A note to readers:
This is a long story that unfolds chapter by chapter through the eyes of two protagonists -- Mark and Elsa, and as in many of my other stories involves a growing spate of horny characters. Every ten chapters or so I will provide a short summary at the start of that episode to bring new readers up to date. This story could appear in a number of genres (Loving Wives, Incest, Lesbian, Fetish, and more) depending on the chapter, but the overall theme is Group, so I have applied this moniker to all chapters. The story is still being written, yet I intend to post a new chapter every couple of days. Enjoy.
Chapter 23-- KC's Art. Shopping With Big Money
Mark
Melanie rushed into my home office about nine o'clock. I was wading through a pile of papers addressing our consumer electronics business and how we could improve market share in our five major markets. Tom had given me some ideas, and I was evaluating them.
"Mark," she almost screamed, "you've got to see these." She waved her cellphone around.
"Well, show me. Slow down."
"Elsa and I just got back from KC's gallery. She has about ten of her paintings on display, and they're all beautiful. They're all for sale. The stuff she's painting now is patron specific, as she called it. I think that means they've specified something about what she's doing -- maybe the color scheme or something."
I took her cellphone and looked at beautiful color pictures of the ten paintings. When I was through, I gazed away and then looked again.
I asked, "How much?"
Melanie said, "The large ones are five thousand. The least expensive ones were two thousand."
"Can you buy them all without KC knowing?"
"Errr, I think so. Elsa could help maybe. KC was going to work in her studio tomorrow, so one of the other women that displays there will be on duty."
I told her, "I'm going to give you a blank check; it's drawn on one of my businesses. Tomorrow, go and buy all of them. Don't let KC know. Swear the gal to secrecy too. Bring the first four including that one with the shades of green and blue to my office. I want them in there. The other six bring here. Talk to Barnes and ask him to hang them in prominent places around the living area before dinner, but I would like that yellow one opposite our bed, if that's all right with you. I'd also like KC to come for dinner if she's free."
Melanie smiled and held out her hand for the check the same way a little kid does after she says 'Gimme!'
Tuesday about noon, I heard a commotion outside my office door. Andy had just left, so I strolled out. Four workmen were arriving, each carrying a large painting carefully covered in bubble wrap. Melanie captured one of the paintings for her area just outside my office door. The other three got hung in my office, replacing more institutional paintings I'd gotten bored of after the second day I had them.
I loved the new look.
Mel said, "Elsa and Barnes are meeting the delivery men at the condo at one o'clock. You spent thirty-eight thousand dollars, by the way."
I smiled and reminded her, "I'll make sure KC comes to dinner tonight." I winked at her.
I called KC's cell. She was home painting. I explained that we were again inviting her to join us for cocktails and dinner.
KC said, "OK. I just have to stop by the gallery for a few minutes and drop off something I just finished off. I'll be there about six-thirty."
At a quarter-to-seven, KC leapt off the elevator and ran into the living room where the rest of us were gathered. She practically screamed, "You won't believe what happened today. Somebody came by the gallery, liked
all
my paintings that were there, and they bought
all
of them." She waved the check I'd scrawled my name on the night before.
We were all pretty quiet, but as rehearsed we each gazed off at one of KC's paintings that hung on the living room walls.
KC's eyes finally followed to some of what we were looking at.
"WAIT! WHAT'S GOING ON? HOW DID ... YOU MEAN ..." She twirled around and looked at me. "YOU .., BOUGHT MY PAINTINGS?" She practically screamed.
I smiled. "All of them. I love them."
KC burst into tears. "OH, MARK. I LOVE YOU." A microsecond later, she was in my arms showering my face with kisses. "How could you? You really like them? You didn't have to do that. I will paint more to
give
you ... all you want. I'll
give
them to you ... you don't have to pay. Are you really going to leave them up like this ... in your LIVING ROOM? Where did the others go? You've got to take your check back. Oh, God, I'm crying I'm so happy. You really like my stuff? You didn't have to ..."
I remained pretty quiet. Elsa and Melanie filled in the gaps about the other paintings and where they'd been hung after KC quieted down. Melanie even showed her cellphone photos of the paintings in my office area. She clung onto me in a nice way for about fifteen minutes, and then gradually got used to what had happened. I wasn't sure I'd ever seen someone so euphoric.
KC again tried to give me back the check. She couldn't tell it was from me by how it was written. The check was written on one of my relatively anonymous Delaware corporations and my signature is a scrawl that I defy anyone other than Melanie to decipher. I refused the check, and insisted that she'd more than earned it for her talent and workmanship. She looked so grateful, and then she cried again.
In her attempt to give me back the money I'd paid her, KC distinguished herself in one other way with me. She was not out for the money -- mine or anybody else's. When I realized that, I also realized that was still an important personality trait in all of my close friends. KC was not playing me.
Both Cindy and Elsa were constantly picking up food and things for the apartment. I continually had to insist that they allow me to reimburse them for their expenditures. Some of them were quite expensive too, such as some custom catering they arranged for me on the plane on my last trip to Europe and some of the love rings we wore. They wanted me well cared for on the journey over and around, so had put some of my favorite provisions and drink aboard the jet.
Melanie and Sheila both bought things for the condo with their own money that improved the look of the various rooms -- small statues, table top books in areas I found interesting, or decorator pillows, for example. Melanie had also bought the custom bed linens for our super large bed on her own. One fitted sheet cost over four hundred dollars.
Elsa and Cindy had finally moved completely from their apartments into my condominium. I had become a nag about their living there, when I wanted them with me. I loved them, and didn't want them afield. Things were even more difficult when I had them covered with security and they were at their own apartments. In the condo, they were especially safe because they were behind four layers of heavy security, plus everyone knew about the safe room near my bedroom in the core of the building.
Melanie had been a little easier for me to talk into moving in with me. She had a lease about to expire and hadn't been happy with some noisy neighbors. When I suggested it we already had a loving and sexual relationship, and she saw it as an extension of our wanting to be together all the time.
Sheila was my one hold out, perhaps because she was the same age as me. There had been weeks when she was with us all the time, and then she'd want some 'private' time, and even though we were working together during the days, she'd stay alone at night at her well-outfitted condo for a day or so. The building layout where she lived conveniently allowed for an additional security guard to keep an eye on her safety.
I was especially generous in paying my direct reports at Worthington Industries. I was a tough taskmaster, expected long hours, and wanted a fiercely loyal staff. Andy, Sheila, and Melanie were three of those that fit in that category. All of them put in at least sixty or more hours a week on the business -- sometimes more. There were others.
When bedtime came, KC jumped my bones in the nicest of ways. She was still giddy about my having bought all the artwork she had on display at the gallery. Besides a world-class blowjob where she brought her finest skills to the event, she gave instruction of her technique to the other women, thereby raising the bar.