My Forever Hero

by Karen Legasy

  “Okay, but only if we can kiss and make up.” Marlee ceded to Abigail, against her better judgment.

  Abigail pulled her into a hug. “We weren’t fighting. There’s no need to make up, but there’s a growing need to make out.”

  “Nice play on words.” Marlee fell into Abigail. “It’s fun making up though, and I believe it’s time for dessert. What would you like for yours?”

  “I’ll take a piece of that orgasmic pie you’ve been feeding me.” Abigail giggled as she nibbled Marlee’s neck. “I’ve been saving room for at least two pieces, maybe more.”

  “Are you sure you can handle it? I wouldn’t want you getting too much sugar, especially if we’ll be going for a long walk along the beach tomorrow.”

  “I’m sure.” Abigail fondled Marlee’s breasts. “Your pie is the best ever. It’s full of sweetness that burns off calories and lightens the load. I could eat it forever.”

  “Ooh, I can hardly wait for you to taste the orgasmic cake I’m keeping for Merimbula.”

  “Cake has always been my favorite, but I can’t imagine it topping your pie.”

  “I think it will,” Marlee said, “but for now I want to enjoy tonight’s dessert.”

  Abigail moaned in pleasure as Marlee’s fingers stirred the silky wet ingredients of her orgasmic pie.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Abigail yawned as she finished her morning coffee. “Do you know how to drive a manual?”

  “I do in Canada, but not here on the wrong side of the road.” Marlee zipped her backpack and took one last look around the room, her nerves a bit jittery.

  “I’d like you to drive my car today. There are some challenging hairpin turns on the road to Merimbula and they’ll help accustom you to driving a manual on the other side of the road.”

  “I’ve never shifted with my left hand before.” Marlee didn’t need more stress.

  “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, considering how talented you are with those hands of yours.”

  Marlee slung the backpack over her shoulder. “I’ll have to look into buying a car. My rental has to go back at the end of next week and I don’t want to have to rely on you for my wheels.”

  “We shouldn’t need more than two vehicles between us.” Abigail opened the door into the hallway and motioned for Marlee to exit first.

  “I don’t expect you to provide me with a car.” Marlee kissed Abigail, touched by her casual response.

  “I know, but I want to.” Abigail followed Marlee down the corridor toward the elevator.

  “It’s not necessary.” All that Marlee cared about was having this wonderful woman in her life.

  “What’s not necessary?” Tyler was at the elevator, as though he’d been waiting for them.

  “Fancy meeting you here,” Marlee said, a bit confused. “I thought you’d still be in bed after going out last night.”

  “I want to get back to Sydney before rush hour.” Tyler’s hands fidgeted in his pockets.

  “I forgot to mention the cleaning staff will be coming to the house tomorrow morning,” Abigail said. “I coordinate everything on the same day so the pool specialists and grounds workers will also be there. My head cleaning woman has a key and lets everyone else in. I’ll let her know you’ll be there.”

  “Actually, I won’t be there.” Tyler’s hands settled. “I’m staying at a friend’s for a few days.”

  “Really?” Marlee squinted at him. “You haven’t mentioned anyone to me.”

  “Well I do have some friends,” Tyler said as the elevator arrived. “I’ll be around though, so text if you need me.”

  A couple shuffled to the back of the elevator as they stepped inside and everyone rode in silence to the underground parking area.

  “Have fun in Merimbula, as I know the two of you will.” Tyler’s car was beside theirs.

  “We will and thanks,” Marlee opened the rear hatch of the Golf and placed her bag inside.

  “Have a safe trip back to Sydney.” Abigail put her luggage next to Marlee’s then went to the passenger side. “We’ll be back on Thursday afternoon.”

  “What about you?” Marlee stood beside the driver’s door of the vehicle. “How long will you be away?”

  “Probably just a day or two.” He winked and snickered. “Lucky you. In the driver’s seat now.”

  “Abigail is giving me a driving lesson on shifting gears with my left hand, if you must know.” She just wanted to get going.

