Star Seed

Calm down, girl. Even if she doesn't live on your side of the street, you're ahead of the game. Seven days with this goddess, and you're being paid! For the first time, Andi began to understand the appeal sex work had for Josephine and some of the other girls at the agency. No sex unless we both want it. No need to pretend I find some scuzball attractive, or to fake an orgasm. Fake it? Hell, I bet she could make me come just by letting me play with her tits and grind on that ass of hers. She shook her head at the incongruity of the situation. She had entered the room dreading the unwelcome attentions of a male stranger. Now she found herself with the roles reversed, drooling over a woman she had just met.

"Well," she said. "Let me put my things away, and we can decide what to do next."

*****

"So, Chara," Andi asked a little while later, as they slowly drove through downtown Des Moines. "What would you like to see first?"

The gorgeous woman shrugged, the motion doing entrancing things to her chest. Andi tried to keep her eyes off Chara's breasts and on the road. She had been stunned when Chara had casually handed her the keys to a Tesla.

"You drive, yes?" she had said. "I want to learn about this town where I will be staying."

Andi relaxed into the plush leather interior of the car as they whispered through the streets. It was easily the most luxurious vehicle she had ever driven. The large touch-screen on the dashboard and the unfamiliar controls, so different from her beat-up old Honda, made her nervous. It had taken her nearly fifteen minutes of familiarizing herself with the car until she felt confident enough to pull out of the parking lot and onto the road, but she was slowly starting to get the hang of the vehicle. She switched on her blinker and turned onto Locust.

"I am not sure, Estelle," said Chara, replying to her earlier question. "You were born here, yes? In Iowa?" She pronounced the name carefully.

"Born and raised," she answered, in a tone that was half-proud, half-mournful. "I grew up in a little town called Harlan, about a hundred miles west of here, not too far from the Nebraska border."

"And what are Iowans most proud of? What makes Iowa special?"

"Well, they're usually pretty stoked when the college football or basketball teams are doing well, but for me, it's different." She smiled at Chara's blank look. "Never mind. I don't suppose you watch much college football where you're from." She thought a moment, then took 3^rd Street down to Walnut, turning east to cross the Des Moines River.

"Iowans are farmers. When I think of Iowa, that is what I think of. Thousands of farmers, working hard, growing food for the rest of the country. Do you know," she said, "that the product of Iowa's farms produces more wealth than all the diamond mines in the world? And you sure as hell can't eat diamonds. That's what makes me proud to be an Iowan. You should be here in July or August, not February. When the the heat and humidity are so thick you can practically cut it with a knife. You can practically hear the crops growing. You can drive in any direction and see us raising food. Corn and soybeans and wheat. And dairy cows and hogs. This entire area," she said, with a wave of one arm. "We're the breadbasket of the whole country."

She pulled into the capitol complex and parked. "Come on," she said, opening her door. "I want to show you something."

*****

"What is it?" Chara asked, staring upwards. The granite monolith loomed over them both. A few stray snowflakes fluttered down out of the gray skies and slid over the smooth stone. Government workers coming back from their lunch breaks hurried past them with barely a glance.

"It's called the Iowa Soldier's and Sailor's Monument," Andi answered quietly, her cheeks stinging in the winter wind. "It's dedicated to all the Iowa men who fought in the Civil War."

"Ah. I know this war. So terrible. But so glorious. What could be better than to die setting men and women free?"

"Well, I'm sure some of them thought it would be better to live setting men and women free," Andi replied.

Chara paused, then laughed. "True! And your President Lincoln. Such a great man. I wish I could have met him. When he was killed, I weep inside."

Andi raised her brows, but did not comment. It seemed a little crass to her to speak of one of the greatest Americans in history as if he were a character on Game of Thrones. But maybe Chara was speaking of watching President Lincoln in a movie. Andi herself had seen Lincoln, with Daniel Day-Lewis in the starring role, when it first came out in theaters. She shivered in the cold air as she led Chara around to the north side of the monument.

"There." She nodded at a statue at the base of the monument. "That is Iowa, for me."

Chara looked up. Her lips parted, drinking in the sight. A woman, made of copper, was seated in a niche. Her lower extremities were covered in what could have been a blanket, or a skirt, but she was nude from the waist up. Her hands cupped her breasts, offering them to the gaze of all who passed by. Her jutting nipples seemed the font of all nourishment, and her face was filled with an expression of infinite tenderness and love.

