Storiesonline.net
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                                New Magus
                            by TechnicDragon

Copyright© 2010 by TechnicDragon


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Description: "If anyone had told me that sex would become one of the most important parts of my life, I wouldn't have believed them. Of course that didn't stop fate from finding me."

When a gorgeous brunette who seduced him attempts to convince him that he's a modern wizard, or Magus, Seth struggles with the truth. But will he succeed in maintaining his own sanity since the switch between being a town's sexual pariah and having women throw themselves at him is so drastic?

Codes: MF cons mag fant harem 1st oral pett BBr slow
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Chapter 1



If anyone had told me that sex would become one of the most important parts of my life, I wouldn't have believed them. Growing up in my parent's house, no one talked about sex in any context. Learning about "the birds and the bees" had been a lesson of sin and how God frowned upon those who fornicated. Of course that didn't stop me from being curious, nor did it stop fate from finding me after I no more than left home.

When I arrived on campus, nervous and eager to start my life away from home, sex wasn't exactly on my mind. At that moment, the only person I knew was the cab driver. Being overweight and smelling of sweat from driving around all day without AC in the Texas Summer heat was not my idea of attractive. Of course, it could have been the fact that the driver was male.

We were both standing in a parking lot at the back of the cab. He pulled my suitcases out of the trunk and I looked for any buildings I might recognize. The welcome package I received, along with my letter of acceptance, came with campus photos. The driver said I had arrived, and while I was excited about that, I was bothered by the fact that I didn't know where I was, if I was even on campus, or how to get to my dormitory. I turned to the driver. "Why can't you take me to the dorm again?"

He set my suitcases on the pavement and straightened up to look at me. We were about the same height, but he weighed a lot more. Most of that weight was tucked under his shirt, stretching it taut across his vast belly. "The campus police are assholes," he said. His voice was low and gravely. He sounded like Mr. Chambers back home who chain-smoked non-stop. I stood there, hoping he would go into more detail, but he just held out his hand. "The fare's thirty-five fifty."

I rolled my eyes and pulled out my wallet. Holding out two twenties, I said, "Do you have change?"

He nodded, took the money, and said, "Hold on a sec."

I watched him climb in the cab and - to my horror - tear away, pelting me with gravel from the parking lot. I yelled at him to come back, but knew it was useless. Then I remembered something a lot more important: my map of the campus was still in the cab.

Looking around in the dark, my eyes were drawn to the lights along the streets and the traffic. I had no idea how to get to the dorm, and my frustration peaked. First, security in all three airports I had passed through felt the need to stop me to search for contraband, and now this.

There was a gas station across the street from me. Several cars were filling up and a few others were parked nearby. Maybe I could get directions from the clerk.

The parking lot the driver left me in wasn't so bad, and dragging my bags on their tiny wheels was easy. It was like the concrete outside Durham International Airport in Raleigh, North Carolina. Even the carpet there was short enough to allow the smooth roll of tiny luggage wheels. However, the street I had to cross wasn't so smooth and I had to carry my bags to get across more efficiently. The concrete of the gas station wasn't much better than the street, but I was too worn out from all the connecting flights and running from one terminal to another to continue carrying my bags.

It was a late Thursday night - probably early Friday morning - and inside the gas station, a woman was leaning on the counter, pointing out which scratch-off tickets she wanted. Several other customers were meandering around near the drinks and snacks. One guy came out of the bathroom, zipping up his pants.

I stood back from the woman and the counter, not wanting to get too close. The last thing I needed was for her to accuse me of something I didn't do. Her clothes were tight and I couldn't help but stare at the length of her legs and the way her backside wiggled side to side when the clerk handed her the tickets. I expected her to step aside after she paid for them, but she stayed right there, wiggling all over as she scratched away. The clerk stood there grinning and leering at her. I raised my hand and waved at him, trying to get his attention, but then the woman screamed.

Drawing back, because I didn't know what was wrong, I watched her jump up and down. With each bounce, she turned in a slow circle. Her behavior held my attention. Her top did nothing to hold her in place but it did keep her covered. The sight was short lived. She stopped when facing the clerk again.

He had a wide grin. "How much?" he asked simply.

She looked at the tickets in her hands again and then said, "Fifty thousand!"

Other patrons in the small store gathered closer, offering congratulations. I stood there, not sure what to say, or if to say anything. For several minutes, the woman glowed in the attention, and then turned to the clerk. "I've got to go. If Dan finds out about this, he'll take it from me." With that, she turned and made her way to the exit, which was behind me. Her face was stretched with a wild grin and the heavy makeup she wore didn't do anything to make her look any more attractive. Regardless of what I thought, she stopped in front of me, looked me over from head to toe, and then pulled my face to hers for a kiss.

Too stunned to fight her, I whimpered instead. Her hands were strong and her lips were soft. For a brief second, I couldn't think. I had always wondered what it would be like to kiss a girl, not that I ever had the chance back home, and though I had a lot of ideas of how it would make me feel, I never realized how my body would react.

Before I could do anything, she let go and walked out the door.

It took me a second to return to the ground. I turned around and watched her get in a car and drive away. I wasn't sure what I felt exactly, but I thought that for a first kiss, it hadn't been bad.

I turned back to the counter. The other patrons had already gone back to various parts of the store. The clerk stared at me with a familiar expression. He didn't like me. "Can I help you?" he asked.

I nodded and dragged my bags up to the counter. "A cab dropped me off and I left my map in it by accident. I need to know where the campus dorms are."

He chuckled. "Did you already pay him? The Driver?"

I nodded, confused.

"Too bad," the clerk said. "You're not even on campus."

I blanched. "What?!?"

He burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, man. The look on your face was worth that. No, you're not on campus, but you're not far from it either. It's a few blocks south, along Cooper. Beyond that though, I don't know the campus."

I grumbled to myself. "Do you have a map or anything?"

He shook his head, laughter still in his eyes.

I turned to leave, unsure about what to do. I was beginning to get worried.

"Maybe I can help you," said another man.

I looked up. He was a little taller than me with startling blue eyes and chiseled looks. He was well dressed and held a bottle of water in one hand and a bag of plain tortilla chips in the other. Setting those on the counter, he picked up a pen for customers to use and handed it to me. I no more than accepted it and he rattled off what streets to follow and where to turn. I didn't have any paper, but the pen wrote on the palm of my hand just fine.

I thanked him, handed the pen to the clerk, made sure I had everything, and ventured back out into the hot evening air.

Following the directions was easy, but it took me the better part of half an hour to find the dorm. My bags didn't want to roll very easy along the sidewalks and I had to carry them when I crossed the streets. Believing my night was finally at an end, I noticed girls leaving the dorm. Watching them go to the parking lot, get into a car and drive off, I struggled on in confusion. Why were girls leaving my dorm? I had tried to sign up for a co-ed dorm when I sent in my admission package, but because I was a freshman, they had assigned me to an all-male dorm instead. Part of me didn't mind the idea of girls in my dorm, but I was too tired to really give it due consideration.

I walked up to the entrance and looked through the glass door. There were more girls inside. I didn't see any guys at all. One of the girls noticed me standing there and came to the entrance. "Who are you looking for?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I'm looking for my dorm."

She laughed. "I doubt this is it." Noticing my confused look, she said, "New to the school?"

I nodded. "I left my map of the campus in the cab."

She tilted her head to the side. "Why didn't the cab take you to your dorm?"

My shoulders slumped and I said, "He said something about campus police not being very friendly."

She looked down at my bags. "Well, the boys' dorm is on the other side of the campus."

I grimaced. My arms were going to fall off if I had to drag my bags too much further. I looked at my hand, were my instructions were partially smeared from sweat. She came out and I held out my hand. She read the instructions and said, "You were supposed to turn right at the second bridge. It looks like you smeared that part." I nodded and she added, "Don't worry, things will feel better after you've had some sleep."

I grunted what I thought to be a hopeful sound, turned and trudged away. Soon I was passing the same huge building I had passed on my way to the girls' dorm. I heard voices coming from one of the entryways. Trees lined both sides and cast shadows across everything. I ignored them, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

From the entryway, I heard a woman laugh and then she erupted from the shadows. She bumped into me, giggled, stumbled for a moment to keep from falling, giggled again, and then looked up at me.

I stood there, looking her over. She was dressed in only her under things, a pink bra that barely held on to her breasts and black panties that looked almost like shorts but were a lot more form-fitting. Her body was pale in the dim light and curvaceous. I couldn't tear my eyes from her. Some part of my brain engaged automatically though and I asked, "Where're your clothes?"

The brunette looked me over, stumbling in the process. Her ample cleavage jiggled within her bra and I had to swallow to wet my dry throat. She looked up and smiled at me, her eyes sparkling. She ran her small hands over her body and said, "Don't you like what you see?"

I stood there frozen. So many emotions were running through me, I didn't know which way was up. I was shocked from being bumped into, surprised by her lack of attire, and yet thrilled to see a real woman dressed so. Overall, I was too confused to respond appropriately, especially considering I didn't really know what an appropriate response would be.

Her eyes dropped, she licked her lips, and said, "Why, yes. Yes you do!"

Still unable to react, I watched her step closer and reach out for me. I thought, at first, she was reaching for one of my hands, but she wasn't reaching to my side. Time slowed down. Her hand came toward me, low and centered. Part of me knew what she was reaching for, but the rest of me refused to believe it until her hand cupped me. Time sped back up and she gently groped me.

A mix of fear and excitement ran through me. My heart raced. Thoughts unbidden spun in my head: my parents' lectures, the disgusted glances from kids at school, and, oddly, the kiss the woman at the gas station gave me. I was frozen between those thoughts and feelings. Part of me was enjoying what the scantily clad brunette was doing, but another part, the part of my mind that had fought so hard to keep me out of trouble for the last four years, screamed for me to move, to get away from her before I was caught and got into trouble. Yet I stood there, caught between my fears and the surprisingly pleasant sensations.

Movement drew my attention back to where the brunette had come from. Two more women emerged from the same entryway. Both of them were blonde and dressed similarly to each other, but unlike the brunette, they didn't seem to be drunk, and were at least properly attired, not that their shorts and skimpy tops covered much more.

I was on overload. Too tired to think rationally and too overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through my body, I didn't respond to anyone. My instinct to avoid this kind of trouble ordered me to run away, but my feet refused to move.

The brunette giggled and looked over at the two blondes. "I found someone for us to play with."

I looked back at her, not sure what she meant by that. The two blondes apparently didn't like the idea though. Without uttering a syllable, they turned and walked away, disappearing around the next corner of the building.

"Party poopers!" the brunette called after them, and then turned to look at me again. "Looks like I get you all to myself tonight." She moved in closer to me. She wasn't very tall, the top of her head only level with my mouth, but the difference in our heights didn't seem to bother her at all and she pressed her chest into me, rubbing her breasts back and forth. Even through my shirt and her bra, I could feel the warmth of her body where she touched me. I had been very successful in avoiding getting physically close to anyone, lest I end up with more scars, but I could not move away from her. The feel of her so close felt too good. She looked up and said, "It feels like you've got a party going on in your pants. Mind if I see?" Without waiting for me to answer, her fingers slid up along my zipper and started pulling down the tab.

I finally reacted, stepping back and catching her by her wrists. "I ... I think I should be going."

She giggled and wrestled with me, still trying to get at my pants. "Let me give it a kiss, make it better," she said, pouting.

Someone else said, "Francine!" That must have been the brunette's name because she stopped what she was doing and looked around. I did too, thankful someone had intervened. Another woman approached. She had curly brown hair and wore clothes for the hot summer night. "God, Francine, what are you doing? What would Jimmy think if he saw you?"

Francine smiled at her. "He could join us. Check out the package this big boy has!" She slipped a hand from my grip and groped me again.

The woman stood there watching Francine's lewdness. When she looked up at me, I met her eyes, praying she'd help me. She shook her head and said, "I don't think he's into it Francine. He looks scared."

Francine looked up at my face again. "He won't be once I get these pants open and slip his sausage into my mouth." Her groping had been one thing, but something about her euphemism made the muscles in my legs and abs shake. I was having problems breathing, like I wanted both to hold my breath, and yet couldn't get enough air. Francine noticed and said, "Oh, God, Janice, I think he's going to cum in his pants." She leaned down and the pace of her hand increased.

I looked over at Janice again, pleading with my eyes for help. She rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving me there, embarrassed and scared. I looked down and met Francine's eyes.

"Are you gonna cum for me?" she asked with an expression of excitement, like someone waking up on Christmas morning and tearing open their presents. I didn't answer immediately, and she flipped the hand I was still holding around and caught my wrist. I watched, both fascinated and afraid, as she placed my hand on her bra-clad breast. Without any conscious will behind it, my hand squeezed her. I was disconnecting from what was happening, as if watching someone else squeeze her. I did notice, however, that she more than filled my hand, was very soft, and her nipple poked through the material into my palm. My lack of experience kept me from understanding at that moment that I was seriously enjoying touching her, but then, I could have been touching some neutral location on her body and felt just as good. To be handed such an opportunity was too sudden and too much.

Francine's breathing got heavier and her hand moved faster along me through my pants. I had no way of knowing if what I was doing felt good to her, and my instinct to run from the situation was warning me that she wouldn't like it if I continued to touch and grope her, but I was once again trapped between letting her have her way and running like the scared little boy I was accustomed to being.

The warmth and tightness of my pants were becoming uncomfortable, but a new sensation ran through me. I couldn't stop my hips from thrusting into her hand, and my muscles tightened up, like I was working too hard and holding something. A different kind of warmth spread out through me, radiating from my groin. I had an idea of what was happening, even though I had never experienced it before, and I wasn't sure how it felt or how to feel about it. My legs jerked, my stomach bunched up, I thrust my hips forward, and I felt something hot and wet in my pants. Over and over again I convulsed, only able to maintain my feet. When it was done, I gulped down air, not realizing I had been holding my breath, and looked down at Francine.

She was staring at my crotch. "You did it. You really came in your pants." She looked up and licked her lips. "I would love to clean you up and go again."

My fear was gone, replaced by burning embarrassment. I had to leave, to get to my dorm, and get cleaned up. Extracting my hand from her breast, where she was holding me tightly to her, I stepped back completely out of her immediate reach. I grabbed my bags and almost knocked her down when she tried to stop me from running away.

She called after me. I didn't know what she said because I wasn't going to listen to anything she had to say. When I couldn't hear her anymore, I slowed down and walked, following the directions the girl at the dorm had given me. I wasn't sure how long it had taken me to get to my dorm, but my pants were sticking to me. All I wanted at that point was to get a hot shower and sleep.

I crossed the bridge where I was supposed to originally, and thanked God that Francine hadn't decided to chase me any further. Besides, if she had and caught up to me, what would I say? Probably nothing. I probably would have stood there like I did before and let her have her way. Would it have been so bad to go along with that? Would I have really gotten in trouble? Well, Janice found us. She even mentioned Francine's boyfriend. What would he do when he found out? Could I have really allowed her to do something more to me even knowing she had a boyfriend?

I shook my head, trying to shake loose all the questions rattling around inside. I looked up and realized I had made it to my dorm. The entrance was brightly lit. It was probably supposed to feel welcoming to its residents, but at that moment, it felt more like spotlights shining on me.

Too tired and embarrassed to care what anyone said at the moment, I knocked on the door. The guy at the supervisor's desk came around and let me in. He nodded and smiled. "New student?" After I nodded, he said, "You're early. Classes and check in isn't for another two weeks." Regardless, he let me in.

I followed him to the desk. Thankfully, he didn't ask anything other than what was needed to check me in. Within minutes, I had my keys and was climbing the stairs to my room. Once inside, I found that I didn't have a roommate yet. I actually considered myself lucky because I didn't want to hear any questions about why I looked so bedraggled or the wet spot on my pants. The other benefit, which wasn't as important but nice nonetheless, was being able to choose which side of the room I wanted. I took the bed under the only window.

Rummaging through my suitcases, I pulled out my pajamas, a towel, soap, and a washcloth and then went to the bathroom. The welcome package I had received included the floor plans for the different dormitories. My room, along with two others in the suite, shared two half baths. The half bath with the shower stall was right next to my room.

I locked the door, dropped my stuff on the sink, and got everything off except my pants. I was not looking forward to that. Rotating my hips I could feel how sticky I was. Knowing I would want to hop right into the shower, I turned it on and adjusted for temperature. Then I peeled my pants and underwear off and let them fall to the floor. The smell was strong. Grabbing the soap and washcloth from the sink, I hopped into the shower and began scrubbing.

Feeling cleaner, but still confused, I must have stood under the shower for an hour, letting the hot water ease away the rest of my discomfort. The encounter with Francine played through my head over and over. With each replay, things were a little different. In one, I convinced her to take me back to the entryway. In another we found our way to a bed. Part of me was a touch shocked at how the scene grew more and more into something that never happened, but the rest of me was perfectly happy about the fantasy. Compared to what I had dreamed up, the actual encounter was ... frustrating.

I didn't fully understand why I felt that way, but I knew I was tired and probably not thinking straight. After getting out of the shower, drying off and getting dressed, I looked at my pants. A wet stain made it look like I had pissed myself, but the smell wasn't of urine. I thought about what it had felt like, and a small smile played across my lips. The quick kiss at the corner store had been pleasantly surprising, but the encounter with Francine was more ... well, just more.

Balling up my dirty clothes, I went back to my room to find it locked. The super had told me the doors stayed locked. Panicking that I might have to go back down to the Supervisor's Desk already, I felt the pockets of my pants and pulled out the key. Once I was inside, I tossed my dirty clothes in the corner. Hopefully, I could do laundry before my roommate arrived. I really didn't want to have to explain the smell.

I was too tired to put anything away, but I knew I'd need the key in the morning when I went to the bathroom, so I dug through my bags and pulled out the lanyard I had used for the house key back home. It was going to be a life saver again. Once the key was on it, I made up my bed, climbed in, offered up a prayer, and fell to sleep.



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Chapter 2



When I woke up the next morning, it took me a moment to realize where I was, but then it all came back to me in a rush. The flights, security searching me like I was a terrorist, the cab driver stealing from me, the woman in the gas station kissing me, and then Francine. Remembering Francine made me stir. Details I hadn't thought about the night before, or had been too overwhelmed to think about, came back to me, and though I was somewhat erect because I had to go to the bathroom, the mere thought of what happened with Francine changed that state from somewhat to fully.

I couldn't go to the bathroom like that. I had to think about something else, but I couldn't stop thinking about her. Well, that didn't mean I had to think about the finale, so I focused on some of those details I hadn't the night before. I thought she was drunk, because she stumbled after bumping into me, but was she? I hadn't smelled alcohol on her, and she was close enough long enough for me to remember. Maybe she had been smoking something? Again, no, I didn't remember the smell of smoke or of anything odd either. The only things I remembered smelling were the new smells of the city and something light and flowery coming from her. And that smell made me ache with need.

I shook my head, climbed out of bed, and paced the room. I had arrived late, which meant I could have woken up to having a roommate this morning, but the other bed was still only a mattress with nothing on it but the plastic casing. It was still a good thing. I'd hate to have to explain the obscene tent I was pitching. Knowing what caused my reaction, I remembered Francine's hand on me and how it felt. A low moan escaped me and I stumbled.

I stopped pacing. Francine hadn't stumbled because she was drunk or high. I had eliminated both possibilities. Did she stumble because she was ... turned on? All she had done was look at me. I wasn't that much to look at, especially after the day I'd had. She couldn't have been that turned on, but I also remembered the other two women who came out of hiding. Had the three of them been doing something more than talking? Considering Francine's lack of attire, I couldn't ignore the possibility, and that only made me ache more. So, if she was already turned on by the time she bumped into me, why did she run from the other two, especially if she had been enjoying it. She didn't strike me as fleeing from something she didn't want, but someone playing. When the two blondes came out of hiding, Francine had offered me up to play with, as she put it, but they left. Maybe they weren't interested in a boy.

I shook my head and started pacing again. I had to go and my body wasn't cooperating with that idea. I had to focus, to keep my mind off of Francine and think about something that would have the opposite effect. I thought about the cab driver, his grizzly stubble, multiple chins, vast sweaty body and the anger he caused when he took off with my money. That pretty much did it, and I didn't hesitate a second later. I stepped out of the room, found the toilet and relieved myself. After I finished and cleaned up, I went back to my room and found it locked. All of my stuff was in there, including the key!

I banged my head against the door uselessly. I may have been happy to not have a roommate five minutes ago, but I would have given a lot to have one right now. The only way to get back into my room was to go down and convince the super to let me in.

I looked down at myself. I was only wearing my pajama bottoms. I had never been able to sleep in a shirt unless it was really cold, and though the AC in the building was nice, it wasn't cold. At least I wasn't pitching a tent anymore.

I knocked on the other two doors in the suite. No one answered. I went out into the main hallway, hoping to find someone who'd be willing to go down to the super on my behalf, but I didn't see anyone or hear anyone moving around. I even went to the lounge on my floor, hoping to find a public phone to call down with my request, but there wasn't one. Shaking my head and hugging myself, I went to the stairs. There was nothing left to it; I'd have to go down myself. I could only hope that, since I hadn't seen anyone on my floor, the rest of the building was as devoid of wandering bodies.

The stairwells were deserted, but as I got closer to the main floor I could hear voices. After turning the corner leading to the entrance, I stopped and then backpedaled. I was sure I had only heard guys' voices, but several girls were standing in the entrance with them. I stood there, waiting for them to go away and couldn't help hearing what they were talking about.

"I say we go. If they didn't want half the campus showing up, they shouldn't have posted fliers in the dorms," said one of the guys.

"I don't know," said another one of the guys. "Do you have the code to the gate?"

"I think I remember it," said one of the girls. "One of the girls in my psych class from last semester lived in that community, and she held a party last year."

"We could go test it real quick, and if it works, go take care of things before the party starts," one of the other guys said. It sounded like they made a general consensus.

I peeked around the corner, watching them go out the main door and head to the parking lot next to the building. It didn't look like anyone was in the lobby, so I headed around the partition toward the super's desk. I stopped dead in my tracks. Another girl was leaning against the desk talking to the acting super. Before I could hide, she looked up, smiled, waved, and said, "Hey!"

I spun around, thinking she was waving at someone behind me. Looking at her again, I pointed at myself.

She laughed and nodded. "I see you made it."

That's when I recognized her. She was the one who had given me directions from the girls' dorm, and though she was dressed differently, in a lime green tank top and short beige denim shorts, her long straight brown hair and smile were difficult to mistake. I nodded, but stood there, caught off guard by her presence.

"Feeling better this morning?" she asked.

I nodded, but didn't say anything.

The guy behind the desk had sandy blond hair, cut short and looking in desperate need to be brushed. He looked at her with an annoyed expression and said, "Want to introduce me Sharon?" I didn't understand why he was annoyed.

Sharon shot him a look that he returned. "He showed up at Brazos House because someone gave him wrong directions. I sent him the right way." He kept staring at her. I had no idea what was wrong. She turned back to me and held out her hand. "I'm Sharon by the way."

I stepped up and shook it. "I'm Seth."

She smiled, and waved at the guy behind the desk, "This grumpy pooh is Chad."

I nodded at him. He merely grunted and then asked me "What are you doing down here in your pajamas anyway?"

I glanced at Sharon and said, "I ... I um..."

Sharon smiled again. "I think he locked himself out of his room."

I nodded and told Chad my room number.

He sighed and the look he gave me made me squirm. It was the same kind of look I used to get from my sisters. He was annoyed with me now, and I had no idea what I had done to deserve it. Sharon reached over and nudged his shoulder. He glanced at her and some of the annoyance in his face faded away. He shook his head, reached under the desk, and pulled out a huge ring of keys. Staring at those keys, he took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "I'm not supposed to do this," he said, finding the key and pulling it off the ring, "but I'm going to let you take this up to unlock your door and get your key." He held it out and looked me dead in the eye. "Don't make me regret this."

Not wanting to be in the main lounge dressed like I was any longer than I had to be, I nodded, took the key, and then ran back up the stairs.

Back in my room, I rummaged in my suitcases on the floor for clean clothes, got changed and then looked for my lanyard. I had been a latchkey kid for the last two years of high school, and after forgetting my key at home a couple of times, I got a lanyard to keep the key around my neck. I wasn't used to needing a key when I woke up, not to go to the bathroom, so if this morning was any indicator, I would probably have to sleep with the thing on.

Feeling a lot more comfortable in clothes and with my key hanging around my neck, I picked up Chad's key and headed back downstairs. Sharon was sitting on the desk, half turned toward Chad and smiling, but Chad looked, if possible, even more irritable. Honestly, I had no idea how he could feel grumpy with her sitting there. I knew I couldn't have.

"Aww," Sharon said when she saw me. "I liked the pajamas." Chad rolled his eyes.

I had to look away and used the excuse to hand Chad the key.

"Hold on," he said before I could run away. "You've got some mail."

I turned back around to watch him stack three boxes and several packets on the desk.

Sharon looked at the stack. "Someone at home loves you."

I recognized two of the boxes. My stereo was in one and various other personal belongings were in the other. I had no idea what was in the third. The packets all looked like what I had received from the school after I got my letter of acceptance. I looked those over first, to confirm just that. "Why would the school send me this stuff here?" I asked, looking at the packets. "I already got them before I left to come."

Sharon shrugged. "They do that in case you forget any important paperwork."

I nodded and realized that would include another map of the campus. I set those aside and looked at the box I didn't recognize. The name on it was mine, but the return address had my mother's name. I groaned internally. What did she send me? For that matter, did I really want to know? The box was big but not heavy.

"Are ya gonna open it?" Sharon asked.

I shrugged. "It's probably stuff I forgot." I didn't like the idea of her seeing what was in it, especially since I didn't know.

New voices from the entrance reached us. I turned to look.

"Dude, a pool party! Imagine all the hot chicks!" the taller of the two guys said. "Imagine all that skin in those bikinis!"

His friend shook his head. "Yeah, but the party's in a gated community. We'd be lucky to actually get in."

The tall one said, "I can get us in, we just have to get there." With that, he turned and went out the main door.

His friend followed, asking "Neil, wait! How are we..." The door closed before I heard him finish the question.

I stared at the entrance and the bright summer light. The night before had been fairly hot. If that was any indicator of Texas heat, the days would be worse. The thought of a pool party only inspired the idea of swimming, not actually attending the party. There was a lake I went to back home to swim in. I had a pair of cut off shorts that I used. Turning to Sharon and Chad, I asked, "Does the gym on campus have a pool?"

Sharon nodded. "Yeah, but it's closed for renovations." She glanced past me at the entrance. "Why not go to the party?"

I looked away, not really sure how to answer that. Thinking furiously, I finally said, "I don't have a ride."

She nodded. "Yeah, it sucks not having a car. I'd go, but I have to work tonight."

"Aww, poor you," Chad said.

I looked at him. "Aren't you going?"

He snorted. "To a pool party being held in a gated community? Are you crazy?"

Sharon rolled her eyes. "Chad's mad because he has to work tonight too." She looked at him. He was looking back. I couldn't read his expression. "Right?"

"Why don't ya tell him all about me?" he said.

I shook my head and waved my hands to stave off any arguments. "I didn't mean to pry."

"Then don't," Chad said at the same time Sharon said, "Don't worry about it." When Sharon realized what Chad said, she looked at him. "You don't have to be so mean."

He rolled his eyes. "And he doesn't need to know the details of our lives."

Sharon looked at me and started to apologize. I held up my hand. "It's okay. I asked for it."

She looked at me funny, maybe confused. "You didn't ask to have your head taken off."

I chuckled. "If that's having my head taken off, I'm fine with it." And with that my stomach grumbled.

"Hungry?" Sharon asked.

I nodded. "I haven't eaten since I left home."

Her eyebrows rose. "How long ago was that?"

"The flight left yesterday at around six," I said shrugging.

"Well," she said, "the cafeteria's open."

Chad groaned. "God, I wouldn't eat that trash."

She shook her head. "Do you have enough money to go out to eat?" she asked, looking at me.

I shrugged. "I've got some money. Most of it is tied up waiting for the school to take its chunk."

She nodded. "Well, there are a couple of places on campus. Or if you want something familiar, the cafeteria," she emphasized the word looking at Chad, "has a McDonald's in it now."

Chad shook his head.

My stomach grumbled again. "I guess McDonald's it is." With that, I gathered up the boxes and packages, told them thank you, and went upstairs.

I was too hungry at the moment to worry about what my mother might have sent me, so I set the boxes and packages on the desk provided by the room. After making sure I had my key, the card I had to use to get into the main entrance, and my new map from the packages I set down, I left to go eat.

I had been right about what the hot summer days would be like. The idea of going swimming stayed with me and by the time I got back to the dorm, I had convinced myself to try to find a ride to the pool party. First, I had to know where and when it was, that way I'd know how much time I had to get ready and search.

Stopping at the bulletin board, I looked at the flier. It was really simple. The time the party started was the most dominant bit of text, and it had a map showing how to get to the party. The address was listed next to the map. Borrowing a pen from Chad, I wrote down the address on my hand and then went up to my room.

I knew I had a few hours to both get ready for the party and to find a ride. Wandering around campus asking total strangers for a ride to the party seemed a bit far-fetched, but it was probably what I would end up doing. Getting ready for the party was something I could accomplish, leaving me time to find a ride later. First, though, I had to unpack.

All of my clothes took up the two suitcases I had dragged all over campus. There were metal hangers in the provided closet, locked onto the bar with full rings for heads rather than hooks. I used up all of those and then used the hangers I kept from home. It wasn't like my parents would need those hangers anyway. I was the last child to leave the house, and I didn't remember any long distance relations ever visiting. It was even likely that my parents would close off my room, leaving it untouched. Not for some kind of nostalgia but to avoid having to think about me, so they could forget all the problems I had caused.

Once I was done putting away my clothes, I turned to the three boxes on my desk. Continuing to ignore my mother's contribution, I pulled out my stereo and set it up on the shelf above my desk. The other box had various odds and ends, like several of my favorite movie posters, towels, washcloths, soap, shampoo, and other personal hygiene items. It didn't take me long at all to put all of that away. The additional packages the school sent got stuffed into the desk drawer and that left only one thing.

I felt like the box was staring at me, like my mother would when she was waiting for me to do something around the house. She had always been patient; it was her best and worst quality. She would be patient when I needed her to be, and she would be patient when I really didn't want her to be. With a heavy sigh, I pulled the box to me and held it for a moment. It put the idea of going to the party out of my mind at first. I shook my head at it. The box was a reminder of her, not the woman herself. Still, I had to know what she had deemed necessary to send me.

I ripped the tape off and looked inside, thinking I might as well get the worst of it over with. A large bath towel was neatly folded and covered the contents. I pulled it out, realizing it was brand new, and not the same color or design she liked. A piece of paper fell to the floor. It had my mom's cramped hand writing on it. I set the towel on my bed, and picked up the note.

"Seth, I knew you would forget some things when leaving. I pray this package reaches you and that you do not forget all that we have taught you."

I sat down, staring at the note. Various mixed feeling raced through me. What was she trying to say? Had she simply assumed that I would forget things? Did she think I was going to go on a criminal spree, stealing things I needed and killing anyone who tried to stop me? Did she really think so little of me? I had so many questions, and the note made me realize that I didn't know my mother, not really. We rarely talked, and I knew she talked to her girls on a daily basis even though they were far away at college. Her effort to help me, whatever the full reason, lacked any affection, and that was no different from any other time I had ever spent with her personally. I shook my head. There was no reason to dwell on it. I would do what I always did, learn from my mistakes and move on.

I left the note on my desk, so I could think about it later, and, if I was really lucky, I would eventually ask her about it. In the mean time, I went through what she sent. There wasn't anything I hadn't already packed or shipped to myself, but the extras would come in handy. Once that box was empty, broken down and in the back of the closet with the two I had sent myself, I turned and smiled, feeling better by several degrees.

I then set about covering as much of the white-washed cinder brick walls as I could with the movie posters I unpacked, and spent an hour or two programming my stereo's memory with the local radio stations I liked the sound of. I glanced at my alarm clock. It was a little after four. My stomach growled. I was hungry again.

I didn't really want to spend all my money on food, and venturing out into the heat again wasn't appealing until I had a plan for finding a ride to the party. Regardless of what the box from my mother represented, I wasn't going to let my parents dictate my life from hundreds of miles away - that was the main reason I had chosen a college so far from home.

I looked around my room again to admire the results of my work and spotted the towel I had pulled from the box my mother sent. Smiling, I grabbed it and put it in my backpack. Taking it to the party was a nice touch of irony. Remembering what the two guys down in the main lobby said about girls in bikinis, I knew without a doubt my parents wouldn't have let me go to the pool party, if only because of that reason. Being devoted Southern Baptists, they would have given any number of sins that might occur, not the least of which would be Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. I wasn't sure if the people holding the party would be married, but that wouldn't have mattered to my parents. The Commandment went on to list basically anything and everything owned by thy neighbor.

I shook my head and paced the room. I was already letting them get to me. I had worked my ass off over the last four years to escape that town. I even restored a 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix to sell so I would have the money for the flight to Texas. I did all of that, on my own, or, well, of my own volition. Mr. Chambers had given me the job working at his shop in the first place, and I would never forget that bit of kindness.

Looking at the note on my desk, realizing what it meant, I took a deep breath, let it out, calmed down and made the decision to go to the party. It was my decision, like deciding what school to attend, and what I would eat this morning when I was hungry. The note wasn't going to be a reminder of the things my parents tried to cram down my throat, it would be a reminder that this was my life to live. I picked it up and used a bit of tape from one of the boxes to hang it on the wall. It would be a sacrifice for my freedom.

Feeling better, I remembered that I still had to find someone willing to take me to the party. I paced my room, thinking. Where could I go to find anyone who might be going to the party? Remembering reading something from the welcome package I had received at home, I pulled the new pack out of the desk and started going through it. I found a schedule for new student orientations. It was something all new students had to attend though we could choose when to go.

The pool party was going to start at seven. The orientation schedule had a meeting starting at five and said to plan on being there for two hours. It was almost too good to be true. Someone at the orientation had to know how to get into the gated community for the party.

Checking the time, I had about half an hour to get ready and be in the auditorium for the meeting. I only had one problem at the moment. I didn't know what to wear. Nothing on the schedule said to dress up, so I was sure the clothes I had on would be okay. Besides, if I needed my suit jacket, I'd have to iron out the wrinkles, and I didn't have that kind of time. I did change my shoes, and put my sneakers in my backpack with my pair of cut-off shorts and a t-shirt. Just to make sure I didn't misplace my keycard, I put it in one of the pockets of my backpack. I didn't foresee a time I wouldn't leave the dorm without my backpack anyway, so it could act as a sort of lanyard for the card. With everything I needed packed and ready to go, I left for the orientation.



-------

Chapter 3



The University Center was a sprawling building that acted as the center for meetings, recreation, entertainment and dining. With fifteen minutes to spare before the orientation started, I grabbed a bite to eat in the cafeteria. The food wasn't as bad as Chad had implied.

It didn't take long to find the room where the orientation was being held. It was big enough to hold nearly a hundred people, and more than half of the seats were filled. I felt a little overdressed though, because it looked like everyone else was dressed for the heat outside. Shorts and skirts were the primary apparel, with t-shirts and light blouses to match. More importantly, I couldn't tell if anyone else had the pool party in mind, and I doubted I looked like it.

I claimed a seat. A man stepped up to the mike and tapped on it to get everyone's attention. He wore a standard gray suit and had severe male pattern balding. He introduced himself as the head of one of the student support departments and talked about what things were like when he was a new student, and how the school helped him adjust to life away from home as well as getting what he needed out of his education. He cracked a few jokes throughout, which held my attention, and that of much of the audience. When he finished talking about himself, he turned the meeting over to a woman who looked old enough to be my grandmother.

During their changeover, someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked, "Mind if I sit here?"

I looked up to find the most amazing steel-blue eyes looking back at me. For a second I froze, unable to respond by word or action. Remembering how I had felt the night before, helpless and unable to act in response, I shook myself mentally and scooted over a seat.

She smiled and sat down. "Thank you," she said. Her long brown hair fell in loose curls halfway down her back, and her cloths fit loosely and were made of light materials for the heat. "I didn't want to have to stand in the back for the entire orientation," she added. Her lips were soft pink and wet. I had never met a girl back home that I wanted to kiss, but the urge to kiss this woman, even though I didn't even know her name, ran through me like a wild fire through a dry grassy field.

Fighting off that urge, I nodded. I couldn't croak out any words. My throat was dry and I had no idea why. With a smile, she turned to pay attention to the speaker. I did the same, and took a deep breath to calm down my racing heart. However, I smelled perfume and somehow knew it was hers. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing, taking in the delightful scent. It was a couple of minutes before I remembered where I was and opened my eyes, and it took another minute to really understand what the speaker was talking about.

The spokeswoman got to a high point in her speech. Unlike her predecessor, she didn't use humor to keep our attention. Instead, she instructed us to turn and introduce ourselves to those around us.

Noise from the audience grew. The elderly gentleman I sat next to turned my way. "I'm Sam," he said taking a hold of my hand. He had a strong grip for his age.

I smiled, gritting my teeth, and said, "I'm Seth."

He smiled, nodded and turned to someone else.

The man in front of me turned around and held his hand out. "Matt," he said.

I shook hands with him. "Seth."

Someone tapped me on my left shoulder. I turned that way to look back. Another man was holding out his hand. "I'm Lawrence." In return, I shook his hand and said my name.

Eager to finally meet the woman sitting next to me, I turned back around. What I didn't know, due to the chaos, was that she had her arm stretched across me, shaking hands with Sam. My hand, outstretched in offer to shake hers, bumped into her chest when I faced forward. Her clothes didn't exactly accentuate her shape and I had been too focused on her face to notice her size. She wasn't overweight, far from it in fact, but her blouse effectively concealed what she had up top, and in the millisecond that passed while my hand had pressed into her I gleaned an idea about her size.

I froze, horrified by what I had done. Before last night, I had never touched a girl, but then Francine had put my hand on her. This situation wasn't like that. It was more like the first time I had really noticed a girl, and got in trouble in school for looking at her chest.

With the bump, all the woman sitting next to me said was, "Oh my!" I had expected "Lord" to be added to it, but she stopped there. What scared me more was the fact that she was smiling. Wide eyed and quickly folding my hands in my lap, I sat there, waiting for her to yell at me or do something equally harsh. Some morbid, self-loathing part of my mind even expected her to slap me. However, I became confused when she held up her hand, as if to shake mine, and said, "Hi."

I studied her face, looking for signs of a trap. Too many times, I had seen others smile at me but talk to me with a malicious tone. However, her steel-blue eyes didn't squint with calculation. They were open, suggesting something very different. "I'm Jordan. What's your name?"

I looked at her hand and then back up to her face. "Seth," I said under my breath, confused.

Noticing my hesitation, she settled her outstretched hand on my knee and leaned closer. Her eyes darted around like she wanted to say something but was checking on what everyone else was doing. I dropped my eyes so I could focus on the voices around us, but I discovered that her blouse gaped open enough to show off the top of her chest. I swallowed, and, unable to close my eyes, I saw more of her chest than I would have ever expected. I knew she was big, but she looked absolutely huge! Her skin was lightly tanned, her line of cleavage went on forever, and her bra was only visible at the barest edges, as if it barely contained her.

Just as quickly as I had looked down and took in all of those details, I realized my further transgression. I instantly knew that I didn't want to look up into her eyes and see what I knew would be there, but I also knew I had to face the music, to accept whatever she was going to do. I was in trouble, more so because I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. So I swallowed down as much of my fear as I could and looked up.

She was watching me with a smile on her face. She studied mine for a moment, her smile losing some of its shine. I must have looked green because she asked, "Are you feeling okay?"

I stared at her, not knowing what say exactly. No, I didn't feel okay, but I didn't feel sick either. I knew I must have been in trouble but she was acting like I didn't do anything wrong. My heart was racing and my mind was filled with too many contradictions. Finally, I told her the truth. "I don't know."

The shine in her smile returned. She patted my knee and said, "Then let's try this again." Raising her hand to shake again, she said, "My name's Jordan." She didn't lean back and her voice was low. I realized the spokeswoman was talking again and Jordan didn't want to disturb anyone else around us.

I looked at Jordan's hand and noticed how her arm pressed to the side of her chest. For a second, I didn't want take my eyes off of her, and even though I wasn't looking down her shirt, I still felt bad about it. She probably didn't even realize how she was affecting me. It wasn't her fault. She was very pretty, and I was a boy who didn't know how to control himself. However, her overall demeanor made me believe that she wasn't mad.

I shifted my shoulders to square off with hers, because her hand was so close to my chest I couldn't' shake it otherwise. There had been very few times I had ever touched anyone and that included shaking hands. No one in my home town would touch me if given the choice and I felt the same about most of them. When I shook Jordan's hand, my heart was racing and I felt a jolt of electricity pass through me. Looking up again, I said, "I-I'm Seth."

I don't know why, but her smile brightened, making me think she was actually happy to meet me. "Hi Seth," she said, her voice quiet and breathy. She held my hand longer than was needed for shaking and asked, "Are you feeling better?" She really didn't seem angry. It was more like she was concerned about what was bothering me.

That morbid, self-loathing part of my mind had expected her to use the quiet and the distraction of the spokeswoman to make her accusation and possible threat, and another part of my mind thought she might not want to make a scene among so many strangers and would wait until the orientation was over to express her anger. I simply didn't know and didn't say anything. The spokeswoman wasn't slowing any in her speech, and Jordan glanced her way. "I guess the introductions are over with," she said and let go of my hand.

I watched Jordan turn and wiggle her shoulders to get comfortable in her seat. Her action made more than only her shoulders move and I couldn't stop my eyes from dropping to her chest where she jiggled under her loose blouse. When I looked up again, knowing that I was still messing up, I was met by a dazzling smile. Still confused, I turned straight in my seat and did my best to get as comfortable as I could.

Whatever else the woman on the stage talked about, I didn't notice. I couldn't hear past the sound of my own heart hammering in my chest. And anytime I started to really pay attention, I'd take a deep breath and catch Jordan's perfume again. I was somewhat relieved when the spokeswoman wrapped up her speech and introduced the various fraternities and sororities.

They were more energetic than the woman had been, but I sunk down in my seat when I spotted Francine standing in line among them, representing one of the sororities. She was dressed appropriately today, like the rest of her brothers and sisters, in a t-shirt with her Greek letters emblazoned across her chest and a pair of shorts. I didn't know what the letters were, but they were stretched by her abundance. I didn't feel as bad presently staring at her chest as I had the night before, but I knew it was still wrong. Fortunately, they didn't take as long as the other speakers, telling us about their organizations and how much they were looking forward to seeing all the new students during Rush.

Once they finished, everyone at the front of the room led the crowd through the school pledge and that ended the orientation. Then the fraternity and sorority representatives moved out into the audience, shaking hands and welcoming new students. I was mortified that Francine might recognize me, and part of me still expected an accusation from Jordan. I considered trying to get away before anything really bad and potentially embarrassing happened. There were so many people standing around that I didn't find a route fast enough. Jordan turned to me, touched my arm, and said, "I'd like to apologize for what happened earlier."

For a second I held my breath, certain this was it, my punishment was at hand, but then her words reached the rational part of my brain and I looked at her, sure I hadn't heard her correctly. "Apologize?" I asked. "To me? For what?" Confusion was having fun with me.

She smiled gently. "Well, I was invading your personal space when you bumped into me." I sat there staring at her. There was no way she was going to let me get away with everything I had done. Her face lit up with an idea. "How about I make it up to you? A friend of mine is hosting a pool party at her place. We can go together if you'd like."

It took a few seconds to register what she said, and to relate her offer with what I had been planning to begin with. I blinked and showed her the address written on my hand. "Is this the place?" I asked.

She looked and nodded. "The very one." Looking at me again she said, "I take it you were planning on going?" I nodded and she looked me over. "I don't think she'll let you swim in your jeans."

I picked up my backpack from the floor. "I've got what I need in here."

She nodded with another smile. "Well, I need to stop by my place to change. You can change there too if you'd like."

I had been planning on changing when I arrived, but her offer worked too. I nodded, completely bewildered by the turn of events.

"Cool," she said standing up. "C'mon then," and she turned to make her way through the crowd.

I was about to follow her when I heard a somewhat familiar voice say, "Welcome to UTA." I turned and looked right into Francine's green eyes. I was frozen, not sure how to respond.

Francine held out her hand next to me though and I watched Jordan shake her hand. I realized that Francine would be more interested in meeting the girls, since she represented a sorority, but then she looked at me again. A smile spread over her lips and her eyes twinkled. "We meet again."

Frozen somewhere between apprehension and anticipation, I could only respond with a smile that I was sure wasn't as happy as hers. Francine didn't seem to care though and reached out to shake my hand. She gave Jordan a quick glance and said, "I can't talk right now, but if you'd like to get together later... ?"

Was she asking me out? On a date?

Jordan leaned over and said, "I didn't know you had plans."

I looked at her. What was going on? I finally stumbled into speech. "I ... I was already planning on going to the pool party."

Francine's smile faded a touch. She looked from me to Jordan and back. "Oh, yeah, the party. I heard about that." She looked more firmly at Jordan. Her smile was still in place, but it wasn't as warm as a moment ago. "Isn't it in a gated community?"

Jordan smiled back at her, with all the open friendliness she had shared with me. "Yes, a friend of mine is hosting it."

Francine's smile faded a bit more. "Oh! Well, have fun." She looked at me again. "And if you decide to look into a fraternity, let me know. I'll be happy to help you out." Then she turned and walked over to a couple of other girls who were smiling and apparently anxious to learn more about the sororities.

I looked at Jordan. She smiled back at me. "I think she likes you."

I had no way of knowing how to respond to that. I looked around again, finding Francine talking to the two girls. She glanced my way, smiled, tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and kept talking to the girls. Did she really like me? How could she? She didn't even know me. Did it have something to do with what happened last night? Would she want to try the same thing again? Did I?

I turned and looked at Jordan again. She had a soft smile on her face and a look in her eyes that was a touch familiar. I didn't know how she could be familiar to me in any way, but that wasn't important at the moment. "I would still like to go to the party," I said. My voice was low in the din of the crowd.

Jordan leaned closer and said, "What?"

I shrugged my shoulders and stood up as straight as I could. "I would like to go to the party."

Jordan's smile brightened again and her steel-blue eyes looked back into mine. I didn't know what she was thinking to make her smile like that, but it must have been something nice, right? After all, she hadn't yelled at me or gotten angry when I bumped into her. She found me looking down her shirt and didn't lash out. If anything, she had completely caught me off guard by taking the blame and offering to take me to the pool party. I felt like I owed her the opportunity to make amends, even though it was my fault.

Jordan leaned in closer, her perfume wafting over me and filling my head with flowery thoughts. "Are you sure you don't want to go with Francine? She looks like she might like to do more than tell you about the Fraternities."

I felt my face burn because I was pretty certain what Jordan was implying and I was also pretty certain that she was right. However, I really did want to go swimming and since the campus pool was closed, the only opportunity was the party. I swallowed and said, "I've already decided to go to the party."

Jordan's eyes twinkled in a way that reminded me of how Francine looked at me. She didn't say anything though, only nodded and turned to make her way through the crowd.

Still stunned by the ideas both of the girls had implied, I followed her. Whatever fear I had been suffering earlier was gone, replaced by confusion and other emotions I couldn't immediately identify. If only I could shake the tendency of acting like a rabbit caught in a car's headlights.

Jordan's pace was quick once we reached the entrance and headed toward the parking lot. There was a bounce in her step, as if she was happy. I had no idea what to think of her or my strange luck finding someone to take me to the party without any effort, but her energy was infectious and I couldn't help smiling in spite of my guilt.

On the way to her car I had a stray thought; As loose fitting as her outfit was, why hadn't she worn her bathing suit under it, especially if she was already going to the party?

She turned and smiled at me again, standing next to a very nice car. Having worked with a mechanic to save up money for school, I saw a lot of different makes and models, but I didn't recognize Jordan's car. I smiled back at her, but looked the car over. "What is this?"

She ran her hand over the top. "My baby." I looked at her. She smiled and said, "Hop in."

I did and almost climbed right back out. The seats were light tan and upholstered in leather, but after sitting in the sun for the last couple of hours, they were hot to the touch.

Jordan started the engine and cranked up the AC. "Sorry about the seats. I didn't think about what it would be like in the summer when I bought the car last winter."

I shrugged and grinned. "It's okay. I haven't lost any skin to them." At that moment, I was glad I was wearing pants.

"So tell me Seth, where did you and Francine meet before?" she asked, pulling out of the parking lot. "She said you were meeting again."

I hesitated, not sure what to say exactly. I tried for partial truth. "I, uh, ran into her last night." I told Jordan how I had arrived on campus, the driver stiffing me, getting directions at the gas station, and having corrected directions given to me by Sharon at Brazos House. "When I left Brazos, we ran into each other. She almost knocked me down."

Jordan giggled. "So, you didn't just run into each other figuratively?"

I shook my head, still remembering what Francine had looked like in the evening lights with so little on.

"Well, I hope I didn't deprive you of a date," Jordan said.

I looked at her. A date? A real date-date? It was unthinkable. I had only arrived, why would any girl want to go out with me on a date so soon? Shouldn't I talk to her for a while, to get to know her first?

Apparently I was too quiet for too long. "So what are you planning on studying?" Jordan asked, changing the subject.

I shrugged and felt somewhat relieved to not be talking about Francine anymore, or more accurately, thinking about what happened with her. "I haven't made up my mind entirely yet."

Jordan glanced my way. "Shouldn't you decide something before you sign up for classes?"

"Well," I said, "for this semester, I'm just going to get most of the basics out of the way. History, Math, the required psychology course, that sort of thing."

She nodded. "And that'll give you time to make a more informed decision?"

I nodded. "That's the idea."

"What are you good at?" she asked.

I thought about it. "I scored high in math, and I like to work with my hands."

"A handy man during the summer?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I worked at the local garage, helping repair cars."

Her eyebrows rose. "And you don't know what my car is?"

I shrugged. "It was the only job I could find, and no one in town had a car like this."

"Only job you could find?" she asked. "Was it a small town?"

I nodded, but didn't elaborate.

"So where's home?" she asked.

My smile wilted. I had hoped her questions about my home were done. "North Carolina."

"If you're not so sure what you're going to be studying, then why did you come so far for school?"

I had to stifle a shiver. "I had to get away from my parents."

I think my tone might have given her some idea. "Overbearing?"

I shook my head. "Not overbearing, but not ... I don't know how to describe them." I didn't want to sound needy saying affectionate. I didn't know her from Jack and yet I didn't want her thinking less of me either.

She nodded. "So you're trying to get their attention by putting distance between you?"

She really didn't understand. "Actually, I doubt they'll notice I'm gone," I said.

She frowned. "I doubt that. They're your parents. They care or they would have put you out of the house long before you were ready for college."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I didn't know anyone who had been put out of their house. Of course, I didn't know anyone who had the same problems at home that I'd had. I wanted to leave that behind, but Jordan's questions were dragging them all back up. Looking at her profile I wondered why she wanted to know. I asked her.

She looked back at me for a second. Oddly, her face was very neutral. Some part of me had expected her to look offended. "If you don't want me to pry, I won't, but it sounds like you could use someone to talk to."

I couldn't face an offer like that, so I looked away and stared at the city passing by.

"I'd be happy to listen if you'd like," she said, her voice soft, soothing.

Part of me wanted her to butt out, but then there was a nagging curiosity. I liked the offer, but I couldn't think past what I'd been taught to expect. "Why would you want to hear about my problems?"

"To help you through them," she said.

I looked at her. Help me through them? I could get past them if she'd stop asking about them. I had to understand her reasoning though. "Why?"

"Why help you?" she asked in return.

I nodded.

She hesitated for a second. We stopped at a red light and she looked at me fully. "Would it surprise you to know that you're not the only one who has problems?"

I studied her face. She didn't look troubled. Her eyebrows were raised in question and though she wasn't smiling outright, her expression was friendly. "You don't look like you have any problems."

"Oh, I have problems," she said with a soft chuckle, "but right now, we're talking about yours."

I shook my head. "I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about my problems."

The light turned green and she continued along the street. A few minutes later, we pulled into an apartment complex. Jordan parked and killed the engine. She half turned in her seat, facing me. "If you don't wanna talk about your problems, that's fine. I understand. However, I'd like to talk about something while we're getting ready for the party." With that, she got out of the car, her face still friendly.

I sat there for a second watching her go. She turned and looked back at me. Then she waved her hand at me, inviting me along. I could already feel heat creeping into the car. I didn't want to cook, so I got out and followed her. Really, I couldn't do anything worse than nudge her chest accidentally and look down her shirt. Could I?



-------

Chapter 4



Jordan unlocked and opened the door. I stood there, watching her go inside. I didn't feel good about going in. I suddenly realized that I had only ever been in one other person's house before, and the experience had been terrifying.

"I know the place is a mess," she said, setting her purse aside, "but I wasn't expecting company." She turned and saw me still standing outside her doorway. "Aren't you coming in?"

I focused on her, and her question. "I ... um..." I couldn't make my feet move and my mind flashed back to the only other time. Pain lashed through my mind with the memory.

She came back out and studied my face. "Are you okay?"

I shook away the memory. "I ... I've never actually been in anyone else's house before."

Her eyebrows rose. "Really? Oh, well, this isn't a house, it's an apartment." She smiled at her own joke.

I could tell she was trying to lighten the mood and smiled gratefully.

Her expression softened and she glanced up at the sky. "It's too hot out here," she said with a soft voice. She held her hand out to me, wiggling her fingers. "C'mon."

I hesitated. I didn't like being coddled like a five year old. Thinking about it though, I was acting like one, and she was doing nothing but being nice. I took her hand and my nerves calmed. The feel of her hand in mine was soft and pleasant. I don't know what I had expected, but it was nice.

She led me inside saying, "I know my place is a pig sty, but really!" Once we were both past the threshold, she pushed the door shut behind me. The heat of the day was shut out, and some part of me, deep inside, felt closed in.

Her apartment was a lot more comfortable than the air outside, and it was more than the temperature. It was spacious, and something about the arrangement of her furniture, or the decorations, or ... something about it made me want to flop down on the couch. I couldn't help but relax. My anxiety melted away.

She had a nice set of living room furniture. All of them were deep beige, almost tan in color. A coffee table was the center piece with a few magazines on it and a few potted plants lined both windows. In one corner there was an entertainment center with a huge flat panel television, a couple of different media players and several shelves of movies. Closer to the main door, there was a small breakfast table with only two chairs. It was all in excellent shape. In fact it all looked as new as her car outside. What puzzled me was her comment about the place being a pig sty, because nothing looked out of place. I looked at her. I was relaxed but confused.

She smiled. "It was a joke Seth," she said, squeezing my hand. "Lighten up." She looked me over and said, "So, can I ask you something kinda personal?"

I met her eyes and felt calm enough to answer almost anything. "Sure. What would you like to know?"

"Well," she said, suddenly looking apprehensive herself, "You seemed very anxious around Francine after the orientation." She hesitated and looked at me. "Did something happen last night?"

I was relaxed, but not out of my mind. I blinked a few times and licked my lips because my mouth was suddenly dry.

Jordan tugged on my hand and headed toward the couch. "C'mere. Sit down."

I followed her, mostly because she tightened her grip on my hand, but also because refusing would have been rude. We sat on her couch and she continued to hold onto my hand. I didn't mind; if anything, I liked it. It meant she wasn't afraid of me.

"Now," she said, once she was settled, facing me with one leg bent with her foot tucked under the other. She was holding my hand along the back of the couch. "Talk to me. Tell me what happened."

The urge to tell her filled me up. It would have been good to tell her what happened, to spit it out like some kind of poison that was eating at me, but I shook my head. "I don't know if I should talk about it."

She stared at me for a moment. Her expression reminded me of my mother's whenever I said something that she knew wasn't the entire truth. "So, something did happen." I swallowed and she blinked. "It couldn't have been all bad. Francine really did look like she wanted to hook up with you again tonight."

Jordan couldn't have meant what I thought she meant. "Hook up" could mean any number of things, including getting together for ... No. That wasn't right. Francine didn't want to be with me for that.

Jordan was watching me and asked, "Are you afraid someone will find out about you and Francine?"

I thought about it. Who would be the most upset about anything happening between me and Francine? Well, her boyfriend certainly would, and if he ever ran into me, he would very likely get violent. I looked at Jordan and the sympathy in her eyes. Without really meaning to, I said, "Another girl walked up on us."

Jordan's eyes widened. "Someone found you?"

I shrugged. It wasn't like anyone would miss us. We were standing out in the open, but I didn't say that. "She warned Francine that her boyfriend wouldn't be happy with her." I cringed at that point, realizing what my story sounded like, and expected Jordan to throw a fit about me "hooking up" with a girl who had a boyfriend.

She sat there calmly, looking more thoughtful than angry. When her eyes rose and met mine again, she smiled. "There is the possibility that she doesn't have a boyfriend anymore."

It was my turn to think. Was it possible that he had found out and broke up with her because of what happened? Was that why Francine had looked so happy to see me, because she didn't have a boyfriend anymore? If that was the case, and we went further, what would stop her from leaving me for someone else? I was too full of questions about it.

Jordan squeezed my hand, and I looked up. "Honestly," she said, "I wasn't worried about whether or not she had a boyfriend." There was an implication in her words that took me a moment to understand. When I did, that morbid, self-loathing part of my mind forced me to laugh, and I laughed harder than I had in a very long time.

When I calmed down enough, I noticed Jordan's expression. She looked slightly stunned, but had a small smile on her face. "Was it something I said?"

I shook my head and took a few breaths to calm down. "You were worried about me having a girlfriend?" I asked. It sounded too ludicrous to be possible.

"Well, yes. You were acting like you were more worried about what she would think than what Francine's boyfriend might do."

I shook my head, pointed at my chest, and repeated, "Me? A girlfriend?" The humor was wearing off quickly.

She nodded but then asked. "You don't have one?"

I shook my head, a lot more sober. "No. Never have."

She looked at me suspiciously. "Oh, c'mon. You can't tell me you never even dated any girls."

All of the odd humor was completely out of my system and I sat there staring at Jordan like she had grown a second head. She really didn't understand, and I wasn't sure I was in the mood to explain it to her.

She squeezed my hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't know, which was why I asked. I thought maybe you and Francine might have something going, but if that's not the case then I won't bring it up again."

I shook my head. "No," I said before I took a deep breath and let it all out in a heavy sigh. "No, I said it was okay. I didn't expect the direction of the question."

She nodded while watching me calm down. She was still holding my hand on the back of the couch and I realized she never let go, not when she was asking about Francine, not when she asked about me having a girlfriend. I thought it was a little odd, but then I didn't know Jordan. She might have liked holding hands.

She squeezed my hand again and said, "So, do you want to change here, that way you can jump right in when we get to the party?"

When she made the offer back at the University Center, it had seemed like a perfectly logical and okay idea, but in her apartment, alone with her, and after the conversation we had, I wasn't so sure. Whatever had calmed me down before wasn't strong enough to curb the return of my anxiety.

I looked past her. There were two doors. She would probably go to her bedroom to change. I seriously doubted she was going to get undressed while I watched. Just as quickly as the thought crossed my mind, it evolved and became extremely vivid.

She unbuttoned her blouse and pulled it completely open. Her eyes rolled up to meet mine for only a second, and her gaze was intense. When she looked back down, my eyes followed hers. Her breasts looked even more impressive than before. Her lacey bra only really helped to support her breasts. It looked too thin to really hold them in place. Jordan reached for the waistband of her skirt and raised her hips to slip it off.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. When I looked again, Jordan was sitting there, properly dressed and still holding my hand. My heart was racing. I may have gotten into trouble for staring at Lisa Hartwell in school, but I had never imagined her undressing like that. Where had the thought about Jordan come from? Had I really accepted the fact that I wasn't at home anymore and could think a little more freely? Did I really believe that I could think like that and get away with it? I had no answers, and I couldn't ask Jordan. She wouldn't understand. There was also the conflicting idea that I didn't want her to think that I thought badly about her. She was very pretty, beautiful even, but I didn't mean to think of her the way that vision portrayed.

Focusing on her, the real her, I found her staring back at me. She was still waiting for me to make up my mind about her offer. I met her gaze, both trying to apologize for what I had been thinking and terrified that she might find out about it. Between her hand holding mine and her eyes watching me so intently, it took a lot of effort to think clearly at all. Finally, I blinked and shook my head slightly. She wasn't going to undress like that in front of me. It was that simple. I looked over at the two doors and asked, "Do you have a bathroom I can change in?"

She sat there looking at me for a moment and then said, "Well, if you don't mind the mess, sure."

I shook my head but didn't say anything. Did she really think I'd consider changing right there in the living room where she could see me?

Squeezing my hand again, she got up from the couch. I stood up too and followed her to the door closer to the kitchenette. She let my hand go after she opened it. The main living area may have been huge, but the bathroom wasn't. There was also a big difference in clutter too. She started picking up various bits of clothing and dropping them in the hamper. When she saw me watching she said, "Sorry, I really need to do laundry."

I shrugged. "It's cool."

She turned and bent over to continue picking things up. Her backside was pointed right at me. The skirt she wore hid any real detail, but I had another vision. She looked back over her shoulder at me, smiling in a way I had never seen anyone smile at me before. She reached back, ran her hands over her cheeks and then pulled at the waistband of her skirt, slowly sliding it over her skin, revealing her hips and buttocks and thighs...

I shook myself again and took a deep breath. What was wrong with me?

She straightened up and looked at me. Her skirt was still in place. She hadn't actually pulled it off. She really wasn't going to, not in front of me, not like that. I had to get a grip.

Neither of us said anything and she moved closer to me. I realized I was in the way and started to back up to let her out, but she reached out and touched my chest.

I froze. Like the night before with Francine, emotions I wasn't familiar with ran through me. I was too used to no one else touching me, other than to shake hands if they offered. No one I knew trusted me enough to want to. Jordan's touch was different. She wasn't throwing herself at me, so I couldn't blame her for the way I felt, and I worried that if she found out about the thoughts that flashed through my head, she would do worse than what I had gotten for being accused of having such thoughts.

My blood thundered in my ears, as she brushed against me. Her eyes met mine again from so close. Her soft pink lips were slightly parted and the urge to wrap my arms around her and kiss her struck me, but I was too scared of what she might say or do to follow through with it.

The urge passed, along with her. Part of me felt relieved, but another part was disappointed. I watched her walk away a few paces and stop next to the other door leading from the living area. She looked over at me, smiled, and went through the door. I closed the bathroom door too and sat on the toilet, trying to catch my breath.

What the hell was it with her? Better question still, what the hell was my problem? She didn't know me from Jack and was being perfectly nice. If I wasn't careful, she'd know something was wrong, and somehow find out about all of the thoughts and feelings I was having. Then things would get bad.

I considered telling her that I changed my mind, and ask her to take me back to my dorm so I could calm down and not piss her off. I even got up from my seat and had my hand on the doorknob before I stopped myself. I closed my eyes and thought carefully about what was happening.

All of the girls at my high school had always thought of me as a creep, and the incident with Lisa seemed to have confirmed that. None of them so much as looked at me, preferring to act as if I didn't exist. In some ways that was better than the glares I got at every turn, but it was also lonely. As a result, I hadn't held any intelligent conversations with them, never touched them, and dating wasn't even a remote possibility. I had spent so much energy keeping my nose clean, and working toward getting here that I never considered what might happen when I arrived.

I had always wanted a fresh start, to make actual friends and meet girls who didn't know anything about my past. I wanted to be able to go to parties and not either get beaten up or outright rejected. There were so many things I wanted to experience but had put off until I was away from that damned town that I never expected it to actually happen even when I did. Yet here I was.