  “Never mind your left hand,” Tyler said. “Your whole life is shifting gears. I’m jealous.”

  “We’ll talk more when I get back about how you should be changing your life too. Catch you later.” Marlee got in the car and closed her door.

  “What was that all about?” Abigail asked as Marlee buckled herself in, engaged the clutch and practiced shifting through the gears.

  “I want to help Tyler sort out his life.” Marlee started the car engine. “His computer skills are far too good for him to be waiting on airline passengers for a living.”

  “I agree, but first we have to sort out our own lives.” Abigail massaged Marlee’s bare knee.

  Marlee was good on the clutch, changing gears smoothly as she drove around the underground garage to get a feel for shifting. After building confidence, she headed to the exit ramp and they were on their way. Traffic flow was smooth and she felt comfortable behind the wheel until entering her first roundabout. She cursed while struggling to signal and shift gears with her left hand at the same time.

  “Sorry,” Abigail said. “I forgot to warn you about downshifting and signaling in the roundabouts. You’ll get the hang of it, but this will be good practice for when we get back to Sydney where the traffic is much heavier.”

  Marlee looked over her shoulder as a car sped up beside them and honked as she swerved to avoid a collision while trying to exit. She let out a sigh of relief as they merged onto a straight road again. “You’re optimistic we’ll make it back in one piece with me behind the wheel.”

  “Of course we will,” Abigail said. “I have every confidence in your driving abilities. What else could go wrong on what’s beginning to feel like a perfect little getaway?”

  “It does feel perfect, doesn’t it?”

  “I’m going to find the right moment to tell Josh about us,” Abigail said. “I want him to know how much you mean to me and that you’re a big part of my life now.”

  “How do you think he’ll take it?” She suddenly felt insecure, wondering what would happen if he resented their relationship.

  “He wants me to be happy so he should be fine with us.” Abigail lowered her window. “I wish this was a convertible because I’d like to wave my arms in the air and let the breeze blow through my hair. I feel so good right now and want to enjoy the moment.”

  “Me too.” Marlee reached over to caress Abigail’s bare knees.

  “You’re a fast learner.” Abigail closed her eyes and reclined against the headrest. “You’ve not only mastered the gear stick and indicate switch with your left hand, but also how to relax your passenger.”

  “That’s good because I want you to unwind and rest for the next few days.”

  “Rest? I thought you were going to take our sex to the next level and I’ve been so looking forward to it.”

  “You need to rest.” Marlee grinned. “The unwinding part, however, will be full of passion and exhilaration.”

  “Thank God you’re driving. If it was me, I’d have to pull over to catch my breath from imagining it.” She giggled. “Do you mind if I keep my eyes closed and savor those thoughts for the next little while?”

  “Please do.” Marlee squeezed Abigail’s knee then put her hand back on the wheel and smiled. She loved seeing her lover so carefree and happy.

  They drove in silence. Marlee didn’t even put on music, as she just wanted to revel in her new life with Abigail.

  They stopped for coffee at a roadside café, but were soon back in the car, determined to keep up th
eir pace and get to Merimbula in time for lunch on the beach. Marlee carefully moved them through the hairpin curves on the highway meandering down toward the coast.

  “So this is what you had in mind for my driving lesson.” Marlee shifted gears at almost every turn, some of which were like J’s, and her concentration had to be entirely on the road.

  “Wouldn’t it be fun to be in a sports car right now?” Abigail rolled her head toward Marlee.

  “What’s your dream sports car?”

  “It doesn’t matter as long as it has a gear stick and removable top. And you?”

  “I’m in my dream sports car.” Marlee grinned, keeping her eyes on the road. “I love this stick shift and can’t wait to remove the top on the sexy passenger beside me.”

  Abigail laughed as she ran her fingers down Marlee’s arm. “You’re such a flirt.”

  “Who’s the one with their fingers distracting the driver? I might have to pull over, but this isn’t really a good place for that.” She downshifted while entering another sharp turn and was startled to meet a car going in the opposite direction.

