When Sasha was finally done with the tattoo, Mel’s only visible reaction to the hour or so of intense sensation was a light sheen of sweat on her forehead and the dilation of her pupils. Mel gave her a grin of pure relief as Regan leaned over and examined the tattoo while Sasha prepared a bandage.
“Gorgeous,” Regan proclaimed. Her clit jumped at the eroticism of the design and the way it complemented the strong lines of Mel’s body.
“Yeah?” Mel’s voice rang with almost child-like excitement. She stood and stretched, then walked over to a full-length mirror mounted on the wall, peering over her own shoulder at her lower back. Her grin grew impossibly wide as she took in the artwork. “Oh, I love it.”
Sasha just grinned. “I live to serve.”
Regan smirked, feeling a surge of delicious confidence after the afternoon’s activities. “You should be careful about making a comment like that. Between Mel and me, we never seem to miss an easy opening.”
Mel turned and opened her mouth to respond, mischief dancing in her eyes, but was cut off by Regan’s groan.
“Forget I said that,” Regan said. To Sasha, she added, “See what I mean?”
“Pure evil.” Sasha beckoned Mel over with one hand. “Come here so I can get something over that ink, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They walked out of the tattoo shop fifteen minutes later. Regan carried detailed after-care instructions in one hand; the other firmly clasped Mel’s. She wore a beaming grin that she directed up into the early evening sky as they walked to her truck.
I feel different. Her arm was a little numb, but her mind was sharp and alive with feeling. I feel…changed.
Approaching the truck, Mel flipped her the keys with an apologetic smile. “Think you can drive? I’m not sure I’ll be able to sit up normally. My back is a little tender.”
“Oh, I get it,” Regan said. “Woman of steel in front of the hot blonde, but the façade dissolves when we’re alone.”
Mel shot her a playful glare. “Well, that’s because you’re the only one I trust enough to show my vulnerable side.” Then she gave Regan an imploring look, blinking innocent eyes, and settled into full pathetic mode. After a moment, she poked her lower lip out in a pout.
Regan laughed and closed the distance between them in two steps, wrapping Mel in a gentle hug. “Well, shit. Make me feel bad for teasing you, why don’t you?”
“That was my intention.” She gave Regan a soft kiss on the cheek. “Now let’s go find a bed somewhere. I’m in need of some serious after-care.”
Chapter Nineteen
Mel leaned forward in her seat, peering into the driver’s side visor mirror. “How does my face look? Really?”
“Gorgeous,” Regan said. “As always.”
Mel rolled her eyes, touching her cheek where a barely visible scratch had nearly healed, and then the cut above her lip that she had spent the morning trying to conceal. “I mean the scuff marks.” She tilted her head, running a careful hand where makeup covered a faded bruise. “I don’t want your parents to think you’re bringing home a complete thug. It’s bad enough that I’m their introduction to the big, bad world of lesbian dating. The least I can do is look presentable.”
Regan studied Mel’s face. Anxiety was rolling off her lover in waves. “You can’t tell there’s anything wrong anymore, I promise. It was already so faded and the makeup took care of the rest.” She gave Mel a gentle smile. “They’re going to love you.”
Mel dropped her shoulders, sighing, and sat back against the driver’s seat. “I’m a little nervous,” she admitted in a quiet voice.
“I know,” Regan said. We’ve been parked a block away from Mom and Dad’s house for almost twenty minutes now. “It’s going to be fine, okay? I swear it. They have no issues with me being a lesbian. They may be slightly uncomfortable seeing me as a sexual being for the first time, but I promise they won’t be rude to you. They’re nothing if not unfailingly polite.”
Mel fixed a naked, open gaze on Regan. “It’s just that I know I’m not what your parents probably would have wanted for you. Let’s see, in the time you’ve known me, you’ve ridden on a motorcycle for the first time, smoked pot, gone skinny-dipping, been in the middle of a bar fight, and gotten your first tattoo.” She lifted her face, shooting Regan a dry smile. “Oh, yeah. Your parents will be thrilled with me.”
