A Long List of Firsts: A Carlsbad Village Lesbian Romance

by Sabrina Kane

  Ainsley got herself ready, expecting to receive a set that she could spike. But Rachel instead put the ball over the net on two, catching the opposing team napping. It fell to the sand well in bounds and the game was now tied.

  “Yes!” Krissy, who was playing on Ainsley’s team, exclaimed, pumping her fist. “New girl rocks!” She gave Rachel two high-fives.

  Lucinda, hands on her hips, glared playfully at Ainsley.

  “Hey, Ains,” she called out. “You didn’t tell us you were bringing in a pro!”

  Ainsley laughed. Actually, Rachel had been playing really, really well. She had evidently been modest about her abilities when she and Ainsley had discussed volleyball yesterday at the Greek restaurant in Carlsbad. In fact, the only reason Ainsley’s team had even kept the game close was due to Rachel’s ball handling and her demonstrations of strategic thinking, such as the play she just made, throughout the contest.

  “Yeah, next game, Rach is on our team!” Charlotte declared.

  “I’m sure we can negotiate a trade,” Ainsley suggested.

  Charlotte stuck her tongue out at her.

  “But you’re not my type, love!” she retorted, making all the women laugh.

  Ainsley’s team ended up winning the set and losing the next, when Rachel was on the other side of the net. Charlotte and Wendy then declared that Rachel was a hostage, playfully restraining her, keeping her from switching sides. The third set was closer but again, Ainsley’s team lost.

  When that game was done, Ainsley, Krissy and Becca mounted a rescue operation, scampering over to the opposing team’s side. While Ainsley and Krissy fended off Charlotte and the others, Becca, a firefighter, easily scooped Rachel up in her arms and carried her back over to the other side of the net.

  Again, the balance of power was shifted as once more, Rachel proved to be the magic ingredient, Ainsley’s team winning handily.

  In the locker room afterwards, it was obvious that Rachel was now one of the crew, all of Ainsley’s friends chatting and joking with her.

  The club’s locker room was outfitted with individual shower stalls and Ainsley’s and Rachel’s stalls were next to each other. While she showered, both Ainsley’s mind and her clit couldn’t help realizing that in the very next stall, separated only by a narrow tiled wall, was a nude, wet and soapy Rachel. That image made Ainsley gasp as her clit pulsed and she shook her head to clear the vivid picture her mind had painted for her of a trail of soapy water running slowly down the slope of Rachel’s breast, pausing a bit at her nipple, before dropping off her body.

  Holy motherfucking shit!

  She realized her right hand had started rubbing her mound, adorned only with a narrow strip of hair. To keep from masturbating right there in the shower, she forced herself to think of Mr. Smith—real name Bozza—and his carotid endarterectomy tomorrow: Her patient’s age and underlying health conditions; the discussion she needed to have with the anesthesiologist before Mr. Bozza was brought to the OR; who her OR staff tomorrow were; where she would make her first incision…

  Doing this, she was able to walk herself back from wanting to quickly pleasure herself next door to the showering Rachel. Good thing, too, because Ainsley knew herself well enough to doubt she could have come quietly.

  Chapter 9

  Rachel had had so much fun!

  It had been forever since she had just been able to hang out with so many women, having fun playing a sport they all clearly loved and doing so without any pressure. It had been just as Ainsley promised. Not a league, just a bunch of friends. No standings or rankings to worry about; no prize at the end of the season to chase. In short, none of the drawbacks of playing in a competitive sport. And though each team today wanted to win each set, the competition was lighthearted and fun.

  And Ainsley’s friends were amazing! Most of them were tall like Ainsley or even taller. She especially liked Krissy—one of the shorter women like Rachel—an investment adviser with such an infectiously bubbly personality that Rachel wanted her on call to talk to whenever she was having a bad day. And Becca, the six-foot-tall firefighter! She was like something out of one of those Marvel superhero movies! When Becca had “rescued” her after that third set by scooping her up so easily and carrying her back to Ainsley’s side of the net, Rachel had thought it was among the top ten sexiest things that had ever happened to her!

  And, good heavens! Speaking of sexy things…

  Ainsley in a sports bikini!

