Chapter 14

The weekend passed slowly. Bill fixed the faucet and a few other minor problems, like oiling the hinges for squeaky doors and replacing the filters on the air conditioner. As he did these routine maintenance tasks, he realized that next week, he would be doing many of the same chores in his own home. There, he would be alone and missing her.

Courtney called Ashley on Monday afternoon. "I thought I'd have more information. Here's what they decided. They want both the guy from Washington and Bill to come back for another interview. Bill's will be this week and the other will be next week. I can't get more specific information without being obvious."

"Thank you for keeping me in the loop. This is a hard week for me." She sighed, "I haven't been in love for so long, I forgot all the pain that goes with it."

Courtney chuckled, "I'm told that it's like childbirth. One forgets the pain between babies."

"Maybe I'll get to know that feeling someday. Right now, I dread what's happening on Saturday at noon."

"That's the awful day?"

"Yes, it is. I haven't even had the presence of mind—or the courage—to ask him if I can keep his dog."

Courtney laughed, "Well, now, that's an important decision."

"He let me keep Benny when he went back for some work last month. I know it's strange, but somehow, when Benny is here, I know that he is coming back."

"You doubt?"

"I believe he would if he could, but he won't just live with me and let me support him."

"I don't know what life has come to. A beautiful and smart woman offers to make him a kept man in luxury and he refuses?" She laughed again. "I'll bet you can have your pick of the guys in the mall any day with an offer like that."

"I've already tried the mall. Didn't work out very well. At least the stores have a return policy."

"OK. I know that I'll be in touch again this week as soon as I learn more. I'm going to comfort you next week when you are alone."

"Thank you for helping. I'd like to get together next week."

Ashley went back to her invoices, overdue bills, license applications, and finally received a report about the weekend's activities. In the midst of considering all the information, she decided that she needed to have a staff meeting to set some long-term goals. She wanted priorities and to find out if there were any kinds of prevention programs anywhere in the country that were working. She sent her assistant out to talk to all the staff about when they could meet and what she wanted to discuss.

Her assistant reported that the enthusiasm for a staff meeting was about equal to being told they would contract the Asian flu, but she was able to schedule time on Wednesday afternoon. By late Monday afternoon, her menstrual bloating and discomfort had mostly subsided. She sent Bill an email, "If you really believe it will wash off, I'd like to take you on tonight. I feel better."

He replied within minutes, "If it doesn't wash off, at least I'll be happy to know where I got it. I can be had under the right circumstances!"

When she came in from work, Benny was hysterical running around and jumping up. She relented and picked him up to greet him appropriately on his head and ears. In the kitchen, Bill grabbed her and kissed her for at least a minute.

She whispered, "God, it's nice to come home to a cheering section and a passionate kiss. Thank you. I need to go change and freshen up. Sorry I'm late. All the crises seem to wait until the end of the day."

"I bought some things for dinner at the deli. We can relax and tell lies and enjoy."

Ashley came back to the couch in her T-shirt and casual jeans. Bill brought her martini and held her a minute as they relaxed. When she had a couple of sips, he pulled her in and kissed her again.

"I just love it when you do that. It says so much to me."

"Thrills me every time. Goes right to my crotch."

"Mine, too. I'm getting puffy and I didn't know I could."

Bill reached around her and removed her T-shirt. "May I enjoy the view of one of the world's nicest wonders?"

She smiled broadly, leaned back into the sofa, and stuck her chest out showing her erect nipples. "Get a good look. I flutter when you ogle me."

"Before I go, I'd like to get a few snapshots of you in all your glory."

"You want to take nekkid pictures of me?"

"Yep, I do. I'll enjoy them when they're all I have of you."

"Courtney said they're asking you for another interview this week. Did they call or send you an email?"

"I'd have to check. I've been out this afternoon."

She stood and put her arms over her head in a sexy pose. It caused her naked breasts to ride high on her chest and emphasized her long smooth belly. "Let's go look. I want to know that she's right."

At Bill's computer, she stood behind him as he called up the inbox and looked through the spam until he found the message from the search chair. She rubbed her bare breasts across his face and ears as he read.

