In a Class of His Own

Moe was very grateful for her 'birthday present' - the meal and massage.

- "Best night's sleep I ever had." she said.

But she wouldn't go back to official boyfriend-girlfriend status.

"Be honest, Nick. I know we have fun together. And the sex is great. But am I what you really want?"

- "You're amazing, Moe. You know how I feel about you." I was still afraid to say the L-word. I didn't want to put that pressure on her.

Moe took my face between her hands, and smiled sadly. "I'm not saying you don't care for me. And you know I feel the same about you. But are you

in

love with me?"

She put a finger on my lips, so that I couldn't answer.

"Ask yourself: if Nina was here - which of us would you choose?"

Damn. Moe saw my face fall. There was no reply to that question. I didn't even know the answer, in the first place.

- "Better yet." said Moe. "Imagine that Nina lived here, and that I was the one who lived in Chicago. Would you be dreaming of me? Would you be coming to visit

me

?"

- "That's not fair." I said. "I wanted you from the very beginning."

- "I know it's not fair." she said. "Doesn't mean it's not true."

We had a couple more accidents in April. I wrapped up my year at Teachers College, and went back to work full time at the warehouse - Mr. Janek was pretty cool about taking me back.

But I also went for a job interview. I tried every contact I had, close to home, first - but none of them panned out. Mr. Adams, the associate for my second practicum, was apologetic.

- "I'd love to have you here, Chris. But you saw how good a school this is. Some of my colleagues will have to retire before we get an opening. It might be a few years."

My interview was in a small town, five hours away. The interview went pretty well, but I was stunned when they called me, the night after I got home - and offered me a job. They obviously expected me to accept, on the spot - but I asked for 24 hours to consider it.

It would mean moving far from home. Four hours closer to Nina, but five hours away from Moe. I needed my friends, and they came through for me. We met at the pub.

- "Grade 7?" said Steve. "Ugh - they're monsters at that age. I know

we

were. And where is this place?" he asked.

- "An hour from Toronto. Five hours from here."

- "Is it civilized?"

- "Doesn't matter." said Moe. "He has to take it. It's a no-brainer."

- "Then he's eminently qualified." said Steve.

Moe left fairly early. There was a lot left unsaid, between us, but I could see that she wasn't ready to talk about it. Steve, on the other hand, got maudlin.

- "I'm gonna miss you." he admitted.

- "I'll be back." I promised.

I broke with tradition, and phoned Nina, instead of writing a letter.

- "Chris?" she said. "That's ... incredible. You aren't going to believe this, but ... I was going to call you later tonight."

- "Oh?"

- "Yes. I have news." she said.

- "Good news?"

- "I was offered a job." she said.

- "What? What job? Where?"

Nina had a job, as a financial advisor in a bank - in Cleveland - if she wanted it.

"Do you?"

- "Of course I do." she said. "It's a start."

She was stunned to learn that I had also been offered a job. I explained the details.

- "I have to answer them tomorrow."

- "That's great!" she said. "I mean ... you're going to accept, aren't you?"

- "I think so."

- "Have you told Moe?" she asked. "And Steve?"

- "I just got home from seeing them. They both think that I should take it."

- "Congratulations." she said.

- "Same to you. Isn't this weird? It's like York all over again. We both get job offers at the same time."

- "I miss you, Chris." she said.

- "Me too." I said. "Hey - we'll be closer."

- "Yes, we will."

I looked it up in an atlas. Nina and I were going be less than six hours apart.

***

Moe invited out me to dinner. We had Mexican food, and talked about nothing. Nothing important, that is. We were having coffee when she finally opened up.

- "Are you free on the 28th? It's a Saturday."

- "I can be." I said. "What's up?"

- "Your going-away present. It's going to be our last time together."

- "Moe ..."

- "I can't do it, Chris." she said. "I already broke your heart once - maybe twice. You knew this day would come."

- "I'll be back, Moe - as often as I can."

- "You'll be on a probationary contract, Chris. That's two years. Two years from now, I'll be 30. I know you don't care how old I am. But

I

do."

"I knew this was going to happen - from day one. You're a sweetheart. You make me laugh, and you make me smile - which might be more important. And you know how to ring my bells. But I can't sit around waiting for you. I just can't."

- "Moe ..."

