Cream Filled: Second Helping

When Stephanie's glossed lips closed around the end of the straw and the dark liquid of the soda slowly rose through the tube and into her mouth, all thoughts in my brain except for one suddenly drained out. Was it possible for me to think about anything other than sex when I was around her?

"Whatever you care to tell me," I answered, once my mind cleared enough to speak. Stephanie just shrugged but didn't say anything so I looked her in the eyes, straight forward and sincerely, then told her what was on my mind.

"Stephanie, I think you've known for a long time now how attracted I am to you, but I mean it about not knowing much about you, and I was hoping that tonight I might get to start doing that. That is if you'd care to share with me."

She looked at me without any discernable expression a long moment but I sensed there was an evaluation of some sort going on in her mind.

In spite of being quick to anger or laughter, Stephanie was kind of tough to read. She always left me with a feeling that there was something about her I didn't quite comprehend, especially in those moments when our eyes would meet, not while we were talking or she was teasing me but in those wordless moments when I'd sometimes catch her glance from across the kitchen.

"OK but first, how long have you been attracted to me?" she asked coyly.

Taking a moment before answering, I opted to tell her the truth. Why that was something I needed to think about first, I can't say.

"From the moment I first saw you."

"OK, so far so good" she commented, her smile broadening. "What do you think you already know about me?"

"I know you have one hell of a temper."

"Yes I do," she admitted and laughed. "What else?"

"Well, most of what I do know about you is from your mom and dad. They like to brag about you, especially your dad. He's always saying how smart you are, how well you do in school, how good a swimmer and tennis player you are and oh yeah, that you play the piano, too," I said, before pausing briefly. "Did I miss anything?"

It was fleeting but I was certain I saw something like a grimace flash across Stephanie's face.

"No," she said flatly. Then she brightened again and gave the tabletop a pat. "There you see, you already know all there is to know about me. But I have to warn you, my dad exaggerates."

Just then another older couple stopped by to say hello to Stephanie. Annoyed at one more interruption especially at that point in our conversation, I scanned the restaurant for a familiar face. Jeez, I thought, there has to be someone else here I know but there wasn't.

"Are you still playing tennis and swimming?" the woman asked.

"No, I gave that all up," Stephanie answered, her smile unwavering. "I wanted to concentrate on school."

Then the woman whispered none too softly, inquiring about the status of the ex-boyfriend whom Stephanie less than affectionately refers to as Dip Shit. Stephanie's mom and dad still adore him and evidently her mom had told this woman that Stephanie might be getting back together with him. Stephanie assured her it wasn't the case. Finally, the couple said good-bye and wished us well.

"Anything wrong, Jason?" Stephanie asked, probably noting my annoyed expression.

"I was wondering the same thing. Did I say something that bothered you before?"

"No," she said flatly, idly stirring her drink again.

Seeing her eyes drop to her glass I knew that wasn't quite the truth but I felt I was beginning to understand something.

"I'm thinking maybe I did," as I considered the possibility out loud a moment. "You're not entirely that girl your parents brag about anymore are you?"

Stephanie stopped stirring her drink and looked at me before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry that was really stupid of me," I said. "I just realized you don't talk with me about any of those things. How could I have not seen that?"

"It's all right," she assured me. "You see it now, which is more than I can say for some people."

"But most everyone sees the girl your parents tell them about, don't they?"

"If I ever need a PR firm, they've got the job. And for the record, they're the source of the Dip Shit rumors."

"It's all right," I shrugged. "Anyway I think it's pretty obvious your parents really love you."

"I know, it's just that, well, you were smart to go away to school."

"I didn't have much of a choice really you can't get a decent donut in my hometown anymore."

Stephanie's sunny smile returned at the recollection of my lie to her when I'd applied at the Donut King two years earlier about me having donut making experience in a fictional shop in my hometown. Her soft lips parted to show her white teeth as she laughed. She shook her head and rolled her deep dark eyes at the memory.

"That's why you didn't go to the wedding with them, isn't it? " I continued, thinking aloud. "You always have to be with them."

"That and some other reasons as well."

"I'm flattered."

"I didn't say you were one of them," she said leaning toward me over the table top.

