Far Enough Away Pt. 03

After certain things came to light, my series Safe Haven has gone in different directions than previously planned, under this new name.

The story so far: A porn star identifying as Shoshana Rosenberg arrived unannounced in Perth, Western Australia. There are still questions she needs to answer about this. She is staying in a seaside suburb with Michael Stillman, an actuary she met by accident in LA. She seems to have disrupted his ordered life. And now there's a party at his house. Some of the guests have wandered in from my other stories including The Confused Boyfriend. Like all good parties, it's a slow start.

***

Trevor still hadn't come yet. Caris shrugged as Miranda looked at her, her face forming an obvious question mark. "He better come soon or I'll find someone else," she told Miranda.

"Someone who deserves you?" Miranda asked her.

Caris shimmered as if she needed sex straight away. "Nah, anyone." And laughed.

Michael saw her and laughed back. It was his party, kind of. He looked across his large living area at all the people who had turned up. He was getting stressed because a couple had just gone out into his backyard had left his sliding flyscreen door open.

Shoshana sidled up to him. "You're not drinking enough," she insisted. "If you did, you wouldn't be worried about what might happen here tonight. Don't forget you know all these people. They're not going to destroy the place. And we can kill any mosquitoes that come in."

Michael knew she was right. It helped a bit.

"And," she added, "your friends don't look the type.

"I don't know," Michael wondered. "There's a smell of sex in the air."

Shoshana laughed. "Now that you know what that smells like, you think it's everywhere." She had dressed the part of a party hostess. In her body-hugging little black dress she was far more risqué than any of their guests and she knew it, showing a lot of her breasts. And her legs. The dress didn't go as low as her stocking tops, but she acted like she didn't realise that, the pale flesh of her thighs on show. She went over to Dilani and Susan and stood just that little bit too close to them, ignoring their hesitancy when she touched their arms to insist that she loved how they had dressed.

"Everyone still has their clothes on," Dilani joked back at her. Or tried to. She didn't get a laugh.

"It's still early," Shoshana threatened. Both Dilani and Susan wore jeans, T-shirts and jumpers as if that would make it hard for Shoshana to get them out of their clothes as she had threatened Dilani back at the café when she had invited them. Shoshana looked them up and down and smiled. "Don't worry, I can get you out of those clothes," she smiled. They shook their heads. Shoshana warned them that she wasn't finished with them but playing host she next checked on Caris and Miranda, interested in who Caris was eyeing off. Caris was so obvious.

Freed from Shoshana, Susan gave Dilani a quizzical look. Dilani shrugged. "Shoshana told me that everyone takes her clothes off at the parties she has back at her home." Dilani smiled over at Shoshana while she wasn't looking their way and then looked into Susan's eyes. "In America. And I believe her," she added enigmatically. Susan raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend but didn't pursue what seemed so unlikely in such a safe setting.

Michael came up to them. "She's not scaring you?" he checked, worried because Susan and Dilani were his workmates. They laughed as if he couldn't possibly be serious.

Shoshana seeing the three of them came straight back over. "We're getting on great," she insisted and Michael's two colleagues didn't dare to disagree. She gave them both a hug for confirmation. "Michael thinks he smells sex in the air," she added. "Can you smell it?" She looked at Michael as if he had to say something to defend himself. He just shook his head, looked away and smiled.

+++

Hours after they had started, Michael was impressed that Shoshana kept finding stuff in his music collection that was loud and bouncy enough to maintain a party vibe. She had him cornered between the kitchen island and the fridge. From there they could watch most of the guests and, thanks to the music, they couldn't be clearly heard by anyone else.

Which was just as well. Shoshana wanted him to confess which of the guests he would want to join them in a wanking session watching one of her movies. "Would you be more comfortable if it was a boy or a girl," she suggested acting serious, looking around for candidates.

Michael appeared concerned. "I'm not sure that's what I want in a relationship." And for some reason he was looking at Dilani who was now over near the far wall standing at her full shapely blonde height while one of his mates from Uni days tried to hit on her. Where was Susan, who for once was not right at her side?

