To Wal a Mile

Author's Notes:

'To Walk a Mile' is the third book of a one off story that inexplicably became a trilogy.

Minimal effort is made in the following pages to explain the backstory so it is highly recommended you read the first two stories.

The trilogy follows this order:

• One Who Understands

• The Most Valuable Gift

• To Walk a Mile

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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To Walk a Mile

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Chapter 1

Ed liked his new truck. It was shiny and big and had a heater that worked. It had lots of other toys too but he hadn't really played with them yet. He'd discovered the air conditioner though.

The truck was a present from some of the ladies he loved. When his previous F-150 was destroyed in an accident he'd insisted that he could take the bus to work but they wouldn't have it. Rachel, Angie, and Zoe had all pitched in to buy him a brand new Ford F-150 XLT. It was black with chrome accents in a sports package look, whatever that was. All he knew was that it drove really well and he liked it.

While the heater worked and he'd made good use of it over the winter months, he certainly didn't need it these days. Spring had arrived early and it seemed like summer was in an even bigger hurry. Even though in two days it would only be the first of May the temperatures were higher than normal and he'd been able to go without a jacket for the past week. His work coverall was plenty warm enough on its own.

He rolled his shoulders, enjoying the lack of tightness the new coverall he'd just been given this morning now afforded him. Over the winter months he'd gotten back into his workout routine and discovered he'd increased his muscle mass to the point where his already form fitting coverall had become constrictive. Gwyneth was the new office's dispatch / receptionist / human resources officer at Drakos Heating and Cooling. She'd ordered the new coverall to give his new larger, harder muscles some space to breathe.

While Gwyneth was a bubbly, smart, and plump bundle of energy who was fun to talk to, he missed Lydia. After a whirlwind romance she'd married a lawyer named Julian and no longer worked for her Dad. Ed had attended the wedding and Julian seemed like a really nice guy. Ed wished them both a long and happy marriage.

Ed pulled his mind back to the task at hand. Gwyneth had dispatched him to a job in his own neighborhood. Zoe's new construction in fact. Her new house was coming along nicely. It was unlike any house Ed had ever seen before and had some rather challenging heating and cooling requirements. Ed enjoyed the challenge and had offered some innovated solutions for the unique build. Zoe had sworn him to secrecy so he couldn't reveal any of the details to his family and friends. She wanted it to be a surprise when it was ready for 'the big reveal' as Zoe called it.

He pulled up to the gate and pressed the buzzer.

"Hi Ed, come on in!"

That was Zoe's voice so she must be in the construction office trailer. The gate opened and Ed drove in and parked next to it. He walked inside and she rushed over to get a hug and a kiss.

At 5' 3", Zoe Sandoval may have been petite in stature but her curves were breathtaking. More the result of medical science than nature perhaps but eye catching in the extreme. Her breasts were large and round, larger than her small frame normally supported. She was diligent with her exercises to maintain the muscles required to prevent excess strain on her back so her core was hard and tight. He'd experienced first-hand how strong the petite powerhouse was.

Her ass was also plump and round though Ed was sure that was more nature than anything else. With her caramel skin, abundance of gold bangles, earrings, and necklaces, some of which were disappearing into her deep cleavage, she was pure sexiness in a compact package. It was all Ed could do to keep his hands out of her long ebony locks and off those curves as he greeted her with a kiss on her sensual mouth.

She purred as she pulled her lips back from his and took in his new coverall. "Dios! You're looking good in that new uniform! I could eat you up!" Ed's face blushed as they weren't alone.

"Isn't that sexual harassment?" came a voice from behind them.

Ed looked over Zoe's head at the grinning man leaning back in his chair. Clint Masterson was the site foreman and had been difficult for Ed to deal with since day one. "I don't think so. She's my girlfriend so I think it's... legal," Ed replied with a note of concern in his voice. Clint's grin got wider seeing Ed's worry.

Zoe spun to glare at the man. "That's right! He's mine so I can say all kinds of nice things about him!" she growled. She didn't like how the man was always picking on Ed's naiveté. Ed was an innocent and didn't understand when someone was just teasing or being sarcastic or worse, lying.

She looked back at Ed. "Why are you here today?"

