It was getting late, and I was getting a bit down. I sat by myself in this swanky restaurant, trying to resist the urge to get pissed off enough to drink. This was the second time I'd been stood up by just one girl, and I swore it would be the last time. I didn't feel like eating, so I asked the waiter for the check, paid it, and left the place. This girl had seemed like somebody I could be with, somebody nice for a change. Whether she'd changed her mind, or was too nervous, it didn't matter to me.

I wanted to just go back to my dorm room and chill for a while, maybe catch a movie on TV. However, when I got to the dorms, I saw that there was a major party going on. Music with a heavy beat rattled the windows, and it seemed as if my room was just above the biggest set of speakers on campus, so watching TV was out of the question. I decided I would work on my art class project. I looked around the room for some kind of still-life that I could capture on my sketch pad. I finally settled on the computer and the litter of junk surrounding it. Opening a case of pencils, I started on it, trying to use the tips and techniques I'd picked up in class.

I'd just traced the outline of the computer monitor when the door to my room flew open and this girl rushed in. Not appearing to notice me, she slammed the door behind her, slid down it to the floor, and began sobbing. All I could think of at first was that I had forgotten to lock the door. She sobbed there for two minutes, cursing some asshole intermittently. Finally, I spoke up.

"Bad night?"

Her head flew up, and she gaped at me through her tears and smeared mascara. For almost ten seconds she just stared at me, unable to speak. Then she turned her head toward the door that she sat against. Somebody could be heard by both of us, ranting and raving, seriously pissed off.

"You stupid bitch! I told you I get what I want, and you become a fucking cock-tease! When I find you I'm gonna fuck your brains out whether you want it or not! Oh, you fucking bitch, you just wait and see!"

He slammed up against my door, his fists pounding the other side. I got up, motioned her to get behind the door, and opened it.

"Where the fuck is she?" the asshole snarled.

"Where the fuck is who?" I replied.

"Did she come in here?"

"No," I lied, getting a little riled up myself, "So quit banging on my fucking door!"

With that, I slammed the door in his drunken face. I could hear him cursing as he stomped off to look elsewhere.

I locked the door in case he came back to try again, went back over to my bed, and picked my sketch pad and pencils up.

The girl stood there in the same place she had when I opened my door, incredulous. When she managed to find her voice, it was low, stunned.

"You didn't tell him I was here."

Looking up at her, calming down a little, I answered, "Why would I tell him? He seemed thoroughly pissed off at you, and there's no telling what he would do to you besides what he promised."

She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself, "I think he meant it."

"He may mean something else when he sobers up, but if you want to hang out until then, it's fine with me."

She wiped her black-streaked eyes, looked at her hand, and winced, "Is it okay if I use your sink?"

I shrugged, "Sure, go ahead."

She disappeared into the bathroom, and the sink ran. During the time she was in there, I'd managed to finish the outline for the entire computer, keyboard, and mouse, and I was about to start on the junk surrounding it when she emerged. I looked up at her and saw that she looked pretty cute without the raccoon mask on.

She smiled tremulously at me, "I see I don't look I was ran over by a truck now. I still feel like I did, though."

I repeated my offer for her to hang out.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I appreciate it. I'd rather him not find me right now."

She came over to where I had my sketchpad out, brushing her long, red hair away from her face. She was pretty tall, almost five-nine, only two inches shorter than me, and looked to be maybe one twenty-five pounds. I recognized her. She was on the swim team; I'd seen a few team pictures hanging around campus. I couldn't remember her name though. Her eyes were green, almost emerald, like pictures I'd seen of the ocean down in the Bahamas. There were faint pigmentations on her face, where a bunch of freckles had faded almost completely, and they made her look cuter, still. She pulled down on the hem of her silver and green skirt as she sat next to me, looking at the sketch I was working on.

"Art major?" she asked, the tightness and worry leaving her voice.

"Minor, I'm studying law enforcement. Of course, I'm thinking of trying another major."

"Like what?"

I shrugged. I hadn't really given a lot of thought to it.

She smiled a little, relaxing some. Sitting next to me, I could smell her perfume, which smelled a bit like the ocean, not the saltiness as much as the freshness. It made me look up into her emerald eyes.

I asked, "Would you like something to drink?"

Her eyes clouded a little, and her smile slipped from her face, "I probably shouldn't. I'm not a big drinker."

She was clearly suspicious of my intentions, so I corrected, "I mean, like a soda, or some water."

She laughed, slightly embarrassed, "I'm sorry. I guess tonight just put me on edge. Sure, I'd like a soda if it's okay."

I got up and went to my fridge and pulled a Dr. Pepper from the case, and then another for myself. I got a glass for her, and handed it to her.

