Fight to the Top

by S. L. Gape

  Quiet. Clearly she’s listening to whatever Dan was saying in response, Georgia thought. She was feeling uncomfortable at listening to the conversation.

  “Screw you, Dan! I guess I was right all along, clearly you were screwing around and now that doesn’t fit with the life you have, the life you fucking wanted. Screw you, I’m not letting my daughter spend a whole weekend without seeing her mom. Either you arrange for something for the two of you to do or you aren’t seeing her.”

  “Arggghhhh, fuck! Fuck you, you dumb bitch,” Georgia heard along with a loud bang. Unsure of whether to go in, Georgia knocked again and popped her head around the door. “Hi, would you like me to come back?”

  Erika spun around, surprised. “Oh hey, I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware you were standing there,” she sighed. “Come in,” she said embarrassed. “You have a nice lunch?” she asked, trying to avoid the elephant in the room and any form of eye contact.

  Georgia smiled softly. “Do you think we will be here for the remainder of the day, doing this?” she pointed to the work before them.

  “Um, I dunno? If you need to leave we can reconvene tomorrow,” she said surprised.

  “Actually, I thought we could leave? If you haven’t got anything else on, how about we get out of here, and go to a bar and have the meeting there? You look like you could do with a drink or two. And whilst I don’t regularly go and have meetings in bars, getting inebriated, I think it may be a little more productive. Because the way I see it, you’re going to stay here and get more and more pissed off thinking about whatever’s going on at home, and we aren’t going to get anything done,” Georgia said seriously. She admitted that, if it weren’t for Erika, they would have gotten nothing done anyways, thanks to her mind wondering off to things it shouldn’t be around her.

  ***

  A short while later, they were in a bar with their laptops and paperwork surrounding them. Georgia had insisted on going close to Erika’s house because of Dulcie, and they were now sitting with a bottle of red before them. Erika had already become a little more relaxed, but it was apparent she was still clearly pissed off.

  “Thank you, again. It seems you just keep coming to my rescue,” Erika said sadly.

  “I think you are overthinking it. I just think if I was in your position, the last thing I’d want is to be in an office where people could keep interrupting and ultimately, have zero productivity because you keep reliving the conversation you had. I always find a drink helps in these situations. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking let’s get hammered. That would make you feel far worse. But interestingly, when I was going through a difficult break up a number of years ago, this…” she stopped and pointed between the two of them. “This is what Derek did for me. Sometimes it’s just nice to know that people would like to help,” she offered.

  “I know this is getting tired, but thank you. I still don’t know why you keep being nice to me,” she said, sipping her drink.

  “Yes, it is getting tired. Because I’m not perfect, and I make mistakes like the rest. But I’m not a nasty person, nor would I actively set out to hurt or mistreat someone. You’re nice, and I like you. Maybe more than what I should, and I don’t want to see anyone upset or hurt, least not you,” she said seriously.

  “What did your friend say about it all?” Erika asked seriously.

  “About what?”

  “About being here? The situation, you two?”

  “There is no us two. I told her everything.”

  “Huh? What do you mean?” she said concerned.

  “Literally everything. You. Me. My feelings. The fact I faked it and felt terrible,” she said, noticing Erika’s flinch.

  “Wow, that must be what every woman wants to hear,” she said sarcastically. “So, what did she say?”

  Georgia smirked, thinking back to the conversation.

  “What?” Erika asked concerned.

  “She said, stop wasting your life worrying what might go wrong and why you like someone after two weeks. She also said ‘where do lesbians go on their second date?’ Don’t worry, I don’t rush things. But I think the point she was making was, stop over thinking it all. Life’s too short. So, follow your heart. She somehow knew that I think it’s all somewhat ‘fairy-tale like’ and not very realistic. I mean we’ve known each other two weeks. It’s a bit of a full-on statement to make, follow your heart!”

  “Wow. That’s surprising…” she said, shocked. Erika was looking at her intently as she took a sip of her drink. “Okay, then, I’ll be blissfully ignorant and forget about that last statement. And ask what’s your heart saying?” she questioned.

