The Bedtime Tales of Be287m

Friends and Benefits, Chapter Seventeen

�The summer flew by,� I told Sherri.� �I suppose I should have made more of an effort to see Tina, maybe driven up more than the one time.� But the fact was, I got buried in my research.�

�More than the one time?� Sherri asked.� She�d pushed her plate away, satiated with the brunch I�d served, and was now resting her elbows on the table.� �So you drove up to Tempe?�

I nodded.� �Tina�s father made it clear that he didn�t want her coming down to Tucson just to see me.� So I went up for the Fourth of July.� Nobody suggested me spending the night, so I left right after the fireworks and made the late night drive back to Tucson.�

�So how did that go?�

�Well� largely okay, I guess�.�

* * *

During May and June, I talked to Tina on the phone about once a week, the same as Sharon.� I also wrote letters and received prompt replies.� She�d talk about her daily life�she had found a job in a local poster shop for the summer�and then say she missed me.� More than once, she said she missed our �cooking lessons� and �movie nights,� but she didn�t get more explicit than that.� It was obvious what she meant.

Toward the end of June, she wrote that her father was flatly refusing her requests to come visit me in Tucson. �He�d said that any man worthy of his daughter ought to be willing to drive up.� Perhaps, she suggested, I�d like to visit on the Fourth of July?

With some trepidation, I made the two hour drive to Tempe on the Fourth.� I did want to see Tina.� I did not want to see her father.� He might give his daughter some leeway, but I doubted an older guy that had corrupted his daughter would get the same benefit.

I didn�t have much chance to worry.� As I pulled up in front of the Delgado home, Tina flew out the front door.� She threw her arms around me the minute I got out of the car.

�I missed you,� she said, hugging me tight.

�I missed you, too,� I replied.

After several minutes, Tina reluctantly released her grip and pulled back.� I glanced toward the porch. Mr. Delgado stood there, watching us.� We slowly walked up, holding hands.

�Glad you could make it, Joe,� Mr. Delgado said when we arrived at the porch.

�Thank you for inviting me.�

Mr. Delgado made a slight nod of acknowledgement.� �Everyone�s inside or out back.�

�We should go see my mother,� Tina said.

I nodded, not pulling my eyes from Mr. Delgado.� Tina tugged on my hand and Mr. Delgado nodded, so I turned and followed Tina into the house.

Tina�s mom was in the living room with a couple of Tina�s aunts. She smiled and stood up when we approached.

�Joe!� Glad you could make it!�

�Thank you for inviting me,� I said as I clasped Mrs. Delgado�s hand.

�Tina�s friends are always welcome,� she said.� �Do you remember my sisters?�

I did, though not perfectly.� I remembered their faces more than their names, but Mrs. Delgado reintroduced them anyway, avoiding any embarrassment for me.� A few cousins I hadn�t met wandered into the room and I was introduced to them as �Tina�s boyfriend.�� Tina just continued to beam and hold my hand.� Tina�s aunts asked several questions about how school was going, but didn�t push when I got into the details of my research.� After a polite interval, Tina pulled me away and we headed into the back yard.

�I�m glad you came,� she said.

�No problem.� Though I hadn�t expected so many people.�� I glanced to the shade, where Tina�s sisters and cousins sat, drinking Coke and joking around with each other.

Tina shrugged.� �It�s always this way.� Why do you think I like Tucson so much?�

�I thought it was my charming ways,� I said, raising my eyebrows in an obvious tease.

Tina squeezed my hand.� �There is that.�

�So, any chance we could slip off�?�

Tina shook her head.� �We�d be missed.� But Dad�ll fire up the grill later and the fireworks will be good.�

�Are we gonna watch them from here?�

Tina nodded.

�Sounds fun.�

Tina detected the lack of enthusiasm in my voice.� �It�ll be okay,� she said.� �What�s important is you came.�

�I�m sure it�ll be fun,� I said.� I squeezed her hand.� �I�m really glad to see you, and that makes it worth it.�

�Good.�

We found a couple of drinks and settled into the shade near Tina�s sisters.� They teased us about holding hands, but Tina just rolled her eyes and told them to get over it.� She didn�t let go, though.� Instead she teased one of her sisters about a boy she had a crush on.� I wondered if the sister got chaperones as well, but couldn�t think of a polite way to ask.