"Thank you. I'm really sorry if I offended you. I wasn't trying to."

I smiled a little, "After what you've gone through tonight, I'm surprise you didn't hit me with a Tazer."

Her eyes began to tear up, and she hurriedly blinked the threatening tears back, "Some night I've had! Rick's been asking me out for a week straight. I told him no, but he doesn't get it. He asked me to come to the party with him tonight, and if I don't want to stay, it would be cool with him. So he meets...Oh shit..."

Her eyes became unfocused, and she swayed, dropping her unopened can of soda.

I'd seen this before, when an ex-friend of mine had slipped some girl a pill and raped her while she was drugged. He'd gotten kicked out because of an anonymous tip to the police and the Dean of the college. I'm not a rat, but there're some things I can't stand. Yeah, my conscience is pretty strong about that sort of thing. It was probably that same stubborn conscience that stepped in between this girl and a future rape.

"Okay," I set my drawing stuff aside, and crouched down in front of her, snapping my fingers in front of her face to get her wavering attention, "I think this Rick must've slipped something in your drink. It's probably why he was searching for you so quickly. Hey, look at me, come on, don't fade off."

Her eyes slipped closed, so I gently slapped her face, and they snapped back open, "Oh, fuck, room's spinning. Please, don't... don't do..." she fell back against my bed. I knew what she was trying to say, but before I could reassure her, she was out. The bastard must have given her more than one dose. She was unconscious on my bed with her long legs hanging out over the bed. I swung her legs onto the bed, slid her sandals off, and grabbed the blanket from where it'd hung off the end of my bed. I covered her, sat down next to her, and checked her eyes. They were rolled up into her head. "Those fucking bastards," I muttered. She was down for the count. I sighed and sat down on the floor in front of the bed, and worked on my sketch for the still-life.

I must've fallen asleep at some point. I suddenly felt the bed move, and awoke to find her sitting there on my bed, grasping the blanket and pulling it to her chest, panicked.

"Relax," I rubbed the grit from my eyes, "The drug must've worn off. I think he might have used double the dosage. It knocked you out."

She clapped a hand over her mouth, "Oh my God! I've heard of girls getting stuff slipped in their drinks, but...why me?"

"Do you remember anything prior to passing out?"

She moved her hand from her mouth to her eyes, "I remember coming in here, running from Rick. You...you didn't do anything to me...right?"

I didn't know whether to be outraged or what. I had to keep in mind that she'd gone through a lot, so I shrugged it off, "No, you passed out, so I covered you up and, I guess I fell asleep, drawing."

Her face calmed, and her hand fell away, "Th-thank you. You've been so nice...What time is it?"

I yawned and checked my watch, "It's a bit past five. Do you need to go?"

She laughed nervously, "Probably not. I don't have any classes today, and I really don't want to have to face Rick. I'm so embarrassed. I almost hate feeling so...helpless."

"You're on the swim team, right?"

She blinked, confused, "Uh, yeah, I am. Why?"

"I thought I recognized you from the team picture. I can't remember your name, though."

She held a small hand out, "I'm Valerie. And you?"

"Stephen...Well, Valerie, you're welcome to stay as long as you need to, okay?"

"Why are you doing this for me?" She seemed so surprised.

I almost let my mouth spout off some smart-ass remark, and I stopped myself. Finally I said, "Nobody deserves what that guy had planned for you, least of all, you."

"But you don't really even know me."

"Maybe not, but should it make a difference?"

She put her hand to her hair, trying to brush it back with her fingers, "No, I guess not. Thank you so much for looking out for me."

I reddened a little, "It's cool. You know, that diner down the street from here should be open for breakfast. If you'd like, I can go grab something for breakfast."

"You don't have to, unless you're hungry, too. I don't want you to go out of your way."

I laughed a little, "Really, it won't be too much trouble. Besides, there's nothing in the fridge that would make a good breakfast."

"Okay," she looked around for her purse, and then threw her hands in the air, "Damn it! I didn't bring my purse to the party. My money's back in my dorm."

"It's no problem. Just tell me what you'd like for breakfast."

She blushed, "I can't let you pay for me! I've already overstayed my welcome, and I can't impose on you anymore."

She began putting her sandals on, still blushing.

"Hold up a sec," I put my hand on hers as she was strapping the back of one sandal.

She stopped, and looked at my hand on hers, and then at my eyes.

Clearing my throat a little I explained, "You're not imposing. In fact, you saved me from a pretty boring night. It's the least I can do to buy you a meal. Please, just stick around, and I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

I picked my hand up off hers, reluctantly, I realized.

