by A. C. Grey
“What’s that?” Zoey asked curiously.
“You’re it.”
“I’m it?” Zoey looked perplexed. “What? Are we playing a game of tag?” Zoey joked, attempting to make light of a situation that she sensed was anything but lighthearted.
“You are it for me, Zoey Cameron. I know it’s fast and I know it’s sudden and I hope to God I don’t send you running for those hills over there, but I feel it. You’re the one for me. The one I was meant to be with. And I need to introduce my soul mate to my parents, because they’re my family . . . and I’d like to think that you’re also my family . . . my heart.” She paused and let out a sigh that was mixture of relief and anxiety.
Zoey’s expression was unreadable. There were definite tinges of shock, but that wasn’t all. And Tess couldn’t figure out what. “Please say something, Zoey. Even if it’s to tell me that I’ve gone off the deep end. I hope I haven’t said too much.”
Zoey snapped out of her awed silence and shook her head. “It’s not too much, Tess. It’s just right. I feel it too. I can’t imagine anything in the world that would make me happier than to keep spending days like this with you. You brighten my life in so many different ways. It was a bit of a shock to hear how you feel, but it was a good shock. Because you verbalized exactly what I’ve been feeling. So stop worrying and get over here and kiss me.”
Zoey grinned and pulled Tess towards her, searing her lips against the redhead’s, tunneling her hand roughly through her hair. Tess moaned into the kiss, plunging her tongue deeply into her girlfriend’s mouth, the heightened emotions of their conversation channeled into their passionate embrace. Needing to convey the depth of the closeness, the soul-penetrating connection that she was feeling, Tess gently pushed Zoey down on the blanket, covering the brunette’s body with her own as they continued exploring each other, feeding off of each other’s emotions, both feeling the blissful contentment of mutual affection and attraction. Pausing for a moment, Tess pulled back.
“Thank you for tonight, Zoey. It’s been perfect.”
Zoey smiled. “Anytime, babe. And thank you for trusting me with your feelings. They were just what I needed to hear. You made tonight even more perfect.”
Tess nodded, grinning sweetly. “There’s one thing that will make this night the epitome of perfection.”
“What’s that?”
A sultry grin spread across Tess’s lips as she answered in a husky whisper. “If my sexy girlfriend took me home and let me make love to her, like I’ve been fantasizing about all day long.”
Zoey chuckled before reaching up and pulling Tess back down for one last brief, but passion-filled kiss. “I thought you’d never ask,” she husked before sitting up and beginning to gather their things.
And their night was indeed perfect. Their lovemaking took on a whole new level of intimacy that night, their shared confessional, the depth of their feelings laid bare, translated into a beautiful and magical night that neither would soon forget.
* * * * *
They spent the next few weeks playing poker and generally just enjoying each other’s company. Things were going about as smoothly as anyone could hope for. Zoey was in sheer and utter bliss. Her poker career was off to a good start. While she hadn’t won a major World Series tournament, she’d won several smaller tournaments and had finished high enough in many others that she was slowly building her poker bankroll. More importantly, things with Tess were going swimmingly. Every moment spent together seemed better than the one before.
Both women were savoring the joy, the rush of new love. Even the small moments were special – sharing a cup of coffee, cuddling up to one another in the middle of the night, discussing a poker hand, or fighting over the last of the hot water in the shower (a problem they quickly solved by showering together – water conservation being the sole reason of course). Neither woman could ever remember feeling the level of comfort and intimacy and flat out love before in their lives. It was something that they both wanted to grasp onto and hold onto for dear life. It was something to be cherished, something that didn’t come around every day. Both knew it and were immensely thankful to have found it.
* * * * *
Zoey grumbled as she dragged their bags out to the car. “Why are we leaving this early again?”
Tess laughed as she loaded the car. “Because, Zoey, we have a five and a half hour drive to my parents’ house and I don’t want to waste the day in the car. Now stop whining and just admit you’re nervous.” Tess set her hands on Zoey’s hips, a touch that despite their continual time together, still sent shivers of Zoey’s spine every time.
Zoey sighed as she leaned into her girlfriend’s soft body, looking down into her ocean blue eyes. “Okay. Maybe a little. What if they don’t like me?”
Tess placed a reassuring hand on Zoey’s cheek. “They’ll love you, baby. Want to know why I know that?”
Zoey nodded.
“Because I love you. And they’ll see how incredibly, incredibly happy that you make me. That’s all that’s important to them. I’ve only brought one other person home before. So the fact that I’m ready to show off my incredibly sexy, incredibly special, and well, just overall incredible girlfriend, is enough for them to know that you’re amazing. Trust me. It will be fine.” She leaned up on her toes and placed a chaste kiss on Zoey’s slightly pouty lips. “Now, how about we flip a coin to see who has to drive first?”
“That’s okay, babe. I’ll take the first leg. It’s the least I can do after making you put up with me and my neuroses.”
“Oh, it was no problem. Neurotic is a cute look on you, Ms. Cameron. Now let’s hit the road. I can’t wait for my parents to meet the love of my life.”
Hearing Tess’s enthusiasm and her admission that Zoey was the ‘love of her life,’ caused an involuntary grin to play across Zoey’s face. Maybe this would be okay.
