Interlude (19 page)

“Well lad, it looks like you’re a natural at
this.” Ethan said with a smile, adding, “All we had to do was fix
your little problem.”

“What little problem is that?” Came a female
voice from behind them. Cal turned to see who it was.

It was Karen's friend Julie. She was standing
there in jeans and a sleeveless top. Her eyes looked Cal up and
down slowly as he set the gun down on the table. He remembered how
close she and Karen were, and he tried his best to be nice to her.
Cal couldn't put his finger on it, but something seemed off about
her demeanor.

“Hey, if you're done shooting, can we talk
for a bit?” She asked. Her tone was hard to read.

Cal looked over to the guys. “You mind if I
cut it short?”

“Yeah, you're good to go. Lesson over,” Soren
said as he looked at Cal though his perforated target. As Cal and
Julie walked off, Soren was still sticking his finger through the
small grouping of holes Cal had shot into the paper.

Cal led Julie over to the club's snack bar.
He ordered two coffees, and waved off Julie's attempt to pay with
polite dismissal. As they sat at one of the bistro tables, Julie
unloaded what was on her mind. He was still a little nervous about
why she was here, and what she wanted with him.

“So, I thought you and Karen had yoga today?”
Cal asked her.

“She did. I've been skipping it since I
pulled my hammy.” She said, rubbing the back of her thigh with her
hand. “I wanted to get you alone so I could tell you a little about
your new girlfriend.” She said. As she sipped her coffee, she
looked around the club's main hall. “It's hard to believe our dads
started this place so long ago. You know, it used to just be a
couple of trailers and a dirt lot?” She laughed to herself,
continuing, “Karen's dad came across some money and built the club
into what it is today.”

“So, you're Richard's daughter?” Cal said,
adding, “You both have the same eyes.” She blushed at his remark.
Cal was still trying to figure out what was going on. “So, are
there any deep, dark secrets I should know about my girl?” He
finally managed to ask.

“She takes birthdays and anniversaries very
seriously!” She said in an urgent tone, adding, “She's very excited
about your upcoming six month anniversary, which still doesn't make
sense to me. You guys haven't been together that long.”

“We met online, so she counted the time we
spent texting and messaging back and forth.” Cal recalled with a
smile.

“Oh, that's sweet! Karen always was such a
romantic.” Julie said. Her tone was still tense and guarded. She
was holding back on him, but with what? And why?

“So, any other deep, dark secrets I should
know about? Webbed feet? Leprosy? She has dog fights in her
basement?” Cal asked jokingly.

“Cal, she sells weapons for a living.” Julie
finally blurted out. “She sells all manner of weapons and stuff.
It's all very illegal. If she was ever caught, she would go to jail
for a long time.” She finished in an exasperated sigh. Cal smiled
slowly at this. He was thinking that it was something bad! He
already knew about the guns and stuff.

“I know, she told me about it a few days ago.
It was something she wanted to get off her chest before we became
serious.” Cal said.

“Oh! I thought that..., okay, wow.” Julie
stammered at Cal's response. “You guys must really be serious
then.” She visibly relaxed after that. Her demeanor went from tense
and guarded, to open and jovial.

“Now, back to the anniversary stuff.” Cal
said, trying to change the subject. “What does she like, jewelry,
perfume?” I've always kind of sucked at giving gifts, so now I'm
panicking!”

Julie laughed and put her hand on his arm.
“Well, the only thing that matters is that it comes from the
heart.” She said, adding, “So, long as you remember that, you'll be
alright.” She looked up and waved over Cal's shoulder with a happy
expression. “Hey Ker bear!” She said. Cal spun to look.

Karen was walking up to them in her usual,
confident stride. Cal's skin danced at the sound her heels made on
the hard floor. Everything she did affected him on such a deep
level. The sounds she made, the looks she gave him, just her light
touch, were enough to make him do anything for her. As she stood by
the little table, she gave he and Julie a mock angry face as she
put her hands on her hips.

“Trying to steal my man I see!” She said
jokingly as she looked from Julie to him. She looked to Cal with a
glimmer in her eye, as Julie made her move to leave.

