The Landlord's Protégé Pt. 01

Susan's heart swelled with love for this man. "Sometimes I think you're too good to be true!" she said, thanking him for all he had already done and for what he was prepared to do for her and the children.

As Victor expected, she handled the work with little difficulty and showed herself to be an effective manager of the other staff. There was a rapid improvement in the service the flats received and she seemed to be able to motivate the caretakers. The two she could not motivate, she discovered an ability to remove, and a skill in appointing people with better attitudes.

From the downtrodden girl he had met for the first time, she had been transformed into a very self-reliant and assured woman. She delegated the cleaning of her block to Gladys who did the next door block and who was glad of the extra pay, but she kept on with the cleaning of Victor's flat. Gail loved nursery and scarcely looked back at Susan as she ran in on her first day.

Victor was not called upon very often to pick Gail up from nursery, but he enjoyed the opportunities he was given. So life evolved into a new pattern.

Victor had mentioned to her a number of times that now she had the company car, she should take some time to visit her relatives further south, and look up some friends at the same time, but she demurred, worrying about the job while she was away.

However he kept on at her to ask the management company for some holiday time, and since it was the beginning of the Summer holiday at the Nursery school, she eventually succumbed and was surprised how easily George let her go.

She phoned her uncle and aunt who were delighted to have her with them, and she made the journey down to her hometown in central southern England.

When she arrived, Keith her brother, Amy his wife, their children and Katy her sister, were all at her uncle's house waiting for her. As she got out of the car, Katy ran up and hugged her.

"My, my, Sis!" she enthused, "you've come up in the world! Nice car, nice clothes, and look at the kids! You said you'd got a job, but this is something else!"

The rest of the family were similarly impressed at the smart sophisticated woman who had returned, and Susan became quite embarrassed at the praise and admiration lavished upon her.

The whole family ate dinner together and she told them of her good fortune and the job and what it entailed. She waxed lyrical about Victor Freeman and his help to and friendship for her. There were a lot of meaningful looks between her brother and sister. It was good to be with them again.

"Stop it, you two. He's just a friend."

"Friends make the best marriages!" Katy laughed. "Don't miss your chance. He sounds a mile better than Seth."

Susan did not miss the warning look Keith gave her sister.

"What's up Keith?"

"Nothing."

"Come on. What's going on?"

It was Katy who spoke. "Seth's here. He turned up two weeks ago."

In spite of herself, Susan's heart missed a beat. Why did he have this effect on her? He had left her high and dry and no explanation. He'd left her without any money and had almost got her raped and evicted, but even so she wanted to know why. And there was that feeling, that attraction.

"He's here?"

"He just arrived out of the blue. He's staying at his brother's flat."

"I don't want to meet him," she asserted, but something in her did want to meet him.

The conversation changed and ranged over her old friends.

"I think there are a few of the girls want to give you a night out," said Katy.

At the end of the evening, after Keith and family had left, Katy got Susan to walk her to her car.

"Sue darling, keep away from Seth, he's no good for you. You're an independent woman now. Don't fall for him again."

"Katy, I only want to know what made him disappear like that."

"Oh, yeah, and then some!" Katy knew her sister rather too well for Susan's liking. They both laughed.

"Seriously, Sue, he'll give you nothing but trouble." With that Katy got into her car and sped off.

The next few days passed in a whirl. The children were passed from Keith to Katy and back to their Uncle and Aunt and were loved and played with all day long. Susan was visited and in her turn visited a number of school friends, both male and female, and they frequented her favourite pubs in the evenings, but she didn't see Seth.

The way she was steered to each particular pub gave her the impression that there was a conspiracy to prevent her meeting him, and though she herself was not certain of this, it was in fact correct. What she did not realise was that Seth was trying to see her, but dare not approach Susan's family after leaving her in the lurch.

On the fifth day of her seven-day holiday, she was invited by a group of her girlfriends for a night out. They were to go clubbing, or rather to one particular club. It was Deirdre who laughingly told her that the best looking blokes went there and they would try to fix her up with 'a really fit guy'. She took it good part, but said that her pulling days were over and one-night stands were definitely out.

