Chapter 34

Tuesday, the next to last day of December, started with a mix of humor and tenderness. Dex was already in the gym when Morgan and Elise pretty much staggered in. He almost laughed and was about to ask why they had bothered, but he noticed a hint of contentment showing through the sleep fog on Elise's face. That was definitely a good thing, so he held his peace. There was no question the two would be returning to bed after breakfast to replace the sleep time they must have talked away through the night. To their credit, neither woman was grouchy, and they showed admirable determination as they finished their workouts.

Not thinking it necessary to tell anyone else, Jeannette had invited Harv to come early for breakfast. She had become so comfortable herself with the 'family casual' mode of dress for breakfast, that it never occurred to her that it might cause some embarrassment.

Yesterday, her first day of work, Sandie had done her hair and makeup, then eaten breakfast before donning her work outfit. Since the ultra-shyness of her first day, she had worn just a rather revealing nightie to breakfast. Reminiscent of Kirstin, the freedom to join the group so scantily clad seemed to be important to her.

Only Jeannette was in the kitchen when Harv arrived. She wore only a nightie, as well, but it was more demure than the one Sandie preferred. Harv was drinking coffee and chatting amiably with Jeannette when Sandie emerged from the stairway with Eric right behind her. Sandie saw Harv and gasped. Her sound made him look toward her and jump to his feet.

Although Sandie was probably unaware of it, as she came out of the stairwell, the patio door to the deck was directly behind her. The morning light through her flimsy garment gave the impression that she was naked, surrounded by a halo. Her surprise was such that Harv was given a momentary visual snapshot of the beautiful tableau before she could cover up and duck back behind the wall of the stairwell.

There being no universally accepted measurement scale for embarrassment, it would have been hard to say who was the most affected. Jeannette realized instantly that she had made a big mistake. Harv felt terrible for Sandie, and was ashamed of the unmistakable twitching in his crotch that the view had caused. Sandie was temporarily incapable of thought. Only Eric seemed able to keep things together.

Jeannette started to cry as she dashed after Sandie, further confusing Harv, and she literally bumped into Sandie, who was standing only a couple of steps down, out of sight. As Jeanette started to apologize, Sandie put her hand over the distraught older woman's mouth and actually gave her a mischievous smile. Now totally confused, Jeanette stood motionless as Sandie made the sign for silence.

"God, Eric! I had no idea," Harv lamented. "She must feel terrible! Damn, things were so nice, and now she won't want to speak to me! Why? I mean the nightie and..." Eric carefully explained about the self-image issues and how well Sandie had responded. "Shit!" Harv exclaimed with feeling, "now I've probably set her back! I just hope I never meet that asshole husband of hers. I don't think I'd like jail very much." Eric tried to assure Harv that it was not his fault and that Sandie would not be angry at him, but with little affect.

"I'd better call and see if I can roust out another driver. I don't want her to be late, but she won't want..." Harv was interrupted by Sandie's voice.

"You mean you don't want to drive me any more?" Still in just the nightie, Sandie walked right up to him and looked him in the face.

"Oh, Sandie, I'm so sorry, I didn't..." Harv started.

"I'm not! I learned an awful lot about you just now, and it's all good." Wrapping her arms around him, she ordered him "Hug!!" The others who joined the two at breakfast had no need of sugar, syrup, or jam to sweeten their toast, coffee, or whatever.

When it was time for Sandie to leave, Morgan was about to put her through the drill again, but Jeanette saw it and frantically pulled her granddaughter aside and gave her a quick review of what had happened. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Morgan just hugged Sandy and wished her a great day.

Barely outside Dex's gate, Harv pulled over and parked. He looked straight ahead, marshaling his thoughts to say what was on his mind, but Sandie beat him to it. "Do you think I'm a brazen exhibitionist?"

"I think you're delightful, unbelievable!" She beamed, and there was silence for a little longer.

"So, Eric told you why I was, um, barely covered for breakfast."

"Yes, he did. You're a gutsy girl, Sandie. It's hard to imagine what you've been through."

"You, um, weren't turned off by how I look in the morning?" There was a hint of a plea in Sandie's voice.

"Turned off!? What I wouldn't give to see that sight every morn... Shit! Me and my big mouth! I'm sorry, Sandie."

"Harv, if I can show you everything, don't be afraid to tell me everything, OK?"

After another pause, Harv dove right in. "You know, sometimes in the Service, a guy would meet a girl on leave and come back married. I never understood it. Now, I'm starting to."

"Harv, somebody very wise told me to treat this like it was forever until one of us decided it was not. I'd like to stick around until you're tired of me."

