The Plumber Rings Three Times

Author's Note

When I published The Plumber Always Rings Twice, I was intending it to be a short, sweet slice of life story. A single, short slice of life. Now, over six months later, I'm thinking maybe there's room for a second slice. This one's a little steamier, but like the original, still short, sweet and slightly sappy.

Third Ring

I stood up and flushed. Watching the water swirl round and round the bowl, going down without stopping. With my fingers still on the handle, I smirked as I heard Jess's voice in my head. "Bob's your uncle," she said, wearing an impish grin.

After toweling my hands dry, I turned my attention to the mirror, picked up my mini tube of Beso Stay All Day, and puckered up. I pursed my lips, relaxed, and took a step back to take it all in.

"Not bad," I said, with a quick nod. I ran my hands over the sides of my dress and tugged at the mid-thigh hem, pulling it a little lower, while congratulating myself on the fact I could still pull off wearing an outfit like this.

I took another look in the mirror and frowned. My bra strap was showing. I tucked it back in.

I did a little twirl, casting my gaze to the floor as I finished. I raised my eyes just enough to peer into the mirror while I tucked a bit of hair behind my right ear with my fingertip, hoping it looked sexy. "Hello, Jess," I whispered.

Too much.

I stood up straight, squaring my shoulders. I thrust my hand out and put on a smile. "Hi-ya, Jess."

Lame.

"Jess," I said, my arms wide, leaning sideways. "Bruh. How long's it been?"

Definitely not.

I stood there for a few minutes, gazing at my reflection, pushing my beso-covered lips out, trying to perfect my sultry pout. I noticed my bra was showing again.

"Damn," I said, fiddling to hide it back under the strap of my little summer dress.

I heard the rumble of a truck engine from the street and sucked a quick breath, picturing Jess seated behind the wheel. When I heard the engine stop, I took a last poke at my hair, before turning and reaching for the light switch.

I stopped short, turning my eyes to the mirror again. My bra strap had slipped out. "Damn."

I heard a truck door open and close and scowled at the errant strap peeking out.

"Fuck it," I said, hiking my dress up as far as I could to get my hands underneath. Reaching around, I unhooked my bra, pulled my arm in and through on one side, and pulling the uncooperative garment out the other.

I held it high in my clenched fist. Victory!

Once again, I let my gaze linger on the mirror. My nipples were poking out through the thin fabric of my dress.

The doorbell rang.

"Fuck it," I said, slinging my wayward bra over the unused towel hook on the back of the door and marching into the hall.

I opened my front door to find Jess nicely framed in the doorway. She was wearing the same impish grin I imagined, blue jeans that I absolutely adored, and holding a bottle of wine.

"I... I brought..." Jess raised the bottle and studied the label. "The guy said it was good... At the store... The wine guy." She dropped her eyes to my front porch.

"Come on in, Jess," I said, taking a step back to make room. And, if I'm being honest, to take her all in.

She looked up and did the same, letting her gaze wander up and down. And we stood there for a moment, like a couple of teenagers, neither of us saying anything. I felt my nipples tighten and wondered how much they were protruding through my dress.

Jess was the first to speak. "You look... Wow."

I flashed a smile, adding just a hint of a Beso Stay All Day pout, before shamelessly focusing in on her ass.

"I know," she said, "I feel a little under-dressed. I probably should have worn khakis."

"No, you're fine," I said. So fine. It hasn't even been five minutes and already I'm busted checking out her ass.

"So, when I looked online," Jess said, "it said alcohol was permitted in the park, but only one bottle per person."

"You hiding another one somewhere?" I asked. Looking up and down those formfitting jeans, I knew she wasn't.

"No." She blushed. "I just didn't want you to think we were going to get hassled."

"Come on, Jess." I said. "I've got the perfect picnic cooler. It holds a bottle and two glasses." I gave just a hint of Stay All Day pout and turned on my heel, hoping Jess was watching as I sashayed to the kitchen.

"Shoot," mumbled Jess. "I forgot to bring glasses."

"You're in luck. I have those too." I put a little extra effort into my sashay.

When we got to the kitchen, I pointed to the cupboard over the refrigerator. "They're up there," I said. "Can you reach? I'll have to use a chair."

"Mm," she said. "Mm-hmm."

"Left side," I said, and made no effort to move my eyes from Jess as she stretched to reach the high cupboard.

