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 THE HARD BODY CLERK'S NEW BEGINNING BY DL SLOAN

   CHAPTER NINE: ESCAPE PLAN Cori woke up the next morning in exactly the
same position she had fallen asleep in - laying nude, sprawled across
Norm's naked body.  But there was one difference, now she had Norm's cock
in her pussy.  The old man had woken up to the best view imaginable - a
gorgeous 22-year-old blonde laying naked on top of him with her pierced
nipples poking into him and her warm thighs pressed against his crotch.

   Naturally, he woke up with a hard-on and decided to give his
step-daughter a hearty wake up fuck.  He shifted his hips and used his good
hand to pull her leg to the side in order to spread her open.  He squirmed
and shifted until his cock was rubbing against her pussy, then he used his
hand to stuff it inside.  Because of the angle, he was only about half way
inside her, using his hand on her ass to move her around and provide a
little bit of friction.  After only a few seconds of this, she woke up,
groggy and sore.

   "What..."

   "Shut up and ride," Norm said.  His tone was terse, almost angry.  Cori
had a headache and her body ached all over.  She felt mildly sick to her
stomach and now, to add to it, he was fucking her and angry at her all at
the same time.  What was the matter?

   She gave him a quizzical look, rubbing her eyes as she sat up and
mounted him fully, instantly starting to grind and rock her hips, giving
him exactly what he wanted even if she herself was far from in the mood. 
As many a man had told her, her body was built for sex 24/7, whether she
felt like it or not.  As if to back that statement up, she felt her nipples
hardening and her pussy heating up as her body went from sleep mode to fuck
mode in a matter of seconds.

   She rode him dutifully if without passion.  Norm noticed that something
seemed different about her this morning, but thought little of it.  He had
a full-fledged slutty whore at his disposal now.  If last night hadn't
proved that, he didn't know what would.  Who cared what mood his little
bitch was in as long as she was looking good and following orders?

   He fucked her as hard as he could under the circumstances.  There was no
tenderness.  No slowing down.  No light touches on the stomach or caresses
of the breasts.  He slapped at her sore breasts, making them bobble up and
down.  He dug his thumb roughly against her clit and pulled on the pussy
ring, yanking it toward him.  He smacked her ass with his good hand and
told her again to "shut up and ride."

   Cori had felt uneasy from time to time since she'd been here, but never
more so than now.  Something was definitely wrong.  Either she had changed
or Norm had, but she suddenly felt little love for him.  She found herself
not wanting to be around him, let alone riding his cock.  What was going
on?

   She ground her hips against him and tried to get him off quickly, which
she did as he pushed down on her hips and came inside her.  "Bet you needed
that," Norm taunted meanly.  "It had been at least 7 hours since you'd had
a good shot of cum.  Probably about to go through withdrawals, weren't ya?"

   "What's the matter with you?" Cori said, climbing off and starting
toward the bathroom.

   "Me?" Norm laughed.  "Looks like you're the one who woke up in a bad
mood.  What's the matter, pissed off because the guys didn't spend the
night to gang bang you again today?"

   "Fuck you," Cori said, putting her head down to hide her tears as she
stalked off to the bathroom and closed the door.

   "You already did," Norm laughed.  Man, I've turned into a major asshole,
he thought.  No, he thought again, after years of holding back, you're
finally doing and saying what you wanted to do all your life.  Fuck that
bitch if she that she was better than he was.  He hasd let her mom walk all
over him and where had that gotten him?  He looked at this as payback -
finally he was charge and getting the pussy he deserved all along.  He got
himself out of bed and went off to get some breakfast.

   Cori looked at herself in the mirror, surprised to see the "I Love
Cocks" collar still around her neck.  She had been wearing it so long, she
had forgotten it was there.  Frowning, she took it off and threw it in the
trash can.  Then, remembering that she did in fact love cocks and that it
was kind of a fun little accessory under the right circumstances, she bent
down and picked it up, laying it on sink.

   She looked at herself in the mirror again and her sadness and confusion
turned to anger.  She was angry at herself for letting them treat her like
a whore yesterday.  She had enjoyed a lot of it, yes, but it had been
counter to everything she had established with her guys in Georgia.  They
had complete access to her there, but she always had their respect and
control over her own decisions.  Yesterday, there had been respect, no
control and so, she realized, she had given in and made the most of a bad
situation.  Because of her eternally positive outlook, she had managed to
convince herself that it was all in good fun and that she was doing it for
Norm.

