“We’ve already established that. It’s you.” She grinned slyly. “But no matter who chases whom, I know myself well enough to know I’m not relationship material.”
“What is it that makes you not want to be in a relationship?”
“Don’t most relationships wind up the way you and Janet did?”
“I don’t think so. I know a lot of couples who’ve been together for a long time and are very happy together.”
“I know some,” Toni admitted. “And that’s not the only reason, of course. I need a lot of freedom. I like to spend time with my dad, working on cars; I like to hang out with my fireman friends; and I don’t like to have to account for my time. It seems like the people I know in relationships always have to do that.”
“I think that’s true, but that’s just being polite, isn’t it? Janet was usually gone ten days a month, and I never complained. Of course, she would tell me that she was going to Japan,” she said, smiling. “I didn’t just wake up to an empty house.”
“Very funny.” Toni’s warm fingers tapped Noel on the cheek. “You’ve already told me I’m polite, so I think I could handle that part. It just seems like people want more than that. They seem to want to control the other person, and I can’t tolerate that.”
“I’m certainly not telling you how to live your life, but I think you might find that you could be in a relationship and still have your freedom. You just have to find someone who’s looking for the same kind of relationship you want.”
“What I really want,” Toni said, her voice dropping into a seductive purr, “is someone to have fun with this summer. No strings attached. Any interest?”
“Yeah, there’s a lot of interest. There’s a lot that I miss that has nothing to do with being in a relationship.” She gave Toni the same type of sly, sexy grin that Toni had just used on her.
Noting that their glasses were nearly empty, Toni filled them then rested her chin on a fist and looked at Noel expectantly. “Tell me what you miss.”
“Oh, so much. Where do I start?”
Toni reached across the table and grasped one of Noel’s hands. She placed it atop one of her own, and used the other to stroke it, following the contours of its anatomy.
“That’s one thing,” Noel said, gazing at Toni’s hands. “I love to be touched. Friends, family, a masseuse…they all touch you in different ways, but there’s something about a lover’s touch that can’t be replicated. It doesn’t even have to be sexual,” she said, looking into Toni’s dark eyes which were now trained on her. “It’s a different kind of intimacy.”
“Don’t you love getting to know someone sexually?” Toni asked, now looking back down at Noel’s hand as she lavished it with affection.
“Of course I do. There wouldn’t be any divorce if that wasn’t such a powerful draw.”
“I suppose that’s true,” Toni said, glancing up to gauge Noel’s expression.
“Of course it is. There are lots of benefits to being in a relationship, but you don’t get that excitement that you get from a new lover. Even though I was happy with Janet, there were times I wanted that jolt.”
“You could have it now,” Toni teased.
Noel gave her a look that probably worked very well on her third grade class. “I’m still working on my list. Don’t rush me.”
Playfully, Toni held a finger up in front of her lips, showing Noel that she would be quiet.
“I miss feeling that someone finds me attractive,” Noel said reflectively. “Having Janet dump me has messed with my mind a little bit. It made me feel…used up…oldish.” Her eyes were focused on the label on their wine bottle, and they were suffused with sadness.
“That’s just crazy. You’re ridiculously pretty. Janet’s new girlfriend might be younger than you are, but that’s not why she left.” Noel stared at her, stunned. “I know I’ve never met her, but I’m sure about this.” She took Noel’s hand and leaned over to be able to maintain eye contact. “She wanted a change or she just clicked with this new woman. Things like that happen. But that’s her stuff. It doesn’t have anything to do with your desirability. Please try not to think that way.”
“It’s hard not to,” Noel said, chewing on her lip.
“I get that. I do. But you’re very, very attractive. Don’t let Janet’s betrayal change how you feel about yourself. Don’t let her do that to you.”
Her little speech was so impassioned that Noel spent a few moments trying to get her mind around Toni’s words. “I know you’re right,” she said. “I think…I hope this is temporary.”
