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Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 01

By: AVixenLiterally



Note: The author recommends that you read 'Ginger Fabulously Taken' before reading Chapter One.

Emily Goes Home -- Ginger Comes Out Ch. 01

By A Vixen Literally©

*** Week One ***

I cried nearly the whole way on the flight home. I was conflicted, confused, tired, in love, lonely, and horny. Julia had turned my life upside down. She was going home to her wife; I was going home ... no, not 'home.' Asshole had my home. I was going to my furnished, crummy, cracker box one bedroom apartment -- alone. Oh my god, that woman had done the most wonderful things to my body. She was right, of course -- I did know. I had simply not done ... made love with another woman. It was amazing. I suppose that's why I cried. I smiled. I knew in my heart I would find a woman.

Was I writing off men? Forever? Oh hell, I don't know. I just left my first lesbian (gulp) experi ... no, romantic liaison. Yes, that works. Umm, am I? I smiled. Now that's for sure why I called myself confused. You're completely right about that Ginger. Saying that brought warmth to my pussy. I love that Julia called me that. Asshole never did. Milly was his nickname for me. I hated it -- loathed it. I am Ginger now ... I think I really like her. She is one sexy woman -- Julia sure did think so. Wow, her Sheri sure is one lucky woman. Hmm, my layover is in Chi ... NO! Yeah you have her card. You will not use it. Yeah, I know, it's just that ... Hush you! Yeah, yeah, I know, those pheromones are flying into each other at the speed of -- umm, lust. Never in my forty seven years have I been so thoroughly fucked. I shook my head at that thought. Oh yeah, there was that one night. Yeah that one; and it was Julia's story that got you that night!

Thankfully the layover at O'Hare wasn't too long. I was back in Dayton and at the bandbox in a couple of hours. First order of business: food. I never knew sex created that sort of ... oh god. Two words came to mind -- hunger and appetite. Thank you Julia! My every thought is about sex. Brown eyes shimmered with joy under jet black hair. I shivered.

Did I mention the dark-haired flight attendant on the flight from Chicago to Dayton? Yum. Julia! Coincidence? Nope.

The server at the diner? Young, slim, and blonde -- oh my, Ginger, you are not the woman you were a couple days ago. I kinda spit up my Sierra Mist. Emmy, the name tag said, thought I was choking -- yeah, with laughter. I thanked her as she cleaned up the splatters. My word, look at how those things move as she wipes. Yikes! She caught me staring at her breasts. She smiled. Not just my hair is red; I ate quickly. Emmy brought the check. Oh my god! She wrote 'Call me' beneath her phone number. Can this be real? I made some sort of smile as I hurried to the cashier. I thought of Julia as my vibe took me away to dreamland.

If you live and work in southwestern Ohio you are more than likely to work for one of the many Fortune 500 companies in the area. I work in marketing for Iams, part of P&G. It's one of the great American success stories. If you're at all interested in stories "Dream No Little Dreams," by Clayton Mathile, the driving force behind Iams, is a wonderful book.

I showered Monday morning, dressed, did all the girlie morning things, grabbed a coffee and muffin at Dunkin Donuts and headed in to work. First order of business - find a decent place else to live. Second order of business - think about using the word lesbian to describe Ginger Butler. My married name was Emily Sue Rogers. I am Ginger Butler (maiden name). And I will be sure to tell the lawyer that I want it back. I thought about the waitress last night. Oh my god! I laughed the whole way from the parking garage to my desk.

Everybody looks different today at work. This is amazing. I put my purse down on my desk and took out my contacts. Okay, I wasn't seeing the world through rose-colored contacts. I wonder how Julia's doing today. Without them I wasn't seeing much of anything other than fuzzy, blurry things. Several from the department were at the weekend seminar.

As I put the contacts back in, Tammy, one of my co-workers, chatted a bit about it. Yeah, it was good. No, I was just busy. She had a good time, apparently - her husband was there with her. I smiled. Asshole was probably busy fucking Bunny or whatever the hell her name is. Me? Yowza! Does Julia miss me? Tammy and I talked about all this as we headed to the small conference room in the corner. A Monday confab about the conference. Our boss gave a summary of the weekend. Tammy and I each gave reports about the specific topics we'd been assigned. Whatever -- it was okay. Where are the gay bars around here? Why is Tammy staring at me like that? She's married. Yeah, so were you. Oh my god that's right. God, what's going on with me today?

I finished my little speech, a few people asked questions and we all headed back to work. Tammy grabbed me by the arm. "Are you okay? You look ... different!" I blinked a couple of times. No, it's not concern in her eyes. Confusion?

"I'm just fine thanks, Tammy, really." Anything to shut her up. "I don't sleep all that well in hotels." She shrugged; we walked back to our desks. I put my folder down and headed to the ladies room. I needed to pee; I needed to be alone. I sat with my head in my hands. My sister Jenny lives in St. Louis. I'm three years older. She and her husband David have a nice life -- 3 kids, 1 in college, 2 in high school. Will she be okay if I tell her? I honestly don't know.

I finished and wiped. Did Sheri shave Julia this morning? Maybe I should try it. Is that part of being ... say it! Am I a lesbian? I sniffled as my eyes filled. I have no idea. Does having an affair with a woman count as a lifestyle event? Or was it just a weekend fling? God, she was fabulous. She let me fuck her too -- twice. My god that was so sexy! I looked in the mirror. It's still me, right? Everyone will still call me Emily -- except Julia and me. I'm jealous. It's Monday kiddo. Get a grip. I stuck my tongue out. Nyah! I threw the paper towel at the hole in the wall and missed -- fuck it.

I walked back and stuck my head in George's office. "You busy boss?" He waved me in.

George Dillon is kind of cute. He was some sort of jock back in the day. Good guy to work for; smart too.

"George, is there a lot going on today? If not, would it be okay if I cut out after lunch. I'd like to find a real apartment?" He knew about the separation; Tammy did too. Jenny told me she'd come visit if I wanted her to.

"No Emily; today would be okay. You have somebody you can call?" Uh, sort of ... and it's Ginger. (Inside voice)

"Yeah, kind of -- it's more of a friend of a friend. If you have someone you'd recommend that would be great."

He was already scrolling through his phone. Yeah, he's one of those -- iPhone. He raves about the damn thing like it's his wife ... who, by the way, is a babe! Lily Russo. He gave me the name of the agency she worked at and wrote her name and number on a Post-it note. Local -- cool! Yes I could use his name. I smiled gratefully and thanked him.

He said, "Good luck; in fact, go ahead and go now." Wow!

"Thanks boss. See you tomorrow." I told Tammy what I was doing -- she nodded. She was still staring at me. Oh honey, if only I could tell you. I called Lily on the way to my car. Yes, she could see me. Did I know where the office was? No -- she gave me directions. Probably twenty minutes away.

"Okay, see you in a little bit. Lily, so you know, I'm looking for a one bedroom apartment." I heard the smile. Uh oh.

At the office, the receptionist buzzed Lily to tell her I was here. She breezed quickly down the corridor and came to me with a big smile and a bundle of dark brown hair that sat, fashionably, atop a sweet, round face that had brown eyes, thick, long lashes and full, luscious lips painted a not-too-bright red. Did Emily look at women that way before last weekend? Oh god, look at those legs. She was every bit of 5 ft 8 and had legs that ... oh somebody help me.

She coolly appraised my (likely) confused, flushed look. "Come back to my office Ginger." Ginger? Had I called myself that when I spoke to her? Oh lord. "We'll talk a bit about what it is you're looking for?" What? It's an apartment. Do I have a sign that says, 'I slept with a woman this weekend?'

As she handed me a cup of coffee, Lily said, "Now then, Ginger, let's see if we can't find you just the right place to live. Tell me a bit about yourself. Are you from the area or just move here recently?" Smooth. I told Lily about Emily. The marriage (27 years -- child bride), the breakup, the fabulous weekend with Julia -- not that last.

"How far along is the divorce?" He's not dead -- yet.

"I don't know; with no kids, it shouldn't take long." We talked about a condo. "I have no money, thanks to asshole."

She had the grace to laugh. "Does 'asshole' have a name?"

"Bill, William Rogers." I told her about his job, his money, how he took all the money out of our joint account - after he had the locks changed. She held me as I cried rather pathetically. Was it me imagining things again or did she hold me just a wee bit too long? She smiled sweetly as she handed me a box of tissues. I didn't want to look in her eyes to check.

She patted my hand. "I'll help you with this Ginger." My confusion must have shown. "We'll find you something and make it work." Oh okay. "I think we can find a condo and write a contract that allows you to pay rent and have it count toward a down payment -- with the rest once the divorce is final." Oh! "You make enough and, if your credit is okay, it should be fairly easy to get a mortgage you can afford." Oh my! "So how about you give me your Social and some work history, let my people do a credit check, and you and I go out to lunch." What time ... oh dear, it's nearly noon.

