Escapades

by M. J. Williamz

  “I’d love to embrace her.” Joey grinned.

  “Well, you’re not going to get a chance if you don’t act like you’ve got some manners.”

  “It’s hard.”

  “Why? What’s the big deal?”

  “I don’t know. One minute I’m cool with her and jonesing for a roll with her, and the next, she’s pissing me off.”

  “Man, you’ve got it bad.”

  “Fuck you,” she said again.

  “You’re the one who’s fucked.” Mel laughed. “But you won’t be if you don’t pull your head out. Now get in there and have something to eat before we go to work.”

  Joey followed Mel back into the kitchen and helped herself to a bear claw and a cup of coffee.

  “Thanks for this,” she managed.

  Samantha leaned against the stove and studied Joey.

  “What?” Joey felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

  Mel wandered out of the room, leaving them alone.

  “You don’t like me much, do you?”

  Joey shrugged.

  “When I first showed up in town, you were all about making sure I saw you and knew who you were. And now, you leave in the middle of conversations, you don’t answer my calls…”

  “Not fair. I didn’t know those calls were from you,” she said defensively, then softened her tone. “I would have answered if I’d known.”

  “I appreciate that.” Samantha’s tone was soft. “I do hope we can be friends. I’d like to get to know you better.”

  Joey found it hard to breathe. The warm morning air was dry, and the temperature had shot up ten degrees. She didn’t trust her voice, so she simply nodded.

  “Truck’s here!” Mel called.

  Joey turned toward the front door but felt the warmth of Samantha’s hand on her arm. She looked back at her and felt herself getting lost in her sapphire eyes.

  “I really do appreciate you being here to help me,” Samantha said.

  “My pleasure.” Joey smiled at her, then hurried out the front door to help the rest of the crew.

  The first two U-Hauls were unloaded quickly, and boxes and furniture were left in various rooms of the old house. When it was time to head back to Somerset to pick up more things, Samantha placed a hand on Joey’s arm again.

  “Why don’t you and Mel stay here and help me get things arranged?”

  “It’s really not fair to make the rest of them do all the work,” Joey said.

  “But I can’t stand to see this place in such disarray, and I can’t move things by myself.”

  “Mel!” Joey called.

  Mel walked in from the front porch. “What’s up?”

  “We’re staying.”

  “You stay if you need to,” Mel shook her head, “but I’m going to help these guys.”

  “No, Samantha wants us to stay and move stuff around here while we wait for the next load. She can’t move this shit by herself.”

  Mel looked from Joey to Samantha, who simply nodded. “I guess that makes sense. Okay, I’ll stay.”

  The rest of the gang took off, and Samantha led Joey and Mel down the hall to a back bedroom. As she walked past the room she’d been in with Tiffany the day before, Joey looked in, only to see emptiness. It was almost as if this was a different house altogether.

  “This is the master bedroom,” Samantha said.

  Joey looked around the room, which consisted of a broken-apart bed frame and mattresses against one wall, a dresser in the middle of the room, and boxes piled all around it.

  “Since I need this room to sleep in tonight, I’d really appreciate some help getting it together.”

  “Where do you want the dresser?” Joey asked.

  “Up against that wall.” She pointed to the wall with a window that looked out onto the pool.

  Joey and Mel picked up the piece of solid oak furniture and carefully walked it over to the wall. They looked back at Samantha.

  “I guess I can start unloading these boxes.”

  “What about your bed?” Joey asked.

  “Let’s move these boxes out of the way and set up the bed in the middle of the room.”

  Joey and Mel made quick work of the bed. Once the box springs and mattress were on, Joey lay on it to make sure it was sturdy.

  “Don’t mind her,” Mel said. “She’ll do just about anything to get in a woman’s bed.”

  “So I’ve heard.” Samantha laughed and Joey blushed, then rolled over onto her back and locked her fingers behind her head.

