The Ski Bum
written by:
Prybar

After a few trips I begin to notice some of the same cars making the run with me. On any given drive, I might see a car that passed me going up the mountain that I passed going down the other side. Sometimes one would pass me twice, having pulled off in front of me for gas or for one of the kids needing a bathroom break, that caught me again before the summit. Others I might see time and again as I made the weekend runs from Denver to the ski areas in the mountains. After a few trips I came to know the regulars. I had no doubt that some would also recognize my truck.

Lots of the cars made the trip at a higher rate of speed than me. The old Ford Bronco I drove looked like a beater, and like the usual ski bum who would drive such a piece of junk, I labored on the uphills, slower that the Mercedes M-class and Porsche Cayenne types, but then would catch them on the down hills, where I willingly destroyed the speed limit when I could. The Colorado Highway Patrol kept a pretty tight lid on traffic speed on this route, especially when the snow arrived to mess things up. So most of the regulars just set their cruise controls at five over the limit and they avoided signing any autographs for the cops. I had my own get out of jail free card, so I flaunted the law. That callous disregard was part of my cover.

I looked like a ski bum with that ponytail and three day growth of beard. The ratty looking canvas vest I wore during the ski season drives up to Vail fit the image I wished to convey. Most ski bums didn't have that inside pocket in the vest with the 40 caliber Sig nestled within, but they probably weren't chasing the same kind of fun I was. And my light brown 25 year old Bronco didn't have the original engine anymore. The guys down at the FBI garage had set me up with all new suspension, heavy duty brakes, and dirty looking but very high performance all season tires to go with all that extra horsepower. I went uphill slowly because I chose to. My little truck could have kept up with the Nazi wagons had I wished. But I wanted to look like a ski bum.

So I putted along, watching the traffic, noting the regular travelers along the way, and keeping one eye out for that one black Mercedes M-class with the custom plates and blacked out windows. KEPT GRL passed me on the way into the tunnel on this trip. I let her go on ahead. No point being too obvious. At least I knew she'd be there as expected.

I relaxed and enjoyed the mountain scenery. Snow clung to the summits on both sides of the interstate, and the trees alongside the road had all greened up. Flowers carpeted the lower slopes. It was gorgeous in Colorado that spring. I'd made the trip nearly every weekend for the entire ski season, and I looked for that black Merc each time. I had watched the couple that owned it from a distance for 4 months. Even rode up in the tram with them a time or two. Now it was time to get to know them better. Or at least to get to know her better.

Dieter Wagner had caught my bosses' interest when he kept popping up in the wrong places at the right times. My bosses wanted to know what he knew about certain arms sales, some extensive money laundering, and that fuzzy connection with the funding of suspect terrorist groups. They thought I should take the time to meet Judy Wagner, the second wife of Dieter. Through her, just maybe I might learn enough about Dieter to see if something notable could be hung on him.

The Wagners drove up to Vail almost every weekend during the ski season. I managed to be there for most of those weekends, just hanging around and blending in. They no doubt knew me by sight, and maybe even recognized my old truck after all these trips. Hopefully, that made me just another inconspicuous tree on the mountainside above their condo.

Mrs. Wagner switched up the routine during the summers. Once Dieter's two teenaged kids left to spend the summer with their mom, she took to living at the condo in Vail during the week, and driving back to Denver to spend weekends with Dieter. He traveled often, and even when he was in town he rarely spent time with her during the week. Dieter worked hard for his fortune, and Judy knew a good thing when she landed it, and she took good care of Dieter when he was home and bided her time when he wasn't.

Dieter was almost 60, and Judy only 26, so my bosses figured that she just might need more attention than a workaholic old man could provide, so they wondered what I might do to help. I launched a plan to finally meet her, by putting myself at places she would be.

The Dieters had a condo overlooking the ski slopes, on a hilltop separated from the common folk that visited Vail. An electric gate kept the riffraff out, and the waiting list for these exclusively expensive units discouraged casual investors. Dieter's neighbors avoided mixing with most of the visitors to the resort, choosing instead privacy and their select collection of friends inside the fence.

Well, it turns out that a successful New York Times Best Seller novelist can sometimes find lodging when others fail. My unit was one floor down in the same building with the Dieters. Oh, did I mention that I wasn't just an inspector for the FBI? I wrote under the pen name of Frank Cummings, and....well my paychecks from the government went to a different address. So, that ski bum with the ponytail and beater truck was actually a well- compensated author, and neighbor to the rich and famous in Vail, Colorado.

The rising sun was just kissing the tips of the mountains as I sipped coffee and munched down on a chorizo, jalapeno, and egg burrito on my patio. It was a thick sweater morning at 7600 feet elevation, but it figured to be a hot day later. I finished the paper and checked my e-mails while I waited. Judy Dieter worked out early in a quiet gym in town, and she liked to have coffee with friends at a little place nearby after she was done. I planned on having breakfast number two there. I had my white chocolate mocha grande in hand and a fine croissant as I reread the paper seated at a corner table when she walked in at 8:30.

