I tried posting this before and I think I have to break it up into three separate posts because Wordpress doesn’t like me at the moment. The following are a few pictures of Nashville Pridefest. I gave out three free short stories to celebrate Pride month. They can be read together to form a novella or separately. I’m going to try this one more time as a large post.
Skywalk
Lukas walked across the skywalk to the other half of his company’s offices. He was still learning his way around after taking the entry level job in supply management, and he wondered how to reach the billing department. As he walked between the two buildings, he unconsciously wiggled his ass while thinking. No one was around to see him, but Lukas didn’t care for turning his personality on and off. He simply left his internal flirt-switch on all the time. A new city, a new job, and hopefully a new life were in order for him. He reached the end of the skywalk and searched for a sign directing him to the correct area of building B. Nada. No sign.
“Excuse me; can you point me to billing?” Lukas said as he tapped a tall, solid man on the shoulder.
“I’ll take you,” he said. “My name is Clement. You must be new.” The stranger held out his right hand while extending the offer.
“I’m Lukas, and you’re right. I’m new.” He took Clement’s hand into his own and shook firmly. The handshake was warm, inviting, and the first physical contact he’d had since moving to the city. When he saw the dark hair peeking out from Clement’s dress-shirt sleeve and extending all the way down to his thick, large hands and fingers, Lukas felt his cock harden. The handshake lingered a moment longer than a friendly business contact.
“Billing is on the first floor, right next to my office. I was heading in that direction, so I’d be glad to lead the way.” His dark eyes stayed on Lukas’ face as he released the handshake. “You’re in supply management, right?”
The two men turned a corner before approaching the elevator. “How’d you know I work in supply management?” Lukas said while he watched the other man’s thick index finger press the button to the elevator. He hid a smile while observing the lack of a wedding band.
“I’m the senior sales manager. Everything that develops within the company travels via gossip to me as soon as it happens.” Clement winked; his dark eyebrow tilted downward while he licked his lips. Each man walked into the elevator, and then the door closed behind them. In a whisper, the manager said, “I’ve heard about you, that you bat for my team. Are you free for a drink later?”
Lukas wanted to turn Clement down. Office politics were usually complicated enough without adding a romance or a fling on top of the drama, but Clement only wanted a drink. What harm could befall him over a simple beer? “Sure,” he said. “I hear there’s a good bar on my side of town.” They exchanged directions before the elevator door opened, and then Lukas followed Clement down the labyrinth of cubicles on the first floor to the billing department. Directly to the right was an office with a shiny placard containing Clement’s name.
For an instant, Lukas felt a surge of heat rise below his gut to his throat. Within the past six months he had descended from manager to entry level. He choked down his jealousy and with a steady voice said, “Thanks for the tour, man. I’ll see ya later.” Lukas couldn’t help but wiggle his ass just a little for Clement’s benefit before entering the billing analyst’s cube. He felt eyes watching him. With a quick glance, Lukas saw Clement standing in the doorway of his office, his eyes fixed in his direction.
****
After loosening the knot in his tie, Lukas walked up to the bar and ordered a Bud. He sat on a stool at the bar, but didn’t touch the peanuts. Instead, he watched the patrons as they talked. Clement wasn’t late yet, but Lukas was mentally kicking himself. Why hadn’t he chosen a gay bar? Being in the city for under a week, he hadn’t taken the time to learn where to chill yet. He hoped Clement wouldn’t mind. It was Tuesday, and there weren’t many people in the establishment. The cold beer slipping down his throat felt good nonetheless. He waited a few minutes before ordering another bottle.
While he was turned to tip the bartender, Lukas felt a warm hand on his shoulder. As soon as he turned to greet the new acquaintance, Clement spoke. “You’ve had one already, haven’t you. The bartender must have cleared your bottle away already. Are you on your second or third?”
Lukas felt his face flush even more than he knew it was before he was addressed. He hated how his pale, freckled skin reddened when he drank. “Second.”
“I’ll have a Malibu with pineapple,” Clement said before he sat on the adjoining stool and swiveled his body to face Lukas. When Clement’s leg brushed against the younger man’s upper calf, Clement smiled and closed his eyes. He left his leg where it was the rest of the time while the two men were at the bar. The bartender brought the mixed drink, and Clement sipped it slowly before he said, “What brings you to the city?”
“Work.” Lukas sipped this beer a little more slowly than he had the first. “Cutbacks at my last company. I moved here because even an entry level job is better than no job at all.” He cupped his hands around the sweating bottle of Bud before he worked up the courage to rest one hand on the upper leg of Clement’s grey dress pants. His left palm was cold and wet as he felt the other man’s hot thigh through the polyester. Assuming it was hairy and as muscular as it felt, Lukas closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Before I get to know you better, there’s something you should know.”
“What’s that?” The muscular leg twitched as Clement spoke. “I’m all ears.” His voice was deep and hushed. “Talk to me.”
“When I lost my last job, my partner left me. Said if I couldn’t hold a job, there was no sense in sticking around. I’m kinda sensitive to it, so I’d prefer you not ask me too many questions about my last gig.” Lukas finished his beer and ordered another. “Wasn’t a good situation.”
“I respect that, man.” Clement’s hand moved from the top of the bar to cover Lukas’ hand. With a gentle tug, the thick index finger and thumb of Clement’s hand stroked Lukas’ middle finger and guided Lukas’ hand an inch farther up the manager’s thigh. “We won’t discuss anything you don’t want to talk about.” He leaned in close to Lukas. His mouth was so close to his ear that Lukas felt the stubble above Clement’s upper lip as he whispered. “Just tell me one thing.”
“Okay.” Lukas’ heartbeat drummed his pulse into his dick.
“Tell me if the hair surrounding your junk is as red as the hair on your head. The curiosity of seeing your dick surrounded by your fiery hair has been distracting me all day. Seriously, I didn’t accomplish a single thing all afternoon.”
Suddenly, the room felt too hot, and Lukas’s forehead beaded with sweat. He drank the last beer quickly, and then he said, “You’ll just have to find out.” Clement drew his hand away to pay for the mixed drink.
****
Clement’s house was situated at the end of a dead-end street in a lonely, dark neighborhood. Lukas rode with his new acquaintance, unsure if he’d consumed too much alcohol to drive. The night air was crisp and slightly chilly as the two men walked from the car to the front door of the brick house. Neither one said much of anything during the drive or the walk, but Lukas felt his cock pushing against his underwear the entire time. He wasn’t one to usually jump into the sack with a man he hardly knew, but he felt assured that this manager could take him places, both inside and outside of the office.
