The Convertible – Breakdown

"Stop, Shaun, stop it right now and listen to me! All my life I was the fat girl that everybody ridiculed and taunted throughout grade school and high school. I was the friend that was always there to listen but never invited to parties, the girl who'd support a friend when a boyfriend broke up with her but never had one of my own. I dated guys in college, but they never lasted more than two or three dates.

I lost my virginity at a frat party, but it turned out the guy that slept with me won a betting pool for fucking the ugliest girl. Can you imagine how THAT felt? I hated myself so much, Mr. Shaun Parrish, that I allowed myself to end up with Mammoth, and you saw how well THAT turned out!

So now -- NOW -- I find you, a REAL man, who's kind and caring and respectful and generous, a man who thinks I'm attractive and likes me for who I am. Do you think I give a shit that you're not a 20-something shallow hardbody? After all the ridicule and shame I've felt in my life, if I fall in love with a man who makes me feel like a queen, do you think even for two seconds that I give a fucking rat's ass about what OTHER people will think? DO YOU?" Bursting into full sobs, she pulled her covers over her head and turned her back on me.

Well, hell. I felt like a real asshole, which of course, I was. If this was an asshole contest, I'd be on the podium getting a goddam gold medal! Cherry was right. I had been completely vain and selfish, completely ignoring and invalidating what she might be feeling. Fuck, what a dipshit I was!

In the cutthroat corporate world, when you make a mistake you OWN that bitch, quickly do damage control, make it right and don't fucking repeat it! But this wasn't the corporate world. This was just a sweet 22-year-old; I'd inadvertently stomped on her feelings and made her cry and didn't know exactly what to do. Well, I guessed I'd fall back onto the Corporate playbook and go from there.

Step one, own it. I put my hand on the blanket covering her hip and began speaking quietly, "Cherry, I'm so very sorry. You were absolutely right, I was completely wrong. I was being selfish, and inconsiderate, not thinking at all about your feelings."

Step two, do damage control. "I'm going to leave you alone now, so you can get a good night's sleep." I got up off the bed and collected my blanket to go back on the pull-out sofa.

Step three, make it right. "Tomorrow, I'll get up early and bring you your coffee and pastry the way you like."

Step f -- "Stop, Shaun," a muffled voice called from under the covers. I froze; Cherry pulled the covers down exposing just her face. "I don't want you to go back on the sofa."

Uncertain now, I proceeded with caution, "Do you want me to leave?"

"No, you colossal dumbass, I want you under the covers with me! Take off those stupid board shorts and come lay here!" She threw back the covers just enough to allow me entry to the bed but keeping herself modestly covered. Gingerly, I slipped under the sheet and blankets and lay there on my back.

Cherry maneuvered herself so she lay cuddled up to my side tucked under my right arm, her breasts warm and pressed against my ribs.

She planted a kiss on my right pectoral. "You apologized to me just now. You cared about my feelings. In my entire life, no boy or man has ever done that." She lay now with her face pressed against my chest, tracing patterns in my chest hair. "I know it's probably too soon for you to feel anything about us, but not too soon for me. I have strong feelings; I love you like crazy, in fact. You make me feel so good, and you took care of me when I was at my lowest point.

As far as I'm concerned, unless you turn me away, you're MY man, Shaun. If I can't have you, I just might give up on men altogether. Your feelings are probably a mess right now, and I won't make it worse by trying to have sex with you when you're not ready. But remember if you decide you want sex, I'm your girl, OK?"

I leaned my head down and kissed the top of hers, "Chenguang Shon, I give you my word. You're right. This is difficult for both of us. Thank you for being understanding."

She turned on her right side and I followed suit, and we spooned until we dozed off.

I was awakened by the feel of a hand on my belly, moving down towards my cock. Squinting one eye, I saw that the red digits of the alarm clock read '1:17am'. I'd rolled onto my back as I slept, now Cherry was sliding onto my chest, her warm soft chest pressed against mine. She gave me a soft kiss on the lips and whispered, "Close your eyes and don't move. You're asleep, and this is a dream. I love you."

Her hand reached my groin. She caressed my balls as if petting a baby animal, then moved up to my hardening manhood to slowly begin stroking it. Her fingertips were magic, and within a short time I was as hard as a calculus equation. She began to stroke it smoothly, and I let out a small groan.

