Before I launch into my story, let me introduce you to the main characters.
First there is Andrew. Andrew is about forty, quite fit, good health, reasonable looking and with a friendly disposition. He is slightly introverted but good company once you get to know him, with a wicked sense of humour. He has a good job and is financially comfortable. He's computer literate and knows his way around the internet.
Then there is Melody. Melody is in her early twenties, fit, healthy and very good looking. She has hazel eyes that turn green in some circumstances, and red hair, or auburn as she prefers to call it. She is currently working in what she considers a dead-end job and has ambitions.
Melody is an extrovert, and considers herself to be the instant friend of anyone she meets. She is also computer literate and knows her way around the internet.
It was the internet that brought Andrew and Melody together.
Andrew was checking out some dating sites. He found that for an introvert, the anonymity of the net was a good way to meet people and get to know them without having to openly come out of his shell.
Melody was trolling the dating sites looking for potential suitors. Being the extrovert of the pair she made the first advances, setting up some chat sessions with Andrew.
Over the next few months they had quite a few chat sessions, exchanged photos, genuine on Melody's part but slightly touched up by Andrew, and swapped personal information, some real, some with the truth shaded and some outright lies. Just typical internet chit-chat.
Naturally, over the months sexual innuendo and flirting developed. Andrew was interested and was screwing up his nerve to invite her out when Melody beat him to the punch.
Melody suggested to Andrew that they meet up for a date. To protect her immediate privacy she would book into a hotel and he could pick her up there. It seemed to Andrew just what he had hoped for, so time and date were arranged.
Andrew picked up Melody at the appointed time, half expecting to be stood-up, but delighted to find her there, ready and waiting for him.
Andrew escorted Melody to dinner and found her to be a vivacious partner, quite willing to carry the burden of conversation. Melody in her turn found Andrew to a thoughtful and considerate date with a keen intelligence that more than matched her own. She had, she decided, struck it lucky.
After dinner they took in a show and then Andrew escorted Melody back to her hotel. It was then that the night started to vary slightly from the path that Andrew had assumed they would follow. He had thought, seeing it was only a first genuine date, that Melody would say goodbye in the lobby, after possibly arranging to meet again.
Not so. At the hotel Melody simply smiled and suggested he escort her to her room, the implication quite blatant that a sexual encounter was now on her agenda. As far as Andrew was concerned, what could a gentleman do?
Please don't think that Andrew was an old roué, eager to jump any young maiden that came his way. Nor was he a besotted lover, eager to follow his heart's desire. He was a healthy male in the prime of life who saw no reason to knock back a friendly encounter with no strings attached.
Andrew was also a highly intelligent individual who knew that if something looked too good to be true, then it probably was. However, he thought himself capable of handling anything that might crop up, be it a variation of the badger game, a request for payment for services rendered or just a night spent with an interesting woman.
On entering her suite Melody prepared a drink for them both and then asked Andrew to excuse her for a moment while she changed into something more comfortable. Andrew looked after her thoughtfully as she disappeared and then took a little precaution. He opened her bag and took a photo of her driver's license. Just in case.
After a few moments Melody called out to Andrew, so he crossed to the door she had gone through to see what she wanted. He found out that Melody was very comfortable in her skin, so she hadn't actually bothered to change into other clothes. Just out of the ones she had been wearing.
Andrew stood at the door, examining her as she stood there. Red hair (that tuft was definitely red, not auburn), green eyes, which he could have sworn were hazel earlier, and a magnificent figure on display. It was obvious that when she went swimming she wore a small bikini. Very small if those little white triangles were any indication. The white triangles made the pink of her areola look even pinker, and her nipples were rosy and pointing.
Stripping of his clothes as he moved, Andrew crossed to meet her. He noticed that a condom packet had been opened and was on the table next to the bed. Reaching Melody, Andrew found her helping him off with the remainder of his clothes, helping him put the condom on, and then they were both falling back onto the bed.
They came together quickly, fiercely. There was no bothering with foreplay. Melody was insistent, wanting Andrew and wanting him now. Andrew had no objection, entering Melody quickly and smoothly, finding her wet, warm and willing.
They danced the mating dance. Andrew tried to draw it out but Melody would have none of that, driving him towards a climax as quickly as she could, thrusting herself against him, eager to have him come.
