"It's been nearly a month," Rachel ruefully admitted to Kate. They were looking through racks of clothes in a major store, though neither felt much enthusiasm. "This is all so dreary. Dark and dull colours."
Rachel plucked out a dress that fully answered to her description and held it in front of her.
Kate shook her head. "Awful."
The dress was replaced and they wandered away to investigate another rack.
"Do you include Paul when you say it's been nearly a month?" Kate enquired.
"Yes."
"Oh, dear. I don't think I could abstain from sex for a whole month."
"I haven't abstained. It hasn't been on offer." Rachel fingered a silver grey trouser suit. "What do you think?"
"No, doesn't suit your colour. They've got it in black."
Rachel considered it. "Um. Maybe. Eighty pounds. Worth it, would you say?"
Kate shrugged. "Try it on."
There was more critical contemplation followed by a sigh. "No, I think not." Rachel replaced it.
They wandered off.
"I didn't think you'd be bothered about price after your windfall." Kate briefly flicked up the hem of a skirt. "That's not very well made."
"Windfall?" Rachel frowned. "I'm not sure that's an appropriate word for my father's death."
"That's what it is. And you said he was suffering. Probably for the best."
"Oh, it was, I'm sure of it. Still..."
"And you told me you weren't very close."
"Not very," Rachel sadly admitted.
"At least he left you his fortune."
"Hardly that. A little over twenty thousand."
"Um. Not to be sniffed at."
"It won't last long now I've given up my job."
"Unemployment is not to become a permanent state, is it?"
Rachel shook her head. "Not at all. I simply couldn't stand that damned store any longer. I'm looking for something a little different. This money gives me breathing space."
"What about Paul? Does he get anything?"
"He doesn't expect a penny of my inheritance."
"Good job we live in the age we do. In the past a woman's money and possessions belonged to her husband. Fancy a coffee?" Kate asked as they approached the in-house self-service restaurant.
"Why not?"
Over the last few months a real friendship had grown between the two women. They partied together, went on a few joint dates - though not foursomes for sex; at least, not yet - and generally enjoyed each other's company.
There were not many customers and they were able to get a table set well apart from the nearest person. Apart from the coffee they had both selected a large piece of gateau containing far too many calories. To compound the felony, both had asked for cream to be added.
"What the hell," murmured Kate, her mouth full. "We can cut down on something else."
"We'd have to stop eating for the rest of the week." Rachel was gorging herself on chocolate and cream.
"It's worth it."
"Um." Rachel nodded agreement.
A few minutes later, the only evidence of their binge being a few crumbs on the plates, they sat back with satisfied smirks and drank the coffee.
"I was picked up last week," Kate announced.
"What's unusual about that?"
"No....I mean, picked up. On the street."
"I don't understand."
"It was night....street lights....not many people about and I was at a bit of loss about where to go, what I wanted to do. I was walking along, but not purposefully, then something in a shop window caught my eye so I stopped to look. After a moment I turned away, but hesitated, still undecided. This car slowly came along and stopped. Quite big and flashy. The window went down and a man's voice came out of the dark interior."
"What did he say?"
"He asked me if I was waiting for business."
Rachel looked shocked. "Do you mean he took you for...for a prostitute?"
"Exactly."
"Didn't you tell him where to get off?"
"I must admit it was on the tip of my tongue, but then I decided to play along and see where it led."
"Kate, you didn't!"
"I've seen all the films so I know how it's done. I leaned in through the open window and saw a not bad looking man. He asked me how much so I told him forty pounds in the car. I'd no idea whether that was too much or too little, but I had to come up with a figure. He didn't bat an eye, but told me to get in. So I did."
"But anything could have happened to you."
Kate grinned. "That was part of the excitement. I was wet just thinking of all the possibilities. I thought the odds of him murdering me were pretty small. Anyway, he asked where to drive, which caught me out for a moment. Then I remembered an alley not far away, one of these dead end places used for deliveries. No activity at that time. We drove there and he handed me the forty pounds; I'd forgotten about it. Have you ever done it in a car?"
Rachel shook her head.
"It's not easy, even in a big one. It was impossible on the front seat because of all the gears and control panels, so we got into the back."
"Then what did you do?"
"Unzipped his fly, found his cock and brought it out."
"Was it big?"