Jordan was simply being nice to me. She didn't seem to find me creepy, didn't have problems touching me, and didn't mind talking to me. For that matter, she wanted to talk to me, but I had turned her down. If only she had wanted to talk about anything other than where I grew up, I would have been happy to talk. That wasn't her fault though, that was mine.

So, I was having thoughts about her. It didn't hurt her, no more than it had Lisa. I never touched her, never did anything to her. No one from home had followed me here to punish me for what was happening, and as long as I kept my mouth shut, no one needed to know.

All in all, there was no reason to not go to the party. I hadn't done anything wrong. If I had, I was sure Jordan would have said something already. Besides, it wasn't like we were going together. I happened to be catching a ride with her. Yeah. Sure. Right.

Feeling a little better, I pulled my clothes out of my backpack and got undressed. I got my shorts on and there was a knock at the door. "Seth, could I get your help?"

I went over and opened the door, confused about what she would need help with. She was standing there with her hair pulled back in one hand and her breasts covered with the other. At first I thought she was naked. The swell of her breasts caught my attention and it took a lot of effort to look anywhere else. The problem was, everywhere I looked there was nothing but her lightly tanned skin to see.

I looked down, trying to keep from getting into trouble for looking, but I noticed she was wearing the lower piece of her bikini. It was only a white triangle in front with strings tied off at the sides. It sat low on her hips, showing off her navel, and the soft contours of her trim muscles and curves.

I don't know how long I stood there staring before she wiggled her arm to get my attention. It got my attention alright. I noticed how big her breasts looked with her arm pressed against them.

"Seth?" she said.

I looked up and met her eyes.

She was smiling. "I do appreciate the attention, thank you. However..." She turned around in the doorway and glanced back over her shoulder.

I looked down again. Her back was simply flawless. The light tan had no breaks in it. It crossed my mind that she hadn't been out in the sun in this or anything else that covered so little. Her panties only covered half her cheeks and I couldn't tear my eyes away.

"Se-eth," she said again with a sing-song voice.

My eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Sorry," I uttered before I could stop myself.

She looked half amused. "I take it you like what you see?"

My voice caught in my throat. I couldn't swallow past it and only base guttural noises came out. I knew I hadn't made any sense yet she smiled widely. "Why thank you. I was worried it was too much."

Too much? It barely covered anything on her!

"I could use some help tying my top on," she said.

I had to move closer to look over her shoulder. There were strings hanging over her arm and more hanging below it. I looked back up into her eyes and could only nod both my understanding and assent.

She smiled and turned away completely. Both of her hands were still occupied and I was confused for a moment as to how I was going to help without touching her.

We were both standing on each side of the doorway so I couldn't walk around her to get the strings. Swallowing to quench my dry throat and licking my lips, I stepped closer. I tried reaching around her without touching, but it was no use, the doorway was too narrow. When I grazed her sides with my forearms, she wiggled a bit.

"I-I'm sorry," I said.

She looked over her shoulder at me, a toothy grin on her face. "It's okay. I should have warned you that I'm a bit ticklish."

I nodded and she turned away again, waiting patiently for me to finish.

She trusted me to help without doing anything that would compromise that trust. I didn't intend to by any means, but there was an urge to run my hands over her warm skin, to touch her in places that had nothing to do with her request.

I shook my head again in an attempt to rattle those thoughts out of it. With another deep breath, I put my hands on her sides. Her skin was warm and soft. I honestly didn't know what to think. I liked touching her, but I didn't want her thinking wrongly of me. Moving a bit closer, I reached past her sides and started waving my hands in front of her, trying to find the lower strings.

"Actually," she said, "If you could tie the top ones first, then I could hand you the lower ones."

I pulled back and said, "O-Okay."

I was only a few inches taller than she was. Stepping up close again, I looked over her shoulder. It was probably a mistake on my part, because I was momentarily distracted by the swell of her breasts and line of cleavage. I swallowed again. Never in my life had I been so close to anyone, much less a woman who looked a good as she did.

Mustering my will, I reached over her shoulder and took hold of one of the stings hanging over her arm. Looking across her chest, I reached for the other one and caught it up too.

It took me a moment to figure out the logistics of getting the strings over her respective shoulders. Once I did, I started to tie it but stopped. "I'm not sure how tight to make this."

"What do you mean?" she said. "Just tie it like you do your shoes."

I nodded. "I thought that was the case, but I don't want to pull too much of the strings back."

"Oh! Well, if I think you're pulling too much, I'll say so."

"Okay," I said and tied the slip knot. "How's that?"

"We'll know when you get the lower half." Her voice was soft. She sounded amused.

I nodded and again reached around her for the lower strings. They seemed to bounce away from my hands and I had to trap them against her trim belly. Pulling my hands back to catch the strings made her wiggle again.

"Sorry," I said, laughing a little. "I'm uh ... new at this."

She shook her head, looking half over her shoulder. "I kinda figured as much."

I tied the lower strings and asked, "How's that?"

She let go of her hair, made some adjustments, and then turned to face me. "What do you think?"

I looked. She had naught but two small white triangles covering each breast. There wasn't enough to the top to offer support. What got me the most was the string between those two triangles and how far out it stood from her torso. Everything the law cared about was covered. In fact, I knew she was well centered in each triangle because her nipples stood out, tenting the material.

Another urge hit me. This time I wanted to pull the top back off and give her all the manual support I could. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. When I felt I wasn't going to go through with the urge, I looked up.

"Look okay?" she asked.

I nodded slowly, not trusting myself to move or speak.

"Good," she said with a smile. She glanced down and then back up before turning to leave.

I looked down too. I knew I was excited, but I hadn't thought about it at all until she looked. Closing the door again, I sat back down on the toilet trying my damndest to think about anything other than the feel of her skin and the sight of her in the top. It was no use. I knew I was going to see her at the party dressed like that. Then I remembered what the guys in my dorm said that morning. I would probably see a lot of pretty girls dressed like that at the party. "What was I thinking?" I uttered under my breath. "I'm going to make an idiot out of myself."

I put on my sneakers and t-shirt, and packed up my other clothes, along with my lanyard, in the backpack. I would have my backpack with my when I got back to my dorm and wouldn't need it while swimming. When I came out of the bathroom, Jordan was waiting for me. She had a towel folded over one arm and some kind of thin material wrapped around her waist. It was tied off on one hip and opened enough for me to see the entire length of her leg. "Ready?" she asked.

I nodded, not daring to say anything until I could calm down more.

She smiled. "Let's go then."



-------

Chapter 5



In the car, Jordan used her towel to cover the seat before getting in. It was a good idea; especially considering my shorts stopped a couple of inches above my knees. I pulled my towel out of my backpack and did the same thing.

"Just toss your backpack in the back seat," Jordan suggested. "That way you'll know where it is when we get ready to leave."

I nodded and did as suggested. It was a lot better than trying to keep up with it at the party.

Once we got on the road, Jordan looked over at me. "I'm not sure Danielle will let you swim in this," she said, reaching over and running a hand up my shorts leg. I could feel her nails through the denim and it made my heart race.

"I-It's the only pair I own," I said. I wanted her to stop touching me like that, but saying something would lead to questions, and I didn't want to answer those questions. Besides, she wasn't hurting me. What I felt was nice, but not appropriate since we weren't doing anything other than going to a party together.

She glanced at me, her hand still sitting on my leg. "You came to Texas in the middle of the summer with only one pair of shorts?"

Hearing her say it like that did sound silly. I shrugged, and then nodded. It was taking a lot of effort to sit there and not squirm. It was also a chance to back out, a legitimate reason. It would also help avoid upsetting Jordan over the lewd thoughts that continued to run through my mind. "I ... I don't have to go. I wouldn't want to cause any problems." I couldn't believe I actually got the words out, and the double meaning of the problems I would cause was fitting too.

She patted my leg, half touching skin, and half the shorts. "Nonsense," she said. "We can make a quick stop to pick up a pair. Maybe a few pairs."

Another vision flashed through my mind of her watching me put on the swimming trunks. Her expression was heated and her eyes riveted on...

I shivered from the thought. "I ... um ... I don't know. I don't have a lot of spare cash on me."

She smiled. "It's cool. I don't mind." She removed her hand from my leg and patted the dash of her car affectionately. "It's not like I can't spare a little money for my new friend."

New friend? I barely knew her, and she barely knew me, yet she considered us friends? I didn't know what to feel, but the small smile on my face made me realize that I liked the idea.

"Here we go," she said, pulling into a parking lot for a strip mall. She parked the car and climbed out saying, "C'mon. This won't hurt a bit."

I got out and followed her to a small outlet store. I couldn't imagine any problems buying shorts; that was pretty straightforward. However, what would I look like in the thin material? What about when they got wet? What if I had more thoughts like I'd been having of Jordan? Would she get upset? Would her friend? What about the other people at the party? Would they kick me out?

Jordan walked into the store and turned to wait for me. Once again, she held out her hand for me to take. I couldn't be rude, so I took it. Her touch alone was causing problems, not to mention the fact that as she walked next to me, the side of her breast brushed repeatedly against my arm. My denim shorts grew uncomfortable in only a few seconds, but thankfully, they could conceal and keep moderate control.

The store was like the one we had back at home. It was a miniaturized version of Wal-Mart or Target and attempted to cater to practically any need. They had a clothing section near the entrance and the large bay windows. The store looked fairly empty and the cashier turned and watched us as we walked past her. I could feel heat climbing my face. I didn't know what I was embarrassed about, but I was. I could only hope to find new shorts quickly and leave just as fast.

Jordan quickly found what we were looking for. She snorted as she read the tag on one pair. "It says 'medium'." She turned to me. "What size are you anyway?" I spat out my waist size and she looked down at me. "Are you sure?" I nodded.

She stood up on her toes, looking around the store. "Looks like there aren't any dressing booths." Then she stepped closer to me and held the sorts to me at the waist. She hemmed and hawed about how they looked and then looked up. "I'll bet they have a bathroom here."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she walked off toward the registers. I watched her hold up the shorts and then look back and point at me. The lady at the register looked my way, smiled and then nodded and pointed off toward the back of the store.

I groaned inwardly as Jordan walked toward me smiling. She grabbed a few different styles and sizes of shorts and then held out her hand again, wiggling her fingers at me. "C'mon."

I took her hand and we went to the back of the store. She hadn't been shy about having me help her with her top back at her apartment, and we were in a public store with her only having that and the wrap covering her, so I shouldn't have been surprised that she would be willing to help me find and try on something appropriate for swimming at a pool party. But did I have to model each pair?

Thankfully, the bathroom wasn't separated from the main area by a single door. We went through the main restocking doorway, wide enough to get through with a pallet jack, turned left and found the only bathroom in the whole place. It wasn't marked specifically for men or women but, from the looks of it inside, it was well maintained by everyone.

Jordan handed me a pair of shorts. "Here, try these."

I nodded, and pushed the door closed. After swapping out shorts, I opened the door again. Jordan looked at me and then reached out and pulled up my shirt. She shook her head and tugged on it. "Take it off." I pulled my shirt off and held my arms out to the sides, like she was going to frisk me next or something.

She studied me for a moment and then slipped her fingers inside the band and tugged on them. "How do they fit?"

I felt like I did when my mother got me clothes when I was five. "They have a draw string, Jordan. The idea is one size fits many."

She nodded and handed me another pair. "Try these."

I shook my head. The pair I had on were fine for swimming, but from the look on her face, she wasn't going to let me get away with taking the first pair I found. So, I took the other pair, closed myself back in the bathroom and swapped shorts again. This time, however, I was hesitant at opening the door. These shorts were a lot shorter than the others, and though they had a draw string like the other pair, they reminded me of the gym shorts I had to wear in high school.

I looked at my legs. I was white because I had always worn jeans during the summer while working. This would be the first time I would be in a public setting in a long time and I suddenly worried about what the others at the party would think. For that matter, what would Jordan think? She was right outside the door and wanted to see me in them. I could gauge the opinion of the others by how she reacted. If I didn't like it, I would insist on the first pair of shorts.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out to calm myself, I opened the door again. I had expected to hear laughter, but Jordan surprised me in another way when I heard her say "Oh my!"

I had been staring straight ahead to avoid her eyes when I opened, but when I looked at her face, she was staring at the shorts I was wearing. Her face was flushed and her chest was rising and falling with her breathing. I wasn't sure what was wrong and looked down at myself. I knew I looked bad, but I didn't think I was so horrible to cause a panic attack. She looked up and met my eyes. Something in her expression made me realize she wasn't panicking or upset in any way. I swallowed, completely unsure of what to do or say because no one had ever looked at me like that before. She blinked a couple of times and calmed down. She licked her lips, smiled at me, and finally said, "I think we found your swimming trunks."

She let me put my cutoffs back on before we went back out to pay for three pairs of that style and size of shorts in different colors and left. I was still a little confused about her reaction. The most respectful thing to do would be to not mention it, but that didn't mean I couldn't get to know her. I also didn't like the idea of anyone buying me something and not paying them back for it.

We climbed into her car and I thought furiously. What could I ask her about? She had asked me about home. I knew she didn't have the same hang-ups as me, so her home life was probably a lot closer to normal. However, asking her about her home when I didn't want to talk about mine seemed hypocritical, but what else could I ask about?

We were back on the road and I remembered her being at the orientation. "So, are you a new student too?" She struck me as a little older, having an apartment and car, but I wasn't sure.

She shook her head.

I watched her for a second, confused. "Then ... why were you at the orientation?"

She didn't seem to hear me. I started to ask again but she said, "Dammit."

A second later, car went flying past on the other side of the median. Jordan glanced back and then watched in her side view mirror.

I watched her for a second and then asked, "Did you recognize that car?" It had been a canary yellow corvette. I wasn't sure of the year, but there was no mistaking the design, even for someone who didn't work on cars.

Jordan glanced at me. "Yeah, it was Roger. Danielle's husband," she added.

"Your friend? The one having the party?" I asked.

She nodded. "And it looks like he's pissed." She straightened up and said, "We'll find out what's going on in another minute."

I looked around. The houses we were passing were larger than others in the area. There was also a brick wall following the road. Jordan pulled in where the wall gave way to an inlet and a black wrought iron gate. She stopped next to a small box, rolled her window down, punched on the buttons on the box, and the gate began a slow swing toward us. We sat there waiting until the two halves were far enough apart, and then she pulled through.

I remembered hearing the others in the dorm talking about a gated community and getting in, but I hadn't realized the term had been literal. "A gated community?" I asked aloud. "If there's a college party here, how would any of them get in? I don't remember seeing any mention of the code on the flier."

Rachel shook her head. "If you want to get to a party bad enough, you'll find out what the code is. Besides, most codes are based on the addresses of the houses in the community. So..."

"Knowing the address, I could probably guess the code."

She nodded. "Right."

All of the houses looked new, and I was sure most were of the same floor plan, a cookie cutter design. We followed the street around until we came to a cul-de-sac. Cars were lined all the way around the circle and down both sides of the inlet.

Jordan pointed. "That's the house."

It was the one right in front of us, and it didn't look like any of the other houses at all. First, it was much bigger, and second, it sat back further from the road. It looked like Roger and Danielle had money, and probably a large family. To me, all that space would be a waste if only the couple lived there. Living in a small town, I knew most of the residents lived out in the surrounding country. Several of my classmates lived in houses that had more room than their families actually needed. They were also some of the most snobbish and cruel classmates I knew.

With all the cars already parked around the street, I didn't know where we were going to park, but I didn't have to wait to find out either. Jordan pulled up to what I thought was part of the fence of the front yard, but a second later a portion of that fence swung open and Jordan pulled through.

The drive wasn't long. In fact I immediately saw two garage doors perpendicular to one another. One looked like it was for a single car and the other for two. The single remained closed but the double was opening. Surely, we weren't going to park in the garage?

Jordan pulled right in as if she lived there. The garage door started lowering behind us.

"Ya know, I'd almost think you were invited," I said with a half-smirk.

She smiled but didn't say anything as she got out.

I grabbed the bag with my new shorts in it and followed her into the house. Unlike earlier, when her quick pace had been happy, this was all business. We passed through the laundry room and a short hall, coming out in the kitchen. Before we reached it, I could hear someone crying. When I could see what was going on, Jordan approached a redhead. The woman looked up and tried to wipe her tears away before Jordan reached her. "What happened?" Jordan asked, hugging her.

The redhead shook her head, and looked past her at me.

Jordan looked back at me too. "Oh, Seth," she said. She stepped to the side so I could see the redhead properly. "This is my friend, Danielle."

Danielle was a little taller than Jordan by about an inch. She had dark red hair and soft rose colored lips. Her eyes were dark and red-rimmed from crying. She wore a red one piece swimsuit that covered more skin than Jordan's suit did, even with all of the stylish openings in the sides and front. It accented her curves and made her look almost as big up top as Jordan. With the brunette right there to compare Danielle to however, I could tell that she wasn't close. And whatever lascivious thoughts I had been having about Jordan earlier, it seemed Danielle's crying had driven it from me.

She held out her hand to me. "Nice to meet you." There was a tiny quiver to her voice. She wasn't finished crying.

I shook her hand gently, not sure what to say or feel. I certainly felt guilty attending a pool party when the hostess looked like she'd rather be alone.

Jordan said, "Seth, why don't you head on out to the pool while Danielle and I sort things out."

I nodded and said to Danielle, "I hope you feel better. Seems really lousy to show up for a party when the hostess is feeling like this."

"That's sweet," she said, reaching out and rubbing my arm. Her sad smile brightened up some, but it was going to take more than polite comments to help. "Thank you, but don't let my mood spoil your fun. Go on out. Get something to eat and enjoy the pool."

I looked at Jordan and she nodded. I started to walk away and remembered the swim trunks I was supposed to change into. I held up the bag. "Is there someplace I can change?"

Danielle nodded and directed me to a half-bath.

I pulled off my cutoffs and tennis shoes, and slipped into the same pair of shorts Jordan had reacted to so drastically in the store. I turned to leave and found that the door had a full length mirror on the inside. No one else could see me, so I pulled off my shirt and took a critical look at myself in the mirror.

For the last four years, I only bothered looking in a mirror when I brushed my teeth and hair. I never worried about what I looked like when dressed, only making sure I didn't wear anything that would draw undue attention. Looking at myself in the mirror presently, I wondered what it was that had made Jordan react like she did. The light in the half-bath was better than the light in the bathroom at the store, and like I had previously thought, I was very pale. I was sure it was due to working in long pants and t-shirts inside a garage during the summer. I wasn't fat but I didn't have the lean defined muscle that the jocks at school had either. Of course, I didn't play sports or work with weights, but I was trim.

I still couldn't figure out what caused Jordan's reaction. Shaking my head in confusion, I put my t-shirt in the bag with my shoes and the other pairs of shorts. It would be even less of a hassle if I put it back in the car and kept the towel with me so I could dry off when it was time to leave.

I passed through the kitchen, doing my best to ignore Jordan and Danielle as they quietly watched me. I knew they'd pause their conversation so I wouldn't hear anything I didn't need to know, but the feel of their eyes on me made me flush with embarrassment. The second trip through from the garage felt a little better, but I continued to avoid meeting their eyes, trying to make myself scarce so they could talk.

Regardless of what was going on with Danielle, the pool party was in full swing. I knew the house was bigger than the others in the neighborhood, but the pool in the back must have set the city back half their reservoir of water to fill. However, with the number of people splashing, playing, floating and generally mucking about in it, it was probably a good thing it was so big.

I set my towel on the patio next to the door and made my way to the pool. I ended up making a detour though. There was a table laden with food and my stomach wasn't going to let me go without very much longer. I made myself a plate, grabbed a soda from the cooler and sat at the closest table watching everyone else splashing and playing.

The guys I heard this morning had been right about seeing girls at the party. There was nothing but skimpy bikinis everywhere I looked. I shook my head and considered the number of guys. It looked like the count was pretty even, but then I really didn't expect to "hook up" with anyone either. That didn't stop me from getting used to the idea of the possibility. If Jordan was right about Francine, she was still interested even after I ran off last night. Furthermore there was Jordan herself. Her reaction when I was trying on my shorts wasn't of repulsion. If anything, I would have said she really liked what she saw. Their reactions to me had to mean something, right?

A couple of girls walk by. They were wet from head to toe. Both of them were lean and fit, filling out their nearly pointless bits of material with deeply tanned curves. They didn't have Jordan's curves, but that didn't detract from their beauty either. I caught myself with my mouth open and quickly stuffed it with the remainder of my food. My heart was racing from how close they got to me, even without touching. I was also glad to be sitting with my paper plate in my lap. Why did I change before I came out?

Finished with my food, I remained in my seat a little while so I wouldn't cramp up when I did jump into the pool. The same two girls walked by again and giggled as they passed me. I looked myself over wondering if my lack of a tan was the problem. When I looked up again, they were both looking back at me over their shoulders. I dared a small smile and they giggled again. I didn't understand what was going on.

Feeling full and ready to swim, I tossed my plate and empty can in the trash, and turned to the pool. For a moment, I stood there feeling self-conscious. Everyone else was playing and having fun. No one was paying me any real attention. These weren't people from home, who knew me and would continue to treat me like a pariah. They didn't know me at all, and I let the calm of that truth flow through me, taking away my anxiety. This was the start of my new life. This was what it meant to be free.

I jumped into the deep end of the pool. The water felt great. It had been years since I swam in a real pool. After the incident with Lisa, I avoided any public places that might lead to further problems and opted for a lake outside of town whenever I wanted to go swimming.

Danielle's pool wasn't so crowded that I couldn't swim a lap or two. No one tried to stop me, and nothing dreadful happened. It was a wonderful feeling, not being known. The exertion I put into those laps, helped ease away the small pockets of stress hiding in my back and shoulders. I was like a fish without a care in the world.

I pulled myself up onto the edge of the pool at the deep end, and watched the others laugh and splash, swim and talk. Then I looked up at the house and I wondered, maybe even worried, about Danielle. I didn't know her or Roger well enough to know how bad things were, but it didn't take much imagination to realize that her mood was the sign of something a lot more serious than she would want anyone else to know about.

Normally, finding out about someone having familial problems didn't faze me, but the knowledge that I wasn't in that small town anymore changed that, and I knew that something was a lot more serious than Danielle let on about. I stared at the house, thinking about some of the things that happened back home that became public knowledge. Two families had broken up because the parents decided to get a divorce. The kids took it hard. The neighbors and family friends treated it like a new TV show until one of the family members came around. I shook my head. This wasn't some kind of new reality show. There was nothing glamorous or fun about it. That was when I realized that I may have been wrapped up in my own problems and loneliness, but, as Jordan said, I wasn't the only one with problems.

My train of thought was derailed by the feel of someone's hands slipping up onto my knees from the pool. I looked down to find Jordan coming up for air with a smile on her face. "Found ya!" she said when she surfaced.

I couldn't help but smile. Her hair was slicked back by the water and her smile was open and warm. She wasn't only a beautiful young woman who seemed to like to touch me in casual ways, but who could very well be my first real friend. I glanced at the house and said, "I haven't been out here that long. Is Danielle okay?"

She studied my face for a moment and then said, "She will be. She's mad now. It wasn't anything she hadn't expected. Roger was mad about her having the party without telling him."

I didn't know what to say about that. To a degree I could relate, so I understood her frustration and anger. Nodding at Jordan, I asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

Jordan tilted her head to the side, studying my face for a second and then smiled again. "I doubt it, but I'll let her know you offered." She came up out of the water more, grabbed my hand and dove back in saying, "In the mean time..."

Her move was so sudden I didn't have time to think, and I fell in with her. We wrestled around a bit under the water and then came up for air. "You're a lot stronger than you look," I said, catching my breath. I was taller and her muscles weren't exactly defined, or cut.

She splashed me. "Naw, you're just easy."

I smiled, dropped down into the water and grabbed her ankles. She kicked at me but I had a good grip and lifted her feet up out of the water. Once I hit air, I let her go.

She came up splashing and it was on.

For a few minutes we were both five years old, and it felt good. Bursts of energy allowed us to be as crazy as some of the others were. I was smiling and laughing, and so was Jordan. Of course, splashing in a pool is useless, because you're already wet, but it was fun, and for the first time since I met Jordan I wasn't worried about what she thought. It really was like we were friends, and for that I was truly happy.



-------

Chapter 6



We heard some howls and whistles that weren't completely out of place until we also heard Danielle's name. Both of us turned around and watched the redhead walking toward our end of the pool. Jordan moved toward the edge and I followed, wondering what was up.

Danielle was smiling and waving off the invitations to dive in. All of the attention seemed to make her feel better and she waved at me with a smile much more at home with the party she was hosting. She sat down on the edge of the pool and leaned toward Jordan. I was close enough to hear them, but didn't want to be a pest. She kicked her feet in the water and said, "I'm going to be inside for a little while making some phone calls. Can you make sure this crowd doesn't get too rambunctious?"

Jordan nodded. "Absolutely."

Danielle looked at me and smiled again. "Could you help her out?" I couldn't help but return the smile and nodded. She winked and got up. "Shout if you need me. I'll be in my room."

Jordan and I watched her go, and then the wet brunette turned to me. "So, now that we're in charge, what should we do?" The smile on her face suggested several possibilities, but I didn't answer.

However, once Danielle was back in the house, one of the other guys did, yelling, "Marco Polo!" Everyone calmed down and looked around. He stood near the center of the pool, up to his chest in the water. He was smiling and nodding at all the looks. Before there was any real reaction from everyone, he looked over at one of the girls, a brunette in a dark blue two piece, and held out his hand to her. She giggled, accepted his offer and let him pull her very close. Smiling at everyone else, he said, "Find a partner!"

I had played the game when I was a kid and wondered how it would work with the mixed gender, because I didn't remember a 'partners' version. Watching everyone else, I noticed that most of the partnerships were each made of a guy with a girl. I remembered noticing that the ratio was pretty even before I got into the pool. Did everyone bring dates? Before I gave any real consideration to who might be willing to partner up with me, Jordan moved up behind me, ran her hand over my shoulder to my chest, and said in my ear, "You move and I'll hang on."

Compared to our rambunctious actions while we'd been splashing and dunking one another, her gentle touch, soft voice and heated breath caused a big rush. I nodded, not sure how else to respond, and not trusting my voice enough to speak.

She pressed her chest into my back with her momentum. She was soft, not just of skin, but in the way her breasts molded against me. My heart was racing, and I wasn't entirely sure it was only from horsing around.

Doing my best to ignore the feelings Jordan's touch and body inspired, I looked around for the announcer. He and his partner were going first. They held hands and reached out in opposite directions with their free hands. Doing that, they could cover a lot more ground. As per the normal game, they both called out "Marco!" and the rest of the players yelled, "Polo!" With their reach though, it didn't take long before the girl grabbed the ankle of one of the other guys.

There was plenty of laughter going on, everyone was having fun, but when the guy that was caught finally stood up and cleared his face, he cried foul. "You two aren't doing it right," he said. Everyone else seemed to disagree, siding with the original chasers, but he stood there shaking his head with a big grin on his face. I had seen smiles like that before and it never bode well, but I didn't think this guy wanted to cause grief. "Nope," he said. "You two can reach out too far like that. You can sweep too much of the pool too easily."

Next to me, Jordan said, "Okay, how should we do it then?"

The guy looked our way and his smile got bigger, if that was possible. He pulled his partner to him, a bottled blonde wearing a deep green one piece that had as little material as many of the two pieces. He held out his hand for everyone to wait and whispered something into her ear. Then he turned to the crowd and said, "We'll show you."

The girl jumped up into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, and kissed him. I wondered if all of the chasers were going to be expected to kiss like that. I wondered briefly what it would be like to kiss Jordan, and another vision filled my eyes.

Her arms and legs were wrapped around me, holding me tightly. Her body's heat was a sensuous contrast to the water around us. Her eyes smoldered. Her lips were wet and slightly parted. She pulled herself closer to me...

I shook my head and noticed that the new chasers had lowered into the water. He had his hands stretched out as if playing with her attached to him. As he turned, calling out, "Marco!" I saw that she was holding on with her legs and one arm while reaching out with her other. It was like they had three hands, but without the reach of the previous team.

"That's more interesting," Jordan said with a grin. I secretly agreed, but didn't make any outward mention of my opinion.

At first, when we moved through the pool to dodge the chasers, Jordan only held on with one or both hands, like some kind of cape, but after one close call where she was almost snagged, she pulled in tight behind me and wrapped her legs around me. "I hope you don't mind," she said in my ear, breathing hard from laughing.

I instantly shook my head. I didn't mind, really, but it made me nervous. It felt good to have her wrapped around me like that, but I didn't think she'd appreciate my reactions to her. It turned out to work better for us as a team though, because when the chasers got close again, it took a lot less effort to move of us both out of reach.

I held Jordan's legs to me in front, worried that she might accidently graze or even kick me in her enthusiasm for the game. However, she turned out to have very strong legs. She never slipped, and whenever I had to lunge away from the chasers, she tightened down with a squeal of excitement.

After a couple of rounds, when we were far enough from the chasers that I could whisper and not be easily heard, I said, "You have very strong legs."

She squeezed them around me. "Do I?" I nodded, not sure what else to add, or certain that I should. She seemed to like the compliment and fished for another, rubbing her chest into my back. "And what else do you like?" Her voice rose in turn to call out, "Polo!"

I was grinning and couldn't stop. I wanted to mention as many things as possible, but found that I couldn't croak many of them out. I settled with, "You have the most amazing eyes."

"But like this," she said, gently rubbing her chin softly along my shoulder, "you can't see my eyes."

I squeeze her legs where I was holding them. "Yeah, but I remember the first thing I saw when you asked me for my seat at the orientation."

She wiggled her chest against me again. "And what was that?"

I turned my head slightly, wondering why she would think I had seen anything else. "Your steel-blue eyes."

For a second, she didn't say anything, not even to reply to the chasers calling, "Marco!"

"No one's ever seen the blue before," she said softly in my ear. "All they see is gray." I didn't know what to say to that. I was trying to be polite, but the tone of her voice suggested something else, something more. Then she added, "But then, a lot of guys don't even see my eyes."

I stopped and wanted to turn to look at her, but she was firmly attached to me. "Why not?" I asked.

She giggled and wiggled her chest into my back again. "Why do you think, silly?" I didn't know if I was supposed to answer or not, but had to focus on the game again because the chasers were getting really close.

Jordan giggled like a little girl when I had to lunge to get away. We both went under for a second, but I got my feet under me and pulled us up out of the water. She coughed and sputtered while I put some distance between us and the chasers. When I felt safe again I asked, "You okay?" She nodded with her chin on my shoulder and we focused on the game again.

For several rounds the chasers either didn't come near us, or when they did they couldn't catch us. Since my limbs were really the only ones anyone could grab, because Jordan's were securely wrapped around me like a human version of an octopus, all I had to do was move and pull out of anyone's line of attack.

The initial excitement of having Jordan so close had long since waned, but when one of the chasers finally caught me, my heart raced at the thought of having Jordan latched onto the front of me. I was sure I already looked flushed from playing the game, so much so that Jordan probably wouldn't be able to tell that I felt somewhat uncomfortable. She let go of me and I turned to face her. She had a small smile on her face, though I had no idea why, and she simply asked, "You ready?" I looked around at everyone watching us. I so did not need an audience. Doing my best to slow my racing heart, I nodded. Without further preamble, Jordan wrapped her arms around my neck and jumped.

I knew I was supposed to catch her, but in that instant I also knew where my hands would end up and I had no time to think about it. I caught her, my hands squarely on her cheeks, and braced for the impact of her hand across my face. Instead, I looked to find her smile had grown. She wrapped her legs around me as tightly as before and held on with one hand. I lowered us into the water watching her close her eyes. I closed mine, reached out with one hand and called "Marco!"

Lowered into the water like we were, it was easier to move. I even realized I could let go of her with my other hand, considering how tightly as she was wrapped around me, but when I did, reaching for someone I heard on that side, she brought her other hand back to hold on to me. I didn't jump or lunge like I did when we were being chased, so I wasn't entirely sure why she felt the need to hold on with everything. Granted, we didn't know each other well enough to move together like the other chasers had and I wanted her to trust that I wouldn't dump her in the water while we played. Hell, I was enjoying our closeness too much to even think it.

Having missed my target, I brought my other hand to her back to hold her again. She, in turn, let some pressure up off my neck and reached behind her to move my hand down to her cheek and then stretched her hand out behind me.

For a second, my brain short-circuited. Did she want my hand down there for better support, or for some other reason? When Jordan yelled out, "Marco!" I shook off my stupor and focused on the game again. Her yell caught a reply of someone behind us, really close too. I grabbed Jordan with both hands and lunged back. Working like a real team, she let go with both hands, reaching for the same target I had heard.

I went under completely. I don't know if she did or not. It was difficult to tell when I got up for air. Jordan was laughing and hugged me again. "I missed," she said as she wrapped her incredible legs around me again and I held her to me.

It went on like that for a while longer. I held her to me while listening for the teasing crowd. She kept her legs around me and held on with both hands any time I let her go completely.

I made another lunge forward. Jordan wrapped herself around me and grabbed a quick breath before we both went under. I snagged someone's ankle and that was it.

Coming up for air, I found Jordan still locked to me, and I instinctively held her too. We moved to the edge of the pool like that and continued to play in the same position. All the trepidation I felt about being so close to her was long gone, but without the concentration I was putting into being the chaser, I quickly became aware that my hands were grazing areas of her that I knew existed clinically but never thought about otherwise. Not even the lewd visions I'd had displayed those parts of her body.

I grew nervous again. Jordan had to know where I was touching her, there was no way she could not feel it, but she never let me go and she never tried to correct where my hands were. I was also keenly aware of how her breasts pressed to my chest. She would relax her arms to look around for the chasers, and to not yell "Polo" in my ear. It took a lot of effort not to sneak peeks at the incredible cleavage trapped between us.

A couple of chasers later, we were tagged again. Both of us were sputtering but laughing as we surfaced. Once again, I moved us into the center of the pool, we closed our eyes and I reached out for those teasing us with "Polo!" The only problem was I got distracted.

Jordan's legs were apparently getting tired of holding on because she slipped down some. I kept a hand firmly on her backside, desperate to not let her from slipping too far because I had been erect or semi-erect almost the entire time. She was okay with where my hands were, but if she felt me, like that, down there, she would probably bring things to a halt between us.

We continued lunging after others, and during one lunge, Jordan's legs relaxed for a second and she slipped further down. I had reached out with both hands and couldn't help hold her up. Her body pressed right up against me, pinning me between us. I didn't want her mad at me, but at the same time, I couldn't help enjoying the way it felt.

Trying my best to make it look like nothing was wrong, I asked, "Are you getting tired?"

She ran a hand up the back of my neck and into my hair. Her voice came out a bit breathy when she said, "No."

I was confused. She wasn't tired, but she couldn't seem to hold on anymore. What did that mean?

I held her tightly, trying to keep her from moving around too much. With each lunge I could feel her move anyway. She rubbed against me and I had difficulty controlling myself. My hips kept pressing forward and I started to worry that Jordan might get mad, but it felt good and she wasn't saying or doing anything about stopping. Her breathing was as labored as mine was, yet I was doing all the work, moving us through the water and lunging for targets, not to mention trying to supporting her. I wasn't mad, just confused and conflicted. I couldn't stop to think about it, because of the game we were playing, but with the next lunge I caught someone's wrist.

Free from being chasers anymore, I moved us over to the edge of the pool and pressed my back to the wall. I wanted to talk to Jordan, to apologize for what was happening. The sensations reminded me of what happened with Francine and if we didn't stop, I'd have a mess in my brand new shorts. I also didn't want to have to explain the mess to anyone there, especially Danielle, since we were in her pool.

Jordan relaxed a little and leaned back. Her lower body was pressed completely against me. I didn't recognize the look in her eyes. She wasn't smiling, but she certainly didn't look unhappy either. All the words I thought I had prepared to deliver were gone with my next breath. Something in her expression said there was nothing to apologize for. She licked her lips while looking my face over and said, "I never thought I'd have so much fun playing Marco Polo."

I nodded agreement, and an urge to kiss her ran through me. She was already in my arms, her body as close to mine as it could get, and every indication was that she wouldn't reject me, but I held back. I didn't know her well enough to do something so bold, and I honestly didn't believe she would accept me like that. We were only paired up like we were for the game, nothing more. As irrational as it sounds, that's what I thought.

There was a gleam in her eyes, and for a second I thought I saw frustration in her face. Whatever it was, she shook it off, leaned forward, and pressed her lips to mine.

It took a second to realize what she was doing, another to relax, and a third to respond. A lot of different thoughts of what she might do had run through my head. She might pull away and continue to play but not so closely. She might tell me that I needed to control myself better. She might even leave the pool to go inside, leaving me alone. All of the scenarios were cordial, but not any friendlier than she had been so far. A kiss, however, had not been in any of them.

There was a vague urgency in Jordan's kiss that I didn't understand, but at the moment, I really couldn't think very clearly. Her lips were amazingly soft and felt as wet as they looked every time I had thought about kissing her. I felt time slip away, unconcerned with the world around us or the game being played nearby. I don't know how long we stayed like that, and I didn't care for it to end either.

It had to end eventually and she pulled back with that same look on her face, not happy but not mad. I felt as if she had taken my breath away and I was fighting to catch a new one. She was breathing as hard, and all at once, she smiled and hugged me. Her hand ran up into my hair and she said with a low, breathy voice, "Let's play some more."

I shrugged internally and said, "If you're willing, so am I."

She didn't relax her grip or adjust where she pressed against me. I realized there was no strength lost in her legs, because, as I moved us through the pool to avoid being caught, she never lost her grip and continued to occasionally rub against me. She had stopped while we kissed and that gave me a reprieve, but I was quickly getting close again. Her kiss had also quieted all of my concerns about her being mad, but I was still worried. The sensations she created by rubbing against me were getting dangerously close to what I had felt the night before with Francine. It may have felt good, but I had been too embarrassed to enjoy it. In the pool, surrounded by other swimmers, I was having a similar mix of ambivalent emotions.

Distracted by my emotions and the increasing sensations, I was caught by the chasers again. I moved us to the center of the pool and Jordan asked, "Are you getting tired?" I shook my head, not sure how much of the truth to tell her. I certainly wasn't tired, but I was sure she wouldn't care to hear about how close I was to filling my shorts with more than water. Jordan pulled my face close and kissed me again. I didn't freeze in shock like before, responding the instant her lips touched mine, but the kiss didn't last as long either. I heard several wolf whistles and encouraging shouts until she pulled away.

Jordan giggled at the reactions we got and settled against me for the game once again. We closed our eyes and began seeking the other players. Jordan didn't participate like before. Her hands and legs remained tightly wrapped around me and her body continued to rub against me in a way that made it more and more difficult to hold on. I stumbled a few times while trying to catch the other players. Each time pulled her attention from how she moved against me and gave me a few seconds of relief, but then she would go back to what she was doing and I was back to trying to focus on the voices around us and the game.

I don't know if I had a lucky break or if someone finally took pity on me, but a voice lit up behind us that I couldn't resist. I snatched an outstretched wrist and opened my eyes to find another couple smiling at me. They didn't look surprised at being caught or playfully annoyed like others had. The girl moved closer to me and said, "She looks like she could use some undivided attention, if you know what I mean."

No, I didn't, but I didn't say anything to that effect. I nodded to her as a way of thanks and moved us over to the far edge of the pool, holding Jordan to me and praying that whatever was happening would soon be over. We were still deep enough in the water that she weighed next to nothing in my arms. She was breathing heavily and relaxed her grip on me enough to look me in the eyes. Hers were heavy lidded, like she was really tired, and her lips were parted in a small O. I didn't know what exactly was going on, but my concern for her overrode what was happening in my shorts. I asked her again, "Are you getting tired?"

She shook her head and pulled me to her for another kiss. Unlike the first two, I felt her tongue licking my lips. I parted them, allowing her access, and she moaned into my mouth while her tongue darted here and there. Instinctively I used my tongue as well and the dance between us was more intense than anything I had felt, short of the heated spasms from the night before.

Once again, I lost track of time, the game, the others around us, and the world in general. There was only Jordan, the burning kiss we shared, and an urge to do something a lot more intimate. I had one hand on her back, holding her chest to mine, and the other lower, holding her up in the water. I could feel the difference in her body temperature between my hands but didn't understand what it meant, though some part of my mind registered it as something positive.

We weren't participating in the game, but that didn't stop the game from heading our way. Realizing what was happening, I wrapped my arms around Jordan to move us away from a pair of chasers and when I lunged, Jordan really ground herself into me. Once we were safe, I realized she was shaking in my arms. I wanted to ask if she was okay but then I felt her kissing my neck, and a graze of her teeth. The sensation sent a shiver through me and my hips pressed into hers.

She licked a line up to my ear. Her breath was hot and heavy. "We should probably get out of the pool."

I couldn't agree more and moved us to the steps. I wasn't even worried about what anyone might think of the tent I was pitching. I thought I might find a bathroom to hide in until I could calm down, but something told me that wasn't going to happen when Jordan caught my hand in hers and walked with purpose to the house, dragging me along.



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Chapter 7



Jordan didn't seem to care that we were both soaking wet. She walked right up to the big glass double doors and pulled one open.

I spotted my towel lying next to the other door and stooped to pick it up, but Jordan was already walking again, pulling on my hand. I had to straighten up to dodge the other door - otherwise I would have hit my head - and missed the towel. "Slow down," I said.

She looked back at me but kept going, tightening her grip on my hand. Her expression was different from before, though she still didn't look happy or angry. If I were to guess, I'd say she looked hungry, but we weren't heading for the kitchen.

I looked around wondering where Danielle was and how to let her know we weren't outside with the rest of her guests anymore, but Jordan was completely single-minded and climbed the stairs.

When we reached the top of the stairs, I pulled her to a stop. Part of me was scared of what could happen. I had been cornered a few times by bullies and felt a little paranoid. Another part was excited and wondered why I had stopped at all. Everything seemed to point in a specific direction and if that was what she wanted, it would be great. However a third part, the part of me that made me pause, to think, to reserve action and judgment, wanted to know exactly what was going on.

She tugged on my hand and then looked at me. "C'mon." Her voice was low. Not low enough to keep from being overheard, but almost like she didn't have the breath to talk at her normal volume.

I studied her face and shook my head. "Not until you tell me what's going on. Where are we going?"

Confusion seeped into her expression, and she studied me for a second. She moved closer to me, pressing her breasts into my abs. "I want to lie down for a bit, Seth. Away from all those watching eyes. Somewhere we can be alone." Her eyes searched mine for a second and then she pulled my face down and kissed me again.

Like before, I was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond. I liked kissing her, but it kept me from asking questions and allowed her to avoid answering them. I didn't push her away though. To the contrary, I pulled her closer. She moved in, rubbing her body against mine. It felt so good. I would have been perfectly happy to stand there at the top of the stairs with her like that until we had to leave.

Like the last kiss we shared, her tongue invaded my mouth and thoroughly mapped out where all my teeth were. I tried to duplicate her actions but was too overwhelmed to be able to focus enough to be very successful.

All of my concerns faded quickly. I was too excited to worry, but I always hated being confused. I still wanted to know where this was leading. The idea of her wanting sex was winning, but along with it came a different question: why me?

Jordan pulled back from the kiss and looked me in the eyes. Hers were dark flames. She was burning in a way I had never seen before. Very softly, yet very distinctly, she said, "We're going to borrow one of Danielle's spare bedrooms for a while." Without waiting for a response from me, she turned and walked on, with me in tow.

She had answered one of my questions, and at the moment it was enough. Adrenaline pumped in my veins and quieted all the small whispers of things that could go wrong. The likelihood of a prank or some other deviousness from her wasn't completely forgotten, but my emotions had shoved the ideas to a distant corner of my mind. If I only accepted whatever it was she wanted, I'd have the answer to what we were going to do. All I had to do was relax, if I could.

The bedroom she chose was nicely furnished, but didn't feel lived in. The bed looked like a queen size, but with all the pillows and the bulky comforter, I could have been mistaken. Curtains closed off the windows and the only other furniture was a pair of nightstands flanking the bed.

I stood in the doorway, looking at the room, but Jordan let go of my hand, went to the bed, and pushed all of the pillows and comforter off in one fell motion. I looked at her with a touch of surprise on my face. If she wanted to lay down for a bit, why ditch all the pillows?

She turned around and held out a hand to me. "C'mere Seth. I need you." It was a simple request, and one I wasn't going to deny. Letting go of any remaining doubts, I crossed the room.

When I was within reach, Jordan pulled my face down for another kiss. Her lips pressed to mine, reminding me of the hungry look she had downstairs. For a second, I felt like she was trying to eat me, even though she wasn't using her teeth.

She pulled away. Her eyes were closed and her pink tongue licked her lips. I had a second to wonder, did I taste good? Her eyes snapped open and then she jumped and wrapped her legs around my waist. I instinctively grabbed her, and held her to me like I had in the pool. However, not having the water to make things easier, I had to really hold on which meant my hands dug into her more than before.

She hugged me to her and moaned in my ear. I didn't feel any strength lost in her legs, but she settled back to pressing herself against me again. Her hips rotated in my hands, which ground her against me. It felt good, just like before, and the heat of her body was more intense since we weren't in the pool anymore.

My imagination kicked into gear again and I had a vision of Jordan sprawled out on the bed in front of me, moaning and writhing. I wanted to see it in reality, because something about it thrilled me as much as the feel of her body against mine. With her wrapped around me, I leaned over onto the bed.

She let go of my shoulders and relaxed into the soft mattress, but she kept her legs wrapped around me, locking her heated body to mine.

I ran my hands down along her arms. Her skin was so incredibly soft, and warm. When I reached her hands, she took mine, placed them on her lean tummy and drew them up, past her navel, past her ribs, and stopped squarely on her breasts. I didn't move my hands at all, not to grope her or to pull away. She pressed my hands into her breasts hard and sucked in air through her teeth. I could feel her nipples press into my palms through the thin material of her bikini. They were hot under my hands.

She let my hands go and reached behind her neck. She pulled at the string, untying it. Then she arched her back, pressing her breasts into my hands, and reached behind her for the other string. Once it was untied, she yanked her top away completely, leaving me holding her bare breasts.

Part of me was shocked, but that passed quickly, and I focused on the feel of her hot, hard nipples pressed into my palms. I wanted to see her. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to do more than only stand there holding her. My mind screamed at me to react, but my body wouldn't respond.

She ran her hands up and down my arms and then pressed my hands into her again. Her legs squeezed around me and her hips rolled, grinding her against me and dragging a low moan out of me.

I stopped thinking for a few seconds. Leaning over her, I planted my hands on the bed and pressed my lips to hers. She pulled me against her, moaning into my mouth and grinding her huge soft breasts against my chest.

When my brain kicked in again, I sat up and looked down. Her nipples and areola were light pink, a shade similar to the natural tan of the rest of her body. Her areolas were almost perfectly circular and her nipples were much bigger than I originally thought.

Like the night before, I felt somewhat disconnected and watched my hands rub over her breasts and lightly pinch her nipples. I looked up into her face. She was watching my face. Her lips were slightly parted and her hot breath warmed my face.

Without thinking about how she would react, I leaned over and ran a tongue over one nipple.

Again, she sucked in air and then said, "Oh, yes, suck on it."

I did as she asked, and enjoyed the sounds she made while I attempted to encompass as much of her breast as possible with my mouth. I couldn't really get much. One of her breasts could fill my hand and have plenty to spare.

She held my head, pressing my mouth to her, and her hips rose off the bed to press harder into me via her legs. I quickly switched breasts, sucking hard on that nipple. She moaned louder. "God, yes, I love having my tits sucked."

I glanced up toward her eyes, pulled her breasts together, and did everything I could to get both nipples into my mouth.

She squeezed her arms together and held my head to her. Her hips ground against the bulge in my trunks faster and harder.

I continued sucking and licking her nipples, groping the meat of her breasts, and watching the expressions on her face. She moaned louder, pulled at me harder, and ground her hips into mine faster and faster.

All at once, Jordan pulled my face into her chest, almost smothering me. I still had my lips locked onto one of her nipples and I continued to scrub it with my tongue. She cried out and ground her crotch against mine so hard it hurt a little. It took a little while for her to calm down and relax enough for me to catch a breath.

I looked up. She was watching me. "That's two you owe me," she said, smiling and catching her own breath.

I raised my eyebrows, not sure what she meant. I decided not to ask. Instead, I said, "I didn't know we were keeping score."

She smiled and pulled my face to hers. I extended up for the kiss, and she moaned from the additional pressure I applied between her legs.

She pushed on my chest and I stood up. She dropped her feet to the floor and sat up. With me standing at the edge of the bed, she reached up and rubbed on my chest, but she didn't stay there for long. Her fingers ran down me, her touch feather light. She reached the waistband of my trunks and pulled, but I had tied the string. I knew if I hadn't, everyone in the pool would have seen my full moon without my intention. However, my concern for the others at the party only made Jordan growl in frustration.

I reached down to get the string, but she slapped my hands away and untied it herself. Then she yanked them down and I sprang out, slapping her check. Jordan rolled her eyes up to look at me. I didn't know what the expression on her face was, but I hoped she wasn't mad.

She looked back down at me. I could only partially read her face due to the angle, so I didn't know what she was thinking. For a moment, she sat there staring at me. I thought that maybe something was wrong, but her hands slid up my legs and she cupped me ever so gently.

A shudder ran through me. Her hands were soft and felt cool. With one hand she cradled my sac and with the other she lightly stroked the shaft. Her breath caressed me everywhere and a low moan escaped me.

Her hands groped me, stroked me, and squeezed me. It felt so much more intense than when Francine had groped me the night before. Jordan looked up, watching my reactions as she handled me. A smile played across her lips and I could see an idea pass through her eyes. I really had no idea what she was planning, but at that point, I would have been agreeable to almost anything.

She let me go and patted the bed. "Sit down."

With more enthusiasm than I even knew I had, I kicked off my trunks and sat.

She stood up and then stepped out of her panties. Even though I had seen her almost completely nude already, there was something about seeing her in her full glory that made my breath catch for a moment. Of course, it could have been the look in her eyes: the one that said she was going to use her body on mine.

"Scoot back," she said. I did as ordered, moving to the center of the bed. She crawled up onto the bed too, pushing my legs apart and lay down on her belly, putting her face closer to my crotch.

My heart was racing. I had an idea of what she intended, and I groaned at the mere thought.

Jordan cradled me in her cool hands and looked me over, like she was examining me, but the expression on her face gave me the impression that she was enjoying what she saw. All I could do was lay there and wait with my blood racing through my entire body. Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, and then she lowered her mouth down and kissed me. Her breath was hot, her lips were soft, and her tongue, as it came out to trace my length, was wet. The sensations were unbelievable.

I must have closed my eyes, because when I felt her take the crown into her mouth, I looked at her again. For a second, I couldn't focus. She was sliding her wet lips along me, and I could feel her tongue lashing the underside furiously. After all of the time we spent in the pool, with her grinding her pelvic bone into me, I knew too much more direct contact would cause me to erupt. I tried to gurgle my warning, to make her understand so she could take me out of her mouth, but it was too late.

I tensed up. My whole body locked up under her and white hot liquid fire came out of me to burst into her mouth. Jet after jet shot up from me. My hips thrust up, pressing me forward, and all the while, Jordan kept her mouth around me, sucking and swallowing. I don't know how long it took, but when it ended and I collapsed on the bed, gulping down air.

Jordan still had me in her mouth, casually sucking and licking. It didn't feel like I was going to soften up anytime soon either. She let me slip out of her mouth and smiled. "I knew you've been ready for a while, but I had no idea I had you worked up so much."

I raised my head to see her properly, but didn't know how to respond. Calling her a tease seemed mean. It wasn't her fault I'd been having the kinds of thoughts I did since we arrived at her apartment. I should have been honest, but I didn't know where to start, or if I should apologize. "I don't think it was your fault entirely," I tried.

She tilted her head to the side. "Oh?"

Great. I opened my mouth and stuck my foot in it. I shook my head. "I've been thinking things since we got to your apartment."

She looked like she was trying to hold back a smile. "And what kinds of things do you mean?"

I blinked. I didn't think she'd want to know details. "Just things ... about you."

She shook her head, got up on all fours and crawled up over me. When her eyes were level with mine, she laid down on me and wriggled her body along mine to get comfortable. She looked into my eyes and asked, "Did these ... things ... involve our current lack of attire?"

I swallowed. "Well ... getting there."

She licked her lips. "You were imagining me undressing?"

I nodded.

"And what else?"

I had to clear my throat to say, "Rather strong ... urges."

She wiggled on me. "Urges to do what exactly?"

I took a deep breath. The feel of her body pressed to mine wasn't helping me think very well. I was telling her everything. "Um ... to kiss you."

"Is that all?" she asked as if she knew there was more.

"Well, that was before we even got here," I said.

"And all you thought about was me undressing and kissing me?"

I nodded.

She blinked at me. Her smile was still in place, but I think she was confused.

"I didn't want to make you mad," I said shrugging.

She focused on me. "Make me mad?" She chuckled and shook her head. "I'm surprised your thoughts were so ... polite."

It was back: confusion. "Polite?"

She nodded. "Anyone else at this point would have divulged the most obscene fantasies they'd been having of me."

I shook my head. "But I haven't."

She continued to smile at me, apparently amused. "And even though we're lying here together naked, you still haven't touched me of your own volition."

My hands were still on the bed where I had gripped the fitted sheet. I ran my hands over her back, hoping I hadn't offended her.

She kissed me with a light peck. "That was for being such a gentleman," she said. "And this is for what we're about to do." She kissed me again, but with her tongue probing my mouth. There was no resisting her. I opened up automatically, no, instinctively. She pressed her lips to mine until it felt like we would bruise each other on our teeth, and her tongue reached further into my mouth than before, like she was trying to see if she could tickle my tonsils or something. I closed my lips around her tongue and sucked on it. I could taste myself but that didn't stop me from enjoying what we shared.

Jordan pulled back from our kissing and stared deep into my eyes. I felt like she was studying me, trying to figure something out. Considering how little I knew about her, I had no way to even guess what was on her mind, and having been relieved of a lot of stress I felt the need to ask her a question. "So, where do we go from here?" My insecurities weren't going to vanish so easily. Sure she had ... gone down on me, but I didn't entirely believe anything else was going to happen.

She tilted her head to the side. "That depends."

I glanced side to side, trying to think. "On what?"

"On what you're willing to give me." I didn't have a chance to respond before she rolled over, pulling me with her. Her legs spread wide and rose up my sides. She rolled her hips up, rubbing her heat against my hardness, and I understood what she wanted.

The realization set my mind ablaze. I flashed back on the only class everyone was required to attend. The church didn't want sex education in the school, but the state required it. A one day course was how my school handled that. There was no test, and no one was allowed to ask questions. The subject was broached, the mechanics explained and after only an hour and a half, that was it. I knew what was supposed to go where, but understanding had not prepared me for the real thing. I looked into Jordan's eyes, felt her incredible body beneath mine and could only barely utter the words, "I'm uh ... new at this."

Her eyes widened as comprehension set in. "You're a virgin?"

I simply nodded.

She smiled. "Well, I suppose that makes sense. The polite thoughts, the nervous chatter, and the lack of trying anything you want to do."

Relieved with her response, I shook my head and said the first thing that came to mind, "I'm just glad that you're not mad at me."

She smiled and slid her hand down to grasp me, bringing a gasp from my throat. "I don't have a reason to be mad." She stroked me a couple of times, and then rubbed me against herself. "I'll take care of this part."

I rose up enough to see better and watched as she rubbed me along her vulva. She opened up and the wet heat was even more intense that what I felt rubbing against her. Sliding in, I was engulfed with warmth and the exquisite feel of her body. Her mouth had been fantastic, but very different from the depths I was slipping into.

Another urge hit me, and I pressed into her fully. Her moan was an echo of my own, and her hands pulled at me, bringing my head down over hers, and her lips rose to meet mine for more kisses.

Instincts kicked in and I was moving. Jordan moaned into my mouth and ran her hands over my back while her hips thrust up to meet mine. Various thoughts ran through my mind about what we were doing, and my senses were filled with all things her: the feel of her skin, the smell of chlorine in her hair, the expressions of her face, and the sounds she made.

I wanted it to last as long as possible, so to take my mind off what I was feeling down below, I kissed my way down to her chest again. Jordan moaned loudly as I kissed and orally fondled her breasts. Not only her nipples either. I lapped at her full mounds, covering as much of her chest as I could with my tongue. She seemed to like it most when I ran the very tip of my tongue along the fold where her breasts met at the center of her chest. She pressed them together around my head and hugged me to her, holding me there.

After a few minutes, I had to pull away because I wasn't getting enough air. Her eyes were heavily lidded and her mouth was open to allow her own breathing better passage. She had been moving with me, forcing our bodies closer together with each thrust, but she started losing her rhythm and her hands pulled at me again. I was fascinated by what was happening and pressed into her as hard as I could.

All at once Jordan groaned loudly, pulled my head into her chest again, squeezed her legs around me which forced our pelvic bones to grind together, and locked up on me inside. My lips were pressed to one of her nipples, so I opened my mouth and sucked it as hard as I could. I didn't know what else to do while she held me to her so tightly and simply rode out her reactions.

It was a couple of minutes before she relaxed. She pulled my head up from her breast and kissed me again, her tongue dancing with mine. I held still inside her, but when her hips started rocking again, so did mine.

She broke our kiss and stared into my eyes. I had no idea what she was thinking and didn't know what to ask. It seemed like I should have said something and the question tumbled out of me. "Are you okay?"

She nodded with a smile. It faded with her breathing and our efforts to grind together. She arched her chest up, pressing her fleshy breasts into me and her hot nipples attempted to scorch holes in my chest. I took that as a sign that she wanted more attention then and lowered my head to one engorged nipple.

Jordan pulled at my head. "No," she said, and I moved up to look in her eyes again. "I'm too sensitive there for now." She kissed me again, sucking on my lower lip. "I want you to cum. Cum in me. Cum for me, Seth."

There was no need to think, only do. I hadn't been trying to hold off from release, but with her words I realized how close I was. Jordan pulled my head down and pressed her cheek to mine while my body lost rhythm. In my ear, with heated breath, Jordan whispered her encouragement.

"That's it. You're so close. You feel so good. I feel you so deep in me. Your big throbbing cock is kissing my uterus. I wanna feel your hot cum splash against me, to feel it squish back out of my cunt and ooze down my butt. Fuck me, Seth, fuck me!"

Some part of my mind fought what was happening, only in the effort to keep it going, but too many things combined to overwhelm my senses and what little self-control I still had, most especially Jordan's litany of dirty talk. Jordan arched her hips up and did something that broke the last barrier. I arched my back, pressing myself into her as far as I could go, and felt white hot fire rush out to fill her up. Breathing wasn't an option. Holding back wasn't remotely possible. I gave her what she asked for and while on the surface I enjoyed that fact immensely, the morbid, self-loathing part of me cringed.

When it was over, I slumped on my arms. I was still trying to keep from laying on her fully.

Jordan pushed at my arms and tried to pull me down.

I shook my head. "I don't want to smother you."

She was breathing as hard as I was, but smiled. "You're not that heavy. C'mere." She pulled again and I surrendered.



-------

Chapter 8



After a little while of lying there, catching our breaths, Jordan asked, "How does it feel?"

I rose up onto my elbows so I could see her face and relieve some pressure on her chest. "How does what feel?"

There was a look in her eyes that I didn't understand. It could have been nothing, but there was weight in her gaze that meant something. "How does it feel not being a virgin anymore?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head. My emotions were too chaotic. I didn't know how I should feel, but a smile I couldn't control spread my lips. It felt good. I felt good. It had been a long time since I felt that way. I thought about what she asked and said the first thing that came to mind. "I was never worried about it." I opened my eyes and was met with that same weight. I couldn't leave my answer at that. "The process, however, was incredible."

Her eyebrows rose and her smile blossomed. I leaned down and kissed her. It felt good to offer such an intimate gesture and it be received welcomingly. I really enjoyed so much more too, the feel of her sweaty body under mine, the scent of both of us filling the room, and the thought that I was finally far enough away from home for things to matter.

Jordan didn't rush the kiss. She didn't push me away or try to hold on when I came up for air. She wore a similar smile. If I was right, she had enjoyed our encounter as much as I had. She tilted her head to the side, watching my eyes, and said, "Now, tell me again. How is it you were still a virgin?"

I studied her eyes and found that weight again. Our faces were close enough to kiss without having to move. Her eyes were pretty much all I could see. After what we had shared, why would she ask that? I shook my head slightly. "You don't really want to know that," I said, trying to smile to hide my discomfort.

She blinked and squirmed under me. "You went soft." I only blinked in return. I knew what she meant, but if it could change what she asked me, I'd be happy to talk about it instead. She pushed me over onto my back and looked down at my crotch.

I looked too. I was a mess. Thinking to distract Jordan from her question, I said, "If we're not careful, we'll get this all over the sheets."

She waved that away and said, "Danielle will understand." She looked into my eyes. "What I don't understand is how you were a virgin, and why the mention of it made you shrivel up."

I shook my head. The change in the tone of her question confused me. I asked the first thing that came to mind. "Why do you need to know?"

She studied my face for a moment. "Because you're like me," she said, with only half the conviction her question had behind it.

I had no idea what she was talking about. I made a deliberate sweep of her breasts and crotch with my eyes, ending up with her eyes again. "No, I'm not."

She shook her head. "I know you're male," she said, running her hand over my chest, down my stomach and to my crotch. Even with as messy as I was, she fondled me. "And I like that very much." She looked back up to my face again. "But we are alike." The weight was back in her eyes. She meant something important.

I racked my brain, trying to think of what she could possibly mean, but because I didn't know her very well, it didn't take long to come up with the same conclusion as before: nothing. Nevertheless, her hand was distracting. I looked up at her. She was sitting on one hip with her feet tucked under the other, and her eyes roved up and down my relaxed body. Her whole body and the expressions that came over her face were also distracting. I watched her, thinking it was better than having her dig into something I didn't want to talk about.

When her eyes met mine, she looked hungry again. I didn't understand it, but she wasn't pressing me about my past so I wasn't going to try to snap her out of it. She stroked me until I was hard again, and her breathing grew into a pant. She looked down at my crotch again and her hand got more vigorous. I squirmed under her touch. It felt fantastic and my hips rose off the bed pressing me into her hand. Both of us watched her hand sliding over me, making squelching noises, and occasionally slight slapping sounds. She didn't say a word. She got up onto her knees, leaned closer, and took me into her mouth again.

I was a little shocked at this, because I thought we were done, but I didn't argue. In fact, I thrust my hips up, pressing myself into her mouth. I wasn't able to control the reaction.

She gagged for a second but didn't pull away. If anything, my reaction seemed to spur her on and she drove herself on to me, pulled back and did it again.

I lay my head back and ran a hand over the calf of her closer leg. The light tan of her skin was even over her whole body. Either she tanned in the nude or this was her natural tone. I didn't consider either option for very long. Feeling my touch, Jordan moved herself around. She planted one knee beside me and then threw the other leg over my head to straddle my chest. I thought she was done, but she lowered her bottom toward my face.

Visions of licking her, pressing my tongue into her and fondling her with my hands ran through my mind. I somehow knew she would like it, that she wanted me to do it. Overwhelmed by similar urges I'd been feeling all afternoon, and the feel of what she was doing to me, I didn't fight it.

I ran my hands along her sides to her hips and over her cheeks. Her skin was so smooth, so perfect. I felt her back and how her muscles worked while her head bobbed over me. I pulled back and attempted to encompass each of her cheeks with my palms. A part of me knew it wasn't possible, but feeling her in my hands was as invigorating as kissing her lips.

Thinking of kissing, I looked down. Her lips were right there, glistening with our mixed juices. She was puffy and red, and with a slight move of my hands, I could feel how hot she was. With only a slight bit of pressure, I pulled her down to me and kissed her. She was tangy, musky, and a number of other flavors all mingled together that I couldn't identify, and at the moment couldn't get enough of.

