Chapter 24

I don’t think I fully appreciated how tired I was until we stepped into our apartment. Despite the fact that I just became engaged to the man of my dreams, that we’re about to purchase a new dream home and I just took part in my first orgy, I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open. We went right to bed. I think we were both asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow.

We took a shower together the next morning. Gregg helped me pick out my next new outfit. My head was still spinning with everything that happened yesterday. I was almost ready to go out to the kitchen and grab a cup of coffee when I looked up to find Gregg smiling at me as if something I’m doing amused him.

I grinned and said, “Okay ... what?”

He came closer and guided me to the mirror on the closet door. He rested his chin on the top of my head and quietly said, “Look at that beautiful young woman.”

I looked at my reflection and I was surprised by what I saw. It isn’t just the new clothes. I’m holding my head high and I’m smiling confidently. I look happy. I look pretty. I look like a different person!

The woman I’m looking at in the mirror is the woman the people who were at Jan’s house last night met. Is this the real me? Can I have changed so drastically in just four days?!

I looked up at Gregg’s smiling face. I saw love and respect and wonder. He must be as surprised as I am at how quickly I’ve transformed from the woman he saw at the mixer and met at the mailbox, the woman who was terrified of any human interaction at all.

I had to fight back the tears. I was almost overwhelmed when I looked at his handsome face and realized this remarkable man is responsible for this change. I suddenly thought of a phrase I heard or read somewhere. I don’t remember where. “His love has made me whole.”

I turned around to face the man of my dreams. He took me into his arms and held me close. He quietly said, “You’re so incredibly beautiful. But it isn’t just the way you look. You’re beautiful all the way through. God, Mouse! I had no idea love would feel like this.”

I already love this man so much that it hurts. Yet every word out of his mouth touches me and makes me love him more. I fought back the tears of joy. I can’t go through life crying, no matter how damned happy I am!

I reached up and pulled his head down. We kissed passionately. Then we stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment. I was that close to insisting we tear our clothes off and go back to bed!

I finally stepped back and looked at my fiancé in his expensive suit. He certainly looks like a young executive. He doesn’t look like a genius. He’s very handsome and he looks quite normal. But then, what does a genius look like? They can’t all look like Einstein.

We finally went out and poured ourselves a cup of coffee. We sat out on the balcony and sipped our breakfast until we saw the limo pulling into the parking lot.

Gregg chuckled and said, “I always looked forward to going to work at J.A.M., until now. I can’t stand being away from you.”

I squeezed his hand and said, “I never looked forward to going to work. But now that the end is in sight it’s bearable. Besides, it’s pretty amusing. You should see the way people are looking at me now. It’s almost the same way people around here look at me. They aren’t sure who I am or where they know me from. But they’re sure they know me from somewhere.

“Today I’m going to tell the principal to take this job and shove it, politely of course. I hate being away from you. But I’m looking forward to that conversation.”

I rinsed out our coffee cups and we went down to the car. John was waiting right in front of the door with a cheery smile on his face. As we pulled away from the curb I reached over, squeezed Gregg’s cock and said, “We might have just enough time if you’d like that other blowjob I owe you.”

Gregg laughed and asked, “Do you really want to give that nice old man a heart attack?!”

The mob around the entrance to the school all turned and stared as we pulled up in a limo and John got out to hold the door for me. I kissed Gregg and let John know what time to pick me up. I walked proudly through the throng of teachers and students and made my way to my classroom. The students were impressed by the limo. The teachers were impressed by the limo, but confused when they saw me getting out of it. The few who know me must have a million questions.

I can’t stop smiling!

Now that I’ve changed so much I’m beginning to notice a change in the way my students behave. Maintaining order in the classroom has always been a struggle for me. It must have been obvious to my students they could walk all over me, just the way the rest of the world has. But that’s all changed now. They don’t understand it. But they can sense it. Suddenly I’m a new woman. I’m no longer a mouse. I have become Mouse!

I went down the hall to the office while the kids were outside for recess. Mrs. Carmichael, the principal, is standing near the counter separating the office staff from the real world. I asked her for a quick word.

