Pixie, Joy and Me Ch. 04

I asked slowly, "And my duties would be?"

Gray replied, "Oh, you'd be the property manager for twenty of the properties that the Steel Properties Trust owns. You'd oversee the upkeep and renovation of all the properties, inside and out – just what Jim's been doing overall and it's just what you're doing now with your crew down at Oakside Acres, but for twenty properties instead. You'd be responsible for finding, hiring and checking on individuals like you've been at each site. Overall, I think there are somewhere around 3,000 apartment units in these twenty sites."

"Could I move staff between sites? Is that allowed? How big a staff would I have?"

"Oh, most certainly you could move people around; anyway you'd like to manage them. You'd be the boss. You'll have about twenty or thirty people working for you – at least, some part time and some full time. Of course, our idea is to keep costs low and revenues high, not to mention occupancy rates; so if you can figure a way to do more with fewer people, so much the better."

After some further banter about the job I asked for a written job offer. Both men smiled and assured me I'd have it within forty-eight hours. I also asked that I have a couple of weeks to think about the offer and they agreed. The lunch was very cordial and I felt comfortable with these guys as my bosses and in the stability of the company.

Further, I liked the work I was doing and liked the idea of expanding my role in property management. Lastly, the idea of not having to search any further for employment offered all sorts of benefits to me.

I talked the offer over with Joy and Mel and we all ended up doing a little celebratory dance in the middle of our bed – naked of course. The new job would be a huge leap from what I was doing now and I feared I might not be up to the task. I raised my feelings with Jim one day and he assured me that he, Gray and the others in the company would all be there to coach me along into the new job. They wanted me to succeed.

I took the job.

*

Unlike the summer before, Joy and Mel stayed in Columbus most of the time to work on the various apartment complexes I took over. Both were skilled decorators by that time, often drawing on courses they'd just taken to enhance their contributions. Further, I was able to pay them at a top rate; perhaps I was biased but I really valued their work.

Half the apartment complexes I took over already had onsite managers. That meant I needed up to ten new people to fill the gap. After I studied the turnover and occupancy rates, I felt I could make do with only a couple more if they handled multiple geographies. I tried my idea with a couple of new hires and it worked well and saved many thousands of dollars for Steel Property Trust or SPT. I gradually worked the scheme across all the units.

I created specialized crews, using cheap labor from the local campus, as often as I could. I favored the engineers for electrical and plumbing work. I created a couple of painting crews as well, even finding some skilled crews amongst the student body. The latter took instruction from Joy or Mel about colors and detail work. Then I cut some deals with local landscapers to dress up the drab landscapes at some of the properties.

One of the complexes I took over looked like a prison. Mel, Joy and I sat in the courtyard of the place one summer day trying to visualize what we could do to improve the looks of the place without breaking the bank. By the end of the afternoon we had a list of ideas. The following week I rolled the painting crew in with instructions about how to paint various panels on the outside porches of the units in contrasting pastel colors. The next week, the landscape crew rolled in and added two-dozen hedge maples to the property, as well as dozens of other new plants. I added a playground and a picnic area.

The place was transformed. Units that had sat vacant for months suddenly rented. Occupancy went from only fifty percent to one hundred percent by the time school started six weeks later. We'd recouped the investments I'd made in only a month.

Gray Steel and Jim Reynolds met me down at the reworked complex one-day for a walk around – my show and tell time. They were very pleased executives and were vocal in their praise. Before they left, Gray handed me a 'special bonus' check of $2,000. I was speechless.

I used part of the money and threw a party for all the work crews I'd hired. We had a great blast with lots of beer and a catered barbeque right in the center of the reworked apartment complex. The whole shebang cost me $500 and I think I got about $50,000 extra work from all the crews in the following months.

I encouraged idea sharing and creativity across the crews and the PM's for the various complexes. I moved people around so they could see the other properties, and give and get ideas about what to do where they were mainly focused. Great ideas at one site started to show up everywhere.

