Vacation
Title: Vacation
Word count: ~6,700
Summary: Kelly needs to get away from things for a little while so Carolyn decides they should go camping.
Warning: femmeslash ^.6
Vacation
Part 1: The Idea
I was making some French toast and bacon when I heard the front door open and close with a slam. I heard Kelly swear as she removed her shoes and windbreaker. She didn’t even take the time to arrange them in the closet properly before going to her punching bag.
Worried, I shut off the stove’s burner and followed her into her room. I could hear the steady thump of her gloved fists hitting the punching bag through the closed door. Opening it, I stayed in the doorway. When I had first moved in, I once interrupted Kelly during a routine and she punched me in the stomach before she could stop herself. Repeating the experience would suck.
“Kelly? What’s wrong?”
“Anita.” Kelly growled, still venting her anger on the punching bag.
“What did she do this time?” I should’ve known. Few people could drive Kelly to anger like Anita.
“She just won’t listen to me!” Kelly gave a particularly strong punch that made the punching bag convulse. “I can understand her wanting to find somebody but I don’t like the tramps she’s playing with these days. They’re nothing more than fuck buddies. She deserves better than them, I’m sure a couple of them are trying to get her into drugs.”
“She’s too smart to fall for that.” I said soothingly.
“If she was a man, I’d say she’s thinking with her dick.” Kelly continued. “And not only is she not listening to me, but she’s telling me all about her sexcapades. I don’t want to know what she’s doing with those tramps Carolyn.”
“Anita doesn’t seem to understand the concept of too much information.” I agreed.
“And she won’t stop talking about you either.” Kelly would not be calmed.
“Talking about me?” I had a bad feeling about that.
“What she’d do with you if you two ever had sex. What kind of friend talks about how she’d make love to your girlfriend? She knows we haven’t even gone that far, I can see it in her smirk, so why would she say something that maddening?”
“I don’t know. Would it be any better if we did have sex?” I said mildly, crossing my arms.
“It would relieve one frustration but it probably wouldn’t shut her up.” Kelly answered without thinking, finally admitting that she was getting tired of waiting. She gave the punching bag a final whack and flopped onto her bed, breathing heavily from the exertion.
I sat down beside her and she moved so she could rest her head on my lap. I wiped her sweaty face with the corner of a blanket. “You will never lose me to Anita.” I told her, undoing the elastic that kept her hair in a ponytail. I liked twirling the fine strands with my fingers, it made me feel like I was connected to her. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
“I know.” She sighed. Her anger had burned up most of her energy as it surged through her body into her punching bad, it always did. I think it’s because she keeps a tight leash on her emotions. If someone were to contain an earthquake for a certain amount of time, letting it build onto itself in terms of power without the occasional release, it would cause the same devastating wave that had just gone through Kelly. “I’ve just forgotten how difficult she can be when she puts her mind to it. It’s not fair.”
“I know.” I massaged her temples, hoping it would soothe her headache.
“I just need to get away for a while.” Kelly murmured. “A vacation.”
Her breathing pattern started to change, becoming slower and deeper as she fell asleep. I placed a pillow under her head and covered her with a spare blanket. She would probably sleep for a few hours at least, maybe through the night if she was comfortable enough.
I went back to the kitchen and ate my supper, wondering where I could bring Kelly to make her feel better. A road trip involved too much planning. A movie was only temporary and she knows that they don’t really interest me. A restaurant’s expensive and temporary. The only amusement park around was an hour’s drive away when neither of us owned a car; not to mention the fact that admission was expensive and there weren’t any affordable hotels nearby.
But Kelly liked nature. She liked walking through Point Pleasant Park and the Public Gardens, examining the plants and how the grew around each other. She also liked swimming, whether it be in a lake or an ocean she didn’t care; she just hated public pools. I went to the storage room, carefully feeling my way past picnicking gear and the random totes that contained seasonal decorations until I found the tent I had brought with me from my old apartment.
I decided that a visit to Shubi Park wouldn’t hurt anybody. The campsite wasn’t particularly amazing but it had bathrooms, laundry machines, a forest trail and a sandy lake. It shouldn’t be too busy at this time of year, most of the tourists have come and gone and most of the locals wouldn’t waste money to camp somewhere when they can visit during the day for free and return to their comfortable beds during the night.
I called the city directory and made a reservation. Then I called a few people to cash in favors.
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“We’re going where?” Kelly demanded in disbelief.
“We’re going camping at Shubi for a few days. I already squared it with Dana and Lydia, we’re officially on vacation. Now, go pack and don’t forget your bathing suit. I already got the sun lotion and the bug stuff.”
“I’ve never been camping before.” She said numbly, not moving.
“Really?” That was odd.
“My parents said it was for poor people who couldn’t afford a good hotel.”
“Not necessarily. My parents just loved sleeping in a tent.” I said nostalgically. “It was a bit crowded when me and my brother grew up a bit but we had comfortable sleeping bags and dad always cleared away rocks and sticks.”
“Why would anybody want to sleep on the ground?” Kelly inquired.
I snorted. “I have an air mattress that fits in the tent and a pump. We won’t be sleeping on the ground.”
“Oh.” Kelly still wouldn’t move.
“What?”
“I don’t know what to pack.”
“Three days worth of clothes, a couple extra pairs of underwear and socks, a warm sweater and jacket, bathing suit, and a book.” I told her, amused. It wasn’t too often that Kelly didn’t know something this simple. “We’ll eat out for a couple days. I already packed some snacks and fruit. Now shoo, I have to go buy some marshmallows.”
“Marshmallows?”
“For smores of course.” I smirked at her. “You can’t go camping and not eat smores, it’s against the rules of life.”
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Monty dropped us off at the campsite and helped us unpack the trunk. He had the day off and agreed to drive us to the campsite. We drove past the admission booth and the children’s park, following the right side of the loop. We stopped a few twists and turns later, in the corner furthest from the entrance. A chain-link fence separated the campsite from the forest and the lake beyond it, a prevention against some of the larger animals that lived there. Kelly watched in fascination as Monty and I set up the tent, putting the poles together once I showed her how. After a while, I got the feeling that Monty wanted to say something so I sent Kelly off to explore the campsite. She happily went after giving me a kiss on the corner of my mouth.
“What is it?” I asked, pounding the anchors into the ground with a hammer.
Monty continued putting air into the air mattress with the hand pump. “What do you mean?”
“I know you’re not stupid.” I told him. “Don’t pretend that I am.”
“She is the one Dr. Sanchez was talking about that day. The lesbian who was living with another woman: you.”
“Yes.” I agreed, wondering why Anita always seemed to turn up conversations these days.
“And she is the one Lillis was talking about too, even if she didn’t know it.”
“Yes. Will you say anything?”
“No.” He stopped pumping, and I could hear the quick hiss of air escaping the mattress before he plugged the hole. “That is for you to do if you want to.”
I smiled. “You’re a good man Monty. Most people would want to wag their tongues immediately to spread the gossip.”
“You have always been nice to me. You never teasing me about how I talk and you shared your food with me at lunch.” He put the air mattress inside the tent. “I was happy when I noticed that you were happy and I have missed your smile the past few days. I hope this vacation will make you happy again.”
“I hope so too.” I unzipped a sleeping and placed it on top of the mattress. Then, I did the same for the other, placing the warm side on the inside for now.
By the time Kelly came back, we had everything ready and Monty was getting ready to drive off. I pulled Kelly into a hug, giving her a kiss on the lips. She tensed at first, her attention on Monty, but then she relaxed and deepened it. I heard Monty laugh as he started the car. I pulled away from Kelly, and gave him a thumbs up and a smile.
“You’ve become quite an exhibitionist.” Kelly hugged me from behind, resting her chin on my left shoulder.
“I just like being honest in front of friends.” I answered mildly. “Now, what do you say about taking a walk through the woods? I haven’t been here in a while but I don’t think they’ve changed that much.”
“Nobody will take our stuff?” She asked disbelievingly.
