Tipping Point

by Maisie Johansson

  It never hurt to feed Caroline’s ego. And it wasn’t a lie. Caroline had never been in better shape and it showed on and off the field.

  “Fancy going out to dinner tonight with a few of the girls? We have tomorrow off and Dillon was talking about taking Sondheim out for dinner to help her feel more at home with us old folks.”

  Rhetta smiled. “She’s so good with her. Who’s going?”

  “So far its Tamara, Natalie, Dillon, Sondheim and Farah. Dillon suggested it when we shared a van back to practice the other day but we didn’t know when we would do it. Seeing as nearly everyone else has plans for tonight, Whit suggested we do it today,” Caroline lied. It was the cover that she had planned with her co-conspirators. “Natalie suggested a place she knows of on the beach, so we should probably dress appropriately for a little walk in the sand afterwards. You know Natalie.”

  Rhetta patted Caroline’s stomach. “And I know you. That sounds nice. Count me in.”

  “Awesome.”

  They lay there in silence for a few minutes before Caroline grudging acknowledged the time.

  “We should really shower before breakfast.”

  Rhetta pouted. “Don’t wanna. I like smelling like you.”

  “And as much as I like marking my territory, that might not go down too well with the boss lady. Especially when we promised to be good.”

  With a groan, Rhetta finally opened her eyes and sat up to allow Caroline to get out of bed. She watched as Caroline grabbed her phone for background music and headed for the bathroom. A groan of a completely different kind slipped past her lips. Her girlfriend looked far too good naked.

  “Wait for me!”

  * * *

  Instead of letting her nervous energy put her off in training, Caroline let it fuel her. She was at the top of her game that day and she could tell that the coaches were impressed. Gillian even came over to watch some of her drills and when they played a game to finish off the afternoon, she could feel their eyes on her as she made save after save after save.

  “Damnit, Caro, You could have at least let me get one in!” Charlie joked as they made their way back to their locker room. “I’d actually like to go to the World Cup, you know!”

  Caroline laughed and bumped her shoulder against Rhetta’s. “What can I say, Charlie. You just aren’t good enough to get one past the Caroline Williams.”

  Charlie was grinning. “Apparently not. You were awesome out there, Caro. Whatever it is that’s feeding you today, keep ahold on it.”

  Caroline quickly looked around and saw that for a moment at least, they were alone. Her excitement and nerves bubbled over and she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She grabbed Charlie’s arm and pulled her close to her side as they continued walking. “I’m going to ask her tonight,” she whispered.

  Charlie stopped, screamed and lapt into her arms. Caroline’s eyes widened and scanned the area, hoping that they hadn’t been seen or, more likely, heard.

  “You cheating on that husband of yours already, Charlie?”

  They turned turned to see Natalie walking down the corridor towards her, a goofy smile on her face. Before Charlie could try and cover for them, Natalie deadpanned, “You told her, huh?”

  Charlie’s mouth dropped open as she dropped to the ground.

  “You told her before me?” she exclaimed in a high pitched voice.

  Caroline rolled her eyes. This thing was definitely snowballing. Before she knew it, even Rhetta would be in on the not-so-secret secret. Luckily for her, before R and Natalie could get into exactly who knew what and for how long, the rest of the girls caught up to them.

  “Hey superstar!” Rhetta greeted her. “I wish that I’d been on your back line today, instead of this wannabe’s.”

  She inclined her head towards Megara who smiled and brought her gloved hand down heavily on Caroline’s shoulder.

  “Charlie,” Caroline hissed.

  “Don’t sweat it, Williams. You were great out there today. And besides, we all know you’re Rhetta’s number one.”

  Caroline’s cheeks reddened and Rhetta pinched them as the girls streamed past them and into the changing room. “She’s right you know. You are my number one and not just because I love you.”

  Though Rhetta had said that or something like it on a dozen occasions, it still made Caroline’s heart flutter. To have Rhetta believe in her and respect her as a player was almost as valuable to her as having her love. It spurred her on when she was feeling low and made her believe that one day, that top spot might be hers.

  “That’s all I need,” Caroline said, her eyes so bright with conviction that it made Rhetta shiver. “Your belief is all I’ll ever need.”

