"It's all a big con." Rod waved his arm at the TV, disturbing the bedclothes, yanking the sheet away from his girlfriend.
"The hell you say," said Jill, trying to make herself comfortable again. She pulled the sheet over her breasts, trapping it under her arms.
"Truth. They know who they're gonna get. It's a setup."
The show was a late-night local piece, called "First Date." Its host, Troy, was interviewing an earnest young woman, one of three girls vying for the dubious honor of accompanying the male candidate, a nerdy guy of about the same age, on a date. Next week, if she were successful, she would return to report on progress, answer some very personal questions about her partner, as would he, and, depending on her knowledge and the audience's response, would leave with from two to fifteen thousand dollars prize money.
Troy always made it clear that the date was not expected to include sex, though in fact the most valuable questions presupposed intimacy... though couples could, of course, simply tell each other about themselves. On two occasions that Jill recalled the participants had not slept together... and in both cases their prize money had been low. Audience response counted for as much as correct answers, and the audience voted for the passion they saw.
Jill recalled another occasion when the girl had accused the guy of coming on to her in the dressing room before even leaving the studio, while the guy accused her of being a "frigid bitch". They had screamed insults at each other for several minutes before Troy abandoned the contest; the audience loved it, and awarded them a prize for passion, even though they knew nothing about each other.
Troy was finishing up his interview, and the earnest girl's big eyes were fixed on the guy, clearly hoping that if she appeared drawn to him, the audience would select her as his mate. Well, okay, though Jill, he was nerdy, but he was cute.
"Why do you say that?" she asked Rod.
"I know," he said smugly. "I talked to one of the cameramen in the bar. Couple of days ago. They decide the results beforehand, then fake the audience vote. That's how they always get the best looking ones."
Jill frowned. "I figured that was because they looked good to the audience."
"Well, now you know." He looked at her sideways. "So, want to make a quick twenty-five grand?"
"Hah. Not a chance."
"I'm serious. I talked to the guy about it. He works with one of the producers. For five grand they'll rig the vote."
"Shit. What have you been smoking?"
"Listen," he said, "we could do it. You already know enough about me to ace the questions. I know all there is to know about you."
You really think so? Jill wondered if he really knew much about her at all. If he did, he wouldn't be considering this hare-brained scheme. "I'd rather you just found a job," she muttered.
"Hey, babe, it's easy money. And for doing what comes naturally." He pulled the sheet down to expose her right breast, running his finger over it.
Jill's irritation grew as her body started to respond to him. As his mouth covered her breast, her attention on the audience voting wavered, and she snuggled herself into a more comfortable position to let her arousal grow.
She hated giving in to his stupid ideas. This was one time when she would not. She would not.
"Hey, relax, babe," whispered Rod. "It's gonna be just fine."
Jill was this evening's candidate, and she had dressed for the occasion, in dark blue silk and diamonds - fake, but they would look good on TV.
There had been a lot more manipulation than she had expected. Though no-one had said anything about the fix, she was allowed to choose from many possible partners, so that she and the TV studio knew that she would not find the audience's choice repulsive.
So, of course, she chose Rod, and two other guys. She paid little attention to her choices, as the others wouldn't be selected.
Troy introduced her, and she flushed at the applause that greeted her. He guided her to her chair, raised, while her would-be suitors took their places a few yards away, facing her. She ignored their smiles, even Rod's, while Troy asked her some questions about herself.
Then he moved to the three men. Mike, the first, was tall, broad-shouldered with dark hair. She gave him an obligatory smile as Troy interviewed him.
"Auto mechanic," he said, "at the Ford dealer." Which got a mixed reaction from the audience.
The second, Perry, was lean, with blond curly hair, and a smiling, slightly-freckled face. "I'm a med student," he offered.
"Why aren't you out chasing the nurses?" asked Troy.
"'Cause they're all probably watching the show," Perry replied, and winked at the camera. The audience cheered.
Finally it was Rod's turn. "I work from the house," he said.
"Doing what?" asked Troy.
"Well, you know, contracting, whatever."
Jill wished he had let her coach him on his answers, but he hadn't been interested. "What's the point, babe? I know I'll get the job."
Was it her imagination? The applause for Rod seemed noticeably weaker than for the other two.
Then Troy gave the audience their chance to participate. "If you all want to put down a write-in candidate for the lovely Jill, it's T-R-O-Y. I'm sure my wife will understand. Seriously folks, it's one of these three, Mike, Perry or Rod, and if you'll press your buttons, we'll be back to find out who's the lucky guy, right after this."