That evening her uncle and aunt took charge of the children, who loved their attention and their spoiling, and told her to have a good time and not to worry about when she needed to return home.

"If you want to stay at a friend's house overnight, that's all right with us. We'll see you sometime tomorrow," said her aunt, who had been a twenty something in the sixties. "The children will be fine. We want to make the most of them!" She winked at Susan, who coloured up.

She was not dressed when Deirdre called for her, and the two women went to her bedroom so she could change. Deirdre was wearing a short loose fitting tee-shirt with a V neck allowing her midriff to be on show, clearly no bra, and a microscopic skirt which barely covered her behind. As she preceded Susan up the stairs Susan could see she was wearing a thong, which afforded anyone who cared to look, a fine view of her otherwise bare bottom.

When Susan saw what Deirdre was wearing she re-thought her outfit and dug out a very short black dress and her skimpiest undies from her suitcase. The weather was warm enough to go without tights or stockings, and she chose a pair of three-inch heels to complete the outfit. She felt like a tart, but even so, much more demure than her friend. No jewellery, only a small black handbag, she thought. Deirdre approved and the two left the house.

The club, as she remembered, was dimly lit and the music was already pounding out a heavy beat. They saw their party at a table by the dance floor and joined them, shouting their greetings over the music and giving hugs all round. Drinks were ordered and they downed them quickly, eager to get onto the floor. Susan said she would look after their bags, and as the girls danced she looked round the club at the crowds.

Then she gave a gasp. There in a group of lads, barely three tables away, and staring at her intently, was Seth.

--

Chapter Five

Seth Grimshaw was a handsome man. Girls loved him on sight, from his blond hair, which tended towards red, to his baby blue eyes and wide mouth, the smile of which made them weak at the knees. He was slim, bordering on lanky, which made his hands look large, and girls glanced knowingly at each other when they saw his large hands, rehearsing the myth that large hands meant endowment elsewhere. They also drooled over his tight round buns.

Susan always wondered what he saw in her. Although she was a pretty, no, a beautiful girl, she never thought of herself as such, and perhaps this accounted for her gratitude when she felt he chose her as his live-in partner.

Now, having caught her eye he smiled, but this time, instead of that delicious warm glow spreading to her loins, she felt anger and resentment. His abandonment of her was foremost in her mind. She scowled at him.

Even so, he came over to her, and spoke, but the music was so loud that she heard nothing. However he understood her scowl well enough to know that he was in deep trouble with her. Indeed he expected as much, and he knew no endearing expression on his face would cut it with her. So he gestured to her to go to the entrance of the club, and she could lip-read his 'please'. She nodded and then gestured to the bags on the table, and he understood she could not go until the others came back.

He went ahead and when she arrived in the foyer he was waiting for her. He didn't get the opportunity to speak, before Susan began.

"I'm with the girls tonight, and I haven't time to talk to you. I go back home the day after tomorrow, and I want an explanation from you about how you behaved."

"Would you walk with me back to Abe's place after?" he asked plaintively.

"I don't know what their plans are, but if everyone's going home, I'll come with you. If they're going on somewhere you'll have to catch me tomorrow." There was no smile on her face or in her voice; it sounded hard and brittle. He agreed and said he would wait until they left.

When she returned to the table, the other girls started in on her, telling her not to pick up with him again, and she told them that she had no intention of doing so, but she wanted an explanation and he needed to know what he had put her through.

They enjoyed the evening. They danced most of the time, and Susan was a star attraction among the men. The girls had made a pact that they would not pair off with anyone, but stay together in Susan's honour. So as the music turned to slower, more romantic themes, and the volume dropped, they talked freely with much laughter, turning down all invitations to dance.

It was mid-week, and the others had work in the morning, so it was early, only just past midnight when they left the club. Seth was waiting for them, and the group cut him dead, but Susan said her thanks and goodbyes to them with hugs and kisses and turned to Seth.

They fell into step together, and he took her hand, but she snatched it away.

He began, "You seem to have done all right for yourself."

"No thanks to you. I want to know why you did what you did."

"I can't tell you the details. I got in with a bloke and worked for him. He paid very well, which is why I was able to get the flat. Some of his deals were borderline dodgy, and he dealt with some nasty characters. He fell foul of one lot and we were in deep shit.

