First Road Trip for Denae and Bill

These events take place shortly after "A Last Minute Birthday Plan"

Reading that story before this one, will provide the reader with perspective.

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Spring semester was flying by. While most of the seniors at Mount William College were preparing for graduation, both Denae and Bill had a couple of classes yet to complete, so they would need to return for the Fall Semester. However, Bill had already begun testing the waters of the job market by sending out a few resumes to see what would happen.

The most promising response he received was from a large accounting firm in Atlanta, an email inviting him to come in for an interview. The email contained instructions to call the office and speak with the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Financial Services Risk & Regulatory Compliance. After speaking with her, he had enough detail to commit to traveling to town to meet with the V.P. and others at the firm.

Bill was flattered by this development and was anxious to let Denae know. She was at work at the boutique, so he sent her a text asking her to call him when she had a minute. Apparently, things were slow at the boutique because his phone rang shortly after.

"Hey Bill. Whatcha doin'?" Denae asked cheerfully. She never tired of the game they played when she began a call with that question. And Bill was always up for the challenge.

"I was just thinking about my girlfriend."

"Yeah. What were you thinking?"

"Oh, I was just thinking if my girlfriend were here right now, I would like to lick her nipples until they were nice and stiff and then nibble on them a little."

"Ooo. I'm sure she would like that," Denae replied slyly.

"But, she's not here right now. So, I guess I just have to settle for talking to her on the phone and telling her I have a job interview in a couple of weeks," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Really?! An interview? That's great," Denae gushed. "When I come over after work, you can tell me all about it."

#######

Denae went straight to Bill's apartment after work. They had previously planned for him to grill some chicken for their supper and spend the evening together at his place. She let herself in with her key and greeted Bill who was in the kitchen removing the chicken from the bag in which it had been marinating.

As she slipped her shoes off, she remarked, "Ah. Growing up in Florida, I ran around barefoot half the time. It's still a foreign concept to wear high heels."

"Does Ms. Linda make you wear them at work?" Bill asked as he eased over to her for a hug and a kiss.

"No. She does want me to dress in clothes we sell, but she lets me wear what I want within those parameters. It's just this skirt pretty much required heels. I love the way they make my legs look, but they sure make my feet ache," she explained as she sat on the couch.

Bill sat down with her and reached for her legs, pulling them up and onto his lap. He began to message her feet.

"Mmmm. I love it when my boyfriend anticipates my needs. And did my boyfriend tell me he has a big job interview?"

Bill told her an accounting firm responded to his resume. When he called for the arrangements, he learned they would put him up in a hotel the night before and the night of the interview. It would be a full day and include interviews with several key individuals as well as the Vice President who had invited him. He would have lunch with a couple of mid-level managers and then have a tour of the firm's offices and meet other team members in the afternoon.

Denae had been listening intently. "Wow, that sounds very promising. I know you'll impress the hell out of them. So, when is it and where is it? Charlotte?"

"Atlanta," he replied. "Two weeks from Friday."

Denae perked up. "Atlanta? Suzy knows all about Atlanta -- you know she's from there, right?"

Bill continued massaging and said, "Have you ever been to Atlanta? They're paying for a hotel room for two nights, so if you were to come along, the only costs we would have would be our food and entertainment."

"Oh yes. Count me in. I guess I would have to skip classes that Thursday and Friday, but that's no biggie. We can see what Atlanta is all about. I could ask Suzy for some ideas." Leaning toward him, she added, "I'm so proud of you."

Bill appreciated the compliment and was glad Denae was excited about going with him. But he was hesitant about one thing. "I'm not sure what kind of impression I will make in my blazer, but it's all I have to wear."

Denae got very excited hearing that. "Don't worry. Fashion is my expertise. I can help you pick out a suit and everything you need. Ms. Linda's uncle owns that men's store around the corner from the boutique. I need to ask, but I'm sure she would get him to honor my employee discount. We'll go there and, with me as your fashion advisor, you'll look like a million bucks."

####

The next day after classes, Denae and Bill stopped by the boutique and talked to Ms. Linda, Denae's boss. Ms. Linda was happy to hear about Bill's big interview and readily agreed to call her uncle on their behalf. After getting off the phone, she instructed the pair to go to the store and ask for Paul; he would be expecting them.

