Nothing Like Old Times

The kitchen was as she believed it would be. Well laid out with what looked to be high quality appliances. It seemed homely and like it had come straight out of a glossy photo in a magazine. She couldn't resist the urge to reach out and check that one of the oranges in the fruit bowl was actually real. Giggling to herself when the waxy skin flexed beneath her fingertips.

"One of those less spoken about advantages of being a lone bachelor is food. Now some, the lazy and inexperienced, will have little available on hand to eat. However, ones like myself, we plan ahead. All we need to do it remove what we need, heat it up and add a little something to round it out."

Heather watched with an appreciative smile as Wendell moved smoothly around the room. Smoothly gathering all they would need to eat. She could see herself cooking in this kitchen, cooking for them both. Baking birthday cakes or roasting joints of meat. Heather lost herself in happy little day dreams of what the future might hold for a moment or two, smiling that little bit wider when he came to stand before her once more and interrupted them.

"While it will take a little longer to heat up, this way it tastes a whole lot better. Also, the salad, when dropped onto the plate, is then stirred, and the heat makes it fragrant as well."

"I don't doubt that it will. And I'm very impressed. The stories I've heard of single men living alone, not to mention my own limited experiences, never featured anything like this."

"To you new future. May it bring you everything you need, want and desire."
His toast stopped her musing dead. The past was the past and that was where it would stay. As she gently took the offered glass and raised it towards his until there was a soft clink she felt as if a spell was being broken. A curse lifted. His toast the future was more than just an idle comment. This truly was a new beginning for her, in every sense of the word, and she didn't plan to waste a second of it dwelling on the mistakes she'd had to live with for so long.

"With you by my side, I don't doubt that it will." She replied softly before sipping her water. For a moment or two she felt like she might cry. So much had happened in the last few days. Despair, uncertainty, relief and joy and every single positive part of them she could trace back to the man before her. She took another large mouthful of the cool water, trying to swallow the lump that had risen into her throat in the process.

"Well," she began once she trusted her voice to stay level, "this really is a beautiful house, Wendell. You have a beautiful home and I am ever so grateful you've invited me into it the way that you have. I don't want to sound like a broken record but I don't think I'll ever be able to say enough thank yous for all the wonderful things you've done and are doing. But I shall try." She laughed gently, taking one more sip before she set the glass down and moved around the counter to stand beside him and slip an arm around his waist.

"I must say, though, it's a lot larger that I was expecting. The house that is." The innuendo was stupid but she couldn't help but laugh some more. She liked that she laughed and smiled so much around him. It was almost as if she was making up for years of worry and stress. "Very large for someone on their own. Have you always lived here alone?" She asked before suddenly looking up, her expression tinged with worry. "I'm sorry, that's nothing to do with me. That's ridiculously nosey and none of my business." She took a little step away from him, cursing herself for potentially spoiling the mood.

His toast to her future caught Heather off guard, snapping her back from wherever her musings had taken her. It took her a moment or two to take the glass from his hand, gently tapping it against his own.

"With you by my side, I don't doubt that it will."

Wendell almost strained to hear her words, ones almost whispered before she took the sip to finish the custom. He was also very aware of her near outburst of crying, which she tried valiantly to hide. He made no comment about it, allowing her the dignity of deciding whether or not to openly acknowledge the release of her feelings.

Wendell chided himself for being too professional with her, trying to analyse everything that she did and said, as if she was one of his clients. Yes, she opened up to him like a client would, and it did set a certain point of view in his mind about her, but then other actions and points of view clearly corrected his thinking, putting her back into the category of 'sexy female friend who was more than just a friend...'. He watched her take a hefty slug of water, reminding himself that she could have very well been thirsty.

"Well, this really is a beautiful house, Wendell. You have a beautiful home and I am ever so grateful you've invited me into it the way that you have. I don't want to sound like a broken record but I don't think I'll ever be able to say enough thank yous for all the wonderful things you've done and are doing. But I shall try."

Wendell smiled and was about to answer Heather when he noted that she was closing on where he was standing, coming to a stop beside him with an arm about his waist. Without any thought, he did the same to her. He hoped that his arm felt the like the same band of blazing heat that he was feeling.

"I must say, though, it's a lot larger that I was expecting. The house that is. Very large for someone on their own. Have you always lived here alone?"

Wendell had nothing against the question, as it was asked innocently, with the simple means of finding out more information, and carrying the conversation forward. But Heather felt differently going by her facial expression.

"I'm sorry, that's nothing to do with me. That's ridiculously nosy and none of my business."

Wendell didn't want Heather to break the intimate contact, but he knew better than to try and stop her. But there was nothing against his following her, turning her to face him, then envelope her in a warm hug.

"It's fine, Heather. Remember, I asked you about your life, and you told me some big, personal stuff. Also, I don't mind being asked questions by you." He took a step back, taking both of her hands in his, swaying their arms between them. "Firstly, the best way to thank me is to make the most of the chance you've got. Get your life back on track, and follow wherever it leads.

"Well, you can also help out around the place too, but that doesn't sound anywhere near as grand as the other way."

Wendell craned his neck to look around the room, before turning his attention back to Heather. "I bought this place when I felt I had finally come out of my shell, because I knew I would find that special someone to make a part of my life. That, and moving all my stuff was a real bitch the time before I moved in here, so I wanted to do it just once and get it over and done with. But that special someone hadn't turned up, so I got to have all of this for myself.

"Until now. Now, I will have to get used to having a girl living with me. The next thing I know I'll be dodging stockings hanging in the bathroom if I can ever get into it. Oh, wait, I have my own." His grin was cocky as he made fun of himself. "No, it will be good to have someone else here."

His face got a little serious as he canted to one side. "I'm sure that I have mentioned this before, but I will mention it again. Any sex we have while you're here is not some form of repayment for what I have done. You have every right to refuse, which will be honoured. When I want to have sex with you, it will be for the simple reason you're so fucking sexy I just have to do something about it. You know, that male hormone thing.

"I want to love you, fuck you, do all manner of exciting and naughty things with you. Your living here does make it a little easier to plan those kind of things, but I'm bunking you here for financial reasons, not ones involving hanky panky, which are excellent side benefits.

"Having said all of that, I now must warn you that after dinner settles, I am going to fuck you, Heather Dean. Have good old fashioned, no strings attached sex with you, with all the attached strings of course. But I do think we just need to get down and dirty and get it all out of our system. What do you think?"

When Wendell hugged, Heather couldn't help but hug him back. Her face resting upon his chest, his skin warm against hers. She felt so close to him, even with their time apart and how brief their initial reunion had been, it was like no other relationship she could recall. Even with her ex, that low life that had stolen all her hope and broken all of her dreams, had never affected her the way Wendell did. She felt so very safe in his arms, as if for the first time she was untouchable. That if bad things came, as they doubtlessly would at some point, Wendell would help her move past them. If indeed he let them get to her at all.

"It's fine, Heather. Remember, I asked you about your life, and you told me some big, personal stuff. Also, I don't mind being asked questions by you."
She smiled bashfully up into his face as he took her hands in his when they parted.

"Firstly, the best way to thank me is to make the most of the chance you've got. Get your life back on track, and follow wherever it leads. Well, you can also help out around the place too, but that doesn't sound anywhere near as grand as the other way."

"That I can promise you I'll do." Heather replied quickly. She had no intention of letting him down, even for a moment. His belief in her was so empowering it almost made her forget her natural doubts. "I mean it."

"I bought this place when I felt I had finally come out of my shell, because I knew I would find that special someone to make a part of my life. That, and moving all my stuff was a real bitch the time before I moved in here, so I wanted to do it just once and get it over and done with. But that special someone hadn't turned up, so I got to have all of this for myself."

Heather had blushed when he'd spoken of finding someone special to make a part of his life. Her green eyes sparkling with embarrassed excitement that he might think of her that way. That she might that person.

"Until now."

Her cheeks glowed a little brighter and she lowered her eyes from his for a long moment.

"Now, I will have to get used to having a girl living with me. The next thing I know I'll be dodging stockings hanging in the bathroom if I can ever get into it. Oh, wait, I have my own."

She laughed at his well natured teasing. She knew she would do all she could to make sure she never became a burden or an inconvenience.

"No, it will be good to have someone else here."

"I'm glad that you think so, and you won't be alone. I'm sure it'll take me a while to get used to living with someone again. Even someone as apparently tidy and well organised as you." She winked.

"I'm sure that I have mentioned this before, but I will mention it again. Any sex we have while you're here is not some form of repayment for what I have done. You have every right to refuse, which will be honoured. When I want to have sex with you, it will be for the simple reason you're so fucking sexy I just have to do something about it. You know, that male hormone thing. I want to love you, fuck you, do all manner of exciting and naughty things with you. Your living here does make it a little easier to plan those kind of things, but I'm bunking you here for financial reasons, not ones involving hanky panky, which are excellent side benefits."

Heather couldn't have lost her smile even if she'd tried. She did feel a twinge of guilt that she ever doubted his motives, even if only for a second or two. The way he spoke of wanting her was for more than just her body and the things it could do in the bedroom. That was all she had ever wanted.

