The morning traffic rush had abated when Sophie rose. Her sheets were damp and crumpled with the results of her morning fantasizing.

Time for laundry, anyways. She collected her clothes from the plastic shopping bag in which she had carried them back from Jerry's place and added them, together with the sheets and the clothes Jerry had loaned her, to her other dirty clothes in the canvas carry-sack.

The apartment's laundry room was on the far side of the complex. With most everyone at work the machines would be available and she could use the time they were running for a little R&R by the pool. A few laps, one of the joys of living in So Cal, and then drip dry in the sun.

Sophie was just getting back to the apartment when she heard the phone ring. She managed to get the door open, haul her clean laundry in and grab the phone only to hear a click on the far end. Oh well, if it was important, whoever it was would leave a message . . . .

Or call back. She was laying the clothes out on her bed to fold and put away when the phone rang again. This time she caught it after the second ring.

"Hello?"

There was a pause and then a voice that stirred her soul and made her senses come alive said, "Is this sweet, sexy, Sophie?"

"Jerry?!"

"Who else?"

She laughed. "I thought you'd be at work. I . . . I was thinking of you." She laughed, remembering her waking fantasy.

There was a pause then Jerry continued, "I've been thinking of you, too. Entirely too much. What do— Hold on, they're calling for me. Are you going to be home for a few more minutes?"

"Oh, yes. Jerry, I—" But he had hung up. What was going on?

Sophie continued putting her clothes away and found a shoulder bag into which she put Jerry's shorts and t-shirt. Thought for a moment then, feeling very worldly, started putting together an overnight kit for the next time—clean underwear, a new toothbrush, travel sizes of her shampoo and conditioner.

The next time . . . .

Her mind went back to yesterday. A day passed in experimentation with her body and his, alone in Jerry's apartment. A sweet smile stole over her face and she hugged herself. Life was so good.

Brin-nng. The phone again. She grabbed it.

"Sexy Sophie? Say, you need to get a cell phone, I called one of your roommates that this morning."

"Oh, no! You didn't. What on earth did she say to you?"

"Don't sweat it. She seemed to dig it. Said you were really out of it, deep asleep—that I must have kept you really busy . . . ."

Sophie was remembering just what had kept her busy and felt a red flush sweep up from her chest. Oh, shit! And a corresponding warm rush between her legs.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't hassle—she sounded really happy for you."

Sophie finally got her tongue. "I bet she did. They've both been trying to match me up ever since we moved in here."

"And now you're matched. I—"

"You called. You called me."

"Of course, silly girl. You don't think I'd let a hottie like you slip through my fingers? Now I get to woo you and seduce you all over again so you don't think I'm ignoring you. And I know just what you— Hold on again, don't hang up, I'll just be a second."

Sophie heard a crackly voice in the background, then some creaking and Jerry saying, Okay. How's that?

Then he was back on the phone with her.

"Where are you?"

"At work. I'm up in a condor and they wanted me to adjust a light."

"A condor?"

"A kinda crane that we hang lights from. This one is making like it's sun coming in a skylight on set."

That made sense. Jerry was an electrician on a TV series. They had met two days ago on the campus of the University of Southern California where she was starting her studies in history and economics and he had been loading in cable for a shoot the next day. When she left his apartment the night before, he had said he had to be at work at four thirty in the morning. This morning.

"So you can call while you're working? You were at work when you called before?"

"Yup. Yup. And yup I spoke to your roommate—what's her name—from work, too. Filmmaking is an endless game of hurry up and wait. Everybody runs around like a chicken with their heads cut off getting stuff ready for a while and then someone comes up with a question so a few of them stand around and talk for a time while the rest of us just wait."

He paused, then continued, his voice huskier. "Gives me lots of time to think about my new best lady. Getting hard just thinking of you."

Sophie stifled a gasp. She still couldn't get over how blunt he could be about all things sexual. Stuff she'd always held private, Jerry seemed to celebrate as part of ordinary living.

"Mmm. You like that, don't you. Thinking of me at work with a hard-on and no way to get any relief." He sounded so wistful that Sophie forgot her own slight embarrassment in discussing such a thing.

"Hey, wat'cha doing tonight, fair lady? Oh, woman of my dreams. Of my nightmares if I can't see you real, real soon . . . ."

Sophie could but laugh.

"Uh, I guess I'm seeing you . . . I'd like to see you," she amended, anxious that she not appear unwilling.

"Good. I should be off by six or so. How 'bout I swing by your place and I can show you more of the city of Angels."

Sophie smiled happily. Jerry's enthusiasm was contagious.

"Yes, sure. You have the address, remember. I wrote it down—"

"In my little black book beside your number."

"Good, I'll—" but a voice was crackling in the background again.

"Gotta go, see you later. Get yourself rested, it'll be a long . . . ." and he was gone.

Sophie sat and looked at the phone for several minutes, projecting on it the image of her new love.

Then took a deep breath. She had seven hours before Jerry would get off work. Time to head back to USC and Doheny and the work she had planned to do on Saturday. Was that only two days ago?

On set, Jerry was trying to focus on what was being said on the radio. Looks like they were going to need him down to help reset and run the dimmer board. He started thinking about how to solve the patching problem, anything to get his mind off of Sophie, beautiful Sophie, hot sexy Sophie so sweaty and exhilarated lying there beside him, half under him in his bed yesterday afternoon . . . .

Stop it! He just had to get his dick down from its iron-rigid stance quickly so the guys wouldn't josh him about whacking off on the job.

He had to get through the rest of the day. He had gently ribbed Sophie for her self-consciousness around her roommates but he, too, felt really uncomfortable about his friends finding out about her. This relationship was too new, too special.

And he didn't want any of those horny guys to get at her before he had solidly staked his claim.