Chapter 24

Denise was still worried about Jill when she got home. Jill had said things that Denise had almost expected her to say regarding her job, but Denise felt that she wasn't getting the whole story. It almost seemed like Jill had been telling her what she thought Denise had wanted to hear and not how things really were going at the club. The more Denise thought about it, the more upset she became. Finally, she gave up on worrying and called Staci, hopeful that the blonde could shed some light on the situation.

"Hello," came an unfamiliar female voice over the line.

"Hi, is this Leigh?" asked Denise wondering if she'd dialed the number correctly.

"Yes it is, and you are?" came the cool response.

"It's Staci's friend Denise. I think we were introduced a month or so ago when we were down at the beach house."

"Oh, you're the cute redhead, aren't you? Staci and Jill talk so much about you and your boyfriend Jack. How are you?" Leigh's contra-alto tones had warmed considerably.

"I'm good, thanks for asking," Denise spoke quickly to cover her embarrassment at the cute redhead remark. "Is Staci around?"

"She sure is, let me get her for you."

Leigh set down the phone and wandered into Jill and Staci's bedroom. The blonde was laying on her back, legs slightly spread reading her Sociology book. Leigh paused for a moment, taking in the view of Staci's midnight blue panties that were just visible under the blonde's corduroy skirt before she knocked. Staci looked up and made eye contact.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"It's Denise calling for you."

"Oh, great," beamed Staci as she slipped off the bed and wandered into the living room to retrieve the phone.

"Hey, D. How's it hanging?" "Wouldn't know, Jack isn't here."

Staci laughed loudly at the wisecrack. "That's a good one," she announced, "So to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Well, I had lunch with Jill today," began Denise, "and I'm worried about her."

"Worried? In what way?"

"Well... it's weird Staci. I asked her about her job and I don't think she's been... honest with me about how she really feels. I mean, she was really upbeat about it, but it just sounded so phony coming from her. Then when I questioned her about it again, she came across like she was just telling me what she thought I wanted to hear. I don't get it. Is everything all right?"

"To tell you the truth Denise, I don't know," replied Staci calmly, "I don't know that there is anything wrong, but if it will make you feel better... Look why don't you come over in an hour or so. By then Jill will have gotten home and gone to work and we can talk. Besides, you haven't really had a chance to get to know Leigh yet, and she's been chomping at the bit to be introduced properly."

"Introduced properly," murmured Denise, "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing bad," laughed Staci, "she just wants the chance to get to know you better and I can't think of a better way than to have you over. So why don't you bring a loaf of French bread from that bakery near your place and we'll have dinner together like old times. We can discuss Jill and see if we can't make things a little clearer."

"Ok, I'll see you about five or so then," replied Denise.

"Bye dearie," trilled Staci as she hung up the phone.

Leigh had re-entered the room and was standing behind Staci as the blonde set the phone back into its cradle. Leigh slipped her arms around Staci's narrow waist and laid her head between Staci's shoulder blades.

"So am I finally going to meet the mysterious Denise?" she asked hesitantly.

Staci leaned into Leigh, enjoying the sensation the young girl's nipple rings made from pressing into her back. "Yes, she's coming and we're going to make dinner for her."

Leigh raised her head and nipped at Staci's left earlobe. "Does that mean she's going to be dessert?"

Staci laughed and pulled away. "No, but if you're really, really good," she teased the Hawaiian girl, "I'll let you eat me for dessert."

Leigh rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion. "But Staci," she whined putting a mock pout on her face, "I wanted something different. I can have you anytime."

Staci looked offended and amused at the same time as she reached out to swat the younger girl on the behind. "Maybe so, but if you act like that I'm going to have to give you a spanking too. Spoiled thing."

Leigh immediately cast her eyes at the floor and muttered, "Yes, Mistress I will behave."

Staci laughed again and moved around behind the tanned Polynesian, pressing against her. Staci's hands slipped around the small girl's waist and wandered up to gently tweak her unencumbered breasts through the white tee shirt, tugging on the silver rings. "You'd better behave or I'll sic Jill on you. You know just how damn horny she is after work most nights."

