[The Shifters Committee 05.0] Sensual Hero

by Rebecca Foxx

  That evening she fell asleep, her mind filled with dreams and fantasies of all the faraway lands that would welcome her. But there was another problem. Sure, she had the time and the money to travel. But did she really want to do it alone? No, she definitely didn't. But she struggled to figure out any other options.

  Then she worried that she was being silly, missing the big picture, the point of taking the whole trip, which was for her 4to rejuvenate, to get back in touch with herself, to figure out what she wanted from her life.

  There was no way that sitting at an AT&T call center, 8 to 12-hour shifts 5 to 6 days a week, doing the same thing over and over again was the life that she was destined for. As an undergraduate, at a small Midwestern liberal arts school, she'd been full of ambition, full of desire to do meaningful work that would impact people's lives. But six months after graduating, the student loan company started sending their letters. Yes, bitch bench Sallie Mae began stalking her. It started out with one or two calls a week, then it was four or five a week. Then it was four or five a day.

  And pretty soon she was afraid to answer phone, startled each time it rang, fearful that the person on the other line was coming for some of that $75,000 she owed in student loans.

  Nobody had warned her that it would be like this. Nobody had warned her that once she graduated, received her degree, a few months later, she would also be receiving the incredibly inflated bill. That's when she would realize, despite everything that she'd been assured over the years, that her degree, that piece of paper meant absolutely nothing on the job market.

  Nobody was willing to pay you for what you'd done in college. Your GPA was completely fucking meaningless. She realized that now. But it was too late. Far, far too late.

  If only she had majored in something that could be used out in the world, had developed skills that people were actually willing to pay for.

  Yes, she was definitely missing the point. Wherever she went, whether domestic or abroad, she would be sure to meet other people there. Yet for some reason, she didn't find that reassuring. It didn't make her feel any better. What kind of people would she meet? She had no idea.

  She mostly kept to herself. Every now and then, she would communicate with her high school or college friends via Facebook. But that was more out of habit than anything else. She felt no strong desire to see any of those people again. She felt no strong desire to see any of the men that she'd dated, halfheartedly, over the last few years.

  Because she'd been single, and so unhappy for so long, her family members had begun to whisper about her sexuality. She found that completely ridiculous.

  She hated the way that people were always butting into her life, making their unsolicited, demeaning comments about her.

  .

  Chapter 2

  The next day, despite all the interesting, thoughts that had been swirling around her head for the last 24 hours, Janet had to trudge her ass back to the same dead-end job, plop down on the same dead end chair, and answer that same dead-end phone. Hour after hour after hour.

  All that planning, all that hoping, all that dreaming, made it that much more difficult for her to sit there, that much more difficult for her to let her life slip away. She felt like she would go crazy, if she had to stay in that office anymore. She stood up from her chair and looked around the room.

  No one was paying any attention to her in the crowded call center. Her supervisor, overweight balding, middle-age man, was flirting with one of the young Latina girls. Janet took the opportunity to slip out of the office and onto the elevator. She was on the street in 10 minutes.

  For a few blocks she ran, hair blowing in the wind chest heaving, sweat bursting out on her forehead. She ran with no idea where she was going, where this explosion of energy would lead her. She had to be free!

  She ran and ran until she was completely out of breath. Then she leaned up against the wall, chest heaving, face dripping in sweat, tears streaming down her cheeks. This is what her life would come to: running away from her job, through the busy, downtown streets, like a mad woman.

  And that's exactly what she was: a woman gone mad, on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She desperately needed to sit down, drink a cool glass of water. Or maybe she needed something stronger.

  She walked a few more blocks, en route to Barnes and Nobles. She headed straight to the cafe area. She looked at her watch. It was only 215 she had to go back to the office. There was no sense getting fired. That would be completely stupid.

  What was the point to anything at all in her life? There didn't appear to be one. She let her head slump in her hands, then let it rest on the table. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, the emptiness, the hopelessness, desperate emptiness gnawing at her stomach and her spirit.

  Her head shot up from the table. Her eyes opened wide. She blinked several times. It was the sound of her phone ringing that had startled her. No one usually called her at this time of the day. No, that wasn't true. There was someone who called her this time of the day and did it quite frequently.

  It was Sallie Mae of course, calling to collect. That bitch Sallie Mae. On most days, she would ignore the call. She would let it go straight to her voicemail. And of course she wouldn't listen to the message. Instead, she would erase it right away. All she needed to see was the number on the screen and the state that they were calling from.

  Sometimes it was Washington. Other times Virginia. Other times Texas. What an irony it would be, Janet thought, if my next job was in a call center working for Sallie Mae, making other people's lives miserable, stalking them, hunting them down until they paid up every single penny.

  What were they paying for anyway? Education? A piece of paper, a degree that wasn't worth shit on the job market.

