University Blues Ch. 08

"Well, that's one thing you did right."

Tom felt angry at himself now. He had completely misconstrued the reason behind Myriam's sudden appearance. He had believed she was out there to manipulate him. It turned out she was actually looking out for Dana, to some extent. Girls sticking together. It made Tom feel small.

"Should I tell her?" he asked.

"No. Not in detail, anyway. You know why."

He smiled at her; she smiled back. Suddenly, she bit her lower lip.

"Look at you," she stated, "all tense from this. Let me help."

She moved closer to him and grabbed his waistline, starting to undo his pants.

"Myri..."

"What?"

He froze. She managed to go as far as dropping his trousers without him putting up another moment of reluctance to her overture.

"We shouldn't," he told her.

Her hands went to his underwear and she pulled it down, ignoring him for the moment. She exposed a burgeoning erection; Tom had been turned on from the moment he had spotted Myriam at the entrance to the restaurant. She stared at his manhood which hardened before her.

"...Myri..." he mumbled.

"Tell me to stop and I'll stop," she called, moments before wrapping her lips around his shaft.

Her warm mouth around his shaft sent a jolt of greater desire into his loins; Tom's hand naturally wandered to the top of her head to hold her steady as she blew him. The image of Dana, sitting, waiting at the table popped into Tom's mind - guilt instantly rose up, but Tom didn't want Myriam to stop. She was expertly bobbing and pleasuring his erection, with only one predictable outcome. To her credit perhaps, Myriam wasn't taking her time or working her way up to something else: she was giving it her all. She moved her hands to his exposed butt and pressed. Both of Tom's hands were on her head now, and he was using his swaying motion to add to her efforts.

It still took roughly three minutes for Tom to reach his climax; at this point, he didn't call it. He also didn't let go of Myriam's head; she was forced to welcome his ejaculation deep in her mouth even as her tongue finished him off. He was silent through it all, though the pleasure hit hard. Tom opened his eyes, looking down, watching the pouty red lips wrapped around his shaft, with Myriam looking up at him. Her eyes didn't betray any emotions. Resolutely, she cleaned him up fully with her tongue before pulling away.

"...oh fuck..." Tom mumbled.

Myriam finally rose from her knees, sitting on the bowl, staring up.

"There," she stated. "Tension gone."

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"But Tom," she added. "Ask yourself this. You have a pretty decent partner in the other room waiting on you, with whom I think you have a pretty good chance of scoring tonight. Yet you didn't stop me. I told you at the beginning - tell me to stop and I'll stop."

"And I didn't say anything," he confirmed.

"Which tells something about you."

Tom considered her words for a moment; he bent down and pulled his lower body clothing up to cover himself. She was making a fair point.

"I'll let you leave first," she said, "and I'll wait a few minutes. But Tom... you owe me."

"I think I do, yes," he told her.

"So I'm asking for something in return."

"Depends... but... ok."

She rose to her feet.

"Two things. One, I'd like to see her naked. That's just for me. A picture would be sufficient. But she looks hot. See if you can make it happen. That's the hardest thing."

"I won't promise that," he said.

"Fair enough. Item two: if you do fuck her tonight, I want you to tell me all about it later. Every lurid passionate detail."

"That I can do," Tom stated.

They didn't kiss or hug. Tom wandered out of the bathroom and headed towards the table. He had been gone about ten minutes. He now worried about Dana. Yet, as he neared her, he saw no anxiety in her face; instead, seeing him return, she merely smiled. This didn't help Tom feel any less guilty for what had just transpired.

Tom never saw Myriam leave; he didn't look in the direction of the door. He spent the entire meal focused solely on Dana. To be fair, after his release, he did feel much better and more relaxed. With the sexual tension gone, it was easier to have a regular conversation with his partner for the evening. The thought of what had transpired in the bathroom only infrequently grazed the surface of his thoughts, and he was quickly able to move on from them to other topics of conversation.

Towards the end of the meal, Dana asked if she could take a picture of them together. Tom agreed, returning with the same question for later in the evening.

