by K. Aten
Jamie remembered one particular bit of fun and blushed bright red. Kelsey just gave her a genuine smile. “We did actually. Well, the first two days were all family stuff and Jamie was sick, but the last two days we did a lot of sightseeing. I’ve always loved the Riverwalk there.”
“Sick?” Jenn looked over at Jamie, who was still sporting a pink tinge to her cheeks. “Was it a virus? How do you feel now?” Noting the flushed face she felt Jamie’s forehead for a fever.
The blonde batted the hand away and shook her head, then swallowed thickly. The memory of both the hangover, and Mama Kaitlyn’s remedy would stick with her forever. She was never drinking tequila again. Kelsey came to her rescue, somewhat. “No, she tried to keep up with the Ramirez cousins and failed miserably. So she paid for it the next day. Of course my mama’s cure is almost worse than the disease.”
Jenn looked at her curiously. “What’s in it?”
“No, I do not want to know that!” Jamie had raised her hands to protest and narrowed eyes at Kelsey. “Never ever, ever, tell me.”
Kelsey snickered. “Actually, I can’t tell you because I don’t know. I’ve only had it once and I will say that I learned to hold my alcohol after that.” She looked back at Jenn. “It tastes like sweet bog mud and Jameson with a hint of pepper and it smells like death.”
“Holy shit, that sounds awful!” Jenn looked a little horrified at the description but Jamie shook her head and made a face so the black woman questioned it. “What? You’re saying it’s not awful?”
The blonde made a face. “No, I’m saying that’s not the worst part. As soon as it hits your stomach, you have about sixty seconds before you begin purging all the sickness from your body.” Jenn looked at her with questioning eyes and Jamie elaborated.
“As in, you better have two receptacles ready!”
“Damn!”
Kelsey nodded. “Exactly!”
“I wouldn’t have been so bad the next morning but Kelsey’s cousin, Veronica, gave me one more shot at the end of the night that totally pushed me over the edge.”
“Puta!” Kelsey growled out the word.
Both Jenn and Jamie spun their heads around to look at Kelsey in surprise. Jamie said what they were both thinking. “I thought you didn’t know any Spanish!”
The Irish-Latina laughed. “I don’t, not really. But my cousins made sure I knew all the important words. She reached down to grab her crotch and leered at both of them. “Chupa mi verga!”
“What was that? I know some Spanish but I don’t know that. Suck my what?”
Jenn may have looked confused but Jamie immediately cracked up laughing again. “You did not just say that to us!” Then she turned to Jenn and translated. “The word you didn’t know is dick. She just told us to suck her dick.”
“Our sweet little Kelsey?” Jenn pretended shock.
Jamie shook her head and snorted. “You don’t know the half of it!”
Jenn looked back and forth between the two women and gave them both a secret little smile. “Oh, I think I know quite a lot actually. Like what you two were doing before you answered the door.”
“We were sleeping!”
“Watching Netflix!”
Both answered at the same time and Jenn smirked. “Uh huh, try again ladies. For one thing, I know what a woman’s hair looks like when someone’s been running their hands through it. Both of you were in disarray when you answered the door, and your lips are still red and kiss-swollen.” She looked back and forth between them. “Is there something you need to tell Auntie Jenn?”
Kelsey looked from Jenn to Jamie and back again. She had no problem telling their friend that they were a couple now, but she didn’t know how much Jamie wanted to say. She didn’t have to wonder about it more than two seconds because that was all it took for Jamie to respond. “I love her!” She blurted it out like she was two years old and those were the first three words she’d ever learned. Just saying them aloud made Jamie feel new again and strangely whole. She looked at both Jenn and Kelsey who stared back at her in shock. “What? Did you think I’d be all stoic and quiet about my feelings?” She gave Kelsey a look that was both serious and tender. “I’d tell the world if I could.”
Jenn broke into a huge grin and she pointed back and forth between the other two women. “Have you told Burke yet?” Jamie shook her head no. “Hot damn, that boy owes me twenty dollars!”
“What?” Kelsey’s voice came out a little louder than she intended.
Jamie narrowed her eyes at her friend. “Yeah, what do you mean by that?”
