Island Love

"But you can't sell; you are doing the right thing by keeping it as a rainy day investment."

"Oh, a bit of an investment guru are you?"

She grinned. "This is wonderful but I'm excited about showing you something."

Roman grinned and scratching his forehead looked down in the direction of her crotch. She scolded, "Do you have to be so gross?"

They walked into Roman's cottage. Two floodlights had been wired in and were illuminating the still uncompleted mural. It took Roman's breath away.

"This is priceless."

"It will take about three more weeks to complete detailing. I had your friend Tony Allen make a false wall over the existing wall so it comes apart in two sections once the beadings are prised off and when reassembled and taped, an hour's touch up along that line of the seabed will have it looking in original condition again."

"Bloody marvellous."

"Thank you darling. Tony said he owed you so much for business you recommended his way he refused to accept payment."

"Tony's one of the guys applying a medieval-minded code of conduct you are on at me about."

Dora smiled cutely. "I found there were others? Frank at the home renovations supplies, Chappie the electrician, Sam the painter/decorator and Rangi the plumber."

"Christ, they all are my mates. How did you manage to plug into them?"

"A very voluptuous and talkative woman who owns the coffee shop in our village said you all went to high school with her and remain plugged into her if only verbally."

"Dora, be very careful what you say about that. Three of those guys are married."

"Oh don't worry, I'll consider myself a maiden bound by the code and that means my lips are sealed on such incriminating matters."

When Roman managed to get his mouth closed sufficiently to talk he paid Dora a supreme compliment. "You know with your vision and attitude you are good enough to be one of the guys."

"Oh darling, your kindness overwhelms me."

Looking at her suspiciously, Roman asked why was she into calling him darling?

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

But a romantic response wasn't forthcoming. "Huh, make sure you make a sound decision based on facts and intuition."

"Don't worry, I will."

Dora took Roman's hand. "I had this work done on your home because in working on this mural I felt I worked much better in this cottage than up at the big house. Please don't be mad at me having the work done without your permission. I feel it has enhanced the cottage."

"That is the irresponsible action of a child. Exactly how old are you?"

"Thirty-one."

"Then we are not around the same age, are we? I'm thirty-five. I'll make allowances for this irresponsible action. Are your tits really that good?"

"I think so – want me to drop my top for proof."

"Nah, everything else about you in this painting looks authentic apart from the tail."

Dora leaned against him smiling and Roman placed an arm around her. They looked at the mural. Roman recognised the shark near the surface as a young Bronze Whaler and saw snapper, tarakihi and the unfinished swarm of sprats being chased by a kingfish. But the focal point was a beautiful life-sized mermaid, clearly a 'self-portrait' and beside Dora the mermaid were two treasure chests, one on top of the other and both dripping jewels. A rusting ship's canon poked out of a patch of exotic bright green seaweed.

"This is indeed a work of art," he said gravely. "You are so talented. This island is teeming with artists and artisans but the majority are left in your wake. Now let's view this mess you have made of my house."

They viewed the guest bedroom and Roman's eyes fluttered in astonishment. The room was now very clearly lit with clerestory windows on the roof, facing away from the sun and the south wall, also facing away from the sun, was now mostly glass. The walls and the ceiling between the clerestory windows had been relined, stopped and plastered and the floorboards had been sanded back and coated in clear polyurethane, bringing out the natural beauty in the old kauri timber. The old twin beds had gone, replaced by a sofa that converted into a bed.

"This is magnificent – but how on earth did you get the guys to get all this done, including having the old walk-in wardrobe converted to a shower and toilet and the room re-wired and new lighting installed?"

"I asked each of them to quote firm prices for their work including all materials and fittings and to promise to coordinate with the other contractors and I accepted their quotes on the condition they work 7:00 to 7:00 each day from Tuesday until they got the job done and in return I would paint a comparatively priced portrait of their wife or girlfriend. I showed them Clyde's portrait that I completed just prior to the wedding and I believe I blew them away. Chappie arrived back early this morning to install the lighting and other electrical fittings – job totally finished. They are dropping back here at 6:00 this evening to have a few beers with you. Their wives or partners and children will arrive at 7:00 for a cookout, er barbecue. Please darling, go and get the drinks. I purchased the sausages, chicken drumsticks and steaks this morning and began marinating the steaks an hour ago."

