Taylor and Kate Stories

The phone rattled on the counter. I'd forgotten to turn the sound up, it was on vibrate.

"Hello, Adam speaking." Old habits die hard. I've always announced myself on the phone. It cuts to the chase if someone's called me by mistake, or pocket-dialled. These days, there's often a pause while the scam bot or call centre registers someone's actually answered.

There wasn't a pause. "Adam, is that you?" Ahh, yes, it's my number, my phone; and my name.

There was a chuckle, a brief laugh from the caller. "Of course it's you. Taylor gave me your number. It's Kate. Taylor's baby kid sister."

Her voice was almost the same as Taylor's, a little higher, maybe. She might have been nervous, not knowing what my reaction would be to her call. Perhaps she just had a higher, lighter voice than her sister. I didn't know - I'd never met Kate.

"Hi Kate. Taylor said you'd call. Felt like a bit of warning."

"Why? What'd she say?"

I could almost see the dropped brow as Kate interrogated her sister's behaviour, overlooking that she might be the inappropriate one, calling someone completely unknown. But then, Taylor had given her my number, and had freely admitted she told Kate everything.

The sisters intrigued me: Taylor with her sister's pic as the background on her phone, and Kate, who'd now called me. Not quite out of the blue, but unusual these days apparently, using a phone to actually talk to someone.

"Nothing really. Nothing awkward anyway, to be embarrassed about. She's got that pic of you both on her phone, which tells me nice things about you."

"Yeah, true that. She's a strange one, Tay," Kate replied. "Having a pic of me and her, on her phone."

There was a pause, and I imagined her sitting somewhere, relaxed. There wasn't any noise in the background so I thought, she's somewhere private.

"She's not on my phone. Well, she is, in my fam album, but not on the front screen. That's a bit odd, don't you think?"

"I did think you lot had best friends forever on your phones. Or pictures of food." Why the fuck are we talking about phones?

Kate chuckled, and her voice suddenly became much softer. "She's tasty, isn't she?"

When you ate her. I heard the rest of the sentence unsaid, but with her voice a whisper down low, she was conspiring with me. I almost leaned forward, as if to hear her better. Two spies in a café in Paris. I pictured Kate in a beret and a tight skirt that clung to her hips, and a blouse that hid her bigger breasts. I could see Taylor's pout: Kate got the tits, not me.

"Why, what's she said?" I repeated Kate's earlier question back at her.

Again there was a brief silence. "I bet her ears are burning, being in between two conversations." Kate settled back against the back of the lounge inL'Isle de Paris.I swear I could hear where she was.

"Two conversations?" That was better. I didn't mind Kate calling, and I liked a woman being cryptic.

"Yes. The one where we talk about Taylor. And the other one, where we talk about us."

"But Kate -"

"I know, I know, there's no us yet. But there will be. When can I come to yours?"

There! Kate's cut to her chase. I do like that. It saves so much time.

I paused for a count of two or three, to give the impression I was wondering when was a good time to see the younger sister, who'd just invited herself to my house. At least with Taylor we'd flirted for ages, then had lunch together, on a date.

Kate then, more impetuous, no small talk, but certainly not uninvited. I recalled the pic on Taylor's phone, Kate pushing into the frame. They both had the same toothy smile, and their hair, the same blonde waves. Taylor saying, Kate got the tits, the bitch. Sight unseen in the photo, Kate's breasts.

"Taylor says, you got the tits. Is that true?" In for a penny, in for a pound, to test out Kate's reaction.

There was a momentary silence, as if she too was wondering what the best response might be.

"Yeah, well. She got your cock. A nice cock, she said, and gave me lots of detail. Sorta the reason I called you."

"Curious cat, huh? She said that about me, when I asked if you fucked."

"My god!" I could almost hear Kate's grin, over the phone. "How'd she answer that?"

"She didn't at first. Then she said later, that you did. Something about buying a dildo."

"Yeah." Kate lapsed into silence. Perhaps the conversation had moved too fast. One can never tell, not over the phone. I decided to move things along.

"How about Thursday arvo? Say just after lunch. Wait, no. I'll meet you at the Gum Tree Café. It's not far from my place, and they do good food. How 'bout twelve, twelve-thirty?"

"Done," replied Kate. "Twelve-thirty suits me. I'll see you then. How will I recognise you?"