Troy told jokes during the commercial break, and everyone relaxed. Then one of the producers handed him an envelope, and he took center stage as the countdown finished.
"OK, folks, welcome back to First Date, and our contestants are vying for a chance to spend some quality time with Jill. And now..." he opened the envelope. "Mike. I'm sorry, guy, you didn't make the cut. It was close."
Mike slumped back in his chair, smiling ruefully.
"Tell you what," said Troy, "there's a young lady in the third row there who's been giving you the eye all evening. You might not leave here empty-handed after all. And of course, we all thank you for being here. I'm sure Jill is disappointed."
In a stage whisper to Jill, he asked "You want to tell me which one you hope it will be?" When she shook her head, he said, "Good, 'cause, you know, we did get that write-in candidate..."
The audience laughed. "So, you've all been waiting for this, especially Perry, Rod and Jill. Which of these two fine young men gets to come back next week after a delightful date with Jill?"
As he studied the card in his hand to heighten the drama, Jill felt tense, though the outcome was not in doubt.
"And the lucky, lucky guy, folks, is Perry!"
"Jill, you have to cancel," wailed Rod.
"I can't cancel. You know I can't cancel. What can I say, my boyfriend wanted to screw you out of thirty thou, didn't think you'd mind, I really didn't mean all those papers I signed?"
"Tell them you don't want to do it. That you just don't like him."
"I blew that, you idiot. I had that chance, before the show. I can't do it now. What the hell happened?"
"Ah," he said. "Yeah. Well, the producer that the cameraman knows, he was fired. Last week's guy, he paid for the girl he wanted, she found out about it, and threatened to sue. I think it cost more than the thirty grand."
"Jeez, and you want me to go back to them and admit to fraud? You're nuts." She dragged a box from the closet into the bathroom.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting rid of your stuff. What, you think I'll have him over here, and say 'Hey, it's okay, just ignore my boyfriend's stuff? Oh, by the way, that was him you met last weekend?' What address did you give them at the studio anyway? You can't have said you were living with me."
"My mother."
"Good," she said, firmly. "Then that's where you can take this." She handed him a box of toiletries. "And everything else of yours you can find. You can stay with Mom until this is over."
"You're not going to go through with this. You can't," he whined.
Feeling just a little pity through her anger, Jill softened her voice. "We'll talk. I'll do my best with the questions next weekend. Okay? Now get out of my sight for a while."
It's a hell of a date, she thought, when the only thing on your mind is how you're going to get out of sleeping together. That you're not just, like, hoping he'll ask, or wondering how things will pan out, but that you're wanting things to go badly so you don't have to push him away. But she couldn't let things go badly, if she didn't want to be a laughing stock next weekend. They had to get to know each other at least to be able to talk about... God... cup sizes, whether he shaves wet or dry, what he wears to sleep. Not the kind of things you can discuss with someone you've told to forget it.
So she fretted as they ate. Perry had made reservations at an expensive restaurant, and insisted on paying. He had picked her up. "You don't want to see my student apartment," he had said, "and you really don't want to meet my roommates". Which, of course, established that they'd be going back to her place later...
But in spite of the butterflies of anxiety, Jill enjoyed herself. The restaurant was better than she was used to, and he was intelligent and witty. She didn't find it too difficult to mask her worries.
Then the rock club. Listening, drinking, and even dancing, when she felt loose enough. Not much touching, though. She'd hold his hand at the table, but no slow dancing.
Rod had borrowed a friend's cellphone. It was one which could be set to answer silently and automatically with a car headset. So he'd borrowed the headset too, hiding it on top of the dresser. He tested it from Jill's phone before he left the house. Then headed across the street, in sight of her apartment, with another borrowed phone. This was going to cost a fortune in air time.
At the bottom of the steps to her apartment, Jill hesitated. She wondered whether to kiss him. He'd expect it, wouldn't he? Kiss him now, then ask to see him again to plan for the next show.
While she was still indecisive, Perry preempted her thinking. "May I come up?" he asked, tentatively.
"I guess so," she replied, automatically, then, seeing the pained expression on his face, she corrected herself. "I'm sorry, Perry, I've been distracted. I've had a good evening, and yes, why don't you come up for a little while?"
Perry nodded acceptance, and followed her up the steps. She fumbled her key into the lock and led the way into her apartment.
"You want a beer?" she asked, nervously wanting a reason to be somewhere else. "Coffee? Soda?"
Perry took her hand. "Sure," he said. "In a moment. Is there something wrong?"
Jill glanced away, then back into his concerned gray eyes. "No, nothing," she said, then forestalled his questions by taking his other hand in hers. "Hey," she said, drawing him closer, and giving him a quick, chaste kiss.
"Mmm," he said. "Is that all?"
Jill thought for a moment, then shook her head no. She rested her hands on his biceps and leaned in for a longer kiss.
Perry's hands took her elbows as their lips joined, then moved to her arms and drew her closer. Jill's heart was racing... he tasted so good, the kiss wasn't meant to be doing this to her. She broke away, flustered.
"I'll get drinks now," she said, her voice shaky. "What would you like?"
She was going to say beer, but felt the need for something stronger, more calming. "Bourbon."
"Sounds good."
In the kitchen, she poured herself a small shot of bourbon and drank it neat, gasping at the burning in her throat as she poured a slightly larger measure for each of them, adding water and ice. But it helped, when she returned to the living room she felt calmer.
She sat on his right on the couch. He stroked her left hand as they talked, and though she at first was inclined to pull it away, the movement was comforting. Warming.
Damn Rod for doing this to her. And damn Perry for being so... attractive. Gentle. Sexy.
Finishing her drink, she set it on the side table, then reached out with her right index finger. Touching Perry's chin, she turned his face to her, looking into the wide, black pupils of his gray eyes. That white curly hair, making him look five years younger than he must be...
His right hand was still touching her left, so she turned her hand over and laced her fingers into his, then drew his chin closer, so that their faces were only inches apart. His lips parted when hers did, and her eyes closed when she felt his lips tickle her own.
She stroked his chin and cheek as their lips slowly moved, stroked him regretfully, as she could take this no further.
Who says?
She shook her head at the thought, breaking their kiss, then chuckled, and apologized. Perry raised his eyebrows and waited for her.
When their faces next met, he removed his right hand from her left, and took her shoulder, instead. She wriggled into a more comfortable position, further in front of him, her movement pressing their lips together hard. Perry responded, gripping her arms firmly. She felt his questing tongue against her lips...
And met it with her own, a spark of rebellion and desire forming within her. Her breathing grew heavy as they sucked each other's lips and tongues.
Her hands explored Perry's sides as his moved around her back. Then his drifted forwards, pressing against her breasts through her bra and thin dress. Jill's heart skipped in its pounding, and she pushed him away roughly.
"I'm sorry," he said, his face full of disappointment.
"It isn't you," Jill replied softly, "it's... it's the show. It's the money. I'm not a whore."
"Is that why we're here?" he asked. "For the prize money? If it upsets you, we should just talk before the next session. But perhaps after the show's over, I could see you again?"
He was offering her exactly what she wanted, damn him. Jill buried her face in her hands, close to tears. She felt Perry's fingers stroking her hair. "Would you really want to?" she asked.
"I like you, Jill. I've had a wonderful evening, and I'm sorry that you haven't."
She hooked her fingers around his as he ran them through her hair. She didn't want to push him away. Stroking his hand in her own, she looked up at him through her disturbed hair.
"I have," she said, and realized she meant it.
But she couldn't go any further, for the money, to cover her embarrassment, for Rod. In fact, each of these weighed against her even allowing to stay another moment, if she was to keep her self-respect. Except for Rod, perhaps - after getting her into this mess, he deserved no consideration.
She couldn't let Perry get any closer, for any reason.
Except for one.
Except for wanting to.
She took his other hand, pressing them together with her own. She looked again into his eyes. "But it isn't over yet," she whispered.
She brushed his lips with her own, not connecting completely, breathing shallowly, his faint scent in her nose. Different from Rod. His tongue touched her lips, and she brushed it with her own, then gently sealed her lips to his, pressing firmly on his tongue. She sighed as she release herself into his kiss, still holding his hands firmly together.
As their mouths began their slow dance, she squeezed his hands, then moved them to the front of her dress, between her breasts, pressing his right hand to the buttons and releasing her grip.
She felt him work the button free, then continue to the next. Jill wrapped her arms around Perry's head, locking his face to hers, as he brushed the top of her dress away from her breasts. Perry ran his fingers over her chest from her neck, down gently into the rippling inside her low-cut bra.
As she sank into his kiss, she felt his fingers drift back over her breasts, then behind, seeking along the strap.
She pulled back from his mouth, and shook her head. Misunderstanding, he drew his hands away, but she caught them and moved them to the fastener between her breasts.
