Entanglement

by Max Ellendale

  "My God," she said, her voice trembling. "Oh my God."

  "I love when you come that hard." I nibbled her ear, then bent my legs around her to dig my heels into the sofa. The position made her slide down until I could rub my clit against hers. She started, gasping as she looked down between us. "Like that?"

  "Yes." Her eyes, glazed over with sex, nearly rolled back in her head when I repeated the move, our flesh gliding against each other in our very tangled position. Both of us moved against each other and I leaned my head back on the sofa, allowing the heat and feel of her to stoke my fire. She gazed down between us, and her tongue lashed over her bottom lip. My stomach jolted while I watched her tongue, and as if she understood my unspoken want, she slid from my lap to kneel on the floor between my legs.

  Mira's boldness grew every day, and today was no exception. She pushed my thighs apart after an exploratory caress down my slit. I tore at the sofa cushions as she had her way with me, and tilted my hips back as if to see me better.

  "I want you to gush," she crooned, her voice husky as her fingers stroked my folds. "How can I make you?"

  "You have." I moaned when she rolled my clit between her knuckles. "God, Mira. I'm going to come in two seconds."

  "I want to see it happen." She lapped at my core, poking her tongue inside me deeper than usual.

  "Shit." I cried out, grabbing her hair when she repeated the gesture. "Mira."

  "You taste like chocolate." She grinned at me, wagging her brow as she wrapped her lips around my clit briefly. "I wonder why."

  I laughed hard in between panting, and I nearly died at the way she talked to me while urging me toward release. This was new, and way more playful then we'd been before. She grabbed my hips, and held me to her mouth as she devoured me like I wanted. Every inch of me alive and on fire under her lips. Moans left me, I rolled against her mouth, and when I came, I could hardly contain the sounds that rose to my throat. Mira held me in it, urging a second and third explosion from me until she got her wish. It only drove her wilder, and she sucked my folds while rubbing sharp circles on my clit.

  "Baby, ah!" And again, I lost myself while she slipped two fingers in me. Mira's sudden expertise had my toes curling, body shaking, and voice shouting her name over and over. Only when my legs trembled so hard that I couldn't hold them up anymore did she release me, but continued to rub my pussy in gentle caresses to let me down easy. "Baby."

  "Mmm." Was all she said as she kissed my clit, mons, and stomach.

  I ran my fingers through her hair, and she nudged my knees over her shoulders while she licked and kissed my stomach. My breath left me in heavy pants, my hips rolling toward her on and off of their own accord it seemed. "I think…I'm still coming. My God."

  "Good." She rocked with me, in slow, even thrusting motions and I moved with her as she lapped at my clit in tiny flicks.

  Sweat beaded my brow, dampening my hair as she kept up the motion for minutes it seemed. She supported my thighs over her and I crossed my ankles to prevent myself from falling.

  "Mira," I moaned as she coaxed a deep, rolling orgasm from the farthest recesses of my body. Goosebumps coated my skin, my toes curled, and pleasure lapped at me in a way that warmed and relieved my aching parts.

  Both of us calmed down to breathless messes and Mira shifted me around to lay together on the sofa. We hugged each other, our foreheads pressing together as we snuggled into the soft cushions.

  "How'd you get so good at this so fast?" I asked, after ending a delicate kiss.

  "I'm a scientist. I studied you and learned what you liked," she said, smiling as she stroked my face. "How did you get so good at it?"

  "Practice." I laughed softly and let my hand fall to rest against her chest. "And learning you, too."

  "I love you," she said, her eyes half-lidded despite her grin.

  "I love you, too." I pulled the blanket from the arm of the sofa and tossed it over us. "Nap?"

  "Mmm. Sundays with you are my favorite." She nodded, and we snuggled together, a bundle of smiles into our happy afterglow.

  The smell of savory goodness woke me some time later, and I stretched out on the sofa, finding it absent of Mira. I sat up to find her in the kitchen, wearing nothing save for a pink and blue kimono, while cooking over the stove. She hummed softly, and I took a moment to enjoy the sight of her, and the way she tucked her damp hair behind her ear. She must've felt my eyes on her, because she glanced over and smiled right away.

