Hot Rod Ford Ch. 8

Hot Rod Ford Chapter 8

Battle Royal, Among Friends

For the first time in my stories, I'm going to change from third person to first and back. There are parts of this story better told and explained by the person, so I'm giving him the opportunity. That happens again in chapter 9, which I'm editing. I hope it's not disconcerting to you, the reader, but I wanted to warn you.

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When they returned, practice schedules had changed. Large blocks of time were designated 'Precision,' and there were both individual and group drills devoted to man against man in every practice. There were also mini scrimmages at the end of each practice, and the time certified reporters could be present was greater, though they still weren't allowed to view the live scrimmages.

For the quarterbacks, 'precision' in the running game meant getting every step perfect, every turn exact, carrying out fakes, meshing with the running back, and making clean, sure pitches. An inch of variance in any of those got an ass chewing, demonstration, and individual practice time, and sometimes you got the ass chewing even if you were perfect.

The coaches were making a statement of their own, and it was even louder and more demanding in the passing game. If a receiver didn't drive his man off correctly and make a solid fake before making his break, at the exact point marked, whether the pattern was an out or in, the whistle blew, he got chewed on, and everyone involved in the drill did three pushups. Not really a big deal, but the point was made: your screw up costs everyone, not just you!

Quarterbacks were required to release the ball at the precise moment to get it to an open receiver in man coverage, or an open spot in zone. Coach Milwee had little patience for a millisecond early or late, for bad foot placement, or for off balance throws when not under pressure. Just as the receivers coach lacked patience for being a foot away from the desired point when the ball was delivered. They yelled, they cussed, and then they went into the office laughing and said "Oh my god! These dudes..."

The HFC kept a grim face and insisted, "Keep pushing them! They have no idea how good they can be if they learn to do everything right every time."

Five practices in, things changed again for the offense, and suddenly the running game included the quarterbacks, running backs, flankers, wide receivers, and even tight ends, via the shovel pass. The defense felt the pressure of having elite athletes running in all directions, with and without the ball, and got their butts chewed for getting blocked, losing sight of the ball, or not playing their responsibility or the options correctly, with discipline.

Across the line of scrimmage, lineman, backs, and receivers were getting their butts chewed when they didn't make and keep a block, the QBs and RBs got chewed when they didn't make the defense lose sight of the ball, and also when they didn't score on the option, like they should have on paper - ignoring the elite athletes defending it!

There were no double standards: if you were on the field, you were held to the standard, period! First teamer, third teamer, freshman, or senior; if you want to be on the field, you have to execute to the standard!

And after every practice, Coach Sark called them together and warned them that potential means you haven't accomplished anything! That many talented teams lost because they didn't do the little things correctly, that his expectation was that every member of the team would practice as if his job was on the line, and that, if they lost a game this year, it had to be because the other team was more talented, not because they were in better condition, executed better, were tougher, or tried harder!

As a team, they adopted the high standards as their own, and every day they came a little closer to that ever-receding mark.

Suddenly, the HFC announced that there would be a Spring Game on the final Saturday of spring practice. That announcement drew shouts of ire from fans who had made other plans, and shouts of joy from everyone else, including the many sites that cover the Longhorns. Amazingly enough, Bevo's Alley and the food/drink trucks would be ready, the carnival would be set up, and the headliners for Longhorn City Limits were famous musicians with ties to Austin.

The media was not amused. "Coach Sarkesian, why did you suddenly change your mind about the scrimmage?"

"The staff and I originally thought it would be better to keep what we're doing secret, but one of our most successful and experienced coaches argued that it would be better to give everyone a looksee and make them start spending time planning against all the things we can do, and might or might not do against them. In other words, make them do extra preparation. So, before you ask, yes, we're going to throw the playbook at each other.

"The other reason, which is more important, it that these kids love to compete, and this gives them one more opportunity to do what they love to do before the drudgery of summer workouts begins."

That announcement resulted in over 80,000 fans showing up for the festivities and the scrimmage, and they were animated throughout. It was one of those afternoons where the 80,000 in the bleachers would grow to 180,000 over time.

The defense could wrap up but not bring down, and the QBs had to stop when in the possession of the defender. Bart and Rod protested strongly, but the coaches remained firm. They didn't want either to get hurt, and they didn't want enemy scouts to know how hard they are to bring down.

The defense returned more starters and had at least eight that were expected to be high NFL draft picks, as compared to the young offense, which was still sorting itself out. So the expectation was a low scoring scrimmage. Which it was, if you agree ten touchdowns to nine is low scoring!

Reporters who had followed the team for decades, including the team radio announcer, were overwhelmed. Orangebloods led their written coverage with OMG!, and 24/7, Texas Insider, and others were equally effusive. Ketch swore he'd never seen that much firepower wearing Burnt Orange, even in the halcyon days of Vince Young, and Bobby Burton made a guest podcast appearance to analyze the play and players. He agreed with Ketch's evaluation, and cast his CFP crystal ball for the Longhorns. He declared they would be finalists in the CFP this season, and, when pushed, made them his pick for the championship.

Most coaches would have been crapping milkweed by then, but Sark just took it back to the team at their meal that night, at his house. After playing a couple of clips, he said, "This is their expectation. This is the expectation of your fans. This is also my expectation. The real question is, is this your expectation? Because only you can make it happen."

And across the nation, coaches began scheming ways to keep it from happening.

The players, however, had a month until finals; study halls were mandatory, and tutors were waiting. Rod's crew spent more time helping others than studying, but Rod had two papers to do before finals: one in British Literature, and one in Governments of Eastern Europe. He was excited about the topics and wanted to spend some time wallowing in the considerations raised, so he helped others during study hall, but declared the Lake House closed until after finals. Even America, who was now dating Wes, accepted his decision - they needed to study!

A week later the the papers had been submitted, and he was focused on preparing for the finals in his five courses. Some exams included a multiple choice section; others were a combination of essays and short answer essays. He was confident that he would do well, regardless of format, but he preferred the essay responses.

Dead week was a week away, so they had classes and study hall as usual, but workouts were 'optional'. Rod, Bart, Wes, Q, KP, Mo, Colt, Julian Gonzales, and Lagi Aiono, feeling secure about their finals, made every workout, which the S&C assistant coach, Patterson, reported to the position coaches.

From the last day of finals through Memorial Day and until June 3, they really were free. Free to go home, go on vacation with their families, or fly to Mallorca to film some commercial with Hailey for FLI, and then attend the Fontaine & Longoria wedding.

The photo shoot was supposed to be in early July, but the only breaks in Hailey's pre-Olympics competition schedule were the next four days, followed by an important mid-week three day competition as part of a Spanish festival, and then the three days around the social event of Monterey's summer, the Fontaine-Longoria wedding.

For Rod, the fire of his relationship with Hailey had turned to embers after the debacle in Belgium; embers he kept carefully banked. He was relatively sanguine about working with her, because he had no idea what she had been doing during their current five month separation, and he wasn't allowing any flames to surge because he was seeing her.

For all he knew, she could be engaged or married to one of the rich noblemen or sheiks with whom she had so frequently appeared on media, and to whom she was linked romantically and sexually by sources tied to her or the other party. Which was one reason he came to Spain a day early, and rented a car - he wanted to see who she actually was balling!

Sure, months she finally broke with her asshole coach and criminal lover, and came home to Millersville. As he had predicted, Angie easily found out why he was limping and got Smoke's problem corrected, and, thanks to Al, Jupiter was now at Smoke's level, and their teamwork was golden.

All good, but the way she dismissed him and dismissively rejected his advice still rankled. This was a time he might say "I told you!" to the cause of his chagrin, though he hated to stoop so low.

Rod was at the single-day competition for elite riders from early until late, sitting high in the bleachers, watching the competitors. Hailey and Jupiter were to perform third from the last, and there had been numerous excellent runs, but none yet by Canadians. The two who had already competed did well, but nothing special. At least today, the door was open for Hailey and Jupiter

Rod watched their run without emotion, judging it as if he knew neither. Certainly, the horse and rider were the most striking in the field. They were more polished than he expected and made a cleaner run than he'd ever seen them make. The judges agreed with his assessment and rewarded them with the highest score of the day.

And then the highly experienced, forty-two year-old, two-time member of the Canadian Olympic team made her run, and it was similarly flawless. She was rewarded with one point more than Hailey, though through his untrained eyes, Rod couldn't see where the point came from. Most likely, he presumed, from familiarity. The judges were highly experienced, well trained to score each jump, and expert in the other scoring criteria, but knowing someone, for better or worse, could still influence human decision-making.

The final rider was a Spaniard, and he was also excellent, but even home court advantage couldn't place him above Haily and Anna.

The top three brought their horses out for the awards ceremony, took them to their groomers, and went to the dressing facilities to change. Rod stood back and waited to see if the tall, elegantly dressed older man was waiting for Hailey. No, he was waiting for Anna, who greeted him with a kiss before they walked away. The Spaniard came out, looked around, and then exited the building.

With the hallway seemingly clear of suitors, Rod moved closer, turning his back to the door as if admiring the murals. Moments later he heard a door open and a familiar voice. "I know, Addy, but you can't imagine the pressure I'm under right now! I want to see him, and I want to make your commercials with him, but I can't allow myself to get distracted and off balance! Just seeing him in the commercials with America, Riley and the others in Costa Rica upsets me!

"So if I'm coming, you have to help me stay focused on the shoot and on jumping! Don't allow me to fall in love with him again, PLEASE!"

The voice began to fade as she walked down the hallway, so Rod turned and followed. He was smiling. Knowing her feelings for him released a lot of the tension he had felt since he agreed to the shoot. He was keeping his embers banked because he assumed she was back to playing the field; the media and social media certainly thought she was.

Or perhaps sleeping her way through the field; she claimed the international governing body for Equestrian sports, the FEI, and Equestrian Canada, both encouraged her to date, and to be seen with important sponsors, supporters, and persons of power that could enhance the situation for and standing of Equestrian events in Europe and the Middle East. At first he dismissed her claim, but after having been around some of them in ballrooms and barrooms, he wasn't as sure.

Moving quietly while she spoke loudly, he let her get two-thirds of the way to the exit before calling, "Excuse me, Miss."

Her steps faltered at the sound of his voice, and she cried, "Oh my god! He's here!" into her phone. Addy said something in reply, but Hailey just put the phone in her purse and turned. He had closed to one stride behind her, and when he saw her bewildered but beautiful face, his plan to merely surprise her changed. Before she could speak, he was upon her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hungrily, without even a word of greeting!

She was startled to see him right behind her, and shocked into inaction when he covered her mouth with his open mouth, and pulled her to him. Her mind flew to her plans and to her promises to herself, and she knew she had to break the kiss and gain control of the situation, or all were lost!

But by now she was tightly wrapped in his big arms, her body squeezed against his, his hands cupping her butt, and his mouth assaulting hers in ways frightening but familiar. She wanted to break free, to tell him that theirs was a platonic relationship now, and that there would be no sex or romance during their four days together! Just as she had practiced!

But something sinister was clouding her mind, and she suddenly realized that she wanted to strip their clothes off, and fuck him like she'd never fucked anyone before! Her cognition might be stunned, and her arms might refuse to try to push him away, but her senses were acute - she could smell, feel, and taste him, and she could also smell her own arousal.

Twenty seconds! Twenty seconds was all it took to evaporate her resolve, destroy her plans, and turn her into a wanton, writhing mass of need!

Rod had her and he knew it! She may have been planning to keep it a friendly, platonic shoot, as she proclaimed to Addy, but right now she wanted to fuck him and be fucked by him until she had no more screams to offer up!

The problem with his sudden plan, however, is that she wasn't the only one caught up in something unintended. Kissing her had been a spur of the moment thing; in part, a taunting thing after hearing her plans. And then she responded, and now they were practically having sex in the hallway.

He broke the kiss and demanded, "Where can we go?"

"My apartment," she replied breathlessly.

"No, that's later; I need you right now, and I'm going to pin you to the wall and do you right here if you don't show me somewhere within twenty steps of here!"

"Oh god!" she replied, and dragged him toward a doorway. It was a supply room for the janitors, but it also had a washer and dryer. He set her on one of them; she unbuckled her belt while he removed her boots, and then he pulled her pants and panties off, with her equally frantic assistance.

Rod unzipped and dropped his slacks, picked her legs up and draped them over his shoulders, aligned his cock, and entered her wet cunt in one smooth, long stroke, bottoming out to the sound of her cry of pain and pleasure, when the head of his cock hit something hard instead of soft.

He withdrew from the pain zone, rearranged her, and then began fucking her like demon! Her blouse and bra were still in place, but he squeezed her breasts through them, and she hurriedly unbuttoned her blouse.

Rod's right hand slipped between their copulating bodies; his thumb found her raised nubbin and began rubbing it. His left thumb pressed into the wetness below his cock until it was slick, and then discovered that her rosebud was already slick with the copious juices she was releasing. His thumb wormed its way into said rosebud, and he began thumb-fucking her butt in cadence far slower than the pace of his pile-driving ass!

He could tell when it began collecting, so he quickly removed his thumb from her clit and covered her mouth with his hand. She began quivering as if possessed, and then chanted incantations and screamed her passion into his hand. Had he not covered her mouth, she would likely have been heard by the crowds and media representatives lingering inside the show barn.

Rod was close, but was distracted by the sight of the partially clothed body beneath him. He pulled out, lifted and flipped her over, and set her feet on the ground. "Lean over, spread your legs, and hold yourself up with the washing machine," he growled.

