Thoroughly Loving Nina Ch. 04

Sharon's house put Vic off for a start – much too flashy for his taste and why with onlyh one kid did they need a four-car garage? Show-offs!He grinned, thinking if Mrs Toffy Nose was still hysterical he'd get her to suck him off to keep her quiet.

The distressed woman opened the door before he knocked. She carried an empty martini glass and looked as if she'd been crying.

"The computer has been playing up. Cal told me not to touch it until he could look at it tonight. He left for golf an hour ago taking Shelley with him as she loves driving the cart. Could you please get the problem sorted before they return otherwise those two will make savage me?"

At least Vic felt safe. Although Sharon was only around his age, her tits were already drooping – she needed a better bra than that and she was over-weight and he didn't like her fake blonde hair up like that. He of course was only a computer technician so she wouldn't be interested in him.

"Take me to the computer and then disappear."

"Oh, grumpy are we? I guess I would be too being called out on a Sunday. Were you screwing or something?"

Vic wondered if he'd heard her correctly.

"I was just finishing lunch with your brother."

"What, and with that sexy little thing he's taken up with?"

"If you mean Cilla yes, she was there."

"I'd bet you'd like to screw her?"

The bitch, she's frustrated. The husband must have a new girlfriend, thought Vic and without thinking looked at her tits again.

She pulled an arm across her chest defensively, glaring at him.

"What's wrong, not proud of your tits?" he jeered, really having no intention of saying that but it popped out because he was becoming interested. Frustrated women were usually great provided they only opened their mouth to suck and avoided crying.

"What do you think?" she asked, jerking open the front of her dress and pulling her bra above her tits with some effort.

What Vic saw was the best pair of heavy hangers he'd ever encountered. Now he really was interested. "Fetch us a couple of martinis and then get your ass back here quickly."

"Yes sir," she said almost cheerfully, attempting to give him a great wink above the smeared mascara.

The problem was simple – the hard drive was over-loaded up with trash. He cleared away deleted files and remnants of downloads giving more than enough space for the computer to boot. He then activated defrag and waited for madam to arrive, sitting to make sure she'd noticed his bulge.

She noticed all right, spilling some of their drinks, eyes fixed on his lap. "Good heavens, is that all you?"

A ridiculous comment, Vic thought, but he loved it.

"Take a look, but hurry in case small dick hubby returns home early."

"He won't – he's only playing nine holes but he'll leave Shelley on the practice putting green with half a dozen balls and go up to find some cronies to drink with. We have two hours minimum."

"Then unzip me and take a look."

"Couldn't you drop your trousers; it would make it easier for me."

"Why?" Vic asked innocently.

"Don't be a naughty boy, give me your cock."

"Okay, providing you strip off."

"Why," Sharon asked innocently.

"Because I want to work those tits while you suck me. By the time I've finished that your cunt will be screaming out for my cock so if you want to be really filled, so don't get me off by sucking."

"No sir, certainly not sir. I greatly desire to be properly fucked, sir. You have my permission to bang me until your jizz pours out of my ears."

"I'm good but not that good," Vic said with a leer. "I'll do my best."

Eyeing the tits coming his way he asked, "Do you mind if I nip?"

"No, my husband never looks at them these days. When he does fuck them occasionally during the night he usually calls me Lorna or June, the names of two women in administration at the factory. I suspect he's fucking them both simultaneously which is why he'd so tired these days. I'm waiting for his heart attack when he fucks himself to death."

Shocked by that outburst, at least the ending of it, Vic struggled to retain his erection.

Two hours later, late afternoon, Vic slipped into bed beside Nina, who didn't stir. As with most sexual cheats he was filled with remorse. Coping with Sharon had taken his strength, so cupping Nina's left breast he smiled off to sleep like a happy baby.

Sharon had paid him what he requested, three hundred bucks. She said he'd made her so happy she'd gladly hand him the remainder of the one thousand she had in her handbag but Vic had wisely declined that generosity, suspecting if he did accept the extra $700 Sharon would soon be on the phone demanding repeat visits.

Returning home he'd left the three hundred on the kitchen table with a note for Nina saying to treat herself; he'd collected the cash doing an emergency computer fix for David's brother-in-law; he'd written that with a clear conscience as in effect it was true.

