A Wicked Stepfather Pt. 02

CHAPTER 3

Jenna, wearing a burnt orange halter dress glimpsed Eliot at a table but without making eye contact. Determined to rope in her man she posed at the reception desk, standing at an angle with her back to Eliot giving his roving eyes the chance to see her legs. Approaching the table with a friendly wave Jenna hoped he'd noticed she was wearing seamed stockings. His eyes did look a little bigger than normal, or was she imagining that?

He stood and they kissed, on the lips. She was reasonably successful in pressing her tightly restrained boobs against his chest and almost wet herself when she felt his right-hand slip smooth down over the back of her waist and a little way over her butt and then it moved laterally. At that and when his hand stopped she knew he'd been roaming to check if she were wearing a garter belt and his fingers had confirmed she was, stopping momentarily on a metal fastener.

Jean's heartbeat soared triumphantly.

"God you look beautiful."

She choked back a whimper and staggered to the chair being held out for her. Jenna was annoyed she was acting like a lovesick teenager and acknowledged the fact that she hadn't had a satisfactory romance for nigh on two years was no excuse for misbehavior When swimming she'd rehearsed how she'd work Eliot around to come up to view her apartment and would then begin to undress him gently. She began to panic thinking the scenario she'd invented for that sequential seduction to take place was so complicated it would fail. Think girl think, she shouted to herself but her mind turned blank. She leaned back into her chair and on auto asked, "Did you have a nice day?"

"Yes indeed and actually very productive. I viewed several apartments and believe I have found one that may suit."

Still on auto, emerging from panic, Jenna said, "Oh avoid the hassle, move in with me."

She heard herself say that and sat up straight and said, "Oh I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that without build up."

Eliot, looking smooth in a light blue suit and a collarless shirt with an inner multi-color neckband, appeared slightly stunned and then smiled. "Does that mean the offer is being withdrawn?"

Jenna remembered she was twenty-eight and not a flighty fourteen-year-old. She realized she'd accidentally hooked him, so should wind him in carefully.

"I really don't know what to say," she said, placing a hand with spread-fingers helplessly on her chest, only to snatch that hand away when realizing his gaze was now fixed on her boobs.

Eliot encouraged her by asking her to say exactly what she'd meant.

"I-I can't, it's too embarrassing."

He smiled and said he'd heard what she'd said and asked did he look embarrassed?

She looked for approval or rejection in his eyes and convinced herself she could read soft understanding in them.

"I want you to know it was something I was thinking and had no intention of saying."

Nodding, Eliot asked exactly what had she been thinking.

"That I was lonely, between boyfriends and wasn't this a grand opportunity for you to come on live with me and see how we go. That's all. Pathetic thoughts really."

"I think they were delightful thoughts and deserved to be vocalized."

The wine waiter arrived and as Eliot mulled over the wine selection, Jenna offered, "I suggest a Gewürztraminer."

Eliot looked approvingly at Jenna and then pointed to his choice on the wine list, "This Gewürztraminer please."

As the waiter walked off Eliot said casually, "You have great legs."

She colored, only slightly and asked was he a connoisseur. He replied that term was much too exalted for him, being only an enthusiastic casual observer.

Scratching behind his ear Eliot said, "Where were we?"

Flushing, Jenna said calmly, "I had confirmed my invitation for you to consider living with me."

"Oh yes," he stalled.

His eyes indicated his mind was racing and that encouraged Jenna to think she was not the only one feeling a little awkward. She thought how sweet.

"Under what terms?"

"Oh, only the usual I would think, namely you behave acceptably, don't pig up the apartment, sleep where you choose, as it has two bedrooms, and you pay $485 a month which is the extra cost of moving from my apartment to a more roomier one with expanded views."

"You have already checked that out?"

"Yes, I tend to plan ahead."

He grinned and said then sleeping with her wasn't part of the deal?

"No," she smiled. "Consider it an optional benefit."

He laughed expansively without restraint and she smiled, head down.

After their wine was poured Jenna briefed Eliot about dinner plans for the next night to set the scene for an internal company management audit with him being nominated by Brigit to be one of the key participants.

"Well, well, nicely managed," he said. "It allows the investigation to be fast-tracked and for you and me to be seen together without raising suspicion."

"Exactly."

"Um," he said hesitating. "You confirm you want me to share your body?"

