Chapter 10
Billy was tired and sated from his tryst with Cherie; damn, was she ever a hot little number. He was not worried about whether she would keep her promise to call him or not; she was hot but she was not the only sheep in the shed. Billy had slept for four hours and woke up feeling great. He showered, dressed, and headed to the ranch, stomach rumbling in anticipation of one of Tanya Nobles' big breakfasts. Yep, it was good to be Billy Clyde. Billy Clyde had no inkling how things could change drastically for him - without warning.
While Billy, trying his best to impersonate Bernard, was sitting at the breakfast bar that Friday morning, working on his grits and eggs, Jake and Melissa were making their first appearance on Good Morning America. The talk show circuit was fast becoming a prime showcase for the Turners, especially Melissa. Melissa was a dream interview; she was beautiful, smart, witty, and funny as hell. The camera loved her and the relationship between the candidate and his wife appeared endlessly fascinating to the audiences.
After their appearance on Good Morning America, Melissa and Jake flew up to Boston. The Special Forces Ball was not until seven that evening and they had no other commitments. Both of them were looking forward to an afternoon alone in a hotel room. The flight was short and the trip from Logan International was mercifully quick. Driving chores this time were being handled by off-duty Boston cops who were providing their security. Sean Murphy had set up the security arrangements so Debbie and Erika could prepare for and enjoy the gala that evening.
They arrived at the Hilton at a little after one in the afternoon. They had a top floor suite booked for the night. The Hilton was also the venue for the ball so all they would have to do was dress and mosey downstairs at around seven. Debbie and her crew were staying at the Marriott in Fitchburg, a town closer to Fort Devens. Debbie really liked the guys on Mister Cole's team and had gone all out to make the evening special for them. She had even booked two stretch limousines for the evening.
By one-fifteen, Jake and Melissa were making out like teenagers. Melissa's dress was partially off and Jake was kissing all the silky, dusky skin he could get his lips on. Melissa lay back on the bed enjoying the attention. These times were becoming more and more infrequent. Melissa cooed as Jake nibbled along her jaw line and his hand slipped into her bra. She arched her back to push her breast more firmly into his hand. Jake caressed and kissed her for another minute, then got serious about getting her naked. A few zips and tugs and he had her gloriously nude. He admired her for a second then dove headfirst between her splayed thighs.
Melissa moaned her approval as Jake drilled his tongue between her labia. Her vagina was pumping out her sweet nectar as fast as he could lap it up. Melissa had gone two weeks without sex of any type; excepting when she was pregnant, it had been her longest dry spell since she was a teenager. When Jake started lashing her prominent clit with his tongue, she came so hard she actually squirted some. Jake eased her down from her orgasm, then quickly shed his clothes and climbed back on the bed. Melissa sat up, pushed him down on his back, and took his erection into her mouth. Melissa laved his dick for only a minute or so before sliding up and impaling herself on him. Once she was comfortable astride him, she tossed her hair back behind her and sat still.
"Do you know why today is extra special for me, Hubby?" she asked.
"Uh-oh," Jake thought, "What occasion have I forgotten?" Aloud he simply said, "No, Baby."
Melissa smiled at his fleeting look of concern.
"Don't worry, you aren't in trouble. But it was twenty years ago today that I woke up in your bed totally in love with you. Do you remember that I didn't want to sleep alone after my father was killed so you let me sleep with you? You were being so noble not to have sex with me no matter how hard I tried. That morning I woke up in your arms and decided that I would wake up the same way for the rest of my life. While you slept, I crawled under the covers and started sucking you. I still think it was the best decision I ever made."
"Twenty years," Jake said in amazement. "You've made me so happy, Muffy, that the years have flown by. My only complaint is that we haven't had enough time together lately. We are going to have to find a way to fix that."
"I'm hoping that we can spend most of the holidays between Thanksgiving and New Years together. I know the really hard campaigning will start in January and I plan on traveling with you a lot."
As they were talking, Melissa had been clamping down on and releasing his shaft with her inner muscles to keep him hard. She squeezed him extra tight and then rode up and down on him a few strokes.
