I came home from work one Friday for lunch–my office isn't that far from home and occasionally I do come home just to get away from work for a bit and regroup. When I got there, I noticed a flat-bed tow truck loading up my neighbor's prize 1965 Mustang convertible. Curious, I went over to see her.

"Hi Sally, I saw the tow truck outside. Are you having car troubles?"

She looked down sadly. "No, it's being repossessed." 

"Repossessed? What happened?"

"Well I got fired about a week ago and I can't make the payments on it." She showed me the repossession notice.

"But Sally, you only owe $5,400 on the car!"

"Yeah, well it might as well be five million. I can't make the payments, I can't afford the insurance or the registration which will be due in a couple of months."

"What happened?"

"The boutique that I worked for, The Sassy Lassy, is closing down. The owner wants to retire and the place has been bought out. It's not even going to be a boutique anymore... it's being turned into one of those juice bar/ health food places, I guess."

"And you can't get a job there? I mean how much intelligence does it take to make those papaya/mango smoothy things anyway?"

"They don't want women like me there. They want the young bubble-headed blondes with perky tits and tight asses. I am too old to be in that crowd."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. The car has been repossessed, my house is going into foreclosure. I am out of work and I can't even apply for State Aid because it will be at least three months before that kicks in.

"I am getting unemployment right now but that will run out in six weeks... eight if I can get an extension. But that's it. I am thinking I will probably just pull up roots here and go someplace to start over." 

"Damn, Sally. that's terrible!

"I'm actually glad you came over. I have a favor to ask you."

"Sure, what is it?"

"I wouldn't ask except that I don't have any other options, but could you take Boomer for me? I don't know what is going to happen and I don't know if I can keep him. I don't want him going to just anyone and I don't have the heart to take him to the pound." Her voice wavered as she spoke, and I could see this decision was tearing her apart.

"Sally Marie Ridell, I will do no such thing! You are not going to leave this town and you are not going to leave me or your dog. This is what you are going to do. Today is Friday so I am going to call work and tell them I won't be in this afternoon–I had some kind of emergency at home.

"Then you and I are going to go get a U-Haul truck and on the way home, we are going to stop and get you a storage unit. We are going to pack your things and put them in storage and you and Boomer are going to come to stay with me until you get back on your feet.

"I am not losing a good friend and good neighbor over some damn overpriced orange juice joint! And Buster here would be lost without his pal Boomer!"

"Really, John? You would take me and Boomer in just like that?"

"Sure, Sally this is a three-bedroom/two bath house. More than enough house for a single guy and a dog. I have a spare bedroom just waiting for you and you can even have your own bathroom.

"You and Boomer are welcome to stay here as long as you like and that way you stay in the neighborhood with people you know and not have to start all over again."

"I-I don't know what to say..."

"Well, yes is always a good answer in these cases!"

"Yes! Of course Yes! Oh, Boomer, did you hear that? We can stay together!" Seeing the joy that it brought her knowing she wouldn't have to get rid of Boomer was more than worth it.

So it was settled. I called the office and said that I had a problem here at home to take care of and wouldn't be in that afternoon. As I was the manager of the insurance agency I worked at, it was no problem for me to take the time off (they were probably glad I was not coming in, actually!).

Then we drove down to the local U-Haul office and rented one of their largest trucks. Sally was afraid to drive such a large vehicle, so I let her drive my car while I took the truck. We stopped by a storage unit place not far from home and secured a good-sized storage for her, then headed home.

That Saturday was a busy one. With her directing, and me and a couple of other friends doing the heavy lifting, we got her former house cleared out and the things put in storage that she wouldn't need for a while. She kept her clothes, some personal items, and things she would need and we brought them into the house.

I showed her where her room would be and once she got settled, I gave her the tour and showed her where things were kept. She had been over many times before, but only as a guest. Now she would be living here–she would need to know where things were stored and how the house ran.

We got done with everything just in time to get cleaned up and ready for dinner. Because we had been working all day we opted to just go out for a pizza and save cooking and dishes. 