- "No. We're doing this my way. One more 'date'. My place. After that, we're just friends. No more accidents. I mean it, Chris. You come home six months from now, and I will not sleep with you. You can buy me a beer, and I'll be happy to see you. But no more accidents."

Moe had cried, the first time she dumped me. She did the same this time.

- "You're so beautiful." I told her. "You've always told me the truth."

- "Yeah, I'm great." she said, through the tears.

Our last date was terrible. Neither of us wanted to watch a movie. We couldn't just sit and talk, with that huge elephant in the room. So we went to bed. We got undressed, and crawled under the sheets together.

I caressed her, and fondled her lovely breasts. But Moe was too tense, too emotional. I couldn't arouse her - and to tell the truth, I wasn't feeling it, either. Making love to a girl while she's crying is not one of my fetishes.

- "This was a mistake." she said.

- "No, it wasn't." I said. "You wanted to end our relationship on a positive note. It was a good idea."

- "I can't make love with you." she said.

- "I know. Here -" I got her pajamas, and had her put them on. Then I pulled my underwear and pants back on. I crawled back into bed with her, and cradled her in my arms.

Moe kissed me, once - chastely. Then she turned around, and held on to my arms, which I wrapped around her.

I held her, like that, feeling the beating of her heart, and listening to her breathe, until she fell asleep. It didn't take that long. I think she was emotionally exhausted.

I tried to disengage, and slip out of bed without disturbing her, but Moe woke up instantly. "Where are you going?"

- "Home."

She thought about that for a moment. Moe got out of bed, and saw me to the door.

I looked into her beautiful brown eyes. I wanted to say 'I love you' - but that would only have hurt her.

- "Bye, Moe." I said.

- "Bye, Chris." she said.

***

Steve and I drowned our sorrows together. Sarah had dumped him - which left me dumbfounded. She would never find a guy half as good. I told him so.

- "Thanks man." he said. "But I'm not a player, like you."

- "A player? Me?"

- "Yeah. Or was that somebody else I saw, with Nina and Moe

at the same time

?"

- "Bullshit luck. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."

- "That's what I said. You are one lucky son of a bitch."

- "No more Moe." I said. I couldn't figure out if this counted as the second - or the third time she had dumped me.

- "So go see Nina." said Steve.

I looked at my friend in disbelief.

- "Steve - that's a great idea. You're a genius."

***

I worked my ass off in June, doing as many shifts for Mr Janek as I could. And then in the second week of July, I boarded a bus for Cleveland.

Nina had responded positively - enthusiastically - when I asked if I could visit her. She started her new job at the beginning of June.

- "I'll be working every day, though." she warned.

- "I know. Long hours, lots to prove." I said. "But I'll be doing the same in September. This might be my last chance to come see you - for a while."

- "What will you do all day, while I'm working?"

- "I'll be teaching Grade 7, in September. I'll bring some books, and I can start planning for my class. And I can help you get settled - if you need any help."

- "That would be great." she said. "I haven't even unpacked all of my boxes, yet. How long will you stay?"

- "Depends on how long you can stand me. Two weeks? Three?"

- "Three." she said.

The trip took just under ten hours. She met me at the bus station. I was surprised: Nina had changed her look. Conservative clothing, more makeup. But the hug she greeted me with was pure Nina. I knew right away that I was where I wanted to be.

We picked up some take-out food, and Nina drove us to her new apartment. She lived in one of the suburbs, in a three-storey building with only 12 apartments. She had tons of space, and an eclectic combination of furniture: some hand-me downs, some almost antiques, and a few new pieces.

The sexual tension between us was palpable. We ate, and talked about her job. I gave her the gift I had brought: a box of ten cassette tapes I had made for her. Six albums, and four mixes. By then I knew what she liked - Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Bob Marley. But tape #1 was a mix of Peter Gabriel and Genesis tunes, starting with Solsbury Hill.

- "I know that one!" she said. "It was playing in the hostel at Windermere. I love that song! I just never knew what it was called."

Back in the day, dear millenials, when a song came on the radio, or when a friend played it for you, there was a sense of serendipity - of fate. We also didn't have apps which would instantly identify a song. One night, on the way home from Carol's place, I heard the most amazing song on the radio. It blew my mind. I got home before it finished - so I sat in my parents' car, listening to the end of the song, and praying that the DJ would name it, and tell me who the band was.

