Revenge

Author's Note: This was the second story I posted on the site. I have received a lot of feedback (some praise, a few corrections, and no shortage of flak) about the story and the category in which I chose to post it. LW seemed appropriate to me at the time but several readers told me that the story is really about 'watching and being watched' and doesn't fit as well in LW. So I've done some editing, fixed a few errors (Laura's age at the reunion for one -- thank you Mr. or Ms. Anonymous), and changed the category. Here it is in E&V. If you read it in LW, the changes aren't significant enough to read it again........unless you didn't vote or comment the first time around and would like to do so now.

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It was February, it was snowing, and it was Saturday. Kevin Taylor saw no reason to venture very far from his recliner by the fire. He was just dozing off when footsteps on the porch announced the mailman's arrival. Moments later a bundle of mail slipped through the slot to plop softly on the polished hardwood floor. Kevin eyed the small pile, debating whether its contents might be worth the effort of getting up. Curiosity won out.

Retrieving the small stack of circulars and envelopes, Kevin sat on the hearth and began sorting through the collection. Junk mail went immediately into the fire. All but one of the remaining envelopes contained bills. The last item was a plain, white, legal-sized envelope with only a return address in the upper left-hand corner. No name. A computer label declared 'Kevin and Laura Taylor' to be the addressees. Only mildly curious, Kevin tore open the flap and extracted a single sheet of paper. He began to read. Before he could complete the first sentence, his heart was beating a little faster, his palms grew clammy and his fingers started to shake.

'Greetings to the Class of 1985!

Well, it's that time again folks. Can you believe it's been twenty-five years? Can you believe it's been five years since our last reunion?

Your committee has chosen Denver once again. I'm sure none of us will forget what a great time we all had at the last one. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I always say. The committee seems to agree, so once again we're headed for the Hilton Hotel and Convention Center in the Mile High City.

The back of this letter has all the details. Don't disappoint us. Get your deposits in on time.

See you in June gang!

Sincerely,

Ollie Regal

Kevin sat staring at the letter while he tried unsuccessfully to slow his pulse and control his breathing. The bills lay forgotten at his feet. Ollie was right. He'd never forget the last reunion. The events surrounding their twentieth were indelibly imprinted in his memory. Feeling a little shaky, Kevin's thoughts drifted back five years in time.

***

Their flight arrived on time at Denver International Airport, their luggage was among the first to reach the conveyor, their rental car was ready and their hotel check-in was effortless. Everything in their room worked properly. It was clean and they had a nice view of the Rockies. Kevin should have known something was going to go wrong before the weekend was over.

Laura was delighted to be there. She knew she looked good. She had been among the most beautiful during high school and she had aged well. She looked a lot more like she was in her twenties than her actual age of thirty-eight. Laura could hardly contain herself. She knew she would fare nicely during the comparisons that would inevitably be made later that night at the reception.

They had a couple of hours to kill. Kevin occupied himself with a book while Laura made her final selections of the night's apparel. Soon it was time to shower and dress. They shared the small bathroom with the practiced ease of two people who had been married for fifteen years. Laura calculated their departure time to arrive at the reception fashionably late.

As they prepared to leave the room, Kevin stopped to admire his wife. She was truly beautiful. Long curly auburn hair fell below her shoulders to frame classic features. She had chosen basic black in a mid-thigh sheath design that accentuated her stunning figure. A single diamond pendant sparkled in generous cleavage. A carefully cultured tan complimented her long, slim bare legs. Small diamond post earrings and very subtle makeup completed the picture.

"You look gorgeous. Every woman there will hate your guts."

"Well, thank you sir!" she said with a curtsy. "But don't you be checking out my competition too closely. You cut a pretty handsome figure of your own."

"You won't have any competition," he laughed.

Five minutes later they entered the reception room. It was already filled with more than a hundred people. They joined the crowd and spent the next two hours reestablishing contact with classmates they had not seen in years, some since graduation day.

