The New CEO

The McIntosh twins playing with their dolls under the trees of Renwick Avenue watched the man on a red bicycle stop outside the former Johnstone home and look up at it for a while before dismounting.

The twins lost interest and resumed playing but their mom on the front porch sipping lemonade who's been supervising the three-year-olds, kept watching the guy with growing alarm. She saw him take a measuring tape from his backpack and measure the width of the gate and write the information into a pocket notebook and he then counted the steps in the two flights up to the entrance of the house and noted that.

Jennifer became alarmed and reached for her phone and poised, prepared to call the cops, believing this guy was up to no good. But then she relaxed because he was on his bike again and did a half circle and stopped right alongside the kids.

Jennifer stiffened, ready to jump and run down on the charge. But he remained on his bike.

She heard him quite clearly. "I don't play with dolls."

What a stupid thing to say to three-year-olds. Beside he'd frighten them into silence.

Then astonishingly the shy and quiet Rose said, "My doll's name is Susan."

The talkative know-all Megan said, "You should play with dolls. They are pretty and keep clean."

"Ugly dolls are good too aren't they?"

The guy was told Susan was ugly and Megan snapped, "No she's not."

"Turn them so I can see their faces and I'll decide if Susan is ugly."

Jennifer watched in disbelief as both girls scrambled to their feet and carried their dolls over to the guy, who sat with his arms folded.

"Which one of you twins is the boy?"

"We are girls silly."

"And your name is...?"

"Megan. Don't you know that?"

"No sorry. I must have forgotten."

"What is your name?"

"Fenton."

Megan said no one was called Fenton and he said, "I wish you could have told my mommy that Megan."

"My mommy's name is Jen and some people call her Jennifer."

"I bet she is pretty."

Megan laughed and said, "How did you know that?"

"You and your sister are pretty. That's how I knew."

"Do you kiss mommies?"

"Sometimes. Well I must go. I am going to live in that house over there."

"You can't. It has been sold."

"Yes Megan but I paid lots of money for it and now it's my house."

"You're lucky. Mommy would love to live in that house."

"Well go back on to the rug and play. I think both of your dolls are pretty."

As the guy went to cycle off he looked straight at Jennifer and waved.

She remained motionless; shocked that he'd noticed her. She had been sitting so still in the shade.

Jennifer thought he'd been excellent with the children, basically talking to them at that level and he'd not been nosey. She had to admit he'd been very nice, although who knows.

That evening Jennifer's husband Gary called Gayle the real estate salesperson who'd handled the sale; he'd been at college with her. Gary told his wife the guy's name was Fenton Wagstaff and he was the new chief executive of the city council. His wife left him for another guy and had since divorced him and won custody of their two children and now lived in France. He was thirty-eight and was keen on cycling and hiking and very keen on pretty women.

Jennifer asked, "That last bit about women; did Gayle really say that?"

"Yes and I said did he really say that and she said oh god, don't ask how she found out."

Jennifer giggled. "God he's just arrived in the city and already has seduced his real estate salesperson."

"Don't turn your back on him darling."

"Don't be so foul Gary. He'll know I'm married."

"That didn't stop him with Gayle. She's married."

"Well I'm off limits; tell him that Gary."

"Calm down Jen. Gee I haven't even met the guy. Anyway he probably asks first before lifting a babe's skirt."

"Gary, for god's sake, the children."

"What about them? They're in bed asleep. Calm down. He's the city's CEO and will know how to behave. Oh, or perhaps that's how he won the position?"

"Gary!"

Next morning as Gary was leaving for work an 18-wheeler carrying a big shipping container arrived and minutes later a woman arrived in a car and began organizing the four guys who began carrying the furniture into the house.

Ah, that's why the guy, er Fenton, had been measuring the width of the gateway and counting the steps to inform the relocation company. Jennifer worked out the clipboard the woman was holding contained a house plan and she was directing where each piece of furniture went. Each piece was well-wrapped and once it was inside it was unwrapped and the wrappings were bought back down and put into a huge canvas bag to be taken away.

During the lunch break the woman who introduced herself as Brittany spoke to the twins who were looking out the gate, wondering why were the men sitting down instead of working.

Jennifer learned Mr Wagstaff and his possessions had arrived from England. Brittany's husband worked as a senior engineer for the council and had been told there were seventy-two applications for the position Mr Wagstaff had won including the deputy CEO who had resigned and left in a huff.

