The Inheritance

by Ali Vali

  “No, I don’t, and good, I don’t really want to stop.” Willow replaced her fingers with her mouth and Tucker wanted to weep in relief.

  “Shit,” she said as Willow sucked her in and she grabbed the back of her head. “Jesus, that’s good.” She sounded like a complete idiot, but it couldn’t be helped. If she knew any poetry about perfection she’d spout it off, but all she could think of was how hot Willow’s mouth was on her. “Son of a bitch.” Every muscle in her body seemed to tense as she exploded like a stick of dynamite with a very short fuse.

  It was embarrassing, but she came immediately, and Willow didn’t stop until she pulled her hair slightly.

  “You taste good,” Willow said, crawling up and kissing her.

  “I’m glad you think so.” She rolled them over and lowered the straps of Willow’s bra. “You’re beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” Willow smiled. It’d be a struggle and Tucker wanted to go slowly, but the expansive skin was like a starter gun going off in her head. The intensity of her stare seemed to harden Willow’s dark pink nipples to points begging to be sucked, and she was no fool, so she did.

  Willow sank her fingers into her hair and held her there as Tucker ran her hand down her abdomen to her sex. “You’re so wet.” The declaration seemed so inane and clichéd, but her brain wasn’t exactly driving her thinking process as much as her clit was demanding attention again. She wanted this woman to touch her until she passed out from exhaustion, but she didn’t want to be selfish.

  Her feet hung off the end of the bed as she kissed her way down until her mouth was on Willow, and she smiled when Willow yanked her hair when she hesitated. “Not the time to lose focus, baby.”

  Willow’s feet pressed on her back when she flicked the tip of her tongue over her clit in a rapid cadence, and any thought of making it last ended when Willow held her head tightly against her as if desperate to come.

  “Yes.” Willow moaned when Tucker placed her fingers at the opening of her sex, backing the statement up by lifting her hips. “Go inside…go inside.” Willow raised her head next and locked eyes with her and had an expression that screamed, Get on with it. “Fuck,” Willow said, sounding winded. She let out a moan strung out like it had twelve syllables in it.

  Tucker’s own orgasm triggered when she followed that order, but she didn’t stop no matter how Willow moved, and she enjoyed the scream Willow let out when she reached her peak. Uninhibited and hot, so unlike the soft, porn-like sounds she was used to with other women. This was certainly a different kind of experience that left Tucker wondering if she really was that good, or if Willow had only recently discovered sex. The egotist in her wanted to go with the first option.

  “Stop patting yourself on the back and get up here,” Willow said, shattering her little fantasy world. “Thank you.”

  “I’m the one who should be expressing gratitude.” She lay on her back, smiling when Willow rolled until she was pressed tightly against her, placing her arm and leg over her. “You’re incredibly sexy, not to mention inspirational in this department.”

  “It’s been a while,” Willow admitted, “so I’m sorry for rushing you.” Willow kissed the side of her neck, and her skin tingled. “And in case you couldn’t tell from my reaction, that was fantastic.”

  “We can definitely agree on that.” Tucker ran the tips of her fingers up and down Willow’s back, content not to go anywhere for the first time in a long time. “Where did you say you were moving to?”

  “I bought a house in the Garden District, but it needs some work, so I’m moving in with my sister until all the repairs are done.” Willow pressed even closer and shivered, so Tucker grabbed the edge of the blanket with her toes and covered them.

  “Older sister or younger?”

  The question made Willow sit up and look at her. “Why do you ask?”

  She encouraged Willow to lie over her and slipped her thigh between her legs. “An older sister might set a curfew, and warn you about people like me,” she said, tensing her thigh between Willow’s legs. “That would totally ruin my chances of seeing you again and surprising you with my excellent restaurant choices.”

  “It’s my oldest sister, and she would totally warn me about big bad butches like you,” Willow said, closing her eyes and riding her like she couldn’t help herself.