Clement jingled his keys before inserting the correct one into the deadbolt of the front door. “What size are you?” he said.
“I beg your pardon?”
The host didn’t turn to answer the question. Instead, he pushed the front door open and then led the way through the dark house. “Hold onto my waist while I lead you to the bedroom.”
“Shouldn’t you just flip on the lights?” Lukas said, even though he was already holding Clement’s firm waist.
“Where’s the fun in that?” The soft whisper barely traveled to Lukas’ ears as the two men zigzagged through the various rooms like a choochoo train until Clement quietly creaked open the door to his bedroom. He led Lukas inside and closed the door behind them.
“Can we turn on the lights now, Clement? I thought you wanted to see my—”
“Cover your eyes so they adjust to the brightness.” He flipped the switch and then said, “Call me Clem. Clement is too formal for what I intend to do to you tonight.”
Lukas’ hands draped the light from his eyes. While they were still closed, he felt Clem unbuttoning his dress shirt from the bottom up. His tie was halfway through being untied before he removed his hands from his eyes. “You’re in a hurry,” Lukas said. Clem looked him in the eyes and continued yanking at Lukas’ tie. Then he undid his own with one long, forceful motion of his hands. Lukas groaned as he reached for the buttons on Clem’s shirt. The man was a forest of hair beneath the shirt and undershirt. Clem directed him toward his bed.
“Take your belt, pants, and shoes off, but leave your underwear on.”
Lukas wondered why, but he did as Clem asked. He watched as Clem unzipped his dress pants. His eyes stayed on the other man’s crotch, waiting to see if his new friend was a boxer’s man or a briefs man. It turned out he was neither. Clem’s erect dick sprung from the pants, nude. It wasn’t nearly as long as Lukas had hoped it would be, but it was much thicker than his own. He followed Clem to the bed, and then lay on top of him. Lukas breathed in the other man’s scent: Old Spice and a hint of aftershave. Compared to his own lanky, skinny frame, Clem was like a solid, fuzzy tank under his body. Lukas’ stomach pressed against Clem’s thick cock as he lay over him.
Clem grabbed Lukas’ ass through his briefs. With his other hand, he touched and then combed through Lukas’ red hair with his fingers. His touch was soft, gentle, and curious as he pressed Lukas’ mouth against his lips. The kiss was electric, sending tingles down Lukas’ spine. Although the kiss was brief, he knew he wanted Clem’s dick up his ass. Until that point, he wasn’t sure how far he actually wanted to go with the sales manager, but the kiss was amazing, like the rush of adrenaline after hitting a jackpot in Vegas. Lukas kissed Clem again, this time more deeply and for a longer moment while he felt Clem slide the briefs down to his knees. Lukas rolled off of Clem, and he removed the underwear completely while feeling Clem’s eyes on the fiery red hair surrounding his cock and balls.
The sales manager licked his lips and said in his deep voice, “Are you a top guy or a bottom guy?” His eyes lingered on Lukas’ cock.
“Bottom.”
The smile reached from his lips to his eyes as Clem said, “Good, because I like to take control. How about you get on your hands and knees for me? That bald little ass of yours looks like it needs a little fucking. I’ll use a condom and stuff, but I’d like to suck you off afterward. Are you cool with that?”
Lukas didn’t say a word. He dropped down onto his knees and then spread his legs a little more than shoulder width apart as he lowered his palms to the floor. Clem was so thick; he hoped his entry was as gentle as the kisses. Lukas closed his eyes when he heard the condom wrapper’s distinct sound when it was torn. The cold lube Clem used relaxed Lukas a little while he felt the thick finger wiggle slowly into his puckered, little hole. He let out a slow sigh as he felt Clem slowly stretch the muscles open with gradual care until the head of Clem’s cock nudged the opening. “You ready, man?”
“Yeah,” Lukas said. He wanted the sex; he needed to feel alive again. Not since before he lost his last job had he been able to just relax and release with another man. Taking the cock up his ass would bring him a sense of normalcy again. Lately, he felt tight and nervous. A good, thorough fuck should help him unwind and settle down in the new city. Why was Clem waiting? He repeated his readiness. “Yeah, give me a good fuck,” he said.
Clem reached around and grabbed Lukas’ balls while he penetrated. Damn, the guy was thick. The scent in the room changed from Old Spice to latex, sweat, and sex while Clem built a slow rhythm in and out of Lukas’ ass. The only part about being the bottom guy that he didn’t like was that he wanted Clem to go faster. This slow shit was maddening. The caressing of his balls and the slow, methodical ass fucking was building up his tension, not releasing it. Lukas felt relieved that he was going to be sucked off after they were finished because he was a ball of nerves as he waited for Clem to quicken his speed.
“You into tantric?” Clem asked. Was he giggling?
“Don’t fuck with me,” Lukas said. He moved his ass hard against Clem’s pelvis in an attempt to speed him up.
“You shouldn’t speak with management that way.” Clem definitely was giggling.
“No, I’m not into tantric. Just fuck me harder, okay?” Lukas didn’t try to take the edge out of his voice. “I need release.”
Clem curled his fingers into Lukas’ light, thin, freckled thighs and said, “You’re a bottom guy, but I think you like to be in control as much as I do.” After a hearty laugh, Lukas felt him pound into his ass like a good ass fuck required. Clem’s grunts followed as he went faster and harder, meaner and rougher. “Damn, you’re tight,” he said before coming into Lukas’ asshole. He withdrew after another deep grunt, and then rolled the condom off of his cock.
Lukas turned and watched him before sitting on the edge of the bed. “I haven’t forgotten my offer,” Clem said as he approached.
“Good.” Lukas’ dick was still long and hard. It felt like ages since he’d been sucked off. He secretly hoped Clem would have a little trouble taking all of it in. Lukas knew his cock wasn’t all that thick, but it was longer than most. He smiled when he saw Clem staring at it, as if he was calculating its length. Reclining back onto a few pillows he’d grabbed, Lukas leaned back with his legs dangling off the bed while Clem knelt on the floor. First, his mouth kissed Lukas’ shaft before beginning the blowjob.
“I don’t know what you like, so give me feedback,” Clem said before licking the red fuzz-covered balls.