Judy's friends were already there, having skipped the early morning workout and thus desperate for caffeine. The coffee shop patio had a splendid view of the mountains, and those seated there could watch the passersby and enjoy or ignore the stares of the great un-washed walking along the sidewalk. I knew all three of her friends based upon earlier research. Their morning coffee meets were often rowdy fun times.

The blonde bimbo with the huge tits was Blanche Inman, the trophy of one of Dieter's business associates from Saudi Arabia. She favored slacks and white blouses with lots of cleavage showing. The petite black haired Tina was wed to the used car czar of the greater Denver area, Hugo (You caint beat this deal!) Abrams. Tina always wore hiking boots, jeans, blue denim shirts over white tank tops. And the red haired long legged thoroughbred, Glenda, was the trophy wife of left wing talk show host Jacob Brothers. She did Birkenstocks, spaghetti strap tops, and very short skirts. They all lived in the same condo complex as the Dieters.

Judy brought her latte' over to her friends' table and sat down. I'd been listening since those three arrived. Most of it was girl talk that didn't much interest me. But then Tina had mentioned that she had heard that the Palmer Ridge road was mostly free of snow, and that pass would be open that day. And she was soooo frustrated because Hugo wouldn't let her take the Escalade off paved roads for fear that it would get scratched or dented. Since none of the other ladies had any interest in exploring any wilderness area that didn't have a shopping concourse, she wasn't going to be able to talk one of them into driving the high route.

Judy pointed over at my truck parked at the curb nearby.

"You should get Hugo to buy you a junker like that thing. Then he wouldn't care if you wrecked it."

"You really think that crapper could make it up that road? I'm not thinking so."

I made a point to sit up and look right at their table. After all, they were dissing my truck. I got up and walked over. Four sets of eyes locked on me. My key landed on the table right in front of Tina.

"Here. That crapper as you call it has made it up and over that pass dozens of times, thank you very much. Miss, you are welcome to borrow it for the day to make that run. I promise it won't let you down."

Tina stared at me, her mouth open.

"Are you serious?"

"Absolutely. Take the truck, and park it here when you are done. Leave the key in the ashtray and I'll pick it up later."

"I can't, really. Thanks, but no thanks."

Well, the three other ladies began to chime in on her. The told her she should take me up on the deal, that it would be an adventure, that she could really do it. She was wavering. I picked up my key and offered Tina my hand.

"Come on, I'll show you how everything works. The tank is full and the tires are all round."

And she actually got up and followed me over. The door opened with a creak. I did a quick pickup of the McDonalds bag on the floor. And the three week old French fry on the seat. Tina placed her foot on the peg I had welded to the frame that served as a step. She struggled to haul her tiny body up into the truck. She began to fall back toward me, so I wrapped an arm around her waist and caught her. Then I just flipped her up into the seat. The three ladies had followed at a slight distance. They applauded.

I showed Tina the headlight switch, the control for the windshield wipers, and the horn. Then she interrupted me with a question.

"What is this thing over here?"

"Ah, that's the gear shift lever. You do know how to drive a stick don't you?"

"Huh?

"A manual transmission?"

"No..."

"Sorry. Never even considered that you wouldn't be able to do that."

"Hey Tina....Why don't you ask your new friend if he will drive for you. He looks like he's the trustworthy type. Kind stranger, sir...might you tear yourself away from your day's labors to chauffer this fair lady through yon high mountains?"

I hesitated a moment. No point looking too eager. Then I grinned.

"I think I can fit it into my busy schedule. But you had best consult the young lady here. She doesn't know me from Adam. I could be an axe murdered in the guise of a morning coffee drinker."

"Oh, do it Tina. You'll have a blast. And let's face it...if you wait for Hugo to take you to the heights, you might be waiting a long, long time."

"Glenda!!! Shush!"

The three ladies turned to walk back to their table, leaving Tina with little to do but look down at me from the driver's seat.

"Are you serious? Would you take me up there?"

"Oh, heck yes. I love that road, and I take my friends there all the time. You will enjoy yourself."

"All right then. I'll do it. How long will we be gone? Will I need a coat? What about lunch."

"Oh...four or five hours, depending on how often we stop to look around. You have a camera? Good... I have a sweater in the back you can borrow if you need it. And I shall cater the event if you'd like. Maybe you should run inside. There won't be many rest rooms where we're heading. And don't forget your coffee."

I walked back to my table to fetch my paper and coffee. Then standing beside the truck, I watched Tina stop by the table for her coffee. It was Glenda again who chimed in.

"Hope you don't breakdown on a mountaintop where you might freeze to death. Of course there are ways to keep warm..."

"Shut up, Glenda."

I held the passenger door for her. This time she scrambled in just fine. This door creaked upon closing. Took two tries before the latch would hold it shut. I slammed my side too.