  “The question is”—she reached down and slid her finger from the slope of Willow’s ass down to her clit—“would you listen?” Her strokes were in no way gentle. “Or do you like big bad butches?”

  “Shut up.” Willow sat up and grabbed her hand. She positioned Tucker’s fingers so she could come down on them. “Oh fuck.” Willow squeezed Tucker’s fingers as if she didn’t want her to move. “Oh fuck…Jesus.”

  Tucker almost laughed when Willow made Jesus sound like it had way more than one e in it, in true Southern style. “No wonder you’re so successful,” she said when Willow slumped over after coming hard and fast.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re a little bossy,” she said as she squeezed Willow’s ass. That made Willow suck in a breath, and she stopped to see if that was a bad thing.

  “I’m not bossy, and if you keep touching my ass, your clit’s going to fall off before I touch you again.”

  “Does that mean you don’t like it?”

  “No.” Willow moved until she was straddling her thigh. “It means it really turns me on and I’ll need to come before you, so stop if you can’t wait.”

  “Ah, Santa has finally granted my wishes, and a whole month early too,” she said, squeezing harder this time. Willow was right, and she was almost in pain by the time Willow focused on her.

  “How about dessert?” Willow asked, and all Tucker could do was nod after another intense orgasm.

  “I might need the sugar rush to be able to move after that last go-round.”

  Willow laughed and walked naked to the table to get the cake. “You have to have more stamina than that, stud.”

  “I thought I did, but I think you fucked it right out of me.”

  Willow smiled as she sat on her and fed her a piece of cake. “Best compliment ever.”

  Chapter Four

  “Who is this girl?” Stella asked Tucker as she sat in Tucker’s office. Tucker had invited her mom to breakfast, so she’d left Willow’s place much earlier than she wanted to, but hopefully they’d have a lunch date later.

  “I’ve got no clue, but knowing Bubba, she’s probably a stripper from Big Daddy’s in the Quarter. I love him, but I’m not wild about his decision-making abilities.” She stretched out next to her mom on her couch and placed her head in her lap. “But I guess we’ll find out tomorrow night.”

  “Have you talked to your brother since yesterday?”

  Tucker glanced up at her mother as she combed her hair away from her forehead and tugged on it gently.

  “I had a meeting at Suntrust yesterday, followed by a dinner meeting, so no. Jim Bob had some breakfast thing at the Petroleum Club for the charity golf tournament they host every year. He should be here in about an hour, if you need to talk to him.” When her mom’s eyebrow cocked upward she wanted to groan. An angry Stella Delacroix was never a good thing. “What?”

  “He called from the emergency room last night, obviously so I wouldn’t freak out when I saw him. The two of you should know how hard it is to freak me out after raising you,” Stella said, smiling. “You and Jim Bob are my two miracles from God, but damn, you could drive me insane every minute of every day until you were well into your twenties.”

  “Focus, Mom. Why was he in the emergency room, and why didn’t anyone call me?” She sat up, irritation making her antsy.

  “Your loving sister-in-law cut him, and it took quite a few stitches to close the wound.”

  “Wait,” she said as her mother took a breath to go on. It was no secret how much their mom detested Ivy, and nothing had changed that relationship from the day Jim Bob brought her home. S
tella had been telling Jim Bob I told you so ever since. “Ivy cut him? Why and with what?”

  “According to Jimbo, she tripped and slashed his face with her ring, and he didn’t call because he didn’t want to bother you. The boy’s much older than you, Tucker, but I thank all that’s holy you’re here. At least you’ll look after him and protect him from himself even though it should be the other way around. We all know he doesn’t listen to me or your father.” Stella caressed her cheek and smiled. “He’s hired an attorney and is finally setting himself free, so promise me you’ll help him.”

  “You know I’ll do anything for Jim Bob, and I shouldn’t be happy they’re splitting up, but the guy deserves some peace.” She wondered where Jim Bob was and where he’d stayed last night, but she didn’t want to throw her mother out in order to call him and have that conversation. “Between Ivy and Tara, his life’s been hellish lately.”

