"The Step-Mother" - читать интересную книгу автора (Unknown)

Chapter 5

Shirley refused to think. She arose, showered and dressed because she knew she had to, almost thankful that something was driving her. They had a new cook, and how would she know Frank took his eggs at three and one-half minutes unless she was told? His toast had to be dark, almost burned, and if the bacon wasn't crisp without being scorched, everyone knew about it.

Fortunately, the breakfast table was empty when she passed through to the kitchen and smiled at the robust woman named Rachael who handed her a cup of coffee before she could hardly say good-morning.

"You like a little something in it maybe, Miz Douglas?"

"No… well… yes, I think so this morning, Rachael," Shirley replied, slipping into the narrow seat of the breakfast nook. "Yes… there's some brandy up there in the cupboard right above you. I would like a splash."

"Of course you would, honey!" the big, dark-faced woman replied.

"You're like. me, ain't you? In the morning… first thing… just a nip or so to give you a lift."

"Thank you," Shirley answered, feeling a warm relationship immediately with the sparkling, dark-eyed woman. "I-I didn't sleep too well."

"I know… I know… especially with guests in the house," the big woman said, chuckling and moving around the kitchen as if she'd laid undeniable claim. "I thought we'd have scrambled eggs and bacon, honey, with a little hominy, just not paying any attention to what they think they want…"

"Oh Rachael, Mr. Douglas always has two eggs dropped for a…"

"I know, I know, sugar-lamb. But this morning he gets his eggs scrambled with hominy and bacon… and I bet he loves it!" she confidently said, chuckling in a vein of warmth Shirley wished she could feel. "Tell you, baby, we girls have to do our thing our way, but we tell them it's theirs eh? It's either that or women's lib… and me, I kind of like being dominated by my man."

Shirley listened to her heart-warming chuckle as she worked over the stove, the confident and invigorating sound inspiring a growth of equal strength inside her! God, she wasn't an animal, or a whore, was she? Certainly, Vince Rivers was no less a man for what he'd done last night… then why should she be any less a woman? She hadn't really been taken… defeated… raped! She'd given herself to it… wanted it… with every lustful twinge he'd brought her! She was just as guilty, but no more than he… and as innocent over the breakfast table.

Shirley stood up, a warmth surging through her as she went to their new cook and kissed her on the cheek. "I-I don't know where you've been, but I've needed you for a long time," the young wife whispered with affection.

"Ohhhhh… well now… I don't know what you did last night, baby… but it was never all that bad either!" Rachael answered, wrapping her big arm around the smaller girl. "You just hold your head right up there with the best of 'em, honey. Anybody with a face and a body as pretty as yours don't have to take no back seats, eh?"

Again, Shirley kissed her, then eased away to walk into the dining room wearing an almost unseeing, confident smile, her young mind alert from the splash of brandy she'd had in her coffee.

Lisa and Nomad came in through the opposite door simultaneously with Shirley.

The new wife seemed to be the only one at the breakfast table who was smiling.

Frank looked like living death with his hangover.

Vince Rivers merely watched her with eyes that seemed to lecherously gloat, reminding the blonde girl of 'the cat who ate the canary'… a rather apt phrase she mused as Frank stood to graciously seat her and their too-handsome guest dittoed for Lisa.

"Daddy… I-I want to apologize for last night… the way I acted," the dark-haired teenager spoke out suddenly leaning toward her father and reaching for his hand. "I-I was wretched and… and I know it! I'm sorry. It was a beautiful gift and I love it… it's much more than I deserve."

The blank expression on Frank's face was probably one of less astonishment than the stunned one on her own, Shirley absently measured. For a moment, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd heard correctly, but when she saw the tears sparkling in the vivacious young beauty's onyx eyes, she was certain.

"Well… ah… that's all right, baby… you were just a little upset is all," Frank replied, his big squared face breaking into a handsome, elated smile. He patted her small hand, then beamed his smile toward Shirley. "W-We understand, don't we, honey?"

"Yes… yes, of course," the surprised bride responded, more than pleased, if not a little startled, at being included in what was actually a personal situation between father and daughter. Shirley swallowed at the abrupt lump rising in her own throat. It was just another one of the many ways Frank chose to show Lisa his insistence that she recognize his new wife's place in his life and their family unit.

