“I was! I’m not… like that. Not normally. But I thought…”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I didn’t realize. That’s why I reacted the way I did. Like a jerk.”
“I feel like such a fool.”
“It isn’t your fault. If anything, it’s mine.”
“At least you didn’t go through with it. Most guys would’ve.”
“That wouldn’t be fair. To you, to me, to her.” I paused and then added, “I still want to, though.”
She snorted again, but softer.
“I wasn’t toying with you. I meant it.”
“So did I,” she said, so low that I almost didn’t hear.
“I wish we could, but… not tonight.”
“Not ever.”
I let her words hang in the air until she felt guilty. Then I said, “If you really mean that, I’ll go now.” I even started to get up.
“No, don’t.” She thought about it and deflated. “I can’t believe I just said that.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“For all the good it does.”
“Tonight isn’t forever.”
She understood what I meant.
“So,” I said after a suitable pause, “what do we do now?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’d like to be friends.”
“Friends. Great,” she said sarcastically.
“It’s a start. And I enjoy dancing. Especially with you.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“I’d like to be lovers, but on even terms. And not till you trust me again.”
She looked at me with such desire that I almost reached out to her. She caught herself and blinked back tears. “It’s probably a good thing,” she said at last. “That we didn’t sleep together. I’m technically a professor. And you’re my student. The University frowns on that sort of thing.”
“I didn’t even think of that.”
“I did,” she said. “But I was willing to ignore it. I thought— Well, you know what I thought.” She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Then she drained her wineglass.
“You want more?”
She shook her head without opening her eyes. Then she sniffed and wiped away tears. “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to cry.”
“It’s okay. You’ve had an emotional evening.” I set my glass on the coffee table. Then I took her empty one and straightened in my seat. “Come here.”
“I don’t know if I should.”
“Do you trust me?”
She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she uncrossed her legs and scooted toward me. I put my arm around her and rested my cheek on top of her head as she hugged me.
“This feels so good,” she whispered.
“It does.” Then I chuckled softly. “We can’t have sex, but—”
“No,” she said, immediate and firm.
“Yeah, you’re right. That was the little head talking.”
“That isn’t an option tonight. Not anymore.”
“Fair enough.”
“But this is.”
* * *
I returned home and expected to find everyone right where I’d left them. Christy and her metabolism could drink all night, and Wren had clearly decided to blow off class in the morning. Lily seemed to be a party girl, not really serious about anything but a good time. Trip and Will had already been out of it by the time I’d left, but the girls were having enough fun by themselves.
I was a little surprised to find a quiet house instead. The downstairs was dark and deserted. No one had cleaned up, but we hadn’t really made a mess except in the kitchen and front room. I went upstairs and halfway expected to find Lily and Will passed out in Christy’s old bedroom, but it was empty. I wondered how they’d gotten home, but not enough to go looking for them.
I wasn’t entirely surprised to find Wren in our bedroom. I was surprised that she and Christy were simply talking. They were nude and lying under the covers, but Wren had her head propped on her hand, while Christy faced her from her own pillow. The bedside light was even on. Christy saw me first, and her expression lit with a smile.
“Mmm, you’re home.”
Wren looked over her shoulder. “What took you so long?”
“Nothing.” I lied easily. “Terri and I were talking and lost track of time.” I peevishly wondered what would’ve happened if we’d actually had sex. Would Christy have missed me? I knew better than to mention it, though. It wasn’t the time or place. So I faked a smile and said, “Why? Were you waiting on me?”
“Not really,” Wren said. “We were just talking. Although… you promised. To go down on me.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Are you serious?”
“Why do you think I’m here?”
“Honestly? Because you’re drunk and horny and wanna fool around with Christy?”
“You’re such a romantic.”
“And for the record,” Christy added, “we aren’t drunk.”
“Speak for yourself,” Wren said. “I’m pretty wasted. But it feels good.” She let out a heavy sigh. “God, I’m so sick of school. I don’t care anymore.”
“Shh, don’t talk about it,” Christy said. “Not tonight. You’ll ruin my birthday.”
“I’d never do that, my love.”
I cleared my throat softly. “Want me to leave you alone?”
“No!” “Of course not.”
“We want you to join us,” Wren added.
“I want my birthday penis,” Christy said. “I saved the best for last.”
But he wasn’t the last present. I had one more, although I couldn’t give it to her until later. She read my expression and started to ask, but I warned her off.
Why not? she asked with a slight frown. Then she glanced at Wren and figured it out. Oh. Okay. Never mind. “Wanna help me unwrap him?” she asked her instead.
“Sure.” Wren kicked off the covers and stood.
I hadn’t seen her nude in several months, so I admired her body. I was used to Christy’s small, firm breasts, which made Wren’s normal ones seem large. The rest of her was larger and softer as well, especially compared to Christy’s almost boyish figure. My eyes traveled lower, to her pubic hair. It was still shaved in a neat triangle above her slit. She looked down at herself.
“Business up top, party down below.” She ran her fingers through the tuft of hair. “Trip likes it, and that’s all that really matters.”
“I like it too,” Christy said as she climbed out of bed. “Does that count?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” She looked at me, and her eyes shone with eagerness. “Are we ready to unwrap him? I’ll get his pants—”
“Duh.”
“—you do his shirt.”
“I’ll do more than that,” Wren said with a grin.
“Does Trip know you’re here?” I asked idly.
“Not exactly.”
“Then… um…”
“I’ll tell him,” she said. “Besides, he knows about us.” She cut off discussion and began unbuttoning my shirt. Then she reached the bottom and said, “I just realized… We haven’t had sex in almost a year. And we haven’t done anything since New Year’s.”
“We’ve been busy.”
“And you were holding off ’cause of me,” Christy said. She lowered the waistband of my boxers. My pride and joy flopped out. “Mmm, penis.”
Wren rolled her eyes. “She’s goofy about dicks. Especially yours. That’s all she talks about sometimes.”
“So sue me,” Christy said. “Besides, you never complained. I thought you liked hearing about him.”
“That’s because I don’t have a choice. I’m usually recovering.” She chuckled and said to me, “Have you ever noticed how she starts talking the moment she gets you off? I mean, not even a half-second later. She just picks up right where she left off.”
“I’m not listening to you,” Christy said in a singsong. She lifted my foot and pulled off my pants.
“She chatters when she’s excited,” I said.
“I thought it was only when she’s nervous,” Wren said.
I shook my head and lifted the other foot. “When she’s excited too.”