As they drove down the highway, Tess leaned back in the passenger seat and stuck her obnoxiously pink Chuck Taylor-clad feet onto the dash. Unable to resist teasing her girlfriend, who was, in Zoey’s opinion, overly sensitive about her ridiculous shoes, Zoey spoke. “Tess, get your Chucks off my dashboard. Their neon glare is going to obstruct my view of the road.”
“Zoey, I’ve warned you time and time again. Do not, I repeat, do not mock my Chucks. They are much too awesome.” Tess did her best to feign an angry glare at her girlfriend, but quickly dissolved into a fit of laughter, which Zoey wholeheartedly joined in on.
Their laughter tapered off into one of their comfortable silences. Tess leaned over and plugged her iPod into the dash, quickly flipping through to find the song she was looking for. As the opening strains of the song played through the speakers, Zoey shook her head. “Oh, no. No, way. Definitely not Tess. We are not listening to the musical equivalent of your pink Chucks.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Tess replied in mock seriousness. “Besides, Zoey, the musical equivalent of my shoes just means the song is great, just like my Chucks. I can’t help it if you can’t handle the sheer amount of awesome in this car.”
Zoey laughed. “Tess, crappy 80’s music is not awesome. The Safety Dance is not awesome,” she said, referring to the song blaring from the stereo.
“Fine, how about this one?” Tess asked, switching to the next song on her playlist.
Zoey groaned. “Tess, seriously. How can you listen to this? Rock Me Amadeus? Really? Remind me again why I find you attractive?”
“Don’t tell me you need a reminder, Zoey,” Tess said, a devilish look on her face. Using the opening Zoey had given her, she began gently scraping her nails along the inside of Zoey’s jean-covered thigh.
Zoey gasped involuntarily at the unexpected, yet welcomed caress of her girlfriend. Before she knew what was happening, Tess’s fingers were playing at the apex of her thighs, cupping her suddenly heated center, teasing her through the fabric. Tess, apparently unconcerned for their safety and the driver’s need to pay attention th
e road, slowly unbuttoned the clasp of Zoey’s jeans, before snaking a hand down into Zoey’s panties, meeting the warmth depths of her girlfriend. At the same time, she leaned over and began placing warm, wet kisses along the juncture of Zoey’s neck and shoulder. As Tess dipped her hand further into Zoey’s core, her girlfriend let out an involuntary moan and shuddered, causing the car to swerve slightly before she righted it.
“Tess . . .,” Zoey rasped. “I don’t think . . .”
“You don’t think what? You don’t think my music is so bad after all?” Tess continued blazing a trail with her lips across Zoey’s exposed skin.
Suddenly, they were brought out of their reverie by the sound of a siren and flashing lights behind them.
“Shit!” Zoey cursed. “Now look what you’ve done! We’re getting pulled over. What am I supposed to tell him? That my horny girlfriend is fingering me while I drive? Somehow I don’t think that’ll go over too well.” Zoey ran a hand through her hair as Tess quickly re-buttoned her girlfriend’s pants.
“It’s not my fault that you’re irresistible.” Tess winked. She quickly changed tack when she saw the lack of mirth on Zoey’s face. “Just calm down, baby. Most of these guys are suckers for a poor, pretty, helpless female. Just bat your eyelashes a few times and play dumb.”
“You’d better be right,” Zoey grumbled as she pulled the car to a stop on the shoulder of the highway.
A state trooper sauntered up to the window. “License and registration, please,” he instructed, waiting for Zoey to hand him the relevant paperwork. Once she’d done so, he leaned in. “You were swerving around a bit back there, ma’am. That’s not safe. Any idea why you might have been doing that?”
Zoey blushed, unable to forget what they’d just been doing. “I’m sorry officer, I uh . . .” she struggled to form words, unable to think of an excuse.
Tess butted in, coming to the rescue. “I’m sorry officer. Thank you so much for pulling us over and making sure we were okay. I appreciate the fact that you were concerned for our safety. You’re such a gentleman.” Zoey struggled not to laugh. Tess was really laying it on thick. “You see, Zoey here had a bit of a sneezing fit. Totally out of nowhere. That’s what caused her to swerve.”
The officer looked at Zoey for confirmation. She nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. Damn allergies.” She sniffled a little, for added effect.
He eyed them for a moment. Thankfully both of their poker faces held up. They weren’t professionals for nothing. “All right, then,” the patrolman answered. “Maybe next time take some allergy medicine before driving, ma’am?”
“Sure thing.” Zoey gave him her biggest, brightest smile.
“You drive safe now,” he said as he handed Zoey back her license and paperwork and headed away.
“That was close,” Tess said as she let out a sigh of relief.
“No thanks to my handsy girlfriend.”
“I’ve never had any complaints from you before, baby.” Tess beamed.
“Oh, I never said I had a problem with it, babe. Just not while I’m operating heavy machinery. Any other time, feel free to be as handsy as you want . . .”
She pulled back onto the highway and they continued on their way, the music still playing in the background.
“Oh, and babe?”
“Yeah?”
