One Summer Night

by Gerri Hill

  "Then let's get out of here."

  "I'm going to hate myself tomorrow," Jo said.

  "No," Kelly said softly and cupped her face with one palm. "I'll be right back. Stay here. I’ll tell Lucy I’m leaving."

  Jo wrapped her arms around herself, thinking she had lost her mind for agreeing to this. But for once, she wasn't going to talk herself out of it. It had been inevitable, after all.

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  Chapter Sixteen

  Jo moved into Kelly’s arms without thinking, their clothes having been shed as soon as the door shut behind them. She didn't want to know what Kelly had told the others, and Kelly didn't offer an explanation. It didn't matter, anyway. This was all that mattered.

  "I've thought of this so often," Kelly whispered into her mouth.

  "Yes, I have too," Jo admitted.

  Jo led her to the bed and pulled Kelly down with her, their breasts touching, Kelly's mouth hot on her, her tongue delving deep, exploring. Her hands moved to Kelly’s hair, fingers parting it, smoothing it, holding Kelly's face between her palms.

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  "I want you so much," Jo breathed.

  "I'm yours," Kelly murmured against her lips.

  They moved slowly, neither in a hurry, both wanting to prolong this pleasure. Kelly caressed Jo’s face with soft fingers, then moved to her breasts, fingertips lightly grazing her taut nipples.

  Jo laid her head back and closed her eyes, remembering the first time they had made love. It had been like this, too.

  Kelly’s touch bringing all her senses to life, chest rising and falling, breath coming rapidly as she waited for Kelly's mouth to travel slowly from her lips, down her neck, to her breasts. Kelly’s tongue touched her nipple, and she raised up to meet her as Kelly's mouth settled over one tip while her fingers caressed the other. She held her, letting Kelly have her fill. Kelly lifted up slightly and moved her mouth to the other breast, her legs shifting between Jo's. Jo pushed her hips up, her legs parting even wider.

  Jo took Kelly's hand and placed it between them, forcing her to feel the wetness that she had caused, and she pressed her hand to her.

  "Oh, God, look at you," Kelly whispered as her fingers found Jo’s opening. Jo stifled a cry as Kelly's fingers parted her and delved into her, her hips rising to meet Kelly’s thrusting fingers.

  Kelly pulled her hand away and laid down full on top of Jo, their hips pressing together. Jo held her, her lips moving over Kelly’s face before coming back to her mouth.

  Kelly moved down her body, trailing kisses as she went.

  Squirming and gasping in anticipation by the time Kelly’s tongue moved to her inner thigh, Jo thought she would surely die if Kelly didn't hurry and take her.

  "Please, I can't stand it.”

  She felt Kelly smile against her leg and then her mouth 122

  moved the few inches as Jo rose up to meet her, laying back down as Kelly settled over her.

  "Dear God," she breathed, and her fingers clutched Kelly's shoulders, holding her there for fear she would stop, but Kelly's mouth and tongue moved over her greedily, relentlessly, devouring her, opening her.

  "Yes," Jo sighed, biting her lip and shutting her eyes tightly, feeling the sensation of Kelly's mouth wash over her.

  She had dreamed of this moment since that night in June.

  Her orgasm was building and her breath caught. All too soon her hips were thrusting forward and she was screaming out her pleasure and gasping as her body shuddered until Kelly's mouth finally stilled.

  "Oh," she said softly and drew Kelly to her, folding her in her arms. "That was so wonderful.”

  Kelly's hands caressed her hair and soothed her while Jo’s heart slowed and her breathing eased. She raised her head after awhile, and Jo kissed her mouth. "Lay back," Jo said quietly. Kelly released her and lay still, and Jo saw the rise and fall of her breasts. She put her lips there, tongue teasing a nipple before taking it into her mouth. She had always been so passive in bed, but she was different with Kelly. She wanted to please her, wanted her to forget all the countless others that had come before. Jo wanted her to remember only her.

  Jo took Kelly’s hands and pinned them above her head, then straddled her, her hips sinking down against Kelly.

  Their eyes held, and Jo lowered her mouth, kissing Kelly hard.

  “I’ve wanted you for so long,” she admitted. “I’ve dreamed of making love to you.”

