by Joy Argento
“Whoa,” Ali said when she seemed to find her voice again.
“Good?” Madison eased herself off Ali, and onto her side. She pulled Ali in close and buried her face in Ali’s hair.
“That’s an understatement. Give me a minute and I’ll see if I can return the favor.”
Madison pulled the blankets up around them. She was content where she was. “Take your time. I’m just enjoying having you in my arms.” She felt warm and safe and loved. She hoped her arms made Ali feel the same. It wasn’t long before Ali’s breathing told her she had fallen asleep. Madison snuggled in and closed her eyes. She didn’t know how long she had been out when she was awakened by Ali’s hand stroking between her legs.
“Sorry,” Ali whispered.
Madison cleared her throat to dislodge the sound of sleep. “For what?”
“For falling asleep on you.”
“My fault. I must have worn you out.” She let out a gasp as Ali pushed a finger into her.
“My turn to wear you out. I want you to have a good night too.”
Ali pushed the blankets off Madison and replaced her fingers with her mouth. Her breath was warm on Madison’s thigh, her tongue velvety soft against her. She pressed a finger inside Madison and then added a second. Madison lost all awareness of anything except the glorious feelings that Ali was stirring. She felt the pressure inside her center build as Ali stroked and licked her into ecstasy. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her lip as an explosion of sensations ripped through her. Her breath caught in her throat as a second round started. Ali didn’t let up until Madison came down from a third orgasm.
She gently extracted Ali’s fingers, pulled Ali’s face up to her and kissed her, tasting her own juices on Ali’s lips. She was turned on all over again. They made love several times, dozing in between, and waking up only to start all over again. The sun was just starting to peek through the bedroom curtains when they finally fell into a deep sleep in each other’s arms.
Ali woke first, content to watch Madison sleep. “Good morning, beautiful,” she said when Madison finally opened her eyes.
“Hi there.”
“I need a shower,” Ali said.
“That’s a sexy thought to wake up to.”
“Would you like to join me?”
“Oh yeah.”
Ali smiled. She never thought she would have Madison back in her arms like this.
“Ali?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry for what I did the last time we were together. I’m sorry for the storm I caused in your heart.”
“I know. The storm wasn’t fun, but the rainbow sure is awesome.”
Madison kissed her full on the mouth. It was an hour before either one of them stepped into the shower. And another hour before they stepped out of it.
Chapter Eighteen
When do I get to meet Charley?” Madison asked. They had just finished the breakfast Madison had insisted on making them.
“You want to meet Charley?” Ali asked, surprised.
“Unless you don’t want me to. Why don’t you want me to? Is there something wrong with him? Are you embarrassed of him? Are you embarrassed of me? Are you afraid he’ll like me more than you? That’s it, isn’t it? You’ll be jealous.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?” She kissed Madison on the lips and stood to clear the table. “You can meet him anytime you want. I’m just surprised. That’s all.”
“He’s important to you, so he’s important to me.”
Ali stacked the plates and set the silverware on top of the pile. “We can see if he’s free for lunch. He should be working but gets a break at noon.”
Madison stood, pulled her phone from her back pocket, and looked at the time. “Considering it’s almost eleven and we just finished breakfast, I don’t think I’ll be hungry in an hour.”
Ali kissed her again. “I will. I need extra energy for what I plan on doing to you later.”
“It can’t be much later. I’ll have to get on the road by six. I have to be up early for work tomorrow.”
Ali’s heart sank. She had been so happy to have Madison here that she didn’t think about when she had to leave. “Do you have to go?” Ali tried to keep her voice from sounding whiny.
Madison put her arms around Ali’s waist and leaned her head on her shoulder. “I do. I don’t want to.” She looked up at her. “You can come with me.”
There was nothing Ali would have liked more. She could work from anywhere, but was it wise to be going back to Clyde so soon? She was just starting to settle back in at her apartment. So many things ran through her mind, how good it would be to spend more time with Madison, how productive or unproductive she would be on her rewrites if she was in Clyde, how she would miss Charley leaving so soon after she got back. Staying put and doing the long-distance thing for a while might be a smarter thing to do.
“What do you think, Ali?”
“I think I would love to be with you.”
“Good. It’s settled then.” Madison smiled that smile that made Ali’s heart melt.
“But…”
“No, no, no. No but.”
“But,” Ali continued. “I should stay here and finish working on my book. I’m not sure I could do it knowing you were close by, serving donuts in that sexy way you do.”
“You think my donut serving abilities are sexy?”
“I think everything you do is sexy. The way you smile, the way you dress, the way you make breakfast, and especially the way you serve donuts.”
“Very astute of you to notice,” Madison said.
“Oh, I noticed all right.”
“When will I get to see you again?”
“How about I come down in a couple of weeks?”
“I would like that. A lot.”
“Then it’s a plan. I’ll call Charley to see if he’s free at noon, if you still want to meet him.” Ali liked the idea of the most important people in her life meeting each other.
