The Only Time is Forever

"That is a lot to think about," she exclaimed, "Well, I think I had better go see how mom is doing, and think about what you have told me, and what I want to do."

Bill said, "I still feel I did not explain it well enough. Sex is such a strong physical experience that is hard for words to give you a thorough perspective. I hope I have helped."

"You did...OH! I almost forgot, I wanted to ask you if you would take me to dinner, you know, as my belated-birthday present? Would that be okay? I mean it will not be a 'date," she said, as she rolled her eyes.

"If your mother does not object, I would be delighted to take my lovely lady out for a nice birthday evening.

"Mom has already said 'Yes', so it's a...agreed," she chimed happily.

"Then, how about in two days; Friday evening?"

"That would be super!" she beamed.

"What time do you get out of school, Friday?" he asked.

"About 3:30"

"Will you stop by here, on your way home from school, Friday? I will have a surprise for you."

"Sure, thanks!"

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"Bill?" Mel called through the screen door on Friday.

"Hello Birthday Girl. Come on in," she heard him announce, from the back of the house.

Bill came walking towards her, as she entered. "Happy late birthday!" he said again, and this time he opened his arms to offer her a hug. She happily accepted.

"Okay," he started, "what kind of food would you like to have this evening?"

"Gee, a choice. I like Italian, and of course American and Mexican. I have heard French is delicious, but have never had it."

"Want to try French?" he asked.

"Sure, but aren't those fancy restaurants? I am not sure I have any clothes that are fancy enough?

"That thought crossed my mind, too," he said, "Follow me."

She followed him back into the house, a part she had never seen, and went into a bedroom.

"Is this your bedroom?" she asked, as she looked around.

"Just the guest room. Now, I have always thought that you looked to be the same size as my...Ann. So, I hope these fit." He reached under the bed, and pulled out several boxes.

One flat, white box had a decorative bow and a card. Melissa looked at him, smiling, and then turned to read the card. Her smile grew. She slid the lid off, and exclaimed, "Bill, it is beautiful!"

She lifted the dress out of the box, and held in front of her, facing the mirrored closet doors. The dress was a light yellow, done in a thin, flowing fabric, and had a few sequin accents. She set the dress down, which is when Bill noticed he had left the price tag on it.

She opened another box, and found matching shoes with short heels. She slipped off her sandals, sat on the edge of the bed, and put on the shoes.

"They fit, and they are perfect!"

She stood, crossed her arms across herself, and lifted off her sun dress.

"Modesty, please, young lady!" Bill exclaimed.

"Geez Bill. Don't be such an 'Old Man'! You saw me in my bikini, which is smaller than my bra and panties...Now zip me up," she mockingly commanded as she dropped the dress down her arms and over her head.

He gingerly pulled up the zipper, as she bent her pretty neck forward and held her hair to the side. He also snatched off the price tag.

"Wow!" she said, followed by a long pause as she looked in the mirror. "Is that really me? I have never had anything nice like this!"

She opened another box, and it was a matching clutch purse. "Double Wow!" she exclaimed. She turned to face him. "How do I look for our da...evening out?"

"Wonderful," he replied, warmly, "You will be the prettiest lady there tonight."

She dropped her head, and looked up with "The Eyes."

Bill smiled, "Save that for the young men, Miss Melissa Traynor!"

"This will be a wonderful night. Thank you, THANK YOU!" she almost sang.

"Can I pick you up at 6:30?"

"Great...Just honk when you get there, and I will come out."

"Honking is rude," he said, "I will call you, and you can come out." He guessed she did not want him coming to her front door.

"Do you have my number?" she asked.

"I think so," he said, pulling out his cell phone. He looked at it, and touched the screen.

Melissa's new purse started chiming. "What?" she said, looking at Bill, curiously. She opened the purse, and pulled out a cell phone from the fitted pocket. She looked at him, and answered the phone, cautiously, "Hello?"

She saw Bill's lips move, but heard his voice in the phone, "It is yours; all paid for, and with an unlimited plan."

He saw a tear run down her cheek. He reached out and gently wiped away the tear, as she said, with a sniff, "But...but..."

"Happy Birthday, my dear," he interrupted, "Now, you better get home and get ready. Need help with the boxes?

"No" she sniffed, "they will be easy to carry. You know where I live? Oh... can you help me put your number in this phone?"

