The Present... Tuesday Morning...

My bra was unhooked. I hadn't said no to that. I'd let other boys feel me up through my shirt on dates. I'd let Tom do the same the first time I'd snuck into his house. The second time in his bedroom, for the first time I'd let a boy put his hand under my shirt. Tom lived down the street from me. Both of his parents worked. This was the third time I'd snuck into his house through the backdoor to fool around in his bedroom.

Tom continued to kiss me as his hand pushed my bra cups up and over my boobs. I moaned at how good it felt to have my bare boobs fondled again. In fact, since I'd let Tom's hand be the first to go under my shirt, I'd thought of hardly anything else except, if a hand on my boob felt so good, what would it feel like to have my nipples sucked on. I couldn't stop another moan when Tom squeezed my boob harder…

Taking my moan as a green light to go further, Tom deepened our kiss as his hand left my boob and began to unbutton my blouse. I didn't stop him. I didn't stop him from pulling my blouse open wider. I didn't stop him from taking his mouth from mine to kiss his way down my neck and chest until... The first contact of Tom's sucking mouth on my hard nipple sent what felt like an electric shock through me! Oh, my God! Not even in my imagination had I thought it would feel this good as Tom took turns sucking on both of my nipples as his hand cupped and molded my tits. The more Tom played with my tits… The harder Tom sucked on my nipples… The greater was the pleasure I felt… The deeper my moans sounded.

I'd never let any boy go this far. The last time I was alone with Tom in his bedroom was the first time I'd let a boy even unhook my bra! I knew boys liked looking at my big 33Ds. The few I'd let hold them seemed to have enjoyed fondling them as much as I'd enjoyed feeling my boobs played with. Girlfriends had told me in whispering giggles how good it felt when they'd let a boy suck on their tits. I was so glad I'd decided that today I'd find out for myself. Now I believed them!

I was wondering if Tom would try to get into my pants again. The last time I'd been in his bedroom, I'd stopped him from un-doing my jeans. Today I wasn't sure I'd stop him. Masturbating late at night, I'd wondered what it would have felt like if I hadn't stopped him. What would it feel like to have a boy suck on my boobs. To touch me between my legs?

I was learning how good it felt to have my hard nipples sucked on. How wicked it felt to have my boobs exposed out of my shirt. Maybe...

When Tom's hand stopped playing with my tits and began sliding down my clenching stomach muscles, I knew I'd let him. Today was the day and I was curious to see what it would feel like. Today, I was so nervous I couldn't stop my stomach muscles from trembling as Tom opened the snap of my jeans and pulled the zipper low enough for his fingers to slide over my mound.

There wasn't much room in my tight jeans but with perseverance, Tom's fingers pushed past my mound and over my panties. Fingers pressed into and rubbed the fleshy lips over my clitoris... WOW, all thought was put on hold as pleasurable sensations between my legs increased more and more the more Tom rubbed. God, I'm such a slut, I thought as I placed a hand on the back of Tom's head to pull his sucking mouth tighter to my nipple even as my hips began to move, pressing my pussy up against Tom's fingers.

I gasped as a finger slipped under the side of my panties and into my oily slit to touch my clitoris. I'd touched myself before, but this first time as another's finger explored... Wow! Oh, fuck it felt so good. Tom's mouth left my nipple and at the first kiss and breath of hot air on my neck, I couldn't even remember the word 'no' when Tom's hand moved from between my legs to the sides of my jeans. Pushing on the waist of my jeans...

Wanting more, I didn't stop Tom and even lifted my hips up to help him ease my jeans past my butt cheeks. I couldn't stop my legs from shaking as Tom maneuvered my jeans down almost to my knees. I'd never felt so exposed and vulnerable as Tom's hand moved slowly up my bare inner thigh. His hand continued up and over my mound. This time when his hand moved to explore between my legs, it moved under my panties. Sliding over the hair on my mound and lips. Unconsciously my legs opened to give Tom free use of my pussy. With the added freedom, fingers went further down my slit and I felt pressure...