"Wait a minute, how come you weren't at the party?"

I reddened a little, "I was on a date."

Her eyes dropped a little, disappointed, "You have a girlfriend?"

"No...it was just a date, but she never showed."

"She didn't show? Why?"

"I don't know, but it was the second time. I got tired of waiting and came back here. I didn't feel like partying."

Although I wasn't sure she was, she said she was sorry, "It's such a mean thing for someone to do. I mean, if she wasn't going to show up, then why bother agreeing to?"

I threw my hands up in the air, resigned, "Story of my life! So, you see, your being here, and even my treating you to a meal is no imposition. So, please just sit tight and I'll be back, okay?"

She nodded, "Alright, I'll be here."

The diner was mostly empty, except for those partygoers that hadn't gotten completely hammered. I had forgotten to ask her what she wanted, so I got a little bit of everything that looked good. Carrying the Styrofoam containers in three plastic bags and lugged them back to my dorm room. I hesitated at the door, my key almost in the lock. I realized that she might have taken off when I left, despite her word that she'd wait. Finally, I shrugged, socked the key home, and turned the doorknob. I went inside, relocked the door, and set the containers down on the table. And, when I looked around, I saw that she wasn't there. I sighed. Three times in less than twenty fours I had been stood up.

The toilet flushing startled me, and I almost knocked over one of the containers. I barely caught it before it slid off the table. She came out of the bathroom shortly afterward. She smiled, and walked over to the table as I grabbed two plates from the cabinet and some forks and knives from the drawer. As we ate, she told me what all had happened, the story she had been telling me when the stuff in her system had kicked in.

"So I met him at the party, he brought me a beer, and I guess he added a little something to it. He probably thought doubling the dose would get me ready for him faster. When he started trying to take my clothes off, I fought him off and ran. You know the rest."

The sun was coming up when we finished eating. However, she appeared to be reluctant to leave.

"Yeah, I guess you probably need your sleep..."

"Maybe I can walk you home. That guy, Rick, looked way bigger than me, but I think I could hold him off long enough for you to get a running start."

She was horrified and a bit delighted at my offer, "I couldn't ask you to fight for me. It wouldn't be fair to you."

"Still, it would be safer. You could protect me, if it'll make you feel better."

Giggling she rolled her eyes, "Yeah right. Okay, you can walk me home, if you really want to."

I grabbed my key, and we walked down the hall, stepping over a few partiers sleeping it off on the floor. As we were walking out the front door, Valerie froze. I followed her eyes, and saw a big guy slumped over one of the three picnic tables that sit outside the dorm. He, apparently, was Rick. As we passed the would-be date-rapist, he snorted, buried his head deeper in his meaty arms, and continued to sleep like a drunk. Valerie cast repeated glances back at him, afraid he'd wake up.

"We should turn him in," I insisted as we reached the door to her building.

"He's here mostly on a football scholarship! If we turn him in, he'll lose all that, and get kicked out of college, maybe even put in jail. I can't ruin somebody's life like that!"

I laughed, amazed at her reluctance to turn a guy in that had attempted to rape her,

"That's exactly what he tried to do to you! Listen, if we don't stop him, then he'll either keep his sights on you or find someone else. I've seen firsthand what something like that can do to a girl. I'll tell you what...I'll just make an anonymous call, they'll search him, maybe find some suspicious pills, arrest him, and he won't be able to blame anyone but himself. You'll be blameless, just as you are now."

"Okay, there's no way you can be this good of a guy!"

I was a little surprised, and yes, my ego took a little boost, "I'm serious. He needs to be stopped."

She held up her hands, "Just give it a few days, okay? I think I need to recover from all this. It's just so much, getting drugged, meeting you...just give me a few days."

I shrugged, "Okay, Valerie, I'll wait...but if you have any trouble with him, or need to talk, or even to hang out, you know where I live now."

She hugged me tightly for a few seconds, and then backed away, blushing for having hugged me. I waved, and she disappeared inside. I walked back to my room, noting that Rick still slumped over the picnic table, still passed out. I resisted the urge to kick him in the head.

In my room, I cleaned up the empty containers from breakfast, and put the leftovers in the fridge. I was tired and a little sore from sleeping while sitting, so I crawled into my bed, and the fragrance of her perfume was still strong from where she'd lain in her drug induced sleep, that fresh ocean smell. I fell asleep quickly, still breathing the scent.

I slept for a good while, about six hours, and woke suddenly to a knock on my door. I opened it to find Valerie standing at my door, her eyes wet with tears, her face red with shame, almost as red as her hair, which was done up hastily in a ponytail. I let her in, and she let out a shuddery breath, wiping her eyes.

