Bad-Ass Days

"We think of her as that. You with your manner and manners may find her a nice person rather that a know-all who likes her people to kiss ass."

"That's very informative Wendy. Thank you."

"Ah here's our senior writer, Rita Mitchell. Last in as usual, fiery, unreliable and very talented."

"And very beautiful."

Revealing her claws, Wendy said, "Men appear to think so."

Col glanced again at Rita, thinking she oozed sexuality.

Wendy made the introductions.

"Hi Col. Nice suit but where's the tie?"

"I just wear black polos under my suit. In hot weather I change to white business shirts with no tie and no jacket."

"Well that simply won't do."

"I'm a photographer Rita not one of your trained monkeys. If you want a photographer who wears a tie with a suit get a photographer who dresses like that."

"Very well," Rita glared.

"You have the Charlton interview in fifteen minutes."

"Oh damn, that time was brought forward on Friday. Thanks Wendy. You'll have to do Col, get ready."

"Not until you tell me you accept me accompanying you without a tie. I don't like the thought of your being bitchy about this putting me off my work."

"Oh Col darling, you look very modern without a tie. How daring of your to break a company rule on your first day. I find this very acceptable."

"God, you two are going to fight like two dogs," Wendy sighed. "Well I'm off."

They took a cab to the Excelsior hotel.

Col said, "You appear to have a great body as well as a great face. Are you up to posing nude for me."

Rita's cold look chilled the cab.

They rode on in silence.

As they were walking into the hotel foyer Rita said, "I might consider posing in underwear. Everyone I've been talking with has mentioned that your photo of that Afro-American we ran front page Friday."

"Oh so you noticed it?"

"Not only noticed. It blew me away. She was captured gazelle-like."

"You have big ones. We'd have to do something different with you."

Miss Ice strode on ahead of him.

Rita thawed as soon as the cropped blonde lithe marathon runner stood and looked at her watch.

"I apologize for being two minutes late Miss Goode but my photographer here is new and I had to wait for him to sort out what camera to bring."

Col muttered in French whores who lied need their ass paddled and was shocked to see both females looking at him murderously.

Christ they both spoke French!

"I-I'll look for a suitable background," he said lamely.

Rita said in French 'Born an ape always an ape' and Miss Goode laughed.

Col slunk outside to distance himself and saw a bellboy in uniform replacing a flag. He spoke to the kid and slipped him twenty bucks and walked inside and poured himself a coffee.

When Rita stood Col nodded to the kid and walked over and said, "Roxie I'd like you outside for the photograph."

"Her name is Roseanne but she's Miss Goode to you," Rita practically spat.

"How did you know my nickname is Roxie?"

"Your father Reg told me. I was standing alongside him two years ago when you ran the Paris Marathon."

'Oh you were there and I guess that's why you speak French."

"Well yes but I only speak English in this country."

"Oh that's so believable," Roseanne said, slapping Rita on the shoulder and laughing.

Col took the photo of Roseanne pulling up the flag on the pole. Col had explained the caption should be, 'Aiming to raise the American Flag at the Olympics' and both women thought that was a stunning idea.

"Col is so refreshing," Roseanne told Rita. "Most newspaper photographers and TV cameramen get down low to emphasize my legs because I have practically no breast development. Their shots look so static which is the opposite how I wish to be portrayed."

"Yeah and that's why women think of men as pigs," Col said. Both women thought that was hilarious.

In the ride back to the newspaper offices Rita said, "It appears you might turn out to be quite a surprise to me Col. Now please apologize for calling me a whore."

"Nah."

"Why ever not?"

"Because if the tag doesn't fit there's no need to apologize."

That left Rita speechless.

Back in his office Col downloaded the shots from his camera, picked the best three and after editing them emailed three to Rita and his message stated, "You pick the one you prefer and file it with your story. You ooze sexiness but that's all. I apologize for mislabeling you. I know I created the thought but no way did I believe it."

The reply came minutes later. "Great pix. I selected XS 0003. Your label was a bit over the top. I accept your apology. Wendy is right, you and I are destined to fight but I'm used to that as is the guy the have lived with for some years.'

Ah, Col thought. Another one not available.

He spent the next hour examining the equipment he'd inherited with the job and then found an email from Mrs Manning.

