Jump Then Fall

by Sarah Sanders

  The only thing to do was to kiss her. A torrid, burning kiss. Which got like response.

  Ree slipped a finger inside Ika and pinched her clit…one of Ika’s biggest triggers.

  Ika broke the kiss. “We can’t start now, sweetie, I have to leave,” she gasped, amber eyes dark and stormy with arousal.

  “Let me at least lick your wet off.”

  “We both know if you get between my legs you’ll want to eat me and I’ll want you to eat me…and we’ll be at it the whole night,” sultrily.

  She pried Ree’s hand out of her, “But you can taste me on your finger,” she said taking Ree’s hand to her mouth.

  Ree looked at Ika with hooded eyes and licked her own finger rather thoroughly.

  “Oh God!” Ika groaned. “If I don’t go now, I never will,” she muttered getting up. “Don’t walk me to the door, I may not leave,” she warned, walking away.

  ***************************************************************

  It was almost two and a half hours later…around seven-thirty in the evening when Ree’s phone buzzed. FaceTime video call from Ika.

  “Come to the beach, sweetie,” Ika said coaxingly. In the background Ree could see and hear clamour. It was noisy and boisterous and everyone seemed to be having a time of their lives.

  “It’s okay if you’re going to be late…I’ll wait,” Ree said lamely, sounding as wildly uncomfortable as she felt about Ika’s request.

  “There’s karaoke. I’m going to sing for you.”

  Ree watched Ika turn bashful and blush pink. She was charmed. “Be right there, babe.”

  Ika was touched that Ree didn’t pause, stall or argue at all. For someone who avoided people as much as her, it was incredibly moving that for Ika that Ree was more than willing to step out of her preferred zone for her immediately. Ika’s heart welled. “I’ve set you up in a hidden spot. You don’t have to mingle,” Ika smiled at her winningly.

  “How am I going to find the spot?”

  “Don’t worry, you will,” Ika blew her a kiss and disconnected.

  Ree stepped out of her room and saw a line of marigold flower petals that ran along one side. As she walked down towards the beach, she saw the line of petals all along the way…along a certain path…and it struck her…Ika had drawn a path of petals to lead her to the ‘spot’. She was wholly swept off her feet by how riotously romantic Ika was.

  ***************************************************************

  The spot was truly hidden. Nestled within a circle of palm trees, Ika had managed to get a mattress laid out with a wilderness of pillows. There was a small table placed on the side holding a bowl of noodles, vegetable balls in Manchurian gravy and a small hot case with steamed dim sums. Two tall glasses of orange-pink drinks stood proud with a placard on a little piece of folded paper: ‘Sex on the Beach’ with a winking emoji.

  Ree sank into the luxury of love. Her heart was bursting.

  The professional level amplifier-speaker system ensured she could hear every breath taken on the attached mic. One large screen gave her perfect view of the stage. And no one, but no one, could see this spot.

  The MC announced open house for karaoke. People were drunk enough to be bold and soon there were dozens of people waiting for their chance. They ranged from awful to not-so-bad. They ranged from nervous and stuttering to not-willing-to-let-go-of-mic-and-spotlight. Everyone received a smattering of applause and a lot of hoots.

  Ree ate her food, sipped her drink and waited for Ika to show up.

  Over an hour passed. Ree had finished eating and was on the second drink.

  And suddenly there she was. Larger than life on the big screen. Absolutely breathtaking in a black strapless dress with a tulip hem ending a few inches above her knees. Minimal make-up…just mascara on the eyelids and pink lip gloss. Grey pearl studs gracing her ears. Messy bun on the top of her head. Ree stared, mesmerised.

  And then she started to sing. Her voice – smoky, husky, low register. Perfect pitch and control. Taylor Swift’s Jump Then Fall. The lyrics ran along the bottom of the screen. A song that spoke straight to Ree.

  Ree choked and unabashedly cried through the bravura performance that received a popstar-like ovation when it ended with cries of “once more” filling the air.

  ***************************************************************

  Ree watched Ika walk towards her. Backlit by the lights from the party, she was a black silhouette. A very sexy and curvaceous black silhouette.

  “You just blew my mind, babe,” Ree said softly as soon as Ika was within talking distance. “You totally and completely own me.”

  Ika stopped in front of her. Lit by the moon. Ree could see the sultry expression on Ika’s face now. Ika slipped her hands under the hem of her dress and pulled her risqué aubergine lace thong down. Crushing it in her fist, she extended her arm and offered it to Ree with a sexy smile.

  She pushed Ree down on the mattress and lay on top of her, grinding into her with hunger.

  “Put some fingers inside me, Ree,” she whispered sensually. “It’s been over nine hours since you fucked me and I’m going crazy.”

  Ree inserted two fingers into Ika who was practically flooding with arousal. “Oh! God!…Yessss!…,” Ika hissed.

  Ika started riding Ree’s fingers. Ree circled Ika’s clit, just the way she liked it, with her thumb.

