“Yes,” Aubrey hissed as Fallon’s fingers built a steady rhythm. Her fantasies about Fallon paled by comparison to the woman now moving inside her.
Fallon lost herself. It felt good—all of it. She absorbed the sound of Aubrey’s sighs and pleas. She inhaled the scent of arousal and unbridled lust that permeated the room. Everything she felt, everything she questioned she poured into this young woman. This woman wanted nothing more from Fallon than for Fallon to make her feel good, and that is all Fallon desired. She let her thumb press the small sensitive bud that she knew would send Aubrey soaring and pressed her fingers deeper. Aubrey’s body trembled. Fallon steadied her with the weight of her body and continued her thrusting.
“Harder!”
A pulse of excitement traveled through Fallon. Harder it would be.
“Fuck yes!”
Fallon devoured Aubrey’s cries with her mouth. Aubrey shook violently. Fallon’s kiss softened.
“Jesus,” Aubrey whispered. “Do I get to return the favor?”
Fallon turned them and led Aubrey to the bed. She shed her remaining clothing and climbed on top of the young woman.
Aubrey let out a primal groan. “I’m going to lick every inch of you.”
Fallon grinned. “Do it.”
***
“Thanks for watching Owen.”
Marge smiled brightly. “You don’t ever have to thank me.”
“He loves having you here,” Riley said. She wasn’t being kind; it was the truth. Owen adored Marge.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Marge ran over to the kitchen table. “This was on the step.”
Riley puzzled over the gifts that Marge handed her. “What is this?”
“I don’t know. The card is addressed to you. Maybe a present that was missed at Owen’s party.”
Riley shrugged. “Maybe. Thanks again.” She set the boxes on the sofa.
“Did you still want me to come over next Wednesday?”
Riley smiled. “Please.”
“Another date with Jerry?”
“No.”
“Getting into trouble with Fallon?”
Riley laughed. “It might be Fallon you should worry about. I’m cooking her dinner.”
“Another bet?”
“No, an overdue promise.”
Marge nodded. “If you need anything before then…”
“You’ll be the first to know.” Riley bid Marge goodnight and closed the door.
Riley closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. A glass of wine was in order, a glass of wine and maybe a good book. She made her way to the kitchen and opened a bottle of Riesling. Something sweet. Riley wandered back to the sofa and collapsed onto it, ready for a few moments of complete silence and relaxation. She glanced at the packages she had placed there. Fallon. The handwriting on the card was unmistakable.
Riley,
I discovered by accident that it’s your birthday.
Riley sighed.
I’m not sure if there’s a reason that you didn’t want to celebrate, but I wanted you to know that I think you should be celebrated.
Riley smiled.
I know that you probably think what I said in that crazy proposal Andi roped us into was all made up. I really am not very good with words. That was true. You’re the aspiring writer. I just serve drinks.
“You do a lot more than serve drinks,” Riley commented.
It’s also true that I don’t want to imagine my life without you in it. You’ve become my best friend. I look forward to our dinners and our late-night conversations.
“And, sledding down my hill, and me doing your laundry.”
Plus, I get help with my laundry.
Riley laughed.
You give to everyone, Riley. You help everyone without ever asking for a thing. I wanted you to have something just for you, something to let you know how special I think you are.
“Fallon…”
You mentioned that you like sparkly things. Proposals aside, I thought I’d look for something that fit the bill. I hope you like it. I know that you love Tolstoy, so that’s what gave me the idea. You really should write that book you’ve been talking about. I know I would read it. Maybe this will help. Happy Birthday, Riley.
Love,
Fallon
Riley picked up the packages Fallon had left. She tore the paper away from the first and held her breath. Slowly, she opened the lid of the box to reveal a stunning fountain pen, a Mont Blanc limited edition honoring Leo Tolstoy. Oh, my God, Fallon, what did you do? She’d been looking at them online, daydreaming. Who would spend a thousand dollars on a pen? Apparently, the answer to that question was Fallon Foster. She opened the next gift and smiled. It was a stunning leather journal. Riley’s fingertips traced over the cover. Fallon. She picked up her phone, pressed the familiar contact and waited.
