The Sunshine Project Pt. 04

Chapter 9

Cora

The time on my broken phone screen reads just after seven p.m. Danny is supposed to be here soon and my window is unlocked. Dean's home. I can hear him and Glenda shouting at each other about some survey or property limit nonsense. They're always going at it. I swear Glenda knows he fucks his secretary and just takes it out on him in ways to make him miserable. If Danny fucked another woman, I'd chop his dick off.

I flip through the channels once more. There is nothing on. I've been bored all afternoon waiting for Danny to get here. He had some college admissions test or something. We were supposed to go to OSU together, but he got a scholarship to Michigan. Nothing worse than going to a different college than your boyfriend, except when he chooses the rival school. I told him as much too, how I'd be embarrassed to even be seen with him on campus. I probably won't even tell anyone I date a guy who is a Wolverine.

"Cora Elaine!" Glenda's shrill beckons me, and I'm already rolling my eyes. I flip the TV off and toss the remote onto the glass coffee table. The leather squeaks as I pry my ass off the couch and stand. My knees hurt, bent in the same position for too long, so I take a moment to stretch before I answer her, and she acts like I'm the worst person in the world. "My God, Cora, get in here!"

I want to scream a big "fuck you" but that would only earn me a backhand, so I move that direction. My toes sink into the plush throw rug. Soon I'll be living amongst poverty, or it will feel like that. This place is luxury to the max, and a college dorm--shared with some bitch I've never met--will feel more like prison. They have a ridiculous policy that freshmen have to stay on campus, but Dean makes enough money to pay for me to rent a house there. He could even bribe the administration to accept me even though I don't live on campus, but he wanted me to "learn from the bottom up." He says it will give me an appreciation for money and life. I say it will make me loathe him. At least he bought me the right to drive my own car. Some of his superpowers are still working on my behalf the way they used to when I was little--when he actually cared for me.

"There you are, dear." Glenda's nasally croon is too obvious. She's about to manipulate or force me into doing something she wants done, which I have no interest in doing.

"What do you want?" I make the mistake of having a tone in my voice that she doesn't like, and Dean is right there to correct me before I even finish the sentence.

"Cora Elaine Knapke, you will respect your mother." His scowl doesn't scare me. I'm nineteen now. Even if they back out and refuse to pay for my college, I will just move in with Danny in Michigan and eat the shame of being a Wolverine instead of a Buckeye.

"Sorry."

"Dear, we may have found a buyer for the car, so we'll need the keys to let him test drive it this week. Also--"

"What? It's my car!"

Glenda stares at me like I'm a three-headed alien. "No, dear. It was my father's car and we are selling it to pay for your college. Remember?"

I can't believe this is happening. It's so wrong on so many levels. If Gus hadn't died, they'd be paying for my college and everything in Dean's business would have been fine. Suddenly they see dollar signs, and I'm getting fucked up the ass worse that Jess and her stupid toy guns.

"That's not fair. You can't do that. Grandpa Gus--"

"Grandpa Gus didn't give you that car, young lady. I did." Dean glowers at me and shoves his hands into his pants pockets. "Like it or not, we are selling it and paying for your college with the money. Or we can just give it to Jess, who rightfully owns it."

"I hate you." I don't even try to hide my vitriol. My parents are horrible human beings with zero moral code. Some people think I should be thankful for my upbringing. I came from money. They're paying my college, sent me to the best private school. I think all I've learned is that money is God and without it the world doesn't rotate. So now, I'm stuck with no car, no money, and no desire to go to college or work for Dean's company at all.

"You'll thank us later when you're grown and understand how the real world works." Glenda crosses her arms over her pink Chanel suit, and her head bobs.

"I still don't see how I'll get around campus. I can't just walk, and I'm not doing public transportation."

"Well, I guess if you want a car you'll have to get those guns back from Jess." Dean pulls a hand from his pocket and drums it on the table. "And it'd be nice if you do that soon too."

"Why?" I'm annoyed. They expect me to go to that bitch and ask for my property back after they gave it to her? And what's the go anyway? Why do they need me to have the guns and not her?

"Because we said so. I think you go ask her for them, and if she doesn't cough them up, you take them. Just don't get caught." Glenda perches on the edge of a barstool and dangles one leg, her hot pink pump hanging from her toe.

