Beyond the Skyline

by Lise Gold

  “Not so fast,’ she whispered. “Not this time.” She lowered herself back on top of Sophie again and thrust into her, kissing her with hunger and conviction. They only interrupted the kiss to catch their breath

  “Please Mel, don’t stop,” Sophie begged. Mel shifted and pressed her center hard against Sophie’s, regaining the grip on her wrists. She smiled when Sophie moaned in pleasure. Mel was rough, but it felt great, and Sophie gave in to the sensation of being taken in a way she’d never dreamt of. They both moved slow, finding a rhythm together while kissing passionately. She felt Mel’s wet mouth on her neck, kissing down past her collar bone. She felt teeth scrape over her skin until they reached her nipple and she gasped when Mel bit her softly, then harder. Mel let go of Sophie’s wrists and lifted her chin with a finger.

  “Look at me,” she said in a husky voice. Sophie opened her eyes to meet Mel’s. Her light green eyes had gone dark and hazy. Her lips were parted, wet and sensual. She looked aroused and determined to give Sophie what she wanted and more. Sophie moaned louder when Mel pushed a hand in between them and thrust two fingers into her. Then she slowly pulled out of her before penetrating her in deep motions, burying Sophie’s body underneath her own. Sophie fought to keep her eyes open when she felt the uncontrollable twitching of pleasure building up in her lower abdomen until they both gasped and cried out. Sophie wrapped her legs around Mel, pulling her in as close as she possibly could. She held her there for what seemed an eternity until she finally started to feel her limbs again. The after effects of her orgasm rendered her body useless, as she looked up at Mel. It wasn’t just her own pleasure that astounded her. It was the feeling of togetherness and the look of pure delight on Mel’s beautiful face that left her captivated and speechless. Was this what it was supposed to be like? What had she been doing, wasting her time all these years, never coming anywhere close to what she felt now? She felt alive and excited and sensual. Mel buried her face in her neck. Their bodies were warm and sweaty, Mel draped over her in a state of total relaxation.

  “Are you okay?” Mel asked. She lifted her head to meet Sophie’s eyes. Sophie blinked.

  “Yeah. I…I think so,” She stammered. “I’m just surprised at how right this feels. I feel exhilarated, but it’s so much more intense than I thought it would be. I can’t believe how much I want you.” She sighed. “It’s overwhelming.” Mel smiled, stroking her hair.

  “The first time is always overwhelming if it’s with the right person. Even the second time. And the third. I can leave if you want me to. Do you want to be alone?” Sophie shook her head and laughed.

  “No, please don’t leave. I want you to stay.” She paused. “I need more.”

  22

  “So…back home tonight.” Mel pulled the duvet up higher, covering their naked bodies. A sad look spread across her face, making Sophie’s stomach churn. Sophie lifted a lock of hair from Mel’s forehead and finger-combed it to the back before placing a kiss above her eyebrow.

  “I know. I don’t want to leave this bed,” she whispered. Mel sighed.

  “I’m going to miss it too. I’m going to miss this… just you and me in a hotel room. Nobody’s business.” She took Sophie’s head in her hands. “I really like you, Sophie. But I also need this job. There’s much more at stake for me. I have my mother to take care of.” Sophie nodded.

  “Yeah. I understand. We should stop now before it’s too late. It’s the sensible thing to do.” She paused. “But I’m also I’m pretty sure I have a major crush on you. I’ve never felt like this before, and I’d do anything to spend more time with you, Mel. And to be honest with you, right now, I don’t even care about my job.” Mel shook her head.

  “Don’t say stuff like that, Sophie. You’re great at your job, and you have fantastic career prospects. You’ve earned your place. Don’t fuck it up because of this.” She gestured from Sophie to herself. Sophie tried to hide the stab she felt.

  “This,” she said, making the same gesture Mel just had, “means something to me.” Mel shifted closer and pulled Sophie into a tight embrace.

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” She sighed. “Look, I think we both know we’re in it deeper than we’d like to admit but I think it’s best if we let it sink in while you’re away and see what the situation is like when we see each other again.” Sophie nodded. She couldn’t help but smile when Mel pressed a thigh between her legs. The all-consuming lust that had been absent during their short conversation was back, and she shivered at the contact, craving more. She laughed.

  “Seriously, Mel. Is this how you deal with difficult conversations? Because if it is, you’re very good at problem-solving.” Mel grinned.

  “I didn’t mean to make light of the topic, but we’ll have all the time in the world to talk when we’re back. Let’s not waste our last two hours in this room being serious when we could be doing much more interesting things.” They sank back into the pillows. Sophie turned to Mel. The curtains in the room were thick and dark, but the small strip of sunlight that fought its way in was bright enough to highlight Mel’s side of the bed.

  “You’re so pretty in the morning. Your hair… it’s all messy and cute.” Mel smiled, and tiny dimples appeared in her cheeks.

  “You think I’m cute?” Sophie nodded, sinking deeper under the covers to hide her blush.