“A manager willing to take feedback. Nice.” Lukas moaned when Clem lightly sucked his scrotum. “I like that. When you take my dick in your mouth, I want your lips at the base as much as you can. The stubble above and below your lips as you ram your face into my pelvis is what I want. None of this, ‘it’s too big shit.’” Lukas didn’t want to admit it to himself, but Clem was right. Giving orders just plain felt good, even though he was a bottom guy.
Clem left Lukas’ balls and opened his mouth. He started by licking the head and shaft before taking the hard-on into his mouth. When his lips were a little more than halfway down Lukas’ dick, he closed his eyes and pressed forward while sucking firmly. The first time he gagged, Lukas had to concentrate on not coming. Watching and feeling a big, strong man gag on his dick was one of the most erotic things in the world. Struggling to take his dick into his throat, Clem came up for air. Light glistened off of the moisture in his eyes. The gag reflex upon swallowing Lukas’ cock always humbled the men willing to suck him. Lukas watched Clem’s eyes water as he tried swallowing his dick again.
“You can do it. Just concentrate on relaxing your throat,” he said as Clem gagged again on the head of his cock. “Do you want help?”
Clem lifted his head for air again and nodded. When he descended Lukas’ cock again, Lukas placed his hands into Clem’s thick, dark, wet hair and applied pressure to the back of his head. “That’s right,” Lukas said as Clem swallowed the length of his cock into his mouth and throat. He let up on the pressure and watched the other man struggle to keep it his mouth. When he finally needed more air, he bobbed his head up and breathed through his nose.
“Do it again.” Lukas loved ordering the manager to deep throat him. His ego needed the boost. “Again,” he said after Clem caught his breath. When Clem’s gag reflex went haywire on the next attempt, Lukas released his load into Clem’s mouth. The release was sweet and powerful. Bringing the manager to his knees brought a wide grin to his face. Clem swallowed what Lukas had given him before removing the cock from his mouth.
****
“What size do you wear?” Clem said as he pushed through his closet the following morning. “You’ve got to appear in a fresh change of clothes for work today. The only people who wouldn’t notice you wearing the same pink shirt and tie two days in a row are the straight guys.”
Lukas wiped the sleep from his eyes. “And you don’t think they’d notice if I show up in your clothes?”
“No, not if it’s a solid white shirt and a plain looking tie. You’re not my size, your shoulders aren’t nearly as wide, but I have some clothes my brother left here before he was called away for military duty.”
Lukas told him his size and then opened the door to the hallway in search of the bathroom. He was still nude, and he assumed Clement’s drapes were all closed based on how dark the rest of the house was the night before. “Wait a sec,” Clem said, pushing the door closed. “Olivia is out there. Put my robe on first.”
“Olivia?” Lukas’ voice cracked when he said the name.
“Yeah, she’s used to be my neighbor. A few weeks ago she had a house fire. I’m letting her crash on my couch until the insurance stops battling everything out and finally decides to put her up in a hotel. They think she set fire to it herself, but I know she’d never do that.”
Lukas wasn’t sure how he felt about a woman sleeping on Clement’s couch, but he kept quiet about it. With a quick motion, he took the robe from his host and hooked a right into the hallway and then into the bathroom for a shower. He’d have to remember to request Clem to drop him off at his car, not at work. Lukas enjoyed being with Clem, but he didn’t want to be seen getting out of Clem’s car in the company garage. If he was promoted as the result of sleeping with the right people, Lukas didn’t want everybody to know about it.
****
Once Lukas was in the office, he tackled the mound of electronic paperwork on his computer’s desktop. He hadn’t asked, but judging by the backlog of requests to place orders with suppliers for the upcoming production of machinery, either the company had hired him to fill two vacant positions, or his predecessor hadn’t managed his time wisely. There was no way he’d be able to accomplish all of this unless he stayed late at the office. He looked at his watch. After calculating a few things, Lukas estimated he could complete half of the work by ten pm if he worked through lunch. To stay on and maybe be promoted, Lukas figured that he would have to bust his ass to show his manager how far he was willing to go for the company.
****
The time was nearly eleven at night when Lukas finally called it a day and headed toward the skywalk connecting the two buildings so he could enter the parking garage. He walked to the doors leading to the skywalk and swiped his ID badge. It didn’t beep like it normally did right before the doors opened. Lukas tried swiping it again. Shit. He didn’t mind taking the stairs or the elevator down to the first floor and walking to the other building, but he wondered if he would be denied access to the garage at such a late hour. Surely he wasn’t the only person who worked late at night here? Just as he was about to turn toward the elevator, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned around.
“I’ve been waiting for you to finish up your work,” Clem said. His hand moved down Lukas’ back and rested on his ass. “Your badge won’t work to open the entryway to the skywalk, and it won’t work to use the elevator either.”
“I can take the stairs, right?” Lukas said in a shaky voice. He knew no one else was walking around the building but was nervous nonetheless.
“Nope. I have access to the skywalk if you want to accompany me. Management has special privileges.” Clem winked and then swiped his badge. The doors leading to the skywalk opened, and the two men walked onto the bridge connecting building A to building B.
As soon as they were halfway across, Clem stopped and motioned for Lukas to do the same. “You wanna go at it?” He curled his finger into Lukas’ belt loop, already playing with the belt buckle to Lukas’ dress pants.
“Here? Now?”
“We’re only visible from the navel up. The glass doesn’t go all the way to the floor. You could get on your hands and knees. Nobody would be able to see us from the street.” Clem kissed him and undid Lukas’ belt buckle. Before Lukas could think, he heard the zipper as Clem undid his own pants and then dropped Lukas’ pants to the ground.
“What if somebody sees us? I can’t get fired from this job. I can’t move again.”
The thick fingers grabbed Lukas’ balls as Clem said, “Trust me. No one will see us. Besides, if anybody did, the only people who have access to the skywalk at night are the senior managers and security.”
“All the more reason not to take these risks. If my manager sees us—”
“Betty won’t care. Believe me, she’s been up here before and done this too. Not with me, but she has been up here. Trust me.” Clem pushed Lukas’ underwear down to his knees. “You know you’re excited by the idea. I can see how turned on you are.” The sales manager grasped Lukas’ erect cock and squeezed the shaft firmly. “Don’t lie to me and tell me this doesn’t turn you on. You can’t hide it from me.”
