Inseparable: A New Adult Erotic Romance Page 9

  She was fascinated by how her inner lips looked and felt as she ran her fingers along and between them. They were so soft, so smooth, almost like the skin on the inside of her mouth. Her nub was standing up hard, demanding attention, but she ignored it to trace around her opening as she clicked the mouse over and over. "How the hell does a baby get out of that?" she wondered aloud, remembering that unless something happened to prevent it, she’d be finding out in a few months. She sighed, pushing the thought away, taking more pictures as she played with herself.

  She was finding it harder to ignore her need for release, so she finally reached for her overnight bag and dug around until she found the slender wand vibrator she loved. In the monitor it looked much bigger than it felt. She clicked to start recording a video as she turned on the smooth, white toy.

  She really wanted to see what her orgasm looked like. Again, men had the advantage in being able to watch their own pleasure easily. It had been so hot watching him stroke himself slowly to release, and she had been astonished at the way he had erupted, shooting his seed clear across the bed. She focused on that image as she ran the vibrating tip above and around her swollen nub. The sensation pushed her quickly toward her release as she tried to force herself to stay open and still. The release came over her as she held her breath, gasping as it pulsed through her and left her feeling weak.

  After she recovered for a moment, she stopped the recording, and then scooted close to the computer screen. She closed the video application and clicked on the file it had created. She hadn’t realized the monitor had speakers until she heard the quiet hum of the vibrator and soft sounds of her wet fingers. She couldn’t look away, totally absorbed by her own pleasure.

  She saw herself moving slowly, the tip of the wand touching her nub, to finally go down to her opening, sliding back and forth as she increased the pace. When her moment finally arrived, she watched as both her opening and the puckered hole below it squeezed tight, her gasp coming out of the speakers. Her whole sex began to squeeze and relax rhythmically, quickly at first, then slowing as her release passed.

  When she finally regained her composure, she whispered, "That is so freaking cool." She rewound the video to watch it again and again, her hand moving unnoticed to rest on her stomach.

  She started putting the pictures into some kind of order, deleting the duplicates and out of focus shots. Arranged in her way it looked as good as any professional set of pictures she’d seen online. As she was uploading them to her Google drive, she considered how to torment Jack with them. When they finished uploading she was careful to delete them off the computer and camera.

  Jack had sent a reply to her email the night before encouraging her to follow through with her plan and sharing his aches and pains. In her reply she included a link to the craigslist ad for him to see what she'd done and attached the picture of her wearing his shirt and underwear, leaning against the couch with her fingertips at her lips.

  While she browsed around her favorite sites listening to Pandora, she imagined his reaction when he saw her picture with a grin. In moments she had a reply from him with a single word, "More!"

  She attached two more pictures, one that showed her nipple peeking around the edge of his shirt and another with her vulva pressed against the fabric of his underwear. She wrote, "You get one more each day if you're a good boy. Goodnight!"

  When she returned to browsing, she barely read one story before his reply interrupted her. "I lasted fifteen seconds..." he wrote making Julie clap and laugh as she read it. "I also love the ad and the pictures of the girls' room. Good luck!"

  "I miss you, Baby." she sent, then turned off the monitor to go to bed.

  Chapter 9: Julie

  The next morning when Julie checked her email there was a message in it from a Bonnie Baker. She identified herself as a decorator and asked for a call back to discuss a little girls’ playroom she was decorating. Julie danced around in Jack’s shirt, sliding barefoot around the living room, chanting "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

  Ordinarily on Saturday mornings she’d work her regular table at the flea market selling items she bought cheaply at the pawn shop, before going in to work at Bigger Bounce in the afternoons. She decided to take the morning off and treat herself to a manicure and pedicure to celebrate. As she trimmed and polished her nails, she listened to her favorite Pandora rock and dance stations on the computer, enjoying being free from nausea for a change.

  She returned the camera to the pawn shop on the way to work, happy to get the expensive item out of her hands in good shape. She waited until the afternoon before calling Bonnie back to avoid looking totally desperate.

  "Baker Creative, This is Bonnie."

  "Hi, my name is Julie Polk and you asked me to call you."

  "Hi Julie, thanks for calling me back. Listen, I have a client that wants a mural painted in her kids’ playroom. I saw your listing on craigslist and it looks exactly like what she wants. Can you tell me what you are looking for and what your availability is?" Julie couldn’t answer for a moment, sitting with her mouth open as she realized who the client might actually be.

  "Uh, sure, Bonnie. The last one I did took about two days and I charged $300 for my time plus the cost of the supplies, which ran around $50. I have a day job that includes the weekends, but most Mondays and Tuesdays will be free over the next couple of weeks, plus some limited availability in the evenings."

  "Excellent. The family will actually be gone on vacation the first part of next week, so if you could do it while they are away that would be perfect. I will be with you the whole time, so you don’t have to worry about working alone in their home."

  Julie could hardly believe she was getting hired so quickly. "OK, it’s a deal. I’ll put you down for Monday and Tuesday at least. I expect half up front and reimbursement for the supplies, which I’ll pick up myself. May I stop by to meet you and give you the receipt tonight or tomorrow?"

