Behind the Pine Curtain (28 page)

Kay squatted down beside Jackie’s chair, shyly resting a hand on Jackie’s thigh. She felt the other woman tense, felt the tremor that traveled through Jackie’s body. She found it amazing that her touch had such power. And she found it amazing that Jackie’s eyes could possibly turn bluer than they already were.

“Kay—” Jacqueline whispered, covering Kay’s hand with her own, pressing it tightly against her thigh. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“No, I don’t suppose I do,” Kay murmured. She was aware of the warmth under her fingers, and she spread them, grasping Jackie’s thigh.

Such a simple touch, yet it caused her heart to race, caused her breath to catch.

“Can’t leave you alone for a minute.”

Kay jerked her hand away guiltily as Rose walked over. She stood, aware that her legs were shaking. “You talking to me or Jackie?”

“Both of you. I swear! There’s a handsome man dying for your attention over there, and what do you do? Migrate back to Jackie. Jeez.

Some things never change.”

Kay and Jackie exchanged smiles. “We have fifteen years of catching up to do, Rose. Why can’t you understand that?”

“Because there’s a cute
guy
over there, that’s why.” Rose took her hand.

“And it’s not like he fell out of the ugly tree, Kay. Have you
seen
his biceps?”

“Rose, I love you, but you’re getting on my nerves,” Kay said.

“I’m sorry, Kay, but I just have a feeling about Josh. I think he might be the one.”

“The one?”

“Yeah, the
one
.”

“Rose, trust me, he’s not
the one
.”

Rose shook her finger at her sister. “Your problem, Kay, is that you’re too picky!”

“And your problem, Rose, is that you’re in my damn business!”

“Girls,” Jacqueline warned. “Play nice.”

“Jackie, she’s just so damn stubborn,” Rose said loudly.

“If you like him so much,
you
go out with him!” Kay countered.

They both turned as Greg cleared his throat behind them. “You might want to yell just a little bit louder. I’m not certain they heard you two doors down.”

Kay covered her cheeks with both hands. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

Her eyes slid to Jackie, and there was nothing there but understanding.

“I’m sorry too,” Rose said. “I’m pushing, I know.” She grasped Kay’s arm. “I just want you to have someone, Kay. I hate that you’re alone.”

“Rose, you’ve got to understand, I’m
fine
. You’re the only one worried about me being single.”

“I’m not the only one, Kay. I’m just the only one voicing my opinion.”

Jacqueline finally stood. “Rose, give her a break, will you?”

“Easy for you to say, Jackie. You’re here, then gone again. You don’t have to see her alone, day after day.”

“Rose, you’re out of line,” Kay said quietly. She looked at Greg.

“Please?”

“Come on, Rose. Let’s get the burgers out.”

“I’m sorry, sis. I just—”

“I know, Rose. It’s okay.” Kay let out a weary sigh when they walked away. “I know she means well, but she just wears me out sometimes.”

“Has she always been this adamant about you dating?”

“No, not really. She’s suggested blind dates before, she’s just never gone through with them.”

“I think she’s . . .” Jacqueline stopped. “Never mind.”

Kay wrapped warm fingers around Jackie’s hand. “She’s what?”

Jacqueline locked glances with Kay. “I think she’s worried about . . .

me.”

“Worried about you?” Kay moved closer. “Worried about
me
with you?”

she asked quietly.

Jacqueline looked away. “Yes.”

Kay smiled. “That may be true, but that’s not why she’s pushing Josh.”

Jacqueline looked back at Kay. “If I wasn’t here, would you want to go out with Josh?”

“You mean, if you hadn’t come back into my life?”

Jacqueline nodded.

“Honestly, no. I wouldn’t want to go out with him. There’s no interest there, Jackie. There’s never been for anyone. But you,” she added quietly.

Jacqueline nodded. She didn’t know what to say.

“Does that make you feel better?”

Jacqueline tilted her head. “I’m not sure. But then, I’m not sure of a lot of things right now.”

Kay smiled gently. “That makes two of us.”

They drove home in complete silence. Jacqueline pretended to watch the sunset. Kay pretended to watch the road.

They left Rose’s early, certainly earlier than anyone else. But Kay found her eyes searching out Jackie’s, and all she really wanted was to be alone with her. To talk, maybe. Or maybe not. She felt a nervousness settle over her, unlike anything she could equate it to. If anything came of this, this thing between them, she would have to be the one to bring it out. Jackie never would. Just like Jackie couldn’t bring herself to tell Kay way back when that she had feelings for her, feelings that went beyond friendship.

