Chapter 14
"Who are you?" Judy said. She felt the body beside her stiffen.
"What?" His voice was touched with panic.
"Why are you in my bed?" Judy was frightened, but she managed to make her voice sound stern.
There was a second's strained silence. Then, the figure beside her leaped from the bed. "Holy Cow," he said.
Judy reached out an arm and found the lamp beside the bed. The sudden light blinded her for a moment and she covered her eyes. After a bit, she opened her fingers slightly and peeked past them at the person standing beside the bed.
It was a young boy-a boy about her age. He was tall and well-built, she noticed, and would probably be very good-looking when he wasn't so frightened. He was also just a little drunk, she decided, but he was sobering up rapidly.
"Miss," he said, squinting against the light, "don't yell, or anything. Please I-I made a mistake. I got into the wrong room." He started backing toward the door.
Judy watched the play of expression on his face. He looked so completely at a loss, and so thoroughly frightened of her, that she began to giggle. She took her hand from her eyes and covered her mouth with it.
The boy stopped and stared at her. His mouth was hanging open.
It occurred to Judy that she was still naked; that the sheet was still in a pile around her feet. She realized that she should cover herself, but she was enjoying the effect her nudity was having on the boy. She watched his eyes as they flickered from one part of her body to the other, and she felt a wave of pleasure flush her skin.
"It's all right," she said, trying to suppress her giggling "You just made a mistake "
"You're-you're beautiful!" he said in a cracked voice.
"Why, thank you," she said. She dropped her hand from her mouth and let it fall on the bed beside her. Her young body was completely exposed to him and she was surprised at the pleasure of having a man examine her nakedness with his eyes. His stares were almost caresses. A little quiver ran through her.
"What's your name?" she asked.
It took a second for the question to penetrate. Then he stammered it out in a rush, as if trying to make up for the pause. "Ch-Ch-Chester."
"Chester," she repeated. She had always thought of Chester as a rather silly name. She had a cousin named Chester. But somehow the sound of the name lost its foolishness when applied to this handsome young man. "Chester-that's a nice name."
His hands were slowly clenching and unclenching. His eyes never left her body.
"My name is Judy," she said.
"Don't you think I better go now?" he said.
"No," she said. "Come over here and sit down beside me."
The amazement on the boy's face almost set her giggling again, but she controlled it. A warmth was stealing through her veins, a feeling of pleasure and anticipation that had nothing to do with laughter.
He's very good-looking, she thought. He's tali and he has a good build. He's just about my age.
She held out an arm toward him and said, "Come here, Chester."
He followed the sound of her voice like a sleep walker, crossing the room with hesitant steps. Finally, he got to the bed. She put her hand on his arm.
"Sit down here" she said, nodding at the edge of the bed.
He lowered himself without taking his eyes from her. She could see his gaze traveling across her body. His eyes came to rest on her breasts.
A small thrill twinged inside her as she watched his face. She felt her nipples begin to stiffen and she saw his eyes widen slightly as he noticed it. The expression of surprise and dismay on his face was slowly giving way to something else.
Yes, she thought, it's going to happen. I'm going to have it again. The thought warmed her.
"Are you here with anyone?" she asked.
"Yes," he said dreamily, his eyes fastened on her breasts.
"Who?" She wondered if he had another woman waiting for him in this room. The idea didn't bother her.
"A lady," he said. A small knot of worry crossed his brow and he looked up into her face. She was surprised at the look of pain in his eyes.
"A lady?" she repeated.
He nodded. "A pretty lady."
"Did you make kwe to her?" Judy asked.
"No," he said. "I was supposed to, but I didn't."
"Why not?" Judy felt one of his trouser-covered legs pressing against her nude hip. It felt hard and solid beneath the cloth.
The pain in his eyes spread into his face. Then he stood up and started toward the door. "I better go now," he said again.
"Why not?" Judy called after him. "What happened?"
He stopped at the door and turned to look at her. "Are you here with a man?" he asked.
"Yes." Judy thought once of Harry, then dismissed him from her mind.
"Wait for him," he said. "You don't want me. Wait for your man." He turned and put his hand on the knob.
Judy pushed herself up and climbed out of the bed. She came across the room to him. "Wait, Chester," she said. "What's wrong?"
"Go back to bed," he said, his voice bitter. "Wait for your man."
