Foolishness & Humiliation Ch. 07

I sat on my chair, softly moaning to myself. My ass felt as though someone had poured gasoline on it and lit it on fire. It burned, god it burned!

Besides the pain in my ass I had that thing up my rectum, my asshole, and the pressure was not helping one little bit. And in addition to that my nipples still had the clips on them. I wanted to take out the thing but I didn”t dare. Marianne had not told me that I could. She had made me afraid of her; afraid of what she might do to me if I did something she didn”t like. That fear kept me from removing the clips from my nipples too. The pain there wasn”t really pain anymore, just a dull ache and numbness.

I struggled to concentrate on some of my work, afraid if I just sat and did nothing that would result in another punishment. Unfortunately I was unable to concentrate and I kept getting more nervous. I managed to get a few things done before Marianne came out of her office. She motioned me to come inside. I pulled myself up and stumbled into her office behind her. Marianne closed the door.

“Bend over the table.”

I walked to it shakily and bent over. Marianne flipped up my dress.

“Spread your cheeks for me.”

I moaned but reached back and pulled myself open, whimpering as my hands touched my burning ass. She grasped the base of the thing inside me and gently pulled back. I tried to relax my anus so it would come out easily but it was hard with my ass burning. She finally got it out and laid it on the table.

“Stand up, turn to face me and drop the top of your dress.”

I rose, turned and slipped my shoulder straps down. I pulled on the neck of the dress so my tits and nipples were bare. Marianne gently removed one and then the other clip. I gasped in relief and then clutched my tits as feeling came back into my nipples. My mouth opened and I gasped loudly as the blood rushed back into them. Oh Jesus it hurt! Marianne watched me, then gently pulled down my hands.

“Leave them, they will feel better in a while although you might not believe me. Now look at me.”

I looked up. I had been staring at my nipples as they burned. My eyes were blurry from unshed tears.

“I didn”t want to do any of this to you, but you broke your promise to me and I needed you to understand the consequences of broken promises. You”ll be sore, you”ll hurt, and you”ll probably hate me for this, but you need to understand that I will not let you go back on a promise. In a few days the hurt will be gone, but the memory should stay much longer. What did you promise me, Sabine?

“I-I-I p-p-promised that I would show whoever you wished my body whenever you wished and wherever you wished.”

“That”s correct. Do you think we will have any more problems with you?”

“N-n-no Marianne.”

“That”s good, because now we are going to take a walk through the office.”

Marianne motioned me to leave and she followed me out. She directed me to the wall of offices for the salesmen. When we reached the first she stopped me.

“You will go in with me and ask him if he wants to see one, two or three. One is your tits. Two is your ass. Three is your pussy. Perhaps we need a different name for that. Which do you prefer, cunt or twat?”

I began to sob softly.

“Well?”

“T-t-twat Marianne.”

“Fine, three is your twat. When he chooses, you will say something like you want to see my twat? And then you will show him what he has chosen. Do you understand?”

“Y-y-yes Marianne.”

“Go ahead then.”

I stepped into the first office with Marianne behind me. I was blushing terribly. The man looked at the two of us curiously and greeted Marianne. I looked at her and saw the expression on her face.

“Please choose one, two or three.”

He looked at me and then at her.

“Please for god”s sake choose.”

“Two.”

“You want to see my ass?”

I turned so my ass was facing him and lifted my dress, baring it. I stood, humiliated and embarrassed, letting him look at my ass, my red, beaten ass. I was so ashamed that I had to be the one to ask and then show. It was like it was my idea rather than hers. I did as I was told however. I knew she no qualms about making sure I obeyed. She let me stand there, ass bared, and then finally motioned me outside.

“Not a word to anyone.”

Marianne caught up with me. I was so grateful hearing those words come out of her mouth I could have hugged her. At least, if he listened to her, no one would ever hear of what I had done.

“The next one.”

I moaned softly and walked to the next office. She followed me inside. The woman looked at me and then at Marianne.

“Please choose one, two or three.”

She looked at me curiously.

“Three.”

“You want to see my twat?”

I lifted my dress in front, baring my almost clean-shaven pussy. The woman at first looked shocked, but then broke out laughing which made tears leak from my eyes. I felt like a slut. I was so ashamed. Marianne made me stand with my dress lifted for what seemed like an hour, then told me to leave.