When they entered, they found Paul waiting for them. He said he was eager to help since Denae was very important to Linda. Denae explained that Bill had a big interview and needed a good-looking suit, some shirts, some ties and perhaps even shoes. She and Paul began discussing colors and fabrics and the cuts of the jackets and pants. Bill quickly realized he was a third wheel and that his only purpose in the suit-buying process would be to act as a mannequin and model any potential suits the two experts would consider. Bill wound up trying on five suits before Denae was satisfied. She instructed Paul exactly how to alter it for a good fit.

After more than three hours, Denae felt Bill was all set. She had chosen a medium gray suit for him, explaining it could work for many different occasions, depending on the combinations of ties and shirts he paired with it. And to cover various situations, from interviews to weddings to cocktail parties, she selected a few shirts including white, blue and a white one with thin burgundy stripes. She loaded him up with four ties that would compliment the shirts and suit. She also had Bill get a new pair of dress shoes and convinced Paul to throw in some socks for free.

When Bill saw all the merchandise piled up, it dawned on him the total would be a lot of money and he whispered his concern to Denae. She quietly urged him to relax and watched as Paul rang up the purchases. The total did startle Bill, but before he could say anything, Paul factored in Denae's employee discount. The revised amount was within Bill's means.

As they left the store, Denae wove her arm around Bill's. "You are going to look so good in that suit. I can't wait to see you in it."

"Remember, it's still me. No matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it's still a pig. But this will be better than my old blazer and the worn-out tie. Thank you for your help. If it weren't for you, I probably would have bought myself a cheap department store suit that didn't fit right and would have looked like I was applying to work in the mail room."

Just then, Denae's cell phone rang. She pulled the phone out, looked at the screen and then looked up at Bill, smiling.

She swiped the screen and said, "Hi Cheryl. How are you?"

Bill looked surprised and silently mouthed, "Is that my mom?" as Denae listened to her caller.

"I'm good. Thanks. Yeah, the worst is over school-wise. I'm pretty much just cruising to the end of the semester."

After listening for a few seconds, Denae said, "As a matter of fact, he's here with me now. He just picked himself out a new suit for his big interview. He's gonna look so good in it."

Listening, Denae's face showed an expression of surprise and then switched quickly to one of annoyance and she slapped Bill on his upper arm.

"He didn't tell you? Well, I know he's been very busy with school and work. He can tell you all about it right now."

She handed her phone to Bill and mouthed, "How could you not tell her?"

Bill and his mother spoke for a few minutes as he and Denae walked. He relayed all he knew about the interview and how we would need to travel to Atlanta. He omitted the part about Denae going with him. She told him she was confident he would do well and asked if he needed anything from her. He thanked her but told her he was all set. She told him she hoped they would speak again before the big day, but if not, she wished him luck.

After the call was concluded, Bill handed Denae's phone back to her.

"Mom told me to tell you she said 'bye'. So, you and my mom talk these days?"

"Yeah. Apparently, that's the only way she can find out what's going on with you. You didn't tell her about your interview? What kind of son are you?"

"A busy one?"

####

As the day of the trip to Atlanta approached, Denae frequently consulted her Atlanta-bred roommate for information and advice. Suzy told Denae the hotel the firm arranged for Bill was in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, a very expensive and classy part of town. She was able to suggest several good restaurants nearby and pointed out the nicest mall in the entire city was located just across the street from their hotel. Suzy had a lot of fun helping Denae plan out things for them to do together when Bill was not at his interview.

The day before the interview, Bill picked Denae up at her apartment. She had her luggage ready and wanted Bill to make sure he had his suit, the white shirt, the striped shirt and all the ties. He complained there was no need to bring all that since it would be just one day of interviews. But she insisted he should be prepared for things like dinner and evenings on the town. They left in the morning, hoping to be in Atlanta by lunch time so they could eat and look around Buckhead before checking into the hotel.

The drive gave them a few hours to talk. Conversations came easy to them; they never had to search for things to talk about. At one point, Denae brought up how they initially met, and commented that it would always be one of her favorite memories.

