Chapter 1

"Man am I glad that's over with," thought Jack Rainer, as he walked out of the classroom. "No more finals for at least a few months." As he stepped into the bright sunlight outside the computer science building, Jack tried to decide what to do with the remaining hours of the day. With the spring semester of classes now over, the handsome 21 year old needed to find something to do that was not related to school. He had about a week and a half off before summer school started and today was his day off from the library where he worked for part of his financial aid package. The weather was hot with the kind of humidity that causes your clothes to become immediately drenched with sweat upon stepping outside of an air-conditioned room.

Deciding that relaxation and food were a good start, Jack crossed Central Avenue and walked into the nearest pub - a wide wooden one story known as Galileo's Tavern. Galileo's looked like an old western bar from the outside, and inside it looked like it had been transported out of the old west intact. It took Jack's eyes a few moments to adjust to the dim interior, and then he headed for his favorite stool about midway down the bar that ran the length of the back wall. He took is seat and the bartender magically appeared before him.

"What can I get for you Jack?" she asked.

"Just a Foster's to start and a menu, thanks Mo." The cold draft beer appeared momentarily with the menu. Jack looked it over and decided that a sandwich would go best with the beer and waited for Mo to make her way back down the mahogany bar to him. It took her a few moments, the bar wasn't full, but she appeared to be the only one working. Eventually she returned to Jack.

"What'll it be today," she smiled.

"Tell me, how's the pastrami today?"

"Mmmm... It's great", she replied with a dreamy look in her clear blue eyes, "nice and tender. I had one myself earlier today."

"Great, how about one of those wonderful pastrami sandwiches and another Foster's."

"You want fries with that?"

"Of course."

Jack drained what was left of his first pint and gazed around the bar. Galileo's was one of the four bars along Central, across from the University. Each bar tended to cater to a different style of crowd. Science and engineering majors came to Galileo's, art and theater majors went a block south to Hamlet's, other liberal arts types went three blocks further south to Sneakers Pub, and teachers and education majors gathered at the far north end of the street at a place called La Grange. The analytical types liked Galileo's because the food was cheap, hot and filling, and the beer was cold. The only rules were: 1) Don't ask the bartender to make anything more challenging than a simple mixed drink or a beer, 2) never, ever ask for anything frozen- you'll just be told the blender is broken -, and 3) If you are too drunk to drive, don't leave without an escort. The logic behind the third rule was that if a patron were too drunk to drive, maybe their escort would convince them to walk. Due to its proximity to the university, more often than not the inebriated walked. The other advantage to taking an escort, you were much more likely to head back home to the university than stagger down the blind alley behind the bar to get mugged.

The inside of Galileo's was fairly plain. The forty foot mahogany bar ran the length of the back wall. Behind the bar was a large mirror that allowed for a pretty good view of the tables between the door and the bar. The tables were your standard round wooden kitchen style poker tables that seated four scattered around the wooden two by fours that made up the floor. As one walked in the door, to the left was a small stage and dance floor, and to the right was a set of glass doors leading out to a small patio. The kitchen was at the back to the right of the bar.

As Jack glanced around he noticed that there were quite a few students in the small crowd that had gathered. Not surprising for 12:30 on a Friday. As he turned back to start his second beer, his sandwich appeared, piping hot. Jack savored the first bite of the tender pastrami on light rye bread, before bolting the rest of it down with large swallows of the amber beer. Mo came back just as he finished the sandwich.

"Well, you must have been hungry or something," she said as she gazed at the empty plate, "Can I get you anything else?"

"Another beer and my tab," Jack replied with a grin, "and give Charlie my compliments, that was outstanding." Mo smiled and removed the plate. She came back a moment later and set down the bill and the third beer. Jack slowly nursed the beer and turned an eye towards the Cubs game on TV. He watched the last half of the second inning and having left a few bills to cover his tab, turned to get up. That's when he saw her.

The young blonde looked about 19. She was about five six, maybe 120 pounds soaking wet, sandy blonde hair that came to her shoulders dressed in a white blouse with tight blue jeans that hugged the cutest ass Jack had seen in quite some time. He was sitting there admiring her fine posterior, a rather easy task as the young woman was bent over at the waist talking to a tall brunette at the table, when she slowly turned her head and made eye contact with him. Jack immediately flushed and started to turn away when she winked at him. Completely flustered, Jack turned back around and began scanning the bar for Mo. He spotted her at the far end of the bar by the kitchen and was just about to call her when he felt the tap on his left shoulder.

He looked in the mirror then slowly turned around. The young lady smiled at him, causing two dimples to appear in her cheeks, offered her hand and said, "Hi I'm Staci, and you are?"

