Loneliness Bites, Pt. 01

Loneliness Bites

By Allister Craven

- 1 -

"You should get a dog," Katrina said matter-of-factly, still chewing on the last small bit of the cookie she had ordered, washing it down shortly after with a sip of her latte.

"I should, huh?" Erica answered, deadpan, unimpressed with her friend's suggestion. "I pour my heart out to you about being lonely and frustrated with my dating life, and your answer is 'get a dog'? How is that supposed to help?"

Katrina looked over the rim of her cup at her friend, then set the cup down. She raised her fist, then pulled one finger up. "They're loyal," she remarked, then lifted another finger. "They love you unconditionally," she added. Raising a third finger, she continued, "They don't talk back, they don't try to get in bed with your friends and they keep the bed warm, just to name a few reasons." The friend closed opened her hand and picked up her cup again.

"Yeah, but I can't fuck a dog," Erica replied, raising her fist and lifting her middle finger at her friend. The two stared at each other silently for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Trust me, Er, go to the Love Store on 5th. You can buy a pink friend that'll fuck you way better than any dude could."

The two broke out in a laugh again, then changed topics and finished their coffee.

About twenty minutes later, the two old friends hugged in front of their favorite café and said their goodbyes.

"Er, you're a bad ass, you know that, right? But I think maybe sacrificing your social life to be a bad ass attorney is coming back to haunt you. Don't forget to be you, yeah?" Katrina advised as they broke their embrace. "Love ya, Nerd," she finished. "Love ya too, Slut," Erica replied with a wink.

Erica and Katrina had been roommates their first year of university and became fast friends, despite their completely different personalities and ambitions. Erica had wanted to be a lawyer since she was a small child spending evenings watching legal procedurals on TV with her father. Katrina, on the other hand, went to college because her parents told her to, and she mostly saw it as an excuse to party and socialize, and so their callous nicknames for each other were born.

After they finished their degree programs, Erica went off to law school, passed the bar and joined a reputable law firm in the city straight away. Top firms weren't known for being accommodating to young women's social lives, and this firm was no exception. Erica didn't mind though - she was going to be the best attorney in the city, and everything else could wait.

Now, Erica was a junior partner but had little to show for it on a human-level. Katrina's daughter was now 5 and helped her mom at their family run florist shop, but Erica still lived alone in her small starter home, alone, with nothing but her case load to keep her company.

Her situation hadn't bothered her until now. She had some flings in university, and even had a late night rendezvous in the copy room with another Associate a couple years back, but the loneliness hadn't hit her until now. She was well into her thirties and always thought she'd be married at this point in her life, if not with kids. What happened?

Erica's office wasn't far from the café, and she often walked down to meet her friend for a cup. On the way back this time, she found her gait a little slower than usual. Pausing at a crosswalk, Erica looked left, then right. Her office was to the right.

"Fuck it," she said to no one in particular, then turned left, pulling out her phone to text her paralegal to clear her day.

It wasn't long before Erica was standing in her red-soled Louboutin shoes on cement floors looking down a row of kennels. She looked up and down the path through the thin metal wires keeping back a score of canines of various colors, breeds and temperaments. Fixing her posture, Erica set herself and stepped forward in the same power-pose way she did when she walked into the court room. She wasn't sure why she felt so out of place here. As a child, her family always had dogs. She loved them.

But a voice in the back of her mind was nagging at her, telling her this was silly, irresponsible. *To hell with that voice,* she thought. *It's just a dog. It's not like I'm taking up meth.*

Erica took her time at each kennel, reviewing the usually terrified animal inside. Some barked and jumped at their wire confinements, others cowered in the back corner. For each, she would kneel, wait to see how the little one would respond, then move on to the next.

Towards the end of the row, she drew a double take at a dog quietly laying in its kennel. It neither barked nor cowered, it simply looked back at her, as if it was watching her back, mutually testing her response.

Erica looked up at the sheet of paper hung on the kennel door.

"Alfred," she read, then looked back at the animal. He was beautiful. His coat was silvery gray with streaks of white under his long chin and around his brow and ears. Alfred was large, much larger than many other domestic dogs she'd seen. If anything, he reminded her of a dire wolf from the old fantasy novels she read long ago. She looked back at the sheet of paper. 'Great Dane Mix', it read. She had seen Danes before, but this one seemed large even for one of those.

"I don't abide dumb men, Alfred. But you don't look dumb," she observed. Alfred panted slowly and quietly a moment, then rested his head on his paws.

