Hot Lava, Part 1

Hot Lava - Part 1 of 2
an4@anon.lelnet.com

"Is it all right if I smoke ?" Lara asked, reaching into her purse.
   Mandi looked at her friend, trying not to frown. It was six in the morning
and frigidly cold, which meant that if she said yes, the car would soon be
like a rolling icebox. Christ, it wasn't even light out yet and they had
seventy miles to drive to get to the student government meeting. How could she
smoke so early in the morning ?
   "I suppose. Try not to get ash in the car."
   Lara shook her head, her long pony tail bobbing. She smiled at her friend,
her eyes hidden behind red-tinted sunglasses.	
"I'll be careful, I promise."
"How can you smoke so early in the morning, Lara ?" Mandi asked as her friend
caught a light. She pulled deeply on the cigarette and even though her eyes
were invisible, Mandi could see the wanton pleasure of the act, which seemed
somehow evil to her.
"If you'd try it, you wouldn't need to ask," she said, turning her head to
blow smoke out the window. As she did she made eye contact with a young man
driving a cream coloured Lexus. He smiled at her appreciatively.
"God, we need tunes."
She flipped the radio on, scanned the stations, and finding nothing she liked,
slipped in the Chef Aid CD.
"Are you sure you won't try one ? You really need to relax."
"I've nervous enough as it is, Lara."
"Come on, Mandi, there's nothing worth shitting a brick about."
   "Yeah, you aren't up for president of the state board, that's why. This is
just an excuse to skip a day of school. You'll probably blow of half the
meetings to hang out and smoke."
   This time Lara didn't bother to blow her smoke out the window. She noticed
the Lexus was following them now, keeping up as Mandi gunned the Jetta,
knowing that she'd just passed the last speed trap between here and Rochester.
   "I hope to be so lucky."

   "How many times have I asked you not to smoke in the house ?" Jim said
tiredly as Kelli blew a voluminous stream of smoke through the kitchen.
   As always, Kelli took the nagging pleasantly. "Oh, Jim. As soon as the
weather turns, we'll get the painters in and replace the rugs so that we can
sell. And I won't be stinking the house up."
   "Until we move into the new place- and since we're going to be there for the
rest of our lives, and die trying to pay it off-"
   "It's a fifteen year mortgage, honey, not forever."
   "I know. It's just that there's been so damn little progress on the house,
and the timing of everything is so crucial. The Cambers listed their house
last week and they're asking 40,000 more than they paid. If we don't hit the
window just right-"
   "I don't want to have to go live with your mom any more than you do," Kelli
said, exhaling more smoke and wishing Jim would relax and enjoy it. She was
such a sexy smoker and it was wasted on him. "You're the one who talked me
into letting your old flame build the house-"
   "She's the best in three counties and you know it."
   He was always so damn defensive.
   "Yes. So relax. You're way too much your daughter's father. You know that one
week of good weather and Maria will have you regretting you ever doubted her.
And we made a deal- you get the new house built and let me worry about selling
this one. We'll get a buyer in no time if we list. The more the Cambers get,
the better. It's all going to work out."
   She went over to him, pushed the morning paper aside, and sat on his lap.
   He looked up at her. Smoke was trickling from her nose. Even so, he began to
stir as she twisted on his lap, using her ass to stroke his penis in that way
of hers. She brought the cigarette to her lips, pulled, held the smoke, and
then turned her head so that the exhale wouldn't entirely coat him in vile
smoke.
   She kissed him hard, hard enough to let him know that she wanted to have sex.
   He scoped her up and stood. Walking slowly, he carted her up the stairs and
into the bedroom, where she would finish her cigarette and then probably
reward him for not complaining further about her smoking in the bedroom with a
perfect blow job that would make his silence worthwhile.
   He wasn't disappointed, but he did get up and start getting dressed as she
lay back on the bed and lit another one. 
   On the way out the bedroom door, he said that he loved her and would miss
her, but she didn't really believe it.