“Turn that God awful music off. No amount of you and those magic fingers of yours are going to make me love Walk Like an Egyptian.”
Tess smiled as she switched off the music. She was taking Zoey to meet her family. And even without a serenade by The Bangles, this journey was already shaping up to be a memorable one.
Chapter Twenty-Three
As Tess pulled off the highway and steered the car toward their final destination, she could sense a shift in Zoey’s mood. Gone was the lighthearted flirty banter that had made up the majority of their trip. Tension was painted across her girlfriend’s face. Tess reached over and laced her fingers through her Zoey’s, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. As they came to a halt at a stoplight, she leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Zoey’s cheek.
“Relax, baby. It’s going to be fine.” Tess said gently.
“Why do I suddenly feel like I’m going to face a firing squad?” Zoey mumbled.
“Why would you think that? My parents are loving and welcoming. And they’re going to love you, just like I do.”
“But you said it yourself – your dad’s a retired cop. Not exactly a big cuddly teddy bear, or at least I can’t imagine him being that way.”
“He’s a big softie on the inside. You wait and see. And my mom and I are a lot alike. So if you like me, you’ll like her.” Tess shot Zoey a sideways grin before refocusing on the road.
“Please just tell me that she doesn’t wear pink Chucks.” Zoey smiled, relaxing slightly.
“Not that I’m aware of, so you’re safe on that front.”
“Good. Because there’s only so much of that sort of ‘awesome’ as you put it, that I can take at once,” Zoey joked, using air quotes to mock Tess’s description of her shoes.
“You’re never going to let this whole shoe thing go, are you?” Tess shook her head.
“Not while I’m having so much fun with it.” Zoey laughed.
As they eased into the driveway of Tess’s parents’ house, Zoey let out a sigh of trepidation.
Tess unbuckled her seat belt and reached across to draw Zoey into her arms. “Come here, baby.” She wrapped her arms around Zoey, rubbing reassuring circles across her back. “It’s going to be fine. Really. I promise you, if there were something to be scared about, I’d warn you,” she whispered into Zoey’s hair. She pulled back and looked into Zoey’s deep brown eyes. “You are an incredible woman, Zoey, and they’re going to see that.” She leaned in and captured Zoey’s lips in a brief kiss. “Now let’s go inside before they think we’re doing dirty things in the car.” Tess pulled away as Zoey laughed nervously and they exited the car.
As they headed to the front door, it opened. Standing there was a petite redheaded woman with just a touch of grey at the temples. Tess was the spitting image of her mother, except for her eyes, which clearly came from the clean cut, solid looking man standing next to her. Zoey followed Tess up the steps, where she was immediately enveloped in a hug by Tess’s mom.
“Zoey. It’s so good to finally meet you. Tess’s told us so much about you. In fact, since she finally let us know she’d met someone, we haven’t been able to get her to talk about anything else.” She pulled back and smiled at Zoey, instantly putting her at ease.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. McLeod,” Zoey said.
“Please, no formalities. We’re all family here. Please, call me Trish. And this is Joe,” she said as she gestured to her husband.
Zoey held out her hand. “Pleased to me you.” Tess’s father, who had a poker face to match his daughter’s, took her hand and shook it.
Finally, breaking his stoic expression, he smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. “It’s good to finally meet the woman who seems to have made my little girl so happy. Now let’s go inside.” He stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter the house.
As they entered, Tess was immediately bombarded by two mini whirling dervishes, wrapping their arms around her legs enthusiastically. “Auntie Tess! Hi!! Do you want to see our new toy?” Tess chuckled as she looked down at her twin nephews.
“Bobby, Tommy, why don’t you go play out back and give your Aunt a few minutes to get settled?” Another auburn-haired woman, clearly Tess’s sister, called from across the room.
Tess bent down to the boys’ eye level. “How about I meet you outside in a few minutes? And then you can show me your toy?” The boys nodded.
“Who’s that?” Bobby asked, pointing to Zoey.
“That’s my friend Zoey,” Tess explained, knowing the four-year-olds really wouldn’t understand or care about the exact nature of their relationship. “She’s really, really cool. If you’re lucky, maybe she’ll
be your friend too.”
“Zoey?” Tommy said, looking up at Zoey with big blue eyes that mirrored his aunt’s.
“What’s up, kiddo?”
“Do you want to come play with us too?” Tommy asked.
“Of course! I can’t think of anything that would be better. How about I come outside with your aunt in a few minutes?” The boys nodded and ran out to the backyard.
“Sorry about that.” Tess’s sister added. “They can be a handful. Don’t feel like you have to entertain them. They’re more than capable of doing it themselves. I’m Amy, by the way. Tess’s sister.”
“It’s not a problem at all. I love kids.” Zoey smiled.
“I’m sure you’ve already guessed, but this is Zoey, Amy.” Tess said.
Zoey walked towards the woman, hand extended. “Glad to meet you.” Amy took her hand, but pulled her in for a hug. As she did so, she said “anyone who makes my baby sister as happy as she tells me she is gets more than a handshake. And if they’re willing to deal with the terrible twosome out there, then that’s an added bonus.” She pulled back and the two women shared a smile.