“Hello?” Cassie was pleased to see Karin calling her for a change.
“Hi, I stopped in Carmel and wanted to share its beauty with someone and I thought of you” Karin told her, hoping she hadn’t pissed her off to the point that she was making a fool out of herself for calling so impulsively.
“Oh really, I’ve never been there” Cassie said.
Karin began to describe the pretty little town as she drove north and pretty soon had to get off as her car drove in and out of range. She called back when she got settled in San Francisco staying at a nameless hotel up from Pier 39. She was on a cute little hill that allowed her to see over those buildings around her and a nice view of the bay. She was in walking distance of several different means of transportation and several different sites she wanted to see. She got out her walking shoes as she talked to Cassie on the phone and told her the plans she had tentatively made for her two days before she had to report to her offices for work.
Karin wasn’t really surprised at the knock on her door that occurred a few of hours later. She had lain down for a nap and was now finishing some work on her computer when she heard it. Opening the door she saw a relaxed and beautiful Cassie Summers in jeans and a T-Shirt standing there. She smiled widely at seeing her.
“Why, hello...” she frowned in puzzlement “aren’t you recording a record or something? Or shouldn’t you be?”
Cassie smiled “apparently some of the equipment is down and I get a reprieve for a couple of days or until they call. I couldn’t think of a thing keeping me in Los Angeles, there are those wonderful commuter flights from there to San Francisco so here I am” she spread her hands showing nothing in them. “Do you mind if I tag along?”
Karin indicated she should enter “where are you staying?”
“I’m staying here?” Cassie asked as she turned.
Karin froze slightly “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
Cassie laughed “I meant, I’m staying here, in the same hotel...”
Karin relaxed visibly. “I have a little bit of work to finish but I’ll be ready in say...half an hour?”
“Do you mind if I wait for you here?”
Karin shook her head as she put on a pair of glasses and went back to the desk where her lap top was open and waiting. Cassie sat on the edge of the bed watching as Karin typed furiously. She was probably one of the fastest typists Cassie had ever seen but she concentrated as she worked. Cassie admired the planes of her face. The glasses gave her an ‘important’ look. Not that the clothes wouldn’t have, she was dressed professionally as always but Cassie wondered what she wore when she dressed ‘casual.’
Her phone rang and Karin answered it “hello?” she continued to read what she had typed on her screen. “No, that won’t work for me, I have to be up in Portland and then Seattle next week” she told her caller. Cassie watched as she continued to type, read, and talk on the phone effortlessly. Her multi-tasking abilities were well honed. “Then schedule Phoenix for the following week, Albuquerque after that and then Texas. I’ll pick up a car in Phoenix.” She must be speaking to her secretary Cassie thought. “What? No, I need to fly to Milwaukee in between, I won’t be in New York for quite a while” she listened for a moment before saying “can you take him for a few days?” she listened again before adding “then slip him another hundred and tell him how ‘appreciative’ I will be!” she sounded exasperated. “Look, we both know I can’t come back right now, he will have to wait to see me until I get there” she listened again “Okay, I’ll try to fit in a trip to New York somewhere in between!” she sounded agitated now “maybe you should fly him down so I can see him when I want instead of me flying there!” she listened for a moment before laughing “yes, I remember how miserable he was the last time I flew him anywhere” she smiled “thanks again, yes, I got the data. Do you have the list I emailed just a few minutes ago?” she waited and then “done deal, thank you.”
Cassie watched her wondering why she had the image of an ice princess or the cold-hearted bitch that some had talked about her. She was good at her job, no one could complain about that but crossed it was said she was surgical in her cuts. Cassie found her fascinating and wondered if perhaps she was a fool to pursue this woman when she was just as busy as herself. She was beautiful though and funny. The time they had spent together in Santa Monica had been delightful. This other side of her was just business.
“There!” Karin pressed send and closed her laptop taking off her glasses as she looked up at Cassie. “I’m caught up!” she smiled.
“What did you have to do?”
“I finished up a proposal and set my itinerary for the coming weeks. I have to stay on top of all that or I’d be going to Timbuktu when I should be in St. Louis or something like that!” she laughed “don’t be so sure that hasn’t happened.”
“Doesn’t your secretary take care of that for you?”
Karin nodded “yes, but I juggle quite a few clients so they aren’t kept waiting I personally take care of certain aspects that others designate to their assistants. They aren’t called secretaries anymore” she smiled as she looked at the relaxed picture Cassie made sitting on the edge of her bed.
“You’re good at what you do?” Cassie grinned as Karin came towards her.
“Very good, it’s why I’m so successful” she leaned over the edge of the bed and gathered the clothes she had lain there earlier to go out in.
Cassie desperately wanted to kiss her and was leaning towards her when Karin’s cell went off. Karin walked over still carrying the clothes she had gathered.