 Later that night we were watching TV on the sofa with the dogs on the floor at our feet. We were contemplating heading off to bed when Sally turned to me.

"John, why did you take me and Boomer in like you did? I mean sure we were friendly to each other and borrowed sugar and things like that. We waved to each other as we passed by. But you and I were not really 'Come live with me' close. Why did you take pity on a dog and her pet?"

"Truthfully? For selfish reasons, I assure you."

"Huh?"

"I didn't want you to leave. I liked seeing you next door, you brightened my day with your waves and your 'Hi John" when we saw each other. And if you moved away who knows what kind of wackadoodle or heavy metal punk rocker psycho would move in next.

"And I saw how you felt when you asked me to take care of Boomer, as a fellow dog lover, I knew what that took for you to come to that decision. I can't even imagine my life without Buster here. I couldn't let you get rid of your best friend."

"And that's it? That's the reason–that you didn't want somebody new across the street and didn't want me to get rid of Boomer?"

"Well, Sally, you may not know this about me, but I don't have a wide circle of friends. I am kind of a private person until I get to know someone.

"And once I do consider you a friend, I don't like to lose you. You and I have been neighbors for a long, long time. I am used to seeing you across the street. I didn't want that to go away. Besides... you got to admit, you spruce the place up a bit!"

Sally giggled at my remark. "Well, I don't know about the last part, but I do consider you a friend too, John. A really special, really wonderful friend." She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. 

Then she sat back. I thought that was it–she was thanking me for helping her. That was fine... she had just got here after all and we hadn't had a chance to do much "bonding". But then she looked at me in an odd way.

"Wait. I think we can do better than just a peck on the cheek." She slid closer and put her hand on the back of my neck, pulling me into a real kiss. One with more meaning than just "thank you"... this one said, "I WANT you." 

As much as I was enjoying her kiss (Sally was a great kisser!) I didn't want to take advantage of a woman in a bad situation. I had rescued her sure, but I didn't want that to be the basis for sex. I didn't want "I owe you" sex; if we were going to do something, it should be because we wanted it, not out of some sense of obligation.

"Sally, um, I appreciate the kiss, but is this... how do I put it... because of what I've done in helping you?"

"Honestly? The first kiss was a thank you kiss. But the second one, no. John, I have a little confession to make and we might as well start this living together thing with all our cards on the table. Don't you agree?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, John the thing is that I have lived across the street from you for a long time, that's true. But what you don't know is that I used to... um... watch you.

"Not in a creepy stalker way, but because I thought you were–oh God I can't believe I'm telling you this–I thought you were hot. I watched you when you washed your car, when you cut the grass and when you would go out for a run... I'm so embarrassed!"

She must have been because her cheeks had turned the prettiest shade of crimson!

I sat there for several moments just taking in and processing this information. It was a surprise to be sure, and it caught me off guard knowing that I had been being watched for who knows how long.

But there in the living room with my new housemate, I studied her standing there fidgeting nervously. I'm sure she thought that her confession would endanger her staying here with me. But as I looked at her that idea was the furthest from my mind.

Sally Ridell was a very attractive twenty-four-year-old woman, about five foot tall and maybe ninety pounds with large almond-shaped green eyes, long brown hair down to the small of her back, and the hottest tight hardbody I had seen in a long time.

She might be a tiny thing, but she packed a lot in that small package! I was actually kicking myself mentally for not noticing her before! 

"Say something, John!" her words snapped me out of the trance I was in.

"Oh, sorry. It's just that I am a little blown away that you have been watching me–and that you think I'm hot! Now it's time for my confession... truth be told I hadn't really noticed you all that much.

"I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that I am always thinking about work or what I am doing next or something. I don't take a whole lot of notice of what's going on around me unless it is glaringly obvious–like the tow truck hauling off your car. But I have to say that particular trait of mine has done me wrong in this case."