  "Hi, honey," she said.

  "Hi, sexy. What are you doing?" I tugged the blanket around my middle as I stood from the sofa.

  "Cooking dinner for you." She held her arm to me when I headed to the kitchen, and I leaned into her embrace. "Eleanor texted to check in. I responded for you since you were out cold."

  "Thanks, baby." I kissed her cheek while I gazed down at the sautéed veggies in the pan. "Smells yummy."

  "Balsamic honey-glazed chicken. Something fast." She gave me a squeeze and I smiled.

  "Works for me. Do I have time for a quick shower?"

  "Yup." She swatted my rear when I broke away from her. "Come back naked."

  I laughed as I hurried off down the hall.

  When I returned, not as naked as Mira would've liked, but borrowing one of her robes, we shared a quiet meal together. I propped my feet on the rung of her chair, keeping her close to me while we ate.

  "This is so yummy. Thank you for cooking."

  "I think I might like to cook for you more often," she said, dropping her hand to rest on my thigh. "Like you do for me and your siblings."

  "No protests from me." I tugged the hem of the robe up to show her the fading bruise on my thigh. "Look how ugly. A week turned it gross."

  Mira laughed, giving the green and yellow ugliness a soft caress. "But you're better. Desk duty bored it into recovery."

  "Oh yeah. Definitely."

  A knock sounded on Mira's door and her brow furrowed as she set down her fork. I dropped my legs and she made to stand.

  "Expecting anyone?" I asked.

  "No. If it was Saoirse, she would've just barged in," she said. I joined her and waited while she looked through the peephole. "It's my sister." Her eyes widened and she tied her kimono tighter.

  "Shit. I'm gonna…" I gestured to the bedroom and she nodded before I hurried off.

  I closed the door behind me and scrambled around to find something to wear. I worried about leaving Mira alone too long with Sedona.

  While searching through my bag for panties, I heard Sedona say, "I want to talk about it now, Mira."

  "I'm in the middle of dinner with my girlfriend. Next time, call."

  "You've been avoiding my calls and ignoring my texts. So here I am."

  "Take a damn hint, Sedona."

  "No. Why are you being such a bitch about this?"

  Mira laughed, though not out of humor. "Me? After how you treated me and Billie at Thanksgiving? Get out of my house."

  "Fuck you, Mimi. I came here to talk to you."

  "It sounds like you came here to fight with me."

  "Shit," I muttered as I pulled on panties and a pair of workout leggings. I grabbed Mira's sweatshirt off the bed and tugged that over my head. I pulled open the bedroom door, and found the two of them facing off by the sofa. Mira's face, tear stained and pale, set my heart to pounding in my chest.

  "I came here to talk to you, Mira. You can fuck off." Sedona gave Mira's shoulders a shove and she stumbled a step backward. That did it and sent me flying between the two of them.

  "Hey. Hey! Don't you put your hands on her, Sedona. Enough already." I stood in front of Mira with my arm extended to keep Sedona a distance away from us. Sedona smacked my hand away.

  "What have you done to my sister? If you hurt her, I'll beat the shit out of you." Sedona turned her rage on me and part of me calmed that she wasn't going after Mira anymore. I could handle angry people, beat cop status activated.

  "Sedona, I hear that you're upset. We can all
talk about it. Come sit with us and we'll talk," I said, keeping my tone even.

  "I don't want to talk to you, you fucking bitch. You-you come waltzing in here and-and brainwash my sister to make her think she's gay, and you expect me to just step aside and watch you destroy her life?" Sedona's eyes blazed with anger. Her green eyes matched Mira's, and for a fleeting second, I thought the two of them could be twins; a good and evil.

  "Destroy my life?" Mira shot back, her body pressing against my back as she spat at her sister. "You have no fucking idea, Sedona, what a destroyed life looks like. No idea. Get out of my house."

  "You're so stupid, Mira. Don't you see what's happening? Don't you see what this manipulative bitch is doing to you? How are you suddenly gay? Thirty-five years and you're all of a sudden gay? It doesn't work like that." Sedona turned on me again. "You did this. You capitalized on her pain and twisted her mind." She grabbed my shirt, and with her anger came pain. I gripped her wrist, while keeping my other arm bent back to keep Mira from getting close.