  “Don’t make me come yet, Ree, I want to hump you for some time,” Ika said between heavy breaths. She reached up and pulled a breast out. “Suckle on me,” she buzzed.

  Ree sucked, laved and licked Ika’s lush breast as Ika’s hips moved with gathering speed. Ika was moaning and groaning all the while.

  “Now,” Ika gasped.

  Ree changed from sucking Ika’s breast to nipping her tit. She started using her teeth gently. She stroked and pinched Ika’s clit. Ika’s moans got louder and her hips moved faster.

  Ree curled her fingers inside Ika slightly and pinched and pulled her clitoral hood gently, biting down on her breast…and Ika tumbled over the edge, completely unravelling…crashing down into Ree, biting her hard, letting loose a series of sexy, feminine moans. She lay drawing in gasping breaths. Ree’s arms around her felt like being physically and tangibly enveloped in love.

  “I love you,” she heard Ree murmuring. She hummed in response, too drained to speak.

  “Ree,” Ika’s spoke when some life seeped back into her.

  “Hmmmm?”

  “Take me home and do dirty, filthy things to me,” she smiled into Ree’s shoulder.

  Ree chuckled.

  ***************************************************************

  “You cried, didn’t you?” Ika smiled up at Ree as they walked back leisurely, their arms around each other’s waists. Ree’s finger were gently stroking Ika’s waist. The way she touches me makes me feel loved. It makes me feel beautiful. How can a touch do that? She touches me like I am something precious…fragile. It’s all in her touch. In her eyes when she looks at me.

  “No,” a bit too quick.

  “Liar. I could feel you…you forget that I can actually feel you…that is how I found you in the first place,” Ika grinned.

  “Okay, yeah, maybe a little bit,” Ree mumbled.

  “Sweetie, I felt you choking and sobbing so bad that I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete the song,” Ika chuckled affectionately. “You’re just a big, mushy teddy bear,” she squeezed her arm around Ree, hugging her.

  “And you are some sort of a fantasy I never dared to have,” Ree looked at Ika with ardent blazing intensity, moving her hand to wrap it around Ika’s shoulder, caressing it with her thumb. Ika smiled, absorbing the compliment and the emotion…and turned her head and kissed Ree’s shoulder.

  “Ree, what would you have done if I hadn’t come looking for you that evening?”

  “Nothing,” diffidently.

  “And if I hadn’t brought it up?” Ika knew that Ree would know what exac
tly she meant by it. They spoke the same language, they were somehow always on the same wavelength.

  “I’d probably have found ways to cross paths with you as often as I could. Hoped to somehow wriggle my way into your life in any capacity. Maybe dared to ask you out at some point. But I wouldn’t have had the guts to do anything more. I’d have been lusting after you and daydreaming about you for the rest of my life. But it is equally possible that I’d have done absolutely nothing and just pined for you forever.”

  “So you’d have squandered both our lives,” Ika said contemplatively.

  “I guess.”

  They walked in meditative silence for a while.

  “I’m so grateful that didn’t happen. No matter what else I would’ve done in my life, it would have been completely wasted if we hadn’t happened,” Ika mused.

  Ree squeezed her closer.

  “Ree, what made you answer me so honestly when I asked about it?”

  “I can’t imagine ever not being honest with you, babe. Even at that time.”

  “What made you make a very…ummm…physical? Yeah, physical move on me?” Ika blushed at the memory. “From what I know about you now, that is totally out of character for you.”

  “I couldn’t not have done it. I was so charged with your nearness. So tightly strung talking to you. I had already fallen down a rabbit hole into the wonder of you. A physical expression of all those emotions was inevitable. You know, I’ve never done something like that before…so I can’t say what really happened to me.”

  Ika smiled. “I came totally undone at the first touch…you know that right?” she looked up at Ree from under her lashes, shyly.

  Both stopped walking at the same time and reached for each other’s lips. It was an urgent kiss. A demanding one. A highly charged exchange of lips, passions and tongue. It was hungry.

  ***************************************************************

  “I’ve got something for you,” Ree said opening the door to her room and letting Ika precede her in.

  “When? You don’t leave your room at all unless you’re with me,” Ika frowned uncomprehendingly.

  Ree just smiled back at her leading her towards the bedroom.

  On the bed was a Louis Vuitton cabin-luggage sized suitcase.

  “You got me luggage?” Ika knew that the bag must’ve cost a bomb, but it didn’t make any sense. She’d never mentioned either Louis Vuitton or luggage to Ree in any of their endless conversations.

  “No, I’ve got you what’s inside the bag…the bag is just to hold your gift,” Ree grinned, eyes dancing with barely suppressed mirth.

  Ika looked at Ree in confusion and walked to the bag as Ree watched her. She opened the suitcase and it was filled to the brim…absolutely choc-a-block with…lingerie. Every colour of every style from Victoria’s Secret was in there. All matched sets.

  Ika burst out laughing. A mellifluous sound that filled the space with unadulterated happiness.