“I hope so, too. Because I’m being very serious when I tell you that you truly have been the talk of the town. You’re the cutest woman to move here since…probably me,” she said, grinning brightly.
“Oh, I’m nowhere near as cute as you are.”
“I know that,” Toni scoffed. “But you’re a distant second.”
Noel relaxed in her chair and gazed at Toni, her smile growing warmer by the minute.
***
They were nearly finished with their wine when the weather turned. The humidity began to dissipate as a breeze off the ocean grew stronger. It was dark now, and Toni gazed up, watching heavy cumulus clouds obscure the moon as they flew past. “Looks like we’re gonna get the rain they’ve been predicting.”
“If it gets rid of this stickiness, I’m all for it.” Noel grasped her shirt by the placket and pulled it away from her body. “But the heat did convince me to go into the ocean for the first time this season.”
Looking shocked, Toni said, “The first time? It’s June!”
“I suppose you’re one of those people who goes in with an ice ax?”
“No, I’m not that much of a diehard. I actually don’t spend that much time at the beach any more. But I do go running most mornings. I like to take off my shoes and run barefoot in the sand.”
“I’ve been walking along the beach as soon as I’ve cleaned up after breakfast every day. I’m going to miss it when I have to go back to Baltimore.”
“You can always stay here.”
“No, I couldn’t. I like it here, but I love my job. I wouldn’t think of leaving before I had my twenty years in, anyway.”
“When’s that?”
“Hard to believe, but it’s only three years away. I don’t have any intention of leaving, but I could leave then and still get my pension.”
“Must be nice. I’ll probably be on the boardwalk begging for quarters to fund my golden years.”
“You’ll get Social Security,” Noel said, then added tentatively, “Won’t you?”
“Sure. But that doesn’t provide for a very opulent lifestyle. Not that I have one now,” she added, chuckling. “I love what I do, but you don’t see a lot of sixty-year-old roofers. I’ll probably have to get into estimating or go to work for a construction firm before I get too beat up to be of any use.”
“You look like you’re a long way away from being useless.”
“You haven’t seen my scars.”
Noel took a quick look up at the sky when she felt a fat raindrop land on her arm. “No, I haven’t. But I could take a look if we want to go wait out the storm together.”
“Oh, boy!” Toni said, her face filled with excitement. “I love a good summer storm.”
***
They went to Toni’s place since it was a little closer. They started out walking, progressed to a jog, and sprinted the last hundred yards. Nonetheless, they were both soaked by the time Toni got her key into the lock and threw the door open.
They were hit with the heat that had built up in the place, and, with the front door still open, Toni dashed to open four windows and the back door. “Do you mind if I leave the lights off? I don’t want to add any more heat.”
“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Noel said, closing the distance between them and putting her hands on Toni’s hips. “You’re very sexy when you run,” she said, smiling at her in the shadowy dimness.
“T
hanks. I practice in front of the mirror.” She tilted her head and placed a brief kiss on Noel’s lips. “Would you like a towel?”
“Sure. A comb wouldn’t hurt either.”
Toni came back a few moments later and extended a wide toothed comb to Noel. She took it and ran it through her hair, commenting, “I must look like a wet Afghan.”
“You’re a little pale for an Afghan.” Toni laughed at her own joke, then said, “Oh, you mean the dog.”
Noel just rolled her eyes, then took the towel and blotted her face and arms dry. When she handed it back, Toni did the same, roughly running the towel through her hair also. She threw her head back and her hair seemed to fall into place of its own accord.
Noel walked over to the front door and leaned against the jamb while she watched the rain come down. “This is an adorable place. Have you been here long?”
“I think it’s been seven or eight years. It looks like an apartment, but I own it.”
“Interesting. I thought it was a carriage house for the place in front.”
“I think it was their garage,” Toni said, laughing. “But the couple who owns the house converted this into living space and sold it. They must’ve known somebody on the city council, because I can’t imagine how they got the zoning through. I love it, though. It’s just my size.”
