Everyone else but me was laughing. Now it was my turn to blush and stare at my plate. E-Beth just continued. "You know, big city, lots of parties. Even though I wasn't twenty-one, there were a couple of places that would let me in. And even if we didn't hit a bar, people would throw big parties at their apartments. We all traveled in packs, together, us interns. We met Jake at a bar. He was some hotshot investment banker, older man, nice suit."

“You didn't put out on the first date, did you?" Diane asked.

“No! I made him wait three dates and some really expensive dinners before he even got inside my blouse. You shoulda seen him. Poor guy was drooling over my cleavage for weeks. He actually came in his pants the first time he got my bra off!" E-Beth was now giggling and holding her hands over her mouth.

E-Beth was on a roll. Without any further fear of retribution from me, she kept going.

“I at Least gave him another shot on our next date. He was really romantic and determined to make up for his... uh, premature finish to the last date. We ended up drinking wine at his 11th floor apartment downtown. Now let me tell you. For a charming guy at 28, you'd think he'd have Learned how to eat pussy by now, wouldn't you?"

The girls were all laughing and I found myself joining in. A part of me felt the awkwardness of listening to this ‘girl talk’, especially when they were currently discussing male shortcomings in the bedroom. But more of me was focused on the changes I'd seen in E-Beth.

The girl had grown up. Seriously, she was so different from when I first met her. Gone was the chubby, shy, teenaged nerd. She used to wear baggy sweaters to hide her body from view and stare down at the floor at all times. In just a couple of years, she'd become a healthy, fit babe wearing tight T-shirts to show off her tits and a skirt to show off her legs. Her frizzy hair was straightened out and pinned back to display a pretty face she'd grown into. The glasses were gone, replaced by contacts that at Least let me see the deep brown color in her eyes.

In the beginning, I had made love to E-Beth out of affection and emotional caring. If I hadn't known anything about her personality and just randomly saw her on the street back then, I never would have made

@ move on her. But now, she was a beautiful woman getting picked up by

28-year-old rich investment bankers in the city.

I'd had her. But I lost her.

And yet, when E-Beth looked over at me I swear I saw some of the old sparkle in her eyes. Who knew? Maybe when she was ready to settle down and I was certain I'd shed the pain of my past, maybe we'd end up together again.

The rest of our Lunch was cold long before the conversation ended. But that's okay. We college students had learned to live on tupperware and leftovers.

When the girls started putting away the dishes, I figured it was an appropriate time to Leave. Phyllis and Diane had to rush off to 1:30pm classes. Amber just saw the way E-Beth and I were looking at each other and made herself disappear somewhere.

E-Beth walked me to the door, and when we got there I turned and let myself take a long, lingering look up and down her body. Long, dark hair. Pretty face. Outstanding breasts. Wonderful, curvy hips and long legs. She clearly knew what I was doing and she actually turned to let me admire her.

“Now I'm jealous," I sighed.

“Of who?" Her voice had a playful giggle in it.

“Anyone who gets to have you from now on. You are beautiful,

Elizabeth." My voice was sincere and carried a rasp of Longing. I was too used to being able to have her and I wanted her now.

She looked Like she wanted to jump me as well. But she held back and murmured in a quiet voice.

“Thought we were just friends."

“A friend can still say a woman is beautiful."

“Did you miss me?" she asked. Her voice was full of emotion, and I had missed her. I knew then we were right about to give into our mutual desires, breakup or not.

I quickly turned away and sent my gaze over her shoulder. "So! You sounded Like you had a good time over the summer. Got out, went wild.

Did some of the things you always wanted to cut loose and do."