"I-I want to apologize to you, too, Shirley," the attractive teenager quickly followed, training those tear-dimmed, almond-shaped eyes levelly onto her.

"I-I've… I've been terrible… like a spoiled brat and… and I'm ashamed.

I-If you'll both forgive me, I-I promise to make it up to you."

Shirley was speechless, unable to hold back the tiny rivulets of tears trickling down her cheeks. Frank's happy smile alone was enough to have brought them, but Lisa's added expression of sincere regret was too much. She had to excuse herself for a few moments.

Vince Rivers watched it all with inner amusement, sitting back in his chair and sipping at his coffee. Some fucking soap opera… 'A Day with the Douglas Family' or, 'Her Bladder's Too Close To Her Tear Ducts'! Big daddy, you're a dumb stoop, Rivers thought, and if you could've seen your honey's mouth stuffed with my hard cock last night you'd begin to get the picture. But just as well that you are a dummy, because that's going to make it a hell of a lot easier for me… and today's the day, I'm thinking.

At the same time, the scheming con man was as much taken up with the way his pet, Nomad, was clinging to the side of the curvaceous young Lisa. This was something new, and there was no question but what the big animal was following his telltale routine of thigh-rubbing! Vince watched the way the pretty teenager still leaned onto the table as she talked softly to her father, his greedy eyes too filled with the sight of her full young breasts rippling beneath the silky blouse she wore to hear anything that passed between them.

She obviously wasn't wearing a brassiere – the little hardened nipples of those lushly quivering mounds showed in clear ovalled shadows straining against the sheer material of her blouse. The sexy bitch! As sure as hell, the mutt had scored with her! And maybe. last night! Sure, what else? That's where he'd been all night – in her room!

"There now, baby, it's all okay," Frank Douglas said, patting his daughter's small white hand reassuringly. Even in the torments of his hangover, the big man couldn't remember when he'd felt as good. "Look now, you dry those pretty eyes… and promise me you and Shirley'll get aquainted today."

Lisa smiled through her tears. "I promise, daddy," she whispered. "Now, I better go powder my nose."

Frank watched her trip lightly from the room with Rivers' German shepherd not a half-step behind her. Christ, he had no idea what ever had come over her, but he wasn't about to question it. This might just be one of the happiest days in his life… if he could just find himself man enough to be a real husband to his young bride.

"It takes a lot of inner something to do what she just did right in front of a stranger, Frank," Vince Rivers said, interrupting the older man's plaguing, never absent shame. "You should be proud of her. She's a fine, lovely girl."

"Damn, you don't know how proud I am of her, Vince… of them both… and I guess I don't have to tell you that it's been a trying six months," Frank replied with a shake of his head. Then in a lowered voice, "But I think it's going to iron itself out between them now…

Yes, I think it is."

"You're a lucky man having two beautiful young women who love you," the younger one said, doubting very much that the booze-blooded old fool decorating the head of his table had the slightest notion his guest was laughing up his sleeve … and that was putting it mildly.

But Shirley, re-entering the room with Lisa and Nomad behind her, easily read Vince Rivers' ridiculing tone of voice, and a sharp sensation of shame clutched at her belly. God, no matter what, she could never really forgive herself for the sluttish way she'd betrayed her wonderful husband last night with this evil man. She might learn to live with the salacious memory of it, but there was no way she could ever atone for it.

"No, don't get up, darling," Shirley said. "We can seat ourselves this time, can't we, Lisa?"

"I think so," the younger girl gaily answered, her winning smile almost secretly radiant. In truth, she couldn't remember when she'd felt so unburdened of petty hates and animosities, all of the vicious little hang-ups which had been needling her for months now… and she knew deep in her heart that only Nomad was responsible! He had gloriously made a woman of her – a thrilling enlightenment that she had awakened to that brilliant summer morning like the bursting rays of the sun at dawn! God, she was happy, and she reached beneath the table to pet the massive head of the animal resting against her thigh who had made it all possible. "We… Shirley and I… are going shopping together sometime today!" she beamed at her father. "We haven't planned it out yet, but we'll probably be spending some of your money, daddy."

"Great! That's what it's for, eh Vince?" Frank replied, grinning from eat to ear. "And speaking of money… how's the plant beginning to look to you, young man? I don't like to sit on deals too long."

"I know what you mean, Frank," Rivers replied, assuming his business disguise.

