Losing His Shirt

by Linda Fausnet

  Johnny eventually lifted his head and kissed me. “That was wonderful. You are wonderful.”

  I smiled and gently caressed his hair. Though it was still hard for me to think of all the other women he’d had before, I got the feeling that he didn’t hold them like this afterward. I thought perhaps it really was different with me.

  Johnny carefully pulled out of me, then walked over to the trash can to dispose of the condom. He came back and carefully lifted me off the counter, setting me on my feet. He wrapped his arms around me and held me again. I sighed happily, content to be close to him.

  Johnny grinned at me, chuckling.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Not if I was the last man on the planet with a functioning cock, huh?”

  I burst out laughing, and Johnny laughed along with me. “God, it’s so hard to remember ever feeling that way! Oh, it functions all right …” I said seductively, making his smile broader. “You know, I also recall saying that if you took away all your money, there would be nothing left of you. Turns out there was a pretty amazing guy underneath.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  “You always say that, Johnny. ‘I’m glad you think so.’ What do you think of you?”

  “Honestly? I’m not really sure. I know it sounds weird, but it’s like I’m trying to figure out who I am. You were right when you said my whole identity was wrapped up in being rich. Now that the money’s gone, I feel like I’m starting over.”

  “I understand,” I said, squeezing his shoulders. “But you’re not alone. We’re making a fresh start together.”

  “Yeah,” Johnny said. “Thanks for sticking around to meet the guy underneath the money. That took a hell of a lot of patience.”

  I shivered a little and Johnny noticed. He gathered up my bra, panties, and dress. He slipped the bra on me, and reached around my back to clasp it. Next, he tenderly slipped my dress over my head, then held out my panties so I could step into them. Once I was dressed, I gathered up his clothes. First, I helped him put on his jeans and underwear, then slipped his shirt back on.

  “Ugh,” he said, covering his stomach defensively. “I’ve put on so much weight since I went broke!”

  “You’re so handsome, Johnny. I think you look amazing,” I said, rubbing the slight hint of a belly he’d gotten over the last few months. Somehow this imperfection, combined with his adorable insecurities about it, made him even more perfect.

  “Thanks,” he said with genuine gratitude. He took both of my hands in his and looked into my eyes. “Look, I know I’ve done everything ass-backwards here. First I take you to bed, then I ask you to be my girlfriend, but it’s never too late to try to do things right. Rosemary, my princess, may I take you to dinner tonight?”

  “I would love that, Johnny.”

  “You don’t even have to put out afterward.”

  I laughed at that, then I moaned. “I don’t think I could if I tried. I’m sore enough now.”

  “Are you really sore?” Johnny asked with concern and not a little bit of pride.

  “Yes. But it’s totally worth it.”

  “Cool. Okay, you think about where you want to go for dinner. We can go anywhere you want. I don’t even have to have a coupon!”

  I giggled. How I adored this new, humble Johnny.

  “I’m gonna head home and get all cleaned up for you,” Johnny said, running his hands over his unshaven face. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  Johnny hesitated a moment.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Johnny glanced behind me at the spot on the counter where we’d just had sex. He gazed at me tenderly and asked, “Are you sure it’s okay if I go?”

  I gazed at his adorable, worried face. “You are so sweet,” I said, pulling him into my arms. I had never known a man as thoughtful as Johnny. It was a comfort to think this was a guy who would never have sex with me and then roll over and fall asleep. He would hold me for as long as I needed. “Yes, Johnny. I promise I won’t cry,” I said with a laugh.

  “You’re sure …” Johnny said, not entirely convinced.

  “Yes. With sex I need commitment, Johnny. And I have that from you now.”

  “You sure do. I am totally committed to you and only you, Rosemary. And you should be committed for wanting to be with me.”

  I giggled, then stood on my toes to kiss him. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Okay,” he said with a smile, then headed out the door.

  After he left, I glanced at the kitchen table and then at the counter where we had made love. My eyes did tear up, but only because I was happy. So very happy.

  Chapter 19

  Rosemary picked a cool steak joint in D.C. to meet for dinner. We sat in a cozy booth together, her sipping a glass of wine and me with a beer while we waited for our food.

  “I can’t believe I’m really here with you,” I said, taking her hand in mine across the table. Her smile made me feel warm all over. I’d never had a woman look at me the way she did. “From that day I first saw you perform, I decided I wanted to make you mine. I just can’t believe I actually managed to do it!”

  Rosemary laughed and squeezed my hand. “Thank you for bringing me here. I love this place.”

  “My pleasure. I just wish I could take you someplace super fancy like you deserve. Makes me crazy that I could have taken you somewhere great at any time, and I didn’t.”

  She raised an eyebrow at that. “Not at any time. I couldn’t stand you, dude. I wouldn’t have gone out with you if you’d asked. I don’t care how much money you threw at me.”

  I grinned at her, feeling a surge of attraction for my new girlfriend. “I think it’s pretty sexy that you can’t be bought.”

  “Oh, I didn’t say that. The truth is, you could have me for a song. That’s what did it for me. You should know, you’re completely irresistible when you sing. Sing to me with that beautiful voice of yours, and I’ll do anything you say.”