Shoshana laughed a little cruelly. "Who said anything about a relationship?" So Michael looked curiously at her. "I've been trying to teach you about sex without guilt," she explained

"Why would I need that?" Michael retorted. "And did I ask you for help? I like my guilt." He noticed that Susan was standing in a doorway as if she had just returned from the toilet and she too was watching Dilani from her distance with some amusement as the Uni guy still tried to hit on Dilani. He found a way to get off balance and grip Dilani's side to right himself. Rather than brush him off, Dilani reached over to put her hand on his side too. Michael imagined that he saw Dilani and Susan swap amused looks, but it was quick, so he wasn't sure.

"Michael," Shoshana reasserted. "What have you learnt?"

Michael stared at her trying to work out what she was on about.

"It's the excitement, the thrill of the chase," Shoshana lectured as Michael realised that she too wanted to see what Dilani and the man would do next.

"Maybe I'm not drunk enough but didn't I already point out to you that the chase is less of a thrill if you know how it is going to end?" Michael reminded her. "If it's a porno and there's you and man and a bed, everyone knows the clothes are coming off and you're going to be fucking."

"But in real life, we don't know who Dilani is going to end up with tonight," Shoshana challenged. The Uni guy moved his hand down her side and was resting it on her arse. Dilani leant over to whisper something in his ear. Whatever she said didn't deter him. Indeed he squeezed her with that wandering hand. Shoshana nudged Michael to make sure that he too was watching for Susan's reaction. She stared with a good view, but she didn't seem to care about what he was doing.

Michael shook his head. "I don't know what's going on, but she's going home with Susan. I'm certain of that."

Shoshana smiled at Michael with some intent. "I wouldn't be so sure," she stated. Stated it in a way that concluded the discussion there, with the hint that she knew something that Michael didn't know. Something about how women operated that she wasn't going to share.

A loud brunette was upsetting some people over near the television screen. "Who's that?" Shoshana demanded. "I've noticed her a few times, tried to talk to her. She looks like fun."

Michael looked over and caught the eye of the brunette. "It's Caris, a friend of some friends of mine. I only know her vaguely. Funny, I thought she was a blonde."

"Get her over here. Let's get to know her." But Shoshana's demand was superfluous as Caris marched over to them, shimmering like the sex that Michael thought he could smell.

"You're new," Caris demanded looking Shoshana over. "Who are you?"

Shoshana and Caris introduced themselves. Shoshana smiled at her. "Caris, it's a nice name."

Caris laughed. "Sure. Believe it, the parents named me after a local chain of jewellery stores because they thought it had class." She looked around, conspicuously towards the front of the house.

Shoshana noted: "You're waiting for someone."

Caris chuckled "It's that obvious?" They both laughed. "Yeah, Trevor. Looks like he stood me up," she considered. "Again. Party's a bit tame, isn't it? What can we get people to do to liven it up?"

"What do you suggest?" Shoshana urged, a glint in her eye. Michael flinched.

Caris thought about an answer for long enough for Michael to intervene. "I thought you were a blonde?" he asked. "Bit of a change?"

She laughed at that. "Miranda and I are tormenting Carl. Miranda's boyfriend," she explained to Shoshana.

"Tormenting?" Shoshana asked with ramped-up interest.

"He doesn't know which of us gave him a headjob the other weekend. The wigs remind him. He knows it was a blonde, but we were both blondes that night. Tonight we're both brunettes," Caris added with relish.

"What does Carl get out of this torment?" Shoshana wondered.

"Too much information," Michael exploded.

"Not enough," Shoshana eased. "Now tell me the whole story."

Caris started to explain how Carl in a darkened room thought he got a headjob from his blonde girlfriend until Caris in a blonde wig afterwards suggested that it may have been her. Until Caris was distracted by two women who came into the room looking around for someone they knew. "Now these two will get the party started." She went over to drag them straight over to meet Michael and Shoshana. "I invited these two," she told the hosts. "When you need some fun..." She introduced the skinny blonde as Peta and her taller friend with prominent breasts as Trina.

Trina looked hard at Shoshana. "Funny," she said, "but I know you from somewhere."

"Unlikely," dismissed Shoshana using her sharpest American accent, "I'm not from these parts and I've only been here five minutes."

Trina thought about that for a moment while Peta as looked at her with curiosity.

"I know," Trina realised, "you were at Miss Penthouse."

"Sprung," Shoshana groaned. "Was everyone in Perth there?"

"There wasn't much else on that night. I recall you were rather friendly with Miss Penthouse." Trina smiled broadly at the memory. "Very friendly. I guess you must know her from back in Penthouse Land."

