Chapter 36: Romance Novels

January 2, 1982, Chicago, Illinois

Author's Note: This chapter has been modified to comply with site guidelines as of 2025-03-29

"What about your butler and maid?" I asked.

Jeri smiled, "They are 'black holes' — no information ever escapes. Complete and total discretion. The same is true for James. My parents won't know we went out or that you were here, and won't know if you spend the night. Violating discretion in that way is an automatic firing offense."

"OK, and should your parents somehow find out..."

"My mom might object to me giving up a valuable commodity to a 'commoner', if you'll excuse the term, but otherwise? She wouldn't say a thing. But she'll never know."

"Back home it was the dads guys worried about."

"Shotguns, right?"

"Mostly, but hunting knives are also an effective deterrent."

"My mom is in charge of the family. My dad does what she says and gets to spend money however he likes and have his mistress without any interference from my mom."

"Your mom knows about his mistress?"

"She's happy he has a mistress because that keeps him from pestering her for sex. As best I can tell, she doesn't like it but knows it can get her the things she wants. I, on the other hand, expect to enjoy it. I expect you to enjoy it as well."

"I thought that was a given, at least according to what you said before."

"Different levels of enjoyment, Remember what I said about sleeping naked in your arms."

"I remember. That's what you really want?"

"No," Jeri replied flatly. "I've spent the last three hours trying to talk you into going to bed with me simply to mess with you when you agreed to do it."

"When you put it that way, it was a dumb question, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

It really was just a question of me getting past the fact that Jeri was sixteen, which was only a problem because of Illinois. I'd had no qualms about fooling around with Bev just after she turned sixteen. Everything Jeri had said made sense, and if I was honest with myself, having someone like her, outside the system, as a partner, made a ton of sense, just as it made sense for her to have a partner outside her usual circles.

I was confident she would keep what happened between us private, and there would be no fallout from her parents, or anyone else for that matter. I realized that I could have the business relationship without the sex, but why not have both? Nobody would be hurt by it, and I was confident it would be fun. I didn't need it, given the girls who were available to me, but I wanted it.

The only question in my mind was whether I should wait until after I spoke to Anala on Tuesday, but I quickly dismissed that as silly, because she'd ask me questions and if I gave honest responses, I'd reach the exact same conclusion. The bottom line was that Jeri was offering something that made complete sense to me — a backup plan, which was something I did not have. And in the end, that's what made the decision very easy.

I just had one problem — no rubbers, because I hadn't planned on anything remotely like this.

"Birth control?" I asked.

Jeri smiled, "Mom put me on the Pill at thirteen so that there were no accidents."

"Thirteen?"

"Right after I got my period. And all it took was a word with her OB/GYN who is in our social circles. I assume that question means you've decided to stay?"

"No. I always ask a girl about birth control when I plan to not go to bed with her!"

Jeri laughed, "I guess it was my turn to ask a dumb question!"

"Yes."

"Well," she asked coquettishly, "are you ready to plunge your throbbing manhood into my volcanic depths?"

"Where did THAT come from?" I asked.

Jeri laughed, "A romance novel! I started reading them about three years ago."

"What's a 'romance novel'?"

"You seriously don't know?"

"I seriously don't know."

"They're cheap paperback books that follow a basic pattern — love, relationship, and sex, though mostly implied. All of them have an emotionally satisfying ending. The best-selling ones are called 'Harlequin Romances'. They use lines like the one I used before, though that one is a bit risqué. Usually, it's more like 'Take me in your strong, muscular arms, ravish me, and make me yours!' or 'Make me a woman! My womanly treasure is soaked in anticipation of feeling your throbbing manhood!'"

"People actually read stuff like that?" I asked, shaking my head.

"I do! Reading those books is my guilty pleasure. I also read things like the Dostoyevsky novel we discussed. So, are you ready to 'put your sword in my hot, wet sheath'? Or 'put your swollen loins in my fiery furnace'?"

"Only if you promise not to use any more of those lines!" I chuckled.