  If Rachel still had any doubts about just how attracted she was to Ainsley, despite being a straight woman, they were erased the moment she saw Ainsley doff those cut-off shorts she had been wearing to reveal the tiny bikini bottoms underneath.

  Ainsley fully clothed was a vision.

  Ainsley practically naked had taken Rachel’s breath away.

  And her body had reacted.

  From the way the blood in her system started pooling south of her waist, engorging her clit and her pussy’s lips, priming her inner walls for penetration by lubricating them, Rachel knew one thing. She wanted Ainsley.

  Naturally, she didn’t think she’d ever get her, though. Fine, she knew Ainsley was attracted to her, but so what? Ainsley also knew she was straight. Therefore, why would Ainsley, who could sit on a throne and pick and choose any lesbian she wanted to have sex with, choose her, a woman with absolutely zero experience pleasuring women?

  It was inconceivable, Rachel considered. Especially since, if Sally’s Jillian Ashley books are to be believed, lesbians can come a lot during sex! And Ainsley certainly seemed like a woman who enjoyed coming a lot and was used to her lovers going out of their way to make sure they pleasured the blonde goddess completely.

  “Have you ever been here?” Ainsley asked, intruding on Rachel’s thoughts.

  They had just arrived at a coastal bar Ainsley suggested they go to after the volleyball games. The other women had been invited to join them, of course, but to a one they had other commitments, some personal, some professional—three of other women were also doctors and had shifts later; Becca was on duty tonight at one of the fire stations in Carlsbad—and so it was just Rachel and Ainsley.

  After showering at the club, Rachel had changed into a simple blue-gray shift dress that was light and comfortable. Ainsley had put her denim cut-offs back on but had also donned a purple net bikini cover-up which was very bohemian in style.

  “No, never,” Rachel said. “I used to date a guy who lived in Solana Beach but I’ve never been here.”

  “Yet another example of how men disappoint their women,” Ainsley quipped. “Anyway, they make the best margaritas here!”

  “And I think after my remarkable plays on the court today, you should buy me one,” Rachel teased.

  “Deal.”

  They were shown to a table on the back patio, right on the beach. Rachel immediately took out her cell phone and snapped a picture of the scene: the yellow-white sand, the blue Pacific with whitecaps, the clear sky…

  “For my mom,” she explained to Ainsley. “She keeps asking me if I’m ever going to move back to Maine and so I frequently send her pics like this to show her why I’m never, ever, ever going to move back to Maine.”

  Ainsley laughed.

  “I love it!”

  Just then, Ainsley’s phone beeped. Rachel got nervous, hoping it wasn’t the hospital needing Ainsley to get over there right away. Perhaps that was selfish, but Rachel really didn’t want her Sunday with Ainsley to end so abruptly.

  Reading the message, Ainsley chuckled.

  “Everything okay?” Rachel asked.

  “It’s from Krissy,” she answered. “She thinks you’re hot.”

  Rachel blushed.

  “Her exact words,” Ainsley went on, “are that you are fucking hot.”

  “I knew I liked her for a reason,” Rachel said.

  Their server came. Rachel ordered a strawberry margarita, Ainsley opted for a watermelon one.

  “So, are all of them gay?” Rac
hel asked when the server left to put in their drinks order.

  “Most of them,” Ainsley said. “Wendy and Lucinda are straight and Veronica is kind of all over the place.”

  “Wait…” Rachel said, holding up a finger, trying to remember the term. “Pansexual?” she guessed.

  “I think so,” Ainsley said. “Anyway, since we’re on the topic of gay women…How did you know about U-Hauling?”

  Rachel laughed.

  “My best friend, Amy, is a lesbian. And, I will have you know, Dr. Janowicz, that I happen to be a well-read fan of lesfic.”

  Ainsley’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Is that right?”

  “Well, maybe not well-read,” Rachel admitted, toying with her cocktail napkin. “In fact, I’ve only ever read the books of one writer but, holy fuck, do I love her work!”

  Ainsley leaned forward.

  “Who is it?” she asked.

  “Jillian Ashley,” Rachel told her.