   Now, a day later and with a clear head and very sore body, she realized
that she would never have put herself in that situation willingly.  She
knew and so did Norm.  That's why he had drugged her.  A sleeping pill, he
had said, but now she had her doubts.  And she understood now that the
chains weren't for her protection and the guys weren't for her pleasure. 
If she had balked, he would have let them rape her anyway to get his kicks
and his precious deck.

   It was all so clear to her now.  All of it, except why.  Why was he
doing this?  She would have been willing to please him almost any way he
wanted and would have been happy to do so.  Wasn't that enough?  What was
driving him to act like this?  And, she realized, did this mean she had to
leave?  She hated him right now, but she also knew that if she left now and
anything happened to him, she'd hate herself.  She was getting a pretty
good dose of that already this morning and it didn't feel good.

   Cori liked being active, positive, cheery.  Today, she felt melancholy,
depressed, sleepy and extremely sore.  None of what made her the bubbly
burst of pure sex was present today - except for her flawless body, of
course, which never took a day off.

   She got in the shower, letting the hot stream sooth her aching muscles.
The bruises all over her body told the story - the guys hadn't hurt her,
per se, but they sure had been rough.  Her health and well-being hadn't
been first and foremost in their minds.  John, Ben and Ty would never have
treated her that roughly for such an extended period of time.

   Cori's hand rubbed over the nipple rings and she seethed in anger. 
Against her better judgment, she had let him do this to her.  She should
have known then, when he didn't respect her wishes, that things were going
down the wrong road.  She had given in to please him and look where it had
gotten her.  She removed the nipple rings and clit ring and set them on the
side of the tub.  Norm would probably be mad, but she didn't really care.
She realized now that he had been working her, using his disability, her
mother and her kindness against her.  Well, that stops now, she told
herself.

   As the warm water cascaded over her, she thought about her strategy for
dealing with Norm.  One thing was for sure, his cock had seen her pussy for
the last time in a while.  And she would wear what she damn well pleased.
If he wanted her help, she'd give it to him, but only on her terms.  She'd
help him rehab, cook, clean, run errands.  Two weeks, she told herself.  In
two weeks, he's either going to be self-sufficient or I'm hiring someone to
come take care of him.  If I have to send him money, I will, but in two
weeks, I'm outta here.

   Her new plan settled, Cori emerged confident and determined.  She
dressed in the most conservative and comfortable clothes she had.  She put
on a pair of gray, athletic-style cotton shorts with a drawstring and
notches cut in the legs.  They were quite short and tight, but not nearly
as much as most of her shorts.  Her ass cheeks were almost completely
covered and there was only a hint of the white t-back thong sticking out
above the waistband.  On top she wore a red cotton tank top that scooped
low enough to show plenty of cleavage, but otherwise covered most of her
breasts and actually extended almost to her belly button.  By Cori's
standards, this was about as conservative as it got.  She wore no heels and
only a hint of makeup.

   When she walked into the kitchen, she found Norm at the table, reading
the paper.  He looked at her and frowned.

   "What the hell is that supposed to be?" Norm asked, nodding toward her
outfit.  "I thought we had an understanding about how you should dress. 
Come on, I'll pick something out for you, you stupid slut."

   Stupid slut?  When did this all start?  Cori was pissed now.  She was
not stupid and, while she admitted she had acted like a complete slut
yesterday, she knew in her heart that she wasn't.  Half the men in America
might think otherwise, but her opinion was the only one that mattered.

   "I'm not stupid and I'm not a slut," Cori said, keeping her voice calm
and level.  "I'm just saying enough.  I know you've been manipulating me
all along and it's my fault for letting you do it.  But I hope you had your
fun yesterday, because it stops now."

   "Whatever," Norm said, shaking his head.  His mind was racing.  How had
she figured it out?  How could he turn this back around before it was too
late.  Stay on the attack.  Wear her down, he told himself.  For the first
time, he made a mistake in judging: deep down she knows she's a slut, he
thought, I just have to make her understand that.  "Seems like you were the
one having fun yesterday.  How many times did that little cunt of yours
cream?  Huh?  Six, eight times?  You loved every second of it and it's only
because you think you're too good to be a slut that you're trying to
convince yourself otherwise.  You know it and I know it.  All I'm asking is
that you act like it.  Quit trying to be something you're not." Cori put
her head down and Norm thought he had her.  "Now, be a good piece of ass
and go back in there and put on something that Pappy can enjoy looking at.
I thought you might like to go back to the mall today and let those guys do
whatever they want to with you."