"Quite honestly, I've pretty much made up my mind… favorably that is, if you still want a partner. I'd like a couple more days to check over my notes before I call in my own attorneys to handle the legal end for me."

"Of course… I don't want to push you… but well, I'm anxious to unload the operating end of things," Shirley heard her husband say, a stronger impulse of uneasiness gripping her stomach. She couldn't help but think of an innocent lamb being led to slaughter as she watched the expressions on both men's faces.

God, someway, somehow, no matter what it cost her, she had to bring Frank to his senses, make him know the type of man he was dealing with.

"Good mornin', everyone! Here it is and I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting so long!" Rachael beamed, wheeling in a cart filled with covered dishes and fresh coffee. "We've got scrambled eggs, bacon, hominy and tons of toast on the menu this morning, and anybody that doesn't like that breakfast just ain't hungry!"

Shirley swallowed tightly as the big woman chuckled, then winked at her. She looked at Frank to watch his reactions, tensing as her husband's eyes began to widen beneath a furrowed, questioning brow.

"Hominy?" he repeated.

"Yes sir! Ain't nothin' lie it to stick to your ribs and keep a man going! You agree, Mr. Douglas?" the smiling, robust woman put to him.

"Hell yes, I agree!" Frank exclaimed, his face broadening in a warm grin. "I haven't had hominy in twenty years!" Then, to Shirley, "It's about time we got a real cook around this place, honey."

It really hadn't dawned on Shirley until after Frank and Vince Rivers had left for the plant in their separate cars. Lisa had decided on a swim, asked her to join in, but the troubled young bride had wanted some time alone to decide just what she was going to do to stop Vince Rivers from really swindling the husband she loved, and she was positive that those were Rivers' crooked intentions. If anyone in that house knew their guest for what he was, she did! Her excuse with Lisa of having several letters to write was readily accepted, and after picking up a cup of coffee laced with brandy from Rachael, she had gone to her room, thinking en route of the argument Lisa had told her she and Paul had and that the teenager would like to discuss girl-to-girl with her.

Shirley had entered her bedroom wearing an elated smile at just the thought of Lisa wanting to discuss her love-life with her. She couldn't remember being any more happy over an unexpected turn of events than she was at the beautiful girl's show of character at the breakfast table. And she was truly sorry… that was the marvelous thing of it all, the gorgeous young angel had felt it, said it, and meant it! Who said the younger generation lacked depth?

Whatever had happened to make that embittered teenager do a complete about face? Shirley wondered as she seated herself in front of her vanity and sipped at the spiked, hot coffee. The so-called argument with Paul? Certainly, they must have endured a few of those after all the years they'd been going together. No… that wasn't it directly, even though it might have played a part. No… it was almost as if she'd been taken into womanhood over night… the way a lover, or a husband might sweep her up out of the world of juvenility with sensual love…!

That was the precise second that the dawning stroke raised a rash of goose-flesh over Shirley Douglas' soft, smooth curves! Nomad? Nomad? Was it possible? In all of the hullabaloo at breakfast Shirley had actually lost contact with the handsome German shepherd, remembering now that never once had he come to her, but had remained lovingly crowding Lisa's young thighs everywhere she went! In fact, he was with her right at that moment!

An emotion of unexplainable jealousy washed through the troubled housewife as she bolted to her feet and went to the pool-side doors to look out. He was!

Lisa was stretched out face down on a towel, lying on the deck, and Nomad was crowded as close as he could get to her curvaceous young body! Oh God! There wasn't any doubt about it! That damn little teenage witch had used him! No wonder she was so lovingly gracious this morning! She'd seduced Nomad like some wanton slut, and had been purifying her shameful act behind open expressions of lesser meaning!

Frank Douglas sat behind the wheel of his Caddy that morning hardly realizing he was suffering from the usual pangs of hangover. Hell, he couldn't remember when he'd felt so damn buoyant at this time of day! The whole goddamn world had suddenly taken on a new glow… well, almost the whole world! If he could just somehow devise a way to whip his impotency. Damn he knew that she loved him, wanted him to make… oh hell, wanted him to fuck her! That's what he meant, wasn't it? Yeah… and if he could only shake that enervating sensation which seemed to suck the sap from his very bones when he looked down at her lying there goddess-beautiful in her soft white nakedness beneath him! If only he could!

