by Sarah Markel
“Dios mio,” Lita muttered, earning a death stare from her wife, “I thought Amy was the only one who could do that.”
Laughter sounded as Amy handed Anystee to Lorelei and proceeded to slap the sass out of the good doctor, slinging expletives in rapid-fire spanish as she swung.
“Okay, okay, ladies,” Aspen said with amusement, “we’re all adults here, let’s settle this like mature grown women and change the topic.”
Amy laughed and stopped flailing her hands, locking them instead around Lita’s wrists and pulling her in for a kiss. “We’ll finish this discussion later,” she said ominously, even as an affectionate smile graced her lips.
Satisfied that her friends weren’t going to beat each other senseless, Aspen opened the envelope and passed out the tickets.
“No way!” Max exclaimed, “Tickets to Pride? Your dad is my new favorite person! After my gorgeous wife, that is,” she added at the murderous look on Dani’s face and the sharp elbow to her ribs.
“That’s not all,” Aspen said as she turned the confirmation page around for everyone to see, “Daddy also booked a room for each of us at The Citizen, just three blocks from the main parade route. The rooms are booked for the duration of the event, too.”
Excited and surprised tittering rounded the group as they all walked back toward Aspen and Lorelei’s house. Falls City was a small town, and the residents rarely drove around without cause.
“I can’t believe your dad paid for all of it,” Stormie said as she and Oakley fell into step with Aspen and Lorelei, “He must have been really happy about your mom having to eat that crow.”
Aspen grinned. “My dad has put up with my mom’s bigotry and prejudices for over twenty years. People always associate their opinions of him with my mom, which is incredibly unfair. If anyone bothered to get to know him, they’d see that his opinions are nearly the polar opposite of hers. But high-society doesn’t really care to know the reality of a person. They’re content to judge people based on their supposed flaws or by the company they keep.”
“Daddy has been a PFLAG parent since I first came out, but my mother’s hate and derision for everything and everyone that doesn’t fit into her own view of acceptability has overshadowed any good he tries to do.”
“Why doesn’t he just divorce her?” Cordy asked, “I mean, if she’s suppressing him so hard, why does he stay?”
Aspen shrugged and locked her fingers with Lorelei’s as the couple slowed their pace. Walking was good for the redhead’s continued progress, but she still tired fairly quickly.
“I think some of it is that he still loves her. He said she wasn’t always so bad, and that she used to be really fun and carefree. No one knows why she changed so much. The rest probably has to do with his professional image. Ambrose Aldrich is a powerhouse in the investment field, and I think he would take a real hit to his client list if he were dragged into a nasty public divorce. And don’t think for a second that her majesty wouldn’t make it the most dramatic public spectacle you’ve ever seen.”
“Well, whatever your dad decides to do,” Lorelei said as she led everyone through the gate into their backyard, “I support him. Unlike your mother, I wish happiness and love on everyone; not just those who fit my ideals.”
Aspen grinned as they reached the back porch, and turned to slip her arms around Lorelei’s waist. “You’re such a good person, sweetheart,” she said, before claiming Lorelei’s lips in an easy kiss.
Arousal shot through Lorelei, painting her neck and cheeks as she flushed with desire. “You know what I just realized?” she asked, her voice thick as she stared into hazel eyes that sparkled in the early summer sun. Aspen shook her head; she was too lost in the deep, swirling sapphire pools of love to think about anything.
Lorelei leaned down to whisper in Aspen’s ear. “You just graduated high school. That means we don’t have to worry about your grades anymore.”
Aspen let out a small gasp at the growling timbre of Lorelei’s voice and an instant, sharp need for her wife’s touch had a small whimper escaping her lips. The sound went straight through Lorelei and she closed her eyes and sucked in a breath.
“Hey guys,” she said, turning to look at their friends who were scattered throughout the yard and immersed in their own conversations with one another, “What do you say we wait until it cools down a bit before we start the grill?”
The women exchanged knowing glances and nodded. “Good idea,” Cordy said with a smirk, “That way we can all change into something a little more comfortable. You know how I hate wearing formal clothes.”
Aspen and Lorelei laughed. Jenica had been adamant about the Lieutenant’s attire for the day, and had threatened the older redhead with violence if she didn’t wear exactly what she’d set out for her.
Aspen moved into the yard to hug her friends as they filed through the gate into Cordy’s yard.
Before she left, Cordy made her way to Lorelei and clapped her gently on the shoulder. “Going to make her cheer?” she asked, her voice pitched low so no one else would overhear.
Lorelei grinned mischievously. “Even better,” she replied with a shake of her head, “I have a feeling you’re going to want to turn up your music for a few hours. I’ve been waiting for the right moment to introduce her to something new, and I think graduating high school is as special an occasion as any.”
Cordy’s brow quirked and she canted her head as she assessed the younger woman. Lorelei simply continued to smirk. “That thing you bought before you got called out?” she asked.
Lorelei’s grin spread and she nodded slowly. Cordy let out a whistle and shook her head. “You sure you’re healed enough for something like that?” she asked with honest concern.
Lorelei shrugged her shoulders. “Being on my back isn’t going to push my limits. Besides, I’ve watched her shake that ass for the crowd during games. I think it’s about time I find out exactly what my wife’s hips are capable of.”
Cordy snorted and offered her friend a hug, before making her way off the porch. “What’s she snickering about?” Aspen asked as she rejoined her wife.
“Who knows,” Lorelei said as they made their way inside, “It’s Cordy; she probably thought of a new insult about your age and is cracking herself up.”
“You’re probably right,” Aspen admitted as she rolled her eyes and slid the door closed. She stepped closer to Lorelei and pressed her lips to the sensitive skin of her wife’s throat, “but I don’t really care right now. All I care about is taking you upstairs and fanning this flame that’s threatening to consume me.”
Lorelei shivered at the feel of Aspen’s soft, plump lips as they brushed against her pulse. “A flame, huh?” she asked breathlessly, moving them slowly toward the stairs. “Come on, that flame is going to need a lot of dedicated effort to extinguish.”
Aspen moaned deeply, causing Lorelei to falter and groan. “You’ll never be able to put out the flame, Lorelei,” she said, locking gazes with her wife, “This Blaise will always burn for you.”
THE END