Roomers Ch. 08

'Shit, Annie, don't you go mushy on me. You know it don't suit ya.'

'Mushy my ass, Doug Taylor. No shame in tellin' the truth.' She whipped her dress up round her waist and turned round, bent over the stair rail. No underwear, just her skinny little asscheeks framing her pussy. She spread her legs a little wider. 'Put your goddam cock where it belongs and stop fuckin' criticizing.' I did that, just to shut her up. Nearly fell down the fuckin' stairs before I'd finished though.

All my stuff was downstairs, and I was sleepin' upstairs, and getting ready was a dam' chore. I showered and shaved, climbed into the clothes, and then needed a dump. That meant undressing some to wash my ass afterwards. Wasn't sure what Candice might get up to, and dingleberries aren't so good on a first date. I was wandering round my apartment, sniffin' the paint smell and wonderin' when I could move back down when Candice appeared at the door.

'This OK?' I turned and checked. Jeez, she was an old man's wet dream. Simple cocktail dress, white, like everything she owned as far as I could tell, hair out of its rows and framing her face, gold winking at her neck and wrist, matching pale grey shoes and shawl. I was real glad I'd dressed carefully.

'Shit, girl, good enough to eat. You mind me sayin' that?' I thought I saw a trace of blush on her cheeks, then she smiled shyly.

'Ellen dropped some hints. I guess I'm glad you think so.' I looked at her more closely.

'You wearing makeup too?' She nodded.

'Holidays and special occasions. Are we going to walk or drive?' I looked outa the window.

'Weather's still excellent, and it's only eight blocks. Those shoes good for that far?' She cracked a proper grin.

'Women are born with the ability to walk in dumb-looking shoes. You can take my arm if we have to cross any potholes.'

'I'm gonna take your arm anyway, Candice. Bein' seen with you is gonna be so good for my rep, you wouldn't believe. The guys from the gym see me, they're gonna be shittin' blood.' She rolled her eyes to heaven.

'You are one foulmouthed, sweet-talking, weird, nice guy. Being seen with you is going to change my rep some, and I don't give a damn. Let's go.'

Nothin', I mean, fuckin' nothin' at all, is better than strolling down the sidewalk on a warm evening, looking forward to an elegant dinner, and then your first time with the most stunning girl in the state, who's currently on your arm. Candice glanced sideways at me as we waited for a light to change.

'You're really enjoying this, aren't you? I mean, taking it slow, trying to make everything right for me.'

'Us. There's two people involved here. Anyway, I gotta rep for bein' sophisticated, ya know?' That went down real well, and she nearly fell off her shoes laughin', then squeezed my arm and said somethin' foolish about sensitivity and self-deprecation. I was busy seein' if anybody was looking at me kinda jealous so I missed that, but I smiled appreciatively. Modest Doug. Amiable Doug. Safe Doug. Hornier than a fuckin' rhino Doug.

Tony fell over backwards when he saw her: ushered us into the booth, was all over her like a rash, makin' sure she was comfortable, finally gave us the menus and left looking regretful and envious. I smiled at Candice.

'See how you affect people? Guy could hardly control hisself.' She smiled a little sardonically and picked up the menu.

'Guys who control themselves are few and far between. Tell me what's good here.' I bit my tongue and sighed inwardly as I walked her through the menu, helped her choose, discovered she liked white wine, all the gentlemanly stuff. It's easy enough to do. Halfway into the bottle, and most of the starter gone, she was happier again.

'Ellen told me a little about you, Doug. She said you were at college here, and you somehow made enough money and started doing what you do, and that you're kind and lazy and don't seem to want very much, and you don't talk about yourself hardly at all.' Fuckin' girl talk. Sometimes I think it's a conspiracy.

'More or less right, Candice. What you see is what you get. The past is another fuckin' country.' Annie woulda been proud of me. She was polite enough to back off, and the wine carried on goin' down, and the evening carried on improving.

'You want brandy, or is that a step too far?' I asked her finally. She'd had three glasses of wine and had relaxed some and she looked real comfortable with the situation. I half-expected her to start fuckin' purring. I didn't want brandy. What I needed was a fuckin' tranquilizer. Eight blocks home doubled over my own goddam crotch was gonna ruin my rep for sure.

'I'm just right. Except for your friend drooling it's been perfect.'

