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Turning Paige Ch. 01

By: Member389



I couldn't believe I was doing this. What was I doing? Sure hanging out on that website was fun and all, good for some laughs, and there are some incredibly hot women on there too. But back to the original question, what was I doing getting off a flight to Charlotte to meet a girl from that cam site. It all started off innocent enough. She had been doing an raffle of some sorts for tips. I never even looked at what it was for, I figured that it was for an 8x10 glossy or a batch of home baked cookies. Something that was pretty common across the site. I'd had a few drinks one night, and got a little free with the tips, all the while not realizing that she kept adding tickets for me into her little fish bowl. Paige was awesome, beautiful, smart, funny, completely approachable and that sexy southern drawl of hers always made me smile. 

When I got the email stating that I had won the raffle, I didn't believe it. The prize consisted of a date with Paige. I thought there was some mistake, and I emailed her back asking if she was certain. She seemed pretty amused by the fact that I didn't believe it at first. I very nearly replied saying that it was cool, that I'm glad she did really well and to not worry about fulfilling the prize, when I found myself looking at my calendar for time off. I put together some tentative dates and emailed them back to her, a day later I got a reply with a highlight on a particular long weekend. I put in for the time off from work, and looked for a flight to the nearest major city Charlotte, North Carolina.

The day had arrived, and despite my misgivings I was getting off the plane, looking around for the car rental agents. Once I had keys in hand I made my way to the lot to find the car, tossed my bags in the back and called Paige.

"Hi," I said, "It's me, Pete." She laughed. "I just got off the plane, and I've got a car, where am I going?"

"Does it have a GPS?" She asked, in her sexy little southern drawl. It did, and she gave me an address for a bed and breakfast in a little town about 30 minutes out of the city. "I'm out running errands as soon as I'm done I'll head home, get changed and meet you there so we can have dinner. Sound good?" I paused for a moment realizing just how silly a question that was. It sounded fantastic.

"Sounds great. I can't wait to see you." I said. A bigger lie, I hadn't told today. The thought of meeting her had me scared shitless. I was still wondering if I should just turn and go back into the airport and get back on a plane and get the hell out of here before I did something monumentally stupid. But I didn't, I keyed in the address she gave me, and I started getting instructions. A litany of 'this is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy' started running through my mind. I gave my head a quick shake squelching it thinking, I'm allowed a little crazy in my life, and if crazy comes in the form of a beautiful blonde, claiming that she can't wait to meet me, all the better.

Within a few minutes I was on a highway out of the city, the suburbs looked similar to my native New England, if a bit more sprawling. The states are bigger down here, I thought. The suburbs melted away into rolling fields lined with still green trees, an oddity for a northern boy, this late in the season.

I passed through a small town that looked like it had jumped off the screen of an old 1950's movie. I even noticed a few very old cars which aided the illusion that I'd gone back in time. The GPS urged me onward. I got off the main highway and started north on a county road to my destination of Hickory. The directions got more detailed, as I entered the city, until I found myself on a tree lined drive, and saw the sign for the inn. The voice said that I'd arrived. A large white house with an oval sign in front greeted guests to the bed and breakfast. I pulled into the small driveway.

A woman was behind the counter at a small desk when I entered. She stood and welcomed me warmly, a trait I was noticing was common in these parts. She checked me in, and pointed to the stairs. "I'll show you up. I was surprised when your girl said that it was for one. That's usually the honeymoon suite." She said winking at me. I made some quip about preferring the local flavor of smaller inns when I travel. I followed her up the stairs as she showed me the small but cozy room, a small window-seat area showed the lush back yard full of pecan trees and gardens. The lady, she said her name was Paula, handed me the keys and told me to enjoy my stay.

I went down and got my bags, and brought them up, figuring I'd grab a quick nap since flying always made me tired, even when I didn't switch time zones.



***

My phone rang, waking me, "You all checked in sweetheart? How do you like it?" Paige asked.

"It's terrific, a little different than the usual road side motel."

"Well I figured you might like a little local flavor." She chuckled. "Are you ready for dinner?"

I looked at my watch, I'd slept for an hour longer than planned. "I just need to grab a quick shower. Where are we going? Is this a suit and tie night?" I asked.

She laughed. "Hell no. There's a great grill here in town, kind of like a sports bar you can wear jeans and fit right in. I wouldn't wear any of that Boston sports gear down here though, you'll stand out like a sore thumb. I'll be by to pick you up in about 30 minutes."

I hit the shower, shaved and dressed in my jeans and a button down shirt. The room phone rang just as I finished, and I answered it. Paula said that my party had arrived to pick me up. The sound in her voice led to believe that in for something special. I headed down the stairs, my jacket over my shoulder. She turned towards the stairs with a killer smile. I stopped dead in my tracks as the reality hit me. Paige stood there in knee high black suede boots as my eyes scanned upwards to the lovely pale skin of her legs, quickly hidden by the denim skirt with it's little white cotton ruffle edge. She was wearing a pink blouse and had a black suede jacket on. It seemed to take forever to take in what I saw, and in that time the smile on her face broadened. Her eyes sparkled. "Hi Pete," was all she said.

"Lord girl, if he doesn't start breathing soon I'm gonna dial 911." Paula said laughing.

"Don't worry," Paige said, "I'm a nurse I can handle a little mouth to mouth." She winked.

Paula laughed again, "I"m sure that'll get his heart started if nothing else will. Get over here fool and say hello to this lovely lady!"

I did as told, as I walked up to Paige she held her arms out and gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"That's more like it son, I thought I was gonna have to give you directions there for a minute." Paula laughed.

Paige still had her arm around my neck when she turned to the desk. "We're going over to Charlies for some barbecue, would you like us to bring anything back for you?"

"Oh no sweetheart, but thank you for asking." Paula replied. "You two have a good time!" As we turned to leave, Paula made a small shushing noise. "If there's going to be two for breakfast, leave me a note so I can make sure to cook up enough." She said with a wink.

Paige's mouth dropped open, but she smiled. "You dirty minded ol' woman." I just chuckled, as did Paula.

I whispered loudly, "I'll let you know."

"After the way I'm about to feed you, you'll be lucky if you're hungry by breakfast." Paige said giving my hand a tug. "C'mon." We went out to where her Jeep was parked and got in and headed through town. It seemed as if we were leaving town when we came up on Charlie's. It sat back from the road, and had a full parking lot. She pulled in and pulled the Jeep into a spot. We got out and Paige waited as I came around the car, she held out her hand and we walked in hand in hand. She found the hostess, and asked her if her table was still held. Meg had put it in her name.

"Sure is sweety, let me show you to it." She said.

There was a large center barbecue pit circled with a brick hearth and a huge smoke stack going up through the ceiling. To the side was a long bar, lined with TV's, games going on all of them. We passed that into a quieter area towards the back. There was a large round booth the hostess pointed to, laying the menu's down. Paige bundled her short skirt and slid into the seat. The hostess walked over to the bar and talked to a small brunette and walked off. She turned beaming a smile at us and practically trotted over to the table. She slid in next to me.

"Damn Paige, you didn't tell me he was going to be this damn cute!" She said, her hand squeezing my thigh.

"Hell I didn't exactly know either since all I ever saw was pictures of Tigger or tiger cubs. Hands off girl, don't you think I don't know where that hand is! You'll have to excuse her, but her method of introduction is by way of groping you under the table. This is my friend Meg."

Meg opened her mouth in shock at Paige. "That's not fair I only do that to the cute guys." She winked at me. "What'll I get ya Pete?" I looked over at Paige. "Oh I already know what she's having." I gave her my order and she slid out walking away in her tight jeans, giving a little more of a wiggle than necessary.

Paige laughed. "She is incorrigible, but all sorts of fun. Here," she said, handing me a menu, "I'd recommend the sampler. Try it all, find out what you like." She looked at me wide eyed. "You're not Jewish are you? This is gonna be mostly pork on here." I chuckled shaking my head no. "Good, I hope you don't like that shirt much, Carolina barbecue tends to be a bit messy, and oh so good."

I looked at the menu quickly and set it down, figuring I'd take her suggestion. I looked out across the crowd and shook my head slowly.

"What's the matter sweety?" Paige asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just trying to take it all in." I laughed. "If you'd told me a month ago that I'd be here tonight, I'd have told you that you were certifiable."

"You won fair and square." She said putting her elbow on the table, chin in hand, smiling at me. "I'm not going to lie to you, I was damn scared by the idea of it myself. This is my first time doing anything like this too you know. You could have been some psycho ax murderer for all I know." She paused and got all serious. "You're not are you?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No, last time I used an axe it was on a load of chord wood. I told my brother to never buy his firewood in tree lengths ever again."

"Well it seems to suit you." She said giving my upper arm a squeeze. My eyebrows went up. She blushed slightly taking back her hand. I just chuckled.

"Sorry, I'm just not sure what I'm doing... here... sorry." I shook my head again.

"Relax hon, nothing ventured, nothing gained right?" Paige said, as Meg walked back over with our drinks. We ordered, Meg didn't hold back on the flirting, and I noticed Paige watching her closely.

After a terrific dinner, I asked Paige what she had planned.

"Well, I wasn't sure what you might like to do. I'm sure if we can dream it up we can find it around here." Paige replied.

"Really?" I said my eyebrows shot up in amazement.

"Honey if you want to, there's a couple strip clubs on the other side of town." She said smiling. "Anything goes, it's your night."

I started laughing. "I don't think I have enough singles for that. Besides, the point was to meet you, not to go ogling other women."

"Good, because for some reason I find myself not wanting to share your attention. You wouldn't have been the only one ogling either." She added with a wink.

"The night is young, and you are far to beautiful to keep to cooped up. What shall we do?"

"Listen to you mister sweet-talker." She said smiling. "How do you feel about shaking your ass?"

"Did you bring enough singles?" I laughed. "So long as nobody points and laughs outright, I'm okay."

"No guarantees. C'mon, let's get out of here before Meg comes over here and rips your clothes off."

"Wait, you didn't mention that was an option!" I laughed.

