“Please, baby,” Rhetta whimpered in her ear. There were three words that she knew that Caroline couldn’t resist. “I need you.”
Caroline’s resolve snapped. She turned and pushed Rhetta up against the wall in one lightning quick move. Rhetta looked up at her, her eyes half-lidded, panting. She bit her lip, knowing how much it turned Caroline on, and let her knees bend ever so slightly to accentuate their hight difference. Caroline towered above her, pressing Rhetta back against the wall with the whole length of her body. It was a dynamic that they both enjoyed.
“What was that, Princess?”
Rhetta swallowed, wondering how she had lost control of the situation so quickly. Not that it didn’t turn her on, because it definitely did. But that wasn’t how she wanted to play things that morning.
“I – I need you, Caro,” she breathed out, lifting her hips off the wall and making Caroline groan.
“Bed. Now,” Caroline growled.
Rhetta shook her head and turned her head to look at the shower, before looking back into Caroline’s eyes for a moment before dropping her eyes as if she was shy of what she was asking for.
Caroline smiled devilishly and, with one strong arm around Rhetta’s waist, manoeuvred Rhetta into the shower cubicle built for one.
It was a tight fit and Caroline had to spin on the spot to turn on the water. When she turned back around, Rhetta was on her knees in front of her, her eyes gazing up at Caroline with an open, innocent expression. The water jolted on and the spray arched over Caroline’s head and landed full-stream on Rhetta, soaking her in seconds. Her dark hair curled sodden at her throat and shoulders, and her flimsy pyjama top clung to her breasts. She wore nothing below the waist but her panties. Caroline’s gaze fixated on her chest and Rhetta leant forwards to press a soft, teasing kiss just above the waistline of Caroline’s boy-shorts. Then another over her centre, feeling just how wet Caroline was already – a testament to how well Rhetta knew what turned Caroline on.
“Jesus,” Caroline gasped as that one kiss sent shivers of pleasure through her body. She watched as Rhetta brought her hands up to Caroline’s hips and slid her fingers beneath the wide band of elastic. Rhetta held Caroline’s gaze as she pulled down her boy-shorts, leaving them around Caroline’s ankles. On their way back up, Rhetta’s hands smoothed over Caroline’s calves and then up her thighs, before finally digging into the firm flesh of Caroline’s ass, pulling Caroline towards her.
“Fuck, R,” Caroline choked out, her hips bucking forwards and the fingers of her right hand going to tighten in Rhetta’s hair.
They made it on time for breakfast with only five minutes to spare.
* * *
Training that day was brutal and Rhetta knew that she had to take an ice bath or risk not being able to move in the morning. Caroline had given her a commiseratory peck on the cheek before heading off to see about getting their twin beds pushed together to make a king.
“Hey Oriole, watcha doin’,” Rhetta sing-songed as she skipped into the room holding the ice baths.
“Freezing my ass off,” Oriole chattered. She was the only other person in the room and she was starting to regret leaving her iPod in her bag on the other side of the room. Until Rhetta walked in.
“How long have you been in there?”
Oriole checked the watch on her wrist as Rhetta got reluctantly into the ice cold water.
“Thirty seconds, really?!” Oriole exclaimed when she saw the measly amount of time that had passed.
“Good. We can suffer together then,” Rhetta grinned, making Oriole roll her eyes.
“Oh joy,” Oriole drawled. Ice baths were pretty high on her list of least favourite things.
“Is that any way to talk to the girl asking you for proposal advice?” Rhetta said casually.
Oriole’s head snapped up. “What?! Are you serious?”
“Say it a little louder why don’t you,” Rhetta giggled. “And yes, of course I’m serious. I wouldn’t have bought a ring if I wasn’t.”
“Holy shit, you bought Caroline an engagement ring?” Oriole’s eyes were as wide as plates and Rhetta wasn’t sure whether to be amused or offended.
“Don’t worry, it’s Caroline-appropriate. It’s got a lots of diamonds laid into the band. I think she’ll like it,” Rhetta paused. “No, I know she’ll like it.”
Oriole didn’t know what to say. If anyone had asked her who out of Rhetta and Caroline would propose to the other, she wouldn’t have hesitated in saying Caroline. She could only think of one reason why Rhetta would propose.
“Oh my God, you’re pregnant!”
Rhetta’s smile fell to a frown. “What? No!”
“I mean, because that’s the only reason I could think of you proposing – you telling her that you’re pregnant.”
“Firstly, I can assure you that Caroline would know beforehand if – when – I get pregnant, seeing as she’ll have a pretty big part in that and she can’t exactly get me knocked up by accident,” Rhetta ranted, her good mood turning sour at the idea that not even one of her best friends could imagine her proposing to Caroline. “Secondly, you can’t think of any other reason why I would propose to her? I love her, Oriole. I thought I might lose her not long ago and I am never, ever going to let that happen. I want to marry her more than anything and I need her to know that. She deserves to know that.”
Oriole felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She hadn’t meant to question Rhetta’s feelings for Caroline. Anyone who knew them knew that Rhetta loved Caroline just as deeply as Caroline loved her.