The height disparity was a problem, but he bent until he could slip his cock back inside, and then held her by the hips and began pounding her mercilessly! The slope of her back, the curves from chest to waist to hip, her whimpers and whines, turned him into a sexual dynamo. Unexpectedly, visions of her with all the rich cocks she'd ridden with her wanton cunt flooded his mind, and he taunted her!

"Do your sheiks and dukes and princes turn you on like this? Can they fuck you the way I can? Can they make you scream in ecstasy within two minutes of entering you? They say you've been fucking your way through the royalty in Europe and the Middle East, but guess what, slut: your pussy belongs to me! Your ass belongs to me! Your mouth belongs to me! EVERY INCH OF THIS BODY BELONGS TO ME!

"You see, I know that, and so do you, don't you Princess Hailey? You might loan them to others, but they belong to me, and me alone! When I want you, I'll take you, and you will not only allow it, you will beg me take you!"

Her head was hanging, her tits were hanging, and she was barely cogent, but his cock, his hands, his words, and his commanding voice drove her over another cliff, and she chanted until she hit the bottom and exploded in yet another mind-bending orgasm!

Her total and complete submission was enough for him, for now, so he painted her walls with spurt after spurt of hot, white, semen while she chanted his name and incantations to the gods!

Hailey was limp, but she was supported by his big hands, which were holding her up by her hips. He picked her up, turned her over, and laid her on top of the washer and dryer. She lay in a puddle, and her panting breaths were the only proof that she was alive. He left her lying there with eyes closed and head lolling to the side, pulled his pants up, collected hers, and laid them on a small folding table. He then went over to the sink and returned with a roll of dry paper towels and a handful of wet.

He wiped himself with one, then her inner thighs up to her pussy, wiped her pussy with a few more, and then wiped her ass with the remaining wet towel. He tossed those in the refuse container, and dried her with towels from the roll. Pocketing her panties, he pulled her pants up her legs and over her ass, buttoned and zipped them, and then fastened her bra and buttoned her blouse.

He was growing impatient again and he didn't know where her apartment was, so his mind was considering just undressing and using her again and again, until someone came in and caught them, or he got tired of fucking her immaculate body! That would happen, for sure! Say on the 12th of Never!

Since she was nonresponsive, he decided to load her in his rental and take her to his room, even though it was somewhat distant. He put an arm under her to lift her, and her phone rang. He paused and decided to fuck with whichever rich cock was calling.

But it wasn't a rich cock, it was Addy, who asked, "Are you all right?" as soon as he accepted the call.

"Sorry Addy, but she's indisposed right now. It turned out that she wasn't as committed to our 'platonic relationship' as she made it sound to you. One little kiss and she was taking off clothes, and now she's lying on top of a washer and dryer unable to speak.

"She told me to take her to her rental, but I have no idea where it is, so I guess I'll take her to my hotel. Maybe by then she'll be able to walk, and I won't have to carry her through the lobby."

Carlos' laughter in the background almost overrode Addy's dismayed voice. "You've already had sex with her?"

"You could say that. I tried to get her to compare sex with me to sex with her rich noblemen, but she kept chanting and whimpering instead of answering me. Which reminds me - when do we need to be at the airport for the flight to Mallorca? We have a lot of catching up to do!"

"Rod, please don't! I can't have my strong, athletic model arriving on set as a quivering bowl of Jello!"

"No promises, Adeline. Unless you and the voyeur want to come over and help. You can stand in for Hailey, and Carlos can watch you perform."

There was a moment of silence, and then Carlos asked, "We're in the same motel; which is your room?"

Addy yelled something at him, and at Rod, and they responded by laughing until she stormed out.

"So... she's as good of a fuck as you remembered?" Carlos asked.

"Honestly, I kind of overwhelmed her. But, after the first few minutes, yes - she's extraordinary!"

Hailey could hear them, and she made an effort to direct him to her rented condo. He had to support her when she got up, but they made it to his car, and then to her apartment. Anna and the senior male team member, Charles, were in the lobby. They eyed the pair, inquired about her health, and they parted ways. As they walked away, Anna told Charles "No wonder she's taking four days off in the middle of the final charge! I would give up my place on the team if I had that waiting for me!"

Charles chuckled at her honesty, and opined, "And it looks like they've already begun; our fit little goddess looked completely destroyed!"

"I shudder to imagine what that monster would do to a poor girl like Hailey, or me!" Then she giggled, "But I'd like to find out."

Inside her apartment, Rod took her into the bathroom, stripped her, and then himself. "Get in the shower - we need to clean up."

She resented his authoritarian approach, but all she could only say, "I... umm... I..." before Rod picked her up, carried her into the large shower, and turned the water on. Holding her high on the wall like a ragdoll, he slid her down until her pussy was cock height, dropped her onto it, and began mercilessly fucking her against the shower wall.

She didn't understand his fixation on this difficult position today, but she wrapped her legs around him, dug her claws into his back, and held on for dear life. When her orgasms began, they came one upon another, and he dictated that they continue until he too climaxed. He finally slammed his cock deeply inside her and roared his release; she screamed with him as his seed filled her womb, prayed her birth control could withstand the onslaught, and then fell bonelessly onto him.

He tossed her over his left shoulder, rinsed her pussy out with the shower wand, soaped him and her up everywhere he could reach with his right hand, and then rinsed the soap off both of them.

He lowered her until her butt was resting on his forearm and her head on his shoulder, like a baby being burped. He got a towel and dried her back and legs. He then carried her to the bed, laid her on it, dried the rest of her, and then himself.

She was watching him through hooded eyes while laying spread eagle on the bed covers. He stood over her, just looking at her, for several minutes, before telling her to get under the covers, or she was going to have to get the pretty comforter dry cleaned. She squirmed up; he pulled down, and tossed the comforter and top sheet to the foot of the bed. He eyed her extraordinary body and then crawled up between her powerful legs.

She expected to get fucked again, but instead he feasted on her swollen folds, and gave her clit snakey licks that made her jump and wiggle her ass. After she had a minor orgasm, he flipped her over and feasted on her incomparable ass cheeks before rimming her tender rosebud.

His right hand was curled under her hips with his thumb in her puss, and his left forefinger replaced his tongue at her crinkle before penetrating to his hand. He bit her ass just above her thigh, and she squealed in pleasure yet again.

She had no more to give him, but he had another to give her. He withdrew his fingers, straddled her face, leaned over to align his cock with her mouth, let her lick and suck the head, and then began to slowly face fuck her. This wasn't about pleasure; this was about domination and submission, and he had broken her. Hailey had no idea she had the kind of submissive streak he had unveiled today and tonight.

She had made no effort to stop him, and had no intention of stopping him once he got her started. He owned her, and setting her ambitions and plans aside, she was now nothing more than his fucktoy, sex slave, or whatever other term was assigned to a woman whose man controlled and dominated her with sex. She was his to do with as he pleased, and she was pleased to be his to use.

As clear as it all was in the evening glow, it was equally unclear in the witching hour. He had heard her, knew she was still his but planned to fight it, and he took her. He didn't give her a choice or a chance; he overwhelmed her defenses and scored again and again until she was totally decimated! He was happy about that, and sleeping with her naked body in his arms was heaven on earth.

But when he awoke in the morning, the larger picture intruded: her pursuit of an Olympic medal, and his pursuit of the starting quarterback slot at the University of Texas. He was a collegian; she was an equestrian show jumper and model. He lived and went to school in Austin; she traveled three continents with her horses, and took trips to exotic places to pose for Addy's clothing line that, due to her looks and body, was capturing higher market share in Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa.

Today they would travel to another exotic spot, and the next day to another, and Friday to a third, and maybe to a fourth. To him, traveling to Mallorca was a well-paid respite; to her, travel was a fact of her lifestyle. He could not tell her to give up her dreams to join him, nor would he ask her to. He would like to, but she would ultimately resent him, and he didn't want that!

So over a cup of coffee he apologized for overwhelming her that way, and for asking the questions he had. She responded by petulantly saying he treated her if she had no say, as if he didn't care what she wanted, and she felt helpless and afraid in his onslaught.

But then she grinned and added, "But it was the best sex I've ever had in my life! You outdid your own records, which were formidable. Want to do it again and try for another record?"

"Carlos texted that they are coming over in thirty, so we don't' have time - for even a quicky!

She was naturally beautiful when they arrived: dark hair pulled back and twisted; no facial or eye makeup, wearing a pink FLI sweat suit and matching FLI tennies. Rod let Addy in, and she saw her top European model standing there with a look of contentment she had never seen on her before, but recognized.

She whipped around and saw the smirky smile around Rod's mouth, and then turned back to Hailey. "So how long did all those resolutions last after you saw him?" she asked with a chuckle.

"Until I turned around and he took me in his arms and kissed me in a way no decent woman should be kissed. I don't remember much beyond screaming orgasms and begging him to stop before I passed out. I don't remember anything after that, which is probably because I did pass out!

"He carried me around like a tired three year old! I think he even held me while he washed and dried me, after he held me on the shower wall and fucked me into a trance, again!"

Hailey's unabashed recounting of several highlights had Carlos' cock stiff as he imagined her naked, being used and abused on a washer and dryer, and then against a shower wall.

Addy was imaging the same thing, but her imagination including Rod's large cock impaling her while he cried and simpered in lust She looked speculatively at Rod, the way Carlos had at Hailey, and put herself in Hailey's place. And then she wondered if Rod fucking her would make her forget her dreams, as Hailey seemed to be doing.'

"We've had a cup of coffee, but Hailey proposed an effort at breaking her personal record for orgasms. Shall we work on that, or go get breakfast?"

"Breakfast, because we have a plane to catch and a photo shoot in Puerto Pollensa today, at Formentor Bay tomorrow morning, and then to the capital city of Palma, where we have scheduled at semiformal shoot at the Cathedral and a formal wear shoot at the Royal Palace."

"Hmm," Rod offered. "This will be the first time she's ever dressed up for me, although I have seen her dressed up for others. Many others. I guarantee you we can do beaches, bikinis, and skimpy men's suits, but formalwear is an unknown."

Hailey and Addy eyed him after that declaration. Was he acting jealous or being mean? Based on his expression and tone of voice, it was hard to say. But given his intense questioning while he pummeled her, Hailey believed it was jealousy. She would have to test that during the four days, but in spite of their old agreement to do whatever they needed to reach their goals, and date others without consequences, she believed he was expressing jealousy in his questioning, and just then! If so, that shone a new light on their situation.

But she would play it cool today, and see what she could figure out before engaging in any more emotional intercourse with Rod, be it verbal or sexual.

It was a short two hour plane ride to the Balearic Islands, and another forty minutes by car to Puerto Pollensa. The island was tiny, but the roads followed the lay of the land, so a twenty mile ride might take thirty minutes or more. The old port city, one of the oldest in the islands, was both scenic and historic, and the people tolerated tourists and film crews, like their own.

Addy and Hailey were chatting about the shoots, and Carlos was up front with the pilots, so Rod leaned back in his chair and pretended to sleep. The girls didn't buy it at first, but after a few minutes of his even breathing, they loosened up and began a quiet discussion.

"I got grilled last night about whether his dick was bigger and better than the royalty I've been fucking, and did they make me cum like he did! He accused me of fucking my way through the noblemen of Europe and the Middle East, and then he told me my pussy, my ass, my mouth all belong to him, not them!

"It was so unlike Rod that I didn't and still don't know how to respond."

"Will he like the answers? The truthful answers?" Addy replied. "Because lying to Rod never turns out well. He has a sixth sense or something. He calls it a bullshit detector."

"Honestly, cock size is about the least of my criteria. I can't separate the cock from the body, or the body from how I'm treated. Last night wasn't the first time I've been rough-fucked, but it was the first time it made my mind shut down and allow my body to fully participate in its use by a man.

"Why? I've asked myself, and the only answer that comes to mind is his body and cock. He was big and strong before, but now he's so powerful that he can pick me up and toss me around like a plaything, a rag doll! I felt helpless from the moment he greeted me with a kiss, a kiss that was so forceful I had no opportunity to fend him off! When he wrapped me in his arms and pulled me against his body, my hands felt rock-hard muscles everywhere they touched.

"After that, mine was a world of sensation, of hormones and pheromones, of taste, and of helplessness against his power! My senses were overloaded, and I had no ability to control his onslaught, nor desire to!

"For all those hours, I was his fucktoy! Me, the proud woman who has fought off so many rich men, and taken control of and used so many others. I always wondered why they succumbed to my physical charms so easily, and now I know how they felt.

"So, if I ultimately have to answer him, I have no idea the size of other cocks I have used, but I remember every detail of his, just as I remember how his body feels against mine, but I don't remember how my not-so-many noblemen feel.

"I certainly haven't 'fucked my way through Europe and the Middle East'! In fact, my body count is probably the lowest of anyone on the tour, male or female, single or married. But I have taken my pleasure and eased my need with some, which I hate to admit to him. Somehow, when I'm with him, I want to be the innocent 19 year-old he first met in Alberta, Canada, not the international sophisticate I've become through your coaching and patronage.

"But he's right about my body belonging to him. Even when with someone else, he is the standard to whom they are compared! Even when engaged in oral or vaginal intercourse, my pussy and my mouth belong to him, to Rod!

"If only our ambitions didn't keep us continents apart!"

"The Canadian national team will be selected toward the end of July. If you are selected, when will the Olympics and other commitments be over?" Addy asked.