They continued to regard each other in silence before Erica finally turned and went back to main lobby of the shelter.

"Ah, Miss, did you make a decision?" the young woman behind the long counter asked.

"Yes. I'd like to give Alfred a home, please."

The shelter worker narrowed her eyes, looking over the woman in front of her. Erica was well dressed, and while not petite she was certainly not large either. Her hands were perfectly manicured, and her hair had not a single strand out of place. For her part, the young shelter worker wore scrubs covered in fur, had her hair thrown up in a hastily secured bun and had a dozen scratches on her hands and arms from rowdy residents.

"Are you sure... Alfred? Perhaps Puffer would be a better fit?"

"The neurotic miniature poodle? I think not. Alfred," Erica insisted.

The worker sighed and turned to her computer. "Well, let's get the paperwork started, I guess."

An hour later, Erica and Alfred were at the pet store, Erica confidently strolling through the aisles, squeaky-wheeled cart before her and Alfred obediently at her side. They were connected via an ASPCA branded canvas collar and thin, rope leash. She chose a new leash and collar for her companion, a set of bowls and matching raised stand and a few other odds and ends.

Standing in the center of the food aisle, Erica looked left and right at the overwhelming variety of options before her.

"Alright, Mister, what do you eat?" Erica asked, looking down at her new friend. Alfred looked back, panted once, looked up and down the aisle then back to her. She read it as the canine equivalent of a shrug, as if he were replying, 'Your guess is as good as mine, Lady'. Erica sighed and grabbed an expensive bag of kibble touted as having the most natural ingredients as well as a few cans of wet food, also purporting to have whole ingredients. She'd do more research later. *I should have done that research days ago if I were planning to get a dog. What am I doing!* she thought to herself. But what was done was done.

Erica checked out her goods, accepting the compliments of the cashier at 'What a good boy she had with her.'. They got home, and settled in for dinner, a bit of kibble and canned food for Alfred, a salad with pre-cooked grilled chicken for Erica. Alfred sniffed his bowl, looked up at Erica with a slight hint of disapproval, then dug in.

It took several days for the pair to find a routine. Alfred may have been an older dog, but when Erica added him to her morning run, she found he could keep up without much trouble. When Erica went to work, she was pleased to see Alfred was good about not making a mess in the house either with her stuff or his own biological needs. The routine felt good, and when Erica and Katrina had coffee next, Erica begrudgingly admitted that Alfred made a great companion and did ease her loneliness.

"You know I wasn't serious about the dog, right? But good on you," Katrina admitted. Erica rolled her eyes.

- 2 -

For the first week or two, Erica found it a little difficult to relax around Alfred, always on alert to be attentive to his needs. Though as she realized how easy-going he was, Erica found it simpler to relax.

It was a Saturday night, and Erica had popped open a bottle of wine to go with the small steak and greens she had made for dinner. Moving back to the dining room table with her plate, she closed her work laptop and pushed it aside, eagerly cutting in to the seared medium-rare animal flesh before her. Alfred was laying next to her, as he was often want to do, but tonight he seemed more interested than usual in her meal.

"I see you're more a steak guy than a chicken and salad one, huh? Well, this is my treat, Bucko, cool your jets," Erica told her friend with a smile. Alfred ducked his head, as if hurt by the idea he would go steak-free tonight. Erica's face contorted in a frown. "Fine, here," she said, her voice apologetic. She cut a few morsels for him and tossed them down from her plate intermittently through her meal.

When Erica stood to take her dish to the kitchen, she felt a slight swim in her head. Looking down at the wine bottle, she noticed it was about half empty. "You sneaking sips of my wine, Alfred? Bad dog," she quipped with a smile. Alfred ignored her, his belly sated with steak.

Her dishes cleared, Erica returned to her wine and dining room table, opening her laptop to the brief she had been writing earlier. The cursor blinked at her with anticipation, but she just stared back at it. Her body was warm from the wine, she was relaxed and between the long week and the lack of inhibition from the alcohol, she was finding it difficult to focus on work.

In addition to those other distractions, Erica also had another one. Sitting cross legged in the dining room chair, she removed her right hand from the keyboard and brought it into her lap, letting her finger tips graze the front of her 'comfy pants', a thin material black legging that was stretchy yet form fitting. As she touched herself, she felt a rush come over her body. With a small, mischievous smile, Erica closed her laptop again, grabbed her glass of wine and hurried to her bedroom.

