Cold

  "Shelley?" asked the voice behind them.

  Jo looked up to see a young woman standing behind her lover. Rocky turned herself, shrugging her way out of the wet jacket.

  "Kate," was all Rocky could manage, and she stood, taking a step forward, hugging the girl fiercely.

  Jo tried to look away, to give what were obviously old friends a moment, but she couldn't take her eyes off the anguished look on the face of the girl holding on to her lover.

  When she'd finally composed herself, Kate reluctantly let go of the blonde. "They said you were dead."

  Rocky wiped a hand across her face. "Who said?" Rocky sat heavily on the chair, feeling a gentle hand on her arm as she did so.

  Kate looked at a loss standing there in front of the two seated women, shaking slightly. She ran a hand through short brown hair, and looked back at the woman behind the counter. "Can I have a moment?"

  The woman nodded, and she sat with her friend. Kate nodded at Jo, who smiled back, then her gaze found her old schoolfriend again. "It was a couple of months after the accident. A man came here looking for you. Said you'd disappeared." She looked down at the floor. "Then a few months later, he came back and said he had to clear out your house, that you were presumed dead."

  Rocky covered her face with her hands, then reached across and took one of Jo's hands.

  Kate looked at Jo. "I'm sorry...."

  "No, my fault." She reached across with her free hand, offering it to the girl. "Hi, I'm Jo."

  "Kate," said the still tearful girl. "We grew up together."

  Rocky looked up at her friend. "It's really good to see you, Katy."

  "Where did you go?" she asked.

  "It's a long story. I can't tell it right now."

  Kate nodded. "That's okay, Shelley. It's just good to know you're okay." She stood. "I'll just go and get you some drinks, then maybe we can talk."

  Rocky nodded, and watched her friend disappear behind the counter.

  An hour or so later, Jo and Rocky walked towards the Merc, still parked beside the wall. Their clothes and hair were still damp, and they wanted nothing more than to get back to their hotel and test out the large bath they'd seen in the bathroom of their suite.

  "So you went to school with Kate?" Jo asked as she unlocked the car with the remote on her keyring.

  "Yeah, we were really close." Rocky slid into the passenger seat. "I didn't think about people like that. I should have got word to her." She looked across at Jo, who was inserting the key into the ignition. "Did you notice how quiet she got after she first saw me?"

  Jo started the car, and waited for the de-misters to work on the windscreen. "Yeah, I think it was all a little too much for her to take in."

  "I wouldn't blame her for hating me." Rocky pulled her seatbelt on, and sat forlornly with her head bowed.

  "Now why would she do that?" Jo asked, becoming a little annoyed with her morose lover. She looked across at the dejected figure. "Hey," she reached out and took one of the cold hands that were clutched together in the blonde's lap.

  "I was thoughtless," Rocky said quietly. "Didn't think of anyone but myself."

  Jo squeezed the hand she held. "You had to do what you did to save yourself." She shook the hand. "Hey, look at me."

  Reluctantly, Rocky looked up, and moist green eyes locked with Jo's. Jo pulled in to the side of the road, and turned in her seat to face the blonde.

  "You survived, Rocky. And now you have all the time in the world to go back and find some of the life you left behind." She raised their joined hands to her lips, kissing the knuckles of her lover. "And I for one am very very grateful you survived." She leaned across, her lips finding the blonde's. And in that moment managed to show just how grateful.

  There was only one pay phone in the small village, and the young man that stepped into it managed to take his eyes off the Merc long enough to take out a small piece of paper from his wallet. He keyed the numbers on that paper and waited while he heard the dial tone change to a ringing tone.

  "Hello? It's Paul Langley.... You asked me to let you know if Michelle Kersey ever showed her face here again.... Yes, I'm looking at her right now.... No she's with a tall woman, never seen her before.... Don't know.... They're in a Merc - nice one, silver, soft top....Yeah. X1 JHS.... You'll send the money? Ok, bye."

  He slid out of the phone box as the Merc, which had only gone a few yards since he saw the women get into it, drove away again and disappeared into the rainy gloom.