"He was at my door," she began.

"What did he have to say for himself?"

"He insisted that I'd been asking for it, and that he was just trying to give me what I wanted. He blamed it on me, in other words. He also threatened to tell everyone that he and his friends...gangbanged me at the party, and that his friends would corroborate the story."

I was speechless. The lengths he'd go to just to justify his actions. It seemed a bit over the top to me.

"Come have a seat, okay? Would you like something to drink?"

She nodded, so I brought her a Dr. Pepper. She opened the can and drank thirstily.

"Something's going on with that guy if he's going that far to keep it secret. I'm willing to bet that it's not the first time he's tried this."

Valerie shook her head, "Please, I don't want to talk about this right now. I was already on my over. I wanted to pay you back for breakfast."

I let her in, yawning as I locked the door behind her, "It was my treat."

"Well, I knew you'd say that, so I was thinking maybe we could go and have a late lunch."

"Well..."

She moved closer to me and put her hand on my chest, sending an electric shiver through me. From this close, I determined that that ocean-smelling perfume was most likely her personal favorite. I breathed it in, and relented.

"All right, we'll go have lunch. Where'd you have in mind?"

She dropped her hand and suggested, "There's a deli in town that does great subs. What do you think?"

I conceded, "Sounds good."

We had lunch, and I grudgingly let her pay. As we were leaving the deli, we heard an angry and indignant voice behind us, "It figures, you fucking slut!"

Valerie knew that voice, and it stopped her dead in her tracks. She winced, her shoulders hunching slightly as if she expected to be hit from behind. I whirled around to find Rick standing there in a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. His hair was jet black, slicked back with gel. His face, which could most likely be charming when he wanted something, was presently contorted into a belligerent sneer. He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes.

Valerie narrowed hers in return, and as I watched her reaction, she resembled one of those legendary Amazons, a warrior facing her enemy.

"Why don't you just go away, Rick?"

Rick's sneer deepened, "Just a little slut and her new fuck-buddy. How disgusting!"

Valerie replied, "I don't appreciate being drugged. It's pretty sad that you have to go that far to get laid."

I watched Rick's face cloud with rage. His hands dropped to his side, and his hands clenched and unclenched, "It's the only time I can get you to shut your slutty mouth up, you stupid cunt."

Valerie, unwilling to back down and show her fear, which must have been immense, shot right back, "You know, I doubt if that's it. I think it's because you're lacking down there and you don't want the girls to laugh."

Rick appeared to be at a boiling point, "I'd bet it would have to be huge to fit in your loose cunt."

"It didn't stop you from trying. I doubt you can even piss without getting your pants wet."

Rick had taken enough abuse. He grit his teeth, "Oh, that's it, you fucking whore, I'm gonna kill you for that."

"Excuse me?" A very outraged voice caused us all to jump. Rick whirled around to find Professor Juneau, a large bear of a man, the astronomy professor.

"Uh, Prof. Juneau..." Rick took a step back, nervous.

"Don't 'Prof. Juneau' me, did I just hear you threatening this young woman's life? I could have you brought in front of the dean, and your scholarship revoked."

Rick was aghast. Apparently, he had thought he was untouchable.
Somehow, despite the heated exchange and the threat on her life, Valerie spoke up, "It's okay, Professor, he was just leaving. Weren't you, Rick?"

"Uh, yeah, I was just leaving," Rick stammered, "I was only joking, really."

Professor Juneau was having none of Rick's excuses, "I suggest you do that, and if I find out that you're bothering any other students, or anyone for that matter, you will find yourself in a great deal of trouble!"

After a mumbled agreement, Rick hurried away, his hands thrust in his pockets. The professor turned to Valerie and me, "So, what exactly is going on here?"

"Just a disagreement, sir," Valerie lied.

I felt the almost overwhelming urge to spill everything and have it done, but I kept my trap shut because Valerie had asked me to.

The professor, unconvinced, sighed, "All right, then. You two keep clear of that kid. His short fuse is going to have him in trouble sooner or later."

The professor walked away, shaking his head.

When he'd turned the corner, Valerie's knees went weak, and she leaned heavily against me, "Oh God..."

I held her up easily, slipping an arm around her slim waist, "Hey, come on, let's find a place to sit down."

We found a bench in front of a hardware store, and she sank onto it, her legs unable to support her. I sat down next to her, and she still leaned against me, her head on my shoulder.

"My heart almost quit, I was so scared!" she cried.

"I wouldn't have known it. You were amazing, the way you stood up to him like that. I thought you were going to rip his throat out!"

She looked at me, unbelievingly.

"I'm serious, you... you were like an...um...."