Tuxedoed waiters roamed the gathering with trays of drinks. Kevin had eaten nothing since an anemic airline snack several hours earlier. Two scotches made their presence known faster than usual. Laura, a light drinker, was still nursing her first glass of white wine. Kevin excused himself and headed toward the hors d'oeuvres. Laura was lost in conversation with a group of women, all vaguely familiar to Kevin, but nameless. Grabbing a third scotch from a passing waiter, Kevin filled a plate with an assortment of finger food and stood surveying the crowd.

They all made him feel old. He could see Ollie across the room, bald as a cue ball and overweight by thirty pounds. Randy Arthur was already so drunk he could hardly stand, a mousy blond wearing a bored expression like a shield stood at his side. Kevin didn't remember her. Mike Nolan was engaged in conversation with a group of ex-jocks. He had a paunch and a receding hairline. Mike was okay so Kevin made a mental note to talk to him later. C.J. Gallagher stood out among the flabby jocks, louder and uglier than the others. Each time a half decent female passed within range, they all tried to stand taller and suck their guts in.

The women were generally worse off. None of them could hold a candle to Laura. Even Joanne Brackett was looking a little dumpy and she'd been a knockout in school. A couple of the guys had married championship Herefords somewhere along the line. Kevin decided there were only two or three women in the whole room who rated a second look. He glanced across the room at Laura who was now attracting a crowd. Mostly men. She caught his eye and grinned impishly. He grinned back and shook his head in mock exasperation. She deserved the attention and he knew he had nothing to fear.

"Hey Kevin!" came the cry from thirty feet away. It was Ollie Regal heading his way with a drink in each hand.

"Here, have a drink. You like scotch if I remember correctly."

"You're a good man Ollie. For the next half hour they caught up on old times and Ollie tried to sell Kevin an assortment of mutual funds. Kevin didn't mind. Ollie really was a good guy. If it weren't for him they probably would have no reunions at all. No one else would take the time.

"Holy shit!" Ollie said with sudden emphasis, gesturing over Kevin's shoulder with his drink. "Who is that?"

Kevin turned to see who had captured Ollie's attention so completely. Whoever she was, she was stunning. Kevin stared at her with open appreciation, trying to place her. She had entered the room alone and stood looking around with more poise and self- assurance than a movie actress. Kevin thought she looked vaguely familiar but he was certain they'd never met. He'd remember if they had.

She had light blond, slightly curly hair worn nearly to her waist. Large expressive eyes, a small straight nose and a wide, full-lipped mouth gave her a Northern European look. She was no sun worshipper because her skin was very pale and smooth. Perhaps five foot eight, tops, in her high heels. Her legs were magnificent, long and elegant. Her dress was a simple affair. Thin spaghetti straps held delicately printed floral material tightly against shapely breasts and a narrow waist to fall loosely from there to mid-thigh. Where Laura's dress was molded to her figure, this woman's dress swirled about her legs when she moved. Kevin decided she was a Swedish model who had wandered into the wrong reception.

He looked about the room and found that others had discovered her as well. Fifty heads were turned in her direction. She didn't seem to notice. An alert waiter hurried to her side with a tray of wine. She relieved him of a glass with a dazzling smile and walked right up to the group of jocks who stood drooling thirty feet away. Kevin watched her progress with interest and a touch of envy. Apparently she knew them. He decided to see how long it would take for one of them to pass out from trying to hold his stomach in.

They were a scream. She talked to each in turn. It was easy to tell who she was addressing. Mike stood there first, grinning like an idiot, holding eye contact. The others focused their attention exclusively on her breasts until their turn came. As soon as she shifted her attention to the next in line, Mike dropped his gaze to her cleavage. And so it went until she had greeted them all. Kevin still had no clue about her identity.

A nagging, spooky little feeling caused him to look around for Laura. She was still standing among a group of women across the room, but staring directly at him with a small frown on her face. She stuck her tongue out at him. He grinned back, knowing he had been caught looking.

Seconds later Laura was at his side.

"I thought you said I had no competition," she said with a mock pout.

"You don't, Sweetheart, but she's a lot better looking than anyone else in this room besides you. Who the hell is she, anyway?"

Laura laughed. "I didn't recognize her either. This is her first reunion. Carol James was the only one who knew who she was."

"Well?"

"You're not going to believe this."

"Probably not if you don't tell me."

"It's Veronica Henley."

"You're kidding! What'd she do, have plastic surgery?"

