Chapter 11: Into a New Year

I was incredibly happy to see Jeryl, or rather feel her naked body pressed along my back, but I could not believe she was actually in my bed, in Jim's cabin, in Taos. Before I could ask a question, she pulled me over and locked her lips to mine. It was a passionate kiss that stopped any thoughts of conversation.

"Wow," she finally said. "I guess you missed me as much as I missed you," she whispered.

"I did. How did you get here?"

She laughed and hugged me. "Kelly said she owed me one. Evidently, she talked to Jordan and managed to find us a very nice ski-in ski-out condo down near the base of the mountain. Jordan told Mom and dad that a friend of hers at school owned it and offered it to us to use over the holidays. The first thing I knew about this was when we changed planes in Denver instead of going to the rental car place."

I kissed her and ran my hands along her sensuous, silky skin. "And getting to the cabin, and my bed?"

She kissed me. "Kelly, of course. She told me some of their traditions and gave me the spare key. Jordan helped me slip out tonight and drove me up here. I can't stay all night, but I really wanted to see you. Getting naked and slipping into your bed was all my doing."

I ran my thumb over her erect nipple and kissed her. "I'm glad. Kelly's cousins were trying to get me all excited, but they just made me miss you more." I kissed her again and then slipped my head lower to tease her nipples with my tongue.

"God, I love that, but we can't do much tonight. You guys took a lot longer coming to bed than I planned with Jordan." She reached down to fondle my erection as I quickly explained why. "I wish we had time to do something about this, but Jordan is coming back by at 1:00 to pick me up. That's only twenty minutes away, and I want a lot more than twenty minutes of you."

"Me, too. How are we going to arrange that?"

"We're skiing tomorrow. We have a family tradition of skiing together in the morning after exchanging gifts and then doing our own things in the afternoon. Mom has a spa appointment after lunch. Jordan, Jyl and I will keep skiing and then meet Mom and dad at the resort around three. If you are out skiing, we can just happen to meet up with Mom and dad at the same time. Then it will all be out in the open. I'm sure they will let us get together once they know you're here."

I wasn't so sure about that, but kissed her and held her for the few minutes we had. We did not have time to do it right, but after all of the teasing by Chelsea, Robyn and Amber, I was going to make sure Jeryl was at least as frustrated as I was.

I kissed my way down to her lovely tits and spent some time kissing and licking her hard nipples before moving lower. I loved the taste of her sweet pussy and knew she was nearly as excited as I was. I lifted my head as she groaned in frustration.

"You need to get dressed, kitten. Jordan will be here any minute."

"She can wait. I can't." She tried to urge my head back down her body, but I was quite a bit stronger than her. I laughed and kissed her.

"I'll make it up to you, but if we get caught now, the next eight days will be wasted. Go home and I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."

"I love you too, Paul."

There was just enough light outside coming through the window that I could admire her trim figure and smooth curves as she got into some clothes she had dropped by the door on her way in. The sight of her in the moonlight was enough to test my resolve, but I held firm. I wanted to spend the entire vacation with her, not just one night. As she finished dressing, I slipped out of bed and gave her another long hug. I walked her down to the door and gave her one last kiss before making sure Jordan was there to pick her up. Once I saw her safely in their rental car, I waved and headed back to bed. I'd need my rest for Christmas Day, I was sure.

Christmas morning was noisy with six women opening mostly boxes of clothes that only women can get excited about. I quickly retreated to the kitchen with Jim to mind the coffee and breakfast as a pseudo-fashion show occurred around the tree. Of course, Jim's sister and nieces were excited by the ring on Mom's finger as well.

Finally, gifts were taken back to rooms and trash was picked up and breakfast was cleared and it was time to relax. Mom and Jim were sitting on the couch as I came out of my room in ski gear. Mom smiled as I waved at them and then headed out to the slopes. I had four hours before I could make a grand entrance in the resort at the base of the mountain, but wanted to get some runs in beforehand.

Luck was in my favor and I caught up with three cute Midwestern girls in matching black ski pants and white jackets shortly after lunchtime. I watched them together on a lift two chairs ahead of me. They were standing near the top of a run as I dismounted.

"Imagine my surprise at seeing three such beautiful women here in New Mexico on Christmas day!" I said jovially as I stopped next to them.

"Paul!" Jyl squealed. Jeryl and Jordan smiled. "How did you find us?"

I shot a glance at Jordan who shook her head as Jeryl laughed. "I thought you found me." I moved closer to Jeryl and gave her an awkward hug and quick kiss. "You guys were supposed to be in Colorado."

"Jordan had a school friend with a condo here and talked Mom and dad into trying someplace new."

"Well, it just so happens this is where Jim wanted to propose to my mother, so we were here at his cabin."

Jeryl evidently had not spilled those beans to her sisters and both Jordan and Jyl were excited by the news. We chatted for a few more minutes and then decided to head down the mountain. The rest of the afternoon flew by as we skied and enjoyed the scenery and each other's company. I was tired and relaxed when we finally took off our skis around 3:00 and headed into the lodge for a warm drink.

Janet saw us enter the lounge and had a frown ready for me by the time we arrived next to her chair. "Paul Taylor, just how did you end up at the same resort we are at?"

I was ready to face the bear in her den. "I should ask how you just happened to end up at the resort Jim has a cabin at," I countered. "After all the insistence that you not change your family vacation plans, it's strange that you chose to follow me to New Mexico. I do thank you for a wonderful Christmas gift, though." I said as gave Jeryl a hug.

Janet Salaway was flustered by my response and the girls jumped into the breach to defend me.

"We just ran into him on the slopes, mother," Jordan insisted. "I had no idea this was where Jim's cabin was when my friend offered us the condo."

"And this is where Jim wanted to propose to Paul's Mom," Jyl added.

Janet was surprised by this tidbit of information. Her features softened as I nodded confirmation.

"It was very romantic. Jim proposed last night and Mom has been walking on clouds ever since. They're up at the cabin making a huge Christmas feast for everyone. Jim's sister and her daughters are here as well. They have a cabin next to Jim's."