"Final inspections of the systems we installed," Ed replied.

"Well, get to it boy! Don't waste my time standing around here all day swapping spit with your girlfriend!" Clint barked.

Ed jumped and quickly made his way out of the trailer. He heard Zoe's raised voice as the door closed behind him. He put on his hard hat as he entered the construction zone and got to it as Clint had requested.

Several hours later Ed exited from the site. His new coverall was now covered in drywall dust, sawdust, mud, and he had a few grease smears on a sleeve from accidentally brushing it against... something, he couldn't recall specifically when it happened. He'd been all over the building from the roof to the cellar and everything had passed his inspection with flying colors. Considering how meticulous he was during the installation and how critical he was of the work done during his inspections he was pleased with the result. He took a deep breath and entered the trailer one last time.

He was surprised to see Mr. Drakos leaning across Clint's desk barking at the man. Clint did not look happy.

"Oh, sorry! Should I wait outside?" Ed said with a surprised expression.

"No Ed, why don't you stay and see what crying to your boss resulted in," Clint growled.

"Clint, you're an idiot. Do you know that? He didn't call in the complaint." Mr. Drakos growled and turned. "Ed, what did you come in here to say?"

"Uh... I came in to say I finished the inspection. It took a long time as it's such a complex installation but everything passed. I- I came in to do the sign off." Ed said blinking at the two men. He had no idea why they were so angry with each other.

Drakos locked his eyes on Clint's. "Ed was working since he arrived today because he's a professional. He does his work and it's second to none. Ed doesn't call in complaints. The client did."

Clint stood facing Mr. Drakos with a clenched jaw.

Mr. Drakos looked at the foreman and sighed. He'd never hire or recommend the man again. He was a bully and had a cruel streak. Ed wasn't the only one Clint had given a hard time. "Sign the paperwork Ed. Then you're done here."

Ed moved forward and Clint stiffly slid the paperwork across the desk at him. Ed added his signature to the appropriate places and stood back. Clint picked up the document and added it to the docket.

"Bye Mr. Masterson," Ed said with a cautious nod. The man nodded stiffly in return and turned away.

Mr. Drakos followed Ed out of the trailer. "Sorry you had to deal with that jerk," the older man said.

Ed shrugged. "He wasn't too bad. I know some of the other guys didn't like him but I didn't have to like him to work with him. I just ignored the other stuff."

Drakos smiled self-consciously. "I guess I've just become a little over protective of you."

Ed smiled at the man. "Then I should thank you for looking out for me."

"You going back to the office now?" the older man asked.

Ed looked at the time. "I should check on Victoria's place while I'm here, then I'll head back."

"You're still doing that?" the man asked.

"Yes. She's still away. I'm still not sure when she'll be back. Or if she'll be back at all," Ed replied with a little shrug but his face looked sad.

Mr. Drakos just patted his shoulder and made his way to his car to drive back to the office.

Ed drove his truck up the hill to the top, not much of a distance from Zoe's really, and let himself into the mansion with the key Victoria left him with. The large house was silent, accentuating its museum like ambiance. Ed made his way through his routine of inspecting the home for any sign of damage from water damage to broken glass. Once he was done he was in the master bedroom and his mind returned to the last time he'd been with the woman. He remembered her lovely blonde hair spread out over the mattress under her, the flush in her cheeks from their lovema- he struggled to push the memories away as he began to stiffen in his tight clothes. The coverall could use just a little more room in the groin region he realized.

Victoria Rutledge was the widow of Judge Nelson Rutledge, who Ed discovered was an evil little troll of a man. While Victoria was tall, svelte, and with her allure and class reminded Ed of a Hollywood actress of the 1940's like Veronica Lake, the judge was small in stature and low in character. He was both physically and mentally abusive, controlling, and deeply corrupt. He'd killed a man Victoria had had an affair with and was going to kill Ed when he believed she'd bedded him as well. Ultimately Victoria had killed the judge with his own gun and spent some time in prison before her lawyer found evidence to prove her battered wife syndrome.

Now she was in England with her parents but more importantly with her two girls, reunited after their tumultuously emotional separation. Victoria was getting the psychiatric treatment she needed from years of abuse from her husband. The girls were seeing a counsellor. They were learning the truth about their family and how much they needed each other after the ordeal.

