Carnal Insights 3.0

Carnal Insights 3.0

First Date

A note from the author:

This story is a work of fiction. All people, events, and specific places exist only in my mind and on these pages. Events portrayed are between consenting adults over the age of eighteen. This is the third installment of this series and is a direct continuation of the story. To familiarize yourself with the characters and events, please read Carnal Insights 1.0, Movie Night, and Carnal Insights 2.0, Graduating, first. I hope that you enjoy reading this story as much as I did writing it. As always, comments are welcome and appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

Chapter One.

Holly had a few more hours before she was expected to be back home, so she dragged a chair from the kitchen to sit with me in my office for a while and watch me work. She seemed genuinely interested in what I did for a living.

An employee had downloaded something onto their company laptop, and it had started causing serious problems. Holly was fascinated by how I took control of the computer remotely and tried to determine the problem. I ended up having the employee move any personal documents to an external drive, and I did a wipe and re-image.

"You can do all of that remotely?" Holly asked.

"Yeah. There is an image of the laptop's hard drive stored on our server. When something breaks, it's usually quicker to just wipe it and start fresh. When that progress bar completes, the laptop will be in a like-new state with everything already installed and set up. All the guy has to do is log in and get back to work... And stop downloading Chinese Spyware disguised as a soft-core porn anime game."

Holly giggled. I loved the way she giggled. Her voice was angelic, and the way her face lit up when her perfect pink lips smiled always struck me right in the heart.

"Poor guy needs to get a girlfriend," Holly said with another giggle.

"You'd be shocked at some of the stuff we find on company laptops. The worst, though, is when they break them physically, such as spilling milk and cereal over them, or having candles that drip wax onto the keyboard, or being so full of cat hair that the fans no longer work. I've seen it all, and heard all the lame excuses."

I showed her some of the more complex tasks that I had to complete. Some of the things I showed her, like the cybersecurity tools, were technically forbidden under contract for me to show to anyone. As if Holly were working for a foreign government or competitor.

"This kind of work seems pretty interesting."

"It may seem so now, but do it for twenty years, and it becomes the definition of tedium."

"Why do you still do it if you don't like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it. For the longest time, it was actually kind of fun. But now it's just the same things over and over. Tedium."

"Did you ever think about doing something else?" Holly asked.

"All the time. But my skills are fairly specialized. Anything else I can do proficiently will ultimately be just as boring. So I decided that I would be good with my money, and work only as long as I had to."

"Let's say you did start a new career. Something completely different, something that you wanted to do, that would be fun. What would it be?"

I thought for a moment. "Really, I don't know. When I was young, I had always dreamed of being a park ranger working at Yellowstone or some similar place, and spending all my time hiking in the mountains. But park ranger salaries are a fraction of what I'm making now."

Holly put her hand on mine, and our fingers interlaced. I turned my head and she looked me in the eyes.

"We went through career counseling at school. One of the things they said was, picture where you want to be in ten, twenty, or thirty years, then choose the career that would take you there. It's sound advice, but for me, I could skip the career part and go right to where I want to be. What I'm saying is that the same applies to you now. You don't have to work if you don't want to. If you want to go hiking in Yellowstone for the rest of your life, you can do it, and I'll go with you." She said seriously.

"I-" I started to say that I wasn't comfortable taking her money, but I didn't want to give her the impression that I wasn't sure about the way I felt about her. I was.

"I know the idea of a man being financially supported by his girlfriend is a tough thing to get past the ego." It seemed like Holly had been reading my mind. She continued calmly and matter-of-factly. "I still can't comprehend how much money my grandparents left to me. It's just a number. I'd call my lawyer and have every penny I own signed over to you right now if it meant that you spent your days doing what made you happy instead of doing this for another decade before you retire." She pulled my hand to her lips and kissed the back of it.

I didn't know what to say.

"You're not less of a man if you spend my money. I don't care about the money. I care about you."

"So if I stopped working, then what?"

"My accountant pays all your bills, and we focus on being happy. We could go live in a tent in the mountains."

"Just to play devil's advocate," I said with a placating gesture. "What happens if it doesn't work out between us?"

Holly thought about that for a while.

After a minute had passed, she said. "In the purely hypothetical scenario where, as we talked about last night, my 'happily ever after' doesn't include you and you're left without a job?" Her face gained a look of determination. "Let me see your driver's license."

I pulled my wallet from my pocket and handed her my license.

She searched the contacts in her phone and made a call, turning on the speakerphone. As the phone was ringing, Holly took a picture of my license and sent a text to the same number.

"Hello?" A calm voice answered on the call.

"Hi, Edward. It's Holly Kemp."

"Miss Kemp! What may I do for you today?"

The man had a voice like an English butler. Seasoned, regal, and dignified.

Holly smiled at me as she spoke. "I'd like to open a joint account for me and my boyfriend. Can you set that up?"

"Of course, Miss Kemp. Ah, I received the picture. This is the gentleman in question?"

"Yup."

"Just a moment." There was a long pause, during which only the faint sound of someone furiously typing could be heard. "Of course, you and the gentleman will need to come to my office to sign the paperwork, but everything will be ready to do so at your convenience. Will you be transferring funds to this account?"

"Yes," Holly answered. "Ten million dollars."

My choked silence was echoed on the phone line, but Edward gained his composure quickly.

"As you wish, Miss Kemp. When shall I be expecting you?"

Holly raised her eyebrows and silently mouthed the question "Now?" I nodded, still unable to speak if I wanted to.

"We can be there in about an hour."

"Very good, Miss Kemp."

"Thanks, Edward. See you soon."

"I shall await your arrival with eagerness."

Holly ended the call and grinned at my slack-jawed expression.

