The Bedtime Tales of Be287m

Friends and Benefits, Chapter Thirty-five

�Hi, beautiful,� I said, recognizing Tina�s voice.

�Joe!�

�It�s me.�

�How are you doing?� You got my letter?�

I grinned at her infectious tone.� �Yes, I did, and I�m doing fine.� Better than fine, actually.�

�Really?�

I chuckled.� �So much has happened,� I said.� �I know I�ve tried to capture it in the letters, but they really can�t do everything justice.�

�You sound happy.�

�I am.� Especially talking to you.�

�Aww.�

I blushed.� This was a little too syrupy, but who was I to second guess it?� �So, you�re coming to D.C.�

�Well,� she hedged, �I haven�t gotten in �to Georgetown� yet.� I might not be able to come.�

�I�m sure you�ll get in.�

�Well, I�m not. It�s pretty tough.�

�I�m confident.�

�Thanks.�

�So,� I said, �what else is going on?�

We talked for about twenty minutes, with her sharing her life and then me telling her about mine.� She asked more questions about Sherri�s center, which I decided to be forthright about, answering her questions.

�Huh,� she said.� �Was she planning on this Center when you met her?�

�No,� I said, �but I encouraged her.� She really needs to do this.�

�She sounds like an interesting person.�

�She is.� She�s a good friend.�

�A friend like Sharon?�

My chest seized.� What did I want to admit?� What should I admit?

�Yes and no,� I finally said.� �Is she someone I can talk about sex with?� Yes.� Is she someone I�m going to obsess about, like I did with Sharon?� No.� Sherri�s real clear that this is only a friendship and that I�m madly in love with you.� She won�t do anything to jeopardize that.� She won�t let me do anything to jeopardize that.� And I won�t either.�

�Wow.�

The phone went silent for four heartbeats.

�Tina,� I said, �you said you know what you want.� I know what I want too, and it�s the same thing as when I saw you in Tucson nine months ago.

�I�m glad to hear that.�

Another two heartbeats went by.

�Look,� I said, �this is getting a little heavy.� We can change the subject.� How�s Marcy?�

�She�s good.� She�s got a job lined up for after graduation already�.�� The conversation slid into discussions of friends and quickly returned to a merry, lighter tone.� Then it slowly shifted back to school and medical schools.

�I wish I�d asked different questions when we visited last year,� she said.� �I�ve learned so much more about what�s important in a med school.�

�So come out again.�

�Oh, I don�t know.�

�Come out again,� I said.� �In fact, I really owe you a better visit than your last one.� So come out and let me show you more of the city.� Just you and me.�

�Well�.�

�Tell you what,� I said.� �Talk about it with your dad.� If he�s okay with your coming out, say in January, just before spring semester starts up again, I�ll pay for the ticket.�

�You want me to talk to my dad?� You know what he�ll say.�

�No, I don�t,� I said, my heart starting to pound.� �But I do know what he�ll say if we don�t ask.�� I took a deep breath.� �I have to admit, he still intimidates me, but we�ll need his blessing.� Or at least, life will be easier with his blessing.�

�I�ll� I�ll talk to him.�

�Good.�

We paused again, and no words seemed to flow for me.

�I want to come,� she said finally.

�Well, then let me know what he says.� Speaking of which, when are you seeing your family again?� Are they doing well?�

We talked for another twenty minutes, but then Tina had to go.� We said our goodbyes, more than once, and finally got off the phone. I sank onto the couch, a little tired, but happy.

The next call was to Allen.

�Hey,� I said, �how�s life?�

�Pretty good.� Jenna sold two paintings last week.�

�Cool.� So everything�s all right with you two?�

�Yeah� why?�

�I heard a rumor you guys were having problems.�

�Where�d you hear that?�

�Uh�.�� I decided to be honest.� �Sharon mentioned it in a letter.�

�Why are you still talking to her?�

�I�m not, really.� The letter was the first contact since January.�

�Huh.� Well, she doesn�t know what she�s talking about.�

�I figured, but I thought I�d check, because it�s not like her to make things up.�

�Yeah.�� He paused for a bit.� �I bet she heard that I�ll be in Colorado alone for New Year�s.� We�re coming up because Jenna wants to visit some people, but then she has to head back for a discussion with a gallery owner.� I was going to stick around a few more days.�

�That�s probably it,� I said.