"Oh please, if you want your clothes ripped off I'll bring you back later." She followed the statement with a smirk, "or I'll just do it myself."

We drove a while skirting the edge of the city heading south along a county road. We left the city behind us, and at a bend in the road, a large building appeared in the darkness, the lights burning as brightly as a bonfire. She pulled off the road into a dirt parking lot. The Barn Dance was just that, a huge old barn that had been converted into a club.

"Time to work off all that food." She reached into her bag and pulled out a few things, then stuff the bag behind the seat pulling a blanket over it. "Would you believe at my age I still get carded?"

"Yes I would." I said with complete sincerity. We went inside and I paid the cover and we found our way to a small table, eventually a busy waitress took a drink order, coming back quicker than I expected.

"Okay, so am I going to get crushed toes, or are you Fred Astaire?" She smiled.

I returned the smile, having listened to a few songs I got the feel for the pace. A little bit rock & roll, but mostly country. I held out my hand. "Guess you'll have to take your chances, won't you? Though I've always envisioned myself more as a Gene Kelly." I chuckled.

After a few dances, Paige smiled broadly, and I have to say I was doing a lot of that myself. She was flushed and fanning herself with her hand. "Let's take a break." We made our way back to the table. "Well well, you have a mighty fine two-step." She said as we sat.

"That whole line dance craze made it up north years ago. There was a girl..." I trailed off.

It was Paige's turn for raised eyebrows. "Sounds like there's a story there. It's alright sweety, don't fret." She said patting my hand, which slowly became a rub, she traced the knuckles with her finger tip slowly.

"It was a long time ago, as much as I would have loved for things to the way I envisioned them, I found out that I was the only one who envisioned them." I chuckled. The waitress made a pass to see if we were okay and left again. We hit the floor for some more dancing and I was having a great time. As with all good things it came to an end. The crowd had thinned down to just dozen or so die-hards, and I looked at my watch for the first time in hours and realized it was near midnight. 

"I'd best get you back before you turn into a pumpkin." Paige said smiling. We drove back to the B&B in relative silence. Paige nodding along with the music on the radio. "You're awfully quiet over there. I'm not used to that, especially from you."

I smiled, "I'm just taking it all in. I have to ask myself why a girl like you isn't already taken, but then I ask myself why I am asking myself stupid questions like that."

"Boy, you think to much." She grinned. "There was a time I was taken, but didn't work out. Much like your story, things weren't the way I envisioned them either." She shrugged and got quiet. We got to the inn and she pulled up, turning off the engine.

I turned to her to thank her and she was getting out of the Jeep. Surprised, I climbed out too, walking around the front, she held out her hand to me, and I took it. We climbed the steps and stopped on the porch, Paige turning to me taking my face in her hands and kissed me deeply. I overcame the initial shock, and eagerly joined in, having day-dreamed about this often. We came up for breath what seemed like minutes later, and still far to soon. We parted as she looked up at me.

"I don't know why, but I had a feeling you'd be good at that. I was right." She winked. "I'll come pick you up in the morning. Don't sleep late." She grinned, turned and skipped down the stairs. She slowed looking over her shoulder at me with an impish grin and gave me a little bye-bye wave. She flipped her hair and got into the Jeep and drove away. I stood there rooted to the spot until the tail lights faded out of sight. I turned and went up to my room, still stunned by what just happened. I shook my head to clear it, and got ready for bed.

***

Morning came early around here, or so it would seem. I heard bumping and shuffling at 7 a.m. I knew it was 7 a.m. because I peeked at the alarm clock on the nightstand, wondering why anybody in their right mind would get up this early. It took a moment for me to remember where I was, and I smiled recalling last night, dinner, dancing, that kiss on the porch. Paige did say not to sleep in, so I resigned myself to getting up. Thankfully I smelled coffee all the way up here on the third floor. I got up and headed for the shower. I turned the water on, not waiting for it to warm up and got in. Nothing opens my eyes in the morning like a cold shower, which was sadly needed after last night. That kiss... was amazing.

I got out and noticed I had a message on the room phone. I never heard it ring over the shower.

"You coming down for breakfast or do I need to come up there and drag your lazy ass out of bed?" Paige's hollered into the phone. Shocked I got dressed quickly, and made my way downstairs. I turned the corner into the dining room and almost knocked Paula off her feet. I grabbed her arms to make sure she was okay.

"That's what I like, when you call 'em, they come a runnin'" She laughed. "Good mornin' darling. Sit yourself down, and we'll fix yuh some breakfast."

The sun filtered through pecan trees, lighting the room with a soft green-gold light, the table was set for two, a small pitcher of juice sat sweating on the table. My eyes darted around looking, Paula noticed and grinned. "Sit yourself down and relax, she's here." A chuckle escaped. She poured a cup of coffee from the pot on the sideboard, and pushed me towards a seat.

I sat down, still looking around, realizing I hadn't said a word since walking into the room. "Thank you." I picked up the coffee blowing on it to cool it down as Paula went off to the kitchen. I looked around and noticed that I was the only one around. How is it that a B&B could be empty on such a nice weekend in the fall? The weather was still nice, though a bit cool. If this were up north in my neck of the woods the place would be packed with tourists. A few noises of dishes clacking together in the kitchen brought me back. The swinging door opened and Paige backed out with two heaping plates in her hands. I started to get up, and she told me to sit back down. She was glowing, her hair pulled back in a barrette, the light shining on pale cheeks with just a blush of pink. Her blue eyes flashed at me along with a smile as she set one down in front of me, the other in the other spot. She reached over for the coffee pot and poured herself a cup.

"Good morning sleepy-head. I'd ask how you slept but by the time I'd have to guess pretty well."

I blinked at her, a smile creeping across my face. "I know this is going to sound bad but, what are you doing here?"

"You want me to go?" She sounded slightly offended.

"No!" I said laying my hand on her arm. "I'm just a bit confused, maybe I just need coffee."

"Well Aunt Paula mentioned breakfast last night, and I thought that would be a capital idea." Paige said smiling.

"Aunt Paula?" I said, "You're her niece?"

"Yea, that's how it works last time I checked."

I shook my head and started laughing. "Does she have any idea why I'm here?"

"Some, but not all." Paige smiled at me again. "Eat up before it gets cold, we've got a big day ahead of us."

I did as instructed and ate up, breakfast was fantastic. All that and she can cook too, I thought.

As I leaned back with my coffee cup, stuffed like a holiday turkey, I wondered what she had in mind. Thinking it would be easier to ask than to speculate, I did just that.

"Remember a while back when you mentioned how much you love photography? At some point I may have mentioned I could use some pictures done. I figured we could kill two birds with one stone. A friend of Megan's does some photography, weddings, senior portraits and such, and she's agreed to loan us her studio for the afternoon. Only thing we need to do is come up with a wardrobe, and camera. Since you have a camera, the only thing we need is a wardrobe. You did bring your camera like I asked, right?"


Turning Paige Ch. 01



I nodded. I remember her talking about the pictures, but the things that she would be looking to have done wasn't something I'd ever done before.

"We need to go get Meg before we go, she wouldn't let me think of going shopping without her."

She took the plates stacking them neatly, and brought them back into the kitchen. Making a second trip for the glassware. She came back with keys in her hands a few minutes later, she stopped as if on cue right in a shaft of sunlight, reaching up and unpinning her hair shaking it loose making it light up like gold. She noticed me staring and blushed. "It feels a bit different when you can see the person that's watching you."

I blushed a bit too. "How so?"

"Well I'd usually imagine you sitting at your computer well, you know, doing what guys do. This is different, you're looking at me like you've never seen a girl before."

"I've seen girls before, just none as beautiful as you." I replied.

"Good lord are you sweet." She said giving me a peck on the cheek. A lot more innocent than last nights kiss on the porch, but I wasn't going to complain about it. "Come on."

We drove through town, Paige stopping in front of a small house. "Hang tight, I'll go get her. If we both go in we'll never get you out of there."

"Okay." I wondered why she said that, but let it pass. She came out a few minutes later, Meg skipping down the steps and practically running to the Jeep.

"Hi Pete! I want the truth, did Paige here molest you last night?" She said grinning ear to ear. "She said she went home, but I don't know if she can be believed."

"Seriously Meg, you couldn't just take my word for it?" Paige looked up in the rear view mirror, with her lips pursed.

Meg shook her head smiling. I turned slightly so I could see her, and told her that Paige was a lady, she walked me up to the porch, gave me a kiss goodnight, then Mom flashed the porch light at us, and Paige went home. They both laughed, at the 'Mom flashing the porch light' reference. Meg reached around the headrest wrapping her arms around my neck. "So I still have a chance. Nice." 

"Sit back and put your seat belt on Meg." Paige said, slightly annoyed. "Not for your safety mind you, but for his."

We all got a chuckle out of that, and Paige got us back on the road.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

Paige just smiled. I looked up at the little mirror on the back of the visor, and noticed Meg smiling too. I wasn't sure if I should be excited or scared. Paige made her way out to a mall on the edge of town, she made her way through the maze of islands and found a parking space. Meg just about jumped out of the car when we stopped. Paige and I got out and joined her. We went in, walking through the mall Meg turned down a side hall towards one of the major stores and turned again into the lingerie store.

"Who would have thought, down here in the Bible belt." I said under my breath.

"Don't kid yourself sweety, they do a hell of a business down here in the Bible belt." Paige chuckled, as we followed Meg into the store.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked Paige, spotting Meg out of the corner of my eye, flipping through the merchandise.

She stopped turned to face me head on. "I'm yours, dress me as you like." Her sly grin and the twinkle in her eyes said more than she actually voiced.

"Let's see what catches our fancy." I said smiling. We walked around, looking at different things. She stopped her eyes opening at the sight of a mannequin wearing pink panties with black lace trim, the little black bow in the front just screamed 'untie me.' "Definitely." I said. She picked out a pair in her size. She wandered around a little more, and I watched her. 

Meg walked up with a blue lace trimmed tank top, and panties. "Here hold these up." She said. The blue offset her eyes beautifully. I nodded at those too. We found a few other items as we wandered around. Her pile of things getting taller.

