It started with a tray. A small, black tray, sitting on a water fountain outside the hotel. Obviously, it belonged to the bar, probably the one in the pool area, and that's where I was heading, so I picked it up.
Okay, it wasn't just the tray. Wearing a white shirt and dark unknotted tie was part of it. But it was carrying the tray that made the difference.
"'Scuse me? Could I get a drink?"
The second thing I noticed about her was that she was gorgeous, with long, auburn curls draped over her right shoulder.
The first thing I noticed was that her bikini top was unfastened and hanging open, as she lay face down on a reclined lounge chair, and the angling of her body as she twisted to look up at me exposed most of her full, firm left breast, which shook gently against the towel she lay on.
After a moment's mesmerized surprise, I freed myself from the pleasant distraction and looked into her sea-green eyes, which was when I realized just how lovely she was. A confused thrill - was this babe flirting with me? - lasted a moment longer, until I realized that I was carrying the tray.
Common sense stopped me from correcting her. There was no reason but cowardice not to take the opening that she was unaware that she'd offered. "What would you like?" I asked, instead.
"I'll have a G and T," she replied. "Room eleven seventeen."
So I continued on to the bar, where I handed the bartender the tray and ordered two gin and tonics. I gave the bartender twice what I'd normally tip - for luck, I guess - then I carried the drinks back to where the young woman was now lying flat on her towel, and set one down on the table beside her.
"You know," I said, "it's not every day a girl asks me to buy her a drink."
She turned her head quickly and looked at me in surprise. Tightly squinting her eyes, she said, "Oh, my God, you're not a waiter, are you?"
"Nope," I agreed.
"Oh, God, I'm so sorry," she said. "I'm not wearing my contacts. You must think..."
"Hey, it's all right," I said. "I could have said something, but I preferred the chance to get the drink for you. And no, it isn't charged to your room." I lifted my glass. "Cheers."
"Thanks, then," she said, carefully reaching for her glass and taking a sip. "Cheers. I still feel really dumb."
"Not at all," I insisted. "May I sit for a while? Are you waiting for someone?"
"No, I'm not," she said. "Sure. You bought me a drink, after all."
She reached behind to fasten her top. "It's okay," I said, "you don't need to get up."
"I've been sprawled here long enough." She finished with the strap and sat, tugging the top into place, which made fascinating ripples in her cleavage. Then she picked up her glasses from the table - thin-framed with clip-on dark lenses - and brushed back her hair.
As she put her glasses on, I had the distinct feeling I recognized her from somewhere, but couldn't pin it down. She certainly wasn't someone I knew personally, and if she was a customer she would have caught my eye before now.
"There you are," she said, her face relaxing as she stopped squinting.
"Yeah, here I am. I'm Gabriel."
"Hi Gabriel. I'm..." she seemed to pause, as if correcting herself, "Karen. I take it you're not here on vacation?"
"No. I work at the bank around the corner. I come by here for a drink occasionally. It's a good place to relax."
"And check out the sunbathers?"
"Well..."
"You seemed to be checking me out pretty thoroughly."
"Well... hey," I said, "you couldn't tell I wasn't a waiter, yet you could see me looking at you?"
"Sixth sense." She grinned. "Your reactions. Or maybe just a wild guess. Was I wrong?"
"Nuh-uh." I shook my head, feeling very uncomfortable. I was much better talking to strangers about their finances than girls one-on-one. Especially good-looking ones. "So, you are on vacation? From where?"
"Uh..." she paused before answering, "California. Yeah, I needed some time to relax."
"What do you do?" I asked.
"Something I'm taking a break from." She answered quickly, and a little sharply. Obviously that wasn't an open topic.
"Are you doing a lot of sightseeing here?"
"No," she replied, "mostly just resting. I've wasted almost a week, and it's been wonderful. I'm starting to feel like it's time to get out, now. I have another two weeks to explore the area."
"I could show you around, some..." I felt my face getting hot. I was starting to feel out of my depth. "If you like."
"Sure, why not?"
"We could... have dinner on the river. Later, I mean. If you want to." Now I was really getting nervous. I took a deep breath and finished my drink.
"Okay." She smiled. "My treat, though. You bought my drink."
"Well, err, okay," I said. "Would you like another."
She thought for a second. "No, I'd like to go. Do you want to show me around now? Do you need to go home?"
"I'm good," I said. "Yeah, that would be great."
"I guess I should get changed, first," she said. "Come up with me." She stood, and draped her towel over her shoulders. "Unless you'd prefer to stay here and watch the other sunbathers?"
"Uh, that's fine." I stood to follow her.
"Eleven seventeen, right?" I asked, as we stepped into the elevator.
She grinned and nodded.
"Jeans?" she asked, "or dress?" She was looking through her hanging clothes; which seemed to be a pretty large selection for a three week vacation. "Where are we going to eat?"
"Your choice, if you're buying, I guess," I replied.
"Well, you have a suit and tie, so I think I'll go with a dress."
"Doesn't really matter," I offered. "You can pretty much dress up or down as you choose at any of the riverside restaurants."
"Okay," she nodded. "This one." Then she took an armload of clothes into the bathroom and closed the door.
Several minutes later, she emerged in an ivory summer dress, V neck giving a glimpse of cleavage, ending a few inches above her knees. "Think this is okay?"
"What can I say?" I said. "I'm no judge, but I think you look pretty hot."
Her smile was warm. "Okay. I just need to put my eyes in. I still can't see."
She took her purse to the bathroom. Again, I had the feeling I recognized her. That smile...
Oh.
Oh. My. God.
She came back out into the room, having added a touch of eyeshadow. Then she looked at me and frowned. "What's up? You look pale."
I cleared me throat. "I keep thinking I should know you. I just now figured out who you are."
"Shit," she said, her face sour. "No. No, you didn't. I'm someone else entirely. Karen, remember."
Karen. Right. I knew that. Karen Collette or K. C. Smith, also known as rock superstar Kaicie Jones. My favorite vocalist, whose CDs I collected, and whose photo adorned my wall. I hadn't recognized her because I would never have expected to see her here. Let alone be able to sit and talk with her, or be able to take advantage of her earlier embarrassment.
"You must think..." I began, then, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I should go..."
"Enough," she said, sharply. "Listen. I'm not who you think I am. Not this week. I'm just Karen. Can you handle that?"
