Dixie

"Mind if Ginny and I become lounge lizards after dinner?"

"Hell, I'll be asleep so I won't care. Just don't bring her back too drunk because the last time that happened she threw up on me."

"Frank, I did not, that was food poisoning."

He smiled and said, "I could smell her food poisoning halfway across the room." Loren smiled, but he wasn't getting in the middle of that one.

"Get some rest honey and I'll be up later."

"Take your time, night, Loren."

"Night, Frank."

She looked at him and said, "We better keep talking to keep our minds busy or we're going to do something we shouldn't."

"I know. Hungry?"

"Not right now. My panty pull down has taken the edge off of my appetite. Okay, so we're going to talk about your maid again."

"What? Why her?"

"Because I think there's more between you two than you want to admit to. Either to me or maybe even to yourself."

"That's your imagination. You've never even met her."

"Okay then when we get home I'm coming to visit so I can meet her and even visit with her. Then we'll talk again."

"Why are you so worked up over Dixie?"

"Well the busier you are the less likely we are to get into trouble for one thing. Also like I said, you're either not being honest or you're in denial."

"You better stop drinking your panty thing."

"Let me taste your bosom caresser."

"I'll trade that for caressing your bosom."

"Now stop that. Give me a taste." Then she smiled and added, "And you can pull my panties down," as she handed him her glass.

"You're worse than I am. Frank's right we bring out the college mentality in each other."

"Damn it Loren, this isn't going to work."

"What isn't?"

"We're sitting here, Frank is in our room crashing and you're room is empty."

"Want to race and see who can get up there first?" She smiled and taking his hand she stood up. The waiter ran over and presented the bill and Loren signed it, and they left the bar trying not to smile too much.

They made love, but it wasn't a record setting event. She didn't scream when she climaxed, and he didn't fill her with his offering until she overflowed. Their lovemaking was just that, they made love. Somewhat gentle and quite a bit slower. He probed her as deeply as he could, and she moaned her words of encouragement. They kissed and showered each other with flattery, and talked of their wishes to be able to be together again one day and share their bodies. His hands wandered and teased before and after love making, and she did the same and that lead to more lovemaking, but no more orgasms, not that it mattered all that much to them. They were exploring and memorizing each other's bodies, and they were trying to save up their kisses and caresses for the long absence ahead. As much as she didn't want to, she finally washed up and put herself together. She kissed him once more and went back to her room to lie next to sleeping Frank and think about Loren and his sweet hardness.

Chapter Seven

They weren't in the air more that twenty minutes before Frank was asleep with his right leg stretched out along the side of the seat in front of him. Ginny and Loren were leaned back and either glancing out of the window as the plane continued to climb or watched the other passengers as they settled in and got comfortable. His hand found hers and athey looked at each other and smiled slightly. "Okay, so when we get home I'm going to come over and meet Dixie right?"

"If that's what you want to do. Are you sure you're not going to try and steal her from me for your own selfish needs?"

She smiled and said softly, "Now, I wouldn't do that to you. I might steal you for my own selfish needs, but that's a different story."

"So tell me again why you want to meet Dixie."

"Because if there is something between you two, then you'll be too busy for us to get into trouble. Besides, I want to talk to her about being on that boat with her naked boss."

"Don't you dare tell her about that."

"Okay, but I want to talk to her woman to woman."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

She smiled and admitted, "You don't know."

He put his lips to her ears and said, "If you didn't affect me so damn much, I wouldn't even consider letting you meet Dixie." She wasn't smiling when she glanced at Frank and then whispered, "I'm going to miss you so much," and she quickly looked away from him.

After they landed, he walked out with Ginny and Frank and then headed for parking log G while they headed for the B lot.

