Chapter 6

John hadn't come home all night and pretty Marilee Owens had never known such misery as she was going through now ... and not only that, she didn't even know where her husband was! Out of desperation, she had even run down to the drugstore and bought a copy of The Total Woman-a book that she had heard discussed on Phil Donahue. It supposedly is supposed to tell a wife how to make her husband happy. Well, it was worth a try! She had even stayed up all night reading it while she was waiting for him.

"John ... it's ... Marilee," she almost whispered into the phone, feeling her heart pounding in something close to fear. "Will you come back? I need to talk to you ... please?" It had taken all her courage to phone the paper.

The sad blonde heard his deep sigh of exasperation and then he answered, almost sharply, "Why should I bother coming home? We've tried and it's no good. It's just too hard on both of us." He sighed again and after a moment continued, "I do love you, but I'm a man and I need a responsive woman!"

Marilee was fighting tears and, throwing her pride away, with a small voice, she pleaded, "I've ... I've changed ... I love you! Please ... come back!"

"What makes you think you've changed?"

"I know I have!"

Again that sigh, but this time it sounded more weary than impatient. "Okay, Marilee! I'll see you as soon as I get this story to Ellsworth!"

Marilee was thrilled. Oh, God, she had to make it this time or nothing mattered anymore. If she couldn't respond to John's fucking then surely she couldn't respond to any other man, and she certainly didn't want to be frigid, or worse-a queer! Her entire young body shuddered in revulsion from the top of her head to her toes. There was no future in sitting her thinking dire thoughts like that, she decided abruptly, and forced herself to think of other things, happy things, like her John coming back to her!

A moment later, with the force of sheer will power alone, she was making plans. She would go to the supermarket and fix him a gourmet meal! And the most expensive bottle of wine in the liquor store ... there would be candlelight and music, and she would wear the sexiest outfit she had.

The young blonde bride was fairly beaming with a new aura of happiness as she ran into the kitchen and began going through a gourmet cookbook-one of her wedding gifts. She had always heard that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach, but now she knew better. At least, though, it would set the stage for the important part ... the fucking!

Marilee had just decided to make canard a Vorange when the doorbell rang. Without thinking, she answered it and then felt like slamming it in the smiling Lisa Marks' face! But she couldn't; she would just have to face her! Knowing that her face was scarlet, she kept her eyes averted from the redhead's face, looking at the floor. Oh, God, what can I say? How can I act as though she hadn't licked my naked pussy?

"Hello, Marilee honey. How are you today?" Lisa said casually, wanting the embarrassed young bride to feel at ease.

"Hello ... hello, Lisa," Marilee was dumbfounded. God, the woman was acting just like they were old friends, as if they had never been intimate with each other.

Finally, she was forced to look directly into Lisa Marks' eyes, and all she saw was fond ness and reassurance. Suddenly, some of her embarrassment evaporated, and she smiled timidly. The two women chatted for a few moments, then Lisa said, "I just wanted to see how you were, dear, and to remind you of the party we're giving Dave Buchanan. He's a fine reporter, might even win the Nobel Prize in journalism after that story. It's tomorrow night, and it'll only be a small affair, about ten people. He's a charming man, and Perry Ellsworth will be pleased as punch to see you."

"I'll have to check with John; we may not be able to make it!" Marilee said a little sadly. She was thinking more of her relationship with John than she was of what Lisa was saying.

"I saw John at the Globe and he says it's all right with him if you want to." Lisa's eyes had lost a bit of their friendliness. "You mustn't let your new husband down ... or me, either. I do need help with the party."

Suddenly, Marilee was struck by the obvious sincerity of the beautiful redhead. She smiled and nodded her head. "I'm sure we'll be there, but can I call tomorrow morning?" She didn't add that unless things went well tonight, she might not have a husband tomorrow.

As Lisa Marks said goodbye, the young blonde began thinking about their conversation. Yes, she would go to the party and do all she could to help Lisa. That would be returning the favor. Also, from now on she would go out of her way to help John's career in journalism ... that in turn would help patch up their marriage. As to meeting Tessa Hayward and that Rory Selwyn again, well, she'd see that nothing like that occurred again. This time she would stick by John all night, no matter what he did. She would be a good wife from now on.

