Chapter 1

Tracey was panhandling when I first laid eyes on her. I wondered at the time why a fairly pretty girl was holding a cardboard sign at a street light. Pretty girls don’t need to panhandle. Only the dregs of society do that. I later found that panhandling is actually a potentially profitable line of ‘work’. As usual, I didn’t hand over any cash although to be honest, if the light hadn’t changed, she probably would have received a donation from me. I’m a sucker for a pretty face despite how I feel about females and panhandlers in general.

I didn’t see her for a few days although fate must have put her in my path because the next Friday night, I saw her again as I was pulling up outside a local bar to begin my next iteration or reboot of my life.

Same girl, even the same clothes, just a different sign. This sign said, ‘money for booze’. At least she was being honest with the public. Anyone who gave her their spare change couldn’t claim they didn’t know she planned to spend it on alcohol.

I locked my beamer and called over to her. “Are you looking to earn enough for a drink or would you prefer to get drunk?”

“You buyin’?” was her answer.

“Depends. I’ll buy if you’ll keep me company?”

She looked at me for a good few seconds, seeming to think about my proposition before she gave a slight nod and came towards me.

“I’m Tracey and I aint a whore. Don’t be thinking I’m gonna spread just because you buy me a couple shots, okay?”

I just shrugged at that. Bedding her would have been interesting of course. I hadn’t been with a female in about six months however it was not the reason I’d made the offer. I guess I’m a little strange in a way – I made the offer because it was the second time I’d seen her and I believe in a higher force putting people in my path. I figured I could find out why she’d been put in my path twice within a week. Since I was going to have a beer anyway, I might as well give her what she wanted at the same time.

“Well that’s good then. We’re agreed. I AM a whore but I’m sure you couldn’t afford my services anyway. I’m Charlie, by the way.”

I don’t know what possessed me to throw that statement at her but at least it earned me a small smile. Together we entered the almost deserted bar and sat together. Tracey ordered a Long Island Iced Tea and I chose whatever tap beer was the closest to the bartender. Neither of us said anything to the other until we’d each sampled our drinks.

“Damn. I feel like I wasted your money getting this. It tastes just like a regular unsweetened tea. Think she’d put some sugar in it for me?” Tracey said, nodding towards the bartender.

“I doubt this bar keeps a supply of sugar behind the counter. Why’d you ask for it if you didn’t even know what it’d be like?”

“Coz its free and its got a bunch of liquor in it, okay?” She answered somewhat defensively.

“If you don’t like it, you can get something else. Doesn’t matter to me,” I shrugged again, this time wondering if Tracey would start to think I had a nervous twitch going on.

“You don’t understand. I get a free drink then the guy gets wandering fingers. I slap the shit out of him and my free drinks go away. So I order the most expensive drink I can think of right off the bat.”

“The only place my hands would be wandering to is to point you in the direction of a bathtub. You’re pretty rank right now. You know that, don’t you?” I asked with a smile.

“You callin’ me smelly?” She asked, raising her arm and smelling her armpit, before scrunching up her nose. “Okay. Cant argue. Its been a while.” She admitted with a grin.

“You know I’d be willing to spring for a hotel room...”

“Fuck you Chuck! I tol’ you I aint a whore!” Tracey said as soon as I’d suggested a hotel room.

“Yeah and I told you that you cant afford me! I was just suggesting that if I got you a hotel room you could take a damn shower and then come back for another drink without stinking the place up!”

My explanation of my intended comment mollified her somewhat. She even had the decency to look a little guilty.

“Sorry. I just get so many creeps wanting to fuck me that it gets old, ya know?”

I decided to give her another chance. I still wanted to find out why she’d crossed my path twice in just a few days. “Actually I don’t know but that’s okay. The offer’s still on the table if you want it though.

“Seriously? No one’s gonna pay for a hotel room just so a stranger can have a shower. Whadda ya really want?” Tracey asked suspiciously.

I decided to lay my cards on the table. “I wanted to get out and meet people so I came here. Seeing you outside wasn’t the first time I’ve laid eyes on you. You were panhandling over at Ridgeon and Third a few days ago. I’m kind of interested to find out why I’ve seen you twice in just a few days when I’ve never seen you around before then.”

“So ... you’ll pay for a hotel room just to get my story?” Tracey asked, sounding skeptical. “You win the lottery or something?”

“I can afford to indulge my curiosity when I feel like it. I feel like it. What can I say?” Damned if I didn’t shrug again. Nervous tick for sure. “So do you want one or not?”