"It's hard to say. I'm the 'young face' of the program, so they will want me to continue appearances around the country. If I were to somehow medal, the list of personal and show appearances would go on for years to come."

"Are you likely to be selected?"

"Not really. Jupiter and I haven't separated ourselves enough for them to take a chance on the least experienced team over more experienced teams. But I still have major competitions ahead, and doing well in those could earn me a spot."

"And if they don't?"

"I'm not sure; I haven't allowed myself to think negatively. But I'll say this; I'm not one of those who says, 'okay, I fell short, but I'll double down, push myself, and be ready for the next Olympics in four years'. This is my one shot - I don't love the sport or crave the medal enough to dedicate my life to it! I want a husband, and his children! I want to feel loved and yet be challenged by new and exciting things!

"Modeling was new and exciting, and gave me a lift when I desperately needed one, but I can see that running its course as I age. What I can't see ever running its course is being with Rod. The problems there are many and varied, but we can begin with Mia, America, Janet, and anyone else he chooses. I don't see how any woman can resist him. Am I right Addy? Could you resist him? I've seen you look at him, and I wonder."

"In total honesty, and if you ever tell anyone I said it, I'll call you a liar! But in honesty, no. If he took me, I'd be as helpless as you were last night, and always have been when you were with him. They talk about alpha males, and he's about as intelligent, confident, successful, and masculine as they come! Add the charismatic leadership I hear he's exerted on the Longhorns football players, and he is frighteningly powerful.

"Girls and women like us have an innate, biologic, and species-survival need to breed with such males. We're beautiful and successful, so we are worthy mates, as are many others. So I understand your concern, and yet I feel certain Rod would be the perfect mate, protective and true to his chosen mate!"

Hailey sighed, "So how does one capture the perfect mate?"

"I don't think you can. He has to choose you."

Yes, I heard it all, but I had no idea what to do with anything I had learned. So I took a brief nap, and awakened as if I heard nothing they said.

The scenes at the old port, which had homes in a solid line about twenty feel back from the beach, included the standard 'frolicking in the shallow water,' each of us emerging like a god/goddess from the deeper water in one location, me carrying her along the beach, and then disappearing into the native pine trees that grow right up to the beach, and us emerging from the trees with starry eyes and sharing wanton looks, which wasn't hard to do after the kiss we shared.

The photos along the harbor and on the streets of the ancient city took longer, although there were fewer. Her flimsy wrap dress, my light shorts and shirt, cuddled together in a doorway, with my right hand on her tight ass and my left just under her breast, took several takes because the photographer kept telling us to keep it R rated. He couldn't have been talking about the placement of my hands or hers, or her leaning into me, so he must have meant the looks we were giving each other. Mine were XXX, and I'm certain hers were too.

We had one more scene to film after this, but if they keep putting her in my arms, I may consummate our attraction on film!

Addy got it, even if Phil our photographer didn't, so she opted to separate us. Hailey modeled jewelry, different shorts and blouses, and two dresses that had even less material than the last, while I went shirtless with shorts and sandals. I donned an A-shirt, which we called a 'wifebeater' back home, with running shorts and shoes and ran up and down the street while they filmed. After I worked up a mild sweat in the tropical air, they did a number of closeup photos of my sweaty face and body.

I was practically a professional model after Costa Rica and all the other abbreviated photo shoots I had been in, and I began to understand the lack of modesty among models. When you are posing as a sex object in all kinds of positions, exposing everything but your balls and dong, or pussy, and so is everyone else, you become kind of jaded, maybe numb. That happened to me in Costa Rica, and I think it would have happened in Mallorca had it been anyone but Hailey.

I was fascinated by her transition from innocent show jumper in Millersville, wearing baggy clothes to reduce her sex appeal, to international sophisticate and concubine, perhaps consort, of billionaires. And 'on screen', so to speak, she modeled the sophistication; but off, she was almost as innocent and compelling as when we met. A conundrum wrapped in an enigma, and not a puzzle easily solved by a mortal man.

The last scenes were shot in the glaze and haze of the setting sun, on a balcony rented for this purpose. She was wearing one of those skimpy dresses, shapely legs exposed to panty line, and boobs mounding out the top. The single piece of jewelry fell between those lovely mounds, capturing the attention of her consort, and of the telescopic lens of the camera facing from across the street. There were also cameras below, which made more sense when we were directed to face each other and kiss. The panties with the holographic script FLI were the last thing seen, and I realized that we had just filmed three or four commercials!

I doubted my hairy ball or hard cock had a script FLI on them, but they had to be on display in the photos from below, just as her ass and pussy had to be. When I confronted them about it, Carlos and Addy laughed, and Hailey grinned. "By the time they leave the editing room, all will be R rated, even though the photos and video may be X rated. I wonder though, as beautiful as you two are together, how far we can push it without getting slapped around by the FCC back home.

"Over here, we can push it right up to the darkened spot with only dim shapes showing through. In your case, that might accelerate your acceptance with continental audiences!"

She laughed and said, "We're through now; would you like to join us for supper?"

"I'd like to, but after spending the afternoon cuddled up with fuckbunny, here, I'm not sure I might not set her on the table and dine on her juicy folds, and then use her for my selfish pleasure."

I looked down at her dazed eyes and knew she felt the same, but Carlos' plea convinced us to stay for sustenance, arguing we would need it for tonight and tomorrow.

My dark haired, dark eyed beauty wore the tiny dress into a seaside café, and quieted the loud Spaniards. She put her chair as close as possible to mine, and rubbed her boobs on my arm and her bare legs on mine.

Last night she was my fucktoy, but tonight she was my touchy-feely, cuddly little fuckbunny. I had no doubt she would take off her panties and sit on my lap, taking my cock in the concubine position, if I asked, and I was damn tempted to ask!

When I was with Mia, and Hailey was unattainable and involved with others, I felt strongly about Mia. In fact, I thought we might make a permanent couple. But being with Hailey was unlike being with others. There was just a level of attraction and lust and, if I dare say it, love, that I couldn't achieve with others.

But do we have a future? It looks unlikely, because she's going to make the team, do well in the competition, and spend the next few years exploiting her fame and making ridiculous amounts of money doing it. In the meantime, I'll be expanding my physical and mental gifts, and then exploiting them for fame and fortune. We will be at least one ocean or a continent apart most of the time.

But when the meal was eaten and the upcoming nuptials discussed, they laughingly dismissed us so we could get a good night's sleep and be sharp tomorrow!

'Tonight, my fuckbunny sex toy wanted things done, and wasn't above negotiating next steps if we did as she desired. I had no problem giving her a massage and then spanking her luscious ass for being a bad girl. She wasn't sure she should let me take the next steps, but after seven or eight minutes of laying atop her and fondling her from behind, and of sliding my cock down the slick valley between her cheeks, she was ostensibly ready.

'We had played at this before, but it seemed she had not shared this site with others, and it was tight! I had to back up and return to advanced foreplay, including two fingers in her cunt and two in her ass, before she had an orgasm and was ready to be taken anally. I mounted her again and followed the same protocol, but this time she was receptive.

'Tight fit doesn't come close to being properly descriptive, but we were lubed enough, and she was juicy enough, that we found an angle and rhythm that worked, and she began to join in. I ordered her to use her finger on her clit and slit, and I lay above her on my elbows, mauling her breasts and randomly biting her neck and shoulders when I lay upon her.

'I knew early on that I wouldn't last long, so I did and said everything I could think of to encourage her own orgasm. She was lingering behind and I had only moments left, so I began drilling her as deep and fast as I could, hoping to spur her onward and upward.

'By the time my moment came, I was without conscious knowledge of her situation, and it didn't matter anyway - I was going to cum in a mind-blowing way! So when the end of my cock was blown off by the eruption from my balls, at first I didn't hear her cries or feel her anal sphincters squeezing me, but as they continued I recognized her cries as those of immense pleasure, like my own!

'It was time to pull out and clean up, but she kept gently milking me, and it felt so damn good on top of her with my cock buried in her anus and my balls in her crevasse, that I simply didn't want to!

'She was quite a sight when I did pull out and crab over beside her. Hair sweated at the nape of her neck, besides the bite marks and hickeys I left, hands above her, as if signaling surrender, and her legs spread only a few inches apart. And that ass, that awesome ass, protruding above all, with the pillow under her belly and hips.

'I got up, retrieved a wet washcloth and a hand towel, carefully cleaned her gaping anal opening, and the valley between those lovely cheeks. Then I went back, cleaned myself, and returned.

'After drinking her in from above and behind, I rolled her over and took in the view from above and behind. There might be women who looked better naked that Hailey, but I hadn't met them yet. There might be women who enjoyed sex more, and I knew several who tremendously enjoyed sex, but I hadn't met the one who loved it more. And there might be women who looked sexier when staring at you lying naked in a bed with limbs akimbo, but I hadn't seen them. And then she spread her legs wide apart and raised her arms in invitation, and I knew no one ever looked better doing that!'

His fuckbunny was a little gimpy the next morning, so he gave her a massage, they did stretches, and she insisted on a little 'hair of the dog' before they showered and dressed. He didn't know how much he had left in the tank, but comported himself well, with a lot of verbal and physical encouragement from the bunny.

POV Rod

We made it down for the buffet, and boarded the van for the next leg of our journey. Santos was driving, Phil was in the passenger seat reading them his plans for the next shoot, Paco and a bunch of equipment were in the third seat, Carlos was napping in the fourth seat, and I was trapped between Hailey and Addy on the second seat. I was in the middle because I needed the leg space in front of the console, but the hot women crowding me from the sides were becoming a trial.

I had seen them leaning forward and making some kind of an unspoken agreement, but it didn't concern me. Or so I thought, until both began squeezing more tightly against me. They wrapped their arms though mine in a way that allowed them to rub their boobs against my bicep, and then they pressed their bare legs against mine, from hip to ankle.

It was hard to breathe by then, but when they twisted so the could place their hands on my upper thigh, I sucked in a deep breath and waited. Hailey probably thought my swollen cock was lying along the leg she put her hand on, but that prize was Addy's, and she announced it by suddenly sitting up straight and looking at me with wide eyes. Hailey saw her and knew; she giggled, and I reacted when Addy squeezed and giggled.

It was an innocent, playful mistake to this point, but if she continued, we were wandering into uncharted territory. She ran her hand up and down my cock as if measuring it, but it kept growing as she did, so she tried again. And then she whispered, "Hailey, I think we need to change sides, or I'm going to embarrass myself." Hailey stood in the aisle to let Addy crawl over me and take her seat, but Paco hitting a bump allowed me to pull her onto my lap, squeeze her inner thigh with my hands, and grind my cock against her bottom.

She moaned, looked wide-eyed at Hailey, and then scrambled into the open seat. Hailey stepped over her legs, and then mine, but another bump caused her to be sitting on my lap, hard cock and all. Far from surprised or upset, she leaned back against me, offering her sensitive neck to my mouth, and her jutting, braless boobs, to my hands. I took advantage of both offers, and heard dual moans; one from my lap, and the other from the seat to my right. I removed my right hand from Hailey's tit and place it firmly on Addy's thigh, just below her short shorts and pussy. She grabbed my hand to keep it from going further, and I whispered in Hailey's ear. "Your friend has a very hot, very wet pussy that's leaking down her thigh. What should we do?"

Her response was no giggle or quiet chuckle; it was a horse laugh that reverberated through the van. Knowing everyone was going to turn and look at us, I placed that hand on her hip and the other on her stomach. She wiggled around for a second or two, and then slid off my lap onto her new seat.

The others figured it was something I said or did, but when we didn't comment, they returned to their projects.

As quietly as I could and still have Hailey hear, I asked, "Aren't you going to snuggle up to me again, Addy? I could use the warmth of your boob, and even though Hailey has claimed my cock, my balls need a hand too."

Addy suppressed her guffaw, and when she regained her balance, she said, "I think he's on to us, girlfriend, and I suddenly doubt he was asleep while we talked!"

"I never did hear you confirm that you never found a bigger, better cock, but I did hear Addy say she'd like to fuck me and find out," I whispered to both of them.

Addy began to protest, but I placed my hand between her spread legs and rubbed the heel of my palm against her wet crotch. "Really, you don't?" She gasped and slammed her legs closed.

"Turn around and face me, stop torturing my friend, and pay attention to me. Rod, I did NOT find a bigger, better cock on my overseas explorations, or while in North America!"

"So you found a bigger cock, but it wasn't better? Or a better cock but it wasn't bigger" I inquired in a hurt voice.

"Well, I'm not a size queen so I wasn't measuring, but let me rephrase - I don't recollect ever receiving a bigger cock, and I know I didn't ever have a better cock! Your big boy is the best cock I've ever had."

"Faint praise, when you've had bigger" I whined.

With another giggle she replied, "Okay, for the sake of your fragile male ego, you have the biggest and best cock I've ever had, period!"

Addy forcibly removed my hand from between her legs, leaned toward us, and whispered, "If you did find one bigger or better and just want to save his ego, tell me the name later - I might want to try one before I get married!"

I perked up purposely, and they both caught it. "No, not you, Big Boy! I don't know one better and bigger anyway, but she's not going to try you on for size! That tiny thing will still be waddling when she walks down the aisle!"

We were quiet, but maybe not quiet enough, because Phil changed the script when we got to remote Cala Torta. He insisted on Addy joining us on the beach, dressed in a wonderfully skimpy bikini that showed off her girlish figure and limbs. I learned that Hailey was a four, and Addy was a two, or sometimes a zero. Hailey was the more substantial, and the one who men turned to watch, but Addy was equally sexy, if you appreciate petite, which I do.