“Not a word to anyone.”

As she caught up to me I walked to the next office. It was the one of the man most people didn”t really like, but because he was good he was kept around. I didn”t want to go inside. Marianne lifted an eyebrow. I scurried inside.

“Please choose one, two or three.”

He looked at me and then at Marianne.

“One.”

“You want to see my tits?”

I lifted my hands up and slipped the straps down, then pulled down the top of my dress, baring my tits to him. I felt dirty and slutty. He smiled at me lazily and gazed at my tits and nipples. I blushed hard and felt ashamed. Marianne made me stand there for a long time before motioning me outside.

“Not a word to anyone.”

I stood woodenly in the hall, waiting for her. Marianne joined me. There were sixteen more offices, just like the first three and I didn”t know how I was going to make it. I was so embarrassed.

“Do you like this?”

“N-n-no.”

“Do you want it to end?”

“Y-y-yes.”

“Then I want you to choose three people who haven”t seen any of you before, invite them to my office and then tell each one which number to choose. They each must choose a different number. Then you will ask them the same questions and then you will remove your dress, heels and stockings. You will then stand facing them, holding your tits up for them with your legs spread. When I tell you to turn around, you will, bend over and grab your ankles and stay down until I tell you can get up. I will expect you and three staff or sales persons in my office in fifteen minutes.”

Then Marianne turned and walked back towards her office, leaving me standing in shock. I stood for a few seconds and then hurried to find three people who I could stand stripping for. I choose a young salesman who I felt was nice and two secretaries that I knew slightly. I hurried back to Marianne”s office and waited for them to arrive. I felt slightly nauseated. They arrived and I knocked at Marianne”s door, then opened it and ushered them inside. I stood, unbearably ashamed, until Marianne nodded at me.

“P-p-please, will you choose one, you two and you three?”

They looked at me quizzically.

“Oh god, please choose.”

I was rewarded by hearing one, two and three from them and my stomach tightened.

“You want to see my tits, ass and twat?”

Then with a sob, I slipped my shoulder straps down and pushed my dress to my ankles. I heard a gasp, two gasps. I ignored that and stepped out of my dress, toed off my heels and began rolling down a stocking.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Just watch and enjoy her.”

I hid my face by being bent over and removed the first stocking, then rolled the other down and off. Then blushed scarlet, I cupped my tits and lifted them and spread my feet apart. I was so humiliated! Marianne made me stand there, holding my tits up like I was offering them to the three people who were staring at me in disbelief. When she finally had me turn around it was a relief for me to not have to see them staring at me. I turned and bent over, then grasped my ankles. My feet were apart for balance and I knew that they could see my twat and asshole. They could see the crack of my ass and everything it hid. I sobbed softly and held my position.

I felt as though I stood bent over for them for a long, long time. I thought that it would never end. I was scarlet red and shivering. My reddened ass was pointed right at them. They could tell that I had had something done to me. I wasn”t at all aroused like I had been before. This was total humiliation for me. Finally Marianne told me I could straighten up. I did and stood facing away from them with my hands under my chin, trembling. I heard snickers from behind me and sobbed softly.

“Not a word to anyone.”

I stood shaking until I heard them open the door and close it. Marianne came up and put her arms around me. She hugged me and just broke down, bawling out loud.

“Shhh, it”s all over now. You”re all right and nothing has been hurt.”

“B-b-but they s-s-saw me n-n-naked.”

“They weren”t the first and you are not hurt, Sabine. Maybe a little embarrassed but you are not hurt.”

“Marianne, my butt is burning and my nipples ache. How could you?”

“It was your fault, Sabine. I wasn”t the one who made the promise and I definitely wasn”t the one who tried to back out on it. You may not think that the punishment fits the crime, but you will think twice before breaking a promise to me.”

“It wasn”t fair and you could have said something to me. You humiliated me and hurt me.”

“Yes, to make sure that you will remember. There are consequences for your actions or inaction. You had to learn that.”

“Yes, but not like that, not here.”

“You won”t forget though, will you?”

I clamped my teeth together and said nothing.

“When you feel better, I have some different ideas for you and perhaps me. Maybe that will make you feel better.”

“What ideas?”