Leigh giggled and covered Staci's hands with her own, kneading her small breasts. "Yes I do," she said, giggling some more, "I hear you two every night you know."

"Hear us every night," Staci quipped, "hell you join us more often than not!"

Leigh laughed for a moment, rubbing against Staci much like a purring cat would. Staci kept her hands active the whole time, curious to see where it would lead and if Denise would be coming over and interrupting something.

The sound of Jill's key rattling in the door caused the two co-eds to separate. Leigh quickly walked down the hallway to her room while Staci meandered into the living room. Jill burst in, tossed her bag into a chair and disappeared into the bathroom. She reappeared a few moments later and walked into the living room. Jill leaned over and gave Staci a friendly kiss hello before curling up on the couch next to her long time roommate.

"So how was your day," Staci asked conversationally.

"Good. I had a good lunch with Denise, got an A on my presentation and finished my homework before I came home. Now I have just about thirty minutes to relax before I have to get ready for work."

"How is Denise anyway? I haven't talked to her in forever."

"Good. Worried about her relationship with Jack, but otherwise I think she's fine. She asked about my job and I think she's going to try and bring Jack in one night to see me. I gave her a couple of those half off passes I have, and told her that I'd buy them a round of water so they wouldn't feel too out of pocket."

"Humph, you never offered me any half off passes," grumped Staci, "you'd just make me and Leigh pay full price."

Jill chuckled at the blonde. "It's not like you've ever shown an interest in coming down to see me at work. If you want a couple passes, they're on my dresser. I can always get more of them."

Staci rolled her eyes and turned away trying to look offended. Jill was having none of it, however and pulled the blonde across her lap. She only got in two mild swats before Staci squirmed away laughing. Staci swung her feet up on the far arm of the couch and lay her head down on Jill's lap. Reaching out, she grabbed the remote and powered on the TV. The two girls were joined a moment later by Leigh, who took up her customary position sitting on the floor with her back against the couch on the end near Staci's feet. The three girls watched in silence for a while before Jill got up to get ready for work.

"What time are you getting off," called Staci as Jill left the room.

Jill paused, thinking before she responded, "Around eleven if it's dead, one or two if it's busy. I need a big night so I might stay late if things are going well."

"Ok, see you in the morning then," said Leigh as Jill disappeared once again down the hall.

Jill left for work a few minutes later, leaving Leigh and Staci quietly watching TV. They didn't move again until Denise knocked on the door ten minutes later. Leigh got up to answer the door, while Staci resumed a sitting position on the couch.

"Hi Denise," gushed Leigh as she opened the door and let the young redhead in, "It's nice to see you again."

"Hi yourself," replied Denise with a grin. "Hey Staci," she called into the living room. Staci shut off the TV and joined them in the kitchen a moment later, giving Denise a big hug.

"Hey, D, long time no see," she grinned, "Glad you could come tonight."

Denise smiled and laid the long loaf of French bread on the counter by the sink.

"So what do you have planned for dinner tonight Staci," she asked leaning against the countertop, "I'm suddenly starving and going to the grocery store when I'm hungry is never a good idea."

Staci smirked and opened the refrigerator. Reaching inside, she pulled out a large Ziploc bag filled with red sauce and a second smaller bag filled with meatballs. Setting them on the counter, Staci shut the fridge and opened the cupboard to get out a large pan and a silver dutch oven.

"Here," she said as she thrust the package of meatballs at Denise, "you warm these up while I get the water going."

"What about me?" asked Leigh, quietly.

Staci turned to Leigh holding a large bread knife. "Here," she said a tad sharply, "slice the bread about halfway down and spread butter in between the cuts. I'll throw some garlic salt on it when you're done and we'll have fresh garlic toast with dinner."

