Chapter 21: Sunday, Sept. 2

I awoke in much better circumstances than I had Saturday, but it was just as difficult — if not more — to get out of bed. Receiving a blowjob from a beautiful woman who loves you can do that.

It didn’t take long after gaining consciousness to achieve orgasm. I wrapped a hank of coppery hair in my hand as my hips lifted off the bed. Arlene raised up with a triumphant look on her face, her tongue darting out to catch a stray drop from the corner of her mouth.

“Now maybe that thing will quit poking me in the back,” she smirked. “I thought I told you to get that taken care of on your dates.”

“Hard to do when you get shot down,” I said, pulling her in for a hug and a kiss.

“Do tell,” she purred as she stretched out atop me. I think I could have spent the rest of the day in that position.

Arlene didn’t quite laugh herself silly when I told her of my cousins’ antics from the night before and my ensuing conversation with Elise, but she definitely got a chuckle out of the story.

“You realize it’s only going to get worse,” she giggled, giving me a quick smooch. “You must be the only man I’ve ever met who has so much thrown at him that he can’t catch it all. You don’t even know what it’s like to have to convince a girl she really wants to say yes.”

“I’m fully aware that I’ve exceeded my legal limit,” I said, returning the smooch. “Elise is one of the few I’ve managed to throw back, but Sadie Hawkins is coming up and there seems to be at least one outside my circle getting in line to ask me. I don’t even want to think how many more there could be.”

The conversation lagged as the kisses continued. I rolled us over and worked my way down the front of Arlene’s body. She purred even louder and grabbed my head as I locked onto a nipple.

“Careful,” she moaned as I continued to her stomach. “Don’t start something we can’t finish.”

“You just relax and enjoy,” I said, scooting down a little farther. “I don’t think your doctor completely banned orgasms.”

Sliding down a little more, I kissed my way over her mound to the crease of each thigh. I gently licked at her outer labia, which became engorged under my attention. I took care not to penetrate her vagina, keeping my efforts to her lower lips and clitoris. Her little pearl practically popped out of its hood as I kissed around it.

Arlene grabbed my head with both hands, guiding me where she wanted me to go. She was dripping fluid as I covered her slit with my mouth and sucked.

I took my time, employing several of the tricks she’d taught me. My efforts were eventually rewarded with a shudder and gush of liquid that I eagerly lapped up.

“Oh, God, I needed that,” the redheaded goddess panted as she pulled me back up. “I’ve been making do with my fingers for the last few weeks. I haven’t even used a toy. But we’d better hold off on anything else. I have my one-month checkup on Wednesday. Maybe after that. Definitely before we leave for New York.”

We cuddled for some time, enjoying the intimacy we shared, before nature eventually made it necessary to get up. Might as well shower while we’re at it and get ready for the day.

Once in the shower, Arlene handed me her body wash and a scrubber without a word. Maybe I really was becoming a kept man, but I wasn’t about to argue. The benefits were too good.

As I soaped her up and started scrubbing, my resurgent dick again poked her in the back.

“Can’t you control that thing?” she teased.

“I’m 17, sharing a shower with a beautiful woman who not only allows but expects me to put my hands on her,” I replied as I worked my way down her back to her glorious buttocks. “It’s not like I’m Armand Shoffner.”

“Speaking of whom,” she said, turning to let me work my way up her front, “he saw your football picture. He actually liked the cueball look for some of the spring and summer stuff. I’m supposed to tell you to let it grow back out these next couple of weeks, though, and he’ll make a decision on what he wants at your next shoot.”

“Tell him that it will take at least a month, maybe longer, before it grows enough to put a part in it again,” I said. “When I was in grade school, Dad would make sure I had a buzz cut as soon as school was out. I didn’t have to use a comb until, like, the Fourth of July. Based on what I have now, it may be Homecoming or fall break before it gets that long.”

“Just check with me before you do anything like that again,” Arlene commanded. “You’ll probably at least need to have the back and sides touched up.

“Now, the next order of business is Jan and I’ll probably hit the road Friday while you’re out of town. That will put us in New York on Sunday. We expect to leave the following Sunday, the 16th, and be back late Monday/early Tuesday. You, of course, will stay in the apartment. Marie will fix your meals, do your laundry and provide whatever else you may need.”

