New Beginnings

by KC Richardson

  Across the hall from the guest bedroom was another door that led to Jordan’s master suite. Inside, there was a large, Mission-style king-sized bed and two nightstands. There were tasteful, black-and-white framed posters on the walls of two women entangled in bed. Out of nowhere, Kirsten saw herself and Jordan locked in those exact poses, and her stomach fluttered. Jordan pointed out the walk-in closet and bathroom behind the two doors inside the bedroom, and she was relieved to have her attention drawn away from the erotic pictures.

  “Well, I guess we should get going,” Jordan said once she was finished highlighting the features of her home. “Would you like a bottle of water to take with you?”

  Feeling like her mouth had become the Sahara Desert, she nodded and followed Jordan back to the kitchen, where she watched her retrieve a bottle of water and a large bottle of Gatorade, which she shoved into her gym bag. “So, what do you think?”

  Kirsten smiled. “You have a lovely home. I feel very comfortable here, and it’s perfect for you.”

  Jordan blushed. “Yeah, it doesn’t have a pool in the backyard like your house has, but I like it here.”

  “Well, you’re welcome to come over anytime and continue to find your meaning of life.”

  Jordan smiled. She grabbed her gym bag, slung it over her shoulder, and walked Kirsten to her car. She held open the passenger door for her to get in, closed the door once she was settled, and got in behind the wheel after tossing her bag into the backseat.

  Jordan turned to her and said, “Let me impress you with my playing tonight.”

  She patted Jordan’s hand and returned her smile. “You impress me more than you know, Jordan.”

  *

  They arrived at the gym just five minutes before the game was scheduled to start. Kirsten found an empty seat behind Jordan’s bench and settled in to watch her play.

  Jordan hustled to lace up her high-tops and did a few quick stretches before going onto the gym floor to take a couple of warm-up shots. The buzzer sounded, letting the teams know the game was about to start. The players gathered in a huddle to discuss their strategy, then took to the court.

  Jordan won the opening tip, and her team scored the first basket. She made it a point to look into the stands at Kirsten after she scored, almost as if to see if she approved. Kirsten clapped wildly and yelled her name, and she thought her heart would burst to see Kirsten’s pride. It made her want to run faster, jump higher, and be the best player she could be.

  Late in the second half, Jordan stole the ball and was dribbling the length of the court. She elevated to score a lay-up, but as she landed, she stepped on her defender’s foot and a white-hot lance of pain blazed in her ankle. She crumpled to the ground and let out a scream, grabbing the injured appendage.

  Her team rushed to her side. Jordan’s ankle throbbed, and the pain seared through her entire foot. This had been one of her best games, and she was disappointed it had come to an end with this injury. She also was upset that she wouldn’t be able to go out to dinner with Kirsten. She needed to get home to ice and elevate her ankle. After a few minutes on the floor, Jordan rose with the aide of two of her teammates and was helped back to the bench.

  Once she was seated, Kirsten clambered down the bleachers and grabbed her shoulders. “Oh, my God. Jordan, are you okay?”

  Her face was hot, and she grimaced with pain. “I didn’t hear a pop or a bone break, but my ankle hurts like hell. Shit.” She slammed her fist into the empty chair next to her. Not only was she in pain, she was upset that she couldn’t finish the game.

  Kirsten grabbed a towel and the bottle of Gatorade out of her bag and handed it to her. “Let me take you to the hospital so you can get checked out.”

  Jordan shook her head. “Are you crazy? On a Saturday night? I wouldn’t get home until tomorrow morning. I can just ice it when I get home.”

  “But what if your ankle is broken? You should get x-rays.”

  “No, it’s not broken. I’ve had a broken ankle before, and the pain isn’t nearly as bad as when I broke it.”

  Kirsten looked at her in obvious disbelief.

  “Kirsten, I’m a physical therapist and a former collegiate basketball player. I know what I’m talking about. I just need to ice it and take it easy tomorrow. I’ll be good in a couple of days.”