“Hello?” She looked out the window with her profile to Cassie. “No, that’s not possible. We don’t do that” she listened for a moment “the promo items were shipped last week and confirmed received by you yesterday” she turned to look back at Cassie but Cassie could see that she wasn’t focused on her “I don’t think so ma’am. We are highly efficient that way” she listened a moment and then “if you don’t want my client in your store that is fine, we complied with our end of the contract, I’m certain that future bookings will not be forthcoming as I certainly don’t want to waste the time and money we have invested in this sort of thing...” she listened for a moment and then “I’m sure it is, yes ma’am, we will see you then...” she grinned “have a good day.”
“What was that?” Cassie asked as Karin hung up the phone and stood there a moment looking out.
“Oh just a store owner thinking she could get the work for free and then not promote things the way I need them done. I won’t waste anyone’s time and I don’t suffer fools gladly. It’s too important and I work too damn hard for my clients to not have everyone on board to do their jobs. Sometimes they need to be reminded that the world doesn’t revolve around them” she sounded cold but she also sounded extremely professional. Cassie was impressed.
“I’m going to change and then we can go” Karin said as she headed for the bathroom. The clothes she changed into weren’t that very different from what she was already wearing. A twill suit with a silk like blouse she put on walking shoes as she came out of the bathroom without any on.
Cassie looked at her and asked “don’t you own any jeans and T-Shirts?”
Karin laughed at her “yes, of course I own jeans, but I haven’t been home in weeks and there is no point in wasting space in my luggage for something I rarely wear.”
“You live out of your luggage?” Cassie could understand that very well herself.
Karin nodded as she stood up and said “let’s go sightseeing!” she sounded enthusiastic and Cassie looked forward to their day.
Karin walked with Cassie the few blocks to the streetcar stop and they talked all the way. This was the warm and friendly version that Cassie wondered why more people didn’t know about. Instead the cold and calculating woman that everyone wondered at was what they talked about. After seeing the silly and fun Karin in Santa Monica Cassie marveled at this multi-faceted woman.
T
he streetcar took them downtown where Karin walked them all over seeing the sights. They stopped in Chinatown for a nice late lunch which Cassie wouldn’t have been confident ordering but which Karin felt no compunction ordering for both of them. They saw people holding hands all over and when Cassie tried to hold Karin’s she kindly said “I don’t think that’s a good idea at this point, what if someone recognizes you and takes a picture. That would be too much pressure at this stage.” Cassie had to agree but she had to also wonder where exactly this was going. She didn’t worry about it though as she and Karin went all over San Francisco and enjoyed each other.
They took a taxi to the Presidio and walked in the park talking endlessly or rather Cassie felt she talked and Karin listened or asked pertinent questions. Karin learned how Cassie had started in music, her goals, her dreams, and her ambitions. She asked quite a few very astute questions that had Cassie thinking about how to achieve those same goals, dreams, and ambitions in ways she hadn’t thought about in years. Many people thought she had been foolish to come out the last year and it was apparent that her being gay had hurt her career but Karin pointed out that people had short term memory loss and it was a way of razzing her, she had to come through on the other side as a stronger person if she could just hold out. She pointed out what had happened to Ellen DeGeneres when she had come out and how her career was bigger and better after the first three years of nothing.
“So I just have to wait another two years before I get the success I’m due?” Cassie asked.
Karin nodded and said “maybe, but in the meantime get a portfolio of your work ready and waiting and then blow people away with it. There are steps that I’m sure you need to make as you rise in fame. People won’t wait for you; they will pass you by if you’re not taking care of business or if you are wallowing in self-pity.”
Cassie had to admit that Karin’s advice was well founded. She had taken the career of several author’s and turned them around. They had the talent, they didn’t have the drive or the know-how and she did. There were New York best-selling author’s on her list that raved about her work. Cassie could understand why after listening to her sound advice.
They went to Pier 39 for dinner, a taxi dropped them off at the end and they enjoyed window shopping until they came to the end where several restaurants sat. As it didn’t require a reservation they took advantage and had a delightful meal together. “What is it about piers that you keep taking me to them?” Cassie teased.
“Wait, this is only the west coast, maybe I should take you to Atlantic City” Karin teased in return.
“You’d love the Mississippi and we could go on a riverboat there” Cassie’s Southern twang was never more evident than at that moment.
“I grew up in Wisconsin, I’ve been over the Mississippi many times but never on a riverboat, that would be fun!” she smiled into Cassie’s eyes. They were so beautiful.
They walked off their delicious dinner as they window shopped back towards the city and caught a taxi back to the hotel. As Cassie walked Karin up to her room she wondered what would happen now, they both had quieted after the taxi had dropped them off. Karin opened her door and turned to wish Cassie a good night.
“I’m going to kiss you!” she stated it, not asking, not waiting for permission as she leaned in and pushed her lips against Karin’s.
Karin was surprised, that didn’t happen often, usually she could read the signs but obviously Cassie had planned this, had wanted it. Karin didn’t mind, she had wanted it too but in her plan to take it slow perhaps she had gone a little too slow.
Cassie’s lips against Karin’s were soft and yet determined. At first they were exploratory, questioning, seeking a response. Karin responded, kissing back for all she was worth, giving as much as taking, letting her lips tell a story without saying the words. She had wanted this as much as Cassie for a while, had wondered for days how to go there without seeming too pushy or too fast.
