Beyond the Skyline

by Lise Gold

  “Oh my God, Mel. Yes! That feels amazing.” She weaved her hands through Mel’s hair, lifting her hips when Mel entered her again.

  “You taste so good,” Mel whispered. She buried her face between Sophie’s thighs again and sucked until Sophie felt dangerously close to exploding.

  “Stop. Please stop.” Sophie pulled her up, so they were face to face, both heavily panting.

  “Come here. I’ve missed you, and I want to touch you too.” Mel smiled and kissed her. She slipped a hand in between them, and Sophie did the same, shivering when she felt how aroused Mel was. She pushed two fingers inside of her wetness, drawing a loud moan from Mel’s mouth. Sophie looked up at her and felt even more turned on by the look on Mel’s face. Her eyes were closed; her lips parted as if she was about to scream. They found a rhythm together, moving like they were one. Sophie felt her body tensing. She held her breath while the warm glow in her lower belly started to spread outwards, reaching her fingertips and her toes. She could feel Mel was close too by the way she started to move faster. Sophie tightened her grip on Mel’s shoulder, exhaled deep and gave in to the wonderful feeling that washed over her. Mel buried her face in Sophie’s neck before she tensed up too and started to tremble. They held each other tight, riding out the last waves of their orgasm, laughing at how perfect it was.

  29

  “Well, good morning to you too. That was kind of hot,” Mel said in a sultry voice. She stared up at the ceiling, her arms and legs wrapped around Sophie. The sexual attraction between them had kept them up most of the night, but now Sophie felt a very happy and content sense of tiredness. She gently stroked Mel’s face with the palm of her hand. Her other hand was between Mel’s legs, two fingers still inside of her. Mel was shivering from the orgasm she had just given her.

  “My God, Sophie. You’re getting good at this. Really good.” Sophie couldn’t stop smiling. It felt surreal, having Mel in her apartment and she didn’t want her to leave. Mel drove her wild, made her irrational, impulsive and greedy for more. The morning had been blissfully perfect. Sophie had made coffee and toast, and they had talked, kissed and made love all morning in bed.

  “This is so nice.” Sophie sighed. “Last time I woke up next to someone, I wanted to chew my arm off.” Mel laughed.

  “Really? That bad?” Sophie nodded.

  “I’d had too much to drink one night, and when I opened my eyes the next day, I was staring right into the gaping mouth of one of my exes. He was half on top of me, and I spent about an hour trying to wrangle myself out from underneath him without waking him up. Unfortunately, he did wake up just when I thought I would manage to escape.” She grinned. “I then spent the rest of the morning explaining to him why there was no chance of us getting back together, even though I had let him into my bed again.” Mel laughed.

  “So, no urge to escape today?” Sophie kissed her, slowly pulling her fingers out.

  “Absolutely not. In fact, I’ve been thinking of tying you to the bed and keeping you here.” Mel smiled and turned on her side, facing her.

  “Can I take you out on a date tonight?” Sophie’s face lit up.

  “Really? You want to take me on a date?” She giggled. “I’d love to but unfortunately I can’t. My mother is expecting me for dinner at eight. She’s called me fifteen times since I landed and I haven’t spoken to her in two weeks. She’ll be livid if I don’t show up today.”

  “Don’t worry,” Mel laughed. The date can wait. I need to take the car back anyway.” She planted a kiss on Sophie’s cheek. “My mom needs it this afternoon, so I’d better get going soon.” Then her face became serious suddenly.

  “What are we going to do, Sophie? At work tomorrow? I mean, nobody can know, obviously. We can’t risk people finding out.”

  “Nobody will find out,” Sophie said, looking for her robe. “It really shouldn’t be that hard. We’re both adults, and as long as we act accordingly, we’ll be okay. We just need some basic rules for the office. For example, we shouldn’t arrive or leave together, and we should avoid bars where we might run into people from work. It doesn’t mean we have to hide; we just need to adapt a little bit. Our private life is none of their business as long as it doesn’t affect our jobs, right? “ Mel didn’t look too convinced, but she carried on anyway. “And when I get the promotion…” She sighed. “I guess we’ll just have to take it day by day when the time comes. If anyone got into trouble, it would be me, not you.” She rolled her eyes, laughing. “And I’m the last person they’ll suspect having a thing with a woman, so I think we’re good. At least for now anyway.” She held up her hand and crossed her middle and index finger. “I promise I’ll try not to picture you naked in meetings or stare at your boobs.” They both laughed, and Mel crossed her fingers too.

