Hot Property

"How so?"

"God, I don't know where to start."

"Start anywhere you want. I'm listening."

She sighed, looked down at her empty cup. "I think I need something stronger than coffee if I'm going to tell you this story."

Coffee turned into cocktails. There was a chain restaurant on an island across the parking lot. They walked over and got a booth in the lounge. It was Happy Hour.The server brought them two vodka martinis.

"To seeing you again," Cody said, raising his glass.

"To seeing you again," Toni echoed, and they each took a sip. "So. Where was I?"

"You didn't know where to start."

"Oh, right. Okay, here goes. I guess I'll start here." She took a deep breath. "My daughter that you met a little while ago..."

"Brynn."

"Yes, Brynn. Well, she used to be my son."

Her statement hung in the air above the table like smog. Seemed almost visible. Cody's eyes expanded to large, round saucers. He was speechless. He didn't know what to say so he waited, hoping she'd continue. She did.

"I have two children. First I had a daughter, Shelley. Then I had a son, Bryan. Now I have two daughters. When I look at Bry-, uh Brynn, I still see my little boy."

She took another hit from her martini. She dabbed her eyes with a cocktail napkin. Cody was phlegmatic.

"Anyway, his change, or her change, was coming to a head at that time. Bryan was always a little on the feminine side, which my husband...uh, ex-husband, we are now divorced...could never accept. He was smaller than most of the other boys, and his older sister babied him when he was young. Our house was a mixed-up mess."

"I'm so sorry, Toni. I had no idea."

"How could you? Anyway, my husband couldn't accept it. There were some ugly scenes, believe me, and some mean, nasty things were said. He belittled Bryan, made him feel like shit. Every day was another disaster waiting to happen. My son wants to become a woman, my husband is ashamed of his son, my daughter now hates her father for treating Bryan the way he did, and I'm in the center ring trying to keep the circus together."

"Wow. How did you keep it together?"

"Not very well, I'm afraid, because then..."

"Then what?"

Toni bore her wide, liquid eyes into his. Touching his forearm she said, "It's nice to talk to you again. I'd forgotten how easy you are to talk to. I guess I needed to verbalize some things. It's been bottled up for so long. There are so few people I feel I can talk to."

"Let it out." Her touch gave him a welcome chill.

"Then," she continued, "In the midst of all that, I find out my husband is cheating on me."

"No."

"Yes. The whole time you and me were having our affair, he was having an affair of his own. And it had started long before ours. And he got her pregnant."

"Oh my God."

"Oh my God is right. Some chick in his office. Twenty-three years old."

"Holy shit."

"Holy shit is right. And not long after I found out about that, you and me got caught."

She drained her drink, so he finished his. They ordered another round.

Toni went on to tell Cody about the angst and anger in her family. Dad had a baby on the way with another woman, who was just a few years older than his daughter. Mom was caught on video in bed with a guy only a few years older than that girl. Divorce was inevitable. Bryan was working on becoming Brynn. Shelley was ashamed of the whole shebang, went off to college and never looked back. She'd spent the last year trying to smooth things over with her kids. Regaining their trust and helping Bryan transition to Brynn.

Cocktails turned into dinner. They ordered appetizers to share.

"So, that's my sordid tale. It hasn't been pretty, but I'm coping, hopefully coming out of it. Now it's your turn. What has your life been like since I last saw you?"

"Not too interesting," he said. "Work, mostly. Lots of hours opening up a new market. We interviewed hundreds of people for all kinds of positions: managers, drivers, salespeople, office and warehouse help. The company offered me the position back when we were still seeing each other, but I didn't seriously consider taking it. I was seeing you and I had a new house and I didn't want to leave either one."

Toni watched him as he took a sip of water. There was a hint of a smile on her face.

"But then, when all of the sudden I wasn't seeing you anymore, I reconsidered. I took the job. It was hard going cold turkey. I was sad and I missed you like crazy. I figured the change of scenery would be good for me. I got lost in work."

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"No."

"Hard to believe some lucky gal hasn't scooped you up."

"I dated a girl for a few months while I was away. But I was working all the time so it didn't work out. It didn't feel right, anyway."

"What didn't feel right about it?"

"I think..." Cody hesitated, took another sip. "There was no spark. I guess that once you've felt that magic, you don't want to settle for less."

