Necessity is the Mother of Obsession Ch. 05

Reflexively, she did, and when John paused to talk to an older woman standing calf deep in the cool waters, so did she... until he told her to go on over and stake out a table and he'd be right with her. She went on over, looking at the small cliques hanging around, and picked a spot to put down her pack. She noted a wide variety of ethnicities at these falls, from oriental looking, to black, to whites and latinos... pretty much everybody was represented.

John caught up with her moments later and dropped his pack on the table.

"She and her husband are from Manchester," he informed her. "I thought I saw a United pin on her purse and I wanted to check it out."

"United?" Karen asked, not sure what he meant.

"Yeah, Manchester United Football Club," he explained. "We'd call it soccer. They're a huge team over there. Come on..." he beckoned, holding out his hand. "Let's go wading. I want to show you something."

"Okay," was her simple response as she let herself be led out into the pool. What she didn't see was that the woman from Manchester had John's cell phone, and had apparently said something because there were about a dozen others surreptitiously pointed their direction.

John led her out until they were about thigh-high in the water and then turned her to face him, conveniently with the falls as a backdrop to the woman with his phone.

"Karen," he told her, getting serious, "I hope you can see what I mean about the spirituality of this place."

"Oh, yeah, I do..." she answered softly. "It's awesome."

"So are you," he went on. "You're kind of like the falls... a force of nature. One that I've come to appreciate... and to love..."

"I tried to figure out the best place to share this with you, and I just couldn't come up with anything better than the Garden of Eden," he told her, keeping his gaze on her but gesturing towards the falls.

She was staring at him, dumbfounded, as he went on. "What I wanted to show you was this," he told her, fumbling in his pocket and pulling out the diamond ring he'd purchased yesterday. Jim had told him a size 7 was average, so he'd bought a 7½, figuring he could have it sized down if necessary.

"Oh, my God..." Karen breathed as she saw it. That was about all she could say.

"I love you, Karen," John told her. "In one short week you've stolen my heart and everything attached to it. I really can't imagine not having you in my life. So..." and he sank to his waist in the water as he knelt, "Karen Margaret O'Reilly, will you do me the very great honor of consenting to be my lawfully wedded wife?"

Karen damn near fainted. Her knees buckled and she started to fall, until the cold water snapped her out of it and she stood there, supported by John as he had stood up and grabbed her when she started to go. Her mouth was trying to work, but she was just staring at him.

Oh, my God! He just proposed! Oh, my God!... he proposed!! Oh, fuck! Now what do I do? Karen felt the panic rising within her and felt helpless to stop it. Until a much quieter and much calmer other voice made itself heard. You say yes, it told her. You wondered if he cared as much for you as you for him? Well, this pretty much answers that question...

"Are you okay?" John's concerned voice interrupted her thoughts. She shook her head at first, to clear it, then realized she'd better say something, so she said, "yes..."

"Yes, what?" he asked. "Yes, you're okay?"

Reaching up and putting her arms around his neck, she told him, "yes, I'm okay, and YES! I would be honored to be your wife!" She then threatened to knock both of them over into the water as she smothered him with her kiss. A little ways away, a circle of onlookers broke into cheers.

John was laughing as he managed to break her clinch long enough to put the ring on her finger. She actually looked at it, almost in disbelief, for several seconds before launching herself at him for another kiss. And this time, she did manage to knock him over and they tumbled down into the water, coming up sputtering and laughing.

"You are one very slick operator, Mr. John Thompson," she smiled at him. "That was absolutely awesome! And maybe I should've seen it coming, but I didn't. I thought maybe you were going to set me up for a gentle firing, so we could still date."

"Edward," he told her, and to her confused look, he clarified, "John Edward Thompson. You may as well know my full name. Just in case you need to use it when I'm in trouble."

Karen smiled and shook her head. "I already know your full name... and your Social Security Number, and your driver's license, and a number of other things... John. But I can't imagine you in so much trouble with me that I'd have to use your full name."

"Let's hope it stays like that," he smiled. "And not to be too much of a 'wet blanket'..." He winked as he looked at their clothes and the pool. "But we need to leave soon, to make it back for our flight."

