Author: Thinking Horndog
Title: Second Best
Part: 102
Universe: Second Best
Summary: A full-length novel that follows several young couples and their
families through the period immediately preceding their Senior Prom.
Keywords: rom

Keywords for full story:  F-solo, Ff-inc, M+F Ffm MF mf oral anal bd D/s Mg-
inc Fm-inc mm mmf rom MF-reluc

Chapter 102
Musical dates

      The goddess Dina looked out over her domain from her position on the
stage steps, and saw that it was good.  The half dozen brave souls that
Twyla had led to up the ante had swollen to a couple dozen, and several of
the other girls were defending their territory vigorously, deploying subtler
wiles to maintain the attention of escorts that had developed wandering
eyes.  Allegiances were shifting all over the room, the effect greased by
those who had arrived without any in the first place...  A case in point:
Porky Peggy Ellis, dressed in a too-tight pink number that exacerbated her
somewhat rotund figure, had managed to maneuver gawky August Lippmann, the
exchange student, onto the dance floor.  Had they arrived together, Dina
wondered?  She thought not...  Only the two and a half inch heels Peggy had
strapped to her chubby ankles kept the lanky Lippmann from towering over her
- that and the fact that she had her hand against the back of his head,
pressing his face into the tops of her sizable round breasts!  Dina laughed
aloud as August surfaced, extracting two inches of his skinny nose from the
warm depths of Peggy's cleavage.  But the flush on his face was from
pleasure, if you went by the intensity with which he attacked Peggy's neck
with his lips!

      The place was a hothouse environment for manipulating relationships,
and Dina itched to practice her specialty.  Catching Bobby's eye, she
murmured. "Let's mingle."

      There was the sound of a slap from the left, where Claudette
Pinkersley and Rob Graham were having a heated argument.  Whatever Claudette
said was drowned in Rob's roar of "Fuck you, you Ice Princess!" whereupon he
spun and strode off.

      "So much for the Prom court!" Dina observed, grinning.  Bobby chuckled
beside her.  She looked over at the table the group had moved to when the
old site got too hot.  It was about ninety degrees around the room from the
old table, and had the virtue of being absolutely invisible from the cloud
of chaperones at the door.  Mandi was sitting on Rick's lap, and had
subscribed totally to the fashion of the moment, dropping her halter top and
replacing it with a brassiere made of Rick's hands.  Dolores sat beside Tim,
kissing him greedily while rubbing his...leg?  Dina didn't really think
that's what it was...  Only Terry and Jackie appeared to be more or less
normally engaged, and Dina was sure that that was merely a case of the pair
just being too nerdy to imagine doing much...

      Another slap sounded from the dance floor, and Tenisha Porter
screeched "You asshole!" and stalked off the dance floor, leaving Nate Adams
snarling, attempting to recollect his dignity.  He turned and stomped off to
the refreshments table, where Draper Travis was leaning, shaking his head.
"There's a match made in Hell," Bobby observed, and Dina nodded, glancing
around.

      "Why were THEY together, anyway?" Dina wondered aloud.

      "Nate had a choice between her and Fat Mary Nally," Bobby observed
with characteristic baldness.

      Dina nodded.  "And Tenisha had NO choices..."

      "Draper would have been thrilled to death - but he won't cut in front
of Nate," Bobby observed.  "Too bad it isn't mutual..."

      "Yeah!"  A light went off behind Dina's eyes.  Bobby was a keen
observer of human nature, if nothing else.  It was the main reason why his
barbs sank home...  "So what does Nate REALLY want?"

      Bobby thought about it.  "Well, what he WANTS, more than anything
else, is a white chick!  It'd feed his ego and maybe settle him down.
Tenisha's awful for him 'cause she looks like a stick...  Nate likes
titties, and I think he likes ass even more..."

      Dina nodded.  "So, Nate needs a woman who's good sized.  That's easy.
White might be more difficult..." Dina pondered.

      "She'll need to be pretty thick-skinned, to put up with Nate's
continuous bullshit," Bobby pointed out.  "He always starts out with oily
compliments, but he leaves his mouth running and eventually an insult leaks
out."

      "What about Tenisha?" Dina asked.

      "Drape Draper on her," Bobby replied, shrugging.  "He's had the hots
for her forever - he's just too shy to do anything about it!  And he's a
charter member of the IBTC!"

      "IBTC?" Dina inquired, "What's that?"

      "Itty Bitty Titty Committee!" Bobby retorted, grinning.

      Dina looked around the sidelines, spying Nora Wilson.  Snapping her
fingers, she announced, "I've got an idea!  Who do you figure Nora came
with?"