"There is one other thing we need to talk about, Hubby. I'm thirty-eight now; can you believe that? My mother was only thirty-eight when she died. Anyway, I want another baby or two while I'm still young enough to carry them without problems. I've already had Beth Owens check me out and my plumbing is in good shape; now all that I need is for you to agree before I stop the pill."
Jake smiled at her sweet serious expression. What she had said was not a surprise to him; he had been getting signals from her for months that she felt her biological clock ticking.
"Gee, you mean you are asking this time instead of just making it happen?" he teased.
Then he turned serious.
"I think that's a great idea, Wifey. But it's going to be hard on you being pregnant while I'm off campaigning. Why don't we wait a few months so that the baby is born after the elections? That way, win or lose, I'll be able to share the experience with you."
Melissa whooped and fell forward covering his face with kisses.
"Ok, Hubby, you have a deal. It would be way cool to have a baby in the White House."
Jake grabbed her around the waist and effortlessly flipped her off of him and onto her back.
"In that case, Missus Turner," he growled, "I guess I better practice ravishing the First Lady."
While the Turners were acting like teenagers, Cheri Goldblatt was taking a bubble bath in South Orlando. As the scented oils in the bath beads relaxed her sore and aching muscles, Cheri's mind drifted back to last night. She was still having trouble grasping the brutish way that lout had treated her and how much she had enjoyed it. One thing was certain; she had paid Philandering Philip back in spades. Cheri shivered as she recalled what a shameless slut she had become by the end of the evening.
Cheri looked down at her small breasts just barely jutting out of the water. They were covered in bite marks and hickeys. Billy had paid them plenty of attention claiming they were perfect. Her husband had seldom touched them; he said they were too small to worry with. Thinking about how good it felt having Billy biting on them caused her tiny nipples to puff up into hard little nubs. Cheri grasped both nipples between her thumb and index finger trying to squeeze them as hard as Billy had. It felt good but she could not apply the pressure he had used. Cheri giggled; who knew that her neglected little muffins would be so sensitive?
Cheri abandoned her breasts and slid her hands down her body to her mound. Her little pussy felt a bit wounded today, but it was a pleasurable ache. She spread herself open with both hands and flicked her clit with her thumb. The feeling was electric. She mentally cursed herself for wasting all those years she could have been doing this. Then for good measure she cursed her husband for not being man enough to teach her these things. Cheri slid lower in the tub and rolled her pelvis upward. She hooked her right leg over the edge of the tub and gently pushed her slippery index finger into her ass. Of the things that Billy had done last night, this was the nastiest. It was also one of the most enjoyable. A wave of warmth shot through her when she recalled Billy saying he was going to 'bust her ass cherry' if they got together again. Cheri did not doubt him for a minute as she recalled how he devirginized her little mouth and throat last night.
Cheri popped her perfectly manicured finger out of her ass and picked up the razor she used to shave her legs. She regarded the pelt that hid her charms in a new light after being with Billy. She had left it thick and luxurious because she thought it made her look more like a woman; but because Billy Clyde had made her a real woman, her thick bush was now superfluous. As she gently denuded her crotch, she started scheming on how she was going to reorder her life. Oh, she was still going to keep being Phillip's wife, but what she was shaving was no longer Phillip's pussy; Billy Clyde had been clear on that point. She had already called a private investigator and set up a meeting for Monday. Once she got the goods on Phil and Nicole, his blonde bimbo, she would put Phillip in his place, second place.
Cheri finished shaving and climbed out of the tub. She admired her handiwork in the full-length mirror. She looked as if she were about twelve; surprisingly, she now felt that that was a good thing. Cheri slipped on her robe then walked into her giant closet. Despite the closet being filled with clothes, nothing in it fitted Billy's clearly voiced requirements. That situation would be rectified as soon as she dressed and drove to the mall.