  "That will be fine, I totally understand. Please bring both the receipt and supplies if you don’t mind and I’ll bring them with me on Monday when I meet you at their home."

  "I’ll give you a call once I have the materials. Do you have another number where I can reach you?"

  "I’ll send you that along with the contract I need signed. Can I get your address and Social Security Number?" Julie provided her with the information and when she got off the phone let out a huge, relieved sigh.

  After leaving work at Bigger Bounce, Julie went by Jack’s apartment to change clothes and borrow the money for the supplies from his emergency fund. Once she gathered what she needed from the art supply store, she called Bonnie who surprised her by asking if she could buy Julie dinner. They agreed to meet at a local bistro Julie had never heard of, but eventually found. She left the supplies in the trunk of her car while she went inside.

  The small dining room only had about ten tables. Julie scanned the room looking for a woman who fit the sound of the voice on the phone. A woman stood and Julie’s eyes met those of a middle-aged woman with a short, wedge style haircut and expensive business casual skirt and top set. Julie immediately realized two things; that she had underdressed for dinner and that she had underbid her work significantly.

  Bonnie smiled and Julie saw something odd in the expression. It brought to mind the relaxed, predatory gaze of a lioness scenting her prey. Suddenly, she realized a third thing. Bonnie was a lesbian.

  Julie had been with women before, but didn’t really identify herself that way. The first time was her only experience with a threesome. She allowed an old boyfriend and his ex-girlfriend to talk her into it, and she had to admit it opened her to the possibilities. The rest were occasional one night stands instigated by women who found her attractive when she’d been out drinking. While they had all been satisfying in their own ways, she simply preferred sex with men.

  Julie was immediately worried that this twist might complicate things a bit because she really needed the work and couldn’t afford to give Bonnie an excu
se to hire someone else. On the other hand, playing grab-ass with an older woman all week didn’t really appeal to her either. She took a deep breath, smiled her winningest smile, and walked over to introduce herself.

  "Hi Bonnie, I’m Julie."

  Bonnie took Julie’s extended hand firmly, but rather than shaking it, she ran her thumb along its back and held it tight. "It is a real pleasure meeting you," she said. She stood a little too close and kept glancing at Julie’s lips.

  "Likewise," Julie said, pulling her hand away to sit down on the opposite side of the table. After they sat, Bonnie tried to order wine for them both before Julie interrupted to say that she didn’t drink alcohol, ordering a club soda instead.

  "I have to tell you I was impressed by both the artwork and the photography in your ad. Who did you use for the shots?"

  "I did that as well," she said, pleased by the compliment. "I had to borrow the equipment, but I set up the lighting and shots myself."

  Bonnie seemed genuinely impressed, nodding her head slightly as she sipped her wine. "I’ll keep that in mind. My company owns a complete set of photographic and image processing equipment. We hire freelancers to shoot with it at the end of each project for our portfolio. Would you be interested in doing that as well?"

  "I’ll be happy to give it a shot. I don’t know much more than I was taught in the photography classes I took, but I’ve been told I have a good eye."

  "Excellent, I’ll make note of that in our system. I only saw the one set of murals in your ad, have you done anything else?"

  "Yes, I also painted a set of murals in a restaurant near downtown. It was much simpler, just some postcard-style landscapes with a southwest theme, but they turned out very well. The client even gave me a bonus." They hadn’t, but Julie figured she’d plant the seed in case Bonnie felt guilty getting more than her money’s worth.

  "I’d love to see them to get a flavor for your range. Do you have any photographs of your other work?"

  "No, I didn’t have access to a good camera then, but I’ve been considering going back to see if I could take some. You’re not the only one who has asked to see more." Technically Jack wanted to see them, too, she thought, trying not to mislead more than she had to. She wanted to change the subject, so she said, "What can you tell me about the client and what they want for their playroom?"

  "Well, the customer has two little girls, aged 6 and 3, who love princesses and castles. The way she explained her idea was uncannily similar to your design. I wonder if she could have seen it somewhere?"

  "I have no idea. I was given very little guidance when I did the room, so I just put together some simple coloring book art and scaled it up to wall size. I never really saw the kids in the room to see if they liked it after I finished, but I heard they did from the client."

  "Do you mind if I ask who the client was?" she asked. And there’s the rub, Julie thought.

  She gave Bonnie a sideways glance, smiling sweetly. "Now why would you want to know that?"

  "Just curious really, but if they are willing to pay for decorating a playroom, maybe they’ll do more. I do pay for leads."

  "That’s good to know. I’d like to ask them before I share their information with anyone." The waiter came up again to take their order. Bonnie ordered some kind of shrimp dish. Julie was being careful with what she ate, so she got a salad with grilled chicken and a light raspberry dressing.

  "I’m actually glad you are careful with other people’s information. My clients expect a certain amount of discretion since we work inside their homes and around their families." Bonnie stared at her for a long moment, sipping her wine.

