Lauren

She moved in to the other half of my duplex two months ago. I remember when I interviewed her, that she seemed nice and respectful. I really don't care what color, religion or sexual preference you are as long as you are respectful. Is it too much to ask? In this day of arm chair bloggers; it seems that anybody with an idea, feels it necessary to cram it down your throat. I think we were better off before Face Book and Twitter. Back then people didn't think that their opinion was the most important in the world.

Lauren was different. Not that she was quiet at all. She bubbled with effervescence and her smile was almost contagious. Her sandy blonde hair was trimmed in a most becoming pixie style and her facial features were somewhere between cute and hot. Her body was really nice with a few curves thrown into the mix, not that I would notice something like that. Hell, who am I kidding? I am a man and have a pulse.

Her references, from out of state, were good so I gave her the rent agreement and the key. My duplex is partially furnished and said she would stay the night and her belongings would arrive in the morning. She said she had been living with someone since she moved to Michigan, four months ago.

Upon rising in the morning, I saw that boxes and items were dumped on the front lawn overnight. I am surprised that the commotion didn't wake me up. I couldn't understand why somebody would just dump her stuff on the lawn. When I saw her moving her stuff inside, I went out to help.

"Morning Lauren. What asshole did this?" I picked up a box.

"You don't have to help me Rick. I can do this." There were tears in her eyes.

"Like Hell I don't. Let's just get this stuff inside." She nodded and in a little over an hour we had everything stacked up in the living room. Lauren was strangely silent all the while we moved boxes. I grabbed a couple of soda's from my fridge and returned to her side of the dwelling. We talked for a little while, but she seemed sadder somehow. I just let it go.

"Thank you Rick. That was nice of you to help."

"Not at all, Lauren. We are neighbors now and we help each other." She just showed a half smile.

It was nice having someone next door again. It just wasn't the money I got for rent. Shit, I have plenty of rental properties. But somehow Lauren filled a void in my life. I do the handyman work for my properties, but because I keep up on everything, I don't have much to do. Lauren moving in next door livened things up a bit. Now all I had to deal with was Tina; my very jealous girl friend. We didn't live together and she was out of town at the present.

A few weeks later Lauren had just came home from work and she knocked on my door. "Can we talk Rick?"

"Let me check my calendar Lauren." I closed my eyes for a moment. "I think I can squeeze you in." I laughed. I grabbed a couple Smirnoff's from the fridge. We sat at the table.

"I need to tell you something. My ex-boyfriend will be over tonight."

"You mean that jerk that kicked you out and threw your stuff on the lawn?"

"Believe me, I would rather he wouldn't. But he accidentally threw some of his stuff in with mine. He's going to pick his things up tonight."

"No problem Lauren. You want me to hang around?"

"I should be fine Rick." She looked a bit sheepish. "But there is something I have to tell you, before you find out from another source. I am a transsexual. Except for the last four years, I went by the name of Larry."

I took a long look at her. "You are trying to tell me you use to be a guy?" She nodded. "Like those women on Jerry Springer?"

"Rick. If you want me to move, I'll understand."

I shook my head. "No Lauren, you just surprised me, that's all." I paused. "Besides, you're my renter, not my girlfriend."

"I don't want to put you in an awkward position."

"Too late for that." I chuckled. "But really, I want do you to stay. Please."

She smiled back. I couldn't really think of her as a he. "Thanks Rick."

Two hours later I heard a loud crash from next door. I was there a few moments later and I saw Lauren laying on the floor, with her ex standing over her. I was pissed. There was no way in fucking Hell I was going to let him hit her again. He turned around to me as I drew back and hurled my best haymaker at him. I held nothing back.

Next thing I knew, my face was cold and it hurt like Hell. My hand reached up and I felt a cold compress. I heard Lauren's voice. "Rick, you're on my sofa. He's gone and not coming back."

She slowly helped me set up and handed me some Motrin as I opened the one eye that would open. "I guess I showed him who's boss." I groaned sarcastically.

Lauren looked at me and smiled. "That was the sweetest thing anybody has ever done for me. Nobody has ever come to my rescue before."

"Some rescue." I muttered. "There were two hits. He hit me and I hit the floor."

She smiled. She looked so cute when she smiled. She sort of reminded me of Gwyneth Paltrow. She leaned over and kissed my cheek and I didn't mind at all. "I think you were very brave." She averted her eyes. "Did you ----- ah--know that Steve was -----special forces in the army?"

