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\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid3427103 Friends and Benefits}{\insrsid13918637
}{\insrsid3427103 Chapter Six
by be287m
}{\insrsid7680959 I wasn\rquote t as nervous as I\rquote d expected when I went to pick the poster up. To ask Tina out, really. Maybe it was the fact that we\rquote d already talked more than once. Maybe it was the fact that even if she said no, th
ere was a chance of something happening with Sharon over Christmas break. }{\insrsid16610703 I knew r}{\insrsid7680959 ejection wouldn\rquote t sting }{\insrsid16610703 as much as a result}{\insrsid7680959 .
}{\insrsid10183719
Tina brightened when I walked in the door.
\'93Hey!\'94 she called.
\'93Hey, yourself!\'94
\'93It\rquote s finished and it looks great!\'94 Tina bent down, pulled the poster out and put it on the top of the counter. Matted, framed, and under glass, it looked more like art than advertisement.
\'93Wow, it does,\'94 I remarked. \'93Looking at it like this, it\rquote s hard to imagine it in a movie display case somewhere.\'94
\'93Oh, I don\rquote t think it\rquote s that hard,\'94 Tina said. \'93I just can\rquote t imagine stopping to look at i}{\insrsid16610703 t}{\insrsid10183719 as I was walking by. Unless it was displayed like this.\'94 I nodded. The}{\insrsid1519987
n}{\insrsid10183719 I realized this was the }{\insrsid9586856 opening to ask her out}{\insrsid10183719 .
\'93So, do you go to movies often?\'94 I asked, trying to not let the tightness in my chest appear in my voice.
\'93Oh, I love movies! I go all the time!\'94
\'93Well, would you be interested in going to one }{\insrsid16007501 with me}{\insrsid10183719 ?\'94 I was still studying the poster as I asked. I knew I should look at her, but I couldn\rquote t turn my head.
\'93Sure!\'94
My neck discovered the amazing ability to swivel. I glanced over and Tina was smiling. I smiled back.
\'93Great}{\insrsid9586856 ,\'94 I said. \'93How about if we ex}{\insrsid10183719 change phone numbers and I\rquote ll call you after checking what\rquote s playing}{\insrsid9765789 ?}{\insrsid10183719 \'94
\'93That\rquote d be fine,\'94 Tina answered. She got a piece of paper and tore it in half. I watched her very neat}{\insrsid16610703 ly written}{\insrsid10183719
numerals appear on her half. Then she loaned me the paper and I put my own digits on the other. Looking up, we just kind of grinned at each other.
}{\insrsid5710620 \'93Well, I\rquote ll call you tonight,\'94 I said. Tina agreed and we said goodbye. I floated back to my apartment, using the poster as ballast the entire way.}{\insrsid10183719
}{\insrsid5710620
Of course, I wanted to call Sharon immediately to tell her the good news. Then I realized she\rquote d ask a bunch of questions I couldn\rquote t answer until I talked to Tina.
Instead}{\insrsid16007501 ,}{\insrsid5710620 I hiked over to the corner gas station and got a newspaper. Reviewing the options, I realized that Tucson was not going to be a threat to Sundance or Toronto or Cannes anytime soon. There
was only one theatre anywhere near the University that showed indie film}{\insrsid9586856 s}{\insrsid5710620 and I didn\rquote
t recognize the titles at all. None of the mainstream movies seemed particularly compelling either. If Tina was a film snob instead of just a film fan, I was in trouble.
}{\insrsid10373576
I wasn\rquote t. When I called Tina that night, I suggested }{\ul\insrsid10373576\charrsid10373576 Hook}{\insrsid10373576 .
\'93With Dustin Hoffman}{\insrsid15485301 and Robin Williams}{\insrsid10373576 ?\'94 she asked. \'93That could be good.\'94
\'93}{\insrsid1519987 There\rquote s not a lot of a choice}{\insrsid10373576 out there,\'94 I admitted. \'93Must be too early for the Oscar releases.\'94
\'93That\rquote s okay,\'94 she replied. \'93It\rquote ll be fun!\'94 I hoped so.
We made arrangements for me to pick her up at her dorm that coming Saturday. She suggested we catch the five o\rquote clock show, since it }{\insrsid15485301 would be less crowded}{\insrsid10373576
. I quickly agreed and offered to take her out to dinner afterward.
}{\insrsid7680959
}{\insrsid15485301 \'93Sure,\'94 Tina replied.
\'93Anything you don\rquote t eat?\'94 I asked.
\'93I\rquote m not a big fan of Mexican,\'94 she replied. I avoided groaning out loud.
}{\insrsid7341969 \'93How about the Bluebird Caf\'e9?\'94}{\insrsid15485301
}{\insrsid7341969
\'93That\rquote s pretty good,\'94 Tina answered. \'93Particularly for brunch.\'94}{\insrsid8145882 That gave me a possible idea for the future, but it was too soon to say anything.}{\insrsid7341969
}{\insrsid16610703 \'94Great! Then we\rquote ve got a plan!\'94}{\insrsid4421204
\'93Looking forward to it!\'94
}{\insrsid7341969 We said our goodbyes and hung up. I promptly redialed the phone for Sharon.}{\insrsid4421204 I got her machine.}{\insrsid7341969
}{\insrsid9586856
\'93I have a date, Saturday,\'94 I said. \'93Dinner and a movie. Talk to you about it later.\'94
}{\insrsid7341969
}{\insrsid2716271 Sharon didn\rquote t call back that night. I finally gave up waiting after }{\ul\insrsid2716271\charrsid2716271 The Tonight Show}{\insrsid2716271 monologue and went to bed.
