Chapter 13

In the warm privacy of Jim's apartment, Laurie stripped off her tattered clothes and luxuriated in a steaming, sudsy tub. Some of the soreness drained out of her and she smiled gratefully as Jim arrived with hot coffee. He lowered the toilet lid and sat at her side. His eyes filled with commiseration.

"Those bastards are going to get what's coming to them. When I look at your face...."

"Don't worry about my face. A few bruises and cuts won't kill me."

"But he didn't have to beat you up like that."

"We both knew it could happen," she said. "It was a calculated risk and as long as I'm alive and well, then it's best forgotten."

"I can't agree with you, Laurie. The bastard deserves to be punished. We can't let him get away with it."

"He was only licking his wounds. I'd hurt his pride and he had to hurt back."

Jim shook his head.

"Jim, try to look at it my way. I got into this thing for you because you suspected that drugs were being circulated on the campus. You felt a scandal would break loose and that the Board of Trustees would retire your father prematurely.

"Well that was apparently a bad guess based on a false rumor. To all intents and purposes, there is no LSD or pot here at Tri-Central, which makes it luckier than most universities."

"Laurie, I don't see...."

"The school is basically clean of that kind of trouble, Jim. Sure, you've got some runaway sex. All campuses have their share of that. But sex isn't going to kill anyone. It's not going to cause a deranged mind, or lead to serious drug addiction. Sex if fun!"

Jim was suddenly grinning at her. "You're a pepper pot when you get going, aren't you?"

"But I'm right. And if you call the fuzz on Eddie and the other guys, then there will be a scandal and your father's job will be in jeopardy."

"Then you think we should let it ride, huh?"

"Yes," she said somberly, "I do. And Eddie and the rest of the kooks are probably pretty scared right .now. They don't know if I'll turn them in, so they've probably cooled it and maybe for keeps." She finished her coffee. "Hand me a towel, will you, Jim?"

"I'll think about it." He reached to the rack.

"Better yet," she said, climbing to her feet, "you dry me."

"I'm a weak character," he said, grinning.

"You'd better be."

He spread the towel, gathered it over her bare back and rubbed, Her skin pinkened.

"Don't forget the front."

"I'm not" He turned her around. Then in a somewhat gender manner, he toweled her breasts. "I'm a devoted dryer."

"Show me."

"Very well." He smiled, gave her sweet, upright breasts the loving care that one administered to a baby. He stroked her lovely melons with a triangular portion of the towel, rubbing them dry in a sort of sleepy slow-motion movement that was guaranteed to arouse her and did. And when he was satisfied that her breasts were quite dry, he gave her nipples a playful tweak, pinching them until they became hard and red.

Laurie climbed out of the tub. Jim went to his knees and briskly rubbed the lower half of her body. His strong but gentle hands made her buttocks jiggle. Then he swept the towel up and down her glorious legs.

"Spread your legs, Laurie."

"You sound lewd."

"But I want to dry you and if I can't get the towel between your legs...."

Laurie spread her legs apart. She watched the expression on his face. His neck had reddened.

Laurie said, "Okay, Jim, my legs are spread. What are you waiting for?"

He appeared to be in a trance. He slowly brought the towel upwards, cupping her gently, then slowly rubbed the terrycloth towel back and forth, back and forth. Laurie felt a delicious tremor shiver its way through her body. Her lips compressed, then relaxed; her eyes grew dreamy.

"I think you've made me dry," she said weakly.

"But we ought to be absolutely certain, shouldn't we?"

"Y-yes. Yes, b-be certain."

He moved the towel somewhat faster now and Laurie could feel her body dawning and spawning newer and greater thrills.

"Y-you never did this."

"That's cause I never helped you out of a tub before."

"It feels wonderful!"

"I know," he breathed. His tongue circulated on her bare nipples.

"That tickles."

He began to lick them.

"Now you're making my nipples wet."

"I'm going to make everything wet," he whispered, and seconds later he lifted her warm and cuddlesome body and carried her to the bedroom. He caressed her silky young curves and brought her to a wild pitch of excitement. Laurie thought his fingers must have magic in their tips. He woke desires in her youthful body quicker than anyone she'd ever known. The thrills that he caused were beyond description and she knew of no better way to tell him than to open his pajamas, fumble briefly, and bring forth his ardor.

She was swiftly swept beyond her own limits, bending down to kiss him without being asked, puckering her small red mouth to encircle the gargantuan pleasures of his body. She stroked her lips back and forth, thundering his desire, thundering her own. Jim seized her ankles and straightened her body. His face became buried between her legs. His tongue brought her to the edge of a beautiful and dreamy hysteria. Happily occupied with what she described to him as her "all-day lollipop," Laurie was reluctant to draw her mouth away; but presently he drew her into a conventional position and drilled his way into her body.

Laurie let herself go. She let the wild thrills override her, let Jim pulse in and out of her body, and sex was never more wonderful.

"This isn't one of those days when we'll last forever, is it?" he said.

"No," she breathed shakily, "it isn't." She rocked her legs into the air, squirming so that her young body would accept all of him. "J-Jim...."

Their eyes locked. He nodded. Laurie nodded.

He pushed. Laurie arched her back to meet his thrust. Her buttocks lifted from the bed. Jim drove them back down. "Ohhhhh, L-Laurie!"

"C'mon, Jim," she urged. "C'mon...." She squeezed him. Her nails discovered his bare back. "LAURIEEEEE!"

And she was ready. Ready and bursting with passion. Spilling the liquid heat of her excitement over him mixing passion with passion, thrills with thrills, then sighing contentedly in one another's arms.

Afterwards, Laurie said, "I don't think two people were ever more compatible."

"Y'mean sexually?" Laurie hid her disappointment. She hadn't wanted to qualify her statement but Jim had done it for her.

"I think we're compatible in all ways," she said worriedly, watching what reaction claimed his expression.

"We get along," he said noncommittally.

"Jim, I'm in love with you," she said desperately.

"I know."

"Then...."

"I think a lot of you, Laurie. You know that." And I don't know how I'll ever repay you for all you've done, but ... Laurie making love is not necessarily being in love. Two people can get along sexually like none other in the whole world, yet they wouldn't have to be in love."

Laurie winked into the pillow.

"Please try to understand, Laurie."

She swallowed her tears, kept her face buried in the pillow.

"Laurie?"

"I'm all right," she mumbled. "Just leave me alone for a while."

"I'm sorry."

"Yes, so am I." And after a pause, some nose wiping, she added, "I suppose that's the way life is. You can seldom have what you want and you simply reconcile yourself with what is left."

"That's a weighty, gloomy kind of philosophy, but I guess you're right." He sat at her side, brushed the hair from her face.

She held his hand. "Jim, before I get dressed and leave, would you do me one small favor?"

"Anything, Laurie. Anything you want."

She smiled bravely. "Kiss me, Jim. A good one."

He bent down and pressed his mouth to hers. This kiss was gentle and compassionate and one that she'd treasure for many years to come. She said, "Thank you."

"It's I who owe you the thanks," he said, patting her hand. And then wanting to console her a bit more, he added, "Y'might remember this, Laurie: Sometimes second place is better than first." His eyes twinkled merrily and it took three days and a knock at her door before she discovered exactly what he meant.