"You want me to steal them?" I can't believe what they're suggesting. Is that how Dean built his business? Stealing?

"Don't think of it like stealing, Cora." Dean nods his head, nostrils flared. He looks around the kitchen and meet's Glenda's gaze. "It's not stealing if the property is rightfully yours."

"Yes. Think of yourself more like the repo man. She has something that belongs to you and you are going to repossess it." Glenda gets a smirk on her face, and I hear a noise upstairs, probably from my room. Glenda's eyes shoot to the staircase, but I don't think Dean heard it.

"I'm out. I am not going to steal the guns." I walk toward the stairs and pray Danny doesn't make any more noises. But Dean calls after me.

"Get those guns, Cora or you won't have a car for college. You hear that?"

I roll my eyes at him and march up the stairs in a huff. It doesn't make any sense to me why they don't want Jess to have the guns. They're right though; I do need a car for college. Still, stealing? What if Jess were to say something about the way they moved the car before the reading of the will? Where would that leave me in this mess? I don't want to go to prison before I even finish my degree.

I burst into my room to see Danny strewn across my bed. He's naked and stroking himself with his phone out. Moaning and panting noises vibrate out of the speakers. The curtain rod is lying on the ground next to the window--probably the noise I heard. I shut the door quietly and lock it before harshly whispering, "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Just getting started?" He looks up at me sheepishly as if I were upset that he's primed and ready.

"You dumbass. Glenda heard you." I pull my shirt up over my head and toss it, and he sets his phone down on the comforter. "You could have been a little quieter."

Danny props himself on one elbow, still masturbating while I undress. He watches me with a smirk of satisfaction and glances every few seconds at his phone screen. I slink out of my bra and panties and leave them in a pile on the floor and crawl across the bed to where I can see the phone screen too. It's boring vanilla, but just the flavor Danny likes.

"Can't you get something kinkier? Like a threesome or a girl getting fucked in both holes?" Kneeling, I touch my clit. I'm not even in the mood for this after that mess in the kitchen, but if he pushes the right buttons I could be.

He shrugs a shoulder and pushes the phone away, locking it. "Do we need that?" He lays back and holds his dick up, and I cock my head at an angle and glare at him.

"Do you want me to get off?" I raise my eyebrows. He knows the rule. It's okay if he gets me off and doesn't finish, but it's never okay if he gets off without me. I made that clear from day one.

"Fine," he growls, reaching for the phone. He swipes to unlock and thumbs through a few videos before he finds something, then hands the phone to me.

It's a threesome, a pretty hot one. I take the phone in my hand and touch my clit lightly as I watch the woman kissing some hairless dude. Who the fuck tells men to shave their pubes for this shit? Male genitalia are already gross with the hair. Without it, a dick just looks like a naked mole rat. So fucking gross.

Danny reaches over and slides a finger into me, and I move my hand away to let him work my pussy while I get worked up by the video. A second guy comes in, this one with hair thankfully. The woman lays across the first guy, riding him, while the second one slides into her ass. I can already tell this is going to be a good orgasm. My pussy is tender and aching now.

"Get my toy," I snap, and Danny rolls across the bed to grab my dildo from the nightstand drawer. "And lube."

"Ooohhh," he drawls, and I hear the way he smiles as he says it. I drop to my elbows and knees, propping the phone against my pillow so I can keep watching as he fucks me.

"Don't get too worked up. You can't blow until I do. Got it?" I spread my legs as I feel his fingers touching me. Then I hear the lube bottle squirt. I'm almost out. I need to get more, I guess.

Danny pushes my dildo into my pussy and turns it on, sliding it in and out. But he doesn't match it to the video, so I push his hand away and do it myself thrusting in time with the way the man on bottom fucks his hoe. Then I feel him sliding his dick up and down my crack. He's going to enjoy this too much; I can already tell.

My body is tense, building toward orgasm slowly as Danny's cock stretches my ass. It's always an intense burn, but he's not too thick at least. Not like my dildo. I'd never fit that thing in. But he's long, pushing in and pulling back in such a deep stroke I can feel all the glorious friction.

"Do it like that," I tell him, nodding at the video. "The same time."

"God, Cora..." he grunts, and I can't tell if he is in pleasure or if he's irritated with my request. I don't care. Danny does as I tell him, and I'm literally on the edge within seconds. The woman in the video gets off, her pussy and ass clenching around those dicks as she spasms, and I let loose, burying my face in the comforter so Dean won't hear me moan.