"This caused quite the uproar when it was dedicated, over a hundred years ago," Andi said quietly. "A lot of people thought it was indecent. But to me it is beautiful. Iowa is shown as a woman, a nursing mother, willing to share her bounty and feed a nation."

She turned to her companion and caught her breath. Chara stood gazing up at the statue, her face rapt. One hand stole up the front of her dress, passing the taut stomach, and finally landing on the swell of her breast. She kneaded it softly, oblivious to all who might be watching. As Andi watched, her nipple peaked, growing thick and hard, pressing against the sheer cloth that covered her chest.

"What an amazing artist," she said softly. "How I wish I could meet that woman."

Andi's heart sang within her. There was no question in her mind now of Chara's sexuality. If she wasn't at least bisexual, if not an outright lesbian, she would eat her coat. "Iowa" was a statue which was famous in the area. Indeed, it was a running joke around town that decades ago, frustrated young men would walk by the capitol for the only sight of bare tits in a hundred-mile radius. But to affect a woman to the point where she would openly fondle herself in public spoke to a sex drive which was refreshingly open and direct, and hopefully in tune with Andi's own.

All that remained was to see if Chara found her as attractive as she found Chara.

"We should probably go," Andi said softly. "We don't want to catch cold."

"Cold?" Chara said, puzzled. "No. I do not get cold easily." She flashed a strange smile. Indeed, she had walked all the way to the statue, in twenty-degree weather, wearing only the yellow dress. The only sign she had of being affected by the frigid temperature and chilly wind were her taut nipples. And Andi was fairly certain they were signs of arousal, not cold.

"I can tell," Andi replied. "But I do." She shivered for dramatic effect. "How about we go get something to eat, and you can tell me about yourself."

"All right," Chara agreed easily, and took her hand. She squeezed it as they walked back to the car together.

*****

As they drove through town, Chara looked curiously at the campaign signs studding the front yards in the residential districts. "Nolan, Schwartz, Carmody, Monroe," she read softly to herself. She turned to Andi. "Your people are having an...election, yes? Is that the right word?"

"God, don't remind me," Andi groaned. "We have the primaries coming up next week. I can't wait until it's over. All you see on TV are campaign ads."

"And all of the decorations, in red and white and pink! What is that for?"

Andi smiled at her. "Don't they have Valentine's Day where you come from?" Her smile soured. "It's a lover's holiday, for people who are lucky enough to have lovers. The greeting-card and flower and chocolate industries make a mint, selling roses and chocolate and 'I Love You' cards to men who are trying to impress their women. It's all crap. A man should show his love for the entire year, just one day. And a woman who doesn't take that into consideration is a damn fool. Just like these elections. The politicians come here, promising us the moon, but as soon as they are in Washington, they forget all about us."

She broke off and blinked. Speaking carefully, she said, "I hope I haven't offended you. I have some pretty strong opinions."

"Yes, I can tell you do," Chara replied. She smiled, showing her dimple. "Do not trouble yourself, my friend. I can tell you are an intelligent woman with an open mind. If you have an opinion I disagree with, I will tell you, not hoard it up like a miser with her gold," she said with a sly wink.

"Democracy is a very good system, for beginners. I am sure in time your people will find a better way."

Andi blinked, nonplussed. Your people? Beginners? What the heck is she talking about? She decided not to take offense. "Well, what was it that Churchill said? Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others?"

"Too true!" Chara laughed. The sound was like silver bells. As Andi imagined it next to her on her pillow in bed, her hands tightened on the steering wheel. She shifted her legs, squeezing her thighs together as another jolt of desire tore through her body.

"So what kind of food do you like? Where would you like to eat?"

Chara shrugged carelessly. "I like all food. Please, Estelle, pick a spot which you will enjoy. I promise," she said, laying a warm hand on Andi's wrist, "not to complain."

