Chapter 1

Reid sat in his dorm room poring over his laptop. His was a single, connecting to another single through a shared bathroom. He flipped between windows, typing in one and scrolling through another. Outside the wind blew sleet against his window.

He heard his suitemate's door open and voices -- a man's and a woman's. He recognized Brad's.

"Knock - knock," Brad said as he stuck his head through the door to the adjoining bathroom. "Reid -- I have someone you should meet."

Reid stood and stretched. Into his room stepped two young women. One was a buxom brunette of medium build. She had dark brown eyes and her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail. The other was willowy with gray eyes and coarse, unruly red hair that framed her face like a mane.

Reid addressed the brunette. "Hello, Lauren."

"Hi, Reid," she replied and gestured toward the other girl. "This is my friend Monica. She's a music major. Monica, this is Brad's suitemate, Reid."

"We thought we'd go see the Film Society show at the Union," Brad said.

"I saw they're showing Goddard's Weekend," Reid replied. "I'll pass."

"I thought you liked foreign films."

"Weekend isn't a date movie, Brad. You do know we're expecting an ice storm this evening."

"Yeah -- so?"

"So, how are you going to get Lauren and Monica back to State? The last time we had a storm like this the busses were pulled off the streets for a day and a half."

"I've got my hockey skates," Brad replied. "Come on, girls -- the film starts at seven."

Reid heard the door to Brad's room open, and three voices. Brad stepped into his room and closed the bathroom door behind him. "You were right about the ice storm," Brad said. "We barely made it back here -- there's no way we can get over to State."

"Told you so."

"Don't be a douchebag, Reid." He lowered his voice. "Monica needs a place to sleep."

Reid looked up from his laptop. "Are you offering her my bed?"

"Reid -- not only are you being an douchebag, you're being an idiot. Monica has trouble meeting boys."

"She's a pretty girl -- she shouldn't have any trouble."

Brad held up one finger. "She goes to State. The women-to-men ratio over there is two to one." He held up another finger. "She's a music major. The guys at State know not to touch a music major with a ten-foot pole."

"And we Techies don't know that?"

"Monica is convinced there are decent boys here at Tech," Brad continued. "It's just that the ones that are worth meeting never go out."

"You mean," Reid replied, "the way you do."

"I told Monica I had a perfect specimen of a Techie who never goes out. She wanted to meet you. You blew your chance at the movies..."

"Weekend is not a date movie, Brad."

" ... and now..." He held his arms out. "You have a God-given opportunity to score some. She's horny, Reid."

"And, how do you know that? Did she say she was?"

"ALL the women at State are horny."

"These beds are hardly wide enough for one," Reid protested. "I don't know how you and Lauren manage."

"We cuddle closer, Reid."

"All right, Brad," he said with an exasperated sigh. "Send her in here."

Brad opened the door to the bathroom and crooked his finger. Monica stepped into the room.

"I guess you and Lauren are stranded here for the night," Reid said.

"It looks like."

He gestured toward the bed. "You're welcome to sleep here if you don't mind sharing. I don't have anything to wear except my underwear -- so, if that doesn't bother you..."

"I don't have anything, either."

Reid regarded her. She was wearing a black turtleneck that clung to her figure like paint. He could see that her compact breasts were without benefit of brassiere.

He opened his closet and handed her a white and burgundy-striped, long-sleeved, button-down dress shirt. "You can wear this."

She took it from him. "Thanks."

"Are you ready to turn in?" he asked.

"Yeah -- I guess. Are you?"

"Well -- I was going to do some more work but I'm burned-out and bleary-eyed. I'll finish it tomorrow." He gestured toward the door leading to Brad's room. "I'll use the bathroom. I'll knock before coming out."

Reid relieved himself and brushed his teeth. He rapped on the door; then he opened it.

Monica stood wearing his shirt, its tails barely reaching her thighs. She had rolled up the sleeves so they wouldn't hang over her hands. On the sides he could see the waistband of her briefs. He scanned her up and down, regarding her long, slender legs.

She lifted her arms to secure her hair into a bushy ponytail. The action lifted the shirttails above the waistband of her briefs, exposing some of her abdomen. Monica shook her head to fluff her hair and tugged on the shirt. "I'll use the bathroom now, if it's okay," she said.

"Go ahead. Do you need anything? I think I have a fresh toothbrush."

"I have everything I need in my bag."

"You came prepared."

"I brush after ever meal," she replied. "I got in the habit when I had braces." She disappeared into the bathroom

Reid stripped to his briefs and slid into his bed. He worked his way close to the wall and flipped one of his pillows beside him.

Monica emerged. "Light switch is over there," he said, pointing.

She turned off the lights and slid into bed. "Do you have enough room?" she asked.

"Barely."

"Same here."

He lay on his back staring into the darkness.

"You know, Reid -- you were right about that movie. I think I had my eyes closed for half of it. There were scenes that made me feel sick to my stomach. I thought I was going to throw up."

"I hate to say I told you so but..."

"Do you know ... I think most people who claim they hate to say I told you so actually LOVE saying it?"

"I suppose."

"Have you seen that movie?"

"No."

"How did you know..."

"I read the synopsis on the IMDB. It sure didn't look like a date movie to me."

"That, it was not," Monica agreed.

Reid continued lying on his back.

"Reid..."

"What?" he replied.

"Oh ... I was just sounding your name. I have a thing about names ... yours is different. I like it. I don't think I've meet anyone named Reid before. Your last name is Christopher, right?"

"That's right."

"Reid Christopher ... You have a last name for a first name and a first name for a last name. I'll bet a lot of people get them mixed up. I'll bet you get called Chris a lot."

"It happens," he replied.

"How did you get named Reid? Is it a family name?"

"We have a tradition in my family of naming boys with the surnames of friends and relatives," he explained. "It's worse for my brother. His name is Smith."

"Smith Christopher," she said. "I thought my name was confusing -- I'm Monica Jane. I have two first names. I've know quite a number of guys with two first names -- two male names that is, but I've yet to met another girl with two female first names. What's your major, Reid?"

"Electrical Engineering."

"Sounds interesting ... Mine's music..."

"So Lauren said," he replied, stifling a yawn.

"I can see my yammering is keeping you awake. I'm sorry. Good night, Reid."

"Good night."

Reid gritted his teeth. He was awaiting the inevitable, and he didn't have long to wait. From the room next door sounds of passion could be heard -- low moaning at first, but rapidly crescendoing.

"How can you sleep with them going on like they are?" Monica asked.

"I've learned to block it out. It's like this every time she stays the night."

"How long have they been going together?" Monica asked.

"He met her at the beginning of this term."

Loud, moaning panting came through the walls.

"She certainly makes a lot of noise," Monica remarked. "I had no idea. I've only known her since this term. We're in a class together -- we're both sophomores."

Reid could begin to make out words, like "Oh, God, Brad," and "don't stop." Then came a sound like a Yeti howling and guttural noises from Brad, followed by silence.

"Thank God," Monica exclaimed. "Now we can get some sleep."

"They're just taking a break," Reid replied. "This will go on for at least another hour."

Moaning from next door resumed. "Doesn't hearing them ... do something to you?" Monica asked.

"Yeah -- it turns my stomach."

"It sounds like they're having a good time. Do you begrudge them that?"

"The notion of Brad getting any at all revolts me," Reid replied. "The thought of him doing it with a girl as hot as Lauren absolutely nauseates me."

"So, Reid -- do you think Lauren is hot?"

"She's pretty," he replied, "but she's not my type."

"What is your type?"

"I don't have a type."

"Everybody has a type," she replied. "It seems to me what you have is the sexual equivalent of sour grapes."

The sounds from next door grew into screams of passion. Monica rolled onto her stomach and pulled the pillow over her head. Soon all was quiet and the only sound was sleet beating against the window.

Reid rolled so he faced the wall. Monica's breathing was becoming deep and regular. He wiggled as tight to the wall as he could without lodging himself between it and the bed; and he closed his eyes.

Reid awoke to find himself facing Monica. She was still fast asleep, with one arm draped over him. He regarded her face. She had red eyebrows, and even a reddish tinge to her eyelashes. He had no doubt she was a true redhead. Her skin was pale and creamy but with a slight ruddy mottle, and she had faint freckles on either side of her nose. She had full lips, and a slight but discernable bump at the bridge of her nose.

Gently he lifted her wrist and moved her arm. He extricated himself from the sheets and blankets, sat up, slid to the foot of his bed and stood.

He took fresh clothes into the bathroom and showered. Then he turned to the door leading to Brad's room. A necktie was hanging from the doorknob. Reid rapped on the door. He rapped again.

"Yeah?" came a drowsy reply.

Reid opened the door. Brad lay with Lauren under his arm and the blankets up to her chin. "I'm going to breakfast," he said. "Monica's still asleep."

He closed the door and headed to the cafeteria with his laptop tucked under his arm. Out the windows he could see a quarter inch of ice on every horizontal surface. Tree branches were cracking and breaking under the weight.

Reid stood on line and took a bagel and coffee. He headed for a table and opened his laptop.