“Want what?” Tracey asked, before taking another gulp of her drink and making a face.

“Jeez. How much have you already had to drink today? I offered to spring for a hotel room so you could clean up and make yourself smell more better before getting drunk with me.”

“Fuck, you’re serious aint cha? What I’m wearing is what I own. I could take a hundred showers and I’ll still smell the same coz I aint got no change of clothes.”

“So you need clothes too?

“You offerin’?” Tracey laughed at the absurdity of her own question.

Although I was aware of it I couldn’t help but shrug again. I mean sure, it was way over the top offering to pay for a hotel room for a stranger but I’d done it. Why the hell not offer a set of fresh clothes too?

“You model them, I’ll spring for them I guess.

“And there it is. You get me alone and naked and rape me. Fuck that. Thanks for the drink Charles. I think I’ll pass.

Tracey was beginning to drive me nuts. She was such a cynic, yet for some reason, I continued to be drawn to her and THAT was the thing that was making me crazy.

“Tell you what, Tracey. Here,” I said, reaching into my wallet and pulling out a couple of hundred dollar bills and carefully laying them on the counter in front of me. “These are yours. I’m genuinely interested in your story. I’d also like to see how you clean up. I can only say I’d never rape you. I’m just not into that sort of power trip. If you feel in your heart that you want to do something to actually earn these Benjamins, you’ll allow me to take you somewhere that you can use one or both of these to buy yourself some clothes. Then I’ll get you a room so you can get clean and feel fully human again. Otherwise you can just take them and be done with me. Your choice,” I said, sliding the two hundreds in front of her.

Almost more quicker than I could follow with my eyes, her hand shot out and snatched up the bills. Only after seeing my lack of reaction did she open her hand and hold the bills up to the light to assure herself that they were indeed real hundreds and not counterfeit.

“Fuck dude. Why aint you poorer than me? Ya caint go around giving out this much cash and still be able to live, ya know?”

“As I said, I’m investing in the chance to hear your story. Some investments pan out, others don’t. Its up to you now.

“But I gotta get nekkid for you, don’t I?

“I’m a guy. Guys like looking at naked chicks. If a couple hundred bucks and a hotel room with a shower is incentive enough for you to want to do something I like, that’s on you.”

Tracey looked at the money some more, then looked carefully at me. If I was psychic, I’d say I could see the wheels turning in her head. In reality I had absolutely no idea what she’d do.

“What hotel? The ones on this road have all got bedbugs. If you’re payin’ for a room then I’m gonna sleep in it tonight. I want a real nice one like Holiday Inn or something fancy like that. With the breakfast shit in the morning? Ya know?”

I’d never heard of the Holiday Inn described as a fancy hotel, however I did know what she meant. “On one condition. You have to promise that you’ll still let me buy you a drink and maybe dinner so you can tell me your story.”

“You’re gonna be disappointed in my life story but hell, if you’re game, I’m in. Lead the way, Charlie,” Tracey said, swallowing down the last of her drink.

Well she was ready even though I’d only taken a couple of sips of my beer. I looked at it, then her, then back at it. I shrugged and got to my feet.

“Walmart or Goodwill? They’re both still open,” I said as I laid a five on the counter next to my beer then led the way out the bar’s front door.

“Fuck Walmart. And Goodwill has shit my grammar wouldn’t even wear no more. Kohl’s has the best bargains and their shopping bags are better’n Walmart bags too. You mind?”

I correctly guessed that she was asking if I minded taking her the extra distance to Kohl’s. Since I’d started this, I figured that I may as well go all in.

I was surprised to say the least. Tracey knew how to get the biggest bang for her buck. She spent less than the two hundred she had and later, it barely all fit into the suitcase I purchased for her while she was assaulting the sales racks. Seeing the sales lady folding multiple bras and panties into the shopping bags got my mind racing. When I saw her remove one of the bras from its hanger prior to bagging it, I was amazed to see that the hanger had a little label that told the customer it was a 32EE. I’m a guy so I know what the E stands for, but I thought the bigger the letter, the bigger the number had to be too. Tracey’s current attire was shapeless and hid her figure, but I never knew she was stacked like that. I mean she was probably only 5’2” and maybe 120 pounds. I really hoped that she hadn’t meant to buy an A-cup bra. Of course I was getting ahead of myself a little. She hadn’t actually agreed to model underwear.