�Yeah.� So are you going to be in Colorado?�

We compared calendars and realized we�d overlap, and so made plans to get together for drinks.� We caught up on the rest of the news and he was happy to hear about my discussions with Tina.

�You are one lucky bastard for having her forgive you.�

�Don�t I know it.�

�So let me know if ya need me to stand up with you.�

I smiled.� �Cart before the horse, I�m afraid.�

�Yeah, right.� It�ll happen.�

I chuckled.� �I hope you�re right.�

�Well, we�ll talk more in December.� Later, bud.�

We hung up and I couldn�t help smiling at Allen�s offer to �stand up� with me.� But then I took a deep breath.� I had another call to make.

I didn�t quite know what I was going to say to Sharon, but it didn�t matter much, because I got her machine.

�Hi,� I said, �this is Joe.� I got your letter.� I�ll be back in Colorado on the 22^nd, and I�m only staying a week, so the 23^rd is probably the best time to get together.� I�m not sure about the Greenbriar, though.�� I took a deep breath.� �It sounds a little fancy for just friends.�� Anything else?� �So call me.�

I hung up, my pulse racing.� While I was supposed to go to a movie with Lisa and Robert the next afternoon, I had nothing scheduled this evening.� Rather than just waiting for the phone to ring, I decided I�d take a walk to the 7-Eleven and then delve into a good book.� I grabbed my coat and headed for the door.

When I got back from the movie Saturday afternoon, there was a message from Sharon.� �The 23^rd at the Greenbriar sounds great! I�ll make the reservations.� Bye.�

I grimaced.� While I certainly enjoyed the food at the Greenbriar, particularly their Caesar Salad prepared tableside, I didn�t want this to feel like a date if it wasn�t.

But what if it was?

The images of Sharon in her stockings, posing for the camera, and nude, under the shower, floated into my brain.� My cock twitched in response.

Could we be friends with benefits?� At least once?

My pulse began to race as my mind whirled.� Tina and I wouldn�t be back together yet, so there was no problem there.� Besides, Tina wanted me to be over my obsession with Sharon anyway.� Wouldn�t actually taking Sharon to bed accomplish that?

Hold on.� Sharon hasn�t given you any hint that she wants sex with you.

I let out a frustrated sigh.� It didn�t matter if I wanted to sleep with her or not if she was going to say no.� And I wasn�t ready to ask.

I spent a bit more time that evening running scenarios through my mind before I caught myself.� I really didn�t need to slide into scheming, and I just didn�t have enough information to decide what to do anyway.

The next evening I called Sharon back.� This time, she picked up.

�Hey,� I said, �How are you doing?�

�Pretty well.� It�s good to talk with you again.�

�It is.�� I paused.� �So, do we need to go back over�.�

�It�s all in the past,� she said.� �And we�ve got things to look forward to in the future.� I made the reservations at the Greenbriar today.�

�Uh,� I said, �are you sure?� That seems a little fancy for just friends.�

�We�ve done it before,� she said.� �And I haven�t gone out nice in a long time.� I want to get dressed up.�

�Well, what does that mean?�

�Dressed up?� You know.� Nice dress, jewelry.� I�ll even wear my garter belt and stockings, if you want.�

I blinked hard.� I�d been asking what �in a long time� meant, but I�d phrased my question poorly and gotten a completely different answer.

�You will?� I asked.

�Sure. If you�ll buy dinner, of course.�

I snorted.� �You�ll have to prove you�re wearing them, then.�

�Okay.�

My mind reeled.� She was making this easy!� But was it what I really wanted?� Yes!� On second thought, maybe not.

