Right Out of Nowhere
Page 20
“It was the first time I’d seen Kim since she dumped me in Japan. I realized during the flight that there were many things I needed to say to her. When we landed and after all the commotion died down, Kim asked me to dinner and I felt obligated to say yes. Afterward, we went to her apartment to talk. Spending time with her confused me. I felt like I was still in love with her, and then I didn’t. She took me to her bed and—”
“I don’t want to hear this!” Roni got up.
“Wait, Roni. You do need to hear this.” Selena stood in front of her and blocked her from Chenoa, from running away. “It became very clear to me that she wasn’t the person I thought she was. I think we’ve both changed. I didn’t sleep with her, Roni. I promise you.”
She wasn’t sure whether to believe Selena or not. “Why were you gone for so long then?”
“I asked for some extra time off because Kim and I had issues to work out. That night we’d both come to the same conclusion that maybe we didn’t belong together. At first being around her was nice because it was familiar. But a flood of bad memories came back to me the more time I spent with her. I’ve been in a hotel in Elk City for the past two days. Alone.”
“Alone?” Roni uncrossed her arms and let them fall to her sides.
“Yes, sweetie, I was alone. And all I could think about was you.” Selena poked her in the chest.
“Then why didn’t you come back?”
“Because I was confused. I’m terribly attracted to you, but I don’t want you to be a rebound. You breathed a breath of fresh air into my life the minute I met you. Blind or not, I think I fell for you the instant I saw you lying half-naked in that meadow.”
Roni couldn’t believe she was hearing this. Heat radiated through her chest. “Really?”
“Yes.” Selena stepped a bit closer.
“So it’s true. You just want me for my body.” Roni couldn’t stop a half grin.
“I want you, Roni. I want your body, I want your mind, and I want to be with you.” Selena wrapped her arms around Roni’s waist.
Roni responded by pulling her close. She inhaled the patchouli scent that was Selena. “I’m sorry I was such an asshole. I was so afraid of what you were going to tell me. That you and Kim were getting back together, and it’s been nice, but see you around.”
Selena raised her head and brushed her lips across Roni’s. “Aren’t you glad you listened?”
“Sorry. Sometimes it takes a wallop upside the head to get my attention.”
“Stop apologizing. I still need to take things a little slow.”
“How slow?”
Selena answered her with a kiss. She had never felt lips as soft as Selena’s in her life. The tip of Selena’s tongue played against her lips, and she opened her mouth to surrender to her. She tasted her lips, her tongue, and molded her body to Selena’s. They broke apart, breathless.
Roni smiled and took Selena’s hand. “If we don’t leave right this minute, I’m apt to lose control and take you into that hot water and make delicious love to you.”
The desire and vulnerability in Selena’s eyes gave away her thoughts. “Can I have a rain check on that proposition? I think I need a little more time. I need to let the past week fade some more.”
Roni planted a firm kiss on Selena’s lips. “You’re back and you can take as long as you need.”
“Thank you. I think a day or two will do.” Selena giggled and placed the palm of her hand against Roni’s cheek. “I missed you.”
Roni smiled brightly. “You can’t even imagine the thoughts that were going through my mind. I want you to know, I missed you more and before you argue with me, we really do need to get going.”
During the ride back, Roni experienced a lightness in her heart she’d never felt before. Is this what falling in love feels like? Whatever it was, it was a wonderful feeling.
They entered the cabin meadow at dusk. Their trip back had been uneventful with no sign of the cat. Jeff was waiting for them on the steps.
“I heard the horses whinny and figured you were close. Roni, I’m so sorry about this morning. If I’d known how much you were hurting, I would have tried to make it better. You’re my big sister, and I don’t know what I’d ever do without you. I know Beth feels the same way, and I promise we’ll make sure we don’t ever let you feel left out again. I should never have let you go this morning. It was foolish and dangerous and—”
Roni dismounted and stood grinning at Selena. “Everything is cool, Jeff,” she said without looking at him.