  Jo cupped Kelly’s breast and covered it with her mouth, sucking the nipple inside, her tongue caressing the hard peak. Jo raised her hips, just enough to slip her hand between 123

  their bodies. When her fingers touched Kelly’s wetness, Jo groaned, and bit gently at Kelly’s nipple. Jo slipped first one, then two fingers inside Kelly. She pulled out slowly, only to delve back deep inside her. Kelly’s hips rocked against Jo’s hand, and Jo sat up, watching Kelly’s face contort in concentration. Jo matched Kelly’s rhythm, her fingers moving deeper with each thrust.

  “Yes,” Kelly breathed. “Faster.”

  But there wasn’t time. Seconds later, Kelly screamed, a deep, primal scream that thrilled Jo to her very core. She withdrew slowly, fingers wet, she wiped them against Kelly’s breast, only to put her mouth there.

  “I want my mouth on you,” Jo murmured. “I want to taste you.”

  “Jo. . . I can’t. Give me a second.” Kelly tried to pull Jo to her, but Jo resisted.

  “I just want to taste you.”

  Jo moved down, wetting Kelly’s side, her stomach, with her tongue. Jo’s hands pushed Kelly’s legs apart and she trailed kisses over Kelly’s hips and thighs, into the hollows at her knees, then back up. Kelly lay still as Jo caressed her leg, down to her smooth calf, then back up again.

  Jo smiled when she felt Kelly’s hands grip her shoulders to push her down, to guide her. Jo breathed deeply, Kelly’s scent arousing her even more, and her mouth went to the source of her pleasure, tasting her, feeling the silky wetness with her tongue. Kelly pushed up, then lay back down as Jo stroked her quickly. She was smooth and soft and oh, so wet, and Jo nearly devoured her, bringing her to orgasm quickly.

  Kelly surged up, and Jo felt Kelly’s fingers dig into her shoulders as she cried out.

  "Oh, dear God," she whispered. Kelly lay back, her arms again limp at her sides, and Jo kissed her gently.

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  "You're such a beautiful lover," Kelly sighed, and gathered Jo up beside her.

  Jo smiled, her hand gently cupping Kelly's breast. She couldn't seem to stop touching her, and she tried not to think about how much she still wanted her.

  Their lovemaking took them well into the morning when, exhausted, they finally fell asleep in each other’s arms.

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  Chapter Seventeen

  Jo opened her eyes slowly, half-afraid that Kelly would be gone again, but she was sound asleep beside her. Jo watched Kelly sleep, her face smooth and dark, her brown hair tousled from Jo's hands. Jo’s gaze settled on Kelly’s lips, still swollen from their kisses. She watched her for a long moment, refusing to think about what she had done last night, remembering only the sweet lovemaking they had shared and the ecstasy this woman had brought to her.

  She finally reached to touch Kelly's lips with her own.

  Kelly moved under the covers and stretched, her eyes still closed. A small smile formed on her lips, then her eyes opened, and she found Jo staring at her.

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  "Good morning," she murmured.

  "Mmm," Jo nodded and propped her head up on her palm.

  "Is everything okay?" Kelly asked gently.

  "Yes. I'm just watching you."

  Kelly smiled and found Jo's breast under the covers.

  "You can watch me all you want.”

  "Breakfast?"

  "You can cook, too?"

  "Pancakes?"

  "And scrambled eggs?"

  "Are you hungry?"

  "Starving."

  Jo was just starting breakfast when the phon
e rang, and though she thought about letting the machine get it, she picked it up on the third ring.

  "Jo?"

  "Yes."

  "It's Deb."

  Jo glanced guiltily down the hall, as if Deb could hear Kelly in the shower.

  "Good morning," she said.

  "How are you?"

  "I'm fine," Jo said.

  "Kelly said you were feeling ill last night. You should have said something, I would have taken you home."

  Ill? What kind of ill? Why hadn't she bothered asking Kelly what she had said to them? Because she was too concerned with what they were about to do, that's why!

  "Thank you, Deb. I just had too much to drink, and I was feeling a little queasy. Kelly insisted that she take me home."