Lukas closed his eyes and groaned. His good sense left his brain and went to his dick as Clem stroked it. At least if the shit hit the fan, Lukas figured they’d both be fired if someone walked in on them. When the cold sensation of lube hit his skin, he leaned against the sales manager and allowed himself to be jerked off. Clem’s hands worked up and down his dick in a hard, rapid rhythm that made him want to explode almost instantly. “Damn, Clem. I can’t hold back.”
The manager pulled a clean hanky out of his pocket and held it over Lukas’ cock head to catch the semen. “Don’t hold back,” he said as he continued pumping Lukas’ dick. “Just let go and trust me.”
A deep, guttural sigh escaped Lukas’ lips as he exploded into the hanky. “That felt great.”
“We’re not done yet,” Clem said as he wiped the sticky mess away from Lukas’ body. “I want you on your hands and knees, vulnerable to me.”
Lukas turned his head, scanning the skywalk. As far as he could tell, he and Clem were the only two people left in the building. Security must be walking around somewhere, but nobody but the two of them was on the bridge. He scanned the skywalk. Through the dimly lit night lighting, Lukas was fairly sure no security cameras were on the ceiling, so he got onto all fours and said after a low grunt, “None of that tantric shit. If you’re going to take me, be fast about it.” There was a nervous energy about all of this with so much adrenaline pulsing through Lukas’ body. It was as if he’d never fucked in public before. He pushed the memory of the last time he’d taken the risk out of his mind. Instead he concentrated on the slow, deliberate entry of Clem’s fingers into his ass.
“I wish you could supply manage me every night up here,” Clem said between his heavy breathing. His pace quickened; the fuck was over in a matter of minutes, but he continued thrusting. Only after a quick slap to Lukas’ ass was the sex over. “I loved fucking you up here while you’re still wearing the clothes I gave you to wear this morning. Maybe I could pick them up from your place in a few days.” Clem’s words were punctuated by the clicking of both men’s zippers and belts as they reassembled their clothing.
“What else can you do for me?”
“I’ll show you once I drop by your place,” Clem said.
They began walking across the other half of the skywalk. “No, I mean at the company. I was a manager before moving here. You know as well as I do that we’re at this for more than just the sex.” Lukas’ throat closed as he forced the words out of his mouth. He might as well lay the cards on the table. “What can you do for me?”
Clem stopped walking and looked him in the eye. “You’re not really a true bottom guy, are you?” He winked.
“What can you do for me?”
Clem held Lukas’ face in his hands and kissed him deeply. When he finished, Clem said, “Give it a little time. I’ve just met you. We need to conduct a skills assessment. You have to work on your job for a year before taking a different position anyway. Let me be the boss for now. I’ll do the worrying about your skills, your position, and your responsibilities.” He pulled at Lukas’ tie and kissed him again. “You don’t want to be tied up with too much worrying. Enjoy your entry level while you can.” He grabbed Lukas’ ass and leaned in to nibble his stubble-covered neck. “I’ll get your address for picking up my shirt tomorrow. It’s getting late.”
Lukas smiled. Clem was a cool one. He liked chasing after goals. This would be no different.
Hot Stuff
Betty licked her lips as she watched the barista prepare two frothy lattes. The woman in front of the cappuccino machine shook her hips as she stirred the liquid into the slick, metal apparatus. Her cute little apron hugged her hips, and Betty found herself mentally shaking herself back to reality. She was on a date with Olivia. Why was she ogling over the barista? Betty lamented her constant desire to have more, get more, and move up the food chain. She needed to find contentment in who she was, what she had, and who was already in her life. The grass wasn’t always greener on the other side.
The barista smiled as she turned to bring the two lattes to Betty. Her quirky little expression reminded Betty of her thoughts. Had the cute woman with the curvy hips known she was thinking about her grass? No. She paid the barista and forced her thoughts to turn along with her body to her date. Olivia was a beautiful woman in her own right. Her olive skin, sleek dark hair, and green eyes were stunning. Betty had to remind herself that the pursuit of a catch wasn’t as important as keeping the one she already had. Olivia’s dimples deepened in a wide grin as she saw Betty bring the lattes to the table.
“Bet, let me help you with those,” Olivia said as Betty almost dropped one of the lattes.
“Thanks. Sorry it took so long.”
Olivia sipped the latte slowly. She curled her fingers around the handle of the large ceramic mug before she said, “What do you want to do to celebrate our two year anniversary as a couple? It’s just a week away.”
“I hadn’t really thought about it. Do you have a preference?” Betty said as she reached for her purse. Reapplying her lipstick and checking out her reflection in the little cosmetic mirror, Betty made a mental note that she was due for a dye job. Her roots were bordering on hideous. “If it’s the same to you, I’d like to have a quiet evening either at your place or at mine.” She tussled her blonde hair before resuming eye contact.
“If that’s what you want to do,” Olivia said, “I can cook a meal at my place, and we can enjoy a quiet, romantic evening in front of the fireplace with a little wine and good food.”
“Hmm,” Betty said. “You’re going to cook a special meal for me. I’ll drop by a little early with a gift or two.”
****
Betty circled the mall and casually fingered a lacy piece of lingerie. She pictured how sexy Olivia would look in it, but then she shook her head. No, Olivia wouldn’t want the lingerie. Always the practical one, her partner would prefer something she could use. What could she buy that would serve both purposes? Daydreaming about the time she purchased a little red thong for Olivia, Betty remembered how the thong still bore the tags, even though the gift passed hands over three years ago. Olivia wasn’t exactly butch; she defied labels, but Betty knew she wouldn’t appreciate the teddy.
Smiling the grin of a woman on a mission, Betty headed straight for the cooking section on the other side of the store. In the front aisle of the department was an area normally shelved with appliances and crockery. Next to the stoves was a rack draped with full-length aprons covered in a hot pepper design. Olivia would love it. Betty beamed as she neared it. Picturing Olivia’s sleek, brown body wearing nothing but the apron, Betty grabbed the apron and immediately purchased it. What harm could happen from an apron, a good meal, and a bottle of wine? Olivia might pretend to be a good girl, but Betty intended to bring out her bad girl side that night. Hell, she didn’t even mind having to put in a few extra hours later at the office before arriving at Olivia’s house. The new guy working in her department just started working a few days ago, and Betty had to complete some of the grunt work for the company’s supply management department in order to keep the department’s books afloat for the end of the quarter. A little relaxation would do her some good.
