“That isn’t why you pulled me over here.”
“What do you mean?”
“You were jealous.”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “I’m still convinced we did the right thing. But then I saw her, and I guess I kind of snapped. ‘What’s so special about her?’ I thought. ‘Why does she get to have him and I don’t?’ That kind of thing. It won’t happen again.”
“That’s okay. But you know how I feel. I’d much rather have you than her.”
“For all the good it does.”
* * *
Christy finished her lotions and potions and then studied herself in the mirror. She was working up to something, so I slid my bookmark into place and set the book on the nightstand. I watched her from behind as she turned left and then right.
After a moment she faced the mirror. She cupped her breasts and pushed them up, but it wasn’t her usual sag test. She pressed them together and formed a small valley. It was a nice valley, but hardly the Grand Canyon. I did my best not to smile, although she was too preoccupied to notice. Instead, she turned sideways to study her profile. She repeated the whole process and didn’t like the results any better.
“Do you ever wish I was bigger?” she finally asked. “Up top, I mean. I know what you’re thinking, but I’m serious.”
“I think they’re fine,” I said. “Better than fine.”
“Thank you. But do you wish they were bigger?”
“Not really.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
She lifted them again. “I can’t help but compare them to others. Terri’s my size but hers are a D cup. They’re so firm, though. Oh my gosh, Paul! You wouldn’t believe what they look like without a bra. They don’t sag at all.”
I wouldn’t know, I thought crossly, although I managed to keep it off my face.
“She doesn’t have to wear a push-up bra or anything. And her dresses always show cleavage.” She sighed. “I wish she was more like me. Or Brooke.”
Once again, I kept my real feelings to myself.
“Speaking of which, hers are perfect too. Brooke’s, I mean. Better than any of the ones in Playboy or Penthouse. Oh, that reminds me. You still need to get a subscription to those. And Penthouse Letters. Maybe Variations too. It’s in the Handbook. Page two.”
“I’ll get right on it,” I chuckled.
“I’m serious. I want to keep our sex life interesting. Marianne says it’s the secret to a happy marriage.”
I kept my mouth shut about her as well. Some of Marianne’s advice was good, some not-so-good. The rhythm method would’ve been a failure for us too, especially if Christy’s mother hadn’t intervened when she had.
“You know I like to look at the pictures and read the letters,” Christy continued. “You’ll be the one who benefits, so take care of it, please.”
“Yes, dear,” I said, with only a hint of a grin in my voice.
“I heard that,” she warned. “Anyway, where was I? Right, Brooke. Hers sag a little but they’re perfect, better than the magazines.”
“You can’t have sex with a magazine.”
“You know what I mean. Even Wren’s are nicer than mine.”
“Bigger,” I corrected. “Not nicer.”
“Leah’s are.”
“Hard to argue with that,” I said. “Leah’s are about perfect. But so are yours.”
“What about Erin’s? Hers are bigger. And your mom’s? Susan’s? You grew up around big breasts. So I worry that you’ll get tired of mine.”
I rolled out of bed and went to stand behind her. I put my hands on her shoulders and deliberately held her eyes in the mirror.
“I love you for more than your breasts,” I said. “If I only cared about size, I’d still be with Kendall.”
“I’m glad you aren’t,” she said softly.
“Me too.”
“Only, I worry sometimes. I don’t mind being small—my body, I mean—but sometimes I wish my breasts were bigger. Like Lily’s.”
Somehow I’d known all along that we’d end up talking about her.
“Hers are nice,” I said. “But they aren’t yours. They aren’t going to bed with me tonight. Or tomorrow night. Or the next night. They aren’t going to marry me. And they aren’t going to grow old with me.”
She smiled and turned in my arms. “I love you so much sometimes.”
I hugged her and kissed the top of her head in agreement.
After a moment she laughed, soft and affectionate. “I can feel you thinking.”
“Yeah, sorry.”
“About what? Never mind. I probably know. Lily, right? I really like her. Don’t you?”
“Yeah, she’s cute,” I said.
“Uh-oh.” Christy relaxed her hug and looked up at me. “What’s the matter?”
“I guess I’m wondering what you plan to do with her?”
“What d’you mean?”
I hadn’t rehearsed any part of the conversation, and a half-dozen questions raced through my mind. I wanted to avoid a repeat of the Terri fiasco, but anything I said was likely to start an argument. I had to choose my next words very carefully.
“Should I help?” I said at last. “Stay out of the way? Run interference with Will? What?”
“I don’t know,” Christy admitted.
“Well, you obviously want to sleep with her—”
“Oh my gosh, yes!”
“—and I’m fine with that. But… I’d like to know what your plans are. Before you spring them on me.”
“You make me sound like Wren.”
“That isn’t what I meant. I know you don’t have some grand plan and a marketing campaign. But you do have a plan, even if you haven’t thought about it consciously.”
“I suppose,” she said, a little stubbornly.
I wasn’t going to get anywhere by arguing with her. “Just… think about it,” I said. “And talk to me before you do anything. We’re partners, remember?”
“Equal partners,” she agreed. “Only, you’re in charge.” She thought of something and frowned. “Hold on, it says in the Handbook that you’re supposed to seduce my friends. Even the ones I just met. It says so. On page six.”
“I thought it was page nine,” I teased.
“No, page nine is nude entertainment. Strip clubs, burlesque shows, et cetera.”
“I need a copy of this Handbook.”
“Don’t worry, I memorized it.”
“Uh-huh,” I said dubiously. “I think you’re making it up as we go.”
“I am not!” She cut me off before I could reply. “Don’t argue. It says in the Handbook that you’re supposed to do whatever your wife or girlfriend asks. That’s me, by the way.”
“Ah. So you’re in charge now?”
“No, of course not. You’re the man. You’re in charge.”
“Except when I’m not,” I teased.
“Ugh! Why do you have to be so infuriating and cute at the same time?”
“It’s part of my charm.”
“Can’t you be charming and quiet?”
“That depends,” I said. “I’m pretty quiet when you kiss me.”
She did.
“I’m quiet when you play with me.”
She gripped my cock and began kneading it gently.
“I’m really quiet when you—”
“Shh.” She held a finger to my lips. Then she glanced down. “Mr. Big says thank you. He couldn’t get a word in edgewise.”
Oh, really? I said with a look.
“No,” she said aloud. “And he’s very upset about it. I should console him.” She grinned and sank to her knees. “I think he’ll be happier in my mouth.”
He was.
* * *
Christy spent several days working on her casting models, and Lily stopped by every day for a couple of hours. I wasn’t exactly tired of her, but she’d sort of invaded our lives. She reminded me of some of the younger kids from high school, the ones who liked to hang around with us older kids, because they thought we were cool. They hadn’t been obnoxious or anything, but they hadn’t been close friends either.