"Having said all of that, I now must warn you that after dinner settles, I am going to fuck you, Heather Dean. Have good old fashioned, no strings attached sex with you, with all the attached strings of course. But I do think we just need to get down and dirty and get it all out of our system. What do you think?"

"What do I think?" She replied quietly. "I think that you don't need to worry. I understand and appreciate all that you're doing for me and that the help and support you are giving me in improving my situation in life at the moment are totally different from the desire to do...wickedly wanton things with me."

Pushing up onto her toes, tugging on his hands with hers to bring her as close to him as she could, she pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss.
"I know that they're different, I understand that they are, because your giving me a place to stay and a job and financial assistance make me want to kiss you like that.

The fact that you want to fuck me until neither of us can probably walk very far...? Makes me want to kiss you like this."
With that she kissed him firmly. Her tongue stroking and teasing his lips until they parted to let it slip into his mouth to invite his to join the dice. She let go of his hands and wound her arms around his neck, back arching to crush bare breasts to his chest and suddenly fighting the urge to try and wrap her legs around his waist too. A hand creeping into his hair to stroke and scratch at his scalp.

All of a sudden the delicious smell of the lasagne emanating from the oven hit her nostrils and made her stomach growl at an embarrassing volume. She giggled and pulled back as much as she could without letting go of him too much. Her lips a shade or two redder than they had been a few moments earlier, tingling slightly from the kiss, just as the rest of her tingled from his touch.

"Food first." She grinned, biting her lip for a second. "Then fucking. Please."

Heather's smile was so beautiful when it was real, and natural. Wendell wanted to keep doing things that made her smile like that. It was a smile to be celebrated, to be shown off as much as possible and basked in just as frequently. He also had a good idea of what he could do to trigger that smile, and everything on the list was something he wanted to do... lots.

"What do I think? I think that you don't need to worry. I understand and appreciate all that you're doing for me and that the help and support you are giving me in improving my situation in life at the moment are totally different from the desire to do...wickedly wanton things with me."

There was a noticeable loss of tension. He was hoping that there would be a continuation of the sexual relationship between them, because he was male and not a complete idiot, but he was also thrilled that she knew that the sex was completely independent of their other agreements.

Wendell felt even better still when Heather used him as an anchor of sorts to close the gap between them, ending with a nice, soft and terribly chaste kiss.

"I know that they're different, I understand that they are, because your giving me a place to stay and a job and financial assistance make me want to kiss you like that."

He smiled and blushed slightly.

"The fact that you want to fuck me until neither of us can probably walk very far...? Makes me want to kiss you like this."

The next kiss threatened to melt important parts of him; his brain, bones or muscles. Or maybe all three. The touch of her tongue was enough to part his lips and allow another dance to take place. When her arms circled his neck, his own went to her waist like it was where they belonged. The pressed of her breasts against his chest made the melting likelihood much more probable, and he lacked a total care about it happening, because only dying of heart failure during sex with Heather beat it as a way to depart the world. When her hand found his scalp, all he could do was moan with pleasure and continue to devour her kiss.

The sound of her tumbling tummy caused them to cease the more than welcomed kissing with light laughter and giggling. Wendell felt that there was nothing wrong or unusual with them being naked in the kitchen, kissing each other as if it were the only way to remain alive. He wanted her to stay in his life, in his house and hopefully in his bed, for the rest of his life. But that was not his choice, it was Heather's. Of course, there was nothing wrong with him stacking the odds in his favour, while she kept all of her other options open.

Which was his story and he was sticking to it.

"Food first."

He looked at the small section of her bottom lip trapped between her teeth, wanting to relieve her teeth of the strenuous activity and use his own. But then, there were other places that needed to be caught between his teeth as well.

"Then fucking. Please."

Wendell started to turn, then turned back to quickly kiss Heather, held up one finger for a few seconds, then moved quickly to the oven. he grabbed the oven mitts, and set about getting the lasagne from the oven, and set it on a cooling block beside the oven. He tossed the mitts onto the kitchen counter, then headed back to Heather.

"To hell with the food." In a flash, Heather was draped over his shoulder as he took her back to the lounge room, where he laid her rather carefully on the longer of the two sofas. He playfully half leapt, half fell on her, trapping her on the sofa underneath his warm, and very ready body.

"You kiss me like that, and the talk about food? Oh, no, Miss Dean. Kissing like that has consequences. Rather strict consequences that are unavoidable." His last word was spoken as he drove himself into her sex, going deep with that first thrust. He reached around, forcing one leg off the side of the sofa as he adjusted his position, and carried through with the threat or promise he delivered earlier.

In that time on the sofa, he was driven purely by lust, wanting to sate his deepest primal urge to fuck one of the opposing gender. The movements were wild, uncontrolled, pure, raw and as old as humanity itself, if not older. He smothered her with kisses that were the same as his fucking. There was nothing in the world he wanted to do more that fuck Heather and show her the effect she had on him. A small, tiny part of him was scared that she might not like the way he was dealing with her, but he warned her he was going to fuck her, and fuck her he did.

He took her bottom lip between his teeth, sucking it deep into his mouth, grazing every fraction of an inch as he let it loose form his captivity. When her lip was freed, he pulled out of Heather, rolled her onto her belly, dragged her legs off the sofa so she knelt over the seating, and took her from behind with another hard thrust.

A hand found her luscious locks, taking in a huge amount in the grip, and pulled her head back enough to tighten her neck as he brought his head forward.

"I want you." He growled deeply in her ear. "I want you so much... I want you to be mine. Mine only."

Heather giggled as he kissed her back and then moved away, waiting obediently while he rescued the lasagne from the oven to prevent it burning and then came back to join her.
She parted her lips, ready to say how good the food smelt but she didn't get chance to do more than draw breath.

"To hell with the food."

With a girlish shriek, Heather found herself hoisted off her feet and carried with little effort away from the kitchen and back into the room in which they had already enjoyed an intimate reunion only a short while before. He set her down gently before sending his frame rushing down on top of hers.

"You kiss me like that, and the talk about food? Oh, no, Miss Dean. Kissing like that has consequences. Rather strict consequences that are unavoidable."

It would have been hard to say which was wider as he thrust suddenly and entirely inside her, her eyes or her mouth. Her body was ready but she hadn't expected such a sudden entry. She was little shocked to see Wendell's need and desire so obviously painted on his face. A happy shock, the kind that sent a thrill racing both ways along her spine in a single second but a shock nonetheless.

Heather's arms rose up, high above her head, to brace as best she could against the arm rest as his arms shifted and his hips became a blur between her parted thighs. It was need. Need and want. Heady and hard and all consuming. Dull and loud slaps broke the quiet as his body collided with hers again and again, interspersed with wanton whine and the wet sounds of her sex willingly taking everything it was being given.

His kisses were bruising but Heather returned them as best she could. Her hips tried at first to mirror the motion of his but they were quickly reduced to a passive role in the passionate fusing of their bodies. Every time their eyes met Heather felt another rush, another pulse in her clit, another jolt in her stomach. Wendell had looked at her with love in his eyes, with want, with need. The look he had now was something new, something she couldn't quite name. Something she'd never seen before.

Whatever it was, she liked it. No. She more than just liked it. Her body felt like never before. Wired into Wendell's actions. Every pound of his hips crushed her clit and made her wetter. Again and again.

As he drew her lip into his mouth she whined into his mouth. She was still shaking when he suddenly withdrew from her. Another whine as she feared his passion had passed and their frantic union was over. She needn't have feared.

Flipped onto her stomach and pinned absolutely between him and the couch with her knees on the carpet and he was back inside her in an instant. His hand tugged hard on her hair and she drew in a sharp breath, her back arcing as her head lifted up and back.

"I want you."

Heather heard herself groan as his words rumbled throatily into her ear.

"I want you so much... I want you to be mine. Mine only."

"I am yours." Heather whimpered, pushing back as much as his thrusts would allow, grinding her hips back against his. "I'm all yours, Wendell."
Beneath her, with her head lifted up by his hold in her hair, her breasts swayed back and forth. Nipples hard and aching as they rubbed against the upholstery.

"I feel as if I always should have been," her words were clipped and spoken in between his deep strokes inside her. "And I know now..." Heather shuddered beneath him as she felt a sudden and powerful orgasm building rapidly inside her.

"I always want to be."
She shivered again as her clit throbbed, his hand tugging, his cock claiming her as no one ever had.

"Yours, Wendell. I'm all yours." Her last word tailed off sharply into a cry as she came, hard, beneath him. Bucking back lewdly as her body confirmed all she had said. She knew no other could ever compare to the way Wendell made her feel, and she knew in that moment she never wanted another to try.

Wendell was a little scared of the side of him that was in control at that time, but he decided that letting the beast out once in a while would be an acceptable thing, more so if Heather reacted in the way she did. But he watched, almost like a spectator as he just went at her like an animal in heat. But he couldn't blame himself, not really, when he saw her. She was the woman for him; if he pictured the ideal woman, it would be Heather, as she was.