As much as I was enjoying the view, I began to wonder if me standing on a chair, with my bare legs wiggling in Jess's face while I reached and stretched, might have been a better idea.

"Almost," she said, extending her hand.

I felt a wave of heat run through me. I knew my cheeks had gone pink.

"Got 'em." Jess came back to earth clutching two stemmed glasses in hand.

"Thanks," I said, taking them and setting them on the counter. "Cooler's up there too. On the right side."

"Right... side?"

"Yep," I said. She didn't even get to turn around before I sent my eyes crawling over her.

Jess pawed around in the cupboard.

"It's the vinyl soft-side kind," I said, studying her ass as she moved.

"Got it," she said, pulling the zippered cooler down and closing the cupboard door.

"Thanks," I said, plucking it from her hand and bouncing over to the counter with it. I set it down and stopped.

Resting my hands on the edge of the counter top, I took a deep breath and held it. What was I doing here? Acting like a schoolgirl.

"Eve?" Jess was behind me, I could hear her breathing before the words left her mouth. "You look nice," she said. "I meant to say it before, but..."

I turned around, dropping my gaze in the process. I thought back to my pout practiced in the mirror. I chickened out and sighed instead, keeping my eyes on the floor. "You don't think it's too much?"

"Too much is not exactly what comes to mind with that dress."

"You know what I mean." I pursed my beso-colored lips for a moment. "It looks like I'm trying too hard, doesn't it? I should change. I'm not a teenager anymore, and I shouldn't--"

I stopped as Jess covered my hand with hers. "Eve," she said. "I meant it. You look nice."

"Thanks," I said, raising my eyes and giving her that perfect pout I'd been practicing. And just in case she missed it, I batted my lashes, too.

"Okay, that was a bit much," she said.

I grinned. "Look in the fridge," I said. "There's chicken salad."

As Jess opened the refrigerator door, I dug the bread out of the cupboard. And while her back was to me, I practiced my pout some more.

"You make this yourself?" Jess asked.

"Mm-hmm." I opened the drawer for a knife. "Started with a rotisserie chicken, though. Saves time. Don't tell my date I cheated."

"Looks delicious." Jess moved dangerously close as she set the chicken salad on the counter next to me.

I imagined her eyes wandering over me as she said it, checking me out as I had so shamelessly done while I sent her digging in the high cupboard not once, but twice. And she hadn't argued at my earlier implication that this was a date.

I felt my nipples tightening again, against the fabric of my dress.

"Anything I can do?" Jess asked.

I turned around. She was only inches away. I sucked a breath.

"Pack these in the cooler, please?" I said, slipping to one side. "I need to... I'll be right back."

"There's plastic wrap under the sink," I hollered as I hustled out of the kitchen and into the hall before I changed my mind about my plan.

"I hope you're not changing," said Jess.

"I'm not." Not exactly. I reached into the bathroom and plucked my bra from the back of the door. I trotted to my bedroom, chucked it in the clothes hamper in the closet, and stood for a moment, catching my breath.

"I was serious when I said you look nice," she added.

I straightened up and kicked off my sandals. "Fuck it," I mumbled. I shimmied out of my panties and kicked them into the clothes hamper to land on top of my bra.

Say Yes

We stood on my porch, Jess and me. The sun was setting, and as the cool evening air ushered in, I was reminded that my underwear was lying at the top of the clothes hamper inside. I shivered.

Ever the chivalrous one, Jess gripped my shoulders with the flat of her hands and rubbed vigorously up and down.

I leaned into her. My nipples were definitely poking through my dress. I didn't care. "Come inside," I said.

"You sure?" Jess shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "It's getting late."

"Jess," I said. "It's eight o'clock. It's not late. But it's getting chilly. Come inside."

"Okay, sure."

I shivered one last time as I unlocked the door.

"Good concert," she said. "I never thought of myself as a classical music lover, but I have to say, it was alright."

"They have to throw at least one in per season. The next one is Jazz if you're..." One step at a time. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. I shivered again.

"Do you want..." Jess closed the distance between us. Then she stepped back. "Do you want to change into something warmer? I mean, you're shivering--"

I stepped forward, shrinking the distance between us to zero and laid my head against her shoulder. "You'll keep me warm, won't you?" I swallowed a lump as my pulse hammered. That line definitely sounded better in my head. "Say yes."

Jess wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "You sure about this?"

