Summer's End

This is final chapter of the twenty-one part Friends series. Generally, each story can be read independently, but the characters and plot line make much more sense if you have read the earlier parts. This story in particular expects some of the earlier chapters to have been read, ideally all of them.

I intend on writing individual stories in this universe, following the further developments of the friends, but this chapter brings a close to the immediate story arc. Future stories will revisit how the characters develop.

This chapter starts the morning after "The Circle Grows" ends. As with the majority of stories in the series, this is told from Lisa's perspective.

I apologize that this chapter came out much longer than I was expecting. I hope you enjoy the ending. And to those of you who have made it through all twenty-one parts, thanks for coming on this ride with me.

*****

"Fuck me Tim, Fuck me!"

My weekend wakeup call comes through the wall from the guest bedroom. This may be even better than having Audrey bring me a cup of coffee and ogle me as I wake up. I can masturbate to these sounds.

The words have transitioned to grunting and moaning, Tim's grunting and Audrey's moaning. The hand in my pussy is keeping time with their beat. As I hear the need in their voices increase, I pick up the tempo on my clit. My other hand is now pinching my nipples. Despite the workout Alan gave me last night in the living room, with four pairs of eyes watching, I am ready for another orgasm this morning. As Audrey's moan transition to a shriek, marking the start of her climax, my fingers bring me to my own.

I relish in the afterglow until I hear the shower go on. That means Tim is taking his shower and Audrey, my best friend, my virtual lover this morning, my actual lover other days, is about to appear in the hallway. Wearing just a tee shirt.

I pull my kimono loosely around me and meet her there and we walk arm in arm into the kitchen. This is one of my favorite rituals in a week.

Alan is working on breakfast as we arrive in the kitchen. He is holding a cup of coffee out for me -- God, I love this man -- even as his eyes wander to take in Audrey's pussy in its usual bloom. I give him a big good morning hug and then sit at my usual spot, sip my coffee and ogle the pussy now exposed across the table from me.

"Chocolate chip pancakes, sausage and fresh fruit for breakfast today," he informs us.

"So who is our IT partner candidate that you are meeting this week?" I ask.

"I have only seen her resume. Marty talked to her on the phone. She is about a decade older than we are. She was running the IT group for a mid-sized city and was ambitious enough to want to try her hand as a contractor. Apparently, she hadn't really thought through how much back office support is required for consulting and is now frustrated by how much of that she has to do. One of Marty's network knows her and recommended her."

"Sounds like it could be a very good fit."

"I am visiting a client out there the next day. If I really like her, I will bring her along to see how we interact and how she deals with a client."

Tim appears dressed in jeans and a tee. Despite being October, the weather is still nice enough for a tee. Alan starts cooking the pancakes.

"How are our future porn stars feeling about fucking on stage in front of an audience?" Alan asks.

"I am horny as hell," Audrey exclaims loudly. "I would have gone two or maybe three more rounds with Tim, but I need to leave something in his tank. Kind of the opposite concern of two weeks ago, when he was not supposed to have a boner while he was modeling."

"But it's good you took care of me once or I might have shot my wad in one of the first few poses," Tim adds.

"I guess it is a balancing act," I say. "God knows I am horny as hell just thinking about watching and trying to draw all this action. You had everyone about to break out in an orgy with your poses last week Audrey. Even Anne was seriously flustered."

"And masturbated in her car, you told me," Audrey adds. "I was too busy myself to notice."

"I wonder if the husbands of all my female classmates know what is going to hit them this evening. I predict an unusual surge in early evening sex in this city."

Once we have finished eating, Audrey announces, "I am going to go take my shower. And take care of something else while I am in there. Maybe more than once."

She is rubbing her exposed pussy as she leaves the kitchen. I am not sure she will wait for the shower before her relief starts. But I have to admit, some relief in the shower sounds like a good plan.

I start in on cleaning up from breakfast while she is in the shower. Audrey is still in the shower when I walk by the guest suite. I stick my head in their room and shout, "Save some hot water for me. Masturbating in a cold shower sucks!"

"Just one more time. And here it comes. OOOOH!"

I hear the water turn off.

A clean body and two orgasms later, I feel better when I come back out to meet them. Alan is in the study. I give him a quick goodbye kiss, and glancing at his tissue box, I say, "Remember to save something for me tonight."

He blushes and retorts, "I lied last night when I said I wouldn't be able to walk comfortably until Monday. It might be Tuesday. But I will make it happen tonight and hopefully tomorrow night. That has to get me through for the three days I am in Cupertino."

I had forgotten about what his trip was this week. Alan was right that it was Apple looking at buying Zardoz labs and apparently he is considered to be one of the crown jewels of the purchase, if it happens. We should talk about this some more tonight.

When I get back to the others, Audrey asks, "Are you okay? You look a little, I don't know, overwhelmed?"

"Yeah, I was just think about Alan being gone most of the week. But I will be on the road with Marty two days of it anyway," I say, only half lying.

The possibility of Apple buying Zardoz is an extreme secret. I am not supposed to know about it at all. Alan only knows because they want to meet with him as part of their due diligence.

"Let's go and watch you two fuck!" I say, trying to return to my earlier excitement.

When we arrive, Anne is the only one there. She checks in with Audrey and Tim. They say they are fine, but I can see Tim especially is nervous. They go off to change into their robes.

While they are gone, I show Anne my latest pictures, both the pair with Audrey and MaryA and the trio I drew of MaryB yesterday morning. She likes all of them. I think my pictures are at least consistently good. Great seems to be a rare crapshoot, but I can live with consistently good in between.

I explain that I am thinking about starting to sell some. She asks if I have ever learned to do any framing. I admit I haven't. She says I need to master that and start mounting and framing my drawings. Or find a professional I trust and can develop a relationship with. I need to mount the pictures I will be submitting soon anyway.

She recommends waiting to choose a gallery or start selling. If either of my drawings gets accepted into the exhibition, it will be easy to find a gallery. And my prices go up substantially. Four figures instead of three figures per drawing.

I give her a hug at the end of our talk. I am not sure if we will have a chance after class today. And this may be my last class with her. She has been transformative to me.

The other students are trickling in. I see Mary come in. She gives me a big hug.

"I tried to follow your suggestions. I couldn't make him wait as long as you teased me yesterday, but it still was so much better. He thought it was amazing. Thank you!"

She gives me another big hug and then sets her easel to my right. The normal students all had regular spots we drew from. The man who is usually next to me did not stay for this special session. I think he was intimidated by Tim's cock.

I tell Mary that I will be at Audrey's tournament next Saturday, so no modeling. I assume we are back on the next week.

Anne calls the class to order. "Everyone knows why we are here today and we all know our two models, Audrey and Tim. The basic structure will be the same, with four short poses before break and three longer after break. Audrey has asked that the first two poses be fifteen minutes while the second two are the ten minute ones. In the second half, all three will run for the usual twenty five minutes.

"I have one special rule that is only necessary for tonight. I do not want to see any private parts of any artists today. This was not an invitation to an orgy. If you need to leave the room to take care of matters or regain your composure, make sure you do so.

"I also want to note that we need to a little more forgiving of some movement in our models this afternoon. This may be especially true in the later poses. I assume you all understand and can manage to compensate in your drawings. So let's give an opening thank you to Audrey and Tim for their willingness to do their special poses today for us."

Everyone claps. Audrey drops her robe and steps up to the chair near the front of the low stage. She sits it the chair facing the center of the class and spreads her legs. She reaches a hand into her pussy. She mostly holds still, but every minute or two she makes one circle around her pussy and takes a deep breath.

Otherwise, her eyes stay closed and she is barely breathing. I focus on drawing her face; from the side, I don't have a good view of her hand or her pussy. She looks like she is anticipating an orgasm, one that will be delayed a long time. I try to capture the hunger and the anticipation in her expression. This is not acting on her part; I am sure she is imagining what it will feel like when her release finally comes.

When Anne calls time, Audrey just pulls her hand back and relaxes in the chair. I glance over at Mary's drawing. She apparently could just see the hand in her pussy and drew her from her shins up. It is a nice suggestive angle, without the explicitness that I am sure many in the middle drew.

Anne announces next pose, and Tim drops his robe and walks up to stand next to the chair, where Audrey is still sitting. He is on the far side of the chair from me; the other side probably has a pretty boring pose. He has one hand on the back of the chair, the other is in her pussy. Her torso is turned slightly to him and she is giving him a slow hand job.

He was not quite fully erect when he came forward, but that is a short term issue. I focus on drawing the hand on his cock. It is a little trickier to draw because Audrey will not hold her hand still. This is only my second time drawing an erect penis, both Tim's.

I am happy with the picture when time is called. I glance over at Mary's picture; she chose about the same framing as I did. It is a better drawing than her first was.

Audrey stands up this time and they hug briefly before they both shake out their arms. Anne calls next pose and Audrey sits in the chair again, legs spread. Tim kneels on the floor between her legs and plants his face in her crotch. She reaches her hands up and grabs her own breasts, pinching each nipple between a thumb and forefinger, while each palm hefts the weight of a mammary.

I focus on one breast and the hand with it. This is a better picture than when I drew one of her breasts almost two months ago. I had forgotten that this was a short pose, It is good that I drew something straightforward.

Tim apparently interpreted the time differently. He went from minimal contact to aggressively licking her clit. She climaxes loudly, surprising many of us who were working on setting up for the last pose.

Anne glowers at them a bit, then calls next pose. She is not giving them an extra break.

Tim stands up. Audrey stands up and leans forward, her hands on his thighs to balance herself. Her mouth wraps around his cock, with the entire head in her mouth.

I have a perfect view of this pose and focus on her face and mouth as well as his shaft, balls and pubic hair. The people in the center, who have see all the action until now, only have a view of Tim's ass and his very muscled back. Fun to draw, but not what they were hoping for this afternoon.

When time is called, Tim and Audrey stand up, give each other a quick hug, and walk back to pick up their robes. They are standing at the back of stage, each with an arm around the other when Anne comes up. She looks a little grumpy.

"You should have warned me if that was the plan," she starts.

"It wasn't planned, I just thought Audrey needed it," Tim says.

"I did need that. Do you know what it's like to have fingers or a tongue in your pussy for most of an hour without actually being able to get release?"

"Hrrmph!"

Anne climbs off the stage and looks at the drawings. I actually think she is just grumpy because she isn't allowed to find release herself. A much higher percentage of students than usual take a bathroom break immediately. I think some relief is being found in the ladies room right now.

Audrey goes to the very back of the stage and grabs her yoga mat that is rolled up. Tim moves the chair to the back of the stage and Audrey unrolls the mat perpendicular to the front of the stage.

They both come down and socialize with Mary and me for a while. Anne calls five minutes. Audrey and Tim climb up on the stage. They go the very back with Tim's back to the class. I think Audrey is giving him a hand job to get him back to fully erect.

