Chapter 11

Ed's turn:

I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to be thinking here. Conventional standards say that I'm a sex criminal and should be in jail, in treatment, or both, but I can't buy that. I didn't seduce Dana unless you count being a friend as some measure of seduction. No, according to Mizz Lee, Dana targeted me. I don't know why. I'm of the mind that I shouldn't even ask; it's like the beauty of spring flowers, the dogwoods blooming in the forest before the rest of the trees start greening up in the springtime.

Dana is my springtime.

We normally don't see each other in the morning. I'm out the door and on the way to work well before she has to leave for school. Occasionally I'll get a text during the day, usually a picture of something happening or some pithy saying she found in her readings.

So it was the afternoon, after work, that I walked up to my door. That's usually when Dana comes bounding out of Mizz Lee's apartment. Not today. When I got close, I heard music coming from my apartment. I opened the door. There in the middle of the floor, books before her, was my Dana.

"Hi, beautiful crazy person," I said.

"Hi, nice man who makes me crazy," she replied. She closed her book and stood. I wrapped her in my arms.

"I missed you today," I said.

"I missed you, too, Ed. I thought about us. Maybe a little too much, because I have to review this stuff on my own instead of going over it in class today."

"So what did you think about?"

"That I'm actually kind of relieved that Gramma and I had that talk. Now I don't have to hide some of the little things I've been hiding. I never LIED to Gramma, but I didn't –she didn't know how I felt." She smiled. "I think that the pieces sort of fell into place when we talked. All that worry that I was pestering you..."

"You're a horrible pest, little girl," I laughed. "And yes, I guess I feel better, too."

Another kiss, initiated by lips below those cool grey eyes, and "Now let me show you what I've got planned for the weekend..."

"Dazzle me."

She did a pirouette, handed me her iPad. (iPad? Gift from me.) "As you can see, we do the zoo when it opens. Have lunch away from there, because those people are crazy about food prices. Museum in the afternoon. Then drive down to Galveston. You said you knew a good restaurant. I'll let you choose."

"And on Sunday?"

"Nothing. Sleep late. Eat breakfast. If you're interested, we go back to the hotel after breakfast and pack, then check out and come home."

"Pretty organized, little one."

"Is it too much?"

"No," I said. I was inwardly relieved. I worried that this relationship would be spoiled by the introduction of full-blown sex. What Dana was showing me was the 'Ed 'n' Dana' lifestyle when our 'sex' was hugs and kisses. Don't get me wrong, now. I'd found a new dimension in life with Dana moving us through from little kisses and hugs to those that would boil water, and now that we'd been to bed together – wow! But I didn't want that to be ALL we were about. I liked the smart girl – sassy, quick wit, the easy laugh, the puns, the curiosity that was apt to take us out to far corners of the universe. I'd take that over sex any day. But with the sex...

She smiled at me. "I didn't schedule anything for Friday night. I thought that after travelling, we'd eat dinner and have a nice leisurely evening in a room together."

"What's that little smirk at the end of that statement about?"

"Nuthin..." she said innocently. "First time I've ever spent the night with you, that's all."

"You're beautiful."

"Thank you. Now, this hotel ... Is it a good location?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Then make us a reservation. Friday and Saturday nights. And baby?"

"Yes, love?"

"Pick up more condoms."

"Sounds like you have plans that you didn't write down."

Giggle. "All in my head. I walked kinda funny today. Sore."

"Your..."

Her hair bounced as she shook her head. "Nope. Well, a tiny bit. Mostly leg muscles."

"Has your gramma acted any different?"

"Nope. When I got home, she hugged me extra hard, though. Told me that she loved me and wanted the best for me. And she told me that I should sleep at her place most of the time."

"Whaa-aat?"

"She said she understood. But that it would be best if I didn't just move over here."

"Dana! She's pretty sure..."

"Ed," she said, "Gramma's not stupid. Two plus two and all that ... If I'm in your bed for THAT, then what's the big step to me wanting to spend the night here?"

"I never even thought about you spending the nights here. I mean, I WANTED you to, but I don't want your gramma to think we're flaunting this in her face."

"Ed, she knows we love each other, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now, what are we doing about dinner?"

"You have a preference?" I asked her.

"Soup and a sandwich here. We have the stuff. Or we can go do something commercial. Your money."

"My money says that if you wanna eat out, then you choose a place."

She chose an inexpensive chain restaurant. That gave us time to talk about the new life we were entering together.

"But I LIKE coming over and taking care of your house," she told me.

"But your Gramma probably needs more help than I do, Dana. Her age..."

