GEORGIE PORGIE

Georgie Porgie, puddin’ and pie,
kissed the girls and made them cry.
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.

 

Daphne reluctantly placed the phone on its receiver. She could not leave Georgie another message, and yet, why didn’t he call her back? She picked up another cigarette and lit it, inhaling deeply. She realized she had just put one out and reminded herself for the millionth time that she needed to quit smoking. Perhaps her appointment with the hypnotist Thursday would help. She didn’t hold out much hope, but the friend who recommended the woman insisted she could work miracles. At this point, Daphne would try anything.

Her mind flashed back to Georgie. She was genuinely confused. He had seemed so sincerely interested in her, pursuing her so relentlessly that, when she finally gave herself to him, she thought for once she had gotten it right. And that night with him had been magical. But here she was three days later, and still no word from Georgie. Her mind could not accept that she had been so thoroughly duped.

Against her better judgment, Daphne ultimately found herself driving by Georgie’s favorite bar. She had to go out anyway, she reasoned, for more cigarettes. She pulled into the parking lot and drove up and down in between the rows, looking for Georgie’s car. But it wasn’t there, and she began to wonder if something might have happened to him. This thought seemed infinitely more preferable to his dumping her after getting her into bed. She began to reason that it was far more likely that he had been incapacitated in some way than that he had gone through all the trouble of seducing her for a single night of sex.

With this same utilitarian logic, it did not seem entirely out of line for her to go to Georgie’s house. In fact, it seemed rather uncharitable not to. The least she could do was to check on him and make sure that he was okay. He may be sick, or in dire need of help, and here she was offended that he didn’t call. As she drove in the direction of where Georgie lived, she persuaded herself that she was doing the broad-minded and practical thing.

Even so, Daphne hesitated once she reached the parking lot of Georgie’s apartment building. What if he really didn’t want to see her? But her apprehension was squelched by a surge of excitement when she spotted his car. He was home! Her adrenaline ran high in anticipation of seeing him. She felt incapable of controlling her own actions. Yet she lingered in her car, lighting up another cigarette. She stared thoughtfully up at his building as she blew smoke rings out the window. She felt she ought to have an excuse of some kind for coming, but could think of nothing plausible. Everything that came to her mind seemed ridiculously transparent. Had she by chance left her missing earring there? That sounded pathetic, even to her ears.

I will simply tell him the truth, she told herself, purposefully opening the car door and making her way to his apartment. Her heart thudded vigorously at the thought of seeing him again, and whatever she ended up saying to him seemed trivial by comparison. Surely he would be as delighted to see her as she was to see him, and words would not be necessary. Without pausing for further deliberation, especially any that might lead to a change of heart, she hastily knocked—perhaps a bit too loudly—on Georgie’s door.

Daphne heard movements from within the apartment and suddenly had second thoughts. But it was too late to escape, for she was standing in the middle of a long hallway and she could see that someone was already turning the doorknob. She actually jumped when the door flew open and Georgie appeared. He was undressed except for a pair of gray shorts, and his black wavy hair was tousled all around his head. His dark eyes registered surprise at first to see her, but then she thought she detected annoyance creeping into his expression. From behind him, she could easily make out the form of a woman, also scantily dressed in ruffled underclothes.

“Daphne,” he said after a minute, as if he was just recalling her name. But she was already seething with indignant anger.

“Well, I guess this answers my question,” she said in a shaky voice. But the implied clarification did not prompt her to leave. She looked at Georgie tragically. “Why?”

Georgie sighed, as if bored. “Why what?”

“Why all the pursuing? Why all the games? You can’t have done all that just to get me into bed that one time?” She was incredulous.

Georgie cast a quick glance at the woman standing quietly behind him. “Please don’t turn this into an ugly scene,” he murmured.

“How dare you!” Daphne screamed. There were sounds coming from surrounding apartments, and she was aware that she was losing control, but she no longer cared. “You are a sleazy, no-good, manipulative—” The door slammed shut in her face before she could finish.

Daphne stared at the closed door in shock. She was trembling with rage and disbelief. She had an urge to kick the door but she resisted it. She stood there for a long minute before turning to leave. A woman was peering at her from a crack in a door that was slightly ajar. She walked dejectedly down the long hall and left Georgie’s apartment building.