As she slowed, waiting for the garage door to open, Kay felt the tension build in the car and knew that Jackie felt it as well. She wondered if Jackie was afraid, knowing that they were alone, knowing that no one was here to interrupt. She thought it funny that they’d not discussed the kiss they’d almost shared last night. Funny, but not unexpected. Jackie would
never
bring it up.

They both got out, slamming the doors in unison. Jacqueline waited politely for Kay to walk into the kitchen, her eyes landing everywhere—anywhere—to avoid eye contact with her.

Jacqueline walked into the living room, intending to escape into the spare bedroom. She would close the door, she would boot up her laptop, she would check e-mail, work—anything to avoid thinking about the other woman in the house.

“Jackie?”

Jacqueline paused in the hall, the shadows hiding the fear on her face.

She didn’t turn around. “Yes?” She felt Kay move close behind her.

“We’re not seventeen anymore.”

Jacqueline swallowed hard, finally turning. “I know,” she whispered.

Kay took another step closer. “Jackie, did you ever . . . did you ever fantasize about me?”

Jacqueline met Kay’s eyes in the shadows, but she couldn’t speak.

“Did you fantasize about . . . kissing me?”

Jacqueline closed her eyes, her heart pounding so loudly, she could hear it echoing in the hallway.

“Did you?” Kay asked in a whisper.

“Yes,” Jacqueline breathed. She felt Kay’s hand touch her stomach, felt it travel higher.

“Did you fantasize about touching me?”

Jacqueline felt Kay’s thumb move between her breasts and she barely managed to swallow back her moan.

“Jackie, did you?”

“
Ye s
.”

Kay moved closer still, their thighs brushing. Kay’s hand trembled as she moved it higher, between Jackie’s breasts, then higher. She lightly rubbed her thumb over the pulse pounding so in Jackie’s neck.

“Did you think about me touching you?” Kay whispered.

“
Kay—
”

“Tell me. Did you, Jackie?”

Jacqueline could stand it no more. She grasped Kay’s arms, moving her against the wall, pressing her body flush against Kay, holding her there.

Their eyes locked together, fire on fire. She felt Kay trembling in her arms.

“I fantasized about you, too, Jackie.”

Jacqueline couldn’t wait. Without another word, she took the lips that were so close, the lips that she’d dreamed of as a teenager, the lips that had haunted her as an adult. Her moan mingled with Kay’s as their mouths mated for the first time. Her tongue shyly traced Kay’s lower lip, finally slipping inside at Kay’s beckoning. Frantic hands pulled her closer, and Jacqueline grasped Kay’s hips, molding their bodies together.

It was a sensation unlike anything Kay had ever experienced. Her body simply
melted
into Jackie. All of her senses came alive at once, and she knew she had never really been kissed before. Not like this. Not with such passion, such desire that had her feeling faint. She finally pulled away, breathing hard.

“Oh, good God, Jackie,” she gasped. “I’m going to fall down.”

“I’ve got you.”

“Please, Jackie,” Kay whispered. She moved her hands to Jackie’s waist, urgently pulling the T-shirt from Jackie’s jeans. “Don’t make us wait any longer.”

It was Jacqueline who thought she was going to fall down when she let Kay’s bra slip from her fingers to the floor. The shadows did nothing to hide the rise and fall of Kay’s chest, nothing to hide the small breasts from Jacqueline’s greedy eyes. It was a body she used to know so well, a body she’d watched change from adolescent to teen. A body that had matured into the lovely woman standing naked before her now.

Then it hit her. She and Kay were about to make love.

“I’m scared, Kay,” she whispered.

Kay smiled. She should have known. So, she took one of Jackie’s hands and drew it to her, surprised that it trembled when she placed it over her breast. She couldn’t contain the quiet moan that escaped at Jackie’s tentative touch. She closed her eyes as her own hands moved across Jackie’s naked flesh.

“Make love to me, Jackie,” she breathed.