�I�ll have to get some new ones, though,� she said.� �I�ve got a run in one.�

�You do?�

�Yeah, I snagged it at Trish�s engagement party.�

�You dressed up for an engagement party?�

�It was at one of the restaurants downtown,� she said, �and she invited a lot of people from out of town.� I wanted to look nice.�

�I�m sure you did.�

�I did.� And it was fun.�

�So what else have you been up to?� I asked.� She told me about her job, and about her decision to go back to school.� We talked for a little while longer, catching each other up on our lives.� Then she told me how some of our former classmates were doing.� I smiled.� While it was interesting, I realized that I didn�t really consider them friends anymore.� Not now that I knew how deep a friendship could really be.

�So,� she asked.� �What about you?� Any extended news?�

I silently sighed.� I knew what she was asking.� �Allen�s doing fine.�

�Fine?�

�Yeah.� We made plans to get together in Colorado during my visit.�

�Oh.�

�And Tina�s well.� We spoke for quite a while the other night.�

�Really?� What�s she up to?�

I mentioned Tina�s med school plans, and Sharon said she hoped that she did get into Georgetown.

�I like her,� she said.� �I enjoyed hanging out with her.�

�Well, maybe we can do that again sometime.�

�Maybe.�

We talked a little more, and then hung up.� Afterward, I spent way too long running the conversation through my brain.� When I caught myself, I just chuckled and switched to planning the week�s meals and grocery list.

The next weekend, I told Sherri about the phone calls over breakfast.

�That�s great news about Tina,� she said.

I nodded.� �She might not get in, though.�

�And if she doesn�t, are you willing to move?�

I grimaced.� �I could, because I could program anywhere.� But this is one of the few places where I can do astronomy, even if it is second hand.�

She smiled.� �So which is more important?�

I sighed.� I�d dreamed about astronomy for so long, and it looked like this was as good as it was going to get.� Could I walk away?

Except� did I want to fall short in love too?

�Tina is more important,� I said, firmly.� �Now that I understand what love�eros�is, I�m not going to let it go.�

That brought a wide grin.

�But,� I said, �if I have to move, I�ll also miss you and Lisa.� Other than Allen, I haven�t had such good friends before.�

�And we�ll miss you,� she said.� �But we�ll be happy for you too.�

I grinned.� �That�s always good to hear.�

Sherri smiled back, before becoming a bit serious.� �Have you figured out what to tell her about how we met?�

I shook my head.� �Nor that we�ve been sleeping together.� Which is something that will have to stop, of course.�

�Of course.���

Since she�d been having sex with me largely out of agape anyway, I knew Sherri wouldn�t be upset, and her tone confirmed it.

�So what about Sharon?� she asked.

I sighed.� �I�ve spent so long fantasizing about fucking her, it�s hard to give it up.�

Sherri frowned.

�I know, I know.� You�ve done a lot to help.� And I think if she hadn�t been the one to bring up wearing her garter belt, I�d be fine.� But�.�

�You�re still hooked.�

I grimaced, but then nodded.� �At least I know I�m hooked.�

�True.�

�And besides, it might happen this time.�

�Why do you think that?�

�I�ve learned,� I said.� �I won�t overthink things or screw it up this time.�

�That might not be enough.�

�True.�

There wasn�t much else to say, and so we returned to our food, and then to other topics.

The next week went by quickly.� I spent Thanksgiving Day at the Center, where we had a small pot luck community meal.� That night, when I got home, there was a message from Tina asking me to call her at her parents.� I only needed a single deep breath before I began punching the buttons.

Mr. Delgado answered.

�This is Joe,� I said.� �I�m returning Tina�s call.�

�Yes,� he said.� �I asked her to call you.� You want her to come visit.�

�I do.� I�ve given her space, just as you asked, and she�s made her choice as to what she wants.� I don�t see any point in waiting.�

He harrumphed.� �She might not get accepted.�

I took a deep breath.� �Then I go where she does get accepted.�

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

�You�ll do fine,� Mr. Delgado finally said.� �I�ll get Tina.�

When she got on the phone, she was excited and laughing.� Her sisters had started teasing her as soon as it was clear that her father was talking to me.� She was also bubbling over because her father had said she could go, as he handed her the phone.� We discussed when and how and picked the dates, soon after the New Year.� I said I�d make the rest of the arrangements.� Tina joked about now having to get me a suitable Christmas present and I told her that her presence was enough.� We chatted a while longer until the background noise from her siblings made it clear she needed to go.

