The doorbell rang 10 minutes later. I invited Amy in to meet Mum, introducing her as a dentist from work. Amy was wearing a white ruffle shirt and black flared trousers. I thought to myself that she has a pretty face but appeared to have no fashion sense at all. I knew from experience what she was wearing would not appeal to males. But then maybe she wasn’t on the hunt. I did not say anything.
As we drove in to the city Amy chatted about her life. She lived in her own unit and was well off but had trouble meeting men. She was 30 and didn’t want to end up an old maid. She could feel her biological clock ticking.
I asked her “What do you do when you are not working?”
She replied “On a week night I usually either watch TV or take a book to bed. Most weekends I go to Melbourne to visit my sick mother. I don’t have much of a social life”
“No exercise or sport?”
“I don’t have time. I used to do gymnastics as a girl but gave that up when I got serious about study”
“Do you have any friends in town?”
“Only the people from work”
I thought: You’re a bit of a case. This girl needs help.
We arrived at the venue. There was a sign in the hotel foyer saying 'Linda's Party Upstairs'
We climbed up the stairs together through to a large room decorated with balloons and streamers and a big sign saying 'Happy 21st Linda'
Linda saw us and came across and greeted us with a cheek kiss each. We said happy birthday to her. She was looking great in a metallic blue embroidered party dress. She introduced us to her parents who were with her then pointed out where some of our work colleagues were talking in a corner. We moved across to where Millicent was with Maggie and her husband. Maggie introduced me to Simon. I actually recognized Simon, he was a receivables officer at a factory where as Zach I used to make regular deliveries. However in my current guise I could hardly treat him as an old acquaintance.
I left Amy with them as I went to the bar to get two drinks. The barman said the drinks were on a tab and poured me two glasses of white wine. As I made my way back to Amy, I heard a male voice call out "Jenna" I looked around. It was Steve from my basketball team. He had been sheepish at the funeral when with his girlfriend in tow. Was he here on his own? He was talking to two other blokes who I did not recognize. No sign of the girlfriend.
"Hi Steve. I didn't know you would be here. I'll come and see you later. I need to take this drink to my friend" He gave me a thumbs up.
I walked over to Amy and gave her a glass of wine. Maria and her husband Ben had turned up. I thought Ben was quite hunky for a 40 year old. He had longish dark hair and was wearing black jeans and a grey shirt. He had a swimmers physique of big shoulders and a small bum.
As he talked to me his eyes were checking me out. He was secretly flirting with me and I was enjoying it. I responded in kind and brushed against him as I placed my drink on a table. I would like to think Maria was oblivious.
Evelyn showed up with her boyfriend Tom in tow. Tom was a weedy little guy but he soon proved to be quite a comedian. Telling us jokes and amusing anecdotes. Evelyn was looking at him with adoring eyes. She was clearly in love.
My drink was finished and Amy got the hint and went to the bar to another round. Maria said "Now we are all here let's give Linda her present" As a group we moved back towards Linda near the door. We waited for Amy to join us then Maria caught Linda's attention and handed her a present which she had earlier hidden under the table. "Happy birthday Linda from everyone at the practice"
Linda unwrapped the present and seemed genuinely happy with her new bag. In turn she moved around our group and gave everyone a hug and a kiss. The bag was placed in a prominent place on a table.
Millicent was talking to Linda's parents and I assume a grandmother and some of the others had drifted back to the table where they had left their drinks. I took the opportunity to walk over to Steve and say hello again. He was still talking to the same two blokes he had been with earlier.
"Hi Steve. Are you alone tonight?"
"Hi again Jenna, Georgie is here somewhere. She will be in that mob of girls over there" He nodded towards a group of 15 or so girls huddled in a group. "Jenna this is Billy, Linda’s brother and you would remember Lance her cousin, he was in your year at school"
I looked at Lance. He obviously knew me. I blushed. This must be Lance the lance, Jenna's seducer. I was speechless.
"Hi Jenna, I didn't know I had changed so much that you wouldn't recognize me" He had a deep masculine voice. My heart was fluttering.
