The Morning After

Chapter 8

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" Charlie asked her driver-companion as she sat in the passenger seat of Joey's father's car. She fiddled nervously with her fingers; anticipating the day ahead.

Joey glanced at her over the top of her sunglasses.

"No." Came her simple reply.

She grinned wickedly; focusing once more upon the road ahead.

"Not even a hint?" Charlie persisted; trying but failing to hide a wide smile.

Joey glanced at her passenger again. Charlie looked adorable! Her sunglasses were pushed back on top of her head and her long, loose hair was blowing freely in the breeze from the open window. Her make-up was perfect and though simply dressed, looked incredibly stylish.

"You know, Charlie, you're so beautiful!"

The words were out before Joey could control her tongue. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyelids together for a brief moment.

Charlie felt her cheeks burn from Joey's impromptu compliment.

"Thank you." She replied, quietly.

"I'm sorry, Charlie! I didn't mean to embarrass you." Joey said quickly.

"It's okay, I'm not embarrassed. You just took me by surprise, that's all." Charlie said, glancing at Joey.

Joey bit her lip. Why did Charlie always have this affect on her?

"Well, it's the truth! You are quite perfect!" She murmured seriously.

"Practically perfect, you mean!" Charlie grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

Joey did not answer but continued to drive. Charlie felt, not for the first time that afternoon, a little tenseness coming from Joey. She watched Joey's hands as they controlled the car. Charlie had already touched those hands; how soft and warm they were and how whenever they touched her in return, they set her heart aflame.

"Joey, are you okay?" Charlie said after a few miles of silence.

Joey nodded, but kept her eyes on the road.

"I haven't done anything to..."

"Charlie! I'm fine, honestly!" Joey replied warmly. "Anyhow, we're nearly there now."

Charlie started to take a little more notice of her surroundings. She had not a clue where she was, but was happy to be led astray.

Suddenly, Joey pulled off the road and into a quiet lane. The trees, either side of the narrow track were dense; the tips of their branches kissing each other as they leaned into the middle. Tufts of spiky grass grew down the centre of the dusty lane where a lack of regular traffic allowed such a thing to happen.

Charlie closed her side window as she tasted the dust from the road, now disturbed by the car's tyres as it moved slowly along.

"Heaven help us if we meet a wagon coming the other way!" Joey laughed.

"Don't tempt the devil!" Charlie grinned.

They travelled another hundred metres or so when suddenly the road finished and Joey pulled into a clearing to the right and entered a wide open space which was filled with thousands and thousands of beautiful wild flowers.

"Oh my God!" Charlie whispered in awe.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Joey its breath taking!" Charlie cried in wonder. "How did you know about this place?"

Joey grinned as she pulled up the handbrake and opened the driver's door.

"A little bird told me!" She teased.

"Look at those beautiful Waxflowers and the Blue Smokebush!" Charlie said with much enthusiasm.

"Hey! How do you know so much about wildflowers?" Joey asked with a frown.

"A little bird told me!" Charlie said, giving Joey a sideways glance.

Joey giggled; conceding a draw and took Charlie's picnic basket from the back of the car.

Charlie slipped her sunglasses down onto her nose as she walked a little way out into the field of brightly coloured wildflowers.

"Just look at those Leucospermum over there!" She called to Joey. "Aren't they gorgeous?"

"I think you're gorgeous." Joey commented as she followed in Charlie's footsteps.

Charlie looked back quickly and grinned.

"I bet you say that to all the girls!"

The smile faded from Joey's face.

Charlie stopped and waited for Joey to catch up.

"What's wrong, Jo? You've been quiet since we set out! Do you regret..."

Joey looked down at her feet as she tried not to trample the delicate blooms.

"Charlie I..." Joey said, placing the picnic basket down onto the ground.

Joey looked into Charlie's eyes which seemed to be shining incredibly brightly, surrounded by the thousands of tiny colourful wildflowers.

"Oh my God, Charlie! I think I've fallen in love with you!"

Charlie's mouth fell open as she digested Joey's words.

Joey closed her eyes, painfully re-living her declaration of love. She had never said those words to a living soul and never thought she would. Joey was young, free and single; she didn't need to be lumbered with a full time girlfriend, however beautiful. What was the point? Joey felt her hand being taken and Charlie's soft lips as they pressed gently against her flesh. She shivered inside. 'This' was definately the point!

"Thank you for bringing me here, Joey! It's the most amazing place in the world!" Charlie said, without acknowledging Joey's expression of feeling.

Joey opened her eyes in wonder. Had she really said those words to Charlie or was Charlie deliberately ignoring them?

"But...?"

"But what?" Charlie said, seductively as she snaked her arms around Joey's waist. "Didn't you bring me out here to seduce me?"

