Annie: Settling Down

"My routine was Mom," she told me. "She always had something around when I wanted to eat. Guess I gotta decide what I want to do on that one."

"Yeah, I guess you do," I smiled. "Please keep me informed." She gave me a sort of Gee, that's cute look.

"So what do you want to get done today?" she asked, looking around at the apartment.

"Rearrange the living room so I can bring the big desk out of your bedroom," I told her. "Get a rudimentary office set up for me. Put the small desk that's currently by the sofa into your bedroom for a study space. Get the stuff I already have packed up off of your bed and out to the living room. I need to figure out if I'm going to need a tall bookshelf. If yes, I've got to go see what the secondhand stores have."

"That's pretty straightforward," she commented. "Let me know when you're ready for me to start slaving away."

* * * * *

Annie was incredibly helpful in getting things rearranged. And helping with the secondhand store run. Six foot tall bookcases don't fit well in a '96 Camaro, even if it is a drop-top. But between us, we got one purchased and back to the apartment. I'd packed up most of my books to get them out of the second bedroom and now had to unpack them onto the bookcase.

Annie decided to do dinner, and after rummaging through my stuff, decided to do spaghetti. She had it ready by the time I was done with the books.

"I don't have class for a couple of weeks, but you've got work tomorrow," she commented as we ate. "Is there anything you want me to do while you're at work?"

"I'm not as behind right now as I tend to get by the end of the week. But if you're up for doing chores like the dishes and laundry and like that, life will get a lot better for me. For us, actually. I don't start class until you do, so I tend to sleep in."

"Works for me!" she smiled. "Can I text Jill and Abby and Becca and let them know I'm here? I wasn't going to say anything to them until I got your okay."

"They already know you're here," I told her. "Jill texted me last week, asking if you were going to need any help moving in. I told her you and Dad were coming down yesterday and I thought we had it covered. She's actually not on campus right now. She won't be down until the end of the week. Not sure about Abby and Becca. Or any of the guys."

"Okay, so we'll play that one however it happens," Annie decided. "How about gaming, a hot shower, some gentle massage and sleep, tonight?" Before I could reply, she added, "with some bread and butter in there somewhere, between massage and sleep."

I took a moment before I answered. Before she'd mentioned the sex, I was right there with her. But I really had a concern about how the sex could dominate our relationship and very possibly have an adverse affect on our academic lives. I really didn't want either one of us getting screwed over because of poor judgment and sloppy impulse control. On the other hand, she was the best lover I'd had to date.

I took a deep breath, let it out in a sigh and tried to answer her.

"I love the idea of the gaming, hot shower, massage and sleep," I told her and I could tell from her expression she could tell what was coming. "I don't want your brand of fantastic, addictive sex to screw us over. Your lovemaking is better than any girlfriend I've had, and it would be really easy to blow off everything else just to be with you. But I can't let that happen. Not to me, and not to you.

"So having said that, and since we don't have to be functional in the morning, some bread and butter on our way to dreamland sounds really nice."

"Oh, thank God," she murmured, then asked me, "Vanguard?"

"Sure," I agreed. "Dishes?"

"I cooked, you clean?" she countered.

"Sure," I agreed again and started cleaning up. She left me to it and went to fire up the game.

With only the two of us, there wasn't a lot to do and I had the dishwasher set up and running, and the hand wash done, in fairly short order.

"You want anything soft to drink?" I called to her from the kitchen.

"Caffeine-free Diet Pepsi!" she called back.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with my sister?" I retorted.

"Fine," she answered. "Mtn Dew."

"That's more like it," I told her as I dug two cold ones out of the fridge and went in to join her.

We got set up and fell into an easy rhythm with each other, pretty much able to anticipate each other's moves and cooperate on objectives. During one break, I went and nuked a bag of popcorn to share. It was coming up on midnight when we decided it was time to shut it down and head for our hot showers.

She surprised me. I figured I was going to get assaulted in the shower. Not that I would have objected, mind you, but still -- the way she'd been acting since the float trip, I figured she'd be the aggressor. Instead, she meticulously washed me, without trying to get anything started, and requested I do the same for her. Which I did. We did manage to run out the hot water and adjourned to the bedroom where we flipped a coin for who got the first massage. I lost.