Karen straightened up and stepped back a bit, gesturing towards their packs. "I'm sure the clothes will dry out on the hike back," she told him. "But just for the record, could I get some pics of me, here, on my phone? I'd like the souvenir. Although the ring will be hard to beat."

"Sure, go get your phone," he told her. "In case you haven't figured it out, Lydia over there recorded the entire proposal on my phone for me. And if I give business cards to everyone with a phone or camera out, we might get quite a bit more."

"Business... oh, my God, John!" Karen burst out with a horrifying realization. "Your wallet!..."

"Is in my backpack," he reassured her. "I thought I might get dunked." Her sigh of relief was audible.

They spent about 15 minutes chatting with various people, sharing their emails and getting promises of copies of any pictures or video with them in it. Karen, of course, was besieged with well-wishes on her engagement and she did, in fact, get a number of pictures of her and John, and her by herself, with the waterfall. Eventually, they dried their feet, put on their boots and started the long hike out.

Karen seemed like she was on a permanent high. Which, when John thought about it, she had every right to be. Thank you, Lord, he silently offered. I seem to have done something right this time.

The net result was that they made it back to Supai village about two o'clock in the afternoon, to find Carl, the tribal doctor and an elderly couple waiting by the helipad. Carl greeted them as they approached.

"Congratulations!" he called out, pointedly looking at Karen's ring. "Obviously, it went well."

"Oh, yeah, it did!" Karen beamed.

"John," Carl switched quickly to business, "this is Dr. Nyimsave, the tribe's doctor at the clinic. And these are Thomas and Eloise Edgerton, visitors. Mr. Edgerton has developed some stress-related symptoms and needs a flight out to the trailhead, where their camper is, but they missed the Air West flight. I offered, in your place. It's pretty much on our way. They don't have anything else for us to take out."

"Of course," John smiled, shaking Mr. Edgerton's hand and nodding to Mrs. Edgerton. "I'm John Thompson. We'll be happy to take you out. Any precautions, Doctor?"

"No hot dogging," she smiled. "Otherwise, no. And thank you. And I understand congratulations are in order," she went on, turning to Karen. "Have a safe flight and a great life."

"Oh, we intend to," Karen smiled. "Thanks!"

They got everyone aboard, along with the Edgerton's luggage and soon took off for the short flight to the trailhead. Carl set down some distance away from the mass of parked cars and the Edgertons disembarked, with John and Karen helping to carry their luggage to their parked Winnebago. With assurances from the Edgertons that they'd be perfectly fine now, John and Karen rejoined Carl and took off for Henderson.

"It's about 120 miles, or approximately an hour, to get back to Henderson," John explained as they leveled out for the flight back. "We can shower and change at the terminal, then drive on over to McCarran. We should be in plenty of time."

"In that case," Karen smiled as she thumbed the intercom for Carl, "Carl? Can you fly us there higher than a mile?" His laugh rolled out of the intercom.

"Absolutely, ma'am. Mantra Number Two, John. Going up!" They felt the helicopter lift rapidly, then level out again. "Sixty-five hundred feet, as requested, ma'am," he came back on. "Don't capsize the ship, John... out."

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking..." John started, but Karen didn't answer. She just unbuckled her belt and crawled over in front up him on her knees, unbuckling first his seatbelt, then his shorts' belt. By the time she got to his fly, he was helping. And then helping her out of her clothes as well.

As soon as they were sans vêtements, Karen pushed John back into his seat, muttering, "my turn first, Bub..." She then attempted to swallow as much of his rapidly growing erection as she could. Which was a goodly amount. Slowly, languidly, she rose and fell on his shaft, making sure to tease the glans with her tongue every time she got to it. John's moans were music to her ears as she felt the thrill of doing the outrageous course through her.

The Mile High Club, she thought as she kept at him. I've finally made it. Well, after I get his cock in my cunt. That shouldn't be long...

John was having slightly different thoughts. Jesus, is she voracious! was top on his mind, followed by, this Mile High thing must really do it for her. Maybe I'll need to introduce her to the Six Mile High Club o on the way back...

John felt himself getting dangerously close to cumming, so he pushed gently on her head until she got the idea and slacked off.

