"My god, you look happy, Jill."

Opening my eyes, I see August Lepartin standing there. "Tan," I say, genuinely glad to see him. "You've been following me," I tell him, guessing.

"Just for the last few minutes," he says, falling in beside me. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you just dumped that lady back there. Does that mean I have a chance with you?"

"One way to find out, champ. Won any games yet?"

"A few, a few. One way to find out, huh? So, what do you like? You look fit. You like to hike?"

"Sure, but I'm not looking for a relationship, champ." Stop in front of Doc's. Digging out one of my cards, I hand it to him. "You're sexually attracted to me, aren't you, Tan? You pitchin' a tent under those jeans?"

"Jesus Price, let me catch up, will you? In fact, I am attracted to you. What are you doing this weekend?" He looks down at the card.

"Hiking with a friend and no, you can't come along'important stuff to discuss."

"Tomorrow night," he says, his eyes meeting mine.

"Got a date. How about tonight?"

"You're on."

"Be out here shortly after five. How far away is your place?"

"Uh, ten-twelve blocks south."

"You make pasta?"

"One of the few things I do well," says Tan. "How do you want it?"

"With sex and marinara sauce. And a salad, no beans or croutons."

"I'll go chill the plates right now."

"Don't get clingy. I sleep around, a lot."

"Your body and your time are yours, my lady."

"You're a romantic sap. Have you been walking home every day hoping to see me?"

"Is it obvious?"

"Five-oh-five."

"And not a moment before or after." He turns and walks away, face lifted to the sky, hand on his heart.

Smiling, I walk inside and press the button for the front elevator. Release a deep sigh. A woman I recognize is sitting at the desk. Oh yes, I saw her my first day. Start looking for a job, I thought back then. Nod at her, open the door and walk down the hall. When I get to my office, Annette tells me that Louise would like me to join the HR department in the Personnel offices. Walk down there and find everyone gathered about the Personnel clerical area, waiting.

George tells me that Louise is waiting for me inside Liz's office.

Open the door, walk in and close it behind me. Liz and Louise are sitting side by side in front of the desk, so I walk around and sit behind it. "What's up, Louise?"

"Where were you, Jill? I was looking all over for you."

"I needed some air."

"I guess I understand. Were you serious about not wanting my old job?"

"Not how I put it but that's right. I do not want your old job."

She smiles. "I remember how you put it. Liz is not interested either. I was just about to ask her why."

Liz glances at me and then says to her, "Politics depress me, Louise, and HR Manager is a political job. I don't want it."

"Alright, that means I'll have to recruit someone." Liz asks, "How about George?"

When Louise frowns and says, "A two-step promotion and I don't think he's even ready for supervisor yet," Liz nods. Louise rises to her feet, so Liz and I do too. "Let's go tell the staff," she says.

After the boring announcement in Personnel, I stroll over to Dick's office in Purchasing. He's putting away his stuff, getting ready to lock up for the day. Sally gives me an evil look but says nothing.

Dick invites me in. The printer wants me to come over for a press check Wednesday afternoon between three and four. They'll deliver final copies to the fulfillment house and the Personnel offices at Doc's Place on Monday, October 29th.

Just to piss off Sally, I place my hand on his shoulder as we open his door. As we walk toward the door, I ask softly, "So, what'd you put on the overs?"

"A hundred, like you said," says Dick.

After I pat him on the back and say good-bye, I wander up to Morty's office. His feet are on his credenza as he stares up at Peavine, the mountain northwest of Reno. Lean my ass against the credenza and look at him. "Lose a friend today?"

He sighs. "Learned about it today. Guess I lost him a while ago."

"They have a right, hell, an obligation to risk their fortunes on this investment if they think it's worth it. Last I checked, this is America, land of the free."

"What makes you so understanding?"

"I'm glad they're gone. Besides, your ideas are better and you and Glenn have a stronger base. Fiftieth anniversary coming up. Museum opens up this spring. The slot player's club you have cookin'. You're the shit, Morty."

"I'm having all the casino ops supervisors and managers over a week from Saturday, Jill. I want you to come, alone. We socialize over a few drinks, eat barbecue and brainstorm new ideas for the coming spring."

"Those people carry me on their backs, Morty."

"After they hear what I have to say and after they get word of your project that starts the following Monday, they'll listen to you."

"I'd be stupid to pass this up, wouldn't I?" When he does not respond, I ask, "Am I the only split tail there?"

He shakes his head as he smiles. "Five women hold supervisory positions in slots and table games. A couple of them can be almost as foul mouthed as you."