  “It really is a comfortable bed.” She looked at Samantha. “Maybe you’d like to join me?”

  “I’m quite aware how comfortable it is.” Samantha laughed and sat on the edge of it.

  “I need more food,” Mel said, leaving the room.

  “Are you happy to be in my bed?” Samantha asked.

  “Are you happy I am?”

  “I have to say you look damned good in it.”

  Joey lay there staring at her, frozen with indecision. Her crotch clenched and her heart raced. This is where she should pull Samantha on top of her and kiss her. Clearly, she wanted it. Instead, she rolled over and climbed off the other side of the bed.

  “You don’t know who you’re messing with.” It came out gruffer than she’d intended.

  “Who are you kidding? Your reputation precedes you, Joey Scarpetti.”

  Joey stood looking at her, trying to read her eyes. “And my reputation doesn’t scare you?”

  “Honestly, I don’t believe everything I hear.”

  “Maybe you should.”

  “Maybe I want to find out for myself what you’re like.”

  Joey was confused. Was she serious? Or toying with her? And why did not knowing piss her off so?

  “Maybe you will.” Joey shrugged and left the room. She found Mel in the kitchen.

  “Did you two enjoy yourselves?” Mel asked.

  “Very funny.”

  “Why am I even here?”

  “To help get me moved in,” Samantha said from the doorway.

  “Sorry,” Mel mumbled. “I didn’t hear you coming.”

  “No worries,” Samantha said. “Now how about we get back to work?”

  They moved more boxes from the living room into the other bedrooms and put together various pieces of furniture. The front room was cleaned out by the time the next load pulled up. They helped unload and stayed behind again.

  Joey watched Samantha walking down the hall toward the front room. She was the epitome of sexy. The way she swayed her hips just so, the way her breasts bounced just slightly as she walked. Even the sight of her bare feet on the hardwood floors was sexy as hell.

  “You’re staring,” Mel whispered.

  “I’d be crazy not to.”

  “You’ve got it bad.”

  “The question is, does she?”

  “Am I to assume I’m the topic of your conversation?” Samantha smiled as she joined them.

  “Just look at Joey and do you really have to ask?”

  Joey wanted to make a snide remark but didn’t want to dampen the arousal she was feeling. Her gaze met Samantha’s, and her stomach fluttered. She wanted this woman in the worst way.

  Samantha walked past her, brushing against her as she did. Joey’s body tingled from head to toe. Once again, she fought for air.

  “Let’s get these boxes moved,” Samantha said.

  Joey watched as she bent to lift a box. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “It’s not heavy.”

  “Still…”

  “Relax.”

  Samantha bent her knees and picked up the box, then dropped it as she cried out in pain.

  “What the fuck?” Joey was beside her in a heartbeat. She stood with an arm on either side of Samantha, unsure of what to do. “Are you all right?”

  Samantha stood and placed her hand on the small of her back. “I’m fine, just tweaked my back a bit.”

  “Are you sure?” Joey was besid
e herself. “You sure it wasn’t the baby? She’s fine, right?”

  “Calm down,” Samantha said softly. “Thank you, but everything is fine. I just lifted wrong. I’ll be okay.”

  “Maybe you should sit down.” Mel motioned to a couch in the middle of the room.

  Samantha nodded and sat. Joey continued to hover. “Shit, woman. What were you thinking?”

  Mel left and returned with a bottle of water. She handed it to Samantha, who took a long drink.

  “Thank you,” she said. “My back is already feeling better. Now let’s get back to work.”

  The day progressed with no more incidents. By four o’clock, the final trip back from Somerset was complete, and the whole crew helped Joey and Mel finish putting boxes and furniture where they belonged.

  Joey looked around and noticed Samantha was missing. She wandered through the house, finally looking in her bedroom. She peeked out the window and saw Samantha out by two generously sized barbecues. Samantha turned and saw Joey and waved. Joey turned away from the window and hurried outside.

