This one is dedicated to a fan and the special person in her life. I hope she enjoys it. ~~BrettJ
*****
Brandy stood out on the deck of our new home, taking it all in. We were only just back from our honeymoon and we returned to a beautiful ocean front property I have owned for a while. It was my getaway when I need seclusion, and now it would serve as my home with this bewitching beauty I so adored. It had always been more opulent and spacious than a single man needed, but I could easily afford it after the royalties from my second novel poured in. I splurged on the lavish property and admittedly, I was showing off to those who hadn't thought I would ever make it as an author.
I am pretty sure the majestic scope was a bit overwhelming to her, having been born and raised in a small town in rural Georgia. Had it not been for a bit of serendipity, we two would never have met. I saw her smile as the ocean waves crashed against the sand and the sun shone brightly. In my opinion, as beautiful as the scenery was, it paled in comparison before my new wife. In a beautiful white negligee that was equal parts silk and lace, her hair blonde like corn silk and eyes as blue as that same ocean, she made my heart sing. Just a few short months ago, I would never have believed someone like her would be with someone like me. My view of the world had changed and it had all been serendipity.
My meeting with Brandy came about in an unusual way. I had gone to dinner with two friends, both female. Candy and Angela wanted to break me out of the doldrums as I had just broken up with my latest paramour. "Face it, Jake," Angela continued to tease me. "You may be a decent writer, but your taste in women is abominable."
Angela and her girlfriend Candy had been readers of my erotic detective series for several years. They had started writing me fan letters. To their surprise, I wrote back. To my surprise, they kept writing. To their surprise, I owned property near where they both resided. I offered dinner, they accepted. Were the two sexy young beauties not so crazy about each other, I might well have made my move on one or both of them. This old dog still knows a few tricks and having money does not exactly hurt one's chances. An hour into our dinner, I saw how crazy they were about each other and I turned my desire into a desire for companionship and friendship. We've known each other for several months now and I enjoy their company and whimsical senses of humor. It still doesn't hurt to be seen with couple of gorgeous young gals on my arm and I find I enjoy my meal much more with a female companion - or two. A vivacious redhead and a smoking hot brunette can make even a bad meal palatable.
My much-younger companions are well aware that I think they're both sexy and dress to entertain me. The skirts are always short, the underwear is skimpy and the heels are high. On my end, I foot the bill and give them little hints about the latest
Shauna Shaw
goings-on. They're also two of my most astute critics and can usually pick out the spots where I'm struggling. The two of them have even offered some good criticisms and insights. A smart novelist is one who listens to his fans while not pandering to them.
At the ripe old age of 49, I had resigned myself to being a lonely bachelor. I've had many dalliances and some tremendous adventures in the sack. Let's just be clear - not all of "Shauna's" adventures are entirely fictional. In my younger days, I was quite the lothario. I was tall, glib, funny and successful before I hit 30. I also had a libido that matched any stud in the adult industry.
What I discovered was that a lot of girls wanted me in bed more for the conquest than for the pleasure of my company. They wanted to bed the famous author. They wanted to sleep with the guy who had slept with (insert Playboy Playmate / model / actress' name here). They wanted to bag a rich guy so they could quit their job and have me support them. I lived with a few women, slept with a whole lot more - and never once did I find
that
girl, the one that made me believe romance was a possibility. I was on a string of crazy affairs and one-night stands. It was fine when I was younger and enjoying the swinging lifestyle. When I was on the make, it didn't bug me. But as I neared 40, I started to want substance. I wanted my parents had, what my sisters had. I might have been a macho stud with money to burn, but I had been raised by people who valued a good work ethic and commitment. Once the glitter and glitz became tiresome, I was lonely.
I made some great new friends once I stopped playing the field. Some of them, like my friend Tahlia, were "friends with benefits". We became quite close and whenever I was in town, I stopped at The Horseshoe Tavern and had dinner. If Tahlia was "between swains" as she so laughingly put it, we would hook up. My pretty blonde friend was the closest thing to a relationship I'd had in years, although both of us knew it was going nowhere. For one thing, she was only a few years more than half my age.
When I befriended my two young fans, I took them to the Horseshoe and Tahlia wagged her finger at me. "What, are you tryin' to date two girls who will add up to your advanced years?" She said, causing Angela to guffaw and Candy to nearly drop her drink. After an evil stare from me, the girls explained our situation and we got the best table in the house. I would meet my two new friends every other week or so and was the envy of every guy in the place. If the girls were being overly affectionate with each other, I could almost feel the stares burning a hole in my head. If they wanted to further scandalize the crowd, they would make out with each other a few times and then turn their attentions to me. It was all phony, of course, but I felt like the luckiest guy in the crowd. If Tahlia decided to come out and join us, all bets were off.
Just a few months back, I was with the ladies and I noticed a guy giving one of Tahlia's girls a hard time. He was being loud, belligerent and a misogynistic bully. I might have been a player, but I like women. I was raised by three of them. Candy and Angela kept looking over at this boor and back at me. Tahlia is a little hell raiser, but the emphasis is on "little" at 5'4". The gal is a pistol, but this goon needed a bazooka. My companions looked at me again and decided that I was elected.
Okay, I could be chivalrous when called upon. I put down my drink, gathered up my courage and added a bit of swagger to my step. I moved alongside the jerk and the pretty bartender and inserted myself between them. "Hey buddy," I said to him. "I think the lady would like it if you moved along. How about calling it a night?"
The guy turned to me and if I'd lit a match, he would have exploded. He had more than a few under his belt. "Yeah?" He stood tall, taller than me. "What business is it of yours?"
"She's a friend of mine and I own 40% of this place," I told him, puffing out my chest. Not true and true - I loaned Tahlia the money to purchase the Horseshoe from the previous owners.