I lapped at her, using the flat of my tongue to caress the length of her slit. Her hips came down and rolled against my tongue. I did it again and she responded again. I may have understood the mechanics of intercourse, but this was an entirely new area of sex I was only vaguely aware of but had no real experience with. As if understanding the mechanics of intercourse had helped me previously. This was different though. This was about pleasuring her and not doing what was instinctive. I kept lapping her and had a brief thought of acting like a dog licking a wound. I shook my head to clear away the idea and Jordan moaned.

She rolled her hips up, down, and side-to-side. With each move, I wondered what caused her different reactions. I started lapping again and then experimentally shook my head. Again, she moaned and rotated her hips. I pressed my lips to her, adding more than the feel of my tongue, and shook my head harder. She pulled off me and groaned, "Yes!"

Half pulling her hips down and half pulling myself up into her, I shook my head while pressing lips and tongue against her. She groaned again and again. Her hips rolled faster and she laid her head on my thigh.

I couldn't keep shaking my head, so I lapped at her with the flat of my tongue a few times and then shook. She would groan and sometimes press herself down onto my mouth. I didn't know what all of her triggers were but I was having fun trying to figure them out.

Jordan relaxed a little again while I lapped at her. She shifted her legs to either get more comfortable or maybe to change how she was lying over me and my next lap started lower than the others had. Jordan froze in place and sucked in air. I caught her reaction and repeated the lap. She groaned.

I felt something like another nipple at the edge of her opening. I pressed my tongue to it and she ground her hips down on my face. I wrapped my lips around it and flicked my tongue over the nub several times. She called out, "Oh, yes, Seth! Right there!"

I kept my mouth on her and swiped my tongue over her as fast as I could. Jordan, to my enjoyment, gripped my thighs tightly and pressed herself to me everywhere. Her hips wouldn't stay still though and I fought to hold her to me while I continued to hit that magic button.

"Okay. Seth. Stop. Please." Jordan moaned the first word but each one after that became desperate.

I relaxed my hold on her and turned my head to the side. I softly kissed her inner thigh and gently rubbed her hips and backside, soothing away the areas I had been gripping.

She rolled off me, but stayed on her side, pressed to mine. My arm was pinned under hip, but I wasn't complaining. I would have sat up to look her over but I was happy laying there next to her and basking in the warmth of her body. I looked down, past her full breasts and caught a smile on her face. She caught me looking and said, "You sure you were a virgin?"

I laid my head back and ignored the question. She enjoyed herself. Why couldn't she be happy with that?

She lightly rubbed my belly and chest. "You didn't finish that time." She paused for a second and added, "Was it because of what I asked about?"

I went still. She had me half pinned and unless I was willing to get rough, I wasn't getting up. I stared at the ceiling, wondering why it was so important to her. It crossed my mind that Danielle would probably come looking for us, and at the moment I would rather face an angry hostess than answer Jordan's question. "We should probably get dressed," I said softly.

She shifted her shoulders closer to me, laid her head on my thigh, and ran her hand over my chest. "Do you have somewhere you need to be?"

I glanced at her. I didn't even have to think about the answer to that question. I was alone at school. I didn't even have a roommate yet. With a slight shake of my head I said, "No, I don't."

She sat up and moved her hips off my arm. "Good, 'cuz I still want to know." She continued to look me over and run her hand from my chest to above my crotch and back again. There was nothing stopping me from climbing off the bed and getting dressed. She wasn't trying to restrain me. She didn't seem to want to hurt me, but I couldn't understand why she had to know.

I didn't say anything. I lay there, staring at the ceiling. I didn't want to think about it, and talking wasn't a consideration. "There's no big mystery to it, I never found a girl that I liked."

She looked up into my eyes. "You never found a girl you liked, or you never found a girl who liked you?"

I took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.

"Ah," she said, "That's what I thought."

My heart picked up pace. I looked at her and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

She tilted her head to the side and said, "I said you and I are alike. I wasn't the most popular girl in my school either."

I blinked at her, trying desperately to understand why she would tell me something like that. She had to be wrong. I looked her face over and couldn't help dropping my eyes to her large swaying breasts. She had curves, but she was slim and in good shape from what I had noticed in the pool. I shook my head. "That's not funny."

She blinked once but wasn't smiling. "It wasn't meant to be. Whether you believe me or not, it's true."

I sat up and looked her over again. I couldn't wrap my head around it. She was a stunning woman. There had to be guys falling all over each other for the chance to say hi to her. I thought about the pool. The other guys in the pool would have had the courage to talk to her, especially in that setting. I knew I wouldn't have if she hadn't brought me. None of them talked to her though. None of them tried hitting on her. None of them attempted to boot me from the party so they could be with her. Why?

I focused on Jordan's face again. She was watching me and that weight of meaning was back. I still had no clue what she was trying to make me understand, but I could relate to the idea of not being popular.

She seemed to understand my need for clarification. Looking down as she checked her nails, she said, "I was a late bloomer in school. It wasn't until my junior year that I started to fill out. Most guys didn't even notice me then." She looked up. "You don't have the problem I did. That's why I was curious."

The ball was back in my court. She had offered up a good explanation and even brought about a touch of concern from me. I was a lot more willing to talk, but she knew it wasn't a case of being a late bloomer. I had been, but not as noticeably as she would have been. Still, my background was different. I wasn't sure that sharing my pain would really do anything other than cause more problems.

I turned and scooted to the edge of the bed. Looking at my own crotch, I said, "We need to find something to clean this up with."

I felt her move closer on the bed and then she ran her hand over my back. I must have jerked because she pulled away. "Seth, what happened to your back?" Her voice was gentle.

I closed my eyes. I hadn't forgotten about the scars. No one else had ever noticed them before, so they never brought them up. I shook my head, "They're nothing to worry about. It happened a long time ago."

Jordan moved up behind me and touched my back gently. It didn't hurt, but I jerked again. It was one thing to be overwhelmed by what we had done and not worry about where she touched me, but I wasn't overwhelmed anymore. "It may have happened a long time ago, but you're still suffering from it." She said. "So, who did this to you?"

I needed a distraction. I looked down and picked up part of her bikini. "I don't know about you, but I don't feel like getting dressed in wet clothes."

She moved up and sat on the edge of the bed next to me. "Talk to me Seth. I'm not going anywhere until you do."

I looked at her, not sure what to feel. She was being stern, but not mean. She looked right back at me, apparently prepared to do what she threatened. I looked away. "I got in trouble at school."

She sat there staring. "You got in trouble at school and they did this to you?"

I shook my head. "No the school gave me a detention."

"Not your parents... ?" she asked.

I hunched further. "No. They thought the detention was enough, but..." I had started, and wasn't going to stop until I finished. I had to get it over quickly so I wouldn't have to think about it again. I took a deep breath. "Lisa Hartwell's parents had been over to talk to my parents while I was serving the detention. I don't know what was said exactly, but my parents sent me over to their place to apologize to Lisa and her family."

I swallowed, remembering vividly what happened that day. "I was already scared, and nervous. When Mr. Hartwell answered the door, he stood there staring at me. I didn't think he was going to invite me in at first, and that would have been fine, but he stepped back, pointed at a chair, and told me to sit.

"Lisa and Mrs. Hartwell were there. They just stared at me. I sat down and for a minute I couldn't find my voice. I started by telling Lisa that I was sorry that I stared at her. The look on her face was ... I don't know. She wasn't crying, but she was exactly glaring either. I apologized to Mrs. Hartwell next. I didn't understand the look on her face. It was worse than Lisa's. She looked disgusted. When I tried to apologize to Mr. Hartwell, he held up his hand and told me not to bother."

I looked up at the ceiling and swallowed. "He told me to stand up and lean over the back of the chair. When I didn't move fast enough, and he pulled me up and forced me into the position he wanted." I closed my eyes. "That was when he started whipping me. I don't know what he was using but it stung."

"After the first hit, I jerked away. I stumbled to the floor while trying to get away from him. He didn't try to stop me; he just followed, lashing me over and over. I crawled to the door as fast as I could, and he was there every step of the way.

"When I finally got the door open and fell out of it, he stopped. I crawled off their porch, made it to my feet and ran home."

Jordan didn't say anything for a moment. "Seth..." she touched my shoulder gently. It didn't hurt. I knew she wasn't trying to hurt me, but I jerked anyway. Reliving those memories had brought back the trauma.

"What did your parents do?" she asked softly.

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"What?" She sounded outraged.

I shrugged. "I didn't bother telling them about it. Just ran to my room, got some clean clothes and went to take a shower."

"Didn't they ask you anything about it? I'm sure your clothes would have been shredded."

I shook my head. "They assumed the apology took care of everything. And I kept my clothes in a black trash bag and threw them in the school dumpster the next day. No one other than me and Lisa's family knew what happened."

Jordan sat there next to me for a couple of minutes. In her calm voice, she said, "Seth, you should have said something. Your parents could have pressed charges."

I looked at her. "And the charges would have been dropped. No one in that town liked me. Not before Lisa and even less after. Most of them talked about me and didn't bother hiding the fact anytime I was within earshot. Some of the things they said ... Like I had raped Lisa, and I never even touched her. I never even thought about her like I did you today. Thoughts like those were dangerous for me, because there was no one to help me. All anyone had to do was make up a story and everyone would believe it."

Jordan blinked and frowned. "But, you got in trouble at school. What actually happened?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Yes, I was staring at Lisa, just like I apologized for, but I was accused by the teacher of fantasizing about her in class. And I wasn't!"

I scooted away because Jordan reached out to touch me again. I didn't want to be comforted, I wanted to rage, to throw things, to hurt someone, and she hadn't been involved. I didn't want to hurt her.

I got up and paced the room. Being naked didn't bother me at the moment. Being covered in clothes wouldn't make me feel any better. "I had never even noticed girls before that day. Lisa was..." I held my hands in front of my chest. "Big. I was curious why. What made her like that when none of the other girls were, but when Ms. Langston saw me, she assumed I was having a sexual fantasy and gave me detention."

Jordan watched me. I could see she was trying to put everything together so she had a clearer picture. "Your school gave detentions for that?" Jordan asked. "They had to be giving out detentions to all of you, everyday."

I sighed. "A small town heavily influenced by the only church there. I was one of the very few who didn't attend like I was supposed to. You do the math."

She arched an eyebrow. "What denomination was the church?"

I shrugged. "Southern Baptist."

She shook her head and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry Seth. Their fundamental belief is that every breath you take is a sin and you should beg for forgiveness." She sounded outraged. "Now I understand, and that certainly explains your virginity and why bringing it up..." she stopped herself and slumped. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

I had stopped pacing to watch her. I hadn't needed the lesson on the church. I had witnessed it firsthand. When she seemed calm again, I asked the question that was still dinging against the inside of my skull. "Why did you need to know so badly?"

This time she stooped and picked up her bikini. "I think you're right. I don't want to put on a wet suit either."

I went back around and sat next to her on the bed. I watched her fiddle with the bikini strings. "You don't want to talk about it anymore than I did."

She looked up and whispered, "We're not supposed to talk about it."

"We?" I asked. "I don't even know what you're implying."

She studied my face for a moment. Her hand snaked out and took mine. I let her. "You really don't know, do you?"

I shook my head. "Don't know what?

She took a deep breath and let out.

Someone knocked on the door.

It was so quiet at that moment that we both jumped. When we both realized what we had done, we both laughed, but covered our mouths as if we'd been talking about something silly. However, I kept my back to the door and watched Jordan intently.

She calmed down from her giggles and called out, "Who is it?"

"Danielle," said the female voice. "Is that you Jordan?"

"Yeah. Seth and I are talking."

"Okay, I wondered where you went."

I let out the breath I was holding when I realized she was leaving without coming in.

Jordan squeezed my hand. "Tell you what. Let's get some dry clothes on and we'll go somewhere to talk."

I was still smiling. It felt better than being angry or afraid. "Why do we need to go anywhere else to talk?"

Jordan's expression adopted that weighted look again. "We'll talk about what we're not supposed to talk about."

I blinked at her and then nodded. "Okay, but my clothes are all downstairs, in your car."

She glanced at the door. "Well, that's better than going out back for your towel."

I thought about walking out to the pool in the buff, and all of the staring eyes.

"That blush is so cute on you," Jordan said.

I focused on her, feeling my face burning and wondering how she intended to get my clothes from her car. Regardless of where we had to go, we were both still naked as the day we were born and neither of us was willing to put on cold, wet suits.



-------

Chapter 9



Jordan glanced at the door. "Seriously though, if you take the back stairs, you'll come out in the kitchen. From there it's a straight shot to the garage. No one's likely to see you," Jordan said with an encouraging smile. She was sitting next to me with her feet on the bed and her arms wrapped around her knees, hugging them to her chest. She had looked wonderful when she was relaxed and recovering, but now she looked cold. She needed clothes and the wet bits of string and cloth on the floor weren't going to be enough.

I stared at her thinking she had to be out of her mind. It was going to take more than her smile and perfect directions to get me to go streaking through Danielle's house.

Jordan was still smiling and tossed a glance at the door. Her meaning was perfectly clear. She really expected me to do what I thought she wanted.

I turned and stared at the door, imagining Danielle's other guests standing right outside, waiting quietly with their cell phones and digital camcorders at the ready to make my nudist debut more than a moment for them. I knew it probably wasn't like that. Probably. Maybe. I shook my head. "Danielle won't be happy if I run down there like this."

Jordan smiled slyly and looked me over. "You never know, she might enjoy what she sees."

I groaned, not from the thought of Danielle seeing me, but because of my reaction to the idea. Was that bad? I'd fought to stay under so many radars for the last four years that I'd never considered what might happen if someone who didn't know me took notice. Small town life doesn't allow for instances like that.

Jordan giggled.

I looked up to find out what was so funny.

She held a hand over her smile and her eyes looked me over with a glint. "I've seen lots of blushes before, but never a full body blush."

Anger shot through me, chasing away my embarrassment. "So glad I could be amusing to you."

The humor in her face drained away. Her eyes opened up more, widening. "Seth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease."

My eyebrows furrowed and I continued to glower.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, yes, I meant to tease, but not like you're thinking." She hesitated and then asked, "Haven't you ever teased someone you liked?"

I looked away and shook my head. "No."

She studied me for a second. "You mean ... no one?"

My head started shaking back and forth on its own and I realized the truth of it. In four years, I had never found anyone in that small damn town that I liked. At least, not in the way that Jordan was talking about. Not in the way that could have allowed me to feel normal rather than like the dirty-minded good-for-nothing everyone thought I was.

Jordan touched my shoulder softly.

I didn't jerk, but my head came up quick. I met her eyes and let her see the pain I was feeling. I didn't want pity, but what was the point in hiding it?

Her face softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

I shook my head. "Not your fault. You don't know me. You couldn't know."

She shook her head in turn. "No, Seth, from what you told me, it wasn't your fault either. No one deserves to be treated the way you were. Now, c'mere." She pulled at my arm.

I leaned over and let her hug me. It was a simple, friendly gesture and it felt as warm and nice as I had always thought it should. My parents hadn't even hugged me when I left. I honestly couldn't think of the last time anyone had.

Jordan pulled back, cupped my face in her hands, and looked into my eyes. "Now, we need dry clothes. Can you do that for me? I need to use the restroom to um ... clean up."

I nodded and thought about what she brought to the party. The only things I remembered were the thin wrap-skirt and a towel. "What else did you bring to wear?"

Her hands slipped from my face and she squirmed on the bed. Her eyes darted around, looking everywhere but at me. A touch of blush appeared on her cheeks and upper chest. "I was ... too distracted to think about anything to wear after swimming."

I thought back to her apartment. We had talked, and then changed to get ready for the party. She hadn't seemed distracted to me. "Distracted by what?"

She looked up at me biting her lower lip. Instead of answering my question, she said, "I could get away with wearing your t-shirt and my wrap."

I blinked and nodded. "Okay, but that still leaves us one problem..."

"You don't want to go down nude," she finished for me.

I nodded.

She let out a soft sigh. "Too bad." Her voice was soft and wistful.

I was sure it was a good thing. No one made wistful sighs over things they didn't like. I knew that first hand. The idea made my face burn. Thinking fast I said, "Danielle's your friend. Wouldn't she have something in here you could wear?"

"Maybe," she said. She got up and went to the closet. Pulling it wide open, she said, "It's empty." Without saying anything else, she went to another door I hadn't noticed before. She opened the door a crack and looked through it. After a quick look, she pulled it open and went in. I could hear her rummaging around. She came out a second later shaking her head. "No towels."

"Does anyone even live up here?" I asked.

Jordan shook her head. "Danielle and Roger don't have any kids. Roger doesn't want any."

I waved at the room. "And they feel the need to flaunt their money like this?"

"No, Danielle didn't want the house, for the same reason, but Roger got it anyway." She bent over and picked up the comforter off the floor. "I think this'll work." She looked at me. "You could wear it to get your clothes."

I agreed. When I looked up at Jordan, she was smiling at me.

I swallowed. "I don't know about this."

"C'mere. It'll be easy."

I went to her, not sure what she had planned.

She wrapped it around me. "Hold it together in the front and go down the back stairs. They lead directly to the kitchen and from there to the garage. The door will be closed. Change in there and then go get the rest of your clothes so I'll have something to wear."

It sounded simple enough. I bunched up the blanket in front so I wouldn't trip. I looked up into Jordan's eyes and nodded. I was as ready as I was going to be.

Since my hands were full, she opened the door for me.

I stopped a couple of steps from the doorway. No one was in the hall. At least that one small fear was overcome. I looked at her again to ask a question, but she pulled my face to hers for another kiss. Her tongue darted into my mouth, wrestling with mine. When we broke, her eyes were closed and she licked her lips, tasting something she liked. When she opened her eyes, she smiled at me.

I was stunned for a second, but when I saw her smile a very pleasant sensation washed through me. I smiled in return and asked, "Which way to the back stairs?"

She watched my lips and bit hers again. Her hand came up pointing. "That way."

I looked out the doorway. The hall turned a couple of times, but I could see the end of the railing that separated the stairway from the floor. I stepped out of the room, ready to go, and Jordan pulled me around for another kiss. I worried that Danielle might find us. When Jordan released me, I stepped back. I smiled at her, not wanting her to think I didn't like the kisses. I did, but I was supposed to get our clothes.

She had that look on her face again, not smiling but not angry. As much as we had already done, I was worried she might want to start up again. My only problem was I was apparently happy with the idea, if you could call that a problem.

She waved me away. "Go, or we'll never get outta here."

I nodded and quickly walked toward the back stairs. There were several closed doors between the room Jordan and I had been in and the stairs. I knew the house was big, but how many rooms did it have?

I moved down the stairs as quietly as possible, and gripped the comforter around me tightly. Jordan was right, the stairs led right to the kitchen. I didn't hear any movement ahead of me, but I couldn't see anyone in the kitchen. When I was nearly to the bottom of the stairs, I spotted Danielle drinking an amber liquid from a tumbler at the far end of the island. Before I could duck back up the stairs, she finished off the drink and spotted me.

"Seth?" she asked.

I froze, gripping the comforter tightly and burning with embarrassment. I stared at her, waiting for her to start ranting.

She stepped around the island, moving closer to me to get a better look. She was still in her stylish one piece, and the design of the suit drew my eyes along the curves of her body. I couldn't help but notice the way her hips moved. She had only taken a few steps, but I noticed the way her hips rolled and swayed. Her breasts bounced in the confines of her suit. The suit should have held them better than that, I thought to myself ruefully. Even though I had flagged while concerned about getting to Jordan's car without getting caught, my body hardened in excitement again and I burned with embarrassment. Not to mention, I shook with fear of getting into trouble.

Danielle looked me over. I was covered from my neck down with the comforter, except maybe my feet, so I was sure she couldn't see anything. She stopped with her arms crossed below her breasts, making them bulge. I didn't think she was doing it on purpose, but that didn't stop me from noticing. Her soft pink lips were curled in a smile.

I stood there doing everything I could to calm myself down. I didn't know Danielle well enough to know how much truth to tell, and I was sure she was going to ask. The only good thing so far was that she didn't seem to be angry.

"If I recall correctly, you left your spare clothes in Jordan's car?" she asked.

I nodded tightly, not trusting myself to speak.

She uncrossed her arms and leaned back on her hands on the island. Her chest thrust out a little. My previous thought about her not knowing what she was doing was suddenly in question. Was she doing that on purpose? She was married. Why would she do this in front of me?

I bowed my head and stared down at the last three steps. Fire blazed under my skin and I fought with myself to relax, but my body throbbed with excitement. It was too much to take so soon after Jordan. I was thankful the heavy blanket wrapped around me hid my condition.

"Are you okay?" Danielle asked.

I glanced her way and automatically nodded. I noticed a new detail that didn't help my state any; the pebble sized dents on the bulging mounds her breasts made. I dropped my gaze again.

Danielle giggled. Apparently she was feeling better than earlier. I was glad for that, but did she have to laugh at me?

"Seth," she said.

"Yeah?" I said, struggling not to look at her.

"Seth, look at me," she said, her voice softer.

I looked.

She was smiling softly and her eyes twinkled. She didn't have the spiteful expression I'd seen so many times before. Once she was sure I wasn't going to look away again, she gestured toward the garage. "Go get your clothes."

I nodded and stepped down to the cool kitchen floor tiles. Sheepishly I stepped closer, fully intending to walk past her quickly. I wanted to take the shortest route to the garage. I glanced up and watched her take a deep breath.

When I drew up next to her, Danielle's hand suddenly shot out and planted on the front of the comforter, right where I was holding it closed, level with my chest.

Fear flooded me. I stopped and stood stock still. This was it. I was in trouble. I tightened my grip on the blanket and waited, trembling, for Danielle to start yelling, or worse.

She took another deep breath and let it out slowly. She must have been trying to maintain some level of control.

I thanked God for that much, but I was too afraid to look her in the eyes.

She lightly ran her hand over the comforter. "Is this the comforter from the spare bedroom upstairs?" she asked. Her voice was soft.

I knew a few people who talked softly before lashing out verbally. I braced for the impact of her outrage and nodded.

She took another deep breath and let it out slowly. I suddenly realized what I smelled like. She must have smelled it too. I cringed and shook. She said, "I thought Jordan said you two were just talking." Her voice was still calm, almost like she was talking about the weather.

I looked around at the kitchen, anything to not look at her. "Well, when you knocked, that's all we were doing."

Danielle stood there for a moment longer, running her hand up and down the front of the comforter. She didn't say anything and I thought she would ask more questions, to get at the full truth. She leaned toward me and inhaled again.

I took a chance and looked at her face. Her expression wasn't edged with anger. Instead, she looked more like someone enjoying smelling something good. I didn't understand that.

Her eyes opened again and her expression changed. She met my eyes and then looked down.

I had been very careful to keep myself covered with the comforter while she ran her hand over it, so I had no idea what she was looking at.

She could feel where I held the comforter at my chest, and ran her hand down and found my other tightly clutched fist. In between, she found the edge and tried to pull it open. When I didn't let go, she looked up into my eyes again. "Let me look," she said. "I want to see."

Shocked, I held fast. "I think Jordan might get upset if you do that," I said, both joking and trying to reason with her. Of course, Jordan's earlier words rang through my mind, "She might like what she sees."

Danielle shook her head. "I don't care."

I stepped to the side, trying to put some distance between us, but I bumped into the counter. Danielle held onto the edge of the comforter and followed me. I slid along the counter, edging my way toward the garage and my clothes. Danielle refused to let go of the blanket, tugging at it again, testing my grip. She quickly realized that I wasn't going to give in so easily and used both hands to try to spread the blanket open. I held on tightly and our struggles turned into a pseudo-tug-o-war. Her aggressiveness was turning me on too, but that wasn't what I needed at the moment.

"Please," she said. Her voice was low and throaty. "I need to see you. I need to feel you."

I was backed up to another counter, holding tightly onto the blanket. She wasn't pressed against me but she wasn't giving me any space either. I don't know what made me think it, but some part of my mind considered it a compromise and I let the blanket slip down from my shoulders to my hips. I was still covered, but it seemed to do the trick.

Danielle let go of the blanket and her delicate hands caressed my chest. Her eyes devoured me and she licked her lips. Her expression was not one I had ever seen when someone looked at me. It was like she was awe-struck or something.

I was in decent shape, from working on cars and moving heavy equipment at the garage, but I had never been an athlete of any kind, so I had what I considered to be a very average body. However, Danielle pawed me, not realizing how ordinary I was.

I looked around the kitchen, doing everything I could to ignore how her touch felt. Her fingers were soft and traced over my chest, leaving sensations that made me feel like I had with Jordan. I couldn't believe I was that sensitive, especially in the chest. It was like Danielle's every feather-light touch sent electric jolts straight to my groin and I fought to stifle several moans.

Looking around the kitchen, I spotted a few bottles of liquor, and remembered that Danielle had finished off a similar drink. I found my voice and said, "Danielle, have you been drinking?"

She didn't say anything. Instead, she leaned in and rubbed her face against my chest. She looked up and I met her eyes. The heat of her breath caressed my nipple. I had never felt anything even remotely exciting from my nipples before, but I shivered with the sensation and my eyes fluttered closed.

Danielle didn't answer my question, but she had apparently noticed my reaction. I focused on tightly holding the blanket, and felt Danielle's lips touch my nipple. A soft moan escaped me. How could I be feeling like that so soon after Jordan? Why my chest? Why now?

I looked down in time to watch Danielle open her mouth wide and suck as much of my peck into her mouth as if I had a breast. The curve of her red lips locked over my skin was the most erotic sight at that moment, and I desperately wanted to return the favor.

Danielle pulled back, sucking hard on me. Her tongue laved across my nipple and I swore I was very close to hosing down the blanket right there.

"Seth?"

I looked up and saw Jordan. Part of me registered that I was about to catch hell and would probably be left to walk home, but the rest of me simply didn't care. I was quickly losing control, and if Danielle pulled at the blanket again, I was going to let her have it.

Jordan came down the stairs wearing the sheet from the bed. She looked really good even though all I could see of her was from the shoulders up. She came into the kitchen, but didn't say anything. She stared at the two of us.

Danielle hadn't noticed Jordan. She drew a wet line across my chest with her tongue and sucked on my other nipple.

I watched Jordan and moaned. I didn't have the strength of will to stay quiet, nor did I have the manners to try to hide what was happening with the blanket I held onto so desperately. Jordan looked up and met my eyes when I moaned again. I only barely registered that she didn't look upset.

I looked down at her chest. Her full breasts were well hidden, but her nipples stood proudly against the cotton material. I wanted to reach out for her, to touch her, to feel her warm body under my hands again, but I couldn't bring myself to let go of the blanket.

Jordan took a deep breath, like Danielle had earlier, and her eyes fluttered. Instead of coming after me though, she stood her ground, holding onto the handrail for support. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes. With a commanding voice, she said, "Danielle."

Danielle didn't react other than to suck harder on my nipple. Jordan called her name again and she pulled her lips from me. Danielle's breathing was heavy and the heat of her breath washed over my chest. She languidly rolled out her tongue and licked my nipple again. I shuddered at the contact and Jordan called her name a third time. Danielle finally looked back over her shoulder at the other woman.

Jordan looked her in the eyes and held her free hand out to Danielle. "Come here, Danielle. Take my hand."

Danielle looked up at me and I met her gaze. There was a something in her expression I couldn't put a finger on, and then I realized Jordan had a similar look when she dragged me up to the bedroom earlier - hunger. It wasn't as prevalent as it had been with Jordan, but it was there.

"Seth," Jordan said and I looked up. "When I when I say so, go open the garage, start my car - the keys are in it - roll the windows down, and back it out into the driveway."

I understood what she said, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave. Part of me knew this could lead to problems I didn't want to get involved in. Danielle was married. Her husband could show up at any time. That morbid, self-loathing part of my mind expressed the possibility that he would do a lot worse than whip me with a switch.

Jordan looked back at Danielle. "Come to me Danielle," she said.

Danielle looked from me to Jordan and back again. Jordan kept calling to her and each time, Danielle's gaze stayed with Jordan a little longer. Finally, Danielle pulled away from me and almost fell into Jordan's arms. Some of the excitement I was feeling left with her. After a few seconds, Jordan said, "Seth, go."

"You don't want..." I started. I wasn't sure what I was going to ask, but I couldn't make my feet move.

"No," she interrupted me. "Just ... just go."

I nodded but still didn't move.

Jordan lowered her sheet from her heavy breasts. Her nipples were hard and looked inviting. Danielle pawed at her breasts openly, rubbing them with her much smaller hands. Jordan looked absolutely enormous in Danielle's hands as compared to mine. I didn't need the additional visual, but I couldn't pull my eyes from the sight.

"Seth!"

I looked up and met Jordan's eyes. Her hunger was back and I was trapped between helping her with it and doing what she said to do.

"Go," she said. Her voice was breathy and she licked her lips. It really sounded like she was struggling with herself. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

I nodded and backed away, watching the two women. Danielle had the side of her face pressed between Jordan's breasts. Her red lips opened wide, shooting warm air over Jordan's breast and then extended her tongue, openly licking the brunette's hard nipple.

I stumbled over the blanket I desperately held closed around me. After catching my balance and gathering up the blanket so I wouldn't trip, I looked in the kitchen again. Jordan had her eyes closed and pressed Danielle's face to her breast. Both women were moaning and I had to fight the urge to go back in and do the same to Jordan's other breast.

Movement caught my attention and I looked through a doorway toward the double glass doors leading to the pool party outside. No one was playing Marco Polo anymore. Several couples were paired up around the edges of the pool, engaged in similar activities similar to those Jordan and I had been sharing before we came inside. I realized that they might see me and that stifled any further thoughts of going back into the kitchen. Not wanting to tempt fate, I turned and went to the garage.



-------

Chapter 10



I climbed into the car's driver seat and sat there for a moment. I couldn't believe what Danielle had done. It took a minute to catch my breath and two more for me to find something else to think about so my erection would subside. Once I could sit more comfortably, I found the keys and started the car. The garage door was still closed and I couldn't find the remote Jordan had used earlier. I got out of the car, found the switch on the wall and hit it. When the door was open, I eased back out, leaving plenty of room for the door to close without hitting the front of the car. I didn't have a license. It didn't bother me at home because I was sure no one else wanted me to have one, but now that I was sitting in the driver's seat of a car, I realized I wanted one for myself.

The door in the garage leading into the house swung in and Jordan came out, wrapped up in the sheet again. I was slightly disappointed but understood that she couldn't come outside while exposed.

I hopped out of the driver's seat to meet her and find out what the plan was. However, all she said was "Get in."

I did so; thankful she wasn't asking questions or worse, yelling. Between calming down to focus on the task she'd set me, and trying to rationalize what had happened, I wasn't sure what I would have told her if she had asked me about Danielle.

She drove somewhat recklessly at first. Once we were on the main road outside the gated community, she calmed down and drove quietly.

I realized we weren't heading toward campus. I had expected her to take me back to my dorm after what happened with Danielle. She may not have been angry, but I certainly didn't believe she would want to spend any more time with me. Noting that she was fairly calm, I said, "I thought campus was the other way."

She glanced my way, but kept her focus on the road.

I grew nervous. "Where are we going?" I asked.

She swallowed and said, "To get help." Her voice was low, like she was restraining herself.

My anxiety grew. "Help for what?" I asked. I couldn't understand what we'd need help for.

She shook her head. "Just let me drive. I need to concentrate."

I reached over to touch her shoulder. She seemed tense and I wanted to help ease it if I could.

The instant she knew what I was doing, she jerked away. A car that we were passing honked angrily.

I pulled back and folded my hands in my lap. I could only see her profile, but she looked scared. "What did I do?" I asked. I thought she'd be mad, not scared. "It wasn't my fault. Danielle was trying to take off the blanket and..."

Jordan shook her head. "Not now. We'll talk later."

"Okay," I said and turned to watch the city lights pass by.

I had no idea why Jordan had opted for open windows instead of the very effective AC system in her car. The heat made me sweat, a lot. I was thankful for the open window though, because the rushing wind helped to clear my head. She said we would talk later. I wasn't sure if that talk would be good or bad, but it would give me the chance to apologize.

After about twenty minutes we pulled into the driveway of a small house. The neighborhood looked run down. I wasn't interested though.

After killing the engine, Jordan said, "I'll be back in a few minutes. Just wait here."

I watched her get out and walk up to the house. The sheet made her stand out in the dark. She knocked on the door almost impatiently. Someone answered it and then Jordan went inside. What kind of help did she expect to find? What was the help for? The only rational, if somewhat questionable, idea I could come up with was some form of therapy, but for who? For what? For me? For the scars on my back? No, that didn't make sense. She hadn't mentioned anything about needing therapy when we talked. She didn't seem to have any problems that needed therapy either.

I looked at the house again. It was small with only two little, curtain covered windows to the right of the front door. There was a single car garage door to the left. Since there wasn't a car in the drive other than Jordan's I guessed Jordan's friend's car was in the garage.

I thought about the differences between this house and Danielle's. Then I remembered that Danielle had been upset when we arrived. Jordan had said she was angry when I asked about her later. I couldn't stop the playback of the moments I spent with Danielle before escaping to her garage.

I glanced at the small house in front of me. A mix of emotions raged in me. I wondered how long it would be before I spoiled my welcome here. I shook my head. I didn't start things with Danielle, she did.

The more I thought about what happened with Danielle, the more confused I felt. Why did she do that? She must have known that Jordan and I had been together, and she was married on top of that. She shouldn't have tried to take the blanket.

And then I remembered what she did to my chest and how it felt.

I lowered the blanket and touched my own nipples. They were still sensitive. It was like my nipples were connected straight to my groin. The slightest graze over my nipples made me erect again.

The door to the house opened and Jordan came out holding something in her hand. I was sure it was a tea cup. She stopped halfway to the car and said, "Seth, after I go back inside, you need to drink this, and then come in too."

I gripped the blanket around me to hide my new erection and opened my door. "Jordan, what's going on?"

She stooped and set the cup on the ground. "We'll talk when you come inside, but you have to drink this first."

I watched her turn and go, and then looked at the cup on the grass. Remembering the original reason I had wrapped myself in the blanket, I reached into the back seat and grabbed my backpack. Both my hands were full when I reached the cup. I looked up and noticed someone watching me through the windows. Whatever was going on, I was sure they wouldn't let me inside to change until I drank whatever was in the cup.

I set my backpack down and picked up the cup. It looked like tea. I sniffed but didn't recognize the scent. I sipped it. It was bitter. I was tempted to pour it out, but a glance told me they were still watching. Doing my best not to breathe, I downed the cup. I coughed. It may have tasted bitter, but a cooling sensation rushed through me. Even in the hot evening, I shivered and pulled the blanket up around me.

Hooking the cup with my thumb, I grabbed my backpack too and headed for the door.

Jordan opened it for me, stood back to let me in, and took the cup from my thumb.

I knew the house was small, but the inside didn't feel tight or confined even after being in Danielle's spacious house. Jordan led the way past a couple of doors and to the main living area. The kitchen, dining room and living room were all one big open space.

A woman with hair so black it had blue highlights was in the kitchen cleaning something in the sink. Jordan handed her the cup, which she rinsed out. After Jordan passed her, she turned to look over her shoulder at me. Her eyes were dark liquid pools. "I'm Raven," she said blowing a stray hair from her face. "For obvious reasons." Then she nodded at the furniture behind me. "Have a seat."

I glanced at the couch and then held up my backpack. "Do you mind if I get dressed first?"

She looked at Jordan, who stood in front of the couch, and then said, "I don't believe it'll matter."

I looked at Jordan too. "What does she mean?"

Jordan rolled her eyes and sat down. "We can talk here Seth. You don't have to act anymore." She relaxed on the couch. Not having to hold the sheet to her, she crossed her legs and draped her arm along the back of it. She reminded me of a cat lounging comfortably wherever it chose to lie down.

I watched her settle, and realized that she was a lot more relaxed than she had been in the car. "Not act about what?"

Jordan rolled her eyes again. Maybe she was angry about Danielle.

"I don't think he's acting Jordan," Raven said. I glanced at her. She was drying her hands on a small towel.

"I can't tell," Jordan said. I looked at her and felt like I was watching a tennis match.

"You gave him too much," Raven said.

I wanted to wave my hands, but they were full. "Ladies, I'm sorry, but I really don't know what you're talking about."

Jordan's expression changed. She sat forward on the couch, and remembered to catch the blanket when it threatened to drop from her. "You don't know what's going on?"

I shook my head. "Why would I lie?"

She looked past me at Raven. "If he's not lying then his parents never told him."

Raven came from around the island that separated the kitchen from the rest of the space. She wore silk pajamas that matched the highlights in her hair. She stopped in front of me, looking up in my face.

I gripped the blanket around me tighter. Something about the way she stood there looking at me was turning me on. She was older than me or Jordan, but still extremely attractive. I was feeling more and more uncomfortable until she turned to look at Jordan. "He's not lying as far as I can tell." And just like that, she went over and curled up in the recliner.

"Good, I'm glad one of you believes me," I said. "But what is it I'm supposed to already know?"

Raven looked at Jordan. Jordan looked back at Raven and then slumped. "He's not my responsibility. I've already caused enough damage."

Raven shook her head. "You're already bound to him. You've diminished so much you're almost mundane."

Jordan shook her head. "No, I can't be. How am I supposed to keep my Fonti safe?"

Raven shrugged. "I don't think it matters anymore." She looked up at me. "Once Seth has been fully initiated, you'll probably be his Fonte."

I shook my head. "I don't want to force Jordan into being a... Fonte, whatever that is, and I still don't know what you two are talking about."

Raven watched me. "At this point Seth, it doesn't matter whether you want this or not. It's going to happen."

I glanced at Jordan. She looked dejected and heavily worried. "No, it's not."

"And how do you plan on stopping it?" Raven asked.

I swallowed and thought about it. "With every other problem I've encountered, I've found a way."

She smiled slightly. "You said you don't even know what a Fonte is. Do you know why Jordan would become yours?"

Giving up on the chance to get dressed any time soon, I sat in the other chair. It allowed me to see both women without having to crane my neck to do it. "No, but you're going to tell me." I sounded a lot more confident than I felt.

"No, I'm not." Raven said and then looked at Jordan. "You're her responsibility now. She's going to explain it."

Jordan's mouth was open, disbelieving. "You really think..."

Raven cut her off with a look. "You said it yourself. This is a place where you can talk. Seth has a great deal to learn and that solution he drank will give you at least an hour."

"What was in that anyway?" I asked. I didn't care who answered me.

Raven only looked at Jordan.

Jordan sighed. She looked at me and said, "When Danielle came on to you, she wasn't in her right mind."

I wanted to agree but Jordan made it sound as if Danielle was crazy. I didn't agree with that notion. She had been upset and angry about her husband's reaction to the party, but that didn't make her crazy. Reckless maybe, but not crazy. I nodded, not wanting to argue semantics. "I'll grant she wasn't exactly restrained, but ... why?"

Jordan shook her head. "Lemme talk Seth. She came on to you because your power drew her to you. You're a new Magus."

I blinked at her. "I'm a what?"

"A Magus, a mage, a modern wizard," she rattled off. "You have power to use magic. It awoke earlier this evening and that is what drew Danielle to you."

"She's not the only one," Raven said softly, watching Jordan.

Jordan threw her a look. "I was getting to that part."

I shook my head. "There's any number of reasons Danielle would come on to me."

Jordan looked at me. "Did she tell you why?"

I stopped and thought about that. She had asked about the blanket, mentioned my clothes in Jordan's car, and told me she wanted to open the blanket to see me and touch me, but that was it. I shook my head and said, "She was too intent on opening my blanket."

"Did she say anything at all?" Jordan asked.

"Well ... yeah," I said. "When I first came down the stairs, she knew I was after my spare clothes and asked about the blanket."

"And when did she try to take the blanket?" Jordan asked.

I thought about the details and recounted them for Jordan.

"You didn't flash her, or say anything else?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, I was already embarrassed. I just wanted to get my clothes and get back to you so you could get dressed too."

Jordan sat back. "And what nice, normal reason would you give for her actions?"

I shrugged. I wanted a normal reason, but couldn't think of one. Unless... "She wants to leave Roger, and use me as an excuse." I couldn't even look at Jordan while saying it.

"I'll agree she should leave Roger," Jordan said, "but you gave her no incentive to come onto you like that."

I looked up. "And you think that she threw herself at me because I'm a wizard?"

"Magus," Jordan corrected. "Wizard is too ... childish a term really."

I shook my head. "Doesn't matter what you call it, I don't believe it."

She sighed and sat back. "The power you have has to feed. We call it the Initiation. Until your power is sated, the same thing will happen over and over."

I looked over at Raven and then to Jordan. "So, why isn't it happening now?"

"Because the solution you drank suppresses it," Jordan said.

I looked at Raven. "Seems simple enough. Make some more and I'll take it as often as needed."

Raven shook her head. "The more you take it, the less potent it is."

"Diminishing returns," Jordan said.

I snorted a short laugh and shook my head. "Convenient."

"What's that?" Jordan asked.

I looked at her. My incredulity had to be evident on my face. "You're trying to tell me that I'm some kind of mage, and because of it, Danielle came on to me. You've also implied that unless I drink that solution that it'll happen again. Are you listening to yourself? I may be from a small town in another state, I may have been treated badly, but no one's ever tried to convince me of anything like that."

Jordan swallowed and looked at Raven. "I don't know if I have the power to prove anything to him."

I looked at Raven too, waiting for her to try to help Jordan convince me. I didn't hold my breath in anticipation.

Raven looked me over for a moment and then looked back at Jordan. "He's already attained one of your attributes."

Jordan's eyes widened for a second. She looked at me again and then she blinked, apparently thinking. I looked back and forth between the two women, certain Raven had only give Jordan some kind of code to help her in this ... what? Con? Deception? What?

Jordan focused on me. "That's it. Your reaction to Danielle in the kitchen."

I frowned at her. "What?"

"When Danielle was sucking on your nipples, you reacted strongly. Guys don't normally get off on having their nipples sucked."

I didn't like the way she talked about it, like it was nothing more than ... well like Raven washing the cup the solution had been in. However, she had a point. The way it felt when anything came into contact with my nipples wasn't something I had ever noticed before today. I tried for the most obvious argument. "I was a late bloomer. This might be something that I only noticed today."

Jordan shrugged. "Most Magi are late bloomers. It has something to do with our body chemistry, but that only adds to my point."

I grumbled inwardly. No matter what I said, she'd probably find a way to turn it into a point in her favor. Besides that, I still couldn't figure out why she was trying to convince me of this. None of it made sense. If she wanted money, I didn't have any outside of what I had for college. If she wanted more sex, she didn't have to lie to get that. What was the point of all of this? Maybe the only way to get them to tell me was to concede the point. I looked at Jordan. "Fine, what do I have to do then?"

Jordan arched an eyebrow. "I thought you said you'd find a way to solve this?"

Two could ignore direct questions, besides, I was sure she didn't want to be this ... what was Raven called it? "Does this problem have to do with you becoming my... Fonte?" I asked in return.

The slight smile on Jordan's face vanished. She nodded. "Directly."

I stood up, grabbing my backpack again. "Then if I've got an hour, it sounds like enough time for you to get me back to my dorm. And then you can go back to your life and not have to worry about this problem."

Jordan was shaking her head. Raven sat there watching me. "You're not listening, Seth," Raven said. "Anyone who gets too close to you will throw themselves at you. Jordan is already bound to you, like it or not, and I'll wager she's willing to help you with your Initiation."

I looked at Raven. "You said she'd become my Fonte, right?" Raven nodded. "Okay, I don't know what that is, but she obviously doesn't want to."

Raven smiled. "A very gallant gesture, Seth." She looked at Jordan. "Do you think Danielle would be willing to help him?"

I didn't like the idea that Raven was willing to volunteer anyone for this Initiation thing. Danielle had problems at home she needed to take care of without worrying about the problems these two might cause. How could Jordan call Raven a friend? How could she even consider talking about something like this? Was Jordan really the kind of friend I wanted?

I looked at the woman in question. Jordan was still staring at me. Her expression was glossy, she had lost some focus. When she realized Raven had asked her a question, she shook her head and asked "What? Oh, I'm sorry. I don't think Danielle would be a good idea. She's having problems with Roger again."

I felt better. Maybe Jordan was a good friend.

"I don't mind helping him with his Initiation," Jordan continued. "I just wish I knew what to do about my Fonti." She looked up again and I could see the troubled thoughts in her eyes.

They still weren't making any sense. What was a Fonte? What did it have to do with this Initiation? Why did they think I needed to go through the Initiation? It wasn't like I was joining a fraternity or any other kind of organization. Or was that it? Were they trying to recruit me for something? What kind of group talked about magic? I knew a few kids from my home school who played games. Not computer games, but something involving books and funny shaped dice. They had mentioned magic when walking the halls of the school and talking about the game. This couldn't be the same thing, could it? Why did we have to come here to talk about a game? It made no sense. None of this did.

I focused on Jordan again. "Why did you bring me here?"

She shifted around on the couch and made adjustments to the sheet wrapped around her. She looked up at me again and said, "Like I told you at Danielle's, we came here to talk about what we couldn't talk about there."

"And this is what you wanted to talk about?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I thought you needed to talk. I didn't realize at the time that you didn't know anything about this."

I shook my head. "I still don't understand. For that matter, I don't even believe this."

She tilted her head to the side. "I'm sorry, Seth. There's nothing I can do to change it."

I studied her expression. "You look like you're giving me bad news. Why?"

She took a deep breath. "You've already had a hard life. At least it sounded like it. I didn't suffer like you did, but mine wasn't any easier." She glanced at Raven. "I still don't live a normal life. Not like all the other kids I went to school with."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She took another deep breath to answer, but her eyes fluttered and closed. I remembered her doing the same thing at Danielle's house. For that matter, Danielle had too. I watched her for a moment. She still had her eyes closed. When she took another breath, she held it for a few seconds longer and then licked her lips.

I looked over at Raven, about to ask what was going on, but she had scooted out of her seat and stood up. She edged toward the hall and said, "It would appear you've already burned through the solution Seth."

I glanced back at Jordan. "But you said I had an hour."

She shook her head. "Apparently you're a lot stronger than I thought."

I got out of my chair and stepped back, away from both women. "Then I'll go into the backyard and let you make another, stronger solution."

She kept backing down the hall. "I don't believe it'll work at all, even if I made it as strong as possible. Besides, you probably wouldn't be able to drink it. It would either make you violently sick or kill you."

I glanced at Jordan. She was watching me with the same hungry expression she'd had earlier. "What's going on Raven?"

"It's your power drawing her, just like with Danielle," she said slowly walking backward down the hall toward the front door. "You have to feed your power."

"How?" I asked.

She stopped in a doorway to what looked like her bedroom from my angle. "Do what comes naturally," was all she said before closing the door. I heard a loud click. Apparently she didn't trust somebody. I looked over at Jordan and judging by her expression, I agreed with Raven - locking myself in a room alone sounded like a really good idea.



-------

Chapter 11



I stood next to the sliding glass door that led to the backyard of Raven's house and watched Jordan. Her expression had started off as hungry, but it became more intense, giving me the impression of a tigress on the hunt, and I was her next meal.

She rose from the couch in one smooth motion. The sheet she'd kept wrapped around her fell to the floor in a pool of warm cotton. I was so focused on her expression and what she might do that I didn't react to the sight of her nude body.

I dropped my backpack and gripped my blanket with both hands. "Jordan, whatever you're thinking, this isn't what you wanted."

She stepped out of the sheet. Even with that single step forward, her hips rolled. It wasn't a dangerous move. It wasn't meant to be. "How do you know what I want?" she asked. Her voice was low, throaty.

I swallowed. "You're right, I don't, but does it have to do with you becoming my Fonte? If it does, then I think you'll regret it afterwards."

She looked me over as she got closer. She couldn't see anything. I was sure she was remembering what I looked like under the blanket since she had seen me earlier. "I don't think being your Fonte will be a bad thing."

I was surprised. I still didn't know what a Fonte was, but I didn't believe she really wanted it. I glanced down the hall toward Raven's bedroom, thinking fast. I remembered something Raven mentioned earlier. "Raven said you gave me too much. What did she mean? Too much of what?"

Jordan stopped. She blinked and shook her head. "I ... I gave you too much power."

I didn't know what she meant by that, but if it shook her out of this ... trance, then I was fine talking about it. I studied her face. She looked a bit confused. "When?" I asked.

She looked up. "When we had sex." Her voice sounded strained.

I thought back to Danielle's house. So much had happened there I knew it would take me a long time to recover. However, focusing on having sex with Jordan, I said, "I don't remember anything about power..."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I wasn't supposed to give you power..."

It seemed the more she talked, the more she resisted. "If you weren't supposed to give me power," I said, "then why did you?"

She looked at me again, a pleading look on her face. "I couldn't stop myself."

I looked her over. I couldn't help it. I noticed she was trembling, like she could barely stand. I relaxed a little; certain she couldn't jump me if she was too tired to stand. All of our playing in the pool must have finally caught up to her. It was probably why she hadn't gotten any closer. I decided to point that out. "You've stopped yourself now."

Her face crumpled. "It's taking everything I've got to resist you."

I tightened my grip on the comforter and looked her over again. Was her trembling from fighting with herself? I didn't feel tired from swimming or anything else I had done today. I wanted to believe I had better stamina, but I didn't know her well enough to be certain. She had surprised me with her strength. Maybe she had good endurance too. I edged around her. It would probably be a good idea to put some distance between us. "Then maybe I should leave, so you don't have to worry about this anymore."

Jordan shook her head. "You still don't get it Seth." She watched me, turning on the spot. "If you get too close to anyone, they'll act like Danielle did."

"You're right," I said, nodding and moving slowly, like she was dangerous, "I don't get it. I'm not a mage, or wizard, or whatever you want to call it."

Like earlier, she took a deep breath as if there was something that smelled really good and her eyes fluttered closed. "If you don't want half the city trying to all but rape you, you better stay here."

I stopped. "What?"

She opened her eyes and focused on me again. "I've already diminished myself. I'm weaker in power than I was when I first met you. I've already screwed things up, so I might as well do it right." Her expression shifted with her decision. She was going to do something.

I braced myself, not sure what to expect. "Do what right?"

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she looked at me again, all the tension flowed out of her body. She said, "You," under her breath and then closed the distance between us quickly.

I stumbled over the blanket, trying to back away too fast. I no more than hit the floor and Jordan was on top of me, her legs straddling mine. She pressed her lips to mine hard, forcing me to open my mouth. Her tongue plunged into me and wrestled with mine. Her hands pulled at the blanket, trying to get it open.

It took a lot of effort not to let her have her way instantly. I didn't like being trapped on the floor in the blanket. I had been in tight locations before, either under a car to fix something or hiding from bullies chasing me after school, but something about the way I was wrapped up in that blanket with Jordan on top of me was frightening.

She moved her lips from mine, nipped at my earlobe and then latched onto the side of my neck, sucking. All the while, she fought with me over the blanket.

I was breathing hard, both from the exertion and the understanding of what it was she really wanted. She wasn't trying to hurt me, she wanted sex, I was sure of it, but I didn't think she would appreciate me taking advantage of her current state of mind. "Jordan, let me up. You don't want to do this, not really."

She sat up enough to look me in the eyes. Her hot breath washed over my face. "How do you know what I really want? You don't even believe you're a Magus."

There was a touch of anger there, and I could relate to that. "You're right, I don't believe it. You haven't proven anything to me."

Jordan frowned and scooted down along my body. When her face was at the center of my chest, she pulled at the blanket with everything she had. "Let go, Seth. You can't stop this."

Then the word she had used before popped into my head. "What're you going to do, rape me?"

She relaxed and looked up, meeting my eyes. For a few seconds she was relaxed, even her effort to pull the blanket open stopped. Something crossed through her eyes though. She reached down between us and felt me. "Can't rape the willing."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, yes, you're beautiful, sexy even, but that doesn't mean I want you like this."

She squeezed me. "I think your cock disagrees." She let me go, but only long enough to snake her hand through the opening in the blanket between where I was holding it closed and grasp me directly. "You're so hard Seth, so eager. Let me fuck you. Let me suck on it. It'll feel good and we'll both feel better."

She stroked me surprisingly gentleness. With all of the tension in her body I had almost expected her to tug a lot harder, with a stronger grip, but she wanted me aroused. She wanted me too ramped up with sex on my brain to fight her anymore. Pain would keep that from happening, and she had figured that out.

It took a lot more effort than was pretty for me to ignore her squeezing and stroking hand and focus on her face and my voice. "What will it take to snap you out of this?" I asked.

She stroked me and I couldn't stop the whimper that escaped. A lot of the tension in her body, from our struggles over the blanket, was gone. She leaned over me, lowering her lips to within inches of mine. "Fuck me and find out." Her voice was barely a whisper, but her words were so distinct I had no problems understanding her.

Being pinned to the floor with Jordan stroking me wasn't quite the same as when Francine had done it the night before, but I wasn't the same person anymore. Even in that short time, I had experienced more than I had ever experienced at home. I wanted things to be different, but that also meant I had to let myself learn new things, to sometimes give in to something that might be unfamiliar. I couldn't hide from the entire world. I couldn't run from every problem I had. And I couldn't lie there and let her do what she was doing.

I let go of the blanket and pulled Jordan down to me, holding her body to mine so her hand was pinned between us.

She let out a tiny squeal, but smiled at me when she understood there was nothing between us. She squirmed against me, but I held her tight with one hand on her back at her shoulder blades and the other centered at the top of her butt. "Um ... Seth. If we're going to fuck, you can't hold me this tight." She squeezed me again for emphasis.

I moaned again. I hadn't expected the feel of her body pressed to mine to be so good. It was counterintuitive to what I was trying to do. I had to swallow a couple of times to wet my throat enough to ask my question. "What can we do that will help shake this ... whatever it is your suffering from and keep you from giving me anymore power?"

She had lowered her head to kiss my neck and ear, and her hand continued to squeeze me. She put her lips next to my ear and whispered, "If we have sex, any kind of sex, I'll transfer power to you."

I closed my eyes. All of the sensations she was engendering were threatening to overwhelm my hard fought control. "And you'll become this... Fonte?"

She nodded, lowered her lips and kissed me just behind my ear. I couldn't stifle the moan that escaped me. "Yes," she said softly.

"What does that mean exactly?" I asked, my own breath becoming ragged.

"That's already your third question," she whispered. She seemed to be in better control that I was. "I let you have the second one. Now let me go."

I relaxed and watched her eyes as she rose above me. I waited for her to do something rash again.

She brought her knees up on both sides of me and sat up. Sitting on my legs, she looked down and I dropped my eyes too. I was between her legs, but still pressed to her belly. "I've known that my Fonti were always enamored with me, but I never knew it was like this." She brought both hands together to stroke me. Her touch was gentle yet urgent. Her fingers glided over my length, offering cool teases versus the heat her body generated so close by.

I couldn't help but squirm, and I struggled against the building sensations. I had to stay focused. I was a little confused by her comment. "W-what do you mean?"

She met my eyes and a small smile played over her lips. "I never had to do or say much when I needed sex. I could show up on their doorstep at the last second and they'd put off everything for a quickie. John even burned his dinner once when I showed up desperate."

Her hand kept moving, distracting me. I had to focus, to distract her in return. "John?"

She looked up again and nodded. She couldn't seem to keep her eyes off what her hands were doing and looked down again. "Yeah, he was my first after I left home." She sounded like she wanted to say more about him, but was holding back.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. I squeezed my hands and realized I had been running them along her thighs in time with her stroking. I stopped my hands but couldn't keep myself from touching her. She felt too good.

Another part of what she last said hit me. "How many Fonti do you have?" I asked.

"I had two," she said with a note of sadness. She shrugged a second later, apparently trying to throw off the emotion. "The number was nothing really, considering the level and potency of my power."

I squeezed her thighs and squirmed under her. She wasn't doing a lot to bring me, but I was getting close. "Um ... Level and potency?"

"Mm-hmm," she said, nodding and licking her lips. "I was never very powerful. Two Fonti for me was almost too much."

I shook my head. "I don't understand. Why two?"

She glanced up at me again. "Well, if I had stayed with only one, I would have eventually hurt him."

I opened my eyes. I hadn't realized I had shut them. "Hurt him how?" Concern held me off.

She looked up. Her eyes held heat and her hands stroked me faster. "A Fonte is the person you have sex with to refill your power. If you go to the same one too often, you could drain them too much. It wouldn't seem like it at first. They'd collapse at work or whatever. Doctors would call it fatigue. If things didn't change, they could fall into a coma. I heard about a man whose wife died after they'd been together only six months."

"And he was a Magus?" I asked a lot more focused.

She nodded.

I reached down and took a hold of her wrist, stopping her. "I don't want to hurt you."

She smiled at me. "During your Initiation, you can't." Gently, she pulled my hand to let her go. "Please, I want to watch this time." She looked down again and continued stroking.

I had to stop her. I didn't like the sound of this Fonte business. "I thought you were the one who needed to ... you know." It was a feeble attempt, but I was getting closer to completion, and I had to fight it off.

She rolled her eyes up at me and smiled. "Know what?"

I rolled my eyes and wiggled under her. "To ... um ... reach orgasm." I said the last two words really fast and could feel my face heating up.

She chuckled. "You need to get used to talking about sex. This isn't going to change."

I shook my head and had to restrain myself from grabbing her wrist again. Instead I held onto her thighs and pulled them tighter to my sides. "But about my question..."

"It's not about who gets off with your Initiation," she said. "The energy we put into having sex feeds your power."

I opened my eyes. "But what about your power?"

She smiled again, but it lacked something her other smiles didn't. It was like a smile she used to cover her sadness. "By morning, it won't matter anymore."

She broke eye contact and focused on what her hands were doing. Her pace was steady but demanding. When her hands slid down my length, they were relaxed, soothing, but when she pulled up, she squeezed gently. Her efforts drew out pre-ejaculate and made everything slick.

Her touch felt wonderful, but I was still conflicted. Too many things still made no sense. If I really accepted everything she said, then I supposed it would make sense, but most of what she was talking about, the core of it all really, wasn't possible. I wasn't a mage. I'd never so much as done anything remotely magical.

I held onto her thighs. She was so warm and her skin so soft. I couldn't stop myself from enjoying the feel of her so close to me, not only her hands stroking me, but her body, her.

I looked up again. She was watching my face. Her expression was different, not feral; hungry, but not demanding. I could feel pressure building up in my groin, and pleasant warmth spread throughout my body from there. I was getting close. Her deliberate pace, coupled with the expression on her face and the feel of her body pressed to mine was more than I could take anymore. I closed my eyes when it hit.

I pulled at her thighs, pressing them into my sides. It was the only conscious act I could muster. I wanted her closer, so much closer. Involuntarily, my back bowed and my hips bucked up into her hand. I lost all track of time and felt like the very fire of my soul was shooting out of me, the intensity was so strong. It was easily stronger than the first time she and I had been together.

When I opened my eyes again, my breathing was heavy and I felt worn out, like I had been rearranging car parts for two days straight without any sleep.

Jordan was still stroking me and I could feel the slick wetness of my spending as she rubbed it along me. Her belly and the bottoms of her breasts were splattered with sperm. I even had some on my stomach. The look in her eyes was still the same as before. My orgasm hadn't slaked her need or craving or whatever-it-was at all. She smiled at me. "I knew you came in bucket loads, but this is impressive for your third time today."

She continued to slowly stroke me with one hand, but with the other, she used two fingers to scoop up some of the mess from her belly and raised it to her lips. Without hesitation or the slightest sign of disgust, she licked and then sucked her fingers clean.

She slowly cleaned herself up, a finger-scoop at a time. The sperm she used as lubricant to continue stroking me quickly became sticky and she used both hands to squeegee what she could from my shaft and glans. She smiled at me and licked her hands clean. When she was finished, she smiled and said, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

I nodded with a mixture of mild surprise and awe. "Seems to be the theme tonight."

She smiled and ran her hands on me, smearing what was left of my spending across my belly and up to my chest. When she hit my nipples, I couldn't stop the moan or feeling of need that ran through me. She leaned over and licked a nipple. I couldn't believe myself when I thrust my chest to her lips and instinctively pulled at her shoulders, pressing her face harder to my chest. It reminded me of how she had responded when I sucked on her nipples earlier. Obviously, she wasn't the only one having problems maintaining control.

Unable to simply give in, I pulled back from her. She looked up at me, her breathing as heavy as mine. The hunger had never left her eyes, but she wasn't fighting to keep me pinned. I scooted out from under her and got to my feet. She looked up at me from the floor. "Where are you going?" she asked. Her voice was light with a touch of humor, but low. Maybe she didn't want to disturb Raven.

I looked over my shoulder at the door Raven had locked herself behind. She had a good idea. I moved to the only door that hadn't been opened. I was sure Raven was in the only bedroom, so it had to be the bathroom. I twisted the knob and looked inside. It was. I nodded toward it. "I need to go..."

She smiled and got up. Her supple body glistened along her abs and the lower half of her breasts. I even noticed how her pubic hair was wet and matted. I didn't think any of my sperm had been down there. "I need to go too," she said, drawing my attention back up to her face and her knowing smile. "And when we're both relieved I'll let you return the favor." She dropped a hand to the junction between her legs and I watched as she slid a couple of fingers along her sex and then pulled them out, glistening with moisture.

I felt my face burn with embarrassment and didn't know why. I had touched her earlier in the day. Some part of my mind continued to suggest that this was all wrong, but the rest of me was eager to continue. As a proof of point, I was still fully erect. The only funny part in the whole situation was the fact that I really did need to go to the bathroom.

Jordan raised her fingers up to eye level and looked at them. I did too. I could smell her tangy scent and my body ached with the knowledge that she was in that condition because of me, regardless of whether I was a Magus or not. It was arousing, plain and simple. She looked at me and held out her fingers to me, making an offer I was finding difficult to refuse.

I didn't back away or shake my head. To be honest, I was too conflicted to move.

She stepped closer and held her hand closer to my lips. Her expression was heated and eager.

I didn't know what to think, but I couldn't refuse her offer. I licked my lips and swallowed. My throat was parched. I opened my lips slightly and the scent of her fluids filled my nose and mouth. I looked at her hand, knowing what she wanted me to do and knowing that I wanted to as well.

Noticing that my resistance was crumbling, she closed the short distance and pressed her fingers to my lips.

I sucked them into my mouth and ran my tongue all around and between them, cleaning everything from her digits, both her dominant fluids and the subtle flavor of my own.

Jordan pressed her breasts against me and ran her other hand up along my arm, over my shoulder and to the back of my neck. She gently ran her fingers through my hair and watched with heavy lidded eyes and parted lips.

With a hand around her waist, I pulled her body tightly to mine. I pulled her fingers from my mouth and sought her lips. Jordan had long ago given up trying to resist the urges she felt. Why had I fought to resist? Why did I not want to give in? What was so wrong with enjoying the carnal bliss of her body? I didn't believe that I was a Magus, and that meant she wasn't going to be my ­Fonte. If she wanted more sex, I was fine with that. If she wanted me to stay the night with her, I would.

There was only one problem; I still needed to go to the bathroom. A short pause wouldn't hurt either of us. I broke our kiss and we both sucked down air. "I still need to go," I said, looking into her heated eyes.

"Do you want me to help?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

I shook my head and reached behind myself to open the door. "I can take care of this much myself."

She pulled me in for another kiss, her tongue drawing mine back into her mouth. She wriggled sweaty, sticky body along mine and one of her hands slipped down and squeezed me.

I stepped out of her arms, still pressing my lips to hers until only our lips touched. Then I broke our kiss and smiled at her. She watched me until the door snapped in place.