  “Should you really be standing out here in the heat barbecuing? Why don’t you go relax and let me take over?”

  “You’ve done enough today. Why don’t you get your suit on and get in the pool?”

  “I really can’t let a lady barbecue while I swim. That’s not okay.”

  Samantha rested her hand on Joey’s arm. “You really are a sweetheart. But I’ve got this.”

  “Now there’s a pair to draw to.” Tiffany walked up behind them. “Are you two up to no good?”

  “She was trying to take over the barbecue, and I was trying to get her to change into her suit and get in the water.”

  “Come on, Joey.” Tiffany tugged on her arm. “Let’s go get changed.”

  “Go on.”

  “I really wouldn’t feel right,” Joey insisted.

  “What if I promise I have friends coming over to do the barbecuing for me? I’m just getting it ready.”

  “You promise?”

  “I do.”

  Joey allowed Tiffany to lead her back into the house. They cut through the crew drinking beer in the kitchen, and she grabbed her backpack that had her suit in it. They wandered down the hall until they came to Tiffany’s old room. Tiffany closed the door behind them.

  “What are you doing?”

  Tiffany quickly stripped and pressed herself into Joey, kissing her.

  Joey pulled away. “No. I can’t. This doesn’t feel right. I can’t do that here.”

  “You did more than that here yesterday.”

  “That was different. I feel disrespectful.”

  “Now that’s something I never thought I’d hear from you.” Tiffany shrugged. “But whatever. Suit yourself. Let’s get out to the pool.”

  Joey quickly pulled on a pair of trunks and a tank top over a sports bra. They made their way back to the kitchen where Joey started telling people to get their suits on and hit the water. She helped herself to a beer and followed Tiffany back outside.

  Samantha turned and smiled at them, watching as Joey set her beer down, then dove in the water and swam to her side of the pool. She held herself up on the edge and eyed Samantha.

  “So where are these friends who are going to help you?”

  “They’ll be here any minute.”

  “Then will you be getting in the water?”

  “If it means getting closer to you, I believe I will.”

  “You talk a good game.”

  “You should know.”

  “I back up my talk with action.”

  “And you’re so sure I won’t?”

  “I haven’t figured you out yet.”

  Samantha laughed and walked inside the house.

  Joey climbed out of the pool and sat on a lounge chair, drinking her beer. She watched Tiffany splash around in the pool, but the sight of her in a skimpy bikini wasn’t holding her attention. Soon others were on the patio and in the pool. Mel finally showed up with another beer and a bottle of tequila. She took a swig and handed it to Joey, who upended the bottle for a few seconds before chasing it with beer.

  Brenda and Liz wandered over to join them and took turns with the tequila.

  “Did you enjoy having a whole day with Samantha?” Brenda asked.

  “We were working,” Joey said.

  “And flirting,” Mel added.

  Joey gave her a dirty look as she took the bottle of tequila again. The warm fluid flowed down her throat and spread comfort throughout her body. She had the feeling she was going to be more than a little inebriated before the night was over. She finished her second beer and went to get another.

  She ran into Samantha in the kitchen. Samantha was at the island chopping fruit. Joey walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her. She nuzzled her neck.

  Samantha leaned back and rubbed her hands along Joey’s muscular forearms. “I love how strong you are.”

  Joey pressed her lips to Samantha’s neck.

  Samantha turned in Joey’s arms and faced her. Joey smiled and leaned forward to briefly touch her lips to hers. “Tequila.” Samantha smiled.

  “Guilty.” Joey kissed her again, longer this time, enjoying the feel and taste of Samantha.

  “That’s enough for now.” Samantha broke free. “Will you do me a favor and take one of those ice chests outside? It’s heavy because I filled it with beer and ice. I’d rather people not come traipsing in and out of the house after swimming.”

  Joey looked forlorn.

  “Present company excluded, of course,” Samantha added.

  “Thank you.” Joey kissed her briefly, then grabbed an ice chest and, determined not to let on how heavy it was, strained every muscle in her body as she carried it outside.