Kate shook her head. "In different circumstances I wouldn't have given it a second look; puny, crumpled little thing. But he'd paid me money to do something about it, so I began masturbating it with my hands. It took a while, but eventually there were signs of life and it stiffened enough to make me think we might get somewhere."
"I wouldn't have bothered."
"I felt sorry for him. A bit pathetic, really. It became a matter of personal pride to do something for him. Anyway, it was up as far as it was going, though still a bit squidgy."
"Sounds great." Rachel pulled a face.
"I reckoned I wasn't going to get any more out of him, so I pulled down my tights and pants. There wasn't much room, so it was more of a wriggle, actually."
"How did you manage to do it?"
"I sat on him. He was just hard enough to get it into me. Unimpressive as he was, I felt well lubricated. The whole situation was such a turn on my juices were flowing down my legs. He slid in easily enough and I began riding him, trying not to bang my head on the roof. Then, miracle of miracles, he really started to harden. My warm, silky pussy really got him going. Soon over, though. Couldn't hold it at all."
"He came inside you?"
"Of course."
"Shouldn't you have used a condom?"
"Never crossed my mind. Didn't have one, anyway. Besides, what's the point when I don't use them on anyone else?"
Rachel looked doubtful. "Seems different, somehow."
Kate grinned. "Oh, it was different all right."
"Did you have an orgasm?"
Kate shook her head. "No. It was over too fast and the circumstances weren't right. Too uncomfortable. Wouldn't fancy doing it for a living, but as an experience it was great."
"Um. Don't think I'd fancy trying. Even once."
They finished their coffee and continued looking around the store, but ended up by buying nothing.
"Bang go their profits," murmured Kate.
They were walking along the street when Rachel suddenly stopped in front of a travel agency.
"Let's go on holiday."
"What?"
"I've got some time due and I could take it next month."
"Have you got the money?"
Rachel smiled as she tapped her bag. "A few thousand pounds from my father's estate."
Kate pulled a face. "You're lucky. All I've got is a credit card with a balance that's too high for my liking."
"Oh, come on, let's get away for a couple of weeks. Sunshine, sea and sand....."
"And men!"
They both laughed.
*****
"Yes!!!!"
Rachel's exuberant shout of joy was a reaction to stepping out onto the balcony of their self catering apartment in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria. The sun was shining out of a clear blue sky impregnating the gentle Atlantic waves with millions of sparkling pin-pricks of light, whilst a light breeze wafted nothing but warmth. Immediately below the balcony was an inviting swimming pool, whilst to the left and right other hotels and resort complexes climbed up the hillside on which the town was built.
"Come out here, Kate," Rachel called back into the apartment. "You've got to see this."
"Will it disappear in the next half minute?"
"I hope not."
"Then I'll go for a pee."
With a sigh of deep pleasure, Rachel leaned her elbows on the balcony rail and put her head between her hands as she gazed out over the vista before her. Fourteen nights of this. It was like a dream.
They had gone into the travel agency, plucked up half a dozen brochures and studied them whilst having another cup of coffee. It took an hour, by which time the management were on the verge of throwing them out, for the girls to decide where to go.
"Spoilt for choice, that's the trouble." Kate turned a page. "They're all beginning to look and sound the same."
"I fancy the Canary Islands." Rachel had stopped at a page headed GRAN CANARIA. "Puerto Rico sounds nice. Hottest of the south coast resorts, lively centre, deep curve of golden sand."
"Yes, but it's four hours flying time. We can get closer than that."
"I don't want to go anywhere that's full of kids."
"Difficult to avoid them. They seem to be everywhere, even when it's not school holidays."
Rachel tapped her brochure. "Young and livelies congregate at Puerto Rico. That's us, isn't it?"
"I like to think so, but sometimes I have my doubts, as far as I'm concerned."
"Don't be silly. You still look pretty good."
"Oh, thanks. That back-handed compliment cheered me up no end."
Rachel ignored her friend. "I'd like to go to Puerto Rico. Self catering. That way we can eat what we like when we like. And you don't have the same restrictions as in a hotel."
Kate shrugged. "I'm easy. Wherever we go I can't afford it."
Of course, Paul was far from pleased. "We've always gone on holiday together."
"I fancy one now. Can you get away?"
