A man with a wife and boring life meets his favorite rock star while hiking. After talking a while, she invites him and his wife to a concert and meal, and there she springs an offer that is quite unbelievable, and quiet irresistible to the couple. The man's life is about to change in ways he never expected.

**********

This story is copyright by the author. It is protected by licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Tom Newton sat down on a large rock and pulled out his water bottle. Even though it was a cool, misty morning, he'd been hiking aggressively, and he was warm and thirsty. After taking a long drink, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Beads of sweat rolled off his forehead, down his nose, and dripped to the cool, damp ground.

As he rested, he heard noise coming from up the trail. He looked up toward the path, and saw a woman hiking into the clearing. He hadn’t heard anyone behind him on the trail, so her appearance was a surprise.

"Nice morning for a hike," she said in a husky voice as she stopped. She bent forward at the waist, resting her hands on her waist and breathing deeply. "That last stretch is a little steep." She was tall and lean, looking quite fit in her colorful sweat pants and her tight, matching, moisture-wicking top. In fact, she was the same height as Tom, but where he had a tiny bit of beer belly, the woman was almost perfectly fit and trim. Her light brown hair was cut in a punkish rock-star style – seriously short on the sides, long and unkempt on the top with some purplish highlights. Even more striking was a snow-white streak from front to back across the top of her head. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with the signature 'bad girl' tattoos peeking from under her sleeves and on one wrist, multiple studs in her ears, and a jeweled piercing in her nose.

"Yup," Tom replied casually. His eyes widened imperceptibly when he almost instantly recognized the woman. Her name was Winter, or at least that was her stage name. She was a huge star, already having recorded four albums, including two that were platinum. She had one Grammy, and no fewer than eleven songs in the top ten of the charts over a five-year career – so far. With her husky contralto voice that could do everything from angry rock to sultry seductress equally well, she was the epitome of a rebel-girl rocker, with songs that seemed to resonate with a lot of fans, not just the usual rebellious teenage girl fan base that was common to a lot of singers.

Despite realizing who she was, Tom made no fuss. It was somewhat difficult to remain calm, because he really liked her music. "You must have been keeping a good pace. I didn't hear you behind me."

"I hike pretty fast. I have to so I can stay fit," Winter answered. She frowned; this guy didn't seem to recognize her, and that was a little bothersome to her considerable ego. Everyone knew who she was – or should. "It's necessary in my line of work."

Tom answered, smiling wryly at the way she seemed miffed that he wasn't being a typical fan. "I'd imagine stage performances are quite a workout. You have a pretty high-energy style in your concerts."

Winter's eyebrow cocked upward in surprise. "You know who I am?"

Tom's smile was friendly and unassuming. "Of course. You're Winter, the rock and pop singer. I'd have to be living in a monastery to not know who you are."

Winter started, and then she laughed. "Most people who know who I am don't react like they were meeting their neighborhood librarian," she said with a pleasant grin.

"Probably true," Tom said, "but not everyone is a boring engineer, either."

Winter looked him over thoroughly. This man was very unusual. He knew who she was, but was treating her like a normal person, or at least reining in his fan adulation. "You're different."

It was Tom's turn to laugh. "You mean, because I'm not gushing praise, adoration, and eternal love for you and your singing?"

"Well, yeah." Winter was puzzled by his behavior. It was both refreshing and insulting, because she was used to considerable attention. "I don't expect normal interaction with people, even in out-of-the-way places like this." She shook her head. "Most people don't know that being famous has a serious down side."

Tom scooted to one side of the large rock he was sitting on, implicitly offering a seat to Winter. "You either like the outdoors, or you like to go places where you don't meet a lot of people – or the paparazzi."

"Actually, it's both, but more of the latter. I like a little privacy, but I don't get it very often. It's hard for a celebrity to have privacy." She sat down beside him, and took his water bottle when he offered it to her.

"By the way, do you prefer being called by your stage identity, or by your real name?"

Winter gasped. No-one asked her questions like this. "Sometimes, I get a little tired of being known only by my stage name." She looked at him. "I suppose you know my real name?"

"Rebecca Fletcher. Or do you prefer a nickname?"

Her eyebrows rose. "Becca," she answered. "You're a little ... disconcerting. Most people who know me are big fans wanting me to autograph stuff, or they're not fans who hate my music. You act like I'm just another ordinary person."

"I _am_ familiar with your music," he said with a chuckle. "Very familiar. And I like it a lot. I think my favorites are I'm The One Who Says No, You Think, and My Prison."

Becca's eyebrows rose. "You like My Prison?" She shook her head, smiling. "I almost didn't release that one. I had a lot of second thoughts."

Tom laughed. "You shouldn't have. The way I see it, it's your feelings about how being lonely and hurt pushes you into a little private sanctuary that becomes a prison. It's a very touching, introspective song if you think about it."

Becca smiled, shaking her head. "Most of the critics don't get that. How come you do?"

"Been there. It's not exactly a social paradise to be a nerd, you know. It should have gone higher on the charts if people just thought about the message in the song."

"Sometimes, people just like the tempo and beat of my music. It's ... disappointing that they don't get the meaning of the song."

Tom chuckled. "It's pretty obvious, at least to me. Your emotions come through in your songs, and that makes them sound much more authentic. I think Why Does it Hurt So Much is the most emotionally moving song written about emotional abuse from a family. Bad Ass is fun, but if I'm not mistaken, it has a subtle message about the party, rock-n-roll lifestyle seeming empty. And in answer to your next question, I really appreciate your talent, but I figured that you don't want adoring fans right now." Tom shrugged. "I suppose even a big star wants to feel normal and have some privacy."

Becca actually blushed at his praise of her music. Most people didn't understand the source of her lyrics, especially the ones about lost love and family pain that she'd actually experienced, nor did the fans understand that her rebellious attitude was often a false front to protect herself against emotional pain. Somehow, Tom did. "I can't stop being amazed at how many people crave fame but never think of the down-side and cost."

"I never thought about it," Tom said. "Engineers don't exactly attract adoring crowds, you know. I try to treat everyone the same, regardless – even if I am a fan. But my wife isn't nearly as enamored with your music as I am."

"Oh? You're married?" She handed the bottle back to Tom, glancing deliberately at his left hand for the first time.

"Six years. Happily, mostly, I guess." He didn't sound convincing.

"Lucky you. I suppose you know what I went through?" she snorted derisively, clearly still upset by the events she'd endured.

Tom nodded. "Yeah. It was all over the news. It sounded rough."

"That's one way to put it." She looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. "I'd guess you know all of the crap that was on the entertainment news."

Tom nodded. "Yeah, I heard a lot of the stories." They were alluding to Becca's bitter divorce after three years of rocky marriage. After a quick, whirlwind romance, Winter had married a brash, hot-shot, downhill snow skier of some fame. The entertainment media was delighted, of course. She accompanied him on some of his downhill races all over the world, but he seemed to expect that she'd go to _all_ his races. She had to do her concerts, and she had expected that he'd accompany her. They tried to keep their schedules in sync, at first, but it proved too difficult, with her concert travels and his skiing races. Rumors began to circulate in the media that he was fooling around with some ski-racing groupies on a few of the trips without Winter. When confronted, he turned the tables and accused Winter – publicly – of fooling around with one of the members of her band, intimidating her into dropping the whole accusation with a threat of even more bad publicity about an affair that wouldn't help her career. The last year had been extremely rocky, and the breakup and divorce was quite acrimonious. The entertainment media had a field day with the accusations and vitriol between the two. He received quite a bit from the divorce settlement, since her earnings were considerable, and he'd come across as the aggrieved party. His star rose among the ski-groupies, while the bitter fight and settlement had affected Winter's career. It had taken her almost a year to get back to writing songs and producing her music videos, but she had gotten her career firmly back on track.

"I should have known better," Becca said bitterly. "The only good thing that came out of that fucking mess was a bunch of hit songs when I finally started writing again."

"I take it you're referring to Skanky Bitch?"

"That's one."

"It was pretty obvious that it was directed at the girl ..."

"Slut," Becca interjected, her voice mildly angry, but not as much as Tom had expected.

Tom nodded with a wry smile. "... the slut that came between the two of you. Would I be wrong in thinking that Bootstraps is about trying to pick up the pieces?

Becca smiled at his answer. "Just about the whole album came of out that emotional train wreck, like I Don't Get Mad, I Get Even, and Steel." She sighed and shook her head. "A lot of anger, a lot of pain, lots of emotions."

"If I didn't know they were from earlier albums, I would have guessed that some of your songs like Ice Cold Heart came from that whole mess, too."

"You really do know my music," Becca said, surprised by his commentary.

"Like I said, I have an appreciation for the emotion that comes through in your songs."

After a moment, she looked at Tom curiously. "Why aren't you asking me about some of the stupid rumors and shit?" She sounded puzzled.

"I'm an engineer, remember?" Tom chuckled, as if the answer was obvious. "I'm used to dealing with facts and data, not rumors and speculation. Besides, the way the media was tearing into you, I figured that there was a side of the story that wasn't being reported." He saw her astonished look. "I would imagine that some of the so-called reporters are envious bastards, and looked at this as a way to tear you down."

She laughed. "You're perceptive." She reached for and took his bottle again, taking another swig. "Aren't you even curious about some of the ... reports ... about me? Like whether I really have rather ... kinky tastes in sex?"

Tom blushed. "Well, yeah," he answered, "but I figured it's not my place to ask."

Becca smiled, and then sat in silence while she thought for a moment. "You said 'mostly' when you were talking about your own marriage. Troubles?"

Tom sighed. "Aren't there always?" He shook his head. "But then, you know that, don't you."

"Touche," she said with a grin. "So what are _your_ problems?"

"There's no point trying to kid around, especially since you've been through it." He shook his head. "We lost the magic." He glanced at Winter, his eyes reflecting disappointment at his marital situation. "Look at you – you do everything with passion. You live your life with a sense of adventure, joy, and sexiness." He shook his head. "We had that once. Now ... it's gone, and I ... I miss it."

Becca's eyes widened. "You think I do everything with passion?" she asked, her voice echoing her surprise.

"Yeah," Tom laughed hollowly. "It's kind of funny, but until I started listening to your music and watching your videos, I hadn't realized what we'd lost." He sighed, sounding nostalgic. "My wife doesn't even realize that it's gone. With time, it just kind of faded away. We're getting more distant from each other." He sighed. "She's even talked about a trial separation or a divorce." Tom looked down, shaking his head sadly. "When I heard and saw you performing, I realized why we were drifting apart, but my wife thinks that it's that your music that changed me."

"I didn't realize I had that sort of power," Becca said.

"Oh, believe me," Tom said enthusiastically, "you do. You exude sex appeal and love for what you're doing, and you're authentic. You don't ever seem like you're acting or putting on a face. Who you are in interviews, or public appearances, is who you really are. You don't seem to give a rat's ass about saying or doing the expected celebrity things. Unless I badly misjudge you, you're the same genuine person in public as you are in private." Tom laughed. "You know, in a way I envy you. You're honest enough to not care what people say or think. You're true to yourself."

The two sat on the rock for well over an hour, just chatting. To Becca, it was a pleasant distraction from real-life. Eventually, though, she realized what the time was and said that had to go. "I've got to get back to rehearsal. I want to make sure everything is polished for my concerts Friday and Saturday." She stood up. "It was very nice to meet you, Tom," she said pleasantly. "I hope you and your wife can resolve some of your issues." Tom had told her more about his marriage than he'd realized, especially his and his wife Katie's disagreement about having children, her frigid attitude toward intimacy, her dislike for anything ... different, and her talk of separation. Becca started to walk off, but turned back with a curious expression on her face. "Why don't you and your wife come to my concert Saturday?" she suggested with a charming smile. "My treat."

"That's be nice," Tom said with a grin, "if I could convince Katie. She really doesn't like your music and thinks I'm an obsessed fan."

Winter laughed. "If you're an obsessed fan, you sure don't show it. Ask her. Tell her that afterwards, we can get together for a nice dinner. My treat." She mentioned a very exclusive restaurant, eliciting a surprised gasp from Tom. Dinner for three would be well over four hundred dollars!

"That's not necessary," Tom objected.

"Give me your e-mail address or phone. I'll get you the details." She saw his expression. "I'm serious. It's nice to spend an hour or two feeling like a normal person. I'd like to spend a little more time with you, and get to know your wife as well." She smiled. "Maybe she'll change her opinion of me when we meet."

**********

"You're full of shit!" Ken said disdainfully, sitting at a small table in the cafeteria at Tom's workplace. Like Tom, he was an engineer, but that was as far as the similarities went. He was just over six foot tall and wiry, with mousy brown hair and a half-hearted attempt at a moustache and goatee that didn't go well with his plastic-framed glasses. Tom looked average, but Ken looked like a nerd.

"No, I'm not kidding. I met her hiking Sunday afternoon," Tom said with a shrug. He took another bite of his sandwich.

"Okay, so did you get her autograph, then? Or something else to prove it?" To say that Ken was skeptical was an understatement.

"Didn't think it was appropriate. She likes a little privacy, too," Tom said.

"You're trying to tell me that you met Winter while you were hiking, you spent over an hour talking to her, and you _didn't_ get her autograph, or even a picture on your cell phone? And you expect me to believe that?" Ken laughed. "Next you're going to try to tell me that she invited you out to dinner!"

Tom smiled. "Actually, she did."

Ken shook his head, chuckling. "No way, dude. Why would a singer like Winter invite a dweeb like you to dinner? In your wildest dreams, you're two orders of magnitude from being even close to her social circle!"

"Doesn't matter if you believe it," Tom said with a smug smile. "She's pretty nice to talk with. We've got a few things in common, too, like hiking, reading classic stories, interest in art."

"Since when did you read the classics?"

"Hey, you don't live with me. If you don't believe I read classics, ask Katie."

Ken flinched. "No way, dude. She's still pissed at me for taking you to Lee's bachelor party a year and a half ago. I'm not going to risk her ripping my balls off like she said she would the next time she saw me."

Tom laughed. "It would have helped if I hadn't come home with the stripper's bra in my pants!" He shook his head. "She was so pissed." He swallowed another bite and washed it down with a swig of soda. "I can't believe she agreed to go to the concert and dinner," he said. "She hates Winter's music."

"I'm going to call Katie tonight, then. I'm going to prove that you're full of shit."

Tom pulled out his cell phone and pressed a few buttons. "Don't wait for tonight," he said, handing the phone to Ken. "Go ahead and ask her now."

Ken took the phone like it was a snake, and slowly held it to his face. "Uh, Katie? It's Ken. Say, listen, Tom's spouting some kind of crap about you and him going to a concert and then dinner with Winter. I know it sounds ...." His eyes widened. "You're kidding. No shit?" His jaw hung open in shock. "Okay, bye." He handed the phone back to Tom. "She said you _are_ going."

"Told you," Tom said smugly.

"This is unreal." He frowned. "You put Katie up to this, didn't you? You're trying to pull one on me to get back for the bachelor party, aren't you? Was this Katie's idea?"

"I'll get Winter to autograph something for me, then, and I'll get a picture with her. Will that prove it to you, mister skeptic?" Tom asked, sounding unnervingly confident.

Ken nodded. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Enough to put fifty bucks on it?" Tom asked with a confident smile.

Ken's eyes narrowed. "Now I _know_ you're bluffing," he said. "Sure. Fifty bucks." He sat back, grinning. "Just be prepared to pay up Monday at lunchtime."

**********

"I hope you aren't disappointed that I asked for the autograph," Tom said humbly to Becca. They were sitting at a corner table in one of the swankiest restaurants in LA, a place known for stars and celebrities. "My buddy at work wanted me to prove that I met you and went to your concert. I've got fifty bucks riding on getting an autograph or a picture."

Becca grinned. "I understand. And it was no problem. I just hope the Sharpie didn't bleed through the shirt and leave my autograph on your skin!"

"Even without the autograph and pictures and dinner, it was a damned good a concert," Tom said, lifting his wineglass toward Becca in toast. "Right, Katie?"

Katie glanced his way with an unpleasant look in her eyes. "I suppose," she said coldly. "But you know that's not my preferred music style." Katie Newton-Hallburg was in her mid-twenties, like Becca. She wore her hair short, in a rather unflattering but low-maintenance style, and her attire was plain, like she was trying to fade into the woodwork. Her appearance was certainly not what one would expect to be seen either at the concert or in a very swanky restaurant. Unlike Becca, she was somewhat overweight. Her overall look was quite plain and boring – lacking any sense of daring or adventure, passion, joy, or energy, just as Tom had described.

Becca didn't look away from Tom. "Thanks. It's always a lot of work." She turned to Katie. "You're lucky to have someone like Tom for your husband," she said. "Not like I had with ... that fucking son-of-a- bitch I married!"

"I suppose," Katie said, wincing at Becca's explicit language and giving Tom a suspicious look. One of the reasons she hadn't enjoyed the concert was that Becca's songs were liberally sprinkled through and through with salty language and explicit references.

"Trust me – if he's not screwing some slut behind your back, has a good job, and doesn't mooch off you, he's worth hanging on to."

Tom blushed, and glanced nervously hat Katie. She was scowling at him, obviously unhappy at how the evening had gone so far. His sense of enjoyment vanished in an instant ... something that Becca noticed. They continued to chat, and Tom was surprised to find a lot of it had to with how they got along, and what they did. Becca wasn't talking about herself. After a bit, Tom took one more sip of wine, and then stood. "If you'd excuse me for a moment," he said. Tom turned and walked to the restroom.

"I take it you think Tom is full of shit when he says that you two are happily married?" Becca said bluntly after Tom had left.

Katie's eyes nearly bugged out. "How ... how do you know about that? And what business is it of yours?"

Becca smiled pleasantly. "Didn't he tell you that we bumped into each other hiking the Parson Trail the other day and spent a good while talking?

"He most certainly did not," Katie spat angrily. She clearly considered that bit of news more proof that Tom was obsessed with Winter, or Becca as she preferred off-stage, and her music.

"Hmmm," Becca muttered as if surprised. "I wonder why?" She shrugged and continued. "So, you two _aren't_ happy?"

Katie snorted. "He's more than a little optimistic if he said otherwise," she said, disparagingly.

"Oh? The other day, and tonight, he seems nice."

"He changed – ever since he started listening to your music," Katie said accusingly. "He says that we lost our passion. He's rather ... demanding for ... intimacy sometimes," Katie complained, blushing. "And he keeps pushing us to have children." She wondered why she was telling this to someone who had been, only four hours ago, a complete stranger to her. At the same time, Becca seemed genuinely interested in her unvarnished opinion of Tom, and with a little wine in her, she was eager to vent.

"Oh? I gather that you aren't as interested in ... sex ... as he is, and you don't want any kids."

"That's an understatement," Katie said, still sounding angry at Becca and, indeed, the entire evening. She'd had a little wine herself, and her anger at Tom at being brought to the concert clouded her judgment a bit. That, and her frustration with her husband. "And he wants to play some ... games in the bedroom," she said conspiratorially. Knowing that she had Becca's attention, Katie told her, unable to disguise her antipathy toward the subject.

"Even with that, you're fucking lucky you didn't end up with an asshole like I got," Becca commented. "You don't realize how lucky you are." She frowned. "I wish I'd have found someone normal like him."

Katie snorted derisively. "There are days I'd let you take him, especially lately. He's far from perfect. His incessant talking about having kids just ... infuriates me." She took a sip of wine, her third glass of the evening, which explained some of her mood. "And sometimes, he wants to get a little too ... creative."

"Oh," Becca said in understanding. Then her eyes widened as she realized what Katie was implying. "Ohhhh. And you don't like that?"

Katie frowned angrily. "I don't know why I'm telling you any of this. It's none of your damned business anyway if he has a few ... unusual ... desires."

Becca thought for a moment. "I could make it my business," she said with a wry grin.

Katie looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"I've got a proposition for you," Becca said with unnerving confidence in her voice. "Actually, for both you and Tom."

"What's that?"

Becca smiled knowingly and took a sip. "I'll tell you when he gets back."

Her sly hint had Katie curious, and she was suddenly eager for Tom to return. Katie tried to prompt for more clues, but Becca was being coy. After what seemed an interminable wait, Tom returned. "Did I miss anything?" he asked conversationally.

