Season's Meetings

by Amy Dunne

  “Ugh,” Holly said, spluttering. Her face screwed up tightly. “That’s why I don’t drink neat spirits.”

  They received a small round of applause from three people to the left of them. Catherine wasn’t quite sure how to respond, but grinning with mischief, Holly dropped into a curtsy and received a wolf whistle too.

  “Come on.” Holly grabbed Catherine’s hand and pulled her out through the double doors. “I’m starving.”

  *

  Catherine poured the wine into their glasses. Normally, she would’ve let the bottle breathe for a few hours, but she hadn’t thought far enough in advance. Plus the whiskey they’d drunk had most likely destroyed a good few taste buds. Holly placed a plate in front of Catherine and one in front of herself. The food looked good.

  “Here’s to our Christmas Eve,” Catherine said. She raised her glass and clinked it against Holly’s.

  “Our Christmas Eve,” Holly said, her tone somewhat wistful.

  Kimmy settled beneath the table chewing happily on one of her bones. Catherine suspected she was waiting to claim any dropped food.

  The meal was wonderful. They talked about their day and Kimmy. They laughed and joked while eating the best Chinese takeaway Catherine had ever had. They’d chosen their dishes together, so it wasn’t quite the same as when she’d done it with Granny Birch, but it was special in its own right.

  Before clearing up, Holly held out two golden foil wrappers. Each contained a fortune cookie. “You pick,” she said.

  Catherine hesitated for a moment and then pointed to the right hand. The golden packet flung in her direction, hit her chest, and fell into her lap.

  “Here I go,” Holly said. She snapped the cookie and picked out the thin strip of paper. “Now is the time to try something new.”

  “Slightly ambiguous.”

  “I like it.” Holly flattened the curling paper with her fingers. “Come on. Stop keeping me in suspense. What does yours say?”

  “I never bother to open them. It’s a complete waste of time. It’s some general mumbo-jumbo made to fit everyone on the planet. Like horoscopes and all that other crap.”

  “It’s a little bit of fun, Catherine.”

  “Fine,” Catherine said with a huff. She picked up the packet and ripped into the foil. She took out the crescent cookie and snapped it, feeling as it crumpled beneath her fingers. Talk about making a mess for no reason.

  She could feel Holly’s gaze watching her, so she riffled through the sticky crumbs and took out the slip of paper.

  The font was tiny, but she finally read the words: There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved—George Sand.

  “What does it say?” Holly asked, leaning across the table.

  Catherine pulled the slip closer to her chest, shielding it from Holly’s prying eyes. No matter how many times she read it, the words seemed intricately personal. A small lump lodged in her throat, and her palms were sweaty. The smeared words on this cheap, tacky bit of paper had a tremendous impact on her. Hadn’t she secretly considered the exact same thing recently? Either this was some cosmic joke at her expense, or it was a weird coincidence.

  “Catherine?” Holly asked with obvious concern.

  “It says…” She desperately tried to think of something. She couldn’t bring herself to read the actual words. Holly might laugh and joke about them, which would be unintentionally hurtful. Or she might want to talk about the meaning in greater detail, and that created its own host of problems. For instance, why had she spent so long rereading it? It could tarnish their newly blossoming relationship with unreal expectations. Catherine was attracted to Holly, and hopefully the feelings were reciprocated, but in no way was she in love with her. This whole thing—whatever was happening between them—was nothing more than harmless fun and flirting. To read anything further into it was ludicrous.

  “It says change is on the horizon.”

  Holly slapped the table and sat back in her chair. “I told you there’s more to these than general mumbo-jumbo. Perhaps it means a new job, eh?”

  “Perhaps. Shall we clean these up and go sit in front of the fire?”

  “I was thinking the exact same thing.” Holly carried her plate over to the sink.

  Catherine carefully folded the slip of paper and placed it in an empty compartment of her purse for safekeeping.

  *

  Kimmy lay sprawled on the sheepskin rug gnawing on her bone, her back legs spread out behind her in a frog-like fashion. They’d tried, on three separate occasions to deter her from lying so close to the fire, but within minutes, she’d sneakily crawled back. Even with her double coat, she was a heat-seeking fiend. She was cute and so clearly happy, they didn’t have the heart to move her again. And it kept her away from the Christmas tree and tinsel, which was an added bonus.