"Seriously...is this truck reliable?"

"Oh, it's fine. Trust me."

I gave her the big smile. Got back a reasonable try at her own smile. The engine fired up on the first try, and it sounded fine. The Stop and Rob near the interstate was my usual outfitter. Being Vail, they actually had a gourmet section. I stocked up on bottled water, sodas, potato chips, and some whole wheat crackers. They had great cheese and decent wine, too. A bag of ice for the cooler and we were on our way. I followed the interstate for a bit, then took two lane asphalt roads that got smaller with each turn. Then we were on gravel. Going up.

Long switchbacks carried us up nearly four thousand feet. The truck pulled the grade easily in second gear. We broke out above the trees and still we climbed. Looking ahead we saw only sky. Off to the right Tina looked down on the interstate and the ants traveling along it. Then we topped the crest. Suddenly, we were looking out upon mountain range after mountain range, in every direction. Some were still cloaked in snow. Others held smaller snow fields left from the winter drifts. Between the ranges deep valleys sat in shadow. I drove slowly, stopping often whenever Tina let out one of the sighs you do when it's just too beautiful for actual words.

We crossed the pass at a bit over 12,000 feet. A two-track jeep road took off to the north. I followed it.

"Where are you going?"

"I know of a pretty spot off this way."

"Prettier than this?!?"

"I think so. And we can get out of the wind for a bit of lunch if you'd like. We have to go back the way we came, for that way wouldn't get you home before midnight. So we might as well enjoy this before driving back through things you've already seen."

Rounding a corner, we lost sight of the road behind. Mountains and blue sky covered our world. A pile of boulders lay ahead. I parked and shut down the engine. Getting out, I put large rocks by the tires, since the parking brake was a bit intermittent. Tina had climbed out and walked to me, smiling. She waded through a sea of wildflowers.

"This is great."

"Here, let me show you something..."

The boulders hid part of the view. As we walked around them, the bottom fell out and we stood on the very edge of the earth, on the brink of a cliff top. This one always gives me that drop in the pit of my stomach, and I'd seen it a dozen times before. Tina almost screamed. Her arm wrapped around mine.

"Don't let me fall!!"

"Oh, nobody falls here. It's against the rules. Here, sit back against that rock until you get used to this. I've got something to look at."

I stepped over to the very edge and looked down. A smile shot across my face.

"OK, you are going to trust me. I guarantee you will not fall. I've got your belt, and you can hold my arm. Walk slowly to the edge, and look down to the right of the black rock. Come on."

Tina hesitated, and then stood up. She was shaking. Latched onto my left arm, we tip toed to the very edge. It did fall away nicely. But she saw it right away.

"Oh my gawd! Is that what I think it is?"

"Yeah it is. That my lady is an eagle nest, an aerie, and you are looking down at it. Looks like three babies, and that's probably the male on that pointy rock over there."

The adult golden eagle began to cry out. Cree! Cree! The babies were walking around their nest frantically.

"Did we scare them?"

"No...I don't think so. Yep, there she is."

I pointed to the dot in the sky above.

"That's the other adult. The female I think. Watch this."

The giant bird folded her wings back and she fell like a stone, easily a few thousand feet of plummet, and then the wings sprang out and she swooped toward the nest like a rocket. Landing on the black rock, she looked down at her brood. Then she hopped down. The babies scrambled to surround her. Together we watched her retch twice, and then regurgitate a pile of half-digested marmot into their midst. They wolfed it down. Then we watched the male fly away, doing his turn hunting for food.

"Oh my fucking.... That was amazing! Fucking amazing."

Tina had relaxed her grip on my arm and stood perfectly comfortably by my side with a few thousand feet of air below us. Staring at the eagles, and then at the view. I led her back to the rock with the best backrest. When she sat, I noticed that she was crying.

"You OK?"

"Oh YES I am so OK! Never...never in my life...How can I ever thank you? That was so wonderful!"

She was grinning and blubbering, and shaking. She looked up, into my eyes.

"Thank you. Again."

"Hungry?"

"Starved."

"Stay here."

I came back well provisioned. The second trip delivered the cooler and a small board that would function as a table.

"Wine?"

I held out a bottle of California's finer cabernets. And two plastic wine goblets.

"You brought wine glasses?"

"Of course, and potato chips with garlic/basil dip, crackers, two or three cheeses, dry salami, what's this...fattened duck livers."

My pocket knife flashed open, and I stuck it into the board to slice the salami.

"You brought pate'? You fooled me. You really fooled me."

"Pardon me?"

"You show up for coffee looking like a bum, then manage to take me out here, show me a wonderful slice of the country, you talk like an educated man, you know stuff I never even knew existed, you are polite and funny, and then this. Who are you, masked man?"

"I'm just Frank. I live my life as best I can. And I try to leave places better than I found them."

"Well Frank, I like you."