      Bobby scratched his sandy ruff.  "Dunno.  Either she slinked in with
Fat Mary, or she wheedled Teddy Frick into bringing her.  Either way, she's
gonna be lonesome - I'm pretty sure Teddy likes boys!" Bobby grinned.

      "So am I," Dina agreed.  Bobby could see the wheels turning.  "Wanna
have some fun, and maybe do a public service?"  She began whispering in
Bobby's ear.  Bobby grinned, nodded, and sidled off to the refreshments
table.  Dina headed for the ladies.

      "That sumbitch!" Tenisha screeched, the sound echoing in the ladies
room, "You know what he said to me?  'Howbout I suck on them nipples an' see
if I can inflate them pancake titties?'  What kinda shit is that?"

      "Nate shit," Dina observed, entering the ladies' room.  She hadn't
missed anything - you could hear Tenisha halfway down the hall.  "What're
you doing with him, anyway?"

      "I dunno," Tenisha sulked, "Didn't get any other offers, I guess.  But
damn!"

      "You KNOW you're walking home..." Dina pointed out.  "It's his
pattern."

      "Yeah," Tenisha sighed.  "Guess I'd better call a cab - the nights
over."

      "It needn't be," Dina observed, "There's other fish in the sea."

      "Huh!  Like who?" Tenisha retorted.

      "There's Draper..." Dina eyed Tenisha sidelong.

      "Hmmph.  He's cute, but I can't get his attention," Tenisha groused.
"He's always so... distant."

      "Bobby says different," Dina opined.  "Bobby says Draper watches you
like a hawk.  He's just too shy around girls to do anything about it."

      "An' he hangs with Nate," Tenisha growled.  "That's not exactly the
mark of a desirable man!"

      Dina frowned.  "Ever notice how they talk to one another?  Maybe it's
more Nate hanging with Draper..."

      "I can't stand bein' called 'Pancake Tits!'", Tenisha groused, "I
won't go out lookin' for that!"

      "Draper ever disrespect you?" Dina asked, knowing the answer.  "Bobby
says Draper does funny things when you come to school in a tube top.  Spends
a lot of time with his fingers moving like this:" Dina demonstrated, moving
two fingers and a thumb in a move like... twisting a nipple?

      Tenisha's eyes got round.  "Really?"

      Dina smiled.  "Look, Draper's REAL shy - you're gonna have to push him
a bit.  But if you get him moving...  Do I have to draw you a picture?"

      "No..." Tenisha's eyes went distant.  "He's kinda like a big teddy
bear..."  It didn't take a mind reader to tell she was trying on a favorite
fantasy.  Then she shook herself.  "How in the Hell am I gonna get his
attention?"

      "Leave that to me," Dina confided.  "I'll get Bobby to con him into
offering you a ride home, and maybe a dance or two in the meantime.  Surely,
once you have him in hand, you can think of ways to keep him from letting
go?"

      Tenisha grinned. "I may not have tits, but I got an ass!"  Tenisha
did, too.  Basically, she fit the stereotype for the narrow template black
woman: tall, a bit horse-faced, narrow, bony.  But she had a cute bubble
butt, and nice legs - and she knew it.  "You can do this?"

      "Piece of cake!" Dina replied.  "Be available!"  She primped a bit in
the mirror, turned, and sashayed out.

      Tenisha shrugged, fussed with the ruffles in her frilly top for a
couple of seconds, and followed.  She had nothing to lose... and Draper,
well, he was a package she'd never considered properly, but only because
she'd considered him unattainable.  If he WAS attainable, though...

      "Fuckin' bitch!" Nate fumed, snatching a coke from the table, "She
gonna goddam WALK home!"

      Draper smiled wryly, "What'd you do, ya dumb muthafuckah?"

      Nate closed one eye and scratched his head in concentration.  "Dunno.
Sumpthin' about them pancake tits o' hers.  Started out as a compliment..."

      "You ain't NEVER gonna get your dick wet if you don't control that
hole below your nose!" Draper chuckled.

      "Aaah!  Bitches is all the same!" Nate announced.

      Draper shook his head.  "A ho's a ho to you," his face turned sly,
"'cept maybe if she's a WHITE ho..."

      Nate's face changed, and for a moment, raw longing appeared there.
"Yeah," he conceded, "Mebbe."

      "Tenisha's all about shit you don' want," Draper observed, mildly.
"Whyinthehell did you bring her?"

      "Nuthin' else out there, for either of us!" Nate complained.  "You'd
think she'd have the sense to not get all het up..."

      "Draper's right," Bobby observed, insinuating himself into the
conversation.  "I had you figured for an ass man!"

      "Well," Nate allowed.  "'Nisha's got one.  It ain't the size I like,
but she's got one."

      The trio stood around, ruminating, discussing women in general, while
Bobby kept an eye out for Dina.


