Gail refused to admit that she was excited for this trip. She refused to think about spending all her time with a certain someone. She refused to let her mind wander in and out of the possibilities of sharing a room with that tall toned body…
NO! She squashed the butterflies that started fluttering in her lower abdomen. This was just a business trip that just happened to include a certain forensic pathologist that just happened to be the object of her recent affection and not quite pg-13 daydreams. Get it together Peck. It's just a trip with your best friend (who you may or may not be in love with). Last week she learned that she had been assigned to attend a conference in California and to her delight and dismay she was paired with Holly as the medical expert. Ever since that wedding Gail's feelings for her friend had transformed numerous times and she has finally accepted that this was more than just a girl crush. Buuuuuuut this was a work trip and though there have been clues that her feelings are reciprocated (a hand on the small of her back that lingers just a bit too long, that quizzical smirk when Gail is caught staring too long, etc.) this trip was not the time or place. A girl can dream though.
Oh well, free trip to California, San Francisco to be exact. Gail took comfort in the fact that although California might conjure images of Holly in a bikini laying on a sandy beach basking in the sun…(ahem), San Francisco was more than likely going to offer outstanding views, amazing food, cool bars, and many layers of clothing to follow the many stages of fog and chill that the Bay was notorious for. The short staccato of a car horn snapped Gail out of her brooding and she grabs her suitcase and runs out.
Holly had offered to drive them to the airport and of course she was right on time. Gail threw her carry-on into the open trunk and hopped into the car. She was immediately graced with that gorgeous half smile and those warm inviting eyes, "Hey".
"Hey yourself" Gail responded with a very non-Gail smile and a quick but genuine hug. "Thanks for picking me up".
"Anytime" that half smile again that Gail couldn't seem to get enough of. This was going to be a long weekend.
When they get to the airport Holly is still babbling about how excited she is to hang out in San Francisco and describing all the things she planned for their free time. The conference will be taking up quite a bit of time but since their schedules lined up they decided to take an extra day and explore the city. The week before Holly did extensive research on the city (of course). She read yelp menus online before bed and searched the best bars and hikes. Gail just stood by and drank wine, ate Chinese takeout and watched whatever movie they had rented all the while stealing glances at Holly to admire how cute she was nerding out over travel guides. A few times she was definitely caught staring but turned quickly to play it off. She could feel that Holly smile anyway.
Holly is still talking adamantly as they are walking through security. When suddenly the guard manning the x-ray machine stops them, "Is this your bag ma'am"?
Holly looks around her like she can't believe the man is talking to her. Gail stifles a giggle at the confused look on Holly's face. "Don't worry nerd, there's probably just something electronic that the x-ray can't figure out"
She and Holly walk over to the table while the guard brings the offending carryon over. He proceeds to open it up and take things out. Gail makes some joke about Holly leaving her nerdy lunchbox in there when the guard pulls out a microphone. He asks Holly about it and she explains that it's for the seminar so she can record the lectures with better quality sound. He looks it over and seems satisfied and continues to look though her things. As Gail glances at her watch to see how they are on time she hears a small gasp and a quiet "oh my god".
Gail looks at Holly and notices that the woman has worked up a deep blush. Confused, Gail looks at what Holly is staring at wide-eyed. What she sees is an object that nearly stops her heart, and does something to those butterflies that have been keeping a low profile in her abdomen since the morning. There in the guard's gloved hands is a teal rubber vibrator. Gail is suddenly flooded with images of Holly in the midst of several stages of ecstasy all at her own hands and that small helpful toy.
"Ahem" with a small smile the guard gets the attention of the both women who are blushing furiously, Holly because of getting caught and Gail because of the thoughts in her head.
Holly gains her composure first. "Well do you need me to explain that to you too?"
The guard smiles and says, "No ma'am" he packs everything up, "you are free to go. Have a nice day".
Gail turns to look at Holly with one impeccable eyebrow raised. Holly looks at her sheepishly, clearly still embarrassed.
Trying to break up the awkwardness Gail quips, "I can see the headlines now. 'Vibrator takes down plane: Sex-crazed pathologist planned to get her freak on'"
They both dissolve into laughter and they walk towards their gate. The pair is still laughing as they take a seat in the terminal. "Shut up Gail! I always just pack it just in case".
"Just in case?! What, for the emergency orgasm?" Holly is still laughing but trying very hard to look mad. Gail decides to give her break and wrap up the jokes. "Ahhh just in case, I see, it's ok Holly. I know the thought of sharing a room with me for the weekend is tantalizing but come on, when were you planning on busting that thing out?!"
"It's ah, - it's waterproof"
"Oh" there it was. That little short circuit of her heart and the onslaught of images of Holly, in the shower, with that thing.
Both Holly and Gail are pretty quiet for the rest of the flight, but the side-glances don't go unnoticed by either of them. This really was going to be a long weekend.