  Kirsten playfully wrapped her hands around her neck and pretended to choke her. “Jordan Roberts, what am I going to do with you?”

  She could only shrug and give Kirsten a smile. “You aren’t the first person to ask that question.” She thought for a moment. “Um, I don’t think I’ll be able to take you to dinner tonight. Can I get a rain check?”

  “How about we order a pizza when we get back to your place? That way we’ll still be able to have dinner.”

  Jordan placed her hand on Kirsten’s arm and let it linger. “Have I told you that pizza is my favorite food?”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Kirsten assisted one of Jordan’s teammates with getting Jordan out to the car and getting her settled into the passenger side. Then she got behind the wheel and adjusted the seat to accommodate her shorter legs. Jordan chuckled as the seat continued to glide forward. Kirsten smirked and just shrugged. They made the short drive back to Jordan’s home and pulled into the driveway.

  She turned to Jordan. “Can you make it into the house, or should I try to find some help?”

  “No, I think I’ll be okay if you can help me.”

  Kirsten came around to Jordan’s side of the car as she was exiting the vehicle.

  “Okay,” Jordan said. “Come up on my left side, and I’ll put my arm around your shoulders, so you can take some of my weight. I just need your help to get me inside and on the couch.”

  She wrapped her right arm around Jordan’s waist and helped her inside, all the while worrying that Jordan’s ankle really was broken and needed x-rays. She wished Jordan had allowed her to take her to the emergency room.

  By the time they got inside, they were both breathing heavily from the exertion. Kirsten assisted Jordan to the couch and wrapped her ankle in an ice pack. They ordered pizza, and thirty minutes later, the doorbell rang with their dinner. Kirsten paid the driver and took the food into the kitchen. She brought Jordan’s dinner out to her and returned with her own before sitting in Jordan’s recliner and taking a bite.

  “Damn, Jordan, this is probably the best pizza I’ve ever had. Do you order from here often?”

  “Not often, no. I usually like to eat pretty healthy, but sometimes, I can’t resist a good piece of pizza. When I’m craving it, this is the place I call.”

  While they ate, Jordan regaled her with stories of the many ankle injuries she’d sustained while playing basketball over the years. She told Kirsten that her parents used to tease her, saying the emergency room was going to name the radiology department after her since she never seemed to get through a season without needing x-rays.

  Once their plates were empty, Kirsten gathered up the dirty dishes and started to run the water in the sink to wash them.

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  She startled and turned to find Jordan lurking in the doorway. “The question should be what do you think you’re doing? You should be on the couch. How the heck did you get here?”

  “I hobbled. Just leave the dishes. I can get them later.”

  “You’d better hobble your butt back onto that couch. It’ll only take me a couple of minutes to wash them, then I’ll be back in to take care of you.”

  “You don’t need to take care of me.”

  She walked over and placed her hands on Jordan’s hips. “Don’t argue with me. I want to help you. Please let me.”

  Jordan sighed. “Okay. Thank you. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to do this.”

  She placed a soft kiss on Jordan’s cheek. “I don’t. Now, let me help you back to the couch.”

  Kirsten found the discarded ice pack on the floor next to the couch, and when she
had Jordan’s leg propped back up, she returned the ice to the freezer. She made quick work of the dishes, but by the time she returned to the living room, Jordan was lying on the couch with her eyes closed.

  She stood at the end of the couch and observed Jordan in repose. Her breathing was deep, signaling she was asleep, and her features were soft. Kirsten had no desire to be anywhere but there. Not wanting to disturb her, Kirsten perused the titles on the bookshelf, but she didn’t recognize any of the authors. She chose one that looked interesting and read the back cover. Hmm, this one is about two emergency room doctors that become attracted to each other. Let’s give this one a try.

  Kirsten returned to the recliner, pulled the lever, and propped up her feet. Quickly, she realized the two doctors were both female. Curiosity piqued, she continued reading. Two hours and nearly half a book later, she looked up and saw Jordan staring at her.

  Kirsten marked her page, set the book down, and spoke softly. “Hi. How are you feeling?”