“That’s why I brought this.” I took a miniature padlock out of my pocket and attached the two zippers at the corner of the tent. Nobody could open it without tearing the fabric apart without the key.
And so we went for a walk.
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We went to a Chinese restaurant on Main Street for supper and window shopped while we waited for a bus to take us back to Shubi (Kelly actually ended up buying a little Japanese fan). I unpacked my bag while Kelly read her book outside and then decided to change into my new bathing suit (Anita wanted to buy one when we went shopping one day and she refused to leave the store until I bought one too).
It was Kelly’s reaction that made me understand Anita’s declaration that the two-piece bathing suit was Kelly’s birthday present. She dropped her book when I came out of the tent and made some type of strangled sound deep in her throat. “What?” I asked, having a pretty good idea.
“Where’d you get that?” Kelly managed after a moment.
“Can’t remember the store, Anita dragged me into so many.” I said apologetically, blushing at the desire in her voice. “It’s not transparent is it?”
“No.” Kelly strode over, her book completely forgotten. She wrapped her arms around my waist, playing with the bowstring that kept the top together. “It just really suits you.”
“Oh… well… I’m going swimming now!” I wiggled out of her embrace, put my towel around my shoulders and started for the lake.
Kelly followed me, staring silently.
“Why’re you coming if you’re not going to swim?” I asked, embarrassed by the stares I could feel on my skin.
“I’m not going to let a bunch of strangers ogle at you without supervision.” She said possessively.
“Jealousy doesn’t become you.” I told her flatly.
“So if I walked around in something that said ‘Look at me, aren’t I the sexiest piece of ass around’ in big, bold letters, you wouldn’t feel the least bit jealous?”
“No.” I answered honestly.
She paused to consider that, realizing that I didn’t understand what she was implying. “How about if I held another woman like I hold you? If I talked in her ear and kissed her with all the love I have for you. Would you be jealous then?”
I was about to say no when I felt something squirm guiltily inside of me. I thought about Kelly with some stranger, deliberately leaving me by myself when I could use the comfort of somebody near me. Part of me said that it wasn’t a big deal, but I suddenly felt like it would be a big deal, something that would provoke the darker emotions that lurked throughout my spirit. “… Yes.” I said, finally understanding Kelly’s position. I’ve never thought of the way I dress like that before, like it could provoke a hurt like the one I felt at the mere thought of Kelly turning away from me. “Does it hurt you when people look at me like that?”
“It hurts to think that you’d rather them look at you than me. If they look at you while I’m there, then I’m just happy that you’re with me and they can look all they want.” She put an arm around my waist.
“Okay. So it’s like having a threesome with your eyes?” I asked without thinking.
Kelly made another strangled sound and I could feel the heat of her blush from a foot away. “…You have been spending way too much time with Anita. That is wrong in so many ways.”
I blushed. “She just won’t go away.” I answered as my mind caught up with my mouth. “And I think I understand. You don’t mind people appreciating me but you do mind not being able to appreciate me at the same time.”
“Exactly.” Kelly sounded relieved.
And then we were out from the cover of the trees and the gravel under our feet turned to sand. Kelly took my towel and my walking stick and I started swimming, setting my feet down slowly so I wouldn’t bang my toes on a random rock. This beach was mostly sand but there were a few large rocks about halfway to the buoys, marking a sudden cliff where I couldn’t feel the bottom. I think it was about seven feet deep at that point because I remember my dad almost being able to stand there.
Four young men were waiting for me when I came back to the drop-off point. They tried to flirt with me, using clichés and other unoriginal lines that basically boiled down to ‘You’re hot, let’s have sex.’
I told them that they needed some better pick-up lines, a more interesting personality, and the sense to choose someone who wasn’t already involved. I don’t have much hope in them taking my suggestions seriously. Still, they let me walk away with only a few hissing sounds as a reply.
Kelly draped the towel around my shoulders once I was walking on the sand again. “What was that about? They look pissed off.”
“Just a bad attempt at flirting from dickheads.” I answered, rubbing the water off my face. I slipped on my sandals and grabbed my walking stick, finding comfort in its hybrid composition of plastic and graphite. “What do you say we get out of here before it starts to rain?”
“Rain?” Kelly said disbelievingly. “From those clouds? They’re too fluffy.”
“Trust me. It’ll rain, I can feel it.” I took Kelly’s hand and we started up the hill. “I wouldn’t mind since I’m already wet; but you left your book outside and you’re dressed.”
“I’ve noticed.” Kelly muttered under her breath.
“Noticed what?” I asked.
“Never mind.”
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When we settled down for the night, Kelly seemed unable to sit still. First, she went through her suitcase to pick out an outfit tomorrow and then put all the clothes back in with an irritated huff. She then tried to read her book with the help of a flashlight but gave up after ten minutes. With a defeated sigh, she put her bookmark in and tossed the book onto her traveling bag.
I stopped listening to the calm pitter patter of raindrops on the tent for a moment when she rested her head on my stomach. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t think I like tents.” She said, sounding strained. “They’re too open. There’s only a couple flimsy poles holding it up and somebody can easily cut through the fabric and attack us in our sleep. I’ve seen slash movies like that. And if somebody’s drunk enough to miss the curve, they’ll crash right into it.”
“I’ve been camping plenty of times and that hasn’t happened to me yet.” I answered, comfortable in my sleepwear (I had changed once I got back from the lake, much to Kelly’s relief).
Still, that gave me an idea. My plans of making smores had been washed away by the rain and Kelly needed a positive experience to keep her on the campsite for another day. “Lie face-down on the mattress.” I said, wiggling out of my sleeping bag.
“Why?” She asked, doing as I requested.
I rummaged around my tote bag until I found the right bottle, taking a sniff to make sure of its identity, and set it down beside her. Then I knelt over her, one leg on either side of her butt, and slipped my hands under her shirt.
“Um… Carolyn?” Kelly sounded extremely confused.
“It’s easier if your shirt's off.” I told her, only half paying attention to what she was saying. I could feel goosebumps along her smooth skin once it was exposed to the night air, and she shivered slightly. I continued to explore her back with my fingers, finding more and more stress knots as I went along. I slipped her shirt off and felt around her neck.
I could feel her breathing become faster and the heat coming off her skin seemed to increase. ‘Probably to counter the cool air.’ I thought, opening the bottle of massage oil and squirting some of the liquid onto my hands. It made the tent smell like strawberries.
I started with her lower back, concentrating on what my hands were telling me. I poured my energy into my hands, dissolving the tension knots through instinct and the skills I learned at a massaging seminar a few years ago. I could feel her moving under me, arching towards my hands like a cat wanting to be petted in a certain spot.
I worked my way up her spine, occasionally pausing to reapply some massaging oil, soothing her taunt muscles. Her body heart rose as time passed and her little moans made me smile in satisfaction. Unable to help myself, I kissed the side of her neck, feeling her blood pulse beneath her skin.
When I got to her neck, I put her little noises out of my mind and focused on my fingers. This was a dangerous place to make a mistake, just as much if not more than the spinal cord. And the knots there were like little boulders nestled tight between the layers of muscle and skin. I worked at them carefully, stroking the area before relieving it of the unwanted presence.
She shuddered abruptly when I was done and I could hear her take a sharp breath. “I could die a happy woman right now.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I patted her shoulder. “Do you want me to take a look at your stomach?”
“Oh god yes.” She breathed.
I lifted myself enough to let her turn over and was quite surprised when she took the opportunity to brush a hand across my groin. A bolt of sensation passed through me, leaving me feeling extremely aware of my whole body and the moistness between my legs. She slid her hands up my shirt, stroking the skin in a way that made it tingle afterwards.
Forcing myself to concentrate took more willpower than I thought it would, and even then my hold was fragile. When I sat down on her thighs, I could feel that the fabric was already damp. “Oh.” I murmured, blushing despite myself. I felt along her stomach, soothing the occasional knot as I went along. I brushed a thumb across her belly button, and then went back to tracing the muscles around it.