      Meanwhile, Dina descended on her second target in five minutes.  "Hi,
Nora. How's it goin'"

      "Dina?  That you?  I didn't recognize you under that war paint..."
Nora Wilson smiled shyly at the attention, then got a little wistful.
"Okay, I guess."

      "I don't see you tearing up the dance floor," Dina observed, "Who'd
you come with?"

      "Well, you know, I'm not incredibly popular..." Nora replied,
morosely.  Nora was about 5' 6", with a plain face and mouse-brown hair.
She was fairly petite to the waist, with the exception of a nice set of 36C
breasts - but she ballooned quite a bit between the waist and thighs,
probably pushing 44", most of it hips and ass.  Her odd shape caused her to
take a lot of shit, but otherwise get overlooked.  "And I came with
Teddy..."

      "Who isn't known for romancing women," Dina grinned.  "In fact...
Where is he?  The men's room?"

      Nora blushed.  "We have that in common - we both like men!"

      Dina snickered, but pounced on the opening.  "Is that ALL you have in
common?  Rumor has it that Teddy likes his meat to be black..."

      Nora's blush took on a MUCH darker hue. "I -I don't know," she
stuttered.

      Dina eyeing her closely, murmured, "Maybe it's time you found out.  If
I brought around a boy who might be interested, would it matter if he was
black?"

      Nora nearly strangled on her reply.  "N-no..."

      "Might even fulfill a fantasy or two, huh?" Dina teased.

      "Oh, Gawd!  Please don't tell anybody!" Nora pled.

      "It's okay," Dina reassured her, "Your secret's safe with Mama Dina."
She leaned in close.  "Are you willing to take some advice, if I provide you
an opportunity to fulfill the fantasy?"

      "Well, okay," Nora replied dubiously.  "Who are we talking about, and
what do I have to do?  I'm not going to end up feeling used, am I?  Some guy
didn't give you money to find him an easy lay?"  Nora was trying hard to act
tough and sophisticated, but Dina KNEW better.  She'd seen that look of
sadness before...

      "Nope, this is on the up and up.  What do you think of Nate?" Dina
asked.

      "Nate Adams?  So you ARE kidding.  That's mean!" Nora looked like she
was about to cry.

      "No, no!  I'm serious!  Work with me here!"  Dina insisted.  "What's
your objective opinion?"

      Nora grinned. "Teddy and I discussed him.  He'd be a catch..." She
frowned, "If you could plug his mouth."

      "Well," Dina admitted, "that's fair.  But I have a theory.  Nate's,
well, high strung.  I figure that he's got testosterone pouring out of his
ears.  He's GOTTA do SOMETHING!  Besides, he's under the impression that
somewhere, sometime, that line of shit is gonna get him laid."

      "Okay, so..."

      "So, Nate needs a woman who's thick skinned.  But more than that, he
needs control."  Dina explained.

      "Control?"  Nora was lost.

      "Yeah, control - but not the usual type.  Most girls control their
boys with the stick: threats, lackanookie, that kind of thing.  But Nate
doesn't respond to the stick - that's all he gets!  I figure if you show him
the carrot, and let him know that he needs to keep his mouth shut to get
it..." Dina amplified.

      "So, I wave a carrot?  What kind of carrot?" Nora was still mystified.

      "Well, Nate's an ass man..."  Dina murmured, smiling.

      "Yeah..."  Nora began to smile. "I've got one of them..."

      "He likes tits, too..." Dina's grin widened.

      "Okay..."  Nora began to nod.

      "Last, but not least, Nate would be in Hawg Heaven if he could say his
girlfriend was white..."  Dina's smile would do credit to a crocodile.

      "Yeah, but..." Nora frowned, "How do I control him?  I don't do much
of that..."

      "Just treat him like you do Teddy," Dina smirked.  "Thing is, you've
got a handle on Nate - you don't have one on Teddy, really. Should be a
snap!"

      "Well, yeah," Nora agreed, troubled, "But don't I have to, uh..."

      "Well, it might help.  But nobody says you have to go all out tonight;
Nate just needs to smell success.  Besides, if Nate DOES settle down, isn't
that the idea?  I thought you WANTED somebody handling the merchandise!"

      Nora bit her lip.  "Guess you're right," she admitted.  "But if you're
wrong, my reputation is shot, for nothing!"

      "Nah," Dina replied.  "You'll have made yourself visible to your
target audience, that's all.  And the home team will turn out to prove THEY
can do the job... One thing's sure - you WON'T be ignored!"

      Nora laughed shakily, "No, I guess not!  Okay, I'll give it a shot!"

      "Mother him," Dina advised.  "Nate needs a momma - someone to keep him
happy and out of trouble.  You can do that, can't you?"

      "Yeah, I think so.  But can he do the same for me?" Nora wondered.