I hung up, happy and somewhat surprised.� Mr. Delgado hadn�t given my the grilling I�d expected, and Tina was coming�actually coming!�to D.C.

I floated on that reverie for quite a while, daydreaming about her visit.� I wanted to wine and dine her.� I wanted to show her the town.� Yeah, I wanted to sleep with her, but I�d let that be her choice.� Most of all, I just wanted her visit to be better than the last time.

That�s when my reverie skidded to a halt.� Tina�s dad hadn�t asked about Sharon, but I knew she�d come up during Tina�s visit.� I needed to be able to say where things stood, unambiguously and clearly.� And that wasn�t the only relationship I needed to be clear about, I realized:� I still hadn�t told Tina how I�d met Sherri.� Would she still want to be with me when she knew?

I let out a deep breath.� I still had some bridges to cross.� But there was not much I could do before I reached them.

The first bridge was Christmas presents.� Since Sharon had said she was going back to school to become a restaurant critic, I bought a couple of my favorite books about food, along with a book on writing criticism.� Tina was a little harder.� In the end, I found a simple ruby necklace that I was confident she�d like.� It was a bit expensive, but also elegant instead of ostentatious.� I hoped it wasn�t too much, but not as much as I hoped she�d like it.� In both cases, I completed my shopping, along with presents for my family, with plenty of time to spare.

What I didn�t allow enough time for was getting to Sharon�s for our dinner at the Greenbriar.� It had snowed that day, but stopped a couple of hours before I needed to leave.� I thought the roads would be thoroughly plowed by the time I went out.� I thought wrong.� I pulled into the parking lot at Sharon�s complex five minutes before our reservation time, which meant we�d be at least twenty minutes late.

�What happened?� Sharon asked, immediately after opening the door to admit me.

�Bad roads.�

She grimaced.� �The Greenbriar�s number is on the counter.� Why don�t you call them and tell them when we�ll be there while I get my purse and coat?�

I nodded and tried to avoid tracking snow into the kitchen.� As I dialed, I watched Sharon.� She wore a dress I�d never seen before�black with a plunging neckline and tight around the hips and thighs.� It stopped just above her knees, revealing black hose beneath.� When we settled into the car I asked if it was new.

�Yeah, you like?�

�I do.�

�I thought I needed something sexier.� I�m tired of being home alone.�

�No dates?�

She shook her head.� �Not with any guys worth dressing sexy for.�

�Well then I�m honored.�

She laughed.� �I guess you are.�

Sharon certainly did look sexy walking into the dining room, after leaving our coats in the cloakroom.� I noticed a few heads turning as we were seated near the middle of the room.� She ordered a martini while we were still perusing the menu, but let me pick the bottle of wine once we�d decided on our food.

�So,� I said when the waiter had withdrawn, �no dates with guys worth getting dressed up for.�

�Nope.� It�s been a dry year.� I haven�t�� she gestured with her hand, �since Justin.�

�He�s the guy from Boston, right?�

�Yeah.� He only comes to Colorado for the holidays.�

I raised my eyebrows.� Then I decided to fill in the conversational gap.� �So you�ve been celibate for over a year?�

�Yeah, and I really miss your stories.�

I chuckled.� �They�re only stories.� Why not get the real thing?�

She blushed.� �I hope to, soon.� That�s why I bought this dress.�

I bit back the witty retorts that formed in my brain and just grinned.

�So tell me more about Tina,� she said.

�Well, we�re not back together yet, but it looks promising.�� I filled her in on Tina�s upcoming visit and her Georgetown hopes.� Sharon was delighted, exclaiming more than once that she was thrilled we might be getting back together, and that the breakup hadn�t been too much to overcome.�

�So,� she said, grinning conspiratorially at me, �you must be looking forward to her visit. You�ve been celibate nearly as long as me.�

I couldn�t help my small snort. �Actually, I have a �friends with benefits� arrangement.� We�re not monogamous, and it�ll end when either of us gets into something serious, which will probably be me with Tina.�

�Huh.� And you�ll still be friends?�

I nodded firmly.� �I don�t think what we have now would work if we weren�t really good friends.� We care for each other, though it�s philios and not eros, and that makes it work.�

She furrowed her brow, so I explained a bit more about philios, eros, and agape and how all three could be present or only one, and how sex could be mixed in with any of them.� She didn�t ask any questions and so, after a little bit, I ended my monologue.

