Long after the last tremors of tears subsided, Carmen pulled on Shane's cotton shirt and wiped her eyes and nose with it. She sniffled a little more before pulling away slightly.
Reluctantly, knowing that Carmen would not walk away, Shane let go of her death grip and allowed Carmen to shift in her embrace. Carmen looked up into the musky green eyes, redden with tears and asked, "What now?"
Shane pretended to ponder the question, and finally said the cleverest thing that came to her mind, "Now we kiss and make out—Up! Make up." She could have shot herself for that obvious slip of tongue, which she was so sure Carmen would take it the wrong way.
"Fresh, McCutheon." Carmen grinned, "Don't think you're forgiven that easy. Because you are not. I'm still pissed at you."
Shane's only answer was to lean in again and draw Carmen back into her embrace. Holding on to what she hoped was eternity. She laid her head onto the side of Carmen's baseball cap, and sighed.
Carmen sighed too. What's done cannot be undone. She had chosen to stay in her lovers arms, and by staying in this strong pair of arms, she had decided that come thick or thin, good or bad, she was never letting go again. She smiled securely into Shane's shirt. Maybe there will be a happily ever after… Her thoughts were cut short when she heard her girlfriend say, "Carm?"
"Yes?" She replied dreamily, still caught up in her happily ever after.
"I really want to kiss you."
Yes, definitely a fairytale came true. She giggled and turned her head shyly back into Shane's shirt, pausing a moment to take in the soapy scent of her girlfriend before lifting her head up for a kiss.
Shane on the other hand, unabashedly lowered her head down for that kiss, claiming the lips that eluded her for so many weeks now. She groaned at the softness of the full lips, groaned as she savored the tenderness of her lover's tongue running along the opening of her own lips. This was a bashful kiss, a passionate kiss, a longing one, a comfortable one. She took her love's bottom lip and pulled it between her own, and as she let go, Carmen rushed in to tug at her top lip, the same way she did moments ago.
Carmen's hands, which were firmly latched at Shane's back, broke away, and Shane groaned at the lost of contact, only to gasp as she felt them snake to her front and rested on her chest between her breasts. Her lips continued her sweet ravishing as her other hand reached down to grasp Shane's bringing it up to rest on her own chest.
With Shane still holding her with one hand, Carmen slowly ran her fingers across Shane's chest and her palm came to rest on one of Shane's peaks, what Carmen was doing to her front made it difficult for Shane to concentrate on just Carmen's lips. It was even more of a daunting task when Carmen's hand, which held Shane's to her own chest guided it to one of the full breasts. Shane groaned, and heard Carmen do the same. She knew that Carmen had been yearning this as much as she did.
Carmen groaned again, she slowly kneaded Shane's peak, the tip harden and standing at attention, and felt her lover's hand move underneath hers in a similar fashion.
"Carm… I wanna love you." Shane asked, as she tear her lips away from her love's, she walked Carmen slowly towards the bed, slowly, excruciatingly slow. She had waited for this moment for a long time, and was so afraid that it was a dream, that Carmen would disappear in a flash.
Just as Carmen's calf hit the side of the bed, Carmen said softly, shyly, "Yes." And she laid down on the bed, pulling Shane along with her.
From that moment, Shane knew exactly what to do, she laid herself on top of Carmen, continuing to ravish her love's lips as her hands took on a life of their own, slowly, sensually feeling every part of Carmen's body. She took off Carmen's baseball cap, placing kisses all around her stubbled scalp, her forehead, her temple, and all around her face. Her hands journeyed down to her lover's waist, lifting the baby tee off the taut bronzed torso. The full luscious peaks popped out from the constraints as she pushed the bra upwards, and Shane gasped. The breasts, with their taut nipples, looked so creamy, just like caramel ice-cream with a cherry on top, it made Shane just wanna lick it, lick all the cream. She kissed her way down to Carmen's chest, and her breasts taste just like they looked, creamy, sweet, and oh so good.
Shane groaned as she took one peak into her mouth, lavishing it with all the love she had. Her hands found it's way down into Carmen's pants, undoing the buttons on the buttonfly, and then snaking her hand under the simple panties, tangling her fingers into the triangle of hair. She turned her attention to the other tip, circling her tongue around the areola, her fingers mirroring her tongue as it found the clit.