"Shhhhh," she whispered, and pressed her lips to mine to silence me. I felt my climax building up, and involuntarily moved my hips up into her grasp. She began to stroke me a little faster; as she did so I put my hand in her hair and pulled her closer, our kissing intensified with passion. My other hand found a breast, squeezing and caressing it tenderly.

As our tongues found each other, my hips suddenly moved in small spasmodic thrusts as my balls discharged their load. I groaned my pleasure into Cherry's mouth while multiple jets of cum coated her hand, the blanket, and the sheets. It had been a long time for me; the last time I'd had any kind of sex was before Amanda got sick, so this was sweet but messy relief indeed.

Cherry brought her hand up, her fingers and palm covered with my gooey discharge, and proceeded to suck her fingers and lick her palm clean. I pulled her up to me and passionately kissed her now cum-covered lips.

"Cherry, I - "

She put a finger over my lips, whispering, "Shhh. This was all a dream. I'm yours when you want me. Go back to sleep."

My brain entering post-orgasmic shut-down I obeyed, wrapped in the arms of Morpheus once again.

When I woke up to the 5:00am alarm, Cherry was not in the room. Getting out of bed, I staggered down the hall to use the shared bathroom for my morning routine, then returned. Thoughts of Amanda and Cherry went back and forth in my brain, like a game of musical chairs but using my brain cells. I felt unsettled, to say the least. Until I opened the door.

When I walked in Cherry was there dressed and groomed, looking fresh as a daisy and obnoxiously cheerful. I'd have been annoyed, but on the room table sat two pastries and two cups of coffee. My conflicted feelings dissipated, displaced by a secret joy.

"Good morning, Shaun!" she announced, her voice a shade too perky. Morning perkiness was not an admirable thing, in my book anyway. "I'm sorry to see you awake; I was hoping to repay you for dumping ice on me yesterday. I'll have to get you back later." Great, now I couldn't sleep later than her for the rest of my life, under penalty of an ice bath. "This morning was my turn to bring you coffee. One sugar, two creams, right?"

"That's absolutely right! How did you know?"

Cherry walked over and gave me a peck on the lips, "It's my business to know what my man likes."

We arrived at work a few minutes early; I used the key Allen had given me to open up the diner. I heard Allen and Gina's footsteps coming down from the upstairs apartment on the outside staircase.

As the women put on their aprons, Gina was beaming this morning, and Cherry's perky demeanor remained unchanged. My boss looked a little frazzled as we reviewed the day's breakfast specials: the GearJammer Omelette, an omelette stuffed with steak, mushrooms, green bell peppers, tomatoes, hash browns and cheese, then topped with spicy raspberry compote and topped with a dollop of sour cream; and Orange-flavored French toast with a sausage patty and eggs. Allen had decided he liked me doing some of the prep cooking, and frankly I was enjoying it as well. The first customers came in, and it was showtime...

Apparently, there was some kind of mountain-bike racing event happening nearby; the crowd was not the usual mix. As always, the truckers were in and out early; today, instead of a few sleepy tourists they were replaced by a largely mountain biking crowd. They were late risers, but a lively bunch. The noise level in the place was much louder than normal, commensurate with the rowdiness of the group.

Cherry and Gina were really working up a sweat in the dining room, while Allen and I were doing the same in the back. Usually I split my time evenly between dishes and kitchen pots and pans, but today it was a 70/30 mix. I crossed my fingers that the old Hobart, a small 30-year-old conveyor model, didn't crack under the non-stop loads I was putting through it.

I'd reached a point where I could take a break and step away for a minute, so I walked out behind the counter in the dining area to see how Gina and Cherry were holding up. They seemed to be keeping up well enough, but there was one 6-top that was being a pain. They could see how busy the women were, but kept stopping them to ask for more water, or a clean knife after they deliberately dropped one on the floor.

I think I boiled over when I heard the biggest 'bro' making snide comments as Gina and Cherry walked by, "Watch your feet, midget coming through," or "Must be an order for sausage, here comes the piggy," rude and insulting comments like that. They kept asking for refills of water, must have been too cheap to order orange juice or coffee, I guess; when Cherry came to the coffee and drink station to refill her water pitcher I could see she was upset by the teasing. I took it from her hands, filling a second pitcher as well; for what I was about to do, I'd need it.

"Take a break, Cherry," I told her, I'll take care of this. You go stand by Gina." She began to protest, but I waved my index finger side-to-side to show this wasn't a discussion. I had blood in my eye now.