-------

Chapter 12



It was going to be a few minutes before I could actually relieve myself. I went to the sink and grabbed the washcloth hanging on the wall. I ran it under hot water and cleaned myself up.

Jordan knocked. "Seth, hurry up. I gotta go too."

Having time to think away from Jordan's influence, I considered my options: a night of sex with the bombshell brunette, or trying to get out of the house without her finding out.

Why would I want to leave? Other than her and Raven trying to convince me that I was some kind of mage, which I wasn't, the whole situation seemed to be nothing more than an excuse for Jordan to have more sex with me. And if I was going to be honest with myself, I wanted to stay. I wanted to have sex. I wanted her.

The only real argument I could muster in favor of leaving was how I had been raised. My family lived in an air of strict religious belief. Sex was something to be ashamed of, to be kept in seclusion for procreation only. I wasn't kidding about them not talking about it, and now I was in a situation that would probably make them both burn with outrage. The image of them blustering, because I'd had sex, especially out of wedlock, made me smile.

My thoughts about them were enough to make my erection flag. I stepped over to the toilet and relieved myself. When I was done, I felt better. I was also a lot calmer, more rational.

I looked over at the bathroom door and thought about Jordan. Why would she try to convince me that I was a Magus? Nothing about my life could possibly confirm her story. It wasn't like I'd been adopted and my parents were some kind of fire-and-lightening-wielding nuts. Well, even if they could wield fire and lightning, that wouldn't make them crazy. I really didn't think Jordan was crazy either, but I didn't know what to think about her claims.

And what about Raven? She was convinced of the same thing. I looked around the bathroom, trying to get an idea of what she was like, maybe of who she was. The bathroom didn't look much different than any other bathroom I'd been in. Not the one at home, not the one at the dorm, and not the ones from my high school. It had a few small personal touches. The shower curtains around the tub had little birds on it. I supposed they were supposed to be small ravens, but there wasn't enough detail to know for sure. In the medicine cabinet, her toothbrush was bright yellow and she used toothpaste for sensitive teeth with whitener, but then, who didn't? There were a few over the counter meds, but otherwise nothing to suggest anything out of the ordinary.

Jordan knocked again. "Seth? Did you fall in?" It was good to hear some humor in her voice.

I flushed and went to the door.

Jordan was leaning against the wall next to the door. The instant she saw me, her hands reached for me.

I backed up with a playful grin. "I thought you needed to go."

She followed me in. "I do, but I want you with me." She moved toward me and I stepped into the bathtub, staying out of reach. She laughed, sat on the toilet and I could hear her going. "I think it's a little soon for a shower, don't you?"

I shook my head. "Maybe a cold shower, so we can both think a little more clearly."

She raised an eyebrow. "You still don't believe what we told you?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No, but if you wanted more sex, you could have said so. You didn't have to make up the bit about me being a mage."

She got some toilet paper and wiped herself. "If it had been sex I wanted, I had two guys I could have gone to."

Two things about that statement caught my attention. First, she said 'had'. Past tense. I pointed at the door. "All you did was ... handle me. We didn't have sex. You couldn't have transferred your power to me."

She threw the bit of toilet paper in the trash, stood up and flushed. "I told you Seth, any sexual energy would do it."

"I thought you were talking about the initiation," I said watching her. "Not some kind of power transfer."

She shook her head. "I don't understand. How can you be so worried about whether I still have power or not while you keep denying what you are?"

I stood there staring at her. I wasn't sure I could explain it to her. "I don't mind helping someone with their problems..."

She stepped closer and stretched out a hand toward my chest. There wasn't anywhere I could go without actually getting closer. Besides, I wanted her to touch me. I wanted to feel her pressed against me. I had already decided that sex wouldn't hurt anything or anyone.

She ran her hand across my chest, making me moan like she had several times tonight. She didn't get any closer or pull at me though. "I don't have a problem to worry about anymore Seth." Her voice was soft and held more emotion than the simple statement should have.

I opened my eyes again and studied her face. I thought she looked lost and a little sad. I reached up and pressed her hand into my chest, stifling her movement. "What do you mean? And why does that make you sad?"

She met my eyes. "After tonight, I don't know what's going to happen." She had a faraway look in her eyes. "I don't want to lose my Fonti, but I can't keep them either."

I didn't know what to say about that. First, I didn't know enough about what she was implying and second, I still didn't believe what she was talking about. She was right. How could I worry about something that I didn't believe in? I tried to consider what she meant, what everything she'd told me meant, but I was too far removed by skepticism. I looked down at her hand, covered by my own. The sensitivity in my chest was one thing I simply could not deny. Maybe a change in subject would help. "Why is my chest so sensitive?"

She focused on me again and smiled. "We're bound for your initiation," she said. "I'm very sensitive in the chest and you've gained that trait." She studied my expression and continued. "You remember earlier, when Raven said you had gained one of my traits? That's what she was talking about."

I shook my head and took a deep breath to calm down. I was reminded of how Danielle and Jordan both had taken deep breaths, like there was there was something in the air that smelled good, too good to miss. I focused on Jordan and explained my observations. "What does that mean?"

She smelled the air again. "It was you we smelled. You smell good. And that makes me want to do more than stand here and caress you." She looked down and I felt her other hand lightly stroke me. "I want to do all the things we've been doing. I want to do it a lot."

My breath stuttered. Her hand felt so good and I knew there were things we could do that would feel even better. I had no real experience, so I wasn't sure if I was supposed to feel so aroused again after so many times. Jordan's suggestion, that whatever power I had made Danielle come on to me so strongly at her house as well as Jordan's advances presently, made me wonder if maybe it could affect me as well. I had to try three times, but I asked her.

She shook her head and smiled. "No, but continued sexual stimulation will do the job."

I looked up and met her eyes. I had an urge to pull her to me in the tub. If my power didn't affect me, then it was a natural urge, not something to be afraid of. My body really wanted this to happen, but I couldn't give in.

After another minute, Jordan pulled away of her own volition. There was a look in her eyes that I instantly didn't like. It sobered me some. I reached up and ran my finger tips alongside her face, feather light. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek to my palm and the expression vanished.

I stepped out of the tub and pulled her face around to look into mine. She hooked her hand behind my head, and pulled me to her for a kiss. We tried to devour each other. Our bodies naturally pressed together and our hands roamed each other. It felt good to have Jordan in my arms. Sex would be great, but holding her was making me feel better.

I pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Am I the only one who feels like this is the greatest feeling in the world?"

She inhaled again and melted into my embrace. "No."

I nodded, took both of her hands, and led her out of the bathroom and to the couch. The blankets were forgotten. Raven was forgotten. Nothing else mattered. I had Jordan with me, and part of me wanted to call her mine.

My mind raced through various half-formed ideas of what we might do next. Jordan must have had an idea of her own because after another heated kiss, she pushed me back onto the couch and knelt in front of me. Then she pulled on my hips. "Slide down. Slouch toward me." I did as instructed, which put my genitals right in front of her face. She rubbed her cheeks along my thighs and her hot breath washed over me. She ran her hands over my skin, rubbing me like she couldn't feel enough. Her eyes danced between mine and my groin. My erection lay on my belly and twitched with the slightest contact. With a big smile she said, "I've got to get you wet for what I want to do."

I swallowed and asked, "And what do you want to do?"

She licked her lips and wrapped a hand around the base of my erection, running her thumb across my sac. "You'll see in a few minutes."

She turned her head to the side, opened her mouth and extended her tongue. I watched as she attempted to wrap her tongue as far around my shaft as possible and then pressed her lips around it too. With her other hand, she lightly stroked my glans and the first couple of inches. I may have still been hard since her hand job in the hallway, but I wasn't even close to ejaculating.

She sat up and rubbed her breasts along the insides of my thighs. Her soft skin brought out a long low moan from me. I noticed how she responded to the contact as well; her eyes closed and her breath stuttered. She looked at me again and lunged for my erection.

Using both hands, she pulled me into her mouth. Her lips locked around the crown and her tongue washed over the tip. She closed her eyes, and her nostrils flared. Sliding her hands down the shaft, she lowered herself further onto me. Her hot, wet mouth felt fantastic and it took a lot of effort not to buck up. Jordan pressed further down and her hands splayed out around the base. She bobbed her head a few times, her lips relaxed, allowing her saliva to coat me. I remembered that she said I needed to be wet for what she wanted to do and as I watched her drool more and more, my anticipation for her surprise grew.

Jordan stroked me with a hand, testing how slick I was, and then would suck on me some more. She'd take me as deep as she could, which still left a few inches. After a few test strokes and more oral lubrication, she smiled at me. "Are you ready?"

I nodded slowly, doing my best to contain my excitement.

She sat up again, arching her back, and thrusting out her breasts toward me. She cupped them and leaned forward. Seeing what she was trying to do, I reached down and pushed my erection so it stood up. She smiled at me and wrapped her big, soft breasts around me.

I kept my hand in place unable and unwilling to move. Jordan didn't have such compunctions though and began rising and lowering, sliding her breasts along me. Her chest and abs lightly grazed my sac. The feeling was incredible. Different from her mouth and hands. Not better, and certainly not worse. Just different.

Jordan looked into my eyes as she slowly stroked me. The heat and hunger was back.

I looked down at how she held herself. Her hands were splayed wide, to cup as much of each breast as possible, pressing them in against me. I also noticed how her middle fingers ended against her nipples. I remembered what she said about being sensitive in the chest and understood that she was getting as much out of this as I was.

I wanted her to feel good. I had already gotten off once tonight. In my mind, it was her turn. I pulled my hand away from my erection to reach for her breasts. She had me wrapped up so tight that I didn't go anywhere. Her eyes were closed and snapped open as soon as I touched her hands. Her breathing was hot and heavy and she smiled when she saw what I was doing.

My hands were bigger than hers and I quickly found an angle that not only held her around me, but allowed me to rub her nipples as well.

She ran her hands up and down my thighs. Occasionally she gripped my thighs and pulled me tightly against her, like I had done to hers earlier. I would squeeze her breasts and flick her nipples faster when she did.

Her breasts were very full. I couldn't rub them up and down my length so she wouldn't have to move as much. I tried thrusting up through her cleavage, but didn't have enough room with my cheeks on the edge of the couch. I eagerly massaged her breasts, using as much of my hands as possible and delighted in her every moan and expression. My joy added to my sexual excitement and I recognized the heated signs of my own orgasm. I didn't want to go off yet. I wanted to watch her first, like she had watched me in the hallway.

I shifted my legs and she opened her eyes. "I want to watch you this time," I said softly.

Confusion passed through her eyes and then she smiled. "There won't be much to see. I don't shoot like you do."

I shook my head and sat up, still holding her breasts around me. "I want to watch you ... get off."

She arched an eyebrow. "Okay, what do you have in mind?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but I thought you'd feel better if you could relax."

She smiled and said, "Okay." She extracted herself from my hands and stood up. She waved me out of the way and then lay on the couch. She looked up at me and crooked a finger in a come-hither fashion.

I stepped closer and she wrapped her hand around my turgid erection. "We're going to do the same thing, only with you on top, okay?" she said.

I nodded and realized I would have to put a leg on the other side of her. I didn't look pretty getting into position, but then, she didn't care.

Once my organ was lying in her valley, she smiled and pressed her breasts around me again. Neither of us was very slick anymore, her saliva having long since dried up, so Jordan reached around me, gripped my cheeks, and pulled me forward. My crown disappeared into her mouth, along with a few inches.

She bobbed her head back and forth, coating me again and I gently cradled her head. When she thought I was ready, she released her grip and I slid back.

Again, wanting her to not have to worry about doing anything except enjoy herself, I took her hands and placed them on my thighs. Then I scooped up her very full breasts and wrapped them around myself. I had to lean forward a little to keep my penis from slipping up and out of her deep cleavage, but that was the only bit of logistics I had to worry about.

Very quickly I was thrusting between her breasts and she was moaning gratefully. I shook my head and grinned like a kid in a candy store. I may not have known much about sex, but I was surprised at how sensitive she was.

Like before, my physical excitement was coupled with my joy at seeing and hearing her reactions. I liked the sounds she made, and I liked the fact that I was the one bringing them about.

All too quickly, I felt stirrings in my groin again. My sac rubbed along her skin and even the base of my erection, right in front of my sac, was being stimulated. It was getting to be too much. Part of me didn't want to stop, but I really wanted to watch her get off.

I didn't realize I had closed my eyes and a new sensation made me open them again. Jordan had her head raised up a little and my crown slipped between her lips with each thrust. I had never worried about my size before Jordan, but seeing how I was slipping out of her cleavage and into her mouth, I was perfectly happy with what I had been blessed with. It was too erotic a sight to not be happy with it.

Jordan started whimpering and I looked down. I had kept my pace the same and constantly thumbed her nipples. She looked strained, trying to keep her head up to suck on my glans. I thought maybe she was getting too tired and when I slowed down, she looked up. "No, not slower. Go faster. I'm almost there." She wrapped her lips around my glans again and kept her eyes turned up to meet mine.

I nodded and scrunched down so I could use my leg muscles for thrusting more than my hips. She moaned "Mmm-Hmm" with my increased pace and harder thrusts. More of my length pressed into her mouth and I realized that she wasn't the only one getting close.

My actions became more erratic. Jordan noticed and must have known what it meant. She laid her head back and said, "Cum on my tits. I want your hot cum all over them."

Her hands left my thighs and she pulled me from her chest to stroke me off.

I didn't let go of her breasts and fought hard to concentrate on squeezing what I could and pinching her nipples.

Jordan's whimpering returned and soon turned into a monologue of salacious comments. "Yes, fuck, yes. Your hands feel so good. Pinch my nipples. Yes! Oh God, Seth, I'm cumming. Cum with me. Cum all over me!"

I couldn't resist such a passionate request and stopped fighting for control.

I held on to Jordan's breasts and threw my head back when the first spasm hit me. White hot fire ran through my whole body to empty out of my erection. Jordan stroked and squeezed me, urging more out of me, milking me for everything I could give her. Another shot erupted. And another. After that, I gulped down air and still felt smaller spasms rocking me.

When I looked down again, Jordan had her eyes closed and was biting her lower lip. Her face and chest were flushed and her breathing was as heavy as mine.

I could feel her body moving under me and raised myself up so she could breathe easier. She may have pulled me down onto her when we were at Danielle's house, but she was too relaxed to keep me in place or push me away.

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled a lazy smile. "That was good."

And I had missed it.

She looked down at her chest and I looked too. There were several long thick ropes of my seman covering her breasts and upper chest. It looked like I had produced as much as my previous ejaculation. Unlike before, Jordan ran her fingers through my spending, rubbing it into her upper chest and breasts.

I slipped off the couch and sat down on the floor next to it. My legs were still too wobbly to trust. I watched her until she rolled her head around to look at me. Her hand slithered over and stroked my face, leaving a slimy trail on my cheek. "I've never met a guy I could suck on while he was fucking my tits."

I wasn't sure if that was a compliment, but gauging by her smile, I accepted it as one. "Thanks," I said. "I didn't think a woman got so much pleasure from her chest."

Jordan closed her eyes and rolled her head around on the couch cushion. She looked at me again. "Tits."

I glanced at hers and furrowed my brows.

"Say it," she said. "Tits."

My face burned. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Tits," said softly. I opened my eyes again.

She dropped her hand and pointed down at my lap. "Cock."

I looked down at my red and flagged erection. I looked back up at her and shook my head.

She smiled and rolled over onto her side facing me. She ran a finger tip over my heated and sensitive member. "Say it Seth. Cock."

I swallowed again and looked away. I said the word, but only barely loud enough to be heard.

Jordan pulled my face back around to look me in the eyes. "I don't use that word lightly." Her eyes dropped and then came up again. "You have a cock."

I was confused. "I'm sure the other guys you've slept with did too."

She chuckled and shook her head. Both of us were recovered enough that she sat up and I scooted back to give her room. She saw me move and patted the couch next to her. "C'mere. Sit."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a dog you know."

She smiled. "I know, and I'm very glad you aren't a dog."

I couldn't help but smile in return and got up on the couch. The instant I was seated, she pulled my arm around her and leaned against me. I happily held her, ready for some down time from all the craziness the day had turned into.

Jordan's hand slipped over into my lap and she gently petted me. "This is a cock. I've had sex with penises and dicks, but never a cock."

I was thoroughly confused. "And what is supposed to be the difference?"

She looked up. "Say 'penis.'"

I rolled my eyes and said the word.

"Now," she said, "Think about how that word hits your mouth. Pee-niss. It's all at the front with only a little tongue action."

My whole body flushed with embarrassment, but I didn't my best to detach myself from it and thought about what she meant. I nodded. "Okay, you're right."

"Okay," she said. "Now do the same thing with 'dick.'"

I said the word and thought about it. "It starts at the teeth and goes back a little further."

She nodded and added, "And there's more tongue action." She grinned. "Now, the word 'cock.'"

I grinned and thought about the way the word felt in my mouth. "It's all at the back."

She nodded with a big smile. "Exactly. You were all the way at the back of my throat and I hadn't even taken you in completely." Once again she petted my limp organ and said, "Cock."

As amusing as her word use was, I was still a touch nervous. It could have been the fact that we were both sitting stark naked in a total stranger's house, or maybe what we had discussed when we arrived still bothered me.

Jordan didn't try to get me going again. She sighed happily and cuddled against me. What drew me out of my reverie was her soft giggle.

I looked down at her. "What?"

She sighed again and wiggled against me, pressing her breasts into my side. "I've never wanted to cuddle before," she said. "Not with my Fonti, but with you, I can't help it."

I tensed at the mention of Fonti and squeezed my arm around her as cover. "If you don't want to, we don't have to." I was enjoying holding her too much to let go, but if she wasn't comfortable, I would.

She shook her head. Her long tresses fluttered against my chest and abs. It took only a modicum of effort to shrug off the sensation. "No," she said. "Even when we're not having sex, I want to feel you holding me. I want to hold you against me like a big ... teddy bear or something. I've never even had a teddy bear before," she added incredulously.

"Well, a teddy bear can't hold you," I said.

She looked up smiling. "True, but then I've never been anyone's Fonte before either."

I tensed at the word again. This time she noticed. "What is it about all of this that scares you so much?" she asked softly.

I thought about that for a moment. It wasn't that I was scared. It made me nervous, but not scared. I shook my head and opened my mouth to explain, but I couldn't think of what to say. Was I really scared? Was it more than something she had made up to get something out of me? If so, what? I didn't want to accuse her of anything so I shook my head and said, "I don't know." I looked at her and thought to turn the conversation around. "Weren't you scared when you found out?"

She shook her head. "I knew my mom was a Magus. I wanted to be just like her."

She came up with that a little too easily. I decided to see how far she would go. "Just like her?"

She nodded. "She could do some amazing magic, but I didn't have her power."

I thought about Jordan's Fonti, what she said about having almost too many and understood that if her mother had more power, she probably had more Fonti. If that was the case, what would her husband say? "Wasn't she married?"

Jordan shook her head and squeezed me around the middle. "No. Like I told you, if you stay with only one person, you could hurt them."

I couldn't stop myself from asking, "But what about your dad?"

She shrugged. "To be honest, with as many men she visited, I had no need for a single father. They all liked me." She paused only long enough for me to register what she said. "But you still need to talk about this. You need to get past whatever this barrier is that's holding you back."

I focused on her again. "How do you know I'm holding back?"

She looked up at me. "If someone were trying to convince me of this without any substantial proof, I'd be hard pressed to believe them too."

I shifted around on the couch so I could see her better without either of us getting a crick in the neck. Jordan waited until I was comfortable and then looked up again. We weren't touching in any way and I suddenly had the urge to feel her skin against mine. After what she said about cuddling, I refrained. "If you had a hard time believing what you're telling me, how do you expect me to accept it?"

She shifted around too, raising a knee to half hug against the back of the couch. She looked comfortable, but the bulge of her breasts and her lack of demure posture made me nervous. Not bad-nervous, excited-nervous. "I didn't say I had a hard time believing. I had all the proof I needed. I saw it every day. The problem is you didn't, but now you have to deal with it." Her eyes drifted down toward my crotch.

I wasn't erect, so I wasn't sure why she was looking. "Are you okay?"

She looked up again. "No, but I will be eventually."

I was genuinely concerned for her. "Is there anything I can do?"

She unfolded herself and crawled toward me. Once again, the hunger was back in her eyes. I couldn't believe she was ready for more. She pushed me back, until my head met the pillow at the arm of the couch, and she crawled over me, straddling my legs with her own. She lowered her face to mine and kissed me soundly, deeply. After she broke the kiss, she pulled my hand down between her legs. "I need you in me. I want to feel your cock sliding deep into my wet pussy. For right now, Seth, I need you to fuck me."



-------

Chapter 13



I woke up to sunlight filtering in through curtains. I didn't know what had woken me at first. I felt that I had to go to the bathroom and Jordan's hand was cupping my morning erection. She was half laying on me. Sometime during the night, we had moved the coffee table out of the way and spread the comforter on the floor. I was too accustomed to having a blanket or sheet when I slept, so part of me was covered with the one Jordan had worn from Danielle's. I ran a hand from Jordan's shoulders to her bottom. She was exposed to the world, or, well, the house. I wondered briefly how she slept when at home.

My memories of the night were a blur, alternating between snoozing and more sex. Some part of me may have thought that Jordan was insatiable, considering she had instigated all of our sex the previous day, but throughout the rest night it was me starting things, and every time, Jordan was willing, responsive, and eager.

For a few minutes, I lay there trying to comprehend what was really going on. With only my fundamental understanding of sex the first idea that came to mind made my face burn with embarrassment. Was I trying to get in as much as possible before Jordan decided she had enough and ran off to parts unknown? No, if that had been the case, I was sure she would have left already.

I looked down at the top of her head. She was curled up against me, using my chest as a pillow and one leg thrown over mine. The mixed scent of our fluids was strong, but I could smell chlorine in her hair. The memories of everything that happened between us ran through my mind, and while I had certainly enjoyed all of the sex, it was her claims of magic that I focused on.

I had accepted that she wanted sex. I wanted it too. However, she was insistent that I was a magus, and that she was giving me all of her power. If she was telling the truth - and that was a very big if - then what was I supposed to do about it? What did it really mean? Did that change who I was or how my life would go? I had been looking forward to being free from the stifling rules and expectations of my home town for so long, was this just another form of restriction? Regardless of all of those questions, I had to answer the most basic one first: was it true?

Mother Nature reminded me that I had to go to the bathroom by adding more pressure to my bladder, but I didn't know if I could move without waking Jordan. Neither of us had gotten much sleep. If we went anywhere, she was the one who had to drive. She needed her rest.

I scooted over toward the couch, attempting to slip out from under her.

Jordan moaned lightly. Her hand slid up my abs and over my chest to hook over my other shoulder. Then she snuggled against me and continued to snooze.

I was wide awake, aroused and scared. My chest was as sensitive as it had been yesterday. Some part of me must have hoped that it was either a dream or some other equally short-lived response, because I felt a touch of fear. It was the one thing, the only real thing that I had no mundane explanation for, no matter how little I knew about sex. I knew it wasn't some kind of change I was going through because I'd been a late-bloomer. Jordan had offered an explanation for it. I simply didn't want to believe it

I scooted again and I felt Jordan tense. "Mornin'," she said.

"Good morning," I replied. "How are you feeling?"

She cracked her eyes open and smiled. "Like I've been fucking all night."

If I wasn't already completely awake, her choice of words would have made sure I was. I might have heard similar words spoken in movies, but hearing someone say them to me in person, much less while both of us were lying together naked, quickened my pulse, and I didn't understand why.

She looked down, and then her hand followed her gaze. "I see I'm not the only one who enjoyed last night." She caressed me gently. "I should have found a virgin a lot sooner," she said looking back up into my eyes. "All that staying power. All that exuberance. All that determination to get in as much sex as possible as soon as possible."

She echoed my thoughts so closely it scared me. For a moment I couldn't look her in the eyes. "I hope I didn't hurt you. There were a couple of times I got kinda rough."

She traced a single finger along my length, making my erection twitch. "You were experimenting. I didn't mind."

It sounded like a lame excuse to me, but I didn't know what I could say or do to make amends. From her tone, she didn't expect me to, but I wanted to. It seemed like the right thing to do.

She closed her eyes and smiled. "I've never actually slept with anyone before, usually because I get grumpy when anyone wakes me up before I'm ready, but each time I realized it was you, I couldn't help but welcome it."

I nodded, fearful again. I had read the same things in her responses throughout the night. We didn't know each other. How could we be thinking the same things?

Jordan pulled me out of my thoughts by wrapping her hand around me. Was she ready for more? Part of me didn't mind the idea of more sex, but I knew I really needed to go, and it was going to take a few minutes to relax enough to relieve myself. With a sigh and slight frown, I reached down and pulled her hand off me. "I need to go to the bathroom."

She nodded and let me up.

In the bathroom, I took care of nature's call. It took longer than usual to relax. The thoughts running around my mind weren't helping. When I finally finished and cleaned up, I noticed a couple of towels and washcloths sitting on the sink that hadn't been there the night before. On top was a note:



Jordan,

I didn't mind you two staying the night, but I have my own plans for the day and need my house back, please. Feel free to have some lunch and use the shower. I'm sure things will be fine after a few more hours. And personally, I don't think I can resist another night of his power's call.

Raven



Raven couldn't resist another night of my power's call? I remembered what Jordan said about half the town attempting to rape me, and all the bits about others throwing themselves at me. Yet, Jordan had shown restraint after we arrived. If Jordan and Raven could resist me, why couldn't others?

Jordan knocked at the door. "Seth?"

I opened the door. "Sorry, I was reading a note Raven left for you." I handed it to her.

She read it over. "Ah, well, I guess that answers my question." She looked up at me. "I wondered how long Raven would let us use her place."

I stepped past her saying, "I'll get my backpack."

Jordan caught my hand, stopping me. "Let's get our showers first, silly. Besides, I don't think you've got anything for me to wear."

I remembered the reason for her wearing the sheet. "Then we'll have to go back to your place."

She nodded. "Besides, I'm not feeling your pull."

If the women were playing some kind of weird joke, they were nothing if not persistent. I had to ask myself again, was it true? I thought about everything they told me. "Do you think that Initiation thing is done?"

She shrugged. "We won't know until we leave." And then she let go of me to turn on the shower.

I closed the door and went to the toilet to wait my turn.

Jordan looked over me. "You're as messy as me. You'll need a shower too."

I nodded. "I know. I'll take mine when you're done."

She smiled. "That's very gentlemanly of you, but after everything we've done, do you really think I'll mind sharing the shower with you?"

I shrugged. "I didn't want to assume anything."

"Good," she said, nodding, "but that's what questions are for."

I took a deep breath and let it out. "I also didn't want to seem ... pushy or needy."

She held out her hand to me. "Who said you were the needy one?"

I went to her and we climbed into the shower. For a moment we stood there under the hot water, holding hands and looking at one another. Holding her hand was nice but I wanted to touch more of her. It wasn't sexual either. Maybe curiosity, maybe because she was so open and as naked as I was. I simply didn't know. Looking into her eyes, I found she had been looking at me as well. I didn't understand that. I wasn't all that special, certainly not the physical equivalent of her in good looks. I asked the question that had popped into my head before we climbed into the shower. "Why would you be needy?"

She let go of my hand and ran hers up my arm. "I've always enjoyed sex, but after last night I wouldn't want to go back to being a Magus with my own Fonti, even if I could." She watched where her hand traveled along my skin.

I had to admit, it felt good, even if she wasn't touching me down below. I mirrored her movements on her other arm and thought about what she said. "But I thought you didn't want to lose your power?"

She shook her head. "I didn't, but after our last fuck, it struck me how much better everything felt with you." She brought both hands up and rubbed my chest. "I don't know if it's because my power wasn't as potent or because I'm your Fonte now."

I had been mirroring her so closely that I almost reached for her chest, but her words stopped me. "What?" I asked.

She nodded, moved to press her breasts into my hands, which were hanging in the air in front of her, and looked up into my eyes again. "Even after your Initiation is over, I don't think I'll want to be with anyone else."

I was confused, and her actions, both her hands on my chest and the way she rubbed her breasts into mine, were distracting. I was sure she enjoyed last night, but she seemed to be moving faster than I could process. Did she mean she only wanted to be with me sexually, or something else? To add insult to injury, did she enjoy last night because of me or this power she continued to believe I had?

Before I moved to Texas, I'd had a good long time to think about what I wanted. I always knew I wanted to get away from that town and those people, but under that dominating desire I knew I wanted someone to like me for me, not because I was handsome, or tall, or good with my hands. I certainly didn't want someone liking me for some kind of power that I didn't believe I had.

Jordan looked up, studied my face a moment, and said, "Seth, no. Don't do this to yourself."

I focused at her. "Do what?"

She shook her head. "You're beating yourself up. Don't. You have to accept that this was going to happen."

I shook my head. "I don't think you understand. First, you're saying that I have some kind of power, and now you say you want to stay with me because of that power."

She looked away and bit her lip. "I'm sorry. It came out wrong."

I stepped back from her. In the shower, there wasn't very far to go, but that bit of distance was enough. "Then what did you mean?"

She looked up at me. "Seth, I..." She thought about it some more and then said, "Think of it like food. You keep eating the same thing because you like it, and you get full from it. But later, you find out that there's something that tastes even better and fills you more."

I looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "So, what am I? Filet Minion compared to a hamburger?" I asked dryly.

She sighed. "Okay, the food analogy isn't the right one. I don't know how to explain it." She met my eyes. "But I'm being as honest as I can. Short of another Magus intentionally using magic to seduce me, I don't believe I'd be happy with anyone else."

"But happy in what way?" I asked.

Her eyebrows rose. "Wait, are you asking what I think you're asking?"

It was my turn to look away. I really didn't know what I meant, but then, I was beginning to wonder if I knew what she meant. "We barely know each other..." I started.

She took the half step needed to close the distance I had created. "Seth, even as wonderful as the sex is that still takes time."

I looked at her again. "But the way you're talking ... It's like we're already a couple."

She tilted her head to the side. "Do you want me to go find someone else?"

"No," I said vehemently. Just as quickly, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, let it out and apologized. When I looked at her again, she was looking back at me, not mad, not happy, just looking, waiting. I thought about it. I really didn't want her leaving me for someone else. It wasn't the loss of someone who seemed to like me, but the idea of her having sex with him too, and that made me boil with anger.

Jordan reached out and covered my hand with both of hers. She pulled it up to her chest. "Seth, relax. Nothing bad is going to happen."

I shook my head and forced myself to calm down. "I'm sorry, but the thought of you with someone else..." I almost made a fist again, but realized what I was doing and focused on Jordan's calm countenance.

She smiled. "You know, even John and Mark didn't act like this. It never came up about me sleeping with anyone else, nor did the thought of them sleeping with other women cross my mind. But this..." she closed my hand into a loose fist again. "This gave me goose bumps."

"Goose bumps?" I asked. "I would have thought me being angry would have either scared you or made you mad."

She shook her head smiling. "No. Your response means you care."

I looked at her quizzically.

"Think about last night," she said. "I talked about fucking my Fonti and you didn't respond."

I realized she was right. "So, why didn't I respond last night?"

"You hadn't accepted what I was telling you," she said, "nor had I declared myself as your Fonte."

"Is that necessary?" I asked, not sure why I was asking, and not even sure I had accepted anything other than my desire to have sex with her.

"No, by no means," she said, rubbing her cheek along the back of my hand. "If you want someone bad enough, then they're yours. Your power will make it happen."

"But... ," I said, instantly not liking the sound of that.

"Shhh..." she said, pressing a finger to my lips."Don't worry about the details right now." She stepped up to me, pressing her body to mine. My hand was trapped with hers between our chests. "I'll answer your questions when your Initiation is over."

After a chaste kiss I asked, "I thought you didn't feel my pull?"

She looked my face over. "As long as I'm your Fonte, I'll always want you."

"So, I'm not done yet?" I asked.

"Fuck me again and find out," she said softly, licking her lips.

I couldn't help but smile. She hadn't answered my question and I suspected she didn't really know.

Not wanting to think about the Initiation anymore, I let her smoldering lips blank out my mind. I had given in to Jordan's control when we kissed the day before, letting things get sloppy and teeth-scraping. I knew I was inexperienced and enjoyed the fact that she wanted to kiss me. Presently though, she relented to my actions. I really liked the feel of her lips on mine, the way her heated breath filled my mouth and the way her tongue caressed mine. I probed her mouth, running my tongue here and there, feeling, caressing, and learning. At one point, I accidentally sucked on her bottom lip in a misunderstanding of our coordination. We were already pressed together as fully as possible, but she rubbed against me and moaned until I released her lip. The grin on her face was infectious and I leaned in to see if I could elicit another moan from her.

With the hot water keeping us both wet and slick, we rubbed our bodies together. Even after all the sex we'd had, I still couldn't get enough of her, and with me trapped between us, I was getting closer and closer.

I tried to pull away, but Jordan grabbed my butt with both hands and pulled me firmly against her. Her trim belly seemed to have just the right tension under her soft skin, and the water flowed over her to what little gap there was below to keep things slick. I tried to warn her that I was too close, but she grinned and rubbed against me faster. Being in the shower had advantages that sheets on a living room floor couldn't offer, but there was one thing a bed allowed that standing after orgasm did not - a chance to relax.

Giggling, Jordan held onto me and helped me to lean against a wall. "I never knew I could get a guy off with my belly."

I looked at her. "You could get me off with the bend of your knee."

Her giggles subsided. "That would be an awkward position." She raised her leg up, bending the knee at waist height. "I'd need help standing so I wouldn't slip."

I grabbed her thigh and pulled her leg around to hook on my hip. "You're incorrigible."

"Well, you were the one who suggested it," she said with a grin.

I shook my head. "That's not what I meant."

The glow of her giggles settled into something softer, as did her voice. "I know what you meant." She pulled my face to hers for another "lip sandwich" as she called it. I didn't fight her in the least. Even having just released, I found that I was eager for her again.

Without letting her lips leave mine, Jordan twisted slightly in my arms and I felt her hand pull me down and under her. Her legs weren't quite as long as mine, so I bent my knees to get at the correct angle. She then guided me up and into her while we were still standing. Our position was somewhat awkward and one of my feet slipped in the water. I turned us so my back pressed against the wall, and my feet wedged against the opposite wall of the tub. Regardless of my change in stance, Jordan was still up on the balls of her feet. I held her slim waist and she rolled her hips.

Our night's trysts had involved the same position we shared our first time at Danielle's. Our bodies slapped together while I thrust into her. Presently though neither of us pulled from the other. The roll of her hips cause different sensations all along my member, yet they were no less exciting. Jordan seemed to be getting more out it than me. Maybe it was because I had ejaculated only a few minutes ago. Maybe it was the position. Maybe it was because she was controlling how our genitals touched. Whatever the reason was, she was moaning and gripping my arms tightly.

I had missed the moment of her climax the night before, when she had me between her breasts. I had no intension of missing it again and to add to her pleasure, I slid my hands up her torso to her full, round breasts, squeezed them, and pinched her nipples.

Jordan's hands turned into claws on my arms. Her whole body quickly changed from urgently grinding toward climax to a fully tensed. All of her muscles locked up, including her inner muscles around my shaft; her low moans turned into guttural groans; and her eyes were squeezed shut.

For a few seconds, I watched the amazing scene she played out in front of me. I could feel how her body gripped me inside, stuttering and clamping down. I wasn't sure if I should move or not and opted for simply acting as support.

Jordan slumped and I pulled her against me, easily supporting her languid body. I would have thought she was heavier, but she felt very light in my arms. Her breathing was heavy and repeatedly brushed over my chest. I ignored the sensation and happily held her.

After another minute, she looked up at me. "Wow."

I raised my eyebrows and then smiled. "Wow?"

She nodded slowly. "Wow."

It took another minute of her relaxing against me before she had the strength to stand on her own. Once she was stable, I pulled out of her. She pouted and whimpered. I smiled at her and grabbed the scrubbies and liquid soap Raven left out.

I still wasn't sure about our status with one another. The terms Boyfriend and Girlfriend didn't feel deep enough for what we had shared, and at the same time they were more than what I was feeling emotionally for Jordan. I really liked her, the sex was great, but I didn't know what was going to happen between us outside a bedroom, or bathroom for that matter.

I continued to want to feel her body pressed to mine, to feel her skin against mine in any way possible. So, I lathered up a scrubby and turned Jordan around so I could wash her back. I used the scrubby to cover her with soap, but then used my free hand to rub her skin. I couldn't restrain myself to just washing her back either. I knelt behind her and ran scrubby and hands over her butt. I started to move lower when she grabbed my hand.

I looked up. Her eyes were close and she was biting her lower lip. She directed my hand between her legs, pressing my fingers between her cheeks. "Wash me there too," she said, her voice breathy.

I ran the scrubbed between her thighs, and pressed it up between her cheeks. She raised a leg and rested her foot on the edge of the tub, giving me better access.

I swiped her with the scrubby a couple of times and then rubbed her all over with my free hand. She thrust her hips back and pulled a cheek away, showing me her anus. I ran my soapy fingers over her puckered opening and she moaned when I grazed it.

I may have had no experience with sex personally, but I wasn't completely clueless. I knew people had anal sex. I didn't know if Jordan wanted to or not, but something told me she wasn't repulsed by the idea. Instead of assuming, I took Jordan's earlier advice and asked. I pressed a finger against her anal opening and said, "Do you want me to?"

She half turned and looked down at me. Her eyes were heavy lidded and she licked her lips. "Not yet. Maybe later. If you want to."

I rubbed her again and said, "I only asked because you seemed to enjoy this."

She smiled. "When I'm this high on sex, I enjoy a lot more than I'll admit to in polite company."

"Polite company" was a term my parents used for anyone from our town. I frowned at the memory.

"If you don't want to," Jordan said, apparently thinking I was frowning at the idea, "we don't have to, Seth."

I looked up at her and shook my head. "No, this doesn't bother me." I shrugged, not sure if I could explain. "You used a term my parents always used."

She pulled my hand from her and turned around. I stood up, thinking I might have done something wrong, but the look on her face was sympathetic. "I'm sorry," she said. "I suppose it's going to take a long while for you to work past the turmoil you're feeling. I'll do my best to help you, but I won't walk on eggshells."

I nodded. "I wouldn't expect you to."

"Good," she said and gave me a peck on the cheek. "Now, turn around so I can wash your back."

I smiled and turned around. As much as I had enjoyed touching her, I liked feeling her touch me too, and like me, she didn't stop with just my back. Her scrubby dropped down to my butt, slid under me, between my legs, and gently rubbed against my privates. Like Jordan, I raised my leg and rested my foot on the edge of the tub.

Like her, I grew excited at her touch. She gently fondled my sac and ran the tips of her finger back over my anus. I had been expecting that and had enough willpower to refrain from jumping or pulling away. She had thrust her rosebud at me with every graze, but I held still, waiting for her to finish.

She stood up with her hand caressing my crack. Her hot breath washed over my water slick neck and she said, "You know this isn't a bad thing, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I know." My voice was weaker than I meant it to be.

"Well, did you know," she said, as she continued to stroke my anus, "that if I were to slip my finger in and press on your prostate gland when you cum, you'd cum a lot harder?"

Fear crept into my mind. I shook my head. "No."

She stopped moving her fingers, but kept one squarely on my opening. "I won't do it now. I won't do it, until you ask me to."

She pulled her hand away from my butt and pulled at my shoulder to get me to turn around.

I was hard as a rock and my shaft slid along her wet skin. I didn't like the way my body responded while she was talking about slipping a finger into my butt, but I couldn't stop or even hide my reaction.

She gripped me and gave me a couple of strokes. "Anal sex isn't evil, regardless of what the church wants everyone to believe."

I frowned. "But, isn't it illegal?"

She smiled. "Sex is illegal when it isn't consensual. The same goes for anal sex. As long as you and your partner agree to it, nobody else's opinion matters."

Intellectually I knew that, but something about anal sex was still disturbing. No, any kind of sex involving MY anus was disturbing. Jordan enjoyed having me rub her anus. I had enjoyed the fact that she enjoyed it. Was that wrong?

"What are you thinking about so hard?" she asked, squeezing me again with her last word.

I pulled her to me, crushing my sensitive chest to her soft breasts. "I don't want to ask for something if I'm not willing to offer the same."

She raised her eyebrows. "That's thoughtful, but I don't get anything out of fingering a guy's ass, except maybe more cum." She added the last with a giggle.

I swallowed, fought my embarrassment and the nodded.

"Does it excite you?" she asked. "The idea of fucking me in the ass?"

I shook my head. "Not the act. I like the way you responded. If you like it, I wouldn't mind doing it."

She smiled and kissed my lips with a quick peck. "Thank you, but It'll take me a little effort to work up to your size."

I blinked at her, not sure I understood. If I had to ask, then I didn't, but that was a question for a different time. "Then if we're not going to do that, we should probably get out of the shower before we use up all the hot water."

"What's the hurry?" Jordan asked. "There'll be more hot water for Raven when she gets home later."

"Actually, I'm not in a hurry," I said. "I'm hungry."

Jordan grinned. "Good point. We've got to keep your strength up."

She turned around and turned off the water. I reached for the towels so we could dry off. It took me a second to realize the double meaning of her intent and I used the towel to hide my face until I wasn't red anymore.



-------

Chapter 14



Once my embarrassment passed, both of us played around while drying off, laughing and occasionally kissing. Jordan was still heated up and I began to worry about my health, more than only getting enough to eat.

I escaped the bathroom a few minutes later, found my discarded backpack, and dressed in the clothes in it. Jordan watched me while I dressed, making comments about the pointlessness of me putting on underwear. When I sat down to put on my shoes and socks, she disappeared in Raven's bedroom. When I was ready for travel, and she hadn't reappeared, I went looking for her.

Jordan had a t-shirt on. I could tell instantly that it was too small. When she noticed me in the doorway watching her, she turned and posed with her chest thrust out. The t-shirt said, "I may not be perfect, but parts of me are awesome!" It was stretched obscenely over her breasts, magnifying the obvious.

I stood there, staring at her chest and fighting not to laugh. It wasn't really that hard. Jordan was stunning, from her long wavy chestnut locks all the way down to her dainty toes. I wasn't entirely sure which 'parts' the t-shirt was meant to point out, but, to me, it deflated Jordan's awesomeness a lot.

She shook her head, crinkling her nose with a grin. "Too much?"

I shrugged. "I think that's up to you, but I'm sure anybody who sees you wouldn't mind though, especially since that's all you're wearing."

She giggled and pulled the shirt off. "It was the biggest shirt she had," she said, tossing it on the bed. "She's got a smaller waist and hips than me, so everything to cover me from the waist below is out of the question." She shook her head. "I knew she was small, but not that small."

I nodded and we left the bedroom. Jordan picked up the sheet and said, "I guess I'll have to wear this again." She looked at me. "We'll have to go back to my place so I can get some clothes."

I nodded, thinking we'd go out to get something to eat after that, and maybe I could go back to my dorm room and put on fresh clothes.

"Of course, going anywhere other than my place depends on whether or not your Initiation is done," she added.

I looked at her, unsure of how I felt about her insistence.

She met my gaze. "I know you don't believe me, but I'd rather play it safe than let you get mauled by a horde of horny strangers."

I nodded, but wasn't sure how serious she was. "Lemme help you with that," I said, by way of distraction.

She nodded and held one corner to the center of her chest while I walked circles around her, wrapping her up like a big, beautiful burrito. The sheet ended at her side and I tucked it in under her arm. She had to lift the "skirts" so she wouldn't trip over it while she walked. To me, she looked more like she was wearing a dress than a sheet. I doubted anyone would even know the difference while we drove to her place.

Before she looked up to find me staring, I turned away and folded up the comforter. Once that was ready, we went through the house to straighten up. Then I grabbed the folded comforter and my backpack, and we went out to her car.

Once we were on the road, she asked, "Do you have a license?"

I shook my head. "I wasn't worried about it at home. I wanted to save up every nickel so I could pay for school. Besides, I thought it safer that I didn't have a car of my own. If I got into an accident, it would have been my fault. If anything happened to it, the repairs would have come out of my pocket. So on and so forth."

"I thought you worked at a garage?" she asked.

I nodded. "I did, but I'd still have to pay for parts. I couldn't chance that I'd have to spend money unnecessarily."

"Then how did you get around?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I rode a bike."

She snorted a laugh. "Doesn't it snow out there?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but I didn't care. I'd walk my bike if I had to."

She shook her head in amazement. "I don't think I've ever had that kind of drive."

I looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"You had a goal and put a lot of thought into how to attain it. I don't know many people who could stay on track when they felt so many things working against them. Certainly not me."

I didn't think I was that special. "I'm sure you could if you faced the same thing."

"That's just it Seth," she said, "I didn't face the same thing. My mom knew what was going on with me and was sympathetic."

I looked away. I was sure my parents didn't know anything that had happened to me, other than the incident with Lisa. I knew better than to expect sympathy from them and it was never offered.

Thankfully Jordan decided to change the subject. "Do you want to get a license?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Well, we can do that before you start classes, but we'll have to wait until your Initiation is over." She glanced at me and smiled. "The last thing you need is for the driving instructor to try to get into your pants while you're trying to drive."

I shook my head and grinned. "You're almost like a dog with a bone about that."

She glanced at me. "I wish I had proof for you. I wish I could have done something more straight-forward yesterday, before I gave you all my power."

I thought about that. "I thought you said you would be out of power by this morning? Didn't you still have power last night when we got to Raven's?"

She sighed heavily. "Normally when I have sex, it feeds ... fed my power. However, with you, every time we had sex, I was giving you my power."

I watched her for a second. She really seemed to believe what she was telling me. Another idea struck me. "What about Raven?"

"What about her?" she asked.

"She's a Magus too, right?"

She nodded.

"So, why couldn't she show me some magic?" I asked.

"During your Initiation, your power would absorb any magic that's cast." Jordan shook her head. "No matter how powerful the Magus is, you wouldn't see anything."

"Even if we didn't have sex?" I asked, clarifying.

She nodded.

"Then why is sex necessary?" I asked. "If Raven could have fed my power without sex, it seems like it would have been the most efficient way."

Jordan raised her eyebrows and pouted. "You don't like having sex with me?"

I wasn't absolutely sure, but I thought she was faking just to get attention. "I like having sex with you, very much," I said and Jordan grinned at me. "But Raven seemed scared of it."

Jordan shrugged. "No, she's not scared of sex, but there's a difference between sharing magic and giving it."

I sighed. "Okay, now I'm even more confused."

She shook her head. "Don't worry about it right now. I'll explain it more when your Initiation is over."

I looked out the other window, not sure what to feel. My analogy of struggling with a dog over a bone seemed perfectly appropriate. Jordan wasn't going to let this go.

We got to her place about ten minutes later. I wasn't sure how many police cars we passed, but they seemed to be out in force. Once safely inside her apartment, we both laughed. I wasn't sure what was so funny, but it felt good.

Jordan invited me into her bedroom while she got dressed. I had seen her nude so much already that watching her drop the sheet almost felt normal. She went to her dresser and started rummaging. "This is going to feel wrong," she said.

"What will?" I asked.

She looked over her shoulder at me, her eyes smoldering. "Being dressed around you."

The sight of her nude again hadn't given me a rise, but that look and her words did. I wondered if that was normal.

She pulled out a bra, clipped it around her torso and twisted it around to slip her arms through the straps.

"Would it be bad if you went without a bra?" I asked.

She shrugged and looked at me. "Legally, no. Why do you ask?" The she reached into each cup to adjust how her breasts rested in them.

I couldn't answer until she finished. "I-It just seems like overkill."

She smiled. "Well, I'm sure most guys would like to see ­me go without a bra, present company included, but a lot of women would give me dirty looks."

I frowned. "Why?"

She snorted a short laugh. "Jealousy, for one thing. Other's would think I'm advertising that I'm a slut."

I shook my head. "I don't think of you that way."

Her smile softened and she stepped closer, wearing only the lacy garment. Her breasts were level with my face and I couldn't rip my eyes away from them. She ran her hands through my hair and I looked up. "Thank you."

"For what?" I asked, my voice coming out faintly.

"For not thinking of me as a slut," she said and then gently pressed her breasts to my face. "And for the way you look at me."

My breath stuttered out, but when I drew in another breath, all I could smell was her skin, her scent. There was also a slight hint of the soap we'd used earlier, but otherwise, it was all her.

She stepped back smiling.

I looked up into her face, a little flustered.

She went back to the dresser again, pulled out a pair of matching lacy panties, and put them on with a smile on her face.

I wasn't certain what she was smiling about. All I knew was that I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

She went to her closet and shuffled through one hanging garment after another, finally pulling out a blouse and skirt. The blouse was thin but not sheer. She stood in front of her closet buttoning it up. She stopped at the top of her bra, leaving a long line of cleavage showing. She bent over to step into her skirt and smiled up at me.

I smiled back, still not sure what she was smiling about.

When she finished zipping up her skirt, she pulled out a pair of shoes, walked over to me and dropped them on the floor in front of me. With that smile still in place, she bent over and put her hands on my shoulders to steady herself while she slipped her feet into her shoes.

I didn't understand why she didn't sit down to put them on, but I wasn't complaining.

Once she was ready, she straightened up and walked out of the bedroom.

It took me a second to realize that she had left and to get up off my duff to follow her.

She stood next to the front door with her keys in hand. She was still smiling and I couldn't help but smile back. "Didn't you forget something?" she asked.

I frowned and looked behind me. The sheet she'd been wearing was on the floor. I shook my head, picked it up and folded it quickly.

When I was ready, she opened the front door, looked outside, and stopped.

I stepped up behind her to look past her. Two women walked along the sidewalk, talking casually. At first, I didn't understand why Jordan wasn't leaving, but then I remembered and thought I'd tease her about it a little. "I thought I'd be jumped by a crowd of horny strangers?"

Jordan rolled her eyes at me. "First, that's not a crowd, and second, as long as you maintain some distance, nothing will happen."

"And how much distance should that be?" I asked.

"About fifteen yards should be safe," she replied.

I shook my head behind her and she waved at me to follow her.

I looked around but didn't see anyone else. When we got to her car, she said, "We don't know if your Initiation is over. We have to test it."

I looked back over my shoulder at the two women in the distance. "You could have let me test it on them."

She gave me the same look my mom did anytime I said something she thought was foolish. "Would you really want to have sex with them?"

I looked again and considered. Both of the women were a lot older than me or Jordan. If I was right, they were older than my parents. I shook my head. "No. Not really. Why?"

"That's the point of keeping a distance, so you have a choice. If someone gets too close for too long, then you won't have a choice, not unless you're willing to get violent."

I wasn't sure what to think of that. The only two women who'd thrown themselves at me were Jordan and Danielle. I glanced at the folded sheet I was holding. "You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" When she didn't answer, I said, "I think Danielle would appreciate it if we tested it on someone else," I said.

Jordan glanced left and right. It made me look too. No one was about. "Do you want to find some random person on the street to test it on?"

I shook my head. "No, but..."

She frowned harder. "There's no 'but' Seth. We have to test this and I could tell that you were attracted to Danielle. If you have a choice, you might as well choose someone you'd like to have sex. The alternative could be ... unpleasant." She opened her door. "Now get in."

We left her apartment complex and I considered asking her to simply drop me off at my dorm. It was one thing when she talked about me having magic and what might happen if I got too close to anyone else, but her anger was making the whole situation less than enticing.

Did I really want to go back to my dorm though? No. I liked having someone to hang out with. I'd never had a friend and I knew I'd regret it if I ended things with her. I thought about her anger. Was she angry because I was arguing with her? She knew that I didn't have proof of what was going on, but she had been very patient with my questions. Was it possible that she was angry about how I tried to turn it into a game? Wouldn't I be? If I knew this wasn't a game and tried to convince her of the truth, what would I do? I'd answer her questions, be patient with her, and wait until the Initiation was over. When she had use of her power, then she would have the proof she wanted. Was that what she was doing? Waiting for my Initiation to finish? But what would happen when it did? How would I know if I had power or not?

It all came back to the same basic question: was it true?

There was another fundamental aspect to what was going on at the moment. I remembered getting angry at the thought of another man having sex with Jordan, and she said I was angry because I cared. Was it the same with her? Did she care? If she didn't, she could have taken me back to the dorm and dropped me off last night. She didn't have to take me to Raven's house. She didn't have to try to convince me of what was going on.

Going along with what she said wasn't hurting me any. I laughed at myself. If anything, I was actually having more fun with her dealing with this Magus thing than I had ever had at home. I would have to resolve not to tease her about it, plain and simple. And to make sure that happened, I would have to apologize. It was my teasing that soured her mood and I had to correct that. I turned to face her. "I'm sorry."

Jordan glanced at me. "About what?"

"For teasing you," I said. "You've been very nice to me, very patient. You could have just dumped me off at my dorm and left me to deal with this on my own, but you didn't." I shrugged, not sure if I was making any sense. "And the whole time I've been very..."

"Confused," she supplied. "Which I understand. And thank you."

I nodded and let things drop right there. Besides, I didn't know what else to say.

The summer sun felt good on my face, but Jordan had the windows rolled up again with the AC on. I thought about asking her about the night before, about the difference between windows up and down, but didn't. Remembering what Jordan said about smelling me, and that I smelled good, I reasoned that she didn't want the car filled with nothing but the scent of me. If what she said was true, and she couldn't resist the smell during the drive, then we would have ended up in an accident. That thought sobered me more than anything. She hadn't asked anything of me, other than lots of sex, something I was willing to give. Yet, she had reacted to this Magus story as if it were a very real thing with real consequences.

I considered the closed windows again. If what she believed was true, then did the same danger still exist? I remembered what she said in the shower, that she couldn't feel my pull anymore. If that was the case, then my scent probably didn't affect her anymore either.

And it all came back to the same question: was it true?

I remembered what Jordan said about speaking freely at Raven's house. I looked at her. "Is Raven's home a safe haven or something?"

She nodded. "In a manner of speaking, yes. She's lived there so long and put up so many protective spells over the years that only the most experienced and powerful Magi could have heard us."

I looked around at the passing cars and houses. "So, we're not safe talking in your car?"

She shook her head. "Not as safe as we would have been when I had power, but it helps that we're on the move."

I frowned. "Why worry about other Magi listening in on us?"

She looked at me for a second and then shook her head. "That's something else that should wait until your Initiation is over with."

I nodded and held off my other questions for later. I didn't know when we'd be able to talk openly again, but it would give me time to think.

When we arrived at Danielle's, the gate didn't automatically open at our approach. I wanted to ask, but didn't. Danielle had probably been expecting Jordan yesterday, but not today.

Jordan parked along the cul-de-sac and we got out. I had the blankets folded up under my arm, and followed Jordan to the front door. She knocked. A moment later, Danielle opened the door.

I wasn't sure what happened, but Danielle looked like she had taken it on her face. She looked a like a raccoon, but not in a cute way. Both eyes were bruised, as well as the left side of her jaw. She also looked like she was fresh out of the shower because her hair was wet and she was wearing a big terry cloth robe.

For a moment we all stood there, looking at one another. Finally, Danielle looked at Jordan and asked, "Why didn't you come in through the garage?"

Jordan hesitated for a second and said, "Lost the remote."

Danielle nodded and stepped back, inviting us in.

I wanted to ask what happened, but I knew it wasn't any of my business. Besides, I could put it all together, and I didn't need anyone to tell me. Once I was inside, I held up the blankets and nodded toward the kitchen. "I'll take these to the washer and get them started."

Danielle frowned. "You didn't have to bring these back today."

I shrugged and shuffled my feet. I could faintly smell our combined fluids in the material. As soon as Danielle was close enough, she would too.

Danielle shook her head and reached out for them. "I'll take them." Her hand felt warm on my arm and goose bumps ran along my whole body.

I had to clear my suddenly dry throat and couldn't move to keep Danielle away. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jordan watching Danielle closely. I mentally shook off my reaction and let go of the blankets.

Danielle looked up at me and smiled. When she moved past me, I couldn't help but notice her scent. It wasn't shampoo or perfume, but it gave me a rise.

She got halfway to the kitchen, and then stopped and turned to look back at us. "C'mon in to the kitchen and get a drink. I'll be right out."

I watched her go and looked at Jordan. "What do you think happened?"

Jordan watched until Danielle was out of sight. "Roger happened," she said with a heavy sigh. She shook her head. "I knew he was bad news when they got married, but I never knew it was this bad."

If I was a Magus and my Initiation wasn't over, then I didn't want to complicate the problems Danielle had by exposing her to me. In my mind, it sounded almost vulgar to think of my problem in those terms, but it was accurate. I tried to explain my concern to Jordan. "If my Initiation isn't over, we'll have to keep our visit short."

Jordan looked at me. "Why?"

I shook my head. "She doesn't need me making things worse for her."

Jordan took a deep breath and let it out. I didn't like the look on her face. It made me think she was about to tell me something else I wasn't going to like. "We have to help her."

I agreed and nodded. "Yes, we have to convince her to leave Roger and press charges." I said. "But my problem will only complicate hers."

Jordan stared at me. "We don't know that she'll just agree to leave."

I glanced toward the kitchen. "How do you know she won't?"

"Because I've tried to talk her into leaving before," she said, glancing toward the kitchen too.

I didn't like the sound of that. "If you couldn't talk her into it, and you're her friend, I don't stand a chance."

A slight smile formed on Jordan's face. "I think you'll be a lot more persuasive than me."

I frowned. "I've never persuaded anyone to do anything they didn't want to."

Jordan's smile grew. "I changed my mind about becoming your Fonte."

I wanted to argue with her about it, but that would mean accepting what she told me, and I hadn't done that. There was also the smile on her face. Couple that with her statement about me changing her mind and I had an idea of what she was thinking. "What do you have in mind?" I asked.

Jordan studied me for a moment. "If your Initiation isn't over, you can help her."

I hoped she wasn't thinking what I thought she was thinking. "I thought you said I wouldn't be able to use my ... magic until the Initiation was over."

"True," she said. "But I'm not talking about using directed power. If she jumps you like she did yesterday, let her."

Great, she was thinking that way. "Won't Roger be angry at her if he finds out?"

She nodded. "Yes, but I think it'll be easier for her to leave if she's too infatuated with you to worry about how he'll react."

I shook my head. "You're talking about manipulating her. That's wrong in and of itself, regardless of what Roger did."

The small smile disappeared. "It's the lesser of two evils, Seth. Would you hurt her?"

"Never," I said instantly. And then I thought about my remark. I didn't say "no," I said "never." Why did I say that? Had I already considered being with Danielle?

I looked toward the kitchen, checking to see if Danielle had taken care of the blankets, and I looked back at Jordan. She was watching me. The look on her face suggested she understood my remark better than I did.

Without saying anything else, Jordan walked off toward the kitchen. For a second, I stood there, considering going back out to the car. I looked at the front door and realized if anyone got too close to me they might jump me. I looked toward the kitchen. Jordan turned to look back at me when she got to the doorway. She didn't say anything and she didn't have to.

The basic question came up again: was it true? I didn't want to believe it, but if she was right, then things could get unruly. I only hoped that I had enough self control to stick with the intended plan. I didn't want to think about what might happen if Roger came home and found Danielle and me together.

I shook my head and followed Jordan. It had been one thing to learn I was supposed to be some kind of wizard and that sex was needed to make my powers work. It was something else entirely to use that to manipulate someone else into something they may not want.



-------

Chapter 15



In Danielle's Kitchen, Jordan got two cans of soda from the refrigerator and handed me one. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I stopped drinking. I looked at Jordan. "I think the last meal I had was lunch yesterday."

She smiled. "And I promised to get you something to eat."

I shrugged. "It's not all your fault. I haven't said anything else about it."

Danielle came in then. "You're welcome to anything in the fridge."

I looked from her to Jordan. I didn't want to stay long enough to eat. I was too scared of what might happen. I shook my head. "It's cool. I'll get something when we leave."

Danielle rolled her eyes and looked at Jordan. "Why do men have to make such a big deal out of everything?" Then she moved past Jordan and pulled open the fridge. After rummaging for a second, she pulled out a sealed bowl and handed it to me. "It's a salad I didn't finish yesterday."

I accepted it and looked inside. The bowl was big enough to hold food for four, but it was less than half full of lettuce, bits of carrot, sliced radishes, and other veggies. My mouth watered instantly.

"Would you like some salad dressing?" Danielle asked.

I shook my head. "Just a fork, please."

Jordan pulled one out of a drawer and I started eating.

With my mouth full I couldn't ask questions, but Jordan could. She looked at Danielle. "How long has this been going on?"

Danielle had been watching me eat. She looked up at Jordan's question. After hesitating, she lowered her eyes and said, "He doesn't do it often."

Jordan and I shared a look. "Not often?" Jordan said, outraged. "Once is too often."

Danielle took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. She wasn't arguing, but she wasn't agreeing either.

"You already know what you need to do Danielle," Jordan continued. "And you know I'll help you. If you need a place to stay, or just don't want to be alone when you go to the police."

Danielle looked up again. "Police?"

Jordan nodded. "Yes, the police." She motioned about Danielle's face. "This is evidence of assault, plain and simple."

Danielle ran a hand along her jaw. It hurt me just watching her. "I don't want to involve the police."

Jordan shook her head. "You cannot be considering staying after this."

Danielle was watching me again. "I'm not staying," she said softly, almost under her breath. The house was quiet enough that we heard her anyway. She looked at Jordan again. "But my car is in his name. All he'd have to do is report it stolen and sooner or later the police would arrest me."

Jordan shrugged. "That's easy. Leave the car. Go get dressed, pack some clothes and come stay at my place for a while."

I dropped the fork into the empty bowl, and looked up to meet Danielle's eyes. There was pain in her eyes, and I wanted to help her ease it any way I could. For a moment I stood there studying her face, and then I said, "Do what Jordan suggested. Go get dressed and pack a bag. We'll wait for you."

Danielle moved around the island and closer to me. Her eyes took in my face and her hands reached for me.

Jordan didn't say anything, she only watched.

I thought I knew what was happening, if Jordan was right. In no more than the ten minutes Danielle had been in my presence, my power's hunger had reached out to her. I didn't run though. I didn't stop her when she pulled at my shirt, lifting it so she could run her hands under it and along my skin. I did my best to not moan when her fingers found my nipples.

Danielle closed her eyes and took a deep breath, like she smelled something tasty. I worried for a moment if, even after our shower this morning, I still had some of Jordan's scent on me. If that was the case, Danielle didn't care what it was. She took another deep breath, pressing her face closer to my chest.

I was beginning to get a rise. For a moment, I suspected that the desire my power invoked in Danielle was reflecting back on me too, but Jordan said that wasn't the case. So, if my power wasn't affecting me, then was Jordan right? Was I attracted to Danielle? She was a beautiful woman, but there had to be more to it than that, didn't there?

I glanced at Jordan. She was watching Danielle, but looked up to meet my eyes. Even through her bra, her nipples were obvious. Did I really have power, some strange thing that Jordan had been trying to convince me that I had? Or did she like seeing other women throwing themselves at me? I didn't know. I simply did not know. And now wasn't the right time to ask.

Danielle moved up closer to me, pressing her body to mine, especially to my groin. The move brought my attention back to her. She wrapped her arms around me under my shirt and pressed her face into my chest, inhaling again.

The feel of her body so close made me fully hard. Part of me wanted to push her away, to warn her of what she was getting into and why, but another part wanted to help her out of her situation, and the rest of me wanted what she was suggesting.

I stood there with my hands at my sides, doing everything I could to keep from giving in to that last part. Helping Danielle didn't require sex, and being passive on my part might give her the idea that I wasn't interested. The problem was though, I was. I was very interested. So many years of being alone had programmed me with the idea that I wasn't desirable. After being beaten for having thoughts in my head, I didn't want to end up in a similar situation. Yet, Jordan had not only talked to me, but jumped me when she had the chance. She wasn't married, her Daddy wasn't here to protect her from me, and, even though she had told me a little about the two guys she went to for sex before, she didn't seem the least bit worried that they'd show up. Danielle, on the other hand, was married, and she had the proof on her face of what he might resort to if he caught us.