Cheri was in her Mercedes, headed for the Fashion Square Mall, when Billy Clyde called his apartment to check his answering machine. He only had one message:
"Hello, Billy, I would really like to see you tonight," Cheri said on his machine, "Call me, okay? My number is 867-5309." Her soft voice had a pleading quality to it that tickled Billy.
Billy leaned back in his chair and grinned. As near as he could figure it, life was good, hell, it was kinda like his dick: when it was hard, someone got fucked; but when it was soft, you couldn't beat it. Billy's grin grew wider when he looked at his watch; it was almost three-thirty, and Mikayla would be home soon. Billy dropped his feet back on the floor and turned his attention to his computer screen, "Come on, Bernie, you limp dick; hustle this up. I have places to see and people to do."
Mikayla arrived home ten minutes later. She headed straight for her room when she came in. She wanted to freshen up and change for Billy. She had been thinking about making out with him all day and she wanted more of those delicious French kisses. She stripped off her jeans and blouse, shucked her bra, and shimmied out of her damp cotton panties. In their place she put on a short skirt, satin bikini panties, and a sweater with no bra. She brushed her hair and put on some lip-gloss then walked to Billy's office.
Billy sat with her on the couch again. Mikayla thought he looked especially handsome and his cologne smelled intoxicatingly sexy. Mikayla snuggled into his arms as soon as they sat down. She pressed against him and put her arms around his neck.
"Kiss me, Billy," she said, "I've been looking forward to this all day. What you showed me yesterday made me see a lot of things differently today, and I want more."
Billy obliged her. They shared a long sensuous kiss that curled her toes. Billy broke the kiss and nibbled around her ear as she squirmed against him. Mikayla caught his lips with hers again; golly, she loved to kiss. As their second kiss heated up, Billy leaned back and pulled her on top of him. Mikayla came willingly, her legs straddling his hips. Billy put both hands on the back of her thighs and slid them under her skirt. Mikayla moaned into Billy's mouth and kissed him harder. Not only was it very cool that he was feeling her up as if she were a woman but also, his touches felt really nice. Mikayla unconsciously started grinding her crotch against the bulge she felt as his hands cupped her firm ass. It was all too much for Mikayla; she pushed against him really hard and groaned her way through the biggest climax of her young life. Gasping for breath, she reluctantly broke the kiss and fell limply on his chest.
Billy continued to stroke her tender ass as she recovered, her fragrant hair covering his triumphant smile.
"Wow, Billy, that was awesome," she gushed.
"Wow is right. That just shows you are more of a woman than anyone is giving you credit for," he smoothly stated.
"Yeah, I guess," she admitted with a blush, "but I'll bet that would never have happened with some boy from school."
"You are right about that," Billy chuckled. "Now kiss me again."
As they kissed, Billy continued to caress her ass and thighs. It only took a couple of minutes for Mikayla to begin squirming again. Billy decided it was time to up the ante.
"Lay back on the couch, Kay, and I'll show you something different that I think you'll like."
Eyes gleaming, Mikayla gracefully laid back away from him. Billy knelt by the couch and started kissing her again. While they kissed, he slipped his hand under her sweater and started teasing her small breasts. Mikayla cooed as he tweaked her nipples. Billy broke the kiss and pushed her sweater up under her chin. Mikayla lay with her eyes closed, breathing hard. She was embarrassed that he was seeing her small boobies but what he was doing felt really good.
"Kay, all women are different in what feels good to them. Some women like them gently touched - like this."
His feather soft touch was more of a teasing tickle to her; she nodded her head to acknowledge what he said.
"And some like them treated more firmly."
Again he demonstrated what he was talking about. Mikayla gasped as he squeezed harder. That had felt much better.
"Finally some women like it when it is almost painful, like this."
Billy swooped his head down and captured her nipple in his mouth. When he started applying pressure with his teeth, Mikayla gasped and clutched his head more firmly to her breast.
"Yes," she hissed, "I like that. Can you do it a little harder?"
Billy obliged her by biting somewhat harder. He smiled to himself. Could he pick them or what? It was as if he had internal radar that picked the type of women he preferred from out of the background noise of the general population of females floating by. It was a gift that seldom erred. The mistakes buried around the cabin on Piney Mountain had all been Bernard's.
