The Switch Ch. 06

'No,' Valery's mother argued. 'Leave Aimee here. We need to get to know her.'

Aimee began to panic. 'I should probably keep an eye on Ben in the pool,' she said.

'I can look after him,' Val interjected.

Aimee shot him a murderous look. He was supposed to like her. Look after her. Instead, he was showing an alarming propensity for dumping her into social situations where she knew absolutely nobody, and expecting her to enjoy it.

Less than a minute later, Aimee was on her own with five women in their forties, fifties and sixties, who had strong accents and no shame whatsoever when it came to telling her what to do, and asking her intensely intimate questions.

Valery's mother, Yuliya, had put her to work making dumplings. It was the kind of simple, repetitive work that one gave a child, or someone similarly ignorant as to how to do anything properly. Aimee filled and shaped each dumpling, all too aware she was being weighed up.

'Valery says you work in a child care centre,' Yuliya remarked.

Yuliya pronounced her son's name in an entirely different way to how Aimee had been pronouncing it. She mentally filed away the correct pronunciation while confirming she worked with young children, and named the centre.

'Do you want more children of your own?' one of the women inquired.

'I guess so,' Aimee replied cautiously.

The women discussed her answer in a language Aimee could neither understand, nor wanted to. She focussed on the dumplings. Sooner or later, Val would have to come and save her. Either that, or it would be dinner. The pile of dumplings was growing, and the activity in the kitchen was rising. There were a raft of smells Aimee couldn't identify, and she prayed Ben wouldn't turn his nose up at the food.

'The more children the better,' Yuliya remarked. 'I should have had more. You only regret the ones you don't have.'

Another of the Aimee was asked why she'd only had the one child. Quickly, before she could answer, Yuliya jumped in and spoke to the woman in their private language. Aimee understood, without knowing the words, that Yuliya was explaining that her husband had died. Val had told her he'd let his parents know this fact, so there wouldn't be any awkward questions.

'I'm sorry,' the woman who'd asked apologised. 'I didn't realise you'd lost your husband.'

Aimee smiled. 'It's fine. It was a long time ago. After Chris died, I focussed on raising Ben. It's only recently that I've really thought about dating again.'

'So how did you meet my son?' Yuliya inquired. 'He was very evasive when I tried to ask him.'

Aimee could either lie, or she could tell the embarrassing truth. She settled for the truth. The funny thing was, once she started explaining, the woman loosened up. They were nosey about online dating. They asked about profiles and dating and stories they'd heard about catfishing.

Before she knew it, it was time to feed everyone. The women obviously had this part down to a fine art, because they went outside, to the outdoor area where most people were sitting, shooed them away from the table, and laid down a white tablecloth.

The back of the house was absolutely breathtaking, and as she placed a heavy silver dish on the table, Aimee took a moment to take it all in. There was a huge swimming pool, landscaped gardens, massive undercover area, and a concreted area with a basketball hoop.

She glanced at the pool, and saw Ben's skinny brown body darting around during a game of Marco Polo. Valery was sitting on the edge of the pool, shirt off and legs dangling in the water, talking to a man his own age. For what felt like the millionth time, she was weak kneed at the sight of him.

Aimee felt a hand on her arm and turned around. It was Roza. Unlike earlier in the day, where she'd been friendly and carefree, she looked calm and serious.

'You like him, don't you?' Roza asked.

Aimee shrugged, unable to verbally confirm Roza's suspicions.

'I'm sorry we left you in the kitchen like that,' Roza continued, her gaze on her brother. 'But my mother is worried. Valery had an ex... Linda, that goddamn filthy bitch... she made things difficult. She told lies.' Roza's gaze turned to Aimee. 'If anyone from this family ever lays eyes on that woman, she'll be torn limb from limb. My mother had to make sure you're different.'

Aimee laughed humourlessly. 'Well, I've met Linda, and all I can say is I hope you don't think I'm like her.'

Roza's face tightened. 'She's around again?'

Aimee nodded. 'She's after him.'

Roza ground her teeth. 'I'll kill her. As if she hasn't done enough.'

'What did she do?' Aimee asked curiously.

'You don't know?'

'No.'

Roza inhaled and exhaled deeply. She took Aimee by the hand and led her to the basketball court, sol that they were out of everyone's earshot. Aimee glanced anxiously at the women from the kitchen, but they didn't seem to either care nor notice that she was with Roza.

