3rd World Products, Book 16

by Ed Howdershelt

  “Angel food sounds good.”

  “I’ve been wondering what to do about tomorrow. I can’t call in sick. Our visit to the clinic might get back to them.”

  “Might as well fly the board to work and tell them you need the day for training. If you buy the board, your world’s gonna change.”

  She stopped in the motion of hanging her towel on the rack and looked at me, then asked, “Change how?”

  Hanging up my own towel, I said, “If you buy it, you’ll want to use it. If you use it, you’ll be spotted. Expect some media types to show up. Friends and family will want rides. You won’t want to piss money away on gas and a car anymore, so you’ll use the board to commute to work and go everywhere else. Stuff like that.”

  After a moment, she nodded and we headed for the kitchen. There were only four skinny slices of cake left on the tray, so Tanya just provided forks and napkins. I found a can of Seven-Up in the fridge and Tanya retrieved her unfinished juice pack.

  As we dug into the cake, Tanya said, “You never said how much scooterboards cost.”

  Thinking back, I remembered having told her, but I answered, “Serena sells them for ten grand each.”

  With a measure of shock, Tanya yelped, “Ten thousand dollars?! Ed, I don’t have that kind of money!”

  Shrugging, I said, “So we’ll work out a payment plan. Sooner or later you’ll sell your car rather than continue to feed and insure it.” With a grin, I suggested, “Or maybe you could set up your own rapid transit service, ma’am. Boards move pretty fast and lots of people would cough up good money for local trips.”

  “Umm… No. I’d prefer payments until I sell the car.”

  “Too bad. You could have put together a fancy costume and swooped out of the sky like some kind of transportation goddess.”

  Tanya laughed and nearly choked on a bit of cake. “A transportation goddess?”

  “Sure, why not? It isn’t exactly a new idea, y’know. The Greeks and Romans had deities for every purpose and occasion. And you have a great bod, ma’am. Since the board has a protective field, you could wear something skimpy and…”

  Her left eyebrow went up. “Skimpy? Why skimpy?”

  “Short skirts get bigger tips. Haven’t you ever tended bar?”

  “No, and I don’t intend to. Nor do I intend to wear skimpy outfits when I’m using the board.”

  “Killjoy. You’d be absolutely inspiring. Men of all ages would fall at your feet. Prob’ly a number of women, too. You could show up for book signings and…”

  “Book signings?!”

  “You keep interrupting, ma’am. Wouldn’t you write a book? If not, why not? And then there’d be the movie someone would make about you. See if you can hold out for a big-name star to play you. And don’t forget endorsements. You like those juice thingies. I’ll bet the company would jump at the chance for the world to see you drinking one.”

  Tanya had worn a vastly skeptical look during all but the last of my words. Now her brow knitted slightly and she eyed the juice pack as she said, “I’ll bet they would. I’ll bet they’d even pay me enough to pay off the board AND my car.”

  “I thought you were gonna dump the car.”

  Rolling her eyes, Tanya said, “Maybe not right away, okay?”

  “Yes, milady. Got it. Maybe not right away.”

  For whatever reason, Tanya looked at the wall clock near the fridge and seemed shocked as she asked, “Do you know what time it is?”

  I did. I’d seen the clock on the way in. “About eleven-fifteen.”

  Her eyes switched to me. “Your back’s to the clock. How did you know that?”

  “Would you believe me if I told you?”

  “That would depend, but at this point, probably.”

  Shrugging, I said, “Okay, then. I saw the clock on the way in.”

  Tanya gave me a narrow look for a moment, then gathered our forks and napkins on the now-empty cake platter and wadded the wax paper that had wrapped the cake. Tossing the wax paper in the trash, she took the tray to the sink and washed it.

  I said, “You look almost as good from behind, ma’am.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “Wanna come sit on my lap for a while?”

  Her shoulders shook slightly as she chuckled, “No. We have to get up in the morning. My alarm rings at seven-thirty.”

  “On a Sunday?”

  “We take turns running the office on weekends.”

  “What time do you have to be there?”