Ignoring Danielle wasn't doing any good. One of her hands continued to stroke the skin on my back, but the other slid down and over my pants. She squeezed my butt and pulled me against her. She writhed against me.

A small moan escaped me, and that part of my mind, and body, that wanted to give in to her gained more ground. My emotions were like a pack of dogs raging in my head, each fighting for dominance. I wanted to help her. I wanted to warn her. I wanted to have her.

That last thought made me tense up. I couldn't have Danielle. She wasn't an object to possess. Even as agreeable to sex as she seemed to be, that didn't make her mine. With that realization, the side of me wanting to help her gained some ground over the others.

I looked at Jordan again. She was watching us. Her expression was similar to yesterday - hungry, needy, but not as strong. She looked at me again, raised a hand to point up, and mouthed the word, "Bedroom."

My heart rate picked up and I looked back down at Danielle. She was grinding against me so hard, I wondered if she was trying to wear out a hole in my pants. Her focused movements told me she knew my state.

Danielle looked up and met my eyes. Her face was so close to mine, I didn't even notice the bruises. She had the same look in her eyes as Jordan's, only stronger, and that worried me. I knew I wasn't that attractive. I wasn't so desirable that women threw themselves at me. Was Jordan right? Did I have some kind of power? Was it true?

I started to reach up to caress Danielle's face, but stopped myself. I didn't want to touch her bruises and remind her of the pain she'd suffered. I wanted to help her, not hurt her further.

Danielle noticed my hand and moved over to press her face to it anyway. If she was in any pain, she didn't let on about it. After rubbing her cheek in my palm, she turned her face to it, sniffed me and then opened her mouth and ran her tongue along it.

The hand she had on my butt rose up and held the back of my hand, pushing my thumb down to point at her mouth. She looked up into my eyes, watching mine as her lips softly kissed the tip of my thumb. Her tongue darted out and licked it with a feather-like brush. With only the slightest push on the back of my hand, she sucked my thumb into her mouth.

I watched her actions peripherally, but her eyes held mine, like she had a power all her own.

She continued to suck on my thumb, pulling it in as far as my hand would allow. I felt her other hand leave my back and she shifted her shoulders and hips to pull her robe open. Either she forgot that Jordan was still in the kitchen with us, or she simply didn't care.

I had suspected she was fresh out of the shower when we arrived, but I hadn't honestly thought about what that meant at the time. Danielle pulled my hand to her bare hip. Her skin was almost hot, but it felt soft and smooth. At her direction, my hand slowly slid up her side and onto her breast. She wasn't as big as Jordan but she filled my hand. I couldn't stop myself from looking down, but I recovered quickly, looking back into her eyes with what I was sure was surprise.

Pulling my thumb from her mouth, she pressed that hand to her other breast and closed her eyes.

I gently squeezed her. I couldn't stop myself. She felt too good to simply hold and her insistence demanded I do more than stand there.

She moaned, pressing my hands harder into her breasts. I honestly couldn't believe that I was touching another woman in as many days. It was almost surreal. Her hands dropped down between us to my waistband. I could tell she was trying to open my pants, but I wasn't sure about doing anything more right there in the kitchen.

With a lot of reluctance, I let go of Danielle's breasts and reached down to grab her wrists.

She looked up at me, and one word escaped her: "Please."

I glanced toward Jordan but kept my focus on Danielle. "I will let you do whatever you want with me..." She struggled against my grip. I was firm but did my best not to hurt her and continued talking. " ... After we leave."

She stopped struggling then and stared at me.

I nodded. "Let's get you dressed and some clothes in a bag, and you and I can go somewhere else so Roger won't disturb us."

For a moment, she stood there looking into my eyes. I wondered if she was going to try for my shorts again, but then she gently pulled her hands out of my grasp and stepped back. The hungry look in her eyes faded a little and she turned to walk away from me.

I thought at first she had somehow snapped out of the trance and might have even been upset, but she stopped only two steps away, turned back around slowly, and looked at me. "Anything I want?" she asked.

The tone in her voice made me worry for a second, but I nodded. "Anything you want."

She threw Jordan a glance and Jordan only watched her. Danielle looked at me again. "I hope you don't have any plans for today then." With that, she turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Jordan walked around the island and stood in front of me. For a moment, she looked me over, but I could tell her eyes lingered on my crotch. I turned and leaned over the counter to hide myself.

Jordan looked up with a smile. "You want her."

I swallowed to wet my throat and then sighed. I didn't have an honest answer for her statement.

Jordan stepped closer. The heat of her body sent shivers through me.

I wanted to touch her. I knew I was allowed to but I didn't want to start something with Jordan and get caught by Danielle after making my promise to her.

Jordan leaned over, her breasts pressing into my arm, and whispered in my ear, "I can take the edge off if you'd like."

I nodded, not even considering what she had in mind.

She pulled on my shoulder, turning me around so my butt was against the island. I didn't resist her. I was burning with desire and didn't know what I could do about it. She pressed herself to me from groin to lips and I accepted her. She slipped her hands under my shirt and up my back.

It felt good to have her skin against mine, and I wanted more. I did the same to her, reaching under the back of her blouse to feel her skin directly. I touched her with more than just my hands, using my entire forearms to press as much of my skin to hers as possible.

Jordan broke our kiss and tilted her head to the side to nibble my ear. "Watching you two together was so hot I've soaked my panties."

I considered pulling up her skirt and feeling her to find out, but thought better of it.

She pulled back and looked me in the eyes. "If you're going to be with Danielle all day, I'm going to need a little relief first."

I thought I knew what she was talking about and glanced toward the doorway Danielle had left through.

Jordan pulled my face around to look at her. "I don't want her to catch us either, because things might degenerate here and I don't want Roger finding us, but I can't let you leave just yet."

"Then what are you suggesting?" I asked.

"Just fuck me fast and furious," she said. She stepped back, dropped her hands to her skirt, pulled it up, wiggled her hips and then slipped her panties down her legs. She stepped out of them, and tossed them over the island to the floor behind it.

I watched her drop to her knees and reach for my pants. I glanced up at the doorway and wondered how long Danielle would be gone.

Jordan unzipped my pants and pulled them apart. She looked up at me, fire burning in her gaze, along with frustration. "I told you underwear would only be a problem." She reached in and found the opening in my boxer-briefs and found my erection.

The kitchen air was cold in contrast to her hand. She slowly stroked me, gazing at my erection like someone might look at food when hungry. I didn't like the analogy, but when a drop of pearly pre-cum appeared at the tip, she leaned in and captured it with her tongue. Her eyes fluttered close and she smacked her lips. Maybe the analogy wasn't too far off.

She leaned in and captured my crown with her lips, her eyes closed again and she moaned in delight. She slid further onto my shaft, her tongue washing all over me.

I watched in amazement and moaned occasionally too. When she said she needed relief, I didn't think this was what she meant. I wasn't going to complain, but I didn't know what she got out of it.

She slid further along my length and I felt my glans rub against something at the back of her mouth. She had her hands splayed out around my crotch and bobbed back and forth a few times, only to press her mouth as far as she could toward the root of my erection again. Her lips formed a seal around me and she sucked on me when she pulled back.

She looked up into my eyes, her tongue softly lapping over my crown. Her hands slid along my shaft, squeezing when they moved toward her mouth, and relaxing when they moved away.

Jordan didn't ease up on her attention any and returned to sucking. Every time she pressed onto me as far as she could go, she gained a little more ground. I didn't understand why she felt the need to take me completely into her mouth but I wasn't trying to stop her either. She stopped one time and locked her lips around me. I could feel her tongue moving along my length and then she swallowed.

I moaned louder than intended. I couldn't believe how good it felt. She swallowed again, and I moaned again. She pulled back and smiled up at me. "You like that?"

I nodded, but didn't trust my voice.

She continued stroking me and looked down at my turgid erection. "With enough practice, I'll eventually be able to swallow you completely."

I shook my head, incredulous. I wanted to ask why she felt the need to swallow me completely, but couldn't form the words.

Jordan kissed the tip of my crown again and stood up. "Mind returning the favor?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Where?"

She smiled and turned to face the counter. "Right here," she said, pulling up her skirt.

I reached over and ran my hand up the back of her thigh to the curve of her butt.

"Please, Seth. Before Danielle returns," Jordan said.

I nodded and knelt behind her. I could smell her scent with my face so close to her and saw that she wasn't just wet but soaked. I was so worked up that I didn't bother checking the doorway for Danielle. Jordan could keep watch while I did this.

I leaned in, running my hands up and down her legs. I turned my head and kissed each of her thighs. Jordan spread her legs further and I ran my tongue up the back of one to the subtle crease between her thigh and her butt. Jordan moaned softly and I smiled to myself. I liked that sound.

I kissed the other side of her sex and then ran my tongue across her. Jordan surged back to press herself to me. I wrapped my arms around her thighs and pressed my mouth against her lips. I thought of it as another kind of kiss, and pressed my tongue into her. Like the night before, when Jordan let me explore her mouth with mine, I explored her sex now.

I opened my mouth wide and grazed her lightly with teeth. Then I withdrew my tongue and sucked on one of her lips. Jordan ran a hand through my hair and pulled me back into her. I obliged, driving my tongue into her opening again.

She pulled against my head in a rhythm and I moved with her, making love to her vagina with my tongue. It didn't take long for my tongue to get tired. I didn't even know that was possible.

Jordan either understood what was going on or decided she wanted something else. She pulled me away and said, "Now, fuck me. Fuck me and cum in me."

I stood up and ran my hands over her cheeks.

She reached behind her to grip my erection. I leaned back and watched as she ran my crown over her lips, coating it with her fluid. She slowed to a stop with me pressed to her opening and gave me a small tug.

I took that as my cue and pressed my hips toward her, sliding into her heated confines with only mild resistance.

Jordan brought her feet together and squeezed me.

Her tunnel was incredibly tight and felt fantastic. I gripped her hips and thrust into her harder. Our bodies made hollow clapping sounds with each thrust, and Jordan's moans turned into short grunts.

I had enjoyed a lot of sex with Jordan the day before, but we had always faced one another each time. This was different. I didn't understand why, but it felt really good. With each thrust, I was determined to bury myself as deeply into her as possible.

"Oh ... yes ... Seth," Jordan said with each thrust. "Fuck ... me ... harder ... faster ... cum ... in ... me!"

I closed my eyes, got a better grip on her supple hips, and did what she asked, slamming harder and faster into her. I was getting closer and closer, and Jordan's grunts had turned into whimpers. I remembered how she'd done the same thing several times through the night before she would try to crush me to her in climax. Since she wasn't holding me to the front of her, I wondered how she would react.

I continued pounding into her, driving myself through the tightness of her sex, slapping her cheeks and thighs with my hips, and fighting to hold off as long as possible while wanting nothing more than to pour everything I had into her.

All at once, my vision went white, like a bright light had filled the room. My whole body locked up with me buried deeply inside Jordan's clutching canal. Liquid fire shot up my length over and over. All I could do was hold on to Jordan's hips, and breath.

When I looked around, I realized that the whitening of my vision turned out to be the simple white of the ceiling tiles illuminated by lights around the edges of the room. I lolled my head down and looked at Jordan.

Her head was turned to the side and she was completely relaxed on the counter top of the island. Her breathing was as heavy as my own and her eyes were closed.

I ran a hand up her back, over her blouse. I leaned forward a little to reach her blushed cheek.

"Oh," she moaned. "Don't move for a minute." I pulled my hand back to lean on it. I tried to let up some of the pressure I'd been applying to her hips, but she reached back and gripped my hip to stifle me. "No, stay right there."

I nodded, not sure if she could see me or not. All at once I remembered where we were and that Danielle could be back at any time. How much time had gone by? Had she come down, seen us and left? I looked around at the different doorways leading from the kitchen but didn't see her or any sign that she'd been there.

Jordan raised her head a little and rolled her eyes to look back at me. "Is she back yet?"

I shrugged. "I don't think so."

She smiled. "Good. Step back."

I nodded and stepped away. My erection slipped out of her and drooped a little. It was coated with our combined fluids.

Jordan turned around and eased down onto her knees in front of me. I started to step back, to give her room, but she put her hand on me and pulled me back to her. She captured my slick erection with her lips and sucked me back into her mouth. I could feel her tongue scrubbing the underside and wondered if she really wanted to start again.

She pulled back and used her hands to squeegee our fluids from the base of my shaft to her mouth. She looked up at me and licked her hands clean.

I was fully hard again, but didn't move to either instigate another round or to back away if she wanted to.

Jordan stood up and walked around the island to the sink. She wet a washcloth and wrung it out, then she returned to me and knelt again.

She looked up at me while washing any remaining fluids from my body. "Danielle knows we're having sex, but she doesn't need to know we fucked while waiting for her."

I nodded and watched as she kissed my tip one more time before tucking me back into my clothes and closing them up.

She stood up and ran the washcloth between her legs. "Now I'm going to need my panties to keep your cum from running down my legs."

I could feel my penis swell as the idea took root in my head, but I didn't say anything.

Jordan smiled and handed me the washcloth. "You might want to clean your face too."

I wiped my face while watching her go around the island and retrieve her panties. She smiled at me while slipping them back on.

"Are you smiling because you feel better?" I asked. I knew I did.

Jordan shrugged and looked toward the doorway.

I looked too, but Danielle wasn't back yet. I looked at Jordan. She was outright grinning at me. I smiled back. "What?"

Her smile got bigger, if that was possible. "You're not as embarrassed about this as you were yesterday."

I hadn't thought about that, but since she mentioned it, I blushed.

"Ah, that's better," she said, grinning.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "If you weren't such a wildcat, then I doubt we would have done it in Danielle's kitchen."

Jordan leaned over on the island, showing off her line of cleavage. Her grin was even bigger, if that was possible. "If you think I'm a wildcat, you haven't seen anything yet."

I looked back at the doorway where Danielle had vanished and seriously considered taking my chances with the general public while running away.



-------

Chapter 16



"What do you mean she's a wildcat?" I asked Jordan.

She smiled and came around the island to stand next to me. "I remember when Danielle and I first started hanging out together. I was taking a psych class at school to better understand the relationship between me and my Fonti and ended up asking her for tutoring. Well, we got to talking about things other than class and she told me how frustrated she got with Roger because when they had sex, he knew what it took to get her going, but as soon as he was done, that was it, whether she was finished or not."

"Okay," I said, "so, he was a lazy peon. That still doesn't explain to me how she differs from what you're like."

Jordan thought about it for a second. "I guess what I mean is that she's frustrated, not only with her relationship, but with not getting what she wants in bed." She looked me over for a second, her face taking on a more serious expression. "Was there anything you wanted that took a lot of effort to get?"

I raised my eyebrows. "To get away from home."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not sure I can explain this. Was there a place you wanted to go to really badly, and when you got there you didn't want to leave but had to?"

I couldn't think of anything and shook my head.

Jordan nodded. "Okay, I guess what I'm saying is that Danielle might go overboard. She might expect something unrealistic from you. What you need to do is do anything you can to get her off as often as possible. Make sure she gets everything she needs for today."

I shook my head, not sure what to say, or ask. I glanced at the doorway. "I thought she was kidding about me being busy for the day."

Jordan shook her head. "Not likely. In fact, she might want you to stay with her for the night."

I thought about that. I didn't have a problem with Danielle wanting sex, but she was going to need more than that and I wasn't sure if I was up to the task of helping her in any other way. I was too messed up with my own problems to help her with hers. I looked at Jordan. "Why me?"

"Well," Jordan said, "first, there's your Initiation. It's obviously not done. Second, I don't think Danielle would be comfortable with anyone Roger knows. Besides," Jordan added, dropping her voice. "You need to get used to the idea of having sex with more than just one woman."

"What?" I asked. I wasn't sure how I felt about her last statement.

"Seth, when your Initiation is over, you're going to have two or more ­Fonti. You remember what I told you about staying with only one partner. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let you suck me dry. I like having sex with you, it's better than sex with my Fonti, but I'm not going to be your only one."

She studied my stunned face for a moment. "I know I'm dumping a lot in your lap, but this is a part of how your life is going to be from now on. I'm sorry if it's not what you wanted. If I could have found another Magus to gain power from, I would have, but I sat in that orientation for two days straight looking for a Magus. You were the only one I found."

She shook her head and looked around at the doorways. "I've got to stop talking about that. It's not important right now." She looked at me again.

I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and silently asked myself the question again: was it true? I glanced at the doorway, thinking. If it was true, I didn't have a choice. If it wasn't true, Danielle was infatuated with a boy who might end up disappointing her. I turned to Jordan and tried to explain the latter problem. "I don't want to disappoint her. I mean, I've only been with you, and that's been fantastic, but I really don't know much."

Jordan smiled softly. "As long as you do your best to give her what she wants, you won't disappoint her." She trailed her fingers along my arm. It felt good. It didn't matter whether she was touching me or I was touching her, as long as we were touching each other, I felt better. "There's also the distinct possibility that she'll become your Fonte as well, and this feeling we get when we touch you'll share with her too."

I put my hand over hers, pressing her hand into my arm. I was more relaxed but I continued to be concerned. "What if she asks me to do something and I don't know what she's talking about?"

Jordan smiled. "I wouldn't be surprised if she quickly figures out that you're not very experienced, but..." she added, noticing my frown, "Danielle isn't going to just boot you from her bed. She wants you there. So stop worrying. You'll be great."

I studied the brunette's steel-blue eyes for a moment. I had only ever worried about one thing as much as I was worried about this, and that was when I started working for Mr. Chambers at his garage. He was the only person in my home town to allow me to work for him. I wanted to impress him so badly that I worked for the first week for free. When I showed up the next week, ready to work whether he paid me or not, he sat me down to talk about payment. I did everything he asked me to do and started doing some things without need for his direction. I'd like to say I earned his respect, but since he only ever spoke to me when he wanted me to do something, I never really knew. This was different though. Danielle was asking for something from me that I wasn't sure I could deliver. As accepting as she might find me, I didn't believe that sex alone was going to be enough. She was going to need her friends, and I didn't think we knew each other well enough for her to consider me one.

Jordan pulled her hand free from mine and cupped the side of my face. "You're thinking awfully hard about something. What is it?"

I swallowed. "She's going to need more than just sex. I mean, she's going to need her friends and I seriously doubt a day in bed with me will make us friends."

Jordan rubbed her thumb along my cheek. "Maybe not instantly, but you'll give her something just as important."

I blinked at her. "What?"

"You'll make her feel wanted and desired," she said. "You don't have to confess undying love to do that. Just pay attention to her. Make her feel good about herself. Tell her how beautiful she is." Jordan smiled. "And show her how excited you get because you're with her."

I swallowed and my anxiety grew. I never thought about those things with Jordan. I focused on her. "Shouldn't I apologize to you then?"

Her eyebrows rose. "Apologize for what?"

"For not showing you the same consideration," I said, not sure I was making myself clear.

Her smile returned. "I wasn't looking for someone to make me feel better." She closed her eyes and sighed. When she looked at me again, her eyes glittered. "You're very sweet for apologizing. Thank you." She leaned in and kissed me softly on the cheek. "For the time being though, you need to only worry about one thing."

Between her expressive kiss and all of the information she'd given me, I was slightly dazed and couldn't think of what she meant. "What?"

Jordan's smile turned mischievous. "Whether or not she'll let you out of her."

My eyebrows rose. "What?"

She licked her upper lip, and enjoyed the look on my face. "Guys don't go into a lot of detail when talking about sex with their friends, but women do. And I mean a lot of detail. According to Danielle, Roger was good with his hands and mouth, but when he used his penis ... Well, I don't think you need to hear that much detail, but the way Danielle puts it, she didn't get much out of it. I think she means he has a small one."

I swallowed. Listening to a woman talk about another man's ... equipment didn't make me feel too good at the moment, especially considering who we were talking about.

Apparently I looked as worried as I felt because Jordan said, "I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

I focused on her. "Worry about what?"

Her smile grew. "Your size." She stepped up closer and ran a hand over the bulge in my pants. "You have a wonderful cock. It's thick and plenty long. You're no John Holmes but you've got nothing to worry about there."

I nodded, and then asked. "So Danielle is likely to take her frustrations out on me?"

Jordan shrugged. "Possibly, but not in a bad way." She glanced back over her shoulder. "She wants you shamelessly, and I don't think it's all your power making her like that."

I wasn't sure if Jordan did mean what I thought she meant. "So ... she's simply..."

Jordan nodded. "Horny."

I took a deep breath and let it out. How frustrated could Danielle be to turn to someone other than her husband? And did it really take a man with a larger ... I stopped myself from going further with that thought. I was already aching from Jordan's suggestions of what to expect from Danielle. Remembering what Jordan said, I asked, "Who is John Holmes?"

She chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know." I shook my head and she said, "Don't worry about it, but if you want, when your Initiation is over, we can look up some of his... work online."

Danielle came in then. She set two large suitcases down in the doorway, but it wasn't what was in her hands that had caught my eye. She wore a tube dress that ran in blue along her sides and in white down the front. Like her one-piece swimsuit the day before, the dress hugged her, showing off every curve.

I looked up at her face. She hadn't put on any makeup, but she had dried her hair. It fell in dark red waves around her face, throwing some shadows across her features and taking some attention away from the bruises.

When I met her eyes, she said, "I take it you like my dress?" I mutely nodded. She stepped closer and looked down. She was so focused on what she was looking at, I looked down too. It took a lot of effort to not cover the tent I was pitching.

Jordan cleared her throat.

I looked around for her. She had moved over to the doorway leading toward the entrance. "I believe we were going somewhere else?" she said.

I nodded and attempted to sidestep Danielle for her suitcases, but the redhead reached out for me and I stopped. Her hand ran across my chest but not under my shirt this time. I was still sensitive but the shirt helped some. My heart raced and my body ached for more of her touch.

Jordan cleared her throat again.

Danielle looked her way but her hand continued to caress me. She didn't say anything. To me, she didn't have to. I understood what she was feeling, thanks to Jordan's explanation. However, Jordan wanted to stick with the plan of getting Danielle away from Roger, and that meant she had to keep us from becoming too distracted.

I stepped back from Danielle while she was partially distracted and grabbed the suitcases.

Danielle turned to watch me but didn't get any closer.

I stood there watching her in return. I would end up within touching range again if I tried to pass her by.

Jordan stepped up behind Danielle and spoke softly. "I know how badly you want him," she said. "But we can't let Roger find you."

The mention of Roger's name brought Danielle to her senses enough. She looked at Jordan, nodded and left for the front door.

Jordan and I watched her go. When she was out of sight, Jordan turned to me and, without warning, wrapped her arms around my head to pull me into a deep and wet kiss. She pressed against me, grinding her body against mine.

My body was only too happy to allow me to disagree or complain in any way, but I held onto the suitcases. If I let them drop, Danielle might come back and things could degenerate into something none of us wanted Roger finding.

Jordan pulled back after a moment. We were both gasping for breath and she said, "I don't know if I'll be able to leave you two alone long enough for her to get what she wants."

My eyes widened. "I don't think I could handle both of you at the same time."

Jordan smiled and said, "But wouldn't it be fun to try?" Without waiting for an answer, she turned and walked away.

I stood there for a few more seconds, watching her go and wondering who would have more fun in that attempt. I followed her, hanging back a few paces to try and clear my head. When I got to the front door, Danielle was waiting outside with a key in hand. Jordan walked to the back of her car to open the trunk.

Danielle locked the front door behind me and then tossed the key into the tended flowerbeds next to it. She turned to me, ran her hand along my arm and down to my hand. "I'll take one," she said.

I nodded and let her have the suitcase.

She stepped up to me, pressing her body to mine again.

"Hey!" Jordan called from the car.

I glanced at her and swallowed. I couldn't believe how dry my throat was. I eased away from Danielle and walked toward the car, glancing back at the redhead.

Danielle watched me for a second, her eyes intense and her nipples making their own shadows under the hot summer sun.

I turned and went to the trunk. Jordan was smiling again. "Once you're in the car, I'll leave you two alone until we get to our destination."

I nodded, loaded the suitcase into the trunk, and went around to the passenger side. When I reached for the front door, Jordan said, "Seth..." and glanced at Danielle.

I looked at her too and realized she would probably try to climb into my lap in the front seat if I rode shotgun.

Danielle stepped up to the back door on the driver's side. She looked at me over the roof of the car and opened her door. I stepped over to the back door and mirrored her. We got in at the same time.

I sat on my side of the seat, right next to the door, but Danielle had no reluctance about scooting over and pressing right up against me. She ran a hand across my chest, sending a shiver through my whole body and then reached up for my face. I turned to look at her. Her eyes filled my vision and her breath was hot across my lips. It would only take a sharp inhale for us to kiss, but we sat there looking into each others' eyes.

A small part of me registered Jordan getting into the car and starting it up. Then Danielle kissed me, barely touching her lips to mine, and even that small part of me lost track of what Jordan was doing.

Danielle's kisses were soft and chaste at first, but they quickly grew hungry and wet. I was sure I looked as eager as she did when our mouths opened and our tongues danced along one another. She teased my tongue further into her mouth and closed her lips around it, sucking.

Consciously, I didn't know how to react, but a small whimper escaped me and my hands pulled her against me.

Like my thumb earlier, Danielle sucked on my tongue like some kind of flesh-made lollipop. Her hands ran up through my hair, holding my head in place, and she pressed her breasts into my chest.

I didn't fight her in any way. If anything, I was trying to think of a way for us to get more comfortable.

Danielle let go of my tongue and pulled back from our kiss enough to see my eyes. Without a word, she pulled on me and then lay back in the seat.

I went with her and held myself up enough so I wouldn't smother her.

She pulled my head down for another kiss and I gave in.

I wasn't sure how, but Danielle maneuvered around and had her legs wrapped around my waist. I knew her dress didn't go very far down her legs so it probably rode up, exposing her panties to the world flashing by the windows. I pressed myself against her, between her legs, to keep her covered. She squeezed me with her legs, her pelvic bone grinding against me.

Letting go of my head with only one hand, Danielle reached for my right hand, and pulled it down between us. She directed me first to her thigh and then to the heat of her center. To my surprise, she wasn't wearing panties!

I pulled from our kiss to look her in the eyes.

She looked back at me, with hunger and need in her eyes. "Touch me." She already had my hand pressed to her. What more did she want? I moved my hand around, rubbing her, feeling the way her fluid made everything slick.

Her hips rose and pressed into my hand harder. She used her own hand to guide mine to touch her in specific places. Next thing I knew, my middle and ring fingers slipped into her up to the second knuckles. Danielle sucked in air and tensed up under me.

"More. Deeper," she said, panting heavily in my ear and holding onto me like she would drown if she didn't.

I pressed my hand against her, my fingers sliding further in. She wasn't just wet and warm, she was messy and hot.

Following her direction, I started making squelching noises sliding those two fingers in and out of her. My palm bumped against her mons and her hips rolled around, forcing my fingers to touch her in different areas inside.

I looked up in time to see her open her eyes. We stared at each other from an inch away while I fingered her.

The tension in her body built up and up. I worried she might hurt herself if she didn't get to where she was going soon, but all at once, her whole body locked up under me. Her hips thrust up, pressing herself against my hand as hard as she could, and her mouth opened in a long loud moan that started somewhere deep in her chest. She let go of my hand and wrapped both arms around my head, pulling me down to her chest, nearly smothering me.

When she relaxed, I came up for air and started to pull my hand away from her.

Danielle reached down and pressed me back into her. "Not yet. Leave them there."

I felt the car stop and I looked up at Jordan. She shifted to the side and slid the front passenger seat forward. "That should give you some room," she said, but I didn't know what she was talking about.

Danielle apparently understood. She pushed on my chest and I sat up. She scooted toward the far door, but kept her hips turned up. She dropped her left foot to the floor while keeping her right leg bent at the knee along the back of the seat.

My fingers were still buried inside her, but she let my hand go so I could relax and not twist my wrist. Her crotch and most of the palm of my hand were soaked.

She ran her hand up my arm and pulled at me. I leaned forward. She touched my cheek and drew me down. I finally understood what she wanted. I shifted around, dropping onto one knee on the floorboard. Jordan had been right, moving the front passenger seat had given me just enough room.

I had no real idea what I was doing, but I was eager to give Danielle what she wanted. Maybe my willingness was what she really needed.

I leaned down and kissed the inside of her raised thigh. I rotated my hand so I would be more comfortable and still do what she was asking for. Danielle moaned lightly and twirled her fingers in my hair.

Moving closer toward her sex, I trailed a line of soft licks along her skin. Hovering over her vulva, I looked up at her and inhaled her scent. I couldn't describe what she smelled like, but my body knew what it meant. She was ready. Ready for more than just what I was about to do.

I lowered my lips to hers and kissed her ever so softly. She sucked in air through her teeth and then grabbed my head to pull me in. I held back from just diving right in, choosing instead to tease her some more. I don't know what came over me. It seemed the right thing to do.

I watched her expression and lightly ran my tongue along her. I did it a second time and a third. Each time, she tried to roll her hips up to get more contact and I would pull away just enough to stay out of reach.

"Please," she said. "Please, Seth."

I didn't want her to beg, so I lowered my face to her and lapped at her. Danielle closed her eyes, held my head in place, and rolled her hips in time with my laps.

I worked my jaws, using as much of my tongue as possible. What I didn't expect was for the effort to make my tongue or jaw muscles tired. Danielle was rolling with me, enjoying the attention, but I didn't think she'd appreciate me stopping because I was tired. I needed something to supplement my effort.

My fingers were still buried inside her. I eased them out and back in again, much like she'd had me do previously only at a different angle. At the same time, I was able to study her sex.

Her skin wasn't pale exactly, but she wasn't far from it. If she avoided the sun for too long she'd lose what little tan she had. Trimmed hair covered her mons, but there was none around her labia.

I leaned in and ran my tongue along her again and pulled back enough to see what I was doing with my hand. At the top of her sex, there was a pearl sized nub. I twisted my hand around again and lightly rubbed the nub with my thumb.

Danielle moaned loudly and squirmed on the seat. She reached down and grabbed my wrist. "Don't use your fingers there. Use your tongue. It's softer."

I sighed inwardly. Jordan was right; Danielle had figured out that I wasn't very good at this. So, I followed her advice. Leaning in again, I ran my tongue over the nub as softly as possible.

Danielle moaned and nodded.

I lapped at it, ran my tongue around it and even squeezed it with my lips. I figured if she wanted me to use teeth, she'd ask for it.

Danielle's reactions grew more intense. I was sure that if I did something else wrong, she would tell me, so I kept working on the nub with my tongue and lips, and stimulated the inside of her sex with my fingers. I rubbed, sucked and nibbled on her, all the while, enjoying her reactions.

Before I knew what was happening, Danielle gripped my head with both hands, pulling me into her, and her legs clamped down around my ears. I couldn't hear or really see what was happening, but I had a good idea.

I washed her nub with my tongue as fast as possible and pressed my fingers into her as deeply as possible, rotating and wiggling them around inside her.

Danielle pulled on my hair. "That's enough. Stop."

Her legs were still clamped around my head, but I was able to pull back enough to breath and withdrew my hand from her.

A moment later, her legs and grip relaxed. I sat up a little, catching my breath and studying her face. Her eyes were heavy lidded and a small smile played across her lips.

She reached up and pulled my face to hers. She kissed me soundly, her tongue darting into my mouth and tasting herself on my lips. Her hips pressed up into mine and I instinctively pressed mine back into hers. Jordan may have taken the edge off back at the house, but I was ready for more.

I kept my messy hand away from both of us, not wanting to smear anything on her or her dress. We broke our kissing to catch some more air and she found my wrist.

I shifted around for balance and let her pull my hand to her face. I watched her lick and suck my fingers clean. I hadn't been sure what I was going to do to clean them myself, but her solution was more than practical. It was electric.

Danielle smiled at me and pulled me down with her on the back seat. Her eyes darted over my face. "You're a mess," she said softly.

I considered what I must look like and nodded.

"Let me clean you up," she said and pulled me closer.

I leaned in, expecting another kiss, but she turned my head to the side and used the flat of her tongue to lick away the fluid smeared on my cheek. She directed me to turn this way or that and used long, slow laps to clean me. When her tongue crossed my lips, I opened up and met her with my own. She moaned again and pressed her lips to mine.

I don't know how much more time passed, but we were interrupted when Jordan stopped the car and put it into park. I looked up at her and she turned in her seat to look back at us. "Well," she said with a wry grin, "at least you kept your pants on." She giggled at the look on my face and got out of the car.

I sat up enough to notice we were at a motel.

Danielle pulled me back down. "You said you'd let me do anything I wanted when we got here."

I nodded, but curiosity ran through me. I didn't know what she had in mind, but I knew I wouldn't have to wait much longer to find out.

Danielle looked my face over like she was searching for some evidence of my honesty. I thought the best way to convince her of my willingness was to kiss her, so I did. She didn't push me away, but she didn't pull me against her either. Maybe she was sated enough to think rationally about what had happened since I arrived at her house. Maybe she was second guessing her decision to leave Roger. Whatever it was, I knew we'd probably talk about it soon - maybe before Jordan left us alone in the room.



-------

Chapter 17



Jordan was gone to get a room and Danielle held me to her gently while we kissed. The thought that kept rolling around in my head was Jordan's advice to show Danielle that she was wanted and desired. I couldn't argue with what I was doing. It felt good to kiss Danielle, to be pressed against her like I was, but I didn't want to push things too far. The real problem with having our lips locked together was that we couldn't talk.

For her part, Danielle made no move to pull away or push me off her. She kissed me back but without the fervor she exhibited earlier. Her hands ran through my hair and along my back in gentle movements. Otherwise, she lay there. I didn't know if she was really enjoying what we were doing or not. It was like she had gone docile, and my knowledge of her was not of a woman who laid back and accepted whatever was given to her, especially if Jordan was right about the redhead's frustrations with her relationship with Roger.

Danielle pushed against my chest. I sat up enough to look into her eyes and then heard someone knocking. I looked around and found Jordan opening the passenger door behind me.

"Wouldn't you prefer a room with a bed as opposed to my back seat?" she asked, smiling.

I looked at Danielle, wondering where the last few minutes had gone.

Danielle looked up into my eyes. A rosy smile blossomed on her lips and her eyes danced. Maybe she had enjoyed the kissing. She sat up enough to kiss me again, a quick peck on the lips, and then pushed at me. "Go, I'll follow you out."

I crawled backwards out of the car and stood up. Jordan stood there, smiling at me mischievously. There were a lot of possible reasons for her smile, so I wasn't going to even attempt to try to figure it out. I was also certain she wouldn't tell me if I asked. She was teasing, and no amount of pleading, talking, or question asking would change it. The best I could do was stand there and take it.

Danielle scooted to the edge of the seat. Her dress was bunched up around her waist and the shadows formed by the sun made her hardened nipples incredibly obvious, even through her dress. Her thighs and sparse pubic hair were damp and I realized I had been pressed against her with her legs spread wide around me.

I looked down. My shirt and pants were wet with her fluids. They weren't soaked through, but very noticeable. I looked up at Jordan. Her eyes sparkled with mirth at my expense. Apparently, that was what she was smiling about.

Danielle reached out and tried to dry my pants with her bare hand. It didn't help any. Coincidentally, she also rubbed my erection. She wasn't trying to dry me off though, and only after I heard myself moan did I realize what she was really doing.

Jordan never said a word. She stood to the side, leaning back against her car and watched Danielle's ministrations to my bulge. Her smile had softened considerably and I was sure the look on her face was wistful. She wanted to be the one rubbing my erection and possibly doing a lot more.

Danielle glanced around the part of the parking lot she could see. There were several other cars parked around us, but no one else was around. She reached up and hooked her fingers under the waistband of my pants. I almost stumbled into her when she pulled me forward. She looked up into my eyes and pulled my zipper down. I opened my mouth, intending to recommend waiting until we were in the room, but Danielle must have been waiting for me to protest or something because she spoke up first. "Jordan, keep him quiet please."

I looked at the brunette, whose mischievous smile was back.

Danielle reached into my pants and pulled my briefs down. I felt her dainty fingers wrap around my throbbing penis just as Jordan cupped my face with both of her hands.

Jordan glanced down at what Danielle was doing. I tried to, but she held my face with her surprising strength. I felt Danielle free me from my pants. Her hot breath washed over my erection and I moaned. Jordan looked into my eyes. Hers were on fire and she leaned in.

Jordan's lips pressed to mine and at the same time, Danielle's lips engulfed my engorged glans.

I moaned against Jordan's lips and they opened, allowing me to penetrate her mouth with my tongue while I hesitantly thrust my hips forward, driving myself further past Danielle's eager lips.

I lost what little control I had. With one hand, I pulled Jordan to my side, reveling in the feel of her huge, soft breasts pressing into me and her hands slipping around my shoulders to hold me to her as well. With my other hand, I stroked Danielle's red locks and pulled her onto me, forcing her to open up more and accept me into her throat. I could feel her swallow around me and though she was holding me to her via my cheeks, she struggled to breath around my girth.

I couldn't believe how brazen Danielle was, sucking me out in the open like she was or Jordan's acceptance of the situation. Yet there they were, both of them attending me as if they had planned the whole thing. I was also astounded at my acceptance of what was happening. I might have expected Jordan to pull a stunt like this - in fact, I finally realized she had been humping me in the pool the day before - but to find that Danielle was willing to do this was something else.

I felt partially detached. I continued kissing Jordan and reached down to her loose-fitting skirt. Without thinking about it, I pulled her garment up and touched her silky smooth skin. She rolled her hips to the side and the lace of her panties slipped over my fingers. I couldn't have stopped myself from groping her cheek if I wanted to. I also thrust into Danielle's mouth, pulling back enough to allow her to breath and then driving back in to feel her swallowing around me.

Something about touching both women at the same time was simply ... right. It wasn't only the sex, even though I was very close to washing out Danielle's mouth with my release, but the touch of their skin on mine made me feel good in ways I had never experienced before. Their willingness to touch me was a major turn on. The eagerness both of them displayed, either in kissing or groping or sucking, was like icing on a warm, freshly baked cake.

Danielle pulled on my cheeks, forcing herself further onto me. She closed her lips around my shaft, only about an inch away from the base, sucking and swallowing around me.

Jordan raised her thigh behind me and tilted her hips to give my squeezing hand better access to her hot, wet lower lips.

I could feel the pressure of my release building up quickly. Between Danielle's direct stimulation, Jordan's body rubbing along mine, and the rightness of touching the two of them, I wasn't far from spilling myself into Danielle's eager mouth.

Jordan broke our kiss and pressed her cheek to mine. Her hot breath caressed my ear and I heard her say, "Let her have it, Seth. She wants you. It won't hurt anyone to enjoy yourself." She rocked her hips back and forth, sliding her soppy opening over my fingers.

I looked down at Danielle and rubbed my thumb over her cheek. She looked up at me and the unabashed look of desire in her eyes was the final straw.

Danielle gagged when my first shot hit her throat. She pulled back enough to swallow, but the next shot filled her mouth. She fought between drinking, sucking, and breathing while I gave her everything she had worked up in me.

Even after I dribbled to a stop, Danielle continued to suckle on me. My legs felt like soft rubber, ready to give out with the slightest provocation.

Jordan stood on both feet and held me to her, helping me to stay upright. "That was hot," she whispered in my ear.

I glanced at her and saw the smile on her lips as well as the heat in her eyes. I kissed her again and pulled her against me with my hand still firmly pressed to her bare cheek.

Danielle sat back and let me slip from her lips. "Do I get one of those?"

I broke my kiss with Jordan and looked at the redhead. "Sure, as soon as you put everything back where you found it." I smiled, showing that I wasn't trying to be mean.

Danielle smiled too and stuffed me back in my pants. She zipped me up and lightly rubbed my crotch before looking up again.

I leaned down and pulled her wet lips to mine. If Danielle had done anything for me since we left her house, it was to help me relax. I wanted to reward her for that and to show my appreciation for her attention.

She threw her arms around my head and held onto me tightly while our tongues danced in my mouth and hers. Sure, I tasted myself in our kiss, but like with Jordan, I didn't mind in the least.

When we broke our kiss and I straightened up, Danielle beamed. I held out my hand to her and she took it. I helped her to her feet and she wiggled her hips around while pulling her dress down. We smiled at one another and I asked, "Now, why couldn't you wait until we got up to the room?"

Her eyes sparkled. "Tit for tat, Seth. Turn about for our ride here."

I looked at Jordan, whose mischievous smile had returned, and wondered if there had been some plan I wasn't aware of, but let it go. If they had planned something, I knew it wasn't going to be anything I would disagree too, not after what just happened.

Jordan stepped back from me. I still had a hand on her warm, soft cheek and had to let go. She turned around and went to the back of her car.

I glanced sideways at Danielle. She either didn't know how I was touching Jordan or didn't care. Considering how she had commandeered Jordan to keep me from making any noise, probably the latter. I gave her a kiss, just a quick peck on the lips and then pulled her away from the car so I could close the door.

Danielle turned to face the back of the car and hooked her arm through mine. She smiled at Jordan and hugged my arm. I could feel the softness of her breast through her dress and smiled with the thought of what else she might want to do. I wasn't scared anymore. It didn't matter what she asked for, I would give it, if I knew how. I could only hope she was patient with me.

Jordan had pulled out Danielle's suitcases and closed the trunk. I didn't like the idea of her acting as valet, so I led Danielle to the back of the car. Jordan hefted both suitcases and looked from me to her friend with a smile. "Are you two feeling better?" she asked.

Danielle and I looked at one another and nodded. Jordan laughed and shook her head. I studied Jordan's expression and body language, searching for anything that might indicate she wasn't happy with what happened or what was going to happen. It didn't look like it, but that didn't mean she wasn't hiding it. I reached for a suitcase. "Do you have the other one?"

She nodded but didn't say anything.

I slid my hand around her wrist and down to her hand. It felt good to touch her again, even with Danielle holding onto my other arm. Jordan's eyes stared back into mine while my fingers slid between hers and around the handle. She let the weight of the suitcase shift to my grip and slowly pulled her hand away. I wasn't absolutely certain, but some part of me thought she didn't want the contact to end.

Jordan took a deep breath, which made her breasts rise noticeably, and let it out slowly. She blinked a few times, breaking our eye contact and then turned toward the rows of rooms with a prominent sway in her hips.

Danielle hugged my arm and we followed the brunette to a room on the second floor. While Jordan got the door unlocked, Danielle turned to me and pulled my arm around her. Her breasts pressed into my side and she kissed me on the neck. "I've never wanted anyone so much, Seth," she whispered in my ear. "It's like I'm empty inside and I need you to fill me up." She continued kissing my neck and held me to her.

I pulled her to me tighter, and thought about what she said. What did she really mean? Was it just a euphemism for sex or did she mean emotionally? If it was just sex, I was okay with that. On the other hand, if she was talking emotionally, then I was at a loss. Jordan was convinced that Danielle only needed a good lay, but our stay at the motel also involved Danielle's decision to leave her husband. There had to be some kind of emotional upheaval from that, right? One day of sex wasn't going to cure that. She needed more than just sex.

Jordan opened the door and went inside without a backward glance. Danielle untangled herself from me and we followed her.

The room looked in good shape, but since I had never stayed in one before I didn't have any references to properly judge by. The walls were an off-white color and the carpet was dark blue. There was a small, square table with two chairs, a double-sized bed, and a small dresser with a TV on top of it. The wall opposite from the main door was open with a sink and mirror in the recess.

Jordan took the suitcase she was carrying to the recess. I looked at Danielle and she kissed me soundly before letting me go so I could do the same.

To the left of the mirror was an open closet with two stands. Jordan set her suitcase on one, and I put the other suitcase on the second. She turned to me and said, "Remember what I said."

Feeling a little confused, I looked at her. "Which part?"

She smiled and said, "All of it." She walked over to Danielle and hugged her friend. To her she said, "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."

Danielle nodded and hugged her back, but her eyes didn't leave me for long.

Jordan turned and looked at me. "The room is yours until noon tomorrow. I'll come by later to check on you, okay?" She laid the key on the dresser next to the television and walked out the door, pulling it closed.

Danielle sauntered over to me, her eyes filled with thoughts of what she wanted to do. Her nipples dented her tight dress and her hands played with the bottom edges while she walked. She reminded me of Jordan's predator-like approach.

Oddly, I felt more confident alone with Danielle than I did when Jordan was around. I couldn't say what it was that changed my outlook. Maybe it was my decision to give Danielle what she wanted. Maybe it was because she seemed to only need sex. Maybe it was because she wasn't trying to tell me that I was a Magus.

Whatever the case, I stood there and watched her approach. Earlier, I might have considered running away, but there was nothing to fear from her. Nothing I didn't want. Besides, she wasn't the only one feeling amorous again. I was hard once more and ached to touch her.

Danielle pressed up against me, her breasts to my stomach and her loins to mine. She ran her fingers up my bare arms and closed her eyes. I couldn't help but take a deep breath as the feeling washed over me too. When I opened my eyes, she was looking up at me. For a moment we both stood there, touching the other. It wasn't overtly sexual, but there was an ecstasy from the contact that I couldn't explain and didn't want to end. She said three simple words that would have crumbled any remaining indecision I might have had: "I want you."

I watched her lips form those words and then I had to feel them against mine. Not only did I kiss her, but I pulled her against me, crushing her breasts and grinding against her loins. It wasn't what I intended to do, but some part of me knew it was what she wanted.

Danielle wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back just as passionately. Her body writhed against mine and she hooked a leg over my hip. To be honest, the only way we could get closer was if we were naked.

Danielle pulled back just enough to break our kiss. "We have a bed, you know."

I nodded but didn't move. "Today is about what you want," I said softly, allowing her to make the decision.

She studied my eyes for a moment and then smiled. "I want you," she said again, grinding her hips against mine.

I reached down and hoisted her up by her cheeks. She hummed her agreement and wrapped her legs around me. I took her to the bed and sat on it. She ran her fingers through my hair and waited. I didn't know what she was waiting for, but part of what Jordan said back at the house came to mind: Show her that you want her.

I ran my hands up and down Danielle's back and then brought my hands around her hips and up to her breasts. She closed her eyes and moaned softly. I squeezed her breasts through her dress, feeling her nipples under my palms. I had seen her almost naked at the house and even had my face planted between her thighs in the car, but I had yet to see her breasts unfettered.

I reached to the sides of her dress and pulled at the top edge. The garment clung to her body with elastic built into the sides, but came off easily. I pulled it down, freeing her breasts and admired their shape and fullness. Danielle wasn't as large as Jordan, but she wasn't lacking either. I leaned forward and captured a distended nipple with my lips while pushing her dress down to her hips.

Danielle moaned louder and pulled my head into her breast. "Oh yes, Seth. Suck me!"

I ran my hands up her thighs, pushing her dress up past her butt. Then I caressed her cheeks and enjoyed the feel of her soft skin. I only used the tips of my fingers, lightly touching, but Danielle wanted more contact and arched her back, thrusting her breasts into my face and her butt into my hands.

I didn't pull away, realizing that she didn't want to be teased. So I encompassed her cheeks with my hands, squeezing and feeling.

All at once, Danielle gripped my head by my hair, pulled me from her breasts, and looked into my face. "I want to undress you."

"Okay," I said and started to stand up with her still wrapped around me.

Apparently, Danielle had a different idea. She quickly dropped to her feet and nudged me back. Since my knees were pressed against the bed, I didn't have the leverage to stay standing and I plopped back down on my butt. She pushed on my shoulders and I realized she wanted me to lie down, so I did.

She pulled off her dress and tossed it aside. If I hadn't already been hard, then the sight of her standing at the foot of the bed completely naked would have taken care of my problem. She ran her hands over her breasts and down her trim tummy. "Do you like what you see?"

I reached down and adjusted my erection for comfort in answer.

She looked and smiled. "Impressive. I thought I might have to help you get it up again after the parking lot."

I didn't say anything about that. The only comparison I had was being with Jordan the night before and I never had a problem getting it up.

Danielle got down on her knees and pulled at my hips. "I dreamt about you last night," she said while I scooted down to put my hips at the edge of the bed. "You had a huge cock and fucked me all night long with it," she said, rubbing her breasts against my crotch. Even through my slacks and briefs, I could feel the heat of her body. "When I saw you out in the parking lot, all long, hard, and thick, I almost came. You sport exactly what I dreamt about."

I was glad she liked what I had to offer, but I was sure she was exaggerating about her reaction. Regardless, if she had fun, I knew I would too.

Danielle's hands came together at my waistband. She slipped the button loose and pulled my zipper down again. She tugged at my pants and I had to lift my hips to let her get them down. We worked together to get my shoes, socks, pants and briefs off me completely. Her excitement was contagious and I had to stop myself from removing my shirt.

She smiled when she saw that I had started to unbutton and then stopped myself and didn't waste any time getting the article of clothing off me. She attacked my nipples, pinching one lightly while sucking on the other.

I was caught between the desire to hold her to me, like she did when I sucked on her nipples, and an urge to push her away to try and control the surging sensations that seemed to connect my nipples straight to my groin.

Thankfully, Danielle moved up of her own accord. She kissed my lips and sucked on my tongue. A moment later, she rolled over, moved further up on the bed, and lay back with her head on the pillows.

I sat up and turned to face her. She was pinching her own nipples and spread her long legs wide. I looked at her exposed sex and wanted to examine her, to take in her details and find out exactly where to touch her and how to bring her the most pleasure. The urge was as strong as the visions I'd had before Jordan and I had sex, but since she wasn't here, I knew it was all me. I leaned down to follow through with that urge.

Danielle reached for my face. "Please, Seth. I need you in me."

I looked up at her touch and understood that need, though I felt it in reverse. I needed to be in her. It didn't matter if it was my tongue or fingers or my penis. I needed to penetrate her, now. I didn't really notice the change in my urge, though I probably should have.

I moved over her and she ran her hands over my chest like they were attached with magnets to metal. She tweaked my nipples and I paused long enough to shudder. She smiled and licked her lips, reaching further down. I knew what she was groping for and did nothing to stop her.

I leaned down before my face was level with hers and sucked one of her nipples. Danielle didn't say anything. She simply pressed her breast to my mouth and stroked what she could reach of my torso.

I pulled up, sucking at her nipple hard. Looking up, I watched her reaction. Her mouth was open wide and her breath was a pant. I let her nipple go. Her breast bounced back into place and before it settled, I was already latched onto the other one.

Danielle whimpered a tiny bit as I opened my mouth wide and attempted to suck as much of her breast into my mouth as I could. With Jordan it would have been pretty much impossible, but with Danielle, and her more malleable breasts, I could feel her nipple further back along my tongue.

I rose up, pulling at that breast too, but let it go sooner than I had the other one.

Danielle was smiling at me when I looked at her. "You have a naughty mouth."

I smiled and sat back on my heels. I moved up between her legs completely, pushing them wide with my hips. Danielle's hands stroked my length, squeezing and fondling. I was throbbing with anticipation and she seemed content for the moment, simply playing with me.

I leaned over her again and kissed her. She met my tongue and sucked on it again. I couldn't help thrusting into her hands a couple of times and she released my tongue. "I need you in me."

I nodded and sat up again. Pulling back, I watched her direct me to where she wanted me. Her labia were pink, swollen, and hot. They were parted slightly and deeper pink tissue was peeking out.

Danielle rubbed me along her opening a few times, coating my tip with her juices. I held onto her thighs, eager to slip into her opening. She aimed me low and raised her hips. I felt myself slide in only a fraction and pressed my hips forward. Her lips spread wide, my girth pushing her open.

She gasped. "Oh, yes," she said. "You're so big. You feel so good."

I continued adding pressure, trying to push further in but she was tight. I looked up at her face. She was watching me. "I'm not hurting you, am I?" I asked.

She shook her head and gripped my backside. "Thrust back and forth. You'll go deeper. I need this."

I nodded and leaned over her, my hands on either side of her shoulders. I pulled back a fraction and used my weight to push further in. I slipped in another inch. Again, I pulled back and thrust forward. Again, I earned another inch of depth.

Danielle closed her eyes and pulled me harder toward her. She raised her legs, bringing her knees up to my shoulders. Maybe it was the angle, or maybe she finally fully relaxed. Whatever the case, I suddenly slid in further, almost completely.

I eased back and pressed forward again. Danielle moaned from deep within her chest as I bottomed out, pressing my pelvic bone against hers. I could feel her cooled fluids squish between us and some primal aspect of my mind knew this was the position I had longed for with her and that she wanted it just as badly.

Danielle opened her eyes and looked deep into mine. Her chest rose and fell with her breathing and her areola were crinkled, making her nipples stand out that much more with her excitement. Her fingers dug into my cheeks and pulled me against her harder. She ground herself against me and shuddered with the sensation.

She was already tight, but I felt her squeeze me, driving the sensation home. My own breathing was heavy and I knew that we had only begun a dance that wouldn't last much longer before we would both be helpless and gasping for air. We weren't there yet, not even close.

She moaned deeply and squeezed me at the same time. Her grip not only felt good, but I could feel the vibration of her vocal reaction down where we were connected. "You're not only thicker than Roger, but longer too."

I froze above her, not sure what to think of her comparison to her husband.

She smiled. "I can feel you against my cervix. He never got that deep, and I never knew how much I would like it."

I swallowed. I was glad she liked it, but if I was pressed against her while laying still, what would happen when I started moving, or even when I went off.

Another thought crossed my mind: was she on the pill? She had wanted to have kids with her husband but he had refused. Did he wear rubbers to avoid that possibility? Or did he force her to take birth control? It wasn't exactly the best time for the question because I knew she wasn't going to let me stop until she got what she wanted. Did that include pregnancy?

She smiled up at me and wiggled her hips. It felt really good to be buried so deeply in her, but she had to be aware of my concerns. "Fuck me, Seth. Give me what my husband never would."

Her words did nothing to alleviate my fears, but then, I didn't know exactly what my fears were. She wanted sex and so did I, but I suddenly realized that things were not going to be as simple as making her feel better. The whole situation was a lot more complicated than I could have imagined.



-------

Chapter 18



At first, I eased in and out of Danielle. As tight as she was - tighter than Jordan - I didn't want to lose control and hurt her. She felt good though, really good, and I wanted to go faster. The primal part of my mind understood exactly what was happening and fought to take control. It took a lot of concentration to not simply give in to that urge and hammer her into the bed.

Danielle apparently agreed with my primal side though. She grabbed my cheeks, pulled me into her as hard as she could, and said, "I'm not going to break, Seth. Fuck me." She reminded me of Jordan and I wondered how much they told each other when they talked. Jordan said women share lots of intimate details, but did that include how they talked during sex?

I pressed myself into her as deeply as I could for a couple of seconds, grinding my hips against hers. It allowed me to gear up for the pounding she was asking for.

She hooked her feet behind my back and raised her hips up for an angle that must have felt good to her, because she sucked in air through her teeth and gripped my arms fiercely.

She wasn't the only one who liked it. Not only did the new angle feel good, simply being buried so deep in her was fantastic. However, she didn't want me to press and grind. I pulled back, almost slipping out completely, and drove back into her. I didn't fight that primal urge to take her with a much faster pace.

Danielle closed her eyes, relaxed her grip on my arms, and let her legs bounce to my sides. Her hips rose and fell in tandem to my thrusts and I had to be careful not to pull back too far. The room echoed with the sounds of our bodies slapping together and her occasional grunt or moan.

I didn't know how much stimulation Danielle could take, but I didn't think more would hurt anything. I lowered my chest down until her breasts were flattened under me and rested on my elbows. I kissed the side of her neck and licked her ear, focusing on spots she'd kissed on me earlier. All through that, I kept my hips going, driving myself into her at a steady, insistent pace.

"Oh yes!" Danielle cried between pants. "You feel ... so good." Her hands slid up and down my back, occasionally combing through my hair or gripping my butt. Her body writhed under me and I felt how our abs pressed together when I withdrew and then sucked apart as I drove into her. Her breasts felt good against my chest too. Those soft, supple mounds molded against me as we moved, and her nipples felt like hot points burning into my skin.

I didn't have the words to describe how good everything felt. Repeating her words seemed inadequate, so I would stop and grind my pelvic bone against hers every so many strokes and she would moan from deep within her chest.

During one such stop-n-grind, she pulled my head up and kissed me, sucking on my tongue and bottom lip. I ground into her harder, pressing her down into the bed. Her short grunts became a long, deep moan while our tongues wrestled around until I resumed my thrusting.

Her velvet muscles rolled along my shaft as I drove into her, and worked to suck me back in when I withdrew. I didn't know if she was doing it on purpose or if it was just how her body responded to sex. I certainly didn't remember anything like it with Jordan, although with her, I had been distracted by her determination to convince me I was a Magus.

Danielle broke our kiss and gulped down air. I was breathing pretty hard too. We were both sweating and slipping along one another. Somehow that added to the excitement I felt. We honestly couldn't get any closer than we were, not physically.

After only a couple of minutes, she bucked under me, her hips pressing up like she couldn't get me in her far enough. Her velvet muscles gripped me tightly and I drove through them, determined to continue until she said to stop. Her moans strung out until she was practically screaming into my mouth. Her body strained against mine and finally locked up like a flesh covered statue.

I pressed down into her, grinding my hips to hers again. Her only response was to grip my shoulders and dig her heels into my buttocks, but that only lasted for a couple of seconds.

When she relaxed, I remained still and actually enjoyed the expression on her face. Her eyes fluttered and her rose colored lips were parted so she could breathe easier. I could feel that all the tension in her body was gone, even her velvet muscles had relaxed.

She focused on my face with a pseudo-sleepy smile. "That was fun," she said in a husky whisper. She wiggled her hips and squeezed me with her velvet muscles. A pouty frown replaced her smile. "Didn't you cum?"

I smiled and kissed her lips softly. "If you'll recall, I went off in your mouth down in the parking lot - or was that a different stunningly beautiful redhead I rode with in Jordan's car?"

She smiled again. "Flattery will get you a long ways, but I want to feel your creamy goodness squishing around inside of me." Before I could do or say anything in response, she reached up and tweaked my nipple. I sucked in air and ground my hips into hers again. Danielle hooked a leg behind me and pushed on my chest. "Roll over, I've got an idea."

I rolled opposite of her leg, doing my best to suppress the jolts that shot straight from my chest to my groin. I wasn't sure if I would ever get used to the idea that I was really that sexually sensitive in my chest, or the feelings that they provoke.

Danielle rolled with me, maintaining our connection. She hunched her back, her face lowering to my chest. She rubbed her soft lips across my right nipple while her dainty fingers twiddled my left. It was my turn to writhe and roll my hips up to grind our pelvic bones together.

She locked her lips around my nipple and washed her tongue across it, eliciting a moan from me. Between heavy pants, and rapid heartbeats, a thought fleetingly crossed my mind: if she keeps it up, I'll end up going off in her without meaning to, but then, that was what she just told me she wanted.

Danielle switched nipples. She didn't tease me with soft, chaste kisses and touches though. She went straight to sucking and licking. Her other hand rubbed and pinched my wet nipple.

I drew my legs up and firmly planted my feet on the bed. With one hand, I held her head to my chest, like Jordan did with me the day before. With the other, I grabbed as much of her out thrust cheek as I could. I pulled her hips down while driving up into her. The primal urge to release had returned, and there was no ignoring or resisting it.

Danielle squealed into my chest but didn't release her hold. I thrust up into her again and again; suddenly eager to give her what she said she wanted.

Her body was slick with a light sheen of sweat and holding onto her became difficult. Between my upward thrusts and her tandem hunching, my fingers slipped toward her center. I grazed her anus with my middle finger, causing her to moan long and deep.

She sat up enough to look down at me. Her chest heaved with her breathing and her full breasts swung over my chest with our movements. Her nipples were hard, dark pink, nubs about the size of her pinky tips and they repeatedly brushed mine. I didn't know if she was doing it on purpose or not, but like my effort to simulate her further when I had been on top, she drove me crazy with lust. And as if the sight and feel of her wasn't enough, she added her husky, breath-labored voice to the mix. "That's it, baby," she said. "Fuck me. Cum in me, Seth. Fill me up with your cum."

I grabbed her flanks with both hands and picked up my pace, driving up into her like some maniac that couldn't get enough of the drug she was offering. If lust and the desire to release were drugs, call me a maniac. I got that tingly feeling that told me I was at the very edge, and anything more wouldn't only nudge me, but launch me out over into that vast canyon of pleasure.

There was no hesitation on my part to gain that anything more.

Unlike in the parking lot, when I had to maintain some level of consciousness to remain standing, I utterly gave in to the pleasure of my release. I held Danielle against me and used everything I had to plow my way up to her throat. She wanted deep and hard. She wanted my sperm to squish around in her. She wanted me to give over to her carnal desire. Well, I gave her everything I had and then some.

I don't know how long I lay there, panting and without the strength to move. It had felt like my soul had poured out into Danielle's crushing folds and I was only just returning to my own body. I could feel Danielle laying on me, breathing as heavily as I was. She must have hit another orgasm herself.

It was a couple of minutes before either of us moved or said anything. She rolled her head up to look at me. I still didn't have the strength to lift my head to look at her. "You okay?" I asked.

She laughed. "I feel like a wet noodle, but I'll live." She wiggled her hips and squeezed me again. "Ah, much better," she said and relaxed against me. She rubbed my side and then reached up to lightly flick my nipple.

I was shocked to feel the same intense jolt race through me. My penis, which had softened considerably inside Danielle, surged to life again.

"Oh, nice! Push-button hard-on," she said, giggling.

I snatched her hand from my nipple. "I'd like to take a break for a little while, if you don't mind."

She giggled again and settled against me. "No, I don't mind. I need a break too." She rubbed her cheek against my chest, but thankfully she wasn't pressed against my other nipple. She squeezed me with her hands and thighs and even with her velvet muscles, though I could tell we were both messy from our combined fluids.

After another minute, she sat up and rolled off on my side. I could feel our fluids smear along her thigh and from there to mine. I didn't mind though. There was a shower we could use when we were ready. Of course, we had only been in the room for twenty minutes or so. I wasn't sure if taking a shower so soon would be wise.

Danielle patted my shoulder and said, "Scoot over some." I nodded and slid toward the other side of the bed. She flipped onto her other side, facing away from me, and then scooted back, pressing her bottom to my hip. She pulled my closer arm under her head, like a pillow, and then my other arm over her, like a sweaty blanket. She didn't seem to care about all the sweat though. I had to roll onto my side to accommodate her and smeared more of our shared fluids across her backside.

Reaching between her legs, she caught a hold of me and pulled me between her legs again. I was about to remind her of our reprieve, but all she did was hold me against her, close her legs again, trapping me between them, and then snuggled back against me.

She turned her head to look me in the face and said, "I'm gonna be sore after that."

I didn't understand how she could say that with a smile on her face.

She pulled my hand up to her breast and cupped herself with it. Her nipple instantly hardened under my thumb and I felt myself grow marginally more erect. With her other hand, she reached down and fondled me between her legs. It felt like she was able to hold me with her dainty fingers if she wanted to, even though I was sticking out from between her thighs. It was as distracting as if she were sucking on my nipples again.

Out of the blue, she laughed. I lay there wondering what was so funny. "I should probably start back on the pill again."

That made my eyes widen.

She looked back at me again. "Unless you want kids?"

I remembered what Jordan said about Roger not wanting kids and didn't want to make a flat refusal. "I'd like to finish school first."

Danielle smiled. "I can live with that."

Her choice of words was almost troubling, like what we were doing would be a regular thing - not only a regular thing, but something long term. I knew she would probably look for someone else to be with. Never had I considered that what we were doing today last beyond today. Nor did I believe that she would want to stay with me in any capacity. It was one thing to help her leave Roger and even give her the attention she needed in the aftermath, but it sounded to me like she wanted more than just help moving on.