Back in her car, Daphne lit up a cigarette. She was more than anything else confused. Had she deluded herself into thinking that Georgie really liked her? No, she knew that she had not. She had not been the pursuer between them. It was quite the opposite. She had, in fact, been wary of going out with him from the get-go, sensing that he was much too smooth and good looking to be reliable. She had been shy and uncertain the first time he approached her, while he had been amused and intrigued by her reticence. He had been relentless, calling her many times. He even sent her flowers. When she finally agreed to go out with him, he had gallantly picked her up at her door. Aside from his devastatingly good looks, how could she possibly have known?

It was not until their third date that she finally yielded to Georgie’s charm and good looks, melting into his arms and his bed. She was normally not at her peak performance when it was the first time with a new partner, but with Georgie everything came off seamlessly. Their bodies melded together in perfect harmony. She had even managed to reach an orgasm, which usually took her months into a relationship to achieve. She left Georgie that following morning believing they had begun something truly magical. But Georgie never called her again.

Daphne reflected that she probably should not have waited so long to sleep with him after all. With men like Georgie, it was the women who got more attached with each encounter. If she had gone home with him that first night, it would have ended the same, it’s true, but at least she wouldn’t have felt so much hurt over it.

She reached for another cigarette, but the pack was empty. She stared at it in surprise. Surely she had not smoked the entire pack already? She circled the street in search of a convenience store. She would never make it through the night without cigarettes.

By the time Thursday rolled around, Daphne was up to three packs a day. She puffed furiously on a cigarette as she squinted to read the road signs up ahead. She looked around nervously. Her quest had brought her to a seedier part of town, but what was more disturbing was the eerie silence all around. One would have expected to find some hoodlums loitering noisily about or perhaps to hear a few police sirens. The area appeared to be deserted. Up ahead she spotted the building she was looking for. It was rundown and decrepit like the rest of the neighborhood. She saw lights shining from within, and this reassured her. In truth, the creepy surroundings cheered her somewhat. They matched her idea of where a hypnotist might conduct business. Best of all, her depression had been replaced with curiosity. The session would be a diversion that might at least prove entertaining.

A bell rang when Daphne stepped inside the large open room that was a bookstore, antique shop and apparently a used-clothing outlet as well. The room smelled of strong incense, pleasant but a bit overpowering. She surveyed the odd collection of mismatched items that were scattered about the room without rhyme or reason.

A woman appeared from a room in the back. Daphne had envisioned someone with long, wavy hair overrun with streaks of gray and tie-dyed clothing that fell in loose layers all around her. But this hypnotist was actually quite chic in a snug-fitting skirt and blouse that might have been better suited for Wall Street, with neatly cropped hair that looked professionally colored and in all other respects well kept. The hypnotist approached Daphne with a clear, steady gaze and a friendly smile. She grasped Daphne’s hands in hers and held them firmly for a moment, closing her eyes as if in deep concentration. When she opened her eyes to look at Daphne she appeared surprised.

“I, ah…have an appointment,” Daphne began uncertainly.

“I know why you’re here and I can help you,” the hypnotist assured her with a knowing smile. “But first we’re going to have to get you to relax just a bit. I’m Julia, by the way.” As she spoke, Julia led Daphne to a long, deep-cushioned couch near the back of the room. “We’ll have enough privacy here,” she explained. “And I can still keep an eye on the store if a customer comes in.”

It all seemed quite unorthodox to Daphne, but she was fully enthralled by it nevertheless.

“So,” Julia began languorously, easing herself closer to Daphne on the overstuffed couch as she spoke. “Why don’t you begin by telling me more about this little problem of yours.”

“Oh, okay…um…” Daphne struggled to collect her thoughts. She was thoroughly distracted by her surroundings and Julia’s nearness. Julia stared at her with wide-eyed expectation. “I started smoking when I was about…I think—” She stopped then because Julia had begun softly chuckling. She looked at Julia questioningly.

“That’s not why you’re here,” Julia told her matter-of-factly. Daphne stared at her in silence. “Is it?” Julia prompted.

 

Two hours later Daphne left the hypnotist feeling like a different person. When she got into her car she immediately lit up a cigarette, puffing on it happily. She was filled with hope. She marveled at what a wonderful thing hope was. Hope created expectation, which, in turn, provided energy to make things happen. She giggled, excited, as she placed the key in the ignition. She looked at the neatly wrapped little package she had set down on the seat beside her. She must find a post office and mail it promptly.

All through the rest of that week and into the next Daphne stayed home, just as Julia had meticulously instructed, venturing out only for work and necessities. Most especially Daphne avoided going anyplace where she might encounter Georgie. Julia had been most adamant about that. For the best results she must wait a full week at the very least. With every day that passed, her anticipation grew and her expectations soared higher. She waited single-mindedly for the moment when she would see Georgie once again.

