The Girl from the Ouachita Ch. 02

When the women returned, the men were through lamenting the Cowboy's failure to make the playoffs and had moved on to the underdog Longhorns versus the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 1, and the Horned Frogs chances against the California Bears in the Cheez-It Bowl in Phoenix the day after Christmas.

They courteously arose as their women approached, now smiling and chatting happily, with Jo walking between Sandra Beck and Rebecca Elliot. Jo looked tentatively at Chris as he seated her, but his smile was warm and cordial, betraying nothing.

Their waiter appeared with a menu card, which they scanned before choosing among the evening's standard offerings. At Sandra's urging, Jo ordered the chicken piccata with lemon sauce and capers, as did the other women. The men ordered prime rib.

Trey asked if anyone would like another drink before the meal, and all accepted. Before Jo ordered, Sandra leaned in and asked, "Honey, there is a delicious mixed drink we let our daughters drink when they were your age. It's called a Bocce Ball, and you would have to drink a bunch of them to be affected. Would you like to try one?"

Jo looked at her noncommittal escort, and replied that she would.

"And a Bocce Ball, substitute club soda for the vodka, for the young lady," said Sandra.

A Bocce Ball turned out to be a glass of orange juice with a jigger of amaretto and one of club soda: Jo liked it, and thanked Sandra.

Legally, they shouldn't have provided it. Given her DNA, Jo shouldn't have accepted it, and thereby tested whether the propensity toward addiction was passed along. But they provided and she imbibed.

The pre-dinner conversation, as directed by Jo, was light and happy. She wanted to know all about their favorite topic: their families. Each couple took a turn, and Jo's interest never wavered. She soaked up the joy and pride their children and grandchildren brought them, and pushed them to elaborate, seemingly never getting enough detail about the big and little things that made their families special.

The proud parents and grandparents eagerly complied, enriching descriptions with stories.

Chris was interested in each couple's family story, which gave him insights and information that would help him be a good employee and caring friend, and satisfied his natural curiosity.

More than anything, however, he was impressed by Jo's ability to get people to open up and share, and to happily display her interest in even minute details. He was proud of the way she had dealt with the difficult part of the night, but wondered how she had recovered so well and completely. Was this really her enchanting the group, or was she an even better thespian than he knew?

The arrival of the delicious meal largely stymied the conversation, but gave him time to consider what he had seen and heard. Jo remained a conundrum wrapped in an enigma.

After the meal they were enjoying another drink before the orchestra began playing, when Sue Schneider asked about Christmas plans. As if she hadn't realized it was December 22, Jo looked at Chris with surprise.

"Well," asked Sandra, "what are your plans, Chris, Jo?"

He looked at Jo, and then at the others. "I didn't know how much time I would have off, given the new project, so we made our plans at Thanksgiving. My parents and siblings are driving down here tomorrow in Dad's motorhome. They should arrive early on Christmas Eve. We're going to celebrate Christmas in my apartment, so I have to get a tree and decorations in the morning. As Jo says, my apartment is not at all 'homey', but I hope she will help me make it look at least welcoming."

"Your parents are coming?" Jo asked in horror. "Why didn't you tell me? I don't want to mess up your family celebration! I'll get a room somewhere!"

"Haha!" interjected Sandra, who waggled her finger at Jo. "If you do, his family will hunt you down and drag you back! I talked to Debora on the phone just before we left to come here, and they are chaffing at the bit to meet the first girl Chris has spoken of since... well, since the unfortunate end to his engagement."

She still looked horrified at the prospect, but Trey added, "Jo, they are the sweetest people, and they are going to love you. Just relax and be yourself; you'll charm them, just as you have their friends around this table tonight."

Fortunately for Jo, not so fortunately for Chris, the orchestra began playing and everyone got up to dance. "When were you going to tell me?" she asked angrily while they were waltzing in perfect tandem.

"In the morning, when we went to get decorations. I was afraid you'd have this reaction, and my family does want to meet you. No pressure, Jo; they really are sweet people, and my younger sisters assure me they are going to be your best friends by Christmas Day."