He didn't. The guy must had said it before he started the song. I tried to sound it out to some of my friends. They just thought that I was losing my mind. It was six months before I heard it again - with Steve.

- "That's it!" I yelled. "That's the song!"

I told Steve the whole story - again. "Do you know the name of the band that does this song?" I asked.

- "Yes." he said.

- "Who is it?" I shouted.

- "Yes." he said, again.

- "Quit fucking with me, Steve! Who is this?"

- "Chris - the name of the band is 'Yes'. The song is 'Roundabout'."

Obviously, I looked like a complete idiot. Good story, though, I think.

Nina loved Solsbury Hill almost as much as I did. I had made the tapes so that she could listen to them on her way to and from work, or at home, as she chose.

- "You spent a lot of time of these." she said.

- "It was a pleasure." I said. "I like the music. And I thought of you the whole time."

That earned me a kiss. Which led to more kisses, and some fondling. Some clothing was removed, and we made love on a sheepskin, in front of her fake fireplace.

We moved to her bed, afterwards, and I cuddled her as she fell asleep. I had some idea of how hard she was working, a month into her new job.

I didn't wake up until 10:00. I hadn't even noticed when Nina got up, showered, dressed, and went off to work. She had left me a key, and a note:

'So glad you're here. If you need me ...'

followed by her work number.

The local mall was only a short walk away. I bought some groceries, and some hardware.

Nina phoned me in the early afternoon.

- "How are you doing?" she asked.

- "Great." I said. "Don't worry about dinner tonight - it's all under control."

- "What?" Nina didn't know about my cooking lessons with Steve. "Are you sure?"

- "Trust me." I said.

When Nina got home from work, we were both shocked.

She had no idea that I could cook.

- "I thought you ordered a pizza." she said. "You went shopping?"

For my part, I had to get used to seeing Nina in a business suit. To be entirely honest, I didn't like it.

- "You go change." I said. "I'll start dinner."

She came back out in sweatpants and a St Louis Cardinals t-shirt. With no bra. She had showered, and pulled her long, dark hair into a ponytail.

- "When did you learn to cook?" she asked.

- "Never." I admitted. "Steve taught me three dishes. Four, if you count omelettes. I intend to show you what I learned, this week."

- "I don't know what to say."

- "You're working like a lunatic, at your new job - trying to impress your new boss. And I went and invited myself, in the middle of a very busy time for you."

Nina smiled, and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm so glad you're here. I don't know anybody yet, and it's all a bit strange. And here you are - being supportive, and helpful ... and making me feel like a million bucks."

I served her my stir-fried beef with vegetables. Nina was delighted. The dessert was store bought, but she didn't mind. In fact, I didn't need Moe's signals to figure out how Nina felt. Her nipples were so hard, they were threatening to poke through her t-shirt.

Even doing the dishes was exciting. I managed to brush the front of her shirt with a wet sponge - twice. Nina playfully grabbed my crotch as I washed up. The second time, I was fully erect.

- "Oops." she said. "Sorry."

- "You are not."

We necked on her couch for a while. I got my hand under her shirt, and re-acquainted myself with her magnificent breasts. Nina couldn't keep her hands out of my pants. She pushed my hands away, and knelt in front of the couch.

I let her pull my pants down, but retaliated by pulling her shirt over her head. Nina knelt at my feet, and took my cock into her mouth. I gasped. The sensation was wonderful - but so was the view. Nina's boobs seemed to be even larger - and I had never seen her nipples so blatantly erect.

She slurped and sucked at my cock, while I reached down and fondled those magnificent melons. She moaned as I rolled her nipples between finger and thumb.

- "I'm going to -" I tried to warn her.

She swallowed it all, as I ejaculated into her mouth.

I fell to my knees, and hugged her to me. She was fresh, after her shower, so I pushed her onto the floor, and kissed my way from her forehead to her foot. I will readily admit that I spent a fair bit of time on her breasts.

Eventually, though, I got to her stomach, and her thighs.

- "Oh, God." said Nina, when I reached her pussy.

That night, I think, I did my best job of pussy eating, ever. My hands and fingers alternated between her breasts, her ass, and her pussy. I worshipped her, revered her, paid homage at the Temple of Venus.

I think that she came twice. Then Nina pushed me back onto the carpet, and mounted me. The ponytail sticks in my memory. And her amazing breasts, of course.