  “That you need to stop drinking your drink seductively and talking in that way.” She smiled sarcastically.

  “You’re an idiot, you know, that, right?”

  “I wasn’t aware until I met you, but now that you have offered that information like, twenty-five times, I’m fully aware. What I also think, is that after the day you’ve had today you need a friend only right now,” she said seriously.

  “Wow, the only time I need you to misbehave is the time you go all straight with me?” she said.

  “Straight?”

  “Yeah…responsible.”

  “Ahh, I know, but you’ll thank me one day.”

  “Oh, you think? I’m not so sure. I was hoping you were going to call in the debt that I owed you.”

  “Seriously, Erika, you need to behave,” she said, raising an eyebrow to her.

  “How so? Watcha gonna do? Punish me?” she smirked.

  “Stop now! I am going to take you home if you don’t.”

  “Really? You do a full circle? Tell me that you want to be good, then say you’re gonna take my ass home. Wow, that’s all it took? I have a while before my daughter gets home, plenty of time to have some fun,” she said, smirking to Georgia.

  “Erika, stop it. I am not as strong as you are giving me credit for. Stop it!”

  “Alright already,” she said, smiling and pulling out the paperwork between them both to start focussing on the reason they were there.

  Chapter Seventy-Two

  Georgia had been in the shower for around half an hour, and she still couldn’t stop thinking about the afternoon. Erika was playing hardball and was loving teasing her, and she was glad that she hadn’t been drinking. Had she been, she was pretty certain that she would have caved.

  Making her way downstairs, she made a coffee and was thinking about what people had been saying. She didn’t know what to do. She liked her, but was she walking out to her own execution? Was it too messy? Or was Julia right, was she just overthinking everything? It may be nothing, and they may realise they aren’t sexually compatible she thought.

  Picking up her phone, Georgia wanted to text Erika to make sure that she was okay after the meeting and that awful argument. She was hoping that she helped her feel better, even if it was just a little.

  Hey you, hope you’re ok. And you didn’t have more arguments. You were very distracting today, however, I liked it. We are very productive in a pub it seems, and I prefer that format of working ;) Drink plenty of water, or your head will hurt otherwise. xx

  Hearing the response, Georgia opened the message from her to immediately be faced with a picture of Erika taking a sip of a very large glass of wine. “Shit,” Georgia said out loud. The picture was probably the worst thing she could have seen. It’s not too hard to control yourself when you are not around people, you can talk yourself in and out of certain things. However, having seen that picture made it all the harder. She was incredibly beautiful, and Georgia couldn’t help but stare at the picture. “What are you doing to me lady?” she said to herself.

  You just can’t stop yourself, can you? And really? More to drink? You needed more? Xx

  Yeah figured I’d drown my sorrows. I was kind of hoping a kiss would have been on the cards to cheer me up. Xx

  Are you always like this? You coul
d’ve kissed me. It shouldn’t always be on me. Xx

  Yes, I’m always like this you don’t like it? I can stop. We left it with you being mad at me, why would I think to kiss you? You may have whooped my ass. xx

  Georgia considered her response carefully. Should she try to reign her in? Or would she be fighting a losing battle?

  Seriously, you are so bad! I bet if I began flirting back you’d stop then. Xx

  Try it, I betcha I won’t. Xx

  What would you like to bet? Xx

  I’ll bet ANYTHING you want honey. The world is your oyster. ;) Watcha fancy? Xx

  You!!! As well you know!! Xx

  Backatcha lady. xx

  So, are you gutted you didn’t get a kiss ehy? ;) xx

  I am so. Maybe you should drive over and you can gimme one now. ;) xx

  You want me to drive over and give you one? Wowzers you Americans sure are forward, aren’t you? Xx