Regan couldn’t stop her grin of amusement. She’s just described some of the best times of my life. Sobering, she gave Mel a soft kiss on the lips. “I don’t think my parents have a lot of expectations when it comes to a partner for me. If anything, I think they would just want someone who makes me happy. You do that and I’m proud to have you to take home with me.”
Mel shook her head, chuckling. “God, I’m sorry. I just never imagined myself in this scenario, you know? I really want them to like me.”
“They’ll love you because you’re just plain lovable.” Regan raised a meaningful eyebrow at Mel. “It worked on me, after all.”
This coaxed a reluctant smile from Mel. “I’ll take your word for it.” She took another quick look in the mirror and exhaled. “All right. I’m ready.”
“I promise, if they so much as look at you funny, we’re out of there.” Regan looked Mel in the eye, willing her to see the truth of her words. “I mean it.”
“You’d actually storm out of your parents’ house for me?”
“I’d do anything for you.”
Mel’s shy smile was full of innocence and a kind of amazed wonderment. “Thank you.” She shifted into drive. “So, where do I go?”
The street where Regan had grown up looked exactly the same as it had when she was a child and a teenager. Nice, mostly bi-level homes, landscaped lawns, and solid oak trees lined the block. She stared out the truck’s front window, feeling a bittersweet melancholy sweep over her at the familiar sights.
It didn’t matter that she had more happy memories away from Downer’s Grove than she did from when she lived here; a part of Regan would always feel a slight yearning for this idea of home. Today she also felt vaguely nervous, now that she didn’t have Mel’s anxiety to distract her from her own. She was a different person now than she had been the last time she visited. I wonder if Mom and Dad will see it?
“You can pull up behind my dad’s car,” Regan said when they reached her parents’ driveway.
Mel took in the brown brick Colonial-style house with interested eyes as she parked. “So this is where little Regan O’Riley grew up,” she said in a soft voice, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
“If you’re lucky, I’ll show you where little Regan O’Riley did all kinds of things,” Regan said.
Despite her trepidation, Regan found herself strangely excited about the prospect of introducing Mel to her parents. Finally, she could show them a little bit of what was going on in her life. And it was something that made her prouder than any good grade or solid web application ever had.
She met Mel in front of the truck, giving her lover’s slightly clammy hand a firm squeeze. “Just focus on all the hugs and kisses and love you’re going to get when this is all over.”
Mel exhaled. “Hugs and kisses and love.”
The same thought helped steel Regan’s nerve.
She unlocked the front door with the spare house key that still hung on her keychain, and tugged Mel inside by the hand. Closing the door behind them, she took a deep breath and called out, “Hello? Mom? Dad?”
“Regan!”
Her father’s voice answered from a distant room, bringing an immediate smile to Regan’s face. The den, of course. My parents always spent as much time in the den as I did alone in my bedroom. “Ready?” Regan whispered, turning to Mel.
Mel nodded and took a step backward, releasing Regan’s hand to fuss with her hair. She wiped her palms on her blue jeans, and curled her hands into loose fists at her sides. Regan flexed her own fingers, feeling Mel’s absence.
“Ten bucks says this’ll be
more fun than visiting my father,” Mel said. Her lips twitched, and the dry humor helped ease the slight tension in the air.
With a crooked smile, Regan led them to the den. Brendan O’Riley was just rising from his favorite chair when they stepped inside, and her mother was already on her feet and casting an expectant gaze at the door. She watched her parents closely for their initial reaction to the sight of Mel. Even though they’d known she was coming, there was a brief moment of silent surprise before they settled into what looked like subtle discomfort. Mel’s hand brushed against Regan’s hip, discreet and calming.
Carla O’Riley stood awkwardly and gave Regan a cautious smile. “Regan, it’s so nice to see you.” She started to move forward and then stopped, as if hesitant to initiate contact.
