Lise, DM Arnold [bearly read books .TXT] 📗

you hate me ... well, I can live with that. You must understand, when I'm watching you...” She tapped her chest. “I'm the one in charge, here. I will not take direction from a child. Do you understand me?”

Geddes turned his face toward Lise and stuck out his tongue. Lise stuck hers out in reply. Geddes suppressed a giggle. “Good,” Lise said. “Now, we have that straight.”

Lise heard the front door open. Megan walked in. “Megan!” Lise exclaimed. “Is something wrong?”

“We had a problem at the factory where I work. They let every one go home early. If you'd like, you can have the afternoon off.”

“You're sure?”

“Yes -- I won't dock you for the time.”

Lise lowered her voice. “You're SURE everything's all right?”

“Yes, Lise.” Megan grasped Lise's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It's sweet of you to be concerned. A pipe broke and flooded the place. It'll probably be on the news tonight. They should have everything back to normal by morning. Since I'm getting the afternoon off with pay, so should you.”

“Thank you. I'll say good bye to the twins and see you in the morning.”

Lise stood on the platform at the rear of the bus heading toward the Green Zone. The route took her through sector ten. She saw the park and a green figure sitting on a bench holding a pad.

The bus pulled to a stop. She hopped off the platform and walked through the park to where Tagg sat. He was sketching a portrait of a little boy, handed it to a woman and received in return a scrip card. He held it to the light, then slipped it into his pocket.

“Hi, Tagg.”

He jumped. “Lise! What are you doing here? You weren't fired on your second day, were you?”

“No -- I have the afternoon off. I can't believe what I just saw. She gave you scrip for that sketch.”

“Of course she did.” He pulled the card from his pocket. Lise snatched it and looked at the punches. “There are two and a quarter units left on this.”

He reached into another pocket. “Here's what I have for today.” He handed her a stack of scrip cards.

Lise looked through them. Most of them were completely used except for one or two punches -- pocket change. She began adding them up in her head. “Tagg -- you have nine and a half units here.”

“Not bad for half a day's work. I tell you, Lise -- I have more scrip than I ever had when I was working.”

“If you sketch me -- do you really think you can sell it?”

“I do. I can probably get four or five units for it.”

“Four or five units?”

“I'll give you half I make of any sketches of you that I can sell.”

“What are we waiting for? Let's go sketch.”

Tagg picked up his pad and tucked it under his arm. Together they headed to the bus stop, climbed onto the back of one and rode to a stop near the Zone.

“Come on,” Lise said and broke into a sprint. Tagg ran after her.

They reached his apartment building. She followed him up the stairs to the top floor. He turned the knob on a door, cracked it open and poked his head inside. “They're all gone -- all at their jobs,” he said. He rolled back a mattress on the floor and scooped up another handful of scrip cards. “Look at this, Lise.”

She took the cards and began totaling them. “Seventeen units! Add to that the nine and a half today... Tagg -- I have never seen so much scrip.”

“Let me sketch you. We'll make us rich.”

“What do I do?” Lise asked.

“Sit on that window-sill,” Tagg said. “Put your legs out ... now, bend your knee. No -- the other one. Lean forward and hug your shin...”

Lise giggled. “Like this? This is uncomfortable.”

“I'm fast,” Tagg replied. “It's one reason the whites like to watch me draw.” He uncapped his marking pen and began sketching. “Almost done -- there!”

“Let's see...” Lise jumped down from the sill and looked at his work. “That's nice, Tagg.”

He looked up. “I don't know if I can sell this one. I know I could if you were nude.”

“Nude! No way, Tagg.”

“It's for art,” he protested. “Pictures of nude girls always sell.”

“Some art... Do you really think so?”

“I know so. Pose again and I'll make you nude in the sketch. You don't have to take your clothes off.”

Lise climbed back onto the window-sill. Tagg began sketching.

“...There!” He showed her the drawing.

“That's not how I look,” she said. “It's not how any female looks.”

“It's not?” He tilted the sketch from side to side.

“No, it's not. Tagg -- a woman's breast hangs like a bag of water on her chest. They don't ... stick out like that. Mine don't, at least. And you got ... other things wrong, too.”

“I've never seen a nude female.” He handed her the stylus. “Show me what it's supposed to look like.”

Lise made a couple of marks on the pad. “I can't,” she said handing the stylus back to Tagg. “I've never been any good at drawing.”

He tore the sketch in half. “I can't sell that one. Lise -- it would be a big help if you posed nude for me.”

“No, Tagg. I'm not taking my clothes off. Why does it have to be a nude?”

“Because I know it'll sell. Lise -- the most I've ever gotten for a picture has been two and a half units. I KNOW I could get five for a nude of you. You're so pretty... I'm sure I could.”

“Five units, Tagg?”

“Well ... four units easily. Come on, Lise... No one will know the picture's of you. They're whites who buy them -- whites who never set foot in the Zone.”

“I don't know, Tagg...”

“My roommates won't be home for a while yet. We'll have privacy.”

She looked at him for a long moment. “Oh, all right... But -- if I take my clothes off, so do you.”

“Why?”

“Fair's fair, don't you think? I'm not going to sit naked unless you do, too.”

He looked at her for another long moment. “All right -- fair's fair.”

Lise slipped off her sandals, removed the bandeau and slid down her shorts. Tag removed his shorts and sat on the bench.

“How should I pose?” she asked.

“Same way.”

Lise sat on the window-sill again and Tagg began sketching.

“It's taking longer this time,” she said.

“I want to get it right... I see what you mean about your breasts. I had them all wrong... You are beautiful, Lise.” He sketched more. “What are those scars on your stomach?”

