Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2010 10:00:31 -0700 (PDT) From: Mas P Subject: Island Girl - Part 3 Thanks for reading. :) And thanks for all the kind words folks. Imma keep it coming. If you'd like to fan my ego, or take it down a notch then hit me up at: maspgurl@yahoo.com Island Girl - Part 3 By Mas Karl told me to find my freakum dress. Pull out my inner freak. More or less, Karl wanted me to seduce Reesa that night. He was charmed by her bringing me lunch and fixing my car even though she had to drive from the other end of the island to do it. Now I stood in front of my closet trying to find one of these elusive freakum dresses. "I can't do this." I yanked out a nice blouse and the black skinny jeans I bought a month ago. They made my butt look really good so I thought it was a great choice. The food I cooked was already simmering on the stove. It was a tasty soup my mom taught me to cook and a pot of fluffy white rice. The bread I bought was my backup plan if she wasn't interested in rice. "Do I need to bring anything?" She text this to me an hour earlier. "Just you." I felt that it was a very coy and promising response. When the doorbell rang I glanced at my watch. She was twenty minutes early. I hurriedly touched up my makeup and rushed to answer it. The smile on my face faltered when my mother gasped in surprise. "Well look at you! You look so pretty." She invited herself into my apartment as I looked down the empty hallway. "Mom, what are you doing here?" "Well is that how you great your mother? You going out tonight?" "Mom, this isn't a good time. I have a friend coming over-" "Ohh! A date! Why didn't you just say so?" She sniffed the air and clapped her hands excitedly. "You cooked my soup! Good choice honey. Now he isn't allergic to seafood right? Did you add the crab?" "Yes mom, I really can't talk now mom. I'm not even ready yet." "Okay, you go finish up. I'll just check the soup then I'll go." She ushered me back down the hallway. I sighed and ran to the bedroom to finish up. When I came back out mom was doctoring the soup. "Okay mom, thanks. I'll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can go to the nursery to buy some flowers." She waved away my hints and motioned for me to sip from the spoon she held out for me. "You needed a bit more salt honey. Now this is perfect." I tasted it and raised an eyebrow impressed. It was better, but she had to get out of my apartment. "Mom, please. I'll call you tomorrow. I promise." She got on her tiptoes to kiss me on the cheek and clucked her way to my front door. I opened it only to see a surprised Terry with fist raised. "Terry!" "Hey," I looked from her to my mom who stood with a smile on her face. She looked uncertainly at my mom but remained quiet. "Hello. I'm Joanna's mother. And you are?" "Teressa Lawrence, it's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." This was NOT supposed to happen already! Meet the parents doesn't happen for at least another month! "Come in Terry, I'll be there in a moment, make yourself comfortable." When I turned back to my mom she had a confused look in her eyes. "Mom, I'll call tomorrow." "Joanna-" "Tomorrow mom." My voice was firm now. I heard the uncertainty and worry in her voice. This was a conversation that would have to wait. When I finally got the door closed I leaned into it with eyes closed. "Breathe Jo," I told myself. "You have a fine woman sitting in your living room waiting on you to entertain her. Breathe...focus..." I inhaled, exhaled and fixed my smile in place. She was in the kitchen holding a bottle of wine. "Hey," when she turned around she had a happy smile on her face. "Hey, this smells good." The slacks she wore fit her perfectly. They hugged her hips and thighs, showing off the muscle there. The dress shirt that she wore was black and tailored to her figure. Black loafers finished off the look. "You look nice." Another smile. I took the bottle and placed it in the fridge. "Thank you, so do you." "Thanks." We stared at each other until I began to fidget and walked over to the stove to check on the soup. "Well, it's done so sit down please." She settled into one of the chairs at the small dining table outside the entryway. "So, that was your mom?" My fingers gripped the spoon as I scooped up her soup. "Umm...I didn't plan that." I heard her low chuckle and sighed in relief. "Despite how it looked." "I believe you." She stood up when I approached the table. "Let me help you out there." We sat at the table finally settled down and I announced that I'd say grace. "Right," she said with an embarrassed look as she lowered her spoon. "Sorry 'bout that." "It's okay." Her first taste was small and hesitant but her eyes widened and soon she was scooping soup into her mouth with abandon. The bowl of soup and the smaller plate of rice were soon gone while I was only halfway done. "I'm sorry, I'm not usually so rude but woman, you sure know how to cook!" I laughed and grabbed her bowl. "I have bread from a great bakery but didn't know if you would want both." When I came back out she stood up again to help me into my chair. I don't know why the gesture made me horny, but they did. "I'd eat whatever you prepare for me Ms. Larnet." I rolled my eyes and folded my hands under my cheek, content in simply watching her. "I truly believe you when you say that Terry." Her spoon paused and our eyes connected. "I like it more when you call me Reesa." I looked away knowing that we both were thinking about the name slipping out whenever she touched me. "Eat up so we can eat ice cream later." "I see that you are trying to get me to gain as much weight as possible in the least amount of time." Our easy banter was refreshing. Her laughter filled my home and made me wonder how I lived without it. We sat on my couch with quiet music playing in the background as we ate ice cream. Small bursts of conversation would erupt to fill an otherwise relaxing and intimate evening. She looked around my living room smiling at the abundance of photos of my nieces. "They're cute." I smiled in agreement. "I never saw an ice cream bath before that weekend. Thanks for exposing me to that by the way." "Hey! It wasn't my fault that my nieces are little terrors." She laughed and sat back scooping up more ice cream. I watched her spoon move to her mouth and saw it pause. When I looked up she was watching me just as closely. She inched closer and gently took my bowl away. Her body faced me and she folded her long legs Indian style as she scooped up more of the thick, gooey desert. Her spoon moved to my mouth and I opened up willingly. The cool treat melted immediately. I hummed in appreciation. "Isn't this the best flavor ever?" She looked past my shoulder in thought for a moment then