Phil had used her in shoots before, and had clothes in her size in case we found a place where she would shine, and this was it. She protested, but only mildly, and Carlos thought it was the best idea ever, so she retired with Hailey to the changing shelter alongside the van.

Cavorting in the turquoise water with the curvaceous Hailey and the scrumptious water sprite that was Addy at play, I lost track of our purpose and became seductive toward both. They played my game, and we said and did things we might do if we were planning our night to end in a FMF entanglement.

They even initiated a little girl-on-girl action, teasing and seducing each other, with me smiling in the immediate background. Seeing their lush lips millimeters apart, and their boobs brushing against one another, and them lying on their sides, inches apart, in the shallow waters, talking in seductive voices about how hot Carlos and I were going to be after this exhibition, had me as hard as a rock, and Carlos literally holding his cock with his mouth open. "This is some of the best porn I've ever seen!" he swore, still holding his cock.

I think Phil wanted them to kiss, make out, and fuck each other as much as we did, but he recognized teasing, so he bade them lay to my sides, and took pictures of their bodies and heads moving slowly forward, one at a time, until they were kissing me, and then arranged us millimeters apart, breathing on each other, casting hungry eyes on one and then the other.

When I saw the unedited versions a few hours later, I understood what Carlos claimed. It wasn't pornographic because we were all clothed, and yet it was.

I thought we had another commercial shoot today, but Phil claimed we got everything we needed here, and we should proceed to Palma to model evening wear. Palma was the same 40 minute drive we made going down, and we were there with plenty of time to get makeup on, style hair, and change into formal wear. Carlos was in this shoot; he looked good in formalwear, and kept the mood light while we leaned on bars, stood around tall tables, danced, and posed inside and outside of a bar filled with young people, who happily signed releases in return for free drinks.

I don't claim to know what the cameramen and directors see that makes they unhappy, or happy and satisfied, but after a couple of hours of being ourselves and having fun, Phil called it a wrap, and said we were through. "Through tonight?" Carlos asked. "No, we're through. We have more film and photos than we can use, unless you're going to saturate the airways, so we'll go back to headquarters and do what we do, and you guys do whatever you want to do. I'll let you know when the we're ready for you to get involved."

Since we were in an adjoining room with Addy and Carlos, I know for sure that they saw fit to celebrate our unexpected freedom in the same manner we did. And I learned that delicate little Addy was as lusty and noisy as my fuckbunny, who was insatiable tonight.

A couple of hours later, while she was giving me time to recharge. I asked, "So, you and Addy? That looked practiced."

"No, we haven't, and no I haven't with any other female. But if I did, it would be with her! You call me a fuckbunny and fucktoy, but what is she? She exudes sex when she's near you, in a way you can feel and smell. Remember: I saw her with you, too!"

"She does, and if I ever wanted a threesome with you, I'd pick her. Carlos aside, of course."

"So, if I'm a fuckbunny, what is Addy?"

"My best guess, without having actually eaten or fucked her, is she's a minx. A small, adorable little creature who would be ready to go again within seconds of her third or fourth orgasm."

"Hmm. Maybe I'm a bit of a minx too, because I'm almost ready for my fourth. But first, she really was kissing you, wasn't she? I saw your hand automatically move to her back and cup her little ass, and heard her tiny whimper. I don't think that was the typical 'model kiss'."

"Her lips aren't as soft as yours, but she didn't give herself to me like you did, so how knows. There was a repressed fury I've only encountered before with you. Remember when I caught you with the Sheik, and we had a love-hate relationship? I forced you to kiss me once, and it was like that. You kissed me, but it was at about 1/10th power. That's when I knew I had lost you, and returned to the US, after we cussed each other out.

"With Addy, though, it was if she was holding back because she knew if she turned it loose it would get out of hand."

"That was why my kiss was 1/10th power, back then. I needed to force you to leave, to stay away from me, because I was disgraced and damaged. If I returned the fervor of your kiss, I would have made love to you right then and there, and that wouldn't have been fair to you. Or at least, that's what I believed then."

"And now?" I asked, dreading her answer.

"And now I've forgiven myself for my mistakes, for my youthful arrogance, for staying in an abusive relationship because I hated myself, and for other mistakes I made. Although, 'fucking all the nobility in Europe and the Middle East' isn't one of my mistakes. As I explained before, we used each other: I got to share the limelight with the truly rich, they got a pretty woman on their arm.

"And you may call me a whore for doing it, but I also got sponsorships and jewelry, though not the priceless jewelry I wore from the royal vaults. It wasn't quid pro quo in that sense - I didn't fuck them for the jewels or the sponsorships! In fact, I only fucked two of my suitors of royal blood, and, as you know, one forced himself on me.

"The other I did have a relationship with, but as it grew more serious, his family made it clear he would never wed a person without royal blood, and recounted my genetics and family history for me. I gracefully withdrew, understanding then that my past was inescapable.

"To be honest, I didn't love him like he loved me, so I doubt I've have agreed to marry him anyway, but he was the gentlest, kindest man I've ever known, and I still think highly of him.

"All my other princes, dukes, sheiks, and billionaires were arrangements like those I already described, and our sex lives were a figment of the imagination of the press and their readers.

"I do think you'd be amazed at how many such arrangements are made between the rich and models, actresses and actors, and other beautiful men and women. The men appear virile, the women young and nubile, and that's the purpose of the arrangement, from their side."

"Or maybe you do know - the sisters?"

"Yes, they helped me understand what you were doing, and how beneficial it could be for both sides. Before them, I did believe it was a form of prostitution. Now I see it as what we're doing in athletics: selling our name, image, and likeness. FLI, for example, is buying our physical assets and abilities to appear seductive in hopes of selling more of their clothing and other products. In rodeo, sponsors pay for having their names seen on our truck and trailers, and for our appearances at their events.

"At UT, not all athletes are as well-known as the quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers, so they pool money from sponsors who want them seen doing good things for the unfortunate. Like visiting kids in hospitals, helping clean up parks, or other interests the players or sponsors may have.

"Looking back, you were bartering your time and image for better sponsorships, or money a poor girl could use to stay on the tour to accumulate experience and points. Unless you promised sex for money, and you've already said you didn't, that's not prostitution. It's business."

"So I'm not your little whore? I'm your little fuckbunny, and all my holes belong to you?" she asked in a pouty but coy manner.

"And my bigger and better cock belongs inside you?" I responded. "Not before it is lubricated in my mouth," she replied, after licking and pursing her lips in a most inviting way."

****

"So, two more days and no more photo shoots! Whatever shall we do so close to the French and Spanish Rivieras?" Carlos asked.

"We don't have time for both, so which one are you thinking about?" I replied.

Both women cried "French!" before he could answer.

"Can't ever go wrong on the French Riviera," Carlos replied. He arranged to get our personal belongings and luggage brough to the airport where our plane was stashed, so we redirected to the airport.

Addy spoke up then and said, "I've never seen Phil and Paco stop shooting in the middle of a day, with two more sites to visit, and jump to evening wear. Did you overhear anything, sweetheart?"

"I did: I heard Phil say, "We have more useable film now than we'll ever be able to make into commercials. I say we turn the lovers lose before we film an orgy, and get to the editing."

"I agree," Paco replied. "Most often, we're trying to figure out how to make people who don't know each other or don't like each other look like lovers, but Hailey and Rod exude love and lust, and even the looks exchanged from twenty feet away are red hot! I'm not sure we can't use every second they are on screen for some purpose!

"And then you add the boss lady to the mix, and damn! That was indubitably the hottest ménage à trois I've ever filmed, including some with Nicole Kidman! If she and Hailey had kissed, I've have shot off in my pants!

"Which, in my opinion, is high praise, coming as it was from someone who has been in the business longer then we've been alive!"

Hailey and Addy were both red, and got darker red when I added, "I'm pretty sure I would have too! You girls are molten lava together!"

"So how about now? It's only us, so no one will tell you. Just one kiss!"

"Maybe in the plane, or later tonight if you take us out and get us drunk," Addy proposed.

"You're on! So what are your favorite bars?" I asked.

I don't know how he does it, or how his people do it, but somehow Carlos got us luxury accommodation right on the beach. And by luxury accommodation I don't mean nice rooms, I mean a luxury suite! It's on the corner of the building so both of us have a 10x15 plate glass view of the beach and water, and a balcony! I'm also pleased that the bedrooms have locks. Not that I really want to keep Addy out - that would be a ménage à trois fantasy come true! But the aftermath would be hellish!

Representing FLI was exhausting. Wearing new shoes and clothing of the latest style, all of if custom fit; eating and being seen in all the best places; hobnobbing with the rich and famous - I could certainly see why Hailey hated it! Ha!

On the other hand, getting to see gorgeous women dressed to thrill wasn't that bad. Thank God Addy had this suit made for me; if I wore my normal dress up gear, I'd have been laughed out of the first club we went into. Addy, Carlos, and Hailey were used to this. No big deal, just a glitzy nightclub seating a few hundred royals, millionaires, and really rich people.

Most were men, but a significant number were female, a significant percentage of whom were bi. Or at least that's what the sisters told me. Regardless, I intended to keep my mostly hetero girlfriend... hmm - that came out of left field. Girlfriend. Didn't you come all the way out here to break up with her, or at least give her the opportunity to break up with you?

'That was then, this is now' I argued with myself. 'Things happen for a reason' came the next cliché. And then I was seating the girl on my arm on a tall stool, and she was smiling at me.

There are probably more beautiful women in this world, but not with her body, brains, and toughness. She was born Canadian, but she would make a good Texan. And a really good Longhorn cheerleader!

You know FLI is taking off when so many fashionistas stop by to congratulate Carlos and Addy on their upcoming wedding, and on the success of their clothing lines. Hailey and I were being ignored, so we started a conversation in which she told me who the hell all these people were. She didn't know all of them, but she knew a significant number.

Finally, a young American woman looked us over, stepped back, and came to us. "I can't believe it - Hailey Hart-King and Hot Rod Ford! Looking at me, she asked, "Aren't you playing football now? Do you guys have vacations? Because my former boyfriend played for LSU, and they never got time off!"

"I am, I do, and yes, we have until June 3. And what is your name?"

"I'm Carroll Anne Stokes from San Antonio. We're formally of Cowtown, but with royalties from the Eagle Ford play, my parents, my brother, and I mostly travel.

Turning to Hailey, she called her by name, recognized her as a prospect for the Canadian show jumping team, and then with a big grin said, "I wish you well with your jumping, but keep modeling too! You and I wear the same size shoes and clothing, and whatever looks good on you looks good on me! Not as good as you, of course, but dang good for me!"

I recognized the ploy and made a show of looking her up and down, and then said, "Well, I don't know much about women's clothing, but I'd agree you look 'pretty dang good' in what you're wearing."

She giggled, Hailey agreed, and she pranced off, happy that she took the chance. Before anybody else could come, I told Hailey, "I think I can dance to this song, unless you tell me it's not some modern kind of waltz."

"I have no idea," she replied, "but I don't care if we look stupid, as long as I can hold you in my arms." We headed to the dance floor, apparently breaking the invisible barrier. Or perhaps this was the first danceable song. Anyway, the music was in 3/4 time, so we waltzed, and soon enough others joined us.

The next song was hip-hop misogyny, so we sat back down. "Is this the kind of music you high-flyers enjoy?" I asked her. She laughingly replied no, but it was the kind you heard in places like Cannes, where even musicians have to be avant-garde.

We hung out a little longer, and then I slipped in beside Carlos, who was surrounded by potential buyers, and whispered, "We're going to the lounge at the hotel and dance a little. See you in the morning."

He merely nodded, so we began our escape. Unfortunately, one of Hailey's old boyfriends/ companions saw us coming and cut off our escape path. "Hailey!" he called loudly, before rushing toward her, bodyguard close behind. She maintained her grip on my hand and answered, "Duke Tomás, it's good to see you. How are your wife and son doing?"

That casual but off-putting greeting should have stopped him in his tracks, but he continued forward and took her in his arms. She held my hand tightly throughout the embrace and the embarrassing conversation that ensued after the hug ended. He wanted to talk about their time together, how much he missed her companionship, and even disclosed he and his wife now have an agreement that allows him to discreetly date others.

As foolish and scummy as the conversation made him sound, I could forget it because it was clear that Hailey had no interest in him, but when he latched onto her other hand and tried to drag her over to see their old friends, I felt it was time to intervene. I turned her hand loose, stepped behind and past her, and removed his hand from her wrist.

He turned toward me, infuriated that a fly like me would interfere with his plans for Hailey. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked in accented English, "You can't touch me like that!"

"In the same vein, you can't grab and yank this young lady by the wrist. She hasn't agreed to go anywhere with you, so until she does, you need to keep your hands to yourself."

He was furious, but instead of trying to slug me he turned to his bodyguard, who was about my size. He stepped forward, Hailey cried "No, I'll go with you," but the duke said, "Ruin him!" in Spanish.

I have no idea what he was thinking; well trained bodyguards would try to remove me from the room and then pound me, but this dude just threw an off-balance, roundhouse punch. I easily moved away from him and behind the duke, who scrambled away to safety leaving Hailey alone and me matched with his stand in.

I loudly asked, "Whatever happened to chivalry, and nobility fighting their own duels? You must be a rank coward!"