"Actually, you did," Becca said nonchalantly. "Your wife was telling me a bit about some of your ... disagreements and ... incompatibilities."

Tom shot Katie a hostile look. "Oh?"

"And I've got a proposal for the two of you that might make everyone happier," Becca said with a knowing smile.

Tom's eyebrows rose, while Katie looked suspiciously at Becca. "A ... proposal?"

"I want to ... borrow ... your husband for a year to be my companion," Becca said to Katie without batting an eye. She took another sip of wine, watching the couple's reactions with amusement.

Tom gulped nervously. "Uh," he stammered and held up his left hand, displaying his wedding ring, "Katie and I are married, remember?"

"So? It's no big deal ... not these days, anyway." There was something unnervingly calm about the way Becca was talking. "You admitted that things weren't ... exciting enough, or passionate enough for you, and she did say that things were rather ... tense between you."

"I can't. It's just ... it's not right," Tom protested. He looked at Katie, and saw that she, too, was astonished by the offer. "Even if we are having a few difficulties."

"Not even for one million dollars?"

Tom's eyes widened. He looked at Katie, and saw her expression. She seemed to be mulling over the offer, which startled Tom. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm very serious." Becca sipped her wine. "Here's the deal. You take a leave of absence from your job for a year. I'll replace your salary, so Katie isn't without proper financial support. During the year, you'll move in with me, and be my consort. At the end of the first quarter, I pay the two of you one hundred thousand; after the second quarter, another two hundred thousand. Then, an additional three hundred thousand, and at the end one full year, I pay the final four hundred thousand, to make a total of one million dollars."

"That would make me a gigolo," Tom protested. "I ... can't." And yet, there was something in his eyes beyond the surprise and shock at her unusual offer.

Becca calmly took another sip of wine. "You could consider this as a ... sabbatical ... from your marriage, to let things cool off a bit."

"You _know_ we could use the money," Katie said bluntly to Tom, her face a neutral mask. "And we _have_ been getting on each other's nerves a lot lately." She said the last with a tone that suggested it was all Tom's fault, not hers. "A break might be just what we need to see if we should get divorced or not."

"But ...."

"This is so tempting. I'd take the offer just so you don't harass me about children for the next year," Katie whispered angrily to Tom. "You know what our last ... discussion ... about that topic was like."

Tom recoiled as if stung. "But ...." Katie's anger had been completely unexpected and stunning.

Katie stood suddenly. "I need to use the ladies' room," she announced before walking off.

Tom looked at Becca, stunned and feeling helpless. His wife was seriously considering renting him out as Becca's companion for a year, as though he was a cheap escort, and she was the pimp. He looked at Becca, uncertain of what to do. He had the look of a man whose world had just spun out of control, and he didn't know what to do.

Becca just smiled at him. "You know you're interested," she said with certainty. "You find me exciting, passionate, and sexy. You said so yourself the other day. And you'd like a break from arguing about children and sex with your boring wife, right?"

Tom stared at her as she sipped her wine. To her, it seemed like she was buying a new car, not negotiating with a wife about using her husband for a year. He looked at Becca, and he saw her Winter stage persona, the image of sexuality, excitement, and adventure. He gulped nervously, feeling suddenly like a fly trapped in a spider's web. Or being lured into a trap with enticing bait.

"You're tempted, aren't you?" she repeated.

"Um," Tom stammered. "Um ..."

"Be honest," Becca said firmly. "You find my offer ... exciting, don't you?"

"Uh, yeah," Tom admitted softly, feeling his cheeks redden. "It's an interesting proposition." He tried to laugh, but it sounded hollow. "It's not every day that a normal, plain guy has a rock superstar coming on to him, you know."

"I promise you a year of fun, excitement, travel, concerts, and a _lot_ of variety to spice up your life." She spoke with a sultry, seductive tone, and, in her rich contralto voice, it sounded sexy and alluring, a siren song to a man whose wife wasn't fulfilling his needs or wishes. "And Katie told me that you like some ... variety, and I find that kind of thing ... sexy!" she purred to him, causing his eyebrows to lift in shock.

Katie returned, and she sat down, staring at Tom. "You want to do it, don't you?"

Tom gulped nervously. He _really_ did want to spend a year with Becca, but he wasn't sure about leaving Katie.

She read his thoughts and facial expression, though. "You want to. And I want to take her up on her offer, too." She turned to Becca, a wicked grin on her face. "Unless Tom says no in the next three seconds, we've got a deal," she announced definitively to Becca, leaving Tom sitting, too stunned to answer, and too embarrassed to tell Katie truthfully that yes, he really _did_ want to take Becca's offer. The three seconds passed, and Katie, after another glance at Tom, said definitively, "It's a deal."

**********

Tom paused after getting his small suitcase from the trunk of his older Mazda, and scanned the grounds of Becca's 'house'. It was gated for security; she'd given him a pass card the day they'd signed some legal documents formalizing the contract. The house wasn't some type of palatial estate that many people would imagine a bit star would live in, but it wasn't small, either. The landscaping was quite attractively maintained, dotted with blooming flowers for accent. Tom found that interesting; as a hobby, he did some gardening at his and Katie's house. He hoped that Katie wouldn't mind if he did some gardening here; his mind's eye had immediately identified a few things that he could improve based on the architectural style and layout of the house and yard. The house, he guessed, was probably twenty-five hundred or three-thousand square feet – far larger than most of Becca's fans could afford, and way out of Tom's league in this expensive area of the metro area.

"You're late," Becca said from the main door, sounding a bit cross.

Tom spun, startled. "Uh," he stammered, "the traffic was a little heavy, and ...."

With a wicked grin, Becca pranced down the two steps. "I was joking," she said, laughing. She walked boldly to Tom, grasped his face between her hands, and kissed him passionately. She pulled back after a moment. "Don't you want me?" she purred.

"Uh," Tom said, "this still seems a bit ... awkward." He felt confused by the entire deal, but couldn't help that he found her sexy, and that her perfume was tantalizingly sweet.

"But you _do_ want me, don't you?" She let her hand drop and rub the firmness in his crotch. "I thought so," she giggled.

Tom was startled by her blatant sexuality. "Yeah, well, you're so damned sexy," he replied uneasily. "But ..."

She shook her head, silencing him with a finger across her lips. "But nothing. Now, let's try that again. And remember, your wife was eager to let you be mine," she added. She leaned close again, her lips seeking his. This time, spurred by the memory that Katie had pushed him into the deal as though she was tired of him, Tom let himself relax and respond. They kissed for a long while, until Becca backed away, her eyes wide open and an expression of lust on her face. She grasped his hand, clutching it tightly. "Let's get you moved in, and then I'll give you the grand tour," she said.

There was no doubt in Tom's mind of what the 'grand tour' was going to entail.

They walked through the house, which despite outward appearances, was modestly styled and furnished. She led him up a staircase, Tom carrying his small suitcase with one hand because Becca wasn't letting go of his other hand. They walked into a large bedroom, with a king-sized bed and a couple of wing chairs opposite a fireplace. "This is your room," she purred.

Tom frowned, puzzled. "My room?" He was stunned by both the grandeur of the room, and the fact that she was implying that it was his _personal_ bedroom. That seemed to belie the entire contract.

"Don't get me wrong, but I'm not always going to want to wake up with you," she explained quickly after she surmised his concern. Her comment visibly deflated his ego a bit. She saw his crestfallen look. "Oh, don't worry. I just like a little private time now and again. I don't want to wake up with anyone else, unless you want to have a little ... party." She grinned. "And I guarantee you'll be spending a lot of time in my bed with me, because I _really_ like sex." She tugged the suitcase from his hand and dropped it to the floor. "Like right now," she purred, as she nibbled at his neck and ears. She pulled him past the door to what he guessed was his bathroom and through a different door into an adjoining bedroom. This one was even more elaborately decorated, with satin and lace on seemingly everything. There was a definite cool, wintery theme to the décor.

Tom knew instantly that it was her bedroom.

"Is this...?" Tom started to ask, but before he could finish his question, Becca pushed him to sit her bed, and then straddled his lap, kissing him insistently while her hands rubbed eagerly over his body, eventually tugging at his clothes. Tom started to reciprocate, slowly at first, and then with more feeling as he rubbed her breasts and then began to grope at her clothing, too.

"Ah, ah," Becca said, leaning back a bit, smiling. "You're in my prison. And the warden decided she's going to have to interrogate you. How does that sound to you?"

Tom's eyes were wide with surprise at her boldness. "So the rumors of you being a bit ... kinky...?"

Becca pushed him onto his back, and then tore at his clothes. "Are all true. And I'm going to have you, right now. What do you think of that?" She was rubbing herself on his crotch as if possessed. "And you don't have a choice. You realize that, don't you?" she said between kissing him very enthusiastically. "You're mine. You're my prisoner," she whispered in his ear, as she kissed and nibbled at his neck.

Tom found her assertive play very exciting. After all, he'd often wished that Katie was a little more aggressive and playful in the bedroom. Now, with her permission, he was experiencing it, and with his favorite female rock star. It was like a fantasy come true.

When they were both finished with their frenetic love-making, Becca pushed herself up on her arms like she was doing a pushup directly over him. "I think we're going to have very ... interesting year, don't you?" she asked with a seductive smile.'

"I can't help but feel a little guilty," Tom admitted to his apprehensions. "I mean, my job, and ...."

Becca silenced him by leaning forward and kissing him passionately again. She pushed herself up again. "You were saying?"

"Uh, I forgot?" Tom replied playfully.

"Good answer," Becca grinned before she leaned into another kiss, rubbing her hot naked body tantalizingly on his, with the obvious intent of rekindling his passion.

***********

A head resting on his arm felt unusual to Tom when he woke up. Katie hadn't fallen asleep on his arm since their honeymoon. For a moment, he was baffled, until he recalled the previous evening, when Becca had ravished him so thoroughly and repeatedly in a frenzy of sex. He smiled, remembering her creativity and insatiability.

"Morning," she said with a smile as she woke up to his stirring. She kissed him, a slow, lingering kiss, but she stopped. "You're distracted again."

Tom tried to smile, but failed. "It's just ... strange." He saw the reaction on her face. "Not you. Damn, but you're a tigress," he said appreciatively. "You're ... wow!"

"Glad you liked it," Becca said with a big grin, kissing him again. Her hand started creeping down his chest, playing in his chest hair and teasing his nipples, before sliding down to his slightly round belly on its way to his groin. "You were ... yummy!"

"So were you," Tom agreed enthusiastically. "It's been ... forever since I had a night like that. Katie ..."

Becca scowled at the mention of his wife. "Shhh," she said, putting her finger on his lips. "I don't want to hear that name again for the next year, okay? It really spoils the mood," she scolded him firmly.

"I've got a question," Tom asked, struggling to keep focused as Becca began to rub his member. "You told me not to bring a lot of clothes."

Becca leaned forward and kissed his chest. "You don't need any of that stodgy, boring, corporate uniform shit," she said simply. "I've got a closet-full of clothes for you – something a hell of a lot more suitable." She kissed his chest again. "Now, shall we talk about clothes, or should I keep on with what I'm doing?"

"Keep on," Tom said, feeling a rush of pleasure through his body.

"Some of the clothes may be a little ... snug," Becca said, as she stroked his crotch. "But I think they'll fit pretty quickly once you lose some weight and get in shape."

"Get in shape?"

Becca looked up to his face, grinning. "You don't think you'll be able to keep up with me if you don't work on your endurance, do you?"

Tom didn't know whether to laugh or cringe at her implication. He went with the former, a nervous laugh. "Based on last night, I think I'll need to build up a _lot_ of endurance."

"And you will be traveling with me and being seen in public with me a lot, so you _will_ want to look your very best, won't you? And I think you'll be surprised at how tiring it is to tour, even though it doesn't seem like it would be." Her voice and eyes were practically begging him to say yes. Becca slid her head further down, and Tom's eyes widened. He couldn't remember Katie _ever_ performing oral sex. This was certainly something that he wasn't used to. She was right – this _was_ going to be an interesting year. And he was so distracted that he couldn't think of any objections to changing his clothing style, if that was what Becca wanted.

**********

The woman walked confidently into the private gym in Becca's house. "You must be Tom," she said, as she extended a hand toward him.

"Uh, yeah," Tom answered. He couldn't help but notice that beneath the woman spandex, which emphasized her every curve, she was very fit, with seemingly not an ounce of extra fat. Tom felt a little jealous, and he subconsciously sucked his gut in a bit.

The woman noticed and permitted herself a slight smile. "Becca tells me that we're going to be working to get you in better shape, right?" She looked up and down his body. "I'm Diedre," she continued. "I work a lot with Becca to help her stay in shape, and I'll be working with you, too."

"Okay," Tom said nervously. He wasn't quite sure what to expect from Becca's trainer.

"We're going to work a lot on aerobic exercise and toning your body," Diedre continued, "especially your core." She patted his tummy. "Within a couple of weeks, between exercising with me and a good, sensible diet, you're going to look and feel like a whole new man."

"Diet?"

"We'll cut out those nasty, fat-building carbs. You'll eat healthy food, like Becca does – lots of veggies and fruits, and sensible protein, including a good healthy protein shake twice a day. How do you think she stays in such good shape, hmm?" Diedre grinned. "It's my exercising routine and the diet I laid out for her." Her eyes twinkled a bit. "But like everyone, she sometimes cheats and indulges herself in unhealthy snacks. Then I have to make sure she works extra-hard to keep the pounds off. I'm sure you'll be the same way."

"Okay."

"And she said to make sure you get a good plan of supplements." She saw his quizzical look. "They'll help keep your body healthy, and build endurance and stamina." She winked knowingly at Tom, which made him blush. "And she asked for something to help your ... um ... performance and endurance," she said, trying to keep from embarrassing Tom any further than he already was. Her attempt at discretion didn't help; Tom was beet red with profound embarrassment.

An hour and a half later, dripping sweat from Diedre's intense workout, Tom was glad to follow her from the gym to the kitchen. She showed him where his protein powder was stored, and had him mix up a glass with some orange juice for a post-workout drink. She also showed him where his supplements were, and went over his supplement schedule. All told, he had a nine various capsules and pills to be taken over the course of his day, according to a schedule she'd written down for him. Between his physical fatigue and the dizzying instructions with the supplements, Tom wasn't really fully alert to all the instructions. He finally stopped Diedre. "Can you go over that again, a bit slower?"

Diedre chuckled. "I should have you do an extra fifty sets of lunges to inspire you to listen better next time."

Tom's eyes widened. "Fifty?" He was stunned. "If I do even ten more, I won't be able to .... um," he looked down, embarrassed, "you know."

Diedre smiled at his predicament, but, after pushing him very hard on his first workout, she decided to be merciful. "Okay, consider this a warning, but I better not see it happen again, or you'll get one hundred extra lunges." She proceeded to review the supplement and medication schedule for Tom, a little slower. He got most of it. The parts he wasn't quite sure about were in a binder atop the refrigerator for his reference.

It seemed that every muscle in Tom's body ached from the strenuous workout. He wondered how on earth he was going to be able to satisfy Becca that evening. One thing he was sure of – after a couple of weeks working out with Diedre, he _was_ going to be in much better physical shape.

**********

"Do you like Linda, my counselor?" Becca asked as they sat at the dining table. It was elaborately and intimately, set, with fresh cut flowers and candles giving a romantic atmosphere, like it had been every night. Becca was certainly one to let her passion show, even in simple things like dining, even if the meal was simple like leftovers.

Tom nodded. "Yeah. She's great. She's helping me get over any feelings of guilt."

"Good," Becca smiled. "She's fabulous. I knew you'd love her."

"She suggested we meet twice a week," Tom said.

"What did you two talk about today? Or am I not supposed to know?" she asked with a playful expression.

"She was asking a lot about my feelings of sexuality," Tom admitted with a slight blush.

"If I know Linda, it's because she wants to know how to boost your confidence, and make sure you're really okay, deep down, I mean, with some of my ... unusual ... desires."

"Yeah," Tom said, blushing. "We talked about whether I'd be open to ... a few things that I'd never thought of."

"Like what, if you don't mind sharing."

Tom winced, but then he thought about how intimate he and Becca had been since he moved in. And it wasn't just intimacy in the bedroom, but also time just being together. "She ... thinks that you can be a little ... dominating," he said slowly, watching for her reactions. "And she asked about ... dress-up, and other ... games like that." He was blushing, knowing that Linda had explicitly talked about how open he was to being dominated, or whether he'd be able to dress up in Becca's clothes and costumes if she wanted. She was helping him explore how far he'd go for Becca.

"That sounds like it could be interesting," Becca said, her eyebrows rising in anticipation.

"I'm not sure if that ...," Tom was hesitant again.

"Remember, I'm kinky," Becca replied, eagerly licking her lips.

Tom grinned at the mention of her preferences. In only the first four days, he'd found out that Becca definitely _was_ a challenge to keep satisfied, so anything Linda could do would be helpful. "Anything to keep you satisfied," he said with a smile. "You're insatiable."

Becca changed the subject. "I hope you're okay with my vegan diet."

Tom nodded uncertainly. He hadn't realized before moving in that she was vegan, and that he'd sacrifice his love of burgers and steak. "I'm managing," he said with a nervous smile.

Becca laughed, understanding his plight. "My cook makes fabulous dishes," she explained. "Until I told you, I don't think you even suspected that they're vegan. And when I'm out for a concert or something, you can indulge your carnivore-passion, just as long as I never, ever taste meat." Tom blushed, knowing that she meant she'd be passionately kissing him a lot. "But I expect that, before long, you'll love it. It's much, much healthier."

"How was your day today?" Tom asked, making small talk. It was difficult. He'd spent the day getting comfortable in the house, while Becca went to a rehearsal for a few new numbers and then worked late with the director of a music video she was planning.

Becca frowned at him. "Is this the 'how was your day, dear' kind of shit? I hope you don't plan on that kind of boring conversation every fucking night."

Tom gulped, wondering if she was upset with small talk. "I'm an engineer, remember?"

"Not for the next year, you aren't." She licked her lips seductively. "You're my companion. I want you to forget all about logic, precision, and engineering crap, and just let go and be emotional and passionate. And I want you to be free to indulge in your fantasies – if they aren't harmful, that is, and indulge in mine, too." She smiled. "That _is_ what you said was missing, isn't it?"

Tom realized she was right. "Okay, but it'll take some practice."

"How about if we start by getting you a little more rad hair style?" Becca mused. "Maybe a little change of appearance will help your inner rebel come out."

Tom thought for a second. "I guess."

"I'll have my stylist see if she can do something with ... that rather blah mess on your head."

Tom felt a little nervous. She was talking about a significant change in his appearance on top of his change of clothing style. "Well, maybe." Then again, he thought, he could easily get his hair cut again at the end of the year. It wasn't like a hairstyle was permanent, like a tattoo or body piercings.

Becca scooted her chair back and moved to his lap, nibbling at his earlobes and running her fingers through his hair. "You want to be sexy for me, don't you?"

"I guess," Tom answered uneasily. "Yeah. That is what the whole deal is about."

Becca straightened, pouting. "The 'deal' is about you and I having fun and being adventurous and passionate. You make it sound like some kind of business shit."

"Sorry," Tom apologized, feeling that he'd disappointed her by being so blunt and logical. He'd have to work on that.

"Maybe if we were a little spontaneous, it'd help you learn to be what you want to be – passionate, bold, and sexy."

Tom gulped. "You think ... I could be sexy?" He was astonished at her comment.

"I want you to be bold and spontaneous right now," Becca said. "Try to seduce me right here, in the dining room." She leaned closer and nibbled on his ear again. "Some days, rehearsal makes me so ... hot!" As his jaw dropped, she climbed off his lap and sat back in her chair, looking prim, proper, and not at all interested in sex. "Well?"

Tom practically leapt from his chair and circled behind her, starting with rubbing her shoulders. He could feel the tension in her muscles; as he massaged, she was practically purring with content. He continued the massage, but leaned forward and began to kiss tantalizingly at her neck. Her head lifted back, exposing more of her neck for his ministrations and letting the sweet scent of her perfume waft into his nose. In no time, the two were intertwined on the floor, their grunts and cries of passion echoing through the room.

**********

"You sure don't look like you did the last time I saw you in the office," Ken said, disbelief in his eyes. He and Tom sat at a bar, near where Tom worked before he started his sabbatical. "Are you trying to find yourself or something like that?"

