by Lani Aames
He learned Morse code from the telegrapher in Spellfire at the time. Now, in this age of cell phones and instant e-mail, few knew how to use the code. Mostly, he communicated by hand
signals and handwritten notes. He’d been pleasantly surprised to discover Taffy knew Morse
code, and that made conversing with her so much easier.
He moved closer to her. Her short blond curls tumbled in all directions as she turned over in her sleep. He ran his fingers through them, and they felt like silken tassels against his skin. He went around to her face, heart-shaped with a pale complexion like most fairies. He wished her eyes would open so he could see into the depths of lovely purple. He reached out with his pinky and ran the tip over her soft-as-rose-petal lips. Her mouth twitched, and he pulled back quickly.
He should leave her alone and let her rest. And he should rest himself. Slipping under her
right hand, he wrapped himself around her fingers. Her hand closed reflexively and squeezed him briefly. He held her close while she slept.
* * * * *
Something poking her woke Taffy. When she opened her eyes, she blinked against the harsh glare of sunlight streaming through the window. Oh, she’d had way too many toffee shakes at Sins last night. This sugar hangover was going to be a doozy!
She closed her eyes. Something she was supposed to do today… Oh, yeah, look for a job.
Well, that could wait for another time while she recuperated. Besides, what did she know how to do except be a tooth fairy or get chased around by a creepy boss?
She had just started to drift off when more poking jerked her awake again. She tried to shake her good arm to stop the poking, but something weighted it down.
She peeped through the slits of her eyelids and saw Manny resting on her elbow, finger
poised to jab at her again. When he noticed her looking at him, he tip-fingered closer to her face.
=Good morning,= he tapped on her arm.
“Mornin’,” she mumbled, sitting up.
He leapt from the sofa to the coffee table and landed beside a tray with a plate warmer, a
bowl of fresh berries, and a steamy cup of pale yellow liquid.
=Breakfast is ready,= he tapped on the edge of the tray.
“Ugh.” The thought of food made her queasy. Taffy pointed to the cup of yellow liquid. “Is
that what I think it is?”
=Hot unsweetened spiced lemonade, the tooth fairy remedy for a sugar hangover.= He gave
her a thumbs-up then hopped onto the arm of the sofa, his fingers dangling in front where he’d be able to tap on the decorative wood.
She reached for the cup, but paused when she noticed the newspaper next to the covered
plate. She grabbed it instead. The paper had been folded to the want ads, and some of them were circled in red.
“Aw, Manny, that’s so sweet of you. You went through the ads and marked them for me.”
=Just trying to help.=
“But I don’t think I’m going job-hunting today.” She tossed the paper back on the table. “I don’t feel good.”
=Drink the lemonade,= he rapped sternly. =Don’t you want a job and place of your own
before your friend returns?=
“Well, yeah, but—”
=No buts. Look over the ads while you drink the lemonade.”
“Oh, all right. I’ll look.” Her lips puckered when she took a sip then she ran her finger over the circled ads. “Hey, I can do these jobs.”
=Of course, you can, Taffy,= Manny encouraged.
“Some of the stores at the outlet-mall are hiring for soft pretzel makers, cashiers, or clothing associates. Oh! The new Spellfire Wax Museum is hiring, too. I have experience from working at Otto’s Oddities, which is kind of like a museum.” She drank her lemonade and started to feel better. “I’ll go to the outlet-mall first then hit the museum. I need to run a couple of errands, too.
Wanna ride the ghost trolley across town with me?”
Manny tapped, =Sure.=
“Cool.” The last traces of the hangover had vanished and now she was ravenous. “Let me
finish breakfast and then I’ll get cleaned up and dressed. We can head out afterwards.”
=You look pretty this morning.=
Taffy laughed and ran the fingers of her good hand through her short curls. “Thanks, but
you’re being nice. Maybe after a warm, soaking bath and twenty minutes with a comb and
makeup.”
