Gabe made his way around the party, moving from one room to the next, beer in hand, senses of a starved hyena. His eyes were fixed and alert, shooting glances at all the people. The girls did body shots while the artists moped; in the living room the savages made good with breaking glasses and table lamps. The stereo was blaring a revolution of metal.
It was a sultry night, and Gabe wasn’t the only one looking for a piece. He had just pulled himself out of a near 5 year rut and hasn’t looked back. He was near thirty but had a baby face, and he made sure he used it to his advantage.
A mutual friend trotted by the doorway and grabbed him by the neck, dragged him into the hallway. “There you are you motherfucker!” he said, “Thought we lost you pal!”
“No,” Gabe said, “Just getting a look at what’s here tonight.”
The man had two fresh beers and cracked them open: one for him, one for Gabe. He handed it over and Gabe finished the beer he had been holding.
“So listen,” he said to Gabe. “I got something lined up for you.”
Gabe drank. “Yeah?”
“This girl I’ve known a while.” He swigged the beer. “She loves the soft faces.” He reached out and stroked Gabe along the cheek. Gabe threw an elbow into his ribs and they both started laughing.
“Well,” Gabe said, “Who is she? Where is she?”
“Come on,” he said, and led him down the hallway. They walked past a cluster of people sitting inside a hot tub placed in the center of a bedroom that had been dried out. Modern art furniture. The group was passing a bong counter-clockwise and they laughed inside a cloud of smoke.
The two men walked until this pair of legs were in Gabe’s sight. Long, tan, tightly wound legs, going all the way up until they disappeared inside a miniskirt. Shoes with no socks. Sexy ankles. Gabe stood there until introductions were made: “This is Ashley.” Gabe extended an arm and shook her hand, watching her eyes and smiling at her smile. “I’m Gabe,” he said. Her eyes were aqua-electric, and just as fixed and intent as his. Perfect, he thought. Just perfect.
“I’ll let you two get acquainted,” their friend said. He trotted off into the crowd, cigarette hanging from his mouth. Gabe could see him lighting the cigarette and the smoke puffing out. It mingled with the cloud in the hot tub. The two stood there then, and she leaned against a bookshelf. He stood there with his beer.
“How did you end up here?” Ashley asked.
“Oh, Dave invited me.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“Yeah, I just met him yesterday, but somehow I feel like I’ve known him since I was a kid.”
“Tell me about it,” she said. “I met him last month but he treats me like a little sister—he’s always looking out for me.”
She had a beer in her hand and it was almost out. She drank from it and set it on the bookshelf. Gabe sipped at his, looked for more. The refrigerator? He saw a cooler back somewhere in the house; maybe in the living room. The heat was rising. A hot summer night. The floorboards were creaking and swelling; the paint curled down from the walls in strips like medieval fingernails. He swished the beer in his hand and kept looking around.
“You know where there’s more to drink?”
She reached out and took the beer from his hand, swigged it, dropped the empty can. “I have some back at my place.”
“Do you?”
She moved in close and Gabe’s heart jumped.
“I want to give you a bath,” she said.
“A bath?”
She giggled. “I think you’ll like my apartment. I just moved in. It’s very old and has a lot of history.” Those eyes were locked on him. “I can show you many things,” she said.
“A bath, really?”
“It’s a cast-iron tub, real cozy.”
Gabe looked down the hallway and saw Dave standing there with his beer and cigarette amongst the crowd. He smiled at Gabe and raised his beer, sucked on his cigarette and blew smoke toward the ceiling. You son-of-a-bitch, he thought. You set this all up. It was a trap that I walked right into, but who am I to complain? Ashley had the right attitude, the legs and the heat, and this party was getting dull yesterday. “Alright, let’s go.” Gabe smiled and nodded at Dave, thank you friend, and he and Ashley moved for the door.
He let her lead the way to her car, watching those legs the whole way. He could just stare at those legs and it could be enough. She opened the door to her Volvo and grabbed at various things in the front seat and threw them into the back seat. “Sorry for the mess,” she said, “laundry day, y’know.”
They pulled up in front of her apartment and got out. Her place was old alright, reminded Gabe of an old military bunker. The steps shifted underfoot, the wood floors had gaps between the boards and you could just about see the crawlspace underneath. She led him into the kitchen and poured him a vodka with a splash of juice. A big glass. She handed it to him, “This kitchen used to have an iron stove, the kind you warm with logs y’know? It was replaced before I moved in because of the liability… Too many fire hazards these days.”
They walked into the living room and Gabe saw third world artifacts, statues, books along the walls. “I went to Brazil last summer,” she said. Gabe pulled up a seat in a creaky wooden chair. “I lived there for three months. Look here,” she pulled a photo album out and set it on his lap, “these were taken in Sao Palo, these in Argentina… I could live there forever.”
Gabe pulled half the drink down. Cheap vodka.
“You could?”
“The culture is so rich, so free. The men there,” she trailed off for a moment, “it’s just so beautiful there.” A stillness crept into the room and Gabe sat there staring at these photos, drink in hand—how the hell did get here? What town is this? Who is this girl, why is she so forward? Fuck it, he thought. He swirled the vodka and took another mouthful down. Ashley reached out and took the glass from his hand. She placed it on a nearby coffee table. She moved in very calculated; she’s done this before.
“So, how about that bath?”
There were those eyes again. Slicing into him with unwavering fortitude.
“How about it?”
