Author's Note: Pushing the plot forward a bit here. There are a lot of pieces that need to come together in the final handful of chapters for Book Four here, and I hope you enjoy reading about them. We will definitely have a Book Five, and it will follow immediately. The title, though, I'm going to keep under wraps for the time being.
* * *
Very quickly it became clear that, in LA, Petey had things in hand and under control. Still a few years short of thirty, any hint of trust-fund brat had evaporated, and he took on admirable poise in the wake of his father's untimely death. It was obvious that he intended to fill as much of those shoes as possible.
Jess and I only spent one night in LA, but I met with Petey briefly before we left. He knew he couldn't take on Peter's company alone. And he wanted people around him he could trust, since his age made it inevitable that he would be a target for sharks and other Hollywood predators. For some reason, perhaps not without reason yet also not fully within my comprehension, he saw me as one of those people. Peter's final film would be a magnum opus for his legacy, Petey was convinced. The release date was on schedule and would hold firm if possible. The next question would be how to capitalize on the legacy to show Hollywood that the company could keep going. Petey's instinct, which seemed right to me from a business perspective, was to put two or three other projects into the production pipeline as quickly as possible. And those projects needed to have buzz about them.
We didn't have time to talk about the particulars just then -- understandably since Petey had family obligations and a funeral to plan -- but we agreed to meet again the following week. That meant another trip to LA. Jess was right. We were going to need to step up our LA presence to take advantage of the potential there. We might need to have some difficult discussions and make some difficult decisions sooner than we had anticipated.
"Wow, that's all really surreal," Kat said.
When we got home, we debriefed Kat and Rita right away. They had just gotten off work, and we sat in the great room on the couches together.
"It's so tragic," Rita agreed. "I mean, I feel a little weird saying it, but it also feels like there's a big opportunity here for you, John."
"The thought has crossed my mind," I said with a little guilt. "We also probably need to spend more time in LA to make it happen."
"Which means we need to discuss if that's something we even want," Jess said.
"I feel like life has gotten complicated all of the sudden," Kat said with a laugh. "And hopefully it'll get even more complicated." She gave a hopeful pat on her stomach.
"We already needed to focus more on LA for Infinity," Jess said. "This probably puts that at a premium because Peter was such a driver of Kelly's clients. I'm talking to Alix later today. I think I'm going to suggest moving up her timeline to head out there."
"How often do you think you'd need to be there in person, John?" Rita asked.
"Honestly, I have no idea right now," I said. "Petey is tied up, but he wants to talk after the services are wrapped up. So probably next week."
"Why don't we take time this week to talk about contingencies," Rita suggested.
"Then we can look at what makes sense," Jess said.
"And I'm hoping that, by late next week anyway, we'll know about any other potential complications," Kat added.
"It's a plan," I said. "And a sensible one."
"You look like you could use some tennis," Kat said to Jess.
"I would love that," Jess said. "I need a distraction and to just work off some of the stress."
The girls went to the bedroom to change. I liked watching them undress. Kat and Jess quickly stripped and put on their tennis outfits, which was always a treat. I loved their preference for tight tops and short tennis skirts. They were serious about the exercise, but I couldn't help but think the skimpy fashion was to keep me in a state of agitated desire for them.
Rita had taken her time disrobing and was just hanging up her clingy purple dress in the closet once we were alone. Transitioning out of her heels into bare feet always made her look small and more vulnerable to me. There really wasn't a reason for that; it was like a fashion illusion. She wore a lacy black bra that barely held her tits and a matching Brazilian thong. What little fabric there was gave an inviting view of her tastiest bits.
"You are so fucking hot," I said, leaning against the door frame of the closet as I watched her.
"Oh yeah?" Rita said.
She turned and faced me, her hair cascading down either shoulder. She slipped a finger into either side of the high-cut panties and veritably floated toward me with an exaggerated sashay in her hips.
"Yeah," I said, slipping a finger under her chin when she reached me and pulling her lips to mine.
Our bodies melted together. I ran my hand down the side of her rib cage, over her hip, and across the perfect curve of her ass. Our tongues danced in familiar, trusted passion. There was only one way this kiss was going to end, and Rita initiated it first.
"I need you inside me," she said. "I missed you so much. I've been so wet all day thinking about you coming home."
My hand glided up her back, and I skillfully unhooked her bra. I bent down and sucked each of her nipples into my mouth in turn, giving them quick, light bites. I kissed her neck and moved back to her hungry lips.
"I missed you, too," I said.
We did the awkward dance over to the bathroom, where I simply bent her over the counter. I didn't even take off her panties. I shoved them to the side. Rita raised one of her legs up onto the vanity, and I plunged into her cunt.
"Pound me," she said. "My pussy just wants your cum."
"Fuck," I exclaimed when I bottomed out inside her. "You're so fucking tight."
"Spank me," she begged.
I swatted her ass.
"Harder," she exhorted. "Harder!"
It was a hot, furious fuck. Rita looked at me in the mirror, her mouth open and tongue gliding across her teeth. Her tits pressed into the marble vanity. Her moans were desperate and encouraging. She begged for me to fuck her.
