Renée Is a Little Too Tough

Jesus.

Well obviously dinner hadn't started.

He came across Rex who looked upset.

"Hi pal, women trouble?" Phil said flippantly.

Rex glared at him and then, as seeing some evidence of concern, sniffed, "Yeah Diane is out of her tree, accusing me of tailing her mother and yelling how could I."

"Did you?"

Rex let fly with a couple of obscenities and said, "Don't you start."

"Sorry."

"Yeah right. How are you getting on with sexy Renée?"

"She and I are incompatible. She's all power and no substance."

Rex sighed and said Phil might have been the first to ever express such heavy criticism of the flamboyant younger daughter. He said the weekend had the makings of a disaster.

Phil said, "Should we leave?"

Rex considered that and then shook his head and said he'd put so much work into Diane it could harm the relationship even more if he walked now after their little tiff.

Phil thought fucking your fiancée's mother would rate much higher than little tiff in the scale of relationship issues but wisely kept that thought to himself. Most issues could be resolved.

"If you wish to leave take the car. Diane is going up to London on Sunday evening and so I can go with her. She'll want dick and so will crawl to me and we ought to be able to patch the cracks in our relationship."

Phil thought that was a useful thing about a dick he'd never considered. He decided he would say he'd stay.

"I suggest you go," Rex said. "Renée's acting aggressively, probably is having a period, and Diane is away verbally gouging her mother so Sarah will also become bitchy and anyway the unbalanced mix of this lot this weekend is almost as bad as it gets."

"Right give me the keys and I'll disappear. Phone me when you arrive home and I'll bring the car to you. I'll write to the Countess, making my apology."

Within ten minutes Phil was driving off, ending a messy start to his weekend and with Rex's final words ringing in his ears, 'Harm that car in any manner and you're dead."

Nice guy Rex.

* * *

Phil drove west for an hour to Epsom, deciding to stay with his parents at their weekend home. They had delayed dinner to wait for his sister Jill, who was also visiting for the night

His mom Glenys was excited to see him because she hadn't seen Phil for five weeks. She retrieved all the dinners and made adjustments, adding meat and vegetables that hadn't been served, and lo she produced enough to satisfy everyone except his father Harry, who sighed when he got his dinner returned and said it would have been appreciated had Phil arrived after dinner or at least on time for dinner.

"Harry," snapped his wife while his daughter sighed and said, "Stop bitching dad."

Harry grinned and chewing a mouthful of meat off a chop went off to open a bottle of red, pleased that Phil had arrived and he now had someone to share red wine with. The women only drank white.

"Where have you been darling?" asked his mum.

"Um to a cocktail party at Maidstone."

"Oh that's a long way to go to just a cocktail party. Anyone we know?"

"I don't think so... Baroness Ruxley."

"Oh god," said his mom and even his father looked a little impressed.

"I hear she's one tough bitch," said his sister, a senior nurse at a public hospital.

"No actually Sarah seems very okay," Phil said, picking up the bone of a chop to gnaw."

"You call her Sarah?" Jill choked. "She's one of the wealthiest women in the entire British Isles."

"Yeah but no big deal. She knew I was there to look over her youngest daughter."

"Who Renée, she's a big socialite and a ball buster of men."

"What's a ball buster Jill?"

Jill and the two men looked at one another and they grinned.

"She's reputedly sexually overly active mum but my interest in her is she's reputedly a superb sportswoman who is only interested in a guy if he can out-perform her."

"What in bed?"

"Jill!" rebuked her mother.

It was the most interesting dinner Phil had attended in at least six months. He'd really enjoyed stringing his family along. They all appeared to have had a great time as well.

Phil was reading in bed when his sister came in wearing a short nightdress. She stretched and said she couldn't get to sleep. He pulled back the covers and she jumped in. Jill pulled an arm out of her nightdress and without being asked Phil put down his book and began rubbing the exposed boob. They watched the nipple stiffen.

His older sister said, "Have you got a condom."

Phil sighed. "I've told you it's no and always will be no."

"Then can I jerk you?"

"Um, well yes. I could do with a release."

"And I can swallow?"

"I suppose so."

* * *

At the country house in Kent, Sarah came up to Rex and asked him to fetch his friend because she was waiting to start dinner.

"Oh sorry, he's returned home. Um not feeling well. I forgot to apologize on his behalf."

