It was dusk when Ray heard the doorbell ring and he flicked on the hall lights for the daylight was gradually fading.
'Coming Goddammit,' he yelled as the doorbell rang a second time.
He swung open the door scowling at his two friends Lawrence and Hugh who grinned amiably back at him. 'Didn't you see me switch on the hall light?'
'Didn't you hear the bell?' Lawrence quipped.
'I suppose you both better come in,' Ray said gruffly.
Grinning at Ray's truculent welcome his two friends bustled inside following Ray into his living room.
The poker table was ready and occupied the centre of the room, three chairs placed around it, glasses and a deck of cards on the table.
Lawrence, like Ray, was a big man, years of good living had made their mark and his girth if anything exceeded Ray's. Time though had been kinder on top as he retained his thick head of hair, though it was now completely silver, its lustrous chestnut brown long consigned to the past. Hugh, was the polar opposite in looks to his two friends, his frame was lean, his skin tanned and bronzed. He was completely bald and wore round wire frame glasses that gave him an impression a hawkish college lecturer. Lawrence and Hugh, pulled up their chairs sitting down at the poker table. To their amusement Ray sat down too. Lawrence raised an eyebrow in mock disapproval. 'Aren't you going to offer us a drink, Ray?'
'He's broke after last time, when we cleaned him out,' Hugh laughed. 'Maybe tonight we should let win a few hands then, next time we come he'll be able to buy some drinks.'
Lawrence pursed his lips. 'That it Ray? You too poor to buy your pals a drink? Maybe we should play with matchsticks instead of money tonight, what do you say?'
Ray, failing to suppress a smile at his friends joshing, gave a small shake of the heads. 'Boys, I didn't offer you a drink, because unlike you two cheapskates I have employed a young lady to act as waitress tonight.'
Lawrence gave a grunt of disbelief, folding his thick arms for effect. Hugh looked around the room in an exaggerated manner, a broad grin on his face. 'And where is this ravishing maid servant, she's not invisible is she?'
'Or make pretend, Ray,' Hugh chimed in. 'That's it, you finally lost your marbles. I knew you'd be the first to go gaga of the three of us.'
Ray, in response to their sceptical remarks reached into his trouser pocket and produced a small silver bell, that he placed carefully on the green felt of the poker table as though like a magician he had produced some wondrous feat.
His friends' eyes alighted on the small bell.
'What's that for?' Hugh asked.
'This, you two uncultured Bolsheviks is what civilised gentry folk like myself use to call for service.'
'Let's see if it works,' Lawrence scoffed, lifting the bell and giving it a ring.
A soft female voice from the doorway drew Lawrence and Hugh's attention. 'Gentlemen, may I offer you a drink?'
Ray grinned, savouring his friends' surprised expressions, for there stood his granddaughter, Shelly, holding a tray with three chilled bottles of beer on it. She still wore her blue denim cut offs, with a loose fitting low cut t-shirt that clung to her ample bra free breasts. Her feet were bare after her grandfather had told her he found young ladies going barefoot turned him on.
Shelly, smiling with anticipation at the evening ahead, placed the tray on the table not taking too much care to conceal her cleavage as she bent to serve the beers.
'Young Shelly isn't it?' Lawrence said, pleased he had recognised her and now understanding how his friend had procured such a sexy young helper.
'That's right,' Shelly said. 'I used to see you sometimes when I came over with my mum and dad.'
Lawrence shook his head, 'You've certainly grown since I last saw you.'
'And not just upwards,' Shelly teased, noticing his appreciable glance at her prominent breasts.
'Quite a firecracker ain't she?' Hugh observed.
'She's that all right,' Ray agreed with a smile.
'Now boys, shall we get down to business? Shelly dear, would you be so kind as to cut and deal the cards.'
'Yes, grandpa' Shelly said obediently. She took the deck, expertly shuffling it then offered the deck for both Lawrence and Hugh to cut. 'Five card straight?'
'That's right, darling,' Ray confirmed, pleased she'd taken on board what he'd taught her earlier, even if she kept distracting them both with her sexual proclivity.
Shelly dealt three hands, while each of the players produced from their pockets their respective stakes for the evening. Each player had a small pile of coins and notes, though Ray attracted the curious attention of his two friends for along with his money he placed a number of small folded pieces of white paper.
'What're those?' Lawrence asked gruffly. 'IOUs?' he gave Hugh a sardonic grin.
'These?' Ray smiled, 'These are part of my stake. If I have a good hand I put one of these instead of cash. You win the hand you get some attention from young Shelly here.'
'You mean she tops up our drinks?' Lawrence said sceptically.
'That and perhaps something else, maybe a dance for you, maybe a shoulder rub or something else. Depends on how high the bidding goes,' Ray answered mischievously, relishing the expressions on his friend's faces.
'She gonna do all this after we cash up after?' Hugh asked, clearly warming to the notion.
'No, you have to cash in those notes as soon as you win the hand, that's the deal.'
Lawrence, sat back and rubbed the back of his neck in contemplation. He looked across at Hugh. 'Well, Hugh what do you think?'
'Well, I suppose, if I mean, if young Shelly's okay with it.'
'It was Shelly's idea, if that answers your question,' Ray grinned, pleased at their reaction.
'Well, in that case let's get a game going,' Lawrence said lifting his cards.
The first few hands were uneventful, with not much to show than the odd pair. Small change accumulated on the table, but no decent bids meant the small pile of notes containing Shelly's treats remained with Ray. As well as acting as dealer, Shelly dutifully topped up their drinks, and stood to the side of Ray in the manner of an obedient servant.
The players, settled into the game and fortified by drink, began to risk more in their bidding. Soon a small pile of coins and notes began to grow in the centre of the table. Ray and Hugh called Lawrence's hand, Ray using one of his folded 'Shelly bids' as he called them. Lawrence, with a grin revealed a flush, and on his friends folding their hands and conceding defeat, scooped up his winnings.
'Now,' he said, carefully unfolding the piece of paper, 'Let's see what treat I've won.'
Shelly padded over to his side of the table, as he read out his winnings. 'A shoulder massage, - very nice.'
'I'll take over dealing duty,' Ray offered, as Shelly placed her small hands on Lawrence's broad shoulders.
Lawrence let out a satisfied sigh as Shelly applied more pressure, her palms and fingers kneading shoulder muscles, working loose any knots of tension, her thumbs pressed upwards either side of his spine to the base of his skull.
Lawrence looked at the fresh hand dealt but clearly the pleasant distraction Shelly caused made him take longer to decide what cards to discard from his hand. Shelly's hands moved from his neck back to the broad expanse of his shoulders. She leant forward and Lawrence felt the warmth of her breasts through the material of her t-shirt.
'Take off your shirt, Lawrence,' Shelly asked quietly.
'Ray, your granddaughter wants me to take off my shirt.' Lawrence said awkwardly, unsure of himself.
'Why don't you. You'll enjoy your back rub a lot more,' Ray responded, his eyes on his own cards.
After a moment's hesitation, Lawrence began unbuttoning his shirt. His friends gave no reaction, no more than if he had taken another sip from his glass. Shelly helped him remove the shirt, then folded it carefully and placed it on the sofa behind them. For a moment Lawrence was aware of the room's cool air on his bare skin, then Shelly's gentle hands were back on his shoulders moving, caressing, her soft hands like warm velvet. Lawrence tried to relax himself, tried to ignore his hard cock that strained against the constraining material of his pants. He felt Shelly's hands move rhythmically over his broad back, then felt the soft touch of her hair as she nuzzled her head close against him. Lawrence took a sharp intake of breath as he felt the tip of her tongue trace a path slowly up his back.