The Day of the Gecko (4 page)

‘I see you managed to make yourself a cup of coffee. I hope you made one for me?'

Les smiled over to her. ‘Susie, I knew you'd come out of that shower all freshened up and looking for either a stink or an argument. So I did. There's a cup ready to go near the kettle.'

‘Oh! You're . . .'

‘But don't move. I'll get it. Two sugars?'

‘One.'

Les poured Susie a cup of coffee, handed it to her in the lounge room and had another look around.

‘Yep. This isn't a bad set-up you've got here, Susie. I like the photo of Little Richard.'

‘Yeah, it's coming together slowly but surely. It's just the bloody payments.' Susie put her coffee down on one of the small tables. ‘Before I forget, I'd better show you how everything works.'

Susie showed Les how to work the stereo, the TV, the video and the intercom. She gave him the buzzer for the garage and a set of keys, also mentioning he may as well eat whatever was in the fridge as it would only spoil while she was away. She then led him over to the door.

‘Now, Les, this is the security system.' Next to the door was a plastic box of small square buttons
numbered one to ten with three tiny lights: red, amber and green. The amber one was on. ‘Now the security number for the alarm is 1002. But so you don't get confused, you think of the movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
. Reverse it, which is 1002, and press it and that's it.'

Les looked at the box of numbers then looked at Susie. ‘Let me get this straight. When I come in, I think of
2001: A Space Odyssey
. The movie?'

‘That's right.'

‘And I press 2001.'

‘No. You press 1002.'

‘But the movie's 2001.'

‘Yeah. That's the movie.
Space Odyssey
.'

‘2001.'

‘That's right, Les.'

‘So the security number's 2001.'

‘No, Les. 1002. You reverse it.'

‘Reverse the movie?'

‘No! Not the fuckin' movie, Les. The number. 2001 is 1002. You reverse it.'

‘Reverse it?'

‘Yes, Les! You bloody reverse it!'

Norton looked at Susie, looked at the box of numbers, then looked at Susie again. ‘But why?'

‘So you don't get fuckin' confused, you moron.'

Norton shook his head. ‘You've got me confused, Susie. And I've seen
2001: A Space Odyssey
about four times.'

‘Oh, for Christ's bloody sake!'

‘Susie. Just one more time and slowly. What's the number?'

Susie's eyes narrowed. ‘Two thousand and fucking one is the movie.
Space Odyssey
. 1002 is the fucking security number.'

‘The security number is 1002? Forget the movie.'

‘That's right, Les,' breathed Susie. ‘1002.'

Les looked at Susie, completely devoid of expression. ‘Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?'

Susie seemed to go a little funny. ‘Les,' she said slowly, ‘why don't we finish our coffee on the lounge. I think I've shown you all I can for now.'

‘Okay.'

They put their coffees back down on one of the tables and sat on the lounge with Susie on Norton's left. She was shaking her head slowly and seemed to be staring at the floor as if she was trying to avoid eye contact with Les.

‘You know what your trouble is, Susie?' said Les quietly.

‘What!'

‘Tension and stress. You're that uptight, Susie, it'd take a tractor to pull a thermometer out of your blurter.'

‘You'd make . . .'

‘It's all this work you're doing,' cut in Les. ‘Hairdressing, waitressing, rorting CDs. The bank manager pounding on your door. You don't know where your boarder is. The break-in. Plus a death in the family. It all catches up, you know.'

Susie gave a little sigh. ‘Yeah, you could be right, Les. I have had a lot on my mind.' She moved up the lounge a little closer to Les. ‘It's not all peaches and cream for a single girl trying to survive in the city.'

‘And Uncle Les understands.' He put his arm around
Susie's shoulder and she rested her head on his. ‘You know what you need?'

‘No, Les. What do I need?'

‘A nice rub. Just round your neck and shoulders. Get rid of all that stress and tension. Before the rivets in your boiler pop.'

‘You think so, Les?'

‘I know so. I can see so.'

Susie let out a little breath. ‘Yes, you could be right.'

‘Well, why don't you sit down on the floor in front of me and I'll give your neck a rub.' Susie looked at Les. ‘Take five minutes. Then I'll give you a lift out to the airport later. Save you catching a cab.'