Lily's a realtor; everybody knows her ... or, she knows everybody. Seemed like every other table she was saying hello to one person or another. Hmm, they seem to all be women. Ginger, shut up. Yeah. What did Julia have for lunch? Lily is cute -- and very persistent. Did I have any idea where I might want to live? Chicago. No, I really don't. I guess the bad thing about being somewhere, with someone, for so long is when that ends you're a bit adrift. A bit? After that weekend? I know, shut up. I had what Lily ordered -- a salad. Whatever. Oh my god, I slapped Julia. My eyes filled.

"Are you all right Ginger?" I gulped back the boulder in my throat and nodded as I played with my food. I wanted to hurry home, bury myself in a pillow and cry. "This divorce thing doesn't seem to be doing you a lot of good honey. It's awful. I wish there was something I could do or say." I thought about what Julia had said. 'Don't fall into bed with the first person who crosses your path.' Yeah right. She had Sheri and I have my vibe. I ate my salad. What would I do if Lily kissed me? Who am I kidding? I looked and am acting like a complete mess. Why would she even bother with me?

"Do you want me to just pay the bill and take you to a hotel for the afternoon?"

No! She didn't say that. I looked at Lily. Huh? She did, didn't she? There's lust in her eyes. Oh my god! I grabbed my purse, got up, and walked to the door. My head was down, my eyes burned with tears. I didn't know where the hell I was or where my car is. I stood there feeling like an idiot.

"I'm sorry Ginger. You just looked so forlorn. That was totally unprofessional of me. Let me take you back to the office." Forlorn? Twice? In a matter of days? Is it an invisible tattoo or was it something far deeper and unknown?

I kissed her. Right there, in broad daylight, on the street, I kissed her.

Twenty minutes later we were in a motel. I was taking her clothes off and she was smiling. I don't even know how old Lily is ... looked like maybe late thirties. Bi? Gay? I just know this -- the way she acted, I think I taught her a few things. She was limp, moaning, panting, and I needed more. I fucked her until she begged me to stop. I did. She slept for a couple of hours. Those legs I gawked at -- oh lord, I loved them. No really, I did. It was dark when she woke up ... no, I woke her. We started again. She, um, had a few tricks up her sleeve. I licked ... um, liked them. We lay quietly in bed.

I told her bits and pieces of my weekend. She smiled, giggled and gawked into my neck. She snuggled closer. "Wow!" Uh huh. That's my Julia. Wow! She's not your Julia, Ginger. Oh! Right. Yes, Lily is bi, single, 42, and had broken up with someone about three months ago. She cried a little about that. "He was special, at least I thought so."

"Lily, if I may ask, are you like really bi? Or do you prefer one to the other?"

She laughed. "Ginger, you know the old saying, 'Doesn't matter; it keeps my weekends full.'" We both laughed. She did admit that, at this point in her life, she preferred the company and touch of a woman. Oh? "I don't know. At least in my experience, it's easier. A woman loves you with no agenda. She'll do just what she knows you want for as long as you want and she knows that, when you've had your fill, you'll do the same to and for her." Oh god yes! "It is nice to have a good, hard dick fill me up now and then. And they're so cute and pathetic ... they'll do nearly anything you want to get what they want." True that! I would have to think about that. Asshole had done neither for way too long. But we were married. An engagement ring: the gift that keeps on being taken. You're way too bitter, Ginger. Your point?

"So my little whirlwind, how about I give you a good going over before we leave?" Her smile was so cute and her brown eyes were so soft. The going over was over and over -- and over. Yum. The shower? Uh huh! It was after ten when she dropped me off at her office -- where my car was. "Don't worry about it kiddo. A few of the women in the office are more than just colleagues." Oh? Yes, she would call me in the morning at work with a few ideas. Yes, we could meet Wednesday, after work, to go over a few things. We both giggled. This is what it was -- lovely. We would do the 'find me a place to live' thing. After? More giggles. I have to admit I felt very lucky to have met someone as nice as Lily. I just knew she really would do her best to find me a nice place to live. The other? We'll see.

God she kisses good! (mickey soft wants me to say well.) I was humming like a tuning fu ... fork. I felt like I did in the cab on the way to the airport ... oh my god ... yesterday! I closed the door behind me and locked it. I leaned against the door. What a day. Julia, Julia, Julia, what did you do to me? I set my alarm and fell into bed. I don't even remember falling asleep.

Oh God, Lily thinks my name is Ginger! What's she going to think when she sees my credit report? This was my first thought when I woke Tuesday morning. You may laugh. I'm not lying. What's Julia doing? Probably same thing you did last night. I blushed ... and I was alone in my bed. I hummed in the shower, singing a song that was my mind. Why this one? 'No More I Love You's.' Annie Lennox is one of my favorite voices. Poor thing; be well!!

Be right back. The UConn-Notre Dame women's basketball game is down to the wire. Hey, a girl has to have her fill of watching the young, lean, athletic lovelies doing what they do.

Where were we? Oh yes, songs ... ROFL. 'Wanted: Dead or Alive!' Jon, how did you know? Call Pauley Walnuts and have Asshole buried somewhere. I giggled in the shower. I like writing about my life. Hope you like reading it. A little too much wine? It's late on a Saturday as I write and it hurts no one.

Oh my god! iTunes is playing 'The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me.' Julia! Ginger, please don't do this to yourself. I know. Oh great -- Colin Chin's 'Farewell to Innocence.' I'm laughing. I give up. My iTunes playlist is conspiring with the world to reduce me to a puddle of ... laughter and tears.

Right, it's Tuesday. I have to get to work. So I do those things we do and head to the office. My brave new world? I miss you Julia. Enjoy your life and your wife. I'll find my way somehow. I parked, walked, and the day began.

'Clocks.' The day dragged on and on. I was my usual productive self. Only it was a very new me in a very familiar setting. My center was off -- a lot. 'Steel Bars' - oh my god! I had, I believe, broken through them, never to return. I wasn't sure yet where it would lead me but it felt like it would be good. Yes, I was absolutely certain of that!! I did a bunch of tasks that my job required and thought of Julia and Lily and Asshole. Who are you Emily? Other than your one-night stand -- umm, which one? I had to find Nora. Nora, my BFF from way back. Yeah, I'll call her.

"Hi kiddo ... can you, please, please, please, meet me for dinner tonight?" Yeah, the tone was pleading ... I was pleading. She knew. Our' usual' place at 6:30 pm. No, I'm not telling you where. You'll come look for me sure as I'm sitting her telling you my story. That's why she's my Nora. We tell each other everything. God she's gonna shit a brick!! Giggle.

"Ya know what Emmy, I'm not completely surprised." What? Nora smiled. "You were so miserable with asshole for these last few years I just had a sense -- wherever, whoever, you would ... whatever." Oh my god.

"So you knew all along I was gay?" Just throw the fucking cards on the table. Nora's green eyes got very wide.

"Of course not ... but you were vulnerable honey. Even you had to have known that!" I cried a little. She let me.

"She saw me fiddling with my wine glass." Nora smiled and nodded. I had to laugh. "And here I thought I was being the mature adult." Her eyes smiled. "Bitch!" She knew.

"I love you too you slut." God my pussy is so wet. She must have seen it in my eyes; she shook her head. "Don't even."

I laughed so hard I wet myself. She's okay with it. Why had I wondered? We had dinner and a bit too much to drink. I told her about my new name and why. She giggled but she liked it. Oh good! I think the saying is: 'A friend is someone who knows everything about you and still likes you.' Nora is my friend! She did gasp when I told her about Lily. That shocked her a lot. Well, that's fair. I was shocked too. We talked about it more. I knew what she was thinking, I think.

What she said was, "Honey, just be careful -- not too much too soon; please." She's right. She laughed when I told her I'd told Lily my name was Ginger. We gabbed some more. It was later than we had planned, as usual, when we finally left. We hugged and kissed like always. I told her I loved her to pieces, which I do. I thanked her for allowing me my last minute dinner. She smiled warmly and said, "I love you too. For you - any time." My friend Nora.

I sat quietly in the dark with a glass of wine, thought about the day, and had a fab nights sleep.

Wednesday, February 1st -- hump day. Don't even think about sex. My head hurts. Dumb ass didn't take any ibuprofen before falling asleep. I threw two back with my mouth wash - brilliant huh? The shower was cold. UGH! I needed it. Thankfully the coffee, muffin, and a full day of work were enough to keep my mind off tonight -- and Lily.

Tammy? She didn't quite know what was going on with me and I could tell with my spidey sense that it bugged her no end. Whatever chickie! I played it straight up with her ... not a blink of a hint.

George wandered past my desk. "Did you meet Lily?" Fountains flooded.


Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 01



"Yeah, she's great. We're meeting right after work to look at a few places. Thank you so much. How are things with Janet and the kiddos?" He smiled. Good guy. Really he is. I throbbed deliciously thinking of Lily.

George, Tammy, Jenny -- each of them thought of me as Mrs. Bill Rogers. I am Ginger Butler -- lesbian. Oh god! Oh GOD! Am I really? You just said you are. Were you lying? Pregnant pause - Me: shaking my head no. Okay then.

