Nothing in Life is Free Ch. 09

Nikki smiled and kissed me and said, "Thanks. You're sweet. I've probably fucked about twenty-five guys. A few of them were sexier than you but..."

I raised an eyebrow and cocked my head. "But?"

"Oh. The pretty ones always seem more interested in whether or not they cum and less interested in whether or not I cum. That for sure makes you the best guy I've ever fucked."

"Well, that feels good. Thanks." I smiled at her brutal honesty.

After dressing again Nikki and I left the bedroom. The dryer had stopped running and when I checked it, I found it empty and Jerri was nowhere to be found. She'd apparently finished her laundry and returned to her apartment while Nikki and I were in the bedroom.

By now it was 4:00PM so we returned to the kitchen and I poured Nikki and me a couple of micro-brewed beers. We sat and discussed biology, neurology, psychology and relationships. I think I was able to convince her that any guy who would leave her because he got a little menstrual blood on his penis wasn't really worth keeping anyway.

"Yeah. He was one of the 'pretty ones' who liked looking at himself in the mirror more than he liked looking at me. Of course; so did I for that matter. He was really gorgeous." She grinned.

"Somebody else might be hurt or jealous over the way you talk about other guys but I know you look at me with more love than you ever did any of them. Please do me a favour and tell me straight out if you find yourself falling for another guy. I don't want to find out the hard way."

"What? What do you mean 'The hard way?'"

"I mean, if you someday fall for another guy, please just tell me. I don't want to find out by coming home to a note and an empty house."

"Oh God! That's happened to you, hasn't it?"

Now it was my turn. I nodded. "Yeah. A long time ago but it still hurts."

"It won't ever happen again. I promise."

"Thanks Nikki. I trust you." We clinked our glasses just as there was a knock at the front door.

Nikki set out another pint glass and pulled three more beers out of the fridge as I went to let Nathan in.

We gathered in the kitchen and toasted each other. We had just finished our beers and I was reaching into the fridge for another round when Jerri tapped at the back door and let herself in.

"Am I late?"

"Nope. We're one beer ahead of you though. Jerri, this is our neighbour, Nathan. Nathan, Jerri."

The two of them smiled politely and shook hands as I put a beer in front of everyone.

"Bishop tells me you're quite an artist."

Jerri actually blushed and said, "It pays my bills."

Nikki suddenly became very animated and said, "Oh my gosh! You should see what she drew! C'mere!" She took Nathan by the hand and pulled him out of the kitchen, down the hall and into the bedroom where the drawing of Nikki and me was propped on the dresser. I hadn't yet had time to get it properly framed or hung.

Jerri didn't move. She stayed in the kitchen and continued to drink her beer so I stayed with her. "You don't want to see his reaction?"

"God no! I'm proud of my work. I am; but I get too nervous watching people analyze it. I almost threw up when I gave it to you and Nikki and had to watch your reactions. I was tempted to leave it by the backdoor with a note."

"Oh dear. I'm so glad that you didn't. I wish there was something I could think of to do to help you get over that."

"Yeah! Me too! Unfortunately, that kind of help costs over $120.00 per hour."

We both laughed and clinked glasses and finished our beers.

"Seriously though. Does that hold you back? Your work belongs in a gallery."

"Yeah; probably. I'd puke just thinking about it let alone actually doing it."

"Well, I don't pretend to understand your experiences but I'm sure you can conquer it. I know you can. Barry Manilow used to suffer horrible stage fright but he got over it."

"Who's Barry Manilow?"

"Oh good grief! Sometimes I forget how old I am. He is a singer, songwriter who used to be Bette Midler's musical director."

Jerri smiled and asked, "Bette Midler?"

"Oh fuck it. Never mind! How about another beer?"

Jerri laughed and hummed a few bars of 'Wind Beneath my Wings' and accepted the offered beer.

Nikki and Nathan returned to the kitchen with empty glasses. I turned to grab some more beers and passed them around.

"That is amazing work, Jerri. Truly amazing. Is that all pencil and charcoal?"

Jerri blushed fiercely but replied easily, "Yes, charcoal and pencil. My favourite media."

"You're an amazing talent. Have you ever exhibited your work?"