“Well, I best be getting back to my hubby. He
has some golf thing tonight, so I have to be all dolled up so he
can parade me around.” She said as she stood up. Karen moved to
take her seat at the table as they kissed each other on the
cheek.

“Ooh, it's still warm.” She giggled,
squirming around merrily in the metal seat. “So, what were you two
talking about so secretly?” She said with a raised eyebrow.

“Just you. She was trying to find a way to
tell me you sold illegal weapons for a living.” I guess she didn't
want me falling too hard for you without knowing beforehand.” Cal
explained.

Karen waved her hand dismissively. “That's
Jules for you. She's always looking out for me. She didn't want you
to leave me if you found out down the road. She's been bringing it
up all the time lately.” Karen signaled to the barista for her
usual. As they sat at the club's table, she reminded him of their
quickie in the office.

“That was Richard's office you know.” She
said with a dark smile, adding, “Ever since I told Julie what we
did, she's been trying to get her husband to come up here so she
can do it in my dad's old office for revenge.” She said with a
mischievous chuckle.

“Um, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with
Julie knowing all our exploits.” Cal said with a blush.

Karen waved his concerns away. “Oh, it's fine
we've always done it. Besides, it's not like I'm painting you to be
the bad lover in this.” She said with another eyebrow raise. Cal
shot her a smile back. She slowly reached her foot out to touch his
leg under the table. She became quiet as she focused on moving her
foot slowly up his leg, taking her time to reach the top. Her gaze
became distant, like she was recalling a fond memory just by
touching him. Cal saw both Soren and Ethan come up the table as she
was lost in quiet contemplation.

They flopped down at the table right next to
Cal's as Soren spun a chair around to sit in it backwards. They
spoke like excited kids talking to their mom. It was an interesting
dynamic to watch. Here were these grizzled, war weary veterans and
they were speaking to Karen in a way that made Cal finally see the
hold she had on them. She used that same, nurturing, caring
personality on them that she did on him. It was as disarming to
these guys, as they explained how they fixed Cal's shooting
problems.

“You should have seen his grouping! It was
tight!” Soren exclaimed.

“Aye, he's a much better shot now.” Ethan
said, turning to Cal, “Remember those eye exercises I taught you.
You need to do those often to keep your aim up now.”

“Well, if you two lovebirds are finished with
your little convo, why don't we go waste some ammo?” Soren said
enthusiastically.

Cal and Karen spent a nice afternoon putting
holes into paper targets, as passersby nodded in approval. They
both reloaded their guns over and over as they smiled to one
another occasionally through the isle partition.

That night, Cal made grilled chicken Panini
with a light vinaigrette sauce. He matched that to a side of
steamed potatoes and green beans. As he poured their wine, Karen
asked him about his findings at the office.

“It's nothing a little updating won't fix.”
He said between bites.

“What kind of updating?” She asked.

Cal explained. “Security stuff, I really want
you to get a server to store information locally. You can access it
from anywhere in the world once everything is configured. After
that, it's just newer computers and more secure mobile
devices.”

“Wow. I just upgraded the whole team to new
iPhones too.” She pouted.

“Well, the new phones will be twice as secure
and more powerful as well.” Cal said. “More wine?”

Karen offered her glass. “Please.”

“So, the big anniversary is tomorrow. Did you
have any plans?” She asked slowly.

“Well, I thought we would stay in and watch
ultimate fighting while I ordered pizza.” Cal said. He laughed when
he saw her face fall in disappointment. “Relax babe! I was
kidding!” He said, touching her hand to console her.

“Not funny.” She said with a relieved
expression. “Seriously, what do you have planned?” She
insisted.

“It's a surprise.” Cal said simply. She gave
up her questioning and took to rubbing his leg again with her
foot.

“I don't think we'll have any interruptions
this time.” She said with a lazy smile. Cal reached across the high
table and took her hand in his. As he got up, she too arose from
the table. She hooked her leg behind his and brought his lips to
hers. She reveled in his scent, in his touch as they gently kissed.
She could feel his stubble on her cheeks as he ran his free hand
over her breasts. He stopped to focus on her nipples as they began
to firm up under the chiffon fabric. The feeling of her dress
draping on her legs made her more aroused as he reached slowly up
the front. His fingers slowly touched her through her moistening
panties. She wanted him so bad! She kept rubbing her leg on him in
the receding light of the patio.