  “Well, it just seemed strange, her leaving poor Lucy there.”

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  “I suppose.” Jo didn’t know what Deb expected her to say. Poor Lucy?

  "I hope she didn't try anything," Deb said.

  "I don't know what you mean," Jo said quietly.

  "Lucy's told me how she is. How she goes out all the time, even though they've been dating since the summer.

  She even hits on women in front of Lucy."

  Oh, God, Jo thought. She didn't need to hear this so early this morning, not after last night.

  "They've been dating since summer?" she asked weakly.

  "Oh, yes. I thought you knew. Lucy’s head-over-heels in love. Kelly treats her this way and Lucy still wants to move in with her. Go figure."

  Move in with her? Jo felt sick to her stomach. Kelly had lied to her. After last night, Jo had decided that she had been wrong about Kelly, that her reputation was undeserved. But it was like Nancy all over again, the lies she told, the stories Jo would hear from her friends. When was she going to learn? She had known from the beginning that Kelly was no good for her. She had known about her reputation and still, she had let herself be fooled into thinking that she was not like Nancy.

  "Had I known that she and Lucy were so involved, I would never have accepted a ride from her. I hope Lucy doesn’t think it was my idea.” Actually, Jo could not care less what Lucy thought.

  “I’m just glad you’re okay and she didn’t try anything.”

  “I’m fine,” Jo lied.

  "Well, she's very attractive,” Deb continued. “I can see how someone could be swayed by her."

  Swayed? Is that what had happened last night?

  "I've got to go, Deb. I'm going to Harry's and he's expecting me. Thanks for calling.”

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  She hung up without waiting for Deb's reply and gripped the countertop hard, her eyes shut tight against the threatening tears. How could she have been so foolish?

  When would she ever learn?

  "Jo?"

  Jo kept her back to Kelly while she tried to get herself under control. She would not let Kelly see her cry!

  "What's wrong?"

  "That was Deb," she said.

  "Deb?"

  "On the phone."

  "I didn't hear it ring," Kelly said.

  Jo turned around slowly, but she refused to meet Kelly's eyes.

  "How long have you been sleeping with Lucy?"

  "What?” She stared at her, lines breaking her smooth brow into a frown. "I’ve not slept with her. I already told you that."

  "Deb says that you've been dating since summer."

  "Is that why she called?"

  "She called to see how I was. She's a friend," Jo said.

  "And in asking how you were, she just happened to mention that Lucy and I had been seeing each other?"

  "Something like that," Jo said. "She was concerned that you might have forced yourself on me."

  "And did I?" Kelly asked.

  "No," Jo admitted, finally daring to meet her eyes.

  Kelly walked into the kitchen and stood in front of Jo and held her gaze tightly. "Lucy and I went out a few times when I first moved here, but I never slept with her. I could have. She didn't exactly make it a secret that she wanted to.

  But I swear, we’ve been nothing but friends.”

  Jo said nothing, but she didn't look away.

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  "How can you believe that?" Kelly asked, her dark eyes piercing Jo's.

  "I refused to believe it with Nancy, even after Betsy and Janis said they had seen her with this other woman. I didn't listen to my friends at the beginning, either. Nancy came with a long list of exes and a reputation fit for the gutter, but I wouldn't listen."

  "I'm not Nancy."

  "No? Well, maybe I just don't want to be another notch on your belt," Jo said.

  "After everything that happened last night, you'd believe that? Hell, maybe I should go check your headboard. You probably have notches all over it. After all, you're the one who brought me here. Twice, now," she said angrily.

  Jo stared at her, feeling as if she'd been slapped. "How dare you say that?"

  "Oh? Do we have different rules for me?"

  "That's not what I meant," Jo said.

  "Jo, wake up! Did it ever occur to you that Deb may have an ulterior motive?"

  "Like what?"

  "She likes you. She wants you. You’d have to be blind not to see that. Do you think she didn't know something was going on with us last night? That’s the only reason she called."

  "You're wrong. She doesn't like me that way. We've been friends for too long. She wouldn't lie to me," Jo insisted.

  "But I would?"

  Jo stared at her, not knowing what to say. Her silence said it all, however.