Billy kept up the pressure with his teeth and slipped his hand back down under her cute mini-skirt. Mikayla spread her legs to make room for him. She was unconcerned that he was trying for third base; hell, she was actually dying for him to get there. Mikayla shuddered and splayed her legs ever wider when his fingers wormed under the leg band of her blue bikini panties. His touch sent goose bumps up her arms while the attention he was paying her nipple sent wave of pleasure right to the spot he was just starting to touch.
"Harder, bite harder," she mewed.
Billy felt the light dusting of downy hair that covered her cleft, the hair was silky fine and very sparse. This one would not have to shave for him. His questing fingers lightly touched the edge of her crease; she was delightfully wet for him. He slid his finger slightly into her and felt the membrane that signified her virginity. Carefully, he eased the finger into her. He wanted to save her maidenhead so he could sunder it with his dick. Mikayla humped her pelvis upward on his finger; her head lolled back as she rose towards yet another orgasm. She hit her peak when he pressed his thumb down on her clit.
Billy's eyes widened at the size of her pleasure button; of all the women and girls he'd had, hers was by far the largest. Billy smiled again in self-satisfaction; this one was a keeper. Billy renewed his vow to take it slow; he had long term plans for this little bitch that transcended a quick conquest. Besides, he now had Cheri to vent his frustrations on. Billy kissed and fondled Mikayla as she dropped down from her climax.
"You are an amazing woman, Kay. I would love to spend the rest of the afternoon continuing this - but we can't. I've got work and we need to avoid suspicion, ok?"
"Okay, but what about you? It's not fair that you made me feel so good and you did not get any relief," she said.
"We'll take care of that soon. Next time we are together I am gonna get you naked and kiss you all over," he replied.
Mikayla stood up and rearranged her clothes. Billy sprayed the room with the disinfectant spray that Bernard constantly used. All back together, Mikayla opened the door; she caught a glimpse of JJ in the hallway.
"Thanks, Mister K.," she said brightly. "I understand the concept much better now."
"I hope you are not badgering Mr. Kingston, Mickey; you know he is really focused on his work," JJ said.
"Oh, I don't think he minds - and he is a really good teacher," Mikayla said with a smile.
Billy called Cheri at five-thirty from his apartment.
"I'm picking you up at eight. Be ready," he told her.
Billy had a plan for the evening that would expand the little Jew girl's horizons by a factor of five. As he sat thinking about what was in store for Cheri, Bernard suddenly addressed him directly for the first time ever.
"I had no idea how vulgar and disgusting you were," said Bernard.
"What are you doing out of your cage, Sissy Boy?" Billy replied.
"I can't believe you are doing those vile things to dear Melissa's daughter. And that Jewish girl! You know how Mother felt about Jews."
"You know what they say, Bernie: old enough to bleed - old enough to breed. As for my little Jew slut, it's all pink on the inside. Besides, you're the Mama's boy, not me. If you can't take it, go back to the hole you hide in; this is my show now."
"Maybe, Billy, just remember when I'm feeling better I expect my body back."
And just like that, Bernard was gone. Billy shook his head. That boy was some kind of messed up; if he thought he was going to waltz back in and take over again, he had another think coming. Billy had been in the shadows for far too long to step aside without a fight. Billy was irritated when he pulled away from his apartment; little Cheri was in for it tonight.
Jake and Melissa stepped off the elevator into the Hilton lobby at five till seven that evening. Melissa, resplendent in an emerald green formal gown, looked as beautiful as Jake had ever seen her. How she had managed to pull that look together in less than an hour was some sort of miracle. Melissa stopped them outside the elevator and adjusted the bow tie of Jake's Dress Blue uniform.
"You are so handsome, Colonel Turner, all the women are going to be after you."
"I won't have time for them," Jake answered, "because I'll be too busy fighting their husbands away from you."
"Thank you, Hubby, I guess I don't look too bad for an old broad."
