I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit turned on, but really, there was no way I was going to have sex with this girl, no matter how hard she pushed- and she was pushing harder than anybody I’d ever seen.

“Where are your panties?” I asked as we started down the hill to the west.

“In the trash can in the ladies’ room where we had lunch,” Ashley said, in no hurry to lower her skirt back down to cover her bits.

I took the road at a sporty pace, but nothing like the way I’d driven up the mountain. For one, I wanted Ashley to cool off a bit- well, O.K., a lot, and for two, it was hard to focus so closely on driving with a teenaged girl rubbing herself in the seat next to me.

“Ash, could you do me a favor?” I asked.

“Anything,” she said.

“Could you please get your hand out of there, and pull your skirt back down?” I asked in a calm, conversational tone.

“Is that really what you want?”

“Yes, that is really what I want,” I said, still keeping it calm and collected.

“Spoilsport,” Ashley said as she dropped the hem of her skirt to mid thigh. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, sure,” I replied, wondering how this could get any more awkward.

“Um, Leah, you just don’t know how hot I am for you right now. I’d do anything you wanted, you know. Anything. So why are you shutting me down?” Ashley asked.

“Honestly, I shouldn’t have taken you up on that lunch invite. I wouldn't have if I’d know it would lead us here, you know? But like I said, you seemed nice and I thought it would be nice to maybe make a new friend- have lunch, talk about how dangerous it is to wear earbuds when jogging, talk about school being done, you know, just whatever stuff?”

“But then you started talking about breasts, thighs, and tacos,” Ashley objected.

“You started that conversation. It was all you, and you started it by giving me a peek,” I said.

“Yeah, and you took that peek, didn’t you?”

“Well, I mean, sure. A good-looking thing like you flashing me her girls? How am I not going to look?” I said.

“You think I’m good-looking?” Ashley asked, perking up.

“We established that at lunch, if I recall correctly,” I said.

“When you admitted you followed me running,” Ashley remembered. “So do you often follow cute girls around?”

“No, never,” I said. “You’re the first.”

“Well, I guess I’m just the lucky one!” Ashley said with a laugh.

“Guess so,” I agreed.

“So, um, is your wife the reason you don’t want to fuck me?” Ashley asked. “Because, I’d be totally O.K. with a threesome, if she’s hot. You aren’t married to some old rich lady, are you? I guess if she was, you know, a cougar, I could maybe get into it…”

“I guess you could call her a cougar. She is five months older than me,” I said with a laugh. “And she’s maybe the hottest woman on Earth.”

“It’s great when married people think their husbands or wives are sexy,” Ashley said. “My dad says that about my mom, too."

“I’m not the only one who thinks my wife is the hottest. Esquire magazine had her on the cover of this year’s ‘sexiest’ issue,” I said.

“What,” Ashley said, turning to look straight at me.

“Yeah, my wife made the cover of Esquire as the sexiest woman alive. In fact, I think the issue is still in newsstands,” I said.

“Who is it?” Ashley demanded, pulling out her phone to look it up, but there was no signal.

“Somebody unbelievably hot, incredibly talented, and devoted to me, that’s who.”

“And you aren’t going to tell me,” Ashley said, pouting. “But that brings up what I was saying earlier. I would absolutely be your sex toy for you two to play with- no question.”

“Ash, I gotta ask. Why are you so…”

“Turned on? Hot in the twat? In heat?” she suggested, interrupting.

“Yeah, all that,” I agreed.

“Um, I guess it’s a few things, you know? First off, when you caught up to me, my first impression was that you’re like gold. I mean, you’re so tall, and you’re blonde, blue eyed, but tanned, too, but tanned like gold, know what I mean? And those long legs of yours, your easy stride- it’s just like you were some sort of perfect California goddess.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” I said with a laugh.

“No, I’m serious. Back in Virginia, when I found out I was accepted to Stanford, I imagined every girl here was going to look like you, but they just don’t. And there you were, right there, easily matching pace.”

“You were going pretty good,” I said. “It took me a while to catch up.”

“Yeah, but you did catch up, and you aren’t even on the track team,” Ashley objected. “Then, I couldn’t help myself, I just wanted you to keep running with me, so I just kinda babbled, you know? And you didn’t seem to mind, even though I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Yeah, you did give off a bit of an airhead vibe,” I agreed.

“Sorry about that. Then, when you ran all the way back to my dorm with me, I got to thinking you might be interested, and, you know, I’ve been kinda curious about, um, sex with another girl, but didn’t know how to…”

“I get it. You’ve had boyfriends, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, a few,” Ashley said.

“And they always pursued you, right? I mean, they were always the ones that asked you to go out?” I asked.

“Exactly!” Ashley said, relieved I’d understood her point.

“So let me see if I have this right. You’re finishing up your freshman year, about to go back to Virginia for the summer,” I said, holding up one finger. “You’d heard about college experimentation and figured you’d have some sort of lesbian experience by now, but it just never materialized. I come along, seem interested, and you think I’m attractive,” I continued, holding up a second finger. “As a bonus, I’m a graduating senior, so I’ll be experienced, and I won’t be around next year so you won’t have to think about any sort of long-term relationship. You can go back to your high school boyfriend and never tell him anything, but maybe tell your girl friends you had a girl-girl hookup in college in California, because you’re oh so sophisticated now,” I added, holding up a third finger.