"That's okay, John. I mean I'm not out where I can be seen all that much. I don't have a flower bed or anything in front of the house. I don't wash my car, I get it detailed for free at the body shop because some idiot rear-ended me once and because they did the work to fix my car, they said I can get it detailed for free for as long as I own it.

"So four times a year I have it detailed. Or rather I used to. I am rarely out in the front yard–if I am outside it almost always in the backyard and I have a solid wood fence so you wouldn't see me there." 

"Well Sally, I hope now that you are living here you won't be hiding from me anymore! Now that I know what I've been missing out on I plan on paying a LOT more attention!"

"Don't you worry... I won't hide from you. And if I do you'll just have to come find me!" Sally giggled.

"Oh, so you like 'Hide And Sex' do you?"

She smiled mischievously. "I like all kinds of games, John... especially the kind that ends up in sex!" 

It looked like Sally and I was going to be really good housemates!

It was my turn now to make the next move. I leaned over and resumed the kiss, this time taking the lead and showing her that her interests were not going unnoticed. I kissed her long and deep and as she parted her lips, I took the invitation and my tongue went seeking hers.

Our kiss deepened and I began pushing her back, slowly and gently laying her back on the sofa and moving over her. When she was laid back I lowered myself down on top of her so she could feel me on her. She moaned into my mouth as she felt me on her and I nestled between her legs.

Her arms went around my waist and down to my ass I used my elbows to prop me up enough so she could breathe easier–with my mouth covering hers in the kiss the least I could do was making it easy to breathe through her nose!

But she didn't seem to mind... at least she didn't try to break the kiss. In fact, she was doing her level best to swallow my whole mouth!

She was trying to suck my tongue from my mouth (a subtle hint, I believe, that she wanted some other part of my anatomy in her mouth!) and her hips began slowly grinding on what was now a raging hard-on. 

With me wearing blue jeans and her jean cut-off shorts, it was hard for her to get a really good sense of what I had going on down there, but with us making out like a couple of teenagers hurrying before our parents got home, I think she got the idea.

"Oh, John! Oh, I'm so glad I don't have to move away... I would have missed you terribly! Thank you for taking me and Boomer in!" 

Our making out had us both panting for breath and, speaking for myself, more than a little overheated. Sally also seemed to be getting a bit excited as she squirmed and wriggled under me trying to get me to rub her in just the right places. 

"I'm glad you accepted my offer, Sally. Having you here is even better than you hiding and peeking at me from across the street! At least here I get to look at you too!"

"Yeah–for whatever that's worth!" Her self-deprecatory tone caught my attention.

"What do you mean, Sally?"

She looked down at her lap as she explained. "I mean, who wants an out of work lingerie saleslady?  What do I have to offer someone? I don't have a job, I can't contribute. All I am is a burden... and I have a dog which adds even more to the bills!"

I had heard enough! Without a word, I raised up enough to grab her wrists and bring them up over her head where I held them in place.

"Now look here, you lady! You have a lot to offer. Sure you may be out of work right now but you still can 'contribute' as you say. Let's look at some of your 'assets' shall we? Do you feel you are a good cook?"

"Well yeah, I do all right. I've never had any complaints."

"Okay then. How about household chores? I've never been in your house, but I assume you know which end of a mop goes down and how to chase a vacuum cleaner around the house. You always look nice so I'm assuming a washing machine isn't alien to you, either."

"So you brought me here to be your housekeeper?"

"No, I'm just saying that 'contributions' as you call them don't always have to be financial in nature. In our parents' time, the husband worked while the wife stayed home and took care of the housework and cooked the meals. Are you saying your mom never contributed to the running of the household?"

"No, but..."

"All right then. Now let me continue. On top of all that, you contribute by being someone to talk to. This house is far too big and too empty for one person. I walk around here talking to myself or talking to Buster–neither of which lends itself to good conversation.

"I love Buster to death but I can't discuss my day or what is going on in the news with him. And I'm really sick of my own voice. You are good company and I enjoy talking to you when I get the chance. Now I can talk even more to with you instead of just the hi's and bye's we've exchanged in the past."