  “Nine.”

  “Then that’ll probably work out just about right.”

  Setting the tray in a rack to dry, Tanya turned around and asked, “How do you mean, ‘work out’?”

  “Well, I was kind of hoping you’d pounce on me for a pre-commute quickie. We’ll have time to spare.”

  “It takes me almost thirty minutes to… Oh. Right. If we take the boards, no traffic.”

  Nodding, I said, “Yup. No speed limits, either. I vote we use the extra time instead of sleeping in.”

  Canting her head in an ‘I’ve got your number’ manner, she replied, “I’m sure you would,” then she straightened and said, “And you’re right. And I don’t know where the hell that came from.”

  Coming to stand in front of me, Tanya leaned to kiss me fully, then examined the results in my lap. Without a word, she lowered herself to my lap, inserted me, and eased herself downward until we were fully connected. She then reached for her juice pack and sipped.

  We talked and played for perhaps fifteen minutes. She had no crashing orgasms, but she seemed quite happy to be impaled and posted occasionally. When she felt me softening a bit, she kissed me. That cured the problem, but my butt and the backs of my legs were really beginning to feel the hardwood chair. She had to ‘cure’ me again a few times as we played.

  Leaning close to my ear, Tanya whispered, “I really love having your dick inside me.” That made it buck with enthusiasm and she giggled and grinned as she sat back upright on it.

  “Can’t think of a better place for it. Or a more worthy cause.”

  Leaning back to arm’s length, Tanya posted slightly and asked, “Do you think you’ll come again?”

  “I will if you keep doing that.”

  She grinned even wider and posted some more. Sure enough, I felt the tingling begin. Tanya sensed the moment, too, and kissed me deeply as I spurted. She groaned softly and hugged me hard for a time, then stroked my arms and shoulders as she sat upright.

  “I love that,” she sighed. “I’ve missed it. It was always like putting everything on the line to let Martin come in me.”

  It wasn’t the first time I’d heard something like that, but I said nothing and didn’t interrupt her moment.

  Tanya said, “Martin was my husband. I tried the pill for a while. And other things. But I never felt completely safe with any of them and the pill made me sick. The hormones messed with my head.”

  Sipping the last of her juice, she tossed the packet at the trash, missed, and said, “But this… this contraceptive thing about PFMs… I feel as if I can just let go and fuck! It’s wonderful!”

  She kissed me again and caused another buck and a squirt. It made her grin and giggle as she peered down at our connection. She made a little posting motion and milked another tiny squirt out of me, then kissed me again. My dick stiffened back up, which made her giggle and lean back to grin at me.

  “If I keep kissing you, I can keep it up all night, can’t I?”

  “I dunno, ma’am. This chair is really getting to me. Even your hot magical kisses might not work very well soon.”

  Realization hit her and she nibbled her lip as she lifted off me. When I stood up, she made concerned noises as she rubbed my back where the chair slats had left their impressions, then she rubbed the backs of my legs where the edge had dug in.

  “Sorry,” she said, “It’s probably good that we finished when we did.”

  “Yeah, could be. Let’s see if I can still wal
k.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “You were impaled on my dick, ma’am. I couldn’t think. You know how men are at times like that.”

  She chuckled and lightly swatted my shoulder. “Next time tell me.”

  I nodded and massaged the creases in my legs. “Will do.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  When her bedside alarm sounded, Tanya reached to turn it off, then rose on an elbow to look at me.

  I said, “Hi, there. Remember me? The guy with the board?”

  She smiled. “That’s not what I remembered first. How are you feeling this morning?”

  “Used, ma’am. Very used. How about you?”

  Nodding, she said, “The same. With a small hangover.”

  “Sounds about right. There wasn’t much gin left.”

  Glancing to the middle of me, she replied, “I’m surprised there’s any of you left. I’m not usually like that.”

  “You’re magnificent like that, milady. I felt like a kid in a candy store last night.” Leaning to kiss and suck lightly on her right nipple, I added, “But you probably noticed that. I suggest we tidy up a bit, then come back in here.”