* * *
“I love your makeup,” Madison said to Charley, decked out in dark dress pants and a hot pink blouse with puffy sleeves. She wasn’t sure what to expect when Ali told her about him. He didn’t sound like anyone she’d ever met before, and she realized how sheltered her small-town life was sometimes. Something she should probably correct. Charley turned out to be warm and welcoming. Not that Madison was surprised. He had to be something special to be so important to Ali.
“Thank you, love. I get a nice discount working at Ive’s.”
“Charley demos their makeup for them in the mall,” Ali explained.
They made their way to the farthest picnic table and sat down.
Charley set his tray of food down in front of him. “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat? I got extra fries so that I could share.” He pushed them to the middle of the table.
Madison waved them away. “No, thanks. We had a late breakfast. But you go ahead and enjoy your lunch.” She took a sip of her soda. “I’m so glad you could meet us on your break today.”
“Child, it’s my pleasure. I wanted to meet the famous Madison Parker.” He flashed her a big smile before diving into his burger.
“Famous or infamous?” Madison asked. She was sure Charley had heard an earful about her, not all of it good.
“Stop it,” Ali said and kissed her on the cheek.
“If Ali’s happy, I’m happy,” Charley said. “I see the smile on her face. She’s obviously happy.”
“I’m going to do my best to keep it that way,” Madison said.
“That’s all I can ask.” He dipped a fry in the little paper cup of ketchup. “Ali tells me you make the best chocolate cream donuts on the whole East Coast.”
Madison laughed. “I doubt Ali’s tasted all of the chocolate cream donuts on the whole E
ast Coast.”
“I didn’t have to. I know quality when I taste it,” Ali said.
“It’s actually my dad’s recipe. We haven’t changed it in…” Madison had to think about it. “Hmm. Thirty years.”
“I have to ask,” Charley said. “Where did the name O’s come from? Is it because donuts are shaped like o’s?”
Madison relayed the story to him. “I love it. That makes more sense than having it named after the big O. That’s what Ali thought it was.”
Ali threw a wadded-up napkin at him. “You lie. I did not.”
“Ow.” Charley rubbed his arm where the napkin hit. “I’m delicate—like a flower. A delicate little daisy. You better hope that doesn’t leave a mark.”
Madison laughed. “I can see why Ali likes you so much.”
“What’s not to like?” Charley waved his hand in the air.
The time seemed to fly by. Charley emptied his tray into the trash and returned it to the burger stand. He gave Madison a tight hug. “Treat my baby girl right,” he whispered in her ear.
“I promise,” she whispered back.
“I like him,” Madison said after they dropped him back off at work.
“Yeah. He’s the best. He’s always been there when I needed him.”
“I’m glad you had him.”
“What would you like to do today?” Ali asked. “We have a nice zoo, the Erie Canal Museum, Green Lakes is really nice. I know your time is limited. I’d like to show you some of Syracuse.”
“Why do they call it Green Lakes?”
“Because it’s green.”
“Ha ha, lakes aren’t green, unless it’s got a ton of algae or it’s polluted.”
“No really. It looks green and it’s not polluted. There are high levels of calcium carbonate which somehow makes the water look green.” Ali laughed. “I really should know more than that, living here for twenty years. I do know it’s beautiful. We could hike or rent a rowboat. There are some nice restaurants right near there, so we could take in an early dinner before you have to hit the road. What do you think?”
Madison hadn’t been running since she hurt her back. Getting out in nature and going on a nice walk would do her good. Having Ali by her side would make it all the better. “A hike sounds great. Are you into hiking? I don’t even know.” There was a lot of things she didn’t know about Ali. Yet.
“It’s just like walking, right? I know how to walk.”
Madison laughed. “Yeah. That works. Just make sure you are wearing something comfortable on your feet.”
Ali held up her foot, showing off her sneaker. “I always do.”
A quick stop at Ali’s for snacks, water, and sunscreen and they were on their way. “Wow. It really is green,” Madison said. “Almost turquoise.” The bright sun bouncing off the water along with a slight breeze caused glimmering slivers of gold on the surface. Madison was glad she brought her sunglasses.
Ali dug into her backpack and extracted two ball caps. “I brought this to protect your pretty head.” She handed one to Madison and slipped the other on her own head.
“How does it look,” Madison asked, tilting her head from side to side.
“Gorgeous. Oh. You mean the hat? It’s okay.” She took Madison’s hand and led her to the nearest trail.
The trees were in their full glory, leaves gently swaying in the warm spring air. Thin rays of sunshine filtered through the branches here and there and opened to the full glory of the sun in other spots. “Would you like to sit and enjoy the water for a bit?” Ali asked as they came to a clearing. A well-worn wooden bench sat by the edge of the water.
“It is a beautiful spot. Is all of Syracuse this beautiful?” They sat and she closed her eyes, tilting her face toward the sun.
“Syracuse is so diverse. There are some rough spots in the city, nice suburbs, and wonderful parks like this one. We have a great sports stadium and the Dome. I just wish there was more sun.” And more of that small-town feel, Ali thought. Like in Clyde.