My hand gripped Tom's wrist, "No. I... I'm a virgin."

"I'll be careful," Tom replied. I felt his lips move on my sensitive neck and his hot breath. Oh, my God... Did I really want to stop Tom? My hand lost its grip on Tom's wrist but the pressure did ease as fingers retreated to move upwards to concentrate around my clitoris. Oh, my God, I was so wet! I could hear the moist sounds Tom's fingers made moving over, in and around my slit. The wet sounds as my pussy lips were pulled apart and came together again… Fingers slid easily up and down between and over my lips, pulling more of my wetness up to let fingertips slide frictionlessly over and around my clitoris. Touching, pressing, circling... I couldn't separate one sensation from another. The kisses and hot breath on my neck never stopped...

My arms tightened around Tom's shoulders. My ragged moans deepened. Feelings I'd only experienced when I'd touched myself began to build and build as my thighs began to tremble. Moans I couldn't control sounded loud in the car. For the first time, I felt the beginnings of an orgasm caused by another person. As my moans changed to a litany of soft, breathy Oh,GodOh,GodOh,GodOh,Gods, my legs drew together to trap Tom's hand between my thighs.

Deep abdominal muscles began to clench. My neck began bending backwards as I gasped and my breathing became ragged panting. My hips were trying to press my pussy into Tom's hand even as my hand moved and my fingers joined Tom's to press and move them 'just so' to add that little something extra I needed... Tom's mouth was again sucking hard on a nipple… Groans from deep in my chest changed to strained words from between clenched teeth, 'Ohhhh, fuuuuckkkkkk I'm gonna...'

**********

'I'm gonna ram that damned alarm clock up Danny's ass', was my first thought when the radio alarm went off. Seconds later a body on top of me pressed me into the mattress while an arm reached over to hit the Off Button. Oh, my God! My face was flushed and if not for my tampon, I knew I'd be dripping between my legs. I hadn't had so vivid a wet dream in months. I hadn't even thought of Tom in years! To have a wet dream while I was on my period was practically unknown. To have a wet dream interrupted was goddamn frustrating!

Poor Tom, I thought, remembering him with a smile. He'd tried so hard that Summer and never got beyond third base, some hand jobs, and a very few amateurish blow jobs. My time of going all the way would be with another guy, somewhere else on a different day.

I wondered what would have happened if the alarm had waited a few more minutes before going off. I'd never know now! So I was justifiably irked at being woken up. Damn it! Danny wakes me up at dawn! He changes my apartment's temperature to 'Icebox'! He never remembers to put the toilet seat down! He's changed my radio alarm to music I didn't like and... and... and that felt really nice as a mouth burrowed into my neck to leave a kiss under my ear. My irritation disappeared as, when I hummed in enjoyment, Danny took that as an invitation and a hand moved my hair out of the way to expose more of my neck and throat for more kisses. Hot breath in my ear combined with a low, rumbling, "Good morning..." made me shiver. Scrunching my neck into my shoulders, I rolled away and almost rolled off my bed.

I would have fallen if Danny's hand hadn't clasped my hip and pulled me back. That woke me up completely and I moved away from the edge as Danny gave me space. Wait a minute... I looked around... How?

I looked at Danny's back as he left the bed. Having tortured my neck with wonderful feelings, he was just gonna abandon me? I guessed so since he was already walking towards my bathroom for his shower and shave.

"Hey," I called after him. "I know that when we went to sleep, you were on this side! Now I wake up and you're on that side. What gives?"

Danny stopped to answer, "You were burning me up. I'm not used to sleeping under a sheet, two blankets, and a bedspread while a warm body tries to climb on top of me. Has anyone ever told you that you're like some kind'a living, heat-seeking missile? I'd move away to try and cool off and even asleep, you'd move to follow me. Pretty soon I was on the side of the bed, so I just rolled off. I walked around to the other side, tossed off everything but the sheet, and went to sleep. I guess your heat-seeking body sensors don't work across three feet of empty bed."

