Courtesan Ch. 18

Antoine stepped up to Keisha and tapped her on the shoulder. "Leave him alone Keish. You're embarrassing him. He's trying to do the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for you and you're saying thank you by tormenting him."

Keisha stopped moving. She stayed perfectly still for a moment and then she pulled her hand out of my pants and stepped back. Her demeanor had changed. Her expression was now much more serious. Shaking her head, she said; "I'm sorry Timmy. I didn't mean to offend you. I love to tease and sometimes I get a little carried away. Kelly has told us so much about you that I really do feel like we're already good friends."

She paused for a moment and then she quietly asked, "Do you really think we can buy a big house and live together?"

I slowly nodded. "Yes Keisha, I'm sure we can." I smiled at her. "Kelly's told me all about you too and I also feel like we're already good friends."

Suddenly I was feeling playful. Certainly part of the reason was the warm friendliness of these three people, but there was more. I envied Keisha's spontaneity, Antoine's air of confidence and Mandy's strength of character. Maybe I was trying to emulate them. Certainly my own self esteem was getting a boost from their excitement about my idea of buying a house. It might have also been due to everyone telling me how excited they were to meet me. I suspect it mostly had to do with the emotional roller coaster ride I'd been on for the past two hours. In any case, I decided that I wanted to try to flirt with Keisha.

I winked at her and coyly said, "No, I won't divorce Kelly and marry you." And then I shocked myself and everyone else in the room. I boldly picked up Keisha's hand and pushed it back down the front of my trousers. "But I do want you to know that you're always welcome to shove your hand down the front of my pants and grab my tiny dick."

Grinning at me as she squeezed my penis, Keisha said; "Timmy honey I think that you and I are going to become very close friends."

As soon as I did it, I regretted it. Pangs of guilt assaulted my gut. I was terrified that Kelly might walk into the room at any moment. I desperately wanted to pull Keisha's hand back out of my pants, but I was too ashamed to do it.

Fortunately Mandy came to my rescue. She walked over and said; "All right, enough fooling around."

She grabbed Keisha's arm and pulled her hand out of my trousers. Sounding like a prim third grade teacher she said, "For a little while, everyone is going to keep their hands to themselves."

Keisha shook her head. "Mandy you're being much too serious."

"No Keish, I'm not. Think about it, with everything that's gone on today do you really want Kelly to walk into this office and find you with your hand down the front of her husband's pants?"

"Kelly wouldn't care, she knows me. She'd realize that I was just playing. Besides, Timmy put my hand down there."

Mandy shook her head. "Only after you put it there first. Keish you saw Kelly crying in Tonnie's office. Do you really want to risk upsetting her right now?"

Antoine put his arm around Keisha's shoulder. "She's right Keish. I don't think any of us really understand just how difficult the past year has been for Kelly and Timmy. The unpleasantness that occurred this morning makes it very clear that they both still have emotional wounds that are just starting to heal. The last thing any of us want to do is inadvertently reopen one of those wounds."

Keisha sighed. "Mandy, I'm sorry. I was being foolish." She smiled at me. "Timmy as you get to know me you'll learn that impulsiveness and stupidity are my two greatest strengths."

Antoine hugged her. "I prefer to think of those qualities as spontaneity and a penchant for guileless self expression."

Mandy laughed. "Timmy, that charm is the reason that Mr. Carter is such a skilled host."

Keisha rolled her eyes, "That and his twelve inch dick."

Suddenly the door opened and Kelly stepped into the room. Tonya was right behind her. Everyone turned and looked at Kelly. She had a doleful expression on her face. She'd obviously repaired her makeup, but it couldn't disguise the sadness in her eyes.

Mandy grabbed Antoine and Keisha. "Come on, let's leave them alone."

Tonya smiled at Kelly. "We'll be in my office if you need us."

Kelly nodded to her and quietly said, "Thank you."

After they were gone we just stared at each other for a moment. I don't think either of us knew how to begin. Finally Kelly said, "Timmy, I'm so sorry." She paused, closed her eyes and whispered, "For so many things."

I walked over, put my arms around her and gave her a gentle hug. "It's okay. You didn't really do anything wrong. I'm sorry I got so upset."

