Just Cole And Jen

"You know, you can dance with someone else if you want to," I said after about the twentieth request when the band came back from a break, announcing they were going to play a few fast ones. "Don't let me hold you back."

" 'And be with you,' " she said again. "What part of that aren't you getting, Cole? This is our night."

"Excellent," I said. "So how about we see if they'll play something more..."

"JEN!!" a big voice boomed from behind us. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, hi, Cameron," she said, looking pointedly unenthused. "This is my date, Cole."

"Eh," he grunted at me, cataloging and dismissing me as he pulled up a chair. This was an enormous person, obviously on the football or basketball team. He tried to push in between us and cut me out, but he couldn't fit, so he sat a little behind us, forcing us to turn around to talk to him.

"So you heard I was coming here tonight and came to dance with me, right, girl?" he asked with a cocky grin. "Remember, you promised."

"I didn't know you'd be here," Jen said, "and this is a special night for Cole and me. Maybe next time, okay?"

"That's what you always say," he said. "C'mon, you look so sexy in that dress, I want to see you shake that thang," His laugh was so lecherous it made my flesh crawl.

"I think the lady has made her feelings plain," I said.

"And you can shut the FUCK up, grandpa," he said, "This is between me and her. She owes me."

Cameron grabbed her arm as if he intended to physically pull her out onto the dance floor. I was starting to move to intervene when, with a violent wrench, she pulled her arm away herself.

"Owe you?" she spat at him. "OWE YOU? I don't owe you shit, asshole. I've said 'next time' the last five times you've asked me. Can't you take a hint? You don't dance; you just use it as an excuse to put your big meaty mitts on a girl's ass or tits and grind all over them. Well, not me. Conversation over."

She turned her chair back around and picked up her drink.

"As I said before, I think the lady has made her feelings plain," I said as I turned my chair back around. "You have a nice night, now."

The next thing I knew, my head was smashed into the table. He had hit me from behind on the side of the head, just above my ear. I had to hand it to him; that was one impressive punch. He obviously knew what he was doing. He sure did ring my bell.

I turned around to look up at him. He was towering over me, smirking, and looking like he was ready to dish out another one.

"Cole," Jen screamed, leaping out of her seat and practically laying herself all over me. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," I said, pushing her gently out of harm's way as I stood up, shaking out the cobwebs.

"Okay, pussy," I said. "That one you got for free. No more of those. So look, I don't want to bust up this nice place. I'm tempted to take you outside and grow you up some, but a chickenshit like you probably has a bunch of pussy friends with him."

"Yeah, I bet you're afraid to go out there with me, you old fuck," he said.

"It depends," I said. This guy was way bigger, had a longer reach than me and obviously wasn't afraid to throw down. I knew how to handle myself, and I knew I'd have my hands full with him, but fuck if I was going to back down. "Are your friends willing to stand around and watch while I hand you your bitch ass?"

He was pissed, so much so I thought I saw him readying another one, and then I felt something pulling on my upper arm, restricting it.

"Cole, will you please cool it with this macho crap?" Jen shouted at me. "I don't like it."

It was as if a gallon of ice water landed on me. My fight or flight instinct was doused in an instant. What was I doing? I didn't come here to fight, but I might end up having to anyway. Even so, I backed up, and he could see the fight go out of me.

"Humph, I THOUGHT so," he said. "I knew you'd puss out."

Suddenly four - count 'em four - gigantic bouncers appeared and surrounded Cameron. Each of them was as big as him, if not bigger.

"You're out of here, dickhead," the largest one said, "Just walk out of here with us and don't come back for a while, say a month."

They began to make moves to escort him out, not giving him much of a choice, but he still stood his ground.

"So what are you, his little whore?" He asked loudly with a cruel smile. "Daddy pay you to fuck him good?"

"Start moving, asswipe," the largest bouncer said, "or you'll be leaving some pieces of you behind."

"What about him?" he yelled, pointing at me as he finally started leaving.

"Cole didn't do anything," Jen cried, "we were just sitting here and he hit him."

"We know," a well-dressed man appeared from the other side of the table. "You have a lot of witnesses here, sir. Do you want to press charges?"

I looked over at Jen, who had her lips pressed together and was shaking her head ever so slightly. I saw that she was a person who avoided conflict, but in this case I agreed with her. Our night had been ruined enough.