"What will they think of me, Chris? That I'm some kind of gold digger, sponging off your generosity!"

"Jo, it's not like that at all! Look, we often kept students with us who lived too far away to go home for the holidays. That's just hospitality. Same things with friends who need a place to crash, for one reason or another. We're southerners; we are hospitable. It's no big deal!

"They know you're staying in my spare room, and they think nothing of it! Don't let yourself start doubting our friendship now!"

"What did she mean by 'the first girl he's spoken of since your unfortunate breakup'? Have you talked to them about me?"

"Of course! You know I talk to at least one of them every few days. I even sent them a pic of us at the mixer because everyone was curious about my new roommate.

"I see that look, but I'm telling you the truth! My sisters think you look 'so sweet', and they're ready to become your best friends. Mom and Dad just want to meet you, but they did get you a present, so we'll have to get them something from you tomorrow."

"No, WE won't! I have some money saved up, and I'm going to spend it on presents for your family and my roommate! You've been far too generous already!"

"Fine! We'll go shopping as soon as the stores open. I'll show you some pictures of the Fam, and what I already got for them. You can ask all the question you want, and I might even have a few ideas for you. But me? No, that isn't going to happen; serving as my escort tonight and charming the pants off my bosses and their wives is the best present you could give me!"

She crooked her head and innocently inquired, "Is it? The best present I could give you, I mean."

She grinned, he blushed, but recovered, "Are you flirting with me, Lady Jo?" She giggled and pretended to be embarrassed, but the grin remained.

After the dance they returned to a table of chuckling adults. "So, Jo, what did you say to your roommate to make him turn red like that?" asked Sandra, before taking a sip of her drink.

"Oh, I was just being a tease. He's easily embarrassed about some things," she replied with a smile.

Chris was avoiding eyes by staring at his drink, but turned a brighter shade when they laughed at Jo's reply.

When the music began again, everyone adjourned to the dancefloor. The Waltzes, Fox Trots, and Two Steps were fine; he kept his distance and his cool, while admiring her grace, timing, and impeccable sense of rhythm.

Then they just had to play a Tango, and watching her movements to 'the dance of love' about broke him. Of course, she had to show lots of shapely leg on the lunges and kicks, her hands had to lovingly caress his arms when they slid apart, and the way her body responded to his direction... Shit!

He wasn't the only one; a small crowd stood and watched their (her) performance from the fringes of the dance floor.

His relief at the end of the dance was short lived, although the applause they received gave him a few seconds to recover. In order to complicate his life further, the orchestra transitioned to Rock Around the Clock. Jo could jitterbug like Juliana Hough, and the cute LBD did a great job of drawing attention to her incredible moves and even more incredible legs and body.

Chris noticed that the dance floor had grown steadily less crowded, and the eyes of the crowd were focused on them. He wasn't Derek Hough, but he held his own, as best he could. The band saw the interest, and prolonged the song another couple of minutes. They drew another, even louder, round of applause when the song finally ended.

Thankfully, the orchestra moved on to a slow country two-step that brought her into his arms, albeit a little closer than he was used to. Her supple body felt amazingly good with his big arms encircling it, and the inadvertent touching of her boobs to his chest was causing the problem he could barely control to grow larger in scope.

When they made the final turn, she straddled his right leg and rode it through the turn, and then moved away. There was simply no way she hadn't felt his steel cock, but she gave no indication. He looked down into her perfect face, saw a coy smile, and realized the little tease did that on purpose!

Instead of letting him escort her to the table, she led him, which helped hide his problem until after she was seated. The men were watching her flushed and excited face; the women watched him hurriedly step to the side to take his seat, and smiled at his obvious reaction to his young dance partner.

They knew their husbands and all the other men ogling her as she danced had similar reactions, but Chris had so emphasized the platonic nature of his relationship with Jo. The proof of what they already knew was gratifying and humorous, because he was so embarrassed by their knowing looks.

Sandra smiled, but Sue chuckled quietly, which caused Rebecca to giggle. Chris' blush spread.