“Hey, you’ve reached Fallon. I’m probably pouring at the pub. You know what to do if you don’t want to come find me.”
“Hi,” Riley began softly. “I just opened your gifts.” Riley took a breath. “Fallon, they’re… They’re amazing.” Just like you. “I don’t know how you knew. I didn’t tell anyone. It’s just… Today isn’t an easy day for me. I was going to call you. Jerry called and offered to take me to dinner. I just needed to get out of the house. I never expected you to… I don’t know what to say. You are…Well, I feel the same way about you. I don’t want to think about not having you in my life.” I don’t. “Call me when you get this. Okay?” Riley’s fingers danced over the journal again. She took a deep breath. “Dinner, tomorrow? I’d like to see you. I… I miss you. Call me.”
Riley placed the phone beside her and looked at the presents in her lap. Fallon. What would I do without you?
***
Fallon threw her jacket onto the passenger seat and closed the door of her truck. She steadied her breathing and gripped the steering wheel. Why did she suddenly feel worse than she had when she’d walked into Murphy’s Law? A faint buzzing drew her attention.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, Mom? Where are you? And who is Aubrey?”
“What?”
“You called me Fallon, two hours ago—although I’m not sure why you called me.”
“I didn’t call you. Oh, shit. I must’ve dialed you somehow when I…”
“I don’t want to know,” Ida said.
“Then why did you call back?”
“What are you doing?” Ida asked.
“Something tells me you already know the answer to that question.”
“I thought you were surprising Riley for her birthday.”
“Yeah, so did I.”
“What happened?”
“Jerry happened.”
Ida took a deep breath. “Jerry happened.”
“Yeah. I went over and she was getting in Jerry’s car. I guess he rates enough to spend her birthday with.”
Ida wished she could crawl through the phone and smack Fallon. “Stop pouting.”
“What?”
“You heard me. What makes you think Riley told him it was her birthday?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said? She was getting into his car.”
“So?”
“Mom…”
“I probably should keep my mouth shut.”
“Probably.”
“Right, probably. I’m not going to.”
Fallon groaned.
“If you love Riley, you’d better be prepared to fight for her.”
“Fight for her? Why should I have to fight for her?”
“Fallon, honestly. We all have to fight to keep our relationships secure.”
Fallon sighed.
“You blame yourself for Olivia. You can say whatever you want; you do. Don’t say a word right now, you listen to me. You didn’t fight for her. Maybe that was because somewhere inside you knew it wasn’t the right relationship for you.”
Fallon closed her eyes.
“You didn’t fight for Andi either.”
“Mom, Andi…”
“I said, listen to me. Andi wouldn’t have let you. I know that hurt you.”
“Mom, please…”
“Fallon, someone needs to say this to you. It’s safest if I do.”
“Why? Because you’re five-hundred miles away?”
“I’m not scared of you, Fallon.”
Fallon chuckled.
“You don’t have to say a word. It’s written all over your face. You love Riley.” She heard Fallon sigh.
“Riley’s seeing Jerry.”
“Yes, well seeing someone has a different meaning for most people than it does for you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Do you really think that sleeping with every moderately attractive woman who passes through town is going to make you forget Andi or fall out of love with Riley?”
“Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“Aren’t you?”
“It was one night, Mom.”
“I know you, Fallon. That’s not what you want. Riley’s been through a lot.”
“And? Riley’s straight.”
“Oh? Told you that, did she?”
“No, but… Jesus, Mom she was married. She has a kid.”
Ida had to shake her head to clear the clouds. “Olivia’s married with kids.”
“Thanks for reminding me. Olivia is a lesbian.”
“Andi’s married and has kids.” There was no reply. “How do you know what Riley feels if you don’t ask her?”
“Ask her? Are you crazy? I don’t need to ruin that friendship.”
“Well, traipsing off with coeds might just do that for you.”
“Mom.”
