“If you’re worried she might try something—”
“I’m not. I’m… uh…”
“Worried that I might try something?”
“No. You’ve been a complete gentleman.”
“Ah. I get it. You’re worried what you might do.”
She grimaced and didn’t answer.
I shrugged. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to.”
“What if I get drunk again and lose control?”
“You weren’t drunk,” I said, “and you didn’t lose control.”
“Yeah, I did. I flashed you! I told you… all those things.”
“So? You let your inhibitions down.”
“But I don’t like it when I do that.”
“You liked it at the time.”
“Well, I regret it now,” she said immediately.
I shot her a sideways look and ran in silence.
“Okay, no, I don’t regret it,” she said at last. “But I— we can’t let it happen again.”
“Even though we both want it to?”
“You’re in a relationship.”
“An open relationship. Christy knows. Why d’you think she invited you tonight?”
“Because she still wants to… you know. With me.”
“Well, that’s true,” I admitted. “But she also wants you and me to… you know.” I decided to tell her the truth. “She actually wants me to seduce you and turn you bi.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. I told her it doesn’t work like that—”
“It doesn’t. I like men. One in particular,” she muttered, loud enough for me to hear. “But he’s taken.”
“In a relationship,” I stressed. “That isn’t the same thing as ‘off the market.’ As a matter of fact, I’m very much on the market as far as you’re concerned.”
“What about Lily? Were you on the market for her? Sorry,” she said immediately. “I don’t have any right.”
“Lily was…” I searched for the right word and decided on, “Not a mistake. She was young. And curious. And… looking for a good time.”
“So you did it with her? Ahh! I’m not like that! Jealous.”
“Does it bother you?” I asked.
“A little, yeah.”
“Why?”
She didn’t answer. She asked instead, “Will she be there tonight?”
“I don’t think so. She… moved on. Which is probably for the best.”
“Typical,” she muttered.
“Listen,” I said, “I’ve been completely honest with you. I haven’t lied and haven’t hidden anything. I’ve told you exactly what I want.”
“Yeah, you have.”
“I could’ve kept going the other night—”
“Yeah,” she said, so quietly that I almost didn’t hear.
“—but you asked me not to, so I didn’t.”
“But… why?”
“Because I respect you.”
“That’s a new one. Sorry. I shouldn’t be sarcastic,” she said. “Not when you’re being honest. I just… don’t know how to act. I’ve never been in a situation like this. I don’t even know what I want.”
“I think you do.”
She frowned and ran in silence.
After a minute I looked at her sideways and said, “You really are in good condition.”
“Thanks. And thanks for saying ‘condition,’ too, instead of ‘shape.’”
“I like your shape, but I wasn’t flirting. It was an honest compliment.”
“Thank you. And you have been honest.”
We ran in silence for another few blocks.
“Will you come tonight?” I said eventually. “I’d like to see you.”
“I’ll… think about it.” She glanced at me and grinned. “On second thought, I’ll do it. But on one condition.”
“Name it.”
“Take off your shirt.”
“What?” I laughed. “Now?”
“Yeah. I wanna see what you’re hiding under there. Besides, you’ve already seen me.”
“Fair enough.” I stripped off my shirt and tucked it into the waistband of my shorts.
“Nice.”
“Thanks. Any chance you’ll do the same?”
“Maybe. If you’re lucky.” She grinned a challenge. “If you can catch me.”
She sprinted off at a dead run. I tried to catch her—I even kept up for a while—but she was too fast. Worse, she had enough stamina to keep up the pace until I lagged and fell behind. I finally gave up and slowed to a stop. I walked in a circle and sucked in great lungfuls of air.
Terri jogged back with a smug grin. At least she was breathing hard too. Her chest heaved, and beads of sweat covered her smooth skin.
“You give up?” she panted.
“Never.”
“Good. I like that in a man. Walk me home while we cool down?”
“As soon as— I catch— my breath.”
She grinned and waited until I could breathe without a stitch in my side.
“I thought for a minute you might catch me,” she said.
“Not a chance. But… what would you have done if I had?”
“What I promised.”
My eyebrows shot up.
“I’m not a prude,” she laughed. “You should’ve realized that by now. I’m just… private.”
“Good to know.”
We reached her apartment building. She started up the stairs but turned before I could follow. She grinned down at me.
“You know,” I said idly, “for someone who doesn’t like to talk about her breasts, you sure like to show ’em off.”
“I didn’t say I don’t like to talk about them. I said we shouldn’t talk about them.”
“Ah. So you do like to talk about them?”
“Of course. They’re pretty amazing, if I say so myself.” She grinned and changed the subject. “What do you want for your birthday?”
“You.”
“No,” she laughed. “Something I can give you.”
“Sex.”
She rolled her eyes. “Something I can wrap. Like, a present?”
“Your body.”
“You don’t give up, do you?”
“No. Sorry. Except I’m not.”
“I can tell,” she laughed again. “Seriously. What do you want? For your birthday?” she stressed.
“Wear something sexy to the party.”
“That’s it?”
“Unless nude is an option.”
“I don’t mind nude. I kinda like it, as a matter of fact. But not for parties.” She paused and considered the request. “I can wear something sexy,” she said at last. “Do you have anything in mind?”
“Something that shows off your breasts.”
“Of course,” she laughed. “What’s the point otherwise?”
“Exactly. So… you’ll do it?”
“Mmm. I have just the thing.”
“Good. I’m looking forward to it.”
She arched an eyebrow and glanced at my shorts. “I can tell. I like that in a man too.”
* * *
I spent the rest of the morning relaxing and enjoying myself, although I couldn’t help but wonder what I was doing with Terri. I liked her, and I definitely wanted to have sex with her, but why was I chasing her so hard when I already had Christy? Sure, Christy wanted to have sex with her too, but that didn’t explain it. Well, not entirely.
At least I didn’t have time to brood about it. My parents called to wish me a happy birthday, and I spent a while talking to Erin about her trip to Europe. Susan called too, and she didn’t mention business once. I talked to both sets of grandparents and even my aunt in Florida.
I thought I was done with family and friends, but the phone rang again. I answered, and a small boy sang “Happy Birthday” with a woman accompanying him in the background. I had no idea who they were until he handed the phone to his mother.
“Hi, it’s Lynne. Carmichael.”
“Oh, Lynne! Hi!”
“Happy birthday. John wanted to sing. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, it was awesome! Tell him thank you very much.”
We chatted for a moment and then she apologized for not being able to come to Knoxville for Christy’s graduation.
“Jim’s on cruise,” she explained. “And traveling by myself with three children…”