“Not now. Now get dressed and go back to your desk. After work I will go home with you for a while and try to make you feel better.”

I dressed; still feeling humiliated, and walked out. It was a bad day. The burning in my butt wouldn”t go away, although it lessened over time. My nipples ached all day long.

When it was the end of the day, Marianne followed me to my apartment and once we had entered she told me to undress and lay down on my bed. I laid on my side since I was hurting back and front, but she had me roll onto my back. Breath hissed out of my mouth as my ass took my weight. I looked up at her through blurry eyes again.

She took a tube of some kind of lotion and squirted some on my nipples. The she gently rubbed it in. It wasn”t sexual, but my nipples got hard anyway, embarrassing me all over again. When she had finished they felt somewhat better. Then she had my roll over to my front.

“You are going to bruise from being corrected. This will help and I will come every night until the pain goes away. And, there will be no games or stripping for you until then.”

I almost cried in relief. I didn”t want anyone to see my bruised ass.

She squirted some of the lotion on my ass and gently rubbed it in. I didn”t feel better right away, but over time the pain lessened. I was still sore, stiff and didn”t want to sit or lay on my ass. Marianne knew and she went into my kitchen, leaving me laying on my stomach.

In a little while she came back with a bowl of soup and a soda for me. To my embarrassment, she fed me. It was nice but I didn”t feel that helpless. But, Marianne was trying to be good for me so I let her. After she had fed me and cleaned up, she came back, kissed my cheek and left.

The next two days I was so stiff I called in sick. Marianne said nothing, let me stay home but each night she came to my apartment and rubbed the lotion into my nipples and ass and then cooked and fed me. I was beginning to enjoy being waited upon.

The third, fourth and fifth days I went to work, blushing when I saw those who I had stripped for or shown off parts of my body. It was hard to sit and see then smirk at me. To the best of my knowledge, not a word was said. This even with twelve more people having seen me naked or partially naked. Each night Marianne came home with me and put lotion on my tits and ass. The last two nights she had me get up and eat with her. Those nights she made nice dinners for us. I was not amazed, but surprised at how good she cooked. I could even have a robe on. I wasn”t required to be naked.

My ass had turned bluish, then yellow and a sickly green from the bruising, but whatever was in that lotion sure worked. The pain was almost all gone. And by Saturday the bruising was mostly gone also.

The next day was Sunday and Marianne came over. I was not at all apprehensive anymore and her kindness with me over the last five days had made me feel comfortable with her again.

“We”re going to play a game today. Does that sound like fun?”

“Sure, I get to play, you get to watch me.”

“Sabine, I said we. I will play with you. I rather enjoyed that excursion in the hotel last weekend.”

I almost fell over. SHE was going to play? I didn”t believe it and wouldn”t until she actually did it.

“What kind of game?”

“We”ll do something stupid and daring. How about that?”

“I suppose.”

“You don”t sound very enthused.”

“I”m not, probably because I am going to lose the game.”

“We”ll see. Sabine, we”ll see.”

We got in her car and started off down the interstate. Marianne thought and I just sat there waiting to see how I was going to be humiliated today. As we came close to a rest stop, Marianne smiled at me.

“We”ll guess odd or even on the number of trucks in the rest stop. Whoever has the right number is free. The other has to walk away from the car, strip and walk back naked. I”ll let you choose first.”

I couldn”t believe what I was hearing. I got to choose first, so if I lost, it was my mistake, not something forced on me. And Marianne was going to put herself on the line, just like me. I still didn”t believe it would actually happen.

“I choose even.”

“Then I have odd.”

We pulled in and I immediately began counting trucks. I got a big grin on my face when I counted an even number. Marianne counted with me and she smiled at me when we both agreed that it was even. We had parked a little bit away from the rest rooms. Marianne sat in the car taking deep breaths. I was smirking this time.

“All right. We”ll walk back on the paths until we are alone. I have a bag for clothes. The loser will strip naked, not even shoes. I guess that”s me. Then the other, you, will take the clothes back to the car, drive to where a path comes out away from the rest rooms and wait for me. Fair enough?”

I nodded, smirking. We got out of the car and walked towards the entrance to the freeway, looking for a path to come out to the parking area. We found one about one hundred fifty feet away from where we had parked. It was probably two hundred feet from the building. Then we searched the paths to find where we could probably start and how to get to the exit path and the car. There was no guarantee that someone would see you, but there was a chance.

