Little Ms. Marker

Li looked impishly at me from under her lashes. "Why not share it, darling?"

Mixed showering is much more fun than showering alone. Despite this, we went downstairs promptly at 8:45, holding hands. Waters raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing, merely encouraging us to eat quickly before bundling us into the Mercedes luxury sedan I keep as a town car, yet another souvenir of my prowess at the card table. It's really a small limousine and comes with all the bells and whistles, from a GPS system to an electric privacy screen that can be raised and lowered to a small refrigerator in the rear. Pretentious, but luxurious.

Part way through the showing of the designer's line for Li's and my benefit, my sat phone buzzed. With an apologetic wave to the designer, I stepped into the hallway outside the second floor showroom to take the call. The first fruits of my plan had ripened. Making the necessary arrangements took only a couple of minutes. I rejoined Li.

Like most men, I regard clothes-shopping as a necessary evil. However, watching Li try on the ready-to-wear clothes of this fashion maven was a delight. Two hours later, Waters was hard-pressed to cram all of our purchases into the trunk; and that didn't count the custom-tailored dresses that would follow in a few days. I did not consider my time to have been wasted.

Over the next few days, Li and I spent a few hours each day shopping for her. She never played me as a sugar daddy and asked for my opinions, though she did not always agree with me. She demonstrated bargaining skills that would have made an Arab rug merchant envious when circumstances and wares permitted. Though she might be estranged from her father, it was clear he had taught her the rules of negotiating and that she had been an attentive pupil. The shopping sprees didn't cost as much as I'd been prepared to spend.

I couldn't neglect business completely and did not try to. In addition to the usual trading and searching for opportunities, more fruits from my little scheme was falling into my hands. Bonded messengers stopped by the house two or three times a day, dropping off and picking up packages and letters. This went on for two weeks. I could tell Waters was more than a little curious to know what I was doing, but I kept my own counsel and told neither him nor Li what I was about. Finally, both of them put their feet down.

I had just dispatched the latest messenger and locked the envelope he had delivered into the study safe when Li and Waters marched in. Without saying a word, Li took me by the hand and sat me down where I had confronted Burry St. Edmonds.

"John, my darling," said Li firmly, "I do not know what you are doing with all this coming and going, but I do know it is tiring you. Waters has been telling me about the house upstate. We think you should go away for a few days, and leave your business behind. The break will do you good."

I looked at Waters. "Both of you, then?"

"Yes, sir," he said. "Miss Li is right. Whatever this project is, it will keep for a few days. And you may have forgotten, sir, that your Uncle John will be coming to dinner a week from Thursday."

"You're right; I did forget," I admitted. "He'll give me hell in a handbasket if I look like I've been doing too much chair parade. I presume our bags are packed, Waters?"

"Yours and Miss Li's are, sir. With your permission, I should like to remain here this time. I've the monthly accounts to go over, and Miss Janson and I have show tickets that are hard to obtain."

Miss Janson was the au pair of a family who lived in the condominium apartment complex halfway up the next block. She and Waters had been carrying on a liaison for more than a year now. Apparently she liked older men. I looked at him with an ironic smile.

"And three's a crowd in any case, right? I daresay we can manage without you for a few days. I'll call and let you know when we'll be starting back. Please bring the car around."

You have to know when to hold ‘em and when to fold. In this case, Li had the winning hand. Half an hour later, we were headed to the Hudson Valley.

The next four days were bliss. Waters had phoned ahead and activated a procedure he'd put in place years before. A local employment agency sent down a housekeeper to take care of the mansion, which mostly meant dusting and cleaning up after the estate manager brought the house up from standby mode. I left it in mothballs for about half the year. Li insisted on doing the cooking. Fortunately I'm fond of Chinese cuisine, and anybody can broil a steak. And a good thing, too; I needed my strength.

My China doll, demure and submissive though she appeared, had a high sex drive. She was ready for me to have her any time, any way, anywhere. She would play any role I wanted her to play, from an innocent girl to a sultry seductress. I preferred her in the latter role. Where most women exhaust, she renewed me. She could always get a rise out of my cock. Li was not an insatiable nymphomaniac, for she almost always climaxed with me or for me. The contented smile she wore when asleep in my arms was more confirmation of my ability to satisfy my wench than most women could make with a speech of a thousand words.