Our Caesar salad arrived and we watched as it was prepared tableside.� It was, as expected, delicious.� Sharon asked about my New Year�s plans.� They weren�t much�Sherri had a client and Robert planned a romantic date with Lisa, so I was on my own.� But the next day I was cooking a huge brunch for the gang.� Sharon was going to Kim�s annual New Year�s party, of course.

�I plan to have a really good time,� she said with a leer.

I chuckled.� �I�ll bet.�

�Well, it won�t be as good as the New Year�s that Allen and I came here,� she said, finishing her wine and gesturing for me to pour more.

I raised an eyebrow and leaned forward.� In a stage whisper, I asked, �What�d you do?�

She leaned forward and glanced around to make sure the other tables weren�t listening.

�Took my panties off in the ladies room and slid them in his coat pocket.�� She nodded her head toward the cloakroom.� �He couldn�t keep his hands off me the whole drive home!�

I raised my eyebrows.� I�d spent a forgettable night with Alicia at a forgettable party that year and never heard this story.� But then I had an idea.

I waggled my eyebrows.� �I dare you.�

�What?�

�Take �em off.�

Sharon�s eyes went wide.� Then she shook her head.

�C�mon.�

�No.�

I leaned back, smiled, and waved it off.� Sharon leaned back herself.� When she smiled, I knew my suggestion hadn�t made her mad.

We reminisced about old times, back in the dorm, through the rest of the meal and dessert.� We dawdled over port, but it was finally time to leave when it was all gone.� Sharon had a very good buzz going, but I�d drunk sparingly, and was okay to drive.� When we arrived at her apartment and shed our coats, she slid onto the couch.� I settled into the chair across from her and waited expectantly.

�What?� she asked.

�I believe you have something to show me,� I said, flicking a finger toward her legs.

�Ah, yes.� �She started tugging at the hem of her dress, edging it up.� The dress was too tight to slide easily, though, and so with a grunt of frustration, she pushed it back down and stood up.

�Unzip me,� she said, turning around.

�With pleasure.�

I stood and, once she�d pulled her hair out of the way, tugged the metal tab.� When the teeth were all undone, I sank back onto the chair while Sharon wiggled out of her dress.

That�s when she took my breath away.� Instead of the black lingerie I�d come to know, she was in a deep blue g-string and bra with white lace trimming, and a matching garterbelt, attached to the black stockings.� She looked fantastic and, from the grin on her face when she turned around, she knew it.

�When did you get this?�

�Last week,� she said with a smirk.� �I told you I wanted to look sexy this New Year�s.�

�You�ve certainly managed that,� I said, once again letting my eyes drift from head to toe.

�Which reminds me�your present.� It�s in my bedroom.�

I waved toward the hall and nodded and then strode out.� My mind was racing.� This was going well!

Sharon came back, still in her lingerie, with a larger rectangular box.� I removed the wrapping paper to discover a photo album.� I thumbed through it, seeing photos from all of our sessions, including the last one with Tina.

�I picked only the good ones,� she said, leaning over as I slowly studied the ones of Tina and Sharon together.� �And there are blank pages at the end.�

I quickly looked up, and she pulled back.

�For the future.�

�So� not tonight?�

She shook her head.� �I forgot to buy film.�

I raised my eyebrows, but she just sat back on the couch, knees together.� �Maybe before you leave?� The last day�.�

�That could work,� I said.� �I�m seeing Allen for lunch, but my evening�s free.�

She beamed.� �That would be great.�

Sharon then looked at me expectantly, so I hopped up and retrieve her presents from where I�d set them by the door.

�Books,� she mused, hefting them and noting their weight.� She tilted her head and grinned.� �Stories?�

I shook my head.� �Nah.� I wasn�t sure how well those would go over.�

She mock-pouted, but tore the paper open anyway.� Then she oohed at the books.