Fortunately, Janet could not stay angry in the face of such good news for my Mom and the obvious enthusiasm of her daughters. Her frown turned into a small smile. "Well, I guess it's a lucky coincidence for everyone, then. Please give your mother and Jim my congratulations."

"Why don't you give it to her in person? I bet we have enough food to invite you all over for dinner tonight, if you'd like to join us."

"Oh, we could never interrupt a family Christmas dinner."

"Nonsense. Let me call the cabin and make sure, but I saw how much food Jim and his sister had laid on. I could bring half the football team and still have plenty."

I went to the bar and asked to use the phone for a local call. Luckily I had written down the cabin phone number and kept it in my wallet for emergency contact information. Jim answered the phone on the third ring. I missed mobile phones.

"Jim, can I bring another family to dinner? Jeryl and her family happened to pick Taos for skiing this year and I just ran into them at the lodge."

"Of course. You saw how much food we have. With another five people, maybe we can put a dent in both the ham and turkey," he said with a laugh.

By the time I got back to the Salaway's their father had joined them, along with someone I had not expected; Cynthia Morgan, Jeryl's grandmother.

"Hello, Paul," she said in a tone that made the snow outside sound warm.

"Mrs. Morgan, it's a pleasure to see you again," I lied.

She nodded as the girls filled her and their dad in on our meeting.

"And I just talked to Jim and he insisted I invite you all to dinner. He hoped you could all make it," I interjected. "Mrs. Salaway, I know Mom would love showing off her new ring to you, even if she would never admit it. I don't think an engagement is official until you share it with a friend outside the family."

That seemed to melt Janet's resolve. Cynthia's lips were pressed together firmly, but she nodded her agreement. She had too much class to put a damper on an engagement, at least.

I gave them directions to the cabin and then glanced at the clock. "I had better get going. The lifts stop in fifteen minutes and I don't want to have to walk up the hill in ski boots. I'll see you all at six-thirty."

"Dad, can Jyl bring a bag for me and I'll go with Paul to help them get ready? It's the least I can do to help."

Her mother looked to protest, but her dad had already nodded. "Sure, pumpkin," he said.

Jeryl grinned, gave her dad a quick kiss on the cheek and then grabbed my hand to get me out of there. We laughed together as we collected our skis and headed to the lift. The sun was sinking toward the ridge as we came down the run by the cabins. I heard girl's voices as we drew next to Cecilia's cabin. Robyn and Amber were in their smaller hot-tub.

"Hi, ladies," I said as we stopped outside. They waved and I introduced Jeryl. They were not about to come out into the snow to chat, so I just said we'd see them at dinner and we headed down the slope and next door.

The cabin was quiet, but delicious aromas filled the house. I helped Jeryl out of her ski boots and hung her jacket up before leading her up to the main floor. Kelly and Mom were sitting in the living room and quickly jumped up to welcome Jeryl. She was quickly pulled into the girl talk as I headed to the bathroom to get cleaned up. I was a little disappointed she didn't try to follow me into the shower, but knew it would not have been a smart decision on either of our parts. Soon, I was cleaned up and dressed in a comfortable pair of khakis and a new shirt and sweater.

Jeryl gave me a hug as I came back into the living room. "You look nice, cutie."

I gave her a kiss full on the lips and then waved at Kelly and Mom. "What do I need to do before dinner?"

Jim came out from the master bedroom and shook his head. "Not a thing. The turkey and ham are in the ovens and the side dishes are all next door. You'll have to help carry things in a couple of hours, but until then, everything is set."

"Will we have enough space for everyone?" I asked.

"Well, it will be tight, but I built this place for get-togethers. We have ten seats at the big table and then six at the small one in the kitchen. I figured all the old folks would be at the big table, along with you and Jeryl, since you two are the lynchpins bringing three families together."

I wondered how Chelsea would feel being relegated to the "kids" table and then decided not to worry about it as Kelly dragged Jeryl away and offered her a shower and some clothes to change into.

"You have a lovely home here, Mr. Daniels. Thank you so much for inviting us," Cynthia Morgan said as she took in the view of the moonlit slopes outside the dining room.

"Please, call me Jim. It was such a surprise when Paul called, I could not imagine not inviting you all over for dinner. I know Jeryl well from her work and hear enough about Jyl and Jordan that they seem like family. While I've only spent a little time with Janet and Jerry, I know they are delightful people as well. I'm glad you all found your way to our secret little ski getaway here."

Cynthia could not help but admire Jim's innate charm, I could tell.

"Have you owned your cabin here long?"

"I was fortunate enough to get in on the early stages of development here. I bought forty acres in the initial round of development and have twenty or so still remaining, not counting this cabin. When the price and people are right, I find myself selling a parcel."

"What makes the people right?"

"I want families to be able to enjoy this area. I won't sell to a development company or corporation. For the right price, I'd sell some back to the resort itself, but I'm happy to hold it for the future as well. It's not like I need the money."

"You mentioned Jeryl's work. What does she do for you?"

Jim chuckled. "Not for me, for Paul. Jeryl took it upon herself to begin transcribing Paul's working notes for patent filings and some other ventures he is starting. She has done as much to help organize his patent filings as Kelly or I have in the past year. We would not be nearly as far along in the process without all her work."

Janet seemed to straighten at the praise being given her youngest daughter.

"It's not just typing and filing, either," I added. "She is a great sounding board for my ideas. She's made me better at getting things documented while they're fresh and then making sure I follow up on them. She's the reason I'll have a new test-bed car in the summer for some endurance work."

"What's that mean?" Jerry asked as I took another bite of my ham.

Jeryl jumped into the conversation. "Paul's re-built a stock car with some of his inventions built into it. He needs better data on the durability of some systems along with testing his new suspension system. Using a stock car, he can have a driver put serious miles on it in a short time-frame on a closed course. Based on the test plan we're working out, we should be able to get ten thousand miles on the systems within a couple of months. We need that data to take back to the manufacturers so they can adjust warranties and marketing materials."

"And, the new durable mounting process will be added to the portfolio they can license from," Kelly added, "Along with the suspension system he's developed."

Cynthia looked to be at a loss for words for the first time.

"Jeryl, I had no idea you were so involved or interested."