"I told you. I don't care about the money. I didn't earn it. It has no value to me other than a means to make life easier for people that I care for."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Holly touched my cheek lovingly. "I love you. Even if it doesn't work out between us, I'll still love you. There is a bond between us that I feel deep in my soul. Whatever else may happen, I want you to know that I will always have love in my heart for you. I don't want you to worry about the what-ifs."

I still couldn't think of what to say, so I said the only thing that I could. "I love you, Holly."

She grinned at me, leaned over, and gave me a kiss.

"We should go sign that paperwork so I can get Mom's car back before she starts worrying."

Nodding, I sent an email to the rest of my team at work telling them that I would be out for the rest of the day. I clocked out, logged off, and stood. I pulled Holly into a warm embrace.

Edward's office was in Edina, a part of the Twin Cities that was closer to Holly's place than my own. I followed her there, so she could go home after. I found myself wondering what this Edward guy was thinking about me. He saw my license, so he knew how much older I was than Holly. Would he take this all in stride, or would he think that I was some kind of predator or criminal and have the police waiting there to catch me in the act?

As it turned out, there were no police, though Edward's male secretary had the look of a mob enforcer; tall, broad-shouldered, with hard, intelligent eyes. He eyed the two of us when Holly and I entered, and I guess I passed the 'creep' test because he said in a mellow British accent. "He is waiting for you."

"Thanks, Bruno!" Holly flashed him a smile as she walked past.

I wasn't sure, but I swear I saw the hint of a smile crack his stony face.

As we entered Edward's office, Holly leaned close and whispered. "His name is Michael. I call him Bruno because he looks like a thug, but he's really just a big softie."

"Ah, Miss Kemp!" Edward said, standing from the comfortable-looking chair behind his desk. "It is so good to see you again."

His appearance was exactly what I had expected from his voice. He wore a tailored suit in immaculate black and had the refined features that would have made him perfect for playing a butler in any Hollywood production.

"And Mr. Watkins. Pleased to meet you, sir." He motioned to the leather chairs facing his desk. "Please, have a seat."

We signed a few documents and set up secure access to the account. Holly signed an additional document authorizing the funds transfer.

It all seemed surreal to me. It was a glimpse into the world of the extremely wealthy, and though Edward was nothing but polite and professional, something about him made me slightly uncomfortable. I didn't dwell on it too much, as I was still stunned by the whole idea of what Holly had done.

We walked hand in hand out of Edward's office and stopped in front of Jenna's Explorer.

"What do we do now?" I asked Holly.

"Well, I need to get home before Mom calls asking where I am."

"No, I mean-" I said, flustered. "What do I do with that account?"

Holly stood on her tiptoes and gave me a kiss. "Pay bills. Pay off your car and your house." She shrugged. "Buy a new house. Anything you want. Buy that Factory Five kit car, or just invest it. It's your money now. No strings attached."

Holly giggled at my expression.

I wrapped her up in a hug and we kissed, not caring who might be watching or what they thought of us. My whole attention was focused on Holly, the love that her arms conveyed in the way she held me, the taste of her mouth, and the rapid beating of her heart.

When the kiss ended, I said. "I love you."

Her smile beamed at me, brighter than the midday sun overhead. "I love you."

Chapter Two.

I spent the rest of the afternoon online looking at car parts. I put everything in a spreadsheet, with hyperlinks to the web pages and a tally of the prices. What Holly had done filled my mind with a maelstrom of thoughts and feelings. Focusing intently on one thing gave me time to begin the mental digestion without becoming overwhelmed.

To build one of the Type 65 Coupe R's with all the options I liked, as well as all the mechanical parts I'd need to complete the build, including the engine, transmission, and suspension, would cost over $100,000.

I had always dreamed of building one, but I had considered it to be financially out of reach. I had never taken the time to figure out exactly how much it would cost, but the number I had in my head was significantly lower than that.

I went through everything again and again, selecting the right wheels and tires, the correct rear axle, and the optimal gear ratio. I even looked at fancy wood-grain steering wheels and shift knobs.

Finally, I reached the point where, if I were to fire the gun and issue the order, everything would be perfect.

Dan called my phone. When I picked it up to answer, I realized that I had spent a lot more time looking at car parts than I had thought. It was already five o'clock.

I hit the button to accept the call. "Hey man, what's up?"

"Hey," Dan said. "I'm taking Holly shopping tonight. Jenna's birthday is coming up soon, and we're going to help each other find good presents."

"Okay?" I said, a little confused about why Dan would need to tell me this.

"The two of us are leaving at six and will be gone for at least two hours."

That's why. The time had come. I needed to man up and go talk with a woman my own age about dating her eighteen-year-old daughter. "Oh, yeah, okay."

"Okay," Dan said, relieved that I finally understood what he was getting at. "Think that will be enough time?"

"God, I hope so."

Dan was quiet for a while. "Good luck, man."

I left home and showed up at Jenna's house at a quarter after six. Dan's car was gone, so I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, walked up to the door, and rang the bell.

Chapter Three.

Later that night, I sat on my deck watching the sunset. A storm was moving in from the south, and the approaching clouds were glowing like a neon sign in the light of the setting sun.

I took a drink of whiskey and set my empty glass next to the half-full bottle of Buffalo Trace on the low table between deck chairs.

I heard my sliding door open, and turned to see Dan.

"Grab a glass," I told him, pointing at the bottle.

Dan returned after a moment and poured himself a generous drink.

Dan studied me as my eyes turned back to the sunset. He sipped his whiskey.

"Jenna didn't want to talk to me about it yet. She wanted me to go so she could talk with Holly."

