Interlude (11 page)

“You cook?” Karen asked.

“Yeah, don't you?” Cal was moving to gather
up the albums and the empty bottle.

“Not really. I bake sometimes.” She offered,
adding, “I'm not sure I have anything worth cooking.”

“Well, let’s see shall we?” Cal said,
offering her his hand as they went inside.

Cal set to work in the big kitchen. As a
college student, he got a job teaching a cooking class at the local
senior center. He had to learn quickly as he didn't know how to
cook, but he needed the money. He instead used his inexperience to
create a host of recipes that could be made in a dorm room with a
toaster oven and a microwave. This MacGyver approach to cooking
landed him the job, and lots of good ways to not starve to death as
a student. He could now use those odd skills to prepare something
for Karen in her, almost empty, kitchen.

Reaching around in the giant refrigerator, he
found eggs, some carrots that looked like they might still be
useable, and some frozen peas petrified in the freezer. Rooting
around in the dark wood cabinets netted him some Ramen noodle
packages and an unopened bottle of soy sauce.

“I can work with this.” Cal said to himself,
as Karen watched him in fascination.

“What are you going to make with all that?”
Karen asked. Her wary look unmistakable.

“Fried noodles, and some other stuff.” Cal
said, as he rooted around in his pile of ingredients. Sensing her
doubt, he added, “You'll have to trust me on this okay?” He said,
giving her a light pat on the ass as she moved behind him to fetch
a bottled water from the fridge.

In no more than fifteen minutes, Cal had
managed to create something that looked like fusion cuisine. Deftly
moving about her kitchen, he made himself at home with her pots and
pans. He had cooked for so long, that finding his way around any
kitchen became second nature to him. As he fished out some
flatware, he plated everything up and handed her a fork. He watched
intently as she sampled his random culinary creation. He smiled
confidently when she smiled at the taste of his wonderful dish.

“Oh my God, where did you learn how to do
this? I thought you were a computer guy?” She said.

“Self-taught,” He said proudly, adding, “I
used to teach cooking in college. It payed my way through school. I
learned a bunch of ways to make great food from horrible
ingredients.” He said.

“You may just have other uses after all.” She
said with a wry wink.

“Other than...?” He returned with a
smile.

Karen smiled as she moved to where he was
standing. She had kicked off her tan heels, so her foot steps were
quiet as she padded over to him on the hardwood floor. Cal smiled
peacefully as her hands slowly wrapped around his waist, her face
nuzzled into his shoulder as she hugged him from behind.

“This isn't too weird for you is it?” She
asked after long silence, her speech muffled as she inhaled his
scent.

“No, lots of girls can't cook these days.” He
smiled quietly, knowing full well what she was talking about.

“Very funny,” She said in a far off
voice.

“There's so much I don't know. I don't know
where I'm supposed to fit into all of this. I can't even shoot a
gun, and you seem to be okay with selling tons of them to random
groups all over the globe.

“Not just guns. We sell APCs, mortar rounds,
tanks, RPGs and we're even getting into next generation weaponry.
Things like Javelin missiles, UAVs and tactical recon gear.” Karen
rambled on excitedly until Cal cut her off.

“Look, I don't know what all that alphabet
soup meant. All I know is that if you're into it, then I'm into it.
All that matters is that I get to be with you.” He said with
masculine resolve. She was touched by his open acceptance.

Upstairs in her ensuite bath, he dumped out
his gym bag and found some boxer briefs that were still clean
enough to pass for sleeping in. He made a note to do some laundry
tomorrow before heading into Santa Barbara to find some clothes and
a new gym. He moved all the stuff to a corner chair in the
expansive bedroom.