  “Oops.” Abigail pulled her hand back. “I guess I’d better behave myself.”

  “Maybe only for now while I’m driving.” Marlee gave Abigail’s leg a quick tap. “You can be naughty with me all you want in Merimbula.”

  “I’m planning to be a good student when we get there.” Abigail chuckled. “I want to learn all about your orgasmic cake.”

  Marlee burst out laughing, her libido in full gear. “I can’t believe you’re sounding hornier than me. Who would’ve thought Dr. Abigail Taylor, Founder and CEO of AbTay Biosystems, has so much pent-up passion?”

  “It’s not funny.” Abigail stifled a laugh. “One of the things I love the most about science is discovering new and great things. With every breakthrough, I want to learn as much as I can and spend hours studying the revelation. I’ve just made the greatest discovery of my life with you. Why should this be any different?”

  “I’m so glad it’s not.” Marlee could hardly contain her feelings of love for Abigail. She finally found a place to pull over and brought the car to a stop. “I need to kiss you.” She leaned over and inhaled Abigail’s mouth as their tongues met in a fury of passion.

  Abigail moaned in delight. “Take me to Merimbula. Now.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Soft sand sifted between Marlee’s toes as she peered over the water from the Merimbula Main Beach. A few surfers dotted the rolling waves and she yearned to yell out to beware of riptides and sharks. Of course, she knew they’d never hear.

  “I can’t believe we’re finally here.” Abigail strolled into the water up to her ankles and swished it around. “It feels so good. Come in and get your feet wet.”

  Marlee dipped a toe in. “It’s cold and I like the warm sand.” She’d removed her sports sandals and dangled them from her fingers as they walked over the beach.

  Abigail held out a hand toward Marlee. “Come on. Walk with me in the ocean. I’ll protect you.”

  “I don’t want to get our sandwiches wet.” Marlee wiggled the small backpack that held their lunches. “Let’s find a place to sit down and eat because I’m hungry.”

  “You did warn me about being a bit of a cranky traveller.” Abigail laughed as she skipped out of the water.

  “I can’t help it when I’m hungry.” Marlee spread a large beach towel on the sand and plopped down on her knees to smooth it out. She smiled up at Abigail, taking joy in the simplicity of her lover’s happiness. “I only brought one towel, so it’ll give us an excuse to sit close together.”

  “Works for me.” Abigail dropped onto the towel and almost rolled onto Marlee. “I feel like a kid again. Where’s my spade and pail to play with in the sand?”

  “You have me instead and there’ll be lots of time to play later, but first we must eat because I’m starving.” Marlee dished up vegetarian wraps for each of them as well as two bottles of water. She had been tempted to get a chicken wrap, but opted for the avocado as her vegetarian partner stood behind her when she ordered from the local café on the way to the beach.

  Abigail studied her phone. “It looks like we’re in luck with the weather for the next few days.”

  “Good, now you can put it away.”

  “Let’s do a selfie first.” Abigail held out the phone to align a photo. “It’ll be our first picture together. What a memory.”

  Marlee leaned into Abigail and smiled. “If we’re really going to have an escape from everything, there’ll have to be parameters around your phone, like keeping away from your email.”

  “I wish I could.” Abigail sighed. “As much as I want to forget about everything else, I can’t let anything slip by me while I’m out of the office right now. I know I left Hannah in charge, but I don’t know. I’m concerned.” She bit into her sandwich.

  “I thought we weren’t going to talk about Hannah.”

  Abigail took her time chewing then leisurely swallowed before answering. “She was on my mind and it slipped out. Sorry. I’ll try to be more careful from now on.”

  “There’s no need to apologize,” Marlee said. “I don’t want you to try to be anything other than yourself when you’re around me. If Hannah’s on your mind then let her out. The last thing I want is for you to feel trapped between the two of us. Another thing. I know I joked about getting a toaster for recruiting you as a lesbian, but that’s just an old saying. If you weren’t a lesbian to begin with, you wouldn’t get so wet the moment I’m near you. Chemistry or not, lesbian attraction between two women is as fundamental to who we are as water is to life. It just takes some longer to figure it out, that’s all.” She stuffed the last of her wrap into her mouth.

