* * *

Dana posted notices seeking to swap rooms on the university's student forum, as well as actual 3×5 cards on an honest-to-god bulletin board in the center of the campus. No one responded. Trolling Craigslist alerted her to a number of opportunities to share an apartment or a room in a house off-campus. She couldn't afford any of them, and wasn't about to ask her parents for the money. Not when they were paying for perfectly good housing on campus—and doing so at some expense.

No, she was stuck with Zoe.

Which wasn't true. She had told Mrs. Stapledon the truth. She liked Zoe. She enjoyed spending time with her, talking to her. If Zoe didn't monopolize the room with sex, Dana would have had no complaints. But she did.

* * *

Dana was pleasantly surprised to see a blank message board when she got back to the room Friday night after an evening in the library. She unlocked and opened the door, half expecting to find Zoe in bed with someone. The room was dark and empty. Grateful for small favors, Dana closed the door and flipped on the light.

It had been a long week, and a longer day. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. Zoe's absence was a godsend.

She threw her backpack onto her desk chair and made use of the bathroom they shared with the room next door. After washing her hands, she brushed her teeth, stripped down to panties and changed into the oversized t-shirt she wore to sleep in. She wondered briefly where Zoe was, then decided that she must have found someone with a room of his own. She snuggled down into the covers and fell asleep.

She woke to the sound of a door slamming shut. Giggles and whispered conversation followed. Dana sighed. Zoe was back, with another playmate.

Dana's eyes had adapted to the dark while she slept. The light that leaked around the blinds in the windows was more than enough for her to see Zoe and a lover standing by the door engaged in a deep kiss. They broke the kiss and stumbled toward Zoe's bed. It was clear that they couldn't see in the dark. Zoe groped her way carefully, pulling the young man along by the hand.

Zoe's leg brushed the edge of her bed. She turned, pulled the boy into her arms again, and kissed him again. An open-mouthed, tongue-tangling kiss. Her hands fumbled at the buttons on his shirt while he clasped Zoe's ass with both hands.

They don't know I'm here, Dana thought. They couldn't see in the dark. They thought they were alone. She really ought to say something—let them know she was there. Before, well, before they did something embarrassing.

It was too late. Dana was already embarrassed by witnessing their passionate kiss. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't bring herself to do it. Then Zoe had the boy's shirt open. He let her push it off his shoulders and down over his arms.

"Strip," Zoe commanded, and he obeyed. He toed off his shoes, then peeled his jeans and underwear off. Zoe stripped with equal speed. In moments they were naked.

Dana gawked, her face hot, knowing she shouldn't look but unable to tear her gaze away. She'd seen Zoe naked many times—Zoe slept naked, naturally. Zoe's partner—boyfriend? lover?—was another matter.

A head taller than Zoe, he was lean and muscular, with dark hair on his head and between his legs. His cock...was huge, bigger than any Dana had ever seen. Which, admittedly, was a sample of one. It was long, and thick and it was hard. It pointed up at Zoe's navel.

As Dana watched, Zoe ran a hand down his torso to clasp that monster. He groaned and threw his head back. Zoe stroked the length of it several times. Her teeth flashed as she grinned.

"Wanna fuck?"

"Fuck, yes," he replied.

Dana couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was shocking, embarrassing, and exciting beyond words. Zoe carefully sat on the bed, then stretched out, never releasing her hold on the boy's cock. He leaned down, groping for the bed until he found it, then crawled onto it.

Zoe settled on her back, moving one leg so that her lover was kneeling between them. He walked his hands up on either side of her until he was supporting himself on his hands and knees above her. Dana held her breath, waiting and watching. Her nipples were hard, sensitive enough to respond to the feel of her nightshirt rubbing against them as she turned—oh so quietly—onto her side. She ignored her flaming face and peered intently at Zoe and her lover.

She watched Zoe guide his cock between her legs. They paused for a moment, then he pushed his hips forward. Zoe groaned. "Oh Jesus," she muttered.

"Oh fuck," he replied.

They lay motionless for a moment before he drew his hips back, then pushed them forward again. Zoe moaned. Her hands caressed his sides, then slid down to cup his ass. "Oh yeah," she crooned. "That's what I want. Fuck me, Bobby. Fuck me good."

Bobby fucked her. Dana watched avidly, arousal overwhelming her embarrassment. Her experience of sex was nothing like this! It had been a brief, uncomfortable encounter. She'd lain motionless, passively accepting her boyfriend's frantic thrusts, which had ended in a mercifully brief time. He'd gotten hard again and fucked her a second time, but hadn't lasted much longer.