      "I'm thinking that anything's better than what you've got..." Dina
replied.

      Nora nodded.  "Yeah, it's just nerves.  Time to put up or shut up.
Bring him on!"


      Bobby caught a flicker out of the corner of his eye, and turned to
confirm that Dina was giving him the high sign.  "Say, Nate," he said
casually, "What if I could set you up with a white chick?"

      "Say what?" Nate's eyes popped.

      "What d'ya think of Nora over there?" Bobby asked.

      "The Wilson bitch?" Nate blinked.  "Kinda homely..."

      "Big, comfortable ass," Bobby replied, playing Devil's Advocate, "Nice
tits, too.  You holding out for a beauty queen?  I didn't realize you had so
many options..."

      "Yeah, yeah, you're right - she ain't THAT hard to look at.  Who says
you can deliver?  When'd YOU become her pimp?" Nate asked suspiciously.

      "See Dina over there?" Bobby replied, "She's my ace in the hole.
You've got a dance, and a shot at quite a bit more.  IF you keep your big,
fucking mouth shut!"

      Draper chuckled and Nate glared. "Hey, I spent a long time workin' my
rap!"

      "And it's got you laid how many times?" Bobby sneered.

      "Lissen to the man, ya stupid muthafuckah!" Draper chuckled, "He's
brought you better inna box that you ever got!  An' he's dead right!  That
rap o' yours ain't nevah got you nuthin' but slapped!"

      "Go over there and ask Nora to dance," Bobby prompted.  "If you can
keep your mouth shut for five minutes, you might just score!"

      "Awright, you made your point!" Nate growled, and moved off.

      Bobby turned to Draper, "Can you do me a favor?"


      Nate closed on the girls and began to swagger - until he met Dina's
glare.  He throttled it back and turned to Nora.  "Uh, Nora - think we could
dance?"

      Nora glanced at Dina, who drove a thumb into the palm of her other
hand.  "All right," she murmured, archly, "As long as you behave yourself."
She let him lead her to the floor.


      Draper eyed Bobby "Whatcha want wit' me?"

      Bobby shrugged.  "Nothing you don't do all the time.  I want you to
clean up after Nate."

      "Huh?"  Draper blinked.

      "Tenisha's night's been messed up pretty bad." Bobby noted.  "Why
don't you offer to take her home?  Maybe you can tease her back onto the
dance floor, and cheer her up?"

      "Uh, I dunno..."  Draper was suddenly VERY uncertain.

      "C'mon, you'll be a hero!"  Bobby punched Draper in the shoulder.

      "You sure?"  Draper was all but shaking.

      Bobby saw that he was going to have to resort to the hard sell.
"Yeah, I'm sure."  Turning he waved, "Hey Tenisha!"

      Draper, stuck, stood rooted while Tenisha came up.  "Hey, Tenisha."

      Bobby turned to Tenisha.  "Draper's offered to take you home."

      "He has!"  Tenisha turned a sunny smile on Draper.  "How sweet!"

      "You, uh, wanna go now?" Draper asked, nervously.

      "Well, if my ride is all settled, it might be nice to stay a while,"
Tenisha replied sweetly, "We could dance..."

      "Okay." Draper really had no choice.  He collected Tenisha's hand and
headed for the floor.

      Bobby, grinning, made his way back to Dina.  "Draper almost chickened
out!"

      "I noticed!" Dina laughed, "Who'd have guessed that Draper was THAT
nervous around women?  Well, Tenisha's got him, now!"  A glance at the dance
floor revealed that Tenisha had flowed into Drapers muscular arms.  "Let's
go sit and watch for a bit."


      Twyla Banks and Mickey LaRue were sitting on a stone bench in the
attached garden, capturing a bit of privacy while listening to the music.
Mickey was straddling the bench, and Twyla, her legs off one side, was
leaning against him.  Poor Mickey was trying to figure out what to do with
his itching palms; Twyla's breasts were an obvious target, but mauling them
all of the time didn't seem respectful.  This was TWYLA, not some slut...
"Twy?  Things have changed, haven't they?"

      Twyla stiffened.  "Well, yeah...  You wanna go back?"

      "Noooo..." Mickey drew it out while he thought about it.  "But I'm all
fucked up.  Part of me is acting like a kid in a candy store, but the other
part remembers that we have a long history as really good friends - and it
seems kind of disrespectful..."

      "...To be groping and pawing on your good friend Twyla?"  Twyla turned
laughing eyes on Mickey.  "That's got to be one of the most incredibly sweet
things you've ever said to me!"  She pondered a moment.  "I don't want to
lose that old interaction," she declared, "but I think we can add a
dimension.  We can be 'intimate friends'.  Or maybe..."  Once again, she
turned laughing eyes upon him.  "Do you remember when we were in fourth
grade, and you swore you were going to marry me?"

