A week and a half had gone by. Jenny had managed to get out of JC’s class without catching his eye, not answering his calls and texts. 

Midterms were that week, so she was mostly spending her time with her head between books, running study groups with Justin for the classes they had together. 

It was Tuesday, a slower academic day for her, which meant more time studying before going to work. She waited at the bus stop, and her phone vibrated. 

You’ve been ignoring me again, Jenny. Are you toying with me? You know what happened last time…

I’ve got midterms, in case you’ve forgotten. I’ve been busy studying.

You don’t need to worry about my class.

I’m not sleeping with you for an easy A, Josh…

You’re not sleeping with me at all.  Don’t tell me Justin ticks all the boxes for you.

What if he does?

I don’t believe you. You’re toying with me because you know you want it badly. I’ve been holding out for you, Jenny. Not even touching myself, saving it all for you.

Well, I guess you should get on that, then…

Oh, I plan to get on you, over you, anything I can.

Not what I meant, Josh.  I’m done.

We’ll see about that.  I’ll see you tomorrow for your midterm. Best of luck.

She stuffed her phone away, trying not to think of how great a night with JC would be. The night with Justin was incredible, but they hadn’t kept up that trajectory. It was feeling stagnant, not moving forward any. He was thorough, to be sure, but it wasn’t the same all out pleasure she got from JC.  He wasn’t touching her in the same places, and the dirty talk only took her so far.

She took out her phone again. When are you free? I work until 6.

No study group tonight?

We’ve been running groups all week whenever we could, I think we need a day to just relax.

Is that what you want, a night to relax, focus elsewhere?

I can’t resist you, Josh. I can’t explain it. 

Text me when you’re off work, I’ll buzz you up. 

I wasn’t expecting this, so I’m not exactly sexy right now, I certainly won’t be after work.

Jenny, you are always sexy, have no doubts about that. I’ll get you out of those clothes and you’ll be feeling sexy in no time.

I’ll text you once I’m there. 

Good girl.  I’ll reward you soon. Or punish you, I haven’t decided yet.

A wave of guilt washed over her. Why couldn’t she stay away from JC? Was it because she and Justin were keeping things slow? Would she feel differently if they were having sex, not just sleeping in his bed on nights she stayed over?  She hoped he’d hurry up so she could find out and be done with JC.

They hadn’t even started their final project, Jenny couldn’t help but wonder if he was working on it by himself.  He’s admitted he’d been working on something, but wanted it to be perfect.  She couldn’t help but feel like she wasn’t contributing to the project.  She needed to start thinking of words, something to contribute once midterms were over on Thursday.  

The next 4 hours went by fairly quickly, sorting books people had sold to the store, books people had pulled off shelves but didn't put back in their spot.  Her phone buzzed, Jenny giving it a quick glance.

Hope work is going ok.  I’m worried about midterms, but I know we said to let today be a free day.  Can I see you later?  

I’ll see.  I have plans after I’m off work, but I’ll let you know.

Ok.  I might get a workout in tonight, I’ve been falling behind on that.  The season starts soon, so I gotta start getting back in the habit.

You’d get plenty of a workout with me, Jenny thought to herself.  Is that what this will become? Justin working out to deal with his sexual tension, me with JC? His is more acceptable, mine is cheating and I hate it. 

She ended her shift, definitely not feeling sexy or even in the mood for anything; but she knew she needed to relax, and JC would be good for that if nothing else.

She texted him when she got to his building, JC buzzing her up. She felt the heavy weight of guilt on her as she rode the elevator up, her hands limply knocking against the door. 

“Welcome, Genevieve,” JC said warmly, his face falling at her less than excited expression.  “What’s wrong?”

“I’m cheating on my boyfriend, that’s what’s wrong.  I hate myself for this, but I can’t stay away…”

“Come on in, let me make you feel better.  You came because I can give you something he can’t, correct?”

She nodded her head.

“Come, sit.  I’m not a monster, let’s talk.”

She sat on his couch, JC sitting next to her.  Too close to her if she was being honest.  She could smell his somewhat woodsy cologne, the scent was almost intoxicating.

“Are things not perfect in paradise with the boyfriend?”

“They’re… fine.”

“Fine isn’t what you deserve, Jenny.  We both know that.  What’s missing that you finally reached out to me?”

“He won’t touch me.  He went from this player to practically a monk.  We kiss, and it’s nice, he’ll round second base with me, but any time I try and touch him or suggest moving beyond that, he freezes up.”

“Has he made you orgasm?”  The way he asked that question, said that word, she felt herself getting wet.

“Yes.  But nothing super intense, just from him touching my breasts and dirty talk of what he’ll do once we do have sex…”

“Has he even seen you naked yet?”

