Laying the Ghost

The ringing of the telephone was a welcome relief. I'd been struggling too long with the damned algorithm and the module just wasn't going right. "Hello?"

"Ellen, it's Bill." My boss. "We need to talk. Jack Murphy has a problem."

"Serious?"

"More urgent than serious. It should be an easy rewrite, but I need it yesterday."

"Okay, I could do with a change. That alien-interceptor routine just isn't coming right, I'd like a break from it for a while." A period of doing something else might clear my mind.

"Great. I'll be at the office in about an hour. Can you meet me there?"

I had a sudden thought. "Bill, where are you calling from?"

"Murphy's office."

"Bill, the Elsman place is halfway between Murphy's and the office. Why not stop here. I have my own laptop as well as the kit you loaned me. We can work here, make an earlier start. No interruptions, either, as only the boss calls me here." I was getting to know Bill Trueman, knew he didn't mind a mild joke at his own expense. He was still the shyest man I knew and I didn't know what the hell to do to get him to notice me as a woman and not just an employee and a talented - even if I have to say so myself - programmer.

There was a pause, then, "Okay, Ellen, that's a good idea. I'll see you there in about thirty minutes."

"I'll have the coffee ready."

Well, what do you know! Bill was as good as his word and he pulled up outside the Elsman house almost exactly thirty minutes later. I was working there because the family were on an extended European vacation and I was housesitting for them. I'd gotten myself a job with Trueman Software when I'd come limping home from a failed romance and Bill Trueman had agreed to let me work in the house rather than the office until the Elsman family returned. I had arranged the lease of a small apartment and after I moved I planned to work in the office with the others. Maybe then Bill might notice me!

I let Bill in and Prince and Amber gave him a cautious welcome, as he'd never been to the house before. The dogs were the real reason I worked at the house, as they needed feeding and walking; the house didn't. They must have decided he was friendly because they soon went off, tails wagging, to do doggy things together. Bill and I got on with sorting out the problem for Jack Murphy. It wasn't difficult but Bill and I were at it solidly from one o'clock, when he arrived, until almost seven, when we finally finished and e-mailed the solution off to Jack Murphy.

We were both tired and I could see that Bill was taut with tension. I had an idea.

"Bill, you could do with a change, you're all tensed up," I said. "Why not have a swim, it will do you good." I smiled, coaxingly I hoped, praying I didn't look too pathetic.

He thought for a moment, obviously tempted, then he sighed. "No swimming gear." He shrugged.

"Not a problem, Bill. There's guest gear in the cabana." I pointed. "Just in case any guest wants a swim. You'll find something I'm sure."

He smiled at me. "I'd like that," he said, "but what about you?"

"If you don't mind, I'll join you. I could do with getting the kinks out myself. You get changed in the cabana and I'll go and get changed in my room. I'll see you in the pool." I smiled, my mind racing. Which bikini? The new high-cut one, or the older one with the oh-so-useful-in-a-seduction ties at the hips, neck and back. Memories of Matt came back and I opted for the ties.

When I came out a few minutes later Bill was churning along in an untidy crawl. He spotted me and swam to the side, resting on his arms. His smile of welcome faded almost into a stare, but he remembered his manners and smiled again, despite the flush suffusing his face.

"It's great. Come on in," he said and let himself back into the water, floating away on his back, his eyes on me. I tugged my bikini into a slightly less revealing position and dived into the pool. Surfacing, I threw my hair back and grinned at Bill, then began to do some hard laps to work off the tension of the sustained high effort we'd both put in on the work for Jack Murphy.

After half an hour or so, we'd had enough. Bill gave me a hand out and - like the time with Matt - I could feel my nipples erect in my bikini top. I could see Bill trying not to look but hell, I wanted him and this was one of my best assets so I was damned well going to use it! Them! He surprised me.

"Ellen, I want to thank you for the hard work you did this afternoon."

"You already have," I said.

He flushed. "I know, I meant properly." He grinned sheepishly. "Can I buy you supper?" he asked in a rush. "We can go to Toni's, if you like?" He waited anxiously, a half smile on his face, colour in his cheeks.

"Bill, I'd love to. Give me twenty minutes to get dressed and feed the dogs, Okay?"

"Great," he said, grinning. "I'll go and get changed myself. See you in twenty minutes." He went off, humming some popular ditty to himself.