About six, Mr. Delgado came out into the back yard.� Tina�s brothers immediately hopped up and headed over to him.� Soon they were ferrying food and plates from inside while Mr. Delgado fired up the grill.

I watched Tina�s brothers for a while, and remembered how they�d done all the clean up the last time I�d visited.� And how Tina�d suggested I help too.

�I should help,� I said to Tina.

She nodded and let go of my hand.

I took a deep breath and walked over to Mr. Delgado.

�Can I help?�

Mr. Delgado paused and looked at me.� �Thanks, but it�s under control.�

�Oh, uhh��� I looked around.� Tina�s brothers were still carrying supplies out from the house.� I turned back to Mr. Delgado.� �That may be true, but I think I should do more than just sit around with Tina.� Is there anything I can do?�

Mr. Delgado stared at me for a moment and then smiled.

�You want to do more than spend time with my daughter?� he asked.� Then he paused.� �Can you do burgers?�

I shrugged.� �They�re not that hard.� Poke �em occasionally to see if they�re the right amount of pink inside and don�t let them burn.�

�No pink,� Mr. Delgado said.� Then he thrust a metal spatula into my hand.� �I�ll go get the steaks.�� With that, he turned and strode toward the house.

Tina was talking in hushed tones to her sisters.� Well, they would�ve been hushed tones if they didn�t start giggling.� They kept looking at me wide-eyed between Tina�s comments.� Feeling embarrassed without knowing why, I turned back to the grill.

As I�d predicted, cooking the hamburgers wasn�t hard.� I flipped them and nudged them around as Mr. Delgado brought out steaks and hot dogs and chicken.� Instead of taking over, he just added the meat to the grill, until it was too crowded for me to flip anything easily.� Meanwhile, his sons had gotten the tables set and all the various side dishes ready to serve.�

�I�ll take over now,� Mr. Delgado said as the rest of the extended family began to filter out to the porch.� �Go spend some time with my daughter.� You�ve earned it.�

I nodded and handed the spatula back to him.� Then I joined Tina.� Her sisters broke away with giggles and went to get hamburgers.� Tina took my hand again.

�What were you talking about?� I asked.

�You.�

�I figured.� Anything you want to share?�

Tina grinned and shook her head.� �No.�

I just rolled my eyes.

�Don�t worry,� she said.� �It was all good.� I just don�t think my Dad would approve of the conversation.�

I raised an eyebrow, but didn�t actually ask.� Tina didn�t say anything, so I let it drop.� As much as I wanted to know, there was a chance I really didn�t want to know.

Instead, Tina and I moved over to the tables and joined the crowd for dinner.� My steak was particularly good.� After everyone had eaten, I broke away from Tina once again to help her brothers clean up.� I caught Mr. Delgado nodding his head when he noticed.� I let out a deep breath and finally began to relax.

After dark, the fireworks started.� Tina and I sat on one of the picnic table benches and she snuggled in as we watched the explosions above us.� They ended all too soon.� Tina walked me to my car, so I could get on the road before it was too late.� No one else followed us to the front yard, so we stole a few kisses before I reluctantly slid into the driver�s seat and began the long drive to Tucson.� Tina�s father hadn�t killed me for corrupting his daughter after all.

The next night, like clockwork, Sharon called.

��So how did it go?� she asked.

�Okay.� We didn�t get any time alone, though.�

�That sucks.�

�No kidding,� I said.� �Besides the fact that we couldn�t talk, it would have been nice for� . . . other reasons.� It�s been just long enough that I�m starting to get a little �anxious,� if you know what I mean.�

Sharon laughed.� �I�m not the person to complain to.� I�ve gone much longer than you.�

�But you�re a girl.� You can change that any time you want.�

She snorted.� �I don�t do one night stands.� And I haven�t found a guy worth dating.�

�So find a friend.� You don�t have to be �in love� to help take care of each others� needs. You know that.�

�That�s just as hard.� Decent guys don�t exactly grow on trees. You�re the only guy that�s even come close.�

But not close enough, I thought, remembering New Year�s.� �Well, I�d offer to help��

Sharon laughed again.� �I don�t think Tina would like that!�

�You�re probably right,� I said, trying to sound nonchalant.� But Tina hadn�t minded the pictures, had she?� Or Sharon seeing us.� Except those weren�t the same thing.