She put Puller on the ground and turned to loosen the saddle.
“Just so you know, Jeff. I fixed her before we got here. Nice speech by the way.” Selena threw a knowing smile Roni’s way, and they both laughed.
“Uh, okay, if you say so.” Jeff pointed over his shoulder. “I’m going inside to get us some dinner.”
Roni waited until the door slammed before she pulled Selena into her arms. “Thank you.” She kissed Selena’s cheek and let her go. “I’m starved.”
Selena shook her head and rolled her eyes dramatically. “Of course you are.”
Chapter Eighteen
RONI WHISTLED A nameless tune while she set the table for breakfast the next morning. Puller lay near the table, watching and thumping his tail against one of the legs. The day was dreary, and as she’d expected, the wind and clouds had brought rain with them. But it didn’t look like the day would be a total rainout. There were cracks in the clouds where the beginnings of a sun-filled dawn leaked through.
Jeff ambled out bleary eyed and looked like the cat had just drug him in. “Jesus, I don’t know how you can be happy so early. I should have you arrested or something. Coffee?” He plopped down into a chair and stared blankly as she poured him a steaming cup. He narrowed his bloodshot eyes and sat up a little straighter. “Something’s different about you this morning.”
She didn’t answer him. She refilled her cup and stole another glance out the window. Selena had gone to her cabin shortly after dinner last night. She’d been tired from the long hours in the saddle and the emotionally charged days prior to that. The anticipation of seeing her this morning filled her with enormous amounts of energy.
“I guess you’re happy Selena is back, huh?”
“Why do you ask?” Butterflies flitted in her stomach.
True, he knew she was a lesbian. But she wasn’t sure how he’d react to seeing Selena and her together. She’d never had reason to feel uncomfortable around him in regards to her sexuality. Then again, he’d never seen her with somebody she was smitten with. Sure, there was Beth, but they’d been friends for so long, her carefree “straight” behavior around his wife must seem natural to him.
“Oh, I don’t know. Just the fact that you’ve been in a pissy mood since I’ve been back. Then Selena comes back, and you’re as giddy as a schoolgirl. Then there’s the fact you poured my coffee without bitching that I should get off my sorry ass and get it myself.”
“Don’t get used to the coffee thing.” Taking a deep breath, she turned around and looked at Jeff. It was time to come clean. “Jeff, Selena and I are, um, me and Selena, oh shit.” She rested her chin on her chest for a moment and took another breath. She looked up. “What I’m trying to say is that Selena is a lesbian and we’re sort of dating.”
His eyes grew wide. “She’s gay? But she’s so . . . so . . .”
“Beautiful?” She laughed. “Yeah, she is. News flash, Jeff. Not all lesbians are short-haired, motorcycle riding butches dressed in leather.”
“Well, I guess. I never really thought about it. I always thought you were the exception rather than the rule.” His face turned red.
“She is,” a voice said from outside the window. Roni grinned as Selena walked through the doorway. She slid into Roni’s arms, kissed her lightly, and turned to Jeff. “I’m assuming Roni has been educating you on the facets of lesbians and the status of our relationship.”
Relationship. Just the word and the conno
tations involved made Roni feel warm inside. She held Selena tighter in her arms. “Want some coffee?”
“You go sit. I’ll get my own.” She winked at Roni. “Since we’re all up, how about I make breakfast?”
Jeff sat speechless, watching them with a silly grin on his face.
Roni slid a chair out from the table and planted herself in it. She looked at Jeff curiously. “What’re you smiling at?”
“You. I’m happy for you guys. I knew right away you were meant for each other.”
“Oh, bullshit you did. It didn’t even occur to you that Selena was gay. But I do remember you telling me you thought she was hot.” She loved teasing him and rarely got the upper hand on him because he was so much like her father.