When Lily and I were in her office, I said, "Lily, my name is Emily Sue Rogers. My nickname, to some, is Ginger. I didn't even really know I called myself that when we spoke the other day." I was so earnest and sincere I didn't even notice the smile.

"Do you honest to god know how cute you are?" With a soft laugh, "I've known since yesterday morning honey. It's all good. In fact, it's very good. Even though you and 'asshole' have shared most of your credit history, you have a few retail cards and a bank card in your name and they are all in good standing. You're good to go for a mortgage." Oh my god. Angels were singing. She smirked. "Let's get through this, then ..." We both laughed. She showed me several properties -- some online, some on site. After dinner, we saw a few more. There was a very cute house in Huber Heights; two bedrooms, two baths. I wondered about the extra bedroom but it was reasonably priced, bank owned, and Lily was very convincing. She was sure she could negotiate something favorable. I shrugged and told her to give it a whirl.

Whirl? I was on an endorphin and lust-filled ride and I whirled. Oh my god ... we whirled! Lily left my place very late and very liquid. You go me. Sorry for skipping the details on our lovemaking.

If you don't mind I'm going to talk a little bit about what's been going on in my mind. I was married for a long time. In the beginning we were very good. He was handsome and good in bed. In truth, I was so young when we married I hadn't had a lot to compare him to. Over the years, he got promoted, which meant we moved several times. Kids? That was a problem. At first I got tested seven ways from Sunday. Bill resisted, initially, the request to test the motility (are they good swimmers?) of his sperm. It turned out we both had just enough 'issues' that it made him impregnating me nearly impossible. While I wasn't thrilled, I did love him and the sex was still very good. Bill? Umm, he didn't take the news very well. I'm sure that was one major reason we wound up divorcing. We moved a few more times, which is how we wound up in Ohio. It felt like he was taking opportunities to travel and he wasn't as ardent in wanting me as the years went on. Sorry if I'm being vague. It's not real easy to talk about. I was faithful. I had stopped thinking about whether he was. Julia? No, I had never given thought to being with a woman. It was a weekend full of loving. Then Monday and again today -- there was a bit of a 'kid in the candy store' thing going on. A part of me was astonished at me. A part of me (gotta be honest) was embarrassed. And yes, another part of me was humming with excitement and pleasure.

All of this ran through my mind as I lay in bed, late, after Lily left. I sighed. I had no idea what the future held. I only knew I was ... hmm. Nora was good with me. Julia thought I was cute. Lily? She's cute and she's nice; beyond that, I don't know. I'm just going to keep this a day at a time for right now. One thing I was going to do Thursday was contact the lawyer and find out what's going on. Kiss me, Julia, as I fall asleep. She shook her head.

I was tired when I woke up Thursday but I was in very good spirits. My late, late night talk left me feeling good about myself. Does that make sense? Good. I stopped at a little restaurant I frequent on occasion and had breakfast. Emmy! Geez. I still had the check with her phone number on it. Julia was about my age; so is Lily. Emmy? She is very young. I needed to think about that.

Work was really busy. There's a new campaign we were working on. It's harrowing, fun, and frustrating. But it's what I do. It does make the hours fly by and yes, I did make sure I took time to buzz my legal beagle.

"Let's get this done, Kyle." I told him about the house that Lily wanted to write up an offer on. There was a long silence. "What?" If there's some sort of problem I need to know.

"Emily, Bill doesn't want to give you any money. There aren't any kids, he's claiming he put all the money up for the down payment and makes all the payments. Excuse my language but he's being an asshole." I was in the little conference room with the door closed. I stood up; I was enraged. Mother fuc ... Damn him!

"Kyle Watson, that son of a bitch changed the locks on OUR house. He cleaned out every last cent on OUR joint accounts. I'm lucky to have credit cards that work. I have a job -- but I want some goddamn money from the son of a bitch. He's fucking some young bimbo. I'm not taking no for an answer mister!! If you aren't good enough, I'll find someone who is." Light up his ego; low blow, whatever. I sat back down and waited.

"So what do you want, Emily?" He was pissed. Whatever.

"I want my things. I want my kitchen stuff, my jewelry, one of the televisions, I want my ... I want ..." Oh god; I started crying. Shit, shit, shit. Brown eyes blazed. Yeah, okay Julia. I cleared my throat. "I want this over, and I want at least a couple hundred thousand -- in cash. I want that jerk out of my life and SOON!" I screamed that last word. "Get it done, Kyle. It can't be that complicated. Just ... soon, please."

More silence. At least he had parameters to work from. "Okay, let me get back to you."

"When?" Not gonna let him 'lawyer' me. I wanted specifics.

"Umm, it's Thursday. I'll call him today and tell him I want to hear from him by Monday. I'll call you after I hear from him." Good. That works.

"Fine. Thank you, Kyle. Talk to you Monday." The call ended quickly. I sat and stewed. I'm not vindictive by nature but I felt betrayed. I had been. Oh well, back to work. As I worked, there was a little conversation going on in the deepest recesses of my mind. Why was it that Julia had gotten me back on track? Yup, that was odd. Not Nora, not Jenny, not my Dad. Hmm. Get to work on that one, subconscious! We need a report soon.

Tammy asked if I wanted to go out to lunch. That sounded really good. I'm going to tell her. We ordered. She wanted a Reuben and fries; I ordered a bacon swiss burger with fries. After the drinks had been served, I started. "So I called the lawyer this morning. Asshole is living up to his name. The realtor thinks she can get me a decent contract on a house in Huber Heights." My heart was pounding. "I had an affair with someone this weekend." Tammy's head jerked up. I took a sip of my Coke, looked at her and said, "Her name is Julia. It was a surprise, Tammy, and I liked it - a lot!" Okay, that's two. At first she was pale. I mean white on white. She dropped her eyes and wouldn't look at me. "She's married; they're very much in love. I think it was a surprise for her too. She was so cute; she wanted to call her sweetie first."

Tammy finally spoke. "I had an affair with a girl in college. Then my Jeffrey came along. I never forgot, not in all these years. I never told anyone. You're so beautiful, Emmy." Oh my god! "I can imagine a woman coming on to you." She whispered, saying, "I've wanted to -- for years." She turned bright red. "I can't though. With the kids, Jeffrey, I just can't." She cried. The food was served. The guy looked at me; I shook my head. I cut my burger and took a bite.

I was going to wait and let Tammy get whatever she wanted to say out. She finally brought her eyes up to meet mine. I smiled brightly. "Are you mad at me, Emmy?"

"Of course not, Tammy, why would I be? Surprised? Yeah, but only about you and me. I'm hardly one to judge, especially after the weekend I had." She looked so relieved I thought she might cry again. "Eat something Tammy; let's talk while we eat. Tell you a secret?" I giggled. "Julia called me Ginger -- for my hair. I liked that. It was wonderful, Tammy ... I mean really, really wonderful."

She smiled a bit. "I'm not uncomfortable talking about this Em. I guess I was surprised."

I laughed, "You and me both kiddo. You wanna be really surprised?" I smiled; she stared. "The realtor, who is trying to find me a place to live ... she, umm, came on to me. I've been with her twice." Tammy laughed; so did I. "I don't know about the future. I feel sexy, very feminine, really good. I've used the word lesbian in my head." She stared, shocked. "Am I? I don't know. I'm just going to let life happen. Lily, the realtor, told me the joke about bisexual meaning your weekends are always full." More laughs. "I guess that's the bottom line. I honestly don't know." Another bite of my burger and a few fries, then, "I'm glad I told you. Nora, my BFF, knows. You're the only other one." I smiled again.

"Wow; thank you. I won't say anything, Em, hone ..." I raised my hand and stopped her.

"Tammy, here's the deal. I'm not putting an ad in the Dayton Daily News but I'm not hiding it either. And, like I said, I simply don't know. Oh my god, I so totally forgot. Julia writes on a pretty famous website that publishes erotica. I had read one of her stories. It was fabulous. We had a good laugh about it." Tammy gawked. I wrote the name of the website, the title of the story, and Julia's nom de plume, on a napkin. "Have some fun honey; Jeffrey will love you for it. When I read Julia's story ..." I leaned in and whispered, "I fucked asshole like I hadn't in a long, long time." I winked; we giggled. "In fact, Julia teased me about it. She said that the characters in the story could serve as a kind of tutorial in lovemaking between women." Oh my god, that did it! The two of us couldn't stop laughing. We had to kind of hurry through the rest of our food. We paid, left, and headed back. The rest of the day flew by.

At home, after dinner, I looked online for bars, clubs and the like that catered to lesbians. I was going to do something this weekend; I just didn't know what. I settled in with a glass of liquid courage and called Jenny. We're adults, right. We have always had this thin thread of tension -- big sister, little sister. I loved her without reservation. As much as a big sister can love her bratty little sister. Just kidding Jen!! I snickered.