�Uh huh.�

�Well, it�s a moot point,� I said.� �You�re just going to have to find a guy in one of your classes.�

�Yeah, like that�s going to happen.�

�You never know.� Tall, dark, captivated by your intelligent questions during lectures.�

Sharon snorted but didn�t interrupt.

�He waits for you after class� he asks if you want to go out on Friday� it could happen.�

�I doubt it.�

�Well, you have gotten asked out this past year,� I said, �even if it never went anywhere.�

�None of those guys were good enough.�

That got to me.� �So who is?� I asked, exasperated.� �Besides Allen.� He�s not available.�

Sharon let out a long sigh.

�I�ve met his girlfriend,� I added.� �He�s not going to be available any time soon.� Maybe never.�

Sharon sighed again.� Her pause dragged out.� Finally, �I know.� And I guess I haven�t given other guys a chance.�

�Damn right.�

More silence from the other end of the phone.

�Okay,� Sharon said.� �I�ll stop comparing guys to Allen.� Or at least I�ll try.�

That was quick.� �Good.� It�ll be worth it.� After all, if I had been comparing every woman to Alicia, I wouldn�t have gone out with Tina.�

Sharon snorted.� �You wouldn�t have gone out with Tina if I hadn�t pushed you.�

�Fine,� I said, reacting more to Sharon�s tone than her words, �You get my point.�

More silence.

�Okay,� Sharon said, though her voice didn�t carry much conviction.

�So,� I said, �if you don�t compare the guy to Allen, what are you looking for?�

�I guess someone like you,� Sharon answered.� �Only available.�

I snorted.� �You weren�t interested when I was available.�

�That�s because your friendship means too much to me.� I don�t want to lose a friend again.�

�Huh?�

Sharon sighed.� �I never told you about Brad, did I?�

�No.�

�He was a friend in high school.� Just a friend.� We were in Knowledge Bowl together.� So our junior year, we were both complaining we had no one to go to the prom together.� I jokingly suggested we go as friends.� He agreed.�

�So what happened?�

�We had a great time.� After the prom, we went to a keg party at a classmate�s house.�

�Parents out of town?�

�Yeah.�

Sharon paused before continuing.

�Anyway, Brad and I ended up having sex in one of the back bedrooms.� The next week, he wouldn�t speak to me.�

I closed my eyes and winced.

�I�m not going to have something like that happen again,� she said.

�I understand.�

�So in the meantime,� she said, sounding more nonchalant, �I�ve got to make do with my baths.� Speaking of which, when�s my next story packet?�

�Mmm.� Give me a couple of days.�

The conversation hit a lull.� I was getting quietly angry at Brad, but didn�t know what to say.� Sharon had described things with him as if she was describing a car wreck she�d watched.� Not something that had happened to her.

�Well, I should get going,� Sharon said.

�Okay.� And I�ll get you some stories soon.�

We said our goodbyes and I hung up.� I started fixing dinner and, as I cooked, my mind kept drifting back to Sharon�s comment.� Someone like me, only available.

That was infuriating.� When I�d been available, she hadn�t been interested.� Oh, she�d been willing to talk about sex.� Rather explicitly, in fact.� But actually doing anything�

That was the real frustration.� We hadn�t done things like I wanted to.

But maybe we wouldn�t still be friends if we had.� I knew I wouldn�t cut things off the way Brad had, but I definitely could see it getting weird.� Particularly if one of us wanted more than �just friends.�� We might be just another set of exes in the world.

Instead, I had someone who supported me, through the problems with Alicia and even through the beginnings of a new relationship.� Good friends were worth a lot.

Even the occasional erotic story packet.� I got Sharon�s stories in the mail a couple of days later and she was excited when she received them.� The letters and calls with both women continued until the fall semester began and Tina moved back into the dorm.� Somehow I�d let July and August slip by without going back up to her family�s place.

Tina called the afternoon she arrived.