He screamed something at his man, who threw another right that missed, and followed that with a left jab I dodged. My jab didn't get blocked, and when he lowered his left hand, I hit him with the right he had been throwing, except my blow came with the side of my fist rather than the knuckles, and caught him on the temple. He staggered, turned back toward me, and then his eyes rolled up and he dropped to the floor.

I immediately turned back to the duke and said, "Now it's your turn, you little bitch!" I hadn't noticed how still and quiet it was until I heard my challenge reverberate around the large room, and heard his whimper as he turned and ran through the crowd.

I shrugged my shoulders and muttered to no one in particular, "Acts tough, but runs away like a scared little bitch when confronted! Whatever has happened to the proud noblemen of lore?"

After turning back to Hailey and taking her hand I looked over my shoulder at the person nearest the bodyguard and warned, "You probably want to get him medical help; I suspect he has a concussion."

She walked briskly beside me as we went down the hall to the exit and then down the sidewalk. About halfway to the hotel, she stopped, spun me around, and all but yelled, "What was that about? You could have been hurt, and now we'll be the talk of the town for days! Luckily, he doesn't have many friends, but beating people up and making a duke run away crying sends the wrong signal for an FLI model!"

I looked at her with a wry smile and asked, "Does it? They want me for my masculine build, and because I play football, an inherently violent sport, and was a rodeo performer. That's another violent sport. Punching out a bodyguard after his boss disrespected my date doesn't exactly damage my image. If anything, I look good because I stood up for you and didn't let the Duke Tomás and his bodyguard disrespect either of us!"

"Uhhh, you infuriate me sometimes! There was a civilized way to handle it!"

"Not after he grabbed your wrist and yanked you toward his friends like some cheap tramp! At that point, he was showing no respect for you or your date, with whom you were holding hands! He had to get taken down, and I did. I don't see the problem."

"What about his bodyguard? Did you have to hit him like that?"

"He was carrying a pistol. I could have just beat the hell out of him, but at some point he'd have drawn his gun and shot me, or maybe missed and shot you, or someone else. I couldn't take the chance, so I knocked him out. That was nicer than what he planned for me."

"Now, stop fussing at me and admit it: your panties are wet. You loved that I stood up for you, but you were afraid I'd get hurt, so you had to chastise me, right?"

"No! My panties are not wet! I'm mad at you for raising such a fuss, hurting that poor man, and embarrassing me in front of all those civilized people."

"Who pay bodyguards to do what I just did! Don't kid yourself about what counts as 'civilized' among this crowd! And I guarantee you, I can go back in and pick up any of the women who witnessed my uncivilized behavior, because they have wet panties too!"

"I DO NOT HAVE WET PANTIES!"

I dragged her into the alley, pressed her against the wall, reached under her dress, and, ignoring her struggles, found... a soaking wet thong!"

Since I was already there, I slipped a finger into her sodden marsh and ran it from front to back, before inserting it. She half-heartedly struggled from time to time, but made no concerted effort to escape, so I added fingers, searched for her G spot, and rubbed her C spot with my thumb.

She growled at me, so I kissed her firmly, and then pulled the elastic down over her breasts with my chin, and began frantically kissing, sucking, and biting those lovely orbs! Her nipples were already distended, and her aureoles were crinkled with excitement.

"Admit it!" I ordered, with saliva running down my chin. "You loved me taking up for you, and now you want me to fuck you, right here in the alleyway, where others can stop and watch you getting fucked!"

"No," she argued weakly, before pulling my mouth back to her breasts, and humping my fingers.

"Admit it and I'll let you cum on my bigger, better cock!"

She wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my torso, and lifted herself above the bigger, better cock she had let our of its confines while I was accosting her, and she was arguing she wasn't turned on!

I put my hands on her bare ass, lifted her higher, and then lowered her onto the cock she was so frantically trying to mount, pushing the thong aside with little effort. And then I fucked her senseless against the wall, again! I'll admit I was still adrenaline driven, and my testosterone levels were off the chart; I had gone to battle for my fair maiden and won! That evoked racial memories that included enjoying the spoils of my triumph!

We both came with a rush, and not as quietly as the setting dictated. I let her down and she smoothed her tiny little dress while I buttoned my suit pants. When our breathing slowed, we heard tittering from the street, and discovered we had a small audience. I told her to walk behind me in case they were filming, but it was two couples about our age. I remembered one of the girls from the party; she looked like a wild thang, so when we got close I shrugged and said, "Sometimes you just can't wait those three more blocks to the hotel."

They all giggled, including the boys, so I asked, "Surely you didn't film that or take pictures; I'm sure her national federation wouldn't be pleased to see it on Insta or another site."

One of the guys said, "No, but I wish I had, for my own private use! That was probably the hottest thing I've ever witnessed, and she's definitely the hottest porn star of all time!"

Hailey was still mostly behind me, her head largely hidden by the arm she was peeping around. One of the girls then said, "You lucky bitch you! First he beats the shit out of the creep, Francisco, then makes Tomás run away crying, and then picks you up and drops you on his big cock in the alley! I wish I were you!"

Her escort just laughed, but offered, "Well, if you guys would like to swap around tonight, Elenore and I will gladly join in!"

"Thanks for the offer, but not tonight. Elenore, help me settle a dispute: when I took up for her and then decked the creepy bodyguard, did it give you wet panties?"

"No, because I'm not wearing any, but my thighs are slick! We are headed for the hotel too, because Regen and I needed a good fucking after watching that display of machismo - and then we came upon this! Neither of these guys are going to want pussy for a week after we get through with them!"

We blew off the lounge. As hot as Hailey looked, if men got near enough to smell her, I'd have had to fight the entire bar! Plus, she was fully recovered and was rubbing my cock through my pants as we walked, and I was afraid she might fuck me on a table and then run a train, she was so turned on!

Not really, but she was turned on, and she proved it in the room. I was fucking her in the shower when our suitemates returned, and Addy opened the bathroom door to tell us they were back. You'd think she'd shut it back up and run away embarrassed, but no, she just stood there watching, so I watched her watching us. And I watched her hand dip down under her microskirt and begin busily doing something between her legs, which were wide apart.

I turned Hailey slightly to be sure she could see my cock pistoning in and out, and when Hailey began her cry of release, Addy leaned on the door frame and her eyes rolled up in coordination with Hailey's collapse on me.

I held Hailey as if I were burping her, and stepped out of the shower. I grabbed a towel and tossed it over her back, dried her a bit, and then dried my balls and boner. Addy was still sagged against the doorframe, so there wasn't much room when I walked past her to lay Hailey on the bed and dry her limbs, belly, and private parts.

Walking through the doorway, I leaned over by her ear, and quietly asked, "Who do you want to fuck more, Addy? Me or her?" She gave a little cry and hurried from our bedroom toward her own, with my low laugh chasing her. Bet she won't shower peep again!

I wandered around naked, went onto the balcony and watched the stars a bit, and then went back to the bed and began my slow assault on her body with her toes. She was a wanton wreck when I finished and finally inserted the cock she was begging for in the cunt she claimed she desperately needed it in!

I awoke the next morning in an indescribably good mood, showered, shaved, and put on the oversized robe they left for me. Of course, it was still short and didn't pull all the way around my chest, but I needed to make coffee and order breakfast! I was starving!

For reasons unknown, Carlos and Addy were in OUR kitchen drinking coffee. I was already upon their table when I saw them, so I pulled the robe a little tighter and retied the belt. It still felt airy underneath, but our naughty boss watched us naked last night anyway and Carlos has seen it all before, so... whatever.

"You were the talk of the club after you made your exit," Carlos said with a grin. "I didn't see it, and I have no idea which version of the story is true, so I thought I'd ask you."

"It wasn't all that much," I replied. "We were walking out holding hands when some asshole named Duke Tomás intercepted us, grabbed Hailey out of my arms, and started pulling her by the wrist to a crowd of his friends. I told him that wasn't polite and removed his hand from her wrist. He backed off, insulted that the likes of me touched his royal highness, and sicced his guard dog on me. Fernando was a clumsy lout, so I put a left fist on his nose, and then hit him with a palm heel strike that dropped him. I might not have done that so quickly, but he was carrying a pistol, so I couldn't take chances."

"Why, what did you hear?"

"Variations of that," Carlos replied, but also that you called the duke out and he ran off crying."

"I didn't hear the crying, but yeah, he was whimpering. Are you mad at me for not portraying a civilized man and letting him carry her off like a slave girl?"

"Not at all. You probably generated enough interest that when your commercials drop over here, you'll be considered one of the hottest men in Europe."

I laughed that off, and then asked Addy, "What's up, boss lady? You are unusually quiet and withdrawn. Don't you agree with Carlos? Am I in trouble with you?"

She looked up at me and her face slowly turned red before she answered, "No, we agree on that, but please don't make it a habit. Tomás is universally disliked, and even more now after he abandoned his wife and child to return to hunting and hurting young women."

"Did he hurt Hailey? Back then, I mean?" I asked.

"Yes, as I understand it, he only hit her once, and she escaped before he could rape her."

"Then the next time we meet, I'll give him a palm heel upside the head and see how he likes being bullied and beat. Hell, I might even bring a bi-guy I know to rape him!"

Addy was doing better now. She laughed at my crude joke, but when I sat down on the stool and started drinking my coffee, her eyes kept darting down. She is definitely a voyeur, and Carlos knows it. Of course he is too, and she knows it, so this is going to be an interesting marriage.

Fuckbunny wandered in about fifteen minutes later, looking so cute in her big white cotton terry cloth robe it was enchanting. She stopped by Addy, put her arm around her shoulders, gave her a frightened puppy dog look, and asked "Are we in trouble?"

Addy was going to give her a hard time, but Carlos got started first. "Not hardly! This story is all over the gossip sites already, and someone sent a copy of their phone video to Eurovision! You two will be such a hot item, we're pushing the new ads out as soon as possible!"

"That's good for the company, but will we still have privacy at the beach?"

"I think we will, at least today. Might want to wear beach hats though, to provide a disguise."

We ate in peace, so the girls felt better at not having to face the crazy European paparazzi. The bikinis they put on were going to draw attention anyway, but I loved seeing their luscious bodies again. Carlos warned that we would have no three-ways this time unless he was the male, which cost him a lot of ragging from the females.

Admittedly, the beach was teeming with lovely ladies of ever shade of color, but you wouldn't expect rich men to be with ugly women. Every now and then you would see some guy more like me with such a specimen, but mostly they were with older men sporting expensive watches, and their trophies were likewise sporting expensive watches and jewelry. There were a lot of cosmetics showing also, and by cosmetics I mean surgical procedures.

Me? After I got tired of people watching (and being a judgmental prick), I turned my attention to the specimen beside me. Men had paid tens of thousands of dollars and Euros to have her serve as their escort, and it appeared some of that escorting occurred on this beach, as she was obviously at home here. Another clue was that specimens and their leasers stopped to exchange greetings and share stories about common acquaintances and past times.

I rode it out, appearing sanguine and waiting for them to make the move, to ask who I am, and how I make my money, in those words or similar. I didn't give a flip, but I thought it shone a dirty light on my companion. Apparently, she shouldn't be here on her own, or with her boyfriend; she should be her with her latest wealthy renter.

To her credit, she did, time after time, introduce me as her boyfriend, and say I am currently a football player at the University of Texas. That must have been unsatisfying to them, because I still got the questions. I guess they don't follow American football, or rodeo.

I could see that Hailey was almost in tears, Addy was past the point of losing patience with the shallow pricks and cunts, and Carlos was trying to figure out how to prevent the nuclear explosion he feared was coming. As I said, I was relatively sanguine, but the other three could see as clearly as I that Hailey was being cataloged as one of those pretty people who sell their bodies and souls in exchange for unearned status and riches.

And for all I know, she had. She swore differently, but how well did I know the sophisticate lying beside me? Was she a whore and an accomplished liar? She was certainly more experienced at certain elements of fellatio and intercourse since the last time I was with her, sexually.

Another potbellied pig stopped by with his beautiful blonde companion, who immediately began questioning me about my wealth, thinking perhaps she could trade the pig for someone less repulsive. When the pig started questioning Hailey to ascertain if she was available for hire, I got up and said I was going running. Before anyone could object or offer to join me, I said I'd be back after a while, and took off down the beach on one of our three mile training runs.

My Garmin didn't cost $10 grand, but it served my purposes well. I kept me pace out and back, and was back twelve seconds early.

Hailey was lying on her stomach with Carlos on one side and Addy on the other. Tracks of tears remained on her cheeks, and she didn't look up when I said I was back. I got a hard look from Carlos, and a pleading look from Addy; I ignored both and said, "I'm going in to cool off. Anyone want to go with me?" I was tempted to add "or would you rather stay here and greet old acquaintances and sponsors," but held my tongue.

No one responded, so I again said, "I'll see you later then, after I cool off," and jogged away to the beach. I swam out into the chilly 65 degree water, frolicked for a few minutes, and then saw Addy standing on the shoreline. Carlos and Hailey were still in our chosen spot, facing the sand, talking.

When I got out she handed me a towel, said she didn't know how I could swim in the frigid waters, and then asked me to sit on the sand just past the break. "When we were sitting there and people we all know were coming up and talking to us, I looked at you and saw for the first time what you were seeing. We are a shallow bunch of pricks and cunts, aren't we? It's funny how you get sucked in and become one of 'the beautiful people.' Everything is wealth, and who is 'going with' who, and what he gave to her, and the latest rumors about new pairings as old pairings fall apart.