"Those guys are among my best mates Dora; did you have to invite the partners and kids?"

"Please understand darling... their partners are very keen to see the quality of my portraiture so we'll all go up to mom's private gallery to see her collection of my work. Nominally they range in price from a few hundred dollars American to perhaps $35,000 so it's a representative collection."

"Um, my mates will have seen you as the mermaid?"

"Yes darling my pussy is hidden by scales, isn't it?"

"Er yes."

"Would you feel more relaxed if I prevented the wives from viewing the uncompleted mural topless?"

"Er no. It's art isn't it?"

"Oh good boy. Now off to get the liquor please and I'll then need you to help me get the food ready. I haven't time to be a naughty girl this side of their arrival."

"You mean we'll do it while they're here?"

"God Roman, you have an over-active mind. The opposite to what I said means we'll have sex on the other side of their departure."

"Oh."

Dora returned later and looked nervously at Roman. "Is this tee okay darling and these shorts?"

"Yeah, beaut. But you'll need to put on full make-up. Some of these babes will be in shorts so tight you see both cracks and half of their tits will be spilling out but almost to a woman they'll have on full war paint."

"Ohmigod you have saved me from a huge clanger."

CHAPTER 3

The guys had all arrived and had inspected the completed studio and checked out Roman's bedroom. They were disappointed to find no sign of Dora's occupancy there and he refused to make any comment. They were gathered drinking beer in front of the mural, Chappie telling Roman he and the boys had not seen Dora in her finest – she'd been dressed in her over-sized painting clothes with a scarf protecting her hair... "But she's told us everything with this self-portrait as a mermaid was authentic. God, what a pair!"

Looking over Roman's shoulder Chappie's mouth dropped open and he appeared to have sighted something unbelievable. Roman turned to look and almost dropped his bottle of beer.

"Hi boys," said Dora brightly. She had her blonde hair in a pony tail, remained in her 'I've been Naughty' tee and a pair of shorts that she must have last worn when about fifteen and white high-heel sandals. The other boys rushed her attempting to be the first to offer her a drink.

"A white wine please Rangi."

Still glancing at Dora's breasts, pulled extra high, Roman whispered to the others, "What are your partners wearing here?"

None of them knew so he asked them to phone and ask them to wear tight tops, very tight shorts and full make-up."

"Patti doesn't wear full make-up."

"Tell her plenty of lipstick and blusher... nothing less. And make sure Rangi calls Moana."

There were only three children but the wives and Rangi's partner Moana looked really great. The guys must have told them to tighten their bra straps. The guys ogled and thanked Roman with eye contact.

"You babes look extra curly," Roman greeted and the babes flushed in pleasure. He introduced them to Dora and they all noisily admired the logo on her tee.

"Ohmigod, you ought to market that design internationally," Patti said. "Every guy would be proud to see his babe in a tee like that."

The women stood in front of the mural and although only on their first drink were ecstatic in praise. They all recognised Dora instantly and looking back at her to check out her boobs nodded when looking back at the pair exposed in the painting.

Later they trooped up to the Big House to look at the paintings, mostly portraits of famous people of the past 100 years painted from photographs or photographed paintings, plus some excellent landscapes. Everyone included Roman was impressed and he slipped off to resume drinking with his mates while their partners spoke to Dora about their portraits.

It was almost 2:00 when the last guests left. Dora knew she was drunk and Roman was bumping into things so was no better. So she decided their first fuck would be a great disappointment to her and it was even worse that that. Roman kissed her twice and then brushed aside empty food boxes, empty beer cans and napkins on the table, lay Dora on her back, unzipped her fly and pulled aside the leg of her panties and pushed straight in.

Ohmigod, how primitive, she thought and was pleased she was a little bit naturally lubed because she'd been thinking about him getting her off all evening. It was not at all how she'd been expecting it from the guys some local women had tagged, the master seducer. She groaned and felt her body adjusting to his pumping and then she sexually became as one with him. When he began panting his face really reddened he gritted and asked could he squirt over her. She thought he meant over her belly so pulled up her tee.