Annie had discovered I had some kind-of-ritzy massage oil left behind by a previous "dating acquaintance" in the bathroom. She brought it along and handed it to me as she lay down on her belly to get her massage. She must have figured I already knew what to do with it.

I did. From her neck to her toes, slowly and steadily, going after all the tension I could find. I think I had her reduced to limp fettucine when I told her to flip over. Her muttered "you've got to be kidding..." made me smile. She did manage to turn over and I proceeded to do her front, starting with her face and working down to her toes. And on both sides, I'd paid attention to the massage and stayed away from anything overtly sexual.

When I finished, she was a blob of quivering protoplasm. I figured she'd be out for the night, so I tucked her in, got in bed and killed the lights.

"We're not done," she murmured in the dark. "I haven't had my way with you... yet."

"Are you serious?" I asked. "You're wiped out."

"I'm very relaxed," she corrected me. "Not wiped out. I may not be as good or as thorough as you, but I can at least make good on some massage. So get on your stomach."

I thought she might be pushing it, but I wasn't going to argue. We had a couple of weeks to figure out our limits and set reasonable boundaries. I got on my stomach.

She started at my neck and shoulders and worked her way down to my butt. She wasn't vigorous and she wasn't teasing. She did a gentle and soothing rubbing that actually felt pretty damned good.

"You're going to have to decide if you want me to do your thighs and calves, or flip over and have me do your front. I'm fading kind of fast and I don't think I can do both," she informed me.

"How about neither?" I countered. "I feel a lot better, thanks, and we can stop right here."

"Okay," she sighed. She wasn't going to fight me. "Then kill the lights, curl up behind me and stick your Rod of Power in my Cave of Wonders. And let's get some sleep."

She was serious. She wanted me to dock with her to fall asleep. I wasn't at all sure it was going to work like that, but hey... this was Annie. I was going to try to make her happy.

It worked out just fine. I killed the light, cuddled in behind her, she lifted her leg to let me slide into her already sopping pussy -- needless to say, I'd been hard for most of the massage(s) -- I dropped my arm over her to pull her to me and fall asleep. Her hot, throbbing Cave of Wonders notwithstanding, I was out of it in less than two minutes.

* * * * *

[Monday]

I woke up when my alarm went off at eight a.m., feeling completely relaxed and refreshed. And though I'd fallen out of her sometime during the night, Annie was still curled up in front of me. I eased over to shut off my alarm and that appeared to wake her.

"Mmmm..." she groaned as she wiggled her butt into me. "What's happening, Breakfast Boy?"

"Well, that answers one of my questions," I told her. "Stay put until you hear the toilet flush. I'll put your breakfast together before I get my shower."

"Sounds wonderful," she murmured. "But you'd better move it. You're on the clock!"

I moved it. I hustled to the bathroom, finished up and flushed, then headed for the kitchen, passing her on the way. I decided to be nice and did more that her usual toast. I fixed up some scrambled eggs and sausage, like we had on the river, but fresh -- not dehydrated, and added OJ and the required coffee. She wandered in as I was dishing out the plates.

"Oh, God, that smells divine!" she told me as she entered.

"Hopefully, it is," I told her, "but it isn't going to be the usual in the morning. You're going to pretty much be on your own. We'll figure out the dance when we figure out what getting you to class is going to mean."

"It's still wonderful," she told me as she sat at the dinette table. "As are you."

"I don't see myself as wonderful," I told her, "but from you, I'll accept the compliment. How about we alternate mornings? You do breakfast tomorrow, I'll take Wednesday, you take Thursday and so forth?"

"Works for me," she smiled. "Realizing you've got work tonight, what do you want to do today?"

"Work on setting up your bedroom until about two, then grab a few hours nap, then get ready for work and head in," I told her. "After our classes start, I'll probably have to forgo the naps and just hit the sack earlier."

"You set the schedule, Bro' -- I'll live by it. Can we fuck ourselves to sleep at naptime?"

"Then let's make it one, instead of two," I decided.

"Sounds wonderful. Remember that sometime next week I have to go by Registration and hit the bookstores for texts and supplies."

"I will endeavor to keep you on the straight and narrow, Sis," I joked. I'm glad she took it as one.

"Don't try too hard..." she told me. "Let me know when you're ready to get started."