  "Sedona, calm down," I said, allowing my energy to quell.

  "You get the fuck away from my sister before I call the police and tell them what you've done to her." Sedona choked on a sob, and gave me a hard yank.

  "I am the police. Take a breath and let go of me." I nodded, holding Sedona's gaze as she began to falter.

  "Billie," Mira cried and I sensed her anger tumble to fear.

  "It's okay, Mira. She's going to calm down and we're going to talk." I patted Sedona's hand, then gave her forearm a gentle squeeze. "C'mon."

  "What'd you do to my sister?" she cried, letting me go but shoving me hard. My stance didn't waver, and I urged Mira back a few steps.

  "Get out." Mira shouted at her, both of them a mess of tears while I tried not to join them.

  "Why did you let her do this to you?" Sedona looked to her sister.

  "I love her." Mira's firm tone, and narrowed brow mirrored her resolve. "Now get out."

  Sedona didn't leave, but she covered her face as she cried into her palms the same way Mira did. I glanced to Mira, still keeping my arms up to separate them. "Mira, call Aaron, please? Have him come take Sedona home."

  "Fuck you," Sedona spat, running her fingers roughly through her hair. "Get away from my sister."

  "Billie." Mira choked on a sob, but I nodded to her phone on the table.

  "Go ahead."

  She did as I asked, her hands shaking along with her knees and I knew that if I didn't de-escalate this faster, we were in trouble.

  "Sedona." I took a step closer to her. "I know you care about your sister. I'm not here to hurt her or you. Please calm down."

  "Fuck you!" she shouted, and tossed a wobbly punch in my direction. I dodged, grabbed her wrist, and shoved her up against the wall. She yelped, Mira cried, and I heard her talking to Aaron on the phone.

  "Enough now. You want to keep assaulting a police officer? Go ahead. No one will be happy with that outcome." I gave her arm a jerk. "Calm down."

  "I hate you." Sedona sobbed, but stopped fighting me in half a second. "I hate you."

  "No, you don't. You're drunk and scared. Calm down." I pulled her purse from her shoulder and tossed it a few feet away. "Sit down."

  "Get off me!"

  "I will when you sit down." I pressed her downward and she gave in, coming to land on her rear on the floor of the hall. I let her turn around, releasing her once her back hit the wall. She rested her elbows on her knees, and hung her head while she attempted to catch her breath.

  Mira stood by the sofa, her makeup melting down her cheeks while she cried softly, her phone clutched by her ear. I moved to her though didn't take my eyes off Sedona.

  "Aaron's coming," said Mira, handing me the phone as if she didn't know what to do with it. "He's not far."

  "Okay. Come here." I held my arm to her and she moved into it, covering her face as she sobbed against my shoulder.

  Sedona didn't move, though she sniffled and wiped her eyes on her shirt. Our cozy Sunday crumbled to our feet and Mira's strength fell away with it. I rubbed her back, my cheek pressed against hers while I cooed soft phrases to keep her calm. "You're okay, baby."

  "How could she do this to me?" Mira sobbed softly, her voice barely a whisper.

  "I'm not sure, love."

  "Fuck off my sister," Sedona spat, but didn't move from her spot on the floor.

  "Baby, why don't you go get dressed while I wait for Aaron here with Sedona?" I brushed her hair from her face. "Okay?"

  She met my gaze, her pale expression laden with hurt, but she nodded. I walked her to the bedroom door, my eyes on Sedona the entire time before I released her. On my way back, I grabbed a bottle of water off the table, and set it on the floor beside Sedona.

  "Done being out of control?"

  "Fuck off."

  "Guess not."

  Aaron burst through the open front door, his eyes wide and panicked as he rushed into the room. He grabbed my shoulder before he saw Sedona on the floor.

  "What the hell is going on?" he asked, his gaze wild as he knelt beside his wife. "Sedona?"

  "I told you, she brainwashed Mira." Sedona wiped her face on her sleeves and finally looked up at him. "I hate her. She hurt my sister."

  Aaron let out a soft sigh as he pulled her into a hug. She let him and the intoxication seemed to overcome her more so. "Mira is just fine, Sedona. She's fine."