Betty paused as she held the peppered cloth. For the woman who had everything she could ever want, finally Betty felt she had found the perfect gift for her partner. The apron wasn’t sheer, but she could already feel and see in her mind’s eye how Olivia’s breasts would press against the fabric. The bunny-ear loops of the apron as the tie fell over her round ass would look especially smart. Betty almost left the cooking shop but instead turned around and headed back toward the utensils.
What could she use for an extra special flavor?
****
Olivia chopped the onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms that would ultimately flavor her pasta sauce. Her chopping was deliberate and precise as she focused on the task at hand. In a few hours, Betty would join her. Olivia had found herself looking forward to the meal all week because cooking for one just wasn’t any fun. Her kitchen smelled of garlic, oregano, and onion as she readied the final ingredients for the sauce. Betty would flip when she saw the gift she had hidden under in the cabinet for later. Not only was Betty a candle freak, but she especially liked them on the days that she went in for a dye job. Olivia assumed it had something to do with covering up the smell of the peroxide with something a little more pleasant. Five fresh, scented candles were just the beginning of what she was planning for her partner. She finished cutting up the ingredients for the sauce and then changed gears.
Olivia stirred the milk into the double batch of pudding. One batch was chocolate to celebrate Olivia’s heritage, and one batch was vanilla to celebrate Betty’s heritage. She cooed as she pictured mixing the two batches over Betty’s breasts and spreading the mixture with the backside of a chilled spoon so that she could watch Betty’s nipples respond. Dios mio she had spent weeks planning how she would lick Betty clean. Consumed with her thoughts, she almost spilled the milk as she finished pouring it into the mixture. Betty had promised to wear her long, blond hair in two pigtail-style braids like a Swedish bar maid. It’d drive Betty nuts getting the pudding near the white barmaid shirt, but Olivia liked watching Betty struggle to overcome her type A personality.
While she was continuing to fix supper, the doorbell rang. Olivia wiped her hands onto a dishrag and headed for the front door. With no one else to bother her other than salesmen and random neighbor kids, she wondered who stood around the other side of her front door. After she turned the knob and unlatched the deadbolt, Olivia grinned ear to ear. “You’re early.”
Betty held a bouquet of flowers. Olivia couldn’t tell what kind of flowers they were because they were still wrapped in the florist’s paper. “Yeah, I got off work early. Enough people at work owe me favors. I figured nobody’d bother asking where I was if I tiptoed out.” Betty still wore her pant suit, and she nodded toward the driveway. “The outfit’s still out in the car. I’ll take care of getting all my stuff inside your house. Go back to cooking. I don’t want you to burn anything.”
Olivia hugged and kissed Betty before she took the flowers from Betty’s hands. “Sure thing. Supper won’t be ready for awhile, so I hope you’re not too hungry yet.”
“I have a present for you,” Betty said before returning to the car for the rest of her missing items.
Olivia hadn’t noticed the present tucked under her lover’s arm. The flowers were enough of a distraction. Betty followed her inside the house. “On second thought,” Betty said, “Wait to open it. Attend to your cooking first. I’ll grab the rest of my stuff.” After watching Betty exit through the front door, Olivia returned to the kitchen and then hunted under the sink for a vase for the flowers. As she unwrapped them, she realized by their distinctive petals that the wrapping held orchids. The night they met, Olivia wore an orchid in her dark hair while attending her friend’s wedding. Betty’s memory was impeccable. Olivia smiled as she returned to her cooking and waited for Betty to return from the car. She finished combining the ingredients for the pasta sauce and added the large pot to the stovetop to simmer for a few hours.
After several minutes Betty returned with an armful of objects. “Here, open this present first,” she said. Betty scooted her butt up to the breakfast bar facing the kitchen and hoisted herself onto the top of it. She had changed out of the business suit and was wearing a white blouse, Swedish barmaid style. She also wore a mid-thigh length black skirt without stockings or panties. Olivia noted Betty’s suggestive pose; she could see just a hint of her lover’s crotch when Betty opened her legs slightly. “I can’t wait for you to open them. What are you waiting for?” she said.
Olivia tore through the paper wrapping and made eye contact with her lover. “What’s this?” She crinkled her nose and pursed her lips. “I’ve already started the sauce. Plus, I don’t recognize this.” She held the long, seven inch green pepper up near her face. It was narrow and curved toward the end. Toward the base, the pepper was nearly two inches wide, and the stem was intact.
“It’s an agua blanca pepper,” Betty said. “They’re mild. This one isn’t for your sauce.” She giggled before handing another gift to Olivia. “Open this one next.”
Olivia winked at Betty before carefully placing the pepper back into its box. Then she opened the other, larger box. Inside was an apron bearing a chili pepper design. “Nice,” she said as she held it up to her body. “I suppose you want me to wear this now?” Olivia draped the apron over her clothes and tied the straps behind her. She removed it when she heard Betty speak again.
“Yes, but I want to watch you cook wearing only the apron,” Betty said. She opened her legs a little wider apart. “I think you have the most delicious ass in the world.”
Olivia closed the drapes over the kitchen window, and then she repeated the gesture in the dining room before she lifted her shirt over her head. Next she unhooked her bra and then slipped off her shoes. When the cool air caused her nipples to harden, Olivia undressed a little faster. Her jeans and panties fell to the floor before she stepped out of them. Using the apron to dress herself, Olivia tied the straps in the back. She was covered from the front, but the apron barely hid her full breasts. The only cloth on the back side of her body was the two straps tied into bunny ears about her waist. With her full hips under the straps to each side, Olivia smiled when she felt the long straps tickle her ass. “You’re one for creativity, you know that?” she said before leaning toward Betty.
Olivia’s pulse rate climbed when she kissed her Swedish barmaid. She felt Betty’s hand reach for the side of her exposed breast while Betty’s tongue explored her mouth. An image of what she felt sure Betty intended to do with the long, mild pepper flashed in her mind. The sauce wouldn’t be finished for a few hours, and Olivia knew Betty wanted to play first.
When they took a brief respite from kissing, Betty said, “Let’s move to the living room.” She scooted herself off the breakfast bar and pointed toward the other room. After Olivia followed her there with the pepper in hand, Betty unbuttoned the barmaid blouse so her breasts were exposed. “How about you lean over the ottoman on your hands and knees for me?”