"You didn't say I wasn't, either," I said mimicking her semi-whisper and leaning towards her until our faces were just inches apart.

We held each other's eyes for a moment while she gave me another of her evaluating looks, after which Stephanie smiled broadly and leaned back in her bench seat.

"My, my, it seems you have an ego. Are there no ends to the surprises with you, Jason?"

"I guess you'll have to see for yourself," I answered, making a mental note that she seemed to like an element of unpredictability.

"I will, won't I?"

Stephanie lifted her drink and let her pink tongue languidly catch the underside of the straw tip once more, pulling it into her mouth and closing her oh so kissable lips about it.

The girl could certainly suck a straw.

"I'm not trying to pry but you did seem pretty upset when you and your ex broke up," I remarked.

"I was but not for the reason you might think. I'd wanted to break up with him for a while but my mom kept talking me out of it and so I didn't, even though there was nothing there anymore. Then the jerk went and made a show of breaking up with me in front of mutual friends so he could make it look like he dumped me. I was just mad at myself more than anything. I'd tried to please everyone but myself. I won't make that mistake again."

"Good for you," I congratulated her, suddenly warmed by the thought of Dip Shit having romantically speaking at least, crashed and burned. "So what was his fatal flaw?"

"Aside from being a self centered asshole?" Stephanie thought for a moment then looked me dead on before continuing. "He has no imagination."

Nodding my understanding, I held her gaze but didn't comment further.

"You're a history major, right?" she asked, casually changing the subject as she sat her drink down.

"That's right, ancient civilizations are my focus, the Greek and Roman eras in particular."

"Is it interesting?"

"Very interesting actually," I replied, sensing an opportunity to enhance my stature with her by impressing her with my knowledge. "For example, did you know if we had lived in ancient times, you'd have been expected to stay indoors to cook, clean and do whatever your father told you to do?"

"Some things never change," she said with a smile and a shake of her head.

"Moreover, I could have married you just by bartering with your dad, and then you would be expected to stay in my house to cook, clean and do whatever I told you to." Then I leaned toward her to add "though in all honesty, I just really can't picture you as being housebound."

Smiling, Stephanie leaned towards me her glossed and glistening lips temptingly close. She placed her hands on top of mine and began lightly caressing them with her fingers.

"That's because if we had lived in ancient times," she explained, her dark eyes glittering, "I'd have been a goddess with my own temple and you'd have had to bring offerings and worship me."

"You're right some things never change," I agreed, slipping my hands from beneath hers and using them to raise my glass to her in a mock offering.

She laughed but didn't say anything right away though I sensed I was doing okay in her continuing mental evaluation of me. There was another moment of silence between us before a smile spread quickly over her lips.

"I have to admit it took some balls to do what you did the other day."

"Yeah, I guess they got the better of me," I admitted. "To be honest with you, I half expected you to slap me when I kissed you," I elaborated, feeling somewhat proud of myself for my boldness that morning.

"I almost did," she answered, her sly smile returning. "Just to see what you'd do."

It struck me as an odd comment and I almost said so. Instead I tucked her reply away in the back of my mind.

"So, how long has it been that you've been attracted to me?"

"Did I say I was?" She turned her head slightly away from me with an almost embarrassed smile and chuckled before making her admission. "It's been a while now."

It was such a luxurious thought that I didn't feel the need to say anything in reply.

"So how about you, Jason, no girlfriend back home?"

"No, I mean there was in high school but we went our separate ways after graduation. You may not have noticed but I keep pretty busy between school and work. I haven't had much time to socialize."

"You did seem to have a lot of pent up energy the other day."

We shared a laugh at the recollection but I wanted to tell her something sincerely.

"Stephanie, I hope you know there was more to it than just 'pent up energy' for me."

Stephanie held my gaze and just nodded.

It was then that Steve arrived, apologizing for the delay and set our meals before us. We ate and talked more than we probably had in the entire two years we'd known each other.

After finishing dinner I paid the check but Stephanie insisted on leaving the tip. We sat in silence a moment, until I noticed a sign for a game room near the back of the restaurant.

"You strike me as a natural born dart player," I said.

"What makes you say that?"