I eventually got my voice back "I didn't expect to see you here. Did Steve say you are Linda's cousin?”
“Yes, I’ve come down from Sydney for her party”
“I had no idea. I haven’t seen you since you left here what was it 9 years ago?”
“That would be right. I actually haven’t been back here since then. I’ve actually been living in London for four years and only moved back to Sydney at Christmas. So what about you Jenna? How do you know Linda?”
“I work with her at the dentists” Georgie came across to our group and stood between me and Steve
“Hello, I remember your face from the funeral. Your Sarah’s sister. Sorry I have forgotten your name”
Steve said “Georgie this is Jenna, Lance and Billy”
“Oh I know Billy. And I have heard about you Lance”
“Good things I hope”
“Very interesting things I must admit….. Come with me Steve I want you to meet some of the other girls” she dragged him by the arm across to the big group of girls.
I had the impression that Georgie had come across to remove Steve from my presence. Maybe someone had told her of our history. Lance said “Billy your shout. I could do with another beer. While you’re at it get Jenna another glass as well” Billy walked off to the bar leaving me alone with Lance. “So I see the breast massages and the sex helped. You have become a stunning woman” he gave me a cheeky grin
I blushed again “I was rather naive wasn’t I. I suppose you have conquests all over the world now”
“Let’s just say I am more experienced”
“Not married?”
“No. Too much fun being single. I must admit I love the hunt. What about you? No rings I see”
“I’m single as well” I was finding it hard to control myself. He exuded manliness. I was desperately hoping he would proposition me.
“So are you a dentist?”
“No I work on reception with Linda”
“Are those people you were with workmates?”
“Yeah”
“Introduce me will you” I was surprised all I wanted was to be alone with him. I had been hoping I would have the same effect on him. “Jenna, don’t get your hopes up about me. I’m not good husband material. I told you I love the chase and stunning as you are, your body language is telling me that I would not have to chase you hard. I have developed some fetishes, among them is a love of seducing reluctant women. Like I said I love a challenge”
I felt embarrassed again. I had certainly made my thoughts clear and he was rejecting me. I suppose I was grateful that he had not led me on. I imagine the real Jenna may have been shocked by this turn of events but for me it was something that had happened frequently when I was a single young male. Men get used to rejection.
Billy came back and put a glass of wine on the bench in front of me. I still had a mouthful left in my old glass and swallowed that in a gulp, said “Thanks Billy, I should get back to my friends” I picked up the new glass and moved across to Millicent who was standing with Amy.
“So who are the guy’s Jenna?” asked Millicent
“Fellows I went to school with” I replied
“I saw you flashing that lovely smile of yours at the hunky one”
“Hmm I tried. But he wasn’t interested”
“Oh” She seemed surprised
”We have a history”
“He’s coming over. Maybe all is not lost”
“So Jenna aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”
“Umm. Lance this is Millicent and Amy, both dentists and my bosses. Ladies this is Lance who I went to school with”
“Charmed to meet you ladies” He actually took their hand and gave them a hand kiss each. Amy tittered in delight.
Lance started asking Millicent about herself and I drifted away. I didn’t want my body language betraying me again. I moved across and listened to the conversation between Maria, Ben and a short blonde girl. They were talking about international travel. When the conversation paused Maria introduced me to Lily, who was the friend that Linda had travelled to Vietnam and Cambodia with on her recent holiday. Lily had her dental care done by Amy.
We chatted about international destinations. I knew Jenna had been in New Zealand but had no idea if she had been elsewhere. As Zach I had travelled to Europe and done a Kontiki trip. I had to be guarded with what I said.
Linda came across and joined us. Evidently she and Lily were ‘Besties’ There were already planning their next overseas holiday. Hopefully to the UK next year. Some bar staff appeared and started passing platters of finger food around the room. Linda said that rather than a sit-down meal they had opted for continuous platters and hoped that people would be happy. I told her that what I was currently eating was delicious.