"Ouch!" I put my hand to my face. "I guess that fact didn't came up before I kissed the floor."

Lauren softly giggled. "Poor Baby. You know, you scared the shit out of him."

I brightened up. "I did?"

"Yeah, he thought he had killed you." She giggled some more.

"Oh, hardy har, har." I replied. She smiled again. "How bad is it, Lauren?"

She took my chin in her hand and checked both sides of my face. "There is some swelling, but your eye socket doesn't appear to be broken." She was a RN at a local hospital. "I think you'll live."

I noticed it was dark. "Maybe I should go back to my side."

"To be safe, I think I should stay with you. You can take my bed, or you can go back to your side and sleep in your own bed. Either way I get the sofa."

"Lauren, you don't have to----."

"Doctor's orders, Rick." She interrupted.

"Yes Ma'am." I acquiesced.

*********************************

I was fighting an Army of space aliens. They kept coming at me and my punches just batted them away. After they had all been defeated, a man in gold and red armor dropped out of the sky. His facemask flipped up. He had dark hair with a close cropped mustache and goatee.

"How do you do it Rick? Even I couldn't take on that many foes at once. You didn't even break out into a sweat."

"Just clean living Tony. You just have to do your best." Suddenly I saw her falling. I leaped into the sky and caught her. Lauren had her back to me and I held hold her close.

*****************************

My vision swam a bit and I felt a dull throb of pain, in my face. But I also smelled something clean, like soap and lavender. My eyes opened and I realized that somebody was spooned up against me and the back of their head was close to my face. My arm was wrapped around them and the fingers of a hand were interlaced with mine. I shifted slightly and the person groaned and rolled over to face me. It was Lauren. Her eyes snapped open. She quickly arose from my bed. She wore a night shirt that barely covered her ass.

"Sorry Rick." Lauren looked apprehensive. "Your sofa sucks to sleep on."

There was no way I could be mad at her. I gave a half ass, smirk. "You know, if we keep meeting like this, people are going to talk."

Relief graced her features and she smiled. "Let's have a look at your face, shall we?"

"How bad is it?"

"Not too bad." she replied. "But I wouldn't be hitting anybody's fist with your face for a while."

"Sounds like good advice." I slid out of bed and headed for the kitchen. "Breakfast?" My head swam again and I must have wobbled a bit. Lauren was there in an instant to support me. I put my arms around her. I heard a noise behind us. It sounded like someone cleared their throat.

"I go out of town for a couple weeks and you already have a bitch in your bed. " Fuck it was my girlfriend, Tina. First it was last night and now this. I can't catch a break.

"This isn't what it looks like sweetie." I backpedaled.

Lauren stepped in. "Rick, was hurt last night and I stayed with him, to make sure he was okay."

Tina smiled like a snake. "Oh, I am sure you 'nursed' him back to health." Her arms were crossed and she looked like she could spit venom.

"Tina, Lauren was really helping me." This wasn't looking good.

"From my point of view, she looked like she was helping herself, RICHARD!"

I was tired of this. Tina was always accusing me of indiscretions. I was always having to watch my step around her. I never cheated on her once, but you would never know it the way she acted. Anything had to be better than this.

"Okay Tina, you caught us! We just finished making wild passionate love." Lauren turned and gapped at me like I just grew a tail.

"I figured as much." Tina sneered. "Hope your tramp makes you happy, bastard." She turned and stormed out the door.

"I am not a tramp!" Lauren yelled after her.

A few moments later, Tina was pealing her Camery out of my driveway. 'Good riddance' I thought.

"Rick. I am so sorry. I never meant that to happen." I could tell that she was sincere.

"Not your fault Lauren. This has been coming for a while now. I am just sorry that you got caught in the middle of our mess."

"I still feel bad. Seems your luck hasn't been the best lately." I really looked at Lauren. Maybe it wasn't so bad. She looked so cute when she pouted.

"Well, if you wanted to cheer me up, you could let a lovelorn, slightly used handyman take you to breakfast." Lauren showed a wisp of a smile.

********************************

Without Tina around, most of my problems seemed to vanish. The relief was almost intoxicating. I guess I never realized the pressure she put me under. Tina was a beautiful woman, but she turned out to be very high maintenance. Her removing herself from my life, left a much smaller hole than I had first thought.