"Stop fishing for compliments, Muffy, you know you are always the most beautiful woman in any room you walk into."
Jake was sincere in his assessment; she was indeed breathtakingly beautiful. Melissa had her thick black hair in a simple upsweep hairdo pinned in place with a pair of combs that matched her dress. The gown was strapless and form fitting to the waist then flared into a full skirt that fell to the floor. Her bare shoulders and arms showed off her tawny complexion and combined with the upswept hair to highlight the slender column of her neck. Her make up was simple with only a hint of green eye shadow and pink lipstick. An emerald necklace adorned her throat and artfully drew the eye toward her creamy cleavage.
"You are so going to get lucky again tonight, you silver-tongued devil," she whispered.
He leaned down and whispered back, "I hope that dress can be dry cleaned cause I'm going to take you bent over the back of the couch in it."
Melissa gave him the 'just for Jake smile' and took his arm.
"We better go in before I rape you right here," she said.
Jake and Melissa met the Group Commander and his attractive Asian wife in the foyer outside the ballroom. While the Colonel's adjutant zipped off to get them drinks, the two couples chatted. Colonel Henley explained that the four of them would be in a receiving line for the guests as they entered the ballroom; each member of the Group and their guests would pass through the line and be introduced to Jake and Melissa. Jake knew the routine and at seven-fifteen he and Melissa dutifully took their places. They were ten minutes into the shake and shuffle when there was a commotion at the entrance door.
Everyone in the foyer watched the two long white limousines as they eased to a stop right outside the doors. The doors of the front limo swung open and discharged the married members of Cole's team and their spouses. The five couples stood at the curb as their limo pulled ahead to make room for the second. The big automobile had barely stopped when its door opened and the four single guys on the team piled out. The men stood two on each side of the door as the women exited. The two HERZ instructors stepped out first, followed closely by Debbie. Erika exited last, sticking one forty-inch inseamed leg out the door and gracefully uncoiling out of the seat. Jake smiled at the involuntary gasps from some of the soldiers as Erika stood up. She looked incredible.
From the reception line, Jake and Melissa went inside the ballroom to mingle. They quickly found Randy Cole's table; Operational Detachment 052 was the center of attention, as everyone wanted to meet the new women. Randy was sitting with a dazed look on his face as Erika held his hand and acted for all the world as if they were in love.
Jake introduced Melissa to everyone then nodded Debbie over to him.
"What's up with Erika?" he asked her sotto voce.
"Randy's ex is still friends with some of the women here so we are sending her the message that he is doing fine without her. At least that was the original plan. Now it really looks like Erika is smitten. I've never seen her act this way with anyone but you," Debbie whispered in answer.
Jake shook his head at the way things happened then rejoined the conversation at the table. Melissa seemed to really be enjoying herself. Jake realized suddenly that Melissa seldom had the opportunity to just sit and chat with other women. She had sacrificed her social life for him and his campaign. He needed to fix that pronto, maybe inviting everyone at the table down for Christmas would be a good idea.
While the Turners and their friends were yakking, Cheri Goldblatt was gawking at herself in the mirror. That could not possibly be her reflection; no, that was some fifteen-year-old hooker. She smoothed the short pleated skirt over her hips and tugged up her thigh high stockings, smiling as she thought about the trip to buy them. She had picked up three of the skirts and three different colored pairs of stockings to match; the skirts in size six petite fit her perfectly.
"Your parents will never let you wear these to school," the young sales clerk had said.
Cheri was surprised at how much she liked the look on her: Short black skirt, black stockings, red shirt with no bra, and two-inch heels. She had pulled her hair behind her small ears and clipped the black locks in place with barrettes shaped like megaphones. Her pierced ears were adorned with small teddy bear earrings. To top off the outfit for the cool October evening, she was wearing a leather jacket like the one Madonna had worn in some movie Cheri had recently seen.