They all stared at Shoshana for a moment who pouted then smiled.

"You are from Penthouse Land," Trina exploded. "it is you!"

Caris looked at Shoshana more carefully and then broke out the biggest smile. "I thought I recognised you too. I've been wanking to you for ages. You were in the helicopter movie, the one with what's his name. He crashes in the desert and you track each other down, shooting at each other and missing from close range. He really gave it to you once your clothes fell off." She looked at Michael with some admiration. "Michael, how did you land this one?"

Michael shuffled on the spot. "I didn't really land her," he muttered.

Shoshana glared at Michael who shrugged. She put her arm around the reluctant Michael and eyeballed the three women. "I landed him," she explained. "And no, I haven't been in Dorcel," she quickly added.

"Really?" Peta looked surprised. "Why not? You'd be perfect."

"Because they haven't asked me," Shoshana grumbled.

Caris couldn't control herself. "You'd be perfect! I'm starting a petition." Trina just stared.

"So what are you doing in Perth? Escaping your past?" Trina asked.

Shoshana laughed. "If I've learnt one thing since I arrived here, you can't escape your past. I don't even try to any more. Mind you, I don't try to advertise it. Seems I don't have to."

Caris was agape. "I have so many questions," she blurted.

"Not until you tell me all about the headjob. And how these two were involved."

+++

Michael had circulated, self-consciously trying to get to chat with Dilani who was now talking to two men who were clearly flirting with her. Where was Susan now? And where was Tim the Uni guy? Michael sidled back to the kitchen island to find out what Shoshana was up to with her new friends. His worst fears seemed to be realised. She had command of an audience while Caris interviewed her.

Shoshana was just advising "You turn up for a shoot ready to get fucked up the arse and the male talent doesn't show."

Caris looked amazed. "For real? Some mope would give up the opportunity to fuck you up the arse? And for money? The world is mad."

Shoshana shook her head. "They forget. They sleep in. They go to the wrong address. They're pretty good at fucking but pretty useless at everything else. Not all of them, just some. You get used to it. Much like in real life."

At that point, Dilani for some reason came over, maybe to find out what they were up to apparently oblivious to the two men who trailed behind her. Shoshana saw Dilani and latched onto her, calling out: "People are complaining that this party is too tame. I'm not sure. What do they actually want to happen? Can you think of anything that would liven it up?"

Caris echoed "This party is so boring."

Dilani may have had a bit to drink. "You could always take your clothes off," she told Shoshana.

Caris mishearing replied "I just might."

Dilani looked over to Michael who had sidled up to her. "Is this the sort of party you want?" she smiled.

Before he could answer, Susan came over and put an arm around Dilani. "Everything all right, hon?" she asked. Dilani nodded. But she was staring at Shoshana as if she had just decided something.

+++

Shoshana noticed everything and remembered everything too, it seemed. She asked Caris "Where's Carl and Miranda?"

Caris looked around vaguely. "They've gone home early. They have some issues to sort out. As well as the headjob thing." She smiled knowingly at Shoshana.

"Oh, what sort of issues?"

Caris chuckled and tried to look as bashful as she could. "Well, he's been fucking me."

Shoshana nodded at that. "Nice. Impressive," she noted.

Caris laughed more freely. "The actual me. Not the one he can't tell from his girlfriend. He's eternally horny. Don't worry though, they'll be fucking each other stupid by now."

Michael dropped into the conversation at that convenient point. "Who's been fucking whom?" he asked.

"You're back here at the right time," Shoshana stated at him. Michael looked a little confused.

"I'm fucking my best friend's boyfriend," Caris tossed off.

Michael grunted some interest.

"A story as old as time," Shoshana concluded. Caris gave Michael an inclusive stare and Michael responded with a look that suggested he had only noticed her charms for the first time at that moment. "I'll leave you too to get better acquainted," Shoshana decided. "Time for me to circulate to see if anyone here does not recognise me. I have a reputation. Apparently."

+++

Caris turned sharply and almost put her elbow into a man's nose. She looked surprised for a moment.

"Trevor, you got here," she blurted. Then recomposed herself. "You found us."

Trevor smiled at her. "You're so hot, I can't keep my hands off you," he recited.

Caris looked at him and laughed. Then she looked into his eyes. It was as if no one else at the party mattered. His arm slipped below her waist and she didn't oppose him. "What am I going to do with you?" she retorted.

