Playing With Fire

Chapter 2


Brevin Merritt stood a modest height of five foot eleven. Unlike Jack, Brevin housed a length of shaggy dark hair that grew too long around his ears. He was straight and thin and when he walked he strode with the smallest of swaggers about his gate. Talia adored that swagger and had been adoring it ever since she arrived in The City with her sister two years ago. Brevin was a Pastor’s son, which to Talia made him all the more desirable though she hadn’t quite pinned what she’d been feeling as ‘desire’ until she started experimenting with Elise’s vibrator whenever her older sister snuck out for the night. She suspected the little tool had been long ago retired but she’d never been bold enough to ask.

On the other side of the chapel, Brevin was helping his father arrange the pamphlets for the upcoming project. Talia watched his sure hands gather and stack, gather and stack until her mind was drifting to her impromptu fingering session with Jack that afternoon. She squeezed her thighs together as a heat flooded between them.

“Talia Shorten.” A deep voice called over her shoulder.

Talia turned to see Mr. Frenswick beaming down at her. She replicated the smile like a master, slipping into the character easily. This was one she’d been playing for years after all. “Welcome back Mr. Frenswick.

“Always a pleasure to see your cheerful face, child.” Mr. Frenswick clasped her hand between both his fleshy ones which were sweaty and warm from being stuffed in his pocket through most of the service. A round man, he always looked as though he were peering over his large stomach. “Your Aunt tells me you’ve been working in another sector these past few weeks that I’ve been gone.”

“Yes. Mr. Blazier is a friend of my fathers. He was kind enough to offer me a position in his shop.”

“Hmm…” Mr. Frenswick nodded heavily. “And is he a good man this Mr. Blazier?”

She knew exactly what that question was really asking. Blazier may have been a friend of her father’s but he certainly wasn’t a member of the denomination. She had heard rumors from Rebecca and the others that he’d once belonged to ‘one of those nutty religious sects, you know?’ but Talia hadn’t been bold enough to ask for any specifics. In fact, she’d been relieved in that moment that she’d thus far kept her ‘godly pursuits’ to herself. Though sometimes she wondered whether that had been a good or bad move on her part, especially remembering Jack and the bold step forward their ‘sessions’ had taken this afternoon. Three weeks in another sector and she was already behaving like a child of the world. But Jesus was it fucking good.

Talia’s face flushed with the vivid memory of an hour ago and she quickly cleared her throat. “He’s not a member but he’s a good man. Really considerate of his employees.”

“I hope so. There aren’t many in this world who haven’t been touched by the corruption of The Bosses.” He cleared his throat and may have glanced to where Pastor Merritt was working. “I suppose in a way it’s a blessing you’re there to influence your co-workers for the better.”

“I guess so.” Talia swallowed.

God Almighty, she was hypocrite. But she wasn’t about to reveal her disreputable other self just to clear her conscious. Talia was the ‘goody two shoes’. It seemed there wasn’t a place in her life she could out run the title though sometimes she wasn’t sure she wanted to. Like now. She liked the attention from Mr Frenswick and she liked the looks she sometimes got from the boy on the other side of the chapel.

But Jessica had rumpled her feathers and Talia’s little red streak of defiance she was so good at hiding was shining through in the form of Jack. Thank God she’d so far been able to keep him her little secret. It was a dangerous game playing fire with her reputation.

There was a tap on her shoulder and soon Talia was walking with her Aunt Alice, her two young cousins, Tyler and Jordan and Elise who shuffled behind the rest. They only lived a block from the chapel building which was actually a bank back in the day. It had been chosen to serve as the Lord’s house because of its decorative steeple.

Aunt Alice looked worn, more than usual. She walked with her shoulders slumped, her eyes downcast to the cracked cement. Her lips were moving slightly but quickly as she murmured to herself, or really to God.

“Is everything alright?” Talia asked over the noise of the street.

It took her Aunt a moment to register her question. “Just another day in this battle of good and evil.”