   Cori looked up.  But instead of defeated, she looked determined, angry.
"It's not going to work," she said flatly.  "You think you can degrade me
and con me into doing things, but not anymore.  I don't feel sorry for you
anymore.  I don't feel guilty about my mom anymore and I don't feel like
doing anything to help you feel good anymore.  You're a sick, bitter man
and I realize now there's nothing I can do about that.  Now, if you want, I
will stay for two more weeks and help you with your rehab and your
finances. But the sex stops now.  And I'll wear what I want.  I'm going to
the store today to get some decent clothes.  And I'll sleep in my own room
tonight.

   "You can take that or leave it," she continued.  "But that's the deal.
No exceptions, no negotiations."

   "Hmm, you're smarter than I thought," Norm nodded, grinning.  "You have
more guts than I thought too.  That's good.  Sure, I'll play along.  Dress
how you want.  Sleep by yourself.  That all sounds good to you now, but I
know your little cunt gets hungry.  It needs to be fed and I'm guessing
that by this time tomorrow, you'll be begging me for some cock.  You can
deny all you want that you're a cock-hungry slut, but I know better.  But
for today, sure, if you want to be a normal, good girl, we can play that
way.  But when you're on your knees inhaling my cock, I promise not to tell
you I told you so."

   "We have a deal then," Cori said, choosing not to respond to his taunts.
That was his way of getting to her.  At least it had been.  Now that she
knew his game, she wouldn't fall for it again.  "So, what do you want for
breakfast?"

   After breakfast, Cori left Norm to take a nap while she went to buy her
own clothes.  How long had it been since she'd shopped for normal clothes?
She couldn't remember, but it was so much fun.  She found shirts that
actually fit without showing off any nipples or cleavage.  She bought real
bras and regular cotton panties and briefs.  She brought normal length
shorts and, gasp!, even pants!  She even bought a one-piece bathing suit
that was the right size and a pair of sandals and a pair of tennis shoes.
No more heels!  It was a liberating day and she finished it by treating
herself to a big juicy hamburger, fries and a shake - foods she seldom
allowed herself to indulge in while trying to maintain her perfectly toned
and shaped body.

   Before she got home, Cori stopped at a gas station and changed into some
of her new clothes, putting on a pair of white cotton panties, blue jeans,
her tennis shoes, a white bra and a gray t-shirt that was actually long
enough to tuck into her jeans.  This would really show Norm she meant
business.

   While Cori was gone, Norm did take a nap, then woke up, angry and
desperate.  He was mad at himself for pushing Cori too far.  Now, the best
thing that had ever happened to him was about to go away.  He wanted to
repair the situation, but he knew that by showing his true colors, she
would never trust him again.  She had shown more pride and strength than he
had expected and he knew she would never willingly fuck him again.  He held
out little hope now that she was actually a nympho slut who would be
begging for cock by tomorrow.  His initial thoughts about her a few days
ago had been correct - she was a remarkable young woman who wasn't to be
taken for granted or taken advantage of.  He had done both.

   He wasn't sure how he was going to change things around, but he'd play
along with her today and try to get a better read on what she was thinking.
He might have to go without any of that fine pussy for a few days, which
would be torture, but best to let her cool off and her pussy heat up before
he tried pushing again.  He wasn't confident it would work, but it was the
only semblance of a plan he had.

   When she came back, virtually covered from head to toe and beaming like
she had never been happier, Norm knew it was going to be an uphill battle.
But he put on his best happy face.  "Hi, Kitten," he said.  "I'm sorry
about this morning.  I was way out of line.  I'm glad you went shopping and
got some more comfortable clothes.  Whatever makes you happy is fine with
me.  No more sex stuff, I promise."

   Cori just said thank you and took her bags to her room.  She liked what
he said, but didn't believe he meant a word of it.  If he had his way, she
knew she'd be tied to the bed with dildos in her ass and pussy and his or
some other guy's cock in her mouth.

   "I called the doctor and told him I thought you were getting better,"
Cori said as she came back into the living room.  "He wants to see you
today.  He also asked if your sleeping pills and Viagra were working all
right.  Where are they?"

   Norm hung his head.  "In my nightstand."

   Cori went into the bedroom, found the pills and flushed them all down
the toilet.  "You won't be drugging me or your dick either one any more,"
she said, giving him a cold stare.