�Joe!� Can you come over to my dorm?� We just got done unloading.�

�Sure,� I said.� �You�re already done?�

�It didn�t take long and Dad wanted to get back on the road.�

�I�m on my way.�

I dashed out the door without bothering to save the computer file I�d been working on.� I decided to walk the couple of blocks to campus, because I knew I wasn�t going to be able to find parking.� Hopi was closer than Tina�s last dorm, which I appreciated.�

Halfway there, I remembered that I hadn�t saved my file.� Then I remembered something else I�d forgotten in my haste to get out the door�condoms.� I should have grabbed some condoms.

I called Tina from the lobby phone to let her know I�d arrived.� Moments later, she burst threw the door from the hallway and threw her arms around me.

�God, I�ve missed you,� she said.

�I�ve missed you too.�

�C�mon,� she said, pulling away and tugging me toward the hall.

�How was the trip down?� I asked as we walked to her room.

�Fine.� It was just Dad and me, instead of the whole family like last year.�

I waited for her to go on, but she didn�t.� Instead, Tina pushed open her dorm room door.� Boxes and suitcases lay scattered about, some partially unpacked.� One of the beds had already been raised above the other into a makeshift bunk.� Tina pulled me toward the bottom bed.

�This one yours?�

She nodded.� �Marcy and I agreed to that last fall.�� Tina wrapped her arms around me and kissed me, hard and passionately.

I pulled back.� �Where is Marcy?�

�She arrives tomorrow.�

�Oh.�

I didn�t have time to say much more because we were kissing again.� Hungry kisses.� Sloppy and wet kisses.

Tina started tugging on my shirt, pulling the ends out of my shorts.� I returned the favor.� She paused long enough to let me pull it up over her head, before removing mine the same way.

�I don�t have condoms,� I said.

�I don�t care.�

Well, she�s on the Pill.

Tina unhooked her bra before I could get to the clasp.� Since I was already reaching out, I placed my hand on her breast instead.� She let out a small moan as I caressed her. Then she started tugging on my shorts.

�Let me help you with that,� I said.� Tina let go long enough for me to back up and pull the rest of my clothes off.� At the same time, she finished shucking her own.

I paused and drank in the sight of her naked body.� She truly was beautiful.� And I�d definitely missed her.

Tina lay back and spread her legs.� She beamed at me, expectantly.� �Could you�?�

�You want me to go down on you first?�

�Yes,� she said, vigorously nodding her head.

I chuckled and moved between her thighs.� I toyed with teasing her, but decided she�d waited long enough�the whole summer actually.� I kissed her clit and then began to lick.

Tina let out a long shudder and sighed.� I continued to suck on her clit, bringing one hand up and sliding a finger inside her.� She was hot and already soaked.

I knew immediately what she wanted.� I gently sucked her clit into my mouth, and then began flicking my tongue on the underside.� Tina moaned.� I crooked my finger and began stroking her with the same rhythm I used to lick her.� Tina shuddered and began squirming.� I continued to lick and finger her until she let out a gasp and shuddered.� Then she went stiff, crying out as her orgasm hit.

Tina smiled at me through half-lidded eyes and I climbed forward and positioned my cock at her entrance.� She reached down and lined it up with her opening.

�Ready?�� I asked.

Tina nodded.

I slowly eased forward, parting her lips, and sinking my cock into her as deep as I could go.� Tina wrapped her arms and legs around me.� I began slowly thrusting in and out.

�I�ve missed you,� Tina murmured.

�Me too.�

I speeded up my thrusts.� Tina gasped, but then met my rhythm, pushing her hips back to meet mine.� Her pussy was hot around my cock, almost clenching it as I slid in and out.

�I�ve definitely missed this,� I said.

�We�ll have to make up for lost time.�

�I plan on it.�

I decided I wanted to make Tina come.� No more talking.� I shifted my angle, sliding into her deeper.� I sped up again and was rewarded by Tina�s gasps.� I kissed her, pushing my tongue into her mouth as I plunged my cock into her again and again.� Tina�s breathing became ragged and she moaned.� She was on the edge, and so was I.� The pressure in my balls grew, along with the bolts of pleasure that traveled up my spine.� With a few more thrusts, Tina let out a loud cry and shuddered, long and hard.� Her climax pushed me over the edge and I exploded inside her.

Gasping for my own breath, I slid out of Tina and rolled onto the bed next to her.� We shifted around a little until we could both lie on the mattress, side by side.

