'Do ducks quack? Fortunately, I was wearing my favourite black mini-skirt, the one with the studs up the side. He pushed it up a bit and whipped out his Swiss Army knife.' She laughed and tossed her straight black
hair. 'I love a man who carries his own tools. Anyway, he sliced the crotch of my underwear and pushed real close so no one could see what we were doing - except kissing, of course. He was a nice kisser, too, lots of tongue action. I pushed those lycra shorts down until he sprang out and then I slid straight down on him. It was nice, Kate, hot and strong.' She fanned herself. 'Young men do get so desperate.'
'Especially when they're acting out their fantasies,’ I said, thinking of Sean and his tube of lubricant.
'Exactly. He didn't take but a second to come. I was disappointed, until I realised he was just warming up. "Please don't go," he said, when I was about to climb off. "When someone gets me this hot, once is never enough." As you might imagine, I was happy to oblige. The second time did last forever. We had to be careful, with all those people walking by. We couldn't thrust really hard - just little shakes and rolls with that bike seat digging into me the whole time. Deliciously frustrating. He had to grind his thumb over me before I could come, but when I did, I thought the top of my head would fly off. Then we adjourned to my car.'
To your car?' Marianne owned a classic Volkswagen Beetle.
'He wasn't going to make it all the way to my house. I'm telling you, Kate, the boy was pneumatic. The back seat was cramped, but - hey - I'm flexible. He took me twice before I drove him back to campus. He's a student at the University of Pennsylvania.' She tapped her nose with one finger. 'I wonder if he knows your lodgers.'
I sensed visions of orgies dancing through her head. Alarm bells rang in mine. Despite my fondness for Marianne, I had no desire to share my sex life with her, or my new playmates.
'Sean and Joe are postgraduate students,' I said. 'Keith is only in his second year.'
Marianne shrugged. 'Just a thought. No need to get miffed.'
Her indifference was feigned, of course. If I gave her
the least encouragement, she'd have us all in bed within the hour - though my presence was probably optional. I didn't know what she'd do if she discovered I'd lived out her fantasy already. Marianne had a competitive streak as wide as the Ben Franklin Bridge.
I pulled my chair back to my walnut roll-top desk and started slitting correspondence - bills, authors' fliers, a postcard from my favourite publisher's rep. Sorting them like a robot, I thought: Better make sure she doesn't find out. Otherwise, I'll never hear the end of it.
Sean wandered in at noon, carrying a bouquet of yellow chrysanthemums. I thanked God Marianne was out to lunch.
'For you,' he said, then turned full circle to view the shop.
I watched him from behind the counter. Joe had dropped by many times, but never Sean. Two college girls pinkened as his gaze passed over them. He didn't seem to notice, which worried me. Was his attraction to me a big exception for him? If it was, our trio could break up awfully quickly. I wasn't sure how Joe would react to that. Joe was very loyal. He might give me up, too, if he thought his friend wasn't happy.
"This is nice,’ Sean said, his scrutiny complete. 'If I were a woman, I'd shop here.'
'If you were a man looking to pick up girls, you might shop here, too,’ I said, then blushed for what I might have implied. 'Um, what are the flowers for?'
He grinned. 'What do you think? They're a thank you from both of us - and an apology. We meant to wake up early and, you know, fit one more in, but I'm afraid neither of us is a morning person.'
This must mean my standing breakfast date with Joe was more of a tribute than I'd known. Annoyed with my pleasure at the discovery - for hadn't I promised to keep things light? - I reached under the counter for a vase. They're beautiful. Are you on your way to class or can you stay awhile?'
My invitation brought him up short. For a second, he looked like a wallflower who couldn't believe he'd been asked to dance. I felt good for asking, if a little worried for feeling good.
'I can stay,’ he said.
'Good. I'll show you around.'
I gave him the grand tour: new books, used books, the coffee lounge on the balcony. We finished in the back room. He headed straight for the old-fashioned rolling ladder and climbed to the top. The kid in me took over.
'Hold on,' I said, and shoved him the full length of the wall.
He whooped in delight. 'I love these things. My mother was a librarian. She never let me play with them.'
'She probably wasn't allowed to.'
He nodded, his face shadowed with conflicting emotions. How complicated people are once you start to know them. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Does that door lock?' he asked.
'Yes, but-'
Without waiting for me to finish, he clambered down and latched it.
'A customer might want to get in,' I said, but the determination in his face weakened my resistance, and my knees.