"I can try," I said. "Maybe. I'll try."
She sat beside me. "It's okay," she said. "I just... want to be normal. For a few days. Don't spoil it."
"Okay," I said. "I'll do my best."
Karen laughed. "At least you've convinced me you're not a paparazzo." She stood. "Come on, mister guide, show me your town."
I was still uncomfortable. Kaicie was my idol. Her voice could turn my insides to jelly, and millions lusted after her when she strutted around the stage in her leather outfits. And here I was, trying to interest her in our history and culture, but mostly trailing along the street a step behind her. How could anything I had to say have any relevance? So I mumbled, and garbled my stories, and got flustered.
Eventually she stepped over to the side of the street and stopped, facing me. "This isn't working out too well for you, is it?"
"Uh..."
"Do you think I'm ugly?"
"Umm, what?" I gurgled. "No."
"Do you think I'm attractive?" she continued. "Tell me. This isn't vanity speaking. Are you attracted to me? Me, Karen, that is?"
"Yeah, of course I am," I said. Then, with a little more confidence, "Yes. I am."
The interrogation continued. "How would you usually behave with a girl you're attracted to?"
I thought for a moment, then laughed. "To be honest, not that much different. Pretty girls make me nervous at close quarters. Until I get to know them."
She grinned at me. "You have lots of experience?"
"Well, maybe a little. Yeah, I know it gets easier."
"You're uncomfortable until you know a girl likes you."
"Yeah, that's really it."
"So, okay. Let's skip a few steps," she said. "I'm an ordinary girl. A pretty girl, according to you. But..." she reached her right hand out to take mine, and placed it into her left hand. "I like you. We've bypassed the sounding each other out stage, and we're now on a date." She squeezed my hand. "Does that help?"
My heart seemed to skip a few beats, and I felt light-headed. I returned her hand's pressure. "Okay," I said. "Yeah. I'm on a date with Karen."
"And don't you forget it," she said, and we walked back into the crowded street.
The play-acting worked. It didn't cure my nervousness completely, but it helped transform it from an intimidated idol-worship to the healthy nervousness of being on an enjoyable date and not wanting to spoil its potential. Relating to Karen more easily allowed me to see that she really was paying attention to me, and really was interested in what I was showing her. We visited the Mexican market and the park, all the while holding hands.
At dusk, we stopped for a single beer at a table outside a cafe where an excellent improvisational jazz group were playing inside. Karen's expression was rapt, and I risked a small illicit reference.
"Ideas you can use?" I whispered.
"Hush." She scowled at me. Then, "Huh," she added. "Maybe."
We left the cafe reluctantly at dark - Karen did first check with a waiter when the ensemble would be there again - and went to find a restaurant. She elected to eat at one of the more expensive seafood restaurants. One I wouldn't have wanted to visit on my salary, but it lived up to its reputation.
We shared a bottle of white wine. I didn't see the price, but it was fairly dry, with a wonderful flavor, and it left a warm glow. Karen asked me about growing up here, and shared the story of her childhood, though nothing recent.
"This is so great," she said, as we were each on our last glass of wine. "I haven't been able to spend an evening like this in over three years."
"Fame has its price?"
"Yer ridin' into quicksand thar, hoss," she said, with a scowl. "I guess I'll just say - I do what I do because I love doing it, but thank God I could get away. And thank you for being here with me."
"Jesus," I said, a little startled. "Don't thank me. I'm more than glad to be on a date with you."
Karen smiled, lifted my fingers to her lips and kissed them. Then she drained her glass, stood, and held out her hand for me to take.
Outside the restaurant, I put my arm around her, and she leaned into me as we walked. There were ducks on the river, and she guided me to the fence, to lean over it and watch one swim by, her head resting on my shoulder.
Without warning she swivelled to face me, and her lips touched mine. Our tongues met almost immediately, my body responding strongly. I hoped my suit pants were hiding the effect she had on me. I held her close and, heart thumping, matched my movements to hers.
Finally she released me. "Whew," she breathed, then grinned, and took my hand to walk.
The elevator at Karen's hotel was empty when it arrived. As soon as the doors closed we grabbed each other and kissed furiously, breaking and giggling when the door chimed our arrival at the eleventh floor.
Karen swiped her key card, then dragged me into her room, and my heart beat even more strongly as she pinned me to the wall, pressing her face hard to mine, her body squeezed firmly against me.
I ran my hands over her back, then gripped her under her shoulders, and moved her out into the room, steering her towards the closest bed. Karen groaned, and I could feel her breathing speed up. She sucked my tongue into her mouth and bit it.
Then, suddenly, unexpectedly, she pushed me away, almost falling back onto the bed as she did. Her breathing was rapid. "Wait," she gasped. Then she took my hands in hers, and brushed her lips against mine. "Let's save something for next time, okay?"
"Yeah," I said, trying to hide my disappointment. "When can I see you again?"
"Is tomorrow soon enough?" she asked.
I shook my head. "Nuh-uh. But I'll survive."
"Meet me for breakfast at the hotel?"
Karen was late to our meeting time, and I drank coffee and fretted. Maybe she'd changed her mind, and didn't want the "something" we were saving. Maybe she'd decided that she wanted someone more suited to Kaicie's high life. I didn't understand why she'd called a halt the previous evening. Why she'd changed her mind - or even if she had. Maybe she'd never wanted to go so far, and had come to her senses - but then what did the promise of saving "something" mean?
But I mostly had faith that it wasn't over. I was convinced she'd been having a good time even before we'd kissed by the river. I didn't think she'd want to throw that away.
And then she arrived, wearing wide sunglasses for anonymity, in a short, tight pale green tee and jean shorts. From the line of her shirt and the natural bounce of her breasts I figured she wasn't wearing a bra, but I tried to avoid studying the sight. With the dark glasses hiding her eyes, I couldn't tell if she could see me staring.
I stood, and she came over and kissed me briefly but firmly on the lips. No, it seemed she wasn't breaking up with me.
"The disguise doesn't help," I said. "You still look like Karen."
She laughed.
"What do you want to do today?" I asked, as we sat. I poured her coffee from the silver pot the waitress had left.
I expected her to name one of the more well-known local attractions, but she replied, "I'd like to go back to the river. Back to the peaceful place where we saw the ducks last night."