The next night the phone rang just as I was cleaning up from dinner.
\'93Hey!\'94 I said, recognizing Sharon\rquote s voice. \'93I missed you last night.\'94
She loudly sighed. \'93I had a date. It sucked.\'94
\'93Huh? Why?\'94
}{\insrsid16081246
\'93It was a geeky guy from one of my classes. It took him all semester to work up the nerve to ask me to dinner. Then he barely said a word the entire meal. I had to keep asking him questions to draw him out. Then after dinner, he didn\rquote
t have any ideas on what to do next. So I told him we should go walking on }{\insrsid8995543 the }{\insrsid16081246 Pearl Street}{\insrsid8995543 Mall}{\insrsid16081246 . That was actually okay until we ran into a panhandler. He couldn\rquote
t get away from the guy fast enough.\'94
\'93He was afraid of a homeless guy?\'94
\'93Afraid, or disgusted, or something. After we\rquote d walked the length }{\insrsid8995543 of the Mall }{\insrsid16081246 and back, I told him to take me home. I didn\rquote t notice the message light}{\insrsid16007501 when I got in}{
\insrsid16081246 . Sorry.\'94
\'93No need to apologize.\'94
\'93Okay. But your turn. You have a date?\'94
\'93Yeah! The girl from the poster shop, her name\rquote s Tina, agreed to go out with me. Since she\rquote s a big movie buff, I figured I\rquote d take her to a movie. We\rquote re going out to dinner afterwards.\'94
\'93Dinner that late?\'94
\'93Movie that early. }{\insrsid4934935 We\rquote re going to the f}{\insrsid16081246 ive p.m. show at her suggestion}{\insrsid4934935 .}{\insrsid16081246 \'94
}{\insrsid4934935
\'93Cheaper?\'94
\'93Not as crowded.\'94
\'93Makes sense,\'94 Sharon replied. \'93Well, congratulations. I hope it goes well and you\rquote ll have to tell me all about it.\'94
\'93Thanks. And I will.\'94
Sharon said she had a paper to write, so we k}{\insrsid8995543 ept the rest of the call short. I }{\insrsid16066414 had plenty}{\insrsid8995543 of my own homework }{\insrsid16066414 to do}{\insrsid8995543 as well. Saturday would arrive soon enough.}{
\insrsid16081246
}{\insrsid2716271
}{\insrsid12805872 And soon enough it did. Tina was dressed in slacks and a conse
rvative blouse when she came down to the dorm lobby. More importantly, she seemed excited and not as nervous as I felt. We made it to the movie without incident and found good seats about a third of the way back. Tina said she liked to have the screen
fill her vision completely, but also didn\rquote t want the neck ache of being too close. We didn\rquote t talk much before the house lights dimmed and the previews started.
}{\insrsid737988
\'93So what did you think?\'94 I asked as we walked out of the movie.
\'93It was okay}{\insrsid16007501 , but}{\insrsid737988 I was mildly disappointed. It could have been a lot better. I didn\rquote t think they used Dustin Hoffman very well.\'94
\'93Yeah, I agree. He seemed overpowered by the costume.\'94
We continued to discuss the movie on the rather short drive to the Bluebird Caf\'e9. I didn\rquote t notice anything that was clearly \'93brunch}{\insrsid9586856 food}{\insrsid737988 \'94
on the menu, but decided not to comment on that. Better to note what was here and compare if I ever came back some morning. When I set the menu down, Tina was patiently waiting for me, already having made her selection.
}{\insrsid1988381
\'93}{\insrsid737988 So,\'94 I said, starting the conversation. \'93}{\insrsid1988381 You said you go to the movies all the time. How often is \lquote all the time\rquote ?\'94
\'93Oh, now about every other week. When I was in high school, I used to go every weekend if I could. It was one of the few places I could escape.\'94
}{\insrsid4868414
\'93Escape? From what?\'94
\'93My family,\'94 she replied. I frowned.
\'93Oh--it\rquote s not what you think!\'94 she continued. \'93}{\insrsid9765789 I grew up}{\insrsid4868414 in a small house and I have five younge}{\insrsid9765789 r brothers and sisters. It got}{\insrsid4868414
loud and crazy. The movies were one of the few places I could go without bringing one of my siblings along.\'94
\'93Why just the movies? Why not the mall or, oh, I don\rquote t know . . .\'94
\'93I have an overprotective dad,\'94 she admitted, puckering her lip. \'93I almost always went to the movies with a group of girlfriends. }{\i\insrsid4868414\charrsid4868414 No boys}{\insrsid4868414 .\'94
Her tone conveyed how often she must have heard those words.
\'93Must have been hell}{\insrsid1794076 to go on dates,\'94 I commented.}{\insrsid737988
}{\insrsid4868414 Tina nodded.}{\insrsid737988 }{\insrsid4868414 \'93I had to bring my little brother along.\'94
\'93A chaperone? You\rquote re kidding.\'94 This time Tina shook her head.
