Chapter 4: Oil and Water

It was Sunday morning. Bill was cuddling in bed with Carolyn, his very-new fiancée. They had made luxurious morning love, and the situation couldn’t have been more delightful. “How was your Christmas?” she asked.

He mentioned that Vi Robinson expected a baby in early February.

“That’s Bill,” Carolyn said. “Babies are important. Get any gifts that came before February?”

That led him to consider how hypocritical office gifts were at his level, but Carolyn broke that reverie.

“Really, speaking of Arkansas, I have to go back to the residence hall.”

“Must you?” He hugged her more tightly. “It’s cold out there, and I’ll get lonely.”

“But I should call Mama. I have to tell her about the engagement.”

“You can call from here.”

“Really?” she asked. That was what marriage was. He’d have access to her body; she’d have access to his wallet -- well, in this case, his phone account.

“Dear, this isn’t the ceremony where ‘with my worldly goods, I thee endow.’ That’s later. But I do think I could spring for a long-distance call.”

“Could we be dressed for it?” She was modest at the oddest times and about the oddest things.

“Sure. Want me out of the house to give you some privacy?”

“Nah. I’ll put all your faults in a letter.”

“Once you said that would give your hand cramps.”

“I’ve got a typewriter.” She topped him. So, they got up and dressed in what they’d taken off. She put on her shoes; so, he did, too. She dialed from memory.

“Mama? ... No, I’m okay ... I’m in good health and in Evanston, incompatible as those two are ... Listen for once!

“Y’know how you always ask about my romantic life? Well I’m now engaged ... He’s right here. Want to talk to him?” She handed the phone to him.

“Mrs. Nolan?” he asked.

“Yes. I hear you’re engaged to my daughter. What did you do, pop the question at the airport?”

“No, although that might have been a better idea.”

“And who and what are you?”

“I’m Bill Pierce, William on my driver’s license. I’m a regional sales manager for Andalusia Pharmaceuticals. We’re an ethical drug company. When you go to the pharmacy with a prescription, you may well be getting one of our products.” Her educated daughter hadn’t known the term. He’d better let the mother know that he wasn’t a pusher.

“I haven’t heard a thing about you -- not your fault. She plays things close to the vest. So, when’s the wedding?”

“Well, we haven’t discussed that yet. She wanted to tell you early. If you want to hear all the details, you can’t expect to hear them before all the plans are made. Do you want to talk to the one who’ll be making those decisions?”

“You didn’t propose with a whole wedding planned out?” her mother kept asking.

“No. I want to keep her always. That means a marriage. And that means a wedding. The wedding is a necessary condition, not something I wanted particularly.”

“No. No. No. Remember that I’m the bride’s mama. You don’t tell me that you want to keep her. You tell me that you’ll be getting her for the first time on the wedding night. In my day, a gentleman would tell all his friends the same story. I don’t expect you young ones to be gentlemen, but you should -- at least -- tell me that story. Okay, put her back on.” He handed the phone to Carolyn.

“Yes, Mama ... It will be up here, and of course you are invited ... Well, we told you first. Bye Mama, I love you...” Carolyn laughed.

“She said that you’re the one I’m supposed to be loving.”

“Sounds like a great idea. Before or after we go out to dinner?”

“Well,” she said, “we are dressed. Actually, you proposed without knowing whether I could cook. Maybe I should make us something.”

“Breakfast, maybe.” Which would keep her here until then.

“Breakfast certainly.” She looked about to say something else, but he kissed her. She participated eagerly. Sometime later, he turned her around. He kissed the side of her neck while holding her melons. “You have eggs, I know. Do you have onions and green peppers?”

“Onions, probably. Green peppers certainly not. Maybe you should survey your domain.” So, when he let her go, she did. They stopped at the grocery on the way to the restaurant. Despite her plural, she bought one bell pepper -- also cereal, hamburger meat and buns, tomato soup, and several spices. He wheeled the cart and paid the bill, adding a carton of Kools at the last minute.

