The Dark Lady Ch. 11

He was looking behind me with widening eyes. "Theo, what now? One bandit is not enough for her?"

Clemmie was not in my sweats. She had her workout bra and shorts on, and her hair in a ponytail under a baseball cap.

"Carlos, take your guys and bring those mats from the back room in here. It's time for some karate practice. I will spar with Theo, so you get the idea of what to do."

Mark and James looked at me, grinning and thinking some smart ass remark.

"Clemmie, this isn't fair, we've still got our dinner clothes on..."

"Fair! You call five men against one woman fair? I don't care what you have on. I want to see you take me down!"

I started stripping and gestured to the others to do the same. I only stopped when I got to my boxers. Carlos and Arturo looked a little uncomfortable, but soon all five barefoot men in boxers were circling the demon karate lady.

"Clementine, do you wish to concede now?"

She tossed the blond hair and waved the bandaged arm at us. "Just try me. Which of you is brave enough to go for it?"

I advanced and she laughed, "No jockstrap, Theo? Boy, are you going to be hurting..."

Before she finished speaking, I lunged as quickly as I could, but the swinging leg caught me at the ankles and I collapsed on the mat, swearing a blue streak.

"After her, guys, get the shedevil."

Carlos whispered to the others and they all rushed at once, one hip forward to protect their vitals. With an oath, Clemmie disappeared under the pile of bodies.

I crawled forward and seized her arms while Carlos sat on her legs, all of us panting.

I said, "Ok, we agree that you can take any one of us down. That's enough practice for now. Your reward is to relax in place and take a nap while the rest of us roam. We will bring you a pillow and a blanket and the phone. Clemmie on the mats will be Command Central."

When we returned from the first tour of the building, Clemmie was on the phone, and waved at me.

"It's Greg, he has news." She handed the instrument to me.

"Hey, what are you doing up at this hour?"

"Theo, the FBI is making good progress on Argonaut. They are closing in on a couple of guys from Phoenix, who are suspected of being in Tucson or close by."

"Fantastic, as long as they keep them out of our hair today."

"After the dustup at the Inn, your party is getting a lot of attention. Clemmie says you are patrolling. Good idea if you don't fall asleep on your feet."

"Get some sleep yourself and come on over here for early breakfast. We need to keep everyone in sync."

As I handed the phone back, Clemmie's hand darted out and pulled me in for a hot kiss.

"I love you. Are we still a team?"

"I should beat you for even asking the question. Close your eyes."

After the next tour, we found Clemmie out like a light, but Kim setting out coffee and pastry on a table in the middle of the dimly lit atrium.

I hugged her from behind and said, "You are still the best mom, ever."

I got a quick kiss and then she was talking to Carlos in Spanish. "Your mother called and is worried about you and your brother. I told her there are a dozen guards here and you are safe."

"Si. Gracias. Maria is a best mom too."

Just before six, I was sipping coffee and gazing at a sleeping Clemmie when Clara walked in with Milly on her arm. They squeezed me between them and Milly said, "Theo, you and your pals are generating a lot of news and excitement." She plastered her lips on mine and squeezed harder.

Clara said, "I've decided she is too good to be just our PR person. What about making her Director of Communications?"

"She's making a cheap pass at me in order to get hired?"

I ducked before the outraged reporter could land a blow, but Clara had me in a headlock and said, "That was plain nasty. You apologize right now."

I pulled Milly back into a clinch and whispered, "You're hired. But don't resign until next week. What about an exclusive interview with Clemmie about her heroic takedown of the attacker last night?"

Clemmie opened her eyes and gazed upward. "I heard that. Get your hands off the poor woman. Milly, grab some coffee and sit with me."

Clara pinched my ear. "You are a total lovely nuisance. Help me carry jewelry from the vault to the display cases."

By eight, the Gallery was a picture of activity. Most of the display cases were filled with sparkling jewelry. Several day shift guards with sidearms were circulating carefully. Susan had the double doors to the recital hall open and was playing quiet music on the organ, having told me that Karl was so excited by events at the dinner he had decided to stay over and would play for the presentations at eleven.

Kim came up, "Theo, there are people standing in line already. We haven't even taken down the black paper."

"What about hiring the restaurant to send coffee and pastry to people in line? Give the press something to write about."