The young bride spent a busy day shopping and nothing but happy, constructive thoughts in her head. She fairly danced as she put the groceries away and prepared the meal. Then, feeling an almost giddy anticipation, readied herself for John's arrival. She took a long relaxing bubble-bath, letting the spray of the water caress her sensuously tingling body. She felt more alive than she had ever felt since Lisa had licked her pussy. Marilee started thinking about that day again, and felt a ripple of rapidly suppressed excitement in her cunt. Dressed only in her laciest white bra and matching panties, she stood in front of the full-length mirror and assessed her perfectly proportioned figure. I do have a nice ass and such big titties, and I'm pretty too ... a real woman whose pussy can respond to a man's cock!

Marilee took a long red hostess gown from the closet and held it in front of her. That's it, I'll wear this! It had been hanging there since they had been married, and she had never worn it. He had bought it for her to wear, but she had adamantly refused because it was too revealing. It was form fitting and the fabric clung to her like a second skin. The plunging neckline, front and back, was cut so low that it was impossible to wear a bra. Marilee was far too self-conscious ever to let her huge sensuous tits hang free, thus showing her firm little nipples through the cloth.

Removing her lace-covered bra, she slipped on the gown.

"Oh! Ooooohhhh!" she gasped to herself. "I can't wear this. John can see half my titties, and the back is open all the way down to my ass!" For a long time the beautiful young bride surveyed herself in the mirror, then grim-lipped and determined, she decided to ignore her puritan attitude and wear it anyway. After all, no one but her husband would see her tonight.

Marilee had just brushed her hair into place when she heard John's key in the front door. Casting one last look in the mirror, she ran into the living room and threw herself into his arms.

The young reporter's surprised expression made Marilee burst into laughter, and his first words only added to her amusement as she pulled back away from and turned around so he could inspect her dress.

"Wow! Am I in the wrong house?" He stared in disbelief at the almost miraculous change that had been wrought in his demure little bride. "Woweeee ... baby, you turn me on just looking at you. Come here and let me hold you for a minute ... wowwwwww!"

With a quick step forward, he grabbed her lush young body in his arms and swung her around as he kissed her hungrily ... passionately.

Marilee felt such a need for her husband, that she let herself go for the first time ever, and as a result the kiss jolted throughout her sensually awakened cunt like a bolt of electricity. She had always responded, a little to John's passionate kisses even before they were married, but never anything like this breathtaking thrill that rippled downward from her wetly parted lips to ignite fires in her ripe young titties and pussy! But reluctantly she pulled her mouth away from his, feeling the blood boiling in her veins and her lips tingling from the intensity of his kiss.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...." Marilee said nervously. "At this rate we'll spoil our dinner. I want it to be perfect for you." She put her head against his chest and gently pushed him away. "I have all the things that you like. You fix a Manhattan and I'll see about dinner ... we're having canard a la' orange!"

"Mmmmmmmmm ... sounds good!" The young husband went to the bar and mixed the Manhattans as he watched her seductively swaying asscheeks disappear into the kitchen. He couldn't believe the change in his prudish bride. She actually was acting like she was really hot-to-fuck. And that goddamned dress! Tits about to fall out of it, her pussy sticking out in front as though it had been sculpted. He was dying to fuck her right now, but knew he had to play it Marilee's way for a change, if only to see if it made any difference in her reactions. I'll let her set the pace this time, but if she louses me up again....

John lounged against the dining room wall sipping his second drink as Marilee put the last dish on the table. She was vibrant, happy with her accomplishments. The candlelight glowed on her beautiful face, her sparkling blue eyes alight with something he had never seen before. He still couldn't believe the sudden change that had come over her, but he wasn't about to argue the reasons. It was good, whatever it was ... maybe, it was the miracle he had been praying for. ' With dinner behind them, they sat sipping coffe and Cointreau, not speaking, just quietly absorbing the happiness that surrounded them. John's arm encircled his lovely young bride's shoulders and pulled her tightly to him. After several minutes he whispered to her, "Darling, I'm glad I married you ... and I love you so...."

Marilee was so touched to hear these few words that she snuggled even closer, feeling secure for the first time since John came home. She never wanted this feeling to change and she knew instinctively that it was up to her to preserve it and make it grow.

"I'm so happy tonight, darling ... and I want you to know that I'll do anything to keep it this way," she said with a catch in her throat, and then artfully changed the subject.

"Lisa Marks stopped by today and she reminded me of the party for that Buchanan guy. Shall we go? I told her I'd help...."

"Fuck the party, let's you and I have a party right now." John growled playfully as he stood and pulled her to her feet. "How 'bout taking the brandy to the bedroom and finish drinking it in the sack."

Marilee felt a moment's panic, but was determined to go through with her plans, she must, or all was lost ... she would be the loser, forever!