Tom sipped his beer and smiled. "No. I just needed a break."

"Does that include a break from your marriage?" Ken sighed. "You took a leave of absence from work, without telling anyone why. You're separated from Katie, without telling anyone what's going on there." He shook his head. "This isn't like you, man."

Tom shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say?"

"The rumor is that you've moved in with some other woman."

"Yeah, I did." Tom wasn't at all fazed by admitting it.

"Who? Is it because you and Katie were always arguing about kids, or because she really was frigid like you claimed?"

"I never told you, but Katie had suggested separation or even divorce," Tom admitted. He took another drink. "We were always fighting, and it was getting worse. So when Becca made an offer to us, Katie was more eager to take it than I was."

"Becca?" Ken frowned. "Who's Becca?"

Tom smiled wryly. "She's my housemate for the year. Or more precisely, I'm her companion."

"Sounds like a gigolo thing," Ken chuckled. "Is she at least cute and sexy? Why didn't I ever hear of this Becca?"

"You've heard of her. And yes," Tom grinned, "she's extremely cute and sexy."

"So who is she?"

"You know her better by her stage name." Tom let Ken puzzle and ponder for a few moments, confused and overly curious. "Winter."

"Winter?" Ken exclaimed, drawing attention from other bar patrons. "You're kidding!" He stared at Tom for a moment, and then a grin crept across his face. "Good one. You almost got me."

In answer, Tom took out his cell phone and flipped through the pictures stored in it. "There," he said, showing Ken a few pictures of him, Becca, or both of them on various outings – at an amusement park, shopping, on a beach, and even kissing.

Ken's jaw dropped. "You're ... you're not kidding, are you?"

Tom shook his head, smiling. "Nope."

"How in the hell did you end up living with Winter? I suppose you're banging her, too!"

"You didn't believe me when I told you I met her hiking a few weeks ago, or that I'd been invited to dinner and a concert. We'd talked about marriages and crap, since she'd gone through that nasty divorce of hers, and when she found out the problems Katie and I had, she asked us if I'd like a break from Katie – kind of a practice separation. Katie was so sick of me talking about kids that she jumped at the chance."

"Damn!" Ken whistled. "So ... you're going to travel with her, and that's why you took leave?"

"Yeah. That and she wanted me to be around her as much as possible, and her schedule is pretty unpredictable."

"And that includes ... whenever she's in the mood?" Ken sounded in awe of Tom's arrangement. "But ... that makes you kind of a gigolo, doesn't it?"

"I prefer to think of it as a paid vacation."

"With benefits," Ken added with an envious smile. "No wonder you look like you do. Definitely not an engineer's style."

"Yeah." Tom downed the rest of his beer. "I've gotta run. I've got to get ready for a big party tonight." He stood. "Talk to you later." Tom walked quickly to the door, a spring in his step at Ken's reminder of how the arrangement with Becca was extremely good fortune.

**********

"Naughty boy!" Becca scolded Tom, swatting his bare rump. "I'm in charge tonight, remember?"

Tom flinched at her swat – it hadn't exactly been gentle. "Okay," he said meekly, trying to sound humble and deferent to her, even though he was getting massively turned on.

"Okay?" she asked sternly, firmly grasping his chin with one hand and his balls with the other? "That's not how you address me when I'm in charge, is it?"

"No," Tom answered quickly. He felt her squeeze lightly. "Mistress," he added.

Becca released her hold on his crotch and pulled his face down, where she initiated a passionate French kiss. When she pulled away, he was practically swooning from the intensity of her kiss. "Very good," she said, smiling. "I'm going to my bathroom to change, and I want you to put these on." She tossed him a pair of her silk panties. She saw his eyebrows rise in surprise at what she was asking. "I'm sure my big boy like to make me happy tonight, right?" she purred.

Tom gulped; this wasn't quite what he'd expected. "Um," he stammered, "okay. I guess so."

She spanked him again. "You guess so, what?"

"Yes, mistress," he answered.

"You did say that you were open to some ... playing, didn't you?" She grinned, knowing the answer just from show aroused he was, and the way he held her panties. She turned and strutted into her bathroom to change, leaving him standing, dumbfounded at what had just happened.

After a few seconds, he shook off his state of disbelief and looked at the silk panties in his hand. They were lacy and very feminine. "This can't be really happening," he said to himself. Then again, Becca was at her best when she decided to get a little kinky. He stiffened at the thought of what types of games she had in mind.

Tom felt a thrill run through his body as he felt the silky undergarment brushing against his genitals. He felt like he was ready to burst from excitement, an excitement that only grew when Becca strutted out of her bathroom wearing nothing but a lacy bra, a garter belt and stockings, and high heels.

"I see you like the feel of silk," she said appreciatively as she stared hungrily at his aroused member.

Tom nodded eagerly. "Yes, mistress."

She beckoned to him. "Come here," she said, gesturing to the floor directly in front of herself. "Pleasure me," she commanded, grasping the back of his head and forcing him to her crotch.

**********

"You were right about the diet," Tom said. "I'm finally losing my belly fat." In almost three weeks, he'd lost eighteen pounds, and it showed. His hair was styled in a daring style, almost a little punk, unlike the plain, drab haircut he'd had when he first arrived, and he was wearing far more relaxing clothes. If he'd have been in his engineering job, he would have needed a haircut a couple of weeks earlier. As it was, Becca wanted him to let his hair get longer still so he could have a really rebellious style. He was slowly starting to look like the type of companion one would associate with Winter, instead of the boring engineer he had been.

"Told you so," she said with a grin. "By the way, do you think the supplements are working?"

Tom grinned. "What do _you_ think?"

Becca lay back on her bed, her legs spread apart invitingly. "Enough small talk. Let's get kinky!"

Tom bent over her and began to kiss her passionately, starting with her seductive lips, then working his way down to her neck, and dawdling on her firm, modest breasts. Slowly, his lips worked down toward her navel, but she suddenly stopped him, preventing him from going further. Tom sat up, confused. "I ... I thought you really liked it when ..."

Becca smiled, but there was something in her eyes. "I do. You're really creative, and you make me feel so good."

"But?"

Becca sighed. "I guess it's true that engineer types really are more observant. I didn't think you'd be so quick to be able to read me." She sighed again. "It's just ... your facial hair."

"But I keep myself clean-shaven" Tom said, confused.

"Yeah," Becca said softly, trying not to sound offensive. "But it grows pretty fast, and it's ... pretty scratchy on my thighs," she said reluctantly. "It ... takes away from the fun."

"I'll go shave," Tom offered, starting to push himself off the bed.

Becca held him, keeping him from rising from atop her. "Let's just do it ... plain," she said. "When we want to be spontaneous, it's ... it's hard for me to get in the mood when your face is sanding the insides of my thighs, or if you have to run off and shave first." She sighed. "But ... I suppose I can get used to just plain sex." She seemed to be pouting a bit.

Tom sighed. They'd lost the passion of only moments ago, and he was frustrated. "I can't help it."

"I know," Becca sighed, and then she brightened like she had an idea. "Maybe ...." She stopped, shaking her head. "Nah, that wouldn't work."

"What?"

"Well, Olay makes a special cream for women's facial hair," Becca continued, sounding a bit uncertain, and even nervous. "It's supposed to be like Nair, but for the face. It'd keep your hairy whiskers from being a problem for a few days. It's supposed to make your skin softer and smoother, too. You'd have such a smooth baby face rubbing on me!" Becca purred, letting Tom know that she would really be pleased if he had baby-soft cheeks.

Tom perked up. It sounded like a solution. "But ... what about when it starts growing back?"

Becca rolled her eyes and laughed. "Didn't you ever notice that women use Nair every few days?"

Tom's brow furrowed in thought. "I suppose."

Becca's face lit up. She wriggled from underneath him and grabbed his hand. "Let's go."

"What?" Tom asked, suddenly suspicious.

Becca tried to look sheepish. "I was going to ask you later, so I got the cream in case you wanted to try it." She beamed. "But we can start now. And then ...." She pulled him close, kissing him passionately as she rubbed her hand on his crotch.

Tom felt the fog of arousal confusing his thoughts as she rubbed him seductively. "I always hated shaving," he said, not sure if he was trying to convince himself or please her.

**********

"I had the garage tow away that boring thing you called a car," Becca announced suddenly at lunch. "It didn't fit my ... our images."

"But ...." Tom started to protest. "I need a car to get around."

"And we'll get you something a little more suitable," Becca said with grin.

"Please don't make me drive the Prius," Tom begged. "I look like a dweeb in that thing!"

"I promise," Becca said, holding her right hand erect and her left as if it were on a bible. "I swear." She couldn’t contain her mirth any longer, and she started giggling. "In fact, I have a surprise for you out in the garage."

Tom's curiosity was piqued. "What?" he asked, struggling to contain his nervousness and excitement. So far, Becca had been more than generous with a new wardrobe, her trainer, her chef, her counselor, and her hair stylist. He felt like he was being overly-pampered.

"Close your eyes," Becca said teasingly when they got to the door of the garage.

After a few weeks with Becca and her unusual tastes, Tom knew there would be a surprise, and she wasn't going to do anything harmful to him. She might be a little rough, kinky, and dominating in their bedroom play, but she was also very tender and caring toward him all the time, even when she was playing dominatrix. Without hesitation, Tom closed his eyes.

Becca took him by the hand and led him into the garage. He knew it was a four-car garage; Becca had her blue Maserati Quattroporte, a red Mercedes-Benz SL63, a Prius, and Tom's little Mazda had taken the fourth bay. Now, if it was gone – Tom strongly suspected that the 'surprise' involved a car.

He wasn't disappointed. When he opened his eyes, he beheld a black Benz SL63, matching Becca's, sitting where his Mazda had been. "You're ... kidding!" he exclaimed, surprised at what he saw.

Becca smiled warmly. "If you're with me, you need a car that suits your new look and style, and that goes with the image we've created, too." She dangled a key fob in front of him. "It's yours."

Tom couldn't help giving her an enthusiastic, heartfelt hug, spinning her around as his lips eagerly sought hers. "It's ... you didn't have to do this for me!" he protested, but weakly, surprised almost beyond words at the generosity of her gift.

Becca grinned and kissed him again, a deep French kiss that left the two of them breathless when she was done. "I promised you a year of fun and adventure. I figured this would help the fun part."

Tom wiggled his eyebrows. "I like your other idea of fun better," he said with a knowing grin, "but I won't turn down a Benz." He kissed her again, more passionately than before.

"How about if you express your thanks ... upstairs?" Becca whispered in his ear, as he eagerly embraced her. "And then, we'll go for a drive? I was thinking of going to a club tonight, so you'll have a chance to drive me tonight."

"First things first," Tom said, smiling, as he took her hand and led her back into the house, and then up the staircase toward their bedrooms.

**********

"What are your plans for the day?" Tom asked as they ate breakfast at an intimate table setting. Any meals they had at her home, no matter how plain, were set for privacy and intimacy.

Becca swallowed a bite of whole-wheat toast and washed it down with a swig of juice. "I've got to work on my new video this morning," she said, "but I was planning on working at home this afternoon on a couple of new songs I'm writing." She licked her lips seductively. "And you know how I get when I'm writing, don't you?"

Tom grinned. "I got a couple of rose thorns in my ass when you tackled me in the garden," he said, recalling the passion with which she'd attacked him sexually.

"I thought I was so good that you wouldn't remember that," Becca said with a smile.

"I am curious about a couple of things," Tom said with a bit of a frown. "Is there something in my vitamins and supplements that's making me so ... aroused all the time?"

"Are you complaining?" she asked with a giggle.

Tom shook his head quickly. "No, not at all. I was just curious."

"It's just an herbal supplement called 'Horny Goat Weed'," she giggled at the name. "And after the first week, when I realized I was wearing you out, my doctor got some daily Cialis for you so you could keep up with me."

Tom thought a second about the fact that she was medicating him without his consent. On the other hand .... "I guess it's okay," he said, getting aroused again when he thought of her possibly seducing him in the afternoon. He had wondered why she was so easily able to arouse him, even after they'd had sex once or twice earlier in the day. He felt like he was eighteen again. He couldn't help but smile.

"Good," Becca said, relieved. "I'm sorry I forgot to tell you. I promise I'm always checking with my doctor first, so you don't get something that'd be bad for you."

"Oh. That explains why I'm getting a checkup every couple of weeks." Tom thought about the checkups. Most of the lab work was standard and innocuous, but the doctor had been insisting on a sperm sample as well, which had confused and embarrassed him. Now, it made sense; the doctor wanted to make sure he wasn't losing any virility. "Still, it would be a little more comfortable if your doctor wasn't a woman."

"You didn't seem to mind being dominated by a woman last night," Becca said playfully.

Tom laughed. "That was different. The doctor wasn't trying to seduce me."

"I don't just try," Becca replied confidently.

**********

Unlike the last time he'd hiked to this small clearing, Tom wasn't out of breath, despite the fact that Becca had kept a very fast, almost grueling pace as she led on the trail.

"Your trainer is a miracle-worker," Tom noted when they paused. "Last time I hiked here, I was at least thirty pounds heavier, and I struggled on the last part, even though I thought I was in good shape."

Becca grinned. "I told you that a vegan diet would help you feel a lot healthier."

"One thing I don't know, though," Tom commented, easing himself back onto the large rock they'd shared before, "is whether my endurance is because of the exercise from the trainer, or the exercise of trying to keep up with you in the bedroom."

Becca grabbed the water bottle and squeezed hard, squirting water all over Tom. "You're bad," she laughed.

"And here I thought you always said that I was good," Tom laughed back.

Becca sat down, leaning toward him, her lips quickly meeting his. "You're both," she said in a husky voice as she kissed him. Tom wrapped his arms around her, holding her in place as he prolonged what she had intended as a short little kiss. They kissed long, with tenderness that was quite unlike the frenzied, uncontrolled passion when they were making love. "Wow!" she exclaimed softly as they finished the extended kiss.

"Your pace hiking didn't take my breath away," Tom said, "but that sure did."

In answer, Becca leaned forward and kissed him again, her arms wrapping around his body and hugging tightly, like she was trying to pull her very soul into the same space as his. "I thought you said you didn't remember how to be passionate," she said breathlessly as they broke again.

Tom looked bewildered for a moment, and then he laughed. "I ... I didn't think I did," he admitted.

"What the hell was that, then?" she asked. "If it wasn't putting all of yourself into those kisses, where did the passion come from?"

Tom shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. "I guess I remembered how to be passionate and daring with you."

"You know what," Becca said wistfully as they sat back on the rock, side-by-side.

"No. What?"

"I think you're more passionate kissing when it's not just part of our foreplay."

"Oh?" Tom wasn't sure if he had been insulted or complimented.

Becca laughed. "Not like that. I mean, I really, really like it when we fuck. It's always so daring and adventurous."

"That's because you have a good imagination for bedroom games," Tom chuckled.

"But ... it was different just now. It ... I don't know." Becca shook her head. "Sex is like ... a rush, you know? Like a quick high. It's like ... scratching an itch. But that ... it's like ... like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cool night, while your favorite chocolate melts in your mouth. It's comforting in a way that goes on and on, even after the kiss is over. It's a whole different feeling."

"So, are you saying that you'd rather we just made out cuddled on the couch?" Tom teased.

"Hell no!" Becca answered with a grin. "I enjoy sex too much, but ... maybe it'd be nice to spend some more time just talking and kissing, like we are now. It seems like you're always finding a new way to make it fun to be with you."

Tom didn't answer, but instead, leaned forward and kissed Becca again.

The sound of people stumbling into the clearing interrupted the passionate exchange. Tom and Becca abruptly broke their kiss and turned, startled, to see a group of seven kids, who appeared to be in their late teens, staring at them.

"Well?" Tom asked gruffly, "Haven't you ever seen two people kissing before?"

"Um," one of the kids stammered, feeling embarrassed. "Well, yeah, but ...."

"Hey, aren't you ...?" one of the girls started to ask, staring at Becca with her eyes wide open, showing a sense of awe or disbelief.

"Aren't I who?" Becca interrupted, sounding a touch miffed that her privacy had been invaded.

"You're Winter, aren't you?" the startled teen girl finished her sentence.

Tom grinned. "Go on. I know you want to revel in your fame," he whispered in Becca's ear.

Becca looked at him, startled, and then turned back to the teens. "And if I am?" she asked.

"You're, like, my favorite singer!" the other girl exclaimed. "No one is going to believe that I met Winter while I was out hiking! This is so cool!"

In moments, a frenzy of noise burst forth as the teens swarmed around Winter, so she could autograph items for them. She'd learned, from long experience, to always carry a Sharpie marker with her, and she put it to use, signing shirts, caps, and even the cup of one girl's bra as she held her shirt up over her head. Clearly, getting an autograph from Winter was far more important to the girl than her modesty. After the autographs, Tom obliged the kids by using their cell phones to take their pictures with Becca, individually and as a group. He'd noticed that a couple of the guys had been taking pictures when Becca had signed the one girl's bra.

After all the autographing and photos were done, Becca smiled at the kids. "I hope you understand, but we have to go. We've got dinner plans, and then a party at Ellen's tonight."

"You mean, like, Ellen Degeneres?" one girl practically screamed. "That's so awesome."

Becca shrugged. "She throws good parties, but you always have to be on your toes. She likes to play practical jokes on her guests." She strode to Tom's side.

He offered her the crook of his arm. "Shall we, milady?" he asked with a pleasant smile.

She clutched his arm with both hands, and the two set off on the trail, continuing their hike. After a while, the noise of excited teenagers faded.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Tom asked rhetorically.

"And you enjoyed seeing how envious the guys were of you, didn't you?"

Tom blushed. "Yeah. It was fun."

Becca leaned her head on his shoulder. "I think the fun part was before they interrupted us."

**********

"Tom?" Becca's voice echoed through the house. "Tom?" She had just come in from the garage, and she looked quite frustrated.

"I'm in the study, on the computer," he answered.

She met him in the doorway, where he'd risen to meet him. Before he could say a word, she grabbed his head and kissed him passionately. "God, I'm horny," she said as she broke the kiss. She started to peel off Tom's clothing, but she stopped suddenly when she slid his pants down, and she frowned. "You're not ... wearing them," she said, her voice a mixture of anger and disappointment.

"I didn't think ...." Tom sputtered. "I thought it was only the other night!"

"I suppose," Becca admitted reluctantly. "But it was soooo exciting," she said, reminiscing. "The feel of you in silk panties got me so ... hot!" She let her hand roam down to his boxer shorts. "And I could tell that you really loved the feel of silk, didn't you?"

Tom swallowed uncomfortably. She wanted him to wear panties again? The part of him that was enjoying her touch was practically screaming 'so what!' in his brain. "I'll go put them on."

"Thank you," she purred, kissing him again. "I really, really like it when you wear them. Maybe ...," she started, before shaking her head. "No, I suppose that would be too much to ask."

"What?" She'd piqued his curiosity.

Becca shrugged. "Since it's underwear, I was just thinking that it'd be interesting if you wore them all the time, to help our spontaneity. And I was thinking of how excited you get from the feel of silk," she added. "But that's probably too much to ask of you."

"Since no-one could see what I'm wearing," Tom found himself saying, to his astonishment, "I don't think it would hurt." He was surprised that he actually wanted to comply with her request. The silky, soft underwear made him feel very aroused.

Becca gave him another French kiss. "Thank you for being so understanding and willing," she said as she disengaged from the kiss.

Tom smiled. "I better hurry and put them on before you get out of the mood then." He dashed up the stairs to his bedroom, to quickly put on a pair of her silk panties.

**********

Becca lay on Tom's arm, the pair of them partially covered by the bedding. Her finger traced idly around his chest, while she nibbled on his ear and kissed his neck. "You really know how to get my motor running," she purred.

Tom sighed contentedly, enjoying the afterglow of sex and her ministrations on his chest and neck. "I think you're motor is always running," he joked. "I just know how to press the gas pedal." He rolled over and pressed her to her back, then began to kiss her neck, working his way down until his lips and tongue were on one of her breasts, while his hand tenderly caressed the other.

"You're going to get me horny again," Becca teased.

"That's my plan," Tom grinned. "I know how much you love it when I do this."