      Mickey grinned.  "You threw rocks at me for a week!"

      Twyla held his eyes.  "Maybe it's time we reexamined that promise..."

      Mickey's universe suddenly developed the capability to assume all
kinds of positions - but right side up wasn't one of them!  He froze, and
his eyes unfocused, as a million parallel universes yawned before him,
leaving him afraid to take a step least he either destroy something precious
or commit himself to something he couldn't follow through on.

      Twyla, watching his eyes, saw him go away, and fear rocketed through
her, as she realized she'd gone too far.  Actually, it had been something of
a tease - she hadn't realized just how serious he'd been when he'd announced
that he was adrift!  Then she calmed herself and got practical.  Mickey
needed an anchor.  His mind was gone, but his body wasn't, so... She leaned
up, unzipped the back of her dress, flipped down the cups of the built-in
bra, and moved Mickey's hands from her waist to her exposed breasts.

      It worked.  After a couple of seconds, the hands began gently kneading
her soft flesh, and she felt Mickey relax and reengage.  Twyla turned her
head, ALMOST looking at him and said, "Sorry, Mick.  I didn't mean to..."

      "Don't say another word!" Mickey directed.  "If you do, one of us
might be tempted to consider the matter closed.  It isn't.  I think it can
best be labeled as 'under investigation'."

      "Okay," Twyla replied meekly.  "Mick?  How about this?  My world is
like a big house.  When you said those things in the fourth grade, I threw
rocks at you because you didn't have the keys to those rooms.  Heck, even I
didn't, then!  Over the years, we've gradually handed out more and more keys
to each other.  Tonight, I handed you a whole new ring, and you've been real
sweet about returning the favor - but we haven't explored those rooms yet,
and some of them we'll have to explore together.  There's a lot of that to
do before we can expect to discover whether two of the rooms are
adjoining...  In the meantime, the old rooms we're comfortable in still
exist, and can still be retreated to when we're scared to look in the closet
or under the bed.  Okay?"

      "Uh huh," Mickey was fully returned to the present.  "Can I chew on
you neck for a bit?" he asked.

      Twyla smiled.  "Okay.  Don't be surprised if I moan and groan and
thrash around a bit."

      Mickey grinned.  "I'm looking forward to it!"


      "That was fun," Bobby announced, handing Dina her coke.  "Think it'll
take?" he asked, as he plopped into a chair.

      "I dunno," Dina replied as she settled on his lap, "I planned for the
long run - not fair to them not to - but it really depends on whether Nora
has the guts to step up to the plate and whether Draper can manage to hide
behind his poker face long enough to convince Tenisha that there is nothing
there.  I'm betting Draper can't hold out, but I'm worried about Nora.
She's not known for her guts."  Dina suddenly developed an evil grin and
began maliciously wriggling on Bobby's lap.

      Bobby's erection was almost instantaneous - and uncomfortable.  After
a very few seconds he warned, "Pretty Tits, if you don't stop that, I'm
gonna..."

      Dina slid forward on Bobby's legs, in case he stood up to dump her
off, turned to eye him archly and asked, "You're gonna what?"

      Until the moment she asked the question, Bobby had no answer - but her
change in position proved her undoing, as inspiration struck.  "This!" Bobby
roared, and quickly whipped his thumb between his legs, under Dina's ass and
up through the slit in the back of her skirt, goosing her.  The unerring
accuracy of the attack was a surprise to both of them; Dina's labia were
lubricated and had retracted from sliding up and down along Bobby's
erection, and Bobby's thumb entered Dina's vaginal canal to the first
knuckle.

      Dina's eyes bugged out, she leaped straight up, and screamed bloody
murder, garnering attention from every corner of the room!  She whirled on
Bobby screeching "Bobby McCormick! You..." - but Bobby was collapsed in
mirth, as was everyone else at the table!  She recovered herself and her
sense of humor, and bent to attack him where he sprawled defenseless, unable
to catch his breath.  Bobby wrapped her in a bear hug, and gasped between
chuckles, "Next time...it'll be...my cock!"

      "Promises, promises!" Dina jeered, then settled in for a big kiss.


      Nate Adams was a happy man.  The first couple of dances with Nora had
been fast ones, and had gone quite well.  Toward the end of the second
dance, they started a more or less standard move where Nora turned around
and backed into him, and Nate discovered just how soft and resilient that
ass was!  The reaction was anything but, however, and Nate retained the
presence of mind not to allow it to be detected, disengaging when the
problem became serious and taking her on the hip instead.  He was just
congratulating himself on the move when the next dance began - a slow ballad
that brought Nora into his arms.  With her breasts pillowing against his
chest, his cock would NOT go down, and he became nervous, trying to figure
out how he was going to keep her from detecting it. 'Time to run the rap!'
he thought, but when he opened his mouth, Nora said "Shhh!" and laid her
head on his shoulder, boring in.