  And I’M the one who’s bad? Xx

  You are very, very bad. Xx

  But you love it, don’t lie. Xx

  I wanna say I don’t. But I guess I kind of do. You have this incredible ability to make me forget what I’m worrying about with you. That both scares and thrills me, but I can’t help but want more. And when you send me sexy pics it doesn’t help matters. xx

  Ohhh honey, that wasn’t a sexy pic ;) xx

  Erika Conte-Thomason don’t you dare. Xx

  It’s just Erika Conte now. And I don’t know what you mean? ;) Anyhow, send me a pic of you. xx

  I’ll remember that, and you know full well what I mean. I best not open another message that’s going to make me drive over there and slap your arse. xx and no, I will not send you a pic. xx

  Spoil sport! Slap my ass? And you say that I am forward? You like slapping asses, Georgia? Is that your thing? Xx

  Maybe! Guess you’ll never know. ;) xx

  Oh, I’ll find out, believe me. Xx

  Kind of sure of yourself, aren’t you? Xx

  You have no idea how wrong you are with that. However, on this occasion, I’m not gonna lie, I think the pull is too much for us both to fight. So, I’d like to think that I’m right on this occasion. So, ass slapping.

  If you found out it was my thing would it scare, you? Xx

  So, it is your thing. I knew it. Told you I’d find out. ;) xx

  On the contrary, I was merely asking a question. I wasn’t offering any form of information as to what I may or may not like sexually. xx

  I imagine you like control, so you would like the spanking. Xx

  You are entering very, very dangerous territory, Erika. Xx

  I am, how so? Xx

  You know how so!! And you’re wrong. Well, not about the control thing, I do kind of like being in control. But I’m not so much into spanking, personally. Whatever floats your boat, I guess. xx

  So, serious question. What floats your boat? Xx

  Hmmm I dunno. xx

  Yeh you do, c’mon tell me, I wanna know. Xx

  Why? Xx

  Because I just do. Please? Xx

  Confidence, sexiness, a great kisser, someone that fights for the control. I love that. I find that an incredible turn on. xx

  So, if we were together, like together, together, and you were doing stuff to me, and I stopped you and took the lead and rolled you over, got on top of you, straddled you, and pushed you back hard and changed course, you’d like that, huh? Xx

  OMG :/… You’re such a tease. xx

  Answer my question. Xx

  Why, what you gonna do if I don’t? xx

  I’ll come over and kick your ass. xx

  You won’t because you have a child in bed. ;) xx

  Ok fair point, but I’ll make you regret fucking with me. ;) xx

  Ahhhh, baby I’ve not even began to start fucking with you yet. Xx

  Tell me, last chance. Xx

  See, now you are making me not want to just to see what exactly you could do. Lol. xx

  Georgia watched the grey dots appear, smirking to herself. She was ignoring the ‘should she, shouldn’t she’s’ going around her head and just went with the flow. She couldn’t resist, and she was having fun. But then the dots disappeared and didn’t reappear. She waited for a while, starting to worry that she wasn’t going to reply? She threw the phone on the bed, wondering if she should text her back, but before she had a chance to, the bed started vibrating with another message coming in. Georgia saw Erika’s name on the phone as she smiled widely.

  “You little shit,” she said out loud. “You absolute little shit,” she pressed call, waiting for the dialling tone to begin.

  “Yeeeessss?” she heard down the phone with a giggly slur.

  “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

  “No, I actually think I’m freaking hilarious. I thought you’d like them, honey? You seemed to like them last week,” she purred.

  “Seriously, I’m going to kick your arse.”

  “Is that a promise, Georgia? Because the more you keep saying it the more I can’t stop thinking of your sexy ass. And, well as you know, I’m kind of just sitting around in my shorts and bra.”

  Georgia sighed heavily as she looked back to the photo of Erika in the mirror with those long-tanned legs, in the short shorts she’d worn last week when they were getting it on. The problem was, this time it wasn’t with a hoodie but just her bra. In reality it was not any different to seeing her in a bikini, but it was a different look. She was confident, and she wasn’t insecure. Maybe it was the booze, but God she looked hot.

  “You still there?” Erika said quietly.

