As my car pulled away from the curb, I turned to the beautiful creature next to me and folded her into my arms again. I couldn't believe how lucky I'd gotten -- and snorted to myself at the turn of phrase.
She was beautiful. I could already tell she had a great sense of humor, too, and a perhaps over-developed sense of humility. She'd been knocked down some in her life, not literally, I didn't think, but figuratively, and her self-esteem showed the effects. I might be able to help her with that and hoped I'd get the chance. I could see in her the capacity for all manner of things and I found myself in the rather novel situation of wanting to find out more. Novel for me, anyway.
Please don't misunderstand. I'm not a complete callous ass. I do know how to treat a woman, both in bed and out, I just normally don't go out of my way to find out any more than what they are willing to give on the surface.
Part of this, I imagine, is what has become an almost legendary behavior of mine to avoid any sort of long-term entanglements. Which, I suppose, is why both Gene and Suzan had given me such astonished expressions when they'd found us earlier. I'd turned down Gene's offer of condoms earlier on the rather vehement assertion that I would not be having sex at all.
Apparently, I was very wrong about that. Not only did I have sex anyway, but I'd had no birth control on me whatsoever and hadn't even stopped to ask Caty if she was protected. Of course, I'd never before considered trusting the word of my sex partner, but that should just go to show how out of the ordinary this was. I mean, really, it's rather hard to avoid a long-term entanglement with a woman if you get her with child.
Regardless, I was with her now and in no hurry to change that fact.
But now what? I knew almost nothing about her and while I was committed to finding out more, I had only met her that evening, in a sex club for that matter, and it was entirely possible that after all of this, she'd have no wish to see me at all. All I could do was to take it a step at a time. She hadn't balked at getting in the car with me, so we'd go from there.
As the car merged out into traffic, I noticed that Gene, Suzan and Caty's friends, Anna and Charlie were getting rather well acquainted on the other end of the limo. It seemed as if they were all managing to somehow touch each other. Caty seemed a bit embarrassed by all of this and I once again thought she wasn't used to this sort of outward display.
I found myself glad that my apartment was very close by. I imagined that if she had to watch too much, she might well have really balked and headed home. The type of lifestyle that Gene and Suzan and, it seemed, Anna and Charlie led was not for everyone. If it was true what she'd said about it being quite a long time, she would need time to get reacquainted to simply having sex before the more adventurous side of things could happen.
I caught her eye and smiled at her. "My place isn't far. In fact, we should be pulling into the garage in just a moment." I turned and sure enough I could see us pass through the underground garage entrance. Another moment and the car pulled to a stop.
The other two couples collected themselves and when the door opened, I motioned for Caty to proceed me. I was just man enough to pause and enjoy the view of her very fine rear end as she climbed out, before I stepped out myself. When the others joined us, I waved toward the elevator in front of us, punched in my code and held the door for Caty to step through.
She seemed a bit nervous and I imagined she didn't find herself in this sort of situation often, if ever. I normally never gave a second thought to the car, the elevator or even my apartment. With no knowledge of Caty's background, I had no idea what she would be thinking about it all. Yet again, I found myself in a novel situation of caring very much.
I could hold it no longer. "So, um, what do you do? Besides get dragged to clubs by your friends?" I had caught out of the corner of my eye the fact that the other two couples had gone back to groping one another.
Caty turned to me with a somewhat grateful expression on her face. For distracting her, I guessed. "I'm a teacher."
"Oh!" I exclaimed. "Well, very noble profession, that. What do you teach?"
She blushed, which only served to make her even more beautiful to me. "High school."
She must have read the horrified look on my face because she blushed even brighter. I realized it could be taken very wrong. "Sorry, I just can't imagine voluntarily stepping foot into a high school ever again. I'm not sure they could pay me enough money ever to do that. You must be a very brave woman."
She laughed. "Oh, they're not that bad. I have more trouble with the administration than I do the students, most of the time."
I glanced around myself with exaggerated care, then leaned in to her. "You're not going to smack my knuckles with a ruler, are you? I mean, I know some people enjoy that sort of thing, but..."
She laughed again. "No, that's private school. I teach in public school."
I pretended to be hugely relieved. "Well, then. I feel better already."
She laughed again and the elevator dinged.
"Ah, here we are." I motioned for her to proceed me out of the elevated and the others followed right away. As I stepped up to the doors, they were opened and my butler greeted me.
"Good evening, young master. I wondered if you would bother to return at all tonight." He stepped back and Gene and Suzan, long used to Jeeves's comments, went through the door and headed for the living room, Charlie and Anna following close behind.
"Of course, Jeeves. Despite your insistence that I am a complete rotter of a playboy, I am home most nights." I turned to Caty and put my arm around her. "This is Caty, a very lovely woman, please try not to intimidate her too much nor make me look too bad to her."
Caty stared at him a moment. "Your name isn't really...Jeeves, is it?"
I watched as Jeeves valiantly fought a smile. "No, madam, it is not. Jeeves is the name given me by the young master, here. My name is Henry Jones."
"Well, at least he didn't call you Indiana. And please don't call me madam. Caty is just fine." She grinned up at him.
I saw his lips twitch ever so slightly. "No, madam, he named the dog Indiana."
It took Caty about three seconds to realize he was playing with her. She lost it, then, laughing long and hard over it. "Oh, I like you, Jeeves," she said, still smiling, then she turned and stepped into my apartment.
I should point out here that "apartment" is a rather loose term for my home. It's belonged to my family since the building was built sometime in the century before I was born. It took up the entire top floor of the thirty-story building. There were more bedrooms than I could count, more bathrooms than there were bedrooms and several other rooms I'd never even been in. In fact, I lived in approximately one tenth of the living space including my bedroom suite, my office, the library, the dining room and the living room. The rest sat unused as my parents never even stayed with me when they were in town.
I led her into the living room, which was really closer to the size of a small apartment in itself. There were three separate groups of furniture, two entertainment centers and a large wet bar. There was a terrace to the east, looking out over the city.
"Gene, Suzan, you know where everything is, would you make yourselves comfortable? Charlie and Anna, please feel free to join them." I turned to Caty. "Would you care to join me on the terrace?"
She smiled up at me. "I'd be happy to."
I paused momentarily and turned to Jeeves. "Could you bring..." I paused and looked at Caty. "Would you like more Harp? Or perhaps some wine?"
"Oh, Chardonnay would be nice, if you have it." She smiled again.
I turned back to Jeeves, but he simply nodded, "right away."
We stepped out onto the terrace and I could tell she was getting nervous. Oddly, I found myself slightly nervous, as well. She was a high school teacher, probably unused to this sort of home. I could understand her being a bit overwhelmed. "What do you do?" She asked me quietly, while leaning on the wall of the terrace.
"I'm an architect. My family owns one of the larger architectural firms on this coast. My father wanted me to get a business degree to take over the business, but I just wanted to draw the buildings and houses." I laughed. "He was not pleased."
She chuckled. "I've heard that from my friends. Some of their parents were the same way. Expectations." She paused and breathed in the cool night air. "I had none." It was so quiet, I wondered if she was talking to herself.
"I'm sorry?" I leaned in a little closer.
"Oh. Nothing." She shook her head and smiled up at me and I let it go. There would be time to learn more.
Jeeves chose that opportune moment to emerge from the living room with the tray. He set it on the coffee table that was in the small grouping of furniture set back in the corner of the terrace, under an awning.