Taffy chuckled as Manny flew up the stairs in quick hops. She didn’t know what she’d done
to deserve a wonderful guy like him. Friend, she meant friend. She sure wished her ex-boyfriend could have been half as sweet and attentive as Manny. And Manny just being a hand-thing had more gentleness and sweetness in his pinky than her ex had in his entire body.
She finished her breakfast of piping hot eggs, bacon, toast, and the mixed berries with
cream. Luckily, tooth fairies could eat whatever they wanted and never gain an ounce. She
deposited the tray in the kitchen then headed upstairs.
When she reached the guest bedroom, she found a pair of dress slacks, a dressy pullover,
lacey underwear, and dress sandals all laid out for her. Manny had chosen well. It would be a comfortable outfit for the warm weather, as well as nice enough for job-hunting. She grabbed a towel and washcloth from the linen closet and entered the bathroom.
Manny waited on the edge of the tub for her.
Taffy walked across the room and trailed her fingers through the thick layer of bubbles on
the surface of the water, breathing in the scent of lavender, her favorite. She smiled at Manny.
“Thanks. I can take it from here.”
Manny hesitated then bowed. He jumped from the edge of the tub, landing lightly on the tips of his fingers, and hurried from the room.
Taffy looked after him and wished for something that might never be—a body for Manny.
After undressing, Taffy slid into the water. She rolled up her towel, placed it under her head, and leaned back. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax and let the hot water soothe away her tension.
Job-hunting wasn’t the problem. She dreaded having to pick up her final check at Otto’s
Oddities. She knew the crooked ogre would stiff her a few bucks, but she decided to let it go.
She’d cash the check and that would sever her last tie to Otto Ogring. She’d never have to see the jerk again.
Taffy often wondered about the receptionist Myrtha, a grumpkin from the fifth dimension.
Otto never cheated her. Did Myrtha have something on the ogre as Myrtha sometimes hinted?
Taffy was lucky she’d caught the grumpkin in a good mood or she’d have to wait weeks to get her check.
Well, she needed to hurry and start her day. She wanted to have a job and a place of her own by the time Shai returned. Taffy reached for her washcloth, but it wasn’t on the tray attached to the edge of the tub where she usually put it. Sitting up, she scanned the floor. Oh, great. She’d dropped the cloth by the door.
Taffy sank back against the rolled-up towel. She didn’t want to get out of the tub and drip water all over the floor. She wondered if Manny remained close enough to hear if she called out.
Couldn’t hurt to try.
“Oh, Manny, I can’t reach the washcloth. Can you help me?”
Within seconds, he appeared around the edge of the door.
“Good! I was afraid you’d gone downstairs. Could you hand me the washcloth? I dropped it
by the sink.”
Manny went to the cloth, grabbed it up between pinky and thumb then came toward her.
Taffy closed her eyes again. “You’re a sweetheart. Thanks so much.”
She heard the washcloth hit the bubbly water then another soft splash. What else had Manny
dropped into the water? She opened one eye, surprised to find only Manny’s bandana carelessly draped over the bath
tray.
“Manny…” Her mouth formed his name but no sound emerged.
Then she felt movement in the water, near her thigh, and fingertips glided over her skin from knee to hip. Oh, she should stop him right now before they started something that held no future.
How could she become involved with a hand?
His caresses became bolder…he rubbed from hip to knee with full palm and fingers. A
tingle thrummed through her body while a long sigh escaped her lips. Maybe even hand-things needed physical intimacy…although she couldn’t imagine how he’d achieve satisfaction for himself.
Manny traveled up to her hip again, but didn’t stop this time. He moved over her belly, and Taffy’s legs instinctively opened wider. Would he see it as an invitation? And accept? Should she let him?
Then she felt him slide through the curls on her mound and all questions and rational
thought fled her mind. Her clit throbbed in anticipation of his touch, and her nipples tightened in response. Manny didn’t possess another hand or mouth to stimulate her elsewhere, so she cupped her breasts with her own hands. She pinched her nipples and rubbed them until the ache
intensified and she squirmed.