Tina leaned over and kissed my cheek. And then we murdered lunch. There were no survivors. She asked for another glass of wine. And then she asked something else.

"Can I take this thing off? We are out of the wind, and the sun is wonderful, and I'd just be more comfortable without it."

I thought she meant the blue denim shirt. But Tina took off the whole thing, blue shirt, white tank top, and skimpy bra. Then she leaned back into that soft rock, closed her eyes against the sun, and fucking drove me nuts. I liked her mountains far better than those rock things out there. They weren't big mountains, but then she wasn't a big girl. They had perfect mountain shape and nice summits and with the tan lines and wonderful creamy white skin contrasting with her tan shoulders and nicely ribbed tummy, it was a sight to behold.

After a short eternity, Tina stood up and began to walk to the edge again.

"Be careful over there. That's two glasses of wine in you, and you don't want to do anything foolish. She turned and looked me right in the eye.

"I know exactly what I'm doing, my new friend, and you need not worry."

She walked to the very edge, and looked down at the aerie, and then looked out to the horizon, and then down again. She had a nice naked back, and her jeans clung well to her shapely ass. Stepping back from the edge, she turned and raised her arms over her head, presenting her breasts to me in perfect form, and then she smiled. Then swaying just a bit, she walked toward me, straddled me with her legs, and then sat in my lap facing me, tits inches from my face.

"Frank, you know that feeling when you walk to the edge of the cliff, that feeling deep inside that sinks in your belly when you see the abyss? I wanted to see if that felt any stronger than that feeling I get deep inside when I first know that I want to make love to a man. Frank...you don't have to be the gentleman anymore. I want to make love to you, and I want you to love me back so well that I can forget that melted plastic lump of a man I married. Every time he touches me for the rest of my life, I want to be thinking of you instead. That's how I can survive this life I've made for myself. With all else that you apparently can do, will you leave me with those kinds of memories?"

"I can sure as hell try."

Tina leaned over me, wrapping her arms around my neck and then she ingested my lips with her mouth. We kissed long and hot and hard. Tongues clashed, teeth clicked, heat exchanged. She sucked me in and then she moaned and gave me back. My hand on the back of her head pulled her back. Her breasts pressed into my chest. My hands found her rear and then the crack between her thighs. It was already hot and soggy down there. We were ruining her jeans.

She leaned back so she could rub herself against my crotch. Urgency was writ on her face as her breath came in gasps and cries. She went into a frenzy of rubbing against me and as my hands found her breasts and then her nipples she climaxed with her head rolled back and her mouth open and wailing into the high altitude almost black blue sky, and her thighs clamped against mine, and she trembled so.

Tina tore at my shirt and buttons flew. I shrugged off the ruined shirt and her hands went to my chest, scratching and pommeling my nipples. She tried to force her jeans off without unbuttoning them, finally conceding the need to do that. She stood up and pulled down her jeans and panties before my eyes. Her pussy lips glistened with her juices.

I was working on my belt and zipper, and she tore my hands away and pulled insanely at my jeans. My cock popped free, erect and swollen.

"My gawd, you're ready already. I have to work on that limp dick of my husband for an hour to get him hard, and then he fucks me for two minutes and he's done. Look at this fucking wonderful dick."

She held my cock in her hand, turned him from side to side to get a good look, sampled my balls with her finger tips, and then leaned down to take my cock into her mouth. I didn't need the help, but she clearly wanted a taste of this. I didn't mind one bit. Tina still had her hiking boots on, so the jeans weren't coming all the way off, but even with her ankles tied together by Levi Straus, she managed to mount me and plant my cock into her pussy. There were no further introductions necessary.

Tina took complete charge. I merely provided a large hard dick and some pubic bone to rub against, and she did the rest. She worked my cock in and out as she pleased, and crushed her clit into me, sliding it against me until the passion was blowing her ears and popping her eyes. She wailed and churned and cried again. Likely we awoke the eagles, but I was too busy to check. She came again and again, and when she seemed to lose momentum, I grabbed some tits and she lit off again. Like all good things, she finally found the end, and she collapsed against my chest. I could feel her tightening around my cock from time to time, but she was spent. If I moved in her, she twitched, but there was nothing more left.

"Some wine?"

"Give me a sec."

"OK"

After a bit, I felt her move, and my hard cock slipped out of her pussy. She twitched again. From just above she looked into my eyes. She wore that silly smile; you know the one, I hope.

"Hi...Can I have a bit of that wine now, please."

"Here"

"Any food left?"

"Just some chips and dip."

"Gimme."

I took the liberty of removing her boots, and then pulling off her jeans and panties. Now Tina was totally naked as she ate my chips and dip and sipped my wine. She looked very relaxed, and totally beautiful. My eyes traced every curve of her body from her neck to her breasts to that lovely nest between her thighs. My cock was still at ready five. She noted that I had removed her pants, and then she saw my cock.

"You didn't come."

