" "What you don't ask for you don't get." He snorted and said he'd barbecue a couple of steaks. "No I'd prepare fish, fresh fish." "Jesus," he groaned. "I don't feel like rowing out." "I'll come with you." "Oh yeah, great." God he was still like a kid. His pleased grin was a delight to see. He looked at the sketch, not even half completed and said, "Will that become a new painting?" "Yes and I'll offer it to the gallery as my small contribution to that facility. They will have a collection of local artists won't they?" He said yes and he was friendly with the chairman of the acquisitions panel Mrs Montgomery and..." "Thanks Bob but let them assess the work entirely on merit and please do not attempt to influence anyone at the gallery." "Yeah I suppose that's best. Well would you like a seat on one of the gallery committees?" "Let me think about that for a while. First I should join the Arts Society." "I'll get Beth Brooke to nominate you." "Very well and who is Beth?" "An ex-girlfriend and the society's new president." Nikki had to grin. She said she'd pick up an application form from the gallery. She took her easel back to the house, grabbed and jacket, two unbreakable glasses and a bottle of wine and a pack of frozen fish bait. Bob had pulled the dinghy from the partly concealed boatshed and was about to attach an outboard motor. "In England I often thought about going out fishing with you and there never was a noisy motor." He walked back to the boatshed with it muttering. Bob returned to the boat and said, "Oh fuck, bait." "It's here, open and thawing." "God how did I cope without you?" "Inefficiently I would think." They laughed. Nikki rowed them 250 yards out to the seaward end of the reef. She said slyly, "Half-inward tide. The fish will be here anytime soon." He nodded surprised she could remember such a mundane thing, although important if you desired to catch fish. Nikki threw out the anchor and Bob handed her a rod he'd baited and said he'd be barman. For the first time since being together they really relaxed and chatted, rather like in the old days. Sea Perch kept nibbling away the bait but half an hour later Nikki finally hooked a good-sized snapper and as it was reeled to the surface Bob grabbed hauled it inboard by the line and dealt with it. "That's dinner," he said. "Another that size and we'll have breakfast." Nikki was pleased Bob practiced what his father had taught him, 'only to take what you can eat and not catch more to hand to buggers who are perfectly capable of catching fish themselves if they bothered to get off their fat asses'. She'd heard his father deliver than homily many times. She decided Bob would be okay if she talked about his parents and recited what she'd just thought. He laughed and said, "Dad kicked my ass occasionally for bringing back excessive catches. He was an effective teacher. You know these days people can get arrested for smacking kids on the ass to correct their behavior. No wonders people don't like to work hard these days or are unwilling to accept responsibility for their actions. Bloody do-gooders and softies are attempting to run everything." "Now, now grumpy." "Sorry." "Fillet the fish for me and you'll be forgiven. What say first up gets breakfast, you do lunches and I'll cook dinner?" "Sounds good to me." Bob was in the shower when Nikki opened the door and asked if there was room for her. "Hey I'm showering." "Don't you fuck in the shower?" "Oh yeah, come in a welcome Nikki." She came in nude and faced him unembarrassed. "I thought if we had to wait for you to make the move it could be days before we got together." "Yeah, yeah," he said. "Let me get at a tit." Nikki was about to say no a kiss first, but he struck too quickly for her and nibble the nipple and squeezed the other breasts and her head shot back and she groaned. She'd not had sex for a long time and now felt her lust rising. She was disappointed when dropping a hand down she found his dick was hanging limply. But after just two tugs it began to thicken and she bit into Bob's shoulder and he yelped, grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her powerfully. "Oh yes," Nikki breathed. "I always thought you'd be the guy to take my virginity but not to be." "Eh?" he said, grabbing two handfuls of her ass and his dick in her hand became like a wood pastry roller. "Omigod Bob, you're big." "Nothing what your cunt can't handle," he said, talking like a farmer whereas she would have liked him talking like an accomplished and eloquent seducer. But then again a girl can't have everything. Dragging her tongue from his mouth she pulled apart and fiddling with a hair-clip at the back of her hair she handed him a