"The number is already in there," he said, "and, yes, I know where you live, just a couple blocks north. I will wait IN THE LIVING ROOM, while you change your clothes."

She quickly turned her back to him, and he paused to pull her zipper down, and then he left the room.

"Prude," she teasingly shouted behind him.

"Out here," he replied, playfully.

When she had changed, and had her presents gathered, she came out and stopped in front of him, as he stood up.

"Really, thank you," she said, and startled him when she quickly kissed his lips. "I'm 18 now!" she pronounced as she pranced out the door.

"I didn't say that 18 was old enough for me!" he chided. He stood in the doorway and watched her walk up the block, as he gently touched his lips.

About 20 minutes later, his cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Mom loves what you gave me, and she told me to thank you, so, so much. She was crying, too. See you at 6:30. Bye!

"Bye" he replied, smiling to himself.

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At 6:28 PM, Bill called Melissa's new phone as he stood by his car. The front door opened and out she came in her new clothes, her hair pulled back and wearing more makeup (well, other than Goth) than he had ever seen on her. The facial transformation was very flattering to her big eyes. He could also see the curtains of the front window had moved back, as she approached his car.

"You look lovely, Miss Traynor," he said, as he opened her door.

"Thank you, Mr. Haerth," she said, smiling at the extra politeness she put into saying it.

He went around and got in the driver's seat.

"Do you feel older?" he asked, with a smile.

"Actually, quite a bit," she replied.

He let her choose a radio station as they drove to the restaurant.

When they got to the French restaurant, the valet opened her door for her. She stepped out, but hesitated for a moment, until she realized that Bill's elbow was bent out for her to hold onto, like in the old movies.

The dinner was wonderful for her, enjoying all the rich, new flavors, and the sparkling apple cider they shared. Bill quietly guided her on some of the manners of eating in a fine restaurant. She had a smile on her face the whole time, and put her hand on his as often as she could.

Once the valet had brought Bill's car back, and they were seated, she asked quietly, "Can we go back to your house...you know...and watch some TV?"

He glanced at her, and then put his eyes back to driving duty, "As long as you behave yourself, young lady."

"I am only 18 once!"

"That is what I am afraid of," he replied.

When they got back to his house, he said that he wanted to use the bathroom, and hang up his sport coat.

When he came out to the living room, he found that she had turned on the TV (to a chick flick), had closed the curtains, and brought herself a Mug root beer. Plus, she had set out a Fat Tire Belgian Ale for him, from his fridge.

"A beer?" he asked her, as she sat sideways on the couch.

"Come on," she replied, "Because of me, all you had was sparkling apple cider all night. Just have one beer, and let me have one sip, so I can feel like I got away with something!"

He sighed, and sat down.

"The movie just started and you didn't miss anything important," she added.

She moved over and snuggled under his arm. He mentally flinched at her getting so close, but the contact felt so good, he convinced himself to bend the line, yet a little further.

She rested a hand on his thigh. He bent his arm that was behind her and played with a few hairs around her face, those which had come loose from the clip at the back of her head. She looked up at his face. He looked down at her with a small smile, and turned back to watch the TV movie. She snuggled tighter and shifted her hand so that she placed her palm over his thigh.

The next time he went to bring the beer to his lips, she took her hand off of his thigh, and put her hand around his beer bottle. "My turn," she smirked.

"Just one...and No Chugging," he replied, as he released the bottle.

She took a long sip, and handed him the bottle, back.

"Hmm?" she said, "Heavy, rich. Not sure if I like beer."

"It can be an acquired taste."

"Like some men?" she said, with a big smile.

"Are you practicing your flirting again?"

"Is it always practice?"

"Behave," he answered.

She giggled, and proclaimed, "I have to use the lady's room."

Bill moved his arm so she could get up.

She walked off as a commercial for indigestion prevention was on, for the third time during this movie.

Bill had his eyes on the TV when Melissa passed through his view. He was startled that she was not wearing the yellow dress he had bought her, nor any shoes. She had on his bathrobe, which she held closed, but had not tied closed.

"I did not want to damage my beautiful dress, so I laid it out on the bed in the guest bedroom."

This time, she laid down, and put her head on his thigh. He saw her hair fall over her face, before she swept it back. "She had taken the clip out of her hair, too" he realized.