"Nope"

"You're kidding, right? Who doesn't come when he gets a chance to fuck?"

"You didn't seem to be done."

"You were worried about me?"

"Of course."

"Of course, my ass. You are from another planet."

"Maybe, but my planet was destroyed by climate change and I was sent here, earthling."

She hit me.

With my index finger, I pushed her down on the rock. Then I leaned over to suck on some nipples. She wasn't dead yet, and soon enough she was panting and moaning. My hand slid down her taunt abdomen, and nestled into her neatly trimmed muff. Her clit went between thumb and forefinger, and I gently squeezed, and rolled it between finger tips, and then traced over the very tip after wetting it with her own juices. She worked herself into another climax from this, and when my tongue showed up, she came again and several agains again. I lay beside her sucking and licking and massaging her clit, and she leaned over to take my cock into her mouth, and I liked that.

When she lay back exhausted, I moved a bit so I could hover over her, and then I gently placed my cock at the entrance of her love tunnel, and then I slipped in. Slowly, and frankly a bit self-indulgently, I worked my cock in and out of her, pleasuring myself as she was too blasted to do much but lay there with crazy eyes and open mouth. I didn't stop until I feared she might pass out. She did twitch when I pulled out, but then she slept. I had another glass of wine. And then I slept.

When I woke, she was there, staring at me.

"Who are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Who is this man who fucks me into oblivion, and still he doesn't come. I'm sorry, but this doesn't compute. And I don't want to hear that I wasn't done yet. I am clearly done. Honest. "

"Well, if it bothers you, I'd like to come now. Shall we settle this matter?"

"Yes. You are making me crazy. Lay down."

I lay back, and Tina, the dear that she was, sucked me off quite effectively. And she swallowed. And I enjoyed every moment. Just part of the job, but ya gotta love this line of work.

We drove back the way we came, and as dark fell upon Vail, I dropped her off at the coffee shop where her car was parked. She wrapped her arms around me, and ground herself into my crotch one more time, for memory sake, she said. And I went home to bed.

I skipped a day and then returned to the coffee shop the following morning. My white chocolate mocha and croissant went down well. And one by one, the four ladies showed up. I watched to see if there was any change in how they reacted to me. They all stared at me for a moment, and then made a point to ignore me. That was weird. Tina caught my eye and smiled, but then she ignored me too. Glenda arrived looking good. She was a beauty, but fixed up she was spectacular. She had done up her hair and applied more than the usual makeup, and her short skirt was shorter than normal.

After a bit, I got up to leave. They watched me, but nothing was said. When I got to my truck however, Glenda materialized next to me.

"I hear you give a pretty exciting tour of the mountains. Can I arrange such a trip for myself?"

"I don't see why not. Where would you like to go?"

"Tina says you can take people to the heights. I'd like to see that."

"OK, today?"

"Oh yeah."

"Hop in."

I went to the passenger door to help her climb up and in, and Glenda made a point to request my help. That short skirt rode up nicely as she spread her thighs to access the seat. She froze in that position for a moment to make sure I noticed that she had failed to put on her panties for the day. Her pink lips smiled at me between those fit thighs. And I noticed.

"I've got this feeling that you are wanting something other than a long bumpy ride into the mountains."

I let my hand rest on the skin of her knee. And then I sent my fingers sliding up the supple skin of her inner thigh until I brushed against the soft lips of her pussy. This did not seem the time for subtle, so I went for it all. She cooed.

"I think you know what I want, mister. Your place, or mine?"

"I was thinking yours."

"Works for me. My husband is in Denver until the weekend. He will be on the radio from 9 to 12 this morning. Maybe we can listen to him while we, you know...."

"Sounds different."

We left my truck and took her Merc. She used her card to get through the gate, and we took the elevator up to the third floor. Her condo was down the hall to the left. It was laid out like mine, but I had a better view.

She went into the living room and turned on her radio. The whiney jabber of Jacob Brothers filled the room. I don't have a lot of patience with left wing talk radio, and this guy was one of the worst. I've worked since half way through high school, and I've served, and I've paid my share of taxes so other folks don't have to work, serve, and pay. I'll help the needy, and often do, but the notion that some folks should be elected and stay decades in office just by promising that people don't have to accept any responsibility kinda sets me off. And Brothers has made a career off of promoting that. I was curious to see why Glenda wanted to invite me over and yet listen to her husband's voice while I was there.

I sat on their couch, and the radio blared, and Brothers went through the litany of complaints, and how he thought they should be fixed. He called the president a genius and blamed everything on the last guy, and the opposition were all stupid, and tax the rich, and stop picking on those folks over there just because they want us all dead. I'd heard it all before, and would have walked out if it had not been for Glenda doing that slow strip in front of me.