"Nope. Apparently, the basics were there all the time. You're looking at contact lenses, a few self-help books, a successful career, a personal trainer, nice clothes and last year's divorce from a wealthy doctor."

"You're kidding!"

"You just said that. You're as bad as the Chicago Bears over there."

"I am not."

"You are too. Whoops! There goes Mary Ann Wilding. I've got to go talk to her. Try to keep your hands off Veronica while I'm gone."

"I'll try," he said, grinning mischievously as he grabbed another scotch from a passing tray.

***

The party had been going for hours when Kevin, a little drunk, decided to get some air. He'd lost track of Laura some time ago. A large terrace off the reception room beckoned him.

The Rockies were bathed in moonlight. The night was clear and cool. It felt good to be outside. He'd had about enough of the reunion already. He still had to endure the golf match and dinner tomorrow night, and then they could head for home the next morning. He leaned against the railing and inhaled deeply. In a couple of minutes he'd go back in, find Laura and convince her it was time to go back to their room. Maybe he'd even get laid.

"Hello, Kevin."

"Shit!" he exclaimed, his heart racing as he turned quickly around, spilling part of his drink. "You just about gave me a stroke." It was Veronica. She giggled. She looked a little tipsy.

"I'm sorry. I thought you heard me. I didn't mean to startle you." She was standing a couple of feet away, hipshot, a drink in one hand and her high heels in the other.

She was taller than he remembered, even without the heels. Maybe five-five or five-six. Her posture had improved since high school. Along with everything else. She was every bit as beautiful up close as she appeared from across the room.

"Well hello, Veronica. It's been a long time. I didn't recognize you when you came in earlier this evening. You've changed." An understatement. "How have you been? What have you been doing all these years?" Typical reunion talk.

Suddenly he realized he'd lost sight of his intentions to find Laura and leave the party. He was intrigued by the metamorphosis undergone by this exquisite creature. Curiosity was getting the better of him.

She laughed. It sounded musical. "First of all, call me Ronnie, everyone does now. Second, few people recognize me anymore. I've only stayed in touch with one or two friends in the class and this is my first reunion. Carol James is the only one I know except for you and the stud patrol hanging around the entrance. Carol lives near me and we play tennis once or twice a month. I looked for Laura, but didn't see her. If she's still as gorgeous as she used to be?"

"She is."

"How sweet." She seemed sincere.

"So, Ronnie, tell me about yourself. The changes are striking."

"You mean from ugly duckling to swan in twenty short years?"

"Not at all. I just mean that almost everyone else at this thing is showing their age. You look like a million dollars."

"Why, thank you. But there's a secret to it."

"Clue me in."

"It's mainly money. Lots of it. And perhaps a little genetic kindness thrown in to begin with. Get me another drink and I'll tell you my life story."

Kevin hurried back inside for two more drinks. He caught a brief glimpse of Laura with another group of people at the far end of the room. She seemed happily engaged in conversation so he returned to the terrace without further thought.

"Mmmm, thanks," she murmured after taking a sip. "Where shall I begin?"

"At the start," Kevin suggested.

"Okay. Here goes."

Veronica talked for fifteen minutes or so. Her story was a good one and Kevin felt admiration for the way she had taken charge of her life. His mind wandered several times during her tale, not because it was boring, but because he kept noticing how beautiful she was. Erotic thoughts crept unbidden into his mind from time to time while she talked.

"And you know something else?" she asked. "I had the biggest crush on you when we were in school. I've thought of you often throughout the years. You were a nice fantasy for me at times."

Kevin was still sober enough to be surprised at her admission. He'd hardly known she existed in school. Before he could come up with an intelligent response, Veronica continued on.

"Want to know something else?" Once again, she pressed on without waiting for an answer.

"Wealth taught me to go after whatever I want because, most of the time, I get it. And do you know what I want right now? You," she said, again answering her own question.

Kevin nearly choked on his drink. She continued on.

"This may sound a little forward to you but I'd like you to fuck me. Right now. Tonight. I've thought about it off and on for years."

Kevin was stunned into momentary speechlessness. This can't be the same Veronica Henley, he thought. Coughing nervously, he tried to regain a little composure.

