All right, this is the Mature chapter with grownups (or in Bobby's case, close to grownup) doing grownup things. Again, thanks for the reviews.
Chapter Five
Bobby paced up and down in front of the bus stop. "She's not late, you dope," he muttered as he checked his watch for the tenth time in the last five minutes. "If you'd just stayed in bed and gotten some sleep instead of getting up so early…" He peered down the road as if he could will the bus to appear on the horizon. "I haven't been this excited since I was seven at Christmas." Bobby frowned at the memory. "I hope this works out better…"
He resumed his pacing. He'd managed to keep his weekend plans a secret; Josh knew, but Bobby felt anything he told his roommate was safe, although he was surprised by Josh's pleasure at learning Bobby was going on something resembling a date. There had been a touchy moment on Thursday evening in the Mess Hall when another soldier asked if Bobby could take a duty shift. Bobby's companions were so accustomed to his acceptance of extra duty that his polite refusal created a small stir, but Bobby's declaration of just needing some time off appeased all but the most curious.
Bobby huddled inside his leather jacket; he hadn't been sure what to wear, and he hoped his black turtleneck, black jeans, and leather jacket would be formal enough for anywhere Marlene would want to go. He'd decided to let her handle the course of actions throughout the day. He possessed both a vague hope and fear that he might not return to the base in the evening, but he fully expected to be in his own bed. Theoretically he had some knowledge of how to seduce women, but he was woefully lacking in practical experience, and he certainly didn't presume anything regarding Marlene's attentions.
"I'll just be honest as I can," he thought as he stared down the road. Only a small Volkswagon was in view. "I don't know how to play any games…" He smiled ruefully. "Especially in German…"
The beep of a car's horn broke into his thoughts. Bobby spun to see Marlene, bearing an expression with a striking resemblance to a satisfied cat, grinning at him from behind the wheel of that Volkswagon. She stepped from the car, and Bobby saw she was dressed in a near copy of his uniform—black turtleneck, black slacks, leather jacket. They stared at each other for a few moments before they began to laugh.
"I see you got the memo on wearing black," Bobby said.
Marlene returned his smile. "I was trying to dress for the weather and anywhere we might go…great minds think alike…"
"You look much better than me…you…you look terrific." Bobby looked at her shyly from beneath his long eyelashes.
Marlene was disconcerted by the compliment and his gaze. "Thank you," she said. "You look very handsome."
For a moment they stood in an awkward silence. Bobby blurted out, "You've got a car."
"Nothing gets past you people in intelligence, does it?" Marlene laughed.
Bobby liked her laugh very much; he liked the way it made her nose crinkle and her eyes shine and the way it made him feel.
"Well," he said. "The United States Army has spared no expense in training me."
"Actually," Marlene said. "It belongs to my friend Maria…the one who abandoned me at the club…I played on her guilt and got it for the weekend…I thought it might be useful…"
Bobby cocked his head; Marlene liked it when he looked at her that way. "That's the second thing I need to thank Maria for," he said shyly.
"C'mon," Marlene said. "I know a great place for breakfast…and I don't know about you, but I'm starving." She opened the car's passenger door and crawled across to the driver's seat. "This bug," she said to a surprised Bobby, "has a few bugs…and the driver's door is one of them."
Bobby squeezed into the passenger seat.
"Tight fit?" she asked.
"Not too bad…it's better than a jeep." The truth was that Bobby liked being so close to her.
"I just hope," Marlene said as she expertly shifted gears and pulled onto the road, "that you're not one of those men who has to drive."
"Nope…not me," Bobby answered. "I don't mind who drives as long as they know how."
Years later, Marlene and Bobby would remember the day as one of the best of each of their lives, although neither, if pressed, could offer more than a few vague details of it. Their memories were shrouded in a fog not unlike the cold drizzle that blanketed that early morning. Marlene always remembered the subtle scent of the single red rose Bobby shyly handed to her as they walked through the town's oldest section; years later the smell of cinnamon would take Bobby back to the small restaurant where they had breakfast. But much of the rest of the day was a wonderful blur. The weather finally cleared, and Bobby later recalled throwing bread crumbs to elegant but exasperated swans and the aggressive and anxious geese that were the source of their exasperation. In the evening, after a day of visiting castles and museums and Bobby's struggles not to laugh as Marlene whispered their "true" histories in his ear as the tour guides droned, they stepped into the back of a small, ancient church. Bobby feared that he might be underdressed—Marlene appeared to have the rare ability to look perfectly elegant in whatever she wore—but the audience wore everything from jeans to suits. Marlene had hesitated in suggesting the concert; an evening of Bach and Mozart wasn't what she would have chosen for most young American G.I.s, but Bobby responded to the music as he had everything that day—with a great, intense, joyful interest.