I remembered what Jordan said, that Danielle might become my Fonte by the time my Initiation was done, but that was only a possibility if I was actually a Magus. Was it true? If it was, then I couldn't argue the possibility. Jordan said she would probably be my Fonte too and she seemed to really, truly believe it. In fact, she almost had me convinced. However, if it wasn't true, if she was making it up for whatever reason, then Danielle's attraction to me was probably no different than Jordan's. Of course, I didn't understand how either of them could be attracted to me in the first place. It wasn't like I was all that smooth or debonair.

Danielle continued to play with me between her legs. I held her breast while I thought about things but couldn't make up my mind about what I wanted to believe or what was real or not. Danielle was real. She really needed comforting and acceptance, so I hugged her to me and thrust myself through her legs and into her hand.

She giggled. "I can't believe you're still hard." She squeezed her thighs around me and asked, "Think you can go for thirds?"

I squeezed her breast and said, "Probably, but don't expect me to go off again for a while."

She nodded. "I'll try to be patient." She pushed at my erection and I pulled my hips back until she pressed me up. I had to angle my hips a bit, but once I started up into her, I slid in completely. Our combined fluids made it a lot easier.

She raised her leg up, and kept her hand down where we were connected. I rolled my hips back and forth at a leisurely pace and she would occasionally rub my sac when I pressed into her.

I took hold of her thigh behind the knee and half pulled myself up and her leg to me so I could kiss it.

With our unhurried pace, Danielle apparently wanted to know more about me. "So, you're going to school at UTA?"

I looked at her, nodded and settled back down. "Jordan told me you are too."

"Yeah, I'm starting my senior year." She rolled her hips back, pressing her butt into me. "What about you?"

I ground my hips against her bottom. "I'm just starting."

"Just starting?" she asked, and then realized. "You're a freshman?"

Feeling a little embarrassed, I focused on our connection and the feel of her body pressed to mine before I nodded.

I not only heard her softly chuckle, but I felt it too. Danielle shook off her amusement and moaned. Apparently I wasn't the only one who felt her laugh. "I'm sorry," she said, "There's nothing funny about being a freshman. Everyone's gotta start somewhere."

She rocked her hips back in cycle with my thrusts. "I'll bet the girls from home are missing you right now."

She didn't know about my past. How could she? Every time we had passed within a few feet of one another, she had thrown herself at me without a word. My problem though, wasn't with how she reacted to me. No, my problem was home, and with her casual mention of it, and the connecting thoughts mentioning home brought up, I slowed down.

Danielle reached down between her legs. "Hey, what happened?"

I knew what happened. She might have gotten me going by playing with my nipples, but thinking about home had the exact opposite effect. What I didn't want to do was to go through the whole spiel with her like I had Jordan. The last thing Danielle needed to see was me raging about something I was desperately trying to leave behind.

She was faster at figuring it out than Jordan though. "Did something happen at home?" She rolled over and looked at me. I had shriveled up again and fallen out of her, but not as quickly as with Jordan.

I sat up and looked around the room, trying to think of anything to take my mind off the subject. "I don't want to ruin this for you, so let's do something else, okay?"

She sat up too and studied me for a second. "I don't think either of us will have any fun if your mood is spoiled."

I shook my head. "I just have to get my mind off the question."

She scooted along the bed to see my face better, but she never touched me. "From the looks of it, you need to talk about this."

I looked up and met her eyes. "I don't want to scare you."

She leaned toward me. "There's a difference between being angry, and violence."

I looked away and suppressed a shudder. "I've only ever seen the two used together."

"Did you tell Jordan what happened?" she asked.

Her question threw me. I looked at her again. "Why?"

"Well," Danielle said, "She didn't have a mark on her, so I'm thinking you didn't try to take your anger out on her."

I shook my head. "No, never."

"Do you feel the need to hit me?" she asked in a tone that lacked any real emotion, like asking about the weather.

I studied the bruises on Danielle's face, thinking about how Roger had abused her. I felt more like a heel than I had when she mentioned my home. I wasn't angry, not really, and I certainly didn't want to hurt anyone, especially for simply bringing up the subject. I fought the urge to scoot back from Danielle. Moving away from her would show that I didn't want to hurt her and that it might be a possibility, which wasn't true. I wanted her safe. Finally, I answered her question, "No, and I couldn't hurt you if I wanted to."

Her look of concentration relaxed into a soft smile. "Then you won't. You were hurt, and that's what you're angry about. You don't want to hurt anyone, but you need to vent."

She spoke so reasonably, it gave me an idea. "Jordan said you helped her with a psych class. What are you studying?"

Danielle's eyes sparkled and her smile was truly wonderful. "Psychology."

I nodded. Trying to think of how to tell her what happened, I felt too anxious to sit still, so I got up and paced the room. It reminded me of how I did the same thing when telling Jordan about home.

For a few minutes, I talked. Danielle said nothing. She watched me and never interrupted. When I got to the part about Mr. Hartwell beating me, I had calmed down enough to sit on the bed and have Danielle run her hand over my back.

I didn't jerk away like I had with Jordan. Danielle's dainty fingers were feather-light, almost ticklish. "I knew I felt something," she said, "but I never considered scars or how you got them."

I nodded. "After that, I just kept my head down, stayed away from girls and did everything I could to ensure I would be able to leave once I graduated." Then I told Danielle what Jordan said about the hypocritical reactions everyone at home had about me.

"Then let me be the second person - and one with a good working knowledge of society and the understandings of how people think - to tell you that what happened to you wasn't your fault. Jordan was right. You should have reported what happened to the police. Even if they sided with the girl's father, they were obligated by law to look into it and press charges if necessary." She ran her dainty fingers along my back again. "And, to be honest, it was necessary - pressing charges, that is." For a moment we sat there while she stroked my back and I relaxed further. "How do you feel?" she asked.

I glanced at her and sighed. I wasn't angry anymore and I told her. "You were right, I needed to talk."

"I'm glad I could help," she said with a smile that shifted from friendly to sultry. It was like someone had flipped a switch. One minute she was clinical, even detached from what we were talking about, and the next she oozed sexual appeal and moved closer to me. "I know talking about home turns you off, but I hope I can reverse that way of thinking." She balanced herself with her hand on my chest and pressed her lips to mine.

I wasn't sure how to feel about her offer. Nothing about home could possibly do anything other than turn me off. However, I wasn't opposed to forgetting what happened so I could both move on with my life and continue to offer Danielle what she needed.

I lay back on the bed, pulling Danielle with me. Our kiss went from simply mashing our lips together to open and probing. Her body pressed to mine in all of those pleasant ways that helped me forget home and focus on her, and it wasn't long before her hand reached down to find me full and hard again.

She sat up and looked into my face. Her hunger was back. "I would have thought it would take more effort to help you recover."

I shrugged. "Like I said, all I had to do was get my mind off home." Then I smiled. "Besides, it's difficult to stay soft when you're crawling all over me."

She searched my eyes and licked her lips. "Keep talking like that and I'm going to be demanding more of that yummy cream your big cock likes to squirt."

I couldn't stop the smile that creased my lips. "Well, you'll have to convince me to give up more."

She threw a leg over me and slid my erection into her hot and wet opening without any resistance. Both of us moaned. I had forgotten how tight she was, but that didn't slow her down any as she rocked her hips. With her hands on my chest, her hips rocking and rolling around on me, and her eyes looking into mine, she said, "Don't worry, I'll do just that."



-------

Chapter 19



Danielle and I were sprawled out on the bed, catching our breaths and letting the room's AC cool us down. I didn't know how long we'd being going at it, but judging by the dimming sunlight, it had to be a couple of hours, at least.

I felt movement and rolled my head to see Danielle getting up on rubbery legs. "I've gotta go," she said and stumbled toward the bathroom.

I nodded but didn't say anything. I had to go too, but could wait until she got back.

It was a few minutes before the bathroom door opened again. "You wouldn't believe how much of your cum poured out of me," she said with a grin.

I crawled to the edge of the bed. "Tell me about it in a sec," I said and all but ran to the bathroom. Once I was finished, I not only washed my hands but picked up a wet washcloth Danielle had apparently used and cleaned my penis and sac too. After rinsing it off and wringing it out again, I grabbed one of the hand towels and left the bathroom.

My redheaded companion was curled up on the bed with only the flat sheet covering her. I pulled the blanket off the bed and attempted to clean the wet spots that we'd left.

Danielle watched me. "You know they strip the bed and replace all the sheets and blankets after a room is rented, right?"

I shrugged. "Seems wrong to leave all the work to them."

She studied me for a moment. "When we talked earlier, you said you kept your head down. I can't imagine you just sitting in your room all the time."

I shook my head. "No, I worked for Mr. Chambers in his garage, fixing cars."

A small smile appeared on her face. "I thought no one liked you?"

I glanced at her. "The only time Mr. Chambers talked to me was if he needed me to do something or a customer was pulling in."

Danielle's smile faded away. "I understand the former, but why the latter?"

I let out a sigh. The stains in the blanket were going to need more than warm water to come out. I started folding the blanket while I talked. "He knew how the rest of the town felt about me. He didn't want to chance losing customers just because he let me work for him."

Danielle blinked. "I'm sorry, Seth. I couldn't even begin to imagine how you got through that."

I shrugged. "Most of the time, I didn't think about it. I just focused on whatever I was doing at the time, moving parts, changing the oil, whatever. It was the same at school." I smiled then. "I actually had to fudge a few things so I wouldn't end up valedictorian."

She sat forward on the bed. "Wait, you what?"

I nodded. "I didn't want to ruin everyone else's graduation day by being the one to give our graduation speech. Besides," I said, setting the folded blanket on the small table, "I'm sure the school board or someone else of some importance would have found some way to make sure I wasn't the top of my class." I turned and looked at Danielle. "Think of the therapeutic aspect though, me giving the speech and putting everyone there in their place." I was smiling, but knew it wasn't funny.

"Actually," she said, "That's not a bad idea. You don't have to give the speech, but you could write one."

I shook my head. "I'd rather just forget them than dwell on it."

"That's not therapeutic," Danielle said. "That's suppression and can do more harm than good. You need to work through the emotional turmoil."

I stood there, wondering what good it would do me. "Do rape victims go to therapy?" I asked. It seemed the closest parallel.

"Statistically, rape victims who go to therapy recover more quickly than those who don't," she said. "Don't get me wrong, it's still traumatic and it takes time to work through that, but with help anyone can make it." She studied my face for a second. "It seems to me, you've already made great strides toward recovery, but you still have buried emotions that you need to face. I know a few doctors who..."

I held up my hand to wave off that idea. "No, no doctors. I don't need pills. I need to get on with my life."

She sighed. "I don't think anyone would put you on meds. Other than your physical reaction when you think about home, you only have emotional scars to deal with. That takes time and someone to talk to."

I moved over to the bed and sat down. Facing Danielle, I asked, "Why can't I talk to you?"

She thought about that for a moment. "I guess there wouldn't be any harm," she said and then looked up. "But you know a doctor and her patient aren't supposed to become physically involved."

I looked over her nude body and then mine. "I suppose that could be a complication." Only after I said that did I realize what we had both said. This wasn't going to be only a one day fling.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

I looked at her again. "Um ... I uh..." I swallowed to clear my throat and tried again. "I was thinking about ... us."

"What about us?"

"Well ... you said a doctor and patient aren't supposed to become ... well, you know."

"Uh-huh."

"And ... Well ... I said it could be a complication ... Like this isn't all we were going to do."

She raised an eyebrow. "Did you think I'd only want you for today?"

I shrugged. Part of me had thought exactly that, but that tiny voice was quickly overridden by another part of me wanting things to continue. There was, of course, the part of me that thought it would be a bad idea. We might have been talking about my emotional recovery, but she had some she needed to work through as well. I didn't think her need for physical pleasure would last very long, especially at the rate we had been going, and that only lent to the idea that she had to face what she had been through and the repercussions of her decision to leave her husband. I knew a couple of families who fell apart because of divorce. The only fortunate thing going for Danielle was the lack of children.

She watched me as I thought about how I felt. When I looked up again, she had a warm friendly smile. I didn't know how to respond to her question or if it was rhetorical. "Well?" she asked.

I sighed. "I'll admit I did think that, but I also know you've got a lot to deal with too." I held up my hand indicating her face. The bruises were a nasty purple. "You may not have been raped..."

She nodded and clasped my raised hand in both of hers. "I know, but I'm beginning to believe that I won't be able to get through my recovery without you. So, do we help each other?"

I smiled. It was an offer I didn't want to refuse. "Isn't there also a problem with doctors being the worst patients?"

Her smile brightened considerably. "I've heard that, but as long as we're both honest with each other and ourselves, then I think we'll both be okay."

I nodded and noticed the goose bumps running along her arms as well as her distended nipples. Those were really hard to miss. "Either you're feeling really good or you're cold."

She giggled. "Yes, and yes."

I glanced at the blanket on the table, but she seemed to know what I was thinking. "Don't worry about the blanket. We'll just cuddle together under the sheet."

I nodded and stood up. She did too and slipped under the sheet. "Why don't you grab the remote and we'll watch TV for a while," she said.

I turned to the television and had to look around for the remote. I found it in the top drawer of the dresser. When I turned to join Danielle, I found her watching me with a smile. "What?"

She shrugged. "Nothing really. Roger didn't do anything without clothes on. Even after having sex, he had to put on his briefs to go to the bathroom."

I nodded, and glanced down at myself. "And you find me walking around, folding blankets and looking for the TV remote in the nude amusing?"

She shook her head with that smile in place. "Nope, cute."

I raised my eyebrows. She thought I was cute. Well, that was a far cry from some of the things I had been called before. Without saying anything else, I crawled into bed with her. She snuggled up next to me for warmth. I was surprised by her cool skin but only for a second. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and held her close, then pointed the remote at the TV and added a little noise to the quiet of our room.

It didn't take me long to realize how much time had really passed. Flipping through the channels, looking for something other than commercials, I stopped on Channel eight with a news reporter on. The first thing I noticed was the time, five o'clock. We had arrived at the motel at about noon. The second thing I noticed was the picture of the woman the reporter was talking about. She looked familiar.

" ... another missing woman in the last month and a half. Francine James was reported missing earlier today by friends from the UT campus." A picture of Francine appeared next to the reporter. "Francine was last seen wearing a blue dress. If anyone has seen her, please call the number below."

I muted the TV and studied the picture. It was the same woman who had ... molested me the night I arrived.

Danielle looked at me. "Another one?"

I nodded, not even registering what she said.

"What's wrong, Seth?"

I looked at her. "I ran into Francine the other night. I had just arrived on campus." I shook my head, knowing a better explanation was in order. "I had left my map in the cab and asked a guy in a corner store for directions to my dorm, but he gave me directions to the girl's dorm by mistake. When I got correct directions and started back, Francine came out from nowhere and ... Well, she spooked me. I was tired and she'd been hidden next to the University Center."

"Was anyone else with her?" Danielle asked.

I started to shake my head and then said. "There were two other women in the same spot. After Francine came out of hiding, they did too, but then they just left."

"Did they go back to the dorm?"

I shook my head. "No, they headed the other way." I looked at the TV. The reporters were talking about something with a large dollar sign behind them. "Besides, I doubt women are kidnapping women."

"That's not for us to figure out," Danielle said. "You should tell the police what you know."

I shook my head. "That was two nights ago. They said her friends reported her missing earlier today, that they last saw her last night. They'll need details from that time not before."

A knock on the door made us both jump. "Hey, are you two decent?" It was Jordan.

Danielle and I shared a look while catching our collective breath. I glanced down at the sheet we were both using to hold in warmth and considered how to answer Jordan's query about our decency. "What should we tell her?" I asked with a low voice.

Danielle shrugged but held the sheet up to her neck.

Jordan knocked again. "Se-eth! Danie-elle!" she sang through the door. "Are you two in there?"

I got an idea and grinned. Without a word, I slipped out from under the sheet and stood in front of the door. I threw Danielle a look over my shoulder and cleared my throat. "Who wants to know?" I asked, lowering my voice and making it sound gruff.

Jordan didn't answer immediately. I looked through the peep hole. She was looking back and forth along the line of doors, and then she looked at my door again. She leaned up closer to it and said, "I'm looking for Seth and Danielle... ?"

Danielle was grinning and shook her head, but she didn't say anything.

I was stark naked and stepped behind the door when I opened it. "C'mon in," I said, still using the same voice.

I tried to peek through the peephole again, but the door was shoved back into me.

"You ass!" Jordan said, coming around and looking me over. "God, I thought you two left and someone else was in the room."

Danielle was laughing on the bed and I couldn't hide the grin on my face.

Jordan shook her head and pushed the door closed. "I came by to find out if you two were hungry."

Danielle's laughter subsided and she nodded vigorously. "And I wanna get out of here for a while."

I glanced at Jordan, not sure what to say. It was the first time Danielle had mentioned it.

Jordan glanced at me too, but didn't say anything. She looked at Danielle again. "I'm willing to go get you something."

Danielle shook her head and got out of bed. Her tube dress was gone, leaving her as nude as the day she was born. She didn't show the slightest problem in front of Jordan though. If I had been naked in the room with another guy, I would have been mortified.

Jordan and I watched her head for the bathroom. "C'mon Seth. We can save the hotel some hot water." She didn't wait for me, but headed on into the bathroom.

I stepped closer to Jordan to talk, and she turned and pressed herself up against me. After a thorough kiss, she said, "I've been at home all day thinking about what you two have been doing here and not getting to join you."

I glanced past her toward the bathroom. Danielle had turned on the shower but didn't close the door. Part of me didn't want Danielle coming back out to find us. A different idea sprang to mind though, one I wouldn't have considered before. I couldn't look Jordan in the eyes while I hinted though. "I suppose you could always ask Danielle..."

I reared up the courage and looked her in the eyes, fearing what she might say or do.

She was biting her lower lip and that hungry look was back in her eyes. I knew to expect several possibilities when she looked at me like that, even the chance that she would strip down and join us in the shower. She thought about something for a moment and then stepped back to look down. "At least you haven't completely forgotten about me." She ran a hand along my length and then gave me a squeeze.

"Se-eth!" Danielle called. "The water's hot and I'm in it alone!"

Jordan smiled and winked. "I'll wait here."

"You know what is likely to happen in there," I said.

She nodded. "Yeah, and I can only hope for an invite."

I studied her face for a second and then leaned in closer to her. "I didn't know you felt that way about women."

She gave me a wry smile. "Sex is sex, Seth, besides, our bond helps," she said and kissed me again. I was mystified when she broke the kiss and gave me a gentle push toward the bathroom.

Danielle was under the water, her body sleek and wet. Her hair was pulled back tight, leaving her face open. She looked me over when I came in. "Oh, you have a present for me," she said grinning.

I thumbed back over my shoulder. "Jordan's still here."

Danielle pouted. "Aw, you can't perform with an audience?"

I rolled my eyes, not sure what to say to that, or if I should suggest the invite Jordan was hoping for. Of course, I still didn't think I could handle both of them together. Thinking quickly, I said, "I'm sure she's waiting so she can take us somewhere. We don't have a car, remember?"

Danielle smiled. "You really are from a small town." Seeing the frown on my face she added. "We can call a cab, Seth."

I nodded. "I'll let her know." I stepped back out of the bathroom before Danielle could stop me. Jordan was standing next to the doorway, but I went around her so Danielle wouldn't see what Jordan might try. Handling them together was worry enough, if it ever happened, but blatantly doing something with one of them where the other could see was out of the question.

Jordan looked at me with an expectant expression. When I opened my mouth to tell her about the cab idea, she reached up and touched my lips with a finger. I caught my breath. "I heard what she said, Seth. I'm not deaf."

I nodded and felt her hand on me again. She moved closer, pulled my face to hers for a kiss and then, I think she tried to have sex with me while standing up. She pushed me down under her skirt. I felt how hot and wet she was and couldn't stop my hips from thrusting forward.

Jordan whimpered into my mouth and thrust her hips along me too. I didn't slip into her, our height differences wouldn't allow it, but I didn't think having sex with her right there while Danielle was waiting for me in the shower was a good idea. I couldn't fight Jordan's advances off, but I didn't want to be caught either.

"Seth?" Danielle called. "If you're done kissing Jordan, could you come scrub my back?"

I broke my kiss with Jordan, uncertain about whether I should have been embarrassed or guilty. I guess I was a little bit of both.

Jordan looked me over. Her arms were hooked behind my neck and her breasts were crushed against my chest. She continued rubbing herself over me and I fought with the urge to move us over to the bed so we could do more than simply grind against one another. She held the back of my head with one hand and dropped the other to my butt, holding me to her while she rocked her hips back and forth.

I wasn't getting a lot of stimulation from what she was doing, but the very idea that she was getting off simply rubbing herself on me was more than exciting.

She leaned into me, sucked on my ear and said, "Just a bit more..."

I nodded and kissed the side of her neck, just behind her ear. I had been bracing myself against the wall with one hand, but realized we were well balanced and used that hand to pull up her skirt and give her even more stimulation. Danielle had jumped earlier when I accidentally grazed her anus. I wasn't sure if that would work for Jordan too, but I was willing to try.

Jordan almost jumped when I touched her. She was already up on her tip-toes just to get herself up high enough to ride me while standing, but she grabbed onto my shoulders with both hands and attempted to climb me.

I pressed my finger against her, both holding her succulent cheek to enjoy the feel of her skin against mine and to keep from losing that small connection that drove her on.

"Oh yes, Seth," she whispered huskily in my ear. "Stick it in me."

I wasn't about to deny her, so I reached past her anus for some of her fluid, got the tip of my finger good and slick, and then went back to press it in.

Jordan tightened her grip on me as my finger slipped in. Her whole body locked up against mine only seconds later and I felt more of her fluids wash over me. I held her to me to keep her from falling.

I looked past her at the bathroom doorway. Danielle hadn't come out to see what was taking so long, and even if she did, I don't know what I would have done or said. I didn't want to leave Jordan high and dry, but I didn't want to keep Danielle waiting either.

Jordan pulled my face to hers again leisurely. Her tongue did things to mine I didn't think should have been physically possible, but she ground her pelvic bone up to the point where I ended and lightly ground on it.

She relaxed her hold on me and leaned back from our kiss. "Now I feel better." She stepped back from me, holding up her skirt. She saw that I was not only hard but throbbing and wet. Licking her lips, she bent over and took me into her mouth.

I fought to not groan out loud and almost complained when she stopped.

She stood up straight, licking her lips and smoothing her skirt back in place. "Just a reminder of what's waiting for you when Danielle's done." She glanced back over her shoulder grinning. "I better go. It sounds like Danielle's still waiting." She gave me another squeeze with her hand and then headed for the door.

I watched her look back and wink before she slipped out and closed the door. Part of me wanted to demand she come back and finish what she started, but then I remembered the redhead in the shower.

Back in the bathroom, Danielle was pressed up against the far wall of the tub with her legs slightly spread. One of her hands was pulling at a nipple and she was rubbing herself with the other. She looked me over with a similar look of hunger as Jordan's. "Just thinking of you kissing Jordan made me so hot," she said.

If she knew what Jordan and I had been doing, she might have felt differently, but because I was frustrated from Jordan's antics, I climbed into the shower with Danielle, bent my legs to lower myself to where her hand was and allowed her to guide me to where she needed me.

I kissed Danielle's neck and sucked on her earlobe as I thrust up into her. With one hand I held her back and with the other, I pulled her thigh up to hold against my hip while I worked in and out of her.

Danielle wrapped her arms around me and started moaning louder than before. It didn't take long for her to try to wrap her other leg around me too.

She didn't feel all that heavy when I got a good grip on both of her cheeks, lifted her up, and pressed her to the wall. It could have been the fact that she was as wrapped around me today like Jordan had been in the pool the day before, or it could have been the adrenaline and hormones rushing through me, giving me more strength than I normally had. I knew I could carry Danielle, but she wasn't exactly a feather. It was weight I liked though and would never complain about.

Danielle had good strength in her legs too. She wasn't muscular but well toned, and the exercises she obviously did to keep herself in shape were helping both of us out. She couldn't plant her feet anywhere to use the entirety of her legs, but what she could use was more than enough.

I could feel the white hot heat course through me when my body locked up and I allowed gravity to have a part in burying myself in Danielle. She held on tightly too and I could feel her velvet muscles grip me like every other orgasm she had reached earlier.

With the additional strength offered by adrenaline fading, I lowered us into the tub. The shower felt hot and Danielle felt good.

When we could both see and talk coherently again, Danielle said, "I don't know what you two were doing out there, but you could have invited her in. I would have been happy to have the help."

I stared at her, not sure if she was joking or what.



-------

Chapter 20



Once we were both able to stand without fear of our legs collapsing under us, we grabbed the little soaps and the only remaining washcloth and started scrubbing ourselves clean. There wasn't much room for both of us, and at first we kept bumping into one another for that reason. After a few minutes, it became obvious that she was bumping into me for other reasons too. However, my mind was too preoccupied to really consider her reasons.

Jordan had told me that Danielle would be a wildcat in bed. So far, she was right. Danielle and I had gone almost as many times as Jordan and I had in less time. And though the thought of so much sex didn't worry me in and of itself, the thought of what was really happening did. Was this more proof of powers I never knew I had or did the two of them plan this? All of the little details told me that this wasn't something they planned. Danielle wouldn't have gone and gotten into a fight with Roger simply to have a day-long tumble with me in bed, and Jordan may have had a very different idea about why she was having sex with me but that didn't have to mean that was the only reason.

I was distracted when Danielle turned around and ran her soapy-slick hands over my chest. She rubbed my nipples, making me jump, moan and rise all at the same time.

Danielle looked up, a huge grin on her face. "I love that." Before I could respond consciously, she tweaked both nipples. I couldn't stop my reactions, any of them. She looked down at me where I was poking her in the belly. "I never knew a man could be so sexually excited by his nipples."

I smiled but didn't feel any humor. "Just lucky, I guess."

Her lips were slightly parted, and she ran her hands over my pecks and ribs. Having never been close to anyone, and never having anyone attempt to tickle me for fun before, I was surprised by the sensation.

I pulled away automatically, the smile on my face a reflection of the burst of laughter that was still ringing in my ears. I didn't mean to be so loud and stammered an apology.

Danielle was looking at me with a mix of curiosity and mischief. "Why are you apologizing? I like the fact that you're ticklish."

I swallowed because the look of mischief overrode everything else on her face. I watched her as she tensed up, hands out, ready to attack.

All at once, she was on me. Her hands were small and quick. I chased feather light touches in one place only to find empty air and wriggled away from caresses in other places. I couldn't move fast enough to catch her, nor could I stop the knee jerks or spine-bending twists her touches caused. I laughed harder than I remembered ever laughing. I tried to plead with her to stop, and ended up bear-hugging her to pin her arms to her sides so I could have some relief.

Danielle rubbed my sides with the flat of her hands, soothing away the sensations. "I'm sorry Seth, I couldn't resist." There was laughter in her voice that I liked. It wasn't mean, like had heard so many times before, but in a tone that made me feel she was actually laughing with me.

I let her go and pulled back just enough to see her face. Her eyes, though dark in color, glowed with the exuberance while she calmed down. Even without any makeup and with her hair flattened to her head with water, that glow made her more beautiful than I had previously thought.

While we stood there staring into one another's eyes, she brought her hands around and up. Her fingers lightly rubbed my nipples and for the first time since I noticed the change, I didn't mind.

However, it reminded me of what Jordan had been trying to convince me of since the night before. Was this really and truly a result of a magical bond between me and her, or was it some late-bloomer development I never could have dreamt of? Then again, standing there with Danielle in the shower, looking into her eyes while she was looking in mine, why was I thinking about Jordan?

Apparently, I had been thinking too long because Danielle asked, "Where are you?"

I blinked at her, not sure how to explain myself. "Just ... thinking."

She closed the short distance between us and rubbed her belly against me. I was once again excited. "And just what were you thinking about?"

I was in trouble and knew it. It was one thing to meet someone and have sex, another to end up in bed with different people on different occasions, but I was caught in that conundrum of having slept with two women who were friends and feeling like I was about to be asked to choose between then. I was confused and a little scared. I wanted to explain it honestly with Danielle, and yet not talking would probably keep me out of trouble. The real problem was, she continued to watch my eyes and waited for an answer.

I knew her patience wasn't endless; we couldn't just stand there forever. She proved it when she squirmed against me again and said, "I won't be upset if you were thinking about Jordan."

I may have been confused about whether to tell her the truth or not before, but her statement didn't help me any. She had talked about asking Jordan to join us earlier, but she'd been joking, right?

I had been raised to believe that someone was only supposed to be with one other person. Yet, what she was implying contradicted that idea and confused me. "Why wouldn't you be upset about me thinking about Jordan, especially considering..." and I wiggled around to indicate our current position and proximity.

The glow in her eyes faded. "Were you thinking about her?"

I shook my head. "Not the way you think I was."

She reached down between us and gripped me. "Then what's this?"

I dropped my hands to my sides and stepped back. From the way the glow left her eyes and the tone in her question, I wasn't just in trouble, I was about to be punished.

Pain and fear washed through me, but I wasn't a child anymore and I wasn't going to simply stand there while someone verbally scolded me or worse. First, I was going to get in what I had to say. "Alright. Fine. You and Jordan have had your fun, and I've had enough."

Needing to put some distance between Danielle and me, I pulled open the curtain and got out. I was half expecting to find Jordan in the bathroom with us, sharing in on the fun. She wasn't though, which only made it easier for me to grab one of the motel's miniscule towels.

Danielle turned off the water and pulled the curtains open more. "Seth, what are you talking about?"

I shook my head and left the bathroom. Danielle called after me, but I refused to answer. It had all been too good to be true, meeting Jordan, going to the party, even losing my virginity. What made the idea really confusing was how Jordan had talked me into having sex with her own friend. Why would she do that?

Danielle came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head and hair but nothing else. "Seth, what did you mean in there?"

I dropped my towel and gathered up my clothes. Anger was quickly replacing my fear. "I knew meeting Jordan was too good to be true, but I don't understand why she would encourage me to be with you, or why you'd be with me in the first place."

She stood there watching me with her arms akimbo and feet slightly apart. She looked like she was getting ready for a fight. I thought it was extremely unfair of her to argue with me while she was naked. I couldn't keep my eyes from looking at her, even though I wasn't in the mood.

She took a step forward, but didn't close the distance. "Seth, I don't understand. I thought you and I were having a good time together."

I finally peeled my eyes off of her long enough to get my pants on. Once they were fastened and zipped, I sat on the bed, shaking my head and said, "I don't even understand."

For a moment, she stood there and watched me while I put on my shirt and one shoe. I had to get down on the floor to fish my other shoe out from under the bed, and once I had it and was sitting on the bed again, she stepped closer. "Seth," she said in a softer voice, "If you'll talk to me, maybe we can work it out, together."

I sat there with my shoe in my hands and looked up. She was close enough to touch but I stopped myself from reaching for her. I wanted to hold her, to feel her skin on mine, to rub as much of my body against hers and feel the same in return, but I didn't dare touch her. I was too scared of those urges and confused by what I had always thought a relationship with a woman was supposed to be like versus the past two days. I held on to my shoe to keep my hands busy. Until I resolved the conflict in my mind, I wouldn't feel right about what we had been doing. "Can we just talk?"

She stood there studying my face for a moment. I didn't know what she was thinking, but she didn't look upset. "I didn't think guys could talk when there was a naked woman in the room."

I shook my head, sighed and said, "If you don't want to talk, that's okay. I'll just get out of your hair."

She shook her towel-laden head and picked up the towel I had dropped. She wrapped it around herself and sat on the bed. "Before you go, can I call the front desk and ask for more towels?"

I sat there, trying to calm down so I could think. She was covered up, but the urges I felt weren't going away so easily. She was within easy reach and I wasn't sure how long I could go before doing something I didn't want to do. I nodded to her question and kept my hands on my shoe.

She nodded in turn and then turned and crawled across the bed for the phone. I looked away so I wouldn't be tempted the sight of more skin and only listened while she talked to the front desk. When she hung up, I felt her move on the bed. Her hands ran up my back and to my shoulders. At first, I wanted to pull away, to put some distance between us again. I don't know what made me stay, the lack of wanting to fight or the fear that we would if I did. Sensing I wasn't going to run, Danielle moved in closer behind me, her legs straddling me and her body pressed to my back.

For a moment we sat there like that, just being calm. Danielle squeezed and rubbed my shoulders, trying to ease away any tension I was feeling. It felt good, but at the same time, I didn't want to completely relax. I had things I needed to talk about, questions I needed answers to. I reached up and put my hands on hers, stopping her. "Can we talk, please?" I asked again.

She leaned in against me and rested her chin on my shoulder. "Sure," she said. "So, what upset you so much?"

I felt a little awkward with her sitting behind me where I couldn't see her, but something in her tone and the feel of her sitting behind me was relaxing. I knew she was studying psychology, but I seriously doubted any of her classes had instructions for the kind of sitting position we were in. It did make one thing easier though. Since I couldn't see her without putting in the effort to turn and look, I wouldn't be distracted or lose what little nerve I still had.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I was thinking about Jordan in the shower, but not about sex. I was thinking about some of the things she's been telling me since ... well, since we did it the first time. And then I thought about what you and I were doing, and what Jordan might think of that, and what you might think about me being with Jordan, and I was confused and scared..."

"And you lashed out," Danielle said.

I tensed. "I didn't mean to."

"Seth," she said, rubbing her hands up and down my back, "Relax. I'm not mad. I was confused but now I think I understand."

I glanced to where she still had her chin on my shoulder, only catching her eyes via my peripheral vision. I was still afraid to look at her fully. "You do?"

"You were scared that I was going to kick you out."

I nodded and said, "Yeah," almost under my breath.

She pressed harder into my back and kissed my cheek. "I'm not upset."

I turned a little and looked her in the eyes. "You're not?" She shook her head, and I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Why not?"

She sat back at bit and pulled on me to get me to turn so we could see each other better. "How long have we known each other?"

I blinked. It was an obvious answer. "Since yesterday."

"And do you know how long it takes to build a good relationship, regardless of whether it's just with friends or someone you love?"

"Um ... Longer than a day?"

She smiled. I felt a lot better seeing her smile. "It takes a lifetime," she said.

I looked away. "Yeah, but what we've been doing..."

"Having sex," she said for me and I nodded. She pulled on me again, to bring my face around to look at hers. When our eyes met again, she said, "You can have sex with a total stranger, but that doesn't make it a relationship."

I was still a little confused. "But we barely know each other."

She ran her hand through my wet hair. "Oh, I'd like to think we're not total strangers. You told me about home and you know about my current dilemma." I opened my mouth to say something, but she held up her hand to stop me. "Obviously you're not comfortable, so I think we should remedy that."

I thought Danielle's idea of a remedy would be to talk some more, but she got off the bed, walked over to her suitcases, and started rummaging through them. I watched her, not sure what to make of this twist. "And what did you have in mind for a remedy?"

She looked back at me and smiled. "Well, first, I'm going to get dressed, and second, we're going out."

I waved my hands around at the room. "I thought we were out."

She pulled at the corner of the towel barely wrapped around her. "I need to go somewhere where the towels soak up a lot more water after a shower." She stood there watching me and I just stared right back at her. If she didn't like the towels here, and she obviously hadn't packed any, where would we go to get better towels? Or did she mean buying towels?

She made of show of moving back over to the bed and sitting next to me. She scooted back, stretching her legs out and crossing them at the ankles. She settled with her hands clasped across her belly and looked up at me. She looked comfortable.

And it took that thought for me to understand. I shook my head, feeling like an idiot. "You want to go somewhere more comfortable."

She nodded and said, "And with a restaurant. I'm starving."

The mention of food gave my stomach the cue it had been waiting for. When it stopped grumbling Danielle said, "All you've had was that salad." I nodded and she said, "Don't worry, I'll feed you too." She smiled again, crawled off the bed, plucked a few things out of her suitcases, went to the bathroom and closed the door.

I wasn't sure what to think of that. She was really nice, very polite, and absolutely gorgeous. We'd had a lot of sex, but she didn't seem to want me to watch her get dressed. Jordan had invited me to watch her. Maybe she liked the additional attention? Maybe Danielle didn't want as much attention? Or maybe Danielle was giving me some room because of how I reacted in the shower? I really didn't know.

Thinking of Jordan made me wonder what she thought of Danielle and me going out? She was here when Danielle first mentioned it, but she never said anything. She didn't mention my Initiation or how going out was a bad thing or any of that. Of course, she had told me talking about it was a less-than-good idea, so of course she wouldn't mention it.

There was also the fact that Jordan had dropped us off and neither of us had a car. Danielle said we could call a cab. I got up and went to the door for the bathroom and knocked.

"Yeah?" Danielle called through the closed door.

"Can I come in?" I asked.

"No," she said, as if I had asked a very silly question. "What do you need?"

"You mentioned calling a cab earlier. Do you know the number?"

I could hear her laugh. "You know what directory assistance is, right?"

I groaned at myself. Where was my head today? I went to the phone and called directory assistance. The automated service listed several. I hit the number one on the phone for the first option and I was transferred.

The cab company was happy to send over a cab, but they needed an address. Fortunately I was staring at the phone and there was a small standing advertisement for the hotel we were at, complete with phone number and address. The key was also there with the room number on the key ring. Once the lady on the phone had all that information she told me the cab would arrive in about fifteen minutes.

I hung up the phone, and watched the closed bathroom door while wondering if going anywhere else would be a good idea. The things Jordan told me, about going out in public while I was still initiating, ran around in my head. I really didn't like the idea of someone - or many some ones - wanting me so badly they were willing to rape me. I thought of how Jordan had jumped me the night before at Raven's house and then again earlier today how Danielle came on to me. If I only affected women, then I could probably 'fend them off.

Another thought crossed my mind. What if my Initiation was over? Danielle seemed to have cooled off a lot since the shower. If that was the case, then her desire to go somewhere more comfortable might be so she could start dealing with the idea of leaving Roger, and that wouldn't require my presence. If she was done with me, then I could go back to my place, put on some clean clothes, get some dinner, and then sleep in peace, knowing that this silly nonsense about me having powers was over - and that would be nice, very nice indeed.

A knock at the door brought me out of my reverie. I looked out the window first, expecting to see the cab much earlier than the cab company had claimed, but there weren't any cars out front. I went to the door and opened it.

A teenager stood there, holding some towels. He didn't look much younger than me, with wavy brown hair and dark eyes. As soon as he saw me, his face fell. He looked up and down the line of doors and then back at me. "A woman called for more towels." He looked past me. "Is she here?"

I nodded and thumbed over my shoulder. "She's in the bathroom."

His whole body slumped even more.

I held out my hands. "I'll take those."

He nodded and handed them over. The towels were a lot thicker and bigger than the ones left in the bathroom. I wondered briefly why they hadn't supplied us with those originally. I used my foot to push the door closed, and watched him crane his neck around, trying to see into the room.

I went to the bathroom and knocked. "The towels are here," I said through the door.

Danielle opened it up and smiled. "Those are more like it."

I shrugged and handed them over. "I just don't understand why they didn't supply these in the first place."

Danielle shrugged. "Maybe they don't have enough, or maybe no one calls for them very often." And then she looked out into the room. "Or, maybe..." She looked at me. "Who delivered them?"

I shrugged. "A teenager, not much younger than me."

Her eyebrows went up. "Was he looking in the room?"

I nodded.

She smiled. "Then maybe they do have enough, but he uses it as an excuse to get the occasional eye full."

I tilted my head to the side. "An eye full?"

Danielle's smile widened and she dropped the towel around her torso, exposing her lean body. With a shimmy of her shoulders, which made her full breasts shake, she said, "An eye full."

I nodded, understanding that he wanted to see her nude. I could certainly understand. Before Jordan, I had never seen a nude woman at all. For that matter, even after everything I had done with Jordan and Danielle over the last two days, I couldn't tear my eyes from the busty redhead's assets.

Danielle continued standing there for a few seconds and then said, "Did you call a cab?"

I looked up. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I did. They'll be here in about fifteen minutes."

She still had a smile on her face. "Good, then I need to finish getting ready."

I nodded, but didn't move.

She giggled. "You know you'll get to see more, later."

I blinked, trying to think about what she was saying. "I will?"

She stepped up closer. "Did you think I was going to just take you to dinner and then send you home?"

I shrugged. "The thought had crossed my mind. I honestly don't know what you've got planned."

"Did you have any other plans for tonight?" she asked softly, pressing her breasts into my chest.

I shook my head. "No."

Her eyes twinkled. "Good because I'm not done with you yet." She reached up and pulled my face to hers for a scorching kiss. I whimpered at first, only because I didn't expect it, but once I relaxed and started kissing her back, I wasn't the only one moaning.

Danielle pulled away from our kiss, and I stood there with my eyes closed. The kiss had been fantastic, but I was still somewhat confused by the emotions it caused in me. I was beginning to understand lust, because my pants were tight and I was ready, but I didn't understand the flutter in my stomach. In an attempt to ignore that sensation, I opened my eyes and looked at her.

She was smiling back at me and stroking my cheek. "Liked that huh?"

I couldn't form words, so I just nodded.

"Well, for someone who's never kissed a girl before yesterday, you sure learn fast." She leaned in for another kiss and I couldn't help but to wrap her up in my arms and hold her to me as tightly as I dared. She moaned into my mouth and rubbed her body against mine. One of her legs even came up and hooked over my butt.

I started to lose myself to the same feelings I'd had when we arrived, but then Danielle pulled from our kiss with wide eyes and extracted herself from me. She licked her lips while studying my face. I was confused for a second, until she said, "If we're going to go eat, I need to get ready."

I nodded and stepped back, not sure if I was trying to put distance between us so I wouldn't start something or so she couldn't.

Danielle knelt and picked up the towels I had given her and then she ducked back into the bathroom with a smile on her face. I realized I had one too, regardless of the fear and confusion from earlier.

I was surprised that a woman as beautiful as her would even want to be with me. To add to that, I was also confused about what it was about me that attracted her. I hadn't done anything except give in to what she wanted. Was that what turned her on so much? Was that what she really needed?

I sat on the bed trying to understand the fluttery feeling in my stomach. What was it I felt? Was it something these supposed powers were making me feel? Jordan said I would feel closer to those I had sex with, but then wasn't that supposed to be like that for everyone? Was it all a long line of coincidences or did I have strange powers? Was it true?



-------

Chapter 21



It wasn't long before the cab arrived. When the knock at the door came, I jumped up and went straight to the door without bothering to look out the window. The cab driver was easily old enough to be my father. His eyes drooped and he needed a shave, but his clothes were clean and there wasn't the smell of sweat on him. Maybe this cabbie took better care of his car. "You call for a cab?" he asked.

I nodded, saying, "Yes." I glanced back at the closed bathroom door and said, "Give me just a sec."

He nodded and stepped away from the door. I closed it, went to the bathroom door and knocked. "Danielle, the Cab's here."

"Okay," she said through the door. "I'll be out in a sec. Could you get my bags?"

I pulled up short, not expecting the request. "Um, sure, but I thought we were coming back here after dinner."

"If I'm going to go somewhere with better water absorbing towels, that means we're checking out," she said.

"Okay," I said and turned to address her suitcases. For the most part they were both relatively ready to go. I looked around the room to make sure we didn't forget anything and I spotted the dress and shoes she had stripped out of when we arrived. I wasn't sure how to fold the dress. I was certain it was supposed to be dry-cleaned and just as certain that she wouldn't want it packed with her clean clothes.

After another sweep of the room, I didn't see anything I could use, so I pulled open the cabinets under the sinks in the recess. I found a plastic bag someone had left and rolled the dress up in that.

I put the dress in one suitcase, her shoes in the other, and closed both of them. Carrying the cases, I stepped out in the muggy evening air.

The cabbie saw what I had and reached into the driver's side window to pop the trunk open. He came around and helped me load the cases into the trunk and asked, "Where ya goin?"

I shrugged. "I don't know yet," and I looked back for Danielle. She was still in the bathroom. I went back inside, pocketed the room key, and turned off all the lights. The room was as empty as it had been when we arrived. All that remained was Danielle. I went back out to wait with the driver.

When she emerged, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had seen the color of the clothes she had taken with her - mostly white - but hadn't known what any of the articles were. The dress she wore made me think she had wrapped a sheet around herself, like Jordan had been forced to do the day before, but watching her move in it, and not attempt to hold it up told me that it was indeed a dress. It was strapless and short, stopping several inches above her knees, and I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

She came out of the room, closing the door behind her, and stopped on front of me. A smile formed on her face. "I take it you like my dress?"

The way she stood back felt like an invitation to look, and so I did. When I looked back up, I noticed a change about her face, or, more importantly, what wasn't on her face. I stepped closer, getting a better look. When I reached up to touch her jaw line where the bruise had been this morning, she grabbed my hand and smiled. "Please don't. That's why I was in the bathroom so long."

I nodded my understanding. "Well, your bags are in the trunk and the cab's ready to go." I turned and found the cabbie watching us. I looked back at Danielle. "Where are we going anyway?"

She smiled, looked at the driver, and said, "The Selador." I didn't know hotels, but with a name like that, I was sure it would have the kinds of towels she wanted, and a big price tag for the room too.

The driver went around and got into his seat. Danielle walked over to the back door, opened it, and then looked at me. I hadn't moved. "Are you coming?"

I stood there thinking. I wanted to go but I also wanted some fresh clothes. I didn't mind the idea of going to dinner with her and staying overnight, but the thought of doing so in clothes I had been wearing for two days just didn't appeal to me. I didn't want to ruin her night, but I didn't want to stifle her plans either.

Danielle said something to the cabbie and closed the door. "What's wrong Seth?" Her voice wasn't soft and kindly, but it wasn't harsh or impatient either.

I stepped closer to her, and after hesitating for a second, I blushed and said, "I'd like to get some fresh clothes. I've been wearing these for two days."

She stifled a giggle. "Is that all?"

I shrugged. "If that hotel is as expensive as the name suggests, I don't want you embarrassed because of me."

Her mouth dropped open in a small oh and she looked me over like she couldn't believe something. "I would never be embarrassed by you." As good as I felt hearing that, it still didn't resolve the problem. "We can stop by your dorm so you can pick up some clothes."

I felt my pockets and realized I didn't have my keys. "I left my keys in my backpack, in Jordan's car."

She stepped back and looked me over. "Well, you're clothes aren't soiled, but if you feel strongly enough about it, I don't see why we couldn't get you something for tonight."

I turned my head slightly, a touch wary of what she had in mind. "Something for tonight?"

She smiled. "I'm not talking about buying you a wardrobe, but you'll need a jacket. I'm sure we can pick you up a shirt and slacks to go with it."

I shook my head. "I don't have that much money to spare."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I don't mind paying." She stepped up closer to me. "Besides, I want you to look good."

I really wasn't sure how to feel about her offer. I was so accustomed to taking care of anything I needed that the thought of anyone doing anything for me was almost foreign. It was one thing to catch a ride with someone somewhere, but letting anyone buy my clothes for me? That was a lot more than just a simple favor.

Danielle looked up at me. "What are you thinking?"

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm not used to this."

"Not used to a woman wanting you to look good?"

I hesitated a second and then nodded. "Well, that too, but I'm not used to someone doing anything like this for me."

She turned and hooked her arm in mine. "Well then, I'll have to help you with that." I had that funny fluttery feeling in my gut again and I had no idea why.

I opened the cab door and let her climb in. I got in too and wondered how long it would take for my nerves to calm. Danielle had the driver stop by the motel office so I could run the key up to the window. It helped to be moving, to think of something else. The lady behind the desk took the key and smiled at me causing an entirely different set of nerves to fire off before I turned to leave. Once I was back in the cab, feeling a little better, we were off.

Once we were on the road, Danielle scooted closer to me. I didn't know what to do with my arm. Should I leave it between us and let her just lean on it, or should I lift it up and rest it on the back of the seat so I wouldn't accidentally mess up her makeup? While she seemed comfortable with the former, I was more inclined to do the latter. After a minute of fidgeting, she made the decision for me and moved my arm, not to the back of the seat like I had been thinking, but around her shoulder. Then she scooted closer to me, pressing her hip and the entire line of her leg against mine.

It took a lot of effort for me to calm down. Even though Danielle and I had been intimate for several hours, I was still scared of doing something that would upset her. She seemed to notice and looked up at me. "Relax Seth, I'm not going to bite you." And then she smiled and leaned in closer, dropping her voice. "Unless you want me to."

I shuddered, completely involuntarily. She smiled, apparently enjoying the effect she was having on me. She ran her hand over my chest and I couldn't stop the small moan that escaped me or the lump that formed under my pants. She sat up and put her lips next to my ear. I could feel her hot breath as she said, "I forgot you were so sensitive." She lightly caressed my erection and added, "I'll take care of that once we get your clothes."

I didn't remember her telling the cabbie about stopping anywhere other than the hotel. Maybe we were going to go there first and then somewhere else? I turned my head her way and asked.

She shook her head. "No, I asked the driver to take us somewhere we could get your clothes first while you were turning in the key."

I nodded and settled back, trying my best to relax. Danielle seemed to have a different idea because she continued to rub her hand across my chest, grazing one nipple and then the other, and at the same time, she was rubbing her chest into my side. Jordan had told me she was really sensitive in the chest, and the alleged bond between us is what made me that way. I wondered if Danielle was the same. Getting more and more aroused by Danielle's actions, I knew I had to stifle some of the feelings and questions about my curiosities might help. I turned my head her way again and asked, "You're rubbing yourself against me, does that feel good to you?"

She raised her lips to my ear again. "It would feel so much better if I could rub my nipples against your bare skin."

Another small moan escaped me. No, questions like that were not helping, especially when she answered in that way.

Thankfully, it was only another minute before the driver pulled into a parking space at a men's store. Danielle pulled my face around and kissed me again, sending sparks through me. Before I got too heated though, she pulled away and slipped out of the car. I sat there for a second, not wanting to show off the tent in my pants to the whole world.

Danielle looked in at me and noticed where my hands were. She smiled. "Oh no you don't. You have nothing to be embarrassed about in that department. Come on."

After only a slight hesitation, I followed her out on the same side.

The store wasn't a Men's Warehouse, but I could see suits on display in the windows and several other articles too. The place looked expensive, which made me even more apprehensive about the idea of anyone buying clothes for me. Danielle didn't seem to notice and continued in as if nothing were wrong. Her hand held onto mine and I didn't want to upset her, so I didn't resist.

We stepped into the air conditioned space and I looked around. There were suits on racks as well as shirts, slacks, and ties. The selection was huge and there were signs for the different types of apparel that simply didn't make any sense to me. What really was the difference between a dinner jacket and a suit jacket? Why were they called sports jackets if you didn't actually wear them while playing sports? And what was the point of a necktie?

Danielle pulled me along and I finally noticed a few sales people lingering around. None of them seemed to be paying us any attention, but that didn't stop Danielle from walking right up to one of the salesmen and saying, "We need help finding him a suitable jacket, slacks and shirt."

The man, older than either of us and looking distinctly annoyed, sighed and then looked me over. In a voice much deeper than I would have expected, he asked, "Do you know your size?"

I blinked a few times, thinking about the two dress shirts I had. "Seventeen long... ?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Follow me."

I glanced at Danielle, but she was focused on the salesman. We followed him away from the front of the store and he walked up to a rack of jackets. "We have a selection in various colors and styles. Feel free to try a few on."

I looked at the rack too, ready to do just that. Danielle didn't seem inclined. She continued staring at the salesman. "What's your name?" she asked him. Her voice sounded polite, but warning bells were going off in my head.

"Sam," said the salesman.

"Well, Sam, my friend, Seth, is going to be looking to purchase a few suits in the near future. We've been looking for something appropriate for various occasions, but," and I could hear even more warnings in that one word, "if this is the kind of service we can expect here, then we won't even bother with anything tonight."

Sam looked Danielle over for a second and cleared his throat. "I see, then let me suggest..." and he started pulling out different jackets for me to try. I didn't actually learn what a dinner jacket was, but I did find out that my suit size was a forty-four long. I also figured out very quickly that the salesman was working on commission and none of the jackets had price tags on them. Danielle didn't seem to care though. She watched me try on about four different jackets before nodding and declaring we had found the right one. It didn't take long to find matching slacks and a shirt to go with them. When the salesman asked about a tie, Danielle just looked at me and then shook her head.

The salesman led us over toward a counter and Danielle stopped a few feet away, pulling me to a halt too. "Why don't you go to a dressing room and put that on while I pay."

I shrugged, nodded and then went to comply. The clothes were ... well, clothes. I was used to wearing dress shirts and slacks for church, but the jacket was something else. I wouldn't have bothered at all if I didn't already know that I needed it for the restaurant. It was perfectly comfortable in the store, where it was fairly cool, but I was worried about sweating like a pig once we got out in the heated Texas air.

When I found Danielle, she looked me over smiling brightly, hooked my arm and led us back out to the cab. Once we were back on route to the hotel, I turned to her. "Was it just me or were they really proud of their clothes?"

She smiled. "There are cheaper places we could have gone."

"Why didn't we?"

She adjusted my jacket and said, "Two reasons: you get what you pay for, and everyone in the hotel will know the difference."

I shook my head. "I don't care what other people think about my choice of attire."

"You remember how Sam reacted when we first asked for his help?" she asked.

I nodded. "He looked annoyed. Maybe they were about to close and we waltzed in at the last minute?"

She shook her head. "Timing had nothing to do with it. He was appalled at the idea of someone like us entering his store."

I glanced at her dress. To me she looked glamorous, and I said as much.

"Thank you," she said, smiling. "But a store like that doesn't take women into account unless she's in a suit. He was basing his opinion purely on your appearance, specifically, the clothes you were wearing." Without waiting to let that sink in, she continued. "Now, if you had walked in wearing an Armani, even if just before closing, he would have jumped and kissed your feet to get the sale."

"Because of the clothes?" I asked. "Not me, but my clothes?"

She nodded. "There are a lot of businesses like that. They filter out individuals when their appearance doesn't match what they believe it should be."

I thought about that and asked what I thought had an obvious answer, "Isn't that prejudiced?"

Danielle nodded. "Not only the best example, but also the only one that's accepted on all levels of our society."

"Okay," I said, nodding slowly. "So, you bought me a jacket to get me into a restaurant that practices this? Won't it be obvious, regardless, that I'm not their usual customer?"

She shrugged. "Possibly, but you've got two things working in your favor other than a jacket that looks good on you."

I had no idea what she was talking about. "And what's that?"

"Me, for one," she said with a touch of offense. When I stammered an apology, she smiled and shook her head. "I'm playing with you, relax." I nodded and she said, "But at this restaurant, I do have some pull. I'm friends with the manager."

Hesitantly I asked, "So, they won't react like the salesman did?"

She shook her head. "No. Remember, he's a salesman of men's apparel and thought someone not worthy of his time had deigned to walk into his store, but the restaurant staff all know me, and you're my friend who I'm treating to dinner."

I nodded my understanding. "And what's your friend's name?"

Danielle's eyebrows rose. "Why?"

I shrugged. "At this point, I only have two friends - if you and Jordan count as friends - and I'd like to know more about you."

She smiled and nodded too. "Her name is Jana Perreira, and just so you don't get any ideas, she's only into women."

I rolled my eyes but nodded. "First, why would I get any ideas about your friend when I'm with you? And second, am I going to have to defend you from her advances?"

She laughed that good laugh I remembered from her tickle attack in the shower. "No, she's never made any advances on me." She paused in thought and then added, "But when she finds out that I'm leaving Roger..."

For a moment, I sat there watching her fantasize about whatever her mind had conjured up. She had an eyebrow raised as if she was curious and the smile on her lips suggested the idea might even be fun. Then she looked up at me and noticed me watching. "What?"

I shook my head and couldn't hide the smile on my face. "If you want to be with your friend tonight, I'll understand."

She glanced away again, but then shook her head. "No, I don't think it would be the same." She looked back up into my watching eyes and I could see her hunger rising. In a lower voice she said, "Even if she wore a strap-on, there's nothing like a hot, hard, living, throbbing cock driving in and out of me." She turned in her seat, wriggling her hips to press closer to me, and running her hand up my leg until she gripped me through my new slacks.

I swallowed and looked up, catching the driver's eyes just looking away in the rear-view mirror. I grabbed Danielle's wrist and whispered, "I don't mind the way you think, in fact, I think it's really growing on me, but ... not in front of any audience."

Danielle giggled and continued to stroke me through my slacks. She rubbed her chest to my side and moved her lips up next to my ear. "Let me suck it. I'm feeling the need to have you in me, but I don't want to mess up my dress."

I was still watching the mirror. The driver kept glancing at it and looking away every time our eyes met. Was he really looking at me, or was he watching traffic? Maybe he was hoping to catch sight of Danielle. I honestly didn't know, not without asking him.

Danielle, however, didn't seem to care. She sucked on my earlobe and ran her tongue along the edges, causing a shiver to run through my spine. Her hand continued to stroke me and I was caught in uncertainty. She must have taken my silence as a yes, because she reached up and fumbled with the catch of my slacks. After a minute of no success and no help from me, she found the zipper tab and pulled it down, gaining almost direct access.

Her hand slipped into my slacks and past my underwear. The feel of her soft, cool hand on me was more than my poor brain could take, especially considering where we were. Something about the wrongness of it made everything seem so much more intense. She continued to lick and suck on my ear while her hand stroked me. I thought maybe she had changed her mind until she sat back, licked her lips, and used both hands to extract me.

Once I was out, she pushed and pulled on my shoulders and hips. I turned in the seat so my back was to the door with one leg stretched out along the back seat. I lost track of whether the driver was watching anymore, but then Danielle flicked her long red hair over toward the back of the seat and looked up toward the front. With a big smile, she lowered herself to me, took me into her mouth and I didn't know if the groan I heard was mine or the driver's.

A thought occurred to me then, and it was disturbing. Jordan had warned me that my power's hunger would affect everyone around me, and that if I wasn't careful, I could be raped. It never occurred to me that men might be affected as much as women, and that made me wonder: was the driver turned on by Danielle's actions, or by the sight of me waving around in his car. Even if the driver was turned on, he didn't swerve or have to make any corrections. He was paying attention to what he was doing.

Danielle, on the other hand, seemed to believe the driver's attention was all for her. I didn't have a problem with that, especially if it kept him from talking to me. At the same time, she not only kept me on the brink with her lips, tongue and - occasionally - teeth, but she gave me her eyes, telling me with simple glances how much she was enjoying herself. I also couldn't help enjoying the way her lips looked when she made a seal around me and sucked as much as tickled with her tongue. At my angle, looking almost straight down on her head, her face was hidden in shadow, except for the rhythmic street light.

She popped off me and ran her cool hand over me, spreading her saliva all over. She looked up, grinning and inched her face closer to mine while her hand pumped me, keeping me in a heightened state of arousal. Her lips made it to mine and her tongue darted into my mouth. The kiss was wet, but quick. She backed up just enough to keep my lips off hers. In a husky voice, she said, "I've never gotten so excited sucking on a cock before. Maybe it's because you're bigger than Roger, maybe it's because you're so much nicer to me than him. Whatever it is, I'm so wet I'm going to have to clean up in the room before we eat."

I wasn't sure what to say, so I just nodded. I probably would have agreed to almost anything at the moment.

I had thought she was being sultry then, but her voice dropped more and she said, "But I want you to cum before we arrive. I want to drink you so badly." She pressed her lips against mine, causing sparks in my brain again. After only a few seconds she backed off, slid down, and put even more effort into sucking me, as if I had been holding back the whole time or something.

I had wondered before we left if my Initiation was over. Feeling the white head of my orgasm race through me and into her mouth, I knew it wasn't. Not yet. Either that or Danielle was giving in to desires she had repressed while with Roger.

Was Jordan right? Did I have power that needed feeding, or were there a lot of coincidences all lined up back to back? I didn't believe in coincidence. If a dish is broken in the kitchen and you're the only child in the room, it doesn't matter how much you deny it, it was your fault. And the lesson in that is to tell the truth, fess up to what you did, even if you found a stray cat in the kitchen and it broke the dish while fleeing out of the window.



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Chapter 22



When we arrived at the hotel, I helped the cabbie get the luggage. There was a second when our eyes met and I was sure I saw the same need in his eyes I had seen in both Jordan's and Danielle's. However, as soon as Danielle came around, the driver looked her way and accepted his money.

Danielle looked up at me. I wasn't sure what the expression on my face was, but she asked, "Are you okay?"

I simply nodded. The driver closed the trunk and walked back around to the driver's side of his car. He didn't look back and probably only wore that expression because he needed to get home to his wife, girlfriend, or possible liaison for the evening. It didn't have to mean it was about me.

Danielle turned and picked up a suitcase.

I grabbed the other and said, "I can carry both."

She shook her head at me. "No, the bellboy will take them once we get inside. It's not that heavy and we don't have to go far."

I sighed, watching her turn and walk away. I followed her and seconds later, sure enough, a man in a uniform offered to take our luggage. We handed them over and followed him across the entry.

I knew the hotel would be nice, but I had never seen anything so ... Well, the word that popped in my head was "rich". The floor was covered by wall to wall carpeting rather than hard wood. Extravagant throw rugs were used to break up the space. The wood on the walls and columns looked red, making me think cherry, but I didn't know wood grains well enough to be certain. Arm chairs were arranged into four-person groups around highly polished tables, and potted plants were placed here and there too. It was more sophisticated than I knew to expect. Certainly a far cry from the motel we left.

Danielle caught me gawking and slipped her hand in mine. "It's nice, isn't it?"

I nodded. Nice was an understatement.

The bellboy stopped at a desk where a woman in a similar uniform smiled at us. She had light blonde hair pulled up in a bun and faded blue eyes. She looked like she was bone tired, and her expression was plastered on her face for show. Her uniform, like the bellboy, was a dark blue vest over a white blouse. She had a nametag over her right breast that read "Sandy". Looking from me to Danielle she said, "Welcome to the Selador. Do you have a reservation?"

Danielle answered. "No, but we'd like to get a room for the weekend."

Sandy's smile didn't shift in the slightest, like a mask that wouldn't move short of being melted or struck by a hammer. "Let me see what we have available."

I turned and looked at the lobby, specifically how many people were around. It didn't seem busy, but then I didn't know if there were any special events or how busy they normally were on weekends, making it hard to judge.

Sandy looked up and said, "We have a suite available." She sounded surprised, but maybe that was just me.

Danielle nodded. "We'll take it." She didn't even bother asking about the price or what came with the room. Thinking about it, I knew I wouldn't know what a good suite would be versus a bad one, and not having any ideas or suggestions, I kept my mouth shut and let Danielle handle the arrangements.

After doing some typing, Sandy asked, "What card would you like to use?"

Danielle pulled one out of a small clutch purse I hadn't even been aware of previously. It had a silver face on it, but having never had my own credit card I didn't recognize it.

Sandy's smile never wavered. If anything, it looked like it actually reached her eyes. She accepted the card and swiped it. A few seconds later, she handed the card back and turned to retrieve some papers printing out behind her. Sandy had Danielle sign the paper work and handed over a keycard to the bellboy. "Suite four-fifteen, David."

David nodded, accepting the card. He slipped it in his vest pocket, picked up Danielle's luggage, and led us to the elevators.

I didn't say anything in the elevator or the hall. It was bad enough that I looked like a tourist, much less trying to fit in with people who could probably smell the difference between my non-existent bank account and their Wall Street portfolios.

We watched David open the door, turn on the light in the room, and carry Danielle's bags inside. Danielle thanked him and I just caught her handing him some money. He left, smiling and pulling the door softly closed.

I turned to Danielle with the most urgent question on my mind. "Um ... who did you sign us in as?"

She shrugged and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Stone."

My eyebrow arched. "Don't you think that when Roger gets the bill for that card..."