"I really should, " I said. "God knows he deserves it. He certainly owes the lady an apology, but I think we'd both rather just try to get back to our wonderful evening here at your fine establishment, if that's all right with you. That's the important thing."

I thought I'd seen Jen smile before, but the wattage of the look she gave me could put the sun to shame.

"That's perfectly understandable, sir," he said. "It would be a crime to have our two best dancers cut their evening short." He gave me a big smile, too. "I'm Anthony, I'm the manager here. Could I have a drink sent to you, in appreciation for not letting that unfortunate situation turn into a scuffle and possibly injuring our other patrons?"

"Uhhh, sure, why not?" I said. "I'm pretty adrenalated right now; it would probably soothe my nerves."

"Absolutely, sir, what would you like?"

"What's your special drink here? Do you have one?"

"That we do," he said, smiling broadly. "It's called the Illini. Let me warn you, it's got quite a kick."

"That's okay," I said. "I'll have one of those. Thank you."

"And what about you, miss?" he asked, turning to Jen.

"If he's having one of those, I think I'll just have another mineral water, please."

"I think that's very wise of you," he said. "They'll be here in a jiff."

"Awesome," she said, giggling.

"Are you okay?" she asked after Anthony left. "Did it hurt when he hit you?"

"You bet it did, but I'm fine now." I said. "Listen, I appreciate you putting the brakes on back there, but if something like that ever happens again, do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT grab hold of somebody's arm like that. You had me pinned down and I wouldn't have been able to defend myself. He'd already sucker punched me once."

"Oh, God," she said, bringing her hands to her face. "I'm so, so sorry, Cole. I was afraid he'd kill you."

"Well, to be honest, so was I," I admitted. "I doubt it would be quite as one-sided as you think, but, hey, I'm a dancer, not a fighter."

"Lover," she said.

"Hmmm?"

"Its 'I'm a lover, not a fighter.' "

"I meant what I said."

"Well, we'll just have to see. Look," she said, giving me that adorably crooked, coquettish look I now craved. "Did you mean what you said? Are you okay enough to dance with me? You still want to, right?"

"Absolutely." I said.

"Good," she said, grabbing my hand yet again, "Let's use some of that adrenaline up before they bring you that awful drink."

The next couple of hours were some of the greatest of my life, truly. I was back on the dance floor with the most perfect dance partner ever. She knew every move, but she also knew all about eye contact and how to caress me with light touches that drove me nearly out of my mind. Every slow dance brought our bodies closer together, if that was possible. We didn't grind or anything - we were both much too respectable for that - but body parts were definitely extended into the personal space of the other. Neither one of us was complaining.

We rarely took a break. Jen was hot during every dance, but she was positively scorching whenever there was a Latin or Brazilian number, obviously her specialty. Much to my surprise, her LBD had a slit up one side that I hadn't noticed until she started dancing all out. She danced like Cyd Charisse with her long gam sticking out like that.

She was at a professional level, and I'm not so bad either. A couple times the dance floor cleared out and we were dancing alone as the awestruck club patrons watched us perform, but let's get real here, they were watching her.

I would snatch a few sips of my drink here and there, but I was dancing and sweating up a storm, so I knew it wouldn't hit me that hard. I figured, what the hell, so I ordered another and knocked it down the same way.

I finally needed to sit down, and Jen did too, I think. We sat at our table and just beamed at each other. There's no greater pleasure than dancing with a willing and equal partner. Kelly and I rarely danced with others when we went out. Kelly always claimed that she'd never get me back if I dared to share my talents with other women, and it's not like I wanted her dancing with other guys anyway, so we stuck with each other. It had been well over twenty-five years since I'd had an experience like tonight's with someone at or above my level.

"Wow, Cole," Jen panted. "I'm sure glad I never danced with you before tonight."

"Why would you say that?" I asked.

"Because I'd probably be in jail. I would've killed that bitch for a chance to do this with you."

"You're funny," I said, taking my menu and fanning her a little. She was one of those lucky people who didn't sweat, she perspired, and when she did that, she glowed.

"Seriously, Cole, when I heard what happened with you two - I hate to say this - but I was glad that you were able to get free from her. Didn't you ever notice how she treated you? I sure did."

"I guess over time you just learn to accept things," I replied. "It was gradual, you know, like slowly raising the temperature to boil a frog. Honestly, it was like I turned around one day and realized I was just some meal ticket to her."