Carmen lifted her hips, straining to meet Shane's fingers, it had been weeks, months since she had any release, and now she was eager to take all that her girlfriend was giving. Frustrated at how slow Shane was going, Carmen yanked her pants and panties down, and one hand grasps Shane's, demandingly bringing it to where she wanted it. She forced Shane's fingers into her hole, already dripping wet from anticipation, and when Shane started a rhythm on her own, she impatiently undid Shane's own bottoms and shafted her hand into Shane's center.
Shane wanted to tell Carmen to slow down, wanted to take her time to love her, but the feel of Carmen closing onto her fingers urged her to speed things up inside, understanding the frustration Carmen had, feeling the same frustration building inside her as Carmen mirrored the same rhythm that she started. They lovingly picked up pace, needing to reach that bliss and release that had eluded them for so long. Carmen came first, as she called out her lover's name, and Shane, hearing Carmen's release, drove her right over the edge, and she too, called out her release.
As they came down from their high, Shane leaned up to place a kiss on Carmen's lips, but she wanted more, wanted so much more. She jumped of the bed and stripped off her clothes as quickly as she could, and when she returned to the bed, she placed her face in between Carmen's legs, eager to taste what she knew would be the taste of heaven.
Shane snaked her fingers across the table, intertwining them into Carmen's shorter, stronger ones. She pulled them nearer to her, loving the feel of the digits brushing against her own. She traced the outline of each individual finger, from the tip of the fingernail to the loose skin where two fingers met.
Shane had to show her appreciation to the fingers, the same fingers that gave her much pleasure in the last three hours. She brought them up to her grinning lips, placing a soft peck on each peak before placing the entire hand on her heart. She had to show her appreciation to the lips too, that had been so cooperative, but Carmen was currently talking to the waitress she knew went by the name of Emma. And she could only place a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek.
Carmen had missed her morning walk by the beach, she missed her usual walk though the town shops, she missed having breakfast at the diner/karaoke bar, hell, Shane even caused her to miss lunch. But she didn't mind at all, because she spent the entire time loving Shane, being loved by Shane. She couldn't get enough of her tall lanky girlfriend, and from the way Shane was playing with her fingers, she knew that Shane couldn't get enough of her too.
She turned from her conversation with the waitress and flashed her girlfriend a wide smile, a smile saying how much she enjoyed the morning, and how much she was enjoying the attention now. Shane grinned from ear to ear as she continued to play with the skillful caramel fingers.
"Shane, this is Emma." Carmen called out. Knowing that Shane was lost in her own world when she didn't get an answer, she leaned over and placed a kiss on the unsuspecting girl, and Shane lifted her attention away from the fingers, "wha…?"
"This is Emma." Carmen said again, this time, Shane did look up and saw the elderly woman grinning at her, and gave her a knowing wink, and Shane bashfully smiled back, offering a weak 'Hi'.
"So this is Shane huh?" Emma hummed, her arms rested on her hips. "See her around every morning. Orders a double shot everytime." Emma was about to take their order when something suddenly hit her, "Wait. You both were in here at the same time before, I don't see you talking? Had a fight?"
Shane looked away, feeling her face redden, she still couldn't wipe that stupid grin off her face though. She sneaked a glance at Carmen and saw that her face harden a little. "It's kinda a long story, Emma," Carmen said, her tone signaling her unwillingness to talk about it.
"Alrighty then. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. As soon as I get the order." Emma stated, understanding their need to be alone, her senses befitting of someone her age. "What can I getcha girls? Doncha tell me just a double shot again." Emma tapped her feet at Shane.
"I'm hungry…" Shane shrugged, winking at Carmen. And it was Carmen's turn to blush, knowing full well what Shane was hinting at. "I'll have the club sandwich."
"I'll just have the earl grey…"
Carmen immediately saw the identical looks Shane and Emma were giving her, but it was Emma who broke the stare first, "Again dearie? Ya'know, I haven't seen you eat." Emma said in her motherly tone. Carmen turned quickly back at Shane and caught her worried expression. Before Shane could say anything, and she was sure she would, she said, "Okay okay, I'll have the Denver omelette." She raised an eyebrow at Shane, daring her to say anything more, letting her know that she was still in the hot seat for not keeping her promise.
As soon as Emma was out of the way, Shane pulled Carmen closer to her and gave her a deep kiss, but Carmen had other things on her mind.
"So, every morning, when I come in here for breakfast, you were here as well?"
"Yeah." Shane admitted, grasping Carmen's tender fingers to her heart, afraid to let go.
"You can let go Shane, I'm not going anywhere." Shane was amazed at how in tune Carmen was to her feelings and her mood changes and actions. She place a string of kisses on the back of Carmen's hand, and Carmen had to laugh at her girlfriend's antics.