   "I know, I know," Norm said, holding up his hands.  "I'm sorry.  I was
wrong.  I wish we could go back and start over, but I got carried away.  I
never had a chance to be with someone like you before and I just didn't
know how to act.  It's no excuse, just the truth."

   Cori just smirked, shaking her head.  What a bunch of bullshit. 
"Whatever," she said.  "I'll help you get in the shower and get dressed. 
Then we need to go see the doctor.  After that, maybe we can have dinner at
the truck stop tonight and talk to your partner about what's going on
there. I want you back on your feet physically and financially as soon as
possible - we've got two weeks."

   "All right," Norm said.  For the first time, there was no sexual tension
as she helped him undress, shower and dress.  He didn't even attempt to cop
a clumsy feel or brush his arm against her breasts.  He didn't even say a
word when he saw the nipple and pussy rings laying on the side of the tub.
The message was clear.

   After a thorough diagnosis, the doctor confirmed what Norm had been
trying to hide from Cori - he was much better than he had been letting on.
He had about 60 percent strength back in his arm and 50 percent in his leg.
A couple more weeks and he should be fully mobile.  Even now, he should be
able to bathe and dress himself.  Norm hung his head again as Cori just
looked at him and glared.

   She didn't say a word to him as they drove to the restaurant and Norm
didn't try to break the ice.  Things were getting worse for him by the
minute.

   They got to the truck stop and, as his business partner Chuck had been
telling him, it was virtually deserted.  Only a handful of truckers were
inside and no locals.  In their heyday, Chuck and Norm had built this
restaurant into one of those places that even the locals liked, the food
was great and it had the character of a good greasy spoon.  In a short
time, though, things had fallen apart.  Other chains had opened up nearby,
and even the truckers who stopped to fill up often went across the road to
get a good steak or some quality Mexican food.  Chuck and Norm had been
slow to respond, thinking their business loss was only temporary.  Now, it
appeared permanent and probably fatal to the business.

   Chuck was inside when they got there and sat down with them at a table.
He looked to be 10 years younger than Norm, a tall, slender man with olive
skin, graying hair and a large, hooked nose.  After asking about Norm's
health and introducing himself to Cori - their only previous conversation
had been when he called to tell her about Norm's stroke - they ordered some
food and got down to business.  Cori, filled now with confidence and
determined to wrap up her business in San Diego as soon as possible, took
control of the meeting.

   "All right," she said.  "I can see this place isn't doing well.  Is it
worth trying to save or would it be easier to sell to some chain?"

   "It would be easier to sell," Chuck conceded, trying not to look at the
pretty young woman's breasts.  Not knowing that she usually was flaunting
them much more than this, he found her appearance absolutely delightful. 
Anyone could see that she had large, firm tits under that shirt and her
shapely ass looked nice and round.  She was a naturally pretty girl and
wasn't easy to look away from.  He wondered what she'd look like in a
bikini on the beach.  "The only problem is that we were stupid and took out
a huge loan when things started going bad.  We thought if we put in some
new booths, a fresh coat of paint, some new flooring and a new sign, we'd
be back on top.  Turns out, that had nothing to do with it.  If we sold,
we'd barely have enough to cover the loan, let alone have anything to live
off of.  We have to find a way to make at least some money and pay back
some of that loan before we sell."

   "OK," Cori said, recalling what she could from her college business
classes.  "Then how can we get people to come in here.  Most of your
customers are men, I take it?"

   "Yes," Chuck nodded.

   "Do you advertise?"

   "We've got a couple billboards, but that's about it."

   "These guys all talk on their radios all the time," Cori said, thinking
out loud.  "The first thing we have to do is win back the truckers. 
They're your core demographic.  And the best way to get them is by word of
mouth.  We need to create an experience they really enjoy and want to tell
their buddies about.  From the prices on the menu, I think we're already
offering pretty good value.  That's obviously not enough."

   Cori knew the simple, quick answer for how to draw guys in was, of
course, pretty women.  The problem was, she didn't want to do that - for a
number of reasons.  One, she wasn't going to be here long enough to do
something like she did at the Body Shop - she could draw them in for a few
days, but once she was gone, the customers would be too.  Two, she didn't
want to give Norm the satisfaction of seeing her dress and act like a slut
again - in his mind at least that would be validation that he was right
about her.

   She had an idea, but pulling it off in two weeks would be tough.

