Chapter 2

“Charlie, you said you loved me,” she muttered, eyes looking a little wet.

“Yeah, so? We’ve both said it now. It’s out in the open. Let’s go. I want to show my date off to the world. She’s a pretty one!” She kissed me softly on the lips, moved back to her seat, put her seatbelt on and just sat looking forward with the biggest smile. After taking that in for a couple seconds, I cleared her dress, shut the door and got back in my side.

We took off and she reached up to the radio to turn it on then saw there was a row of circles in the middle of the display with dots in all 6 of them. “Babe, you have a CD changer in here?”

“Yeah. Holds 6. Just push the CD button. I think it’s still on the first one. If you don’t like it, just push the next numbered button. Like 2.” She pushed CD and a few seconds later one of her songs came on. A slow one. I liked it. She pushed 2. A few seconds later one of her songs came on. A fast, happy one. She pushed 3, and yep. The only difference was 6. It was duets with her and some others on it. They weren’t all of her, but she had a couple on the CD. She hit the off button on the radio.

“You weren’t kidding, were you, Charlie?” she asked. Maybe a little disbelief in her voice.

“No, sweetie. There are very few country singers I can listen to and you are one. There are very few pop singers I can listen to. They are all girls, and you are one. Well, let me qualify that. Once I found out about two of them and their political leanings there were just two of you left. There are a couple country duets released recently that cause me to get goosebumps. I buy those on whatever album I can find, then put playlists together, since I generally don’t like the rest of the albums. You only have four out, so 1 through 4 are your albums, 5 is a mix of favorites, and 6 is the duets that give me chills. I’m not a stalker, Holly, I just love your voice.”

“O.M.G., Charlie, I wasn’t insinuating anything like that. You warned me. I just didn’t quite believe you. Next time you tell me something, there will be no question. You saved my life in spite of the fact I almost didn’t listen to you. Now this. I think I will trust you henceforth, as it were.”

“Henceforth, as it were? I figured you went to school here, not Oxford.” I chided her, causing that ever-lovely giggle to appear.

“Nope, so far just half way there with online courses. USC and UCLA. Special programs for ‘mobile young students’ or what we know as celebrities that have to go to school part time because we actually do work for a living. Some of us, anyway. My life plan includes an MBA for what it’s worth.”

I was impressed. “Worth a lot to me, I’ll tell you that. It will help you no matter what you do in the future, but just planning for that is impressive. Good for you, little girl.”

“Charlie, I’m not a little girl!!”

“Isn’t this where we started 72 hours ago?” I asked.

She was giggling and replied “Yeah, it is, and I was just jerking your chain. You can call me little girl, or old lady, or anything else, as long as you call me into your arms.” What a nice thing to say.

So, I came back with the only coherent thing I could. “Come here, little girl, and let me kiss you.” She did, I did, we did. “Now, young lady, let’s go eat. I’ll be round in a sec.”

I helped her down by picking her up under her arms and swinging her away. It’s just an F-250, but she’s a little petite, so it’s a stretch for her in dress clothes. I set her on the ground and leaned down to kiss her nose. She giggled at that and kissed me back on the lips. “C’mon old man. Feed me”. She took my arm and we walked into the restaurant.

It wasn’t busy, but it wasn’t empty either. The middle-aged hostess was seating us when I asked for a quiet out of the way corner table or booth, if they had one. They did. She looked at Holly, then brought her hand up to her mouth to silence herself. “Here. It’s quiet. No one will recognize you. It’s a pleasure to have you here, Miss Holly.”

“Thank you. Uh... (nametag) Cindy. We do appreciate your discretion. I need to know, though, is it that obvious?” Holly asked her.

Cindy let her know in no uncertain terms, “Miss Holly, with those eyes, and your hair put up just like your last album cover, it’s gonna be hard to hide. Are you going next door tonight?”

Holly swallowed and looked at me. I nodded. “Yes, Cindy, we are planning on it. Why?”

“Well, it’s kinda dark over there. Just stay away from the bandstand, and the lights on the walls, and you should be fine. If you get caught, they’ll probably try to talk you into singing with the band. They cover a few of your songs.” Cindy advised us. She went on. “It’s Thursday night, so don’t worry too much about it. Mostly regulars and dance students. The crazy people from the city don’t come out ‘til Friday or Saturday nights. You probably won’t want to be here then.” She looked over her shoulder. “Oh, gotta run. Customers. Enjoy, and if you need anything, holler.”