"My turn," he told her, "if you want to consummate your initiation the proper way." Karen nodded and backed away, going back to sit in her seat, her ass on the front edge, her legs spread. John wasted no time in picking up where she had left off. Long, gentle licks from her anus to her clit, to make sure she was aroused... which at that point, wasn't necessary. She was already dripping.

John decided, in the interest of time, to be rather expeditious. Two fingers in, going for her G-spot, while he sucked her clit deep into his mouth and began tonguing her, the butterfly flicking she liked so much. It didn't take Karen long.

"Oh, fuck, John!" she moaned. "God! Do you know how to do me! Holy shit!..."

John wasn't about to quit until he got at least one very good, rock-your-world orgasm from his newly acquired fiancée. Karen did not disappoint.

"Oh, Jesus, John! Yes! Right there! Yes!..." She was writhing beneath his mouth and fingers and he was loving it. "Oh, yeah... oh, yeah... oh... Oh! Fuck! CUMMING!!" John kept his arm over her thigh to steady himself as she went screaming over the edge, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let up. One beautiful thing about her responses was the way she could keep rolling them over, once she got that first cum.

Three of her orgasms later, he decided they really needed to fuck. So standing over her, his hand braced on the back of her seat, he lifted one of her thighs and lined up on her glistening quim.

"Oh, yeah, baby..." Karen murmured, watching him. "Come to Momma!"

John eased into her until she grabbed both his ass cheeks and he bottomed out. "Welcome to the Mile High Club," he smiled, then began to rock, slow and easy at first, then speeding up.

Damn! She is so hot! he thought as he felt her welcoming warmth engulf him. I am not going to last long at this rate...

He started to slow down, to ease up on the stroking that was going to send him over the edge in short order. Karen nixed that.

"You keep fucking me, Mister," she told him rather forcefully. "You're going to blow your load so deep in me it's coming out of my ears! And you'd better hurry, 'cuz we need time to get presentable before Carl lands."

"Yes, Ma'am!" John smiled, picking up the pace again. "Mantra Number Two."

"That's what Carl... oh, FUCK, that's good!... Carl said. What the hell is Mantra Number... oh, GOD... Two?"

"Keep the Women Happy," John told her through labored breathing. "The Second Mantra of Marital Happiness. If a guy keeps repeating it, it will apply."

"And what's Number One?"

"My Wife Is Right," he managed to say before a loud moan erupted from deep within. "Oh, fuck, Karen! Oh, God... gonna cum!... gonna... CUM!!" He felt his release filling her, his hot seed pouring into her warm, wet pussy while she pulled him to her, locking her legs behind him and holding on like he was hogtied.

"John, you are the best ever," Karen murmured as they both began to ease down from their orgasmic highs. "Damn, I'm glad you asked. Now I get to spend our engagement find out all the little things about you that only a wife would know. Oh, and since we're engaged, are you going to cover my living expenses while I'm out looking for another job?"

He looked at her in disbelief, but she couldn't keep a straight face very long and he realized she was teasing him.

"Don't you think we should get dressed before we get into negotiations?" he asked with tongue firmly implanted in cheek.

"Oh, I don't know..." she drawled with that impish smile. "Look what getting naked did for this last week!"

"Point taken," he nodded, "but let's get dressed anyway."

They did, though they both still looked like a wreck when Carl finally set them down at Henderson. A quick good-bye handshake... well, a hug and a kiss from Karen... and she and John retrieved a change of clothes from the car, then headed into the pilots' showers. Soon, they were on their way back out to their car.

"You drive," John told her as he tossed her the keys. "I've got some emails and texts I need to deal with on the way to McCarran." Without even a questioning glance, she took the keys and drove them to the rental return at McCarran. The entire way, John was heads down into his phone, reading, typing and occasionally muttering before they were headed to the terminal.

"Let's just grab some snacks on the way through," John suggested. "I'll treat you to a proper dinner when we get home. Our flight's going to start boarding in about half an hour."

Karen went back to following his lead like a good little worker bee, but there was something different on his end. Something was bugging him and she could tell. But she wasn't going to prompt him about it unless he brought it up first. They got some snacks and were sitting in the lounge area when John's phone chirped.