She took care of me in other ways. We took to bathing together even if we did not end up having sex in the bathroom, as we often did. She shaved me and massaged me. She also persuaded me to work out in the manor's ancient gym. The house had come fully furnished when I'd bought the estate at auction, and one of the rooms adjoining the indoor swimming pool was set up as a gymnasium circa 1920. Nothing fancy, just free weights, parallel bars, rowing machines and a contraption called a mechanical horse. Usually when I came to the manor I was too busy with social obligations or business to bother much with that wing of the house. It was here, though, that an unusual session of lovemaking with my mistress occurred.

I was working out with the free weights one afternoon, doing snatches and clean-&-jerks, when Li swayed into the room. She had clearly been rummaging in the Costume Room, a third floor room under the eaves that had been converted from storage into a cedar-lined walk-in closet by a previous owner who had been seriously into costume parties. There were racks and racks of theatrical costumes, trunks full of accessories, and old dressers filled with paste jewelry The clothes came in all sizes, men's and women's alike She was wearing a female pirate's outfit of sheer white thin linen flowing shirt, the ends tied under her breasts to leave her midriff bare, loose black cotton pants bloused into black thigh-high boots with their tops turned down, and a red sash at her waist. I nodded hello, but didn't interrupt my routine.

She came over to me as I completed a snatch, holding my own weight over my head, drew a feather out of the sash and began to tickle me under the ribs where she knew I was frightfully ticklish. I jumped and almost dropped the bar.

"Li, stop that!" I snapped.

She laughed like silver bells tinkling and tickled me again. I lowered the weights to chest height and glared at her as she continued to tease me with the feather.

"Do that once more, and I'll spank you until your ass is red," I warned.

"Big talk," she purred. "You wouldn't dare, I bet." She danced to one side as she reached out with the feather and went after my tickle spots a third time.

The barbell hit the floor with a clang as I threw it clear. I spun around and caught her by the wrist, pulling her in and twisting her arm behind her back. She cried out in surprise as I pushed her across to the weight bench, sat down, pulled her across my knees and yanked her pantaloons down, baring the globes of her ass to the breeze. She writhed around and tried to break free. This ended up with my holding both her wrists in my left hand and with my right leg trapping both of hers between it and the bench.

"I warned you. You asked for this, and now you're going to get it!" I told her. She squirmed, but I noticed the look in her eyes was neither fear nor anger; but anticipation. I brought my right hand down hard onto her buttocks.

SMACK! My hand left its imprint in red on her ass. Li cried out, but I paid no heed as I spanked her, hitting at random but with the goal of doing as I'd promised and turning those lovely cheeks beet red. Li's cried turned to whimpers and then to moans as the spanking went on. My cock was ramrod straight and hard as the steel bar I'd been lifting. I felt wetness on my leg and reached under her to feel her pussy as she ground into my thigh. Her slit gaped wide and wet, her clit standing out. She was getting off on this!

I let go of her hands and lifted my leg off hers. Instantly she turned to me, kicking off the boots and pants and tearing the blouse open to expose her lovely breasts, a flush on her chest and her nipples sticking straight out, begging for my touch.

"Oh, John, fuck me! Take me hard! I want it rough!" she panted. She pulled my hand to her tits and moaned as I pinched her nipples and she locked her mouth to mine, her tongue questing for my tonsils. She broke the kiss and led me to the mechanical horse, lying down on its neck with her ass on the saddle and her feet backward in the stirrups, her thigh spreading wide to expose her pussy in all its moist pink glory. It was the work of a moment to shed my shorts. I climbed aboard, mounting her with one long, firm stroke. She sighed happily and switched the horse on.

It took a few moments to get the hang of riding Li while also riding the mechanical horse, but once I found the rhythm, the effort needed was much less than fucking on a bed. She rose under me, taking my cock all the way in with every rise of the horse. I balanced myself at the canter and thrust forward with my pelvis as the horse moved up, just as I did on horseback. Li braced herself, accepting me into her pussy, moaning with pleasure as we moved with the machine.

"Oh yes… oh yes… go… go… more! More! I'm close! Fuck me, my stud! Aiaahhh!"

