I escorted Cathy out, with a kiss at the door, then showered and cleaned up the room, including a new set of sheets. Once the bedroom was back in order, I went back to the chore of the day, which was putting up complete built-in shelves and drawers in Karen’s closet. I’d just finished Debbie’s yesterday. That had taken two long evenings, but I figured I’d learned a little from the last exercise and this one might go a little smoother. After this, just the pantry and utility room required shelving, and I could finally move on to working at hanging blinds and curtains. The bed sheets over the windows had to go.
* * * *
I felt her eyes on me, and turned to see Beth standing in the closet doorway, watching me carefully marking the wall where the next set of holes would be going. Debbie and the kids still weren’t back from the movies yet. It looked like it was getting dark, probably close to eight o’clock.
“The door was open, and nobody answered, so I figured you might be up here.” She smiled at me as if she didn’t have a care in the world. How was I supposed to know I was screwing up if I didn’t get any clues?
I dropped the tape measure, level, and pencil, and I walked over to where she was standing. I placed my hand behind her head, tilting her back, and brought my lips to hers. She returned my kiss tentatively at first, then a little more eagerly.
“I’ve missed you the last couple of nights. Where’ve you been?” I asked her.
“Oh, I figured you had lots to do, and I wanted to get some things done around my place.” Her place was her parents place.
“I do have lots to do, but having you around makes the chores just a little bit easier to handle.”
“I thought maybe I was a third wheel.”
“Never!” I turned her back into the room, and sat her on the edge of the bed. I sat next to her, and then pulled her back with me, holding her in my arms. “I’ve missed holding you. Please tell me that tonight you’ll finally stay. I know I shouldn’t ask, but I want to be with you so bad.”
“Why shouldn’t you ask?” she asked puzzled.
“Well, I don’t know how you’ll feel being with me, with Debbie and Erin in the same house. And then there’s the fact that you live with your parents and they’re bound to wonder about you not showing up at night. But I want to wake up next to you again. Please say you’ll stay.”
“You only had to ask – of course I’ll stay.” She buried her head in my side, and squeezed me tight.
* * * *
It wasn’t long before Debbie was back, giving me grief for not having done anything about dinner, and the girls were regaling me with tales from their movie. At that point I figured the closet was done for the night.
The kids had eaten, so dinner was just the three of us. We were making plans for getting Karen moved in that weekend, while discussing what kind of blinds we’d be getting, discussing shades, and sheers, and other window coverings that I had never heard of. Where did these girls learn all this stuff? It must be some genetic thing.
Beth helped Debbie clear the dishes and wash up, while I tucked the girls in. I’d taken to reading them a story each night. Even thought they each had a room, they always wanted to sleep together. Not in Erin’s bunk beds, but in Ashley’s double bed.
Back downstairs fifteen minutes later, I caught Debbie heading into the kitchen, while Beth was seated on the couch, watching the news.
“Debbie, I asked Beth to stay the night tonight.” I was a little anxious and didn’t know what to expect. I was almost apologetic.
“It’s about time. I love being with you, but God knows you can wear a girl out.” She smiled devilishly. “I could use a break.”
“You’re not mad?” I asked.
She turned and leaned against me. “No. I knew this was coming. If I was going to choose someone to share you with, I couldn’t pick better than that girl in there. I think she needs some of your attention. I’ll be fine.”
We finished the wine we started with dinner, and then Debbie excused herself, claiming tiredness, and headed up the stairs.
“Did you bring anything with you? Anything you need for the night?” I asked Beth, as I walked over to her, and reached out to give her a hand up off the couch.
“Well, I do have a small bag out in the car.”
“Good, I’ll get it; meet you in my room in 15 seconds.” And I left, jogging out of the room, to the peals of her laughter.
I returned in not much longer than that, and found her sitting on the end of my bed, waiting patiently.
“I hope you’re going to take a shower, you look a fright.” Beth said, as I passed her the overnight bag.
“Only if you’ll join me.”
“I thought that was a given.” She stood and removed her clothes carefully, folding them as she laid them across the nightstand.
Once again we showered until the water ran cold, exploring each others bodies at length. I delighted in feeling the silkiness of her skin, and caressing her young curves.
Back in bed I lay beside her, on my side, taking visual inventory, as I allowed my hand to freely roam all over her upper body.
“You are so beautiful, Beth. I can’t believe you are here with me. I’ve missed you.”
“Really? Tired of Debbie already?” she responded. She immediately looked abashed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
The hint of bitterness caught me unawares.
“No, I’m sorry. I’ve been so wishy-washy these last couple of weeks. I didn’t really know where we stood after that first time, and I’ve just been letting things go as they will.” I crawled up close beside her and gave her a kiss on the shoulder, as I let my hand reach down between her legs and I opened her up a bit.
“Last weekend with you was the most fabulous of my life. As much as I enjoy making love to Debbie, nothing makes me happier than to be with you. I have missed you badly these last couple of nights.” She opened her legs a bit, giving my fingers better access, and I slipped in another.
“You certainly didn’t go out of your way to show me.”
“I know. I still don’t know how all this is supposed to work. But I’ll tell you what I wish. I wish that I could make love to you every day. I wish that I could wake up beside you every morning.” I crawled over on top of her, spread her legs, and with just a little effort, got the head of my cock inside her.
“What about Debbie? And Karen?”
“Karen? Karen is fun to poke, but that’s about it.” On the word ‘poke’ I gave a little poke of my own, burying my cock halfway inside her, receiving a small gasp in return.
“Ok, so Karen is no big deal, but how about Debbie?”
“My heart breaks for her. I want to take care of her. She’s possibly the prettiest girl I’ve ever known, and every time I look at her my pulse races. It’s crazy, I know. I feel I’m walking on eggshells around her sometimes, and I’m always afraid that I’m going to hurt her in some way. And yet, I can’t look at her without wanting to make love to her.” Instead, I was making love to Beth, easily, almost casually, as I told her that the girl in the room directly above us was what I desired more than anything. Maybe I really was as foolish as Cathy claimed.