small pack. "God you come to shower all prepared," he chuckled and ripped the pack open and, turning out of the streaming water, rolled on the condom. It appeared to Nikki he was uncertain about the next step so perhaps he really wasn't used to shower sex. She'd thought everyone did it in the shower and over the kitchen table as a matter of course. She leant back against the wall, bracing her left foot firmly on the non-skid surface and lifted up her right leg. Bob say an opening and took it and she placed her leg over his shoulder and gave him an encouraging, "Oooh." "Ram me Bob, as hard as you wish, but keep me balanced to stay on my one leg. Bob was good for the job and he puffed into a couple of bellows and Nikki tensed and swung into her release seconds later. "Jesus Bob, that was a great fuck," she panted. "My first in a long time." "Oh Nikki, do I like pumping into you. What a body you have and you can squeeze on me real good." "Really well you mean." "Oh do I?" After dressing and brushing her hair Nikki found the two fat filets of the larger snapper had been cut into two and then halved again. Bob was putting the breakfast fillets away in the fridge. He then poured a wine for Nikki and grabbed a beer. "This has been one of the memorable days of my life." "Oh darling," Nikki said and kissed him, thinking his adulteresses probably called him darling so she should too. He sat on a stool and said he'd never dreamed that he would ever hear Nikki call him darling and he loved hearing her call him that. "It you mean it, I'll keep on using the word," she smiled shyly. "Could you please run out and pick me a lemon. Nikki splashed olive oil lightly into a heavy fry pan and while that was heating, she quickly made a simply salad while the fries were baking on a tray in the oven and when their cooking time was halfway through she dropped 20 g of butter into the pan and then dropped in the fish fillets. Seven minutes later she served the meal. Nikki sniffed, feeling she was really home again, thinking as a girl she'd watched her grandmother, her mother and Bob's mother prepare a snapper meal exactly the same way. She and Bob chatted, eyeing each other much of the time. "That was a grand meal although even an idiot could cook it." "Thanks Bob." "I'm glad you have remembered to cook the fish the way mum did. Batter and slow cooking at lower heat kills the flavor of Snapper." "Yes Bob says the Idiot." "Yeah and I bet you are a cordon bleu cook. Everything about you is class except you use some gutter language." "I need to do that to make sure I'm communicating adequately to you," she giggled. He eyed her intently. "Have you been thinking about sleeping with me tonight?" "Yes but for the time being I'll keep my things in the guestroom." "That's okay. You'll have your reasons. Invite your mum over whenever you wish." "Thanks. And that's one of the reasons." After two hours of gentle sex in bed that night, Nikki understood why women came to Bob Hill for sex. A month later she was walking in the city and almost bumped into her father coming out of a book shop. "Hi," he said looking pleased and kissed her. "You don't look any different." So, having lots of sex supposed to make one look different, Nikki thought and perhaps living with Bob Hill could make you look old and haggard. She decided to ignore the comment. "Hi, you are looking well." "And feeling it and I wish to apologize. This think I have against Bob Hill has been taken too far. I thought I'd lost you because of it but your mum who's visited you over there twice says you were fine. Um you might care to accept if I take a grudge against someone I give it my all and you understand that's consistent with my character." "Yes you are an asshole treating Bob Hill like that dad. I can confirm he's a really decent guy. I do forgive you. Mum and I will be at a flower show on Saturday morning. I want you to call Bob and ask can you go over and if he says yes you go over and try to make peace with him. You can also be a decent bloke dad, so don't screw up." "Okay I'll certainly think about that. Look have early lunch with me." "I'd love to do that dad. I've just come from the art gallery. I have given them my painting I began painting at the beach a couple of days after arriving home. It passed initial assessment and now will be assessed carefully for possible acceptance as a gift from a local artist who wishes to support the gallery." "We partners are major sponsors of the gallery. I probably could get you a seat on one of the committees or possibly even the board." "No thanks dad. Just leave it. If the call comes I want the gallery initiating it. If the gallery does accept my work you'd honor me