Anne calls next pose and they drop their robes. Tim lies face up on the mat, his head towards the class. From my angle looking across him, it is obvious that Audrey did manage to get a full erection on him. Audrey lies face down on top, her pussy towards the center of the class. She takes his cock in her mouth again. She takes a few strokes up and down to give it some moisture and freezes most of the way at the top, bring a hand to wrap around the base.

Knowing I have the full twenty five minutes to draw, I go for all of them, from his toes to hers with all the interesting points in between. I notice that she occasionally squeezes his cock, trying to give him just enough stimulation to keep him fully erect without overly exciting him.

When time is called, I have a reasonable drawing technically, but it doesn't capture the sexuality that is present. Audrey and Tim stand up and give each other a hug before walking around. Audrey, in particular is shaking out her left arm, the one that was holding Tim's cock during that pose.

She bends over at one point and rotates the mat, now parallel to the front of the stage. She asks Anne, "Is it okay if I give him some attention to firm him up?"

Anne nods. She crouches down and gives Tim about a minute of oral attention.

Anne calls next pose. Tim again lies down face up, now with his head almost within arm reach of me. Audrey walks over and straddles him, back towards me. She is on her knees and slowly lowers herself onto his cock. She lowers herself all the way and then comes off about half way. She is bent forward, her hands on his ankles.

Mary and I, along with everyone on our side or the center have a fabulous view of his cock spreading her labia. The artists on the other side have a nice view of her leaning down over his legs, her boobs hanging down.

Both Mary and I take advantage of our view, drawing very detailed images of the union of their privates. I really like my picture. I am sure it is too explicit to submit for the exhibition, but it is amazingly sexy and lifelike. I may let Audrey and Tim have this one. She will definitely like it. I bet he does as well. Probably not one they are willing to hang on their wall. At least not when her sister is here next week.

When time is called, Audrey tells Anne, "I am going to take a minute of my break and get some relief."

Anne rolls her eyes but nods. Audrey reaches down and finds her clit and begins to rock aggressively on Tim's cock. It takes less than a minute for her to find her release. No one is startled by her cry this time; every one of us has watched, enraptured by her actions. Including Anne.

She and Tim then stand up and hug again. She gives him several big kisses before wiggling her arms. He is doing some of the same stretches that he did between his long poses two weeks ago.

When Anne calls last pose, he lies back down where he was. She again straddles him, but now she is facing me. Well Mary and me. She again lowers her self down and freezes. She gives Tim a quick kiss and then supports herself on her arms.

Those arms are going to get mighty tired, I think to myself.

I set myself to drawing the outlines of their bodies quickly. I am glad I did, because just as I am starting to fill in details, she is starting to rock her hips slowly back and forth back and forth. Mary had started with just her chest and now is struggling to get pieces drawn in the right place to each other.

I have the picture almost down except her face when she suddenly becomes frantic in her movements. Tim is thrusting upwards into her. A moment later she is lost in her climax, her face frozen by the sensations flowing through her. She actually holds her orgasm face for almost thirty seconds while Tim finds his release and the energy flows from one of them to the other and back again.

I am feverishly drawing the structure of her face in that moment, while trying to burn every detail into my brain. She collapses onto Tim's chest and then rises up just enough to kiss him passionately, before dropping back onto his chest, her arms spent.

I am feverishly drawing to dump that image onto paper.

Anne meekly calls time.

I continue feverishly drawing.

Anne steps on stage and walks over to them.

I am still drawing as quickly as I can.

Anne offers Audrey a hand up, which she accepts and then leans over to offer Tim a hand.

I am drawing.

Audrey and Tim hug passionately and then turn to the class, arms around each other, as Anne says, "Please give a big hand to our two models today. That was very special."

I draw one last bit, put my pencil down, and add to the end of the applause.

This is the picture I was trying to draw a month ago. The one my mind could see but my pencil couldn't produce. This embodies the moment of ecstasy. This is my favorite picture I have ever drawn. Nothing else comes close. I doubt I will ever top it.

Anne asks people to let Tim and Audrey see their pictures before we leave. They pull on their robes and follow Anne down off the stage. She starts at the far side of the room first. I have a few minutes to get my self collected and organized.

I need to know if Anne sees the same thing in this picture that I do.

They are now looking at Mary's pictures. They are good, better than most of the class has been drawing. Except for the last one, when their movement threw her for a loop. That one didn't work. Anne gives her some suggestions and thanks her for coming this afternoon.

All four of them come over to see my drawings, I have put them back up in the order they were drawn. The first five draw comments from Anne like very well done, good picture, etc.

She pauses for a moment longer on the next to last picture.

"That is one of the best drawings you have done. It is too explicit to submit to the exhibition, but it is a spectacular picture."

"I was going to give it to Tim and Audrey."

"You do realize that it may become valuable if you get accepted into the exhibition."

"Who deserves it more than the two of them." I then turn to Audrey and Tim, saying, "Assuming you want it."

They are both nodding their heads yes.

Then I show my last drawing. My perfect drawing.

Anne is dead silent. I don't know what to think. I can see tears welling up in her eyes.

"This is a masterpiece. Museum quality. Better than anything I have ever drawn. Or probably ever will. I will be shocked if this is not accepted into the exhibition. This may become the centerpiece of the exhibition."

She takes a moment to compose herself.

"Are you ready to be famous in your own way, Lisa? This may be the best drawing of the instant of ecstasy I have ever seen. You have things to still learn, but little I can teach you. How far do you want to take your art? You have the potential to become a truly great artist. Like one of the best of your generation. You need to keep working on developing your craft, learning new media while you perfect this one."

"I am going to keep drawing Mary. And Audrey told me I needed to learn how you made your picture look wet last week. She really liked that picture you drew of her."

Audrey is nodding her head emphatically.

"And I am looking forward to starting the clay class in three weeks."

"I am curious to see how your genius translates to 3D media. If you can master that and show your genius there, the sky is absolutely the limit. I have never worked with anyone with your talent. I don't think I have even known anyone with your talent. About your question earlier, you definitely need to wait for a few months to get a gallery. I said you could get four figures before. I think most of your pictures will get that easily now. A really good one should be looking at five figures. I am not an art appraiser, certainly not at this level. But I would expect this drawing to go well into six figures at auction, at least. Congratulations!"

I was worried she was going to tell me it was not as good as I thought. I am a bit in shock right now. I think she is, too.

"Would you let me take a picture of it? I will send you a copy of the photo. We need to get this professionally framed. Soon. I know your husband has become famous, but in my world, he is about to be known as Lisa Williams's husband."

Audrey and Tim go off to get dressed and I talk some more logistics with Anne. She insists I sign the drawing and put a year with my signature. I use the same Lisa I used on Alan's picture that he made me sign.

We agree to have lunch or dinner in about three weeks. I find out her general constraints; I don't know my travel schedule or Alan's work schedule that far out. Especially with everything from Eddie added on top.

Audrey, Tim and I head out to the car. With three orgasms during the modeling, Audrey is not as needy as she was last week and climbs in the front with me. I am still a bit overwhelmed by what Anne has said, enough to mask the intense horniness I was feeling right up to finishing that last drawing.

"So do you want to text Michelle or should I?" Audrey asks, "'Yeah, Michelle, Lisa has just been named as the greatest living artist. Do you think you might want to use that?"

"Anne was probably just over excited."

Then I laugh. "Lizzie was jealous that Michelle was excited by Alan getting famous. Michelle defended herself, saying 'Thinking about Alan gets me wet, but it's not his cock.' If Anne is even ten percent correct, I guess she is going to be getting wet thinking about me. Lizzie claims she doesn't get as jealous when it's another woman. Maybe that will help."

Audrey laughs.

"I really do have to meet Lizzie."

"Oh, I told Michelle she needed to hear the old bastard story from you, so don't be surprised if she asks about it. She doesn't really get you yet."

I drop them off at their apartment and then head home. I am excited to talk to Alan about what Anne said.

I walk in and find Alan in the study. He doesn't look good.

"I have something really big to tell you, but first what's wrong?"

"I am just stressed about the trip Tuesday. I was talking to Graham. He is not being brought out to Cupertino. They are kind of ignoring him, which has him nervous for his future."

"But he is certainly set for life with what he will take out of the company if Apple buys it."

"He isn't any more interested in being rich than we are. He wants to run his company. It's his baby. And he doesn't think he has another start up in him. So in essence, he is being shuffled off to the old person's home when he still wants to be active."

"I can see why he would be upset. And I know you care about him, but I wouldn't think it would upset you this much."

"This has me thinking, why does Apple want me to come out for three days. What are they looking for? What AM I supposed to be?"

"If they are expecting something you are not, the deal falls through. So what? Graham is happy and we are back to what we expected a few weeks ago. No harm done."

"But what if they think I am what they want? Do I want that? I really hated my promotion. I assume that they are interested in me to give me some sort of promotion."

"If you don't like it, tell them so. You hold all the cards. If you like what they are offering, you say yes. If you don't, or are even so-so on it, you make Graham happy and scuttle the deal. Go, enjoy yourself and the worst outcome is you wasted three days talking to a bunch of interesting people on the wrong side of the country."

"That's a good way to look at it. I feel like I have to live up to their expectations. But you are right, who cares if I don't. So what is your big news."

"I drew my perfect picture today. I don't think I can ever surpass it. But it is so good. Anne said she thought I might now become regarded as one of the great artists of this generation, just for this picture. And that the closest drawing she has ever seen to it was a DaVinci. She was actually crying as she looked at it. She says it deserves to be in a major museum. I am still in shock. Oh and she said all of her crowd will only know you as my husband. NPR and Colbert be damned."

"That is more than amazing. I have no idea what to say."

"I am expecting that she was caught up in hyperbole, but it is really, really good. Let me grab it to show you."

I run back and bring the picture back.

"I don't know art," he says, "but that is amazing in my book. Jesus, that is good. You can feel her emotions, her orgasm. Wow!"

"She said she cannot conceive of this not getting in the exhibition. It may well be the centerpiece of it. And it probably gets my other two pictures in as well. And she said it would sell at auction for six maybe even seven figures. If she is right, you are not the only one making us rich."

I laugh before adding, "And now Michelle can get wet thinking about me instead of you. That might make Lizzie happier."

He gets up and we hug.

"Let's go get some dinner somewhere," I say, "I suspect once I recover from the shock of all this, I will be horny as all hell. I was horny before talking to Anne at the end. I did just watch Audrey and Tim have sex for almost two hours. She came three times up on stage."

"Do you have a preference?"

"We just ate at Rick's last night and Tito's Thursday. I guess Sam's. Jesus this has been some four day stretch. Eddie quitting, then our dinner with Michelle and Lizzie, then the sex session with six of us last night and now this today."

"Off to Sam's for now. See if we can calm you down."

Dinner kind of calms me down. Every time I start to settle, I remember something she said. It seems impossible that she is right. Can I really have created one of the great masterpieces in history this afternoon? Me?

We have sex after dinner, but I am too jittery to properly enjoy it, even if I did have a major orgasm. At least one way to use all that energy. It didn't help that Alan was trying to force himself. He was too wiped from yesterday and too angsty about Tuesday.