'You saw Tony's wife you'd be more understanding. I told him I'd come in tomorrow to settle up, so can I walk y'all home now, Ms Lincoln?' And into bed and about fuckin' time too. She gathered her shawl round her shoulders and stood up.

'You're the only guy I've ever met who would think of using phony Southern charm on a black girl called Lincoln. It's like being in another world. Lead on, Rhett.' She looked pretty happy though, and when we were back on the sidewalk she slipped her hand into mine. I promised myself we'd stay strolling, not gallopin': no point in fallin' at the last fence.

I don't think Annie ever took my hand except once, and that was after her dad died, right before she left town. Turned out he'd been kinda sick for a while, was gettin' worse, some kinda blood problem, and when I found that out I was real pissed, her not sayin' anything to me about it. Hell, we'd settled into a real nice relationship, spent a coupla evenings a week together when ol' Ray was off travelin', laughed some, screwed a lot, felt kinda comfortable with each other; like an old-fashioned couple I guess, except no shoutin' matches and arguin' over whose turn it was to the dishes. When Ray was back I went scoutin' for fresh pussy, but when he was gone it was just Annie. Shit, I respected her plenty, so when she didn't say anythin' about her dad I was kinda sore. Made her acept the car for her own use so's she could take him up the hospital for his treatment twice a week and that pleased her some. I was plannin' on buying the truck so it wasn't no great sacrifice. Car had no trade-in value anyway.

He died in the end, of course, and she was kinda down for a while after that. Ol' Ray was around more than usual so I didn't see so much of her, and when I did it was like somethin' had changed. It was as if she was waitin' for me to say something, but she never said what it was, so I let it slide. I guess I thought she'd cheer up some in a coupla months, get back to normal.

Last time I saw her was a night in October, four months after the funeral. I was doin' not very much, reading and sippin' beer, when she arrived. Something different about her as she came in. I noticed that straight away. She was looking real tense, didn't want to be hugged.

'Shit, Annie, I was just thinkin' about you. You wanna beer?' She shook her head.

'Came to tell you somethin', Doug, see what you think.' I didn't have a clue what was happenin' in her head, but it was for sure important to her.

'Siddown and tell me, Annie.' So she did that, and started goin' on about how she'd been thinkin' since her dad died, and how she was thirty-eight and not getting' any younger, stuff like that. Minute she said her age I knew what was happening. When a woman over thirty tells you how old she is, it's because she can hear that fuckin' clock ticking and wants you to hear it too. Only clock I heard was a fuckin' alarm clock. She carried on for a bit, then looked at me real careful and did a weird thing: took both my hands and closed them round one of hers. Tiny little hands she had, and mine kinda hid hers completely.

'Reason I'm tellin' ya, Doug, I been talkin' to Ray some, and he said he wants for us to get married, move up to Idaho, some land he's got up there, raise a family maybe. So I told him I'd need to think 'bout that, and I been thinking some, and I thought I'd ask you, see what you thought.' Shit, I didn't want her to go to fuckin' Idaho with some dumb-ass hippy. Didn't want to say that straight out though: danger of bein' misunderstood.

'Jeez, Annie, what can I say? You gotta follow your heart, I guess. You love him?' Her hand twisted in mine.

'I guess I could. He loves me, has done for years, and I ain't made it easy for him, given him plenty of reasons to walk away, but he ain't done that. I guess I'd be followin' his heart mostly, and trustin' it. He's a good man, real patient. Not as smart as you, but not dumb either. He makes me feel kinda safe.' I didn't know what to say to that either, so I settled for a big sigh, like life was too complex for me. She sat quiet for a while, her hand still in mine, then pulled slightly. When I let her go her face changed a little, and she sighed too.

'Just checkin', Doug, and it's like I thought. I guess I'll follow Ray's heart and miss the hell outa you in private. I been crazy in like with ya a long time now, but I'm sure glad I didn't fall in love. You pissed at me?'

'Hell, Annie, I'm not pissed. I was kinda happy the way things were though.' She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, like she was my sister or somethin'.

'Remember you sayin' that when I was explaining stuff about Judy to you, but you never really understood.' She stood up, lookin' sorta miserable, disappointed mebbe. 'I told Ray I'd give him an answer tonight, so I guess I better do that.' Everything was happening so fuckin' fast.

'You gotta leave right now?' She was putting her coat on.