She started mimicking me when I moved higher, brushing past the underside of my breasts as I touched hers. I shivered, feeling as if there was a fire spreading from her hands throughout my body, causing every nerve to explode like some type of biological firework. I skirted around the smallish mounds and felt along her collarbone.
Breaking the rules of her own game, she started toying with my nipples. “That’s not fair! I can’t concentrate if you do that.” I breathed, feeling the fire in my body start to concentrate in my lower belly.
“My point exactly.” She sat up and kissed me without stopping her ministrations to my nipples. Heat poured down my throat, making the fire in my groin sharpen abruptly.
I pushed her down and braced myself against the mattress, kissing her. I wanted as much of that heat as I could take. Kelly seemed to be of the same opinion because she hooked one leg through mine, rubbing the space between my legs in the process. I shivered, suddenly losing whatever air I had in my lungs. She took the opportunity to remove the tank top I was still wearing, switching positions with me once the garment was tossed to the side.
Then she was sucking my nipples, teasing them with her tongue while my nerves were still tender with the temperature shift. I tried to move my arms but she had them pinned above my head, ensuring that I wouldn’t be able to interfere. I tried to calm my heart rate by breathing deeply but only ended up gasping as Kelly did something to my body.
Then she was kissing my lips again, her breasts brushing mine in a manner that must’ve been deliberate. My wrists were suddenly secured by only one hand but I couldn’t think long enough to complain about it. Kelly’s hand reappeared as it slipped under the elastic band of my boxers and then her long, strong fingers were inside me, exploring one of few parts of my body she hadn’t visited until now. I shuddered against her, and kissed her for all I worth.
Energy passed through me as she brushed past a certain spot and I felt myself arch against her. “Again.”
“So that’s your spot then.” She whispered, deliberately brushing it again, slower this time. Between the wave of sensation and the kisses we shared, it felt like I had no air in my lungs.
And then she continued her exploration.
“What’re you?”
“I’ve wanted to do this since I met you.” Kelly kissed my throat. “I’ve waited a very long time.”
“Kelly!”
“Don’t worry. I won’t make you wait that long.” She added, sounding like she was having the time of her life.
It still seemed like forever to me before she went back to That spot and by then I could barely think. She kissed me as the wave of heat in me grew, going from a mild shore wave to what seemed to be a tsunami. It built up as she stroked that spot, held back by some type of crumbling wall. Than, it broke free and coursed through my body, enveloping me in heat and pure sensation.
I came back to reality with a sigh and discovered that Kelly was no longer keeping my hands prisoner. I wrapped them around her waist, using her as an anchor to ride out the echoing waves. She relaxed against me and removed her fingers. “Like that?” She teased, holding her hand in front of my nose like a trophy. “I worked very hard for that.” She added, licking the come off her hands.
“Kelly.” I groaned, focusing on the scent of strawberries under the musk. “That’s…”
“What?” She rubbed her hand against my damp boxers, wiping the rest of it off. “I take back what I said earlier. Now I can die a happy woman.”
I giggled, switching our positions so that she would be under me. “Thank you.” I kissed her and then rested my head against her bare chest, smelling sweat and strawberries. “You’re all sticky.”
“So are you my dearest.” She answered happily. “And I hope we will get sticky together many times after this. And hopefully somewhere other than a tent while it’s raining because this mattress isn’t that strong and there’s a rock under my butt.”
“It was always there.” I couldn’t help teasing, feeling drowsy.
“You were supposed to say ‘Not your pretty butt!’ and gasp in horror.” She said dryly, moving to the side a little.
I managed to readjust the blankets to cover the both of us before I fell asleep.
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Part 2: Realization
When I woke up the next morning, the first two things I noticed were the sound of birds singing in the trees and of someone turning the pages of a book. Then I noticed the fresh breeze that was passing through the tent, coming in at the window-flap on the door and leaving through the window on the other side. With it came the scent of wet earth and wet tent material. As I sat up, I was relieved to notice that the tent no longer reeked of sexual musk; rather, it only had an underlying odor to it.
“While I’m enjoying the sight of you half-naked,” Kelly drawled suddenly from my left, “you’re also flashing anybody who happens to be looking this way.”
“Jealous?” I asked with a yawn, shuffling over to my tote bag for fresh clothes.
“Extremely.” Kelly pulled me into a hug and the scent of her clean skin made mine feel even ickier. “So what are we doing today, Miss I-love-camping?”
“Well, I’m going to take a shower and then we can go eat breakfast somewhere.” I wiggled out of the hug and went back to getting what I needed, pulling on a t-shirt in the process.
“Showers are fun.” She said thoughtfully.
“Don’t follow me.” I warned her, unzipping the tent’s doorflap and grabbing my walking stick that was leaning against it. “And if you’re getting ideas about shower sex, forget it. There’s too many people going in and out of those bathrooms, a lot of ‘em kids.”
“And after?”
“I need to go to Mic Mac to get Monty a ‘thank you’ present. We could go swimming or something after.”
“What about going home and doing something?” Kelly asked.
“I refuse to go home until you’ve eaten a smore beside a campfire.” I told her flatly. “You’ll be a deprived person until you do.”
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We were eating lunch in the food court when Kelly suddenly stopped talking about her college life and swore. I couldn’t detect anything unusual about our surroundings: shoppers still came and went, I couldn’t smell any smoke from a fire, there were no panicked screams. Just the usual rustling of bags and conversations, and the scent of fast food.
Then, across the general chatter around us, I heard a delighted whoop and Kelly groaned. It was Anita.
“Kelly darling, how wonderful to see you here! I dropped by during your regular lunch break yesterday and that Dana woman told me you were on vacation. Lisa told me the same thing when I went to the station, Carolyn.” Her voice became sugary sweet as she sat down beside me, dumping her bags on the floor beside mine and throwing an arm across my shoulders. “Now, why would my two favorite people in the world go on vacation suddenly at the same time without telling me? One would think they didn’t love me anymore.” Her face was really close to mine at that point and I couldn’t lean away because of her arm.
“We went camping.” Kelly said shortly, taking my hand comfortingly. “It’s the middle of the week and I thought you always scheduled your appointments during regular business hours.”
“Or maybe you just wanted to take my little Carolyn-“
“I’m not your little anything!” I interrupted.
“-away on a romantic little getaway where you could have your wicked way with her.” Anita paused to take in Kelly’s reaction, ignoring my comment. “And you did didn’t you?” She continued slyly, playing with my hair. “I recognize that I-just-got-laid smile on your face, I’ve put it there remember? I’m glad you finally got the balls to act like a woman and I want details!”
“I do not have a I-just-got-laid smile.” Kelly growled. “And I’m not going to tell you anything. You can use your own imagination for your wet dreams.”
“She’s so mean to me.” Anita sighed, somehow managing to drape herself across my shoulders while sitting down. “But you’re a sweetie, you know what it’s like to be alone with only a vibrator for company.
A group of gossiping old men had stopped talking a couple tables down and I stopped Anita’s other hand before it could touch my breast. “We’re in public, you wanker.” I said, blushing like mad. “And don’t do that.”
“Do what?” Anita asked, unashamed to be nuzzling my neck.
“If you don’t stop trying to molest my girlfriend I’m going kick you around the parking lot.” Kelly’s voice was fairly mild but there was a hint of steel to it, one that let me know she intended to keep her promise.
“You really don’t love me anymore, do you?” Anita sighed theatrically but her hands stopped wandering. There was something in her voice that made me pay attention, an undercurrent of deep weariness that spoke of utter defeat.
She was being completely serious. Shit.
“You know damn well I’m in love with Carolyn.” Kelly answered, oblivious to the cruelty of her words.
“I do.” She said cheekily, a false pretense for Kelly’s benefit. “I suppose that means that it’d have to be a threesome then?”
“Anita…” Kelly growled, her grip on my hand tightening slightly.