He turned the bottle on the table to read the label. Eagle Rare was my drink of choice because I enjoyed its taste. Buffalo Trace is almost as good, but it's much less expensive, so that's what I usually drink when I want to drink a lot.

"Are we drinking to celebrate, or commiserate?"

I sighed heavily. "It actually went better than I expected. Jenna was furious at first, but I told her everything, and eventually she began to believe that my intentions were pure."

"Murder is off the table then?"

I huffed a laugh. "It was a close thing for a while there, I think. Jenna made it clear enough that it would be right back on there if I didn't prove to her by my actions that I had Holly's best interests at heart."

"Truthfully, I still had some doubts. But man, the way Holly talks about you-" Dan searched for the right words. "It's really special. She thinks the world of you."

I smiled at him. "I feel the same about her." My smile faded. "The worst part about coming clean to Jenna was the hurt that I know I caused her. I betrayed her trust, betrayed your trust, and lied to her. Holly and I both lied to her, and then I made you lie to her too." I looked Dan in the eyes. "For that, I am very sorry."

"Apology accepted." Dan took a long pull of whiskey. "It's kind of a shit show, how this went down, but I think it will all work out alright."

I debated with myself whether to tell Dan about the money Holly had put into a joint account with my name on it. I decided to continue putting all my cards on the table.

"Holly told me I didn't have to work anymore. She put some money, well, a substantial amount of money, into an account that I could draw from. She said that she doesn't care about the money, she only cares about me."

"Jenna did something very similar for me."

"How should I deal with it? Sure, giving up my career to spend all my time with Holly and doing whatever else I want to do is really appealing. But it also feels wrong somehow. She told me not to feel like less of a man because of it, and I get what she means, but how do I connect the line between that and my instinctual duty to provide?"

"It's a tough one." Dan agreed. "I'm still struggling with it. They really don't care about the money. They never have. It's there to make life easier, that's it. What we have to come to grips with is that they want to support us out of love. Simple as that."

"But you're still working forty hours a week."

"Yeah, and I'm training my replacement. In two weeks, when Jenna and I go to Scotland, that's it, I'm done. I'll propose over there, and we'll probably get married in October. Jenna has said that she always wanted to get married outside in the fall when the leaves are pretty."

"Congrats, man." Dan and I clinked our glasses together.

"As far as the money goes, it took me a while to figure out how to look at it. Men are told their whole lives that they need to provide for those they care about, and the only way they can do so is by earning money. It's bullshit. We have to provide what is needed. If it's money, we'll work ourselves to the grave."

"Jenna and Holly have money."

"Right. So what they need from us is love and attention." Dan refilled both of our glasses as he spoke. "Talk to any old man. Ask him what he regrets in life. It's never that he didn't make enough money. They all regret the time they were at work when they should have been at home with their family. We get that opportunity. Jenna and Holly are our full-time jobs now."

We sipped our whiskey and watched the incoming storm obscure the last sliver of the sun on the horizon.

"I don't say it often, but you're the best friend a guy could hope for, and I love you."

Dan put a hand on my shoulder. "You don't have to say it. I know. Just like you know that I love you."

Dan was a rock in my life. He always had my back, was always there to support me, and share his wisdom and opinions, just as I did for him. Every guy needs a friend like Dan.

We watched the storm roll in and finished the last of the bottle as the wind rose, and it began to rain heavily.

I walked Dan to my front door on unsteady legs. Maybe I shouldn't have drunk as much as I did, but it had been such a wonderful and stressful day, and it felt good to let the tide of inebriation drown my mess of thoughts and emotions for a while.

I shook Dan's hand before he left, and he pulled me into a brotherly hug.

"We got it good. Back in the day, could you have ever imagined that we'd both end up with good-looking redheads who are also stinking rich?"

I chuckled. "They're not just good-looking, they're smoking hot, both of them."

"That they are," Dan said, grinning. "Just don't tell anyone I agreed that Holly is hot. It wouldn't be proper."

We laughed, and Dan left. I set the house alarm and staggered to my bed. I plugged my phone in and noticed that I had a few messages from Holly. She had sent them ten minutes earlier, when the storm must have concealed the chime. I stripped down to my boxers, crawled into bed, and opened the messages, responding. She replied right away.

Holly: I love you

Holly: Mom will be okay. She just needs to get used to the idea of us.

Me: I love you. Sorry, I was outside with Dan

Me: Every word I told Jenna was the truth. I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to convince her.

Holly: She grilled me pretty hard. I told her everything.

Me: Everything?

Holly: lol I didn't tell her how many times you made me come! But I did tell her that it was me who first crossed the line and made it physical.

Me: I had a part to play in that, too. I could have said no.

Holly: Could you really have? I crawled into your bed, soaking wet and ready to go.

Me: I like to think that if I had wanted to, I would have. But I did want you.

Me: bad

Holly: I want you to know that when I came to you that night, it was because I was attracted to you as a person, and not just horny

Holly: Of course I WAS horny.

Me: I know. I let it continue because I was also attracted to you. I also really wanted to act out the inappropriate thoughts I had been having about you all night.

Me: I'm having inappropriate thoughts about you right now BTW

Holly: I can't get you out of my mind. Ever since that first night, I'm horny for you all the time. I have to bring spare panties everywhere I go because I get wet just thinking about what we've done together.

Me: You're getting me all hot and bothered now lol

Me: I need to get to sleep

Holly: I wish I was there with u

Me: So do I. But we should take it slow and let people get used to the idea of us being together

Holly: I think it's going to take a while until Mom's okay with you spending the night here again

Me: understandable

Holly: But she knows we're together and that I spent the night at your house. She'll have to get used to it when I stay with you more.