By Christmas I felt I was rolling along in my job and starting to find my sea legs. While I was in the main offices downtown one December day, Gray presented me with another special bonus of $5,000. "Doug, you are revolutionizing how this firm does business. You're saving us thousands and increasing occupancies wherever you go. You'll get your full regular bonus without question the way you're going. We're all very proud of you."

As I left the high-rise offices, I stopped at a jewelry shop in the lobby and bought two matching diamond rings – one for Mel and one for Joy. Over the many months we'd gone together, I'd fallen deeper and deeper in love with both women. I'd been looking for something akin to an engagement ring but hadn't found anything suitable, thus I finally just settled on the rings and figured I'd let the girls figure out what to call them. My sister assured me that diamonds never disappoint either the given or the receiver.

I also called a restaurant called "M" – no doubt named after the exclusive street it was on – Miranova, an exclusive downtown address with a view of the Scioto River. I made reservations for three for that evening. I left messages on both Joy and Mel's phones that we were going out for a special occasion that evening.

Fortunately, exams had ended the week before so neither of the women had tests or homework to worry about. We'd been cleaning up some decorating details at one of the complexes, then we were all going to head to our parents' various homes for the holiday period, having made arrangements to regroup as a threesome at each home for at least one day to show the flag of unity for our unique relationship.

I got back to our apartment at six-thirty. We'd developed a custom that immediately came into play. Both women came out and showered me with kisses to welcome me home. Had I been home early, I would have provided the same kind of welcome to either of them as they returned home. Homecomings were always so joyful this way.

We kissed and hugged, and of course I got aroused because both women were only clad in thongs and little frilly bras, and somehow their hands roamed all over the right places on my body. But the two were in a playful mood and pushed me towards our spacious bathroom, pulling the clothing from my body as we went. Shedding my work boots and jeans last, they pushed me into the shower with instructions to hurry and get clean so we could go to dinner at the exclusive restaurant. I sighed over the missed occasion but knew there'd be further opportunities for erotic play later that evening.

While I'd been driving home and again in the shower, I rehearsed the little speech I planned to give to Mel and Joy as I gave them the rings. I wanted to get it right and not be misunderstood.

A half-hour later the three of us piled into Joy's car and headed downtown to "M".

"M" is a beautiful upscale restaurant, with a posh atmosphere and the ability to have an intimate conversation without feeling intruded upon. I'd been there for drinks one time with Jim and Gray and promised myself I'd take my girlfriends there; tonight was just the right occasion. I'd arranged to latch onto the corner table in the restaurant that afforded the finest view of the river and the beautiful city lights, special this time of year because of the holiday season.

After we'd sat and ordered some fine wine, I went around the table and knelt between the two women, kissing each one as I lowered myself between them.

I started my short speech, "A little over two years ago I met the two of you, and my life has been nothing but a joy since." I held both their hands. "In this time, I have fallen hopelessly in love with the two of you and I think you have with me as well." Both Mel and Joy gave definite affirmative nods yet clearly wondered where my little speech was leading. "I am blessed to have found not one, but two soul mates."

I let go of their hands and fumbled in the two side pockets of my dark blazer. "Anyway, I wanted to do something special to celebrate the love I feel for you both and today I had the opportunity. I got a special bonus and it allowed me to do something I've thought about for two years."

I pulled the two ring boxes from my pockets and flipped the tops on the two boxes simultaneously, a move I'd practiced in the car for several minutes before I'd gone home from the jewelry store. The identical rings each had a large diamond surrounded by baguettes on each side of the stone, embedded in the platinum band. The rings had what I called a high sparkle factor.

The eyes of each girl shot open in disbelief. Mel shrieked and threw herself into my arms, thereby attracting the attention of every patron in the exclusive restaurant. Joy embraced the two of us and kissed me madly.

We broke apart and each woman held their left hands out for me to put the rings on the proper finger. I pulled the two rings from the boxes and, with one in each hand, carefully and simultaneously slipped the rings on the girls' fingers. I was rewarded with more kisses and hugs.