“For that, you’re going to buy me a blizzard from Dairy Queen.” I said, getting to my feet. “Kelly, we’ll be back in a moment.”
“Duty calls my love.” Anita put an arm around my waist and started to whistle.
I waited until we were out of Kelly’s hearing range before talking. “We need to have a good chat tomorrow after I bring Kelly home.”
“Oh? So you finally accept my proposal to have a good time?” Anita’s voice suggested only one type of fun.
“No. I’m just saying don’t make plans after supper.”
“Well, I was going to take Kandice out but I can reschedule for you my dear. Might I inquire as to the occasion?”
“You can inquire all you want.” I told her sweetly. “But this isn’t a place for the answer.”
“You sassy wench.” Anita drawled. “Are you as quick with your tongue in bed as you are when you talk?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I turned to the waiting clerk, feeling a little guilty for exposing her to Anita. “Can I have an Oreo blizzard?”
“Two please.” Anita corrected. “If you’re going to drain my wallet, I might as well get something out of it.”
“It’s your money.”
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By the time we got back, it was well past supper and I just felt like lying down for a while. Anita had dragged me around the mall for two solid hours (she made Kelly carry the bags) before rushing off to an appointment. I don’t know how that woman can have so much energy - it’s positively inhuman.
I flopped down onto the mattress and ignored the smell of sex that was still present in the tent. Kelly came in after me, re-zipping the door-flap before unzipping the window-flap. She set down her share of the parcels, Anita had taken some to her apartment before we could get them out of her trunk so we didn’t have to carry so many on the bus, and laid down beside me. “You look pooped.” She noted, concerned.
“Was Anita ever on a track team? Does she take energy pills by the dozen?” I groaned, burying my face into the pillow. “I’m not a exercise freak like you so yes, I had a hard time keeping up with her.”
Kelly patted my back. “Poor Carolyn, bested by a maniac’s shopping prowess. Would a kiss make it better?”
“I just need a nap.”
“How about we go swimming instead?” The woman breathed in my ear, slipping a hand beneath my t-shirt and rubbing the small of my back.
“You just want to see me in a bathing suit again.” I murmured, utterly relaxed.
“Of course!” Kelly’s hand suddenly went south, grabbing my right ass-cheek. “You have such a nice body after all.”
I grabbed her wrist and removed her hand from my ass. “Should I call you Anita?”
“No need to growl, Carolyn dear.” She said lightly. “I just feel like going swimming and I thought you’d want to come too. Then, we can gather some firewood and make those smores you’ve been raving about. Please?”
I sighed and propped myself up on my elbows. “Fine. Just stop salivating like a bitch in heat, it’s a turn off.”
“Ouch.” Kelly said mildly. “Should I go change in the changing rooms too?
“Not unless you want to.” I gave her a grin and crawled over to my tote bag
“Women.” Kelly said, bemused.
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After swimming for a bit, Kelly and I went walking through the woods near the lake to look for firewood. The air was still heavy with moisture from the rain yesterday and Kelly had to go past the tree line to find dry wood. She was doing so when I sensed a somebody sneaking up behind me. I waited until the footsteps were within range and spun around, striking sideways with my walking stick at waist-level. It connected and my attacker bent over gasping.
I leaned on my walking stick, waiting for him to explain himself.
Before he could say anything though, Kelly came out of the woods again and something in her expression made him lose his breath again. “Looks like your karate lessons came in handy.” I told her cheerfully as she put down the new firewood with the rest of the pile I had been guarding.
“Of course they did.” Kelly put her arms around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder. I blushed slightly when I remembered her doing the same thing in the water earlier; it felt very much the same even with t-shirts over our bathing suits. “Especially if you use them on the punk who hit on you yesterday.”
“Oh, so that’s who he is.” I took a deep breath, taking comfort in the earthy smells around me and Kelly’s presence. “Why?”
“Everybody knows the only reason a woman gets involved with a dyke is because she doesn’t have no man.” He managed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Rege told me that your friend blew him off without taking her eyes off you. She’s the one who led you astray.”
“You’re quite stupid.” I told him, tilting my head towards Kelly’s a little as kissed my neck. “She’s never led me astray. Go back to your goons and leave me alone or the next time I’ll knock you out instead of just winding you. Can you handle the firewood Kelly or do you want my help?”
“I’ll get it, you strike down our foes.” Kelly purred, sounding very much like Anita. Scary.
We got back to our tent and I put on a pair of jeans and a comfortable sweater, much to Kelly’s disappointment. She soon understood why when the bugs started biting her legs and arms.
I had the fire going by the time she came back out of the tent and had one chair propped open. The grocery bag containing a bag of marshmallows, the chocolate bars, and the crackers was sitting beside the chair. Kelly sat down on the chair, with a contented sigh. I was about to go back to the tent and fetch the other chair when she grabbed my wrist and gently pulled me down onto her lap. I was too tired to bother resisting. Besides, she was warm and comfortable.
I put a marshmallow on a nearly-straight stick striped of its bark and held it out towards the fire, feeling Kelly move it quickly away from the flames. I could hear the fire crackling gleefully, burning the air around it as well as the pile of wood under it. Fortunately, the breeze carried the smoke away from us, towards the forest and the lake beyond it.
“I like them a golden-brown. It makes them mushy without losing all of their shape.” I said after a moment, pointing the stick upwards. “Is it that way yet?”
“Yup.” Kelly said after a second. “How do you know the colour?”
“My dad liked telling me the colour of the things he cooked, whether it was at home or at camp.” I yanked the marshmallow off the stick, broke off a couple squares of chocolate (Hershey bars are easy to break that way), and stuck the two between a couple pieces of crackers. “This-” I said theatrically, “Is a smore.”
I had just swallowed the last of it when Kelly kissed me, exploring my mouth with her tongue. She stopped after a moment, thinking, then said: “They’re good.”
I blushed. “You’re supposed to eat the smore, not get the overall taste secondhand!”
She laughed and took the stick out of my hands. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered.” The stick went back to the fire; Kelly was holding it with her arms on either side of my waist. “Don’t you like it when I kiss you?”
“That is completely beside the point!” I retorted. “You just won’t get the full effect of the smore. Jeez, you were saying that I was spending too much time with Anita but you’re the one who acts like her.”
Kelly snorted waving the stick around as if she wanted to say something, but only ended up resting her hands in my lap. “I most certainly am not.” She ended up saying anyway after a moment. “She’s just the one who introduced me to the world I now know so I guess my actions may resemble hers, but I’m not acting like her. If I were Anita, we wouldn’t still be talking or even cooking smores. Speaking of which, this one’s done.”
So I made her a smore and then grabbed a couple marshmallows to nibble on. Kelly made one of her little happy noises as she chewed and I felt myself smile in satisfaction. “See what I mean?”
She just kissed me again as an answer and this time, I was the one who tasted a smore second-hand. “I still like the taste of you better.” She told me, stroking my cheek softly. “What’s the taste of chocolate next to fire? There’s no need to look surprised, love. I know you like chocolate, but you haven’t experienced the fire like I have and this isn’t the place to show you. So enjoy your sweets, Carolyn, enjoy them with me until you’re ready to burn brightly.”
“I don’t understand.”
“That’s ok.” She licked my sticky fingers and started cooking another marshmallow. “I know you will soon.”
Despite the sugar, I started to feel sleepy soon after that. Lulled by the crackling fire and the heat it emitted, I rested my head against Kelly’s chest. Her heartbeat was soothing, and her warmth enveloped me without hesitation.
The last words I remember before I fell asleep were: “You’re worth the wait, even if she didn’t want to believe me.”
A Picnic In Winter ~~ Encounters ~~ The Club Incident ~~ Kelly Part 1 ~~ Kelly Part 2 ~~ Kelly Part 3 ~~ Interview With Anita ~~ Vacation ~~ Anita's Truth ~~ Aftermath ~~ Needing You ~~ Attack At The Gardens ~~~ Attack At The Gardens Part B ~~~ Don't Tie Me Down
Word count: ~6,700
Summary: Kelly needs to get away from things for a little while so Carolyn decides they should go camping.