   "Mmm, you smell smoky this morning, Jim," Carrie said as walked past him,
brushing him with her hand in that way of hers.
   "Don't get the wrong idea. Kelli was smoking in the house again this
morning."
   Carrie, as she was wont to do, perched on the corner of his desk, her tight
short skirt riding up to reveal her taunt, well-developed legs.
   She reached an hand under his chin and stoked his beard gently.
   "Imagine that. An adult smoker, smoking in her own house. When is the
government going to clamp down on these radicals ? For a man who had sex this
morning, you sure are testy."
   "What makes you think I had sex ?" he said, annoyed.
   She continued her open flirtation, reaching one hand down and stroking her
inner thigh, up to the hemline. There was a part of him- a small part- that
wanted to swing his office door close and fuck her until she lost her stupid
attraction for him. If she wasn't the best damn partner he'd ever hope to
find-
   "You have that half-stoned look in your boyish brown eyes, silly. I bet it
was a blowjob, wasn't it ? A nice, creamy, swallow when she was finished blow
job."
   "Carrie, the help is going to be here in a few minutes."
   "I'd kill for a good mate who smoked."
   "Then you should have sex with my wife," he said, half-angrily.
   "Maybe as part of a threesome. Admit it, you'd love to watch us go at it,
wouldn't you ?"
   "Carrie-"
   "Jim, when are you going to relax ?"
   "Well, I'd say after I die, but I keep hearing about this rigormortis thing."
   She kissed him on the forehead, carefully brushing his chin with her breast.
God, what breasts they were. Talk about creamy. They'd killed the herd to make
those breasts.
   "I'm going into my office. To smoke cigarettes. I'll expect you by ten to
discuss the year end figures."
   `Can't we meet in my office ?"
   "Only if you let me smoke in your office."
   "Your office it is."
   She smiled her best smiled and walked out, her ass bobbing gracefully.
   "Goddamn it, they're all crazy," was all he said.
   But he watched until he was out of sight.
   
   As Kelli walked down the long hall to the back door, she got the sense she
was being followed. She swung the door open and bright sunlight struck her
face. It was an unseasonably mild day for February, but she liked that, so it
made up for the harsh glare of the winter sun. She slipped on a pair of round
rose-tinted sunglasses and reached into her purse just as the door opened
behind her.
   "Kelli ?"
   "Hi, Leah ? What are you doing out here ?"
   "I was- well, this is embarrassing, but I was hoping you'd let me have one of
your cigarettes."
   "You don't smoke, do you, Leah ?" It was hard to believe that Leah, who was
twenty but looked sixteen, could actually be a member of the club.
   "I quit six months ago, just before I took this job. But I really need a
cigarette, Kelli."
   "I can't give you one because you need it, Leah. That would be like-"
   "Giving a fix to an addict ? Well, I want a cigarette."	
"Want is different." She took out her pack of Marlboro Lights 100s and pulled
two cigarettes from it. Replacing the pack, she found her lighter and lit one.
She passed the second cigarette and the lighter to Leah, who showed quickly
that she was indeed a smoker. Her inhale left no doubt. Her exhale, as she
handed the lighter back, made Kelli think of her daughter. Leah had the same
dark brown hair and high cheekbones, the same pouty lips and blue eyes.
   "Thank you."
   "What's up ?"
   "Oh, the usual. My boyfriend left me."
   Kelli exhaled a deep cloud of smoke.
   "And that made you want a cigarette because ?"
   "I quit right after we started dated. He wouldn't have sex with me- wouldn't
even kiss me."
   "Oh jesus. Even my husband isn't that bad."
   "I've seen the looks he gives you when you light up, though. I couldn't take
it. I quit instead. And then-"
   "He dumps you. There's no justice."
   Leah took a measured pull on the cigarette, trimmed it, and then exhaled
slowly. "You know, for about ten minutes, I felt sorry for myself. After that,
I starting to think that maybe the answer was to start smoking again and
forget about Brad. But it was so late- and then I woke up late this morning
and didn't have time to stop. I've been waiting for you to take you break for
like an hour now."
   "Well, I'm here for you now."
   "Good. I could use a friend."
   They didn't talk after that. They just smoked, and although Kelli usually
only had one cigarette on a break, she decided to have two, and Leah was more
than happy to join her.