"We'd better get out of here before I break the bank." She said. "Besides this is more than enough." She looked over and spotted a sale bin of lace panties. "Hang on, I'd better re-supply my stockpile while I'm here." She laughed picking out a few pair. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Three bucks a pair and I can sell them for twenty-five, and only need an envelope and a stamp."

I chuckled adding, "I know, you've sent me a few pair."

We went up to the register, and I held her arm as she reached for her purse. I noticed that Meg had a few items herself, and nodded to have her put them on the counter to. She smiled giving me a sly look. The brown satin was going to look good on her olive skin I thought. As the salesgirl rang out the items I took a moment to look Meg over again. She was shorter than Paige. They were a study in contrast, Paige was tall, and slim like a Nordic Valkyrie. Meg was shorter, with more curves than a switchback road, she reminded me of Sophia Loren.

"You didn't have to do that, this is your weekend." Paige said as we were leaving the store.

"Thank you, Petey." Meg said, taking my other arm and giving it a squeeze as she wrapped hers around it.

"You're welcome, both of you. I'm just enjoying the envious looks I'm getting from every guy in here. They're going to run me out of town if I keep all the beautiful girls to myself like this." 

As we walked Paige just about took my arm off pulling me sideways into a chocolate shop. "I can never just walk by this place when I'm here." She said excited. "Look they have the raspberry truffles!" After a little indulgence in the candy store we made our way out to the car. Paige, and I munching on giant chocolate covered pretzels, and Meg nibbling on a chocolate.

***

We made our way back to the B&B and the girls both headed out past the kitchen. I went up to get my camera. I had no idea why she'd asked me to bring it, so I brought the bare minimum. I took the small bag and went back downstairs to find the girls.

"Sweety, do you have a button down shirt with you?" Paige called down the hallway to me. I had a couple, I told her. "Let's see." She said pointing upstairs. I went back up to my room, Paige following on my heels. I flipped open my suitcase and pulled out the shirts, showing them to her. She took the blue oxford and walked over to the full length mirror holding it up to her face looking at in the mirror. The blue wasn't an exact match, but it was close. She gave me a little head shake and walked over to my suitcase and started pawing through my clothes. She found a sports t-shirt from my local NHL team, folded in the bottom. She let out a hum of approval, and walked over to the mirror, flipping it open. She got a sly look as she spotted me watching her with keen interest. She turned, tossing me the shirt, and proceeded to cross her arms and wiggle out of her tank top, tossing it on the floor. She reached around behind her, unhooked her bra, and tossed it next to the tank top. The grin on her face had an evil look as she held out her hand for the shirt. "On the floor next to the bed, just like you keep telling me where my clothes look best." We laughed. I tossed her back the shirt and she slipped it over her head, pulling her hair free. She smoothed the fabric down against her body. The shirt was my size so it was far too large for Paige, but it still looked damn sexy on her. "This'll do fine." She winked at me.

"Did you want to take those too?" I asked pointing at her top and bra.

She shrugged. "I'll get them later."

"If Aunt Paula comes cleaning and I find myself on the wrong end of a shotgun, when we get back. I'm blaming you." I laughed.

"Not a chance. You don't run your own inn without learning the finer points of discretion. She's my fun aunt, she taught me more about men than my mother ever knew, not that y'all are hard to figure out."

We made our way back downstairs. We found Meg sitting in the parlor with a magazine and a glass if iced tea. "Well that didn't take long. You're losing your touch Paige." She giggled.

"Hardy, har har. Did you finish it?"

"Shouldn't be but a moment. They're in the dryer. Damn girl, did you switch sides on us?" She said looking at the shirt.

"No, but I'll take one for the team for Pete's sake." She paused before laughing at the play on words. "You'd best make sure that glass doesn't leave a ring on that table or Aunt Paula will ring your neck."

Meg rolled her eyes. "Yes, mom."

"Let's go check on the dryer." She said to Meg, "we'll be right back, how much water can that stuff hold?" She said to me.

I stood there with my camera bag in hand looking around when the girls came back into the room.

"All set, let's go." Paige said smiling, holding up a little bag.

We drove south back towards Charlotte but stopped short of actually going into the city. Meg gave Paige directions on how to find the place. It was a large old house, nearly as big as the inn, but with a large carriage house attached. It could have passed for a garage, but the edge of raised flower beds gave away the fact that it wasn't.

A woman appeared at the screen when we pulled into the drive. She waved at us and came out onto the porch. We got out, Meg grabbing the bag and another small bag from the back. Meg waved at the woman on the porch.

"Hi Jamie!" She said. "These are my friends, the ones I told you about. This is Paige, and that's Pete." She said pointing at me. 

Jamie was a tall woman with shoulder length deep red hair, a pretty face and smile. "How are you doing Toots?" She said.

"Damn." I said under my breath. "What's in the water down here." Paige smirked, hearing my remark.

We walked up onto the porch, Meg getting a big hug from Jamie. "This is Jamie, she was my student adviser in college. She also interned as an associate professor of art. Trust me, anybody who thinks art classes are free credits never met her."

Jamie on closer inspection appeared a few years older than the girls, but not by much. Those years did nothing to detract from the deep brown eyes and beautiful smile. She held out a hand which I took. She said hello in a breathy voice reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe. "Come on in, let's see what you've got in there."

"Meg tells me you're a pretty good photographer Pete, ever done any professional work?" Jamie asked.

"No, just the odd project of my own. The photo's I showed her were from around ten years ago, it's been a long time since I've done anything with a model."

"Well we'll work the kinks out pretty quickly. Have you ever used studio lighting before?" I told her I hadn't. "Don't worry, it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I'll whip you into shape in no time." All the girls gave a giggle to that. We walked down a hall and through the door into the studio, Jamie flipped on the lights as we walked into the large space, one side of which was open up to the rafters, the other had a wide loft which I couldn't quite see into in the dark.

Jamie walked over to Paige and gave her an appraising look, and laid a hand on her shoulder, a small smile escaping her lips. "Smart girl, already took off your bra. Get yourself out of those pants, we don't want any red marks." She pointed over to a corner that had a curtained partition. Paige kicked off her shoes and reached up under my t-shirt and undid her jeans sliding them down without bothering to go to the dressing room.

"Meg let's see what you girls brought." She nodded to an area with an open clothing rack and a long table. They laid out the lingerie on the table, Paige picked up her pants and walked over to see what we'd be using.

"You've got good taste in lingerie Pete. Some nice choices, though I don't see anything I'd consider high glamour, luckily I may be able to accommodate that." First thing let's get you warmed up. Come on over here." She walked over to a seamless backdrop, and started showing me the lights, the settings on each and the best ideas for some quick shots. "How are you doing over there?" She called over to the girls.

"We're good. Just a quick brush out and I'll send her over." Meg said. A few minutes later Paige walked over, wearing only my t-shirt and a smile. Her make up had been freshened and her hair brushed out. She stepped in front of me and onto the seamless and struck a vogue-like pose.

"I'm ready when you are." She said with a wink.

She turned, and I shot, her movements seemed a bit awkward to her at first, but Jamie gave suggestions and encouragement as I shot away.

Paige started to get a bit more daring as we shot. My shirt rising to her waist showing off sexy little black panties. Her thumbs holding up the front of the shirt, with her hands cupping her breasts. Jamie suggested a particular pose that she stepped into the shot to demonstrate, crossing her arms in front and taking her shirt and lifting it slightly, pointing out that her crossed arms give the look of a an hourglass which is very flattering. Something I totally agreed with. She eventually whipped my shirt off, flipping her hair back and forth to loosen it. Meg stepped into the shot with the brush and tidied it up.

"I get the distinct feeling that all of you have done this before." I said.

"Oh we have, Meg has assisted for me off and on since college," Jamie said, "but I think this is Paige's first time, though you'd never know it. She's a natural."

Paige tossed the shirt aside and turned, crossing her legs as she did, accentuating the heart shape of her beautiful backside, barely covered in black lace. She turned and gave a few more poses with her arms crossed in front of her in various ways to cover herself.

"Okay I think we've worked this outfit enough let's see what else we've got to work with, and we can go upstairs." Jamie pointed her thumb up a small narrow stair up to the loft. "We can take advantage of some available light."

Jamie and I did our thing, swapping gear and lights, Paige went off with Meg. A few minutes later Jaime was leading me up the stairs. We walked into a fully decorated bedroom. The decoration on one side was very old world with lace curtains over a French door leading out onto a small balcony. Period furniture lined the wall, a full length stand mirror stood in the corner, and against the wall various reflectors and light stands. The other side of the room was a bit more modern, but no less lavish. There was a headboard bolted to the wall, but the bed was missing.

"That was my idea." Jamie pointed. "The bed is on wheels so I have more space and get two rooms in the deal. The girls came up the stairs with a few items over each arm. Paige was only wearing panties and a smile, and laid down the lingerie on a chaise lounge on the off side of the room. Meg handed her a long gown which she promptly slipped over her shoulders bringing it around in front and buttoning the few buttons that ran down the front to her navel, the rest of it flowing away from her showing off her long legs, and the heels she'd put on.

Jamie started moving reflecting panels around while Paige stood at the foot of the bed. Meg again brushed out Paige's hair so it fell back and away, making her face stand out even more. We shot more, Jamie turned on a fan, and had me set my camera for a slower speed so we could get some shots of the fabric and hair blurring slightly from the motion. The buttons came undone and we took some with the gown open, and some without the panties.

At some point I just stopped and looked at Paige, a moment turned into a long pause as I realized that I wasn't only fulfilling a personal dream, but she had me more turned on than she had ever done before, which was saying a lot. A small cough brought me back, I grinned as the ladies chuckled at me. "We know, she's hot and it just dawned on you that you're jeans are a size smaller than when we got here." Meg said, and busted out laughing. Paige rolled her eyes, smiled and looked out the window with a slight flush on her cheeks.

"Let's switch to the little blue number." Jamie said. "I think you'll do wonderful out on the balcony, if you don't mind it being a little cool.