“Jeff,” Selena said, “why don’t you go wash up and let the lezzies get breakfast. I have to warn you though. While you may be witnessing the femme side of us at the moment, don’t think for one minute we won’t put on our butch and beat the crap out of you.”
He slid his chair back and abandoned his coffee. “Point taken.”
The bathroom door closed behind him, and Roni stood and pulled Selena into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re back.” She nuzzled her neck and kissed her way up to Selena’s lips where she lingered. A low thrum started between her legs as her mind began to wander with thoughts of what she wanted to do to Selena.
Selena ended the kiss and put a hand on her chest. “We’d best be careful or your brother is going to catch us doing the unspeakable.”
“But I want to do the unspeakable with you.”
“If he’s as naive about the gay lifestyle as he appears, it might just send him into culture shock. Besides, I don’t want our first time to be on the kitchen table.”
“True.” Roni slid her hands down to Selena’s butt. “I wouldn’t want you to get a splinter.”
Selena wiggled out of her grasp and set about making breakfast. “If I know you, you’re starved.” She kissed Roni quickly and turned to add more wood to the stove.
Roni made fresh coffee and poured some for both. There wasn’t much else to do except watch Selena. “Do you have any plans for today?”
“Actually I do. While I was away, the mice mutinied and invaded my cabin again. I need to clean it out and get it ready for a very special guest.”
“Oh?” She was confused. Selena hadn’t mentioned she was expecting company. “Who?”
Selena turned around and gave her a teasing look. “Who do you think, hotshot?”
“I don’t honestly know. I don’t think it’s me because I haven’t been invited.” Roni gave her a coy, lash-fluttering look that spoke of total innocence.
The bathroom door opened and Jeff came out.
“We’ll talk about this later. Alone.” Selena poured a concoction of eggs, potatoes, and canned vegetables into a skillet and said no more.
Jeff poured himself a fresh cup of coffee. “I need to ask you something, Roni.”
She redirected her gaze from Selena’s ass to his face. “Sure, what’s up?”
“Did you really mean what you said the other day? About me heading home once Selena got back?”
“Why wouldn’t I have meant it?”
“Because I know it’s important to have three people up here.”
“I know, but I still think you should go. Selena and I did okay in locating the plane while you were gone. The only issue was the lack of radio signal, but her satellite GPS was sufficient.” She turned to Selena for agreement and got a nod before resuming her cooking. “Besides, I’ll score big points with Beth. Oh . . . then again, maybe not.” She laughed as she remembered the birthing story. Jeff started to chuckle and soon they were guffawing all over again.
Roni tried to relay the story to Selena between bursts but finally gave up because she couldn’t breathe.
Selena sighed and rolled her eyes. “Just tell me later.” Which sent them into more snorts of hilarity.
“Do you two jokers think you can sober up enough to eat without me having to perform the Heimlich on you?” Selena spooned food onto three plates and placed one in front of each of them.
Roni wiped her face on her sleeve. “Sorry, babe, it’s his fault.” She pointed at Jeff with her fork.
“When are you thinking of heading back, Jeff?” Selena put her plate on the table and sat down.
“I was thinking at first light tomorrow, but I want to see what the weather’s going to be like. This cold front that moved in was a surprise to me.”
“Me too.” Roni speared a potato with her fork. “There’s probably snow in the higher elevations.” She rose to look out the window at the distant mountain peaks. “I can’t see shit up there. The clouds are too low.”
Before she sat down and resumed eating, the radio came to life.
Selena stood up quickly. “I’ll get it. You guys eat.”
The static on the speaker made it nearly impossible to understand a word so Selena inserted the cord for the headphones and pulled them over her ears. Her one-word replies from this end didn’t give them enough information to determine what the call was about. They’d have to wait until the transmission ended.
A few minutes later, Selena sat down at the table. She had a troubled look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Jeff rested his fork on his plate.
“A Boy Scout troop got stranded on top of Boxcar Mountain.”
“So? That’s way out of our area.” Jeff nodded at Roni.