She looked like she couldn’t be bothered. But when she glanced at me I saw her do a double take. She straightened up and looked at me quizzically for a moment and said, “Miss Dorn! You look different!”

She seemed to spend a minute trying to figure out what’s different about me. I expected her to ask me if I’ve done something with my hair. But instead, after a brief pause she asked, “What is it you need?”

“I just wanted to let you know I won’t be coming back next year.”

It isn’t like we’ve been enemies. But I don’t have any friends in this building. No one has spoken more than a couple of words to me in the two years I’ve worked here. I’m aware that it’s my fault. I’m the one who put up the walls between me and the world. But these are all educated, knowledgeable people. Someone should have seen the need in me. Someone could have made the effort.

Mrs. Carmichael finally came over to the counter and asked, “Have you accepted another position?”

I smiled and replied proudly, “Yes. I’ve accepted a position as Mrs. Gregg Collins and I anticipate it will be a full-time job ... with amazing benefits!”

She smiled. But I can see in her eyes she’s shocked that someone would actually fall in love with mousy little me. She said the appropriate things. She congratulated me and told me she’s sorry I’m leaving. But she didn’t really mean it.

My hands are resting on the counter as we spoke. I saw her glance down at my fabulous engagement ring. Her expression changed to one of wonder and she exclaimed, “Oh my! What a beautiful ring!”

She reached down and touched my hand. She politely asked, “May I?”

Two of the secretaries got up and came over to look when they heard the change in her voice. I held my hand out proudly so that they can better see my ring. She looked like she couldn’t believe it was real at first. I guess I can’t blame her. I’m still having trouble believing all of this is real.

She finally asked, “Who’s the lucky man, and when are you getting married?”

I didn’t go into much detail. I don’t actually know many of the details yet. I proudly responded, “His name is Gregg Collins. He’s a vice president at J.A.M. Aluminum. The date isn’t firm yet. We’re checking on the state requirements today. It will be as soon as possible after school lets out.”

All three women are still staring at my ring. I finally took my hand back and returned to my classroom. As I was walking away I heard one of the secretaries whisper, “Did you see the size of that rock!”

I somehow made it through the day. I guess it doesn’t really matter that much that I can’t concentrate. The school year is almost over and the only thing on the minds of the kids is summer vacation.

I remembered how sad I had always been at the end of the school year when I was a child. Vacations were hell for me. I might as well have been a prisoner in a penitentiary.

I thought back to those days and what my life was like. Most kids mark the days until summer vacation starts. I marked the days until school was back in session and I could get out of my house. Thinking back on those days has always depressed me in the past. But not now. My childhood was sad. But nothing can depress me anymore. Not since I met the most wonderful man in the world.

I cleared my desk off after the final bell. I went outside and watched as the kids piled onto the school buses or climbed into their parent’s cars. I gave John a pickup time that will permit him to miss the congestion that occurs when school lets out.

He arrived not long after the last bus left. I’m aware of the teachers beginning to leave the building and I feel an unbecoming smug sense of satisfaction as they watched the limo pull up and John rushing around to hold the door for me. I know I’m being petty but I just can’t help myself.

None of these people are responsible for how I turned out. But not one of them made any effort to befriend me in the two years since I started teaching here. It’s only now that I’ve come to realize how little it might have taken to start drawing me out of my shell. If someone had just said hello or invited me to sit with them at lunch. If another teacher had just talked to me for a few minutes would I have begun to change? I’ll never know. But I can’t help but wonder.

Until my knight in shining armor slipped the handcuff over my right wrist I thought I was doomed to be that mouse forever. And I very well might have if I hadn’t caught Gregg’s eye that day at the pool.

John took me straight home and I thanked him. I tried once more to get him to relax a little around me. He just smiled that sweet smile of his and insisted on treating me like some kind of lady.

I chuckled to myself on the way up in the elevator. I wonder if he’d treat me differently if he looked in his mirror one day and saw me naked in the back seat sucking Gregg’s cock like a two dollar whore.

