A Bumbling Suitor

CHAPTER 1

Shea's elder sister arrived home from two years working in Europe. Douglas Jones had been invited to tag along with the family as he'd been going out for Shea for three months and everyone was expecting him to pop the question anytime soon.

At the airport Douglas watched with a grin as Betty, Shea and youngest sister Annie ran screaming at Bella as if she'd been away from home for twenty years rather than two years. The girl's father, Luke, standing with Douglas smiled and said, "Women reckon guys make too much noise at times but look at that lot will you?"

"Yeah, are you glad to have Bella home?"

"Oh yes, although she'd thirty I still like to keep an eye on my brood. Europe is a little far away for my eyesight at my age."

It was a feeble joke but Douglas laughed politely. "So she's come home to find a guy to marry and settle down?"

"Correct so don't be surprised if Shea acts a little protectively at times, thinking Bella could make a move on you."

"In that case thanks for the warning. But why aren't you worried about Annie?"

"I am worried about Annie, really worried and so is her mother. Um, I shouldn't be mentioning this but do you notice she never looks at guys and is extremely close to Meg and Tammy and those three are always touching?"

"You're not suggesting..."

"Yes."

"Well Mr Carter, I'll point out that's not such unacceptable behavior these days and Annie is living in a girls' only dorm at college, rather isolated from guys."

"Well all I'm saying is that we're worried. We'd hate her to be pregnant but having a guy sniffing around would ease my concern."

"Want me to chat to her about it for you?"

"Hell no, none of us are saying anything. Just act as if she was a normal young woman. God, Betty will cut my throat if she knows I have been discussing this with you."

"Then why discuss it with me?"

"Because I'm worried."

The dark blond Douglas at 6ft 2in placed his hand on the shorter man's shoulder and said, "Your secret concern is safe with me. I can tell you Shea's sexual focus is straight as an arrow."

Luke grinned and slapped Douglas on the back. "Well, the melee is over. Let's step forward and I'll introduce you to my pride and joy. Oh, that's another secret."

Douglas thought the new arrival was a lively personable woman and wondered if he could hurry along her quest to settle. He obviously appealed to her.

"Oh God," she said, giving him a big kiss and holding on to him. "It is so nice meeting you."

Douglas said, "Me too. I have a buddy who might like to take you to a movie."

Slightly caught with her mouth open, the attractive brunette quickly adjusted. "Well perhaps. I should stay home tonight."

"What about Friday night -- we all could go to a bar and I'll invited him along, just for a drink? Then it's up to you."

"What about me?"

Everyone expect Bella looked at Annie in surprise. Douglas said did she mean she wanted to tag along on Friday night or did she want to appraise one of his buddies if he could find one who was off the lead on Friday night.

"You and Shea never ask me out with you and here's Bella just arrived home and she's invited out with you two already."

"Annie, I'm sorry. It wasn't a slight. You always seem to be studying when you come home at weekends or going out with your friends."

"Possibly but my point Douglas is you never talk to me."

"Please come with us on Friday night Annie. If you'll late arriving we'll wait for you."

"Thank you."

"Well let's grab Bella's luggage -- just as well I changed to a SUV a few months ago with all you women getting bigger in the body," Luke said, and was almost assaulted by a pack of females in denial about weight gain.

On Friday night it took only thirty seconds for Bella to close up on Douglas's friend Frank and from that point Frank only had eyes for her. Douglas had invited Jackson along to meet Annie but as Jackson was also into pharmacy, he and Shea had a lot to talk about so Annie and Douglas were left looking sheepishly at one another in the packed bar, standing only inches away.

Finally, in the half yell one uses in a crowded, noisy bar, Annie who was the tallest of her family and the most athletic, said looking at Bella and Frank making great headway, "You really are a nice guy."

"Thank you. I'm sorry you feel I have ignored you and I guess it's true."

Annie frowned. "You know it's true."

"Okay, I admit it."

"Why have you ignored me?"

Douglas had no idea -- perhaps it was because he was a law graduate, aged twenty-eight, whereas she was a law student just turned twenty-one. Well, this was the time to probe without raising suspicion. "I suppose it's partly because of the age gap and partly because you seem focused on females."

"Do you think I'm gay?"

"I have no such opinion and it's none of my business."

