The Vetting Ch. 01

Again, that half smile. "When I came to college here, I guess there was something about me that the athletic department approached me to help recruit players—"

I laughed. "Something about you? How about everything about you?"

She smiled. "I agreed to help out, under the condition that I didn't have to do anything improper, and I was persuasive enough that they agreed."

"I'm sure you were."

"When I was assigned to you, I Googled you right away and found out a few things. First, I knew about your family and their business. Second, I knew that you were attractive and smart. And third, it appeared from what I saw online that you were a straight shooter, but not a Boy Scout. I also could tell that while academically, you were more than qualified for the school, it was a reach for you athletically, and I was impressed that you wanted to test yourself and make yourself better. I hoped that you would be all of those things when we met, and you passed. I was impressed by you, the way you carried yourself, the way you treated me with respect. I have no idea if they assigned me to you for a reason, or if it was just the luck of the draw, but I think it worked out pretty well."

At this point, the waiter came in, bringing dinner. My veal chop was thick and looked perfect, and was resting on a bed of garlicky greens. Anna Marie had what looked like a rib-eye steak. The waiter also left us with platters of home fries, onion rings and grilled slabs of tomato before exiting.

"The steak looks great. I don't recall being offered that."

Anna Marie looked a bit sheepish. "Uncle John is proudest of the veal chop and the branzino, so that's what he offered you. But he knows I want the rib-eye. I'll give you a bite of mine."

"Thanks." I took a bite of the veal. It was perfectly cooked, with a delicious pan gravy. Uncle John didn't steer me wrong, but of course, I was family.

"So, can I ask, why have you treated me this way—alternating hot and cold?"

"Let me ask you this—if I had slept with you during your recruiting trip, what would you have thought of me? Be honest."

I paused. "I would have thought that you were a cheap bimbo."

She nodded. "And now, you are intrigued, right?"

"Intrigued, interested, and still a bit unsure."

"Good answer." She cut a slice of steak and passed it to me. I put it on my plate, handed her back her fork, and used mine to eat it. It was delicious. But to be fair, I thought the veal was better.

"That's delicious. Why are you telling me this now?"

"For a few reasons. First, I wanted to make sure that you were O.K. I told you that I was your friend, and I was worried. Second, I don't want to lose contact with you, and I'm concerned that you might use the end of your football career as an excuse to transfer to an Ivy, or Stanford, or someplace like that."

"I thought about it, but I'm happy here. I'm staying."

"I'm glad."

"But why? What do you want from me? I'm not my father, and I'm not even sure that I'm ever going into our company."

"Friendship. Justin, I like you. The one thing that my father keeps telling me is that if you find someone that you trust, someone that you believe can be a good friend, you cultivate that relationship. You test it and see if it is real. And one day, if you need it, it is there. And if it isn't, all you have spent is time, and time well spent."

"Your father is a wise man."

"For a mob boss?"

"I'd never say that."

"Very good answer."

"So, that's it?"

"That's it. We test our friendship. And maybe, one day, next week, 5 years from now, 10 years from now, one of us needs a friend, and the other is there."

I paused to think, and to eat more of the incredible meal in front of me, and to watch Anna Marie. "Do you have other friends like that?"

"A few. One on campus, a few in other places."

I guess a look passed over my face. "You want to know if I sleep with my other friends, right?"

I nodded, not sure what I wanted to hear. "Not the women—I don't go for that, although I have no problem for those who do. And yes, some of the men."

"I just wanted to know where we stand."

"Where we stood before. If you want to sleep with other women, I'm certainly not going to stand in your way. But know this, Justin, if I come around—"

"They leave?"

"If that's what you want."

I said nothing. I found it hard to imagine choosing anyone over Anna Marie Raspoli, but you never know what happens in life.

She smiled, the full smile, "Good non-answer."

After that, the conversation turned to lighter matters. School, family, music and sports as well as politics. She was as interesting on these issues as she was on every other topic. I started to believe that our relationship could actually develop into a friendship, a real friendship.

The dinner plates were cleared, and dessert and coffee appeared, after which, and without waiting for a check, we left the room. Anna Marie led me to the kitchen, where her cousin Lorenzo, a handsome, muscular guy with the family nose and arms covered in tattoos, was commanding the kitchen crew. He hugged and cheek-kissed his cousin, and after I raved about his cooking, he hugged me, too. We left after bidding fond farewells to Uncle John and Francesca.

The ride back was filled with more general conversation, but as we approached campus, she veered away from the road to my dorm. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"My place. It is more private and the bed had more room for you to ravage me. Unless you'd rather not."

"I'd love to see your place," I said, poorly feigning indifference.

"Good answer," she said, and pressed down harder on the accelerator.

xxxxxxxxxx

When I woke up the next morning, I was sore, naked and entwined with Anna Marie. The sheets were partially off the bed, and the blankets were nowhere to be found. I tried to carefully untangle myself from the beauty lying next to me, and it appeared that I was able to do so without waking her. She rolled onto her side, facing away from me, giving me a breathtaking look at her back, hips and ass, and her long tanned legs. I walked toward the bathroom, stepping over the clothing and underwear that were strewn around her bedroom.

I should not have been surprised that she had an off-campus apartment, or that it was luxurious and well appointed. As a freshman, and an athlete, I had to stay in the dorms, although next year, now that I wasn't on the team, I could move into an apartment. It was something to discuss with my parents.

After pissing, I stretched out a little, enjoying the feeling of post-coital soreness. As with the last time, sex with Anna Marie was intense and extremely enjoyable.

When I returned from the bathroom, I was treated to the sight of a gorgeous nude woman, totally uncovered and splayed out on the bed. And although a few minutes before, I would have sworn that I was completely spent, her charms had the expected effect, and it wasn't long before we were going at it again, and afterwards I slipped back into a hazy sleep.

And that was sort of the way it went for the next couple of years. To be fair, Anna Marie did sometimes respond to my texts and calls, and she even took me up on my invitation to coffee or dinner or drinks a few times. I even introduced her as a friend to my parents once. But she always seemed to retain the upper hand in our relationship. She would still appear unannounced at my apartment and treat me to exquisite sex. Other times we would go out somewhere, and she would refuse to get intimate. Sometimes, when I saw her on campus, she would run over and kiss me, and other times she would ignore me. Once, I tried to pull the same trick on her, and stood in the lobby of her building for over an hour, only to get a text from her informing me that the building had a back entrance, she was in bed, alone, and was planning to stay that way. And it was more than a month before she deigned to contact me.

Obviously, it was important for her to retain some distance, and keep me off balance. At the time, it was frustrating, but in retrospect, I guess it was all related to her theory that it kept me interested and prevented me from taking her from granted. And, in general, the benefits were well worth the frustration. And when I got too frustrated, I still was able to find companionship, despite my lack of status as a jock.