  “Oh, wow!” Ainsley exclaimed. “Well, if you’re going to read only one lesfic author, Jillian Ashley is the one. You know, I met her once. At this very bar, in fact.”

  Rachel blinked.

  “You met Sally?”

  Now Ainsley blinked.

  “Wait…you know Sally?”

  Rachel was stunned.

  “Know her? She’s engaged to my best friend!”

  “Wait…your Amy is that Amy? Podcast Amy?”

  The two women laughed at how small the world is. Rachel listened as Ainsley explained about the blind date she had with Sally last year, which was brought about by their meddling mothers.

  “But Amy had gotten to her first and Sally told me she was off the market,” Ainsley said, pouting her lower lip. “God, was I disappointed. I mean, you’ve seen your best friend’s fiancée, right?”

  Rachel felt a little surge of jealousy. Sally was gorgeous. And tall like Ainsley. And from what Amy had told her—without going into too much detail—was incredible in bed. In short, Sally was exactly the type of woman another woman like Ainsley would really go for, as opposed to someone like her who wasn’t sure she could make a woman come once, let alone a lot.

  “So, you’ve read Sally’s books, then, huh?” Ainsley asked.

  “All of them,” Rachel said, nodding. “I’ve even read a couple of them more than once.”

  “God, you are full of surprises,” Ainsley said.

  “You have no idea,” Rachel replied.

  Case in point: This straight woman wants to fuck your brains out.

  Ainsley cocked an eyebrow and Rachel was suddenly afraid that perhaps she had said that out loud.

  “So, what do you think of Chapter 25?” Ainsley asked, without needing to specify beyond that. Rachel had learned that whenever a gay woman says the words “Chapter 25,” they mean the chapter in The Fordham Road Fling, Sally’s first book. It was legendary.

  “Best. Chapter. Ever. Like, fuck Shakespeare; fuck Hemingway.”

  Ainsley burst into laughter.

  Their drinks arrived then and they clinked glasses.

  “I’m sorry to keep harping on about this, but I’m intrigued,” Ainsley began after they both had taken their first sips of their cocktails. “Considering you’re straight, reading books like that don’t…blech you out? I mean, Sally gets pretty fucking graphic, which I love because, you know, I’m gay.”

  Rachel took another sip of her delicious margarita and then leaned forward. Doing so forced her to shift in her seat a little and as a result, one of her bare legs made contact with one of Ainsley’s. Yet neither of them broke the contact.

  “Can I be honest with you?” Rachel asked.

  She noticed Ainsley swallow.

  “Please,” Ainsley said. “If I’m expected to remove your gallbladder one day, honesty is required.”

  Rachel smiled.

  “Whatever the polar opposite of blech is,” she began, “that’s how Sally’s books make me feel while reading them.” And she then slid the leg that was touching Ainsley’s just a smidge upwards a bit and then back downward. Ainsley’s eyes went wide.

  “Volleyball!” the blonde exclaimed.

  Rachel burst out laughing.

  “Is that our new topic of conversation or your use of the safe word?” she asked, grinning impishly.

  “What do you think?” Ainsley replied, blushing hotly.

  “I think you need to upgrade me from a six to at least an eight on the flirting scale.”

  Chapter 10

  After Ainsley dropped their “safe word,” Rachel gave her a rundown on the next steps for completing the purchase of the Carlsbad house. With the sellers so eager and with her excellent financial qualifications, Rachel was telling her that she expected the sale to go through quickly, provided everything went well with the home inspection, which Rachel assured her she could schedule for the coming week, probably no later than Wednesday.

  Ainsley was glad. She really wanted to make the move to Carlsbad. She knew she’d miss certain aspects of San Diego because she enjoyed the city, but at this point in her life Carlsbad was more her speed. What’s more, it would put her closer to some of her favorite people. Becca lived in Carlsbad and so did Krissy. Wendy and her husband lived in nearby Vista, and Katrina, another one of her volleyball buddies, lived in Oceanside.

  And Rachel lived in Carlsbad…

  Putting aside her insanely high level of attraction for the real estate agent, Ainsley loved the idea of getting to know Rachel more and having her as part of her inner circle. Today’s volleyball games had already proven that Rachel fit right in with the rest of her friends, several of whom had found stolen moments either during the games or in the locker room to tell her how awesome they thought Rachel was. Even Charlotte told her she liked Rachel.