This last was said with a smirk as the redhead reached out and slowly stroked my length.

“Now who’s starting something we can’t finish?” I growled. “Marie might think you’re expecting her to do something about it.”

Arlene’s response was to smirk even harder, turn toward the showerhead and hand me her bottle of shampoo.

“Just make sure she’s physically able to do her job when you get done,” Arlene said as I lathered her up. “I’ve already gotten used to having her around. A few more weeks and I might even be spoiled.”

I managed to resist the urge to have my wicked way with the redhead, knowing Marie would need some attention later. We finished showering and drying off, then returned to the bedroom to get dressed.

“I need to run home and get some things,” I said as I pulled on last night’s slacks. “I told Marie I’d meet her for lunch, but I need to get some homework done sometime today.”

“Your other girlfriends are coming over to have a talk with Marie,” Arlene said. “Your sister and Morgan want to set some ground rules. You can do your homework in the apartment while they use the patio. I’ll be at the pool lining up what we need to do tomorrow. What are you and Marie doing for lunch?”

“I was going to let her pick a place unless she’s already made something,” I said. “I don’t want her thinking she has to do any work today. It is supposed to be her day off.”

“Don’t let her talk you into Morton’s or Le Maison,” the redhead snarked as she pulled on her black maillot. “Save those kinds of places for special occasions.”

“I wasn’t planning on leaving the city limits,” I said. “Something nicer than fast food, but still casual.”

“Familia Benavidez,” we said together with a grin.

“Jinx! You owe me a Coke,” Arlene laughed.

“It’ll be interesting to see Antonia’s reaction to me taking another girl there,” I said. “I get the feeling her grandmother has plans for me and one of the granddaughters.”

With a kiss, I bade Arlene good day and went to the apartment to change clothes, putting last night’s in the hamper. Cargo shorts, a T-shirt and deck shoes would be more than good enough for what I had planned for the day.

Marie had left an addendum to my note that she’d be ready for lunch by 11:30, giving me a couple of hours to run my errands and touch base with Kacie to confirm plans for the afternoon. I set the window unit a notch higher than the lowest and headed out. I was interested to see what kind of havoc Kacie and Kirsten were wreaking on the world, or at least our house.

I pulled into the front drive since I didn’t expect to be there long and headed inside to find the place eerily quiet. Dad, of course, would be playing golf, but I did find Mom in the little cubby she used as a home office.

“Your sister just left to take Kirsten home,” Mom said. “I think she was going to do something with Bethany Metzger while she was in that neighborhood.”

Mom surprised me with her response when I told her my plans.

“Did you think you’d be able to keep this business with Arlene’s housekeeper a secret?” she asked while rocking the Mom look.

“I wasn’t aware I was keeping anything a secret,” I said. “I just wasn’t advertising it to the whole world.”

“Your father told me about what happened with this girl this summer after Ms. Fairchild was arrested,” Mom said. “I practically had to torture it out of him, so don’t feel like he betrayed your confidence willingly. I almost had a stroke when he told me about the money. How much do you know about her?”

“That she’s led a very sheltered life in some respects and would be a total mess if she was on her own,” I said, relating the story Marie had told me during our stay at the townhouse. “She needs someone to protect her from predators like Julia. With what she has coming from Mr. Patterson’s investment pool, money won’t be a problem for her as long as some bloodsucker doesn’t get hold of her.”

“Arlene tells me Marie has ‘special needs,’” Mom said. “What’d she mean by that? The girl doesn’t seem mentally handicapped the little I’ve been around her.”

Oh, boy. Here we go. Well, it was a nice life while I had it.

“She’s a submissive,” I finally got out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mom asked.

“She literally needs someone to control her and make decisions for her,” I said. “Arlene has set her up with a therapist. My hope is we can get her to where she could live on her own, but the mere idea of that scares her right now. For whatever reason, I’m the one she latched onto. She could have just as easily chosen Arlene.”

Mom sat quietly and thought about what I said.

“So this isn’t just another sexual conquest, then?” she finally asked.

