The Bet: Megan Ashleigh & Claire

Author's note:

This is a sequel to two of my earliest stories, Megan's Coercion and Using Ashleigh. You can, however, read it stand-alone. Like those stories, this one features themes of reluctance and manipulation. All characters are over the age of eighteen.

Thank you for reading!

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"This is going to be so good," the blonde said. Her fine hair tickled her partner's chest as she rode him.

"It already is," he groaned, his hands resting on the young woman's thighs.

This earned a laugh. "You know what I mean, silly." She leaned in, gave him a kiss, then pulled back. "I mean it will be so fun what we'll do with this."

"It will," he agreed, and for several heartbeats, his eyes slid shut. "You're fantasizing about it now, aren't you?"

"A little bit, yeah."

"Because you're dripping wet."

"That's not the only thing making me wet," the young woman replied. She ran her fingers through the man's lush chest hair. "Anyway, you're pretty fucking hard. What are

you

fantasizing about?"

"I don't have to fantasize with you on me, do I? But I'm thinking about it. Thinking she might not be the only one I fuck that day."

"Ohhh, I think we'd like that, too," the blonde said with a sigh.

"Yes we would," said a third person. The one holding the camera.

***

"And in a late flurry of trading, both the NASDAQ and the Dow climbed into positive territory. Whether that rally continues will depend on the jobs report due out tomorrow. We now return you to the-"

Rob flicked off the TV, his ears alert. For a moment he thought he had imagined the sound, but there it was again, a quiet knock on his door. The pair of young women waiting on his porch could hardly have surprised him more.

"Megan," he began carefully, "and Ashleigh. It's so nice to see you."

"Surprised?" Ashleigh asked. Just like the last time he had seen her, three years ago, Ashleigh's glossy hair fell around her shoulders unrestrained.

"It is a surprise," Rob said, still speaking with great care, "but it's good to see you both."

In truth, 'nice' wasn't the first word that leapt to Rob's mind. Had it really been three years since the summer that he had coerced or tricked both of the young women into his bed? It was a cliche that the years slip past ever faster as one ages, but surely those blissful afternoons couldn't be so distant.

"Are you going to invite us in?" Megan asked. Like Ashleigh, McDonnell thought he caught a winking playfulness that he couldn't remember in either of them.

"Of course, of course," he stammered, holding the door open as the two young women breezed past. A fleeting whiff of perfume lingered in their wake.

"Your house is just like I remember," Megan said. "It's airy and open," she added, "not cluttered."

Rob couldn't picture the Megan he remembered saying 'airy and open'. Nor was she the only one to surprise him. Ashleigh let her eyes wander around the living room, landing in turn on an original landscape, a collection of Hopi pottery, and a pair of shadow puppets, elegantly framed.

"Are those from Indonesia?"

Eyes widening with surprise, Rob admitted as much. "That's a very good observation, Ashleigh."

"Thank you," the brunette said with the same ease with which she had slipped into his home. "Art history," she explained. "But I've only studied it. You've been there, right?"

"Five years ago, I think. Shit, no," Rob said, correcting himself, "I think it was more like seven." He would have liked to discuss art history with Ashleigh, but Megan pulled his attention away.

"Sooo," the blonde said, flopping into Rob's favorite chair. "I seem to recall that I owe you a bottle of bourbon."

"I suppose you do." Rob hadn't forgotten that particular element of his encounter with Megan. She had, in the course of a week of house-sitting, downed a fifth of his favorite bourbon. It was that weakness to alcohol, in part, that had allowed him to manipulate her into fucking him.

"I thought maybe this would settle our debt," Megan said, pulling a bottle from her bag.

Rob eyed it. "Shit!" he said. "Is that Dickel's?"

"Bottled in bond," Megan confirmed, handing him the bottle.

"Megan! This is hard to find."

The blonde laughed, easy and musical. "Tell me about it."

"How did you... wait," Rob said, "this isn't your father's, is it?"

Here Megan executed an expert-level eye roll. "Mr. McDonnell, please," she said, "I

do

have some money, you know. I have an internship at Kerner this summer."

"So do I," Ashleigh said. Like Megan, she had settled as comfortably into Rob's home as if she was renting a room there.

"Are you going to open it?" Megan asked.

"It

is

after five." Rob peeled back the foil, tugged the cork free, and poured three modest servings. To his pleasure, both young women sipped -but didn't slam- the whiskey. As they shared the simple moment, Rob's eyes swept over his guests. Both had morphed subtly in the intervening years. Megan, who had been skinny to the point of sharpness, had filled in nicely. Though still slender, her angles were now softened. More a woman, less a girl.