  Moving a hand between my lips and her nipple, Tanya archly asked, “You’re saying I need to tidy up?”

  “Ma’am, this isn’t a Hollywood movie. This leading man isn’t gonna wake up after a night of sex, cake, and gin and roll over to give the leading lady — that’s you — a big ol’ kiss. If I need a toothbrush — and I definitely do — so do you.”

  Tanya grinned and chuckled, then said, “Point taken, but just for that you get to make the coffee.”

  She swung her legs off the bed and almost trotted to the bathroom. I got up and headed for the kitchen with my coffee mug and my backpack. After loading the coffee maker and turning it on, I used some instant coffee from the jar in my pack to fill my mug.

  Tanya came in just as I put the jar back in my pack and asked, “You made a pot, but you’re drinking that stuff?”

  Leaning to kiss her shoulder, I said, “My ‘stuff’ is ready now, ma’am. Want some?”

  I offered her my mug and she took it. Sipping gingerly, she made a slight ‘eeww’ face, then took a hefty slug from my mug. With a grin, she said, “The second swallow washed the first one down. Thanks.”

  Taking a couple of hefty sips myself, I replied, “De nada, sweetie. Have I told you how great you look naked?”

  Mock-preening with a grin and an index finger at her cheek, Tanya said, “I remember a few compliments last night. None this morning.”

  “Excuse me? Wasn’t advising you that you look great naked a compliment?”

  With a little shoulder-shrug and a moue, she said, “Oh, I suppose so. Sort of. I guess.”

  I said wryly, “I’ll try to do better. After I brush my teeth.”

  Grabbing my pack, I headed for the bathroom.

  Tanya called, “Do you really need that in the bathroom?”

  Returning to the table, I took a hefty hit of coffee and handed her my mug with, “You’re right. I won’t need it in there,” and set forth again.

  “Thanks, but I meant the pack.”

  “My toothbrush is somewhere inside it.”

  “Someday you’ll have to show me what else is in it.”

  As I reached the bathroom door, I looked back to give her a little grin and, “You’d be disappointed, milady.”

  When I came out of the bathroom, I didn’t see Tanya in the kitchen. Standing still, I listened. Small rustlings came from the bedroom. Coat hangers bumped together.

  I continued to the kitchen and checked my mug. Less than half full. I filled it with coffee from the pot and used a cooling tendril to make it drinkable immediately, then went to the bedroom. Setting my pack by the bed and my mug on the night stand, I watched Tanya shuffle clothes in a closet.

  Glancing at me, she said, “I was just keeping busy,” and hung a jacket on the left side of the closet. She moved and jiggled delightfully for another moment, then turned to face me and stepped forward to embrace me.

  We’d just finished a very nice kiss when the phone rang. Tanya startled hard and glanced at the phone on the night table. It rang again. Her right hand lifted slightly from my chest, then remained in place.

  Tanya said, “I don’t want to answer it.”

  As it rang again, I shrugged. “Then don’t.”

  “But it’s not even eight yet. Nobody calls before eight.”

  She sighed and let go of me to answer the phone as it rang a fourth time. I heard her say, “Yes, it is,” and then, “Yes, I do,” and “Oh, my God! How bad is it?”

  I picked up my mug and sat on the bed, eyeballing Tanya as she stood stiffly in front of me, alternately listening, answering questions, and trying to pry tidbits of info out of someone who didn’t seem to have any answers.

  When Tanya put the phone down, she said, “Jessica’s in the hospital,” and turned to her closet. She began shuffling clothes again and laid jeans and a blouse on the bed beside me as she said, “She had an accident on her way to work. They’re prepping her for surgery now. They said she was driving erratically before the wreck and wanted to know if she was using any drugs.”

  As she went to the bureau and opened a drawer, I said, “I guess that’s when you said you didn’t know.”

  She stopped moving and looked at me. “Yes. Why aren’t you getting dressed?”

  “To go where and why? Think, ma’am. She’ll be in the O.R. and out cold for a while after that. Just call the hospital around ten and ask when she can have visitors.”