Slap his shoe and walk out, down the hall to shut off my office light and out to the Buick. Grab my gym bag, which contains jeans, a tee shirt, socks and running shoes. Drape my black leather jacket over the bag and slam the trunk lid. Something muffles the echo behind me. Turn to see a tiny Filipino woman, approaching, holding a machete loosely beside her right leg. Drop the bag and jacket, tighten my hara, the area just below my navel, and relax. See by her casual stance, weight on the balls of her feet, and loose hold on the weapon that she is a pro. Empty my mind and the air about me as she approaches, steadily, confidently. Move to get away from the bag and close the distance between us.

Suddenly, a teenaged boy steps from behind a Ford, clutches the woman's right hand and plunges a knife into her throat. Her eyes never leave mine as the boy lowers her gently to the concrete. A yellow cab pulls up and the driver, a small black man, steps out and pops the trunk. Neither of them looks at me as they lift the body into the trunk. The driver slams the lid, slips into the driver's seat and pulls the door shut as he drives away. The boy who killed her disappears.

Step back, pick up my bag and jacket, and walk back toward the casino when someone calls my name. Turning, I see Megan the dietitian. "Megan, I haven't seen you for a couple weeks," I say, approaching her, wondering if she witnessed the killing that played out mere seconds ago. Smiling, I ask, "How have you been?"

"Fine," she says, holding out her arms. We hug and then she leans back slightly to say, "I've been waiting, hoping you would show. I've thought of you every day, Jill."

Nodding, I say in reply, "Let me guess, Megan. Your partner, the doc, is out of town."

Megan blushes'part of her charm, and asks, "You don't have anything against a little forbidden lust, do you, Jill?"

"Nothing at all," I tell her and add, "but I'm meeting someone in a few minutes. Can we meet after nine?"

"Sure," says Megan, pressing a business card into my hand, "my place?"

Touching my forehead to hers, I say softly, "Of course, Megan. I love sneaking around to have sex."

She rocks to her toes, touches my lips with hers and whispers, "I can hardly wait." Pausing, she asks, "I hate to ask this, but can you leave by midnight?"

"No problem, Megan," I say.

"Thank you, Jill," she whispers.

Watch as she hurries to her car, waves and drives away. Walk back inside to the ladies room. Once I've changed clothes, I take my clothes back to the car and lock them in the trunk. Back inside, I call Sui from a pay phone on the casino floor. After I code in, I say, "Someone made an attempt, but my bodyguards took care of it."

"Already heard," said Sui. "That little troll was a Doc's Place new hire, Jill. We're checking other recent hires now. We haven't figured out who sent her yet but we will."

"When will my inside bodyguard be ready for recruiting?"

"Three weeks," says Sui. "Tony is sitting here. He wants to know how you like Page." When I ask which one is Page, Sui chuckles and disconnects.

Call Soji from a pay phone on the casino floor and tell him I won't be home until late. Don't hold dinner. I'll call Sara from Tan's place before five-thirty.

At 5:05 p.m., I watch Tan cross the street. He is lean, his skin burned from hours in the sun and wind. He moves with casual power. Take his arm and we walk south down the street. "I'll make a call when we get to your place, Tan," I tell him. "People have to know where I am. Okay?"

"Mi casa es su casa. I have two roomies, Bart and Marty." He frowns, "You know, I think Bart works with you. Anyway, Marty is staying with a girlfriend and Bart won't be home until ten or so."

"So you climb the Tetons?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Mm-hmm, Moran in '82, Middle in '83 and Grand in '84."

"Climbed Grand the last time in '82. This year, we did K2 and next year, we're headed back to Everest."

"You and your roomies, Bart and Marty?"

"Some times others too."

"Expensive. How do you finance your trips?"

"Sell pot. Preemo shit. Grow it in the basement and move it through a system of networks at the university and points north. No kids."

Look up at him. "How do you know you can trust me?"

"One look at you, I know you got shit in your past. Besides, I can't feel you walking, as if you're on roller skates or something. Been down some alleys in the dark, you have."

"Smoke your own shit?"

"Nope."

We're quiet for a moment, enjoying the walk and the cool of the late afternoon. "Big engines, mostly Chrysler Hemi's and Cadillac 454's. Pop `em, grind off the numbers, haul `em down to Pomona or Bakersfield and sell `em for cash. Had a racing habit for a while."

"What class?"

"Baker and then Able gas, a step above street legal in the nine-second range."

"You drive?"

"No, the rush for me was building cars, me against other mechanics. Had a talented driver with monster aggression and perfect timing."

"You miss it."

Look up at him and smile. "Not enough to go back. Oh, I still keep my hand in restoring classic cruisers and muscle cars, then sell `em but I don't build racers any more." Pause to look down at the Truckee River. A father is teaching his son to fly-cast over the open water.