"Was it the affair? Was that when?"

"No," I said. "It's funny, it was the other way around. I never suspected anything by her actions. It was the way she was treating me, the disrespect, that's what made me begin to wonder if she was cheating on me. She was real shitty to me one time in front of her friends, and it's not like it was the first time. I was nothing more than her dog. She made me write a check, and a big one, to help her friend's husband's new business. I'd hated that prick for years and she knew it, and she still ordered me to do it in front of a whole group of our friends, well, her friends, as I later found out. And the things she said. It was humiliating."

"Oh, God."

"Yeah, so, that fundamental level of disrespect was just one public putdown too many, and I decided to start snooping around. I found out everything I needed to know that same afternoon and met with a lawyer two days later. She wasn't even trying to be careful."

"Why not?"

"Why should she?" I asked, bitterly. "You know what kind of dog I was? I was a trusting, stupid, little puppy dog, just a stupid fuck. Everybody, and I mean everybody, in our little circle knew what she was doing and didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry. It's not stupid to trust someone if you love them, it was just stupid to trust her." Jen said. She pulled her chair closer to mine and rested her head on my shoulder. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure," I said, "but can I ask you something first?"

"Okay."

"You say you never knew, but do you think Brandon did?"

She pulled back and looked at me sadly. "He never said anything to me at the time, but I think he did. He didn't act surprised when everything happened."

"Fucking mama's boy," I said, starting to feel a little flushed. "Anyway, how'd we end up talking about them? This night's for us, right?"

"That's for sure," Jen said. "Are you okay?"

"I am suddenly drunk off my ass," I said, feeling the sweat pouring off me. "And only off of two drinks. What's in those things anyway?"

"Everything," she said. "It's like a Long Island Iced Tea, but, like, triple that. I told you it was awful."

"I'm afraid I've ruined our night," I slurred. "We'll have to get taxis to get us both home."

"You haven't ruined anything," Jen said. "Mineral water, remember? I can drive."

"Okay," I was relieved. My Jen. "You can drop me off and take the car to your dorm. You can return it in the morning. What a hassle. I'm sorry."

"No hassle, sweetie," Jen, said, rubbing my neck. "Let's get out of here."

I had one moment of trepidation as we left the restaurant. I hoped Cameron and his friends weren't waiting for us somewhere, because I wasn't in any condition to even bluff. Jen didn't seem worried, innocent cutie that she was, but, thankfully, there was no one out there.

"I don't need any help in," I said when Jen cut the engine at my motel.

"I think you do," she said. "C'mon, Cole, I'm not taking no for an answer."

She slipped herself under my arm and wrapped her arms around my waist. I don't know if I needed her help, but it felt nice to get it.

"Now lay down and let me get you some water," she said when we got inside and threw off our coats.

"Seriously," I'm okay..." I started to protest.

"And, seriously, you've had enough booze to kill an elephant," she said, not to be denied. "Do you want to still be hung over tomorrow night when you fly? You will be, I guarantee it. You don't drink much, right? Unless that's changed this last year."

"No, I'm still a lightweight."

"Nothing wrong with that," she said from the bathroom, filling a plastic cup with water. "You're going to chug two or three of these and it'll help. You've sweated out most of the alcohol, I'm sure, and I'm going to give you aspirin now and for the morning."

"You're awesome," I said, so grateful. God, I hated getting drunk.

"I know, I know," she said, handing me the first cup. "Now drink up."

I lay back on the bed. Funny, I felt better already. The bed didn't seem to be spinning nearly as much. Jen smiled at me and sat on the chair next to the bed, tucking her feet under in that cute way girls do. I saw her heels on the floor.

"Aren't you taking off?" I asked.

"Not yet," she replied. "Remember I was going to tell you something back at the Inn?"

"Oh, yeah."

"I still need to tell you." she said.

"Can't it wait? I'm pretty out of it."

"Nope, this is night time stuff." she said. Suddenly she put both hands on her mouth in alarm.

"Jen, what's the matter?" I asked, concerned.

"Oh, nothing," she said, obviously upset. "I'm just an ungrateful bitch, is all."

"What do you mean?"

"This has been, without a doubt, the best night of my life." she said. "Even that asshole idiot Cameron couldn't screw it up."

"Easy for you to say," I smirked.