"Great photo. 100% approval rating on your first assignment because Rita says you were great and impressed Miss Goode. Well done Col. Now for something personal. One of my granddaughters is staying with me. A lovely girl but is rapidly becoming bored as she knows no one in this city. Would you come to dinner tomorrow night and perhaps cheer her up. Milly."

So Mrs Manning had a first name, he grinned. Why him, newest guy in Features? Oh yeah, he had not had time to earn demerit points. Obviously the whore comment had not been disclosed. Mrs Manning would be in her early sixties so how old was the granddaughter? She could be anything up to, um twenty-four, but that would be stretching it. She'd said a lovely girl. Hell, she might only be fourteen! Then again... Col decided to accept the invitation. The reply email gave him the time and address he required.

* * *

Kelly yawned and said, "Gran inviting one of your boring journalists to entertain me over dinner was quite unnecessary. What do you think Gramps?"

"I find all newspaper people apart from your grandmother boring."

"There, see?"

Her grandmother retorted, "The description journalist is too broad. He's actually a photographer."

"Oh god, we can now say boring, boring. He'll only talk about angle of light, implied motion and other technicalities."

"He's the photographer who took that photo we ran front page last Friday."

"Ohmigod. That was an amazing photo. That woman captured spring in her step..."

"Was that implied motion in still photography."

"Yes Gramps... oh you cunning man. I haven't changed my mind. He'll be boring."

"Darling I don't have anyone who works for me who is boring simply because I do the hiring."

"Okay, tell me about him."

"His father is a retired Ambassador. His mother is a visiting professor in literature. He was born here, his mother coming home from Italy for the birth. His name is Colin Neville Cully, he is twenty-eight and is well educated."

"Oh yes, he has a diploma in still photography."

"Actually he has masters in English Lit/Political Science and in Visual Arts/photography and is fluent in English, French, Italian and Spanish."

"But I thought he was unemployed? He must be a dummy with those qualifications not to have secured work?"

"He only arrived back in this country after spending almost a year on a yacht circumnavigating the globe."

"Ohmigod, he sounds interesting. Er a little interesting. Doe he know I'm only nineteen?"

"It's for him to find out if you are a grumpy bored teenage or a refined young lady of allure."

"Of what?"

"Allure means..."

"I know what it means. I just can't believe it's how you recommend your granddaughter behaves."

"Anything to get some life into you darling. You are depressing the tenor of this household."

"Oh thanks. Do I call him Colin or Col?"

"Normal procedure is to call a person the name he or she is introduced."

"Oh Gran you are actually teaching me quite a few things that are useful."

Col arrived at the apartment dressed in a multi-colored thick shirt, fawn linen pants and new brown loafers with a sweater thrown over his shoulder.

Mrs Manning met him at the door and accepted the bouquet of spring flowers with thanks. "Please call me Milly."

Inside the elegant apartment she introduced Col to her husband Frank, describing him as a retired radio network chief executive and then in came Kelly whose appearance caused Milly's eyes to flutter. Kelly wore a strapless velvet black dress, black patterned stockings and black high-heels.

"Col this is my granddaughter Kelly."

Col endeared himself to Kelly immediately. Looking a little shocked and saying, "Wow. Do you do nude modeling."

Kelly giggled and Milly said sharply, "Col!"

"It's okay Milly. It's a line I use as an ice-breaker. It puts women on the defensive and...

"Perhaps you might care to assess my body now," Kelly said, reaching for her zip.

"Kelly!" her grandmother panicked.

"Yes Kelly, behave. Didn't you expect this guy to be boring?"

"Gramps, you know I'm a kidder."

Her grandfather said no he didn't know that, causing Kelly to blush.

"Well as I said it was an icebreaker," Col said. "Aren't we off to a good start? The truth is Kelly you are extremely photogenic."

"We don't have a good photograph of Kelly and I don't think her parents do, at least not since school days."

"Well that will be a decade ago," Col said kindly and added, "Perhaps I should take you somewhere Sunday and rectify that."

"To your boudoir?"

"Kelly!"

"I was thinking somewhere in the Gallery of Art Milly. Perhaps you might like to chaperone us?"

"No that won't be necessary and I think the environment of the gallery would be a lovely setting for a portrait."

"Good. Wear that dress with red shoes and a matching red necklace Kelly or preferably a red neck scarf, one of those short ones that you tie."

"That sounds very tasteful. Okay it's a date."