"But Timmy I ignored you. When Martin started being so aggressive I should have tried to reassure you, but I was too caught up in selfishly taking care of my own needs. I forgot about paying attention to your feelings."

"Kelly honey, I'm a big boy. I shouldn't need to be constantly reassured."

She shook her head. "No Timmy, during the past year I neglected you, ignored you and took you for granted. I was a terrible wife. I owe you a mountain of reassurance."

I nodded. "Okay, but if we're going to make this life style work I am going to eventually have to learn to trust your love for me."

Kelly stared into my eyes. "Timmy you don't ever have to doubt my love for you."

"I know, but when I see you totally focused on sucking another man's cock it can be very easy for doubt to creep into my mind."

My wife sighed. "Oh Timmy, I'm not sure what to do. I love sex. I love sucking cocks, I love fucking. When I'm with a guy, any guy; I do become completely engrossed in what I'm doing. It's why I'm such a good hostess. The man I'm entertaining always feels like his pleasure is the most important thing in the world to me. He feels that way because it's true. Once I start to get excited I become completely obsessed with giving and receiving pleasure."

Kelly shook her head. "I don't focus on pleasing a man because I'm in love with him, I do it because I'm in love with sex. Timmy, you're the only man I'll ever love, but when you see me with someone else I can understand why it might be very hard for you to believe that."

She closed her eyes. "Timmy, I don't think I can change." She paused for a moment and then she quietly said, "No baby, I don't want to change. That passion for pleasure is what makes sex so wonderful for me. That's why I asked you to leave Chris and me alone for a little while last night. I wanted to be able to let myself go without having to worry about you."

Kelly buried her face in her hands. "Timmy I feel so guilty. Why can't I be the wife my mother and sisters wanted me to be? Why do I have to be such a slut?"

Her voice got even quieter. "That's the reason Martin likes my blowjobs so much. He's a very demanding lover. He likes to know that his partner's attention is completely focused on his needs."

I nodded. "That's what Mandy told me."

Kelly smiled. "She should know. She's his favorite."

I stared at Kelly. I was a little surprised by that statement.

Kelly smiled. "It's true. Mandy is a submissive. It arouses her to give pleasure without getting anything in return. Martin finds that incredibly exciting."

I pointed to the painting over the couch. "Did Martin buy that picture for Mandy?"

Kelly smiled. "Oh yes."

"I assume that he sees himself as the Greek warrior."

My wife smiled again and slowly nodded her head. Suddenly she stopped. She thought for a moment and then she said, "Timmy, don't get the wrong idea about Martin. He is a power hungry, dominating business tycoon; but he's also one of the kindest and most considerate men I've ever met. It's true that Mandy is his sex slave, but he always treats her with kindness and respect."

I nodded. Kelly's description was consistent with a man who was so concerned about the mental well being of his hosts and hostesses that he was eager to enter into a plan that would create a household where they could all live together like a family.

Kelly looked at me. "Timmy what are we going to do? I'll try to reassure you, I'll try to reassure you every minute of every day for the rest of our lives, but I'm not sure I'll always be able to do it." She sighed. "Especially when it matters."

I smiled at her. "What we're going to do is be patient. Just before you got here Antoine was telling us that he thought the events of the past year have left emotional wounds in both of us. It's his belief that it's going to take time for those wounds to fully heal and he feels that you and I are going to have to be very careful with each other until they are fully healed. I think he's right. When you're with another man and I'm around, you're going to have to try to reassure me as much as you possibly can."

Kelly nodded. "I'll try, but..."

"It's okay, I understand. You're not the only one who has to try to make this work. If I'm going to be in the room while you're with another man, I'm going to have to trust you. I'm going to have to understand that it doesn't mean anything when you're focusing all of your attention on him and totally ignoring me."

"Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes, I now believe I can. Talking about it has helped.

Kelly put her arms around me. "Timmy I love you so much. This morning was horrible. I thought I'd lost you again."

I put my arms around Kelly and hugged her. "You didn't lose me. You have some very good friends who helped us this morning. I think we would have eventually managed to work all of this out on our own, but today they certainly made it much easier"

"Timmy do you like my friends?"

I smiled at her. "I'd better, because it's beginning to look like we're going to end up living with them."