"He told me to disappear and he told me how to do it. I wasn't to tell anyone, not even you. I got my mail transferred to Abe's address and went somewhere no one could find me. I had a bank account you didn't know about and cashed it in. It tided me over. Anyway, they found my boss and worked him over. He's still in hospital. It meant that they weren't looking for me any more, so I came back here - it's about as far away from them as I can get and find work."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"If they'd come to find me, and you knew I'd run, they'd think you'd know where and it wouldn't have been pleasant."

"No one ever came. I was left without money, not knowing anyone. Even if you'd said you had to disappear but couldn't tell me where, you could have warned me the rent wasn't going to be paid." Her voice rose as she recalled the scene, "I had bailiffs at the door, and they nearly raped me, Seth!"

Seth stopped dead. "God no!" he whispered. "Suzy, I'm so sorry. I had no idea!"

"And for God's sake, Seth, stop calling me Suzy. You know I hate it!"

"Sorry," Seth murmured. "They nearly raped you?"

"The landlord was in the porter's office looking at the CCTV and saw and heard them. He called them off. Otherwise I'd have been raped by two blokes in return for a week's grace."

They had arrived at Seth's brother's house, and stopped at the gate.

"Come in Suz...an," said Seth correcting himself just in time. "Tell me how you've been doing."

Susan was not at all sure she wanted to go in, but deep down there was a desire pushing her. She rationalised it by thinking that he seemed genuinely sorry for what he'd done, and anyway he seemed to have tried to protect her by keeping her in ignorance.

"All right, just for a minute." She knew it wasn't for a minute.

They went in and Seth poured two large glasses of red wine, which he knew she liked. She'd had a few drinks at the club, but didn't feel at all tipsy, and so she accepted it with a smile - the first smile since she met him that evening. It did not go unnoticed.

He was most attentive, asking her about the children and about her new job. As the wine went down, and he refilled the glass, she felt more and more relaxed, and told him all the details - the anonymous landlord, her success at running the place, her promotion - and Victor Freeman.

"You serious about this - Victor?"

"He's a good friend - for quite a while he was my only friend. He's supported me with the children - he's very good with them and they love him, but he's never shown any interest in me in that way."

"Biding his time?"

"I don't think so. He's a good deal older than me."

"If he did come on to you, what would you do?"

"I don't think it's likely after all this time, but," here she smiled wickedly, "I'd have to give it very careful consideration. He's a rich man, and really fit!"

Seth smiled. This was the old Susan. She'd got over her anger at him and had relaxed. Then the conversation turned.

"So, Seth, what about you. Deirdre said you'd been here a fortnight. What're you doing? Girlfriend? You were never short of a girl before we went North."

She thought he paused rather longer than he needed to.

"No girls, Sue," he said thoughtfully. She wondered if he was lying.

"Ever since you, there's been no one else," he added, bordering on the smarmy, but not quite reaching it.

She smiled. Yes, he was lying, but in the gentle haze of the wine, she didn't care. She'd not had sex for months, and the alcohol fuelled her desire. So when he came and sat by her, she didn't flinch. When he took her hand she didn't pull it away, and when he kissed her she kissed him back with abandon.

She pulled him to his feet and kissed him again.

"Oh, Sue, You've no idea how I've longed for this."

"Come on," she urged, leading him out of the room. He then took the lead into the bedroom.

"Undress me!" she growled.

She turned her back and he unzipped the dress, slipping it off her shoulders so it drifted to the floor. She turned to face him and watched him take a step back and gaze at her. She was glad she'd chosen the half-cup push-up bra and the gauzy boy-shorts. He smiled and she saw the lust in his eyes.

She turned her back again. "I said undress me!" She said sharply. He unclasped her bra and pushed the straps off her shoulders. She allowed it to fall to the floor onto the dress. She turned again, but as he stepped back, she stepped forward.

"My knickers," she said, and raised her arms over her head. He gazed at her breasts, now tightened by the stretched arms.