“You didn’t have to,” she said.

“Well, you won’t have that excuse for sneaking back to your dorm. After all, don’t they last forever if you don’t open the pack?”

After dinner, they came back to the apartment, and she put the food away. Carolyn took a little more time looking through the kitchen. Then they watched television on the couch. What the programs were, he couldn’t have told you -- he couldn’t have named the program if Carolyn had asked during a commercial. He was acutely aware, however, of her warmth beside him, of her soft shape under his hands, and of the taste of her kisses. Finally, he became aware that the news was on.

“Are you really interested?” he asked her.

“Nah.” She raised the ring. “They won’t have the real news. Look, same rules about smoking? It’s all right in the living room?”

“Sure. And, if that feels too restrictive, we can renegotiate.”

“It’s fine,” she said, “but you might want to make your night preparations while I smoke it.”

“Fair enough.” He came out of the bathroom in his robe. “All yours.”

“Thanks.” When she went into the bathroom, he went into the bedroom. He stripped off the robe and got into bed. Remembering her chill, he moved to her side of the bed. He heard her in the bathroom after a while. She came in wearing a robe. When she took off the robe, she had on the nightgown.

“Now,” he pointed out, “I’ve been keeping your side of the bed warm. Do you really need that?” She laughed but took the gown off. She got into bed wearing nothing but the ring he’d given her. They had a kiss. He was getting used to the taste of tobacco. He felt all over her body while their tongues dueled. She moved her hand to his dick. It hardened in her hand, but he remembered their last time. He didn’t trust it so soon after.

“Early days, yet,” he said. He kissed down to her melon and stroked his hand down to her mound. She spread her legs a little. He played with her snatch and then slid his finger into her groove. She had plenty of juice, and he stroked it up over her nub. She sighed as she relaxed in acceptance of his care. That was the loveliest sound in the world.

He switched melons, kissing from one tip down the valley and over to the other tip. He sucked and licked that tip while his finger continued the gentle stroking. Her leg tensed under his hand, and her belly tensed under his chest.

“Love you,” he murmured, “share it with me.” And, after a moment, she did. He pelvis raised into his hand; one of her toes pointed over his foot. He sucked harder, and he stroked in a circle over her nub while she went over.

When she relaxed completely and started taking in gasping breaths, he removed his hand completely from her. He kissed down her breast from the tip. Then he kissed a line down her belly until he reached where the hair began on her mound. He had to move a good deal to get between her legs, and then he had to pull the blankets over his head. Her odor in the tent he’d made was incredibly arousing, but there was some bitter component. Still, it almost made him certain he could perform. Then he shook off the temptation.

He kissed her thigh, then the other thigh. She pushed them flat on the bed after his kisses. That raised her snatch as if it wanted its share of kisses, too. He spread the lips with his fingers and tasted them with his tongue. There was a definite bitter taste. Would the tobacco affect that? Well, he was too close to back off. He licked her nub until she shuddered. then he sucked it while she went over. When she collapsed this time, he climbed out and held her from his side. It was like lying on a cliff-side, but he had her to anchor him.

“Could you move a little away?” he asked when she started to stir.

“Sure.” She moved over, and he started to lie next to her, but she was still moving. She rolled over so that her back was towards him. “Like this?”

“Delightful.” He turned the lamp off before snuggling up to her. “Do you have enough room, now?”

“Just enough. You know, you’re going to have to get a double bed.”

“Yes,” he said, “we are. And what other new furniture will we need? With a double bed in this room, we won’t be able to fit much else in. But you need some sort of dresser.”

“Will we keep this apartment?” she asked.

“Until June, at least. I have a year’s lease. Maybe later, we’ll get more furniture, but we shouldn’t get anything now which we don’t want to keep. One thing you’ll need is some sort of study desk or typing table. It will have to go in the living room.”

“You picture me moving in, don’t you?” she asked.