�Good ones?� she asked.

I nodded.� �Nothing but the best.� Though I�m not sure about the book on writing.�

�Hmm.�� She hadn�t gotten to it yet, but when she opened it, she smiled.� She flipped it over and read the back jacket before thumbing through it.

�Thank you,� she said.

�And thank you,� I said, holding up the photo album.

�You�re welcome.� And I�m sorry I don�t have any film.�

I shrugged.� �I�m sure we can think of something to do.�

Her eyes lit up.� �Will you tell me a story?�

I paused.� Something�s wrong.� This is too easy.

�I�ve already got an idea for you.�

I raised an eyebrow.

�Wearing this outfit, I meet a hot guy at Kim�s New Year�s party and he can�t keep his eyes off me.�

I chuckled. �That�s certainly realistic.� Particularly the way you�re dressed now.�

A wide grin spread across her lips and her eyes danced, but she didn�t move to cover up or put her dress back on.

�Well, let me think for a bit,� I said.

She nodded.

The back of my mind was yammering at me.� This is way way too easy!� I started racing through all the reasons that Sharon could have gone from completely uncommunicative a few months ago to sitting in lingerie in front of me now.� Except� except I didn�t want to overthink it either.� After all, this was what I wanted!

�So�?� she asked.

�Okay,� I said, shutting down the mental spinning.

�I�ll get a blanket.�� She started to stand.

�No.�

She looked at me, wide eyed.

�No blanket.� Or no story.�

She sank back down onto the couch, reappraising me.� Then she curtly nodded.

�Okay.�

She then swung her feet up and lay back onto the couch.� With only her side facing me, I couldn�t see as much as I had before.� I silently chuckled.� She�s keeping the agreement, at least.

�Well,� I began, �the story starts when you arrive at the party.� You�re wearing your new dress and your new lingerie, of course.� It�s slow at first, mostly couples.� You�re standing around talking in the living room when he walks in.�

�Mmm.�

�He immediately sees you, and you take his breath away.� He�s never seen a woman so sexy before.� He can�t believe this unknown woman is so hot.�

�Actually, he knows me.� It�s just been a long time.�

I raised my eyebrows.� The guy from Boston was, what, a year ago?� Two years?

�He can�t believe this woman he hasn�t seen in a long time is so hot,� I amended.� �Anyway, he sees you and his chin drops.� You notice, of course, but you just smile behind your glass.�

�Mmm.�

�It takes him almost an hour to work the room before coming over to you.� Of course, he can�t help looking at you all evening�those side glances, trying not to get caught.� The smolder stares when he thinks you�re looking the other way.� Finally, he slowly saunters over, when the people you�ve been talking to decide to go get more drinks.�

Sharon kicked off her shoes and then crooked her leg closest to me.� She slid one hand down her stomach to the top of her panties where she ran her fingertips over her skin.� I rolled my eyes.� While her raised thigh prominently showed off her stockings, it also hid all of her panties except the top.

��It�s been a long time,� he says.� �You look great.�� You smile and say thanks.� He asks how you�ve been doing and you talk for a while.� He�s doing well.�

�Well, all things considered.�

�All things considered,� I added.� �But he still seems happy to see you.�

She smiled and closed her eyes.

�So you talk,� I said, �and you flirt.� He gazes into your eyes, but of course he can�t keep his eyes from wandering lower.�

Sharon laughed softly.

�Eventually, he suggests a drink, and the two of you wander into the kitchen.� While you�re pouring on the counter, he comes up behind you, but unfortunately too close.� You turn and bump him, spilling your drink over both of you.� He is, of course, incredibly apologetic.�

�Of course.�

�So you do the best you can to clean it up in the kitchen, but while you�re able to get most of it off of you, his shirt is a mess.� �I�m going to have to take this off,� he says.�

I quickly searched my memory of Kim�s house.� ��Kim�s got a back bedroom with its own bath,� you say.� He nods and agrees and the two of you slip off through the crowd to that bedroom and bathroom.� People are too busy talking with each other to really notice where you�re going.� Once you get there, he heads right into the bathroom, while you shut the bedroom door behind you.� On impulse, you lock it.� He comes back out of the bathroom then, shirtless, and sees you.