“Thanks, Cindy,” Holly got out before she was too far away to hear. Cindy waved while walking away, letting us know she heard.

Dinner was great, the service was great, we paid the bill with my card and got the receipt back. I thought we’d been outed to the waitress by the hostess, but Cindy came back by and asked how everything was, letting us know she didn’t. “That kid’s into heavy rock and stuff. Probably wouldn’t recognize you with your last album in your hands. I didn’t say anything. I won’t. Absolutely outside my circle of concern. I’m really glad you enjoyed your meal, though. You’re on your own now. Have fun.”

“Thanks, Cindy. Here. For the table. It was perfect.” I handed her a twenty and laid one on the table for the server. Cindy said thank you, nodded gracefully and went back to work. The place was not expensive, but the service was that good. When I asked for extra butter and sour cream for the potato, I got EXTRA Butter and Sour Cream! I wished all restaurants watched that kind of thing, but some just don’t care anymore. Oh well, time to head to the dance hall with my little chickadee.

We got over just before the band got on stage. We found a table in the back corner, dimly lit, when a waitress came over. I ordered a Crown rocks for myself, and my sweetie asked for a gin tonic. “You look so amazing, Holly. I am so happy to be with you right now,” I looked into her eyes and told her.

“Thanks, Charlie. I’m glad you’re here with me, too. Question. Off topic. If I put my hair in a ponytail, would that help? I really only want to sing to you tonight, if you’ll ask me to dance, that is.”

“Don’t, baby doll. You look gorgeous just like you are. We’ll just keep it low keyed. I’ll bet no one notices unless we make a scene. I’m not saying you wouldn’t still crush the local competition in a ponytail, I just don’t want you to alter perfection for no reason. And, I will ask.”

The rest of the night was wonderful. She is a good dancer, but we stuck with slow to moderate songs we could do together. One gentleman asked her to dance, but she very politely declined stating we were on a romantic date after a long time apart. He bowed out gracefully. Technically it was the truth. There were some folks out learning to dance, and Holly did join in on one big line dance, staying out of the limelight, smiling and having fun the entire time.

We left without being recognized. Holly was happy with that. I thought about thanking Cindy again, but the restaurant was closed, so we just left and headed back to the hotel.

In the room, Holly started to get undressed. “Sweetheart, would you think me a cad if I asked you to leave your stockings and heels on,” I asked.

“Not at all, babe. I told you I liked the girly stuff, and if that’s what my man wants, this girl will provide.” She seemed happy about it and removed her dress, laying it over a chair. She turned back to me, a vision, with green lace lingerie, stockings, and heels. And a pearl necklace. Utterly, stunningly gorgeous.

“Good. Dance with me?”

I was holding my arms out to her when she replied, “Absolutely, my love.”

I had some slow music playing on a TV channel. They had them on their cable or satellite system, and this station was nice. Slow dancing music. At the end of a song, Holly dropped down and undid my belt, pulled my slacks down, and shucked my shoes and socks off while I held her shoulder. The pants went, then she stood and unbuttoned my shirt while we swayed together on the next number. Off came the shirt, then the t-shirt. She rubbed her hands on my chest and sides while I held her and did the same to her back and shoulders. This was a very intimate connection we were having. We both felt it. No rush, just enjoying each other. She danced me back to my bed and sat me down, dropping to her knees between mine, but I lifted her up and pulled her over me on the bed. She play pouted, but I distracted her. I worked her panties off, then unclasped the front close bra.

I ran my fingers down her back, her butt, and her thighs, feeling the stockings. I will always think that is the sexiest feeling there is. Legs, in nylons, under my hands. She seemed to like it too. She did say she likes the girly things, and this is definitely one of them. My hands just wandered slowly, all over her. She was moaning and mewling and letting me know she was enjoying it to the extreme. Laying on my cock, like she was, her shifting and moaning was doing something for me as well. I scooted us up on the bed and asked her to turn around, so I could have her in my mouth. She gave a clear, “Uh Huh,” so I guess she had the same thing in mind.

She still had her heels on as well, so after I held her by her thighs and placed her clit in my mouth, I started again running my hands up and down her legs, including her shoes in my travels. Hopefully, this is the way to let your lover know you have a thing for hose and heels, by including them in the foreplay. It seemed to be working, because while I was stroking her legs, feet, and shoes, she was squirming on my face.