"She doesn't talk about it, but I do see her moving slowly, and she doesn't bend well. I guess you're right..."

"I think it's better that way. Stay there just like you've been doing. Our evenings are ours together. The occasional overnight..."

"Like this weekend?" she chirped brightly. "Friday and Saturday?"

"Yeah, I think that will work."

"And just maybe a night during the week every now and then? I mean, if we find out that we can actually SLEEP together."

"Okay. But let's keep your gramma's feelings in mind, baby."

"I know."

"School," I said.

"What about it?"

"Grades. Top grades."

"Piece of cake right now. Gramma says she's getting me evaluated, though. Ed, she says I might move to high school, maybe more. College courses."

"How so?"

"Last year the school had me take the ACT for some program. I scored very high for a seventh grader. I have gotten letters from colleges."

She caught my expression. "No, I wouldn't leave YOU to go to college. There's a university right here in town. That's where I'll go. And besides, we haven't gotten to that point yet."

"I don't want to hold you back, Dana ... If..."

"Don't go there, Ed. You and me. It's gotta be like that. You and me."

As we worked our way through the meal, she looked at me. "I like the way we do soup at home better. Have you ever made bread?"

"I have."

"Then you have to do it with me so I can learn. Our own soup. Our own bread. I think we beat this pretty well."

"No joke," I said. "But this is ready for us to eat. That other stuff at our house, that's work. Bread's an all-day thing, almost."

"I'll research it," my honey-haired cutie said.

We got home after a slow drive through town. She practically dragged me in the door.

"You, sir, are avoiding me."

"I am NOT avoiding you. What makes you think that?"

"I've been dying to get back here so we could love each other..."

"We love each other..."

"You know what I mean."

"Dana, cutie, I don't want you to think that all I want out of this is your delectably tender body."

"Seriously? You think I would think that?"

"I worry."

"Don't. And you're not the only one in this relationship who can decide when we make love." She laughed. "I get a say, too. You, you're fun! Loving you is fun! I'm curious. I wanna play. I wanna learn!" Her hand reached down. Giggle. "And part of you is okay with that."

"All of me is okay with that, princess," I said.

"You DO treat me like a princess, Ed, and I love it. But you can act like you're hungry for me, okay? In private. Decorum, as you say."

"Bedroom," I muttered. "I have been thinking about your tender body all day."

"Makes it hard to walk, huh?" she giggled.

As we undressed, she kept watching me. When I peeled down my drawers and my erection jumped up, her eyes met mine and she licked her lips. "That's more like it."

I looked at her before me, slim, sexy, little flare at her hips, those small, pointed breasts, nipples hard, the pubic mound with its tuft of fine hair.

She saw me looking, smiled. "You almost worship me, Ed."

"You're wrong, Dana. I completely worship you."

She backed onto the bed, kneeling. I joined her.

"Okay. I admit, I thought about this today," she grinned.

"I couldn't help but think of it. You're IT."

Her hands on my shoulders pushed me back. Perfect cuddle, her lying atop me. I played with the hair framing her face. "You're so damned perfect?"

"Not," she said. "Flat. Not blonde. Eyes aren't blue."

"Hair the color of honey. Eyes the color of a winter storm. Most perfect titties on the planet."

"Doesn't seem to affect your arousal, though, so you're deluded." Kiss. "And I love it."

We cuddled and touched and played until, "Where's that stupid condom?"

Two condoms later, we're showering before she heads home. Yes, I'll buy a BIG box tomorrow. We're going through these things pretty fast. After the shower, though, it's not straight home. Cuddle time, in my chair.

"I can't do without you, you know, Ed..."

"I feel the same way. You can't do without me."

"Beast!" she squealed. "So much for a tender moment!"

"I got an armful of tender moments here, cutie, and you KNOW you've got me. I live, eat and breathe Dana."

"Ed, what would college be like?"

"It's been a while since I've been, baby, but your required courses, English, basic math, those things, there you're gonna be part of a huge herd. Personal attention from an instructor is going to be non-existent. If you show up and don't do the work, nobody cares. If you don't show up, nobody cares. You've already paid your money. It's gonna be less about your teachers and more about YOU."

"I can do that. I've been running loose ahead of the herd for a long time. I don't remember the last time I had to ask for help. I just listen when a new bit is introduced and then read the book and play with it."

She had her hands folded on my chest, resting her chin, just out of reach of my lips. Nope, correction! Top of her head. A kiss.

She continued. "If I was lazy, I wouldn't break a sweat and still come out with a B average. But I wanna LEARN. I know some of the stuff they teach me is crap..."