Audrey and I carpool on Monday. Both of us are still abuzz from what Anne said. But it sounds like Audrey and Tim at least had serious sex all evening long.

Marty comes over to us as soon as we walk in. "First off, I wanted to thank you both in person for what you did Thursday."

"You should have seen what Michelle was getting done for the roll out," Audrey says.

"I will let talk to her when she gets in, too. Thank you for standing up for her," he says. "And I guess you deserve congratulations for your pool. Are you going to make Michelle happy and win next weekend? I plan on being there on Saturday to watch you and Maria.

"And, Lisa, how did dinner go with Michelle and Lizzie on Friday? What did you think of Lizzie. I haven't met her yet."

"She was different than I expected. She came with a real attitude problem -- Michelle got seriously pissed at her. But the next morning, Lizzie and I were becoming good friends."

"They spent the night?" Mary asks, expecting more of an explanation.

"Alan had made a seriously fancy meal, with a new wine for each course. After dinner. we realized that no one was in shape to be driving."

Marty looked at me waiting for me to say something more. All I did was blush a bit. Finally I say, "We didn't have sex with them, Marty."

I can sense Audrey about to say something about that being the next night, but she thought better of it.

Instead she says, "You should see the picture Lisa drew of me yesterday. Her teacher says it is definitely museum quality. She said Lisa could become one of the great artists of our generation."

"You are not going to leave us for your art, are you?" Marty asks.

"No way. I think she was just excited in the moment yesterday."

Keep telling myself that to stay grounded.

"So Lisa is adding generational artist to her growing list of accomplishments. Could you at least warn me before you win the Nobel peace prize next week?" Michelle says as she comes in.

"I am not a generational artist! Anne said if I worked, maybe I could become one. Maybe! When she was overly excited. Everyone calm down about this."

Marty steps away, saying, "Ladies, if you will excuse me, I have a conference call to be on."

"But Anne is pretty sure she is going to be in the exhibition," Audrey says, continuing our conversation. "Michelle, if you get that article about Lisa and Alan, you probably should have the reporter talk to Anne Shreave at the Art League."

"I don't think there is any if about the article. The only if is whether it makes the cover. And I put pretty good odds on that. And I will let the reporter know about her. Can one of you send me contact info?" Michelle asks.

She continues, "Between Anne and Iris, you are building your own fan club aren't you, Lisa. And add Lizzie to the member rolls. For both you and Alan. I don't know what you talked about Saturday morning while I was dying, but she is a huge fangirl of both of you now. She spent Saturday afternoon and evening nursing me back to health, bless her. But she read the Wired article while she was doing it. Then listened to all the NPR segments with Alan. I had to dig up the NYT article about you yesterday when I was at least partially alive."

She looks around for a moment and then says, "Could I come to lunch with you two today? I have something I want your help with."

We both nod. "I am still getting caught up with my work from Thursday. And I need to be ready for my trip with Marty tomorrow. See you both at lunch. Can you make the reservation today, Audrey?" I ask.

By lunch time, I am pretty comfortable with where I am for Tuesday's prospect. I will probably need to do some work in the hotel Tuesday night to finish preparing for Wednesday's client.

Audrey and Michelle stick their heads in my office, indicating that it was lunch time. On the walk over, Michelle starts explaining.

"Mostly, I want some relationship advice from you. Lizzie is the only woman I have ever been with, but she has a significant history. I have never asked for a number, but it's at least double digits, I am sure. Lisa, you said you have another lover other than Audrey?"

"Actually, I have two other women I sometimes have sex with right now. MaryB and I are a relatively new item."

"She seduced her for the first time last week," Audrey adds.

"You two really do tell each other all your sexual exploits, don't you."

We nod.

"Do Alan and Tim know? How do they deal with the jealousy?"

We pause before we answer. We have reached the restaurant and the Maitre'D is about to seat us. Some conversations are better held in private. We chose this restaurant because some of the tables are famously isolated, allowing for private conversations. Audrey reserved one of those tables.

"Of course I let Alan know. I have no intent of ever cheating on him. Alan and Mary's boyfriend Ethan actually watched us Saturday afternoon. I was trying to teach both Mary and Ethan some patience in their lovemaking."

"Do you get off on being watched?"

"It is interesting and can be a huge turn on, but it's not my big thing, like it is for Audrey."

" Audrey, I keep hearing that you are different away from work. But it really is hard for me to fathom. You are the ultimate prim and proper woman, always."

"It has not always been that way. I was very wild in college. The Dean actually called me in to meet with her to try to get me to calm down. I was considered disruptive or something," Audrey says, and then laughs. "I thought the Dean was kind of a bitch at the time, an old bitty who didn't know how to have fun and hated me. It turns out she is one of Marty's lovers, with a very active and pretty wild sex life, I gather from him. And she is the one who sold Marty on me."

"Marty has lovers. Plural. Kindly old gentleman Marty," Michelle says, shaking her head in disbelief.

Audrey answers, "You haven't really had a long personal conversation with him yet, have you? He gave me glimpses of his wild side in our conversation when he told me about becoming a partner. But when we had our fancy dinner with him, he opened up much more. I guess he was pretty heavy into the swinger lifestyle. Maybe still is."

She continues, "I know Lisa mentioned my old bastard story. Let me tell it to you. I think Lisa is right, it's the only way to understand me.

"I had worked really hard in college, valedictorian and 4.0 and all that. It got me an interview with what I thought was my dream job, working for one of the big national accounting firms. I picked what I thought was appropriate business attire for the interviews and they had gone well. I was pretty sure I was getting the job. My final hurdle was a meeting with the regional manager, one of the senior partners in the national firm. I slid my resume across his big desk to him. He looked at it for a while, then looked up and just stared at my tits, not even trying to disguise where he was looking. Then looked at my resume again before saying, "4.0 huh. How many blowjobs did that take?

"I stood up, shouting, 'I earned every one of those grades, you old bastard.' And stormed out. And then cried for three days. But I recovered by finding what Alan calls my ice queen persona. And Marty got to hire me. And the rest is, as they say, history."

She doesn't have quite as much sorrow and pain with that story as she did when she told it to me at the beginning of the summer. Maybe her success is starting to finally soften the blow.

She continues, "I will bet Lisa told you the story of me taking Tony down a few notches in the bar. She likes to tell that story. But I bet she didn't tell you how I got myself into that situation. I bet him for access to the table. My side of the wager was showing him my boobs. Marty inferred that from Lisa's telling of the story. He laid into me pretty well. And he should have. That could have gone really south. And I endangered Lisa with that stunt.

"I would have liked to think I had learned my lesson, but a few weeks later I almost got Alan in trouble. He got us access to a pool table at his work and I exposed myself to Lisa while she was learning to play. Nothing serious, but he pointed out that there was a security camera in the room. The way the security guard ogled me when we left made it obvious he had been watching. Alan was really pissed; if the guard had reported it, that all would have come back on him.

"That is why I was noncommittal about entering the pool tournaments. It is only the last few weeks that I have trusted myself enough to play the tournaments. I am at least as proud of that as I am of any of the wins. More really."

"I had no idea," Michelle says, suddenly looking at Audrey differently.

After a moment of silence, she says, "I am glad to start to really know you. I know you both have something sexual going on from what Lisa said Friday night. Do you just have big orgies or what?"

I laugh and then say, "We just explained this all to Javi and Maria Saturday night. I guess the new partners are reaching that point in our relationship or something. Our most common activity is having sex in front on each other."

"That's how it started," Audrey says, "Tim and I originally fucked in front of Alan and Lisa accidentally. Then we decided to do it intentionally. I needed an outlet and Tim realized he liked showing us off; they were our only safe audience."

"He has the thickest cock I have ever seen. In person or in any porn I have watched. I know that isn't what you are interested in, but it is an amazing sight to watch it stretch a pussy," I say.

"I decided to do a show with Lisa for the guys. She was just discovering that she was bi. We have tried other activities since then and we finally tried swapping in front of each other a while ago. But that is a rarity, only for special events."

"We have been trying some games, starting with one Tim bought on-line that had us do penalties, mostly with our partners, but occasionally cross partner. The guys get to avoid anything they think is gay -- Tim is pretty sensitive about that."

"He is, isn't he," Audrey agrees.

"The games got more intense," I say, "Our most recent game is having someone blindfolded and tied to the table while the other four -- including MaryA, a friend with benefits for the four of us -- drawing cards to see who gets to do whatever they wanted to 'it', the person tied to the table. Audrey was 'it' last week, I was 'it' last month, Mary wants to try being 'it'. Being 'it' is a very intense experience. I think we each came seven or eight times in the hour. We do allow both guys to fuck us in that game."

"We also have tried different positions," Audrey says, "The two guys tried a DP on me last month. And we tried them each fucking us while we were 69'ing each other."

"I liked that one," I say.

"Someone gets an idea, mostly Lisa or me, and then, if everyone agrees, we do it. Oh and we watch the movies we make."

"You make sex tapes?"

"Alan helped us with ours, and the two of them have made two," Audrey replies, "Alan is at least as good making movies as he is cooking. They come out looking amazingly professional and much better thought through than almost anything you could find on line."

"Are you going to sell them or something?"

"God no," I say, "Alan is a bit horrified that anyone has seen ours other than us. But I think nine people have now, after Saturday."

"You showed them to Javi and Maria?" Michelle asks, incredulously.

"Maria figured out months ago that Lisa had made one and has been nagging to watch it. She found out that Tim and I had one and after our celebration dinner we let them watch all three of them."

"Did you all fuck, too?"

"Each couple fucked in front of the other two, yeah," Audrey says, "We would watch a movie and then one couple would fuck."

"So I take it that you did have naked tea with the six of you that night?" Michelle asks.

"Yeah," I say, "That is when we explained our activities to them, like we just did to you, but less clothed. Javi wanted to know if that counted as an official bonding event."

"I wanted the two of you included as well," Audrey says to Michelle.

"Is there much of a problem with jealousy amongst you? Both Lizzie and I are more than casually interested, but we each have jealousy issues."

"We have had problems," Audrey admits. "Alan and I were getting too friendly for Tim and Lisa's comfort. That was the origin of the big fight Tim and I had a few months ago."

"We had a minor problem a few weeks ago when we were both being fucked by our partners in the living room," I say, "Audrey and I had our eyes locked the whole time and were emotionally making love to each other. The guys felt kind of ignored. I think we both got a bit scolded in bed that night."

"Tim is embarrassed and a bit uncomfortable that he cums more easily in Lisa's pussy than mine. It is both forbidden fruit and she is just tighter than I am. But it bothers him, not me."

"Except when he covers your face in cum unexpectedly!" I say.

We both laugh as Michelle just looks at us.

"He got overly excited in her pussy while I was eating her out. He tried to pull out to save himself, but waited too long and spurted all over my face. From point blank range. Highlights an advantage of keeping the danged men out of it."

All three of us laugh now.

"Lizzie really wants to get back together with you two again, Lisa. And she is super excited to meet you Audrey, both as a person and to see your infamous pussy. To be honest, Tim is a non-entity in her mind."