  Catherine sat on one side of the sofa and Holly on the other. Their wine glasses were almost empty, and as tempting as it was to open a new bottle, Catherine resisted. She didn’t want a thick head in the morning.

  Little waves of excitement randomly swept through her. She couldn’t wait for Holly to open her presents and experience the other surprises she’d laid on for her. Although lethargic from wine and the fire, she knew sleep wouldn’t come easily. She’d also reached an important decision with regards to breaking her promise to Beth. The alcohol had helped to quell her guilt and convince her wholeheartedly that Beth had indeed planned to set them up. That being the case, she wasn’t really breaking the promise or Beth’s trust. If that wasn’t the case…well, she hadn’t dared give that too much thought. Perhaps Beth might never find out? It was only a harmless festive fling. After years of being alone, didn’t Catherine deserve some happiness, even for a short while? Couldn’t she be forgiven for putting her needs above everyone else’s, just this once? She’d nearly bloody died—surely that counted for something? The wine agreed with her on all accounts and conveniently drowned out any logic that her conscience tried to raise. Tonight, she would do what felt right, and hoped it might involve nakedness.

  They’d been talking about various subjects and Holly had opened up. She hated being seen as young and foolish. She’d worked hard and sacrificed a lot for her business, money, and spending time with family and friends. “I do miss my friends, but I feel like we’ve been drifting apart for a while. Their lives revolve around going out and partying. I’m so over it. It holds absolutely no appeal for me anymore. I haven’t the money to waste. And I haven’t the time for hangovers and all of the incestuous lesbian drama that comes with it. I’m ready for something more meaningful. Does that make sense?” Holly asked, her words slurring slightly.

  “Complete sense,” Catherine said. “You have to do what’s right for you.”

  “I feel guilty, though. We grew up together. I’d hate for them to think it’s because I consider myself better than them.”

  “You can’t live your life worrying about what others might think of you.” Catherine cringed inwardly at the hypocrisy she was spouting.

  Holly nodded. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For everything.” Holly gestured wide with both hands. “You saved us. You were so brave and caring.” She crawled closer. “Shall I let you in on a little secret?”

  Gulping, Catherine hoarsely said, “Yes.”

  “I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else in the whole entire world than right here with you.”

  Catherine was speechless and could only watch as Holly closed the remaining distance. Her lips gleamed and shadows danced across her face and body, thanks to the flickering flames of the fire. Her eyes sparkled and her expression looked almost hungry.

  “I’ve been attracted to you from the first moment I saw you all those years ago,” Holly whispered. Her mouth less than an inch away from Catherine’s. “I want you.”

  Excitement flamed in Catherine’s body. An ache flared between her legs; she squirmed with its intensity. She’d never felt like this with Paula. Her b
ody had an agenda of its own. A sexual agenda.

  Holly’s mouth was now only a hairsbreadth away, and Catherine smelled wine on her warm breath.

  “Do you want me?” Holly asked. She straddled one of Catherine’s legs in order to get closer.

  Catherine wrapped her arms around Holly’s waist and pulled her down on top of her, her mouth blindly seeking Holly’s soft lips and forcing a searing kiss. Holly’s mouth opened and their tongues met. Catherine groaned into the warm wetness they created. Hands battled against clothing while they tried to balance on the perilous ledge of the sofa. Catherine managed to partially raise Holly’s white jumper, her fingers gripping the welcoming soft flesh of Holly’s stomach.

  Having already removed her own black jumper when they’d sat to eat, Holly’s nimble fingers unfastened the shirt’s buttons in super-quick time.

  Their kiss was all consuming. Eyes closed, breathing laboured, hands caressing skin—something wet and cold prodded Catherine’s foot. “Shit!” Catherine said, pulling away and narrowly avoiding head-butting Holly.

  Gasping, Holly looked understandably startled. Her hair was a mess and her swollen lips looked ever-so-inviting. “What the hell?”

