It Started with a Laugh

"Had a good time and found out that you are full of shit. Nancy isn't married. She divorced her husband when he joined the Army. Told him if he joined she wasn't going to sit home alone waiting for him to come home. He joined anyway and when I took her home she showed me the divorce papers so fuck off Pauline."

I went back to eating my lunch and ignored her and she finally walked away.

That night when I had my date with Nancy I told her what I'd told Pauline and she laughed and said "I wonder how long it will take her to spread that around."

"Do you care?"

"Hell no. But this is as good a time as any to bring up something I want to talk to you about."

"And that would be?"

"Have you heard the term friends with benefits?"

"I have."

"Would you consider such a relationship with me?"

I looked at her in silence for several seconds before saying "My initial thought was to say no. I'm afraid I might get emotionally involved and that's the one thing you promised your husband that you wouldn't let happen. On the other hand between working and taking night classes at the college I'm not going to have much in the way of free time to meet someone and form a relationship. I do have a question for you. Why me?"

"Two reasons. One is I remember the way you treated Barb before she got stupid on you and two is that you really rang my chimes when we made love. That makes you a known quantity and I would rather have a known quantity when I need my chimes rung than have to go out and find someone and end up with a dud."

"I rang your chimes? Knowing that how can I refuse? When can we see each other again?"

"Friday night at the Red Horse? I'll be there with Harlina Collins and Bev Abbeg."

"Can do."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Even though every day I saw Pauline in the cafeteria at lunch and got nasty looks from her she never approached me. Friday I got to the Red Horse at seven and as soon as I was in the door Nancy saw me and came over to me and said "Lina and Bev don't know we have something going and I don't want them to know okay?"

"No problem."

When we got to the table Nancy said "Look who I found."

Harlina said "Oh goodie; our very own dance partner."

Bev said "Dibs on first dance."

"Bullshit! I was the one who went and got him so I'm first."

I just smiled and said "Don't worry ladies; there's enough of me to go around.

I didn't get to order my first drink as Nancy pulled me out onto the dance floor. Once in my arms she said "What's with this enough of me to go around crap Buster? I get all you've got to give. Are we clear on that?"

I smiled and said "Yes dear."

It was a fun evening and I did dance with Harlina and Bev. The high point of the evening, for me anyway, was that Paulina was there with some guy I didn't know and every time I glanced her way she was looking at me with a look on her face that I read as disapproval. I made it a point to give her a smile every time I danced one of the girls past her table. Once I even winked at her. Silly of me to antagonize the bosses daughter, but I already knew what was going to happen to me when she finally came to work full time and daddy put her in management.

The band had quit a half hour before last call so we called it a night. Nance followed me to my apartment and then did her best to try and destroy me. I survived, but only barely. We spent a good part of the weekend in bed doing what Nancy seemed to like the most and I was one tired boy when I went to work on Monday.

As I was going into the cafeteria at lunch time I passed Pauline coming out. As she went by me she snarled "Asshole" and kept on walking. I smiled knowing that I was getting under her skin.

Before I took Nance home on Sunday she told me that she didn't want to see me again until the next Friday. She told me if she saw me more often it could turn into something she promised her husband she would avoid at all costs.

"I want to hold it to once a week, but I'm considering the entire weekend as the once. I can see myself getting into an emotional relationship with you and I cannot let that happen."

I told her that I understood, but said "Are you going to hold it against me if I date others on the nights I can't see you?"

"Not at all as long as I get my weekend. But I may, just may, give you a call during the week."

"You can call and if I don't already have date I'll come running."

As I drove home it occurred to me that I wouldn't be dating during the week. I'd be going to school at night. Between work and school I wasn't even sure I'd be able to take care of Nancy on the weekends.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Everything crawled along until the holiday break. Between work and school I didn't have much in the way of spare time for anything. I did manage to give Nancy most of the weekends, but I did miss one or two because of heavy homework loads, but she seemed okay with it. One good thing, as least as far as I was concerned, was that Pauline had gone back to the school she attended and I didn't have to see her disapproving face and hear her snarling "Asshole" every day in the cafeteria.

