Forbidden Passion

by Ruth Gogoll

  “Of course,” Jennifer interrupted. “You didn’t even know Sandra then.”

  “I would choose this fabric.” Sonja focused on her task once more.

  “I liked that one best, too.” Sandra nodded.

  “Is anyone surprised that you agree?” Jennifer looked from one of them to the other. “You’re twins.”

  “We definitely don’t always agree about everything.” Sandra glanced briefly at Sonja. “We might have, if we’d grown up together.”

  “I don’t think we would have then, either.” Sonja put down the fabric. “But you’d have to ask some real twins about that.”

  “Well, we’re not exactly fake twins,” Sandra objected with a gentle laugh. “We are real ones. But we still have to get used to it.”

  “Quite a funny situation. Sandra and . . . Mrs. Kantner –” Jo broke off.

  “Sonja,” her boss corrected. “I think it’s about time. In the office it’s still a bit –”

  “Yes.” Jo looked at her. “I think it’s going to take me a while to get used to it.”

  “Then we’ll both just have to practice.” Sonja smiled. “I feel exactly the same way.”

  Jo ran over to Kim and whispered in her ear. “Good grief! I’ve never seen her smile like that. Now I understand why you –” She broke off and grinned at Kim.

  Kim looked at Sonja and smiled also. “Yes. It’s easy to understand.”

  ~*~*~*~

  “I think we’d better go.” Kim turned to Sonja.

  “Already?” Sonja sighed.

  “I’m afraid so.” Kim rolled to one side and brushed a finger affectionately across Sonja’s cheek. “The wedding is in an hour. Really, we’re already late.”

  Kim and Sonja had spent the night in a hotel, since it was too far to drive to the wedding on the same day. It was the first time they’d woken up together since the seminar.

  Kim could hardly believe it when she awoke and there was Sonja, lying next to her. She’d simply looked at her, disbelieving, marveling at her beauty, her symmetrical features that had become so familiar to her again over the last few weeks.

  “Why can’t we just lie here a while longer?” Sonja sighed deeply.

  “We could.” Kim laughed. “But Jennifer would never speak to me again. Nor Jo to you.”

  “It’s dreadful, how dependent a boss is on her employees.” Sonja sighed again.

  “Yeah, it’s not easy being the boss.” Kim bent over Sonja and brushed a kiss across her lips.

  Sonja’s lips wouldn’t let her go with just a peck; they captured Kim’s and caressed them.

  Kim felt her belly getting warm, and not for the first time that morning. She and Sonja had spent the past several hours in one tender embrace after another. The hotel bed had surely experienced its share of sex before, but Kim doubted it had ever been so sustained. She freed herself forcefully from Sonja’s mouth. “We have to go,” she repeated in a whisper.

  “Just one more time.” Sonja pulled her down again and kissed her passionately.

  Kim caressed Sonja’s breast and let her hand wander between Sonja’s thighs. “Sweetness,” she whispered. She felt her arousal take hold of her and sweep all her doubts away. “You’re the hottest woman in the northern hemisphere – and probably the southern one, too.” She entered Sonja, and Sonja moaned.

  Her hand sought a path between Kim’s legs, too, and Kim didn’t know what to concentrate on first: Sonja’s growing excitement, or her own.

  Suddenly, Sonja leaned forward, and her lips rested on Kim’s breast, suckling at the nipple. Kim felt weakness overtake her. Lightning shot from her breast through her insides, leaving them aglow; she felt her labia swelling even more.

  Sonja’s wetness let Kim’s hand slip out of her easily, and Sonja sat down on top of her. She pushed Kim’s fingers back inside herself and rode her, wilder and wilder. Her hair flew up and down around her head, like fluttering birds.

  “Oh, God!” Sonja gasped and cried out, her thighs clamping down around Kim’s hips. Their vise grew ever tighter; Sonja convulsed around Kim’s fingers and hips, riding her ever more violently, stiffened, collapsed.

  But it wasn’t long before she slid down Kim’s body and dove inside her with her tongue.

  Kim thrust her hips upwards; it shot through her like an electric shock, her nipples nearly bursting with the tension. She moaned loudly.