She looked down at the incisions. “That's where I had my tubes tied.”

“What does that mean?”

“So I can't get pregnant. You know I'm a oneshot and giving birth would kill me...”

“Yes -- I've heard that. I've also heard your stepfather promised to kill any man who made you pregnant.”

“Now, I can't get pregnant. It was part of the deal that got me registered.” She glanced out the window. “I wonder if anyone down there can see me. I hope not. Hurry up.”

“Almost done. There.”

Lise hopped down and looked at it. “Oh, Tagg!” she gasped. “I don't know...”

“Don't know about what?”

“Oh, it's very good. I don't know if I like the idea of me hanging on someone's wall -- a naked me.”

“Like I said, it's for art. I'll tell you what -- I'll take both sketches with me to the park tomorrow. We'll see which one sells. I have to sign it...” He made a moniker of a T inside a circle. “There...” He held up the nude. “If this sells, I'll give you all the scrip.”

“Only half,” she replied. “Fair's fair.” She glanced at him. Her eyes stopped, staring at his firmly aroused manhood. Her jaw dropped. “TAGG!”

He covered himself with the sketchpad. “I didn't want you to notice. Don't tell me you've never seen one before.”

“Never one in that state.”

“Oh, Lise... I love you, Lise. I've loved you ever since we were youths playing in the courtyard. You're the most beautiful girl...” He approached her, hugged her and began kissing her face, neck and shoulders. “I love you so much.”

“Tagg... Don't.”

“I can't help myself.” He took her hand and drew her to him. “I've wanted you, but I know what Grott said. Now you can't get pregnant...”

“Please, Tagg ... no.” She folded her arms tightly across her breasts.

“Oh, Lise...” He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. She felt his hand on her thigh.

“TAGG! I said NO!”

He stopped, released her and she stood. Tagg picked up the clothes she had stacked on the floor and handed them to her, looking away. He turned his back to her, grabbed his shorts and began to pull them on.

“Wait, Tagg...” He turned and she looked into his orange eyes. “I changed my mind. It's a female's prerogative, isn't it?”

“You want to?”

“Yes, I do.” She unfastened his shorts, pulled them off him and began kissing his abdomen and hips.

Tagg scooped her up and carried her to his mattress. They lay beside each other, caressing each other's skin. He kissed her lips and nuzzled her neck; then covered her breasts with kisses and caresses.

“Tagg... This is my first time.”

“Mine, too. There aren't many females here in the Zone ... not many who'd want me, at least. But, I know what to do.”

“How do you know?”

“The other men in this apartment talk about it. I've done it dozens of times in my dreams -- with you, Lise. What made you change your mind?”

“It's for me to know,” she replied.

“Please tell me.”

“Stop pressing me, Tagg -- before I change it back.” Tagg resumed kissing her. He groped her breast. “Not so hard... TAGG!”

Lise grabbed a handful of his flesh and squeezed. “Ouch!” he exclaimed. “That hurt.”

“That's what you've been doing. Think how it feels to me.” She kissed his cheek. “Now, don't pout...” She ran her hand along his smooth chest. “Like this ... gentle. Doesn't that feel better?”

“Yes...”

“Remember -- girls like it soft. And, you don't have to smash your face against mine when you kiss me.” She brought her face to his and kissed his lips. Then she kissed him again, parted her lips and touched his with the tip of her tongue. Tagg responded in kind and they took turns each exploring the other's mouth. “Isn't that better?”

“I'll say...”

“And, slow down a little..”

“I thought you said this was your first time...” Tagg began covering her body with soft kisses. He smoothed his hand along her skin. “Lise... you look beautiful ... you smell beautiful ... you taste beautiful...” He explored the shape of her breast with his fingertips.

“That feels good, Tagg... But, not too much at once.” She ran her fingers down his arm, tracing the outlines of his muscles. “That's better ... much better... Mmm... Both hands like that...” Her heart was racing. She closed her eyes as her body relaxed, and rolled her head to the side. A warm, throbbing sensation grew deep in her pelvis.

Tagg eased her onto her back and knelt between her thighs. He bit his lip. Lise closed her eyes.

She felt a sting as he lay atop her. “Ahh!” she exclaimed.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes. Don't stop.”

Tagg eased his full weight onto her. “Does it still hurt?”

“No ... not much. It feels good. Do your thing, Tagg.” He closed his eyes and bit harder on his lip. “Go ahead, Tagg.” She wrapped her legs around his, caressed his calves with hers and grasped his buttocks.

“I'm ... trying ... not to...”

“Not to what?”

Tagg arched his back. “OH!” he gasped through wide-open mouth. “Oh, Lise!” He pressed his hips against hers and she felt the force of his ejaculation. “Oh!” he grunted and looked into her face. “That. That ... was what I was trying not to do.”

“Isn't ... that ... the whole point?”

“Yes... But... The man's supposed to last a while. One of my roommates boasts how long he can ... I hardly lasted an instant. I'm sorry, Lise.”

“It's all right, Tagg. You can't trust what men say. They exaggerate.”

“Oh Lise, I'm so sorry. I wanted it to be perfect for you.”

“Tagg -- was the first sketch you drew perfect?”

“...no... I haven't done a perfect one yet.”

“You've done some that are very good -- even if your first one wasn't. Next time, maybe you won't be so ... eager.”

“Next time? There'll be a next time?”

“I love you, too Tagg. I've wanted this, too.” She slipped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. “Of course there'll be a next time.”

Tagg lifted himself off her. “Let me see if I have a towel or something ... see how bad you're bleeding.” He approached her with a cloth and dabbed her. “Not bad... Look.”

Lise felt herself and examined her finger. “I'll live. I