��I was hoping you�d do that,� he says.� He walks over to you and slides his arms around you.� �I�ve missed you,� he says.� Then he bends his neck and kisses you.�

Sharon smiled, her eyes still closed. �Her fingers slid under the lace of her g-string, and then a little lower, until her wrist pushed the fabric as far from her abdomen as it was likely to stretch.� I couldn�t see her fingertips, but my cock stiffened at the thought of what they must be doing.

�He kisses you again and again.� Passionately.� Deeply.� He takes your face in his hands and holds you still while he covers you in kisses.� Meanwhile you run your hands all over his bare back, enjoying his bare skin under your hands.

�Then he pulls back for just a moment, searching your eyes.� �We spilled on your dress too,� he says.� You laugh and tell him to wait for a moment, slipping under his arm to scoot into the bathroom yourself.� �Wait for me,� you say, just before closing the bathroom door.

�In the bathroom,� I continued, �you slip off your dress.� The spill isn�t much, and you realize it�ll easily clean off later.� Standing there in your lingerie, you look at yourself in the mirror.� You look incredible�hot, sexy, and totally desirable.�

Sharon flushed, but grinned, her eyes still closed.

�He obviously agrees, for when you step into the room, his eyes grow wide and his chin drops open.� You pirouette as he gasps for breath.� Finally, he says, �you�re beautiful.�� �Thanks,� you say.

�He stands and takes you into his arms, kissing you passionately and running his hands up and down your body.� You reciprocate, feeling his taut ass and the obvious bulge in his pants, pressing against you.� He�s eager for you�it�s almost urgent in the way he touches you and caresses you.� But he waits.� Waits until you tug on his belt, of course.�

The top of Sharon�s hand was moving now, making it clear that her fingers were dancing, just out of my sight.� I tried to subtly shift so I could get a better view, but it didn�t help.

�Once you start tugging on his belt,� I said, �he instantly helps you.� In a moment, he�s naked, standing before you.� Naked and hard.� His cock is throbbing, he wants you so badly.� You slide your fingers around his shaft and stoke him lightly, while still kissing.� But after a moment, he gasps and pulls back, just a bit.� You get a devilish look on your eyes and sink to your knees.� He lets out a moan as you slowly slide his cock into your mouth.�

�Mmm.�

�You can tell that he�s already on the edge,� I said.� �He�s already breathing hard with desire and want.� You know that you could make him come in seconds, if you wanted to, but you decide to tease him and prolong his delicious agony.�

Sharon�s breathing became shallower.

�Finally, when you think he can�t possibly take any more, you give him a squeeze and then stand up, kissing him passionately on the mouth.� It�s too much for him.� He wraps his arms around you and throws you onto the bed.� You scoot up toward the pillows as he crawls on top of you.� He grabs your panties and rips them off in his passion.� For a moment, you are sure he�s going to take you, right there and then, but� he decides to tease you himself.�

Sharon let out a groan of frustration.

�He lowers his head and kisses the insides of your thighs before he begins to go down on you.� You�re already wet, and so he quickly heads for your clit.� Since you have no recuperation time,� I said with a leer in my voice that causes Sharon to grin, �he quickly brings you to your first orgasm of the evening.�

Sharon�s hand began moving more quickly, her breathing joining the faster pace.

�He barely lets you recover your breath before he�s above you.� You feel his rock, hard cock pushing slightly against your opening.� Your eyes meet, and then he slowly thrusts forward, burying himself inside you.

�It�s incredible,� I said, �better than you remember, in fact.� He wants you and yet he�s clearly not lost complete control.� He�s on the edge of coming, but he�s determined to make you come first.�

Sharon�s breathing became very shallow and she bit her lip.

�He begins thrusting hard into you.� He�s fucking you as hard and as fast as you can handle.� Just the way you like it.� He kisses you and whispers into your ear, �I want you!�� Then��

Sharon let out a small cry and shuddered.� Her face tightened up for just a moment, and then relaxed.