“No,” I sighed, “but there is a sexual element. I get the feeling that Marie acts out when she’s feeling neglected, requiring correction. Apparently, Julia was into some rather kinky stuff that I’m not. I’ve told Marie I’d just take her home to her parents. That seemed to get her to behave.”

“And have you had to ‘correct’ her yet?” Mom asked.

I told the story of Wednesday’s incident at the old Dairy Queen, complete with spanking and the order for Marie to clean up her mess.

“I can’t say I approve,” Mom said. “But I did that to both of you kids when you were little. Probably in the same Dairy Queen.”

“Arlene told me it’s a lot like being a parent,” I said. “I may be asking you for advice.”

That earned me a derisive snort from my mother.

“What are your plans for the afternoon?” she asked.

“I’ve got to write an essay for English,” I said. “I came by to get my laptop and the notes Aunt Karen gave me so I could do it at Arlene’s.”

“And where is Marie going to be while you do your homework?” she asked.

“Kacie, Morgan, Bethany and Staci are supposed to visit with her,” I said. “Arlene said they’ll be using the patio. I’ll be in the guest room I normally use.”

Mom got a thoughtful look on her face. That did not fill me with a sense of calm. I was learning to step lightly when adults wore such an expression.

“You’d better get on with your day,” she finally said. “Try to be home before dark. Call if you’re going to be late.”

Since it wouldn’t get dark until 8 p.m. or so, I had plenty of time. Unless Marie rode me to exhaustion so I couldn’t leave.

I headed to my room and grabbed my backpack. I found it interesting that my bed was unmade. I was sure it hadn’t been when I left to get Kinsey last night.

It was a little after 11 o’clock when I got back to Arlene’s. The apartment was noticeably cooler, but I still cranked the AC to max, then went and set my backpack on the little dining table.

After a pitstop in the bathroom, I was just starting to unpack my laptop when there was a knock at the door. I went to find Marie wearing another one of the button-down house dresses that seemed to be her preferred attire and slip-on sneakers.

When I let her in, the little waif stepped just inside the doorway and stood in front of me, fidgeting nervously.

“Ready for lunch?” I asked, receiving a quick nod and a blush.

“Why so nervous?” I asked, pulling her in for a hug. “It’s just lunch. I bet you do that every day.”

“I thought you might want to do something else first,” she stammered. “I came dressed for the apartment.”

That led me to run a hand down her back, causing her to shiver. My hand encountered no bra strap or panties under the thin fabric of her dress.

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” I said. “But unless you already had something prepared, I was going to take you out to eat. You will always wear underwear when out in public, whether you’re with me or not. Panties, at least. If you feel more comfortable without a bra, I’ll allow it today. But I don’t want you flashing the entire town if the wind kicks up.”

Marie gave an embarrassed squeak and turned even redder at the thought of being exposed in public. The new smell in the air indicated that she wouldn’t be totally against it happening.

After a bit of thought, I amended my order slightly.

“An obvious exception would be if you accompany Arlene to either of the swimming pools at the club,” I said. “There’s no need for bras and panties if you’re wearing a swimsuit. Basically, dress appropriately for the occasion. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir,” she murmured quietly.

“Now, you go finish dressing,” I said. “I know a place I think you’ll like if Mexican food is OK.”

“Yes, Sir,” she repeated, causing her skirt to flair as she turned to go.

The bottom of the dress was unbuttoned almost to her waist, giving me a brief glimpse of fur. Surely, that wasn’t intentional. She wasn’t that big a tease, was she? The impish grin she threw me over her shoulder, though ... Somebody was campaigning for another spanking, and she was pretty close to clinching the election.

It was only a few minutes before Marie returned. I noticed the bottom of the dress had been fully buttoned, but a couple up top were undone. I ran a hand down her back and found the waistband of what must have been a tiny pair of panties, but no evidence of a bra.

I’d have to have Kacie or Morgan explain to Marie what happened to little girls who teased boys like that. Or maybe I’d show her myself. After I finished my homework.

Marie and I arrived at Familia Benavidez a little before noon, but the place was already packed. We had about a 15-minute wait, during which I endured the glares of Prima Antonia and the laughs of Arturo, who were sharing host duties for the lunch rush.

I felt lucky that it was my teammate who showed us to a table, even if I had to put up with a ration of shit.