I smiled to myself. First step, Ellen, don't spoil it! I went off to do as I said. It was nearer half an hour than twenty minutes, but Bill didn't complain. I let him help me into the passenger seat of his Mustang and managed to give him an 'accidental' flash of thigh as I swung my legs in. I'd chosen to wear a button-through blouse and straight skirt, reasoning that they were good 'go anywhere' clothes. The skirt was long enough to be acceptable anywhere, short enough to show some leg and my high-heeled sandals, I knew, showed my long legs off nicely. It was still warm and I didn't bother with a jacket.

Bill is a good driver and didn't seem to feel the need to make small talk while he drove, so I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Being a Tuesday, Toni's wasn't busy and we had a quiet corner table where we could hear ourselves speak. I can't remember what we ate or drank, but it was a good meal and I actually managed to draw Bill out and get him to talk. Admittedly, it was about software, programming and his family, rather than himself and whether he found Ellen Tranter attractive, but it was a start. Too soon, Bill was driving me back to the Elsman house.

"Want to come in for a coffee?" I asked, half expecting him to make an excuse.

"I'd love to," he said.

"Come on," I said, leading him in. I pointed. "You go and put some music on and I'll get the coffee."

The coffee was soon on the go and I went back through. "About ten minutes, Bill."

He was sitting on the couch, near one end, sprawled untidily, listening to some Rimsky-Korsakov he'd found in Jack Elsman's record collection. I sat beside him on the couch and leaned back myself, well aware of how my bust was thrown into relief against the lamp in the corner. Bill turned to look at me. I gazed back, neither of us saying anything. He moved slightly and I inched closer to him. He moved again. I moved. All the time we were looking steadily into each other's eyes. I thought I could see desire in his, and hoped he wouldn't see the naked lust in mine. My panties were wet and I wanted him.

When our lips finally met it was like a shock to my system. His kiss was hesitant at first, but I let myself soften and drew him in, my tongue ready to duel with his. His left arm was around my neck, his hand on my upper arm, his right hand on my left hip. I was enjoying the kiss and I was trying to let Bill know that I was enjoying the kiss, but I think he was getting the message because his tongue began to play with mine.

He broke the kiss eventually and drew back a little, gazing intently into my eyes. He opened his mouth and began to speak.

"Ellen," he began hesitantly, "I... umm...."

I put my finger on his lips to stop him. "Shut up, Bill, and kiss me again," I murmured.

He did, and this kiss was even better than the first. His hand moved on my arm, hesitantly. I thought, but wasn't sure, that he was making a gentle play for my breasts, so I made it easy for him and twisted slightly so that my left tit was under his hand then thrust it up and into his touch. Bless him, he might be the shyest man on this earth but he knew what to do in a clinch. His fingers stroked gently over my nipple, then his right hand left my hip and came up to cup my breast and he let his thumb rush over my rapidly stiffening bud. I figured I should give him some encouragement so I let a little moan build in my throat and trickled it into our kiss.

I think it helped, because the next thing I knew his fingers were fumbling with the buttons on my blouse. One-handed, he was struggling, so I quickly opened a couple of buttons and delighted in the touch of his fingers as his hand cupped my breast inside my blouse, the skimpy material of my bra little obstacle to his touch. I thought a little encouragement wouldn't hurt, so I whispered, "it fastens at the front, Bill."

The next thing I knew, my blouse was wide open and his fingers were loosening my bra. Hallelujah! The first touch of his fingers on my naked nipple was a shock, quickly followed by an even better one as his lips closed over it. My breathing was getting ragged and his wasn't much better as I let myself slide back on the couch until I was almost flat on my back, with Bill sprawled half on top of me, still busily suckling.

I could feel something pressing against my leg from the region of his groin. It felt big and solid and I wanted it where it would do us both the most good. I wondered for a moment, then took the bull by the horns. Well, almost. I actually took hold of his ears and pulled him up gradually so that we could kiss again. After aeons, I broke the kiss and looked into his eyes.

"Do you want to make love to me, Bill?" I whispered.

He blushed an incredible deep red, but nodded. "Yes, Ellen, very much."

"Stand up, then," I said and smiled.

Slightly confused, he stood and I held out my hand so that he could help me up. There was a very interesting bulge in his jeans. I couldn't help myself, I reached out and squeezed it gently. Bill made a noise that was half grunt, half moan, and his eyes closed for a moment. I took his hand and led him to my bedroom, careless of my open blouse and unfastened bra, enjoying the jiggle as I moved. I switched on the bedside lamp and a warm glow lit the room. I loosened my grip on Bill's hand and turned to face him.