  “Yeah. I think you’re super cute.” She traced Mel’s neck and collarbone down to her breasts. “And I think I might be obsessed with your boobs.” She laughed. “I’m sorry. I know that sounds weird. It’s just such a delight, touching you. You’re so soft and smooth.” Mel leaned in and kissed her.

  “Sophie Scott, discovering the delights of a woman. Well, let me tell you something. I happen to think you’re pretty damn cute too. And soft. And smooth. And did I mention sexy as hell?”

  “One cappuccino with two sugars for the pretty lady in my bed.”

  Mel handed Sophie one of the coffees she had ordered. Sophie moved up and pressed the button on the wall next to the bed, opening the curtains. Mel covered her face in her hands.

  “Oh my God, I’m so stupid. So that’s how you open them!” She stared at the window in disbelief. “I swear, I’ve been yanking at them every morning with my full body weight until I was exhausted and finally gave up. It’s a miracle I didn’t break the mechanism!” Sophie burst into laughter.

  “Are you serious? You haven’t used these buttons?” Mel shook her head.

  “Well then I think it’s time for a lesson, Miss Johnson.” Sophie pointed at the panel. “So this button is for the curtains, I guess you know that now. And this row…” She pressed the middle button. “This row is for the bathroom. They heat up your toilet seat, run your bath and switch on the speakers.” She shot Mel an amused look. “And this button is for turn down service. If you press it, the light next to your door will switch on and cleaners will walk into your room at any given time of the day to fluff up your pillows and put water and fresh fruit on your nightstand.” Mel’s eyes widened.

  “Are you serious? I can’t believe I didn’t know that. It’s not fair. I’ve never had turn down service in my life and I’ve never sat on a heated toilet seat before but now it’s too late. Anything else I’ve been missing out on?” Sophie laughed.

  “You’ve only been here for a week. Of course you’ve been missing out. Which brings me to the next question. What do you want to do today? Besides spending time in bed with me until they kick us out of the room at noon.” Mel chuckled and thought about the question.

  “Tell me,” she said. “If you could pick a place in Hong Kong right now, anywhere… where would you take me?” She shifted closer, placing her thigh over Sophie’s leg.

  “I don’t know,” Sophie whispered against Mel’s mouth. “What would you like to see?” Mel held up a hand in protest.

  “No. Up to you. Where would you like to take me?” Sophie shivered at the light touch of Mel’s lips.

  “I know where I’d like to go if I was here on
my own, but you might not like it. It’s a place I used to visit a lot when I spent four months out here but it’s not exactly glamorous.” She laughed. “It’s actually really uncomfortable.”

  “Uncomfortable sounds perfect,” Mel said. “Take me there.”

  23

  “I know you don’t want to tell me where we’re going,” Mel said as they exited the tube in Tai Po. “But I’m getting quite curious now.” She looked around the deserted MTR station, surrounded by overgrown mountains that seemed too dense to climb. “Where the hell are we? Please enlighten me.” Sophie shook her head.

  “No chance.” She laughed. “You might back out if I tell you.” She inhaled deeply, cherishing the fresh air, and scanned the empty parking spaces beside the tube station. “We could take a taxi, but it doesn’t seem like there are any around right now so we might as well walk. It’s not too far.” They crossed a footbridge, leading into suburban Hong Kong, passing small brick houses with neatly kept gardens and al fresco community restaurants. There wasn’t an English road sign or a neon light in sight. No cars, no traffic lights. Sophie led them up a hill through a sub-tropical forest. It was so steep that they had to stop five times to catch their breath. “Just fifteen more minutes,” she said. “Almost there.”

  “I don’t care,” Mel panted. “It’s beautiful here. Look at those trees. They must be hundreds of years old. And it’s so green with vegetation, so untouched.” She held up a hand. “Listen to that noise. Are those birds?” Sophie looked up at the trees.

  “Yeah. Birds, monkeys, frogs, bats, crickets… I even saw a sounder of wild boar crossing the road here once.” They stopped off at a stream to splash some cold water on their faces. It was clear and cold, running down the hill into a small lake. There was a pebbled plateau with a picnic table, surrounded by wooden benches for families to enjoy a day out, but today there was no one. Mel stared at a makeshift warning sign along the winding path.

  “Really? Snakes?” She pointed at the snake symbol with the exclamation mark and cautiously scanned the area. “I know I said I didn’t mind uncomfortable but we’re safe, right?” Sophie laughed.

  “We’re perfectly safe as long as you don’t decide to run into the jungle and step on one while you pee in the bushes. The ones to watch out for are cobras and bamboo snakes, but they usually don’t come near the footpath. They’re more scared of us than we are of them and they’ll only attack if they feel threatened.” She took Mel’s hand and pulled her closer, pointing at a white building on top of the hill. “Almost there.” Mel’s face lit up when she heard the barking from afar.

  “Dogs?” Sophie smiled. “More than you can handle.”

  They climbed the last distance, hand in hand. It felt great, holding Mel’s hand now that they didn’t have to beat around the bush and look for excuses anymore. Finally, it was okay, to be honest, and hold her just because she felt like it. Or at least for now. Mel looked down at their entwined fingers, and Sophie knew she felt the same. She didn’t let go until they reached the gate that said ‘HKDR.’