Jeryl blushed and reached above the table to squeeze my hand. Cynthia's frown returned for a moment. "I got interested because Paul was interested. I want to help him. You may not believe it, but he is going to change the world. I'll be a small part of that."

It was my turn to blush as Cynthia turned her gaze my way.

"What about school, Paul. Or do you think you can change the world without further education? Last summer you mentioned mechanical or electrical engineering, I believe?"

"Both, actually. I'm thinking I'll double major. The math is common between them, and if I plan out my core education requirements properly I'm pretty sure I can complete a double in less than four years. Next year I'll have to be looking and talking to some different universities to see exactly what I would need to do in their programs."

"Where are you thinking of going? I might have some influence if you need assistance." She said it politely, but I sensed the threat hidden within.

"Stanford, MIT, and Georgia Tech are my current short list."

Cynthia nodded. "And what about you, Jeryl?"

"I've really begun enjoying some of the business aspects I've been exposed to by Kelly, Jim, and Paul. I'm thinking about doing a BA in business or accounting."

"And what schools are you thinking about?"

"Well, it depends on where Paul ends up going, but Stanford and Georgia Tech both have great business programs, and if he went to MIT, I'd look at either Harvard or Boston University."

"What do you think of those choices, Janet," she asked her daughter.

"Well, it is a couple of years away, but all of those are fine schools, you have to admit. An education at any of those schools would be worthwhile, don't you think? Harvard might be a stretch for admissions, but I'm pretty sure Jeryl can get into all the others if that's her goal."

"It is. I actually want to take the SAT and ACT early this year to make sure I've got the scores I'll need and help me focus where to improve."

"Those are all expensive schools," Cynthia commented.

"If I can get accepted, I'm sure I can get scholarship money. Jordan's been a great example for me."

I refused to look at her and give things away but smiled to myself.

"It's not always as easy as that."

"Let's not worry about it now. We've got time to sort all that out, grandmother."

"So, Paul, how are building different cars going to change the world?" The condescension was back in her voice, but I chose to ignore it.

"Cars won't, but my current work is a good way to finance some longer-term projects." I went on to describe the coming energy crisis, being careful to extrapolate from currently known facts.

"I can scarcely believe we won't be able to drill for more oil when we needed," Cynthia said dismissively.

"Oh, I'm sure people will, but at what price? The world's appetite for energy doubles every seven years. It takes that long just to get a new oil find into production, if not longer. It's also unlikely that new finds will be conveniently located in the US or even North America. We need alternatives."

"And what makes you think you can find those alternatives?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe I won't. But fear of failure won't stop me from trying. In the meantime, I can make our current resources last longer by increasing the efficiency of our cars and making them safer at the same time. I think that is good work even if my long-term goals become infeasible."

She seemed nonplussed for a moment. "You are a surprising young man, Paul," she finally said. Jeryl squeezed my hand and smiled.

The remainder of our vacation was filled with skiing and fun. With Kelly's cousins around it seemed Jeryl and I never got any real private time, but we still enjoyed being able to spend time together away from work and school. Our families got together for New Year's Eve, which was interesting and awkward when kissing in the New Year occurred. Kelly set the stage by planting a non-platonic kiss on my lips right after Jeryl and I ushered in the New Year. Jordan then decided to try and out-do Kelly, and some sort of competition was underway amongst the women while the mothers and grandmother were upstairs in Jim's cabin leaving us all alone by the outdoor fire place. I was afraid Jeryl was going to explode when Jyl followed Jordan's example, but instead she just motioned to Chelsea, Robyn, and Amber. "You ladies might as well get a little sample," she said, "because he is all mine after you get one kiss each."

Everyone laughed, but they wasted no time switching places on my left side and giving me passionate kisses as Jeryl watched from my right. Once I had kissed each girl, she swung onto my lap and ground her crotch against me while giving me another toe-curling kiss.

A little later, we were snuggled together under a blanket watching the fire when I mentioned I was surprised by her attitude.

"I love you, Paul. I knew that no matter how well they kissed you or you kissed them, you were mine and I was going to end up in your arms, not them. Did I need to be jealous when they're going to be envious of me?"

I laughed and kissed her. "Of course not. I'm just glad that's how you feel, because I love you too. But that doesn't mean I'm going to encourage you to kiss other guys."

"Good, because I don't want to kiss other guys; just you."

We snuggled closer under the blanket and sat in peaceful silence. A little later, I noticed Jeryl was asleep in my arms. I smiled and kissed her head and enjoyed a feeling of peace I had never felt before.

"I quit!" I said as I dropped my notebook on the counter and grabbed a soda from the refrigerator in the break room of the shop.

"What's the matter?" Jeryl asked from the table where she was going over some drawings I had made.

I pointed to the drawing. "Until I can get the car on a track and get some data, I can't tune the dynamic suspension system. I'm tweaking guesses at this point."

Jeryl stood up and gave me a hug. "Then we better get some track time scheduled. I thought you were getting close and talked to Kelly about it last week. Spring break is almost here, and we have track time scheduled in Tennessee. Will six days be enough?"

"Really?"

She kissed me and nodded. "Jim bought a used trailer from a small race team, but we'll need a truck to pull it."

"What do you mean by we? There is no way your folks are letting you come with me over spring break."

Jeryl blushed. "Well..."

I could tell she had something cooking.

"I might have told them I needed to go for work. Your Mom and I will drive your car down. You and Jim will tow the other car once you find a truck. The drivers will meet us there."

"And?" I knew there had to be more.

"And Mom and Dad will be coming down with Jyl. Dad was pretty interested in your car concepts over the holidays and wants to see it run on the track. They may not stay the entire time, but they also won't tell me when they will be there, so I'll have to be good."

I grabbed her and gave her a hug and a kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Holy cow, that's a good time," Jerry Salaway said as my rebuilt Dodge Charger stock car completed another lap.

It was our third day of running at the Bristol International Speedway and the first time I had given the driver the okay to open it all the way up. The first two days had been shorter, slower runs to tune the electronics of the drive-by-wire and dynamic suspension. The best split of the prior two days had been the last run yesterday with a speed of 89 mph. This morning, John the driver had kept speed below 100 for the first three laps. On his fifth, he hit 115. Considering the short track (1/2 mile) and high bank left hand turns, it was pretty impressive.

