’ It’s always ‘7 million, 238 thousand.’”“What’s that the number of?”“The beast, for all I know,” she confessed. “I just made it...up. I couldn’t repeat it again to save my life.”“You’re serious about this guy, aren’t you?” Good question. Now if only she had a good answer.“I’m not sure.”“Well, you look serious,” Natalie said.“The real question is: ‘how serious is he?’”“If an outside opinion is any help, he looks serious, too. Does he have another girl?”“I don’t think so.”“Well, if he takes you to. "I've wanted do that ever since we did it on the dance floor, Irene." I got my other arm under her and she let me turn her on her side so that she was facing me with all of her body and, when I kissed her again, her arms went around my neck."Please, Joe," she objected, "it's late... you have to go." But this time her mouth had opened and my tongue had begun to explore her moist, oral cavity. And the way her arms tightened around my neck told me that she was enjoying the kiss."I know, Irene.... Courtney and Gloria smiled at each other, but they never took their eyes off of Becky.I pounded my beer and went for another, looking at the picture of Vic and Courtney. Becky was too young to understand what was happening, but it made sense to me. Vic had explained it to me one afternoon while we were watching the Cubs play the Mets on his portable TV. “Women are dumb animals,” he said, his voice booming like thunder. “And they are hardwired to respond to two things, muscle and dominance. You. If you can find a time, I guess I'm stuck, but only if she's either sterile or pregnant. I'm only fathering babies on my concubines."Bethany smiled and turned to be sure that only I could hear her. "Tamara needs one of yours then," she whispered.I choked off a retort, which I tried to disguise by coughing as Jack Junior jumped up and smiled at his father. "I aced it!" he cried. "I'm sure I got an eight, maybe even a nine! The questions and scenarios were easy to solve. That was pathetic."Amanda.