"No problem," she replied, "as long as they don't end up on facebook for a while."

"Just for me then," he told her.

Their selfies out of the way, they paid for their meals separately and headed out. Having made no plans for what came next (other than much later in the evening), they stopped at a street corner. Because she was a conscientious mother, Dana checked in with her own mother and her son to see that all was right. Tom heard her clearly state that the date was going great, and that she wouldn't be back until the next day - and she couldn't tell when. Again, seeing Dana committing herself so much gnawed at Tom's conscience. He kept quiet.

"What do you want to do?" Dana asked him, hiding a bit of innuendo in there.

To be honest, the last thing on Tom's mind was sexual activity of any kind, not because he didn't desire Dana or because of the blowjob over an hour ago; it was about the differences between his relationship with his mentor and with his student and her friends. Being with Dana meant being more of an adult, more responsible, and more connected with real life - and that was about more than just sex, casual or not. It was obvious sex was in the cards for the evening - for when they went back to his place and readied for bed. But right now, at this very moment, Tom needed to differentiate his time with Dana from the time he usually spent with Myriam.

"Well," Tom replied, "maybe a movie. Or just walking. I just want to be with you."

The comment both pleased and surprised Dana; after the intense love-making of their previous encounters, although she had quite enjoyed it having somewhat forced it upon them two times out of three, she relished the thought of expanding the activities she could enjoy with Tom.

"A movie sounds good. Anything good come out recently?"

They walked several streets, talking along the way, to get to the movie theatre. The most recent historical Hollywood production was out - being fans of history themselves, teaching it as a profession, they chose that and filed in with the rest of the crowd. They sat down towards the front, holding hands as they watched a love story unfold in the context of the First World War. During the entire two-and-a-half hours of the movie, Dana's hand often wandered onto Tom's hip, caressing it gently. Tom oscillated between wrapping his arm around her, caressing her neck and just putting his hand on hers.

The moment they left the movie theatre, they immediately started chatting about all of the historical errors in the film's narrative, and the unrealistic portrayal of the characters in that context. They laughed about it all the way into the street, comparing notes. Dana, having focused her studies more on Western history, was more able to spot the inaccuracies. Tom listened to her speak, watching her lips move...

The image of Myriam's red lips on his cock re-emerged. He tried to hide his discomfort but Dana noticed it.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah! It's..."

He wanted to dismiss it but how could he? The other element he remembered from his previous encounter with Myriam was her words, mainly her concern about how he was treating Dana.

"I keep thinking of sex," he confided, a half-truth being better than a lie at this point.

She smiled at him.

"There's nothing wrong with that," she bit her lower lip. "I've been thinking about it too."

"Dana, I don't want our relationship to be strictly based on sex."

She stopped moving for a moment, staring him down in a judgemental way he did not know her to have ever manifested. Clearly, he had said something wrong. He meant to apologize but Dana shushed him before he even spoke.

"First off, Tom, it's not. Second, even if it were, how would that be bad?"

She paused, not to give him time to answer as she was still motioning him to remain quiet, but to let him ponder her words.

"Why would a relationship strictly based on sex be bad?"

It wasn't, of course, Tom told himself. I currently have one with Myriam and her friends. I want something different with you - but he couldn't tell her that, could he?

"Well?" she asked for a reply.

"Look, I just mean to say I want more from us."

"What more do you want, Tom?"

She was making a fair point and Tom realized he was being stupid about it - not merely stupid but also judgemental in his own right. What if she only wanted sex with him? Would that be bad? Clearly, that wasn't all they had. The problem, Tom reasoned, was that he kept comparing the two relationships instead of taking each one for what it was.

A small truth was creeping its way into Tom's mouth.

"Look Dana, I've had a relationship based purely on sex in the past."

It wasn't really a lie - it just happened this past went back to only a few hours before.

"I enjoyed it, but that's not what I want from you - with you, I mean."

Dana softened her mood; she wasn't really mad. In fact, she understood Tom's confusion because, to a great extent, she shared it.