  “She’s my granddaughter, and I love her, but that kid could use a good spanking and a lecture on growing the hell up.” Stella patted her arm. “I have to organize the movers for your brother’s things, so what room do you want him in at your place?”

  The decision on where Jim Bob was moving obviously wasn’t up for debate, and she was good with it being a given. “Put him in the other master suite so he’ll be comfortable. Call me if you have any trouble.”

  “I’m not as nice as you and Jim Bob, so I dare Ivy to try something with me. Hopefully she doesn’t burn the house down just for spite before she finds a new place, and let’s pray she finds a new spot that’s not going to bankrupt the company. God knows the woman sits up thinking of new ways to spend money when she’s sober enough to remember she has money.”

  She smiled at her mother’s favorite observation about Ivy and had to agree with her every time. “I’m with you on that, but it’ll take explosives to get her out of there. You know how she feels about that house. Ivy sees it as the status symbol.”

  The house where Jim Bob had raised his family had been in their family for five generations, and her parents had moved out when Bubba was born. If there was a divorce, that and anything having to do with the business weren’t going to be part of the settlement. Of course, convincing Ivy of that fact was going to be the sticking point.

  The ironclad prenup would take care of any misunderstandings, but Ivy and her sense of entitlement wouldn’t make it easy.

  “Your father’s taking care of what it’ll take to explain that to Ivy, and it’s up to all of us to make sure Jim Bob doesn’t drag his feet. It’s been too long since I’ve seen him smile, so it’s time to get off the drama train.” Stella kissed her cheeks before squeezing them. “The fact that I’ll never have to lay eyes on that woman again is just a happy bonus.”

  “I hear you, and no matter what, I’ve got his back. Try to keep your cool, and I’ll let you know about dinner tomorrow.” She walked her mother to the elevator and hugged her.

  “Are you bringing a date?”

  “I’m working on it, but let’s make sure this dinner is still happening. Impending divorce might put an inappropriate spin on the celebration. We might have to postpone until everyone has gotten used to the new landscape.” She hugged her mom again and waved before she had to start spilling her guts about her night with Willow. No matter what, her mom had a way of guessing her deepest secrets and was as relentless as a CIA interrogator if she thought Tucker was hiding something.

  “And with any luck the girl will say yes to a lunch date. There is no way I’m subjecting her to the shit show this family meet-and-greet is going to turn into, though,” she said to herself as she headed back to her office.

  “You got a call on two, Tucker,” Syd said.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s Greg Kenny. He has that OSHA report from the Stella III.”

  “There goes my good mood.” She blew Syd a kiss and headed to her office. “When Jim Bob gets here, send him my way.”

  * * *

  “Yes, sir,” Willow said to Jonathan Mann as she scanned the new requirements. “It’s better to be safe, and the changes are doable without driving up costs too much.”

  “Good, we can put this to bed, but you’re our lead on this. Once construction begins let me know if you need anything or hit any snags. If we can finish this ahead of time, it’ll look great to the board, so I’m counting on you.” Jonathan looked at his watch and excused himself.

  She sighed when someone knocked right after Mann left. All she wanted was a few minutes to think about her night and analyze how far off the rails she’d gone. It was totally nuts, but she felt fantastic.

  If she’d had to gamble on it, she would’ve guessed Tucker would’ve run out of her place the minute after they’d eaten dessert, only to develop a case of amnesia, but she’d stayed and talked to her until she’d gone to sleep. And even better, she’d still been there this morning. It had been easy, and sweet, and though she’d felt a little like an awkward teen, it was undeniably good.

  She could try lying to herself, but there was no way to deny how wonderful it felt to lie there with Tucker’s arms around her. The knock came again, so it wasn’t the time to dwell and fantasize about doing it all over again.

  “Yes?”

  Margo poked her head in with a huge smile. “Someone must really like you.” It was the first time in their working together that Margo had used a singsong voice.