"Oh fuck, I'm coming," Danny groans, and I feel his heat fill me, then lube my ass with its thick, chunky texture. The orgasm is good, but not great. Danny pulls out and heads directly to the bathroom to wash up, and I swipe across his phone to end the video. I feel relaxed now, but still mildly irritated at Dean and Glenda's suggestion that I break the law for whatever nefarious purpose they have planned. I curl up on my side and stare at the open window as the sky reveals the deep hues of a summer sunset.

"Fuck, baby, that was incredible as always." Danny climbs into bed with me and pulls me against his body. I'm not the huggy type, but this feels nice, so I let him stay.

"You ever steal anything?" I ask him. Maybe I can get him to do it for me so I don't get caught. I wouldn't feel guilty doing it because the guns are mine. I just don't see the point in endangering my future.

"Uh, a pack of gum from Chief's." He snickers, and I roll to my back. "Why?"

"Glenda and Dean want me to go to Jess's house and take that box of toy guns. I think they want to sell it so I can buy a car." I cross my arms over my chest and my boobs push together. At least they're not in my armpits yet. I have that going for me still.

"But you have a car." He seems confused. He's totally out of the loop.

"They're taking my car and selling it to pay for college. Now I have to come up with money to buy some shitbox to drive around campus, or I will have to take public transportation or walk. Can you imagine?" I scoff and scowl.

"So the guns are worth money or something?" He brushes a hair out of my eyes and thumbs my cheek.

"I don't know. Glenda seems to think they're relics or something. Collectibles." I saw the price of one of them, so she may be right. "They want me to get them fast. I don't know what to do."

"I don't think it sounds like a good idea, baby. Maybe you can just ask them not to sell your car."

"You don't get it, Daniel." I sit up and scowl at him. "I do what they say, or I get nothing. I have to get the guns."

This man is a complete idiot, but he is as good as I'll ever get. I flop back onto the bed and close my eyes. I have to get those guns now. I have seventeen days until I leave for college and that's not long to do proper car shopping.

Chapter 10

Allie

I don't entertain at this place ever, but I had no choice. I couldn't exactly invite Beck to come over to Jess's place without asking her first, and I really wanted Jess to meet her. Besides, if Beck can help Jess in any way they should talk firsthand, not through me. I dash around my loft picking up things. I'm not going to say I'm a slob, but the laundry lying around makes it look like a frat house not the home of a near graduate with a steady job.

It's not ideal for entertaining either, except the patio on the roof. My place is above the old B&B carpet store, just across the street from a Dairy Queen, and a block away from my psychic; not to mention Wendy's, Taco Bell, and McDonalds are all less than three blocks way too. It makes drunk walks for food so convenient, but when folks come over, they always comment on how they feel cramped. The door opens into a hallway with the bedroom on the left and all the way at the far end, the living room. It's whatever.

I kind of like Beck, and Jess and I have this strange thing now, so I need to make sure Jess is okay with her. Jess has been here a million times, though, so that will make things more comfortable. And I have a giant bottle of Rodeo Red made at a winery less than an hour drive away. Beck's not from around here, so I'm not sure if she will like it, but it's a treat for me.

Someone knocks at the door, and I freak out a little. There are still dirty dishes in the sink. "One sec!" I screech, scrambling into the kitchen. I pile the stack of dishes into the dishwasher in no particular fashion and shut the door. It's not perfect, but it's passable.

Dusting my hands down the front of my black cutoff jean shorts, I hurry to the door. A glance through the peephole reveals it's just Jess, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I open the door. Other than that day at lunch I haven't interacted with Beck outside the office. Lunch was nice, and it only made me want to get to know her better.

"Megadeath? Really?" Jess says, pulling the hem of my t-shirt. It's Friday evening. I've barely been home all week between trying to help Jess research what's going on with Shep and taking care of Jackson with her. I haven't had any time to do laundry, though I'm proud of her. She hardly drank this week at all.

"Look, Beck knows my personality. Okay? So this is perfect." I look down at my favorite t-shirt, stained in a few different places. It's gotten a lot of love. But it's a far cry from Jess's pink summer sweater. Her lacy bra peeks out on her shoulder and I can see the hint of her nipples under the sheer material. Her cute denim shorts hug her tiny ass and make her look amazing. I look like a blob compared to her. Fuck, what if Beck thinks that too?

