After she left, Tracy got a sad look and patted my hard-on.
“I’m sorry baby, but if I helped you out with this problem, we would end up going too far. I want us to be able to have sex soon. Can you come to therapy with me tomorrow? I think it would help.”
“Sure. Just pick me up,” I said.
“David, you need to call one of your friends. I talked to Beth today, and she’s horny.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
She gave me a look.
“We talked about this. I’m sure.”
I kissed her and told her I loved her.
“I love you too. Now go get this taken care of so I don’t feel guilty,” she said. “Thank you for the massage, I was getting horny too.”
SHE LEFT ME TO MY OWN thoughts. I went up to my apartment and tried to will Mr. Happy to go down. I finally gave up and called Beth. In a subtle way, Tracy had picked whom I would be with because if left to my own devices, I would have called Suzanne.
“Hey, are you interested in having a sleepover?”
I could hear Beth talking to her mom.
“I need to finish my homework and pack a bag. I can be there in an hour.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.”
I pulled out my tablet and emailed the video to my friends. I started getting text messages. One was from Tami, telling me to get my butt on our video chat.
“If you asked me which of my friends would suck face with a supermodel in public, I would say you ten out of ten times,” Tami started.
“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I mean seriously, she kissed me first, I was just showing her how it was supposed to be done.”
“Oh David, my slutty friend, I’m not sure she expected you. I’m sure she’s used to wimps. Most any guy would crumble in front of her beauty.”
Tami was laying it on a little thick, and I got suspicious. I was actually proud that I noticed. I gave her a big grin. She didn’t want to admit that she was caught.
“What, why are you smiling like that?” she asked.
“Just tell me. I’m in a really good mood and, if you ruin it, I have Beth coming over which’ll take my mind off whatever it is you have to tell me.”
“Crud, this is a new development. Are you no longer wrapped around my little finger?” Tami asked.
“Just tell me already.”
“I got asked to the Christmas Dance,” she said so rapidly that I could just make it out.
I felt the life go out of Mr. Happy. It was either put up or shut up time. In theory, I knew that Tami was right. We couldn’t be together until we both grew up. Well, according to Tami, until I grew up. But my heart didn’t want her to be with another man, even if it was only a dance, and almost everyone my age was just trying to figure relationships out. I wasn’t afraid she loved the guy or would jump in bed with him. It was that Tami was mine. I got physically ill thinking about a guy even touching her.
She broke into my thoughts.
“I haven’t said ‘yes.’ I’m waiting for you to be all right with me dating.”
What was the saying? If you love something enough, you have to be able to set it free. I got a tight smile on my face.
“This is hard for me, but you know your happiness is more important to me than me being a little uncomfortable.”
“Thank you.”
I could tell with those two words that she was relieved.
“Do you want to know about him?”
I shook my head.
“No, not really. Can you make me a deal? Date all you want and don’t tell me about it. When you find one that you want as a boyfriend, let me know.”
“You have a deal. You mind if I change the subject?” she asked.
She saw the look of ‘Hell, No!’ and she giggled.
“Let me give you some good news. Teddy saw your press conference. The staff at Kentucky had to peel him off the ceiling and explain why you made the commitment. If you look on Scouts, it shows it as a soft commitment. Anyways, he did some digging and confronted Mark. At first, he lied to Teddy about what he did to you, which was a terrible idea. He eventually told him the truth, but he’s being shipped home to momma at the end of the semester.”
“Yes!” I said and did a fist pump.
She laughed at my response.
“You know what that means: Jennie needs a date to the Christmas Dance.”
“I suppose you were instructed to get it set up,” I assumed.
“The surprise is that Teddy asked me personally to talk to you.”
“Okay, I’ll do it. Tell Teddy that I don’t want Mark’s dad as the driver. I don’t want to end up in a ditch somewhere. Also, tell him that I’ll call her and ask her out this week. I want her to have a chance to turn me down.”
Tami scoffed.
“Really, you think she’s going to turn you down after she sees the video of you and Adrienne? My guess is she’ll make a press release so the whole world knows you’re her date.”
“Hey, I have to go and get ready for Beth.”
“Hang on a second. Since you’re coming, do you think you can bring Jeff? The girl I had set up for him is devastated ... and Mike and Jim ...?”
“I’ll take care of it, but we can’t stay the weekend. I have to do the flyer shoot the next day.”
“Thanks, David. I love you.”
EVERY SCHOOL HAS ONE: the girl that every guy would like to make his wife. She wasn’t the sexiest or best-looking girl; that would be Suzanne or Cindy. She was the girl you like to spend time with, the girl that had a big heart and you would be proud to have on your arm. She was smart and loved sports. Your family loved her. You could have a conversation about almost anything and she could hold her own. She was the girl who wanted to have children, and you knew that she’d make a wonderful mother. But most importantly, when you kissed her, she could curl your toes and was a tiger in bed.
Beth Anderson was that girl at our school. If I was looking to settle down and start a family, Beth was my girl by a country mile. When the time came for me to make a lifetime commitment, I would be hard-pressed to choose between Tami and Beth. Our families had planned for Beth and Greg to be married. In our moms’ minds, they had me moved into Greg’s spot. If I was a betting man, their plan was for me to graduate college; shortly after, Beth and I marry and start our family. To be honest, there was a lot of appeal to that plan.
Part of the reason I would’ve chosen Suzanne over Beth tonight was because of all the pressure. Nothing was said aloud, but everyone knew it was there. My mom and Mrs. A had been best friends forever. I was sure that right now, they were talking about Beth spending the night. The good news was Beth and I were willing accomplices in our parents’ plans. My only hesitation was I didn’t like feeling manipulated into doing something, even if I wanted to do it.
Beth arrived and my forgotten wood was back. She was wearing jeans that must have been painted on, and a t-shirt any Hooters girl would be embarrassed to wear. I was just wearing boxers, and Beth had a twinkle in her eye because she watched as Mr. Happy caught the scent and pointed when he spotted his quarry.
“Is that for me?”
“Damn, Beth, you look sexy. How did you know those jeans turn me on?”
“David, how long have I known you? I see how you look at me when I wear a pair of jeans.”
I wanted to continue our fantasy games, but I wanted tonight to be my turn, so I stacked the deck.
“Last time we talked about role-playing. What’s your hottest fantasy?”
She didn’t even have to think about it as she launched into her description.
“First, I’d blindfold you, then tie you up and have my way with you all night. I would bring you close to climaxing over and over again until you begged me to allow you a release. If you displeased me, I would introduce you to my favorite vibrator and walk away.”
Jesus. She had an imagination! But that wasn’t happening; my backside was exit-only.
“Mine is to strip you down and take you from behind, hard. I want you walking funny for at least a day. When I’m done, you’ll know you’ve been done.”