"I get it, Tom. I really do. This is new to both of us, and I've been thinking of stripping you and... and... fucking you silly since we met this afternoon. But I can wait. I was almost certain you were going to drag me home after dinner and serve me 'dessert', so to speak."

"I was tempted."

"So was I, but I'm glad we didn't go too. I'm glad we saw this sappy movie. Do you know why?"

"For the same reason as me," he replied.

"Because I get to spend time with you. Why are you overthinking this? What's happening in that brain of yours? I want to help. I care too. That's what relationships are for - I think."

That bit of conversation has completely resolved the tension, and the two were speaking normally again. Dana, remembering earlier conversations from the past weeks, tried a guess at Tom's quandary. How close she was to the mark made Tom a bit fearful.

"That's about your one-night stand you told me about, right?"

He couldn't lie to her - not openly, not when faced with the truth from her lips.

"Yep. I've... seen her a few more times."

"Since we had sex?"

"Yep. I mean, I told you, right?"

"You did," she remembered. "And I told you I didn't want to know about it."

"Which is why I said nothing until now."

Dana considered his words as much as her own situation; there were many points of contention to be made, but did they need to happen, she wondered? Truth be told, she really didn't care - and Tom could actually see it in her demeanor. Tom knew, however, that she might care about Myriam's earlier visit at the restaurant. That one, he would keep quiet about. Shame and guilt were already high on that one.

"Obviously," Dana reasoned, "this challenges you."

"Yeah. And I told you last Sunday, if you want me to..."

"No."

The plain rebuttal shut Tom up; she looked up at him, all smiles.

"You know, that Tuesday I jumped you... that entire week before. You were giving off signals like crazy. You were hot. Hotter than ever."

The confession stumped Tom as much as it explained other things. She continued her explanation.

"I mean... I looked at you and... wow. Okay, I was horny because of everything that was happening in my life too. But still... Tom, you looked so confident, so in charge. A man satisfied. That's partly what riled me up."

She looked away for a moment as she said the next sentence.

"Sex with that girl at the bar, I think that did you good. And look at you now. Sure, you're scared because of what's between us, but I am too. But sexually... damn Tom. I could eat you up. You exhude sex appeal right now."

Confidence, Tom told himself. After so many encounters with so many women, how could he not feel empowered in some way? That was probably Myriam's best gift for him.

"If I'd jumped you at any other moment in your life," Dana finally stated, "it would have been awkward for both of us. I took a stupid chance - and it turns out that it was the best thing I did in a long time. I mean, come on... it was crazy for me to fuck you in our office."

Dana was speaking a little too loud and passers-by might have heard those last words. Tom dragged her away from the main street and against a building.

"Can I ask something plain?" she said.

"Always. I'll do my best to answer."

"Have you been with that girl since last Sunday - when I went to your place?"

"Yeah," he plainly said, wondering if this was a make or break statement.

She stared a moment into the air, nodding her head approvingly.

"Well, I hate to say it, but that girl does you good? And that's why you don't want this to be merely about sex with me, right?"

"Right. Because that's all it is with her - and you're not her."

This portion of truth, out in the open, was liberating. Tom didn't need to mention the other girls involved - what would be the point? At least, Dana wasn't panicking or getting angry from the revelation. In fact, she was rather calm about the entire idea.

"I never asked you to be exclusive," she told him. "And I'm not going to."

"You're not?"

"No... because for whatever reason, this girl... she's done wonders for you. I know you were in a rut for a long time. I won't ask about her. But you need to stop comparing us. I'm not in a competition here and neither is she. This is about you - not us. Understand."

"I think I do."

Dana was making the fairest point Tom could imagine. It was his decision to entertain relationships with both of them. Knowing that Myriam and Dana knew about each other without knowing the other person herself moved the burden of responsibility straight onto Tom's shoulders. Somehow, this empowered Tom in his emotional and intellectual process.

"I don't need an answer either," she told him. "I trust you implicitly that you won't hurt me."

"What if I want to answer you?"