The doorbell ringing broke the spell of her self-admiration. Cheri nervously looked herself over one more time before opening the door. Billy walked through the open portico and took her into his arms. Cheri worried for a second about being seen by her neighbors but decided 'fuck it, let them look'. Billy looked handsome in black jeans and a white shirt, and he smelled of some manly cologne. Cheri spread her legs when his hand slipped under her skirt to check her shave. After feeling her up thoroughly he stepped back.
"You look like one of my women now - are you?" he asked.
Cheri did not even have to think about it; she was on fire from just that one touch. She nodded her head up and down emphatically. Billy tilted her chin up and put his face close to hers.
"Good, but Billy don't share his pussy with other men. If I find out you been fucking around, you will be one sorry little bitch, got it?"
Cheri almost passed out from fear and excitement as she stared into his cold blue eyes. She nodded again.
"'Course, I might give you to another woman once in awhile if the deal was right. Now, get down on your knees and show me how happy that makes you."
Cheri glanced once at the open doorway before kneeling in front of him. She unzipped his fly and fished out his cock; she did not care if everyone in the neighborhood was gathered on the front lawn. Ten minutes later, she was snuggled beside Billy in his big, powerful truck, enjoying his hands as they took liberties that until yesterday would have sent her screaming to her shrink.
Billy's destination was also on the south side of Orlando but on the notorious Orange Blossom Trail. Cheri thought they were going out to dinner when Billy pulled in front of a large building with a tastefully ornate façade. 'Maximillian's' a small neon sign proclaimed the place. Cheri had never heard of the establishment but figured it must be nice; they even had valet parking.
As the valet reached to open her door, Billy grabbed her arm.
"Give him a little show getting out," he demanded.
Cheri blushed down to the roots of her hair but managed to give the young man a long look at her panties as she exited the vehicle. God, that was so slutty; yet the act added even more moisture to the already soaked panties she wore. Billy followed her out and put his arm around her possessively. She pulled the arm over her shoulder until it was covering her left breast. She was definitely getting into this.
Cheri was confused by the gold script on the frosted glass door that proclaimed Maximillian's as a 'Club for Refined Gentleman'. Her confusion grew when Billy handed a burly man wearing a black tuxedo some money. After the money exchanged hands, the man asked for Cheri's ID. He scanned her driver's license carefully before unhooking a velvet rope that had blocked their path.
Leering at Cheri he said, "Enjoy your evening."
Cheri was beyond shocked when they entered a large, dimly lit room dominated by a stage ringed with chairs. Dancing on the stage were two attractive young women wearing nothing but smiles and a garter. One girl was prancing around the stage as men stuck money in her garter while the other was contorting herself around a brass pole that went from floor to ceiling. Billy led her to two empty chairs at the bar and sat her down next to him. He pulled a wad of cash out of his jacket and sorted it into piles by denomination on the bar in front of Cheri. There was a stack of fives, tens, twenties, and a single fifty-dollar bill. Cheri looked at him in confusion.
"You are going to rate the women, the hotter you think they are, the bigger the tip. The one you think is hottest of them all gets the fifty, understand?"
Cheri nodded. Billy signaled over a semi-nude waitress and ordered them drinks.
"A Bud in the bottle, no glass for me; Long Island Ice Tea for the lady, tall, strong and sweet," Billy said curtly as he handed her two twenties.
Cheri downed the sweet concoction in a couple of gulps, her mouth dry from nervousness. By the time the second drink arrived, Cherie was just starting to feel the buzz from the first. The drink had been much stronger than the one she had the previous evening. Billy had his hand on her thigh as she did her best to judge the dancers. The girls caught onto the game quickly and made a serious effort to impress Cheri by dancing right in her face. Cheri blushed profusely as she slipped money into their garters. The third dancer, a redhead with medium sized breasts, was good enough to earn one of the twenties. After the twenty was tucked into her garter, the girl put Cherie in shock by kissing her on the lips and slipping her some tongue.
Cherie was feeling definitely buzzy-buzzed by the time the last dancer had finished. Billy asked her for her choice as the sexiest and Cherie unhesitatingly told him it was Sasha, the redhead. Billy smiled and asked the waitress if Sasha could join them. A few minutes later, Sasha was standing beside Cherie as Billy explained her prize. Sasha looked at Cherie when Billy finished talking.