Jess heads down the hallway to the living room, and I continue my mad dash of cleaning until I hear knocking at the door again. "Oh fuck, Jess. She's here." I'm nervous as fuck, and I don't even know why. Beck is just a coworker, and we're developing a friendship that might lead into more. If it doesn't, it's not like I'm going to be single forever, and in the meantime... hair and nails.

"Just go answer it." Jess sits with her feet propped up on the edge of my old, reclaimed coffee table. The coffee rings on the top of it have been there since I found it at the 127 garage sales held the first weekend of August every year.

I suck in a deep breath and head for the door. Beck is a breath of fragrant air--literally. Her perfume smells so good, and her hair is perfect. The choppy bob suits her facial structure so well, high cheekbones and thin lips.

"Hey, Allie," Beck says, leaning in for a hug. I wrap my arms around her awkwardly. Even Jess and I don't hug like this unless she is feeling super needy.

"Hey, Beck. I'm so glad you could make it." I back away, and she walks in glancing around at my bare walls. I'm not a decorator either, no pictures or paintings. Just plain white walls with ugly cream carpet. "I brought these," she says, producing a pan of brownies covered I clear plastic wrap.

"Oh god, they look delicious. Thanks." I take the pan and gesture down the hall. "Party's this way."

Beck wanders down the hall, and I shut the door and follow her. So far so good. And she looks cute in her cream cotton shift. I wasn't expecting a dress. Beck doesn't usually wear dresses, just suits, though maybe she does because I don't see her outside the office. Her legs are toned; maybe she's a runner. And she wears strappy leather sandals that show off her fancy pedicure.

"Oh, hello." I hear Jess before I see her. She sounds happy enough. It's that voice she makes when she's surprised sometimes, though I'm not sure why she'd be surprised when I told her Beck was coming and what to expect.

"Hey, you must be Jess. Allie told me so much about you."

I enter the room to see Beck shaking hands with Jess. Again, so far so good. Jess is smiling too, that's nice. "Jess, this is Beck. Uh, she's not my boss, but I report to her. She's the one I told you about." I raise my eyebrows very emphatically, indicating I really want Jess to get along with her. I don't think it will be bad, but sometimes Jess is hard to read.

"I have a lasagna in the oven." I set the brownies down and plop onto the armchair in the corner next to the TV, and Jess sits back down on the couch. Beck sits down at the other end of the couch where she can see both of us easily. Jess is so close I can touch her. Part of me wants that physical contact to feel assured that I don't have to panic, but I restrain myself.

"I can smell it. It smells delicious. I can't wait."

So it's a little awkward too. Beck looks around my big empty room, then fixes her eyes on me. "It's a cute little place."

"It's cheap. Can't afford much on my salary," I joke, and Beck chuckles.

"I hear that. Don't worry. Once you finish that degree, you'll be making bank. Word is Cathy has a few openings next fall when Jerry and Kip retire." Beck relaxes back on the couch, and I notice immediately that I've already been a horrible host. No one has a drink yet.

"Oh god, I forgot. Can I get you guys a glass of wine?" I shoot to my feet and head for the door before they even answer, and Jess follows me as Beck calls out that she'd like a glass.

"Allie," Jess hisses so quietly I know Beck can't hear her. "You're being weird."

"God, I just like her, and I want you to like her too." I whimper as I whisper and pull the wine opener out of the drawer. Jess snatches it from my hand and uses it on the wine bottle, then fills three glasses.

"Take a deep breath. It's going well. She's pretty, and she has a nice smile." Jess half-grimaces as she says the words. Something's bothering her but now is not the time to ask what or why.

I take two of the glasses and let my shoulders fall. "Let's go back."

Leading the charge, I shuffle back in and hand Beck the drink. Jess sits closer to her this time, turning to face her with a leg curled up on the cushion. "So, Beck, Allie told me you know someone in the recorder's office?" Thank God Jess has enough sense to open the conversation because if I have to sit through one more second of awkward small talk I'm going to cry.

"Yeah, I do. But it's Montgomery County. This is Mercer, right?" Beck sips her wine. Everything she does is so damn elegant. She's graceful and poised. It makes me wonder what she even sees in me, because I'm so steampunk clumsy it's not funny.