He knew that since it was Saturday, Dixie wouldn't be at his house and that was just as well. He felt a little tired and just wanted to crash and read or even take a nap. He pulled straight into the garage and then dragging his bag behind him, he went in through the kitchen. Leaving the bag at the entrance to the dining room, he went to the refrigerator and reached for a beer, changed his mind and closed the door and got a glass of water. Sipping on that,he kicked off his shoes and wandered into the living room and stopped. Dixie was on the couch and sound asleep. He tasted his water and looked at her lying there and just watched her. He'd never really studied her, because she would have caught him at it and that would have been very embarrassing. She was on her side facing toward the center of the room with her knees bent slightly, and her arms were tucked in just enough to provide her with a makeshift pillow. He went over to the small window box and retrieved an afghan. and gently laid that over her up to below her breasts and then sat on the floor in front of her. He then folded his legs and crossed them at the ankles and then leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. He moved his butt slightly to get comfortable and the just sat there and studied his maid and friend.

Her hair was in slight disarray, so she must have changed her position at some point. but it still draped over her arm like a soft veil that he wanted to reach out and touch but didn't. Her breathing was slow, soft and silent. but he could see her chest rise and fall very slightly and he imagined he could feel her breath on him. He remembered what Ginny had said. and as he continued to watch her he tried to question himself about his true feelings for her. He really did like her and he held a great respect for her mind. Why she chose to be a maid. he didn't know. but that was her business. He just knew she was very smart and quick. and had a sharp sense of humor that often caught him off guard. She always dressed conservatively in slacks that were closer to loose on her than tight fitting and her tops, whatever kind she wore were never tight or revealing. She never dressed frumpy, but never stylishly when she was around him. She dressed to suit her job and not so much to please him or his misguided sense of fashion that she always had to help him with. Did he love her? He mentally shrugged his shoulders, because he wasn't even sure what love was. He liked her to the point that he knew he would defend her and protect her. He liked her to the point that he would put her before most of his relatives, if not all of them. he decided he must like her quite a bit if he had considered taking her with him to the east coast. Did he wish he could hold her in his arms? He'd never thought about that and the idea made him uncomfortable. Then he decided it would be a lot like holding Ginny in his arms. No,that was wrong it would be different. But could he? Would he if he could? No great revelations were forthcoming, but he continued to just watch her for another minute and then stretched out on the floor next to the couch and put his head on his arm to continue studying her...and fell asleep.

Chapter Eight

Time meant nothing to either of them until Dixie woke up with a start, blinked her eyes and turned onto her back. She felt the afghan still partially over her hips and legs and she thought about that in her half awake state. Did she get the afghan out? She didn't remember doing that and yet it was over her. She tried to focus on her watch, blinked her eyes a couple more times and tried again. Her eyes went wide at the discovery. It was after five o'clock and past time for him to be home. She wasn't even supposed to be there. She cursed her carelessness and sat up and put her feet on his thighs. She jerked her feet away, stared down at the form and screamed. He jumped to his feet and almost fell over, looked around as he blinked his eyes and tried to figure out just where the hell he was, what day it was and why he had been on the floor.

Then he saw her sitting there staring at him still about half wide eyed and he said, "Damn it woman, you scared the hell out of me."

"That's fair I almost fainted. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I live here remember?"

"I'm sorry, I meant...I don't know, I'm still a little foggy. I just...what the hell were you doing on the floor anyway?"

"Why are you here today, it's your day off."

"Because I wanted to air out the house and make sure everything was fresh and ready for you."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Of course I didn't have to do that, but I wanted to. Now it's your turn to answer my question. Why were you on the floor next to me and...and sleeping no less."

"I was...that is when I came home and saw you, I...maybe we better have coffee and give ourselves time to wake up and sort this all out."

"I'm really curious why you were on the floor. You could have awakened me and sent me packing so you could have the couch."

"Hell, I could have just gone to bed too."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, of course not, why did you ask that?"

"Because you're talking louder than usual."

"I am?" Then in a softer tone said, "I mean I am?"

"You were."

"Sorry, I guess I was still a little cranked up from your scream."

"I almost had to go home and change. I've never been startled that much before."

"Well, if nothing else, you have the volume to scare off a prowler. My ears are still ringing."

"I'll go put the coffee on." He picked up the afghan and started to fold it and she said, "I'll take care of that."