  “What are you talking about?” As an answer Margo swung the door open the whole way, and she was holding a beautiful bouquet of lilies.

  “Wow,” she said as Margo put the flowers on her desk.

  “Are you going to give me a hint?” Margo asked with her hands pressed together as if in prayer.

  “I’ve got no clue.” It was a lie, but she wasn’t about to admit to anyone that she’d invited a client out and slept with her like she was as easy as a Dick and Jane book. “Now leave, so I can read the card in peace. Anyway, they’re probably from Monique.”

  “Monique only sends you flowers for your birthday, so I doubt it, but I’ll go. If you love me, though, you’ll tell me later.”

  She touched the petals of the Stargazer lilies and wondered how Tucker had guessed these were her favorites. They’d been her mom’s favorites, though she hadn’t bought them often, and the white flowers with their purple centers always made her smile. She ran her finger along the top of the card and sighed before opening the envelope.

  You were right. Why haven’t we met? Whatever the reason, I’m glad we rectified that last night, but hopefully it wasn’t a one-shot deal. There’s plenty of places left to explore, and it’s always better to set out on new adventures with a friend. If you’re willing, how about lunch today at my place? If not, whatever you like is yours for the asking.

  Thank you for a beautiful night,

  The Carnivore

  She read the note twice and smiled wider when she saw the other card enclosed was directions to lunch at Tucker’s house. The address and directions also came with a rain check if she couldn’t make it, but this might lead somewhere that had the potential to be better than any experience she’d had so far.

  “Hey, Margo,” she said into the phone, “I’m running out to lunch, so call me if anyone’s looking for me.”

  “Who are the flowers from?”

  “A good friend.” She headed down to her car wondering what exactly Tucker did for Delacroix, since she was obviously their representative. Was the St. Charles address a result of her salary, or was it old family money? Next time, find out the girl’s last name before you sleep with her. She checked her reflection in her rearview mirror. Thank God Tucker had gotten in touch before she had to start asking embarrassing questions at work.

  She made good time since technically she was beating the lunch traffic, and the house on the cusp of the Garden District and Uptown neighborhoods wasn’t the largest but was still a good size. The mostly white structure was trimmed in black with a bright red door that really stood out. The pop of colo
r didn’t seem to fit Tucker’s style, so there was either a decorator or an old girlfriend responsible. Or maybe after one night you don’t know her that well. The thought made her laugh.

  Tucker opened the door before she could dwell on it, and her big smile made Willow happy. “Thank you for the flowers,” she said, before kissing Tucker hello.

  “Thank you for accepting my invitation. I didn’t want to wait until tonight to see you, or start stalking you, depending on your willingness to go out with me again.”

  “I was curious as to what you’d make to satisfy my vegan ways.”

  “The pork chop from the land of the giants gave you away. You’re not fooling me.”

  “I was trying to make you feel better about yourself. I prefer broccoli.”

  Tucker tightened her hold on her hand and brought her inside to an open space with a lot of what appeared to be teak wood panels mixed with muted grays on the walls and brown leather furniture. It appeared comfortable with plenty of tastefully framed landscapes and fishing prints. It seemed to suit what little she knew about Tucker.

  “That would explain you eating cake that had bacon in it,” Tucker said. “Are you hungry?”

  “I want a tour first since I made it into the inner sanctum, and call me crazy, but I bet that doesn’t happen often.” She pointed to the door. “Who picked red? It doesn’t exactly scream you.”

  “My mother. She said the place had to have some color that wasn’t white, black, gray, or blue. It made her happy and didn’t involve a conversation about the last time I wore a dress, so I went with it.” Tucker walked her through the house, letting her explore all she wanted until they reached the back corner and the master bedroom with an antique four-poster bed.

  “This is a great bed,” she said, running a hand over the off-white comforter that covered it.

  “I refurbished it myself and added to it, so my feet wouldn’t hang off the end.” Tucker stood with her hands in her pockets and stared at her as she sat on it.