"I-I...I..." Joey stuttered trying to gain the upper hand and failing dismally.

"Joey, tell me again!"

"Tell you what?" Joey said; a little panic creeping into her voice.

"What you just told me!" Charlie teased.

She pulled Joey as close to her body as she could.

"Tell me slowly." She said, kissing Joey lightly on the lips.

"Did I say it?" Joey asked when she escaped Charlie's mouth.

"Yes."

Charlie continued her assault, this time nibbling at Joey's neck.

Joey's breathing became quickly laboured.

"Oh, Ch...Charlie!" She cried, wriggling out of Charlie's clutches. "I-I..."

Suddenly, she was free and she made a quick escape by running haphazardly through the meadow of colour.

"Hey!" Charlie cried as she set off in pursuit.

Catching Joey with ease, Charlie took hold of her and dragged her down onto the blanket of soft pink, blue, orange and white flowers; their scent wafting into the air as they fell. Charlie's weight pinned Joey down as she continued her torture.

"Say it!" Charlie cried between kisses. "I won't let up until you do!"

Joey started to giggle; she was beaten and she knew it.

"Okay! Okay!"

She stopped struggling and instead offered her lips to Charlie who accepted them with pleasure. Their arms wrapped around each other as their kiss intensified.

"I love you, Charlie." Joey whispered breathlessly in Charlie's ear.

Charlie closed her eyes as the realisation wafted over her. Before, if a lover had mentioned the word 'Love', Charlie, panic stricken, would run for the hills. This time however, she had forced the words from Joey.

"I love you too." She whispered back.

"I can't believe I've just told you that!" Joey said; her breathing still a little laboured. "I've never said it before, to anyone!"

"Me neither!" Charlie smiled. "I can't believe I feel so... so wonderful!"

"So what happens now?" Joey asked, as she toyed with Charlie's hair.

"I thought you were the expert." Charlie grinned.

"Charlie, I might have had one or two, maybe three or so girlfriends, but that doesn't mean that..."

"Shut up and kiss me!"

Joey chuckled and rolled Charlie over and kissed her lips with an intensity which surprised them both.

The sun shone over head as the lovers played among the flowers. Joey had already removed Charlie's blouse and her own was now being tugged off at the shoulders by Charlie. Joey shrugged it aside and fell onto Charlie's neck where she nibbled and teased her skin. Charlie was lighting from within as Joey gently caressed her skin with her lips and tongue. Joey had sent Charlie to near oblivion just the day before, but Charlie had stopped her just in time. This time however, Charlie's time was her own and she now wanted and needed Joey to take her on the most important journey of her life.

Shorts and underwear were cast aside as the urgency to feel each other's skin became a priority.

"Oh God, Joey!" Charlie breathed heavily, as she knelt before Joey who mirrored her stance. "I want you so much!"

Charlie's words only fuelled Joey's fervour as her mouth explored Charlie's breasts, kissing and tasting her sweet flesh; her fingers softly exploring Charlie's curves.

Gently, Joey pushed Charlie onto her back and their bodies lay together as the light aromatic perfume from the wildflowers exuded its powers slowly and deliberately as the lovers writhed with their passions.

Joey's sensitive touch on Charlie's already moist and sacred sanctum filled her with a passion she had never experienced. Her own hands and fingers longed to reflect Joey's and as she reached and touched, Joey gasped as the woman she loved, started her first exploration into the feminine art of love making. Her touch was nervous and innocent, but never before had Joey been so moved by a lover as she was now, by Charlie.

After each girl had reached her heaven and heartbeats became steady, they smiled into each other's eyes. Charlie pulled Joey near to her; needing her warmth and security after living the most emotional moment of her life.

"Are you alright?" Joey said softly as she kissed Charlie's shoulder.

Charlie nodded; close to tears.

"Hey! Why the moist eyes?" Joey asked anxiously, using her thumb to dispel a tear.

"It was... you were so... Oh Joey! It was the most wonderful moment of my life and I love you so very much!"

Joey swallowed back a lump and wrapped Charlie in her arms. She had never felt as protective over any creature as she did Charlie.

"I love you too. I will love you, forever and for always."

Joey picked a blue flower and placed it in Charlie's tousled hair.

"Here." She said, brushing down a few stray hairs. "This little flower matches your eyes perfectly; those very... beautiful... blue eyes."

Charlie kissed the tip of Joey's finger as it travelled over her lips.

"I'm going to speak to Ruby about us, when we get home." Charlie suddenly announced.

Joey looked back at Charlie anxiously.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

She nodded and bit her lip.

"She will understand, won't she?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"If she loves you; she'll understand, but Charlie, she will be shocked and she might even reject you for a while, but she'll come around and accept you... and me, hopefully!"

Charlie looked anxiously back at Joey.

"Don't worry, blue eyes; it will be alright."