"Definitely mine too," Bill added. "And just think, if we hadn't met the way we did, we never would have met at all. And now, look at us; we're headed for an out-of-town trip together."

"What do you mean, we wouldn't have met? We were in the same class. We would have eventually run into each other," she assured him.

"No. Not a chance. We might have seen each other in class, but the only way I was able to speak to you in the first place was because we were the only people in a small place at the same time. I had to talk to you or I would have seemed rude. Anywhere else and I would never have had the guts to speak to you."

She chuckled in disbelief. "You don't mean that."

"Really," he insisted. "Had I seen you anywhere else, I would have just minded my own business."

"Bill Collins. I don't believe that for a minute. You wouldn't have talked to me in class or at Steamers or some other bar or anywhere else? That's crazy."

When Bill did not respond to her, she reached over and put her hands on his crotch, getting a good grip on him. "Well, whatever. I'm just glad you were speaking to me that day at the art gallery. Or else I'd never have gotten any of this."

They made good time on the interstate and arrived in Atlanta around eleven thirty in the morning. They headed straight for the Buckhead area and decided to go the mall across the street from the hotel so they might have some lunch and wander around. They each had a salad at one of the full-service restaurants. Afterward, they walked around the mall; it was a sprawling retail complex three stories high.

Denae enjoyed looking around in the many high-end shops. She even managed to find a pair of shoes she just had to have. They were four-inch heels with only a couple of straps across the top that were adorned with fake pearls. The only other straps wound around her ankles. Denae thought they would make her legs look long and shapely, and so did Bill.

They walked around and shopped until it was time to check into their hotel across the street. A valet met them when they pulled up in Bill's car. The valet quickly signaled for a bellhop who was waiting nearby and directed the bellhop to take them and their luggage to the front desk so the couple could check-in.

Denae and Bill were impressed with the service. And when they walked into the lobby, they were both amazed at how ornate it was. They approached the front desk where a young female asked what name their reservation was under. On hearing 'Collins,' the clerk instructed the bellhop to take their luggage and show them to the Peachtree Suite. As they strolled toward the elevator, Denae took Bill's hand and leaned against him, happy they were together.

The Peachtree Suite was a sight to behold. The entry door opened to a sitting area which featured a wet bar, a couch and pair of chairs surrounding a coffee table, and a small grand piano in the corner. After giving them a few seconds to take it all in, the bellhop started toward a pair of doors on one side of the room, opened them, and invited them to see their bedroom.

Awestruck, they walked to the bedroom hand-in-hand. Like the sitting area, the bedroom was spacious. It featured a king-sized bed with four tall decorative posts at the corners. A large, flat panel TV sat on the dresser across from the bed and there was a leather recliner chair over near the window. Denae walked over to look out the window and marveled at the view of the Atlanta skyline.

As Bill and the bellhop retreated to the sitting area so Bill might thank and tip him, Denae walked around the bed toward a door, which she assumed led to the bathroom. She slowly opened the door and peeked in. There was a large, marble double vanity on one side and on the other a large bathtub was positioned beneath a window. As she moved into the room, she found a large, walk-in shower surrounded by glass block masonry. The toilet was in its own little room.

Denae walked out through the bedroom and found Bill alone in the sitting room, the bellhop having left. She started squealing happily and jumped into his arms, hugging and kissing him excitedly.

"Bill, this place is incredible. Did you see the shower has a rainfall shower head and shower nozzles in two of the walls?"

He was speechless as he looked around.

"Well, now we have a decision to make," Denae said as she let herself down. "Where do we fuck first? On the bed? In the shower? On the couch?"

"Can't we try them all?" Bill inquired.

"Of course! I said 'first'. We'll get to all of them, but where do we start?" she said as she started stripping off her clothes.

The couch was the first place they made use of, perhaps because it was closest. They then moved to the shower, where they got clean and made love a second time. After that, they got into the bed and held each other. The combination of the long walk at the mall, the thrill of their surroundings, the exertion of the lovemaking, and the comfortable feeling of their naked bodies pressed against one another resulted in them drifting off to sleep.