Olivia followed Betty’s lead. She felt her pussy’s wetness increase when she handed Betty the agua blanca pepper and then got onto all fours over the ottoman. The risk in trusting Betty heightened her arousal. What if Betty was wrong? What if the pepper wasn’t mild? Maybe the skin of the pepper would somehow be broken and hot juice would mix with her own wetness? She liked BDSM play occasionally, and she trusted Betty, but Olivia wasn’t one hundred percent certain she was ready for a burning sensation between her legs if something went wrong.
“Have you tried one of these agua blanca peppers on yourself?” Olivia said while spreading her legs.
“Yes,” Betty said while she spread Olivia’s pussy lips apart with her fingertips. “You’re wet already.”
Olivia trembled partly in anticipation and partly out of fear of what could go wrong as she felt the end of the pepper tap her clit. Betty slid the pepper between Olivia’s inner lips and then spun it, coating it with Olivia’s wetness.
“Tell me what you want me to do with it.” Betty’s tone was playful, but commanding. She always took the role of boss. It didn’t matter if she was at work or at play; she liked being in charge. Betty pressed a finger against Olivia’s anus. “Here?” Then she pressed a different finger against Olivia’s slit. “Or here?”
Olivia hadn’t considered two options before Betty asked. “I want you to hold onto the stem of that pepper while you pleasure me with it.”
“Where?” Betty tugged lightly on Olivia’s clit as she asked the question.
“My vagina.”
Betty’s voice turned to a deeper, huskier tone as she positioned the pepper so it lined up with Olivia’s clit. She continued to stroke Olivia’s clit. “If I do this, I need to cut the tip of the pepper off. It’s too sharp and hard on the end to be comfortable. I tried it on myself and found out the hard way. Are you okay with me doing that?”
Olivia sighed. Her sexual frustration built as Betty stopped fingering her clit. She could barely think; the orgasm was near. “Did the juice burn?”
Betty stroked Olivia’s clit again lightly. “Yes.” She sped her fingers up over Olivia’s nub before removing them again.
“Were you able to come when you felt the pepper’s juice burn?” Olivia’s eyes watered. She wasn’t sure if Betty was telling the truth or toying with her. In their BDSM play in the past, Betty tried to get Olivia to beg for punishment with the various paddles Betty owned. Was this the same thing?
Betty spoke softly but clearly. “Yes, I came when I tried it on myself.”
“Okay then. Cut the tip of the pepper off, and we’ll see if I like it. Just don’t tease me once it’s inside.”
Betty stopped touching her, and she walked around so that Olivia could see her cut the end of the pepper. “Here, taste it first.” She pressed the end of the agua blanca pepper to Olivia’s mouth. Within a few licks of the vegetable, Olivia scrunched her face and turned her head away.
“On second thought, don’t put that inside me.”
Betty smiled and returned to her place behind Olivia. She gently tugged on Olivia’s clit again. Using her fingers rather than the pepper, Betty filled Olivia while speaking softly. “I guess you don’t want to spice this relationship up like I do.” Her gentle laugh followed by an increased speed over Olivia’s clit brought the orgasm near again.
Olivia instinctively rocked her hips and moaned while Betty’s fingers brought her to the point of no return. Standing after being on all fours, Olivia said, “What can I do for you?”
“We’ll worry about me after we eat supper. I want to be sure we have enough time later to really take things slow,” Betty said. Each woman cleaned up before returning to the kitchen for the meal. Still in the Swedish barmaid costume, Betty offered to set the table while Olivia finished preparing the food for later in the evening.
****
“It’s your turn to open a few gifts,” Olivia said after the meal ended. She passed five identical, wrapped boxes across the table for Betty to open. “You’ve got to be one of the most difficult women in the world to shop for a gift.”
Betty tore the paper away from the first box. Her eyes sparkled as she brushed her blond hair away from her face. “You found them!” She tore the paper away faster from the other boxes. “I can’t believe it. You found them.”
Olivia grinned from ear to ear as she watched her lover open the boxes containing the five large candles. “Ever since we found out the company went broke, I searched and searched for your favorite scents before the stores completely stopped carrying them.” Betty held up the lavender scented candles first as she examined them. Next she inspected the two spiced apple scented candles, and then she held the cherry blossom candle up to the light.
“I want to make love to you in the candlelight,” Betty said while holding a lavender candle to her bosom. “Let’s use lavender first.”
“It’s a deal,” Olivia said.
****
“I know you’re the one who normally likes being tied to the headboard,” Betty said, “But how about I try it. You can tease me by candlelight.” She was already unbuttoning the Swedish barmaid costume, her full breasts protruding through the open blouse. She lit the lavender candle next to her double bed before setting the candle onto the nightstand. “This scent always turns me on.”
“Sure.”
Betty slipped the skirt over her full hips and before she lay on her back. Awaiting Olivia’s knot tying skills, she changed her mind. “Let’s not do the rope on second thought.”
“Why not?” Olivia said as she untied the apron from her otherwise naked body.
“Let’s just use the blindfold instead. I want to focus on your mouth and the scent of lavender tonight.”
“Sure. The blindfold is under the bed.” Olivia reached for it while Betty opened the drawer to the nightstand. Betty produced a glass dildo from the drawer. Olivia smiled before waiting for Betty to lie on her back again. “I see you’ve shaved for me.” She traced the outline of Betty’s slit where she used to have a mound of curls. Betty tugged the blindfold over her eyes and parted her legs.
“I’ve been fantasizing about your mouth on me all week,” she said as Olivia nuzzled the place where her tuft of curls used to be. “Your tongue between my legs has to be the best thing on earth.” Olivia licked the line where her partner’s two lips met. Betty was juicy. Licking the space between her clit and her opening, Olivia teased her. Then she licked around Betty’s clit, but she avoided direct contact with it. With a hoarse tone Betty said, “You know where I need it. Please, suck me a little before you tease anymore.”
Betty still wore the blindfold. In a swift, partly blind motion, she reached toward the nightstand for the glass dildo. “Use this too,” she said.
Olivia screamed when she looked up and saw her partner knock the candle over. The flames ignited the drapes, and she felt like a deer caught in a car’s headlights. She knew she must extinguish the fire but was paralyzed momentarily until she noticed Betty also screaming. By then Betty removed the blindfold and clamored about the bed. Before either of them remembered the fire extinguisher in the closet, the fire had spread too far, and both women rushed into the guest bedroom for a quick change of clothes before exiting the house.
Tied Up
Fred yanked back the comforter and sat on the edge of the bed while he removed his boots. “These bones are tired,” he said under his breath. “The fire I spent most of the night fighting was almost a total loss. Nobody was hurt, but we weren’t able to save much.”