But when at last the week had passed, Daphne was filled with trepidation. What if it didn’t work? She remembered the unconventional surroundings of Julia’s shop and even Julia herself—so completely out of sync with everything she had imagined about hypnotists and how they would operate—and she couldn’t help but wonder if she had gone mad, trusting a complete stranger and especially giving her so much money, money that Daphne had worked hard to earn. She had banked everything she had on a flight of fancy! But amid the doubt Daphne’s hope still lingered, and it buoyed her spirits enough so that she was able to continue determinedly following Julia’s instructions.

When she was satisfied that enough time had passed, Daphne began to prepare herself to see Georgie again, although according to Julia no such preparations would be necessary. She could show up in her shabbiest bathrobe for the same effect. Even so, Daphne primped and preened to her heart’s delight, and when she was finished she was satisfied that Georgie would be impressed when he saw her. She strolled confidently into his favorite hunting ground.

Daphne’s eyes scanned the crowded bar anxiously while trying to appear disinterested. Within seconds she spotted him. She moved purposefully in his direction, meandering in and around the throng of people. She had expected to feel nervous when this moment approached, but was pleasantly surprised to find that she was not.

Georgie was sitting at the bar, staring down at his drink in abject misery. Daphne drew out a cigarette and held it in midair seductively, saying, “Something the matter?”

Georgie’s head came up and he looked at her in surprise. She put the cigarette to her lips expectantly and raised an eyebrow. He instinctively brought up a lighter and held it for her. She recognized the lighter instantly and smiled.

“I thought you were going to quit,” he said.

“I’m surprised you remember that,” she said with meaning. “I would have thought all those little details would be long forgotten once you finished with a woman.”

Georgie just looked at her. He seemed momentarily distracted by her as his eyes scanned her face.

“I decided to deal with other matters first,” she explained with a smile.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her, and said, “You look beautiful tonight.”

“Oh? I’m surprised you noticed.”

Georgie shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I deserve that.” He kept looking at her with a mixture of confusion and brooding contemplation. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Sure.”

Not even a full hour later, the two stumbled through the front door of Georgie’s apartment, struggling frantically to remove each other’s clothes. Georgie kicked the door closed and enthusiastically thrust Daphne up against it. He was so beside himself in his desire for her that he behaved with an almost desperate urgency. Daphne’s own passion raged out of control in response.

“I’ve got to see you,” Georgie kept saying as he tore away her clothing. “I have to touch you!”

Daphne’s body trembled for his touch. But when he finally had her fully unclothed, Georgie stood back, momentarily sidetracked by the sight of her. He let out a low whistle.

“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” he murmured. Under any other circumstances Daphne would have balked at the words. But this time she pressed her arms against the door and pushed her body forward, toward Georgie, causing her breasts to jut outward. Georgie moaned at the sight of them, reaching forward and cupping one in each hand. As he caressed them his passion returned with renewed force, and he kissed her ravenously while he continued to squeeze and pinch the nipples. Daphne moaned loudly over the pleasurable discomfort he was giving her.

Georgie’s kisses moved lower and he seared the tender flesh of her breasts with his breath as he licked and sucked each nipple in turn. While he consumed her with his mouth, his hands crept around her waist and moved purposefully up and down the length of her back, caressing and embracing her all in one stroke.

But soon his roving hands ventured farther down over her hips and greedily cupped her plump, round buttocks. He spread them apart and reached a curious finger in between the folds. While he was still holding her buttocks open with his strong hands, Georgie’s finger adroitly located the folds of her labia and wiggled its way into the warm velvety passage within. When he felt Daphne’s silky wetness he had another tremor of sorts, and in the next instant Daphne found herself on all fours, with Georgie still holding her buttocks spread wide apart in his hands as he leaned in from behind to replace the finger with his tongue.