“Rhetta, I didn’t mean-”
“She questioned it,” Rhetta cut her off, her eyes unfocused and her voice full of pain. “Sam asked her when she was going to propose and she said that she couldn’t because she thought that I didn’t want to be tied to her like that because she thought that I’m embarrassed of her. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? I’ve been making the woman I love more than anything on this earth feel that way for years and still she stayed by my side because she loves me, even if she thought that one day I would leave her. I’ve tried my hardest to make sure that she doesn’t feel that way anymore.” She took a deep breath and looked down at the icy water, it’s coldness not affecting her at all. “It made me realise how much I want to propose to her. I was too busy believing some stupid cliché where she would propose to me, that I didn’t even consider me doing it. Now I can’t get it out of my head.”
When she finally looked back up at Oriole, she found her friend’s face sober and immediately worried that she had overreacted.
“Sorry, I didn’t-”
“I’m the one who should be sorry, Rhetta. I’d be honoured to help in any way that I can.” Her face brightened. “Do you have it with you? The ring?”
Rhetta smiled and reached over to her bag. “I haven’t let it out of my sight since the day I bought it.”
She opened the box and gazed lovingly down at the ring inside, her stomach fluttered at the sight of it. “I can’t wait to see her wear it. I just haven’t found the right moment to give it to her yet. I want it to be perfect. She deserves it to be perfect. Just like her.”
* * *
By the time that Rhetta made it up to their room, their bed had been successfully converted. She smiled happily at the thought that for the next few weeks, she would get to wake up beside her girlfriend every morning. Even if they would have to keep the sex to a minimum to avoid the wrath of their coaches. Which meant not sleeping naked. There was no way that she would be able to go to bed every night with a naked Caroline and keep her hands to herself. That just wasn’t possible.
“Hey Princess, is that you?” Caroline called from the shower.
Rhetta briefly contemplated joining her, but they needed to be at dinner in half an hour and that was definitely not enough time for what her mind was conjuring up. She didn’t know why, but deciding to propose to Caroline had sent her libido into overdrive. Just when her desire was starting to overpower her
willpower, the shower cut off. There was a moments pause before damp arms wrapped around her waist. She smiled and leaned back into Caroline’s towel-clad body.
“Mmmmmm. You smell goooood,” she murmured approvingly as a new sweet scent filled her nostrils.
“New shampoo, you like?” Caroline chuckled, pressing her cheek to the side of Rhetta’s head. “It’s honey and vanilla and something else I can’t remember. Cocoa maybe. I got it in Florida.”
“I like very much. You smell good enough to eat.”
Caroline smiled slyly. “You already did that today, remember?”
A few years ago that would have made Rhetta blush, but not anymore. Now she just smiled and teased back. “I could go for another helping. I worked up quite the appetite today.”
“Oh really?” Caroline teased, her hands moving from around Rhetta’s waist to pinch her sides.
Rhetta giggled. “Stop it! Caroline, stop!”
“You definitely weren’t saying that this morning.”
A knock on the door made them reluctantly break apart, grins etched on their faces. Since Caroline was still only wearing a towel, Rhetta did the honours and was surprised to find Gillian standing in their doorway.
“Hello ladies, I just wanted to check in and see how the rooming arrangements are working out,” Gillian asked, stepping forward to make clear that she wanted to be invited in.
“It’s great,” Rhetta beamed. “Do you want to come in? I should warn you, Caroline has just gotten out of the shower.” She tilted her head back and called into the room. “That okay with you, babe?”
“Sure.”
Caroline had just finished changing into jogging bottoms and a t-shirt when Gillian followed Rhetta into the room.
“Hey coach. Everything okay?”
“I see you’ve had the beds changed,” Gillian said, her expression unreadable.
“Yeah,” Rhetta answered, a slight blush colouring her cheeks. “I never sleep too well at camp. Having Caroline in the same room helps, but it’s not the same. We shared a single last night and I think I just about crushed Caroline, trying not to fall out.”
“Don’t worry about it. I expected this to happen,” Gillian said with a smile. “I also came to tell you two that you have the evening off. We’ve had a bit of technical mishap and it won’t be sorted out until tomorrow. Which means you’re free to do whatever you like, as long as you’re home before curfew. We still have training in the morning.”
Rhetta beamed, hoping that Caroline would agree to dinner with Sam.
Once they had said their goodbyes, Caroline picked up her phone and immediately began to make a call.
“Hey, Sam,” Caroline said brightly. “Fancy having dinner with me and your beautiful sister tonight?”
Rhetta rolled her eyes and grinned. Sometimes she really did wonder if Caroline could read her mind.
* * *
Dinner was just what Rhetta needed to take her mind off the proposal. She, Sam and Caroline always had a blast when they were together and that night was no different. Caroline sat beside her as they ate, her left hand on Rhetta’s thigh under the table. It made Rhetta’s whole body tingle with contentment.