"They want me to come in on Thursday afternoon to meet with the committee. The other guy is coming next week. I wish I could be last."

"I'll call Courtney and see if that can be changed."

"Let's not overwork her. I worry that she might sound too biased. Her strength is neutrality."

"You're right." She pulled his head back and put a nipple in his mouth. "Know what to do with that?"

"Coach me. I'm just getting started in this."

"Take as much of it in your mouth as you can without pressing. Then, run your tongue around the Braille bumps on my areola. Suck the nipple like you were nursing."

"Mmmmph. Hmmmph?"

"Yes, just like that. Don't take your mouth off to talk. Use your hand to attend to the other one. Too bad you don't have two heads."

He bit the nipple lightly and she gasped. Then, he bit it harder and she gasped even louder. "Hold it like that. Bite, nibble, bite, nibble. My God, I'm going to come!" And, she shrieked as her hips thrust repeatedly into his shoulders. He continued his ministrations and felt her growing tension again as her breathing increased. He held his hand over her mons and vulva noticing that the tampon had kept them dry. She humped against his hand as she made her sounds of joy again.

"Enough right now. That was incredible. I may go topless every night if you're going to do that."

"You go topless every night and we'll have a deal."

They went to bed earlier than normal and immediately had their bodies completely enwrapped. He pulled her close and held her tightly to him, feeling her breasts against his chest and her belly and legs against him all the way down.

She whispered, "So Nice. Just hold me and kiss me."

He continued holding and kissing until he could feel her body movements responding. The heat from her crotch became noticeable as she gradually moved her hips.

She whispered, "Can we try something different?"

"We can always try."

"I want you to do me anally from behind."

"Of course. We can try. I don't have any condoms."

"Look in the second drawer on the right. Should be plenty. I don't think the package has ever been opened."

"Found it. Hasn't been opened."

"There's also a small plastic bottle of personal lubricant there, too."

He withdrew to plastic wrapped lubricated condoms and the personal lubricant and then returned to the bed. "Roll over on your belly."

She rolled over and put her butt up slightly. He squeezed the slippery liquid on his finger and found her hot little star. As he massaged the liquid around the anus, he leaned down and put his tongue in her ear. She shivered.

"Get ready." He put his slippery middle finger in up to the first knuckle and gently moved it in and out.

"That's nice. Real nice."

He put more lubricant on his finger and pushed it in as far as it would go. She raised her butt against his hand and contracted on his finger. She continued to move. "That's better. Just like that." He moved his finger in and out several times before she cried out as her orgasm overtook her.

When she stopped thrusting against his finger, he put one more application of the slick liquid on his finger and inserted it again; this time, he withdrew it quickly. He put a pillow under her belly and took his position between her legs. He skillfully put on the condom and took a position where he could get good movement. He applied the slippery liquid to the condom and placed the head against her hot hole.

She squirmed, "I'm ready. Don't just rub me, put it in there!"

He put the head inside and heard her gasp as he began to thrust the whole cock into her. He went slowly to be sure that she was wet all the way in and found his mons against her butt with his scrotum entangled with her pubic hair.

"My God, that makes me so full. Now, do it."

He began his slow thrusting, making sure that the condom stayed in place and quickened the pace. Her utterances came out loud and incomprehensible, once in a while sounding like "Oh! My God!" Within a minute, she came again grasping him inside her powerfully as one wave after another captured her body.

He kept up his slow rhythm and managed to get his hands on her breasts, pinching her nipples. His pace caused one orgasm after another as he noticed her spasms felt more like a fast vibration rather than a total squeeze. She continued her incoherent speech, reaching a pinnacle just before coming each time. He slowed to a stop and left himself all the way in. She squeezed and relaxed her sphincter repeatedly and pushed her butt up against him. Suddenly, he could feel the molten flow begin in his knees and move up until the powerful feeling caused him to spurt time and again until he was spent.

"When his breathing slowed enough for him to talk, he said, "Jesus, Ashley, I think we've been missing something."

"Yeah, we have. I had no idea it could be that good."

"We'll just have to play catch up!"

"Get that thing out of me and let me turn around and be close to you."