�� then, after an incredible time that feels like forever, you come.� He�s not far behind, exploding in a massive orgasm and then collapsing on top of you.�

Sharon nodded and then, for the first time since we�d started, cracked her eyes and looked at me.� She withdrew her hands from her panties, wiping her fingers gently across her stomach.

�And as you lie there, basking in the afterglow, he says he can�t wait until you can come to Boston.�

�Finishes his divorce and moves back to Colorado,� Sharon corrected.

�What?�

She opened her eyes wider and looked at me.� I had a sudden sickening sense of exactly what she meant.

�This story is about Allen, isn�t it?� I asked, my gut beginning to churn.

�Yeah.� So?�

�What about me?�

Sharon pulled herself up into a sitting position.� �What about you?�

�I�m here.� Why go with the fantasy when you�ve got someone ready, willing and able to help out?�

�Well� you�re just a friend.�

�We�ve hovered between friends and lovers too long.�

�We�re not going to be lovers,� she said with a dismissive shrug.

�Why not?�

�I don�t want to lose a friendship because of sex.� I�m only going to sleep with guys I�m dating.�

I snorted.� �We�ve talked about that.� There�s nothing wrong with friends with benefits.� Besides, you slept with that guy from Boston and you weren�t dating.�

She shrugged.� �He was attractive.�

I felt like my gut had been punched, but I couldn�t stop myself from asking the obvious question.

�And I�m not?�

She bit her lip for a moment.� �Well�, I didn�t want to tell you this, but no.� I don�t find you attractive at all.�

�You think I�m ugly.�

�I wouldn�t use that word.�

I bit back the angry obscenities that were forming on my tongue.� �Let me get this straight.� You don�t want to sleep with me, but you want me to tell you erotic stories about Allen.�

�What�s wrong with that?�

I put my head in my hands and shook it.� Slowly, I regained my sense of calm.� I couldn�t help snorting softly.� I had taken all the blame for our friendship�s problems, but didn�t any relationship take two?� When I finally looked up, Sharon had pulled a pillow onto her lap.

I had to say something.� �You got furious with me last January,� I said, �accusing me of manipulating you.� We didn�t speak for months, but now you�re doing the same thing.�

�It�s not the same at all!�

�No?�

�It�s not.� And you should know that.�

I shook my head again.� Then I let out a long breath.� Without thinking about it, or analyzing it, I knew what I had to do.� Surprisingly, my gut felt calm.

�It doesn�t matter,� I said.� �This isn�t a friendship if either of us are doing it.� Manipulating the other.� There�s no philios here.� Nor agape or eros, for that matter.�

�I�m not manipulating you!� I never promised you anything and I didn�t lead you on.� It�s all in your head.�

Surprisingly, my gut was calm, even as I felt her glare boring into me.� I took another deep breath, looked up and met her gaze.

�It doesn�t matter,� I said.� �There�s no philios.�

�What the fuck are you talking about?�

I stood.� �I need to go.�� I scooped the photo album up and headed toward the door.

�What the fuck?� It�s just a fantasy, for Chrissake.�

I stopped and turned.� She was still glaring at me.

I shook my head.� �No, it�s more than that.� It�s a symptom of this whole screwed-up relationship.� We�re not true friends.� We�re not more than friends.� Why continue this farce?�

�It wasn�t a farce until you made it one in D.C.�

�No, that�s just when it became obvious.�

�It was still your fault!�

That pissed me off.� �I never should have apologized for that.� You were the one that touched me.�� I grabbed my coat and put it on.� Fumbling with the buttons cooled me down a bit, but I was still hot under the collar.

�So,� she spat, �you�re just going to leave?�

�Yep.� Just like you did after D.C.�

She snorted.� �I never should have answered your letter.�

I paused, and faced her once again.� Mustering a weak smile, I met her eyes.

�You�re right,� I said, �but I�m glad you did.�� I hefted the package in my hands.� �Thanks for the present.�

Then I turned and walked out the door.

--Fin--

© 2007, all rights reserved.

Read the next chapter in this story: Chapter Thirty-six

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