All too soon Andrew ejaculated, disappointed in himself that he wasn't able to last until Melody could climax as well. Melody, however, didn't seem to mind in the least. She seemed what Andrew considered to be inordinately pleased about the whole affair, and was eager to arrange another date in a couple of weeks time.
Departing, Andrew couldn't help but feel something was not quite right, but he was damned if he could tell what it was.
Something was wrong, as Andrew discovered the following Saturday. He received a phone call from Melody, which surprised him as he hadn't known she had his number.
"Andrew, I need to see you," she told him. "Will you be home alone this afternoon?"
"I will be, but what's this about?" Andrew asked.
"I'll tell you when I see you," replied Melody, hanging up before he could say anything else.
"Curious," he thought. "Apparently she knows my address as well."
At about two o'clock Andrew's doorbell rang and, answering, he found Melody standing there, smiling happily.
Inviting Melody in, Andrew asked how she got his address. She smiled.
"You're in the phone book," Melody said. "I also picked up information about you from your Facebook page and your sons' Facebook pages. It's easy to find out about people if you really want to, and I learnt a lot about you before I actually went out with you. A girl has to be careful you know."
Digging into her purse, Melody produced a memory stick.
"Could you plug this into your PC or TV, please? There's something on it I think you should see."
Shrugging mentally, Andrew took the memory stick and plugged it into his PC. There was a single file there, a movie.
"Press play," Melody urged, taking a seat and leaning back comfortably.
Pressing play, Andrew watched as the movie played. It opened with a shot of him standing in the hotel bedroom doorway, then followed him across the room as he undressed. It was plain to him that there had probably been three cameras hidden in the room, as the movie gave an excellent view of his entire session with Melody.
Andrew looked at Melody, eyebrow raised quizzically.
"If you don't pay me five thousand dollars, your wife will get a copy of that video," Melody told him. "I know you can afford it, as I also researched your financial situation. This won't be an ongoing thing. A single payment will keep me satisfied."
Andrew was not amused. Actually, he was quietly furious, although you couldn't tell that by his demeanour.
"You shouldn't believe everything you're find on the net, Melody. I have no wife," Andrew told her.
"Yes, you do. I said I did my research and that includes your wife's details and the details of both your boys." Melody proceeded to give Andrew the date of the wedding, his wife's name and his son's names.
"Helen was my wife. She no longer is. I suggest you drop this whole thing now before I do or say something that we will both regret."
"Nice try, Andrew, but I checked for divorce and you haven't had one. Your wife is not recorded as living anywhere else and your entry in the phonebook is in the name of you and your wife," Melody said cheerfully, quite certain that she had Andrew cold.
"The phonebook entry is in joint names because I've never gone to the effort of getting it changed," said Andrew. "You should have checked the obits. Helen died of an aneurism, three years ago. And I'd like to congratulate you. You've got me thoroughly pissed off, and that hasn't happened in a long time. You should have dropped the whole idea when I warned you."
Melody paled, finally realising that she had made a mistake. She hurriedly rose to her feet, intending to leave and to not linger while she did so.
Andrew was faster, catching her arm before she was even out of the chair properly.
"Isn't it fortunate that you made sure I was home alone before you came around?" he said silkily. "This lets us have some privacy while I explain what I think of your attempts at blackmail."
Holding Melody firmly by the arm, Andrew took her to the main bedroom. Melody was protesting and struggling, both of which Andrew ignored. Once in the bedroom he turned to her.
"I," he said, "am going to put you across my knee and beat some repentance into you. When I think you're suitably repentant and apologetic I'll cease."
"You wouldn't dare," stated Melody nervously. "That'd be assault. I could have you charged."
Andrew laughed, admiring her gall.
"You don't think attempted blackmail is against the law?" he asked. "And if you did complain to the police I'd explain that it was just a lover's quarrel, that you like getting spanked before you have sex."
"We're not lovers," protested Melody, "and I'll tell them that."
Andrew laughed again.
"I think you may find that they may not believe you when I shown them your little video," he pointed out, to Melody's chagrin. She had forgotten that little detail.
"I don't care," she spat. "You're not beating me. I'll scream if you try."