Not bothering to close her bedroom door, Erica slipped out of her pants leaving her in a pair of pink panties and her beige tank top. She dimmed the lights and stepped to her bed, pulling back the covers and climbing in on top of the sheets.

Eyes closed, Erica's right hand moved to her panties, her fingers teasing at her folds just under the sheer fabric. Using slow, steady motions, she caressed herself, letting the touch warm her body to further attention. Her left hand moved to her breast. There was no bra under her top, and her digits quickly found the nipple hiding beneath, tweaking it as it hardened beneath her pinch.

After a moment, she slipped her right hand under the hem of her underwear, letting her middle finger ease between her moistened slit. Erica gasped at her own touch, pleasure receptors in her brain firing at the pleasant feeling. She heard her breaths deepen, soft moans whispered within them.

But she also heard another set of breaths in the room. Alarmed, her eyes shot open to see Alfred lying in the doorway, his predatory eyes fixed on his mistress. Erica's heart was racing, both from her arousal and the fright of thinking someone was in her room with her. She also found Alfred's attention a little disturbing.

"Huh, didn't take you as a pervert, Alfred. Not cool," Erica said, her calm, upbeat voice belying the sentiment of her words. She got out of bed and shooed Alfred out of the room. As she closed her door before him, she said a quick, 'Good boy,' and winked at her canine companion. She heard Alfred slide down to a lay in front of the door as she jumped back into bed, eager to find where she had left off.

- 3 -

Erica fumbled with her keys at her front door, missing the keyhole on her first and second attempt at unlocking her home. Third time the charm, she rolled the tumbler and stumbled into the house, barely remembering to take back her keys before she closed the door and locked it.

Alfred padded up to her and sat, watching her for a moment, head cocked to one side.

"No, don't ju-judge," Erica slurred, looking back at her roommate. "Those fucking senior partners are mysoginistic alcoholics. If we women don't keep up, they see it as weakness. It's bullshit, Alfred. Men are bullsh-bullshit."

Kicking her heels off into the house randomly, she stumbled to where she kept Alfred's food and scooped a few cups into his bowl before dumping the contents of a can of food on top carelessly. Alfred didn't seem to mind the poor presentation of his meal and engaged in eating it directly. Erica stopped at her pantry, grabbed a box of wheat crackers, and thee herself into the dining room chair closest to Alfred and digging into her own snack.

"And those bastard ash-o-shiates," she slurred, "They're just as bad. Slimy fucks, Alfred, the lot of them. I may be more... more promoted... whatever... than them, but they still feel like they can hit in me without impunity. Like, I read online that workplaces have gotten less toxic to women, but I'll be damned if it's not that way in the law profession."

Alfred finished his meal, then laid down, his paws on his chin and eyes raised to his mistress, listening intently.

"You... Alfffffred, you... you're the only man I need. Well, I could use to get laid, but honestly, I can fuck myself better than most guys I've dated, so maybe not..." Erica contradicted, her words slightly confused by her long night. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here, Bud. Thank... thank you. Now it's bedtime, come on."

Leaving the box of crackers open and on its side on the dining room table, Erica stood and swayed, catching herself with a hand on the edge of the table. "Ooof... too much tonight..." she mumbled. Setting an expression of determination, Erica began her walk towards her bedroom, ping ponging off the walls of the long hallway, Alfred following close behind, ears back and tail down.

Entering her room, Erica began stripping her clothes, leaving them in a trail behind her. She made her way to the bathroom, completed the barest of essentials, then stumbled back into her bedroom. Donning a t-shirt and pair of underwear, she fell on to her bed face first with a groan.

"Oh, Alfred, tomorrow is going to suuuuuuck."

She heard the jingle of tags and a weight land on the bed beside her, which her brain translated to Alfred jumping up to sleep at her feet as he normally did. As she drifted off, her brain letting go of consciousness, she dreamt of being held, a powerful arm wrapped around her and firm body warming her back. The dream and sensation made her smile, the final threads of consciousness snapping.

The following morning was as painful as Erica had anticipated. Her head pounded and her mouth tasted awful, like cotton and rancid fruit juice, and her body felt as if it had been hit by a truck. She opened her eyes with some effort and blinked away the sleep, immediately regretting leaving her blinds open before going to bed, the bright light aggravating her already throbbing head. She reached forward and grabbed the glass of water on her nightstand, taking a sip, then used it to wash down the aspirin and antacid waiting there for her. She whispered a silent thank you to drunk-Erica for setting herself up for success this morning as she rehydrated.