by paying for it to be more suitably framed. The framing I had done is pretty basic. Acceptance would mean it's worthy of a highly quality frame." "I'll gladly do that. When will you know the decision?" "I have no idea." Nikki called for her mum on Saturday in the Chevy. "Omigod he lets you drive his pride and joy. Your dad is going to meet Bob this morning. He's just come off the phone. He's in a lather about what to wear and has all his suits out." Nikki gave three sharp blasts on the car horn and half a minute later Gerald came out. "What?" Nikki yelled to wear shorts, sneakers and a polo shirt hanging out. Her father came closer. "Are you being serious?" "It's what he was wearing when I left less than ten minutes ago and I can't see him running off to chance into a suit after receiving your phone call. Apologize unreservedly and then shake hands and look thirsty." "You've grown up baby, all of that is damn good advice. Have a great time you two." "Omigod was that my husband." "I think so mum. He's making an effort to get us to really like him again." "I've never stopped..." "I mean REALLY like him mum." A few days later Nikki received a call from the gallery director, Cheryl Hogan. She introduced herself and called Nikki Mrs Wells and Nikki said to call her Nikki. "We here are virtually over-whelmed by the quality of your artistry," said Mrs Hogan. "Please call me Cheryl." "Oh thanks for the recognition." "Nikki have you any idea how much this painting is worth even on the restricted market of our little country?" "I have some idea... sufficient to buy myself a quality pre-used car I should think, but that's not the point. I wish to be represented in your gallery as a local artist of merit and my hope was be favorably judged by my peers." "Nikki, I think the way to put it crudely is, we were gob smacked." Nikki giggled. "As you stated in your covering letter with your submission, you are the daughter of Gerald and Dianne Wells, is that correct, and you studied at the Royal College of Art in London and you will be settling back here?" Lady Painting at the Beach "Yes to all of that and you will have checked that I was a graduate." "You are a clever young lady Nikki as well as being a gifted artist. At our board meeting earlier this afternoon I was instructed you to invite you to become a member of our board to replace a retiring member who is patron of the local arts society and to invite you to become a member of our acquisitions committee." "What little old me?" "Nikki!" "Oh I'm honored but I only received acceptance of my membership of the art's society on Monday. Wouldn't they wish their new patron to be the successor of the retiring patron?" "This is confidential Nikki but the president of the society sits on our board and she said it was their committee's intention to propose you as the new patron, er after approaching you. God please Nikki, don't say I leaked this to you." "But I'm just a young woman, Cheryl, only thirty-one. Patrons are generally well into the wobbly age." "My dear, be that as it may, you are being recognized by your peers." "Omigod." "I take it that's total acceptance?" "Well yes." "Good then please drop in here at 12:30 tomorrow Nikki for the presentation." "Presentation?" "Yes we are having a few people here to watch you formerly gift your paining of Sandy Cove to the gallery to be followed by lunch. By the way, your father came over and paid for new framing at cost." "Um about this presentation, I guess I shouldn't dress in a bikini?" "That could create a lasting impression and establish a new low for dress code in our gallery dear." Bob was ripping into the roasted beef sirloin as if his late mum had cooked it. "Jesus Nikki, I don't think mum could have produced a better roast dinner and that's saying something." "Oh Bob, it does and it humbles me. I'd accepted that your mum was even a better cook than my mum." "But as the sun also rises and so shall a new and superior cook emerge." "Omigod Bob, is that you talking." He grinned and called her a cheeky young bitch and Nikki accepted that as another accolade. As they finished mains Nikki said impulsively, "Let's row out into the bay with a bottle of sweet wine and dessert." Bob frowned and looked at his watch. "Nikki it's late and..." "I arrived at Sandy Cover and hit you like a gust of fresh air. You were lonely and bored. Very well, you go to bed and snuggle up to the latest edition of Farmer's Weekly." "Oh Father, I have sinned," Bob intoned. His voice became deep. "Thank you son, your punishment is to go out on the bay with the most vibrant young woman in creation and eat and drink and be merry and to bring her back to your bed and fuck her until her