"Oooh, what a lovely way of putting it. I was desperately holding back, afraid if I reacted hotly you might think I was a slut."

Eliot did not reply but looked horrified and that reaction was enough to satisfy Jenna. She gave him her best smile and sat back in her chair to allow the server to place the starter of crabmeat and noodles on a lettuce leaf. Eliot had a spicy soup. As they ate they touched knees and she was disappointed when his moved away abruptly but within a few seconds was back. She pressed her knee against his and said calmly, "I like men because of what they can do with my body."

He looked at her a little startled and then grinned easily and raised his glass in a silent toast and locked eyes. That indicated to her she was a little confusing for him.

They finished in just on an hour and by then Jenna had wisely had allowed Eliot to take the lead but he was wise enough not to refuse Jenna's insistence that she'd pay because she'd made the invitation to dine. As he accompanied her across the road he asked, "Would you like to grab an overnight bag and stay with me tonight?"

As they reached the sidewalk she threw her arms around Eliot and kissed him and led him into the foyer and said she'd return within ten minutes.

She returned in twenty minutes, which he'd half-expected. She'd probably spent some of that time on making herself even more presentable to him. An extra ten minutes would be nothing if that assumption were correct. On the other hand she could have been on the phone to one of her friends exchanging recipes. Really? He grinned and wondered did it matter. With the thought of her being committed to having him between her spread thighs made him walk tall and proudly up to her as Jenna emerged from an elevator.

They almost skipped to the sidewalk like two kids freed from homework and hailed a cab.

In the hotel foyer Eliot's confidence dipped when she pulled him back as they were passing the foyer and said to him he should give notice he would be vacating his room in the morning.

"What if it doesn't work out," he said.

Jenna leaned against him, nibbled his ear and whispered, "I'll put it in for you if you've forgotten what to do."

Cheeks flaming he walked to the desk while his imminent roommate dawdled towards the elevators looking virtuous, beautiful and very happy.

Eliot loped to the elevator looking confident again but that didn't last. As he entered Jenna seized him, went "Grrrrrrr." Loudly and kissed him as if she were in the bedroom. He had to push hard to get her off him and smiled apologetic to the middle-aged couple looking at them wide-eyed. As the expressionless graying woman clutching her guy's arm as the left at the third level she said rather wistfully, "Have a great night you two."

"What was she on about?" Jenna asked and Eliot was unable to decide if she were teasing.

He entered his hotel room without being attacked again.

Jenna looked around, commented it was smart and he was tidy and added her apartment was twice the size.

"Thank God for that. I need space."

"And the new apartment will be another third larger and overlooks the lake and the side view is down to the garden swimming pool on top of the podium."

"Fabulous. It sounds as if I should be paying far more than under $500 a month."

"My offer which you appeared to have accept was $485. I presently pay $260 and my mother pays the rest from out family trust and she has told me she is happy for that arrangement to continue."

Eliot paused at pouring wine. "You mean your mother fully approves of me sleeping with you?"

"Yes, but I may have phrased it somewhat more delicately."

"I-I'm not sure..."

"It's all yours for the taking darling, so don't get on your high horse. Surely you must know women are much more proactive with their lover these days."

Eliot's instinct was to be cautious. "It's rather too earlier for the term lover don't you think?"

"Darling, perhaps you should first look at what's on offer," she cooed, unzipping and hauling off her dress.

Eliot finished pouring and looked up, the emptied half-size bottle of wine falling on to the carpet. His mouth opened and stayed that way until he gurgled, "Ohmigod."

Jenna was standing, one hip cocked up higher than the other, a hand on her lower hip and fingers of her other hand running through her brunette hair. She wore a purple silk and white lace half-cup bustier to which were strapped her purple and black topped and seamed stockings. Her shaven pussy was uncovered.

Eliot stared at the legs and said hoarsely, "Please turn around to give me the back view."

The cheeks looked firm but his eyes were lower down. "You have legs made in Heaven."

Jenna turned smiling and holding out her arms said, "Come to me Eliot."

Eliot required no further encouragement and nor did he later when they staggered to the bathroom, she using it first. They were both exhausted and their drinks lay untouched.

