Livin' Off Love

Chapter Ten

Jennifer fidgeted all morning with anticipation and excitement for the upcoming night. She rushed through the files flooding her desk. There was a song running through her head and escaping from her lips at different times.

"What's got you so up?" Samantha asked.

"I did it last night," she began excitedly. "I went out and didn't pick up anyone. I've made it for three days without sleeping with anyone all because Duncan asked me to wait."

"You're excited because you haven't gotten laid in three days. I'd be upset. Hell, I get upset when I don't see Freddie every day."

"You don't get it. Ever since this..." Jennifer broke off realizing she hadn't explained her recent cravings to Samantha.

"Ever since what?"

"Never mind. It's a personal problem I've been having."

"Since when has that stopped you from telling me everything? Besides, it's not like you sleep around. Until last weekend you weren't sleeping with anyone. Now you think it's a challenge to go three days."

"Things changed. It's different now. I promise to tell you about it when it gets sorted out."

"Why wait?" Samantha asked as the phone rang. She rushed back to her desk to answer it.

"Thank you," Jennifer whispered looking upward.

She looked up at the clock. It was already three. There wasn't a moment wasted as she flew through the remainder of her workload. Samantha tried to pull her into their earlier conversation without success. At five, Jennifer grabbed her purse and started for the door.

"Samantha," she called. "If I don't show up tomorrow cover for me. I plan on having a real good time tonight."

"Wait!" Samantha shouted.

"What?"

"When is Duncan picking you up? I'd really like to meet him. Maybe Freddie and I could just happen to drop by and say hello."

"Seven-thirty but we won't be able to wait if you're not there."

That was all Samantha could drag out of her before the door was closed. Jennifer half danced to the car and raced to the house.

"What to wear? What to wear?" she sked herself pushing around the clothes in her closet. Cotton? Knit? Denim? None of these seemed right. Her hand brushed the next garment. Without looking, she knew it was the one to wear. It was pure silk. She held it up. It was a shirt-dress that could be dressed up to formal or down to casual. She didn't know which this evening was supposed to be, so she laid out accessories for both.

"I need a shower," she said looking in the mirror. "Then I can fix my face."

By six-thirty she was dressed and ready to go. The mirror reflected the hunger in her. The buttons of the dress were opened to the top of her cleavage. Low enough to be provocative but high enough not to be vulgar. The necklace lay in a path leading to the shadow between two crests. Her narrow waist was cinched with a colorful silk tie. The skirt flared opened to mid-thigh. She bent down facing the mirror.

"Maybe I should be a little more discrete," she told herself closing two more buttons. Now her legs were only visible from the knee down. "Let his imagination work for a while."

The doorbell rang. She picked up her shoes and skipped down the stairs. As the door started to open, she began talking.

"Samantha, I told you were weren't...Duncan!" she exclaimed interrupting herself. "You're early."