So, after a very light breakfast, we left the hotel. I held out my hand, and she took it firmly.
There were ducks in the same place on the river. We argued about whether they were the same ducks. I had taken a couple of slices of toast from the breakfast table, and I gave them to her to tear up and throw for them.
When the bread was gone, the ducks still circled, making gentle chuckling sounds. Karen leaned over the railing, her chestnut-red hair obscuring her sunglasses. "I could get used to this," she said, after a while. "I think I'm jealous of your life."
"It's not so great," I said. "Yeah, I like where I am. But when you work here, you know... and living down town - I can save a little, but after rent and food there's never as much left over as I'd like."
She nodded. "Yeah, I understand. Still, living close to work is worth a lot."
"Oh, it is," I agreed. "And I have a nice place. Small, but comfortable. I can see part of the river, and the church over there."
"Close to here, then?"
"Very close," I said. "Just up the bank and across the street."
"Nice," she said. Then, after a long pause, she added, "Would you show me?"
"Now?"
"Not if you'd be uncomfortable, but I don't care about a mess."
I shrugged. "Sure. It should be fine. I'm a fairly tidy person."
So I led her to the concrete steps to the top of the riverbank, directing her with a gentle touch to her lower back, and feeling a stirring in my groin at the idea of being alone with her.
After unlocking the apartment, I opened the door for her to enter. She stepped lightly past me, and made straight for the large living room window, with its view of the riverside. Moving up beside her, I touched her shoulder, and she responded by resting her head against me.
"Yeah, this is nice," she said, quietly.
"It suits me," I agreed.
"Yes," she said, more strongly. She turned around and looked at the room. "I think it does." She frowned. "This isn't small. You'd pay a fortune for this much space in L.A."
I laughed. "Well, yeah. Different world."
She nodded. "True."
She took my left hand in her right, then turned to face me, and took my other hand, too. Then she looked up at me, and touched her lips to mine, before backing away a few inches. Her eyes were large; her expression intense - and maybe a little nervous.
"I wish I hadn't sent you away, last night," she said.
"It's okay," I replied, my voice suddenly hoarse.
"No, it isn't," she responded. "I've been furious with myself all night long."
"So... why did you?"
"Because... oh, God, it seems so stupid now, but I got this sudden delusion that what we were feeling was the wine, and that we'd have the night, and then it would be over. I don't want a one-night stand."
I squeezed her hands tightly, then leaned forwards and kissed her lips. After a moment, hers opened to me, and I felt a soft pressure on my chest as she leaned in. I slowly disengaged, her lips still parted and her eyes dark.
"So, I have something to say, too," I said. I cleared my throat, somehow it wasn't easy to speak. "Yesterday, I spent the evening with my idol. I wanted to spend the night with her, too. Today... when I saw you in the restaurant this morning, it was Karen I saw coming to the table. It was Karen who I was excited to see. It's Karen who's giving me butterflies in my stomach by being so close to me right now." I kissed her again. "I don't know if I'd have come to understand that, if I'd stayed."
She looked down. "That was sweet," she said. "Karen suddenly feels very shy."
Lowing my face, I touched my forehead to hers. "Too shy for me to kiss?"
She looked up at me without raising her head. "Why don't we find out?" she whispered. Then she lifted her face, and joined her lips to mine.
I held her hands firmly as our mouths moved in tandem. She parted her lips wider, and I moved with her.
She made a small excited groan, "mmm," deep in her throat, and pushed her body into mine. The pressure on my chest became more firm, but still I held her hands tightly, forcing her to express her feelings through only her lips, tongue, and upper body. Which she did, eloquently, my erection stimulated by her passion.
I felt her working her fingers free of my grip, and finally I released them, and she grasped the small of my back, pressing herself against me. I ran my hands over her back - unencumbered by bra straps, as I'd thought, which turned me on further. As I held her close, I found myself being propelled towards a wall, where she pushed me back with her body as she tugged my tee shirt out of my jeans.
Then she released my lips and bit and nibbled my neck noisily, her hands exploring my waist and stomach, still using the weight of her body to pin me to the wall.
Running my hands over her sides, I gripped and kneaded her waist, then her ribs, then stroked the sides of her smooth, firm breasts through the tight cotton of her tee. She fastened her lips to mine, her tongue penetrating my mouth as I slid my hands between us, covering her breasts. I felt still-soft nipples under my thumbs, and caressed them as I squeezed.
When she broke the kiss and moved a couple of inches back I squeezed and caressed her boobs, then felt her tugging my shirt up. I released my treasure and lifted my arms for her to pull my shirt over my head. When she was done, she took hold of my hands, guided them back to her breasts, then gripped my waist and kissed me again.
I pinched her nipples. They were fuller against her tee shirt now, big enough to squeeze between finger and thumb. "Not too shy to kiss, I guess," I murmured, when she released my lips.
She rubbed her nose against mine. "Reckon you're right." Then, eyes twinkling, she said, "But I might be too shy to get naked and have passionate sex with you."
"You might?" I asked, stroking her nipples. "Do you think I should try to get you naked anyway?"
She nodded. "Oh, yes, I think you should."
"Then I will," I announced. I released her boobs, ran my fingers over her waist, then drew her close to kiss. As I sought her tongue with mine, I felt for the button of her jeans shorts and undid it. The shorts fell to the floor, and she stepped backwards, face still moving against mine, and stepped out of her shoes.
As she stood in her panties, I turned her to face the bedroom door, but before letting her move, I stood behind her, squeezed her against me with my fingers on her waist, then ran my hands over her hips and over her belly, feeling her wriggle slightly as my fingernails ran around her belly button, then up her side, under her tee, and down to stroke the edge of her breasts, excited by the firm feel of her bare skin. Then I steered her forwards.
At the door to my bedroom, I had a sudden realization, and felt my cock lose its hardness. "Oh, shit," I whispered.
"What's up?" Karen asked.
"There... might be a problem," I said.
"Why, do you have a woman in there already?" she asked, laughing.
"Not exactly," I replied.
She seemed torn between puzzlement and irritation. "What the hell?"
"We'll have to deal with it, I guess," I said. "Go ahead."
Karen stalked into the bedroom - a beguilingly sexy sight, in panties and a tee shirt bunched up to her breasts - looked around, then sat suddenly on the bed and burst into laughter. "Oh, shit," she said.
