They kissed, tongues dancing as their bodies did. It was the most sensual moment of Veronica’s life. She was aroused to a point that an orgasm would probably make her black out. Her nipples were so sensitive that even the bubbles felt like a caress.
She’d never known. She’d never known this passion, this soft, all-consuming passion existed. She would get on her knees and thank Marlene for making her sign up for the doubles tournament. For giving her the key to unlock the door to life.
They moved back under the water and used their hands to continue to tease as the water sluiced off the soap. Soon slippery skin was slightly tacky and the hot water was turning warm.
Veronica sighed and looked Patrice in the eye. “Looks like I need a bigger water heater.”
Patrice laughed. “Next time, we’ll do it at my place.”
Next time.
Would there be a next time? Or was this going to end as quickly as it had begun? Did she want it to end? Or did Veronica want to continue down the road to see just how far she would get?
Veronica switched the water off, then reached out to grab two peach-colored towels from the rack above the toilet. They dried each other off slowly, licking and nibbling at each dry spot they made. By the time they were dry on the outside, Veronica was wet with need. Patrice seemed to understand. She backed Veronica to the corner of the tub and nudged her legs apart. She positioned her thigh on Veronica’s throbbing pussy and lay her hot pussy on Veronica’s leg.
“Let’s take a morning ride.”
Veronica cupped Patrice’s breasts and pinched the nipples while Patrice laved and suckled at hers. They rocked back and forth, pleasuring each other, clits rubbing back and forth until they were erect nubbins of pleasure. Veronica felt her orgasm rolling in.
“Oh, my God, I’m coming, Patrice.”
Patrice bit down on her nipple and increased her rhythm, bringing them both to a crashing climax. Moans of ecstasy echoed around the room. Veronica was breathing heavily, and Patrice leaned against her, limp as a noodle.
“Boy, am I glad I could take a shower at your place.”
Veronica laughed. “Me, too. I’ll never think of the morning shower the same way again.”
Patrice lifted her head up, droplets of water clinging to the wavy ends of her auburn hair. “Neither will I.” She stood straight and kissed Veronica deeply. Finally pulling away with one last kiss while leaving a piece of her heart with the brunette in her arms.
* * * * *
“Do you want to meet back here in an hour?” Patrice got out of the car at the Starlite lanes by her car. She needed to go back to her hotel and change.
“Sure. I’ll wait outside for you on the bench.”
Patrice kissed her, then whistled as she headed to the car. Veronica grinned and waved as Patrice headed off down the road.
Veronica had an hour. She meant to make the most of it. She turned the car off and pulled her cell phone out of her purse. First things first; she had to talk to her mother. After dialing the familiar number, she waited for her to pick up.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mom.”
“It’s about time you called, young lady.”
“Mom, I’m forty-two years old. I think you can stop calling me young lady.”
“I will never stop calling you that. Now, what in tarnation is going on out there? I heard from no less than three people that you were kissing a woman. Tell me it’s a short man without facial hair?”
Veronica took a deep breath. Now or never. The rest of her life was waiting.
“No, it’s a woman. Yes I was kissing her. I really like her, Mom. She’s a sweet, funny, smart lady and ... I really like her.”
The silence on the other end of the phone went on forever, broken occasionally by the crackle of the phone lines.
“That’s disgusting. I can’t believe you would call me to tell me that you have turned lesbian!”
“I’m not ‘turning’ anything, Mom. I am simply following my heart. It tells me that Patrice is the next stop in my journey.”
“Ha! What kind of drivel is that? You sound like a greeting card.”
Veronica sighed long and hard. “Mom, I’ve spent most of my life letting you push me around and telling me what I needed or didn’t need. Now I’m taking back control, and it starts here and now. If you can’t accept the fact that I want to be with Patrice as a lover, then so be it. I hope you can, because I’d hate to lose you over this. I’m going to hang up now. When you’re ready to talk, call me. I’ll be waiting.”