"He's a real honey."

Jennifer said, "Who is, Mr Wagstaff?"

"Yes, he's thirty-eight, is big into fitness, has a charming manner, dresses immaculately and he can park his slippers under my bed anytime he likes."

"Then he hasn't seduced you yet?"

"Good heavens no, I'm married."

"Why don't you bring your lunch over here. I'm about to have lunch on the front porch with the twins."

"Oh yes, I'd like to do that. The twins are gorgeous. I want babies but never thought of having twins."

"Neither did I but the twins had different ideas."

Over lunch Jennifer learned that Mr Wagstaff had began with a military career and served behind enemy lines in the Middle East in a crack special services unit and between tours of duty the Army put him through university and he ended up with a degree in public administration and an MBA. His ex-wife was super-rich as well as being a super bitch and the divorce left him wealthy.

"So how did you learn so much about him if your role is only to supervise the moving in process?"

"I had lunch with him and afterwards we... oh god, what am I saying?" Brittany said, turning scarlet.

That conversation left Jennifer feeling a little more secure about Fenton Wagstaff. As an officer in the British Army he would have been trained to act like an officer and a gentlemen as well as to cut throats behind enemy lines when on reconnaissance. Also Brittany wasn't a bimbo who would fall to any guy who placed a hand on her butt. She obviously had fallen for the guy and he was no longer married so was free to play the field, although Jennifer would had been less critical had the two women who she knew had fallen to him had not been married. God it appeared no woman was safe with him around.

Jennifer watched Fenton arrive and open one of the two garages that opened off the street and were dug into the side of the hill on which his house was located. The house has lovely views over four rows of houses on her side of the street to the river and riverside parklands and the woodlands beyond that. There were cycle routes and hiking tracks through those woods within easy access from his house.

Fenton emerged from the garage and closing the door walked towards the entrance gate and steps and he waved to her. She waved back thinking he must assume she sat all day on her front porch.

Jennifer watched Mrs Smith go up the steps with what looked like an apple pie under the cloth and stand on the porch and chat to Fenton for a while. Two more neighbors arrived during the next fifteen minutes carrying 'welcome to the neighborhood' gifts and then that slut Veronica Alpin who'd twice attempted to have it off with Gary at dinners, arrived bearing cooking. Oh for heaven's sake; the slut was almost obscenely dressed in a bikini. While Fenton chatted to Veronica on the front deck he twice looked across at Jennifer and she was sure he was grinning.

When Jennifer and Gary's 7-year-old arrived home from school she sent Milly over to Mr Wagstaff with a bowl of fruit and a small pack of chocolates. Milly arrived back ten minutes later when Jennifer was preparing dinner and said he was nice.

"Bend down mommy."

Milly kissed her mom and said, "When I gave Mr Fenton the fruit he said thank you and said to give you a big kiss of thanks."

"Did he kiss you?"

"No I'm only a kid. He would only want to kiss babes."

"Milly!"

"What?"

"Please don't use the word babes for young women."

"You are young mom."

"Thank you darling."

As Milly went off to find the twins Jennifer realized if Milly thought her as being young then she thought of her as a babe. Oh god, that meant Milly thought her mom should be kissed by Mr Wagstaff. This was getting out of control. No, calm yourself Jen said thought. As Gary would say, "Calm down."

After checking with Gary she sent Milly over with a pen and piece of paper to ask Mr Wagstaff for his phone number. When Milly returned she called Fenton.

"Hi its Jennifer McIntosh. I'm..."

"The very attractive brunette who lives opposite, mother of Rose, Megan and Milly."

"Yes," Jennifer said, blood feeling as if it were rushing from behind her knees to her face. She sat down before she fell over. God he was so smooth and fancy remembering her children's names. "Um."

He gave her a moment before asking, "You were saying?"

"Oh we, that is my family, would like to invite you to Sunday lunch at 1:00."

"Love to."

"Love to what? Oh I know what you mean, you'd love to come to lunch."

"Yes that's what I meant. Thank you for the gorgeous fruit and chocolates."

"It was our pleasure and welcome to the neighborhood. We sometimes have adult dinner parties."

"You mean groupies?"

"No... oh god no. It means without children."

"Oh I hope I haven't distressed you with my weird sense of humor?"