"Thank you for that," Bobby said as they stepped out into the cold, clear night. "The sound in there was marvelous…and the musicians wonderful…"
Marlene slipped her arm around his. "I've always loved Bach…even when I struggled through piano lessons…Mozart…I love the music…but he makes me feel guilty…as if I should have written at least ten symphonies by now."
Bobby grinned at her. "Hey…I'm hungry…you?"
"Yes," Marlene said. "And this is a nice place…" She indicated a small, elegant looking restaurant just ahead to their right.
Bobby looked apprehensive. "We're dressed ok? And this isn't one of those places with lots of forks?"
"No…it's an informal place…you'll be fine…and no more than one or two forks," Marlene answered. "You have some phobia about forks?"
"Not at all," Bobby answered smoothly. "It's just I had to go to a fancy dinner once…and there were all these forks…my captain's wife took pity on me and guided me through…but they still intimidate me a little."
"So," Marlene said as Bobby opened the restaurant door for her. "Western Europe is safe as long as the Russians don't send divisions of silverware."
Dinner was quiet and wonderful, with the waitress and Marlene gently teasing Bobby about his German verbs, and Bobby teasing them about their misunderstandings of American slang. At its conclusion, Marlene and Bobby walked the narrow, stone paved streets. She felt remarkably safe with Bobby. Part of this, Marlene thought, was simply his size—he was big and strong, and a very large part of her wanted to get lost in his arms. But far more than just his physical presence was Bobby's gentleness and intelligence. Throughout the day, Marlene discovered she revealed things to him she'd never told anyone—and he listened to her, listened in an intense, concentrated way that made her feel she was the only other person in the world.
"I want to go to the U.S.," she told him as they sat on a bench overlooking a river. "To New York…but I'm afraid…that I won't be smart enough…or strong enough…that all the women will be more beautiful…"
Bobby's arm rested around her shoulders; he softly squeezed her arm. "You're more than smart enough…strong enough…And I've never seen anyone in New York more beautiful than you…"
Marlene blinked. "You get results from that line, Bobby?" she asked teasingly.
To her surprise, he looked hurt. His arm slipped from her shoulders.
"I…" His voice was very soft, and he leaned forward to rest his head in his hands. "I don't have any lines…I really…" He glanced at her. "I don't have a lot of experience."
Marlene felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry," she said as she took his hand. "It…it was a kind thing for you to say…it's just that I've not been around men who say kind things to me lately."
Bobby stared at their intertwined fingers. "I'm just too sensitive." His thumb brushed back and forth across her hand and created small sparks against her skin. He gave her a small smile.
"Bobby," Marlene asked quietly. "How old are you?"
He looked away. "Twenty," he answered and prepared for her rejection which would be all the more terrible for her kindness.
But her hand remained linked with his. "I couldn't quite place your age," she said thoughtfully. "You seem so young in many ways, but you have so much responsibility…and you act like you've had a lot of responsibility in the past…"
"You…you don't mind?" He still stared at their hands.
"Not if you don't mind being with an older woman." Her free hand reached to guide Bobby to turn his face to her.
Bobby took a deep breath. "May I…please…kiss you?"
She smiled. "Of course."
She expected him to kiss her on the mouth, but Bobby brushed his lips against her forehead. Marlene was stunned by the emotions the kiss brought her. She pulled Bobby's face to her and kissed him on the lips, her tongue gently opening and probing his mouth. Bobby moaned deeply and wrapped his arms around her. She reluctantly abandoned his mouth and began to nip and kiss his neck; he responded by returning the kisses and bringing a hand to tangle in her short hair.
"Oh Bobby," Marlene murmured. "I hate this turtleneck…I want to touch more of you…" She blinked. "I'm sorry…I'm not usually…so…pushy…"
He ended his gentle assault on her hair. "I…I…" His head rested on her shoulder. "I don't know…what I'm usually like."
A clock in the distance rang.
"Marlene…it's one in the morning…if I'm going to make the bus…"
Marlene took a deep breath. The logical part of her brain, the one conjugating verbs and dealing with codes, set off warning flares and bells. But the other side, the one feeling and wanting the warmth of Bobby's touch, stared it down. "It's the logical side that told you Gunther was the one," Marlene thought. "And then argued you into staying with him long after you should have left."