There was a long silence as they gazed at each other.

"So. Are you seeing anyone?" he asked.

Toni shook her head, didn't say anything. She felt a wave of emotion move up through her body. There were butterflies flitting in her stomach, a tightness in her chest, a hitch in her breath. It occurred to her that she hadn't had a conversation like this with someone in a long time. Not since she'd talked to Cody so long ago, lying in his arms.

Cody was having similar thoughts. He put his left hand on top of Toni's right hand, which was toying with the stem of her glass. She meshed her fingers into his.

"Toni," he said. "Why don't we start over?"

"Start over?"

"Yeah, start over. Isn't this nice, having dinner together, talking, out in public, like a normal couple?"

"Yes. It is," she said. She was thinking that the last time they had a conversation, they were naked in bed.

"So let's try again. Start over. See what happens."

"You want to start over? With me? An older, divorced woman with screwed-up kids?"

"Hey look, every family is screwed up, one way or another. And it looks to me like you are doing all you can to make things right. The bottom line is, hardly a day has gone by that I haven't thought about you. I want to be with you. Wouldn't it be nice to get that magic back?"

She had to admit to herself, it would. It had been so long since she'd felt good. Back then, with him. She leaned closer to him, spoke softly.

"Look, if we are going to do this, start seeing each other again, it has to be above board, all out in the open. No sneaking around. Everybody will know. Your family, our friends, my kids, everybody."

"I can start right away," Cody said. He gazed into her eyes for a long, frozen moment.

"Let's get out of here," she said.

They both got their wallets out to pay at the same time.

"I'll get this," he said.

"No, let me," she said. "You're an old customer. I can write it off."

Cody walked Toni to her car, which was just one row over from his. Standing by the driver-side door, she looked up into his eyes.

"Cody," she said. "On second thought, I don't think we should start over."

This shocked him. What had gone wrong during a forty-yard walk across the parking lot?

"What? Huh?" he garbled.

"I don't want to start over. Let's just pick up right where we left off."

"You talked me into it."

They kissed for the first time in nearly two years. It was deep and long and wet, a deep sea diver. Their tongues danced as their bodies made music, their groins plastered together.

She followed him to his house. She parked her car right out front.

----

Once inside, they made a beeline for his bedroom. Cody shut the door behind them and clutched her into an urgent embrace. They savagely undressed each other as they kissed with a passion neither had felt since that fateful day they'd been caught, their last time together. It all came back in a flash. The smell, the taste, the touch.

They fell into bed naked and their bodies molded together as naturally as they had before. When Toni felt Cody's kisses on her neck, chills ran over her arms and upper body, and when he licked her breasts and sucked a nipple into his mouth, she got a shiver all over, and was getting used to the pleasure all over again. Her crotch bucked like a mad bull when his tongue dug into her vagina, and she knew the magic was still there, as powerful as ever. She placed her hands on either side of his head and pumped his face. It only took about thirty seconds before she came. Two years worth of bottled-up love gushed out of her, onto his face, into his mouth, and as her body quivered with delight, she knew intrinsically that this would become a habit and she was already hooked.

Cody moved atop her, his face shiny with her liquid love. His dick slipped right into her pussy with slick finesse. He jabbed his cummy tongue into her mouth and a finger into her asshole. His tongue fucked her mouth while his cock fucked her cunt and his finger fucked her ass. They groaned and grunted with every lunge.

They didn't unlock their lips until Cody let out a gator-like growl which signaled that his army of spermatozoa had been deployed. He banged her harder and his torso spasmed as he ejaculated, but even after he was depleted, he did not slow down.

"Come again, come again," he said into her ear as he kept pounding her front and reaming her rear.

"I love the way you fuck me," she said, and squeezed him tight, swung her sex back and forth over his, finding the friction she needed. She said it two more times, each with a little less breath. And then she came again, another quivery smash hit.

When her body slowed and settled, she nestled into Cody, kissed his shoulder, caressed his chest and stomach with her fingertips, kissed his chin. She admitted to herself that she felt good, for the first time in a long time. And she admitted to herself that they were not just fucking. They were making love. But she didn't mention it.