“Ahhhh,” Daphne moaned, shuddering as Georgie ravenously devoured her. His tongue meandered back and forth enthusiastically between her clitoris and soaking slit. It slithered and squirmed its way over her exposed flesh, expertly massaging her clitoris one moment and wriggling its way deep within her folds the next. Georgie worked on her tirelessly, forgetting, it seemed, his own needs entirely. Daphne did not worry over this as she normally would have done. She was suddenly convinced that whatever Julia had done had worked, and that Georgie would find more pleasure now in pleasing her. She threw her head back and languished in the wondrous feeling of Georgie’s tongue as it worked tirelessly in and around her flesh, back and forth over and around her clitoris, bringing her closer to the edge with each new advance. Without even realizing she was doing it, Daphne began helping Georgie in his endeavor, feverishly thrashing her hips toward his face, grating her clitoris over his tongue and lips. Noting her increased passion, Georgie grasped her buttocks even more firmly in his hands and moved his tongue over her with even more steadfast determination. With all of her self-consciousness and anxiety so neatly put out of her way, Daphne was able to fully embrace the moment of her release. It spread its red-hot heat through her, beginning its tingling warmth in her quivering clitoris and radiating outward. She was too overcome to even cry out, and Georgie might not have even known what had happened had he not noticed the subtle and fleeting vibrations of her body, or the way her hips jerked away from him when his tongue tapped the now overly sensitive area.

Georgie released Daphne’s hips and she fell onto the floor in a near swoon. He pulled himself up over her slowly, feeling half satisfied himself but not entirely. Daphne opened her arms and legs to him, all softness and yielding, as he drove himself into her. He was so hard she trembled from the invasion.

Daphne wrapped her arms and legs around Georgie, clasping him as close to her body as was possible. She pressed her body against him, luxuriating in the thrilling feel of having Georgie in her embrace. She felt a fierce possessiveness come over her. When Georgie exploded inside her she felt triumphant.

Georgie sighed contentedly as he rolled off of Daphne. “I thought I was going crazy,” he murmured with a sigh of relief.

“Come again?” Daphne said.

He playfully turned her over and dropped a loud kiss on her bottom. “It’s nothing,” he said. “Just a rough week is all. But I’m back on track now.”

“Sure.” Daphne smiled in secret.

But Georgie was far from being tamed and it was another long, miserable week for Daphne before he finally called her again. She was resentful and angry, but relieved, too.

“Daphne.”

“Georgie?” She tried to sound indifferent.

“How’ve you been?”

“What do you want?”

“Can I see you tonight?”

“I don’t know, Georgie,” but this was just for show; she knew she would see him.

“I really need to see you, Daphne,” he said. The pleading note in his tone made it impossible for her to resist further.

“What time?”

But this time Daphne was hesitant to go to bed with him. She wanted to spend more time with him in a vertical position, and besides that, it was beginning to dawn on her that pleasing him sexually was actually working against her own wishes in the long run. “I don’t think I should stay tonight,” she said when they were standing outside his apartment door.

“Why?” he asked more tragically than he intended.

“Because if I do you’ll turn cold again.”

“What?”

“You’re hot when you want me, but you turn cold after you have me.”

Georgie thought about this. There was no denying it, so with a guilty grin he began to stroke her shoulder just the way she liked. “I’ve been a jerk to you, Daphne.”

“Mmm…” She looked away indifferently.

He laughed. “God,” he said in a strange new voice. “I guess I’ve been caught!” He said this as if it just occurred to him.

“What do you mean?” she asked. She wasn’t sure if he was merely acknowledging her comment or if he was, as she suspected and hoped, admitting that she had captured his heart.

“It’s you, Daphne,” he said with cheery resignation. “You’re the woman for me. I’ve been fighting it, but I can’t deny it any longer.” Daphne’s heart leaped when she heard his words. She was speechless with astonishment and joy. Georgie took her face in his hands and tenderly kissed her. She melted in his arms.

They spent a delirious weekend in his apartment, much like a honeymoon, with Georgie never leaving Daphne’s side. Georgie not only accepted what he believed to be his inevitable fate, convinced that he had simply fallen in love, but he actually reveled in it. He brought Daphne breakfast in bed on Monday morning, serenading her with corny love songs. Daphne laughed heartily, never having been so happy in her life. Had Georgie not been so delighted by what had happened, her part in it might have taken some of her pleasure away. But with both of them so content with the result, where was the harm?

Georgie and Daphne instantaneously became a couple. In Georgie’s self-absorbed world, Daphne became like an extension of himself. Everything he had enjoyed in his former life alone he now wanted to share with Daphne. She accepted all of this euphorically, thriving under all the attention. She woke up in the morning and pinched herself, half thinking it must all be a dream.

