A Replacement Partner

"Isn't it a bit early to be coming on to me Lauren?"

She laughed and said he'd be lucky and then appeared embarrassed when she found him looking at her intently.

He relinked with her arm and took her into the kitchen where the three catering staff called hi Freddie as if he were a celebrity.

"This floor is a masterpiece, stripped back to the timber and then lightly stained and treated to resist the damage of high-traffic, spills and dropped pots and pans, cleaning chemicals and flooding. I ripped out the poor quality plywood walls and relined and painted and got tight-ass Richard to treat his wife to new benches and kitchen appliances. I think when he finally said yes they banged all weekend but that's only a guess because they didn't emerge all weekend. Are you able to bang all weekend Lauren?"

"I could call that comment offensive and ungentlemanly?"

"Yes and on the other hand you know I took the risk."

"Well I'm not answering so call that a draw."

Freddie said softly, "You're an okay gal Lauren."

She looked away embarrassed.

They continued on.

"Lucille accepted my advice to leave the hallway untouched and save money because it's not particularly well-lit and it's in reasonable shape. That left the two bathrooms and laundry because the three bedrooms were okay and all had been re-wallpapered fairly recently judging by the paper designs."

"That dark hole of laundry is a design abomination? Why on earth would you want to touch that?"

"Well the name of the game was home improvement and like you Lucille doubted that anything could be done with it apart from knocking out a whole wall and installing a sliding door."

"So that's what you did?"

"No it would only provide another door to check that it was locked before leaving the house."

"Ah you upgraded the lighting?"

"Yes among other things."

The second bathroom serving visitors and the two guest bedrooms just looked brighter, according to Lauren

"We just painted white over the yellow walls in this room. It hadn't been used much by the excellent condition it was in and visitors do have a toilet to use beside the family room and kitchen."

"The effect achieved just from a coat of paint is quite astonishing."

"Um three sprays actually Lauren and using masking tape to protect the bath, wash basin, and top and I later painted the vanity base the same color as the walls, and masking the toilet, shaving cabinet and built in wall mirror and floor tiles edging took three hours."

"And now for the laundry. Lucille almost had sex with me when I handed her the sketches of what we should do with the laundry."

"An exaggeration I'm sure."

Freddie stood aside and waved Lauren in.

"Omigod," Lauren said, voice rising. "I bet she was almost willing to gratify you to that extent."

The big old washing machine and over-sized dryer beside it had gone and a modern and much smaller washing machine was placed on the opposite wall and a matching dryer mounted above it. And airing cabinet had been custom-built to fit in the gap between those machines and the laundry tub that had been shifted across from the other side and after the channel across the concrete floor had been refilled the retiling of the entire floor had been completed.

On the wall where the machines and tub had been was now occupied by a slanting back tier of shelves now filled with pot plants apart from a waist-high potting table with a storage cupboard beneath it. The roof gable above the washing machine and tub that faced the sun (when it was sunny) had been cut open and neatly lined below the two slightly tinted newly installed windows with an electric operated blind to control sunlight reaching the pot plants.

"It was an expensive conversion but Lucille is in here a lot now and just loves this space."

"I bet she does. This is just so imaginative Freddie. And I love it."

They walked to the bedroom en suite, this time Lauren linking her arm into Freddie's.

He said, "New tapware and toilet seat, re-grouting of floor tiles and three of the walls repainted vivid white."

"God it looks like a new bathroom. Omigod," Lauren said, walking all the way in and seeing the wall over the bath had been painted purple and over that was expertly rendered was the image of a curvy, long-legged female painted in shades of white with no coloring for the eyes and nose, but the lips were red and the nipples were pink and there was a touch of pink just inside her vulva. The woman's knees were bent slightly and she had one hand on a hip and the right hand was pointing right at something.

"Omigod, that's a quality painting."

"I agree, one of Lucille's friends she went to art school with and who specializes in murals came did it. Lucille was the model."

"I suspected that and was wondering whether to ask you."

He said, "Richard is so taken with it but only their close friends get to see it."

Freddie asked, "What are you thinking."

"I'm thinking I must talk Lucille into getting a leading home and garden magazine to do a feature on the renovations to her home. What do you think of that?"

"It wouldn't bother me providing I'm left out of it. I don't want readers bothering me to be involved in their home renovations."

"What if I asked if you would work on upgrading my home?"

"Well start dating me and that would be a fait accompli."

Lauren smiled and said she already had a couple of men she dated periodically.

"You will find plenty of talented people to assist you, people who have been trained in home redesign and renovation."

She asked, frowning, "Is that your last word on that?"

"Yes. You just need to make a sensible decision."

"But why make it a condition that I must start dating you?"

"You won't like the answer."

"Try me."

"Because I have this feeling I'd like to fuck you."

Lauren snorted. "God you don't mind saying what you think."