As males are want to do, the men struck up a conversation with the pretty girl, allowing their pretty wives to pry into the mind of the handsome boy. His interrogation lasted until his escort suggested they should go, since they had last minute shopping to do tomorrow. By that time, he was glad he didn't have a high security clearance and state secrets to guard, because he would have spilled them all.

Several young valets hurried over to help Jo into the big pickup, lingered as she was assisted into her seat by the lucky one, and then pivoted her gorgeous legs. She was cautious and the LBD wasn't immodest, but it showed a lot of leg when she was seated; she knew that, and threw the boys a smile as an additional reward.

"I'm never going to need to tip the valet when you're along, am I?" Chris mumbled. "I barely got my keys, but you had four of them at your beck and call."

"Oh?" she asked coyly. "Am I your beck and call girl now?"

He got it. "Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, right?" She laughed and nodded.

He opened the door to help her get down out of the truck when they got to the apartment, and was treated to the best view of the night! The sight of her creamy thighs between the lacy tops of the black hose and the black panties as she pivoted her knees to face him was enthralling, and it only got better when she slid slowly off the seat, placed her shoes on the nerf bar, put her hand on his shoulder for balance, and took his hand. He assisted her to the ground, her dress fell back into place, and he finally looked at her face. He couldn't decide if that was a smirk he saw, or a look of satisfaction.

They walked to the door arm in arm, with her very nice, soft, but firm boob pressed against his arm. He unlocked the door; she paused, pivoted, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered. "I had a wonderful time tonight" before softly kissing his cheek.

She quickly opened the door and, for the first time, walked toward her bedroom with a very feminine sway. He stood and watched. He needed another long, hot shower, to release the incredible tension he was feeling. She did too.

****

Over breakfast, she made him show her all the pictures of his family that were on his phone, and tell him stories about each family member. She then visited his mother and sisters' social media sites. She was surprised that his dad had a Facebook page, but not surprised all the pictures were of his family, dogs, or from his hunting trips.

Because of her earlier research, the shopping trip was relatively short and painless. She wouldn't let him see what she was buying, so he played with his phone while she shopped.

She also wouldn't let him buy her anything else, although they had only that morning received a written invitation to a private NYE party at the Clear Fork Clubhouse, and he had offered.

She said she had something nice to wear, but couldn't help surveying the party dresses when she passed through that section. He saw her linger just a hair too long over a dress before she went on to the men's section to find something for his dad.

When she was out of sight, he examined and fell in love with the dress; it would look perfect with her Christmas gift! He bought the dress, had it wrapped, and insinuated the bag among the others he was carrying. He considered what the salesgirl called a "darling silver sequin body con dress" dress to be a present to her, to him, and to all the men fortunate enough to be invited to the NYE party.

He was quite pleased with himself, until he considered the possible consequences of dressing his young friend up like that and putting her in front of a room full of drunken men, and women.

Jo returned in less than a half hour with her final purchases, and they went to lunch at a restaurant near the mall. After, they bought a live 7-foot Black Hills Spruce in a large bucket, and what he considered a more-than-sufficient quantity of decorations for the tree, door, and living room. He wanted a simple cut tree, but Chris wanted a live one, "Because it's better for the planet! We can plant it after Christmas and help create cleaner air!"

He didn't argue, although he wondered where one planted a 7' Spruce when one owned no property in Texas.

Setting up the tree and decorating it was the first order of business, followed by decorating the front and back doors, the mantle of the gas fireplace, and sundry other places Jo thought needed attention. When they finished, he stood and surveyed the result: the utilitarian apartment was transformed!

She spent the rest of the afternoon wrapping her purchases just so, and he reorganized his in his closet, hiding two of Jo's so she wouldn't have so many from her roomie under the tree.

"Let's watch a Christmas movie on Hallmark!" suggested his happy little buddy, who was dressed in a long sleeved navy nightshirt with watching knee sock. She looked adorable, sitting in the middle of the couch with her feet tucked under her and most of her thighs exposed. He didn't understand how women could sit like that; he'd have to have knee surgery if he tried it! Still, she did look adorable.

He took an inordinately long shower to relieve his tension that night. Jo took care of her tension in bed.