“Well you’re certainly extra smiley today, Miss Morsten,” Sam teased as they waited for their mains.
Rhetta giggled. “What can I say? Life is good. It’s camp time and I not only get to have my wonderful girlfriend along for the ride – where she belongs – but I also get to snuggle up with her every night. Life couldn’t be better!”
“Aww, thanks babe.” Caroline kissed her cheek.
“Damn you two are cute!”
Rhetta stuck her tongue out at him before excusing herself for a bathroom break.
“I thought she’d never leave,” Caroline breathed out in relief once Rhetta was out of earshot.
Sam raised an eyebrow at her. “Explain. Quick.”
His irritation cooled when he saw the blush on Caroline’s cheeks.
“I bought a ring.”
His mouth fell open. “Oh my God!”
“Shut up, Sam! She might hear us!”
“That’s so freaking awesome, Caro! When are you going to do it?”
“The night before our day off. Which is why I wanted to talk to you tonight. I was going to phone you, but I’m glad that I get to do it in person. I already asked your dad and you mom, but I know that R would want me to ask you too.” She took a deep breath. “Sam, do I have your approval to ask R to marry me? Before you answer, I’m not asking for your permission. Only R can give me that. I’ll ask her no matter what you say, but I would really like to know that I have your approval before I do. Your opinion means a lot to her and it does to me too.”
Sam’s eyes welled up. He really couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect for his sister than Caroline.
When Sam didn’t immediately answer, Caroline started to panic. What if he had changed his mind? What if he had decided that she wasn’t good enough for Rhetta after all? What if he was right? Hadn’t she known that along?
“I’m sorry, Sam, I…” she trailed off. No matter how disheartened she was, she couldn’t apologise for wanting to marry Rhetta. If there was even a chance than Rhetta would say yes then she had to try.
Sam saw her shoulders droop and knew what she had taken from his pause. He had to put her right before Rhetta got back. “Yes, you have my approval!”
Caroline’s head snapped up. “I do?”
“Of course you do, Caro. Do you really think I would trust anyone else with my little sister’s heart?”
Before Caroline could answer, Rhetta reached their table and took her seat beside a heavily bluhing Caroline.
“What have you two troublemakers been talking about?” she asked as she reached for Caroline’s hand, took it off the table and pulled it into her lap.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Caroline joked, her mouth dry and her heart pounding. This was it, there was nothing else standing in her way. She was going to propose in three days time.
“Duh, that’s why I asked, silly!” Rhetta giggled. “Alright, alright, I’ll let you two have your secrets. Just this once.”
After all , Rhetta thought, I have one of my own.
CHAPTER TEN
This is it, Caroline thought when she woke with the sunrise on the day that she had chosen to propose. This is the day.
There was nothing special about the date itself. It was just an ordinary January day. But Caroline hoped that was all about to change.
At least that was the plan.
By 7am, Caroline was starting to get antsy. When she had woken, she had been more than content to lie in silence whilst Rhetta slept, her head cuddled into Caroline’s shoulder and her arm wrapped snugly around Caroline’s waist. Before Rhetta, Caroline hadn’t been a cuddler. It had always made her feel claustrophobic when a lover had wrapped herself around her in bed. That all changed the first time she fell asleep with Rhetta in her arms. People often said that you never truly sleep as well next to someone as you would on your own, but Caroline would have to disagree. Rhetta grounded her. Her presence filled Caroline’s body with a warm contentedness that she had never found with anyone else. She certainly had never found it alone.
Rhetta had said early on in their relationship that she had always hated sharing a bed. She claimed that she just couldn’t fall asleep when she was constrained by someone’s arms. Caroline had always found that hard to believe. Right from that first night Rhetta had cuddled into her; wrapped herself around Caroline as if she was afraid that Caroline might float away if she let go. Whether that was true or not, Caroline loved the way Rhetta’s body sought hers out. Even when Caroline slipped into bed after Rhetta had fallen asleep, Rhetta would sense her warmth and burrow into her, cuddling her close and pressing a kiss to Caroline’s skin. If ever Caroline got up in the night, Rhetta would always be sitting up awake in bed waiting for her when she returned.
As the time neared 7.30am, Rhetta began to stir. Her h
ead shifted ever so slightly and her back arched, pressing her body even tighter against Caroline’s side. She loosened her grip on Caroline’s waist and stroked her palm over Caroline’s bare stomach.
Caroline smiled at her girlfriend’s slow wakening and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Good morning, beautiful.”
A noise half way between a moan and a groan rumbled from Rhetta’s throat. “Mmmmmm..”
Caroline chuckled and let the hand that was resting on Rhetta’s lower back travel down to her bare ass, giving it a teasing squeeze.
“Did I tire you out last night?” Caroline asked smugly as Rhetta arched into her again.
Rhetta smiled, her eyes still closed, and nodded her head. Caroline had been on fire the night before and Rhetta had had to bite her lip hard enough to break the skin to stop herself from screaming loud enough to tell anyone in a mile’s radius exactly how crazy Caroline was driving her. “Damn right you did, stud.”
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