Ashleigh, the voluptuous brunette, had moved in the other direction. Rob remembered her as a soft but ripe young woman with a touch of baby fat to accompany her round breasts and hips. In the intervening years, she had shed some of her softness without losing her curves. Though Rob wouldn't have believed it possible, both of his guests had become even sexier.

"This is nice," Rob said, sipping the whiskey, "but you two didn't come here to repay a three-year-old alcohol debt."

"Alcohol debt," Ashleigh said, laughing. "No, that isn't why we're here."

Rob took a sip and waited for more.

"First," Megan said, "Ashleigh knows."

"Oh?" It only took Rob a few seconds to realize what she meant. Just two weeks after he had coerced Megan into fucking him, he had leveraged her friendship with Ashleigh to lure the brunette into his bed.

"Yyyyep," Ashleigh said. For a moment she fixed Rob with an intense gaze, but she couldn't hold it. "It's cool," she said, laughing. "Seriously. Kinda hot, honestly."

"So, you know Megan watched?"

"Yeah," Ashleigh said, twirling a strand of black hair between her fingers. "She told me."

Rob chuckled. "How did

that

come up in conversation, I wonder."

It was Ashleigh's turn to laugh. "I told her that I slept with you. I thought it was kind of cool, getting with an older guy, plus I thought maybe Megs would be jealous."

"So I told her that I'd

already

fucked you," Megan said. "Aaaand, that maybe I helped set her up."

"Bitch," Ashleigh said, but not without a smile. Neither woman seemed particularly upset.

"But we'd like your help with something," Megan said. She was dressed no less enticingly than the first time Rob had seen her. Three years prior it had been skin-tight ripped jeans and a skimpy t-shirt. Now she was wearing a top less flagrantly teasing, but just as seductive, well cut rather than revealing.

"Yes," Ashleigh said. "We told you about our internships at Kerner."

"Sure." Rob knew the company, a software and technology services company with a strong local presence. "I've consulted with them several times. Badging and credentialing systems."

His guests exchanged a meaningful glance. "That might really work out then," Megan said.

"What?" Rob asked. "What might work out?"

"Okay," Ashleigh said, taking over from her friend. "Kerner is a great company, right? I got an internship in social media marketing. Perfect for me. Promote the company on-line, watch for detractors, and help drive brand recognition."

"Perfect," Rob agreed.

"And I," Megan added, "have one working in product envisioning, helping run workshops with real customers to test their reactions to new concepts."

"Congratulations. You both have a start in careers that didn't even exist when I was your age. What do you want my help with, though?"

"There's an opportunity and an... impediment," Megan said, choosing the word carefully. We're in the summer intern program, which will wrap up at the end of August. But Kerner will extend one internship through the fall semester."

"Thus the opportunity," Rob said. "That intern would be shortlisted for a position after graduation next year. I take it one of you hopes to get chosen."

"Especially Ash," Megan said. "I mean, I wouldn't turn it down but she really likes Kerner."

"And you'd like my help getting the extension? I'm not sure there's much I can do. Provide some insight, maybe?"

"Kind of," Ashleigh said, trading another glance with Megan. "We'd like your help with a bet."

***

-One week earlier-

"You two. I can't. Fucking. Believe it."

Ashleigh and Megan looked up from where they were seated in Kerner's employee cafe. A few others were hanging out following the intern orientation session, but one in particular remained close, looming over them.

"Oh, hiii Claire," Ashleigh said. "Are you interning here, too?"

"You know I am! You saw me in there. You, too, Megan." The redhead had her arms crossed and a studied scowl on her face.

"Oh yeah." Megan twirled a carrot stick through a hummus cup and bit it in half. "I wasn't sure I recognized you."

"How did you two get internships here? Did you fuck someone?"

"I fucked a lot of someones," Ashleigh said. "But no one at Kerner. Yet."

"We made the Dean's list the past two semesters," Megan added. "Seems like getting out of Tri Delts was a good move. More time to study. Less time with sorority bullshit."

Claire reddened, a reaction made even more evident by her pale skin. "You two were never Tri Delt material. And you aren't Kerner material, either."

"Dean's list," Megan repeated. "That's what Kerner is looking for. They don't care about sorority bullshit either."

"Getting an internship is easy. For me, anyway. And there's like twenty of us. It's getting the extension through fall semester that matters."