Me: I wish I could have you in my bed every night, but Jenna is your mom, and this summer is the last time she thinks she'll get to spend time with you before you go to college and have your own life away from her. We can't take that from her. Let her dawdle on you, and spend as much time as you can with her. It's more important to her than you know.

Holly: I hadn't thought of it that way.

Holly: How often can I stay with you?

Holly: I want every night.

Me: Let Jenna decide.

Me: Besides, they're going to Scotland in two weeks.

Holly: Then I can sleep anywhere I want.

Me: We can do other things anywhere you want too.

Holly: OMG

Holly: Do you realize what you just did to my panties lol

Me: lol you're welcome

Holly: I need a shower, and you need to go to sleep

Me: It's definitely been a day lol

Holly: It was very brave what you did, talking with Mom like that

Holly: I don't think I could have done it if I were you

Holly: I'm proud to be your girlfriend

Holly: I love you XOXO

Me: I love you

Me: Goodnight

Holly: Goodnight!

I waited a few minutes, just in case Holly sent another message. None came, so I turned out the light and got comfortable in bed.

I was exhausted. I considered jerking off to deal with my uncomfortably hard erection, but after the day I had, I just didn't have it in me to stay awake, despite the vivid sexual thoughts of Holly traipsing through my mind. I hoped that I would dream of the 'other things' that Holly and I would do, and all the places that we would do them.

Chapter Four.

In the morning, I felt a little hungover, but aside from that, I felt really great. Yesterday had been a rollercoaster, and a good night's sleep had done wonders. I felt a sense of resolve. I knew what I wanted now. Really, I had known all along, but now I felt the clarity of mind to be sure. I showered and made myself presentable for the office. I put on my best suit and my favorite tie. I took some Ibuprofen for my lingering headache, had a bagel and a tall glass of orange juice for breakfast, and started my commute to Saint Paul.

Harry West's office door was open, so I leaned in and knocked on the frame.

Harry looked up and smiled. "Watkins! I thought you were working from home this week."

"Got a minute to talk?"

He motioned to a chair. I closed his door behind me and sat.

"This looks serious," Harry said, seeing the closed door and my spiffy attire.

"I need to make an addendum to the proposal we had talked about," I spoke confidently, and felt confident as well.

He studied me for another moment. "You're retiring now." Harry's voice was without judgment, simply stating a fact. "What changed your mind?"

I decided that Harry deserved the truth. What lingering sense of shame that had been stuck in the back of my mind for being with a woman so much younger than myself was gone. I didn't care what people thought about us.

"I met someone and we fell in love. Turns out, she had inherited an enormous wealth, and wants to use it to build a life with me."

Harry's brows raised, and he huffed a short laugh. "Does this unicorn have a name?"

"Holly Kemp." I grinned at him. "She really is a unicorn; she's smart, beautiful, and funny. I didn't know about her money until I was already completely smitten."

"Kemp, Kemp..." Harry said, thinking hard. "Related to Bridgette and Richard Kemp?"

It was my turn to raise my eyebrows. But of course, Harry would know who they were. Finance was his business, so anyone in the Twin Cities with as much money as the Kemp's were bound to be on his radar.

"Yes. They left everything to their daughter and granddaughter."

Harry was still lost in thought and nodded absently. "I remember their daughter. She was about your age and cute as a button. I wasn't very close with the Kemp's, but knew them socially. Bridgette was the power behind the family. Beautiful, with bright red hair, and a mind for money rivaled by very few. She was something to behold, and Richard treated her like a queen." He shook his head, remembering. "I never could convince them to come to my firm, but they were good people. Small world that their daughter would end up with one of my employees."

I cleared my throat. "Their daughter's name is Jenna. Holly is their granddaughter."

Harry's face screwed up as her tried to figure out the relative ages.

"Jenna is forty-three, two years younger than I. Holly is eighteen." I silently dared him to react poorly.

Harry roared with laughter. "Oh, you dog! How on earth did you manage that?"

I smiled at his mirth, but didn't laugh. "Jenna Kemp is marrying my best friend."

"And so you wooed her daughter?"

"Actually, Holly initiated it."

Harry's laughter returned. "Truthfully, boy, I wouldn't have thought you had it in you! She wants you to retire and live off her money? Well done, boy, well done!"

I chuckled at his reaction. I didn't really know what to expect, and this wasn't like any of the possibilities I had imagined. "So that brings us to the here and now."

Harry regained control of his enjoyment of the situation. "Will you give me long enough to get the new people on their feet?"

"Of course."

"Good, thank you." He gave me a shrewd look. "But be quick about it. If Holly is anything like her Grandmother, she won't like being kept away from what she wants."

After work, I sat in my pickup and sent a text to Holly.

Me: I told my boss about us and that I am retiring.

Holly: LOVE LOVE LOVE

ME: He knew your grandparents. I was told to hurry and train the new guys so I don't keep you waiting.

Holly: lol Nana Bridgette hated waiting.

Me: I think by the time Jenna and Dan go to Scotland, I'll be done with work.

Me: Feels weird saying that.

Holly: YAY! We need to do something fun together.

Holly: Like, other than THAT.

Holly: Like our own vacation.

Me: I'd like that. Have anything in mind?

Holly: I'll think about it.

Holly: I'm going out with Mom tonight

Holly: Pick me up for dinner tomorrow?

Me: It's a date.

Holly: I can't wait!

Holly: Love you!

Me: Love you!

Chapter Five

The next day seemed to drag on forever. HR had brought in three potential hires, and I attended their final interviews. They were all recent college grads and very smart. They didn't have a lot of practical experience between them, but in some ways, that was beneficial. If they had the wit to pick up on what the job required of them, I preferred that they not have the baggage of bad habits and knowledge of incompatible systems.