"Silly girl. I'll be the silver fox, waiting to meet the pretty young blonde. I've seen your photo, remember."

"Yeah! Of course you have." I could feel her glow over the connection. Pretty young blonde.

"Bring the tits."

"Oh god, is that all we're going to talk about, my breasts?"

"Probably not, but as conversation starters, I imagine -"

"They're fucking nice breasts. You'll see for yourself, on Thursday."

"Looking forward to it."

"Taylor did say you were Mister Smooth."

"What can I say? Your sister's got good taste."

"I'll be the judge of that," Kate replied. "And the other. She told me about your inches. I'm looking forward to those. Anything Taylor does, Kate can do better. That's a promise!"

I chuckled. "I do like a girl with a promise."

"Anyway," she said, "laters. Kiss hug. Bye!"

"Nice talking to you, Kate. See you Thursday."

"Yep, Thursday. Byee!"

And she was gone. So that was Kate, Taylor's baby kid sister, my second introduction. Does a photo on a phone count? I suppose it did, because Kate had called me.

Thursday came around. I made a brief effort to tidy the house, to put it and me on our best presentation. The tidy basically came down to straightening books on side tables, plumping up cushions and tucking down and making neat the beds. For a minute I pondered the wickedness of bedding Kate in the same room I'd been in with Taylor, imagining their two bodies within the same erotic space. Of course, Kate might be coming over to talk about something completely unrelated, but I suspected my cock featured heavily in her interest. And her intent.

Once again, I was intrigued by their being sisters, and I was sure there was an illicit dynamic going on, some sibling rivalry which might be fun to unpack. Might be dangerous too. Kate, I sensed, for no reason other than the fact that she'd called me, was edgier than Taylor, and some of those edges might be sharp.

Best not get ahead of myself. Speculating about Taylor was one thing, introducing an added dynamic with Kate, when I'd not even met her, was another.

I'd learned that Taylor had a place within herself where she became quieter, forgot that she was the young corporate woman with aspirations and her very best behaviour, and a mentor. She seemed more real, when she spoke from that place. Quietly intimate, but uncertain with it. A woman not quite in tune with herself.

I should give Kate the same grace, to reveal herself however she chose, her way; not my pre-expectation nor preconception.

But I wondered about her, and my cock stirred.

I'm always punctual, especially when a woman is involved. That might translate as eagerness, but if they're not there before me, how would they know? I nodded to Jaz the waitress - I was fairly regular at the café and had got to know some of the staff - "Meeting someone," I said. "We'll order later."

"Take a menu," Jaz replied. "I'll come out and take your order. Assume you'll be outside?"

"On a day like this, how could I not?"

She smiled. "Yes, it's gorgeous."

I went to the outside courtyard and took a table under one of the permanent umbrellas. It was warm, so shade would be good. I thought back to the rainy lunchtime with Taylor, remembering how she got soaked, how her nipples grew dark under a wet blouse. That wouldn't happen with Kate - a clear late autumn sky, blue with slow moving clouds. No sign of rain at all.

I felt a presence, and a shadow fell across the table. I looked up.

"Adam?"

"Yes, that's me. You must be Kate."

"I must be, yes. Kate."

I liked the way she confirmed her presence, giving me her name.

I stood up and pulled back a chair. "Please," I gestured, "take a seat."

"Thank you."

Kate sat, and for a few seconds I stood looking down at her, taking in the long honey blonde hair pulled back in a carelessly twisted braid, long down her back, a high forehead and the same large eyes as her sister. She looked up at me with a wide smile, creasing right into the corners of her eyes. Green eyes, whereas Taylor's were blue. I should stop this compare and contrast.

"Like what you see?"

I laughed. "That's what she said!"

"And did you? Like what you see? With Taylor?" Kate wanted to interrogate me about Taylor, and I noted how she'd quickly moved me on from her first question. Like what you see? So much for no compare, no contrast.

"She's an attractive young woman. And you're the pretty blonde, baby kid sister."

"Baby doll kid sister, Mister. You better get that right."

"That's right," I replied. "The girl with the promise."

"Damn right!"

I contemplated Kate. So there was sibling rivalry of some sort. How intriguing. Baby doll kid sister. I wondered what that was about. 'Kate's always going on about me and my daddy thing.' I remembered Taylor's words, and my own place in this. Kate probably had something behind calling herself baby doll, but that was wait and see.

