Chapter 5

Ben stripped off his shorts and tee and stood before his mirror. He ran water to fill the basin, lathered his face and scraped it clean with his razor.

He ran water in his shower to warm it up. In the meantime he regarded himself in the full-length mirror on the back of the door. Ben ran his hands up and down his calves; then he picked up his razor, inserted a fresh cartridge and carried it into the shower.

He soaped up his legs and began shaving them, working his way from his ankles, upward. His dilemma was, where to stop? He had no desire to scrape his entire body clean, like an Olympic swimmer. Finally, he decided to follow a line close to where his briefs came.

Ben soaped the rest of his body, rinsed off and shampooed his hair. He turned off the water and dried himself with a towel. Then, he regarded himself again in the full-length mirror, paying particular attention to how his legs looked. He shrugged and stepped into his bedroom.

There, he slipped into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He slipped his feet into his boots, grabbed his overcoat and headed outside to the parking lot. After some grocery shopping he stopped at a package store for a couple bottles of wine and then at the pharmacy for a package of condoms.

Ben set plates and wine glasses on the table. He heard a knock. "It's open," he called.

Molly entered in her shorts and tank and regarded him. "No shorts? It feels warm enough in here."

"I had to go out on errands," he replied. "It's warmer than it was..." He gestured toward his door. "No car battery sitting inside, you'll notice -- but it's too cold for shorts. I didn't have a chance to change."

"I'm disappointed -- I like looking at your legs," she said and handed him a paper bag. "For dinner."

He removed from it a bottle of red wine. "Nice. I bought some wine today, too -- but we'll open yours. It's nicer than what I bought. I'll put it in the fridge to give it a bit of a chill while we wait for our pizza to arrive." He faced her and opened his arms to her. "How are you doing?"

She fell into them and he embraced her. "I am scared shitless," she replied. "Look at my neck."

"We don't have to go through with this, Molly."

"We'd face it sooner or later, Ben. I don't want it hanging over us. I want to know."

He nodded. "I suppose you're right." He ran his finger through her dark hair. "I'm a little nervous, too. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me, Ben. No matter what happens, you won't lose me. You might not be able to have me the way you want -- but you'll never lose me."

"The pizza should be here shortly."

"I am hungry but I don't have much of an appetite," she replied.

The doorbell rang and Ben went to the intercom. "Pepe's delivery," came the voice.

"I'll be right back," he said.

Ben returned with a flat box and flipped it open. "Smells good."

"Yeah," Molly replied.

"Are you getting your appetite back?"

"A little."

Ben served her a slice and one for himself. He used a corkscrew to open the wine Molly brought and poured her a glass. He lifted his. "To us," he said. She clinked her glass to his and chugged half of it. "Hey, slow down," he remarked.

"I'm going to need all of this and some of your bourbon, too," she replied.

"Don't drink too much -- you won't be able to respond at all."

"I doubt you'd let me get that drunk."

Ben regarded her as she ate. She looked up and pressed her hand to her neck. "Are you looking at my pulse?"

He smiled. "It looks like you relax and then it starts throbbing again."

"It keeps flashing on me what we're about to do." She held up her empty wine glass and Ben refilled it. He regarded her empty plate. "Another slice?"

She shook her head. "No, thanks. It was very good."

"You can't be full."

"I can't eat any more."

"There's a bit of wine left. Shall we drink it now or save it for the bedroom?"

"Drink it now," she replied.

Ben split the last of the bottle between their glasses. He lifted his in a salute to her and chugged it. Molly drained hers and set it down.

He stuffed the remaining pizza into his refrigerator. "So much left over," she remarked.

"It won't go to waste -- I'll eat it for lunch during the week." He stood and faced her.

"Shall we get started?" she asked.

"Let's sit on the sofa for a little while." He led her to his living room and coaxed her onto his lap. "I bought some condoms today," he said. "I didn't want that to be one more thing for you to worry about. I figured a lesbian wouldn't have much need to be on the pill, and I believe it's the man's responsibility to make sure his partner is protected."