      Nate hadn't been as successful as he believed himself to be; Nora had
detected his erection during the spooning maneuver.  When the slow dance
started, she deliberately came in close enough to bring her breasts into
contact with his chest, to see what his reaction would be.  The panic in his
eyes that presaged his attempt to talk gave her warning enough to prepare
her admonishment to silence and to move in.  She laid her head on his
shoulder, and ground her pubic mound against his bone, leaving no doubt that
it had been detected.  Nate's eyes widened, but Nora said nothing, and did
NOT pull away...

      After a bit, Nate's embarrassment began to fade and he got
comfortable.  Nora was, well, sweet.  Nate smelled her hair, and began
rubbing her back, enjoying the silky feel of her skin.  He settled his cock
along the junction of her pubic mound and right leg and just left it there,
as much as possible, Nora actively helping him to maintain engagement.
Obviously, she not only knew it was there, but was also enjoying its
presence!

      Nora was pleased.  Nate felt, well, nice against her.  His somewhat
rangy frame and whipcord muscles presented a solid, but not bony surface for
her to press against.  His arms and hands were strong, yet gentle as he
moved them along her back.  As for the long, hard cylinder of flesh that lay
along the hollow inside her hip from the vicinity of her crotch upward for
several inches along her belly, well...  The contact of that hot flesh
conveyed the certainty that she had Nate's full attention.  And if THAT was
the case, maybe she DID have the tools necessary to handle the situation!

      Another song began, slow like the last.  Nate backed off for a second,
and murmured, "You wanna go on?"  Nora nodded, and flowed back against him,
and Nate realized that he just might be accomplishing something.  Certainly,
this was his most successful interlude with a woman yet...  Growing
confidence led him to begin testing his limits.  One of the hands caressing
Nora's back began drifting lower, sweeping across the top of Nora's broad
ass.  Nate savored the feel of it, sliding his hand lower and cupping the
soft cheek.  It was... luxurious, and Nate was fascinated.  "Y'know Nora,"
he began, "You pretty fine.  Not much to look at, but..."

      "Nate, Honey," Nora purred, interrupting him, "If you want to feel
that ass without a lot of cloth covering it, you'll shut up now, before you
say something that makes me unhappy."

      Nate's mouth closed with a clop, and he jerked his hand away from her
ass like it was burned, gingerly resettling it on her back.  What had she
said?  Had she just called him 'Honey'?  "Uhh, what...?"

      Nora leaned back to engage his eyes.  Nate's look of confusion was
comical, and she couldn't resist a smile.  "You have a question?"

      "Did you jus' call me 'Honey'?" Nate asked.  He figured his ears
didn't work, or something.

      Nora eyed him sidelong.  "Yesss.  Do you have a problem with that?"

      "No, no!  That's fine!" Nate declared hurriedly.  Why did he feel so
weird?  "Uhhh...?"

      "Yes?"  Nora was all innocence.

      "You said sumpthin' after that..."  At Nora's look of encouragement,
he stuttered on, "... uh, about feelin' your ass?  Uh, bare?"

      Nora's eyelids drooped.  "Maybe... If you're a good boy, and don't
start that line of drivel you usually spout.  Some of the stuff you say,
well, isn't nice."

      "But it's my line!" Nate protested.  "It gets me..."

      "What?" Nora demanded.  "Slapped?  Isn't it what got you slapped a
while ago?"

      "Well, yeah," Nate admitted.

      "Nate," Nora declared, "These are the ground rules:  If you can manage
to keep from saying something that makes me unhappy enough to walk away, the
sky's the limit!  Or you can run your rap and never get another chance!
Since I honestly wonder whether you have any idea what you're doing, I'll
let you slide the first time, if you just ask me if a particular comment is
okay.  But if you embarrass me in public, I'm gone.  Understand?"

      "Uh, I think so," Nate replied cautiously.  "No rap.  Got to be
careful 'bout what I say.  An' this gets me..."

      Nora took Nate's hand and put it back on her ass. "What does 'The
sky's the limit' mean to YOU?"

      "Uhhhh," Nate was beside himself.  "You're shittin' me, right?"

      "Look, I don't normally talk like this, but I want to be clear," Nora
declared.  "I'm not promising you that you're going to get laid tonight, but
the door's open.  And there's always tomorrow..."  She smiled.  "If you just
HAVE to use that mouth of yours, you could kiss me..."