She tugged on my boxers, so I lifted my butt and down they went. Moving my legs a little she was able to pull them all the way off and lay them on the bed. She immediately took my cock all the way into her mouth and then worked it into her throat for what seemed like minutes. I lost my control and concentration on her, so she hunched against my face as a reminder to continue sucking on her. Pulling up a little so just my tip was in her mouth, she said, “Try to pay attention, babe. I want us to come together if we can. OK?” I grunted an approval and went back to my loving task. I brought my right hand up to her bottom and traced lines up and down her crack next to her pucker. I stuck my finger in my mouth to get it nice and wet, I had a little of her pre-juice going, too, then I rubbed her hole and worked my finger in a little. I felt her grow a little, so I worked a little harder, then what she was doing to me took over. Humping up to her face, I buried my cock all the way so her chin was on my root, and started to build a cum. She must have felt it, because she humped back and forth between my mouth and my finger and grew a little more. Gushed a little more and came. When she did, she must have felt me swell, so she backed up a little and scraped her teeth ever so gently on the edge of my crown and it was all over. Both of us pumping, humping, shooting, hugging, squeezing, swallowing; all of that at once. It lasted for at least half a minute before we both collapsed. Her groin on my face, her face on my groin, and rested for a minute. I reached up over my head and took her shoes off. Dropping them on the floor, but then rubbed her legs again with my fingers until she calmed.

We took a minute to collect ourselves then she turned, rose to her knees and asked me to unclip her garters and then her garter belt. “I’d love to. I love you.” I said when I started to undo her sweet nothings.

“Oh, honey, I love you, too. I’m so happy right now. No one has ever made me feel the way you do. I’m not just talking in bed here. All over, all the time, you make me whole somehow.” The clips and clasps undone, she leaned down and kissed me hard. Then laid down next to me and rolled her stockings off her legs, wadding them up and pitching them to her bed. The other bed, I guess. Her bed was the same as mine, now, I hoped.

She cuddled up next to me, snuggled into my arm and sighed. She asked, “Can we pack in the morning, babe?”

I figured it shouldn’t be an issue. We’re only about 4 hours from home. We get up at 0630. What the hell. “Yeah, sweetie, that’ll be fine. Split a beer with me? That little tryst dried me out.”

She agreed, “Yes, I’m a bit parched my darn self. Oh Charlie, I’m so happy. Thank you. For everything.”

I was feeling the same way. “You are more than welcome, sweetness. Thank you for being you, with me.” We sipped the beer, her setting it on my chest once. Just once. That probably won’t happen again until she forgets she almost peed the bed from me tickling her.

Getting ready to crash, snuggled together, she reminded me, “Charlie, when we get to your place, I need you to take me. I need you to make me yours. I need you to make me your woman. Can you do that for me? Make me yours?”

“Holly, baby, I really want to. I really want to make you mine, if you’re sure it’s me you want. If you’re really sure.”

She was quiet for a few moments, then, “I am, Charlie, I am. I’ve never been so sure of anything. Never. It’s only been a few days, but I know it’s you. I’m sure.”

“Then that’s the plan. Holly and Charlie against the world.”

“Charlie, I know this sounds silly, but I’ve never been hard like that before. It’s gotta be how I feel about you or something, but my little cocklette has never been hard like you make it.”

“Cocklette? I like clitty better. But I don’t care what you call it, as long as you don’t take it away from me.”

“Charlie, would you love me if I was a girl?” Her voice was catching like she was about to cry. Think Charlie. Think!

“Yes, baby doll, if you would have stuck your pussy in my mouth a little bit ago, I would have enjoyed it just as much. Holly, darling, it’s not about what’s between your legs, baby, it’s what’s between your ears. I’ve never been with a non-genetic woman before. Man, trans, hermaphrodite, nothing like that. I don’t love you for your ‘cocklette’ as you termed it, I love your ‘cocklette’ because of you. Does that make sense?” God, I hoped this worked.

“Uh Huh. It does. I’m just new to this. I have a whole new set of buttons you push that I didn’t know I even had. Just bear with me. Spell bare however you like, just bear with me. Or be bare with me or...” Giggle. “And please don’t let me go, no matter what. Please don’t.” I wrapped her up again and hugged her as tight as I could. We fell asleep like that and I didn’t even hear her snore. Then the alarm went off.