\'93We\rquote re good conservative Catholics, or at least Dad is. He believed that if it was good enough for his generation, it was good enough for mine.\'94
\'93Must have sucked for your boyfriends.\'94
\'93I didn\rquote t have boyfriends,\'94 she said. \'93After the first couple of times I was allowed to go out on a date, word got around about my little brother having to tag along. Guys stopped asking me out.\'94
\'93Ouch.\'94
\'93You have no idea. To be so interested in . . .\'94}{\insrsid9971184 Tina stopped just before the next word could tumble free.}{\insrsid4868414 }{\insrsid9971184 I watched her struggle for a moment before }{\insrsid737988 I decided to}{
\insrsid9971184 her off the hook.}{\insrsid4868414
}{\insrsid9971184
\'93. . . and you couldn\rquote t do anything because of your dad.\'94
\'93Right!\'94 she exclaimed. \'93Don\rquote t get me wrong, I love my dad. I just wish he\rquote d given me more freedom! That\rquote s why I\rquote m working in the poster shop\emdash I don\rquote t want to have to live at home again.\'94
\'93Makes sense.\'94
\'93I . . .\'94 Once again, Tina changed trains in mid-sentence. \'93This is too much information for a first date, isn\rquote t it?\'94 She looked embarrassed and avoided my eyes.
\'93Maybe for some guys,\'94 I reassured her. \'93But not for me.}{\insrsid16610703 I\rquote m actually relieved that we\rquote re not stuck on small talk}{\insrsid1794076 .}{\insrsid9971184 \'94
}{\insrsid1988381
}{\insrsid737988 \'93I had a feeling about that. Any guy who likes }{\ul\insrsid737988\charrsid737988 sex, lies, and videotape}{\insrsid737988 probably likes to listen}{\insrsid16610703 to more meaningful stuff}{\insrsid737988 ,\'94 she said.
\'93Well, yeah,\'94 I admitted. \'93But I don\rquote t videotape}{\insrsid16007501 my conversations}{\insrsid737988 .\'94 Tina chuckled at my lame joke.
\'93But you talk about sex?\'94}{\insrsid8545414
\'93Oh, absolutely! Why, do you want to talk about it?\'94}{\insrsid737988
}{\insrsid8545414
Tina laughed and rolled her eyes.
\'93Not yet,\'94 she said.
\'93Darn!\'94 I said, with an exaggerated snap of my fingers.
\'93So tell me about your family,\'94 she suggested.
}{\insrsid3960351
\'93It\rquote s pretty boring, really,\'94 I replied. Tina didn\rquote t look bored, so I proceeded to tell her about growing up in suburban Denver. She managed to use some of my stories as spring
boards for her own stories. Our high school experiences were pretty similar except for the quirks introduced because of her father. My parents had been pretty lenient. Trusting was actually a better description than lenient. They expected me to behave
maturely and make wise }{\insrsid1519987 choices;}{\insrsid3960351 though I knew they\rquote d come down on me like a ton of bricks if I abused that trust.
\'93So did you?\'94 Tina asked.
\'93Did I what?\'94
\'93Abuse their trust. Get }{\insrsid9765789 naughty when you shouldn\rquote t have,}{\insrsid3960351 \'94}{\insrsid9765789 she said.}{\insrsid3960351 I blushed, remembering.
\'93Well, generally, no. There was this one time though . . .\'94
\'93Oh, this sounds good!\'94
\'93It is good, but . . . ah, heck, I\rquote ll tell it}{\insrsid996392 ,}{\insrsid3960351 \'94 }{\insrsid996392 I said. }{\insrsid3960351 Tina sat back with a big grin.
\'93My parents used to let me bring my girlfriend to our house at the end of the date. We\rquote d go down in the basement to \lquote talk\rquote and they\rquote d stay upstairs. There was always the possibility that they\rquote
d come downstairs at any moment, but we eventually figured out that they weren\rquote t going to.}{\insrsid996392 \'94}{\insrsid3960351
}{\insrsid996392
\'93Mmmm. I\rquote m envious.\'94
\'93So,\'94 I continued, \'93one night w
e were doing . . . more than talking . . . when there was a loud crash. The cat had knocked over a vase. In the basement. Mom and Dad started to come downstairs to investigate while my girlfriend and I were diving for our clothes.\'94
\'93Oh}{\insrsid16007501 ,}{\insrsid996392 ho! Busted!\'94
\'93Maybe,\'94 I admitted. \'93We managed to get our outer clothes on and neither Mom nor Dad said anything. It wasn\rquote t until they went back upstairs that I realized my girlfriend\rquote s bra was sticking out from behind the couch. I don\rquote
t know if they saw it or not.\'94
\'93They probably did,\'94 Tina mused. Her eyes were twinkling. I took that as a good sign.
\'93I don\rquote t know,\'94 I said. \'93I can\rquote t imagine them not having said something to me later, and they didn\rquote t. So I don\rquote t know if we got away with it or not. We were a lot more careful after that.\'94
\'93I\rquote ll bet!\'94
}{\insrsid737988
}{\insrsid11811405 \'93Did you ever get away with anything?\'94 I asked. \'93Or was Dad successful in keeping you safe?\'94
Tina thought for a moment, the}{\insrsid9586856 n gave a slight nod of her head before answering.}{\insrsid11811405
\'93There was one time when we ran into some guys from school at the movie theatre. It turns out that one of my girlfriends had told them }{\insrsid16007501 which one }{\insrsid11811405 we were going}{\insrsid16007501 to}{\insrsid11811405
. The theatre was pretty empty so we were joking around and throwing popcorn at each other and generally being kids before the movie started. We were having fun. I\rquote
d moved a couple of rows away, to dodge the popcorn, when the lights dimmed for the movie. So I stayed there.\'94
\'93And then?\'94
\'93Tim came over and sat next to me. I\rquote d had a crush on Tim and apparently my girlfriend had told one of the guys, so Tim knew. The movie was pretty bad and}{\insrsid9765789 ,}{\insrsid11811405 well, we ended up making out.\'94 Tina didn
\rquote t quite blush, but seemed on the edge of it.