"If we had a more traditional relationship I'd say these are engagement rings, however, we seem to not want that. So these are just signs of my love for you both and you may explain them to others to be as much or as little of a commitment as you choose. I certainly don't mean for these to imply ownership or exclusivity; I know those aren't how you want to define this relationship. So these are engagement rings of the sort that come with even greater freedom to explore, experiment and grow. I love you both."

More kisses and hugs prevailed before I rose and went back to my seat. After I sat down, there was some modest applause with lots of smiles aimed our way from a few diners at some of the nearby tables. I politely bowed and smiled my thanks to them.

Joy and Mel started talking simultaneously. "Tell me about the bonus you got? These are marvelous. We love you back. Oh, you are so going to get lucky tonight. Oh, this is the perfect Christmas gift; my Mom and Dad will be ecstatic. We love you too. Where'd you get these? Oh, I'm going to tell everyone I'm engaged – I don't have to say engaged to be anything. I love being engaged."

As they talked and took turns posing for each other, I watched the two of them. They kept holding up their hands at arm's length and looking at the sparkling jewels I'd given them. I don't think I'd seen either girl so happy. They were both so in touch with our relationship, so in touch with me. I don't know that I'd ever felt closer to either one of them.

*

We spent Christmas at Mel's home outside Boston. The three of us arrived just as a major snowstorm dumped about eight inches of snow over the area.

Mel's mother went absolutely crazy with delight over the double engagement. She confided that if she was our age she'd be engaged to two handsome guys and basking in the pleasures that such a relationship could afford her. There was no doubt she allowed some sexual fantasy to run through her head as we talked about our relationship.

We found it hard to explain that the rings meant we were engaged and had strong bonds in our threesome, but that our philosophy about relationships allowed for us to connect and be with other people. Mel's mother understood, at least she said she did. Her father just shrugged and said, "Whatever." He told me later he liked me and wished me luck with our relationship.

We beat the next snowstorm and got to Joy's home outside Cleveland late one afternoon. This was not our first visit as a threesome so the initial awkwardness of dealing with our non-standard romance had been dealt with a long time before.

Nonetheless, Joy's mother expressed complete puzzlement over the 'engagement' rings and what they meant both to us and to the world. I listened attentively as Joy tried to explain the non-ownership, non-control, non-exclusive, open sharing, growth-oriented nature of our relationship.

Her mother asked, "But aren't you going to get married?" This was not the first time she'd exhibited this fixation.

Joy responded, "Maybe. We haven't defined what that kind of future would look like. We might just continue to live as we have been."

"How long would that go on?" she asked.

"Until it stops," Joy told her nicely.

"Oh," she said with a strong tone of confusion in her monosyllable. She thought for a few seconds and asked, "Joy, aren't you acting like Doug's wife now?"

Joy smiled and said, "No, I am my own person and part of a committed three-person relationship. I am as committed to Mel as I am to Doug, and as they are to me."

Her mom turned to me, "Doug, do you think of Joy as your wife? Or Mel?"

"Yes and no," I replied. "We are each other's companions and try to provide each other the space and encouragement to grow and evolve to be a whole person. I try to bring them happiness. If the term 'wife' implies some sort of chattel or implies ownership or subservience, then the answer is clearly no."

Still seeking clarification she turned to Mel and asked in a polite way, seeking clarification of what kind of relationship we had yet again, "Are you two in a lesbian relationship? Is one of you dominant?"

Mel laughed. "No. No. No. No one of us is dominant in our relationship. As for putting a label on my relationship with Joy, I would prefer that you describe the three of us as very much in love rather than put some potentially pejorative or inflammatory label on us."

"Oh, dear. I didn't mean it that way at all!" her mother stated as she sat back in her chair, apparently horrified that we might think she didn't like lesbians. She muttered, "I'm just thinking about how to describe to my friends what you ... you three ... are."

I offered, "I think I'd just say that Joy is in a loving relationship."

A strong male voice came from the doorway. Joy's father had been standing there listening to our conversation. He said, "Martha, listen to what the young man just said. Your daughter is the happiest I've ever seen her in her life. She's in love. Don't try to explain it or understand any more than that. It's simple."