Cody had his arm around her, her sweaty body flush with his, and was enjoying her gentle affections. Her head on his shoulder, her lips on his face. He watched her left hand as it traced over his nipples, saw that she no longer wore a wedding band. That made him feel good. Back when they were having their affair, her wedding ring had frustrated him because it reminded him that she was never going to be his woman. Fling, yes; relationship, no. But it also turned him on, motivated him. He wanted to be the best lover she'd ever had. But he didn't mention it.

Toni was sucking Cody's cock when there was a sudden noise at the front of the house. Someone was barging through the front door.

"What was that?" she whispered excitedly when she took the dick out of her mouth.

"It's, okay, that's my sister. She's staying here until she moves into her new place next month."

"Oh," she said. "What's her name again?"

"Paige."

"Right. Paige."

She went back to work on Cody's penis, and didn't stop until she had a mouthful of his cum. Then they slept.

----

They woke up in the early morning face-to-face with big smiles on their faces. Sunlight was just starting to fill the room through the slatted blinds.

"Good morning," Toni said.

"Good morning," Cody said.

They both laughed. There was a palpable ease in the air, in their space. They kissed.

"Do you realize this is only the second time we've slept together. And woke up together?" she said.

"I do. And isn't it great? And we can lie here together as long as we want. It feels so fucking good. No more secret, risky, nervous, two-hour windows of time, no more feeling guilty or afraid."

"Make love to me."

They kissed, and Cody did all the things he knew would push all her buttons and check all her boxes and drive her to the edge. Then he got on top and fucked her. It was a sublime way to start their day, and somewhat noisy to boot. They let it all loose, their bodies slapping, their groans and moans, their sexy, dirty talk. Never giving a thought to Cody's sister in the bedroom just down the hall.

----

"You've nearly ravaged my body in a single night." Toni said. "I hope I can still stand up."

"If you can't, and we stay in bed, it will only get worse."

Toni laughed, and jumped out of bed. "What do you have to eat around here? Any eggs in the house?"

"Yep. Remember, a woman has been living here so the kitchen is in good shape."

"Alright, I'm cooking breakfast."

She used the bathroom and brushed and took a quick shower, and then put on her panties. She looked in the closet.

"Can I borrow one of your shirts?" she asked Cody, who was still in bed.

"Sure," he said. "But it will cost you."

"Can I take it out in trade?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay, good, then price is no object." She took a long-sleeved cotton shirt off of a hanger and put it on. It covered her ass with a few inches to spare. "Get your shower, Honey, and bring your appetite."

In the kitchen, Toni found what she needed. She put the coffee on first. There were nearly a dozen eggs, wheat bread, red potatoes, some cooked ham and a few other things that would work just fine. She got a big bowl out of a cabinet and started cracking eggs.

She whisked, she added stuff, she stirred, mixed in more stuff, whisked some more and when the skillet was ready, dumped it all in. She sliced the potatoes thin and fried those in another pan, and was loading the toaster with bread slices when Paige came into the kitchen. She stood there observing for a minute before Toni noticed.

Toni wiped her hands on a towel, and said, "Oh, hi. Paige, right? I'm Toni." She held out her hand to shake.

Paige shook her hand with a look of disbelief on her face. "Yes, I remember. We met at the party after Cody bought this place. You were his realtor."

"That's right. Nice to see you again. I hope you're hungry. Cody told me to go for it, so I did. It's just about ready. Have a seat."

"No no, let me help you," Paige said, and got three plates out of the cupboard.

Cody walked into the kitchen just as they were putting the food on the table. They all sat down and dug in.

"Damn, these eggs are delicious," Cody said.

Paige agreed. "Yes they are. What all is in them, is this some secret recipe of yours, Toni?"

"No, I just used what you had in the kitchen. Salsa, onion, hot sauce, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, chopped up a few slices of ham. Glad you like it."

They ate until it was all gone. Cody stood up and said he would clean up and the girls could relax.

"Congratulations, big brother," Paige said to Cody, with a kiss on his cheek. She refilled her cup.

While he cleared the table, Toni and Paige took their coffees onto the deck out back.

----

"What did you mean when you said congratulations to Cody?"

They were sitting in the morning sun looking out over the cozy backyard, rimmed by pine trees.

Paige looked at Toni quizzically. "I was referring to you," she said. "Are you guys like a couple, now?"