Marianne led me back to the car and got the bag for me. I was getting excited, thinking about her being naked with no clothes nearby at all, until she got to the car and me. Marianne was flushed as we locked the car doors and gave me the keys.

We walked down the path that we had picked out and reached our starting point. Marianne was even more flushed and her breathing was faster. I set the bag on the top of the picnic table and crossed my arms, smiling at her.

“You can put your clothes in the bag, but you have to fold them nicely before. No just stuffing them in it.”

Marianne smiled at me, at my assertiveness.

I watched as she removed her blouse, folding it neatly and putting it in the bag. We could hear cars and people”s voices. It made this all seem riskier. I looked at her and thought about her job and almost told her to stop. But then I said no to myself.

She removed her shorts, folded them and put them in the bag. Then, in just her bra and panties, she sat on the picnic bench and removed her shoes and socks. Her breathing was coming faster as each garment came off. She stuffed her socks in her shoes and they went into the bag too. I was finding this hard to believe and exciting both. I was breathing faster too.

Marianne removed her panties next, still sitting. She folded them and put them in the bag. Then with a deep breath and a look all around, she unclasped and removed her bra, leaving her totally bare ass naked. The bra went in the bag. She looked at me and picked it up, then extended it to me. I took it and looked at her, at her naked body. Her nipples were totally erect. Then I stepped back.

“See you at the car.”

“Just be sure you are where you are supposed to be, Sabine.”

I walked a short way up the path and stopped to look back. Marianne, naked Marianne, was walking slowly and quietly on the path leading to the spot we had chosen. I stood and watched her creep away, watching her tits jiggle and for a few moments how her bare ass moved. Then I hurried up the path to her car. I unlocked it and tossed the bag in the back seat. Then I drove to the spot we had chosen and waited.

It seemed much longer, but probably not more than five minutes or so when Marianne appeared, at least her head, peeking over a bush. She peeked, looking to see if anyone other than me was around and when she was satisfied she ducked around the bush and then ran to the car. I watched her tits bouncing as she ran and giggled at the sight she was making. It was funny and hot at the same time.

When she got to the car I sat quietly, sort of ignoring her as she pulled on the door handle. I had locked the doors and Marianne was stuck outside, naked, until I unlocked them. I gazed straight ahead as though I couldn”t see her until she smacked the window. Then I slowly looked at her and smiled. She had this look of sheer terror on her face as she realized that I could keep her outside, naked, until I decided to let her in. Or I could drive away and leave her bare assed naked at the rest stop, with no identification, no nothing. I smiled at her and she looked at me sternly which was difficult with no clothes on. Then I relented and unlocked the car doors. She yanked the door open and jumped inside.

“Drive you bitch, get away from here.”

I looked at her, surprised.

“What”s wrong?”

“Just start the damn car and drive!”

I started it and put it in gear and drove off with her sitting naked beside me.

“Did something happen, Marianne?”

“Yes, god damnit. I got caught naked.”

I broke up laughing at what she said. I had a rough time keeping the car straight I was laughing so hard.

“Tell me!”

“Jesus. I had just walked away from you and couldn”t see you when I heard voices coming from in front of me down the path to where you were to be waiting. I got scared and I looked for a place to hide. I found a couple of bushes and trotted behind them. As I was crouching there, wondering who it was and where they were, a couple came around a bend. I was ducking down and trying to watch them at the same time. They came closer and the woman started laughing. She saw part of me. She pointed right at me for her husband or boyfriend to look and I just lost it. They were past me and I just jumped up and ran. I could hear them laughing at me, seeing my naked ass running away from them. I have never been so embarrassed in all my life!”

“Gee, Marianne, now you know how it feels.”

“Oh shut up. And what was the idea with locking the car? You know that you will pay for that Sabine!”

“I couldn”t resist Marianne and you should have seen the look on your face. It was priceless!”

“Where are my clothes?”

“In the back seat where you”ll have fun trying to get them.”

“Ah, hi,” he said. “This is a bit embarrassing … Could I ask you to, ah, throw me my clothes?”

Susan smiled, despite herself. “Sure.”