Warning: femmeslash ^.6
Vacation
Part 1: The Idea
I was making some French toast and bacon when I heard the front door open and close with a slam. I heard Kelly swear as she removed her shoes and windbreaker. She didn’t even take the time to arrange them in the closet properly before going to her punching bag.
Worried, I shut off the stove’s burner and followed her into her room. I could hear the steady thump of her gloved fists hitting the punching bag through the closed door. Opening it, I stayed in the doorway. When I had first moved in, I once interrupted Kelly during a routine and she punched me in the stomach before she could stop herself. Repeating the experience would suck.
“Kelly? What’s wrong?”
“Anita.” Kelly growled, still venting her anger on the punching bag.
“What did she do this time?” I should’ve known. Few people could drive Kelly to anger like Anita.
“She just won’t listen to me!” Kelly gave a particularly strong punch that made the punching bag convulse. “I can understand her wanting to find somebody but I don’t like the tramps she’s playing with these days. They’re nothing more than fuck buddies. She deserves better than them, I’m sure a couple of them are trying to get her into drugs.”
“She’s too smart to fall for that.” I said soothingly.
“If she was a man, I’d say she’s thinking with her dick.” Kelly continued. “And not only is she not listening to me, but she’s telling me all about her sexcapades. I don’t want to know what she’s doing with those tramps Carolyn.”
“Anita doesn’t seem to understand the concept of too much information.” I agreed.
“And she won’t stop talking about you either.” Kelly would not be calmed.
“Talking about me?” I had a bad feeling about that.
“What she’d do with you if you two ever had sex. What kind of friend talks about how she’d make love to your girlfriend? She knows we haven’t even gone that far, I can see it in her smirk, so why would she say something that maddening?”
“I don’t know. Would it be any better if we did have sex?” I said mildly, crossing my arms.
“It would relieve one frustration but it probably wouldn’t shut her up.” Kelly answered without thinking, finally admitting that she was getting tired of waiting. She gave the punching bag a final whack and flopped onto her bed, breathing heavily from the exertion.
I sat down beside her and she moved so she could rest her head on my lap. I wiped her sweaty face with the corner of a blanket. “You will never lose me to Anita.” I told her, undoing the elastic that kept her hair in a ponytail. I liked twirling the fine strands with my fingers, it made me feel like I was connected to her. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
“I know.” She sighed. Her anger had burned up most of her energy as it surged through her body into her punching bad, it always did. I think it’s because she keeps a tight leash on her emotions. If someone were to contain an earthquake for a certain amount of time, letting it build onto itself in terms of power without the occasional release, it would cause the same devastating wave that had just gone through Kelly. “I’ve just forgotten how difficult she can be when she puts her mind to it. It’s not fair.”
“I know.” I massaged her temples, hoping it would soothe her headache.
“I just need to get away for a while.” Kelly murmured. “A vacation.”
Her breathing pattern started to change, becoming slower and deeper as she fell asleep. I placed a pillow under her head and covered her with a spare blanket. She would probably sleep for a few hours at least, maybe through the night if she was comfortable enough.
I went back to the kitchen and ate my supper, wondering where I could bring Kelly to make her feel better. A road trip involved too much planning. A movie was only temporary and she knows that they don’t really interest me. A restaurant’s expensive and temporary. The only amusement park around was an hour’s drive away when neither of us owned a car; not to mention the fact that admission was expensive and there weren’t any affordable hotels nearby.
But Kelly liked nature. She liked walking through Point Pleasant Park and the Public Gardens, examining the plants and how the grew around each other. She also liked swimming, whether it be in a lake or an ocean she didn’t care; she just hated public pools. I went to the storage room, carefully feeling my way past picnicking gear and the random totes that contained seasonal decorations until I found the tent I had brought with me from my old apartment.
I decided that a visit to Shubi Park wouldn’t hurt anybody. The campsite wasn’t particularly amazing but it had bathrooms, laundry machines, a forest trail and a sandy lake. It shouldn’t be too busy at this time of year, most of the tourists have come and gone and most of the locals wouldn’t waste money to camp somewhere when they can visit during the day for free and return to their comfortable beds during the night.
I called the city directory and made a reservation. Then I called a few people to cash in favors.
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“We’re going where?” Kelly demanded in disbelief.
“We’re going camping at Shubi for a few days. I already squared it with Dana and Lydia, we’re officially on vacation. Now, go pack and don’t forget your bathing suit. I already got the sun lotion and the bug stuff.”
“I’ve never been camping before.” She said numbly, not moving.
“Really?” That was odd.
“My parents said it was for poor people who couldn’t afford a good hotel.”
“Not necessarily. My parents just loved sleeping in a tent.” I said nostalgically. “It was a bit crowded when me and my brother grew up a bit but we had comfortable sleeping bags and dad always cleared away rocks and sticks.”
“Why would anybody want to sleep on the ground?” Kelly inquired.
I snorted. “I have an air mattress that fits in the tent and a pump. We won’t be sleeping on the ground.”
“Oh.” Kelly still wouldn’t move.
“What?”
“I don’t know what to pack.”
“Three days worth of clothes, a couple extra pairs of underwear and socks, a warm sweater and jacket, bathing suit, and a book.” I told her, amused. It wasn’t too often that Kelly didn’t know something this simple. “We’ll eat out for a couple days. I already packed some snacks and fruit. Now shoo, I have to go buy some marshmallows.”
“Marshmallows?”
“For smores of course.” I smirked at her. “You can’t go camping and not eat smores, it’s against the rules of life.”
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Monty dropped us off at the campsite and helped us unpack the trunk. He had the day off and agreed to drive us to the campsite. We drove past the admission booth and the children’s park, following the right side of the loop. We stopped a few twists and turns later, in the corner furthest from the entrance. A chain-link fence separated the campsite from the forest and the lake beyond it, a prevention against some of the larger animals that lived there. Kelly watched in fascination as Monty and I set up the tent, putting the poles together once I showed her how. After a while, I got the feeling that Monty wanted to say something so I sent Kelly off to explore the campsite. She happily went after giving me a kiss on the corner of my mouth.
“What is it?” I asked, pounding the anchors into the ground with a hammer.
Monty continued putting air into the air mattress with the hand pump. “What do you mean?”
“I know you’re not stupid.” I told him. “Don’t pretend that I am.”
“She is the one Dr. Sanchez was talking about that day. The lesbian who was living with another woman: you.”
“Yes.” I agreed, wondering why Anita always seemed to turn up conversations these days.
“And she is the one Lillis was talking about too, even if she didn’t know it.”
“Yes. Will you say anything?”
“No.” He stopped pumping, and I could hear the quick hiss of air escaping the mattress before he plugged the hole. “That is for you to do if you want to.”
I smiled. “You’re a good man Monty. Most people would want to wag their tongues immediately to spread the gossip.”
“You have always been nice to me. You never teasing me about how I talk and you shared your food with me at lunch.” He put the air mattress inside the tent. “I was happy when I noticed that you were happy and I have missed your smile the past few days. I hope this vacation will make you happy again.”
“I hope so too.” I unzipped a sleeping and placed it on top of the mattress. Then, I did the same for the other, placing the warm side on the inside for now.
By the time Kelly came back, we had everything ready and Monty was getting ready to drive off. I pulled Kelly into a hug, giving her a kiss on the lips. She tensed at first, her attention on Monty, but then she relaxed and deepened it. I heard Monty laugh as he started the car. I pulled away from Kelly, and gave him a thumbs up and a smile.
“You’ve become quite an exhibitionist.” Kelly hugged me from behind, resting her chin on my left shoulder.
“I just like being honest in front of friends.” I answered mildly. “Now, what do you say about taking a walk through the woods? I haven’t been here in a while but I don’t think they’ve changed that much.”
“Nobody will take our stuff?” She asked disbelievingly.