"But..." I started and stopped. I wasn't sure how I felt about this. This situation had never occurred to me and I was at a loss for words. Danny waited and I changed tack as I climbed out of bed. "I need the bathroom for a few minutes before you take your shower."

I was only wearing my panties, so Danny's eyes followed my every step as he moved out of the way. I shut the door and in the dim light, I sat on cold porcelain and my butt almost slipped into the water.

"Put the damned seat down when you're through," I yelled at Danny. Again!

I got an apologetic, "Sorry."

Oh, sure! Danny likes to look at me but doesn't want to sleep with me, I thought as I let the seat down. I wasn't sure how I felt about that as I peed and changed tampons. I let Danny have the bathroom. Deciding I was awake, I put my bunny slippers and house robe on for my trip to the kitchen. I turned up the thermostat that Danny had turned down and made coffee. I stayed in the kitchen sipping coffee while munching my morning Pop Tarts and that's where Danny found me. Dressed in work boots and a clean cover-all, all he needed was his hard hat to be a stand-in for a Village People music vid.

Pouring coffee, Danny stood opposite me to sip. A minute later, Danny looked at me curiously and asked, "What's wrong?"

I shrugged, "Nothing. Why?"

"You're quiet," he answered. "You're never quiet."

I shrugged.

"Okay. Now you're just plain creepy. What's wrong? I remembered to lower the toilet seat this time."

I shrugged. "I just never... I never even thought that..."

Danny waited and made a come-on gesture with a hand to prompt me.

I shrugged. "I just never thought it would be an issue. I never thought that a guy wouldn't want to sleep with me."

"What? I like sleeping with you."

"I don't mean sex," I hastened to add. "I mean sleep, sleep."

"That's what I meant."

"Yeah, right," I said not believing him. "You like sleeping with me so much you risked falling on your ass when you rolled off the edge of the bed to get away from me."

"You were burning me up," Danny explained. "I was sweating under all those covers. I'd try to move to get cool and you'd just slide over with me."

"There! You see," I said accusingly. "You don't like to sleep with me."

"I didn't say that. I was smothering under all those blankets. I guess my body temperature is higher than yours."

"But that's what I like about you," I explained. "You keep me warm."

"Olivia, I'm not your personal heating blanket. Maybe, if you take off some blankets..."

"Maybe," I said, shrugging. "Look, it's mostly my fault you're having to sleep here..."

"It's all your fault," Danny broke in to accuse.

"Alright! It's all my fault," I shot back. I was miffed. Try to do something nice for a guy... "So, it's up to me to figure out how to make you comfortable for a few more nights and then you can go sleep in your own bed!"

"Fine, you think about it. I need to leave for work," Danny said after looking at the wall clock. I could tell he was irritated that I was making an issue of his simply changing the side of the bed he slept on. He left without even trying to kiss me goodbye. Which just ticked me off more!

Won't sleep with me. Won't kiss me. What use is a boyfr... Nerd!... If he won't do a few simple things? I thought as I made my bed. I had nothing to do today except a few chores like getting a manicure/pedicure. I needed an inch or two cut off my hair. I'd made my appointment yesterday for today but it was way too early to leave yet.

Instead, I opened the rolling suitcase I'd used over my weekend of 'play acting' as a French Maid. Ugh, the maid's costumes were complete losses. As were the panties and hosiery. I put all the cum smelling mess into a plastic bag to throw away as I left later. What could be saved I tossed into the dirty clothes hamper. I rubbed down the inside of the suitcase with a rag damp with a lemony-scented cleaner and sprayed it down with air freshener.

Setting the suitcase aside to dry, I carried the stuffed envelope that had been inside the suitcase with me to my couch. Using my coffee table, I began sorting the 'presents' and tips the men I'd entertained had given me. Rich men trying to impress other rich men by giving me large gifts as the weekend ended had stuffed the envelope full. Gifts and the money I got by cashing in the chips men had given me had overflowed the envelope.