I had to rent the room at the Holiday Inn under my name because Tracey didn’t have ID. She waited in my beamer while I checked her in. I also didn’t bother telling her I rented the room for two nights instead of one. I was beginning to hope that it was a hundred and twenty bucks well spent while at the same time not really expecting anything from my investment. When I returned to the car for her, she was poking around in my glove compartment.

“Nosey little thing, aren’t you?” I smiled when I saw the guilty look. I wasn’t too worried about her stealing anything from my car. The only thing she’d gain from going through my car would be to learn my full name from my insurance and registration documents.

“Well umm ... yeah, whatever,” she said. “ You gonna grab my bag?” She asked, changing the subject.

“Hell no! Your arms look like they work just fine. You carry your own damned bags.” I replied, accepting her change of subject.

Tracey did look overloaded as she struggled along behind me with half a dozen Kohl’s bags and a suitcase, while I strolled down the corridor carrying myself. I briefly considered handing her the key card too so she could open the door herself – sort of payback for her being rude to me at the bar, but I took pity on her and opened it myself.

The room itself was nothing special however I was glad I got to see the look on Tracey’s face when she laid eyes on it. You’d think she was being invited into the living quarters at the White House. It took a full ten seconds before she dared step over the threshold and the look on her face was one of awe at the king sized bed, fake wood dresser and flat screen TV that dominated the small room. I could easily have been convinced Tracey had never seen the inside of a chain motel room.

As soon as I closed the door behind her, I told Tracey to go take a shower and make sure she tried to use up all the free shampoo, conditioner and soap the hotel provided for its guests.

With a truly real grin, all Tracey could reply was, “Yes, Sir!”

She was already two steps towards the bathroom before she remembered to drop her load of bags and the suitcase. They just hit the floor and were instantly forgotten. Tracey wanted to explore! I had mixed emotions at that moment. What sort of person thought a single room at a Holiday Inn was like a palace? I felt bad for her and at the same time, amused that Tracey wanted to explore and touch everything in her path, as if to ensure it was real. It was two freaking rooms in a very standard motel. Yet Tracey spent a full five minutes before she finally closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower.

A minute later, the bathroom door was cracked open and I heard Tracey ask a question. I’d barely sat down in the room’s sole recliner with TV remote in hand, expecting a long wait ahead of me.

“Umm ... I guess ... you know, ummm ... You wanna watch me shower or some shit?”

“My only request was that you model your clothing purchases for me. Do I have to watch you shower too?” I asked with a grin she couldn’t see.

“Nope!” I heard, followed by the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut again.

Tracey was in the bathroom for close to 45 minutes. I’d like to say I didn’t notice but that’d be a lie. In actual fact, I was ready to knock and ask if she was okay when the door opened again. Tracey came out with one towel wrapped around her hair and another around her body. The big towels made her seem even smaller. It suddenly occurred to me that not only did I know nothing about her, I didn’t even know if she was an adult!

“Shit!”

The word slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. Tracey seemed to think I was talking to her.

“What? You expected me to walk out bare-ass naked or something? You said you wanted a fashion show. Then you said you din’ want to watch me shower. You’re weird Charlie.”

“How old are you, Tracey?” I asked hesitantly, not really wanting to know but knowing that I needed to know.

“Why? Does it make a difference?”

“It does if you’re under sixteen. I mean I already bought you booze so I cant take that back but...”

“Fuck! Is that all? I’m nineteen going on thirty, kay? So wadda ya wanna see first? I bet you wanna see my tits. I saw you looking at Kohl’s. They’re too big is what they are. I’m real self-conscious about them but I guess I owe it to ya.

Before I could even reply, Tracey took two quick, big breaths and dropped the towel covering her body. My mouth dropped open and one of her arms immediately went to cover her chest while the other covered a heavy black bush almost simultaneously.

Tracey had a pair of the biggest boobs I’d ever seen in real life and her areolas and nipples were a dark brown, in stark contrast to her ivory white skin. In that one moment I fell in lust with her figure as if I’d pursued her for weeks hoping to see her like she stood now. I wanted nothing more than to end my self-imposed celibacy with Tracey but of course I was supposed to be only vaguely interested in seeing her naked.

I was literally speechless and the moments stretched on, Tracey watching my reaction to her nudity and me attempting to process what was in front of my eyes. Even with her arm over her chest, her tits squashed against her ribcage, her boob flesh was like two of the softest, most inviting pillows I’d ever encountered. I desperately wanted her to drop her arm so I could properly overload my brain yet nothing would come out when I tried to speak.