"Ohmigod, you beast," she yelled as semen streamed up to her face. "You medieval clod, you've drenched me."

She blew her top and told him to sleep in his own bed, that she was going home.

Dora walked up the hill nude, muttering, and carrying her semen-soaked clothes. She was in the lobby when the lights went all and from the top of the stairs Rosella called, "Oh hello darling. Been entertaining Roman and his lusty pals have you?"

"Mother!"

"Keep calm darling. I've waited years to see you really let you hair down. My daughter's finally come of age."

In the bath Dora took the glass of tea from her mother.

"Mom Roman Gulliver is such a pig. He has just drunkenly seduced me without any foreplay whatsoever and without undressing me."

"Oh, and you were innocently sober were you?"

"Well no, I suppose not. But I had no wish to be savaged like a rag doll."

"Then take that up with Roman darling. This is between you two. Do you intend marrying him?"

"I had been thinking about it, but now..."

"Darling, you are drunk, in no shape to determine rational thought, said Rosella. "Review your position in the morning. Now tell me everything; I wish to learn how you came to entangle with the island's infamous seducer. Knowing you and your standards, I shouldn't think living in proximity with him was sufficient incentive to turn to him in lust."

"Mother!"

* * *

Roman arose and lightly scratching his testicles walked to the bedroom window to look up at the big house when he ducked for cover and sighed. He'd just sighted Rosella on the front lawn with her two black retrievers back from the boarding kennels. He dressed hurriedly, cleaned everything away, hand-washed everything that wouldn't fit into the dishwasher, turned on the washer and then stacked all the rubbish including thirty-six empty beer cans into piles. He wrote a note to 'Dear Naughty Girl' asking her to take the sorted rubbish to the refuse transfer station and left, knowing it was strategically correct not to face 'Naughty Girl' that day because she would be determined to demonstrate to her mother what a pig he was.

But remorse took hold. He wrote another note that stated: 'Sorry the cum-bath seemed to take you by surprise. Work well in your new studio and think favourably of me. Will phone you.'

Roman was too experienced to know you never say to a woman when you'll phone because they then expect you to phone on the dot. He might give Dora a call in a couple of days or so, waiting for last night to be a distant memory. Actually she might have forgotten it already, what with her mom being home. Where the fuck was Clyde? Er, where was Clyde; he really must stop injecting profanity even into his thinking if he wanted Dora to accept him totally. He really wasn't the type of guy she was used to and certainly not the model man she'd pictured marrying. She ought not to have set her standards so high but he was determined to help her out. Sometimes a guy just had to change, huh? He knew she wouldn't call him because she never had although her stepfather had given her Roman's number to call him in the event of emergencies. She hadn't even called him before taking his guest bedroom apart, though admittedly the outcome was for the better but still, what an irresponsible act!

Roman was on the 8:00 am ferry to the city, just passing through the entrance to Matiatia when he wondered what if that nosey mother was down to the cottage first. He grinned thinking reading a note addressed to 'Dear Naughty Girl' Rosella would know the note was not for her. Before the wedding Rosella had hung around him quite a bit, and liked tidying up after him and doing his washing. He didn't mind, knowing Clyde would know she was safe with him, knowing if Rosella wanted Roman to molest her she'd be stiff out of luck because he and Roman really were mates.

Purchasing a coffee Roman sat by a woman he used to know carnally. She had two small kids with her. She trusted him enough to leave him entertaining them while she went off to talk to friends of her parents. Women, he sighed. They used men like toilet paper, discarding them when finished. Tom asked him shyly, "Do you know mummy?"

"I don't think any man really knows a woman," Roman replied philosophically, and Tom asked what did that mean. His small sister with a dummy in her mouth looked at Roman as if waiting for the answer.

At the city terminal Roman helped Shelley with the kids and she was so grateful he felt really good when he kissed her cheek and she patted him on the butt as if forgetting she were married, but he knew she just wanted to let him know she liked him although she was now untouchable... er by him.

At the apartment he made coffee and then stripped the machine down and cleaned it properly. While doing that he thought when Dora came across to the city with him she'd need a car so thought Saturday morning was a great time to buy a car. He called Paula-Jean to speak to Mark to get names of reputable dealers but Mark was down working on the boat.