"My knickers!" she snapped. And he slipped his fingers into the flimsy fabric and pushed down, stroking her thighs as he continued down onto his knees and pushed them off her feet. He made as if to kiss her stomach, but she stepped back two steps and stood before him, he on his knees.

She now had her hands clasped behind her head, pushing out her tits.

"Look!" she said and stood with her legs apart, and then turned slowly so he could immerse himself in the beauty of her nude body, made all the more so since he was still fully dressed. He reached forward.

"I said look, not touch!" she directed, as she continued to turn. He was mesmerised, remembering the tight buns of her bottom. She dropped her arms and stood with hands on her hips.

"Strip!" she ordered and he obeyed, standing up and quickly stripping himself. She toyed with the idea of telling him to slow down, but it was clear that that was not possible.

In no time he was naked and he was fully erect. At this she became gentle, and moved into his arms, and they pressed their bodies together and kissed. At first Seth was aggressive, but her soft lips gentled him and the kisses became soft and affectionate. Not for long.

She pulled him to the bed, and wordlessly laid herself down with her legs together. He climbed over her and taking her knees, pushed them apart. Though his hands were large, his penis was an average six inches, but it was thick. She pulled him over her, for she had not been filled for months, and she wanted his cock. She reached down and grasped him. She knew she was wet and ready, and positioned him. Then she pulled his buttocks and felt the fullness plunder her.

"Now, do me!" she said. He knew what she meant, and began hard thrusting, as she raised her hips to him, her breath expelled loudly each time. He did not last long and groaned as he spewed his semen deep inside her.

As he climaxed Susan suddenly got a picture of Victor Freeman playing with Carl. Where did that come from? The image disappeared as quickly as it came, but she unaccountably felt a flash of guilt.

She had not climaxed, thanks to that intrusive recollection, but nevertheless felt filled and satisfied. It was the way they had usually made love, though without the elaborate stripping. He would come in her and then attend to her by hand, or he would bring her off and then penetrate her as she came down from her heights.

It was never mind-blowing but always gave her enough satisfaction. He did not like giving her oral sex, but liked her to blow him. She did not mind, she was content and happy as things were. She always felt it was enough for her.

It was just as well, because Seth relaxed, and he had hardly slipped out of her when he was asleep, lying on top of her, a dead weight. She gently pushed him off her and as he settled, she cradled his head on her breasts. Then she herself fell asleep.

She came to consciousness on her back with daylight streaming through the window and the feeling of a number of fingers doing extremely pleasant things to her nether region. The feelings were building and gathering and as she shut her eyes a gentle tongue began laving her nipples. It brought her off so hard that she actually saw stars dancing before her eyes as she bucked and twitched with each spasm.

Gradually she came down as Seth climbed over her and took her. This time he was fucking her to get himself off. He became more and more frantic with snarling grunts, then, holding his breath, he came and rolled off her.

They lay side by side, looking at the ceiling.

"Sue?"

"Yes?"

"Come back."

She had been basking in the warmth of the sheer physical sensation, but suddenly, as if drenched in cold water, she came to her senses. She sat up, the nipples of her naked breasts still erect, but she did not notice. He did.

"Seth."

"Yes."

"Have you got a job?"

"No, but-"

"Have you any money?"

"Not at the moment, but-"

"Seth, I've moved on. I'm not the clueless girl you took up North and got pregnant twice."

"But-"

"I'm a single mother with a bloody good job, which I'm good at. My children are well looked after. What have you done for our children, Seth?"

"I-"

"Nothing, Seth. You made money, but you left me to bring them up, and when you really left me, I had to bring them up alone, and you know what nearly happened. Your fault."

"But last night... This morning?"

"Yes, that's another thing. I've not had sex since you left. I needed the relief, and I'm very grateful. It was a good fuck, quite like old times. But you're the same old Seth, and I'm a different Susan."

She got up and gathered her clothes off the floor. She went to bathroom, conscious of his eyes following her swaying naked buttocks. There, with the door closed, she freshened herself up. Then she dressed.

When she returned to the bedroom, he was still in bed, lying uncovered. Physically he was gorgeous, she had to admit, but he had little else to offer her apart from his looks and a comfortably good time in bed. Yes, she had moved on. He hadn't.