  A hand at Rhetta’s cheek brought her in for a dreamily slow kiss. Rhetta’s head was spinning and only Caroline’s hands at her cheek and waist kept her grounded enough to keep her knees from giving way. It was times like this that she realised how lucky she was to still feel that way after more than 4 years together.

  A cough behind them made them brought their kiss to an end, but not before Rhetta stole one more peck. When she saw that it was Gillian waiting on them, her cheeks flushed.

  “Sorry, coach,” Caroline mumbled, her head lowered as she rubbed the back of her neck.

  “I came to congratulate you on a great day today, Williams. Keep it up.”

  Caroline nodded fervently as Gillian walked past them and disappeared around the corner.

  “Yup. My girlfriend is a superstar keeper,” Rhetta singsonged.

  “Not anytime soon,” Caroline exhaled.

  Rhetta wrapped her arms around Caroline’s neck and leant their foreheads together. “Don’t be so sure, baby. I believe in you.”

  * * *

  Caroline stood in front of the mirror and considered her appearance. She always wanted to look good when she went out, but this was different. This was the night she was going to propose. This was the night, if Rhetta said yes, that they would look back on for the rest of their lives. This was the night that Rhetta would tell her friends and family about. This was the night that Caroline would be able to hold onto when the coming two years put the strain on their relationship that they both knew that it would. This was the night that her life would change. It made Caroline’s head spin just to think about it.

  Picking her outfit had not been straightforward. With the cover of a team meal and the beach setting, she hadn’t been able to go too overboard. Instead, she settled for a collection of small touches that she knew would catch Rhetta’s eye. That began with Rhetta’s favourite pair of Caroline’s jeans. The skinny jeans were a dark grey, stonewashed denim that hugged her legs and ass. Whist she preferred wearing baggier jeans with pockets big enough to stuff her hands into, the last time she had worn these jeans, Rhetta hadn’t been able to keep her eyes – or her hands – off of her. And that had been before the muscles in her thighs and calves had bulked up with her World Cup buildup training. The snugness of the fit, whilst guaranteed to draw Rhetta’s eye, had backfired significantly when it came to stowing away the ring box. The fancy box was slimmer than usual and didn’t look right away like it contained a ring. It had cost extra, but the chance of Rhetta finding it had been too high to not make the investment. Even so, Caroline could barely slip one finger into the pockets of her jeans. That little problem had been solved by a last minute trip to the team’s resident mamma bear.

  She had turned up at Fallon Singer’s door just after dinner the night before with a ring box, her dusky lilac buttondown and a problem. Fallon’s solution was a hidden pouch on the inside that fit the ring box perfectly and couldn’t be seen from the outside. It could, however, be felt. Which was why Fallon had sewn it between her breasts, reasoning that the ring better have come out before that point in the night. Whilst Caroline had considered pairing her shirt with a tie, she knew that it would come across as too formal for what they were supposed to be doing. Instead she had elected to keep her collar bare and open. She had rolled up h
er sleeves to her elbows and was wearing the engraved gold watch that Rhetta had gotten her for her birthday. With it, she wore two other pieces of jewellery. One was the pair of matching earrings she had bought for her and Rhetta when an ocean had lain between them. The other was gold chain that her Grandma had given her when she had earned her first cap for the senior national team. It had been her good luck charm ever since and she wouldn’t have dreamed proposing without it. To finish the outfit off, she had left her hair down and wavy – just the way that Rhetta liked it – and had applied the barest hint of makeup.

  She was ready to go. All she was waiting on now was Rhetta. Each minute that passed made her nerves soar. She didn’t think that she could stand it if Rhetta wasn’t ready soon.

  In the bathroom, Rhetta fanned herself to try and cool herself down. She had gotten so used to styling her hair in a cooler climate that she had forgotten how much harder it was to get those curls that Caroline liked to fall right and stay long enough for her to apply some hairspray. At least that part wasn’t a problem. Having a hairdresser for a brother had some perks and one of the best was the freebees he got her. The best of which had been a hairspray that smelled good, held well and kept her hair soft to the touch. She didn’t want Caroline’s fingers snagging on rigid curls when she ran her fingers through it later that night. Once her hair was lying neatly over one shoulder, she applied a little makeup, a few sprays of the perfume Caroline had gotten her for Christmas and one spray to her neck of the scent that Caroline wore. She didn’t know if Caroline had ever noticed that particular addition, but she knew that whenever she made it, it drove Caroline wild.