I felt her cunt spasm under me as she climaxed, the flush fading from her chest. I was nowhere near cumming, though, and after the trouble she had gone to in getting me into the saddle as it were, I was not about to stop until I filled her womb up with my cock-cream. I didn't dare let go of the ‘neck' of the machine lest I lose my balance, fall and possibly break something important; but I could still use my head.

Awkwardly, I leaned down and latched onto a nipple. Li cried out in surprise but I ignored her, biting down and pulling on it, gently grinding my teeth to stimulate her. I felt her pelvis slam up into mine as she began her quest for another orgasm.

"Oh, you bastard!" she whimpered. "Hurt me so good! Make me your whore! Hurt me! Make me cum on your beautiful cock! Fuck me hard, my love!"

I let go of her nipple. I took the other in my mouth, sucking as hard as I could, while at the same time I increased the speed of the machine. Li cried out.

"Oh yes! Like that! Force me! Harder! Hurt me! Make me cum! Yes! Yes! Yes!" She rippled her pussy muscles as I slammed into her, trying to drill through her cunt all the way up into her belly. I could feel my own climax building, accumulating in my balls with a pressure that would not be contained for long. Li's boobs were reddened again, partly from arousal and partly in response to my abusing her nips with teeth and tongue. I spoke around the nipple I was teasing between my teeth.

"Are you close, baby?"

"Yes," she gasped, "I'm ready. Let go, darling! Let me feel your cum spray my quim! Please! Let me have your spunk!"

Unable to hold back any longer, my cock shot its load deep into her. It felt like a volcanic eruption, hot magma blowing out of my prick and splashing the walls of her quivering cunt as Li climaxed with me, her squeal of joy mixing with my groan of release as our juices mingled in the cauldron of her pussy. She slowed the horse to a stop as we slipped down the far side of the sexual curve, our passion, for the moment, spent. Carefully, we disentangled ourselves and gingerly stood up beside out mechanical marital aid. She came into my arms and huddled at my chest as I stroked her back and buttocks before, without any urging from me, she went to her knees and began to clean the cum cocktail off my cock. When she was done, she continued to kneel and looked up at me.

"I am your mistress, John. I have never known such pleasure as we have together. I want to stay with you, always."

I lifted her to her feet and kissed her, tasting our juices on her lips. "You will tell me if you ever want to go, won't you, Li?"

She sighed and lifted my hand to her breast, rubbing the hard nubbin that tipped it into my palm. "My love, you will be a long time waiting for me to ask." Leaving our clothes where they had fallen, Li and I walked, arms around each other, to the bedroom where our bed awaited.

That night I called Waters and told him we would return to the city the next day. When we arrived, as usual Waters was waiting at the front door.

"Welcome home, sir," he said, his usual salutation after I'd been away without him. He took the bags I'd removed from the trunk and continued, "If you will come with me, sir and miss?" and started up the stairs.

Now this was not typical of Waters. I looked at Li; she gave a little shrug to say that she didn't have a clue either. Holding hands, we followed Waters upstairs.

He did not stop at the Rose Room as I had expected. Instead, he continued down the hall to my suite, opened the door and carried the bags through the sitting room on into the bedroom. He set the suitcases on the bed and opened them as we looked at a door in the wall next to the walk-in closet that had not been there when we went upstate.

"Waters, where did this door come from?" I asked.

"Manhattan Architectural Salvage, sir," said Waters, deliberately misunderstanding the question as he removed the laundry bag from my suitcase. I gave him a look as I pushed the door open and Li and I walked through.

The door led into what had been a guest room with its own bath next to my bedroom. It had been transformed into a lady's boudoir, feminine yet elegant in the Art Deco style. An open doorway marked the bathroom, all chrome, Carrera marble and onyx accents. On the wall the two baths shared was a door that obviously led into my bathroom. We opened it and reentered my suite via the bath. Before I could say anything, Waters spoke.

"I took the liberty of remodeling the master suite to its earlier configuration, sir, when it became clear that Miss Li was not just a passing fancy but rather a permanent fixture in your life."

"And what brought you to this conclusion?" I asked.