"John." His Totally Business voice.

"Every item on the list..." He paused and listened before iterating, "everything." He listened some more before responding, simply, "who?" Obviously he was given a name on the other end, because he responded "that'll do. Make it happen. Ten Monday morning. And thanks..." He listened for a couple more seconds before disconnecting.

"I need you at a 10am meeting on Monday," he told Karen, turning to her. "There's a bunch of administrivia to deal with, but it shouldn't take more than an hour."

"Yes, sir," Karen nodded and John suddenly realized she was back in her Personal Assistant role. He smiled as he gently told her, "Number 27."

"You want me to wear Number 27?" she asked, completely flabbergasted.

"No, just reminding you about the Sir bit," he smiled.

"Well, sir... 'Sir' is reserved for business situations and that call sounded like a business situation," she answered a bit pointedly. "So you will just have to get used to it, sir."

"Fair enough, my lady," he smiled and went back to his phone.

A meeting Monday morning, Karen thought as she sat next to him, waiting for the boarding call. So I'm still working my old job. Guess we aren't saying anything to anyone about this... which means, I'd better not wear the ring to work. I can put it in my purse. This is going to be one hell of a tightrope to walk for awhile. I'd better look up Julie, see if she's still in the headhunting business. I may need her services.

Their flight was called and they boarded, settling into First Class.

I could get used to this, Karen thought as they got squared away. It was after they were airborne that she had to rethink that thought.

"Karen," John turned to her as they headed for Phoenix, "I think I've worked out a deal and it just needs to get blessed at that Monday meeting. You still interested in working with me?"

"With?" Karen asked, suddenly suspicious. "Not for?"

"With," John iterated. "It works like this. You get promoted to Research Consultant working under Grimes in Legal and assigned to the Western Region, and specifically to me. You get a raise, you are no longer my direct report and we still get to work together. Interested?"

"Be still my beating heart..." Karen murmured, but loud enough for John to hear.

"Okay, then the only thing is, I'll be short a P-A until we - that's you and me - we can find a replacement we both can work with. So I'd want you to continue in your P-A duties for awhile. But you'd get compensated at the new scale. Still interested?"

"If I can figure out how to get this damned seatbelt off," she told him, "I'll sit on your lap and show you how interested I am!"

John grinned. "Stay belted," he told her. "Like I said, I'm taking you to a proper dinner when we get back. I'm hoping to have confirmation 'at the highest levels' when we change planes at Phoenix."

"Okay, I'll bite," she told him. "What 'highest levels' are you talking about?"

"Robert Davis Sethridge," he told her and her eyes went wide. "My grandfather. And currently Chairman of the Board for Sethridge. If he blesses it, no one will argue."

"Mr. Sethridge is your grandfather???" Karen blurted out.

"Yes..." John told her. "I told you I got my entry job with Sethridge through my grandfather, the first night we were in Vegas. Maybe you don't remember. You were a little lit."

"You said you got your job via nepotism... you might have said grandfather... but you sure as hell didn't say Chairman of the Board!" For some reason, she was feeling very flustered.

"Well, he wasn't, at the time," John temporized. "He was Chief Financial Officer. But that shouldn't make any difference to you. Besides, he's a really nice guy... to family. You'll find out when you meet him. I'm hoping next weekend, after I've gotten a chance to meet your Mom."

Karen gaped at him. And continued gaping. And continued until he eased her mouth shut, pushed her back into her seat and told her, "just relax and take it easy, okay? We've got time to hash all this out."

Karen sat back and closed her eyes, and John suspected he'd never find out what, exactly, she was thinking. But she did keep her cool, and life got better at Sky Harbor airport when John actually got a voice call from Robert Sethridge.

"It's done," he told Karen with a big smile... that melt your heart and groin smile... "He's on board and looking forward to meeting you."

"Of course," he added, a little concerned by the deer-in-the-headlights look she had, "you can always back out if you need to... I'm not going to try to force you into anything. Ever."

Her response was to saunter over to him, wrap her arms around his neck and draw him down into a soul-touching kiss that went on, and on, and on... until the people in the gate area were squirming and their flight to John Wayne was called.