He removed the condom and disposed of it in the bathroom. He washed his hands thoroughly before returning to bed. She snuggled up against him and he drew her tightly against him.

"Bill?"

"Ummm."

"That was unbelievable. I'm a jellyfish now. I hope you know how much I love you. It isn't just the sex, either!"

"I wake up every day asking how I could be so fortunate to have you. I had no idea when you were in school that you were at all serious."

"I started dreading graduation and then I decided to go on for a Master's. I came running to your office to get some private time. You spent more than an hour and I became even more infatuated. I wanted you. I wanted you to fuck me every day."

"I fantasized about you and wondered at night in the darkness what you would be like."

"When I did my research in your lab, I would brush against you on purpose. I hated you for ignoring me."

"I'm sure glad you came to that reunion and made your intentions clear. While you were in the bathroom that first night, I wondered how I could have been so stupid to let a university policy stand in the way."

"Yeah, Mr. Clean. Damn few others did." She sighed. "Just when we have it going good, we have to be apart again. It will be worse this time. Now, I know how nice it is to live with you. Before, I was just dreaming."

"I hated being alone when I went back for the faculty meeting. I knew what my life was like out here and it wasn't fun at home. I used to like that place best."

"I can't sleep facing you, so I'm going to roll over and put my butt in your belly and you're going to hold me until I go to sleep."

"My pleasure, princess. My great pleasure."

Tuesday and Wednesday went by routinely. Ashley worked hard to get her center in order and Bill finished revising his classes. By Thursday morning, he was back to writing his book chapters.

Ashley called just before lunch. "OK, Bill, don't fuck up. Be on your best behavior and your most charming self. I'm not trying to pressure you or anything, but our future depends on how well you perform this afternoon. We sure don't want our children to go hungry."

"You're a beautiful bitch!"

She laughed. "Hell, we might as well laugh about it. No point in getting all worked up."

"Intellectually, I know that. I have to show more than casual interest, but not desperation. Until I met you, I was happy with my current job. Now, my life is miserable."

"Smartass bastard, Had to get even didn't you."

The committee had assembled and everyone had coffee or water. The chair spoke. "Would you be willing to teach a course on the history of the profession? That's in addition to your regular course and seminar."

"I haven't taught that for a while, but I'm sure not much has changed in the 1880s. I could do it."

"Good. How many graduate students do you normally take?"

"Our Master's program is highly organized. Sort of like an advanced undergraduate degree. I have a bunch of those because all they really need is a few signatures. I try never to have more than six or eight doctoral students, again depending on how far they are along."

"Sounds like we're compatible."

The meeting went on for three hours and they had lively discussions about a number of issues facing the department. Bill assured them he could help with some of the problems, having just done so in his current job.

After three hours, the chair said, "Thanks for coming in again. I know it is a pain. I just wish to hell you'd say something wrong so our decision would be easier."

Bill replied, "My old boss used to say, 'If they didn't face problems of this magnitude, they wouldn't need people of our quality to work on them.'"

Apparently no one had heard that old bromide before and the whole committee laughed. The chair said, "OK, I get it. The ball's in my court."

As he walked down the hall toward the parking lot, Kayla came out of the department office and literally beamed as she saw him. "Professor Anderson! Are you really coming?" She walked along with him toward the car.

"I don't have a clue. I just had a three-hour interview. It must be a close call for them because they're having two of us back for a second time."

"When will we know?"

"They said they'd reach a decision by the end of next week. Otherwise, they might lose the position."

"I wish I knew how to do something. I have no interest in the work the Washington guy does. Even that woman from Minnesota was out in left field."

He chided, "Now, Kayla. She does legitimate research."

She flashed her eyes at him and said flatly, "Yes, Irrelevantly legitimate. Publishable but dull. She'll never discover anything."

"You're quite perceptive. I hope you can keep that attitude after you graduate. It will be hard, given the tenure rules that have evolved."

She let her eyes bore into him, "I need a major professor who cares and can keep me under control." Then, she smiled brightly.

Bill was taken aback. God, she is some woman. "Should we have the chance to work together, I'm sure you will find the way."