  "I can't believe you," Kelly whispered. "If you want to think that last night meant nothing, that it was just about sex, well, that's fine.”

  She walked away from Jo, then stopped. "I guess you're 130

  right. There's not anything between us. My mistake for thinking that there could be," she said bitterly. "You've got to have trust in a relationship, any kind of a relationship, and we don't have that. I'm not so certain any more that we can even be friends, much less lovers."

  Jo saw the hurt in her eyes as she walked to the door.

  "Kelly, don't leave like this," Jo pleaded.

  "Why? There's nothing else to say, Johanna.” Their eyes met. "I'm not one of the bad guys, but I can't make you believe that," she said softly.

  "I didn't say that you were, but Nancy hurt me more than I care to remember. I can't take that chance again."

  "I'm not Nancy. I've never cheated on anyone."

  They stared at each other in silence, both weighing the words between them.

  "I'm truly sorry, Jo.”

  Their eyes held for a moment longer and Jo saw how terribly hurt Kelly was, but she didn't stop her from walking out the door. She wouldn't allow herself.

  She stood in the kitchen for a long time after Kelly drove away, then made herself move. She refused to acknowledge the pain that she had seen in Kelly's eyes and that she was the one who had put it there. It was better to end it now.

  She called Harry later that afternoon and invited him out to dinner.

  "Why don't you come over here, Jo-Jo? I've got some ribs soaking in a marinade. I was going to put them on the smoker."

  "Okay. I'll be over by five."

  They spent the evening together, and Jo was pleased that Harry seemed to be in a good mood. He talked nonstop and didn't seem to notice how quiet Jo was until she was getting ready to go.

  "Tell me what's wrong, Jo-Jo," he said, startling her.

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  "Nothing, Harry."

  "Don't lie to your grandfather, girl," he said sternly.

  "My personal life sucks," she finally admitted, drawing a smile from him.

  "This woman you've met?" he asked.

  She nodded. "Kelly."

  "And?"

  "I like her, but she's not right for me."

  "What's not right?"

  "She's too much like Nancy," she said. But was she really? "With a reputation like hers, anyway."

&nbs
p; "I don't think you need to get involved with someone like Nancy, Jo-Jo.” He looked at her. "But you're already involved?"

  Jo nodded. "She's nothing like Nancy, really.” She shrugged. "Maybe I'm being unfair, comparing them. It's just that I was so hurt."

  "I know, sweetheart.” He hugged her to him. "You'll know if it's right or not.”

  "I guess so."

  "So, what's she say about it?"

  "She says the things I've heard aren't true. I hurt her today."

  Harry nodded. "That's not good," he added softly. "I can tell you're upset about it."

  "It's just that I've heard things about her."

  "Well, you've got to learn to weed out the truth.

  Sometimes people say things about others for a reason and it's not always true. If you like her, you need to give her some benefit of the doubt."

  "You think so?"

  "Yes."

  "I really do love you," she said and kissed his cheek.

  "I love you, too, Jo-Jo."

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  Chapter Eighteen

  Jo let her class before lunch go early and hurried to her office, afraid she might miss a chance to see Kelly. She needed to tell her she was sorry for what she had said. Harry was right. She needed to give her a chance. But Kelly didn't come into her office at twelve-thirty. Jo wasn't really surprised. What had she expected? She had accused her of being a cheat and a liar, not to mention a collector of women! If Kelly never forgave her for that, Jo couldn't blame her.

  That night, lying in bed, she closed her eyes and remembered Kelly beside her, touching her. Jo had never enjoyed lovemaking as much as she had the two nights she had been with Kelly. They had a spark between them. When they touched, it was explosive.

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  She mentally shook herself. She did not need this drama in her life. Christy would have no reason to lie, even if Deb and Lucy did. She couldn't very well call Lucy up and ask her if they had slept together. It was really none of her business. And Deb, she refused to believe that Deb would lie to her. They were friends. After all this time, why would Deb show a romantic interest in her? But Deb had danced too close that night at the bar. Jo closed her eyes, trying to organize her thoughts as they came tumbling down around her. She was going in circles with her feelings. One minute, she thought she should take a chance with Kelly. The next minute, never.