  Rhetta smiled at her reflection in the mirror. As per Caroline’s request, she had dressed casual enough for a walk on the beach and fancy enough for a good restaurant. She had chosen a white top that showed off her tanned skin, left her arms bare and showed off a slip of her stomach. The only consideration had been wearing a knee-length black skirt to match it that had pockets and was flowy enough to hide anything inside them. In Rhetta’s case, a ring in a tell-tale square box. She had stowed it carefully away in her pocket, even though she didn’t know whether that night would be right. She was waiting for a perfect moment and that could happen any minute. Which meant she never left it behind.

  A knock on the bathroom door jolted Rhetta from her thoughts.

  “R, we’re fifteen minutes late!”

  Rhetta swore and quickly put in her earrings. “Sorry babe, I’ll be out in a minute.”

  On the other side of the door, Caroline smiled. Rhetta being late for a night out was as reliable as the rising sun, and her plan depended upon it.

  “Don’t rush, Tamara text to say that they’ve gone ahead to the restaurant without us. The taxi meter was running.”

  “Crap,” Rhetta breathed. She didn’t want to start the night in Caroline’s bad books. Not when a midnight walk on the beach might be the perfect opportunity to get down on one knee. She took one last look at her reflection in the mirror and went to face the music.

  “I’m so sorry, baby. The heat got the best of my hair,” she explained, her mouth growing dry when she saw Caroline. “Damn, Caro. You trying to kill me?”

  Caroline snorted and pulled Rhetta close, not able to resist running her hands up the back of Rhetta’s top. Not when she was teased with that band of skin. “I could say the same thing.”

  Rhetta giggled at Caroline’s charm – or, more accurately, her body’s natural reaction to it – and tilted her head up for a kiss. Caroline obliged, kissing her slowly but firmly, making Rhetta moan. Caroline swallowed down her moan, licking parted lips and coaxing them open. Rhetta happily surrendered, letting Caroline inside. She knew they were getting carried away, but with Caroline looking so good, she wasn’t in any hurry to stop.

  It was Caroline who finally put an end to it, nipping Rhetta’s bottom lip as pulled away.

  “Mmmmmm. I like it when you do that,” Rhetta breathed, her eyes still closed.

  Caroline chuckled. “Masochist.”

  Rhetta swatted at her arm. “Oh really? No more for you then tonight, stud.”

  Caroline growled and pushed her up up the closed bathroom door. “Take it back.”

  Rhetta’s eyes twinkled. She bit her lip and shook her head. “Make me.”

  When they got into the taxi, the sight of Rhetta’s long legs peaking out from under her skirt drove Caroline to distraction. Rhetta had done a good job of riling her up in their hotel room, but she needed to keep focused. In just a few short moments, they would reach their destination and Rhetta would realise that Caroline hadn’t been telling the truth about their night out. When their cab stopped, Caroline quickly hopped out and and ran around to open Rhetta’s door for her. She held out her hand and helped Rhetta to her feet, kissing her cheek softly before paying their driver.

  Rhetta was beginning to wish that she had told her Caroline to turn down Sondheim’s dinner. Caroline was being the perfect charmer and Rhetta really didn’t want to share her. She didn’t really want to leave the room, but she didn’t know when they would next get the chance to dress up and flirt a little. Not that they didn’t flirt practically all the time.

  “Okay, Princess,” Caroline said, holding out her hand for Rhetta to take. “Ready for an adventure?”

  Only then did Rhetta look around. “Where’s the restaurant?”

  She thought back to when she had played the same trick on Caroline to get to hold her hand in public for the first time. Now Caroline reached out for her hand without hesitation and Rhetta took it without a twinge of fear.

  “We have to take a little walk on the beach to get to our dinner,” Caroline explained, tugging on Rhetta’s hand and grinning as she began to walk backwards towards to beach. “That okay with you, Princess?”