"Well, as a starter, I think you two should come watch Maria and Audrey play pool at least some of the tournament on Saturday. Alan and I will be there, as will Marty. And Tim and Javi of course. It would be a far more relaxed setting for Lizzie to meet everyone else.

"As far as beyond that, I have no idea when we are going to have another sex night. Audrey, Alan and I are all out of town this week. The tournament is this weekend. I don't know about midweek next week, and then your sister is in town, right Audrey?"

She nods, saying, "She arrives Wednesday evening, so midweek is out for us."

"I hear that you want to be included when it works and I will keep that in mind. I had a question Saturday evening after Javi and Maria left. You certainly need to consider this. If we have some sort of sex night with all four of the partners, presumably performing in front of each other, should we invite Marty?"

"Marty?" she says in disbelief.

"Get to know him better and then think about it. I don't think it should be our first time together, but it feels right to me."

"Me, too," Audrey says.

"I will try to bend my mind around that one. It is hard enough picturing you as a sexual being, Audrey," Michelle says, "Marty seems more like my grandfather than a dirty old man."

We finish our lunch discussing more mundane topics.

On the way back to the office, she says, "Thank you for being so open with me. I need to have an interesting conversation with Lizzie tonight, I think."

"Don't push it too hard and make sure both of you can back out at any point," I say, "But you are both welcome in our little circle. And maybe, if Alan is away a lot, we can have special ladies nights."

"I am available most Mondays and Thursdays without Tim!" Audrey exclaims.

When I get back, Anne has e-mailed me asking about mounting my latest picture. A professional downtown can meet with me Tuesday or Thursday. I send back that I am out of town on Tuesday, but could do late on the day Thursday.

She replies that she made a 4PM appointment and sends me the address.

I check the map; the framer is not that far from MaryA's new workplace. I text Mary and ask if she wants me to pick her up from work around 5PM on Thursday. She is happy with that.

I absorb as much as I can about Wednesday's prospective client this afternoon. I make sure everything else I might want is on my laptop. I head over to Audrey's and we decide to head out. We talk about our lunchtime conversation with Michelle on the drive home. Audrey is back home in time to see Tim before he heads off to karate and I head back to our condo to spend the evening with Alan before we both are off on our trips.

This evening, Alan is more upbeat about his trip, as opposed to the dread he felt last night.

He makes us a pretty easy meal for dinner, steaks, baked potatoes and fresh green beans. I tell him about the conversation with Michelle at lunch.

"See, it wasn't just the wine talking," I say.

For three days, he has been downplaying the possibility of them joining us.

"Not that I am going to be welcome to participate in any of their activities," he says.

"And you complain so much about having to watch lesbian sex!" I retort.

"Point taken. But you get a lot more opportunities opening up out of this than I do."

"Are you jealous?"

"Not in the traditional way. I really do like you getting all your satisfaction. I am getting more sex over the last few days than I can handle. It's more like I might be jealous if we go to a restaurant and they have your favorite on special, but are out of my regular."

"So are you saying I am just your regular now. Boring old me. I know you would like to be fucking MaryB and her sexy ass. I know exactly who you were thinking about when you fucked me Saturday night."

He blushes and looks sheepish. I nailed that one.

"It's okay. I do know you love me and I am the one who got you. Just don't obsess about her so much that you forget about me."

I give him a kiss and he looks a little better.

"Now I better give you something for you to remember about me for three days. Do you want to remember me by this?"

I pull up my blouse and pull off my bra, exposing my naked breasts to him.

I pull my blouse back down, turn around, and pull down my pants and panty, while I say, "Or is this what you want to remember?"

I turn back around as I push my pants all the way down. I step forward, out of my slacks, and bend over as I say, "Or is this the memory you want to whack off to in your hotel room?"

I unzip his pants and pull out his quickly growing member. I teasingly lick his cock before taking it fully in my mouth. He is moaning. I pull off his shaft and lick around its head. He is getting close.

I disengage totally from his cock to tease him a bit. I kiss him on the lips and then move to unbuttoning his shirt. He sits up as I pull his shirt all the way off. I kiss him again before shifting my attention, nibbling on one of his nipple then the other and back again. I bring my hands to play, pinching his nipples as I return to kissing him.

I bring my face back down to his lap as his breathing is becoming more and more ragged. He moans loudly as I lick the head of his erect member. I am continuing to tease his chest with my fingers as I engulf his cock. He groans loudly. A moment later, he is thrusting, filling my mouth with his own cream.

I swallow it all and kiss his nipples on my way back to his face. I give him a passionate kiss before I offer him a hand up. I lead him back to the bedroom, where I lay down and spread my legs.

He understands what I am asking for, what I need. His tongue finds my snatch, already wet, as he licks up my juices before focusing on my pleasure. He teases me for a while, getting me good and ready before bringing me to a climax.

Once I have recovered, he crawls up and kisses me, saying, "Can we just cuddle for a while. After Saturday, I don't recover as quickly yet. And I think I just need some cuddle time anyway. That is probably how I want to remember you most. And if I can get it up for another round tonight, I probably won't even want to jerk off while I am gone. I am not 18 anymore."

We do snuggle, chatting some of the time and just holding each other some of the time. Much of the time one or both of us are rubbing or stroking some part of the other, mostly my back and his abdomen.

Finally, I reach down and wrap my fingers around his member, feeling it grow and firm up in my grasp. Once it feels ready, I slide over until I am straddling his chest. He reaches down to aim his cock into me as I slide down onto it. I am slowly rocking on my hips, sliding his dick in and out of me. Every few rocks, I pause to reach down and kiss him.

I slowly gain speed. My hands find his nipples as his find my breasts. The intensity of our motions rises, as does the noise we are now both making. He reaches a hand into my pussy, finding my clit. He is getting his timing down pretty well; I climax just as he is starting to pump my cunt full. I collapse onto his chest, still joined at the crotch to him. We kiss until his deflating penis slides out of me. I kiss him some more and then slide back to my head on his shoulder, and we fall asleep, holding on to each other.

We get up at the same time in the morning and take a shower together, hugging a lot, but no real sex. We drive to the airport together; I asked Marty to drive me back Wednesday night. I worry about driving that late at night and it seemed silly for Alan and I to leave both our cars parked there.

As we sit next to each other in our usual first class seats, Marty starts a conversation, "So Alan is on a trip this week. Cupertino, Palo Alto, or Redmond?"

I stare agape at him for a moment, before I gather my wits and say, "I can't really comment on anything about his trip."

"I know that and I appreciate you not violating that trust. It's been obvious from Graham's attitude that something big was up and he is not happy about it. Alan is not doing three days of media appearances at this point, so adding two and two together was pretty easy. You know that, whoever it is, they are going to want Alan to move out to the west coast sooner or later. And he is as much the target of the acquisition as anything else in the business. Maybe everything else combined. Are we going to lose you?"

"We are looking for an old mansion to refurbish into our forever home right now. I have no interest in being out there."

"They will try to woo you, too. I kind of expect you to fly out next week. They could come here, but I think they are going to roll out the red carpet out there. Be prepared for something you have never faced before.

"On the other hand, maybe you can open a west coast office for us. We are starting to see more clients out there. I bet Javi and Maria would be glad to relocate closer to home."

I don't show any interest in continuing the conversation, so he leaves me alone. I put on my headphones and listen to music, drowning out the hum of the plane. Would I be willing to move out there and still work for Martin and Company? That is a middle ground I had not considered. I still want my refurbished mansion, but we will see.

They bring us breakfast and I take off my headphones and we chat again, now mostly about today's client. He lists the areas he thinks we are most likely to see wins. We are with them from lunch through dinner tonight, then we drive two hours to a hotel closer to tomorrow's target. We have breakfast through early afternoon with them and then back on the plane for a late evening arrival back home.

The client meetings go well. Sales visits are becoming much easier for me. Disarming Lizzie on Friday was actually very good practice. There is always someone who is openly hostile to us for some reason.

I did get a text during lunch that Alan was safely in Cupertino.

On the drive, Marty and I discuss the day. We agree that we have a good shot at getting the minimal contract with them in the short term. Those are really loss leaders for us, but they help build the relationships that bring in the real money and pay our salaries.

In the hotel, I settle in and study the information that I want to internalize for tomorrow's client. I am also waiting to hear from Alan, which I expect will be fairly late.

The texts come in around eleven that night. You awake?

I , but yeah, mostly waiting to hear from you.

The texts come inFinally done for the day. It feels a lot like a fun interview. Meeting lots of interesting people

Lots of fun talks about tech stuff. Lots of smart people.

Everyone very passionate about Apple. Being recruited heavily.

Exhausted now. Love you. Get some sleep

I you too. Get sleep yourself.

I close my computer, check that the alarm on my phone is set appropriately. I fall asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow.

I meet Marty in the lobby in the morning, fully packed up. I forgot to pack casual clothes for the drive this morning, so I am already in my business suit. He has comfy clothes on.

It takes about forty five minutes to get to the restaurant where we meet the mayor and some of his staff for breakfast, including a quick stop for Marty to get changed.

Less sure we will get anything out of this client, but if we do, we will almost certainly get a major contract right away.

Marty and I chat again once we are back on the plane. He concurs with my take on today's sales call.

"What have you heard from Alan?"

"We chatted a bit last night. He is enjoying it. Sunday night he had been nervous about the trip, but I convinced him that the worst thing that could happen is the deal fall through and then Graham is happier and we are back where we expected to be. He seems to be embracing that and things seem to be going well. No idea what that really means in the big picture."

"I suspect you don't have long to wait to find out. Have fun out there next week."

He is so damned sure I am going out there next week. We get a late supper on the flight back, but I nap most of the rest of the flight. Marty drops me back at the condo. I really don't like coming home to an empty dark place, but it is what it is.

Fortunately, I am tired enough to fall asleep almost immediately. Alan had texted me asking if I was awake again, but I missed it. I guess that counts as answering no.

I wake up and almost immediately head to the gym. This will be my only chance this week. After my usual work out, I grab a light breakfast at a diner near work. It is filled with unhappy business people, mostly men, also eating alone. I try to finish quickly and head into work; that was too depressing when I am already feeling lonely. No Audrey today either.

Audrey had e-mailed thoughts about the potential IT partner. Seems promising and Audrey is taking her along on her work with a client today. I spend the morning writing up sales reports for the two prospects, noting potential next steps and personalities of interest.

Iris has sent me feedback on my proposed redevelopment plans. I spend the rest of the day pondering her thoughts and preparing a response, eating lunch at my desk. I need to leave early to meet Anne to have my best picture professionally matted and framed.

Just before I leave, I get a text from Alan: At airport, see you late tonight. Okay if I wake you

I do. I miss you

Then: I miss you too

I find a parking space downtown and carry my drawing to the shop, still in the pad. For the first time this fall, the wind is downright chilly. Anne meets me there. She tells me that a reporter called up asking about my artwork. I said our PR person is getting a profile piece done about me and that art was one of the aspects that was being included.