"Oh, honey," she said quietly, and, without hesitation, walked toward the bedroom. John, picking up the liquor bottle and glasses, followed Marilee. He filled his glass but she took hers as it was and drank the last sip, nearly choking with nervousness.

Her back to her husband, the young bride started to nervously undress. Slipping her gown down over her hips, she began to blush as her huge young tits sprang to a full quivering freedom.

Oh God! I just can't get naked in front of him like this! Maybe if I kept my panties on ... and took them off under the sheet ... where he can't see my pussy. And then she sternly scolded herself, Now Marilee Owens, you stop being so shy ... other women undress in front of their husbands, and you will too! Just get used to it! But she had a fleeting impulse to run into the other bedroom and lock the door, but at the same time she felt the beginnings of a strange tingling excitement as she remembered the ecstasy of her one and only cum. John could bring her to that peak, too. She knew she was feeling the effects of a definite sexual arousal as she sensed John's eyes staring at her nakedly straining titties. Taking a deep breath, she reached down and slowly pulled the white lace panties down over her firmly curved asscheeks, down her curving thighs, and then she blushingly stepped out of them to stand completely naked and blushing.

Marilee felt a wild excitement building in her heatedly throbbing pussy as she turned toward her husband. He stook naked on the other side of the bed, tall and muscular, his dark hair slightly mussed, staring at her with a look of passionate hunger as his eyes swept over the soft perfection of her trembling young body. His long thick cock was beginning to throb into a hard-on, lifting like an artillery gun from the tufted black hair of his loins. She tried to ignore it. Oh God! It was so large, so thick ... such a heavy, awesome sight!

Suddenly, she felt faint and, without thinking, reached for the brandy glass and lifted it quickly to her lips, only then remembering that it was empty.

"Have some madeira, my dear," John quickly moved toward her with the bottle in his hand with a sensuous smile on his full lips.

"Ooooooohhhhh ... I just forgot I had drunk it," Marilee stammered. Oh No! She mustn't let him know how nervous she was. That was almost a fatal mistake, and she'd have to control her emotions from now on, or she would lose him for good.

Then, with tender determination, John reached for Marilee's nakedly ripe body and pulled her down on the bed, silencing further talk as his warm wet mouth welded tightly to hers in a passionate kiss. His tongue flicked out to probe into the soft warmth of her mouth and teased against her tongue with demanding fervor. And, at the same time, his hands were busily caressing the smooth flesh of her back to the round fullness of her buttocks, where his strong fingers kneaded and smoothed the firmly ripened mounds. He pulled her lush young body in tightly to him, against his hotly pulsing cock where it stood out between them, pressing like a crow bar into the softness of her quivering belly.

Slowly and gently, he caressed her back, trying to calm her trembling and give her courage. He whispered in her ear, "Relax, honey. I love you. Relax ... relax. I'm going to be gentle." He felt her shudder and, for a moment, thought it was because of revulsion. Not again, he thought disgustedly; he couldn't face fucking her again when she didn't respond to him, where she tried to fight him, and then just lay there cold and unmoving. But then as her tongue darted timidly into his mouth, he realized that tonight really was going to be different.

Marilee lay quietly returning the ardent kissing that her husband was raining on her mouth. She could feel his big gentle hands caressing her, and each time he reached the nakedly sensitive flesh of her ass, she felt little darts of sensual excitement flash though her nerve endings. With a sudden jolt of hope, she knew her body was gradually becoming more and more aroused.

The young reporter was encouraged as his mouth left hers, and he moved down to kiss and fondle his young wife's huge tits, reveling in the warm sweetness of her naked flesh. His hand cupped and held the full firm mound while his mouth engulfed a little pink nipple and began to suck voraciously.

Marilee, feeling the exquisite sensation rippling through her from his wet mouth against her naked titties, moaned softly, "Oh, John ... suck my tittie ... ohhhhhhhhh!"

The gasping moan inspired him to go even further and cautiously he trailed his hand down the flat plane of her belly to the sparsely curling blonde pussyhairs up between her thighs. Slowly now, not wanting to frighten her, he used his outstretched middle finger to part her wetly throbbing cunt. It was only when he felt the warm outpouring of her hot cunt juice that he realized just how aroused Marilee really was! God ... she was wet enough to fuck right now! He'd never felt her this way before!

With more courage, John began a warm gentle stroking up and down the entire hotly quivering pussy slit.