  Her arms were shaking as she reached into her purse and pulled out the phone, barely able to look at the name and number on the screen. When she did finally look, what she saw surprised her. It wasn't the name or number that she'd expected. No, it wasn't that snaggletooth bitch Sallie Mae. It was her cousin Beth.

  Seeing Beth's name brought a smile to Janet's face. The two of them had always gotten along. But it had been almost a year since they'd seen each other. The annual family Jersey shore picnic was the last time they got together. Janet still had fond memories of that weekend. Beth really knew how to let loose and have fun.

  After a few minutes of small talk and catching up, Beth revealed why she had called.

  "I know this is kind of last minute," Beth said. "But I was wondering if you are doing anything for the next couple of weeks."

  "For the next couple weeks?" Janet asked. "What do you mean?"

  Beth explained that she had a reservation for two for a time-share in Cabo San Lucas. She'd been planning on taking one of her best friends. But sadly the woman's mother had fallen gravely ill and was in the hospital. The friend wouldn't be able to take the trip. She was too distraught as she watched her mother struggle through her final hours.

  "I definitely don't want to go alone," Beth said. And remember how much fun we had last time on the Shore. So I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"

  Janet couldn't believe what she'd just heard. A free vacation in Cabo for the next two weeks. Could anything be more perfect? It was just what she needed: to get away, sit on the beach, tan, drink mojitos, eyeing all the attractive people strolling on the beach, showing off their beautiful bodies.

  She couldn’t wait to swim in the crystal blue water, to roll around in the sand, to lather her body up with suntan lotion.

  "Holy shit!" Janet blurted out. "That would be so incredible!"

  For the next several minutes, the two women giggled and laughed as they talked about all the fun that they would have once they got to the exotic and romantic island. Romance? Well, she still didn't have that in her life. Maybe, just maybe, she would find it on a beach somewhere.

  Some exotic person would saunter into her life, and take her on a world wind love affair, pushing her pa
st her limits, making her experience the ultimate, orgasmic ecstasy.

  She couldn't wait. Absolutely couldn't wait. They would leave in three days on Friday. That was perfect. Janet would be able to give her boss the necessary notice to get someone to fill in for her shift. Yes, it was all going to work out.

  Janet spent the next few days floating through life, fantasizing about all the fun she would have once she got to the beach. It had been so long since she'd taken a vacation, so long since she'd left the country, done something for herself. It was about time.

  One of the highlights of the days leading up to the trip was all the shopping that she had to do. She purchased an array of two-piece bathing suits, sun skirts, and thong sandals. She looked at her pale flesh as she tried on the different outfits. Yes, she definitely needed a tan. That was clear. But she would have to be careful to keep from burning too easily. That had always been a problem for people in her family.

  Chapter 3

  When the plane finally touched down at Cabo International, Janet could feel an invigorating energy surging throughout her body. She turned to her right and smiled. Beth smiled back.

  "Thank you so much for taking me on this trip," Janet said. "It's going to be wonderful. I can already feel it."

  After they'd taken their bags up to the hotel room and taken a brief nap, they headed over to Medona Beach, one of the most popular beaches at Cabo, known for its restaurants and parties, and wet T-shirt contests.

  "So how are things going for you in White Plains?" Beth asked, sipping on her mojito. "Dating any cute guys?"

  Janet felt her face flushed red. She always hated when people asked about her love life, meaning her lack of one. There was nothing to tell really. She was working, saving her money, planning for the future. She didn't have time to run around with Tom, Dick, and Harry, didn't have time to solicit dick pics over the internet. She'd received a slew of those in her online dating days. Those days were far behind her. She never wanted to go back to getting those late-night text messages and requests for racy selfies. She wanted to be done with that forever.

  "Not much going on for me," she said. "I don't really get time to date."

  "What? Beth said cynically, cocking her head to the side. "Don't tell me that."

  Janet's face grew even redder. She was beginning to get angry. She felt like she was being interrogated. She'd answered the question.

  "I don't know. I'm not sure," Janet said, then she paused for a moment, surprised by her own frankness. "I'm not sure what's wrong with me."

  She lowered her head. Beth reached out and put her hand on top of her cousin's, gently squeezed it and stared into her eyes warmly.

  "There's nothing wrong with you," Beth said. "Nothing wrong at all. You'll find someone."

  Janet sniffled, head still lowered, a tear or two coming down her cheeks. She hated this. She hated feeling like she couldn't handle a grown-up adult conversation. It was just a question about dating. Boys. Man. But she had neither in her life.

  "I don't know what to do," Janet said. "I really don't."

  "Maybe you just need to open your mind a little bit," Beth said, arching her eyebrows. "You know what I mean?"

  Janet slowly raised her head, wiped her cheeks clean. She wasn't sure what Beth meant.

  "No, I don't know. What do you mean?"