Renée was passing and heard that and came back to them. "He was okay when I was with him for a few moments."

Rex snorted, "It was probably you who upset him. He's not used to overly aggressive women and being treated like a piece of meat as you did."

"Renée you go too far at times," said the Countess. "He appeared to be a very nice young man."

"Yeah and was a top athlete at university."

"Who Phil?" Renée asked in surprise.

Rex grinned and said, "Yeah, a bit of a surprise package yes what?"

"I'll say," Renée said thoughtfully. "What does he do?"

"He's an accountant and his principle clientele are people in the entertainment industry and restaurateurs."

Sarah said then it sounded like he was with a major firm.

"Yes he's with Ashford, Bainbridge, Mell & Peek."

"Oh Edward Bainbridge looks after a number of my trusts," Sarah said.

Rex said, "Then you might know Phil's father, a senior partner in that firm?"

"Oh Harry Ashford, yes I do. We were in the same class in our first year at university and I often see incorrigible Harry socially."

"An accountant who is lively enough to rate as incorrigible, well that's unusual," Renée said.

"And the son likewise," Rex said. "He survived three exclusion threats at university."

"Are we talking about the same Phil Ashford?" Renée said, mystified.

"Yes because you probably went at him like a slut whereas Phil's slut days are behind him. Do you know of any other guy who would walk away from you when he'd in sight of pussy?"

"Shut up, how dare you Rex."

"No Renée, you shut up and listen to what Rex and I have to say to you. It won't take a minute and by god this is long overdue."

CHAPTER 3

Mrs Weeks, the senior receptionist, came with the card to Phil's office instead of sending a junior with it.

He glanced at it and smiled.

"Tell her I'm in a meeting and will be free in an hour Eileen."

"Very well," the receptionist said, aware that no meeting was in place. "You are aware she is the youngest daughter of Baroness Ruxley?"

"Very aware Eileen and she has to learn that she needs to make an appointment for a professional consultation."

"Oh yes, splendid Phil. Even if she doesn't come back the lesson will have been delivered. I like it."

An hour later Eileen returned and announced, "The Hon Renée Holloway sir."

"Oh hi Renée," Phil said standing up. Do you wish to be kissed?"

"No thank you."

"Please yourself. Take a chair," he said, sitting. "Would you like coffee?"

"Yes, flat white."

"Thanks Eileen. Two flat whites, no alcohol added."

"Yes sir," Eileen smiled. It was only 10:15.

When Eileen left Renée said, "I'm really mad at you."

"Join the club. I don't know why you bothered to show up here. You must be aware by now we appear totally incompatible."

"That's just your view. You have no idea what I'm like or how I want to be."

"Renée you are almost thirty. Don't you think you are already are what you are?"

"That doesn't make sense."

"You said or how you wanted to be. That uncertainty belongs to one's childhood stage of development"

"Oh."

Arriving with the coffee and feeling the tension in the air Eileen said, "Excuse me, I have the coffee."

"Come in Mrs Weeks," Phil said. "We are having a lover's quarrel although we're not that far in our relationship yet."

Renée looked to be almost bursting her boiler.

"You are fortunate to know Mr Ashford Miss Holloway. We think he's the nicest man in our entire office."

"Thank you Mrs Weeks. Renée is probably more interested in severing our tenuous relationship rather than consolidating it."

"You have no idea of my intentions," Renée flared.

"Well my advice is talk it through young people. Always talk yourself out before taking acute action. Well good luck. I'll close the door."

Renée smiled when Eileen had closed the door. "Did you put her up to that?"

"No but she's a mother of three teenagers and I know she mothers me."

Renée smiled again. "Well at least someone likes you."

"And even Mrs Weeks will like you. You must realize I've only seen you at your probable worst."

"Well yes. And I'm here to apologize unreservedly. Rex told me what you possibly thought of me. I was appalled. I'm bored with those repetitive weekends with people who are mother's friends in the main, not mine, and then to top it all off along with the pressure to perform I found you were being thrown at me."

"Yeah will I suspect the poor don't have these problems related to affluence."

"Wrong our mother doesn't give my sister or I any money. The money we have is what we earn. I'm a quantity surveyor. Mother stopped our allowances when we both turned twenty, saying our childhood had ended."

"But you still imbibe in her affluence at weekends."