"Ooooohhhhhhhh ... oooooohhh...." Marilee drew in her breath as she felt his lewdly caressing fingertips working their tingling way into her wetly aroused cunt. She thought for a moment that she shouldn't be so willing to let him continue, but the unexpected pleasure far outweighed the proper modest attitude she had normally experienced. It was so exciting when John was considerate and understanding like he was being ... and her pussy was all hot and slicky ... just as it had been when Lisa had licked it!

"Aaaaaaiiiiiiiiii! Aaaiiiiiiiii!" she wailed, out of control as his finger suddenly began a gentle massage of the hardened little bud of her clit. The erotic thrill surging through her quivering young cunt was absolutely fantastic, as though amplified a hundred times, a thousand times!

John slowly wormed his outstretched finger between her wetly clasping pussylips, and began a gentle fucking in and out of her heated pinkness while his thumb and forefinger teased her firmly erect clit. The resulting sensations completely overpowered her bride-like shyness, and, before she realized what she was doing, the hopelessly aroused young blonde was thrusting her naked cunt up against his cunt-exciting finger.

Oh God, she's excited, John's mind raced hotly and he could hardly keep his body in control. Christ! She had never acted this way before. Her pussy was so hot that she was almost begging him to fuck her! That knowledge was a goad to him, and he knew that he would soon be lost in his own passion. His hugely pulsating cock stood out straight from his loins, the lust-swollen tip only inches away from her nakedly spread cunthole.

"Oooooohhhhhh!" Marilee started to moan, a low continuous sound of wanton hunger that excited the young husband beyond belief. It was all he could do to keep from thrusting forward and fucking his long thick hardness into the tender pink cunt. But he retained control of himself, knowing that such a move would probably destroy the enthusiastic response she was showing.

Suddenly, his outstretched middle finger fucked harder and faster into the tiny hole of her wetly clasping cunt, while his thumb and forefinger continued to roll the erect little clitty between them like someone playing with a cigarette filter tip.

"Ooooohhhhh! Oh, Johnny!" Marilee moaned wantonly. Her aroused pussy felt as if it was on fire, and with a thrill she realized that this time she really wanted her husband to put his cock inside her pussy and fuck it! And suddenly it was more than just a want ... it had become a wantonly raving desire!

"Uuuuooooohhhhhhhh ... I want ... darling ... I want you to fuck my cunt," she said timidly, undulating her naked pussy up and down, "Ooooohhhhhhhh! Hurry!"

Oh, my God! Marilee was actually begging him to fuck her!

John simply couldn't believe it! This eagerly squirming blonde couldn't be the same frigid woman who had manufactured headaches, pains, fatigue and other imaginary ills as an excuse to avoid being fucked. He couldn't believe it, but he wasn't going to question the change in her. I'm going to stick my cock in that hot little pussy before she changes her mind. Oh, God, am I ever!

Quickly, John used his knees to lever her trembling thighs wide apart, then slowly and ever so gently he guided the lust-swollen head of his cock toward her nakedly spread cunt. Her expectantly quivering body jerked as his heated cock-head touched the sensitive lips of her curl-rimmed young pussy. Just the feel of her warm sticky cunt-juices down there almost triggered his cum; he was too excited, would have to calm down, or he would cum before he ever got inside her.

Slowly, John pressed his massively swollen cock against her hotly writhing cuntlips, and suddenly, Marilee's whole body went into contortions when she felt the first twinge of pain as the huge blunt prick forced her now moistly flowing outer pussylips all the way open! Shuddering, she sank away as the tip of his prick slid hotly through, stretching the small entrance until her legs were forced wide-open from the sheer outward pressure, and her cuntwalls felt stretched to the bursting.

"Oh, John! Oh, God ... your prick is going to hurt my pussy ... it's so huge!"

"Take it easy, honey ... just relax and it'll be all right ... I won't hurt you ... trust me, baby, please," John crooned to her quietly, like a person trying to soothe a frightened child.

"Ugh ... ughhhhhhhhh!" Marilee moaned up into his face, and slowly the pained expression passed from her lovely features. As she relaxed, the pain gradually receded to be replaced with a pleasurable tingling sensation that rippled outward from her cock-stuffed cunt to shoot up her spine and cascade out to the throbbing tips of her huge naked tits. Then, as John slowly fucked his hotly throbbing prick in and out of her wide-split pussylips, she began a slow rocking movement up and down, eagerly slapping against his thickly throbbing prick.

"Oooooohhhh ... mmmmpppphhhhhhhhhh!" she squealed.

The young reporter couldn't believe it! Marilee was actually fucking him back, and her tight little pussy was the most exquisite thing he had ever felt in his life!