I reached over her face with mine. She could tell I was there. “What are you doing, my dear?” she asked. “I am trying to kiss you on the very tip of your extremely beautiful and otherwise quite cute nose.”

“Kiss away, my love. I’m all yours for 5 seconds, then I must weewee, or housekeeping will never let us come back.” I kissed her nose and she ran to the bathroom laughing. “And someday I want to come back. I want to have dinner with you at that country place, and I want to play that bar. Could I sing with them? They already have a woman lead. I wonder if I need a band or if my road band would play it once with me. Oh well, we may have to wait for a tour, then just sneak in a night there. Who knows.” She was thinking and talking a hundred miles an hour.

“I’m coming in to shower, sweetheart, are you decent?” I asked.

“What’s indecent to you?”

“If it’s big enough and it’s in deep enough, it’s indecent.” Laughter from the bathroom.

“You big dufus. Come on in. I’m just peeing, then I’ll jump in with you. We can wash. I said wash! Then pack. I want you to talk to me. Tell me about Charlie. All about Charles Collins. I want to know all he will let me know. I’m serious, Charlie. I’m in love with you. Never been so sure of anything. I want to be your ‘other half’ if you’ll let me.”

At this point I was in total agreement, so I just said, “OK. Deal. Now let me wash you, my little pixie! Mwahahaha.”

“You big dufus!” Giggle. Wash, rinse, repeat. I do enjoy shampooing her hair. She seems to enjoy me doing it as well. I also love when she leans back to rinse it out and her tits push out with water running down that marvelously toned, sexy, young body. Yeah, she does have a tan. With very faint tan lines from a seriously skimpy bikini.

We checked out and headed off for the great northeast. Out on I-70, she got us started. “Where were you coming from when you found me?”

“California. I have friends and family out there.” She wanted more. “Where? What kind of family?”

“Bay Area. Mom, actually step-mother; brother, sister, from my father and step mother?”

“See, that wasn’t hard, was it?” she teased.

“Oh, sweetie, we aren’t near the hard part yet.” I continued. “Married a couple times. The first one I married young. I was twenty, she was 18. It didn’t last. No kids, just a split up, went different directions. Don’t even know where she is or what she does. Got married for the wrong reasons and divorced for the right ones. We were in the Air Force. When it ended, we didn’t hate each other, just didn’t care. The opposite of love.

“I got out of the service and became a cop. Then a few years later I met a wonderful woman. Educated, pretty, successful, nice. We fell in love and had a little girl. Life was a picture book story until I caught some bad people doing bad things. They warned me not to try to stop them or testify against them. They threatened me, and I didn’t back down. Then they took my wife and baby and...” I couldn’t help it. Opening up to Holly caused it all to come back. Pulling to the side of the road, I put the truck in Park and turned it off. I just broke down. Heaving racking sobs like I’ve never experienced before. Damned if that little girl didn’t climb over the console into my lap and just held me and told me to cry. “Cry, Charlie, cry. Let it all out. It’s time to let go. Let me have it all. Just cry for me. When you feel better think of your love for them and cry again. I’m right here. I’m here for you darling boy, just cry.” And I did lay my head on her shoulder and cried. Hard.

We sat there for 20 minutes, at least, until I could get my composure. A Highway Patrol car pulled up behind us for a few minutes. He ran the plates and never got out of his cruiser. He just left, waving. Holly waved back and gave a thumbs up. Then she held me some more. We got out and walked in front of the truck for a few minutes, just getting air and letting my face dry. I was feeling a little better. I pulled her to me and hugged her, right out in the middle of the shoulder of the highway. The popular singer and the most hated former policeman in the state, together hugging each other in front of God and everybody. It was cathartic. I might be able to let go now. I might.

We stopped for an early lunch a little later. I don’t think Holly wanted any more of my past for a little bit. That was quite an unexpected load for her to see dumped. I think she was helping me, though. She had just gone through a slightly similar experience, and maybe she understood this grieving thing better than a stubborn old man. We’ll see. We ate at Bob Evans, and mounted up, driving off, neither of us saying a thing. We were both quiet for over an hour, just listening to, by now her last album, and watching the road go by.