"So you think I'm sexy?" she asked.
Cherie averted her eyes and slowly nodded her head. Sasha cupped Cherie's chin in the palm of her hand and lifted her head.
"I think you are sexy too, Little One," Sasha said as her lips covered Cherie's.
The kiss seemed to Cherie as if it lasted an hour. She initially resisted as Sasha tried to work her thick tongue between her lips. Sasha simply reached down and twisted her nipple; when Cherie gasped, Sasha shot her tongue, snake-like, into her mouth. It must be the drinks, Cherie thought, as she surrendered to the kiss.
Billy and Cherie left the club a few minutes later. Cherie was a little unsteady on her feet and as horny as a ferret in heat. Billy drove her to his apartment in Deland where Cheri learned what it really meant to be one of Billy's women. Billy also helped her with her plan for Phillip that weekend in between bouts of debauchery which left traces of Billyspunk in her hair, dripping from all of her orifices, and drying between her meager breasts. Billy took her home Sunday evening; she was tired, sore, and totally satisfied. Every time she sat down, she was reminded of the especially good time she had had getting rid of her last cherry.
Phillip Goldblatt returned from Vegas on Thursday; he had stayed the two extra days to play golf - he said. Cheri had not minded that he had extended his trip because it gave her investigator time to install the hidden cameras in Phillip's office. It took fewer than ten days to get the goods on Phillip. Cheri was amazed at his boldness; not only was he slipping his puny dick into his assistant, he was also taking liberties with his clients while they were under nitrous oxide.
The second Monday after his return, Cheri confronted her husband with her evidence and explained the new facts of life to him. Phillip puffed and blustered but in the end caved completely to her demands. When he returned home from work Tuesday, he dejectedly also handed her the key to his controlled-drugs safe.
"Look on the bright side, Phillip," Cheri said sweetly. "You have my permission to keep up what you have been doing as long as you are discreet; and I'm going to remain the model wife for you - at least in name." As she spoke, the model wife was putting some finishing touches on her 'yes, of course I have id' teen-slut look.
Phillip nodded glumly as he watched her get dressed to go out. Somehow the new arrangement did not seem as good a deal as he had previously imagined it would.
Jake and Melissa came back from Massachusetts on the Saturday after the Special Forces Event. Debbie, Erika and the other women were having such a good time they stayed through the weekend. Congress was on a ten-day break and Jake was going to stay close to home for the rest of it. He had three days scheduled to work at various jobs and two speeches that were within driving distance. He was also interviewing speechwriters. Melissa and some of his seasoned advisors wanted to repackage his basic message before it started getting monotonous.
Jake's continuing process to stay in touch with regular people had not stopped; on Wednesday, he had a pick up job with a framing crew building a single family home in a Thornton Development subdivision. Jake had always liked working around framers, they were mostly all lunatics, but sure were a lot of fun. The crew to whom Jake was assigned was setting trusses on a large single story concrete block house. Trusses are prefabricated frameworks that include all the supporting structure between the ceiling and the roof. The trusses were numbered as to their location sequence atop the wall and a corresponding diagram was attached to the house's blueprints. Three carpenters on the ground rigged the trusses to a cable dangling from a crane. The crane lifted each truss and swung it into position. A carpenter on each end wall then attached the truss to an anchor strap embedded in the top of the block wall. One carpenter had the tough job of sitting on the peak of the last truss that had been secured and bracing the new truss against it. As the new guy, that was the job Jake drew.
When Jake came down off the roof to eat the lunch Melissa had packed for him, the other framers jived him about being slow but conceded he was a half-assed good framer. By two that afternoon, the trusses were set. While one crew started nailing off the anchor straps and installing braces and blocking, Jake and three other men started putting down the roof deck. The deck or sheathing was made up of four-foot by eight-foot sheets of five-eighths inch thick plywood. Jake, of course, drew the hardest job, swinging the plywood in place so the other carpenters could nail it down. When it hit four in the afternoon, Jake was more than ready to get off that roof.