Now Lauren was another matter entirely. It seemed that she was on my mind quite often. I found that I liked having her around. She was always positive and loved to laugh. She worked 12 hr shifts at the hospital, which left her with almost 4 days off a week. We were both home, many days, at the same time. And somehow, I didn't mind at all.

One night I had a couple steaks on the grill as Lauren's car pulled into our driveway. I have a real knack with flavor rubs and the delicious aroma drew her through her living space and into the back yard.

"My God, that smells heavenly!"

I smiled. "Strange thing, I thought there was only one steak in the package, but I found two. I guess I'll have to throw one away." She knew I was teasing her.

"Don't you dare." She scolded. "I brought home some potato salad."

I chuckled. "Go get changed and I will make up a couple of plates." Moments later we were setting on the picnic table enjoying dinner.

Lauren glanced up at me. "Rick, what did you ever see in Tina?"

"You mean other than the fact she was beautiful?"

"I guess so."

I though about it. "I guess I don't know. What about Steve?"

"Steve reminded me of a china saucer; pretty but shallow as hell. Maybe some day I will find somebody nice, like you." She softly giggled as I blushed.

***********************************

The next day, I woke up and the late spring morning was already sultry. I headed for the kitchen. I had a cold pitcher of ice tea in the fridge, that was calling my name. I poured some tea into a plastic tumbler. I strolled over to the French door that led into the back yard. We lived out in the country. A beautiful forest of hardwood trees overlooked a sizable back yard. No matter what the season, the view was always spectacular.

This morning's view almost made me drop my tea. Lauren was sunning herself on a chaise lounger in the back yard. She lay front down and her Bikini top was undone. Damn she looked fine. She started to rise and turn over. I quickly backed up and went ass over tea kettle, tripping over a chair I had recently pulled out. I hit the floor hard.

Moments later, Lauren appeared over me, her top back in place. She smirked as she helped me up. "You okay? Seems helping you off the floor is beginning to be a habit." Her eyes danced with mischief. "Beautiful view this morning." I turned red and she giggled.

What was wrong with me? I found Lauren completely fascinating. The more time I spent with her, the more time I wanted to spend with her. Her eyes sparkled and her smile was something I looked forward to seeing everyday. Shit, I felt more at ease around Lauren than I ever did with Tina. But why was I attracted to her? I mean, she use to be a guy, right?

We began to spend more and more time together. Going out to dinner, checking out flea markets and riding bicycles. Shit, she even got me to rollerblade. Lauren was so fun to be with. Some nights we would watch TV or rent a movie. One day I came to the conclusion that it that it didn't matter who she use to be. My only worry was what she felt about me. Could I risk telling her what my heart was telling me?

We both looked forward to movie night. We had similar tastes, which made it even more fun. We both sat on either end of my sofa. We sat closer and closer to each other as the days went by. One night, we were watching Titanic and it was the scene where Rose lost Jack to the sea. Lauren had tears in her eyes as she cuddled up to me. It felt so good to have her next to me. I wanted to tell her what I felt, but I was so afraid that it would spoil what we had together. Lauren drifted off to sleep as the credits rolled by. I had my arm around her shoulder as she snoozed against my chest. Her blonde hair was so soft and clean.

"How can I tell you how I feel Lauren?" I spoke softly so not to wake her. "I cherish the time we spend together. When we're apart, I count the moments till I can see you again. You have filled such a huge void in my life. But I am so afraid that if I tell you the truth, you will leave me. I don't care who you use to be. I just care who you are now. Maybe one day I can tell you how much you mean to me ----and that I love you. Sweet dreams Baby." I whispered and kissed her head.

Lauren raised her face to mine. Her eyes told me she had never really been asleep. "Rick----."

"Oh, my God. I'm sorry Lauren" I interrupted, "I didn't know you were awake." My face felt flush.

Lauren smiled. "Sorry I deceived you, but I had to know how you felt about me."

"Lauren, I ----."

She put her fingertips to my lips. "Remember when I said I wanted somebody like you?" I nodded. "I lied, Rick." She cupped the side of my face with her hand and looked into my eyes. "I didn't want somebody like you. I wanted you, Baby. I was so afraid that you might reject me if I told you how I felt." A single tear graced her cheek.

Tears stained my own face. "I would never reject you. You are so precious to me. I think I started falling in love with you, the night I woke up on your sofa. Tina would have left me in on the floor, but you actually cared."