Anne explains this is the man who mattes all of the Art League work and does work for multiple museums in the city. He is the best. We talk about color and such and I leave the picture with him. He says it will be ready in a week.

I say goodbye to Anne and then walk over to meet MaryA at her workplace. I text her and she says to come up to the lobby. The receptionists asks if I need help and I say Mary Smith is coming out to meet me. Mary shows up a moment later and I give her a quick, friendly hug and we head out together.

"We might as well eat down here," I say, "Any places you want to try? It's on me."

We end up at an Italian place in the North End. The food really is good, but I don't have any wine with it, since I am still driving. I catch her up on the various news and she tells me more about her job. After dinner, I drive to her apartment.

"Do you want to come up and see it? I haven't finished unpacking everything yet, but I would love you to see what I have."

"Sure. I would love to."

Anything that avoids going home to an empty house sounds good to me.

She was not kidding that she has still has lots of unpacking to do. I guess she only got her stuff, but I certainly would have unpacked more in five days.

It is a nice little apartment. One small bedroom, with a combined kitchen/dining room/living room. I am lucky I never had to live in a really small apartment. Even when I first moved in with Alan, we had a two bedroom. But we didn't have to pay big city prices there. Here, she is a short walk from the T, giving her easy access to and from work, even without a car.

She clears boxes off her couch and we sit down. She looks at me for a moment, then says, "I had an ulterior motive in asking you up. May I kiss you?"

I slide closer to her and lean forward. We are soon kissing and our hands are wandering. It only takes a few minutes for us both to be out of clothes and a few minutes longer before we bring each other to climaxes.

Afterwards, we are snuggling naked on the couch, kissing and chatting.

"Thank you. I have been alone essentially all the time outside of work since I moved down here. I did go out with some of the other paras after work one day, but everyone else already had a partner. I had forgotten how isolating moving in to a new city can be."

"We can get you out for a visit when you need it," I say, "I was feeling lonely too, I haven't seen Alan since Tuesday morning, Audrey since Monday. I ate breakfast alone in a diner today and lunch alone at my desk. It hasn't been as long for me as for you, but I haven't felt another human's skin against me for three days, so this felt especially good."

We stay in a naked cuddle until I am starting to feel tired, when I worry about driving. I give her a big hug and a kiss and put my clothes back on, which are scattered across the tops of various boxes. I tell her to reach out if she is lonely

"Would you like to come watch some of Audrey's tournament with us? We will be hanging out with a bunch of work people, but it should be fun."

"It would be nice not to spend the weekend in this apartment. I would love to."

"I will text you to arrange meeting you sometime tomorrow. It will be fun."

I drive back to the condo. I have about two or three hours until he is home. I decide to read for a while and probably nap until he is home. I am back to reading my erotic novel that I started Saturday afternoon. I make it through a couple more chapters before I set the kindle down and fall asleep.

I am awoken by Alan coming in the door. "Are you awake Lisa?"

"More or less, I am back here."

He hurries back, setting his bags down and leaning over to give me a kiss. I stand up. I want a full hug from him. I hold him for minutes before releasing.

"How was it?"

"It was really exciting. I am going back next week. And you have to come with me."

I laugh.

"What is funny?"

"Marty promised me I was going out there next week."

"Did you tell Marty about this?" he says, a little anger in his voice.

"No, his first question Tuesday on the plane was 'Cupertino, Palo Alto, or Redmond?' He had guessed the gist of what was happening from Graham's behavior, combined with you going on a three day trip. On the way back, he asked about you and I admitted that you had said you were having a good time and he promised me that I would be out there next week. Just not sure which there it was."

"They want me to head their entire AI product team. I have a whole morning with Tim Cook next week. For the short term, they are willing to create an east coast lab for me, but I need to plan on moving out in three to five years. I explained that you had your own career."

"Marty saw this coming. He is considering letting me set up a west coast office for me. He thinks Javi and Maria would probably move out too, to be closer to home. I am not sure I want to do this."

"Keep an open mind until after next week. My sense is, if it is going to happen, they will announce the deal next Friday or the Monday after. But it needs to stay top secret til then. So you can't tell Audrey why you are taking a trip with me. Can you manage that?"

"I will. It helps that Marty understands what is happening. He can help keep Audrey off me."

"Thank you for putting up with this. I am pretty excited about it all right now."

"Oh. I guess I am supposed to tell you that MaryA and I had sex this evening at her apartment. She is really lonely. I told her we would manage to take her down to the tournament with us on Saturday. I bet she spends the weekend with us."

"I have other news, too. The realtor sent me mail today. She has a candidate mansion for us. I will forward the stuff to you, but it looks great to me. She suggested we could go see it Sunday afternoon."

"We will have to miss the second day of Audrey's tourney but I am not sure I am up to watching two days of it. And it is a long drive back and forth. The four of them have hotel rooms down there for Friday and Saturday night. But it sounds great. Are we still looking?"

"If we end up moving out, it would not be for several years, so you have time to do the work. And maybe we will maintain east coast and west coast houses by that point."

"Okay, enough talking. I need you to fuck me. So get out of those clothes and get into bed."

He is a little too distracted and excited about other things to be a great lover, but it was nice to feel him against me and in me.

I vaguely remember him kissing me goodbye and then the next thing I was aware of was Audrey waving a cup of coffee at me. She sits on the bed ogling me while I wake up, claiming her "cute ass tax" as I walk by towards the shower. She is still sitting on the bed when I get back out of the shower. We talk and she ogles me more while I get dressed.

As I expected, Alan didn't leave me any breakfast -- he didn't have a chance to go to the store -- so Audrey and I stop to eat a light breakfast out on our way in. I am not sure she even tries to feed herself before coming over on carpool days. Usually, Alan has made enough breakfast for both of us.

As soon as we are in, I head into Marty's office to tell him that he was right and I will be out of the office Tuesday through Thursday next week.

I check my mail, and sure enough, Alan forwarded the description of the mansion. It seems pretty much exactly what I was hoping for. I text go for mansion on sunday!

A few minutes later, I get set for 1PM

I am too distracted thinking about the mansion and next week's trip to be very productive down this morning.

I work out the logistics to pick up Mary on our way down in the morning and text that to her, after clearing it with Alan.

Our weekly partners-in-waiting lunch meeting is a welcome break from trying to pretend to work.

Audrey starts out by talking about Natalie, the potential IT partner. She liked her and thought she did a good job interacting with the client. We discuss how we can know whether she is actually competent technically. None of us know enough. We joke about having Lizzie and Alan interview her, but that seems like a bad idea. But maybe those two couples take her to dinner while she is here. We think that is legit and should get enough of a sniff test to complement what we hear from her references.

Michelle gives a brief update on the progress of the PR campaign. I tell her that my art teacher was contacted earlier this week. So that story does seem to be progressing.

I then announce that I have to be away on a personal matter most of next week. I apologize for not being able to say more, but I say Marty is aware of the situation and has authorized my absence. Audrey looks surprised and a little hurt that I hadn't told her.

We all wish Audrey good luck this weekend. We note that all four of us will be there tomorrow, plus Marty.

I do manage to focus enough for the afternoon to get my reactions and thoughts back to Iris. I then spend some more time looking at the information about the mansion.

Finally, Audrey sticks her head in and asks if I am ready to leave. She wants to get home, because she and Tim are driving down tonight.

In the car, she confronts me about my trip.

"What kind of thing do you keep from me?"

"I am sorry, I am not allowed to talk about it."

"Allowed by whom?"

"I can't talk about that either."

"Are you and Alan moving to the west coast?"

"I don't know. And not anytime real soon if we are. This one I really don't know any more about right now."

I think she has figured more or less what is going on. She stops pushing on it.

I drop her off at her apartment and wish her luck if her first round is before we get there. I am disappointed to beat Alan home, but he gets there only a few minutes after me to my relief.

"I was talking with Graham at the end of the day. He is approaching morose. He is pretty sure we are getting bought. I think I may push hard to get Graham a real position at least for a while as part of my package. If he doesn't cut it by their standards, so be it, but give him a chance."

"That would be a really good idea. Have you thought about what it is you really care about?"

"Other than you being willing to make the transition, I don't really need a lot."

We go to Tito's for pizza. I get my white wine with it and Alan gets a beer. We talk about the mansion we are going to visit on Sunday. I talk about how we could use each of the rooms and what kind of work it will take.

For the first time, in almost two weeks, we sit on the couch and watch TV, snuggling together. When we go back to bed, we decide we are both happier just cuddling in bed.

We need to be up early in the morning, so Alan makes sure I am up. He has breakfast on the table when I am out of the shower and, after a quick clean up, we are off to pick up Mary and then the two hour drive to the tourney.

When we get there, it is crowded. Alan texts Tim and he directs us towards the section where they are hanging out. Marty, Michelle and Lizzie are already there with Javi and Tim. When Lizzie sees us, she muscles her way through the crowd to give Alan and me big hugs. I introduce her to Mary and she exclaims, "The tee shirt one!"

Mary grins. They will get along well.

She creates a path for us through the crowd back to the others. I would not want to be some guy who tried to cop a feel of her in a crowd.

When we make it to the rest of the group, Tim comes over and says, "They just won their first match. Today is double elimination down to sixteen. The final sixteen plays out tomorrow."

Audrey and Maria make it over to us just after we get there. Audrey gives me a big hug and then says, "People here are good. Really good. These are serious players. We are going to have to up our game to even make it out of today. It takes about two hours for an entire round to play out right now. Rounds will be faster this afternoon with fewer teams left."

She turns to everyone in our party, "Since they play the loser's bracket first, we have about two hours until our next match. My suggestion is we go find a table in the quieter room and relax."

The ten of us make our way through the crowd into another room, with much fewer people. We find a two adjacent empty tables and sit down. I have to say, I can't imagine feeling much safer in a crowd than having Lizzie on side of me and Tim on the other.

Alan, Mary and I are sitting at a table with Audrey and Tim. And I guess Lizzie is shifting over to our table, too. Audrey is explaining the rules for this tournament.

"Matches today are first to 11."

Alan asks, "Is that different from best of 21?"

"No, it's just the phrasing pool uses. Anyway, winner of the last game breaks. You pretty much have to run the table on your first chance or the other team will and win the game. There are not many games when both teams miss. We won that first tournament in a landslide because we ran the table on our first turn in over half of our games. Run the table on your first chance in only half your games here and you are out in two rounds.

"We either got lucky or our two earlier tournaments got us seeded, but we avoided the very first round this morning. There were 128 teams in the round we just played. So there are 64 in the next round on the winners side and 64 more on the loser's side. We play until there is eight left on each side. Those 16 come back tomorrow, when it is a single elimination, first to 13 format."

She is really amped but amazingly focused.

She says, "I need to go to talk to Maria about some of the shots last game. I will be back later."

After she is gone, Tim explains to us, "One of the challenges of doubles is setting up your partner's shots. But you are not allowed to talk to them during the match. So you just have to know what they want and don't want. Between matches, they need to recalibrate and adjust for anything that went awry."