      "Huh!"  Nate didn't have to think about that one.  He pulled her in
and locked lips... and entered a whole new world.  Nora melted against him,
returning the kiss, and Nate was inundated.  He stopped moving to the music
- Hell, he couldn't HEAR the music!  But he was feeling with every nerve in
his body!

      Nora wasn't exactly unaffected.  Nate gave as good as he got, and Nora
went weak in the knees.  The kiss lasted thirty seconds, but might as well
have been eternity; neither of them got out unscathed.  Music was still
playing when Nate surfaced, so he put the pair back in motion, but they were
shaky.  Concentration on dance was impossible; when the music stopped, Nate
muttered, "Think we oughta sit down for a couple." and led an unresisting
Nora off the floor.

      Dina, who had been watching the pair closely, caught the kiss and
announced "Bang!" pleased with herself.

      Bobby looked, nodded.  "We do good work!"

      Dina nodded, pleased.  "We're batting 500 - 667 if you count Twyla and
Mickey."

      "How are Tenisha and Draper doing?" Bobby wondered aloud.

      "Tougher to tell.  It's gonna be a tough sell," Dina replied.


      The couple in question was sitting this one out, having danced only
fast dances.  Tenisha decided to press a bit.  "Draper, Honey, how come
you've never asked me out?"

      "I figured you'd jus' say 'No'," Draper related diffidently.  "You
bein' pop'lar an' all.  I don' 'zactly draw a crowd."

      Tenisha shook her head. "I've got a lot of GIRL friends; boys are
different!  I came HERE with NATE for God's sake!"

      Draper shrugged.  "You're outta my league..."

      Tenisha gave him the fish eye. "Don't you give ME that po' nigra act,
Draper Travis - I've heard you in Drama class!  You can do anything you want
- but you PLAY at bein' ghetto black!  Why?"

      Draper shrugged, "Way I grew up!  I got friends..."

      "Like Nate Adams, who thinks an attitude is gonna get him something!
When you gonna give him up as a lost cause?"

      "Scuse me?  I hang with Nate, not the other way around!" Draper
protested.

      "Sell it to somebody who's buyin'!" Tenisha retorted.  "You're the
only one keepin' Nate outta jail!  When you, Nate, and Stick get inta
trouble, its Nate bouncin' off the walls does it - an' when you get out,
it's YOU drivin'!  I got eyes!"

      Tenisha caught a movement - or a lack thereof - on the dance floor.
Nate and Nora were frozen in a clinch.  She indicated the couple with her
eyes.  "You might be out of a job!"

      Draper glanced over his shoulder, then did a double-take.  "Jeezus!
It's workin'!"

      "What?" Tenisha asked sharply.

      "Bobby McCormick come over here, an' talked Nate inta puttin' the
moves on Nora.  Tol' him - like I done a thousand times - keep his
muthafuckin' mouth shut an' snuggle up, an' his dreams'd all come true!  I
didn't fuckin' believe it..."

      "Maybe you should start lookin' to yours?" Tenisha murmured quietly.
Draper turned to her, wide-eyed, and Tenisha chuckled after a moment,
"Gotcha!"

      Draper's look turned calculating.  Bobby had been downright pushy...
"You know sumpthin' I don't?"

      "Maybe," Tenisha admitted.  "Nothing you won't guess pretty soon.
Back to the original question:  Why haven't you asked me out?"

      "I ain't comfortable 'round women," Draper grunted.

      "I see you givin' shit to Fat Mary and the Tyrone sisters all the
time..." Tenisha prodded.

      "Awww, they're pests!  Christ!" Draper groused, "If I gotta type, they
ain't it!"

      "Oh?" Tenisha retorted archly, "I hear you spread Beulah Tyrone awhile
back."

      "Who tol' you that!" Draper roared, full of fury.

      "Beulah Tyrone!" Tenisha simpered.

      "I'm gonna wring her goddam neck!  Fuckin' cow chased me for six
months after that!"

      "So it happened?" Tenisha prodded.

      "Hmmph!  More like SHE spread ME!  I had a six pack in me, at least,
and was damn near cross-eyed!  She did everything but stick it in and pump
me back an' forth!  I was stupid drunk, and well, a man's got needs!  When
it's laying there under ya..."

      "Women don't have needs?" Tenisha prodded archly.  "Beulah has needs;
the way she tells it, you did a pretty good job fulfilling 'em!"

      "Aww, how would SHE know?  Fuckin' cow!"  Draper groused.  "How many
other people has she bragged about me to?  Christ, I'm fuckin' ruined!"

      "You think you're the first drunk she's thrown herself under?" Tenisha
teased.  "Beulah doesn't have that many options.  She just ropes 'em in, and
hopes that one of 'em will come back for seconds."

      Draper shivered, remembering.  He'd passed out and awoke to Beulah
giggling - and jiggling...  "Ugh!"