“No,” she said ashamedly.

“So let’s keep this little arrangement going until then, until you can fully consummate your relationship.”

“You’d really just let me walk away? God knows I keep trying now and can’t shake you.  You’re like a drug and I keep relapsing.”

“Well, I’d get into the physiology of it all, but I’d rather just get started on releasing those hormones, giving you what you need.”

“I still feel terrible, I’m cheating on my boyfriend… I was cheated on in high school, and I can’t believe I’d let myself put someone else through that.”

“Then tell him. Tell him you’re seeing someone who can give you that side of things. That way you’re honest, and he can decide what to do from there. Either he can step up and give you what you need, accept that you’re with someone else until he’s ready, or he’ll walk away and give up any chance with you.”

“What normal person would see this as a good thing?  I can’t be here, this is too much…”

“Jenny, if this is really going to be over, at least have one last ‘fling’, since you’re here.”

“Justin wants to see me tonight.”

“That’s fine. I won’t keep you long.”

“We both know that isn’t true,” Jenny smirked, wanting to smile.

“I’ll do what I can.  Let me make you mine one last time,” he said, hoping that it wouldn’t be the last time, that they could continue on like this.

He pressed his lips to hers, pleased to feel her melt into his touch. He was definitely ready to go, but knew this was about her.  He cupped the back of her head, waving his fingers into her hair.

He ran a hand up her shirt, teasing her breasts between his fingers.

“Does he touch you like this?” JC asked, rolling her hardened nub between his fingers, pulling slightly. 

“No…” She answered honestly.  It was nice with Justin, but there wasn’t that heat like with JC.  She groaned, arching her back and needing his touch. She reached for him, cupping his heat in one hand, aware of the effect she had on him. She knew she had the same effect on Justin, but JC was willing to do something about it.  He made her feel desirable, sexy, wanted in a way that Justin didn’t.

“Jenny, this is going to go quicker if you keep doing that,” JC warned. 

“I thought you were ok with it being quicker,” she smiled. 

“I want to make you feel good, not just myself.”

He ran his hand from her chest into her pants, growling as he felt her desire for him. He quickly pulled off her clothes, his lips against her breasts as his fingers worked their magic on her core. Flicking or circling her as she became a moaning, panting mess under his touch. 

“How do you want this, mama?”

“Honestly? Over the edge of the couch, so I don’t see your face.”

“You want to pretend I’m your boyfriend? We’ll see how long it takes before you imagine he’s me…. I’ll play your little game.  But I’ll give you what he never can, you’ll know it’s me no matter who you imagine.”

He worked her into a frenzy before she collapsed on the couch, picking her up and bending her over the arm of the couch. She heard his zipper and the quiet thud of his clothes hitting the floor, groaning as she felt him enter her.  His pace was intense, passionate, needing her since it was becoming longer between their times together. 

“Tell me, Jenny, will he ever make you feel like this?”

“Never,” she cried out.

“I could still give you this, Jenny.  It doesn’t have to stop.”

“Yes, it does.”

“You like this too much…”

“Fuck, Josh, you’re so good.”

“You’re close, I can feel it.  Be a good girl, come undone because of me.  Cum for me Jenny… now.”

His words hit like a thunderbolt as she trembled in release, JC gasping in his within her.  “Consider this a standing invitation.  When you need me, I’ll be here.”  He lightly tapped her ass, a smile on his face of seeing her again, being with her. He knew it wouldn’t last forever.  As much as he could offer her, it wasn’t everything she’d need. He could give her stability, consistency, but he was afraid to open himself up to love her. With his wife and their situation, he couldn’t marry her, he’d sworn off falling in love long ago.  

He wished he could, Jenny would’ve been the woman to get him to settle down under different circumstances. Had he been single, things never working out with his last love, he could see himself falling for her. He sighed, the thoughts a rushing river in his mind.

Jenny turned onto her back to face him. “You ok?”

“Just… thinking,” he said, blinking back to reality.

“I know it’s not our usual thing, but do you want to cuddle and talk about it?  Rest your head on my chest?”

“You have a boyfriend to get to, don’t you?”

“I can text him that I’ll be back soon. I can talk for a bit.  We can move to your bed so it’s more comfortable.”

He gave her his hand, pulling her up to stand, walking hand in hand to his bed. She laid down, letting him rest his head on her chest, stroking his hair.  “What’s bothering you?”

“Our situation. If I were a younger man, or at least not in a binding marriage, I could see myself falling for you, Jenny.  I try not to get attached to the women I do this with, but I think that’s why I’m fighting so hard for this to not be over. You remind me a lot of the woman I lost to my wife.  You’re kind, funny, beautiful, sexy as hell.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Jenny asked, confused.