Her daughter Megan answered, bubbly like you'd expect from a high school senior. After exchanging greetings, she hollered, "Mom, it's Auntie Em." Oh god ... 'The Wizard of Oz!' Did she even know?

"Hi Jen, how's things?" I don't know ... she has a family. There are those days I wonder how my life would have been if Bill and I had kids. She gave me the update in short hand. That was the good thing about sisters. You can say things a certain way and both of us knew exactly what was being said. Eventually, she asked what was up with me. I took a sip.

"Jen, umm, I had an affair last weekend in Arizona. There was this seminar. She saw me in a restaurant." I heard the gasp. "Her name is Julia, she's married. She and her wife live in Chicago. She was in town for her company's weekend event. It was fabulous honey." I started crying; she's my sister. "She was amazing. I never knew, never dreamed, and it was unbelievable. We made love all weekend. She let me ... lead." I was crying harder now; the words came in gasps. "I don't know Jen. I never, ever dreamed ... but she is, was, so gorgeous. She called her wife with pangs of conscience. We spent time in her Jacuzzi, had dinner in the room, the sex ... oh my god."

"Emily Sue!!"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you crying?" I sobbed uncontrollably. I don't know. Why am I? Relief? Joy? My sister?

"Daddy and Mom -- I don't know. There's only me and you now. Asshole? He's off fucking whatever her name is. It's just me and you, kid. I ... Nora knows and I just had to call. I don't know if you approve but I needed to tell you." I sniffled. "I called a realtor Monday; her name is Lily. She thinks she might have found a house I can afford. I've been with her twice -- Monday and yesterday. I don't know what to do, Jen, I'm ... it's just ... I feel lost and I feel so wonderful. I was so lonely for so long. Julia made me feel so sexy, so desirable. I don't know Jen; I'm a mess."

"You had another? After you came back?" Her voice was ... I couldn't put my finger on it. "Are you ... umm." David must be nearby. I knew what she was asking.

"Jen, I don't know. I've said the word lesbian to myself and I'm pretty okay with it. But honestly, I don't know. The realtor is bi and she's fabulous." I couldn't help it; I giggled. I heard my sister sigh. No, kiddo, I don't get it either. And no, you're right. It's totally not like me. "You're right Jen. I can hear it in your sigh. You don't understand; me either." I told her about my 'name change.' That got her laughing; she understood about me taking my maiden name. "Is David around or can you talk."

"Oh, I'm out on the back porch. I told him it was you and that you needed to talk. I'll make something up." Sisters! "So, what's going on? What's in your future? Do you know?" Practical Jennifer -- hmm.

So tell her. "I looked online tonight for bars and clubs. I'll check them out over the weekend. I'm curious I guess. Am I giving up on men? No. But someone is going to have to knock me over, and, after asshole, that won't be easy." We both chuckled at that. "When I got home Sunday I had dinner at a little diner. There was this young, cute waitress. She gave me her phone number and asked me to call her. I went into work Monday and ... everything seemed different. It was ... it was me." The words poured from me now. "I have to slow down, Jen. I know that and I will. But it's like the kid in the candy store. Ya know?"

"Honestly? No. But yeah, kind of." Okay! "Where do things stand with you and Bill?"

I told her about my conversation with the lawyer. She sighed; I could see her shaking her head. "Don't worry honey. I'm not going to let that jackass get over on me ... not after what he did to me." She blew out a breath in relief.

"Good Em; I'm glad to hear you say it out loud. I've been worried." Geez. Sisters. I smiled.

"Thank you. I was nervous to tell you, Jen. What you think matters honey. I hope you know that." Oh god, she's crying. "Please, please kiddo, I'll be okay. I'm ... I'm way more than okay. Just a little confused. Maybe we can plan to spend a weekend together -- here?" It was a question wrapped in hopeful begging. She knew.

"Let me do some stuff with the calendar, David, and the kids, okay? I'll be in touch soon." I felt the smile. Oh good!

"Thank you Jen. I can't even begin to say it all." My eyes filled, I shook my head. I knew she knew. We said our goodbyes. I sighed as I clicked off the cell phone. I was drained. It had been a long, exhausting, wonderful day and night. The journey had barely begun. Heart's 'Secret.' No, Julia is in Chicago with her wife. My secret was out ... so was I, kind of. I had begun a journey. Where? I had no clue -- yet. I am okay with that. I think so, anyway.

After pouring one last glass of wine I sat in the chair, thinking. Writing now, I can't even recall them all -- there were so many different thoughts buzzing around in one direction or another. Biggest accomplishments: telling Nora and Jen. Biggest worries overcome. Nora is so rock-solid I wasn't really worried about telling her. Jen? She's my sister. If she had, she could have destroyed me and I knew it. I knew we would talk more, a lot more, when she came to see me. I had a feeling that would be soon. I tamped down the urge to call Lily. I did call her -- name, that is -- when I used the vibe and my fingers to get me off several times. I drifted off and slept. Fitfully.

Friday! I'm weird. First thing I thought of after waking up was that I needed to buy new underwear. Go ahead and laugh. I did. Heck, I did, again, typing the words. What the hell! Ginger needed sexy new undies. Weekend stuff among other things. Maybe do some shopping at lunch time -- if I'm going out tonight. I stood under the shower. Yeah, I'm going out tonight. I needed to hold on to the soap dish handle as the spend shook me to my core. Eyes that gazed at me in the mirror were soft and glowed with pleasure. Green is the color of the day - eye shadow, blouse, panties and bra. Black slacks. I left an extra button open on the blouse. Hot mama!! I blushed combing my hair. Yeesh.

Coffee sat on my desk as I turned on my computer. I confess -- I wondered if there would be an email from Julia. Nope. Shrug. It's okay, really. I hope they will be happy together for a long time. I smiled. The morning zipped along rather quickly. Just before lunch an email showed up from Lily. Wet. She had talked to the bank, felt it had gone well, and wanted to talk to me. I'll think about that when I go out for lunch. I asked Tammy if she wanted to go shopping. She blushed when I told her where. I laughed. We had a grand time. She gawked at what I bought. Sexy Ginger! No, Tammy didn't come into the changing room. I did wonder if she thought about it. NO I didn't buy thongs. I'm 47 -- no!!

Tammy was hysterical laughing at my story about asshole. With a name like Rogers, what do you think he doesn't own? Yup, sweaters! If you really want to piss him off, call him Fred. Wink. The afternoon buzzed by. Yeah, I had to think about that before writing it.

I didn't want to risk doing this at work -- I waited till I got home to go online again and look for places to hang out over the weekend. An email reminder from Jiffy Lube; I need an oil change. Definitely not a lube job. Oh my goodness!! I had to fan myself. The L Room. Their MySpace page? Zowie! I had a very nice tingle goin' on reading that!

Nora! I called her. "Do we know anyone who's gay? Like me, I mean." She choked on whatever she was drinking. Sorry, kiddo. No? Damn. She asked why I was asking. "I found this place that seems like a bar and dance club. I wanted to check it out tonight." I also told her I bought a bunch of sexy new underwear.

She laughed and said, "Good for you honey. I'm proud of you. Do you want me to come with tonight?"

"Oh my god, Nora, I can't ask you to do that."

"Of course you can honey. I'm your BFF, not your lover."

"Yeah, I know, but..."

"Okay, I'll be at your place at 8:30."

"Nooo! You don't have to."

"I know, I get it, but you said there was dancing. We both love to dance and it's been a while. Why not?"

I sighed. "Oh all right." Good grief, now look what you've done, Ginger. Your best friend is going to a lez club with you. Maybe I should have asked Tammy. Hmm. I called Nora back.

"Honey, come now; bring clothes. We can go have dinner and come back and change." I would have told her she could stay the night but not in this little shit box.

She said, "Okay. I'll bring a few outfits and we'll doll up together. Oh god, this is gonna be a fun night." Lube job? She'll laugh so hard. Maybe I could take her toy shopping. That got me giggling. I had nearly asked Tammy but thought that might be a bit much, especially after what I had just shared with her.

Nora showed up just after 6:30 pm. I told her about Jiffy Lube. She nearly ran the car off the road. "Don't do that to me when I'm driving Ginger." Yippee, she called me Ginger. The Friday night special at the restaurant was jumbo shrimp dinner. That sounded good -- we each ordered it. We laughed at the notion of jumbo shrimp. Is that like 'AOL inches?'

"Oh by the way, how's your love life Nora?"

She laughed, saying, "Not nearly as good as yours girl friend." I blushed. She had me with that one.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 01



I told her that I had worked up the courage to call Jenny. Naturally, she wanted the entire story. I told her. She listened intently and nodded when I mentioned that she could have easily destroyed me.

"Yeah, true, but she's your sister. She knew you were in a pretty fragile state, obviously. The fact that she agreed to call after checking the family calendar is a pretty good sign, don't you think?" I agreed. "So, me, Jen, this Lily person -- who else have you told?" I told her about Tammy. Nora's jaw dropped, like mine had, when I told her that Tammy admitted she had a crush on me. "Umm, did she ... do anything?"