\'93Anything happen after that?\'94
\'93Well, Tim did ask me out. But then he met my father and . . .\'94 She trailed off.
\'93Sorry to hear that.\'94
\'93Well, enough about my dad. }{\insrsid9586856 What\rquote s your major?}{\insrsid11811405 \'94
}{\insrsid9586856
\'93It\rquote s not really a major. I\rquote m a grad student. I\rquote m nominally in the Ph.D. program for astronomy.\'94
\'93Really? I knew you were older, but I figured you were still an undergrad.\'94
\'93Nope,\'94 I replied. \'93I\rquote m twenty-four.\'94
\'93Not quite ancient,\'94 she teased.
\'93}{\insrsid12805872 No, but sometimes I feel old.\'94
}{\insrsid9586856 Tina snorted.}{\insrsid12805872 \'93Better older and experienced than younger and over-eager.\'94}{\insrsid9586856
}{\insrsid9765789
}{\insrsid12805872 I didn\rquote t quite know what to say to that without insulting her contemporaries. Tina sensed my hesitation and changed the subject.
}{\insrsid9586856
\'93Well, I want to be a doctor too. But a medical doctor, not a Ph.D.\'94
}{\insrsid11811405
\'93}{\insrsid9586856 Really? Tell me about it.
Tina started talking about how she\rquote d always been fascinated by biology and medicine. Then she started discussing how she was}{\insrsid11811405 adjusting to classes in college instead of high school. That led to a conversation about }{
\insrsid1325317 some of my first year experiences. By the time it wound down, we\rquote d already had dessert and the check was waiting near my elbow.}{\insrsid11811405
}{\insrsid9774384
\'93I\rquote m enjoying this,\'94 I said. \'93How about we go for a walk}{\insrsid14046938 ?}{\insrsid9774384 \'94
\'93Sure! Where?\'94
I grimaced. \'93I don\rquote t think walking up and down Campbell would be a good idea and I\rquote m not sure where the best nearby park would be. Campus isn\rquote t too far.\'94
\'93Campus would be fine.\'94
}{\insrsid11811405
}{\insrsid2691177
I drove us back down Campbell and found a place to park not too far from her dorm. We got out and wandered through the older part of campus, though the palm trees and past Old Main. There was a fair amount of activity at the Student Center}{
\insrsid3282231 , but we stuck more to the sh}{\insrsid9765789 adowy}{\insrsid3282231 areas. Tina asked how I\rquote d become interested in astronomy. I talked about my dad and meteor showers and science fiction. She talked about movies and myster}{
\insrsid16610703 y}{\insrsid3282231 novels. We wandered past the outdoor patio nooks at the library and past the stadium. Cutting back in front of the }{\insrsid16007501 athletic department\rquote s swimming }{\insrsid3282231
pool, we stumbled upon some broad cement steps with a wall behind them. }{\insrsid5912977 There were trees on either end of the wall. }{\insrsid3282231 It looked like a small theater or risers except it faced an open ex
panse of grass instead of an obvious spot for an audience.}{\insrsid2691177
}{\insrsid3282231
\'93What are these?\'94 I wondered.
\'93I don\rquote t know,\'94 Tina replied. \'93We\rquote ll have to check one of the campus maps.\'94
}{\insrsid2691177
}{\insrsid12398409 \'93It does seem to be a strange location,\'94 I said, gazing around the grass. Tina skipped up the steps, all three of them. She turned at the top.
\'93Not much of a view from here,\'94 she announced. Her words gave me a devilish idea. Something Allen would do. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves.
\'93Oh, I don\rquote t know about that,\'94 I said, strolling toward her. I stopped at the bottom of the steps. \'93The view looks pretty good from here.\'94 I met her eyes, then flicked them up and down her body. Then I grinned. Tina smirked.
\'93Oh, does it?\'94
\'93Absolutely. It\rquote s a great sight.\'94
\'93Hmmm. Well, maybe there is something to the view.\'94 Tina eased down two steps, so that she was on the one just above me. It compensated for our height difference and we were eye to eye.
\'93Well, I\rquote m seeing something absolutely beautiful,\'94 I said. My pulse was racing and I couldn\rquote t believe the words falling from my tongue.
\'93And what are you going to do about what you see?\'94 Tina asked, her voice husky with innuendo.
\'93Oh, I don\rquote t know. What do you suggest?\'94
\'93This.\'94 Tina leaned in and kissed me. I encircled her in my arms and kissed her back. }{\insrsid7296600 Our lips parted for a moment, pouring more passion into the kiss. Then Tina pulled back, breathless.}{\insrsid12398409
}{\insrsid7296600
\'93Wow,\'94 she said.
\'93Yeah, wow.\'94 I pulled her in and began kissing her again. }{\insrsid5137053 I tried to pull her closer, but ended up pulling her off }{\insrsid1207284 of }{\insrsid5137053
her step. She stumbled into me and knocked me back, but I caught us both before we fell. We started giggling. Then we heard clapping. There were a couple of guys standing on the sidewalk about a hundred ya}{\insrsid9765789
rds away, who had apparently seen}{\insrsid5137053 my save. Which mean}{\insrsid1519987 t}{\insrsid5137053 they\rquote d probably seen more. I could feel myself blushing as Tina kept giggling.
\'93Maybe we should go,\'94 I suggested. Tina nodded in agreement.