She stood there within touching distance before me, as her husband ranted, and she raised the hem of her short skirt slowly up her thighs until her pussy came into view, and then she fingered herself for her and my pleasure. Then the straps on her top fell away and her tits fell out. She leaned in so I could grab handfuls of breast, and then wrap my lips around her turgid nipples while she grabbed my head and pulled it against her. I ran two fingers up her pussy as I sucked on her tits. And her hand went to my crotch, and she found my cock.

Glenda shed all her clothing, and then went to work on mine. Soon two naked bodies were writhing together on the couch. Brothers droned on as I licked his wife's pussy, and she sucked my cock. And when he went to commercial I planted my hard dick deep into Glenda's pussy and pounded my way around in there. She lay on her back on their designer couch, with her legs pointed straight into the air, and her toes curled next to my cheeks while I pistoned into her. She was crying and wailing in pleasure, her eyes closed and her face contorted in ecstasy. Glenda came over and over again during that first hour of the show.

During the second hour, I ate her pussy. The whole hour. She couldn't walk when I was done, so since she wasn't going anywhere, I slammed my cock into her again, and we frittered away the third hour of his nonsense fucking on his couch. Just after he signed off, Glenda's phone rang. She was on her knees, with me behind trying to push her around, and she put the phone on speaker.

"Hi honey. Did you catch my show today. I thought I was spectacular."

"Baby, I don't know when I've enjoyed your show more."

I was still pounding into her from behind. I let out a low grunt.

"What was that?"

"It's that refrigerator again. Remember how the ice maker makes that noise once in a while?"

"Slap, slap, slap went my balls against her ass."

"Oh yeah. Wonder why it never makes that noise when I'm there."

"No idea, baby."

"I miss you girl."

Over the phone speaker I could hear a stifled giggle. And a "shush". Glenda stood up and then knelt before me. I blew my load all over her smiling face, leaving tendrils of my cum hanging off her hair, nose, lips, and tits. Brothers took that instant to say goodbye, claiming he had a lunch meeting. She stared at the silent receiver, and then laughed.

"Take that, you cheating son of a bitch. And I liked it."

She used the towel I gave her to wipe my mess from her hair. Glenda said that Brothers favored an open marriage, where both could enjoy the company of others. He liked porking the young women who worked for the station and who thought he was a hero for saving the world. She figured that was one of them giggling in the background. Glenda liked the idea that she could return the favor for once. I did wonder if this was the first time she had done this, but a gentleman would never ask such a question.

We spent the rest of the day pleasuring each other. I think I exhausted her. When I left her, Glenda was spread eagle on the couch, legs spread and pussy dripping, with puddles of cum dried on her skin. I don't think the undertaker could have wiped the smile from her face if he had a week to do the job. The after dinner liberal was coming on the radio when I softly closed the door behind me. I don't know if Coit could get those stains out of that couch, and I didn't much care. I was just doing my job.

Back at the coffee shop the following Monday morning I sipped my mocha and read my paper. Glenda and Tina arrived together, and they both smiled at me, but then they turned serious. Judy and Blanche arrived well after the other two. This morning was different, for Blanche had those fresh bruises on her arms, and the black eye.

Apparently, the son of the Imam was also prone to temper, and Blanche was the punching bag. The entire morning was spent trying to cheer her up. Which didn't go all that well. I had to leave for a bit, and when I returned, the three ladies had just about wore themselves out trying to help Blanche, and they weren't getting anywhere. So one by one, they left. Soon enough, Blanche was alone at her table. Even a grande latte' won't last forever, and eventually she had to leave. I followed her out to her Navigator.

Don't know how it happened, but while I was out and about, somebody flattened two of Blanche's tires. She stood beside her car crying. And I showed up. The shabby looking ponytailed ski bum to the rescue. Could I offer her a ride home?

Oh hell, why not.

So the two of us piled into the beater Ford Bronco and headed up the hill. Blanche was ready with her card to open the gate when I used mine. She stared at me in amazement.

"Where did you get a card for this gate?"

"I thought all the residents had one."

"You...you live here?"

"Oh sure. I'm sorry. Frank Cummings here. I've had a unit here for about a year."

"Wait a minute. You wrote the book, the one they made into the movie. You're famous."

"Oh, I'm just Frank. Don't get all excited. I don't."

"I'm in C. You can just drop me off in front."

"I don't mean to be a but-in-ski but what got you so, ah, decorated?"

"My husband is a jealous idiot. He is always accusing me of cheating on him. And I never do. Not like I don't have the chance. I mean, look at these tits. But I never cheat on him. Fucking jerk."

"Is he home now?"

"Oh hell no. He will be at the bookie over on 10th street in Denver by now. He can't stay away from the horses."

"Well...you know, if he's gonna keep whooping on you for cheating on him...maybe you should consider grabbing a piece on the side, just to get even."

I was smiling at her, standing just in front of her. The backs of my fingers brushed across the tips of her nipples. Just to see what would happen. She seemed a bit taken aback by my blunt statement. She had to know about Tina and Glenda, for there clearly were few secrets kept between them.