At Mel’s nudge, Regan stepped forward to embrace her mother. “Nice seeing you, too, Mom.”
Her mother’s hug was tentative and a little reserved, as most gestures of affection between them always seemed to be. Releasing her mom, Regan grinned up at her father and walked forward into his open arms.
“Sweet pea,” he murmured, pulling her close against him and dropping a kiss on her hair. “I’m so glad you came.”
She withdrew from the embrace after only a few moments, not wanting to let Mel languish in silent anonymity any longer than necessary. Taking Mel’s hand, she said, “Mom. Dad. This is my girlfriend, Mel.”
For a moment her parents seemed uncertain of how to respond, then her father extended his hand. “Hello, Mel. I’m Brendan O’Riley. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“It’s very nice to meet you as well, sir.” Mel shook hands with him then nodded politely at Regan’s mother. “Mrs. O’Riley. You have a beautiful home.”
“Please call me Carla.” Her mother smiled and offered her hand to Mel. “And thank you. I can’t tell you how pleased we are to meet you.”
Regan took in the scene with a sense of amazement. While she hadn’t doubted that her parents would be friendly to Mel, they were obviously making an effort be warm and gracious. Sure, they weren’t doing a perfect job of hiding their mild discomfort, but they were really trying.
Regan felt disoriented. This is still my mom and dad, right? She glanced over to Mel, feeling the tension thrumming off her lover’s body. It was well disguised by a pleasant, relaxed smile just like the smiles Regan’s parents were wearing. No one seemed entirely sure where this should go next. Regan wasn’t certain, either. But I think it’s time for everyone to decompress for a minute.
“Listen,” she said. “Mel and I are just going to put our bags downstairs in my room, and then we’ll be right back up.”
Her parents reacted with simultaneous smiles of relief, and she watched her mother glance at her father in much the same way Mel glanced over at her. Regan could see their desire to confer alone almost as much as she felt her need for that very thing with Mel.
“That sounds fine, honey,” her dad said, giving them both a big smile.
“Have you girls had lunch yet?” her mother asked. “If not, we’d love to take you out somewhere.”
“Antonio’s?” Regan suggested with a sudden grin. Just the thought of lunch at her favorite restaurant ever made her stomach growl.
Her father rolled his eyes playfully. “Of course,” he said in droll voice. “What a surprise.”
“Well, I have to take advantage when I’m here, don’t I?” Turning to Mel as her parents chuckled, Regan said, “It’s the best place in the world. Trust me.”
Mel grinned. “Antonio’s it is.”
“Come on. I’ll show you my old room and we can get rid of these bags.” Regan took Mel’s arm in her hand. “We’ll be right back.”
She walked them out of the den toward the stairs to the lower level.
“Your bedroom was in the basement?” Mel asked as they descended the steps.
Regan grinned back over her shoulder. “I moved down here when I was fourteen. I was craving isolation at the time. Mom and Dad weren’t so sure about it when I started begging, but I hadn’t really given them any reasons to refuse heartfelt requests. I was the perfect kid, never in trouble. No harm in letting me occupy the space, you know?”
Mel took Regan’s hand as they reached the bottom landing and followed as she led them to the door of one of two adjoining sections of the basement. “So this is where little Regan O’Riley hung out.”
“Yeah. This is where I misspent my youth.”
“Very cool.” Mel gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I wouldn’t have minded a little more privacy when I was a kid.”
That’s an understatement and a half. Regan opened her bedroom door and flipped on the light with a careless hand, unable to suppress a surge of emotion as she looked around at the one thing that hadn’t changed a bit since she left for college.
Her full-sized bed sat in the corner of the room, against the wall, and it was still covered with the same cozy blue comforter she’d had since she was twelve years old. An overstuffed green bean bag lay in the other corner next to a bookcase that had once been packed full of books and that still contained a few errant volumes. Next to that was the sturdy wooden desk she had gotten as a Christmas present when she was sixteen years old. Her very first computer, an IBM with a 386 processor that looked like it belonged in a museum, still occupied the desktop. Assorted knick-knacks surrounded the machine. Various posters were plastered on the walls, the most notable a large one of Albert Einstein, which was flanked by slightly less conspicuous shots of different actresses and female athletes.