We walked back to her dorm and I stole another long kiss goodnight. Somehow I made it home without killing anyone during the drive}{\insrsid9765789 ,}{\insrsid5137053 as my mind was nowhere near the road. I fell asleep with the taste of Tina\rquote
s lips on mine.
}{\insrsid6621658
}\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6621658 {\insrsid6621658 * * *
}\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\insrsid6621658
\'93So taking a page from Allen\rquote s bo}{\insrsid4729826 ok paid off,\'94 Sherri observed.}{\insrsid6621658
\'93Yeah,\'94 I admitted. \'93Even now, }{\insrsid15207532 two years}{\insrsid6621658 later, I\rquote m surprised that I did it. It\rquote s not normal for me.\'94
\'93Normal can change.\'94}{\insrsid11948122
}{\insrsid6621658 I snorted.}{\insrsid11948122 }{\insrsid6621658 \'93}{\insrsid11948122 No kidding.\'94}{\insrsid6621658
}{\insrsid5051665
\'93So what\rquote s normal now?\'94 Sherri asked.
}{\insrsid1207284
\'93I have no idea,\'94 I said, putting my head in my hands. I sighed.
\'93Ever think you fell down the rabbit hole in }{\ul\insrsid1207284\charrsid1207284 Alice in Wonderland}{\insrsid1207284 ?\'94 I asked. Sherri gave a small nod }{\insrsid1519987 with pursed lips}{\insrsid1207284 , but didn\rquote t say anything.
}{\insrsid16007501
\'93I had that sensation after my next phone call with Sharon,\'94 I said.
\'93Tell me about it.\'94
}\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16007501 {\insrsid16007501 * * *
}\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\insrsid5051665
}{\insrsid16007501 I called Sharon Sunday afternoon. She gave a small cheer when I told her the date went well, before asking for all the details. I spent several minutes giving her the blow-by-blow.
\'93And we even kissed!\'94 I concluded.
\'93That\rquote s great, Joe!\'94
\'93Yeah. I\rquote ll call her tonight and see if she\rquote s interested in a second date before I have to head back to Colorado.\'94
\'93Good idea. Speaking of you coming to Colorado\emdash can I make a request for the night we get together?\'94
\'93Sure.\'94
\'93I\rquote d like to go out to dinner someplace nice. Someplace that would justify getting dressed up.\'94
\'93Uh, okay.\'94
\'93Great. I\rquote ll let you pick the place and make the arrangements.\'94
\'93Okay . . .}{\insrsid1519987 }{\insrsid16007501 is this Dutch?\'94
\'93Well . . . I was hoping you\rquote d treat as part of my Christmas present. It\rquote s just that dinner would be a good prelude to your Christmas present.\'94
\'93So,\'94 I said, \'93this is a date.\'94
}{\insrsid2253109
Sharon chuckled. }{\insrsid13965997 \'93No, Joe. We\rquote re just friends. T}{\insrsid2253109 his isn\rquote t a date.\'94
}{\insrsid13965997 That didn\rquote t make sense. We were getting dressed up, going out }{\insrsid10879382 for a }{\insrsid13965997 fancy}{\insrsid10879382 meal}{\insrsid13965997 , I was paying, and we were doing something risqu\'e9}{\insrsid10879382
or sexual after.}{\insrsid9765789 And it wasn\rquote t a date.}{\insrsid2253109
}{\insrsid10879382
\'93Besides, you\rquote re dating Tina,\'94 Sharon continued. \'93You and I are just going to have some fun. Unless you\rquote d rather not . . .\'94
\'93Uh, no,\'94 I interjected. \'93We can have fun!\'94
}{\insrsid5576355 \'93Good, because I think you\rquote ll really like what I have planned.\'94}{\insrsid10879382
}{\insrsid5576355
I just shook my head, which Sharon couldn\rquote t see over the phone. The conversation turned to other topics for a while until the pauses became longer than the bursts of words.
\'93Well,\'94 Sharon said, in that final tone of conversations ending, \'93I should go. Good luck with your next date!\'94
}{\insrsid13005448
\'93You want me to get lucky on my second date?\'94
Sharon laughed. \'93You know what I mean! Have a good time.\'94
\'93Thanks.\'94
We said goodbye and I }{\insrsid2321588 flopped}{\insrsid13005448 on my bed. }{\insrsid4729826 I still didn\rquote t get it.}{\insrsid8015090
}{\insrsid2321588 Sharon clearly wanted me to pursue a romantic relationship with Tina, yet she also didn\rquote t see want to give up whatever plans she had with me. Well, maybe her surprise wasn\rquote
t that naughty. She could be laying the innuendo on thick, just as a tease. }{\insrsid25850 The more I thought about it, the more I convinced myself that nothing was going to happen with Sharon}{\insrsid4729826 .}{\insrsid8015090
}{\insrsid25850 Yeah, she liked getting my story packets, and she enjoyed the racy conversation, but we hadn\rquote t done anything beyond that other than the modeling session. While she hadn\rquote t had any second thoughts
about that, she also had had a fair amount of wine before we\rquote }{\insrsid8015090 d started. Sharon was right. There was nothing going on between us other than a good friendship. While I didn\rquote t particularly like knowing she didn\rquote
t find me appealing in a romantic way, I still had a chance of things happening with Tina.
I did call Tina that night. She was insanely busy with end of the semester projects and preparations for finals, but did want to see me. }{\insrsid16066414 That was fine, I was studying pretty hard myself. }{\insrsid8015090 We arranged a Frida
y night dinner date to try out a \'93new\'94 }{\insrsid9647769 Italian }{\insrsid8015090 restaurant that neither of us w}{\insrsid13697616 as familiar with.