It was then, when she felt Jackie’s body cover her own, that the rightness of it all hit her. She’d only had one sexual partner before, and Jackie’s gentle touch upon her body was so different from the brutal hands she remembered. She opened her eyes when she felt Jackie’s warm mouth cover her breast, and she arched into her as Jackie’s tongue swirled over her nipple. Her body came alive, sensations that were foreign to her traveled through her system— vibrating from every nerve ending—and she moaned from the pleasure of it all.
Y e s
, it was so right to have Jackie loving her.

Jacqueline was trembling as her hand moved along Kay’s waist to her hip—warm, soft skin greeting her at every turn. Kay’s quiet moans aroused her even more, and she had to force herself to go slow when all she wanted was to be inside Kay, to feel her wetness, to
taste
her wetness.

She groaned, moving from Kay’s breast back to her mouth, finding soft lips that opened to her, for her. Kay’s arms pulled her close, hands moving lightly across her back, sliding to her hips. She felt Kay’s thighs part, felt Kay arch to reach her. Jacqueline lowered her hips, meeting Kay forcefully as their tongues dueled. Their hips danced in an ancient rhythm, then Jacqueline could stand it no longer. With her knees, she urged Kay’s thighs farther apart, moving her hand between them.

Kay felt delirious as she waited for Jackie’s hand to touch her, to take her, to
claim
her finally after all these years. She never knew her body could be so aroused by another’s touch, never knew she could be transported to another level of ecstasy just by Jackie’s hands, her mouth.

But,
God
, she was about to explode, and Jackie’s hand had yet to reach her, had yet to move into her wetness, move into
her
.

“
Jackie
. . . oh, Jackie,” she murmured, eyes sliding closed again as she felt Jackie’s hand move over her hips, across her thigh, achingly close to her throbbing center.

Jacqueline’s restraint faded at Kay’s whispered words. Without another thought, her fingers slid into wetness, disappearing deep inside Kay.

She felt Kay close around her, felt Kay arch against her, heard the moans—not knowing if they were Kay’s or her own. Her eyes closed as her fingers moved with Kay, bringing her close to orgasm. Incoherent sounds came from Kay as her hips jerked against Jacqueline’s hand.

Jacqueline’s breathing was labored, and she opened her eyes, seeing the glistening wetness on her hand. She licked her lips, moaning loudly, knowing she
had
to have her mouth there.

Kay was only slightly aware of the mouth that covered her intimately, of the tongue that raked only once against her swollen clit. That was all it took to send her over the edge. She screamed out immediately, her body no longer hers to control. Her orgasm shook her head to toe and she trembled fervently as the convulsions slowly subsided. She blindly pulled Jackie to her, needing her closeness, needing her strength.

“I have no words, Jackie,” she whispered against her neck.

Jacqueline had no coherent thoughts as she wound her naked body around Kay.
Oh my God . . . you just made love to her
. Panic was about to set in. A part of her was afraid that Kay would regret this, that Kay would pull away from her. She rolled to her back, pulling Kay with her, holding her close. Her lips moved softly across Kay’s face. Then she gasped as she felt Kay’s hand caress her breast.

“You have such beautiful breasts,” Kay murmured. “I used to love looking at your body.” She looked up, meeting Jackie’s eyes in the shadows. “I just never knew why.”

“Kay, you’re not . . . you’re not sorry, are you?”

“Oh, God,
no
. Not sorry, Jackie. It was . . . it was so beautiful.” She looked away, her hand again moving between Jackie’s breasts, touching first one, then the other, watching in fascination as the nipples hardened.

“I want to make love to you. I want . . . I want to touch you that way.”

She looked up again. “You want that, don’t you?”

“Kay, I’ve wanted that forever.”

She watched as Kay’s eyes darkened before pulling away from her own.

Then her heart nearly stopped before drumming back to life again as her teenage dreams began to come true, beginning with Kay’s mouth covering her breast.

Kay woke first, the unfamiliar weight of another’s arm across her waist.

Unfamiliar, yet so
very
familiar. Even if the events of last night weren’t still fresh in her mind, she’d know it was Jackie holding her. She would know Jackie’s touch, her scent, anywhere.

She slowly closed her eyes, trying to ward off the panic attack that she knew was about to hit. Last night, she’d not had time to think. All she wanted was Jackie’s hands on her, and her own hands on Jackie’s skin.

Nothing else mattered. But now, now as the sunlight crept through the blinds, reality hit. She was lying naked with another woman. A woman who had made love to her—a woman she had made love
to—
for hours on end.