Zoe was anything but passive. She clung to her lover—Bobby—and moved against him. She planted her feet and rocked her hips, matching him thrust for thrust. All the while she made sounds of pleasure, moans and groans and whispered words of encouragement and excitement. Above her, Bobby moved tirelessly, supporting his weight on his hand and knees.

It excited Dana like nothing ever had. Like her only experience of actual sex never had. She slipped a hand down between her legs, rested it there, on her thigh, as if she didn't want to touch herself. As if she were fooling anyone.

She watched Zoe rock and writhe and caress every inch of her lover's skin she could reach. Dana's fingers slid up her thigh, up under the hem of her t-shirt and inside her panties like they had a mind of their own. She liked that thought. Liked the thought of surrendering responsibility for her wayward fingers.

Across the small room, Zoe was breathing heavily, her whispered words fewer and farther between now. Bobby was breathing hard too. Dana would have panted with excitement too but she was terrified that they'd hear her. Her fingers brushed her pubic hair, a delicate touch that made her shiver. She slid her fingertips through her bush. She was open and wet. Her fingertips glided across the slick flesh, sending a thrill through her body.

"Ohhh god," Zoe moaned. She wrapped her arms around Bobby's torso, pulling him close. She captured his mouth with hers, thrusting her hips upward with increasing speed. Bobby matched her pace, his ass bobbing between Zoe's knees.

Dana turned on her side, hand trapped between her thighs. She didn't want to miss this.

Zoe broke the kiss, gasped for air—and shuddered. She arched her back, throwing her head back, wailing. She convulsed, legs flailing. Bobby wrapped his arms around her and held on, his face buried in the crook of her neck. Zoe ran out of breath. For a moment the only sound in the room was Bobby's breathing.

Then Zoe drew a loud, ragged breath. "Oh god, Bobby," she cried. "That was so good."

"Glad you liked it." Bobby's voice was muffled. He lifted his head. "I aim to please."

Zoe moaned. "And you do." They kissed again, passionately.

Dana raised one knee, giving herself room to slip a finger inside herself. It felt so good. Moving it back and forth felt even better. She concentrated on breathing slowly and quietly as she fingered herself.

"What can I do for you?" Zoe asked Bobby.

Dana missed what Bobby said. She'd discovered that pressing her palm against her Mons while she worked a finger in and out added to her pleasure. It added a lot. Abrupt motion on the other bed caught her attention.

Zoe and Bobby changed positions. Bobby settled on his back. Zoe crouched between Bobby's legs, leaned forward—and wrapped a hand around Bobby's cock. Dana gaped as Zoe leaned forward with an eager grin, mouth open, to lick the tip like an ice cream cone. Bobby gasped.

Zoe grinned even wider, then took the tip of it into her mouth. Dana had never imagined doing anything like that. It looked too big, for one thing. But Zoe wasn't having any trouble with it. She lowered her head, swallowing more of it. Dana watched, torn between fascination and alarm.

Would guys expect her to do something like that? Could she? Dana closed her eyes, conjuring the image of Zoe and Bobby fucking. That was a lot more exciting. She resumed fingering herself as she remembered the sights and sounds. Bobby's hard muscled arms flexing, his equally attractive ass thrusting. She couldn't see it, but now she imagined how his cock looked, driving into Zoe's pussy.

Dana's free hand caressed her thigh. It slid up beneath her t-shirt to stroke her belly or even cup a breast. Her other hand, buried between her thighs, didn't move—save for two fingers now, thrusting in unison. She was terribly excited, more so than she could remember being before. She'd masturbated, of course. But it had always been a quick, guilty affair; workmanlike effort resulting in a quick, mechanical release.

It was nothing like this. She felt a pressure building inside her, a tension she'd never experienced before, pleasant but incomplete. Dana thrust her fingers faster and harder, careful to breathe silently despite the building tension. She fingered herself faster, wanting to reach the climax she felt approaching.

Bobby interrupted her thoughts with a sudden plea. "Don't stop. Don't stop... don't—"

Dana turned her head. Bobby writhed on the opposite bed, arms and legs flexing and straightening. His hands fluttered in the air before settling on Zoe's head as it bobbed over his crotch. Dana watched, fascinated, her fingers continuing to piston in and out of her pussy.