"No I'm... um... understand humor."

"If you are interested in groping Mrs Alpin would be the likely one in this street. God what am I saying. That was confidential."

"Who is Mrs Alpin?"

"She visited you wearing something she thinks is a bikini but it appeared to me to be too small for a bikini."

He laughed and said she only introduced herself as Veronica. "She's not my type of woman."

Without thinking, Jennifer said oh, what was his type of woman.

He almost whispered, "I don't wish to embarrass you Jennifer."

"Oh... I have to go," she said and cut the call, almost panting.

She went into the TV room where Milly was sitting on Gary's knee.

"Is he coming?"

Coming? Oh no, why did Gary have to use that word? She recovered and said, "Yes he has accepted our invitation."

They had finished lunch on the front porch and were still drinking wine when Jennifer saw her sister arrive on her bike. Kenzi who was thirty-six with a thirty-six inch bust and was terrified of getting thirty-six inch hips, was in a gray two-piece outfit and bathed in sweat.

"Hi Jen and Gary, I came out of the woods near here after taking a wrong turn so thought I'd drop on over and see the kid sister and brood and of course her charmer of a husband."

Jennifer said, "It's my sister. I don't think she's spotted you Fenton."

"Sister? Fenton said, his eyes bulging.

"God my tits are soaked. Is it okay looking like this in front of the kids?"

Then Kenzi saw that stranger.

"Ohmigod, your have visitors."

"Just the one," Fenton said. "Come on up. There's some lightly chilled water here just waiting for you. Then you should join us for some wines."

Kenzi, apparently realizing she was up to her neck and unlikely to sink any farther, said, "Does wine load you with fat? I'm punishing myself like this to ensure I regulate my weight."

"You look okay to me," Fenton said. "I shall pour wine that goes straight through and out."

Jennifer and Gary looked at one another nervously while Kenzi snorted in laughter and said he was funny.

"So you like humor?"

"Yes and jokes including mildly foul ones if kids and uptight ladies are not about. "I'm Kenzi, Jen's older sister."

"Are you married?"

"God no."

"Oooh, I like you. I'm Fenton, unattached and have moved into the house directly across from here."

"You must be a big shot to afford that and I admire your mid-Atlantic accent. Are you English?"

"Yes, are you Jamaican?"

"What? Oh you admire my tan? It's fake tan I'm afraid. I'm a surgeon and don't get much time in the sun."

"A surgeon. Good god, what type?"

"Vasectomies."

Fenton appeared to lose color.

"That's a joke Fenton. She's a pediatric general surgeon."

And so the afternoon continued pleasantly as Fenton and Kenzi's banter gradually lost momentum and they began staring at one another while continuing to converse with their hosts.

When Kenzi rose to leave Fenton said authoritatively, "It's cooling down and you're lightly dressed Kenzi. I'll drive you home."

"Oh don't put yourself out on my account."

"Fenton is being a gentleman Kenzi," said her sister. "Please reciprocate as a lady."

* * *

Kenzi (real name McKenzie) Swanson was aware her biological clock was running out. She wanted at least one baby but she was so busy, so committed and anyway the men she mingled with were either in relationships or were jerks or had no intention to commit and no way would she have a baby without it knowing its father, if only briefly.

Actually she found living alone rather therapeutic with no one telling her what to do or she telling someone what to do. She worked anything from a 6-hour to 14-hour four days a week with Fridays spent sorting out problems, attending to administration and consultations. With luck she had three out of four weekends free, the fourth weekend she'd be at the hospital on call.

She'd wondered about having breast reduction but her consultant told her it would be a crime because as a surgeon she'd know surgery was a form of disfigurement. Being wide-shouldered and robust, her perfect bust size was the one she had.

God consultants fed you bullshit she muttered, walking away from the consulting rooms but relieved she would not be going under the knife. She still worried about gaining a spreading ass though and decided to intensify exercise as the best way to try to control that. The sight of surgeons involved in liposuction with the carefree attitude of butchers was almost enough to make her vomit. She also was very aware that surgeons did not make great surgical patients.

Kenzi had been riding through the woods. She'd put on the pace to built up sweat and missed her usual turn and found herself crossing a walkway and cycle bridge over the river. Realizing she was near Jen's home she decided to call in. Although it might be too late for lunch she would be offered refreshments and it would be good to see them all.

