Chapter 12
Joey looked at the time. It was 8:07 a.m. She had gotten out of bed along with Charlie to make some breakfast for her before she had to go to work. She'd made coffee and cereal, but no toast. She didn't have a toaster yet. Charlie was still in the bedroom getting ready and Joey sat patiently on the sofa waiting for her to emerge. In her lap were two of the books she needed for her research, and she leafed through the pages looking for some last pieces of information to give on her tour. Alf had asked to meet with her this morning. Her first boat outing was just days away, so she needed to make sure that she had her blurb ready today before she met with him. She should have completed her research days ago, but her mind had been elsewhere lately. All she could think about every day was spending time with Charlie, and moving in to her new apartment had been very time consuming.
She heard footsteps behind her. As she continued to read, she saw Charlie coming closer out of the corner of her eye. She glanced up from the book briefly to look at her. Charlie was buttoning the blouse of her uniform. Her hair was tied back. Joey thought she looked amazing. She had always secretly loved seeing Charlie in her uniform. It was very sexy and she always got a thrill being with her whenever she wore it - wherever she happened to be. But now things were different. She was going to be watching her putting it on – and taking it off again, seeing her half-naked in it. This put a whole new light on the matter.
As Charlie fixed the buttons, Joey could see just a little of her cleavage. Oh god, she thought ... I can't watch ... this is too much! She buried her head in her book again and tried her best to read on. She managed just two more words before her eyes were drawn upwards to her again. Charlie was now standing in front of her, with her back turned. She bent over to tie the laces of her boots, her pert behind now looming in front of Joey's face. She just HAD look!. That was it!
"CHARLIE!" she cried. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS! IT'S NOT FAIR!"
Charlie stood up, turned around and looked at her, frowning. "Can't do what? What's not fair?" She had no idea what was troubling Joey so much.
"Okay ... new rule ... you're gonna have to get changed at Leah's place from now on," said Joey, putting her hands over her eyes. "I can't handle it. That uniform ... it's just too ... too ..."
"Sexy?" asked Charlie with a smirk.
Joey nodded her head.
Charlie laughed out loud. "Mmmm ... Joey ... I didn't know it had this effect on you. Wish I'd known before."
Joey looked at her again, astonished. "DIDN'T KNOW? Haven't you ever looked at yourself in a mirror wearing that thing?"
Charlie glanced down at herself, frowning. She had never really considered it.
"Jeez, Charlie ... it's enough to turn even the straightest of straight girls gay! And I have to have all this work finished in two hours time. I've got to meet with Alf. So ... I can't watch! ARRRGH!"
Joey lifted her book up to her face, blocking her view of Charlie's slender uniformed figure. Charlie giggled at Joey's outburst and returned to tying her shoe laces. Her back was turned again. She lifted her head slightly and looked around to see Joey. Joey's head was poking out from one side of the book, watching her - and she was grinning.
Charlie burst into laughter. "You're supposed to be concentrating! STOP LOOKING!"
Joey lowered her book again. "How am I supposed to concentrate on anything ... when you're standing there ... all bent over ... your butt sticking out at me ... looking so damned FIIIINE!"
Charlie grinned and stood up. She turned around face her again.
"So ... if I were to do ...," Charlie said, moving to the sofa and climbing on top of her - straddling her, "... this? Would that be bad?" Her voice was now a whisper.
Joey's jaw dropped instantly, as did her book. She pushed it to one side of her and gazed up at Charlie, then lowered her eyes slowly to capture the incredible sight. She held her breath. Charlie looked so beautiful, and hotter than ever before. To be teased this way by the woman she loved, who happened to be wearing an outfit that screamed power, authority and dominance was almost too much to bear. She closed her eyes, keeping her hands by her side. Neither woman embraced – they held back.
"Yessssss ... that would be bad." breathed Joey, her eyes remaining tightly shut.
Charlie watched her fight her arousal. It was very cute, she thought. "And what if I were to do ...," she whispered, kissing Joey tenderly on the lips, "... this?"
"Mmmmmmmm. This isn't fair. You're such a tease, Charlie Buckton. LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Charlie giggled. She was enjoying watching Joey battle with her libido. She grabbed Joey's wrists and made her put them around her waist. They rested on top of Charlie's utility belt. The fabric of Charlie's blue blouse felt softer than Joey expected. She ran her fingers across it gently, before giving in completely and wrapping her arms around her lover, squeezing her tight and kissing her passionately.
"I have a feeling I'm going to make you very, very late for work," she whispered.
"Ditto," replied Charlie.
--------x--------
"Awww hey there love," greeted Alf when he saw Joey arrive at the Surf Club.
"Hey Alf. Sorry I'm late. I had to ... err ... I had a bit of trouble at home." She bit her bottom lip, hoping he'd buy it.
"Nothing serious, I hope."
"No ... no ... nothing serious ... but I discovered a leak in the sink of my new apartment this morning. Needed to call a plumber and get it fixed right away. You know how long those guys take to get anything done ... in between scratching their arses and drinking coffee."