shrugged. "It's okay." The teasing in her eyes made my stomach flutter. "Strawberry cheesecake is the best flavor ever." "Oh, so you've tasted every possible flavor of ice cream then?" She shoved the spoon in my mouth before I could answer. "Because if you didn't then that means you can't possibly know what the best flavor ever really is, right?" "Smart ass," I said, splattering her face with white spray. I laughed at her surprised expression then the lopsided smile that followed. "Sorry," I mumbled, spraying some more. She frowned as she wiped the tip of her nose. "How about you just eat and let me do the talking." I smiled and felt it grow when she smiled right back. Her smooth skin looked healthy and soft. I knew that it felt just as soft as it looked. Her hair was in a rather spiky style that night. The shirt she wore hugged her torso in all the right places. She was such a great package that I started to wonder what the catch was. "Why are you single?" Our eyes met again before she lowered them to the bowl. "Why do you think?" "You have a great, whopping imperfection that I'm gonna find out about in 5 seconds?" She laughed and stretched an arm along the back of the couch. "Well I can assure you that I have more than one." The lightness of her eyes looked a few shades darker. I wondered if they got that way when she was very relaxed. "Tell me one of them." She pursed her lips and looked into the bowl. Her brows furrowed then relaxed as a bitter-sweet smile fell on her lips. "I'm a bit over protective. At least that's what my sister says." "Melissa." Her smile brightened and she nodded her head. "All big sisters are like that aren't they?" "Well, I think that she's lucky. There are a lot of freaks out there and she wants to leave the island for university. There are even more outside this island." She pouted and played around with the ice cream. She looked like a pissed off teddy bear. "Well I don't think that that qualifies as a real imperfection. I think that it's very cute." She chuckled then shifted around until she was more comfortable. "Adorable actually." "Tell her that. I'm just the big bad wolf half the time." The lamp light glinted off her hair prettily. It was shaved closer at the sides and back of her head. It was a very butch look that still managed to look feminine. It turned me on. "I'm trying to find Ms. Right." She scooped up another spoonful of ice cream. "That's a clich‚." "Clich‚s are clich‚s for a reason." She said as the spoon neared my lips. I watched as her eyes lowered to my chin and saw the spoon on its approach to said chin before smearing a trail of ice cream up to my mouth. I laughed as she fed me the rest of it, her little act of surprise may have worked if her eyes weren't leering at me. "Oops, look what I did." She bit her lower lip looking worriedly at my mouth. "What to do? What to do?" She said as she neared my lips. "We better get you cleaned up hmm?" "We better." Her tongue lapped at my chin slowly. The soft, wet organ sliding over my skin. "No napkin in sight but I don't think you planned on it getting this messy huh?" I laughed as she licked her way to my mouth, her hot tongue in strong contrast to the cool breaths pushing through the space between us. She licked her way from one corner of my mouth to the other then prodded against me begging entrance. "Knock, knock..." I smiled at her playfulness. She pushed me down into the couch, blindly moving the bowl between us to the table where it clattered into stillness. "I like the way you kiss." She groaned at the compliment. The playfulness of a moment ago melted into need. A red hot need that I felt pulsing through her now. Her hands were on my hips, pushing me closer even as she tried to slip her fingers beneath my shirt. "God Joanna. Why do I want you so damn much?" Her eyes were a dark brown now. I pulled her shirt free of her slacks, needing to feel her all over me. I didn't want an inch of her covered in clothes. She felt my urgency and lifted up her body for me to unclasp her pants, I pulled them down, tugging away at her underwear. Unable to stop myself my hands found her ass. It was like holding two bowling balls covered in soft skin. Her work kept her body tight, hard, just the way I liked it. She helped me unbutton her shirt and her bra followed. I decided to keep her in her socks for now even though the image made me smile. "What?" She asked. "Nothing." She shook her head and continued stripping me. Her eyes lit up at the lacey underwear. "Damn," she mumbled tracing the tip of her finger over the edges. When she dipped that finger between my thighs I gasped, pushing my hips closer. "Sexy." "Touch me Reesa..." Her mouth fused with the skin of my neck. Suckling and licking me into a hot mess. My thoughts were beyond scrambled. Thighs entangled until I couldn't figure out where she started and my body ended. Breathing became harsh and labored as hands began to rub and caress in earnest. Her tongue swiped over a nipple and I felt the touch right in my core. My walls clenched and unclenched as if that same tongue was pushing through me, touching me where I needed it the most. Her sucking was insistent and my body couldn't get enough. "So sweet..." she murmured as her hips pressed into me. The coarse hairs tickled my thighs then I felt her wetness. A slick coat spread over my skin and I grabbed her ass to feel more. It was beautiful. Hot. Feeling her breasts pressing into my stomach, her pussy rubbing over my thigh...it was amazing. She moaned deeply when my legs locked behind her hips, pressing her closer. She released my nipple with a pop and kissed her way down my stomach. A detour to my navel had me giggling. It was a ticklish spot and she soon discovered this. When she looked up at me with a lopsided smile I saw her storing that information away. "I'm gonna eat you out Ressa." Breathing was barely happening at all by that point. It sounded like more of a threat than a promise. "I'm gonna fuck this pussy so good." Her fingers moved through my folds lazily. "Oh god," I moaned. "You're gonna be screaming out oh Ressa very soon." Soft kisses traced the neat line of low hairs. Her nose nuzzled me, making me open my legs wider to give her room. Warm digits began to slowly rub over the swollen flesh and my teeth clenched together only to separate when my head fell back into the couch. A shout stopped at the back of my throat only managing to vocalize itself into a squeak. I looked up just in time to see her tongue sliding out, reaching for me. As soon as it touched me my eyes slid close. My hands grabbed onto her shoulders. The sturdy muscles there flexed as she ran her tongue over me again and again. I felt my body coiling in on itself like a spring. Every nerve, every cell pulling into one tight