She frowned, "Like a what?"

A flush of embarrassment crept up the collar of my shirt and made its way to my face, "Like...an Amazon..."

She goggled at my description, "Amazon? Like one of those warrior women? Me?"

I nodded, the flush deepening, "Yeah, like that..."

She kissed my cheek, "Thanks, but there's no way I even compare."

The imprint her lips left on my cheek tingled its way into my skin.

I insisted, "Oh, you're an Amazon, all right. You really cut him good."

Her lower lip trembled slightly, "All I did was piss him off more. I probably should've kept my mouth shut."

"I think he'll stay away...the professor scared him pretty badly, so he's gotta know he'd get caught."

We got back to my dorm room safely, and she stood just inside my door.

"If you want, I can walk you back to your room."

She tilted her head a little, smiling, "Well, I'd planned on visiting for a while, but if you want me to go home..."

I rethought my offer, "If you want, you can visit me for a while instead of rushing home so soon."

"That's so sweet of you to offer, Stephen. I'd love to."

She looked at my c.d. collection, noting that it contained a lot of Nine Inch Nails. She picked up one of the c.d.'s, turned it over to read the back, and then asked, "I've never listened to them before."

I took the c.d. from her, extracted the c.d. from it, and put it in one of the five holders on the disc tray of my stereo. I set it to play 'The Perfect Drug,' and watched for her reaction. She sat down in front of the stereo, and tapped her hands on her knees in beat to the song. She seemed to be enjoying it. Once the song ended, she smiled.

"It's pretty cool. I like the beat, too. Do you have all their c.d.'s?"

"Not yet, but soon I will. Trent Reznor's a genius with his music. He's got angry songs with quick beats, weird, slow songs that are really trippy, and some of his songs have no lyrics, just music."

"Cool. Can I hear one of the last kind?"

I added another album to the second holder, and played 'At the Heart of It All.' We listened to it, sitting beside each other. Valerie closed her eyes for a few minutes, just taking in the music. Then she stood up, and walked around the room. Her eyes happened upon my sketchbook, and she remembered the sketch I had been doing of the computer. She looked back at me, and then back to the sketchbook. I got up, and walked over to her.

"What's up?"

"Can I look at some of your sketches?"

I hesitated, as I usually didn't let people see my sketchbooks, but then I nodded, and she picked it up. As she looked through it, I went back to the stereo, picked out another album by Nine Inch Nails, and another, until I had filled all five holders. I picked out a song called 'Ripe (With Decay)' to show her one of his more ominous songs. It didn't have any lyrics in it either.

Valerie looked through the sketchbook, examining each picture. Then she came to the drawing I did of a girl in the nude. She blinked, and looked from the picture to me.

"Who is this? Is this a real person?" She didn't seem angry, or real shocked, just curious.

"Remember the girl that stood me up twice? Well, I met her in my art class. She was one of the volunteers for the nude drawings. She seemed nice, so I asked her out. Twice..."

"Well, since you'd seen her naked, did that make it any easier to ask her out?"

I laughed, "No, it was actually more difficult. I didn't want her to think that I was only asking her out because I'd seen her naked. But maybe she thought that anyway."

Valerie chewed her bottom lip for a second, and I realized how full her lips were. She wore a pink gloss, and her lips glimmered in the light. She was mulling something over in her mind, looking down at the drawing.

I had spent a long time refining the drawing, redoing the shading, tweaking a little, even after that particular class. Maybe Valerie was a little put off by the effort I'd put into it. She turned the sketchbook a little, and tilted her head, really scrutinizing my work. Finally, looking up from the picture, she admitted, "If this is accurate, this girl is pretty hot."

I shrugged, "It doesn't count for much if she doesn't trust me."

She nodded, chewed her lip for another twenty seconds, and then blurted out, "Could you draw me?"

I blinked at her, and she took it for a no.

"You know, it's a bad idea, I'm sorry."

I asked, "Do you trust me?"

She laughed, "After everything you've done to protect me? Of course I do!"

I smiled a little, "Let me grab my pencils."

I set up a small, metal easel, got one of my larger sketchbooks, and opened it to a blank page. As I set the pencils on the tray, the c.d. in the stereo changed, and 'The Mark Has Been Made' began to play. How appropriate!

"Do you want me to draw you with your clothes on?" Believe me, this was not a suggestive question, I was just asking her preference.

She blushed, but answered, "I want you to draw me nude. If you want to, that is..."

"It's your choice. I'm just the artist. If you'd like, I have a bathrobe that I never really wear. You can change in the bathroom."