"How could I not care about the only man that ever stood up for me?" Her beautiful eyes were glassy with tears.

Our first kiss was soft as a whisper. I don't know who was trembling more; her or me. We pulled apart and we were both in awe. "That was really nice, Lauren."

She smiled. "Only nice?"

"How about spectacular?"

"Much better." We kissed again. This time it wasn't so tentative. Her arms encircled my neck as mine pulled her tight to me. This wasn't a man in my arms, it was Lauren; and the way she responded, was pure magic.

We broke apart again. "How do you like me now?" She purred.

I was damn close to breathless. I swallowed. "I--- think it will do." I swallowed again. "Are you always this passionate?"

The lust in her eyes was apparent. "I'm just getting warmed up, Baby." Lauren raised off the sofa and held her hand out for me. I rose up and with my hand in hers, we moved to the bedroom. I followed her close enough to feel her warmth. She pulled the bedding back and slid into my arms.

We kissed and held on to each other. I tasted her tears as I played over her cheek with my lips. Lauren shivered as my tongue grazed her collar bone. She stepped back and pulled her blouse over her head. Our eyes locked together until her bra dropped from her hand. Her medium sized breasts were perfect. She started working the buttons on my shirt.

"You won't be needing this Baby."

"What if I get cold?" I teased.

"Won't be a problem." Lauren responded, as she pulled me into bed. I felt her hand on my hard cock as her tongue danced with mine. I was so aroused! She felt so alive in my arms. I couldn't believe that this beautiful woman wanted me. We were soon, both naked and she practically purred when I licked and sucked on her nipples. "I'll give you an hour to stop that."

Lauren eventually turned away and slid toward me to spoon. She pulled my arm around her and her fingers interlaced with mine. I nuzzled her neck. "You like this, don't you?"

"I have a confession to make. Your sofa may not have been as uncomfortable as I said before. I just wanted to lay next to you like this. I felt so warm and safe in your arms; I didn't want it to stop."

"You, my dear are a little conniver. What am I going to do with you?"

Lauren rolled to face me. Her eyes were pleading. "Make love to me Baby. Like a man makes love to a woman."

I was more than ready. "Tell me Lauren. Show me what you want." She had me roll on my back. Her hand encircled my hardness and stroked me.

"I need to get some help, Baby. I will be right back. Don't go away."

I anticipated her need. "There are some wet condoms in the nightstand Lauren."

She smiled. "Well mister Boy Scout. Looks like you are going to get a treat for being prepared." She leaned over me and reached for the drawer. The nipple of her breast drug across my face. I wasn't going to let that go. I inhaled the taught flesh and Lauren sighed.

She let out a low throaty giggle. "That wasn't the treat I was talking about baby."

Her nipple popped out of my mouth. "Worked for me." I teased. Lauren slid down my body and she rubbed my erection against her face. "Damn girl." I breathed.

"Can I play with this?" Lauren looked so fucking sexy.

" Only if you put your toys away afterwards , Baby." "Oh, I have a place to put this." She swallowed me in one gulp. My God, she was so hot as her lips slid up and down my cock. Her eyes danced as she knew full well the intense pleasure she was giving me.

She pulled off my cock and smiled. "Does Ricky like to have his cock sucked?"

"You keep that up girl and I will show you just how much I like it." She went back to work on me. I marveled at how beautiful and seductive she was. She was completely making me forget about my former girlfriend. I was close to losing it when I pulled her up to me. We kissed and I knew in that instant that I would always want her in my life.

"I wasn't through Baby." she pouted. I looked into her eyes and counted the freckles on her nose. Lauren smiled. "What, Baby?"

"You are so damn beautiful Lauren. Why did your ex ever let you go?"

"I guess he never knew what he had." She kissed me. "But I want you to know that you are not a substitute. I never loved him but I do love you."

I couldn't help it. I felt tears welling up. "You make me feel so alive Lauren. I don't understand it, but there it is."

"What's there to understand Rick? It's just me and you." She kissed me again. "Care to take me for a test drive?" She giggled.

"I guess this would be a bad time for me to kick the tires?" I teased. She rolled her eyes.

After putting on the condom, Lauren turned over on the bed and arched her ass. The view I saw was wonderful and she knew it. "Nice upholstery." My hand stroked her ass.