ball between my thighs. Getting tighter and tighter as her mouth teased me and taunted me with butterfly kisses to my clit. I felt the tip of her finger teasing my opening and immediately my hips rose up, eager to have her fill me. I wanted to be hers completely. Reesa's girl. Her teeth gently tugged on my clit, starting a tropical storm that quickly progressed to a full blown hurricane by the time her tongue began a slow rub. The hot, slick feel of her was too much. I felt the wave moving over me. I swear I heard it rushing in my ears, saw the shadow of it moving right over us. The sounds of her mouth on me were drowned out as my body began to tremble. Something left my mouth but I have no idea what I was saying...or shouting...she reminded me later. "Oh Ressa...shit Ressa!" Then she did the impossible. She made me even wetter, even hotter. I felt like every single one of my nerves were about to explode when she did something with that tongue of hers. I still have no idea what it was. "My secret weapon," she said when my brain turned back on. I came and came and she ate and ate, humming and moaning for me to never stop. She made me feel so beautiful that night, so desired; wrapped up in my thighs like a candy cane. I pulled away, trying to turn in on my self as her mouth still sucked my now sensitive clit, raking the swollen and pulsing nub. Her arms held my hips as she gently tugged me right back to the edge of release with soft strokes, promising with soft words that I had one more in me. She climbed up my body before I could let go. The scent of me on her was too erotic to ignore. My arms were around her waist and neck, pulling her mouth closer. She straddled my thigh and began to move along my skin. It didn't take long for both of us. Her face was pressed into a cushion as her back arched. The scent of her cologne mixed with the heavy scent of sex. She came panting out my name, groaning into my ear as her hips humped my thigh. Finally she trembled out an orgasm. The weight of her body felt wonderful. I took note if every little detail, trying to hide it all away. Store it up for a rainy day. Her head moved until she looked down at me with sleepy eyes. A grin that I knew and remembered spread across her lips making me smile too. I thought right then that I could wake up to that grin any day and never grow tired of it. "You're one amazing woman." Her after-sex voice was even better than her normal voice. It cracked in just the right places and lowered an octave. It made me wonder about her morning after voice... Morning...my heart sped up at what that meant. Nervousness filled my body and she picked up on it. "Hey." I studied her lips, particularly the dip at the center of her bottom lip. Her head lowered until our eyes met again. "What are you thinkin'?" I shrugged. She shifted a little, making the soft skin of her thigh push against me. I gasped and felt my body flare up again. From the look on her face she was ready to go again too. "You make me feel so good Reesa." The kisses we exchanged after that admission were chaste, innocent even. "And you make me feel so horny." I laughed and fell in love with the feeling of her chuckles rumbling against my chest. "Is there a bed in this place?" I nodded in the direction of my room. "Well, unless you want an achy back in the morning I suggest we use it, 'cause I'm not done with you yet." She stood up and I propped my hands behind my head in no rush at all as I admired the shapely body in front of me. She should be a sculpture or something...my gaze lingered on her pussy but didn't last long since she bent down and picked me up like a rag doll. I squealed in surprise and held on. "You could have just told me to stand up ya know?" My body was dumped onto my bed and I watched her crawl on all fours until she hovered over me. "I know, but where's the fun in that?" Something nagged at the back of my mind but I couldn't remember what it was before her lips touched mine again and then I was too lost to care. "I don't think I can let you sleep tonight Joanna." "I don't wanna sleep anyway." My hands trailed down to settle between her legs and her eyes turn to slits. "My kinda woman." I think her shouts echoed a few streets over. She was a very vocal lover. It didn't take me long to learn what she liked. It didn't take me very long to know that the feeling that knowledge gave me was stronger than anything I'd ever felt for any woman. I stretched over her body plunging my fingers into her. The wetness I met increased with each stroke. The lewd sound made me lick my lips in anticipation. I wanted to taste her and saw no reason why I couldn't. I kissed my way down her stomach, dipping my tongue into her navel. When I reached her honey pot she was a writhing mess, something told me that I could be slow some other night. That night I ate her with a purpose, not daring to miss even one spot. I kissed every piece of flesh I could and sucked on her clit until she begged for mercy. When my eyes began to close as she kissed my face over and over I knew I should tell her...something. Instead I heard her whisper against my ear, at that moment the three words pushed through my muddled thoughts clearly. As soon as my eyes drifted close the words blurred in my head then disappeared. I jumped out of my sleep. Something was wrong. Something just wasn't right...right? My mind grappled with that question for the nano seconds it took to fully open my eyes and then I looked around my darkened room and saw the problem. Teressa Lawrence was in my bed. At night, after we fucked like bunnies and breathed that last sigh of release. She was still there, in my bed. At night. This just wouldn't do. I felt my body getting tense. The arm flung over my stomach pulled me closer in reflex. I couldn't do it. I had to get out of that bed. I gently grabbed her arm and started to raise it up. I had it in the air when I felt her watching me. My body would always know when she watched me. "What are you doing?" "Umm, I was just...umm..." She chuckled and lifted her arm, freeing me. "Just thirsty I think." "You think?" I felt my stomach doing flip flops. How do I tell a sexy, sweet, wonderful...did I mention sexy? How do I tell this woman that she had to get the hell up out of my apartment before I scared her to death with my crazy nightmares and issues? How do I tell her that I never really ever had a woman spend the night? "What time do you have work tomorrow?" The room was dark but even so I saw understanding dawn on her. "I mean, I'm just-" "I know what you mean Ms. Larnet." She rolled over and stood up quickly. I jumped up just as quickly. "You don't understand Reesa..." "Oh I do. I've done this enough times to know when I'm being kicked out of some girl's bed." I couldn't help but feel insulted and jealous. The use of the term "girl" to describe me was annoying enough. I knew that she was using it to rile me up and it worked, but just how many "girls" did she do that with anyway? I asked her as much. "You don't have to worry about that." "What's that supposed to mean?" She's in the living room now yanking on her pants and stuffing her underwear in her pocket. "What in the fuck did I even do this for?" She muttered. I rush back to my room for my robe and turned back only to have her standing in my bedroom doorway. "You know, I wasn't gonna stay all night. I don't even have a damn tooth brush with me. I look like some damn u-haul lesbian to you?" "I never-" "No! You never! That's your problem. Jesus! What a mistake!" Now I'm getting slapped from all directions with the insults. Now she's just starting to piss me the hell off. "A mistake? You don't get to say that! Not to me! Not when you were the one begging me to go deeper and harder all night you big, mean..." She stood looking at me with eyebrow raised as I struggled to find the perfect description of her. Nothing surfaced. "Whatever! You just jump up and assume the worse and don't even let me explain." "You don't have to. Not to me. Not ever." She grabbed her truck keys. "Thank you for a great night. It was fun." "Fuck you." "Apparently you did. Glad you got it out of your system. Good night Ms. Larnet." Before I could walk up to her and slap her into yesterday she was gone. "You don't understand!" I screamed at my door. I'm a mess. Life's a mess. What was the purpose of life anyway? Just to get messy? I wasn't becoming philosophical or anything, not at all. I was just miserable and finally admitted to myself why; I missed Teresa Lawrence something fierce. "Mommy," Jazzy Jazz asked Jamilla when she thought I was too far away to hear. "Why's Aunty JoJo so sad?" Even my nieces picked up on it, and since they did my sister did too. I sat in her kitchen on a Tuesday night avoiding my dark apartment. It was a week and a half by then and I hadn't heard from Reesa and couldn't muster the courage to see her or call her. When her mom popped in the bank the Friday before I made myself scarce, knowing that she'd inquire about her Karianna. Maybe I just should have told her that night. Recurring nightmares are okay to discuss on the first date right? "No they're not," my sister gently assured me then patted my arm. "But there are exceptions." "What does that mean? Exceptions?" Jamilla, always the harried mother of two preoccupied with the life of a stay at home mom. Somehow she finds moments like these to be a pseudo-psychologist. Even though we weren't the closest of siblings I knew that I could tell her anything and my little confessions would go with her to the grave. Even though it annoyed her to no end, she still kept my little "open secret" from my mother. We both had our suspicions that our mother knew years ago but just wanted to believe what she wanted to believe. I think it made Jamilla more depressed than I ever was. "I want you to be happy, and this woman seems to be doing that, making you happy." She jumped up to grab a bag of popcorn from the microwave. We decided to make it a movie night since the girls were already in bed and Bobby, her husband, made himself scarce with his buddies. "Sometimes you need to jump. It seems like last night you were supposed to jump Jo." I pouted and stared unseeing at the television. "I've never told anyone that I was serious about beside you-know-who and she broke up with me." "What, we don't say her name anymore now?" I scowled at her until she chuckled and settled back in the couch. They bought it a year ago and it already had the war-ravaged look of living with toddlers. "Talk to her Jo. I think you should see where this goes. And for goodness sakes, tell her about the nightmares! What's the worst that can happen?" "She'll break up with me." "If she's the right woman for you then those nightmares shouldn't be an issue. In fact, in the right pair of arms nightmares are non-existent." I smiled at her and grabbed some popcorn. "So you think she's the cure for my nightmares now huh?" "Maybe." I reached for the remote, effectively ending our conversation and allowed Jamilla's words to run through my head a mile a minute. I decided to keep the fact that I never had a woman spend the night a secret. She'd just have something else to nag me about. "Maybe." I finally decided to find a cure for my miserableness. I went for dinner at Jimmy's. I got a loaded burger overflowing with onions. Only after I sat rubbing a full stomach did I allow the past week to come rushing back at me. It was a quiet one. A lonely one. My running didn't bring Reesa around. I didn't even feel her there in the mornings now. "Damn," I mumbled as I watched the little fishing boats and the few yachts sailing into the docks. I wish I were on one of those little boats right then. I wish I was on it with Reesa sailing to the Keys or one of the remote islands scattered just beyond eyesight of any beach on Potter's Island. "I have to talk to her." It was Friday at about 6pm, I mused as I hurried to find money in my purse. She should be home right? "You done already Jo?" I smiled at the pretty waitress as I stood up pulling on my jacket since it was a little chilly that evening. "Yeah hon, gotta run." After I left more tip than I probably should have I rushed to my car. My knuckles were hurting from banging on the heavy oak door. I was banging for the last 5 minutes too. What if she was out back? I thought for a moment then decided that it wouldn't hurt to check. First I heard music. Some kind of pop rock. Roc's eyes were the first pair that I saw and boy did they look miserable. His ears were plastered to the back of his head as Reesa's sister hosed him down in a huge steel tub. "You're a good boy!" She gushed every few seconds. He groaned and began to shake when Melissa grabbed him suddenly. With his size and the amount of fur on his body, any shaking from him would turn into a monsoon. His big, sulky eyes looked at me beseechingly, then he made a half-bark half-crying sound that gave my presence away. Melissa turned around startled. "Oh! Hey! I didn't see you there!" I smiled as I moved closer. Roc cried even more. No help from me buddy, I thought. If dogs could scowl I swear it looked like I was having one directed at me when he realized that I was quite content watching his torture. I studied Melissa as she rinsed off Roc. She was almost as tall as Reesa but her hair was much longer and in a sloppy pony tail. The tank top and cut-offs she wore was proof of a body that wasn't as well muscled as her sister's but it was instead wiry, toned muscle over a slim figure. It looked like attractiveness ran in the family. Her