She turned her head to the bathroom, seemed to consider it, and then unbuttoned the gray blouse she was wearing. She shrugged it off, disclosing a purple and red bra that barely contained her impressive breasts. She kicked her sandals off and slipped her tan slacks down her long legs, and I could see that she liked her panties to match her bra.

She hesitated before unfastening the clasps on the back of her bra, looking at me self-consciously.

I offered her a chance to keep her underwear on, "I can draw you the way you are now. I can't guarantee I'll get the pattern of your u-underwear right. It's very elaborate...and it's pretty."

She made up her mind, and unhooked the clasps, and slid the bra off, freeing her considerable breasts. Her areolas were pink, the size of an Oreo cookie, and topped with pert, stiff nipples. Her blush deepened as my eyes roamed over her exposed breasts.

I just waited. I hadn't even figured out what kind of pose I would do of her yet. But my face did grow a little red, and my heart beat faster at the sight of her gorgeous breasts.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she gushed, nervous, "It's almost like being at the doctor's office, but...kind of sexier."

I smiled, knowing what she meant, especially the 'sexier' part. Watching her undress was creating such a heat in me that I was responding before her bra had even hit the floor.

She took a deep breath, exhaled it slowly, and slid her panties down. My jaw probably would've hit the floor, but I managed to keep my face neutral. The pubic area above the junction of her legs was trimmed into the shape of a heart, with the rest of it shaved off. Her outer labia was bare underneath, slightly puffy.

She resisted an urge to cover herself with her hands, and trembled slightly, more than just a little nervous. I looked over at the couch, and back to her.

"Just lie on the couch, and we'll pose you for the drawing."

She walked over to the couch, awkwardly aware of her nudity. She sat on it, and I brought the easel over in front of her. I had to push the couch back a few feet to have enough space. She swung her legs onto the couch, leaned back, and waited demurely, still trembling. I walked over to her, crouched down, and decided what kind of pose would do best for her.

"Okay, don't freak out. I just need to reposition you a little, okay?"

Despite her trembling, she nodded, "I trust you."

I asked her to turn slightly, just enough so where she was leaning a little against the back of the couch. I reached out gingerly and touched her knee. She sucked in a startled breath, and then laughed, "Sorry..."

I lifted her leg slightly, positioning it so that it was slightly bent, with her foot resting against the arm of the couch. Moving back a little, I nodded. It hid the part of her that she seemed so much more nervous about, and accentuated the sexy curve of her buttocks just subtly enough to be more erotic, at least in my eyes it did.

On the stereo, 'The Warm Place,' began to play.

I moved up to her upper body, and moved the arm closest to me, up, so that her fingers rested behind her head. Her other hand I placed just under her breasts, as if she was caressing her own skin. I fanned her hair out the best that I could, creating a seductive look. I moved the floor lamp in the corner closer to her, just enough to illuminate her better.

When I was satisfied with her pose, I moved backwards to my easel, trying my best to hide an almost painful bulge in my pants. Safely behind the easel, I peeked out from around it and appreciated the form of her lithe body for a few seconds before I made my first line. Then I began to draw, making light strokes with a softer pencil, tracing the outline of her body. From there, I worked on her face, peeking out again, and she watched me as my eyes moved over her face. Quickly becoming accustomed, her trembling subsided, and she appeared to relax. I recreated her high cheekbones, her supple lips, eyebrows, her eyes, and out to her fiery hair. I had to make a few corrections to my first attempt, and then I captured her slender shoulders, collarbone, and then her breasts. When I managed to get the shape down, the faint change from the slightly tan flesh to the areolas, to the ever-stiff nipples at the summits. Her hand was a bit tricky, but this was because I always had a little trouble with hands. I managed to get her hand to the way it needed to be, and continued on down, past the bottom of her ribcage, to her taut stomach. Her hips flared seductively, and I had to capture that as well, recreating how her buttocks, supple, curved down to the back of her thigh.


I was pleased that she didn't move except for her eyes. I would have expected that she'd moved by then, maybe a cramp in her leg, or an arm that was falling asleep, but she gave no sign of discomfort. I drew her long legs, shapely calves, slender, pretty ankles, and her cute feet. She was identifiably on the paper, and I worked on the shading next, trying to get it down to each minute detail. After I was satisfied that I had it down, I created the couch under her, subtly altering its shape to add more rounded arms, and clawed feet instead of the normal ones. Finally, about an hour after I'd begun, I put a few finishing touches on it, and pronounced it done. I had to take a few deep breaths and readjust myself, and then came out from behind the easel. I brought the drawing to her, and let her examine it.

Her breath caught when she saw herself on paper. Her eyes moved over it, and her surprise was evident.

"Wow, that's me!"