She interrupted me. "This is my card. I pay for it. So, no, he won't know."

The look in her eyes told me I may have gone too far, so I nodded and stepped back from her. "Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to assume everything you have is his."

Yet, I couldn't stop myself from thinking of worst case scenarios. I could keep my silence, but that was all. I was sure Roger would find out where Danielle was staying and that she wasn't alone. If he was as vindictive as Jordan suggested, he might come looking for her. What would I do then? What would Danielle let me do?

She sighed. "And I didn't mean to bite your head off. I'm hungry. So, let me check my makeup and we'll go down for dinner." She ran a finger down my chest and then stood up on her tip-toes to kiss me before leaving for the bathroom.

I stood there, feeling better that she wasn't mad, and looked around the room. Once again, I felt the wonder of being in such a fancy hotel.

The motel room had been simple, very utilitarian. This suite, however, wasn't only a simple bedroom. When I heard Sandy call it a "suite", I didn't know what that really meant. Looking around the main room, I realized it was more like a living room with a couch, several chairs, a coffee table and what I thought was an armoire. The armoire turned out to be an entertainment center with doors that concealed a plasma television.

I walked around a counter behind the couch, almost expecting to find a small kitchenette, but didn't. There was a sink, several glasses, and bottles of several types of liquor, all of which were sealed and looked full. We had a wet bar in our suite.

Other than the door leading out to the hall, there were two others. The one Danielle had walked through to go to the bathroom and another that looked like it led outside. I walked over and pulled it open slowly. It lead to a sort of patio complete with an outdoor dining set, several potted plants and a view of the street in front of the hotel. I closed that door and followed Danielle through the other one.

The bedroom was just as ritzy as the rest of the suite. The bed looked huge with two posters at the head and a frame made of some kind of dark, almost black wood. The comforter was thick and four huge pillows of matching design were laid out along the head of the bed. Off to the side, by a huge window, was a breakfast table with two chairs with a lot more space to maneuver around than the motel room had offered.

I shook my head. The suite probably cost more than I had saved up in four years of working on cars, including the extra money I had made selling a car I had fixed up so I had the money for the flight to Texas. After seeing the house Danielle and Roger lived in and the cars they drove, I didn't doubt they had the kind of money it would take to enjoy a weekend in a hotel like this.

I spotted a phone next to the bed and remembered the need to call Jordan, to tell her where we were so she wouldn't worry. I walked over to the only door I hadn't walked through yet and knocked. "Danielle? Do you know Jordan's phone number?"

A few seconds later the door opened and Danielle came out. "I didn't bring my phone with me. I left it at the house so I wouldn't have to worry about Roger calling me every half hour or more."

She went to the phone and dialed a number. After listening a few seconds, she punched in several numbers and then wrote a number down on the pad sitting next to the phone. She straightened up, smiled at me, and went back to the bathroom.

"Don't you want to talk to her?" I asked.

She stopped in the doorway. "I will when you're done." For a second, she lingered there. I would have said posing, but I wasn't sure. Her smile grew brighter and then she quietly stepped into the bathroom and pushed the door to.

I blinked when the door clicked shut and shook my head slightly. Something about the way she looked at me caused me to stare like a deer caught in headlights. I wasn't sure if that was what she wanted, but it was what she got.

I went to the bed and sat down. The bed was soft and gave to my weight, unlike the one back at the motel. I picked up the cordless phone and dialed the number Danielle gave me.

"Hello?" Jordan answered.

"Jordan, it's Seth."

"Seth? What's up? Can't be all bad, you're still breathing." I could hear the humor in her voice.

I smiled but that was it. "Yeah, but the motel you left us at had thin towels."

Unlike me, Jordan didn't need any other hints. "What hotel are you at? No, wait, let me guess: the Selador?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Danielle says she has a friend who manages the restaurant."

"Jana," Jordan said. "I think you'll like her, though the feeling may not be mutual."

"Danielle told me about her already. I don't know if she was playing, but when I joked about defending her from Jana, she seemed to consider it."

"Really?" Jordan said. It was a few seconds before she added, "Well, if that's what Danielle wants..."

I shook my head. "I made that offer, but then she ... she..."

"She what?" Jordan's voice was lower. I could almost hear the smirk on her face.

I rolled my eyes. "You already know."

"No, I don't," she said with some indignity. "I want you to tell me."

I looked around the room. No one else was there, Danielle was shut in the bathroom, and Jordan was somewhere miles away. Why should I be so embarrassed about what happened? "She ... went down on me," I said quickly, as if saying it faster would make it not as bad.

Jordan giggled. "Would it be too much to ask for details?"

My mouth fell open. I couldn't even think.

"From the sound of your response, I think I can guess what it was like," she said, giggling some more. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

I could feel my face burning. "We were in the cab on the way here," I said, as if it was supposed to be an excuse to try and make my feelings irrelevant.

Jordan giggled harder. "Now there's one hell of a tip for the driver!"

I flopped back on the bed, groaning.

"Seth?" she asked.

"What?"

"Did she make you cum?"

"She wasn't going to stop until I did," I said, almost grinding my teeth.

Jordan giggled again, but then she stopped. "You know, she always told me she didn't like doing that."

I glanced toward the bathroom door. It was still closed. "She mentioned something like that, but then she said she was very ... excited by what she was doing too."

"Oh wow," Jordan said softly. "She always hated going down on Roger. She told me there were times he'd make her blow him, he'd finish in her mouth, and then roll over and go to sleep, leaving her completely untouched."

I suddenly felt guilty. "She didn't say anything about that."

"It's moot now," Jordan said. "And I think that answers a question I've been curious about since I stopped by."

"What's that?" I asked.

"You may be bound to Danielle, like you are to me."

I closed my eyes, offering up a small prayer for guidance. "I've been thinking about that Jordan. There are just too many ways to explain everything that's happened over the last two days."

She was quiet for a second. "Really? Well, if you have it all figured out..." She suddenly sounded a little mad.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I had been expecting something more like disappointment, not anger. "Look, Jordan, I'm not calling you a liar, but how do you really expect me to accept what you've told me? Nothing truly exceptional, or magical, has happened. Okay, I never would have expected all the ... sex over the last two days, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen."

She was quiet for a minute and then said, "I suppose you'll have all the proof you need when your Initiation ends."

"Uh ... Okay. What do you mean?" I asked.

I heard her sigh but she didn't say anything for a moment. "Look, Seth, please just believe me about this okay?"

"Do you expect me to believe on faith?"

Again, she was silent for a minute. "Okay, but there's a problem with me trying tell you what to expect."

I rolled my eyes. "And what's the problem?"

"The problem is what to tell you. To be honest, I don't know what'll happen. I don't, really. The finale is different for each of us." She said finale as if it should have a capital F, like she did when talking about my Initiation.

I wasn't sure of what to think of her not know what would happen. "Then tell me what happened to you."

I heard her sigh again. "Okay," she said, "but, you have to swear never to repeat a word of this."

"I don't know anyone other than you and Danielle, and I doubt she'd believe me anyway," I said.

"I mean it Seth."

"Okay. I promise. I won't repeat what you tell me."

"Good," she said. For a moment she was quiet and I thought she was going to change her mind, but before I said anything to prompt her again she said, "I switched places with the man who helped me through my Initiation for an hour."

I sat back up on the bed. "You switched places? How?"

"We switched bodies," she said.

"You mean your mind was in his body..."

"And his mind was in mine."

It was my turn to sit silently on the phone. If she was telling the truth, she was a man for an hour. Part of me wanted to run up and down the hall just outside, screaming and tearing my hair out while swearing off sex for eternity, but it was only a momentary impulse that was a lot easier to resist than some of the urges I'd had over the last couple of days.

"Seth? You there?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm here."

"You can't tell anyone about that." I could almost feel her threat through the phone.

"I ... I won't. I promised."

"Okay" she said. "Good. You better not, because I know where you live."

I shook that off while thinking. "You said it was different for everyone. If no one talks about what happens to them, how do you know?"

"No, I don't want to talk about what happened to me. Others share what they go through and have described equally weird things happening to them, but I've never heard the same one twice."

"Oh, okay then," I said. I felt better, but only marginally. If everyone had different things happen to them, then at least I wasn't going to be a woman for an hour. I was having enough problems as a male. I couldn't imagine what kinds of problems I would have if my sex were suddenly reversed, even for a short period of time.

"Well, I know you're okay and where you're at," Jordan said. "What room are you in?"

Her sudden change in subject was perfectly welcome. I told her our room number. "Oh, and if you don't mind, could you maybe bring me some fresh clothes? My keys are in my backpack in your car."

"Yeah, I can do that," she said. "Can it wait until tomorrow?"

I'd had two showers today. It was only my clothes that bothered me. Of course, looking down at myself, I remembered the new clothes Danielle bought me. "Yeah, that's okay."

"Okay then, have a good night."

I glanced at the bathroom door, which was still fully shut. "There is one other thing I wanted to ask you about."

"Sure."

"When you left while Danielle was in the shower, she told me that I should have invited you to join us because, and I quote, 'I could use the help.' What did she mean?"

"Didn't you ask her?" Jordan asked, sounding perfectly calm, like she was asking what I was eating.

"Ask her? I didn't know if I should have been proud or embarrassed." I rolled back onto the bed. "I don't know if I'm doing things right or not. I just don't know."

"Seth, take it as a compliment," Jordan said. "I seriously doubt she really wanted me there. She was teasing you a little while flattering your ... natural abilities."

"My natural abilities? That reminds me..."

"Huh-uh" Jordan interrupted. "We've talked about that enough tonight. You'll have to remember to ask again the next time we talk about your... heritage," she said. "What you should be doing though is trying to find out what she likes."

"What she likes?" I asked.

"Yes. Hasn't she said anything while you two have been acting like bunny rabbits or haven't you been paying attention?"

I was pretty sure she was teasing, but I thought about it. "She really hasn't mentioned anything. She's mostly just decides to do something and I hang on for my life. The only good thing is she hasn't complained about anything. Well, except when I don't ... er ... go off when she thinks I should."

"Then you're fine," I could almost hear her grinning. "Just keep doing what you're doing. If she doesn't like something, she'll let you know."

I nodded, feeling better about that much at least. "And there is one more thing..."

She giggle again. "Yes?"

I rolled over onto my stomach and lowered my voice. "Why isn't she mad about me thinking about you?"

"Wait, you've been thinking about me, and you told her?"

I cringed. "Yeah, sort of. She was rubbing my chest in the shower, and it felt good and well ... you know what happens."

"Yeah, go on."

"Well, I got to thinking about that specific trigger and reaction and what you told me about it."

"Okay..."

"And she chose that moment to ask what I was thinking about."

"Oh no." Jordan sighed.

I nodded. "Yeah, and she lost all interest in what we were doing and then I got scared ... and sort of ran."

"What?"

"I didn't leave the room, but I left the bathroom and got dressed to leave."

"Why on earth did you do that?"

I shook my head and sighed. "To be honest, I was worried about what she thought about me being with you, and what you thought about me being with her ... and it just..."

"Why are you worried about that?" Her voice was soft and warm.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I didn't want to admit it, but if I was going to gain her advice, I had to tell her. "I was raised to believe that one person is only ever with one other person."

"Oh, Seth," Jordan said. "Don't get me wrong, that's a wonderful sentiment, but with your heritage waking up, you can't think like that. You remember what I said about being with one person too long, right?"

I nodded and then said, "Yeah."

"Did you tell Danielle that?"

"Not in as many words," I said, "but we talked. She figured out that I was lashing out because too much has been happening to me too fast."

"Oh," Jordan said with a thoughtful sound in her voice. "Has it been too much?"

I nodded. "A little, yeah, but I was in mind of everything you've been telling me about my heritage. And because she said she wasn't mad about me thinking of you, and then the way you were pretty much trying to convince me to sleep with her and..."

"Seth, slow down. Take a breath," Jordan said. "You're getting all wound up. Relax, please."

I nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"I'll tell you what, tomorrow, when I bring your clothes, we'll all sit down and talk about it." It was an offer I hadn't expected, but then with Jordan being insistent that I actually sleep with more women than just her, I wasn't sure what other kind of suggestion she would have.

Of course, there was only one thing I was sure Jordan would want to talk about. "You know that I haven't told her what you've told me. About my heritage that is."

"That's not what we'll talk about," she said.

"Oh," I said, fairly confused. "Okay."

The door to the bathroom opened and Danielle came out. I rolled over and she saw me on the phone. "You're still talking?" she asked.

I hesitated, smiled a half-smile, and nodded.

She smiled, shook her head slightly and then held her hand out for the phone.

I didn't say anything. I just gave it to her.

"Hey Jordan. Oh so much better. I've been getting what I've needed for a long time. Oh..." she looked at me pointedly with a big smile. "Yeah, that too. No! He told you that? Really? Like what? That makes sense. I knew he was upset about something. He's been moody off and on all day. No, nothing like that. Yeah. Oh, yeah, he told me. I couldn't believe it until he showed me the proof. I'm happy to help, if he'll let me. Yeah. We're heading down for dinner. True, his belly's been howling. I know. We will. G'nite." She hung up and set the phone on the base. "Are you ready?" she asked looking at me.

I nodded, not entirely sure what to say.

"Well, c'mon. The Vivre closes soon."

I got up and followed her out of the suite. Danielle's side of their conversation sounded pleasant enough, but I was sure there were things she wanted to talk to Jordan about without me sitting right there. It also didn't sound like Jordan had said anything that touched on my apprehension over being with Danielle right after Jordan. It wasn't like they were being too pleasant with each other, like they were forcing their congeniality. No, if anything they were getting along fine, even though they both knew I'd been with the other and neither had any problems with it. It was simply the weirdest thing I had to deal with, barring dealing with my heritage.



-------

Chapter 23



I knew we were going to be dining in a higher class restaurant than I had ever been in, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Danielle once again had her arm hooked around mine, and even though it looked like we both knew where we were going, she did all the driving.

A man in a tux greeted us. "Mrs. Stone, welcome back to the Vivre," he said smiling at Danielle. Then he looked at me and something in this smile simply vanished. He was still smiling, but it didn't have the same warmth. "And who is this?"

Danielle squeezed my arm and looked up at me. "This is my very special friend, Seth." She looked at the man in the tux again, "Unfortunately, Paul, I'm having problems at home and he's been a big help."

Paul' smile faded a touch when he looked at Danielle. "Is everything alright?"

He didn't mean that. I had seen expressions like his before. He looked sympathetic, but he just wanted some juicy bit of news to share with his friends. I wanted to warn Danielle. If he told anyone what she was going to do, the news might get back to Roger before she set her plan into motion - whatever she had planned.

Danielle must have understood that already, because she said, "It's nothing to worry about Paul." Then she looked past him. "Is Jana here tonight?"

The disappointment in his face evaporated. "Of course," he said. "Let me show you to your table and I will let her know you're here."

Danielle smiled and Paul led the way.

The Vivre was more than just a single room, but it looked like the other rooms were closed off for special venues. The main dining area had a couple of dozen tables, each with white table cloths that draped to the floor, plates with a folded napkin on each that stood up in a crinkled pattern, crystal clear wine glasses, and more silverware than I knew what to do with. There were four arm chairs to each table with wood frames and plush red velvet backs and seats. The floors were dark marble with a diamond pattern running the length and breadth of the room. Huge windows gave us a view of the city lights just outside and were framed by white curtains and red drapes to match the chairs and dining tables. I must have looked like a fish out of water and caught myself with my mouth open in awe.

Less than half of the tables were occupied, and most of those occupants were women. We drew close to one table with two women sitting and talking. As we passed them, they stopped talking and turned to look our way. I could have been mistaken, but it looked like they were watching me and the expressions on their faces wasn't simple curiosity or even the haughtiness of spotting someone who didn't belong. They looked a lot like they had the same hunger Danielle and Jordan had exhibited right before they jumped me.

I turned to look around the rest of the room. The last thing I needed, or really wanted, was for two more women to push themselves on me, whether from their own cravings or some inexplicable power.

Paul stopped next to a table not too far from the two women and pulled one of the chairs back for Danielle. She sat down and I took the seat to her right. Paul set two menus on the table for us, glancing at me with a mix of curiosity and something else, and walked away.

When he was out of sight, I turned to Danielle. "He really wanted to know what happened."

She shrugged. "I know. Most of the staff here are all a bunch of nosey rumor-mongers, but they're good people."

"What about Jana?" I asked.

Danielle shook her head. "No, Jana could care less as long as it doesn't affect the hotel or restaurant." I nodded, relieved to hear that.

A waiter stopped at our table. He didn't look much older than me and wore a uniform that looked like a tux without the jacket. "I'm William and I'll be your server this evening." He looked at Danielle. From his point of view, her dress probably showed off a fair amount of cleavage. I watched his eyes dart to her creamy expanse and up again. "What can I get you to drink?"

I sat there staring at him, feeling a touch of anger boiling up inside me. I didn't like him looking at Danielle like that, not at all. I realized I had my hands balled up into fists. I blinked, relaxed my hands, took a deep breath, and let it out. I had to calm down. The last thing we needed was for me to make a scene in her friend's restaurant.

Danielle smiled up at William. "I'll have a glass of the house wine."

I looked up when I realized neither of them were talking. They were both watching me. William looked almost bored and Danielle was patient. I don't know what my face looked like, but William seemed oblivious to my reaction. My heart beat finally calmed, and I cleared my throat. "I'll just have a glass of iced tea."

William stared at me for a second before he nodded and wrote it down. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders," he said and walked away. I watched him go, fighting off anger over the way he looked at Danielle and his subtle jeer at me.

Danielle reached over into my lap and found my hand. "Seth? Are you okay?"

I blinked at her. She already had enough problems; she didn't need me doing something stupid. She certainly didn't need me protecting her from the way William looked at her. I nodded. "Yeah, just feeling a little out of place."

She smiled softly. "Yeah, I felt the same way the first time I ate here." There was a touch of nostalgia in her voice, but then her smile fell and her hand squeezed mine. "And that was with Roger," she added.

I attempted to turn my chair in her direction, but the weight made it difficult. I held her hand with both of mine. "He's not here right now. He can't hurt you."

She looked at me and smiled, her hand squeezing mine in return. "No, he's not, and you're not out of place. You're right where I need you to be."

That fluttery feeling in my stomach returned and I smiled with her words.

Not long after that, a tall, slender brunette came out of the same doorway where Paul had disappeared. She wore a white blouse with a black tie, black skirt and black stockings that looked like they had some kind of floral pattern. She walked with an eager stride and a very happy expression. I was fairly sure her eyes were zeroed in on Danielle.

Danielle realized I had been watching someone and looked up. The pained aspects in her expression disappeared and her smile brightened considerably. I knew seeing her friend would cheer her up more than I could, and I couldn't help smiling too, happy that she felt better.

The brunette walked up to our table with a big smile and her arms held out, offering a hug to her friend.

"Jana!" Danielle said with contained excitement. In an instant, she was out of her seat and hugging the taller woman.

More sedately, I stood up too. I didn't want to interrupt them but I wanted to be on my feet when Danielle made the introductions. There was no telling what Paul had said, but I didn't want any first impressions to be bad ones, especially with Danielle's friend.

The redhead stepped back from their hug, beaming at her friend, and then she held out her hand toward me. I took it and she pulled me forward saying, "Jana, this is my very special friend, Seth Connors." She turned to me and said, "Seth, this is Jana Perreira, manager of the Vivre, and a very good friend of mine."

Jana held her hand out to shake and I was surprised by her strength. Anytime someone shook my hand like that, I knew they didn't like me. I kept the smile on my face even though I didn't want to. This was for Danielle. She needed her friends, even if we didn't get along.

I helped Danielle with her chair and then went back to my own.

Jana sat in the chair next to Danielle and said, "Paul said something about problems at home?"

The glow in Danielle's eyes faded a bit. "I'm leaving Roger." She glanced at me and reached for my hand again. I let her have it and then looked up to meet Jana's glare.

Danielle must have caught it too. "It's not Seth's fault. Roger brought this on himself."

I looked at Danielle. "He should be in jail."

Jana looked at Danielle too. "Jail?"

Danielle shook her head. "I don't want to get the police involved."

Jana tossed a glance at me. I could tell she wanted more of the story than she was getting. Honestly, I thought she should have it, but it was up to Danielle what to say and what not to. Jana's expression softened when she looked at Danielle again. "Are you driving?"

I thought it was an odd question, but Danielle simply shook her head. "No, I've got a room upstairs."

Jana nodded and looked around the room. She spotted our waiter and waved him over. "William, bring Danielle a scotch, on the house."

He nodded and walked away.

Jana ignored me for the most part while they talked. Danielle, however, kept a death-like grip on my hand. She finished off the scotch William brought and Jana had him get her another. I had to admit that Danielle was relaxing and telling more and more of her story than she probably originally intended to. Jana probably knew this was the only way to get the redhead to open up with her problems about Roger. It only took less than ten minutes for Danielle to tell Jana enough for the brunette to be satisfied.

William returned with Danielle's second scotch. Jana took it and set it in front of Danielle. "You drink that and order anything you want, on the house."

Daniele started to shake her head no, but Jana grasped her other hand and said, "I insist. I know how egotistical that bastard is. He probably made you sign a pre-nup before you got married."

Danielle looked up and then nodded.

Jana sighed. "Then you'll need to save all the money you can. He'll be forced to pay for your attorney, but you still have to live." Then she looked at me. There was a mix of emotions in Jana's face. The most prominent of which was concern for her friend. However, I could still see an underlying hatred being directed at me. Jana didn't know me, so why the hostility?

Danielle downed her scotch and then caught the look on Jana's face. She reached out for her friend. "Jana, no. Please. He has nothing to do with this."

Jana pointedly looked at where the redhead was holding my hand, frowned, and then looked at the redhead. "You know how I feel."

I was pretty sure she was talking about her own sexual preferences, and was expressing her reluctance to understand why Danielle had chosen to be with another man rather than her.

Danielle's face softened and she reached up to rub Jana's cheek. There was a lot of affection in that one delicate touch.

Jana's eyes half closed with the contact. Her voice came across so soft I almost didn't hear what she said. "I'll take care of you, Danielle."

Danielle blushed and withdrew her hand. "I know, but..." She looked at me. I could see her hunger, just under the surface and I worried briefly that she might do something if we didn't get on with our meal and back up to the room.

Jana caught the way Danielle shifted her attention from her to me. For an instant, she glanced at me without any of the hostility or disgust she'd expressed so far. I didn't know what the look meant and it didn't last long enough for me to attempt to figure it out.

Danielle looked at her friend again and said, "Why don't you come up for a night cap when you're done tonight?"

Jana's face softened but then she looked over at me. The hostility was back.

I considered the possibility of dissuading Jana's hostility. I didn't want my presence to cause a rift in their friendship. "I want the same thing you do, Jana." Her eyes instantly narrowed and I went on. "I want Danielle to be safe and happy."

She blinked and for another short minute, she looked surprised and then hopeful. I simply had no idea what she was thinking, but that quick flicker of hope had to be a good thing. She looked at Danielle again, her face solemn. "I'll come up later to look in on you."

Danielle's head tilted to the side a bit while she studied her friend. "You can't stay mad at the world, Jana. Yeah, there are some real bastards out there, like Roger, and Matt Edgewood."

At the mention of the second name, Jana's whole body went rigid and she closed her eyes. "You said you wouldn't mention him."

Danielle shook her head. "I never promised you anything like that. You need to get past your anger over him as much as I have to get away from Roger."

Jana sat there fuming for a minute and then she looked at me. There was still some hostility in her look, but not as bad as before. I was willing to accept the change. It was more of an improvement than I had ever gotten at home. However, the smell of food in the air made my stomach rumble and I looked away in embarrassment.

Danielle said, "I think we should order. Neither of us have had much to eat today."

Jana nodded, hugged Danielle, and said, "I'll be up later for that night cap." We both watched her get up and leave. When she reached the kitchen doorway, she stopped and looked back. From the expression on her face, I didn't know if she was looking at Danielle or me.

Even though we both had menus to peruse, Danielle ordered for both of us. After William left, she looked at me and a tear formed at the corner of her eye. She blinked, trying to keep it from running and possibly ruining her makeup. "Lemme go fix this. I'll be right back."

I didn't need to ask what was wrong. So many different emotions were running through her, she was being overwhelmed. I nodded and she slipped off toward the hotel.

For the first time since I met Jordan, I was alone. The world didn't end and after a cursory glance, it didn't look like anyone wanted to rape me. Maybe Jordan was wrong. Maybe it wasn't true.

I sipped my tea and looked around the room. Like before, most of the other diners were focused on their meals or conversation. The two women I had seen watching me earlier were gone and nothing else seemed out of the ordinary.

Out of nowhere, Jana walked up and sat in Danielle's seat. Her hostility was back in full force. For a moment, I didn't know what to say or do, so I sat there and stared back at her.

Slowly, Jana's expression softened, and then she said, "If you really want Danielle to be happy, you should let her go."

I shook my head slightly. "I'm not the one holding on. I'm just here to support her until she doesn't need me anymore."

Jana looked me over. "Who are you anyway? Where did you two meet?"

I shrugged. There wasn't any harm answering that question. "We met yesterday at the pool party she held."

Jana frowned. "She only set that party up yesterday. How did you find out about it?"

I didn't know why she was asking me all of this. "There were fliers on campus, and Jordan gave me a ride."

"Jordan?"

I nodded. "Long, light brown hair, steel-blue eyes, stands about Danielle's height."

She waved me off. "I know who Jordan is. Where did you meet her?"

"On campus."

She frowned. "She's not in college. Where on campus?"

"At the University Center."

"At a new student orientation." It wasn't a question

I nodded. "Yes."

Jana almost sneered. "You're a freshman."

I continued nodding. "Yes."

She shook her head. "So, what's the plan? You playing the nice guy until you can worm your way into her panties?"

I sat there in shock for a moment. After I shook it off, I said, "I don't think that's any of your business."

She leaned forward and pointed at me. "You listen to me, you prick. She is way too vulnerable to help a little dick like you get your rocks off. You need to leave her the hell alone."

I took a calming breath. "I'd like to say that what you think of me doesn't matter, but it does," I said. "It matters to me only because it'll matter to Danielle. I said before that I want her safe and happy, but she can't be if her friends don't get along."

"You're not her friend," Jana said.

I stared at her for a moment. "This is supposed to be about Danielle, but you're more concerned with me. Why?"

"I could give a shit about you."

I shook my head. "I've seen hostility like this before, and I've got the marks to prove it. I have no doubt you're trying to protect her, but you're misdirecting your rage, Jana."

"The hell I am."

"What about Roger?" I asked.

"What about him?"

"Shouldn't you be worried about what he might do when he finds out what Danielle is planning, or what he will do if he gets a hold of her, especially anyplace without witnesses?"

That made her pause, but only for a few seconds. She focused on me again. "Right now, the only threat to Danielle is sitting in front of me."

"Threat?" I asked, pointing at myself. "I have never threatened a living thing in my whole life."

She waved her hand. "Save your lies." She pointed at me again. "I suggest you leave now, before I call the police."

I shrugged. "Call the police. I'm not breaking any laws."

She looked me over. "Oh, I don't know. I seriously doubt you had the money for those clothes."

"What's that matter?" I asked, not liking where this was going.

She smiled, and it wasn't friendly. "I doubt you have the money to pay for your meal."

"You said the meal was on the house."

She shook her head. "I said Danielle's meal was on the house, and I'll be certain to tell the cashier not to accept any payment from her. So, if you eat and can't pay, that's theft."

I crossed my arms and sat back. She had me there, but I wasn't going to leave until I could talk to Danielle.

Jana watched me. "I think you should leave. Now."

I sat there, extremely nervous because of what Jana was trying to do, but also determined to not give her the full satisfaction. "I'll leave as soon as Danielle gets back and I can explain to her why I'm leaving."

Jana shook her head. "If that food gets here and you don't have the money to cover your bill, the police will be waiting for you."

I leaned forward in my seat again. "I said, I'm not leaving until I talk to Danielle."

Jana stood up then, her long, lithe body moving with ease and vibrating with her anger. "I wouldn't wait too long, Seth. Danielle can take quite a while in the bathroom. And because she's my close, personal friend and the hotel staff knows her, her food comes very quickly." With a haughty sniff, she turned and walked off. She was perfectly confident she would get her way regardless of my decision.

I looked around the room, considering the idea of switching tables, but then Danielle might think I had disappeared anyway.

I looked over at Danielle's vacant chair, and worried about what she would think of my absence. She hadn't brought a purse with her and I didn't know where her keycard for her room was, otherwise I would just go up to her room and wait for her there.

I looked up and spotted William, the waiter, coming out with a large tray of food. He was walking my way. They couldn't have prepared our meals that quickly. There were several other tables waiting for their food before Danielle and I had arrived.

William walked up and then past my table. He stopped at another table nearby and passed out their orders. I breathed a sigh of relief.

After William left, I looked back toward the passage where Danielle had disappeared to check her makeup. I could easily imagine her taking her time checking everything over and possibly even stopping to talk to a few of the hotel employees she knew.

I looked toward the kitchen. Jana was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her stomach. She was watching me with such a look of disgust, it was hard to believe. Would she really call the police, just to get me away from Danielle? If I didn't have a chance to talk to Danielle before I left or got hauled away, what would Jana tell her? Even if I did tell Danielle the truth of Jana's threats, would she believe me? They had known each other a lot longer than either knew me. Danielle had no reason to take my word over Jana's in this matter.

William came out of the kitchen again with another tray of food, and like before, he was heading for my table. I watched him approach and then stop next to me. He set a plate in front of me and then another at Danielle's place setting. "Enjoy," he said and walked away.

I looked over toward the kitchen. Jana was gone. Was she calling the police? Would she really make such a scene?

I spun around to watch for Danielle. What was taking her so long?

A couple of minutes later, Jana appeared around the same corner with two officers in tow. She couldn't be serious.

I watched all three of them approach. The sounds of silverware scraping plates and talking died away as they got closer to my table. Jana stopped in front of me. "Arrest him for theft of service."

The two officers stepped up to me. One reached out and grabbed my arm.

I saw his badge. It didn't say police, but hotel security. I pulled my arm back. "Theft of service?" I asked.

The security guard reached for me again. "Come quietly, sir."

"No, I will not." I said much louder. I stood up and stepped back from him. "I would at least like to see the bill before I'm accused of this."

The guards stopped and looked at Jana. She shrugged and held out a slip of paper. The smile on her face spoke of her triumph.

I took the paper and looked at it. I knew I had chicken scratch for hand writing, but whoever filled this out didn't even bother with proper words. The numbers, however, were crystal clear. For one plate of food and a single glass of iced tea, the total was close to a hundred dollars.

Over the four years, since I had gotten in trouble with Lisa Hartwell, I had met many kinds of hate. There were those who hated anyone who disrespected other people. There were those who hated simply for hate's sake, and there were those who hated because they believed it was the right thing to do. Jana put me in mind of the last kind. She believed she was doing the right thing and hated me because of it. Since she didn't know me from Adam, she had no real reason to hate me, but logic didn't have anything to do with it.

The two security guards closed in on me. Each of them reached out and got a good grip on my arms. The one on my right felt for and found my wallet. He pulled it out and flipped it open to my ID. "Okay, Mr. Connors, you'll have to..."

He stopped and let me go. He opened the big pocket where I kept my money, and then he looked up at Jana. "Ms. Perreira, it would seem that Mr. Connors does, in fact, have the money to pay for his meal." And he fanned out a couple of one hundred dollar bills to prove it.

The other guard let me go and stepped back. Jana stared at the money while the first guard put it back into my wallet and then she looked up at me. If looks could kill, I would have melted on the spot, her gaze was so intense.

The guard handed me my wallet back. "I'm sorry of disturbing your meal, Mr. Connors."

I nodded and accepted my wallet. They left and Jana and I stood there staring at one another. There was nothing to say, really, but we had to resolve this. I held out my hand toward the table. "Would you please join me?"

She glanced at the table and then looked back at me. It honestly looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Why would you want me anywhere near you after that?"

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Because, if we're both trying to look out for Danielle, then we need to get past whatever this problem is."

She nodded and took the chair to my right. I thought she would have wanted to put some distance between us, but didn't linger on the change.

I sat down and pushed my plate back. My stomach growled again, but the food wasn't going anywhere.

Jana must have heard my stomach. "Why don't you eat?"

"Because we need to talk first," I said. "And besides, it would be rude for me to eat while you sat and watched."

She stared at me for a moment. A lot of her anger was gone. "Look, I'm sorry I tried to have you arrested, but I have to watch out for Danielle."

"I don't have a problem with you protecting Danielle," I said. "What I have a problem with is the assumptions. You assumed I was a threat without any proof, and you acted on that assumption rather than talk to Danielle to get her opinion without me around."

"Danielle doesn't talk about people behind their backs," Jana said. "She wouldn't have told me anything I needed to know."

I held up a finger. "If there was anything to know."

Jana rolled her eyes and sighed.

"And there's also the assumption that I'm trying to get into her panties."

She gave me a level look. "You're male. That's not an assumption; it's a given fact."

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that you don't like sex," I said. "You find it repulsive."

"And what makes you assume that?"

"Well, men and women are obviously so different. Men can't think of anything but sex and women must completely despise it. Therefore, you must despise sex."

From the set in her jaw line, I was pretty sure Jana was grinding her teeth. "I do not despise sex."

"Then what proof do you have of my intentions?"

She glared at me. "None. What's your point?"

"I'm just trying to understand the source of your hostility. You accused me of trying to do something I'm not. I can only guess that's got something to do with your anger. You're putting a lot of emotion into this. You're trying to protect Danielle from me, thinking that I'm going to do something sexual to her..." I looked up and met her eyes. "Something happened to you. Something involving ... Matt Edgewood."

Jana's eyes darted up to meet mine when I said the name.

"Something happened to you," I said again. "And you're trying to save Danielle from the same thing."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I didn't ask for details. Something bad happened to you and you don't want it to happen to Danielle, yes or no?"

After glaring at me for a second and then giving me a big sigh, she said, "Yes."

I leaned forward. "And how would you feel if she asked me for something?" My voice was much softer.

She studied me for a second. "You son of a bitch. No wonder you don't want to get into her panties. You already have."

"I didn't say that. You must be assuming again."

Her face squeezed down with anger. "What is your point?"

"Don't you think if anything happens between us, it's her choice?"

"Not if you don't give her one."

I sat back. This wasn't working. Why did Jana object to men so vehemently? Okay, she confirmed something happened between her and this Matt person and obviously it was sexual. Danielle told me that Jana had an aversion to men but this was much more than an aversion.

Both of us were sitting there studying the other when I noticed a detail I hadn't before. My jacket must have been keeping me fairly warm because Jana's nipples were standing out like beacons in the night. I considered slipping off my jacket to get a feel for the air, but then remembered none of the other men in the room had.

Only then did I remember Jordan's warning about being out in public. If it was true, Jana was feeling the effects of my Initiation. If it was true, she was fighting the urges she felt, and that was probably what made her so angry. She didn't want to be attracted to me. Was it true?

I realized that her expression had changed. She was frowning, her lips quivering ever so slightly. "Are you okay?" I asked.

She covered her mouth and shook her head. She scooted back in her chair. "Let Danielle know I'll see her later."

I nodded and watched her leave, all but running toward the kitchen, and nearly running William over as she escaped.



-------

Chapter 24



Danielle returned a few minutes later. "I'm sorry I took so long," she said. "Someone locked me in the ladies' room."

I nodded and helped her with her chair, but I didn't let on about who I suspected. If I didn't want anyone making assumptions about me, I had to do the same.

Danielle looked at our food. "How long has the food been here?"

I shrugged and said, "A little while. I thought it would be rude to eat without you."

She smiled. "Well, I'm here now. Dig in."

There really wasn't much to dig in to. The food looked more like an attempt at art than a meal, but that didn't stop me from gobbling it down. Danielle must have been pretty hungry too because she was done about two bites after I was.

She finished her wine and I finished my tea. William stopped by to ask if we wanted dessert, but I declined. I really couldn't afford what I'd already eaten.

Danielle said, "No thank you, I'm good too, and could you let Jana know we're heading up to my room?"

He nodded and walked away.

We stood up and even though I had stood up for myself with Jana and her hostility, I found myself nervous with Danielle again. She reached out and took my hand and then we headed toward the main lobby of the hotel.

"Hang on a sec," I said, spotting the cashier. I pulled out the little ticket Jana gave me along with my wallet.

"What are you doing?" Danielle asked, looking at the ticket.

"Paying my tab," I said, handing the bill over to the cashier.

"I thought our meals were on the house," Danielle said.

I didn't want to look at her or answer. I also didn't want Danielle getting mad at Jana. I finished my transaction with the cashier and turned back to Danielle, tucking my wallet into my slacks. "Don't worry about it," I said. "It's taken care of."

She studied my face for a moment. "What happened while I was gone?"

I shrugged. "Nothing much."

She shook her head. "Huh-uh. That's not an answer, Seth. I want to know what happened."

I looked away from her eyes, searching for a diplomatic answer. The best I could come up with was, "Jana and I had a slight disagreement about your welfare."

Danielle's eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms under her breasts and her lips pressed together into a thin line. She didn't have to say a word for me to understand that I hadn't told her enough.

I shook my head. "It's taken care of, really. Once she understood that I wasn't just trying to take advantage of you, she calmed down."

"Taking advantage of me?!?" Her eyes widened and she looked past me.

I reached out and snatched her arm when she tried to go looking for Jana. "Danielle, stop. Listen."

She turned on me. "Don't tell me what to do, Seth."

"I won't if you'll listen." I glanced sideways at the cashier. No one else was around but she was watching us, absorbing our every word. I was fairly certain rumor of our little talk would make it back to Jana's ears whether she was into gossip or not.

Danielle glared at me. It hurt to see, but I knew this might happen. She looked at the cashier too. "Could you give us a moment?"

The cashier nodded and walked away. The damage was done though. I could only hope to have Danielle calmed down by the time Jana found us.

With a lowered voice, in case someone else was within earshot, I said, "Jana's concerned for you, Danielle. She was just watching out for you. You're her friend." I wasn't sure how much Danielle really knew about Jana's past, but if they shared as much with each other as Danielle and Jordan did, then it was a safe bet. "You know how little trust she has in men. She saw me as a potential threat and I had to prove that I wasn't."

Danielle studied my face. "How?"

I waved at the cashier's stand. "By paying for my own meal for starters. After that, we sat down and talked."

"You're leaving something out," Danielle said.

I nodded but said, "It's not important. What's important is that she and I agree that Roger was bad for you and you should leave him." I shrugged then. "And I don't think she understands what you see in men."

Danielle stood there and thought about it for a minute. I thought furiously too and remembered. "Jana said she'd be up later. You'll have a chance to ask her your questions." I didn't know how else to put what I was about to say, so I just said it. "And I can leave for a while if you want to talk to her alone."

Danielle shook her head. "No. Thank you though. She'll just have to get used to the idea that I like men."

I turned and held out my elbow for her to hook her hand through. "Then how about we go up to your room, relax a little and maybe watch TV?"

Her brows furrowed. "You don't really want to watch TV, do you?"

I shrugged. "I'm open to suggestions."

"Good, because TV is boring and this dress may look good but isn't all that comfortable." She hooked her arm through mine and we left for the elevators.

The elevator ride and walk to our room was quiet and uneventful. Once we were in the room with the door shut, Danielle turned to me and asked. "Why weren't you mad?"

At first, I didn't know what she was referring to, but I quickly made the connection and shrugged. "There wasn't a reason to be mad. Jana was watching out for you and I understood that." Of course, I didn't say anything about my suspicions that Jana was reluctantly attracted to me and attempted to get me thrown out so she wouldn't give in to those feelings. If it was true.

"You didn't think the situation was the same as at home?" Danielle asked.

I thought about that for a moment. "She didn't act holier-than-thou like everyone at home did. She was simply looking out for you. If I had shown up with Jordan instead, I don't think she would have gone big sister on me."

Danielle's eyebrows rose. "Big sister?"

I nodded. "I have two older sisters, Alyssa and Faith. Anytime anything happened to Faith, Alyssa would automatically blame me, even if I wasn't anywhere around."

Danielle stifled a giggle. "What? Like the Butterfly Effect?"

I shrugged. "I guess. You'd have to ask Alyssa to be sure." I thought about Jana's attempt to have me thrown out again and remembered the detail I only noticed before she left for the kitchens. Another idea blossomed. "You know, there is one other reason Jana was so defensive of you."

"What's that?" Danielle asked.

I looked at her. "What's the possibility that she's ... jealous?"

Danielle pulled back a touch and blinked at me. "Jana? Jealous? Of what?"

I pulled Danielle to me and squeezed her waist. I didn't need to do anything other than let her have the time to figure it out.

She smiled and hooked her arms over my shoulders. "I seriously doubt she really wants a full-fledged relationship with me."

"I don't know," I said. "What about her comment about taking care of you?"

She thought some more, the small smile on her face faded away. She shook her head. "That couldn't be it." She continued thinking. "I've always known she only likes women but she's never come onto me before."

I stood there, not sure what to say. I remembered from high school how girls would hang out in groups and didn't have any problems hugging or touching, no matter the reason. "Maybe it wasn't as direct as you thought. Maybe you didn't want to think about it and just accepted it as something a friend would say or do."

Danielle looked up with a mixed expression of worry and confusion. "If that's true, then what'll I do?"

I might have been able to formulate a reasonable explanation, but I was completely at a loss for offering advice. There was one detail Danielle had to figure out before she could make a decision though. "What do you want to do?"

She pulled out of my embrace and walked over to the couch. I stood in front of the door and watched her pace for a moment. She finally dropped her hands and stopped. Her eyes were a touch wide and she licked her lips. "I don't know what I want to do about Jana." She met my eyes. "I'm not going to kick you out when she gets here though."

Again, I felt that fluttery feeling in my stomach. I walked over to her. "If it came to that, I wouldn't mind. I know she wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Besides, I seriously doubt she'd want me here if something were to happen."

Danielle sighed and sat on the couch, thinking. She kicked off her shoes and curled her feet up under her before she said, "I don't know if I could do anything with her."

I pulled off my jacket, laid it on the back of an adjacent chair, and sat on the couch next to her. For a moment, I studied her face. Her mix of emotions made it difficult for me to really understand what she was thinking. Instead, I decided to try to help her relax. I sat back and patted my legs. "Gimme your feet."

She looked at me for a second and then turned and stretched her legs out. "Have you done this before?"

I shook my head. Honesty had worked for me so far. "No, but you seem to need something to help you relax."

Her face softened and she placed her feet in my lap. "Thank you, Seth. I think most guys would try to force me to make a decision about Jana, one way or another."

I shook my head and rubbed away the light moistness her shoes had left. "I meant what I said before. I want you safe and happy."

Danielle smiled and settled back against the arm of the couch. "So, you said you talked after I left. What did you talk about?"

"More of the same as when you were there," I said, running my fingers between her dainty toes. "But I also made it clear that you were going to do what you want and the best either of us could do was support you."

"For a boy who's been sexually repressed most of his teenaged life, you sure are thoughtful."

I shrugged. "I've had a lot of time to think about how I want to be treated. I'm sure everyone else wants the same consideration. On the flip side, no one can make your decisions for you, but they can and will judge when you make a decision. It's not always bad, but it forms the basis of how they'll treat you."

Danielle sat there watching me. "And what kind of judgment will you make if I ask you to leave so Jana and I can be alone?"

I smiled and met her eyes. "Only that you're willing to take a chance, but then, you've been taking a big chance with me."

She smiled too and asked, "How so?"

"You haven't known me very long at all and we've been very ... intimate." I swallowed and rushed on before she could say anything. "But you've known Jana for quite a while and I'm guessing that you haven't at least experimented with her."

Danielle nodded and then her eyes clouded over with thought.

I let her think while I focused on her feet, rubbing her heels, arches, and the padded balls at the front. Somehow, I knew I could easily get used to rubbing her feet on a regular basis. There was something sensual about it, yet not overtly sexual, comforting without any expectations.

"Mmm ... that feels good," she said, almost purring. I smiled but didn't say anything. She pointed her toes, pressing her feet into my hands. "I can think of a few other places you could use those magic hands on me," she said softly.

I looked up and noticed her look of hunger. Between her use of the word Magic, and the look on her face, I briefly wondered again if this Initiation thing was real. I didn't think my skill of rubbing her feet had anything to do with her renewed desires. Of course, there was the possibility that rubbing her feet would put her in the mood much like rubbing my nipples made me erect. We simply hadn't spent enough time together for me to find out.

Danielle pulled her feet from my lap, rubbing the soles against my crotch in the process. She sat up and reached for my face. Her lips were hungry and her tongue refused to be denied. I knew there wasn't any getting away, besides this was the primary reason I was with her in the first place, so why not give in? She wanted me and though I had problems with the concept, there was no denying her hunger.

I reached up and cupped her breast. It felt good to touch her so openly and I knew it would feel better when my hand met her bare flesh.

She broke our kiss. "Oh, yes. Touch me, Seth. I want your hands all over me."

I didn't want to disappoint her, so I ran my hands down her sides, around to her butt and over what I could touch of her legs.

She brought her hands together at the top of my shirt and fumbled with the buttons. She got the first two undone but at the third, she grabbed my shirt with both hands to yank it open.

I sensed what she was going to do and grabbed her hands. "No," I said softly. "Please, Danielle. I like the clothes you bought me and I'd hate to see them ruined."

"I can buy you a new shirt," she said and tried to pull against my grip.

I held her fast. "Remember what Jana said, about saving your money?"

Danielle relaxed. "But I want your shirt off."

I nodded, unbuttoned the sleeves, pulled it out of my slacks, and pulled it off over my head like a t-shirt. "Better?"

She nodded and rubbed her hands over my chest with the same skin hunger I was feeling. She didn't touch my nipples, but just the feel of her hands on me, skin-to-skin, made me hard as rock.

She pulled back and turned. "Unzip me."

I found the tab and eased her zipper down. She stood up and let the garment fall to the floor, leaving her in only high heels.

I wasn't quite as shocked this time to find her without panties. If anything, I was even more turned on.

Danielle turned around and bent over, inhaling my mouth to hers. For a second, the only parts of our bodies touching were our lips and tongues, but that didn't last.

I ran my hands over her shoulders, down around her ribs, and lightly held her full, hanging breasts.

She moaned into my mouth and eased onto the couch. She shifted her chest up, pressing her breasts just under my chin and her trim belly against my chest.

I had to tilt my head way back to maintain our lip lock. In an effort to feel as much of her as I could, I ran my hands up and down her back until they settled on her delectable cheeks.

She writhed under my hands, and moved a leg over to straddle me. Her hips moved up and I could feel her heat through my slacks. She rocked back and forth, rubbing herself against me, not only crotch-to-crotch, but from our chests down.

Our kiss broke and we both gulped down air. She continued rocking her hips. Her breasts bounced with her movements. I pulled her up to me so I could capture one of her nipples with my lips. She stopped moving long enough to press her hot nub against my tongue and then ground herself against my erection even harder. She let out a long low moan and I thought I felt moister in my slacks.

Danielle held my head to her breast and picked up grinding her crotch against the lump in my pants. I tweaked her other nipple just as she pulled my face from her breast for another deep, searing kiss.

She pulled a knee up and wedged it between my legs. She broke our kiss, and leaned on her hands to close her legs between mine. With a smile on her face, she slid down my body to kneel on the floor.

She rubbed her face, breasts and abs against my crotch, as if she was trying to arouse me further, I really didn't think I could be any more ready.

She opened my slacks and pulled my briefs down, freeing my erection. For a moment, she sat back on her heels and simply ogled me. "You have such a beautiful cock, Seth." She looked up and licked her lips. "I know we've already fucked half the day away, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep without fucking at least a few more times tonight."

Some part of me registered what she meant. This really wasn't about emotional support at all. She had friends for that. Jordan was right, Danielle simply needed to get all of her sexual frustrations out of her system and I happen to be Johnny-on-the-spot.

I stopped worrying about whether she would be alright and focused on the event before me. Even my conservative upbringing couldn't dissuade the urges I felt. I didn't want to fight them anymore. I wanted this. I wanted Danielle. All of the sex over the last day had been good, incredible really, but tonight it wasn't about sensuality or companionship. It was about fucking. Dirty, lewd, simple carnal sex.

I felt my own hunger grow within me, like a kind of emptiness that only one thing could fill. I realized for the first time that it had been there for a long time, a very long time, but until now I hadn't recognized it for what it was. I didn't know if it had anything to do with magic, like Jordan would probably claim, but it felt real enough that it didn't matter.

I pulled out of my reverie with the feel of Danielle's tongue gingerly gliding up the underside of my shaft. She did it slowly, drawing out the feel of her oral muscle against the sensitive areas of my penis. She held me at the base with the fingers of one hand while rubbing my flat stomach with the other. She licked me again, rubbing her tongue back and forth while she moved up. Once at the top, she leaned in and wrapped her lips around my glans, inhaling over half of me into her warm, wet mouth. She locked her oral embrace around me and I felt her tongue dance along the underside, most especially at the base of my crown.

She looked up and met my eyes. Hers were on fire and the intensity of her gaze was matched by the effort she put into sucking me. I thought at first that she was simply going overboard, that if she wanted me to last longer than only a couple of minutes, she'd have to let up, but then I realized she wanted me to go off in her mouth again.

She pressed her hands to the tops of my thighs, lowered her eyes to pay attention to what she was doing and began bobbing her head up and down in my lap. If I was going to be honest with my new understanding of my sexuality, then I had to admit she was fucking me with her mouth.

If she wanted me like that, I wasn't going to hold back. I relaxed my legs, my back, my hands and arms, and I was slumped down on the couch to offer her the best possible access. Then I took in the sight of her fellating me, the way her lips were wrapped around me and slid up and down my length. There was also the feel of her silky tongue and the heat and warmth of her mouth, but most of all, it was the very idea that she wanted me in her mouth, the idea that she wanted me to release in her mouth that sent me over the edge.

It was a very different feeling, giving myself over to orgasm versus trying to hold off as long as possible. It wasn't as intense, but no less enjoyable.

Danielle jerked when my first spasm hit. She moaned deeply and swallowed quickly because the second, third and fourth spasms followed rapidly. Even after my orgasm subsided, she continued to suck on me. I softened slightly in her mouth, but soon grew hard again, knowing that she wasn't finished yet.

She smiled up at me and crawled up into my lap. Her lips found mine and her tongue forced its way as far back into my mouth as she could reach. I tasted myself in our kiss and realized I wanted to return the favor.

Before she could react, I gripped her cheeks, spun us around, and sat her back on the couch with me leaning over her. After I broke the kiss, I ran my tongue over her chin to her neck, and kissed her on the big pulse there. I kissed her collar bone and dragged my tongue over the upper region of her chest.

I looked up and met her eyes while I kissed and tongued her breasts. Focusing on what I was doing, I ran my tongue around the dark oval of her areola, making it wet. I switched breasts and mirrored my actions, but I held back from touching her nipples.

She whimpered and raised her chest to press herself into my mouth, but I pulled back and smiled. She pouted and I knew that she hadn't teased me, so I leaned in with my mouth wide open and latched onto her.

She rolled her head back and forth and held my head to her. I didn't know if she was having a full orgasm, and if she was, I was going to make sure it wasn't her last one before we moved on to other events. I switched over again and gave the first nipple the same attention. She moaned and writhed under me.

I pulled back, stretching her breast out some with pure suction. Then I let her go and watched her breast bounce back into place. I grinned up at her and planted my face between her breasts, kissing her skin and continuing my way down her body.

Dropping to my knees between her legs, I rubbed my chin through the sparse hair just above her crotch. She giggled a little but only spread her legs wider. I could smell her and inhaled instinctively. Some part of me wondered how long I could hold back from getting up and mounting her, but I shook off that thought and pressed my lips to hers.

Despite my earlier reluctance to go down on Danielle, simply because of lack of experience, I gave over to my own urge to do for her what she had done for me. I stopped thinking about the mechanics of what I was doing, where I should kiss and lick her, and just let the moment lead the way. This wasn't a matter of how I made her feel good, it was a matter of the fact that I was wanted to.

I kissed her like it was her mouth I was kissing, only she was completely relaxed and didn't have a tongue to worry about. I probed her, licked her, sucked on one lip or the other, and generally made a mess of my face while doing whatever seemed right and made her writhe at the time.

Before I knew what was happening, Danielle's legs clamped together around my head and her hands pulled at my hair like she was going to keep me where I was for the rest of eternity.

I could feel her whole body shake and shudder, but I couldn't see or hear anything. I also couldn't breath. Fortunately, I had caught a decent gulp of air before she decided to bear hug me with her thighs.

When she let up, I looked up into her eyes. They were barely open, but I could see a glow in them that told me we had just started. With a smile, I moved up over her again and kissed her. She didn't shy away from her flavor anymore than I had earlier, and from the way she wrapped her arms and legs around me, I wondered if we would even use the bed tonight.



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Chapter 25



Danielle and I did use the bed, but only after she had me pump a load into her on the couch, and then chase her to the bed to do her from behind. I realized I was as eager for more sex with her as I had been throughout the night I spent with Jordan, initiating each round. After another two orgasms for her and me unloading on her heart-shaped butt, we collapsed on the bed, too spent to do more than maintain the lowest level of physical contact and catch our collective breaths.

I moved closer to her, pressing the length of my body against her back. She accepted my kiss but waved a flag of truce. We agreed to clean up before we passed out and helped each other to the bathroom.

We were in the shower, washing each other off and goofing around when we heard a knock at the main suite door. We both froze and stared at one another for a moment. I had forgotten that Jana was coming up and from the look on Danielle's face, she had too.

Danielle unfroze first and left the shower to dry off. I turned the water off and got out too. Before I was finished drying off, another knock sounded and Danielle darted into the bedroom. I followed her but at a more leisurely pace. After all, Jana was here to see Danielle, not me. The redhead went through one of her suitcases, pulling out clothes. I leaned against the door jamb and watched her. She pulled on an oversized t-shirt with Winnie the Pooh on the front. He had an empty honey jar on his head and his paw in another, saying, "Honey is yummy for my tummy." She threw me a grin when I smiled at the shirt and headed for the living room, closing the bedroom door behind her.

I didn't mind, but my clothes were scattered all over the living room. Jana seemed like a smart woman. She would see the state of the suite and know immediately what happened without seeing me at all. Of course, there was a difference between knowing what had happened and seeing me. I was sure she could deal with the former without having to encounter the latter.

I wrapped a towel around my waist, just in case she came back in or Jana had to use the bathroom. Then I gathered up Danielle's clothes and folded them to put them in her suitcase.

I no more than finished when someone softly knocked at the door. I turned to it and said, "Come in." I couldn't fathom why Danielle would knock when it was her suite and Jana didn't strike me as the softly come-and-go type, so I didn't know who to expect.

Danielle slipped in and closed the door behind her. She noticed that her clothes weren't strewn about any more and said, "Thank you, Seth, but you didn't have to do that."

I shrugged. "It wasn't a bother. Besides, it kept me busy and allowed you two some time to talk."

Danielle's eyes widened. "I'm the only one who's been talking. Jana's been crying the entire time."

I sat on the bed. "Really? What about?"

She shook her head. "I haven't the faintest idea. Honestly, I've never seen her like this."

"So, why are you in here?" I asked. Danielle didn't strike me as someone who left her friends sobbing.

"The only word I could understand through all of her sobs ... was your name."

I frowned. "My name?"

Danielle nodded. "I tried asking why she said your name, whether she wanted to talk to you, and if she simply wanted to talk about you, but she won't tell me. So, I thought if you went in with me and we talked to her together, we might get somewhere."

I nodded. "No problem, but she'd probably be more comfortable if I at least had some pants on."

Danielle noticed my towel and then went into the bathroom. She returned with a folded bundle. It had a ribbon wrapped around it like a Christmas present. "Put this on. It's already paid for, so it won't matter if we take it or it gets ruined."

I took the bundle and was amazed at how soft the material was. I untied it and held it up. It was a robe. I had never owned one before but didn't worry about that for the moment. I slipped it on and set the towel on the bed.

Danielle nodded at me and opened the door.

Just like Danielle had described, Jana was racked with sobs on the couch. Even after our exchange earlier, I couldn't bear to see her like this. I walked over and sat in one of the adjacent chairs, both to be close enough to be friendly and to offer some distance if she preferred.

Danielle sat next to her and soothed her back. "Jana, Seth's here. You mentioned his name. Did you need to tell him something?"

Jana looked up and wiped away tears from her cheeks. Her mascara was smeared and if she wore any other makeup, it was gone.

I picked up the box of Kleenex tissues on my other side and held them out to her. She took two and blew her nose. I really couldn't imagine what had upset her so much, but it seemed she was at least trying to recover.

Jana stared at me for a moment but didn't say anything. I was at a loss of what she wanted and Danielle seemed ready to sit and wait for Jana to do the talking. Jana swallowed and licked her lips. Her eyes travelled down, taking in what I was wearing and then met my eyes again. Her bottom lip started to tremble and fresh tears formed along her eyes.

I slipped out of the chair to the floor in front of her. She watched me move, but didn't pull back. I placed my hand on hers in her lap and met her eyes again. "Jana, tell me what's wrong. What's bothering you?" I didn't think it had anything to do with her restaurant because then we would have gotten a call from her cancelling this visit rather than her in person. Whatever was wrong, it was personal.

She clasped her thumb over my hand, holding me to her in that tiny way. Something in her expression shifted and the waterworks were simply gone.

Part of me didn't like such a simple solution to resolve her crying. Danielle had been her friend for a lot longer than me. She should have been a comfort to Jana. I was a stranger, a man, someone who had snuck in and taken Danielle from Jana just when the opportunity to attempt for the redhead's affection came. She had so many reasons to not like me, yet she calmed down with my touch. It was more than I could accept.

I didn't pull away from her, though I was tempted. I couldn't be that cruel. Regardless of how I felt, I wasn't going to give her comfort and then take it away. I didn't have to like it, but then it wasn't like I was going to have sex with her either. I could be a surrogate teddy bear until she could stand on her own again.

Jana's other hand rose up and cupped the side of my face. It was an intimate gesture, one I would use right before kissing Danielle or Jordan. Jana didn't think like I did. Surely, she wasn't about to kiss me.

Boy was I wrong.

Before I could react, before Danielle knew what was going on, before the world outside could laugh out at my chaotic thoughts, Jana kissed me. Her lips were full and soft. They were wet from her licking them after she stopped crying, and they were fully pressed to mine.

For a moment, I was frozen with shock. I wanted to ask Danielle who the woman kissing me was and why she let her in. Danielle didn't do anything that I could see, but then I couldn't see anything except Jana's closed eyes.

The brunette held my face gently and kept her lips pressed to mine long after my initial shock wore off. This wasn't something I would have ever expected from her. Not in a million years. Nothing I had experienced, not over the past two days, not even at home, could have explained why Jana was kissing me.

No, there was one explanation. I just didn't want to accept it.

Jordan had continued to tell me about being a Magus, even when I challenged everything she said. For her every explanation, I had a counter. For every possible form of proof, I had been skeptical. Who wouldn't be? None of it made sense. Magic wasn't real. I wasn't a modern wizard. The world didn't work that way.

Nevertheless, I couldn't explain the lingering kiss Jana was having with me. She had shown me nothing but hostility and disgust. At no point had she done anything that indicated she was interested in me, not even as a friend for Danielle's benefit. Yet, here she was, here we were, kissing.

She pulled back only a fraction. Her eyes fluttered open and I saw more in her gaze than I wanted to.

Jordan had been subtle when she came onto me. She used the opportunity of the game at the pool party to touch me in ways that would stir my lust and push me over the edge of controlled restraint when she dragged me away to get what she wanted.

Danielle was smitten. It was the best way to describe her. She came onto me directly and held nothing back in her attempts to disrobe me and get what she needed. In the end, I understood that it was possible and enjoyable to have sex without a relationship, to even use sex to help get over an ending one.

Jana, though, was a total mystery to me. She defied all of the rules and expectations I had quickly grown accustomed to. There was no logical reason for her to want to be near me, much less kiss me.

And kissing wasn't all she wanted.

I could see it in her eyes. I knew what I was seeing even if I didn't think it should have been possible. I could imagine Jana wearing that expression when thinking about Danielle, even Jordan, but not with me. She shouldn't have that look of hunger while I was close by.

But that was the problem. If Jordan was right, if I was a Magus going through my Initiation, anyone I got too close too would be susceptible. From the way Jordan talked, sexual preference on my part or on the part of anyone caught by my power went out the window. The most hetero-sexual man would have me, and a raving lesbian would have me. Jana, I counted as a member of the latter.

Was it true? Did I have proof sitting in front of me, holding my hand with her thumb and my face close enough to hers to make our lips brush with a sharp inhale? Was Jana sexually infatuated with me because of some kind of magical power in me that needed to be fed? I simply did not know and my doubts were quickly getting trashed the way bowling pins fly when a strike is thrown.

Jana's lips parted and she inhaled. My lips met hers again, but this time I was a little more prepared. Well, I say a little more prepared but only insofar as not being completely stunned by the encounter. I knew what was coming and I knew what it could lead to. What I didn't know was what to do about it. On top of that, I didn't know how Danielle would react, not to mention what Jana would do once this touch of insanity wore off.

Danielle's reaction only worried me slightly. On one hand, she could be happy that her friend wasn't crying anymore, but on the other hand she would be as puzzled as I was without the Magus Initiation explanation. I didn't think she would be upset, per se, since she didn't have any problems with me and Jordan, but she might get more curious than I needed her to be, especially if I actually accepted the whole Magus explanation myself.

Jordan would probably just call me silly for overanalyzing the situation and tell me to just accept it as a part of my Initiation. My only concern at the moment: when would the Initiation end?

Jana, however, could go psycho on me. She had called the police - or hotel security anyway - just to get me thrown out over a check. I couldn't imagine what she would do if things progressed further than a kiss and that scared me more than being a Magus.

I broke the kiss this time and sat back on my heels. Jana simply sat there and watched me. Danielle was leaning forward and had obviously seen what we were doing. She looked as surprised as I felt.

Jana's breathing was heaving, presumably from our kissing. Her breasts rose and fell and I really noticed for the first time that her tie was gone and the top three buttons of her white blouse were undone. Though I quickly rationalized that she was off from work and had relaxed her clothing as a result, I wasn't able to think clearly beyond that. There was a fair amount of cleavage showing and with the different lighting and her sitting posture I could tell she was packing some weight up top.

I don't know what made me suddenly snap out of the trance her breasts had caught me in, but I looked up to find Jana smiling at me for the first time since we met.

My initial instinct was to frown and back away. Knowing how she felt about me and seeing her smiling had never been a pleasant combination. However, the look in her eyes wasn't of malice. Her eyes were warm, hot even, but didn't hold any of the anger I had seen earlier.

She let me go and reached for the top button on her blouse that was still holding her garment closed. Without a word, she popped it and smoothly moved on to the next one.

I sat in awe as she revealed herself to me. It was almost like being in a horror movie, watching the killer close in on me, only the killer in this case didn't have death on her mind.

My body automatically responded to what I knew she wanted, and the robe I wore offered no help in concealing the fact. Jana's eyes dropped to my erection and she licked her lips again.

Danielle looked down too. She frowned and looked up at Jana again. "Seth, what's going on?" I could hear her confusion.

I shook my head, not because I didn't know, I only had one explanation, but because I was sure Jana would launch herself at me given any provocation on my part.

Danielle looked at me pointedly. "Seth, say something."

I glanced her way but Jana remained in her seat. She had finished with the buttons down her shirt and began flicking the buttons on the cuffs. "Seems pretty obvious to me, Danielle," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

The redhead shook her head at me, perplexed, and shook Jana's shoulder, possibly trying to shake some sense into her friend.