The elevator door opened on the second floor. Jerry, the guest of honor at my first threesome was there waiting to go down. I smiled and said hello. I was a little embarrassed but it amused me when I looked at his face and I realized he’s more embarrassed than I am!

He blushed and returned my greeting. I’m not sure what I expected. He didn’t make any off color remarks or try to arrange for a rematch. It has only been days since I sucked his cock and fucked him. But he acted almost like we were strangers. I’m not quite sure why that strange reaction empowered me. But it did.

I went to Gregg’s apartment ... our apartment, and changed into shorts and a light top. I looked through the refrigerator to see what I could make for dinner. Gregg and I consolidated the contents of our cupboards and our refrigerators when I moved in with him. But neither one of us has gone shopping for groceries in far too long. It looks like we’ll have to spend some time talking about eating habits over a pizza when he gets home.

Since I can’t start supper I went upstairs and began to sort out the very few possessions in my apartment I’ll want to keep.

Except for my special lingerie collection all my old clothes are going to go to charity, though it’s unlikely anyone will want the ugly old things. I own some books and a small assortment of CDs. Of course I’m going to hang onto my little toy collection. But I don’t possess a single treasured photograph. There is nothing from my past of which I care to be reminded. There are no souvenirs of nice places I’ve visited. I’ve never been anywhere. Taking inventory of my life up until now is actually pretty depressing. After living twenty-three years I’m the proud owner of a few dozen books and two small drawers full of mail order sex toys.

But that was then. Everything has changed. Now I’m about to take possession of a home costing nearly two million dollars. I’m wearing an engagement ring Gregg estimates is worth more than fifty thousand dollars. I have a closet full of new clothes downstairs for which he paid more than I earn in a month. I’m madly in love with a wonderful man who feels the same way about me. And I have nearly a dozen new friends who genuinely seem to like me and respect me.

On top of that, my humdrum life has become an adventure. I’m so happy now that I find myself constantly fighting the urge to scream ... or cry.

I went around the apartment and completed my inventory. It didn’t take long to get an idea of how many boxes I’ll need. Now I just have to get the boxes.

I dug an old overnight bag out of the closet and filled it with my toy collection. I grabbed the few remaining toiletries I haven’t moved downstairs already. There isn’t a lot. I don’t wear makeup except for a little lipstick on special occasions.

I carried the overnight bag down to Gregg’s apartment and put everything away. Then I waited impatiently for Gregg to get home.

He was a few minutes late getting home. He stopped at Riverside Estates after work to sign some papers. When I heard him at the door I ran to meet him. We kissed in the foyer and I apologized for not making dinner. I explained that neither one of us has anything on hand but soup. We need to go grocery shopping.

He smiled and hugged me tighter. He kissed me and said, “I could always eat you.”

I smiled and said, “I don’t have a problem with that. But I doubt if I have a lot of nutritional value. Why don’t we save that for dessert? I was thinking we could have pizza first. Then go shopping. Then we can have dessert.”

He said, “I have a better idea. We’ll have pizza tonight. We can go to our favorite steakhouse tomorrow night. We’ll go to whatever your favorite restaurant is on Friday. Then on Saturday we go grocery shopping.”

I haven’t eaten in a restaurant since I graduated from college. Not until Gregg took me out to his favorite steakhouse that first night. And in college I only went out occasionally for a hamburger, never a good meal. I never had enough money to eat in a decent restaurant and even if I did I wouldn’t have had the nerve to go out to eat alone. I don’t have a favorite restaurant!

I’m embarrassed to admit it. But the sad truth is that I’m not a very good cook, either. No one ever taught me how to cook. I’ve learned how to make a few casseroles. I can cook a steak or pork chops or a hamburger. When you get right down to it I can’t really cook so I admitted yet another shortcoming to Gregg.

He smiled and said, “So what?! I didn’t fall in love with you because you look like Betty Crocker, though she is pretty damn hot! I’m sure we can survive until we move. And then we just have to find another Helen. There must be one out there somewhere.”