I moved over to sit beside her. "Yeah, I guess I forgot about her," I said.
On the wall was a framed poster of Kaicie. It was a well-known pose, with her hair fanned out, catching the light, face lowered, bright red lips, and heavily made-up eyes looking up towards the camera. Not unlike the look Karen had given me a few moments earlier, I realized. Poster-Kaicie's hands were spread to hide the nipples of her otherwise-bare breasts.
"I... uh, I told you I was a fan. I just love the photo. It isn't like I fantasize about it or anything."
"Why not?" I heard amusement in her voice.
"Well..."
"You wanted to spend the night with her." Her tone was direct, but maybe a little brittle. "Do you still?"
I thought for a few seconds. "I've got to be honest," I said. "If she were here, and if she had any interest in me, yeah, I would. But that's highly unlikely, and I do want you, Karen."
She frowned for a moment, before a small smile curled her lips. "Clever," she said. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."
"I've always been jealous of the photographer," I said.
"Don't be," said Karen. "She had no interest in my body."
"Ah."
"Nor I in hers, whatever the papers say."
"Oh, yeah, I heard that rumor," I said. "And the one about your bass player."
"Enough," she said, sharply. Her face flushed crimson. "Let's just... God, just ignore her, okay?"
"Should I take it down? Move it to another room?"
Karen shook her head and reached for my belt buckle. "Nah," she said, freeing my belt. "Let the bitch watch. She might learn something."
I stood to let the jeans fall, stepped out of them, and rolled back onto the bed with her. She fitted her legs between mine as I hooked my left arm around her back to hold her close. With my right hand I found the spot on her belly that made her squirm, and ran my fingernails round, which made her breathe heavily and hold me tight to her.
She squeezed her groin against my leg and made an excited groan. I stopped tickling and slid my hand up into her tee to cup and knead her breast. She groaned again, sucking my lips and tongue excitedly. Her obvious arousal fed my own, and my heart was beating faster as I rolled her onto her back and lifted her shirt.
Lowering my face to her left breast, I squeezed it against my tongue. Her skin was firm, her breast quivering tightly as she struggled out of her tee. I drew back a moment to take in the view, still pinching and rubbing her moistened nipple. Her breasts were large, but not overly heavy; with her lying on her back they were round and balanced, with just the hint of a tan line above wide, dark nipples.
I sucked again as she threw the tee to the side and lay back, extending my left hand to play with her right breast.
Karen hooked her thighs around my waist and moved against me. I pressed my stomach against her groin and slid my body against hers, still sucking and squeezing. Her nipple became as firm and resilient as an eraser, and I switched to working on her right breast.
This time, I worked with only my mouth, suckling and licking with the back of my tongue, freeing my hands to explore her back, down to her ass, using a firm grip to pull her against me. She grunted, squeezing hard with her thighs as we moved.
Karen's fingers dug into my scalp as I worked, sucking hard and rubbing her nipple with my tongue. Her right nipple grew as hard as her left. Then she steered my face back to her left breast, and I restarted the effort there, still holding her against me, as the rocking of her thighs drove her stomach against my chest.
Rolling slightly to my right, I pulled far enough back to be able to ease my left hand between us, and I gripped her pussy hard. Karen's breath caught as she bounced against me.
Repositioning my hand, I managed to get it inside her panties, and felt around for her sex, finding her wet. I got two fingers inside her, feeling her shiver as I squeezed.
I had to release her breast to move my body higher against hers, to where I could get my left thigh between her legs to press against my hand. She groaned as I moved up and down, my fingers sliding into the warm depths of her sex as my hand slid against her. Then she pulled my face to hers, and fixed her lips to mine, her breathing rapid. I rubbed my fingers against the wall of her sex, without letting up on the pressure against her pussy, and felt her gasp.
She pushed me away, without releasing my mouth, and tugged off her panties. She tried to do the same to my underwear, but I had to help; the pressure in my cock was extreme, now, and removing my briefs was painful. But then it was done, and she wrapped her hands around my erection, her eyes widening slightly.
Releasing me completely, she positioned her thighs on either side of my body, while I knelt between them. I stroked her pussy with my right hand, sliding my fingers into her and stroking, while searching for her clit with my thumb. Finding it, I put gentle pressure against it, while exploring her moist sex with my fingers.
Karen looked up at me with her soft, expressive eyes, her lips parted. I played around some more, feeling her clit becoming more distinct. She lay still, but her breathing was heavy.
Her hips started to move just a little, and I could see her tensing her thighs in a slow rhythm. With my left hand I squeezed her legs, then her butt, as she rocked her hips. She was completely wet, my fingers slid against her with no resistance. I could tell that she was enjoying my touch, so I rubbed her clit some more, and her back arched, pressing her sex against me.
Karen's eyes were closed, now, and her face flushed. She moaned softly, her hips rocking steadily. Her reaction was turning me on so much that I was concerned I wouldn't be able to keep control, but I kept stroking and rubbing, squeezing her butt with my left hand, as her hips started making the mattress rock.
Sliding her hands over her breasts, she tweaked her own nipples between thumb and finger, and moaned. I realized she was very close to coming. I had the power to push her over the edge with just a touch. If I chose to do it, she wouldn't be able to resist. The knowledge inflamed my own arousal.
"Do you want me to keep going?" I whispered. "Would you like to let it happen like this?"
"Yes," she groaned, pushing her sex hard against my hand. "Awww.... but no. Stop. I want you inside me. Oh God!" as I pinched her clit, then drew my hand back.
She lowered her back and parted her thighs, and I gingerly lowered my body onto hers, as she guided my erection into her. It didn't take long for my cock to slide deep inside her, as lubricated as she'd become, and after just a little time easing into position, we started moving.
Gripping her waist, I pushed myself against her as we rocked, until my body was firmly locked against hers. Then I slid my hands between us, covering those wonderful breasts, pinching her nipples as I'd seen her do, and her back arched against me. Her lips sought mine, and she moaned as we kissed.
Her hands roamed my back, fingernails digging into me, and her body moved more rapidly against mine as her breathing grew more shallow. She released my mouth and started panting as she held me against her shoulder. I let go of her nipples, getting my arms under her, and holding her back, squeezing her close.