"I don't think so, sir. Nice try, but I don't cheat on my husband."

"Fair enough. I meant no insult to your integrity. Frankly, I wanted to see if you are real. You are, and that is a good thing. I am a good resource if you ever need anything, any help at all, no strings attached. And if you ever feel the need for anything extra, I'll be around, for that too."

I watched as she walked through the door and disappeared. It was a bold move on my part, but I had to start somewhere. Back in my rooms, I checked in with the boss using the throw away cell phone I had purchased before this trip. The boss thought I should take it easy, and not rush things with Judy. He thought I was pretty well set up on this case.

I took a short nap, and then headed down to the village to stretch my legs. In front of the organic grocery, I spotted Blanche and one of Omar's brothers. Omar apparently left his security to family. This one was Aseeb, a younger brother, and he was mostly just domestic help, although he liked the black suit bodyguard look. He was a short fat man, very un-imposing. He sported huge gold rings and an ornate necklace. And he was angry. As I approached, he was tugging at Blanche's arm, and screaming at her in Arabic.

"Dude! Whatcha doing?"

"Go away dirty man. This is my brother's wife and I can do as I wish with the little bitch."

"Yeah, that might be right in that chicken shit place you call home, but this here is America, and you cannot pound on a nice lady here, and not have somebody like me ask you to stop."

"I can kill her and you and I will be praised by Allah."

"No offense to your god, but you are a pig."

"Die like a rodent you worthless infidel!"

The knife was long and curved, and deadly in the hand of someone schooled in its use. In the hands of this fat, short, swarthy man, it was a decoration. He made one wild swipe at me, which missed by a mile. I grabbed his wrist as it went by, and wrenched his arm behind his back until he screamed out in pain. The knife fell to the pavement with a clank. I turned him loose after spinning him around. He stood with his legs spread, screaming at me. I could see the cop running toward us, yelling for me to stop. So I planted my right toe into Omar's crotch with considerable enthusiasm, lifting him a bit off his feet, and then watched as he collapsed in agony on the pavement. He was actually crying. Then I stepped back to await my fate. I had the right to remain silent.

My incarceration was brief. One phone call from my boss greased my release. The cop that busted me complimented me on my soccer skills. He was just doing his job when he arrested me, and left to himself, he would have shot the son of a bitch. Or so he said. Frankly, I believed him.

That night, back in my condo, I opened a bottle of cabernet, and started the brown rice and steamed veges. A rather large bone in rib eye went on the indoor grill. Some single barrel bourbon kept me company while dinner matured. Then, a knock on the door.

Blanche stood there, in old blue jeans, a wrinkled white blouse, and bedroom slippers. There clearly was no bra this time. I could see both breasts clearly.

"Hi...can I come in? That monkey Aseep is still in jail, and I'm all alone."

"Mi casa su casa."

She stepped into the room and when I had closed the door. She threw her arms around me and crushed me to her, and she kissed me. Took me a bit by surprise. She pulled her blouse open and those two huge breasts emerged. Both of my hands went to them, and she moaned. But somehow it just didn't seem right.

"Wait a moment, girl. Why are you doing this?"

"Isn't this what you want? To fuck me. Well here I am. You can have me."

"Nope. Not this time. You clearly have no real interest in this, and I have no need for you to fake it. Put your blouse back on, walk through that door, and knock again. Let's start this evening all over again."

Blanched stared at me for a moment, and a small smile creased her face. Out she went and then came the knock.

"Hi, can I come in?

"Of course. Have you had dinner yet?"

"No, what time is it?"

"Seven. Come in. What would you like to drink?"

"Are you sure this is OK?"

"Very OK"

"Do you have any white wine?"

"Let's check...."

The wine cabinet in my kitchen held fifty bottles. About a third were white. I popped the cork on a pinot blanc that scored 99 in the last review. Blanche whistled when she tasted it.

"Jeez, this is wonderful! What is it?"

"Oh, just something I picked up last time I was in Napa."

"Can I have some more?

"Of course. All you want. You don't have to drive home, so help yourself."

She gulped that one too.

"Whoa girl. Sip, and enjoy the ambiance."

"I'm sorry....I'm just having a terrible day."

"Got that one. But guess what? You are here now. You are safe and with a friend. I can call Glenda or Tina or Judy for you if you want more company, or anyone you'd like. I'll even call your husband."

"Oh gawd, no. Not him. I'm terrified of him and his family and his whole world. I'm trapped. He will kill me rather than let me go. I can't escape."

"One word. Bullshit. You can get away. Anytime you like. I can help you here with one phone call. Just say the word."

"But, you are a writer. What can you do to help me?"

"Let's just say, I know a guy. He helps women get away from those Middle East assholes all the time. Gets the kids out too. Like I said...just say the word. Oops, gotta turn the steak. How do you like yours?"

"I'm a medium well person."