Paige had been fairly quiet all afternoon, but I could tell by her eyes that she wasn't missing a single thing. "Oh heck no. I'm from tough mountain stock, I can take it." She smiled, removing what was left and walking over to the chaise where the tank and panties were. I watched with a keen eye.

"Have you ever noticed," I started to say to Jamie, "how a woman moves as she gets dressed. The stretching, turning and bending, is so damned sexy."

Jamie smiled. "You've got to be the first guy I've ever heard make a remark about how sexy it is for a woman to put clothes on."

I chuckled. "Listen to Eric Clapton singing You Look Wonderful Tonight. Be careful, it's entirely too easy to pigeon-hole all guys as rutting billy goats."

Jamie just gave me a nod of approval. "I like the way you think." She walked over and opened the French doors and walked out onto the balcony, judging the light. "I think the timing is about perfect." She smiled. "The sun is still up but well behind the trees giving us plenty of light, but none of it directional. The white off the clapboards will act as a perfect reflector, the only thing we need now is Paige."

As if on cue she walked to the doors, the light hitting her blue eyes and lighting them up.

"Damn." I said looking into them, my mouth hanging open. "I have got to capture that."

"Meg grab that small round silver reflector for me." Jamie said.

We quickly had Paige turned leaning against the rail and I started shooting again. I stepped back into the doorway to get some three-quarter shots, she let the shoulder strap slide off down her arm. Meg stopped me for a moment and walked into the shot, reaching up and mussing up her hair giving her a just rolled out of bed look. I chuckled when Meg said, "There now you look freshly laid. Smile like you just got some." She flicked the other shoulder strap off Paige's shoulder and gravity nearly took over. Paige twirled and posed and I just kept shooting.

Jamie recommended a few beauty shots, of Paige looking out over the yard shot in profile, and a close up of her, looking slightly down at the camera, requiring me to squat down a bit to get the angle.

Paige asked, "Would you excuse us for a few minutes ladies?"

My eyebrows went up as I looked at her for a clue as to what she had planned.

"Uhh sure," Meg said, "are you sure you don't need a hand?"

Paige never stopped looking me in the eye. "No, I'd like a moment alone with Pete if you don't mind."

Jamie just smiled, tapping Meg on the shoulder and urging her out of the room. At the top of the stairs she said over her shoulder, "You mess up those sheets you're doing the laundry." Paige just smiled a little wider. I swallowed, my mouth feeling very dry all of a sudden.

Paige nodded at the camera. "Still plenty of room?" I looked down at the screen, and nodded. "Good, then don't miss a thing." She slipped a hand up, pushing the tank top up as she did caressing her breast and tugging the hard nipple as she did. Her other hand played it's way down her stomach and slid into her panties. Her head leaned back as she enjoyed herself, stroking and caressing, all under the very small blue triangle, she let out a gasp, and a low moan as her fingers picked up the pace as she stiffened. Her head fell forward, her hair falling into her face. I crouched down trying not to miss a moment. She was panting as if she'd just run a sprint. She looked up at me from under her hair and let out a low chuckle. "I've been wanting to do that for hours." She said. From down in the studio a round of applause began along with some laughter. Paige blushed furiously stretching as she stood upright.

"Sweety, you've never been quiet in all the years I've known you!" Meg hollered.

Paige closed her eyes smiling as she leaned her head back trying to get herself together, a small chuckle escaping her lips. She looked at me a wild gleam in her eyes. "How are you doing? You holding together alright?"




Turning Paige Ch. 01



I swallowed, cleared my throat and nodded slowly. The smile on her face just got bigger, as she pushed herself slowly away from the rail, as if trying to catch her balance.

"I think we've got enough pictures for now, don't you?" She said walking towards me, brushing against me slowly as she passed. She picked up the lingerie from the chaise and went down the stairs. I just stood there, I'm sure my mouth hanging open.

"You coming sweetheart?" Paige called up the stairs.

"You mean he hasn't already?" Meg said, laughing loudly. "You're losing your touch!"

I closed the doors locking them, taking my gear downstairs with me, Meg and Jamie sat in a couple director's chairs, and started clapping when I got to the bottom of the stairs. I felt myself flush in embarrassment. "Stop it you two! You're terrible, and you!" Paige pointed at Meg. "You ought to know better." Paige still had a little color in her cheeks too. I took a deep breath, and walked over to where Jamie had a laptop sitting on a tall cart. She walked over grinning and gave me a hand burning the pictures off to discs while Paige got dressed.

She gave me the discs, and congratulated me after going over some of the pictures. "I wish more guys would do this. You may have given me an idea for a new service. Weddings are scarce this time of the year. Since I've already got the boudoir, I could give lessons."

"I was wondering what you were doing with a setup like that for weddings." I said slyly.

"Well you're not from around here, so you haven't noticed there are a good number of gentlemen's clubs in the area. One of my specialties is doing promotional photos for the clubs and the girls to sell." She smiled. "That's one of the reasons Meg called me about this. She knew I had the experience."

Meg had packed up the various lingerie, and other things, she still chuckled occasionally to herself. Paige came out of the dressing room in her jeans and my hockey shirt. She'd brushed her hair back into place. She was smiling but she still had a little concern shading her eyes as if she had made a mistake. I gave her my warmest smile, and the look disappeared.

"I'd like to thank you all for this... it was incredible." I shook my head looking around, my eyes finding their way back to Paige.

"It was her pleasure, we stand witness to that." Meg said, dodging as Paige lashed out to smack at her.

"You're one to talk, you've been trying to get into his pants since I introduced you." She declared to Meg.

"Well why not, he's damn cute! Besides I've been doing that to screw with you, and it's worked perfectly." Meg replied.

Jamie just stood back laughing at the two of them. Paige walked over to her and gave her a hug. "Thank you for letting us invade your Saturday afternoon." She started to slip something into Jamie's pocket, and Jamie caught her hand.

"What's this?" She said holding Paige's hand up, in it was some folded cash.

"It's your time, your place, I didn't feel right not covering the cost." Paige said.

"No, let me cover that. Even thought it wasn't my idea, I'm the one that benefited the most." I said.

Jamie just shook her head. "No. You don't owe me a thing, either of you. You," she pointed at Meg, "stop picking on Paige. She's a sweet girl and if I ever need a model I'll be calling her, so don't be a pain in the ass. You," she said pointing at Paige, "be good to him. He's a good guy, I trust my instincts." She let go of Paige's hand and turned to me. "You, be good to both of them or I'll find you. You don't want a pissed off red-head after your sorry ass." She grinned and gave me a hug and kiss. "Get these girls something to eat, they missed lunch from what I hear."

"Oh, I had made plans for dinner." Paige said. "I'm sorry Megan."

"It's okay, I can find something to do on a Saturday night... alone... by myself..." She made a sniffle noise.

"Nice try. I'm not buying that. I'm sure you only need to make a call and you won't be alone." Paige replied sarcastically.

"Why Paige, what ever do you mean? Are you calling me some sort of wanton woman?" She said, her southern accent getting stronger.

"You know that's exactly what I'm saying." Paige laughed and Meg scowled at her. "Sweety you are far too beautiful to not have a dozen guys at your door at the drop of a hat, and you know it." Paige continued. "I made plans for Pete and I to have dinner... alone."

I looked at Meg and shrugged.

"Alright." She held up her hands in surrender. "Drop me off at home."

We made our way out to the Jeep, everybody saying their goodbyes. We drove back to Megan's in relative silence. I could here peeping noises in the backseat, I figured Meg was on her phone playing. "Bobby is picking me up in an hour." She declared to Paige.

"McKinnon? Well good for you. He's a nice guy Meg."

"Yea he's still stuck in military mode. Everything is all about his Marine buddies." Meg said.

"He's only been back for a few months, and he was in for what 12 years. Give him a break. He'd probably still be in if it weren't for his dad taking ill." Paige said, looking at Meg in the rear-view. "You need to give him a reason to forget about it." She winked into the mirror. "Back off a little, set the hook but don't be so quick to haul him in."

"I'm not trying to land a trout." Meg said.

"No, trout are easy, men aren't, despite what you've heard. The bad ones are easy, the good ones are tough. Just be yourself." Paige paused. "Well not quite yourself. Give the guy a break and don't throw yourself at him like you were with Pete." Paige laughed. "It's like fishing, you can tease the big one to bite the hook, or you can do like you have been and swipe a net in and catch a lot of small ones that'll do you no good."

Paige pulled up in front of the house, put it in park and turned in her seat, leaning over the back. "When you're getting ready, think about it. Sure the shortest skirt and lowest cut top you own is going to haul him in, and pretty much anybody else with eyeballs, but is it the best way to go about it if you want something to come out of it sweetheart? Bobby's a good guy, treat him like one."

"I suppose you're right." Meg sighed. "Well you two have a good night." Meg sat forward wrapped her arms around me from behind and gave me a big kiss on the cheek. "Don't screw him to death Paige, with all the lipstick on him, the coroner would be blaming all three of us." She gave Paige a quick peck on the cheek, and got out of the car laughing. "The sheriff would probably call it a suicide, because he died with a smile on his face."



Turning Paige Ch. 02



We headed back to the B&B, neither of us speaking much. There was a hum of anticipation in the air, and I didn't dare interrupt it. She turned off the ignition. "Did you bring a tie with you?"

"I did, just in case. I was a boy scout, always prepared." I smiled.

She patted my cheek with her palm. "Good, that'll come in handy if we find any old ladies needing help crossing the street. C'mon we've got about an hour before we need to get going back into the city. You boys take forever to get ready." She said rolling her eyes and smiled.

We went into the B&B and she said she'd see me in a bit, and to go up and get ready. She made her way with her little bag towards the back of the first floor. She stopped as she got to the door to open it, looking over her shoulder she blushed when she noticed I was watching her, and she was gone.

I took the stairs two at a time getting to the room. Her bra and top were sitting on the small dresser, the bed was made and the room tidied up. I thought Aunt Paula is either exceptionally cool or is now sitting at the bottom of the stairs with a shotgun. I got undressed and got into the shower, did my usual pre-date ablutions. I got dressed in slacks and the shirt that Paige had tried on earlier. I don't know what made me do it, but I put it to my nose and inhaled, and a slight scent of her perfume lingered in the fabric. It gave me a heady feel as I finished dressing, checking myself in the full mirror. I looked around the room to make sure I hadn't trashed the place in the process. I tossed the damp towel over the bar in the bath, and headed downstairs.