eyeballs are almost popping." Mouth opened, Nikki looked at Bob, most impressed. "That's not bad for a farmer's son eh?" Bob grinned. Out on the water Nikki invited Bob to lunch at the gallery next day for the handing over of her painting. "So it's been accepted?" "Yes." "I knew it would and I applied no pressure." "Thanks darling. Oh I suggest you don't wear your polo, jeans and boots." "No that stuffy outfit has a dress code that indicates they are up themselves but I suppose it allows control of the riff-raff element." "You mean farmers in jeans and boots." "Cheeky young bitch."" Next day when approaching the gallery, Bob and Nikki were swept in amid a crowd of arriving people. "The gallery is busy today. It must have a lunchtime concert or something." Rather overwhelmed, Nikki didn't reply. Then she saw her parents. "Oh god, my parents are here. This will be the first time you and my father will have come face to face socially since your successful reconciliation." "Yes but it had to happen. This is as good as place as anywhere." "Bob there is no other function. These people have come to watch the presentation." "Jesus but why?" "I can only guess someone has decided it's a big deal occasion." "It that why you are dolled up." "Oh this little black dress and my maternal grandmother's silver necklace is my usual dress-up at midday. I was told a few people would be coming." "How large a group is a few people/" "Keep calm darling. Size is only a matter of perspective. Cheryl is probably used to bigger occasions than we are." "You call our stuck-up director by her first name?" "Only because she invited me to call her Cheryl." Cheryl rushed over and kissed Nikki and said good afternoon Mr Hill to Bob as if he were from another planet, rather than just being a Big 12 donor. "Cheryl please kiss Bob. He's great at kissing and call him Bob. That will make him feel more comfortable. He's rather shy of full-on influential women." Cheryl hesitated and Bob kissed her and said hi Cheryl and she said hi Bob. They both pulled away looking quite astonished that such a thing had happened. Checking the time, Nikki said to Bob, "Go and join my parents, Cheryl will want me to line up with her." They walked off with Cheryl briefing Nikki. After Cheryl introduced herself and welcomed everyone to such an 'auspicious occasion', Charles Drake, chairman of the Gallery Trust Committee, said it was wonderful that Nikki Wells, who he'd known since she was a school girl, had returned to Radcliffe as a hugely talented and mature artist and since her return had completed a painting she wished to donate to the gallery. "We were dumbfounded," he said. "The painting little Nikki... or the young lady Nikki is giving us is a hugely significant acquisition and is approaching the upper end of works we have in this gallery of our small city. We have had the painting independently assessed and the valued placed on it for insurance cover is $9000." People clapped and looked as if wondering how an unknown local artist could produce a painting worth that much. There was a flurry at the doorway and a TV crew arrived closed followed by a newspaper reporter and photographer. Charles stopped to allow them to settle, the TV cameraman's assistant setting up the tripod and the cameraman mounting the camera. The two floodlights were switched on and the cameraman waved to the lawyer and Charles said he would now continue. "Nikki Wells has a master's degree in fine arts from the acclaimed Royal College of Art in London and so we are very fortunate to have her return to settle here in Radcliffe. I can't over-emphasize how enormously grateful that we of the gallery are in receiving Nikki's generous gift to this city of her outstanding painting. I would like to add that because of Nikki's expertise in art and sound knowledge of art history we have invited Nikki to replace our retiring patron of the gallery trust, Mrs Marion Bush, as patron. Nikki has also accepted the offer to become a member of our acquisitions committee." There was polite applause and Charles then said, "I invite you to say a few words Nikki before you remove the covering from your painting on the wall behind me." "Thank you Mr Drake. I'm honored to have been invited to serve gallery administration. When I arrived back here I couldn't believe the city had acquired such a fine, modern art gallery during the time I'd been away. Citizens must be very proud to have such a fine addition to city culture." "To keep it short, I was born and raised in Radcliffe until I went to Auckland to complete my undergraduate degree in fine arts, specializing in painting and art history. I virtually lived on Sandy Cove beach for eight to nine