"Well at least you now know how desirable I think you are."

Lauren checked that no one was approach them. "Just between you and me, have you had sex with Lucille?"

"No but we came close a couple of times. I think she wants me to date someone and that's why she practically pushed you and me together when you arrived this evening. But that's only a suspicion."

"So she sees you and me and being compatible?"

"That's a logical assumption. I've sorted her mind out about difficulties she and Richard appeared to be having and this could be her way of repaying me. She knows you are personable, a good conversationalist and thinks you probably like sex."

"So she has spoken to you about this?"

"No, as I indicated this is all conjecture but to me it seems logical."

"Can I think about this?"

"Yes of course and talk to Lucille about me if you wish but don't mention this conversation I've had with you or me taking my relationship with her to the brink. She's too young for me and she's only been married to Richard three years and they are still sorting themselves out following the ending of initial euphoria. I don't wish to harm that relationship. Oh she bedazzled me from the beginning when I knew immediately she was perhaps the loveliest women I've ever met."

"The more I talk to you the more I like you Freddie."

"Thanks but don't get too carried away. During the next day or two think about the arrangement I've proposed. Don't rush it and dwell on possible disadvantages. Come on, let's join the party."

Later as Freddie was leaving after saying goodnight to Lauren who'd kissed him lightly, he went looking for Lucille and found her near the front door.

"Are you going early?" she pouted.

"Yeah."

"Wait while I grab some hot chicken pieces for you. Supper is about to be served."

Lucille returned with a paper shopping bag.

"Here's a bottle of wine and a range of food. Eat and drink and talk to Charlie," she smiled and kissed him.

He saw the kiss coming and thought well the renovation work was over and so were the days of her being sexy with him. But as she kissed she suddenly slammed her groin into him.

Jesus anyone around him could have seen that.

"Good night darling," she said softly.

"Have a great night and great drunken sex," he said. "It's a great opportunity to get Richard revved up like he would have been during the honeymoon."

She giggled and he could see she wanted to touch him.

Freddie walked to his house lightly, feeling years younger than his age. God she was so naturally sexy.

* * *

Lauren drove home from the house-warming party feeling in a mess emotionally. She wasn't drunk because she had to drive home and consumed only three wines in 3½ hours and had snacked before having supper. Well Mr Romeo had not pressed her to drink in an attempt to get her out of her panties and that was a big tick for him.

The truth was he was so damn interesting. She couldn't be critical about Lucille apparently wanting to have sex with him. She'd had dinner a couple of times with Richard and Lucille, the first time at Richard's insistence that she should meet Lucille and they wished to treat her to a good dining out experience to thank her for showing Richard the house they now loved so much. The second time Lauren had invited them to her home for dinner to reciprocate and they'd related so well that she and Lucille had met a couple of times on Sunday mornings at the mall and now Lucille was apparently attempting to stitch her up with Freddie although had not said a word about that intention.

Two evenings after the party, Lucille called and within half a minute after saying hi had asked, "What did you think of Freddie?"

"Are you attempting to stitch us up?"

"Why would you think that?"

Lauren had thought that was phrased as an evasive comment and said because Lucille had introduced them and then left Freddie and here to it.

Of course Lucille explained there were incoming guests to greet.

Lauren, used to dealing with evasive sellers and prospective buyers, waited patiently for further response from Lucille.

"Well okay, yes I believe he'd make a great social contact for you."

"Define social contract."

"Oh god Lauren, don't make me spell it out."

They laughed and Lauren said no harm done and she regarded it as an act of friendship.

"He wants to date me."

"Well?"

"Um he's so full-on."

"You can date but say no to groping."

They laughed.

Lauren said, "I asked would he be my consultant about upgrading the interior of my house. God the work done on your home is amazing. When you said the party was a combined house-warming and redecoration party I arrived expecting to find a bit of new paint had been splashed around. What you guys have achieved left me speechless. The laundry especially is an upgrade masterpiece."

"I know and expected it would awesome, so much so that when he showed me the sketches of his conversion ideas I almost... well I almost humped him."

"Oh god."

They giggled.

Lucille said, "I was so impressed that I had a specialist photographer come in to take 'before' photos. He has since taken 'after photographs' and I have sent them to a magazine that I believe will be interested in purchasing publishing rights. I must discuss this proposal with Freddie because he master-minded it."

Lauren said she liked the sound of that.

"So you really think Freddie is an okay guy?"

"He is, absolutely Lauren. For an older guy he's so lively and so positive and interesting. God he's even counseled me when I mentioned Richard's and my relationship appeared to be sagging a bit and I must say his suggestions are working. I think some of our growing indifference had been due to me taking Richard too much for granted and vice-versa. It sounds a simple thing to remedy but nothing I'd tried had worked before consulting with Freddie, although I'd not intended to do that. What I'm saying is Freddie is a bit of a surprise package."