  Sonja’s tongue began to dance wildly inside her, just as wildly as she’d ridden atop her before. Kim’s pearl became the center of the action; she spurred her to ever greater heights with her lips and tongue. Suddenly, she thrust several fingers inside Kim while the tip of her tongue beat a drum roll on Kim’s pearl that drove it to the very peak of sensation.

  Kim felt her breath catch as her womb exploded. She convulsed, unable to breathe or move, paralyzed until the spasm finally let her go. “Oh my God, Sonja . . .” she gasped, her lungs struggling fervently for air.

  Sonja slid on top of her and smiled. “I’m afraid that was the last one for the next few hours – who knows when we’ll get another chance?”

  “Please, don’t even think about it,” Kim moaned. “Forget all the secluded corners and closets you’re imagining right now.”

  “I’m not imagining anything,” Sonja said with a soft laugh, standing up. “In any case, we’re going to have to take turns in the shower, or else we’ll never get anywhere today.”

  “I think so, too.” Kim smiled, crossed her arms behind her head, and watched Sonja as she walked into the attached bathroom. She was so happy. She had Sonja with her, had finally spent an entire night with her after such a long time, and she’d had a – well, yes, a strenuous morning.

  Right up until the last minute, she hadn’t believed that Sonja would really come. Not until she was standing at the door, picking Kim up. It was like déjà vu – like the time they’d driven to the seminar together in Sonja’s car. Sonja sat in the driver’s seat, Kim next to her, contemplating her beautiful face and listening to her.

  Only this time, she was able to show how much she liked her.

  “Your turn.” Sonja stepped out of the shower and gestured behind herself. She wore a hotel bathrobe and looked even more seductive than usual in it.

  “Can’t you ever wear anything that doesn’t immediately make all my hormones surge?” Kim asked with a laugh.

  Sonja arched her eyebrows. “A bathrobe isn’t exactly an evening gown.” She laughed as well.

  Kim went over and kissed her. “Since you’d be inside either one, there’s no difference,” she whispered. She sighed, tore herself away from Sonja, and went into the bathroom.

  Shortly thereafter, they were both fully dressed. “Is there any point in having breakfast here in the hotel?” Sonja said. “I’m sure there’ll be plenty to eat at the wedding.”

  “And Sandra?” Kim asked.

  “Oh, right, we were going to meet up in the breakfast room.” Sonja nodded. “Why, really? We could’ve just met at the wedding.”

  “No idea.” Kim shrugged. “She said she’d come up this morning by car. Maybe she didn’t want to go alone. Or maybe she wanted to have some coffee first.”

  “Are you ready?” Sonja looked at Kim.

  “I think so. I can go to the registry office without a costume, anyhow. What comes after . . .” Kim grimaced.

  Sonja laughed. “We’ll just see what we get.”

  They left the room and went downstairs to the breakfast room.

  When they arrived, they saw Sandra alone at a table. She smiled when she saw Sonja and Kim come in. “You two took your time.”

  Kim looked rather sheepish. Sonja cleared her throat. “Shall we go, then?” she asked.

  “In a minute.” Sandra stood up. She looked at Sonja. “Sonja, may I introduce your father?” She indicated an elegant older gentleman who was just coming in the door.

  He stopped abruptly and stared at Sonja, then at Sandra again, then back at Sonja.

  “Here she is, Pops
.” Sandra smiled. “Your other daughter.”

  Sonja stood there like a statue, not moving. “How could you –?” She glared furiously at Sandra. “Without asking me?”

  “Would you have said yes?” Sandra smiled again. “I know you like I know myself, don’t forget. I’d be furious in your place, too, but I couldn’t do this to Pops any longer. Ever since he’s known about you, that we met each other, he’s wanted nothing other than to see you. Please – don’t be mad. Or if you are, be mad at me. He’s our father, your father.”

  Harald Kruschewski came closer. “Sonja,” he whispered. “My little girl . . .”

  Sonja stared at him.

  “I know this is awful for you,” he said. “What we did to you two –”

  “What kind of a father are you?” Sonja asked coldly. “For thirty-five years –”

  “You’re right,” he said guiltily. “But have you ever asked your mother that question?” He looked at Sandra. “How similar you two look,” he said, overwhelmed. “I would hardly have known which one was you, and which one was she.” He turned back to Sonja. “I’ll go away again immediately. I just wanted to see you. By no means do I wish to burden you with my presence.”