Ashley grabbed my hand, pulling my fingers down. “It’s not like that!” she protested. Then, “Well, all right, it is like that,” she admitted. “Plus, you were funny and sexy at lunch, you have this fucking amazing car, and you drive like Vin Diesel. You’re obviously rich, and I bet your house is amazing.”

“It’s nice,” I agreed. “But the house we just bought in Manhattan is nicer.”

“See? Rich. Seriously- that watch you’re wearing cost more than my dad’s truck- and it’s a nice one.”

I glanced at the Patek Phillipe on my wrist. “What if I told you it was fake?”

“I’d know you were lying,” Ashley said with a laugh. “You have ‘class and money’ written all over you. And now you tell me you’re married to some smoking hot actress- wait, it’s Margot Robbie, right? You’re married to Margot Robbie!”

“No, but she is pretty hot,” I said.

“I know, right? When I first saw Wolf Of Wall Street is when I first started thinking that maybe sex with another girl might be something fun,” Ashley said.

“Yeah, I can see that,” I said.

“So let’s have hot lesbian sex!” Ashley said, pulling her skirt up again.

“Seriously? I thought we’d gotten past that.”

“Look, you said so yourself. There’s no long-term thing here. This would just be a quick hook up, and nobody else would need to know.”

“Just your friends back home, when you tell them all about it, right?” I said with a laugh.

“Well, sure, but they won’t know who you are or anything,” Ashley protested.

“Honestly, there is a very real chance you’ll be hanging out with your girlfriends and you’ll point to a picture online or on a magazine cover and say ‘See her? That’s the chick I banged.’”

“Are you really that famous?” Ashley asked.

“My wife is, and therefore so am I by extension.”

“And you’ve been on the cover of magazines?” Ashley asked, doubting it.

“I was on the cover of The Enquirer a couple of weeks ago. It happens,” I said.

“No shit,” Ashley said, her eyes wide. “I’m about to get fucked by a celebrity!”

“No, you absolutely are not,” I said. “Let’s establish this right now. I will not be having sex with you today, and not any time after that, either.”

“I’m serious about being you and Margot’s sex toy. I mean, take me home right now, tell Margot you brought me to her as a present, and I will absolutely do anything the two of you want,” Ashley said. “Take me back to your New York mansion and I’ll be your toy all summer until school starts again in the fall. I’m serious, Leah. You can bend me over any way you want.”

“And I’m serious, Ashley. My wife and I aren’t like that. We’re not into any kind of swinging, no three-ways, nothing. And I’ve never had a random hook-up in my life, and I’m not about to start now.”

“Never? Not even in high school?” Ashley asked, surprised.

“Nope. Never.”

“Wow,” Ashley mused. “I’ve had, like, a few.”

“And I’m not going to start now,” I said with finality.

“O.K., I get it. If I had Margot Robbie waiting at home for me, I probably wouldn’t screw around, either.”

“I see telling you- I don’t have Margot Robbie in my bed. I have somebody hotter,” I said as we passed the biker hangout burger stand out in the middle of nowhere. “Way hotter.”

“Hmph,” Ashley said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ashley was mercifully silent for a while, until she couldn’t stand it any longer. “Can you play some music?” she asked, pointing at the infotainment system.

“Sure,” I said, turning it on. Of course, it was set to the mp3 player, and the Downfall’s song ‘Fire’ came on.

“Do you like these guys?” Ashley asked with a frown. She hit the fast forward/next button and ‘Dreaming of me’ came on. “Is there anything else on here?” she demanded, hitting fast forward again and getting another Downfall song.

“Hang on,” I said as I flipped it to satellite radio. “What would you like?”

“I like the Outlaw Country station on Sirius,” Ashley said. “I think it’s channel 60.”

I can’t say that it was my favorite style of music, but I didn’t hate it so that’s what we listened to all the way back to campus.

When I dropped Ashley off, she asked “Are you sure I can’t come back to your place?” one last time.

My only response was, “I’m sorry you threw away your panties for nothing.”

“Are you kidding? Going up that mountain was one of the best sexual experiences I’ve ever had!”

“Take care, Ashley. Go back to your dorm room and jump your roommate’s bones. Maybe it’ll work out.”

“Are you kidding? She’s- well, no, I wouldn’t jump her bones if she was all there was.”

I looked in the rear view mirror as I drove away, only to catch her flashing her pussy at me one last time.

Some voice mails had come piling in once we’d gotten back into cell range, so I checked them as I walked into the house.

Seeing I’d missed a call from Emmy, I buzzed her immediately.

“Leah!” she said when she answered the phone. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” I said. “How are things there?” I asked as I kicked off my shoes and settled down on the couch.

“It is very much fun having the boys and Stephanie here. They are so… enthusiastic!”

“Yeah, I bet,” I said. “Are they there now?”

“No, they have all gone out, except Stephanie. She is upstairs in the office, working.”