Gazing straight into his eyes, I let the blouse swing back off my shoulders and drop to the floor, quickly followed by my bra. My nipples were stiff little nubbins and his eyes were flickering between them and my eyes. Still holding his gaze I loosened the zipper of my skirt and pushed it down over my hips, hooking my thumbs into my panties as I did so, pushing my skirt and panties down and stepping out of them.

Naked, for I was wearing no hose, I stood for him, weight on one leg, the other slightly bent, the time-honoured classic pose. Bill was gazing hungrily at me and I stepped forward into his embrace and closed my eyes as his lips found mine again. Bill is a good kisser and I was thoroughly enjoying myself as his tongue played gently with mine. Eventually, gently, I broke the kiss and pushed myself away from him.

"I think you'd better get naked, Bill, before I explode."

He shook himself as if coming out of a trance and kicked off his loafers, while his hands fumbled with the button and zipper of his jeans. He eased them off, revealing a satisfying bulge in his boxers, a bulge soon revealed to be a nice hard prick as his boxers came off. A very nice, very hard, prick. His shirt he almost ripped off and then we were both naked. Bill paused and looked at me and I held my hands out to him, wordlessly drawing him towards the bed.

I felt the bed behind my knees and let myself sit back, then sprawled on my back, drawing him down with me. Bill stopped me with a gentle squeeze on my fingers and lifted me into the centre of the bed, before lying down beside me. He propped himself on his left elbow and his warm right hand lazily stroked my belly, a half smile on his lips, warmth in his eyes.

"You are so beautiful, Ellen, so very lovely." He bent and kissed me lightly, then gazed into my eyes. "I want you, Ellen, so very much."

"Have me, Bill," I whispered, and moved my legs apart. I took his hand and put it to my slit. "Feel how wet I am. That's for you, Bill, for I want you, too."

Bill stroked my slit for a moment or two, his finger moving gently in my slickness, then put his finger to his mouth and lingeringly licked it clean, his eyes on mine. This sensuous man was the shy, stumbling Bill I worked with? I could hardly credit it.

"Beautiful, tasty, Ellen," he murmured, moving to kneel between my spread legs, his prick hot and hard before him as he moved to place it at my entrance. He was trembling and the blunt head of his prick felt huge as he as he eased himself into me. There was an excitement in me that hadn't been there with Matt. The difference between fucking my nephew, knowing there could be no future beyond mutual gratification, and fucking my new lover, not knowing what the future had in store for us, I reasoned. Whatever, I was loving it.

"It feels marvelous, Bill," I whispered.

Bill smiled down at me, fully into my soaking pussy now, his weight on his arms. I looked down between our bodies, seeing him pistoning gently in and out, marveling anew at the familiar-yet-new sensations stirring within me. Bill thrust deeply into me and I gasped, afire with desire for him.

"Fuck me, Bill," I whispered, "make me come."

I was hot and ready and I knew it wouldn't take much to make me come and Bill's prick wasn't hurting the moment, not one bit. He began to lengthen his stroke, going deeper into me, withdrawing until the head almost left me, then burying himself again. I was very close now and I was pulling him to me, my heels hooked behind him, my hands under his arms. I was breathing heavily, and so was Bill. If anyone had been watching we would have made a very noisy, inarticulate couple. I tried, I tried so hard, but I just couldn't hold on any longer and I let my climax wash over me, a sound somewhere between a scream and a moan issuing tightly from between my clenched teeth.

I think that did it for Bill and the next thing I knew he was pushing violently into me in orgasmic release. I was almost in shock, not from the wonderful urgency of his coming, but from what he said. Only two words, but ohmigod!

"Aah, Sarah," he moaned into my ear as he collapsed across me, panting.

Sarah? My god, his sister! That was the only Sarah I could think of, my mind racing as we regained our equilibrium. Bill must have realized what he said, because he suddenly pushed himself up, his face crimson, a confused look on his face.

"Oh, God, Ellen...," he began, but I put my finger over his lips.

"It's okay, Bill. You startled me, that's all. Sarah? Your sister, that Sarah?"