"As well as a movie and then dinner tomorrow night?"

"I suppose so if you can be bothered taking out an nineteen-year old?"

"Nineteen. I'd picked you as being about twenty-six?"

Kelly flushed with pleasure although calling him a liar.

* * *

Col picked the movie, about a female Russian spy.

As soon as the main feature began he circled Kelly's shoulder with his arm and pulled him against him. She went to whisper to him and was kissed, very pleasantly.

She said, "Gran said I wasn't to allow you to seduce me."

"And what was your reply?"

There was no response so Col said he only seduced women.

Kelly hesitated and then dropped a hand on to his thigh.

At dinner Col said, "I have no intention of having full-on sex with you just yet. Let's see how we go. If we have a few dates my attitude and might change but then so might yours."

"I won't be stopping you."

"Young lady, please accept this advice. Never be too eager to have sex; it's uncouth."

"Oh really?"

On Sunday they were ordered to leave the gallery and did before security arrived.

Col had taken one of his own cameras, a Canon 5D Mark 11 and had ignored notices prohibiting photography (well he wasn't using flash or directly photographing exhibits). He'd taken a string of shots and then asked Kelly to remove her dress. She was only too ready to oblige and that's when an elderly man remonstrated with them and when told by Col to shove off he hurried away, steaming, to find an official.

Before the spoiler arrived back with an official Col had the shot he wanted.

He and Kelly left but were stopped at the entrance by security. Col suggested Kelly go on home and he was ordered to hand over his camera. Col waited until Kelly had gone before ceasing to argue and handed over his bag.

The security guy tested the weight of the bag and grinned, saying to Col, "Cunning swine."

"Why is he cunning Dan?" asked the other uniformed guard.

"Take a look in the bag," Dan said.

The other guy looked shocked. "There's no camera in the bag. Request permission to search him."

"The wife or girlfriend waltzed out with the camera you dope."

"Oh, tricky. Should we take him into our office and punish him?"

Dan handed Col his bag and told him to leave and to never return. "You're lucky I'm feeling tolerant today and haven't call the cops to chase after your lady."

"Thank you sir. Enjoy the rest of your shift," Col said politely.

Col caught up with Kelly who wanted an ice cream. He bought it for her and then showed her the shots in the viewer of the camera.

"Ohmigod, these are unbelievable."

They parted, Col kissing Kelly on the mouth, this time as if he really meant it. "You have a terrific body. I knew you would."

"Oooh."

"Off you go. I'm off to my studio to edit and print out some copies for you."

Oooh."

They arranged to go to dinner Tuesday night.

The doorbell of the apartment went, answered by Frank, but by the time he got the door open no one was there. But there were three A4 envelopes on the door mat. He gave one to Milly who opened it and said, "Ohmigod."

It was a beautiful portrait of Kelly.

"I must ask Col to print me out another copy A2 size and I'll have it framed," he said.

"He's a damn good photographer," Frank said, eyeing the photo of his beautiful granddaughter. "Perhaps he ought to be engaged to photograph my two ugliest grandchildren."

"We have no ugly grandchildren and you damn well know that Frank. They're all beautiful."

He sighed, "Yes dear."

When Kelly came in she opened her envelope and said it was the same photo Gran had and the one addressed to 'Kelly's mom' would be the same.

"Show me the one without your dress on," Milly requested.

Kelly colored.

"Well come on."

She handed over the envelope and Milly took out the second print. Kelly without the neck scarf and in a black lace bustier, black thong, black stockings and red shoes, was leaning against a cream pillar, hands behind her back, one leg a little forward than the other and standing half turned away from the camera.

"Ohmigod, this is so wonderful," said Milly.

Kelly's mouth dropped open.

"This is near obscene," said her grandfather but Milly snorted, "It's art you fool."

The next weekend was Kelly's last before she went home before returning to college. She had a chat with her Gran and then called Col.

"Hi, are you in a good mood."

"Always."

"Are you still interested in seducing me?"

"Always."

She giggled. "Gran says we can have the lake cabin this weekend. As you know I leave for home Monday."

"Are you sure Gran includes me in you staying at the lake?"

"They were taking me to the lake Saturday anyway. You have been invited there for lunch and she and granddad will return home mid-afternoon. Gran then told me about her first older man when she was at college."

"Well that sounds like approval to me."