Mel stepped forward into the bedroom, and turned in a slow circle to survey everything in sight, chuckling in amusement at her blatant shrine to the female form.
“Subtle, I was not,” Regan acknowledged.
“I can’t imagine your parents didn’t have some idea about you.”
Regan closed the door behind them, grateful for a few minutes alone. “Honestly, they didn’t come into my room very often.” She tossed her bag onto the carpet next to the bed, then reached out to Mel, who handed over her own black duffel bag, a playful grin on her face.
“This is so you.” Mel plopped down on Regan’s bed, causing the mattress to bounce gently beneath her.
“I guess I haven’t changed much.” Regan moved to stand in front of Mel with a hopeful smile. “Wanna make out?”
“Desperately,” Mel purred, and pulled her down onto her lap.
Regan leaned up and met Mel’s mouth with her own, moaning quietly at the feeling of teeth and tongue and lips. I could do this all day. She basked in that thought for a few glorious moments, then pulled away with a resigned sigh. However, Mom and Dad would probably get suspicious after a couple hours or so.
Regan trailed a string of kisses across Mel’s cheek, toward her ear, forcing her mouth away from full lips that threatened to shatter her resolve to stop. She reached a hand up to play with the silky, shorter hairs at the nape of Mel’s neck, keeping her other arm wrapped around her lover’s strong back.
“You doing okay?” she whispered.
Mel nodded into her neck. “Your parents are very nice.” Her warm breath raised goosebumps on Regan’s pale skin. “I think they’re a little freaked out, but they’re certainly trying. I can tell how much they love you, though.”
Regan didn’t know what to say to that. “So, you’re up to lunch with the folks?”
“Definitely,” Mel said. “How about you? Are you doing okay?”
“I’m good.” Regan traced her fingers over the back of Mel’s neck. “It felt good to introduce you to them.”
“It felt good to be introduced.”
“At the risk of being redundant,” she whispered, “I love you.”
“And at the risk of sounding unoriginal, I love you, too.”
Regan murmured, a nonsense sound, into Mel’s hair. “Shall we move on to round two?”
Mel released Regan from the embrace and shook out her arms as if preparing for a boxing match. “No problem.”
“You’re almost too charming for your own good, honestly. You’re doing great.”
“Shaddup.” Mel gave Regan a light pinch on the butt as they got to their feet. “Come on. Let’s get upstairs before your parents get worried that I’m taking advantage of you down here.”
As they reached the top of the stairs, Regan wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed by Mel’s quick retreat from their usual sensual play. While she didn’t want to hide reality from her parents, she also didn’t want things to be more uncomfortable than they needed to be. And not just for Mel or her parents. In reality, she was a little hesitant about revealing so much to people who knew her so little.
This is still a new thing, after all. For all of us.
*
Antonio’s was only moderately crowded, most of the patrons still dressed in suits and skirts from the business day. The interior was dimly lit, though the sunlight from outside served to illuminate the rows of tables and booths that filled the two dining rooms.
Much to Regan’s relief, they only had to wait a couple of minutes before the hostess led them to a booth in a relatively quiet corner. Her mother and father settled next to one another on one side of the table, while Regan crawled onto the opposite seat next to Mel. Her hand found Mel’s thigh under the table and strong fingers covered hers, stroking her skin with gentle caresses.
Peering over Mel’s shoulder at the menu her lover studied, Regan said, “I’d definitely recommend the spaghetti.”
“Of course she recommends the spaghetti,” her father told Mel with a fond smile. “We’ve probably brought her here hundreds of times since she was a little girl, and I can count on two hands the number of occasions when she didn’t order the spaghetti.”
Infinite Loop Page 30