  “Wow.” Abigail put her wrap down and leaned back. “That’s me told.”

  “Don’t think of it like that.” Marlee wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. “I want our relationship to be open and honest all the time. It’s so important to communicate our true feelings with each other.”

  Abigail straightened up and put a hand on Marlee’s knee. “This is exactly what I was hoping for with this trip. Things have happened so fast between us that we haven’t had time to really get to know each other. I want to learn more about you.”

  “Go ahead and ask whatever you’d like,” Marlee said.

  “How did you know you were a lesbian?”

  Marlee shifted a little. “So you want to hear my coming out story?”

  “Yes and everything else there is to know about you.” Abigail brushed an eyelash off Marlee’s cheek. “Why don’t we walk along the beach and learn more about each other?”

  “I wish we could hold hands.” Marlee stood and pulled Abigail up.

  “Let’s do it then.” Abigail helped her fold the towel.

  “It’ll draw attention to us and I don’t want that. I’ll walk on the edge of the water with you though.” Marlee stuffed the towel in her backpack then slung it over her shoulder. “Ready?”

  “Let’s go.” Abigail led them closer to the shoreline. “How long have you known you were attracted to women?”

  Marlee considered Abigail’s question for a moment, as she still felt awkward about those earlier years. “Forever. I tried to deny it when I was a teenager and wanted to fit in with everyone else. I even dated a guy for a year right after starting university.”

  “I didn’t know you went to uni,” Abigail said. “What did you study?”

  “Psychology and humanities. I have an undergraduate degree that doesn’t qualify me for anything specific, but it helped me grow up a bit. I came out during my second year and became a real slut after that.”

  Abigail laughed. “You must have broken a lot of hearts.”

  “I never let myself get too involved with any one person in those days. I loved the sex, but could never bring myself to settle down. I always felt like I hadn’t found that special one.”

  “Until now, I hope.”

  “Of course.
” Marlee bumped against Abigail, realizing how empty her life had been back then.

  “Did you become a police officer right after uni?”

  “I did, and that was a lot of fun too. I especially loved working Pride events, all decked out in my uniform and collecting numbers for future dates.”

  “I’d love to see you in your uniform.”

  “I’ll show you a picture sometime. And what about you? How are you feeling about your own coming out story?”

  “Overwhelmed.” Abigail’s voice quivered. “I’ve never felt so happy and alive. It’s as though I can’t get enough of you.”

  “Me too.” Marlee touched Abigail’s arm. “I know I need to be keeping my hands off you for now, but I can’t resist these little taps of joy during a conversation like this.”

  “Maybe we should have asked Tyler to come along to keep an eye on our behavior in public.”

  “No way. I like Tyler, but there are limits. This is our time and I don’t want to share it with anyone.”

  “I’ve been wanting to ask you something.” Abigail put her hands in her pockets as they strolled along the beach. “How many other women have you fallen in love with like this?”

  “None.” Marlee stepped in front of Abigail and stopped. She removed her sunglasses. She wanted Abigail to see her sincerity. “It’s never been this strong with anyone before. Yes, I’ve fallen in love with women. Too many times and to the point where I figured I was no good at it. My relationships only lasted a few years at the most and I’d all but given up on finding a happy ever after love. But then I met you. You’re my other half. That’s the only way to describe how I feel about you.”

  A tear slid from underneath Abigail’s large sunglasses. Marlee brushed it away with her thumb.

  “Thank God I was such a wreck and on my own when we met,” Marlee said. “If I’d have been with anyone else, or you were…” Her voice started to quiver. She didn’t want to think about a life without Abigail.

  “I want to kiss you right now.” Abigail pulled a tissue out of her pocket. “All my life I’ve felt something was wrong with me. Now I know why.”