“That’s why I brought this.” I took a miniature padlock out of my pocket and attached the two zippers at the corner of the tent. Nobody could open it without tearing the fabric apart without the key.
And so we went for a walk.
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We went to a Chinese restaurant on Main Street for supper and window shopped while we waited for a bus to take us back to Shubi (Kelly actually ended up buying a little Japanese fan). I unpacked my bag while Kelly read her book outside and then decided to change into my new bathing suit (Anita wanted to buy one when we went shopping one day and she refused to leave the store until I bought one too).
It was Kelly’s reaction that made me understand Anita’s declaration that the two-piece bathing suit was Kelly’s birthday present. She dropped her book when I came out of the tent and made some type of strangled sound deep in her throat. “What?” I asked, having a pretty good idea.
“Where’d you get that?” Kelly managed after a moment.
“Can’t remember the store, Anita dragged me into so many.” I said apologetically, blushing at the desire in her voice. “It’s not transparent is it?”
“No.” Kelly strode over, her book completely forgotten. She wrapped her arms around my waist, playing with the bowstring that kept the top together. “It just really suits you.”
“Oh… well… I’m going swimming now!” I wiggled out of her embrace, put my towel around my shoulders and started for the lake.
Kelly followed me, staring silently.
“Why’re you coming if you’re not going to swim?” I asked, embarrassed by the stares I could feel on my skin.
“I’m not going to let a bunch of strangers ogle at you without supervision.” She said possessively.
“Jealousy doesn’t become you.” I told her flatly.
“So if I walked around in something that said ‘Look at me, aren’t I the sexiest piece of ass around’ in big, bold letters, you wouldn’t feel the least bit jealous?”
“No.” I answered honestly.
She paused to consider that, realizing that I didn’t understand what she was implying. “How about if I held another woman like I hold you? If I talked in her ear and kissed her with all the love I have for you. Would you be jealous then?”
I was about to say no when I felt something squirm guiltily inside of me. I thought about Kelly with some stranger, deliberately leaving me by myself when I could use the comfort of somebody near me. Part of me said that it wasn’t a big deal, but I suddenly felt like it would be a big deal, something that would provoke the darker emotions that lurked throughout my spirit. “… Yes.” I said, finally understanding Kelly’s position. I’ve never thought of the way I dress like that before, like it could provoke a hurt like the one I felt at the mere thought of Kelly turning away from me. “Does it hurt you when people look at me like that?”
“It hurts to think that you’d rather them look at you than me. If they look at you while I’m there, then I’m just happy that you’re with me and they can look all they want.” She put an arm around my waist.
“Okay. So it’s like having a threesome with your eyes?” I asked without thinking.
Kelly made another strangled sound and I could feel the heat of her blush from a foot away. “…You have been spending way too much time with Anita. That is wrong in so many ways.”
I blushed. “She just won’t go away.” I answered as my mind caught up with my mouth. “And I think I understand. You don’t mind people appreciating me but you do mind not being able to appreciate me at the same time.”
“Exactly.” Kelly sounded relieved.
And then we were out from the cover of the trees and the gravel under our feet turned to sand. Kelly took my towel and my walking stick and I started swimming, setting my feet down slowly so I wouldn’t bang my toes on a random rock. This beach was mostly sand but there were a few large rocks about halfway to the buoys, marking a sudden cliff where I couldn’t feel the bottom. I think it was about seven feet deep at that point because I remember my dad almost being able to stand there.
Four young men were waiting for me when I came back to the drop-off point. They tried to flirt with me, using clichés and other unoriginal lines that basically boiled down to ‘You’re hot, let’s have sex.’
I told them that they needed some better pick-up lines, a more interesting personality, and the sense to choose someone who wasn’t already involved. I don’t have much hope in them taking my suggestions seriously. Still, they let me walk away with only a few hissing sounds as a reply.
Kelly draped the towel around my shoulders once I was walking on the sand again. “What was that about? They look pissed off.”
“Just a bad attempt at flirting from dickheads.” I answered, rubbing the water off my face. I slipped on my sandals and grabbed my walking stick, finding comfort in its hybrid composition of plastic and graphite. “What do you say we get out of here before it starts to rain?”
“Rain?” Kelly said disbelievingly. “From those clouds? They’re too fluffy.”
“Trust me. It’ll rain, I can feel it.” I took Kelly’s hand and we started up the hill. “I wouldn’t mind since I’m already wet; but you left your book outside and you’re dressed.”
“I’ve noticed.” Kelly muttered under her breath.
“Noticed what?” I asked.
“Never mind.”
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When we settled down for the night, Kelly seemed unable to sit still. First, she went through her suitcase to pick out an outfit tomorrow and then put all the clothes back in with an irritated huff. She then tried to read her book with the help of a flashlight but gave up after ten minutes. With a defeated sigh, she put her bookmark in and tossed the book onto her traveling bag.
I stopped listening to the calm pitter patter of raindrops on the tent for a moment when she rested her head on my stomach. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t think I like tents.” She said, sounding strained. “They’re too open. There’s only a couple flimsy poles holding it up and somebody can easily cut through the fabric and attack us in our sleep. I’ve seen slash movies like that. And if somebody’s drunk enough to miss the curve, they’ll crash right into it.”
“I’ve been camping plenty of times and that hasn’t happened to me yet.” I answered, comfortable in my sleepwear (I had changed once I got back from the lake, much to Kelly’s relief).
Still, that gave me an idea. My plans of making smores had been washed away by the rain and Kelly needed a positive experience to keep her on the campsite for another day. “Lie face-down on the mattress.” I said, wiggling out of my sleeping bag.
“Why?” She asked, doing as I requested.
I rummaged around my tote bag until I found the right bottle, taking a sniff to make sure of its identity, and set it down beside her. Then I knelt over her, one leg on either side of her butt, and slipped my hands under her shirt.
“Um… Carolyn?” Kelly sounded extremely confused.
“It’s easier if your shirt's off.” I told her, only half paying attention to what she was saying. I could feel goosebumps along her smooth skin once it was exposed to the night air, and she shivered slightly. I continued to explore her back with my fingers, finding more and more stress knots as I went along. I slipped her shirt off and felt around her neck.
I could feel her breathing become faster and the heat coming off her skin seemed to increase. ‘Probably to counter the cool air.’ I thought, opening the bottle of massage oil and squirting some of the liquid onto my hands. It made the tent smell like strawberries.
I started with her lower back, concentrating on what my hands were telling me. I poured my energy into my hands, dissolving the tension knots through instinct and the skills I learned at a massaging seminar a few years ago. I could feel her moving under me, arching towards my hands like a cat wanting to be petted in a certain spot.
I worked my way up her spine, occasionally pausing to reapply some massaging oil, soothing her taunt muscles. Her body heart rose as time passed and her little moans made me smile in satisfaction. Unable to help myself, I kissed the side of her neck, feeling her blood pulse beneath her skin.
When I got to her neck, I put her little noises out of my mind and focused on my fingers. This was a dangerous place to make a mistake, just as much if not more than the spinal cord. And the knots there were like little boulders nestled tight between the layers of muscle and skin. I worked at them carefully, stroking the area before relieving it of the unwanted presence.
She shuddered abruptly when I was done and I could hear her take a sharp breath. “I could die a happy woman right now.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I patted her shoulder. “Do you want me to take a look at your stomach?”
“Oh god yes.” She breathed.
I lifted myself enough to let her turn over and was quite surprised when she took the opportunity to brush a hand across my groin. A bolt of sensation passed through me, leaving me feeling extremely aware of my whole body and the moistness between my legs. She slid her hands up my shirt, stroking the skin in a way that made it tingle afterwards.
Forcing myself to concentrate took more willpower than I thought it would, and even then my hold was fragile. When I sat down on her thighs, I could feel that the fabric was already damp. “Oh.” I murmured, blushing despite myself. I felt along her stomach, soothing the occasional knot as I went along. I brushed a thumb across her belly button, and then went back to tracing the muscles around it.