I nodded, "That's you. I could improve on my shading, but I'd probably botch it if I tried."

"It's...perfect. Except it can't be me. I can't look that good in real life. My butt isn't that well rounded, and my boobs are too big. You must have exaggerated my features a little, right?"

I was stunned that she didn't realize just how beautiful she was, "No, I drew it as I saw it. This is how you look."

She shook her head, "It can't be, I mean, look at me!"

"Oh, I've been looking at you for about an hour...This is you."

She searched my eyes for some hint of a lie.

I insisted, "I'm serious. This picture...is you. These boobs are yours, exquisitely proportioned, this well-rounded, sensual butt is your butt. These long, smooth legs, your feet, all of this that I drew, this is your body. I didn't exaggerate any of your features a bit."

Her eyes grew wider as I described her body to her, some type of understanding dawning in her emerald depths, and I realized just how much I'd revealed. My face reddened brightly.

"Um...well, this is you."

She sat up, and I gave her the sketchbook with her on it. I walked slowly, trying to calm myself. It felt like I was out of control, revealing feelings I had only been half aware of until just then. I just saw her out of the corner of my eye as she stood up and walked over to where I had stopped, staring at the floor. She put her hand on my arm, and I turned to face her.

Something more was in her eyes, something different. She no longer seemed concerned with her nakedness.

I stammered, "I...I don't know...I didn't want to seem like I was taking advantage of you. After all, you took your clothes off for the picture, not because of me, right, and I didn't want..."

She stopped me, "I took my clothes off because I trust you. I didn't put them on yet for the same reason. I felt your eyes all over me...it felt so good to feel that. And then you tell me that, at least in your eyes, my body is perfect. I don't think I've ever had anyone tell me that and mean it as much as you. So, if you think my body is so perfect, then I want you to touch it."

I was thrown, but my hands reached out nonetheless, making contact with her hot skin, slipping around her sides, coming together on her back. I pulled her to me until her breasts pressed against me, her hips against mine. Her arms pulled me closer yet, and her lips met mine, lightly at first, sampling, and then deeper. Her lips parted, and her tongue touched my upper lip. I met her questing tongue with my own, and they rolled over each other. I felt her exhale on my cheek, quickening.

My hands moved up her back, drowning in the locks of her flowing hair, the silky strands slipping through my fingers. As my hands trailed down past her shoulder blades, the small of her back, and to the swell of her buttocks, she pressed more urgently to me. I gripped the firm flesh in my hands, lifting her slightly, and she moaned softly against my lips. Together we made our way to the couch, and as I sat, she sat in my lap. I could feel the intense heat of her nether region burning through my pants to the swollen member just underneath the denim, straining towards the heat. She slid off my lap to the floor in front of me, and unbuckled my pants. I lifted my hips cooperating, turned on by how she undressed me. When my underwear was pulled down my legs, the swollen, angry-red member sprang up. She reached out and touched it, making it jump against her hand. I pulled her up to me, and we kissed again, more urgently, our lips pressing together, our tongues mingling excitedly. My organ pressed against the bottom of her thigh insistently, so she reached down under her and gripped it. She stroked her hand along the shaft, up to the head, back down, excruciatingly slow.

I touched my hands to her breasts, finding them soft, slightly yielding under my hands. I cupped, rubbed, kneaded her breasts, drifting to her hard nipples, making her purr as my fingers brushed the sensitive, jutting flesh. Her stroking became quicker, harder, her breathing more rapid as she continued to kiss me. I broke the kiss, both of us gasping, and bent my head to her breasts, taking one pink, slightly puffy areola in my mouth. Her hands left my member to grasp the back of my head, pushing through my hair, pulling me against her, urging me.

"Oh, that's good, mmmm, yeah, suck on it, yeah, that's it, just like that..."

Getting her aroused was easy considering she was already there. I moved her so that she sat on the couch, and I was on her. I slid down to the floor, pulling her down a little so that only half of her buttocks actually touched the cushion. I worked my way from her breasts to her taut stomach, feeling the muscles stretching under my lips as she arched her back. I dipped my tongue into her navel briefly, and then down further to closer examine the heart-shaped pubic thatch. She had obviously taken her time with it, doing her best to make it as perfect as possible, even trimming the hairs that made up the heart.

I felt the pubic thatch against my chin, slipped my tongue down into it, and then further down, down to where she wanted, according to her urging and guiding. I could smell her sex, mingled with that perfume she wore, and the mixture completed the ocean for me. I tasted the soft, shaved flesh surrounding her entrance, licking with short strokes.

"You know," she gasped. "It's not...oh...nice to keep...oh-my-God...a girl waiting like...this."