Veronica pushed the End button with a shaking finger. She’d done it. Holy shit and crackers. She’d just told her mother exactly what she was thinking without hedging, or lying, or denying. She had freed herself from the yoke of Eunice Bernard! A small part of her mourned for the tear in the relationship that she had made, but an even larger part of her rejoiced. She was long past the age where the apron strings should have been snipped.
Veronica got out of the car and did a silly little dance and whooped like a little kid until she was breathless. She climbed back in the car in time to hear the phone ringing.
“Hello?”
“I just wanted to say thanks.” Patrice’s sweet voice came through loud and clear.
“What are you thanking me for?”
“For taking a chance on me, on us. For stepping outside your comfort zone and seeing what would happen.”
Veronica smiled out the window. “The same goes right back atcha, Patrice. I think we both took a chance.”
“See you in a while.”
“Okay.”
This time when she hid the End button, Veronica was grinning like a lunatic. She had a few errands to run before she had to meet Patrice, so she turned on the car and headed out.
Chapter Nine
Veronica sat on the bench outside the alley waiting for Patrice. It was a beautiful day and the birds were chirping. Squirrels ran around the trees like mad-cap adventurers, and all seemed right with the world.
She wore her new clothes, the orange capri pants and the yellow top. She had also gone and bought a pair of strappy sandals that were presently cupping her feet nicely. She also bought some dangly earrings and a new purse. A mini-bag that fit right under her shoulder. It was bright green with a Hawaiian flower print on it.
It was an explosion of color for her. More color than she’d seen, worn, or owned for five years. It was almost blinding, but it was also comfortable. Like something she’d been missing and had just found again.
Veronica saw Patrice’s SUV pull up and she stood up. When Patrice got out, Veronica laughed to see her wearing the exact same outfit. Bowling uniforms! Patrice must have hunted to find a matching outfit for Veronica in the right size. The magnitude of that particular piece of information made her heart clench. No one had ever gone out specifically to shop for her like that. Oh, Orin had given her flowers or a nice bracelet or some other sweet gift, but not like this. It was special.
When Patrice came toward her, blue bowling bag in hand, Veronica realized her bowling bag was even black and vowed to buy a newer, brighter one, and new bowling shoes. There were some perky lavender ones in the pro shop. She smiled at Patrice while her silly heart did a pittypat.
“Nice outfit.”
Patrice laughed. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“It is.” She pulled Patrice into a hug and whispered. “Thank you.”
“You are more than welcome, sweetie.”
Veronica kissed Patrice lightly, but it turned into a deeper kiss. Lips slid softly against each other, suckling and rubbing.
“Well, I have never seen anything of the like in all my life!” Melissa’s screeching tones scratched at Veronica’s ears. She looked into Patrice’s blue eyes and silently told her she’d handle it. Patrice nodded and stepped back.
Melissa was one of the elite in Espejo. One of the perfect people with blonde hair, perky boobs, a nice tight ass, and all the money to keep it all like that for the rest of
her life. She was younger than Veronica by about ten years, and once upon a time, Veronica even babysat her. Melissa never grew out of the brat phase.
“You have no call to be disrespectful to me, Melissa.” Veronica felt a power surging through her, giving her the courage to not accept any shit thrown at her.
“Humph. I don’t call that disrespectful, I call it honesty. I am going straight inside and calling your mother.”
That’s when Veronica knew who had called her mother a couple of days ago. It was as obvious as the white enamel on her teeth.
“Excuse us, Patrice.”
Veronica grabbed Melissa’s arm in an iron grip and forced her to walk fifteen feet away.
“Let go of me, Veronica.”
She gladly let Melissa’s arm free.
“You listen to me, without interrupting.”
Melissa’s mouth opened but Veronica raised her hand and magically, Melissa shut up.
“You are not the pillar of society you’d like people to think you are. You cheat on your taxes. Don’t even bother to deny it. I’ve done your taxes for at least four years and both you and Bob lie like cheap rugs. A nose job is not medically necessary no matter how you try to twist it.”