"No. But I kind of got a sense she was trying to work up the courage to."

"Really?"

"I kind of think so, yeah." I shrugged. "I might be way off base on that one though."

"And what if she does? Have you thought of that?"

"I'm working very hard at not thinking of it at all, actually. I don't see her being aggressive in taking the lead. And no, I'm not taking the lead either. She's married; I'm not going to come on to her." Nora nodded.

Did I tell you how gorgeous she is? My friend Nora is one of the most stunningly beautiful women I've ever met. She attracts men like ... oh my god. She has the same dark black hair as Julia. It's cut much shorter though, with bangs that constantly try to fall in her eyes. She's about an inch taller than my 5-5, stunning green eyes, absolutely flawless, creamy skin, button nose, perfect lips -- not too full, not too skinny, and a body that .. sigh. She's a 46D. This on a slender form that she swears is 120 pounds soaking wet. I tell her that her boobs weigh half that much just to see her blush. I hate her. She's three years younger than me and looks ten years younger. Bitch never diets either! I met her ten years ago at a health club; we were taking some stupid spinning class. We hit it off right away. She ditched the health club and has a personal trainer work her out three times a week. Raves about her too. I could (cough) use a little toning.

"So Ginger, is this new you finally going to break down and give Kathy a go." Two things: She did that on purpose. And, how the hell did she know what I was thinking? Her nostrils were flaring; she tried to bite back the laugh. "I had to kiddo." We both cracked up. I slugged her in the arm. She hit me back.

"Ow! That hurt!!"

"That's why you should let Kathy work you out."

"Damn you." We laughed again. "Yeah, when we get back to the band box, write down her phone number, okay? Are you still seeing Jim what's-his-name?"

"Carpenter; yeah, in fact, tomorrow we're going to dinner. He's really good with the kids Em. Danny and Lisa love him." Danny is thirteen, Lisa is ten. Nora was married for fifteen years, divorced for four years. Her eyes get all warm when she talks about this Jim guy. She's been sleeping with him for a couple months now. He's forty. Boy's got himself a real live Cougar!! "Asshole has the kids this weekend." I got the nickname for my ex from her.

"Woo hoo. Jimmy boy, you better be ready for lovin' cuz you are about to be cougared up!!" She blushed and nodded. "I better get a text Monday morning with one word -- sore!" That said as we walked out the door, having paid our tab. We laughed all the way to the car and most of the way back to the bandbox. Hey, there's a thought.

"Why don't we stop at a toy store on the way to the club?" Nora turned and stared. "Didn't I tell you about the toy Julia found in her luggage?" She shook her head. I told her about the strap on. As we drove I told her about the fun we had with it Friday night; how I mimicked asshole holding my head while give him a blow job, and how we mimed both of us pleasuring a cock together. We were inside the apartment when I finished. She turned about fifteen shades of red, especially at that last part. "Do you want me to tell you about Saturday?" She nodded.

I did -- graphically. I figured it would take a while, so I poured each of us a glass of wine and sat at the table. She laughed as I described fumbling with the harness and being on the bed when Julia walked in.

I tried to recall her words. "She said, 'Julia, there appears to be a naked lady, with a dick, in your bed! What to do about this?" Nora was laughing and gawking. "She continued with, 'Julia, why not have the naked lady explain herself.' Her eyes were still locked on mine. She said, 'Explain yourself naked lady.'"

"This so did not happen the way you described Em," Nora exclaimed.

"It so did. And yeah, after standing in the open doorway in shock, she walked to the bed as she talked, taking off her clothes piece by piece."

"What then?"

Nora's green eyes got very dusky and warm when I told her how Julia had me hold her open and how she made such a production out of sliding ever so slowly down the ridged plastic. Her hands were shaking as she took a sip of her wine. I told her about how we lay together afterward, that she had asked if I wanted to go again, me on top this time. Her eyes got wide. She was flushed; I could see how turned on she was.

I stood, unzipped my slacks and stepped out of them. I took her hand and slid it over the top of my soaked panties. I looked her straight in the eye -- my best girl friend in the entire world and said, my heart thundering in my chest, "I loved every goddamn minute of it kiddo. We've known each other now for ten years, right? I will not seduce you -- not tonight, not ever. I love you too much." Her eyes slid away from mine. I reached for her chin and lifted her eyes to mine. "I never knew I could do it, never knew I wanted to, never ever thought that I would -- and I did, I loved it, and I'm glad as hell I did it." Her eyes filled.

She stood, took me in her arms, and kissed me. It was a kiss a lover gives her lover. I kissed her back; it was glorious. I pushed her away, gently. I took a step back. "No, Nora, especially not tonight."

"Why not Em? What you described was beautiful, sexy, erotic, and loving. You're a lucky girl, girl friend. I want you to love me the way she did. Jim can have me tomorrow. I want you to have me tonight. I really do. Please?"

Oh lord, what have I done? No matter what happens tonight, my best friend in the world might hate me tomorrow. This isn't me and Lily fucking our brains out. This is my Nora, beautiful, sexy Nora, very much ready to fall in love with what seems like a really nice guy. And she wants me to take her tonight. Oh my god! Even before last weekend, Emily and Nora always had a little buzzy thing going on between us. You know what I mean - sexual tension. But this? She wants me, Ginger, to make love with her. I want to so badly my teeth hurt. Who do I call? Jenny? Oh please. Julia? Wait -- it was last Thursday that a very married woman came on to me. She had called her wife after having pangs of conscience just like I'm having now.

The last paragraph took about five minutes to write, edit, and re-write. Thinking it that night took about thirty seconds.

"I swear to god, woman, if this leaves you hating me, or, worse, yourself, I don't know what I'm going to do. I love you way too much to ever hurt you." Her answer was to step close, again, kiss me, again, slip her hand inside my panties, slide two fingers deep into the hot, slick walls, and fuck me with them. My eyes shot open as her fingers slid into my pussy. Her eyes, soft and warm, were open too; she knew exactly what she was doing. I moaned; the kiss got hotter than hot in record time. My fingers slid over her cheek and neck as she fucked me. I panted as it deepened.

The orgasm nearly blew me off my feet. I put my head on her shoulder as she tore me up with her fingers. I pulsed, grabbed at her fingers with my walls, and moaned, panting. She turned her face to my neck, kissing, nipping, and loving me. When it finally left me, I slumped, helplessly, against her. Her fingers slid slowly from me; I groaned. I heard her slurp them; I smiled in her neck. "You horny bitch!" She giggled. She saved one for me. I fucked her finger with my mouth, giving it a faux blow job. It was her turn to moan as my eyes locked onto hers. I slid it slowly from my mouth, leaving a thin string of saliva from her finger to my lips. Her eyes glazed over with lust.

We undressed slowly in the bedroom. The front door was locked, the lights turned off. The curtains were closed but allowed street light in; that was plenty. Oh sure, we'd seen each other naked before in the locker room. This was very, very different. I slipped the last piece over her hips; she stepped out of the soaked silk. No sniffing tonight. She finished undressing me as well, after I lay back on the bed. She slid next to me and said, shyly, "What do I do?" I laughed softly.

"I asked the same thing of Julia last week, honey. She said, 'You already know how and what. Just do.' So that's what I'll tell you. There is no right and wrong here. It's lovemaking, babe, with a woman I already love." I kissed her. My god, that body I told you about? Oh lord, how I loved it that amazing, special, wondrous Friday night.

I kissed every inch of her that I could - with her squirming like she was. I finally leaned over my best friend, kissed her, and, taking her wrists in mine, told her not to move them as I lifted them high over her head. I kissed my way to each of those glorious mounds, loving them slowly and completely. Her nipples rose proudly, capping the fabulous peaks; oh god, I don't have words. I left her a panting wreck when I finally left them; her chest was heaving with the effort it took to find air. I slid past her impossibly firm, lean tummy, slowly, loving the gentle dip of her hips. I was already between her legs; I kissed, blew thin streams of cold air, and otherwise tortured her. Her hips were as desperate as the gasping pants of breath. I finally breathed warm breaths on to the soaked, scented lips. She begged me; I inched closer; she cursed me. I nipped at the skin just east and west of her sex; she swore revenge. I drove my tongue, quick, hard and deep into and between her lips; she bucked, screamed, and cried as the orgasm surprised her.

I held on to her hips for dear life as she writhed beneath me. I gave her everything I knew how. When her hands gripped my hair, I moved them to her breasts. My fingers played with her pearl as I ate her up with my mouth. She grunted fabulously, panted loudly, and screamed in pleasure as her body flew through another. When she collapsed, I lifted her legs over my shoulders and kept after her. My mouth went to her clit, my fingers dove, curved, and thrust in and out of her quickly. I peeked over her pubic bone to see her head turning side to side, eyes clenched tight, fingers working madly on her nips. Lord she was beautiful. I sucked her whole into my mouth, hugged, teased, nipped as my fingers worked feverishly to draw another from her. I felt the very depths of her open to my fingers. That truly is an amazing thing.

