Echo in the Hall

by Cricket Starr

  “You look so good, babe. Like a Christmas present all wrapped up.”

  She patted his chest. “Present for you.”

  “Yeah, for me.” He grinned at her, all admiration in his face. “The apartment was one thing, and dinner was another. All great, I should say. But seeing you like this, that’s the best present of all.” He tilted her face to his. “You’re one in a million, babe.”

  It wasn’t a declaration of love, but she wouldn’t bother about that for now. So long as she was welcome in his bed and his home, she’d find a way to make him love her. That was the deal, and she’d manage it.

  She caught his face in her hands, letting her fingers stroke his cheeks. His unshaved beard was harsh against her palms. “Want you, Alex.”

  “Me too, babe.”

  He moved to kiss her mouth, hands moving to unfasten her bra and toss it aside. Freed, her breasts fell into his hands, and he kneaded them, his fingers finding her nipples. He twisted them lightly, sending electric shocks down her belly. His tongue engaged hers as he fondled her breasts, a passionate game of distraction. Which part of her could he make sense more, her nipples or her mouth?

  Involved in the game, she missed it when one hand slipped off her breast and headed for her underpants. She only noticed when he peeled away the covering to find her hidden clit and caress it. The pressure there made all other sensations fly away.

  “Alex!” Chloe moaned under his gentle assault, widening her knees to give him better access.

  He smiled, skimming her underwear down her thighs to toss them away. “This is one time when the present is far better than the packaging.” Pushing her back onto the pillows, he spread her legs. Settling between her thighs, Alex grinned up at her across her stomach. “Last night you used your mouth to turn me into Jell-o. Now it’s my turn.” He leaned forward to lick her folds.

  She wasn’t sure what Jell-o was, but it must be something that quivered and shook because that’s what Chloe did for the next several minutes. Sensation after sensation arrowed from what Alex had called her pussy as he licked, sucked, and blew on her most sensitive spots. Of all things Alex had done to her, this was the most intimate, his pleasuring her with his tongue and lips. What’s more, he seemed to like it. In the rare moments when she wasn’t shuddering, overcome with the amazing feelings he was driving through her, she could see his smile, the pleasure in his eyes at her cries.

  He liked doing this to her. Alex enjoyed making her come with just the actions of his mouth and she loved every moment of it. If she wasn’t careful, Alex wouldn’t be the only one losing his heart…Chloe sensed some serious danger to her own. At the moment she didn’t care at all. Later she’d worry. Right now she had better things to think about.

  The next oncoming orgasm for instance…that was a much bigger worry.

  Finally she could take no more. She needed more than his tongue in her slit. Fun as this was, she needed something a lot bigger and harder inside her. Chloe tugged on Alex’s hair until she pulled his attention from her clit.

  “Please…”

  Alex grinned. “Please what?”

  She licked her lips. “Please, now.”

  The grin turned mischievous. “What do you want, Chloe? Say the words.”

  “I want…you…”

  “And what do you want me to do?”

  Oh, the man was impossible. He knew just what she wanted but obviously he’d decided to make her tell him. Such a wonderful time for a language lesson…not! She’d have to say it, find the words. Very well, what was that expression that Nina had used?

  “Fuck me, Alex!”

  He rose from between her legs, his grin as broad as his cock was thick. “Oh, babe. I thought you’d never ask.”

  Instantly he fitted his broad length to her pussy, driving home with a single slow stroke. Chloe shuddered as he claimed her. It seemed like it took forever for him to completely enter her and then he stopped as soon as he was completely encased.

  Alex gazed down at her. “Babe, I hope you’re ready for a wild ride. I don’t think I’m going to make it last too long tonight.”

  She was ready for anything…or at least that’s what she told herself as he pulled back then pushed home again. In and out, then again. Such a simple thing to do, but each stroke woke another fire in her until she felt aflame. Burning love, that’s what this was, and she was tinder under him, his cock the match.