"Let's see if he can hold it for five," I said as I continued to track his progress from the top of our trailer in the pits. Sixteen point six seconds later, John crossed the starting line again.

A little over a minute later, he completed the five lap sprint and began slowing to pull into the pit. Jerry was shaking his head. "Paul, I did not really appreciate how serious you were about these cars. That is truly impressive."

"Thanks, Mr. Salaway. I appreciate it. Let's go see what John thinks of the handling." We climbed down from the top of the trailer and walked to the pits as my car pulled in. John Evanston, one of the drivers we had hired was climbing out of the car as we walked up.

"Damn, that is a sweet ride after the tuning we did yesterday. I can't believe I was able to handle her in the turns at that speed. Normally Bristol is a slow track."

I smiled. "That's what I like to hear." I hopped into the car and began collecting some data from the bank of LED displays. This car was for research, not show. Instead of the plush interior I had built in the beast, this car was stripped bare except for the racing seat and roll cage. I had sound mounted and insulated the engine, which both drivers had commented on. Bristol was supposed to be a loud track, but they said it was little more than highway level noises, even at speed.

Jerry was acting as the test coordinator this morning after watching Jeryl and I for the past two days. While I collected data to ensure the tuning was correct, he was going over the next test run with John.

"Next up is top comfortable speed for twenty-five miles," I heard him say. "Paul wants you to pull in if you feel any change in the handling or get any warning lights."

John nodded as he took a sip of water. I checked the fuel level with the dip-stick to verify the electronic readings and then motioned him back into the car.

"Everything looks really good after five laps at 115. It's your call if you want to keep that speed or go higher or lower. I just need the data to be as consistent as possible."

"It felt real good. I might back down just a little on the turns, but with its acceleration in the short straights and easy braking into the corners, I think I will probably keep the average close to that."

"Okay, it's your car again," I said.

John got back in and started the car up. Soon he was building up speed before starting his fifty-lap run. Jerry and I headed back to the top of the trailer to watch after I took a little detour over to the fire crew lounging by their truck. Less than twenty minutes later, we were checking data again.

"John, how do you feel about going two-fifty?" I asked as I finished verifying my readings against my expected values.

"Sounds like fun. I wish I could run this car in some real races. I think you've got a winner here, Paul. It handles beautifully and has the right power and breaking profile to eat up small tracks like this."

I grinned. "Well, maybe I'll talk to Chrysler about it. I'd love to get some real endurance data from a whole racing season."

As the next test got underway, Jerry looked at me. "Are you serious about giving this car to Chrysler to race?"

"Giving, no. Selling or partnering with them, sure. I don't think NASCAR would allow it in a race, though. It would not even qualify as superstock given all the changes I've made to it."

"I thought they were concerned about wheelbase and engine ratings. I looked under the hood, and you would be fine there."

I shrugged. "It's possible. Chrysler racing has been going downhill lately, so they might be interested. I'll get this week's data and some lap and distance times and talk to them."

We watched a few more laps in silence. We both wrote down each lap-time on our clipboards as part of the data collection. The splits were staying at or slightly below sixteen and a half seconds.

"So, Paul, Janet and I have had several conversations about you and Jeryl since Christmas. I want you to know that I think you are a fine young man."

"But?"

"No buts. Jeryl is our youngest child and we will always be protective of her. I think you're almost as protective of her, and I appreciate that. I haven't always acknowledged that, and I'm not sure Janet ever will, but I want you to know my thinking on the two of you.

"You're both still young and in high school, and may not last through college, but as long as you two want to be together, you'll have my support. Janet and her mother may argue about matters, but I stand by my belief that you and Jeryl are good for each other and may have a long future together."

"Thank you, sir." I said. "We both know we are too young for life-time commitments right now, but we both believe we will be together for the long haul. Neither of us wants to jeopardize our futures by doing something rash or immature that you or our mothers might take exception to. I won't disappoint you."

"I don't think you will, either."

We watched another couple of laps together.

"Mr. Salaway," I said as John began decelerating after his final lap. "Thanks for coming this week and helping out. It's been nice having you around offering a hand."

He smiled and handed me his data sheet. "It's been my pleasure, Paul. I've always enjoyed racing and not had much chance to watch it with four women in the house, but don't let any of them hear that."

I laughed and we headed down the ladder for the pit.

"Well that is just bollocks!" Jim said into the phone. He was in the office area of the garage, using the phone for a business call. "I've gone over all the documentation and it meets the specs of the rules as they stand."

He paused to listen to the other person. "If you don't want a twenty mile per hour advantage with a car that only needs to pit once in a two-hundred and sixty mile race, you've got stones in your head."

Another pause.

"Yes, it beat the pole position qualifying time by seven miles per hour with a no name driver."

"Yes, it meets every spec they have published."

I watched him listen for a few minutes. He visibly relaxed and then smiled at me. "That's better. We can have the car down to you guys by the first of June and you can run it all summer long. If you want to get it into a real race, we can talk some more, but are not opposed to the idea ... Good. I'll mail the paperwork to you tomorrow ... Thanks."

Jim hung up the phone and then laughed. "Paul, beware the sons of Martha who have no imagination."

"Hey, I resemble one of them, you know."

"You may make the world a better place, but you are never going to be a downtrodden engineer," he replied.

"It's too bad the automakers stopped having factory sponsored race teams. It would be a lot easier having Chrysler put the car on the track."

"Well, if you had started the computer revolution a decade earlier and started building your cars before the oil crisis, you might have had a shot. As it is, if we get a couple of real races on the car this year, and it performs well, you'll get the industry's attention."

"And the oil producers. Three hundred miles on two tanks of gas will change the way races are run, and how consumers think about gas mileage."

"Especially when you'll be running at twice the legal speed limit." A lot of America hated the fifty-five mile per hour speed limit that had been put in place to conserve oil nearly a decade ago.

