Chapter 3

Seated at a table looking out over Central Park, they admired the beautiful evening sky. To their left they could see the sun dropping over the New Jersey hills far beyond the Hudson River. The sun was coloring high, thin clouds moving in from the west in gold and orange which indicated it might be raining by kickoff the next day. Bob liked the fact that both of them were seated facing outward. Rare for New York, the table spacing in the lounge was sufficient to permit private conversation. He reintroduced the subject of their first meeting. "Jill, why in heaven's name did you ever pay fifty dollars to meet me? No one could conceivably be interested in me even five cents' worth."

Jill grinned at him and sipped her martini. That was another surprise from the "white wine and Brie girl," as he continued to teasingly call her. She said, "Bob, I guess I forgot long ago how much I love a very good martini. I hope you don't mind?" He smiled and shook his head, no. "I guess I certainly owe you an explanation. It's clear you know who I am. That's why I tried to leave today."

"I've certainly heard the name Jill Peters. I guess I've read a few of your articles, too. Thinking about it, all the ones I remember seeing showed both insight and inside knowledge about the companies you're reporting. That exhausts my knowledge of Jill Peters."

She studied the ice in her drink and played with her olive with her pick. It appeared she was organizing her thoughts. Finally she said, "I wanted to do the inside story of America's young business genius, Bob Gordon. Robert Gordon is a man I've heard mentioned for years. He's the man no one seems to know. The list of descriptive adjectives usually starts with brilliant. I was troubled. You see, there are stories about you dating movie stars, show girls ... even European royalty! All this, of course, in addition to being the most brilliant businessman alive.

"I can't remember when I first heard your name. After a while, I started to probe whenever your name came into a conversation. It really started to get funny. Once there were four senior executives talking in what became a 'can you top this' competition in Bob Gordon stories. When it finally wound down — and I had been taking very careful notes — I asked them one at a time if I could quote them. The answer was the same in every case, 'Hell, no!' I asked why not and was usually told that they hadn't been present at the event they had described but had been told about it by someone else. To make a tediously long story short, it seems just about every one knows about you, but if there's someone who actually knows you, I haven't found him yet."

Bob smiled and then chuckled. "What you're saying, Jill, is I'm a man of mystery? Glamorous, exciting, jetting all over the world?" She smiled warmly and nodded. "You know me now. What do you think?"

"That's not fair! I'm the girl who loves you. I think you are the nicest person I've ever met. But I'm prejudiced. Seriously, Bob, what do you think about you?"

"Jill, as you told the story — or more accurately, told about the stories — all I could think of was how I would love to hear them and be that man. I would love to be exciting and mysterious. The fact is that I'm duller than ditch water! I was being very serious earlier. As you knocked on my door last night I was feeling despondent. I realized for the first time that I'm the original nerd! I'm the guy with his shoulder to the wheel, nose to the grindstone and all that good stuff.

"But yesterday I finally closed the sale of GorTech Enterprises. Now all I've got is a piece of paper and a stock certificate. Would you help me to try to get my life back together? Or more accurately, could you help me get it together? There's absolutely no evidence that it has ever been together."

Now it was her turn to be puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"

"Jill, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I heard your story. Glamorous? Exciting? Jetting all over the world? Yeah, I guess I have. I remember a couple of years ago I was in Paris in April. You know, 'April in Paris'? I arrived before dawn and went to the hotel. We had a negotiation that lasted for eight days. I never left the damned hotel! Jill, I don't have the foggiest idea what Paris even looks like!

"Girls? Forget it. Dating royalty? What a joke! I didn't date anyone! All I did was try to build GorTech. I'm a dullard. No girl would even look at me. I'm sure you never would, ordinarily." He gave her a wry smile and said, "And I've heard a bunch of Jill Peters stories. How she's a beautiful girl who uses her feminine wiles to get people to reveal their innermost secrets. She's a girl who travels the world on exciting international business assignments. I always thought that a Jill Peters not only wouldn't see me at a party, she would look right through me if I were standing in front of her."

Jill's eyes were dancing. She leaned over and kissed him softly, ignoring the stares of the people at tables nearby. "Can I tell you a secret?" she asked after she regained her breath. Jill already noticed that whenever she kissed Bob, not only would she hear bells and feel electricity in her lips, but her pulse would speed up and her eyes would glaze.