He started to run his fingers over and through her lovely, smooth hair. She purred quietly and wiggled closer.

"Happy Birthday," he said.

"Hmmmmm...," she murmured.

"Behave," he whispered.

When the next commercial break arrived, she rolled onto her back to look up and smile at him.

He stifled a gasp when he saw that the bathrobe had slid open, and she was naked underneath, one nipple staring at him.

He reached out, and started closing the front of the robe, while saying, "That is not behaving, Miss Traynor."

She stopped his hand, pulled on the robe in his hand until his grip relented, and then she placed his hand on her ribs.

"Pleeeaaase...," she asked softly.

Bill was battling within himself to find a satisfactory response, when she moved his hand up, fully covering her small breast.

"This isn't right," he said, as he slowly withdrew his hand from her delicately soft breast, feeling the small nipple harden as his palm traveled across it.

"I forgot to tell you," Melissa said, "Rich, the boy who wanted to take me to the drive-in last night. I called him and asked him if we could go to dinner instead. He apologized that he had just remembered something he had to do that night and couldn't make our date. He said he would call me. I told him not to bother...You were right...and I am still a virgin."

Melissa sat up, stood, and then moved to straddle his legs on the couch, as she sat on her knees. The bathrobe was open all down front.

He looked at her face, searching to see the girl he treated as a daughter, instead of the slim, naked young woman, who had her small patch of matching honey-brown hair perched on his lap.

"A father does not do this," his voice quavered.

She looked at his face, with tears welling in his eyes. She placed her hands on his cheeks and used her thumbs to wipe away the forming tears. Her big eyes looked right into his.

"I told you I had a lot to think about after our 'sex' talk, and I have decided. "You were also right...that my first time should be with someone caring. You, William Haerth, are the most caring, kind, decent man I have ever known. In the time we have spent together, you have been more of a father than I ever dreamed I could have...you know?" She paused to wipe away his tears, then her own.

"But, you are not my father, in the way that would make this wrong. You are my friend and my guide, and I want you to guide me in this, too."

He saw her head tilt and her lips move towards his. His mind pleaded for her to stop, but his lips greeted hers contentedly. Her lips were so soft; her hair smelled so lovely, with a hint of floral; her hands felt just so right, as they cupped his cheeks, while her lips gently twisted against his. One of his hands went to her bare waist.

He could not open his eyes to look at her. He did not know whom he wanted to see when he opened them. Was it Melissa or Ann? Then he remembered one of Ann's favorite sayings, "Never wait for love to catch up, just run to catch it." If he did take Melissa to his bed, as she was asking, but instead, thought of her as Ann, then that would be the real betrayal, not that of his fatherly role.

"Anybody in there?" Melissa queried gently.

Hearing her voice, Bill opened his eyes slowly and nodded. He looked in the hazel eyes, the same color as Ann's eyes had been. He said to himself, "These are Melissa's eyes, this is her face. It is Melissa that is here, now." He moved his head forward and kissed her, tentatively.

After absorbing a long moment of his touch, she pulled back and looked into his eyes, and smiled. "So, 18 is okay, then?"

Her look was puzzled when he replied, "Yes...and no."

He placed his full palm around the other side of her waist, and sighed, "I can't do all that you want."

"But I am saying it is okay, you can be my first," she sweetly replied.

"Melissa, you are sitting on my lap, and I assume you know enough that you should be able feel my erection under you?"

"Yes, I know, but...," she suddenly realized that she felt nothing there.

"Even if there were nothing more in the world that I wanted to do, I cannot 'punch your V-card' for you."

She watched his fallen face, looking for answers.

He took a deep breath, and started, "I never believed we would be at this moment, or I would have told you sooner. The accident that killed my...killed Ann...also damaged me there, and I cannot have any erection, nor can any medical option work for me."

"Can you feel anything there?" she asked, concerned for him.

"About the same as you touching my arm, but there is almost no, further, erotic response."

He searched for her reaction, as her thoughts worked behind her eyes. Her response came as she put her hands behind his head, gripped his hair, and kissed him hard.

It was her first hard kiss, and she reveled in the new sensations it created.

Her breathing was lightly elevated as she looked into his eyes, feeling a warmth that she had not known she possessed, and said, "You were the one who told me 'The Fuck' was only part of the total experience. Take me to your bed and show me the all the rest. Show me what being cared about feels like, and show me what Ann felt when you showed her how much you loved her."