  Catherine pointed. “I’m not great with an audience, let alone one who tries to participate.”

  Holly looked to where Catherine’s finger pointed. Kimmy sat beside the sofa staring at them with her dark, accusing eyes. Her ears pricked and her head cocked from one side to the other as she studied them. Her little tail thump-thump-thumped against the floor.

  “Oh, God. The poor thing,” Holly said. She climbed off Catherine and pulled down her jumper bashfully.

  “Poor thing? Little perv more like. She nearly gave me a bloody heart attack nudging me with her cold nose,” Catherine said. She wrapped the loose shirt around her torso, pinning it in place by folding her arms.

  Holly stood. “I’ll take her out to do her business and then put her in her crate.”

  “But, what about…aren’t we, what should I do?” Catherine asked, feeling hot and bothered.

  “You can wait for me in the bedroom.”

  Catherine’s desire soared in her chest. “Okay,” she said. She rushed to the bedroom door. She glanced back in time to shoot Kimmy an evil look without Holly’s knowledge before skipping inside the room.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  After a few seconds of looking aimlessly around the bedroom, Catherine decided to quickly freshen up in the bathroom. Fortunately, she’d seen fit to prepare her body while in the shower earlier in case this exact situation happened to arise. Her pulse raced, blood rushed in her ears. Her stomach flipped with a mixture of excitement and nerves. She was lightheaded, giddy with arousal. It’d been so long since she’d been physically or sexually involved with someone, she’d almost forgotten how it felt. The only downside of their inopportune break was that her mind had time to inundate her with worries and self-doubt.

  What if I disappoint her or leave her unfulfilled?

  With the exception of one drunken night at uni—most of which she couldn’t recall, and so had to go purely on hearsay, Paula had been her only sexual partner. It’d taken so long for her to open up enough and allow herself to finally trust someone. She’d always been awkward in her own body and struggled to understand her emotions. But Paula had persevered and gradually overcome all of her defences. Catherine had enjoyed their lovemaking, although it’d never been particularly earth-shattering. Paula had always claimed she’d enjoyed it, too, which, considering what a selfish lover she was, wasn’t a complete surprise. Ultimately, it hadn’t been enough for her, as she’d actively sought sex with someone else behind Catherine’s back. The hurt still flared when Catherine allowed herself to remember it. Her inexperience and low self-esteem had always been an issue. Now they returned with a vengeance rocking what fragile confidence she had left.

  What if I do something wrong?

  Or, heaven forbid, cause discomfort or embarrassment for either of us?

  It didn’t bear thinking about.

  What if Holly is into kinky sex?

  Catherine didn’t have a clue what it would entail. Sure, she’d read her fair share of sex scenes in books and had occasionally tried to read erotica, but always ended up skimming over the more intimate details. She regretted her prudishness now.

  Surely the basics of sex couldn’t have changed too much in recent years?

  Could they?

  “Why is she interested in me?” she asked herself in a whisper. All she’d successfully managed to do during their time together was be accident prone. That was hardly an aphrodisiac. A sudden realisation burst to the forefront of her mind, startling in its clarity: Holly was interested. Forget the reasons why. Why was she trying to talk herself out of it? It was all she’d been thinking about since meeting Holly. It was the frigging reason she’d gotten into the death trap car in the first place. Everything had been leading up to this moment.

  Her body was primed and ready to go. Her mind could either get on board or shut the hell up. There was no way she was going to pass up the opportunity of spending the night with a beautiful, sexy, and charming woman. They were both consenting adults, and if weird kinky sex was on the cards, well, she’d cross the bridge when she came to it. Who knows? She might even like it.

  Taking a deep breath and holding it, she finally opened the bathroom door and crossed the threshold into the bedroom. A bedside lamp was the only source of light in the room. Holly was waiting for her. Catherine’s heart leapt to her throat, causing her breath to come out in a shaky stream. She froze, unable to move, as all messages from her brain had ceased.

  “Hi,” Holly said. She lay on top of the bed, her head propped on one hand, her golden hair loose and wild looking. She wore only a matching red bra and panty set.