She ended that with a touch on my shoulder and moved to kneel sit on her heels so she could rub my neck, every once in a while, rubbing around to my cheek, then back again. It felt very soothing.

“Thank you, Princess. You are a life saver. There is a lot more to that story, but now you know why I don’t have a wife and 14-year-old daughter at home anymore. I will always have them in my heart, though. There were court cases and accusations of fraud and conspiracy back and forth, but we won, and Critter and I were able to retire to relative comfort after helping recover billions in stolen money and property for the state, a few states, actually, and the feds, and root out some really terrible evil. It ranged from some federal people all the way down to high muckity-mucks in a couple of different cities in each of those states. But the root of the problem was here in Missouri. I was able to tie them together and to the murders, and sue each of the people and governments involved, as well as getting a reward for some of the money and equipment. Money will never be an issue for us.

“You said ‘Critter and I’, why’s that?” she asked, knowing she was digging for humor somewhere in an otherwise somber conversation.

“Yes, sweetheart. Critter used to be my assistant. I would talk to him and he’d help me with different problems I was having on the case. He seemed to help me keep my head going in the right direction and ferret out the details as we went. We were partners before we retired. Now he’s just lazy. He’s probably the richest cat in Missouri. I told him if he’d help me find the killers and the reason they didn’t want me on the case anymore, I’d split it with him. Now he’s just a stuck up rich snob.”

She laughed at that. “Babe, you ARE just a big Dufus. All cats are stuck-up snobs. It’s who they are. It’s what they do.”

“You would have had to have been here. When I talked, he listened. I’d have a couple ideas and he’d help me sort through them.” Then I chuckled. I remembered him just looking at me talking when I came up with issues, then he’d lick his paw or something or other. I was probably just going insane and I was coming up with the answers myself, but it had always been fun to feel he was helping in some way. A means of mental release, I guess.

We drove on, reaching home early in the afternoon. When we pulled off the road and down the long gravel drive to the house, I heard her exclaim “Wow, Charlie, this is beautiful. Is this all yours?”

“Only out to the road and a little past the tree line on the two back sides. About 40 acres. Wait ‘til you get out back.” We parked the truck in the garage, then she screeched and ran around to the other car in there. It had a dust cover on it while I was away, but evidently, she knew a little about cars. “That’s not a new one, is it?” sounding like she knew an old one when she saw it, even from a distance.

“No, sweetness, it’s not. How could you tell?”

She replied, “I wasn’t positive, but I couldn’t see anyone putting those aftermarket turbine wheels on a new Challenger. There is also some weirdness on the hood that doesn’t look new. Show me, please?”

I pulled the cover back off the hood and far enough she should look at the interior as well. It has a small magnum style hood scoop with the 383 Magnum lettering still intact. “That is the prettiest color of green. I’ve always liked that. Even on the new ones,” she said, hands on her cheeks like she was in disbelief or something.

“It’s chartreuse, honey. They called it SubLime or LimeLight. My favorite color after anything blue and the green in your eyes.”

She looked over to me, tilted her head and said, “thank you,” very quietly, coming over to give me a peck on the lips. “That was sweet. When can I drive it? I’ll give you a dollar if you let me drive it.”

“Deal!” I said, “but not today. Let’s get our stuff inside and I’ll show you around. We’ll take it to town tomorrow and get some errands run.” She seemed happy with that, so we gathered our gear and took it inside.

I showed her the guest rooms on the other end of the house from mine, but she hesitated and asked “Can’t I stay with you? I’d really rather do that if you don’t mind.”

I thought it might not be something she wanted, but I was quick to reply, “Of course, sweetheart. I’m sorry. Don’t think I don’t want you with me. I just thought you might want your own space or something.”

“Well, this room has a desk in it, if I need one for anything.” It was my daughter’s old room, and that’s where she did her homework and such.

“And, Ohhhh, is that a tanning bed I see in the room over here?” she asked.

“Yes, it is, my dear. Any time you want. You know not to use any tanning lotion other than what is on the little table in there, right?” I questioned her. From what I understand, some of the things used outdoors will eat the Lexan plates out of them. I wouldn’t know, ‘cause ours was never exposed to anything other than what we got from the tanning bed company.

She let me know she understood. “Yes, I always used the stuff I kept at the salon I went to. They had the same precautions. It’s ‘sposed to be bad for the plastic sheets you lay on in there, right?”