"Tired of you? Couldn't happen, Angel!" He hadn't meant to say 'Angel, ' but that was the impression still on his mind from the sight of her earlier, and it just popped out.

As he signed for his belongings at the jail early Tuesday morning, Craig was working hard to keep his anger in check. There was still enough rationality left in him to know that blowing up on county employees would get him nothing but another night's stay. The cost of bailing his Lexus out of the impound lot was trivial compared to the wad he habitually carried, but it was one more piece of fuel for his anger. The leisurely pace of the lot attendant was like throwing lighter fluid on his ire. After barely kissing a hydrant with his bumper as he peeled away, he pulled over and forced himself to calm down before continuing.

Craig was a promoter, a deal-maker, a closer. Contemplation, particularly of himself, was not in his nature. If it had been, the changes in him over the last year or so would have alarmed him. When he had started his little skimming tricks, he had felt invincible. Several years laundering for the mob had made him rich, and he was sure he was absolutely indispensable to them. By the time he realized how stupid and trivial his skimming was, it was already a death sentence if discovered.

Even without contemplation, the reality of his situation had finally sunk in, scaring him badly. He had become a frightened bully, a species ranked among the most despicable on the planet. Megan had been a convenient outlet for his bottled up fear and rage, and her escape and fighting back had accelerated his deterioration.

Alex Kokchek was very tough. Only the very tough got to be metro bosses and stayed there. Craig Wallace was his find - his creation. It had been acclaimed as an innovative approach to laundering, and the association had been extremely profitable for all parties. Though dapper in appearance, Alex was a reserved, calculating sort. Meticulous planning and covering all angles where what had brought him his success.

Alex and Craig had become friends of sorts. At least, they spent a fair amount of social time together. Being the boss, it was not comfortable for Alex to socialize with underlings, and he knew few people who were not in the business. Craig was more an associate or a contractor than an underling. Besides, he had in spades the hard partying personality that Alex lacked but secretly envied.

Just two weeks ago, Alex's nice setup had started to unravel when Craig's bitch boogeyed on him. Not that Alex gave a shit about Craig's wife, except that he never got that long-promised roll with her. Why her escape had Craig so bent out of shape, he could not understand. Sure, she was choice, but Craig had always seemed as cavalier about his women as Alex himself was. Hell, he had his previous wife offed without a tear.

Well, whatever was screwing up Craig's head, Alex had to get things back on an even keel quickly. He did not want to see the money flow stop. It was now expected of him, and it would be Hell trying to set up a new arrangement. It did not help that Craig had stewed all night in jail, but Alex had been under strict orders not to pull any more legal strings for a while. He was waiting rather glumly for Craig's call, as he had received word of the release.

"Why the hell didn't you get me out?" Craig yelled, not even waiting for a 'hello' when Alex picked up his call.

"Dammit, Craig, not on the phone. Your office, right away."

"Hey, wait!"

"I said, not on the phone!"

For some reason, Alex had not considered the possibility of Craig's office being bugged, so he talked freely when the two met there several minutes later.

"We let you sit in jail because you didn't follow orders. We're not going to jeopardize our judge on you any more when you're thinking with your dick."

"That was humiliating!"

"What's humiliating is when they fish your body out of the river. This shit has got to end! Either you sign that deal and get over the cunt, or our business arrangement is terminated. I think you know what that means!"

"But she'll get half a mil!"

"No she won't, she'll get one mil! You can afford the money, but we can't afford anyone checking your assets. You got that?"

"Dammit, Alex! You need my deals! We've got a sweet thing going here."

"I know that as well as you do! But you're making way too much noise, and attention is the last thing we want. Now, you have the million in your lawyer's account before the banks close today, and tell him you're ready to sign. That's not negotiable! Do you understand?"

"After all the money I made you, you're just selling me out like that?"

"Craig, it's a business, remember. You're starting to look like less of an asset and more of a liability." Craig followed Alex out the door, and Alex tried to soften the blow a little as they approached his car. "Here, just to show you it's nothing personal." Alex handed him a slip of paper with 'J.D. Madison' and Dex's address on it.

"What's this?"

"Where she's staying. I just found it out. Now, don't do anything stupid, got it?"

As Alex drove off, he nodded to two men parked in sight of Craig's car. The two settled in for a long day of tailing Craig.

Randy had been monitoring the bugs and called Dex as soon as he lost sound from Craig's office. Dex called his hacker friends immediately. This was their perfect chance to discover the codes and procedures to hijack Craig's Cayman account.

Morgan was a little upset with herself. Ten days ago she was a virgin and thought she was fine with that. Now she was climbing the walls just because she hadn't had a cock in her for three days. She was very tired after her extended talk with Elise the night before. Her mind told her she should just go and take a nap. Her mind also knew it would lose out to the hormones that were pulling her toward Eric's room.