"We can't, for Christ sake," he croaked.

She was smiling sweetly up at him. "Of course we can. The party will go on for hours. We can sneak off for a while and no one will know. They're all drunker than we are."

"Ah, look Ronnie. I don't....."

"Don't think about it. Let's just go do it. I know you're attracted to me and I know you'd fuck me if you thought you could do it without getting caught."

She was right. He felt a little bit like a shit. But not much. She really was gorgeous. He felt his cock stir, and not for the first time in the past few minutes, either.

"Oh hell Ronnie! You're right. But it's too risky. You're beautiful, and I want you, but I love my wife."

"I'm not asking you to leave Laura and marry me, Kevin. I'm just asking you to fuck me. After this reunion you won't see me again until the next one. Maybe never. I live in Chicago. You live wherever. All I'm asking is for you to indulge a lady's fantasy."

Kevin was flattered. He was also growing erect. He was going to do it. He decided to fuck her if he could clear his head long enough to figure out how to do it without Laura catching him.

He reached for her. She pushed him away.

Not here!" she exclaimed with a giggle.

"Your room?"

"Oh, very bright," she said, laughing aloud this time. "The hotel put us all in the same wing. Somebody would see us for sure. I have a better idea. Let's have a little adventure."

"What do you mean?" He was virtually trembling with desire now.

"This is a convention hotel. There is an entire wing of small conference rooms down the hall a ways. I saw them when I came in. The lights are off down there. We can use one of the rooms. If we leave carefully and separately, no one will even know we're gone. If anyone looks for us, we'll be back before they get really suspicious. Plus, no one will connect us; we haven't been seen together by anyone."

"How do you want to do this?" he asked, his heart pounding.

"I'll leave first and go find a place. You mingle with the crowd inside, after you get rid of your erection," she said, giving him a playful squeeze. Kevin jumped, startled by her boldness. "Wait ten minutes and come find me. I'll leave the door ajar in whichever room I pick."

Without further conversation, she turned and strode purposefully into the reception room, still carrying her high heels.

Kevin waited five minutes to give his erection time to subside. By sheer force of will he got control of himself enough to rejoin the party.

His biggest concern was Laura. If she spotted him and intercepted him or expressed a desire to leave the party, he would have to stand Ronnie up. He wanted her badly, but not badly enough to do something stupid if Laura intervened in any way. He stepped inside and looked around as casually as he could. His face felt hot and his ears burned from the blood pounding in his head. Surely someone would notice.

Apparently no one did. The party was in full swing. He couldn't see Laura anywhere. Once she got wound up at a party, she could go for hours. He would like to know where she was for safety's sake but it wasn't an absolute necessity as long as she didn't spot him. The room was crowded. She could be anywhere. Nobody seemed to be paying him any mind. He decided to go for it.

Kevin adopted the most casual air he could, under the circumstances, and headed for the opposite entryway. Thirty seconds later he was in the hall. He glanced around quickly. No one was in view. He'd made it! As fast as possible, he crossed the hallway into the deserted wing.

Several doorways beckoned in the darkness. All had firmly closed doors. Kevin was nearing the end of the conference wing when he saw a doorway in deep shadow. He approached it with anticipation. It stood slightly open. He looked quickly around, saw no one, and stepped inside.

She had made a good choice. A long wooden conference table was positioned at the far end of the room. Veronica was sitting on the table at one end, her legs swinging slightly back and forth. She had found the lighting controls somewhere and had turned on one or two highly muted indirect lights. She was bathed in a very faint, very soft glow. She looked ethereal.

A media booth was just inside the doorway, its glass enclosure very dark. Two carpeted steps rose to the platform inside. The door to the booth was open. Kevin reached behind him and pushed the hall door shut, carefully using the knob to secure the door without a telltale click. The door had no lock. They'd have to chance it. It seemed safe enough. If they were reasonably quiet, no one would ever suspect their presence.

Kevin stuck his head inside the booth. It was empty. He crossed the room, stopping in front of Ronnie. Her legs looked pale and soft in the faint light. He stepped between her knees and took her into his arms. He kissed her. She returned the kiss with a passionate intensity that prompted an immediate erection. ***