"I like talking to you too, John."

"And aside from conversation, you are... well you are easy on the eyes, too."

"Really? You think I'm pretty, John?" She was blushing as she spoke.

"Sally, honey, you leave pretty at the starting gate! No, I don't think pretty begins to describe you. You are beautiful darlin'!"

"Oh, John..."

I kissed her softly once again. When I let go of her wrists, she put her arms around my neck holding me in the kiss and not wanting to let me go. And since I didn't want to go either, we stayed there kissing passionately for a few delightful moments. 

Boomer came over to see why this man was eating his owner and when his cold muzzle touched Sally's cheek (his way of asking if she was all right) we both broke up laughing. Once Sally assured Boomer that I hadn't hurt her, Boomer went over and laid down next to Buster who was completely unconcerned about what those strange humans were doing, so long as it didn't involve him!

A glance up at the clock on the wall told me it was getting late and we'd better be thinking about bedtime. So regrettably, I got up and helped Sally up off the couch and we walked back to the bedroom.

Since this was our first night in the house together I didn't want her to think I brought her there just for a handy piece of ass so I played it off all gentleman-like and didn't push her into anything. Sally and Boomer went into her room, and me and Buster took mine.

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I woke up the next morning to the smell of fresh coffee and bacon and eggs. "Something sure smells good in here!" I said as I rounded the corner in the kitchen. 

"Good morning! I thought I would put some of those 'assets' we talked about last night to work! Sit down breakfast is almost ready!" 

I sat down in my usual place at the head of the table. It wasn't because I had some egotistical "I-have-to-be-in-charge" thing, it's just there was more room and it was easier to sit there than anyplace else, so I was used to sitting there. 

"So how did you sleep last night?"

"Oh, I slept wonderfully John! That bed was so comfortable... I don't remember the last time I slept so well! And it was nice to know that I wasn't alone in the house. 

"Well, I'm glad."

Sally brought breakfast to the table and served me up. I waited for her to serve herself and sit down before I began eating.

"This is really good, Sally. See, I told you that you had a lot to offer!"

"I'm glad you like it. I don't claim to be a world-class chef, but I can get by!"

"This doesn't taste like 'getting by' hon, this is good!"

"Thank you." She blushed again. It was a nice look on her.

"So what do you usually do on Sundays, John?"

"Well on Sundays I usually take Buster out to the park or the beach if it's a nice enough day. He likes the beach but not if it's windy or cloudy–it gets too cold for him to enjoy himself and I don't much like it either.

"So if the weather is questionable, we go to the park. He likes that too. As long as we spend time together he's a happy guy Isn't that right, Buster old boy?" Buster looked up to me upon hearing his name and wagged his tail briskly.

"Mind if Boomer and I come along? Boomer likes the park. He's never been to the beach though."

"Sure, I'd love to have some people company! Usually, Buster and I don't have anyone but each other. He'd like to run and play with his buddy Boomer! And I certainly wouldn't mind having a pretty gal to talk to either!"

"Oh, there you go again with the charm, John Mitchell! But you can keep going if you like, I don't mind!"

So we finished breakfast and after a check on the weather, we decided to check out the beach and see how busy it was. Buster and I knew of a quiet little cove that we liked because not too many people went there and it was a good place to walk an energetic and not always subtle dog!

It took us about fifteen minutes to get to where we usually parked when Buster and I went there. Once we were safely down on the beach and away from any road traffic, we turned the dogs loose to run freely. 

"This is a lovely beach, John. How did you ever find it?"

"A friend of mine knew I liked letting Buster run and play without his leash and suggested I come here one day. We liked it so much we made it a regular thing. I love the beach anyway, and Buster likes to romp in the water, especially on hot days."

"Well, it's a very nice place for the dogs... and people too!"

I felt her hand cautiously take mine and I gave her hand light but reassuring squeeze. She looked up and smiled. 

We walked along the beach for a bit laughing at the way the dogs were scampering about and talking about our pasts.