I walked over to the 6-top with the water and began to refill the first glass. "Look at this, we got the world's oldest busboy," Big Bro wisecracked. I ignored him and topped off the second one.

"Hey busboy, how's that career going?" The 5 other bros started laughing. I gave one of the Little Bros a look sufficient to shut him up.

"Hey, Ethan," he warned, 'maybe you should lighten up now."

"NAW," Ethan (the Bro formerly designated as Big) laughed, "this guy's a minimum-wage slave, he needs the money, he won't mind us giving him a little shit if we leave a nice tip."

I turned to Ethan as if to pour water in his glass, but instead poured both pitchers over his head. "Actually, asshole, you can shove that tip up your ass next to your bicycle seat."

The whole place suddenly went quiet as a funeral home. Ethan Bro began to stand up. Not as big as Mammoth was, but still a big boy. But he was a bully, and I wasn't afraid of bullies. I'd faced down bullies plenty of times in shareholder meetings and boardrooms.

I called over my shoulder, "Hey Allen, what's that fuckin' sign fuckin' say on the fuckin' front door of the fuckin' restaurant?

Allen had been watching the whole thing transpire through the pass-through window, and he now came out into the dining room with his arms crossed over his big chest, rolling pin in one hand and a 12" chef's knife in the other. If possible, the look on his face was ever angrier than mine.

He bellowed his response, "Shaun, are you talkin' about that fuckin' sign on the fuckin' front door of the fuckin' restaurant that says 'We reserve the fuckin' right to refuse fuckin' service to any fucker that gives our waitresses any fuckin' shit?' THAT fuckin' sign?"

"Exactly, that is indeed the fuckin' sign I was fuckin' referring to," I called back, then turned to Ethan Bro, and declared, "YOU, my fuckin' friend, just insulted this man's fuckin' beautiful WIFE," I jerked my head toward Gina and Cherry, "and MY fuckin' beautiful GIRLFRIEND! That bullshit will NOT stand!

My advice to you is to apologize to the ladies, then get your IPA-drinking asses in that bougie SUV of yours and haul ass down the road!" I threw both plastic water pitchers on the floor in front of him and yelled, "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, SON?"

Ethan's face had gone white as he realized he'd just 'dragged his dick in the dirt', as we used to say when I was in college. One of Ethan Bros friends hissed, "For fuck's sake, apologize, Ethan!"

It took Ethan a second or two to choke down his pride, but then he turned to Gina and Cherry and said, "I'm sorry for being rude."

My fury somewhat abated, I pointed towards the door, "Good job, Ethan, now get out of this restaurant, and get the hell out of McCloud. You and your five pals aren't welcome here." The six bros beat it into the parking lot, loaded up and took off.

The dining room broke out in applause. I took out my wallet and waved my Sapphire credit card in the air just to make a point. "Sorry about the ruckus folks," I announced, "to make up for it, this minimum-wage dishwasher is buying everyone's breakfast. Enjoy your meal and make sure you tell your friends that The GearJammer may serve the best breakfasts between Redding and the Oregon state line, but we don't tolerate rudeness to our servers!"

I turned around to see Allen, Gina, and Cherry looking at me.

Allen was chuckling, "Like I said before, you got some brass balls on you, Shaun." Gina walked up to me and, pulling my face down to hers, gave me a substantial kiss on the lips. I had to admit, Gina's kiss tasted as good as our orange-flavored French toast; it 'had some English on it', as my pool-playing friends would say.

"You're a good man, Shaun Parrish,' she murmured, "you just keep on taking care of that girl." Then she turned to Allen, "You there, you virile sexy beast, let Shaun lock up. After that exhibition of manliness, I need you upstairs and naked in 4 minutes." She emphasized her point by tapping her wristwatch.

Allen shrugged and tossed me the keys, "You heard the lady, Shaun, when the diners are finished, clean up and lock up. There's a, uh, top management meeting I got to attend."

Cherry walked up behind me and squeezed me tightly. I turned towards her, and she kissed me, ever so gently. "You just announced to everyone in the diner I was your girlfriend," she said in a quiet tone, "did you mean it?"

"Let me ask you, Miss Cherry Shon, do you consider me your boyfriend?" She giggled and squeezed me tighter, her luscious curvy body pressing nicely against mine.

"If you'll let me, yes," she replied. I bent my head slightly, kissing the top of her head.

"Permission granted," I told her. She looked up, intently gazing into my eyes.