"Of course."

"One of the guys I referred to earlier stuck around for a while," she said with a grin. "He found out I was Jill Peters. He thought I would be the kind of girl that Bob Gordon would like — the sort of girl who's been everywhere, done everything ... a real swinger!"

Her grin turned into a wry smile as she added, "If he only knew the truth! Bob, I might as well be honest: Last night was the second time in my entire life I've been to bed with a man. Now I regret the first time. It's not that I minded losing my virginity, but the experience was horrid. Since last night was only the second time, I wonder what I would be like if I were still a virgin. I suspect I wouldn't be involved in some of the groups I've become involved with.

"Bob, after that first terrible experience — which was nearly ten years ago, by the way — I really thought all men were out to use women. Then I think about last night: I guess you used me. Or at least some people could claim that you did. You didn't. I used you. I couldn't imagine ever feeling the way I felt. My whole being was concentrated in my cunt that you were so beautifully fucking."

Just then Bob started to laugh. Jill looked at him with the hurt showing in her eyes. He looked at her and just shook his head. He was laughing too hard to speak. Finally he regained control. "Honey, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me," he said. "It's just so damned funny! Last night was the third time I've been to bed with a girl. How old are you, anyway?"

"I'm twenty-seven," she replied, now starting to smile as she saw where he was going.

"Honey, I'm thirty-two — soon to turn thirty-three." His face fell. "Am I too old for you?" he asked with his concern showing in his voice.

Jill reached for his hand and simultaneously started to laugh. She gripped it and her laughter grew in intensity. Bob joined in and then took her in his arms. In no time they were holding each other and laughing so hard tears were running down their cheeks. Finally Bob regained control. He kissed her softly on her cheek and said, "Aren't we a pair? Supposedly a man reaches the peak of his sexual activity at eighteen or nineteen and a girl does at sixteen or so. Here we are, at least ten years past our prime, and except for last night we had sexual relations a total of just three times between the two of us!"

He sat back and just looked at her. He decided that Jill Peters was an absolutely gorgeous girl. Then, as he studied her, he realized she looked even more beautiful tonight than she had when he first met her the night before. He thought about it and finally asked, "Jill, are you in love?"

"Of course! What a silly question to ask. Isn't the answer obvious?" she replied. "I'm madly in love with the man sitting on my right. Why do you ask?"

"Because on you it looks very good — and I love you desperately. Will you dance with me?" There was a three-piece combo playing in the lounge and there was a tiny dance floor.

Jill smiled and rose as Bob moved the table aside. He took her in his arms when they reached the floor. She heard a very soft chuckle in her ear and moved back to look at him. "What's so funny now?" she asked.

"I just took my life in my hands," he whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"I moved the table for you. I could have gotten a kick in the groin! Liberated women consider that sort of thing to be sexist. I forgot. I'm sorry," he said softly.

She smiled, kissed him softly on the cheek, and said, "That was yesterday. I wouldn't dare kick you today. I would be taking an awful chance with my love life and all my future happiness. Besides, today I love it! You can't know how wonderful it feels to be with a man who wants to protect me."

Bob enjoyed dancing with her tremendously, marveling at how light on her feet she was and how easily they moved together. He moved his head and kissed her lightly on the lips. At least, the kiss was intended to be light. In an instant it became passionate. He decided it had become a standard with him and this girl he had come to love so deeply. When the music stopped they just stood on the dance floor for a few moments. Bob realized they were just lost in each other's eyes. Then he took her elbow, steered her back to the table and seated her. He sat down, continued to look at her and said, "You are amazing. Do you know that?"

"Why am I amazing? I think I'm terribly ordinary."

"That's one of the things that's so amazing. You have to be one of the most beautiful girls in the city." He smiled and changed the subject, asking her, "What do you want to do for dinner tonight? I've known you for less than twenty-four hours but already you're changing on me. Yesterday I could have predicted what you would want to eat and where. Tonight I'm not sure at all."

Her eyes were dancing with delight as she looked at him. "Do you want to guess?"

