Note: Only one more chapter to go! Read on, my pretties!
The morning was chilly, but Maureen took no notice of it. She was vaguely aware of a weight on her chest keeping her warm. Her sleepy mind reasoned that it was Lily seeking refuge from the cold. She went to stroke the cat's fur, but touched warm flesh instead. She opened her eyes to find Joanne slumped over her body. Maureen studied the soft contours of her face. Her skin was the distinct color of milk chocolate.
A sudden thought came upon her. She could love this woman, this stranger who welcomed her into her home and nursed her wounded soul. There were no pretensions or airs despite her high-end lifestyle. The question was could Joanne love her and, more importantly, was that what Maureen wanted? Or was she so bruised that any compassion or tender word made her swoon? Women could be just as cruel as men, sometimes even more so. Was Maureen willing to risk getting hurt again? She struggled to remember the pearl of wisdom her grandfather had given her wrapped in the stench of whiskey. Keep your mouth tight and your legs tighter. She grimaced. Unfortunately, she hadn't taken his advice to heart.
Joanne exhaled deeply in her sleep. Her warm breath tickled Maureen's bare arm.
"Joanne," she said softly as she gently shook her shoulder.
"Mmmph," came the unintelligible reply.
Maureen giggled at the ridiculous sound. Why did people do that when you tried to wake them up?
"Come on sleepyhead. You need to sit up."
When Joanne ignored her, she sat up as gently as she could. Joanne mildly protested.
"Why is my back so stiff?" she mumbled.
"You fell asleep on top of me. Well, half on top of me," explained Maureen. "I can make it feel better if you like."
"You better do something. I can get cranky pretty fast," Joanne grumbled.
"I'll be right back."
Maureen found the bathroom fairly quickly and wet a washrag with hot water. After wringing out the excess water, she went back into the living room and instructed Joanne to lie face down. She lifted Joanne's shirt up and placed the washrag on her lower back.
"Now, just relax while I massage your shoulders."
"Yes, Dr. Johnson," teased Joanne.
Maureen's skilled hands made quick work of the knots in Joanne's shoulders. She couldn't believe how soft her skin was. Joanne felt like she could purr with happiness and relief.
"How did you get to be so good at this?" she asked on a sigh.
The pure bliss in Joanne's voice sent a warm arrow of desire through her body. She struggled to find her voice.
"I used to date a masseuse," she managed to say. She was glad her voice sounded steadier than she felt. "He taught me everything I know." Oh boy, had he ever!
"I'd love to find out what else he taught you." Joanne's eyes twinkled wickedly. She was now standing and stretching her long limbs.
Maureen swallowed hard. Normally, she would have had an equally devilish retort. Joanne unnerved her somehow. She could only stare at her and wait for her to make the next move.
Joanne studied Maureen carefully. Judging by her tensed body, she had probably never been with a woman before. She had only mentioned men in her past relationships, so Joanne could understand her uncertainty. She inwardly shrugged.
"I'll going to have to ease her into this then," she thought.
Maureen nervously licked her lips as Joanne reclaimed her spot on the couch. They stared at each other until Joanne broke the silence.
"I never thanked you for the massage."
Before Maureen could respond, Joanne had captured her lips in an achingly sweet kiss. Maureen didn't know what to do. This was all new to her. She remained passive until Joanne slipped her tongue into her mouth, forcing reason to flee. Maureen began to kiss her back, but let her stay in control for now.
Gradually, their kisses became more heated, more urgent. Maureen didn't know if she was ready to go any further just yet. Instead of fanning the flames she gently pushed Joanne away, breaking the kiss. They locked gazes, each aware of the fact that they were both breathing heavily.
"I can't. Not yet," Maureen managed to eject with difficulty. She was having trouble focusing.
Joanne tried to hide her disappointment. "Ok. When you're ready I'll be waiting." She got up and went into the kitchen.
"I like you a lot. It's just that I'm new to this whole…thing," explained Maureen.
"By 'thing' you mean being a lesbian," Joanne clarified.
Maureen's lips twisted awkwardly. "Yeah." She hated feeling out of her element.
"No worries, Honeybear. You'll get your bearings." Joanne handed her a glass of water. "You looked thirsty."
"Thanks," replied Maureen before drinking the cool, crisp liquid. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Maureen was watching her. She slowly lowered the glass to the coffee table.
"What?"
Joanne shook her head and smiled. "It's nothing."
"No, what is it?"
"You've probably heard this many times before, but…you're beautiful."
Joanne almost whispered the last word. Maureen had heard that before, more times than she could count. But the way Joanne said it brought tears to her eyes.