Melissa blushed furiously and touched her nose.
“And writing off the ten thousand dollars you lost in Vegas on your girls’ weekend as a business expense? Please don’t even bother to try to explain that. You don’t even have a job, so you can’t possibly have business expenses. Melissa’s Meanderings, right? Your so-called travel journal? You’ve probably never written a word of it.”
“Just because it’s not published doesn’t mean I didn’t write anything,” Melissa whined.
“I said, don’t interrupt! You were disrespectful to my friend Patrice and to me. Whom I choose to like or kiss is none of your damn business, and I don’t appreciate you judging me. You are in no position to judge anyone. Everyone has skeletons in their closet. You owe both of us an apology, and if you choose not to, don’t forget that I know where your skeletons are hidden.” Veronica pointed her finger at Melissa and was surprised to find herself trembling with anger.
“I ... fine, then. Let’s get it over with.”
Veronica could have fallen over in surprise. Not only had she told someone off for the first time in her life, she felt good about it.
They walked back to Patrice, and Melissa stood silently as Patrice rose from the bench. Veronica poked Melissa in the arm and she jumped a country mile. Her cheeks were blazing with fire and she stared at the ground beneath her perfectly white shoes.
“Okay, fine. My apologies to both you ladies.” After the not-so-heartfelt apology, she gave them her back and went into the alley with her nose in the air.
“What did you say to her?” Patrice asked.
Veronica shrugged. “I helped her see the error of her ways.”
Patrice snorted. “I’m sure you did. That one reminds me of a piranha.”
“With sharp little teeth.” Veronica was glad Melissa hadn’t fought her on the apology. It really was none of her business; however, Veronica didn’t like threatening anyone. She felt a bit like a lioness.
“Are you ready to go inside?” Patrice asked.
Veronica took a deep breath and willed her quaking nerves to relax. That confrontation had surely heated her up some. “Yes, I sure am.”
They linked their arms and walked into the alley together. Veronica spotted Babs at the registration desk so they got on the line to register for the doubles tournament.
When they registered, Babs was her usual self and exclaimed up and down about Veronica’s colorful clothes. She told Veronica she was beautiful and hugged her. It was Babs’s way of telling her she loved her, and it made Veronica’s throat close up with emotion. She’d never realized how much her friend meant to her, how much she had supported her and put up with her widowhood quirks.
After they registered and showed their sanction cards, Patrice and Veronica headed to the snack bar to see Marlene. The great big cowboy with the curly light brown hair and blue eyes was leaning against the counter with a soda. Marlene was smiling at him, and Veronica was surprised to see that she was flirting, too. The last time she’d seen them, they’d looked ready to tear into each other. Interesting development.
“Hey, Veronica!”
“Hi, Marlene. I wanted to come by and say hi.”
Marlene came around the counter and was grinning from ear to ear. She went up to Patrice. “I’m glad to see you two together again.”
Patrice smiled. “Thanks. I’m pretty glad, too.” She winked at Veronica.
Marlene turned to the man at the counter. “You remember Buck Miller, my mixed partner for the tournament?”
“Ladies.” He inclined his head and tipped an invisible hat.
Veronica smiled and said hello.
“Of course we do. I meant to ask, where are you from, Buck?” Patrice asked.
“Up near Wichita Falls.”
“Ah, a flatlander, then,” Patrice teased.
Buck chuckled. “Guilty as charged. What about you?”
“San Antonio.”
While Patrice and Buck discussed the best restaurants in San Antonio, Marlene pulled Veronica aside. She looked her up and down and grinned widely.
“You are wearing colors!”
Veronica grinned. “I know.”
“You look beautiful. You’re ... glowing somehow. Sparkling from the inside out! I take it you worked out your dilemma about Patrice?”