Things continued to progress in this way, with Georgie doting over his beloved and her blossoming under his inexhaustible attentions, until one afternoon when Georgie accidentally stumbled upon Daphne’s e-mail account while working on his home computer. Intrigued by something belonging exclusively to the one he adored, Georgie double clicked on the icon to open it. He wasn’t surprised to encounter a request for a password; in fact, it seemed to present him with an interesting challenge. He was suddenly curious to see if he could guess Daphne’s password. With a sly smile, he typed in the name of her first dog, remembering how affected she had become when she told him the story of how her beloved pet had been hit by a car. But it was not her password. Next, he typed in the name of the street where she grew up, congratulating himself on how well he listened to all the things she told him. But that was not her password either. He thought for a moment, certain that he ought to be able to guess the word she would choose. Then suddenly he beamed. He typed the word Georgie, and in the next instant he was in!

It was not his original intention to actually read any of Daphne’s private e-mails but once Georgie was inside he was overcome with curiosity. He went into her in-box and slowly scanned the subjects, halfheartedly working his way down. All at once one of the headings caught his eye. It read, Re: Amazing results with Georgie. He did not hesitate a moment before opening the e-mail.

The e-mail began with a response to an e-mail Daphne had sent. Her respondent wrote, That’s wonderful news Daphne…now what about the smoking?

Georgie scrolled down to the original e-mail that was sent from Daphne. Hardly able to believe what he was seeing, he read, Thank you so much for what you did to Georgie. It all worked out exactly as you predicted. I couldn’t be happier. He actually still had the lighter with him the first night I saw him!!! He really believes that I am the only girl he can perform with because he’s in love with me! Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you….

Georgie could feel the blood draining from his face as the cold rage crept over him. The lighter! His eyes narrowed as he recalled the anonymous gift he had received in the mail. He had automatically assumed that the expensive cigarette lighter was an extravagant gift from a well-satiated lover. But thinking back now, he realized that it was immediately after receiving that lighter that he had all at once ceased being able to perform sexually. Daphne had gotten someone to put a hex on him!

Georgie rose up from his chair and began searching frantically through every drawer and shelf where the lighter might be. It had long since run out of lighter fluid and it could have been left in any number of places. He was still looking for it when Daphne came home.

She could see from his expression that something was terribly wrong.

“Where’s the lighter?” Georgie thundered.

“Wh-what?” But she knew instantly what he was talking about. She wondered how he found out and how much he knew. “What lighter?”

“The lighter with the hex you put on me!” he yelled. He had forgotten every positive emotion they had shared in the interim between the time he had received the lighter and the moment he saw her e-mail.

Daphne took a step back. “I don’t know, Georgie. What does it matter?”

“What does it matter? What does it matter?” Georgie was choking with indignation. “It matters because you’re going to take off the hex.”

“I can’t.”

Georgie stopped suddenly when she said this. He seemed to become calmer. He walked over to where Daphne stood and grasped her arms. Then he threw her up against the wall, hard.

“How do I get the hex off?” he asked her menacingly.

She remained silent.

“How do I get the hex off?” he asked her again, but she just stared at him. “Answer me!” he bellowed.

Daphne had started to cry. She was not upset by his anger. She was terrified of losing him. “You can’t,” she whispered.

“What?” he asked, whispering, too, all of a sudden.

“You can’t get the hex off,” she lied. “Ever.”

“There must be a way,” he said with desperation.

“There isn’t.”

Georgie stared at her for a very long time. He cursed himself inwardly because he could feel his body becoming aroused. It had been that way, he realized, ever since the day he got the lighter. He could not get hard without her, and he could not keep from getting hard whenever he was around her. Daphne could see it, too, and relief washed over her.

A menacing smile crept slowly over Georgie’s beautiful features. He was beginning to shake with a mixture of anger and desire for her. He realized resentfully that there was nowhere else he could turn for relief.

Georgie reached for Daphne and his rage temporarily overpowered his desire. He grasped her head in his hands and plundered her lips with his mouth. She melted against him, relieved and reassured by his desire, but Georgie jerked away from her just as abruptly as he had taken hold of her.

“No!” he protested with a snarl. He took a fistful of her hair and dragged her down the hall to their bedroom. Once inside he released her, thrusting her from him so forcefully that she only just caught herself before falling. “Get your clothes off,” he demanded.

Daphne was not pleased by the way in which this was happening, but it was, she forced herself to admit, better than she might have expected. She preferred the Georgie of yesterday but felt confident that he would come back around to that once he had gotten over the initial shock of what she had done to him. She undressed quickly, her body already tingling with anticipation. She was eager to help him get over his anger. She wanted him to accept the fact that he was hers now.

Georgie had stood by watching as Daphne undressed, and when she was finished he slowly removed his own clothing while she waited. He seemed reluctant, but appeared not to have the power to stop what was happening.

