completely
him, and I felt how there was no part of his body I wouldn’t want to touch, no way I wouldn’t allow him to touch me.
When he’d rolled the condom on, he straddled my waist and lowered his body down and thrust into me again, and he murmured, “I can’t believe anything that feels this good is legal,” and I said, “I’m really happy you’re here right now,” and he groaned against my neck. He came a few minutes later, collapsing onto me, and we both were quiet, I hugged him without speaking, and after a few more minutes, he lifted his head so we could see each other and said, “I meant to hold on a little longer, but you’re this goddess with these amazing, luscious breasts—”
“
” This was the first moment of the evening I did feel embarrassment.
“Do you not know that you have luscious breasts?”
I clamped my hand over his mouth.
When he pulled my hand off, he said, “Now your turn. I’m a rightie, so for maximum dexterity, it’s better if I go this way.” He nodded left with his chin and rolled off me.
“You don’t have to,” I said.
“Alice, I aim for total customer satisfaction.”
“I’m not sure—I just don’t—”
“You’ve had an orgasm before, haven’t you? It’s fine if you haven’t, although if that’s the case, you’ve been seriously shortchanged.”
“No, I have,” I said. “Just not, you know, every time.”
“That’s unacceptable. It’s a simple biological function.”
“Aren’t you enlightened.”
“Hey, I’ve read
I know all about the zipless you-know-what.”
“I appreciate—” I hesitated. How long I took had become an issue toward the end of my relationship with Simon; sometimes he’d given up. “I’m glad you want to try,” I said. “But I’m afraid it might not work, and I don’t want to spoil what’s been a really fun evening.”
“Clearly, you have no idea how talented I am in this department.”
I turned my head so we were making full eye contact. “Not tonight.”
He drew his eyebrows together. “I don’t understand how someone can turn down the—”
“Charlie, I don’t feel like it,” I said, and I knew there was an edge in my voice.
Neither of us spoke until he said tentatively, “Want to hear the other information I’ve gathered for your dossier?”
We had been under a spell, and the spell had broken. I didn’t want to be cold to him, but I also didn’t want to feign merriment. I said, “Maybe later.”
“No, it’s all positive. I’ve been updating my file over the course of the night.” His voice was warm and conciliatory. “I’ll start at the beginning: Alice Marie Lindgren, born April 6, 1946. Beloved only daughter of Phillip and Dorothy, granddaughter of—hmm—You might need to give me a hint.”
“Emilie.” I made sure to sound nicer, too—if he was trying, so could
I. Also, I was surprised and flattered to hear him reciting these facts. Although I had revealed them during the hours we’d spent lying on the couch in my living room the previous Saturday night, I hadn’t expected he’d remember, partly because he’d been drinking and partly because we’d been talking idly.
“Honor-roll student and all-around good girl,” he continued. “What religion are you, by the way?”
“My family is Lutheran, but I only go to church when I’m with them.”
“You don’t go to church? Mon dieu, I was bedded by an atheist!”
“Oh, please,” I said, and Charlie snuggled in to me.
“Moving on. University of Wisconsin class of 1968—summa cum laude?”
I shook my head. “Magna, but given that you’re the one who went to Princeton, I’m not sure why you think I’m so smart.”
He grinned. “Let’s just say I wasn’t known around campus for my straight A’s. Luckily, this is about you, not me. After college, you teach third grade at—Give me a little help on this one, too.”
“Harrison Elementary,” I said. “But I doubt I told you before, so I won’t deduct points.”
“Frequent reader of
equally frequent crier. No, I’m teasing—I took a look at it, and I see why you’re a fan. And not too many big words for a knucklehead like me.” He’d sought out