* * *

A little over three months later Vic and Nina finally decided to move on. The little business was booming and they believed it had reached near its potential.

Cilla had caught David cheating on her and in the ensuing row he admitted he'd not instructed his lawyer to initiate divorce proceedings. So Cilla resigned and departed town as soon as David paid her off. He then wrote to his wife, inviting her back and saying all was forgiven. That was the final straw for Nina.

"The guy's immoral and lacks backbone; I've really gone off him."

They were eating dinner. "I haven't noticed much change in him." Vic said. "If anything he's even more cooperative now than in the beginning when he was prone to stalling on further improvement expenditure after we completed renovations."

"He and his wife won't respect each other when she returns."

"How do you know that?"

"I've heard it happens."

"Oh, hearsay. Perhaps you are right; let's put our resignations in the day he says she's coming back."

Two weeks later David came to them very excited, waving a letter from his wife. Nina congratulated him, took two sheets of paper from her handbag, dated the resignations, and handed them to David, wiping the joy from his face.

"Couldn't you leave a couple of weeks after she returns to work, rather than the day she returns," David pleaded.

Vic went to say okay but Nina said no, and that was it.

"Don't worry," Nina said," as they drove out of town a week later. "Something will turn up, it always does. But if you worry our luck will take longer to turn up."

"Who told you that crap?"

"I made it up," she giggled.

Another mile along the highway Nina was looking pensive.

"What's wrong?"

"I was never happy working for David, not like working at the ranch"

"That's funny, I felt the same. Unfortunately the last time we talked Hannah said their son-in-law wanted to close the guest side of the business at the end of autumn and then gradually convert from Herefords to purebred Angus. You haven't heard how the voting went have you?"

"No, that was the last time we were in contact. She owes me two letters. I thing we are drifting away from them which is a pity. She told me confidentially she reckons the voting to the proposals will be three to one in favor."

"Uh-huh, Joe odd-man odd, being a Hereford man."

"Seems like it. We'll need gas soon," Nina observed.

It was hot so after filling up they sat down for early lunch in the attached eatery, sipping ice-cold beers.

Nina looked at Vic over the top of her cold bottle, resting on her top lip. "I'd like to settle down."

"Sounds okay to me."

She recovered from the quick, positive reply: "What's your choice?"

Vic palmed his chin and he habitually did when feeling he was being pushed to answer. "To work alongside you."

"At what?"

He squirmed and that told Nina she had him on a spot. Sighing, Vic told Nina she wouldn't want to hear his deep thought.

"Oh yeah? Try me."

"Locate on a working ranch with guest facilities."

"Fuck me," Nina said, beaming.

"Ma'am, we have young children just behind you," snapped the elderly waitress carrying food to that table. Nina ignored her.

"In what capacity?"

"The optimum would be equal part owner with you, the bank as our joint partner."

Nina said how exciting – for weeks she'd been attempting to create a picture of the future but nothing as substantial as that had come to her. "My only big thought was property development – but we'd be babes in the woods in that field. When can we go looking at ranches?"

"After lunch, Vic joked, still off-balance by her enthusiastic response.

"Okay."

"Okay what?" he asked, half-ready to be teased.

"We go looking for a place that fulfils our dreams."

He grinned. "May I come around and kiss you."

"You may come around and fuck me," she said, but not too loudly. Vic looked around anxiously but to his relief the tut-tut waitress, the possible owner of the outfit, was nowhere in sight. He kissed Nina and went to the counter and ordered, partly in a daze because he had to return and ask Nina what she wanted to eat. He returned to the table with a 'Please Don't Remove from the Restaurant' map of a wide area of territory. They huddled together looking at it excitedly.

Before long they'd agreed to leave the extreme west, changing direction for the first time since hitting the road together. Inland they went, excitement bubbling as they headed into real cattle country with the intention of buying a ranch.

Nina asked: "How big a spread?"

"We need a ranch operation that is economic now and is likely to keep its head above water for the next ten years or more. We'd need to proceed very carefully."

Nina said that meant paying for advice.

"If we want to do that, yes. My thinking is to buy a rundown place with potential to take us into a future, a breeding unit. We also should be within 200 miles of a really big city, one that attracts tourists so dudes are within easy drive of us."

