Crystal

   I met Crystal at the same club, three months later.  She and a couple 
of friends walked in and sat at the front table.  Since it just happened 
to be audience participation time, I decided to have some fun with the 
newcomers.  I hadn't really noticed Crystal at that point, I was just 
doing my job.  "Hi, how y'all doin' tonight?" I asked over the 
microphone.  Two of the people at the table immediately got embarrassed, 
which made them prime targets.  I sauntered over to their table.  "This 
is front row night.  Y'all got any requests?"

   Crystal was not intimidated by the mike.  "Yeah!  Play something 
nasty!  I wanna hear some dirty blues!"  I've got a live one here, I 
thought.  Her companions tried to become invisible.

   "So you want to hear something dirty?  Look out guys, there's a 
naaasty girl in the house, and she's right here at the front table!  
Better watch out for this one..."  Crystal blushed, caught off-guard.  
Her friends tried to shrink into nothingness.  The band played two 
Clarence Carter songs, finishing the set with "Strokin".  I waved at Pam 
as I came off the stage.  "I'll buy for the front table of three.  They 
were really good sports."  Pam nodded and sped off to deliver her drinks.

   I was checking my tuning near the end of my break when I heard a 
female voice say, "Thanks for the drinks."  I turned and looked at 
Crystal.  She wore her black hair straight, and her eyes are also black.  
She wore a floral print dress that came just below her knees.

   "No problem," I said, "you and your friends were really good sports.  
I hope I didn't embarrass you too much.  My name is Don."

   "I'm Crystal, and those are my friends Beth and Scott.  We've never 
been here before."

   "Please come back.  We like new fans, and this band is here every 
other weekend," I supplied.  "Oops, time to go back to work," I said as 
the guitarists and harmonica player stepped on the stage.  At the end of 
the night, I packed up and went home without a second thought to the 
raven-haired woman.

   Two weeks later, at the same club, I heard my name called right after 
we broke.  I turned to see Crystal waving energetically at me.  Scott and 
Beth were also at the table.  I went over to do some more public 
relations.  "Hi!  I'm glad to see that you came back."

   Crystal asked how the band was doing, and Beth pushed a chair over for 
me.  Scott said hello, and then flagged Pam down.  He ordered drinks, and 
said he'd pay for me.  "Shouldn't you be playing instead of acting like a 
paying customer?" Pam asked sweetly.  I smiled and blew her a kiss after 
a few seconds.  She returned both gestures.  I gave her a little squeeze 
around the hips as she turned to leave.  Pam relaxed into my grip, and 
waited until I let go before leaving the table.  Scott's eyes, which had 
been fixed on Pam, nearly left their sockets.

   He said, "Whoa," in a much louder voice than he had intended, because 
Beth looked _very_ annoyed at him.  I was amused, but the "Time To Leave 
Tactfully" alarm went off in my head.

   However, before I could get up to leave, Beth, a pretty, buxom, and 
slightly blitzed blonde, grabbed my arm.  Looking at me with unfocused 
eyes, she asked, "Is that your girlfriend?"  It was obvious that she was 
trying to get Pam out of Scott's head.  Unfortunately, I couldn't give 
her the answer she wanted to hear.

   "We've gone out a couple of times, but we're just really good 
friends," I replied.  Silence descended on the table, and it gave me a 
chance to make a graceful exit.  "She's right about getting back to work, 
though.  See you folks again, OK?  Thanks for the drink, Scott."  The 
three of them stayed until closing, and I wished them all good night as 
they left.

   Pam handed me a glass of water as the last customer departed.  She 
nodded toward the door.  "The girl with black hair?  She likes you.  She 
tried to get your attention all night."  Pam ran a finger around my 
shoulder and down my chest.  "I think she's curious, being a county girl 
and all."

   "You're kidding.  She hardly said a word when I was at that table."

   "No, you're just dense.  I watched her.  I saw all of the signs," Pam 
lectured.  "The only thing she didn't do was talk to you.  I guess she's 
a little scared of you.  That county thing, I guess."  Pam leaned closer, 
making me forget Crystal.  "If I were you, I'd ask her for her phone 
number next time."