Jim stood up from my easy chair in the office and stretched. It was a late Saturday morning in early April, and an all-around nice day. Too nice to be sitting in the office, even though I knew he had just come out to have some privacy for the call with the DiGard Motorsports organization in Daytona. One of their drivers, Ricky Rudd, had just placed second on the Bristol racecourse in the Valleydale 500. The winning driver had averaged 89.5 miles per hour over the 500-lap race and the pole position qualifying time had been 112.125 miles per hour. We knew my car could do much better on that track. Jim had finally convinced them of the same thing.

"So, looks like we'll need to rent a truck again to trailer the car down to them, right?"

Jim shook his head. "We'll hire someone to take it down. No sense in us wasting our time. You may need to fly down to arrive with the car and help them get familiar with it, but that should be it."

I sighed in relief. I loved the racing aspect of the car building more than I had imagined possible, but there were a lot of other things I needed to focus on to get some other breakthroughs going. Carbon Fiber and lithium-ion battery technology were next on my list.

"Good. I've got a few new ideas I'd rather be spending my time on now that the test bed car is done."

"Anything you'd like to share?" Jim asked.

"Not yet. Hopefully I'll have something before the end of the school year. How are the wedding plans coming?"

Jim smiled. "Good. We've decided on a simple service in Bloomington with a reception at the country club."

"How about the honeymoon?" I asked. Mom had been trying to worm information on where they were going for the past week.

"I've got that well in hand," Jim said with a smirk. "Kelly will be coming up here to make sure you stay out of trouble. We'll be gone for two weeks."

"Drat," I said with a smile. "Jeryl and I had plans for while you were away."

"Too bad we picked a date when she was going to be visiting her grandmother, then."

I laughed. "But she said she couldn't miss it, and got her folks to agree that I could drive her up afterward. She'll miss the first weekend up there, but not much more."

Jim frowned. "I guess it's a good thing we had this chat then. I'll let Kelly know that she gets to take a little road trip with the two of you."

"Is that really necessary? I drove back down from there by myself last year."

"It's not the drive back I'm worried about. It's the drive up. I trust you, but I've got a feeling her mother will insist on Kelly riding along."

"You're probably right, but I'll ask her anyway."

"So, how is school going?"

"Good. Classes are easy and track is just a lot of hard work. It gives me time to think. By the time I get home in the evenings, I have a pretty good plan of attack for that night's work. On the weekends, I finish things up that I've run out of time on."

"Like what?"

"Well, today I caught up on the research reports about the batteries. I think the lithium-ion combination will work well, but we need to have some better packaging options. Making a big battery with that technology is going to be prone to fires. I think building a pack of smaller batteries that can be isolated and contained will be a better solution."

"Why?"

"I figure the National Transportation Safety Board will want to see them in crash tests before they are approved for road worthiness. We might as well start designing them with that in mind now." Of course, I knew there would be issues with fires on lithium-ion batteries, but Jim didn't know that.

Jim shook his head. "Paul, I'm glad you have a head for this technology and thinking things through. I know successful managers and leaders of industry that don't have as good a grasp on long-term planning as you do."

"Thanks."

"God I love feeling your skin against mine," Jeryl said as we held each other in the back seat of my car. "I've been dreaming about waking up in your arms ever since Christmas."

I stoked my fingers down her spine and cupped her cute derriere. "I like the sound of that."

She snuggled tighter to me and rested a hand on my chest. We laid there for a few minutes letting our breathing return to normal. "You know I love, you, right?" she asked softly.

"Of course I do. I love you too, kitten."

She purred. "I really want to make love with you."

"Do you want the drama from your family that is going to go along with that?" We had had this conversation many times since the beginning of the year and always arrived back at the same decision to hold off a little longer.

"I'm getting to the point I don't care. I want to feel you inside my pussy and I want you to make sweet, passionate love to me. I don't want you to doubt that I am totally yours."

"And I'm yours, Jeryl. I really mean that."

"You're not going to want to play the field when you head off to college?"

"I hope not. I really hope you'll be nearby wherever that might end up being."

She hugged me tighter. "And would you think I'm weird if I wanted you to do it with another girl?"

Alarm bells went off in my head. "What do you mean?"

She was quiet for a moment. "Please don't think I'm some kind of freak, but I've been having some thoughts ever since Jordan made Jyl eat her in your office last summer. I kind of want to know what it feels like to have you inside me and some other girl licking me. I can't imagine that she would not want more than just that, so you'd have to do something with her, too."

"And you would be alright with that?"

She was quiet again. "With the right girl, I could be. It would have to be someone we both trusted and liked. It would have to be someone we both knew was in it for the fun, not trying to steal either of us away. And don't even suggest my sisters. I couldn't even ask them."

"Even in a game of truth or dare?" I kissed the top of her head and hoped she knew I was teasing.

"Not even then. I don't want you to think I don't love you, or that I'm a slut, but I keep having images in my head that really turn me on."

"Honey, so long as we trust each other and make sure we are both comfortable with what we are doing, I'll help you explore pretty much anything you want to with another girl. I don't think I could share you with another guy, though."

"I don't want you to. I love being with you. I just want to experiment a little."

"Do you have someone in mind?"

She shook her head against my chest. "No, not really. There aren't many people I could trust like that. And I don't want to go down that path until you've really made love to me, so don't you go out and start looking for someone, mister."

I laughed and pulled her up for a kiss. "I love you, Jeryl."

"I love you, too."

Between the end of the school year, delivery of a new kind of race car to a racing team, and wedding preparations, the months of May and June seemed to fly by. I finished school and was then on a plane to Daytona to meet with the DiGard folks and explain my car. It was three eighteen-hour days going over the car with mechanics and drivers, but by the time I was ready to fly home, I knew I'd have quite a bit of data before the end of the summer and they were talking about getting the car in some actual races. It was a heady feeling as I flew home.

"Paul, do you have a few minutes?" Uncle Ben asked as he entered the workshop. I had just finished welding some aluminum tubing for a possible battery containment frame.

"Sure, Uncle Ben. What's up?" I pulled the welding mask off my head and wiped away some sweat.

"Well, I know you are in good shape, but I wanted to talk to you about learning to defend yourself."

"Huh?"