* * * * *
When Manny sensed Taffy’s legs part, relief rushed through him. He was afraid he’d
overstepped the boundaries of their friendship. For the longest time, even before they became friends, he imagined how it would be to touch her entire body with his fingertips and bring her pleasure. He slipped through her patch of silken curls until his fingers touched the tender folds of her pussy. He slid each fingertip through every crease, rubbing up one side and down the other.
Even submerged, he could differentiate between the water and her slick juice. He dipped a finger inside her and continued his exploration.
Bits of memories flashed through his consciousness, of women he had touched, kissed, and
fucked. He didn’t recall names or faces, but he knew the physical actions and reactions. He didn’t have a cock now, so he wouldn’t be able to attain a release. That didn’t matter. The longings languished in his memory, not what was left of his physical being. He knew he’d be able to pleasure Taffy. He remembered how to stroke a woman and how to manipulate the little nub hidden at the top of her folds.
When he touched Taffy there, her hips surged up creating a tidal wave in the tub. She
seemed ready to find her release. He pushed three fingers into her hot, silken chamber. Her pussy rose and fell to meet him as he finger fucked her. Then he found her clit and swirled his thumb around it. Her pussy muscles tightened almost immediately then pulsed around his fingers.
When the throbbing stopped, he felt her relax. Her legs stretched out, and he withdrew,
resting in her nest of pale golden curls. He caressed her there, the silken curls tangling with his fingers. How he wished he had a body so that he could hold her in his arms and kiss her sweet lips. He wished he knew how to remove the curse or hex or whatever had left him in this state.
He hadn’t minded much until now…until falling in love with Taffy.
What should he do? If he emerged from the water near her head, would she be embarrassed.
Making as quick and unnoticeable a getaway as possible, while she recovered her senses, offered the best solution. He swam, a modified finger crawl through the water, to the foot of the tub then jumped into the air as hard as he could. He bounded off the rim and landed in the floor. His emotions too high for him to sense Taffy’s actions, if any, he raced out the door. He thought he heard her call his name once, but he didn’t return to the bathroom.
He’d let her decide how to handle it. If she didn’t mention it, neither would he.
Chapter 3
Taffy’s heart thumped a quick beat when she saw Manny waiting patiently for her, the want ads section of the paper held between his thumb and forefinger. She felt the warmth of a blush creep into her cheeks.
She didn’t know what to do or say after what happened in the tub. After he hurried from the bathroom, she called after him, but he didn’t respond. Maybe ignoring it would be best. She plastered on a big smile.
“I’m ready if you are, Manny. Hop on my shoulder and we’ll walk back to Sins. The ghost
trolley should be there pretty soon.”
He jumped on her shoulder and settled down. The heat of his palm seeped into her skin and
his thumb gently caressed the back of her neck just as he’d done the night before. Had Manny been flirting with her then? A shiver raced down her spine, and she laid her hand briefly over him.
Outside, she took the same route, passing by the same corner where Manny had foiled the
purse snatcher. In front of Sinful Sundaes Ice Cream Shoppe, Manny playfully swished a “no-
no” finger.
“Don’t worry. I’ve had my fill of frappés.”
His forefinger rubbed against her cheek then he tapped, =Good girl.=
Taffy felt all warm and fuzzy inside, and butterflies soared through her stomach. Damn, just how much hand cuddling could a gal take?
They didn’t have long to wait for the ghost trolley to come by on the Main Street side of
Sins. As paranormal beings, they could easily access the ethereal vehicle. Not many other
passengers rode the trolley this time of day. A gremlin scurried across the ceiling, and a peck of pixies flitted about a vampire dozing in the back. She and Manny disembarked at the outlet-mall.
=I have things to take care of,= Manny tapped on her shoulder. =Where do you want to meet
up later?=
She was touched he wanted to spend more time with her, but it wasn’t a good idea, was it?