'If I don't leave now, then I never fuckin' will. That what you want?' When I didn't reply she nodded to herself, then managed a smile. 'Always said we were alike. We had a great time for a long time, Doug. I wouldn'ta missed it for anything.' She reached up and gave me one quick hug, face turned away so I couldn't kiss her, and was gone. I thought she mighta been cryin' as she went out the door but I never been sure. Next time I went past the shop, a few days later I guess, the shutters were down and there was a realtor's sign in the window. I can still remember how her hand felt when I let her pull it out of my grasp.

Candice's hand was warm and kinda damp, so after a coupla blocks, I put my arm round her shoulder instead. She let me pull her a little closer and then slipped hers round my waist.

'That's better. What were you thinking?' Best not to mention Annie.

'Hell, Candice, I guess I was wonderin' how you were feeling. I mean, you already said nervous and safe and excited, and I was tryin' to decide which one was on duty right now, but without askin' you. Then you interrupted me and now I'll never know.' Her hand left my shoulder and she tugged my hair gently.

'Excited mostly, like being with a new girlfriend, nervous a bit, hoping it's not a disaster, safe definitely, because I can't imagine you hurting me or anything. You want to know what I was thinking?'

'Not if it's gonna make me feel inadequate.' She bumped me with her hip.

'I was trying to imagine what we were gonna do, like my room or yours, cleaning teeth or not, lights on or off, stupid stuff like that.' She suddenly giggled. 'This afternoon I nearly called Ellen to ask her what you preferred.' Jesus Christ, why not write to Dear Abby as well?

'She'da been no help. I don't have a masterplan, Candice. You're smart and funny and drop dead beautiful and I've been eager to know ya better ever since the first time you stepped into my front room.' Always say the beautiful part after something else: goes down real well. 'I guess I was hopin' for a shared learnin' curve. This ends up as a one night stand, we're both gonna feel pretty fuckin' silly.' Her body pushed against mine a little harder.

'After I realized you'd actually read all those books you've got, and I found out you were Ellen's mysterious older man, I started havin' little fantasies about you. And that bad night kinda reinforced those feelings. ' I didn't hear the last bit too well.

'Mysterious older man? Ellen said that? She gets back, I'm gonna tax her some about that remark.' Candice giggled again.

'I was the one called you that. I knew she was seeing a guy as well as me, and I usedta tease her about it, but she never said anything.'

We were at the house and I opened the door for her. Hell, the first time is so fuckin' good. If you could bottle that feelin' and sell it you'd make Warren Buffet look like a bag lady. When I closed the door she turned and came into my arms. Her heart was goin' hard, and her hands were still damp, but she found my lips and we stood in the dark hallway a while, kissin' gently, explorin' properly for the first time. It got more intense and my hands were beginnin' to want to join in when she stepped back.

'I put clean sheets on my bed, and the bathroom's closer too. Do you mind?'

'Clean sheets on mine too, but I can't do nothin' about the bathroom. Race you upstairs, kid.'

Turned out she was the sorta girl who likes a touch of last minute groomin' and she disappeared into the bathroom pretty quick. I got no problem with clean, so I used the other one, sponged myself some, cleaned my teeth, went down to the kitchen and found a bottle of wine and a coupla peaches. I put them on a tray, wrapped a coupla condoms in a paper napkin, set it casually next to the glasses, and started back up the stairs. Romantic Doug. Thoughtful too.

When I got up to the third floor her door was half open and there was a glow of warm light spillin' out. She was in bed, leanin' on a coupla pillows, the sheet pushed down to her waist. I hooked the chair over with one foot and set the tray down. Her eyes flicked downwards. I was throwin' a chubby and the weight of her gaze was affecting it. Thank God for warm nights. She glanced up at me, smiled, fanned herself with her hand.

'Been a while since I saw one of those. Looks about right though. Is the wine for after?'

'Or before, or during. You wanna glass?' She shook her head.

'Come and lie down with me. I seen yours, so you can see mine.' She kicked the sheet back and held her arms out and I stepped over to the bed and let her pull me down into the luxury of warm girl. I fitted myself along the length of her and put my hand in the small of her back, pressing our bodies close together. She wrapped her arms round me and squeezed, her head in the angle between my shoulder and neck, her hair ticklin' my ear; my cock was trapped between us and she reached down to adjust it.

'How the hell do you manage with one of these? Seems to me they're always jumping about and getting in the way.'