Cal had forgotten what a real shower felt
like! As he stood in the large shower, he felt naked only being
surrounded by clear glass panels in the huge shower. As the water
heated up, his thoughts turned to washing off the hospital smell,
focusing on that gross patch of sticky residue on his former IV
site. The steam of the shower, mixed with his own distracted
scrubbing, made him not notice that Karen had quietly stepped into
the stall with him. Cal bolted upright as he heard the “click” of
the latch on the door. Karen's naked silhouette became visible to
him in the dimmed lights as she moved over to embrace him silently.
As he wiped the lathery shampoo from his forehead, he reached down
to lather up a pouf for her. Turning her around, he began to
lightly rub her back in slow circles. Her soft moan his cue to move
lower, the foamy soap running over her ass in playful streams as
the shower washed it away. She grabbed his hand as she turned
around. Looking up at him in the steamy shower, she guided his
hands to her breasts. Cal gave her a pleased smile, his eyes half
open as he slowly ran the pouf over her beautiful chest her nipples
becoming erect little peaks at the touch. She reached over to grab
the pouf.

“Close your eyes.” She said.

Cal obliged. He heard the telltale noise as
she squirted more body wash out. He felt her hands moving over him.
She made her way over his entire body, not missing one inch! She
paused to explore his soaped up manhood in all its lathery glory,
and continued working her way up. He shuddered at the sensation
that came when his rod brushed up the front of her body as she
stood to wash his sculpted chest. With his eyes still closed, he
inhaled sharply when he felt her mouth close over his right nipple.
He rubbed his hands on the back of her head, her hair tangling
around his wet fingers as he moaned in quiet ecstasy. Karen made
little sucking noises as she switched nipples moving ever so slowly
over his chest as Cal grabbed her ass with his large hands. She
squealed in muffled surprise as he squeezed her cheeks hard. What
she was doing was driving him mad! His fatigue from earlier washed
away like the soapy lather as he his manhood began to ache. He was
in need of her. He wanted to fuck her as she stood there, naked and
soapy in this large shower. Karen could feel his hands move to her
shoulders. Running slowly down to her upper arms, he slowly turned
her around so her back faced him. She could feel his rock-hard
erection lightly rubbing and bouncing off her body as he slowly
rubbed her shoulders. He worked his way down her body in slow,
deliberate arcs. As he worked lower, she could feel his hands slide
around to her front. His hands seemingly paused in thought before
they kept moving. She could feel him going lower, already knowing
his destination.

Her lips parted in surprise as he touched her
waiting flesh gently. “He's so good at this!” She thought to
herself. Her legs began to tremble as he touched her clitoris. She
felt him moving about behind her. Lost in her own pleasure, she
inhaled in a quick, astonished shriek as he plunged himself deep
inside her. She ached momentarily as her body grew accustomed to
his girth. Moving slowly, he thrust inside her again with a
malicious rhythm that left her gritting her teeth in
frustration.

“Please go faster.” Was all Karen could
manage to say as she craned her neck to look at him. Her eyes
widened as she saw the look he was giving her. The kind, loving Cal
she knew had been temporarily replaced. This was a man bent on
getting what he wanted!

As he pushed slowly inside of her again, she
could feel his head in all its detail as it ground against the dead
end of her womanhood. Moving his free hand to her middle back, he
bent her over with slow, firm conviction. He was no longer a man,
but a hardened, calculated fucking machine! Karen knew that
resisting this pushing hand was futile. “As if she would ever want
to!” She thought with a wicked grin as Cal began a more furious,
welcome assault on her body. His hands moved to her hips, grabbing
with his long, skilled fingers as he moved faster and faster. She
felt the world stop around them. Her breathing became something
that she didn't recognize as he slammed into her again and again,
their wet thighs slapping together in the steamy shower. At first,
she didn't notice when her feet began feeling lighter. As her toes
left the tiled shower floor, she came to the recollection that she
was being lifted. Cal's strong arms held her up off the ground as
his grasped the backs of her thighs right below her ass. She could
feel his biceps against her upper arms as he grunted in primal
tones.

“What are you doing?!” Karen managed to gasp
through his rhythmic, thrusting assault.

“Shush, just enjoy the ride!” Cal whispered
over her shoulder as he moved faster and faster.

Karen's feet pulled up underneath her as her
body struggled for purchase in the building orgasm. Her legs flexed
so much that her toes could feel Cal's bulging thighs as he erupted
inside her. His undoing became hers as she screamed out her release
in short, incomprehensible bursts of noise. He kept thrusting after
her release, pushing harder without stopping. Karen's cramping legs
and building post-orgasm sensitivity pleading him to stop without
words.