  Rhetta couldn’t help but be charmed. At least she would get to spend a little time alone with Caroline before she had to play nice and share.

  When they got to the edge of the sand, they took off their shoes – Caroline, ever the gentleman, carrying Rhetta’s too – and meandered hand in hand along the golden sand. They talked about little things that only the two of them cared about. Things about the life they shared. Their apartment. Trips they wanted to make together.Things they wanted to see.

  Rhetta was so engrossed in the warm, gooey feeling that strolling through the failing light with Caroline gave her, that she didn’t notice that they had been walking for a full half an hour. Not until Caroline squeezed her hand and nodded to something ahead of them did she realise that there wasn’t another person in sight, never mind a restaurant. What there was, was a blanket, a picnic basket and few scattered candles twinkling in the sand. The perfect romantic picnic.

  “Oh, Caro,” Rhetta breathed, any remaining tension from the day’s training evaporating at Caroline’s romantic gesture. “You did this for me?”

  Caroline’s arms wrapped around her from behind and Rhetta settled back into her embrace.

  “I need to spoil my Princess,” Caroline whispered, nuzzling into the warmth of Rhetta’s flushed cheek.

  “Mmmmmm. You certainly do that,” Rhetta murmured, covering Caroline’s hand with her own and leaning back into the comforting scent of Caroline’s fragrance. “What have I done to deserve this, baby?”

  Caroline smiled. “Oh you know, nothing big. Just made me happier than I ever dreamed that I could be. No biggie.”

  The raw emotion in her voice made Rhetta turn in her arms and crash their lips together. Caroline’s words had touched her deep down in her soul and she couldn’t stand another moment not kissing her, not sharing her breath. It was everything she wanted. Everything she dreamed of. Making Caroline happy made her body tingle. It meant more to her than her own happiness and it was what made her realise that she wanted – no, she had to – marry her. The thought that she could make that dream come true one day soon made her shiver with pleasure. If someone asked her at 21 if the thought of becoming someone’s wife would drive her
desperate with longing, she would have laughed in their face. But that was before she met Caroline.

  “Nowhere near as happy as you’ve made me,” Rhetta swore, leaning their foreheads together.

  “I’d argue that point,” Caroline breathed, “but I have a feeling that you would win, my little warrior.”

  The smile Rhetta greeted her with when they pulled apart almost made Caroline drop to one knee right then and there. But that wasn’t the plan. They had four hours before the sea came in and Caroline planned to spoil Rhetta as much as physically possible in that time.

  She winked at her girl and led her towards the blanket. “Allow me, Princess.”

  Once Rhetta was comfortably settled on the blanket, Caroline lifted up a corner of the blanket to reveal a champagne bucket set down into the sand.

  Rhetta’s eyes widened. “Wow, Caro. You really are spoiling me!”

  “Nothing is too good for my Princess,” Caroline charmed as she popped the champagne cork and filled first Rhetta’s flute and then her own, before clinking them together and making a toast. “To the future. No matter what the next two years throw at us, I know that I’ll make it through because I have you by my side.”

  Rhetta’s grin was sappy, but she didn’t care. Caroline made her feel like she was floating on air. “To the future. To our future.”

  Caroline blushed and Rhetta gave a nose-crinkle smile at how cute she was.

  “So, are you going to wait on me?” she asked teasingly.

  “We’ll see, Princess. We’ll see.”

  They dined on a collection of Rhetta’s favourite foods and a few classically associated with romance. They started with a few of Florida’s best oysters. Caroline held the shell and tipped back Rhetta’s head to make the salty delicacy slip down her throat. When Rhetta tried to do the same for her, Caroline choked and sputtered. Rhetta giggled and kissed her playfully, making Caroline do it again until it slipped down her throat as easily as it had down Rhetta’s. After that, they moved on to a dinner of steak in a pomegranate sauce and finished with a bowl of champagne truffles, chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered chillies. Rhetta gasped at the first taste of the hot chilli in the bitter chocolate and she and Caroline laughed as they played Russian roulette with the rest of the chocolates in the bowl. When Caroline got her first chilli, her face flushed bright red and her eyes watered. It was so cute that Rhetta had to kiss her, even if it meant sharing the burn.