*****

In the end, Andi decided to go to a small, expensive Italian restaurant in the downtown area. She had been there once before, on a dinner date arranged by Jo. Three hours, with ninety minutes guaranteed "fun time" for the client after the meal. The john had been nearly seventy, had smelled like a bag of moldy potatoes, and had talked directly to her chest, as if her eyeballs were somehow hidden in her cleavage. Furious, she had managed to pour so much wine down the horny old goat he had been unable to get his cock up when they had finally gone back to his hotel. She had skipped out of his room at precisely 9:01, with just enough cash to keep her landlord from starting eviction proceedings.

"Table for two?" she asked, as they approached the maitre d'.

He regarded her coldly. With a sinking heart, she recognized him from her previous visit. He had smirked and made soft, cutting remarks about her to the waitstaff, just loud enough for Andi to hear, confident she wouldn't want to cause a fuss. Her hair, her clothes, her parentage, and her sexual history had all been fodder for his disdain. Unable to risk cutting the date short, she had not dared to take offense.

"I'm sorry," he sneered. "We're very busy right now. You and your friend," he said contemptuously, "will have to wait."

"You are not busy," Chara said. As Andi turned in shock, she continued, her voice high, clear, and carrying. All over the restaurant, forks paused in midair and conversations stopped. "You have eleven empty tables. Four of those are for two people only. Why would you tell my friend such a lie?"

The man cleared his throat uncomfortably, caught in Chara's burning gaze. "We usually require a reservation. You don't-"

"No," Chara interrupted, "you do not. Not before 6 PM. The notice is clearly posted on your door. You lie again. You begin," she continued, "to irritate me. Either explain our fault, or seat us properly." Her normally sweet face was proud and imperious.

"Fine," the man snapped. He snatched up a pair of menus and led them to a table in a corner, near a pair of swinging doors. "I trust this will suit your majesty?"

"It will not," Chara said calmly. Her tone was glacial. "Do you think I am a fool? I suppose it would amuse you to seat us near the kitchen, where our meal and our conversation will be constantly interrupted by those who go to and fro, serving the food. I tell you once more. Seat us properly."

Murmurs rose from the nearby diners. The maitre d' glanced around at the disapproving faces of his customers and gave up. With an ungracious gesture, he pointed to a cozy booth along the far wall. "There," he said. He looked down his nose at Andi with an unpleasant smile. "I remember you," he said softly, pitching his voice low so Chara and the other diners could not hear. "The hooker who couldn't even pronounce risotto correctly. The last time you were here, you were terrified you would embarrass yourself. Didn't even look at the wine list. Just ordered a glass of the house red, like every other ignorant hick come in for a night in the big city. I'll make sure you get the same tonight." He turned to walk away, but was halted in his tracks by Chara's voice.

"I am Chara, also known as Beta Canum Venaticorum, and we will not drink the house red," she said haughtily. "Procure for me a bottle of your most expensive red wine," she continued, betrayed only by a hint of laughter in her eyes, "and also a tray, piled high with the finest breads, meats, and cheeses, so that my companion and I do not perish from hunger."

The flustered waiter walked off, calling for the wine list. As he did, Chara fell into her seat, overcome by paroxysms of giggles.

"You're crazy," Andi said, half-amused and half-horrified by the scene, her lips curling in an incredulous smile.

"Indeed I am not," Chara protested. She scowled at the retreating back. "It is lucky for you that I have keen ears. He should not have spoken to you so. If you allow a petty tyrant like him to treat you like you are dirt, others will as well."

Andi nodded unhappily. She remembered the last infuriating weeks before she had quit her previous job. Had she given up too easily?

Chara cocked her head to one side. "Estelle? What sad thought just crossed your mind?" She reached out and took Andi's hand, her thumb running over her knuckles.

Andi shook her head. "It's nothing." She frowned at Chara. "What was the name you gave that jerk? Beta Canum Van-something? What does it mean?" Her eyes brightened. "Are you traveling incognito? Are you a princess in disguise?"

"Heavens, no!" Chara laughed. "Among my people I am just an ordinary person. And a name is not important, Andi," she said. "You of all people should know that."

Andi fell back in her seat, stunned. "How do you know my name?" she whispered. "The only person in this business who knows my real name is Josephine." She began to grow angry. "How did you find out?" she demanded.

"It is my gift to know such things." She shrugged lazily, unperturbed by Andi's suspicious gaze. "There, my dear," she said, patting her hand. "Do not frown so. I do not know why you choose to hide your true name, lovely as it is. But your secret is safe with me."