Cal slowly unbuttoned her dress, moving to
each little button with slow, deliberate touches to her soft skin
underneath. She could only manage to exhale in slow shudders as he
finished this laborious task. As she reached down to feel his
manhood, she noticed the heat he was radiating through his trousers
as she undid his belt slowly. He groaned softly as she grasped his
freed manhood and ran her nails along it. His cock throbbed in time
with his beating heart as she knelt down to taste him. She ran her
tongue around his head like an ice cream cone, savoring his taste
and warmth as he ran his fingers through her hair. She bit him
lightly, giggling softly as he tried to counter the move by pulling
her hair. It felt so good!

“Why don't we do this upstairs?” Cal said as
he broke through his foggy trance.

Releasing his manhood from her lips, Karen
replied, “No.” As she slowly ran her hands and lips over his rod,
she elaborated, “I've always wanted to be fucked on this table. It
cost me twenty thousand dollars, and the salesman I bought it from
was an asshole. So, you're going to fix that memory by screwing me
on it. Hard.” Her voice was calm, but held a resolute tone. Cal
couldn't control his need for her. She could have asked him to
kill, and he would have obliged. As Karen moved back up to kiss him
again, he spun her around forcefully. She gave a little smile as he
did so, reveling in his ability to move her around like she was
filled with air. She grabbed the umbrella pole running through the
center of the elaborately decorated patio table. The cold surface
of the table pushed through her dress as her breasts rubbed over
it. The lip of the table dug into her stomach, and her feet dangled
off the ground as Cal moved behind her. She gasped when she felt
his warm skin against the back of her legs. He was taking his time,
teasing her as he moved about. He ran his hands over her firm,
little ass. She grunted like a frustrated animal as he continued
his power play.

All at once, he grabbed her legs and forced
himself inside her! She gasped as he drove himself to her very
center, as her hanging legs writhed about for something to hold
onto. As they found his waist, her legs wrapped around him in a
play for control. The sensation of him inside her, the pressure as
he filled her, made her lose focus. He pounded her mercilessly, his
thrusts punctuated by quiet grunts. Karen's grip on the umbrella
became weaker as she began peaking, her pelvic muscles contracting
as she struggled to maintain herself.

“Oh God..., harder, harder,” Her voice came
in breathy little bursts. Cal's hands ran up her back, his touch on
her warm skin finally pushing her over the edge in a screaming
finale. As she clamped her legs around his waist like a set of boa
constrictors, he came in pulsating waves as he kissed her bare
skin. He stayed insider of her, acting as her seat as she slowly
came back to reality.

“Is your memory of the table better now?” He
asked softly.

Karen laughed quietly as she squirmed, his
throbbing manhood still sending waves of pleasure through her like
electrical charges. “Mmm,” She purred. “I should have chosen a
better position though. The table's edge was a little rough.” As
she hopped down, Cal could see the telltale red marks on her belly
that would later become bruises.

Cal's reached out to touch her reddened skin.
“Oh God, I'm so sorry! I didn't want to hurt you.” He said after a
long inspection. He felt bad about the marks on her perfect
skin.

Karen put him at ease. “Babe, that's exactly
what I needed. Ever since the Ukraine, I've needed you to drill me
like an oil field in Saudi Arabia. Besides, you can think of it as
comeuppance for all of your injuries.” She said, running her index
finger along the bite marks she left on his shoulder.

“Thanks, but I still feel bad.” He said.

Karen's legs still struggled to work as she
moved inside. The setting sun had made the summer air cooler. She
and Cal made small talk in her bed. She curled up in his arms, her
breasts pushed up against his side as he slowly drifted off to
sleep. For the first time in months, Cal slept through the night.
His awakening was much more coherent the next day, as he found
himself in an empty bed. He rubbed his head groggily, as he stood
up to stretch. There was a note on the vanity. His legs, still sore
from last night's table christening, emitted a welcome ache as he
went to read it: