Chapter 8

Mid-morning on New Year's Day, Gerri, Sharon, and I plotted the breakup strategy.

It wasn't unheard of for sorority girls to experiment with girl-on-girl sex. But leaving a guy for another girl went beyond accepted recreational sex.

We needed to replace the cover story set up by Hayley with me as the unwitting beard, and it needed to give observers a new heterosexual suitor to wag their tongues about ... Alan.

We roughed out a scenario where Gerri would mention to a few of her sorority sisters that she'd reconnected with an old flame over the holiday break. Alan would then begin calling Gerri at UT, and then come up for a few lunch and weekday supper dates, all outwardly without my knowledge.

Ultimately she'd break a weekend date with me to go out with him, after which she'd break the news to me that she was leaving me for Alan. Alan would be her date at the next big sorority social function, where their relationship would be on public display.

Gerri was reluctant to have Alan come to UT to see her as part of the deception, but Sharon persuaded her it was a necessary part of the charade. So Alan needed to be brought in on the plan.

We went to the apartment Alan shared with Sharon to break the news of his new romance. Gerri also wanted some recent photos of Alan to show her sorority sisters when the plan went into effect. Of course Gerri asked for the pictures first without saying why, drawing a reproachful glance from Sharon.

"What do you want them for?" Alan said, eyeing the three of us suspiciously. Gerri squirmed under his gaze.

"Um, well, you know about ... me, me and ... Sharon," she said haltingly.

Before answering, his eyes darted towards me. I gave him a nod, but he studied my calm demeanor for several seconds before accepting that I already knew about Gerri and his sister's relationship. He then nodded in return.

"Well, I've been seeing Randy at school, but I ... I love Sharon, and it wasn't right to lead Randy on."

Alan crossed his forearms but didn't reply.

"So, we were wondering..." she continued.

"We?" he interrupted.

"I mean... I was ... hoping you could help me and your sister out."

He frowned at her including Sharon in her arm twisting.

"I don't want to date other people," she continued. "But people in the sorority and the frats will wonder why I don't date."

"So ... you want me to do what wasn't right to do with Randy," he said flatly.

Gerri looked further embarrassed. "Well, yes, but you're not at UT like Randy is. You'll just have to ... I mean, I hope you could come to UT for a few events."

Alan turned to me again.

"I take it you didn't know what was going on before today?"

I shrugged. "That's pretty much right."

"How'd she manage to fool you?" he asked. I took it from his carefully neutral expression that he was 'up to something.'

"Alan, let's not go there," Sharon broke in smoothly, using a very diplomatic and reasoned tone of voice.

"I just want to know what benefits come with pretending to be Gerri's boyfriend," he replied, openly grinning now at Gerri. "It's only fair."

He looked a question at me again, but I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut for once.

"What kind of events?" he asked Gerri, who looked relieved that he'd dropped the 'fake boyfriend benefits' line of inquiry.

"Uh, mostly dances, I mean balls; and maybe some charity fundraisers?"

"Gerri..." he said slowly, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, as if warding off a recurring source of pain, "you know I'll do it. You just have to ask."

"I ... I know, Alan," she said softly. It was obvious this wasn't the first time the subject of potentially dating had come up between them. They held each other's eyes, communicating more than what they could say aloud. Sharon cleared her throat delicately.

"Gerri, why don't we leave you here with Alan to work out the details?"

Gerri turned to me, her eyes again asking for understanding.

I'd broken up with girls before, and this one made sense in its own weird way. But I still felt a touch of sadness as Sharon threaded her arm through mine to lead me away.

Then Gerri spoke up softly, "No, Sharon." She stood and came to block our way, and held her hand out to me.

The two girls locked eyes, and once again I was watched communication between two people that was deeper and more meaningful than words could ever be.

I took Gerri's hand as Sharon smoothly released me, and the younger girl lead me out of the apartment.

"I'll be back later," she said over her shoulder without looking back, letting the door swing shut behind us.

"I need to get my backpack," I said as we walked down the spiral staircase from the third to the second floor.

"Do you have some time to talk before you go?" she asked gently.

"Of course."

I unlocked the door, and since I wouldn't need it again I handed the key to Gerri. I hadn't meant for it to be symbolic, but she frowned as she took it.

"Sorry," I said.

"It's alright. I'm just being silly."

"No."

