CHAPTER 1
Picking up his new company-supplied Lexus coupe at Dallas Airport, Dale Bolt drove to his former family home feeling as if he had made a mistake caving in. His mother Dinah had insisted he stay with her and Teddy for as long as he wished. After rebuffing his determined mom Dale buckled under her third try when she burst into tears saying he's never really loved her and was rejecting her because she'd remarried.
Before accepting, he'd called Teddy (Edward) from Paris to ensure it was okay and was told of course it was and another male would balance out the family. Only later did Dale wonder how two males and one female 'balanced out'. Perhaps Teddy and Dinah had hired a live-in housekeeper? It seemed unlikely Dale's sister Gill had walked-out on her family in Dublin or Teddy's daughter Leah had tossed in her job on a top fashion magazine in New York. Dale called Dinah to confirm he would stay with her. She'd made such a fuss he forgot to ask who lived in the house.
Dale had come home for his father's funeral three years ago. Dinah was left the house and Dale received stock, investments and the beach house, a package worth almost as much as the family home. Being left no money his mom said she'd have to trade down and live in a much cheaper house but it was Dale to the rescue. Before leaving for Paris he sold the beach house and gave her the $478,800 net he received, saying his father had provided for her inadequately. Within a year Dinah remarried and while Dale decided not to attend the small wedding he hosted his mom and Teddy in Paris during their honeymoon. Teddy, a high-profile courtroom attorney, was not particularly friendly but appeared okay and before they left reimbursed Dale a check for the $478,800 he'd given his mother and Dale agreed not to mention the transaction to anyone.
Turning into the street Dale called his mom. "Hi, I'm a minute away."
"Oh darling, you're home. Oh I did so much want to go to the airport to meet you. Why are you calling instead of driving straight in?"
"Do I park on the street or beside the drive in the visitor's space?"
"We've had a reshuffle darling. Park in space three."
"Space three?"
"Where your father kept his boat. This is very sensible of your calling to sort it out before arriving so there is no need for a forecourt conference."
"I always was the sensible one of the family mom and you conceded that in later years."
"I don't remember that."
"Well it doesn't matter. Get your welcome home kiss ready."
The garage door was up so Dale drove straight in and found two women waiting for him.
"His mom flew at him and smeared him with lipstick and her perfume made him sneeze.
Dale squeezed her and his mom just loved that. He turned to the great-looking blonde with breasts that quite took Dale's breath away. God mom, some housekeeper, he thought, trying to rip his eyes away from her chest.
"Darling, this is your step-sister Leah."
Dale wasn't caught out being diverted by tits and legs. He said smoothly, "Oh hi Leah, I didn't recognize you from the wedding photos emailed to me. You had more puppy fat then and your hair was kind of brown, er...."
"Mousy?"
"Yeah, or close to it."
"Dad said I wasn't to allow you to chat me up. Well, he has his wish. I don't chat to creeps who insult me, even if they are handsome with a great body. You are a pig and thank you for ruining my day." Leah began crying and ran into the house.
Dinah sighed, "Well darling, I see five years living in sexy France has done nothing to improve your ability to small-talk with women."
"But mom, what did I do?"
"Failed totally to live up to the image I painted for Leah and you squashed her like a beetle, insulting her in a hurtful way."
"Hurt her, how?"
"You stared at her breasts like a sex maniac, then said she'd been fat, made a thing about her coloring her hair when she'd done it in stages so no one would really notice and you called her natural hair color mousy."
"Mom, she called it mousy."
"She knew you were struggling for a word, offered you one expecting you to reject it but you didn't. I was hoping you two would date and get some something going between you."
"But mom, she's my step-sister. Taboo."
"Hello, I'm sorry to be so dumb but tell me were is the blood relationship between you two?"
"I...er...um there's none I suppose."
"Well then, that's as nice a bit of ass as you'll see any time soon and you've rejected it."
"I have not!"
"Oh, I'm pleased to hear that. Check out the legal system and find if Texas has any law saying you two must not do it."
"Mom, I'd be wasting my time. You heard her -- totally venomous towards me."
Dinah said that was nonsense. Leah had been a tad disappointed, that's all, and had reacted sharply to ensure Dale took notice of her.
Dale snorted and began carrying some of his luggage into the house. He mom said he was back in his old room.
The guest room was shut so he knocked. Leah said come in and hastily pulled the bed scatter rug over her when she saw it was Dale. She had taken her dress off.
"What are you doing here?" she said aggressively.
"You invited me in."
"I thought it was your mother."
"Well I'm here substituting."
Leah had difficulty concealing a small smile. "Dinah said you had a silver tongue with a tendency to stumble."
"Well I stumbled with you apparently, looking at your tits too long."
"Dale, please. I want you to say you were looking at my breasts...no I don't, you are not allowed to look at my breasts in that sense."
"Who says?"
"My father. He'll kill you if you interfere with me sexually."
"What, even if I tweak a nipple and clamp a handful of butt?"
Leah seemed to lose both aggression and confidence. She looked confused.
"I-I don't know at what point the thin dividing line takes effect."
"Insertion perhaps?
Leah's aggression and confidence came hurtling back. "Dale, leave my room this instance. God, what an animal."
"If that's what you think have fun tattling to your father."
Leah stuck her chin out. "This is between you and me; it's none of his business."
"Thanks sweetie," Dale said trying to inject some hip swagger as he left the room. "That probably means I don't get a knife through the heart tonight. I'll meet you in the pool in ten minutes. I'll wear beach shorts in case you're too timid to swim nude."
Dale was finishing his 20th length when he looked up and saw her in a bikini.
"Jesus, get back and change. Your dad will be home any time soon. Do you have a one-piece?"
Leah nodded.
"Wear that. For some reason parents think one-piece suits are modest. You have a honey of a body and great legs as well."
"As well as what -- my tits?"
Dale appeared to look around nervously and he watched her grin as she walked away.
They swam twenty lengths and stopped for a breather. Dale said she had a fluid style but she needed to roll a little more.
"What, my ass?"
"Shoulder turn, to rotate your spine a little and that will transfer to the hips. Fish wriggle when they swim and so should we."
"My coach never quite said it that way."