"I've heard him say before all dealers on Great South Road to Greenland are good.'

"Fine, thanks."

"I have my sister Billy-Mae with me. Would you like us to drop in around 1:00 for lunch on the way home from shopping in Broadway?"

"Yeah, that would be great. Bring the lunch; charge it up on your business card. I have plenty of wine but no food here."

"Men," Paula laughed.

Jerry, a guy Roman knew from the Auckland Club, gave him a great deal on a demonstrator bright red Peugeot 307 with only 2290 km on the clock. Roman had been tentative, wondering it had to be a bad deal at that price.

"Mate, these little beauties are built like tanks and you have the new car warranty, remember? I'm doing this deal as a special deal for you," Jerry soothed. "You regularly fixed me up with babes and I'm now living with Anna whom you'd said was a perfect match for me; we aim to marry as soon as my divorce comes through."

Back in the apartment Roman connected his laptop and filled in time checking on international financial markets, at times grinning at the fall in prices of some of the property-rich investment groups, having a good idea at where their assets would be in two to three years.

The girls arrived with the happy faces women have when they've been shopping and believe they have done well.

Paula-Jean kissed him possessively and introduced her younger sister who looked lean and mean. She said, "After lunch when we have sex, Billy-Mae would like to join us, is that okay?"

Roman showed his teeth and said enthusiastically, "Great!" and that coloured Billy-Mae's cheeks as she nervously twisted her wedding ring. "I'll pour the wine, Roman said, his walk turning into a swagger when he overheard Bill-Mae whisper, "He's gorgeous."

The girls left at 5:30 and Roman was awoken from an exhausted sleep and hour later. The caller was Dora and she was crying.

"I'm so, so sorry. We were both drunk so it was not altogether your fault."

"It was my fault. I had to shove it in before I fell over."

"You won't want anything to do with me again."

"Rubbish," Roman said, thinking of the Peugeot in the basement. "You know you have the tightest pussy I've had since my late teens."

"Is that good?"

"It's unbelievable and makes you a very, very good girl. Where are you?"

"In the departure lounge at the airport. Mom is taking me to Australia. She wants me to forget you, saying you are too far outrageous and over-sexed for me."

"Am I?"

"I-I don't think so."

"Do you really like sex?"

"I think so but it's difficult to tell because I'm not all that experienced."

Roman thought it best to get off that subject. "How long will you be away?"

"Two weeks."

"Your mom is dreaming. Even if you left me behind you today you'd still be dreaming of my fat dick two years from now."

"You have to be joking."

"Okay, please yourself. If you do decide to dump me at least return to my cottage and complete the mural during weekdays when I'll be over here in the city."

"Why not convert the utility room into a proper office. With you working we could still talk."

"What without fucking?"

She giggled and said that was possible for him, wasn't it. She cut the call, leaving him still roaring in laughter. He changed from grin to scowl thinking that spiteful broad Rosella was doing this because he'd refused to fuck her even when she'd lifted her skirt and dragged his arm over her moist and heated pussy. Women weren't at all reliable. But he had faith – he knew Dora couldn't walk away from him. Although he pissed her off big time occasionally he basically kept her boiler running simply because he excited her just be talking to her.

Dora knew he had a big reputation and would have been told by those females the other evening that Roman had never shown such an interest in a woman as he was showing in her. Dora would have figured he'd remain true to her because that's how women think. Well perhaps he could but he'd have to ask for a concession: she'd have to understand that seduction was the fail-safe way he recruited new female clients who then dragged their husbands to sign up with him as well. Also he'd have to look after Paula-Jean because she didn't get enough sex at home and they often had boring downtime in the office to fill... um, that was okay because Paula-Jean was a client. The fact she was not a new client was only splitting hairs. He grinned because that's what he did with Paula-Jean.

At the office on Monday Paula-Jean said her sister had returned to Napier and Mark was in Wellington on week for a medical conference. "I can sleep with you all week if that's what you want or will your darling be visiting?"

Roman told Paula-Jean all about his recent escapades and crises with Dora.