  "Do you know the dimensions of the room and the size of the open walls?" Julie was determined to stay focused on the business. "I still have my sketches from the last one I can reuse, but the design needs a usable corner with wall space on both sides."

  "Sure," Bonnie said with an amused expression, possibly sensing Julie’s discomfort. She pulled out a pad of paper from her attache and provided a rough outline of the room with general dimensions, including the location of doors, windows, and the opening to the stairway. "You have a long stretch between the two windows here. The other side has the two doorways to the girls’ bedrooms." She tore out the page and handed it to Julie.

  "May I use your pad and pencil?" Julie asked, wanting to impress her if she could. She drew a series of lines to frame the perspective of the long wall and began to sketch quickly, adding a tall tower, and a prince kneeling to his beautiful princess. As she sketched, Bonnie sipped her wine thoughtfully, nibbling at her lower lip as she watched.

  Julie ripped the first page out and set it aside to start another view of the two doors leading to the girls’ rooms. After she lined out the perspective and the doors, she placed a tree between them with branches reaching over the tops. In the center of each door, she sketched little girl princesses, smiling to herself as she made each one hold her skirt out as if curtsying. She was careful not to make them look too much like Jack’s girls for now.

  "How about that?" Julie said, pulling a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

  Bonnie held both pages out at arms length with her eyebrows high. "If I hadn’t seen you do it, I’d never have believed you could work so quickly. These are just perfect. When we get to the house I’ll show you pictures of the girls so you can give the little princesses their character. Just perfect."

  "I’m glad you like them." Julie realized she was flushing, but couldn’t help her response to the praise. "I’ll work on them some more and make a copy with a grid to scale them up. Do you need to get approval?"

  "No, the client left me to make the final decision. I am already thinking of what else I can use you for. Your rate works out to about $20 an hour. I think you are underselling yourself. I’m going to sell your time for about $50 an hour, and you should be getting at least $30. Would you mind if I adjust your quote to me? I’d feel like I was taking advantage of you otherwise."

  Julie was shocked. "You want to pay me more?"

  "Yes. And I’d like you to make some time next week to come consult with me at my office in the evenings. I need to put some proposals together and they would be better if you would sketch samples for me to include in them. On the clock, of course." Julie felt a little lightheaded.

  Before she could respond, the waiter arrived to place their food on the table. The shrimp was called prawns in this place and they left the heads on, their little whiskers and antenna sticking out above the small pile of rice and mushrooms on Bonnie’s plate. The smell was a somewhat overpowering, but Julie swallowed hard and focused on her salad. She assumed from the price that there would be more food on the large plate. Instead, the salad was nestled in a small dip in the center of the plate. Six small squares of chicken were arranged on the flat surface around the salad. An artful, drizzled trail of red dressing over and around the whole plate completed the presentation.

  "Bon Appetit," said the waiter as he backed away from the table.

  Julie had to admit it tasted good, but there wasn’t really enough there to fill her up. Bonnie worked quickly with her fork and knife to decapitate the prawns and drag the meat through the trails of sauce before eating them.

  "How is your salad?" Bonnie said after washing her bite down with some wine.

  "It’s very good. I don’t recognize the type of lettuce they are using, but it has an interesting, almost bitter flavor."

  "That’s the arugula. I like it too."

  "What about your shrimp?"

  "Lovely. The chef grills them with a salt crust, then peels the shell off the tail. I don’t know why they leave the heads on, it just makes more work to eat them and does nothing for the presentation in my opinion."

  "Unfortunately, it’s doing something for me though. Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom." Julie dashed off, afraid she wasn’t going to make it. She locked herself into the stall and bent over the bowl breathing heavily. She kept swallowing, trying to wait out the wave o
f nausea. She heard the door to the restroom open.

  "Julie, are you OK?" Bonnie sounded concerned.

  "Yes, just a bit of a stomach bug, I think. I’ll be fine in a moment."

  "OK. If you want I can wait here with you in case you need something."

  "No, it’s fine, really. For some reason the little shrimp heads and the smell of the seafood got to me. If you go back to the table, please have them box up the rest of my salad. I think I need to go home."

  "I’m so sorry, yes, of course I’ll be happy to do that."

  When she was alone again Julie let out a long, slow breath. The intensity was fading as she took deep breaths. When the worst had passed, she lowered her jeans and sat on the toilet to relieve herself, resting her head in her hands.

  The tears came suddenly, her emotions finally overwhelming her strength as she wept quietly. It was as if the gravity of the situation struck her all at once, like it never had before. "Oh, Jack, what am I going to do?" Telling her mom would create more stress than it relieved. She could call her friend Polly, but that would open the door to talking about options she wasn’t ready to face yet. She just wanted to talk to Jack, but he was under enough stress already. She clenched her jaws, wiped her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. "I’m just not going to think about it yet," she whispered.

  When she emerged from the restroom, Bonnie was waiting in the foyer with two small paper bags. "I couldn’t finish mine either," she said with a smile. "Let’s go move the supplies to my car so you can go."

  Julie got the bags from her trunk and took them to Bonnie’s black BMW. "Here you go. I may have gotten a little too much, but we can always return the things we don’t use."