   "All right," she said, taking a deep breath, "how about this.  We know
what will draw men in and San Diego is full of beautiful women.  We need to
find about 10.  Even though they'll get big tips, you'll need to pay them
and give them a clothing allowance.  You'll need to offer benefits.  You
have to make it worth their while to tease and please your customers.  If
you get the right girls, they'll do a good job and you'll make more than
enough to cover your increased overhead.  You'll need to hire security
because there will be guys who want to go too far.  And we're going to need
some new menus and to make a few changes in here."

   "What are you getting at?" Chuck asked.  "Hooters already does this,
don't they."

   "Not the way I do it," Cori said, her tone and face all business.  "I'll
go out today and tomorrow and try to get the girls.  I'll need about 3
hours after you close Saturday night to train them.  Then, we start on
Monday.  If it goes right, by the end of the week, you'll have them lining
up at the door."

   "You're not talking about prostitution, are you?" Chuck asked.  "I don't
want to do anything illegal."

   "Nope," Cori said.  "It will all be legal - though morally questionable
and highly offensive to some.  You just won't be able to allow minors in
here."

   "Sounds perfect," Norm grinned.

   "So, what do you need us to do while you're finding the girls?" Chuck
asked.

   "I'll work on a new menu," Cori said.  "I won't change the actual food
items, just how they're named, described and served.  I'll give you a draft
and you can get them printed.  Also, get an electrician in here and get
them to tone down this lighting a bit - we want it light enough to see but
a little darker for the right mood.  You might want to consider getting the
windows tinted, too."

   "This is going to cost a lot," Chuck frowned.

   "She knows what she's talking about," Norm said firmly.  "She's a very
bright young lady, don't you think?"

   "Very," Chuck nodded.  "All right, what do we have to lose?"

   They agreed on a base hourly wage and clothing allowance for the girls
which would include a payment up front on Saturday night for the girls who
completed the training.  They would be expected to go shopping on Sunday
with Cori for the proper attire.

   When they were finished with the meeting, Chuck let Cori use his office
to work on the menu while he and Norm made phone calls to begin the
renovation of the restaurant.  Cori lost herself in her work, enjoying the
rush of actually using her brain and creativity for a change.  Norm had
stifled that and now that she was channeling her energy into it, show found
it exhilarating.  The afternoon flew by as she pounded on the keyboard. 
Before she knew it, it was 7 p.m.  Norm came in to ask if she was hungry
and they reconvened at their table for a meeting over dinner.

   Before she sat down, Cori asked, "Can the height of these tables be
adjusted?"

   "What do you mean?" Chuck asked.

   Cori stood up against the table, which hit her at mid-thigh.  "I'm about
average height for the girls we'll have in here," Cori said.  "They'll be
wearing heels, too, so add another three or four inches.  We want the table
to come to about here." She made a line across her lower abdomen, just
under her belly button.

   "Why?" Chuck asked.  He still wasn't getting the full picture.

   "So when they bend over to take an order or serve the food," Cori said,
bending at the waist, keeping her legs straight, "they will make a very
nice presentation.  Especially in something like a halter top and mini
skirt."

   Even with her t-shirt and regular bra on, Cori looked great bent over
like this with her heavy tits hovering just above the table.  She looked
over her shoulder at the table behind her, which happened to have a couple
of customers in it, two guys who were checking out her ass.  "And this will
please not only her customers, but also those at other tables as well."

   "I get it," Chuck said, grinning.  "Very nice.  Yes, we'll either figure
out a way to raise these or get some new ones."

   "Good," Cori said, sliding into the booth next to Chuck.  She didn't
want to sit next to Norm, who faced them from the other side of the table.

   "I like the way you think," Chuck said.  "You're right, Norm, she's very
bright.  What else do you have?"

   "We need a better sound system," Cori said.  "You want to have some
music playing in here - not too loud.  It's not a night club.  But loud
enough that the girls can here it.  Give them something to move to.  Play
lots of different types of music, but all of it with a good, quick beat."

   "Makes sense," Norm said, making a note to make some calls about a sound
system.

   "We need some new pictures," Cori continued.  "We're basically turning
this into a theme restaurant - the girls, the food, the music - it will all
be sexy.  So, let's get some pictures of girls in bikinis and sexy outfits
on the walls.  No nudity - but close.  Make sure they're always smiling,
having fun, happy to be half-naked."

   "Got it," Norm said.

   "Good," Cori continued.  "We need to get a new sign."

   "Why?" Chuck asked.