  “Come out with me Saturday night,” Georgia said before she could control her loose lips. “Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t know where that came from.”

  “Why? Did you not mean it?” Erika asked seriously.

  Georgia didn’t know how to respond. She wouldn’t have said it if she didn’t mean it. She needed to not do this, but she’d done it already. So, did she really want to take it back now?

  I guess not, huh,” Erika said sadly.

  Georgia sighed. “Will you come on a date with me on Saturday? No, should ‘we’ or shouldn’t ‘we’s’? No overthinking, just you and me, two grown…gay women, going on a date,” she said again.

  “Was that a dig?” Erika said.

  “Would I? So, you going to make an already embarrassed and nervous woman worse by not answering?” Georgia said shyly.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I can’t believe you’re the type to get nervous or embarrassed though. I will go out with you on Saturday,” she said.

  “Well as I keep saying, I don’t do this. Okay, well I’m going to go before I make this situation any more awkward and weird. Especially as I’m now the epitome of a teenager who just got asked out for the first time.”

  “What do you mean? You need to? So, you can go scream into your pillow?” Erika laughed.

  “Good night, Erika.”

  “Really, you’re gonna ask me out and then leave me hanging? Shit, I hope you never ask me to go steady,” she giggled. “What are we going to do?”

  “We are going to hang up, I have a date to plan.”

  “Whatever, man. Good night, and thanks. For today, and tonight, for being concerned. You are pretty awesome.”

  “You too, pretty lady. I’ll see you Saturday then yeah?”

  “Honey, its Tuesday. Are you not intending to come to work for the remainder of the week?” She smiled.

  “Maybe not, depends how easy it is to plan a date in this place.”

  “Well, why don’t I just come over to your place, and you can cook? We don’t have to do anything special.”

  “Hmmm, not really how I roll, but maybe leave it with me? Look, I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow though,” Georgia said quietly. “Oh, and Erika..” She stopped. “On a serious note, if it’s too soon or you have a change of heart from the booze, then just text me in
the morning okay?”

  “Good night, George, I can’t wait to see you tomorrow, but more so Saturday,” she stated matter of factly.

  ***

  Good morning you. FYI, I still wanna go on a date with you on Saturday. Just saying. xx ps. You were right, my head hurts. xx I could do with sexy snuggles with a hot Brit to make me feel better. ;)

  Georgia read the message and smiled to herself. She ignored the nerves and the alarm bells and figured she would do exactly what Julia had told her to do, and just go with it.

  Chapter Seventy-Three

  Saturday came around fast and Georgia still didn’t know what to do. She had tried to book tickets to a show or concert, but without knowing what she liked, she had no idea what to do. She needed to go see Emily. She needed advice on what to do, or at this rate she would have to invite her over, which was a shit date. And a dangerous date, she thought.

  Georgia was about to go to Emily’s when she saw Erika was calling her.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Georgia, I’m so sorry, like really sorry.”

  “You’ve changed your mind?”

  “God no, but my B I T C H of an ex-wife, has just called to say she has to work so she can’t have Dulcie. I know I’m being a stubborn ass, but I refuse to leave her with her grandparents if her mother cannot be bothered to look after her, and Taylor is out of town. I’m sorry, Georgia. I was really looking forward to it, like really looking forward to it. Can we please rain check? I mean if you still wanna go out with me?”

  “Get ready.”

  “Huh?”

  “Erika, get ready. Get you and Dulcie ready, pack or wear swimwear, and some comfy clothes. Maybe a spare set of clothes, and I’ll do the rest. I’ll pick you up in an hour?”

  “Georgia, you don’t have to do this. We can rain check and do it another night, when I have a sitter.”

  “Erika, for Christ’s sake, just do as you’re bloody told for once. You’re wasting time, and I’ll be there in an hour,” she said, hanging up on her. She’d seen something the other day when she was looking at things and didn’t think it was a good idea, but now…now it was the perfect idea. She made the call and booked some tickets before getting herself ready.