A nagging thought tugged at the back of her mind, though. She was pretty drunk last night, but she hadn't blacked out, or at least she didn't think she had. At the very least, Erica couldn't remember pouring herself a glass of water or getting the pills. As she pulled herself upright and ultimately out of bed, she racked her brain, trying to remember the event. Showering, she finally gave up, chalking up the spotty memory to too much booze. "Fuck those pricks," she announced to the empty shower, referring to the senior partners at her firm, and readied herself for her day.

- 4 -

As the weeks turned into months and Erica and Alfred's daily routine became rhythm and habit, Erica's loneliness began to nag at her again. It hadn't been that Alfred wasn't an amazing companion, it's just that he wasn't human. While he seemed to have a higher emotional intelligence than most men she had met, coming to her to comfort her in her pain and celebrate with her in her victories, he was hard to have a conversation with. With that, Erica put herself 'out there' again and signed up for an online dating app. She was both humbled and yet not surprised that within minutes of her profile approval, she had dozens of messages from men of all walks of life in her apps inbox. Some commented on her photos, others on her blurb in her profile and a smaller few commented on the pair of photos she posted with both her and Alfred. It was that third group that she wrote replies to.

...

David: Dinner 2nite?

Erica: Not tonight. Have to work late. Tomorrow though? ????

David: Sold! How about a place w a dog patio? Bring Al.

Erica: Awww, that's sweet! OK!

David: 7 @ Antonios on Gilbert. CU then.

Erica: I'm excited!

...

Seven o'clock didn't give Erica much time to clean up after work, but she still made time to change into a cute, casual outfit, boots, jeans and a form-fitting shirt, before she leashed up Alfred and started the short walk towards the restaurant.

"Alright Alfred, here's the plan. If he's a dud, text me and I'll say it's an emergency. Then I can use that an excuse to bail early, deal?"

Alfred looked up at Erica and panted, then returned his gaze to the sidewalk ahead of him and continued padding forward.

"Good point. No phone. Or opposable thumbs for that matter. Maybe just bark or something?"

Erica snorted a laugh when Alfred let out a small 'Woof' as if acknowledging her comment.

"Ha! Good boy."

Antonio's was a casual dining space with an open patio to the city's walkable downtown district, Gilbert Ave. It was the main drag for bars, restaurants and retail establishments as well as the best place to be social these days. A low wrought iron fence cordoned the patio from the sidewalk, allowing for a half dozen four tops to be set between the buzz of the city and the brick façade of the restaurant. The smell of wood smoke and pizza filled the area outside the establishment, cuing all passersby as to the promise of what lay within.

Sitting alone at a table was a tall, thin man in his early thirties. Meticulously kept blonde hair and a clean shaven face looked up at Erica and Alfred as they approached. Erica immediately recognized David from his profile picture, and her face opened into a warm smile as they approached.

David stood as Erica and Alfred entered the gate into the patio area, immediately pulling Erica into a full, rather familiar embrace. She stiffened a little under his touch, feeling the greeting a bit too casual for a first date. Doing her best to brush off the notion, she sat.

"So, how's our pupper today?" David asked in a sing song voice, reaching out to pet Alfred's head. Alfred also seemed displeased with overly familiar greetings and let a small growl rumble in his throat causing David to immediately recall his hand.

"Sheesh, should he be out in public?" David asked, his voice sounding a bit put out.

"He's usually so sweet, sorry about that. Maybe he needs a minute to warm up to you. I don't date much... well, at all... so he hasn't had the chance to meet many men with me."

"A hottie like you? I find that hard to believe." David replied with a wink. Erica offered a small smile back.

A waiter approached to ask for a drink order, and before Erica could speak, David chimed in. "I'll have a light beer and the lady a glass of your finest red wine. Thank you," David said, immediately dismissing the waiter.

"Thanks David, but I was planning to get an iced tea, not alcohol."

"Pssh," David vocalized dismissively, "It's a first date. I need you loose so we can have an open conversation, right? Besides, how else am I going to land a first kiss tonight?"

To this, Erica raised an eyebrow. This guy was a piece of work. She decided to give him one more strike before passing full judgement though. *Maybe he's just nervous,* she thought, attempting to justify his behavior. She looked down at the menu and perused the options.

"So, what do you do, Erica? Your profile said you were in law, so what, are you a secretary or something? I'm in finance. I - stocks and the like. Very fast paced stuff, but I won't bore you with all the details. It gets complicated," David said, briefly glancing at his menu too.