Jill rested her hands on the couch, watching his eyes as he fumbled with the catch. As she felt the tension release, she leaned forward, lips parted... and their tongues joined as his hands stroked her breasts, gently at first, then firmly covering and squeezing. Her nipples hardened to his touch.
For a time she was content just to taste and feel him, basking in the luscious sensations within as her body warmed to him. Then she stood, shucked off her bra, and took his hands to pull him to his feet. She unfastened his shirt and tie, running her fingernails over his nipples, nuzzling his neck and chest. Then she offered her lips again to his, taking his head in her hands and holding him to her. Jill rubbed her erect nipples into the hair on his chest as he stroked her back.
"I hope you're not done undressing me," she murmured. He shook his head, then she felt his palms at her waist, pulling the dress down over her butt. She wriggled out of it as she fumbled for his belt. "'Cause I'm sure not done with you," she added.
Releasing his pants, she tore at his underwear, revealing his erect shaft. She squeezed his cock, feeling its life, drawing on its response. "Mmm," she said. "I want."
Perry rolled her panties down, squeezing her ass. She sucked his tongue, then bit, feeling him jump, and tasting the tang of blood... oops, she hadn't meant to bite quite so hard, but the idea turned her on anyway.
Reaching back, she took his hand and drew it around to the front, pressing his fingers against her bush. He stroked and pressed, and Jill shivered as he cupped her pussy and slid his fingers inside. She tilted her pelvis against his hand, and he tightened his grip, giving fluttering arousal with every movement.
Jill continued to knead and stroke his cock, feeling it twitch in response, and once making him jump as she caught him with a fingernail. The tip was sticky, and she lubricated her finger with the fluid and stroked firmly under his shaft. He moaned against her mouth.
Pulling back, she stepped out of her panties, and pushed him back onto the couch. She had to stifle a grin at him, sitting there naked and eager, his cock steeply raised, waiting for her to impale herself. Which she was ready to do.
Climbing onto the couch, kneeling astride him, she lowered herself to his lap, still a couple of inches from his enthusiastic erection. She grinned at him as she fingered it, pinching and caressing, while he caressed her breasts and looked into her eyes.
Then she wriggled onto him, slowly sliding his length into her. "Push," she whispered, and he lifted, penetrating the last fraction. Jill sighed.
Lowering her face to his, she kissed him as they began to move. Every time she pressed her pussy against him, she felt a little higher. He kneaded her breasts, multiplying the sensation in her groin. Her hands gripped the sofa on either side of his head, supporting her body, curled over him as it was.
They rocked together with increasing urgency. It seemed that he had penetrated even deeper, and the pulsing in her clit blossomed into need. She pulled her face back, watching him, gasping as they moved. His eyes were closed and his face had developed a sheen of sweat.
Leaning back to take the weight off her hands, she took his head, pressing it to her right breast. As his teeth closed gently on her nipple, sensation exploded within her, and she began her unstoppable climb. She leaned away, arching her back, pressing her breasts to his face, bucking hard and fast against him.
Perry started alternating breasts, sucking hard on one while squeezing the other, then trading... and the thrill welled up inside her, devastating, overpowering. She felt sweat break out on her own forehead as the pressure in her groin grew to bursting.
"Perry," she gasped. "Oh, Perry, it's happening, are you ready?"
He grunted, sucking harder on her breast. Lowering his hands, he grabbed her ass and thrust hard, hard, hard...
... And Jill's mind raced, close to hallucinating, as her orgasm took her, overwhelming her thoughts, lifting her to a place where only the two of them existed, beings joined. She was dimly aware of Perry's gasping, and the pulsing, spurting, heat within her, echoing her own, as he reached the same place as she.
Rod watched from his vantage point under a tree. Jill's light was still on. Was he ever going to leave?
Jealousy gnawed at him. He was certain they'd only be talking... surely, Jill wouldn't go for a dweeb like that.
He had called the cellphone a couple of times, but had only heard occasional muffled voices. The phone was in the bedroom, and they were obviously in the living room. He didn't want to leave the phone on continuously, because the batteries wouldn't last... and there was always a possibility that he'd need to know. Later. If they moved to where the phone was...
But they wouldn't do that.
Would they?
Would she?
The light in the bedroom came on.
Jill walked naked from the kitchen, bourbon refills in hand. "You deserve a reward," she said, handing him his drink and kissing his forehead?
"I deserve? And I think I just had my reward."