"If you must know I have experimented with two of my girlfriends and we have continued at college because there was so many male creeps there who just bang any female they can get their hands on."

"Annie, I really don't need to know. You are a lovely young woman with great personality and...(Douglas paused to look at her breasts long enough for her to catch him looking)...you would appeal to most guys."

"Do I appeal to you?"

"What, as an acquaintance?"

"Yes, and sexually?"

Douglas swept his hair back knowing the conversation was becoming dangerous because Shea was standing not too far away. "Yeah. Listen you could get me strangled."

Annie laughed and drank more of her cocktail. "I'm rather shy around guys and not very experienced."

"You mean you haven't done it with a guy?"

"A few times. Five times to be exact, spread among guys."

"What, you can remember such statistics?" asked Douglas, rather surprised.

Coloring, Annie said, "I remember my sexual encounters without regarding them as statistics. Don't you?"

The lawyer looked blank and Annie frowned and said she didn't think so. To move out of the hole he found himself in conversationally, Douglas scratched his nose and said, "If you'd like to sample an older guy there's Jackson over there who's not happy with his present girl friend. I could put in a quiet word and use skill to avoid any embarrassment for you."

"I'd like to meet you somewhere one evening."

"Christ Annie, what are you saying?"

"I know what I'm saying, and so do you. May I call you some mornings?"

"If you feel you have to. I'm at the office at 8:00 and don't meet clients until 9:00. Ask Shea for my number."

"Oh you funny man," Annie laughed, holding out her glass for another drink. When Douglas returned Annie was talking to her sisters and Douglas fetched fresh drinks for them and his two pals.

Bella was tired so the women left early. Shea, who usually stayed with Douglas at weekends, kissed him and said she'd see him at a cookout lunch at the family home on Sunday. She had invited Frank and Jackson. Bella kissed everyone while Annie simply said goodbye to the guys and scarcely caught Douglas's eye as she turned to leave.

Sitting on his bed that night, a little fuzzy headed from excessive alcohol, Douglas wondered if it were polite to fuck his girlfriend's sister and decided it depended on the girlfriend ...and the sister. What the hell could a guy do? He decided to let Annie make the waves if she was of a mind to do that and see where that took them. He smiled thinking that was a cop out and didn't he want to remain loyal to his girlfriend?

The pool at the Carter's home was closed down for the winter but the early afternoon was warm enough to stand outside and before long the daughters and male guests divided into two teams and played 'dribble' soccer, the yard being too small to take hefty kicks.

Later Douglas was entering the bathroom when Annie pushed him in and locked the door.

She looked at him defiantly and said, "Well Mister, what does a guy usually do when he'd locked in a bathroom with an attractive woman?"

"Kisses her and feels her tits I suppose."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Douglas's advice to himself was don't remonstrate; get it over fast and get out of there.

Annie's body felt firm as he took her in his arms and kissed her gently. He felt her mouth open and pushed in. She pulled his hand on to her left breast and he fondled her until the nipple rose and felt rubbery.

"Right have a pee and get out of here," he said, a little tersely.

"I want you to watch me pee."

"No."

"Please."

"It's not an elegant thing to watch."

"I don't care."

"Well hurry up them. The longer we stay here the greater the chance we'll be found in here together."

Douglas watched and saw nothing but Annie looked pleased and kissed him lightly and left. He locked the door and wiped his brow thinking that girl deserved to have her ass smacked. That left him with a grin.

Later in the afternoon Bella and Frank went off for a walk and returned looking rather sheepish as if announcing to everyone Bella had gotten her first fuck back on home soil. Douglas was under the impression they'd get along fine and it did not escape him that Jackson and Shea had become real buddies although they'd not touched -- in fact they remained no closer than three feet apart all afternoon except when they'd played soccer.

The three guys left just before five as the Carter family was having an intimate welcome home dinner for Bella that evening.

Sitting alone in his apartment, looking at the city lights against a fading sunset, Douglas thought wow, what would happen if Shea and Jackson became a number? He could fuck Annie to give her the experience she wanted. He could then ram Bella to give her a comparison against Frank and he could then shaft Betty to allow her decide if she really did prefer Luke or would she decided to live with Douglas for a few months until he wore her out.