She started mimicking me when I moved higher, brushing past the underside of my breasts as I touched hers. I shivered, feeling as if there was a fire spreading from her hands throughout my body, causing every nerve to explode like some type of biological firework. I skirted around the smallish mounds and felt along her collarbone.
Breaking the rules of her own game, she started toying with my nipples. “That’s not fair! I can’t concentrate if you do that.” I breathed, feeling the fire in my body start to concentrate in my lower belly.
“My point exactly.” She sat up and kissed me without stopping her ministrations to my nipples. Heat poured down my throat, making the fire in my groin sharpen abruptly.
I pushed her down and braced myself against the mattress, kissing her. I wanted as much of that heat as I could take. Kelly seemed to be of the same opinion because she hooked one leg through mine, rubbing the space between my legs in the process. I shivered, suddenly losing whatever air I had in my lungs. She took the opportunity to remove the tank top I was still wearing, switching positions with me once the garment was tossed to the side.
Then she was sucking my nipples, teasing them with her tongue while my nerves were still tender with the temperature shift. I tried to move my arms but she had them pinned above my head, ensuring that I wouldn’t be able to interfere. I tried to calm my heart rate by breathing deeply but only ended up gasping as Kelly did something to my body.
Then she was kissing my lips again, her breasts brushing mine in a manner that must’ve been deliberate. My wrists were suddenly secured by only one hand but I couldn’t think long enough to complain about it. Kelly’s hand reappeared as it slipped under the elastic band of my boxers and then her long, strong fingers were inside me, exploring one of few parts of my body she hadn’t visited until now. I shuddered against her, and kissed her for all I worth.
Energy passed through me as she brushed past a certain spot and I felt myself arch against her. “Again.”
“So that’s your spot then.” She whispered, deliberately brushing it again, slower this time. Between the wave of sensation and the kisses we shared, it felt like I had no air in my lungs.
And then she continued her exploration.
“What’re you?”
“I’ve wanted to do this since I met you.” Kelly kissed my throat. “I’ve waited a very long time.”
“Kelly!”
“Don’t worry. I won’t make you wait that long.” She added, sounding like she was having the time of her life.
It still seemed like forever to me before she went back to That spot and by then I could barely think. She kissed me as the wave of heat in me grew, going from a mild shore wave to what seemed to be a tsunami. It built up as she stroked that spot, held back by some type of crumbling wall. Than, it broke free and coursed through my body, enveloping me in heat and pure sensation.
I came back to reality with a sigh and discovered that Kelly was no longer keeping my hands prisoner. I wrapped them around her waist, using her as an anchor to ride out the echoing waves. She relaxed against me and removed her fingers. “Like that?” She teased, holding her hand in front of my nose like a trophy. “I worked very hard for that.” She added, licking the come off her hands.
“Kelly.” I groaned, focusing on the scent of strawberries under the musk. “That’s…”
“What?” She rubbed her hand against my damp boxers, wiping the rest of it off. “I take back what I said earlier. Now I can die a happy woman.”
I giggled, switching our positions so that she would be under me. “Thank you.” I kissed her and then rested my head against her bare chest, smelling sweat and strawberries. “You’re all sticky.”
“So are you my dearest.” She answered happily. “And I hope we will get sticky together many times after this. And hopefully somewhere other than a tent while it’s raining because this mattress isn’t that strong and there’s a rock under my butt.”
“It was always there.” I couldn’t help teasing, feeling drowsy.
“You were supposed to say ‘Not your pretty butt!’ and gasp in horror.” She said dryly, moving to the side a little.
I managed to readjust the blankets to cover the both of us before I fell asleep.
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Part 2: Realization
When I woke up the next morning, the first two things I noticed were the sound of birds singing in the trees and of someone turning the pages of a book. Then I noticed the fresh breeze that was passing through the tent, coming in at the window-flap on the door and leaving through the window on the other side. With it came the scent of wet earth and wet tent material. As I sat up, I was relieved to notice that the tent no longer reeked of sexual musk; rather, it only had an underlying odor to it.
“While I’m enjoying the sight of you half-naked,” Kelly drawled suddenly from my left, “you’re also flashing anybody who happens to be looking this way.”
“Jealous?” I asked with a yawn, shuffling over to my tote bag for fresh clothes.
“Extremely.” Kelly pulled me into a hug and the scent of her clean skin made mine feel even ickier. “So what are we doing today, Miss I-love-camping?”
“Well, I’m going to take a shower and then we can go eat breakfast somewhere.” I wiggled out of the hug and went back to getting what I needed, pulling on a t-shirt in the process.
“Showers are fun.” She said thoughtfully.
“Don’t follow me.” I warned her, unzipping the tent’s doorflap and grabbing my walking stick that was leaning against it. “And if you’re getting ideas about shower sex, forget it. There’s too many people going in and out of those bathrooms, a lot of ‘em kids.”
“And after?”
“I need to go to Mic Mac to get Monty a ‘thank you’ present. We could go swimming or something after.”
“What about going home and doing something?” Kelly asked.
“I refuse to go home until you’ve eaten a smore beside a campfire.” I told her flatly. “You’ll be a deprived person until you do.”
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We were eating lunch in the food court when Kelly suddenly stopped talking about her college life and swore. I couldn’t detect anything unusual about our surroundings: shoppers still came and went, I couldn’t smell any smoke from a fire, there were no panicked screams. Just the usual rustling of bags and conversations, and the scent of fast food.
Then, across the general chatter around us, I heard a delighted whoop and Kelly groaned. It was Anita.
“Kelly darling, how wonderful to see you here! I dropped by during your regular lunch break yesterday and that Dana woman told me you were on vacation. Lisa told me the same thing when I went to the station, Carolyn.” Her voice became sugary sweet as she sat down beside me, dumping her bags on the floor beside mine and throwing an arm across my shoulders. “Now, why would my two favorite people in the world go on vacation suddenly at the same time without telling me? One would think they didn’t love me anymore.” Her face was really close to mine at that point and I couldn’t lean away because of her arm.
“We went camping.” Kelly said shortly, taking my hand comfortingly. “It’s the middle of the week and I thought you always scheduled your appointments during regular business hours.”
“Or maybe you just wanted to take my little Carolyn-“
“I’m not your little anything!” I interrupted.
“-away on a romantic little getaway where you could have your wicked way with her.” Anita paused to take in Kelly’s reaction, ignoring my comment. “And you did didn’t you?” She continued slyly, playing with my hair. “I recognize that I-just-got-laid smile on your face, I’ve put it there remember? I’m glad you finally got the balls to act like a woman and I want details!”
“I do not have a I-just-got-laid smile.” Kelly growled. “And I’m not going to tell you anything. You can use your own imagination for your wet dreams.”
“She’s so mean to me.” Anita sighed, somehow managing to drape herself across my shoulders while sitting down. “But you’re a sweetie, you know what it’s like to be alone with only a vibrator for company.
A group of gossiping old men had stopped talking a couple tables down and I stopped Anita’s other hand before it could touch my breast. “We’re in public, you wanker.” I said, blushing like mad. “And don’t do that.”
“Do what?” Anita asked, unashamed to be nuzzling my neck.
“If you don’t stop trying to molest my girlfriend I’m going kick you around the parking lot.” Kelly’s voice was fairly mild but there was a hint of steel to it, one that let me know she intended to keep her promise.
“You really don’t love me anymore, do you?” Anita sighed theatrically but her hands stopped wandering. There was something in her voice that made me pay attention, an undercurrent of deep weariness that spoke of utter defeat.
She was being completely serious. Shit.
“You know damn well I’m in love with Carolyn.” Kelly answered, oblivious to the cruelty of her words.
“I do.” She said cheekily, a false pretense for Kelly’s benefit. “I suppose that means that it’d have to be a threesome then?”
“Anita…” Kelly growled, her grip on my hand tightening slightly.