My climax wasn't far away. I wasn't sure how long I could hold it. We were bouncing against the mattress now, Karen's legs gripping my body tightly to her, and her breathing ragged, out of control. I moved my hands underneath her shoulders, wrapping my fingers around, and using the grip to pull myself against her, getting the deepest penetration I could.
Karen shook herself against me, and I felt myself about to go over the edge. I grabbed her earlobe between my lips, breathing heavily into her ear, as her back arched further.
Her breath caught, and she stopped moving, her arched back wedging her sex against me. Then I felt her whole body tense against me and shudder. I squeezed my thighs against her and shook them, feeling her pulsing sex gripping my cock, and then I groaned as my own orgasm hit, flooding sensuous relief to every part of my being.
We both started moving again, gasping with pleasure. Karen's face glowed, her kiss quite tender, before she pushed my face down to suck her left breast. That wasn't easy to reach, but she put her hand underneath it, squashing it against my mouth, and I flapped my tongue against her nipple.
After a moment, she lifted me back, so my head rested on her shoulder, and relaxed. I could still feel her sex pulse occasionally against my sensitized cock. She planted occasional kisses on my eyes and ears as her breathing slowed.
"Whoa," she breathed at last.
"Is that good?"
"Can't you tell?" she laughed. "Idiot."
"The say it gets better with practice," I said, "but I'm not sure that's possible."
"That's no reason to stop practicing," she said.
"No," I agreed. "But it will be a while before I can," I said.
Karen gave me a mock-frown. "Well, damn."
I lifted myself off her and lay down beside her. She turned onto her left side, facing me, and I watched her breasts jiggle, squeezed together by the angle of her body against the mattress, then turned onto my right side and lifted my left hand to run a finger over them.
"This is a much more interesting pose than that photo," I said in a low voice.
"Well, duh," she agreed. "I'm not looking like this for half a million strangers, though. Only you."
"I have wondered..." I touched her hair. "Is this color natural? I've always thought it wasn't, but seeing you this close, it looks very real."
"It is," she said, stroking my hand. "There was some temporary highlighting for that shot, but it's all natural. I'm all natural, honey, including your favorite parts."
"What?" I said, in mock surprise. "I never thought your ears were fake!"
"Hah. Hah."
I licked my thumb and stroked her nipple. "That obvious, huh?"
"Hey, it's fine with me," she said, with a grin. "You like playing with them, I like the way that makes me feel. Seems like a fair exchange."
She rolled away, then, found the sheet on my badly-demolished bed, and pulled it up over her, turning onto her right side. "You don't mind if I take a nap, do you?" she asked. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night."
I slid under the sheet and curled up against her back. "Sounds good," I said.
I think I dozed a little, but not much. Not enough to be surprised that there was a girl in bed with me. Still shocked overall at having gotten together with her, but not specifically surprised that she was still here.
Karen moved slightly as I stroked her hair. I stretched my body out against hers, and she made a contented sound, so I ran my left hand over her side, snuggled closer, and reached over to caress her breast.
I touched her gently, toying with her nipple with my thumb. It hardened slightly over several minutes of occasional brushing. Then I felt her fingers against the back of my hand, and I knew that she was awake, or barely dozing.
The fingers went away again, and I kept gently fondling for a while, then let my hand wander elsewhere, over her side, and down to her stomach. My fingernails circled her belly button, with a light touch. She jumped slightly as I found the ticklish spot at the very base of her stomach, and I made her twitch several times before returning to her breast.
Her nipple seemed harder, and I licked my thumb and forefinger and played with it for a while, then covered her boob with my hand, and stroked, just enjoying the feel but barely applying pressure.
After a time I moved my hand away, guiding it over her ribs, her stomach, her hips, letting it glide over her soft skin. She didn't stir as I stroked the inside of her left thigh.
With a finger I traced the hair at the edge of her pussy, then around her sex, before cupping my left hand over her pussy.
With my palm resting against her, I tightened and relaxed my hand, sliding my fingers against the skin on either side of her sex.
Karen's breathing had become quiet. I didn't think she was dozing any longer. I brought my fingers together and cupped her pussy more firmly, squeezing and relaxing my grip.
Her foot moved, stroking mine, and I knew that she was awake. I moved my foot against hers, and pressed her pussy more firmly with my fingers as I squeezed.
Karen's foot pushed backwards, and then her leg moved back between my thighs. I thought she was going to roll over, but she was just giving me better access. I pressed a little harder, now letting my fingers stroke firmly against her pussy.
I did this for quite a while. Occasionally Karen's foot would stroke against mine, and I would tighten my thighs around hers in acknowledgement. Eventually I drew my fingers closer to her sex, finding it slightly moist.
Flattening my hand against her again, I squeezed, feeling her thighs tense as I did. Keeping up a slight pressure, I moved my hand in a circular motion, just a tiny amount, not enough to slide against her flesh. I could feel my fingers becoming damp as I did, and her thigh twitched occasionally as her foot now constantly stroked against mine.
Still moving my palm around, I stroked her labia with my middle and ring fingers. They were soft and lubricated, and I parted them gently and caressed just inside them.
About every three or four seconds, I felt Karen's thigh tense, and I slowed my movements to that rhythm, gripping firmly with my palm every few seconds as my fingers slowly explored the edge of her sex.
My fingers penetrated further. When I pressed my palm against her, I felt her pushing back. Her buttocks were wedged firmly against my groin, and I could feel the muscles tightening against me.
I sank my fingers deep into her, still pressing with my palm, but now also squeezing my fingers against the wall of her sex. She was becoming wetter by the moment.
Her foot stopped brushing against mine, but now her thigh pressed firmly against me in the rhythm I'd established. I noticed that I could hear her breathing.
Without changing my movements, I stretched my head forward and kissed Karen's ear, breathing into it. She shivered slightly, and I felt her thighs moving slightly against my hand.
I moved my face back away from her ear. Her breathing had become quite heavy now, and I could feel the muscles in her buttocks shift as I moved my fingers.
Now her back had begun to move. I could feel her body rocking, just slightly pressing into mine and moving back. I moved my palm to the side, though still gripping her, and felt around with my thumb for the nub of her clitoris.
She began to pant, her breath rasping. I rested my thumb against her clit, and she tensed her body ever tighter, drawing her thigh back from between my legs to squeeze my hand against her.