Kelly smiled, but then she thought about something and her smile turned into a frown.

I looked at her. "What's the matter Kelly?"

"Timmy, we have something else that we need to talk about."

"What is it?"

"Let's go sit down on the couch."

I nervously followed Kelly across the room. As soon as we were seated she smiled at me, but it was a sad smile. She took a moment to collect herself and then she said, "Tonya talked to me about what you told Mandy. Timmy I feel awful. Over the past week and a half I've had to acknowledge and admit to some shamefully unforgivable behavior towards you; but this feels like the most reprehensible slight of all. Right now I feel so callow and self centered."

Kelly sighed. "Timmy I just didn't understand. I was completely absorbed in my own success and good fortune. I never thought about how it might be affecting you. I was leading this incredibly exotic life. I drove a luxury car, wore expensive clothes, dined in fashionable restaurants and traveled to exotic cities while you patiently waited at home living the life of a normal twenty-three year old college graduate."

I shrugged. I really didn't know what to say.

"And I was so callous. When the firm bought me my Mercedes Benz I bought a Ford Focus for you. Timmy when I think about that, I now realize that it was an unpardonable slap in your face."

"Hey I like my Ford Focus. It's a wonderful car."

Kelly smiled. "Timmy you are so well grounded." She shook her head. "I wish I would have bought you a Rolls Royce."

She stared at the floor. A full minute of silence passed. Finally Kelly said, "Tonya said that you told Mandy that when I began to grow distant from you, you assumed that it was because I started to think of you as a failure."

Kelly shook her head. "Timmy please understand that I distanced myself from you because I was trying to conceal the lie that I was living. I have never viewed you as a failure. You are the most incredible man that I have ever met."

I chuckled. "But I haven't accomplished a damn thing."

"Neither have I! I didn't get my big salary, fancy car and expensive wardrobe because I was an astute business woman. I got those things because I had big tits, blond hair and knew how to give a really nasty blow job."

Kelly took a deep breath. "Timmy I was so proud of you this morning when you negotiated the deal with Martin that will allow us to buy the house. Babydoll, that was the first worthwhile thing that either of us has ever done. I'm so sorry that I didn't do a better job of letting you know that."

I put my arm around Kelly. She cuddled up to me. We hugged. It was nice.

After a moment she whispered, "You know they are going to try to make it up to you."

I looked at her.

Kelly shook her head. "You do understand that they can't offer you a job. I'm the only married hostess that they've ever employed. The idea of having my husband working in the office would be unthinkable to them."

I nodded.

"But I suspect that by the end of next week you won't be driving a Ford Focus anymore."

"Hey I just told you, I love that car."

"Yes and it is a great car, but I'm absolutely certain that you're about to upgrade to a Lexus, a BMW or maybe a Jaguar."

"A Jaguar?"

"Would you like that?"

I laughed. "Of course I would, but..."

"We might as well tell them what you want, otherwise they're going to have to guess."

I laughed. "Okay."

"You'd also better prepare yourself for the hand tailored suits and Italian shoes."

"Kelly I don't even own a suit."

"Yeah, well that's about to change."

"Kelly I don't need all that stuff. It's not important to me. All I want is to try to accomplish something that matters."

Kelly nodded. "I know Timmy. That's all I want too." She laid her head on my shoulder and looked up at me. "I have an idea. Now that you know about my job I'm going to be able to spend a lot more time at home. How about if we agree to devote at least an hour every day to writing together. At the end of the hour you can show me what you wrote and I'll show you what I wrote. We can talk about our work and help each other. Timmy, maybe if we do that we can both write something that matters."

I smiled. "Kelly I'd like that very very much."

Suddenly the door to Mandy's office opened and Martin Jackson walked into the room.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence and then Mr. Jackson said, "Mr. Jamieson, I owe you an apology." He appeared to be very nervous. It was clear that Martin Jackson wasn't used to apologizing to anyone.

I held up my hand. I wanted to tell him that it wasn't necessary, but as soon as I tried to speak he shook his head. "No Mr. Jamieson, please let me say my piece. We can talk afterward."

Kelly stood. "Martin can I get you a chair?"

"No Kelly, please sit down. I'd rather stand while I say this."