"You hardly ate anything, Peach." Shane complained as her girlfriend pushed her plate of omelette away.
"Don'cha start, McCutheon, I've eaten plenty. It was a big omelette." Carmen said with a wave, she had lost almost all her taste for food, everything felt metallic and foul in her mouth, but she was not prepared to share that with Shane, wanting to hold onto her independence longer.
"Peach, I know I'm still in the hot seat, but you haven't been eating for the past few days."
"Well, you wouldn't have any appetite too, if you feel paranoid and keep feeling someone is following you." Carmen countered, not happy at all that Shane reminded her of the stalking. She was also not feeling good that Shane was starting to baby her again.
"Don't make this about me. You know what I'm talking 'bout." Shane pulled the plate of omelette towards her and proceeded to cut it up into bits. "Look, how 'bout I feed you."
"No Shane. I'm full, and I don't want any more of it."
"I'll give you a kiss after every bite, does that sound good?" Shane grinned at Carmen, hoping that it would ease the tension in Carmen.
Carmen looked at Shane incredulously, her eyes beaming of sadness and of anger. After being here for two weeks, being away from people who knew that she was ill, away from people who treat her differently, Carmen was getting use to her newly found independence. Shane's appearance hadn't deterred her independence, until now, when Shane was starting to baby her again.
"Some things never change."
"What are you talking 'bout?"
"You are still treating me like an invalid."
"What the fuck Carmen?"
"Maybe I should become an invalid, so that you can fulfil your fantasy." With that Carmen scooted out of the booth and scurried out of the diner.
Shane had no idea what she did wrong, but she knew she did something wrong again. She ran after Carmen, out into the open, and matched her pace just a couple of steps behind.
"Carmen, what's the matter with you?"
"What's the matter? You're the matter! You make me feel small, feel useless." Carmen shouted, throwing a glance back at Shane, her feet not stopping.
"Carmen, slow down."
"No!"
"I don't get it… When has caring for you become wrong?"
"Since it started eating away at who I am."
"Come'on Peach. You're making a big deal out of nothing."
"It's nothing to you. But it's huge to me." Carmen continued walking, passing both their rooms, down the driveway, and unconsciously started making her way to the beach. It was a little after 1pm, and the overhead sun was scorching. Didn't help that she didn't eat much, but Carmen pressed on.
"When I first came out here. I loved it. I loved how nobody knows I'm sick, nobody gives me special attention. Nobody tries to dictate what I do."
"I don't do that."
"Yes you do… You, my mother, my sister, my family… everyone does that."
"I'll stop… I promise." Shane shouted, trying to keep up with Carmen.
"Right now, your promise don't worth shit!" Carmen immediately regretted her words, knowing that it was a really hurtful thing to say, true enough, the footsteps behind her stopped.
Shane stopped dead in her tracks, upset at what Carmen had said. She couldn't understand why Carmen was making a big deal out of nothing, and her anger got the better of her. "Fine, do whatever the fuck you want." With that, she turned to face the ocean and plonked herself down onto the sand. Forcing herself not to care where Carmen was walking to.
Carmen took a couple more steps and finally stopped. Maybe she really did go too far, what happened to her fairytale come through in the morning? The thick and thin? The good or bad? Carmen decided to savage the situation before it got too much out of hand.
As she turned around, she felt her vision blur out. The scorching sun, the tiredness from work, the excitement of seeing Shane again, the hunger, the sex, the illness all finally caught up with her, and she felt her legs gave way.
She fell slightly backward and as her head came into contact with the sand, it hit a hard stone hidden beneath the deceptively soft surface.
Instantly, she lost consciousness.
Unable to withstand it any longer, Shane had to sneak a peek in Carmen's direction. At first, she couldn't see any walking figure and assumed Carmen walked out of the beach. But Carmen couldn't get to the road that quickly. Then she turned to look at the water, thinking maybe Carmen went for a dip to calm down. Not noticing anything among the waves, she stood up and looked around, her eyes finally came upon a slumped mess on the ground not far from her.
The worst sinking feeling crept into her bones.
She ran as fast as she could towards what would be her worst nightmare, chanting 'oh god' the entire way. "Oh god… Oh god…" She continued to chant, gathering her love into her arms, Carmen's baseball cap had fallen off, and there was a huge pool of blood on the sand.
Shock beyond belief, Shane could only hold her love in her arms.