In that instant, the devil of it screamed through her. Her lean form tensed, she cried out at the heat, and flung herself from the bed, bucking, arching, twisting, turning. Her heels bruised my back; it was bliss. Her walls grabbed hold of my fingers, seeming to threaten never to turn them loose. I nursed at her pearl as it pulsed. I felt her body clawing, fighting to hold on to the last of it, her hips driving at my fingers, my fingers giving her all of it I could. She called out as it slid away; trembling, helpless. I slipped slowly up her torso as the aftershocks came. I moved to hold her as she shivered. I lay my head in the scented dew between her glories, listened to the rapid drumbeat of her heart, and soothed her fevered skin. When I felt her cry I moved to her. I brushed away the hot tears, kissed the parched lips, and bathed her mouth with her juices and mine. In hoarse, raspy tones she said, "Ginger, you marvelous bitch." What could I do? I cried.

When the sigh came I knew she was back. "Talk to me Nora."

"Oh my god honey, it was wonderful and horrible. You were fabulous, I am wrecked, completely. If Julia did anything close to what you did to me I can see why you would crave it. I love loving Jim, but honey, this ... this is from some other galaxy. Come here to me lover." I did; she smiled gloriously. She pulled my face to hers and kissed me. It was a lover's kiss. It was wonderful and I feared it. She was ready again; I felt it in her kiss. I wanted her to love me -- for the rest of my life. She rolled me to my back. Green eyes glittered; uh oh. "This body? It's mine - every bit of it." She slithered, slinked, stretched, murmured, sighed, and smiled wickedly. I shivered.

Ginger: destroyed. That's me writing of what my Nora did to me that night. One of the most beautiful women I'd ever known completely devoured her BFF. She began with my lips. She nipped, sucked, as she kissed me. Wicked, wild and wonderful -- it made me ache for all the years that had passed. No, no, no Ginger. This is but one night, nothing more. I know, I know. Then stay the course, tell the story!

She learned well from my taking. Who knows what she had experienced in her years of loving. She slithered, she nursed, she nipped, she pinched, she licked, she bathed, she teased, she scraped, she bit; if there was skin exposed she loved it. Her fingers traced so lightly at times they felt like feathers. They left me weak, shivering, and needy. Her lips were warm, wet, and so devilish. I felt devoured, lightly and sweetly. One hand cupped a breast and I wondered where the other was; it drove deep into my depths. I cried out and lifted to meet the fabulous invaders. The bitch withdrew them as fast as they had entered. I pleaded; she giggled. I pulled her to my mouth. "Fuck me Nora. Take me - every last bit."

She smiled sweetly; her eyes were hot and I shivered at what I saw in them. She fucked me with her tongue. I moaned, helpless, loving it. She told me what I told her; I lifted my arms high over my head. She lapped at my armpits, nipping lightly at the skin just beneath and the sensitive part high up on my triceps. It was little more than a pinch; it was heavenly hell. She licked down one side of my flank as her nailed dragged down the other. God help me, how glorious the taking. Those devil fingers did their diving again - quick, deep, in and out. I screamed her name and cursed. I felt her shake in laughter. I couldn't help myself -- even in my want, I giggled.

What happened next shocked me. Nora mounted me, lifted my legs over her shoulders, and ground her sex to mine. I had only learned of tribbing from Julia last week. I wasn't complaining, just curious, and wildly glad. She seemed to revel in my surprise. Her eyes, wild and hot, smiled at me. I saw it -- fooled ya! Kiss me lover. She did. Fuck me baby! Oh my god!! Nora: glorious! Whatever Kathy put her through, I benefitted from it that night. Her fabulous figure simply destroyed me with its flexibility, strength, and stamina. I was no match, thankfully. The first of my cums was deep, hot, and blinding. I slumped against the mattress in bliss. She drove me relentlessly to another; it was sweet, hot, and her teeth on my nipple added to the fire in my pulsing pussy. I barely could draw a breath, it mattered not.

Nora kept after me, drawing a third from her weary, glorious, thankful friend. I shivered deep in my core as my body spun me through the spin cycle of my pleasure. I have to be honest ... I heard her cries, but I was so overwhelmed with her loving I have no idea how many orgasms my lover had. When my body shuddered, yet again, as a fourth crept through me, I gave what little of me was left to her. I barely had the ability or strength to cry out at the white heat. I felt her mouth on mine. We kissed, softly now. She was gentle with me.

She whispered, "Talk to me Ginger" and giggled.

"Nora honey, I know this is only for tonight. Please don't leave. Please." I didn't want to, I tried not to, and I did. I cried. She held me. Her lips were soft and warm.

"I'm not goin' anywhere sweets. Not after tonight. This was fabulous. Let me go pee; I'll bring us both our wine glasses." Oh bless you honey. When she finished and went to the kitchen, I stumbled, weak and shaky, to the bathroom. She had the lamp on and was sitting up in the bed when I came back. Where on earth did she get the energy? My legs were still trembling. I needed two hands on the glass to be able to sip from it. It was warm and wonderful.

"Where did you learn to fuck like that Nora? Julia taught me about tribbing last week." She looked at me and smiled.

"Your BFF isn't a virgin honey. And I do a little dabbling in erotic literature." Oh my god! I told her about Julia and her writing. She nodded. "I go there every now and then. I haven't read her stories, but yeah, that's too damn funny." She went on to tell me about a few other sites she'd found that required membership. I felt like, I don't know ... out of touch. It didn't matter, not tonight. I felt it ... the burn. I wanted her again. Second wind, third -- I didn't know and I didn't care. If this was going to be our one night then I wanted it to never end. I leaned in and kissed her. There was a blink of surprise and then she melted into me.

It felt like days ago that I had started. I had no idea what time it was. I only knew that my Nora was here and I would love her one last time. It was slow, it was soft, it was sensual, and it was lovely. I took my time; Nora sensed it and let me lead, slowly, gloriously, and wonderfully. As the passion mounted, the urgency built deliciously and slowly. My turn to take -- tribbingly. (mickey soft still hates me!) I looked into those glorious green eyes, eyes of a woman I had grown to know and love over ten years -- good times and bad. Tonight, we were one. I wanted to give, thank her for giving, and celebrate us. A most unexpected us. A never to be repeated us. One last, glorious us -- she cried out her joy. She begged me to hurry, I slowed. I hurried, she cried for me to finish, I slowed. I needed, I drove us both, we screamed in joy as it took us. I found her mouth; the kiss was hot, wild, desperate. I felt her peak, mine followed; both of us slumped against each other as it left. This last would be our last. We relaxed, came back to earth, and slipped into deep, glorious sleep.

The sun woke me first; Nora slept. The clock said it was 6:59 am. I cursed silently. I had no idea how long I'd slept; the fatigue was profound. I watched my lover sleep. Everything I told you about how gorgeous she was -- me: nodding. She is a beauty. I thought of Julia, of Lily. I knew who I wanted. She had shared a night, her passion, her body and soul, and my bed. And I had to let her go. I didn't even know who I was, let alone guess at who she might be. It may have been the intensity of my gaze that woke her. After her eyes focused and the greens found me, I smiled and bent to kiss her.

She was sweet and smelled of sex; the scent of a woman. What would she do in the light of a new day? My Nora, my BFF, my glorious, amazing lover; it was the morning of the next day. She rolled over, her leg between mine, kissed me, and whispered, "Hey you." My throat closed with emotion. Were we okay? Good as it was, that was what mattered. Anyone out there understand what I felt? Please!!

The greens clouded in confusion. "What?" Fuck if I know!!

"Nora, I love you so much and the thought of ... umm, all of this, leaves me in tears, fearing us not being the same."

"Jesus God woman -- for a ginger haired lesbian, you are as blonde as blonde gets. What part of 'I loved every second of it' don't you understand?" Her mouth emphasized, emphatically, what she had said. I whimpered at her ferocity. "Do you want to go find some breakfast or am I enough?" I laughed, she was, and my hunger was thoroughly satisfied.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 01



When she had finally had her fill of me, again, and we lay, spent, again, in our bed, I worked up the courage to ask, "So?" She giggled. Women: So much with so little. Did I really just say 'our bed'?

"I don't know lover. Jimmy will be getting a whole new me tonight. (Me: jealous) I hope he can keep up." She purred. "This was more than fabulous, Ginger. I know I need more and there's no one else I want to share with but you, babe."

We both reeked of sex; I turned around, gave me to her and took her. It was fabulous. We showered after. The sun was high in the sky when we finally stumbled out for food. We were famished. When we got back, we enjoyed each other one last time. We kissed, desperately, wonderfully. I cried the rest of the day and night at the thought of her and Jimmy.