�More?� Tina asked, fluttering her eyelashes at me.

I laughed.� �You�re insatiable.�

She mock-pouted.� �Well, it�s been a while.�

�It�s going to take me a few minutes to recover,� I said, pointing to my limp dick.

Tina reached over and began caressing it.� �Anything I can do to help?�

�Well��

�I could blow you,� Tina said.� �Would you like that?�

�I�m still covered with your juices.�

�So?�

�You don�t mind the taste?� I asked.

�I don�t when you kiss me after you�ve gone down on me.�

�Oh.�� I hadn�t considered that, but of course it was true.� Tina had never squirmed away or pulled back.� She probably didn�t mind.

Which she only confirmed by sliding down and taking my cock in her mouth.

Tina lightly sucked the tip before kissing her way up and down the side.� Then she gently lifted it with one hand and put it back in her mouth, licking the head and around the top.� She looked up at me as she did so, her eyes full of lust.

Unfortunately, nothing was really stirring down there for me.� I still felt drained, and I wasn�t sure I was going to be able to get hard, despite Tina�s efforts.

Tina pulled her mouth off my cock for a moment, while continuing to hold and stroke it with her hand.� �I want you hard,� she said.

�I want me hard. �I�m just not sure how to do that.�

Tina shrugged and licked my cock again.

�Well, you taste fine,� she said.� Then she slid her mouth around my cock again.

She liked the taste.� I wondered if she�d like the taste of another woman.� Would she be willing to explore�?

My cock twitched.� Tina let out an �mmmm� and began sucking harder.

I started fantasizing about Tina licking another woman�s pussy.� Then them sixty-nining while I watched.� Then their turning to me�

I was hard.� Tina made a satisfied sigh and started bobbing her head, taking me a few inches into her mouth each time.� It felt good, but I knew that I wouldn�t come.� I reached down and lightly touched her head.

�Get on top,� I said once Tina looked up.

She nodded and straddled me.� I held my erection away from my body and she hovered above it for a moment, before slowly sinking down onto it.� She let out a deep sigh as she began riding me.� I reached down and held her hips.

�I really have missed you,� she said.

�Me too.�

Tina didn�t reply.� She closed her eyes and shuddered, apparently feeling some bolt of pleasure from where we joined.

Holding her hips, I thrust hard into Tina.� She shuddered and moaned.� I thrust again, and this time she pushed back against me.� I started speeding up and she matched me.� In a few moments, we were both sweating and groaning.� I could feel my orgasm building, my balls getting tighter as my pulse rose.� Then Tina let out a shriek and came.� She collapsed forward, but didn�t pull off of me.� I thrust twice more, and erupted in my own orgasm.

We both collapsed onto the bed.

�That was good,� Tina said, smiling.� �We�re going to have to do that some more.�

I laughed.� �We�ll just have to start movie nights and cooking nights again.�

�You�re on.�

We lay there, holding each other for a while longer.� Then our other appetites kicked in and we decided that dinner might be in order.� Since I�d walked, we decided to just head over to the Student Union.

Tina caught me up on the trip down and what had happened in her life since our last phone call.� She was pleased when I told her that I�d successfully gotten my data from the Mt. Graham telescopes.� It looked like I�d be able to defend my Master�s in November.� I rambled about how I was going to have to start looking for a job, and Tina just listened quietly.� Afterward, we headed back to her dorm.

�Wanna come back?� Tina asked in the lobby, tilting her head toward the hall that led to her room.

�Sure!�� I grinned lewdly at her.� �We do have some catching up to do.�

She laughed and pulled me toward the hall.

Halfway down the hall, her brow furrowed.� I glanced ahead. The door to her room was open and the lights were on.� Tina strode a little faster and I fell a couple of steps behind her.� As she turned the corner to her room, her expression reverted to a smile.

�Marcy!� Tina cried.� �What are you doing here?�

I turned into the room and saw a woman with short spiked dark hair and a devilish smile looking at us.

�I decided not to wait until tomorrow,� the woman said.

Tina snorted.� �Well, I�m glad you weren�t too much earlier.�

�Why?�� The woman�s eyes darted from Tina to me and back again.