Karen, standing next to me, said, "Lucky for us, the papers didn't have time before deadline to do much in the way of stories about last night. But the TV camera in the corner got footage of Clemmie. The midair landing on the bad guy is all over the news. The networks are after me but I am turning them down. They will have to settle for the same pool coverage they got last night."

She smiled and hugged and said, "Milly will be a terrific addition to our team, Theo."

Her elbow was sharp. "When are you going to bed her?"

Clemmie was bending Milly's fingers back and forth. "I heard that too. His first order of business is to make me a baby. He already agreed."

I stared at her and held onto Karen. "I am going to ask the principal about our policy on student mothers. They may not be permitted."

She jumped up and did a front flip into my arms. "Theo, all of these gorgeous women have already volunteered to be nannies. The kid is going to be smothered with love."

Kim smacked her bottom and said, "This is not a time for loving and babies. Go home and clean up. You are worse for wear, heroine."

"Yes, m'am." She ran off.

Milly was whispering in my ear, "She's incredible. How do you rate that?"

"Beats me. We have strange chemistry that works."

Kim nudged. "You better clean up, too. Leftover tux is not the order of the day."

When I returned at ten, the Chief of Police was talking to Kim. "Theo, your crowd outside is blocking the street. Is there a plan?"

"Mom, we better let them in. Susan and Karl can entertain with the organ."

Clara was amazingly calm, "Yes, we can finish with guests in here. Go ahead."

Kim and I stood to one side as people came in. The music had a quieting effect. Everyone was listening as Bach flowed through the space.

"Theo, your organ idea was a stroke of genius." She squeezed my hand and I put my arm around her shoulder.

Erica arrived and whispered, "Stay just like that. Everyone is watching and appreciating mother and son."

Milly came in with Clemmie. "I got my interview and did her makeup. What do you think?"

Last night's ninja was the height of femininity. The pool camera was going to be all over her again. The blond hair had just a slight curl, and the dark eyeliner made her look like a New York model. An instant group of admirers gathered. She had heels on and tried not to teeter.

I grinned at her and gestured to her feet. She gave me a look, with a hint of tongue in it. My girl.

Promptly at eleven, Kim walked to the podium and welcomed the guests. She gazed out over the room, her pleasure evident. "Honored guests, hard working staff, this is a special day for Parsons Gallery and our wonderful city of Tucson."

She filled in some details of the new programs and introduced Clara, who looked like a million dollars and showed off her newly acquired poise in public. The buzz in the room grew as she described the unique gold and diamond jewelry items created from the Parsons mine.

Martin was up next, his strong presence showing no effects from last evening's excitement. Enjoying his short but intense grip on the audience, he thanked Kim for donating the Parsons' necklace to the Bridges program, and introduced Sam Albright, a professional auctioneer from Phoenix.

In a few minutes, Sam's skills had the audience on the edge of their seats as he finally allowed Karen to emerge from behind a curtain into the spotlights at the podium. A collective gasp went up and then deafening applause. Clemmie and I were standing to the side, holding hands and smiling at Karen, who was demonstrating even more aplomb than last night.

Clemmie whispered to me, "This is the moment for a snatch. Do we want to check around outside?"

Carlos was at the front doors, looking a little worn. I grabbed his shoulder. "Almost there, amigo. Almost. Will they try again?"

"Theo, we are ready. Let them try. The building is surrounded by FBI and police."

Sam's staccato patter had reached half a million and was going strong. Several hands were popping up and down. Unfamiliar faces. Maybe the necklace was going to leave Tucson. Karen was moving around carefully, allowing the light to fall on the necklace from different directions, sending multicolored rays to the walls. I wondered how many males in the room were actually looking at the necklace. I whispered to Clemmie, letting Carlos hear, "Most of the guys are looking at the boobs, not the diamonds."

She grinned back, "Sexist pigs. Behave yourselves."

When the gavel came down, the winning bid was a million two hundred thousand. The buyer was the head of the largest realty firm in town, Alex Hoskins, whose wife was shouting and hugging him. Karen beckoned to them and carefully transferred the necklace to its new owner to thunderous clapping. Karl had made his way to the console and filled the room with triumphal Handel.

This time Clemmie was serious. "Theo, we can't let a giant crush of people in here when the doors open to the public. I'm afraid we need instant crowd management. I'll go get something organized."