Something obviously had happened to her that he couldn't understand, but he wasn't going to refuse a gift like this. He eased his hips forward, not wanting to hurt her, but the wetly nibbling mouth of her cunt seemed to clasp and suck at his prick as if to gobble it into her. "Oooohhhhh ... uuuggghhhhh ... honey, suck my prick like that with your wet pussy ... oooohhhhh!"

John's prick drove up her, tightly at first, then her inner cunt walls seemed to slowly expand to accommodate his hugeness for the first time since they had been married. He fucked into the velvety softness up between her wide-opened cunt as their pelvic bones and flesh slapped resoundingly together, and Marilee was straining back under him, arching her naked pussy up to meet his cock, his cum-bloated balls whacking into the split crevice of her asscheeks and taunting her tiny puckered asshole with every lewd wet thrust.

"Ooooohhhh ... aaaiiiiiiiiiii!" she moaned incessantly, and, as her passion mounted, her long fingernails began feverishly raking the flesh of his nakedly perspiring back and asscheeks. "Aaaahhhh ... uhhhhh ... so beautiful ... your dick is so nice ... fucking up my cunny ... aiiiiii ... oooohhhhhhhhhh ... oooohhh!"

Marilee clung tightly to her young husband and then, if that were not enough, wrapped her long legs up around him, her thighs squeezing his ass, slackening and clamping, while her hungrily pumping pussy slid up and down on his cunt-splitting cock like a wild-woman.

Wild spasms and waves of pure passion rippled through her nakedly jerking body, fusing with his own lust-maddened craving, urging him onward to an even faster rhythm. Marilee was now so heatedly aroused that her naked, sweating asscheeks were lifting high off the bed to meet each inward fuck he made deep into her steaming little pussy.

"Oooooohhhhh ... ahhhhh...." she chanted through wide-open mouth and lust-flared nostrils. "John ... so good ... aaahhhh...." her eyes widened and she began wantonly writhing her hips, seeking to have his cock scrape every nerve ending inside her quivering blonde cunt. "Aaaaaaaggghhhhhhhh ... oohhhhhh...." she squealed mindlessly, her long blonde hair flailing from side to side. Aaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...!"

Her young husband had been about to go out of his mind for the last couple of minutes. He had to cum or his goddamned balls would burst with the power of his boiling cum! Thinking Marilee was on the verge of cumming too, he blurted out, "I'm cumming ... Marilee! Aaaaaiiiiii! Now ... nowwww ... I'm ccccuuummminnnnnggggg!" He fucked forward, even deeper than before, and stiffened, his huge thick cock lurched once, and then it was wildly jerking as the impatient white hot jism burst from the tip of his prick.

Marilee felt his heatedly spewing cum beginning to spurt and full her entire cunt and he continued to pulsate inside her as his wetly flowing cock-juices ran down her frantically trembling legs.

"Aaaaaiiiiiii! Ooooohhhh!" She was so hot she was about to die, she wanted to scream, to kick her husband! She wanted more, she wasn't ready for him to cum! Not yet! Didn't he know that she hadn't cum? Oh God! Couldn't he have waited just a few minutes more?

Marilee was almost in tears when John grunted, "Oh, sweetheart, that was so good, wasn't it?" Then folding her sweat streaked body gently to his chest he said sleepily, "You tired?" And then, a moment later, started snoring loudly.

Knowing it was completely hopeless to want him to satisfy her still hot pussy, she quietly watched the sleeping face of her handsome young husband. It was only then that she permitted the tears to flow. Now she knew the truth. It was her. The worst fears in her mind had been confirmed. It was her! John thinks he can satisfy me ... thinks that I came, but all he did was get my pussy so hot I can hardly stand it! How could he do this to me, his own wife? My cunt is so hot I want to scream ...!

NASSAU

Another attack by a great white shark has been reported, for the second time this month, off the coast of Rose Island, on Black Palm Beach, some thirty miles south of Nassau.

The victim, a twenty-three year old male, Daniel B. Scott, of May Bay Florida, has been reported in fair condition at St. Marks Hospital in Nassau. The waters of the Bahamas offer much to attract skin-divers, spear fishermen, underwater photographers, and diving clubs. Early this morning, the Posidens, a diving class of about fifteen people, had been working for their advance certificates off a chartered boat anchored over a coral reef approximately 2 1/4 miles farther out to sea on the east.