"How many young men like you did you see with young women like Hailey? None? Or a few, maybe students here with mom and dad? Young men like you are with older, rich women, and young women like Hailey are with older, rich men. If they are here at Cannes, cavorting on the beach in tiny swimsuits, there's a good chance they are lovers.

But not all are. Some are here as 'arm candy' and the man with the arm is expected to treat the candy generously. To the best of my knowledge, and I'm well connected, Hailey has been here many times, but only as arm candy. She's remarkably 'attractive' and she can get away with that. Less attractive but still beautiful women can't. They have generous benefactors, but they do put out for their benefits.

"Hailey didn't have to, and Hailey didn't. She only bartered 'dates' when she needed something, like an additional sponsor or an escort, or a gown and jewelry for a gala or ball. You may think that is splitting hairs, but the currencies of Cannes, of Paris, of many other cities with social circles that include the elite and powerful, as well as the currencies of the world of show jumping, are beauty, wealth, and social standing. Women like Hailey trade beauty for wealth and social standing, just as the men are 'buying' beauty and social standing.

"And don't think for a moment that the Canadian and Olympic committees don't exploit Hailey! They have no one else like her, and they have 'strongly encouraged' her to see and be seen by the topmost layer of this social circle, whatever the cost. If that included sleeping with them, like a whore, they were fine with that!

"When it comes down to it, I suspect she will be forsaken in favor of the older riders, but they won't announce that until they have milked her for all she's worth! And then they will make excuses and try to drag her back in with promises of 'medals in the next Olympics!'

"Does any of this world of deception make sense to you?"

"Not really, although my observations of today are similar, and my belief that she is being used are like yours. I just don't see how an orphaned runaway from Millersville, Alberta, can get sucked in by such charlatans. These people are vile, they are despicable, and I don't care how much money they throw at her! Hailey's standards should be higher!"

"You're right, Rod," said a voice from behind me. "The are vile and despicable, and I should have higher standards than to sink into their terrible game. In fact, when I broke away and went home, I should have stayed there, got a job, and enjoyed show jumping as a hobby, rather than coming back here and climbing back into the slopz with them! And do you know when I reached that conclusion? When I looked at you after about the tenth of my 'old friends' stopped by, and saw the revulsion on your face!

"I heard, 'everybody does it', and 'get yours while you are young and beautiful,' and even 'do it for the federation, Hailey. We need the publicity and contributions you bring in!'

"After I began modeling successfully, I received offers to act in movies, and I was urged to do it - 'Someone with a body like yours can be very successful, and bring more publicity to the sport'! I thought they were looking out for me, and I would be helping them. Until I read the 'script,' and I say 'script' derisively. 'Hailey naked on the bed; three men walk in and surround her. They spit roast her and then one fucks her mouth and cums on her tits while the others recover so they can make her airtight! You think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not! They would destroy my image and myself, just for the publicity my notoriety would bring!

"It was then that I decided I would play their foul game to my own advantage, without putting out for anyone, and without rolling in the shit with the others! I would gain fame and fortune without sullying myself, and I was pleased at how well I was doing. I was the belle of the balls, always on the arm of one of the most eligible bachelors, or one of the wealthiest men available!

The royal family of Denmark corrected my misunderstanding of my place in society, but I bounced back and kept playing and winning at their game. And I might have continued, if I hadn't looked over at Rod while the fat pig was standing over me leering and offering me untold bounty to take the blonde bimbo's place on his arm. Then I knew I was as dirty and despicable as they!"

She began sobbing. Rod turned in the sand, reached behind her, and pulled her to him. He told her to sit on his lap, and held her while she cried the stench she had just discovered off of her. He turned her sideway on his lap and rocked her, before telling Addy and Carlos to move on.

When she calmed down, she drifted off to sleep. He continued to hold her until their friends came down and suggested they go back to the hotel and eat something, as it was getting late. Then he picked her up and carried her a ways before she climbed out of his arms, took his hand, looked at him hopefully, and walked beside him and her friends to the hotel. Others called out to her, but she remained focused on Rod and her friends.

Over supper, Addy tried to teasingly apologize for what happened. "So, picking Cannes - not such a great idea, huh?"

Rod laughed, but Hailey replied in a tone as serious as a train wreck, "I don't agree. Had we not come here and exposed me for the charlatan I've been, I might have continued! And thinking about it as I have been this afternoon, I realize I knew all along that what I was doing was wrong, and that these 'beautiful people' were actually only playing at a variation of the world's oldest profession - whores and their johns!"

Addy tried to intervene, to disagree, but Rod stopped her. "You can't correct what she believes, Addy. Only she can do that.

"So, Hailey, what are your next steps? Saying 'I'm not going to do it anymore!' means jack shit without a plan to extricate yourself and move forward on another path. Do you have the money to stay here through the duration of the Olympics without escorting?"

She looked uncertain. "I think so, if the ads are hits and sales increase. I took an incentive-laden contract with FLI that pays adequately up front, but pays very well if sales increase after ads are released."

I looked at Carlos and asked, "How do you feel about your top European model prostituting herself while hoping for a bonus from her employer?"

"Well, when you put it that way, Cabron, I don't feel as good as I did. Perhaps we could renegotiate an increase in her salary in anticipation of the quite generous bonus I suspect she will get later this summer."

Addy laughed. "You need to leave negotiation to Rod to me. After all, he's your best friend and best man!"

A skeptical Hailey interjected, "So you intend to go into a closed room with Rod, and you think you will negotiate a better deal than Carlos?"

Addy burned red at Carlos' guffaw, and even redder when I said, "Why not? Let's you and I go upstairs to your bedroom and renegotiate Hailey's contract. Maybe I'll learn something I don't know from the business genius."

"Not no, but hell no! I saw you two in the water! He'll have you bent over the couch within ten seconds, and you'll be making Hailey a partner ten minutes later!" Carlos interjected.

"Not ten minutes later," Hailey argued, "but sometime tonight or tomorrow Rod will own her half of FLI. She has as much resistance to him as she does to you, Charlie Bear."

"Charlie Bear? Where did that come from?" Carlos asked with a big grin.

"You talk tough, but you're just a big, sweet Charlie Bear."

"And you aren't going upstairs to a room to renegotiate her contract with HER either, Charlie Bear! She'll own your half of FLI by midnight!" Addy stated.

"Not only yes, but hell yes!" Rod agreed. "Those two aren't going into a room by themselves, period!"

We all laughed, and Carlos felt better about his place in the world. But I was still uncertain about Hailey's.

After we separated and went to our rooms, Hailey also looked uncertain. She wondered if Rod was disappointed in her. Did he want to just ignore the problem? Or did he want to talk about it?

Seeing the consternation, I tried to ease here mind. "As much as I'd love to bang your beautiful body right now, let's put that off and talk for a few minutes. I want you to tell me what your plan to withdraw from this madness is. You said you'd considered it before, so you should have some plan, even it isn't a great plan."

She did: she had three plans, maybe four if count telling everyone to fuck off and going home right now. I didn't even consider that the worst; the worst was to blackmail the committee into assuring her of a slot on the team or she'd do an expose on them. Sounded good, and it was deserved, but they have all the power and access to numerous friendly news outlets; she would be the little slut who didn't have the talent to make the team and tried to extort her way onto it by making stuff up. They could pull up plenty of film and photos that would make her look that way, including bad runs on the Sheik's bad horse, and her being flaunted by millionaires at galas.

We talked and talked, and slowly moved toward a plan that was more middle of the road. Unfortunately, it was the hardest to pull off, if the most honest and with the best possible outcome. Hailey and I would return to her horses and implement a training regimen to sharpen her skills and the skills of her horses, while ensuring both horses got the rest needed for the final drive for places on the team, and hopefully, the drive to the Olympics.

Unless she found a way to stand out from the others, the odds were against her, because in the end, the selections aren't based entirely on competitive times and points alone; ability to withstand the crushing pressure of the Olympics is a big factor the selection committee must consider, and she was the babe of the bunch, riding unproven horses.

POV: third person

He did bang her beautiful body that night, but not until they had a plan and had gotten tickets on a flight to her training stable in Belgium. It was amazing sex, but not up to their new standard: after all, they had a plane to catch in the morning and a busy day ahead!

As he had admitted before, Hailey's little finger knows more about jumping than he does, but he does know horses and riders. From his observations, she had a great relationship with both horses; the old, Smoke, and the new, Jupiter, and both horses wanted to perform for her. She was grace and strength in the saddle, and looked better atop a horse than anyone else on her team. Or probably any team.

She had attracted a large number of young people to the sport with her appearances on TV and podcasts, and with her modeling. In fact, she was the unquestioned favorite of the young and of those new to the sport. When she performed, a large, noisy contingent would be there to support her, and many would be wearing clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories from FLI, which was now a sponsor of the international federation and its shows. FLI was a relatively minor sponsor, but important people were aware of the connection.

All were good reasons to award her the third slot, especially since scores were relatively even. But the others had bled for the team for decades and were coming into their own now; in fact, any of the top three could medal, if you compared success against other top riders from around the world. But so could Hailey, and she could also bring new life to the stands.

As Rod watched her practice, he spotted an error of which calf ropers and team ropers are commonly guilty, and told her about it. She didn't believe him, but the video didn't lie, and she gave him a huge hug, squeal, and jumped for joy in thanks. It was simple: she was anticipating the turns and jumps, and rising in her stirrups a hair too soon, which threw her horses' timing off just a hair - and a hair makes a difference at this level of competition, just as it does in a rodeo arena!

After practice, they broke down the film like the coaches do in Rod's sport. He was little help, but she began to see other little errors that robbed her of milliseconds. You add those deductions back in and you begin to put daylight between you and your challengers.

Rod changed his flight and stayed for her next show; a big one in France. His parents agreed to bring his dress clothes and boots to Monterey, so he was free until the rehearsal.

In addition to assistance in film study, he banged the nervousness out of her every night and often during the day. He encouraged her with positive thoughts every chance he got, gave her a pep talk full of coaching wisdom, and reminded her to let her horses run, and be the rider they need. Then he kissed her on the nose and sent her back into the arena.

It was not only a clean run, and the fastest of the event, but she was easily the most poised and powerful rider of the event, totally in sync with Smoke. She drowned in the noise of the ovation when she finished, because her young people were so much noisier than the rich old fogies supporting the other riders.

When she rode Smoke to the exit, they went nuts again, and the selection committee exchanged looks among members. If she kept that up, it was going to be very, very hard to assign her the Traveling Reserve position as a consolation prize, while still banking on her looks, popularity, and charisma. Her poise and strength on her horses was reaching the level of the most experienced and polished riders, and she had two horse capable of winning a medal.

The second round was set up in a more challenging manner, but she and Smoke aced it again! Everyone in show jumping knew she was on a roll, and the other potential team members began to press, which is always a mistake. The point spread began to grow, and she was putting daylight between her and numbers two and three. The old man had been here before, and he persevered.

He also became friendlier with Hailey, recognizing rare talent and horsemanship. This was his final run at that Olympics medal, and someone would be his heir. Watching this youngster grow, he felt she had the makings.

They had a day of peace, and used it to explore the sights and sounds of gay Paris. The Eiffel Tower, the amazing Louvre, and the shop and cafes along the river both excited and soothed them, and they pledged to come back when they had a week or weeks to experience the city.

Their flight to Monterey in first class was another opportunity to hold each other, have quiet conversations, and make plans for their free time in the historic city. As it turned out, there was little! Between the bride, the groom, and Rod's family, every moment except bedtime was taken. And yet, both were ecstatically happy.

His family noticed first, and mom and his sisters teased both of them. But on the second day, Sarah sat them down and gave them a warning. "You two love each other, and you are the cutest and happiest couple I know - when you're together. When you separate, however, that's when the drama and hard feelings rear their heads.

"Don't keep doing that! Find a way to reach your goals without hurting each other, which probably includes getting together more often. Unfortunately, that will be hard to do! You will be competing in the Olympics while he's practicing football, and after the Olympics end, you will have responsibilities to fulfill, Hailey. But make time for Rod then! He will be neck deep in classes and football season by September, and won't have time to come see you until Christmas, or more likely, mid-January.

"He hides his feelings, but I've seen the hurt when he's watching you with other men on TV or social media, and especially when you ghost him during those times when it looks like your calendar is one date after another with wealthy, often titled, men.

"If you two want a stable relationship, you need to make time to be together. If this going back and forth between ecstasy and agony continues, one of you is going to decide it isn't worth it and walk away for good!"

After she left, they talked about her perspective, and about her adamant warning to them. At first, they tried to downplay it, but remembering the bad times together made them admit she was right about when things went bad. Rod admitted he had been hurt both times she promised to communicate but didn't, but he saw her dressed up at social events and balls with one royal or another, movie stars, or truly rich men.

She started to explain again how most were setups, but he countered that by asking why she stopped communicating with him if those men meant nothing? To that, she had no good answer.

They were up late into the night taking it out, and were busy all day with wedding activities that culminated with the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. The champagne, wine, and tequila flowed that night, and Carlos' 'bachelor party' ended early when Rod and a groomsman put him in his bed. They laid him on his side, with a trashcan below, and snuck off to their respective rooms, fearful that the many other 'bachelors-for-a- night' would have to drag them home in a similar way.

Hailey wasn't there, which made Rod chose between going to bed and trusting she would be okay, or going to look for her. He didn't know if she had abandoned her clean living pledge for the night, or she was the only sober woman in Addy's party, which was down the road a few blocks.