"I love the vibe of all this," Lizzie says, "It's like being back in the NCAA's. I remember feeling like Audrey is now. Full of energy, but in the zone. At least for the two games we won. We kind of lost our focus in the sweet sixteen for a while and we were done. And I was just a supporting player and got to take breaks. She and Maria are it. That must be intense."

Alan and I talk to Tim about his first week of work and Lizzie chats up Mary. Lizzie seems to have a certain amount of Audrey in her. I believe she loves Michelle, but she lusts after new sexual adventures at the same time. I would be jealous in Michelle's shoes too.

After a while the conversations shift and Tim and Mary are commiserating about being the new person at a company, while Lizzie asks Alan about something he said in his weekly spot on NPR yesterday.

I feel a bit left out, so I swap tables and talk to Marty, Javi and Michelle while Audrey and Mary are in a deep discussion going shot by shot through each of the 17 games they played last match. When Audrey and Maria finish their conversation, we briefly have the five of us who run the company all talking, but outside of work. After a moment, Michelle says she wants to talk to Lizzie and heads over to that table.

Looking over, Lizzie and Alan have finally ended their conversation and Lizzie is back to chatting up Mary. I think Michelle feels a need to stake her claim here. And the body language is pretty clear, Michelle gives Lizzie a kiss then pulls a chair over close, sitting down with an arm around Lizzie. It does look like the three of them are having a nice discussion, while I bet Alan and Tim are discussing Ghost, or something similar.

I do mention to my table that Alan and I are going with a realtor tomorrow to look at an old mansion that we may buy and restore.

"Will you do all the work yourself?" Maria asks.

"I would love to do some, but I doubt I will do any of it. I worked with a team of restoration specialists as a gopher when I was in college. They were restoring an old hotel."

"Gopher?" Maria asks.

"A low level worker. I fetched stuff for them. You know, Go-For this and then Go-For that."

"Oh," she says and laughs.

"Anyway, I am hoping they might be available. They are amazing artisans and passionate about their work. I would trust them completely. But it will be a lot of work on my part just with all the decisions."

"Audrey says you drew a masterpiece last weekend," Javi says.

"It was by far my best drawing I have done. Anne, my art teacher, is really excited by it. Oh I have a photo of it on my phone."

I pull up the picture of it on my phone and pass it around the table. Audrey has seen it in person, but this is a first view for the other three.

"Is that going in for the exhibition as well?" Javi asks.

"Yeah and Anne is pretty sure it will get selected. I am really hoping Isabella and I can be side by side in the museum, looking at our pictures together."

That comment made Javi sit up a little straighter. He is proud of his mother and likes other people to think highly of her too.

"I had joked about putting a nude of Audrey up in the office. Even I am not sure this one would be appropriate," Marty says.

"And it's probably going to be pricier than you want to pay. Anne says that if the critics react to it like she is guessing, it may sell for north of a million. There are lots of ways I would rather see Martin and Co spend a million dollars than on a drawing of mine."

Audrey is getting antsy about the tournament, so she and Maria go back in the other room to wait for their next match and just watch ongoing matches to keep their wits sharp.

The remaining three of us squeeze into the other table and we chat comfortably for a while before Tim and Javi decide to go check on their better halves. The venue has screens mounted around this room, some showing the brackets and some showing ongoing matches. We see that it is nearly time for Audrey and Maria's next match. Lizzie and Michelle want to be in the crowd to watch this. The other four of us opt to watch it on TV. It is tense, but Audrey and Maria win this match 11-8, staying on the winner's side for the round of 32.

About ten minutes after the match ends, the other six join us back again. I get up and give Audrey a big high five as she comes in. She is grinning but also looking a little shaken. "These people are seriously good. I can't believe we are still going. I have never been around so much talent in my life."

The rounds are faster now; half the contestants have already been eliminated. Audrey and Maria win their third round, but only 11-10. The tension is starting to show on both of them. They are the last women remaining in the winner's bracket.

If they win this next round, they are on to the second day. It is the deciding game and Maria misses a shot I expected her to make. They lose 10-11.

Audrey looks broken when she comes back. And she only has a twenty minute break before their first match in the loser's bracket.

I give her a big hug and say, "Just imagine it's Tony out there again. Prove to him what women can do."

We all go into the main hall for this round. It is 9-9 and Audrey and Maria have control of the board. Audrey makes her shot but leaves a terrible setup for Maria. Audrey is seriously pissed at herself and feels like she has lost the tournament on that shot. But Maria makes an amazing shot and they clear the board. After Audrey's mistake, the other team had thought they had won and are a bit rattled. They have a bad miss early in the next game and Audrey and Maria advance 11-9.

Audrey has a little bit of her swagger back. And she trusts Maria to have her back. The next game is 11-10, close, but they are coming back tomorrow for the final sixteen. Fifteen pairs of men and them.

Audrey and Maria get hugs from everyone and then she says, "We need to strategize. The video of all the games will be available to us in half an hour. Maria and I need to spend all evening studying our games and learn everything we can about our opponents. I really appreciated all of you coming today, but you don't need to drive down tomorrow. There aren't long breaks and I want to stay completely in the game."

Audrey and Maria head off, deep in discussion, their partners trailing behind.

Marty bids farewell. The remaining five look at each other for a moment. Then I say to Michelle and Lizzie, "I think we will go to dinner at Rick's tonight as soon as we get back. You two are welcome to join us, our treat, and then maybe back to our place afterwards?"

"Rick's?", Michelle asks.

"It's our favorite restaurant, a few blocks from our condo. You can park at our condo and walk down with us if you like," Alan explains.

Lizzie and Michelle look at each other and then Lizzie says, "Do we get to earn our naked tea tonight?"

"If that is what you want," Alan says, "We would be excited for it."

I call the restaurant and, after a brief chat with Mike, we have a slot for right after we will get back. We drive our two cars back, staying in sight of each other most the time on the highway. They take a different exit off the highway than us, presumably to get things to stay overnight. Mary and I go up and change into our usual halters. By the time we are changed, Michelle and Lizzie have arrived and we walk down together.

Mike is happy to see us, as always, and he takes us back to our usual table. With four women and just Alan, I suspect he thinks Alan is using his fame to collect a stable of women. Little does he know.

Michelle is amazed that we really have our own table, with its little shrine to Alan behind it. I say, "You get us on the cover of Boston magazine and that will be up there, too. I guarantee it."

The food is, as always, good as is the wine and the conversation. We are all still abuzz about Audrey and Maria's tournament.

"As the only two women making it to the second day of the tournament, my job is easy. She doesn't even need to win. I bet there is at least one article about them in one of the Sunday papers tomorrow without me even doing anything. Probably more than one. Leveraging that into the article I was imagining for Audrey is a piece of cake. And I am sure I can sell Javi's story now even if his mother doesn't get into the exhibition."

Lizzie wants to know about our movies. Mary praises them every time Lizzie asks. And Lizzie is becoming a bit obsessed with the sexuality that Mary exudes. Somewhat to Michelle's chagrin.

On our way back to the condo, Alan has an arm around me and one around Mary while Michelle and Lizzie walk hand in hand. We have decided to watch both of our movies first and then see what we want to do after that.

Alan sits between Mary and me on the couch while Michelle and Lizzie sit in the two chairs next to each other as we watch the first movie. Alan has a hand in both Mary's and my pussy by the ending shot. I think he wants some of the treatment Audrey arranged for Tim when he was nervous about his job interview.

When the first movie ends, Michelle exclaims, "You two did that by yourself? No camera crew or anything? That was amazing!"

"I am not usually very turned on by hetero porn, but that was hot as fuck. Especially that opening strip. Jesus, I want to fuck you," Lizzie says to me.

"But you are stuck with just me, who is horny as hell right now as well," Michelle says, reclaiming her territory again.

"Should we watch the second one right away?" Alan asks.

"Yes, but then Lizzie is going to have to take care of me. Right here," Michelle says emphatically.

Alan brings both Mary and I off while my screen double is screaming about her ass. When the movie ends, Lizzie and Michelle start kissing passionately, their hands exploring each other's bodies. Soon, clothes are flying off and they lie on the floor in each other's arms, naked.

They are kissing, taking occasional breaks to suckle each other's tits while they each have a hand in the other's pussy. Within a few minutes, they have both climaxed and are back to just kissing. After a moment, Michelle looks up at us and asks, "Can we get a live show as well?"

Mary, Alan and I look at each other; we all have the same idea. We stand up and each take our own clothes off before Alan lies on the couch. Mary and I give him a quick two woman blow job, stopping before the point of no return. I straddle him in my preferred cowgirl, while Mary sits on his face. Mary and I kiss and fondle each other's breasts while Alan is pleasing both of us. This is one of our threesome positions we all liked. And I think our guests enjoy watching.

We are too ready for it to last very long for any of us. I can feel Alan getting close. He reaches a hand to find my clit. I start pinching Mary's nipples and Alan brings his other hand to drive some fingers into her pussy. Soon, all three of us find our release, more or less simultaneously. Mary and I stay kissing until the orgasms have passed. I nudge Mary off and lie down to hold Alan and kiss him. I can taste Mary's pussy on his mouth.

I hear a noise and see that Michelle and Lizzie have started up in a 69, lying on their sides. Lizzie looks at Mary and Mary nods. Lizzie rolls them over so Michelle is on the bottom and then she sits up, now sitting on Michelle's face. Mary comes over and Lizzie picks her up and turns her over. Mary now has her face in Michelle's pussy, holding some of her weight on her own arms. Lizzie holding the rest of her weight, some with her arms and some with her shoulders; she has her tongue in Mary's snatch.

They manage to bring each other to climaxes, although the timing is a bit off. Lizzie is last to finish; I think the effort of holding up Mary is more than she was expecting, even with Mary's small stature and Lizzie's serious musculature.

Once Lizzie has found satisfaction, they kind of collapse, reforming as a three person hug on the floor. They all look content, sated. Except that Lizzie, who otherwise looks quite happy herself, is now looking at me hungrily. She may be even worse than Audrey.

Michelle speaks up first, "Do we get a proper naked tea now?"

Alan and I get up from the couch. He heads in to start on the tea, while I offer a hand up to the lesbian huddle on the floor.

We sit at the table drinking our tea and chatting. Alan makes the mistake of asking, "Is everyone satisfied with tonight?"

Lizzie says, "I still want to get my hands on those big beautiful boobs I am staring at."

Michelle rolls her eyes, but Mary adds, "I would still like a cock in me. Don't get me wrong. Both of those tongues were wonderful, but I still like a good old fashioned fucking, too."

"Sorry, I think our sharing is over for the evening," I say. "Anything he has left is all mine. And he gets all of me to himself."

I kiss Alan.

Michelle adds, "And I think I want Lizzie all to myself tonight as well."

"Oh well, I have my hand and the couch," Mary adds.

"Despite Lisa's comments, I was not at all offended by you sleeping in the nude," Alan says to her.

"In other words, he is getting off on seeing you naked on the couch in the morning," I say.