  Tanya let her hands drop to her sides, the underwear in them momentarily forgotten. After a moment, she tossed the underwear on her other clothes and walked past me to retrieve her coffee from the night table.

  We sipped in silence for a short time, then she said, “I’m going to get dressed. There may be something I can do.”

  “Doubtful. They’ve towed her car and you won’t get near it. She’s in hospital custody now, but if they find drugs in her, the cops might file charges. You could call her job and let them know she won’t be coming in today.”

  Staring at me briefly, Tanya asked, “Won’t the cops do that?”

  “Possibly. Can’t be sure.” Reaching to put a hand on her shoulder, I said, “But at least it’s something you can do.”

  She nodded and reached for the phone, then realized something and got up to go to the kitchen. I soon saw her talking to someone on her cell phone. Putting up a field screen, I linked to the hospital and rooted around a bit, found Jessica’s info, and studied it. A broken right wrist, broken ankle, broken nose, and her glasses caused cuts and bruises around her eyes. Her blood workup said she was loaded with amphetamines.

  Tanya looked in my direction and came to see what I was doing. I turned the screen toward her and she hurriedly made her goodbyes to end her call. Setting the phone on her clothes, she bent down to read the screen. I shoved the phone and clothes farther up the bed and patted her butt, then indicated the space.

  She sat down and asked, “How did you get this?”

  “Magic.” At her unamused gaze, I added, “And a database link. Jessica got roughed up, but she’ll be okay. The surgery is to remove bone splinters in her ankle. She was probably standing on the brake when she hit the other car.”

  “She hit another car?”

  Paging back, I showed her cop pictures of the scene. The text report said skid marks showed she’d hit a parked car at about fifty miles per hour in a thirty mile per hour zone. Another version said she’d hit at forty.

  I said, “We might as well get on with our day. She’ll only be seeing cops and doctors until this afternoon.”

  Giving me a disapproving fisheye, Tanya said, “Ed, I really don’t feel much like playing at the moment.”

  Handing her coffee to her, I said, “Didn’t think you would. I was referring to board training.”

  Taking the coffee, Tanya replied, “Oh. Sorry.” She
sighed, “Damn. Talk about bad timing.”

  “There’ll be other times.” Sipping my coffee, I said, “As much as Jessica may be your friend, her situation is just a distraction, Tanya. You can’t do much — if anything — for her until she can say what it would be, so we’ll just proceed on course and take a break to visit her later.”

  “What about my mom?”

  “She can have visitors all afternoon, right?”

  Nodding, Tanya said, “Until eight in the evening on weekdays.”

  “No problem, then. We’ll just take some time to visit Jessica sometime after lunch. In fact, Jessica just gave us a reason for an impromptu visit with your mom.”

  “She did?”

  “She’s visited Marie, right? As a friend or just an acquaintance through her daughter, she’d probably want to know about the accident.”

  Standing up, I said, “So saddle up, sweetie. It’s time to find some breakfast, then earn your wings.”

  Tanya stood up, too, but asked, “Should we eat before we fly the boards?”

  I shrugged and chuckled, “Won’t bother me any, but you might want to eat light.”

  She gave me a dim look and grabbed my dick, which instantly swelled in her hand. Tanya grinned at her effect on it, then grinned at me and said, “Take it easy on me out there or you might have some problems in here.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Understood, ma’am. I’d salute, but…” I glanced down, then met her gaze again and said, “That would be rather redundant, I think.”

  Tanya squeezed me firmly and said, “Just so we understand each other,” then released me with a snicker.

  As we got dressed, I used a link through my core to locate a nearby restaurant where I could get a chopped steak. The core showed me flight paths into and out of Ocala and I picked a clear zone for board practice.

  With a coffee refill, I was ready to go. Tanya took a travel mug down from a shelf, then put it back with a shake of her head and said, “Maybe later.”

  When we stepped onto the front porch, I spotted our watcher and ran a field over the area around the door. No bugs; apparently they’d decided not to waste them.