And the song playing on her new cassette tape? Yes - Roundabout.

***

I cooked all three of my specialties, or we ordered in. On the weekend, we explored Cleveland together - she hadn't seen much of it. Some friends she had made at work - a young couple - invited us over to their place.

I also got to see the Cuyahoga river, which had caught fire - for the second time - in 1969. Mostly, though, we just hung out at her place, putting up pictures and shelves.

We talked about everything and anything. Nina asked about Steve, and Moe. I told her most of the story.

- "I'm sorry." said Nina. "I thought she was really special."

- "She is. Just not for me."

While Nina was working, I read voraciously, and prepped for my class. I had quite a few ideas - but more energy than smarts, at this stage.

I even tried my hand at writing poetry. I thought it was brilliant - until I re-read what I had written two days later. It was crap, of course. Luckily, I hadn't shown it to anybody. I remembered what Robert Heinlein had said: writing is something you should do in private, and then wash your hands afterwards.

Nina was busy, working extremely hard. It was still only her second month on the job. But she was never too tired to spend time with me. For some reason - which I can't explain - we made love on her sheepskin, on the floor, much more often than we did in her bed.

Then Nina got her period. She told me that her flow was heavy, for the first two days, and that she was too self-conscious to try having intercourse. But she didn't want me to suffer - so she treated me to an attentive, long-drawn out blowjob. She even took my balls in her mouth, ever so gently, while she stroked my saliva-slick erection. I came in her mouth, and she swallowed it all.

We cuddled on the couch, afterwards.

- "Thank you." I said. "You didn't have to do that, though. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy it - I did! But two days without sex isn't going to kill me."

- "You came all the way down here to be with me." she said. "I don't want you going a single day without. And it makes me feel close to you, too."

I don't remember what we watched on television. But lying on the couch, with Nina's body pressed against me, produced a predictable reaction in my nether regions. When Nina felt my growing erection poking her in the backside, her eyes went wide.

- "You're hard again? Already?"

And she went down on me again. This time she seemed to be trying to find out how quickly she could make me come. She licked and slurped, and bobbed her head up and down. I decided to help her, by pulling off her t-shirt, so that I could see - and play with - her breasts. The clock on her wall didn't have a second hand, but I think I only lasted about five minutes.

The next day, while she was at work, I actually watched a cooking show, thinking that I might see something that I could handle. Then I ran to the mall in the afternoon, and got the ingredients. I made a bit of a mess in the kitchen.

Nina was complimentary, after she had tasted my first attempt at fajitas.

- "They might not win any awards for looks, but they taste pretty good." she said.

After dinner, she sat me on the couch.

"I really want to make love with you." she said. "But my flow is still heavy today."

- "It's alright, Nina." I said. "And you don't have to do anything. Or I could use my fingers, if you're OK with that."

- "No." she said. "But if you want ... we could try ... something else."

She had to show me the tube of KY jelly she had bought before it sank in.

- "Ohhh ... are ... are you sure?"

Nina was blushing. "I've ... been curious. I know enough that it should be with someone I trust - that I feel comfortable with ..."

- "Thank you." I was honoured, but also terrified. There was no internet to refer to. People didn't have the Idiot's Guide to Anal Sex lying around, either.

I would have to be gentle. That was obvious; the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. It would help if she was relaxed, so I poured her a drink, and started getting her warmed up.

Then I had a brainwave.

- "Do you have any baby oil? Or something like that?" I asked.

- "We have the lube."

- "No - it's for something else."

I gave Nina a massage. I had her lie, naked, on the floor in front of her fireplace, with towels beneath her - didn't want to stain the sheepskin. Then I set to work. This was very different from the massage I had given Moe. Different women, of course. But Moe's massage had been to relax her - not as a prelude to sex.

Nina's massage was definitely more sensual. I spent a good bit of time on her back, and shoulders - she was tighter, more tense than Moe had been. She really enjoyed having her arms and fingers massaged.

I paid homage to her fine ass, kneading and squeezing her cheeks. Then her legs, and her feet. When I reached her arches, Nina sighed. She giggled when I massaged her toes.

- "Ticklish?"

- "No - it's wonderful." she said.

When I turned her over, Nina was a bit self-conscious. Her breasts were so firm, they stuck up from her chest. Her nipples were hard. One was pointed directly at me, the other off at an angle.