All three agreed to start their training immediately. To be honest, it was actually fun to get them started. What made the day drag on was knowing that I would be taking Holly out for dinner tonight, and regardless of what was happening at work, it couldn't happen quick enough.

I went home after work and quickly showered. I sent a text to Holly asking her how dressed up I should be for our date. She sent me a picture of her standing in front of the mirror in her room. She was wearing a pale blue sundress and grinning widely. Holly loved sundresses because they made her feel light and free. I loved them because of how stunning she looked in them. Holly sent a second picture. In this one, she was bending over with her back to the mirror, and looking seductively over her shoulder. Her short dress had pulled up enough so I could see her mostly bare butt. Just a thin strip of blue fabric ran between the flawless pale skin of her cheeks.

I stared at the pictures for a while, letting them burn themselves into my mind. Went to my closet and poked through my clothes. I didn't want to dress too fancy or too casual. I wanted something to complement Holly, without making it look like we were deliberately matching. I ended up describing what she was wearing to Chat GPT and asking for advice. I ended up choosing a button-down shirt that was so light blue it was almost white, some light gray pants with a brown leather belt, and my brown work shoes. According to the AI, this would 'create a light summery feel that harmonizes with her look'. I couldn't remember being so concerned about what I wore, but as Dan had said the other night, Holly was now my full-time job. Details like how my clothes complemented her were things that I needed to pay attention to. I needed to make her feel like the star of my world that she was.

I parked my Tacoma in front of Jenna's garage, walked to the door, and rang the bell. I shivered involuntarily at the memory of the last time I was here, and the pit in my stomach at what I had been about to do. Today was different. Sure, I had some apprehension at seeing Jenna again, about how she would react to me, but it was outweighed by the prospect of seeing Holly.

Jenna answered the door. Her demeanor, while not openly hostile, was cool and cautious. "Alec," She said in greeting. "Come on in." She returned to the kitchen, so I shut the door and followed. There were bags of groceries stacked on the counter, and she had resumed washing vegetables in the sink.

Holly came rushing out of the hall and into my arms. Though we kept our greeting 'rated PG', the joy of seeing her and feeling her small body against me was bliss.

Holly pulled back and looked me up and down. "You look great!"

I smiled at the compliment. "You look beautiful. I love what you've done to your hair."

Holly's long hair, naturally wavy, now hung in wide, slow curls. Despite popular myths, men notice these things. Still, they are usually afraid to say the wrong words in a compliment, or just silently appreciate that their partner has made an extra effort to look beautiful.

Holly blushed. "Thanks!" She started back towards her room. "I'm almost ready, I'll be right back."

When Holly had left, Jenna shut off the sink and eyed me with appraisal. "I'm still not comfortable with this, Alec." She sighed heavily and looked down the hall towards Holly's room. "But she's so happy." Jenna looked at me again, and her eyes held a silent pleading, begging me to understand what she was feeling.

I gave Jenna a small, solemn nod. We had both made our feelings and intentions clear. My responsibility was not just to Holly, but to Jenna. I had usurped her in a way, becoming the one whom Holly would look to for love and protection. I understood the fear Jenna felt for her daughter's well-being and had made promises to Jenna that I would not, could not, break.

Holly returned, her smile lighting up the room. "I'm ready."

I held out my arm and led Holly outside. Jenna watched from the doorway, worry on her face, as I helped Holly into the passenger seat. We were about a mile down the road when Holly asked me to pull over. I stopped my truck and set the parking brake. Holly unbuckled and climbed over the center console, sitting sideways on my lap. I held her tight as our mouths met and we kissed.

"Mmm," Holly said, licking saliva off her lips. "Now that's a proper hello."

"Yes it was." I agreed.

Holly giggled and climbed back into the passenger seat. "Mom's not ready to see that yet."

"No, I don't think she is."

I smiled as Holly's in-car acrobatics gave me quite a view. She adjusted her dress and fastened her seatbelt.

"So, where to?" I asked.

"We have a reservation at the RH Rooftop Restaurant. It's on France Ave, south of sixty-two."

I had never been there before, but I had heard of the name and knew the area of the Twin Cities pretty well. It was in Edina, and not all that far from Edward the accountant's office. Traffic was heavy, as it always was in the southwest metro. Most of my attention was focused on driving, but I could tell that Holly was watching me the whole time. Any time my right hand wasn't working the shifter, it was touching Holly, either resting on her thigh, or interlaced with her delicate fingers.

Holly used Google Maps to guide me to the right place, and I parked my truck. I got out quickly and came around to her side to help her out. My truck sat a little higher than a stock Tacoma. It was a TRD, but had a few inches of suspension lift and bigger tires. This made it a little awkward for someone of Holly's size to get in and out while maintaining a decent amount of modesty in a sundress.

She left her purse under the seat and handed me her phone, along with a small clip that held her license, cards, and cash.

As we walked to the entrance, Holly said. "We're kind of doing this all backwards, aren't we?"

"Hm?"

"I mean, people usually go on a date, get to know each other, and then have sex." She giggled. "We had sex, then got to know each other, then had sex again, and now we're going on a date."

I chuckled. "Would you change things and have us not hook up, and start our relationship here and now?"

"Mom would have preferred that, but I wouldn't change anything." She stopped in front of the door and turned to me. "I do want to be having sex with you, like, 24/7, but I want this too. I want to have fun and experience the world with you. You know what I mean?"

I leaned down and gave her a sweet, closed-lips kiss. "I know exactly what you mean. I want the same thing."

Holly's eyes sparkled, and her grin was pure joy.