Smiling, I slipped my tongue between her inner lips, licked down to that small bit of flesh that separates her entrance from the puckered starburst shape that was her anus, and then licked back up to the hood that protects her clitoris. Down, and up, over and over, tasting the slightly salty juices that flowed from inside her. Her fingers dug into my hair, almost painfully hard. I licked my way up to her clit, dipped my tongue back down, and into her, causing her to whimper, and I tasted more of her juices. And then it flowed faster as I touched her clit with my fingers, and it swelled enough that the hood of flesh no longer protected it as effectively. I rubbed over her swollen clit in circles, moving my tongue to wet it occasionally, bringing her higher, closer to her release. She jerked her hips against my face and hand, her moans increasing in volume and tempo. She bit down on her bottom lip, mewling through her teeth, and then her eyes popped open wide, and she released her bottom lip. I could feel the walls of her vagina squeezing against my tongue rhythmically, and the spasms began as she climaxed, her thighs pinching my head still between them, humping against my face erratically, and she trembled violently. My tongue was flooded as she came, and I did my best to lap it up despite the fact that my head was held tightly by her muscular thighs.

When she finally quieted and released me, I took a few more licks, and stood up. She got up, pushed me down on the couch, and wasted no time. She went directly to my erection, took it in her hands, stroking it, squeezing. She bowed her head over it, poking her tongue out, and proceeded to swirl her pink tongue around the head. Her lips opened around the head, stopping just at the corona, and sucked my member into her mouth. About half-way down, she reversed and backed it out to the head again, her tongue lapping and swirling continuously. She used her free hands to fondle my balls, and her fiery hair hung down around her face, tickling my thighs.
Then her mouth pulled away from me, and her hands went around her ample breasts. She moved closer until my saliva-wet erection pressed in between, and she wrapped her breasts around it and began pumping away. The head peeked repeatedly from the top of her cleavage. I had never had this done to me before, and that thought brought back memories of my past sexual experiences, and I realized that no other girl would have let me draw her in the nude either. Of course, I couldn't reminisce very long, what with Valerie tending to me the way she was. Her eyes were on me, watching my responses, and adjusting her technique. She brought me closer and closer, and then slowed down, holding me back.

She was getting more and more aroused, so she finally let go of me, straddled my hips, and kissed me deeply as she guided me inside her swollen, soaked entrance. She eased me in just past the head, gyrated her hips, and took me inside a little at a time, excruciatingly slow, until her wet lips rested at the base of my erection, already drenching my pubic hair in her lubricating fluids as my member stretched her. She slid me out halfway, and then back in, clearly enjoying the feeling of me inside her, the tip pressing her cervix. Then she began moving quicker, grinding her buttocks on my pelvis, seeking to get more of me inside her, breasts bouncing on each downward motion, and she squeezed my member rhythmically. After the amazing foreplay, there was no way I could hold out much longer, but it turned out that I didn't really need to, since she was getting close herself.

Her squeezing became less intentional as her impending climax built, and her nails dug into my chest a bit. She cried out, the pressure building more and more, and then her body stopped and clenched for nearly five seconds before she cried out again, much louder, and she spasmed, her head bowed and her hair hanging down around her face. She shuddered, milking my organ, and this brought me to the edge. Unable and unwilling to hold it back any longer, I thrust deeply into her, my butt leaving the couch, and shot my stuff hard, gobs and gobs of it up inside her, filling her with it. After about ten seconds of it, my hard-on spurted one last bit into her, and I collapsed back onto the couch, completely spent. Valerie fell forward onto me, her breaths ragged and hard, matching mine. She buried her face in my neck, pressing her lips to my throat as she caught her breath. I trailed my hands up and down her back for a few minutes, and then felt my erection fading, slipping from her wetness.

She moved off me, sitting with her knees up and her feet under her, her body pressed against my side, her head on my shoulder. I really didn't want to move, I was so relaxed. Suddenly she jumped up, pulling me with her, and led me into the bathroom. She started the shower, getting the water nice and hot. I got in with her, hissing as the hot water pounded my back. I'd never had sex in the shower before either, but that wouldn't be happening just yet. We washed each other casually, just content to touch and be touched, with little sexuality involved. When we were fresh and clean, we dried off, and, not bothering to dress, got in my bed. She fell asleep soon after, but I took a bit longer, a little stunned at tonight's happenings. In the back of my mind I still worried about how we would handle the would-be date-rapist. While I reflected on everything that had happened with Rick, I stroked Valerie's red hair, smoothing it down, brushing tresses away from her cheek, watching her sleep, a small, barely noticeable smile on her full lips.