   The next time I saw Crystal, she was with William.  I was much more 
conscious of her presence, thanks to Pam's constant reminders.  William 
seemed perplexed by Crystal's taste in music, but he was patient enough 
to endure the break she spent talking with me.  They left shortly 
thereafter.  Pam gave me Crystal's phone number after the gig.  "I 
figured you wouldn't ask while she was with another guy, so I did while 
she was waiting for the bathroom.  She's really excited that you're 
interested."  Pam waved a finger in my face.  "Don't be too nice to her."

   Crystal and I went on a date that week.  Nothing happened, and it 
ended with a hug.  Crystal was alone at our next gig.  She was waiting 
for me outside when I started to haul my gear out.  "Are you waiting for 
_me_?" I asked playfully.

   She looked around nervously.  "Umm... yeah," she said shyly.  "I was 
thinking we -- umm -- we could -- like -- umm... talkorsomething."  The 
poor girl _was_ nervous.  I felt sort of sorry for her, but I knew all 
too well that exact nervousness.

   "Listen, I have one more trip to make to the van.  Why don't we meet 
at The Grill?  You don't have to leave now, do you?"

   "Umm... no.  I can -- go to the Grill..."  Crystal hesitated.  "Where 
is it?"  I snickered, because this reminded me of an old comedy skit.  
She looked hurt, and started, "Well, I usually go to the Wharf with my 
friends after we leave here."

   "You're so cute," I said, the playfulness in my voice hiding the 
sincerity of my statement.  "I can see where the Wharf would hold its 
attractions for you.  But I'd like to show you something -- different."  
Quickly, I felt compelled to add, "If you want."

   Crystal nodded eagerly, and she followed me to the Grill.  We caught 
the tail end of another blues band.  Crystal stayed very close to me, and 
she wasn't very talkative.  I thought she might have been a little 
intimidated by the type of crowd.  Although a few yuppie types were 
there, most of the people were city folks, in various stages of 
inebriation.  I wondered if I had made a mistake until I asked her to 
dance with me to a slow song.  I started out dancing politely, and then 
my hands slid to her lower back.  Crystal collapsed limply onto me, 
burying her head in my neck as we moved very slowly.

   "I like the way you slow dance.  It's so -- romantic.  The guys I know 
spin you around the floor like they're ducks on drugs," Crystal said as 
we left the floor.  She squeezed my hand.  "Guys from the county don't 
dance like that at all."

   "There are _lots_ of things I do that county guys don't," I stated.  
It was a fact, and I didn't realize the implication until...

   "Are you asking me to come to your place?"

   I dragged her away from the music so we could talk in quieter 
surroundings.  "I'd really like that sometime.  But all I want now is a 
good night's sleep.  I'm really beat," I confessed.

   "Well, it's kinda late, and it's a long trip home for me.  I better go 
now," Crystal said.  "Unless I can crash at your place," she finished.  
End of discussion.  She waited outside my door while I unloaded the van, 
and she carried a bass in for me.  I gave her the quick tour, and grabbed 
a pillow for the sofa.  She followed me, and looked at me quizzically.
   
   "No, Crystal, you can sleep in the bed," I explained.  "I'll be fine 
on the couch."

   "I was gonna give you a back rub for being so nice," she yawned.  
"Come on," she cajoled, "it's something you can probably use.  Am I 
right?"  Score one for the lady.  We went to bed together.  I was 
unconscious before she finished the back rub.  Sometime during the night 
Crystal had wrapped her arms around me.  I gingerly removed myself from 
her embrace, went to the john, and returned to a not-quite-asleep young 
lady.

   "Mmmmmmm," she purred as I started to give her a gentle back rub.  
Crystal turned over, regarding me sleepily with her jet-black eyes.  It 
made her look very sexy.  Rolling back over, she said, "That feels really 
good.  Ohhh, you're wonderful."  My hands travelled down her back, and 
briefly roamed over her rear end.  Crystal stiffened, but said nothing.  
I began to massage her buttocks firmly, and she moaned.  I slid my hands 
back up to her shoulders, and leaned across her back.  She could feel my 
growing erection press against her.  "It's Sunday -- mmmmm -- morrr-
ninnng," she whimpered.