  It was getting dark as they arrived back at the clifftop hotel.

  "So you're telling me that they opened up just for us?" asked Rocky as she leaned in, testing the temperature of the water filling the bath.

  "Yeah. All the hotels that were open over Christmas were fully booked. They didn't take too much persuading."

  Rocky sat on the edge of the bath. "How much did it cost?"

  "Does it matter?"

  Rocky nodded. "I don't want you spending all your money on me."

  Jo leaned her hands on the shoulders of the smaller woman. "I have lots of money."

  "Not the point," Rocky said, but she was rapidly losing her resolve to be angry with Jo as she felt her lover begin to unbutton the still-damp shirt she wore.

  "There won't be any room service, but I've ordered us an Indian meal which will be delivered in on hour or so. Mrs. Maple is going to bring it up."

  "Mrs. Maple?"

  "The woman at reception."

  "And the old man who helped with our luggage?"

  "Mr. Maple."

  The shirt was removed and thrown onto the bathroom floor. Then Rocky was gently eased to her feet, and Jo knelt, undoing the laces of the black leather boots she wore. "I can do that," the blonde protested.

  Twinkling blue eyes looked up at her through ebony hair. "I know," she said on a smile.

  "So you talked them into opening?" Rocky asked, as Jo eased off her shoes and then turned her attention to the button-down fly of her jeans.

  "Yep," she said, undoing the top button. "They said they'd do it." The second button popped open. "But they could only provide light meals." Another one gave under expert fingers. "And no room service." She stood as the jeans fell to pool around Rocky's feet.

  She bent to kiss the lips of the half-naked woman in front of her. "I love you," she said as she pulled back.

  "And I love you." Rocky decided to return the compliment, and turned her attention to the zip of Jo's fly.

  The bath had taken longer than they thought, and Mrs. Maple had called them twice on the phone to tell them their meal had arrived and was in the microwave heating for the second time.

  The old man tried valiantly to avert his eyes from the long legs that emerged from the bottom of a long teeshirt when Jo opened the door to allow him to bring the meal into their room.

  "Mrs. Maple and I will be in the lounge if you need anything, dear," he said as he set the plates down on the small table.

  "Thankyou," said Jo, giving a smirk to her lover, who was more decently covered than she was.

  "You should put more clothes on," scolded Rocky when the old man left, shutting the door gently behind him.

  "Why? If you've got it, flaunt it. That's what I say."

  Rocky looked at the limbs in question. "You've just got.... so much of it."

  The meal was, as most Indian meals are, hot and spicy, and they had to call down a couple of times for more orange juice and Coke. But every time it was the elderly man who made the long trek up to room number three. Then it would take a few moments from an unrepentant Jo to usher him out of the door again. This time he took the dirty plates and cutlery with him.

  "You know what it does to him," said Rocky as the door closed. "You should have put something else on this time."

  "Why? I'm comfortable."

  "You know why."

  Jo chuckled and eased into the warm, comfortable bed, watching Rocky as she turned on the TV and then joined her in the cosy nest.

  "This is
nice," Jo said as she wound an arm around the blonde, who sank easily into the embrace.

  "It is."

  "You okay?"

  Rocky nodded but remained silent.

  "So why do I feel like there's something wrong?" Jo asked, turning her head slightly and kissing soft blonde hair.

  "I'm still waiting to wake up." She looked up at her friend, her heart missing a beat when she looked into eyes as blue as the summer sky. "It's like a dream." She lay her head on Jo's chest. "You're like a dream."

  Jo lay there, the blonde resting comfortably in her arms, enjoying the moment and the comfortable silence that surrounded them. It almost made her jump when Rocky spoke again.

  "I'm scared of losing you." The blonde's voice was very small, very pained.

  "You won't, I promise."

  In the snowy midlands a man picked up the phone, dialled a number and waited for it to connect. "John?.... Yes. I need you to run a check on a car for me.... Silver Mercedes convertible. Registration number X1 JHS. As soon as you can..... Let me know."

  He replaced the phone in its cradle and sat back. "Happy happy day," he whispered to himself.