  Rosemary looked at me seductively, and my dick sprang into action. I was proud as fuck that Rosemary was sore after the relentless pounding I gave her, but I didn’t want to actually hurt her. I figured I’d better get control of my voracious sexual appetite. The last thing I wanted was for her to think that’s all I wanted from her. That’s why taking her to dinner tonight was so important. I really wanted some time alone just to talk with her.

  “I could say the same about you,” I said. “You’re so beautiful when you sing. I mean, you know, even more than normal. I can just tell that was what you were born to do.”

  “Thank you, Johnny,” Rosemary said gently, starting to tear up a little. It was damned cute that she could be so emotional sometimes, especially when it came to things she was really passionate about. She’d also teared up after the first time we made love, which meant she was passionate about me.

  “So, is that what you want to do with your life? Like, do you see yourself on Broadway someday?”

  She smiled, but the food came so she couldn’t answer right away. After our server asked us to cut into our steaks to make sure they were cooked to our liking, Rosemary picked up where she left off.

  “I would love to make it to Broadway. I’m just not sure how likely that is to happen.”

  “Of course it’ll happen. You’re a brilliant performer!”

  “Thanks. I hope so. There’s a lot more to it than that, I’m afraid. I would love to really give it a try someday,” she said. She took a bite of steak and chewed thoughtfully. “That’s the thing … dreams like mine have a shelf life.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked as I dug into my steak and baked potato platter.

  “Well, I’m not gonna be young forever. Just like in the movies and TV, there aren’t a lot of roles for older women. If I want to pursue this, and I mean really pursue it, I can’t afford to wait.”

  “Wait to do what?”

  She hesitated for a moment. “Move to New York.”

 
; “Really?” I asked, feeling my stomach drop. I wanted Rosemary’s every dream to come true, but a long-distance relationship would kill me. I needed to be near her, and not just for sex, either. I needed her warmth and support. And affection.

  “Yeah. I mean, I haven’t decided anything for sure yet. I keep going back and forth about it. And it’s not like I could afford to live in New York. Not by a long shot!”

  Seeing her sad expression made my chest ache. Just a few months ago, I could have given her all the money she needed to pursue her dream. Fuck, I could have bought her a whole building in NYC. I could have paid for her head shots and acting classes, and given her enough money to quit her job so she could concentrate on performing. Still, I hated the thought of her moving so far away, even if I had the funds to make it happen.

  “If you had all the money in the world, what would you do?” I asked her.

  Rosemary smiled at me. “I know exactly what I would do. I would go to school in New York. Get my theater degree. I would go to classes during the day and then audition at night. I would completely throw myself into performing. You know, give it everything I have. I know I wouldn’t be able to do it forever, but at least for a few years I could completely devote myself to my art. Learn everything there is to know about it.” She sighed dreamily. “That would be so amazing. Not to have to waste time working a day job.”

  I let her words sink in for a moment. I realized I would have given anything to help her fulfill her dream of going to New York, even if it crushed my heart in the process.

  “It’s so crazy. I did have all the money in the world and look what I did with it. Threw a ton of it away on booze and women,” I said, shaking my head. Rosemary smiled sadly and I felt like shit. “I hope you know all those girls meant nothing to me, Rosemary. And I certainly meant nothing to them.”

  “I’m sure that’s not true, Johnny.”

  “Oh, it is. Believe me. Much as I’d like to believe they were with me for my sparkling personality, none of them give me the time of day now,” I said, remembering the withering look Christina gave me when she realized I was too broke to pay for her ride home. “Not that I care. I have you now. Not that you’re like them. I—I mean—”

  “I know what you mean, Johnny,” she said with a sweet smile.

  “You’re the only woman who’s ever liked me for who I really am.”

  “I get the feeling I’m the only woman lucky enough to see the real you.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “So what do you want to do with the rest of your life now?” she asked. “I know you had to take the used-car job for now, but what do you really want to do?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I haven’t thought too much about the future.”

  “Well, think about it now. If you could have any job you wanted, what would it be?”

  I debated whether or not to tell her what I was thinking.

  “What?” she asked with a sly smile. “I can see you’ve got something going on in that head of yours.”

  I laughed, feeling more comfortable with Rosemary than I had with any other person in my life. Of course I could tell her the truth. She wouldn’t judge me.

  “The truth is, I don’t want to work. I just don’t. Honestly, I want my dad’s money back so I can have the freedom to do whatever the hell I want.”

  “I can understand that,” Rosemary said with amusement in her smile.

  “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I don’t want my life to go back exactly the way it was before. I loved having my own company, but I don’t want to be an asshole boss again. I don’t want to go back to treating people the way I used to. I get it now, you know? Being broke made me appreciate what I have—or had—and how hard other people have to work just to get by.”

  “It’s definitely changed you,” Rosemary said softly and with great affection. In that moment, I knew it was worth losing my money if it made her look at me like that.

  “I know it sounds horrible and lazy that I don’t wanna work for a living.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with feeling like that, Johnny,” Rosemary said. “We all fantasize about what we would do if we won the lottery. First thing most of us would do is tell off our boss and quit.”