Paula was behind the desk reading something when I came down. "Wow, what a handsome man." She smiled. "You go on in the parlor and I'll let her know you're ready." I thanked her and went in, wandering around a bit picking things up and setting them down. Paula came back and poked her head in and said she'd be right out. A few minutes passed and I had done at least two more laps of the room wondering if I'd be better off just sitting down. When I heard Paula make a noise and looked towards the doorway.

"Girl you look beautiful! Wait a minute I want to see his reaction." Paula walked into the room and stepped aside watching me as Paige walked into the doorway and stopped a step inside. Her face turned slightly to the side, one foot in front of the other, and her hand on her hip like a fashion model. Her hair was swept back on the side held back with a silver barrette, my eyes swept downward to a black silk dress with small pink bows highlighting down the left side of the skirt. It stopped a healthy distance from her knees and had more of the pink along the hem. Her black heels finishing the ensemble. She gave a little runway spin flipping a light coat over her shoulder peeking back at me.

"I think you've done good girl, he's speechless." Paula said laughing. "Oh my, wait a minute, go stand next to him, I've got a camera behind the desk." She said ambling out of the room. "Boy if you don't close that mouth you're gonna to start catching flies." 

Paige walked towards me slowly, her impish grin deepening. "Is she right? Do I clean up okay?"

"You are stunning Paige." I said softly.

She smiled, closing her eyes, the lids shimmered faintly pink. "Call me Christa, or Chrissy, please?" She chuckled.

"Button up!" Paula pointed at my coat when she stormed back in with her camera. Christa stepped beside me turning to face her. I held my arm out and she took it. I couldn't take my eyes off her, and Paula noticing this told us to stop goggling at one another and look at her. "Girl let that smile out, and stop grinning. That's it!" A few flashes later we convinced her to let us go.

"You kids wait, a minute." I found it funny that she referred to us as kids, because it did feel vaguely like prom night. "Here." She handed me a set of car keys. "You're not having her climb in and out of that truck of hers. Take my car, it's all cleaned up, and the tank is full." Christa gave her a hug thanking her. "Don't go getting all wrinkled sweetheart. You kids have fun, and if there's a scratch on that car in the morning, it'll be on your bill." She said pointing a finger at me.

I laughed. "Not a scratch. I promise."

We walked out onto the porch and a silver Lincoln sat in the driveway. I let out a slow whistle. "Very nice, and appropriate." I smiled.

"She gets a new one every few years, handy to have during wedding season, for people who don't want a limo but would like a nice car handy. I led her around opening the door for her causing her to smile."

I got in and we headed for the city. She directed me when necessary, right into downtown. "That building over there," she pointed, "that's where we're headed." 

I peeked up at it through the windshield. It was a tall office building. "Are we going to dinner or meeting Donald Trump?" I chuckled.

She smiled. "It's called Fraser's on 29. I'll give you three guesses as to how tall the building is, the first two don't count. They have a special entrance to the garage on the side of the building. Up there take a left." The side street had a lighted sign over a garage entrance for the restaurant. I turned carefully into the garage and pulled up to the curb where a small podium stood with a few guys in vests and slacks were standing. One pulled a slip off the stand and walked towards us. Christa's door was opened, one of them helped her out. I got the ticket and slipped him him a tip. I walked around buttoning my jacket noticing the admiring looks that Paige was getting from the guys. Which made me smile as I held out my arm and she took it smiling. Yes boys, I thought to myself, she's all mine tonight. We stepped into one of the two elevators, and I reached up hitting the button clearly marked for the restaurant.

We were the only ones in the elevator. Christa turned to me taking a deep breath. "Dinner is it." She looked at me. "That's the end of it."

I looked at her, not quite understanding, but having some inkling of her meaning. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

She turned back to face the door. "That was the agreement." She paused and added a little more quietly. "Anything that happens after dinner wasn't part of it." She looked down.

I took her elbow turning her to face me. I looked up at her face under her hair. "The only thing I expect after dinner will be coffee, and depending on how I feel, maybe dessert." I said softly. "That's it." I said resolutely. "I have an idea why you said that, and I want you to get that idea out of your head right now. In fact I consider your part in this complete, the rest of this is just icing on the cake." I said waving at the elevator door. "I had fun last night, and I consider that our 'date' for all intents and purposes. You owe me nothing. That being said, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I'm not ecstatic to be here right now. You are absolutely terrific. Those things that you said to Megan earlier made me want to kiss you right then and there, because you care about people, and it shows. Which, I guess, is kind of handy being a nurse."

"I just didn't want you to think..." I reached up putting my finger to her lips.

"Don't." I said.

I lifted her chin and kissed her, just as the elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened. A few couples stood there, and some chuckling ensued as I broke the kiss noticing Christa blush when she heard them. I smiled holding out my arm to her again she took it as we exited the car. Both the ladies sighed as they watched us pass. We walked the hallway to the entrance where the host stood. We were shown to a table with a view of the city, and seated. He handed us menu's and wished us a nice dinner.

"I wonder if they have cider?" I asked flipping open the wine list.

Christa chuckled. "I doubt it. I wonder if they have raspberry wine coolers?"

I joined in laughing. "Would you settle for wine? What are you thinking about for dinner?" When she mentioned seafood I found a good bottle, and when the waiter arrived I ordered it. He returned showing me the label, uncorked it and decanted it. He poured a small sample in the glass in front of me. I swirled it around the glass and placed my nose into it and got a deep breath of it, then sampled it. I nodded at the waiter with a smile, and he proceeded to pour a glass for Christa, and then filled mine. He took our order and left.

"Well that was quite a show you just put on." She smiled.

"It's times like this that being French has it's advantages." I winked at her.

"There were a few people I would have been afraid of if they were here instead of you." She said softly. "I'm glad you came."

"So am I." 

She looked out the window at the city lights. "It's pretty up here."

"Is this your first time here?" I asked.

"First time at night. I came here for lunch once with a..." She trailed off, her expression chilled.

"Go ahead." I encouraged.

"I came here for lunch once with a doctor, from Hickory. I think he figured this would ease his way into my pants. Country girl in the big city and all. To bad for him it didn't work out that way. I found out he was married before it went any further." She gave a little head shake, and she chuckled. "I have the lousiest luck with men."

"Maybe you've been looking in the wrong place." I smiled.

"Where should I look? If not at work, then bars, or clubs? Maybe I should set up a profile on one of those online dating sites." She laughed.

"Maybe you should stop trying so hard, and let him find you." I said.

"The ones who find me tend to be interested in a quick anatomy check in cheap motel." She said.

"Is that why you booked me in at the B&B?" I laughed. "I'm betting it's not cheap, and Paula doesn't rent by the hour."

She chuckled at that herself. "She's very liberal minded, but not quite that liberal minded."

"I found you online." I said, letting the comment stand for a moment to see what she would say.

She looked around, the restaurant was busy, but nobody was close enough to hear. "Who was there for a quick anatomy lesson?" She asked looking me in the eye.

"Who was there giving it?" I lobbed the remark back into her court.

She closed her eyes for a moment. I could see her tensing up, and I laid my hand on hers squeezing it gently. "I'm getting the distinct feeling that you're not happy about that. What's really going on?"

She opened her eyes and looked at me with complete trust. "I lost my job a few months ago when the hospital cut back. Around a hundred people got pink slips. There isn't much work in private practice and what there was, a hundred applicants were suddenly jockeying for them from my hospital alone. Now I work for a placement agency, like a visiting nurse. I do private duty work but it's not always steady. I thought about moving down here to Charlotte, when I'd heard that it happened here too. The government cut back funding, so the hospitals took that as a sign to cut back services rather than cut back on some administrators crazy high salary."

I gave her hand another squeeze. "So you started camming to supplement your income."

"I started doing it so I could keep eating, and have a car, and keep a roof over my head. I have fun and all but I'm not there to just hang out. When I have a bad day, I get worried." She stopped. "Why are we talking about this? Look where we are, we should be enjoying ourselves."

I smiled. "I am enjoying myself."

The waiter arrived with our first course, and the conversation turned to lighter topics. Dinner was beyond incredible, Christa indulged her inner choco-holic and ordered a lavishly rich slice of chocolate espresso cake for dessert. When he set it down he placed a fork next to her plate, and another next to me. I laughed. "I'll need something bigger than that if I plan to get between her and chocolate. Do you have a machete in the kitchen that I could borrow?"

"I think it would be safer if I just brought another piece." He replied with a questioning look.

"Probably, that would be perfect, thank you." He came back immediately with another slice placing it in front of me. We finished dinner, and coffee, and I paid the check. Giving Christa a look when she made to reach for it. We left the restaurant, picking up the highway back to Hickory.

"Thank you." She said softly. She took my hand off the seat and placed in her lap, holding it. "I was prepared to cover it. I'm the one that made the reservations after all, I knew what to expect."

I turned my hand up and took her hand in mine and brought it to my lips kissing it. "Thank you, for everything. I'm having the time of my life." I said smiling.



***

I pulled into the driveway and stopped in front of the porch. Christa motioned me to keep going and put it in the space around the side of the inn. I killed the engine and got out, making my way around to open her door. We made our way up the steps and I quietly opened the door.

"I need to get my, uh, things from earlier." She said looking up the stairs.

"I'll get them for you if you like." I replied.

She looked up at my face, "No I'll get them."

I set Paula's car keys behind the counter, on the desk.

"Okay." I said climbing the stairs to my room. I unlocked the door and went in turning on the small table lamp. I took off my coat hanging it up, and loosening my tie.

"Would you mind if I?" She pointed to the bathroom. "The wine, the coffee, I feel like my back teeth are floating."

I chuckled. "Go ahead." I unbuttoned my collar, and undid the cuffs of my shirt.