The restaurant was amazing. The dining area was located on the rooftop, and over about half of the space, a steel and glass framework hung overhead, from which a multitude of flowering plants were suspended. There were trees in large stone pots, and a fountain in the middle with a large ornate crystal chandelier above it. We were seated at a small table outside, near one of the corners, in the shade of a blue cloth canopy, and had a terrific view of the early evening sky over Edina.

I had a blackened ribeye that, honestly, was one of the best steaks I have ever eaten. Holly had the salmon, which she said was delicious. We each ordered a glass of Riesling, and Holly gave me a slightly guilty look after the server had brought them to the table. I smiled at her and told her quietly to drink it slowly.

We chatted about a lot of things, and eventually came to the subject of cars.

"I need my own car," Holly said.

"I've wondered about that. For someone who likes cars as much as you do, how is it that you don't already have one? Or five?"

"Well, Mom always liked driving me places and picking me up. It was good for her to get out of the house, and it gave us time to talk about stuff. All my friends have cars, so I rode with them when Mom couldn't drive me."

"You're a sweetheart. I'm sure your mom loved every trip she had to make for you."

"But now, it's going to be a little awkward asking her for a ride to spend the night at your house, and I'm going to need something when I go to college in Madison."

"So, what do you want to get?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, I want something nice, but not too nice. I don't want to advertise my wealth, especially at college." She thought for a while. "What cars still have a manual transmission?"

With some help from Google, we looked at her options. There weren't nearly as many vehicles available with manuals these days. We examined Porsches, BMWs, Toyotas, Hondas, and other vehicles. Holly narrowed it down to either a Mustang or a Mazda Miata.

"Wait, can you drive a manual?" I asked.

Holly smiled at me sweetly. "No, but you can teach me."

We finished our meal and made plans while sipping wine and enjoying the view. The waitress brought the check, and I goggled at the total, then laughed at myself. I had spent so much of my life being frugal, it would take me a while to get used to the fact that I didn't need to be anymore. Holly paid with one of her cards and added a 100% tip.

"That was very generous," I said as we walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand.

Holly shrugged. "Imagine how that waitress will feel when she sees that. We don't know what is going on in her life. Maybe she's struggling and uses all of her willpower to put on a happy face just long enough to get through her shift. I've got more than I'll ever need, so if I can use just a little bit of it to make someone's life better, that feels like the kind of rich person I want to be."

I stopped walking, and Holly turned to face me. "Do you know how amazing a young woman you are, Holly Kemp?"

Holly blushed and smiled shyly.

"You have such a kind heart. I'd feel honored just to know you." I leaned down and kissed her rosy cheek. "I love you."

Holly blushed even harder and smiled. "I love you, too."

Chapter Six.

We had spent a lot of time talking over dinner, and the sun was setting as it was nearly nine. We had agreed to play things slow, for Jenna's sake, and that I would bring Holly home after our date. Holly wasn't content with just going home, however. She navigated me to a place that her friends had told her about. It was a county park with a small parking lot, obscured by trees. It was dark by the time we got there, and there were no streetlights, no businesses, or homes within sight. I backed into a parking space that was deep in shadow.

We both rushed to unbuckle our seatbelts, and we met over the center console, our mouths and hands hungry for each other. Before I knew it, Holly had my pants undone and my iron-hard cock in her hands. I moaned into her mouth as she began to play with me, squeezing, stroking, and pushing a hand deeper to cup my balls.

Holly pulled away from the kiss and looked into my eyes with a feral hunger.

"I'm going to go down on you now. Let me know when you're about to come, I want to make this last."

She only allowed me enough time for a quick kiss before her face lowered to my lap. I felt her warm, soft lips envelop me, and her tongue swirl around the head of my cock. I gasped in pleasure as she went to work, recalling perfectly what she had learned in her first time sucking my dick. I couldn't believe how good she was at it. My attraction to Holly, both physical and emotional, the anticipation of our carnal contact, and the directness of Holly's statement, all had me worked up to a point that I could already feel my climax approaching.

I rested one hand on the back of Holly's head, my fingers intertwining with her silky ginger hair. My other had slid down her back. I trailed my fingers between her butt cheeks and slipped them inside her damp panties. She moaned on my cock, making me moan in return from the vibrations, as my middle finger found her dripping hole and slipped inside. My other fingers pressed against her, and, feeling bold, my thumb pressed against her little pink rosebud.

Holly's moaning intensified, bringing me ever closer. She sucked harder, and her hand gripped me tighter as it pumped in time with her mouth. I could feel my belly and legs begin to clench, and I was rapidly nearing the point of no return.

I gently tapped my fingers on the side of Holly's head and managed to gasp. "Now."

Immediately, Holly took me out of her mouth and held her hand still. She had stopped barely a second before I erupted. I gasped in a state of sexual balance, teetering on the edge. Holly let me take a few shuddering breaths, then gave my glans a tentative lick. I shivered with orgasmic anticipation as she kept me right on the edge; a few licks here, a squeezing of the balls there. Ever so slowly, my body came back from the precipice.

I put some downward pressure on Holly's head, pushing her mouth back onto me. "Slowly,"

She complied, mouthing the head of my cock gently with her wet lips and tongue, easing me back into the buildup to climax.

"More," I whispered, gently pushing on her head.

Again, she complied, beginning to suck and pump her hand.

I had been rightfully distracted by what Holly was doing to me, and had let my own attentions to her sit idle. My right hand began to move within her soaked panties. My middle finger slid in and out of her as I moved my hand up and down; every motion giving contact to her clit and asshole as well.

My cock came out of Holly's mouth with a soft pop.

She gasped. "Oh God, yes!" And arched her back, pushing her butt higher into the air for me to reach more easily.