“Well, I’ll get another key on Monday. But I was mostly thinking about after the wedding. You’ll be moved in then. When will that be, anyway?”

“You talk as if it’s my choice.”

“Well, it is, isn’t it?” All he wanted was to hold her like this every night. The wedding was a requirement, and her requirement.

“If I said tomorrow, you’d agree.” Now she was being impossible, and, to judge from the teasing tone of her voice, deliberately impossible.

“Well, tomorrow is impossible. We’d need a license, and I know the County Clerk isn’t open on Sunday.”

“Yeah, right. You’re just trying to escape now that I gave you my lily-white body in exchange for your promise.” He thought of pointing out that he would have got her lily-white (and it was almost lily-white this time of year) body earlier if he hadn’t brought up the ring. But he couldn’t think of any way to say that funnily.

“Seriously,” he said, “if you want the wedding as soon as possible, I’ll call the County Clerk Monday. Probably, I should anyhow. We need to know what the requirements are, whether we both have to go, and when they are open. Am I right that you have nothing after noon Tuesday and Thursday?”

“Yeah. Studying, but no class.”

“Okay. I can take a late lunch and meet you downtown any afternoon. That may be necessary. Seriously, when do you want the wedding?”

“Seriously? You’re taking all the fun out of this conversation.” Since he had his hand on her melon and his dick was against her buns, he thought there was a lot of fun in the conversation. “But semester break makes sense. The room and food contracts can be cancelled then. I’ll have some time, and so will my friends. Look, something you should understand: sleeping together every night is great, but I’ll need study time -- lots of study time some weeks.”

“Sure. and when crunch time comes, I’ll either cook or get take-out. I’ll come in here and leave you alone to study. I won’t be jealous of a book.”

“It’s a deal,” she said. “If I let you flirt with Alice, you’ll let me sleep with my books.”

“Deal.” It was a good deal.

“You sure you don’t want me to take care of Little Bill?” She reached back to touch his dick.

“Not tonight.” He wasn’t sure he could finish if he started. His dick was sure, but that was nothing to rely on. “How about in the morning?”

“Yeah, but I need to do some stuff when I wake up.”

“Of course,” he agreed. They snuggled together some more. He kissed her neck and stroked her hip before his hand went back where it belonged. She brought it down to the valley between her breasts, and he hugged her while she hugged his arm. He thought, suddenly, that this was his life from now on. It was good thought on which to fall asleep.

When the alarm woke him on Sunday, thought. he and Carolyn were lying side by side on their backs. He reached his left hand over to pat her thigh.

“Good morning, sweet Carolyn.”

“What time is it?”

“Way early.” He never reset his alarm for the weekend. He often went back to sleep, though. “Want to sleep longer?”

“Want to, but need to...” She headed towards the bathroom. He regretted having taken out his contacts the night before. When she came back, he had his own bathroom time, shaving, brushing his teeth, and putting in the contacts as well as the usual toilet time. He climbed into bed beside her. She was lying on her back. He got up on his left elbow to lean over and kiss her. Their kiss was sweet and long. When his hand wandered, hers did too.

“Careful.” If he was going to wait long enough to bring her over, he shouldn’t be too excited himself.

“Well,” she argued, “you’re doing it.” She, however, removed her hand.

“Yeah, but I’m a one-shot. You have a whole six shooter.”

“You’ve never seen me come six times in a row.” His dick twitched at her words.

“No, but I’d love to. Probably not on a Sunday morning, though.”

“Miss Armbruster would kill you.”

“Her best singer, hors de combat.”

“Hardly her best singer,” she demurred, “third-best alto.” While they were discussing this, his hand had kept wandering. Now, he leaned over to kiss the tip of one melon while his fingers massaged the outside of her snatch.

“You’re really going to do it this morning? Not like last night?”

“Did last night disappoint you?” he asked. Now he had his index finger stroking her juices up to her nub.