She came out a few minutes later, I saw that she'd let her hair down.

"My turn, excuse me." I relieved myself and washed up. I looked in the mirror as I dried my hands. I thought I looked younger than I really was, but it's hard to be objective about yourself. I didn't feel old right now, I felt more alive than I'd ever felt before. I walked out of the bath and noticed that Christa had lit a different lamp turning off the table lamp. She also seemed shorter and I looked down and she wasn't wearing her heels. She turned to me taking a step and stopping. She looked into my eyes, and I closed the gap between us her arms wrapping around my neck as our lips crashed together. I crushed her body against mine, my hand ran up her back pinning her against my chest. She got a hand down between us and pushed against my chest. I relaxed letting her push away from me. I felt like a child who's had his Christmas gift yanked away, and I'm sure I must have looked that way to Christa too.

She just shook her head. "Relax, I just don't want you tearing this dress off, it's silk and it cost me a fortune." She smiled. "Besides I need to work on doing this a little slower as you pointed out." She pushed me back a step, then another until I fell back sitting on the bed. She stepped back and reached up under her arm, lowering it slowly I heard the sound of the zipper sliding down. She slipped the shoulder straps off, letting it slide down her body giving it help as it needed it. She stood there in a strapless bra, and the pink panties I'd bought her this morning. She bit her lower lip and laid her dress neatly across the back of a side chair.

"Catching flies again?" She said smiling.

I closed my mouth and smiled. She stroked the fabric of her bra with one hand, reaching up behind her with the other. I saw the tension let go, but the hand in front kept it pinned in place, as she turned around letting it fall, her long back glowing ivory in the low light. She folded it neatly on top of the other clothes that she'd left earlier. She looked over her shoulder, swaying her hips as she did. "I'm not going to fast for you am I? If I am let me know." She slipped each forefinger into the hem of the panties, and ran them around behind her, pushing down slowly, then running them back around front out of sight. Each pass she made they went down a little further. She turned slightly her thumb catching the hem on the side pulling them down at an angle. "You still okay over there? I'm not going to quick am I?" She peeked over at me through her hair a small smile appearing when she saw the obvious sign of what she was doing to me. The other thumb did a similar service to the other side and eventually her butt was bare. Her hands slid down inside the front pushing them down as she lowered her hands, the panties giving up and slipping down her legs. She stepped out of them carefully, and did a deep knee bend to pick them up. She shook them out holding them in front of her as she turned. "For you." She said and gave them a quick flip into my lap. She practically ringed me with them. She stood with one knee bent in front of the other, her hands on her hips. "Now what?" She asked.

I picked up the panties, feeling the lacy fabric between my fingers, and tossed them on the floor. "Right where I like them." I smiled, falling back on our inside joke. I kicked off my shoes, reaching down to toss the socks with them and stood up. "Turn about is fair play, right?" I reached up and pulled my tie loose, sliding it from neck, and tossing it into my open suitcase.

"I feel like I should have a stack of singles in front of me." She said smiling.

I unbuttoned my shirt slowly, when I reached the last button, I undid my belt, sliding that out and tossing it in my bag as well. I pulled the shirt from my slacks and slid it off, laying it across my bag. I reached across myself and took my t-shirt by the hem lifting it over my head, tossing that in my bag.

"Jamie was right, there is something definitely sexy about crossing your arms when you do that." She said, "I'm also seeing your point about not being in a hurry."

I unbuttoned my slacks, and turned away from her, slowly lowering the zipper. I peeked over my shoulder to see a huge grin on her face. I pushed them off. I bent down and picked them up, flipping them out and laying them across my case with the other things. "How am I doing?" I asked over my shoulder.

"Sweetheart if you don't hurry up, you'll be filing charges against me in the morning." She said followed with a nervous laugh.

"Good luck getting me to sign that complaint." I said smiling. I didn't try being sexy about the boxers, they just got slid down and kicked aside. I walked over to the bed, keeping my back to her, and pulled back the covers. "Oh, you're still here? I was just going to get some sleep."

"Like hell you are." She reached behind her slipping something off the bureau and bringing it up to her mouth. I heard a little tearing noise as she approached me from behind and nearly hip-checking me onto the bed. I had to scramble fast not to cause permanent injury to myself. "Sweet Jesus!" She said staring at me. "I'm sorry sweety, but you've had your foreplay, I can't wait, and it doesn't look like you can either." She took the condom out and placed it over me, sliding it down. She climbed onto the bed straddling me, and took me carefully, getting used to me. She quickened the pace and in no time we both arched our backs, hitting our peak in unison.

My head fell back on the mattress like a dropped cannon ball. I was sure every bone in my body had just turned to jelly. Christa slowly lay down on top of me, and I felt her trembling. I instinctively put my arms up around her holding on to her, and realized that she was really shaking. I lifted my head and looked down at her. Her cheek was pressed against my chest her mouth hanging open. "Are you okay?" I asked. She just nodded slightly.

"Just tell me that you can do that again." She said hoarsely. "My body feels like a live wire."

I chuckled. "Let a guy catch his breath for a minute."

Christa continued to shiver, and I rolled her beside me pulling the covers over her. "Are you cold?"

"No, I'm on fire." She said smiling, and kissed me. She pulled back a slight frown on her face. "I'm sorry."




Turning Paige Ch. 02



My eyebrows shot up. "For what? Expect me to call the cops and have you hauled in for assault?" I chuckled.

She put her hand on my chest, kissed me again. "No. I was a total bitch earlier, and I had no right to do that to you."

"What in hell are you talking about?"

"Were you even awake on that balcony this afternoon?" She said.

"Yea, you were beautiful."

She rolled onto her back and bust out laughing. "Just goes to show the joke was on me." She turned her face to me, the warm yellow light from the lamp made it glow. "I was trying to screw with you. I honestly was worried you might grab me and throw me down and screw me right there." She looked back up at the ceiling. "I'm not sure I would have complained about it either. It was a total cock tease maneuver, I was trying to get you all worked up and leave you panting, the kind of thing you'd expect out of a bitchy high school cheerleader."

"Well you did it half right, you got me worked up." I smiled. "I like to think that I'm in control, but if you'd done the one thing I imagined you might as you walked past me, I think you may have gotten that outcome."

"Really? What's that?"

"After you walked past, the first thing that came to mind was you running those sticky fingers across my lips." I said, my voice getting husky.

"Really?" She said, her eyes flashing, the grin returning to her face. She slid the covers off and got up, going into the bathroom, she turned in the doorway. "Don't go anywhere. Though you may want to take care of that." She nodded at my lap where my little love balloon lay inflated.

She came out a few minutes later. She looked over at the far end of the room near the window and slid one of the easy chairs over near the bed. I gave her a questioning glance.

"Get on the bed." She said it with the sure tone of an Army sergeant, and I found myself doing as I was told without question.

"So," she said turning away from me, "what exactly came to mind this afternoon, I want every detail." She paused, looking over her shoulder, into my eyes. "Well? Start at the beginning if you like." I looked back up at her, curious as to what she was playing at.

"When, breakfast?" I asked. She just shrugged. "You were so beautiful when you sat down, the sun lighting you like an angel. I realized what they mean by 'smiling eyes' when you looked at me. Then you told me what you had planned for the day I almost choked on my coffee. You came in here, pawing through my clothes. You dropped your top and bra on the floor with amazing ease, walking around like you owned the place. That t-shirt is never going to get washed... if I get it back. The shopping trip was insanely fun. Watching you play with Meg in the store, like kittens in a yarn factory."

She sat on the edge of the seat, giving me a coy little smirk, and with a tilt of her head bade me continue.

"When we got to the studio. I almost lost it when I saw the three of you together. One guy shouldn't have that much fun in a single day. Three beautiful women, I'm sure my reaction was very visible."

She grinned wildly as her fingers began to explore between her parted thighs, the other hand massaging it's way up her chest.

"When you dropped your jeans and stood there in my shirt, and turned, lifting the hem and flashing your panties at me. I nearly forgot to take pictures. You looked like a centerfold." I noticed that I had come back to attention, fully. With a small nod, Christa urged me to join her, and I did just that. "That gown that Jamie had, I wish I'd found one like that in the store for you. You don't realize how stunning you looked in it. I actually had to remember to breathe. When you changed, I almost wished that the two of them would strip down and join you, but then I realized that this was all about you. Not about you being naked and beautiful, but about being you. I didn't want either of them to intrude on that. I wanted you all to myself. When you sent them away, I wondered what you were doing. Quite honestly I was beginning to lose my trust in myself when you started... you know." I nodded down at her hand. "I nearly lost it right then."

"The clincher for me though, was when you walked into the parlor downstairs before dinner." I smiled. "Not because you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, but because you chose to be that for me tonight, it was like a dream come true." I looked at her, her hand rubbing faster. She took a deep breath and stopped. Her eyes closed, but I could tell by the tension in her neck, and the arch of her back, that she was far from done. She got up slowly, and took the few steps to the bed walking around the far side and lay across it. I leaned forward kissing her softly. Her fingers came up and gave my lips a light touch of her moisture. The scent of her and the taste of her pushed me over the edge. I pushed her flat on her back, and began licking and kissing my way down her body. I took a long slow swipe gathering dew with my tongue. She moaned, her hips arched pressing against my lips. She began mewing as we found a rhythm for my oral assault. I quickened my pace, slipping a finger into her, dragging it back as I licked slowly up. Her mouth opened and a guttural moan escaped as her hips bucked. Her hands grasped my head as she rose up to meet me. 

Tension was slow to leave her body as she settled back down to the mattress, ragged gasps escaping her lips. "Holy shit." I proceeded to clean up the mess she's just made, licking slowly around. "Easy, I'm really tender down there right now." She gasped. I slowed, easing the pressure.

"Does this mean I'm on my own now?" I asked sadly.

Her head popped up. She looked down the length of her body. Her face flushed in the low light. "Like hell, as soon as I can catch my breath I owe you for that." I wiggled my eyebrows at her, and smiled. She lay her head back down laughing, her breathing still fast and short. Eventually she rolled onto her side and slipped around to face me. She kissed me deeply tasting herself on my tongue.