They woke up a couple of hours later. They could tell from the light coming in the window the sun was down low in the sky.

"You want to go get some dinner?" Bill asked as he rolled over to look at Denae.

She yawned and stretched. "I suppose we could. Suzy gave me the names of what she said are good restaurants around here."

Neither was quick to jump out of bed. Denae reached over and picked up the remote for the TV and turned it on. As she flipped through the menu of hotel services, she briefly stopped on button for Room Service. She continued perusing the options.

"Ooo. Look, Bill," she chirped, gently elbowing him. "They have pay-per-view adult movies. Want to rent one and act out what they do on the screen?"

"Since the accounting firm is picking up the bill, that might not give them the first impression I want to make. Otherwise..."

"Yeah, you're right," she groused. "Guess we might as well head out for dinner."

Denae and Bill went to a restaurant that Suzy had recommended for dinner. As it was supposed to be within walking distance, they walked, which Denae came to regret because she wore heels for the outing. After dinner, they returned to the hotel and had a drink at the bar. The evening was not a late one because Bill wanted to do some last-minute research on the firm and some final interview preparation. Denae watched TV while he did this and they finished the night by having sex in the bathtub, which crossed another of the suite's amenities off Denae's list.

####

In the morning, Bill was up early. He had to shower, shave, and get dressed for his big interview. The firm had arranged for a car to pick him up at eight o'clock, so he was working against a deadline. Denae remained in bed while he showered but as he was getting dressed, she got up to assist. Without bothering to put on a robe, she selected his new, white shirt and held it up behind him to help him slip it on. As he buttoned it, she retrieved his ties and laid them on the bed. He enjoyed the sight of her nude form as she sorted the ties.

"Why'd you bring this one," she asked as she held up his oldest tie, which had been the only one he owned prior to the shopping spree at the men's store.

"I was in a hurry. I just grabbed all of them, not that there's a ton of them. There's only five."

"Well, this one's out," she remarked as she tossed it aside. Looking at the remaining four, she set the burgundy one aside as well. "This is the one," she said as she held up the blue tie with very tiny white spots.

She watched as he stood in front of the full-length mirror and tied it. When he finished, she moved closer and adjusted the knot, so it was centered. She then removed the suit jacket from its hanger and helped him slip it on.

Stepping back to examine him, she nodded approvingly. "Wow. You look hot. Paul got the alterations just right. It fits perfectly."

She stroked the lapels of the jacket and then put her arms around him. "You look so good in this suit I'm getting wet. Too bad you have to leave, otherwise I'd fuck your brains out right now."

"May I take a raincheck on that?" he asked as he reached for his folio on the nightstand and verified there were copies of his resume inside.

She smiled and assured him she would hold him to that as she sat down on the bed.

As he moved toward her, he said, "Thanks for all your help to this point. I hate that I'll be gone all day. What will you do while I'm busy?"

"I may go back to sleep for a little bit. And I noticed there is a spa over at the mall. I might treat myself to a manicure and pedicure and may even get my hair done."

"Good. You deserve some pampering. But tonight, let's go have a nice dinner so I can get a little more mileage out of this suit."

"Well, Mr. Collins. You're in for a treat tonight. I have our whole evening planned. Dinner and entertainment afterwards. And yes. I'll want you to stay in your suit for all of it."

He was intrigued but had no more time to inquire. It was time for the car to arrive, so he had to make his way to the lobby. He reminded her he should be back about four o'clock and kissed her goodbye. She wished him good luck.

####

When four o'clock rolled around, Denae was in the bathroom putting on make-up. She hardly ever wore makeup and when she did, she limited it to some shadow around her eyes, mascara on her lashes, and a little eye liner. With her complexion, makeup beyond that would only diminish her looks.

Denae had spent her day getting fixed up for this evening. She had gotten a manicure and pedicure, so her nails were now pearl white. She was already wearing the shoes she bought the previous day and liked how they showed off her pedicure and accented her calves. She had also gotten her hair done and wore it in loose curls swept to the right side of her head, held there by a decorative black clip. By anyone's standard she looked gorgeous.