I led her into the bar area to grab a soda for the road. I meant to retrieve my backpack from the bedroom and come back out. But she followed me and sat on the edge of the bed with one leg folded under her, the other beginning to swing restlessly.

I picked up the backpack and stood uncertainly before her. She patted the bed next to her, and I sat.

"I'm sorry," we each said simultaneously, then smiled at each other.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm amazed you're still talking to me," she said.

"It's not as bad as all that."

"But I've hurt you. No, don't deny it; I can see it in your eyes. I'm so sorry."

She pulled one of my hands into her lap, holding it softly at first, then interlocking our fingers and squeezing. She lifted her head and kissed me, soft and tender. I felt her hand begin to softly rub my chest, and I moaned with pleasure into her mouth.

But when her hand slid further down to gently rub my growing erection, something she normally wouldn't do, I pulled back.

"Gerri ... what are your ... uh ... intentions?"

"My 'intensions?'"

I decided I shouldn't dance around the issue.

"I don't want you to ... go farther with me because you're feeling bad about our break up."

She looked very seriously into my eyes before responding.

"Randy, I've never done anything with you that I didn't want to do."

"But would Sharon..." I began to ask, but stopped when I saw her assured expression. I remembered the shared look between the girls when Sharon released me to leave the apartment with Gerri.

She leaned into me with lips parted and eyes becoming lazy with arousal. As her tongue passed my lips, for some reason I thought to open my eyes. I found hers looking back at me, and as I pulled back uncertainly, she grinned.

"Sharon told me what you said about me closing my eyes when we've made love before. I want to see you this time. And ... I'm not going to hold anything back."

"You're sure?"

"Listen, my friend," she said, looking determined, "when will I find another guy I can trust the way that I trust you? Besides, you heard Sharon. I'm surprised she admitted it, but I know she worries that I don't know what I'm missing."

"Gerri, I don't know..."

She silenced me with a tender kiss.

"Randy ... please? Make love to me?"

What could I say to that? I shook my head, then conceded by smiling warmly, getting a mirrored smile in return.

"If you insist."

She stood and held her hands out to me, and I rose to pull her into my embrace. I stroked her back unhurriedly, enjoying the closeness I felt for her as much as the warmth of her body.

We were familiar lovers, knowledgeable about each other's passions in the bedroom. But we'd been lovers with boundaries before. Knowing those boundaries were now gone made every touch and caress nearly electric in their promise of pleasures to come.

I lowered my lips to her neck, kissing my way towards the soft skin of her throat. Before I reached it she nudged me back for room and grasped the hem of her blouse with crossed hands. She pulled it up and over her head with the efficient maneuver all women know and no male uses.

I grabbed my shirt by the collar to follow suit. By the time I fought my way out of it and could see her again, she was already pushing her jeans down her firm legs, her panties hooked by her thumbs to share the ride. Now gloriously naked, she reached for the belt of my pants with both hands.

I'm slow sometimes, but even I managed to realize that Gerri wasn't expecting long drawn out foreplay.

My pants and underwear were only down to mid thigh before she pushed me on to the bed. She pulled them the rest of the way off by their cuffs, leaving her kneeling on the bed at my feet, her chest rising and falling as she looked up at me.

Or more specifically, she looked at my cock. It was very hard and moving slightly above my stomach. I saw her blink and swallow nervously, and I held my arms out to her. She looked startled, and in momentary confusion I watched as she jumped off the bed and ran into the bathroom. After hearing a few drawers opening and slamming shut she emerged, blushing brightly, with a condom in her hand.

She climbed on the bed on her knees and kissed me passionately, then sat back on her heels looking down at my cock.

I couldn't tell if she was fearful or excited at the prospect of taking me inside her. I sat up, which broke the spell my dick had cast over her. When she looked at my face again, I tried to smile as warmly and assuring as I could for her.

"We don't have to do this," I soothed.

"I know. But I want to."

"Okay."

"I'm not ... I don't have ... uh..."

"You're trying to say that ... technically ... you're not a virgin?"

"Right."

"Even better then ... we don't have to worry ... as much ... about hurting you."

She nodded. "I'm not really worried. But still ... it's kind of like jumping into a swimming pool for the first time. Everyone's telling you it'll be fun, but it's still a little scary." She grinned self consciously. "I'm ready," she breathed, and held out the condom package to me.