I pushed her head back down onto me, and she resumed sucking with renewed purpose. Again, much quicker than I could have imagined, she brought me to the edge. Right as I was about to warn her, she stopped sucking and began her small, light licks.

This time, I kept my hand in motion as Holly kept me on the edge. I could feel her hot breath blowing on my cock as she panted from my continued ministrations. She managed to stay on task, though, proving once again that she was a swift learner. Her mouth closed on me just as I was coming off the edge. She gave me a few hard sucks, bringing me right back. I felt the tip of her tongue slide through the slit of my urethra, tasting the pre-come that I knew would be there. Again and again, she would suck hard for a moment, taking my breath away, then stop just long enough for me to take another shuddering breath before sucking again.

She played me like a virtuosic musician, gasping and moaning her own pleasure as she expertly attended to mine. I couldn't say how long she kept me like that; it could have been minutes or hours. As lost as I was in ecstasy, my hand continued on her, and through it all, I could feel her nearing her own orgasm. She was sucking hard as her body began to clench up, so I held her head down on me. I needed to come so bad, needed to satisfy my need for release, and her insatiable hunger for eating my seed. More than that, I needed to come at the same time that she came. The fact that we could do that meant a lot to me. I craved intimacy with Holly like I was dying of thirst in the desert, and she was an eternal wellspring. Simultaneous climax was another way of experiencing that intimate sense of unity.

Holly's wet canal spasmed tightly around my finger, and my hips bucked uncontrollably as we finally came. I couldn't remember ever having an orgasm so intense. Holly massaged my balls as I shot spurt after spurt of semen into her mouth. It felt like all those postponed orgasms were coming one after another. I was faintly curious as to the volume of seed I was giving to Holly, as it felt like I was coming twice as much as usual.

When she had milked the last drops out of my suddenly very sensitive cock, Holly sat up and looked at me with eyes that showed satisfaction. She opened her mouth, and I saw that I had indeed given a large amount of cum. A little bit dribbled down her chin before she could close her mouth and swallow. She grinned at me, and I could see that she hungered for more.

I scooped the dribble of cum up her chin and into her mouth. Holly sucked my finger, which was also wet from her, clean. I pulled her mouth to mine, and we kissed slowly, savoring the taste of each other. Holly had sucked my cock so hard, for so long, that her lips and tongue were probably numb. Soon, we pulled apart with a mutual gasp.

"I need you inside me," Holly whispered.

"Back seat," I replied.

Holly wasted no time in climbing into the back seat. I took one look at the small gap that she had just squeezed through and got out, holding my undone pants in place. I opened the rear door, and Holly pulled me in, her eager mouth finding mine before I could get the door closed.

I scrambled with my left hand to grab the door, and somehow managed to pull it closed behind me as Holly lay back across the seats and pulled me on top of her. The back seat of a Toyota Tacoma was not meant for two people to make love on, even when one of them is as petite as Holly. We kissed and groped each other, passion taking control like a steam engine building pressure.

I wound up on my back, shoulders against the hard plastic of the passenger door. Holly bumped her elbow against the rear window with a thunk as she straddled me and hastily removed my pants. She scooched up, grabbing my cock with an urgent need to get me inside her as quickly as possible. I knocked my head against the fogged-up window as I positioned myself under her, and we both chuckled.

Holly had pulled her panties to the side, and our chuckles were replaced by gasps of pleasure as she sank onto me. Her eyes locked with mine as, inch by inch, our bodies became one. There were no words to express what our eyes conveyed. No words were needed; our bodies knew the language. We fit like we were meant to be together. Even in this too-small space, with seat belt buckles digging into ribs and limbs tangled in clumsy geometry, we moved like a single being.

Holly pulled her dress off over her head, arched her back, and braced her arms against the roof as she rode me with slow, sensual movements. With my back propped up against the door, I could look down and watch as my cock, glistening in her juices, disappeared within her. I reached down and tickled the erogenous zones on her lower belly with my fingertips, soliciting an increased pace in Holly's heavy breathing.

My fingertips traced circles ever lower until they were brushing through her pubic hair. The closer my fingers got to her clit, the heavier Holly's breathing became. I smiled at her anticipation and watched with pleasure as she gasped an exclamation when my fingers finally made contact. There was a hitch in her fluid motion as I began rubbing her clit between my fingertips. She quickly regained her stride and started riding me harder and faster.

She gasped every time she sank onto me, our bodies meeting with a wet slap. Faster and faster she went until she slammed down on me one last time as she tensed up. I grabbed her hips and pulled her tight onto me, feeling her pussy clamp down on my cock like a vice. The roof of my Tacoma creaked as she pushed against it, trying desperately to get me just a little deeper within herself.

When the wave of her orgasm had passed, she relaxed and collapsed on top of me. We kissed languidly, holding each other close.

A shadow moved across the window, and Holly's head jerked up.

"Oh no," She whispered.

"What?" I asked, craning my neck to see over the edge of the window.

"Car."

A car had pulled onto the short drive to the parking area and was slowly driving towards us. We bumped into each other as we scrambled to find our hastily discarded clothes.

"Wait," I whispered, getting a better look at the car. "It's not a cop. I think it's a Honda."

Holly had been trying to find which way her balled-up dress was oriented. She stopped and looked out the windshield, hiding behind the driver's seat as the car passed. It was a blue Honda CR-V.

"Hey, I know that car. That's Ashley! Who's with her?"

We watched as Ashley parked her Honda at the other end of the lot and shut off the lights.

"Maybe we should go," Holly said nervously.

"Why? She's here for the same reason you are."

"I know, but it seems a little weird."

Holly was kneeling on the driver's side of the seat, and I was sitting behind the passenger's seat. I reached over and wrapped her in my arms.

"We're not done yet," I whispered into her ear.