"Then you can."

It was rhetorical at this point; Tom still hadn't made up his mind about either woman.

"My only restriction," she finished her discourse, "is that she doesn't exist when we're together. That was her, on the phone earlier, right?"

"Yes."

"I don't care how you manage it. Make sure she doesn't interfere in our private moments. When you're with me, you're only with me. When I'm not there, I have no claims over your time and what you do with it."

The resolution in Dana's eyes was almost frightening - and somehow extremely erotic. Having her take charge in this way triggered more desires in Tom; in truth, Dana herself wasn't indifferent to the building tension in the scene.

"Deal," he answered. "Now... my place?"

"Let's go."

She grabbed his arm and they walked briskly to his apartment.

They made love upon arriving, with Tom and Dana tossing their clothing at the entrance after locking the door, making it all the way to Tom's bed without stopping to catch their breath. They didn't waste any time with preliminaries; Tom rammed himself deep inside her as she spread her legs for him. He only took time to wrap a rubber around his erection. They traded kisses and caresses all the while he thrust his hips against hers, bringing them both to coitus within a couple of minutes. Their bodies remained interlocked afterwards, with silence creeping into their exhaustion.

"Better?" she eventually asked him.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too," she replied.

Perhaps they didn't know exactly what they were sorry for, but the emotions that riled them up tended to cause issues - as with their prior conversation. Tom finally rolled off his partner and stared at the ceiling, content in the moment. Dana twisted to her side, resting her head against his shoulder in silence.

They might have fallen asleep, save for Tom's cellphone that vibrated. Tom cringed - if it were Myriam, he would ignore her. Dana, however, motioned him to answer, breaking her own rule about not including the other woman in their time together.

"You haven't told her yet," she whispered to him. "It's all good. Best to tell her in person anyways.

Tom smiled, racing to the doorway where his pants were resting, and retrieved his phone. Dana watched him, standing naked, reading and answering the message.

MYRIAM: So? Fun?

TOM: Yes. But busy. Shouldn't talk to you when I'm with her.

MYRIAM: Good boy. Text me when she's gone. Picture if possible.

Tom put the phone away and returned to the bed.

"I told her I was busy."

"Good boy," Dana echoed.

Tom couldn't help but start laughing, but he didn't explain why.

"We should sleep," he told her.

"Agreed. Besides... that was the plan. Sleeping together."

"Yeah."

They kissed and embraced, wrapping themselves in each other's arms, content in the moment. Morning could come never - both lovers were now happy in this instant, having faced a crisis of sorts and having come out of it unscathed, with a plan of sorts, a structure that could allow both of them to move into this relationship headfirst, with no unspoken expectations and no hidden ideas other than what was required.

For Dana, it meant that Tom wouldn't even consider the other woman while they were intimate, and she was satisfied with this arrangement so far. It also meant that whatever the girl was doing to make Tom shine out and become more confident in his sexuality could continue. On some level, perhaps because of her own history, Dana could see the benefit in there. All they had needed was to get past their confusion and establish some clear ground rules.

For Tom, it meant that he could stop fighting with himself over his desires. Dana was his future, even though he could enjoy many moments in the present with her. Myriam was his present, along with all her friends, and he could keep exploring the sexual games with her as long as his own guilt and feelings didn't get more in the way. He was now convinced more than before that he would know when to stop - when the right time to call it off with the 'sex gang' would come.

Of course, there was always a possibility that Myriam and Dana might cross paths; obviously, Myriam already knew who the other woman was. On that, Tom could only hope that his sex partner wouldn't try to exploit him - or her - in any way.

All the same, and perhaps because he wanted to buy the peace, Tom waited for Dana to fall asleep. He managed to roll from under her, went to his phone and snapped a silent picture in the dark, making sure to frame it so her head wouldn't be included in the shot. The gorgeous naked form of Dana's back, buttocks and leg curves formed an image in the folder. Tom made sure to exit the folder and shut his phone off completely.

There was no way he would make that same mistake twice.

END CHAPTER 8