* * * * *

[Tuesday-Friday]

The rest of the week went like that... figuring out what needed to be done, helping each other out, adjusting to each other's ways of getting shit done... it was Friday when we got our next bump.

Jill got into town.

"Hey, guess what?" she asked us. She'd called Annie, who had put us on speaker.

"Okay, what?" I'd answered.

"Abby, Becca, Barb and I scored a house to share," she told us. "Barb just got the paperwork finished and I'm going over to sign my part of it. Abby and Becca will take care of their part when they get in tomorrow. Problem is, we can't take possession until all four of us have signed the lease. So, either I get a room for tonight at the No-Tell Motel, or I sleep in my--"

"You stay with us!" Annie interrupted. I knew she was going to do that. It would have been nice if she'd consulted me, first, but that was Annie. I decided I needed to get in front of this one.

"Even though I wasn't consulted," I told her, getting a sharp look from Annie, "it's okay with me if you crash here tonight. I have work, and I won't be home until after midnight, but Annie will be here. We've got two bedrooms and a couch to pick from, and plenty of food and drink. Where's all your stuff?"

"In my truck," she told me. "I don't need a lot and my pickup's got plenty of room."

"So you can park it in our lot and lock it," I pointed out. "Your stuff should be safe."

"Gracias, mi amigo," she acknowledged. "I've got your address. I'll be there inside two hours, okay?"

"Fine by me," I told her.

"Absolutely," Annie added.

Two hours was going to be right about the time I was packing up to head into work. It didn't matter, though. I was sure Annie would be able to entertain her, even if I wasn't there.

"House rules," I pointed out to Annie as I got ready for work. "Don't muck with my bedroom or office stuff. Otherwise, mi casa es su casa. Unless there's some kind of disaster, I should be back by midnight-thirty. If you do dinner for you and Jill, please leave some for me that I can heat up when I get home."

"You're covered, Brian," she told me. "I'm just doing a chicken casserole and I'll leave plenty for you."

"Then I'll see you later." I was getting ready to leave when the intercom chimed from the lobby, so I picked it up.

"Hi, it's Jill," she told me when I answered, so I buzzed her in. I waited long enough to meet her at the door.

"Hi, Brian!" she greeted me with a huge smile and arms open for a hug. I wasn't about to decline. She was dressed this time -- jeans, tennies and a t-shirt -- but none of it took away from how good she looked. That, and memories of the Onat group, had me starting to react.

"Hi! C'mon in..." I told her, holding the door wide. "I'm headed to work, but Annie's looking forward to having you all to herself for the evening." I gave her a little eyebrow waggle to emphasize the 'naughty' in my statement. She gave a little chuckle, slipped on in -- giving me a brief kiss on the lips on the way by -- and paused.

"We'll be here when you get back," she told me. She might have been going to say more, but that's when Annie got to the door. I made my escape while Jill and Annie were hugging.

* * * * *

[Saturday]

Work had, thankfully, been dull. With most of the staff and students off, network demand was way down and so were the problems. I finished my shift and headed home, getting there around the expected midnight-thirty. I saw what had to be Jill's big, black F-150 parked over in the non-reserved section and took a walk by it, just to make sure it hadn't been messed with. Then I went on up to the apartment.

It was dark and quiet when I entered and I hesitated a moment before flipping on the lights. There was a place setting and a note at the table, but otherwise the place seemed deserted. I figured the girls were probably asleep or something, so I dropped my portable office (i.e., backpack) at my desk and went to read the note.

Casserole's in a nukeable container in the microwave. You're on your own for anything else. We've gone to bed. ~A~

Well, that answered my questions. I fired up the microwave, made myself a drink while it was heating and sat down to a homemade dinner that I didn't have to cook. Life was good.

I cleaned up, noting that the dishwasher was still marked Dirty. I finished loading it and started it running, then headed for bed. No surprises -- nobody was waiting to waylay me in my room, and Annie's room door was shut. I stripped down, hit the head and was out of it five minutes after my head hit the pillow.

It was the morning that got weird.

I woke to the smell of coffee, very nearby.

"Mmmm..." I moaned slightly, eyes still closed. "Annie, I love you..."

"What about me?" Jill's voice came back. "I'm the one with the coffee."

