Page 50 of Across the Universe

"Jo," Bill says in a husky voice. Her body is barely an inch from his, his hands on her lower back as he holds his wife close. "You are more than enough. I've wanted you since the first day I laid eyes on you. I saw you behind the counter at that dental office, and I thought you were the loveliest girl I'd ever seen."

Jo flushes at the memory; she'd thought he was the most handsome man who'd ever walked into the dental practice up to that point, and she'd worked hard not to giggle and act silly behind the counter just to get his attention. Some innate part of her had kicked into gear as he sat there, reading a newspaper, and she'd inherently known that she should tuck her hair behind one ear, speak into the phone in a sweet, lovely voice, and that putting an extra sparkle in her eye when she called his name to go back to the exam room would make him notice her.

And notice her he had. But now here they are, fifteen years and three kids later, and she's wondering whether she's still enough for him. That feeling sits in the pit of Jo's stomach like a boulder.

"I love you, Josephine," Bill whispers, putting his lips to hers. And even though it's hotter than Hades and anyone they know might drive by, Jo leans into the kiss, parting her lips and letting her husband press his body against hers right there in broad daylight.

The kiss goes on far longer than what Jo thinks is decent, but it also sends pulses and waves of desire flooding through her body; even her toes tingle with electricity. When Bill finally pulls back, they both laugh, breathless. Jo pats her hair self-consciously, as if they've just taken a wild roll in the sand rather than sharing a fairly chaste kiss in the parking lot of her husband's therapist's office. She laughs and swipes at her mouth to make sure she doesn't have smeared lipstick.

"Here, milady," Bill says, holding the door for her. "Your chariot awaits."

As they drive away, Jo realizes that whether or not they should go back to see Dr. Sheinbaum as a couple hasn't exactly been settled. She glances at the window that she knows belongs to the therapist's office, and there, holding a cigarette out the window, eyes studiously blank, stands Dr. Sheinbaum, watching them as they pull away.

Jo is tempted to wave, but she doesn't. Instead, she slips on her sunglasses and lets her husband drive her home.

CHAPTER18

Jeanie

The manacross from her is balding, Jeanie realizes with a sinking feeling in her heart. Not that she holds any ill will towards bald men--she doesn't! It's just that he's taken it upon himself to comb what hairs he does have across his shining pate, and he's been talking for what feels like ages about the money he's invested in a steel company, and that he hopes will pay off and allow him to buy a house on a golf course in the next ten years.

Jeanie smiles and nods as she sips her frozen margarita, willing herself not to wince at the brain freeze that attacks her skull.

"So, tell me where you see yourself in a decade, Jean," the man says, picking up his margarita, which he'd ordered on the rocks, extra salt.

Jeanie wants to correct him: she hates being called Jean, but she already knows she won't be seeing him again after tonight. And without the pressure of trying to impress a man, her mentality changes course entirely and she decides to just have some fun. She grins at him.

"Well, Harvey," she says, tapping her fingertips against the red-and-white checkered tablecloth at the seafood restaurant he's taken her to. "In ten years, I'd like to have launched my career as a fashion model."

Harvey's forehead creases. "Well, you're certainly pretty enough," he says, letting his eyes drift down to her barely-visible cleavage. "But I thought you were an engineer?"

"Oh, I am," Jeanie says. "But only because I wanted to see if I could do it." She takes another sip of her margarita. "I was on my way to New York City to meet a photographer and start modeling, but I got lost and ended up on a college campus instead. I signed up, andvoila, here I am."

Harvey looks confused. "I thought your aunt said you were a brilliant engineer who was securing her financial future?"

Harvey hasn't been able to grasp that Vicki is not her aunt, but rather her aunt's best friend who he met in a bar, so Jeanie ignores this. "Well, I am brilliant," she agrees, nodding eagerly. "But I want to cash in on my looks--while I still have them."

"Huh." Harvey puzzles over this, until he finally realizes he's being duped. "Wait a second, you're pulling my leg, aren't you?" He laughs and wags a finger at her.

Jeanie, who is licking salt from the rim of her glass, gives him a little smile. "Yeah, I was," she admits. "Although Ihavealways thought that modeling sounded incredibly glamorous. And I bet you get to keep the clothes. And maybe the makeup."

Harvey seems to appraise her with fresh eyes as the waiter stops by with a bowl of clam chowder for Harvey and one of lobster bisque for Jeanie.

"So then, you are actually planning on sticking it out at NASA and helping men land on the moon?"

Jeanie picks up a spoon and spreads the white napkin on her lap. "Definitely." She takes her first bite of the hot soup. "And then after the men take their turn, I'll be going to the moon myself."

Harvey watches her, and she can tell that he's utterly bewildered by her quirky responses. He also appears to take issue with her last proclamation.

"So, wait--you think women will go to the moon at some point?" His tone implies scoffing, and Jeanie can see it on his face. "You think that's even a possibility?"

"You don't?"

Harvey appears to be loath to even explain the finer points of why this isn't possible, but he sets down his drink and leans both elbows on the table, looking as though he's prepared to explain something very simply to a dim-witted child.

"No, I don't. Women aren't physically fit for space, nor are we going to allow that to happen."

Blood is rushing in Jeanie's ears. She has no clue how Harvey thinks he knows anything about a woman's fitness to travel to space, but beyond that, she'd really love to hear how men will stop them from going.

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