'Linda has three daughters who are all, to be frank, smoking hot,' Roza began. 'You might think Linda's good looking, but her daughters are stunners. They were all in their teens while Val was with Linda. Linda was ridiculously jealous of them, but she refused to actually parent them. Val was the one who took them to appointments and training and extra curricular classes. Linda would go out at night and he'd stay at home to look after them.

The girls adored him. Not in a sexual way, of course, but as an older brother figure. When Linda dumped Val, she assumed they girls and Val would never see each other again. Well, the girls wanted to keep in touch, so they'd catch up for coffee on the sly. One day, Linda caught Val having lunch with the oldest. She assumed they were having an affair, and proceeded to tell anyone and everyone she could.'

Aimee's eyes widened. 'So I assume it was just innocent?'

'Of course. He'd spent five years raising them. You think he'd suddenly start sleeping with someone he looked at like a kid?'

'Woody Allen did it.'

Roza snorted. 'Not Val. And not with the girls. Trust me; he looked at those girls like they were his.'

Before Aimee could respond, she noticed Val approaching. She stared at him, wondering if perhaps he had taken up with one of his former stepdaughters. He'd spoken about the girls briefly in the past, and she knew they'd all been in their teens, or close to it, around the time he'd dated their mother.

'Hello beautiful,' he said to Aimee, taking her hand. 'Has my sister been regaling you with stories of me as a child?'

'I've been telling her how adorably fat you were until you hit puberty,' Roza replied quickly.

Val rolled his eyes. 'And how I got mercilessly teased? How Harrison Buckley used to give me a wedgie each morning when I got to school? How I used to cry at night and beg to go back to Moscow?'

Aimee found that hard to believe. Val was physically intimidating, and she knew men often perceived him the same way, judging by the way they reacted to him. He oozed self confidence. The first time she'd laid eyes on him, the realisation that he'd be able to physically dominate her without a second thought, had hit her like a blow to the stomach.

'You don't believe me, do you?' Valery asked her.

She shook her head. He was a man's man. He worked with a male-dominated field. He could play the boys' games. 'No,' she said.

He leant over and kissed her. 'It's true. It only changed when I was twelve, and punched Harrison in the face.'

'I wish I could've done something like that to the boys at school,' she replied ruefully. 'Try being a redhead. Really. If I could make everyone go through life as a redhead, I would. I'd love to punch everyone who makes stupid comments about the curtains matching the drapes.'

'Does anyone even have pubic hair these days?' Roza frowned.

'Only men, I think,' Aimee grinned. 'Although I hadn't seen a pierced dick until I saw Val's.'

'My brother has a pierced dick?' Roza squealed. 'You're kidding me? Val, what the hell would you pierce your dick for?'

Aimee mouthed a silent apology to Val, but he was too busy glaring at his sister. Before she knew it, the two of them were arguing in a language only they understood. Roza found the conversation hilarious. Valery looked embarrassed.

'Mum,' Ben yelled out, running up to hear. 'There's food. Food. It's time to eat.'

Aimee glanced at her boyfriend. He was still looking non-too pleased at what she'd shared with Roza. Whoops.

'Mum,' Ben repeated, his wet hand tugging on hers. 'I'm starving.'

Finally, Aimee managed to catch Val's eye. She mouthed her apology again, and he just shrugged. He wasn't annoyed, just embarrassed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Val lay in bed, stark naked, on his back. Amy was sitting on his face. She'd cum a minute or two ago, but he'd refused to let her move off. He wanted to keep his face buried in her warm, wet folds. The scent and taste were incredible. His face was wet with her, and the memory of her clutching his head and pressing his face against her clit as she climaxed was the ultimate aphrodisiac.

He'd reached down to his cock and was busily masturbating himself. Aimee squirmed, but he used his free hand to keep her on his face. He wanted to be smothered in her essence when he came. Fuck he was horny. Ever since she'd agreed to go swimming with Ben after dinner, and had removed her dress to reveal a bandage-style one-piece swimsuit, he'd been ready to strip her off and make her squeal.

Her nipples had hardened in the cold air when she'd gotten out of the pool, forming hard little peaks under her bathers. Several of the men had both discreetly and indiscreetly looked, and he'd felt the odd combination of pride and annoyance. She was his, and his only.