I really woke up at that and opened my eyes. Jill was standing there, radiant and naked, and holding one of my big mugs, obviously full of coffee.

"Let's see..." I teased. "Gorgeous naked chick, standing there with a mug of coffee, presumably for me... yeah, I'd say I love you, too."

"Good enough," she smiled, moving forward with the mug, offering it to me. "I've been informed that au naturel is the norm around here. I hope you're okay with that."

"I'm fine with that. I'm even better with breakfast in bed."

"I'd offer you something else to eat," she grinned, "but right now, I have to make sure Annie's functional, then get my butt over to the leasing agent to meet Abby and Becca."

"Are you going to need help moving in?" It seemed like a civilized offer to make.

"I think between the four of us women, we've got it. But thanks for the offer."

"Anytime," I told her, then amended it. "Well, almost anytime."

That got another small smile and a "see ya!" as she turned and headed out of my room. I sat up, sipping my coffee and thinking about the day. Jill's very fine derrière, too, but mostly the day.

I had off work tonight, but tomorrow night was a work night -- one of my every other Sundays. Which meant I would normally do shopping and laundry and work some on my thesis. I'd also take some time to be lazy and game, or nap, or wank. If I was going to go out, this would be the night, although I had no idea what bands were playing at which bars. It occurred to me that I should find out what Annie's plans were.

"Fuck you senseless, over and over and over," she told me. "Of course, that's not so much of a plan as an agenda. But to be practical for the moment, since I'm sure that's what you're really asking... fuck you senseless, over and over and over." She smiled and she knew she'd got me.

"And what will you be wearing when you aren't fucking me senseless?" I asked, then anticipated her response. "Or eating and drinking when it becomes necessary to refresh yourself?"

I could see her smart-alecky response die on her lips as she realized what I was saying.

"Oh. I guess laundry and shopping have to happen somewhere in there, don't they?"

I kind of smiled my gotcha! back to her.

"Okay, so how about shopping and laundry, and then fuck you senseless, over and over and over?"

I didn't have a good retort for that one... especially since it didn't sound all that bad to me.

"Excellent," I decided. "I've got a shopping list started. I'll give it to you and you add what you think you'll need for the upcoming week. We don't have a lot of extra storage space for buying in bulk, even if it's on sale, so keep that in mind. I didn't notice if you brought a laundry basket or not. My washer is a little small, so we're probably taking turns. Same for the dryer."

I went over to my desk and tore off the top sheet of the notepad that was the grocery list, then walked over and handed it to her. "Let me know what else you need."

"Okay," she told me. "Dad and I set up a checking account so I can pay you for my half of stuff. Let me know how you want to deal with it."

"Will do," I told her, then headed for the bathroom. "I'm grabbing a shower before I have to face the day." Predictably, she got up and followed me in.

"I promise, no shenanigans," she told me as she started taking off her t-shirt -- the only thing she'd thrown on to come out for breakfast. I sighed and stripped out of my t-shirt and trunks. Apparently, Annie liked showering together.

She was as good as her word, and helping each other shower without sex was evolving into a morning ritual... one that would become the usual going forward. We got bathed and dried off and dressed in street clothes, then sat at the table for another cup of coffee while Annie filled out the shopping list. She had to run to her room and the bathroom a couple times, to make sure of what was going on the list, but it didn't take too long and it was well before noon when we were ready to head out.

"Okay, so this is at least Walmart," I commented as we walked to my car. "Where are your prescriptions?"

"Meijer," she told me. "I can get everything moved down her."

"Okay, then, maybe we only need Meijer," I decided, taking another look at the list. "You're doing a good job of keeping my life simple."

"So far," she teased. "We may make it a lot more complicated after term starts."

"We may?"

"Yeah... me and Jill, at minimum," she pointed out. "Maybe you. Maybe others."

"Yeah, about that," I added as we pulled out. "Am I allowed to ask what happened between the two of you last night?"

"Yes," she told me, but didn't elaborate. I decided to chalk it up to her Brat side.

"Okay, what happened between the two of you last night?"

"You didn't ask if I would answer you, or if the answer might be none of your business," she pointed out.

"True," I acknowledged and turned my attention back to the road.

"We talked a lot, made slow, sweet love and fell asleep together," she told me. "It was nice."