  "She was fine. She isn't now." I crouched beside them. "Does she always drink this much?"

  "She rarely drinks." Aaron brushed Sedona's hair from her face and she sobbed softly. "You said you wanted to talk to her, Sedona. What did you do?"

  "She's going to hurt her."

  "The only person who has hurt Mira, Sedona, is you." I stood up and glanced toward the hall when I heard the bedroom door open. "Your bigotry did this."

  "I'm not a bigot. I just hate you," sputtered Sedona. "You did this."

  "That's worse, honey." Aaron sighed and looked to Mira as soon as she came in. "I'm sorry, Mira. I'm sorry this happened."

  She about crumbled when she heard him and I grabbed her into a hug, her face buried against my shoulder.

  "I think you need to take her out of here, Aaron. We're not going to resolve any of this tonight. What you should know is she shoved Mira and tried to punch me. I'd suggest keeping her away for the time being, until Mira decides she is ready to talk." My calmness surprised me, because on the inside, I wanted to punch Sedona in the teeth.

  "Let's go." Aaron stood up, pulling Sedona with him. Her anger melted to soft cries as he led her to the door. My sympathy for her trickled away while I watched her gather her belongings and head for the door.

  Aaron approached Mira, his brown eyes shimmering with emotions as he put his hand on her head. "I'm sorry." She looked up at him. "I'm so sorry, Mira."

  She nodded to him, though only held on to me tighter as we watched them go. The minute the door clicked shut, I lifted her from the floor and carried her over to the sofa where she trembled in my arms. Only in their absence did I allow myself to join her soft cries, and kiss her all over her face. With our hearts fractured and Mira's confidence destroyed, I feared she'd never find her voice again, and that Sedona's rage would destroy everything we had.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I called Mira out of work the next day, and took a personal day as well. Mira fell asleep at some point after sunrise, though she hadn't said a word since Sedona left. I left her tucked in bed, while I fielded phone calls from her family.

  "I'm coming out tomorrow," said Mikey when he heard what happened. "I need to see her. I'm so sorry, Billie. My parents are livid."

  "Has Sedona ever treated her like this before?"

  "Not like this. She was wildly protective of Mira after everything with Declan." He paused, as if gauging my reaction. "You know the whole story, right?"

  "I know what happened to him, and how Mira found him, but how does Sedona factor in?"

  "The two of them us
ed to be close. After Mira's coworker dropped her off to the house the day Declan killed himself, Mira went in the house alone and found him. She wasn't answering Sedona that day and Sedona went out to the house to check on her. She found Mira on the floor, curled up and frozen in place in the middle of the scene. We don't know how long she was there like that," explained Mikey, his voice shaking some. "Essentially, they both found him."

  "Mira never told me that…"

  "I'm not sure she even knows or remembers much of it, Billie. She was traumatized and they kept her in the hospital for two days after because she couldn't speak. When she moved back home with Mom and Dad for the brief period, Sedona was the one who took care of her affairs at the apartment and dealt with the cops. The rest of us lived in Spokane, but the two of them were down in Richland."

  "It makes sense. They're both traumatized and now retraumatized." I ran my fingers through my hair before returning to the idle tasks of cleaning up Mira's kitchen and living room to rid myself of nervous energy. "Has Sedona always hated gay people?"

  "That's just it, she doesn't. She's as feminist and liberal and intersectional as they come." Mikey's voice wavered when he took a breath. "I don't understand it. I'm so upset for Mira. Mom and Dad want to come out and see her, too."

  "I'm not sure how she'll respond to everything, to be honest. She was very uncertain of their reactions last week."

  "Other than it being a surprise, they're coming to terms with having a daughter who is gay. It's new for them, but nothing bad. Mom's already planning your wedding so…just a fair warning."

  I chuckled while loading the dishwasher. "Tell her to calm down because Sedona's reaction could end us, Mikey. New relationships are fragile. She said some terrible things to Mira. Called her stupid. She was downright mean."

  "She's always been hard on Mira. More than she should be. We've fought about it," he said, and I heard a bell sound in the background. "Recess is over. I better go. I'll see you tomorrow."