'Jeez, Candice, how do you manage without one? I mean I can piss standing up and everything, put out forest fires, hang my washcloth on it in the shower, fiddle with it when I'm nervous...' She covered my mouth with her hand.

'I wish I hadn't asked. There's one other thing they do though.' I spoke through her hand.

'On the tray, wrapped in a napkin, real sophisticated.' Her hand was replaced by her lips and when she let me go she started laughin'.

'Under the pillow, still in the box, still with the price tag, real giveaway. I felt so weird buying them, and they're more expensive than I remember.'

'Never thought about that. Gay as a money-saving option. Great marketin' angle.' We started laughin' again and the laughter turned into more exploration and after a while it stopped and was replaced by our breathin' and the soft sound of flesh on flesh. She was everything I'd imagined and then some. Skin smooth as silk, hint of muscle definition as I drew my hand over her stomach, ass tight and high, clenching as she held herself against me. Her leg raised some and hooked over my calf and I got that first whiff of fresh pussy. Staggers me that every woman's scent can be so different. I cupped my hand over her mound and floated my tongue over her hard little nipples. Not puffy anymore: standin' up begging to be played with, the black areolas puckered and tight. Her hips moved under my hand and her legs slipped open a tad more. There was a kind of quiver in her voice when she spoke.

'That's nice, but, uh, it's been a while since... I mean, I've never been big down there and...' Shit, time out already. I left my hand where it was and spoke into her breasts.

'Candice, one of the great goddam unsolved mysteries of life is that a woman can say to a guy, "hey, you got a big one", and the guy is real pleased, but if the same guy says "hey, yours is a pretty good size too", he's almost certainly gonna be singin' soprano three seconds later. I was thinkin' of concentratin' on taste and texture mostly. I got a must-do list of stuff from Ellen before she left and I been tryin' to memorize it.' The good rich laughter sounded again.

'You concentrate on taste and texture as much as you like, and don't be telling me scare stories about Ellen.' Her legs relaxed again and I set about teasin' her nipples back up where they belonged. I could feel warmth and moisture under my hand and her pelvis lifted against my palm, silently agreein' to more, so I let my fingers wander down the length of her slit, nothin' crude, just testing the water so to speak, and she pulled my head against her breast, tryin' to fit the nipple into my mouth.

'Little bit harder.' Her voice was higher than before and as I nipped and worried the little bud of flesh with the tips of my teeth, a tiny spasm shook her. I felt her pussy opening for me, and at the same time she pushed my head down her body and splayed her knees wide. I tongue-walked down her stomach and licked a little round her navel before carryin' on and findin' a tidy little diamond of trimmed curls. Stopped and checked that out too, more for me than for her. I read somewhere that shrinks gotta word for it, "delayed gratification" they say, and it means just that. Like, you know you're gonna have somethin' excellent, so you don't mind steppin' up to it real easy, takin' your time. I always been big for delayed gratification so I worked my way round the edges of the diamond like a lazy fuckin' lawnmower. The bottom point rested right at the head of her slit, and it was an easy slide down to the smooth heat of her pussy.

Jeez, she looked so good, like a perfectly presented plate. The lighting was kinda dim, her choice, but the folds and curves of her pussy, deep pink and purple, framed by her dark thighs, glowed like a fuckin' sanctuary. Sorta picture you carry in your head a long time. I was glad as hell I'd shaved: scraping and scratching at that woulda been like spittin' in your own beer. I let my tongue move out and ease between her slender lips, hardly touching the little bump, and ran it as lightly as I could through the deepening groove. I dragged down the whole length of her, right to her dark little ring, and when I got back to her clit and circled it, she twisted some and made a little gaspin' noise and the ride began.

It was kinda complicated at first because I was facing the wrong way for the party trick, and I didn't want to use my hands direct, spoil the surprise, but I persevered and she cooperated, let me know what she liked, if I was doin' OK. After a while her hand snaked out and reached over to my cock and she started exploring that, her slender fingers dancin' over and under and round, takin' time out once in a while to squeeze and stroke. Pretty good technique for someone who didn't do much stuff like that, and I felt a little rush of affection for her bein' so willing to play fair. Time to give her the treat.

I moved away from her pussy and paid a little attention to her ass and the insides of her thighs, getting' some complaints but ignorin' those, and then headed north to her breasts again. Her teats were as rigid as wood by now and she reached down and hauled me up so we were face to face.