Many of the men had tipped me as I delivered drinks and sandwiches to the table or puffed cigars to life. Most by just slipping chips into my cleavage but some chips had been inserted somewhere lower down, especially as the weekend went on. Those chips I'd retrieved and rinsed off before adding them to my stash. After the game ended, I cashed my chips in. Since the lowest chip used was worth five hundred dollars, I had quite a stack of hundreds on my coffee table after sorting. It had been an exhausting weekend but extremely profitable! Not even counting what Marla would have deposited into my bank account by now, one weekend would pay my rent for months. Or I could splurge and get what I really wanted. A car.

All the hundreds went into the Flour tin on my kitchen counter. It was half full and I really should count what was there but I put off that chore for another day. Lesser bills from the lacquered box I threw any bill under a hundred and change I received during the day would pay for my spa date and they went into my purse. Drinking coffee while cleaning my kitchen floor and counters pushed the hands of my wall clock from way-too-early to a-decent-time. After a shower, I tamed my hair into a ponytail and left for a better breakfast of more coffee and sugary pastries from the Coffee Clutch before catching the subway for my spa day.

Remembering what Danny had said about my having no food in my kitchen except for Pop-Tarts, I decided to do more grocery shopping afterwards. Shopping with Sandra had netted me a good supply of chips, beer and canned chili but almost nothing else.

Tuesday Evening...

Danny came back from work, showered and we left to go shopping for his new furniture. Sandra would meet us there. At the store, Danny went to look over the selection and moan in anguish at the price tags. Sandra and I ignored him while looking for a new lamp for her living room. After a while, I wandered over to check out the couches.

"Why are you looking at couches," Sandra asked after joining me.

"Didn't see a lamp you liked?"

"Nope. You don't need a new couch. The one you have is perfect for your space."

"I was hoping to find a couch with a fold-out bed."

"Why," Sandra asked, bewildered. "You have a king-sized bed just a few feet away."

"Danny doesn't like sleeping with me. I thought that a fold-out bed..." I began to answer while looking at the selection. Then I shook my head, "But none of these would look good."

"Wait... Wait... Back it up. Danny doesn't like sleeping with you? No way!"

"Yes way. He says I smother him. Danny's the first guy I've ever slept with... You know, as in sleep-sleep... And it turns out I'm a lousy bed partner. I'm a smotherer."

"No way."

"Yes way."

I related how Danny had rolled out of bed last night to get away from me. Danny was a couple of aisles over and Sandra raised her voice, "Danny! Are you serious? You don't like to sleep with Tall-n-Luscious?"

Danny froze like a deer caught in the headlights. Twisting his head about to see if anyone else had heard Sandra, which probably included half the store, he walked quickly over, "Hey! Lower your voice. And I never said that I don't want to sleep with Olivia."

"Oh, I see," Sandra accused as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You like to sleep with her when there's sex involved but when there's no sex you abandon her. God! That is just so like a man!"

Sandra looked at the nearby salesman who was eager for a nice commission for selling us lots of over-priced furniture and asked, "Isn't that just like a man?" The salesman carefully backed away without answering.

"I... Never... Said... That," Danny hissed. "And would you lower your voice?"

Sandra didn't lower her voice, instead, she pointed at the still nearby salesman and summoned him over. "Tell the truth," Sandra said and now pointed at me. "Would you complain if you had to sleep with my friend for the night?"

Now the salesman looked like a deer in the headlights and Danny looked like he wanted to run. "Ahh, I'm married, Miss."

"That's never stopped any man I've ever met, but if you weren't married, would you want to spend the night in her bed," Sandra pressed for an answer.

"Hell, yeah," the salesman answered.

"What would you think of a guy who doesn't want to sleep with my friend?"

The salesman's eyes cut to Danny and then back to Sandra, "Umm, he's gay?"

"That's what I thought, too," Sandra crowed.

Sandra sent the salesman away and considered Danny critically, "Wow, Danny. I thought I had pretty good gaydar but you sure fooled me."