  Part 19

  Rocky woke with a start. For a brief moment she didn't know where she was. A television cast a flickering glow across the room. She looked to her left, the presence at her side demanding her attention.

  Jo was still asleep, flat on her back. Rocky was on her stomach right next to her. Their hands were tangled together between them.

  Rocky gently turned onto her side. The dark-haired woman stirred but didn't awaken. Many nights, when she was woken by her dreams, Rocky would do this - just lie there in the silence of the night watching Jo.

  They were both naked; any clothing torn off in the passion they had shared some time before.

  Rocky pulled gently on the quilt, which Jo had pulled up over them when their skin started to feel the chill of the evening. It slid down the long body, and she watched in fascination as the dark nipples responded to the fabric of the quilt cover as it slid across them.

  Jo sucked in a deep breath, exhaling loudly.

  Rocky smiled to herself as she pulled the quilt away from her lover's body. She looked up from the flesh she had uncovered to Jo's face, to find two very blue, very dazed eyes looking back at her.

  "Hi," she said quietly.

  Jo attempted to speak but had to clear her throat first. "Why are you awake?"

  Rocky reached out, tracing the soft flesh of Jo's cheek, running her hand down, following a smooth jaw line. "I'm not sure. Active mind, I think."

  Jo captured the roaming hand, bringing it to her lips and kissing the fingertips. She pulled slightly, settling the blonde on top of her and holding on to her loosely.

  "This is nice," said the blonde, relaxing onto the living mattress, revelling in the feeling of silky skin against her own.

  "Yes it is," Jo breathed into her ear, her own hands wandering across the planes of Rocky's back.

  "Jo?" Rocky suddenly pulled back, sitting up astride Jo's hips, leaving the brunette's hands empty. Long arms flopped back onto the bed.

  The blonde looked down at the woman, and her hands traced the taut abdomen watching as the muscles beneath the skin tightened at her touch. "You're very beautiful."

  Jo swallowed. "So are you."

  "You know, I still don't know why you chose me." Rocky's hands found Jo's navel, the tip of her finger dipping into it. Green eyes looked into the flushed face. "I'm not sure I know what I'm doing here."

  Jo opened her mouth to disagree, but clamped it shut again as a tentative hand then found her breast. "Is this nice?" Rocky whispered as her finger brushed across already tense buds.

  Jo nodded quickly.

  "And this?" She squeezed the aching nipple between two fingers, feeling the body beneath her react.

  "I didn't ever think about loving another woman," she said quietly, watching her own hand as it caressed Jo's body. "But then I didn't think much about love for a long time." She brought her other hand up to join its mate. Now both breasts were enjoying the attention. She cupped the soft mounds, her short nails raking gently across the sensitive skin. "In my dream, you came and took me away, to somewhere safe and warm." She still cupped Jo's breasts in her hands, but now caressed both nipples with her thumbs. "The fact that you were a woman didn't surprise me. Why was that?" She tore her eyes away from her own hands when she received no answer, to find Jo's eyes tightly shut. "Jo, are you listening?"

  Jo's eyes shot open. "Um, yes, I'm listening."

  Rocky sighed. Her hands drifted downwards, along the outside of Jo's now highly aroused breasts, and came to rest on her hips.

  "I want to make you feel the way you make me feel." Her hands moved inwards, her thumbs tracing the sensitive skin at the juncture of long thighs. She smiled to herself when she heard Jo's breathing increase, the chest she had been loving so tenderly only moments before rising and falling rapidly.

  She ran her hand through soft curls, marvelling at the feel of them. "Anyway," Rocky continued. "You're just going to have to tell me if I'm doing anything right." She traced patterns across the twitching abdomen, circling a perfect belly button, and tracing the edge of the dark patch of hair. She looked down, and, cocking her head to the side, ventured further.

  Jo's hips bucked so violently that Rocky was nearly thrown from the bed. She withdrew her hand quickly from the place she had found that elicited the reaction.

  "Sorry," said Rocky steadying herself with both hands on Jo's stomach.

  "Don't be," Jo squeaked.