It was a while after breakfast, and Eric had gone back to his room, presumably to get some more sleep. When Morgan eased his door open, she saw him sleeping on his side toward one edge of the bed, facing the center. Dropping her clothes, she was about to slide in with Eric when she mentally swore at herself, then put her clothes back on and headed to Dex's room. He was in the office on the phone, so she took a condom from the nightstand, then went back for two more without him noticing her.

Back in Eric's room, Morgan laid the packets on the stand, undressed again, then slid carefully into the bed with her back to his front, close but not touching. Not quite sure what to do next, she amazed herself by deciding that a nap would be great, and waking up should be very interesting. She was asleep in less than a minute, her soft snores mingling with Eric's.

Dex was a bit startled to see Elise standing in his office doorway when he hung up from his hacker friends. To his quizzical look, Elise said "Can I tell you about 'before?'" He guided her to the loveseat and sat beside her. Still being careful of her reactions, he held out his hand palm up. She gave him a wan smile and put her hand in his.

"I take it you had a good talk with Morgan last night?" Dex asked.

"Mmm Hmm. I keep telling you all these sad things about me, but do you know I haven't had a close woman friend since my college roommate?"

"Well, you couldn't pick a better friend than Morgan."

"I wish I could get over this feeling that I'm coming between you and her," Elise lamented.

"Has Morgan said something about that?" When Elise shook her head, Dex pressed further. "Have I let on I thought you were doing that?" Again, she indicated 'no.'

"From our very first time," Dex explained, "Morgan and I were clear about no commitment and no regrets. I meant it, and I believe she did, too. That doesn't mean it's easy, but we both think it's right. Look, I met Morgan two weeks ago tonight. I've known you, what, five years or more? Morgan and I shared an intense week or so, but you and I have a lot of life experiences that draw us together."

"I'm sure you and Morgan have talked about my demons. I think she knows those demons would have kept me from ever marrying her." Dex saw the implied question in Elise's eyes, and it tore at his guts. He put his head in his hands with his elbows on his knees and sat motionless for a while before softly saying "I know what you want to ask. I just don't know the answer, yet." Both were silent a while longer before Dex sat up, took her hand again, and told her "Hey, you came to talk about happy things. Tell me about 'before.'"

For an hour and a half, Elise told the story of an amazingly typical All-American girl. Family, girlfriends, boyfriends, scholastic honors, music, sports, scholarships, the whole nine yards. At the beginning, her recounting was reserved, almost apologetic. As time went on, she became more and more animated. Sometimes, she took his hand in both of hers and bounced it up and down in excitement. That reminded him of Amy as a little girl. At other times, she had a faraway look and a contented expression. A few events evoked tears during her telling. Only a couple of times did she exhibit any bitterness.

It took no effort at all for Dex to listen to every word and examine every expression. Minute by minute, his whole mental image of Elise was being redrawn. The new version was almost hypnotic in the way she drew him in. Along with the strength, brilliance, caring, and determination he admired so much in the old image, he could now see & feel the imagination, the gaiety, the loyalty, and the joy of the new image. Had she really hidden this image from him, or had he just been blind?

Elise eventually fell silent, and Dex took a small chance. He put his hand under her chin and turned her face up toward his. "I am so glad to finally meet you, Elise Padilla!"

That was probably the perfect place for a tender embrace and a loving first kiss. That was definitely what Dex wanted, and he was pretty sure Elise did, too. He had promised to let her take the lead, however, and he would keep his promise. His hand on her face was already a new level of contact. For just an instant, she seemed to move her face toward his, but only lowered her eyes and blushed. Claiming the need for a bathroom visit, she was the one to break the moment.

It was some time past mid-morning when awareness very slowly returned to Eric. He had just established enough motor control to effect a small stretch, and was thrown into drowsy confusion when his leg encountered another body. That hastened his waking enough so he could first wonder why his mother was still home in bed, then clearly remember her floating out the door on Harv's arm earlier.

Morgan! Smell, aura, logical deduction: for whatever reason, Eric was absolutely certain she was beside him. Two things happened instantly upon recognition of his bed partner. A great feeling of warmth welled up in his heart. His mother had been his introduction to sex, and she would forever be exciting in a unique way. Morgan, however, was his introduction to open, uninhibited sexuality. Her healthy, luxuriantly padded body would forever pop first into his mind at the word sexy. There was more than sexuality to Morgan, however. The care and the respect she had shown him and his mother caused him to love her like few people he had known.