I felt a little sad that I’ve let him down, even if he honestly doesn’t seem to care or even notice really. He popped me on the butt and said, “Cut yourself some slack, Mouse. You worry too much. Let me get out of this monkey suit and we’ll go eat. I know a place that has the best pizza this side of New Jersey.”

He dropped his keys on the hall tree and put his briefcase down. He smiled and said, “I have a present for you.”

“I think you’ve spent quite enough on me lately. Don’t you?”

He grinned and opened his briefcase. He pulled out a square package wrapped in brown paper and handed it to me. He pulled out a sheaf of papers, closed his briefcase and put it on the floor. Then he took my hand and we went to the bedroom so he could change clothes.

I asked him if I should change.

He shook his head and replied, “You look great. You always look great. We’re just going to a pizza place. Open the package.”

I carefully tore the paper off of the package. It looked like some kind of picture frame. I was holding it upside down. I turned it over and discovered he had taken the panties I was wearing on our first night together to a frame shop and had them mounted in a shadow box!

I exploded in laughter. I’d forgotten all about them! I thought it was so funny that at first it didn’t even occur to me to wonder where he had taken my unwashed panties to get them mounted.

I eventually stopped laughing and wiped my eyes. I watched Gregg pull on a pair of shorts and a polo shirt. While he was sliding his feet into his sandals I asked, “Do you care where I hang this?”

He flashed me a lascivious grin and said, “I was thinking it would look good over the fireplace in our new family room.”

I stood up and put my arms around my sweet man. I smiled up at him and said, “Considering who our friends are they’d probably get a kick out of that.”

He picked up the papers he brought home and handed them to me. He said, “Tina got this information for me today. I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet. I was so busy today I didn’t even have time to call you at lunchtime. I’ll be glad when school is out and I can call you whenever the hell I feel like it.”

“Me too.”

I looked at the papers he handed me. It was the list of requirements for getting married in Vermont!

“Bring that with you. We’ll look at it when we get to the pizza place.”

I stared at the papers in my hand and suddenly everything is real. I suppose the engagement ring and the house should have clued me in. Well, of course they did. They did and I’m excited about them. But even as busy as he was today, he made sure to get this information. He really wants to marry me!

I looked up at his handsome face with tears in my eyes. I was too choked up to speak at first. I didn’t have to say anything, though. He knows. He smiled and placed his hands on my cheeks. He kissed me gently and said, “Yes. It’s all real. We’re getting married. You have fallen into my trap and you’ll never be able to escape.”

I hugged him, pressing my body against his and said, “Poor, poor pitiful me! I’m so glad love is blind.”

He pushed me back and held me with his strong hands on my shoulders. He looked deadly serious. He said, “Love isn’t blind. Love saw through that disguise you’ve been wearing all your life. I don’t know what it was that drew me to you. I’m not normally that good a judge of people. Well, I kinda do actually but I’d better keep that to myself until we’re old and gray. But after I saw you at the pool that day I couldn’t get you out of my mind.

“And it isn’t just me who saw something special in you. Mr. Baum all but gave you that ring. Everyone at Brad and Jan’s house last night loved you as soon as they met you.

“As soon as you stepped out of your shell your world changed. It was dumb luck. I almost never go to those cheesy mixers. The things that have happened to you since we met are because of who you are. It has nothing to do with me or how myopic I am.”

I almost screamed, “That’s not true! It’s all because of you! I didn’t step out of my shell. You reached in and pulled me out. You are totally responsible for the changes in me and this almost overwhelming happiness I feel now.

“Oh Gregg! I owe you my life! I would have lived and died that mousy creature you spotted at the mixer if you hadn’t somehow figured out just what I need to turn my life around. I love you for who you are. And I adore you for what you did for me.”

We reached an impasse ... again. We held each other for a few minutes. I guess this is all silly. We don’t need to keep having this discussion. It just seems like he should be made to understand how much he has done for me and how much I owe him.

We left the discussion there and went out to the car. On the way to the restaurant I told him how many boxes I thought I would need for the few remaining things I intend to keep and for the things we intend to donate to charity. Anything that remains in my apartment after that will be trashed. I told him the only things left in my apartment I want to move to the house are my small book collection and a few CDs.