"I am yours. I'm all yours, Wendell."

He felt his entire body temperature soar with a great feeling warmth washing through him. He could barely believe he had heard her correctly, afraid that his hormone drowned brain was conjuring up words he wanted to hear, even if there were none spoken.

"I feel as if I always should have been. And I know now... I always want to be."

His pacing faltered as his mind shifted between actions and words. He needed to know that he had heard her correctly, that she had spoken what he had heard. His mind replayed everything as his body took the chance to do what it wanted without him interfering. His pace resumed, but he confirmed that he had heard correctly, and he felt on top of the world.

"Yours, Wendell. I'm all yours."

He was thrown from his lofty perch at the top of the world and sent flying into the heavens as her orgasm triggered his own. It was perfect, nothing could fault the universe in that moment for him. He knew that his transformation from ugly duckling to swan was complete and there was no going back. He went with the flow of his reactions, allowing himself to enjoy them for what they were.

As he drifted back to Earth, he released the tension on Heather's back and neck, lowering her gently to the sofa, bringing himself to rest on her back, doing his best not to crush her. He lips lazily drank the sweat from her skin with soft kisses, his body shuddering from the exertion and the surprises. He eased himself from her hot confines, and help her up onto the sofa, then onto his lap.

"Stay with me. I don't care what you do for a job in the long term, stay with me. Please. Help make this place a real home. You are what is missing in my life, Heather. I know that now. I have been waiting for you to show up, and you're here and you're..."

He looked at her flushed face, amazed at how the years had treated her body so well, even if everything else had gone to shit for her. But that was only a part of her beauty, and he was seeing more of the real her shining through everytime he saw her.

"... probably rather hungry now too. I promise I will not molest you any further until we have eaten dinner."

He hugged her close, as awkward as it was, then guided her to her feet and led her to the kitchen where the lasagne had patiently waited for them. With a feeling of domestic bliss, Wendell finished preparing their dinner, and took it to the table placing them at one end so they could be close to each other.

Nothing short of a bomb could have removed the smile from Wendell's face as he sat down with Heather to eat their first meal together in their home.

The house was quiet, softly rumbling snores the only sign that anyone was home. Every time she heard the sound she smiled a little wider. Heather had woken with peaceful expression on her face that she was sure had been there the whole night. She'd slept beside Wendell, all thought of sleeping in the bedroom he had said she could claim as her own gone by the time his hand found hers over the dinner table and they had headed upstairs. Into his bed they had slipped, into his arms she had fallen, and there she had stayed. At least, she had stayed there until he had awoken her with soft kisses somewhere after midnight.

And then again at three.

The rising sun's light was diffused by the curtains, bathing the room in soft light. The night before they hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights, stomachs full of food and eyes full of each other, their bodies tired from their activities earlier in the evening, all they could think of was rest.

Turning on her side slightly Heather looked at the man who had saved her in just about every way a person could be saved. Wendell looked so peaceful and she hated the thought of disturbing him, so she fought the urge to kiss him into wakefulness. His hair ruffled from a night of sleep broken by soft caresses followed by firmer unions and the faint shadow of stubble creeping across his jaw. Heather allowed herself a small but very contented sigh.
"How did I get here...?" she murmured under her breath.

Not wanting to wake him she had slipped silently from the bed, peeking into his wardrobe and pulling out a shirt before leaving the room. Bare feet padded down stairs, following the route they'd taken the night before and she headed for the kitchen. He had made her dinner, she wanted to make him breakfast.

After some opening and closing of cabinets she was soon making toast and frying some eggs. Coffee was dripping slowly through the machine, hissing and spluttering while it filled the air with it's delicious sent. She'd found a tray and waiting on it already were two plates and some cutlery. She hadn't found napkins, although she was sure he would have some somewhere and so she'd settled for folding two sheets of kitchen towel into vague heart shapes. It was a little cheesy but it made her giggle and she was pretty sure it would make him smile.

Years of having to get up early to get across town with unreliable public transport meant she had awoken far earlier than she was sure Wendell probably did and so she knew they'd have time to enjoy their food before having to get ready for the day ahead.

While she waited for the last pieces of toast to pop up she thought back to what Wendell had said. About staying with him regardless of what happened. Living with him even if she didn't end up working with him. It was a big statement to make, a pretty serious invitation. She wanted to make sure she hadn't misunderstood but the ghosts of the past meant she didn't want to ask in case it turned out that she had. That her luck really hadn't changed and that the man who seemed to love her, all of her and not just her body, wasn't as wonderful as he truly seemed to be. It was something spoken in the heat of the moment, in the afterglow of some pretty wonderful sex, something that would fade away in the light of day.

Shaking her head as the toast popped up and interrupted her worrying, she snatched up the knife and began buttering the slices.
"He wouldn't have said it, if he didn't mean it," she said to herself firmly, turning to drop the toast onto one of the plates on the tray. "He just wouldn't." The coffee jug was added to the collection of items, along with a small pot of cream and some sugar.

Putting everything away as best she could, dropping dirtied knives into the sink to wash later, she adjusted the shirt to make sure there were a few buttons fastened at the front but not too many. The shirt wouldn't flap open and trail into their breakfast but that wasn't the only reason she'd done it, closed as it was it meant she was largely covered up but a large amount of her chest was on show and had someone been behind her as she started up the stairs with the tray in her hands they would have been treated to a view of her rear swaying with each step.

Tiptoeing back into the bedroom she set the tray on the top of a chest of drawers and carefully climbed back onto the bed. Sliding across the sheets until she was laid beside Wendell once more. A few more moments of watching him rest passed before she leant across and pressed her lips to his. Kissing him softly and slowly until she felt him start to respond.

"Morning, handsome," she said softly, leaning back to let him wake with space to stretch should he wish to. "I've made some breakfast, if you'd like some. Can I pour you a coffee..?"

Wendell woke to an empty bed, but one that still carried the warmth, and the delicious scent, of the woman that was sharing his home. He had slept soundly, knowing that it had been a deep, recuperative sleep. There had been no dreams, as there was no need to dream; the reality was so much better. He laid in bed, wondering languidly, what Heather was doing. There was no thoughts that she had fled him after waking beside him. Not after the nice times shared twice in the night.

"How the hell did I luck out so much?" Never in a million years did he think he would ever even kiss Heather when he was in High School with her. Yet a decade later, he had done more than that, and she was a very willing participant. She was in dire straights, and he had the means to help her get on her feet again. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he hadn't at least made the offer. He was thrilled when she accepted it, even with the fringe benefits.

Soon, the smell of coffee, eggs and something else hidden underneath told him where Heather had been, and what she had been doing. He hid his smile, and closed his eyes to feign sleep as she entered the room. He heard everything clearly, caught every tantalizing aroma and felt every little shift in the bed as Heather settled down beside him. The stillness was torturous before she broke it with a soft kiss.

Opening his eyes to her beautiful face was something he was not going to grow tired of any time soon, so he thought to himself. He looked into her eyes, liking the sparkle that lived within them, giving them a life that was missing when he 'saved' her the first time.

"Morning, handsome. I've made some breakfast, if you'd like some. Can I pour you a coffee..?"

Wendell beamed a smile back to her, shifting his head a little to get a better look at the whole package, rather than just her face. He nodded in approval at what he saw, then stretched a little.

"I would love some breakfast, and the thought of coffee is delightful. Thank you, Heather, for doing that. I would also like to say, for what it is worth, you're choice of attire this morning is wonderful. It does remind me of another item of mine you wore..." Followed by memories of what occurred afterward.

Wendell shuffled to sit upright, leaving the sheet pooled over his lap, to help remind them both that there was more to their relationship than the physical side. That, and he wanted to get to work on time, and with his cognitive faculties intact.

"Thank you." He took the offered cup of life re-energizing caffeine and took a slow sip. "This is something that I would like to experience again sometime. Not all the time, but as something that is special. Of course, I will do the same in return for you, since you deserve it as much as I do." He took another sip, a little longer, and let the brew sit a little longer on his tongue.

"Now, I have work today, and you don't. So please take the time to explore, unpack and generally relax. This is your home now, for as long as you want to stay. I would like you to know that I am happy for you to stay, period. Live with me, be a permanent part of my life, grow old and senile with me too. But if you want to live somewhere else when you have the chance, and... if you find someone else who makes you feel even more special, then I am not going to stop you.

"I am doing this because it is the right thing to do. In the long run, it's not going to cost me anything, and I do get to enjoy your company, and have some great sex too. All you owe me is your thanks, and making the most of the opportunity that has presented itself. Anything else, I will only accept if it is freely given because it is something you want to do."

He looked at Heather over the lip of the cup as he drank more of the coffee, and his stomach reminded him that he needed something more substantial. He grinned with a boyish appearance as he lowered his cup.

"May I have some of the delicious smelling food you have cooked? I seemed to have worked up an appetite that is in serious need of sating."