Noel walked from the front door to the back, pausing to take in all of the elements of the long room: a sofa and a comfortable looking chair, a dining table, and a nice L-shaped kitchen. The ceilings were high, and even though they’d only been there a few minutes, the room was now cool and comfortable. With Toni watching her, she continued to poke around, finding a small bedroom and a good-sized bath. Even though the building was old, all of the fixtures were new and modern.
To Noel’s surprise, the bedroom walls were decorated with hanging quilts, a style she never would have assigned to Toni. “I can’t see them very well, but these quilts look nice hanging up. Are they heirlooms?”
“No. I made them myself.” She pointed to one over her bed. “I just finished that one this year.”
“Huh.” She looked at Toni critically. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a quilter.”
“One of the guys at the firehouse taught me how. After you polish the engine, there’s not a heck of a lot to do. You’ll have to come by the station and see the ones we’ve done. We have a cool one with flames shooting all over it.” She laughed. “Not what you think of when you think of a quilting bee.”
“You’re just a litany of surprises. I never quite know what you’re going to do next.”
Toni stood very close to her and grinned expectantly. “I bet you could guess right now.”
Noel squinted and acted as though she were thinking hard. “I bet you’re going to show me a magic trick.”
“Absolutely right! Now close your eyes…”
As soon as Noel did, Toni slid her arms around her and pressed their lips gently together. Opening her mouth slightly, Noel purred with delight when Toni’s tongue slid in. Noel wrapped her arms around Toni’s shoulders and pulled her close, maintaining the kiss for a long time. Toni eventually pulled away, but then peppered another dozen kisses all over Noel’s face. “There’s nothing better than kissing the fresh rain off a beautiful woman’s face.”
“Yes, there is,” Noel said breathlessly. “Being kissed is much, much better.”
Toni playfully rubbed their noses together. “Kissing is better,” she insisted.
“Show me again. Maybe I’ll change my mind.”
Toni twirled her and pressed her up against the warm plaster wall. This time she kissed her forcefully, letting Noel feel the strength in her body and hands. Toni flexed her knees and pressed against Noel as she stood up, grinding against her sensually.
When she finally pulled away, Noel looked stunned and was clearly at a loss for words. She tried to speak, but nothing coherent came out. Finally, she laughed at herself, opened her arms and pulled Toni back in for more. She was waiting for what she hoped would be a quick strip and a long visit to Toni’s bed, but was surprised and a little disappointed when Toni led her over to the sofa. Toni sat down first, then pulled Noel onto her lap, mitigating Noel’s disappointment.
Toni placed her hands on either side of Noel’s face and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“Well, I could stand a few more minutes of kissing…”
Laughing, Toni said, “You know what I mean. I want to make sure we’re both on the same page.”
“I’m on the I-want-to-have-sex-with-a-beautiful-sexy-woman page. What page are you on?”
“I’m on that page, too. But I’m not on the let’s-see-if-we-like-each-other-enough-to-get-married page. I don’t want to lead you on. I want to make sure you don’t get hurt.”
Noel sat up as well as she could and looked into Toni’s eyes. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but if I were looking for another spouse, I wouldn’t start with you. I’ve learned the hard way that you have to take people as they are.”
“I’d like to take you as you are,” Toni said, her voice low and sexy. “Right here. Right now.”
“Let’s go,” Noel said, holding on for a fiery kiss. “You drive.”
***
Noel felt her orientation change, finding herself lying on her back, looking up at a smile that was almost feral. Toni paused above her, energy radiating from her lithe body. “You’re so delicious looking,” she said, licking her lips hungrily.
Stroking Toni’s face, Noel said, “Then come down here and taste me.”
“I like you.” Toni settled her weight, distributing it as evenly as possible. Their faces were just inches apart, and Toni held her position, spending a few moments studying Noel. “I really do. You like to have fun.”
“I do.” Straining, Noel could just reach Toni’s lips, and she managed a quick kiss. “Does that surprise you?”