  And they were right. Rachel was awesome. And Ainsley knew her silly little crush on the redhead would pass. From what her friends like Becca and Krissy have told her, Carlsbad was practically teeming with lesbians nowadays. Apparently, there was even a coffeeshop in town where a lot of them gathered. All of this meant that Ainsley was sure to eventually find someone to get involved with; maybe even build a life with.

  Their server returned with new drinks. This time, Ainsley had the watermelon margarita and Rachel got herself the peach-flavored one. When the server placed the drinks down, she also included a couple more cocktail napkins. The napkins were decorated with little red hearts and the words “Happy Valentine’s Day!!”

  Ainsley rolled her eyes.

  In fact…

  She looked around the patio of the bar. There were Valentine’s decorations everywhere, a fact she hadn’t noticed earlier.

  Rachel must have caught it when Ainsley rolled her eyes again.

  “What’s the matter?” Rachel asked with an amused look on her face.

  “It’s all this stupid Valentine’s Day crap,” she said, chuckling.

  Now Rachel was rolling her eyes.

  “Oh god, tell me about it!” she muttered and then took a sip of her margarita. “And have you noticed how it, like, starts in January now with the stores putting up the Valentine’s stuff?”

  “I know! It’s so stupid!” Ainsley took a big slug of her own drink. “So, here’s an interesting factoid about me: I never actually have a date on Valentine’s Day. Somehow, someway, I am always single on that stupid holiday. Looks like this year won’t be an exception.”

  “Well,” Rachel began, “here’s an interesting factoid about me: I usually have the worst dates on Valentine’s Day. God, the men I’m usually with on that day always fuck it up somehow!”

  “Ooh!” Ainsley said. “Give me a ‘for instance.’”

  “Easy! Last year, I was with a guy named Josh and—”

  “Well, that was your problem right there,” Ainsley cut in. “Haven’t you noticed all guys named Josh are assholes?”

  Rachel laughed.

  “Trust me, I know that now,” she said. And then launched into her story about her
horrible Valentine’s date with Josh. “Let’s start with the gift. Jumper cables.”

  Ainsley burst into laughter.

  “You’re fucking kidding me!” she exclaimed.

  “Nope! His defense was that he remembered me telling him that my car battery had died a couple of weeks earlier—this was before I bought my Tesla—and how I had to borrow someone else’s jumper cables.”

  She went on. Josh apparently hadn’t thought to make any reservations at a Valentine’s-worthy restaurant and so Rachel and he had gone from restaurant to restaurant hoping to get in one, without any luck.

  “At one place,” Rachel added, “the hostess actually laughed at us.”

  Finally admitting defeat, Josh then bought Rachel dinner at…

  “Wait for it…” Rachel ordered Ainsley, holding up one finger. “Taco Bell.”

  “No!” Ainsley’s mouth dropped open.

  “Yes. So, there I was, looking hot as fuck in a dress I bought specially for the occasion, in Taco fucking Bell eating a bean burrito. Josh did not get laid that night. Josh did not get to see me again after that night. I still have the jumper cables, though.”

  “That is hilarious!” Ainsley said, laughing. Then she put on a mock sad face and pouted her lip. “I mean, in a ‘poor Rachel’ kind of way.”

  Rachel laughed.

  “Shut up!”

  Ainsley wished she had funny stories like that to tell but she hadn’t been lying to Rachel earlier when she said that she is always alone on Valentine’s Day.

  “Anyway,” Rachel went on, “thinking about that Josh story is making me realize I definitely made the right decision about taking a break from men.”

  “Really?” Ainsley asked, trying to maintain a neutral expression on her face.

  “I have a terrible track record at picking them,” Rachel said. “Trust me. Give me a choice of five-hundred guys and I will, without fail, choose the one who is most likely to take me to Taco Bell for Valentine’s Day. Oh! And be lousy in bed!”

  “Ooh! I have an idea!” Ainsley exclaimed.

  “Hit me with it,” Rachel said.