“One of the kids broke his leg. He’s got a compound fracture and a possible punctured lung.”
“I still don’t see—” And then it dawned on her. Air Rescue had, no, Kim had requested Selena. “She doesn’t fucking give up, does she?”
Roni slammed her hand on the table, got up, and stormed out the door. Cold, misty rain peppered her face as she marched down the steps and into the woods. A hundred feet into the woods, she stopped and leaned on one of the ancient hemlocks.
Soft steps behind her alerted her to Selena’s presence.
“Baby, how are we ever going to make this work if you keep running away from me? You need to trust me.”
“I trust you. It’s Kim I don’t trust.” She tipped her head back. The tiny drops of water rained lightly onto her face.
Selena stepped closer. And then closer still until her body was flush against Roni’s.
Butterflies rammed themselves against Roni’s chest wall. Blood pounded wildly in her head.
Selena leaned in and her breath fluttered against Roni’s face. The scent of her patchouli mixed with the wood smoke and made her light-headed.
“Selena, I—”
Selena’s lips met hers, softly, sensuously. The tease of Selena’s tongue against her upper lip was too much. She opened her mouth and their tongues touched tentatively, then glided around each other, tasting.
Roni rested her arms on Selena’s hips to steady herself. Her knees felt like they might buckle any second as her hands crept up toward Selena’s breasts. The breasts she’d admired under tight shirts. Breasts she’d envisioned herself touching and holding.
“Uh-uh. Don’t touch me,” Selena breathed into her ear. “This is all about you, babe. I’m going to show you you’re the only one I want.”
Selena’s hands moved slowly down from Roni’s shoulders and over her flannel-covered breasts. Already erect from the chilly air, her nipples sent zingers south. The pounding in her head subsided as her blood headed down and took up residence between her legs. Conscious thought became impossible. Her stomach muscles twitched as Selena’s fingers found their way under her shirt. With a palm on each side, Selena’s thumbs began slow tantalizing circles while their lips continued to explore. Roni’s entire focus lay on the caressing movement of the fingers over her skin. Before she could react, Selena unbuttoned her shirt and her hot mouth closed over her right nipple. Her other nipple was slowly rolled between two of Selena’s soft fingers. She could have died happy right there.
Selena released
her nipple and pressed her lips to Roni’s again. There was nothing but passion conveyed.
Roni broke the kiss. She had to. She couldn’t breathe. She realized she was holding her breath when Selena’s hands moved lower still. Beneath the waistband of her jeans.
Roni gasped. “Selena what are you . . . ?”
Selena’s lips found hers again and silenced her. The sound of her zipper rang loudly through the woods. At least to Roni’s ears it did. That was it. She couldn’t think. How could her brain function when all her blood was between her legs? Waiting and desiring a release.
Selena put a hand on the back of Roni’s neck and pulled her lips tighter against her own. Her other hand snaked its way down to the apex in Roni’s underwear.
“Oh my, is this for me?” Selena’s fingers rubbed back and forth, taunting her, teasing her at the entrance. She chuckled low.
Roni’s head fell back, barely feeling the solid tree trunk. She was hard, and despite any reservations she knew she should have, she needed Selena. Now.
She righted her head and croaked, “Please.”
Selena’s body fit tightly against hers, her lips against Roni’s neck. First one finger and then two entered her as Selena’s thumb rubbed slow around her clit, then fast, and then slow again.
“Oh my Go—” Selena’s lips smothered her hoarse voice.
Her hips surged toward Selena of their own will, seeking more. She gave it. In return it took every ounce of strength Roni had to remain standing. Only by Selena leaning against her could she remain upright. As she regained control over her breathing, hell, over the rest of her body, traitor, she felt Selena putting her back together. After she’d buttoned Roni’s shirt, she patted her chest.
“Now do you believe me?” Selena brushed her lips against Roni’s and looked her in the eye. A mischievous smile lifted a corner of her mouth, and her eyes twinkled in merriment.