Along with the feeling of warmth welling up in Eric's heart, an even stronger welling up occurred at his groin. Just a week earlier, his erection would have been cause for shame and a little self-loathing. No longer. He pushed his crotch forward, pleased that his cock encountered what could only be Morgan's ass. Moving the rest of his body forward, he reached his upper arm over her, and carefully worked his hand around until it cradled her bare tit. Having learned the positive results of boldness from his mother, he wriggled himself into maximum contact along her length.

Eric realized with a little dismay that his shorts and shirt prevented the skin to skin contact that he really wanted. Unwilling to remove the hand from her tit, he contrived to unsnap his shorts and push them down with his underneath hand. That accomplished, he pushed his cock down so it pushed upward against her crack, almost coming from the thrill of that contact.

The extra motion from Eric's disrobing and repositioning was enough to rouse Morgan. In the middle of her stretch, she breathed out "Oh, Honey, I knew you'd be good.

Still stretching a little, Morgan sat up and reached for a condom, then turned and rolled Eric onto his back. "I'll put this one on, then we'll teach you, OK?" she told him, almost panting in anticipation as she tore open the packet.

Morgan had the condom over Eric's tip and was about to roll it down when she stopped and pulled it away. Grabbing his T-shirt, she pushed it up and worked it off over his head and arms. "I hope this isn't a favorite," she said as she wrapped the shirt around his cock and stroked vigorously. Her decision had been correct, as he soiled the shirt after twelve or fifteen strokes. Keeping the shirt around him with one hand, she leaned over his face. "I would have done it with my mouth, but I wanted to kiss you."

The searing kiss Morgan laid on Eric should have fried his circuits. Instead, he returned it kilowatt for kilowatt, and reached his hand to her pussy. Sensing her mood correctly, he skipped the teasing caresses and tentative probes. He grasped both her labia together and pulled on them while squeezing firmly. When she squealed through the kiss and pushed her crotch down onto his hand, he rolled a nipple with the other hand.

The dual stimulation had Morgan squirming around, emitting little squeals and moans. On impulse, she moved over his crotch and held his cock at her entrance, ready to impale herself.

"Morgan! Morgan! I love you like crazy, but I'm not quite ready to marry you, yet!"

"Oh, damn!" She scrabbled around impatiently, looking for the condom she had set down. Failing to find it in the first three seconds, she lunged over to the night stand for a different one. Her hands were shaking as she got it on him with more determination than technique. Technique was still not her concern as she got back in position over him and worked her way down.

It had now been a few minutes since Morgan had milked Eric, and the activities since, even putting on the condom, had worked his arousal to the verge of coming again. Fortunately for Morgan, his aggressive fondling of her, on top of three days of celibacy, had left her with a short journey to ecstasy, as well.

When Eric was barely sheathed enough to prevent falling out, Morgan started moving up and down rapidly. By the time she was all the way down on him, his mouth fell open in disbelief at how fast she was moving. His awe probably helped forestall his ejaculation for a while, but there was nothing stopping Morgan. In a short time, even for her, she clamped down hard on him, then shook vigorously. Just watching her would likely have taken him over, so erotic was the sight. Her internal movements around him made it for sure, and he jetted forcefully into the condom.

All of her energy had gone into that climax, and Morgan collapsed forward onto Eric's slight frame, stretching out to lay completely on top of him. After they panted in chorus for a little while, Eric began running his hands very lightly over the slopes of her ass cheeks.

"I think I said this once before, but you're just like Dex."

"I hope you still mean that in a good way," he responded. After a bit of silence, he asked "Is it going to be tough for you, always having to compare every guy to Dex?"

"Hmmm. He was my first, and maybe it wasn't good to start right out with the best. Could make for lots of disappointments, couldn't it?"

"Am I a disappointment?"

"Not in the least. Not in the least. Especially your recovery powers!" With that, she began wriggling against him with the clear intent of bringing him back to hardness.

"God, Morgan! You could give a corpse a hardon! Uh, let me get the condom off or we'll have a mess here." Giggling, she made him work to get unsheathed, refusing to stop or even ease off on her sexy writhing. The filled condom was no sooner off than she sat up and gave him a fresh one. Her stimulation had worked beautifully, and it was time for his first lesson. Her less than expert tutelage was not improved by her impatience to get him back inside her, but it did get it securely on. She just knew she was in for a good long fuck after his two ejaculations with her and the high probability of a couple the night before.

Morgan was in no way disappointed when Eric was finally ready to enter her again. She got on her hands and knees and he knew right away what she wanted. Once they were coupled, the vigor of his thrusts belied his slight build, and it was indeed a long ride. What surprised Morgan more than his vigor and endurance was his natural inventiveness. Instead of just stroking, he used all sorts of sideways and rotating motions to get the greatest possible sensation, stimulating her delightfully in the process.