"I would love some breakfast, and the thought of coffee is delightful. Thank you, Heather, for doing that. I would also like to say, for what it is worth, you're choice of attire this morning is wonderful. It does remind me of another item of mine you wore..."

Heather laughed lightly, thinking back to that morning in Wendell's hotel room and the shocked look on the young man's face who brought her a key when he saw her wearing precious little indeed. She got up to pour coffee for them both and then carefully sat down in front of Wendell and offered him one of the mugs. Taking a sip of her own with an appreciative sigh, definitely better than the cheap instant coffee she drank. No, used to drink. Her life was changing, had changed so much already. She needed to stop thinking back to that pitiful existence and look to the future. The man before her made that a much easier thing to do than it had ever been before.

"Thank you. This is something that I would like to experience again sometime. Not all the time, but as something that is special. Of course, I will do the same in return for you, since you deserve it as much as I do."

"Well I loved doing it, it was nice making something for you. I wanted to. As I said before, I don't think I'll ever be able to stop thanking you for everything you've done for me but doing little things like this? Does make me feel as if I'm making a start." Heather grinned shyly

"Now, I have work today, and you don't. So please take the time to explore, unpack and generally relax."

"Well, unpacking won't take long!" she laughed thinking of her tiny suitcase and backpack. "But it will be nice to have a day to try and get used to the idea of being here, of living here, with you."

"This is your home now, for as long as you want to stay. I would like you to know that I am happy for you to stay, period. Live with me, be a permanent part of my life, grow old and senile with me too. But if you want to live somewhere else when you have the chance, and... if you find someone else who makes you feel even more special, then I am not going to stop you."

Heather shook her head quickly and opened her mouth to say that she was certain that would never happen but he continued and so she held her breath and her words for the time being.

"I am doing this because it is the right thing to do. In the long run, it's not going to cost me anything, and I do get to enjoy your company, and have some great sex too. All you owe me is your thanks, and making the most of the opportunity that has presented itself. Anything else, I will only accept if it is freely given because it is something you want to do."

Heather cradled her mug in her hands and just looked at him. Here was a man that she almost entirely missed having in her life, had she chosen to avoid the reunion and the ghosts of the past that she had been running from for so long she never would have met him. More than once since that evening in Hayesville she'd cursed the fact that they hadn't met much earlier, that she hadn't known him back then. But she knew this was the way it should be. She was glad he didn't really know her in her youth. While she knew she had a long way to go to be the woman she, and Wendell, knew she could be. Back then she'd allowed herself to be so easily led, so naïve. She'd watched people she thought were friends be horrendously cruel for their own amusement to those they considered 'less' than they. She'd also let them be mean to her, although in different ways to the ways they treated the geeks and the outcasts. She was glad that Heather was gone and the remnants of her were slowly being scrubbed away by Wendell and she loved him for that as much as anything.

"I'm not going anywhere," she eventually said, "not without your help and certainly not without you."

She smiled and rose to bring over the plates of eggs and toast at his request.

"Please believe that I am here because I want to be. Not because of the job or because of the opportunities you've given me. Or even because of the sex, as phenomenal as it is with you." She grinned and allowed herself a little sigh thinking back to the previous evening and his passionate taking of her on the couch. "I'm here because of you. Just you." Heather leant across to kiss his cheek. "Everything else is just an unbelievable bonus! But don't think for a moment I plan to waste these chances.

"Once I've unpacked I think I'll start going through my notes for that course I was going to start and see if I can contact the night school and see about hiring a laptop or something. I'm sure they'll have a program or something for students who don't have their own resources. I know you said you'd loan me the funds to cover my educational needs but there's not harm in seeing if I can get what I need without spending toomuch!"

"And of course, if there's anything you want me to do around here while you're out, you will tell me won't you." Heather insisted gently. "You cooked me dinner last night and I'd like to cook for you tonight. I want to explore the neighbourhood a little too and the first thing I need to do is to try find the nearest store, might as well go with a purpose!" She giggled. "Although given my usual sense of direction I'll probably be calling you in a couple of hours, lost and in need of your help. Again!"

There were a few quiet moments while they ate and drank, a peaceful contented kind of quiet where they knew there was nothing that needed to be said. Heather also wanted him to know she meant what she said, that she wasn't just there for the physical side of things, and that meant not distracting him too much while he was getting ready for work. No matter how much she might want to kiss him and embrace him, she knew she would be there to welcome him home that evening and that was a thrilling thought indeed.

Sitting in bed, opposite Heather sporting a warm smile while they both sipped coffee, was one of the best starts to a day Wendell could think of. Added to that she was wearing one of his business shirts, and nothing else if his eyes weren't lying to him. The entire atmosphere was delightful, cosy and just how he saw him spending his mornings with the woman he loved. That thought slipped past him without causing even a ripple in his mind, as he listened to Heather respond to his comments, and outline her day ahead.

Food was eaten, the rest of the coffee drunk, then the boring stuff like getting ready for work occurred. Wendell almost asked Heather to join him in the shower, but brought himself up before he said anything. As nice as it was to have her help him shower, and him help her, there was a risk of getting distracted (would there ever be a time when that was not going to be a risk?) and he wanted to demonstrate to himself that he could live with her and not have it impact negatively on his life, personal or professional. But he did allow himself the pleasure of going about his morning routine without any major changes, thus allowing his new house mate the chance to enjoy the view (at least he hoped she did.)

Finally dressed, Wendell leaned over and gave Heather a somewhat chaste kiss, closely followed by a more passionate one that ended in a growl of frustration over the fact he wanted to kiss her even more passionately and pin her to the bed while doing it.

"I'll finish that thought when I get home tonight. You have my cell number so call me if you need to."

Wendell was proud of himself tearing himself away from Heather so he could get to work. By the time he was parking at the office, he had resumed his more professional demeanour, though the thoughts of Heather at home kept him nice and buoyant.

"Well, someone is looking rather chipper this morning. Did you have a good time renewing your friendship with Heather?"

"No, I didn't have a good time renewing a friendship. I had a great time fucking Heather many times during the night, and I was a good boy and left her alone this morning."

"Good Lord! That is too much information, Mister Travis." Sonya replied with a laugh. "But I am thrilled to see you looking so happy."

"Thanks, Sonya. Now... I do have just enough time to get seated and do a quick review before Alan turns up for his session. So, if you two will excuse me..."

Sonya gave Wendell a confused look, until he glanced at her belly. She rolled her eyes and they both went about their appointed tasks.


Lunchtime was when Wendell had noticed just how often he was checking his phone to make sure that it hadn't rung and he missed it, even when he didn't have it on silent like he normally would. As he slowly chewed his food, he cast this thoughts to what Heather might have been doing there and then. He wasn't concerned about what she thought of his place, or how she would fit in, he was curious about how she was doing since she had solid plans that seemed to have her excited about the day ahead.

He grabbed the phone, and immediately put in a text - <I Love You!> and pulled himself up short of sending it. It wasn't that he doubted the feelings, nor the desire to express it, but he wasn't sure if he had expressed it personally, face to face, while not engaged in some form of sexual intimacy. To do it via text would be bad form, in his opinion. The message was erased, and a truthful one sent in its place - <I'm thinking of you... lots.>

"Amazing how something as simple as that can be so relaxing. Hmmm. I need to tell a certain young lady how much she means to me, without doing anything wicked to her at the same time. Who would have thought... I know I didn't, no matter how much a fantasised about it." He looked at his watch. "Only half a day left before I see her again."

Heather was in the kitchen, in the middle of preparing something hopefully delicious for dinner when her phone beeped in her pocket. Quickly washing her hands and drying them, she pulled out her cell and opened the message, smiling from ear to ear to see it was from Wendell.

I'm thinking of you... lots.

Grinning she pressed the button to reply straight away and quickly typed in a response.

Likewise. In all sorts of ways.

Then she paused. It was true, she had thought back several times to the events of the previous night and all their unions before it, she had also thought of her possible future with Wendell. All that they might experience together, and not just in the bedroom. He had spoken of living with him in terms of years and decades, of growing old together and instead of frightening her it had...felt right. It was thoughts of this new life they were beginning together that had filled her thoughts as she'd walked to and from and the store, and most of the rest of the time too.

While she knew that was what she had meant in her message she wasn't sure that the meaning might be a little lost in translation, that Wendell might get the wrong idea. Her finger hovered over the backspace before removing the wink and replacing it with a heart. Smiling happily she pressed send and pushed the phone back into her pocket before continuing on with her preparations for dinner.

Her trip to the store had been pretty uneventful, she'd found her way there easily enough and after chewing her lip in front of the meat section had decided on some beef that she could cook with red wine and some vegetables. She wasn't entirely sure when he'd be home so she wanted to make something that wouldn't spoil easily if he was later than she predicted. She also picked up some more eggs, cream and chocolate, intending to make some chocolate mousse to enjoy afterwards.

She always enjoyed her Home Economics classes at school but her budget in recent years meant she never got to practice what she'd learnt, opening and reheating easy meals and leftovers didn't really constitute cooking after all.