Her nervous demeanor disappeared, and she nuzzled her face against my neck. We kissed briefly, and I lay her down onto her back. I contorted myself behind the driver's seat and lowered my face to her groin. Holly gasped, and her whole body twitched when my mouth closed over her.

She had made me cum harder than ever before, and I needed to return the favor. Her hole was still slightly relaxed from my cock so recently being inside her, so the two middle fingers of my left hand slipped in easily and massaged her G spot. I kept my tongue wide and lapped up between her labia, pressing it hard against her clit. My goal was to bring her to the brink of climax as quickly as possible, and it was working better than I had expected. I felt her belly begin to clench and her legs try to straighten, as they did when she was moments away from coming. I held the fingers inside her perfectly still and took my mouth off of her.

Holly gave a needy moan. I had timed it perfectly; another second would have pushed her over the edge, but just as she had said, I wanted this to last.

After several shuddering breaths, Holly gasped. "More."

She inhaled sharply as my tongue made contact again, and my fingers pressed against that magic spot inside her. Again and again, I brought her within seconds of coming, each time, her breathing became more ragged, and her needy moans became louder.

Her knees were bent and splayed to the sides. I grabbed her legs and pulled them up, kneeling in front of her. I held on to her hips, pulling them up and towards me until just her head and shoulders were on the seat. The whole time, I kept my mouth locked onto her delicious pussy. Her chest and face, already flushed with passion, began to turn redder as her blood rushed to her head.

I held her clit between my lips, teasing it with the tip of my tongue. As the wave of her impending orgasm crested, I redoubled my efforts, pressing hard against her G spot and sucking hard on her clit. She cried out loudly as she came, bucking uncontrollably in my arms. I lessened my pressure, but continued to pleasure her as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed through her petite body. I slowly subsided as she came down and began licking her juices off of her. I licked around her swollen pussy, and through the crack of her ass, loving every taste of her.

When I finally let her hips down, her needy arms wrapped around me, and she pulled herself into my lap. It took long minutes for her to catch her breath as she nuzzled into my neck. When she had calmed down enough, we kissed. Our tongues danced slowly, savoring the familiar tastes and sensations of each other's mouths. Though her body twitched occasionally, Holly was limp in my arms, exhausted by what I had done to her.

"I didn't know that was possible," Holly whispered.

It hit me then that though I wasn't Holly's first, I was the first to make her feel the pleasures that great sex and real intimacy had to offer. Everything we did together was new to her. I thought of the doubts I had, that being with a man so much older and more experienced wouldn't be healthy for her personal development. But then I thought of all the things that I knew now, that I wished I had known when I was young. Holly had been with two boys before me, and both had left her unsatisfied and emotionally hurt. She would never have to worry about that with me. I knew how to satisfy her, and I understood that the best way to do so was to prioritize her needs. I also knew that my inexplicably deep love for her fueled my desire to pleasure her. I would never satisfy myself and leave her wanting. She would never feel the hurt and humiliation of being abused and cast aside.

I held Holly close, cradling her in my arms. "I love you."

Those words seemed so inadequate to describe how I felt about her. I again found myself wishing that I were a poet, to have the ability to express what I felt. I looked into Holly's eyes, and as she echoed the words, I could see that she felt the same way.

Eventually, we got dressed and got back into the front seats. The other car, Holly's friend Ashley's car, had left at some point, and neither of us had noticed. I rolled down the windows and let the cool night air in.

"It's probably not very fair that I get you and Ashley doesn't."

"Well, I'm not going to share with her if that's what you're getting at," I said it as a joke, but I was a little unsure if that was really what Holly was getting at.

"No, no, no," Holly giggled, then said seriously. "No. You're all mine, and I'm not going to share you with anyone else. It's just, she was only here for, like, fifteen or twenty minutes. I feel sorry for her that she wasn't here with someone like you."

"Not everyone can be as lucky as we are to have found each other."

Holly smiled at me. Her face and chest were still flushed, and her love for me burned bright in her eyes.

We took the long way around Lake Minnetonka, giving us both a chance to cool off and an excuse to spend just a bit more time together.

I parked my truck in front of Jenna's garage and helped Holly get out of it. I held her hand as we walked to the front door. We turned and faced each other. Holly looked down and smiled, then moved to her left, standing on the concrete step. This brought her closer to my height, but I still had to bend slightly to wrap her in my arms.

"I had a great time tonight," I said to her.

"Me too. A really great time." Holly's smile lit the night.

We kissed, stopping before either of us wanted to, but knowing that we had to at some point.

"Goodnight, Alec," Holly said softly.

"Goodnight, Holly," I replied.

The words 'I love you' didn't need to be spoken; they were already there. We both knew.

I drove home with the windows down, enjoying the cool night air. My trip seemed to pass quickly, as the events of the evening replayed themselves in my mind. Tomorrow was Friday, and though I had to go into the office, I imagined what Holly and I would do over the coming weekend. After that, I had one more week of going to the office, and then my real work would begin. I stripped down and climbed into bed, unshowered and smelling of Holly and our mutual passion. I drifted off to sleep, lost in thoughts of Holly and our blissful future together.

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Holly and Alec's story will continue in Carnal Insights 4.0

Author's note:

Alec's conversation with Jenna about his relationship with Holly is lengthy and heavy in its content. It is a realistic, in-depth exploration of the characters' emotions and the morality of the situation. I didn't include it here because I felt that it made the story drag on too much, and that despite the work I put into making it believable and meaningful, I think that elements of the surrounding story support the gist of what transpired enough for people to understand. If you want me to release that conversation, perhaps as a 3.5 before 4.0 is published, please let me know.

As always, thanks for reading.

NewMountain80