Ed recalled how desperate Victoria had been when he came to visit her two weeks after the Christmas Party. His leg had taken longer to heal than expected and she was upset that he'd postponed the previous week's appointment. She'd had some harsh words for him.

"Is that the kind of man you are? Lead a woman on and leave her hanging?" she gasped, tears beginning to pool in her thick lashes.

"What? No! My leg hadn't healed and I was restricted to office work. I did try calling you but you didn't answer.

"I was angry!"

Ed blinked at her. He wasn't following this conversation at all. "I'm sorry. How could I know if you wouldn't speak with me?"

Suddenly she was crushed up against his chest, clinging to him with all her strength. Her hair was under his nose and the scent of melon and something tropical tickled his sense of smell. He felt her trembling so he wrapped his arms around her. He felt her relaxing within his embrace.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked.

She pressed her face against his neck under his chin, taking comfort from his solidity. "For being so emotional. So... needy. The others... they don't behave this way, do they?"

Ed tilted his head back and she looked up at him timidly.

"One of the things you can depend on me to be is discreet. This means I won't tell anyone about our time together. That also means I won't speak about theirs with you," he said gently.

She searched his eyes but saw only honesty. She nodded and smiled faintly.

Ed was delighted she'd relaxed her need to have her make-up airbrushed on to perfection. She really was beautiful but now she looked human, not like a perfect porcelain doll. Lovely hazel eyes, a strong but slim nose above eminently kissable lips with her trademark bold red lipstick. Her yellow gold hair fell in relaxed waves around her face and over her shoulders. He couldn't resist the impulse to finally slide his fingers into her hair. Victoria's eyes closed in happiness at the feel of his touch and her gently smiling lips parted. Ed found his mouth on hers and he was kissing her deeply and sensually. She gasped and clung tighter as her tongue plunged into his mouth. He sucked on her tongue aggressively and moved one of his hands down her back to her ass as the other gripped her hair.

Victoria was gasping for breath as Ed's hands and kiss made her so excited. She hadn't felt this way since she'd taken a secret lover. Miguel. A pain went through her heart as she remembered how Nelson had him killed and disposed of. Then Ed's hand squeezed her ass and she forgot all about Miguel and Nelson.

She pushed at Ed's chest to break the kiss and he blinked at her in a lustful daze. She smiled at his need for her. "Could- could we go upstairs?" she asked. He was only able to nod. She took his hand and led him up the long curved staircase to the second floor and down the hall to the master bedroom. The huge bed, cold every night now that she was alone, stood waiting for them. She walked them over to the end of the bed and turned to face him.

Ed caressed her lips with his and she felt tingles rush down her spine. When his large hands slid under her sweater over her stomach she gasped aloud and her eyes flew open. He smiled at her as he gently moved his fingertips over her blouse from front to back gradually working her sweater up her torso. When his fingers passed over her breasts she moaned with need and looked deeply into his eyes. Before she could surge forward he lifted her sweater up and pulled her arms above her head.

He got the sweater off but held her wrists together above her head with one hand while his other hand explored her breasts through her blouse and bra. She squirmed, cooed, and panted as his touch triggered wave after wave of pleasure to course through her body. She felt helpless in his grip yet safe as well for he was only doing what she'd wanted him to do all along.

Ed's clever fingers found the buttons on her blouse and quickly popped them open one at a time from the top. She was seriously aching for his touch against her bare skin. Once he had the top open his hand slid inside and caressed her stomach, her side and moved around to her back. Her breath was coming in gulps now and she pressed her knees together to calm the maddening tingle between her thighs as her juices ran down the tender skin there.

A quick flick of his fingers and the clasp on her bra parted. She squeaked in surprise then cooed as his large hand slid under the lace to cup a breast.

"Oh my god! Oooohh!" she breathed as his fingers found her stiff nipple and gently squeezed and tugged on it. Her knees wobbled and she might have fallen except for Ed's undeniable grip on her wrists. His hand left her breast and moved to the zipper on her slacks. His fingers were just too nimble as he had the pants sliding down her legs in seconds and his hand sliding over the thin panties on her ass before she was aware he had her undressed.