‘Would you?'

Les nodded.

‘Oh, that'd be great.'

‘Now, do you want a rub?'

‘Okay. Why not?'

Susie took a cushion from the lounge and sat on the floor with her back and shoulders between Norton's knees. Les rubbed his hands together for a moment, then got gently to work.

Susie did have a few tiny knots in the nape of her neck and her shoulders were a bit tender, but her skin was smooth and lightly tanned with just enough muscle tone to make Norton's job interesting. He worked his fingers in softly but with just enough pressure to break up any little lumps and bumps that might have been troubling her. Before long, Susie was crooning and sighing and moving her head in tune with Norton's gently probing fingers. He held her head with his left hand and did the right side of her neck and held her
head with his right hand and did the left side of her neck, at the same time managing to massage her scalp and both her shoulders.

‘Ohh, boy, that feels good,' she crooned.

‘I told you,' said Les. ‘I'll have those evil spirits and tensions out of you before you know it.'

‘Mmmhhh, will you ever.'

Les rubbed and squeezed, then ran his thumb up and down Susie's spine through her shirt. ‘Do you want me to do your back while I'm here?'

‘Okay,' replied Susie, then she stood up. ‘Wait till I get some oil.'

Susie went to the bathroom and returned with a bottle of baby oil. She handed it to Les, then took off her shirt, let it fall to the floor and stood in front of him for a moment in a pair of blue lacy knickers and a white bra. Norton swallowed hard and several beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Les rubbed some baby oil on his hands then sprinkled a few drops on Susie's back and away he went again, rubbing and caressing, moving his big hands clockwise then anti-clockwise.

‘Ohh, Les. That feels unbelievable.'

‘That's . . . good,' panted Les, glad that Susie had moved forward or she would have been leaning back against Norton's pounding third leg.

Les poured more oil on his hands, then ran the heel of his palm up and down Susie's spine with long, even strokes. Susie sighed out loud. With a quick, easy motion Les unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor also. He ran his hands over her back and shoulders some more, then moved her to him and ran his hands around her nice firm stomach and two lovely, firm
little boobs. They felt delightful, the oil made them shine and in no time Norton's massaging had the nipples sticking up like two tiny, pink jelly beans. Susie's stomach started to heave and her breath seemed to tighten. She twisted on her side a little and looked dreamily, if not slightly angrily, up at Norton.

‘God, you're a bastard, Les,' she said.

‘Me?' Norton looked surprised. ‘Why? What have I done?'

‘You know what you've done.'

Les shrugged. ‘Buggered if I know. I'm just trying to be nice.'

‘Yeah, nice. You despicable, low shit!'

They looked at each other for a moment then Les bent forward and kissed Susie right on her luscious soft, red lips. She returned Les's kiss avidly and snaked her arms around his neck. They kept kissing. Susie's tongue came out as Les kept softly massaging her stomach and boobs with one hand and the nape of her neck with the other. Their kissing got hotter and hotter till it almost started to sizzle. Les ran his hand down over Susie's ted and found it just starting to get soft and moist beneath the lacy blue knickers. She opened her legs for a while and Les kissed and stroked, then stood up and grabbed Norton by the hand.

‘Come on,' she said.

‘Come on? Where?' asked Norton innocently.

‘Ohh, where do you bloody think, Les. You arse-hole.'

Norton shook his head. ‘Funny way to talk to an old friend who's trying to help you,' he said as he stood up and let Susie lead him into her bedroom.

As she shut the door behind them, Susie looked directly at Les. ‘You haven't got any creepy crawlies or been hanging around with any low molls or old poofs lately have you, Les?'

‘Not me,' assured Norton. ‘I'm a heterosexual Christian and disease-free. Just ask my doctor or the local vicar.'

‘Good! Because it's been a long time between drinks for me. And right now I've got the rhythm, so let's go.'

‘God bless you, Susie. You're a better friend than I thought.'