"I got it out so I'll put it back while you make coffee."

"Did you put that on me?"

"Yes, why?"

"I couldn't figure out where it came from."

"From me."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," and she headed to the kitchen. He put the afghan back in the window box and then followed her to the kitchen and sat at the table and watched her again.

It took her a few minutes, but she caught him staring at her and asked, "What's wrong?"

"What...oh nothing, I guess I was daydreaming."

"You sure were staring at me."

"I'm sorry."

"I thought my slacks might be torn or something."

He smiled and said, "Had that been the case I would have come up with some very witty and embarrassing comment to make."

"I'm just sure you would have too."

He worked at not staring at her as they waited for the Bunn to finish its job, and then she handed him a cup of coffee, got hers and sat across from him like it was a normal workday morning. "Dixie, have you ever been to the east coast?"

"Not since I was too young to remember it."

"Have you ever been on a boat?"

"Do you mean like a rowboat fishing for bluegill or like a cruise ship?"

"Something big enough to sleep on, or rather live on for a period of time."

"You must be joking. You know what I make and you ask a question like that?"

"I don't mean to own it, but perhaps be on one on a vacation or something."

"Not hardly. I love the water, but that's not something in my fantasies let alone my long range plan. Are these questions taking us somewhere?"

"Oh...no, I guess I was dreaming and...never mind."

"Okay now, you were going to tell me why you were sleeping next to me...I mean on the floor near me...whatever, why were you down there?"

"That's a little difficult to answer."

"Are you hung over by any chance?"

"Not at all."

"Then what's so difficult about that? If you don't want to answer that's your prerogative I guess, but I can't help but be very curious."

"Dixie, how long have we known each other?"

"I don't know let me think...I think it was two thousand three...so that makes it...oh I guess about four or five years, why?"

He had to think of a way to give a plausible explanation of his actions without admitting the true reason, or at least the potential emotions behind his reasons. "Well, when I came in and found you sound asleep, I stopped and looked at you. It dawned on me that in those years I've never really looked at you."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean really looked at you. Studied your features, how your hair lays or whatever. Anyway I was watching you sleep. Your slow steady breathing and your position...hell, I can't explain it okay? I just sat there and watched you after I covered you up and then I was tired so that's how I ended up on the floor...next to you...asleep."

It was her turn to study him and she took her time with it. "I'm looking at you and I see the same guy across from me, but you're acting weird...no, that's not nice of me to say that...you're acting differently."

"I'm sorry."

"Maybe we better just drop it and you can tell me about your seminar." They both took a drink of their coffee and set down their cups at the same time like it was choreographed and then he said, "It was okay. Not great but okay. I guess Frank closed a couple of very sweet deals while we were there and I spent a lot of time with Ginny...oh, by the way, she asked about you."

"Why, she hardly knows me."

"Okay, because I mentioned you and how important you are to me. How good you are at your job and how nice it is to have you here and how smart you are and...we just talked you know how it is."

"You talked to your boss's wife about your maid. Is she looking for a new one or how did all of this come about?"

"I don't remember, and no she's not looking for anybody. Wait, where's your car, I didn't see it when I got home."

"It's out there...oh, I got a different one. A smaller one that will start whenever I think it should and not whenever it decides it wants to."

"Oh...that explains why I didn't see it then."

"Wow, you're about half here you know that? You keep changing the subject, are you having trouble focusing. Should you see a doctor?"

"That's about how I feel too, and no, I don't need a doctor."

"Well, I'll take care of your suitcase and then I'll go home and I'll see you Monday morning."

"I can take care of my suitcase."

"Are you trying to work me out of my job? You fold the afghan and now you want to take care of your unpacking and your dirty clothes."

"Okay, take care of my suitcase and thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I know what this is all about, you're thinking about giving me a raise."

He smiled and said, "I'll get back to you on that."

"Let's see this is two thousand..."

"Okay, okay I'll get back to you within...sixty days."

"Gee, you don't have to rush."

"You used to be so proper and show me so much respect. What happened?