  But Alex wasn’t immune to the heat between them. His face reddened as he stroked deep within her, and perspiration beaded on his brow. Chloe slid her hands down his back and felt them dampen as his skin became slick with sweat.

  Inside her the flame took hold and she cried out once, then twice at the glorious torment. Alex stiffened and jerked, coming to a sudden halt. Arms shaking he stared down at her. Chloe whimpered at the interruption

  “Babe, this is it. Can’t wait longer.”

  “No talk, Alex. Fuck me.”

  Groaning, he took up his rhythm again, but only for a moment before finishing with a loud yell. His last drive pushed Chloe into one last flaming climax that wiped away all her recollections of previous orgasms. For one brief moment she felt as the phoenix bird must feel, on turning to flame.

  What seemed like hours later, she returned to herself to find Alex sprawled across her. She kissed his skin and tasted his salty sweat. Raising himself onto his elbow, he stared down into her face.

  “God, Echo. That was fantastic.”

  “Chloe. Call me Chloe.”

  “Oh, yeah. Sorry, I forgot.” He settled himself beside her, one arm behind her back. “I thought it was great before, but tonight was even better.”

  “Better sex? Like making love?”

  Something in his face changed, became guarded. “I guess that might be it. We know each other better and that changes things.”

  Alex seemed to pull away from her after that. Chloe tried not to feel the hurt as he pulled his arm away and put distance between them on the bed. He glanced over at the clock and grimaced. “I’ve got to get ready to work, Chloe. I’m doing graveyard shift at the museum again tonight.”

  Moments later she heard the shower as Alex prepared to leave her again, this time to go to his job. This was going to be her life with him, watching him leave for class or to go to work. She’d stay here, keeping his home nice until he returned to her.

  Keeping his bed warm until he returned to it to make love to her.

  Chloe sat up and pulled on the new robe she’d bought today. Was that what she wanted, to stay home while Alex left to do the things he wanted in the outside world? So far she hadn’t minded, but then she’d only been here the one day, and she’d spent part of that with Nina.

  There had to be more for her to do than simply keep house for Alex.

  Alex appeared in the doorway of the bathroom, hair damp from the shower, a towel draped over his hips. Chloe admired the lines of his body as he moved around the room, getting underwear from a drawer, clothes from his closet.

  Buttoning his uniform shirt, he paused to smile at her and her heart tripped. “It sure is nice having clean clothes to wear. It’ll be nice to have someone to come home to, too.”

  After tying his shoes he came over to sit on the bed next to her, and kissed her gently on the mouth. “Go ahead and get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  After he’d gone, Chloe climbed out of bed to go to the kitchen. As she’d predicted, the dinner dishes hadn’t magically washed themselves. For a moment she missed her own magic. Several times today it would have been nice to flick her fingers and have items clean themselves.

  Sighing, she filled the sink with water and soap and set about washing up the hard way. The job required little of her attention and her thoughts returned to her earlier questions.

  Assuming she could win Alex’s love so she could stay in this body, would that really be enough? Sure, sex would be great and having his company would be fine, but what else would there be for her to do?


  The apartment was clean, at least temporarily, and the clothes were washed. She had food in the house for the next few days. She looked around the living room. So bare. Spartan, and she’d never been fond of Sparta’s style of decorating. Too austere for her tastes.

  There was so much to buy. Wineglasses, new bed linens. Some nice dishes, maybe some decorative items.

  Chloe thought about it. She needed to shop, but that took money, or at least credit cards like the one Nina had used. Alex had a couple of the plastic sheets; she’d seen them in his wallet. Maybe she could take one in the morning and borrow it for the day.

  Sitting on the couch she grinned. This was a great idea, to fix up Alex’s house for him. He’d enjoyed her cleaning it, he’d be happy to have it look nicer. She wouldn’t tell him, though. She’d have everything done by the time he got home tomorrow evening and surprise him.

  Chapter Eight

  Alex hesitated in the hall outside the door to his apartment. What had Echo been up to today? When he’d asked this morning before heading for school, she’d been somewhat mysterious about her plans for the day. She’d hinted that he might be coming home to a surprise.