"Uh, yes, it's looking that way."

"Good. I'm pretty close to my brother and he's told me a lot of things, confided in me, and I know how much he cares about you. I'm happy for both of you."

'Well, thank you. I'm glad you approve. That makes me feel good. Hopefully your parents will be okay with it. I've known them for years, I'd hate to upset them."

"Oh, don't worry about that. My mother might overreact at first, but she'll come around. And Dad will just roll with it, nothing fazes him. Bottom line is they want their kids to be happy. And you make Cody happy."

"Thank you for saying that. He makes me happy, too."

The door opened behind them and Cody came out with the coffee pot in his hand. "More coffee?" he said. "Or I can whip up some Bloody Marys."

"I'll have to stick with coffee," Toni said. "I have an open house this afternoon."

"Oh," Cody said. "Is it your listing?"

"Yes."

"Is it vacant?" His deadpan facial expression slowly morphed into a shit-eating grin.

Toni slowly shook her head and her mouth twisted into a shy little smile. "You're a naughty boy, Cody."

"Better not go there," Paige chimed in, laughing.

They were relieved they wouldn't have to.

----

Before Toni left, Cody told her he was going to take her out to dinner that night. He said he was going to take her to a very popular local restaurant where they were likely to be seen by people they knew. He was going to show her off.

"Ooh, The Golden Stein. Fancy-schmancy. I'm impressed."

Toni gave him directions to her condo, and kissed him goodbye.

Cody arrived at her place that evening, and was stunned when she opened the door. She was drop-dead gorgeous. She wore a low-cut, lightweight sleeveless black dress that came down to just above her knees. It matched her hair and showed off her toned shoulders and arms and slim waist, with a hint of cleavage. They kissed briefly, and he got a whiff of her heady zest.

"My God, Toni, you look fucking incredible."

"Do you like my dress?" she asked, posing like a runway model. "I went shopping after the open house."

"You look sexy as hell. You wear something like this, it just makes me want to rip it off of you."

"That will have to wait, big fella," she said.

"And what's this?" He fondled the gold chain around her neck, which was attached to the birthstone he'd given her on the ankle bracelet.

"Oh, I put the stone on a longer chain. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind."

"Good. I thought more people would see it this way. And I want people to see it. I want everyone to know who I'm fucking." They kissed again, this time it was a deep-dish, took a little time.

"This is a nice place you have. How long have you lived here?" Cody asked.

"About a year. When we sold the house, my half was enough to pay cash for this place. It's a nice complex, with good amenities and the fees are reasonable. And resales have always been good here, in case I wanted to sell."

"It's a hot property, is what you're saying."

Toni burned her smiling eyes at him. "Something like that."

She showed him around the place. The balcony with a direct view of a man-made lake. The small kitchen. Her home office. A guest bedroom in case one of her kids came to visit. And then the master bedroom.

"And this is my boudoir. I hope this is where we'll be sleeping tonight."

"Your wish is my command."

It was a plushly-decorated room. The curtains, the linens, the rug, were all thick and rich and color-coordinated. Antique nightstands, a dainty bureau. It was definitely a woman's bedroom, a woman with sophisticated taste. It looked like a photo out of a home decor magazine.

"We better get going before I tear your dress off and throw you across that bed," Cody said.

----

The restaurant was in an old late-Victorian mansion, built in the 1880's. It originally was an inn with the guestrooms upstairs on the second and third floors, and the restaurant and pub on the first. Nowadays it was just a restaurant and the upstairs was devoted to office and storage space on the top floor, and rooms for private parties on the second.

They arrived at the restaurant at around seven. Prime time. They had a drink in the bar while they waited for a table, and Toni said hello to a couple she had once sold a house to. After about twenty minutes they were called.

They drew eyes like flies when the hostess led them to their table. Toni looked so sharp in her black dress, Cody knew that was bound to happen. They were seated on the left side near a large fireplace. Their waiter arrived promptly and they ordered martinis, and told him they'd like to wait a bit before ordering. They were going to take their time tonight.

They tried to look around without looking like they were looking around, which was hard to do. Toni recognized several familiar faces, but couldn't place them. Cody waved to a guy who was manager of a grocery store his company serviced. When the drinks came Cody made a toast.