Jenn shrugged. “Burke and I talked about it a bit the night of his birthday party. I told him it would happen before the benefit show. He thought it was going to happen after.”
“Happen?” Jamie looked at her curiously.
“You know, you and her getting together serious-like.” Jenn grinned again. “I won!”
Kelsey held up a hand. “Wait, what benefit show?”
Jenn looked at Jamie. “You didn’t tell her?”
Jamie looked back at her. “When was I supposed to tell her? Things have been a little crazy lately!”
“Tell me what?”
Both heads snapped around to look at Kelsey and Jamie rushed to explain. “Every August the McMillian Center hosts a drag show fundraiser. All the proceeds go toward free and subsidized treatment and drugs. That’s how I originally met Jenn. She’s friends with the director of the AIDS clinic. Anyway, I’ve been doing the show for about five years and this year’s is almost exactly a month from now. It’s on a Friday night, August 12th at 9 p.m.” She shrugged. “It’s no big deal really. Years ago after I split with Gayle I wanted to do something to help out and one of my friends suggested the drag show.” Jenn’s eyebrow went up at Jamie’s unexpected mention of her ex-girlfriend. The blonde really had changed.
Kelsey looked at them curiously. “So how does it raise money?”
Jenn took over the explanation. “You have to buy tickets to get in. They’re twenty dollars a person. The bar donates all their profits for the night to the charity, and the drag kings and queens donate all their tips. It is one of the biggest LGBTQ fundraisers in the city every single year. We even have drag champions that come from out of state to perform, simply because it’s for such a good cause.”
“Oh! Well count me in then, and I’m going to talk Tam and Shell into coming too!” She looked at Jamie. “Does Burke perform?”
The blonde shook her head. “No, he says it would be weird for him. He’s trans and identifies completely as a man. Whereas with drag, it’s all about dressing as the opposite gender. He told me once in no uncertain terms that there was no way a dress would ever cover his body, unless a hot woman was wearing it.” They all laughed at something that sounded so incredibly Burke.
When they stopped laughing Jenn watched as her two friends locked eyes. Their look was heavy and hot and she suddenly remembered what she had interrupted with her arrival. “Oh hey, look at the time!” She held up her wrist and looked down at her non-existent watch, then reached into her pants pocket to pull out Kelsey’s apartment key. “I just stopped by to drop this off and let you know that I gave your cats some catnip this morning. So, if they burn the place down, it’s probably my fault.”
“You gave drugs to my babies?”
Jenn gave her a look. “Kels, it is just catnip. All the hip cats are doing it nowadays. They’ll be fine.”
Kelsey scowled. “I can’t believe you got my cats high. It’s a gateway drug you know. Before long they’ll be out hookin’ for Friskies or Pounce or something!”
Jamie snorted. “Do you really believe that?”
“Well, no. But still, I don’t do drugs myself so I’ve never given it to my cats. And before you ask, I’m not opposed to my friends smoking a little weed. It’s just not at all for me.” She turned to Jamie. “What about you?”
“I’ve never done any drugs, and I don’t want to be with someone who does them even casually.” Th
ere was a look that crossed her face and Kelsey knew exactly where the look came from. During their conversation on the plane Jamie admitted that drugs, hard and soft, were another one of her ex’s wonderful vices. She didn’t blame her.
Then another part of Jamie’s declaration hit her. “Wait, you’ve never done anything? Not even a puff on a ‘˜puff-puff-pass’?”
The blonde shook her head. “No, never. And I’ve never wanted to either, not even when Gayle—” She stopped mid-sentence and shrugged.
Kelsey nodded in understanding. “I tried it twice in college. It was enough to know that I never wanted to do it again. I can’t even stand the way it smells.” They both turned to Jenn and the black woman laughed.
“James knows I’m not opposed to a little gange on the rare occasion.” She raised an eyebrow at Kelsey’s shocked face. “What? You think just because I’m a doctor that I’m against it? On the contrary, there have been many studies on its medical effectiveness in treating a variety of symptoms.”
“Oh, are you sick?” Kelsey was genuinely curious.