She didn’t regret what happened in the tub that morning, but she couldn’t allow it to go any further, could she? She wanted to tell him so…but his thumb rubbed up and down along the
curve of her neck as he patiently waited for her answer. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him. To be perfectly honest with herself, she didn’t want to. She enjoyed being with Manny more than any man she’d ever spent any time with.
“How about Otto’s Oddities? I need to pick up my final paycheck, and I’d feel better not
going in alone.”
=Why? What happened?=
“I’d only been working there a couple of weeks when Otto cornered me in the storage area
in the basement. He said I’d have to put out or he’d fire me. So I quit on the spot. That made him mad, and he wouldn’t let me leave.”
=Did he hurt you? Did you report him?= Manny tapped hard on her shoulder.
“Oh, no. I got away. There was a long wooden box on a stand, and I kept it between me and
Otto. I pretended like I was going around one end, but when he moved in that direction to block me, I crawled under the stand and ran up the stairs and out the door. Otto’s big, but he’s slow and couldn’t catch me.”
=You shouldn’t have to see the ogre again.=
“I’m hoping I won’t. The receptionist Myrtha said he wouldn’t let her mail it. He also told her to hold it a few extra weeks, but she said I could have it if I came in today, while he’s out to lunch. He goes exactly at noon every day.”
=Then I’ll get it for you,= Manny offered.
“Thanks, but Myrtha won’t let you have it. Store policy. She can only give it to the person whose name is on it. Myrtha’s a stickler for rules. She’s already doing me one favor and going against Otto by giving it to me today. I can’t expect another from her. If I asked if you could get it, she might even refuse to give it to me at all.”
=Then I’ll go in with you,= Manny tapped more gently. =You won’t have to do it alone.=
Taffy smiled. “After the way you handled that purse snatcher last night, an ogre would be a piece of cake.”
=Otto’s at noon,= he tapped then jumped to the ground, disappearing among the feet of
hurrying shoppers.
Well, that
had been easy enough. Maybe they could pretend that morning in the bathtub
never happened. Maybe they could just go back to being friends. She couldn’t see any future with a hand. While it was fun hanging out with Manny, she couldn’t see having a relationship with him. She wanted conversation, not Morse code. She wanted a full body to snuggle up with, not just a hand. Manny’s magical fingers worked exceptionally well to relieve her sexual tension, but would it be enough?
With a heavy sigh, Taffy entered the mall. Two hours later, she emerged, having applied at
more than half a dozen shops and businesses inside. She glanced at her watch. She had just
enough time to go to the Spellfire Wax Museum and fill out an application before meeting
Manny.
She caught the ghost trolley again and stepped off in front of the new museum. Inside, she
filled out the form and talked to the receptionist who said they were actively hiring and gave her hope that her experience at Otto’s Oddities would put her ahead of most of the other applicants.
Across town, she found Manny in the branches of a tall potted tree just outside the entrance to Otto’s Oddities. He hopped onto her shoulder as she stood in front of the door.
=I’m right here with you, sweet Taffy,= he tapped with a gentle touch.
She reached up and ran her fingertips over his knuckles. “Thanks.”
Inside, Manny hopped off, but Taffy turned her attention to the short, squat receptionist
seated behind an oversized desk covered in papers, folders, and a huge open bag of Plutonian Pretzels. “Hi, Myrtha.”
“Otto’s in the back,” Myrtha announced in her squeaky grumpkin voice then bit down on a
pretzel. She wasn’t one to waste time on niceties anyway.
Taffy stopped in her tracks and glanced at her watch. “But it’s after noon. He always goes to lunch at twelve sharp.”
Myrtha shrugged and tossed an envelope on her desk. “What do you expect? He’s an ogre
and they’re an unreliable lot.”
“Thanks, Myrtha. I owe you one.” Taffy started to pick up the envelope, but noticed Manny