“What are you talking about? The sun is perfect.”
Ali laughed. “Today it is. But Syracuse is one of the cloudiest cities in the US. So, we tend to enjoy it more when it does show its face.”
Madison turned toward Ali. “Do you ever miss Clyde?”
Ali didn’t even have to think about it. When she first left, she couldn’t get away fast enough. The small town that had once held her life felt like living in hell when her heart shattered. She only saw its lack then—lack of diversity, lack of culture, lack of anything interesting, lack of Madison’s heart. Syracuse seemed like a whole different universe with all it had to offer in comparison. “I do.” It was a simple answer but held a world of meaning. She wasn’t sure if it was because Clyde had changed or because she had. Probably both. It was also the home of the woman she cared so much about. How could any place be better than that?
“You know what this spot would be good for?” Madison asked.
“What?”
“Making out.” Madison wiggled her eyebrows.
“It is,” Ali started. “But we may not be alone. Do you care if someone sees us?”
“I am not nearly as small town as I seem—or used to be. I don’t care if the whole world sees us. They would probably be jealous because I will be kissing the prettiest woman in town, maybe even the whole state.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Get those lips over here.”
Madison didn’t hesitate, she took Ali’s face in her hands and planted a light kiss on her lips. The second kiss was much deeper and longer.
Ali parted her lips to let Madison’s insistent tongue have its way with her. Electricity surged through her. They were panting when they finally came up for air. If anyone had walked by and seen them, Ali had no idea. She had been too wrapped up in Madison to notice.
“Well, that was nice,” Ali said.
“Just nice? I must not have been doing it right.” She went in for round two with more voraciousness.
“If it gets any better than that I’m not going to be able to control myself.” If there was one thing Madison was excellent at it was kissing. But there were so many things Madison excelled at. Too many for Ali to count.
“Is that bad?”
“Only if you mind being naked in public.”
Madison seemed to think about it for a beat. “Kissing in public is fine. Not so sure I want to be naked. Although I have had dreams about it.”
“That’s a coincidence, because I have too.”
“I think dreams about being naked in public are common,” Madison said.
“No, I wasn’t talking about me being naked. I’ve dreamt about you naked—in public—in private. It doesn’t matter as long as you’re naked in the dream.” Ali laughed.
Madison smacked her on the arm but joined in the laughter. Her face lit up and Ali’s heart melted.
They sat there for a while longer, enjoying the sunshine, the view, and each other. “Ready?” Ali asked. “We should probably get going if we are going to get dinner and have you on your way on time.”
“What are we going to do when I go home?” Madison asked. Was that a bit of sadness in her voice?
“What do you want to do? Besides sexting?”
“What do you know about sexting?”
“Nothing, but I’m willing to google it.”
Madison scrunched up her face. “Somehow that doesn’t seem like it would be enough.”
Ali took her hand. “I’m coming down in a few weeks. Until then, we text, we talk, we Facetime.”
Madison laid her head on Ali’s shoulder. “Guess that will have to do. For now.”
Dinner and the rest of the day went by way too fast. It was almost seven when Ali kissed Madison good-bye and watched her drive away. She felt empty before Madison was even out of sight.
/> Her phone rang as if on cue. “I thought you were going to call me as soon as Madison left.”
“You called her Madison.” Ali headed back inside to her apartment.
“That’s her name isn’t it?”
“You usually call her by her first and last name.”
“That’s before she was a real person. I feel like I know her now.”
“What did you think of her? Truthfully.”
“Oh, honey, when have I ever been anything but honest—and blunt?”
“Good point.”
“I liked her. She’s a keeper.”
“I like her too.”
“I could see that.”
“It shows?” Ali asked.
“Baby, you were glowing like you were on fire. When are you going to see her again?”
Not soon enough. Ali missed her already. How stupid was that. They had spent twenty years apart and Ali had survived—somehow, now she didn’t want to be without her for even a day. Ali filled Charley in on their future plans. “After that I’m not sure. Seems like we’ll be doing the long-distance thing for a while.” Not Ali’s favorite idea. But what choice did they have?
“I’m happy for you, sweetie,” Charley said.
“Thank you. And thank you for insisting I contact my exes. Without you I wouldn’t have reconnected with Madison. I don’t think I can ever adequately repay you.”
“Yes, you can. I’ll think of something. I’ll be sure to let you know when I do. Maybe a new car.”
“I love you,” Ali said.
“Just remember one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Pink is my favorite color.”
She went into her office as soon as they hung up and opened her laptop. The sooner she got her rewrites done, the sooner she could go to Clyde.
Chapter Nineteen
Madison poured coffee into Joe’s cup. “I’m so glad you two convinced me to hear Ali out, although I was still pretty angry with her when I did.”
“So, what changed?” Tom asked.
“I was reminded of who she is. The more time we spent together, the more I saw it. I fought it. Scared I guess.”