“Yeah. A little. You’re kinda quiet—reserved.”
“Not when you get to know me. I’m wild,” she said, giggling. “Wanna see?” She puckered up, closing her eyes tightly.
Toni sucked her lips into her mouth, making Noel snort and pull away. “Ick!” She wiped her mouth on Toni’s shirt. “You slobbered on me!”
Unrepentant, Toni kissed her gently, then a little more aggressively, then a lot more aggressively. By the time she came up for air, Noel looked like she’d been hit between the eyes. “You change gears fast!”
“You can have boring sex with anyone. See me for fun and variety.” She licked along the side of Noel’s face, laughing when Noel once again wiped her face and shivered with disgust.
“Were you raised by dogs? Stop licking me!”
“Okay. But you’re gonna have to beg me if you change your mind.”
“Do something productive with that pretty mouth. Be nice,” she soothed, stroking Toni’s back. “Nice girl.”
“Sometimes I get silly when I have sex. Can’t help it. Sex makes me happy.”
“I think it makes me happy, too. But it’s been so long…” She rolled her eyes, finally looking at Toni and laughing. “You’re making me silly now.”
“Maybe we’re a little drunk.”
“I’m happy, not drunk. Having a sexy woman lie on top of me makes me happy. Of course, I’d be happier if she was making me wet…other than my face,” she hurried when she saw Toni start to interrupt.
“Oh. Well, I guess I’ll have to change my tactics.” She shifted around and settled in between Noel’s legs. “Nice.”
Noel slipped her arms around Toni’s back and pulled her into a long, leisurely kiss. When Toni lifted her head, she didn’t say a word. Her eyes were still shining, but now they shone with hunger. She slid her hands into Noel’s hair, fanning it out against the cushion. Her arm reached out as far as it could, and she turned on a small lamp. “I have to see you,” she whispered. She went right back to her serious study of Noel’s mouth, pausing every few minutes to look at her golden hair s
played out. She didn’t comment again, but it was clear she was taken by the long, shiny strands.
Noel was just as mesmerized by Toni’s body, particularly her lean, muscular back. As they kissed, she made a mess of Toni’s once neatly ironed shirt. Eventually she managed to tug it from her shorts. Now she was able to let her hands wander all along the swells and valleys of her shoulders. It didn’t take long to unhook her bra, but Noel didn’t reach for her breasts. She was content to let Toni kiss her into a state of bliss while she slid her hands up and down her body.
“Do you want to?” Toni asked, breaking Noel’s rapt concentration.
“Want to what?”
“Go to bed.” She smiled and placed a tender kiss on Noel’s forehead. “I asked you three times. I thought you’d gone deaf.”
“I could stay right here all night,” Noel said dreamily. “You’re a very, very good kisser.”
“I can do a few other things. Wanna see?”
Noel returned her smile. “I guess I could be convinced.” Toni pushed herself up, almost falling when Noel tickled her exposed waist.
“Come on, you little tease.” She got to her feet and helped Noel up. As they walked, Toni shed her bra by shaking her shoulders and reaching into her shirt. “Did I do this?” she asked, holding it up.
“I did.” Noel leaned against her like she was tipsy. “I had to feel your back without any encumbrances.”
“After you.” Toni let Noel pass and enter the bedroom. She turned on a ceiling fan, opened two windows, and the air started to move freely. Noel lay on the bed and watched Toni unselfconsciously undress. She stared right at Noel, slowly unbuttoned her shirt and dropped it to the floor. Her breasts stood high on her chest, nipples erect. With her eyes still locked onto Noel, she casually undid the button on her shorts, then lowered the zipper.
Noel’s eyes widened and she sat up when Toni let the shorts pool around her feet. “Where are your panties?”
Showing her teeth, Toni said, “Too hot out. I had to allow for a breeze.”
“Come here, you naughty girl.” Noel held her hands out and twitched her fingers. “Come on.”
Susan X. Meagher - The Legacy Page 8