Sunday - My oil still needs to be changed. I stopped on the way for coffee and bagel. The dude at the counter had just taken my information when the phone buzzed: 'Sore!' YAY! Sunday was off to a great start. I sat, smiling, thinking of Nora. I didn't even notice who came and who left. I heard the deep voice but it didn't really register. I was pulling little pieces of the bagel, dunking them almost robotically. I was slinky and warm, jealous and horny. I have no explanation.

I was in another world when I heard, "I love your smile." I jerked my head to the voice. Dark brown eyes smiled at me. I blinked. Hmm. Handsome -- the dark brown hair was slowly losing the battle, but it was well cut and combed. The face was strong and ... cute. Oh dear! So say something Ginger.

I smiled. "Thank you." First impressions aren't necessarily my thing, especially after ... Nora.

"Sunday morning at Jiffy Lube ... come here often?" I blushed at the words and the look.

"Every three thousand miles whether I need it or not." Let's see what he does with that! Why are you flirting with a man, Ginger? Because he's cute. So shut up! I blushed again under his gaze.

"Hmm, lots going on behind those eyes. Life's good huh?" Gawd! Nora! I flooded!

"Umm, I guess so, yeah. Pretty much okay over all." Smooth.

"I know its Sunday and I'm sure your calendar is full, gorgeous as you are, but on the chance ..." He fumbled, unsure. "Care to go to dinner ... tonight ... maybe?" How cute!

I tried to buy time while my mind raced. I took a sip of coffee. I saw the smile fade out of the corner of my eye. No, I didn't mean to do that! "Sure, I'd like that. I'm ... Emily." Ginger belonged to Nora; this guy would get Emily.

"Hi Emily, I'm Mark ... Mark Stevens. Great; let me get a pen or something. I opened my purse, wrote my name, address and cell, tore the page out of the notepad, and handed it and the notepad to Mark. Ginger belonged to Nora? Hmm. He was smiling as he wrote; he handed it back to me. "Seven sound okay? I'll pick you up. The restaurant will be a surprise ... the second of a suddenly very promising Sunday Emily." I blushed. You would have too, Nora. Geez. It's just dinner, no reason to ... they called my name. Thank God. He stood when I did. His handshake was firm -- big hands. His smile was warm and his eyes sparkled. There was no ring, no a tan line on 'that' finger. We said our goodbyes. I drove in a daze, so much so that when I finally blinked, I realized I was halfway to Nora's place. I screamed, nearly had an accident and drove home with my hands shaking and my head fuzzy.

I saw the sign and laughed. I hadn't even realized I was this close -- 'Naughty N Nice,' a toy store. What the hell -- late morning on a Sunday. Very few cars were in the parking lot of the strip mall. It was well lit, clean, with a young kid behind the counter. I ignored his once-over. I had no idea what most of this stuff was, who used it, and what it was for.

I giggled at a few things, gawked at some, and shivered at others. Studded leather collars? Yikes! Nipple clamps? Ouch! I shrugged and dropped them in the basket. A pacifier? Those are for babies. Oh wait; I remember a story where a woman had her lover ... oh lord. I blushed and added them to the basket. I found the strappie that Julia had -- or at least it looked like it, and a dildo with a suction base. Hmm. I wandered a bit more and bought some warming lube. No, I have no idea why, nor did I care, and headed to the counter. Kid picked up the strap-on, smirked, and sneered, "You know how to use this?" Oh really?

"You maybe want me to show you how?" He turned shades of red. "My lover asked me to buy it when I fucked her last night." That shut him up. Green eyes glowed, hot and heavy lidded. Yum! I paid cash and left. I needed a nap; I slept like the dead till late afternoon. Five o'clock if you're keeping track.

I fucked myself with the dildo, screaming Nora's name as another orgasm ripped through me yet again. Breathless, I was panting and not even close to satisfied. I found out the warming lube really did warm and that nipple clamps hurt like a son of a bitch when you take them off. Ginger, honey, you are a glorious wreck. I slinked my way through the shower. I did my makeup, a few, strategically placed sprays of White Diamonds Eau de Parfum (that's how it's spelled!), some of my sexy Ginger underwear, a slinky black dress that hung perfectly in all the right places, and three inch heels. I laughed out loud as I thought of it. I wanted to see how he reacted. I remembered the story; I had a cutting board and a very sharp knife. I carefully cut the ring off of one of the pacifiers, used an emery board to smooth the cut, slipped it into me, and slid my panties over my hips. The doorbell rang; I smiled. He looked handsome. I was tingling gloriously. Perfect!

I had read a review of Pacchia Prima last summer. It sounded fabulous. It was; it was also very busy. I had no idea how Mark was able to garner a reservation. He shared. They were normally closed on Sundays but were open to celebrate Mardi Gras. In Dayton? Whatever. He ordered the wine - a fabulous South American Malbec. He was dressed casually in a long sleeve shirt, jacket, and classy slacks. He held the door, held my chair, and was fun to chat with. I learned he was fifty, had moved to the area six months ago for a job change, leaving his ex-wife and three children behind. He didn't seem very happy about that last part. I got the feeling a lot of soul searching had gone on. He described Teradata; yes, I knew it had been a spin off from NCR several years ago. He liked it -- a lot. We shared the Jazzy Caesar Salad. It would have been too much for me. I let Mark talk me into antipasto. I was very glad. Not only was it superb, it came in a wonderful herb broth. Yeah, I dipped some of the warm house bread in the broth. Mark smiled as I licked my fingers.

Charming. I found myself smiling a lot at and with Mark. Nice man. I found myself hoping he would want to see me again. I found myself missing Nora desperately but knew she wasn't thinking about me. She was busy being busy with Jim. The pacifier -- oh lord, fabulous. The bonus? The oblong piece of plastic pressed, delightfully, on my clit. Yum! Could Mark see the glow I felt? He ordered the nine-ounce Bone-In-Filet Mignon. I had a different 'bone' on my mind. Really? Well of course I wondered! Emily had been married a long time. I ordered the Seared Halibut Filet. I giggled as I type. Why did I order it? Yup, for the halibut. Mark asked if I wanted white wine with the fish -- how sweet. I smiled and shook my head. The server recommended a Ravenswood Zinfandel. It was rich and delicious. I would have to look for the Montes Malbec. It was very good and, being from South America, fairly priced.

I left out the parts about Nora and the toy store as I told Mark about me. His eyes clouded as I described dealing with asshole. He was enthusiastic and encouraging as I described the housing situation and Lily. Dinner was spectacular. The fish was cooked perfectly, steamed veggies, lobster sauce -- all of it simply wonderful. I offered Mark a taste of the fish; he did the same with his steak. Being the scamp I am I bit the fork for a moment as he held it. I had my eyes on him the whole time. His widened in surprise, then he smiled. Good; a sense of humor! He even blushed under my gaze. Oh my! He squirmed; I flooded. To hide my smile I quickly took another bite of fish. It had been such a long time since I'd had a man inside me. Mark would be my third -- in 47 years. Holy crap! What did I just say? Oh Nora, what the hell do I do? The green eyes rolled. Oh yeah, thanks a lot! Did I want dessert? Not on a first date.

Mark held my hand as we walked to his car. He opened the door. I turned, looked at him, and waited. He kissed me. His mouth was warm and delicious. I waited a few seconds and parted my lips. He moved a bit closer; I slid my arms around his neck. He felt strong and masculine. I slid my fingers through his hair. His tongue and mine darted. When he broke the kiss it left me flushed and breathless. Wow! The man gets a ten on the Ginger kissing meter. I took his face in my hands, kissed his nose, and whispered, "That was wonderful Mark." He smiled. I got into the car and buckled up. My hands and purse sat demurely in my lap. He couldn't see, but my wrist pushed the pacifier against my clit. Not too much Ginger. It would be unseemly to have a raging orgasm in his car. He walked me to the door. Another long, delicious kiss. Yes of course you can call; you goddamn better!!

"Thank you so much for a magnificent dinner and a fantastic evening, Mark."

I waited until he waved before opening the door to the band box. Having locked it, I slumped against the door. I wanted desperately to call Nora. It wasn't too late but she was, hopefully, engaged in carnal delight with her man. Oh gawd!! This discussion would require a big bottle of wine. I unzipped the dress, shrugged it off my shoulders, and threw it on the back of the kitchen chair. I reached into my panties for the pacifier. I stuck it in my mouth as I wandered to the bedroom and hung up my dress. I felt slutty; I smiled. I took off my bra and panties and put the pacifier on the night stand. The dildo and my fingers gave me several shattering, fabulous orgasms. I felt Mark's weight on me and his cock deep inside me as the first blinded me; Nora's mouth and fingers took me through the second and third. I cried out in frustration when it left. I needed one more. I left the dildo in to fill me and worked my clit and nipples enough that a soft, warm last spend slipped through me. As I felt myself drift off I thought -- Ginger honey, you have had one wild ride through the whirlwind that has been these last ten days. I drifted, smiling, into a deep sleep.