Bob returned the warm smile and said, "There's a place where cholesterol flows in tank-truck quantities. They specialize in humongous steaks and lobsters that run nearly four pounds each. A single side-order of hash-brown potatoes would serve a family of six. The drinks are good and the service is fast. The atmosphere consists of climbing over other patrons. And they serve the best steaks in the city."

Jill had been watching him. When he finished his recital she rubbed her flat belly and licked her lips. "Bob, suddenly I'm starving to death! That sounds simply luscious! Could we eat there? Please!"

Bob had decided he liked having a limousine at his disposal so earlier he had decided to keep it. He used the house phone and called for his car. When they emerged from the hotel, it was waiting for them. He told the driver they were going to The Palm and sat back in the seat. Taking Jill's hand, he held it in his. As he did, he took the opportunity to study it. He noticed she had lovely hands with long, slim fingers. When he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, she squeezed back firmly.

Then she looked at him and smiled softly. "Bob, there's one thing that maybe you haven't thought about with respect to a big girl. It's about the only thing I have going for me. I'm not fragile." She turned in the seat to look directly at him and continued, "I love you so desperately. You're so big and strong. I can't tell you what it's like to be wrapped in your arms and have you squeeze me. Suddenly I feel small and warm and loved. I absolutely adore the sensation. Does that bother you?"

"Can I tell you something? You complained about being big for a girl. I'll tell you something that may sound strange. I always feel like a clumsy ape around women. I guess I feel like the original bull in a china shop. I'm always afraid I'm going to break something, or step on something ... crush her foot or something equally dumb." He grinned at her and added, "I don't have to worry about losing you in the bed covers."

She chuckled and gave him a warm kiss as the driver pulled up at The Palm. It was a place Jill had heard about but never patronized. They entered and Jill followed Bob as he wended his way between the tables to the bar at the rear. Bob's comment about climbing over other diners proved to be true. She was surprised to find there wasn't even an aisle to walk in. When they reached the bar, Bob asked her if she wanted another drink and she asked for another martini on the rocks. He reached between a couple of patrons and ordered while Jill found a place to stand against the wall. Bob quickly rejoined her with their drinks. As they sipped them, she asked, "Don't you have to check in with someone?"

Bob smiled and shook his head. "I don't know exactly how he does it, but there's a maître d' here who's uncanny. He keeps track of people coming in. When there's a table for two and we're next, he'll come for us. Incidentally, the bar is odd, too. Bar prices are in even dollars, tax included; it's the same price regardless of what you drink. A soft drink or a call brand, it makes no difference. It makes life easy for the bartender. He just multiplies the number of drinks you had by the standard price and that's the tab." Bob looked at Jill and saw a guilty little smile on her face. He asked, "What did you do now? The look on your face says you've been a bad girl."

Jill said, "It's the steak. I'm going to have one tonight. Do you know this will only be the third taste of beef I've had in over two years? And that counts that little piece you cut off your steak last night." They chatted companionably and then, as Bob had predicted, the maître d' appeared and escorted them to their table. Bob ordered steaks, salads, and hash-brown potatoes.

When the dinners appeared, he smiled as Jill's eyes widened at the size of the steak she was served. Nonetheless, she started right in. When the steak was half eaten, she looked up at him and said, "Bob, promise you'll roll me back to the hotel? This is luscious!" She went back to her dinner and ended up eating the whole thing. They passed on dessert and just had coffee. When they finally left the restaurant, they chose to walk back to the hotel. When they were going up in the elevator, Jill said, "Bob, are you willing to play a game with me?"

"Sure. What game?"

She grinned wickedly and said, "I'll bet you ten dollars you can't get me to beg you to put your cock in my cunt."

Bob thought for a moment and said, "It's a bet on one condition: you can't relieve yourself — you can't masturbate or do anything similar. Is it a deal?"

She held out her hand and he gripped it. Again he was pleasantly surprised at the firmness of her grip. After he opened the door to the suite, they went to the bedroom.

As he started to take off his tie Jill said, "Bob, may I? I've never had a man of my own to undress before." Bob grinned at her and nodded. After carefully untying his tie, she undid his belt and eased it out of the belt loops. She looked up at him and said, "I'm afraid you'll have to take off your own shoes. There's no way I can lift one of your legs."