"Yeah, I was thinking about applying for that," Ashleigh said casually.

"You?" Claire said. "There's no way. You'd actually have to do some real work this summer, not just fuck around at the intern happy hours."

"Look at the little striver who's so confident," Megan said, twirling another carrot stick through the spread. She didn't bother to look up.

"I am, actually, thanks."

"Well we should have a little side bet, then," Ashleigh said.

"I don't need your money. I'm not poor, remember?"

"Yesss, I remember you saying that all the time. How wealthy your family is."

"I'm glad you were paying attention."

"Not money then," Ashleigh said. "Something much more personal."

***

"What bet?" Rob asked. "With who?"

"Another intern at Kerner," Megan answered. "An ex-sorority sister. Claire."

"You're in the same sorority?"

"We were. Tri Delts, freshman and sophomore year."

"Not anymore?"

"No," Ashleigh said, taking over. "It was fun at first. Lots of parties, boys, and attention. But both Megs and I were struggling. Partying too much, not studying, not learning. Junior year we quit the sorority and moved off campus."

Rob nodded. The pair certainly had a more grounded vibe and more self-confidence. What had he expected? That they would remain changeless, ever the vain and manipulative young women he remembered?

"I'm guessing your former sorority sisters didn't exactly remain good friends."

"Claire especially. She was a bitch then, and she's still in character."

"This is about the extension, isn't it? The bet?"

"Yes," Ashleigh continued. "If she's the one who gets it, we agree to not even apply at Kerner next year."

"That's not a bad bet, really," Rob said. "Whoever wins the internship extension will almost certainly be offered a job with Kerner after graduation, probably on the fast track. If one or both of you also make it in the door, she'd always be a step ahead anyway. That's the best case. Worst is she'll make your professional life hell."

"That's how I read it!" Ashleigh said, clearly pleased with Rob's assessment.

"You said you did some business with them," Megan said, leaning in. "Any contacts you might be able to talk to?"

"I see how it is," Rob laughed. "Yeah, I still have some contacts there. There will be a selection committee. Maybe I can find out who you have to impress."

"You'd do that?" Ashleigh beamed.

"Sure," he shrugged. "Just a few phone calls. But, when you dropped by you didn't know I had worked with Kerner. What's the real reason that you're here?"

Ashleigh flashed a Cheshire grin. "That's the part you'll like the most."

***

"Umm, Ash, a minute if you don't mind?"

Ashleigh let Megan lead her around the corner, leaving Claire standing at their table. "What?"

"Ash, what are you doing? What bet?"

"Trust me, okay? You know how arrogant Claire is. We can fuck with her, maybe even get her out of our way. You want to work here after graduation, right?"

"Not as much as you! I was just hoping to get some experience, pad my resume."

"You'll see, I prommmise!" Ashleigh placed her hands on Megan's shoulders. "We have nothing to lose here. If Claire gets the extension it won't matter anyway. If one of us gets it, let's make sure it matters."

"Fuck, fuck, okay," Megan said, pushing herself clear. "Okay. What's the bet, though?"

Ashleigh told her.

***

When Megan and Ashleigh returned to the cafe Claire was standing with her hips cocked and a disdainful smirk on her face. "You two done making out?"

"We'll make out later," Ashleigh said. "Don't you want to hear about the bet?"

"Sure, tell me," Claire said with a dramatic eye roll. "I'm dying inside until you do."

"Bet is," Ashleigh explained, "you get the internship extension, and we both promise to not even apply for a job at Kerner after graduation."

"As if they'd take you."

"Oh, fine then. No bet. We'll all be such good friends next year."

Claire chewed her lip. "You'd do that? When I get the extension you'll just give up on Kerner? They're the best employer in town."

"Not all of us want to stay here our entire lives," Megan said. "And it isn't

when,

it's

if."

"What Megan is trying to say is yes," Ashleigh confirmed. "If you get the extension neither of us will apply for full-time positions with them next year."

"And I suppose you want the same promise from me if one of you gets it?"

"Oh, nooo," Ashleigh said, "we'd never dream of cutting short your professional ambitions."

"What then?"

Ashleigh told her, too.

***

Rob was near speechless, staring at his visitors blankly.

"If she loses she has to fuck me?"

"Not exactly." It was the first time Ashleigh had the better of Rob and she was savoring it. "We didn't tell her who."

"Okay, hold on," he said. "How did you frame this with her?"