****

His family must have spent the night across the street, because they were there with breakfast tacos at 7:30 am. Jo and Chris were still on their first cup of coffee when the doorbell rang, and he opened the door wondering who it could be, only to be mugged by his sisters.

Jo, in her nightshirt and knee socks, tried to make a run for it, but the sisters intercepted her. All she could think of was "you never get a second chance to make a first impression", and here she was in a nightgown, without makeup, and with wavy mussed hair that she had barely run a brush through!

Didn't seem to bother the Alexanders; they beamed at her and hugged on her as they introduced themselves, and then Donna said, "Jo, you are just as adorable in person as in your pictures! Get another cup of coffee and come show us your room -- we can eat later!"

Mom said she wanted to tag along, so she got a cup of coffee, told them to heat up the tacos, and joined the others.

When the girls were gone, his dad said, "Dang, son; she's a doll!"

Chris nodded, but reminded his dad that she was at most his temporary roommate, and that only due to her circumstances. His dad smiled, tilted his head, and said, "Your mother got a call from Sandy Beck last night. Sandy has a different impression. She thinks you're 'sweet on her' whatever that means."

Chris got his dad a cup of coffee, heated the oven, moved the foil-wrapped tacos into a covered dish, and turned back to face his dad. "Okay, I can't argue that she is very attractive, or that I can ignore that she is, but there is a story behind our meeting that only she can tell, so let me assure you that our relationship is entirely platonic in nature."

"Sure, son, keep on telling yourself that" his dad said with a lazy grin, before artfully changing the subject to his success in Hot Springs, his promotion, and the new project. The table was set, a fresh pot of coffee was brewing, and they were laughing and talking across the breakfast bar when the ladies returned.

"Bubba, her room is fixed up so nice, and yours is just so blah! You should let her help you decorate it!" proclaimed Donna, his nearly eighteen-year-old youngest sister.

"Don't you just love the way she has it decorated, Bubba?" asked middle sister Dianne.

"I wouldn't know," Chris replied. "I haven't been in it since I helped her move in."

The women all looked at Jo, who shrugged and said, "That's true, and today with you was the first time I've been in his room. But, back to the point: I agree - his room is blah. Maybe the four of us can spruce it up a little while you're here."

The timer went off, so Chris moved the tacos, salsa, milk, and orange juice to the table. The women dominated the conversation, with Diane proclaiming that she had two friends who had attended TCU before transferring to Vanderbilt, which was a lot like TCU, so she would be glad to share her experiences with Jo. They discussed sororities and organizations Jo should consider, how athletics were an important part of the collegiate experience, that students should support their teams, and then transitioned to classroom expectations, norms, and grading.

Although she was a high school senior, Donna was taking all AP or dual-credit courses, and she wondered aloud if she should also apply to TCU. "Then Diane would be in Nashville and y'all could come see all three of us in one trip!"

That set off a firestorm of discussion among the Alexanders about all the schools she had already been accepted to and whether it was too late to apply to TCU. Jo and Chris listened, looked at each other, and smiled.

That ran its course, and they wanted a tour of the apartment complex. Jo led them because she had explored more than Chris, who was surprised by how many people greeted Jo by name and then introduced themselves to his family. The family loved all the amenities, and the three girls decided they should work out in the gym and run the trail along the river, because they had been 'eating too much and not getting enough exercise'.

They bullied Chris into joining them, and talked mom and dad into 'at least working out with us a while'!

After warmups and stretching, the four younger completed strenuous weight workouts, stretched again, and then hit the trail while mom and dad continued their more leisurely workouts in the gym.

With his sisters along, Chris led on the trail while the girls followed. He wanted to follow Jo, but watching his sisters' cute butts seemed creepy, so he led. Then he heard Diane say, "Dang, I hate to say it, but Bubba is kind of a hunk, isn't he? It's been a long time since I've seen him in workout clothes!" Donna and Jo agreed; Chris smiled and rethought his position on what constitutes creeping.

After showers, they decided to take Chris' Ram over to TCU to look around. None of them, including Jo, had ever been there, and they were all impressed with the compact size and the beauty of the campus, both facilities and grounds.