"You'd prefer 'Take me in your arms, throw me on the bed, and fuck me!' or 'Break my cherry!' or 'My wet pussy is begging for your hard dick!'"

I couldn't help but laugh, "I'm not sure which is worse! Not that there's anything wrong with what you just said, but it doesn't fit your character."

"Sure it does! The private one, not the public one. Shy, prim, proper, and virginal is my public persona; this is the real me, but almost nobody gets to see this persona. Actually, that's a bit misleading — you are the first person to see this persona. And probably the last for some time. Now, can we quit talking? I want you to pick me up, carry me upstairs, and," she smirked, "fuck my brains out!"

There really was only one thing left to do. I set down my mug, took Jeri's from her and set it down, then turned and scooped her into my arms. She was really light, and nearly a foot shorter than I was, so I had absolutely no trouble carrying her up the wide, sweeping staircase.

"Second door on the left."

I turned into the open room, then stopped so Jeri could turn on the lights with a switch by the door. I used my foot to push the door closed, then carried Jeri to the bed and laid her on it.

"Go across the hall and get the robe, slippers, and toothbrush that Karolin will have laid out for you."

I did as instructed, and when I came back into the room, Jeri had turned down the bed, turned on a dim lamp, turned out the bright overhead lights, and put on some music. I put the things I'd retrieved on the desk then turned to face her.

"Except my gynecologist, nobody has seen what you're about to see since I was five."

...

I nodded and waited, reasonably sure that's what she wanted me to do. That was confirmed when she pulled her light-blue fuzzy sweater over her head.

...

"That was my first ever kiss, and it was after," Jeri smirked.

"You never ever kissed anyone before?"

"No. Well, kisses on the cheek, but that's it."

...

"Not bad for learning from a book, was it?"

"You read a book?" I asked.

"You're reading manuals to study to be a trader, right?"

I laughed, "Sure, but ... never mind, I'm being an idiot!"

"A problem most men have, at least on occasion."

"What book?"

"The Joy of Sex! It's illustrated!"

I laughed, "So, kind of like the Kama Sutra?"

"Yes, though the Kama Sutra has lots of relationship advice. Well, if you get the original one, not the one intended just to show off hundreds of sex positions without the advice. You've read that?"

"It was suggested by a friend of mine."

...

"Glad you decided to take me up on my offer?" she asked.

"Very!"

...

Jeri snuggled close, I wrapped my arm around her, and we quickly fell asleep.

January 3, 1982, Chicago, Illinois

...

"Honestly, I think that's the source. You just need to get past it. You're already 'dealing with it', so why not just let it go and go with the flow?"

"Are you sure you're sixteen?" I asked.

Jeri laughed, "Yes. I'm just more well-read than you are, which comes partly from my station in life, but also partly from living in a big city. I suspect you've noticed some serious differences."

"I have. I mean, I can't go hunting in the woods behind my apartment because there ARE no woods behind my apartment!"

"I was thinking more in terms of diverse ideas and people."

"Very true."

...

We dressed and went downstairs where Karolin served us coffee and made us breakfast. After we'd eaten our fill, Jeri called for a car, and we went to the foyer so I could put on my Winter gear.

"Thank you," she said. "Last night was perfect. And so was this morning."

"I very much enjoyed it as well."

"My parents go out of town once or twice a month. Would you stay the night?"

"Yes."

She smiled, "I'll get you the first deposit by the end of the week."

"I'm looking forward to a long, prosperous relationship," I said.

"With LOTS of orgasms!" Jeri added.

I pulled her into my arms and we exchanged a gentle French kiss, then simply stood holding each other in our arms until the car arrived. After one last kiss, I walked out of the house, got into the car, and after the driver closed the door, I waved to Jeri who waved back. Fifteen minutes later, I walked up the stairs to my apartment, let myself in, undressed, and tossed the clothes in the hamper. I shaved, took a quick shower, applied deodorant, brushed my teeth, then dressed for the afternoon at Tom's.