months of the year until my late teens and in the dismal weather in London I used to dream of being back on Sandy Cove Beach in one of our so-called endless summers. After completing my masters I painted my beloved memories of Sandy Cove, my memories jogged by photographs and sold nine oil-on canvas paintings. I checked my records last night and found the four sold by auction and the five commissioned sales netted me £52,760 pounds, so people in London obviously invested their money to in share in the image of such an exotic marine landscape." "I now live with Mr Bob Hill, who was finishing high school when I was still at primary school. Bob, whose family trust was one of the 12 big donors to this gallery, taught me how to swim, row a boat and to fish and the rudiments of marine biology and about foreshore conservation. I feel hugely privileged to now live right at the western end of Sandy Cove and since arriving home I spent many hours painting that view out to sea past Lighthouse Rock and am satisfied I've captured that immense beauty of that scene as viewed in calm weather. I love the painting and knew I could never sell it and believed the best place for it was in this gallery. And so here it is," Nikki said, pulling the golden ripcord and the cover fell to one side and was removed by a gallery assistant. People clapped and some gasped at the magnificence of the 40 x 30 oil painting. "Thank you everyone," Cheryl called. "Don't rush to view the painting because it will be in that position for quite some time. A light lunch is now served for invited guests in the room to my left. Thank you for coming and please enjoy talking over lunch. Mr Bob Hill has kindly donated the choice of Te Henui Estate wines available and the food." "If you are a donor you must have known about this event before I told you," Nikki said. "No, Cheryl put the hard word on me soon after you introduced us, unaware I've known Cheryl for years. She and mom were close friends." Nikki turned to face several people eager to speak to her. "Thanks generous Bob," she called to her lover. Within minutes Nikki was pulled away by the news media to be interviewed. Later the reporter from the Midland Examiner newspaper was chatting to Bob. They'd gone through high school together. "Come of Bob, give me a good quote about Nikki. She must have been involved in something disreputable either here or in the UK." "Sorry I know nothing. I'd think she'd be clean." "Well is she involved in anything unusual?" "Not that I know of... ah wait a tick, there is one thing. She usually paints topless. That's how I knew she was home from the UK. I saw this lady painting on the sand at the cove and recognized her breasts." "Oh Bob you cracker. Thanks for making my day." Bob couldn't understand why he'd added that last piece of bullshit. Next morning Nikki's mom called early. "Have you read this morning's newspaper?" "No Bob's out at the gate fetching it now." "The story about you says you usually paint nude at the beach." "It says what?" "Bob is quoted as saying Nikki usually paints topless and that's how he found out you were home from the UK. He said this lady painting nude on the beach at the cove and recognized your breasts." "He what?" "Bob is not very discreet darling. You really need to call him to heel." Nikki waited for Bob to return, tapping her right foot impatiently. He loped to her, almost bursting in pride. "Look at this great photo of you sweetheart with your gallery gift." Nikki looked and boggled and vanity got to her. "Omigod, is that really me?" "Stunning eh?" Bob grinned. "I'm picking you'll get painting commissions out of this. Oh I might have said something to the reporter that I now regret."' "Oh no worries. I accept your apology. So you think this publicity will result in people offering me commissions?" "Oh you'll receive more publicity because you'll be on network TV tonight. I had a call from the news editor when I was out at the gate. He asked was it true that you painted in the nude and I said no and I'd like to correct that impression, you usually kept on your bikini bottom." "Well that's an improvement I guess." "He asked how could I recognize it was you some years after I'd last seen you and I said it was because one of your breasts droops quite a bit." "Well Bob Hill," Nikki flared. "If I have a droopy breast you have a big mouth and I'm about to discipline you for that." Nikki picked up the kitchen broom and Bob picked up a kitchen chair to defend himself because she had him cornered. "Nikki be reasonable," he bleated. "Bob Hill, you and your big mouth have publicly humiliated me. I'll show you just how reasonable I am in administering justice..." THE END