The framers invited Jake for a cold one down at Frenchie's Pub. Jake went over to the security guys sitting in their black suburban and asked to use their car phone. A quick call to Melissa and he was set. He jumped into the pickup of the framing crew's foreman; it had been thirty five years since he'd had a beer with the guys, but a cold one sounded about right that afternoon.
Jake was sitting at a table swapping outrageous lies with the carpenters when his companions fell silent. Jake turned in the direction that they were staring. He grinned at the sight of his wife walking into the bar in tight jeans and a sweatshirt. Even casually dressed with her hair in a ponytail, she was stunningly beautiful.
"Man, you are fucked-up banging nails all day instead of banging that," one of the framers observed.
Jake stood and waved her over to their table. One of the men pulled up a chair for her but Melissa squirmed into Jake's lap instead. Melissa had a beer with them while she sat comfortably on Jake. After about thirty minutes. Melissa looked at her watch.
"What outrageous things am I going to have to do later to get you out of here, Hubby?" she asked sweetly.
The carpenters hooted and slapped Jake's back as he shook hands all around. The foreman of the crew told Jake that if he ever tired of stealing from the government for a living there was a place for him on his crew. Jake's hard work had earned him respect from a bunch that gave less than a shit about his money or influence. For his part, Jake almost regretted that he was working somewhere different tomorrow.
Melissa had driven over in one of the ranch's pickup trucks. Jake drove home with her snuggled against his side. For the fifteen minutes the ride took, they were just two ordinary people in love, a hard working man and his sweet loving wife.
"Sorry I had to drag you away from your new friends, baby, but you have a speech writer to interview in fifteen minutes."
"Well, at least I don't have to work for them again, so I won't have to listen to them teasing me about being pussy-whipped," Jake joked.
Jake and Melissa arrived back at the ranch at five thirty. Melissa led Jake to the large family room, and introduced him to the speechwriter, and then went to make a phone call. Her name was Gracela Touque; Melissa pronounced her last name as 'too-kay'. Ms Touque was dressed in a navy blue business suit with a calf length skirt. The suit jacket was over a pink silk blouse; she also wore large dangly earrings, and a pink beret set on her shortish brown hair at a jaunty angle. She was not very tall, even in her stylish boots with their three-inch heels. She was of medium build, curvy in all the right places.
"Touque - French?" Jake asked to break the ice.
"Maybe after I know you better, Mister Turner," she shot back.
Jake laughed at Touque's deadpan delivery.
"Call me Jake."
"Okay, Jake, and you can call me Grace."
She nodded towards his jeans, sweatshirt and work boots, "Is this how you usually dress when interviewing or did you do it just for me."
"This outfit is just for you, I was hoping the manly look would convince you to join our team."
"Are you offering me the job without asking me a single question?" Gracela asked in surprise.
"Listen, Grace, we checked your background, watched some of the sitcoms you've written, and investigated your politics. If you weren't worth hiring, you wouldn't be here. Besides, I asked you if you were French, that's a single question. Now how about it?"
Grace thought for a minute then gave Jake a slow smile that changed her from pretty to beautiful.
"You have a deal under two conditions."
"Let me hear them," Jake replied warily.
"One: you look into the rights of aboriginal peoples everywhere, including the United States, and two: I get first shot at writing your authorized biography."
Jake mulled it over; she'd asked about two things he had only marginally considered.
"Agreed," he said, "But I have a condition of my own."
She arched her eyebrows inquiringly.
"I get to call you Gracie."
She snorted in laughter and stuck out her hand.
Jake flew back to DC on Tuesday, November the fifth; it was exactly one year until the next general election. Gracie Touque went back to California to prepare for her move to Florida. Jake was sitting at his desk early Wednesday morning when his private line rang. He picked up the receiver, pushed the button, and identified himself.
"Jake," Melissa said, her voice soft, tender, sad, "you need to come
home, Honey; your father passed away last night..."