Alf laughed. Joey felt bad, but resigned herself to the fact that it was just a little white lie. She didn't want to start things off on the wrong foot with her new boss by seeming to be a terrible timekeeper.
"No worries, love. So did you get your talk finished?"
She took a few sheets of paper from her back pocket and handed them to him. "I've written everything down that I want to say on here for you to take a look at. I've tried to put few funny lines in there too ... to help break the ice. I hope you like them."
"With your sense of humour, Jo ... I'm sure they'll be great."
He looked at her. Joey could see he was preparing to say something that he was perhaps a little uncomfortable with.
"So what does Charlie make of your new job?"
Joey froze. Why was he asking her what Charlie thought, she wondered. Surely he didn't know about them.
"It's just that ... I heard that you ... and Charlie ... are ... closer now." He was being very diplomatic.
Colleen! She was a little surprised that the news had travelled that fast but it didn't really bother her. However, she knew that Charlie might not be so casual about it.
"Ummm ... she thinks it's great."
"And how are you girls settling in ... in your new apartment?"
Jeez, thought Joey, does he know everything? And how did he find THAT out? Is there anything in this neighbourhood that isn't public knowledge?
"We love it, Alf ... thanks for asking." She found his words quite touching. He wasn't judging them or looking down at them at all. She knew instantly that she was going to love working for him.
--------x-------
Afternoon arrived quickly. Charlie had answered a call from a very unfriendly member of the public and was now in need of a hard-earned coffee. She entered the diner and looked around. Leah was at the counter, talking to a woman, but Charlie couldn't see who she was. Her back was turned to her. She walked towards them, listening as Leah's fits of laughter became louder.
"Charlie ... hey!" Leah greeted as soon as she saw her. "I'd like you to meet someone. This is Ash."
Ash Ryan turned around and smiled.
Charlie blushed a little. "We've already met. Hi Ash. Very nice to see you again."
"Hi Charlie," greeted Ash. "Or should I call you by your title when you're in uniform? ... err ... Super Special ... err ... Senior Constable Buckton."
Charlie smiled. "Charlie is fine."
"It's great that you guys know each other already," Leah enthused. "I've invited Ash to dinner tonight ... and I'd love for you and Joey to come too."
Charlie could feel her heart palpitating. Joey and Ash in the same room for an entire night could be disastrous. And on top of all that ... Ruby will be there too. She'll be relentless! Charlie dreaded the thought of it, but she didn't want to disappoint Leah either.
"Err ... err ...," Charlie didn't know what to say.
"Oh come on Charlie ... it'll be fun," said Leah, trying her best to coax her friend to join them.
"Yeah ... it'll be fun," agreed Ash, playing along, "I want to meet the woman who stole your heart."
On hearing those words, Colleen appeared. She had tried her best to stay hidden as she listened to them, but was unable to mind her own business any longer. The conversation was just too juicy for her to stay away. One day Charlie was with Joey – then with this new woman, Ash.
"Ahh ... good afternoon, Constable Buckton," said Colleen. "Sounds like you've got quite a night ahead of you."
Charlie didn't appreciate the confirmation. She faked a smile. "Yeah ... thanks Colleen."
Colleen disappeared back into the kitchen, completely certain now that her instincts were right. Charlie shook her head. Nosey old bat!
"So Charlie .... will you come?" Leah persisted.
Ash looked at her, smiling - her eyebrows raised in anticipation of the answer.
"Ehhh ... I'll have to check with Joey and make sure she's free tonight ... but yeah ... sure ... we'd love to come. Thanks, Leah."
"Great!" cried Leah, happy that she would be having dinner with her best friends and her newest friend.
Charlie wasn't so optimistic. Oh crap, she thought. This could be one hell of an awkward night!
--------x--------
Charlie arrived at Joey's place around 5 p.m. Joey was there and looked as though she had just arrived home minutes before her. They embraced in the middle of the living room, kissing one another softly on the lips.
"How was your day?" Charlie asked.
"Pretty good ... yours?"
"Had it's moments. Hey ... we've been invited to dinner tonight ... over at Leah's."
"Great," crid Joey, grinning. She had missed spending time there lately – and she'd always loved it. The place had a nice atmosphere. "Who's coming?"
Charlie took a deep breath. "I'm not sure ... probably you, me, Leah, VJ, Ruby and ... Ash."
Joey's smile disappeared in an instant. Her eyes narrowed and she had a look of suspicion on her face.
"Is she?" she asked warily. From everything that Charlie had told her, she didn't trust this new woman at all.
Joey's jealous streak was beginning to emerge again and Charlie sensed it.
"Don't worry ... It'll be fine," she tried to convince her – and herself. "She won't bite."
Joey thought about it for a few moments. "Okay ... I'll go ... but if I think for one second that she's eye-humping you ... I'm gonna personally shove her into a suitcase ... and stick her on the first plane back to Ireland!"
Charlie laughed out loud at the threat.
Joey grinned, but there was at least some sincerity in her words. "I MEAN IT!" she added, sternly.
To be continued ...