Alan blushes.

Mary offers to clean up from the tea if we want to get to bed.

"Thank you, that was too early to get up in the morning today. I am not a morning person."

I get up and give each of the three women a big naked hug. Lizzie does reach up and grope my breasts as I hug her. It seems like she is on the hunt.

Alan follows behind. He gives a big hug to Mary, which she returns. He gives a friendly hug to Michelle, but she grabs him and squeezes him tight. He gives another friendly hug to Lizzie and she gives him a big kiss.

We do have another twenty minutes of passionate sex in the relative privacy of our bedroom. Relative because I am sure the other three could hear us.

I sleep solidly and wake up alone. I miss having Audrey in the next room, hearing her and Tim having noisy sex for my benefit, meeting her in the hallway on our way to breakfast. I do hear voices in the kitchen, so I wrap my kimono around me and head out.

I am the last one up, not really surprisingly. Lizzie and Mary are minimally dressed in their tee shirts. Michelle is wearing a flannel night dress that comes down to her knees, the second most dressed one in the room, only after Alan's jeans and tee.

I give Alan a hug and he hands me my cup of coffee, the lifeblood of my morning existence. Lizzie is ogling the ample cleavage exposed by my kimono. I am checking out her pussy, clearly visible under her tee. Michelle looks like she wishes we would both have our eyes elsewhere.

Alan announces the breakfast menu: stuffed popovers, hash browns, cinnamon rolls and fresh fruit. He offers tomato, sausage, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and two cheeses for the popovers.

He has to explain that a popover is a special kind of roll and that he fills them with scrambled eggs and whatever else.

I add, "They are really good. Just try them."

Everyone does enjoy breakfast. Michelle asks if he is available on loan as a chef.

We all laugh and then I say, "He is all mine and you can't have him", bending over to kiss him.

Michelle retorts, "I thought your not sharing was only last night."

Lizzie adds, in a wishful voice, "I know something I was hoping to borrow this morning."

Mary says, "I need to borrow something today as well."

I look at the two of them with exasperation. Lizzie signals Michelle and Mary for a short huddle. They have an animated whisper amongst themselves.

After a minute or two, Lizzie turns back to us and says, "The three of us have decided to offer you a thank you gift for your hospitality last night. And we feel it would be rude to decline a heartfelt gift."

"Just what is this gift?"

"Chelle and I will pamper you while Mary offers her special treatment to Alan."

"And what is involved in our special treatments?" I ask.

"I will let Mary answer for herself. But I intend to suckle those beautiful big tits while Chelle eats you out. She has never tasted a pussy other than mine."

"And I was going to extend my thank you gift from this summer, with a little oral then letting him fuck me. I was hoping to let him cum in me if that is alright with you. And I figured he would take me doggy style so he could easily watch you climax. I know he likes that and I think he would like to cum in me while he was watching you be pampered by Lizzie and Michelle."

I look at Alan and he says, "It does sound like fun. Are you okay with it?"

"I already agreed to let her be it in our latest game, which means you get to fuck as often as the cards, and your stamina, allow. And I do like you watching me while they attend to me. Why not. But let's move onto the floor in the living room."

Mary, Michelle, and Lizzie each pull their sole garment over their heads. I untie my kimono and let it slide back into the chair as I stand. I go out to the living room and lie face up in the middle of the floor. Michelle spreads my legs and dives in. For not much experience, she is pretty good at this. And Lizzie is fondling my girls, occasionally biting or sucking on a nipple.

This is feeling very good.

I look over and Mary has pulled Alan's pants down and is blowing him as he is watching me. After a few minutes, she turns away from him and gets on all fours. He slides in and starts pumping, watching me.

I reach with my right hand into Lizzie's pussy and find her clit. I reach my left hand over and grab one of Mary's breasts hanging down, swinging as Alan drives in and out of her. I close my eyes to appreciate all the sensations I am experiencing. I know I am not going to last much longer; I have a nice orgasm as I lie there being pampered. I hear Mary climaxing and look over at her. She had brought a hand into her own pussy to help herself along. I watch as Alan reaches his point of no return, grunting as he fills another pussy with his cum,

I take both my arms and pull Lizzie towards me until she is sitting on my face. She was close on my hand. I finish her off with my tongue.

Mary, Lizzie and I look at Michelle. Lizzie says, "How would you like to be finished off, my love?"

"I have felt your tongue many times and Mary's tongue got me off last night. But I have never felt your tongue, Lisa. Do you mind?"

She turns around and I start to crawl up to her pussy.

"And while she is doing that, I would like to be kissing the love of my life."

I offer no teasing to her, I think she is more than ready by now. Lizzie crawls up and they kiss passionately, with one of Lizzie's hand under Michelle's head and the other arm across her chest.

It does not take long before I bring Michelle to her own release, her screams being muffled by Lizzie's mouth planted over hers.

I get up and go over to Alan, giving him a big hug.

Lizzie asks, "For a morning orgy, is it naked tea or naked coffee?"

"I think coffee is appropriate. But I am going to clean up from breakfast and then take a shower. We need to head out to look at our mansion in not too long. Do you two think you could take Mary to a T stop so she can get home. Otherwise, I think she is trapped here until evening."

"After she so kindly licked my pussy very nicely last night, I think it we can probably run her all the way into her apartment."

"You three are okay to hang out as long as you want, by the way. I am not trying to chase you out."

"Oh, we need to go soon to get ready for basketball this afternoon. Otherwise, I think I might have been tempted to taste my third pussy ever."

I clean up and then head in for my shower. I am not convinced that another round isn't still in the works for them. Alan is getting an eyeful, even if being ignored for the most extent.

When I get back out of the shower, they are gone. I guess another round was not in the cards after all.

When we go out, it is gray and there is a definite nip to the air. It is mid-October and we are finally getting some chilly days. I go back in and grab a jacket; one that I last wore in what seemed like a different lifetime.

We meet the realtor at the mansion's front gate. She has a key for the padlock across the gate that blocks the driveway. Nothing of the house is visible from the street. The thick hedges give total privacy. The house itself is in pretty grim shape and will need massive work. But it has real promise. With a big infusion of cash and time, it could be beautiful again.

We thoroughly explore the house and then walk around the grounds. It really does have everything I want. I turn to Alan and say, "This is the one I imagined. I want to buy this."

We talk to the realtor. She says the seller is very eager to sell; they just want to stop paying a hefty sum for the property tax every year for something they have no interest in. They tried to give it to the town, but the town declined.

Alan asks how much she thinks we could get it for.

"They listed it at $750K, which may be less than the land is worth if you tore down the house. I suspect they would take half a million for it."

"It's a big decision, because that is the cheap part of this. So we should think about it and we have a big trip coming middle of this week, which may actually clear up some questions for us. Can you talk to the seller and we can sign a P&S next weekend if everything works for $500K. We will still want a ninety day period to make sure there is not a big problem we are missing. I will know when we get back how long we will need to settle the financing after that. If they need a carrot, we can probably pick up the liability for the property taxes during the interim."

"I think I can sell those terms to them. Congratulations!"

Even before we get back to the car, I am trying to call my old boss who did the restorations. I manage to reach him. He does remember me and I explain what we are trying to do. He says he can come spend the better part of a week looking at it in close detail in about two or three weeks. He asks if we have chosen an architect yet, which we haven't, and he recommends one.

I am still somewhat in shock when we get home. I am looking over the floor plans, trying to layout what I want. I tell Alan that I will reach out to the architect tomorrow. He says, why not send him an e-mail this afternoon, so I do.

I am just starting to relax, when my phone buzzes: WE WON!!!!!! thenstaying down here tonight, see you at work in am

I shout, "They won!" in Alan's direction.

I text Michelle in case Audrey hadn't. they won if you didn't hear

No response. I bet she is actively playing basketball.

My head is spinning from everything happening at once. Alan and I decide to go get a nice relaxing meal of burgers at Sam's. As Alan and I talk over dinner, I realize he is mostly concerned about his return trip to Apple.

I say, "I know we can't really talk about all of it here. When we get home, let's make a list of issues you want to talk with them about. We can have demands, wants and simple questions. And we will be able to talk each night while we are there."

Lists are my solutions for most problems.

When we get back, I grab a piece of paper and put three headings across the top:

DemandsWantsQuestions

I now start asking him topics, starting with "NPR appearances"

"Demand"

"Podcast"

"Want"

"Title"

"Question"

"Career path"

"Question"

"Graham"

"Want, I guess"

"Location"

"Question to Demand, based on the answer"

"What other worries do you have?"

"My team. That is a question and maybe a demand."

"Any others?"

"None that I can think of now."

"Keep this paper with you and when you think of new issues, add them to the list."

"I do feel much better now."

My phone starts buzzing. I look down and its from , Javi texted me too

thenhad long convo with Audrey, you will see tomorrow

finallythanks for last night and this morning, c u tomorrow

I then notice I have a reply from the architect.

Sounds like a great project and I would love to be involved. When could we meet?

I tell Alan. He says "Sunday?"

I send a reply, We are both out of town this week on business. Can you do next weekend? Maybe Sunday afternoon?

We decide to go to bed. And the sex is good.

I head to the gym in the morning -- no carpooling and I am not sure when I will get a chance the rest of the week. I get into work early, as I usually do on gym days; I need to try to get ahead on some projects since I am taking an unplanned three day vacation, unplanned at least until a few days ago.

I have made decent progress when I see Michelle come in. I head out to talk with her.

She asks me, "Is Audrey here yet?"

I shake my head no.

"Good, I have work to do before she gets here. And she has a surprise for you when she gets in."

Now I am really eager to see Audrey.

Michelle is decorating the door into her office. She mounts crossed billiard's cues across the top of her doorway. There is a big poster of a trophy taped to her door.

Audrey finally makes it in about an hour later than her usual arrival.

But I have to do a double take when I see her. She is not in her ice queen outfit. She is in relatively comfortable clothes. Not exposing skin like she would wear to Rick's, but just a casual blouse and a nice plain skirt. Just a little dressier than I would expect her wear for one of our girls' outings.

"Who are you and what happened to Audrey?" I ask her as I hurry over.

"Michelle talked me into retiring the ice queen, at least when I am not meeting with conservative clients. But I will start acquiring a more typical business wear to replace the ice queen wardrobe."

"I need to talk you at lunch."

"That's good, I need to talk to you, too."

We have gathered a crowd of people wanting to hear Audrey's tales from the tournament.

She draws a breath and then says, "Yes, for anyone who didn't hear, Maria and I won. We are officially New England's best pair of pool players. I need to tell you about what happened when we won. I did not realize that we were not only the first all-women pair to win. We were each the first women to make the final at all. Two years ago, a mixed doubles pair made it to the semi-finals. She seems to be the only other woman to ever make the second day.



"But when we won, we got swamped by young women. I think Maria and I must have signed over a hundred programs, all for women, mostly teenagers. I have never felt so good about anything I have ever done as I did in that moment.

"I want to find a way to teach teenage women to play pool. I don't know how yet, but I want that to be my legacy."