"If that's all the reward we get, I'll be very disappointed," she said, sitting so close to him that their skin slid together. "Well... perhaps not very disappointed after that."
When they had finished their drinks, Jill led the way to the bedroom. Lying on the bed, she took Perry's hand, placing it on her pussy. Soon she was smiling contentedly as the glow within her grew, while his fingers steadily stroked her clit.
Stroking and squeezing his cock, she felt it slowly swelling. Her arousal grew, and her breathing became heavy. Her faint moans seemed to excite Perry, as she felt his cock become hard.
"I want you inside me," she said.
"In a moment," he whispered. "Just let yourself go, first."
Willingly, she let his fingers work their magic, and she shuddered into climax, gently but firmly spreading into her. His fingers stopped moving, just pressing gently against her shivering clit, keeping her aloft, and his erection grew solid with her pleasure.
She turned and locked her lips to his as her orgasm faded, his fondling her breasts as they kissed giving her a satisfying glow in her belly.
He tried to pull her to him, to enter her, but she pushed him away, turning over, pressing her back into his stomach. She squeezed his cock between her legs, rubbing her pussy with the tip, then pressing him inside. They lay connected, unmoving, as his shaft pressed against her clit, sharply arousing. She felt that she could come again just lying stationary, and she squeezed herself against him... but he ran his finger down her belly into her bush, pressing her clit against him, stroking, and she burst into delight, gasping as she came.
She felt him lifting her, and raised herself willingly to her knees. Though in the movement he slipped out of her, he was behind her in seconds, holding her by the hips as he pressed himself into her. She felt his hot shaft slide deep inside, and she twisted her neck to join her mouth to his. He held her to him by squeezing her breasts, Jill laying her hands on top of his for support, and because his touch felt so good.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she felt uncomfortable, his cock somehow irritating... then her eyes widened when the irritation cleared, and she felt his intense presence stimulating her G-spot. She released his lips, and rested her head back on his shoulder. "Oh, God," she whispered, as the feeling grew. He responded by pumping himself harder into her, and she felt herself start to lose control.
Jill began to moan, softly at first, but stronger as her pleasure involved her, ever deeper. She cried out with each movement, Perry grunting in her ear, then shrieked as the power of a G-spot orgasm enveloped her. She shook herself against Perry, drunk with the sensory energy, and felt him give way and explode within her.
Groaning with unrestrained passion, she rode his cock until she could stand no more pleasure, or perhaps her climax waned, the two seemed the same. She turned her face back to seek his lips again as she floated in his arms.
Rod slumped against a tree, unable to accept what he was hearing. He thought at one point that they must have been watching TV, but when he identified the sounds as Jill's excited moaning, he felt that his world had ended. Sick inside, still he felt aroused, felt himself getting hard, which twisted his gut even more.
When she cried out, he heard the ecstasy in her voice and knew she would never be his again. Taking the borrowed cell phone, he threw it into the tree, where it shattered with his illusions.
Rod couldn't bring himself to go to the studio. But he couldn't tear himself from the TV as Jill and Perry went through their ordeal.
Jill was led to a soundproof room, where she could see what was going on, but not hear Perry's responses as Troy quizzed him.
Perry described their date, up to the point of returning to Jill's apartment. Troy asked what each of them had ordered, where they'd danced. What each of them were wearing. What her dress size was. What kind of shampoo she kept in her bathroom...
"Is there anything, special, that you recall about the evening?" asked Troy.
After a moment's thought, Perry replied. "Her bra hooked in front." The studio audience cheered.
Rod's heart felt like lead.
Jill returned to give substantially the same account of the date, and answer the same questions.
"Now I have to ask you a personal question," said Troy. "On the day of your date - do you remember whether you wore a bra which hooked in back or front?"
"Hmmm," she said. "I don't know if I can answer that." There were sighs from the audience, but before Troy could make any further comment, she added, "But it unhooked in the front. Eventually."
Her cheers were even greater than Perry's had been.
"So," asked Troy, "do you plan to see more of each other?"
"Yes," said Perry, but Jill said "No," at the same time. The host looked puzzled in close up. "No?" he asked.
"Troy, I don't think there's anything left to see," she said, her face now filling the screen, "but I plan to make certain, just as often as I can. He's my sweety."
Rod still couldn't turn off the TV, though he was sick to his stomach. There was one more thing he had to see.
With a close to record vote from the audience, Perry and his former girlfriend ended the show with the money he should have collected.