Pressing my thumb against her clit, not too firmly, but no longer just barely grazing it, I lifted my palm from her pussy. Now when I stroked with my fingers, and as she pressed her body against my hand, my thumb would stroke her clit. She gasped as that happened, then rocked her thighs with more force.
For a time, I barely moved my hand. She was doing all of the work, pushing against me in a faster rhythm. When my thumb connected, her body would shudder, and she would moan louder.
I pressed my thumb against the side of her clit, then moved my first finger to also touch it, caressing as she moved. I stroked her sex hard with the two fingers inside her.
"Mph!" she yelped as I gently pinched her clit. "Awww!"
Her hips and thighs were now moving powerfully, her whole body rocking. The cries she made turned me on most, though, I think, as they showed how much she was losing control. She gasped and groaned, and even the movements of her thighs against my hand were becoming erratic.
With finger and thumb pressed to her clit, I sped up my movements a little, rocking my hand as I rubbed hard against her sex.
"Awww... awww... awww... awww.... awww..." Between her soft cries, her voice occasionally catching, she panted for breath, then bore down with her thighs on my hand.
I shook my hand against her sex. Her body tensed, curling away from me as her back arched. "Gnnnh!" she grunted, then relaxed, and immediately tensed again.
Four or five times she did this. Each time the tension lasted a few seconds longer, and she shivered as she let it go.
"Gnnh!" Her back would arch, her thighs gripping my hand, making it difficult to keep up the pressure on her clit, then she would relax with a sharp exhale. "Ah-ah-ah-ah" as I rubbed her clit between finger and thumb, until, "Gnnnh!" she tensed again, for longer. "Ah-ah-ah-ah ... GNNNH! ... Ahh-ah-ah-Oh God-ahhh"
"GNNNNH!" Her back arched again, her thighs squeezing me hard. Then, still tensed, "Ah! Ah! Ah! AWWWW! Oh! Yes! YES! AWWWW!"
And she shook, her whole body quivering. She gasped for breath as she relaxed. I could feel her sex pulsing around my fingers. Then "Awww," as her body briefly tightened again. I stroked her clit as she slowly came down, each stretch weaker than the one before, until she lay against me, breathing raggedly, but mostly relaxed.
She finally pushed my hand away and rolled onto her back, and then, pushing me onto my back, rolled again onto me.
I played with her boobs as she kissed me, her breathing mostly calm.
"That was a pleasant way to wake up," she murmured.
"You were still asleep? I wasn't sure."
"Not for long," she replied. "Hey, you can wake me up any time you like, if that's the result."
"Yeah, I enjoyed it too," I said.
She reached down and stroked my still-hard erection. "I can tell," she said. "And it would be such a shame to waste a golden opportunity..."
Holding my cock, she wriggled backwards and lifted herself onto it, stretching out her arms to lower her body back against mine, her boobs suspended before my face.
"Speaking of golden opportunities," I said, and lifted my head to suckle.
"Hey," she griped. "I could use some help here."
"Oh, you're doing fine," I said, rubbing my tongue against her nipple as I felt my shaft slide into her.
She dropped down onto me, pulled my face up to hers, and kissed me savagely as my erection finished its slide home. I gripped her hips and started moving her against me, gently but insistently. Karen's mouth drew back from mine, and she rested her face on my shoulder.
The thrill of fingering her to climax had made me hard, but I was still a long way from being able to come. So I managed to keep her bouncing against me for several minutes without any danger of finishing early.
She had a soft smile on her face, and was clearly enjoying the intimacy, but I figured she had come too recently to be able to go for a repeat. Soon we'd probably get bored and rest again.
But her face became slightly flushed, and a minute or two later her lips parted. She lifted her face and tried to kiss me, but I only let her brush my lips, drawing my mouth away, and she grunted in frustration. Then I kissed her, extending my tongue to find hers, and she groaned happily. She was moving her hips now without my assistance, so I released them and grabbed her hands, lacing my fingers between hers as her motions strengthened.
After squeezing my hands affectionately, she moved them up between us. I didn't need to be persuaded; I released her hands and slid mine under her chest, squeezing her boobs and pinching her nipples.
Her response intensified quickly to the extra stimulation. She rocked her hips energetically, the mattress bouncing beneath us.
I pushed her slightly to the side, lifting her chest so that I could get my lips to her nipple. Moving my hand back to her hip, to keep us locked together in this more awkward position, I grabbed her nipple between my lips and sucked hard, rubbing it with my tongue.
"Oh," she groaned, "oh, yes! Mmmm!" Then, as I kept sucking, she sped up her movements, hammering her sex against my groin. "Mmm, God!" she yelped.
I parted my lips wide, to suck in as much of her breast as I could, rubbing the back of my tongue against the pliant flesh. Karen's sex tightened around my shaft, and she shook herself against me. "Oh, God, yes! Yes! Awwww..." this last as her body stiffened, and then collapsed quivering onto me.
"Mmm," she breathed, a minute later. She kissed my ear. "I didn't think I was ready for that."
"And now?" I asked. "Can you be ready again?"
"Mmm. God, I don't know," she whispered. "I might. It's like... after the way you woke me up, I haven't completely come down."
And maybe it was because I was already inside her, and she didn't have to work to maintain her arousal, but I could sense her beginning to climb back towards orgasm within only a couple of minutes, and soon she laughed as she relaxed against me, temporarily fulfilled once more.
We weren't to learn just how many orgasms she could have like this, though, because her excitement infected me too strongly. When she next started panting, I felt myself start to lose control, and within seconds I cried out as I came. I immediately fastened my lips to her breast, wrapped my arms around her and thrust as hard as I could, to be rewarded very soon as her body twisted and shivered, and finally relax in my arms. We shared a long, affectionate kiss before separating.
Over the next two weeks, I managed to take several days off from the bank, taking vacation that was due to me, though I still had to work a few days. At first with me as tour guide and Karen as attentive tourist, but increasingly with both of us on a shared vacation, we travelled around, ate at expensive restaurants, took a trip on a riverboat, and did everything that vacationers do. At night - and not always at night, sometimes for a large part of the day - we made love, either at her hotel, or, more frequently, in my apartment. It was, we both understood, a precious time, because it would end too soon.
On the final Friday night, Karen's flight being on Saturday, we were awake until about five a.m., exploring each other in many ways, including just talking. I finally drifted off to sleep feeling her breasts nestled against my back.