“Lie down,” he said. “Facedown on the bed. I don’t want to look at you.” He was mildly surprised when she quietly complied.

In spite of his anger Georgie paused to run his hand along the length of Daphne’s body, lingering on the curve of her back where it turned up toward her hips. Daphne held her breath. He moved his hand lower, working it over her buttocks and down in between her butt cheeks. She squirmed nervously as he moved his finger over her butt hole, circling it, round and round.

“Grab the headboard,” she heard him say gruffly.

She moved up onto her knees in order to do as Georgie instructed. He continued to finger the outside of her anus menacingly. She waited breathlessly to see what he would do next. No man had ever touched her there before. She knew women accepted men there. She had even wondered about it, fleetingly, in her fantasies, but she had never actually meant to go through with it. Not until the very moment when Georgie pushed his finger inside her body. In that instant she knew she would let Georgie have her this way, but she was still afraid.

“Georgie,” she moaned. He pulled out his finger. She heard him move to the bedside table and fish around in a drawer for something. She felt a tingle of arousal flit through her as she glanced over and saw him pull from the drawer a jar of lubricant. As angry as he was, she perceived that he did not wish to actually hurt her.

He began rubbing the lubricant into her anus.

“Georgie,” she began, but the sound of her voice only made him rub the ointment in more vigorously. He was using two fingers now.

“Georgie!”

“Shut up,” he said in a startlingly quiet voice. He continued in the same, maddeningly calm tone. “You want to possess me so badly, Daphne? You’re going to get me then. All the way. For tonight, at least, it’s not going to be about you. After what you did to me you don’t deserve any consideration.”

As he said this, Georgie began to gradually wedge his way into her body. Although his words were harsh, he entered her slowly and gently, careful not to hurt her.

“Georgie,” she moaned. Sharp thrills of excitement pierced through her in spite of the pressure as he penetrated her inch by painstaking inch. She arched her back slightly, pushing her hips outward in an effort to open herself more to him. This eased her discomfort considerably.

“That’s it,” he mocked her cruelly. “Push your hips out toward me. Show me how much you like it.” He kept working his way into her little by little as he spoke, taking his time and clearly relishing every moment of it.

He grasped her hips more securely as he finally pushed himself into her body all the way to the hilt.

“Oh!” she cried. She was aroused, but the pressure temporarily surpassed her arousal, not extinguishing it but merely immobilizing it. She heard him laugh mockingly behind her and her former forbearance because of what she had done diminished considerably. With her arousal put aside for the moment, she felt somewhat violated. Suddenly, she was fully at odds with what was happening. “I hate you!” she blurted out impulsively.

Georgie had begun to painstakingly draw himself out of her now, leaving only the very tip of his raging hardness inside her. “So,” he goaded her, holding himself back for the moment. “You hate me, eh? For mistreating you?”

“Yes.” She braced herself to take him all the way again. Suddenly Daphne’s arousal was returning with double strength. Even so, she continued in the same vein. “I hate you.”

Georgie thrust himself all the way into her again. “Now you know how I feel.”

Daphne moaned loudly, the pleasure increasing considerably with each new thrust.

“’Cause that’s what you did to me,” Georgie continued, pulling himself out again with agonizing deliberation only to thrust it all the way back in, again and again. “And like me you’re just going to have to take it.” And he just kept driving in and out of her, keeping a continuous, rhythmic pace that gradually increased in speed and intensity. “Can you take it as well as you can dish it out?” he mocked her.

“Yes!” she cried, suddenly fully aware of the exciting new pleasure into which Georgie was initiating her. There remained some discomfort and pressure, but this, too, given the circumstances, suited her tastes.

“That’s right,” he said. “You can and you will. Take it!” He began to drive in and out of her with the unrelenting intensity of a machine. She held herself steady and submissively accepted Georgie’s thrusts. Eventually the discomfort was becoming manageable enough for her to focus on the pleasure. She slipped her hand down between her legs to further stimulate herself.

“Georgie!” she cried out, surprised that such an intrusive and demanding activity could bring such intense pleasure.

Georgie had warned Daphne that this was not for her, but he was nevertheless pleased by her response. And though his pleasure increased tenfold with the knowledge that she was enjoying what he was doing to her, his anger still burned steady beneath his overpowering desire.

