Right then, I almost blurted out how much I loved him. But I was afraid he wouldn’t believe me, so soon on the heels of my freak-out. He might take it for gratitude, and though it wasn’t, I had to save the confession for the right time, preferably not when we were both naked. Sex also contributed to people blathering stuff they didn’t mean.
When we made love, it was tender and slow, so gentle that I almost cried when I came. And that had never happened before. He wrapped his arms all the way around me, coming in for a kiss as he worked faster and faster, thrusting to a hot, trembling finish. I tasted his orgasm in the gasping breaths against my lips. Unlike the last time, Rob didn’t roll away immediately. He was big enough that when he shifted his weight off his arms and onto me, I sank into the mattress. The heat and weight of him didn’t make me feel trapped, though. I loved holding him, stroking him through the afterglow.
We skipped dinner entirely that night.
* * *
The rest of the week went fast. On Thursday, I got word from admissions that I’d gotten into the computer science online program. Rob and I celebrated with dinner at the roadhouse, and then I spent the night at his place. He convinced me to start leaving a few things to make it easier to get ready for work. Truthfully, I didn’t require much persuading.
Friday night, Avery picked me up on time. Krista and Jillian were already in the car. Since Avery drove a cute, powder-blue Beetle, that left Jillian and me in the backseat. I climbed in after Krista flipped the seat forward for me.
I hadn’t gotten a great look at Jillian that day at Walmart, but up close in Avery’s car, I recognized her from high school. Jillian Martinez was a chubby girl with brown hair and dark eyes. Her dad was from Mexico; God only knew why he’d decided Nebraska was the best place to settle. Maybe he really loved snow and agriculture programs. From her frown, Jillian hadn’t forgiven me for stealing Rob. Which seemed weird since he was Avery’s boyfriend, and if she was over it...
Jillian fixed a hard stare on me as I settled beside her. “So I hear you’re having Rob’s love child,” she said.
My mouth dropped open. “Holy shit. Already? Doesn’t anyone in this town have a life?”
“You grew up in Sharon,” Avery said. “So there’s your answer.”
“Is it true?” Krista peered over her shoulder at me.
“Lord, no. I made it up to discourage my pervert boss, who was about to offer me the lucrative position of chief knob polisher.”
Avery made a sound in her throat, almost a growl. “Men like that should be castrated.”
“How many baby daddies is that now, Lauren?” Jillian aimed a sugary smile at me.
“That’s enough. I already told you, we talked and it’s cool.” That was Avery, shutting down the bitchiness before it got started.
But I figured, Why not answer? “Two since I’ve been home. If the rumors keep spreading, I’ll end up with a litter, each from a different sperm donor. I could sell them for fifty K a pop, Rent-a-Womb, Inc. What do you think, awesome get-rich-quick scheme, yes or yes?”
“Speaking as someone who’s currently the size of a tuba, I can only say, ouch.” But Krista was laughing as she said it.
Avery snickered, and Jillian unwound enough to grin at me. We drove through town and out to the highway; the scenery was pretty much all snowy fields, shadowed by the dark sky overhead. We cracked jokes all the way to Whitney, twenty minutes past Edison.
When I realized where we were, I said, “Jillian. Now you have to tell me what we’re doing.”
She answered, “Just Jill is fine. And have you heard of the Thunder From Down Under?” At my nod, she added, “Well, it’s like that, only low-rent.”
“We’re going to a strip club? Why didn’t anyone tell me? I don’t have any singles!” I half thought they were screwing with me until Avery pulled into a gravel parking lot, just off the interstate. There was a whole lot of nothing around this place, but the neon lights that read JOKERS WILD told a fairly compelling story.
“It’s usually women, but once a month, they bring in some dudes,” Avery told me.
“I’d watch the girls,” Jill said.
“I have watched them.” A few times, I’d gone out with guy friends in Michigan, and on those weird nights, we ended up in a strip club while they salivated and I drank. But drinking had gotten me into a lot of trouble, so I’d be careful tonight.
“Okay, the only rule of girls’ night,” Krista put in, “is that we don’t talk about guys, other than to admire the ones shaking it on stage. No boyfriend talk, no relationship advice, got me?”
Avery nodded. “I like that plan.”
Jill and I agreed to the terms as we hurried across the parking lot, shoulders hunched against the bitter air. Inside, it was warmer, and like a show club straight out of some 80s music video. I stifled a laugh when I realized there were five people in here, not counting us and the staff. Three women and two men. The guys seemed to be together, which couldn’t be easy around here. Mentally I saluted them and wondered how Angus was doing back in Michigan; he wasn’t just my roommate, but also one of my best friends.
I should call him.
“Let’s grab a table near the stage.” Krista led the way, giving the impression it wasn’t her first time. The music was just cuing up as we sat down and ordered.
Sadly for the man-candy, the guys willing to take their clothes off around these parts weren’t much to admire. The first stripper was incredibly thin—to the point that I wanted to bake him some cookies and knit him a scarf. He could dance, though, so that was something, and he did some interesting things with a fire extinguisher. But the point was to joke around with each other, not stare at hot dudes, and we did until Krista bolted for the bathroom.
When she came back, she shook a finger at Jill. “You have to stop it. I don’t have any panty liners left.”
That only made the rest of us laugh harder. I only had a couple of beers and Krista didn’t drink at all. Avery and Jill, on the other hand, slammed back shots until I was impressed they weren’t falling out of their chairs. Jill leaned over and put her hand on my arm, waving me closer with the other one. Smirking, I tilted my head for whatever drunken confidence she was about to impart.
“Sorry I misjudged you.”
Wow. I didn’t expect an apology.
Oblivious to my surprise, she went on, “Avery told me you guys talked. I’m sorry I was a bitch at Walmart, it’s just...she hasn’t really ever been with anyone...and, well, I thought maybe Rob... Fuck it, I’m not supposed to talk about dudes, never mind.”