Miles had a pool out the back of his house. Val remembered going swimming there with Samara, on a hot summer's night where anything went. Samara had worn a black bikini, and he'd quickly divested her of the top. The moment he'd pulled it free, exposing her large white breasts, with huge dark nipples, to the half dozen or so men who were watching, he'd known she'd make him pay.

Sam had slid out of the water and returned with the cheapest handcuffs she could find, knowing that they'd be destroyed by the salt water. She instructed Val to remain in the pool, and had cuffed his hands behind his back. She'd removed the bottom half of her bathers, and sat on the edge of the pool. She'd forced his head towards her pussy, and forced him to pay attention to her large, swollen clit. He'd made her cum. She'd wrapped her legs around his back, lent back, and moaned as she came. Several onlookers had also groaned as they stroked their rigid cocks to orgasm.

Val rewrote the memory, replacing Sam with Aimee. He imagined her freckled legs around his neck, and her long, slim fingers on his head. The salt of the pool combined with the tangy natural taste of Aimee's womanhood.

He started to groan, as his cock grew more rigid and his balls tightened.

'Shhh,' Aimee whispered. 'Ben's in the next room, remember?'

He nodded slightly. He ran his tongue along her slit. She tasted so good, the mere thought of it was enough to give him an erection.

Quiet, he told himself. Be quiet. He wanked his cock viciously, and breathed in the scent of Aimee. He'd smell like her for days if he didn't wash his face afterwards. It was a pity he had to work, and couldn't just walk around smelling her.

'You're such a bad boy,' she teased. 'I love to watch you play with yourself. I love to watch you cum.'

Her words pushed him into climax. His body jerked, and his face was smothered by her cunt. His cock pulsed and spurted cum, while he whimpered desperately, trying to cope with the onslaught of pleasure without making a noise.

When he was finally sated, he fell back into the bed, panting heavily. It had been an intense orgasm. Aimee grinned and moved off his face. Her hair was still damp from the pool and she looked so soft and natural he could barely believe she was his.

'Turn around,' he muttered. 'I think I came on your back.'

She turned around. He saw the offending marks and moved his mouth over them, licking her clean. She was obviously ticklish, because she twisted and giggled.

He picked up a hank of her hair and inspected it. 'I got some in your hair. Sorry.'

'What is this, the third time I've had your cum in my hair?' she teased, pulling it from his hand and flicking it out of the way. 'I'll have a shower in a minute. Let me clean your cock.'

Aimee reached for tissues and gently wiped him down. She was very gentle with him, far more gentle than he was.

'So what's the deal with eating your cum?' she asked casually.

Oh shit. That wasn't normal, was it? He'd always eaten his own cum. Originally, it had been to hide the fact that he'd been masturbating. It had developed into a habit, although one he'd kept from most of his partners. He'd always known it was kind of weird. Then he'd met Samara, and she was the kind of woman who demanded men clean up after themselves, so it had gone back to being second nature.

'Why did you remove your online profile from that website?' she prodded. 'Fetlife, or whatever it was. I wanted to look. I wanted to find out how to please you.'

'You please me perfectly well,' he muttered.

'No,' she frowned. 'Look, I know I'm not experienced in bed, but you do things other men don't. In fact, you're not even remotely like other men. I know you're hiding things. Why not tell me? Why do you have this idea in your head that I can't do it?'

Why was she talking about this, and ruining his afterglow? She had no idea what he'd been like before her. She might think she could do it, but she couldn't. She was just too shy.

'Come here,' he ordered, pulling her down. 'Have a cuddle. Stop talking.'

She reluctantly laid down beside him, and rested her head on his chest. She stroked his belly, gently tugging on the hairs, before smoothing them back down again.

'I just want to make you happy,' she said quietly.

'You do.' He kissed her hair. 'Hey, ah, I was thinking that we should do something about contraception. I want to know that I can just dive into that sweet little pussy of yours whenever I feel like it.'

'That's probably a good idea,' she agreed. 'I'm terrified a condom will break.'

'Mmm, I've never had one break, but I'd love not to have to worry,' he said. 'If you go and get yourself tested and on the pill, I'll do the same. Get myself tested, I mean, not 'on the pill', although I would if I could.'

