"Thanks but shouldn't you serve the ladies first?"
"Look here punk, this is my house..."
"Indeed but good manners transcend boundaries."
Arnold scowled, remembered his manners and lightly punched Harrison on the shoulder. "As I said earlier, you have a useful mouth. Please take these cocktails to the ladies."
Over dinner Arnold and Irma were fascinated when Arnold began relating how he'd been fired from his vehicle sales manager job because sales had plummeted due to tightening economic times, his wife had walked out of him and he was in a bar when he saw the guy with Karen being arrested.
"It was Billy Marks mom. He used to come here with the gang when I was at high school."
"Yes I remember, a shy boy then. I'd heard he'd turned bad. I take it was just a chance meeting?"
"Yes mom."
"I gave it ten minutes before I went over to the young woman left alone because she looked lonely and recognized her as Karen King from her frequent photos in the newspaper at charity events and the like thinking she'd be feeling like me so invited her to a movie and dinner."
"And then what?" Arnold snorted.
Karen cut it. "If you must know daddy I was derisive, having heard his hard luck story and he wanted to take me to a movie as my reward for listening and then he reminded me he'd also included dinner. Because of my reaction he backed off politely, wished me good night and I felt mad with myself. I was lonely, he was lonely and I should have understood he just wanted company. So I called him back, invited him here to dinner and here we are."
"Well you're twenty-eight Karen so I'm pleased to see you acting with some maturity at last," Irma said. "I guess you thought Harrison posed no threat to you?"
"Indeed and what do you make of him mom?"
"I really don't know."
"That's exactly how I felt. I suppose it's because he feels he's been cut off and is adrift. At no time did I feel he was after sex. His invitation just to a movie and dinner and then he'd walk away from me rang true."
Harrison frowned and said, "So you brought me here to play with me in front of your parents to show you are not the only person who feels cast adrift?"
The two women looked at Harrison, mouths open, while Arnold said, "What is all this adrift nonsense?" Harrison was unaware Karen's last boyfriend had been killed in a road accident.
"I think Harrison and our daughter have much more in common than appears on the surface Arnold."
"Ha," Arnold said, "More wine anyone?"
"Please place Harrison in a position in your company daddy. I intend to shift in with him."
Irma said, "Think carefully about this darling" while Harrison, looking astonished said, "You haven't been invited to move in with me."
And then Arnold's business brain clicked in and he lobbed the deal as he saw it. "Karen I'll place Harrison on the condition you continue living here. Harrison will be free to visit you here as much as you two wish."
"Deal daddy."
"Our billings are slowing. I'm appointing him assistant manager of new business. He's been a new vehicle sales manager. If he can run an operation like that he ought to be effective working under Sharon bolstering her because she's struggling under these adverse market conditions. It takes a different person when the market changes like this and my inclination is to take a risk with Harrison because he'll be hungry to prove himself."
"No, place him in my team in Creative."
"Cut the nonsense Karen. You two go into the lounge and discuss my proposal. It's that or nothing."
Harrison shrugged. "What is there to discuss? I need a job and have been handed one. Karen if we don't hit it off and I remained in your department because of your father's commitment to me you could find yourself in an impossible situation. I have some knowledge of advertising and worked very closely with our advertising agency to try to lure buyers back into the showroom but with people locking their wallets on big-ticket items one has to accept reality. I could do well in new sales and client servicing."
"All right do the deal but Sharon Webb will be all over you; she's predatory."
"And I'm a married man. At present I'm not about chalking up conquests of females Karen. I'm seeking to sort out my situation and you are assisting and I'd like our fledging friendship to continue. I have an idea I'll be of some assistance to you. You'll need to display stability if you are to attract the right man when that time comes."
Karen said nothing but wore the look of a person who'd just heard the truth.
After dinner was cleared away Irma said, "Will you stay the night Harrison?"
"Thank you but no Irma. I'll trundle off home. Thank you for your hospitality."
"Well at least stay for a while as I believe Karen knows you are good company for her because you are somewhat different to the men she usually associates with."
"Mom!"
After Karen's parents went off to bed to watch TV -- Karen told Harrison that's what they did with it set to a timer -- she asked, "Are you happy to have a job?"
"Yes and all thanks to you."
"You may kiss me."
"I was waiting to be asked," Harrison grinned and gave her a lip smack of no more than one and a half seconds.
"Call that a kiss?" Karen said fiercely, pulling Harrison back against her and kissing him soundly. They settled back into soft kissing and eventually she wriggled and Harrison found himself looking at a breast, not looking at its best because of the bra pulled up over it was distorting it but he smiled at her and said, "This is an absolutely marvel of nature -- white with a lovely nipple, so sweet. He flicked at the nipple with his tongue and pulled back and they watched the nipple thicken a little.
"Ohmigod, now sexy. I've never had a guy with the patience to sit back with me and watch that happen," Karen said huskily.
Karen began inching down her panties but Harrison caught the movement and eased the breast back under the bra and said he must to going.
"Aw Harrison."
"I'll fuck you but not tonight. My mind still needs sorting."
"May I touch you to make sure I'll not be disappointed?"
Harrison pulled back to give Karen access to his concealed full erection.
Karen had two hands around it and pulled away smiling, saying nothing. Harrison thought he remembered seeing the cat watch his aunt pour cream into a saucer. Karen had that same expression he thought, knowing he was making that up.
They walked arm-in-arm to the foyer of the penthouse and kissed deeply as they waited for the elevator to arrive, Karen guiding her groin to where the erection lay in wait.