Rod sat down and pondered the options and consequences for either action as best he could. He wanted to go to bed, but something was nagging at his mind. Ten more minutes passed without her coming back or responding to his text, so he put his boots back on and walked to their party's location.

For what was supposed to be a 'hens' party' in a back room, there were a lot of women he recognized and men he didn't who were dancing and talking in the bar area. He found an open stairwell on the west wall and climbed it until he was above everyone, scanning the room for Hailey and Addy. He saw neither, but he also saw men and women going into and coming out of the reserved room where the party was to be held.

Rather than walk directly inside the room and openly search for them, which might be embarrassing on a number of levels, he followed two loud couples inside, and used them as moving shields for his reconnoitering. Still no luck, until he spotted one of the bridesmaids he didn't know with one he did: America.

After a pleasant meeting with Hailey on the day she arrived, America had stayed away from them. She was obviously acknowledging the relationship between Rod and Hailey, and disclaiming any relationship with Rod beyond friendship.

But now she appeared agitated and possibly angry, and her conversation with the other bridesmaid was animated. Ignoring all others, Rod made his way through the throng toward the room America and the other woman had entered.

He paused at the door, looked around, noted the throbbing music, and that everyone was watching something on the wall beside the doorway he was standing in. He saw America fighting her way to the front and yelling something at the wall that he couldn't hear over the loud music.

He pushed his way through a group of men yelling and screaming, and turned toward the wall. Hailey, Addy, and Anita, Addy's cousin, were dancing erotically on a bar that wasn't in use. It wasn't a strip tease, though dozens of men and women were yelling "Take it off! Strip for us!" at them, and a dozen were recording the sexy dancing with their phones.

Suddenly sober, Rod went through the crowd like a fullback opening a hole, pushing and tossing impediments aside, until he was beside America. "What the hell?" he yelled into her ear; she turned, saw him, and yelled, "What the fuck are you doing here? It's Addy's bachelorette party!"

"Well, we didn't have an strippers at ours," he yelled back, "so I came over here! But if videos of this are everywhere tomorrow, there might not even be a wedding! Particularly if she gets her dress off!"

"I'll kill the music, and then you jump up there and threaten the health of anyone who doesn't erase the videos from their phone, and the lives of anyone who posts a video on social media of any kind!"

The large man beside the music player, whatever kind it was, pushed America away and yelled something at her. She looked at the nearest table, picked up a tequila bottle, and swung it at his head like a tennis racket. He threw up an arm in protection, and screamed when the bottle hit his forearm. He leaned over and grabbed his arm. America showed him the tequila bottle, drew it back, and started to hit him again, but he backed away before she could. She found the plug to the speakers and yanked it out of the wall.

The silence was deafening; the yelling stopped, the dancing stopped, and everyone turned toward America, who was already walking toward the strippers' table

She signaled Rod, who leapt on the table and faced the roomful of people. In impeccable Spanish he asked, "You know what a shitty friend is? Someone who catches another friend in an embarrassing state and takes a video or pictures of her. Such a person is no friend, and should be ashamed of his or her actions!"

Addy was standing beside Rod, mouth hanging open, with her dress dangling off her left shoulder and her breast showing through the lacy camisole beneath. Anita was on his other side; she was in better shape, but wavering in her heels, and Hailey was on the end of the table, showing her lovely legs and pretty panties to the men gathered below. At least she hadn't started stripping, but the upskirt shots would make the first page of certain European magazines as soon as they became public, and a big red mark would go beside her name on the selection committee notes.

"So I'm going to first appeal to your sense of right and wrong - you know filming the bride and her bridesmaids at her party is wrong! And if you don't think it is, suppose it was you up here, and them down there - would you want them to film you making a fool out of yourself while dead drunk, and possibly ruining your lives? Or would you want them to erase the film and photographs?

"You know you would, so please do the right thing and erase whatever you took."

He could see many were, but a few were hiding their phones or putting them in their purses. America saw one, slapped the crap out of her, yanked her phone out of her purse, busted it with the tequila bottle, and then threatened anther with her weapon.

"Okay, if you feel sorry for these drunk young women, take the phone away from anyone you know was taking pictures, and erase their pictures - or even better, go to setting and reset their phones so everything is lost!"

Several turned on other men and women, and shouting and pushing broke out. Rod yelled above the chaos. "Okay, if you won't do the right thing, let me warn you! The Fontaines and Longorias will spare no expense to track down anyone publishing any photo or video of what was happening up here! And when they find you, they will do everything in their powers to ruin you! All of you have skeletons that can be exposed, and they will photoshop some if you don't!

"So do the right thing NOW, and avoid the unpleasantness that will find you if you do the wrong thing!"

By this time Addy was supporting herself on his arm, Hailey was curled up on the table crying, and Anita had gotten help getting down. Addy looked up at him and cried, "I'm sorry! We were just dancing, and then someone set us on the table, and... I don't know! I'm drunk, Rod! Help me!"

Her sorrowful cry for help might have influenced a few more to do the right thing, but they wouldn't know the damage until tomorrow. Rod motioned to a guy standing below who had taken a phone from another guy, and asked him to support her when he set her on the ground. He did, and America pulled her dress back over her shoulder and buttoned it.

Rod jumped down, and walked over to Hailey. She was still showing her underwear, but she didn't look as sexy sobbing so hard. He pulled her legs toward him, grabbed her by the waist, and set her feet on the floor. She was as unstable as Addy, and the sobbing made her harder to help.

"Can you two get the bride and follow us to the hotel? I don't know where Anita is staying, but she doesn't look as drunk, so maybe she'll be okay." America shook her head, called the bridesmaid who came in with her, and she took Anita by the arm. They began making their way out of the room, through the lobby, and onto the street. They were attracting too much attention, and more photos, but Rod didn't know what else to do, so they kept walking until they were on the hotel elevator.

"I can see how mad you are, but I don't' know why," Hailey slurred. "We were just dancing! We weren't doing anything wrong."

"Do you think the pompous pricks and cunts on the Equestrian Canada selection committee will think you were representing Canada in a way of which they approve, Hailey? I don't! I also don't think Addy unbuttoning her dress and stripping is the image of which the investors in FLI will approve, do you? Just guessing, but I doubt her fiancé, his family, and her family won't either!

"A few years ago this would just be funny, but both of you have too much at risk now. That's why we agreed on these short parties after the rehearsal, to avoid embarrassing situations."

"And we fucked up, didn't we Rod?" Addy asked, slurring her words and clinging to her friends for support. "I'm sorry! I was having so much fun with my friends and my cousins, and we drank too much, and danced with too many men with roaming hands! And then we were put on the table and told to dance up there, and people were yelling 'take it off!' and... I don't know why I did what I did! I was just grooving to the music and enjoying my last night as a single woman."

"Why were men at your bachelorette party? We didn't allow women in Carlos' party!"

America said, "I can answer that. We had about 30 women drinking Margaritas and Tequila Sunrises in one room, and about twice that many men in the adjacent room watching fútbol, yelling, and drinking tequila. Some of our girls kept going next door for a while and returning. We were talking, learning about each other, and telling funny stories while drinking, and when the girls invited some men to come in, no one complained. Not long after that, the doors were wide open and the parties were combined.

"Dancing broke out, everyone was flirting and teasing - at least in my area - and some were even kissing. Don't ask me about these two; they went into the other room where the music was," she said, pointing at Hailey and Addy, "and I stayed in the room with the treats and margaritas."

Rod looked at Hailey, who had stopped crying but seemed to be getting less sober by the moment, as tequila is want to do, well after you took your last drink. The elevator stopped and the doors opened on Addy's floor. Rod drug Hailey along while they took Addy to her room, and sat her on a chair while he and Fernando, their new friend, stepped outside.

When she was in her pajamas and propped up on her side, they caught the elevator to the eighth floor, where America, Anita, Hailey, and Rod were staying, while Fernando took the down elevator.

"Think we did any good?" Rod asked America.

"Sure! We kept probably three-fourths of the pics and videos off the web, but at least one was streaming it live from the beginning. She pulled it down, but by then a lot had downloaded it. I've got a copy if you want to watch it. A friend sent it with a catty remark because I said it would probably be a quiet party and wedding due to the bride and groom being big businesspersons."

"Yeah, let me get this one undressed and in bed before I have to carry her, or she barfs on us."

Given the tiny dress Hailey was wearing and the built in bra, undressing her was easy. He paused after removing her black bikini panties and looked up at America, who was standing at the foot of the bed, staring. She noticed Rod looking at her with a grin, and clamped her open mouth shut.

"Like that? Would you like to taste her? She's as sweet as she looks."

America blushed, but regained her fight and replied, "She's changed since I fitted her for her high school cheerleading uniform; leaner and harder, but still very feminine.

"Yeah, I would fuck her - if I swung that way! And I see now why you can't give her up. She has as close to a perfect body as I've seen, if you don't demand D cup tits like mine, It's no wonder she's Addy's favorite European model!"

"Just as you are her favorite model for La Frontera, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean because of your extraordinary body, looks, and personality." He replied.

"And because you and I dance well together," she said with a chuckle.

Growing more serious, she added, "I'd love to let you spend the night worrying about what she did with who before you showed up, but all she could talk about from the time the tequila kicked in until I'd had enough and went into the other room, was you. I don't know what you two are trying to plan out, but it has her insides in a turmoil.

"Addy, on the other hand, was the life of the party from the time it started until you helped her off the table. I'll check with someone who was there about how she ended up on the table in that scandalously short dress, but she did seem to be having a tequila good time up there. Tomorrow will be hell, but you can't begrudge a girl a good time at her bachelorette party, can you."

"The dancing doesn't bother me - Hailey shows the world more than that almost every photo shoot. Let the boys have a cheap thrill! But what I don't want is for her to lapse into her 'European royalty' mode in which being intimate in touch and kiss is okay, as long as you don't screw them. As you know, I'm not a jealous guy when it comes to teasing, taunting, and such, but easy intimacy - no! Being intimate with someone is as bad as fucking someone, in my hierarchy."

"Interesting take, Big Guy; I had no idea you felt that way, and let me assure you not many men feel the same. Or maybe they do, and we women only think men place sexual intercourse above all else. I've been in conversations where we were debating whether a boyfriend would be angrier if you gave another guy a hand job, a blow job, or you fucked him. And then we debated where anal intercourse comes in - is it the worst, or just another way to keep him out of your pussy?"

"None of the above, all of the above," Rod replied. If you walked out in the hall, picked a guy, took him to your room, and gave him access to all your holes, had a dozen orgasms, and then sent him on his way, there was minimal to no intimacy. It's a damn shame you did it, and I'd want to know why.

But - if you went out, picked my worst enemy, or an old boyfriend I've asked you to stay away from, and you did all those things in your room, cuddled all night, did a few again in the morning, and then parted with a kiss and a promise, that's the end of our story. Do you see the difference? Understand why?"

"When you put it that way, yes. I guess that's why you never held my transgressions against me. I just like to fuck, and prefer zipless fucks, unless it's you... or now, Wes. Then I love the intimacy, the touches, the cuddles, the fondling, the slow hands and lips.

"And turning it around, I guess I feel the same way; probably the majority of girls do."

"Then let me lay this out. Zipless fuck on the one hand, versus weeks of teasing, touching, kissing, telling deep dark secrets, clandestine meetings, and thinking about him all the time, even when in bed with me. Which is worse?"

"Probably only a quarter of women would agree, but the weeks of messing around is worse in your scenario. The problem is, we're taught that flirting, teasing, and taunting are okay, but don't give any man but your husband your cherry. When the cherry has been given, our vagina is still our greatest gift to a man, and when we're married, he's going to demand he be the only one in our vagina. Bastard kids, STDs, and 'pussy possessiveness' are the reason why.

"But not many women believe that. Going to lunch with the company hunk, flirting back when he flirts, wearing sexy clothes for him, trading information about your life and your spouses, and maybe giving him the kiss he has worked so hard far is okay. Fucking him in the storage room the first time he flirts with you, and never seeing him again, is far worse. But you're saying it isn't?"

"I'm speaking for me only, but yes. In the first scenario, you're in a relationship with him, it's affecting your relationship with your boyfriend or spouse, and it may end that relationship. In the second, you fuck him, wearing a rubber, of course, get dressed, go home, take a shower, and never see or think of him again, at least not in a loving way.

"Yeah, personally, I'd be more forgiving in the second scenario than in the first. Though, honestly, there will be consequences either way."

She looked at him fondly, but shook her head and said, "You are a different kind of duck, aren't you? Well, it's late and we have a big day tomorrow, assuming the groom is as forgiving as you, and the bride survives her hangover. See you for breakfast, but I won't expect sleeping beauty to be with you."

The groom was up and ready for the big day at his normal time, apparently having been inoculated against tequila hangovers. Rod was up too, because he had sacrificed his hangover in favor of rescuing drunken damsels in the middle of the night.

His chestnut haired beauty was sprawled out on the bed, hugging her pillow with her arms, legs akimbo, and her spectacular body on display again, having shucked her sheet overnight. Rod had a glass of water and another with two Alka Seltzer tablets beside it. He also had an Aleve ready, because she would need stomach relief, pain relief, and inflammation relief if she were going to carry out her 'Maid of Honor' duties.

He left a note to text or call him, and went down to breakfast. America was there with Carlos and Anita; he joined them, and noticed the conversation was skirting last night's table dancing. He knew Carlos would rather hear it from friends than snide relatives, assholes, or reporters of some kind, so he told the story in a lighthearted manner.