“I think you are underestimating Riley. You might remember that I’ve had almost forty years to decode your logic. She’s had less than six months. Give it some time, Fallon. If you’re so worried about Jerry Walker, do something about it.”
“I don’t want to lose her too.”
“None of us want to lose, Fallon. We all wish every ending could be happy. Loving someone ensures that at some point, one of you or both of you will have to say goodbye. If it’s not life that causes that, it’s death.”
“Then what’s the point?”
“Well, the thing about love is when the ending comes it’s all you have left to hold onto. Endings come whether we let ourselves love or not. What you have left to hold onto is what matters.”
“Memories? That seems hollow.”
“Does it? It’s not, Fallon. It’s a lot more than memories. Loving someone changes you. It takes time to see that when you’re hurting. It’s a scary thing—loving someone, giving yourself over to it when you know it could lead you to pain one day. Running from it will hurt as much as following it ever could. Give yourself a chance, Fallon.”
“You sound like Andi.”
“Andi’s a smart woman who happens to love you.”
Fallon’s eyes welled with tears. “I know.”
“Enough to know it was time to let go. Don’t make that for nothing.”
Fallon took a deep breath. “I do.”
“You do?”
“I love Riley.”
“You don’t say. It’s not me who needs to know that.”
“I don’t think she’s ready for that, Mom.”
“Then give it the space it needs for now. Just don’t give it too much space.”
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Andi…”
“Fallon, you have to let Andi go now, not just for you, but because she needs you to. She’s still a young woman, even if she doesn’t think so. She deserves a chance to find out who she is.”
Fallon was puzzled by her mother’s comment. “Is she…”
“Let it go, Fallon. She’ll come to you when she’s ready. Give her time.”
“I don’t know how.”
“You do. I haven’t told you one thing that you didn’t know. You just needed to hear someone say it.”
Fallon chuckled. Maybe she did. “I guess I should say thanks.”
“You can thank me by not butt dialing me to ‘Oh, yes, Fallon’ being screamed in my ear.”
Fallon cringed. “Promise.”
“Thank you. Say hello to Riley and Owen for me.”
“I will. If you talk to Andi…”
“She knows, Fallon. Trust me; she knows.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Fallon disconnected the call. She was about to set down the phone when she noticed the voicemail. Riley’s voice came over the line.
“Hi. I just opened your gifts. Fallon, they’re… They’re amazing. I don’t know how you knew. I didn’t tell anyone. It’s just… Today isn’t an easy day for me. I was going to call you. Jerry called and offered to take me to dinner. I just needed to get out of the house. I never expected you to… I don’t know what to say. You are…Well, I feel the same way about you. I don’t want to think about not having you in my life. Call me when you get this. Okay? Dinner, tomorrow? I’d like to see you. I… I miss you. Call me.”
Fallon took a deep breath and looked at the time. It’s worth a try.
“Fallon?” Riley answered her phone.
“Did I wake you up?”
“Not really, I was just lying here.”
“I got your voicemail.”
“I got your gifts.”
“I hope you like them.”
“Fallon… They’re… I love them.”
“I was calling to… I know, I’ve been kind of an ass the last few days.”
“You have?” Riley teased.
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize. I know you’ve been hurting.”
Not for all the reasons you think. “The thing is, I missed you too.”
Riley smiled. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Me or Owen and all his new toys?”
Fallon answered honestly. “I miss both of you—and the toys.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“So, um… Is that offer still good for dinner to… Well, later today?”
“It is.”
“Great. I’ll bring the wine.”
“I’ll make sure Super Why is in the DVD player.”
“Who could refuse that offer?”
“Not you.”
Fallon laughed. “I’ll see you later.”
“You will. Fallon?”
“Yeah?”
“What you wrote in that card… I… You’ll never know how much that meant to me—all of it.”
I love you, Riley. “I meant every word.”
Riley closed her eyes. I know you did. “I’ll see you around six?”
“I’ll be there.” Fallon set down her phone and closed her eyes. I’ll be there, Riley.
The End
Coming February 2018
The story continues in
CIGAR CLUB
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