“I followed my heart, Marlene. I think I’ve decided that love sneaks up on you, and it doesn’t care what shape or size or even gender you are. It just ... happens.” That was as close to the truth as she could be. The rest was still somewhat blurry and she wasn’t sure what was going to come next.
“Love? Are you in love with her?”
Veronica shrugged. “I don’t know, honestly. I do know that I like her, a lot. I hope that we can see each other again after this week is over, but I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it yet.”
Marlene hugged her tightly. “I’m just glad you followed your heart. You look ... happy.”
“I am happy. For the first time in a long time, I’m no longer in the shadows. I discovered something I’d been missing ... Life.” That was exactly it. She felt alive.
“It agrees with you, sweetie. Are you coming to my party tomorrow night? And bringing Patrice, I hope.”
Veronica squeezed Marlene’s hand. “I’ll be there.”
* * * * *
Patrice and Veronica bowled as if they’d been bowling together all their lives. Like a well-oiled machine, they slapped hands to share good luck, and bumped their fists to get rid of the bad luck. They weren’t the best bowlers in the world, but they worked well together. As a team.
It was obvious to everyone that there was a personal relationship between them, but no one said anything. Patrice noticed a few raised eyebrows, but chalked it up to ignorance and not malice. That blonde, Melissa, seemed to be the only bitchy one, and she kept her distance from them down on her lane with an equally blonde goddess named Maya. Small towns or big cities, there were always people like Melissa and Maya who passed judgment on others.
After the bowling was over, Veronica invited her to go for ice cream. They jumped into Patrice’s truck and headed down to the Dairy Queen. They laughed when they discovered that Veronica loved chocolate, but Patrice liked vanilla. Patrice thought she’d rip a seam she laughed so hard when Ronnie teased her about being a vanilla girl.
They sat on a bench under a red and white umbrella and ate their ice cream cones. Bees droned around them, and traffic whizzed by on the road, but it was peaceful. Very peaceful. Patrice felt so comfortable with Veronica, it was a bit scary. She didn’t want to jinx it or push too hard for something that would never go beyond a week long fling, but she didn’t want to say goodbye either.
“I plan on going back to San Antonio Saturday.”
Vero
nica froze in mid-motion, a drop of her chocolate ice cream dripped onto her hand. Her brown eyes were wide with surprise. “What?”
“I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier, but ... I honestly didn’t expect this thing between us to develop.”
“Is there a thing between us? Truly?”
From any other person, Patrice would take that as a snide comment. From Veronica, it was a simple question from her heart.
“Yes, there is. Can you feel it?”
“I can. I was hoping it wasn’t one-sided or that I was imagining more than what there was.”
Patrice bit her ice cream cone. “No, you weren’t imagining things, and it’s definitely not one-sided.”
“Good. So what do we do about it?”
Patrice felt unsure of that herself. “For now, I think we just play it by ear, you know? We have each other’s numbers and e-mail. We will not lose touch with each other. I promise.”
Veronica nodded, but her eyes were as uncertain as Patrice felt.
* * * * *
They ate Mexican food until they couldn’t move, with margaritas to wash it down. They giggled and swapped stories about their childhoods and deepened the bond between them. Underneath it, Veronica felt the pinch of Patrice leaving Saturday. She tried not to think too hard about it, but it lurked back there.
“Are you okay?” Patrice stood beside the table as they got ready to leave.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Just ... thinking.”
Patrice held out her hand and smiled. “Don’t think too hard. We’ll see each other soon, right?”
Veronica felt like what they had was slipping through her fingers, and she didn’t know how to grab on to it. Patrice sat back down and pulled out a folded paper from her bag and handed it to Veronica.
Veronica looked at the paper with confusion, so Patrice gestured with her hand. “Open it.”
Veronica opened the paper and read it twice before she looked at Patrice with a spark of hope and something else in her heart. “Is this a map to your house?”
“Yep. I used that map site online this morning to create a route from your house to mine.”
The Perfect Score 2 Widow's Weeds Page 7