“Do all your other girlfriends know about this one?” he asked.

“This is Marie Benson, Mrs. Jenson’s housekeeper,” I said, ignoring the question. “She used to work for the modeling agency I signed with. We worked together a few times and are just catching up.”

“How many is that you’ve brought here now?” Arturo persisted. “We’ve probably turned a profit just off you and your dates.”

“I haven’t been keeping track,” I said. “Make sure you’re not counting my sister, aunts and cousins, though. That’s more than half the total. And they weren’t exactly dates.”

“I’ll ask Antonia,” the tackle chortled. “She’ll know. Probably has a list with names, addresses, phone numbers and mugshots.”

Arturo held Marie’s chair, earning a shy thank you. I noticed his eyes darting to her chest and knew why. All during the drive over, the top of Marie’s dress fluttered in the wind, offering tantalizing glimpses. I had a hard time concentrating on driving.

A spanking for excessive teasing was definitely in her future.

Marie mulled the menu choices as one of Arturo’s cousins brought us chips and salsa. I asked Marie if she wanted any queso or guacamole, which she seemed to think was extreme extravagance for a simple lunch.

We were both ready to order when our waitress, yet another of Arturo’s relatives, came to check. Marie asked if she could have a margarita on the rocks, blushing when she was asked for ID. I don’t know where she kept it since she didn’t carry a purse. She damnn sure wasn’t keeping it under the shoulder strap of her bra.

“Dang, girl, you’re older than me,” the Benavidez girl exclaimed. “How you keep looking so young? I thought you were in high school.”

Marie blushed even redder at the compliment and thanked the girl, who then took our food order and scurried off to the kitchen and bar.

Conversation as we waited wasn’t just light, it was practically nonexistent. I chalked it up to Marie being a little unsure of herself in an unfamiliar environment. I hoped therapy would help bring Marie out of her shell.

The meal was up to the usual Familia Benavidez standard, eliciting a positive comment from my otherwise quiet companion. I was having trouble with reconciling the flirty girl I’d sent to put on underwear with the timid mouse now sitting across from me.

After sopapillas, I paid the check and we were soon on the way back to the apartment. I waited until we turned onto Arlene’s street to address the state of Marie’s clothing. No need not to enjoy the view while I could.

“You may want to button up,” I said as we neared our destination. “My girlfriends want to talk to you. I don’t think they’ll enjoy the view as much as Artie and I did.”

Marie blushed so much I was afraid she might burst into flame, but the buttons were fastened by the time we reached the driveway. Which turned out to be a good thing because there was a blue X5 parked behind a white Range Rover in front of Arlene’s house.

I helped Marie out of the car once we were parked and escorted her inside, wondering why in the world my mother was here. I took Marie’s hand and led here out to the patio, where Mom, Kacie, Morgan, Bethany and Staci were seated around a table chatting.

Hugs and kisses were administered and I introduced Marie to Mom, who quickly let it be known my presence was no longer required.

“I believe you have a homework assignment to do,” she said after I went to pull up another chair. “You’d better get on it. We’ll take care of Marie for you. Now, scoot.”

I looked at Marie, silently asking if she needed me to stay.

“Go on,” she said softly with a nod of her head. “I’ll be all right.”

“Just behave yourself,” I said before looking at the rest of the group. “All of you.”

Somewhat reluctantly, I departed for the apartment. I quickly got my laptop out, booted up and connected to wifi, then went to work on my essay. The notes I got from Aunt Karen led me to sites that had more than enough information for my needs. Like with the Creative Writing assignment Mrs. Cohen had given me the first week of school, the biggest part of it was paring things down to fit the assigned word count.

I spent more than an hour working on it, my ears burning the whole time, but finally got something I felt I could turn in. I hit spellcheck, then gave it another read, inserting a comma here and there, before saving and closing the file.

I got the remote connection to my computer at home working and saved a copy there. I figured a little redundancy couldn’t hurt, just in case something happened to the laptop. I realized I should probably get a thumb drive and save my assignments on it, as well. That would allow me to avoid relying on the school’s email system when it came time to turn things in.

I got a drink from the fridge and was browsing the web when there was a knock on the door. Before I could answer, Kacie opened it and entered, followed by the rest of the group. Mom wore an inscrutable expression as she looked around.