  For a moment he imagined her on the other side of the door, wearing high-heels, an apron, and nothing else. He grinned at the mental image, adding a pair of martini glasses, one in each hand. Now that would be a great surprise!

  Slipping the key in the lock, he opened the door.

  Oh. Dear. God. Alex stared at his apartment, which had now been taken over by the kitsch fairies.

  Bric-a-brac, figurines, knick-knacks, and assorted other crap covered every horizontal surface of the room. Statues of horses, of fairies, and of cupids with dainty wings. Miniature statues of animals, owls, and bears. Even a Greek goddess or two.

  It looked like his grandmother’s home. No, wait. His grandmother had better taste than this.

  Alex closed his eyes and reopened them. It didn’t help, the stuff was still there.

  Echo emerged from the kitchen, holding a wineglass. “Surprise!”

  Yeah, he was surprised all right. “Where…” his voice caught for a moment. Trying again, Alex managed to finish the sentence. “Where did all this come from?”

  She beamed. “Shopping!” Echo looked about, her attitude intense satisfaction. “Went shopping. Decorate.”

  “With your sister? She let you buy all this stuff?”

  Echo shook her head. “No. I buy.”

  “Where did you get the money?”

  Some of Echo’s exuberance faded. “Uh. Credit card.”

  A sinking feeling hit the pit of Alex’s stomach. “Whose credit card, Echo?”

  Now she was distinctly uncomfortable looking. “Yours. Borrow. Not okay?”

  Alex pulled his wallet out of his pants and searched through it. Sure enough, his one and only credit card was gone. The sinking feeling turned into outright fury. She’d taken his card, stolen it and used it to buy a lot of junk.

  He held out his hand. “Give it back, Echo. And I want the receipts, too.”

  Her eyes widened. “Receipt? What mean?”

  “The pieces of paper you got when you bought this junk. I want them, now!”

  Her lower lip trembling, Echo scrambled back to the bedroom and returned with a handful of paper, his plastic card on top. She offered it to him, flinching when he grabbed them from her hand.

  He added up the numbers. Fifty-three dollars from one store, one hundred twenty-five from another. Three thirty-one, four twenty-four…nearly a thousand dollars spent in one day. In addition to the decorative shit that littered his living room, there were bed linens, dishes, and stemware.

  One thousand dollars. It was more than he’d managed to save, more than what was in the bank at the moment, all the ready cash he had in the world.

  Alex staggered over to the couch and sat, thin sheets clutched tight in his hand. He’d skimped and saved, struggled to keep expenses down, and in one day Echo had spent more than he’d managed to accumulate. Fury filled him, his free hand opening and closing in the air.

  Echo had taken his credit card while he slept and used it to go “shopping”. How could he have been so stupid? Why had he let his guard down around her? She was no better than Melody, taking advantage of him, taking his money.

  She didn’t even realize what she’d done was wrong. He watched the way she clutched her hands together and her dawning worry. She was just now figuring out she’d angered him.

  “Not like, Alex?” She waved her arm around. “Not good?”

  “Not good, Echo. Not at all good. Very bad.” He shook the credit card slips under her nose. “I don’t have the money to pay for all this. You spent too much. Way too much, and you spent it on stuff we don’t need. How could you be this irresponsible?”

  She turned from him and stepped away. Her shoulders shook with suppressed grief and he didn’t have the heart to yell at her further. What was the use? She hadn’t realized what she was doing was wrong.

  Alex sank further onto the couch. “What am I going to do? I’ll have to work more. Take on more hours. Or sell something.” His shoulders slumped. “Maybe one of my cameras. I could raise some money there.”

  “What?” Echo sat up and stared at him.

  “I can’t pay for this stuff, Echo. I don’t have that much in savings. I’ll need to do something to raise some cash.”

  “Not sell camera.” Echo stood before him, eyes wide, her lower lip trembling. “My mistake, I pay.” She grabbed his hand, and he felt something fall into his palm. She closed his fingers over it and stepped back.