"Roll over." She whispered to me, smiling. She kissed me before scooting up along side me, and performed a similar oral assault on me. She bathed me with her tongue, licking up and down driving me nuts. She suckled the tip, her hand working me furiously. I warned her that if she kept up I wouldn't be a gentleman. I felt her laugh, she didn't let up, but she felt the point of no return approaching pinching the base of me hard, almost to the point of pain. The point passed by slowly, my body relaxing slightly.

"You're not getting out of if that easily." She said looking over her shoulder at me. She stood and went over to the dresser, coming back with another condom.

"You brought those?" I asked, curiosity finally peaking.

"Well I knew the first night that you were too much of a gentleman to have thought this far in advance. Just in case we did hit it off. So I stopped at the drug store before coming in this morning, just in case." She winked.

"I'd say we hit it off. Wouldn't you?" I said panting.

"You could say that." She smiled. "How badly would you like to 'hit it' right now?"

I looked at her, her body glowing in the gold light. I swallowed, wetting my dry throat. "Very badly." I said.

"Really? Are you willing to come and get it?" She tossed the condom onto my chest. I unwrapped it, slipping it on, while watching her pose, tilting her hips back and forth. She spun, running her hands down over her rear. She peeked over her shoulder with a little smirk, judging the effect she was having. I stood up and reached for her, guiding her back to the bed, facing her towards the mattress and urged her onto her knees on the edge. 

She leaned forward. "Like this?" I took a step forward, lining myself up and entering her in a single thrust. She gasped and her body went rigid for a moment, neither of us moving. She began to nod her head, urging me on. I knew I wouldn't last long so I took it slow. An idea that didn't last long for either of us as our pace increased, her rapid moans bringing me past the stopping point. I arched forward groaning as I spent myself. I wasn't sure what was keeping me standing by then as I panted trying to catch my breath. I pulled back, a slight amount falling free of her. She fell forward, rolling over onto her back. "I won't I'll be able to walk for a week." She chuckled. My legs felt like jelly, but I made it to the bath to clean up. 

I came back a few minutes later, and saw Christa curled up with her head on the pillow, blanket pulled up around her neck, asleep. The idea looked marvelous to me so I joined her, turning out the lamp. As soon as I lay down she cuddled in against me and fell back off to sleep.

***

I awoke the next morning to movement, I opened an eye spotting Christa slipping back under the covers. She slid her ice cold feet over to me to warm them up. "What did you do? Go hike a glacier barefoot?" I asked, she just chuckled.

"I did go for a little hike. I grabbed your shirt and wrapped myself in it like a robe and went down for my clothes. The only thing I have up here is my dress and a bra and top. Hardly how I want to be seen having breakfast."

"Uhh, is this going to be awkward or what?" I said.

"What do you mean?" Her eyes narrowed, her expression guarded.

"Your Aunt Paula doesn't own a shotgun does she?" I chuckled.

Christa rolled onto her back laughing. "She does, but your safe. Though I could let Pa, and my brother Billy Joe Bob know you had yer way with me, they'd make sure you didn't leave the county... in one piece that is." She said in an overt hillbilly drawl. She turned on her side again, her head on her hand as she swirled her fingers in wisps of my chest hair. "Don't worry Paula is the cool sister in the bunch. When I was about sixteen, she's the one who brought me to get the pill. My mother would have had a heart-attack even thinking about me having sex at that age. Paula was smart, rather than me becoming a hillbilly wife at seventeen she made sure I knew what was what. She had two boys so I'm sort of like her stand in little girl."

"All the more reason for me to worry that I'll be staring down the barrel of a Remington on the way to breakfast... after what I did to that little girl last night." I said grinning.

"Umm..." Christa had the modesty to blush. "This is an old house, and it's not well insulated, so I'd say she knows. In fact, reach your hand up behind the headboard. You'll find that it's bolted to the wall so it doesn't rattle." She laughed. "This is the newlywed suite after all."

"The newlywed suite?" I said horrified. "First shotguns, now weddings? What have I gotten myself into?"

Christa burst out laughing again. "First we'd better get you into some pants... and I need to make that work so it'll fit." She said pointing down at the tented sheet. "After last night I could use a shower. Let's save water, you can wash my back." She winked at me sliding out of bed and padding to the bathroom, stopping on the doorway to look over her shoulder and give her head a tilt. I nearly jumped out of bed. As I followed her into the bath where she had the water running already.

The water started cooling, after what seemed an entirely too short of a time. Both of us stepped out refreshed, and less tense. We were both a little sore from last night but we worked slowly, the soapy water helping soften us up. We toweled off, I helped her as much as she let me.

She reached out onto the dresser and came back with a little pink case. I chuckled. "Came prepared?" She rolled her eyes at me.

"I had things downstairs for yesterday, and truth be told you weren't a sure thing yesterday morning, but I had a hunch and went with it. It paid off in spades. I wish I was that lucky playing the lottery." She winked, giving me a peck on the mouth as she opened up her case and began her morning routine, giving me room to wet my toothbrush. I reached up rubbing my jaw. "Don't shave on my account, you look sexy as hell like that." She smiled at me in the mirror a little make up bottle in her hand.

"I agree." Nodding at the bottle, I reached over pushing it down to the counter, and leaned over giving her a peck on the lips in return.

She gave me a look in the mirror in the mirror. "Where the hell have you been for the last ten years?" She said shaking her head with a big smile on her face.

I shrugged, "I'm here now." I smiled back.

"Yea," her eyes got sad, and her smile faded, "and you're leaving this afternoon."

"Don't dwell on it," I said, "I'm not going to. Besides, I don't know about you, but one thing I got from last night, is hungry." I smiled at her in the mirror.

She smiled shyly back. "Well it shouldn't be long now. Sunday is brunch day so it's big and late, which suits your speed this morning sweety." She cracked the palm of her hand on my ass and walked out of the bathroom. I shook my head laughing as I finished up.

I walked out of the bath, stopping to watch her dress. She had slipped into cute little black lace panties, she slid long socks on, pulling them up to her knees. She reached for her jeans pulling them up giving a cute little wiggle to her butt as she pulled them over her hips. She gave a little grimace as she pulled them up snug. I joined her. "Sorry." I said softly.

She looked at me surprised. "For what?" She said.

"I don't know, it looks like I might have hurt you, I was just saying that I was sorry for that. I never want to hurt you."

She smiled. "Trust me sweety it was self inflicted." She stood up and walked over to me. "If you don't put some pants on, I may find myself inflicting myself some more." She looked me up and down, tongue in cheek. I realized that I was leaning against the doorway buck naked, and it was my turn to blush. She reached over for the bra she tossed aside yesterday, and put reached around behind her hooking it, and pulling it up over her shoulders. She walked over to my suitcase and flipped through what I'd brought, again. She pulled out a plaid button down and threw it over her shoulders, and started buttoning it. She looked up at me sheepishly. "I don't have a clean shirt." She smiled. "I like yours better anyway." It was baggy on her, but she still looked damn sexy in it. She was rolling up the sleeves, when a noise came up from downstairs.

"Are y'all coming down before lunch?" Paula yelled through the door. Christa bit her lip and snorted.

"Yea we're coming down Aunt Paula!" She yelled back.

I started getting dressed, wondering what I was going to do for a shirt. I looked around at the room shaking my head and smiling at the mess we'd made.

"Come on let's get something to eat we'll clean up later." She said taking my hand, pulling me towards the stairs. A vase of flowers sat in the center of the table, set for two, a fresh pot of coffee, and juice next to it. Christa pushed me to the chair and went into the kitchen. A quick exchange and Christa came out as if smacked on the butt. She shrugged. "That's a first. She told me to get out here and sit down, that I'm a guest not an employee."

I poured us some coffee, and a few minutes of just looking at one another over our cups the door swung wide and Paula came through backwards carrying two heaping plates. If there was a breakfast item missing it wasn't for lack of trying to fit it on the plate. She set one in front of each of us. Standing between us she put a hand on each of our shoulders and said. "Enjoy, if you want more just let me know."

"I hope we didn't keep you up." Christa said a little shyly.

"Lord the two of you sounded like one of those late night cable movies up there! If you'd have been cats I would have doused you in cold water to quiet the place down." She laughed.

Both of us blushed and chuckled. "Sorry." I said.

"Oh like hell you are! I can tell when people are enjoyin' it, and you sure sounded like that. You kids eat up before it gets cold."

Christa dug in immediately. I picked up a slice of toast and watched her. She'd wound her hair up on top of her head and popped her barrette through it, wisps still escaped caressing her cheek. She looked up at me, the fork half way to her mouth and stopped. "Sorry, I was a bit hungry myself." She said finishing the move with a smirk. I just chuckled.

"Oh I'm hungry," I said mimicking her, "it's just that you are so beautiful. Your aunt doesn't fool me, she had me sit here yesterday for the same reason. So the sun would hit you just so, lighting up your face, and making your hair shine like gold." I smiled.

"Oh you think that was her idea do you?" She smiled again.

I laughed. "Either way it worked." She topped off our coffee from the carafe. We finished the coffee off. "I won't eat again until Tuesday, earliest." I said patting full my stomach.

"Guess I'd best get you outdoors and work some of it off." She took the plates piled with silverware into the kitchen. Where Paula tsk'ed at her telling her that Chrissy only need take care of me, the rest she'd handle. I smiled at that.

She came back out again looking like a cat spanked with a broom. She shrugged. "We've been dismissed. Come on, I have an idea." She took me out a side door into the drive and crossed to a large shed. She unlocked the door going inside. I followed her in, and saw her taking a bicycle down off a wall hook. "Here, I'll get the other one." Before I knew it we were on a bike tour of town. She led I followed. It was a nice town, some of the neighborhoods we pedaled through seemed like they were lost in a time warp. All in all it was a beautiful place to live from everything I could see. Which helped me to make a decision I'd been pondering. 