Megan poured herself another splash of bourbon. "So, to understand this you have to understand Claire a little. Most of us at the house had plenty of fun if you know what I mean. But not so much Claire. She's always sooo careful, like each guy is on the loving spouse track."

"Because that's exactly what college-age men want."

"Exactly, thank you!" Ashleigh made an exasperated hand wave, giving her heavy breasts an enticing bounce. "She'd find just the right type of guy. From a wealthy family. Perfect teeth. In the right frat, MBA track. Let him take her out a few times to prove he's not just in it for one night."

"And then fuck him."

"And then fuck him," Ashleigh confirmed.

"And then they'd dump her?"

"Oh, no, it sometimes worked out for a while. Dated a dude the entire spring semester freshman year. Buuut, they couldn't see each other over the summer and of course he started fucking someone else."

"Men are the worst."

"Point is," Ashleigh continued, "she doesn't do casual sex. Fucking just because it's fun isn't in her plan."

"This chick wants to get married," Rob said, adding, "and she won't want any competition at Kerner."

"Bingo!" Megan said. "She's probably already downloaded the Kerner org chart and picked out the likely prospects."

"And with you two there..."

"Us hussies," Megan laughed.

"Yeah, she'll be hot to get us out of the way," Ashleigh continued. "So we said we'd clear out if she wins, but if one of us wins, she has to fuck someone we pick."

Rob couldn't quite reconcile that part of the bet. "Who would agree to that? Wouldn't she assume that you'd pick someone repulsive?"

"No, we said it would be someone one of us had already slept with."

There was some balance to the wager, Rob decided. Both Megan and Ashleigh were attractive young women, confident in their charms. Claire could reasonably assume that even if she lost, she would at worst have to sleep with a handsome young man.

"But how would you prove that?" he asked. Although still cautious, it was dawning on Rob that his summer might get a lot more enjoyable.

"A video," Ashleigh explained. "We agreed on a certain sign. If we show a video, a sex tape, with that sign, then Claire will know we made it after this bet."

"What sign would that be?"

"Help us out with Kerner and you just might find out."

***

It might all be bullshit.

There might not even be a Claire. If Megan and Ashleigh were intent on succeeding in their internships then the story might be no more than a ploy to get Rob's help. Once they had extracted any assistance he could provide they could just say "thanks, sucker," and move on.

But he got the vibe that the two women were serious. Their ploy might be of the variety that only someone mildly obsessed would concoct, but they were intent on carrying it out. And in either case, it hardly mattered; what they were asking of him amounted to little more than making a few phone calls. He waited just over one week before making the first.

"Stuart," Rob began. "Stu! It's good to hear your voice. I was afraid maybe you'd been replaced by a robot or something."

"Rob McDonnell, that you? No, no, if I'd been replaced by a robot it would be programmed to block your calls. How ya doin'?"

"I'm well, thanks. Squeezing every drop of fun out of life that a man can manage."

"You still a bachelor? Seeing anyone right now?"

"Not right now. Just ended it with someone a month or so back. Why, you got someone for me?"

This drew a laugh. "Nah. Pretty sure you hang out with a younger crowd than I do anyway."

If you only knew,

Rob thought. "About that younger crowd, though, I have a nephew who's considering an internship there."

"We already have our interns for this year."

"Oh, I know. It won't be until next year. I was wondering if you might have any insight into what they're looking for. Kerner, I mean."

"Ah, okay. Well, I work in procurement, remember? I'm not on the selection committee, like, ever."

"Well, if you don't mind telling me, who's on it this year? That might help give me an idea."

"Sure, lemme see." For a moment the line went mostly quiet, with only the sounds of Stuart pecking at his keyboard coming through. "Yeah," he said at last, "here it is. Looks like it's Wilkins, Bhaat, and Turner. Pretty sure Wilkins and Bhaat are on there every year, so it's a good bet they'll be on next year, too. I hope that helps."

As with Stuart, Rob knew the other Kerner managers from a months-long consulting engagement just two years earlier. "It does. Thanks, bud!" The two talked for several more minutes, ending with a promise to meet for drinks.

***

Two days later Megan and Ashleigh visited once more, this time directly from work. Both were dressed professionally in modest silk blouses, but whereas Ashleigh was wearing a simple skirt, Megan was in summer-weight slacks.

"You two clean up nicely," Rob observed.

"Thank you, Mr. McDonnell," Ashleigh said with a curtsey. "So do you, but... jeans?"