CHAPTER 3

Lauren called Freddie 'the surprise package' the evening of that day she'd discussed him with Lucille.

"Hi it's Lauren. How are you Freddie?"

"Fine thanks. Nice to hear your voice."

"Thanks, um I've decided I'd like to date you."

"Look Lauren, I've since thought that was an unreasonable demand. I'll come and look at your house and hear your suggestions about the upgrade and will then work on some proposals. There is no need to date."

"Oh but I'd like you to date me. Freddie you must understand when you are a 51-year old divorcee, men are not exactly hanging off trees waiting to be plucked like ripe fruit."

"Gee I like that forlorn exemplification. Does your offer extend to possible sexual connection?"

"It might."

"Hold it right there, I'm on the way over."

Lauren laughed and said she'd suggest they start with just a movie.

"And that would be my suggestion as well. I was just teasing you."

"I guessed that and accept that's how you are. It's also my understanding that neither of us is so old we've lost our interest in sexual relationships."

"Damn right Lauren. What about a movie tomorrow night?"

"Yes that would suit nicely.

During the screening of a wispy romantic comedy, Freddie reached for Lauren's hand resting on her thigh. She welcomed his grip with a slight squeeze and didn't pull away after that. Aware they weren't young gropers, Freddie didn't attempt foreplay, knowing there was no rush.

As they hit the sidewalk after the movie, Lauren said, "God it's a long time since anyone held my hand in a movie."

"And I enjoyed the experience," Freddie smiled. "Should we eat somewhere?"

"Well I am hungry."

"What about Thai?"

"Oooh yes please."

As they said opposite each other at a narrow table, knees just touching, and sipping a Central Otago Riesling wine, Freddie came straight out with it.

"Have you remained sexually active?"

"Yes and you?"

"Yes but I don't get enough of it?"

Lauren smiled and said she was glad they'd breached that subject.

"I have a couple of guys on hand," she said. "Unfortunately both are married."

Freddie said he had no problem with that. He'd had to cast his promiscuous net wide.

"Behaving not unlike a scavenging seagull in fact but I've never paid for it and, touch wood, and have never had unpleasant experiences. There are numerous women out there who are willing to have casual sex but it's damn difficult finding them and numerous risks are involved."

"Exactly and that's why I've considered myself lucky to have establishment my two cozy arrangements."

After dinner they kissed and went home separately, having arrived independently. That had suited Freddie because he wished to get to know Lauren better before he visited her home and perhaps she'd anticipated that. They had arranged to meet at a restaurant for lunch on Sunday and Freddie surprised her when he said he'd book. Laura had acted as if she were used to men not doing any of the leg work.

At the restaurant on Sunday, Freddie watched Laura approach. She was tall with a well-defined body for her age and today she had her auburn hair up high and her make-up looked light and she wore a sundress and was showing cleavage although her breasts appeared rather small. Well she wasn't fat, was she?

Dressed in white jeans and a black polo he stood and smiled as she arrived at the table and she almost pressed in firmly when they kissed, perhaps giving him a hint she'd decided to announce her decision about establishing a relationship.

She announced it when they were parting, pushing in hard against him as they kissed once more.

"Yes I'm prepared to commence a sexual relationship with you," she smiled.

He grinned and said well he should come and appraise her house.

"I need to see it in mid-afternoon. Should we do that next Sunday or perhaps this Wednesday?"

"Let's try for this Wednesday," she said. "I'll plan to work only a half-day. Will you bring pajamas?"

"I sleep nude and would hope you do too."

"Well I often do in summer," she smiled

Freddie pressed the front door button just after 2:00 on Wednesday and heard the deep melodic ring of a bell within the house.

The door opened and the pink-cheeked Laura greeted him, wearing a dressing gown.

As she closed the door behind him she said, "Would you like sex first?"

"Yes and are you a woman who likes to fuck?"

"Yes," she said simply and hooked her arm into his and hurried him to the main bedroom.

They kissed, their first kiss with passion, Freddie having slipped a hand between the flaps of her dressing down and rested it on her warm belly and she pressed against his hand and half a minute later pushed his hand down.

Freddie inserted a finger into her wetness and withdrew it and held it just short of her mouth.

Staring at him, Lauren opened her mouth into a big 'O' and sucked that finger slowly and noisily. That simple action revved them up.

Freddie pulled apart the ties of her gown and he sunk to his knees and Lauren groaned and spread her legs and pushed a hand against his head, sending his probing tongue deep ino her slit. He didn't comment about her being neatly trimmed and neither did she comment later when she moved in to fondle his hairless dick and balls. And then when she rolled over him, back-on, and began jamming his length up her pussy and crying. 'I want this, I want this', Freddie became convinced they really were compatible.

THE END