Jana looked at Danielle and her tears started anew. She pulled her shirt around herself like she was cold and pouted.

Danielle glanced at me. "Okay, I may be studying psychology, but this is beyond my understanding."

I nodded in agreement, but didn't want to say anything that might draw Jana's attention again.

Danielle focused on her friend. "Jana, what's wrong?"

Jana whimpered and a tear slid down her cheek.

I thought again about what Jordan had said about my Initiation. She said the more powerful the Magus, the longer it would last. She also said that I might need more help to finish. She said that if I went out in public, then there would be a chance of getting raped by unwanted partners. She also said that only other Magi could resist me. But what about a Magus that was like me before I met Jordan, asleep, or whatever the term was?

I needed to talk to her, but I dared not move and gain Jana's attention again. I didn't like the idea that she might be affected by my Initiation, but I also didn't like seeing her so obviously upset either.

I had to take a chance. I motioned to Danielle to hug Jana. She looked a question at me and I nodded. The redhead hugged her friend and I quickly slipped back into the bedroom.

I found Jordan's phone number next to the phone and dialed it.

"Hello?" She sounded somewhat anxious.

"Jordan, it's Seth again. I've got a problem."

"Go take a shower and fuck her again, Seth. I didn't think you needed a coach." I could hear amusement in her voice.

I rolled my eyes. "Jordan, this is serious. Jana's here and she's acting weird."

"Hang on a sec," she said. I heard some background noise, possibly music or her TV, go off and then something rubbed against the phone. "Okay, what's the problem?"

I started with Jana's reaction to Danielle's news, then her obvious disgust with me as well as her effort to have me arrested, and ended with everything that had just happened in the living room. "My question is, and I can't believe I'm asking this, is Jana a ... sleeping Magus, like I was?"

Jordan's answer was instantaneous. "No."

"Are you sure?" I asked, confused and disappointed.

"Absolutely," she said. "Once your Initiation is over, one of the first things I'll teach you is to spot other Magi and their Fonti. I've known Jana for a while and I can say for certain that she's not a Magus, not even a sleeper."

I slumped, completely lost. "Okay then, can you give me an idea of what's going on because the only other guess I have is that she's fighting this impulse my Initiation causes."

"I seriously doubt that, given the strength of your power. I think it's more likely that your Initiation is almost over and she's only getting a strong dose but not the full impact of your power's pull."

"Okay, so then all I have to do is avoid her until then and all's well." I actually felt relief.

"Wrong," Jordan said. "Is Danielle still there?"

"Yeah, she's in the living room with Jana."

"Does she seem the least bit interested in sex with you at the moment?"

I thought that was a silly question. "No, she's more interested in figuring out what's wrong with Jana. The woman is in tears out there."

"Until she looks at you, as you put it," Jordan countered. "However, the last time you had sex with Danielle, was she anything like earlier today?"

I thought about that but couldn't be sure. She hadn't been completely lost in her lust, but I wasn't sure if that was a viable difference. I tried to explain my observations to Jordan.

"Remember what I was like this morning? I wanted you, but I wasn't overpowered with lust for you. I still had the conscious ability to say no. It sounds like Danielle is at that point, which means she's not under the influence anymore."

I sat on the bed, not liking where this was going. "What are you saying Jordan?"

"It's time for you to take a new partner. Jana is already there and obviously willing. The only thing stopping it from happening is you."

I stood up. "Were you listening when I told you how Jana treated me earlier? When she snaps out of this, she's going to be pissed and hot on the phone for the police."

"First of all, relax," Jordan said, with a voice as calm as a negotiator talking to a hostage taker. "Your Initiation does not cause amnesia or any other types of memory problems. It simply influences the person affected to act on impulses they'd normally suppress."

Of course Jordan was all reasonable about my situation, she wasn't present. There was no danger to her via association, but I didn't say anything about that. Danielle was present though, and if I went through with what Jordan was suggesting, she might have similar misgivings that Jana would have if she weren't being influenced.

"Seth, you there?" Jordan asked.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking." I decided to mention Danielle. "I don't think I can do this with Danielle here."

"Why not?"

I rolled my eyes. "For one, I haven't told Danielle about my... heritage. She'd think I was nuts or something. And for two, it would just be ... wrong somehow."

"You have to give up those ways of thinking, Seth. Sex is going to be one of the most important parts of your life from now on."

I sat down, staring at the door barring me from seeing Jana and Danielle in the next room. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. All of this was almost too crazy to acknowledge much less accept.

"Seth," Jordan continued, "you've got two choices: go back in there and fuck Jana to finish your Initiation or leave."

"Leave?" I asked. I couldn't imagine leaving Jana like she was.

"Yup, leave. Leave and let your power pick someone else for what it needs."

I wanted to tell her that she was wrong about being ravaged much less raped by teeming hordes, but I remembered the cab driver, as well as the looks from Paul, William, and the two women at the other table in the Vivre. Jordan wasn't far off. The looks of hunger had been in their eyes too, but they had been lucky not to be around me long enough for my power to take hold. Only Jana hadn't escaped. Did I really want to take the chance with a city full of people who might also be unlucky?

"Seth?" Jordan asked over the phone. "You still there?"

"Yeah," I said, "I'm here."

"Well, whatcha gonna do?"

"I'll call you when it's over," I said and hung up.

Her last question wasn't really what I had to deal with anymore. I knew, deep down, that I lusted after Jana. Her attitude had been a big enough turn off that I didn't continue with fantasies or anything else. However, now that she was in the suite, and apparently willing, it was simply a matter of me giving in to what she wanted.

I stood up next to the bed, staring at the door, and thought about more than what I had decided to do. It wasn't as simple as going in the other room and having sex with Jana. Danielle would want to know what was going on and why sex was the most likely solution. Even explaining that wasn't really necessary, not tonight. No, there was another issue that I had given in to. The one I had fought for the last two days.

Was it true? I had asked myself that question countless times. Nothing had offered any real proof that I was a Magus. I hadn't seen any real signs of magic. There were no disappearing rabbits or puffs of smoke. Lightning and fire hadn't conjured out of thin air. The sky hadn't clouded over like a dark omen. Nothing otherworldly had really happened. Yet, Jana came onto me like she was starved for sex and I was her last meal. The only explanation to her behavior was my status as a Magus going through my Initiation. I still hadn't fully accepted it, but I couldn't discount it anymore.

My question was no longer, was it true? It had altered to: could I live with it?



-------

Chapter 26



The door to the bedroom opened and Danielle slipped in again. "Why did you leave?"

I waved at the phone. "I had to call Jordan."

She frowned. "What's Jordan got to do with anything? We've got to figure out what to do about Jana."

I nodded and thought of something I hadn't before. "You said you're studying psychology. What would be your first suggestion, medically?"

She crossed her arms, leaned back against the door and shook her head. "I don't know where to begin. The way she's crying incoherently, I'd probably give her Valium to calm her down and get her talking."

I nodded. "Any ideas where we might get some?"

"Sure," she said. "A hospital, but they'd ask all kinds of questions and I don't think you or I would be very helpful." I wasn't sure what it was about Danielle's tone. It sounded like I wasn't going to like what she was going to say next. She stepped closer to me. "The thing is, she calmed down when she saw you, and to be honest, I've never been one to suggest drugs if there was a less invasive procedure available." For a moment, we stood there staring at one another. Then she said, "What do you think?"

I could hear the interest in her voice and it took a lot of effort not to cringe. "About what?" I asked in return, wanting to know exactly what she was talking about.

"About Jana?" she asked. She wasn't helping.

I shook my head. "Danielle, I'm not a mind reader. Just tell me what you're thinking."

She stepped closer to me, moving with grace I hadn't previously noticed. "I don't understand why, but she's attracted to you." Then she glanced down. "And I saw your reaction. I know you try to do what's right, but I think tonight isn't about what's right, not morally. It's about what she needs. When she looked at you, whatever was bothering her was forgotten. When she looked away, she was instantly distraught."

Danielle placed her hand on the center of my chest. The feel of her skin on mine calmed me more than anything. "I can't explain what's wrong with Jana, and I don't believe she needs a hospital. I think she needs you."

I stared back into Danielle's eyes. "I'm worried though..."

"I know you are," she said. "If you were anyone else, I'd be worried too, and I wouldn't even hint at what I think needs to happen." She stepped closer, pressing her body to mine. "You need to bring her in here and give her what you've been giving me."

That really was both the problem and the solution. Jana shouldn't have been interested in me, not sexually, but Danielle had put to words what I had only suspected. However, giving in to Jana's apparent advances wouldn't necessarily end with the same results as with Danielle. I was certain once Jana recovered her faculties, she would be screaming, punching, kicking and anything else to hurt me as much as possible, and that scared me.

Danielle pulled my face down and kissed me. I could tell through that kiss that she was feeling fairly amorous again. She pulled back and licked her lips, reminding me of Jana's first action after the kiss we had earlier.

I was somewhat confused and couldn't stop myself from saying, "I didn't think you'd feel this way about me and Jana."

She shook her head. "I don't know why, but just the idea of you and Jana fucking is turning me on." She pulled back completely. "However, she's in need and I can still feel your cum in my pussy." She nodded her head to the door. "Go get her."

It was another weird moment for me. Why would Danielle get so aroused by the simple idea of me having sex with Jana? I had accepted her acceptance of Jordan, after all, she had been first, but a third woman? It made no sense.

Instead of dwelling on it, I decided it would be better to help Jana. Looking at Danielle, I realized that my only immediate obstacle had been suddenly removed. For that matter, she was pretty much shoving me toward Jana, because the next thing I knew, Danielle was opening the door and dragging me along.

Jana was balled up on the couch much like before. Her sobs were quiet, but her shoulders shook. For a moment, all I could do was stand there and stare. To me, she simply wasn't in the mood for sex. There was no way sex was the answer to her problem. Then Jana sniffed and looked up. The change in her expression told me I was wrong.

The bedroom door softly clicked shut behind me. Danielle must have changed her mind about where I would help Jana. The location really didn't matter. I was simply glad I didn't have to do this in front of Danielle. She might have liked the idea of what was about to happen, but I would have felt weird about it.

Jana sat up and sniffed. She was a mess. Her eyes were red and puffy, her mascara mostly wiped away, and her hair mussed slightly. She was distraught and needed comforting, not sex. However, her expression wasn't someone lost to emotional breakdown. If anything, she had a pleading look in her eyes. She wanted something being denied her. It was a far cry from the looks of lust I had seen previously, but it didn't go with the upheaval Danielle had described.

I stepped around the coffee table to sit on the couch where Danielle had earlier. Jana's eyes tracked my every move and she held to her seat either from fear of what I was doing or possibly of what she might do if she allowed herself to.

I moved slowly and sat gently. She looked like she might spook or launch herself at me. Fight or flight. She felt cornered and exuded that notion with every fiber of her being. I held up my hands in a surrendering gesture but didn't say anything. I wasn't even sure if talking would register considering Danielle's descriptions.

Unlike earlier, when Jana acted the seductress, she now clutched her shirt to herself like a blanket to fend off the cold. This simply wasn't going to work. I couldn't force myself on her and if she didn't relax at least a little, then she'd never feel any better and I might get frustrated.

I held out one hand, palm up, waiting for her to take it or do something else, even if it was running from me.

She glanced at my hand and it was almost a minute before she relaxed and tentatively slipped her hand out from hiding and placed it in mine.

I felt a sudden rush, as if some drug had made it into my system, and the instant it subsided, Jana snapped from measured fear to aggressive lust.

She knocked me back onto the couch, pressing her lips to mine. Her kiss, like earlier, was hungry and devoured me. Her hands roamed all over me. If there was some part of my body within reach and not restricted - like my back on the couch - she touched it.

She found my penis swelling to fullness - I was being smothered by a gorgeous woman after all - and tugged on it. I would have thought her lack of experience with men would have me directing her method, but her actions were pleasant, if a little overexcited.

At first, I kept my hands away from her, but when I realized that she wasn't trying to bite or claw me, I held her to me. Occasionally, I reached up and ran my fingers through her silky locks, but otherwise, I kept my hands on her back. To be honest, I was a little anxious of what might happen next. She could slip back into fear if I touched her wrong, or she might snap out of this fit of insanity and with a resurgence of hostility, try to rip my penis off.

What I couldn't argue with was the fact that, at the moment, she was asserting her desires. Jordan had told me how much more intense sex felt with me and Danielle had done things with me she didn't want to do with Roger, so It was very possible that Jana felt similar urges too and her reactions were amplified by something that I had no control over.

Jana interrupted my thoughts by breaking our kiss and moving down my body. If she had been Danielle or Jordan, I would have looked forward to what I was certain she was about to do, but this was Jana, and if she returned to the hostile creature I met earlier with me in her mouth ... No! I couldn't think of that.

She knelt on the couch, pushed my legs apart, and gently cradled my erection and sac between her hands. If I hadn't been there, I never would have believed what happened next. She cooed at my erection, like it was a crying baby she was trying to sooth.

She kissed the tip, her lips soft and chaste. Then her tongue slipped out and licked the tip, right along the crease. I watched the way her tongue curled back into her mouth and she closed her eyes, like she was enjoying some rich dessert from her restaurant. Then she pressed her lips to me again, parting them enough that her tongue could gingerly wash up and down the tip.

I groaned. What she was doing felt fantastic and at the same time, I worried about what would happen when this was over, because if she continued doing what she was doing, then I would soon spurt into her mouth.

She took in the entirety of my glans and used her tongue on me with soft, flat strokes that neither Jordan nor Danielle could match. Both of them could get me to fire off with their mouths, but not with so little stimulation. Was that an attribute of Jana's skill or my desire for her? A scary question to be sure. I could understand my desire. We were doing things that allowed that side of me to come out. However, if it was her skill, then where did she learn to do this to a man? She was supposed to be a lesbian.

Jana eased off my penis. At first, I was confused. I didn't know why she had stopped because I thought she wanted me to go off in her mouth, and I watched her stand up. She grabbed my hand and pulled me up to stand too.

Once I was on my feet, she untied my robe and pushed it off my shoulders. Unlike Jordan and Danielle, she didn't run her hands over my chest and abs but went straight back to stroking me. She was still in her shoes, which put her just shy of my height. Her eyes rolled up and she kissed me again while spreading her saliva over me. It was only a light coating, but there was enough to make her actions smooth and pleasant.

I didn't know what to do at first. Her aggressiveness suggested that resistance was pointless, but I wasn't resisting, not really. If anything, I probably wasn't participating enough. At least, that was the thought that crossed my mind.

I reached up and cupped her breasts. My earlier peeks had given me an idea of her size, but I wasn't prepared for what I would find. She was bigger than Danielle. Jordan still had her beat in sheer volume, but Jana's taller frame made her seem to be not as big as she was. She more than filled my hands and I squeezed her soft globes.

Jana tugged and squeezed me in response to my attention, and she captured my lower lip to suck on.

Certain that direct skin contact would feel even better, I pushed her shirt off her shoulders. She let me go only long enough to let it fall to the floor. I ran my hands along her skin, carousing in the feel of her warmth and softness. Then I reached behind her, found the clasp of her bra, and, luckily, popped it on the first try. I pulled it down her shoulders, broke our kiss and bent to inhale one of her soft pink nipples into my mouth.

She cooed at me and squeezed her breasts together with her upper arms. Her hands stroked me faster and I felt the signs of my impending orgasm again.

I pulled her hands from me, let her bra slide off, and gently pushed her back onto the couch. She watched me and played with her own nipples while I removed her skirt. The stockings she wore were thigh highs and the pattern did indeed look like some kind of large flower, but all in black, like a silhouette. Her panties were black silk and solid in color.

She let go of her breasts, ran her hands over her belly, raised and spread her legs, and touched her panty-clad crotch. Her motions were smooth and fluid, and I was too caught up in the pure enticement she offered to worry about anything else.

I could smell her excitement and watched as she pulled her panties to the side, exposing her puffy, flushed lips to me. The crease was coated with her fluids and the whole thing blossomed open when she ran her fingers over herself.

I leaned in and wanted to imitate the light touch of the tip of my tongue to her that she had done to me, but she grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled my face against her sex.

She rolled her hips in circles and rocked them up and down, using my face like a scrubby in the bath. Only she was making more of a mess than cleaning either of us. I stayed still with my eyes closed, willingly patient, until she slowed. When I was sure she wasn't going to do it again, I wrapped my arms around her upturned thighs and sucked one of her puffy lips into my mouth.

She went still and sucked in air. Her hand let go of my hair but she kept it where it was on the back of my head.

I released that lip and repeated the same for the other. She whimpered and tried moving her hips, but I wouldn't release my lip lock. When I did, I felt the nub at the top of her slit rub against my lips. I gripped her thighs in an attempt to hold her still and captured that nub with my lips.

Jana froze and then pressed herself up against me, attempting to drive the nub further into my mouth.

Enjoying her reaction, I sucked on it and rolled it between my lips.

She rolled her head back and slumped back against the couch. I felt her body shudder lightly and I continued to roll, suck and lick the nub until she pushed me away.

As soon as my mouth was off her, she pulled at me, wanting me up and over her without saying a word.

I rose up on my knees and my erection grazed her soppy, heated crotch. Her hands automatically went to me and rubbed my glans against herself. I understood what she wanted and waited for the sign I had learned from Jordan and Danielle. I didn't have to wait long.

Jana's slender fingers set me to her entrance and then moved to my hips to pull me toward her.

I pressed into her slowly, expecting her to be as tight as Danielle at least. However, once beyond her initial ring of muscles, she opened up and held me like warm silk. I slid all the way in to the hilt and her back arched.

I felt the way her body rhythmically clutched at me and a sudden wetness washed over my sac. Jana held her breath for almost a minute, her face and upper chest flushed. All at once she relaxed and let her breath out with a whoosh.

She gulped down air and smiled at me. Other than her smile to Danielle when she first approached us down in the restaurant, it was the first truly happy looking smile I had seen on her.

I felt her slender fingers touch me, telling me to continue, and I rocked back and forth slowly.

Jana moaned deeply. Her mouth opened and her hot breath washed over me. She rolled her hips up to meet my thrusts and before long the room was filled with the sounds of skin slapping skin.

I leaned over her, placing my hands on the back of the couch. She watched me with dark eyes and neither of us uttered anything more comprehensive than a moan or grunt. It was a mating, sexual gratification, carnal bliss. We were locked into a dance that had occurred more times in human history than any other scenario.

Unfortunately, the dance wasn't meant to last. I was once again close to orgasm and though I had been surprised at her skill of tongue and relaxed silky warmth, I didn't think she was ready for the real purpose of this dance. I had to pull out and I would have to do it soon.

Still looking into Jana's eyes, I asked, "Where?"

I wasn't sure if my simple and vague question would register with her much less garner a response, but she surprised me yet again by pushing at my chest. I sat back and she pushed me out of her. She slid off the couch, pushing me back onto the coffee table. I watched her take me into her mouth again but much deeper than before. Her eyes rolled shut and she held me in her mouth. Her hands gently touched the sides of me that hadn't made it into her mouth and her tongue danced along my length. She moaned with pleasure and the vibration sent me even closer to the edge.

She looked at me again, and did something I could only describe as a crazy tongue technique. Her earlier skill was put to shame and more quickly than I thought it would happen I was attempting to shove as much of myself into her mouth as possible while grunting my release.

At first, she backed off only enough to keep me from choking her, but then she had to let me go to cough when my fist spurt hit her. My next two spurts splashed across her face, but she recovered and caught me again. She locked her lips around me and swallowed greedily until I dribbled to a stop.

She continued nursing on me, keeping me hard. Once I caught my breath, I raised my head to look at her. Her eyes rolled up to meet mine and there was no sign of anger or resentment.

I was confused. If she was a lesbian, why did she just gulp me down like that? Shouldn't she have been revolted or at least asked me to aim away from her?

Without a word, she let me slip from her mouth and used two fingers to gather up more of my sperm from her face. Each scoop went into her mouth and she swallowed it with expressions of chocolaty goodness. Not even Jordan or Danielle had acted like that when they took me in their mouths. Had Danielle been wrong about Jana's love life?

After swallowing as much of the mess on her face as she could, she rubbed the rest in and then looked at me. "I hope you're ready for more. I want you in me again." Her voice was low, husky, and had a certain cultured quality to it that neither Jordan nor Danielle had.

With her sudden coherence, I considered asking how she felt but thought better of it. If she was going to be nice, I would let her. I wanted us to get along for Danielle's benefit though I never expected sex. If this was how she wanted to get along, I wasn't going to argue.

She stood up and I got up too. She smiled and put a hand on my shoulder for balance while she took off her shoes. Then she sat down on the couch again and smiled at my erection while she rolled her stockings off her long legs.

I didn't know what she wanted to do next, or more accurately, what position she wanted, so I stood there waiting.

Once she had the stockings off, she pulled me into her mouth again. Though she didn't give me everything she could, she recovered the bit of hardness I lost. Then she popped me out of her mouth and lay down along the length of the couch. She rolled her hips away from the back and patted the area behind her.

I crawled around her to lie on my side between her and the back of the couch. Her hip and cheek pressed into my pubic bone and we had to do some maneuvering to line ourselves up.

Once again, I was surrounded by her silky warmth. Both of us moaned with the sensations we felt. I pressed myself deeper into her and she hooked her arm around my neck to hold on.

I grabbed her raised thigh and slid my other hand under her head to hook over her shoulder. With as little room as I had to move, pushing her off the couch seemed like a possibility and I wanted to help keep her in place.

Her breasts rolled around on her chest while we thrust against each other. It was a mesmerizing sight and with one only a few inches from my face I was tempted to suck on it. I remembered how much Danielle enjoyed the additional stimulation, so I went with the impulse. I used timing to catch her puckered nipple with my lips.

Jana pressed my head to her breast and rolled her hips back against me, creating pressure on me that I hadn't expected. It felt good and continued to feed my confusion about her. I knew eventually I would have to talk to her, to find out what was really going on in her life, if for no other reason than to curb my confusion. I didn't expect her to want to sleep with me again after today, so that little talk would have to happen soon. Regardless of my original ideas about Jana, the sheer excitement of the idea that she was working to get me off again, even though I had just had an orgasm, drove me to thrust faster and harder.

Jana hugged me to her with her one hand and used the other to rub both of us where we were joined. She was stimulating me as much as I was her. It was a cycle that could only lead to a messy, sticky end.

Though I wasn't close, Jana must have been because she shuddered, gripped me with her silky warmth and held her breath again. I continued to thrust into her, driving my way through her grip and slowed down only when she relaxed. I let her nipple slip from my lips and looked into her glazed eyes.

She smiled again and I was blown away by the almost bashful aspect of that smile.

"Feeling better?" I asked softy and she simply nodded. I continued rocking my hips back and forth at a leisurely pace, willing to wait for her to recover enough for more, if she wanted more.

She left me go and rolled off the couch. I let her go, thinking we were finished, but she turned and sucked me into her mouth again, tasting herself on me. She didn't use her crazy tongue technique, but then I wasn't close to going off either.

Once she had me licked clean, she rose up to stand next to me. She gestured and I scooted to center myself on the cushions. Then she climbed over me, straddling my hips with her feet, and lowered her red and abused-looking lips to my slick erection. She held me up and eased herself down until her cheeks settled on me.

I ran my hands up her thighs, to her hips, along her waist and in over her flat belly. I didn't go for her breasts immediately. I wanted to feel her while she rolled her hips on mine. I could feel how she squeezed and stroked me with her silky warmth but there was also the play of her outer muscles as she moved. If I never had sex with her again, I wanted to know what she felt like inside and out.

Jana lightly trailed her slender fingers along my forearms while I explored her midriff. At first it was all soft and sensual, a feast of visuals and tactile pleasures, but soon she was moving more quickly and I had to hold her hips to help keep her from falling off the couch again.

She leaned over, her breasts resting warmly on my chest, and she rocked to and fro. I reached around and held her cheeks, letting them fill my hands and no longer worrying about what she might not like.

I raised my legs and planted my feet. Jana's movements stopped when I started thrusting up into her at a harder and faster pace.

She leaned down more, flattening her breasts across my chest and cradling my head. She cooed into my ear and licked along the edges. Her feet curled up under my thighs and she moved up to kiss me. We sucked on each others' lips and she seemed to really get off on sucking on my tongue.

In fits and bursts, I thrust into her hard and fast only to slow to something akin to leisurely for a quick breather before going hard and fast again. Eventually, I felt the signs of another orgasm but with Jana on top, I didn't know how quickly or easily I could pull out when the moment arrived.

Jana was sucking on my tongue again, cradling my head like a mother with a baby, and writhing on top of me in counter to my thrusts. Her body signaled that she had hit another orgasm and the additional sensation of how her silky heat gripped me sent me over the edge.

I fumbled with myself and tried to pull my hips back to extract myself from Jana, but she pressed down onto me and I couldn't' stop the involuntary thrusts as I squirted several times into her.

The intensity of my orgasm wasn't any different than most of the others I had experienced over the last two days. If anything, it might have been a little less potent only because of my fear of going off in Jana. Regardless, when I relaxed from the muscle-clenching process, Jana didn't rise up to berate me or even smack me. She lay on my chest as spent as I felt. The relief of not having to face her wrath was quickly pushed aside by confusion though, because someone knocked at the suite door.



-------

Chapter 27



For a moment, I lay on the couch under Jana and stared at the door. Who would be knocking at this time of night?

The first answer to pop in my head was also the most unpleasant. Scared that something bad was about to happen, I slipped out from under Jana, who appeared to have passed out from her last orgasm, used the robe to wipe myself off, and found my pants. Hopping toward the door, I got my pants on, and fought with myself about either warning Danielle or using the immediate idea of Jana and me sharing the room on Danielle's bill. It was a blatant lie, but to me it would be worth it to protect Danielle from Roger.

Just as I reached the door, Danielle came out of the bedroom. I wanted to wave her back, to warn her that Roger was probably here looking for her, but I decided to check first. I would look silly if it was room service that she had ordered.

I looked through the peep hole. It was Jordan. Waves of relief swept through me and I slumped against the door. I really didn't know what I would have done if Roger had been outside. I wanted to avoid facing him and the problems he could cause for as long as possible. However, I grew confused. Why would Jordan show up tonight? It was late and she said she'd be by in the morning to bring me fresh clothes and talk to Danielle.

I stepped back and opened the door. Jordan quietly walked inside and toward the coffee table. I closed the door and locked it - just in case Roger really did show up. When I turned around, I found all three women standing next to the coffee table, staring at one another but not talking or doing anything else.

Jana was still nude, except for sweat and other body fluids. Danielle was still in her oversized Winnie the Pooh t-shirt, and Jordan was in a pair of tight short-shorts and a very nice bra, but nothing else, not even shoes. Their combined beauty notwithstanding, I was a little scared and a lot worried.

For a moment, I stood there staring from one to the next, trying to rationalize what was happening. I walked over to Jordan and waved a hand in front of her face, but she didn't respond in the least. I walked around all three of them, trying to understand why they were doing this, what the purpose was, and how much I would berate them for scaring me like they were doing. Nothing changed though. Not until I stepped between them. That was when something wholly unnatural happened.

All three of them rose up, floated a few inches from the ground, and like some kind of bizarre merry-go-round, they rotated around me. They rose higher and spun faster, little by little, until their chests were all at my eye level. I didn't move. I was afraid that if I tried they would slam into me, and regardless of what happened to me, I didn't want them hurt. Even though I was worried about them, I tried to rationalize what was happening. The only thing I could think of that might offer some kind of explanation was magic.

Was it true? Was I a Magus? If I was, and my Initiation was complete, then this had to be the Finale. Jordan said it was different for every Magus, but she didn't say anything about spinning bodies or floating women. I could have dealt with swapping bodies with one of them for an hour, but this was not something I was prepared for, not in the least.

The women slowed down until Jordan floated in front of me. A streak of amber appeared down the center of her chest. Though it glowed, it didn't cast light or create shadows. I started at it, trying to imagine what I was seeing. The streak widened and grew bigger until all I could see was the amber glow. All at once, even the soft color became too much to look at, like a bright flash of light.

-------

"It's time for your awakening."

Jordan had been waiting for those words for thirteen long years. She knew about her heritage, knew about her mother's magic, and knew that she would one day become a Magus, but the day had been long in coming. However, now that it was finally here, she quickly grew apprehensive.

Jordan's mom, Maryanne, was a beauty that few other women could compare to. She drew men to her for sex like honey drew ants. They virtually lined up at the woman's doorstep waiting their turns to lie with her. She had large, full breasts, a slim waist, and sexy, long legs. All attributes Jordan only wished she had. Her nipples had become puffy, but otherwise the teen hadn't even developed the slender curve of hip that her mother had. She doubted she would be able to attract a boy' infatuated with getting laid for the first time much less a real man who might help.

Maryanne took care of that problem though. It wasn't a simple matter of just having sex. Even as late as Jordan was in development, Maryanne knew that a boy interested in sex wouldn't care as long as her daughter was willing. However, to start Jordan's Initiation another Magus was needed, and she found a man who was willing to help. It was the same man in fact that had awakened Maryanne, Sebastian Rutherford.

Maryanne took Jordan to town to get her ready. They visited one shop after another, doing up Jordan's hair, her nails, even spending some time in a tanning booth. Maryanne also bought Jordan a new dress and a set of matching lingerie to wear under it.

When they returned home, another car was sitting in the driveway and a man got out to greet them. Sebastian was smooth, generous, and older than Jordan had expected. She wasn't sure, because she knew about the nature of the relationship between him and her mother, but she thought he was older than her mother.

All three went inside and had a big dinner. Jordan couldn't eat much; she was so nervous. Sebastian talked to her though, paying her compliments on her hair and dress. It went a long way to make the young woman feel better about what was to come.

Before she knew it, he was leading her through the house as if he knew exactly where to go. He held her hand and pulled her along with his words. In her bedroom, he took his time undressing her, kissing her body in ways that made her feel light as a feather, and telling her how beautiful she was. She, in turn, undressed him and for the first time, laid her eyes upon a real penis. Sebastian was hard, long and thick, and Jordan knew there was no way she would ever get even the head of him into her much less the rest. He was going to split her in half.

Sebastian's words continued to sooth the young woman. He laid her back on the bed and bent to kiss and lick her in places she had only recently started to explore. The sheer thrill of what he did sent her over the edge into the first orgasm of her young life, but it didn't end there. He moved up her body, kissing and licking, sending jolts of pleasure through her that she never thought was possible. Her nipples were puffy and thick, and when he sucked one into his mouth she cried out with another orgasm. He spent many minutes nursing on one nipple while pinching and rubbing the other, only to switch between them and send her over again.

Jordan felt Sebastian's hardness on her thigh. After so many orgasms she wasn't quite as scared of it anymore. In fact, she was anxious to feel it inside her. He had pleasured her so much, she wanted to return the favor and without asking, she shimmied down his body and took it into her hands.

For a few minutes she simply looked at it, running her fingers along the veins and around the ridge of his engorged head. She was fascinated by his shape and the way it was both hard and silky smooth at the same time. Sebastian never said a word, and let her explore him. She even looked over and felt his sac, rolling his balls between her fingers and weighing the whole thing in one hand. He more than filled her hand and she liked that a lot.

Moving back to his thick, long rod, she noticed a drop of moisture at the tip. Her mother had taught her all about human physiology and about pre-cum. Her mother had also told her that sometimes, a man's semen tasted really good. Jordan wanted to find out what it was like and with only slight hesitation, leaned down to learn.

Sebastian jerked at first when Jordan licked him and that involuntary movement shoved the head of his cock into her mouth. Jordan didn't pull back though. Something about the smooth texture of his glans and the flavor of his pre-cum made her want it in her mouth. She sucked on him, like he had sucked on her nipples and pulled more of his length toward her throat. It excited her to have him in her mouth, as did the sounds he made and the words of encouragement that flowed from his lips.

Jordan realized she could lay there for a long time and suck on Sebastian like that, but she also knew that he couldn't last forever and noticed that he was writhing more and more. He warned her that he was about to cum, but she locked her lips around the crown and got ready.

The first blast alone more than filled her mouth. She barely had the chance to taste it, much less swallow, before the second blast forced her to let go. More and more shot out of the tip of Sebastian's long, thick penis, coating her face, painting her hair, and covering her neck.

Jordan closed her eyes instinctively and laid her head on Sebastian's stomach while he almost drowned her with his seed. She still had a mouthful of the stuff and rinsed it around, tasting the fluid. It wasn't exactly bad, but she knew other things that tasted better. She swallowed it, wanting to know if it would make her nauseous. She never considered how it might affect her, other than getting her pregnant if he went off in her pussy, and sighed with light relief when she realized that it settled nicely in her stomach.

Covered as she was, and almost unable to see, Sebastian volunteered to get something to clean her up with. She opened her eyes to his smile and kissed him fiercely. He returned the gesture and they lay back once again on her bed. She knew that she would eventually have to have him inside her. There was no other way around awaking her powers, so she spread her legs and told him to take her.

Sebastian was gentle, but he was big. Very big. Jordan had already done away with her maidenhead a year prior at her mother's insistence, but she was very tight. It took them almost two minutes to work just the crown into her. Once that was done, Sebastian leaned over her, kissing her lips, neck and nipples, and applied pressure to slowly push his way in.

Jordan felt him fill her and no amount of distraction was going to take that away. Her original thoughts of being split in two were dashed in favor of exploding once he was all the way in. However, she felt him bump her deep inside and he eased back on the constant pressure.

The bump hadn't felt good, but it didn't really hurt either. When Sebastian eased back and thrust into her again, both removing and reapplying the fullness of him in her, he bumped into her again. She felt that he hit her, in a way, deep inside, but it was almost like there was something keeping it from hurting. Like a mat used to help cushion a fall on the floor.

Sebastian picked up his pace and the rhythmic bump was superseded by the many other sensations Jordan felt. It had felt good when he licked her down there, but this was much better. It also felt good when he sucked her sensitive nipples, but again, she preferred feeling his big dick sliding in and out of her slick opening.

Jordan and her mom had lived near different beaches over the years, and she remembered how the waves crashed into her when the tide was coming in. Sebastian's movements didn't feel like those tides, but the growing sensation of her building orgasm did. It hit her, pulled back, hit her harder, pulled back, and pushed its way into her, filling her, building in her, growing until at last she exploded with pleasure.

Jordan screamed and clutched at Sebastian and writhed and gripped him deep inside. She was doing everything, nothing, too many things, not enough. She was overwhelmed with sensations, emptying of the world around her and crazed by the simplicity of what was happening.

She relaxed from that orgasm only to feel that another was about to replace it. Sebastian hadn't slowed his pace at all, driving himself into her like a machine specifically designed to make her come, and he continued to lightly bump her deep inside. Just when the next orgasm hit, Jordan realized that she liked the bump. There was a certain level of pain to it, but more than that, there was the idea that he was as deep in her as he could go and that was what she wanted. She wanted him in her, deep in her.

Over the next few hours, Jordan either pulled Sebastian back over her or climbed on top of the man to feel him inside her again and again. After one especially strong orgasm, one that hit just as Sebastian released another torrent of sperm into her, a blinding flash hit her.

She blinked away the intense light and looked up. Something was wrong. She knew she had been lying on top of Sebastian but now she was under him. Had something happened? Had he rolled them over to protect her? She also felt funny though, in a way she couldn't explain. When she could see, she looked up into her own eyes.

She watched herself sit up and look around, a confused look on her face. She felt confused too, because she knew she wasn't looking at a mirror. She looked down and realized that she was looking at Sebastian's body, from his point of view.

Jordan laid there stock still. She wanted to jump off the bed and go look in the mirror to confirm what she suspected, but her body, her own female body, squeezed her and she realized that Sebastian's penis was hers and it was still in her body. It finally hit her, they had somehow switched places.

Almost fully panicked, Sebastian, in her body, spoke with the same reassuring tones he had used all night, but he was using her voice. Jordan closed her eyes, trying to will everything to go back to normal, to be back in her own body, but she knew it wouldn't happen so easily. She felt Sebastian climb off her and the way his big penis slapped against her stomach with a wet plop.

Sebastian giggled then. He giggled! With her voice! It wasn't the time for laughing. The situation was simply too weird to be funny, and though she knew there was nothing she could do about the situation, Jordan glared at the man in her body, making it obvious she wasn't happy.

He stifled his laughing and apologized. He explained that he had always wondered what it was like to be a woman, especially with his large dick buried so deep in them. Now he knew and offered a tender expression of sympathy for all of the women who had walked away feeling sore afterward.

Having never had sex before, Jordan didn't know what he was talking about. She was simply more concerned with putting things right. His damned smile wouldn't be dissuaded though and he pointed out something that she hadn't thought of, her Initiation was over. She was a full Magus.

It took about an hour, but after Jordan calmed down and they talked for a while, another blinding flash hit her and she found herself back in her body. Deep down, down where she had enjoyed the rhythmic bumping Sebastian produced while they had sex, she could feel the soreness he had talked about. However, far from wanting sympathy, she wanted to feel it again, after she healed for that day.

-------

Danielle looked at herself in a full length mirror. Her dress was long, white, made mostly of silk, and lined with lace. Her red hair was bundled elegantly up on top of her head and her veil held it in place. Her makeup was light, highlighting the natural tones and shape of her face. She didn't know how they had done it, but the women who had helped her with that one part had pulled off something she never had. She thanked them profusely when she saw the results and vowed to find out what they used and their techniques. Roger would simply faint when he saw her. She had never looked better, both prettier and sexier.

Sunlight streamed into the small room and several other women tittered around her. Most of them were her bride's maids, wearing their dresses of silver and cerulean. When working on the wedding theme, Danielle considered how her friends would look in their dresses and chose a primary color that would seem neutral with highlights of something darker yet good for all of them. Too many people had tried to tell her that she was the centerpiece of the ceremony, but she didn't like the idea of being the spotlight. She wanted to share it with her friends and did so in all of the little ways she could.

Now that the day was here, she was nervous. Very nervous. In the last few months of planning nothing had gone wrong. Even when Danielle's parents had called the rest of the family to find out who might be available to attend, everyone said they'd be there. She worried that someone might have to back out last minute with some kind of personal emergency or business even they hadn't known about at the time, but everyone had arrived. Everyone would be there. It was beyond perfect, and that made Danielle nervous.

Among her bride's maids were Jana and Jordan. Both of them looked stunning in their dresses and secretly, Danielle wished she looked as good in her gown as they looked in their satiny garments. There was also the looks she noticed both between the two women and when they talked to the other women about Roger. Neither one of them seemed to like him. She didn't understand why, but they both knew not to push the issue. It was her decision to marry him, not theirs, and she had never been happier with anyone. Yet she feared something would go wrong. She hoped they wouldn't cause a problem, especially when it came to the part where the priest said, "If anyone has any reason these two should not be wed, speak up now or forever hold your peace." She didn't think they would say anything, not if they were really her friends, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

Danielle's mother smiled at her in the mirror. She wasn't much taller than Danielle herself and wore a simple dress that hid her own beauty with muted colors and soft lines. Danielle could see her mother's genuine happiness in her eyes though and listened attentively while the older woman offered words to soothe and encourage. Danielle smiled and hugged her mother, taking her words to heart. No one had been bigger support in her wedding than her mother. No one had gone to more effort to help make sure everything was as it should be, not even Roger, and more than ever, Danielle couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to ruin everything. She didn't know how she knew it, but she did.

Everyone cleared out of the room and Danielle turned to find her Daddy smiling at her. He was tall with dark hair and gentle eyes. He looked good in a suit, though he worked a blue collar job and rarely wore one. Between her happiness to be married and fear that something would go wrong, she felt comforted by his presence. He had always been there for her, held her when she cried, stern with her when she did something wrong, and always willing to listen when she needed to talk. Today, he was going to do what he said would be the hardest thing for him to ever do, and he looked both sad and happy at the same time. Danielle could only hope that nothing would go wrong.

They heard the music in the background and knew it was time. She hooked her arm through his, hugged up against him, and they went out to the big double doors.

The moment had at last arrived. If anything was going to go wrong, it would have happened before the ceremony begun. Of course, things could go wrong during the ceremony or even at the reception, but the biggest concerns were behind her. When the doors opened and the music changed, all of the anxiety that she felt melted away, left behind in the small room she had gotten ready in.

Danielle and her daddy stepped forward.

Roger stood at the end of the aisle, watching her along with the priest, his best men and the rest of the congregation. Roger was smiling and had a familiar look in his eyes. Danielle couldn't immediately place it, so she shook it off deciding he was as nervous as she was.

When Danielle and her daddy reached the stand at the front, she turned, softly kissed her Daddy's cheek, and wiped away the tear that raced down his face. Then he held out her hand to Roger, who nodded and took it with a smile.

The rest of the ceremony passed like a dream. The priest started with the familiar words of the ceremony and Danielle tensed when he came to that moment all couples fear could ruin their futures together. No one spoke up though and the priest moved on. They repeated their vows and finally, Roger pulled her to him, kissing her like a long lost lover. They walked back down the aisle amid applause from both families and their friends. All of the remaining tension Danielle had felt about anything going wrong was gone. As arranged previously, they ducked into a side room where they would greet all their guests as they headed to the reception.

Everything had gone perfectly. Danielle was relieved and couldn't have been happier. Her mother was ecstatic, and her father quietly proud.

After taking pictures with everyone imaginable, Danielle noticed Jordan standing on the other side of the room. It looked like she was a little too focused on Roger, but Danielle didn't understand why. Roger didn't seem to notice, but when Danielle looked at Jordan again, she was smiling and talking again as if nothing had been wrong. Danielle knew her friends hadn't let go of their opinions of Danielle's husband, but she also knew they wouldn't hound her about it.

No one else looked upset about anything throughout the rest of the reception and everyone was there to throw rice while the couple ran to their car to head to the airport for their honeymoon in Hawaii.

-------

Jana couldn't believe what Paul had just told her. Danielle was having problems at home. Jana almost jumped for joy. Finally, Danielle was free from Roger!

She walked out to the dining area and spotted the redhead in one of her favorite dresses. Jana made her way to the table but then saw Danielle turn to talk to someone else sitting with her.

Jana looked at the man. A boy would have been a better description. He had to be barely eighteen. What was Danielle doing with him? And why oh why did she have that same expression on her face she'd had with Roger?

Danielle looked up and spotted Jana. Jana smiled and hugged her friend. Each touch sent thrills though her. Jana could feel herself grow wet simply being so close to Danielle.

Danielle stepped back and introduced her to the boy, Seth. Two things became instantly apparent to Jana: Danielle was once again falling for someone who was wrong for her, and Jana couldn't believe the flush she felt when she shook his hand. She wanted to crush his fingers but didn't only because her strength of will was sapped.

Jana didn't understand what was happening. Other than his height, the boy was as average looking as could be, but the urges flowing through her couldn't have been right. She had lost all interest in men years ago. Many had approached her, obviously intent to add her to their lists of conquests. She had even been propositioned by married men. She put them in their places though, all of them, with well chosen words, garnered from the rumor mill the hotel staff formed.

This boy, however, was making her feel things she had only felt once before and Jana grew angry with herself. She had better self-control that this. Too many times, she had faced one threat or another, always when some man had attempted to charm her into his bed and met her barbed words. They threatened her in return and only a devious combination of proper knowledge and sheer grit had fended off those threats. Now she faced a threat she didn't know how to handle, not the boy himself, but her body's desire to touch him, to feel him do things to her that only one boy had ever done.

Jana talked to Danielle and learned that she was leaving Roger. She insisted that Seth had nothing to do with what happened, but Jana knew better. He might not have asked her to leave Roger to be with him, but that was what happened.

Later, Jana followed Danielle to the bathroom and locked the door behind her friend. She had to save the redhead from herself, and most especially from that boy. Jana was still confused about why her own body yearned for his touch, and knew that Danielle must have been under a similar influence, so Jana was determined to make the young shit leave. If she had to have him arrested in the effort, she would do it, anything to save her friend and herself from whatever subtle influence he had over them.

Jana went back to Seth and boldly told him to leave Danielle alone, but he was stubborn. She recognized that he wasn't from money. His mannerisms were wrong, regardless of the clothes he wore. Using that insight, she laid out her ultimatum.

Later, when the guard produced the money in Seth's wallet, Jana knew she was lost. She continued to fight the urges racing through her and focused that energy into anger with Seth - after all, he was the subject of her attraction.

The entire time they talked, Seth maintained eye contact. Though he was young, he didn't ogle her like so many other men had. He was strong willed and focused solely on Danielle's well being, even when Jana accused him of taking advantage of her friend. He even seemed ... sincere.

Jana was winded both from arguing with him and fighting her feelings. She no longer had her normal strength of will. She knew that if he made a move, if he tried to come on to her, she'd be his. It was that simple.

She watched him. She was both scared and excited, hoping he would make a move and fearing that he would. Just when she thought he wasn't the letch all men were, his eyes dropped to her chest and widened.

He recovered almost instantly. If Jana had blinked, she would have missed it. As it was, she knew her nipples were like pebbles in her bra. They were uncomfortably pressed into the fabric and adding to her excitement. The fact that he had noticed thrilled her even more.

However, her fear overrode her excitement. Jana got up and walked to the kitchen with as much dignity as she could muster. She knew if she sat there much longer, then she might do something she would regret.

Leaving Seth at the table didn't do anything to extinguish her urges though. For the first time since she became manager of the Vivre, she went to the bathroom to attempt to relieve herself. She had been sexually excited by some of the women who dined there, but she had always maintained more than enough control to keep from debasing herself like she was doing now.

Her first orgasm hit her almost as soon as she touched herself. The second, even stronger, took only a minute to produce. She felt better, more relaxed, but her thoughts returned to him, and she realized that relief wasn't what she needed.

For the rest of the night, she worked with a manic energy that wouldn't go away. She knew she was supposed to go up and see Danielle. Jana wasn't sure whether Seth would be there but by the time she got to the room, she was crying and couldn't think of anything but him.

-------

I opened my eyes. I was in the hotel suite with Jordan, Danielle and Jana standing around me, clutching at me for support. My legs felt a little wobbly too, so I lowered us all to the floor.

Danielle asked the question first. "What was that?"

I looked at Jordan and she met my eyes. We both knew what it was, the Finale to my Initiation, but what had really happened? Did I just live a portion of their lives? Or were they intense, vivid memories? I shook my head with the most honest answer I could give. "I don't know."

Jana's hand slipped over my shoulder and she pulled me around to look at her. There was a certainty in her eyes that I recognized from earlier in the restaurant. "I think you do, Seth. There's something you haven't told Danielle and you need to."

How could she know there was anything I hadn't told Danielle, unless... "Did you see something too?" I asked.

Jana nodded. "I saw the last two days. Your last two days."



-------

Chapter 28



I stared back at Jana. She had seen my last two days? Had it been as vivid as what I saw of her? Had she heard my thoughts, understood my conflicts, experienced everything I had? If so, then she was handling everything better than I would have expected, if I had decided to tell her the whole truth.

Jana glanced at Danielle again. "Seth, you have to tell her. Jordan knows and I know. She needs to know too."

I looked from the brunette to the redhead and back. I was caught between my confusion over Jana and my concern for Danielle. I decided to deal with Jana later, especially since she wanted me to talk to Danielle now.

Danielle sat in her t-shirt. Her wide eyes darted from Jana to me to Jordan and back again. "What? What more can there be?"

I glanced at Jordan. She gave me a slight nod. I turned to Danielle, shifting myself around to face her completely. She had her arms crossed under her breasts and rocked in place. I didn't like the way she was acting. If Jana had seen my last two days, and Jordan had seen something too, then Danielle had to have seen something. Telling her that I was a mage could wait. "What did you see Danielle?"

She stared at me. "Lisa Hartwell, Ms. Langston, Mr. Hartwell. I saw that day Seth. I was there, like it was me going through it."

I stared at her for a moment. Of all the events in my life, why did she have to see that day? I shifted around onto my knees and crawled around Danielle. I tugged lightly at her shirt. "Lemme see Danielle. I want to make sure you're not hurt."

She shifted her hips and let me pull her t-shirt up. There were welts on her back. They weren't bloody like mine had been, but that didn't make them any less painful. I didn't know what to do. I had been worried about so many other things going on that it never occurred to me that something like this might happen.

Jordan and Jana crawled around to see what I was looking at too. Jana gasped. Jordan jumped up and walked off through the bedroom. "I'll get a cold cloth for that."

I lowered Danielle's T-shirt and crawled back around in front of her. She continued rocking with tears rolling down her eyes. I wanted to hug her, to hold her and make the pain go away, but I didn't know how. I moved along side her, pressing my leg to hers but facing the opposite direction, and she automatically wrapped her arms around my neck.

Jordan came back with a washcloth, sat behind Danielle and lightly used it on the redhead's back.

Danielle sucked in air through clenched teeth and hugged me tighter.

All I could think to do was say, "I'm sorry," over and over again. She had already been hurt by Roger, the bruises were still covered with makeup but present nonetheless. I never wanted to add to that.

Danielle calmed down and pulled her head back enough to look at me. "Jana said there was something you needed to tell me. What was it?"

I swallowed and almost refused. Danielle's eyes were set though. She wasn't going to let me walk away without telling her, and after what she had both witnessed and experienced, I thought she deserved the truth. How else could I explain the welts on her back? People didn't get hurt by being told about another person's pain.

I glanced at Jordan. The only way to tell the story correctly would be to include Jordan's part. I didn't know if Jordan understood what my unspoken question was or not, but she nodded her head. "Two days ago," I said, looking at Danielle again, "Jordan and I had sex in the upstairs bedroom."

Danielle nodded. "I figured that much out already, but what's that have to do with what just happened?"

I took a deep breath and let most of it back out. "She was a Magus, a modern wizard trying to gain more power to keep her and her Fonti safe. She wanted to tap some of my sleeping powers for that, but accidentally woke my power instead. Since that time, I've been going through an Initiation to feed that power. You and Jana accidentally got caught up in the process and the Finale was what happened when you saw what happened to me four years ago."

Danielle looked confused, and rightly so. I had summed up two days of events with terms that made no sense and descriptions that lacked any detail. "But what does all of that mean?" Danielle asked.

"Well," I said, "I guess it means that I'm a full Magus now." I lost focus on Danielle's face, thinking about what that meant. "I'm supposed to be able to use magic."

"Magic?" Danielle echoed me in the form of a question. "How?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. This is all new to me." I looked at Jordan. "I suppose I'll have to learn eventually."

Danielle let go of me and twisted to look at Jordan too. For a moment, I didn't know what Danielle was going to say. Her expression was inscrutable. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Jordan frowned. "Could you have really believed me? Even if I used a spell or two as proof?"

I shook my head. "Danielle, no. If you believe that I'm a Magus now, you have to believe that she was a Magus."

The redhead looked back at me. "Was?"

I nodded. "When Jordan awoke me, she accidentally gave me her power. Not all of it the first time, but throughout the night last night."

Danielle looked at the brunette again. "So, you're ... normal now?"

Jordan nodded. There was sadness in her eyes, but also relief. I wasn't sure what the emotions meant, why she felt that way, but I could guess.

Danielle turned to look at Jana. "You said you saw Seth's last two days?"

Jana nodded. Of all three girls, I had expected problems with her, but she was the quietest of them. Had her viewing of what happened to me been as visceral as Danielle's? She looked past Danielle at me. There was a level of tension in her eyes that could have meant any number of things, but what I took it as her restraint. She wasn't going to rant about what happened tonight. Of course, that didn't mean I wouldn't hear about it from her some time later. For the time being I was okay with that.

Danielle glanced at me, shifted her legs around to see Jana better, and leaned back against me.

I wasn't sure how to receive her because I was worried about the welts on her back. At my tentative touch, she looked at me and said, "They've already stopped hurting."

I nodded, taking her word for it and let her settle against me. Even though my Initiation was over with, it felt good to hold her, to feel her pressed against me. I wasn't sure how to feel about that. I liked it, but I thought the end of my Initiation would mean the end of everything happening between us.

Danielle studied Jana for a moment and then asked, "So, what was it like?"

Jana blinked, looked at Jordan for a moment and then back at Danielle. "Other than talking to myself from his perspective, I thought it was very ... intimate."

Jordan smiled at me and Danielle squeezed my leg. "What was it like?" Danielle asked.

Though the question was the same there was a ton of implication that I didn't understand. To me, it was too vague, but Jana smiled and thought. "Like having a very large clit," she said. "And the absolute desire to bury it as deep as possible."

Jordan smiled at me again but it wasn't as ornery as before. She understood, at least a little. Danielle though, leaned to the side and smiled up at me.

Jana looked at me too but her expression wasn't contemptuous or resentful. She looked like she was evaluating me, weighing what she understood about men against what she experienced from my point of view in the memory. Then she glanced at Danielle and she smiled ever so slightly. In a weird, vicarious way, she got to be with Danielle too. Then she looked at Jordan and I realized that though I didn't think she felt the same for Jordan as she did for Danielle, she had also been with her in the same way. She looked at me again and smiled. There was a touch of blush to her smile again and I understood that it was all because of my involvement that she had enjoyed something she never had before. I didn't think it was the sex itself, something told me it was deeper than that, and on some level I didn't fully understand, I knew we had reached an agreement we could both live with.

Danielle turned straight and looked at Jana again. "So, what did Jordan have to do to get in his pants?"

I frowned at the back of her head, but Jana smiled and told the story. She made me sound like a scaredy cat that jumped at its own shadow, but when she got to the sex she gave more detail than I would have. Maybe it was because it was so different, the way things felt in the memory compared to what she felt when we had sex. Whatever the case, I fought both my embarrassment and my erection. Danielle didn't say anything about the latter. She simply wiggled against me.

Jana stopped when she got to the part about finding Danielle with the black eyes earlier and blushed heavily. I glanced at Jordan, trying to convey with my eyes alone how Jana felt about Danielle before she experienced my memories. Jordan took it wrong and said, "What was it like with Danielle?"

I felt Danielle blush. Her skin grew hot for a few seconds and then eased off again. I wasn't sure if it was because she was going to hear about herself or if there was something she hadn't admitted to about Jana. I remembered how she fantasized in the cab when I offered to fend Jana's advances off. Was there some curiosity Danielle wanted to explore with her friend?

I didn't ask. Jana talked about how I acted with Danielle, but instead of saying "Seth felt this" or "Seth did that," she told us what happened as if it had been her with Danielle instead of me. Her change in story telling didn't dissuade my erection any, but I was less embarrassed. Jana talked without looking at anyone, like she was telling us something she was watching and though she tried to leave out her own comments, she couldn't stop herself from expressing just how much she enjoyed the memories. She skipped over our conversation while Danielle was locked in the bathroom and repeated the rounds Danielle and I shared when we came up to the room.

Jana shook her head and looked at Danielle. She didn't say anything, but I could tell she wanted to.

I didn't know if Danielle was intentionally ignoring the look Jana gave her or simple didn't want to face that possibility yet. She held onto my thighs and leaned forward a little. "What was it like making love to yourself?"

Jana smiled and then looked at me. "That was probably the oddest thing I will ever experience. He was terrified of how I would respond when we were finished, and by the look on his face now, that hasn't changed. But, he was turned on. Once he let go of his fear, he enjoyed fucking me as much as he did both of you." She shook her head. "And to be honest Seth, I never thought sex with a man would be so ... crude, so ... frenzied, so ... satisfying. If you don't mind my saying so..." she glanced at the other two, " ... I feel a little cheated. They've both enjoyed your company for hours on end but I only had you for a short romp on the couch." She stared at me for almost a full minute before saying, "I hope you don't intend on running off before I get my equal share."

I looked at Jordan and then down at Danielle, who looked up at me. Part of me was trying to think of any excuse I could to escape. What I wanted to escape from though was something I also wanted to enjoy more of. In fact, I was also hoping to talk to Jana more, to get to know her like I had with Danielle and Jordan, but I was too afraid to admit to it.

Jordan smile and looked at Jana. "He hasn't tried running away. I think he would like that, Jana."

Jana glanced at her, got up on her hands and knees, and crawled over to me. She hadn't thrown on anything the entire time we had been sitting and talking. Her heavy breasts swayed between her arms as she moved and her hips rolled behind her too. Her movements made the idea of a big hungry cat all the more corporeal.

In all of her nude glory, I couldn't help but look and admire her brazen manner. Sure I had lounged naked with Danielle and Jordan individually, but to sit there nude and tell stories in the detail Jana had was something on a whole other level of comfortable. Not to mention the way she moved closer to me now.

Jana didn't ask Danielle to move. She simply leaned over the redhead's upturned face and kissed me soundly.

By the hunger in her kiss, I knew she was just as eager to continue what we shared on the couch as I was. However, I didn't want to make the other two leave just so she could get the time she petitioned for.

She broke the deep, probing kiss and pecked my lips again before leaning back enough to see my eyes. "I've got to go to the bathroom before we do anything else. I would hate to have to chase you down again, so you better be here when I get back."

She sat back and looked at Danielle. "Come with me. We'll take another look at your back."

There was more in her offer to help than Jana actually said. They were using implications again and I wasn't sure if they were going to tell Jordan or me about what Jana really wanted to talk about.

Danielle stared up at the taller woman and nodded in a half-trance. Jana stood up and helped Danielle to her feet. They left the room and part of me wanted to follow, to listen in on their conversation. I remained seated on the floor however. If I had anything important to tell someone, something important enough I needed privacy for it, I wouldn't want anyone following me to find out what it was.

Jordan scooted closer to me. "I know Jana was always close to Danielle, but is she... ?"

I looked at her and felt protective. I glanced at the bedroom doorway again and said, "I'm going to let her tell you if she wants to." I looked at Jordan. "You three may feel comfortable sharing details like that, but I'm not."

She nodded and I studied her face. "Danielle saw the worst day of my life, and Jana saw the last two days. What did you see?"

Jordan shook her head. "Just earlier parts of your life, long before you met any of us."

I nodded and let it go. She wasn't hurt and I had already told her more about myself than anyone I had ever talked to at home. If she felt it necessary to tell me what she saw, she would. I had to trust that, because there were other questions I had.

Even though we had talked about me being a Magus, and Danielle and Jana seemed to accept it, I hadn't mentioned the one detail that continued to remind me that I was, in fact, a Magus. All three of them still had those floating amber streaks on their chests.

Jordan noticed my apprehension. "What's wrong now?"

I glanced at her, took a deep breath and decided to tell her. She knew a lot more than me. Her years of training as a Magus was something I couldn't afford to lose. I pointed at her chest. "You have an amber streak on your chest. It runs vertically from just below where your clavicles meet down to the base of your breast bone. Danielle and Jana have them too."

Jordan nodded at me. "You probably have it too."

I looked down. She was right. I had the same mark, but mine was more solid, less transparent. I reached up to touch it but my fingers passed right through. "What is it?"

"Your mark as a Magus," she said. "All Magi have one. I was going to teach you how to see them with magic, but I would say it's an innate ability for you."

"Will they go away?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Nope, but as you've already found out, they don't interfere with clothes or anything else. Nothing but a Magus can see them. It's one of our purest forms of magic."

A heavy breath escaped me, like something had pulled at my guts to force it out. "Then I really am a Magus."

She nodded. "Acceptance at last. I didn't know how long it was going to take, but I thought the Finale might cinch it for you."

I shook my head. "Watching the three of you spinning around me ... it was like watching a merry-go-round from hell."

Jordan smiled. "I told you it was weird, and unique, though I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having a Finale that included their Fonti."

I looked up. "Then you, and Danielle, and Jana?" I asked, growing more anxious with each name.

Jordan nodded. "You said we all had the same mark; that makes us your Fonti."

"Then the Initiation is over," I said. "I'm not going to be raped by horny crowds."

She grinned. "No, you're not."

I let out a sigh of relief and another thought crossed my mind. I frowned at the bedroom doorway. "Then you three don't have to ... you know."

She arched an eyebrow and a hint of her mischievous smile appeared. "What? Have sex with you?"

I swallowed and glanced toward the door. I nodded and looked at Jordan again. "You're not being forced to anymore. That means you can all go on to normal lives."

"Are you offering to let us all go?" she asked. There was a tone to her question, something that set off warning bells in my head.

"Yeah..." I said, hesitantly.

She smiled and shook her head. "You have a lot left to learn, Seth. Just because your Initiation is over doesn't mean you don't need sex anymore. Now you have to maintain your power with sex. Unlike when you were going through your Initiation though, you're not safe. Over the last two days, we could have just stayed in a bed and fucked like rabbits until the end of time and not been hurt, but now, if you have too much sex with any one of us, you could potentially kill us."

I blanched. "What? But you said..."

She shook her head. "I don't think you heard me correctly if I said anything about it. I was pretty sure I said I would explain things once your Initiation was over. Now that it is, you need to know the truth. And that truth is, not only will you need all three of us, but you will very likely need more Fonti."

I couldn't just sit there and accept that. I got up and paced the room. If what Jordan said was true, then my desire to be done with my Initiation had only been an illusion. Some part of me held on to the belief that if it was all real, then I could lead a normal life when the Initiation was over. I was supposed to make friends, maybe meet a girl. My life had been so lonely, so unbearable, that I didn't know if I could take what Jordan was telling me.

"Seth, talk to me," Jordan said, watching me pace. "Tell me what you're thinking."

I shook my head because I didn't know where to begin. I tried to start several times, from different points in my confusion. Finally I threw up my hands and turned toward the suite door.

Jordan jumped up and caught me. "No, you're not leaving."

I braced myself, ready for several possibilities, including a slap to shake me out of my internal struggle.

She spun me around, pulled my face down, and kissed me.

At first, I was shocked and tried to jerk away, but she held onto me and kept her lips pressed to mine. When I finally realized what she was doing, I relaxed.

She moved closer, pressing her body to mine. The fierce passion she put into her embrace was stronger than any pain would have been. Her lips parted and I instinctively accepted her tongue with my own.

I wrapped her up in my arms and kissed her back, both joyful to kiss her again and fearful that I might do something that would hurt her.

She broke our kiss and leaned back enough to see my eyes. "I couldn't let you go now if I wanted to. I'm bound to you, just like Danielle and Jana are. I'm pretty sure Danielle feels the same way, and Jana threatened to chase you down again if you ran."

My emotions broke at that point. "I don't want to hurt any of you. I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to you." Thoughts of the welts on Danielle's back ran through my mind.

Jordan smiled and a tear slipped down her cheek. "I know you don't. We can be together. Maybe not like you had hoped, but there's more to a relationship than just sex, and I can't imagine feeling like I do for anyone else."

I studied her eyes, tried to understand what she was saying, and realized that her act to keep me from running wasn't any more selfless than my effort to run had been. I was running from the problem as well as the possibility of hurting her. She was holding onto me because it would hurt to let go and to help teach me what I needed to learn. We were quite the pair, and looking past Jordan, I realized we weren't alone.

Danielle and Jana stood in the bedroom doorway watching us. Jana was still nude. Her nipples stood at attention on her ample mounds and she met my eyes with an intense gaze.

Danielle stood next to her. She had ditched her t-shirt and her nipples were excited too. She leaned against the taller woman and batted her eyes at me. "Why were you trying to run away Seth? Scared we might all gang up on you tonight?"

With wide eyes, I looked down at Jordan. A smile grew on her lips and in her eyes. Apparently Danielle's idea held merit with her.

Jana walked toward us with the same roll in her hips Jordan had exhibited the night before at Raven's house. I couldn't tear my eyes from her hips and realized that even if she was walking as normally as possible I would have had trouble focusing on just her face.

She stopped next to us, glanced at Jordan and then looked up at me. "If that's a possibility, we should get started. I have to work Monday morning."

I gulped and the girls dragged me off to the bedroom. A new kind of fear washed over me. I wasn't scared of what might happen to them anymore. I was scared of what would be left of me when they were done.

And it was only late Saturday night.


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The End
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Posted:  2010-12-26
Last Modified: 2012-09-20 / 08:49:07 pm
Version: 1.30
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