Patriot Games

“You are incredible, Ellie. I’m so glad we met last night.”

She was silent, unsure of what to say. This was not standard protocol for one night stands, and she didn’t have a response ready.

“I should get home soon,” she finally said, which was not entirely truthful, as home was the last place she wanted to be today, but she wasn’t ready to spend any more time with him, not yet anyway. She needed some time and space to sort out the past 18 hours.

“I know. I just don’t know if I want you to leave.”

“Jason….” Her tone warned him not to pursue that train of thought any further.

“Whenever you’re ready, we’ll leave.” She felt him slip out of bed and heard him dressing behind her in the twilight. “I’ve put your clothes on the chair. I’ll be downstairs.” After the door clicked shut, she sat up and sighed, wishing life weren’t so complicated. She reached for her clothes and dressed quickly, running a brush through her hair before taking her purse and heading downstairs.

+++

The drive to Bakerville took longer than normal, thanks to the rain. They were silent most of the way, each lost in their own thoughts, a David Gray CD playing softly on the stereo.

When they got close, she began to offer him directions to lead him to her sorority house, all the while wondering if he would ask for her number, and if he did, whether or not she would give it to him.

He pulled up in front of the house, and thankfully none of her sisters were sitting out on the porch. He put the car in park and turned to her.

“I had a wonderful time, Ellie.”

“Me too.”

“I want to see you again.”

“I… I think I want to see you again too.” And in a heartbeat, she broke Cardinal Rule #2. Never admit you want to see them again.

“We’re having another party next weekend, Friday night. Can you make it?”

“I don’t know. I’ll have to see if I can get anyone here to go – I don’t have a car at school.”

He handed her a piece of paper. “Here’s my pager number. It’s toll-free. Page me by Thursday if you need me to pick you up.”

She tucked the paper into her jeans pocket. “Thanks, Jason. I had fun.”

He leaned over and hugged her tight, holding her for a few minutes. She breathed deep, trying to memorize the smell of his cologne. She knew it would scent her dreams for the next week, perhaps longer if she wasn’t able to go to the party.

He pulled back slightly and kissed her deeply. “I’m looking forward to next weekend. Have a good week, Beautiful.”

“Bye, Jason.” She opened the car door and slipped out of the car, closing the door behind her with a smile and a wave. As he drove past her, she could see he had a bumper sticker proclaiming “In God We Trust, United We Stand” on the rear bumper. She watched him drive off before turning and walking slowly to the house, not caring who was angry at her for shacking last night.

What an unbelievable – and incredible – 18 hours it had been. The sex had been wonderful, but better than that had been the tiny spark of understanding she had found with him. She knew few, if any, of her sorority sisters would be fortunate enough to experience what she just had. To know, or at least hope, she would see him again filled her with a mixture of euphoria and eroticism. She just spent an incredible night with a guy she intended to see again, and she was happy, even if she was a little sore between the legs. She smiled as she walked up the steps to the front door of the Phi Rho house.

“Let ‘em talk,” Ellie whispered to herself as she opened the door.