  Catherine’s eyes roamed over the scantily clad body, feasting on the roundness of her curves and the freckled pale flesh. The winding tattoo of a branch with pink blossoms crept from below Holly’s hip bone up to beneath her right breast. Even from this distance it was evocative. Catherine wanted to trace the snaking pattern.

  “Are you coming to join me?” Holly asked, her tone seductive, but the twiddling of a curl of hair was a telltale sign she was a little nervous.

  Without speaking, because there was no way she could form a coherent sentence, Catherine walked over to the bed and climbed on top. The pounding of her heart was deafening, and she felt certain Holly could hear it, too. Holly crawled closer and beamed such a bright smile, Catherine’s inhabitations and worries seeped away.

  “You’re so b-beautiful,” Catherine said. God, she meant it. Holly’s body was as warm and inviting as her personality. Her sparkling eyes, the easy smile that lit up her face and revealed cute dimples. Her musical laugh, the colourful tattoos that were an extension of her personality, her quick wit and sharp intellect all complemented perfectly the shapely body. She was the epitome of femininity, and the swelling of her breasts against the red lace holding them captive stirred something primal inside Catherine.

  “So are y—”

  Catherine kissed her deeply, cutting off her sentence mid-flow. Their passion grew fever pitched once more, as if no time had passed. The caress of their tongues, the warmth and wetness of their kiss enveloped them. Her heightened sense of taste enabled Catherine to derive the most pleasure. The faint linger of wine was overshadowed by the exquisite taste of Holly. Sweetness, layered with an indescribable depth of flavour Catherine could happily spend years—perhaps the rest of her life—trying to decipher and depict it. Holly’s essence, paired with the intense physical sensations of their kiss, exhilarated. Catherine craved more intimacy and deepened their kiss, her senses intoxicated.

  She held Holly’s waist, pulling her closer. The skin beneath her palms was hot and impossibly soft. Holly’s hands were busy at work and had managed to pull Catherine’s shirt over her shoulders, but her sleeves bunched up by her elbows. Not wanting to end their kiss, Catherine
freed the shirt from her arms and flung it behind her.

  The coolness from the room reacted with the heat from her body, and goose bumps broke out across her flesh. And as Holly’s hands brushed her stomach, a shiver crawled across her body. Her sensitive nipples puckered.

  Holly ended their kiss with laboured panting. Catherine’s own breaths were short and shallow, her lips wonderfully swollen and sore. Holly’s taste lingered on her lips and tongue, feeding her lust. Her head swam pleasantly; she felt high. She mourned the loss of their kiss acutely.

  “These are coming off,” Holly said, her tone seductively low. She unfastened the button and pulled down the zip on Catherine’s trousers. With her legs sprawled in the air, Catherine lay back on her backside and winced from the bruised cheek. Holly wasted no time in tugging the trousers down, and Catherine obligingly kicked her legs to help. In a flash, the trousers were gone, leaving only her underwear.

  Holly pounced on top of her, positioning one thigh between Catherine’s legs and the other on the outside. Lowering herself, Holly kissed Catherine’s mouth, sucking on her bottom lip before trailing a path of delicate, ticklish kisses over her jaw and throat.

  Catherine whimpered. She hitched up on her elbows, raising her body toward Holly’s for the slightest brush of contact. She wasn’t fully aware of Holly’s hands until her bra unclipped at the back.

  Holly’s eyes were dark pools and they captivated Catherine’s gaze. She lowered the straps and carefully removed the bra. Only once her breasts were free did Holly’s gaze drop. She subconsciously wet her bottom lip, making it gleam. The intensity of Holly’s gaze set Catherine’s body on fire and turned her nipples rock hard. As Holly’s face lowered to her left breast, Catherine fought back a moan. The softness of Holly’s hair brushing her chest tingled, followed by a tickle of warm breath teasing her nipple. The wait bordered on torture, but after a lifetime, the hot flick of Holly’s tongue zinged her nerves. With a gasp, Catherine’s whole body bucked. A shot of raw arousal fired from her nipple straight to her crotch. Holly’s tongue continued to torment, giving a taste of what she had in store but always pulling back at the last moment.