Ramona sat against the headboard. She held a romance novel, and she held her place in the book with her finger once a proper conversation began. “My shift wasn’t exactly a treat either. I just can’t get used to working third shift. Security in building A at night is terribly boring after hours.” She watched as Fred lifted his grubby undershirt over his head. His hair was sticking up in several directions, and he looked tired. Closing the novel, she lay down. “I wish they’d move me to a shift where I could at least walk around the building rather than watching the cameras all night. The time passes so slowly.”
He unbuckled his belt and removed his work pants. “You’ll never guess where the fire was. I bet you know the lady who owned the house.”
She felt her body tighten, and the hair on the back of her neck stood. Someone she knew had a house burn down? “Where?”
Fred scooted further back into bed. As he turned the switch to the bed-stand lamp, he let out a drawn out sigh. “Olivia Martinez’s place.” He turned onto his side to wrap his arm around Ramona’s waist.
“Olivia Martinez? The same Olivia Martinez who is Betty’s partner?”
Betty was one of the managers in supply management at the company for which she provided graveyard security. Betty and Ramona were friends from childhood, and it was only because Betty pulled a few strings that Ramona counted herself among the ranks of the employed. “You said the place was a total loss?” Even though she was exhausted and the touch of her man wrapping his arm around her felt soothing, Ramona suddenly realized she wouldn’t sleep for awhile. “What caused the fire?” she asked. Fred shifted her long hair out of his face and over her shoulder before nuzzling the back of Ramona’s neck and planting a few short, tender kisses below her ear.
“The whole place was gutted.” Fred pressed his cock toward her backside.
Ramona closed her eyes. “Goodnight.” Fred inhaled. She could tell he wanted to say something more, but he stopped short. She repeated, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight hun,” he said.
****
When Ramona returned to work the following day, the rumors had been flying all day about Betty and Olivia. Everyone had already heard about the fire on the news, and several departments at work pooled together some money to help Olivia and Betty. Ramona expected to have heard all sorts of news about how the fire started and found herself actually looking forward to work just so she could find out the latest news. When she arrived on her shift, she asked another security guard, “Did anybody in our department speak with Betty today?”
Chuck yawned. “Nope. She’s out of the country.”
“No way,” Ramona said as she wrote some information into a log. “Betty wouldn’t have left the country after Olivia’s fire.” Ramona brushed the bangs out of her face with her fingers. She wished she had taken the time to do something better with her hair that morning. Her shoulder length wavy hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her bangs needed a trim. Making eye contact with Chuck, she knew this shift would drag.
“Word around the office is that there’s a big client who needed wooing overseas, and Betty couldn’t postpone the business trip.” He spoke in the most monotone voice Ramona had ever heard. Chuck was boring as hell, and she hoped she’d be switched to another shift soon. Just as Ramona was settled on the idea of watching the monitors attached to the various shots of the office building for the night, she felt her cell phone vibrate. She tugged it free of her belt clip and watched the screen light up. The text message was from Fred.
“Take a sick day. I’ve got a surprise planned. Meet me at the firehouse.”
Ramona swallowed hard as she read the message. What on earth was Fred thinking? She couldn’t just pretend to be sick. Chuck had been speaking to her, and he could see she felt fine. Her voice cracked when she spoke. “I’m gonna run to the restroom. Can you hold down the fort?”
Chuck blinked. He looked like he was about to fall asleep. “Sure.”
She scooted away from the table and left the security office. The hallway leading to the restroom wasn’t overly long, but she felt like the walk took forever. Once there, she pressed her shoulder into the door and walked into the ladies’ room. Since everyone else was gone for the night except security, she had to flip the lights on before standing in front of the mirror. Texting back while in the privacy of the restroom, she typed, “When?”
Fred responded immediately. “ASAP. I’m the only one here tonight.”
Ramona looked into the mirror. Her light complexion was giving away the flushed color of her cheeks. Fred never was alone at the firehouse. There was always at least one other guy with him. She had a premonition he meant something naughty, so she texted back. “What’s up your sleeve?”
“Just show up. I need you.”
****
Fred’s expression when Ramona arrived at the firehouse was priceless. He smiled broadly when he saw she still wore her stiff navy blue security guard uniform. His eyes immediately lowered to her breasts, and he said, “Larry couldn’t make it. Since we seldom have two fires right in a row, the other guys are at home and on pager duty. I’m the only one here.” He wore a pair of sweatpants and a white tank top. Just as his eyes went to her breasts, Ramona’s eyes were drawn to his crotch. The sweatpants didn’t hide his arousal. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to get you inside the firehouse at night when no one else is here. I have this fantasy I’ve been spinning in my head about all the things I want to try.”
Ramona closed the door to the firehouse behind her and placed her purse onto a table. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” she said while sliding a chair out from under the table to sit.
“What are they going to do, fire me? I’m a volunteer fire fighter. The city can’t afford to tell me that they don’t need my services,” Fred said as he ran his fingers through his blond hair. “Besides, nobody’s gonna find out. We’re alone.” He paused before reaching into the pocket of his sweat pants. “What’d you tell Chuck?”
She crossed her legs. “I told him I didn’t feel well.” Then, without hesitation she added, “He didn’t think it was strange that I just left, but I wouldn’t want to make a habit out of leaving work immediately after reporting for my shift.”
Fred approached her. He bent down so that his mouth was next to her ear. “No, we won’t make a habit out of it, but I sure intend to have fun.” He nibbled on her earlobe. “I know you like sneaking around just as much as I do.”
Ramona fought the impulse to answer with a sharp remark. Instead, she allowed Fred to unbutton the front of her uniform. As much as she didn’t want to admit what he was saying was true, she felt the urge to explore the firehouse incredibly exciting. If he was right, if no one would find out about their little romp, it’d be an experience to remember. She closed her eyes when he unhooked the front of her bra. Fred had a dangerous streak, and she found it sexy. She was always the nice girl, the one who played by the rules but wanted to break them. Ramona loved it when he took charge like this, ordering her to be naughty.
“I want you naked,” he said. Fred stood and rested his palms on his hips. He waited until she slipped the navy blue security uniform pants over her hips. She cleared the fabric from her legs and watched him as he pointed to the fire pole. “I want you completely naked.” Ramona still wore her socks, panties, and top. Even though her shirt and bra were unbuttoned, she waited until he repeated the order before removing them. “Stand next to the pole.”