Andi grimaced, unconvinced, but was interrupted as their waitress approached. Apparently the maitre d' had decided not to cross swords with Chara again, as he had sent a polite young woman in his place. In moments, a tray of antipasto was set on their table, accompanied by wineglasses and a bottle of wine. It proved to be a red so rich and dark it was nearly black. Chara took the proffered glass and sipped. Her eyes sparkled and she hummed delightedly.

"Very nice," she said approvingly. She took an olive from the tray and bit down hungrily. "Very nice indeed." She gave a nod of dismissal to the waitress. "We will need a short time to decide what to have for our entree. We will let you know when we are ready."

With a polite smile she departed.

"Now," Chara said, smiling. "let's enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

*****

The meal was everything either of them could have asked; delicious, abundant, varied, and prolonged. When they finally left the restaurant, three hours later, Chara was pleasantly tipsy, and Andi was glad she had switched to water halfway through the evening, or she would have been in no condition to drive.

Chara sank back in her seat as Andi drove them back to the hotel, her eyes closed. Andi sneaked furtive glances at her, once again awestruck by her beauty. Her tan skin was dark in the dim light of the dashboard. Her bountiful chest rose and fell in time to her slow breaths. Andi longed to take her into her arms and never let go.

I'm half in love with her already, she thought, and the thought nearly made her cry. When this week was over, she would go back to her dreary life. The money she would receive would perhaps allow her to claw her way out the hole she was in, but she was separated from Chara by a chasm so vast it was almost beyond imagining. She would live in Des Moines, or Omaha, or Kansas City. Meanwhile, the glamorous person sitting next to her, blessed by wealth, wit, and beauty, would doubtless travel around the world, seeing places and people Andi could only dream of. Andi could not imagine what chance had brought Chara within her orbit, but she knew instinctively that once she left, she would never see her again.

She parked the car in the hotel lot, and gently shook Chara's shoulder. "Wake up, sleepy-head," she said softly. "We're back."

Chara stretched and smiled at her. "Already?" she asked.

"Yes, already," Andi smiled back.

"Your people are really quite clever," Chara said as they entered the hotel. "Who else would think of warmers in the seats so your backside does not get cold?"

Andi laughed. "Well, if there is a way to make the driving experience more enjoyable, Americans will find a way to do it. I think we invented cup-holders, too."

In just a few moments they were back inside the suite. Andi yawned and blinked tiredly, the stress of the day catching up to her.

"I think I'm going to take a shower, then go to bed," she said. "Otherwise I'm going to fall right over. I had a late night last night at my other job. Unless you need me for something..." she let herself trail off suggestively, hoping Chara would catch the invitation in her voice.

"Yes, you do look tired," Chara said, completely missing her hint. "Sleep well, and dream sweetly. Already I am looking forward to our day tomorrow." In two quick steps she crossed the distance between them. Andi sighed in pleasure as her arms came around her in a tender embrace. She was so warm! Her touch was like stepping into a sun-warmed room on a cold winter's day. The heat sank into her muscles, relaxing her.

After a moment, Chara let her grip ease, though she still held onto Andi's wrists. She opened her mouth, as if to make some parting comment, then closed it again. Instead, she leaned close and brushed Andi's cheek with her lips. She made as if to repeat the gesture on her other cheek, but Andi intercepted her mouth with her own, capturing her lips in a kiss.

Oh!

Andi swam in a sea of desire. Chara's mouth was soft and warm and willing on hers. Her body moved closer, pliant and undemanding, content to accept Andi's affection.

Andi found her arms roaming along the skin of Chara's back. Her hands drifted lower, over the sweet curves of her rear and to her thighs. Almost without thinking, she gathered the folds of Chara's dress in her hands, pulling the hem higher. In moments, Chara's legs were bare and Andi could fondle the exposed skin of her ass.

No panties! Andi's head swam in astonishment. But her probing fingers told the truth. Her friend had spent the entire day with her dressed in only a thin layer of silk. With one hand in the small of her back, Andi slipped the other around to her front resting on her taut stomach. In her fevered imagination, the scenario presented itself. She would drop to her knees and pleasure Chara with lips and tongue. And then they would go to her room for a night of passion-soaked lovemaking.