She'd also rung the college that offered the night course she was hoping to join, explaining about her laptop and enquiring about the possible hiring of equipment. The lady she had spoken to had been very understanding, which was encouraging, and although they didn't rent out equipment to students, they did sell refurbished computers and such which sounded perfect. She'd taken some quotes for various computers and made a note of them to share with Wendell when he got home.

She smiled every single time she thought about him coming home. To her. About meeting him at the door with a kiss and a hug and to know he'd be with her all night long.


For what felt like the hundredth time Heather checked over the table. The cutlery was in place, she'd found and placed napkins beside them. Candlesticks had been located too and now soft, flickering light was dancing across the tabletop. The food was ready, the meat and vegetables keeping warm in the oven with dessert chilling in the fridge. She knew they wouldn't eat like this everyday, no one could, but she wanted to make the effort. He'd done so much for her and this was a celebration as much as anything, the first day of the rest of her life. She laughed at how grandiose she made it sound. But grandiose or not, it meant a lot to her that he'd offered her the chance to truly change her life and asked so little in return other than to let him help her.

Aside from the food and the place settings, she didn't have other clothes to really change into besides the jeans and top she'd worn all day and so she settled for adding a little smoky make up around her eyes and allowing her hair to be lose in waves around her shoulders and face. She knew she'd probably have to ask Wendell if he could lend her a little money before her first pay check so that she could buy clothes for work, if nothing else, but that could wait for a day or so. If he wanted her in the office with him the following day she did have her work blouse and skirt from her old job that would do the trick.

With a nervous, giddy smile on her face, she waited for Wendell to walk through the door.

The afternoon was a blur for Wendell, as at the end of the day, he could recall who he had seen, but little else of the sessions he had with them. Normally, Wendell would review what had occurred, and update notes he took during each session before he left for the day. He was a little disappointed with himself over the loss of focus, due entirely to Heather. But rather than beat himself up too heavily, he acknowledged that it was just the start of a new relationship, and she would invade his thoughts at the wrong times for a little while.

The normal end of day routine helped get him back into the proper mindset, as well as letting him think of a few ways of minimising the impact of Heather during those times where he needed to remain focused. He made a decision that while in his office, he would not think of Heather (too much), and save those thoughts for the times when he was out of his office. In some ways, that would make Sonya happy, because it would give him good reasons to get out of his office from time to time, since she nagged him about being almost a recluse in his own workplace.

"Well, another day over, another day closer to tossing you out of here."

"You mean another day closer to chaos, turmoil and the wailing of a psychologist who fears red tape?"

Wendell paused, the folders in his hand hovering over the reception counter for a few moments. "Yes, but my way sounds so less apocalyptic." He let the folders come to rest on the counter top, and he leaned on the space beside the folders.

"So, beginning next week, will you be ok having Heather sitting in and observing what you do?"

"Yes, as long as she doesn't get underfoot too often, I don't see any problems with that."

Wendell nodded. "Now, remember, I want you to be honest with me when I ask you for feedback. Just because I think she is drop dead sexy, and the best thing to happen to me on a personal front, if you feel there are reasons that she will not be any good, I want to know. That way, I can look for someone else, and point her in another direction."

"I was going to be objective about her, Wendell. I know you'd like her to be the one to replace me while I am being a mom, but I am not going to let someone take over who is not good at the job."

"Thanks. I was very confident that you would be thinking that way, but more than anything I wanted you to know I was not thinking with my dick concerning her working here.

"One other thing, just remember if you need to see anyone during work hours, you are free to do so. I can actually survive, if barely, for a couple of hours without you here. I want you, and the baby, to get the best start possible. Got it?"

Sonya smiled, and blushed softly. "Yes, Boss."

"Seriously, you have been so relaxed, smiling more often and brighter since being confirmed pregnant. This is something special and important to you, and I do not want to get in the way of that. Besides, it is the least I can do to thank you for all the times you have helped me through stuff. Professionally and personally."

"Thanks, Wendell. This means a lot to me. Now, go home and bang Heather a few more times to get her out of your system enough that I don't need to put the right papers into the right folders any more."

Wendell raised an eyebrow for a moment, questioning her statement, then thought better of verbalising the question, and headed home, debating on whether or not to do as Sonya suggested.


Wendell did think it rather odd that by the time he had reached his home, he had fallen so far back into routine that he forgot, if for a moment, that he was not coming back to an empty house. He came to that realisation when he open the door to his jeep and caught the aroma of freshly cooked food, which made his mouth start to water.

By the time he had left the garage, the smile on his face was back, along with all the associated thoughts and feelings to do with the newest addition to his household.

Wendell did slow down a little when he noticed the dimly lit house, but it had him even more curious about what was happening. He wandered cautiously toward the dining room, a place that was not used anywhere near as often as he would like, and paused at the doorway.

Candles supplied the lighting for the room, the soft flickering making the shadows on the walls move just enough to make the walls seem like they were not static elements of the background. Places were set for the two of them, and while it had an air of formality to it, something about it was just casual enough to make it quite appealing.

But then he found the true source of appeal in the room, namely one Heather Dean. Dressed in jeans and a nice top, she looked beautiful. She was relaxed, and what he could see of her expression as she looked over the table, she looked happy. He loved the way her hair just seemed to float about her face, contrasting with the lightness of her skin. While the packaging was excellent, what was within was fucking marvellous. She was such a wonderful person, completely different to the person he thought she was in high school, and in so many great ways too. He admired her bravery, honesty and the way she talked to him and did things with him.

He wouldn't lie to himself, or to her either, about the ways she stirred his blood, and how he wanted to love her, fuck her and otherwise use her for their mutual pleasure. He knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her, and there had never once been any objections to his advances, but there were moments when he doubted that what was happening was real. But that was just one of the dying echoes of the old him.

"Hello gorgeous. It was nice to know that you had been thinking of me lots today. Would it be safe to say that those thoughts were all about great things? Good things too?" Wendell closed the distance, his arms fond Heather's waist easily, drawing her close until they touched in the beginnings of a warm hug. "I kinda hope there were a few naughty thoughts in there too. I will admit to having some naughty thoughts about you through the day."

Wendell leaned in and kissed Heather softly, with lots of affection and tenderness. "How was your day? Anything exciting happen?"

He pulled back a little, gazing at Heather for a few moments, enjoying looking at her beautiful face. "But, before anything else happens, can I help you finish getting dinner ready?"

Heather couldn't have hidden her smile as Wendell appeared in the doorway, even if she'd tried. She felt a rush of warmth move through her entire body, a sense of calm and peace that she felt whenever he was around. It was as if she felt safer just by being in the same room as him, there were no dangers to be protected from but nonetheless Wendell never failed to make Heather feel more relaxed by just being before her than anyone had ever done before. She liked feeling that way.

"Hello gorgeous. It was nice to know that you had been thinking of me lots today. Would it be safe to say that those thoughts were all about great things? Good things too?"

"Very good things," she insisted as she rose to her feet to meet him with open arms, sighing contentedly as he drew her into a warm embrace. One which she readily returned, resting her head on his shoulder and feeling as if she could be infinitely happy just to be able to be held like this, by him, on a daily basis. "I thought about you a lot."

"I kinda hope there were a few naughty thoughts in there too. I will admit to having some naughty thoughts about you through the day."

"Oh there definitely were," she replied with a mischievous grin, looking up into his face just in time for his lips to find hers in an extremely soft kiss. She returned it just as gently, the kiss long and lingering, leisurely as they took their time to say hello to one another properly. "Maybe we can share our thoughts later." Heather winked once the kiss had run it's course.

"How was your day? Anything exciting happen?"

"Pretty good," she smiled, making no attempt to break the connection between them. "Productive too, I think. I managed to find the store and get back without getting lost." She grinned proudly at that.

"And I also contacted the college about my course and maybe renting a laptop. They don't rent stuff to students, which I guess makes sense, not everyone will be as careful as they could be. But they do sell some refurbished computers, I figure it'd be cheaper than buying a brand new one and still allow me to do everything I need to do. I got some quotes for different ones, I honestly don't know the difference between the different types so I'll let you have a look at them later and see which you think might be best." She made no attempt to hide the fact that she'd defer to his judgement on such things, she genuinely had no clue and she more than trusted his opinion to be the right one.

"But, before anything else happens, can I help you finish getting dinner ready?"

Heather smiled and kissed his cheek.

"You don't need to but if you want to help, you could sort out something for us to drink? It's beef in red wine, or at least it's supposed to be, so whatever you think would be best with that." Her smile grew far more playful as she added softly, "There's chocolate mousse for after but am sure we can find something else, if you'd fancy a different dessert."

She leant closer to kiss his lips, firmer this time and with obvious lust behind it. Curling her arms around his neck to draw her body closer to his. It was still a long way off some of the more passionate kisses they had shared but she was sure he couldn't miss the longing behind it.

She also didn't want him to think she had been waiting to jump on him and nothing more. She wanted to hear about his day, not just know that she had been on his mind during it. If she was going to work beside him she wanted show him that she genuinely cared about him and his work.