Jerri turned and looked at me and we both chuckled. "No. I haven't gotten that far yet. Maybe someday." Remembering last night, it occurred to me that this was her standard answer to questions about displaying her work in a gallery.

We sat together around the kitchen table and talked. The conversation came easily and even Nikki participated without a single mention of 9" penises, sword swallowing or sweaty tangles of group sex.

I had excused myself to put the foil wrapped potatoes on the grill almost an hour earlier and now turned to Nikki and said, "Honey, come help me carry the things out to the grill."

I handed her the container of cut vegetables while I carried the plate of steaks. "Jerri, how do you want your steak?"

"Medium rare if you don't mind."

"Sure thing! Nathan, how about you?"

"Same for me please. I'm going to help myself to another beer. OK? Jerri, do you want one too?" He rose and opened the fridge.

"You're trying to get me drunk, aren't you?" Jerri said with a smile while holding up her empty glass.

Nathan grinned back, "Is it working?"

"A little," she responded with a tiny giggle.

"C'mon Nikki. Give me a hand." I guided Nikki out the backdoor to the grill where I set about putting the steak and veggies on the hot grates. Nikki was watching Jerri and Nathan through the window. I was having a discreet peek myself.

They had refilled their glasses and were leaning on their elbows across the table from each other. They looked like they were enjoying themselves as they both smiled broadly and leaned in close before falling back laughing once in a while.

"I think they're getting along well, don't you Nikki?"

"Yeah. Do you think they'll..."

"I don't know Nikki. Let's just let them figure that part out for themselves. OK?"

"He just told her that he thinks that she's very pretty and she asked if he thinks she's too small and he said, 'No way.'"

I looked at Nikki who was standing back and observing through the window.

"She just said she's enjoying his company and would love to see his architectural models."

"You read lips now?"

Nikki's eyes went wide. She visibly stiffened and then, looking at her feet, said, "Uhm. Yeah."

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"I don't really know. I've always been able to. You're not mad, are you?

"No, why would I be mad?"

"Well, I only found out that most people can't read lips when I told my mom. I asked why she and daddy were talking about hitting the babysitter's kitty cat and my mom got really mad at me. I didn't realize until years later what 'banging the babysitter's pussy' really meant."

"Well, being able to read lips that well is actually a very rare talent. It's not something that people expect. Perhaps we should keep that to ourselves. It might come in very handy for you if folks don't know you can read lips."

Nikki nodded. "Yeah. Oh! He invited her to breakfast tomorrow morning and she said, 'Sure!'"

Dinner went very well indeed. The steaks were cooked to perfection, the veggies and potatoes were great and the micro-brewed beers were a big hit with everyone. It was after 11:00PM when Jerri decided that she'd 'better be getting home.'

Nathan stood and walked her out the backdoor. It was all that I could do to keep Nikki from pressing her nose to the window pane to see if he kissed her goodnight. She behaved herself until Nathan came back into the kitchen.

"Did you kiss her?"

Nathan laughed. "Yes, Nikki. I shook her hand and then kissed her on the cheek. Just so you know, we're going to go out to breakfast together tomorrow morning."

"Oh goodie! I knew you'd like her! She's really pretty, isn't she?"

"Yes, she's very pretty."

"Did you see her sunbathing today? Her boobies are really small but she's really sexy, isn't she?"

"Nikki! Enough!" I almost shouted.

Nikki turned to me somewhat startled but then realizing that she'd violated the 'Prime Directive.' She covered her mouth with her hand and said, "Sorry."

Nathan smiled warmly, "Yes, Nikki. I saw her. I took a good long look just like I'm sure she wanted me to and yes, she's very sexy."

I smiled inwardly and realized that the spider might not know what she had snared.

"So, Nathan. Are we going to build that gate?"

"Yes, my friend. I think that'd be a great idea. I'll stop by the hardware store on Monday and buy the hinges and other hardware." Nathan smiled and then headed out the front door and back to his place.

Nikki and I cleaned up the kitchen together and then retired to the bedroom where we used the other old brown bath towel and made love.

Nikki suggested that we should shower again but I said, "It's OK, Darling. Let's go to sleep and have a shower in the morning."

We fell asleep in each other's arms.