"Do you," she whispered in Bobby's ear, "want to go back to the base?"
His grip grew slightly tighter. "No," he finally said. "I…I…want…want to stay…with you."
She stood, pulling him up with her. The foggy drizzle of the morning had given way to a cold, clear, cloudless night. Bobby's arm moved around her shoulder; Marlene wrapped an arm around as much of his waist as she could. They walked back to the car.
"You won't get in trouble?" Marlene asked as she opened the door.
"No," he answered. "I've got a pass for the whole weekend." He blushed at her smile. "I…I didn't expect…it's just what my C.O. gave me…I didn't expect anything, Marlene…except a few hours with you…everything…today…" He smiled shyly. "Yesterday, I guess now…it's been…it is…wonderful…but I don't know how these things are supposed to go…" He stared at the ground. "I don't want to lie to you…or hurt you…I can't promise you anything…I don't know what I'll be doing next week…"
Marlene placed a hand on Bobby's chest. "I know…it's all right."
They rode in an oddly comfortable silence to her apartment building, which Bobby regarded with a skeptical eye.
"I know," Marlene said as they walked in. "All of the flaws of 1960s architecture with none of the charms."
"I wasn't aware that 1960s architecture had any charms," Bobby replied dryly.
Marlene's laugh had a touch of nerves about it. "True, but it's close to the base, on the bus line, and isn't too expensive. And not so bad on the inside."
As they approached her apartment, Marlene's nerves became shakier. "I was so sure about this," she thought. "But what do I really know about him? He's from New York, he's twenty, he works in intelligence…I know he's a good listener…all day, I've told him so much about me…but…but he's so quiet…" She hesitated at her door.
"Marlene." Bobby's voice was very soft. "If you've changed your mind…I could easily walk to the base from here."
Marlene turned to face him. Everything about Bobby—his posture, his eyes, his voice—said that he desperately did NOT want to go back to the base. She felt her heart melt.
"It's all right," she said as she unlocked her door. "It's just that, aside from my mother and a couple of friends, you're the first person to see my new apartment."
Unlike the grey, dreary building that housed, the small apartment was bright and cheerful. After he handed his jacket to her, Bobby scanned her book shelves.
"Sorry," he said. "I'm afraid I'm a terrible snoop."
She smiled at him.
"I'm afraid a lot of these books are closed to me," he said with genuine regret. "I'm having a terrible time learning to read German."
"Don't worry," she said as she stepped closer to him. "I'm sure you'll get it."
His attention was suddenly focused on the view from her balcony window.
"Is the courtyard that fascinating?" she asked.
"It…it's just that…" Bobby rubbed the back of his neck with one of his large hands. He began to pace in the small space.
"Poor baby," Marlene thought. "He's adorable."
He ceased pacing and turned to look at her. "I…I don't know how to do this…the only way I can…can figure out how to do this…is to just tell you the truth…and…and…"
His eyes were filled with confusion, fear, and, she thought, shame. She laid a hand again on his chest. "It's all right."
"I…I don't want you to think…I'm making any presumptions…if you want me to go…"
Marlene studied him. "It couldn't be, could it?" she thought. "He's good looking…handsome really…and he gets better looking the more you look at him…and he's sweet and kind and smart and funny…I'm not…surely I'm not…"
He vibrated with tension. Marlene pulled his head down so that their foreheads touched. "Bobby," she said as gently and calmly as she could. "Is this…will it…are you a virgin?"
He started, and she feared he might run away.
"Technically," he finally answered. "No…but…it…it…well, it's almost impossible for any teenage boy's sexual experience to be bad…but…it…it wasn't good." He smiled weakly. "Am I acting that…that stupid?"
"No," she whispered and reached to wrap her arms around his neck. His head rested on her shoulder, and she felt his soft stubble against her cheek.
"I…I…" His soft voice rumbled in her ears. "I don't want you to feel sorry for me." He'd long abandoned his German; she knew he wanted to be at least sure of how he expressed his feelings.
"I don't," Marlene answered. "I like you…I like being with you…I want to be with you." She kissed him on the cheek.
He returned the kiss eagerly and hungrily. For a moment they were lost in their kisses. She finally broke the kiss and gently slipped from his embrace.
"Here," she said and led him to the bedroom.
He hesitated in the doorway. She released his hand and moved to the bed. She turned on the small lamp on the table and removed her shoes and socks. Marlene looked up at Bobby; he still stood in the doorway; the soft light surrounded him in a golden silhouette. His body quivered with tension. Marlene rose and walked to him.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered in a husky voice. "You look like you're made of spun gold."