Bringing the kiss to a close she moved back until his face came into focus.
"So, how about you get the refreshments, I'll dish up the dinner and then I want to hear all about your day."

Wendell listened to Heather as she told him about her day, while he got his shirt into a more comfortable manner, namely the collar undone and the sleeves rolled up his arms. He couldn't help the smile that tried to take up the dominant position on his face, coming home to the smell of dinner being cooked. He briefly thought that it would be a fantastic thing to happen, but he had landed her a job at his office, and he would be taking her to work each day, so... so much for that idea.

"You don't need to but if you want to help, you could sort out something for us to drink? It's beef in red wine, or at least it's supposed to be, so whatever you think would be best with that. There's chocolate mousse for after but am sure we can find something else, if you'd fancy a different dessert."

"Well, if you've put in effort for something already, it would be rude of me to let it go to waste."

The kiss that followed was accepted fully, and savoured every moment it was happening. His arms encircled Heather's waist, holding her where she was, rather than pulling her closer. Wendell wanted Heather to know she could set the terms over any showing of affection, and he was willing to accept it for what it was. There would be other times when he would take it, and add to it, but in those early stages, he wanted her to feel that he was approachable and receptive of her.

It was a very reassuring kiss, letting him know that he was missed, but a loving gesture, rather than one of passion or lust. He would have been fine with either of those other options, but anything coming from Heather was not something that he was going to complain about. It was a wonderful way of letting him know how she felt about him, and he made it clear that he felt pretty much the same way about her.

Of course, there was no reason to complain about a kiss when it ended with such a lovely face as Heather's beaming back at him. Wendell waited, sensing that there something else coming.

"So, how about you get the refreshments, I'll dish up the dinner and then I want to hear all about your day."

"Sounds good to me." He let his arms drop, and when Heather did the same, he started moving about looking for a suitable drink to go with dinner.

"You want to hear all about my day? Hmmm... Well, since you asked, I feel honour bound to answer." Wendell went to the pantry that doubled as his little wine cellar, and peered in at the limited selection he had on offer. "Hmmm... since you have cooked the meat in red wine already, another red will probably be a little overkill, and white doesn't go well with beef. At least not in my experience. Well, I think we will go with the default all rounder. Water."

Wendell found a couple of tumbler style glasses, and pulled a water jug form the fridge, and moved them both to the table.

"Well, I had the normal run of clients, nothing too out of the ordinary for them thankfully. Though, it was a little tougher today, because I found myself being distracted by thoughts of you. Luckily, I forced myself to banish those thoughts when I was in my office, and only during lunch, or those times I set foot outside was I able to allow myself the luxury to think about you.

"However, for all that, I still managed to not be thinking clearly enough, as Sonya told me I had been misfiling things, and she had spent time fixing my mistakes. She then recommended, and I kid you not, that I should come home and 'bang Heather a few more times to get her out of my system'. I didn't have the heart to tell her that it would take more than just a few, and that those thoughts had been crossing my mind toward the end of the day anyway."

Wendell was grinning like a school boy at that stage. "I'm more than willing to bang you a few times tonight, if you don't mind, that is. I promise I wont share too many details with Sonya if we do. She's an earthy woman, but not that earthy."

Heather giggled as she spooned the food she'd spent the afternoon preparing onto two large white plates, hearing of Wendell's errors at work thanks to his mind being on other things. She never thought she'd be capable of distracting anyone as much as he claimed she was but she had to believe him. She didn't believe there to be a deceitful bone in his body. She'd known more than her fair share of devious personalities, enough to know when someone's motives were more than a little underhand. Better late than never, her mind added.

She added some creamy potatoes to each plate and then added a generous ladle of the beef in red wine. The darkly rich sauce temptingly across the plate. Carrying the food to the table, she laid the plates down carefully before sliding into a seat and waiting for Wendell to take his.

"I'm more than willing to bang you a few times tonight, if you don't mind, that is. I promise I wont share too many details with Sonya if we do. She's an earthy woman, but not that earthy."

"I don't think I'd mind at all," Heather winked before quickly clarifying, "the banging I mean, not the sharing of details." She blushed and laughed again. She knew he wouldn't share their intimate details with anyone, not really.

She raised her glass of water towards his in a silent toast before taking a sip.
"Let's eat this before it gets cold, I hope it's alright," she added before picking up her knife and fork and starting on her food. To her it tasted good, warm and filling. The flavour of the wine not too strong but definitely adding to the slightly soporific sensation she felt as she cleared her plate.

They spoke little, exchanging frequent smiles in between mouthfuls but the silence wasn't awkward. At least not to her. She guessed he must be hungry, he had been at work all day and she would rather he ate well and sated that need rather than let the food go to waste just so they could make small talk.

There'd be time to talk later. Amongst other things.

Heather found herself fidgeting a little on the dining chair, thinking back to the previous evening. The times they'd come together in the bed were full of desire and affection but it was their coupling on the couch that made it difficult for her to focus. It had been so intense, so...hard. In truth she still ached a little between her legs but when her mind began to run away with itself and the suggestion that more of the same might be to come she found it hard to banish the heat that started to build in her core.

She sipped her water and argued with herself that it was just the excitement at having her there, first night nerves or the equivalent. Wendell had just been swept away with the exhilaration of her arrival. As had she.

She pressed her thighs tightly together beneath the table and tried to calm herself.
God knows what he'd think of her if he knew just how easily her mind could apparently dive into the gutter with little more than a few words from him.

Maybe it was just the wine in the food, she reasoned, draining the last of the water from her glass and quickly refilling it. Wine and perhaps the running out of the adrenalin that had been coursing through her veins since he'd come back into her life. She knew she needed to say something, anything, to try and pull her mind back into the present otherwise he might think her lack of conversation was from some negative feelings or thoughts which would be the last thing she'd want him to think.

"So," she paused and cleared her throat when her voice came out a lot lower than she was expecting, "did you want me to come to work with you tomorrow already? If you don't think I'd be a hindrance, of course." She smiled mischievously over the rim of her glass.

As Heather started to plate their food, the aroma of it hit his stomach hard, and his mouth watered even more than it had on his arrival. She had everything under control, and even if he had done a little to help her, he felt almost like he was being lazy not doing more to help her. Admittedly, he was used to looking after himself each night, and that was a difficult habit to break. But he had few options available to him once the plates came to rest on the table. He sat down and took a deep breath through his nose.

When he noticed the raising of the glass, he followed suit without a word.

"Let's eat this before it gets cold, I hope it's alright."

Again, not a word was said as he sampled Heather's cooking. There was a heart felt "hmmmm" of delight at the first mouthful, which was swiftly followed by a second, his mouth barely finishing the first forkful by the time the second arrived.

Wendell knew that the sign of a really good relationship was one where silence was warm and welcoming, rather than something that needed to be filled. There was a lot of communication happening between them non-verbally that there was little need to add anything verbally. Besides, the food was amazing and he didn't want to loose anything by interrupting his enjoyment of the meal.

Wendell was not self focused to the point where he was ignorant of the small details concerning Heather. He became aware of some fidgeting, and he put it down to one of several things; anxiety over her new situation with him, specific concerns about her new job, the outside chance that she may be a little aroused (compared to his being quite aroused) and possibly not knowing what she was permitted to do at that moment in time - table etiquette and all. He hoped that she would just relax, be herself and go with the flow. Wendell himself had some anxieties over her being there, but due to his training, he was managing them well enough in the back of his mind without them interfering too much in what was happening.

He hoped.

"So, did you want me to come to work with you tomorrow already? If you don't think I'd be a hindrance, of course."

He caught her smile, wondering what thoughts were driving it. Mainly because he wanted to be able to trigger whatever she was thinking so he could bask in that smile again.

Wendell waited for a few moments before he placed his glass on the table, making as little noise as was humanly possible. His arms came to rest on the table, forming a steeple where his chin came to rest. He looked straight into Heather's eyes as his expression took on a more neutral tone.

"No. You will start on Monday. Sonya needs a little time to prepare for your presence. Knowing her, she will have several ring binders full of massive walls of text outlining the black arts she employs to keep the office running smoothly." He smiled a little and shook his head. "Sorry, but seriously, Sonya wants to make sure that everything will be right for when you come in to observe. It would not be fair on either of you to drop you in there tomorrow, more or less unannounced.

"In the meantime, I would like you to look at a wardrobe for your role. There is no uniform, but I am certain that you will have a good idea of what it acceptable and what is not for such a client facing role. I will loan you the funds to get whatever you need, and you can repay me as the funds become available.

"Once we clean up, I would like to find out what you know about the course you are planning to do, what the expect workload will be, and what you have found out about the computers available to you. We can figure out what are the best options for you. I do have a room spare that we can turn into a study for you, if you think that will be of help."

Wendell dropped his closest hand to take a hold of one of Heather's. He gripped her hand firmly, supporting her through his grasp, rather than trapping her or restricting her movement.