"It was sweet of you, Ben -- but lesbians also suffer from irregular, long and uncomfortable periods, just like straight girls do."

"You're on the pill?" he asked.

She nodded. "Otherwise I'd be incapacitated for a week each month." She regarded his face for a long moment. "So, unless you have some condition you need them for..."

He shook his head. "I'm clean of STDs if that's what you mean. I'm sure you don't have anything, either."

"I don't ... Oh, Ben -- I couldn't do this with any other man."

"I love you, Molly."

"I know you do. I love you, too."

"You have such a pretty face ... wholesome ... gorgeous..." He traced her full lips with his finger. "Your light skin and blue eyes ... dark hair ... lovely and striking. I hadn't noticed but you have a patch of the faintest freckles across your nose." He kissed her lips. "Your cousin who calls you sugar-lips ... is it a taunt or a term of endearment?"

"Both..."

"It's true," he replied. "Your lips are sweet." He kissed her again. "I love your little turned-up nose ... your round cheeks." He caressed her face with the backs of his fingers.

"My cousins used to make fun of my cheeks, too," she said. "They used to be so big. As I got older, they must've gotten smaller."

"Or, maybe your face grew into them." Molly smiled. "You have the prettiest smile." He kissed her lips again and this time caressing them with his tongue. She relaxed her jaw and they explored each other's mouths.

"I'm starting to relax," she said. "Maybe it's the wine."

"Remember -- it's only me, Molly," he said. "I love you and I'd never do anything to hurt you."

"I know..."

Ben took her hand and led it to his chest. She began caressing him through the fabric of his shirt. He ran his finger down her neck, traced her shoulder and caressed her arm. Then he ran his hand along her thigh and down her shin. "You have beautiful legs, Molly."

"I get the picture -- you like my body."

"I love your body." He kissed her again. "Would you like some whiskey before we adjourn to my bedroom?"

She shook her head. "No thanks -- you're putting me at ease, Ben."

He nodded toward the bedroom door. "Shall we, then?" Ben took her hand and they walked into his chamber.

Molly pulled the hem of her tank out of the waistband of her shorts. Ben grabbed it and lifted it over her head. Then, he unbuttoned his shirt, slipped it off and laid it on a chair. Molly turned her back to him and slipped off her shorts and briefs; then she unhooked her bra and stacked them with her tank.

Ben stripped to his briefs. He lifted the covers and slid between his sheets. Molly joined him from the other side of the bed.

They lay, facing each other and gazing into each other's eyes. Ben stroked her face and ran his finger through her hair. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm okay."

"Want to cuddle?"

He lay on his back. She put her arm around him and twined her leg around his. "This feels good, Ben," she said. "Can you just hold me like this for a while?"

"Certainly. It feels good to me, too. I love feeling your leg against mine."

"Mmm ... I like it too..." She tightened the grip of her leg around his and smoothed her calf against his shin. Her eyes widened and she ran the top of her foot up and down Ben's shin. Then, she sat up and pulled the covers off him. "You shaved your legs!" she exclaimed.

"It was an impulse."

"Ben -- they're beautiful!" She knelt and began running her hands up and down his legs. She looked up at him and suppressed a giggle, then put her face against them and caressed them with her cheek and lips. Molly covered his legs with kisses. "Turn over so I can look at the backs of them."

Ben flipped onto his belly. Molly caressed his calves and ran her hands up the backs of his thighs. She planted more kisses on the backs of his knees. "It was so sweet of you to do this for me," she said. "Will you keep them smooth? For me?"

"If this is the response I get -- yes."

Molly again lay beside him and he rolled to face her. She slipped her hand behind the back of his head and they kissed. "Oh, Ben -- I love you. I've never loved anyone ... anyone, man or woman, the way I love you."

Ben cradled her in his arms. He caressed her arm and then the side of her breast through the fabric of the sheet she had wrapped around her. Gingerly he pulled the sheet down, and then he beheld her full but firm breasts. "Oh, Molly -- your breasts are beautiful." He smoothed his fingers across them. "They're perfect ... with your pale skin and your lovely pinks and browns..."