“Hardly. But if you’re going to need it, shouldn’t you have the contraceptive out now?” She was right. He’d only been keeping the rubber hidden to shield her modesty by hiding his intentions. He turned over on his right side to get the rubber out, but he left it wrapped. He slid it under the pillow where he could reach it fast.

“That’s something else we need,” he said, “another pillow. I keep saying I love you, but...”

“Not often enough. Actually, I’m kind of glad you don’t have two pillows.” When his hand returned to her crotch, she spread her legs to permit it to go back to what it had been doing.

“ ... But I keep being surprised by who you are. I mean...”

“I’m still the feminine mystery?”

“Yeah. By the way, I do love you.” She’d said he didn’t say that often enough. “But I keep planning a way to seduce you with a ploy, keep the rubbers in a drawer so they won’t intrude on your maidenly modesty.” His strokes were having some effect. Every time he dipped his finger down into her lower groove, he found her juicier.

“Or under your pillow.” He licked the tip of her melon while she was speaking.

“I’ll know right where it is when I need it,” he explained. “Put it an inch lower on the sheet and it would skid anywhere on the bed when we move.”

“Okay.” She sounded distracted, tense and distracted. He went back to licking and sucking the tip of her melon, while his finger kept distracting her. Her belly tensed under his hand. He looked down while sucking to see that tense belly.

When she went over, he watched the belly quiver.

When she dropped back in utter relaxation, he moved quickly. He got the rubber, brought it to his left hand -- immobile since he was resting on that elbow -- and opened it. Then he rolled it onto his dick. He got between her legs and used his hand to open her snatch. He was there!

“Carolyn, I love you.” He moved forward and inward. She was so warm and smooth around him. He Shifted from his awkward position so that he could rest on his elbows and hold each of her melons. He kissed both tips before looking in her face. She mouthed a kiss at him, and he mouthed one back. Then he moved out until only the tip of his cock was in her snatch. He stroked the tips of her melons as he came back. Then he was moving in and out in a regular rhythm.

She smiled at him in the beginning. He felt the warmth hold all of him when he was at the bottom of his stroke, then the slippery clasp of her on the head of his dick. At the top, his whole shaft was feeling cooler, and only the head was warm. Then the delicious slipperiness on his head again, and more of his shaft was held in her warmth.

After short time stroking like that, she looked worried. He bent down at the top of his stroke to kiss the tip of one melon, bent down at the top of the next to kiss the other.

She looked like she was in pain, and he was in pain. The warmth, the slipperiness, the sight of her face, the feel of her melons, the consciousness that this was Carolyn, were driving him over.

“Come for me darling,” he begged, “come with me.” Then he couldn’t hold back any longer. He went over at the top of his stroke and drove forward to bury his dick in her snatch while he came.

She did. His last spasms were inside a clasping snatch. Then, he was lying, gasping, on top of her while she was hugging his waist. When he caught his breath, he moved off. She rolled half over, and he hugged her. He felt a chill on his back and freed his arm to haul the sheet and blanket back where they covered him completely. Then he brought the arm back into the warmth. Maybe he should warm it up before using it to hug her again.

“Love you,” he murmured.

“How long do we have?” she asked. He rolled over to see the clock. They’d have to get another clock as well as another night stand. It was a few minutes before eight.

“Hours. It’s not even eight yet.”

“Well, I’ll need more time to cook breakfast ... Do you have any aprons I haven’t seen?”

“Aprons? No.” Men didn’t wear aprons. Did modern, liberated, women like Carolyn?

“What do you do about cooking spills? Don’t they send your cleaning bills sky high?”

“I cook in my robe and underwear. I wash both at the laundromat.”

“So, I should cook in my robe?” she asked.

“Or borrow mine.” He took a long pause to marshal his thoughts. “Look, I didn’t think all that far ahead. Mostly, I was thinking about having you in my bed, if you call that thinking. Then I was trying to figure out a way to persuade you. Not until you accepted, did I think of us together in the light of day. So, I still haven’t planned it through very thoroughly. You can cook in my robe; I can cook -- I’ve done it most mornings for the past decade; we can go out to eat. Nothing’s cast in stone.”