Bobby went rigid, head thrown back. His hips twitched rhythmically. He groaned, a deep, loud noise that went on and on. Zoe rode him through his orgasm, her mouth never leaving his cock. He was coming inside her mouth! And she swallowed it.

Dana watched and fingered herself frantically. Her fingers, along with the sight of Bobby coming, sent her over the edge. The pleasurable tension rose to unbearable heights—then broke over her like a wave. Dana held herself rigid, motionless save for her pussy contracting repeatedly around her fingers; every contraction sent a pulse of pleasure rolling through her body.

She never forgot that Zoe and Bobby were only a few feet away, or the necessity of remaining still and silent. But she lost all awareness of what they were doing as her own ecstasy demanded all her attention. When her peak had passed and the pleasure was only a pleasant memory, Dana belatedly noticed the whispered conversation going on in the next bed—and that she had closed her eyes during her orgasm.

"Holy shit! Is that your roommate?" Bobby's whisper cut through the silence.

Dana kept her eyes closed and concentrated on keeping her face blank, her breathing even. Her face grew hot and she hoped her crimson blush wasn't visible in the dark.

"Yeah."

"Is she...asleep?"

"I think so."

"I didn't know—"

"Neither did I, silly." Zoe giggled. "It was dark."

"Are you sure she's asleep?"

"What, you want an audience?"

"No, but—"

"She's asleep," Zoe said with surprising confidence. "Watch. Dana? Dana, are you awake?"

Dana felt her blush deepen and spread. She didn't know what Zoe was doing. Did she want Dana to respond? Did she suspect Dana had watched them? Uncertain of Zoe's intent, and fearful of doing the wrong thing, Dana did nothing. She continued to feign sleep.

"See? She's asleep. She'd sleep through a fire alarm."

"Good."

CHAPTER FOUR

Zoe and Bobby made love several more times that night. Dana watched through slitted eyes, remaining as still as possible. Now that they knew she was present, Zoe and Bobby each glanced her way at times. She played dead—or at least deeply unconscious—each time. Much as she wanted to masturbate again, she didn't. She'd never get away with it now that they were conscious of her presence.

And she badly wanted to masturbate. She'd never even seen a porn video before, much less witnessed sex with her own eyes. It was arousing beyond imagining. And there were so many possibilities she'd never even considered. Zoe and Bobby's first coupling was in the missionary position. It was the only position Dana had ever experienced, and at that Zoe had enjoyed it more than she ever had.

But that was only the beginning. She'd watched Zoe use her mouth on Bobby's cock. She watched Bobby return the favor. She saw Zoe kneel astride Bobby while he lay on his back, rocking her hips. She watched Zoe on her hands and knees with Bobby kneeling between her spread legs, entering her from behind. They'd even used their mouths on one another at the same time, lying on their sides.

Hearing Zoe's cries of pleasure was educational. She'd never thought a woman could have as much fun as Zoe had, or enjoy so many orgasms. Bobby was a very talented young man. Much more talented than Mike had been. Dana realized at four a.m., when she was briefly awakened by the now-familiar slapping of flesh on flesh, and the incredibly arousing moans and whimpers Zoe made, that she was jealous of her roommate.

* * *

Dana woke again just after dawn. Light filtered around the edges of the curtains. She'd turned over in her sleep, lying sprawled face down, her head turned away from Zoe's side of the room. What had wakened her? She listened, expecting to hear more sex happening. She heard whispered voices—but from the door.

She turned her head. Zoe's bed was empty. More whispering. The door opened and closed. Dana heard the deadbolt click. She lowered her head and feigned sleep once more. She listened to Zoe climb back into bed and settle the covers. Zoe said, "Good night, Dana."

Dana froze. Did she know? Or was she guessing? Safer to assume the latter. Dana remained silent, pretending once more to sleep. She heard Zoe shift position, fiddle with her pillow, then settle down again with a faint sigh. Very shortly her soft, regular breaths suggested that she was asleep again. All too aware of her own pretenses, Dana didn't assume that was the case. She continued to lie still, pretending sleep until it became a pretense no longer.

When she woke next, Dana heard the shower running. A quick look showed Zoe's bed abandoned. Her alarm clock read 10:34 a.m. It was Saturday, a day when Dana liked to sleep in. But not today. The last thing she wanted to face was discussing what had happened with Zoe.

It would have to happen sometime. But not this morning. She threw off her own bed clothes and rolled to her feet. She dressed as fast as she could manage. She heard the shower shut off as she was jamming textbooks into her backpack. She abandoned the last one, threw the half open backpack over one shoulder and fled the room.