Shamefaced, he nodded. His mouth opened to speak but again I put my fingers across it. "It's okay, lover, honest. You're not the first man to lust after his sister, and I doubt very much if you'll be the last." I stretched up and kissed his nose. "Have you ever had her?"

"Of course not!"

"Why not? Didn't she want to?"

He spluttered in momentary confusion, trying - I think - to decide whether I was joking, but he calmed and answered me seriously.

"She's my sister! Anyway, the opportunity never arose. I doubt it ever will."

"Want to talk about it?" I asked gently.

Give him his credit, he laughed. "Not while my rapidly shrinking prick is still buried in that very talented pussy of yours."

I laughed too. "Okay, up you get. We'll have a shower and then you can decide if you want to talk about it. Right?"

He nodded, eyeing me thoughtfully. "Okay."

The shower was fun as we washed each other, but we didn't make a sexual thing out of it and twenty minutes later we were back in the living-room, me in a robe and Bill back in his clothes. We sat together on the couch and I took Bill's hand.

"About Sarah," I began. "You've obviously fantasized about her, yes?"

He nodded.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but calling you by her name wasn't the wisest thing I've ever done, so I guess I should at least explain."

I nodded, squeezed his fingers and listened.

I'd started meeting Bill's sister Sarah on a Monday evening, with some of the other girls around town. Our group had a floating population, anything from two up to ten or so, depending on who was free. Tonight it was me, Sarah and Susan Anderson. Susan was a detective with the local PD, she'd just come off duty and she was tired. She had a beer with us, gathered herself together and yawned her way out to her car.

I looked at Sarah and she laughed. "Come on, Ellen, spit it out! You're obviously dying to say something. You've been giving me sideways looks all evening."

I shrugged, avoiding her eye, twiddling the stem of my wineglass.

"What is it? You finally got my brother into bed?"

I think my face must have given me away because she whooped, temporarily making us the center of attraction, but the bar was quiet and we were far enough away from any of the other customers not to be overheard. She leaned forward eagerly. "Tell me, was he any good?"

"He was wonderful," I said, smiling reminiscently, but again I think my face gave me away, because Sarah sobered.

"I sense a 'but'", she said, her voice gentle.

"Yes and no," I said. "It was great and we've been to bed together a few times now." I shrugged. "The sex is terrific but I'm not sure I should say anything else."

"I'm glad to hear it, but you can't leave it like that, Ellen. What is it?" She put her hand on my arm, her face concerned.

"That first time?"

"Yes?"

"When he came?"

"Yes? What?" Impatient now.

I dropped my bombshell. "He called me Sarah."

I was watching her carefully and I swear I saw the quick flash of desire before she masked her face. "Wow," she said.

"Wow, indeed."

"What did you say?"

Casual unconcern in her manner, but there was fear of what I might do or say in her too, I thought. I squeezed her fingers. "Relax, honey. I don't plan to say anything to anybody but you. I swear."

She smiled crookedly. "Thanks, Ellen. You have to admit, telling a girl her brother mistook his lover for his sister could be a bit traumatic."

I laughed. "Think how I felt!"

Sarah smiled. "So tell me, what did you say to him?"

"I told him it was okay." Sarah looked startled. "I told him he wasn't the first guy to lust after his sister and I doubted he'd be the last."

Sarah snorted. "And?"

"I persuaded him to tell me a little about why he felt that way." I smiled at her. "He said one of the reasons was that - until me - you were the only woman he could talk to, that you shared confidences and you made him feel better about his shyness."

"I suppose that's true," Sarah said thoughtfully, "but hell, Ellen, we're close. I actually like the guy as a human being as well as a brother. That can't be all, surely?"

"It's not. Apparently he came home one night, your folks were out and he was going to ask you if you wanted some cocoa. Well, apparently your bedroom door was open, you were lying on the bed naked, and you were masturbating."

"Holy shit! I never knew he was there. When did this happen?"

"About five years ago. You were both still living at home."

"Did I turn him on or something?"

"Very much, I think. Apparently he couldn't get the sight out of his mind and every time he masturbated after that he thought of you."

Sarah looked away. "I felt the same. Every time I masturbated, I was thinking of him."

"I thought it might be something like that," I said gently. "There was a flash of something in your eyes when I told you."

"Lust, maybe?" Ironic.

I laughed. "Very possibly. So what are we going to do about it?"

"What do you mean, 'do about it'? Nothing of course."