Tina flushed a little.� �It wouldn�t have been good.�� Then Tina turned to me.

�Joe, this is Marcy.� Marcy, Joe.�

�Pleased to meet you,� I said, extending my hand.

Marcy�s eyes danced and she shook my hand.� She didn�t say anything, though, before turning back to Tina.

�Have you picked which closet you want?�

�Not yet,� Tina said.� �I thought I�d wait for you to get here.�

Marcy flipped her wrists so her palms were up.� �I�m here.�

Tina giggled.� I just rolled my eyes.

The two girls began negotiating the room layout and who got what furniture.� While they did so, Marcy began unpacking a box and hanging the clothes in a closet.� She had some nice blouses, shorts, and jeans.� She only hung up one skirt and one dress.� Then she unpacked some CD�s.� I wandered over to look at them while the girls continued to talk about the room arrangement.� Her tastes seemed to run to contemporary rock and folk�The Indigo Girls, k.d. lang, Nanci Griffith and Ani Defranco.� I noted a couple that I might want to borrow and tape later.

After she�d emptied a couple of boxes, Marcy turned to Tina and me.� �So have you had dinner?�

�Yeah,� Tina said.

Marcy nodded.� �Well, I need to get something.� Talk more when I get back?�

Tina looked at me and I shrugged.� She turned back to Marcy and nodded.

�You two have fun,� Marcy said.� �I�ll be gone at least an hour.�

�Thanks,� Tina said.

Marcy waved and left.� Tina finished unpacking a box and then quietly walked over to the door.� She checked the hall and the closed the door.

�We have an hour,� she said.

�We do.� That should be enough time.�

She grinned.� �Well�more would be better.� But it�ll do.�

Tina slid into my arms and we kissed passionately.� Soon we stumbled over to the bed, with Tina pulling me on top of her.� Our sex this third round was slower and less frantic.� After we�d both climaxed, we got dressed and opened a window to air out the room.

Marcy grinned when she returned.� �Your shirt�s not tucked in,� she said to Tina.

Tina blushed and promptly fixed it.

�That�s okay,� Marcy said.� �I did tell you two to have fun.�� She leered for just a moment, before grinning at us.

�I should go,� I said.� �You two probably have a bunch of things to talk about.�

�See you tomorrow?� Tina asked.

�You bet.�

We kissed goodbye, which was a little strange with Marcy watching us, but Tina didn�t seem to mind too much.

The following afternoon Tina came over to my apartment.� We spent the rest of the day in bed, �catching up.�� After a late dinner of pizza, Tina was finally sated.� Which was good, because I wasn�t sure I could get it up again for another round.

Instead, we talked more about the fall.� We agreed to continue our cooking nights and movie nights, even though both of us expected to be busier with school.

That arrangement turned out fine once school started.� I was buried in data analysis, running regression calculations and trying to figure out what to do about some stars that were regularly inconsistent with the main data sets.� Tina got her old job back at the poster shop, though not with the hours she�d had.� Her boss had decided to let her summer replacement keep working one day a week.� Unfortunately, the Saturday shift was the one Tina kept, so she still had to leave my place by noon on Saturday.� The trade-off was now she could stay over after our cooking night too.� As a result, we quickly fell back into our old routine, with cooking and movie nights and each of us doing schoolwork on the other nights.

I did stop by the dorm a couple of times during the week, but Marcy was usually there so we just talked and joked around.� Marcy had a wicked sense of humor and seemed immune to embarrassment.� She could slide a double entendre into almost any topic, which caught me off guard at first, but I grew to enjoy as the semester went on.� I tried to tease her back about her own dating life, but she neatly deflected all my comments without admitting whether she was dating anyone or not.

Then on a mid-October movie night, Tina arrived at my apartment, eyes wide from excitement.

�Marcy asked if her girlfriend could spend the night!� she said.

�What?�

�Her girlfriend from Phoenix!� She figured I wouldn�t mind since I was going to be here tonight, but she wanted to ask just in case.�

I stared at her, still confused.

�Her girlfriend, Joe.� Marcy�s gay!�

I couldn�t help myself.� I burst out laughing.

�What�s so funny?� Tina demanded.

�That actually explains a few things,� I said.� �I�m surprised I didn�t pick up on it earlier.� My gaydar used to be pretty good.�

Tina stared at me, open-mouthed.