"I'm not gay," Danny hissed. "I'm out'a here." Danny walked away and stopped just before leaving the store. After returning, "I have no money for a cab or a hotel room! Is my money locked away with my things, too?"

"No," I answered. "It's in my apartment."

"Then why didn't you tell me? All I've got is pocket change."

I shrugged, "You never asked for it."

Danny sat down heavily in the chair behind him and put his face in his hands. I think he mumbled something about somebody driving him crazy.

Danny really needed a push to loosen up and I suddenly had an epiphany. Pulling Sandra aside, I quickly whispered, "Find a way to make a bet that he sleeps with both of us and tie it to a chess game."

Ready to follow my lead, Sandra didn't ask questions and just nodded. Returning close enough until I was certain Danny would hear, I said, as if answering a question from Sandra, "...I'm not so sure. He seemed to enjoy having sex with me."

Sandra followed my lead, "Maybe he was just curious. You never know. I still think he's gay, but he might be bi-curious..."

"I'm not gay or bi-curious," Danny said tiredly from behind his hands.

"Prove it," Sandra shot back.

Danny dropped his hands and fixed Sandra with a glare, "And how do you want me to prove that? And why should I even care what you think?"

Sandra was ready and replied, "Sleep with us. If you do that, I'll know for sure you're not gay."

"I'm not going to sleep with you..."

"I knew it," Sandra said decisively. "Gay."

"Mmm, maybe," I put in. "But maybe Danny is just uptight. He's really uncomfortable even talking about sex."

"Maybe," Sandra mused. "He was really upset when I grabbed his ass. Okay, Danny. I'll make you a bet. You and my girl here. You win and I'll drop the whole thing. No more grabbing your butt for fun. No more making you uncomfortable because I like watching you blush. You win and I'll even stop talking about sex when you're around."

"Go on," Danny said, eyeing the bait.

"But if you lose, you need to prove you're not gay and start loosening up about sex by sleeping with us. A threesome."

"And what contest do we bet on," Danny asked, sniffing the bait. "Arm wrestling?"

"I don't think so," I responded as Danny flexed his biceps. "It would have to be a mental contest."

"Okay. Pick a subject," Danny challenged. "Math, history, social studies... How about the U.S. Constitution?"

"I don't think so. You're in college," Sandra objected. "It needs to be a game."

"Fine," Danny agreed, nibbling on the bait. "But it has to be a game with some strategy involved. Nothing decided by lucky dice rolls or cutting for high cards."

"Agreed," Sandra said. Looking over at the poor, hapless salesman she commanded, "Name some games you've played."

"Uhh, I don't really want to get involved..."

"You want a ridiculously large commission, don't you," Sandra asked. "Names!"

"Uh, chess, checkers, Monopoly, Go, Risk, Stratego..."

"Have you played any of those," Sandra asked me.

I shook my head, "Only chess."

"That's perfect! You beat me all three games we've played," Sandra said.

"Sandra, I was teaching you the moves," I said quietly but not so quiet that Danny couldn't hear. "I haven't played anyone but my dad in years."

"So? You still beat me. I'm willing to bet you can beat him," Sandra responded with a disdainful look at Danny.

"Sandra, Danny plays on-line. My dad taught me the moves but he's the only person I've played against in years," I repeated dubiously.

"Agreed," Danny cut in before Sandra could withdraw her challenge. The hook was set. "One game of chess, winner-take-all. If I win both of you back off."

Danny pointed at Sandra, "No more come-ons from you. No more trying to embarrass me."

Danny looked at me, "And you will never again try to change me. No more butting in to get rid of furniture or rearrange my wardrobe. You'll discuss things with me before doing anything like telling my mom we're engaged."

"Agreed," Sandra answered for me. "But if Tall-n-Blonde wins, you loosen up. Unclench your sphincter every time sex is talked about. You sleep with us and..." Sandra smiled, "I get to grab your ass once a day!"

"Deal," Danny agreed and stuck out his hand.

"Deal," Sandra said as she took his hand and they shook on it.