Setting her menu down, Erica looked up at David and fixed him with a stare. "I'm a junior partner at a law firm, actually. And some of the top brokers in town are my clients. I'm surprised I haven't run into you before, Mr. Finance." Erica's voice was deadpan and lacking humor. David went flush.

"Well, umm, that's..." her date started before Alfred began fussing next to the table. Erica's normally stoic companion stood and began pacing and whining.

"Alfred, you ok Bud?" Erica asked, her attention leaving her date and focused on the unusual behavior. "He's never done this; I think something's wrong."

Erica stood and collected her things as the waiter returned, dropping her wine and David's beer at the table. "Thank you for the conversation, David, it was lovely, but I need to find out what's wrong with Alfred."

David's face turned sour, and he spat back, "No wonder you don't date. You're too damned soft and attached to that mutt. Whatever, Bitch. Don't text me, but that wine was fifteen bucks - you can Venmo that."

Forcing a smile, Erica replied, "Of course, Big Shot. Have a good evening." She hurried her and Alfred out of the patio, Alfred still whining softly.

As they turned the corner off Gilbert, Erica paused and knelt down next to her friend, ready to check for bites or sores. To her shock, the whining stopped and he returned to his calm, collected self, his intelligent eyes looking up to Erica's as if to ask, 'How did I do?'

"You looking out for me, Big Man?" Erica asked, then paused. "Thanks," she finished, her voice sincere. After applying copious scritches behind Alfred's ears, she commented, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you did that on purpose. Thank you, you're quite a gentleman. Let's get home and get some dinner. We didn't want pizza anyway, did we?"

At home, Erica put together a small meal for herself, throwing together some pasta and sausage with a quick tomato sauce. She kept it warm on the stove, then gathered Alfred's meal, adding some of the reserved sausage to his bowl. Erica plated herself her dinner and delivered both to her dining room table.

Picking at her meal, Erica reflected, "That's why I don't date, Alfred. It's better to just be alone than to deal with assholes like that." She stabbed at some of the pasta and tasted it, frowning slightly. "You're smart, attentive... why couldn't I just find a guy like you?" Under her breath, she added, "Damnit, I wish I had parm. This needs salt. If only you could pass the salt, huh, Boy?" Sighing, Erica turned away from her meal, about to stand and grab her salt mill from the counter, but she stopped suddenly and blinked. The salt was at the table, next to her place setting.

"That's.... Impossible. I swear that was on the counter..." With a confused glance, she looked down at Alfred, then up at the salt, then back down again. "No... I'm hallucinating. That son of a bitch probably slipped me something. That's all," she hypothesized. Sitting back down slowly, Erica picked up the salt mill, still staring awkwardly at Alfred. Shaking her head to clear it, Erica seasoned her plate and dug into her food in silence.

- 5 -

Later that night, Erica lay in bed awake, her mind racing. Her date had been a loser, but she was still disappointed. She didn't need a man in her life to take care of her, and she was confident in who she was, but she couldn't shake the pit in her chest. It was an emptiness that ate at her. Getting Alfred helped. He was a balm that dulled the ache, but it wasn't quite the same. She needed human touch, human companionship.

Erica opened her eyes and she let out an exasperated huff into the dark room. At her back, she felt the familiar weight of Alfred's bulk on the bed. She closed her eyes again, tossing the covers away to cool herself from the hot night. For several moments, Erica focused on her breathing, and her companion. Sleepily, she mumbled, "All I need is you, Alfred. You center me. And you'll never betray me or treat me like a prize to be won. Thank you..." She finished the sentence with a yawn.

There was a shifting behind her. *Alfred must have grown restless,* she considered, half asleep. A new weight came over her then, the bulk of what felt like an arm. It wrapped over her shoulder, and she raised a hand to it, feeling the firm musculature in the forearm and held it close. Body heat warmed her back, and a moment later she felt the firm pressure of soft flesh against the back and side of her neck. Tender kisses worked from her shoulder up the side of her vulnerable neck before a hand pulled her hair away, and lips moved behind her ear.

Erica let out a long, soft breath and wiggled into the body behind her. A hand traced her arm down her left side, coming to rest on her thigh. *My God, I needed a dream like this,* she thought idly.

The hand moved inward on her thigh, massaging her tight muscles gently, relaxing her further. She instinctively let her leg's part slightly, and the hand moved inward, long and powerful fingers cupping her mound over the thin blue shorts she had worn to bed. A gasp slipped passed her lips, and the fingers started to make round motions, applying pressure to her intimately.