"It's your hands. You can always tell a dart player by their hands," I said as suavely as I could manage, unable to resist an opportunity to toy with her for a change. "It's the fingers specifically and I can just picture yours clutching a dart."

"And I suppose you've got a dart that needs clutching?"

"I think I know where we can find more than just one. It looks like they have a game room in the back. Shall we see if they have any boards and throw a few?"

"Sure," she shrugged her shoulders and laughed after giving me a 'what is he up to?' look.

Actually, it was totally a spur of the moment idea as I hadn't thrown many darts in the past two years, not since leaving home and the dartboard in our basement. While I knew how to play, I was figuring to be a bit rusty. OK, so maybe that wasn't entirely true but I knew I wouldn't be as good as I used to be but I assumed I'd still be good enough to win. Why I chose a game I felt I could beat Stephanie at I couldn't say, other than my vanity. Still, it was something to do to extend the evening a bit and I was enjoying being with her.

The game room was too crowded with warm bodies for the air conditioning to overcome, leaving the air heavily laden with the scents of cologne, sweat and spilled beer. Thankfully Stephanie stayed close by me. The same heat that brought tiny beads of sweat to her brow and upper lip caused her hypnotic blend of scents to radiate and engulf me, drawing me still closer to her side.

Stephanie claimed she had only played darts once or twice before but if it was true, she caught on damn quickly. She didn't just play to amuse me either, she played to win, a trait I was beginning to notice more and more in her especially after she gleefully beat me for the first time.

"Well you may have given up swimming and tennis but it seems you still like to compete."

"No," she corrected me. "I like to win."

Stephanie's comment, while reinforcing my opinion about her competitiveness also presented me with somewhat of a dilemma. Patronizing her and letting her beat me struck me as the wrong approach, but beating her might not be the best option either.

Just then a couple of her girlfriends said hello to her. They cast quick glances my way and while it seemed they didn't disapprove of me, they repeated the Dip Shit rumor in ineffective whispers. Stephanie assured them it wasn't the case. It annoyed me, I'll admit, not that she knew a lot of people or was popular, after all she'd lived in this town all her life, but the constant interruptions, and the fact that these friends and acquaintances largely ignored me, with some even going so far as to ask about Dip Shit in front of me.

It was enough to make a guy wonder if he wasn't being used to make someone else jealous. A more paranoid guy than me might conclude he was getting played. After all, I might have just been a revenge fuck to her, but while Stephanie clearly enjoying teasing and tormenting me at times, for the most part she seemed genuine in her interactions with me. Just the same, if I was getting played, the sooner I found out the less it would hurt in the long run, so I figured I should probably make certain of things early on.

"Are you upset about something, Jason?" Stephanie asked when they'd moved on.

"Not at all," I lied.

"I'm sorry about all the interruptions. It's just I have a lot of acquaintances."

Acquaintances that seem to know all about your personal life I thought.

"What about you Stephanie? How are you feeling?"

"I'm just fine."

"That's good now how do you feel about losing?"

She studied me for a moment before giving a reply.

"There aren't many things I hate more," she answered smiling slyly. "Why do you ask?"

"Maybe we shouldn't keep playing then," I suggested. "We've been having fun and I don't want to spoil things now."

"How would you spoil things?"

"If we continue to play, I'm going to play to win and I don't want you to wind up getting mad at me when I do."

"I said I hate to lose, not that I hate winners. So don't worry. If you do manage to beat me, I'll be mad but I'll respect you."

Respect was definitely something I wanted from her.

"Oh, and I'll try to remember to go easy on your male ego should I somehow miraculously win," she added with a roll of her coal dark eyes.

"How about we make things a little more interesting then," I asked, my own competitive instincts kicking in. "What say we make a small wager?"

"A wager?" she asked coquettishly. "...for what?"

"Kisses," I answered directly. "I win, I get to kiss you," I explained, and then elaborated on the prize, "however I want."

"And if I win?"

"I'll worship you like we were in ancient times and you really were a goddess. I'll fall before you and kiss your feet right here in front of everyone if that's what you want."

She studied me a moment maybe wondering what I was working her for beyond a kiss.

"You'd really do that?"