At dawn Jenna gobbled Eliot awake and she left half an hour later for her apartment to wash her hair and prepare for the new working week. At 8:00 Jenna went down to the office of the on-site manager and signed a termination agreement of her current lease and the lease on Eliot's and her new apartment, advising he would sign when moving into her current apartment that evening.

* * *

Eliot strode into the hotel bathroom whistling and as he entered the shower crowed, "Boy oh boy, can she fuck."

An hour later he walked between imitation Grecian pillars of the entrance to the black glazed five-level building of the Clouston Evening Clarion, in his accustomed style of a newspaperman, laptop under one arm, munching a bagel and carrying a 10oz paper cup of coffee. In the elevator he went to editorial at the third level above the prepress floor. Commercial printing departments and the pressrooms were three miles away in the industrial area of Prairie Flats.

A trim redhead receptionist was putting her handbag into the bottom draw of her desk. She smiled and asked, "Mr Nephew?"

"Yes, but call me Eliot."

"I'm Maggie Grant, Mrs Owens's assistant but she doesn't start until 9:00. Please follow me, Mrs Wiseman is expecting you," she said, knocking on the office door marked Executive Editor, Private.

"Please enter. I shall see you later."

"Oh hello Eliot, "Brigit said, closing her lipstick container. "Or should I say our worm?"

Nick frowned and put his fingers to his lips, a signal that left Brigit arching her right eyebrow.

"One never knows," he whispered, referring to the possibility that the room was bugged.

"Do you think so," she whispered and he replied, "I wouldn't think so but why not eliminate the threat by bypassing it?"

She nodded and began the induction, impressing Eliot by putting him on the spot instantly, "What do you think of our newspaper?"

"Thoroughly workmanlike, light on flair and no evidence at all in being original and about as stimulating as a wet sandwich."

Brigit's face turned most unfriendly and she shifted in her chair defensively but Eliot cut her off at the pass, smiling and saying if she chose to ask him a direct question she could not expect a purged answer.

Hostility eased off Brigit's shoulders and she almost smiled when saying, "I see. I shall remember that. And of course you come filled with answers?"

"Yes, improving the content and overlook appearance of the newspaper is my direct responsibility under your supervision as I recall you saying to me at my final interview. But the newspaper in its present form is dying and neither you nor I can stop that. We can delay that, yes, but death is inevitable."

"Why, just because its happened elsewhere due to circulation erosion through competing media particularly TV and changing social patters and greater competition for the advertiser's dollar?"

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

Eliot said surely she did not expect a lecture about the need to constantly assess market trends and giving due attention to future projections and expectations and reviewing historical patterns.

She almost grinned and said, "Welcome to the team Eliot. You just may have the balls to push through reforms. Finish your coffee or would you prefer real coffee?"

Brigit picked up her phone and asked Maggie to bring in coffee for two.

Reading his face Brigit said, "I tend to be a little uncouth at times so get used to it.

He grinned and she smiled and that told him he was onside again.

She confirmed the circulation area contained 477,300 people aged 15 and over. The morning newspaper The Daily News circulated roughly one in 5.9 households while in the past fifteen years the Clarion had slipped from going to one in 7.3 households and was currently reaching one in 9.7 households. She smiled when Eliot winced.

"Yes," Brigit said, "if it wasn't for this company operating the largest commercial printing business in the region we could not afford to operate our newspaper at the current level. What is your comment on that?"

"I don't have to tell you that the company is subsidizing people to read its newspaper. You'll also know the way out is to divide the city into say four zones and launch four free newspapers crammed with local news and advertising."

"Doing that tosses aside 143 years of newspaper tradition, which would be enough to make me cry."

"You need balls to get on with the job."

Brigit grinned and said she was quite sure she was going to really like Eliot. She already liked his attitude. "Nothing is sacred with you, is it?

"No, but don't fret. A new day always dawns and people tend to get over decisions they feel are treacherous."

Nodding, Brigit said, "Well it's time for me to introduce you to senior people. You know about dining out at 7:30 this evening"

"Yes. I'll be on my best behavior."

Brigit stood and adjusted her bra, unworried that Eliot was still seated, looking at her. She said Eliot should know that the chairman was as straight as an arrow in business, firm and believed strongly in family traditions. The managing director at times could become hard and even cruel with personnel but performed his role more than adequately. "He's away today at meetings out at the plant but you'll meet him this evening."