"Ummm... Jack, look I'm sorry for staring...", Jack began.

"Oh don't even worry about it ummm Jack. I think my ass is my best feature, I don't mind if you were admiring it," Staci interrupted as she turned her hips and slapped the object in discussion, "in fact, I was telling my friend over there that I thought you were kind of cute. Buy a girl a drink?"

"Ok, are you old enough?"

Staci laughed, "yes as a matter of fact, my birthday was just last month."

Jack grinned, "Have a seat," and tried to flag Mo down. Mo wandered by and moments later deposited a Coors Light bottle in front of Staci. Jack and Staci talked for a bit, and he discovered that Staci was a junior majoring in biology, lived off campus in a two-bedroom apartment she shared with her good friend Jill, liked beer, and liked to talk. Jack sat, smiled and listened for quite a while. It seemed that the more Staci drank, the looser her tongue, and Jack thought it nice not to have to say anything for once.

After 20 minutes of one-sided conversation and two Coors Lights, Staci excused herself to go to the ladies room. Mo appeared just as Staci left.

"I think she likes you Jack."

"She seems nice enough," he replied, "likes to talk."

"That's not all she likes," retorted Mo, who then walked away.

As Jack turned that remark over in his mind, Staci came back. "Jack, it's a beautiful day outside, lets go somewhere shall we?"

"Ok, but you'll have to drive since my car is parked back at school."

"No problem, let me just tell Jill." Jack watched as Staci sidled over to the tall, statuesque brunette she had been speaking to when Jack noticed her, and having made sure that he was watching, deliberately bent at the waist to whisper in her ear. After a quick conversation, Staci came back and grabbed Jack's left hand. "Let's go."

They stepped back out into the bright April sun and Staci led him to a small white two-door convertible, with dark blue interior. The top was up, but as soon as they got into the car, Staci began to lower it.

"I have to keep it up in the spring and summer or the interior gets too damn hot to sit in. But once we're driving it's fun to have the top down." Staci explained, "you don't have a problem with that do you."

"No... I've got some sunglasses, that should keep my lenses from flying out."

Staci laughed and pulled out into traffic. After a ten-minute ride, she pulled into a large apartment complex. Jack looked at her in surprise.

"I want to change to shorts real quick," Staci said as she put the top back up, "why don't you come in with me."

Anything to get out of this oppressive heat, Jack thought as he followed Staci up the stairwell to her second floor apartment.

"I'll just be a minute," Staci said as she wandered into the bedroom on the right, "make yourself at home."

Jack looked around the apartment. The front door opened into a small living room containing a light brown and white love seat, a small glass topped coffee table, huge entertainment center and a maroon recliner. A large sliding glass door dominated the back wall of the living room, however, Jack could not see a deck beyond the door; it appeared to just open to the air. The beige carpet had seen better days, but looked clean. To the left, under an arch shaped doorway was a small L shaped kitchen area, with the standard linoleum tile floor. The white refrigerator stood at the top of the L near Jack, and ending with a white-stacked washer and dryer set, next to the sink, on the far end of the L. To the right appeared to be a bathroom across from Staci's room and another bedroom, down the short hallway. The apartment was very uncluttered - unlike Jack's own - and seemed very comfortable. As Jack stepped further into the apartment he noticed that Staci had not closed her door all the way. Looking through the opening, he watched as Staci slowly peeled her jeans down her long legs revealing her lack of panties. Stepping free of the jeans, she tossed them on the bed and stepped over to the small oak dresser. Moving a little closer, Jack observed Staci rooting through the top drawer looking for something. She pulled out a pair of white shorts and tossed them on the bed and continued to look through the drawer. Giving up, she proceeded to unbutton her blouse and toss it in the laundry basket at the foot of the bed, and quickly turned around. Jack froze like a deer caught in headlights as he gazed at her naked breasts.

"Enjoying the show," asked Staci teasingly as she slowly waltzed to the door, deliberately keeping her arms at her sides. As Jack fumbled for something to say, Staci threw the door wide open and said, "come on in and have a seat." When Jack hesitated, Staci grabbed his right arm and pulled.

Jack stumbled into the room and Staci immediately guided him to the bed, pushing him to a sitting position. She pushed his legs apart and stood between them facing him with her hands on her hips. "What ever am I going to do with you Jack? You seem like such a nice guy, but peeping on a girl who's changing her clothes makes you a bad, bad boy."

Jack tired to avert his eyes, but Staci grabbed his chin keeping him from looking to the side and said, "Look at me, don't you think I'm attractive?"

"Well, um, er yes, but I don't really know you and you're naked and... " Jack trailed off as he tore his chin out of her grasp and looked down hoping she didn't notice the tent in his shorts.