"Shaun Parrish, I love you so much," she whispered, and our lips met in a way that felt like one of those kisses that you never forget; your first kiss in high school, or your first official kiss as man and wife at your wedding.

"I love you too, Cherry." Wow, I'd actually said it; now it was out there. I'd ante'd up, I was in the game, and my business experience had taught me well; I only played to win.

++++++++++

That night, there was a different dynamic between us; any kind of hesitation or reservation was gone. After a quick dinner at the bistro, we headed back to the B&B and raced to strip down. Having fewer clothes, I won of course, so got to ogle Cherry's young body from the safety of the covers.

This was a relief; I was no longer a hard-body like I'd been before marrying Amanda; I was now more of a dad-body, with strength in my arms but thick in the middle. As she walked across the room, I couldn't help but tease her, "Yo baby, yo! Mmmm-mmm-mmm, I GOT to get me some of that sweet lovin', get on over here."

She hopped into bed with me, pushed me onto my back and climbed on top of me. Rubbing her mound against my hardening cock, she teased me back, "You want some of this stud? You'd better show me how much you want it!"

Wrapping my arms around her we kissed for a while, enjoying the skin-to-skin contact. Then that tiny bit of insecurity in my head made itself known, forcing me to ask her softly, "Cherry, are you sure you want me? I'm such an old man, you really could have someone younger."

Before she could answer, I flipped her on her back and pushed her legs apart, burying my face in between her thighs and covering their insides with kisses. She spread them even wider as I moved down, so my lips were now positioned firmly on her labia. Her pubic hair was thin and easy to maneuver my tongue through, and I began to voraciously feast. Her hands clutched my hair, pulling me in.

After a minute I came up for air, my chin and cheeks glistening with her juices. "Tell me your answer," I whispered as I descended back into her wet opening. I moved up a little bit and gently took her clit between my lips, sucking lightly.

"Oh, SHAUN," she cried out, "YES, I love you! I don't care how old you are, you're the only man that I want!"

I could feel her legs begin to tremble as her climax began to build, and this just spurred me on. With a howl, her thighs clamped around my head and she began to gasp and shudder as a climax moved through her body. I slowed for a bit, switching my aggressive nibbling to gentle kisses, and she began to relax. As her orgasm calmed her thighs loosened, and I took this as my cue to renew my passionate attack on her womanhood.

It was only a minute or two before I was able to bring her back to the edge of ecstasy, another orgasm ripping through her. "Please, Shaun, I need to kiss you," she begged, and I moved on top of her. Her arms encircled me as I moved up her torso, covering her belly and sensitive nipples with butterfly kisses. Finally I reached her lips, and our tongues intertwined; positioning my cock at her entrance, I entered her.

I didn't want to just fuck, I wanted to make love to this wonderful woman; initially moving slowly and gently, I kept whispering, "Cherry, you're so beautiful, you're my goddess, you're my perfect woman, I'll always keep you safe," as I increased my tempo. Finally, I reached my pinnacle and cried out, but this time it was a blissful release, not an uncontrolled explosion like the night before.

We lay afterwards cradled in each other's arms, and I felt a sense of peace return that had eluded me since I'd lost my Amanda. "Cherry," I murmured, "please let this be real. If it's just a temporary thing, I swear it will kill me. I've missed this feeling, I - "

My young lover silenced me with a finger to my lips. "Hush. It's real," she said in a soothing tone, "I know you're scared by me being younger, but please baby, trust me. You're my sweetness, you're my real man, you're my amazing lover, you're my everything. I'm never leaving you. I promise." She moved slightly and pressed my face into her soft breasts. I was overwhelmed by the all the things I was feeling, and this felt like a sanctuary; on second thought no, not a sanctuary, it felt like home. In this amazing woman's arms, at long last, I was home again.

++++++++++

When we arrived at the diner at 6am, a line of around fifteen people were already waiting at the door. Many of them were the usual truckers, but many of the vehicles in the parking lot were pickup trucks and SUVs loaded with bicycles. Gina and Allen came down, their eyes wide with surprise. I asked the customer at the head of the line, "What's all this about?"

The customer started laughing, "Word is spreading fast about how you blew up that asshole Ethan yesterday. A lot of people in the local biking community can't stand him so congratulations! You just made this diner a destination, bro!"

To say it was busy was an understatement. We stopped seating people at 1:30, and still didn't get the dining room cleared until 2:30. Allen counted, and we'd served 93 breakfasts vs. the normal 60 or so, and it could have been more except we turned people away as it got close to closing time.