Linda said to us that she was going to try and get some dancing happening in a few minutes and asked if I and Lily could lead the way and hopefully encourage some of the boys to join in. We agreed. I chatted further with Lily. She and Linda had gone to school together. Indeed the large group of girls I had seen earlier were all school mates. They had gone to the local girls grammar school. Lily was studying teaching at the local university.
Some music started and some disco style lights were turned on above a small dance floor at the other end of the function room. We coaxed Maria and Ben to come with us and the 4 of us moved to the dance floor and started dancing to the music. I utilized some of the tamer moves I had learned at the dance classes including the sexy walk but left out some of the more suggestive actions. This body sure enjoyed dancing.
I could feel a lot of males eyes scrutinizing me and remembering what Linda had asked looked around for a male to coax into dancing with me. Billy was watching me intently and tapping his feet. I did the sexy walk across to him and grabbed his hand pulling him back to the dance floor. We had danced a couple of songs together when I noticed Amy up on the floor dancing with Lance. Amy looked nervous but Lance looked at ease. When the song finished she quickly hurried back to Millicent who was talking with Evelyn and Tom. Billy looked like he needed a rest so we left the floor as well. By now quite a few couples were dancing we had done our job.
I walked over and joined Amy and Evelyn. Amy was gushing “I can’t believe he asked me to dance”
Evelyn saw me and said “Jenna. You set that dance floor on fire. I had to chain Tom to his seat. Where did you learn to dance like that?”
“I’ve done a little bit of dancing in my time. I’ll admit I have had a couple of lessons”
“Well you might have to teach me some of them. And Amy as well now that she has an admirer”
“Watch out for Lance, Amy he is a smooth talker” I don’t think she was listening
“He’s and investor and has just returned from 4 years in the UK” Amy was saying.
Lance approached he had two glasses of wine. He handed one to Amy and one to me. “For the two best female dancers” he said. Amy blushed again. Was Lance trying to seduce her?
I realized he was. I thought about it. A bit of positive male attention would do her a lot of good. Maybe bring her out of her shell. It would up her self-confidence no end. On the downside I knew Lance was trying to seduce her. I supposed that is what all males try to do to all females. However I knew he had no intention of giving her everlasting love. He had a goal in mind and had set Amy as his target. I don’t know if I could describe Amy as a ‘reluctant woman’. But I suspect she was probably still a virgin. I just didn’t want to see him breaking her heart.
I got his attention and whispered if I could have a word in private. I moved to near the table where the presents had been placed and pretended to look through them. Since I was there I signed the guestbook. I was amazed how if I wrote without thinking my handwriting was identical to Jenna’s.
Lance came across after a couple of minutes. I said to him quietly “Lance I see you have Amy as your target for the night. Please promise me you won’t break her heart. She is a girl with very low self-confidence”
“Jenna, I admit I have made your friend my target. She is a grown woman who can make her own decisions. I won’t bullshit her about eternal love. I’ll promise you that I will be open with her about my intentions. It actually makes her a bigger challenge. How do I convince a 30 year old virgin to have a one night stand? I like it”
“She’s actually my lift home”
“Well you might have to think about getting a taxi” he left, returning to Amy.
He’s right I thought. Amy is a mature woman and can make her own decisions. I shouldn’t interfere. I wasn’t put here to protect her virginity. She was probably dying to lose it. That’s if she was a virgin. I looked across. Lance was saying something to her and she was blushing again. I was pretty sure she was a virgin.
I needed to forget about Amy for a while. The music was still playing and I could see Millicent and Maggie dancing together. Simon was not to be seen. I moved to the floor and started dancing with them. In a break between songs, I asked Maggie what had she done with Simon? She said he was a reluctant dancer. She could only ever get him to dance if he was drunk. She challenged me to try to get him onto the dance floor. “Challenge accepted” I replied
He was sitting on a stool with a beer in front of him watching the dancers. I sashayed my way across to him. He must have been watching me as his eyes followed my every move. I whispered in his ear “I have come to dance with you. You won’t disappoint me will you?”
I pulled him upright and away from the table. Then turned my back to him and placed his hands on my hips as they swayed to the beat. I told him hang on and did the sexy walk back to Maggie and Millicent. He held on. When I arrived with the ladies I got a clap from both of them. Maggie pulled Simons hands off my hips and onto her own. They started dancing together. Simon had a huge grin on his face.