“I hate to ask it, but have they been respectful of Luisa and Mia?”

“Yes, they have. I think Stephanie told them before they got here to behave, but I do not think they would have done otherwise. Yes, they are rockers, but they have been very polite and respectful. They have been wonderful guests.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” I said, and it was true.

“Stephanie is a very different young woman than I remember from high school,” Emmy said in a soft voice.

“Yeah?”

“She is… very mature. She is incredibly professional with the way she is managing the Sons. She is very detail oriented and makes everything run smoothly, so all they need to worry about is the actual performance. She takes care of every single thing. It is amazing. I only wish we had a manager like her for the Downfall. You know that Jackson does most of that, right?”

“Yeah, I’d had a feeling that was his job,” I agreed.

“Steph makes life so good for the Sons,” Emmy sighed. “I wish we had a Stephanie.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I just kept quiet.

After a moment, Emmy said “I am sorry that I made Donny go check on you last night. I was worried.”

“No, that’s alright,” I said. “I was in a crummy mood, and I’d forgotten my phone up on the deck, so I didn’t realize you were trying to reach me.”

“Was it because we played that song?”

“Well, I mean, yeah, I guess,” I said. “It just hit me that you only have a few more years, Em. It hurts to think about.”

“I am so sorry, Leah,” Emmy said softly. “I am so sorry.”

I didn’t want to start an argument over the phone, so I bit back my response demanding to know why she was so hesitant to trying medical treatment. Instead, I said “Em, let’s just make sure that the time we have together is the best anyone could ask for.”

“I am trying, Leah. I am trying to make life the best we could possibly hope for,” Emmy said.

“You’ve been doing a good job of that,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

“But?”

“But I’m really horny right now and you’re way too far away,” I told her.

“You are aroused?” Emmy asked, intrigued.

“Yeah, I am. I’m going to have to take a long, hot shower, which, sadly, will be solo.”

“I wish I were there to take care of things for you,” Emmy said.

“Yeah, I wish you were here, too. Hurry up and wrap up there in New York and come home,” I urged.

“Only a few more nights, then I will be home,” Emmy said. Then, changing the subject, she asked, “Did you tell Mia that she was to be my bodyguard?”

“Well, of course I did,” I said. “I mean, that is her job.”

“She seems to take it very seriously,” Emmy said. “I could not even go to the bathroom by myself last night!”

“That is exactly what I told her to do,” I said with a laugh. “I’m glad she took it seriously.”

“I appreciate the concern, but I am not totally helpless, you know,” Emmy objected.

“I know that better than most,” I agreed. “But simply having a visible bodyguard means that most problems will not even appear.”

“Yes, I imagine that is true,” Emmy said. “Thanks you for being concerned for me.”

“Are you kidding? You’re my world, babe. You mean everything to me.”

“And you mean more to me than I can ever express, Leah,” Emmy replied. “More that I can possibly put in words.”

“Well, hurry home and put it into action, then.” I said. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” Emmy said.

After the call, I did take that shower, but it wasn’t as hot and steamy as I’d said it would be. Talking to Emmy had stabilized me somehow. I was still a bit turned on, but my libido had cooled a bit from the way Ashley had left me.

After my shower I figured I’d do some work, but when I checked my email I saw one from Stephanie.

“Hey, babe,” she wrote. “Emmy and I spent half the night last night just talking, you know? I’m really sorry for a lot of things, but Emmy made me understand that she didn’t hate me for taking you away the summer after High School. I think we had a really good talk, and cleared the air between us. I’m just telling you this because I think it’s important that you know (and I told this to Emmy, so don’t worry) that I’ve never stopped being in love with you.”

“I know,” she wrote, “that you and Emmy are life partners, and I will absolutely never come between you two. I treasure the time we had together. It will always mean something special to me. With love, Stephanie.”

I read and reread that short email over and over, with absolutely no clue how to respond. In all honesty, I had never fallen out of love with Stephanie. I loved Emmy, completely and totally, but that didn’t mean that there was no room left in my heart for Stephanie. Love isn’t an either/or thing, at least not for me.

I was married to Emmy, and if I had my choice I would spend the rest of my life with her, but that didn’t mean my feelings for Stephanie magically vanished.

I started to write a response to Stephanie, then trashed it, then started again, and trashed that, too. Finally I wrote, “Steph, the time we had together was magical for me, too. You are an unbelievably beautiful, wonderful person and will always fill a space in my heart.”

“If things had been different,” I wrote, “we could have been happy together. Unfortunately for the two of us and our relationship, things we had no control over proved too strong.” I didn’t want to slam her mom too hard, but what can I say? It was her that caused our breakup.

“I treasure our friendship now, and wish we could spend more time together. I’m glad that you and Emmy have had a chance to talk, to come to understand each other better. I hope that our move back to SoCal will bring us all closer, metaphorically as well as physically.”

It felt a bit wishy-washy, but what could I do? I didn’t want to lead Stephanie on, but I did want her to understand that I still cared for her very much.

I CCed Emmy on the email- There was no way I was going to keep any secrets from Emmy. Sure, I hadn’t told her about Ashley, but I would when Emmy got home.