  “Hong Kong Dog Rescue,” Sophie explained. She knocked on the heavy metal door that led into the large fenced off compound. An old lady who answered the door graced them with a wide toothless grin.

  “Sophie!” she yelled in a high pitched voice. Sophie gave her a hug. “Kit, it’s so nice to see you again.” She gestured to Mel. “Kit, this is my friend Mel. Mel, this is Kit. She runs the place on Saturdays.” To Mel’s surprise, Kit flew around her neck too, before running a hand through her hair, examining the texture. Then she nodded appreciatively and led the way into the open corridor with lockers and washing facilities for the volunteers, all the while talking to Sophie in Cantonese.

  “I didn’t know you could speak Cantonese,” Mel said when Kit ran into the office to get them both a bottle of water. Sophie laughed.

  “I don’t but she doesn’t speak English, so this is how we communicate. She talks, and I pretend to understand and smile.” The loud barking started as soon as they passed the first pen and the twenty dogs in there immediately set off the others around them. Mel looked mildly uncomfortable when a German Shepherd jumped up against the fence next to her.

  “So you worked here?”

  Sophie nodded. “I volunteered every Saturday and Sunday morning for four months. They have quite a lot of volunteers here, but the shifts are all before midday and after five pm. It’s technically too hot for both the volunteers and the dogs to go for a walk in the middle of the day.” Mel frowned.

  “How does it work? Do you walk them? I mean… how? There must be at least five hundred dogs here, and they’re all huge.”

  “They have a good system going,” Sophie said. The aim is to get each dog walked at least once a day. Some go in the morning shift and the others in the evening shift. There are also trainers who work with the traumatized ones. They socialize them and teach them how to walk on a lead so they can be adopted. It’s a no-kill shelter, privately funded. That’s why they have so much space to run around here.” Kit pointed at one of the pens.

  “Buba,” she said. Sophie smiled at the sight of the overexcited dog and took Mel’s hand.

  “Come on, let’s go in.” She opened the door and dragged Mel inside before she had the chance to change her mind. A big, brown Labrador came tearing up to Sophie, wagging his tail. “Buba! My boy, come here. You remember me, don’t you?” She got down on her knees to face him and scratched him behind his ears. “Why haven’t you been adopted yet? You’re such a good boy!” The rest of the pack came closer, barking and growling. They were slowly closing in on them, and Mel didn’t look too sure of herself.

  “I’m a bit overwhelmed. They’re so big, and there are so many. They’re not going to kill me, are they? Because they might be able to smell the fear on me.”

  “It’s okay,” Sophie said. “The tricky ones are in the pens on the top of the hill. Just let them sniff your hand. Mel bent down and held out her hand. Four of them were brave enough to approach her, and after a while, they were wagging their tails, begging for attention. A husky snuck up to her and licked her in the face.

  “Aww, you guys are so cute,” Mel said in a high pitched voice. She got comfortable and sat down on one of the stools. “Not so scary after all,” she giggled when one of the mongrels ran up to her, bringing her a stuffed animal. She turned to Sophie, who was now sitting in the sand with the happy Labrador on her lap. “So you two know each other, huh?” Sophie nodded.

  “Buba’s my favorite. He was in a terrible state when he came here, but it only took him a month to get used to people and to trust the volunteers. He such a lovely dog.” She kissed him on the forehead. “I expected him to be gone by now but I guess he’s quite old and the old ones aren’t that popular when it comes to adoption. He seems happy and well taken care of though.” Kit came into the pen with two leads.

  “Want to go hiking?” Sophie asked. “It’s not too hot today so it should be fine even though it’s out of hours. We’ll take some water.” Mel smiled.

  “I’d love to go hiking with you and these darlings.” She looked up at Kit and gestured at the dogs. “Which one should I take?” Kit pointed at the husky.

  “Stella,” she said. Stella understood what was happening and jumped up at her in excitement. A chubby mongrel behind Stella looked disappointed that he wasn’t picked. He stared up at them with his tiny head that was way out of proportion to his body. Mel stroked him. “Oh no, poor thing. He wants to come too. Can we take three?” She held up three fingers to Kit, who seemed to agree with the idea. She laughed and rushed off as quick as her old legs could carry her to get another lead.

  They sat down on a bench by the stream and let the dogs off the lead. It was the only open area they had encountered so far after an hour’s walk. They sprinted towards the water and started splashing around, excited to get the special treatment they so rarely had.

  “Don’t worry, they’ll come back,” Sophie said. “Kit wouldn’t let us
take them this far if they’re runners. They’ve had bad experiences outside the compound, so they’ll stay close to us and make sure we take them back.” She shifted closer and put her head on Mel’s shoulder. Mel sighed, looking out over the towering trees and plants, taking up different levels of the forest. It was warm and humid, and the sun cast thin rays of light through the thick leaf ceiling, leaving a mysterious glow in the air.

  “It’s been the best week ever,” Sophie whispered against Mel’s hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo.

  “Yeah, it has.” Mel shifted and put an arm around Sophie.