  “You crazy person,” she laughed uncontrollably, “I have to take a picture of this.” She went to Ree to retrieve her cell phone which she had shoved into the back pocket of Ree’s shorts. “Hey, you sent me an audio message,” she said, looking at the notifications. “And you’d sent it half an hour after I left from here. Sorry sweetie, I don’t know how I missed it.”

  “I…ummm…I’ll just go and brush and change,” Ree mumbled hightailing out of the room much to Ika’s bemusement.

  Ika played the message. Ree had sent her a song. Beyoncé’s Halo. Hearing it, knowing what Ree was telling her…Ika teared up. She simply had to hear it a couple more times.

  She went to find Ree in the other room. Ree had just come out of the bathroom.

  “You big chicken,” Ika’s said softly, leaning her shoulder against the door of the room. Ree looked at her like a deer caught in the headlights.

  “Come here,” Ika said.

  Ree walked to her…her body language exactly like a little child being brought to task. She was awkward. She was bashful. She was embarrassed. She was adorable.

  She stood in front of Ika, looking down.

  Ika slipped her arms over her shoulders. “Look at me, Ree,” she said, very gently, tunnelling her fingers through Ree’s hair.

  Ree slowly lifted her eyes.

  “Thank you,” Ika said quietly. Sincerely. Going up on her toes and kissing her softly. Feeling Ree’s arms circle her waist and draw her closer. “I love you,” she said against Ree’s lips. Feeling goosebumps cover Ree’s skin.

  Noting that this time Ree didn’t stiffen. She merely loved back.

  ***************************************************************

  They lay in bed…cuddling, kissing, Ree’s hands running all over Ika caressing her, Ika’s hands running through Ree’s hair and over her face, back and arms.

  “Seriously, are you ever going to give me back my underclothes…which you’ve been taking away since we met?” amusedly.

  “No,” very firmly.

  “You lunatic, what are you going to do with them?”

  “I’m going to build my personal museum of memories and they’re all going into that,” Ree said hauling Ika closer.

  “Crazy town,” Ika laughed as she lifted herself and bent down to kiss Ree…hard, firm and forceful.

  “Weren’t you supposed to do dirty, filthy things to me?” she asked unevenly, raising her head and looking into Ree’s eyes…both sets of eyes dark…dark…dark….with desire.

  “That was the plan,” Ree practically growled, flipping them around.

  She turned Ika on her stomach, kissing her neck and back. Her back was Ika’s big, big erogenous zone. She squirmed and ground into the mattress when her back was kissed and licked lightly. Which Ree spent delicious time doing.

  Nipping, kissing and licking Ika’s sides had her moaning and clutching the pillow.

  Ree turned Ika on her back and kissed her jaw and throat evoking guttural sounds along with moans. She kissed down towards Ika’s breasts to her whimpers.

  Ika grabbed Ree’s hand and pushed it between her legs. “Inside,” she said hoarsely.

  Ree stroked softly her from her opening to her clit and Ika moaned thrusting her hips up. “More.”

  Ree licked her nipple and vibrated Ika’s clit and Ika screamed. “Inside, Ree, inside…” she said tossing her head.

  Ree slipped a finger inside, moved her mouth to the other breast, pinched and pulled Ika’s nipple with her free hand and drew circles around her clit. Ika became a spluttering, stuttering jumble of chaotic sounds.

  “Ree, I want to feel you on top of me,” Ika implored.

  “I’d crush you, babe,” Ree mumbled against Ika’s breast…moving down the luscious body…kissing and licking an intense path down towards her pussy, all the time thrusting in slow, even strokes. Ika twitched and tossed, moaned and cried out loud. Her mind registered something significant to be addressed later…much later.

  Ree’s mouth reached its goal. Ika’s sumptuous wet centre. A place that Ree knew much more intimately and completely than even Ika did.

  Swirling and sucking in ways that made Ika whine and groan for more…mixing in some different strokes that had her trembling and convulsing…squealing wordless sounds and obscenities as she became a quivering heap of strengthless limbs stripped off any sense or coherence.

  When she came back from her mind-numbing climax, Ika turned towards Ree and snuggled into her. “I need to talk to you…but later. If you’re sleeping, I’m going to wake you up,” she muttered with confident right, and fell asleep.

  ***************************************************************

  Ika woke a few hours later, hungry and thirsty. She slipped out of Ree’s arms, sat up, turned on the table lamp to find water, apple and orange juices, packets of wafers, peanuts, almonds and cashew nuts, granola bars, chocolates and a sandwich wrapped in foil lying on the bedside table for her. This wasn’t the first time that she’d fallen into exhaust
ed sleep after sex and Ree had anticipated and done this. And each time it happened, it made her feel wrapped in caring and love.

  She turned and kissed Ree on her cheek gently.

  Ree stirred. She opened her eyes and looked at Ika’s looking at her with love pouring out of her eyes. An expression of wonder entered Ree’s eyes as she looked back at Ika. Ika never felt as beautiful as she did when Ree looked at her. Ree smiled. “There is some yoghurt with vegetables in the fridge and chilli cheese toast in the microwave. I’ll get those if you want.”