"I'll call her to the phone if you want confirmation."

Col said, "No your word is good enough. I like you but don't love you; you do understand that?"

"Yes of course but I like you enough to want you to fuck me."

"Wow."

"Yes wow," she laughed, sounding very happy.

Milly and Frank headed off just after 3:00 on Saturday. As she was leaving Milly eyed Col coolly and then hugging him said, "This is what she really wants."

She offered no advice or cautions and Col respected her for that.

Col and Kelly went arm-in-arm for a walk, stopping to kiss more intensely in the cooling air as they neared their return to the cabin. They raced inside panting, both quite worked up.

Closing the door Col lifted her up on to the table and ripped off her panties.

"Ohmigod, this is what I've dreamt about," Kelly trilled.

As soon as Col had the condom on he pushed in gently, Kelly gurgling and smiling at him and getting her top up and bra down and wriggling her tits at him. The nipple-erect breasts were left begging until Col was fully in and then he went for them and was hugged by the squealing young woman who began pumping her ass at him.

They had a great time and after resting Kelly poured wine while Col cooked. She had little idea about cooking but could do eggs several ways and frozen fries or frozen pizza.

"God you'd make a fine catch for a woman," she said, as they sat nude eating oven baked steak with scrumptious mushroom and garlic gravy.

"Thanks and may I say you fuck like a pro."

"No you can't," Kelly said coloring.

"Er, I meant with matured professional-rating quality."

"Oh you can say that and say it a thousand times," she smiled.

They went home next afternoon tired and very happy. Kelly said she'd remember that weekend for the rest of her life. Frank invited Col to stay for dinner and Milly kept smiling whenever looking at Kelly and Col.

Col virtually forgot about the weekend next morning when walking in on Rita Mitchell who was bending over her filing cabinet.

"Great ass."

She finished what she was doing and straightened up, red-faced.

"How dare you."

"I thought women like being communicated with."

"Not in that manner."

"So you prefer I keep my appreciative thoughts to myself."

"Appreciative?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Well... oh I'm sorry. Tell me again."

"Your skirt is short today and I saw right up to your stocking tops. You have great legs Rita and that leather skirt was tight over you shapely ass. My comment came out involuntarily."

"Involuntarily?"

"Absolutely."

"In that case I shall treasure your comment because I know you do appreciate women with good figures. Now today I am to do a profile of the new president of the Chamber of Commerce. She's dry as oats and looks like a horse so please do your best with a photograph. We are due at the chamber office at 10:15."

"No ask that we meet her at her home. People relax better in their familiar environment. Give her that advice."

Rita appeared to be biting her tongue. "Very well."

At the home Col noticed a huge tabby cat asleep on the sofa in the sunroom. He went outside and walked around and Rita called him when she was done.

"Mrs Ogden I'd like to take a photo of you sitting in that whicker chair on the deck nursing your cat."

"Very well but I must say I don't like having my photograph taken."

"But as chamber president you will be photographed and filmed by the media countless times."

"Yes I know. There are downsides to every job."

Cranky bitch, Col thought. When he'd set her up he said he'd be moving about to get the best angle for light and shadow. "Just ignore me although keep eyeing the camera."

"I think this one is the shot," Col said, showing Mrs Ogden the image at the back of his camera.

She reacted with delight, the smile showing that. "Oh my, what an excellent photo. You deserve a medal young man."

Two days later Col was having lunch in the newspaper's café and Rita spotted him and joined him. They chatted for a few minutes and then she said, "In ten days I'm off to Indianhead Mountain overnight to interview Mardi Jones, a recently-retired ballerina originally from here. She's the managing-editor's youngest sister. Mardi and her husband have just taken over the resort they purchased last year. It means an overnight stay and a long drive. Do you wish to be the photographer or should I ask for someone from the pool. Mrs Manning thinks you should go but she doesn't know if you'd like all that time for just one assignment. I think that was code for saying you won't want to spend all that time in my company."

"No I'll go. I've read about that resort. Um what sort of relationship may I have with you?"

"Col!"

He was aware that wasn't said with rejection.

"I heard you recently dumped the guy you were living with after catching him using drugs."

"Well people around here gossip far too much," she fumed.

"Um gossip is really connected with what this newspaper does."

"Well gossip about other people is fine."

"Sorry. I ought to have known you'd be sensitive still about the break in your relationship."