"I know you are nervous right now, probably imagining all kinds of irrational scenarios that will come of this. You've been through a lot, and it is understandable that you may feel that you're not deserving of this, or that you're being set up for some nasty sting. I am prepared to give you whatever space you need. While I have many... purely male thoughts of what I want to do with you, I know there is more that can be done together besides that. I also don't want you to keep putting me first. You have desires, hobbies, wants and needs. I will do everything within reason to allow you to get them.

"Now, you stay put while I clean up. Then we'll talk about the course stuff, then we can decide what we will do before we retire for the night after that." Wendell stood up, moved beside Heather and kissed her cheek. "Remember, you can also be honest with me about anything. I wont demand you tell me everything, but I would rather you not hold anything important back. That includes anything that you want to do, or not want to do. OK?"

He left another kiss on her cheek as he picked up her plate and cutlery along with his own, and took them to the sink. He gave them a quick session under the tap before he loaded the dishwasher. Several soft beeps announced the settings were chosen, followed by a soft hum of the machine going about its tasks.

"How about we go into the lounge room to have that talk, hmm?"

Heather squeezed his hand when he took a firm hold of hers. Greeting his concerned expression with a soft smile, unsure of how to vocalise just how she felt. She was pretty sure if she said the words ‘thank you’ any more times they’d probably lose all value. Luckily he spared her the trouble of thinking of something original by speaking first.

"Remember, you can also be honest with me about anything. I won’t demand you tell me everything, but I would rather you not hold anything important back. That includes anything that you want to do, or not want to do. OK?"

“I will be, I promise,” Heather assured him, smiling contentedly at the brushed kiss to her cheek. “No secrets.”
Her smile didn’t fade as she watched him take their things away. She took a moment to try and calm her racing mind and heart, to focus instead on things he said he wanted to know. The details of the courses she’d looked at, the computers she’d been offered.

It wouldn’t take long, of that she was sure. The course was straightforward and the computers she had no real opinion about either way, she’d let him pick which one was the best out of those she’d found out about.
Then to bed, apparently. She didn’t argue with that, she assumed he must be tired from work and she more than liked the idea of going with him, especially as she was hoping to be able to tempt him into a little fun before going to sleep.

"How about we go into the lounge room to have that talk, hmm?"

“Sounds good to me,” Heather nodded, rising off of the chair and following him into the lounge.

Taking a seat beside him on the couch, not too close as she wanted to be able to focus on what he might ask rather than on the scent of his aftershave and what happened the last time they were ‘on’ the couch together, Heather turned to face him. She did however curl her legs up beside her so she was leaning against the back of the couch, almost kneeling beside him as she began to speak.

“So, I’ve looked at a few courses. Or I had done at least. Mainly secretarial and office stuff, nothing too taxing, which as it now turns out would probably be beneficial in my new position.” She couldn’t help but grin at that. “Word processing, spreadsheets, all that type of stuff.”

“It was almost entirely online, given that I thought I’d be limited to using my weekends and evenings with my hours at the store, so in that way it shouldn’t interfere with my working for you too much. There were some webinars and various tasks to be completed at certain dates. The course ran for 12 weeks, I think, with an option to complete a more advanced business-related certification afterwards. Assuming I passed the first course, that is.”

“After the reunion, after meeting you, I did briefly consider seeing if I could pick up where I’d left off at OSU all those years ago but the fees naturally put me off. Plus I’m not sure I want to be reminded of just how badly I screwed up what seemed to be a promising beginning.” Heather sighed quietly.

“Anyway, the choices we make when we leave High School aren’t always the right ones, are they? In my young, inexperienced head back then a history degree seemed a good move. I’d always loved history at school, learning about all those who went before us, learning to learn from the past. Looking at how our past makes us who we are…” Her voice tailed off a little as her words struck something unexpectedly inside her.

A realisation of sorts. Her personal history of mistakes and mistreatment was not who she was but it had contributing to making her into the woman she was, or the woman she was trying to be at any rate. She was learning to find value in herself, strength in her convictions. With large amounts of help from Wendell of course.

“I guess I’m still learning to learn from my own past and not just run from it but I’m so, so glad you want to be a part of my future.” With a slightly watery smile on her lips she leant across to kiss his cheek. “And to be honest, what would I do with a history degree now anyway?”

“Oh, and then there are the computers,” she leant towards him again, rocking over onto one hip to allow her to pull a folded piece of paper out of the back pocket of her jeans. Details for 3 different refurbished laptops had been carefully written out in her neat handwriting and she swiftly handed the paper over to him. “Other than the brand names and some of the programmes they come installed with, I have next to no idea what any of that means. It might as well be written in Greek for all the sense it makes to me! But I’m quietly confident you’ll know what processor is the better of the choices there and how much RAM one really needs.”

She lifted her arm to rest the elbow on the back of the couch and cushion her cheek on her hand.
“As for hobbies I never really had time for anything, maybe now though. And as for my desires and wants and needs…” her voice lowered ever so slightly as she fought an overwhelming urge to look pointedly down his body, it was more than just sex but damn if what they shared wasn’t amazing. “I think it’s safe to say they’ll be pretty much taken care of here at home.”

Home. Such a tiny word with such huge connotations. It did feel like home. Finally, for the first time in a very long time, Heather truly felt as if she was somewhere she belonged. And more than the house and the job and the prospects, she felt as if she belonged with Wendell. For her that was the most special thing of all.

Heather stood up to follow Wendell into the lounge room, where his thoughts went back to the first thing that happened there. He felt the faintest stirrings in his groin, but he ignored it. They had been at it more than a few times already since he brought her home, and there would be plenty of other times to get it out of the system later. They were going to talk about important stuff, not fuck like horny teenagers again.

They sat down, close enough to be personal, but not distant in a way that showed a lack of interest, or a need to be out of range. 'Take it easy, son. All is good.' He watched her get comfortable, which had an added bonus of showing off her figure nicely, without making his brains dribble out his ears.

He listened to everything she said, nodding at key points and noting certain sections to come back to. Everything was presented logically, along with a touch of excitement and nerves that came with it. He knew the importance of it for Heather, and he felt the slightest tinges of excitement too. Of course, it was not degree level learning, but it was specific in the nature of what was being taught. If nothing else apart from those work related skills, it would remind Heather of what it was like to study again, if there was something else that caught her fancy.

“Anyway, the choices we make when we leave High School aren’t always the right ones, are they? In my young, inexperienced head back then a history degree seemed a good move. I’d always loved history at school, learning about all those who went before us, learning to learn from the past. Looking at how our past makes us who we are…”

Wendell's interest spiked as Heather's words evaporated, and her face took on the 'Thousand Mile Stare' that his clients got when the brain started down an important path. He knew to keep quiet, not to move if possible, and wait out the process going on before him. Epiphanies a plenty occurred during those times, and he didn't want them to be lost due to something he did.

“I guess I’m still learning to learn from my own past and not just run from it but I’m so, so glad you want to be a part of my future. And to be honest, what would I do with a history degree now anyway?”

The kiss brought a warm smile from him, grateful that he was able to still be helping Heather find her way again. He wanted to support her, and gain her support, in their respective travels through life.

Next came the subjects of computers. Wendell knew enough about them to know he was far from an expert, but there were some sites that he used when he needed to find out about the more nitty-gritty about them. But he had some ideas of what was suitable for certain tasks, like office work, that he could take some educated guesses without calling on expert help.

He hoped.

“As for hobbies I never really had time for anything, maybe now though. And as for my desires and wants and needs… I think it’s safe to say they’ll be pretty much taken care of here at home.”

'Home' That one word hit him harder that watching her try and tell him that she had more interests outside of work than having sex with him. He doubted that sex with Heather would get boring anytime in the foreseeable future, he did have some things he wanted to do, and liked doing, that didn't involved sex.

"OK," Wendell cleared his throat and looked at the sheet of computer related details. Nothing leapt out at him as being wrong, or underpowered. "Well, unless you are writing War and Peace, or doing spreadsheets with tens of thousands of lines of numbers and complex formula, then I think any of them will be fine. The second one will probably be the best of the lot, since it has the most memory, which according to my research, will give it the longest usable lifetime. So we can organize to purchase that one, and from the looks of it, you wont need any other software on it for the course."

Wendell sucked in a large part of his lower lip, catching it between his teeth as he continued to look at the piece of paper in his hands. He looked up towards Heather, the lip slipping free.

"I know everything has happened really fast, and there is so much for us both to work out. I know there is a strong, mutual attraction, but again, I don't want you to feel that your entire world needs to revolve around me. Neither do I want you to feel that you owe me anything above and beyond what has been asked. I am not going to force you to stay here, but I will beg and grovel if I need to if you think about leaving. I want you to feel like you can chase your own dreams, be they ones concerning hobbies you might find you like, or some line of work that gives you a thrill.

"I am not expecting you to remain my office manager for ever, because I will be honest and say that would be a waste of your talents. But this is meant to be a boost for you, to help you get back on your feet so you can take control over your life again. When you feel the desire to look at going back to university, or to up skill and get a better job, don't feel that you can't because of what I have done for you."