  "Did I hurt you?"

  Jo shook her head tightly.

  "I want to do it right." Rocky's hand once again found the place, and she watched closely as blue eyes fluttered closed. "Tell me what you want," she whispered.

  Jo's mouth opened and closed, but no coherent sound was forthcoming.

  "So this is okay, then?" She'd never felt such softness, and she felt her own body reacting to the new feelings she was experiencing.

  Jo's hands grasped onto the sheet beneath her as Rocky's tentative touch drew out her pleasure. Her hips rose, encouraging the blonde in her efforts, feeling the touch become bolder, deeper.

  And when a hot mouth enveloped her nipple she took two handfuls of soft blonde hair, holding her lover in place.

  Even in her inexperience, Rocky knew Jo was nearing the edge, and she desperately wanted to see her. She raised her head, struggling against her lover's hands, which attempted to keep her in place. Desperately, Jo grasped for Rocky's free hand, pressing it to her aching breast.

  Rocky gazed upon the face of her lover as Jo came. She'd never seen anything so beautiful; never had Jo looked so beautiful. She eased her hand away from the warmth and softness of her lover's pleasure, and pressed her body gently down onto the gasping form below her. Gently pushing damp hair from Jo's forehead, she kissed the tip of her nose, her closed eyes, and then her slightly swollen lips.

  Though her arms felt heavy, Jo clutched at the woman who had just given her more pleasure than she'd ever felt. True, she had experienced much in her time, but never felt such emotion. She had finally given her body. True, she had allowed others to touch her, but this was so very different. And as she held her lover, whose fingers were at that moment making small patterns across her lower abdomen, she realised she had finally made love. It wasn't sex. It was love. Rocky's tentative, nervous hands had drawn out the woman in her, and for that she would be forever in her debt. To the other women who had taken her body, she had been nothing more than a conquest. A notch on a bedpost, a name to be whispered. And she hadn't cared.

  But now.

  The hand on her stomach had stopped its torturous movement, and she looked down at the face of her lover, relaxed in slumber.

  Her tears surprised her. Why on earth was she crying? This was quite probably one of the most wonderful moments of her life. And here she was snivelling like a baby. She tightened her hold on the blonde.

&nb
sp; "What?" Rocky's voice was sleepy. She looked up, alarmed at the tears she saw coursing down her lover's face. "Jo?"

  "I'm fine," she said quickly, wiping at the tears with her hand.

  "You're crying." Rocky propped herself up on one elbow, catching a tear as it made its way across Jo's cheek.

  "I'm happy," Jo sniffed.

  "I'm glad." Rocky leaned forward and kissed Jo, trying to put into that kiss the love and respect she felt for this woman. Trying to convey her thanks for the gift Jo had given her.

  "I love you so much," whispered the blonde.

  Jo merely smiled, knowing her voice would fail her. She pulled Rocky tightly against her own body, and dragged the quilt from where it had fallen to the side of the bed, covering them.

  Two sets of breathing fell into a rhythm as they fell asleep, holding on tightly to one another, both secure in the knowledge that they had found one more piece of their soul. One more part of the jigsaw that might, just one day make them complete.

  The TV played on. Its silver light picking out the forms on the bed, bathing them in an eerie glow, highlighting the matching smiles on sleeping faces.

  They say when two English men, or women for that matter, meet, they will discuss the weather. And the day that greeted the lovers proved that point. Though dark clouds gathered in the distance, the sky over the small village of Tintagel was blue, and the winter sun shone fiercely. It was still frigidly cold, but the sun cast the village in a new light, and Jo could imagine the woman walking beside her growing up there.

  They had parked the Merc in a small carpark and walked slowly through the village, looking at the places that Rocky was rediscovering. The long walk down to the cliff face, and to the ruins of the castle, was made carefully, the path still damp from the rain that had fallen in the previous days.

  They surveyed the ruins, hand in hand.

  Rocky felt the large hand squeezing her own. "You okay?" she asked, squinting against the sunlight which brought out the slightly auburn highlights in her lover's hair.

  Jo's eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted. A furrow marred her forehead.