JENNIE
Our secret was Lisa's and mine alone. The only time we ever make contact was when we were in her cabin. Each time she touched me, she showed me a new world. She kissed me deep and hard sometimes and other times, so timid and slow.
I loved the way she made me feel, and how she almost cared for me in a way. She explored my body as if it was the only thing she'd ever craved, and then I'd leave her place with only the memories of her kisses until the next time I fell into her bed.
Nobody knew, and that made it more fun for me. I was creating this new world that was just for me. No one could scold me for any of my actions, and each choice I made was from my own mind, not filtered through others' thoughts and opinions.
That was my favorite part of it all, well, besides when Lisa's mouth explored every inch of me.
That was truly my favorite part.
When we crossed paths in town, we didn't even glance at one another. Yet I knew she was there, and I was certain she was aware of my presence, too.
It was fun having our own secrets the world couldn't taint.
Each time I left her place, a different part of me ached in a beautiful new way.
I hadn't known that hands could fall against a body in such a way where it was gentle and wild all at once. She made me feel the safest I'd ever felt while bending my body in ways I didn't know it could move.
Lisa Manoban kissed me in a way I'd never been kissed.
She kissed me in places my husband had never explored.
I loved every single second of it.
She went full beast mode when she undressed me, but she did it in such a thoughtful way.
A gentle monster…
I was in her control, yet somehow, she made it seem as if I was steering the ship. Every moan I made, caused her to work even harder. Every time I came, she made it her mission to make me come even harder the next time.
Every time I left, I was already thinking about the next time she'd let the monster come out to play.
"Did you twist your ankle?" Momo asked the next morning as I walked into The Silent Bookshop with a slight limp. The truth was, every single muscle in my body was sore from the night before at Lisa's. It had taken me about ten minutes to even get out of bed without crying, seeing as how every inch of me ached.
I smiled at Momo as she set a cup of coffee in front of me. "I had a crazy workout yesterday," I told her.
"That's good. Working your energy out is a good thing."
She had no clue.
She picked up her mug of tea and sipped at it as the bell dinged above the front door, and we both turned to see Lisa walking in. On all the previous days when she walked in, didn't look at a single soul, going straight through those magical doors to her darkened corner.
That morning, though, she did something different. As she walked into the shop, she looked up in my direction and gave me a half grin. I gave her the other half. Then she looked away and headed back to the reading area.
It was a quick moment—our brief interaction. For only mere seconds, our eyes locked and our lips turned, but it was enough to make Momo raise an eyebrow.
"What was that?" she asked, confusion covering her face.
"What was what?"
"Did…" She paused, doubting her own thoughts. "Did Lisa just…smile at you?"
"That was hardly a smile," I remarked.
"But she looked your way."
"It's not a big deal," I told her, feeling my cheeks heat. "It was just a glance."
She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you blushing then?"
"I'm not."
"You look like Ronald McDonald's nose—red as red can get," she told me, making my face heat even more.
"Stop it, Momo."
Her jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh." She gasped, leaned forward, and slammed her hands on the countertop. "What kind of exercise were you doing yesterday, Jennie Ruby Jane?"
I swallowed hard and placed my hands on top of hers. "You cannot say a word about it, Momo."
The level of excitement that filled my friend's eyes was legendary. She began quietly celebrating with a small dance. "Oh my gosh, you and Lisa Manoban? You and Lisa?! How? What? But, what?!" she whisper-shouted.
"I know, it's crazy."
"It's brilliant," she corrected. "Gosh, if anyone deserves to get laid by the town bad girl, it's you." She raised an eyebrow. "Not that it's any of my business, but are the rumors true? About the size of her…member?"
I blushed more, pressing my hands against my cheeks.
"Sweet home Alabama, heck yeah!" she shouted, jumping up and down. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my husband more than life, but I've seen that Lisa Manoban girl in sports bra, and I just imagined that someone who was that built couldn't be that built down below."
"The rumors are more than true," I told her, leaning in. "Times a million."
"I see why you're walking with a limp," she joked.
"It's weird. It's just…my life is a mess," I confessed. "Every single aspect of it is hard and confusing except for my time with Lisa. It's not…complicated. It just is. And, when I go back to Atlanta after the summer, it will be over and done with."
"A summer of love," she expressed.
"A summer of lust," I corrected. "Lust and nothing more."
"Well, regardless, I'm glad you've found an escape from the madness. Every person deserves a haven, Jennie, a place they can go to breathe fresh air, because sometimes life can be toxic."
"Yeah, I'm just worried, I guess. If people found out, it would be a mess for both of us, for my family—my mom would flip out."
"Well, that's easy," she told me. "Just don't let people find out. You'll both need to stop looking at each other like that, though."
"Like what?"
"Like you have a secret between your legs."
"It's so stupid, but it's fun, you know? Almost like a game. It feels dangerous in a way."
"You deserve a bit of living on the edge. Have fun. You've lived your life being everything to everyone else, and now it's your turn to live a little. Now, tell me everything—like how good was it?"
I bit my bottom lip and leaned in again. "Have you ever heard of a move called the spider?"
"Oh, yeah." She nodded. "I'm guessing you've recently been tied up. Have you tried the wango tango?" she asked me.
I raised an eyebrow. "I've never heard of that."
"Here, give me your phone." I handed it over, and she quickly moved her fingers around. "Okay, I just downloaded the karma sutra book Harry and I rushed through in no time. You'll love it. Plus, you don't even have to go to the gym anymore. I didn't sculpt this butt of mine doing squats in the gym, that's for sure."
"All of this is so new to me. All Taehyung ever did was missionary."
Momo cringed. "Not even with you on top?"
"He said he didn't like seeing my body in that position."
"Ohh, I get it," she remarked, nodding slowly. "He's gay."
"What?"
"Honey, no straight guy would ever care about the shape of a woman on top of him. All he would see is boobs in his face, and he would be a happy camper. So either he's gay or just a straight-up asshole, and no matter what, you're better off without him."
I smiled.
I was so glad I'd reconnected with Momo. I needed her humor more than I knew.
"Next time you see Lisa, do the firecracker move," she told me. She shimmied her shoulders a bit and gave me a wicked grin. "It's explosive."