I shrugged.� �One of Alicia�s friends was gay.� We hung out with him some and I got to meet most of the gay student alliance.� I liked them.�

�But they weren�t your roommate.�

�So?� I asked.� �Has Marcy tried to hit on you?�

Tina dismissed my suggestion with a wave of her hand.� �It�s not that.� It�s that I didn�t know.� She should have told me earlier.�

�Why?� It�s not like it was relevant until now.� And you could have figured it out, too, you know.�

Tina bit her lip.� �I still don�t like not being told.�

I shrugged.� �But she did.� Just not until now.� Now, I was thinking that we might go to the 5:30 showing of Hero and then get dinner afterward.� What do you think?�

Tina nodded half-heartedly.� We had to leave quickly, so we didn�t talk more about Marcy right then.

* * *

�You�ve got good gaydar?� Sherri asked, clearly amused.� �Really?�

�I thought I did,� I said.� �With Marcy, all the standard signs were there.� The lack of dresses, the short hair, the k.d. lang CD�s.� The way she never mentioned a boyfriend was a good giveaway.�

�Those are stereotypes.� What if she hadn�t had them?�

I shrugged.� �I probably wouldn�t have guessed she was gay.� But I didn�t guess even with those clues, so maybe my gaydar isn�t very good.�

Sherri chuckled.

�What about you?� I asked.� �Is yours good?�

�Sometimes.� I�m a little more tuned to sexual attraction than most people.� It makes it easier to put two and two together.�

�Have you ever had gay clients?�

Sherri smiled enigmatically.� �Gay men don�t call asking for my services.�

�You know what I mean.� Have you ever had women clients?�

�Solely? No.� But couples call from time to time.� Often the guy wants to watch the two of us play with each other before joining in.� Sometimes the woman�s into it.� Sometimes not.�

�How do you deal with the �not�?�

�It depends,� she said.� �I try to figure out whether she�s doing it to please him by choice, or she�s been pushed into it.� The two times I sensed that she was being pressured, I stopped the scene.�

�That must have pissed the guy off.�

Sherri waved her hand, as if brushing any concerns aside.� �What�s he going to do?� Complain to the police?�

�He could try to hurt you.�

�Not likely.� Besides, I can handle myself.�

I wasn�t sure I agreed, but I didn�t see any point in saying so.� So I changed the subject.

�What if she�s just doing it to please him?�

�Then I try to find something that he�ll like that she�s more comfortable with.� Like I had one client that really just wanted to see two beautiful women naked, next to each other.� So instead of fooling around together, we ended up masturbating side by side.� He loved it.�

�You�re kidding!�

Sherri shook her head.� �No.� I saw them three or four times before he was transferred.� Each time, he�d watch the two of us play with ourselves before having sex with his wife.� He even bought us matching gold vibrators once.�

�Wow.�

�It was fun.� They were good people.�

I snorted.� I didn�t quite know what to make of that characterization.

�What, you think only bad people call escorts?� she asked, with a teasing lilt in her voice.

�Obviously not,� I said.� �Since I called you.�

Sherri grinned.� �Just checking.�

I didn�t say anything, and just frowned.

�So, what else happened that fall?� she asked.

�Well� my thesis advisor didn�t like my first draft when I gave it to him in early November.� He said I wasn�t ready to defend.� As you can imagine I was upset, and ranted to both Tina and Sharon, who sympathized.� The saving grace was that he said he�d fund me for the spring semester and I could defend in February.� Not having much choice I accepted.�

�So you didn�t graduate in December.�

�No, but that turned out to not be too bad.� I hadn�t even begun to look for a job.� If I defended in February, I�d be able to spend the rest of the spring looking.

Sherri smiled.� �That�s good.�� Her eyes narrowed as she spoke, and I wasn�t sure if she was honestly happy for me, or just mouthing what was expected.

�Yeah.�

�So, what else?�

�Well, not much with Tina.� Sharon, on the other hand��

* * *

I still talked to Sharon on Wednesdays.� She actually had a couple of dates in late September and early October, but things petered out before they got too far. At least she had a couple of second dates instead of it being over immediately, but I still wasn�t sure she was trying.� Things looked a little better in November.� She actually got to a third date with a guy and they had ended up passionately kissing before the evening was out.