Becca sighed happily. "I just wish that I could do the same for you."

"You do, my dear."

"But ...." Becca sighed. "It doesn't seem fair. I've got three erotic spots that get my motor running, but you've only got one."

"One is enough."

Becca nodded. "But ... sometimes, when we're just cuddling, you get to play with my boobs, and make me feel so warm and relaxed, but I don't have something like that for you. If I start touching your _one_ spot, but we just cuddle, then I'm afraid that all I'm doing is frustrating you."

"I'm okay with it," Tom said hesitantly. He couldn't deny that Becca had a point; he really enjoyed their cuddling and his fondling her boobs, while she had nothing comparable. He could put up with a bit of frustration now and again; besides, usually their evenings of cuddle-time turned into sex later.

Becca sighed wistfully. "It's too bad your nipples aren't as sensitive as mine. It'd be a lot more fun."

Tom chuckled. "Well, since I'm a guy, I'm not going to get sensitive tits, so we'll just have to make do."

"I suppose," Becca said reluctantly. "I wonder ...."

Tom frowned. Becca wondering about something usually meant she had an idea. "What?"

"I've heard that some herbs and supplements are supposed to mimic female hormones enough to get sensitivity, without any of the adverse effects." She pulled Tom's head into her breast, encouraging him to continue his erotic kissing, and slid her other hand down to his crotch. She giggled. "Is this talk about you having sensitive nipples getting you excited again?"

"No," Tom answered – too quickly. After a moment or two, he continued, speaking softly. "I guess I'm a little curious ...."

"And jealous of how you make me feel when you play with my boobs?" Becca speculated.

Tom was silent for a bit; his hand and mouth paused in teasing Becca's breasts. "I'm ...." Tom paused again. "Maybe a little bit," he finally admitted very softly.

Becca knew the admission had been difficult for Tom. She rolled him on his back and cuddled up on his arm again. "Would you like me to talk to my doctor, to see if there's something that can make your ... chest more sensitive, without growing breasts?" She let her fingers trace delicate patterns around one of Tom's nipples. When Tom hesitated to answer, Becca continued, "I think it would be a lot of fun – for both of us."

Tom felt her fingers tenderly touching him, and he wondered what it would feel like if his nipples were more sensitive. He knew what his touch and tongue on her nipples did to her. Would it be too weird if she could do that to him as well?

"Will you think about it a bit?" Becca pleaded with him, her soft eyes batting seductively, reducing his ability to say no to her.

"Okay. I'll think about it."

Becca kissed him passionately. "It'll be fun – and a little bit kinky," she said enthusiastically as she rolled until she was straddling him.

**********

As Becca drove her Maserati through the traffic, Tom felt a little frustration. He loved to drive, and had taken every chance possible since Becca had given him the Benz, but when they went out as a couple, it seemed that she always drove. Sometimes, it made him feel like a 'kept man'. He sighed – that's what he really was, but he still felt like he had to maintain a little bit of dignity.

As she pulled into the line for valet parking at the very exclusive night club, Becca noticed Tom's pout. "I suppose you wanted to drive?" she asked.

Tom took a deep breath to calm himself. Arguing with Becca wasn't worth it. She could be quite bitchy when she got angry. "I ... yeah," he admitted after a bit. "Sometimes, I'd like to drive when we go places together. And once in a while, it kind of feels like you're parading me around like a pet or a prize possession, not a companion." He tried to laugh. "I guess I'm feeling a little bit sensitive right now."

"That time of month, huh?" Becca giggled.

Her comment elicited a chuckle from Tom. "I guess I'm being a bit ... self-centered. You've given me so much in these past few weeks, so I shouldn't complain that you want to chauffeur me around, too."

"Since you put it that way, maybe I should make you drive _me_ around all the time," Becca laughed.

Tom smiled at the way she had turned his disappointment into fun, playful banter. He climbed out of the car and walked around to open Becca's door for her.

Becca smiled at him. "Thank you, kind sir." She could have sounded mocking at what she considered an old-fashioned display of chivalry, but her words were sincere. She took his arm and climbed from the car, dropping the key fob into the waiting hand of the valet.

Despite the best efforts of the management of the club, a few determined photographers were visible in the distance, with their long-lensed cameras taking pictures of celebrities arriving and departing, hoping for some juicy photos they could sell to gossip tabloids and entertainment shows. By now, Tom was accustomed to their presence, even though they were highly annoying. Sometimes, Becca deliberately baited the paparazzi, but not tonight. She just ignored them.

Inside, he recoiled momentarily from the noise that assaulted his ears. The music was loud, and the crowd was as boisterous as usual. Of course, as soon as people recognized Becca, it seemed to get louder as everyone seemed to want to get her attention to say hello. It was a gauntlet of greetings and hugs as Becca led Tom by the hand toward a table that had two empty seats.

"Julie, Erica," Becca shouted over the music, "I'd like you to meet Tom." She helped herself to a chair.

"Nice to meet you," Tom shouted to the girls.

"So all those rumors about you two are true?" Julie speculated.

Tom's eyes widened in surprise at the blunt question, but Becca just smiled. "He's keeping me company."

"Yeah," Erica laughed, "the media are all over that."

Becca glanced around, annoyed. "Where the hell is the waiter?" Not seeing one, she rose abruptly. "I'm going to find someone to get us some fucking drinks. Beer?" she asked Tom.

"Yeah, that's fine," Tom answered before Becca stormed off to give the wait-staff a piece of her mind.

"How did you two meet?" Erica asked.

"What is this, an inquisition?" Tom joked. "I was hiking a few months ago, and when I stopped to rest, I bumped into her. We talked for a bit, and then she invited me to her concert, and, well," he shrugged, "here I am."

"You must be pretty good if she's keeping you around," Julie said with a grin.

Tom's flushing cheeks weren't visible in the dim light of the club, which was fortunate, because the girls' blunt talk was highly embarrassing to him. "Uh, that's ... um ... private," he stammered in reply.

The girls laughed again. "Yeah, right! We'll see how 'private' it is after she's had a few," Julie said.

"Yeah. I bet she tells us all the details."

Tom's embarrassment, which had been only moderate, went to extreme at the thought of Becca telling them about their little fetish games, or the pills he was taking that were making his chest a lot more sensitive. If she started to talk about that, he knew that he'd walk out rather than die of humiliation in front of Becca's friends.

"I found someone who'll get us drinks," Becca said proudly, returning to her seat. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Whether Tom is a good fuck or not," Erica stated simply.

"We figure he must be for you to keep him around. So is he?"

Becca glanced at Tom, and saw the fear in his eyes. She grinned. "He's fucking fantastic!" she purred. "He knows how to push all my buttons." She glance at Tom again and winked to let him know that his secrets were safe.

He sighed with relief – at least for the moment. He was wearing a silky thong panty; he had very few choices, since Becca had switched all his boxer shorts for a variety of colors and styles of panties, all silky and sexy. Most of the time, it didn't make much difference to him, but now, they were out in public, and Tom was nervous. He was also very self-conscious of his chest, where his nipples were getting a bit sensitive, and seemed a little swollen.

The conversation was interrupted for a moment when the wait staff brought drinks for Becca and Tom. Becca took an eager, big gulp of her beer. Tom, feeling nervous still, merely sipped his.

"Oh? Maybe I should see for myself," Erica said, looking seductively at Tom.

"Hands off, bitch," Becca countered quickly but not angrily. "He's all mine!" From the banter, it was clear that the girls joked around a lot. Her eyes lit up, and she had a 'eureka' expression. "Hey, I can work with that idea!"

Julie frowned. "What idea?"

"'Hands off, bitch' sounds like a good theme for a song," Becca laughed. She gulped some more beer, and then turned to Tom and took his head between her hands. She gave him a big, sloppy, passionate kiss. "See where I get my ideas?" she laughed. "And thanks to my friends getting greedy for _my_ man." She took another swig of beer, and then kissed Tom again.

Tom glanced at Julie and Erica, noticing that they seemed amused by the spectacle. He wondered how many others were paying attention to Becca's antics. He also nervously wondered how all those people – and the entertainment media – would react if they discovered that he was wearing a pair of Becca's silk panties. He couldn't help worrying that Becca might get too drunk and talk too much.

As the night wore on, Becca danced quite a bit with Tom, and then with Julie and Erica. She was getting more than a little drunk and having a good time. When she was at the table with Tom, she was getting quite frisky, rubbing her hand on his thigh beneath the table, and whispering suggestively that she really couldn't wait to get home for some fun.

When Becca and Julie were dancing, Erica chatted happily, all the while gazing at Tom. "You must have something special to keep her interest like you do," she observed after a bit.

Tom just shrugged. "I guess so," he answered.

Before he could do anything, Erica leaned over and kissed him. He recoiled, and she giggled. "Can't you give me a taste of what she sees in you?"

"No," Tom said quickly.

"Oh, go ahead and give her a fucking kiss," Becca laughed over Tom's shoulder. He spun, startled by her reappearance. "She'll never get what I get!"

Tom turned, and saw Erica leering at him. "Come on," she purred. "Make me melt."

Tom glanced at Erica, then back at Becca, who was grinning and nodding.

"Let's go dance, and you can kiss me while we're dancing," Erica giggled. She stood and grabbed Tom's hand.

"You _could_ use a little practice dancing," Becca suggested teasingly. "You _are_ a little stiff – and not the good kind," she added with a giggle, to which the other girls guffawed.

Tom felt his cheeks flush at her blunt comment. "Oh, what the fuck," Tom muttered. He rose and walked with Erica to the dance floor.

She laughed as they danced, telling him to lighten up, as she ground her body seductively against him. After a minute or so of the sexual grinding by her, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down to kiss him, all the while continuing to rub her body against his. He wasn't feeling as passionate as he was when he was kissing Becca, but Erica was. She was giving it her all, and he realized that Erica's attention was arousing him greatly.

When the dance ended, they walked back to the table, Erica eagerly holding Tom's hand.

"Well?" Becca asked with a grin.

"Damn," Erica said softly, as she eased into her chair. "I can see why you keep him around. I damn near came just from kissing him."

"I told you he was fucking good!" Becca grinned. "Now hands off. He's mine." She grabbed Tom and kissed him deeply again.

Much later, to Tom's relief, Becca had enough and wanted to go home, but not before Julie had taken her turn trying to seduce him on the dance floor while locking her lips to his. He assumed that Becca was showing off and trying to make them jealous. As they walked out of the club, Becca staggering slightly and leaning heavily on Tom's arm, Tom was grateful that he'd been nursing drinks. He had two beers, while Becca had probably had eight or more.

"You drive," Becca said with a grin. "I think I'm a little too drunk. I'd hate to get another fucking ticket." She frowned. "Going to court really sucks."

"I bet the media would have a field day with that."

"I don't really give a shit about them. It's all the court crap, and the fine, and community service stuff that really sucks."

Tom escorted her to the valet station, where they waited while the valet retrieved her car. While they waited, she was hanging all over him, whispering suggestively in his ear while she rubbing herself on him and rubbing her hand on his nipples. As soon as the car pulled up, Tom walked her to the passenger side and helped her in. As he circled the car to get behind the wheel, he saw the valet give him a knowing grin and wink.

**********
"How are things in the office?" Tom asked. He was lounging by the pool, relaxing and taking in a little sun while he talked with his friend.

"It's busy, as usual," Ken replied. "What about you? Are you getting worn out with the celebrity lifestyle? I suppose you're at some ritzy store or show or something right now." He sounded more than a little envious.

Tom laughed. "Actually, I'm resting by Becca's pool."

"The office is full of rumors about you," Ken reported.

"What have _you_ added to those?" Tom sounded suspicious of his friend.

"I haven't told anyone about you and your ... arrangement," Ken quickly said. "But it's been tempting, especially when some of the rumors and gossip get going."

"So where are people getting rumor-fodder?"

Ken roared with laughter. "Haven't you been watching any of the entertainment shows? Man, your picture with Becca has been all over that news. There's a lot of speculation about you. Do you know they've even identified you, and have reported on your troubles with Katie?"

"Becca taught me not to give a fuck what those stupid shits in the media say."

Ken gasped at Tom's language; until very recently, he'd been pretty straight-laced, including the jokes he told and his use of profanity. He decided to change the subject. "You look pretty good in the pictures," Ken noted. "You've lost a lot of weight."

Tom chuckled. "Almost thirty-five pounds so far. But it's not easy; I'm working out with Becca's trainer four or five times a week, and the food her cook prepares is pretty healthy. Do you know, the last time she was at a concert, I had a nice juicy burger, and I hated it? It was too greasy, and ... yuck!"

"Don't tell me she's got you eating the same vegetarian diet?" Ken asked, his voice echoing disbelief.

"Vegan diet," Tom corrected him. "If I didn't know better, I'd never guess it's vegan," Tom said. "Her cook is fantastic, and it's a lot healthier for me."

"I overheard a couple of girls at work wishing that you weren't with her. They think you look pretty good, and I gather they'd like to take Winter's place."

Tom chuckled. "They can get in line."

"So what's it like being part of the celebrity scene? Lots of parties and such, I suspect?"

"Jealous?"

"Well, duh! I'm an engineer, remember? Our kind of crowd is nowhere near the celebrity crowd you're running around with now."

"We've been to a few parties, and I've been to a few of her concerts with her. I'm amazed at how much work Becca puts into her performances. She's exhausted by the time she gets off the stage."

"How long are you going to be with her?" Ken was obviously curious – and envious – of Tom's arrangement. "The word is that you and Katie separated for a year."

"Yup."

"Then what? You go back to your boring, hum-drum, engineer life, with Katie?"

Tom shrugged, a gesture unseen over the phone. "I don't know. I doubt I can go back to Katie after this, though."

"It sounds like this is really screwing up your life."

"I'll just have to deal with that when the time comes. For now, Becca and I avoid the subject as much as we can. It's not fun to think of what will happen when the year is over." Tom was surprised at how much he loathed thinking of the end of their agreement. Becca was too much fun to be with.

**********

The feel of Becca's arms encircling him from behind interrupted Tom's concentration on the computer. Her fingers traced over his nipples, and unusually strong sensations coursed through his body. He leaned his head back, allowing her to kiss his neck tantalizingly. "Mmmmm," he purred as she caressed him. "Must have been a frustrating day," he mused.

"Less talk, more fuck," she said assertively, her hands roaming around his body. "I _need_ you so fucking bad right now!"

When they finished, and she lay atop him, naked, on the carpet of the study, she kissed him once more, then began to kiss down toward his chest. Her mouth and tongue lingered on his nipples, teasing and kissing them, while Tom purred at the attention. "You like this?" she asked.

Tom nodded. "Yeah, it feels ... great," gasping at the almost electric sensation when she kissed and licked his nipples.

"It must be a side-effect of the herbs and supplements," Becca said without letting up her teasing. "I hope you don't mind, because it's kind of fun that you have more than one erogenous zone."

"No, not at all" Tom said quickly. "But ... it's different."

"If it bothers you, you can stop the supplements," Becca offered, sounding like she was sorry that he was troubled by the unusual sensitivity.

"Oh, no!" Tom replied quickly. "I wasn't complaining. I was just noting that the feelings were ... different." He felt a shudder of pleasure radiating out from where her tongue was teasing. "I ... I like it. You ought to know that by now."

Becca was relieved. "I'm glad. I'd be really ... frustrated ... if you had to stop the herbs, and we couldn't ... play as much." She continued her ministrations to his newly-sensitive nipples and noted with delight that he was getting very aroused again. "And I'm glad it doesn't affect ... other things," she grinned as she noticed the bulge in his panties.

**********

Tom waited backstage for Becca to finish with signing memorabilia from fans – with her trademarked Winter signature – a stylized icicle instead of the 'I' in her name. He knew she was going to be tired from her concert; she always put on an electrifying show for her fans, and they appreciated it. Tom had enjoyed watching the concert from backstage, seeing how all her show tricks worked, like the way she suddenly appeared on stage from a trap door and hydraulic lift. With a little pyrotechnics, the effect was magical. That was just one of the many things she did to amaze and entertain her fans.

She pranced off stage, staying in character until she was completely out of view of the crowd. The roadies were starting to dismantle the gear to move it to the next venue, even as fans were filing out of the arena. As soon as she was off stage, Winter gave a huge sigh, as she visibly lost the seemingly unbounded energy she'd displayed during the concert. She still had enough energy to launch herself at Tom and wrap herself around him.

"Damn," she said, amazed, "but I get so horny every time I perform." She kissed him frantically, as if she couldn't wait. "Even if I'm tired," she added.

"You need to get out of your costume," Tom noted.

The wardrobe group was waiting, so they could organize and get the costumes cleaned for the next performance two days hence.

"Go ahead and peel me out of it," Becca said seductively, grabbing him and leading him by the hand into her dressing room, past the waiting wardrobe group and some startled stage assistants. Once the door was locked, Becca's hands were all over Tom, eager to relieve the sexual excitement which she always got when performing.

A while later, after she took him once on the floor, and a second time in the shower, Tom and Becca walked out of her dressing room. He had a silly grin on his face, and she beamed radiantly with pleasure. She sighed as she neared a pair of doors leading outside. The doors were flanked with event security to both protect Winter's privacy and to ensure her safety. Sometimes, the media or overly-enthusiastic fans became a nuisance or a problem.

"Ready for the gauntlet?" Becca asked, taking a deep breath.

"Yup," Tom said with a smile.

"Just remember – stay by my side, don't let go of my hand, and don't say a fucking thing, no matter how many questions or pictures."

She saw his nod, so she pushed the door open and pulled him in a half-trot, half fast walk, toward the open door of a waiting limo. Just as she'd described, the moment the door opened, camera flashes began to dazzle them as several dozen photographers began to snap pictures. In the background, the screaming adoration of fans could be heard, and over that noise, there were some questions being shouted by reporters, hoping to catch her attention.

They got to the door of the limo, but instead of crawling in, Becca suddenly stopped, grasped Tom's head between her hands, and kissed him passionately. Then, grinning, she ducked into the limo, pulling him behind her as the door closed with a thunk. "That ought to give them something to gossip about for a few weeks," she said with a wicked smile as she settled into her seat, with Tom beside her. As befitting a celebrity, the privacy screen was up, and the windows of the limo were darkened, so Tom and Becca had privacy.

"You're bad," Tom teased. "You know they've been all speculating about us for a few weeks now, ever since they saw us together at the club a few weeks ago."

"Sometimes, I'm so naughty," she replied. "Maybe I should be spanked?" She lifted her eyebrows suggestively.

"I'm glad I'm taking the vitamins and herbs," Tom grinned, "I'm glad. Otherwise, I couldn't keep up with you."

She practically tore his shirt off and began to lick and suck at his slightly enlarged, conical nipples. Tom felt himself getting aroused again. "That's .... Holy shit! That's ... better than before!" Tom noted. Suddenly, he stiffened and his body convulsed a couple of times. As he calmed down, he looked down, embarrassed. "Sorry," he apologized profusely. "I ... I couldn't help it. I can't believe you could do that to me ... just from my chest! That felt so good."

Becca smiled. "That's okay," she answered. She grasped his head and guided it down toward her crotch. "Since you've got such a baby-smooth face, you can make me just as happy."

When Becca was satisfied some time later, the two sat up in the limo. "Wine?" Becca offered, as she opened a compartment with an ice bucket with chilled wine.

"Are you trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me again?" Tom chuckled.

"Not a bad idea," Becca teased him. She handed him the bottle to open while she retrieved a pair of glasses from another compartment. He poured the wine into the glasses, and took one, while Becca put the wine bottle back in the ice bucket.

"It was a great concert," Tom said, raising his glass to her. "Here's to the next sellout, dynamite show."

Becca clinked her glass against Tom's and then took a long sip. "I take it you really liked it when I was playing with your ... chest?" His sheepish grin was all she needed to know. "You know, there are some supplements we could add to make them even more sensitive." She read his expression. "I'll get my doctor to start them."

"You don't mind ... that I ... you know, too early?" Tom asked, embarrassed at how quick he'd been on the trigger.

Becca grinned. "As long as you keep that magic tongue of yours in shape and keep that nasty stubble off your face, I don't mind at all. I guess I'll have to learn to not play so much on your chest... before." She winked. "That could be a challenge, though, because knowing your chest is sensitive makes me want to play more. And thank you for getting rid of that nasty chest-hair, so I can kiss and play with your nipples."