She stopped a few feet from him. "You think I'm a hooker?" she said.
His eyes went wide. "No-no, I don't. My God, no-I don't think that."
"Then why are you going away?" She crossed her arms under her breasts, letting the weight of them rest on her forearms.
He spread his hands m a helpless gesture. "You don't want me! Believe me, I'm not for you!"
The expression on his face was painful to watch. On a sudden impulse, Judy went up to him and put her arms around his neck. Their faces were inches apart.
"I want you," she said. "I'm not a hooker. I don't want money. I'm not trying to get you in trouble. I just like you and want you. Why can't I have you?"
He averted his eyes from hers. "Is it the woman?" she asked. "No-" he said. "It's-it's me." She put up a hand and turned his face toward her. "There's nothing wrong with you."
His eyes looked into hers for a long moment. Then, all at once, she saw tears beginning there. He threw his arms around her and buried his face between her breasts.
She put her hands in his hair and held him close. She could feel the wetness of his tears against her skin.
"I don't know how," he said, his voice muffled. "I never did before."
It took a moment for the full impact of his words to hit her. Then she threw her arms around his head and pulled his face tight against her body.
The memory of what Harry had said in the car came back to her. He had told her what to expect of men-how they thought and what they were like. But he had left something out, she realized. There was one kind of man that he hadn't mentioned.
The young virgin.
Like herself.
He took me here, she thought, and made love to me. He showed me what it's like to be a woman. He is a mature man with a lot of life behind him and he shared that with me because he knew that was what I needed. Now, it's my turn to do that for someone.
She drew away from the boy and lifted his face with her hand. He looked at her, then jumped away. "No," he said, "let me go."
"I want you to make love to me, Chester," she said, walking toward him. He backed away from the door and she slowly circled until the bed was behind him.
"No-no! You don't want me? I don't know how!" There was desperation in his tone.
"I will show you how," she said. "It will be good for both of us. Let me show you how."
He backed up against the bed. He seemed startled as he felt the edge against the backs of his knees. He glanced over his shoulder in panic, as if he stood at the rim of a pit.
She came up to him and put her hands on his chest. "Let me show you how," she said.
Her fingers went to the buttons on his shirt and began to undo them, one by one. His body was stiff beneath her hands. She did not look at his face.
She opened the last button and pulled the shirt out of his trousers. He wasn't wearing an undershirt. His chest was thin, but well-muscled, with hard ridges outlining the structure beneath the skin.
"You're very well-built," she said, sliding her palms over his smooth chest. She felt him quiver under her touch.
Her fingers went to his belt-buckle. The belt opened. Her hands found the zipper and pulled it down.
She felt a brief touch of him as she pulled the trousers from around his hips. He's ready, she thought with a glow. He's not that frightened.
She pushed him down on the bed and pulled the trousers completely off. Then she stripped off his shoes and socks.
She threw the clothing across the floor and stood up to face him. His only clothing was a pair of boxer shorts. They had come open in the front.
She felt a chill cross herself as she looked at him. "You're a man," she said.
He arose from the bed slowly, as if hypnotized. He pulled the shorts off. Then he reached out his arms and drew her to him.
Judy felt a touch of fire as their bodies met. His lips found hers and they shared a long, probing kiss. She moved her hands against his hard back.
He turned her around in an easy, graceful gesture and let her down onto the bed. Then he stretched out beside her. His lips found her breast.
Once again, she felt the consuming pleasure wash through her as he kissed her nipple; once again, she felt the deep incredible stirring as he caressed her.
But this time was better.
The realization startled her. But it was true. As much as Harry had given her, this boy was giving her more. His lips combined with her in a chemistry that set her whole body quivering.
She felt the bed creak and sag as he moved against her.
He touched. With one move he took her.
He lifted his lips from her breast and put his head beside her ear. His breath boomed in her car. "Judy," he said.
They began together. Slowly at first, letting the sensation build upward. The tide of passion caught them both, and they let it rock them in a rhythm as old as time.
Her fingernails needled his back as the dark swell rose toward its crest.
She felt a crushing thread of fire being drawn from her. There was a blinding moment when her whole body arched like a strung bow.
Then, the wave crested.
The world burst like a bubble.
Somewhere, a clock solemnly tolled the hour of midnight.