"You are very sexy," Harrison said, breaking off and stepping into the elevator. For a second Karen looked weepy but she changed that into a beautiful smile and waved.
Karen went into her parent's suite and her father turned off the TV sound.
"Did I do the right thing?"
"You were amazing daddy, truly unbelievable."
"Well I'd seen you and your mom looking at this guy. Normally your mom looks at your male friends with barely concealed distaste but on this occasion her face was unmasked and I thought what the fuck."
"Arnold!"
"Carry out daddy. That's simply an automatic response from living almost half a century with you."
"Well I thought why not take the risk? It will keep my baby happy and if this guy turns out okay it may perhaps indicate to her what a real guy of her era is like."
"But he can't be a hero daddy. After high school he only gained a two-year degree and he's married and we know nothing about him."
Irma smiled. "But our first impressions are good aren't they? And he has some of the qualities of a gentleman. I offered to make up a bed for him and that would allowed him to sneak into your room, but he declined with thanks."
"And he made no real attempt to seduce me on the sofa."
"Is he gay?"
"Daddy you have a shower with him and give me the answer."
"Stop it you two," Irma sighed, watching her laughing husband and daughter end up in a hug. "How did he know your despair at being unable to find the right guy? What did you say to him?"
"Nothing mom. I think he knows how to read people. You of all people must know that? He played you like an angler. Just the right amount of gentle tease until he had you slightly confused and then if that piece about me being well-bred wasn't off the top shelf of things to say to a mother I don't know what is."
"Hmmm. We argued darling. He took on your father with just a slight display of aggression that warned Arnold to proceed cautiously."
Karen jumped on that wagon. "And he got to you daddy when he said to you, rather than to you mom, about getting her permission to call her Irma. You were flattered he asked you first."
"Yeah right, he's smoother than what one would expect. I'm giving him a job for your sake baby so please remember that. I do believe he'll be good for you."
Karen kissed them both and went to bed touching herself and feeling quite excited about having Harrison inside her. Her interest in sex appeared to be zooming back. She had become so bored with it and then came the loss of Sandy when that speeding car hit him. She wondered about something her grandmother had said to her when worried that Karen was 'running with the boys'. Gran had said a good story always went with good sex. Well this thing with Harrison, only a few hours old, was already shaping into a good story. Was this what Gran had meant? Karen wondered about other parts of the story. Harrison appeared to be what he claimed to be but what about his wife. Was she somebody notable? Unlikely if he were only a car salesman, er sales manager.
* * *
Harrison, now without a company car, took a cab to a distant neighborhood and went into the substantial white plastered imposing house in a very chic area of mainly free-standing homes with gardens and swimming pools. The house was the wedding present from Samantha's parents and if there were to be a divorce he'd receive half of its sale price. Her parents had been so glad their playgirl daughter had married again to give her two small children stability. Samantha, a notable stage actress (more noted because of her notorious behavior rather than acting ability) had been in despair after her first divorce at the time Harrison met her at a party. They'd gone through high school together; she'd always been one of the most popular students in their classes because she had airs and graces and was so outstanding as an actress in school plays.
During those school years she'd lived in the same street as Harrison and they became pals but never lovers until during the period from graduation until she entered college. Samantha had taught Harrison how to fuck in the manner most women like, mainly bestowing good attention before and after and not regarding them like a piece of meat.
After that party reunion, Harrison went out with her a few times and then had sex, repeatedly, but it was hard going because she was so emotional, believing her life was ruined. But she settled in and soon was fucking as good as she ever had and claimed she'd never had a guy as good as Harrison. He didn't remind her who'd coached him.
She returned to drama coaching. He organized a loan car for her with the permission of his manager, one that was rusting in the yard, and when her divorce settlement came through she purchased a new car through Harrison. She moved in with him and then announced she had two kids who were with her mother so they moved in as well and the four and five-year olds settled in very well. Eventually Samantha's parents suggested to her if she married Harrison they would purchase a quality house for them as their wedding present.
Harrison sniffed thinking things might have turned out better had he refused that promotion to sales manager. He had to work longer hours and found it more difficult to get away. Samantha had returned to theatre work and probably as a result of her stable marriage -- she described her first marriage as living in hell -- she had matured and worked flowed and so did her interest in other men. She'd always said men were a welcome diversion during breaks between rehearsals.
With Samantha away from home more often, the day help accepted the pay increase to become a live-in nanny and when Harrison lost his job Samantha realized the nanny and an out-of-work husband would take a huge part of her earnings. So she announced to Harrison she was ashamed of him losing his job and she was taking her children and returning to live with her parents, that he'd hear from her lawyers in due course. He assumed she wanted to divorce him.
* * *
Harrison went to bed thinking about Karen and wondered if she would be thinking about him. He hoped so. She'd be a great fuck. Er perhaps.
In the morning he called King, Dwight Advertising and the manager of HR said she'd been expecting his call and made an appointment time of 11:30. Harrison was dressing in a business suit when his lawyer called to say she'd been advised by his wife's lawyer that divorce proceedings were being prepared on the only grounds available that the marriage had broken down irreconcilably.
"Yes that's correct Sue," Harrison said, not wishing anyone to come in and attempt to patch up his marriage. Samantha had killed it by returning to having sex with other men. He'd seen her with a couple of guys and rumors had been flying. Once he's seen her when passing a restaurant and was sure by the look of their faces and the position she was in she was jerking off that guy. He'd confronted her that night and she said, "Don't worry about it darling, that is just Duncan. He often needs a girl to jerk him off. He'd that kind of guy."