Tom smiled. Getting rid of his chest hair – and keeping his armpits shaved – wasn't a big deal; the hair would grow back quickly when he quit shaving or treating it.

"And I can tell that you're keeping up the exercise so you can keep your stamina."

"I don’t think I had this much endurance when I was seventeen," Tom said in amazement.

"See what a good exercise routine will do? Diedre says that you're working pretty hard."

"I have to, to keep up with you, my insatiable little minx." A worry wrinkle flitted across his face. "But ...."

"What?"

Tom shook his head. "It's just that, well, all my exercise is aerobic, endurance exercise. I've lost almost thirty-five pounds in the two months I've been working with her."

"And you look fantastic." Becca pouted. "And please don't talk about time. I don't want to think about that."

"Okay," Tom agreed, feeling the same way she did. Their time together would end sooner than either of them thought, and there was no point dwelling on it. "Diedre won't let me do any strength training, and I feel like I'm losing muscle mass."

Becca leaned over and kissed him again. "Good. She knows that I hate muscle-bound jerk jocks."

**********

"I had a great idea while I was working with the producer," Becca said, digging into her eggplant parmesan.

"Besides getting horny so you'd jump me as soon as you got home for lunch?" Tom teased.

"Yeah, well, besides that." She saw that she had Tom's attention. "I've got an idea for a music video later this year to go with my new song, and I'd like you to be in it with me."

Tom's eyes almost bugged out. "You want _me_ in a video?"

Becca smiled. "Yeah. I think it'd be a lot of fun. Of course, you'll need to take some acting lessons."

"For a video?"

"The producer is pretty picky, so yeah, I think it'd be best. Oh, and have you ever sung on stage or in a video?"

Tom shook his head. "No."

"How about if you work with a voice coach for a bit, too, to see if you can sing. If you can, I really, really would like to have you on stage with me."

"Why me?" Tom said with a frown.

"The media is all over the story of us," Becca said simply. "My fans are talking about nothing else. So we might as well give them something to talk about." She smiled at him. "Besides, I love sharing everything with you, and that ought to include the fun I get to have performing."

Tom thought a moment. "Well, I'm not doing a lot else during the day, so sure. Why not?"

"Are you complaining?" Becca sounded a bit concerned that Tom might be getting bored.

"No," Tom laughed. "I need to get all the rest I can to keep up with you."

"I'll have a voice coach start with you tomorrow, then. With acting lessons and a voice coach, that'll help keep you from getting bored." She reached under the table and rubbed his leg, moving her hand toward his thigh. "And is it so bad having all that nasty hair gone so your legs are nice and soft and smooth?" she purred, deliberately rubbing her hand up and down the inside of his thigh to distract him.

"Uh," Tom stammered, "I guess not." He felt a tingle of pleasure from her intimate caress. "No. It's ... nice."

"And I love playing games when you wear those silky stockings. I bet you _love_ the feel of them on your silky-smooth legs, don't you? They're so erotic and sexy, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Tom said, a bit reluctantly. "I guess they're okay."

"Aw," she said with a pout. "Where's my enthusiastic partner for our little bedroom games?"

Tom frowned. "I'm trying," he said softly. "Sometimes, though, it feels a little ... uncomfortable."

Becca rose from her chair and circled behind Tom, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around his shoulders and chest, while she nibbled on his earlobe. "You know you love it, don't you? You told me you and Linda talked about it a lot, and you don't have any real inhibitions to a little playful cross-dressing. Especially when I get a little dominant?"

Any reluctance Tom might have had was pushed away by the distraction of her ministrations, and the truth of what she was saying. He _did_ like how she was firmly in charge, and how kinky her bedroom games were. She let one hand slide down his chest and tease one of his nipples. A soft moan of pleasure came involuntarily from his lips as she teased him. "Yeah," he panted as she teased him.

"I thought so," she whispered before she resumed nibbling. "And so do I. You really turn me on."

**********

Becca smiled at a nervous Tom. "Don't worry. Just imagine that you're at a party or a club."

"But ... this is television!" Tom protested.

"It's no fucking big deal," Becca said soothingly. "Ellen is a good friend, and she won't do anything to embarrass you."

"But ... you're used to this. I'm not."

"Ellen will come and spend some time with us ahead of the recording, and we'll talk. Between us, we'll get most of the topics identified and have some casual chat. Then we'll go into the studio, and we'll record the show. No big deal. This is the time to mention subjects that you or I don't want to talk about."

"I'm still nervous. I don't think I'd be comfortable talking about ... you know – before. And I don't want to get into intimate details." He was blushing as he said the latter.

"It's an afternoon show," Becca chided him. "I doubt there will be much talk about our sex life."

"Yeah, but ...." Tom was nervous about several things coming out – that he was wearing panties all the time, that he shaved his body, and that he had sensitive little nubs on his chest. He was glad he was wearing a loose shirt, so the small bumps wouldn't be visible.

As Becca predicted, the producer met with them for some discussion of topics, and then Ellen spent some time chatting and joking. She knew Winter well, and remembered Tom's name. He wondered if it was from her party, or from the entertainment news about the two of them. In any event, the casual discussion backstage put Tom at ease.

Despite being nervous, Tom did okay contributing to the discussion in front of the audience and cameras. He flinched when Ellen asked how serious they were, but Becca said they were good friends, laughing that after her last disaster, she wasn't ready to try committing to a relationship again. Tom found himself disappointed at her words, even though he knew it was temporary. Ellen noticed, and asked him about his thoughts. He managed to stumble through an answer that confirmed what Becca had said, but he didn't sound totally convincing. Ellen teased the two of them about it, causing Tom's cheeks to redden. He flinched when Becca put her hand on his knee as she talked about how they'd met, and when Ellen noticed, he blushed again. Tom relaxed when the conversation turned to the album Becca was working on, leaving him out of the conversation – mostly, which was fine with him. Becca held his hand possessively as she eagerly talked about the album, and about her upcoming concerts. Then Ellen drew Tom back in the conversation, asking if he'd be accompanying her like he had to most of her recent shows. Again, he was embarrassed, because the question emphasized that the two were an item.

After the show, backstage, Becca kissed Tom passionately. "You did fucking awesome!" she exclaimed with bubbly enthusiasm.

Tom noticed that they weren't in his or her dressing room. "We're putting on a show here," he said, as she hugged him and nibbled on his ear.

"So what?" she asked, only momentarily distracting herself from her task. "Does appearing on stage make you as hot as it makes me?" She let her hand roam down his chest until she was brushing against his nipple.

Tom flinched. "Not here!" he protested. "People can see!"

"My dressing room?"

Tom grinned. "That'll start a lot of rumors."

"Dearie," Becca said, in a teasing voice, "they're already gossiping about us. So who gives a fuck if they talk more?"

Tom couldn't argue with her reasoning. With her arm snugly around his waist and her head on his shoulder, the pair walked to her dressing room.

**********

Tom lay back on his bed, propped up against the headboard, watching television and feeling a little bored. Becca was performing at a local venue. She’d warned him that she'd be late and would also probably be extremely horny. It was almost one in the morning when he heard the alarm chime indicating that she'd come home. He sat a little more upright, a little more alert. Still, he was tired after a very long day of acting lessons and voice lessons, plus a bit of gardening. Becca hadn't even come home at noon for some 'stress relief', which left Tom feeling a little rejected.

"Hi," Becca called from the doorway, standing in a sexy pose and licking her lips seductively. "Miss me?"

"Always," Tom answered with genuine feeling. He was really getting used to being with Becca, and when she performed out of town without taking him along, it was almost agonizing.

"I see you're ready for bed," she observed, noting that he was in his robe. "I'll be right in." She walked through his room and into her own bedroom.

"How was the concert?" Tom called out, making small talk.

"Fucking fantastic!" Becca replied enthusiastically. "They _loved_ my new song, so I think I'll release it as a single and see how it does on the charts."

"It'll be a hit."

Becca scoffed. "You'd say that a recitation of ancient fucking poetry would be a hit for me! It means that I'll probably have to start working on a video to go with it," she joked. "With all your compliments, you're just trying to suck up."

Tom laughed. "That's in a little bit," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

In a few moments, Becca stood in an alluring pose in the doorway, wearing a red leather corset, a black garter belt, and red silk stockings. She saw his eyes widen. "You like?"

Tom grinned. "You look fantastic!"

"Okay, let's see what you've got. And I want a nice strip tease," she added, moving to his bed and sitting casually against the headboard.

Tom stood and strode to the foot of the bed, wearing his robe. He began to dance and sway, twirling the tie on the robe, playing with the hem to show his legs. As Becca had expected, he was wearing his own silk stockings over his clean-shaven legs. Slowly, dancing in time to imaginary music, he teasingly opened a flap of his robe, showing a cup of a lacy bra covering one of the small bumps and swollen nipples on his chest. He closed it again, looking up demurely at Becca, his eyes begging Becca for sex. He continued to sway, slipping the robe down over his shoulder, like it was a sleeveless dress. Becca crew excited to see the lacy straps of his bra. He turned, wiggling his ass toward her, and allowing her to grope him, before turning, permitting his robe to slip down.

"Are you sure you don't mind wearing the bra and stockings?" Becca asked hesitantly.

Tom blushed. "Well, as long as it's a private show for you," he admitted. "I kind of need it, because my ... nipples are very sensitive, and some of my shirts hurt them. And it ... it's kind of exciting. It feels ... nice." He seemed to shudder with pleasure at admitting his developing fetish for wearing ladies' underwear to Becca. It seemed to make her even more assertive and passionate.

"I love it when you do it for me. You're ... hot!"

Tom smiled, pleased by her compliment, and then teasingly slid one bra strap over his shoulder, until he was displaying the slightly-rounded bump on his chest. The other strap slid off his shoulder, and he began to massage his tiny boobs, his eyes half-shut as if in a trance.

Becca could see how much he was turned on by the little display. He was hard as a rock beneath the skimpy, lacy, silk panties. "Oh, yeah. Bring it on, baby!"

It didn't take Tom much longer before Becca couldn't control herself. She tackled Tom on the bed, straddling him, and rubbing her wet panties against his, while she leaned forward and licked and kissed at his tiny tits. He was helpless to resist her ministrations.

After two rounds of sex, they lay intertwined on his bed, sweaty from their tryst. "You're so hot," Becca said breathlessly. "You don't know how much it excites me to see you do this for me."

"Anything to make you happy," Tom panted. Despite getting a lot of aerobic exercise, he was sometimes still having difficulty keeping up with her.

She twirled her finger on one of his nipples. "I told you you'd love these," she purred.

"It's ... yeah," Tom agreed. "But it sometimes seems a little weird."

"Don't worry. It's just a little swelling from the supplements. It's not like you're growing real tits," she said. "When you stop taking the supplements, I'm sure the swelling would go down."

Tom hesitated. "You know," he said very softly, "sometimes, I wonder if you'd like it if they were, you know, bigger. I can't help wonder if they'd be even more fun for us." He blushed. "Linda and I talked about that in our sessions for the last week." Tom smiled. "She thinks that maybe I'm a lot more open sexually than I even knew."

"Interesting," Becca said. "What else did she say?"

Tom's cheeks turned even more crimson. "I guess I get really turned on being a little bit dominated."

Becca grinned. "We can work with that."

"I wish I didn't have to keep messing around with that cream, though," Tom said sadly. "It takes forever and it's such a mess."

"We can get that fixed," Becca offered, "if you want."

Tom smiled. "I think I want that. I know how you hate whiskers, and, frankly, I always hated the time and mess it took to shave."

"I'll make arrangements starting tomorrow. I think you'll be very pleased with the results." Her hand had wandered back to his crotch, and was rubbing him, distracting him once more.

**********

"How's the voice training going?" Becca asked, while she changed in to a dominatrix outfit. She'd decided to push the dom theme a little bit more once Tom had admitted that he found it exciting. Their play wasn't into bondage or S&M, but it was very clear that Becca had the dominant role in their sexual play.

"Not bad," Tom said. "But it seems a little weird."

"Weird? How?

"She's still got me doing a lot of falsetto and higher-pitched speaking. It's almost like she wants to make me sound like a girl."

"No," Becca said with certainty. "Those exercises help extend your vocal range, to get you used to a wider range of singing." She strutted to the doorway of her bathroom, standing in a very dominating, self-confident pose. "Now, how's my little plaything doing?"

"I'm ready to keep you happy, mistress," Tom answered meekly.

"Talk to me like your voice coach is teaching you."

Tom frowned. "Why? It sounds ridiculous."

"Just try. Let's see what you sound like."

Tom focused a bit, and he looked like he was swallowing a couple of times. "You mean like this?" he asked, his voice at a higher pitch and lacking the deep resonance of a male voice. "See, it sounds silly."

Becca couldn't help herself; she tackled him and began to passionately kiss him. "That sounds so sexy!" she gasped between kisses.

"It sounds silly," Tom protested. "It's not a singing voice. I sound like a girl!"

Becca continued to kiss and nibble at him, moving down to his chest, where she practically tore off his lacy training bra so she could suck and kiss his nipples. "It sounds sexy!" she added. "Keep talking to me like that. Talk dirty to me."

Tom's eyes went wide with surprise, and then, aroused by Becca's tender touch and licking, began to breathe heavily, professing as he did so how excited he was, and how sexy Becca was. He declared, still in a breathy, feminine voice, how much she was turning him on.

As Becca tore off his panties, Tom slipped into his normal vocal register. "You excite me so much."

Becca frowned, and squeezed his balls a bit, enough to get his attention. "Naughty, naughty," she reproached him. "You aren’t talking like you're supposed to."

"But ...?" Tom tried to protest. Another squeeze, more uncomfortable than the last, changed his mind. "I'm sorry, mistress," he pleaded in his breathy feminine voice. "I won't do it again." Judging by the firmness in his crotch, he was even more turned on by her dominance.

"Damned right you won't," Becca said with conviction. "Moan like a little girl," she said, as she impaled herself on his excited manhood, both satisfying her own raging lust and rewarding him for being submissive and using his voice training, while Tom moaned and gasped like a girl in heat.

**********

"You're kidding!" Tom protested as Becca strutted toward him from locking the door to her dressing room. It was after another sold-out, very successful concert, and Becca was visibly in need of some sexual satisfaction.

"We're about the same height, and with your diet, you're pretty trim. Try it."

"I'll look silly!" Tom protested weakly.

Becca glided to his side, her eyes gazing deeply into his, as her hand slid to the front of his trousers. "No, you won't," she said, rubbing his firmness and licking her lips. "And I can tell that you're interested in the idea. Besides, no-one but me will see you."

Tom saw the lust in her eyes, and decided he could play along with her game. He took the clothing from her hands with a sigh. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" he said to her, as he draped the clothes across the back of a chair and then began to peel off his own clothing. He saw Becca leering at him when he exposed his bra, but he had long ago quit feeling embarrassed – as long as he could wear something loose or baggy, no-one but him and Becca knew. His bra was pink and lacy, concealing the little breasts growing on his chest, which were exposed as soon as Tom slipped the bra straps off his shoulders. He saw Becca licking her lips, as she gawked at the dark, enlarged nipples capping the little mounds. He smiled, blushing a little as he realized the effect he was having on her. Her lust for him, in turn, was getting him thoroughly aroused. He dropped his bra onto the chair with his shirt.

Tom turned demurely away from Becca, teasing her by hiding his nude chest as he began to take off his pants. He'd noticed that, despite the fact that he was still slowly losing weight, his pants seemed a little tighter across his rear end. The result was that his derriere wiggled when he pried the pants down over his hips.

"Wiggle that butt for me, babe!" Becca encouraged him in a lusty voice.

Tom grinned and added a couple of extra wiggles as he slid his trousers down, exposing a pink, lacy pair of panties that matched his bra, a garter belt, and a pair of dark fishnet stockings. He also had a patch on his thigh – a hormone patch to increase the sensitivity of his breasts, and their size. He'd been wearing the patches for several weeks, and they were having an effect – a slow effect, but an effect nonetheless – on his breasts. If he minded what the hormones were doing to him, it didn't show in his expression. He turned, boldly displaying his body, thrusting his chest out, as he stepped out of his pants.

Becca's eyes were full of desire. Tom merely grinned and began to pull on the clothing that Becca had asked him to wear. It was one of her sexiest costumes from her stage performances. As he slid his legs into the costume, he felt a thrill course through his body. It was so damned sexy and felt so silky and erotic on his smooth, hairless body. He turned, letting Becca fasten the two buttons in the back. He stepped back, turning partially toward her, one leg extended in a pose that Becca had taught him.

Beneath the semi-sheer fabric, Tom's nipples were partly visible, and, for a moment, as he followed Becca's gaze to his chest, he felt a pang of disappointment that his own chest didn't fill out the costume as well as Becca did. On the other hand, he mused, he really filled out the crotch, especially since the fabric and Becca had made him so thoroughly aroused. His long, hairless legs, clad in sexy fishnet hose, extended down from the high-cut hem of the costume, showing his red garters as he moved and the hem moved up.

Becca couldn't control herself any longer. She lunged at Tom, nearly knocking him over, and taking his head firmly between her hands and kissing Tom frantically. "God, you're so fucking hot!" she panted.

Tom smiled coyly, enjoying the effect he was having on Becca. "I thought you wanted to see if I could strut around and sing?"

Becca's eyes widened at Tom's willingness to go along with her kinky game. "I don't know if I can control myself," she said, forcing herself to take a half step back. "But yeah, I want to see what you can do."

Tom imagined the beat of one of Becca's songs, the one she wore this costume for, and began to sway rhythmically in time with the imaginary music. All the dance steps as part of the exercise, plus all their dancing at the clubs, helped as he tried to make his movements sexy and seductive. He began to sing Lie to Me Tonight, using all his voice training to hit the notes and sound breathy and sexy in his higher, feminine voice. It was a slower, seductive number that spoke of a girl in need of attention and passion, and hoping to be seduced. He was so focused on the lustful music and movement that he was barely aware of how aroused he was getting from this private performance.

No sooner had Tom sung the last note than Becca eagerly wrapped herself around him, frantically kissing and touching him in her passionate need, a need that was heightened by how seductively Tom had sung her song and how he'd danced. She pushed him back until he was sitting on a chair, and she planted herself in his lap, still kissing and pawing at him. "You make me so fucking horny!" she whispered breathily in his ear. One hand slipped inside his costume top and found one of Tom's nipples. He was already rock-hard from his little kinky performance, and once Becca started touching him, he writhed uncontrollably with his own desire.

**********

"Where the hell are you?" Diedre's angry voice rang through the house. Her footsteps on the stairs echoed loudly as if to punctuate her displeasure.

Tom stood before his dresser, pawing desperately through the drawers. He couldn't find any of his workout clothes.

"Well?" Diedre asked from the door of the bedroom.

Tom glanced, and saw her impatient glare. "I ... I can't find my gym clothes," he pleaded with her. "I think it's in the laundry."

"You're going to get sweaty anyway, so wearing sweaty clothes won't hurt."

"But ... the service picked up our laundry last night. It won't be back until this afternoon." Tom was distressed at Diedre's unhappiness; when she was unhappy, his workout was unhappy – and grueling.

Diedre scowled, and then stomped to Tom and grabbed his hand. "Come on," she snapped, tugging him behind her, confused. Tom was startled when she pulled him into Becca's bedroom, to her closet. She obviously knew the house well enough; she pulled one of Becca's leotards from a hanger and tossed it to Tom. "Put this on."

"But ... this is Becca's!' he protested. "I can't...."

"Since you got rid of that extra fat and toned your core, you're close to the same size," Diedre pointed out. "And it's stretch fabric, so it should fit okay enough for a workout." She turned imperiously. "Downstairs in five minutes, or you get an extra hundred-fifty lunges for the next two weeks."

Tom stared helplessly at the leotard for a few seconds before he resigned himself to putting on Becca's clothes for his daily workout. Four minutes and fifty seconds later, he strode nervously into the gym.

Diedre was waiting for him, looking at her watch. "Okay, let's start stretching."

Tom stood, transfixed, gawking at his reflection in the mirror which covered one wall.

"Let's get with it," Diedre insisted.