He'd been good with Mavis… and he'd always been a man with the few extra-curricular women he'd had! What in Christ's name had happened to him? He tried to think about it as he drove toward Douglas Electronics through the heavy traffic, and each time he ended with a vision of Shirley's intoxicating white beauty spread open and waiting for him, his loins seeming to shrivel at the violating thought!

Frank shook his head as he paused the powerful vehicle in the maze before a boulevard traffic-light, the feeling of a newfound family closeness never stronger inside him; yet he knew to walk into his beautiful Shirley's bedroom for the sex that was always ready and waiting for him would end in a total disaster. He was too old! That was the whole goddamn problem! And how long could an impotent old man hold a young, enchanting beauty like Shirley? With young men such as Rivers around… not long! And even if there wasn't a Rivers, he wouldn't, couldn't blame her for finding her own man, could he?

The thought sickened him. He drove slowly, clinging in the right-hand lane, as if that were the line where he and all has-beens belonged.

Vehicles swerved past him, young people drinking coffee and putting on lip-rouge to the reflections of sun-visor mirrors. One girl had her head buried in the lap of her male driver, as if she might be… and that gave him a stir deep in his loins. Maybe she was the wife of his next-door neighbor, and this was the way another errant husband managed it with her! He tried to maneuver his Caddy up beside them, but they were too far ahead and he never saw them again.

Frank found a cigar and lighted it. Oddly enough, his usual hangover wasn't up to torturous standards this morning. Rachael's hominy, maybe.

He smiled to himself. Some gal, he thought, just what his divided home had needed for a tong time. He eased over into the faster lane with a feeling that it was time to do something with spirit. Yeah, it was that, all right. Vince Rivers might just hold the answers for him… for them. Once he'd taken over the helm, Shirley and he could try a new environment, get away from everything just the two of them. Somehow, he felt sure that would do it, though he'd miss the old plant – it'd damn near been his whole life. But something had to happen, and today couldn't be too soon!

Yeah, it was his day… hell, he knew it was, absolutely knew it!

He thought of Lisa and the way she'd done a complete about face at the breakfast table. Christ, he'd been proud of his pretty daughter, but all along he'd known in his heart that she was made of better material then what she'd shown these past months. She'd wind up marrying young Fulton shortly, he felt certain of that, and then it would be just Shirley and himself… not that he wanted to be rid of his daughter.

Hell no, it wasn't that, but it was what the girt wanted, he knew, and he'd bet that hardly a moment went by in a day when she wasn't thinking about Paul Fulton…

In fact, at that very moment, Lisa's young, sensuously awakened mind was occupied with just such thoughts. She lay belly-down, very still beneath the sun's warmth glowing down over her almost naked teenage body. She wore the bikini she'd bought for her graduation party, its tininess exactly what she wanted for sun bathing. Her brassiere strap was unfastened behind and she felt the full soft mounds of her rounded breasts squashing out beneath her, just as she sensed Nomad's furry animal presence crowded against her smooth thigh.

Somewhere, a bird sang, the only sound to interrupt the peaceful, quiet stillness of the morning.

In her new sense of happy relief, the dark-eyed girl had tried to empty her mind of everything, but it wasn't possible. Paul was always there.

Would he call her after last night… or come by, perhaps? And how would she ever explain to him now the absent seal of her virginity when that time came … or could she bluff it?

Nomad stirred beside her, his big muscular body immediately bringing back exciting secret memories of their beautiful party, and the way she had awakened this morning tightly cuddled against him. Tiny thrills of lingering arousal provocatively smoldered in her sensitive loins and softly tingling belly. She thought of the little bruises on her tight, fleshy vaginal lips she'd discovered this morning and the almost pleasant feeling of soreness deep in the intimate channel between her legs. She had examined herself thoroughly the first thing to be sure his huge hardness hadn't torn her anywhere, and it hadn't. The wonderful love-making darling, she excitedly mused as she lay there reveling in the warm sunshine while her still passion-infused young mind continued to feed the glow she had opened her eyes to with her handsome animal lover masterfully cuddling her close.

There was little use trying to deny it, the erotically stimulated Lisa knew deeply within herself as she rolled onto her back, laying her bikini brassiere loosely over her palpitating young breasts. She had to have more! Seconds, as some of the guys might say! God, she just had to seduce him into doing it to her one more time… and there was no time like the present!