She picked up his jeans, pullover and blue-and-white striped boxers and tossed them to him. “I’m heading over to the bathroom to take a shower. The room’s all yours for fifteen minutes or so.”

“Right. Thanks. Look … I hope we didn’t disturb you last night.”

His voice was tentative. He evidently wasn’t sure what she’d seen or heard. Susan shivered a little.

“No,” she said. “No problem.”

* * *

Susan set the water as hot as it would go and let it stream down her hair and her back. She closed her eyes as the water ran over her butt and her legs. The heat and the water’s smooth caress summoned images from the night before: Kate flipping her hair out of the way before she took Peter’s cock in her mouth, the ripple in the flesh of her bottom as her body slammed down on his, the small high-pitched cries that came faster and faster …

Damn it, she thought, I’m burning up inside. I really don’t have time for this right now. Nevertheless, she let her soapy fingers stray down between her legs, massaging her outer lips, the way she always liked to start when she touched herself. The she turned around and let the water sting her breasts and bead up on her rising nipples …

Oh, hell, she thought. I really have to get to class. She pulled her hand away with a sigh. Maybe later. She dried herself and dug through her duffle bag for a sweatshirt and the loosest pair of jeans she had. She didn’t want anything pulling against her crotch today. It was going to be hard enough to stay focused on chemistry without any other distractions.

She straightened herself up and walked back into the hall – and found herself looking right at Peter as he stepped out of the men’s bathroom. They were practically nose-to-nose. They stared at each other for a moment, then they both started to laugh.

“I’m Peter,” he said.

Susan smiled. “Susan.”

“Kate’s still sleeping. Do you think I should wake her up?”

“No, she doesn’t have any classes for a while. Let her snooze. You wouldn’t like her first thing in the morning anyway.” Susan put her hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry. That was catty. I just meant that she’s usually a bit testy when she gets up.”

They kept looking at each other. Neither moved.

“Anyway, I’ve got to go,” Susan said. “Nice to meet you.”

“Ten o’clock class?”

Susan nodded.

“Yeah, me too,” Peter said. He hesitated, looking a bit unsure of himself for the first time. “Ah, do you want to get some breakfast first?”

Susan’s mind went blank. She couldn’t think of what to say. She looked at her watch. “Okay. We’ll need to be quick, though.”

* * *

Susan blinked as the morning sunlight washed over her. The day was going to be chilly but gorgeous.

“It won’t be easy to concentrate on statistical mechanics on a morning like this,” Peter said, mirroring Susan’s thoughts. “I love the fall here. All the colors and the quality of the light, everything so clean and crisp.”

Susan looked at him. Who was this guy?

“How did you meet Kate?” she asked, feeling the need to keep him grounded.

Peter looked a little embarrassed. “Actually, she came by looking for one of my suite-mates. He wasn’t around and there was this party she wanted to go to … ”

“So you got lucky?”

Peter actually blushed. “Yeah, I guess so.”

The thought crossed Susan’s mind that maybe it was Kate who had gotten lucky. She wondered what the two of them had talked about. Probably not statistical mechanics. Okay, that was catty too.

After another minute they reached the cafeteria. Susan got some yogurt and granola. Peter piled French toast on his plate.

“Sit outside?” he asked.

“Sure.”

They found a table and basked in the sunlight for a moment.

“You’re a freshman?” he asked.

“Is it that obvious?”

He shook his head. “Not particularly. It’s just that I think I would have noticed you before now if you weren’t.”

Susan smiled. “Was that a compliment?”

Peter blushed again. It was sort of endearing, especially in a big guy like him, albeit a bit geeky.

“Yes,” he said. “Yes it was.”

He looked awkward, not at all the powerful, confident lover of the night before.

“Do you know what you want to study?” he asked.

Every guy she’d met since she started college a few months earlier had tried out that line. But, for some reason, she didn’t mind it coming from Peter.

“Astronomy, I think. Although everyone keeps telling me how dismal the job prospects are.”

“Hey, I’m in anthropology. It can’t be worse than that. I started in economics, then urban planning. I can’t quite make up my mind.”

That seemed odd to Susan, who had always valued focus and self-discipline … last night not withstanding. “How come?”

“I’m sort of interested in everything. And when else am I going to get a chance to study semiotics or industrial design or Nordic sagas? But it also means that I’ll be stuck here for a fifth year.”