Kenzi decided on the saucy approach. She could have put on her thin jacket in her backpack but she wanted to shock her brother-in-law by the sight of her sweat-wet breasts in her tight top and repeated around her groin. Gary was conservative, being a specialist in family law as Jen had been before pregnancy. But he was even more uptight than Jen but she knew Gary had difficulty looking away from her breasts.

So she performed and only then realized they had this guy with them and probably other people but it turned out it was only this one guy there. That was a relief but it was still embarrassing and as she got close she almost lost it thinking why wasn't this hunk locked up in a tower with her for a month? He was perfect specimen material. It's easy to exaggerated when you get horny.

The guy didn't look much older than her. Kenzi told herself she could easily allow him to devour her or whatever the term was. She was a little rusty about sex. It had been well over a month since a penis had released her into climax. And now she was heading home in his SUV, her bike on the bike rack at the rear and he was telling her he rode bike trails and was enthusiastic about hiking.

"God how had she found this guy? Miracles were supposed to appear only as hallucinations.

They sat in the vehicle outside the block where she had a ground floor apartment.

"Would you like to come in?"

"I'm not sure. We've only just met."

Kenzi asked herself what kind of response was that?

"Tomorrow is Saturday and I have the weekend off work," she said. "Would you like to go for a hike and have lunch in the wilds? I'm er only trying to be friendly."

"That's a wonderful suggestion," he beamed.

Oh, have we tapped enthusiasm?

But then he appalled her by suggestion he call for her at 6:00. She felt like saying that was far too late for a walk to lunch but she knew he meant morning time. She slept in Saturday and Sunday mornings unless she was on call. She faked delight in saying yes and he went off without kissing her but at least kept glancing at her breasts and she caught him licking his lips after she'd gotten out of the vehicle and turned to face him. So he liked ass as well as tits? Good man.

She smiled in satisfaction.

He grinned and said she looked happy and that was surprising because she was at the end of her working week and had been on an intense ass-tightening bike ride.

Ass-tightening? Oooh she liked that and almost drooled as she said the final goodbye.

* * *

Kenzi was up just after 5:00, her normal time of turning out of bed on an operating day. But this day she was excited.

She'd been out to her favorite deli the previous evening to buy items for their lunch. She thought Bendon... Oh heck, she thought that wasn't his name. Anyway he'd probably throw a bottle of wine along with water into his backpack.

She wrapped lunch items separately and as well made two packs for a mid-morning refreshment break and then, all ready, sat drumming her fingers wondering if he'd remember to come. She saw the dark blue SUV stopped outside and raced for the door, skidded to a halt to return to the kitchen to get the food and panicked because she couldn't find her backpack and hiking shoes. They were at the front door ready for her.

"Oh you are a calm and precise and cleverly incisive surgeon are you?" she muttered scathingly. By the time she'd bumbled about he was at the apartment door, tapping lightly. She opened the door and kissed him.

The guy Bendon or whatever he was called took a step backwards, either in surprise or terror. Take your pick she thought.

"Wow, what a greeting," he smiled. "May I have another one? I was ill-prepared for the first."

They kissed chastely and he said very nice.

He eyed the food she was holding out for his backpack.

"Oh I was intending to stop to buy food before we entered the woods."

"It's all here. I went shopping last evening."

"Oh splendid. I have packed wine and water."

"Aren't we well-rehearsed and we're strangers," she laughed. He didn't reply but just looked at her carefully and Kenzi thought that was even better than a reply.

As they set off she said craftily, "How did you get your name."

"What Fenton? It's a name my mother came across when reading in late stages of her pregnancy with me, her first born. Prior to that she was thinking Moses or Gareth.

"Oh god, those two names make Fenton sound almost attractive."

He grinned; she blushed and said sorry.

"It's okay. Kenzi is about as ridiculous."

She seethed but still managed a smile.

Fenton, Fenton, Fenton, she thought, to commit his name to memory. No way did she want him plowing her out in the woods and not knowing his name.

They were back outside her apartment just before 4:00. She was losing confidence. What was wrong with her? God she had tried so hard to get him to touch her, even to the point of loosing her footing when they were practically standing still so he would catch her and grasp her to his chest. But all he did was to catch her and hold her at arm's length. Perhaps he was gay? No he'd been married... ah but divorced because he found he was gay?