Such a typical response from this woman who’d cared for Talia these last two years. Everything was a battle of God and Satan in her eyes. Talia remembered when she used to be just as fervent in this view as her Aunt. She wasn’t so sure anymore.

“I don’t like this new project the Pastor has taken.” Her Aunt sighed. “Men like Mr. Barris have no time for men of God. It won’t come to anything good.”

Talia’s ears perked instinctively. She waited for her Aunt to continue but she simply sighed again to herself.

Talia wanted so badly to ask her Aunt just what the Pastor and ‘Mr. Barris’ might have in common but then she would know Talia had missed the first part of meeting. She kicked herself for letting her time with Jack go longer than usual then just as quickly reformed her thought because, damn it, their little play session had been heaven on earth for a moment. She had almost considered submitting herself to that ultimate sin of sins but there was only one person who would ever have that part of her. *He* was stapling pamphlets on lamp posts for the fireside Sunday evening.

“Tucker Anslow says Bo Barris is the only thing holding this city together.” Elise suddenly chimed, appearing between Talia and their Aunt.

Aunt Alice laughed, looked over the shamble of buildings surrounding them, the garbage scattered in the street, the shattered window in Feldstien’s Baked Goods, the crowds of destitute looking like vagrants with their tattered clothes and dirty hands, not unlike the five of them returning from chapel.

“If this is holding a city together I’d hate to see what one looks like falling apart.”

“At least there’s still order here. Opportunity. Which is more than you can say for The Outside.”

“You’ve been in The City too long, Elise Shorten. Don’t let it seduce you into thinking this life is normal.”

“Normal is relative.” Elise scowled.


Her sister’s retort voiced Talia’s own sentiments which she was grateful she didn’t have to vocalize herself. Perhaps because it allowed her to continue with the facade.

However, it wasn’t Elise’s words but Aunt Alice’s that danced through Talia’s head all the way home to their humble apartment with its leaky faucets and walls where the paper peeled.

‘You’ve been in The City too long. Don’t let it seduce you into thinking this life is normal’. It was something her father would have said.

That evening before she crawled into bed Talia felt a sick tug in her stomach. Guilt brought about by something she’d never been able to shake, something engrained in childhood. Vexed, Talia knelt at her bedside as she did every night but this time she prayed with honest fervor in her voice:

“Dear God, forgive me of the sins that I have committed this day and bless me with thy wisdom and strength that I might walk in thy presence in the next life. In the name of thy holy son, Amen.”

She crawled into bed, relieved again and drifted to sleep where she dreamt of a man kissing her tenderly on the forehead, her face tucked between his hands but when she looked up it wasn’t her father’s eyes she saw, it was someone else’s.


***

When she was younger and her father still teaching seminary, Sundays for Talia were spent in meeting. Now if they spent the day in meeting the whole denomination would lose their shirts. That was why, like the rest of the world, their lives had been quietly rearranged and meeting was now held one hour at the end of the day. It was better you see, because worship could be done through out the week and the members could carry God in their hearts always. Course that meant Sunday was no longer the day of rest, but no one ever talked about that.

“Hey! Earth to Talia!”

Talia spun from the counter to face Rebecca. Becca’s red hair was tied into two knots on either side of her head. One of the new fashions, Talia thought it made Becca look like some kind of parrot. The girl plucked at a crumb on her apron.

“Where’s your head, Scout?”

Talia cringed at the nick name Jessica had given her, though Becca *had* shortened it from the full length ‘Girl Scout’.

“The order’s up and waiting.”

“Oh.” She grabbed the warm mug and careful not to spill the coffee, carried it to the table in the corner. “Here you are sir.”

“Thank you.” The elderly gentleman said graciously and sipped.

Through the window Talia saw a faded green truck pull into the liquor store across the street. Shortly after, Jack and one his friends emerged. He glanced in either direction then nudged the other man with his elbow and the two of them disappeared inside the shop.

Becca was waiting for her when she got back.