face was just as pretty as Reesa's. In a nut shell, Melissa Lawrence could be a runway model if she so desired. "I kind of sneaked up. Sorry 'bout that." She waved away my apology but grabbed onto Roc who tried to shake again. "Soon done big guy!" I laughed at the ridiculousness of the scene. The dog could probably push Melissa down and make a run for it if he really wanted to. He obviously cared too much about her to do that. "You are a good boy Roc." I searched around and found a bag of dog treats. Melissa looked at me gratefully as I fed him a few. "So you're on wash duty this evening I see." "Yeah. I promised to wash him if Terry let me use her car this weekend." "Car?" I only ever saw the truck but she pointed to a garage that I overlooked during my last visit. A white Honda was parked among tools and bicycles mounted up on the wall. I reached out and touched Roc's shiny fur as the water washed the suds away. Warm water too. "She'll be pissed she missed you." I guess the surprise wasn't well concealed. She smirked and told me to stand back unless I wanted to get splattered. Roc waited until Melissa released him and shook to his heart's content. He jumped from the tub and started to run toward the front yard, probably to roll around in the dirt, when Melissa stopped him and pointed into the house. "Your room Roc!" His ears flattened and with head bent he trotted off into the house. I laughed at how human-like the dog was. "He has his own room too huh?" "Oh it's just the laundry room off of the kitchen. It's warm in there and he has all his toys spread out in the place anyway so Terry just made it his place." I helped her empty out the tub and we turned it over to dry as she gathered up all of the things she had on the floor. "So you two had a fight huh?" I tripped over a stone. She looked back as we neared the back veranda. "Ummm...I guess you can say that." "She was moping around here all week and snapping at every little thing. Plus she only works late when she's mad," I held the back door open and watched her dump the bottles and brushes on the counter. "...or sad." Even though her wet t-shirt was mildly distracting I still looked away embarrassed. "And I didn't do anything recently so I thought it had to be you." Did I make her sad? I knew the answer before I even asked. "Awww don't worry about it. Just go to her and give her a big ole kiss and she'll feel better." She patted my arm on her way to the fridge. "I was hoping to find some of that lemonade she had the other day..." she mumbled as she searched. She grabbed a soda instead. I declined her offer for one and sat down since I had the feeling she wanted to chat. "Lemonade huh? She made it?" Melissa shrugged as she took a long sip. "I don't know. All she told me when I tried to drink some was 'don't touch my lemonade Mel!'". I spotted the bowl filled to overflowing with lemons. "I can make some more you know. It's really easy-" "You made that?" My nod made her smirk. "Damn! You can open your own little stand and clean up. It was so good." "I thought she told you not to drink any." Melissa raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Right." I began to search for a knife and some sugar. "Where's the container." She grabbed one then went back and grabbed another. "Make a container for me too! She'll just hog the first one." "So you're in college now?" Melissa smiled and settled down on one of the four bar chairs at the kitchen island. "Yeah. The community college in the city. Undeclared major. I'm going off to university in January though! I help out Reesa in the summer, as I'm doing now. Extra cash ya know? Plus it's fun working with her. I love playing in the dirt." Her grin was infectious. "And she's at work still?" I looked at my watch worriedly. It was going on 7pm. "Yeah, she works when she's mad." I looked up from my cutting. "Or sad. She'll be home tonight after it gets dark." As I made two quick batches of lemonade we chatted about school and her family. She had a brother who was a chef. He was an outside child but there was never a time when they all didn't get along. "So which site is she at? The same one? Larson's Cay?" "Yeah, but like I said, 'cause it's still light out until 8 or so she'll be home around 9..." "She works 'til 9 at night?!" I searched her cabinets for a thermos and dropped in a few cubes of ice then poured some lemonade. "That's too late." "I agree." She leaned on the counter watching me and grinning like a clown. "Can you cook too? 'Cause if you can then we'll keep you." I paused in packing away the thermos in my purse to see that she was teasing me. "Don't you live with Gina?" "Uh huh. But Reesa's house is cooler. And she lets me drive her cars once I subject myself to a minimal amount of child labour." "You're 22." She just smiled brighter. It mirrored Reesa's so much that I found myself smiling right back. Maybe I can get Reesa to smile like that for me again... "If she beats me home tell her I stopped by." "I will. Thanks for the lemonade. I'm gonna find a label and put it on right now so she doesn't think you made all of it for her greedy butt." She was cute and it was obvious why Terry was so protective. Melissa had the potential of being a heart breaker. I only remembered Roc when I sat in my car but I made a mental note to bring back a bag of treats for my bad manners. I couldn't believe that there were still workers on the site. There were lights set up even though the sun was on its decent. Her truck wasn't hard to spot. It was at a different lot now and trucks and jeeps her size and bigger were parked along the curb. My feet were armed with tennis shoes this time so it wasn't an uncomfortable walk into the back yard. The few people working in the front stopped and looked on curiously. They all had their shirts off and shiny bodies glinted at me in the sharp light. The back yard was no different. It was spotted with half naked bodies working hard. I spotted Terry moving a boulder with two other men. Her sports bra was drenched in sweat and each muscle looked defined. She must have been working hard for the veins to be straining from her skin as if ready to pop out any second. I stopped a few yards away. One of the men noticed me first and said something to the other one. "You here for me sugar?" He grinned as he nodded at the other one. His buddy looked familiar and I remembered him from the first time I stopped by. He was the giant standing next to Terry. He grinned as they lowered the boulder and Terry turned around. She looked beautiful. A tall, sweaty goddess. I knew right then that I was a fool for letting her go that morning. I should have tied her down until she understood. I looked at my tennis shoes and shook the thermos nervously. The ice knocked around. I heard her footsteps getting closer. I breathed out quickly and grimaced. I breathed into my hand and cursed. The scent of onions attacked my senses. The memory of that burger at Jimmy's had me searching my jeans for gum but I came up empty. "Damn Jimmy's." I grumbled and prayed that she didn't get too close. She walked up to me until there was no more than two feet between us. Her face was impassive. "Hi," I said. "Hey." "Your sister told me that you were still working." She nodded her head. Her fingers tugged off her dirty gloves as she studied me. Her lips looked as full and soft as I remembered. I tried not to stare at her arms or droll over her hard stomach. It was near impossible though. I was already imagining my hands washing away every ounce of sweat under a steaming shower. "It's pretty late to be working huh?" "They get overtime and I get paid quicker." So abrupt, I thought. It seemed hopeless. She was pissed and wasn't hiding it. "Next time you come on my site you need to wear steel- toe boots." I looked up into cold eyes and shook my head. "Fine." I turned around and took one step before I felt her hand on my arm, gently tugging me back. I stood closer to her now, looking at her chest. I bit my lip in an attempt to hold back my tears. She sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry. Don't cry Jo." "I'm not crying." I said as I wiped away a stray tear. I couldn't hide how much her coldness hurt. I wasn't as good as she was. "I'm sorry Terry." When I finally found the courage to look up I saw a half smile on her face. "I know." She leaned closer and I knew that she meant to kiss me. I moved my face so that her lips pressed to my cheek instead. She slowly moved back and I saw more hurt there. It was as if every time I came near her all I did was hurt her feelings. She stepped back, already closing off herself to me but I grabbed her arms before she could leave me. "It's not what you think Terry." "Well what is it then Jo? Please enlighten me." She crossed her arms, making the muscles there bulge. "Because it looked like you didn't want to kiss me in public." "No! I just had Jimmy's on the Coast. The Big Beef Burger loaded with onions." She raised her hands to the sky then lowered them. "What does that have to do with anything?" "I have onion breath!" I said, covering my mouth. Her confusion melted away until the half smile was back. "Joanna, I don't care about shit like that." She stepped closer and lowered her face again stopping halfway. I reached up and met her lips. Her tongue swiped over my mouth from corner to corner until I opened up, giving her access, allowing her to suck on me and tug on me only to pull away. The intensity of the kiss dimmed until she only pressed soft kisses to my lips. At some point my hand moved behind her back and pulled her too me. Only when I heard the wolf whistles did I remember that we were not in the privacy of my bedroom. I looked around and even spotted the workers from the front of the yard clapping us on. Terry looked up with an eyebrow raised at our audience. "Unless you all want to be unemployed in the next 10 seconds I suggest you all get back to work!" They feigned disappointment but did as they were told. My hand moved to her side, the soft skin there was slick with sweat. When our gazes met again she had a grin on her face. She studied me with that curious look I saw so many times. "And you onion breath-" I pinched her side, making her grunt and grab for my hand. "Just kidding." "Well I had some lemonade for you but now..." Her face lit up as she searched around for the thermos. She grabbed it and opened it up emptying half of its contents down her throat before I could get another word out. "Ahhhh. Mmmm." She smacked her lips together and beamed at me. "Thank you." "You do have more at home ya know?" The surprise was instant. "You were at my house?" I told her about the jugs I made before I left and Melissa's jug. She grunted as she closed the empty thermos. "Anything made in that house belongs to me, not that little mosquito." "So what dog treats does Roc like?" She looked over at me as we walked over to a table that had a cooler of drinks, their work shirts and drawings strewn over it. "Anything with chicken in it. I bought him bacon strips once and watched him bury them in the back yard." I laughed at her annoyed expression. "I have nightmares." She grew still and sat down on the bench facing me. Everything about her was focused on me. It was moments like this when I knew that she was someone special. That THIS was something special. Not even my sister gave me this much of her attention when we were together. It was as if everything else on the earth blew away and I was the only person left standing in front of her. It made me know that I could feel safe telling her about this little chip in my armor. So I told her about my dreams that afternoon. "...and that made me not want to ever let someone stay. And this makes everything worse. I've never had a real relationship Terry, an open one. No one else ever stayed. I never allow anyone to get...closer to me." I found compassion in her eyes. Not realizing how much I needed to see that, I sat down on the table next to her. "Thanks for telling me." I nodded my head. Her finger was beneath my cheek and lifting my lips to hers. It was a chaste kiss that was too short. "We can move slow." "Maybe slower...?" She chuckled. "Slower is good." I kissed her again and heard a throat clearing. A blond woman stood trying to hide a grin. "Yes Evelyn," Terry said without looking over. "We were wondering about the southern garden in the front yard boss. We gonna plant that grass today or..." I cleared my throat and stood up. "Yeah, about this working until 10pm thing," She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "This needs to end now. You're going home." Both eyebrows were reaching for the sky. "Now Terry." Terry laughed and nodded at Evelyn. "You heard the woman. Pack it in and go home. Tell the rest of the crew." "Nice! So we'll be here tomor-" "Monday." I interrupted. Evelyn winked at me and started to back away when Terry didn't correct me. "Someone's gettin' some this weekend," I heard the woman mutter but chose to ignore it. Terry probably heard it too but like me she ignored it. "What are you doing tonight?" I asked. "You I hope." She chuckled at my embarrassment and stood up. "Nothing. Maybe go over some plans, render some drawings, make some-" I stood between her legs now holding onto her forearms. "Or not work at all." "That's better. Maybe we can spend some time together?" The sweet smile that lightened her eyes made my little heart skip a beat. "Maybe we can." She rubbed my arms and stood up. "Let's pack in it folks!" Terry wasn't happy. Melissa was telling me all of