Peter knocked back his last slice of French toast. “I’m sorry, I really have to go. I’ve got a mid-term in my first class.”

Susan felt a little pang. She wasn’t quite ready for breakfast to be over. But she said: “Sure, no problem. Good luck with it.”

“Yeah.” He looked rueful. “I didn’t get as much studying done last night as I’d planned.”

Susan laughed. “I’ll bet.”

He stood up and was suddenly awkward again. “Look, this is a bit weird. But can I see you again?”

Susan felt her cheeks flush. She should have seen this coming. Maybe she’d even wanted him to ask. But she couldn’t, she just couldn’t. This guy had been in bed with her roommate an hour ago.

“No,” she said. “I really don’t think that would be a good idea.”

Peter stood very still. “Yeah. You’re probably right. I’ll see you around, okay?”

“Sure,” she said. “Thanks for breakfast.”

He nodded and was on his way, his tight butt moving quickly out of sight in the hubbub of the morning rush. “Damn”, she thought. And damn Kate for spotting him first. Susan shook her head. There are a thousand other guys on this campus just like him. She nodded resolutely, then wavered. Well, maybe not “just” like him …

* * *

Once Kate started talking there was no stopping her. It was Peter this, Peter that. They were going to a club one night, a party the next. He didn’t really seem like a club guy to Susan – that was probably Kate’s influence. But despite all the narrative from Kate, Susan hadn’t actually seen Peter since their hurried breakfast two weeks earlier. Kate was gone every other night it seemed, leaving Susan to herself more often than she liked. She’d go to sleep after some uninspired studying, half-hoping that she’d be woken up by Kate and Peter coming back to her room. She would lie half-asleep for hours, finally having to wake up and touch herself. She remembered how Peter’s hands had moved over Kate’s body, lifting the soft weight of her breasts, digging his fingers into the pliant flesh of her hips. But did she really want to see them doing it again? Would that make her feel any better?

Susan lay back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She needed to get over this. Soon. Her work was suffering. She was losing sleep and moping around her room far too much. Her social life wasn’t going anywhere.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the phone. Her hand had drifted between her legs and she pulled it away abruptly and picked up the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is that Susan?” A male voice. “It’s Peter. Remember me?”

Susan smiled, despite herself. “Yes, Peter, of course I do. Do you want to speak with Kate? I’m afraid she’s out right now.”

“No, actually, I was looking for you. I have a physics exam on Thursday and I was hoping you could study with us tonight.”

“Us?”

“A study group from the class. We’re meeting in my suite.”

Susan thought about it. It seemed okay to be with Peter as long as there were other people around. Kate couldn’t really object to that.

“Sure. What time?”

“Most of the guys are showing up around eight, but whenever is fine.”

“Eight’s good. I’ll see you then.”

Peter thanked her and gave her his room number. After she’d hung up, Susan started worrying again. What should I wear? How formal was this going to be? No sense in dressing up, she decided; it wasn’t a date. Although maybe some of the other guys might turn out to be interesting. She decided on a sweater and a soft denim skirt and sandals. At the last minute she put on a little lipstick. That was normal enough. Kate always did it when she went visiting, and when it came to that sort of thing, Kate’s expertise was inarguable.

Ten minutes later Susan was knocking on Peter’s door. She took a deep breath, wondering what it would be like to see him again. In the last two weeks her image of him had coalesced into a sort of idealized male face and body, and she knew that the real guy couldn’t possibly measure up to her transmuted recollections.

But he did. The door opened and there he was, wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, his dark hair falling across flashing grey eyes that stared at her just long enough to make her feel uncomfortable.

“Hey, Susan,” he finally said. “Glad you could come. You look terrific.” He finally stopped staring and looked a little embarrassed. “Come in, please.”

Susan stepped inside the suite’s common room, which was more or less identical to her own, albeit with a larger television. The three other guys in the room were introduced as Vic, Paul and something Italian-sounding she couldn’t remember. They were non-descript upperclassmen with nervous smiles and baggy sweatshirts. They weren’t too helpful when it came to special relativity problems, either. She could see why Peter had wanted her around. The subject happened to be one she’d been interested in and studied a bit over the summer. She enjoyed showing off and acting wise and patient, and all the guys seemed grateful for the help. Peter was a perfect gentleman, getting her a Coke and sticking to business. But she did catch him sneaking looks at her once or twice (which wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t been looking at “him”, of course).