  Jordan rubbed her eyes. “I’m okay. How long was I out?”

  “About two hours. After I finished the dishes and came back in here, you had your eyes closed, so I thought I’d read a little.” She held her book up, which made Jordan giggle.

  “Are you enjoying it?”

  Her cheeks warmed, but she nodded. “I didn’t realize they made lesbian romance novels. This story is actually really good.”

  “Yep. That one is my favorite. I think they’re like all romance novels, just with two female lead characters. I’m sorry for conking out on you.”

  Kirsten sat on the floor next to the couch where she could face Jordan. She brought her hand to Jordan’s face and caressed it. “Don’t give it another thought. Can I get you another ice pack?”

  Jordan leaned into her touch. “That would be great, thanks.”

  Kirsten hopped up and went to the kitchen to get the ice. She wrapped the ice pack around Jordan’s ankle and returned to her previous place on the floor next to Jordan. “So, are all of your books lesbian romance novels?”

  “Well, not all, but most are. I usually read before I go to bed, but occasionally, if the weather’s bad, I’ll lie around on the weekend and read. One weekend, I read through two and a half books. Sometimes, I get really caught up in the stories.”

  “I can see how that happens. I’m already almost halfway through this book.”

  “Really? Jesus, you’re quick.”

  Kirsten shrugged. “I like the story. I love how Quinn is so taken with Honor. From the very beginning, Quinn is smitten. I love that. It’s so romantic.”

  “Feel free to take it home to finish it.”

  “Are you kicking me out already?”

  “Uh, no, not if you don’t want to leave. I do want to take a shower though. I’m all kinds of ripe.”

  Kirsten stood and removed the ice from Jordan’s ankle. She helped her to her feet and took her place along Jordan’s left side. They made their way down the hall and into Jordan’s bedroom where she helped Jordan into the master bath and was pleased to see a bench in the shower that Jordan could sit on to keep the weight off her swollen ankle.

  “Do you need any more help?”

  Her heart began to race, and she wasn’t sure how she wanted Jordan to answer. If Jordan said yes, Kirsten would see her naked, and that might be more than she could handle at the moment. If Jordan said no, she feared the disappointment might also be more than she could handle. She was so confused.

  “No, but I would appreciate it if you could grab me a shirt and some shorts. They’re in the second and third drawers.”

  Kirsten turned and closed the door while relief and regret warred with one another in her mind. She heard the water run and wondered if she should wait until Jordan was done with her shower to bring in her clothes. She decided that she would put them on the counter and swiftly retreat.

  Kirsten put the clothes on the counter just as she had planned, but she hadn’t counted on looking in the mirror and seeing Jordan in the shower behind her. The glass was steamed, but she could still see Jordan’s lean, muscular image.

  Kirsten was rooted in place and couldn’t tear her eyes away from the beautiful body. She was light-headed, and her nerve endings began to tingle. Jordan had her back to her, but as soon as she started to turn, Kirsten quickly left before Jordan had the chance to see her lurking.

  Kirsten’s heart was racing, and it was all she could do to cross the room to sit on the edge of the bed. She took some deep breaths to try to calm down. She heard the water turn off, and a few moments later, Jordan opened the door. She stood in the doorway, wet hair combed off her face and her skin slightly pink from the hot water and scrubbing. Kirsten hurried across the room and sidled up next to her. Together, they worked their way over to the bed and sat down.

  Kirsten inhaled and caught Jordan’s scent of cocoa butter. She let it linger in her nostrils. “Jordan, I think I’ll stay the night, if that’s okay. I’m worried that if you need something, you won’t be able to get it because of your ankle.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but you don’t have to. You probably want to go home and sleep in your own bed. I’ll be fine, really.”

  “I’d feel better if I stayed. Otherwise, I’ll just be tossing and turning all night, wondering if you’re okay.”

  “Well, if you really want to, sure. It will be nice to wake up with someone, uh, I mean…”

  She laughed and grabbed Jordan’s arm. “I know exactly what you mean. I’ll make us breakfast in the morning, and we’ll lounge around tomorrow. Maybe you can recommend another book after I finish this one. But I do have one favor to ask of you. I need some jammies.”