'God, if I go back to the doctor they'll probably make me have a pap smear or something,' she groaned. 'I've been avoiding it for years.'

Val frowned. 'Aren't you supposed to get them done regularly?'

'Shhh,' she grinned. 'I hate them.'

He rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, well, comfort yourself with the knowledge that I'm about to get something inserted down the eye of my dick.'

She laughed at that, and got out of bed. She said she was going to have a shower and wash her hair. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if he could join her when he remembered Ben was here. He might wake up and wonder what they were doing in the shower together.

He lay on the bed, breathing in the smell of pussy that clung to his beard. Was this one of the things that was tipping her off that he wasn't quite normal? Did 'normal' men run to the bathroom and wash their faces after giving oral sex? He realised he didn't know the answer to that.

Maybe he should take a more conservative approach to clean up after lovemaking. No eating cum. Washing himself off afterwards. And, before that, no cumming on her hair or body. She was probably sick to death of having to wash her hair after he'd blown a load into it.

He could hear his phone beeping. It had been going off all evening, but he'd been ignoring it. His primary thought had been sex. He'd been so desperate to get Aimee home and naked he hadn't given a thought to anything else.

He had six messages from his family. All were congratulating him on finding Aimee. How lovely she was. How polite Ben was. How they expected him to treat her right, because they wanted to see her again.

His family had never been so enthusiastic about any of his partners. They'd ranged from downright disdain and hatred - Linda - to ambivalence - Samara. They saw in Aimee the same things he did. She was warm. Kind. Open. Sure, she'd over-shared a few things he'd rather his family hadn't known - how he'd met her for one, and the piercing for another - but they'd liked her for that. Particularly Roza. Val rolled his eyes as he re-read the message his twin had sent.

The less Aimee knew about his past, the better. He wasn't going to risk doing anything that might scare her off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aimee was in two minds about snooping through Val's phone. On one hand, it was all kinds of wrong. On the other, Roza's comments about Linda's accusations had been ringing in her ears all week.

Next week was Christmas. Valery's daughter, Bella, was coming up on Boxing Day to spend two weeks with her father. Aimee was working; the centre she was at stayed open over Christmas, and this was her year to be rostered on. Ben was annoyed, and tired and wanted a break from vacation care. Valery had offered to let Ben come over for a few days, so that he could have a break, and Bella would have another child to hang out with.

Did she trust Val to look after Ben? That was a hard question to answer. Her son and lover had only properly met each other last weekend, but Val had seemed quite competent in overseeing the boy. Ben, for his part, loved Val. He'd already latched onto the man in a way that made her both embarrassed and sad. Her son desperately needed a male role model.

But was Val that person? Had he slept with his ex-stepdaughter? A few casual questions to Val had revealed that Casey had been twenty when Val split with Linda. Val had been thirty-on. Legally, the relationship would have been acceptable. Ethically, she found it very, very murky.

She looked out the window. Val was outside showing Ben the vegetable garden , the shed and the old backyard dunny. She doubted they'd come inside anytime soon, and if they did, she'd be able to hear them. She slowly pressed in Val's pass code. She'd asked him his code this week, on the pretext her phone had run out of charge and she wanted to check her hotmail account, and he'd unthinkingly told her the numbers.

Aimee figured Facebook messenger would be the place to look. It didn't take her long to locate a few conversations between Casey Camberwell and Val. They were obviously still relatively close, judging by the number of conversations. With trembling hands, and her heart in her mouth, she read through them.

It was all innocent. Every last message was nothing more than what you'd expect between a stepchild and stepparent. Questions about what Casey and her sisters might want for an upcoming birthday. Congratulations on favourable grades at University. General chit chat about life.

'Did your phone run out of charge?'

Aimee dropped the phone. It clattered off the bench and onto the floor, and she blushed bright red as she came face to face with Val. She was so caught up in what she was reading that she hadn't heard him enter.

He reached down and picked it up. 'Screen's gone,' he sighed.

'Sorry. I'll pay for it to be fixed.'

Val frowned as he realised what she'd been looking at. He raised his eyes from his phone to her face. 'Why were you going through my messages?'

'Roza said... uh, Roza mentioned that Linda thought you'd had an affair with her eldest daughter. She, um, she said she didn't believe Linda...'

His face hardened. 'But you didn't trust me? You thought I'd sleep with a child I'd spent five years helping to raise?'