  “And I promise not to drag you into the toilet during lunch break.” Sophie watched her put on her sweater with a mischievous grin on her face.

  “What’s that smirk for?” Mel shook her head.

  “Nothing.” She hesitated. “I wanted to ask you something, but I don’t want you to think that I’m needy.” Sophie laughed.

  “Oh come on. Tell me.” Mel was finger-combing her hair into a high pony tail.

  “I don’t think I’m ready to say goodbye yet. Do you want to come with me to my place? We have time, right? ” Sophie was unable to hide her excitement.

  “Yes! I’m so glad you asked. I’d love to come with you. I want to see where you live.” She frowned. “Wait. Is your mother going to be there?” Mel nodded.

  “She probably will be, but she’s cool. Nothing to worry about-- apart from her talking your ears off and sniffing out your secrets like a police dog.”

  “Well, in that case, I’d love to meet my mother-in law.” Sophie laughed, “I’m sorry. Was that joke too soon?”

  “You sound like you want to be my girlfriend,” Mel said in a teasing tone. She raised her eyebrows. “Do you want to be my girlfriend?” Sophie smiled, her insides doing summersaults.

  “I thought I already was your girlfriend. Since you missed me so much and all that…” Mel chuckled and shook her head.

  “Uh-uh. No. You have to say it. I want to hear you say it.” She poked Sophie in the ribs and immediately got a screaming response.

  “Don’t tickle me, please! I’m your girlfriend.” She grabbed hold of Mel’s hands and pushed them away from her midriff. “I’m your girlfriend!” she yelled again. “I’m all yours!”

  30

  “Thanks for bringing the car back with me,” Mel said. Sophie glanced around, taking in Mel’s neighborhood. It was nice. The main high street still belonged to small business owners. There were restaurants and takeaways and very cool looking bars and cafes with butchers, fishmongers, bakeries, and newsagents scattered in between. The mix of Jamaican heritage with a young, urban vibe was intriguing. A block of piled up containers covered in graffiti was the home of independent pop-up shops and eclectic barbers and hairdressers. A little further down, Victorian buildings formed the backdrop of the main street, housing art galleries and vintage clothing stores.

  “It’s cool; I like it. Not sure why I’ve never been here before.” The smell of freshly baked bread welcomed her when she opened the window. “It’s funny, isn’t it? As a designer, I travel the world for places like this, yet it’s never occurred to me to look for it in my own city.” Mel stopped to let an old man cross the street.

  “Well, aren’t we all guilty of that? Apparently, there are lots of great galleries in Southwest London that I’ve never been to.” She waved at him from behind the wheel when he thanked her. “There’s no market today so we can park in my street. Normally you have to fight your way through the crowd to get to the front door, but today, we’re in luck.” She took a left turn into a street where cars were parked on both sides, leaving just enough space for them to drive through. “People don’t understand how I can live here with all the hustle and bustle and the noise from the bars, but I love it. The food around her
e is great too. I’ll have to take you out for dinner next time you’re here.” Sophie felt her stomach flutter at those words. ‘Next time.’ They turned the corner and Mel managed to squeeze the Ford into a tiny space between two other cars. “Here we go. Welcome to Brixton, Miss Chelsea.”

  Mel’s ground floor apartment was squashed in between a record shop and a Jamaican restaurant that she shared the hallway with. Sophie inhaled the mouthwatering scent of jerk chicken and salt fish when they entered.

  “Smells amazing in here.”

  “Told you so.” Mel knocked and only seconds later, her mother appeared at the door.