"When she is with you, you are happy, sir. When you are with her, she is radiant. When the two of you are at home, the house is warmer. You work well together. It is a remarkable thing to see." Changing the subject, Waters went on, " Miss Li, you will find your things in the walk-in closet and the bureau. If you will give me a list of what cosmetics you may need, I will purchase them when next I do the shopping."

It took Li a moment to realize that Waters was deferring to her as if she were the mistress of the house, in the same way he deferred to me. "I'll have it for you in the morning, Waters."

"Thank you, miss," he said. To me he added, "Luncheon will be served in half an hour, sir." With a courteous nod of his head, Waters retreated, closing the door as he departed. Li and I stared after him, then looked at each other. Waters had just put into words what we had been feeling for some time. At last I said, "Well, my love, I suppose we should wash off the travel dirt before lunch."

Li stepped close and put her arms around me. I held her and kissed her gently. She looked into my eyes and said, "Do you know, John, this is the first time you've ever said you love me?"

I shrugged. "Only the first time I've said it out loud, darling," I said. "I've been skirting around it in my head since the first night we slept together. It took Waters stating the obvious to free me of my fear of telling you." I kissed her again and released her. Running a finger down my arm, she swayed away to freshen up.

As he served lunch Waters reminded me, "Tomorrow night is your dinner with your Uncle John, sir. Cook plans to serve roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, if that meets with your approval. Will there be four for dinner?"

"I'm sure of it," I said. "Thank you for reminding me. I'll just confirm with him today."

At seven o'clock the next evening, the doorbell rang and Waters ushered Uncle John and his companion, Angela Wilkinson, into the parlor where Li and I stood waiting. His silver hair complementing the silver rims of his glasses, the Savile Row suit adding dignity to his distinguished bearing, he looked perfectly at ease. The Paris original looked good on the willowy blonde of indeterminate age. Angela was a worthy consort to him and had shared his house and his bed for several years. Ms. Wilkinson was a partner in a modeling agency; but unlike the outfit with which Li had been involved in Tokyo this one was legitimate. She traveled a lot in the course of her work and was frequently linked in the tabloids to this actor or that producer, but always came back to her Silver Fox. I'd learned long ago never to believe the gossip rags, knowing Uncle John would not keep a perfidious woman in his life.

Both Uncle John and his lady-friend gave Li a careful once-over after introductions were performed. I had deliberately told Uncle John little more than the fact that I'd acquired a girlfriend because I wanted to observe his and Angela's initial reactions. His people sense was acute, and Angela's sharper still thanks to her involvement with the fashion and PR worlds. Though she did her best to conceal it, I could tell Li was nervous.

Uncle John was the first to speak.

"So you're the girl who's managed to sink a hook into Johnny-boy!" he rumbled, a grin of pleasure splitting his craggy face. "Many have tried, but you're the first to succeed. Congratulations!"

Angela laughed. "See her blush, John! I think you've actually embarrassed the girl. And you might be wrong; it could be the other way around, but either way she's happy about it."

"As am I," I replied, rising to Li's defense.

"Indeed?" said Uncle John. He looked at Li and asked her a question in Chinese. She looked startled, but bowed to him and replied. Her blush deepened but the corners of her lips turned upward. She visibly relaxed.

From the doorway came a discreet cough. "Dinner is served, sir," said Waters.

Uncle John immediately turned gallant and offered Li his arm. "If you'll permit me, m'dear?" Li bowed again and smiled, taking his arm and leaving me to escort the lovely Angela to the dinner table.

Conversation was intermittent over the meal as we paid respectful attention to the roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and fresh vegetables. My uncle monopolized Li's attention by continuing to speak to her in Chinese, leaving me to entertain his significant other. When at length we had finished dessert and were on our second cups of coffee, Uncle John broke protocol by rising first.

"Angela, dear, would you be good enough to retire to the parlor with Li, please? The two of you can talk girl-talk while we menfolk have our cigars and port in John's study."

She cocked an eyebrow at this politely worded order, but obediently pushed back her chair and rose to her feet. Li looked a question at me and I nodded slightly. She also rose and looked at Waters."

"Waters, would you bring fresh cups and the coffee service to the parlor, please?"

"At once, miss," he replied. The ladies left the room and we followed them down the corridor to my study.