“There he goes again. Think he’ll come in today?”

“No way to predict with him.”

“I hope he does. I’m getting tired of looking at the geezers that hang around this place.” Becca glanced around Blazier’s antique café.

One part of it housed a collection of odd furniture and nick nacks that Blazier claimed to be antique and sold for twice their worth. That was the part that really brought in the money even though he only made a big sale every month or so. The café was more popular because it was one of the few places that sold brewed coffee rather than instant which customers were willing to pay through the nose for. At this hour of the day their customers consisted of the regular group of over forties who came partly for the coffee and partly to leer at Blazier’s unique group of employees of which Talia was the youngest.

Jessica skipped up to the counter. “Guess what!” she said beaming. “That old bastard just goosed me.”

“What?” Becca said in disgust.

Jessica nodded, still looking giddy, then reached down her cleavage and pulled out a five dollar bill. “And he gave me this for it.”

Talia looked at the elderly man at the center table. He was so wrinkled she couldn’t tell where his eyes began and where the crows feet left them. “You let him?”

“Oh here she goes…” Jessica giggled. “Yes, I let him. Its just a little squeeze, you know? Done to test the merchandise. Like this.”

Out of no where Talia felt Jessica’s fingers pinch at her ass hard. She jumped away, slapping her hand. Both Jessica and Becca were giggling.

“I know what you mean.” She hissed.

“Okay sorry. I’m never sure what I need to clarify with you.”

Everything always came back to that. The conversation Talia was determined never to experience unprepared again. She could still remember the humiliating way she had to ask Rebecca to explain a ‘blow job’. That had been the moment she received the nick name, though she was almost sure Jessica had already been throwing it about behind her back.

“Ease off her Jess.” Becca said composing herself.

“I’m only teasing Bec. You know I love the kid. She makes this job fun.”

“Well, I’m glad to be so entertaining.” Talia said bitterly.

“Girls, girls...” Blazier appeared from the back room rubbing his hands with raspberry scented lotion. “I’ve got a business to run here and it doesn’t sell to have squibbling employees.”

Blazier’s oiled hair was extra slick today and he was wearing his silk dress shirt of deep maroon that made him look foreign and attractive. This could mean only one thing: big customer.

“Alright, when’s he in?” Jessica asked, sizing her boss up and down.

He twisted his hands over each other again delicately then wafted a drift of raspberry air toward his nose. “Not for another hour but you know that means he could show up in the next minute so happy faces everyone.”

“This must be a good one if you’re springing out the silk.”

“Good enough to pay your wages, young lady.” Blazier grinned to Rebecca and pinched her cheek. “He’s shown interest in the Rennaisance Walnut bar so pray we finally get that thing out of here and on a profit too.”

“Does that mean bonuses?” Asked Jessica eagerly.

“It means nobody loses their job this month.”

“Better keep your fingers crossed he sells today newbie.” Jess whispered nudging Talia in the ribs.

They of course had nothing to worry about. Blazier could have been a used car salesman but antiques were a little more glamorous and a little more his style. It was the same deal though, take someone’s old shit, give it a new finishing job and sell it as something else with a lot of flare. And Flare was something Blazier had in spades.

He spun on his heels inspecting the counter then traipsed to the two coffee pots. “Is this a fresh pot?”

“Uh, close enough?” Becca offered.

He threw his hands in the air. “Make a new one fresh. And get out those butter cookies hiding in the back. Hmm…swept, dusted...oh. He’s a jazz man so switch the station to 89.2.”

“Jesus…” Jessica rolled her eyes. “What kind of sick nuts listen to Jazz?”

“The kind with money.” Blazier straightened his shirt cuffs then glanced around irritably. “Coffee. Cookies. Jazz. Why are you three still standing around?”

In the backroom Talia rummaged through the short storage shelves for the butter cookies Blazier kept for ‘special’ customers. From behind her someone cleared their throat. It was Blazier, standing in the doorway with his hands slipped into the pockets of his slacks.