Work was going well. Based on my Army experience I made several suggestions that would streamline operations and most of them had been adopted. In school I was getting straight A's so I considered that life was going good.

Then the holidays came. It was the week after Thanksgiving. On Sunday Nance and I woke up, made love twice and then went to breakfast. Over pancakes and bacon Nance gave me the bad news. Hubby would be home in two weeks and she couldn't see me anymore. I'd known it was coming, but I had hoped that it wouldn't be until after the New Year had arrived.

Monday I took another shot at Tina and got turned down again. I couldn't understand it. We'd gotten along great on the dates we had been on. I decided to go straight at it so on Tuesday I waited until she had already taken a seat in the cafeteria and then I walked over and sat down at her table without asking if she would mind. She gave me an irritable look and I said:

"I won't be here long. I just have a question for you. We got along great on the dates we had, but now you won't have anything to do with me. Why? What did I do to cause it?"

She looked at me without saying anything and I could read her face. She was clearly thinking "Should I tell him or not?" I sat and waited and then she made her decision and said:

"It wasn't anything that you did. At least not to me."

She saw the confusion on my face and quickly went on to say "It's whatever you did to the French girl to cause the animosity she has toward you. My reading of her is that she is just spiteful enough to screw over anyone close to you just to piss you off. I need this job so I decided to take myself out of the line of fire."

"Fair enough" I said and got up and left her table.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wednesday I went to the Red Horse for the line dance lessons. I got there early and took a seat at the bar. The place started filling up and I saw Harlina Collins come in. She looked around, saw me, and headed my way. She took the empty stool to my left, said hello and then asked:

"Where's Nancy?"

"I found out what she was hiding from me."

"She was hiding something from you? What?"

"That she was married."

"I thought you knew."

"And you believe I'm low enough to be stabbing some guy in the back?"

"I guess I should get off this subject. As far as what I think about goes how about giving me a call when you feel like dating again?

"Doing anything Friday?"

"Nothing at all."

Our date had us back at the Red Horse for drinks and dancing followed by my asking her out for Saturday. Saturday was dinner and a movie. I got a kiss on the cheek when I took her home and a yes when I asked her if she would like to go with me to the dance lessons on Wednesday and Thursday nights. When I took her home on Thursday night she asked me if I would go with her to a party Friday night and I of course said yes.

The party was at Dale Hartman's house and damned if it didn't look like a mini class reunion. Everyone there was from my high school graduating class and I spent a good part of the evening (when I wasn't dancing with Lina) catching up on what had happened with everyone since graduation. I collected a bunch of phone numbers, and invitation to a Sunday barbeque and a piece of advice. Actually it was more of a warning. Eddie Wooters, who had been on the football team with me said:

"Harlina is a sweet girl, but she is a bit easy if you know what I mean. If you get into a relationship with her best you always use a rubber."

From Stan North, who was also on the team with me, I got "Lina might have cleaned up her act, but she gave me gonorrhea last year."

I was talking to Ralph Dunn when I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to see Pauline standing there. I said "I thought you were still in school."

"Home for the holidays. Where's Nancy? I don't see her here."

"Probably at home with her husband."

"I thought you said she was divorced?"

"She lied to me. The papers she showed me were fake."

Harlina walked up to us and said "Hi Paulie. Trying to steal my boyfriend" she asked as she put her arm around me.

"Your boyfriend?"

She turned to me and said "You sure don't waste any time do you."

I just shrugged my shoulders and she turned and left. As she walked away I looked at Harlina. "Boyfriend? When did that happen?"

"When I saw Paulie talking to you. Paulie and I have a history and I like pissing her off. "

Why would telling her I'm your boyfriend piss her off?"

"She has asked several people to let her know where you are on weekend nights. Some of us think she wants to hook up with you. If true and that is what she intended when she came up to you what I said should have torqued her jaws. Doesn't bother you does it?"