During the meal we mostly talked about Arizona. Tina hadn\rquote t had much chance to explore Tucson yet, though she was looking forward to it. Her family had done the tourist sites when they\rquote d brought her down to move into the dorm. }{
\insrsid12675143 Her younger siblings weren\rquote t too impressed with the Desert Museum or Saguaro National Park, but then early teens probably didn\rquote t recognize }{\insrsid9765789 how impressive a forest of long-}{\insrsid12675143 lived cactus r
eally was.}{\insrsid13697616
Tina }{\insrsid12675143 herself }{\insrsid13697616 had grown up outside of the Phoenix metropolitan area, which I referred to as \'93L.A. without the beach.\'94 She laughed and agreed, but said it was still pretty nice if you didn\rquote
t mind the heat. I did, saying }{\insrsid1519987 I much}{\insrsid13697616 preferred hunkering down through a blizzard than weeks of temperatures over one hundred degrees. We both chorused \'93but it\rquote s a dry heat!\'94 at the same time.}{
\insrsid8015090
}{\insrsid12675143
Tina asked about Colorado and I told her about living within a stone\rquote s throw of the mountains }{\insrsid9765789 outside}{\insrsid12675143 of Denver. I\rquote
d grown up with them always filling the nearby horizon and Tucson was sometimes disorienting because the mountains weren\rquote t to the usual west.
\'93Oh, I looked up those steps on a campus map,\'94 Tina said, as the check arrived.
}{\insrsid16007501
}{\insrsid12675143 \'93Really? What are they?\'94}{\insrsid14893013
}{\insrsid7352381
}{\insrsid16007501 \'93They\rquote re }{\insrsid16007501\charrsid9765789 the Chi}{\insrsid16610703 Omega}{\insrsid16007501\charrsid9765789 steps.}{\insrsid16007501 Apparently they were donated to the University}{\insrsid16610703 by the sorority}{
\insrsid16007501 .\'94
\'93Huh. I}{\insrsid15075082 wonder how often they get used,}{\insrsid16007501 \'94}{\insrsid15075082 I said.}{\insrsid16007501
\'93Oh, I\rquote m sure they get used}{\insrsid15075082 occasionally. They\rquote re perfect for a choral concert. Other than that . . . probably not much.\'94}{\insrsid16007501
}{\insrsid15075082
\'93They were pretty deserted,\'94 I observed. \'93If we\rquote d been in the shadows, I doubt those guys walking by would have noticed.\'94
\'93We should go back there sometime,\'94 Tina said.
\'93How about now?\'94 }{\insrsid9525042 I suggested. }{\insrsid15075082 Tina beamed and nodded vigorously. I gr
abbed the check and glanced at it, threw an overly generous wad of cash and the table, and stood to leave. Tina and I held hands as we walked to the steps.
}{\insrsid9525042
There were indeed some shadowed areas, along the sides near the trees. We faded into one, me quickly glancing around to see if we were being watched. Tina was already pulling my head down for a kiss.
We kissed }{\insrsid16610703 almost }{\insrsid9525042 continuously for some time\emdash well over an hour. First standing, then sitting. Then sitting with Tina in my lap. Our lips only broke apart long enough to trail down the other\rquote
s neck, or up }{\insrsid9765789 along the jaw}{\insrsid9525042 . Tina gasped when I kissed behind her ear and then nuzzled her neck. }{\insrsid11877139
She moaned while I gently rubbed the small of her back. She kissed me hard when I held her face with my hand.}{\insrsid9525042
}{\insrsid16007501
}{\insrsid11877139 \'93God, I\rquote m wet,\'94 Tina murmured an infinite time later.
\'93I\rquote l}{\insrsid9765789 l take that as a compliment,}{\insrsid11877139 \'94}{\insrsid9765789 I replied.}{\insrsid11877139 She smirked, wide-eyed, and nodded. We kissed some more.}{\insrsid2098810
Finally, with some obvious reluctance, Tina pulled back.}{\insrsid11877139
}{\insrsid2098810
\'93I need to go, Joe. I\rquote ve got a lot of studying to do tomorrow.\'94
\'93That\rquote s okay. We\rquote ll see each other again, I\rquote m sure.\'94
\'93I hope so.\'94
\'93Call me when you get back to campus after the break, okay?\'94 I asked.
\'93I will.\'94
We stole a few more kisses before pulling ourselves to our feet and walking back to Tina\rquote s dorm. Then we stole a few more before I watched her walk up the stairs.}{\insrsid12074827 She waved just before she hit the landing and was out of sight.}
{\insrsid2098810
}{\insrsid12074827
I spent a lot of the next morning and afternoon daydreaming about Tina. Eventually the realities of my own
end of the semester kicked in and I forced myself to study. When I boarded the plane for Denver, I was pondering what might be in store when I got back.
However, landing at Denver reminded me I had other obligations.}{\insrsid2630093 Whirlwind Christmas shopping. And preparing for my evening with Sharon.}{\insrsid12074827
}\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11164630 {\insrsid2630093
}{\insrsid11164630 When I picked Sharon up, she looked stunning. She\rquote d pulled off a variant of \'93the little black dress\'94 except it was a sleeveless blouse and tight skirt. The skirt ended just below her knee, highlighting her black cla
d legs. Of course, her high heels did that too. She caught me staring as I held her car door for her, but only chuckled.
I\rquote d picked The Little Russian Caf\'e9 for dinner simply because I enjoyed their stroganoff so much. With the waiter\rquote s urging, we each
had shots of the flavored vodkas; a different shot with each course. Sharon had a couple more after dinner simply to try the flavors, so I was glad I was driving.