  Opening his hand he found a pair of earrings, two slender loops with tiny stars and a crescent moon dangling from them.

  Echo backed away from him, gaze locked on the floor. She sat on one of the dining chairs, her shoulders hunched forward over the table. One hand reached up to stroke her empty earlobes and she shuddered. Her head dropped into her hands and she shook with sobs.

  Alex looked down at his hand. Her earrings. She’d given him her earrings to sell, to pay for her mistake. He examined them closely. They were beautiful things, with wonderful workmanship. Probably made by some mythical god. They looked old, even though they were in perfect shape. He guessed they were worth several hundred, at the very least. He looked back at Echo, crying into her hands.

  They were worth far more than that to her. They were all she had. The only things she owned.

  Alex took one deep breath, then another. This wasn’t something that Melody would have done. No matter what his ex had done, she’d never offered to pay for a mistake. She’d never given up anything she considered hers for any reason.

  Echo had.

  He picked up the nearest piece of statuary, noting the small tag on the bottom. He checked another, then another. Finally he stood beside Echo and tapped her on the shoulder. She raised her tear-soaked face to his.

  Some women looked good when they cried. Melody, for instance, on the rare times he’d seen her in tears, had had a noble cast to her face even with thin streams of tears flowing from her eyes. She’d had the look of a martyr then.

  Echo did not look good in tears. Her eyes turned red and her nose ran. Deep heavy sobs made it hard for her to breath and she gasped like a fish out of water. Suppressing his smile, Alex pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. A clean handkerchief, he realized—clean because she’d done his laundry.

  He handed it to her. “Dry your eyes, Echo.”

  She wiped her face, blowing her nose in the thin fabric. There was still a woeful look on her face when she finished. “Sorry, Alex. So sorry.”

  “I know, babe. You only wanted to make the place look nice. Here, put them back in your ears.” He handed her the earrings. Confusion showed in her eyes as she replaced the thin loops through her earlobes. He heard the soft jingle of the tiny bits of metal hitting each other.

  “Not sell camera?” Her worried tone seemed plaintive.

  Alex pulled her to her feet and gathered her
into his arms. He rubbed her tense back reassuringly. “That shouldn’t be necessary. Most this stuff still has a price tag. We’ll pack it up and return it tomorrow. The stuff we need to keep, I’ve got the money for. We’ll be all right. Just don’t do it again. If you need to buy something, you check with me first.”

  The tension eased from her body and she leaned into his arms. “Promise, Alex. Promise.”

  * * * * *

  They spent the rest of the evening packing up the items she’d bought. Most of it had been returnable. Echo hadn’t been inclined to argue about it as he’d put everything back into the boxes, even the wonderful little horse statue she’d found.

  He was right. It was his money and she had no business spending it without his knowledge, so she’d bitten her lip as the precious little figurine had been wrapped up with the rest.

  She didn’t complain at all, even when he insisted that the new dishes and stemware go back. Those weren’t really luxuries, but he insisted cheaper versions could be found.

  After Alex left for work, Echo returned to the kitchen to wash the dinner dishes. One hand kept straying to her ears, to fondle the tiny stars and moon. Praise the gods he hadn’t kept her earrings. They’d been a gift from the goddess Artemis herself, and she’d hated to part with them, but it hadn’t been fair that Alex sacrifice one of his cameras for her folly.

  It had been folly, to spend so much on things they didn’t need. She’d so enjoyed shopping that she hadn’t realized how much she was spending. Bare and empty as Alex’s home was, she didn’t need to fill it with beauty to make it livable. All she really needed was him…to love her, of course.

  It would be nice to have a little beauty around, and there were things she needed that she didn’t want to ask Alex for. Yesterday she’d been able to use Nina’s credit cards, but something about the way Alex had reacted to her sister’s generosity told her that relying on Nina wouldn’t be much appreciated.

  Men hadn’t changed that much over the centuries. A man still liked to provide for what he felt was his.