Stella nodded as he spoke. "Maybe I could pay on time…?" she suggested, almost as if it was a question. She was afraid that this young man was too innocent and inexperienced to realize what she was hinting at, and rather than take the direct approach and proposition him outright, she decided to be subtle, and let him suggest whatever he had in mind.

"Yes, yes, we could do that," Matt said quickly, pulling from his back pocket a squashed pack of cigarettes. It was the first time he had smoked since Stella had been here, and she was a little surprised to see a man so young lighting up a cigarette. Of course, he was a few years older than Jackie, the older woman reminded herself, and she had seen Jackie smoke on occasion, particularly when the blonde teenager was nervous. Maybe Matt Fields was nervous now, she reflected, and took advantage of the situation.

"Perhaps, Mr. Fields, I could get you tickets to the theater where I work – the Double-X…"

The dark-haired student looked at her suspiciously. This check works in a porno theater? Christ! She really needs a dog, if she's not a fucking whore! His cock leaped up in his cut-offs, and he was sure that by now his erection was completely obvious to the older woman. Maybe she IS a whore! He looked at her scrutinizingly, his dark brown eyes examining her whole lithe body for some kind of subconscious clue as to her occupation. But to his surprise, the young student found none of the mannerisms that he associated with the prostitutes he and his college buddies had visited, not too far from where the Double-X Theater was located. Stella Burnside just stared back at him languidly, her green eyes flickering provocatively. Christ, what does she want? the dog breeder wondered. He didn't want to offend her… but at the same time, he wanted to make the sale.

"I… um, it's okay, Mrs. Burnside, about the tickets to the theater… I'll tell you what… Could you give me a down payment now, and then $25 a week until it's paid off? That way, well… you can take Kaiser with you now, and… and…" He didn't know what else to say; she had put him under some kind of spell.