Susan was having fun, and she was a bit disappointed when one of Peter’s suite-mates came in and said that he wanted to watch something on television. Vic, Paul, and whoever the other guy was decided to knock off for the night and watch with him.

“Is that it, then?” Susan asked Peter.

He frowned. “A couple more problems? We haven’t done the stuff from the section on time dilation.”

“Okay, that’s pretty easy. It’s the same algebraic equation with a square root that you use for mass increase.”

“Let’s go to my room. It’s kind of loud out here.”

He headed down the narrow hallway before she could say anything. Peter opened a door and held it for her. She hesitated for a second, but what could she do? She went inside and didn’t say anything when he closed the door behind them. The room was tiny, just a twin bed, a desk with a chair, a bookshelf, and a Bauhaus poster on the wall. This must be where Kate was spending so many of her nights recently, Susan realized.

“You have a single,” she said, stating the obvious.

“There are quite a few of them in this dorm. Some compensation for the plumbing not working half the time, I guess.”

Susan pulled the chair out from the desk and sat down. Peter sat casually on the bed across from her.

“I think you intimidated my friends a little,” he said.

“Yeah, I’m pretty scary,” Susan agreed.

The smiled at each other.

“Time dilation?” she prompted.

“Right.”

They worked one of the problems, but Peter had the equation upside down.

“No, look,” Susan said, getting up from the chair and sitting next to him. She drew the right graph in his notebook. “The total velocity can’t ever be faster than light, okay? So the velocity term has to be in the denominator.”

Sitting so close, Susan couldn’t help noticing that he smelled pleasantly of soap. He must have taken a shower right before she came over. Well, so had she. Their shoulders touched as she leaned over towards him. She drew back quickly. He looked up, his face only inches from hers. She knew that she looked frightened, terrified, probably. Then his face came even closer. She couldn’t move, couldn’t react. His lips touched hers, light as air, just a warm contact of pliant surfaces. His arm went around her and pulled her against him. His lips were so soft, the scent of his hair so clean. She was lost, collapsing into him, encircled by that strong arm.

How had this happened? How had she ended up alone with him? Whatever was happening here, it had to stop. Somehow, she made her hands push against his chest, gently moving him away. She closed her eyes and collected herself for a moment.

“No. You’re Kate’s boyfriend, remember? I like Kate. She drives me crazy sometimes, but I like her. I don’t want to hurt her.”

Peter looked at her intently. “Do you really think I matter to Kate? She’s so … I don’t know. She has her toy of the moment, and it’s me right now.”

Susan shook her head. “No. She likes you. She talks about you all the time.”

“Really?”

“Really. And if you did break up – think how awkward it would make things between Kate and me if you and I started going out. And I have to live with her for the rest of the year, no matter what happens.”

Peter put his hand over hers. Susan could feel the subtle pressure of his pulse; her own heartbeat raced to keep up with it. He leaned over to kiss her again.

“”No”,” Susan said, pulling back. The vehemence of her reply startled both of them. “I don’t want to have to lie to her. I hate lying.” She took her hand away. “I don’t think we should touch each other.” She blinked back tears. “Not like this, anyway.”

“Just physics problems then?”

She tried to smile. “You can’t get much more platonic than that.”

“How about a foot massage?”

“What?”

“A foot massage. My sister is a physical therapist. She taught me a bit. But I could use some practice.”

This was getting a little silly. Where should she draw the line? Would Kate care if Peter wiggled her toes, or whatever? No. Her conscience felt pretty clear about that. And it would keep him off the bed at least.

“Sure,” she said. “That would be nice. Should I take my shoes off?”

“I’ll do it.”

Peter got down on his knees in front of her and unfastened the straps of her sandals. Then he began to run his thumbs along the inside edge of her left arch. She couldn’t remember ever having gotten this kind of massage before. It felt just lovely. Maybe it wasn’t the massage itself so much as the intimacy of the act. He drew his fingers across her sole.

“Mmm,” she purred.