"OK, I'll leave it on a bit longer. No accounting for taste."

I smiled. I didn't care if she liked her steak ruined. She was a guest in my home, and I was there to serve. I took the rice off the heat to leave it set for a moment. The veges were ready too. They went into a warmed bowl with my favorite seasoning mix. I tasted my cabernet. Gonna be good.

Blanche was quiet through dinner, but she did seem to relax. Then, as she chewed the last of the beef, I watched her shoulders fall.

"What's up?"

"I want to thank you for dinner, and for talking with me, but I gotta get home. Omar might call and he will go insane if I'm not home."

"What do you get out of this guy?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he is a mean bastard. He's ugly. He's selfish. And by all accounts, he's dangerous. He hurts you. Is it just the money?"

"Hey Frank. Get real. I've no talent. I can't earn this kind of money working. I had to marry it. That involves tradeoffs."

"Tradeoffs my ass. He abuses you. He makes you unhappy. You fear him. Let's just say that all you have is your beauty and your body, and your willingness to subjugate yourself to a rich man...you really think you can't do that again?"

"Stop it. You make me sound like a whore."

"Hey, I'm just repeating what you told me. I think you'd be doing yourself a serious disservice if you simply repeated the same mistake. I think you should find yourself a real job and a real man and start a real family and take the good with the bad from that, and forget all this wealth and power shit. All this does is bring grief down on your shoulders. Hell, look at your three friends here. Look what they've made for themselves. Traps. Nothing but traps. Sure, they are rich, but are they happy? Ladies who are happy with their men don't go for long drives with men they think are bums."

Blanche stared at me for a moment. Then her eyes opened wide, and then she cried. I moved to sit next to her on the couch, wrapping my arm around her and holding her tight. She cried into my shoulder for a good long time, and then she fell asleep in my arms.

It was well after midnight when she woke.

"What time is it?"

"Uh, looks like two o'clock."

"Oh god, I'm dead. Omar will kill me now."

"Remember what I said. I can help get you out of this."

"Yeah, right. Fuck you. I'm going home."

And she headed to the door. I let her go. Then I placed a quick call to the local police department. My fears were realized. Aseep was out on bail, and he likely would be waiting for Blanche at her condo. I made a polite request for backup, and put on my vest.

Blanche didn't see me follow her home. I was just around the corner when she went to unlock her door, and I was standing outside the door when she screamed and I heard the crash of breaking furniture and shattering glass. The door was locked, but it caved when I kicked it down. Bursting into the room, I saw Aseep leaning over a fallen woman, driving a kitchen knife into Blanches' left arm, which was raised over her face in a desperate attempt to protect herself.

"FBI!!! Freeze you shithead bastard!!"

Aseep turned, recognized me and with a look of pure evil in his eyes, he walked toward me. Apparently, he still liked his chances with me when he had the knife and I had open hands. The Sig solved the open hands problem. Good ole Aseep was as stupid as he was mean, and he charged. A double tap would have sufficed, but I put three inside a 4 inch circle in the center of his mass. All three, it turned out, hit heart, and one severed the thoracic spine. He fell at my feet, twitched twice, voided into his pants, and left to find his virgins and his paradise. With any luck, he met a guy with a forked tail and a pitchfork instead. His disappointment would make it all OK for me.

Blanche had an arterial bleed and was a bit of a mess, but I put pressure on it and that worked until the paramedics got there. Lots of folks showed up, but I was out of there before the press with their cameras arrived.

I was the first to interview Blanche in the hospital. It didn't take much before she was able to talk about Omar, and his relationship with Dieter. It didn't hurt that the lab guys found Omar's laptop in the bedroom. Blanche came up with dates and locations, but she knew nothing of the details that would entertain my bosses, but the computer more than made up for that. This broke the case, and although Omar managed to escape to Saudi Arabia, his family wasn't on the Sheik's A list, and our agents escorted him back to this country.

Dieter never knew what hit him, and he was arrested in his office in Denver. Turns out that Judy was a big part of his operation, and I likely would not have turned her. In fact, she probably would have burned me and that couldn't have gone well.

The cop that arrested me when I nearly neutered Aseep visited Blanche in the hospital. Many times. Turns out he was single, and smitten by her. It took him a long time to gain her trust, but since we are still friends, I can tell you that she and he and the kids are doing just fine.

The Glenda and Jacob divorce was a major scandal and public mess. It nearly dragged down the entire radio station. And it was the subject of a bit much publicity from the right wing side of talk radio.

And after things quieted down, I bumped into Tina near Palmer Pass, behind the boulders and above the aerie. It was a total coincidence, but a fortuitous one. Turns out she was single again, with her own four wheel drive truck this time. I was actually disappointed to see the truck there when I approached. I wanted the place to myself. But I changed my mind when I found Tina sitting on that same rock, enjoying some lunch and the sun. Her blue shirt was off and her mountains still looked mighty good to me. And you can guess the rest.