In the morning, the other side of the bed was empty. I found Karen in the living room, wearing one of my shirts, unfastened to her navel, and no bra.
"Can I steal this?" she asked. "And a tie?"
"Come back to bed with me, and you can take whatever you like," I said.
"So, wait." She frowned. "You want to give me things - for sex. Do you know what that makes me?" Her eyes flashed, though she was trying hard not to smile.
"Aww, hell," I said. "In that case, take what you want. It's yours. Now come back to bed with me?"
"Since you put it like that..." She moved close, letting me kiss her and unfasten her shirt. My shirt.
I cooked us a couple of eggs for breakfast. Karen wanted to feed the ducks one final time before leaving, so we took some bread down to the river.
Leaning over the railing, she tossed a few morsels. A few ducks saw, and leisurely made their way towards us.
Then she turned her head to face me, still leaning against the rail. "I asked you a question, just after we met. If you were to meet... Kaicie..." she said the name reluctantly, though without any hostility, "would you still want to spend the night with her?"
"Yes, you did," I said. When she didn't say anything, but just watched me, I added, "Or are you asking again?"
"Yeah, I think I am," she said.
"You know the answer," I said. "I know it's unlikely to happen, but yes."
"Does you still idolize her?"
I frowned, and thought about how to answer that for quite a while. "Maybe. Not like I did. She's not a goddess. She may sing like one and look like one, but she's a person. I see her as human, now, and I guess I didn't. She's witty, she's vulnerable, she isn't a plastic industry creation."
Karen tore off another small piece of bread, and dropped it before an eager duck, who grabbed it before another had the chance to steal it. "Maybe..." she spoke quietly. "Maybe it doesn't need to be unlikely."
"You mean..."
"Listen," she interrupted. "You can't imagine how destructive it is to be hounded by the tabloids. To never have a moment's privacy. To be quizzed, second-guessed, insulted, yelled at, sometimes worshiped, because of some transient popularity, and the public's insatiable desire for scandal.
"Mostly they'd still be chasing m..." she corrected herself, "chasing her. Chasing Kaicie. But if you were ever to get involved with her, hell, you've seen the checkout stands. There would be stories about how... Kaicie... could take up with someone like you. What secrets are you hiding? Who's she really sleeping with, because it obviously isn't you. Who are you sleeping with behind her back? God, they've fabricated tales about my sex life that I could almost believe myself."
I didn't comment on the fact that she'd referred to herself rather than her alter-ego.
"Imagine how you'd feel, reading that?" she continued. "Would you be able to believe that it isn't real? Would you believe that after a tiring gig she's going to sleep thinking about you, not fantasizing about some stud from a West Coast boy band?"
"On the other hand," I said, "think about all the girls I meet at the bank. They're going to know, hey, he's sleeping with Kaicie. He must have talents that we can't see. I'll have girls lining up to take Kaicie's place. How can that be bad?"
"Be serious, dammit!" Karen's voice was harsh, and her eyes glistened. She blinked a couple of times, and I realized my flippancy was hurting her.
I took the bread from her hand, threw a small piece to the quietly scolding ducks, and put my arm around her.
"I don't know," I said. "I'd like to think so. Because, you know, I think she would be worth all of that."
"How can you say that?" she asked, quietly.
I spoke slowly, thinking through my words. "It's been a useful fiction," I said. "Karen, stunning but ordinary, here. Kaicie the star in California. But you don't suffer from multiple-personality disorder, and Kaicie of the passionate music and intense lyrics is my passionate, intense Karen.
"So, for now," I continued, "I think I'm justified in dropping the pretense. Kaicie isn't a different you, she's you in a different context.
"You asked if I still idolize Kaicie," I said, "and I do, but not like I did. She's not someone other, someone unapproachable. I idolize her now because I'm in love with her. And I know I'm in love with Kaicie, because I'm in love with Karen."
"You are?" she asked, her eyes wide.
I shrugged. "If that's a problem, if it makes a difference to whether you might still want to see me after you return to your world, you need to know now. And yes, to me that would make all the hassle you describe worth it. I don't doubt you when you say how rough it would be, but it isn't enough to keep me from you. Only you can do that."
"Thank you," she said, and hugged me. "It's very... it's very lovely to know that." She took the rest of the bread from me, shredded it, and threw it all down at once to approving cackling from the ducks. Then she took my hand. "Come up and help me pack."
She had two large suitcases, plus a carry-on. From the carry-on she took a cellphone, which she turned on and set on a table as she started sorting and folding clothes. She set aside a black sweater, pants and jacket.
"No-one ever looks for Kaicie as a business traveller?" I asked.
"You got it."
Her phone beeped. She looked at it, laughed, and showed it to me. "You have 54 voicemail messages," it said. She scrolled through the list.
"I'm gonna call my agent," she announced. "Looks like he's panicking. Won't take long."
She hit a button, and the call went through immediately. "Yo, Ed. Kaicie."
I heard a long stream of angry sounds from the phone, then Karen managed to get a word in. "Yeah, I'm fine... Doesn't matter where. I'm back this evening. We'll talk then... oh? Yeah. September?... okay.... No. This evening... Look, unless someone's going to die in the meantime, we'll pick it up this evening... Hanging up now... Hanging up now, Ed. This evening, okay?"
"Problems?"
"No," she answered, "that's normal."
"So Kaicie's officially back?"
"I guess," she said. "Wait. No. Wonder Woman twirl..." she spun in place, arms outstretched. "Okay, now I'm back. And I guess there's just one thing I need to do before I check out."
"What's that?"
Hooking a finger into the neck of my tee, she yanked until my mouth was close to hers. "This," she said. "Kaicie Jones is taking you up on your promise. You don't get to spend the night, because I'll be gone by then, so you'll just have to make the time we have count."
She unfastened the buttons of her shirt as we kissed, letting it hang loose as she slipped her hands under my tee, gripping my waist and holding me close. Then she drove me backwards to the wall, pinning me.
Opening her shirt, I ran my palms up and down her side, then found the sensitive spot below her navel with my left hand. She bit my tongue as she wriggled against me. I made her keep squirming as I drew my fingernails over that spot.
She took my head between her hands and moved it down to her left breast. I had to stoop, but kept tickling her belly. I nuzzled, fondling with my right hand as I alternately kissed it and tongued her nipple.