"That's true. You have an interesting way of putting things. Rex says you are a complex character but have mellowed somewhat now that you no longer have to perform for your university set."

"Actually that's probably quite right; they were a damn demanding lot with high expectations."

"Like my mother and her clutch of friends have of me?"

"Well yes, probably. Yes I do see the similarity. So you are here to say you are repositioning to act more of your natural self in the hope that I might see you are a better person?"

Renée blinked and looked quite startled. "Jesus."

"Well you being here so unexpectedly and considering what you've just confessed, that conclusion appeared rather logical, don't you think?"

"Yes I agree."

"Well Renée please come around here, sit on me knee and give me a sweet kiss. You might like to return at 1:00 and we'll go to lunch and talk about dating."

"And sex?" she said, sliding on to Phil's knee.

"Is there some other purpose for dates?"

She laughed and stretched from the hips to kiss him sweetly.

After watching Renée's sweet ass go through his doorway, and her hand hanging below her hip and waving backwards to him, as if she knew where his focus would be, Phil returned to working on accounts and then Rex called.

"Hi Rex, I guess you have thoroughly inspected your vehicle?"

"Actually yes and found no marks and no stains and no condoms on the rear seat. Thanks."

"My pleasure. And has Diane called you this morning?"

Rex, sounding surprised, said yes she had.

"I thought she would. She would have half forgiven you on Saturday night when you were fucking her instead of her mother, and her mother probably told her some home truths. Then after you'd dropped her at her flat she would have though so this is what it would be without him, and so total forgiveness seeped through her and she thought oh my golly, Rex really is a great chap."

Rex snorted and said she'd called to ask she was missing a pair of panties, did he have them.

"And she made no lovey-dovey overtures?"

Rex offered no response.

"Oh I see. Well what do you want?"

"Well she did grease up to me actually. You were quite right. I'm calling to ask do you want to go to the High Note Jazz Club on Saturday night. Diane doesn't like jazz."

"Christ Rex, you're treating her as if you were already married. Give Diane the attention she probably craves for and go out with her Saturday night. If you wish call me tomorrow if you two have settled on something interesting and I'll ask Renée if we should go out with you two."

"Renée? Man you've blown your chances of ever getting your head between her thighs."

"Just call me when you two decide on an activity. Bye."

"No wait...."

The call was cut.

* * *

Rex met Diane at a bar at 6:00, kissed her to display he really meant it and she responded by jamming her tongue almost to the uvula at the back of his throat.

"Wow."

She grinned.

They ordered and Rex said he'd had second thoughts about going to the jazz club on Saturday night.

"Couldn't you get anyone to go with you?"

He smiled reassuringly and said actually he thought he'd much rather do something with her. "What do you wish to do?"

"Go somewhere to dine and dance if we can get in."

"Oh excellent. Should I ask Phil if he and Renée would like to accompany us?" Rex asked, hoping that might prompt something about the relationship between those two.

"Who?"

"Phil."

"No I meant Phil and who?"

"Your sister Renée."

"God she was as mad as a cut cat Saturday night when she found Phil had walked out on her. I'm sure she was thinking of castration and I'm damn sure if she sees him again she'll attack him."

"Well I happened to mention to Phil you and I might be doing something interesting this Saturday night and he said he'd ask Renée because they could be interested in joining us."

"You idiot, he was teasing you. Hell will freeze over before those two have a chance of getting together again."

"He sounded..."

"I don't care how he sounded. He was pulling your tit. But invite him if you wish, I won't mind a threesome... er at the restaurant."

Rex's phone went. He smiled and said, "Hey pal, I'll pass you across to Diane. I'm on my way to have a pee."

"It's Phil about Saturday night," Rex said and handed the phone across and went around to the other side of Diane to listen at her phone ear.

"Hi Diane, getting plenty of sex?"

"I have capacity for more. Are you offering?"

"Er Diane, I was only offering a friendly greeting. I don't foul a pal's nest."

"Well then you shouldn't make such disgusting remarks to a lady."

"I'm sorry Diane. I overstepped the mark."

"Well what's the message for Phil?"

"Tell him Renée and I will join you two guys Saturday night if the offer is still on."

"Who?"

"Renée you sister and I."

"Is this some kind of joke? I heard her shouting on Saturday night when told you had gone that she'd have your balls for a necklace if she ever caught up with you again."

Rex was patting Diane's shoulder, encouraging her.