�He said he�s going to take me out for a nice dinner the weekend after Thanksgiving,� she said during our next phone call.� �I can�t wait!�

�Sounds fun.�

�It�s been a while.� The last time I went out fancy it was with you, and that�s been nearly a year.�

�True.� So, what are you going to wear?�

�Hmmm.� I was thinking I might get a new black dress.�

�Long or short?�

�Why?�

�Because if it�s short,� I said, �you can wear your stockings and garter belt and show off your legs.�

Sharon laughed.

�I might just do that,� she said.� �It might be fun.�

�And it has been a while.�

Sharon chuckled again.

�True.�

�Well let me know how it goes,� I said.

�You can count on that.�

What I didn�t count on was her calling the Saturday night she had her date.� It was late.� Tina and I were already cuddled on the air mattress, drifting off to sleep when the phone rang.

�It was awful, Joe!� Just awful,� Sharon said before she�d even said hello.

�Huh?�

�First, his idea of �fine dining� is the Orchid Pavilion.� I can�t believe I got dressed up for Chinese!�

The fog in my brain hadn�t quite cleared.� �You got dressed up?�

�Yes!� I wore my stockings and everything.�

�But the Orchid Pavilion is just a regular Chinese restaurant,� I said.

�I know!�� Sharon proceeded to go on a rant about how this guy clearly didn�t understand the nicer things in life.

I pulled the phone an inch away from my ear and looked over at Tina.� She was watching me, a sleepy expression on her own face.� I mouthed �Sharon� to her and she nodded.

�So, then,� Sharon continued, �I decide, against my growing better judgment, to bring have him come back to my place.� And then he comes in his pants!�

�Uh, what?�

�We started kissing and he slid his hand under my dress.� He let out a loud moan when he discovered I was wearing a garter belt��

�So you wore it.�

�Yes, I did,� she said.� �So he was moaning about how sexy that was and how great it was and how he wanted to see me in it, and I said, �Do you want to see the whole thing�?� He nodded like a puppy.� So I stood up and seductively took off my dress.� I turned around to give him the full view, but then his face got red and he started gasping.� He came in his pants!�

I laughed.� �Just from looking at you?�

�Just from looking at me.� He came in his pants.�

�So then what?� I asked.

�He cleaned up in the bathroom and I suggested he leave.�Then I called you.�

I chuckled.� �I�m not sure there�s much I can do for you.�

�That�s okay.� Mostly I needed to vent.�

�Well, you can vent away.�

�I can�t believe he came in his pants,� she muttered.� �And I can�t believe I got dressed up for the Orchid Pavilion.�

�I can�t believe he considered that fine dining.�

�Neither can I.� You need to take me out someplace really nice when you�re back for Christmas, Joe.� I need something to help me forget this.�

�I�ll see what I can do,� I said.

�Make sure it�s okay with Tina,� she said.

�I�ll ask her.�

Tina stirred, but didn�t say anything.

�Well it�s late, and I should go to bed,� Sharon said.

�Sounds good,� I said.� �Want me to call you tomorrow?�

�Yeah.�

We said our goodbyes and hung up.� Tina looked at me as I crawled back onto the air mattress.

��Sharon had a crappy date,� I said.

�Sounded like it.�

�And she wants to go out fancy for dinner while I�m back in Colorado.� Do you have a problem with that?�

Tina shrugged.� �Why should I?�

�No reason.� I just wanted to check.�

Tina made a non-committal nod, which I took as an okay.

�I�ll take you out somewhere nice when I get back,� I said.� �Before the semester starts, when we have more time.�

�Sushi?�

�All the sushi you can eat.�

Tina gave me a small smile.� �I really wish we could do that now,� she said with a sigh.

�It sucks to be so busy,� I said.� �But look at it this way,� I said, �it gives you something to look forward to.�

Tina�s smile broadened.� �I�ll have a lot of things to look forward to.�� She leered to emphasize her point.

�Me too,� I said, leering back.

I pulled her close and kissed her to emphasize my point.� One kiss turned into another and we made love again before falling asleep.

--Fin--

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Read the next chapter in this story: Chapter Eighteen

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