  “Come in, come in. You must be Sophie. I'm Isabella.” Sophie felt an immediate sense of relief at the sight of the lovely lady in front of her with long, gray hair, whose smile was just as wonderful as Mel's. She had dimples too, and the crows feet around her eyes were clear evidence that she laughed a lot. Isabella put an arm around Sophie and led her inside through the living room and the kitchen out onto the patio in the back.

  “Please take a seat, my love. The weather is nice enough to sit outside so why waste the day? I'll get you a drink.”

  “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back,” Mel said, before following her mother back into the kitchen. Sophie noticed Isabella was limping and looked like she was in pain. If she was, it didn't affect her mood. Isabella seemed cheerful, positive and quite the opposite to her own mother who spent most of her time worrying about what other people thought of her.

  The patio was homely and cozy with two chairs and a wooden bench placed around a rectangular wooden table. Homemade patchwork pillows were tied to the seats with red ribbon that matched the large red lavender-filled buckets that had been hung along the outside wall under the kitchen window. It was sunny and almost warm in the secluded garden, protected by high conifers on either side. Sophie was impressed by Mel's ability to create such a charming and welcoming atmosphere. She turned around to see into the vintage kitchen, eyeing up the blue and white Spanish tiles that covered the walls above the workspace. Plants hung from the ceiling by the door in baskets, and fresh herbs were growing in boxed wall units above a rattan kitchen bench. There was basil, mint, rosemary, chives, and sage, all giving off a lovely smell.

  “Here we go,” Isabella said. She placed two jugs on the table filled with lemon and mint. “Homemade lemonade. One with rum and one without.” She laughed. “I don't drink anymore, you see. I have trouble keeping my balance enough as it is.” She poured Mel and Sophie a large glass with the alcoholic mixture and held up her own. “Welcome to our home, Sophie. Or should I say, welcome to my daughter’s home.” Motherly pride was written all over her face. “I have a bad back, and I can't walk up the stairs in my own house at the moment, so I'm staying here for a while until I've had my operation.” She turned to Mel. “And then another couple of weeks until I’ve recovered.”

  “Is it bad?" Sophie asked. Isabella shrugged.

  “My doctor says it’s hard to tell right now. I have a slipped disk, and it’s compressing a spinal nerve. They might be able to fix it, but I'll never be able to walk like before. There’s already too much damage.” Then she smiled and raised her hands. “But hey, I'm no teenager anymore either. It is what it is. As long as I can move back into my own house and walk to the market again, I’ll be happy.” She looked from Mel to Sophie and back. “Now tell me. Did you girls have fun last night?” Sophie laughed at the word ‘girls’ as if they were still a couple of teenagers. “When Mel didn't come home last night, I thought to myself ‘I bet those two are having a great time together.'” Isabella winked, and Mel shot her a warning look.

  “What did we talk about mama? Privacy, remember?” Isabella patted Sophie on the knee, ignoring her daughter.

  “I've heard all about what a great colleague and friend you've been to Mel. Thank you for that. My Mel...she works very hard, you know. And she can set her mind to anything if she wants it badly enough. Anything. Right Melzinha?” Mel rolled her eyes and kissed her mother on the forehead. The simple gesture of affection brought up a lump in Sophie’s throat, but she managed to swallow it down. It was endearing and sweet and just when she though she couldn’t possibly admire Mel anymore, she sunk deep into another cloud of adoration. Mel took a sip and winked at Sophie from behind her glass. It made her blush.

  “I love your kitchen,” She said, trying to take her mind off Mel’s flirtations.

  “Thanks.” Mel nodded at the back door. “I did most of it myself. The floor, the tiles, the wall units. The kitchen unit itself was ancient, but I painted it, put new handles on the cupboards and sprayed the work surface with kitchen marble. I’m quite chuffed with it. It’s… ”

  “Mel has done such a great job. I couldn’t believe it,” Isabella interrupted her. She gestured to the garden, then towards the apartment. “When she showed me this place before she bought it, I begged her not to sign. It looked like a drug den, didn’t it, Melzinha?” She glanced at Mel but didn’t wait for an answer. “It was dark and dirty. Parts of the floors were missing, the bathroom was ripped apart, and there were rats and cockroaches running around in the kitchen. The garden was overgrown and full of rubbish.” Isabella grimaced. “My heart sank at the thought of her living here all by herself. But now… It’s so clean, and light and I’ve been begging her to do my own house up too.” She leaned in closer to Sophie. “Mel has two brothers, but they’re not nearly as good as her when it comes to DIY.”