“Because I really want to keep seeing you. I know I can’t give you what you need, but at the same time I realized I can’t let you go. I know what I said earlier, but I can’t.”

“I feel a similar pull, but you’re married.  There’s no chance of anything, and you don’t even have those feelings for me, do you?  You said you could see yourself falling for me under different circumstances, but what about this actual situation?”

“I can’t, Jenny. She’ll never divorce me, not as long as our parents are alive. I can’t expect you to wait around for me. What I feel doesn’t matter because I can’t give you what you want, in the end.”

“Am I more than just a good fuck to you?  Are we more than that?” Her voice trembled as she asked, afraid of his answer.

“Yes, of course. But I also can’t commit to being with you.”

“Your wife doesn’t live around here, we could live a quiet life together.”

“I couldn’t bring you to things like the fundraiser, unless they think you’re my wife, but that still would need to be once you graduate or I finish teaching here, with you being a student.”

“So it IS like Ross and Elizabeth…” Jenny sighed.

“What?  Oh, yeah,” JC said, chuckling to himself.  “Very different though, you’re more mature than she is, you’d handle a breakup better, I like to think.”

“I mean, given the current state of things, yeah.  But without Justin, I’d be hurt for sure.  I think I’d still be hurt, even with Justin, but it would be more understandable.”

“Well, you should get back to him, don’t want to keep him waiting, make him suspect anything.  Was that relaxing though?”

“I’m relaxed, yeah.  I’ll see you tomorrow for the midterm.”

“Get dressed, unless you want to be arrested by regular or campus police,” he laughed.  He kissed her lips, wishing she could stay longer.  If this was going to continue on in any fashion, he had to share her, as much as that pained him to do so.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.  Dress up for me.  He’ll think it’s for him, I’ll know it’s for me.”

She got dressed, feeling the want to stay but also knowing she needed to see Justin. She couldn’t blow him off, not as his girlfriend.  She texted him that she’d run into a friend and got to talking and would meet him in the common room in 10 minutes.

She walked into the common room, Maddie giving her the side eye as she waited for Justin. Maddie motioned to their room, leaving her study group for a minute.

“Seriously, you can’t see him without fucking him?!” Maddie whispered angrily.

“How did you…?”

“Trust me, I just know. You better pray Justin never figures things out.  This needs to stop, Jenny.  It really does.”

“I know, but I can’t help it, I’ve never felt like this with anyone…”

“Talking about me I hope,” Justin said, looking his head through the open doorway.  “Not too late to grab a bite, is it?”

“No, I could eat…” Jenny said. 

“You keeping her for the night? Pulling an all nighter before your midterms?” Maddie laughed. 

“I wouldn’t say no,” Justin laughed. 

Jenny rolled her eyes at the both of them before heading back out, leaving Maddie to study while they grabbed food. 

“You hungry cuz you worked out?” Jenny asked. 

“A little. But I figured this was better than just asking you to stay over without any other pretense.”

“I’m your girlfriend, it’s ok if you want me to stay the night even if we haven’t seen each other all day.”

“Well, good, cuz I really wanna relax a little and have some fun with a beautiful woman in my bed…”

“That wasn’t why you went to work out, relieve some of that tension?”

“Is that what you think I’m doing?  I’m an athlete, I train to keep my game level high, be the best I can on the court. Not because I want to sleep with you but think it’s too soon. That I take care of in other ways.”

“Other ways?”

“You’re really gonna make me say it, aren’t you?”

“Are you saying you masturbate thinking about me?”

“Is that wrong?” he asked, his face a little pink.

“I could help you with that, you know. At least give you more to work with by yourself.”

“Remind me to ask you about this after we eat. I think if I ask you now I’ll just want to skip eating and do whatever you say.”

“That wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world,” she laughed. 

They grabbed a quick and late dinner, Jenny realizing she hadn't eaten between work and being at JC’s, thankful that Justin didn’t ask about who she’d run into. 

Justin had a healthier dinner than she did, at his insistence since he was starting to get back into full training and practice mode. The season started in the next 3 weeks, around the beginning of November, so he needed to be on top of his game.

They walked back to the dorms, the common room empty. 

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” she wondered. “About touching yourself and thinking of me?”

“Why?”

“Answer the question, be honest with me. I’ll tell you I think about you during my solo times…” She wasn’t completely lying, especially now that they were dating.

“Ok, that’s hot as fuck.  Yes, I think of you when I, you know…”

“Give me a minute and I’ll meet you up at your room, ok?”

Justin nodded, admittedly curious as he watched her enter her room and close the door. 

“What are you doing here? I thought you were staying at Justin’s…”

“I am. Help me pick out some sexy lingerie…”