"Holy shit!" Tom swore softly as he stared. Without his even realizing it, his voice had shifted to his feminine range as he gazed at his reflection. His hips were rounder, more feminine, and with a narrowed waist and small bumps on his chest, in the leotard, from the neck down, he could probably pass as female. Until that moment, he'd never seen his own reflection, at least not enough to really notice. "I look like a woman!" Tom exclaimed softly.

"It's just the leotard," Diedre explained. "Now let's get with it."

"I need to know something," Tom practically begged. "Does my hair look ... girlish?"

Diedre's eyes narrowed a tiny bit, almost betraying something that she knew. "Not really," she said. "It's pretty neutral. Guys wear their hair like that, too."

"But ... more girls, right?"

"I'm not letting you get out of your workout for some silliness about your hair," she answered with a scowl. "Now, let's get to it. You know the stretching routine. Position ...."

**********

"You're home early," Tom commented, as Becca came in from the garage. He had just finished exercising with Diedre, and was still wearing his leotard. He'd quit wondering why his exercise clothing had disappeared; the leotards felt more comfortable anyway.

"The director was sick, so we couldn’t do much on the video," Becca explained, coming up behind Tom and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Besides, I can't stay away from you very long." She pushed her face through his hair and nibbled on his ear.

Tom purred with contentment. "I like it when you do that," he said. His smile broadened when her hand rose to caress his breast.

"Do you want to go out for lunch, and maybe do a little shopping?" Becca asked, continuing to playfully nuzzle Tom.

"I'd rather do something else," Tom said playfully.

"We can do that later," Becca promised. "But now, let's just ...." She stopped, frowning, and she quit kissing Tom's neck.

"What?" Tom's voice betrayed his disappointment that Becca had stopped.

"Oh, it's nothing," Becca said. "I was just thinking about all the press if we go out."

Tom shrugged, turning so he was face-to-face with Becca. He kissed her tenderly. "I try to ignore them, just like you said" he whispered.

"Do you want to have some fun with them today?" she asked, her voice hinting at something that could be amusing.

"How?" Tom's curiosity was piqued.

"We could ...." She shook her head. "Nah, forget it. It was a dumb idea."

"What?" Tom asked, now genuinely interested. She'd learned exactly how to pique his curiosity.

"I was thinking that maybe we could screw with their minds and play a joke on them," she said, sounding reluctant. "But I think it'd be a bit too much for you."

"What would be too much?" Tom protested. "Tell me, please."

Becca kissed him again. She smiled to herself; she was playing him like a Stradivarius. "Well, do you remember when I had you wearing my costume in the dressing room?" she asked.

Tom grinned. "How could I forget? You were incredibly fucking hot!"

"If you could do that," Becca continued, "then maybe we could go out as girlfriends, to confuse the press."

Tom's eyes widened in surprise at her suggestion. "Go out – in public – as a woman?" His jaw flapped for a moment. "I could never do that," he protested weakly. "And we'd never get away with it."

"You're probably right," Becca said, disappointed. "But ... I think you _could_ get away with it." She let her hand wander to play with his breast again as she kissed him.

"Do you really think so?" Tom asked. Distracted by her ministrations to his body, he was a little less convinced. In their bedroom play, he was frequently dressing, and acting, as a girl.

"How about if we try something?" Becca suggested, sounding a little less unhappy. "I'll get my stylist and makeup artist, and, after they get done, if you think you could pass as a woman, we'll go out as girlfriends. Otherwise, we'll just have a fun afternoon like normal."

"But ...." Tom protested weakly, sounding like he wasn't quite sure what to say.

"You dress up for me without any problems, and you look really good. With your acting and voice lessons, you shouldn't have any problem pulling it off." Becca grinned. "And you know how hot I get when you dress up? Think of how fucking horny I'll be if we spend an afternoon with you dressed up!"

Tom pondered the options. "I guess we could try," he said after a moment of thought.

An hour and a half later, Tom stood before the mirror, staring at himself in amazement. He couldn't see his male face; what he beheld was a very stunning woman, with her hair styled in a free-spirited and very feminine style, and perfect makeup. Tom's cheeks appeared higher, thanks to some neat work by the makeup artist, and his eyes were neatly framed with color and liner, making them look softer and sexier. Some lipstick and liner made the most of his lips, giving them a more sensuous, fuller appearance. Becca had even given him a pair of her fanciest earrings to replace the simple studs he wore in his pierced ears. She'd persuaded him to have them pierced a couple of months earlier, and now the piercings came in handy. There was nothing even remotely male about Tom's face.

From the neck down, Tom also looked alluring. The blouse he wore was tight enough to accentuate his waist and his breasts, padded as they were by his bra, and with very feminine tight jeans and mules, he didn't look at all like a guy. It helped his appearance, too, that he had fake nails which were painted them to match his lipstick.

"What do you think?" Becca asked, looking over his shoulder.

"This is fucking amazing!' Tom said, awestruck.

Becca frowned. "Try with your stage voice," she prompted.

Tom concentrated for a brief moment. It was getting easier and easier to shift into his stage voice with every passing day of lessons. "I can't believe this is really me!" he said in a breathy, feminine voice.

"I want to take you right now," Becca said lustfully. "We are going to have one long, steamy night of sex when we get home." She nibbled on his ear. "So? What do you think? Do you think you can pass as a girl?"

Tom nodded eagerly. "Yeah. This is amazing."

Becca took his hand and started to lead him out of his bathroom, but she stopped. "There's a problem," she announced.

"What?" Tom actually sounded disappointed that she'd thought of something wrong.

"I can't call you Tom, can I? That'd give away the whole fucking joke!" Becca read the disappointment on his face. "I know – we'll call you Amber for today. Is that okay?"

"Amber," Tom said softly as he thought. "I like it. Amber it is."

"Let's go, Amber," Becca said, sounding once more enthusiastic about their outing. "Let's have a girl's day!"

**********

Becca lay on Tom's arm, snuggled up next to him under a blanket, her right arm draped across his body. "That was great, wasn't it?" She had a very contented look on her face.

Tom grinned. "You're always great," he said, turning to give her a quick kiss on her forehead.

Becca lifted her chin and met his lips. After a long, tender kiss, she let her head loll back on his arm. "I wasn't talking about that." She saw his frown. "Well, yeah, I guess I was. But I was thinking more about today." She looked up at him. "Did you enjoy yourself today?"

Tom nodded. "It was a lot more fun that I thought it would be."

Becca smiled. "I'm glad. You know, I think everyone thought you were a natural woman," she observed. "You fooled everyone. With your vocal training, you can do the voice, and with your trim body, you really look like a woman."

Tom blushed. "Do you really think so?"

"You enjoyed being dressed as a woman today, didn't you?" Becca asked bluntly. "You had a really good time, didn’t you?"

Tom nodded sheepishly. "It was ... fun. Not as fun as our bedroom games," he added quickly. "But I was terrified that it wouldn't work."

"You're a natural," Becca said. "I've got to get you cast in my music video, because you're so fucking good at acting."

"I almost gave it away when you kissed me at lunch," Tom said with a smile. "I didn't expect you to French kiss me in public, especially when I looked like a woman."

"And what do you think you look like now, wearing that teddy?" Becca grinned, her hand caressing his breast. "You love it, don't you?"

Tom's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "It's ... it's not right," he protested weakly. At Becca's insistence, since he was wearing the feminine teddy, he was speaking in his 'stage' voice.

"But you fucking love it, don't you?" Becca persisted.

Tom started to say no, but his feelings about her fingers playing on his nipple, through the sheer fabric of the very sexy, lace teddy, belied any attempted words to counter hers. "Yeah," he admitted shyly. "I ... I like it. I like it a lot."

"So we can do this more often?" Becca pleaded. "I had such a good time with you today. It's like ... a day with a best friend."

"Do you always French kiss your best friends?" Tom giggled.

"You'd be surprised," Becca laughed.

"Well you caught me by surprise, and when I started to get ... excited," Tom said, blushing, "I was afraid something was going to show and give away the joke."

"I told you the special panties would take care of that, didn't I?" Becca teased. "You know, if we're going to do this again, maybe you can focus your acting lessons on female mannerisms."

"Oh?" Tom asked, surprised and a bit disappointed. "What was wrong with how I was acting?"

"It's a lot of little things, like how you hold your hands when walking. How you sit, and how you eat. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as naturally feminine as it could have been."

"Oh. I suppose, if we're going to do it again, I should learn more, shouldn't I?"

"It wouldn't hurt." She lifted her chin and kissed him again. "I want you right here, cuddling with me all night. You're so yummy to cuddle with, you know?"

"Especially after ...?" Tom asked with a grin.

"Anytime," Becca giggled. "But especially after. "You don't fall asleep right after like guys typically do."

"Yeah, but how many guys have sensitive chests that the woman plays with to keep them feeling warm and cuddly?"

"Good point." Becca tilted her head down, and pulling the blanket down, she playfully nibbled at Tom's nipple.

"I've been wondering about something," Tom couldn't help saying as they lay cuddling.

"What?"

"I thought the supplements and hormones would just make my chest sensitive. But I'm growing real boobs, aren't I?" His voice was timid and hesitant.

"Do you like how they feel?" Becca asked.

"Well, yeah. But ... guys aren't supposed to have tits. It just seems ... weird."

"If it makes any difference, I like them. They're kind of kinky and fun." She looked up at him, and saw the conflicting emotions in his eyes. "I love having them to play with. I love how they look, and how they feel, and how totally fucking excited they make you."

Tom smiled at her compliment. "Thanks. I just ... I know I should be freaking out that I'm growing boobs, but ...." He stopped, not quite sure how to proceed.

"I think it's really kinky when you're dressed like a woman, too," Becca purred in his ear, as her hand roamed over his breast. "As long as you've also got your ... package ... that I love playing with and on, too." She looked thoughtful. "Do you like it?"

Tom started to answer, but he paused. He wasn't sure if he really disliked the idea. It was fun, and the underwear got him so excited. And Becca was an absolute wildcat when he dressed up for her. "I ... I think so," he finally said, his voice echoing uncertainty.

"As long as you like it, that's the important thing," Becca said, still distracting him. "I don't want you to do something you aren't comfortable with. That would be mean, wouldn't it?"

Tom relaxed a bit. Becca had been careful to give him the choice in all they did. Mostly. Except for the leotards. She wasn't forcing him to do anything that he didn't want, at least subconsciously. He pondered how much fun he'd had, and the resulting fun with Becca when they got home. He tried to think that about whether the changes bothered him, but when he thought about it, they really didn't. He still had his rod, and they still made love passionately and frequently – and the breasts added immensely to his pleasure, and he guessed hers, too."

"Can we ... Can Amber go out with you more often?" he finally asked meekly, using his little-girl voice.

***********

Becca tilted her head up and gave Tom a kiss. "I had fun today," she said, smiling. Tom was lying on the couch, and she was lying with her back against his chest.

Tom kissed her back, taking his time and giving her all the tenderness and passion he could muster. "I did, too," he answered.

Becca turned, so her hip and shoulder were leaning on Tom, and her head rested on his shoulder. "It's so relaxing to have a girls' day."

"You just like being with Amber, don't you?" Tom teased. He was still dressed and made up as Amber from the day's outing.

Becca let her fingers touch his breast. "And you like _being_ Amber."

Tom bent forward and kissed her. "I like being with you."

The two cuddled quietly, enjoying a quiet moment, even though the television was on. When the program changed, Becca and Tom both took notice of the entertainment show's introductory teaser. When the commercial came on, Becca glanced up at Tom. "I wonder what they're going to say," she said with a smile.

Tom shrugged, then looked down and kissed her again. "I don't care."

"Even if they talk about Amber?"

"I think it's funny how they're all confused," Tom chuckled.

"It's fucking hilarious!" Becca agreed enthusiastically. She paused a moment. "You want to bet that they say we're having a lesbian affair?"

Tom laughed. "I wouldn't put anything past them, but I bet they're even more curious about who Amber is!"

"Good luck for them finding anything."

"Give them credit for being persistent," Tom observed. "They did a good job finding out everything they could about me once we started being seen in public several months ago."

"And _her_, too!" Becca said, making it plain without saying the name that he was referring to Tom's wife. "I could tell she was really fucking pissed about how the media was pestering her about things."

Tom kissed Becca's neck. "I don't want to talk about her," he pleaded. "It spoils the mood."

Becca's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected that kind of a reaction from Tom. She smiled as she snuggled against him. "Will you do something for me?"

"I can't say no to you," Tom giggled. "You know that."

"Will you get a tat for me? Something sexy, but with some attitude?"

Tom thought a moment. Try as he might, he couldn't come up with a reason to _not_ get a tattoo like Becca was requesting. "As long as it's not too ... girly. Or too big."

Becca smiled. "You can always get it removed if you don't like it," she reminded him, "but I hope you'd want to keep it as a reminder of what we have." She heard a contented sigh from Tom; she knew that he'd never, ever, forget her, even if he didn't have a tattoo like she wanted. "Should I have my stylist come by tomorrow?" Becca changed the subject. "Your hair is a little ... messy."

"That'd be nice," Tom answered. "Can ...." He stopped abruptly.

"Can what?"

"I was thinking – maybe ...." He felt his cheeks burn. "Maybe since I'm spending so much time as Amber, I could get it styled into something a little more ... appropriate."

Becca turned and kissed him deeply. "Whatever you want, sweetie," she purred to him. "I'll have my stylist come by in the morning. But first ...." She grinned wickedly, her hands already starting to roam toward his sensitive spots, and he instantly responded, the bulge in his panties pressing noticeably into Becca's side.

**********

Tom was in the shower, just finishing rinsing the Nair off his legs, when he heard the phone ring. Sighing, he shut off the water, wrapped his hair in one towel and wrapped another around his torso, covering his body in a very feminine style, and padded quickly to the phone. "Hello?" he asked, using his Amber voice.

"Uh," the voice on the other end stammered, obviously confused. "Is Tom Newton there?"

Instantly, Tom recognized Ken's voice, and he felt a surge of panic. "Uh, I'll get him," he said. He covered the mouthpiece for a few seconds, while he focused on his voice. He'd been using his Amber voice so much that he had to focus on getting his Tom voice back, and it wasn't easy. "Hello?" he asked when he put the phone back to his ear.

"Tom! Long time no hear. What's up?"

"Hey, Ken," Tom replied uneasily. The way the towels were wrapped around his body and hair, he was very much en femme, and he felt nervous talking to Ken, as if he thought that Ken could see him through the phone.

"So what have you been doing?"

"Not a lot. Traveling a bunch with Becca. Parties, a few television appearances and interviews. Usual stuff."

"Sounds like a tough life."

"She's got a tour in Europe later this year, so I'll be traveling there with her for almost two months."

"Gee, sounds awfully rough. Are you sure you can handle such a harsh life?"

Tom laughed. "I'll manage. How are things at work?"

Ken snorted. "Richardson is really anxious to have you back at work. We got a couple of new guys to try to backfill for you, but they're worthless without your intuitive insight and experience."

"Well, my leave is over in a few months, so you guys will manage in the meantime."

"The weekly lunch isn't the same without you. But I'm sure that's boring to you and your hoity-toity elbow-rubbing social affairs."

"Jealous?"

"Hell, yes! Hey, there are a couple of rumors that I thought you could get me some straight info on."

"I'll try, but I can't talk about some things. Respect for privacy and all that stuff. Shoot."

"The media is all over the rumor that Winter is having an affair with some girl named Amber. There are lots of reports about how frequently the two have been seen together. What's up with that? I thought you were her ... companion."

Tom's eyes widened in surprise. "I am. I know she's got a lot of friends that she does things with."

"And there is speculation that she dumped you, since you haven't been seen at any concerts or public appearances with her for quite a while."

Tom shook his head slowly. "You know I never got into celebrity news and gossip," he reminded Ken. In his heart, he felt a surge of panic. Ken was smart; since there was quite a bit of facial similarity between Amber and Tom, would he put two and two together and figure out that they were one and the same? "And things between Becca and me are as good as they've ever been."

After they finished talking, while he was getting dressed in a cute Amber outfit so he could go out to lunch with Becca, Tom wondered how long they could fool the media. He shuddered inwardly at the thought that he'd be outed as Amber, exposed as a cross-dressing lover for Becca, and thus cause issues for her career. He also couldn't help but wonder why he was doing what he was doing. Sometimes, it seemed more natural to dress and act as Amber than as Tom, and that thought was a bit scary.

Tom also realized, with Ken's persistent questions, that he was going to have to sever that tie with his old life. He was Becca's companion, part-time girl, and his old friends and acquaintances didn't go well with his lifestyle. He felt a little sad, but at the same time, it felt rather liberating, like he was free to do whatever he wanted with Becca, and no-one except the two of them would care.

*********

"I feel stupid," Tom protested, as they walked down the short hall. He was, as was his custom lately, en femme as Amber, walking arm-in-arm with Becca.

"You'll do fine," Becca reassured him. "It's just a rehearsal."

"Yeah, but you're used to this," Tom countered. He was completely in character. "I'm not."

Becca smiled, pushed the door open, and walked into the room she and her band used to practice.

"Hey, Becca," one of the musicians inside called out as soon as he recognized her.

"Hey, Wes," Becca replied cheerily.

"Is this Amber?" the girl stroking her guitar asked as she looked Tom over.

"Amber," Becca said, pulling Tom close to herself, "you remember Wes?" she asked, nodding toward the drummer. "And Kaelin," she turned to the bass guitarist who has asked the question. She introduced Grif and Sara on rhythm guitar and keyboard respectively, and then her backup singers.

Tom nodded, feeling a little uneasy. The band knew Tom well from all the performances he'd attended, and all the time backstage and in rehearsals with Becca. He was petrified that the guys would recognize him.

Grif strode to Tom and made a production of kissing her hand. "Enchante, mademoiselle," he said in a deep, booming bass voice. He towered over Tom – easily six foot four, and built like a linebacker. He wasn't the type one would associate with a band, but rather with a football team – except for his earrings and nearly black tattoos which contrasted with his chocolate skin. One of the tats went from his neck up the back of his clean-shaven head.

"Hands off my girl, Grif," Becca teased, as she pulled Tom closer. "Amber is singing duet with me on the two new numbers, so we figured we'd better get started practicing if we're going to perform them in the next tour."

Tom was put at ease by the familiarity in the group, and the light banter they shared as they got themselves ready to practice. It was obvious that they were taking their time getting ready, because they shared a common bond of having performed as a group for quite some time, and many, many concerts and appearances. They reminisced about the last tour, and talked about what they were doing differently. They chatted about a few parties. Tom felt like an outsider, even though Becca was holding him around the waist possessively. After fifteen or so minutes of chatting, Becca picked up a microphone. "Let's get started."

"Good enough," Kaelin said, strumming her bass guitar.

"I don't know about this," Tom said nervously, as Becca led him to a microphone in its stand.

"Just like we practiced at home," Becca said confidently and reassuringly.

"But ... if I do this on tour, it'll be a live audience," Tom predicted stage fright if he performed in front of a crowd.

Becca smiled. "Linda thinks you can handle it. So do I." She turned to the band, nodding in time with a tempo in her head, then giving them a cue to start playing. Kaelin and the drummer started a rhythmic bass tune, and the rest of the band joined in on their cues. In no time, Becca was belting out her tune, and when it came time, Tom nervously began his part in the voice he'd been practicing so extensively - a very luscious, contralto, feminine voice. His voice training was showing; he was quite a lot better than he realized.

The group ran through the number several times before moving to the second new piece. After Becca was satisfied with the day's progress on the two new numbers, they began rehearsing some of her older songs, which left Tom out of the picture. Feeling like a fifth wheel, he grabbed a water bottle and sat down.

Presently, one of the sound mixers came over and sat beside him. He was so thoroughly enchanted with the Amber personality that he was quite clearly flirting a bit with Amber. Tom found this quite disturbing, and at the same time, a bit thrilling that he was fooling the sound man so completely. It gave him confidence that he _could_ pull off a performance, just like he'd pulled off appearances in public as Amber.

After a few hours of practice, Becca was satisfied with the rehearsal. "Let's do this again tomorrow, and then I've got a few things to do for the video."

Wes sidled up beside Tom. "You're pretty good," Wes complimented him, to which Tom blushed.

"Wait until we work on the choreography for the program," Becca cautioned to keep Tom from getting cocky about the first day's performance. Tom gulped, nervous again.