"Oh, god, see? I am such a BITCH!" she cried. "How's your poor head? God, I just hate myself..."

"Jen, seriously, shut up." I said. "And I mean that in the nicest way." I smiled at her. "My head is fine. I can't remember the last time I had such a great night. Thank you."

"No, no, no..."she moaned. "Thank YOU. That's what I'm talking about. That's why I'm such a bitch. I didn't even thank you. I should've been thanking you all night long. You must think I'm so stuck up."

"Stuck up?" I couldn't help smiling. "Yup, you sure are. And you took my chocolate milk."

"Shut up, dork," she laughed, "You know what I mean. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I loved tonight, and I love the way you treated me, like you really care about me."

"Well, I do, Jen." I said. "How could I not?"

"Okay," she smiled. "So I'm going to tell you this...thing, and you're going to listen. It's going to be embarrassing for both of us, but there's a super, super important reason why I'm telling you. You have to PROMISE me that you'll let me finish, okay?"

"Well..." I said, taken aback a little. "I think it depends on what you're talking about..."

"No, you have to promise," she said.

"Do I have a choice?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"None, whatsoever," she said with a smirk... "I'm glad you already recognize that."

"Okay," I said, settling back, "fire away."

"All right," she said, "but you have to prop yourself up. If you fall asleep or pass out while I'm saying this, I think I'll die."

"Okay," I said, making the arrangements. "Please don't die. I've grown rather fond of you."

"Thanks. So, to start with..." she said, "Okay, wait a minute while I get you more."

She brought two more glasses to me and stood over me with a no nonsense expression on her face. Only when I'd finished chugging one down did her face return to that nervous look, licking her lips.

"Cole, I've wanted to tell you this forever, and now that I'm here I don't know what to say."

I smiled at her, hopefully backing the pressure off a little so she could find her own way to whatever it was she needed to tell me.

"All right..." she said. "I know that you have a really high opinion of me, that I'm a really good girl."

"And you're not?" I asked.

"Well, I am, mostly," she said. "As a dancer, I consider myself an athlete..."

"Absolutely," I said.

"Shh, dahling, shh, so I don't drink much, don't smoke pot, won't ever do anything harder."

"Excellent."

"But I am a healthy young woman, right, so I do have, um, urges, no, that's not right; I have needs."

"Okay."

"Cole, will you PLEASE stop commenting every time I say something? I'm begging here."

She wasn't kidding. She looked like she wanted to crawl out of her skin.

"I'm sorry, Jen," I said. "It's the booze making me rude. I'll be good from now on."

"Thank you. Okay, so, your house floor plan was like a big L, right?"

I nodded.

"Well, Brandon's room was so far from yours that you couldn't hear a thing on his side, I'm pretty sure."

"That was on purpose," I said. "He liked to play his stereo pretty loud. Self defense."

"Same for him," she said. "All right, here it is; I used to sneak into his room after you guys went to bed."

"You did?" I was dumbfounded. "How? We dead bolted every night."

"Through his window," she said. "I'm very...flexible."

"Well, you'd have to be," I said. "I'm still not sure how you pulled that off."

"I have a weird body," she said. "I'm tall, I have a big ass and tits, but I'm actually kind of petite. I made it work."

"Curvy, not big," I said. "Okay, I guess I'm wrapping my head around that, but isn't that the boy's, um, responsibility? And why are you telling me this?"

"There's no way we could have done it at our apartment. It's pretty small, and my room is right across from my parents. And I'm telling you because of this one night," she said. "I got in, and Brandon was really excited. He told me to be very quiet and led me down the hall to your bedroom."

"He WHAT?" I asked, not liking this at all.

"Cole, come on, you promised." she said. "You must've accidentally left your door open, or he opened it, or whatever, but, anyway, there you two were, doing it doggy."

"Oh, God," I moaned, putting my face in my hands. "Please stop."

"No, I have to tell you this." Jen said. "So we watched you for a while. You were going slow; you were stretched out completely over her, touching every part of her body with yours, and you were whispering in her ear and kissing the back of her neck. You had your hand on her titty and you were playing with her nipple, pulling on it a little."

Well, she wasn't lying. That sounded like me to a T.

"Brandon kept poking me and pointing at you, grinning like an idiot. He whispered and told me he'd seen you eat her pussy from behind for the longest time before you started. You might even have stuck your tongue up her ass." she continued.