That stopped her for a second. He was just trying to be funny but he was right, she had never talked to him like that.

"Loren, I'm sorry."

He didn't expect her to suddenly turn serious and it about half shocked him. For the first time he put his hand on hers and said, "Dixie, it's okay I was just kidding."

"But you're right, I got carried away."

"I'm not right. You've done nothing wrong at all, I've enjoyed sparring with you. I told you earlier I think your mind is so sharp."

"I was getting sharp tongued too though."

"If you don't stop with that I'm not going to consider your raise."

"I better take care of your bag," and she got up.

The phone rang so she automatically picked it up and said, "Banks residence." She listened a second and handing it to him she smiled and said, "It's Virginia."

He answered the phone and listened and then quickly said, "Dixie, can you stick around a little while? If not I understand, but..."

"For how long?"

"Maybe an hour?"

"Oh sure," and she headed for the laundry room with his bag in tow.

"She'll be here." He listened a minute, said goodbye and hung up. Now he was wishing he'd never mentioned Dixie and the boat. This was going to be awkward for him as well as for Dixie

Chapter Nine

Ginny was there in less than half an hour, acting as though she and Loren had never had their brief affair and Dixie served them coffee. Loren and Ginny talked for several minutes and then when Dixie returned to refill their cups Ginny said, "Dixie, why don't you get yourself a cup and join us."

Dixie looked at Loren and he just smiled at her and said, "Yes, why don't you?" This was unheard of. To have the maid join in the conversation of her boss and his guest was odder than the conversation they'd had earlier. She just smiled and soon returned, poured her coffee and sat on the couch with Ginny. The three of them talked and Ginny asked Dixie just enough questions to show interest without seeming to be nosy. He had to remember to tell Ginny that he was impressed by how she was very smooth and seemed to put his maid and friend at ease. When Dixie started to refill the cups, Loren excused himself for a minute and disappeared as though he was going to the bathroom. He couldn't hear what they were saying to each other so he had no idea how long to give Ginny to work her magic...or get him into a whole lot of trouble. He finally chanced a look from his hiding place and saw that Ginny seemed to be getting restless so he went in apologizing for being gone so long.

Ginny stayed enough longer to make everything seem unplanned or staged, and then she kissed Dixie's cheek and then Loren's and left. Dixie sat back down and poured more coffee for Loren and her.

"If that wasn't about the strangest experience."

"I know, and I'm sorry I was gone so long."

"No, it wasn't that...well, that was a little awkward too, but...we talked like old friends. She really is quite nice."

"I couldn't agree more. So you two had a nice talk then."

"Yes we did...well except for one thing."

"What's that," he asked innocently.

She told me a secret."

"Really? That is odd, but it's nice that she confided in you."

"It was about you."

Loren had a moment of fear at that point. Did they talk about the boat or did they talk about their little affair? "Dare I ask what about, or will it continue to be a secret?"

"Well since you told her, I guess you already know."

"Could you be a little more forthcoming?"

"She said...I mean you told her that you were considering asking me to go with you to the east coast and on that boat you so casually brought up earlier, but you're afraid to ask me."

"Oh...that secret."

"She told me that you haven't asked me because you're afraid of how that might impact our...relationship."

"She sure talks a lot. And fast too." He was doing his best to appear to be surprised by the turn of events.

"She told me more too."

"I'm afraid to ask."

"Loren, I don't even know how to go about this because if she's mistaken, I'm going to be very embarrassed. Hell...sorry, I'm getting embarrassed already."

"Oh boy, I think I know where this is going, but proceed and damn the consequences. What else did she tell you?"

Dixie was having trouble with eye contact right then and looked at her hands, out through the window to the yard and then back to her hands again. "She told me that when you're on the boat, you...nobody...I mean sometimes everybody...nobody bothers to get dressed." She took a deep breath and glanced at him as he studied her. There was no going back now for either of them.

"That's true. Well, the women wear bikinis a lot, but they're so small that they don't cover much at all, but there are times when we don't bother with anything."