“This is. I’m cooking a western omelet.”

“Okay. Want my robe to protect you?”

“Okay,” she said. “You can shower and dress while I’m cooking.”

“I’d rather watch, but we’ll do it your way.” So, he got his robe and held it for her as she got up. She put on her bra from the night before first and her panties, pantyhose, and tennis shoes after. Even so, it was nice to watch. In the bathroom, he discovered that he still had a rubber hanging from his dick.

He tossed it in the bathroom wastebasket, showered, and dressed in his underwear in the bathroom. As breakfast wasn’t ready, he got into his suit trousers, shoes, and socks. He decided to delay the shirt until after breakfast. The western omelet tasted good, although it wasn’t the time of day he usually went for onions. She’d made coffee, too.

“Delicious meal. I think I’ll keep you.”

“I’m glad you liked it. Now, it’s my shower time.” She took that while he put on his shirt. She came out still wearing his robe but carrying underwear. When they kissed, he discovered that she was wearing underwear all the same. Under her robe, though, his hands could touch skin up and down her back with merely a bra strap interrupting. He tried to unsnap that, but she pushed him away.

“No. It’s time to dress. You’re dressed for church.”

“Be my guest.”

“I will. Do I dress out here, while you’re in the bedroom? Or do I bring my clothes into the bedroom and dress in there while you’re out here?”

“Well,” he said “I’d choose option three, but since you’ve got the clothes out here, call me when you’re ready.” She was fully dressed, including heels when she opened the bedroom door. He came towards her for a kiss.

“Nope. Lipstick.” Well, he wasn’t wearing any. He took her hand and kissed that. She was soon giggling and pulling her hand away. It didn’t feel like a serious pull. When he kissed and licked her palm, however, she tugged hard enough to free her hand. She immediately went to the closet. He’d never seen the coat she put on.

“New?”

“Christmas,” she said. “From my parents.”

“Pretty.” It was. He noticed, however, that it went down to her knees. It would keep her buns warm, but it would block his access as her other coat didn’t. Well, he’d have more chances inside, now. He could behave when they were outdoors if he had to. He went for his own coat, though they’d get there early. She was fumbling around with gloves, but she was ready by the time he was.

When they got to the church, he let her out right in front. Parking was easy this early, and he got back when she was climbing up from the cellar entrance.

“Nobody’s there,” she said.

“We’re early. Try this door.” The door to the fellowship area was open. The adult Sunday School class was still in session, so they said nothing. Carolyn went downstairs to the robing room, and he went into the sanctuary. He didn’t feel like sitting, so he paced. Pastor Jake came out of his office a few minutes later, carrying the bulletins.

“Bill.”

“Jake. Want me to open the doors?”

“Please.” He took the bulletins and put them on the usual table. The doors had crash bars, easy to open from inside. He opened them only a crack Because of the cold, but anyone coming in could pull them the rest of the way. He stood in the back with a handful of bulletins. He’d play a greeter until the assigned one showed up. The next person he saw, though, was Dan. Well, Carolyn wouldn’t be alone downstairs; Gladys was there.

“You’re early,” said Dan. Yeah. Carolyn’s time sense involved walking from her dorm.

“Parking’s better. I was up and dressed. Alice isn’t going to come to my house.”

“School starts tomorrow,” Dan responded. “Think Carolyn is back yet? Expect her to attend today?” Right! Well, two could tease.

“I think she will.” He handed all but one of the bulletins he was holding to Dan and went into the sanctuary. If he wasn’t the assigned greeter, Dan could hold down the fort ‘til the assigned one came. Dan saw too much. He didn’t know why he didn’t simply tell him. It’s not like Gladys and the rest of the choir didn’t know already. Well, keeping a secret from Dan was an accomplishment. Soon after he sat down, Pastor Jake and Anne Gleason came in to set up the altar for communion.