Ed released her wrists and used both hands to push her blouse back over her shoulders. Before she could work her arms free he laid her back on the bed, effectively trapping her arms at her sides. He moved over her and kissed her hard. She mewled into his mouth as she couldn't get enough of his kiss. While she was distracted he pushed her loose bra upwards and took her tits in his hands. He gave them both a firm squeeze.

"MMMMMmmmnnn!" she gasped into his kiss.

He moved his mouth to her neck and ran his lips down the creamy skin of her throat.

"Edward! Oh yes!"

When his lips met her nipples she cried out in bliss. He circled the stiff peak with the tip of his tongue making her arch her back then he sucked it into his mouth and strummed it with his tongue. He repeated the treatment to her other nipple and she cried out with the intensity of the pleasure.

Ed continued to kiss and caress his way down her torso and he felt her stomach muscles jump and twitch as he passed her belly button. He dipped his tongue into the small indent and she burst into giggles. He smiled up at her as she raised her head to look down her body at him.

When the tip of his tongue left her belly to draw a straight line downwards her eyes grew large as she realized what he was about to do. No one had ever done this for her, not her Latin lover Miguel and certainly Nelson hadn't. But Ed was looking up at her with hunger in his eyes and her body shook with the surprise of her realization of what was about to happen. That's when she noticed he'd tugged her slacks the rest of the way off her legs and was now sliding her panties past her knees. How? She'd been so dazed she hadn't noticed his hands at work.

Victoria took a sudden deep breath as she'd been holding it. Ed began to press his lips against the tender flesh of her lower abdomen in slow sensual kisses.

"Oh Edward! Oh! Oh! Oh my god! I've never- OH!"

Ed ran his tongue over her glistening pussy lips and her body went into convulsions. She dropped her head back on the bed and made cute little mewling sounds as her body went through a gentle orgasm as he licked and sucked at her tender flesh.

She became too sensitive to touch so he stood up at the end of the bed and began to take his coverall off. He was stepping out of it when Victoria's eyes focused once more. She looked down the bed towards him and watched him slowly lifting his white undershirt up his hard, muscular torso. As the muscles were exposed to her eyes she bit her lip and felt a throbbing begin between her legs. The shirt lifted up and over his head and she sighed as she saw his powerful pectoral muscles and thick arms hanging from his broad shoulders. Miguel had been slim and graceful like a heron. Nelson was thick and short like a fireplug. She pushed herself up on her elbows to be able to see him better and tugged herself free of the blouse and bra.

To Victoria, Ed was built like a god from Olympus!

She watched him run his hands down over his tight stomach muscles to hook his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers. The black silky material hid his dimensions from her eyes but she never looked away as he slowly worked the underwear down his hips. She realized he was teasing her and growled in frustration making him smile.

Ed wasn't delaying just to tease her. He was genuinely nervous of her reaction to seeing him naked. He took a deep breath and pushed his boxers down as he watched her cautiously. He hoped she wouldn't scream.

Victoria's eyes got bigger and bigger as she watched Ed's thick and long cock emerge from his boxers. When it finally bounced free from its confinement she sucked in her breath. She'd never seen one so... dauntingly big! She looked up at Ed with an expression that warred between nervous and awestruck.

He relaxed a little when she didn't shriek in fear but he noticed she wasn't looking exactly pleased with the result of his unveiling.

"Should- should I get dressed again?" he asked carefully.

"NO! I- I mean, no. I'm just... surprised. I wasn't expecting... so much... of you," Victoria stumbled through her words.

Ed smiled. "Yeah. I've heard that before and I've certainly heard worse."

"Worse?" Victoria asked looking at him curiously.

Ed nodded and a pained look passed over his face. "I've been called monstrous. A freak. Mutant... and some other bad words."

"No... how could they say that about you?!? They didn't know you!" she gasped in shock as she looked in his eyes with compassion in hers. As if drawn there her eyes moved back to the thick appendage hanging down between his legs. She realized it wasn't erect yet and her eyes widened once more with the shock.

"May- may I touch it?" she asked, her eyes never leaving the gently swaying flesh.