"Are you going to leave us?"

"No, not at all. This will be my other project, like you have your art. I think I am resting on my laurels, retiring from competitive pool. I know Maria is retired. She only has another month or so before the pregnancy will force her to take the next four months off. And she does not plan to play after she is a mother. I have no intention of finding another partner."

Everyone is clapping as she goes to her office. She stops to look at Michelle's decorations. Then, just as she starts to walk in, Queen's 'We Are The Champions' starts playing. She stops to give a wave to Michelle. I can see the tears welling up in Audrey's eyes. I know after our lunch last week that Michelle understands what this tournament was about to her.

Michelle spends a good part of the morning in Audrey's office, I assume to work out a strategy to milk the maximum out of her victory. I bet she is about to get her own version of Alan's nightmare ten days when we got back from St John.

When Michelle finally leaves her alone, she heads over and asks if I am ready for lunch. We head over to lunch.

"I have something I have to tell you about," she says on the chilly walk to the restaurant.

"And I have things to tell you too, but you can go first."

"To cut to the chase on mine, we tried swapping partners last night. I fucked Javi and Tim fucked Maria. To be honest, Javi is a lousy lay. Like he showed last weekend, he doesn't seem to have any sense of pleasing his partner during intercourse. If I get a chance, I want to talk to Maria about some strategies to explain this to him. We did it mostly because she really wanted to feel Big Ben in her and I don't think it disappointed. But I think that was as much because Tim knows how to use what he has, more than the size.

"I am just hoping that Javi is not expecting any repeats, especially in the inevitable future trip that is the two of us. Especially when Maria is fat with the baby or too tired from caring for the baby. Letting that happen is my biggest disappointment of the weekend. Really my only regret."

"Of course, the weekend went amazingly well. And I am so happy that you are retiring the ice queen. That you feel able to do so. It's one thing Marty got wrong; it seems like Maria was the one who stabilized you."

"No, he was right. I couldn't play pool with you, but my ability to do so with Maria came from you. I know Michelle almost worships the ground you walk on for the support you gave her. I think she has nothing on me. I owe all of this to you."

We are both starting to cry.

She wipes the tears from her eyes, and says, "But you said you had news as well."

"First is kind of like yours, but I have no regrets over it. Michelle and Lizzie came to Rick's for dinner Saturday night, along with Mary, and then we went back to the condo. And we watched both of my movies, we watched Michelle and Lizzie get busy. Then Alan, Mary and I performed for them. And then they started up again, but Lizzie brought Mary in with them. I think we all felt good about it, but Lizzie was lusting after my boobs and Mary wanted a cock in her.

"In the morning, they were still lusting and they managed to come up with a plan. Michelle and Lizzie took care of me while Alan fucked Mary. And then I got Lizzie to sit on my face. And then I ate out Michelle while she kissed Lizzie. It was quite a little orgy."

"So I guess they are part of our sex club now, too. I need to find a time to get together with them, Lizzie and I seem like twins separated at birth."

"Yeah, you do. I think she is even worse than you are. But yesterday afternoon we went out and found our mansion. I am arranging extensive inspections, but I am pretty sure we are buying it. I think my old crew will do the work and we are meeting with an architect this weekend. It is really going to happen."

"I am happy for you. What are you going to do with the condo?"

"Alan and I want to give it to you and Tim for your wedding present. I can't imagine anyone else living in the condo of sin, can you?"

"Are you serious? That is a really big gift."

"Yeah, Alan and I have been talking about it since you got engaged. It would be a lot of work to sell it. For what? More money we really don't need? And yes you can tell Tim about it you want."

"No mortgage or anything?"

"It will be yours free and clear. You will have to pay the taxes and condo fees. But that's it."

She comes around the table and gives me a hug.

"It will be so weird not having you living there. And Mike will be horrified that you won't be coming as often."

"It's going to take a year and a half to get the mansion even initially livable, probably another year of more extensive work while we are living there before we get it to ourselves. So you can't move in quite yet. And maybe we will be staying in the guest suite for nights at RIck's after that. The sound seems to travel in both directions just fine.

"But things have already changed with us. You can be yourself much more. I am not nearly as much of a whiny little girl as I was that first lunch here, what, less than four months ago. Alan keeps talking about having reached a pinnacle with our sex feats. But it really is more than that.

"We have had an amazing summer together. And you are the best friend I have ever had. And I will love you forever. We both felt the chill out there on the walk over here. Summer is over. For all the horrific moments we had this summer, and we each had them, I would not trade this past summer for anything else in my life.

"I want to keep living it, but we can't. I think we already know that. I really missed you yesterday morning, missed our virtual sex we have through the walls, our walks together into the kitchen. We will still have those from time to time, but our lives don't belong to each other anymore. I have my art and my mansion that will be eating immense amounts of my time. Who knows what will happen out of tomorrow's trip. You know I can't say anything about it, but I am pretty sure you understand what is happening.

"And you need to make your mark with young women in pool. That is your calling. It will fulfill you like nothing else you have done. But it will come between us.

"I discovered my bisexuality with you, explored it with you. In the last nine days, I have had sex with four women. Not a single one of them was you. I miss you. And I know you miss me. But we don't need each other like we did. We have far more people around us, who want our time.

"I love you, Audrey O'Rourke. And I know that you love me. Even if it's different than our love for Alan and Tim, it's no less real. But we have grown to be independent, learned to stand on our own two feet; we don't have the luxury of just being with each other like we did. And I miss that. And it hurts. A lot."

We are both sobbing by now. We stand up together and cry on each other's shoulders. She knows it as much as I do. I think we have both known this was coming for weeks, but neither of us wanted to admit it.

**** 4 days later ***

Audrey wakes me up wafting a mug of coffee by me. It's been a week since she has woken me up and I have missed it. I sit up and drink most of the cup while she ogles me; I take a little longer than I actually need to relish the moment. This has become one of my most cherished rituals and I fear we are losing it. She collects her "cute ass tax" as I walk by towards the shower. I take a quicker shower than usual and I don't think she got up from her spot on the bed while I was in there. I almost asked her to come in the shower with me. It's an advantage of the death of the ice queen. These clothes are easier to slip out of and back into.

I ask her how her sister is doing for the visit.

"It's been good. She got here Wednesday evening. I took yesterday off and we did some touristy things all day, just the two of us. I told her I had to work today, but I am leaving her my car and she will do some stuff on her own this afternoon. Tomorrow, we have another touristy day with Tim and Sunday is just a hang out and relax day before she goes back Sunday night. Yesterday was a lot of fun."

"Are you doing anything for dinner tonight? I am sure Alan won't want to cook, but the five of us could go to Rick's. I would love to meet her."

"I would love for you to meet her, too. I would really like that. I don't think we have any plans."

I am dressed now and she stands up and we hug, I can't see her face, but I am pretty sure she is tearing up.

We head out to the kitchen, where Alan is preparing breakfast for both of us. He remarks, "I can't believe you have dropped the ice queen. I am not complaining, you know it wasn't my favorite part of you. But it was a part of you I expected to see."

"Did you have a good trip?"

"Yes, but I am not allowed to talk about it until 5PM tonight."

He heads off to work. I finish my breakfast and clean up from breakfast while Audrey finishes hers.

Once we are in the car, I turn to her and say, "I know I am still embargoed from talking about this, but I have to tell you. But you cannot spread this. You cannot even text Tim until 5:01. Definitely no text. This is potential go to jail, insider trading stuff. Can you swear to keep this secret?"

She nods her head.

"Apple will announce the purchase of Zardoz Labs at 5:00 tonight, after the markets have closed. Alan will be named VP of AI Products. We will stay here on the east coast for 3-5 years with him running a new east coast research lab, initially his current group, pulled out from Zardoz, which becomes a wholly owned sub. He will have to spend at least a week each month in Cupertino, which kind of sucks, but I can live with it."

"And all the money Alan was expecting?"

"The deal closes in sixty days. At that point, all of Alan's Zardoz stock is automatically vested and gets turned into Apple stock. As an officer, he will have some restrictions on selling too much at once, but that doesn't really matter. It's a notably higher price that Alan was expecting for the IPO. The actual amout will all depend on what the market does, but his total take is going to be solidly into nine digits.

"He is getting additional Apple stock that vests sometime out there that's worth probably even more. They realize that we already have more money than we want with this, so it's not very effective at being golden handcuffs. Tim Cook, who Alan really liked, told him that Alan's word that he would stay was enough of a guarantee for him. And they are also matching whatever money we give to our family foundation, five-to-one, up to a billion dollars granted on Alan's fifth anniversary at Apple."

"A billion dollars. Wow! Of course, it is all tax deductible."

Always the accountant, I think.

"And Apple gets to put a person on the board, with Alan and I getting veto authority over the choice. Tentatively it is going to be Tim Cook. Are you and Tim ready to get to know him?

"And I have to tell you about this part. They pulled out all stops recruiting me, too. I spent one afternoon being shown around San Francisco's painted ladies by a Stanford professor. Just the two of us. He knew who I was, which was a big ego trip for me. He literally wrote the text book for my historic preservation course I took four years ago.

"And I had a whole morning being shown around one of the art museums by the curator of the museum. They had done their research to understand what I would like and gave me the real VIP treatment. And we had dinner each night with a few of the other Apple officers and their spouses. I didn't like all of them, but they were more real people than I expected."

"What happens with Martin and Company when you leave? Marty really believes you are what we are selling now."

"Don't worry. Marty, of course, had foreseen all of this before our trip together last week. He had discussed that I could open a west coast office for the company. He expects Javi and Maria would move out there to be closer to home. It might be me taking a monthly work trip to the other coast after that, to come back here."

"You knew this was coming, didn't you. That was part of your end of summer speech at lunch Monday."

"I had a pretty good idea that something like this was likely. But I think we both knew the heady days we had this summer were coming to an end and we couldn't go back. With or without Apple."

We are both crying again when we get to work.

We hug for a minute. Finally, I say to her, "You need to find a lawyer to set up a non-profit for your women in pool work. I see a million dollar grant coming its way in sixty days."

She gives me another hug and then a kiss and we walk into the office arm in arm, perceptions be damned.

****Epilog ****

"Alan, do you remember that summer forty years ago, when Audrey first came into our lives and both of our careers exploded and everything?"

"How could I forget that. I may be old, but I haven't lost my memory entirely yet. How is Audrey doing by the way?"

"She is doing reasonably. I try to talk with her at least weekly; she is still struggling with Tim's death. Talking with her is what got me thinking. That was the best summer of my life. I might try writing stories about it."

"Including all the sex? That would be some stories."

"You know I have always liked my dirty books. There is a place where I can publish anonymously. I read a lot of things from there. Some of it is actually well written, I would have to change enough details to not make us obvious. Including changing our names."

We sit for a moment quietly, looking over the grounds of the mansion we bought at the end of that summer.

"With everything else that has happened since then, I still miss that summer."

"I do too, but it's been a wonderful life together. I love you Lisa."

"I love you"

We reach out and hold hands.