  Beth turned her head to the side, signaling something. Janet wasn't sure what she was trying to tell her. She turned and looked in that direction. She froze. An electric sensation coursed through her body.

  Her eyes locked on those of a cinnamon-colored woman, sitting at the bar, sipping on a drink with pink straw in between her full ruby red lips.

  Janet swallowed hard. She couldn't stare at the woman anymore. She lowered her eyes and turned back to Beth. Then shook her head from side to side, confused, bewildered, overcome by a pleasurable sensation that had swept through her body when she locked eyes with that alluring woman.

  "See what I mean," Beth said, smiling with satisfaction. "Maybe the problem isn't you. Maybe the problem is men."

  "What you mean?" Janet asked. "That doesn't make any sense. There has to be something wrong with me, right?"

  "No," Beth said. "That's wrong. Completely wrong."

  This was crazy. It didn't make any sense. What was Beth trying to imply? Janet struggled to comprehend.

  "A woman?" She said. She didn't mean to say it out loud but it just exploded from her mouth. A woman. That idea rattled her brain and unsettled.

  "Yes," Beth said, arching her eyebrows and smiling wryly. "Sometimes that's just what we need. The touch, the love, the scent of another woman."

  Janet could only stare at Beth with her mouth gaping open. She could hardly make sense of what was going on.

  "Wait right here," Beth said. "She's been checking you out for the last 20 minutes. I know you probably haven't noticed. But I haven't been able to keep my eyes from moving back and forth between the two of you."

  "Checking me out?" Janet said.

  Beth slowly nodded her head up and down, then stood up.

  "You wait right here," she said, squeezing Janet's hand and walking towards the brown skin Mexican goddess.

  Janet could feel her entire body trembling with desire. Her head seemed to be spinning. There was a whirlpool of sound and images swirling around her head. She took a sip of her drink and the cool sugary, liquid set off shocks in her brain.

  "May I sit down?" A feminine voice asked.

  The words echoed in her ears. Janet inhaled the smell of cocoa butter and tropical island fruits. She closed her eyes and moaned. She opened her eyes and stared at the woman that was smiling down at her.

  Their eyes locked in a loving embrace for several moments of silence. Little needed to be said.

  "My name is Rio," the cinnamon-skinned woman said, sitting in the chair and crossing her legs seductively, revealing full and fleshy, unblemished thighs that called out to be kissed and licked and worshipped.

  Chapter 4

  Several minutes later the women walked hand-in-hand along the beach, en route for Janet's hotel. This was crazy. Ludicrous. Totally out of character for Janet. Leaving the bar with someone, heading back to her hotel room for a tryst the middle of the afternoon. That was weird enough. But it was even stranger, much stranger, that it was with a woman--a deliciously sexy Latina succulent skin.

  "Have you ever been with a woman before?" Rio asked as she pulled Janet's shirt over her head, then slipped her hands underneath her dress and slid them into her panties. The satin fabric was damp with pleasure, anticipation, and excitement.

  "I'm so wet," Janet said, eyes closed, the words barely escaping from her lips. She trembled with delight. She had no idea where this encounter was headed. How could she possibly know? This was all so new to her.

  "I've never been with a woman before," Janet answered. "I think I've really been missing out on something.

  She opened her eyes and stared Rio. Rio leaned towards her, cupped her face in her hands, and began to kiss her hungrily on the mouth, their tongues swirl and darting in and out of each other's mouth. It was such an electric kiss. Both women were taken over by a burning, aching, maddening, primal desire. They tore at each other's clothes.

  Within moments, they were naked and admiring each other's fleshy bodies. Janet had never seen something so beautiful. She'd never seen such a wonderfully colored body and exquisitely shaped physique. She couldn't wait to get naughty. She didn't know what had come over her. But it felt good. Really good.

  The two women got down on the carpet and rolled around. They began giggling and scratching and clawing at each other's flesh.

  "I want you to lick my pussy," Rio said. "And my ass.”

  As she said those words, she was staring directly into Janet's eyes, a very serious, domineering expression on her face. She was taking control of the encounter, showing Janet who was boss, who was the dominant, who was the sob. The thought of being dominated, forced to lick an ass and a pussy cl
ean, made Janet wild with pleasure.

  Her pussy was leaking. She wanted to feel Rio's pussy rubbing up against hers. She couldn't wait. She didn't know exactly women did when they got together. She really didn't know. But that didn't bother her anymore. She wasn't worried about disappointing Rio. No, this was absolutely perfect. She would be the pupil, Rio her teacher and guide showing her how to suck on a woman's most intimate parts, that sweet mango, dripping with juices.

  "Are you going to do that for me?" Rio asked. "Really give me a good cleaning with your tongue."

  Janet smiled and lowered her eyes, as her face flushed red. But she wasn't embarrassed. She was filled satisfaction. She would be Rio's little gringo girl, the pussy and ass licking gringo girl--red hair, freckled face, green eyes.