According to one witness, Scott dove down into the clear blue depths beyond in a full black wetsuit, flippers, and carried yellow scuba tanks. Only his hands and face were exposed. He was down for approximately ten minutes, and upon returning to the surface, he removed his mouthpiece and raised his mask to his forehead.

"He was only about twenty-five yards from the Lady Fuch," a diving companion recounted to N.Y.G. reporter, John Owens. "And then ... then he just disappeared! It was just awful!"

Scott recounts from his bed at St. Marks: "I felt a weird yank on my foot, you know? I thought it was my diving buddy telling me he was there ... and then, God, I noticed a whole lot of blood in the water and ... I'll never forget it ... I swear as long as I live ... there was this huge grey-black split-tail spinning in the water with me ... blood everywhere, and that was the moment I knew it was a shark.

"I felt it let go of my ribs, and I felt it grab onto my foot. By that time I was gasping for air. Then the thing pulled me under, but not before I managed to cry out for help. I started stabbing the thing in the nose, the body, anyplace I could, like by that point, I knew it was either him or me. And I could feel it thrashing and biting all the way down my ankle as I started stabbing it with my spear gun. If I hadn't had that, I'd be a piece of fish bait," Scott concluded.

According to witnesses, Scott inflated his life vest, although he doesn't remember doing so. Apparently this, coupled with the effects of being stabbed by a spear-gun and the movements made by the approach of another diver, Joe Cantwell, caused the great white to release his deadly grip and depart. Witnesses onboard the Lady Fuch estimate the shark to have been between 13-16 feet in length. Scott's diving partner grabbed the victim's tank and pulled him back to the boat, where first aid was given. Shortly afterwards, Scott was picked up by a Coast Guard Helicopter and taken to hospital.

John Owens sighed, and wiped his forehead. What a way to go. The kid was lucky he didn't get his arm ... or leg ... or goddamned balls bitten off! According to the hospital, he was going to have a few scars, but at least the guy was in a whole piece.

The young reporter lit a cigarette and put the paper back in the typewriter, but his heart wasn't really into working. He was thinking about Marilee. He just couldn't understand his lovely young bride. Here he had been, just about to give up on her, and then what happens, she gets hot-cunted! It could be him though. Maybe because he had such good sex with Lisa Marks and Tessa Hayward, that it's easier for me to get her pussy all hot! Might need gentleness instead of the old style that a lot of women get into. But what the hell does she expect when he hadn't fucked a real woman ever since they had been married!

Johns thoughts were interrupted by Ellsworth walking in.

"Busy, Owens?' the editor of the paper sighed as he slouched down into a chair. "It's been one goddamned day."

"Sure has," the young reporter replied.

The older man leaned forward, a friendly smile on his face. "Say, Owens, I just spoke with my gal on the phone and she says you're coming to the party tonight for Dave Buchanan. I've known Buchanan for a long time and he's a good journalist. He's going to win the Pulitzer, you can bet your ass. Glad you decided to come."

"Marilee and I decided last night we'd like to come tonight," John countered, not knowing what his editor was leading up to.

"Yes! I think it's a good decision. It never hurts a man when his wife gets involved with his career. Sometimes it even helps him." Ellsworth said subtly.

"I know. It's just that ... well ... Marilee's a loner. She's shy and timid, doesn't mix easily with other people," John said defensively, abruptly knowing now what Ellsworth was leading up to. Crap, he thinks Marilee fucks around like Tessa and Lisa! Suddenly the earlier enthusiasm drained out of him. It could be a bad scene tonight. Marilee had left the last one after only an hour, hard to tell what she would do this time.

"Well, your new wife has been a little unfriendly, but if all goes well tonight, I think we can forgive her. After all, she's young. If she's friendly with Buchanan, we should have no problems putting you onto some real hot stories. You're a good man and it'd be a shame to see you doing second hand crap like this all the time," Ellsworth waved his hand in the direction of the typewriter and a certain change of expression on his rough features made the statement almost a warning.

"It'd be a good idea if she's especially nice to my buddy ... if you know what I mean," Perry Ellsworth said as he quickly lifted himself from the chair and walked away.

John's eyebrows were screwed up in worry and perplexed thought as his eyes followed the older man. Well, there goes my career. I know Marilee and she won't be nice to anyone just for my career. Sometimes I think she wants me to fail in journalism completely. I wish I didn't have to tell Marilee to be nice to anyone, but she's the only one who can give me the help I need. Besides, the old bastard might as well have come right out and said that if we don't show up, he'll have me bounced off the paper; but if I show up and be a good boy while some asshole is fucking Marilee, then my career is a sure thing.