Daphne, meanwhile, endured every bit of what Georgie dished out, even meeting some of his violent thrusts with wild little thrusts of her own. The grueling difficulty of it as he used her even more harshly gave her a delightfully perverse satisfaction. Perhaps she wanted to be punished for what she had done, and secretly hoped that her acquiescence to Georgie would make him truly forgive her.

The many emotions that Daphne had gone through that night, beginning with her terror at the thought of losing Georgie, ending with the couple’s absolute and utter capitulation to each other, and encompassing all the incredible realities and sensations in between had their effect; Daphne’s climax shook her to the roots of her existence. Afterward she could only cling to the headboard while Georgie continued to take pleasure from her, wondering over the tingling sensations that lingered for far longer than they ever had before. Georgie appeared to be shaken by the experience, too, until it was over.

Immediately afterward Georgie rolled over and drifted miserably off to sleep. But the next morning he was once again fully aroused by the sight of her. And so their relationship progressed, with Georgie going from hating Daphne, to yearning for her, to resenting her, and then back to hating her again. Sex, the chain by which she held Georgie to her, became for him an exercise in maliciousness, and he struggled to mortify and mistreat her in an effort to project his own powerlessness onto her.

Daphne made herself available to Georgie whenever he wanted her, but kept her distance when he did not, telling herself to give him time. She went along with his demands in the bedroom, finding that, once she got past the initial embarrassment, she actually enjoyed most of the things he did to her; but even the more harrowing things she also submitted to willingly. And once the worst was over she found that she was able to glean additional pleasure from the memories of those events after the fact. She walked around in a semiconstant state of arousal, even when Georgie wasn’t around, thinking obsessively of the things he did to her and what else he might do. And in this way she became as trapped as Georgie was.

More than anything else, Daphne wanted to make the relationship between her and Georgie succeed. She was not content with things as they were. She yearned to once again see the love in Georgie’s eyes that she had glimpsed there before he had discovered how she had trapped him. Another aspect of their former relationship that Daphne longed to get back was Georgie’s willingness to spend time with her. Now, unless they were engaged sexually, Georgie wanted nothing to do with her. Georgie’s resentment was still too acute to allow him to “give in” and share those other parts of his life with her. Whether or not he might have enjoyed her company wasn’t a consideration for him. All that mattered was that he retain some small measure of control over his own life. He fought all sentiment he developed toward her. He reasoned that, although he had no choice but to be with Daphne, he didn’t have to love her. He would give her his nights and his body, but he would not give her the affection she craved.

Daphne handled all this with amazing patience. At times she became angry, but she always forgave Georgie everything. She told herself that he would eventually come around. He would have to. He had no other choice.

Daphne’s quiet reserve and unwavering perseverance frustrated Georgie even more.

In the meantime, Georgie tried everything he could think of to get rid of the hex, as he perceived it to be. Only a few days after finding the e-mail, it occurred to him that he could contact the woman that had helped Daphne and offer her more money to undo whatever it was she had done to him. But when he went online to find the e-mails and get the woman’s e-mail address, they were gone. Daphne had deleted them and erased all the history. Undaunted, Georgie reasoned that another witch could counteract the hex as well as the first, but six “witches” later he had burned through frightening amounts of money with no results whatsoever. He even resorted to consulting several doctors, but they each recommended that he see a psychiatrist—who also refused to address the real issue, insisting instead that Georgie waste his time rehashing his childhood.

Eventually, Georgie was forced to accept the fact that Daphne was the woman he would be spending the rest of his life with. Very slowly but steadily, he shifted from genuine resentment to a pretense of resentment, put on more than anything else for his own pride’s sake. He began spending time with Daphne more and more, but only when it seemed obligatory or unintentional, and doing so grudgingly, so as not to give rise to the suspicion that he wanted to. In the bedroom he became tender and loving, turning to the more decadent pleasures only when he knew it would please Daphne as much as him to do so.

This shift in Georgie was undetectable to Daphne, it being effected so slowly and deviously, and over such a long period of time. But just as she had originally hoped would happen, Georgie’s anger and resentment had settled into necessity and acceptance, which had evolved into affection and then at long last, love.

One day this reality struck Georgie with stunning clarity. He suddenly realized that Daphne was good for him. She adored him. She had perceived something valuable in him and wanted it enough to fight for it. In the process, she had brought more pleasure into his life than anyone ever had before her, and all she had ever asked of him in return was for a little of his time. He had fought her every step of the way, and yet she had waited patiently for him to come around and accept all the goodness she had to offer. He knew that he had been cruel and hard to her from the start, even before the hex, when he had used her for the one-night stand. He marveled that she could have put up with so much negative behavior from him. He believed that she truly did love him.