Wendell shook his head as he smiled broadly. "I need to calm it down a little, huh?" He licked the middle of his top lip and let the smile reduce itself a little. "This is a dream come true for me. More than a dream. More like a miracle. I was one of those numerous poor shmucks that had no chance with anyone even close to your looks, who never existed in your world. I had the standard teen fantasies involving you, only one of them I came close to living out back at school.

"But now, I am a lot wiser than I was, and a lot different physically too. I still want you, and I think I have made that clear enough to you since we met at the reunion. I want you to flourish the way you were meant to. If you want to share anything with me, I will accept it, treasure it and feel like the luckiest soul on Earth.

"I think I will shut up now, before I really put my foot in it. I have a feeling that deep down, I think that this is all a dream, and I am scared I will wake up from it to find none of it has happened."

She watched him look over the choice of computers and listened to his reasons as to which one would be the best choice. Smiling shyly when he spoke of wanting her to feel free to do what she wanted, giggling quietly when he mentioned grovelling should she choose to leave.

Plucking the no longer needed paper from his fingers she set it aside and moved to sit across his lap, curling one arm around his shoulders to keep herself steady as much as to hold him close. Pressing her lips to his in a slow, sweet kiss.

"Wendell, I promise I don't feel too overwhelmed and if I do it's not in a bad way," she pulled back to offer him a smile, "I'm as nervous as you are that this amazing new beginning might just be a dream. That it's all too wonderful to be real."

"But just as you don't want me to feel indebted to you I would hate to think you felt obligated to spend time with me. You had your own life before I came into it and that life should continue now. You must have friends and hobbies, the gym or the pool. Something outside of work."

"You know I'll be here whenever you want me to be and I'm a big girl," she grinned playfully, "I can find ways to entertain myself when you're not around. Assuming my studies don't eat up all my free time of course."

She kissed his cheek and nuzzled into his neck, drawing in a deep breath and filling her nose with the smell of him. His aftershave, the smell of his laundry detergent in his shirt, that other underlying scent that was him and him alone. It sent happy thrills racing down her spine and between her thighs.

What they had found together she knew was more than just lust, it went far deeper than merely the physical, but as she felt she had such limited ways of showing him just how much he meant the physical was as good a way as any to make sure he never doubted her affection for him.

"Now, seeing as you mentioned dreaming not so long ago," with one more kiss to his cheek she slid from his lap and stood before him, holding her hand out for him to take, "why don't we head upstairs and see if we can't make another of those highschool fantasies of yours about me come to life?" She tipped her head to the side ever so slightly, letting her dark hair fall in an inky black, waving curtain down the side of her face.

Life was not going to be boring with Heather around, definitely not for the foreseeable future. She was a delightful mix of shy, and forward; enough to keep him on his toes with when she decided to run with some thought or idea, and when she happily sat back and allowed events to play themselves out. So when the piece of paper was plucked from his hand, and Heather eased herself into his lap, Wendell wasn't sure what was coming, but had some hopes that he kept ready.

One arm came to rest around his neck, the warm presence welcomed through the light fabric of his work clothes, and making him regret that he was still dressed. The sofa was starting to have a very naughty association developing that was making it hard, along with other things, to just sit there with Heather in any simple, social manner. Of course, those thoughts feelings and reactions were amplified when Heather leaned in for a kiss. Ever the gentleman with regards to that, Wendell accepted her kiss, and returned it in kind. She tasted wonderful, with the faint remnants of their meal adding a nice touch to the overall experience.

"Wendell, I promise I don't feel too overwhelmed and if I do it's not in a bad way, I'm as nervous as you are that this amazing new beginning might just be a dream. That it's all too wonderful to be real."

"But just as you don't want me to feel indebted to you I would hate to think you felt obligated to spend time with me. You had your own life before I came into it and that life should continue now. You must have friends and hobbies, the gym or the pool. Something outside of work."

"You know I'll be here whenever you want me to be and I'm a big girl, I can find ways to entertain myself when you're not around. Assuming my studies don't eat up all my free time of course."

"Oh, I know you're a big girl. You have proved that many times already."

Wendell was going to say more, but the kissing and nuzzling that followed were just too enjoyable to ignore, and talking would have required him not taking as much notice of what she was doing, and what effect it was having. He could have happily sat there all night with her perched as she was, with her head against his shoulder and neck,and he would have been as content as could be.

"Now, seeing as you mentioned dreaming not so long ago, why don't we head upstairs and see if we can't make another of those highschool fantasies of yours about me come to life?"

The dismount was cleanly executed that she didn't miss a beat in what she was saying. Wendell just sat there, loving the view as her hair fell over part of her face, giving it an appearance that professional photographers would have almost killed to capture. It took him a moment or two to grasp that she was waiting for him to react, her hand out in anticipation. Wendell blinked a couple of times then reached out to take the offered hand.

"Well, most of the high school fantasies are rather straight forward, and rather similar that it would be rather boring, not to mention over rather quickly." He eased himself out of the sofa, and shifted his grip of her hand to interlace their fingers. "Now, some of my fantasies in the time between seeing you at the reunion and talking to you after you found my card... now, those are fantasies that I am looking forward to making a reality, if you're wanting to do something along those lines."

Wendell started them slowly moving towards the stairs, but stopped Heather and turned her to face him. He gave her a warm smile, followed by an equally warm kiss. It was a lips only affair, but it carried a heat that suggested that there was more passion lurking in the depths. Wendell paced himself for a lengthy connection between them. There was little reason to break that kind of contact with her. There was no need to be anywhere else, they were alone in his... their home, and he was certain that Heather was not wanting to rush anywhere either.

But, all things, even the great, must come to an end. He felt their lips peel apart, which made him smile even more, as if his lips were trying their hardest to not allow them to leave Heather's.

"Now, on the subject of fantasies, I am fairly certain that you have had some too, and at some stage, I would like to help you bring some to life as you have for me. Or, at least I hope you have had some."

Wendell turned Heather to face the stairs, and with a slight move of his hand, indicated for her to start up the stairs. Not only was he being polite, but he was also wanting to watch her magnificent derriere from a close vantage point as she walked, even if it was around a dozen paces, give or take a few. It was such a great ass, it was almost a crime not to enjoy it in that way.

Once at the top of the stairs, he took his place by her side once more, and they walked casually toward the bedroom where they were going to have a fine end to their evening.

"Oh, damn. We didn't have the dessert you made!"

"Well, most of the high school fantasies are rather straight forward, and rather similar that it would be rather boring, not to mention over rather quickly."

Heather suppressed a giggle, she couldn’t believe that. Given all of their times together, being over quickly wasn’t something she associated with Wendell. Her smile broadening as his fingers wove into hers, it felt so natural as if their hands were made to fit together. Along with other parts, her mind added wickedly.

"Now, some of my fantasies in the time between seeing you at the reunion and talking to you after you found my card... now, those are fantasies that I am looking forward to making a reality, if you're wanting to do something along those lines."

Heather’s smile grew almost bashful. The idea that he’d continued to think about her in such vivid ways during their time apart was more than a little heady. The kiss that followed was warm and almost sweet but there was an undercurrent of something else. Something far hotter but like the slow smoulder of an ember before it catches light there was the promise of so much more. There was an ease about it, like the way his hand held hers. A comfortable quality that Heather had never experienced with anyone before. Everything about what they shared felt right. This was something they should never stop doing and should probably have been doing for a long time.

"Now, on the subject of fantasies, I am fairly certain that you have had some too, and at some stage, I would like to help you bring some to life as you have for me. Or, at least I hope you have had some."

Heather’s smile faded ever so slightly when he mentioned her own fantasies. For a disappointing moment she was pretty sure she’d never actually had one. But then she thought back to all those lonely nights after the reunion. The times when she’d slipped back into her memories of those few precious hours and days with him. Weren’t they fantasies of a sort?

“I’ve had a couple, I think, but only since a certain someone came into my life,” she admitted quietly, looking back over her shoulder at him as she led the way upstairs. “My life right now is almost a fairytale with my handsome prince having rescued me from a terrible life. I don’t need fantasies. I have you.” Heather looked up into his face as they headed towards the bedroom.

"Oh, damn. We didn't have the dessert you made!"

Heather chuckled, moving closer to press her front against his. Fingers walking up the front of his shirt to continue the job he’d started before they’d eaten, undoing the next button down from his collar and then another. Parting the fabric and pressing soft, lingering kisses to the skin as she revealed it.

“It’ll keep,” she murmured, her breath dancing over his exposed chest. “Besides, I’m sure I can find something to satisfy your sweet tooth, if that’s what you crave.” She looked up into his face while her fingers continuing their downward journey and popping open the buttons, tugging his shirt out of the waistband of his trousers. The urge to touch him, taste him, rising up unstoppably inside her. She wanted to keep putting that smile on his face that made her feel all shaky inside, wanted to know that all of his teenaged (and adult) hopes and dreams about her were not unfounded. To please him in a way she knew she could.

"What do you want, Wendell?" Heather asked coyly, lips pressing a meandering trail down his chest, knees starting to bend and bring her face lower. Fingers now skirting around the closure of his trousers. "Tell me what you want me to do..."