He nodded and said he doesn’t have much more than I do. Since we won’t be moving any furniture we can probably move ourselves with a rented pickup truck. Goodwill can have whatever is left once we remove our personal belongings from our apartments. There won’t be much. Gregg bought a few pieces of his own furniture but they won’t be appropriate in the new house.

Anything we don’t move and Goodwill doesn’t want we can pay someone to come in and haul away. After the apartments are both empty we’ll hire someone to come in and clean them to satisfy the lease requirements. I tried to insist I can clean the apartments after we move. He was just as adamant that we hire a cleaning service to do it.

At the restaurant we went through the papers he brought home and discovered it’s surprisingly easy to get married in Vermont. There’s a one day waiting period, no blood test or physical, and a whopping twenty dollar fee for the license. Tina listed the documents we’ll need to identify ourselves when we go to apply for a license. She even wrote down the address and directions to the Town Clerk’s office and the office hours. That was considerate. Neither of us has ever been to the Town Clerk’s office. We had no idea where to find it.

We made plans for Gregg to take the afternoon off next Thursday so we could go to the Town Clerk’s office and apply for the marriage license. We’ll leave the date up to Jan since the wedding is going to take place at her house.

We each had two slices of very good pizza and we were sipping on our second glass of wine when Gregg casually reached down and slid his hand inside of my shorts.

A good indicator of how I’ve changed might be that I didn’t even look around to see if anyone is watching. I sighed deeply and rested my head on Gregg’s shoulder. My hand dropped down to his lap and I began to return the favor.

That’s how we were sitting when I heard an amused male voice saying, “It’s been a while, Gregg. Who’s the pretty lady?”

Gregg’s hand remained in my shorts, so I left mine resting on his hard cock. I opened my eyes and looked up to see an older man dressed in cook whites and a dirty apron smiling down at us.

Except to open my eyes I didn’t move. I know he can see our hands. But if it’s okay with Gregg it’s okay with me.

Gregg reached out with his free hand and exclaimed, “Paesano! I’ve been keeping very busy. But it doesn’t look like you’re going out of business without me. Steve, allow me to introduce my bride-to-be. Amanda Scott, this is an old friend, Steve Amado. Steve, this is my fiancée, Mouse.”

Steve looked shocked. He looks a lot more shocked by the news of our engagement than he was about the fact that we’re holding each other’s genitals in his restaurant. He finally shook it off, grabbed Gregg’s hand and shook it violently. He kept repeating, “I’ll be damned!”

It took a moment. But Gregg finally got his hand back. Steve grinned and asked, “Really? Mouse? You’re the prettiest Mouse I’ve ever seen.”

I smiled and thanked him.

He thumped Gregg on the back and said, “Dinner’s on me. When is this going to happen?”

Gregg replied, “We’re going for the license next Thursday. It’ll be as soon as possible after that.”

Steve shook his head and said to me, “Gregg and I were sitting in here after I closed up not long ago. We had put away two bottles of wine and were maybe a little more honest than we might normally have been. He told me he was pretty sure he’d never get married. He told me he’s been in love a couple of times, but he never loved anyone enough to get married. He was worried he’d never feel that way about anyone. You must be pretty special.”

I blushed and said, “No. I’m just very lucky.”

Gregg shook his head and said, “No, she’s being modest. She can’t help it. She’s the most special woman I’ve ever met. That’s why I let her get me pregnant so I’d have to marry her.”

Someone from the back called out to Steve. He rolled his eyes and said, “That’s why I never get a day off!”

He wished us luck and left. As soon as he was gone I asked, “Is it going to be a boy or a girl?”

He laughed and responded, “I’m hoping for a puppy. I don’t care which sex.”

“Better you than me!”

Gregg left a twenty dollar tip for the waitress since there was no check and we left the restaurant. He drove straight home and as we were walking back to the apartment from the car he said, “I was planning on taking another one of your new swimming suits out and scandalizing the neighbors tonight. But damn I’m tired!”

I squeezed his hand and said, “How about if we plan on that for tomorrow and we go to bed so I can give you the second blowjob I owe you. That should help you sleep well.”