As Becca gave a round of hugs to the group again, Tom was startled when Kaelin wrapped him up in an embrace. "Glad to have you with us," she said with conviction. "You're a good singer. Your voice complements Becca's nicely."

"Thanks," Tom answered, blushing. "I was scared stiff." Then his eyes widened at his unintended double-entendre, and he stifled a giggle.

Wes and the rest of the band likewise gave Tom warm hugs, until Becca pried him from the arms of Grif. "Lunchtime," she said sweetly, giving Grif a 'hands off' look as she took Tom's arm and led him out to the car.

As soon as he sat down, Tom started shaking from his nerves. "God, that was so ...."

"Nerve-wracking? Intimidating?" Becca suggested. "Damn, you're shaking like a leaf!"

"How would you feel if you were singing for the first time with someone like you, and ... in character? And then getting hugs, and having one of the sound guys hitting on me?" Tom trembled as a shiver ran up and down his spine. "Fuck, that was hard."

"Not now, but I expect it will be later," Becca teased with a wink and a grin. She put the car in gear and squealed out of the parking lot, the convertible top down, and sped through traffic. She was enjoying the feeling of the open air. Suddenly, at a stop light, she frowned and swore, "Oh, shit!"

Tom was startled. "What?"

"I really fucked up!" Becca swore again. She banged her hands on the steering wheel, shaking her head in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Tom asked again.

"The tour I want to debut the songs is in Europe," Becca said, sounding frustrated. "How are you going to go with me?"

"I've got a passport," Tom replied, confused, but then his eyes widened. "Oh, crap! You're right. I ... I can't go like this."

"Fuck!' Becca said angrily. "I really, really was looking forward to Amber touring with me."

Tom hung his head in frustration. After a moment, he looked up at Becca. "Why can't I ...?" Tom began, but he stopped and thought for a few seconds. "I suppose that wouldn't work."

"What wouldn't work?"

"If ... if I could get a passport as Amber," Tom said timidly, "then I _could_ go, I suppose." He shook his head. "But there's no way I could get that."

"You'd be willing to travel with me as Amber – full time?" Becca asked, seemingly stunned but also delighted by his idea.

"Well, yeah," Tom replied, blushing. "I like being with you. You're fun and sexy. And even though it's scary, I was starting to look forward to singing with you on stage." He looked at her, and then looked down. "It ... gets me excited, just like you said it does to you."

Becca had a thoughtful expression for a few seconds. "Hmm. Maybe that'll work. Let me call my lawyer and see if there's something we can do."

Tom squealed with delight at her answer, unaware of just how feminine he was acting and sounding. "You haven't toured for the last three months," he said, "and ... I miss touring with you."

"Let's go home and see what we can do," Becca said with a grin, "after a little ... unwinding."

**********

Tom glanced around, looking over his sunglasses. "There's a photographer over by the bank," he whispered to Becca. He sighed. "Can't they let us eat in peace?"

Becca laughed. "No. It's the price of being a celebrity, but sometimes it really pisses me off."

"Like the time you told that dipshit photographer that you were going to shove his camera up his fucking ass?" Tom giggled. He was en femme as Amber, as he was more than eighty percent of his time now, even when relaxing or alone around her house. They sat in the patio area of a deli that was a well-known stop for celebrities in this ritzier part of the city. It was a lovely, sunny day, and Amber looked extremely feminine and enchanting. He wore a comfortable sun dress and white open-toed shoes. His newly-colored hair had a reddish tint that was highlighted by the golden rays of the sun.

Becca grinned. "I should have. It would have taught him a lesson."

"And tied you up in a lawsuit for years," Tom said with a pleasant smile. He looked at Becca, and he felt a rush of contentment and pleasure. Being with Becca had become the most comfortable and exciting things he'd ever experienced.

"True, but that's why I've got a good lawyer." She took a sip of wine. "Speaking of which, the meeting today went very well, don't you think?"

Tom shrugged. "I guess. He sounded pretty optimistic." A thought occurred to him, and he frowned. "But he said something about being lucky that I had months of counseling and cross-dressing. What's that all about?"

"I'm not sure. It's probably nothing," Becca replied easily – too easily.

Tom wondered if she _did_ know something about the comments.

She abruptly changed the subject. "Are you done? I'm ready to go shopping."

Three hours later, they pulled into the garage at Becca's house. "That was fun," Becca said easily, helping Tom to gather the bags from the car trunk.

Tom nodded, but his cheeks flushed a bit. "I think the outfits are pretty," he said. "But I don't think a push-up bra was necessary." Without thinking, he glanced down at his chest, at the protruding round bumps. "I mean, they're getting kind of big on their own."

Becca dropped the bags in her hand and sidled up beside Tom, her hand reaching up to caress Tom's breast. "Are you complaining?" She pouted. "I thought you liked it when I played with them."

Tom purred, feeling the electric tingle of arousal as Becca touched him. "I do," he said enthusiastically. "But ... isn’t it weird? I mean, a guy having breasts?"

Becca continued caressing Tom. "But you like it, don't you?" she asked with certainty. "And besides, with a million dollars, you can easily afford to have them removed if you like."

Tom sighed happily. "Yeah, I really like it. It was weird at first, you know – having them bounce around when I exercise, getting used to wearing a bra. And it was so ... unique ... when they got sensitive. I suppose I could have them removed." He didn't sound certain that he would want to have a mastectomy when the year was over.

"You're almost a B-cup, and with the push-up bra, you look absolutely irresistible."

Tom smiled, blushing, at the compliment, but then frowned. "I'm not sure about a couple of the outfits, though. I'm not sure about the crop-top that shows off my navel piercing. And I thought I was going to keep my tats hidden."

Becca pulled herself closer and began to nibble on Tom's ear. "But your tats look so sexy," she countered, "and the piercing really helps your image."

"I don't know," Tom said, but his reluctance was withering under Becca's ministrations. "The earrings are okay, but the butterfly on my thigh is a little too feminine, isn't it? And the rose on my arm?"

Becca smiled. "They make you even more luscious looking," she purred. "You look perfect for being on stage. Well, except for getting you a really sexy outfit that matches mine." She laughed. "It's a good thing that we're about the same size. It's easier to get the costuming done."

"Sometimes," Tom said reflectively, his voice a little sad, "when I look in the mirror, all I can see is Amber. I've lost so much weight, and with my boobs and the piercings and tats and hair ...." He shook his head. "I don't see much of myself anymore."

"You're pretty when you're Amber," Becca purred. "You're cute and sexy."

Tom smiled at her compliment. "Thanks. I just ... I know I should be freaking out about how much I've changed, but ... I don't feel like I need to." He sighed. "And ...." He stopped, not quite sure how to proceed.

"And what?"

"It's just that, sometimes, I feel like you're trying to turn me into a woman," Tom said with a nervous laugh. "I mean, wearing woman's underwear, growing boobs, the voice training that sounds like a sexy girl, the leotards for working out – and then today." He paused, listening for a reaction that didn't come. He gulped nervously, hoping he hadn't offended her. "I know it's silly, isn't it?"

"I think it's really kinky when you're dressed like a woman," Becca purred in his ear, her fingers playing with his nipples. "Do you like it?"

"Is ... is Linda trying to steer me somewhere with the counseling and all her questions?" Tom asked in a frightened voice. "Sometimes, I feel like I should be worried about some of the things I'm doing."

"Linda is helping make sure we don't do something you're uncomfortable with," Becca said reassuringly.

"But ... is she changing who I am? Are you changing who I am?" Tom asked fearfully. "Does that mean you don't like me?"

"I like who you are inside, not your outer shell," Becca tried to reassure him. She couldn't hide the gleam in her eye. Fortunately for her, Tom didn't notice.

Tom thought for a moment. "But do you like it more when I'm Amber, or when I'm Tom?"

Becca focused on hiding her true emotions and looking thoughtful. She knew that how she answered the question was going to powerfully influence how Tom felt about their arrangement. "Honestly?" She bit her lip for a moment. "It doesn't matter for sex, since you've got your ... equipment," she giggled. "But ... I think I like Amber as a companion a little more." She looked away for a moment. "I like you as Tom a lot," she continued, "but I'm more comfortable with Amber as a girlfriend. It's fun to do 'girl things' with Amber."

"Oh." Tom sounded disappointed.

Becca heard his concern. "You're so special either way. What's important is what _you_ want." She winced inside, hoping for one answer, but not sure if what Tom would say was what _she_ wanted to hear. What she was _hoping_ to hear.

"I ...." Tom looked down, shaking his head slowly. "I don't know," he admitted softly. "What I want is to enjoy my time with you. I want us to have fun, and be adventurous and bold. I want to sing on stage with you. I ... I want to be with you as much as I can." He looked up at Becca, his eyes soft and innocent because of his makeup. "I ... I like being Amber. Sometimes I like it a lot."

"Enough to spend almost two months living as Amber when we tour Europe? If the lawyer can figure something out, I mean?"

Tom looked down again. He nodded slowly, feeling his cheeks blush. "Yeah."

"You know that the media thinks that Amber and I are in a lesbian relationship, right?"

Tom nodded, and then looked up, doe-eyed at Becca. "Are we in a relationship?"

Becca didn't answer, but instead wrapped him in an embrace and eagerly kissed him. "What do you think?" she asked many moments later when their lips parted.

"Don't you care if people think you're gay?" Tom asked.

Becca smiled. "I don't give a fuck what other people think, as long as I'm happy." She wiped a tear from his eye. "You didn't tell me what you think."

"I think ...." Tom lowered his eyes again. "I'm afraid that I'm falling for you."

"And I think I'm falling in love with you, too," Becca admitted softly. She took Tom by the hand and led him into the house, dropping shopping bags all along the way."

**********

Becca smiled as she and Tom walked out of the courtroom. She high-fived her lawyer, obviously pleased by the outcome. "Now we need to get a passport for you," she told Tom, around whose waist her arm was wrapped.

"Okay," Tom said. His smile betrayed a bit of worry or nervousness.

"We'll go get your pictures right now, and then go fill out the paperwork. They should be able to do a rush job on the passport, so we'll be set to go in two weeks."

Tom looked at the paper in his hands. He had his temporary ID as Amber Newton, so he could travel – and perform – with Becca. Then he noticed something on the form. "Hey," he said, concern in his voice, "this is a legal name change."

"The lawyer said it had to be in order to get a passport."

"But ...."

"It's just temporary," Becca assured him.

"But ... this changes my gender to being legally female!" Tom cried in anguish as he noticed another item on the document. He scowled. "I didn't want to be legally a woman!" A pout clouded his features.

"You're so cute when you pout," Becca laughed, pulling him close to her side.

Tom angrily crossed his arms, not replying to her, but continuing to sulk and pout.

Becca led him to the car. She knew how upset he was when she offered to let him drive, but he just wordlessly crawled into the passenger seat, frowning and sulking. As she drove, she tried to pull him out of his funk. "You want to go out for dinner tonight to celebrate?" she asked cheerfully.

Tom merely sat in his seat, arms crossed angrily, and didn't reply to her.

When they arrived home, Tom dashed from the car and ran up to his bedroom, slamming the door shut and locking it before collapsing face-first onto his bed. His cheeks were tear-stained, and his body convulsed lightly from his sobs. Everything had come together in the courtroom, and he was certain that he'd been manipulated and tricked for the past nine-and-a-half months by Becca. He didn't know what her cruel game had been, but he'd become part of something that he hadn't wanted.

A knock sounded on his door. "Tom?" Becca's voice sounded soft and pleading. "May I come in?" After Tom had ignored her for a few moments, she knocked again and tried to open the door "Tom?" Once more, Tom didn't answer, instead lying on the bed and crying. Becca knocked and called once more. Finally, after no response, she went away.

An hour and a half later, a knock sounded again. "Tom? I've got some dinner for you."

"Leave me alone!" Tom cried, fighting the ongoing stream of tears.

Moments later, the other door that led to Becca's room opened, and she stepped in, carrying a tray. "Tom?" she asked hesitantly, setting the tray on his dresser. "It's late, and I figured you were getting hungry."

Tom rolled over, turning his back to her. "Go away!" he sobbed.

"What's wrong?" she asked, genuinely confused by his hysteria.

"You tricked me!"

Becca sat on the edge of his bed, trying to rub his shoulders, but he pulled away. "How did I trick you?"

"All those supplements and hormones – you knew they'd make me look like a woman, didn't you?. The exercise and diet – was that so I'd look more feminine, too? And with Linda, in the counseling? She was really focused on my feelings about cross-dressing and my sexuality and the ... games we played. Was she trying to make me want to become more of a woman? Make me into your dream woman? Some kind of kinky, fetish she-male? Is that what this was all about?" Tom demanded, his eyes flashing angrily as he glared at Becca.

Becca looked hurt by his accusation. "Is that what you think? That I'd do this to you if you didn't want it?"

"You're the one who said that you're an ice cold bitch who gets what you want," Tom snapped, turning back away from her.

"I've never been a bitch to you, have I?" Becca countered, putting her hands gently on his shoulders. Her voice reflected the hurt she felt in her heart at his accusations.

Tom started to answer, but paused as her words sank in. She was right – she hadn't been bitchy or domineering or nasty to him – except for a few bedroom games where she played a dominatrix – and that had been mutual. "Did you ... want me to change?" Tom asked bluntly, after he'd thought for a bit. He turned slowly to see her expression, and the look in her eyes as she answered. He still sounded angry, and he was still frowning.

Becca swallowed hard. "Truthfully?" she asked hesitantly. She saw his nod. "When we started, I was nervous about another relationship with a man going bad. I was afraid of being hurt again. But you ... you were different. I ... I was willing to take a chance."

Tom read her eyes. "Oh?"

"The whole divorce fiasco left me really hurt inside, and I didn't really... really... trust men. Not after I'd been hurt as bad as I had been." She looked down, not sure if she wanted him to see her expression. "I ... I had flings with my friends, because it felt safer, easier. I ...." She shook her head slowly. "Maybe I am more comfortable with women. I don't know for sure."

"So you changed me?" Tom's accusatory tone was back.

She looked up sharply, her eyes burning at his accusation. "I didn't ask you to do anything that Linda didn't assure me you were okay with."

Tom stared at her for a moment, and then looked away, thinking of what her words meant. Had he really chosen this, instead of being pushed into it by Becca? If so, what did that mean about him as a man? As he breathed slowly, he felt his breasts moving, the shoulder straps and band of his bra constraining his chest. Was he even still a man? He wasn't sure any longer. "But you did push me, didn't you?"

Becca hung her head at the truth in his words. "Maybe I did." She thought a bit. "Yeah, I guess I did push you some." Her voice was heavy. "I ... wanted you to be ... a companion that gave me everything I wanted. I wanted a best friend who would happily do girl things with me, not someone who was going to compete and try to make me do what _he_ wanted. But I wanted someone who could love me the way I like, someone who wouldn't be dominant, but would sometimes let me be in charge. I guess I figured that if I had a companion like that, I wouldn't be hurt again." She turned her back to Tom, tears tricking from her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Tom sat in silence, mulling over her explanation. He felt betrayed and used, but at the same time, he couldn't deny that Becca's relationship to Amber was definitely a strong friendship, a deep affection he'd never experienced with Katie. In a way, his own marital difficulties with Katie made it difficult for him to blame Becca for being uneasy about another conventional relationship after Becca's hellish divorce experience.

Becca slid across the bed and hugged him tightly from behind. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, hesitantly.

Tom shook his head sadly, his hair swirling about his face to remind him of what he now was. "I don't know."

"I'm sorry," Becca said again, not trying to disguise the regret in her voice, nor fight the tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. "I ... I'd understand if you felt betrayed, and if you want me to leave." When Tom didn't say anything, Becca started to stand, her expression sad.

"Please don't go," Tom implored softly, still not looking at her.

Startled, Becca slowly eased herself back down on the bed, keeping an uneasy distance from Tom. She waited to see if he had more to say, and she wasn't quite sure what she should say herself. "Can you forgive me?" she finally asked in a tiny, frightened voice.

Tom nodded wordlessly.

"Do you want to be Amber?" Becca asked hesitantly, "or do you want to be Tom?"

"I ... I'm not sure." Tom looked down at the bed, at his smooth-shaven legs poking out from his dress. "I ...." He turned, looking at Becca. "You said you like Amber better, because of the 'girl things' you can do with her?" Tom asked for confirmation.

Becca nodded uneasily. "Yeah. As long as you keep ... Mister Happy."

Tom looked down, lost in thought. He saw his hands, with the long, enameled nails. He saw the dress he wore over his nylon-clad, hairless, smooth legs. He saw a valley of cleavage on his chest, enhanced by his padded, push-up bra. Who – or what – was he? He wasn't really sure. But the one thing he did know is that Becca preferred Amber. And, as much as it upset him to admit it, he enjoyed being Amber. "Then I guess I'm Amber," Tom said softly, as he turned his head and looked to her. "Because I need to be with you a lot more than I need to be Tom." He gazed into her eyes longingly, and lifted his lips toward hers.

"Does that mean Amber wants to tour Europe with me?" Becca asked as soon as they broke their kiss.

Tom smiled, and kissed Becca again, a little more passionately. "What do you think? You taught me how to sing, and your stage routines, and you got me those lovely, sexy costumes. And you think I might _not_ want to go with you? That I might miss the chance of a lifetime to see Europe with you?" He leaned into yet another kiss, while pulling Becca into a warm, wild, exuberant embrace, giving her the answer that she was hoping to hear. In moments, they were lying on the bed, tearing each other's clothes off. When Tom rolled to his back, to a submissive position, like he usually did, Becca stopped him. Instead, she rolled to her back and pulled him atop her, ceding the dominant position to him. "I want you to take me this time," she purred in his ear.

**********

Tom leaned back on the arm of a sofa, his back against pillows and his legs parallel to the back, with Becca snuggled up against him. Across the room, a gas log blazed in the fireplace, and the room lights were low. In front of them, on a coffee table, sat two half-empty glasses of red wine. Becca's head rested on Tom's left shoulder, and her left hand rested atop one of his breasts, while his arms were wrapped tenderly around her. Her eyes were half-closed, and a very contented smile graced her features.

"Mmmm," she purred, "you're so comfy. I could stay here all night."

"I was about to say the same," Tom replied with a smile. "I like it when we cuddle like this. It's so peaceful and quiet."

"I didn't think I'd ever like something so quiet and tranquil," Becca mused. "I never liked quiet before."

"That's because quiet can be scary," Tom mused.

Becca's eyebrow rose. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

Tom shrugged. "When you're alone and it's quiet, all you can hear is your own heart speaking to you, and that's when it tells you that you're lonely, or that you want companionship. It's scary, because there aren't any distractions to keep you from thinking about what your heart wants."

"Wow, that's pretty deep," Becca said admiringly. "I thought you were an engineer, not a philosopher," she added with a giggle.

Tom smiled. "I'm not an engineer this year, remember?" he teased.

"You know, I think I could make a song out of that. Sort of a soft, reflective piece about what you think about when you're alone and it's quiet."

"Maybe something about how partying and socializing, even if they're not friends, is a distraction from how lonely your heart is when it's quiet?" Tom speculated.

"Maybe I could call it Quiet is Scary." Becca turned her head up and her lips sought his. After a brief kiss, she smiled. "You're so inspiring to me," she purred. "Since we've been together, you've given me ideas for several songs." She laughed. "I ought to keep you around longer so I can keep writing chart-breaking songs and albums." She leaned her head back against his shoulder, and the sweet smell from her scented hair products and her enticing perfume wafted to Tom's nose. The combined aromas were a tranquilizer, a soothing aroma therapy that helped Tom feel completely at peace and content. At the same time, the feminine scents that Tom was wearing teased Becca, making her feel relaxed and at the same time, moderately aroused.

"Am I where you got the idea for To Hell with Him?" Tom mused. "That was received pretty well when you debuted it at the concert."

Becca let her hand play with Tom's growing breast. "I was thinking specifically of Hands Off, Bitch."

"Oh? Why that one?" The song had been widely acclaimed when she performed it in concert; it was Becca's habit to perform her new songs on stage, and then pick which ones she wanted to release as singles, and even which ones she'd do music videos of, based on audience reaction.

"Because that's how I felt when Erica was dancing with you at the club when I introduced you to her," Becca said simply.