Karen whispered encouragement, her breathing punctuated with small sighs of pleasure.
Using both hands for a moment, I unfastened her shorts, tugged them down, then resumed toying with her belly and breast. I used my thumbnail to roam over her stomach as I stretched out my hand, my fingers sliding inside her panties to find her labia. Finding her already wet, I explored for a while with my fingers, Karen's breath catching occasionally.
I knelt to kiss her right breast, tugging her panties down. She stepped out of them, and I slipped two fingers of my left hand into her, while my right explored her belly, occasionally reaching up to tweak her nipples, which made her grunt, and tense her thighs around my left hand.
With my right hand, I covered her pussy and pressed, rubbing the fingers of my left hand against the wall of her sex. That made her groan, and her legs twitched. I felt her move, and saw that she had leaned forward, supporting herself with her hands and elbows against the wall.
Turning my right hand around, I pushed my knuckles against her pussy, moving them around as my left fingers rubbed. She drew a sharp breath and began to moan.
I stopped sucking her nipple, and crouched, the better to control my touch. Instead of just pressing with my right hand, I found her clit and stroked it, feeling her shiver and groan softly.
Withdrawing my fingers from her sex, I stroked her moist labia with the thumbs of each hand, slowly stroking her clit with my middle fingers. Her back arched, thighs moving in a rhythm against my hand, and she groaned in passion.
Parting her labia with my thumbs, I bent my head forwards and started to lick. Karen responded with moans and ever more uneven breathing. Conscious of the hotel neighbors, I guess, she was quieter than usual, but her excitement was no less intense, and when I covered her clit with the back of my tongue, she gasped and started to shake her sex against me. I pressed hard with my tongue and she panted rapidly.
For a time I relaxed the pressure of my tongue and didn't move it. Karen made choking noises, still trying to rub herself against my tongue, then begged, "Please... Do it..."
I sucked her clit, getting my tongue against it as I nodded my head up and down. Her cries grew more intense, her thighs pressing hard against my face, and I rubbed my tongue rapidly against her.
"Oh, yes," she sobbed, softly, but with exquisite need. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
She moaned loudly, losing control, and her thighs pressed tightly against me for a few seconds, before twitching spasmodically, her sex pulsing against my tongue.
It took several breaths for her moaning to diminish, and then she rested her body against the wall, breathing heavily.
When I released her and stood, she fastened her lips to mine, kissing me breathlessly as she undressed me. Then she took me by the hand, led me to the bed, and pushed me down onto my back. She still had plenty of energy as she straddled me.
Holding my hands in hers, she finished easing me inside her, her knees against my hips, and immediately started bouncing against me. Her breasts bobbed as she did, and she smiled as I watched them. Then her face flushed and her lips parted. Her eyes were large, and full of passion, when very soon I felt her hit another orgasm.
After that she lay down on top of me, kissed my fingers, and let me set the pace, her breasts rippling sensuously against my chest as we moved. She seemed to sense when I neared my climax, covering my mouth with hers and feeding me the extra passion I needed to push me over the edge.
I grunted as I felt myself pass the point of no return. She broke our kiss long enough to whisper, breathlessly, "I'm right there with you, baby," then squeezed her body hard against mine, and moaned into my mouth as we came together.
"I love you, Karen," I whispered, as we slowly returned to reality.
"I defaced your property," she replied.
"Huh?"
"You'll understand, baby," she said, enigmatically. "And if you don't like it, I can find you a replacement."
She ran a shower, and dragged me in there with her, but as spent as I was, all I could do - after soaping her entire body, with special attention to her breasts - was finger her to one final, gentle orgasm. She smiled at me and kissed me quickly before rinsing off.
I left her at the airport with great regret. She still looked beautiful in her conservative black outfit, but you'd have to be a true Kaicie devotee to recognize her behind her sunglasses.
My puzzlement over her comments lasted until I noticed that my Kaicie poster didn't look quite the same.
She must have done it while I was asleep. She must have taken the frame off the wall, opened it up, added her enhancements, reassembled the frame, and hung it back on the wall - all without waking me up.
At the bottom right, she had scrawled this message in gold ink:
I [heart] U
KCS/KJ
Beneath that:
Beneath that:
and then today's date.
Damn her. I was so anxious that confessing my love for her would damage our relationship, and she'd already done the same. I felt a great sense of contentment, and excitement for the future.
The tabloids still haven't figured out whom Kaicie is dating, but I don't think that's going to last much longer. They've figured out now that there's someone. She has managed to sneak out to see me a few times - once from a tour date a few hours' drive away. On that occasion she slipped away from her minders after the show (I was there, of course) and I met her at a prearranged point with my "getaway car." Still in full Kaicie outfit - hidden by an overcoat - she leaped into the car and we headed away to spend the night at a local hotel.
And we talk by phone constantly. We talk about everyday things - for both of us, now, which includes her career and her music. It's a relief not to have to keep her life walled off from our conversation. We talk about the future. Her future, my future and our future. And sometimes, when she's alone, she likes me to tell her in detail what I want to do to her body. At first I found that difficult and embarrassing, but after hearing the sounds coming back down the phone line... well, that made it worth overcoming my reticence. Now I find listening to her reaction to my words even more intense and exciting than when she tells me her plans for me.
Of course, that's pretty good, too.
So yes, we're dating, and whatever the tabloids will say, it's going to remain an exclusive relationship. But Karen thinks it's time to tell the world about me. Partly because the intrusions will be much worse if the press "investigates" her connections.
But also because she's written a track for her next album that she says will "change everything." I don't know what that means. She's asked me to trust her, and has promised that I can hear it before the CD is released, but I confess to being nervous. And maybe a little excited.
The upcoming album is the last in her contract commitment, and she has Ed, her agent, working on a new deal that includes relocating here. She's buying a place on a local industrial estate to create her own recording studio. The amounts of money they discuss are staggering, but it's a small investment to the Kaicie Jones franchise.
That project has its own problems for us. Karen won't be able to divorce her Kaicie and ordinary-girl roles as easily; this will no longer be the far away land where she can be who she wants to be. But it's worth it to her for us to be together. Where she will live is up in the air. Whether she has her own place, or moves here, or we find something together, or even if she keeps her property near Santa Barbara and lives in a motel - we don't know, yet.
But, she says, that, too, might be changed by the song she's writing.