She watched as his face sank to her shoulder, small sobs muffled by the bathrobe. This time, she stroked his hair.

She took her new cell phone from the pocket of the robe, and pressed the directory listing for "Home." "Hi mom," she said, softly, "Yes...yes I am. I will see you tomorrow morning. Don't cry...I am as safe as I can be. Love you, too. Okay, bye."

Bill's head slowly rose and his red eyes looked at her, "She knows...and she is okay with this?" he questioned.

"It was very hard for her. But from everything I have told her about you, she trusts you to protect me, and care for me. Of course, she doesn't know I will still be a virgin when I see her!"

He chuckled lightly, "Sounds like a special woman. I would like to meet her sometime."

"Oh, I think you will," she replied, warmly.

"There is just one condition on this night," he said, quietly.

"And that is what, Mr. Haerth?"

"This is the only time. You take what I can show and you use it to find the right young man for you."

"The only time!? But what if..."

"The ONLY time," he said firmly.

"But, can we still...you know...watch TV together, or talk, or go out for dinner?"

He paused, and then said, "Yes, we will have everything else, but you will not be in my bed again. Deal?"

"Alright" she said dejectedly.

She slid off of his lap, and felt his hands trail down from her waist, to her thighs, to her knees, before she stood. She put out her hand out for him.

"As this is my only night, I don't want to lose another minute."

He stood, turned off the TV, and took her hand, and they walked to his bedroom. When they had entered, she took out her cell phone, and held it out to him, "Show me how to set the alarm for 8 A.M., please?"

He smirked, tapped the phone, and said, "Set alarm for 8 A.M."

"Alarm set for 8 A.M. tomorrow morning," the phone responded.

She took the phone and set it on the night stand, then turned to him and started undoing the buttons of his shirt, as she chuckled, "Clever man. Now show me what clever things you can do to me."

He pushed the bathrobe off her shoulders, and she let it drop to the floor.

"You don't think my boobs are too small?"

He reached down and gently squeezed both of her nipples. He heard her gasp and felt her legs weaken.

Bill said, "As long as they react to my touch like that, they are perfect for me."

Her thoughts soared, as he pulled her close, and she felt his hands run through her hair, slide down her back, and stop, cupping her butt. She reached between them, and finished unbuttoning his shirt, and started unbuckling his belt.

His hands gently replaced hers, and he took off his remaining clothes. He turned down the sheets and comforter, and then turned and lifted her light body. He gently set her on the bed and then he lain down beside her, and softly kissed her.

Her mind was lost in the sensations of his warm body, fully in contact with hers, and she pulled him tight to her.

Bill's hands started to explore all of her; her firm thighs, delicate neck, soft, small breasts...all of her.

She tentatively explored Bill with her hands, gaining confidence each time she touched him that her touch did please him. She learned to reach through and around his moving arms to bring her hands into contact with his skin.

She sank into the moment; caring not for the time, the room, the rest of the world. She listened to her own breathing, as it gained speed. She delighted in the way his touch of one spot on her skin would make her whole body want to answer him.

Then it happened. He gave her a long kiss, this time his tongue probing her lips. She accepted, answering with her tongue. Just as she was learning how their tongues could dance, his hand touched her between her legs. The shiver and her gasp surprised her.

The more he went on, the more she found how he could provoke uncontrolled responses from her body. She came to know the many sounds of pleasure she contained, as they escaped in response to his touch.

At last, she learned the delightful agony he could create in her. It was nothing like she had imagined, as it was so unlike her own hand. When she could take no more, her body clenched, shook, and jerked, then finally sagged.

Then there was quiet, except for the gasps of her receding breathing. For the first time, she recognized the coolness her sweat was creating.

It was the absolute contentedness she felt, as he held her, that surprised her most. She had dreamed of his touch and to be in his arms, but nowhere in her dreams had she predicted the utter stillness of her mind, drowning in happiness, as she listened to his breathing.

"Is this what he wished for me to know?" she asked herself. She pondered that as his hands started to roam her body, once again. As the night continued, she discovered the effect that his warm mouth and tongue had on her. Her nipples sent signals through her that cried out, pleading for all he could give her.