Jenn laughed again. “Hell no! I just like to get high every other full moon!”
Kelsey just shook her head. “And you called me crazy!” After a round of hugs, Jenn left with the promise to save three tickets for Kelsey and her friends. Jenn’s personality was a little larger than life sometimes and when she left the condo seemed strangely empty. Kelsey looked up from where her finger was tracing lines in the marbled surface of the island top. The motion that had caught her eye was of Jamie slowly approaching, one step at a time. The blonde’s look was heated and she decided to tease a little. “So, what would you like to do now? If you’re busy I could probably go home and check on Newman and Pierre.”
Jamie came to a stop right in front of Kelsey and reached down to cover her new girlfriend’s hand. “Is that what you want to do? Check your cats?”
Kelsey took the bait and stepped even closer, pressing the front of their bodies together from thigh to breast. “Do you have a better suggestion?”
“Hmm.” Jamie pretended to consider her options as her breathing increased and her gaze remained fixed on the dark green of Kelsey’s irises. “I got some new sheets I could show you.”
“Just the sheets, hmm?” Kelsey leaned in, nearly breathing the same air.
Jamie swallowed hard as her gaze moved down to Kelsey’s lips. “Um, I also have really spacious drawers in my nightstand.”
Kelsey smirked. “And what is so special about your nightstand?”
A hand came up and snaked around behind Kelsey’s neck, then fingers threaded through her hair. With only a slight tug, Jamie pulled their faces even closer together. Impossibly close without actually touching lips to one another. Her voice was a husky whisper. “It’s where I keep all my favorite toys.”
“Oh.” Kelsey blinked and smile slowly spread across her lips, perfectly placing that dimple within kissing range. “I love toys.”
Jamie leaned a little closer and kissed the dimple, then moved to the side of Kelsey’s face and whispered directly into her ear. “I know.”
Kelsey shivered then abruptly brought her hands up to grip Jamie tightly by the hair. With one fierce look at the blonde, she crushed their mouths together into a kiss that was nothing but passionate heat. When things threatened the stability of their legs, Kelsey pulled back. “I want to see those sheets now, I want to see your drawer, and most of all I want to see you!” Then without further ado, she grabbed Jamie’s hand and started pulling the delighted woman toward the stairs.
Once inside the bedroom, they didn’t waste time slowly removing their clothes. Everything came off in a rush then they fell onto the bed in a tangle. Jamie’s hand reached down to caress the entire front of Kelsey. The other woman moaned as her nipple rings were twisted and tugged. Jamie was delighted to find two for her to play with. She had only known about the one until the day they had sex at Kelsey’s parent’s house. But she didn’t have time then to play like she wanted, not like that very moment. When her hand started to wander down to caress Kelsey’s belly, the woman below her abruptly stopped it. “Don’t.”
Jamie looked up into an embarrassed face. “Kels? What’s wrong?”
Kelsey was self-conscious as she lay there below Jamie. “I just don’t like my belly and I don’t like people looking at it or touching it.”
“Hey.” When Kelsey looked up and met Jamie’s eyes, the blonde smiled. “I love you, every single part. But I also think every single part of you is beautiful!” She leaned down and kissed Kelsey’s belly and trailed her tongue away as she pulled up.
The curvy woman shut her eyes and shivered at Jamie’s touch then opened them again and graced her lover with the sweetest dimpled smile. “Thank you. And I love you too.”
Jamie froze. She knew that Kelsey cared for her, but she never dared hope that all her feelings were returned. Stupidly she responded to the declaration. “You do?”
“Come here.” Kelsey pulled her up and they both rolled onto their sides so they could look each other in the eyes. “I know I tried to fight it, but this has been here for a while now.” She brought a hand up to brush away the tear that had started down Jamie’s left cheek. “I am utterly and hopelessly gone for you.”
“You’re in love with me?”
Kelsey nodded. “Completely. You’re all I’ve thought about for months.”
She couldn’t speak so instead Jamie pulled them into the longest and most tender hug she had inside her. Her voice was muffled against Kelsey’s shoulder. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t feel the same way.”