By the time Les had his clothes off, Susie's blue knickers had vanished and she was lying back on the bed, legs apart, knees up a little and a pillow under her head. Norton climbed over her, ran his lips and tongue over her boobs and stomach, kissed her neck then her eyes and lips, all the time his knob resting about a centimetre from her lovely little, well-trimmed ted. Susie squealed and kissed Les hungrily as he ran Mr Wobbly around and in between her legs for a moment. Susie began to wiggle her backside around and by now her breathing was starting to sound like she was making cappuccino. Les kissed her a couple more times, raised his backside and slipped Mr Wobbly about halfway in; Susie gasped and went cross-eyed. Les stroked a couple of times then raised his backside again and buried the lot.

Susie choked off a scream and now it was Norton's turn to go cross-eyed; he started pumping away as chills ran up and down his spine. As Susie wiggled and squealed underneath him, she kicked her legs up in the air and kissed Norton's neck and lips. Norton could
scarcely believe how tight and sweet Susie was; he groaned inwardly as Susie thrust herself up at him and hoped he wouldn't explode too early. Christ! To think blokes go to gaol for this, sell drugs, rob banks, commit murders, start fights, lose houses, ruin their lives. Susie kicked up again, Les caught her knees in the crooks of his arms, lifted her legs up over her head and sank in a bit harder and deeper. Jesus! No fuckin' wonder, he moaned to himself, this is unbelievable.

They started getting into it. No fancy stuff, just stroking steadily away with plenty of kissing, licking and caressing thrown in, then it started to get too good. Les pulled out, got a towel from Susie's en suite and wiped some of the sweat from them. Then he slipped a pillow under Susie's behind, lifted her legs up again and went for it; slowly at first, then his legs started going like pistons. Susie squealed and howled, Les tried not to roar as his mouth hung open and he clenched his eyes tight with the sweet pain. Then he hit the vinegar strokes, gave it one last burst, and with a howl emptied out, nearly snapping his spine as well as dislocating Susie's kneecaps. It was that good, Norton didn't know whether to laugh, cry or settle for a mild heart attack.

They flopped on the bed in a lather of sweat; Les managed to use the towel again, then dragged a sheet over them and they both lay there. Susie seemed to have crashed, Norton was almost in a state of shock; that was one of the most sensational, yet sensuous, sessions of sex Les had ever had. It was beautiful and what made it better was that Susie was an old friend. And to think, she just lived round the comer and she
was coming back in a week. He winked at a shaft of light coming through the curtained window behind the bed. Thanks again, boss. I love it when you throw these little favours my way. Susie appeared to be snoring softly and happily, so Les thought he might check out her bedroom.

There wasn't a great deal to see. The old double bed was solid wood with a built-in light and, behind it, a thick black curtain was drawn across a sliding glass door that led onto the long, narrow balcony. There was a big wardrobe and a dressing table; the bed had a blue doona and faced the en suite. A few indoor plants sat in the comers and a few framed photos and smaller posters hung on the wall. The only thing unusual was a large, framed map of the universe and all the galaxies and constellations on the wall next to the bed. Like the kitchen, the bedroom was spotlessly clean and the bed was very comfortable. Les let out a contented yawn and smiled to himself. Yes, this will certainly do me for a week. Les was thinking about taking a nap when he remembered he'd promised to take Susie to the airport before long. He gave her a gentle nudge.

‘Hey, Susie. How're you feeling?'

Susie snuggled her head into Norton's chest. ‘Mmmmhhh! Good.'

‘Don't forget you got to catch the plane at seven.'

Susie's eyes blinked open. ‘Shit! What time is it?'

‘It's getting on for two.'

‘Two? Shit! I've still got things to pack and I have to make a heap of phone calls.'

Les drew Susie to him, gave her a tender kiss and
ran his hand over her backside. ‘Do you think we could find time for . . .'

Susie pushed him away. ‘No! Definitely not! In fact, you shouldn't even be here in the first place. You took advantage of me.'

‘Advantage?'

‘Yes, you bastard. I was weak after that walk and you mercilessly seduced me. You took advantage of a poor defenceless woman. Bastard.'

‘Yeah, that's right. Blame me.' Les narrowed his eyes at Susie. ‘Okay then, that's it. I've been insulted. I'm not staying here now.' Les made a half-hearted attempt to get up. Susie grabbed him.

‘Come here, you big shit.' She kissed Les sweetly. ‘Do you want to know the honest truth, Les?'