He put his arm around my waist and asked, “And what can I do for you?”

I rested my head against his shoulder and said, “You’ve already done everything for me. And if I go to bed a little horny, think how much hornier I’ll be tomorrow evening.”

He didn’t look convinced but I smiled and said, “It’s okay, Gregg. I really don’t mind. I never thought I’d say this to any man. But much to my surprise I have discovered I love sucking your cock. Actually, thanks to EPOD I discovered recently I like sucking other guy’s cocks, too. But I like sucking yours the most.”

He may have trouble understanding why I don’t mind if he doesn’t reciprocate. But I honestly don’t mind. I know he had a hard day today and he has done so much for me that I don’t feel as though I’m being shortchanged in the least.

We went in and got undressed for bed. Even after all that’s happened to me since Saturday morning I still feel a huge thrill when I undress for him because I know how much my body excites him.

We got into bed and he held me in his arms. We kissed for a moment. Romantic, warm, toe tingling kisses. Then I started kissing my way down his sexy body.

He tried to stop me. Silly man! I smiled and said, “Stop fighting me. I always pay my debts.”

He gave in, reluctantly. He seems to feel he’s imposing on me. He still doesn’t realize how much I enjoy doing this for him. It’s probably as big a surprise to me as it is to him that I enjoy it. There have been so many times before he came into my life when I fantasized about being forced to suck a man’s cock. And that fantasy really turned me on. But I imagined having to do it for all the wrong reasons. I always thought I’d hate it because I had the impression it’s such a nasty thing to do. I never imagined it would be exciting or I would actually take pleasure from doing it for him.

I worked my way slowly down to his already hard cock and started kissing it lovingly. It has only been five days since I first saw a real, honest to god, flesh and blood cock and already I’m starting to get pretty good at this, probably because it turns me on so much to do it for him.

I’ve learned it isn’t just him, though. I have enjoyed doing it for other men, too, since he was promoted and I became a part of EPOD. But it’s more exciting for me when I’m doing it for my wonderful fiancé.

I watched some of the other women doing this last night at the party at Jan’s house. I saw them doing a couple of things I’m interested in trying. I kissed and licked his cock and balls and caressed him lovingly. I wedged myself in between his legs and after a few minutes I placed my hands under his knees and began to lift his legs.

He’s lying, sprawled out on the bed with his eyes closed and a blissful expression on his face, breathing deeply and obviously enjoying what I’m doing. When he realized what I had in mind his eyes shot open and he sat up suddenly.

He pressed his legs back down on the mattress and leaned forward. He lifted my face in his hands and said, “No, Mouse. Not there. Not tonight. Damn it! I should have taken a shower before I went to bed. Sweetheart, I spent all day helping them move machinery on the plant floor. If you want to do that after I’ve had a shower I’m all for it. But it’s not a good idea tonight. I tried to tell you we should wait.”

I smiled and said, “Don’t be so self-conscious. You smell wonderful to me. I love the way you smell!”

He smiled and shook his head. Then he reached under my arms and tried to pull me back up beside him.

I pulled away and said, “Okay! I’ll be good. Let me finish what I started. Please, Gregg! I really want to. I love doing this for you.”

He shook his head and said, “At least give me a few minutes to take a quick shower.”

I leered at him and said, “No! I love your manly scent! I want to do this now! Just the way you are!”

He looked skeptical. But after a moment he dropped back down and let me resume sucking his cock. He just doesn’t understand. That manly, musky scent may offend some. It turns me on!

I eagerly took his cock back into my mouth and threw my heart into pleasing him.

I watched two different women at the party last night taking a man’s cock all the way into their throat. I’m going to have to ask them how they manage that. Every time I try it I start gagging uncontrollably. There must be a trick to it.

I eagerly sucked on Gregg’s hard cock. Twice I sensed he was nearing orgasm and I slowed down, drawing it out, making it last as long as I could. Finally I let him cum in my mouth and swallowed his warm cream. I was so excited, I was so turned on that I almost climaxed when he came in my mouth.