"No; not at all" as I thought that she was way off base. I suspect that Pauline was just getting ready to lay some snarky comment on me. I got a kiss when I took Lina home and then I asked her what she would like to do on Saturday, but she told me she had a family thing to do on that night.

Saturday night I went to the Red Horse to have drink or two and do some line dancing. I'd been there about an hour and was sitting at the bar and nursing my drink while the band was on break. Someone sat down next to me and a voice asked:

"Where's your girlfriend?"

I turned and saw Pauline sitting there.

"She had a family thing to attend tonight."

"Damn! All these years and I didn't know that Lina and Hank Burns were family."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I just came here from the Landing Strip where I saw the two of them drinking, dancing and making out in a booth between dances."

I took a sip of my drink and calmly said "I don't gots no luck at all do I? First Nancy and now Harlina. Oh woe is me. Whatever will I do now?"

While we had been talking the band came back from break and Pauline said "Long term I've no idea, but short term you can dance with me" and she pulled me off my stool and pulled me toward the dance floor. It was a waltz and as I took Pauline in my arms I wondered what the hell was going on. This was not the Pauline I knew. The Pauline I knew had no use for me. Hell, she had even threatened me that day in the cafeteria. Then I told myself to stop trying to figure it out! The girl you've had the hots for since the seventh grade is in your arms so just shut up and dance.

There was space between us at the start of the dance, but by the end of the dance she was almost molded to me. Naturally I had an erection and I know she had to feel it. As if to confirm it Pauline said:

"I guess you do like me a little."

Just then the tune ended and I asked her where she was sitting so I could walk her back and she surprised me by saying "With you of course."

When I took my seat on the bar stool and she got on the one next to me I took a sip of my drink and then turned to her and asked "What's going on here Pauline?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know damned well what I'm asking."

She looked at me for several quiet moments and then said "I'm curious Bob. I want to know why the guy who couldn't take his eyes off me all the way through school could turn me down when I flat out asked him for a date."

"Simple. I'd just broken up with Barb Beeler because of her lying to me and she was the third girl in nine months to break up with me. So there I was pissed off at girls in general and not wanting to have anything more to do with girls when you asked me to take you to the prom. I remembered the way you shot me down the one time I asked you for a date so I responded in kind."

"So you don't dislike me?"

"I don't dislike you, but I don't necessarily like you either."

"Clear that up for me."

"Clear up what?"

"Two don'ts in a single sentence. Don't like and don't necessarily dislike."

"Again it is simple. Why should I like you given all the snarky remarks you've made to me since that day you came up to me in the cafeteria at work. And let us not forget the implied threat you made to me that day."

Before she could answer that a voice said "Hey you two" and we turned to see Sherrie Graham standing there.

"How about you two coming to sit with me at my table?"

I could see that the idea didn't appeal to Pauline, but I said "Love to" and got off my bar stool. Pauline gave a little shrug, got off her stool and we followed Sherrie to a table just off the dance floor. We sat down and Sherrie said:

"Only one rule to follow at this table. No company talk."

"Agreed" I said and then went on to ask "You here alone?"

"My date called and cancelled. No biggie; he was a lousy dancer anyway" and then she turned and asked Pauline "Can I have a dance or two with your date?"

"We aren't here on a date. We just happen to be here together."

"Happen to be here together?"

"I was sitting on at the bar and Pauline came in and saw me and came over and took the stool next to me."

I couldn't read the look Pauline gave me when I said that, but I don't think it was good. At the same time I was wondering about Sherrie. She was supposed to be married so what was she doing sitting in a bar alone because a date called and canceled? Then I noticed that she wasn't wearing any rings, but she had been wearing them the day I did my new hire paperwork. While I was having those thoughts Pauline said:

"Dibs on the first dance" and she reached for my hand. It was a waltz and as I took her in my arms she said "Why did you say yes to that bitch when she invited us to her table?"

"Why wouldn't I say yes to a coworker under these circumstances? And just why is she a bitch?"

"She's coming between us."

"Between us?"

"Yes damn it! Couldn't you not see that I was trying to get something going with you?"