“Find them?”

“Just now.”

“Good.” He took a small step closer, letting the door swing closed behind him. “How’re you doing here Talia, M’dear?”

“Just fine.”

“The girls aren’t giving you too rough a time are they?”

Talia slowly glanced upward then back at the tin in her hands. “No we get along okay.” Truth. Course, she had to think about it but once it came to her there was no denying. Talia liked the girls, even Jessica.

“That’s good. And you feel comfortable here?”

“Totally.” Sometimes more comfortable than she did at home. “Yeah, I really like it.”

“Good, because I like having you here. Your father was a great man and he was very good to me when others weren’t. I don’t like to see his kin unhappy…or feeling out of their skin.”

Talia felt the warm smile spread her mouth. “You don’t need to worry, Blazier.”

His head tilted just a little. “That’s a comfort.” Blazier drew a short breath, adjusting his shoulders to a more pronounced stature. “I think he’d be very proud of you – stepping into the lion’s den and all that. You’re a good girl, Talia.”

She blushed. Not bashfully but guiltily. “Thanks.”


The big customer was just that…big. Round like Mr Frenswick but looking much more regal and with a cool sway to his walk he met Blazier among the antiques. It was the end of the day shift and so Talia had time to get her glance before she was off…to the back warehouse where someone was waiting.

That Rebecca obviously had a thing for Jack was the last thing that crossed Talia’s mind when she bumped into him in Blazier’s two stall, manky restroom Tuesday afternoon. It floated through her head a few minutes later, after Jack had made a pass at her between the sink and the door. Talia’s rejection was quick and to the point. Though Jack seemed a little disappointed his look was the same he got when he discovered they were out of roast beef and would have to settle for ham. In short, he threw a slight shrug followed by the ever dismissive sigh and then returned to his lunch. But first times were first times and that had been the first time Talia had ever seen a man look at her with Jack’s greedy eyes and opportunities like that didn’t exactly present themselves every day for Talia. Later she’d find him hanging around the warehouse and initiate it all herself – to Jack’s pleasant surprise. The next day, he was there again and things just sort of fell into place.

Jack always started everything the same way: by gently running his thumb over Talia’s bottom lip. He told her the first day that she had lips a man could go mad over. She wasn’t so sure she believed his flattering assessment. Talia always thought she had an odd mouth. When they were younger, Elise would call her ‘fish-lips’ because of the way her full pucker turned out like a trout or salmon. She could remember sitting for hours pinching her lips flat to look like her sister’s but they never stayed that way to Talia’s disappointment.

He followed the soft movement of his thumb by pressing gently with his lips and running his tongue swiftly along the seam of her mouth to taste today’s flavor. Marashino cherry.

“I was afraid you might run off on me.” He said against her mouth, pecking and tasting.

“Why’s that?”

Jack pushed her to arms length and cast a glance from her toes to her nose with a taunting grin. “Because last time we actually had some fun.”

Talia scoffed.

After a laugh, he had her back against him in an instant, Jack’s mouth doing swirls on her neck and his arms lifting Talia off her feet to wrap her thighs around his waist. Lip location was soon modified. Jack could never keep away from them for very long. When his mouth was up against hers, he was apt to groan a little, something Talia delighted in because of the funny way it hummed through her.

They slid this way, lip to lip, chest to chest, pelvis to pelvis, down the cold warehouse wall until Talia was sitting in Jack’s lap on the damp cement floor. Perched upon him, she was suddenly reminded of the day before and gently shoved Jack away.

“You haven’t been having fun?” she asked indignant.

“Not the kind of fun I’d *like* to have.” Jack said with an upturned brow.

“I told you-“

“Yeah, yeah.” He murmured, nibbling at her chin and throat.