We began looping through a park and by the direction Christa was taking us I knew she was headed back to the inn. I felt a little saddened because I knew in a few hours I'd be getting back on a plane and flying north away from here, and I was already getting an inkling of how it was going to make me feel. We rode into the driveway a few minutes later. A quiet pensive mood had settled over us. We walked out of the shed after putting the bikes away, Christa held out her hand to me taking mine in hers. She turned away from the inn and started walking through the yard ducking under the branches of the pecan trees. She stepped closer letting go of my hand and wrapping her arm around my waist.

"I didn't think a day could be both so awesome and suck so bad at the same time." She smiled, though it didn't hide the fact that she was as sad as I was that I was leaving.

"Don't think of it as goodbye, think of it as, until we meet again." I said to her, trying to put a positive spin on it.

"Do you really think that'll happen?" She said disbelieving. "You've got your world up there, and I have mine down here."

"Do you want it to happen?" I stopped under one of the trees, turning her around to face me. She looked down at the center of my chest for a moment, and began to nod slowly.

"Yes, I do." She said softly. She looked up her eyes were moist as she reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"If it's meant to be then it will happen. Trust me." I said.

We made our way back to the inn, kicking pecan shells around. I went up to the room to start packing. The room had been made up, the clothes that were dirty had been cleaned and folded, and placed in the drawers. I shook my head smiling. Paula had struck the moment we'd left. I started putting things into my bag. I noticed one of my shirts had a slip of paper in the pocket. I pulled it out and saw that it was a hand-written note on the inn's stationery.

"Boy, that girl is crazy in love with you if you hadn't noticed. If you leave here never meaning to talk to her again, then it had best be the last time you set foot in North Carolina, because I'll find you and take the hurt you gave her out on your hide!" I smiled, if Paula only knew what I had planned now. I tucked the note back into the pocket and put it into my bag. I got the rest of my things and brought them down to the small front desk.




Turning Paige Ch. 02



Chrissy hadn't come upstairs with me, and I wandered into the parlor and saw her sitting on one of the chairs away from the doorway, with her arms wrapped around her knees. A look of misery on her face.

"Hey." I said quietly.

"Hey." She said meekly, not looking up at me at first. "This wasn't supposed to happen. Dinner, whatever else after dancing, movie, going to a club, whatever, and that was supposed to be it." She broke my gaze staring off across the room again. "I threw in breakfast because you were cute, and sweet and fun. I should have left and not turned back on Friday night."

"Do you really feel that way?" I asked.

She shook her head no. She unfolded gracefully from her seat and stood wrapping her arms around my neck. I took her in my arms hugging her close. "Why did you have to be wonderful? Life would have been easier if you were some perverted jackass." She chuckled, then sniffled. I smiled, I guess it would have been. She relaxed a little, reaching behind her and slipping a crinkled sheet of stationery. "Here, it's all my info. My real address, name, phone and such. If any of that information gets out, I will personally come up there just to kick your ass."

I chuckled. "Now you start taking security seriously. I'd give you mine, but you have it on a paper note by your computer already."

"Come on, I need to find Paula so I can check out." I said.

"She went to run some errands, I'm covering for her. Just leave the key on the desk, she said to tell you that you're all set."

I looked at her shocked. "No, I want my bill. Nobody needs to cover me on this. That room has to be worth hundreds a night, there's no reason I shouldn't pay for it, and no reason you or Paula should."

Chrissy stood with her arms crossed. She shrugged. "That's what she said. You don't have a bill."

I took a deep breath. "Please, thank her for me. Neither of you had to do that." Chrissy just nodded. "Will you walk me to my car?" I asked. She nodded again. I walked to the front desk and picked up my bags.

"Shit, you want this back, hang on a second." She flapped the shirt tail, and went to go upstairs.

"No," I said quickly, "it looks better on you than on me anyway." I smiled. "Besides, I'll be back for it later."

She bent down and picked up my carry on, and I picked up the bigger bag. She walked towards the door opening it up, the cheery little bell tinkling above our heads. She walked down the steps to the space where my rental was. I opened it up and she slid the case onto the passenger seat. I slid the other case in on the floor. I looked at Chrissy, a single tear running down each cheek. I took her in my arms again. "Don't, or you'll get me started, and nothing looks less manly than a blubbering idiot."

She looked me in the eye and said, "I love you."

I looked deep into her eyes and said, "I love you too, don't ever doubt that." She kissed me deeply and stepped back, crossing her arms again as if she were cold.

"Have a safe trip." She said, the last barely a whisper.

I got into the car starting the engine. I felt like my heart had turned to stone. I drove out of the drive, giving her a little wave and a smile. She tried to smile as she gave me a return wave, but it wasn't happening.



***

The entire trip to the airport, it was all I could to do keep from pulling a u-turn and heading back to Hickory. I reached for my phone, and called my boss at home.

"What's up Pete?" He said. "You're not even working today are you?"

"Nope. I took a couple days off this week remember? Hey, I need you to pull some strings for me tomorrow. I need a transfer to Charlotte." I said.

"What?! Are you nuts?" He said. "There's nothing down there for you. Unless they go ahead with the acquisition, and that's a dead end, you saw what that project looks like."

"I don't care, get me the transfer or I'm gone. You know I don't need the job, I do it because I like it. I can just give you my two weeks now if you won't do this for me. I can stay down here and look around. It's a big city, lots of infrastructure, won't take much to find work for somebody with my resume."

"Don't do anything stupid! Are you in the office tomorrow?" He asked. I said I was. "Good we'll talk about it then."

"You won't change my mind, so you'd best start making calls when you get there. I'm calling a realtor in the morning to find me a place down here."

"You're nuts, you know that?" He said. "I'll see you in my office in the morning."

"I'll be there." I said smiling, ending the call.



***

I made the call to the inn a few weeks later, booking a room, and asking Paula not to tell Chrissy that I was coming back. She was ecstatic saying that Chrissy had been in a funk since I'd left. I wasn't sure why I found that heart-warming, but I did. I finalized things around here. I had hired some movers to pack up my condo, leaving the major furnishings behind, and I hired a property manager to lease it out for me. My boss had come through getting me a similar position in Charlotte after I'd threatened to leave. He made the stipulation that if I was needed somewhere else that I would travel, and I agreed.

I got on the highway a few days later with some luggage in my car. Thankfully the weather held, it was sunny as I left town. I didn't feel remorse as the city fell behind me, because I looked in front at what I was going to, and that made me smile. 

I pulled into Hickory two days later. Paula came around the counter to greet me with a big hug. She said she'd been quiet as a church mouse about my coming back. When I told her my plan, she grinned ear to ear and wanted to be a part of it. Despite her protestations, I insisted on taking one of the small rooms on the second floor since I might be here a few days while I looked around at a couple places the realtor had told me about. I went up for a nap while Paula got the plan into action.

Chrissy showed up at the inn late in the afternoon. I peeked out my window at her getting out of her Jeep. She had nice jeans and boots on, and a nice leather jacket over a turtleneck. Her hair was pulled back, with wisps dangling at her temples. The sight of her made my heart leap, she looked fantastic.

"Aunt Paula?" She called out when she walked into the hall downstairs. I could hear her walking down the hall to the kitchen in back. I heard a some muffled talking and they came back to the front of the house. I had taken up position on the upstairs landing, out of sight.

"I'm sorry sweety, I was looking forward to going out, really I was. This headache just came on me this afternoon, and it won't go away. I'll probably just turn in early and hope for the best." Paula said.

"You want me to stay and keep an eye on things?" Chrissy asked.

"Oh no, no sweetheart. I've only got the one guest this early in the week. Come to think of it... Maybe I should ask if he'd like to take you to dinner. He's new to the area, just moved here, and very handsome."

"You did not bring me down here to send me on a blind date!" Chrissy said exasperated. "I know you, and this has pre-planning written all over it."

I took my cue and quietly walked around the banister and sat on the top step.

"Easy girl, I wouldn't exactly call it a blind date, he's got eyes in his head and they work! Besides, you may just want to ask him yourself." Paula nodded at the stairs, causing Chrissy to whip around on her heels.

I sat there smiling, watching the war of expressions fly across her face. The exasperation tinted rosy cheeks went pale when she saw who it was. Her narrowed eyes went round with shock. I stood up, and trotted down the stairs.

"Aunt Paula said she had a beautiful niece she wanted me to meet. I guess that'd be you? You might want to close that, you might start catching flies." I said.

Chrissy just dropped her purse and launched herself at me when I got to the bottom step. A better homecoming I couldn't imagine. It's funny that I thought of it that way... homecoming.

"Oh my God, what are you doing here?!" She said in my ear between kisses and hugs.

I chuckled. "You just heard it. I'm new in the area, looking for place. I strong-armed my boss into a transfer. I have a job in Charlotte now."

She pulled back, the shock still on her face. "You're not screwing with me are you? So help me, I'll knee you in the balls right now if that isn't the truth."

I cringed at the thought. "It's true. I parked my car around back so you wouldn't see the out of state plates. I've got an appointment tomorrow with the realtor. She found me a place that's a farmhouse with a small apple orchard I want to take a look at."

"An apple orchard? Giving up on the computer career already?" She asked smiling.

"Nope, but I liked the look of the place, and I thought of a nice little side business. It has a caretakers cottage I can rent out. A lot of my work I could very likely do from home, I may have to go into the city only a few days a week. Want to come with me to look at it?"

"I'd love to but I have to work tomorrow. Let's talk about it over dinner. Are you joining us Paula?"

"Oh no, you kids have a great time! Funny my headache is all gone now." She winked at Chrissy with a big grin on her face.

"You old fraud." Chrissy replied grinning back at her, reaching over and giving her aunt a hug too.

We made our way back to Charlie's for dinner, surprising Meg who also gave me a big hug. We sat and talked, Chrissy wouldn't stop smiling the whole time. She couldn't believe that I'd pulled up stakes and moved with only two weeks notice. It was her turn to hang her head shaking it in amazement. Thankfully she hadn't complained about it either.

She said she'd give me a call as soon as she saw her last patient, and we'd go see the the house and orchard. I told her that I'd call the realtor and let her know that we wanted to see it late in the day. I ended up buying it, and thankfully it didn't take much convincing to get Chrissy to move in with me.