   "Because we're changing the name to the "Haulin' Tail Truck Stop" and
this is our new logo." She showed them a printout of a cartoon-drawn, very
curvy girl in heels, cutoff shorts and a crop top standing on the side of
the rode, her thumb, tits and ass sticking out as she looked over her
shoulder, smiling and winking.

   "That's perfect!" Norm said, delighted.

   "Put that on the sign and the menus," Cori said.  "We need to get
t-shirts printed up by next week, too - little white tank tops for the
girls, big full shirts for the rest of the staff and customers. 
Eventually, you'll want to print this logo on cigarette lighters,
matchbooks, playing cards, hats - anything you can think of.  Make this
place a destination instead of just a stop in the road."

   "This is great," Chuck said, frantically jotting down notes.

   "For the menu," Cori said, "we will still serve everything you have
always had, but we're going to spice it up.  For instance, instead of an
open-face roast beef sandwich, it's now a `Wide Open and Creamy.' When guys
order it, they'll have fun saying, `bring me something wide open and
creamy'.  All sandwiches will be called `Split Tails' - you know, like buns
split down the middle.  So a hamburger would be a `Split Tail with Juicy
Beef.' And instead or rare, medium or well done, the waitress will ask how
they would `like their meat handled.' The options will be `ridden raw',
`licked and stroked' or `drained dry.' You can imagine the fun they can
have with that.  The idea is to make it easy for the guys to flirt with the
girls and let them know that it's OK to have some fun, make crude jokes and
stuff.  And the girls will have to be willing to give it right back to
them. `Oh, did I drain your meat dry enough?'" she mimicked.

   "I love it," Chuck said, "but you don't think this will get out of
hand?"

   "That's what the security will be for," Cori said.  "You need three guys
inside and two outside at all times.  They need to kick out anyone a
waitress signals, no questions asked.  The girls will know that a little
pinch on the ass or hand on the thigh is acceptable, but no touching the
tits, ass or pussy, no snapping or tearing clothes.  It will happen, but if
we act swiftly and decisively when it does, it won't happen often.  And if
it does happen often, you'll end up losing your girls.  I know the rule is
the customer is always right, but in this case you have to show the girls
you have their backs at all times.  If you do, they'll trust you and do a
good job and you'll make lots of money."

   By the time they left, Cori was certain her plan would be a hit - she
just had to find the right girls.  It wouldn't be easy in such a short
time. Plus, she was used to selling to men - which was very easy.  Girls
wouldn't be impressed by her looks.  Intimidated or jealous, maybe, but not
impressed.  Wearing a full night shirt and panties, she went to bed
pondering how and where to find the girls.  They needed extraordinarily
beautiful girls to do this right.  There were plenty here, but how many
could she get?

   All the talking and thinking about this had gotten her a little turned
on and she noticed that her nipples were tingling against the cotton night
shirt and her pussy was gently asking for some attention.  She reached
between her legs, slowly stroking herself as she drifted off to sleep.

   She woke up in middle of the night, perspiring.  Her hand was still
between her thighs, now wet and sticky, her panties soaked with pussy
juice. She realized she had been dreaming about the guys back in Georgia
and it hit home just how much she missed them.  Obviously, her pussy missed
them too.  Well, Norm might have been right about one thing - she was ready
for some cock again, but she wasn't about to go begging for his or anyone
else's.  She found one of the dildos in her drawer and settled back into
bed, creaming the sheets twice.

   As she lay back and tried to go back to sleep, Cori reflected on how
much she was changing.  It wasn't just because she could have an orgasm
without a man's touch, but because she was acting and thinking differently,
more clearly, more confidently, Cori realized that she was becoming more
independent.  She found herself wanting to be bolder, to try new things, to
see what she could really do, not only with her body, but with her mind as
well.  Any man who didn't respect her mind would be cast aside, much like
Norm.  Any man who realized that she was more than T and A would be the
recipient of all the amazing gifts she had to offer.

   Suddenly, she felt like she had millions of options.  She had assumed
she'd go back to Georgia when she left her.  Obviously, she missed her boys
very much and would be happy to be back there.  But part of her wanted to
see what else was out there.  What else could she do?  She thought about
going back to school.  Or what about getting an office job, maybe with an
advertising firm?  Or what about starting her own business?  Maybe a
restaurant or a clothing store?  Her mind was still racing when the sun
came up.  She got out bed, ready to tackle the day, focused on getting the
job done over these next few days and then getting on with her life.