"I can think of a few things," Trevor suggested. He gripped her tightly. "The penis is hard," he told her as if she needed to know; it pressed into her belly.

"I think we can find a spare bedroom," she whispered.

"Lead on," Trevor suggested, so she did.

Down the corridor, Caris listened at a closed door. "I can't hear anything," she whispered to Trevor, which was unnecessary as no one else was around. "Let's," she added and opened the door.

The room was dark inside, but they could make the shape of a bed, so it was the right choice. Caris and Trevor pushed in past the partly opened door. They were already in when they both noticed a noise from the bed.

"Carl," a woman asked, "are you crying?"

"Miranda is that you?" Caris asked.

"Great," Miranda grumbled, "you would have to pick this moment. And you could have checked if anyone was in the room."

"Sorry," Caris said like she didn't mean it. "I thought you'd gone home. You don't mind if we fuck on the bed? There seems to be enough room."

Trevor didn't wait but started to strip Caris there. It was obvious to the other couple what was happening when he unzipped his jeans.

"Don't you have any shame?" Miranda asked.

"Well I thought you two were at home. Where you have a room all to yourself where I wouldn't barge in," Caris pointed out.

Carl spoke up. "Would you prefer to have the lights on?"

"Could help," Caris gasped.

"Your man doesn't say much," Miranda wondered.

"Can't when he's got his tongue in my cunt," Caris breathed roughly.

"Can confirm," Miranda observed, as Carl went over to flick the light on so they all could see. "Come back to me," she ordered the naked Carl who had stopped to look at the three others in the room. They were all naked. She realised where Carl's eyes were focussed. "You want her or me?" she taunted him.

Carl looked worried for a moment then bashful. He grabbed his penis in his hand and started to get it up. Miranda nodded approvingly and since Trevor was still busy eating Caris, Miranda reached over to kiss Caris. Who returned the kiss with a passion. Carl now erect went around the bed to Miranda's side. The couples were soon both busy.

+++

Shoshana found Michael by himself near the kitchen island. There were still some guests lounging about even now that it was well past midnight. "You've been spending a lot of time talking to Caris, Michael," she reported, again suggesting one of her key competencies was knowing everything about everybody.

Michael looked around to check if Caris was close. He couldn't see her. "She is very interesting," he confided in Shoshana. Her eyes widened.

"And she's a woman. And she's quite attractive," Shoshana confirmed. Then she looked conspiratorial. "I thought you were supposed to be hooking Dilara, she reminded him. "You know that Caris fucked someone in the spare bedroom?"

Michael shook his head with some regret. "No, but I think you're right about Dilara and Susan."

"Ah," said Shoshana, "a backup plan."

Michael was about to answer when Caris carolled back at them. "Talking about me?" she demanded.

Shoshana saw that as a moment to intimately put an arm around her waist. "Yes, as it happens we were. I told Michael that you fucked someone in the spare room."

Caris shrugged. "That was Trevor. He fucked me then fucked off before I could introduce him. I suppose he really only does want me for my body."

Michael smiled, trying not look too sleazy. Shoshana ran her fingers down from Caris' armpit to her thigh. "Not a bad body," she decided. "I can't understand, a man who doesn't realise what else he is missing." And grabbed her bottom.

Caris glowed at the notion that she was interesting to both of them. Shoshana let go and pecked her on the cheek. Caris slinked next to Michael and put her arm around him, turning back to see that Shoshana had gone. "What's she up to?" she asked him, right up into his ear.

Michael laughed but carefully so as not to dislodge Caris. He watched where Shoshana had gone. "She's trying to hook up with Dilari," Michael suggested to her.

Caris laughed at that. "Isn't Dilari with Susan?"

"Yes," Michael laughed back. "But I don't think Shoshana sees that as any sort of impediment."

Caris looked Michael in the eyes. "We all have impediments," she suggested, making sure not to let go of Michael.

Shoshana had trapped Dilani near the kitchen island in a way that meant it would be rude for anyone to interrupt them. Susan was conveniently out of the room again. Shoshana was happily gorging on Dilani's looks, and Dilani appeared to be sucking that right up. Dilani, keen to find out about how Shoshana managed her life in the porn industry was peppering her with questions, apparently comfortable that the conversation was just between the two of them.