When Jamie pulled her head back, Kelsey rubbed her cheek with the same thumb that had wiped away the tear. “You don’t have to worry any more. I want an equal partnership with you. I want a lover and a best friend. Is that what you want?”
Jamie nodded, understanding Kelsey’s double meaning. Knowing that Jamie did worry about her own past with her abusive ex. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“I know, baby. And I’ll give you everything I can, and hope that it’s all you need.”
Jamie smiled. “It will be.”
“You know what else I want to give you?” Jamie shook her head and Kelsey abruptly pushed her onto her back and quickly pinned the blonde’s hands while straddling her hips. “I want to give you whatever I find inside your drawer. Are you interested?”
Jamie swallowed and her face turned pink with the thoughts that raced through her head. “Oh, God yes!”
“Whatever I want, James?”
The blonde thought about all the things in her drawer and a lazy smirk graced her lips. “Whatever you want. After all, your pleasure is my pleasure.”
Kelsey looked down at her with warmth, her eyes filled with heat that was more than just sexual. “I love you so much and I’m glad you’re my best friend.”
Jamie smiled back at her, enamored by every look and touch. “Meeting you was the best day of my life.”
“Well then, let’s see if we can one-up that, shall we?” Kelsey abruptly released her and rolled across the bed to open the top drawer of the nightstand. “Oh my!” She glanced back at Jamie. “And you’re sure I can pick anything I find in here?” Jamie nodded and Kelsey got a particularly naughty look on her face. Her hand reached into the grab bag of orgasmic things and slowly withdrew a harness. Jamie’s breath caught in her throat as she tried to process the fact that one of her greatest fantasies was about to come true. When Kelsey glanced back at the frozen woman, she looked concerned. “Is this not okay? I mean, I love being the giver and receiver, but if you’re not comfortable.”
She made to put it back but Jamie’s hand grabbed her wrist. It took a second to make her words work since her brain was threatening to short circuit. “I’m very comfortable, but I’ve only ever been the giver.”
Kelsey pulled it all the way out of the drawer and held it out to the blonde lying prone on the bed. “Do you want to, um?”
Jamie stopped the hand
and a truly wicked smile came over her face. “Eventually. But ladies first. I insist!” Kelsey started laughing, realizing only then how much Jamie really wanted to be topped. She was delighted because she rarely found a woman who was comfortable going both ways. It was something she’d always searched for in a lover. It was perfect. The rest of their afternoon and evening continued the same way. Then again the next day. Parting on Sunday was hard, but both women knew they’d talk first thing in the morning on the way to work. They always did. They also knew their words would have a lot more meaning than before.
THE FOLLOWING WEEK flew by and Kelsey felt busier than normal after four days off. It was Friday morning and she was happy that she was coming up to another weekend. She had met Jamie on Wednesday for drinks like normal, but sadly they went home to their separate places afterward. On her drive to work she waited patiently for Jamie to log into the app so she could say good morning. Even though they could text all they wanted, or even call in the mornings, it just felt right to use the app since that was what brought them together.
“Hazard voraus auf der Straße.”
Kelsey glanced at the cell phone in the holder to see the blinking indicator on the road ahead, then pumped her fist. “Woohoo! It’s a hazard, I finally understood that one!”
“Good morning, beautiful!”
A quirky dimpled grin formed on Kelsey’s face as she down-swiped to answer. “Good morning, nerd! So what are your plans for the night?”
The little blue car sped along in the center lane, not having any problems with the early morning traffic yet. But things were bound to pick up closer to the nexus of the universe. Jamie sighed and thought about her girlfriend’s question. Her girlfriend. She still wasn’t used to that term, and her heart raced every time she thought the words in her head. It wasn’t in a bad way. It was very good actually. Jamie had never met anyone who challenged her like Kelsey did. She was funny and cute, cranky and adorable. Even though they had spent a lot of time together over the previous six months, and she had fallen hopelessly in love with Kelsey, there was still much that they had yet to learn. They’d never even had a proper date. Suddenly Jamie slapped Olivia’s steering wheel. “Holy shit, Olivia! We’ve never even taken our girl out on a real date. Coffee doesn’t count. Do I even know how to have a real date?”