      "Beulah's not your type?" Tenisha teased, eying him.

      "Not even close!" Draper produced another shudder.  "She's fuckin'
HUGE!  An' has these gawdawful udders!  Dark areas as big as a saucer, an'
no nips!  I like..."  He held up his little finger exposed to the first
joint, "Stiff pointy nips!  Like that!  Like..."  Suddenly, his eyes popped
and he shut up.  "Sorry.  Got carried away."

      Tenisha smiled.  "Its okay - I asked you."  Canting her head, she
continued, "I thought guys LIKED big tits?"

      "I got no use for big fat wiggly things.  I want sumpthin' I can clamp
my lips on an' chew an' watch the girl attached go nuts!  Buncha fat's a
waste! Nate an' I had this argument a hunnerd times.  Gimme a narrow woman
with muscle, an' jus' enough padding on her to keep us from hurtin' each
other, then look out!"  Draper blanched.  "Aw, shit.  How come you're askin'
me all this?  I'm probably embarrassin' the shit outa ya!"

       'Best not let him guess too soon,' she thought, and hopped up.
"Let's dance."

      The song was one of those mid-speed, sexy numbers that allowed all
forms of dance, but favored 'dirty dancing'.  About a half-minute in,
Tenisha decided the time was ripe, and spun, backing into Draper's crotch.
Draper, no stranger to the move, expected her to come in off-side somewhere,
so it LOOKED like they were spooned, but were really holding a gap.  It
didn't happen.  Tenisha planted her little round ass in his crotch and held
it there, matching him move for move.  After a few seconds, he more or less
instinctively began making the move that was to end in the simulated pass
across her breasts, his hands coming up cupped along her sides.  Tenisha
placed her hands in the 'guard' position below and outside his, mirroring
the sweep.  But when he reached her chest, she suddenly dropped her hands
over his, pressing his palms into the taffeta.  Eraserlike spikes three
quarters of an inch long burned into his palms from atop two small, soft
mounds.  Tenisha turned her head and breathed in Draper's ear, "How do THESE
measure up?"

      Draper reined himself in tight, fighting for control.  "Jeezus,
'Nisha!" he murmured, "You tryin' to tell me sumpthin'?"

      The warm breath in his ear continued, and on it rode the words, "I'm
bein' about as clear as I know how.  Question is, do you understand?  And
what are you gonna do about it?"

      Draper turned his head and looked into eyes that pled.  "Girl, you
pretty brave, climbin' 'way out on that limb."

      "You gonna cut it off?" Tenisha had reached the limits of her bravery;
anxiety quivered in her eyes and voice.

      Draper locked on those eyes, eyes that stated clearly that, no, this
wasn't a cruel joke, and he moved firmly into the saddle.  "Not no, but FUCK
no!" he declared, and melded his lips to hers.

      Their position didn't allow them to totally lose themselves, so the
kiss only lasted a moment, but it was a promissory note.  Draper got Tenisha
spun into a more normal position, and asked gently, "Why me?"

      Tenisha shrugged.  "Why NOT you?  I've felt the same about you as you
did about me - that you just couldn't be had.  But it didn't keep it from
being a favorite fantasy..."

      "But I'm ... just..."  'What DID you say to this?' he wondered.

      Tenisha grinned nervously.  "Exactly.  And I'M...just...  The only
place either of us is more is in the other's head, apparently.  No one ELSE
has any illusions."

      Draper shook his head.  "So what happened tonight?" he wondered aloud.

      "You know the answer," Tenisha declared.  Her head turned, and eyes
like laser rangefinders settled on Bobby and Dina - who were looking back.
"Those two."

      Draper nodded, eyes intent.  "What do you think they're up to?" he
asked.

      "Matchmaking," Tenisha replied.  "I think they honestly think we're
good for each other - that we can make it.  Question is, are they right?"

      "I'm willing to try and find out," Draper declared.  "You?"

      Soft eyes met his.  "More than willing," Tenisha breathed softly,
"More than willing."  Draper drew her in for a longer, more exploratory
kiss.


      Bobby and Dina had been watching sharply from the sidelines.  Bobby
caught the spooning maneuver and the fact that they weren't faking it.
"Heads up!  They're really sandwiched!"

      Dina swung her head around from where her attention had momentarily
settled elsewhere.  "Yeah?"

      "Yeah!" Bobby affirmed.  Both caught the verbal byplay and the kiss.
"Bingo!" Bobby crowed.  "This is more fun than shooting squirrels!"

      "It isn't over yet!" Dina warned, and the pair were set when suddenly
two sets of eyes met theirs from the far side of the room.  "Oh, shit!  Now,
do they decide we were conniving, or that we had their interests in mind?"

      But the second kiss settled the matter, and the pair turned their
attention to each other for a while.