  Joey jumped back in the pool and surfaced just as Samantha walked out of the house in a blue one-piece bathing suit with a sarong wrapped around her waist. She thought she’d never seen a sexier woman. Samantha held her head high as she greeted the crew and seemed to float as she walked among the group. She stopped and stood over Joey. “How’s the water?”

  “It’s great. Are you coming in?”

  “In a minute.” She walked off to talk to some others, and Joey enjoyed the view from the rear.

  “I don’t think you should be thinking about her like that.”

  Joey turned around to see Tiffany treading water.

  “Aw, come on, Tiff. Surely, you’re not jealous.”

  “If I was going to be jealous, it would be of her looking at you. I’d do her in a heartbeat.”

  Joey’s crotch was on fire at the visions that created. She’d love to watch that for a while, then join in. “If that happens, will you call me?” She laughed.

  “It won’t. But if it did, I would.”

  “So if you aren’t going to make a move, why shouldn’t I?”

  “She’s not like us. She’s not the play-around type.”

  Joey looked back at Samantha talking in a group. She’d sensed that already, yet Samantha had been plenty playful that day. And if she wasn’t into messing around, Joey asked herself why she was still in hot pursuit. Sure, she was good-looking, but she also seemed smart and funny. Traits Joey never really paid attention to in the past. But Samantha wasn’t like anyone from her past. And she liked that.

  Samantha looked over at her and winked. It was almost imperceptible, but Joey saw it. Apparently, so did Tiffany.

  “You may have met your match, Joey.”

  Joey said nothing as she got out of the pool and grabbed her towel.

  Chapter Eleven

  Joey was relaxing, lying back in the lounge chair with her eyes closed when a shadow covered her. She opened her eyes to see Samantha standing over her.

  “Are you coming in?” she asked.

  “Sure.” Joey stood and followed her to the edge.

  Samantha got a mischievous grin before she shoved Joey, sending her flying into the water. When Joey surfaced, she saw Samantha laughing. She swam
to the edge. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Indeed.”

  Samantha dove over Joey and into the water. As she came up for air, Joey stared at her, thinking her more beautiful than ever with her wet hair flowing down her back and her suit clinging to her curves.

  “What?” Samantha swam over to Joey.

  “Just admiring the view.”

  “You like the view, huh?”

  “I do.” She leaned in to kiss Samantha, who pulled away.

  “Not in front of everyone.”

  Joey didn’t care about the rest of the people around them. “Why not?”

  “I’m not like that.”

  “Whatever. Either you want me to kiss you or you don’t.”

  “I’m not into PDA.”

  “Are you embarrassed you want me?”

  “Joey, please. I’m not used to wanting anyone. It’s been a rough few months for me, and I can’t believe I’m suddenly finding myself attracted to someone. Much less the town player.”

  Joey’s head was foggy from desire, so Samantha’s words weren’t making a lot of sense. She was convinced Samantha was just playing her.

  “Well, I’m not into on-again, off-again women.”

  “You’re not listening to me.”

  Their conversation was interrupted when Brenda and Liz swam over to them.

  “Seeing the two of you together scares me a little,” Brenda said.

  “Apparently, it scares her, too,” Joey said.

  Samantha rolled her eyes, and Joey just glared at her.

  “Did we interrupt something?” Liz asked.

  “I guess not.” Joey swam off.

  Brenda swam after her and followed her out of the pool. “I thought I told you to stay away from her.”

  “She’s been coming on to me, if you must know.”

  “I doubt that. And even if she is, you need to be careful. She’s not what you’re used to.”

  “No one around here seems to think I can handle a class act.” She drained her beer.

  “Check your track record, my friend.”

  “Look, I’m just out for a good time.”

  “And she’s not one of your good time gals.”

  “I’m beginning to see that.”

  “Let it go, okay?”

  “Why not tell her to let it go?”