Cassie was pleasantly surprised but then why should she be? Karin was good at her job, why wouldn’t she be good at everything she did, kissing included. It made her think of other things she wanted to try...
Karin broke off the kiss when it turned into two, then three, she then stopped counting. They were both breathing heavily as she leaned her forehead against Cassie’s but not before she had kissed that too. She held the woman in her arms and avoided her attempt to kiss her again. “I think we should stop” she said reluctantly.
“Why?” Cassie asked confused and uncertain.
Karin pulled back so she could look into Cassie’s melting gray eyes. They looked huge in the lights from the outdoor balcony they had walked up on. “Because I want to take this slow. I’m too old to just hop into the sack. I want a relationship. We have a good friendship going, sex would confuse the issue.”
Cassie laughed “you’re not old!”
Karin smiled “good genetics but yes, I’m old. I want a lot from you Cassie. I’m willing to take it slow to get what I want and yes, someday I want to go to bed with you but not before we have the building blocks for more.”
Cassie swallowed her disappointment. It was logical; it was actually a good idea. She wanted this woman she knew but she had to agree it made sense to go slow and get to know each other better. She sighed and smiled “you’re right, too often women let their emotions get in the way.”
Karin looked at her expressive face and asked “do you want a quick tumble in the sheets or would you like more?”
Cassie could hear the warning in Karin’s voice “I want a relationship with you. I guess I was just letting my hormone’s get away from me.”
Karin smiled. Too often women let sex get in the way of having a good relationship. They already knew they were compatible as friends. They had had a marvelous time together and she didn’t want sex getting in the way of them having more. “Cassie, don’t be in doubt here. I want you. I could go to bed with you easily, but I have reached a point in my life that I don’t want just sex. I want the whole package. Do you?” She hoped for the right answer to that question. She had been in too many disastrous relationships to screw this one up.
“Absolutely” Cassie smiled as she leaned in to put a peck on Karin’s lips before she hugged her and pulled away “I guess you’re right, sex would complicate things before you and I even have a chance to figure them out.”
Standing a foot apart with the door to her room open Karin looked at the beautiful Cassie Summers. Yes, she wanted this woman. She had enjoyed her immensely as they got to know each other. She wanted a hell of a lot more than a tumble in the sheets. She was too damn old to play games anymore. She wanted a future with someone, and not just anyone. It wouldn’t be hard to pull her into the room and start making love to her but it would be a mistake.
“Goodnight Cassie, see you in the morning?”
Cassie smiled as she realized she was dismissed. She was disappointed but at the same time she had at least kissed her and made her intentions known. They both knew where this was going, or at least they both hoped so.
The next day they enjoyed their time together. Karin used her car and they drove around hopelessly lost and saw parts of San Francisco that weren’t in the tourist books. They went across the Golden Gate Bridge and stopped at a park on the far side taking pictures in front of a huge slice of a tree that had apparently washed up on the beach years ago. It was enormous. The day started out foggy and dreary and after the sun burned off they both had to shed their jackets. Cassie admired the satin like blouse that Karin wore under her nice little casual suit. Karin admired the tight little tee that Cassie wore showing off her slender figure. Something had changed though; they touched and brushed against each other more often whether by intention or accident.
They were sitting in a park at the top of San Francisco as Karin leaned back, her auburn hair was unbound and Cassie desperately wanted to run her fingers through the mass, it was so thick and luxurious. “I often think I should get a house here” Karin co
nfided.
“Here?” Cassie looked around at the beautiful houses in a row that had been used in countless movie scenes much less TV shows, they were almost a symbol of San Francisco they were so recognizable.
“Well, somewhere here in the city. It would certainly be more convenient than staying in hotels and I really need to get rid of my house in Milwaukee.”
“Why do you still have the house in Milwaukee?”
“It was convenient for the boys when they needed to go home from school” she informed Cassie casually.
“Boys?” she asked confused.
“My sons” Karin said as she looked closer at one of the houses. She missed the shock on Cassie’s face.
“You have sons?” Cassie choked out. Something about her voice had Karin turning to look at her.
“I thought I mentioned that...” she looked to see if Cassie was alarmed and could see something she didn’t identify on her face.
“No, you never mentioned the fact that you have sons. How many?” she asked feeling a little panic stricken. There was so much she didn’t know about this woman after all.
“Just two, they are both in Wisconsin. The house in Milwaukee is home but now that they are both out of college I should move out and get my things in one place. Maybe here” she mused as she looked again at the pretty row of houses.
“How old are your sons?” Cassie asked.
Karin turned back as she leaned closer to Cassie “they are in their twenties, why?”
“I just can’t imagine you with twenty something son’s” Cassie breathed. She wasn’t unaffected by Karin being so close.
“Is that a problem?”
“No, should it be?”
“You seem...upset?”
“Just surprised. You never mentioned them before....”
Karin shrugged “they just never came up. What about you? Do you have children, brothers, sisters, parents?”
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