Oh man, you need a good fuck to get back to reality, he said. He went to the nearby diner and the Harrison sisters who lived on the floor above him invited him to eat with them. Although they were in their early sixties they were good company and drank like fish. Douglas staggered off to bed glad he'd just fall to sleep and wake up a normal person not thinking of fucking his way through the Carter family. Er, the Carter women.

Two mornings later Douglas received the unwelcome call.

"Hi."

"Oh hi. You are back at college I guess."

"Yes. So what do you think about me?"

"You appear lively, intelligent and with perhaps just the right focus to do very well when you go on to law school soon."

"You're teasing me."

"Annie, please listen. This is going the wrong way about getting experience. Think how hurt Shea will be and if we did go ahead I would have to live with my conscience."

"Don't you wish to sleep with me?"

"Not really."

Annie cut the call. Douglas sighed with relief, mistakenly thinking it was all over. But next morning she called again.

"Hi, are you sorry you were so mean to me yesterday morning? You made me cry."

"I'm sorry. You don't deserve to be made to cry."

"Oh thank you, that's encouraging."

Douglas almost panicked. He drew in a deep breath, loud enough for her to hear.

"What?"

"I don't wish to encourage you."

"Douglas, my focus is on you. You're a dead duck. Give in now and get it over with."

"What, just one encounter and it's over?"

"I could think about letting you go that quickly."

Douglas said goodbye with a touch of hostility in his voice and cut the call.

Annie called the next two mornings and they had similar truncated conversations, cool businesslike and devoid of friendly emotion and yet they were discussing the framework of a sexual liaison.

On Thursday Douglas arranged to have afternoon coffee with his section head, Mrs Ryan, who was a motherly type. He'd told her it was personal and she said oooh, she'd extend his time to twenty minutes.

Elaine was so interested she virtually sat at attention. "Well I understand why you have come to me. Your parents live four hundred miles from here and this is scarcely something you can discuss with Shea or her mother. Technically, Annie is becoming a stalker."

"Technically I agree as I feel she is closing in on me."

"I can say I can't blame her. She's had a little bit of experience from what you've said; she might be a mite confused about her sexuality. She's decided to have it off with someone she believes she can trust and feel comfortable with and I think she'd made a fine choice."

"Elaine," Douglas groaned. "You are piling guilt on to me and adding to my trapped feeling."

"I was just painting the picture dear so you could see it clearly. You wanted advice, so here's my best shot. As an older woman, a mother, this is what I think you should do."

Douglas returned to his office, almost reeling. He'd not know how to handle this before and now after talking to Elaine he felt like a rookie about to make his first parachute jump and someone was yelling it was his turn. He'd not talked to Shea all that week because their arrangement was she'd do the calling. She called that evening and after the usual sweet talk and catching up she said, "Jackson has invited me to accompany him to a major seminar sponsored with a pharmaceutical company on Saturday and there's a dinner at night. What do you think?"

The idea made Douglas feel surly but he could see the advantage of professional liaison that went beyond Jackson and sure as hell he couldn't provide that for Shea to this extent so he said, "That's okay."

"Okay what?"

"You go to both the seminar and the dinner. You will be mixing with like-minded professionals."

"Dinner will mainly be socializing. I can skip the dinner and go out with you."

"No it's fine. I'll meet you at the bar tomorrow night and we'll go out for a bite darling."

"I'd love to do that. Good night darling. Oh, I've decided to stay home this weekend. As you know, Bella is just home."

"Yeah, right. Goodnight."

Douglas was miffed but only slightly. He wondered if Jackson was sniffing around Bella and would she encourage him? Well he'd keep an eye on them tomorrow night.

The young stalker called him next morning. "Hi, are you still grumpy?"

"What, with you?"

"Yes."

"Actually I'm thinking of a solution but it worries me."

"Oooh, what can you tell me? My pussy has an opening for a swell guy like you."

"Annie, please. I work with a leading law firm and..."

"Okay, I'll back off. I'm going to a party tomorrow night so will see you Saturday."

"If I don't see you I'll give you a call. You know Annie I'm interested in helping you with your problem but that creates more problems. There is a way and I'm thinking about it."

"Do you really want to fuck me and fuck me good?"

"I'll answer that question but not here at the office Annie."

"Wow, I'm playing with myself in excitement."

Douglas smacked off a loud kiss and cut the call.