"Oh that? That's water under the bridge. We've had a reconciliation, that's all I should say."

"Are you fucking my sister?"

Rex whacked Diane's shoulder and held up his thumb in glee.

"Please pass on my message to Rex."

"Okay but you haven't answered my question."

"It's not a question one answers Di. Would you expect me to tell Rex if I fucked you? There are just some things best left unsaid. Is that part of your social education missing? Bye Di."

"That asshole, telling me off like that," Diane fumed. "And calling me Di. Who the hell does he think he is?"

"Phil Ashford."

"You are skating on very thin ice Rex. You've fucked my mother, what about Renée?"

"Hell no, do you think I'm insane? I only went to your mother because she insisted and I thought your mother would really think I was suitable for you once she'd tried me out. As I've already explained I also considered she'd think more fondly of me and that could be to the advantage to you and me."

"Well if I ever find out you have been at Renée and have been at my mother again you will be the one who'll be castrated."

"Yes dear and never fear. I not place myself in that position of peril."

"Renée never backs down once she's rowed with someone."

"Christ Diane, that's it. Don't you see? They both blew off steam but they didn't come face to face to really rip into each other."

"Omigod, you're probably right. Call somewhere now to book. Start with the Abacus Bar."

On Thursday night Renée arrived at Phil's apartment for dinner with his two flatmates, one a university lecturer and the other the IT manager of a law firm. She was dressed in light blue jeans and a fluffy yellow top and looked front cover magazine material.

George answered the door and said politely, "Good evening Miss Holloway. Please come in. Phil is busy in the kitchen because he's on dinner tonight. He'll be through in a minute."

"Pizza?"

"With Phil, I don't think so. He's a wiz in the kitchen."

"Are we talking about Phil Ashford?"

"Yes."

"Oh sorry."

"It's okay, come and meet James and I'll get you a drink. It's wine, beer or brandy lime and soda. We tend not to overstock.

"The BLS thanks."

They had just begun their drinks when Phil walked in with a beer.

"Hi darling," he said, and kissed Renée who rose to the occasion and replied, "Hi darling, nice aromas are coming from the kitchen."

"It was unusual for Renée to call any guy darling and the first time they'd used that word to each other, and this was their first time they had socialized since meeting for the first time the previous Friday evening.

Phil stayed for a couple of minutes and took three swigs of beer.

"Where did you too first meet," James asked.

"In a bar," Renée said.

"In a brothel."

James looked at them and said, "Well which one was it?"

Phil said a bar and Renée said a brothel. She then sighed and said, "The truth is he arrived at my parents' country home last Friday with a friend. We spoke but this is the first time we'd socialized as a duo."

"Phil."

"That's the truth. Please take Renée to the table James and you come and fetch two plates of our starter please George. It's Thai stir-fried noodles with chicken."

That course was served with sparkling water and was simply delicious.

Phil said the next course was only minutes away. James clear and bring in the plates for our main please. George fetch that carafe of light Spanish red off the sideboard and place it on the table with those heavy tumblers please.

James arrived with the plates and set them out and placed a wooden plate stand in the center of the table and then returned with torn lettuce leaves drizzled with olive oil.

"Ole!" shouted Phil, arriving with the large shallow pan in which he'd cooked the paella.

"Oh paella, one of my very favorites," cried Renée as George handed her the large dished serving spoon.

They ate slowly and the conversation was animated as they talked about their experiences in Spain, all of them having been there.

A chocolate cake, made by Phil, was served with coffee.

James and George agreed with Renée it was a lovely meal and the two flatmates cleared and went into the kitchen to do the dishes, leaving Phil and Renée alone for the first time. Phil turned all the lights off apart from one wall light. Renée sank into his arms on the sofa and they went into a long kiss. She gently guided his hand down between her thighs and he said, "What if they come in to say goodnight instead of going out the other way?"

"Will it matter? It's now fairly dimly lit over here and anyway they both would have seen pussies before tonight."

He laughed and said, "You really have got it together, haven't you?"

"Yes for a quantity surveyor I'm very flamboyant, if that's what you mean?"

"I meant you are pretty fearless for a female but what you said about you job is interesting. I'd always thought the surveyors I'd met were pretty conservative people, um rather like civil engineers I suppose. But as they say it takes all types and of course you can change your persona to suit the circumstances."