her dirty, little childhood secrets. Stories about eating dirt, getting caught watching x-rated movies even a story about stealing her mom's car only to be caught by her uncle, a police officer, in the back seat with another girl who her mother still believes to this day she was 'studying' with. "How you can study in the back seat of a car with no light on is still a mystery to me." Mel evaded another attempt by Terry to cover her mouth. Terry threw up her arms and rose from the table. My eyes were watering as I tried to stop my fit of giggles. I was starting to get that belly ache from too much laughter. "Since you both insist on talking about me as if I'm not here I'm gonna start cleaning up." She scowled at Mel and disappeared with a few glasses. I was glad I decided to have dinner with her that night. It allowed me to really see how close Terry was to her family. Her mother called during dinner to check up on her and through that short conversation they learned about her brother's plans for the weekend. It was as if each member of the family had an eye on the other one in some way. Terry offered to cook for everyone and they sat down to barbequed chicken that still had my mouth burning. The sauce was perfect. Homemade mashed potatoes and roasted corn were the sides. Watching her roast the corn on the grill out back was macho enough to get me excited. As soon as Mel disappeared I grabbed her shirt and pulled her down for a kiss. It didn't take her long to get into it. My hands were making their way to her ass when Mel came back in the kitchen with Roc in tow. "Wow, you two must be itching to get me out of here." I jumped away. Terry pointed the fork at Mel. "You are quite right." I poked her in the stomach and assured Mel that it wasn't the case. Mel looked at Roc and pointed at Terry. "Attack Roc! Attack!" He looked from one sibling to the other then jumped around excitedly. "What kind of guard dog are you anyway?" The playfulness went on throughout the night though it sobered a little as everyone's stomach filled up. Mel sat back with a content look about her. "This is why I love coming to Terry's place. Free food." "The way she reacted when I cooked for her I thought she didn't know what a stove was." Mel laughed loudly and shook her head. "So you cooked for her huh? That's sweet. She deserves sweet." I looked away unsure about how to respond to the way she studied me. "Our mom taught us all how to cook. It was a right of passage out of her house. That could be why I still live with her though. I manage to burn water." It didn't take much to figure out that I liked Mel. It also didn't take much to figure out that she liked me too. "I think she could make a chef out of you yet. Apparently that's the way to a man's heart." Her smile turned sly as she stood up stacking plates. "I'm more interested in direction to a woman's heart actually." My eyes widened as the words sunk in. "Oh sorry! I didn't..." She laughed and waved away my apology. "It's okay. I don't go around advertising it or anything so how would you have known?" Still feeling guilty I offered to help hoping that it would hide my embarrassment. We both entered the kitchen to see Terry loading pots and pans in the dishwasher. She stood up and smiled when she saw me. "So you two done talking about me yet?" "As if you're so important big head." Mel teased only to have Terry grab her and tickle her side. Only when she squealed did she release her. "You'd be wise to remember that I know every one of your ticklish spots smartass." She ruffled Mel's hair, laughing as she tried to keep it in order under the assault. "Save me from her Joanna!" They were so cute to watch. So much love. When I interacted with Jamilla there was probably about half of the affection the siblings shared. "I don't think so. I have no desire to be tickled to death thank you very much." I grabbed a wash cloth instead and started to clean the counter. "Oh no you don't. I'm cleaning up. You love birds go do whatever it is that birds do." Terry took my hand and led me out of the kitchen. As soon as we left a radio started up blaring out hip hop music. I looked back and Terry laughed. "It's her thing. She only cleans to deafening music." She tugged me away from the kitchen down the hallway that led to the bedrooms. We passed a messy room, littered with dog toys had to be Mel's. We passed two closed doors. I guessed that one of them was her office and came at last to her bedroom at the end of the hall. With the flick of her fingers a room painted pastel shades of greens was revealed. "Wow. It's beautiful Terry." Rich cherry furniture was placed throughout the room all supporting what had to be the main attraction; a king sized bed at the center. Fluffy pillows and a soft comforter made the bed look inviting. "Let me run to the bathroom, make yourself comfortable." I sat down on the bed at a loss. Did she mean to get naked or just relax? I chose to just relax. It was the right decision since I really wanted to wash up. Terry came out of the bathroom smelling like minty toothpaste. I asked if she had a spare toothbrush and she walked me into the bathroom to show me where everything was. When I came back out she was sitting on the edge of her bed waiting for me. The way her feet tapped revealed her impatience. Or was it nervousness? She looked up with a smile when she spotted me and I walked up until I stood between her thighs. Her hands moved up the back of my thighs, pressing into my jeans until I felt the warmth. "Can I make love to you tonight?" "I don't see why not." I raked my fingers through her hair as she nuzzled my stomach. Everything about her was on edge, as if she was ready to pounce on me but barely kept it all in check. Even through the touches she pressed into my back as she slid off my shirt. The opened window fluttered her curtains around wildly and I caught the scent of rain. Thunder rolled in the distance as I pushed her back to the center of the bed. My hands worked at my shirt and quickly disposed of my jeans as she sat back watching me. "You're so sexy Jo." My ego purred under her attention. Her stomach clenched beneath my hands even as her hips pressed up to meet me. My thighs straddled her as I began to unbutton the dark dress shirt she wore. The toned body revealed never ceased to make my heart pound. I just wanted to hug her all night and never let go. My body had other plans. She ran her hands over my thighs and grabbed my ass firmly pushing me into her. Her body tensed as she reached up to press her mouth to mine. Soft, full lips moved skillfully, gently begging entrance. When I parted my lips she slowly made contact. Gentle suckling turned into a fierce battle for control. The weather outside turned from a light rain to a downpour in a