He slipped his hands beneath her shirt, under her bra and began messaging her breasts slowly, lightly flicking her nipples until they stood erect enough for him to pinch. Talia shuddered. Her breathing was growing increasingly short with each stroke as it always did when he started the petting, until soon Talia found herself drunkenly falling onto Jack’s lips again matching the pressure of her kisses to the pressure of his fingers, thrusting herself into his strokes anxiously and in doing so, rocking their pelvis’ together.

This didn’t feel too bad. Rubbing crotch to crotch she quickly felt him begin to harden but Talia didn’t mind so much today. She was imagining the stiffening flesh beneath her was Jack’s fingers (as backward as that was) and sometimes when she rocked she felt it hit her clit.

“Mmm…” Talia hummed when she felt a strong jolt between her legs.

Suddenly Jack’s hands were gone from her ripe and swollen nipples and were now tugging anxiously on the button of her pants. She grabbed his hands.

“What are you doing?”

“Uh, uh. We’ve already crossed his line, remember?” He slipped his hand down the front of her panties, through her curls, to delve into her hot flesh that was already pulsing. How he could find her clit so easily and with her pressed so close, she didn’t know and she wasn’t protesting. His finger flicked across the rigid swell so that Talia’s whole body stiffened.

“Jack…”

“God, you’re completely wet Talia.”

Of course she was. What was he gonna do about it? Then immediately she was ashamed of herself and the thoughts she’d been entertaining. She pulled his hand out and scrambled away to rest against one of Blazier’s wheat sacks, panting.

“What the hell is that?” Jack spat.

“A breather.”

“Breather? Christ kid, now is not the time.”

Jack got to his knees and slowly began a half crawl, half stalk toward Talia’s sack. Christ indeed. Why did he have to be so good at that? And why did he have to look at her the way he was now like some wild predator on the prowl to devour her. She bit her lip under an excited shudder when he crawled up her body, sliding her shirt up to reveal her bra as he did.

Even looking dangerous, Jack managed to keep the unshakable smirk. He tasted her bottom lip slowly, pulling it into his mouth and then it was gone and he was grinning down at her.

“Alright, what is it? You got a boyfriend?”

“Huh?” she asked stupidly, still waiting for him to tear her clothes off and start thrusting.

“Well, obviously you have an issue with penetration. I bet even if I told you I had a condom in my back pocket you’d say no.”

Oh. Right. No fucking. She’d forgotten again. Talia swallowed trying to decipher what little she had heard of Jack’s words…and Brevin’s smile entered her thoughts. Just thinking of him and what he’d say about her actions in the last few minutes made her turn even redder than she was.

“I don’t want him to find out.” She huffed. Because it was partly true. “Condoms break. Better safe than sorry.”

“And we’re just having fun.”

“Exactly. He wouldn’t understand.”

“Fine then.” Jack threw a shrug of disappointment but soon his mocking leer was back. A soft caress to the hallow of her neck made her sigh and close her eyes. “So, would you mind if I go down on you?”

Down on her. She had to think a moment to recall this one but she couldn’t remember the girls ever mentioning it. Shit. Green, green baby and now he was going to know it.

“No.” she breathed, hoping it sounded sure.

His head popped up. “Good.” he kissed her again. “I could go with a blow.”

Her eyes sprang open. “What?”

“Aren’t you the one who started trading favors?” She didn’t know what to say. Jack chuckled and ran his thumb over her lips firmly. “I’ve been thinking of these lips wrapped around me since I first saw ya. Come on. Unless you don’t think you’re good enough to get me off?”

She had a feeling she was getting herself in over her head. Scratch that, she definitely was. All because he’d thrown it at her like some kind of challenge. Jack had a unique ability to bring out those traits of Talia’s personality she usually kept hidden from the rest of the world. Scowling up at him, she told herself she was too inexperienced to take this facade on. Still, as she watched Jack’s cocky expression she thought, how hard could it be?

“Fine, if that’s what you want.” Damn it.

Jack beamed, threw his mouth against Talia’s, thrust in deep with his tongue and there kept his exploration until she was completely breathless. “Great. You go first.”