I went to Karen. "You were superb. Did you imagine you had a million dollar chest?"

She frowned, "Theo, I warned you about too much attention to my boobs." Her fingers had both of my ears, pulling our lips together for a totally hot kiss in front of five hundred pairs of eyes.

I heard one woman guest say, "Alex's wife gets the necklace, but Theo gets the girl."

"You're embarrassing me."

"No I'm not. You love it when we hit on you. Kiss me again."

The rest of the afternoon was a zoo of wild enthusiasm by several thousand Gallery visitors, and weariness overtaking the Parsons gang. Luckily, we had planned to close at four, and not open until noon Sunday. It took an hour to secure the displays, but by six, everyone was sipping margaritas at Keeler and collapsed on loungers and the grass around the pool. No one even had the energy to get into suits. The twins fell on me, reporting that catered dinner would arrive at seven, if anyone was still awake to eat. I pulled their hair and told them for the umpteenth time how essential they were to our work.

Sarah turned over and kissed me gently. "Theo, you don't have to compliment us so much. Everyone in the group works really hard. We'd do this for nothing if you would let us."

I pushed them together and worked my fingers here and there. "Maybe Clemmie will let you spend the night with us."

They giggled as Karen walked over and flopped. She was in running shorts and a sports bra.

I asked, "What happened to the woman at the auction?"

"It's over, Theo. Over. No more selling flesh. The women want standards and have appointed me honorary principal. The first rule is that you will no longer make little side deals for sex..."

I had her down across my knees, hand smacking the tough rump as hard as it could.

"Theo," she screeched, "be nice. We are all in a weakened condition..."

I stood and perched her on my shoulders. "Everyone, listen up."

"I have up here the star of our show. The woman who raised more than a million dollars for charity today. The woman who risked her life last night, and lost some of her privacy today with media coverage that will be national and international. Let's say thank you."

She slid down into my arms, crying, as her friends rushed in with more kisses, hugs and tears.

"One other thing. Our fabulous success is creating a mountain of new work. Kim and I want to have a major sitdown session on Monday morning to regroup. For now, let's relax and not talk work."

"One last thing. You are all stars. Every one of you. I don't know how to say thank you enough."

Clemmie appeared, dragging Carlos with her. "Theo, I told Carlos about his new job with Parsons Mining and asked if he was willing to work for a tough Anglo girl. He said only if Angie gets to practice with me."

"Carlos! You are going to let her learn how to take you down?"

"Si, you told me it will lead to better loving."

Clemmie put a knee into me and told Carlos, "Call Angie and see if she would like to come up for dinner. She and I need to talk."

At that moment, Milly came racing in, clad in short shorts and crop top, shouting, "I did it. My last story has been filed. No more reporting. I heard there was a party here?"

Clara and Laura had her instantly in the pool, all of them bare as the day they were born. Kim and Erica and I started in on dinner.

I said, "Maybe we should throw a big picnic barbeque tomorrow and invite all hands, including our Hispanic friends. We can close the Gallery at three."

The two of them wedged me against the counter. My hands were full of juice from slicing tomatoes.

"Theo, that is a wonderful idea, especially if the bosses do most of the work. Ok?"

"Yes, of course." The three of us were looking out the window at naked nymph games in the pool.

Erica said, "Theo, it has been a wonderful few months of loving for your women. But if you are going to make a baby with Clemmie, we have to be friends, not lovers."

Kim gave me a hip. "Yes, husband-to-be. Your women have been talking about it among ourselves. It would not be fair to Clemmie to share you."

I groaned and said, "I'm not even eighteen and half, and my bachelor days are over?"

Erica pulled my hair and kissed my cheek. "We are not giving you up yet. Your freedom expires on your wedding day. And you are not to talk to Clemmie about this. Not until after you are married and you tell her she is the only woman for you."

"Kim, this one still has the analyst in her."

Now both of them were kissing and hitting. "Of course. Marriage counseling is a regular HR service!"

My hands went inside the tee shirts and grabbed handfuls. They screeched as Laura came in the doorway from the pool and fell on me. "I leave the kitchen for five minutes and you are molesting the help!"

I seized her in my arms and fastened on a wet breast. "You are off duty. No kitchen chores until next week. We have having a big barbeque tomorrow and the bosses are doing the chores. Go tease Milly."