“For that, you’re going to buy me a blizzard from Dairy Queen.” I said, getting to my feet. “Kelly, we’ll be back in a moment.”
“Duty calls my love.” Anita put an arm around my waist and started to whistle.
I waited until we were out of Kelly’s hearing range before talking. “We need to have a good chat tomorrow after I bring Kelly home.”
“Oh? So you finally accept my proposal to have a good time?” Anita’s voice suggested only one type of fun.
“No. I’m just saying don’t make plans after supper.”
“Well, I was going to take Kandice out but I can reschedule for you my dear. Might I inquire as to the occasion?”
“You can inquire all you want.” I told her sweetly. “But this isn’t a place for the answer.”
“You sassy wench.” Anita drawled. “Are you as quick with your tongue in bed as you are when you talk?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I turned to the waiting clerk, feeling a little guilty for exposing her to Anita. “Can I have an Oreo blizzard?”
“Two please.” Anita corrected. “If you’re going to drain my wallet, I might as well get something out of it.”
“It’s your money.”
&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&
By the time we got back, it was well past supper and I just felt like lying down for a while. Anita had dragged me around the mall for two solid hours (she made Kelly carry the bags) before rushing off to an appointment. I don’t know how that woman can have so much energy - it’s positively inhuman.
I flopped down onto the mattress and ignored the smell of sex that was still present in the tent. Kelly came in after me, re-zipping the door-flap before unzipping the window-flap. She set down her share of the parcels, Anita had taken some to her apartment before we could get them out of her trunk so we didn’t have to carry so many on the bus, and laid down beside me. “You look pooped.” She noted, concerned.
“Was Anita ever on a track team? Does she take energy pills by the dozen?” I groaned, burying my face into the pillow. “I’m not a exercise freak like you so yes, I had a hard time keeping up with her.”
Kelly patted my back. “Poor Carolyn, bested by a maniac’s shopping prowess. Would a kiss make it better?”
“I just need a nap.”
“How about we go swimming instead?” The woman breathed in my ear, slipping a hand beneath my t-shirt and rubbing the small of my back.
“You just want to see me in a bathing suit again.” I murmured, utterly relaxed.
“Of course!” Kelly’s hand suddenly went south, grabbing my right ass-cheek. “You have such a nice body after all.”
I grabbed her wrist and removed her hand from my ass. “Should I call you Anita?”
“No need to growl, Carolyn dear.” She said lightly. “I just feel like going swimming and I thought you’d want to come too. Then, we can gather some firewood and make those smores you’ve been raving about. Please?”
I sighed and propped myself up on my elbows. “Fine. Just stop salivating like a bitch in heat, it’s a turn off.”
“Ouch.” Kelly said mildly. “Should I go change in the changing rooms too?
“Not unless you want to.” I gave her a grin and crawled over to my tote bag
“Women.” Kelly said, bemused.
&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&
After swimming for a bit, Kelly and I went walking through the woods near the lake to look for firewood. The air was still heavy with moisture from the rain yesterday and Kelly had to go past the tree line to find dry wood. She was doing so when I sensed a somebody sneaking up behind me. I waited until the footsteps were within range and spun around, striking sideways with my walking stick at waist-level. It connected and my attacker bent over gasping.
I leaned on my walking stick, waiting for him to explain himself.
Before he could say anything though, Kelly came out of the woods again and something in her expression made him lose his breath again. “Looks like your karate lessons came in handy.” I told her cheerfully as she put down the new firewood with the rest of the pile I had been guarding.
“Of course they did.” Kelly put her arms around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder. I blushed slightly when I remembered her doing the same thing in the water earlier; it felt very much the same even with t-shirts over our bathing suits. “Especially if you use them on the punk who hit on you yesterday.”
“Oh, so that’s who he is.” I took a deep breath, taking comfort in the earthy smells around me and Kelly’s presence. “Why?”
“Everybody knows the only reason a woman gets involved with a dyke is because she doesn’t have no man.” He managed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Rege told me that your friend blew him off without taking her eyes off you. She’s the one who led you astray.”
“You’re quite stupid.” I told him, tilting my head towards Kelly’s a little as kissed my neck. “She’s never led me astray. Go back to your goons and leave me alone or the next time I’ll knock you out instead of just winding you. Can you handle the firewood Kelly or do you want my help?”
“I’ll get it, you strike down our foes.” Kelly purred, sounding very much like Anita. Scary.
We got back to our tent and I put on a pair of jeans and a comfortable sweater, much to Kelly’s disappointment. She soon understood why when the bugs started biting her legs and arms.
I had the fire going by the time she came back out of the tent and had one chair propped open. The grocery bag containing a bag of marshmallows, the chocolate bars, and the crackers was sitting beside the chair. Kelly sat down on the chair, with a contented sigh. I was about to go back to the tent and fetch the other chair when she grabbed my wrist and gently pulled me down onto her lap. I was too tired to bother resisting. Besides, she was warm and comfortable.
I put a marshmallow on a nearly-straight stick striped of its bark and held it out towards the fire, feeling Kelly move it quickly away from the flames. I could hear the fire crackling gleefully, burning the air around it as well as the pile of wood under it. Fortunately, the breeze carried the smoke away from us, towards the forest and the lake beyond it.
“I like them a golden-brown. It makes them mushy without losing all of their shape.” I said after a moment, pointing the stick upwards. “Is it that way yet?”
“Yup.” Kelly said after a second. “How do you know the colour?”
“My dad liked telling me the colour of the things he cooked, whether it was at home or at camp.” I yanked the marshmallow off the stick, broke off a couple squares of chocolate (Hershey bars are easy to break that way), and stuck the two between a couple pieces of crackers. “This-” I said theatrically, “Is a smore.”
I had just swallowed the last of it when Kelly kissed me, exploring my mouth with her tongue. She stopped after a moment, thinking, then said: “They’re good.”
I blushed. “You’re supposed to eat the smore, not get the overall taste secondhand!”
She laughed and took the stick out of my hands. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered.” The stick went back to the fire; Kelly was holding it with her arms on either side of my waist. “Don’t you like it when I kiss you?”
“That is completely beside the point!” I retorted. “You just won’t get the full effect of the smore. Jeez, you were saying that I was spending too much time with Anita but you’re the one who acts like her.”
Kelly snorted waving the stick around as if she wanted to say something, but only ended up resting her hands in my lap. “I most certainly am not.” She ended up saying anyway after a moment. “She’s just the one who introduced me to the world I now know so I guess my actions may resemble hers, but I’m not acting like her. If I were Anita, we wouldn’t still be talking or even cooking smores. Speaking of which, this one’s done.”
So I made her a smore and then grabbed a couple marshmallows to nibble on. Kelly made one of her little happy noises as she chewed and I felt myself smile in satisfaction. “See what I mean?”
She just kissed me again as an answer and this time, I was the one who tasted a smore second-hand. “I still like the taste of you better.” She told me, stroking my cheek softly. “What’s the taste of chocolate next to fire? There’s no need to look surprised, love. I know you like chocolate, but you haven’t experienced the fire like I have and this isn’t the place to show you. So enjoy your sweets, Carolyn, enjoy them with me until you’re ready to burn brightly.”
“I don’t understand.”
“That’s ok.” She licked my sticky fingers and started cooking another marshmallow. “I know you will soon.”
Despite the sugar, I started to feel sleepy soon after that. Lulled by the crackling fire and the heat it emitted, I rested my head against Kelly’s chest. Her heartbeat was soothing, and her warmth enveloped me without hesitation.
The last words I remember before I fell asleep were: “You’re worth the wait, even if she didn’t want to believe me.”
A Picnic In Winter ~~ Encounters ~~ The Club Incident ~~ Kelly Part 1 ~~ Kelly Part 2 ~~ Kelly Part 3 ~~ Interview With Anita ~~ Vacation ~~ Anita's Truth ~~ Aftermath ~~ Needing You ~~ Attack At The Gardens ~~~ Attack At The Gardens Part B ~~~ Don't Tie Me Down