I sat back down. The tables were small, and I sat adjacent to Kate, stretching my legs out away from her. She stretched out her legs in the same direction, avoiding the central leg of the table, aligning her legs alongside mine. Long legs in vivid red stockings, and neat little ankle boots with just the hint of a heel. She crossed her legs down at the ankles, and waited for my eyes to move up those long legs, past her hips, travelling towards the promised breasts.

I smiled. Kate had paid close attention to this introduction, I was sure. Her grin was as playful as mine. "Make you wait, don't you think?"

She was wearing a black woollen jumper as a short dress with a bright red leather belt around her waist. The shapeless garment hid everything, revealed nothing of her breasts, hid the skin of her throat. I instantly loved the wit behind what she wore, my foiled reaction, and the promise. A wicked girl, playful. Wilful?

"Clever," I said, nodding in appreciation, wanting more of this girl already. "Looks like I'm waiting, then."

"I've got the advantage," Kate said, "because Taylor tells me everything. Every thing." She annunciated the three syllables in 'every' very clearly, and she measured out a length on the table with her forefingers. Surprisingly accurate. "She told me your cock length eventually. I made her measure it out on her belly. I'm a bit taller than she is, so you know, there'll be differences."

Kate looked directly at me as she said this, a narrowing of her eyes, focussing on my face for the first time. Then she looked down at her hands, and quite deliberately curled those forefingers back. Taylor might have had a gauche sensuality, whereas Kate was blatantly erotic.

"You've thought about this, haven't you?"

"Little Katy planning ahead? Ooo yes, I certainly have. I do like a quiet little scene -"

"Hey guys, here you are." Jaz arrived, interrupting, to take our order. "There's a really nice cheese platter, the lunchtime special. Highly recommended."

"Why don't we share a cheese platter, and get the strawberry pancakes with three little ice-creams," I suggested. And a latte for me and a double shot for Kate. Jaz scribbled the order onto a little notepad.

"I can see why you like this place," said Kate, following Jaz's trim little figure with her eyes as she left us. "She does have a cute ass. Little peaches." She turned her attention back to me. "Where was I?"

"Planning ahead."

"Mmmm yes. But you were right to think about food, first. Before we eat." She grinned. "God, I'm bad. Would you spank me if I was naughty?"

"Over my knee, or over the end of a bed?"

She looked at me, and those green eyes sparkled. "I'm going to enjoy you, Adam. I can tell already."

Kate was one of those women who found it easy to talk about most things, and by the end of the meal - she ordered a second coffee - she was buzzing. I sensed her excitement for later, and she'd mentioned once or twice a man with capable hands; and I thought I might do well enough with that.

She turned to me, quite forcefully, it might have been last minute nerves, and said, "Well, that's me done, with the small talk and introductory stuff. How far to your place?"

"Five minutes," I replied, "this time of day."

"Good," she said. "Let's go then."

We went inside where I paid, and bought Kate two chocolates from the jar by the till. Jaz winked, and gave me a third one. I went with Kate through to the carpark at the other end of the building. She linked her arm through mine and leaned her head against my shoulder as we walked.

"I am a little trepidatious," she said, and her honesty was beguiling. I liked her precise choice of words.

"We'll be fine," I replied. "I don't bite, and anyway, I assume you've told Taylor where you are?"

"I have," she said, nodding. "I just follow you then?" Kate saw my car, and remembered. "You've got a WRX. God, when can I drive it?"

"Bit of a treat, huh?"

"Damn right. Pleeeaasse?!" She grinned, and turned on her toes, and looked as innocent as the day she was born.

"Another day. We can go for a drive to the river."

"With Taytay." She'd decided.

"With Taytay. And Katy."

"You have been paying attention."

Kate went towards her car, which was parked a couple of slots down from mine. She looked back at me as I got into my car, and the look on her face was lovely, like a schoolgirl going on a bus for an excursion. Seeing only her black top and blonde hair, not seeing the brilliant sexual red legs, she momentarily became ageless.

I pulled out of the carpark, and she followed me. I looked in the rear mirror several times, to see she drove lackadaisically - her hand fiddling with her mirror, playing with her hair, tapping the roof of her car through the open driver's window. She's nervous, I thought, putting on a brave face. I wondered just how experienced she really was. I remembered Taylor saying, she's full of bullshit, watches too much porn. Bravado then? A colt to be taken care of? 'I do like a quiet little scene.' 'Baby doll kid sister.' It was clear, many choices, and care to be taken with the choosing.