Marlene pulled him into the room and her. She kissed him deeply, and he responded eagerly. She reluctantly pulled away from him.
"I need you out of this," she said and reached for the bottom of his sweater. He yanked it over his head and dropped it on the floor. Marlene kissed and nipped at his now available neck, and Bobby moaned in pleasure. She pulled his white T-shirt from his jeans.
"Just how much do you have on?" she complained with a smile.
"Less than you," he mumbled and reached for the bottom of her sweater.
"No," she said playfully as she finally freed the shirt from his body. "You first."
He stood shyly before her. She admired the newly developed muscles and his broad shoulders. She moved closer to him and played with the soft skin and hair on his chest. He moaned again in pleasure, and it was easy to back him up to the bed. She unzipped his jeans and pulled them down to reveal his white boxers.
"G.I. issue?" she grinned as she slipped a hand inside the boxers.
Bobby groaned as she tenderly stroked him, but he hadn't quite lost sense of who or where he was. "Not…not what you're touching," he gasped.
She laughed, and used his moment of distraction to pull down his boxers. It was her turn to gasp.
Bobby stepped out of his jeans and boxers and stumbled back to fall heavily on the bed. As he struggled to remove his shoes and socks, he stared up at Marlene. "Is…is something wrong?"
She smiled and stepped towards him. "You're beautiful…and…" Marlene tried to find the right words. "Big." She pulled her sweater over her head.
"Oh," Bobby said softly. "You're beautiful." He pulled her to him, and for a few moments he rested his head against the soft skin of her tummy. He trembled as he fumbled with the straps of her bra.
"Let me help you," Marlene said gently. She reached behind her and quickly unsnapped her bra.
A sound somewhere between a sigh and a gasp caught in Bobby's throat. His hands hovered over Marlene's breasts.
"It's all right," she said. "You can touch me…I want you to touch me."
His hands cupped her breasts; Marlene gasped and arched into his touch. One of his hands could easily cover an entire breast.
He pulled his hands away at the sound of her gasp. "Did I hurt you?"
She ached for the return of his touch. She pulled his hands back to her breasts. "No…don't worry…you won't hurt me…I know…I promise…"
She pushed him back on the bed. Bobby watched in wonder as she shed her slacks and panties. Marlene reached to turn off the lamp, but his voice stopped her.
"Please…if it's ok…I'd like to see you…you're so beautiful…like…like a statue of a goddess…but you're real."
"All right," Marlene smiled. "But I get to be on top…"
"Yes…whatever you want," Bobby gasped.
As she draped her body over him, Marlene wondered at Bobby's gentleness and flexibility. None of her lovers had been so thoughtful, so cautious, so desperate to please her. He touched with need and want and desire, but also with a tenderness that suggested he thought her skin was made of fragile porcelain.
"Wait," he gasped as she touched and nipped and kissed him. "I…we need…in my pants."
Marlene reached over the end of the bed and found the small package in one of his pockets. She opened it.
"No presumptions, Bobby?" Marlene smiled as she moved to slip the condom on him.
He blinked. "I…oh…oh God…Marlene…I…"
"I know…just prepared." She again draped over him.
They kissed and touched and stroked each other. He was inexperienced, but Bobby was a good student, following Marlene's moves with touching eagerness and care. Finally, when it seemed neither of them could wait any longer, Marlene slowly, torturously lowered her body on him.
"Wait…please wait," she gasped and looked down at him. Bobby was desperate with need and passion, but her words held him motionless. She lifted his hands to her breasts. "Now," she breathed and cried out as Bobby drove into her.
They were both terribly close. Marlene's body flamed, flared, and collapsed. Bobby cried out her name, thrust into her one last time, and fell into a glorious nothing.
She recovered first and found she was collapsed across his heaving chest. She lifted her body carefully and removed and disposed of the condom with equal caution. Marlene returned to sprawl over Bobby's body. His roving hands found her face and softly caressed it. He drew her lips to his and kissed her tenderly.
"Thank…thank you." His voice was so low she could barely hear it. "That…that was wonderful…"
"Yes," she wondered. "It was."
His eyes slowly lost their dazed look. "Was it…did I…"
"Yes…you beautiful boy…yes," she answered.
"What…what…do we do now?"
Marlene reached to pull the sheet and blanket over them. "We hold each other…and sleep."
His lips brushed her hair. "Thank you…again."
She laid her head against his chest and let the sound of his heart put her to sleep. And Bobby tried not to cry with joy and fear as he touched her silky hair.
End Chapter Five