While I was wrestling with Laura, Kim disappeared. When she returned, I was pushed against the counter and she said, "I've been waiting for the right time to give you this."

Nestled inside the little box was a gold ring with a tiny row of diamonds across the top. I knew instantly what it was, and how much love Kim had expended in having it made.

"It's our own gold and diamonds, isn't it?"

"Yes. She of all people should have this emblem of her hard work, and your love."

I kissed her with passion.

They said together, "You have to surprise her."

"Nobody else knows about this?"

"No. DR is sworn to secrecy. You owe him. He said he was pleased to be asked because Clemmie is such a special woman."

"I have to do it tomorrow, when everyone is here."

"Think you can pretend it isn't burning a hole in your pocket for twenty-four hours?"

I grilled a pile of hamburgers with my special southwest sauce, and women provided bowls of salad, with berries for dessert. Bodies were scattered around the lawn, with quiet conversations going on.

Clemmie was sitting next to Phyllis and Susan. I asked, "How is Betsy?"

"Theo, you are kind to ask. She loves it here. Starting to walk and destroy the apartment."

Clemmie's elbow was in my ribs, "You ready for that?"

She pushed me down and applied a wet kiss. Susan and Phyllis laughed and said, "Theo, your days are numbered."

"What about Milly?"

The three of them frowned, "Theo, do you really need sex with every hot body that shows up here?"

"I thought you liked being chased by a horny football player?"

The three of them fell on me. "Clemmie, you must do something about his arrogance."

Instead, she wandered off in search of Milly. I hugged my two loving friends and whispered, "I have a big secret to tell you if you promise to keep it quiet for a day."

We were in a corner of the lawn and I carefully pulled the box from my pocket.

"Tomorrow is the big day."

"OMG, Theo, it's gorgeous. She is such a lucky girl."

Susan pounded on me and added, "And you are such a lucky guy."

I kissed them and said, "I'm going to have to clean up my act, aren't I?"

They sat on me, chanting, "Clean up your act, clean up your act."

My eyes were closed and my face in the grass when Clemmie said, "What's going on?"

"These are just love taps, he is promising to improve his behavior."

Milly's laughing voice asked, "You are not wimping him, are you? He promised to molest me and Clemmie says I am going home with the two of them tonight."

The four of them stood me up and headed for the door. I protested, "Hey, there is cleanup..."

"You are excused. You have more important responsibilities."

I was tossed in the back of Clemmie's car, with Milly propelled on top of me. Clemmie drove and lectured at the same time. I pulled the ex-reporter to my chest and gave her cheek a lick while my hands explored the body I had seen splashing naked in the pool.

"I don't understand..."

Clemmie's voice was hard and clipped. "This is standard procedure. New hires have to go through initiation. You won't suffer. Not much at least."

She tried to protest but my tongue was in her mouth, exploring. A few seconds more of resistance and she went totally limp in my arms.

"I guess I asked for this."

Clemmie had our clothes off and the shower going in seconds. "Here is bath wash. Get rid of the chlorine."

My soapy hands were rubbing her round, high breasts, and finding their way between her legs. She had my hard cock in a death grip. "There better be some sex soon. I am hotter than a pistol."

Clemmie had us face down, side by side on a large beach towel, drizzling massage oil.

Milly moaned, "What about the torture? I've never been pampered like this before."

"We'll get to that. You have a decision to make. Because you are new and special and wrote such nice words about me, you get to decide whether he does you first or me first."

I silenced her response by shifting her on top and kissing her hard. Clemmie beat a tattoo on her ass, and I did a little game of upthrusts to her crotch.

Clemmie, eyes dancing, gestured to go ahead, pulling the limp body vertical so it could descend on my skyward pointing shaft.

She was wet and ready, moaning as I fully penetrated a tight, slippery cunt. My fingers found her stiff pink nipples and pinched. "Oh shit, you didn't mean to give me a choice at all. I'm fucked. I'm fucked by the biggest stud in Tucson. Oh god."

I was enjoying this latest and possibly lastest fuck. Clemmie sat across my thighs, oily hands everywhere on Milly's gorgeous body. "Theo, this one is a keeper. She is going to come any second."

I watched my lover's fingers find a fat clit and pinch it hard. Milly screamed and came in a monster climax. Suddenly she was lying at my side, and the karate champion was posting in her place.