She stood and removed her socks and panties. Fred was still dressed, but he was fidgeting with something in his pockets. Ramona wondered what he had in his hands while she walked over to the fire pole. She imagined the fire fighters sliding down the pole and smiled. Whatever Fred had planned for her, she knew it’d be fun. Watching him motion for her to lower her body to the ground, she listened as Fred said, “Kneel with your back to the pole.
Ramona knelt and saw Fred retrieve a balled up mess of plastic cable ties, the kind in which the end threads through an opening but cannot be threaded back out. He smiled as he threaded the plastic through the opening, placing one around each wrist and ankle as if they were bracelets. Then he looped one through the two arm bindings and another through the two leg bindings so that her wrists were connected to each other and her ankles were connected to each other around the pole. She felt like she was hogtied but kneeling. Then he connected the wrist bindings to the ankle bindings so that she couldn’t stand. “Right where I want you,” he said.
Fred pressed his erection near her mouth, and although he hadn’t shed a stitch of clothing, she wanted him. Ramona wondered if he would gag her like the last time he bound her. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to be gagged this time or not, but she did know she was very vulnerable to him at the moment. Ramona knew that Fred liked being in control and that he would tease her before allowing her to come. She longed to be teased, but he kept his sweatpants and tank top on. Then he backed away from her and stared at her naked body before nearing her again.
“I’m so glad I’m married to you,” he said while reaching for her breast. “Not just anybody would let me try this.” Fred bent down, kissing her deeply on the mouth. It was times like this when Ramona remembered taking his kissing skills for granted. Damn, the man knew how to use his lips to send shivers down her spine. She tilted her head back and parted her lips just as Fred stepped away. Ramona felt her skin tingle as her nipples hardened. The sensation reminded her of the first time she and Fred danced at the firemen’s ball. With his deep voice and handsome frame, Fred’s eyes on her made her seem all alone with him yet exposed, just like when they had danced. Everyone in the room except her had known Fred intended to propose on the night of the firemen’s ball.
“I need you,” Ramona said.
“Is that right?” Fred said. He winked. Looking at his watch, he backed away a few more steps. “Because I’m in no hurry. You wouldn’t mind waiting a little?” Even as his voice’s pitch rose, the light caught his eyes. The twinkle only added to the evilness of the question.
“I’m all yours, to do with as you please,” she said, mocking his tone.
Fred lifted his shirt over his head and then flexed his pectoral muscles. “That’s right. You’re my prisoner.” He stepped forward again. With his fingertip, Fred traced the curves of her breasts, the little curves of her nipples, and then around her earlobes. Taking his time, with the palm of his other hand he brushed against her hips. He stepped away again and sighed slowly. “I think I forgot to log some of the details of that fire the other night. Maybe I’ll finish up my paperwork.”
Ramona tightened the corners of her mouth as she closed her eyes. “Touch me,” she said in a soft whisper.
He stepped toward her again. First he licked his lips, and then he traced the outside of her sex with his index finger. “Someone’s getting needy. I wonder if a fire needs putting out here?”
Parting Ramona’s flesh, he played in her slickness. “Touch it,” Ramona said. She could barely form words, but she repeated herself when Fred avoided her clit. “Touch it.” Although the cable ties were fastened tightly around her ankles and wrists, she struggled against them and tried to follow his finger as he moved between her pussy lips. She didn’t know what she wanted more, to be filled or to have pressure on her clit. The denial was maddening.
Fred stepped away from her again, and smiled when she gasped. He removed his pants and then curled his fingers under the waistband of his underwear. In one fast motion he was naked and obviously ready. Fred’s cock was above her, and when he approached Ramona again, he squatted slightly so she could reach his erection. When Ramona opened her mouth, she felt his warm cock as it slid between her lips. “I can’t let you come quite yet,” he said, “Because you’ll want those cable ties removed as soon as you’re finished.” He inhaled suddenly and stopped talking.
Ramona assumed the speech part of his brain was quickly deactivating as she began pleasuring him. She wanted him down her throat, but he kept his dick shallow in her mouth. He held onto the pole as he grunted and thrust between her lips. Deep throating Fred was one of the things that turned her on the most about blowing him, but whenever she was tied up, he always denied her the opportunity. She wanted to feel totally vulnerable to him but understood his resistance. If she truly needed air, the only way she’d have to alert him was to use her teeth…
Fred didn’t waste any time once he was revved up. She sucked firmly, and he thrust quickly until he came. From prior experience, Ramona knew Fred wouldn’t tease her after he withdrew from her mouth. Just as he turned away from Ramona, her cell phone started vibrating. He waited until whoever was calling her finished the unsuccessful phone call, and then Fred laughed. “I know just how to make you come.” He walked toward her purse and retrieved her cell phone. When he returned to her, he held his own phone in his hand. He gently pressed her phone between her legs and then dialed her cell phone number.
When her phone vibrated against her clit, the sensation was strong and just enough to bring her to orgasm. Ramona climaxed before his outbound call to her finished ringing. He snapped his phone shut but continued holding Ramona’s phone between her legs. The damned thing didn’t stop vibrating. “Who’s calling me?” she said as she wiggled away from the cell phone. Her clit was a little too sensitive for more vibrations. He looked at the caller ID.
“It’s Betty,” Fred said.
“Answer it.”
He opened the flip phone and answered. After introducing himself to Betty, he held the phone up to Ramona’s ear. She said, “It’s where?” Ramona paused for a long time while she listened to Betty. “We’ll look tomorrow. Sure, we’ll pick up Olivia. Fred helped put the fire out. He’ll know what to do.”
****
The following day Fred, Ramona, Olivia, and a few police officers accompanying them dug through some of the charred contents of Olivia’s house. Betty’s own set of house keys as well as the two spare sets she kept at Olivia’s house had all been present inside Olivia’s house during the fire. Fred represented the fire department on the search for at least one set of intact keys. Before long, everyone was covered in the remnants of char. Olivia sighed and said, “I don’t really want to sleep on Clement’s couch another night, but I don’t want to sleep for the next week at a hotel either.”
Fred turned toward Olivia. “If we can’t find a key, the police and I will help you unofficially break into Betty’s house so you have a proper place to stay. I made sure the officers know Betty is okay with it. It’s a shame she had to leave the country on business. It seems people never know when they could unexpectedly be tied up.”