"You just finished your sophomore year, and I know you haven't gotten in any trouble or anything, but I believe a man should know how to look after himself and those around him. I boxed in high school and college. I taught the boys how to box after their freshmen year, and thought it was time to teach you as well."

"You boxed? I never knew that." He had not taught me to box in my prior life.

"I was pretty good in college," he said with a shrug. "I still like hitting the heavy bag during the winter to stay in shape. It will be a different kind of workout for you, but I think you'll enjoy it."

"Okay, when do we start?"

"We can start tomorrow morning, right after your run. But Paul," he paused and looked me in the eye. "This is not something to brag about or use to bully people. It's so you know how to protect yourself. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay. End your run up at our place and we'll get started. We'll only practice twice a week, but I'll give you some exercises and we'll rig up a couple of bags for you to practice with on your own."

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

The next morning, I finished my run as the sun was clearing the eastern horizon outside Uncle Ben's. John and Ryan were home from school and there to meet me, along with Uncle Ben.

"Okay, boys, go get warmed up and I'll get some gloves for Paul," Uncle Ben said. John and Ryan nodded and headed out to the barn. Uncle Ben guided me along behind them. "I had the boys move our training gear out of the basement last weekend and clean out the feed room in the barn. We'll use that for the summer."

"It's not big enough for a ring," I said.

"Nope. But it will hold a heavy bag, a speed bag, and a reflex bag just fine. Come on and you'll see."

I stepped into the barn and saw they had three bags hung, one in each corner of the room. John and Ryan had both grabbed jump ropes and begun jumping to warm up. Uncle Ben grabbed some worn gloves and motioned me to hold out my hands. He slipped them on and checked the fit before lacing them up.

"I'll show you how to wrap your hands next time, but since we're just going over the basics today, we'll skip that." He finished tying the gloves and motioned me to raise my hands. For the next thirty minutes or so, he showed me stances and explained why I needed to position my feet and hands as he showed me. I didn't get to throw my first punch until my cousins were warmed and gloved up.

The next hour passed quickly as my cousins took turns showing me techniques on each type of bag and gave me a few minutes' practice. Uncle Ben would then have me repeat their actions and adjust my technique, raising a hand here, or adjusting my stance there. It was educational and exhausting.

"Good job, Paul. Next time, you'll spend more time on the bags," he finally said. "Now you should jog home. If your wrists or hands hurt today or tomorrow, you let me know, okay?"

"Yes sir," I said as I handed him my gloves. "Thanks, Uncle Ben," I said as I headed out the door.

Mom and Jim's wedding rushed up on us and it seemed that everyone was busy the week before the nuptials. I had only a few items to take care of, but Mom had Jim, Kelly, and even Jeryl hopping to make sure everything was covered.

The wedding was being held at Jim's church in Bloomington with the reception at the country club. Originally they had planned on keeping both the ceremony and the reception small, but things seemed to grow each week in the spring as guests were added to the list. Jim had many business contacts that he felt obligated to invite, just as Mom felt about the teachers and staff she worked with. In the end, about a hundred and twenty guests were on the list. I was just glad there was room for me to bring someone special.

I chauffeured Mom down to Bloomington the day before the wedding and carried three suitcases into the suite she had arranged at the Hilton. She and Jim would be staying there after the reception and heading out on the honeymoon the next morning. I spent the rest of the day confirming arrangements for the flower delivery, the caterer, and the photographer. By the time I got back to the farm to take care of the livestock, I was ready for the wedding to be over and get back to work.

I was a little disappointed that Jeryl and I would not have any alone time. Her mother had decided that their family would change their plans so they could attend, so any plans Jeryl and I were thinking of got nixed. Still, I wasn't going to let my disappointment affect Mom and Jim's special day.

I was up early to take care of chores and then get cleaned up and ready to pick up Jeryl. At least she was being allowed to ride down to the wedding with me. I spent extra time washing and waxing the car and making sure everything was spic and span before cleaning up and getting dressed myself.

I pulled into the Salaway's drive about two hours before the wedding. I left my suit coat in the car and walked up to the Salaway's to pick up Jeryl. Jordan opened the door before I could knock.

"Come on in, Paul. Jeryl should be ready."

Jordan was in a nice floral printed summer dress with low heeled sandals. She looked very pretty, as she always did, but could not hold a light to Jeryl as she walked into the kitchen with a smile. She had on a pale green dress with a modest neckline and heels high enough to show off her great legs. She saw my smile and gave a slow turn in her dress.

"Wow," I said as I took in the plunging back that showed off her tan and accented her trim hips and shapely rear end. "You look incredible," I said.

She beamed. "I'm glad you think so. I wanted to look nice for your Mom and Jim." My smile must have dropped a little because she laughed and then came close to give me a quick kiss. "And for you, too, of course."

Before I could respond, Janet came into the room and smiled at me. "Good morning, Paul. Are you all ready for the day?"

"Yes, ma'am. Chores are taken care of and all of my wedding errands finished yesterday. I just need to stand around as set dressing for pictures today, walk her down the aisle, and then dance with Mom and some special ladies at the reception."

Jyl came into the room in a cream blouse and navy skirt. "Oh, who are the special ladies?"

"Well, you might be one of them, if you play your cards right," I said with a grin. Jeryl laughed and picked up her small purse and a light wrap before steering me back toward the door.

"Stop flirting with my sisters and let's get going. I don't want your Mom to blame me if we're late for the pictures."

"Yes, dear," I said as her sisters laughed and told us they would see us at the church. I couldn't help but smile as I held the door for Jeryl to get in the car and was rewarded with a good look at shapely legs encased in white stockings. I also caught a glimpse of a white garter attached to the top of one stocking. She would be lucky to make it to the church intact if she flashed me such a look again.

"I love you," I said as I got in the car and headed for the highway.

"I love you, too. I'm sorry the plans got changed and my family didn't head up to grandmothers yesterday like they originally planned. I dreamed of spending the night with you."

"Oh well," I said. "I still get to spend the day with the most beautiful woman at the wedding."

"And you'll get to spend the whole day thinking about what's under this lovely dress."

"Oh?"

"Yep. Just me, and a little lace, a garter belt and some stockings."