"Of course, guest ranchers want everything easy."

"Yes. You realize of course that the ranch we buy won't have guest facilities – buying such a set-up inside a full working ranch would cost millions more than a straight, rundown ranch."

"Slightly rundown ranch."

"Okay, we don't want to spend half a lifetime working to get it right."

"Now you're cooking," Nina said, looking at their own book of maps and looked for a city that was a tourist destination near where they were and then towns about 200 miles from it.

"There – that's where will go, okay?"

"Yep, you have first call. With our luck the first property we hit could be the one we buy."

Thirteen property inspections later involving hours of travel as well, Nina and Vic were still optimistic as they continued their prospecting but now almost 300 miles from a big city.

As arranged, they met the real estate agent at the entrance to the fourteenth property which was located a handy 12 miles from the servicing town. The agent who specialized in selling ranches was a stooped, grumpy looking guy wearing a hundred-year-old looking Stetson and similar age boots.

"Oh dear, not good," Nina said.

"Perhaps he'll think kindly of us looking like greenhorns and provide outstanding service," Vic said hopefully, calling out, "Mr Brody?"

"Who wants to know?"

"Nina Raymond and Vic Haig."

"Which one of you is which?"

Vic growled under his breath: "He's pulling our tit." That made Nina giggle.

"I'm Vic."

The agent stopped leaning over the hood of his SUV. "Come with me Mr Haig, leave her here."

"No Mr Brody, Nina and I are partners and she comes; also she makes the money decisions."

"Suit yourself. Get aboard."

Nina disliked Mr Brody and Mr Brody remained obstinate and unfriendly so Vic confined his conversation to questions about the land, carrying capacity and its history. This initial inspection of grazing land took two hours and they spent a further one and a half hours inspecting the buildings and servicing facilities plus speaking to the tired and down-trodden owner and wife who reflected Mr Brody's indifference.

It was a very quiet drive back to their SUV.

"Well?"

Vic almost said well what? But that would be unhelpful.

"Yes, we are interested."

Nina looked dismayed and Mr Brody looked vacant until he grunted, "You'll have to pay their asking price."

"I first need to study the ranch accounts, copies of which Mr Hunger said were at your office. Then I need two days to make a thorough inspection on a horse but a four-wheeler bike will do. Then I may be ready to negotiate over price."

"They want their asking price."

That rattled Vic. "I understand what you are saying but now you understand this: After those studies I may be ready to negotiate over price."

"Suit yourself."

"What time should we come in tomorrow to look over the accounts?"

"I'm off tonight on a trip. Come back next Tuesday."

"Surely there's someone in your office who can hand over the accounts for us to inspect?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you are my clients."

Nina became fired up. "Then cancel your trip and give us service."

That rattled Mr Brody who snapped, "Who asked for you to open your mouth?"

Vic spun around to Nina who was in the back seat, finger over his lips. She gritted her teeth and looked out the window. They drove on in silence.

"Well?" their surely agent grunted.

Vic and Nina left the vehicle and Nina went to the driver's window.

"Answer him, but be polite Nina."

"We have no response to that rude question of yours," Nina said, acting most ladylike.

She walked over to her vehicle, Vic following, neither looking back.

They stared straight ahead as Mr Brody's vehicle turned and roared by them. Without a word Vic went to the rear of their vehicle and pulled two cans of beer from the refrigerated storage box.

He returned, opened a can and handed it to Nina and ripped open his can. They sipped in silence until Vic said, "This is the place but it's over-priced – this I know in my bones."

"It's a dump and that agent is an asshole."

"Oh sweetie, language."

"That man is a disgrace to the profession of Realtors or whatever it's called."

"Agreed but I point out every profession has its misfits, even the clergy."

"The clergy? What has that to do with us buying a ranch?"

"I just pray we succeed in buying the ranch. But let's talk later when we're both cooled down."

They returned to their hotel. That night Nina had a near sleepless night and wouldn't allow Vic to touch her. She fell asleep soundly just before dawn and after she appeared really settled Vic wrote her a note saying he'd be back to take her to lunch.