On Friday night in the bar Shea kissed Douglas warmly but did not push her crotch in against him as she usually did and when he placed a hand on her breast she pulled it away gently and laughed. Douglas and Jackson hugged and slapped each other on the back. Jackson bought Douglas a beer and they chatted for a while, leaving Shea to talk with some others in their last-Friday-of-the-month meeting of the full gang.

Shea asked if Jackson could come to dinner with them and Douglas said that was fine. Douglas spent the next hour largely listening to those two talking and thinking he was being made surplus to requirements. As he finished his main course Douglas asked casually, "Have you too been fucking?"

Jackson didn't quite know where to look. Shea looked shocked and very red-faced said, "How dare you?"

"That's not an answer Shea. Have you?"

"No."

"Come on pal," Douglas said. "Women lie about these things but guys tell their real pals the truth."

Jackson looked at Shea who shook her head furiously but he decided to ignore her. "We've decided to do it tomorrow night, given the opportunity."

"That's fine pal, Shea is very good. Enjoy it. Here's the money for the meal. Keep the presents I've given you Shea and have a great life."

Shea burst into tears and Jackson hugged her. Douglas reached over and patted Jackson on the shoulder. "Stay pals Jacko. This is no big deal. And I'm not really angry with Shea but she could have told me something was happening, rather than pretending it wasn't."

Jackson said mournfully, "It just happened pal, just one of those things,"

Douglas called Annie next morning. She took sometime to answer because she'd been asleep and had to grope for her phone.

"Hi."

"It's Douglas. It's after 9:00 so I thought you'd be on your way to the gym."

"My head's killing me and my eyes are hanging out almost reaching my tits."

Douglas laughed. "I want to tell you something and I don't want you to repeat anything of what I say to anyone. Promise you won't?"

"No I meant yes of course I promise. I'm sitting on the toilet now having a pee."

"I think I can hear the tinkle."

She laughed.

"I took the opportunity to split with Shea last night. She's Jackson's girlfriend now."

"Oh, that's a shock."

"Yeah, for me too. But don't say anything, she'll tell you guys when she'd ready."

"So can we fuck tonight?"

"God, you're ruthless. No and I'm sorry and this is the way it has to be. On four Friday nights from tonight I want you to come into the bar if you are still interested in me. You can kiss me and hang around me all evening if you like. Then if it's still what you want we'll go out for supper and end up back at my apartment and I'll fuck the ass off you."

Douglas was following the strategy Elaine had suggested to give the younger woman time to think about the situation she wanted to exploit.

"You'll what?" Annie gurgled.

"You heard. So one month from tonight and I don't want you telling anyone about this arrangement. After our night of debauchery and if you want to kick around with me for a bit, you may invite me to lunch at your parent's place next day and we'll give them the news."

"That's wonderful. That's astonishing news."

"Great. Well that ends this call so give me a noisy kiss and I'll smooch one in return."

The next day Douglas received a long letter from Shea thanking him for the wonderful times she'd had with him and she regretted not handling very well the obvious wrench she wished to make in their relationship. She described herself as 'despicably underhand and dishonest' and asked forgiveness.

Douglas sent her flowers and wrote on the card, 'You are Forgiven. xxx'. Well, that was the end of that.

CHAPTER 2

Two weeks later Douglas had a weekend of great sex with that daughter of Elaine Ryan, his principal. Elaine called him and said her married daughter Toni would like to meet him and although Douglas hedged, waiting for her to say more, he said okay after she failed to provide more information. "Meet Toni at lunch tomorrow at this address. I'll call her to say you have accepted. Oh, take a weekend bag with you."

Douglas was left wondering what all that was about. Perhaps the family intended inviting him to go on to a cabin or out on the lake?

Rather intrigued and thinking Elaine was the only person he'd allow to set him up on an weekend bereft of details, Douglas arrived to find lunch set for two and Toni was dressed in shorts despite the cool weather and a top and obviously no bra. Handing him a drink the woman in her early thirties said, "Salud! Please don't withdraw and leave me disappointed. My husband is away and I need company over the weekend."

Douglas gulped and went on to have a weekend in great company. The woman liked sex almost as much as he did and matched him stroke for stroke all the way. If Douglas had realized bored women on their own could become quite irreverent about their marriage vows, he may have been involved in adultery years earlier. That illicit weekend broke the slow-moving month for him very nicely.