Ashley walked into her bedroom and he saw a light come on deep inside. “The bathroom is in here,” she said. Gabe could hear the sound of water running.
She came back out, “The bath is warming. It should be ready in a minute.” She moved in front of him sitting there, brought him to his feet. Her hands went to his shirt and pulled it over his head. Ashley dropped the shirt to the floor and stood there staring at Gabe’s torso. “I like your tattoo’s” she said, “What do they mean?”
“Not a thing,” he said.
“C’mon,” she had him by the belt, led him through the dark bedroom. Gabe could see a bed in the corner, it looked cozy. Once inside the bathroom she helped him out of his shoes and socks, sniffing one then saying, “Stinky boy.” She then moved to his waste again, pulling the belt loose and shifting his jeans down to the floor. He stepped out and stood there in his shorts, watching her watch him. He looked over and saw the tub filled with water.
She got the shorts down and he stepped in. The water wasn’t hot, more warm, and Gabe could imagine it being still and cold inside of ten minutes. She had a few candles going throughout the tile and sink. One was placed in the soap dish. He watched the flame bounce from side to side. Ashley found a wash cloth and began lathering it. She lifted his arm, began washing him gently, eyes still aqua-electric, cutting into his soul, into his mind. He looked down and saw that his erection had raised and broke through the surface of the tub. Ashley massaged the wash cloth along his neck, then his chest, moving toward his belly. Then, she stopped.
“What is it?” Gabe asked.
“I just, I was just thinking about how I would like to join you…”
“Alright.”
She stood and Gabe watched her legs and the skirt falling down them in a hurry. She kicked off her shoes and pulled her top over her head and her eyes. She stepped in and the water began to rise. Her legs sidled along his. They were soft, taught. She had small, firm, worldly breasts. They played for a while. She flicked water in his face. He took it all in, even her giggling along the way.
Then the water got cold, cold, colder, and when Gabe mentioned it she tried the faucet. The pipes screamed, the water poured in, and it sloshed over the edge. It extinguished the candle and splashed all over their clothes. The mood lighting was half gone. He noticed that the water wasn’t getting warmer. “Old place,” she said playfully.
She got out and stood there dripping for a moment. There was a mischievous look in those eyes. Gabe asked, “What is it?”
“I just remembered. I don’t have any towels.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No,” she laughed, “All of them—I left them all out in the car.” She was giggling louder. “Laundry day.” She quickly dashed out of the bathroom. He could hear her bouncing on the bed. “Come on,” she said from the bedroom, “It’s not so bad. Just jump out and run in here. It’s a down comforter, it’ll keep you warm.”
Gabe sat there a minute. The cold water had killed off the buzz he had going, and he wished he’d brought the vodka in with him. “Come on,” she repeated, “come in here.” He could hear her getting warm. She let out little moans, teasing him, tooling him. After some deliberation he stood and the water ran from his body; the air was colder than the water.
“Shit! Jesus—fucking cold!!”
“Come on!”
“It’s really fucking cold!!! Oh shit! Oh shit!”
“It’s warm in here, come in here!”
He heard her moaning, her laughing. He looked down. This was no joking matter. The cold was winning. Fuck, he thought, fuck!! Gabe leapt out of the tub and damn near slipped to his death on the wet floor. He sprinted into the bedroom and without his eyes adjusting he slid into the bed with a shriveled and shaking dick. “Steady your breathing,” she said over and over. He was actually shivering. His teeth chattered. “Slow your breathing…”
The bathroom dimmed and the candles burnt out. After a while they warmed up under the down comforter and she began massaging his center. It’s cozy in here. They rolled and kissed on top of her Queen-sized(?) mattress. He could feel those legs of hers wrapping around him. Gabe came down and got it in. After a few pumps it dawned on him. “Wait,” he said. “I need to get a condom or something.” She worked her hands along his shoulders and chets, made him feel cozy and content. “I think you should just relax and enjoy the moment.”
She tossed her head back and Gabe could feel the smile on her face. Then he thought about her eyes. He worked at it for a while. Between thrusts She said, “You’re making me take deep breaths.” She said, “Stop that…” He steadied into his rhythm and the bed made a strange panting sound. In the dark he couldn’t tell if it was her or not, but he noticed her deep breaths.
She got off before he could and when the blanket fell from his back the cool air hit him again. He looked at the clock and the neon red digits said it was hardly after two a.m. Shit, he thought, it got cold! It also began drying her up. He noticed it almost immediately. “Wait,” he said, “wait…”
“Just relax…”
Not that easy, he thought. He used his hand on her and she only climaxed again, but the excitement and friction just made things more dry. Ashley arched her back; she splayed her arms. Gabe tried to get there faster, but his skin was wearing away. It pinched and tightened. He tried to think of her legs, he tried to spit. His imagination wasn’t working, his mouth was dry dry. Only if I had that vodka right now…
She pushed up and he popped out; he turned and landed on his back. She climbed on top but with the dry friction he couldn’t get it back in. The cold had won. She dropped down next to him after a few failed attempts and caught her breath. He lay there until his erection went away. After a few minutes Gabe rolled over and walked to the living room. He picked up the glass, downed the vodka, and put the glass in the sink. Then he turned off the light.
When he came back into the bedroom Ashley was asleep. He walked into the bathroom and hung his clothes over the shower curtain rod to dry. He emptied his bladder and made gentle with how he handled himself. He slid back under the blankets and curled up. He didn’t remember when but at some point Gabe fell asleep. When he woke the next morning he forgot where he was.