I just stood on the sideline and tried very hard not to grin. Bait taken. Hook, line and sinker!

It was agreed that we'd play tonight after getting Danny's furniture. Danny pointed out a couch to the salesman and said he wanted it. I shook my head and said, "Not that one."

"Olivia, you just agreed to butt out of my life."

"You haven't won our game yet," I said reasonably. "Besides, I'm not vetoing your choice for no good reason. That couch is simply too long for your space." I pulled my tape measure out of my purse and, handing one end to Sandra, she walked to one end and I stood opposite with the tape between us.

"See? At least three feet too long. After you put in bookshelves, a table for your old computer, and a desk for your new computer, you'd have no room to walk around it."

"Bookshelves... I hadn't thought of that."

"Unless you want to stack your books on the floor," I smiled sweetly. I took charge and in no time I had all of Danny's furniture picked out. In deference to buying for a male of the species, there was nothing pastel. Everything was leather or heavy cloth in shades of brown. Danny seemed to agree with my choices. Couch, a chair, bookshelves, entertainment center for a big screen TV, desk, end tables, etc...

"Can you have everything delivered on Friday," I asked the salesman.

"Wait," Danny broke in. "You said the varnish would be dry today." Danny looked at the salesman, "Can it be delivered tomorrow?"

"It can't be tomorrow," I told Danny before our salesman could answer. "Tomorrow is when the painters come and everyone knows you need a day to let the paint dry and the fumes to air out before bringing in furniture."

"Why am I just being told about painters now," Danny ground out through clenched teeth. "You just agreed to butt out..."

"I arranged the painters before our silly bet," I explained.

"Well, you can call and cancel them. I want the couch delivered tomorrow," Danny told the salesman.

I reached into my purse and pulled out my credit card. Handing it over, I asked, "Mr. Salesman, whose credit card are you going to run to pay for the furniture?"

"Friday it is, Miss," he agreed and scurried off with my card to add up the total.

"That's low, Olivia. You know I don't have a credit limit on my card that high. I could have gotten just the couch though," Danny said in disgust and walked away.

Sandra moved close and asked softly, "Do you think we pushed him over the edge?"

"No," I answered. "He's just hungry. Men get grumpy when they're hungry."

"Well, now that you mention it, I wouldn't mind something to eat," Sandra said. "We're not very far from Syd's. What do you say we ply Danny with some stuffed potato shells and mushrooms with drinks? That ought to brighten his day."

I signed all the papers and got a time on Friday for delivery. The total cost made even me wince. But you have to pay for quality. "You'll have to buy at Syd's," I told Sandra. "I think I've reached my card's limit."

Danny was waiting for us outside on the sidewalk. "I thought you might have ditched us," I said.

"And go where? I have no apartment. No money for even a cab..."

"Come on, Danny," Sandra said and linked arms with him. "We're going for drinks and food. My treat."

Danny shook his arm loose, "You agreed to no touching."

"If you win the game. My money is still on Blondie here," Sandra answered. "Come on. It will be faster to just walk from here than wait for a taxi."

"Yea. I bet you're real familiar at walking the streets," Danny came back with.

"Huh, Kitty has claws," Sandra said, making her hand into a claw. "Meowwrrr. Don't try to be snarky, Danny. It just makes you sound more gay."

Before Danny could respond, I cut in, "Could the two of you call a truce for at least the rest of the night? I really want some stuffed potato shells."

"She makes me sick sometimes," Sandra told Danny, linking arms with him again. "She never gains a pound."

"I know! She never stops eating and never exercises and yet she stays so skinny..."

"I'm slender! Not skinny," I yelled and walked quickly to put them behind me. I'd had enough of being called skinny from elementary school through high school! When I started growing boobs I was, 'the skinny girl with the big boobs'. At least they were ragging on me instead of each other. I waited for them to catch up outside Syd's Place and we entered together.