The three girls chit-chatted while cooking, discussing school, teachers and work schedules. Staci had enough scholarship money to avoid working during the semester, while Leigh was working part-time at the campus bookstore. When she had the meatballs warmed enough, Denise scraped them into the rapidly heating pot of spaghetti sauce while Staci added the dried noodles to the now boiling water. Leigh meanwhile, disappeared for a moment and returned to the kitchen holding a large bottle of red wine. With a grin of her own, Leigh pulled down three wine glasses upon opening the bottle, poured generous amounts of wine into each.

The three girls giggled and laughed throughout dinner, with Denise and Leigh rapidly warming to one another, much to Staci's satisfaction.

"Ummm this is so good," mumbled Denise around her final mouthful of food, "did you make the sauce yourself?"

"Actually, no, my mom was here last week and made a huge pot of it while I was in class the other day. She put most of it in the freezer and picked up the meatballs at Sam's club. She made a few other things and really filled the freezer, didn't she Leigh."

Leigh grinned across the table at both Staci and Denise. "She did. It's been nice to have home cooked meals and not have to make them myself. The apple crisp was the best though."

Denise nodded, "Yeah her mom does make a mean apple crisp as I recall. So Staci why didn't she ever teach you to cook like that?"

Staci pouted for a moment, then settled on giving Denise an evil look. "She did you twit! She just doesn't believe that I can do it, so when she comes she fills the freezer.

"Anyway, that's not why you came over now is it? What's on your mind?"

"Well,... I'll start at the beginning. Jack and I seem to be... well I don't want to say drifting apart, but we're definitely in a rut. We haven't exactly been... well I'm sure you can guess. SO I'm talking to Renee about it the other night and she suggested that we go see Jill at work. That it might work as a... stimulant of sort. And since we have next Thursday and Friday off, I thought I'd ask Jill about it.

"Now that I've slept on it though, I'm not so sure. I mean, a strip club seems a bit extreme and me going with him? I don't know quite how comfortable I am with something like that."

"SO what you're saying is that you and Jack are in a rut and not screwing like rabbits like before," Staci began, "sort of like the honeymoon is over?"

"Staci," gasped Leigh.

"What," demanded Staci with a grin, "that's pretty much what she said."

"You just don't need to be so... vulgar about it," teased Leigh as she stood to begin clearing the table. Denise, who was blushing, began to stand up and help, but Leigh shooed her back into the chair.

"You sit and talk to Staci dear," Leigh said with a smirk, "I don't know you that well, and I'm not looking to get muddled up in your sex life. I'll do the dishes."

Leigh disappeared into the kitchen, carrying the three plates. Staci stood up and taking her wine glass indicated for Denise to follow her. The two girls walked into the living room and sat on opposite ends of the couch.

"Look, Denise, I think Renee might be on to something. Hell, you might even have fun and if not, well, at least Jack would know you tried. If you want, Leigh and I can go with you that night so you don't feel too outnumbered. I know Jill would love to have some known faces other than the regulars in the crowd and it could be fun, ya know?"

"Uh... I don't know Staci. I mean,... you have a point and all... but..."

"D, you know that I don't have any designs on Jack. Besides, don't you think it would be fun to have the three of us go walking in there with Jack? Imagine the looks we'll get, he'll get. The losers that normally go to a place like that will think he's some sort of god. It could be a really good time."

Denise nodded, " I agree that it could be fun. But, I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel in a place like that. I mean, well... wouldn't you feel uncomfortable with a bunch of dirty old men around leering at naked young women... There's just something... perverse about it, ya know?"

"Yes I do know, and frankly, I could care less about it. C'mon, you're attracted to women as well as men, so that shouldn't be a total turn off for you. Besides whose going to see you there?"

"What if some guy from one of my classes sees me there? God, I'll be branded as some kind of kinky slut who hangs out in strip clubs," Denise whined, "then everyone will think I work there or I'm a dyke."

"Denise," lectured Staci, "you really need to quit worrying about what other people think. Especially when those other people are basically strangers. Besides, don't you think they'd be just as embarrassed as you? I mean you will at least have an excuse. You're going in to see a friend dance and you're with your boyfriend. What's going to be the excuse of one of your male classmate's who is there alone?"