Vic returned to ranch and drove slowly, stopping often, down its western road boundary, just attempting to acquire a good feel for the land. The feeling he ended up with pleased him. He noted the cattle looked as sleek as one would expect them to be at this time of year. Water levels in the dams were high and judging by the regrowth on the flatter pastureland, haymaking had been extensive. The time had arrived when Nina should be invited to disclose just how much money she had to invest; it needed to be heaps.

Vic sighed, trying unsuccessfully to remember the line in a song about an impossible dream.

Entering Brody Real Estate & Appraisals Ltd, Vic asked mischievously to see Mr Brody and was told he was away for a few days, fishing. Well, fishing eh, the mean-ass grump. Vic asked to see the next person in charge.

"That's his daughter, Mrs Masters," the receptionist said. "She has a client with her at the moment. Please sit over there and I'll fetch coffee."

The receptionist returned with coffee in two mugs and sat down beside Vic and spoke to him pleasantly and then asked was he looking to buy a property.

He told Kim French he was interested in the Hunger Ranch.

"Oh yes, the Lazy K Upright K."

She acted as if she knew about the property, Vic thought, so asked what did she think of it?

"Rather run down," said Kim and rather overpriced in my opinion but remember I'm only a receptionist, although all my live I've lived on ranches. "I assisted Leigh do our appraisal."

Vic nodded. "I had an awful time with Mr Brody yesterday. I didn't put a foot wrong but he was broody and unhelpful almost to the point of scaring me off."

"Oh dear, that sounds like our Mr Brody on one of his bad days. In comparison you'll really like Leigh. She's our principal appraiser and general manager. Here she is with her client now."

Vic eyed Leigh and decided: Expressive, dresses expensively, looks to be open and is about thirty with a bastard of a father. Only when he'd been introduced to Leigh Masters and was following her into her office did her remember he hadn't appraised her tits. He grinned thinking he must be getting old, looked down and thought: nice ass.

"You are my father's client, you said."

"Yes, but I wish to sack him and appoint you."

"It doesn't really work like that. However, please tell me why you are thinking that way."

"Sit back and listen and I'll tell you why. It's the truth so don't get upset with me."

"Very well. Shoot."

Vic gave it to her both barrels.

"Sounds like one of his bad days. I am profoundly sorry you struck him like that. Please excuse me for a moment."

Leigh returned with the brown leather covered diary Vic had seen her father carrying the previous day. She put on reading glasses with bright red frames that suited her white skin and long black hair.

"Those glasses suit you," he said conversationally.

"Thank you for the compliment," she said, not looking up from reading.

A minute later she removed her glasses and smiled. "My father's notes mention a woman."

"Yes, my partner."

"I guess by now you would have learned my father believes in the old adage a woman's place is in the kitchen?"

"Hell yes. So how is it you're in business with him?"

"It's where I wanted to be. He had no option because I don't take shit from anyone and that's including my dominant, arrogant father."

She said that calmly.

Vic grinned. "That makes us both on the same side."

"I rather like you for saying that so charmingly, Mr Haig. You could have been very abusive about my father. What do you want me to do?"

Vic said he'd like to bring his domestic and business partner Nina Raymond into the office after lunch to inspect the Hunger Ranch accounts and to arrange for him to thoroughly inspect the ranch over the next two days.

"The accounts yes: I'll instruct Kim to give them to you call this afternoon," Leigh said, making a note. "Now before continuing could I clear one matter up? The note here says you appear to have the knowledge of a rancher but my father doubts you have the money for this purchase."

"We have four million so require a willing bank to top us up."

"That shouldn't be a problem."

Leigh turned to her diary. "I can give you all day tomorrow by changing to appraisals to the following morning which shouldn't be a problem to add to an appointment that cannot be changed as the client is flying in and flying out on a tight schedule. Then I can be with you from around 1:00 until dark."

"You'll accompany me for one and a half days? That's very generous of you."

"We want to sell the property to you, Mr Haig, despite my father's apparent best efforts to achieve the opposite result. Four wheelers or horses?

"Horses."

"Good, my husband and I have a ranch. I'll trailer them in. The Hungers only have two nags. I would rather your partner not come. The Hungers don't regard women as buyers or women as having money. I know and apologize; they are of my father's generation and are unlikely to change. Is that a problem?"

"I might have my head knocked off when I tell her."

"Well I can call her now; I won't be in this afternoon when you call."