For the first time in their relationship, Georgie devoted an entire day solely to Daphne. He began by going to the most exclusive jewelry store he could find and buying her an alarmingly dazzling ring. Next he proceeded to the grocery store, where he purchased the ingredients for her favorite dish, and then on to the liquor store and so on. With every stop that Georgie made he became more and more excited, rising up out of his self-centered existence and discovering the incredible joy of giving. His mind whirled with plans for the future as he rushed around making preparations for the night to come.

Daphne was fully disarmed by the spectacular scene set out before her when she arrived home that evening. It was so unexpected as to be incredible. There was candlelight and soft music. The rooms were immaculately prepared and delicious smells wafted out from the kitchen. Georgie greeted her warmly, looking vulnerable but exultant as he served her a drink. She was utterly taken aback and stood looking all around her, speechless. Something shifted imperceptibly within her.

She allowed Georgie to lead her into the dining room, following him dumbly. She was deeply moved, but it was bittersweet. How long had she waited for this? Perhaps if he had come to her like this a month ago, or even yesterday…but really, how patient was a person supposed to be?

Yet she realized that this wasn’t the real issue, not really. The problem was within her. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t want him now. She hadn’t wanted him for some time. And it suddenly occurred to her that she had noticed this change stealing over him for quite a while, and that was what had affected her. It had adversely affected her. Perhaps she was more like Georgie than she realized. She was much more obsessed with the craving itself than the objects that she craved. It was just like with the cigarettes. Once she stopped obsessing over trying to quit and just accepted that she was a smoker, she no longer needed to have a cigarette in her hand every waking minute. In fact, she only periodically reached for them anymore. These thoughts flitted through her mind as she slowly sipped the drink that Georgie made for her.

If Georgie noticed her strange mood he did not remark on it. He remained cheerful as he served her dinner. Perhaps he was preoccupied. Upon examining him more closely Daphne saw that he was indeed preoccupied and quite nervous as well. She picked at the sumptuous dinner he’d prepared, aware that something unpleasant was about to happen but not really inclined to stop it. She waited attentively, watching the events as if they were happening to someone else.

She knew the moment had come when Georgie smiled at her.

“Words cannot begin to express what I feel,” he told her, taking her hand in his. She remained silent, so he continued, “It might be easier just to show you.” He set a small black ring box on the table in front of her. When Daphne still didn’t move or speak he opened the box and revealed the glistening engagement ring to her.

Daphne felt as if she was watching a train wreck. With each moment that passed she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. She looked at the ring he offered her dispassionately. She had dreamed of this moment so many times that there was no more magic to glean from it.

“I’m sorry, Georgie,” she whispered. But she actually felt no remorse at all.

“What?” He was taken aback. It had not even occurred to him that she might reject him. “Daphne, I know I’ve been an ass since the first, but please—” He broke off in confusion.

There was a short silence.

“You can think about it,” he told her hopefully.

She didn’t respond to this.

“I can make you happy, Daphne,” he said.

But the more anxious and desperate he became, the more far removed Daphne felt. She thought about that night when she went to his house to find him with another woman and shuddered with revulsion. It stung her pride even after all this time to recall how pathetic her behavior had been.

What a mess! How would she ever find happiness? At the moment all she knew was that she had to get away from Georgie. She snapped the ring box shut and got up from the table.

“Daphne,” he said. “Let’s talk about this.”

“I’m sorry, Georgie,” she said again. She picked up her purse and her phone and her keys.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’m leaving you, Georgie.” She was surprised by how good it felt to say the words.

“You can’t just leave me like this!” Georgie was aghast.

But she was preparing to do just that.

“At least take the hex off me,” he pleaded.

But Daphne found that, although she didn’t want Georgie for herself anymore, she still wasn’t ready to just hand him over to someone else. Besides, all of this was his own fault. It wouldn’t have happened if he had just stayed the way he was.

“Daphne!” He grasped her arm and tried to pull her to him but she jerked him off her with a violence that surprised him.

“Please don’t turn this into an ugly scene,” she said, wondering if he would remember the words he had spoken to her on that night long ago.

He didn’t.

“Daphne! Please don’t go!”

She opened the apartment door and walked out.

“Come back!” he yelled after her.

Daphne walked out of the apartment building breathing a sigh of relief. She felt older but infinitely wiser. She reached in her purse and pulled out a cigarette, reminding herself absently that she ought to quit one of these days.