"Yes." I tried to bring my eyes up in that sexy way I practiced in the mirror, and give her my best Beso Stay All Day pout, but I couldn't convince my lips to stop quivering long enough to pull it off. I stared at my sandals instead.

Jess slackened her grip, and let her hands fall around my waist. "I had a nice time," she said.

"But..." I muttered, not looking up.

"No buts, I just wanted you to know I had a nice time. It was a fun date."

"Jess." I paused and chewed my lip, not missing the fact that she called it a date. "Jess, I'm not wearing any underwear."

I felt her stance stiffen. She put her hands on my shoulders and took a step back. I lifted my eyes enough to watch her scanning me from top to bottom, sizing me up.

"Is that why you... when you sat on the blanket... With your legs tucked up so tight the whole time..."

"Mm-hmm." I looked into Jess's eyes for a split second before studying the floor again. "I should probably change into something more... appropriate."

"Eve." Jess said, as she closed her hand around my fingertips. "I promise I'll keep you warm. If that's what you're worried about. But if not. If it's something else--"

I didn't let Jess finish. I mashed my lips to hers.

As we parted, I heard her inhale sharply. I grinned just a little at that.

"Eve..." Jess focused her eyes on my lips. "You didn't let me--"

I turned my grin into a slight pout. I moved closer. "Say yes."

"Eve?" Jess stood ramrod straight. "What exactly am I saying yes to?"

I sighed. "Are all plumbers this practical?" I grabbed Jess's right hand and moved it over my breast, with her index finger brushing against my aching nipple. I put her left hand on my ass. "Whatever you want," I whispered.

Jess stood like a statue.

I thought about my practiced pout and then decided against it. "I'm sorry," I said, letting my shoulders droop. "It was stupid. I shouldn't have--"

"Eve." Jess put her hand on mine. She took my fingers in her grip and studied them as she spoke. "I'm not really the one night stand type," she said. "So, if what you're looking for is--"

"Jess." I squeezed back at her hand. "I have a vibrator in my bedroom. It's fully charged. If all I needed was a quickie... well, I wouldn't have needed the chicken salad, or the bottle of wine, or the concert in the park."

"It was nice," said Jess. "I really enjoyed that part of the evening."

"I think you'll enjoy the next part too." I pressed into her. "Say yes."

I felt her posture soften as she pulled me closer. "Before, when you had me getting the wine glasses from over the fridge. You were checking out my ass, weren't you?"

"Yes, absolutely," I said. "It's a fabulous ass, Jess. And in these jeans... If you'd been wearing khakis, I'd probably still have my underwear on."

"That'd be a shame." Jess pulled me in, brushing her lips against my neck as she said it. I felt a shiver run the length of me.

"I promise I'll keep you warm," she whispered.

I tilted my head exposing more of my tender skin for Jess to explore. And in that, she did not disappoint. Running her parted lips over my neck had me melting into her.

"Keep doing that and I'll be just fine." I felt a twinge down below and sighed. I brought my hands behind her head and wrapped my fingers up in her hair. "Just fine."

"You ever have a girl go down on you, Eve?" Jess whispered, her hot breath hitting just below my ear.

I shook my head.

"Would you like to? Because the thought of you with nothing on under that dress all night has got me thinking it'd be a really good idea."

"Uh-huh." I nodded, backing away from Jess, inching toward the sofa.

Jess popped her head up, grinning. She switched to planting little kisses as she followed my lead. Her right hand had moved behind my neck to keep me close, but her left hand was still on my ass.

I put my hand on top of hers and helped her guide under the hem of my dress. I kept my other hand wrapped in her hair, encouraging more kisses.

Finally, the back of my calves met the cold faux leather of the sofa. Jess pressed closer. She circled my ear with her tongue while I shivered and thought about what else she was going to be circling if I had my way tonight.

She didn't let up. Jess moved her hands over my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. She pressed me back until I decided it was time to give in and sit down. I landed with an unceremonious plop.

Jess dropped to her knees and planted a peck on my lips. She put her hands on the tops of my thighs. I pressed closer. I heard her inhale and focused on her breathing as she moved in, pushing herself into the space between my knees.

She paused. "If you ever feel uncomfortable..."

"You're sweet." I laid my hands on top of her shoulders and pulled her to me. I gave her my best Beso Stay All Day pucker and landed my lips on hers. "I trust you."