My wife nodded and sat back down next to me.

Mr. Jackson took a moment. He appeared to be carefully choosing his words. Finally he said, "This morning I had several lapses of judgment that I now deeply regret. Timmy, running this business consumes my life. I have always been driven to succeed. My work is all that matters to me. I've never married. I never will. I don't have time for a wife. I work seven days a week and generally put in sixteen hours a day. Over the years I have become obsessed with time and efficiency and I've learned to apply that attitude to all aspects of my life. That even includes the time that I take for relaxation and pleasure. Sometimes my obsession with efficiency causes me to appear to be brusque and insensitive. I suppose that I actually am, but it's never my intention."

He paused to take a breath. "This morning when Chris told me about the dinner party the three of you had last night and the roles that each of you played, I was envious. I'm sure that by now you're well aware of the fact that sexual dominance is a passion for me. Once we'd completed our business this morning, I was very eager to engage in a similar scene with you and Kelly."

He shook his head, "Unfortunately in my effort to be efficient with time I acted on several invalid assumptions. Over the past year, your wife and I have become very close friends."

He looked at me. There was a sudden expression of concern in his eyes. "Timmy, there isn't any reason for you to be jealous about that. You are the love of Kelly's life. She's made that very clear since the first day she came to work for JTandR."

I nodded,

He continued. "Anyway, Kelly and I are close friends. We've also become very comfortable with each other as sex partners. We've learned to trust each other and we understand our mutual needs quite well. This morning I made the mistake of assuming that the trust and understanding that I have with your wife automatically transferred to you. I now realize that was a foolish assumption. We barely know each other. There wasn't any reason to believe that a bond of trust existed between us."

Mr. Jackson smiled. "Of course both of us are smart enough to understand that any kind of dominant submissive sex play requires a bond of trust."

Shaking his head, he continued; "When I started taunting you, you of course reacted in a way that should have been easily predictable. You took offense, became angry and left. I don't blame you. I committed an egregious error in judgment and ended up acting like a rude, boorish ass. Mr. Jamieson, please accept my humble apology."

I smiled at him and started to say something, but he stopped me. "Mr. Jamieson, before you say anything, there is one more thing that I have to say."

I nodded.

"As I told you earlier, my efforts to conserve time often make me appear to be brusque and uncaring. I am not by any means a perfect man and being abrupt is certainly one of my faults. I now understand that our problem this morning may have been aggravated by that deficiency."

Mr. Jackson nervously shifted his feet. This situation was clearly making him feel uncomfortable.

"Timmy I understand that in her efforts to hide the true nature of her job Kelly distanced herself from you during the past few months. A few minutes ago Wendell Tyler informed me that you told him that you had interpreted your wife's aloof manner towards you to be an indication that she was losing interest in you because of your lack of professional success."

He paused for a moment to think and then he continued. "I gather that you now do understand the real reason for her detached attitude."

I quietly answered. "Yes."

"Your self esteem must have been severely damaged during the last year. I know mine would have been. Kelly appeared to be so successful. She had a prestigious job, drove a luxury car, wore expensive clothing and traveled extensively. On the other hand you were experiencing the frustration and lack of success that many liberal arts graduates encounter after they leave college."

He smiled at me. "Timmy you did in fact impress me this morning and I'm not just saying that. You very adroitly analyzed the situation and then you laid out a concise and orderly plan for a mutually beneficial solution. I have highly trained and experienced negotiators on my staff who wouldn't have handled the discussion as competently as you did."

Mr. Jackson shook his head. "I wish that I'd been astute enough to tell you that at the time, but I wasn't. I not only callously ignored an opportunity to restore a little bit of your self esteem, I unwittingly did exactly the opposite. Without any prior discussion I abruptly attempted to move into a sex game that involved your degradation and humiliation. Timmy I again offer my humble apology and I hope that you will forgive me."

I nodded. "Thank you, I do accept your apology. Mr. Jackson, the past two months have taught me many things. One of them is that most of the affronts, slights and insults that are part of our daily lives are not the result of deliberate malice. They're caused by miscommunication, misunderstanding and an inadvertent failure to pay attention to the needs and feelings of the people around us. I think this morning was a good example and I'm every bit as guilty as you are."