From the anxious expressions of the two girls, Carlos knew he should be concerned, but Rod laughingly saying he found them dancing on a tabletop, with Anita, surrounded by dollar bills and yelling men, drunk out of their gourds and about to fall off the table, made it seem like good fun.

"I did chew them out after I got their drunk asses out of there and back to the motel, because too many people to count were videoing it with their phones. I haven't looked, but the front page may feature our favorite exotic dancers, which I reminded them was bad for Addy's business and Hailey's effort to make the show jumping team.

"To be honest, I doubt either remembers my lecture, so we might need to reinforce it today."

"Damn, Rod, I missed all the fun! You should have called me - I'd have come over and table danced with them!" Then, looking more serious, he asked, "But you didn't say anything about stripping, did you?"

"Not that I saw, but Anita was there the whole time. Were they stripping or just dancing?"

"Rod, you saw us! We all had our clothes on! Yes they were yelling 'take it off' but we didn't. It was just meant to be a moment of wild fun."

"And your parents will be okay with you table dancing?" Rod asked teasingly.

"God, no! I hope your lecture and warning last night kept them from posting, but I'm afraid to look."

"So you what, told everyone not to post the videos?" Carlos asked.

"He did," America answered, "and a lot of people erased their videos in the room. But not all, and yes, there are videos and photos out there."

"Can I see one?" Carlos requested, holding out his hand for her phone. She cued it up and handed it to him. He watched it, handed it back, and said. "I don't know whether to be pissed that there are men everywhere when we were warned not to have any women because they weren't allowing men, or proud about how hot she looks dancing erotically. But her Papá and Mama won't have that conflict.

"Maybe you two should go check on her," he urged America and Anita, who were through eating. They agreed, leaving Rod and Carlos. "How pissed are you, my friend?" Carlos asked Rod.

"I'm okay with it. No harm no foul. As I heard it, and based on what I saw, they just got drunk, were having fun, and got set on the table to finish the wild dancing they were doing. The guys took up the chant, of course, but there was no mystery about what was under their short dresses, so all they could show them was their boobs."

"And that's what Addy was trying to do when you jumped on the table, isn't it?"

"I can't say that with any authority, amigo. Her dress was off her shoulder, but I didn't see any boobs. If I had, I might have let her finish stripping before I intervened. What I saw was someone seconds from barfing and passing out, so I intervened, got some help - especially from America -l and took them back to the hotel.

"The girls stiped Addy, laid her on her side, and put a trashcan and some towels on the floor beside her. I promise I didn't watch any more than you'd have watched if it was Hailey, and then I took her up to our room, with help from America, and did the same to her."

"Well, then, compadre, if my parents or her parents don't throw a shit fit, I see no reason for the wedding not to go on. Do you?"

"Dude, this wedding is a year overdue, and you aren't getting younger or prettier. If I were you, I'd grab her when she's feeling weak and hungover, and tie the knot so tight she can't escape!"

"Good plan! I'm heading that way. Breakfast is already charged to my room, so eat up."

Rod took some innocuous foods up to the room, and gently awoke his wild child. She complained about her head and stomach, moaned when she sat up, and scurried into the bathroom, from which he heard the sounds of serious barfing that lasted until dry heaves started. He got some water down her, then the water with Alka Seltzer.

He stripped, lifted her naked perfection up, and hauled it into the shower. After every bit of her body had been cleaned with scented soap, he used her favorite shampoo on her hair, rinsed her, and then toweled her off. She had cried a few tears, and promised never to drink again, and begged him to forgive her for anything she might have done that she couldn't remember, and then shrieked when he popped her on the ass and told her to go take the Aleve, get dressed, and get with her maid of honor duties!

She did eat the flour tortilla with jelly and a scrambled egg, and kept both down. Then she professed to feel better, and started apologizing again. "Look, Hailey, it was no big deal. No one saw anything they didn't see on the commercial you made with the fake Sheik at Cannes, so it's all good. Quit worrying about that, and go help the bride. She was worse drunk than you!"

She could have gotten away with far worse if she had worn that little dress, sat on his lap, and given him that kiss of thanks, but she didn't need to know that. And they did need to have a conversation about the dangers of tequila and loud music.

Rod helped Carlos and the groomsmen get everything ready, ate lunch with them, and then returned to his room. There was another side effect of tequila he hoped to take advantage of this afternoon, before they started getting ready for the ceremony. And just like that, Hailey appeared. She told him the bride's work was done and they had to be back for photos an hour before the ceremony. She told him all that while getting undressed, and when naked, she jumped on the bed, flipped onto her back, and cried, "I'm so horny I can't stand it Rod! Please come fuck me!"

He was already naked by then, but he tongue-fucked her first, just so he could see the fireworks go off, causing her to writhe and call him names. Then he climbed up, sunk his cock in her, rolled over with her aboard, and told her to dance like she was dancing last night! Being on a cock instead of a table, the motion was actually quite different, but the same effort and movement were there, and he enjoyed watching her go crazy on his cock - until her implosion changed the atmospheric pressure and temperature in the room!

She came, he came, and she lay on his chest, still connected, through their nap. His phone alarm went off in plenty of time for them to clean up, dress, and get to the steps of the old cathedral for pictures. Pictures and videos were taken on the steps, in the nooks and crannies at the top of the steps, in the vestibule, and on the steps in front of the sanctuary. Most were posed, but many were spontaneous, clearly showing the joy of the occasion.

Early arrivers were gathering, so the bride, groom and their wedding parties adjourned to their appointed places. In the bride's room, Hailey, Anita, America, and the other two stripped the bride and to help her cool off after being out in the 90 degree heat, and then they helped each other. Their area was airconditioned, and there were two fans with three women in panties in front of each, some with bras, some without. Hailey, America, and Addy were without; they had been naked in front of others often enough that expediency trumped modesty.

Hand towels were wettened in the sink and passed around, which was also happening in the men's area. The bride and groom knew when they scheduled the wedding that June first might be hot, and it was.

Rod looked around at the naked men, imagined what the other waiting room looked like with hot naked women trying to cool off, and then suggested to Carlos the videographer should film in both dressing rooms, to spice their memories up. He immediately suggested as much to Paul, who was in the room with them, also cooling off, but, as much as he wanted to, he said, he couldn't'.

Rod asked would he do it if they agreed; he laughed and said sure he would, so Rod texted Addy, Hailey, and America. He got laughing emojis, but no interest, so they slowly began getting dressed again, savoring the coolness and knowing the time was getting short.

At the proper time, the groomsmen began escorting guests, and then Rod joined them to escort Mrs. de la Fontaine to the front, and then seated his own grandmother, mother, and family. He then gathered Carlos and they made their way to the front while the organ played. Rod envisioned this as a solemn procession, but Carlos was Carlos, stopping to bump fist or trade a few words along the way, while the groomsmen scurried to get the many guests seated. When all the prelims were over, both sides of the old cathederal were packed.

The bride was gorgeous, all of her bridesmaids were lovely and luscious, and her maid of honor was a vision in pale blue. Addy wore white with pastel accents, a creation of her own, and, like the bridesmaid dresses she also designed, it was figure-hugging and knee length. The pastel accents were aligned with the pastel dresses the bridal party wore, and Rod wondered if there had ever been a more comely bridal party.

The men all wore custom fit FLI tuxedos, with cummerbunds the color of their escort's dress. The women wore three-inch heels, the men wore the custom black boots that were Carlos' present to the groom's party, just as the ensemble and jewelry was Addy's present to her bridal party.

It was a traditional catholic wedding, conducted in Latin, and included a 'practicing Catholics only' mass. Rod wasn't sure the bride and groom qualified for mass either, since he'd never seen them attend a mass, much less confession, but they did receive. And so did almost everyone else, adding another twenty minutes to the ceremony.

When the priest began wiping the chalice and replacing the linens, one of the protestant groomsmen quietly commented, "And now he's going to wash the dishes! I'm going to pee in my boot if he doesn't end this soon!"

They tried, but grins and snorts and chuckles broke out, earning hard looks from their counterparts across the sanctuary. It got worse when Carlos, who had been kneeling most of the service and mass, muttered, "And my knees are going to give out!" More choked off snorts, swallowed laughs, grins too big to hide, but this time the girls joined in. All but the bride, who elbowed the groom. Or were they man and wife already? Seems like that happened hours ago, but then came the mass and the dishes being cleaned...

Finally the Bishop of Monterey returned, blessed them again, prayed over them and the packed congregation, told them to stand, and said the groom can kiss his bride. Addy was expecting the perfunctory end-of-wedding kiss, but got the start-of-the-honeymoon kiss instead, which, after a moment, she joined.

It was probably the cheering that stopped them, Hailey later said, because it looked like they were going to start the honeymoon up there in front of God and everybody!

Rod opined "That's my kind of wedding kiss, but I don't need the preceding two hours of ceremony." With which Hailey and a number of others agreed.

The reception in the grand old hall on the river was grandiose, and lasted until dawn. Not that Addy, Carlos, Hailey, or Rod were there for sunrise. As always, Carlos was the life of the party and Addy worked the room, but there were no table dances tonight. Rod did, however, teach Hailey as many dance steps as he knew to the ever-changing Mexican tunes, and she helped him with the French music. When Rod didn't know the steps, there were caballeros of all ages willing to teach her those.

She was showing off her newly acquired mastery of a very sexy tango with a good looking young man, and grinning at his rather obvious jealousy. He was mad because he was an expert in the tango, and it should have been his! And then a cumbia began, America appeared at his side, and it was his turn to show off.

The young man was good too, and Hailey was greatly improved, but the champions retained their crown, in front of a cheering crowd. The four met in the middle of the dance floor laughing, and Hailey and Ernesto acknowledged their betters, before trading partners. Lo t Amero (Tres Palabras), a love song from the 1960s, was the first of several slow, romantic love songs, and the bride and groom joined the crowd, holding each other tightly and whispering about later.

In the spirit of the evening, Rod and Hailey had kept it light and joyful, laughing, talking, and dancing with family and other guests. The slow, hypnotic music, however, brought them close together in an embrace for too long, and both felt the boil beginning.

With implacable timing, Mandy cutting in on Hailey, and Dad on Rod, giving them a needed respite. After dancing with his younger sister, Rod escorted her back to the table, and took a seat. Dad did the same with Hailey, and mom teased, "This was the only way we could think of to get you two over here for a visit!"

The visit included Rod dancing with the Ford women and Hailey with the Ford men, and long conversations about the show jumping in Belgium and France and the photo shoots in Mallorca. The internet-aware girls kept their parents and grandparents informed about the news and gossip surrounding the events, but they had many questions that required insider information.

The answers sometimes brought frowns, sometimes smiles, and sometimes squeals, and the whole family grew closer to this charming version of Hailey. After Rod and Hailey returned to the wedding party for more pictures, mom, dad, and the grandparents agreed there was less palpable tension now than during her other times with them, and that Rod was almost sanguine. Something in their dynamic had changed.

The wedding reception would continue long after the couple left, with breakfast and lunch tomorrow, sandwiched around a tour of the FLI factory led her Senor de la Fontaine, whose pride in his daughter and son-in-law's accomplishments could be heard throughout the tornabado and in his toasts. Addy's mother was quieter, but maybe even prouder. She and Carlos' mother offered a joint toast, thanking God for bringing her daughter and her son, and their families, together - a match made in heaven!

After one such toast, Rod whispered, "This is the way a wedding should be! Solemn, yet joyous, with the support of family and friends expressed in such heartfelt ways."

"Mm, it is," she replied. She wrapped her right arm through his left and laid her head on his shoulder. It was an instinctive move that made her feel warm and cuddly, and affected Rod in the same way. He kissed her on top of her head, and then leaned his head on top of hers.

Mom and Grandmom looked at each other in surprise. "They usually act like they can't wait to get back to the room and have sex, but I've been seeing tenderness and gestures like those this time. Is it possible they've grown up and realized how rare such feelings are?"

Sarah replied, "That would be a relief. Both of them have certainly 'spread their wings' and tasted life more than most 21 year-olds, and they've been together and broken up three times, but they can't seem to turn each other loose! As soon as they see each other, the fires start and they are consumed. But at least when we've been around, this trip they act like a couple in love rather than in lust."

"Oh, there is still plenty of lust, but it seems more balanced now. Like you and Rodney."

"And you and HR!"

What Rod's mother and grandmother didn't know was that some of their considerate and loving gestures were the melancholy before splitting up again, which neither wanted to do. The only saving grace was Rod had a break in five weeks, after the first summer session, and he was going to spend them with her, wherever she was on the competition calendar.

By then, she would be down to the final pre-Olympic events, and everything good or bad would be magnified by the power of ten!

They talked about the month of June, when show jumping returned to France. Cannes came first, the fifth through seventh, then St. Tropez the twelfth through fourteenth, followed by Paris, the twentieth through the twenty-second.

Rod would join her for the competition in Monaco, held on the third, fourth and fifth. He was arriving on the second and leaving on the sixth. With the calendar set, and it including another five days together, the sadness of parting was diminished and they enjoyed the remaining celebration, and each other.

Being hard bodies, they normally coupled with skill and athleticism, but tonight they coupled as lovers making love, and their bond grew deeper.

**********

Chapter 9 is written but needs editing. It should be posted for administrative approval by the time this story is posted on the site. For those fans still around, thanks for your patience and I hope this is a good read.