"No. I couldn't see it."

"Well I am."

"Why? And what makes you think that I would be interested in someone who has been as nasty to me as you have?"

"Because I want to get to know he guy who couldn't take his eyes off of me all the way through high school."

"And the nasty?"

"I don't know why. I'd guess maybe it was because you were paying attention to other girls instead of me. Although to be honest I was still a little pissed that you wouldn't take me to the prom. I mean face it Bob; a girl like me isn't used to being turned down when she wants something from a guy. It just isn't done."

The music stopped and I walked us back to our table. Just before we got there she asked "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"What's to say? You've done a complete one-eighty on me and I haven't gotten my head around it yet."

We reached our table and Sherrie stood up and said "My turn." She took my arm and led me back out onto the floor. Once in my arms she asked:

"Anything going on with you and the boss's daughter?"

I thought it was a strange question for her to ask, but I didn't hesitate to say no.

"Good. I'm going to work on getting you to leave here with me tonight."

I remembered the thoughts I'd had about her on the first day I saw her and I think I surprised her when I said:

"Your work has been accomplished. Let's get out of here."

She laughed and said "I didn't think it would be this easy, but I remembered how you were checking me out the day you hired in so I had hopes. Let me get my purse and we can get out of here."

She went back to the table, got her purse, came back to me and said "Let's go."

When we got outside she asked "My place or yours?"

"Where do you live?"

She told me and I said "My place. It's closer."

"I'll follow you" she said and headed for her car.

Once we were inside my place I asked "Can I get you something to drink?"

"We didn't come here to drink lover" and she started taking off her clothes.

I took her hand and led her into the bedroom. Once there I said "Let me" and I finished undressing her. When she was down to thigh highs and CFMs I said:

"I'm going to leave you in your heels and hose."

She laughed and said "My kind of guy. Now it is my turn" and she started undressing me. She was on her knees pulling down my pants and boxers and when my cock sprang free she captured it with her mouth and started giving me a blow job while she finished undressing me. Once we were both naked I led her to the bed and once on it she said:

"I want to finish what I started and get the quick one out of the way."

She went after my dick and I pulled her into a sixty-nine. Her clit must have had a hair trigger because I got her off twice before she got me off. She stayed on me until I was up again and then she mounted me cowgirl. I played with her tits as she bounced up and down on me and she got herself off twice before I rolled her over on her back and drove hard for mine. I got her off once more before I had mine and as I settled to the bed beside her I said "Give me twenty minutes or so and I should be ready to go again. Until then I'm sure I can find something to do to keep you wound up."

I started tweaking the nipple on her right breast but she pushed my hand away and sat up.

"I wish I could stay, but I need to go home."

She got up and dressed while I got up and put on a robe. As I walked her to the door I asked her when we could get together again.

"We can't. This is what our British cousins would call a one off."

She saw the look on my face and went on to say "I found out my husband has been taking long lunches with one of the women he works with. He thinks I'm at a card party with some girl friends of mine. I'm going to go home and give him some cum filled pussy and when he asks why I'm so wet I'll tell him why and then say that since he can stray I can too and then we will see where it will go from there."

At the door she turned and kissed me and said "I had fun and I liked it" and then she opened the door and as she left I said:

"I'll leave the light on for you. You know. In case things don't go the way you want."

She turned, smiled, gave me a little wave goodbye and then she got in her car and drove off. As I closed the door I was thinking "What a goddamned shame. I could have really gotten into getting something going with her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Monday was not a good day at work. I'd forgotten that Pauline was out of school for the holidays and she was waiting for me when I got the cafeteria for lunch. I took a seat at a table and my butt hadn't even touched the chair when she walked up and said:

"How could you do that to me? Walk away from the table and just leave me sitting there! And what the hell is with you and married women?"

"Whoa up there little lady (I'd heard John Wayne say that in a movie once and I thought it was cool). In the first place you and I were not there on a date and second I did not know she was married. Thirdly, the lady is a stone fox and no red blooded American boy is going to say no to something that nice when it is freely offered."