  “They’re perfectly capable,” Mel said, laughing. “They’re just lazy. And you know I don’t have time. I had to take a whole month off work to get this place in a semi-presentable state!”

  “I know, I know.” Isabella waved a hand towards the kitchen. “Melzinha, do you mind getting the tray from the fridge? I made us some snacks when you told me Sophie was coming. It just needs heating up for a couple of minutes. And get some plates and napkins too, will you?” Sophie gave her a warm smile.

  “Isabella, you didn’t have to do that! Anyway, I can’t stay for very long. I need to go to my parents’ house for dinner later.” Isabella shook her head.

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now, and you’re our guest.”

  As soon as Mel had disappeared into the kitchen, Isabella moved her chair closer to Sophie’s. She lowered her voice, making sure Mel couldn’t hear her.

  “I'm so glad to meet you, Sophie. When Mel said she wanted to borrow my car to pick you up, I couldn’t have been more surprised. She has never done anything like that for another girl so I figured she must like you very much. Are you two…close?” Sophie shifted in her chair. Does she know?

  “I’m not sure what you mean by that,” she stammered. “But Mel is great, and I really enjoy working with her.” She could feel her cheeks turning red, and there was nothing she could do about it. Isabella nodded. A tiny smile formed around her mouth.

  “So, where do you live? And what do your parents do? Are they still together?” Mel stuck her head around the corner of the kitchen door.

  “Mama! Privacy, please! Do you even know what that means?” Isabella waved it off.

  “I’m just curious, Melzinha. You never bring anyone home. You don’t mind, do you, Sophie?” Sophie shook her head.

  “Of course I don’t. I live in Chelsea. My parents live there too, only a few streets away.”

  “Lovely!” Isabella beamed. “It’s nice that you decided to stay close to home. Your parents must be so happy.” Sophie chuckled.

  “Yes, it’s nice. I have lunch or dinner with my parents every Sunday unless I’m away for work.” She left out the part where her parents, or rather her mother, had refused to buy her an apartment outside their own borough because she was afraid Sophie living in a cheaper area would reflect poorly on her. Isabella gestured towards Mel in the kitchen.

  “I’m glad Mel chose to live nearby when she moved out. London can be so hard to get around. I only see my sons every two to three weeks when they come home for dinner. One of them
moved in with his girlfriend in Slough, and the other one lives in Croydon because the rent is cheaper there.” She laughed. “Or maybe they don’t want me all up in their business, begging for grandchildren twenty-four-seven.” Sophie laughed too.

  “I’m sure that’s not the case. And yes, London prices are crazy. Mel and I are very lucky to even have an apartment to ourselves.”

  “I bet you’ve never tried this before.” Mel appeared with a tray full of exotic looking nibbles and dips. “Pumpkin croquettes, avocado dip, red pepper dip, cheese bread, pastel and black-eyed-pea fritters with shrimp,” she explained. “My mother cooks the best Brazilian food in the world but only on very rare occasions, so I guess that makes you a guest of honor, Sophie.”

  “Wow, I do feel honored indeed!” Sophie said as she picked up a fritter and scooped it through the avocado dip. She closed her eyes when she bit into the crunchy snack. “Mmm. Isabella… That is so good. Did you make these? I’d love to have the recipe.” Isabella nodded approvingly.

  “Of course. In fact, I’ll teach you how to make them. Why don’t you come over next weekend and we’ll cook together.” Sophie was touched but surprised by the gesture and kept a close eye on Mel to make sure she was comfortable with the offer. Mel rolled her eyes, but she seemed fine, so she nodded, accepting the invitation.

  “Really? That would be fabulous. I love cooking. I just don’t do it very often because I never have anyone to cook for.” Isabella clapped in excitement.