I turned down the brick drive to my house, and Kate parked on the street. I got out of the car, and walked to the slightly raised porch. I turned to watch Kate as she walked down the irregular steps on the leaf covered slope, then the final four steps to the lawn. She looked down to be sure of her footing, then, on the second step, she stopped and looked across at me. She looked so very young in her vivid red stockings and shapeless black dress, and I momentarily wondered what I'd done to deserve her.

She looked back at me, held her arms out and called, "Well, come and get me then, Adam."

I laughed, my delight in seeing her offering and denial both at the same time, and in a glimmer of quick understanding, that while Taylor might have been Taytay, her daddy's little girl, baby doll Katy might become mine, to make up for his neglected second daughter. The implications rattled fast through my head.

I went to Kate, took her waist in my hands, and swung her away from the steps. Weightless from the quick lift, Katy wrapped her legs up behind my back, and she said, "Carry me," like a demanding child does when she's tired, and wants solid comfort from someone who won't drop her.

I loved the immediate trust that she gave me, and thought, Taylor's said some very nice things about me. Katy nuzzled her head into my neck. I felt her firm breasts against my chest, so that much was true. Her ass cheeks, clenched to hold her legs around me, they were firm too.

I walked us to the porch, and she placed her feet back on the ground. She turned her face up, closing her eyes for a kiss, and I kissed Kate for the first time. There's a song, Sweet Jane; this was sweet Kate. She wore no lipstick, unlike her sister, so I tasted Kate for the first time, too. She had lovely full lips, almost the colour of strawberries, and maybe that was the taste. She sucked my bottom lip into her mouth and gave it a tiny nip with her teeth.

When I held her cheeks and pulled my head back to see her face, her eyes were bright and those cheeks ever so slightly flushed, and I knew Kate was all about colours.

"Let's go in," I said, and moved past her to unlock the front door.

"Is it a portal," she asked, "this door?"

"To another world, where I'll be inside with you and the outside won't matter unless we want it to."

"That's a nice philosophy," she said. "You make it sound timeless. But Taylor said you've got a grandfather clock, chimes the hours. I've never heard one before. Will you show me?"

There was an innocence here that was precious.

"Right inside the front door, at the head of the hallway down to the bedrooms."

"Let's see!"

I unlocked the door, and Kate went in ahead of me, seeing the clock straight away. She went to it with a sense of wonder on her face, fascinated by something she'd never seen before. She ran her hand down the side of the case, then looked back at me.

"Can I?" she asked, her fingers on the turning latch on the door at the front.

"Of course."

"How old is it?"

"Ahh, need to do the maths. It's not got a date on it, but the clockmaker died in 1774, so it's at least 250 years old, even older. He lived for sixty years, so the clock could easily have been made in the middle of the eighteenth century. 275 years old, maybe."

Kate looked at the simple black pendulum swinging, saw the two heavy weights.

"How does it work?" she asked.

"Wind the two weights up to the top once a week. One weight runs the time, the other weight runs the chime. It's called an eight day clock, because it will run that long. It allows the ritual of winding, once a week. When I was a kid growing up, that was my job, every Sunday night."

"It really does go tick tock. I didn't know that was a true thing, I thought it a literary thing, made up words in a rhyme."

She studied the face of the clock for a while, saw the second hand jerk forward each time. "Look," she whispered, "I can actually see the minute hand move, ever so slow."

"Just like clockwork."

She looked at me and grinned. "Smart ass! Even I get that bit. It's like a little heart in the middle of your house. Can I look around?"

"Go anywhere. Want some tea or coffee, something else?"

She was here for the something else, but she didn't know me except through Taylor and our lunch, so I'd wait for her to say when. Tick tock, time passes. I'm used to it. Kate was much younger, and wasn't.

Kate put a hand up to my cheek and said, "I like you," and left it at that. Some things are important, to be said.

"Tea," she added, "milk and one. Something else too, but let's wait." Consent given, with a set of constraints. I liked that with Taylor, I liked it with Kate.

She went down the hall to the bedrooms, stopping to study a set of family photos on the wall. I went through to the kitchen and put the kettle on, clattered two cups, got the milk from the fridge. I heard the toilet flush, water run in the bathroom, doors closing. It was very intimate, knowing a young woman was not far away, making herself at home in my house.