“I came, I came!” Was all she could manage
breathlessly as he pounded on.

“Not. Enough. You. Didn't!” Cal uttered
through his thrusts as she began building again slowly. The next
crashing release left Karen a weak, fulfilled lump as Cal ground on
to the finish. She slumped in his strong embrace as her legs
refused to work. He lifted her up, grabbing two towels on the way
as he carried her to the bed. As she lay naked, Cal took to drying
her off. He started at her feet, slowly moving up to her hair in
slow, sensual motions. With renewed strength, she looped the
remaining towel over the back of his neck as he stood over her.
With one pull, he fell willingly on top of her, his warm skin on
hers as they lay there breathing in silence.

“What was that all about?” Karen finally said
in quiet astonishment.

“I've always wanted to do that!” Cal said
with quiet pride.

“I feel so used.” Karen joked with a tired
laugh.

“We need to get to bed. You've got a big day
tomorrow.” She said, trailing her fingers over his faded bruises.
She wasn't sure why but they made her slightly horny. Did she like
seeing him abused and vulnerable? If anything, their little shower
excursion proved to her he was anything but! Cal seemed to drift
off to sleep, as his slowed breathing cued her slumber. She
sleepily wrapped her limbs around him. Her long legs interlaced
with his.

Cal startled awake. His mind swam as he tried
to get his bearings.
“I'm at Karen's,”
he realized with a
groggy smile. His own life had been so tumultuous that sleeping was
even more difficult. Although he couldn't really blame his
subconscious for not trusting him. Especially when he was waking up
in a different place all the time. This was the first time he had
slept in a real bed since their tryst at the hotel. After that, it
was fold out camper beds and hospital rooms. He felt so lost, but
then again, he had never really been found in the first place. All
his adult life had been planned out and coordinated by others due
to his, seemingly meek, personality. He was now in the house of a
millionaire arms dealer, er, dealer-ess? Was there a feminine
version of arms dealer? He remembered all those odd pictures. The
guns, the artillery, the missile! Those bodies..., It seemed like
it was years ago he saw them, but it was just a few hours ago. Time
had moved differently for him since he met her. He was so much more
focused and confident! He surprised himself over and over again.
Her persona, or scent, or whatever, was like a giant injection of
opiates and courage. He remembered how he took her in the shower.
This man somehow managed to totally plow a hot, globe-trotting gun
runner like he was some kind of jungle animal. He rubbed his sore
arms reflexively at the recollection, as he tried to lie back down.
He knew that his mind was in its own DE-frag mode. Sleep no longer
an option for the time, he broke out his laptop.

Quietly powering up the machine in the dark
bedroom, he checked his emails and the news. Suddenly remembering
his talk with the new financial adviser about dividends, he logged
into his checking account to look things over. All he could do was
smile at all the zeros he saw! Two hundred thousand dollars wasn't
bad for a day's work. He forgot how many more back payments were
going to be rolling in, but it didn't matter. At least he could
afford to buy some decent clothes. Living out of his gym bag was
getting to be embarrassing! His email dinged twice in the quiet
room. He turned down the audio as Karen rolled over sleepily. He
noticed a few emails from Barry. All capital letters! Never a good
sign! With a cringe, he opened the emails one by one:

Hey kid, your programming just made us a good
chunk of money! We shot to number one in the App Store! I guess
people love stalking their friends! The best part is, they want to
license your scripting, and bring you in as a consultant. Let’s
talk tomorrow! I have sent attachments in the following emails to
the rest of the team. There are some forms to scan and sign, but
you're good to go! I'll be sending a check in a couple of days, as
well as a retainer bonus. Don't spend it all in one place!

The rest of the emails were of the same vein.
More pats on the back, and queries for more freelance work. How
would that fit into his new life? How did he fit in this odd, new
life? Happy endings didn't happen in his world. Now, it looked like
the universe was dropping them off in one bundle! As Karen stirred
once more, Cal realized that it wasn’t luck. He got up from the
table, his legs aching sweetly from the shower encounter as he
crawled back under the covers. Sleep now came like a freight train
as she wrapped around him again.