When we got back to Sharon\rquote s apartment, I handed her my gift. She grinned and gave it a shake.
\'93Mmmm. Heavy. Solid. A book, perhaps?\'94
\'93Open it and see,\'94 I suggested.
Sharon tore the paper and chuckled when she saw that it was indeed a book. Three books, actually.
\'93All erotic short stories?\'94 she asked, grinning like a cat.
\'93You liked receiving the story packets. I figured you might like something with a bit higher quality.\'94
\'93Have you read any of these?\'94 she asked.
\'93Not yet. Those just seemed to be the best in the bookstore.\'94
\'93Well, you\rquote ll have to read me a story later.\'94
\'93Sure,\'94 I replied, surprised at the suggestion.
Sharon handed me a box wrapped in red paper. It was heavy, but something rattled when I shook it. I ri}{\insrsid9765789 pped the paper off and opened the box}{\insrsid11164630 to find a copy of }{\ul\insrsid11164630\charrsid10765896 Aztec}{
\insrsid11164630 , the novel Sharon had been reading in the fall, on top. Underneath was a book on basic photography and two rolls of film. And a folded note. I opened the note.
\'93Good for one modeling session.\'94
I looked up at Sharon. She was grinning. A small smile of appreciation crossed my own face.
\'93Wow,\'94 I said. \'93Thanks.\'94
\'93You\rquote re welcome!\'94
\'93So when can I cash this?\'94 I asked, holding up the note. Sharon tilted her head and smirked.
\'93I thought you might want to cash it tonight.\'94
\'93Before I\rquote ve read the book?\'94 I joked.
\'93Think of it as the \lquote before\rquote pictures. We can do another session after you\rquote ve read it.\'94
\'93Then by all means!\'94
Sharon laughed. \'93I\rquote ll go get the camera.\'94 While she was retrieving it, I moved a lamp so we\rquote d have the plain wall backdrop like we had before. Sharon came back in a moment, camera in h
and, still in her skirt and blouse. I raised an eyebrow but didn\rquote t say anything.
\'93Let\rquote s start with this,\'94 Sharon said, leaning against the wall, while I loaded the camera. She raised one leg and planted her foot against the wall. This thrust her knee and lower thigh out from under her skirt. Sharon reached down }{
\insrsid1519987 and grasped}{\insrsid11164630 the hem, holding it as if she was going to pull on it. She flashed me a coy smile.
I caught the cue and snapped the first picture.
Sharon grinned and began sliding her skirt up, past lace edging to reveal pale skin. A black strap snaked down to fasten at the stocking top. I looked up and met Sharon\rquote s dancing eyes.
\'93You bought a garter belt,\'94 I mused.
\'93}{\insrsid9765789 Well of course}{\insrsid11164630 ,\'94 she teased.
I returned my eye to the viewfinder and took th
e picture. We tried a few more poses with Sharon flashing her stocking tops. I was doing a better job of noticing when the pose was wrong and telling Sharon how to shift to fix it. I hoped it would make a difference in the prints.
After a couple more shots with Sharon}{\insrsid9765789 sitting on a chair}{\insrsid11164630 , }{\insrsid9765789 again flashing he}{\insrsid11164630 r legs, she stood and began fumbling with the button on her skirt.
\'93I think it\rquote s time to lose this,\'94 she said, letting it drop to the floor. The tails of her blouse still covered most of her upper thi
ghs, but gave maddening flashes as she moved. I captured some of those glimpses before Sharon started undoing her blouse buttons. She tossed the blouse aside before I had a chance to snap the picture.
\'93Wait a minute,\'94 I said. \'93It might be a great picture with the blouse on.\'94
\'93Good idea.\'94 Sharon retrieved her blouse and put it back on, holding it so that it gaped open. She planted her feet firmly apart and tilted her head, letting her hair cascade forward over her shoulder. She lo}{\insrsid4729826 oked up at the camer
a, eyes smo}{\insrsid11164630 ldering.
\'93Perfect,\'94 I said. I started snapping pictures as Sharon slowly parted the blouse, then turned around, sliding it off her shoulders before discarding it entirely.
Sharon\rquote s lace black bra and panties matched the garter belt, of course
. She leaned back against the wall, duplicating her earlier pose in the skirt and blouse. I made a couple of suggestions about how to hold her arms and the first roll of film ended in the middle of that set. She pulled the chair over while I reloaded t
he camera. I glanced up and paused, solely in admiration.
\'93Really nice lingerie,\'94 I said. \'93It looks really good on you.\'94
\'93Thanks! You did say that every woman should own a garter belt.\'94
\'93I did?\'94
Sharon nodded. \'93Last fall, when I wrote you that story.\'94
\'93Oh,\'94 I replied. \'93Well, it seems I was certainly glad I made the comment then. I\rquote m glad you bought this for me.\'94
\'93Oh, I didn\rquote t buy it for you, Joe,\'94 she said with a twinkle in her eyes. \'93I bought it for me. Allen had said he wanted to see me in a garter belt once, and when you made your comment, I figured, why not?\'94
\'93Ah, but I get to see you wearing it.\'94
\'93That\rquote s your Christmas present.\'94
\'93It\rquote s a great present,\'94 I replied as I snapped the camera closed. \'93Ready for more?\'94
Sharon remained sitting, turning her legs to highlight the garter straps. Unfortunately, there weren\rquote t a lot of unique poses and I kept getting flummoxed by where to have her put her arms. I didn\rquote
t want them across her middle, hiding her smooth stomach, but higher tended to block her breasts and hanging the side looked dumb more often than not.