“Your father would be jealous,” she finally said. “This is nicer than the place he had out in your grandfather’s barn, just smaller. And it doesn’t smell like a barn, either.”

I kept my mouth shut lest my visitation privileges be revoked.

Morgan came up and gave me a hug and a smooch, which was soon followed by Bethany and Staci. Kacie held back with Mom in the room. Marie also stayed back, fidgeting nervously.

“Your sister had a good idea,” Mom said, getting my attention. “That we should have duplicate keys made for your vehicles. Why don’t we go do that? We can run Bethany home, stop off at Walmart and be back here in less than an hour. Marie can come, too. Have you finished your schoolwork?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. “Do we need to take Staci home, too?”

“I walked over here, I can walk back,” the cheerleader said. “I’ll see you at the pool tomorrow. The cheerleaders are going to clean cabanas after you boys clear things out.”

With another smooch, she was out the door.

Mom took the opportunity to look around the place. She seemed particularly interested in the kitchen.

“You actually cook here?” she asked.

“Does making cheese toast in the toaster oven count?” I answered, earning a shake of the head and the Mom look. “Marie does all her cooking out here. She said it’s enough for the meals she and Arlene have here.”

At least my mother was content with a quick look at the bathroom. I didn’t want to deal with her reaction to the organizer with all the girls’ supplies hanging on the inside of the door.

Satisfied that I could survive here while I house sat for Arlene next week, Mom shooed us out the door. Even without Staci coming along, we wouldn’t all fit in the X5. I was assigned to drive the Rover with Mom riding shotgun. Bethany and Marie took the middle with my sister and Morgan in the back row.

The girls chatted away as I drove Bethany home. Marie seemed to be holding up well after her session with the other women in my life.

When we reached the Metzgers, I got out to open the door for Bethany, who’d been seated behind me. As I walked her to the door, I quietly asked how things had gone with their talk.

“Pretty good,” the little blonde chirped. “Your mom asked a lot of questions and made some points none of us had thought of, but I think we came up with a workable plan.”

“Well, if any problems crop up, let me know before you do anything,” I said. “I’ll see if I can’t work things out before they get out of hand.”

“Yes, Sir,” Bethany grinned before giving me one last kiss and heading inside.

I returned to the Rover and prepared to head for the nearest Walmart. The Rover’s GPS worked like a charm, showing the most direct route to the nearest one, which was still a good 20 minutes away.

Pulling into the parking lot of the supercenter, I let the women out in front of an entrance and went to find a parking spot. It took a good 15 minutes to catch up with them in the auto department, where the lone attendant was scrambling to meet the demands of the customers.

I made sure Mom had keys for the Rover and Beemer. We’d need copies of each for her and Dad as well as ones for me and Kacie to swap. I made sure my sister was aware that she couldn’t just use my car whenever she wanted, but promised to let her practice more as time permitted. I just hoped the clutch would last long enough for her to master a manual transmission.

With what looked like a fairly long wait ahead of us, I decided to head over to the electronics section and pick up a thumb drive. Marie quietly asked if she could tag along.

“Of course you can,” I grinned, taking her hand and heading across the store.

I eventually found the aisle I needed and perused the selections. A 64GB device cost less than twice what a 16GB one would with 32GB falling somewhere in between. A look at the packaging showed the 32GB could hold approximately 20,480 images, 7,680 MP3 files, 600,000-plus pages of Word documents, or 10,240 minutes of video. A 64GB could hold approximately 40,960 images, 15,360 MP3 files, 1.2 million-plus pages of Word documents, or 20,480 minutes of video.

I was mulling my options when I saw what I really needed — a five-pack of 16GB for a little less than the cost of a 64GB. I could use a different one for each subject and not have to worry about running out of space, not that I was likely to create more than 300,000 Word documents over the course of the school year. They even came in different colors. I could use green for English IV, blue for Western Civ and so on.

Marie wandered over to the cell phones while I paid for my purchase.

“See anything you like?” I asked as I caught up to her.

“Not really,” she said. “There’s nothing in my price range.”

“I thought you already had a phone,” I said.