  She giggled when she said that, and I laughed, too. I still felt incredibly turned on when I remembered the way she told me off that day. She might be tender-hearted enough to tear up when she was feeling especially emotional, but she also had an independent streak, and it was sexy as hell. Sure, we’d all tell off our bosses if we won the lottery, but Rosemary had been strong enough to do it without that safety net. Money or not, she had refused to take any more of my shit. And I was fucking proud of her.

  “Well, if you ever do get your money back, it’ll mean you can dump your day job and do whatever you want. So what would you do?” she asked, and then her eyes suddenly lit up. “I know. You could pursue your singing! You could get really good with your guitar, and you could even write some of your own songs.”

  I reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “I wish I had your passion, Rosemary. I really do. I mean, I love singing, but it’s really just a hobby for me. A good one, and it’s one I should have started long ago when I had the time and the money. I just don’t have the drive for it, you know? Well, of course you know. If you wanna be successful at something like that, you have to want it more than anything. I wish I did, I just don’t.”

  Rosemary nodded. “That makes sense. Just give yourself time. You’ll find your way. Money or not.”

  “Thanks.”

  After declining dessert, Rosemary and I left the restaurant and headed back to the Metro. It felt good to walk hand in hand down the street with her. It was a clear, balmy night, and it was nice to be outside for a bit.

  “I wish so much that I had my car. I hate that I can’t drive you home.”

  “I wish you had your car, too, Johnny. For your sake. I remember how much you loved that car,” Rosemary said.

  “I sure did,” I said wistfully, thinking of how nice those plush leather seats felt. Rosemary certainly deserved to be driven around in style. It annoyed me to think of all those other women who got to enjoy my wealth when Rosemary deserved it so much more.

  “We’ll get together next weekend, if not before, okay?” I said, wrapping my arms around her.

  “Sounds good. Oh, but I can’t do anything Friday night. I promised Ryan I’d rehearse with him. We’re getting ready for Spamalot auditions.”

  “You going over to his place to rehearse?”

  “Yeah,” she said casually, like it was no big thing. I felt my body tense up and hoped she didn’t notice. The last thing I wanted was for that prick Ryan to know I was jealous, but seriously, what was the deal with those two? Considering how emotional she was about sex, I wondered if they’d dated seriously and she was having a hard time letting go of him.

  “You okay?” Rosemary asked.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. So, I’ll see you next weekend, right? You can come to my place. I can show you the palace I live in,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  She laughed. “I would love that.”

  I pulled her closer to me. “I’ve spent so much time fantasizing about having you in my bed, it’ll be nice to actually have you in it.”

  Rosemary smiled up at me. “That sounds wonderful.”

  “Oh hey, you know what? You’d be the first to christen my apartment.”

  “Really?”

  I nodded. “Yup. I’ve never had sex in my new place. Well, you know, at least not with a partner.”

  Rosemary giggled and blushed slightly. It was so cute.

  I stroked her pretty, long hair. “You can bring an overnight bag if you want to stay.”

  “I would really like that, Johnny.”

  “Cool.” Then it was settled. Let her rehearse with that asshole on Friday. On Saturday night, I’d make love to her so long and hard she’d forget her own name, as well as his. Then I would hold her in my arm
s all night so she’d know I was the one who belonged with her. Ryan had his chance and had obviously blown it somehow. Rosemary was my girl now, and I was gonna treat her right.

  I leaned down to kiss her, not wanting to let her go.

  “See you soon, princess.”

  Rosemary nodded, then reluctantly let go of me to walk toward her train.

  Chapter 20

  “Hey, sweetie,” Ryan said, greeting me with a warm hug when I got to his place.

  “Hey, yourself,” I said, squeezing him tight. I let go of him and then flopped down on the couch. “How was your week?”

  “Same old shit, you know how it is,” Ryan said. He worked as an automotive technician for a local car dealership, and he hated his job. He didn’t mind working on cars, but the management sucked. We’d spent many an hour in the past complaining to each other about our jobs. My new job wasn’t too bad, so now it was mostly poor Ryan doing the complaining. “Bob’s still a dick, but what are ya gonna do?”

  I nodded sympathetically. Ryan deserved so much better.

  “Want some wine?” he asked.

  “Nah, not yet. After we rehearse.”

  “Sounds good,” Ryan said, picking up the pages, also known as sides, that we needed to have ready for our auditions. He would be auditioning for King Arthur, and I was trying out for the part of the Lady of the Lake. This time, we were just running lines and skipping the songs.

  We both read over our parts for a few minutes, then Ryan asked suddenly, “How’s what’s-his-name?”

  I peered at Ryan over my pages. “You know his name.”

  “You slept with him after we all left last weekend, didn’t you?” he asked somewhat accusingly. Ryan was usually the first one to know when I had sex with a guy, because we told each other just about everything. This time, I’d talked to Susie on the phone afterward, and we giggled like schoolgirls. Ryan wasn’t stupid; he figured out I’d slept with Johnny. I was just nervous about telling him because he hated Johnny so much.

  “Yes.”

  “Was he at least good in bed?” Ryan asked, sounding genuinely curious.