  “I think I can help you out there. What do you normally sleep in?”

  “Well, lately, nothing.” Kirsten was mortified that she had just let that answer slip out. She hadn’t meant to say it out loud. After all, they had agreed to be just friends, and she felt bad about the flirting that came so easily to her when it came to Jordan. It wasn’t fair to lead her on when she was so unsure about her future.

  Jordan’s jaw dropped open, and she stared at Kirsten. “You can’t be telling me things like that and expect me to be able to sleep tonight.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  The thought of a naked Kirsten sent shivers down Jordan’s spine. “I—I’m giving you a T-shirt and shorts to wear tonight. I can’t have you across the hall in my guest bedroom wearing nothing. I have boxers or basketball shorts you can wear. Which will it be?”

  “I guess I’ll take the boxers. As long as your basketball shorts are, they would look like Capris on me.”

  “Good, the boxers are in the top drawer, and you know where the shirts are. Thanks for bringing my clothes in, by the way.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m going to go change, then I’ll be right back to check on you. Go on and get under the covers, and I’ll lock up and turn off the lights.”

  Jordan slid into bed as soon as Kirsten left the room. She started thinking about Kirsten lying in bed, naked as the day she was born. Her body started to warm, and a familiar tingle settled between her legs. Great. Just what she needed—an image of Kirsten sleeping in the nude. Jordan could never deny the attraction she felt toward Kirsten, but they were friends, and she needed to try to keep her feelings platonic and her desire in check. Even if Kirsten decided to divorce John, Jordan wasn’t sure if she could give her heart to her.

  Chapter Thirty

  Kirsten went into the guest room and changed into Jordan’s T-shirt and boxers. She thought she might get some boxers of her own when she discovered how comfortable they were. She walked through the house, turning off the lights and making sure all the windows and doors were locked. Then she went into the kitchen and poured two glasses of water.

  She made her way back to Jordan’s room to find her under the sheets, all tucked in and looking as sweet as could be. Her eyes were closed, and Kirsten took the opportunity to just look at her. She felt a strange desire to ta
ke care of Jordan, even though she’d insisted she didn’t need it. In such a short time, her affection for Jordan had grown.

  When Jordan opened her eyes, she smiled and reached out a hand. Kirsten placed her water on the nightstand. She sat next to Jordan on the bed and grabbed her hand. Jordan ran her thumb across her knuckles.

  “Thank you for staying here tonight. It means a lot to me that you took care of me. And I’m sorry I didn’t get to take you to dinner.”

  She took her free hand and brushed it over Jordan’s cheek. “I’m glad I could help. We can go to dinner another night. Except for you getting hurt, this has been a very nice evening. I’ll leave my door open tonight, so if you need me, just call out, okay?”

  “Okay. Have sweet dreams.”

  She kissed Jordan’s forehead. She was content to let her lips linger there for a moment before returning to gaze into Jordan’s green eyes. “You have sweet dreams, too. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Kirsten stood and walked away, stopping at the dresser long enough to grab her book and her glass of water before heading to the guest room.

  *

  Jordan woke in the middle of the night when nature called. She squinted at the alarm clock next to her bed and noted it was a little after three a.m. She swept her legs off the side of the bed in order to sit up and had to wait a few minutes for the throbbing in her ankle to subside before she could get to her feet and hobble to the bathroom.

  When she returned to her bed, she thought she heard a noise come from Kirsten’s room and hobbled across the hall to check on her. When she got to the door, she could hear Kirsten crying softly. She hurried to Kirsten’s side as fast as her gimp ankle would take her. She touched Kirsten’s shoulder to wake her.

  Kirsten’s eyes flew open. “Jordan? What are you doing in here? What’s wrong?”

  “I heard you crying in your sleep, and I came to check on you. Were you having a bad dream?”

  Kirsten scrubbed her face with her hands and nodded her head. “I don’t even remember what it was about.”