   I kissed her earlobe, and then her neck, and felt her tremble a little 
in response.  "So what?" I whispered, nuzzling her neck again.  She 
kissed me on the cheek.  I rolled off of her, and she rolled on top of 
me, driving her tongue into my mouth.  She pulled away after a few 
minutes of necking, a little puzzled by my lack of urgency.  "Don't stop 
now, I was having fun," I said.

   Crystal looked at me, then sat up.  "Ummm...  Are we going to... "

   "All good things in time, Crystal.  Be patient," I gently reprimanded 
her.  Crystal's schedule was a little faster than mine.  She removed her 
dress, revealing matching pink bra and panties.  I reached out and 
stroked her tummy lazily.  Crystal sighed, and started to fondle my erect 
cock.  "Not so fast," I complained, and moved her toy out of reach.  
"Let's just play with each other's bodies and senses for a bit longer."

   Crystal was definitely baffled now.  I ran my hands along her inner 
thighs, and played with her breasts, avoiding the nipples in the bra.  I 
stroked her face and neck, played with her long black hair, and kissed 
her slowly, sweetly, but teasing, never letting it last too long, or go 
too deep.  I made her moan and gasp quietly a few times, but she never 
caught on to the game.  Crystal would touch me from time to time, but it 
was clear that she wasn't ready to pay attention to anything other than 
my cock.
   
   I stopped, then kissed Crystal sweetly on the lips.  Then I got out of 
bed.  She looked at me, face full of confusion and desire.  "Aren't we... 
I mean, I-I-I want to..." Crystal spluttered.  Poor thing, she hadn't a 
clue.

   "Crystal, the answer is no, we aren't.  Not now, anyway.  You're in a 
hurry, and I doubt that it's mad, spur-of-the-moment lust.  I really 
think you're just curious.  If you aren't just being curious, I'd love to 
spend some more time with you and your body.  But it works both ways.  
You'd have to spend some time getting to know me and mine."

   Crystal blinked rapidly.  The way she looked at me said that she had 
been curious, and I'd caught her.  Suddenly, she was embarrassed by her 
exposed skin, and began to put her dress on.  She didn't say anything 
until she got to the door.  "Aren't you the least bit -- interested?"

   "Interested in what?  I'm interested in Crystal; not her creamy white 
skin, or her soft, pink pussy.  I'm not curious about white women; can 
you honestly say the same thing about black men?"  She tried to look 
away, but I gently held her chin and pulled her gaze back to me.  "Be 
honest with _yourself_, Crystal.  It doesn't matter to me if you are just 
curious, although I would have some -- regrets.  You'd be surprised at 
some of the things that get said and done to me at clubs.  I'm afraid 
this isn't new to me."

   She turned to leave.  She abruptly turned back to me, and said, 
"I'll... ummmm... callyou?"  She hesitated before pivoting and leaving.  
Yeah, OK, I thought as I waved goodbye.  I called Pam and invited her 
over to dinner, hoping for a little friendly fuck.  Of course, Pam asked 
me about Crystal, and I told her the circumstances of Crystal's 
departure.

   "You did _what_?" Pam exclaimed.  She started laughing, "If that 
doesn't drive the little rich bitch wild, I don't know _what_ will."  I 
looked at Pam, totally confused.  "Oh my God, you did it by mistake!  You 
are so dense..."  She gave me a hug before settling down.  "Don, you just 
turned her down.  No county boy turns _any_ pussy down.  She was curious 
before, now she's going to want to know what makes you tick."  I looked 
at her incredulously.  "If you keep letting her know that this is on your 
terms, she'll be your pretty, rich bitch girlfriend, 'cause she's found a 
guy her pussy can't tame."  Pam sat down, eyes aglow.  "She _was_ 
curious.  _Now_ she's," Pam leaned back and waved her arms dramatically, 
"in loooove," she exaggerated.  No, I didn't get the friendly fuck I was 
looking for.