It was so enjoyable to have the upper hand with her for a change, I couldn't help but smile.

"Two out of three wins?" I offered.

"Sure."

These were electronic dartboards and we played a game called 300. Each pie slice of the circular board was worth so many points and a player got extra for hitting a segment of the ring within each slice, just as they did for hitting the bull's eye. The first player to accrue 300 points wins the game.

Despite a shaky start I won the first game but she blew me away in the second.

"So, you've only played this game a couple of times, is that right?" I asked sensing a hustle.

"Well maybe more than a couple. Dip Shit's family had a game room," she explained. "How about you, Jason, it doesn't seem as if you're as rusty as you thought you'd be, huh?"

Before I could answer, some more acquaintances of hers stopped by our table to say hello. It shouldn't have bothered me, I know, but having to stand there while Stephanie denied once again that she and Dip Shit were getting back together did. It wasn't her fault but now I was totally stoked to win the game.

"Acquaintances," she explained when they finally stepped away. "I'm sorry, what was it you were saying?"

"I was saying I should put some money in the machine, so I can win this game and collect my prize. This is one kiss I am definitely going to enjoy."

"I'm going to enjoy it too," she answered. "I don't believe my feet have ever been properly worshipped before."

"You have to win first," I reminded her as I slid quarters from the tabletop into my hand. As for the worshiping part, I intended to see to that some day soon anyway, wager or not.

As the winner of the previous game Stephanie opted to throw first and she picked up right where she left off, closing the 20's with her first round. Stephanie was leading most of the game while I struggled to keep the score close. She was about to go out as her last dart hit the bull's eye but it didn't stick or even register the hit, falling uselessly to the floor instead.

"Son of a BITCH!" she yelled, managing to turn a few heads at nearby tables.

"It sucks when that happens, doesn't it?" I teased as I handed Stephanie her dart after picking it up from the floor.

She took the dart from me without a word. Turning toward the board, I took several deep calming breaths before my throws. Each dart hit solidly in the center circle, closing out the bull's eyes for me and giving me the win.

Turning to her with a triumphant smile, I was a little surprised at the fiery look that had sparked in her dark eyes. She really didn't like to lose at anything.

"Pay up," I said rubbing the wound with salt loudly enough that I could sense the attention of many including a number of her acquaintances, at least the ones nearby, turning towards us.

Leaning towards her ear I whispered, "And just so we're clear on this, I want the longest, deepest French kiss ever, right here, right now and in front of all your 'acquaintances'."

With her eyes like sharpened obsidian, Stephanie stepped closer to me and cocked her head slightly to one side as if to comply with my demand. Looking down into those heated black orbs, it seemed something apart from the sting of her loss was simmering there but as yet I couldn't identify it. She hadn't verbalized anything but I could sense a question was forming in her mind, good for me or bad I couldn't tell just yet.

Leaning in to take my prize, instead of the French kiss she was expecting I raised my hands and gently cradled Stephanie's face. My heart began to race and while I enjoyed the victory, I realized that it wasn't just a prize that I really wanted to take from her. Lowering my lips to hers until our mouths were pressed gently together I kissed her softly, hoping she would sense my true intent.

Continuing to cup her jaw even after our kiss ended, I let her eyes search mine for another long moment, until I saw just a glint in hers.

"One more game," she said softly, her now glittering eyes still fixed on mine, her face still in my hands.

"Same bet?" I asked, letting my thumbs caress her face.

"No, let's play for something else," she said, seemingly mulling the thought a moment. "How about this time we play for dinner?"

"Are you hungry again so soon?"

"No," she replied smiling coyly then stretched to kiss me. "I'll collect another night, and I don't want to make you pay for another dinner in a restaurant this week since you paid tonight," she added.

"So what's the bet then?"

"How about the winner gets a home cooked meal? Does that sound all right to you?"

It sounded all right and then some as I made a few quick mental calculations. If I won not only would I get to see her again, she would make me dinner and then dessert could be just a few steps away in her bedroom. If I lost, it would just be the same only at my apartment. And while it was becoming increasingly obvious that Stephanie had a strong competitive side and didn't enjoy losing, I didn't see how I possibly could regardless of the outcome.