I noticed Amy dancing with Lance again. This time she looked much more relaxed and really seemed to be enjoying herself. She had a lovely smile on her dial.
Tom and Evelyn were on the dance floor as were Maria and Ben. I realized Steve was there dancing in front of me. Almost as soon as I saw him Georgie was between us and moved him to the other side of the dance floor. He was replaced by Billy and some other bloke who I had not met, it seemed as though they were having a dance off, trying to get my attention. I felt flattered and did a couple of risqué moves. Suddenly I had two more admirers. I eased off not wanting things to get out of hand. Millicent was moving off the dance floor. I followed her.
She sat down at the table we had been at earlier and I joined her. She said “If Amy gets a good fucking it will the best thing that has happened all year” I was shocked. I didn’t think she was the sort of woman who used the F word. “Well don’t look so surprised. Surely you could see the potential benefits. She might actually get a life”
“She was my lift home”
Millicent chuckled “I could give you a lift but I think most of the males in the room would only be too happy to oblige”
“Let’s wait and see. Amy might yet get cold feet”
The music stopped and we listened to speeches by Linda’s parents then from Lily. When then all sang happy birthday as Linda cut a big cake.
Afterwards the dancing resumed I had many offers but made sure to do no more than two dances with each of my partners. Maggie and Simon went home at 10 and Maria, Simon and Millicent at about 11.
Millicent suggested I book a taxi as Amy and Lance were now dancing slowly hugging each other tight.
I was tapped on the shoulder by Amy who asked me to meet her in the ladies.
When I got there Amy said “Jenna I don’t know what to do. He’s really sexy and he asked could he spend the night with me”
“Well do you want him to?”
“I sort of do. But…. I’ve never done it before. I’m a virgin. I’m worried I’ll make a fool out of myself”
“You do know he lives in Sydney and will be flying home tomorrow. He’s not the sort of guy who will be back to take you to the movies next week”
“I know he told me…… No one like him has ever been interested in me before”
“You’re a grown women. I can find my own way home”
“Jenna. How can I say this? You seem experienced. What should I do?”
“You live alone don’t you?” She nodded “Invite him back for a drink. That is if your place is tidy”
“Oh it always is. I’m a bit of a neat freak”
“He knows what to do. Let him take control. I actually have it on good authority that he is very well endowed” She gave a nervous giggle.
“Does it hurt?”
“Just ask him to go slow”
“Damn it Jenna I’m sick of been the oldest virgin in the world. I’m going to do this”
“Go get him girl”
We walked back out together. She approached Lance who was sitting down with a beer in front of him. At the last minute she turned around and ran back to me. “I can’t do it”
“Yes you can” I grabbed her hand and dragged her back up to Lance. “Hi Lance, Amy wanted to invite you back to her place for a drink. But she has got a bit shy”
“Oh Amy, Let’s have one more dance then I will take you up on that offer”
“How are you going to get home Jenna?”
“Oh I can catch a taxi”
“I could drop you on the way. Yes I insist” I looked over her to Lance. He nodded to me.
“If you’re sure”
They went up and had one more dance. I sought out Linda and said we were going. She asked did I think Amy and Lance were ‘You know what’ I said yes.
It was awkward sitting in the back seat of Amy’s car with Lance in the front seat. However he didn’t mind and Amy seemed to need my support. I half expected and wanted him to ask me to join them in a threesome however that didn’t eventuate. I guess he realized that he could only push Amy so far.
She dropped me off outside home, then drove off. I really hoped that everything would go well for her.
I watched the car drive off down the street with mixed feelings. Here was I all dressed up and I was going to spend another night alone. I could have pursued any of the other single guys at the party but didn’t. Once rejected by Lance I had not tried to pursue anyone else. Maybe it had affected my self-confidence. Was I a failure? All these things were going through my mind.
I went inside and disrobed putting on my new black chemise and my turban. Mr Millionaire got another run. I pretended he was Lance’s lance.