\'93Maybe some more standing,\'94 I suggested.
\'93Sure, how about this?\'94 Sharon stood a little way back from the wall, facing it. She spread her stance and put her hands on the wall. It looked like she was waiting to be frisked. Not that there was any place to hide anything.
\'93Lingerie models in prison, next on Cinemax,\'94 I joked. Sharon laughed.
\'93Hopefully not anytime soon.\'94
}{\insrsid9765789 \'93How about standing straight, l}{\insrsid11164630 ooking back over your shoulder?\'94 I suggested. Sharon did so and her hands settled onto her hips. She tried a smoldering gaze. I didn\rquote
t think it worked with the Wonder Woman body pose, but I took the shot anyway. Then I paused.
\'93We need to do something different with your hands. More sexy. What if . . . what if you were to reach up, as if you were about to unhook your bra?\'94
\'93It\rquote s a little awkward, but okay.\'94
Sharon brought her hands }{\insrsid9765789 up, which created sharp lines d}{\insrsid11164630 own her fo}{\insrsid9765789 rearms and elbows. It took }{\insrsid11164630 a couple of adjustments }{\insrsid9765789 for her }{\insrsid11164630
to get a comfortable pose. Then the smoldering gaze was back. I got two photos before she dropped her arms.
\'93That was hot,\'94 I said.
\'93I hope it comes out then,\'94 Sharon replied.
\'93What next?\'94 I asked, and then paused. Sharon didn\rquote t immediately say anything so I continued. \'93Would you be willing to go the next step and actually unhook the bra?\'94
\'93I have a better idea,\'94 Sharon answered. \'93Be right back.\'94 With that, she strode down the hall to her room.
When she returned, she was holding a medium sized stuffed bear in front of her. Hugging it close, it hid all but the curves of the sides of her breasts and the top of her cleavage. Which was necessary because the bra was gone.
\'93Where did you get the bear?\'94 I asked as Sharon moved back into our \lquote studio.\rquote
\'93Allen gave it to me when we were dating.\'94
\'93Oh. Well. Smile!\'94
Sharon did and the result was delightful. With her head tilted, she looked like an innocent little girl--until you saw that all she was wearing was stockings, heels, panties and a garter belt. She definitely didn\rquote
t have the body of a little girl. As I snapped away, her facial expressions changed from innocent to }{\insrsid1519987 mischievous to}{\insrsid11164630
naughty. I had her turn around and got some shots of her bare back, the pale skin framed by her hair and the black lingerie. She shot smiles both wanton and sweet over her shoulder. I happily clicked away until the camera stalled.
\'93That\rquote s the end of the second roll,\'94 I called.
\'93Okay. Be right back.\'94
I unloaded the film while Sharon headed to her bedroom once again. When she returned, she was wearing an oversized CU sweatshirt. She\rquote
d taken off the stockings and was nude from the bottom of the sweatshirt down. She sat on the couch and grabbed a small throw blanket and threw it over her legs, }{\insrsid9765789 pulling it up above her waist.
}{\insrsid11164630 I sank into the chair across from her.}{\insrsid9765789 I\rquote d expected the evening to end with the film, but apparently Sharon was still ready to go.}{\insrsid11164630
\'93So read me a story,\'94 she said, with a nod of her head toward the books I\rquote d given her.
\'93Sure.\'94
I picked up the top book and thumbed through it, eventually checking the table of contents. The title \'93The Fifty-Minute Hour: Between the Minutes . . .\'94 caught my eye. I found the page and began to read.
I tried to sneak glances at Sharon as I read. It was difficult to do without losing my place. She had leaned back against one arm of the couch, propping herself up on one elbow, with her other hand tucked under the blanket}{\insrsid9765789 in her lap}{
\insrsid11164630 . She was smiling dreamily.
I kept reading aloud, trying to be smoother and catch the mood more and more. I had to immerse myself in the page, but I liked the way the words sounded to my own ears as they left my lips. I finished the story and}{\insrsid9765789 ,}{\insrsid11164630
without glancing up, dove straight into the next one.
About halfway through that story, a small gasp caught my attention. I glanced up, and then froze. Sharon\rquote s eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. }{\insrsid9765789 One hand was still under the blanket. }{\insrsid11164630
She let out another small gasp and her head jerked forward. I buried my head back in the book, immediately found my place, and continued reading.
When I got to the end of the story, I put the book down. Sharon had a lazy grin, }{\insrsid9765789 and was idly}{\insrsid11164630 twisting strands of hair.
\'93Pretty good story, Joe,\'94 she drawled.
}\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\insrsid16007501
}{\insrsid1930423 \'93Glad you liked it,\'94 I said. \'93And thank you for my Christmas present. I liked it a lot too.\'94
\'93Good. I told you we\rquote d have fun.\'94
\'93You certainly did.\'94
Sharon pushed the blanket aside and stood up. I got the hint and gathered my things before she walked me to the door.}{\insrsid2175565 She wrapped her arms
around me and gave me a long hug. I held her, aware that she was almost completely naked, but that I wasn\rquote t getting overly excited by that fact. Given everything that had happened, I was remarkably}{\insrsid9765789 calm.}{\insrsid2175565
}{\insrsid602816 --fin--}{\insrsid2175565
}\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid4207238 {\insrsid4207238 \'a9 2005. All rights reserved. May not be archived or distributed other than for personal use without explicit permission from the author.
}{\insrsid1930423
}