Sandra had brought me here a week after we met. Syd was a huge Black man who'd worked twenty years as a bouncer before opening his own bar. He was one of those guys who's seen everything and knows everyone. Close to the business section, his clientele was mostly sad, overworked corporate drudges and some 'working girls' like Sandra and me. Syd doesn't care as long as we don't work his bar. He even likes us to drop in. He says we give the sad, overworked men something to fantasize about. A fantasizing man buys more drinks. We get our first drink for free.

Sandra and I led Danny to the bar. Syd came over and eyed Danny, "You bringing your work into my bar?"

"Danny isn't a client," I replied. "He's my nerd."

"I'm not her nerd," Danny said in a long-suffering tone.

"Okay. He's my fiancée," I told Syd and held up my engagement ring.

"Three of our usuals," Sandra interrupted. "And an order of potato skins."

"Make it two orders of skins and an order of mushrooms, I'm hungry," I said.

"You're always hungry," Syd said. Danny and Sandra both nodded in agreement.

Syd yelled our order into the back before eyeing Danny again, "She's legal. She isn't but gets a drink, anyway," Syd said, pointing at Sandra then me. "Let's see your ID."

Danny showed his driver's license. Syd nodded and handed it back before starting three Long Island Iced Teas.

"If you know she's underage, why do you let O..."

I kicked Danny's leg. "It's Viv. My name is Viv," I said quietly into his ear.

"She's pretty. She makes men stay for another drink while wondering if they have a shot with her. Good for my business. She gets one drink. If she wants another," Syd reached under the counter and put a large pair of scissors on the bar. "If she orders another drink, she shows me her fake ID. No more ID and no drink."

"I still say it's not fair," I pouted and sipped on my drink.

"Fuck fair," Syd declared. "Fair is me keeping my liquor license."

"Slow night, Syd," Sandra observed. Syd looked up from the lemon he was slicing.

"It's Tuesday. Always slow on Tuesdays. Hey, you want a second drink," Syd asked me and pointed the knife at the karaoke stage that no one used. "Give my customers a song. Add a little bump-n-grind to make 'em thirsty."

"I'm not good at bump..."

"Well, I'm great," Sandra cut in and finished her Iced Tea in long gulps. "Come on. Let's give these boys a song."

Sandra said she had the perfect song. "Okay, I'm Bill and you're Bobby. Just wait for the cue."

From the first notes I knew the iconic beat and started movin' and groovin' with the flow as The Righteous Brothers', I Just Want To Make Love To You, turned Syd's into a Blue's Bar. I thought Sandra was great and I didn't totally suck for the short time I got to sing. Our second drinks were waiting for us as we left the stage to nice applause. Potato skins and mushrooms followed soon after.

I looked at Danny who was still nursing his first drink. "You gotta drink another, Danny."

"Trying to get me drunk?"

"If I'm drinking two before our big game, you have to drink two," I told him. "Hey, Syd! Another for the wimp here."

Sandra slid off her stool and came back with two lit cigarettes she'd bummed from a customer and passed me one. Syd ran a smoking bar. Anyone worried about secondhand smoke could go drink somewhere else.

"You smoke," Danny asked in a disapproving tone.

"Only when I drink," I replied and took a healthy swallow from my second glass.

"And after sex," Sandra whooped.

"I'll drink to sex," I whooped back and clinked glasses with Sandra.

"Now you know why I cut her off at one drink," Syd told Danny while sliding his second Iced Tea onto the bar.

"Yea," Danny answered, waving smoke out of his face. "I've heard about cheap dates..."

"Cheap," I screeched and pushed my face into Danny's. "I'll have you know I might be easy but I'm not cheap!"

"I'll drink to easy," Sandra whooped. She was well into her third or fourth drink.

My potato skins had disappeared, and my cigarette was down to the filter. It was my turn to bum smokes but first... When Danny turned to answer a question from Sandra, I grabbed his hardly-touched second drink and downed almost all of it. Unfortunately, Syd saw me.

"Okay, that's it. I'm calling you three a taxi," Syd walked over to inform us. "You can wait on the sidewalk."