They walked out of the other door in Brigit's office straight into the newsroom and Eliot knew instantly he was entering the heartland of a real newspaper. A pity it was in its death throes.

"Eloise told me yesterday you will meet your accommodation requirements in an unusual manner," Brigit said delicately.

Eliot, who imagined her nose was twitching in pressure to gain more detail, decided to string her along. "Unusual? I'm not sure if I know what you are suggesting?"

Pushing up against him to whisper, Brigit said, "Eloise believes you and her daughter plan to sleep together."

"Oh that, why didn't you say," Eliot said earnestly. "Please forgive me but I tend not to talk about my personal relationship with women. All I can say to you, being my boss and being entitled to know a little more about my whereabouts, is I move into Jenna's apartment when I finish work here this afternoon and next Monday or hopefully on Sunday afternoon we will move up the tower to a larger apartment."

"Oh God Eliot, not only does Jenna posses an admirable disposition and is intelligent and articulate but she has a body to die for. Are you aware she models at charity shows, modeling lingerie available for lithe women in the twenty-five to thirty-eight age group? If it weren't for her large breasts she might have become a star model. Jenna has turned down huge offers to appear in girlie magazines but was paid $10,000 for being on the front page and a four-page inside spread for Lingerie Fashion International magazine and was hailed as the only non-professional model to have ever been LFI's cover girl."

"Large breasts did you say?" Eliot asked. That was intended to bury the conversation about Jenna and worked perfectly. Brigit tossed her head back and snorted, "God, you men!"

Chief sub-editor Jed Mason, finishing the crossword in that morning's Daily News said snapped, "Go away, can't you see I'm busy."

In alarm the woman sitting to his right whispered, "Jed!" He looked up and saw it was Brigit.

"Jesus, sorry Brigit," he said smiling and stroking his mousy-colored moustache.

"Meet Eliot Nephew your new boss," Brigit said through almost clenched teeth. "His first duty will be to retrain you to treat your editor respectfully."

"Yeah, and to encourage you to dye your moustache," Eliot said, knowing he would be in breach of protocol covering behavior and personal comments of managers in relations with subordinates.

Conversations and work around them stopped, with particularly women including Brigit looking a little tight-lipped at the newcomer.

"Got you going there for a minute, didn't I Jed," Eliot laughed smoothly. "Buster Ingles sends his regards or was that love? He warned me not to drink with you at lunchtime."

Aware that the newcomer appeared to be a bit of a tease, faces relaxed.

Jed laughed and shaking hands slapped Eliot on the back and roared, "Buster Ingles, now there's a legend."

Eliot smiled. "He said the same thing about you. I thought all the old misfits had been cleaned out of our industry?"

Everyone within hearing distance laughed and eyes were on Eliot. None of them had ever seen Jed handled so adroitly. The newcomer must have been forewarned. Jed was the kind of guy who found handling relationships difficult because of the stresses associated with the chief sub's role.

Eliot look around the table and said, "Hi everyone. Will meet you later. We need to get Brigit back to doing real work."

Brigit, looking far more relaxed, did a 180º turn and said, "This is our chief reporter Mrs..."

"Hi darling," Eva Mitchell said, floating into Eliot's arms, looking as if she'd been there before.

Piercing whistles and a few handclaps sounded.

"This is Eva Mitchell or Eva Norris as she was then, heroine," Eliot said proudly, addressing reporters who were on telephone calls or looking up from their laptops.

"We were on the Mt Assid Times together, eight years ago when the chopper we were in hit a wire stretched across a gulch and went down and fortunately landed amid a grove of young trees. It was my first newspaper and I was only two weeks into reporting while Eva had been there almost two years. The chopper hit the ground and burst into flames. Eva pulled the pilot out first because flames were licking his butt. Then she pulled me out. I was screaming with a compound fractured arm but she carried on, dropped me clear. As she was pulling the pilot clear the fuel tanks blew and seared the back of the pilot, setting his clothes alight. His bulk had sheltered Eva. She calmly stopped to rip off his outer clothing and brought him alongside me to recover consciousness. Eva straightened my arm as best she could and used a piece of her skirt to apply a tourniquet. Eva, who amazingly suffered no ill effects from the crash, said she wanted to keep an eye on me so we lived together for ten months I moved on and she met and married Rex. End of story."