Tan pulls me to him gently and kisses me as I close my eyes. He holds me close so I can feel his erection. He's a good kisser, full of eagerness and yet controlled. Drives me wild. Want him badly. When his lips release mine, he hugs me.

Open my eyes and see Samantha, smiling, sitting in the cab with the black driver I saw minutes ago in the Doc's Place parking garage. Samantha gives a little wave and a big grin.

As we continue walking, I ask Tan, "How much further?"

"Three blocks south. We bought the house a couple years ago."

"Full-size basement with no windows."

"No late-night visitors and no big parcels carried out to the trunk in the night. Keep up the landscaping too." We walk another block, and he points to the place. "That's it," he says.

"Do that again."

"What?"

"Kiss me, Tan."

He pulls me close and kisses me for a long time as I run my open hand over his crotch, feeling the thick, hard cylinder in there. My god, he's a good kisser. Hope he kisses me like that while he's inside me. I'll be over the deep end in no time.

He holds me tightly as he looks into my eyes. "I've never met a woman like you, Jill. I feel like I'm barely in control of myself, like a teenager again, for Christ's sake."

"I want you," I say in a gasp.

"I know," he says. "It's exciting, the way you want me and yet you are so controlled."

At the house and Tan unlocks the door and points to the telephone as he walks back to the bathroom.

Call home and look at my watch as Sara answers'five twenty five. Lifting the blinds, I see Samantha sitting in the cab across the street. Hold up both hands but tuck in one thumb. She signs nine back to me, grins and talks to the black driver, who drives sedately away. Tell Sara I'm bringing Samantha—one of the graduate assistants—home with me. "Got you and me a double date tomorrow night, seven o'clock."

Sara asks, "What's her name?"

"Jenny Polito. You up for it?" When she growls, I hang up.

Remove my jacket and hang it on one of the pegs near the door. Beer mirrors, kegs, a big bar and a huge TV and speakers—sports central—face couches and chairs. Heel off my shoes, peel off my socks, jeans and underpants, looking for Tan. Hear the sound of a flushing toilet. He's washing his hands after putting on a condom. Unbutton my shirt, no bra.

He turns. "Wow," he says. "You're killing me, Jill."

Take his hands and walk backward down the hallway, facing him. He follows me as I turn and pull down my shirt. "Don't' be frightened, Tan."

"Holy shit!" he says when he sees my back. "That looks like a gunshot wound. Fresh one too, and what are all those bruises?"

"Here's another." Open my thigh to show him.

"Jesus Christ," he whispers. "That must hurt like a sonofabitch."

Climb up and straddle him, taking him inside, pulling myself to him. Kiss him deeply as he lowers me to the couch, big hands clutching my ass, filling my fantasies as he kisses me hard, driving into me with a steady, powerful rhythm.

"You're so wiry, steel cables covered with satin," he whispers. "And you weigh nothing."

Climax twice like a helpless girl as he approaches his first. When he shudders, driving uncontrollably, I pull him into me until he collapses. Rolling him to his back, I fetch more condoms and a warm, wet washcloth. Remove his condom, washing him carefully.

For a time, we tease and please one another unmercifully. Finally, I put another condom on him, straddle him and lean back, riding him as his hands take pleasure at my breasts. My left shoulder blade against his chest, we kiss for long minutes as I ride him to a deep, rolling orgasm.

When we pause to eat salad and pasta, he cannot stop touching my breasts, so, I put on another condom and straddle his lap once more. This time, I face him as I lean back against the table while he fondles and kisses my tits as if he cannot get enough.

Later, Tan picks me up and carries me to the shower, where he does me from behind and then carries me to his big bed. He fills my fantasies again, kissing me deep and hard while he crushes me into the mattress. He finally falls into an exhausted slumber at a quarter to nine so I take a shower and go looking for my clothes.

Walk out to find Samantha in her blue Volkswagen, waiting. When I open the passenger door and look at her, she says, "Hi, Jill. Wanna fuck?"

Look about for a moment as I think this over. Meeting her eyes again, I say, "I'm meeting someone right now, Samantha. If I give you the address, will you pick me up at midnight?"

"Sure," she says, "I can sleep over. Take you to work in the morning."

Nodding, I tell her Megan's address and then watch as Samantha drives toward downtown. Zipping up my jacket, I follow, taking my time. Don't want to be early for my secret rendezvous with Megan.

After midnight, Samantha brakes at the gate to Baron Ranch, and I ask the guards to tell Yoshi that I'll skip the morning run tomorrow. Samantha pulls into the garage. Shutting off the engine, she turns to me and asks, "You don't mind waking up with a naked woman in your bed, do you, Jill?"

"Depends on the woman," I tell her. After sex with Samantha, I lay awake for a minute, thinking nothing until I realize I'm running home with the wolf pack, full and happy.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License