Chapter 151

While Des Moines was certainly no New York City, it was still a densely populated urban area. Lit up at night by streetlights, commercial signs, porch lights, headlights.

Now that she was spending so much time at Carefree, Riley had gotten into the habit of taking Flynn for a late-night ride into the heart of the 12,000 acres of farmland that Claire owned.

She would meander onto tractor trails by irrigations ditches and man-made ponds. Park and lay a blanket on the roof of the car. Without discussing it, without even considering why, she and Flynn usually undressed before climbing up on the roof and lying on their backs. They usually held hands, just quietly looking up at the stars.

The vista was startlingly clear, especially compared with the city. Riley was intrigued by how long it took her night vision to turn on. She couldn’t remember the pigment involved, but it gradually became easier to adjust to seeing in the dark as they spent a lot of nights out there, listening to the nocturnal sounds, watching bats and owls and other night creatures on their mysterious rounds.

The vastness of the galaxies didn’t make Riley feel insignificant. For some reason though, the very immensity of space made her more aware of the passing of time, the fleetness of life. Like a ghost moth, doomed to mate one time and then die.

Sometimes, maybe one night in ten, still holding hands with Flynn, she masturbated gently, treating herself to a mild orgasm. Then, back to real life.

Surprisingly, Emma Preston was mortified when Flynn told her to report to No-Door. She was now turning tricks for Consuela at Pussy. Was sucking Ronnie off in public. On Saturday mornings she usually left her apartment door open to encourage visitors for two or three hours. Knowing it would please Miss Riley, she usually kept Ronnie home to watch her getting boned.

But she blushed deeply and had to stop herself from arguing with the boy about No-Door.

Flynn noted, but ignored her distress. He winked at Ronnie, “Go make the announcement.”

“Yes sir!”

Emma shook her head like coming out of a trance. She sounded genuinely puzzled, “I don’t know why the idea bothers me so much. Silly, I guess.”

She thought about it as they listened to Ronnie’s excited voice over the intercom. Emma mused, “I mean anyone can come to Pussy and fuck me now. So what’s the difference?”

She couldn’t put her finger on it, but in her mind, there was a big difference. Turning tricks was a time-honored commercial venture. An economic decision.

But going to No-Door was so flagrant, so slutty. She looked at Flynn for several moments, but knew that in a couple of minutes she would be flat on her back with a line of men waiting their turn.