On her knees, Talia was once again getting a close examination of everything Jack had to offer a woman and in a moment she’d get to know it even better. Tentatively, she slid her finger down his length, surprised to see how it responded. Jack seemed to like this as well. He stood against the wall, chest beginning to rise.

What had Rebecca said? ‘’Teased him up hard’ ‘…gave it to him deep’ ‘…lots of swallows’. Well, that was something to go on at least. Still stroking him, she tried to imagine putting his throbbing penis into her mouth. On any other occasion, even hearing it from Becca, she would have gagged at the thought but her heart seemed to be beating just as quickly as Jack’s. Thinking of running her tongue where her finger traced was sending hot spasms down her thighs.

Carefully she slid her tongue over the head which apparently was the right thing to do because Jack gasped. She looked up to find him watching her with the same desperate expression he bore yesterday when he’d asked her to keep them open for him. With her eyes locked on his, Talia ran her tongue up then down and then up again, flitting it over the thick length and then receiving another satisfied gasp when she did this to the head.

She was learning quickly.

The first time she filled her mouth she couldn’t take it as deep as she’d wanted because the natural reflexes had her sliding most of it out again. It went this way a few times until she was used to the feel of him and in fact every time she slid him out, and played her tongue carefully as she went, Jack gasped just a little more.

Finally she took him deep, and there felt Jack’s hand suddenly on the back of her head, urging her on. In succession, she rode his solid length with her mouth, sucking and forcing herself to swallow when he was immersed.

Jack’s hands twisted in her hair. “Yes, Talia. That’s it baby. Fuck yes…” He was thrusting with her now, clutching at her head and holding her tight while she worked him over, while her nipples grew to peeks and she felt a thrill rise inside her with every groan he ushered. She slid to the tip where she placed a fleeting kiss there at the peak and plunged him down again, as far as she could take him, over then over again, Jack’s grunts filling her ears with the slip and suction of her mouth. She clutched him with her hand, accidentally squeezing his ball sacks but then liking the feel of them kept her fingers there to play. In the final plunge Talia swallowed back the accumulation of all her hard work so far which called forth a violent, “OH GOD…” from Jack’s lips.

Suddenly she felt herself being pushed away in time to see him ejaculate his hot semen across the warehouse floor.

She hadn’t been expecting this. If there was one thing she remembered from Jessica’s bragging it was that she always swallowed at the end.

Jack slumped against the wall, looking absolutely drained and sliding down to meet Talia where she knelt. He was breathless and still intoxicated from his come. Crouched as he was in this vulnerable state, Talia studied her temporary amore. His eyes were closed and she saw that his lashes were actually very long and almost fell upon his cheek. She’d never noticed because they were blonde and when open, well, one was mostly drowned by the depth of Jack’s dark eyes. He had small age wrinkles at the corner of each but Jack had a few more years yet before he could compete with their over forty group. He’d never actually told her his age but she guessed it wasn’t more than Dave Stringham who had two little boys she sometimes watched. Jack had classic features. The defined jaw, the straight nose, the tapered brow covered mostly now by his disordered hair, all except the mouth. Jack’s mouth was forever crooked and this was because of a small scar that delved just into the left hand side of his upper lip. She reached and gently touched the scar with her finger.

“Fucking hell. You’re good.” He whispered, the lashes fluttering up as he opened his eyes and smiled at the girl in front him.

Talia’s chest puffed just a bit. “Why thank you. Why did you push me away? I would have swallowed it.” Although, now that it was over, she was kind of glad he’d done it.

He wiped a small dribble from her chin. “I thought you didn’t want him to find out. Wouldn’t do well to walk home covered in some guys cum would it?”

Talia hadn’t been expecting that answer. She thought it would be something cheeky, like ‘didn’t think you could take it’. Some people she could read like a cheap magazine. At times Jack was like this but then she’d find herself faced with moments like these and wonder if she didn’t just mistake a Proust for Cosmo.

He swept his arms around her back and lifted to his feet.

“Your turn.”