matter of seconds and it felt as if she became more and more aroused. My fingers fumbled to unclasp her pants and gripped the edge of her underwear. Just when I thought I was going to get my hands between her thighs I was rolled onto my back. Her mouth latched on to my breasts and started a rhythm that had me moaning out her name. "Don't stop Reesa." "Mmmm..." Her fingers traced patterns over my skin, covering any available spot with her touch. Her mouth unlatched from my nipple with a popping sound and I watched her through a fog of need as she kissed her way down my stomach, closer to where I needed her, only to wander by. "Reesa," I whispered anxiously. She shushed me quietly as she peppered my thigh with small kisses and nips. "I want to make love to you Jo," I sighed. "Just close your eyes baby." I didn't want to, I wanted to watch her every move, catalogue it all away. It became a sensory overload when her lips kissed the inside of my thighs. At some point I was rolled onto my stomach and her caresses continued. A kiss to the back of my knees was accompanied with the feel of her hand on the arch of my feet. Her hands bent my legs and arms when needed, Like a puppet master, she had complete control of my body. I saw my soul surrendering to her too and had no idea how to stop it from happening. Her kisses moved to the small of my back. I pressed into her mouth, my knee rising up instinctually. Her hand rubbed up and down the back of my thigh getting closer and closer to the heat that was pulsating since I saw her that evening. She stretched her body over me, in between kisses she softly licked her way to my ear. Her hand slid around to the front of me, sliding easily between the bed and my body. "So fuckin' hot..." I was. The breezes through her opened window did nothing for me. Even the thought of the cool rain pattering against the window did nothing for me. I groaned when her fingers finally dipped into my folds with purpose. She didn't tease me or play around. Her breasts pressed firmly into my back, the hardened tips making me reach out for her, pulling her by her neck so that I could taste her lips again. I loved the way her tongue moved against mine. I loved the way her thighs straddle mine. I loved the way she hummed into my mouth. Then her touch... My hips were grinding into the bed now. The fingers I needed were edging their way inside of me. Then she was there. Sliding in and out. It felt so good. My body wanted more though. I pushed her away and turned around. Her solid body settled perfectly between my thighs. Our gazes locked as she slid easily inside of me again. "Oh yeah," I said grabbing onto her shoulders. "You like that?" "Mmmhmm. Don't stop Reesa..." Her thighs straddled mine and I felt her slick heat coating my skin. Each thrust of her hips made us both moan or gasp. Her body was reacting stronger than I'd ever seen. I felt my stomach tightening. Every heartbeat was clearly pounding in my ears as my arms wrapped tightly around her. Our mouths fused again just as I felt the first little explosion. We both gasped for air. I came pulling at the sheets of her bed. Her moans grew louder and louder as she rode my thigh. My fingers slipped over her ass until I reached her core. "Oh god Jo...I need you to fuck me baby." I rolled us over and plunged my fingers inside of her. She was so ready. The mixture of sweat and cologne filled my head, mixing with the salty taste of her skin. I latched on to the pulse at her throat as I stroked her slowly. Her hips motioned for me to move faster and I did. Her clit was hard so I knew that in a few strokes she'd release. My thumb pressed home and she shouted out a few curses. Then I started to rub her slowly. I wanted to feel her though. Her clit was bigger than mine and the idea of sucking her to orgasm made me wet all over again. In a heartbeat I was between her thighs, my fingers still stroking her slowly despite her demands. Every part of her pussy was swollen. I breathed in deep as I watched my fingers disappear inside of her only to reveal themselves shiny with her juices. She was like a fruit, so ripe that it was ready to burst. My mouth covered her before she did. Her response was immediate. Strong thighs wrapped around my head blocking all sound as I feasted on her. She was so good, her taste was distinct; salty and sweet. My tongue ran up and down her folds gathering her wetness. When my mouth clamped on her clit it felt like sucking on a cherry. I happened to love cherries. What I thought would take a few strokes of my tongue turned into an indefinite amount of time. Only when I felt her body tense and a gush of wetness on my chin did I stop my assault. Gentle licks and kisses only caused small tremors now. I would have parked myself between her thighs all night but I wanted to see her face. Boy was I glad I saw it. I laid it down real good. "I never came so hard in my life." She mumbled this as I crawled up her body. "What the hell did you do to me?" I chuckled at her dazed expression. Her hair was sticking in all directions and her skin had a healthy sheen on it as her body tried to slow down. I kissed her cheek. Everything in me wanted to please her now. Knowing that I caused her to be in this state empowered me even as it humbled me. I couldn't turn back from her now even if I tried. Thunder rolled above us loudly, making me jump a little. As soon as Reesa wrapped her arms around me though the storm faded to the background. Her hand moved over my ass. I watched her sleepy eyes watch me. My ego demanded some petting so I asked, "I turned you out huh?" Her smile was slow, then she was all out laughing. I was on my back again, exchanging pecks with her until our lips began to linger. My head told me to let my body rest and I knew that I should have listened, but I was ready for her touch again. "You would be correct, but I'm not finished with you yet Ms. Larnet." A firm thigh was pressed against me. We were sliding against each other slowly. The rain pattered against the windows, mixing with the sound of our heavy breathing and skin sliding against skin. I buried my nose in her neck and the faint scent of her filled my senses. "Ummm, you make me so wet Jo..." I locked my legs around her as our bodies grinded together slowly. My hands splayed on her back. Every muscle seemed to be in action. She came first. A loud moan turned into grunts as I grabbed her ass, pushing her even further. I followed her with breathy pants and moans. Our bodies were sticky with sweat and our own wetness and I knew that I should have gotten up to cleanup a little but I wasn't about to move. Another voice told me to get up and get leave but it was too quiet. When I turned around and hugged her close, her heartbeat was the only thing that I heard.