Jess moved her hands to the tops of my thighs, inching the fabric of my dress upward as she explored. She broke our lip lock long enough to glance down.

"Sexy," she said.

I felt my cheeks go warm. "I've always wanted to go bare," I said. "I hope you like it."

"So sexy," Jess mumbled.

I grinned and weaved my fingers into her hair. Jess pulled my dress higher. She extended her tongue, first invading my mouth, then running it over my throat, and finally scooting back and dropping down to swirl over my left thigh. She had her hands parked on my knees.

"Jess..." I groaned.

"Eve," she said, just before she shifted to the center.

I dropped my head back into the cushion and heaved a breath while the sensation washed over me. A wave of warmth spread over my body as she dragged her tongue over me.

I spread my knees and settled in. "Oh..." I moaned. "Oh, my..."

Jess came in slow. Her pace was maddening. I tugged at her hair, but she wouldn't budge. "Jess... I want you... I..."

I felt the hand parked on my left knee beginning to wander upward. "Mmm, yes." I clenched my buttocks and pushed my hips forward. "Yes. Yes, Jess."

I sucked a breath and held it, my stomach quivering, as she teased me open with her finger.

"So sexy," she whispered as she pressed in.

I squeezed around her and heard a little moan drifting up from her lips. And then a slurping sound that made me giggle as I hugged her finger.

"What?" she said, looking up, her chin slick and glistening. "You taste good."

"Oh..." My eyelids fluttered as she rubbed the tip of her finger over that magic button inside. She said I taste good. "Oh, Jess."

She dipped her head and got back to work.

"Oh Jess," I babbled, focusing on the sound of her name coming from my mouth. Her finger inside made difficult to have any other coherent thoughts. Her tongue on the outside made it impossible to moan anything other than her name. "Jess..."

She moved her free hand around to cup my ass and pull me closer to her mouth. She pressed and probed with abandon, until my thighs began to quiver. Then she slowed her pace, using lighter touches.

"Jess..."

"Baby," she said. She called me baby.

She began picking up the pace again. I shuddered and bucked my hips. "Fuck me, Jess," I moaned. "Fuck me."

I have no idea where that came from. I've never been very vocal about sex, much less so explicit about it. That didn't seem to deter Jess in the slightest. She started slamming her finger into me and soon added a second.

I squeezed my eyes tight and pulled my air in shallow breaths as she filled me. I can only imagine what it looked like down there, but with the strong scent rising and the sucking sounds, I pictured Jess with my juices running over her hand and down her arm.

The thought of Jess covered in my wetness caused a wave of warmth to run through me. I felt light in the head, feverish almost. I tried to focus my eyes, but gave up. I slammed my head back into the cushion and arched my back instead. "Jess..."

No calling me baby this time. Jess was too busy. Jess was on a mission. I could feel it in her fingers and on the tip of her tongue.

My shuddering was almost constant. My eyelids fluttered.

"Jess..."

No answer. Only her trusting fingers. Her lapping. Her probing. Oh, that tongue.

"Jess..."

I sucked a deep breath, quivering as I held it, unable to exhale.

"Jess," I croaked.

The sensations that started as individually identifiable sensory pleasures began to merge together. The shallow, ragged sucking of my breaths matched pace with the thrusts of her fingers and the wet sounds of skin on skin.

"Jess..."

I sat bolt upright. She didn't stop or miss a beat.

"Jess!" I squeaked.

I slammed my head back into the cushion.

"Jess... Oh... My..."

I struggled to pull myself upright again and open my eyes. I watched Jess in a daze, the top of her head moving between my thighs and her hand disappearing underneath. I watched until my vision began to wash out.

I collapsed again and resigned myself to enjoying the fireworks behind my fluttering eyelids. And while I listened to the rhythm of my feet pounding on the floor, against any efforts to keep them still, she took me over.

"Jesssss... Ungh..."

"I like being the little spoon," I said, snuggling my bare body into Jess and wrapping my hands around the arm that she had laid across me.

"Well, you're in luck," she said, laying a peck on the back of my neck. "I really like being the big spoon."

"Would it be too cliché to say I'd also like to make you pancakes in the morning?" I shivered a little as I said it. "Blueberry?"

"Eve," she whispered, planting three kisses on the back of my neck before pulling the blanket tight around us. "I love blueberry pancakes."

I sighed and snuggled in.

Afterword

Short and sweet. Hope you liked it.