The lips at her neck gave way to teeth, small nips and bites playing at the long muscle along her shoulder. Without thinking, Erica brought a hand to her breast, feeling her own nipples harden under her touch. She whimpered as the touch left her sex, taking hold of her own hand and pulling it away from her sensitive nipples. It took over where she left off, applying pressure to her erect bud between two digits. Erica gasped again, a moan sneaking out this time with her ragged breath.

She noticed something else behind her then, a stalk of turgid flesh pressed against her ass. Working her hips, Erica began grinding into what she imagined to be the well-formed cock behind her. A low groan reverberated from the fantasy man behind her, and Erica couldn't help but grin a little.

The hand left her breast, moving quickly to and beneath the hem of her small shorts. Its long fingers slid eagerly between her folds, and with uncanny precision, found the sensitive bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs. Wasting no time, the pads of the fingers made slow, light circles over her clit. Her moans were no longer hushed affairs hidden in sighs, but more urgent whimpers in the quiet room.

She felt a need inside her building, and she wanted him, whomever the mystery lover in her subconscious was. Her hand reached behind her and found the firm ass of the man there. Squeezing, she dug her nail into the tough tissue. "I need you... I need you inside me..." her raspy voice pleaded. No sooner than the words left her lips did she feel her shorts get peeled from her thighs. Erica tried to turn, but the hand quickly moved up to her shoulder, keeping her faced forward, unable to see the person who would soon penetrate her. When she stopped trying to turn, the hand went back to work sliding down her shorts.

Now bare, she felt his rigid member against her rear, as if it were whispering a promise to take care of her momentarily. The hand shifted her legs forward, putting her in the shape of an L. Again, she tried to turn, but the firm hand returned, forcing her to keep her eyes pointed away. Another grip joined it, taking a handful of her dark hair to hold her still while the more free hand was left to guide his manhood to her entrance.

She felt a pressure against her, parting her folds, and then, slowly, she felt him begin to fill her. He seemed to go on forever, the sensations driving her mad. When she felt his pelvis touch her from behind, he paused, and Erica whimpered softly despite herself.

With slow strokes at first, he began to fuck her, filling her in one instant and leaving her empty, making her desperate for more in the next. "Oh... yes... just like that... " she called back to him as his hips began to pump faster. His breaths quickened from his exertion, and the hot air from his lungs against the back of her neck made her tingle all the more. The hand that pulled at her scalp applied a light pressure, enough to remind her that he was there, in control of what she could see or do, but still with enough tenderness to know he meant her no harm.

The lover's pace increased further until the bed frame began to creak with each pump of his hips, battling with Erica's moans to fill the room. Erica found herself rapidly reaching her climax, voicing such to him between pants and moans, "I'm so close... ugh... fuck me...!"

Her lover obliged, his motion becoming more forceful, a hand at her hip pulling her into his thrusting cock with each repetition.

She felt the rumble of her lover's deep voice before she heard it, and the promise it held sent her over the edge. She screamed into her dream as her orgasm ripped through her body and mind, and nearly immediately after, she felt him pulse inside of her. His low groan turned quickly into a howl of pleasure, like thunder in her ears as he had his own moment of bliss.

Her mind reeled for a moment as they simply lay there panting. The weight behind her left, and though she desperately wanted to turn around, her exhaustion had gotten the better of her. A tender hand and warm, damp cloth on her lower extremities was the last sensation she felt before her mind went completely dark.

- 6 -

The following morning, she woke minutes before her alarm, feeling better rested than she had in weeks. Rolling over, she saw Alfred on the other side of her bed. He lifted his head to look at her in return, as if saying good morning in his canine way.

"Morning, You," she greeted with a yawn. Sitting upright, she scratched his ears, then tossed the covers off and got out of bed.

"You wouldn't believe the dream I had," Erica started to explain to her companion. "I've had sex dreams before but this one, it was so... vivid."

Erica drowsily worked her way to the bathroom, stripping once there. She reached in and started the water on her shower, testing the heat of it as she continued to explain. "It was almost like puberty all over again, you know? I swear, I'm getting all hot and bothered just thinking about it now, Alfred."

The water finally at her desired temperature, Erica stepped in to the shower and began soaking her long hair. "To feel those hands on me again..." she shuddered, leaving her thought unspoken. A draft caught her damp skin, and she felt a presence with her in the shower.

"What if it wasn't a dream?" a voice, tinged with a slight German accent, asked.