"Really?"

"You saw the back and know I'm not wearing a bra. If you play your cards right, you might get a chance to verify the rest."

"Well, you know I'm an engineer, so you can count on me wanting to verify something that important."

She laughed and squeezed my hand as we turned south on the highway and headed toward the wedding.

Pictures were painless, and the ceremony was blessedly short. Mom looked lovely and basked in Jim's prideful smile. Aunt Carol was Mom's matron of honor. Jim had a college buddy as his best man. I walked Mom down the aisle and then sat in the front with Jeryl, Uncle Ben and Jim and Ryan. John had brought Ann, which was a little surprising. I had not realized they were still seeing each other after they left for college.

The reception at the country club was only a short drive from the church, but Jeryl made sure I had the opportunity to verify her claims on the way over. There was something incredibly erotic about running my hands up her firm thighs and feeling the silk stockings give way to silkier skin. I traced one garter up until encountering some whispery fabric that I assumed were her panties. I only had time for a single, slow stroke along the front of them, but Jeryl seemed to appreciate it.

"You are getting so lucky, this afternoon," She whispered as I helped her out of the car.

We sat with Mom and Jim and Uncle Ben and Aunt Carol along with Jim's best man, Derek Branson, and his wife Elyse. Janet seemed to keep a keen eye on us as we ate and danced, but it could have just been my paranoia. She seemed to relax a bit after a few glasses of champagne and after Jerry took her around the dance floor a few times. That let Jeryl and I relax a bit more as well. Kelly insisted on dancing with me as her new brother and then followed up with dancing with her new cousins as well. It was a fun afternoon.

Before we knew it, the reception was over and it was time to head out. Mom had a little tear in her eye as I gave her a congratulatory hug. I gave Jim one as well and told him to make sure he took good care of her. We then headed outside to throw rice at them as they piled into their limo and headed back to the Hilton.

Jeryl, Kelly, Ryan and I loaded gifts into our cars and headed back to Jim's house to unload them. Once the toting and carrying were done, Kelly asked if we wanted to hang out for a little while before heading up the road.

"And since we were all very well behaved at the reception," she said in a conspiratorial tone, "I think we should open this and toast the newlyweds." She pulled a bottle of champagne out of the refrigerator and we all agreed that a small libation for the newlyweds and their slave labor for the day was warranted.

The champagne was delicious. We all had one glass and then Kelly poured us another and winked at me before asking Ryan about school. Jeryl and I decided to take our glasses out to the back porch and have a little alone time in the afternoon sun. We sat in Jim's gazebo surrounded by blooming roses and cuddled together.

I set my glass on the rail and gently stroked my fingers along Jeryl's arm and neck before moving in to kiss her gently. I breathed in her summer fresh scent and nuzzled her hair at the base of her neck.

"God, Paul, you are driving me nuts."

"No more than you have been doing to me all day. The way you look in that dress is amazing. Knowing what you have under it just gets me even more excited."

"Well, I've got one less thing under it now, than I did on the trip down," she whispered as she pulled my hand to her leg.

I needed no more encouragement. I slowly trailed my fingers higher and was soon rewarded with the moist, soft feel of her bare pussy. I stroked her a few times, and then pulled my fingers up to lick them slowly before returning them to her.

She moaned and then shifted around to pull her dress higher. "Make me cum, please," she whispered. I tried to oblige with slow steady strokes that I knew would get her going. I slipped a finger inside her as my thumb strummed her clit and she arched her back and grabbed my wrist. "Oh, that's it, Paul. Stroke me."

I increased my pace a little until she was flexing her pelvis to meet my hand and make me rub against her harder.

"Ungh!" she grunted and turned her head to bite my shoulder as she began to cum. Spasms pulled at her body and I felt her clamp down on my fingers as she held my wrist steady. The smallest of strokes sent another wave through her. Finally, she relaxed against me. "Thank you, lover," she said with a kiss.

"My pleasure, ma'am."

I slowly stroked her thighs and continued to kiss her.

"I want to take care of you, but not out here," she said after a few minutes.

"Where?"

"Your house, silly. You know your Mom won't be home today."

"Kelly will be there tonight."

"Then we had better get going to make the most of our time," she said.

I couldn't agree more. I quickly stood and pulled her to her feet. I collected our glasses and we headed inside to let Kelly know we were heading out. Kelly and Ryan were still chatting.

Kelly nodded and then smiled. "I'll be up there before eight or so. I need to change and pack a few things. Jeryl, I imagine I'll see you before he takes you home." She gave us both hugs and soon we were on our way.

"Kelly seemed pretty accommodating," I said as we drove.

Jeryl smiled. "She is. She's almost like another sister, don't you think? Funny that I was once jealous of her and she didn't seem to like you. Now, she is helping us have some alone time together after arranging for us to meet up at Christmas."

"I can't help but think that you two planned something together," I said.

Jeryl blushed. "Maybe we did, and maybe we didn't, but you just keep those thoughts to yourself for now and make sure you drive us home quickly, but safely."

We pulled into the farm and I parked my car in the garage. I thought we would be heading straight into the house, but Jeryl made me detour to the office. "I want to do something out here, first," she said as she locked the outside doors and guided me into my favorite overstuffed leather chair. She made me sit and then bent over me to undo my belt and pants and slowly pull me out.

Her touch was soft, but firm and looking at the hint of her bosom down the neck of her dress quickly brought me to attention. She leaned over further and sensually kissed the tip of my cock before running her tongue around and then down the shaft. She then stood and turned around.

"Un-zip me, please."

I did. I was treated to the delightful sight of her tanned, taunt derriere framed by a white garter belt as she slipped the dress off and folded it across the back of my office chair. As she slowly walked back to me, I was mesmerized by the sight of her. Her tight trim body with her sex framed by the white garter belt and stockings was enough to make me ready to cum without another touch.

"You are so beautiful," I said as she positioned herself between my knees and knelt before me.

"So are you," she said before lowering her mouth to me again. She barely hesitated as she engulfed me and pushed her way lower until I felt myself slip into her throat. She bobbed her head up and down while cupping my balls. I was ready to blow in a few seconds, but she squeezed the base of my cock and lifted her mouth from me until my breathing slowed again.