   They walked outside into the sunlight. It was glaring, the sort of winter sun
that would drive the night creatures away in a Stephen King world.
   As soon as they were outside Lara lit a cigarette. As Mandi looked around,
she saw the most amasing thing. About seventy percent of the kids here were
girls, and as she watched, it seemed as though they were all lighting
cigarettes. One of them finished the act of lighting a Marlboro 100 and walked
straight over to her. She extended her free hand and smiled, exhaling smoke
through her nose.
   "I wanted to congratulate you on winning the election, Mandi. As soon as I
saw your name on the ballot, I knew that I didn't have a chance."
   Mandi returned the smile. She honestly liked Helena, in fact she'd been
thinking about asking her to be her vice-president, as it was her choice, but-
   "Thanks, Helena. That means a lot coming from you." She tossed her hair to
try and affect a casual air. "I didn't know that you smoked."
   "I just started last week."
   "Really ? Lara asked, taking a long pull on her own cigarette. "Why ?"
   "Well, I thought it was time to grow up."
   All three girls laughed, but Mandi was just going along.
   "Not all adults smoke-"
   "No, but when my sister started smoking she made a deal with my mom. No
smoking in the house until after I started. Everyone in my family smokes so
there was never any question that I would, too, but my sister was losing
patience. She's a freshman at Central and all her friends were mocking her
because she still couldn't smoke at home. I just wish my mom was the one to
get me started."
   She let rip a long, milky exhale which sparked Mandi's curiosity.
   "Why ?" Lara asked, trimming her ash and then lifting her cigarette close to
her mouth, wrist angled.
   "She smokes Lights. I get my cigarettes from my sister, and really these
golds are just too strong."
   "Why won't your sister buy you Lights ?" Mandi asked, pretending to
understand the difference.
   "She wants to make sure I'm hooked. Which I am." She smiled, drew on the
cigarette, and exhaled sharply. "Totally fucking hooked- and glad of it."
   "Mandi doesn't understand yet."
   "You don't smoke ?" Helena asked, surprised.
   "Not yet," Lara answered, pushing her sunglasses up with the hand holding the
cigarette. "But we're working on her. Give it time."
   "You don't know what you're missing. I regret so much not listening to my
sister. I wish I could have the last year back."
   "You like it that much ?" Mandi asked, intrigued.
   "You better believe it. And it just changes everything. The way people treat
you changes. My parent's friends, my teachers- it really is a right of passage
into adulthood. My sister and I snuck into a bar the other night and they
didn't even card us. The server took one look at us sitting in the booth,
smoking, and you could see on her face that she wasn't going to give us any
shit. Of course, five minutes later I saw her at the bar smoking, so you can
understand why. It's so fucking cool being a smoker."
   Mandi smiled and nodded her head. Lara said the same thing, but she'd always
chalked that up to her friend's need to be in control, not only of herself,
but everyone around her. Mandi was the last one in the group who didn't smoke.
   Her own mother smoked.
   That bitch of a partner of Dad's, the one who was always so sweet to her
because she wanted to screw him, smoked.
   "Hey, let's go out and celebrate you getting elected. I just live one town
over. My sister can get it us into that bar."
   Mandi didn't quite pick up on the extra enthusiasm in Lara's agreement to the
idea. But her friend was excited for the right reason.