  “But Pops . . .” Sandra linked arms with him and gave him a tender look. “Just let her calm down a little. I don’t know what I would do –” she swallowed, “if I were to see our mother. I’d probably react exactly the same way.”

  “You haven’t met her yet?” her father asked.

  “No.” Sandra shook her head. “Sonja hasn’t introduced me yet.”

  “Is she –” Harald Kruschewski looked at Sonja. “How is she?”

  “What business is it of yours? She hasn’t interested you for thirty-five years, any more than I did.” Sonja acted as cold as an iceberg.

  “This is too much for you, I understand that.” Harald Kruschewski smiled at Sandra. “I’d really better go now, child. You meant well, but Sonja really isn’t as enthusiastic as you expected,” he turned to face Sonja, “and as I had hoped. That really doesn’t surprise me. You’re both like your mother that way. She doesn’t like surprises any more than you do.”

  “That’s true.” Sonja looked at him in amazement.

  He smiled wistfully. “I was married to her. And we had you two. Even though it was a long time ago, I still remember what she was like.” He looked at both of his daughters. “You’re so much like her. She was a beautiful woman, just like the two of you.”

  “She’s still –” Sonja cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. I’m . . . I know how my mother can be.”

  “I believe that!” He smiled, but then became serious again. “I shouldn’t have done this to you. I should never have let her blackmail me.”

  “Blackmail?” Sonja stared at him.

  “The laws were different then than they are now. The children always stayed with their mother. The father had practically no rights. But I didn’t want that. I would only have gotten custody of the children if she had committed adultery. But she didn’t do that.” He laughed somewhat bitterly. “No, she didn’t go that far. She had other methods.”

  “I don’t believe it!” Sonja gasped, spun on her heel, and stalked out of the room at a rapid clip.

  Sandra restrained Kim, who was already jumping up to follow Sonja. “She’ll calm down again, believe me. But for the moment – go easy on her. I’ll take care of my father.”

  Kim ran after Sonja, who was already unlocking the car door. Kim reached her just as she was about to get in.

  “I’m driving back. I don’t feel much like a wedding anymore. I’m sure Sandra will be happy to give you a ride home.”

  “Sonja . . .” Kim looked at her. “I know that was a shock for you, but he is your father – yours and Sandra’s.”

  “For thirty-five years, he forgot that,” Sonja said bitterly.

  “It doesn’t seem that way to me.”

  “You blame my mother, too?” Sonja hissed at her.

  Kim had to smile. If Sonja’s mother were like Sonja – which, indeed, her father had claimed – things couldn’t be easy with her, either. “I don’t know your mother. But I see that your father –”

  “Don’t call him that!” Sonja’s voice rose.

  “All right,” Kim said. “Let’s not talk about this right now. Stay here, please. None of this has anything to do with the wedding. We promised Jennifer and Jo.”

  Sonja looked down at the ground and took a deep breath. “You’re right. But Sandra –” She raised a wrathful gaze. “I’m going to kill her!”

  Kim laughed. “No, you aren’t. Twins don’t do that sort of thing. She’s like another part of you. That’s why you’re so furious with her. You’ll be able to sort this out once the storm has passed. Don’t you think?”

  Sonja tilted her head in the manner that was so characteristic of her. “You know, a while ago, I thought I had problems – serious problems. But when I look around at all this . . . my whole life is in chaos. One giant mound of chaos . . . a catastrophe. And I don’t see any possibility –” She broke off in despair.

  “Don’t think about that.” Kim wrapped an arm around Sonja. “I love you. Never forget that. Promise me that?” She looked at Sonja, trying to catch her gaze. “Do you promise?”

  “I hate disorder. And I’m constantly confronted with it now.” Sonja looked at Kim. “You’re the only constant. You . . . you’ve never abandoned me. I . . .” she swallowed, “I don’t know what I did to deserve that.”