The bathroom door opened as she pulled the hallway door closed. She had the hall to herself. She bolted for the stairwell, heart racing. Zoe called after her—or Dana thought she did. She ignored the sound and clattered down the echoing stairwell and out into the bright cold morning.

* * *

"I thought I'd find you here."

Zoe's voice set Dana's heart racing. Embarrassment, guilt and relief at an end to the waiting swept through her. She looked up from her Doc Savage paperback. Zoe held a breakfast tray in her hands. She looked normal rather than angry. Around them the Commons swarmed with students getting a late breakfast or an early lunch. Dana had a table to herself.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Sure," Dana said.

Zoe took a seat across from Dana. "Haven't seen you all weekend, roomie."

"I've been busy." Hiding from you. Avoiding this conversation. Fortunately Zoe had apparently stayed in Bobby's room Saturday night.

"So I gathered." Zoe picked up her silverware, then frowned. Lowered it. "Are we going to talk about this, or what?"

Dana's face felt hot. She knew she had to be blushing visibly, and that knowledge only made it worse. She stared at Zoe, unable to think what to say. Zoe seemed equally lost.

"I'm sorry," they said in unison.

"What?" they chorused. Both of them drew breath to speak. Dana waited.

"I'm sorry about the other night," Zoe said. "We didn't know you were there."

"I know." Zoe colored a little, which made Dana feel a little better. At least until she realized that was because she didn't think Zoe could be embarrassed. That was an uncharitable thought. Zoe had been nothing but kind.

"I told Bobby you were asleep," Zoe said. "I even called your name."

Dana stood mute.

"You were awake, weren't you?"

Dana looked away. Her cheeks felt hot enough to catch fire. The room felt warm, and it was never warm. She let her gaze slide sideways. Zoe watched her closely. Her face lit in a big grin. "You were awake!" Zoe said. "I knew it!"

"I couldn't help it!" Only as the words left her mouth did Dana realize she'd confirmed Zoe's suspicions. She clamped her hands over her face, wishing she could vanish.

"It turned me on."

Dana wasn't sure she'd heard Zoe right. She lowered her hands. Zoe sat with both elbows on the table, leaning forward. She lowered her voice. "I was surprised at first, and afraid you'd be upset. But when you didn't say or do anything, I thought maybe you were watching us. Were you?"

Dana looked away again, wanting to deny it. Truthfully, she wanted this whole conversation never to have happened. She didn't want to answer. She didn't want to lie, either. Remaining silent seemed like a good compromise. It was a compromise she made a lot. All the time, in fact.

She met Zoe's eyes. It took her a full minute to work up the courage to reply. A minute in which she was painfully aware of the heat in face, of the way her pulse throbbed in her temples and fingertips in time to the rapid beating of her heart. Butterflies writhed in her stomach.

"Yes," Dana said. It was damned difficult to push the words out. "I watched you."

Zoe smiled. "I thought so. Thanks for telling me."
Dana wanted to say, "You're welcome," but the words wouldn't come.

"I know that was hard to say. We haven't been friends for that long, but I know you're a very private person. Thanks for telling me the truth."

Dana dropped her gaze even as she nodded.

"So can I tell you something?"

Dana looked up. "S-sure."

"I liked it when you watched us. Or when I thought you were watching us."

"You did?"

Zoe nodded eagerly. "It turned me on. A lot."

Dana didn't know how to answer that. She didn't have to. Zoe wasn't finished confessing.

"Not because it was you. Just—being watched. By anyone. When I was having sex." Zoe's eyes shone. "I liked it a lot. I guess...I guess I have some exhibitionist tendencies."

Well, I could have told you that, Dana thought. She recalled the whiteboard on their door. The one covered by crossed out times, each a bread crumb leading anyone paying attention to the knowledge of just how often Zoe had sex.

She imagined telling Zoe that. "Really?" Zoe would ask.

"Yes," Dana could say. "It's pretty obvious you want everyone to know."

Zoe would blush a little, her eyes darting here and there as she considered the idea. Then a little grin would spread across her face. "I guess you're right," she'd say.

Dana said nothing. It was too personal, too intimate.

"Are we okay, then?" Zoe asked.

Dana nodded. "We're fine."

Zoe smiled. Dana recognized the teasing aspect of it. "I'll try not to do it again," she said. She paused to watch Dana closely. "Unless you want me to."