She looked up at me with a smile. "I want you to cum all over me. My face, my boobs, my stomach. I want to feel your love on my skin," she said before dropping her head again. I let my own head roll back and reveled in the sensations of her tongue and mouth and lips and throat. Soon, I felt my orgasm approaching.

"Jeryl..."

She pulled back with suction and began stroking my cock. She pulled off and pointed my dick at her face and chest with one hand as the other stroked me. I looked at the picture of joy on her face, and began cumming ropes of sperm on her cheeks and chest. Shudders wracked me for a few minutes and I found myself gasping for breath.

Jeryl sat serenely on her heels between my knees with copious amount of cum on her face and upper chest. She opened her one eye that was not covered with cum and smiled at me before leaning forward to engulf me in her mouth again. A moment later, she began collecting my cum from her own body with her fingers and licking them clean. It was an incredibly erotic sight.

"That was amazing," we said at the same time. We laughed and I stood to hug her. She pushed me away. "We don't want any cum stained clothes. Let me go finish cleaning up and you get out of the rest of your things."

I watched her saunter out of the office, still wearing her garter belt, stockings, and high heels. By the time she returned, I was naked and she was still stunningly beautiful.

She came back over to the chair and turned in front of me slowly. "See anything you like?"

"Everything," I said as I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap. I kissed her soundly and then began playing with her wet pussy again. I kissed my way down her neck to her breasts and tongued first one nipple, then the other. She made no protest as I stood and carried her to the couch. Soon I was eating her and sending her to another orgasmic high. As her orgasm approached, I slipped a finger into her rear and sent her over the edge.

"Oh, God!" She screamed as I licked her clit and fingered her ass. "Fuck my rear, Paul. Please, before this ends."

I quickly stood with her knees on my shoulders and lined my cock up with her winking anus as I continued to stroke her pussy with my fingers. I pushed in and felt her incredible ass stretch around me. I had noticed during my finger probing that she had already lubricated herself well. I thrust into her fully and she came again and again as she grabbed my neck and pulled me down for a kiss. The kiss seemed to be the final straw for her and sent her over the edge. Her spasms brought me near, but were not enough to make me cum again so soon. I held her as she came down.

Finally, she opened her eyes and kissed me again. "You didn't finish."

I shook my head.

She pushed me away and I slipped from her back passage as she turned on the couch. "I bet you'd like to keep fucking my ass and looking at this white garter belt while you do it," she said with a smile over her shoulder and a wiggle of her rear. I smiled and leaned in as she reached back to grab me and guide me into her once again. Soon, we were fucking in a slow steady rhythm with me stroking her ass as she reached beneath herself and fingered her pussy. Her next orgasm pushed me over the edge and I felt myself release into her bowels.

We collapsed together on the couch and slowly regained our breath as my softening prick slipped from her tight ass.

"I can never get over how good that feels," she murmured. "I love you, Paul."

"I love you too, kitten."

We lay together for a few more minutes before she shooed me off to the bathroom to get cleaned up. A few minutes later, I padded back into the office. Jeryl tossed me a pair of coveralls and told me to take our stuff into the house while she cleaned up. I didn't ask any questions, but made sure I was at the back door as she came strolling across the yard in her beautiful, naked glory.

"You are so incredibly sexy," I said as I greeted her at the door.

She gave me a full body kiss and then asked if I needed to do chores this evening.

"Nope, I fed them extra this morning in case we were late getting home."

"Oh, goody. That means it's my turn again."

She guided me to my bedroom and pulled me out of my coveralls. Without waiting to get on the bed, she dropped to her knees and began licking my balls and prick until I was hard again. With all the activity of the past hour, I knew she was not going to make me pop quickly. She bobbed her head down a couple of times and held me deep in her throat before pulling off and standing. She took my face in her hands and kissed me gently.

"Paul, I want you to make love to me."

I was surprised. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I am yours for a long as you'll have me. I want to know that you've had everything I have to give you. I love you with all my heart and I want to love you with all my body."

"I love you too, Jeryl."

I lifted her in my arms and turned to lay her gently on my bed. I leaned down and kissed her.

"What about birth control?"

"I'm on the pill."

"How?" I knew her mother would not have arranged that.

"Kelly. Now kiss me and make love to me."

I kissed her and then slowly kissed my way down her body, lavishing love on her breasts and nipples, and then licking her pussy again to make sure she was ready. She growled at me and pulled on my shoulders.

"Get up here and make me your woman, Paul."

I slid back up her body and lay down alongside her. I held her in my arms and rolled over, pulling her with me until she was lying atop me. She understood my intent and slowly inched her body down until my stiff prick was pushing against her pussy lips. She kissed me and then pushed up against my chest to raise herself. She reached between us and scooted back as she guided me into her. The feel of her hand on my shaft as she slowly lowered herself around me was indescribable. She paused when I was a few inches in and kissed me again.

"I love you so much," she whispered. Before I could respond, she lifted herself and then sat on me fully. I saw a little grimace on her face as she adjusted to the feeling and held herself still.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded and leaned forward to kiss me again. "Let me get used to the feeling for a minute or two."

"You feel incredible. You can take as long as you need to get used to it."

She smiled and kissed me again. Soon, she began moving slowly up and down and the smooth velvety feeling of her pussy on my cock got us both going. She rotated her hips to push her clit against my pubic bone and finally found a very comfortable spot. Slowly she rolled her hips forward and back, milking my cock.

"Oh shit," She said in surprise as an orgasm raced through her. I felt the shuddering ripple along the sheath of her pussy and fought my own urge to cum. She continued to rock and slowly raise and lower herself as another mini-orgasm washed over her.

She kissed me deeply after that and began thrusting up and down in earnest. "You're not coming out of there until you've cum in me, lover." She said.

I moved my hands from her sides to her ass and pulled her down onto me and I thrust up. She leaned forward and bit my shoulder as a full orgasm hit her. I continued to thrust and pull her onto me and then felt her clamp around me. It was enough.

"I love you, Jeryl," I moaned as I finally came for the third time in less than two hours.