*

My younger sister Kara raced out the door of our parent's home an hour west of Columbus and threw herself into my arms. We hadn't seen each other but twice – briefly – over the past year and not too much the year before that. She was a freshman at the University of Texas and probably one of the prettiest women on the campus – there or anywhere.

Next to collect giant bear hugs from Kara were Joy and Mel – the Pixie. Kara stands five-foot-eight, and so she towered over the Pixie and my new fiancée almost disappeared from view in my sister's welcoming hug. Kara helped us carry our Christmas gifts and overnight bags into the house.

My Mom and Dad were both there to welcome us. I'd told my Dad about the rings on a telephone call; somehow he understood and didn't ask the kind of questions that Joy's mother had. Maybe it was a guy thing.

Anyway, as we took off our winter gear in the hallway, suddenly Kara screamed and grabbed at Mel's left hand; "Oh, my God, you're engaged! Tell me. Tell me. Tell me."

Mel laughed at my sister's unbridled enthusiasm and instead of speaking, reached over and took Joy's hand in hers and held both left hands out to my sister, my mother and my father. Kara shrieked again, "Oh, my God, you're both engaged." After a long silence, Kara looked at back and forth between me and the girls, "Oooooh; you did it! You got engaged to both of them. You're all engaged – to each other? Wow! Cool!"

We got hugs from everyone and my Dad patted me solidly on my back in a congratulatory manner.

Kara said bluntly, "I can't believe you're living – intimately – with two of the best looking women in the state; my ugly puss brother. You amaze me." She tousled my hair then stood back obviously proud of me.

I just grinned at her and hugged Mel to me since she was nearer. We both looked very happy together. Joy came and joined us in a three-way hug. Kara surrounded all us as best she could.

Oddly enough, my parents and my sister never asked a single question about how we defined the relationship or what the significance of the rings were. To them, things were self-explanatory. All we got were warmth and congratulations.

Our visit went very smoothly although the three of us ended sleeping rather snugly together in a queen-size sleeper bed in the rather open and public basement playroom. By now in our lives, that was all right. Some days – only a few, hard as I found it to believe, we just didn't engage in sexual activity.

*

By the following summer I felt on top of the world. I continued to be madly in love with my erstwhile fiancées Mel – the Pixie, and Joy. Both had finished their junior year at Ohio State on the Dean's List. The three of us lived together in a gorgeous apartment that we got rent free because of my job as the property manager for twenty of the apartment complexes owned by the Steel Property Trust – including the one we lived in.

Everything I seemed to do in terms of managing the nearly 3,000 apartments in the twenty different apartment complexes seemed to increase rents and occupancy rates. SPT's rating by various financial services went up and so did the value of the various units in the REIT that I'd been awarded as bonuses.

We started the summer working at a ferocious pace to redo not only two hundred apartment units but also to create exterior makeovers at five of the sites I was responsible for. The three of us maintained not only a frantic work schedule but also a spontaneous and freewheeling sex life that kept each of us on our toes.

The two women caught me at home one day where I'd planned a quick lunch before making one of my inevitable runs to Home Depot and Lowes for more supplies for a couple of my crews. As I came in the door, the siren calls of two female voices led me to the bedroom. I no sooner entered the room than I was bodily assaulted by the two naked nymphs I loved.

Soon I'd been stripped naked, forced onto my back, and compelled to endue a blowjob from my two lovers, one on each side of my erect cock. As they licked up one side of my rod and down another, taking turns, I found I could insert fingers in each girl's shaved pussy. I took turns sampling the nectars they produced as they brought me to sexual readiness and turned my mind far from work.

Mel mounted me, bouncing atop my hips with her magnificent breasts swaying in rhythmic harmony with her thrusts. My cock, now harder than steel, pelted into her body on each lunge downward she made.

As we fucked, Joy talked dirty to me – a favorite adjunct activity to our lovemaking. "I came home half an hour ago and Mel was here still in her pajamas working on the decorating plan for that north side complex. I was horny so we started kissing and then, well, I pulled the Pixie's clothes off and started eating her pussy. I love her pussy juice and I got a lot this morning."