Sandra finished her fourth, or fifth?, Iced Tea quickly and let Danny herd her out the door. Outside, Danny looked at me and shook his head, "That's the first time I've been ejected from a bar."

"My, my… Listen to the college nerd use big words. Ejected! Stick with us Danny, and it won't be the last bar you get thrown out of," Sandra whooped. A couple of passers-by on the sidewalk whooped back.

When our taxi arrived, Danny got us corralled and in the back seat. He took my purse and rummaged until he found my cash. "Find us a place with strong coffee," Danny told the driver and passed a twenty to him.

**********

Two hours later we trooped into my apartment. Sober. Except for maybe Sandra. Amazingly I felt fine. No headache or hangover.

"Ready for our game, Danny?"

"You sure you're up to it," Danny asked.

"Absolutededly...ly..." I slurred. "Sure! May as well settle our bet now."

"You have a chess set? Mine's locked away."

"My dad got me one. He taught me how to play," I said as I fumbled to retrieve it from my closet. "I'm sure I brought it with me… Here it is!"

Setting the board on my coffee table, I grabbed a handful of black pieces and started setting them in place.

"You don't want to take your chance to get white," Danny asked, lining up the white pieces in front of him.

"Nah. I've already got the black ones almost set up."

White has the first move and is usually considered the strongest play. Danny pushed his King's pawn out and I matched with mine.

"Kick his ass, Viv," Sandra said from where she was slumped into the couch. She was still a little tipsy. I gave her a thumbs-up.

Danny brought out his King's Bishop. I pushed my Queen's Rook Pawn up a space. A very weak move. Usually...

Danny took the bait and brought out his Queen aiming for a four move Fool's Mate. I brought out my King's Knight to block.

I won't bore you with every move and countermove. Suffice it to say that Danny made too many moves trying for a quick checkmate thinking I was still a little drunk and confident he was a better player. It wasn't until I did a King-Side Castle that he stopped and really studied the board.

"That's a modified Sicilian Defense," Danny said and gave me a stink eye.

"Really," I asked with sugar toppings, wide guileless eyes, and batting eyelashes.

"Yes, really!" Danny sat back against the couch cushion. "You're not tipsy! It was all an act!"

"Really," I asked with sugar toppings, wide guileless eyes, and batting eyelashes.

Danny fixed me with a death stare, "You lied to me! You didn't say that you could play chess."

"I certainly did tell you many times I knew how to play," I answered huffily.

"Yeah, but not that you knew how to play play!"

"I once told you that I would never lie to you. If you drew the conclusion that I couldn't play play. That's on you!"

"And your dad is the only one you've played in years?"

"The absolute truth. Dad taught me to play when I was four years old and he's the only person I've played against since the Summer of my Freshman year of high school."

I smiled sweetly as Danny's scowl deepened, then added, "Oh, my goodness! Did I forget to mention that my dad is often referred to as an International Grandmaster by other chess players in the area."

"You just forgot to mention that did you?"

"Oopsy, my bad. It's your move," I reminded Danny.

I'll give Danny credit. He tried. But I had a lock on the center. I also had more pieces developed and his queen was out of position. My Queen side attack began to roll.

"Why did you quit playing others after your freshman year," Danny asked not much later while studying the board. There were only three moves left before I'd checkmate him.

"That was when I won the Under Sixteen All-City Tourney," I answered after crunching through a mouthful of popcorn. "I didn't feel good about taking advantage of the boys."

"How can you take advantage? It's a game of skill."

"You'd be amazed how even the best male teenager can lose concentration when a girl with big boobs and a scoop t-shirt is sitting across the table from him who then leans over the board," I answered. I crossed my arms on the table. Resting my boobs on them, I leaned forwards. I wasn't wearing a scoop t-shirt but Danny caught my meaning.

Danny gave me another stink-eye. "You never seem to feel bad about taking advantage of me," Dann grumped and moved.

"Nah. Taking advantage of you is fun," I replied and made my move. "Checkmate in two."