“That’s what they say, hon. I have an office next to the master bedroom you can always use, too, but this room is here if you need it. And the tanning bed room. I don’t have many guests. No one ever comes to visit. Maybe you’ll have a visitor or two. Just know there’s room for them if you want.”

“Thanks, babe. Now, show me to our room, if that’s not being too pushy.”

I didn’t think it was, so I told her that. “Not at all, Holly. I want you to feel at home, no matter what room you’re in.”

We walked back through the living and dining areas to the other side of the house. My bedroom, the office, and the big master bathroom were all there. We threw our stuff on the bed to be sorted out later. You could go from the bathroom into the office or the bedroom, as it was in between. Two sinks on a long vanity, a sunken, heated, whirlpool bathtub, a walk-in shower with no doors. There were showerheads on two walls, electronically operated. The design of the walls and such kept the water in the area. She thought it was unique and “pretty neat”. She really liked the fact that the toilet and the bidet were off by themselves. Now that I wasn’t alone, I guess I would like that, too, again. Even after being married as long as I had been, some things are just a little private.

We were back in the bedroom with the king size smart bed, when ‘guess who’ showed up. Critter brushed up against Holly’s leg. She hadn’t seen him so jumped a little, startling Critter, but she squatted down and rubbed her fingers together, and he went right to her. Of all the wonders of the world, my cat, or should I say the cat that considers me his servant, actually came to her when she asked him to.

He did finally get bored with her baby talking to him, so he nuzzled her one more time and ran off to be by himself, without nary a thought toward me. I guess I know where I rate.

Taking her by the hand, which felt very nice and welcomed by her, I took her through the kitchen, around the island in the middle, and down a few steps into the family room with the sliding doors out to the patio and back yard. When we got to the patio, she did the hands to her face thing again. “Oh, my, Charlie, this is beautiful.”

The house was on the side of a hill, yet near the top. The road in is on the top. The patio and back yard looked out over the river valley below us, to the east, the town being ten miles off in a northeasterly direction. Tree lines bordered the area between town and the woods edging up from the river. Between that was my property, mostly grasses, with a couple fairly good-sized ponds on it. They both had fish, but only a couple neighbor boys ever fished it, and they knew they had to ask before coming over and keep whatever they caught.

“I was hoping you’d like it, sweetie. I want you to feel at home here. The property lines are fences back in the trees on both sides to the corner down there,” I waved my arm pointing out the tree lines. “They go up to the road on each side, then we’re up to the road in the front. Yours to do with what you like.”

“Charlie, what’s in that shed over there,” she asked, pointing to my ‘man cave’, the bastion of my basest male desires.

“That, my dear, is where I keep the tractor, 4-wheeler, and a bunch of yard equipment and power tools. That too, is at your disposal, should you get bored and want to play.”

“Ummmm, yeah ... ok. I haven’t had a lot of experience with things like that, but it sounds fun. Maybe you can show me stuff when you’re not busy.” She seemed unsure of herself once again, but I made sure she was comfortable with it.

“Any time. Seriously. I’m retired and taking care of you is now my full-time job. Or at least I’d like to apply for the position for the near term. How about that?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. We can conduct an interview this evening. Charlie, could I trouble you to take me back inside, so I can take care of myself for a minute?” she asked, looking like she wanted to bolt.

“Does my little girl need to weewee?” I grinned at her, not expecting what followed.

“I keep telling you,” slap to my arm, “I’m not a little girl!!” giggle and a big grin, “but yeah, babe, I need to tinkle ... NOW!” What a doll. Back and forth from little girl to beautiful young woman. I love it.

We walked back to the bedroom, her into the bathroom to take care of business when she called me back. “Charlie, about that interview ... Can we start now?” Sitting on the toilet, she gave me a come-here motion with her index finger and reached out to grab my belt buckle. She was leaning forward and down a little, and I could hear a trickle of pee hitting the water, very lightly. She unbuckled my belt, pulled my pants down to my knees, and pulled my dick out over the waist band of my boxers. Pushing them down farther, she pulled me right into her mouth for a quick suck and a lap with her tongue. She pulled me out for a moment. “There is an oral exam for the position, and I need to show you what may be expected of you. I expect to do this a lot if you get the job. Is that satisfactory, Mr. Collins?” she asked in a sultry, yet professional voice.