“Um, no. I understand the difference between just nude and nude for sex.” I followed her logic and laughed. “So you think I’d share girls with you?”
“We already have, when you think about it.”
“But now it’s
“Well… Christy’s really cute and all. And my girlfriend is ready to leave
me for a husband and kids.”
“Christy and I barely just kissed.”
“Yeah, but you’ll seduce her in a jiffy once you set your mind to it. Get busy!”
“You forget the Catholic guilt thing.”
“She didn’t seem guilty after you kissed her, did she? Or today?”
“No, not really. She’d talked to Wren about it, though.”
“Remind me who Wren is? I mean, I
“Five-three, about 120 pounds. Brown hair, about like mine, and hazel-blue eyes. Curvy, but not a Playmate.”
“She isn’t an art major, is she?”
“No. Communications. Public Relations.”
“Ah, right.”
“If you ever saw her, she was with Christy.”
“All I remember is that little bitch Aisling.”
I laughed. “You carry a grudge, don’t you?”
“You’d better believe it, buster!”
“Well, anyway, Christy must’ve told Wren about the kiss. Wren is playing matchmaker from both sides, so I’m sure she told her not to rush off to church or anything.”
“That bugs you?”
“Yeah, it does.”
She laughed, but it was soft and ironic.
“What?”
“I used to love going to Mass,” she admitted. “It was the one time I knew I wouldn’t get slapped around or called names.”
“Family or other kids?” I asked after a moment.
“Father. Alcoholic. Mean drunk.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Change the subject. Back to you.”
“Right. Got it. But if you ever wanna talk…”
“I don’t,” she said curtly. Then she sniffed.
“Whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault.”
“You think I don’t know that! I don’t need a fucking shrink, asshole!”
“Hey, calm down. I’m not a shrink. I’m your friend, remember?”
“Yeah,” she said, and sniffed again. “Just brings back bad memories.”
She laughed bitterly. “You’re the first guy I’ve ever been able to talk to about this.”
“A lot of guys are assholes.”
“You aren’t, though. I’ll give you that.”
“Thanks.”
“But seriously, let’s change the subject. Back to you and Christy.”
“Okay.”
“Does she know any of your past?”
“About the nudism and swinging? Are you kidding?”
“No, I’m serious. You’ll have to tell her, sooner or later.”
“Does Daphne know about
“Yeah, she does, matter o’ fact. So, whaddya have to say to that?”
“Ha! Was that your Pittsburgh accent?”
“Yeah. You like it? I mostly lost it when I was working through the Midwest.”
“I like it. It’s a part of you that most people don’t know.”
“Yeah, it is. But don’t make me start crying again. Asshole.”
“I won’t. Anyway, about me and Christy… Yeah, I’ll have to tell her some of it, but I guess I’m waiting for the right time. On the other hand, that’s one of the things that’s so appealing about Gina.”
“What about her?”
“Her family and mine are best friends. They’re nudists and swingers too.”
“Ah, right! The parties. You mentioned her. So you wouldn’t have to explain your deep, dark secrets to her.”
“Right.”
“Then let me ask you this: do you think Christy can handle them? ’Cause you can’t change your past. You can hide it, but sooner or later, it always catches up with you.”
“That’s kinda what I’m worried about. Christy has this whole good-girl, bad-girl thing going on. Wren says she isn’t as goody-goody as I think, and I’ve seen flashes of that. Give the girl a glass of wine and she’s as flirty as anyone. But when she’s sober, when she
“Mmm hmm.” She heard the quotes.
“—she’s a goody two shoes.”
“I’m not so sure,” she said after a moment. “You said she hadn’t had a drink when she kissed you.”
“A glass of wine at dinner, but that’s all. And that was a while before.
She was stone-cold sober at the time. And just to be clear,
“Yeah, but she kissed you back. And she was sucking your finger before you did.
I laughed.
“So maybe you’re oversimplifying things.”
“Maybe. But I’m still worried about telling Christy about my past. Maybe I’m reading too much into her behavior.”
“Maybe you should actually
“Ha! Listen to you. Who’s the shrink now?”
“Hey, I just know how it was with Daphne and me. Some of my favorite memories are when we just talked.” She laughed softly. “That and watching her dance.”
“Seriously? Me too.”
“You too what?”
“Watching Christy dance. Ballet.” I explained about her impromptu routines after aerobics.
“With me it was always watching Daphne at the club.”
“I bet. She’s—”
Someone knocked on my door.
“Hold on a sec,” I said to Sara. To the door, “Yeah? C’mon in.”
Christy opened the door and stuck her head in. “Sorry to bother you…”
“No problem. What’s up?”
“Only, you’ve been talking for two hours, and… Are you almost done?”
“Holy crap! Really?” I looked at my watch.
“Sorry. It’s just that I told my mom I’d call, and…”