“It belonged to the agency,” she said. “I had to give it to Armand when I left. I think the police subpoenaed it as part of the investigation into Julia.”

My mind whirled at the possibilities. It would be obvious to even the dimmest bulb with a badge that Julia Fairchild would be in constant contact with her personal assistant and there could be all kinds of evidence on a company phone.

“Why don’t we talk to Arlene when she gets home?” I suggested. “Maybe she’ll have some ideas about what will suit your needs. Now we’d better get back to the others.”

We caught up with Mom and the rest as they waited in the checkout line and tried to stay out of the way until they were finished.

“You owe me $2,” Mom said, handing me two keys. “I went ahead and had a couple made for my car, but be sure to ask before you take it.”

“Hopefully, I’ll never have to,” I said as I fished my keyring out of my pocket. “I plan on driving mine unless I’m hauling more than one passenger. Then I’ll use the Rover since I expect Kacie to be involved most of those times.”

“What’d you buy?” Mom asked, noting the little bag I stuffed in a pocket while I messed with the keys.

“Just some memory sticks,” I said. “I thought that might make it easier to turn in assignments instead of using email. I don’t really trust the school server.”

“I can understand why,” Mom said. “I just received a notice yesterday informing me of your first detention. The date on it was nearly three weeks ago.”

The girls took the opportunity to look around at some items, but none bought anything. They both were fully stocked on the things they needed for the apartment. I didn’t want Mom asking why Kacie needed more shampoo when there was plenty at home, anyway.

We made it back to Arlene’s a little before 3 p.m. and spent a moment getting the driver’s seat in the Rover reset for Kacie.

“I expect you to do the same with my Beemer anytime you use it,” I said. “Don’t worry about the mirrors. You’d never get them right.”

“Thanks, Bro,” my sister chirped, giving me a kiss on the cheek for my thoughtfulness.

Morgan gave me a quick peck, saying she’d be over in the morning to catch a ride to practice.

“Bus leaves at 7:15,” I informed her. “We have to be there by 7:30.”

Mom got a kiss in on the other cheek before heading to the X5.

“Marie’s a sweet girl,” she said quietly. “We’ll talk about it later. When do you expect to be home?”

“Before dark, just like you ordered,” I said. “I don’t know about supper yet, but I had a pretty big lunch. I may just fix a sandwich when I get back.”

They all departed, leaving Marie and I in the driveway.

“Wanna tell me about it?” I asked the little waif as I held out my hand.

“Not really,” she said. “Your mother’s rather intimidating.”

“Occupational hazard,” I said as we headed for the apartment. “She’s an accountant and has represented clients before the IRS. I get the feeling you’re either intimidating or intimidated in those scenarios.”

Once inside with the door closed, I cranked the AC back up and headed to the bathroom. Marie tuned the radio to a station of her liking, some college outfit way down the dial that apparently was heavy into alternative music.

When I returned, I found out the college station wasn’t just alternative music, but alternative lifestyles as well. There were announcements for the next meeting of the campus LGBTQ council along with other items of interest to the gay community.

Marie took her turn in the bathroom and returned with a couple of drinks, which we sipped as the radio played some music that sounded flat-out militant to me. Of course, I’d probably be rather pissed off if I was persecuted simply for who I liked to share a bed with, too.

I sat my drink on the dresser, grabbed Marie by the hips and pulled her close.

“We do need to talk,” I said.

“About what?” she asked, all wide-eyed innocence. I was pretty sure it was sincere since I hadn’t said anything earlier.

“About you flashing poor, horny teenage boys,” I growled, edging toward the bed, “especially my friends and teammates.”

OK, I was pretty sure Arturo’s needs were well taken care of by Melinda. But I didn’t want guys getting ideas about Marie.

I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the trembling girl into my lap. I took the opportunity to undo the top two buttons as she’d done for our lunch.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing your titties,” I said pulling the sides of the dress apart to expose as much skin as possible. “They’re very nice titties, but they’re my titties. I don’t want anyone else looking at them, let alone thinking about playing with them. That’s my job.”

I undid the third button, almost totally exposing her breasts, and slipped a hand inside. Her nipple crinkled quickly as I cupped the perky boob. She really didn’t need to wear a bra most of the time.