   Salvador's was packed as usual. But this was Carrie's reward. For three
straight hours, they'd sat in her office and worked- no flirting, no joking,
no horseplay. And they'd gotten through the year end numbers in record time,
pouring over the accountant's statements, only to learn what Carrie had been
saying all along- that they'd enjoyed a record profit- thanks to her
foresight.
   At the beginning of the year, he'd pushed to drop their status as authorised
Apple resellers. Carrie had fought him and now the numbers told the story-
selling iMacs had made the difference. Even though they'd had to put on more
staff, they'd made that back and more. In fact, their accountant was convinced
that the only solution to avoid a big tax hit off this year's profit was to
open a fifth store.
   "Smoking ?" The hostess asked, winking at Carrie, who was an old friend.
   "Please."
   They were lead into the back of the restaurant by the attractive young
hostess. Jim saw the rectangular bulge in the back pocket of her pants,
clearly from a pack of cigarettes. 100s, judging by the shape. Carrie brushed
the hostess on the shoulder with her hand and Jim felt a slight pang of
jealousy that was entirely irrational. She was flirty by nature, with
everyone.
   As they sat down, the hostess smiled at Carrie.
   "I'm going out back to have a cigarette, but if you have any problems like
last time, you tell the waitress you want to speak with me."
   "Last time ?" Jim asked.
   "I had a little problem with a bad case of Bordeaux. It happens. But they
were a little miffed when I sent the third bottle back. The maitre'd came out,
told me that I had no patience and should let the wine breathe, as though I
wouldn't know a bad wine that hadn't. Insulted me quite caustically. After
which, I demanded that he taste the wine, and what do you know- it was bad.
The whole case had gone over. The owner showed up at the table a few minutes
later and insisted that I accept dinner on the house, which I did."
   "All's well that ends well ?"
   "Just so."
   She opened her purse and took out her pack of Marlboro Lights 100s. It was
already half-empty, and he imagined that she would smoke the majority of what
remained by the time their meal was done.
   "Now" she said, as she drew a cigarette from the pack with her long, black
nailed fingers,"having addressed our business needs, we are going to spend the
rest of the day dealing with your smoking problem."
   "I don't have a smoking problem," he said tersely as she lit the cigarette
and drew deeply on it. When she had taken her fill of smoke, she removed the
cigarette from her mouth and held it with her hand angled upwards, the wrist
bent slightly away. She lifted her head, pursed her lips, and exhaled slowly,
extending the moment. Jim had noticed that she liked the hold the cigarette
this way, up high and close to her head. So that everyone could see it, he
thought.
   As if she was actually proud of it.
   "You have a terrible smoking problem, Jim. The rest of this day is going to
be blunt and eye-opening for you, so I'm going to start with the hardest thing
and- well, hopefully the second hardest thing."
   She drew on the cigarette and managed to smile at the same time, as though
sexual entendre was something silly and wonderful.
   Which it was.
   He would never tell her this, but there were times when she made him so
damned horny.
   "I like you, Jim. A lot. Not in a `he's a great partner and friend' way, but
in a Meredith Baxter-Birney way, as Chef would say." She leaned closer across
the table, smoke drifting from her pert nose. "In a god, I wish he'd close the
office door and bang me `til I bleed way. But you know that, don't you ?"
   Jim swallowed hard and just then the waitress showed up.
   Carrie, in typical fashion, ordered a bottle of wine and both their meals
without so much as consulting him.
   As soon as she'd left the table, Jim answered. Her couldn't meet her eyes.
   "Yes."
   "Well, good. Now, I'm going to also tell you that I have a standing rule. I
don't cheat with married men if I admire their wives. You are so lucky. Kelli
is sweet and beautiful and you have the most marvelous daughter. So nothing
that happens today is about me trying to take you away from her."
   He did look up now, shock on his face.
   "What the hell do think is going to happen ?"
   "I think- no, I know- that you and I are going to have the most remarkable
sex of your life. And when you're done, you're going to go home and do it
again with you wife."
   Jim's voice turned into a low growl, like that of a trapped cat.
   "I don't think so, Carrie."
   Her smile was utterly unnerving.
   "We're going to start with something basic. You took those pysch courses so
you must have learned about oral fixation. Every time we place anything in our
mouths, we're satisfying a sexual urge. You do remember that, don't you ?"
   "Yes."
   "Well," she said, preparing to take another draw on the cigarette, "each time
I put this cigarette in my mouth, I want you to visualise that it's really
your penis. Imagine me tickling the head with my tongue."
   She took a deep, long pull on the cigarette, filling her lungs to bursting
with smoke.
   "And each exhale," she said, smoke trailing from her mouth as she spoke, "is
your semen, transformed."
   As she said this, she stroked his leg with her foot. Somewhere along the way
she'd taken off her shoes. He felt himself start to harden, and deep down, he
knew that Carrie was right. They were going to have sex, the mad and
passionate sort that he rarely had anymore. It could see it all unfolding, and
suddenly he was looking forward to saying two words that were not usually so
quick to come from his mouth.
   Check, please.
   As Carrie prepared to draw again, she laughed.
   "You're taking to this better than I had hoped."

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