Tom smiled to himself at the memory of how possessive Becca was of him. It made him feel special. "Oh, yeah. I remember that now. Any other songs?"

Becca snuggled even closer to Tom, if that was possible. "Definitely not Lie to Me Tonight or Another Party. And I'm starting to think of another song, but it's not quite coming together yet. I'm hoping to have it done so we can perform it on the European tour."

Tom smiled, content to be cuddling and spending close time. Sex was good. In fact, it was better than good; Becca was fantastic, and quite imaginative and creative. But it felt so comforting to just snuggle together and talk, or not talk, and feel close. He wondered if that was something he'd always wanted to do but never had the chance, or if it was because of being with Becca. "I would have thought Another Party was inspired by me. I mean, it's about starting to think that a party lifestyle is empty and hollow, and it feels like something is missing."

"You really do pay attention to the meanings of my songs, don't you?" Becca said, impressed. "You might be right. I hadn't thought about it. And that was early in our relationship, too. Maybe it was subconsciously inspired by you." She lifted her head again, inviting another kiss. After a prolonged, passionate kiss, she let her lips pull away from his. "I'm content to lie here, but if you want more, it wouldn't take but a word to get me in the mood."

Tom grinned. "I like this too. But ... I like our games, too. Just for reference, what would the magic word be?"

Becca lifted her head and whispered in his ear, "Horny."

"Horny?" Tom asked, surprised by her bluntness.

"Okay," Becca said with a grin. She moved until she was leaning over him, almost face-to-face, and she began to passionately kiss him, while her hands began to roam over his body. In moments, the two lovers were intertwined in their passion on the sofa, illuminated by the flickering fireplace as they satisfied their lust for one another.

**********

"Well?" Becca asked as they strolled into their dressing room, arm in arm. "Was I right? Is this trip fabulous?" They were going to do a quick rehearsal, check the sound, and get ready for yet another sold-out concert with screaming fans – this one in Frankfurt, Germany, the seventh in three weeks.

Amber leaned her head on Becca's shoulder, a contented smile on her face. "It's better than fabulous," she said in a soft, sexy voice. "I love it when we have some time off, to just go do things together."

"I know it can get a little tiring to be touring," Becca admitted. "And I know it was pretty hectic trying to get the filming done for the new music video before we started touring. But this isn't as bad as the Australian tour I did two years ago. That was twenty-seven performances in thirty-five days."

"And I really liked being in the video, even if I was nervous as hell."

"You did wonderfully," Becca said, giving Amber a kiss.

"When we get done with the rehearsal, can we go find a nice, quiet little restaurant for an intimate late lunch?" Amber asked.

"That sounds like fun." Becca shut the door to her dressing room behind them, then turned and gave Amber a longer, more passionate kiss. "I'm so glad you're here with me. It makes touring so much more fun."

"You just like the sex!" Amber teased.

"So do you!" Becca retorted with a grin. "I'm going to check with the effects guys and see how they set things up, before we do the sound check and rehearse." She kissed Amber again.

"I'll be out in a minute," Amber promised. "I need to make sure the rising platform works right tonight." Early in their song Special Girl, Amber, wearing a diaphanous, flowing dress, rose onto stage by a hydraulic lift, appearing through a curtain of artificial fog, like a dream materializing for Becca. When it worked right, it was an extremely powerful visual effect. The other night, though, it hadn't quite worked, and Amber's appearance had been delayed. Fortunately, the band improvised a bit to hide the mistake, while two stagehands lifted Amber up, so she could step from their hands through the fog onto the stage. She'd had to be very careful for the rest of the song, since there was a gaping hole in the stage where the lift should have taken her.

"K," Becca acknowledged before strutting out the door, closing it behind her.

Amber went to the room's toilet to relieve herself. Though she frequently sat to urinate, she was in a rush, so she just stood and peed. Over the splashing noise, she didn't hear the dressing room door open.

"Becca?" Amber recognized Kaelin's voice instantly. Kaelin, the bass guitarist, was looking for Becca for some reason, possibly something that the two needed to straighten out, and had come in the dressing room.

Amber quickly finished and flushed the toilet. As she started to tuck away her willy, she heard a gasp of surprise from the bathroom door. She turned, and saw Kaelin standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with surprise, even shock. "Uh," Amber stammered, breaking the awkward moment of silence, "I can explain." She was so stunned that she momentarily forgot that she was holding her exposed male member . As soon as she realized that Kaelin was staring at her crotch, she hastily tucked her parts away in her gaff, and zipped her jeans shut.

"This explains a lot," Kaelin said softly. She turned and shut the dressing room door, locking it, before turning back to an embarrassed Amber, who had come out of the bathroom.

"Um," Amber winced, not knowing quite how to handle the situation, and knowing that rumors were going to fly fast and furious, possibly damaging Becca's career. She could handle her own humiliation, but the thought of hurting Becca was too much to bear. "I, um, er, ...." she stammered.

"You're Tom, aren't you?" Kaelin said with certainty.

Amber stared at her a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah." Kaelin was too smart to be fooled if Amber tried to lie.

Kaelin took Amber's elbow and guided her to a chair, pushing her to sit. She turned another chair so she could face Amber. "I wondered why Becca was suddenly into girls. I mean, I know she tried girls after ... that shit," she spat the words, indicating her own distaste for what Becca's ex had put her through. "And I really couldn't blame her if she did, considering how much he hurt her."

"I ... I wasn't ... I didn't intend ...." Amber looked down, shaking her head sadly, unable to find words to tell Kaelin.

"I won't tell anyone," Kaelin said, her voice reassuring. "It's our little secret – just between us girls." She smiled at Amber's stunned expression. "This really makes sense now."

"What do you mean?"

"Besides Tom's disappearance, and the appearance of Amber," Kaelin began, "there's the little issue of how satisfied Becca always looks. She never had that look when she was trying girls, but only when she was pretty satisfied by a guy." She laughed. "I was wondering how she had that look with you."

Amber blushed at the realization that others knew, from Becca's satisfied look, when they'd been making love.

"And we all know that Becca is a little ... kinky."

Amber couldn't help laughing. "That's an understatement."

"I promise I won't tell," Kaelin reiterated to reassure Amber. "To be honest, you're good for her." She saw the expression of disbelief on Amber's face. "She's back to being the fun person she was before all that shit happened to her. She's enjoying herself again. She's got more energy and joy in her performances, and even in rehearsals, than I can remember." Kaelin shook her head. "We were all really worried about her after the divorce. Her songs were getting a little dark and depressing. Now, she's writing stuff with more energy and passion than before." Kaelin stood, offered her hand to Amber, and pulled her up. Then Kaelin wrapped Amber in a big hug. "You're good for her. Please don't hurt her."

Amber was touched by Kaelin's gesture of friendship. "I won't. I ... I think I'm falling in love with her. Even the thought of hurting her ...." She shook her head. "I couldn't bear to know that I caused her any pain or distress. But ...."

Kaelin's eyes narrowed. "What?"

Amber sighed. Since Kaelin already knew Amber's secret, she might as well go all the way with her explanation. "I ... met Becca almost a year ago, when I – the male me – was hiking. She ... rented me from my wife for a year. Since then, we've been, well, ...." She didn't need to continue. "Over time, I ... changed ... to what I am now." She sighed. "I'm afraid."

"Why?"

"What's going to happen when the year is up? I'm ... I'm falling in love with her." Tears were seeping from the corners of Amber's eyes as she lowered her gaze. "But ... I'm afraid of hurting her by trying to stay around if she doesn't want me."

"Honey," Kaelin said with a grin, placing her hands on Amber's cheeks and tilting her head back up until they were eye-to-eye, "I wouldn't worry about that at all."

Amber felt a flutter of hope in her heart. "Does she ...?"

Kaelin shrugged. "She hasn't said anything directly, but if her actions are any clue, then I don't think you're going to have to worry about what _she_ wants. The question is more what you want." Kaelin grabbed Amber's hand. "Let's go out so we can get our checks done. If I know Becca, she probably wants to take you to some cozy little spot for lunch."

Amber laughed, wiping at her tears. "Actually, that was my idea." She had felt a bit like an outsider; after all, this was Becca's band, and her tour, and her performances. But now, her bass guitarist was accepting her, and even promising to keep confident Amber's little 'secret'. She felt like she was a part of the group for the first time. Touring with Winter suddenly felt like being part of a family. And Kaelin had strongly suggested that Amber's growing feelings toward Becca weren't one-way. Amber's eyes moistened with happiness.

**********

Becca sat in the restaurant, smiling, as Katie walked toward her table. She was puzzled that Tom wasn't sitting with Becca, but she was also scowling at Becca's smug expression. When Becca gestured to a vacant chair, Katie pulled it back from the table and sat down. "Where's Tom?" Katie demanded without pause.

"You don't have time for pleasantries," Becca asked with a smile, "like 'how are you', or 'how was your year'?"

"Cut the crap. This is the night it's over," Katie snapped. "Where's Tom?"

"I take it you had a very ... unsatisfying year?" Becca asked with a wicked grin. "Did it get too frustrating being alone? Did you find a dildo and vibrator to be a poor substitute for a man?"

Katie's features clouded and anger burned in her eyes. "What the hell are you talking about? I don't do that kind of thing."

"And you gave your husband to me for a year to be _my_ consort," Becca reminded her, raising her wineglass to have a sip. "Or did you forget?"

"I didn't forget. And now your year is up. I want him back," Katie said with a scowl. "And you owe us four hundred thousand, too."

Becca laughed aloud, further annoying Katie. "To you, this was all about the money, wasn't it? You don't give a fuck about Tom, or his feelings, or what he wanted. All you saw were dollar signs, so you pimped him out faster than I used to be able to chug a beer!"

"That's none of your business now," Katie angrily retorted. "I want my husband back."

"No," Becca answered simply.

"Wha ...?" Katie's eyes widened as she comprehended Becca's response. "What do you mean, no?"

"Simple. You can't have him back." She calmly took another sip of her wine. "We have an agreement that he was my companion for a year. Now that the year is up, it's his choice, not yours." She looked like she'd forgotten something, and then she looked down and fumbled around in her purse, extracting an envelope. "Here. This is your last payment." She slid it across the table to Katie.

"You ... you're breaking our agreement."

Becca shook her head. "No, I'm not. I kept my end of the deal. You kept yours. Now, the year is over, and Tom's a free agent." She grinned. "And I don't intend to let you win him back."

"You ... bitch!" Katie snarled. "He's _my_ husband!"

Becca smiled. "Yes, I am a bitch. Do you know why I got the nickname Winter in high school? It was because people said I can be an Ice Cold Bitch when I don't get what I want. They said I can get really mean and nasty."

"I'm not going to let you have him. He's mine."

"So why did you pimp him out, then? Or did you find out, only after you let him go, that he treated you better than you deserved? Did you get so desperate for companionship and love that you had a lover or two to try to take his place?"

"What I did is no business of yours! It's my life."

"And yet you say that you're Tom's wife, as if you really care about your marriage. It's all about you, isn't it? You want him back because your realized how good he was to you, is that it? You want the money he was earning, right?" She leaned back in the chair, resting comfortably with a confidence that rattled Katie. "Do you know what we've done for the last year?"

"That was your business," Katie tried to deflect the line of conversation, "because we had an agreement."

"Tom went with me touring. We cooked and ate a lot of meals together, a lot of different, unique, fun recipes. We cuddled on the couch, just enjoying each other's company. We talked. We went on hikes, and went shopping together, and we went to clubs – always together. And yes, we fucked like bunnies – quite frequently and creatively, if I do say so myself." She was enjoying rubbing Katie's face in the past year. "And you know what? Tom is my best friend. He's gentle, and warm, and caring. He's very considerate and ... extremely passionate." Her eyes got a dazed, happy look in them as she recounted their love-making only a few hours earlier. "I don't understand how you couldn't see that, or didn't appreciate it, but I'm glad you didn't."

"But that doesn't change the fact that he's married to me."

"How about if we let Tom decide?" Becca asked confidently. She turned toward the bar area. "Come here, sweetie," she called out.

Katie let her gaze follow Becca's, and the frown on her face deepened. "What ... what the hell kind of joke are you pulling?" she demanded. "I want my husband, not some ... slut in a skimpy dress."

Amber sauntered easily, with feminine grace, to the table, where she took a seat beside Becca. "I'm not a slut, Katie," Amber purred in her sexy contralto voice.

"Where's Tom? Why did you bring this ... girl over here?"

Becca glanced at Amber, sharing an amused look. "Amber, why don't you tell Katie here a little more about yourself?"

Amber smiled, scooting closer to Becca and wrapping her arm around her waist. "Sure. After a year, I don't think you'd recognize your husband if he were right next to you, so you probably need an explanation."

"Knock off the riddles!" Katie was getting very agitated. "Where's Tom?"

"Right in front of you," Amber said with a sly grin. She saw Katie's eyes narrow, reflecting her confusion. Smiling, Amber looked at her purse and pulled out a paper, which she put in front of Katie.

Still frowning and puzzled, Katie glanced over the paperwork. "What ... what's this about?" Her head was spinning – Becca had told her that she wasn't getting Tom back, and then some confusing legal document was thrust in her face by a young lady.

"Simple," Amber answered, smiling. "I'm not Tom anymore. I'm legally Amber. I'm legally a woman, even though I'm more properly a pre-op transgender. That's a copy of the court order changing my name and gender."

Katie's mouth dropped open. "That's ... that's ludicrous!" she blurted out before she looked at the paper again.

"And I don't want to come back to you. Not after comparing the way you treated me with the way Becca treats me. Not after living the last year with passion, daring, boldness, and adventure. Not after the way Becca loves me." Amber shook her head. "I'm not coming back to you or to the misery you brought to my life. I deserve to be happy, and Becca makes me very, very happy."

Becca smiled, pulling folder of papers from beside herself. "You might want to look at these, too," she said to Katie as she dropped the folder on the table before the other woman.

The sinking feeling in Katie's gut was reflected in her shocked expression. "What is it?" she asked nervously.

"Divorce papers," Amber answered sweetly. "I filed them this afternoon, so the court hasn't had time to properly serve you."

"But ... but ..." Katie sputtered. "You're my husband!"

Becca finished her wine before she spoke. "Amber, you have a choice of going home with your wife, the woman who was callous enough to pimp you out to me for money, the woman you always fought with, the woman who wouldn't give you sex, or you can stay with me. A boring, unsatisfying life, or the adventure we've been having for the past year, and more. It's up to you."

Amber just smiled, and then, puzzlingly to Katie, began to sing. It was, Becca knew immediately, Amber's part from the duet, Special Girl, that Becca had written just for Amber. When she finished a refrain, she leaned close to Becca and gave her a long, passionate kiss. "What do you think my answer is, my love?" she asked in a sultry voice.

Katie sat, flabbergasted by the spectacle she was witnessing. Her jaw hung open in disbelief of almost everything – that Tom had been feminized to _be_ Amber – full-time and legally, that he had filed for divorce, that he was enthusiastically happy with Becca. "I'll ... I'll sue you!" she screamed.

Becca just smiled. "Go ahead. If you knew anything about me, you'd know that I don't give a flying fuck about what the press says. And if you think that you'll make hay with me having a female lover, you ought to think again. It'll actually make me more popular with a lot of my fans, and it's perfectly legal for Amber and me to even get married if we wish. I'll have a field day describing your eagerness to take my offer, and then showing all the ... interesting things I had a couple of guys find out about you." She saw Katie pale. "Like I said, I get what I want, or I can be an ice cold bitch."

Katie sat, absolutely stunned. She'd been too clever by half, thinking that Tom would be tired of the celebrity lifestyle and a bitchy rock star. Instead, she was outflanked and outmaneuvered. "I'll talk to my lawyer, and see what he has to say," she snapped as she stood.

"It'd be best to just sign the paper now," Amber said sweetly. "That way, you won't have any of our dispute and your behavior in the public record, which it will be if you fight me ... us ... on this."

Katie took the sheaf of papers and stormed out of the restaurant, her face a mask of rage at what had happened to her.

Amber watched her leave, and then turned to Becca, already having forgotten about Katie. "What do you want to do, my love?" she purred.

Becca kissed her. "There's a lovely little bed and breakfast up the coast. It's small, and discrete, and there are some wonderful trails for hiking, and picnicking. How about a little break to celebrate tonight, and the release of the music video for Special Girl?"

"Are the beds comfortable?" Amber asked with a naughty grin.

Becca smiled wickedly. "Depends on whether you're on top or on the bottom!"

"You're so fucking naughty," Amber giggled.

"So are you," Becca said. "That's what I love about you. You're my best friend as Amber, and with little Tom still hanging around, you're the best lover I've ever had."

Amber blushed at the compliment. "And you're my best friend and lover. And I don't think Tom is so little, do you? At least, you always go on and on about how big and satisfying he is!" she added with a grin.

When Becca stopped giggling at Amber's comment, she continued, "While we're here, I've got a couple of more things I want to talk about with you."

"Oh?" Amber was surprised at the new topics, and a little fearful.

"Not like that," Becca replied quickly, having read Amber's expression. "First," she dug in her purse again, and pulled out a little box. "As soon as the divorce is finalized," she said, opening the box and revealing a stunning diamond ring, "I want to marry you. If you'll have me, that is."

Amber wiped at the tears which suddenly appeared in her eyes. "Oh, Becca!" she cried softly. "Oh, yes! Yes, yes, yes!" She wrapped her arms around Becca tightly, holding her close and crying tears of happiness on her shoulder.

After a few moments, Amber released her embrace enough that Becca could slip the engagement ring on her finger. Amber stared at it lovingly, and then kissed Becca again. "It's ... it's gorgeous." A frown crossed her face. "But ... I don't have one for you."

Becca laughed. "Did I forget to mention that there are some nice boutique jewelers near the B&B, where we can go shopping for a ring from you to me?"

Amber's mouth dropped open as her eyes widened, and then she slapped Becca's arm playfully. "Oh, you!" After a few moments, she recalled something Becca had said earlier. "You said there were two things."

"Oh, yeah, there is something else. But it's kind of small." She seemed almost passé about the other thing she had to tell Amber.

"What is it?" Amber begged, her curiosity whetted.

"It's nothing really. I was at the doctor the other day."

Amber's eyes widened. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, suddenly concerned for her lover.

"Depends on," Becca said with a shrug, "whether you consider being pregnant something wrong." She watched with a grin as Amber's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"You're ... pregnant?" Amber squealed with delight. "But ...."

Becca smiled. "You know all those samples for the doctor? We'll they weren't really for tests. I wanted to save some of your ... contribution ... in case the supplements and hormones affected whether little Tom could still get me pregnant." She grinned naughtily. "I know they haven't affected the way you pin me to the bed!"

Amber frowned. "You _did_ plan this from the very beginning, didn't you?"

Becca laughed. “No," she admitted. "I didn't plan on any of this. It's just that, when I was getting to know you, I surprised myself by starting to actually care about you. And when Linda told me some of your hidden desires, which kind of matched up with my kinks ...." She paused, looking down. "I found myself falling in love with you, you're crazy about me, and we're going to have a baby together. So would it have really mattered?"

Amber looked thoughtful for a moment before she smiled warmly. "No. It wouldn't have." She hugged Becca again. "You've made me the happiest girl in the whole world!" She thought she saw movement, and glanced to the side. "There's a photographer looking at us through the window."

"I don't give a rat's ass," Becca said, as her lips sought Amber's. "Let them have their little gossip. I've got you." She grinned. "I've got our bags in the car, so how about if we start our little romantic getaway?"

Amber purred with content. "That sounds wonderful." She stood with Becca, clutching her arm tightly, as they walked out to Becca's car.

"Oh, there's one other thing I found out," Becca said as she slipped into the driver's seat of her car. "With the hormones you've been taking, there's a way to make it so that you can nurse our baby, too."

"You're always full of surprises," Amber said with a happy smile. "And I like it that way."

**********
FIN

uthor's note. This story was inspired by a few things - first, the realization that, as I've gotten older, I've lost some of the adventure and passion in my own life - which was brought home to me when a friend got me listening to Pink (thanks, LoF - in a good way). That started a 'what if' chain of thinking. Winter is modeled on Pink, if that isn't obvious. It's different for me - and was fun to write. I hope you find it enjoyable - and maybe a little kinky.