  “You do deserve that.” Kim drew Sonja into her arms. “Never doubt that you deserve it. My life would be pointless without you. If for no other reason, you deserve it. What would I do without you?”

  Sonja laughed rather miserably. “You’d find someone else.”

  Kim looked at her earnestly. “Love isn’t like a sweater that you can just exchange for a new one.”

  Sonja’s mouth twitched indecisively. She seemed to be vacillating between crying and laughing. “You’re wearing me out.”

  “I thought I already did that this morning,” Kim answered wittily. Sonja seemed to have recovered herself, which reassured her, and the wedding mood returned.

  “If you think that was all, just wait until tonight,” Sonja said.

  The corners of her mouth had made their decision.

  Amused, they pointed upward.

  ~*~*~*~

  The bridal couple’s deep kiss seemed like it would never end. The registrar smiled and cleared her throat.

  Jo and Jennifer appeared to wake as if from a dream. They gave each other one more tender look.

  “You still need to sign here,” the registrar said. The signatures were accomplished, and the official handed over the certificate. “Good luck,” she said, and it sounded like she meant it.

  Sonja looked reflective as they left the wedding chamber. Kim wondered whether she was remembering her own wedding day, and whether she’d had such an intimate relationship with her husband back then as Jo and Jennifer had today. At the same time, she wished she might one day have the chance to stand in such a wedding chamber – with Sonja as her bride. But that was out of the question. “Are you all right?” she asked.

  Sonja lifted her gaze slowly, absent-mindedly. “Oh . . . yes.”

  “Doesn’t it just make you want to bawl?” Jennifer’s mother looked at Kim and dabbed a tear from the corner of her eye with a miniscule handkerchief. “I’m glad this is almost over. Only Axel is left, and then they’ll all be married.”

  “That’s not going to happen any time soon, Mama.” Jennifer’s brother Axel grinned at his mother.

  Jennifer’s mother turned around. “I used to think that about Jennifer, too; she was always so set against it.”

  “I was, too, until I met you,” Jennifer’s father laughed, walking over to them. “She gets that from me. But then, when the right woman comes along –” He laughed once more, took his wife’s hand, and kissed it.

  “Yes. Jo is all right.” Jennifer’s
mother nodded. “I’ve had my share of worries, but I think Jennifer’s in good hands with her.”

  “Now she can see for herself how it is,” Jennifer’s sister Kathrin chuckled. “She was always making jokes about Jens and me.”

  “Avoidance tactics,” Axel said, from all the exalted wisdom of his twenty-two years. “She was really just jealous.”

  “I could tell!” Kathrin’s husband Jens laughed.

  Jennifer’s mother looked around at Jo and Jennifer. “You’ll be all right on your own, won’t you? I’m going on ahead . . . to take care of the buffet.”

  “Yes, sure.” Her husband nodded. “There are plenty of cars here.”

  Jennifer’s mother disappeared quickly toward the exit.

  “Where did my mother go?” Jennifer asked a minute later. “She was just here.”

  “The buffet . . .” Sonja said.

  “Ah.” Jennifer took a deep breath. She hung on Jo’s arm, seeming like she never wanted to let go of her again. “Now we have all that behind us.”

  Jo smiled at her. “Are you happy?”

  “At the moment, I think I’m still too worked up to be happy,” Jennifer replied. “Ask me again when everyone else is gone.”

  “I’m sure I will.” Jo grinned. “But I’m already happy. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

  Jennifer looked at her. “No, that doesn’t bother me.” She threw her arms around Jo, and once more, the two of them sank deep into a kiss.

  Kim glanced at Sonja, and again, she thought Sonja seemed very reflective.

  “Sonja, I’m sorry.” Sandra approached them. “I didn’t mean to catch you off-guard like that, but I felt so sorry for Pops . . .”

  “It’s all right. It had to happen sometime.”

  “Are you still mad at me?” Sandra gave her sister a guilt-ridden look, and it appeared as though Sonja were looking at herself, as if the two of them were the same person in a mirror. Kim still found this confusing.

  Sonja – was she the person in the mirror, or the real one? – considered Sandra for a while. “No, I don’t think so,” she said then, to Kim’s great relief. Kim had been feeling the tension between them almost physically. “I was very angry –”