Would it feel as good if someone other than Peter was doing it? One of his non-descript roommates, for instance? No, she decided. She looked down at him, mostly seeing tousled dark hair. He was concentrating on what he was doing, his face – what she could see of it – was composed, serious. His hands were relaxed and assured, though. She liked that. Her high school boyfriends always seemed so rushed and nervous when they touched her. She felt as if she was missing something with them, like they were skipping the best parts, whatever they were. She closed her eyes and leaned back contentedly. He pulled methodically on all the little bones down there she’d never given a moment’s thought to before now. He stroked the skin along her ankles. Someone was practicing an instrument somewhere. A clarinet? Or maybe an oboe? It was so faint she couldn’t quite tell. Whoever it was had started with scales, but now had moved on to something soft and haunting, like a shepherd playing to himself on a still summer evening.

Funny, when she’d first seen Peter he’d been rolling around on the bed with Kate, and he’d driven Susan almost insane. Now he was making her feel so completely different, so calm and dreamy. She was glad that Peter wasn’t saying anything. Words, even his, would ruin the feeling. But the music was perfect.

She looked down at him again. He seemed to feel her gaze and tilted his head up. Their eyes met. His hands stopped where they were, lightly holding her left ankle. The music rose into a high arabesque. She felt open, serene, totally sexy.

She moved her legs apart.

Peter’s eyes widened. His lips parted and his tongue ran across them once. His hands released her foot and moved up along the insides of her calves, still gentle and unhurried. Susan closed her eyes again, listening, feeling. Smooth fingers caressed her bare skin, drawing little circles along its surface. It was as if every place he touched came alive. She was sure she was flushing: her face was getting warm; so was her upper chest.

His fingers were brushing the insides of her thighs now. She was so sensitive there … she could barely stand it, her flesh quivered with each touch, little prickles of heat radiated up her thighs to the place where they met, each one adding to the last until she was so warm and slippery she couldn’t sit still. She wriggled her hips a little and Peter’s breathing deepened. He inhaled her excitement and his hands grew bolder. He pushed upwards at the edges of her skirt. She didn’t move at first, then she lifted her hips off the bed, just a little, and the skirt slid back, bunching up at her waist.

Her panties were exposed now. They were lime green, sheer, but nothing special. She hadn’t given them any real thought when she’d dressed that morning. But now … they were damp with her arousal, almost translucent, and pulled taut against her swollen pussy lips. Could Peter tell how wet she was? She wasn’t embarrassed. She wanted him to know. She slid forwards, stretching her panties tighter against her pussy. The thin fabric outlined her outer lips and dipped into the space between. Her little tuft of chestnut pubic hair made a small, soft bulge, and a few hairs escaped above the waistband.

Peter’s fingertips slid higher up her thighs, leaving faint pink traces. They found the bottom of her hip bones, and for the first time his hands hesitated. There was a new note in his breathing, a deep, animal rasp. Susan realized that she was making almost the same sounds. Peter’s index finger trailed downwards across the front of her panties until it was directly over one of her outer lips.

Susan began to tremble, and her arms suddenly seemed too weak to support her. She could feel her breasts heaving, the heat flowing from his hands up into her belly, her chest, her overheated face. She just had to take her sweater off “now”. She leaned forward and pulled it over her head. Peter watched her, not sure how to react. She undid two buttons of her blouse, then shook her head. That was enough.

Peter looked back to the dark place between her legs. He stroked her gently for a moment then pushed one finger against the moist fabric until it slipped between her folds. A tremor ran through Susan’s body. She looked down and saw Peter’s finger buried part way inside her, held back only by the thin cotton. Her rapid breathing was making her light-headed. She reached down and put her hand on Peter’s cheek, then tangled her fingers in his dark, curly hair. He began to lean forward, to move towards her.

“No! “That wasn’t what she’d meant. She’d just wanted to touch him. But his face moved irresistibly closer to her pussy. She was about to say something, to let him know that this had gone far enough, when his lips brushed her inner thigh. She cried out so loudly she was sure someone in the common room must have heard her. Peter moved his hands so that they were holding her hips, his fingers sliding under the lower hem of her panties, digging into her bare flesh. He was kissing her thighs, moving closer to her center. Her hand was still tangled in his hair; she could easily push him away. But she felt his warm breath against her skin, saw his nostrils flare as he breathed her scent in. Now his tongue was tickling the straining fabric of her panties.