Author's Note: As ever, this is a flight of fantasy; completely fictitious. If there is any resemblance to anyone walking among us my apologies. Another author put it so well: "The site is free. The author is 'paid' in comments and votes." My thanks to the angels at Literotica for their help in giving my stories the nuance I try so hard to create with my writing. I hope you've enjoyed this first chapter of a rather long tale.

This story is dedicated to someone very special -- the 'other' AVL. A little over a year and, remarkably, half a million words later, my life is so much different. Readers from all over the world have found my stories. This is an incredible site with so many gifted writers. Without her prodding, teasing and assistance I wouldn't have found my muse. She saw talent I had no clue I possessed. She saw growth while I struggled to find the right words as I wrote. I'm still in awe and amazed at it all. More than anything -- the response of those who read my stories. Thank you all!!!

Her birthday isn't all that far away. I'm going to struggle a great deal as I believe she's been called home. This story lay unfinished for quite some time. I knew I had to come back to it, finish it, and publish it as a tribute to her. I miss her!



Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 02



*** Week Two ***

I woke up Monday morning moaning and shivering. I was confused and dazed until I realized what it was -- I was just at the tail end of an orgasm. I was on my side hugging my pillow. The sheets were soaked with perspiration, my hair was clingy and wet, and I was terrified. I couldn't remember who it was, in my dream, that I had been making love with. I knew it wasn't Lily; that was a dalliance that was over. My subconscious might have wanted it to be Nora but I would have none of it ... the tears in my eyes were a reminder I was lying to myself. If it was Mark ... good god, if it is Mark I need to buy condoms. I never worried about that with asshole once we found it was improbable we could get me pregnant. Good grief, welcome to another manic Monday in Ginger world. Better this world than Emily's old world!!

I got my period at work. Shit! I hurried to the bathroom -- you know the drill. Why does our monthly visitor visit at the very worst time? The funny thing (least I thought so in the stall) is that I was so in the midst of raging hormones I didn't pay attention to the usual signs. Or maybe that was why. Hey, do you know this joke: How do you make a hormone? Pull down her genes! Sowwy, it's me being silly. Oh well, no sex for Mark. Me: blushing.

Work is work ... earning your crust is how a girlfriend of mine puts it. Coin of the realm. I giggled. I got realm and you damn well better be ready to spend cuz I am. That was for Nora. I needed to talk to my BFF; she didn't know about Mark. Tammy just stared at me all day. Sorry honey. I love that you have a girl crush on me, but no.

Lily called. "Sure, I can meet you at the office after work. Traffic willing, I should be there by 5:30."

"Great, Ginger, I'll see you then."

I made sure to tell her I was on my moon and I wasn't sure it mattered. I knew Nora would be doing the Mom thing. I hoped she might find a sitter so we could have dinner one night this week. Via text, she said she would let me know. Yes, she's still gloriously sore. My girl!

Thankfully, Monday at work, after what seemed like forever, ended.

As I drove to Lily's office after work, it dawned on me. I hadn't heard from Kyle, damn him. I didn't know if that meant asshole had ducked him or if Kyle was being a jerk.

Mark called. How sweet. "I would love to see you this week," with a smile on my face.

Obviously pleased, he said, "Is one night better than another?"

"I'm not positive yet. I'm in the car on the way to see my realtor. I kinda have plans that haven't been firmed up with a girlfriend. Can I get back to you tomorrow?" No, I didn't tell him about the other. We'd only met yesterday.

"Sure; I'll look forward to hearing from you." He hesitated for a moment and said, "I really enjoyed dinner Emily." I felt my nipples tighten and got a delightful little tingle.

"So did I and I'm looking forward to next time. I'll call tomorrow."

Wow, dinner was last night and he called today! Hmm, I hadn't asked him about sibs. Something to chat about next time.

I was pissy with Lily. I like her and I know she'll do right by me. It's how she earns her crust. All the news she had was positive. I mentioned that I hadn't heard from Kyle. I felt better. What can I say? I'm a girl. I needed to move asshole along. Mission One: Divorce! I let her kiss me and felt her hesitation. On the way home I stopped to buy groceries.

Anybody else old enough to remember Mary Tyler Moore roll her eyes as she threw yet another frozen dinner in her shopping cart? Me: Monday. Last night's glorious dinner seemed like weeks ago. As I wandered the aisles, stopping to look at one thing and another, I smiled. I had mused one night with Nora that I suspected the first two words a woman learned how to say were "Mama" and "sorry." She was only a little shocked.

Yup, for those of you who may be wondering, I stopped at a CVS pharmacy and bought them.

I called Nora on the way home. "Hi kiddo, how are ya?" She purred; I laughed. "Oh yay, I'm so happy for you. So can I tell you? While you and Jim were doin' the nasty, I was at Jiffy Lube Sunday morning. And you won't believe it -- tall, dark and handsome said hello."

"What?" she gasped. I giggled.

"I know, especially after, umm, us." We both blushed in the silence. "So he, Mark, asked me to dinner Sunday night and I said yes. He took me to this place downtown -- Pacchia Prima. Oh my god Nora, it was heaven." I described how I teased him with the fork. She couldn't stop laughing. I described how he shifted in his chair; we both snickered.

"So did you fuck him?"

"Nora Jean ... how dare you?" She laughed. After the time we had she surely had the right to dare. She knew it as well. "No, you stone cold bitch, he was every bit the gentleman and I knew he was every bit the horn dog I was." Guys, if you're reading this -- trust me, you may think it's only you who talk like this. Get a clue! You get only what we give. And, if not, it's ten to twenty with a cellmate named Bubba. "He kissed me -- after I turned and did everything but grab his dick. And it was fabulous. We ... I ... need to talk kiddo. I know you have the kids, but ..."

She knew. "Let me see what I can do. I need to know more about Mr. Mark. I love you Ginger" (I blushed) "and I'll text or call ASAP." This is why we are BFFs. I thought about calling Mark. Nope, let him wait. I giggled.

I had a glass of wine in the tub. I did that every now and then early in my period. The hot water helped sometimes with the cramping. I would run the water, climb in, turn it hotter, and let the tub fill. Not so harsh that way. It soothed; I lay my head back and relaxed. My Monday was okay. I smiled. No, better than okay. I was on track, maybe, to a nice place to live, maybe to a nice man, and most definitely, most certainly, to a glorious, if uncertain, future with my BFF.

Tuesday -- Snow! A reminder it was still February. Oh well, just take your time. I'm giggling. I did -- in the shower. Loose, slinky, and sexy, I dressed, drove, and worked. Maybe it was the hot bath last night; maybe it was the spend in the shower this morning but my Tuesday was fabulous. Tammy, this is Ginger, or maybe Emily 2.0. Whatever; get over it.

Nora sent a text: Wednesday works if your hunk doesn't mind. How could I not laugh? I called Mark and left a voice mail in, I hoped, my sexiest voice. Thursday is good. Tammy heard me call Mark -- shit. I told her at lunch. Honey, we live in different universes. I managed to get a lot of work done Tuesday.

Not much else to tell you about the day and night. Well, I did test the warming lube on my nipples in the bath rub -- err, tub. I fantasized about Mark taking me just inside the front door. Me against the door, him pressing against me, lifting my skirt and a leg, slipping my panties to the side and, with my help, entering me, taking me, melting me, gorgeously, completely. Oh my god! All this happened (in my head) with Nora lurking, unseen, in the bedroom, peeking around the door. The bath water was tinged with red and pussy was satisfied a bit. I slid between the sheets, clad in panties and a pad. Emily Sue Ginger Butler Rogers, what in the hell has happened to you!! I was smiling as sleep took me away.

Wednesday -- The snow was mostly gone, I was fresh as a daisy after a good nights sleep and I breezed through the day. Dinner with Nora was confirmed, via text, at the usual place at six. Perfect.

George stopped me as I was walking past his office after lunch. "How are things were going with the realtor, Emily?"

I smiled and said, "I'm hopeful and keeping my fingers crossed." Janet and the kids were fine. Good, and it's Ginger!

As Tammy and I stood at the coffee machine I whispered conspiratorially, "You really do need to try warming lube on your nipples." She stared. Yup, I'm a tease. I wonder if she owns a vibe. Girl, you don't know what you're missing.

At dinner I told Nora about what a teasing bitch I had been with Tammy. We laughed so loud and hard that the few patrons and all of the staff stared ... we laughed harder. She tried to duck my questions about her weekend with lover boy.

Nuh uh kiddo - spill. "We spent the better part of the weekend fucking. I took my turn, he took his. Leading that is." Woo hoo!! We fist bumped. I probably didn't need to hear about all the places they'd had each other but I did.

I told her about my bath tub fantasy. She turned several lovely shades of crimson. Her eyes were very soft and dusky. Oh lord, if you only knew how bad I want you too babe. Neither of us would speak of it aloud.

Naturally, Nora asked, "So what are you going to do to Mark after dinner tomorrow?"

I told her: "Sweet and low." She remembered the episode from NYPD Blue!! She thought it was wonderful. I wanted to fuck her right there in the restaurant. I knew she knew.

The kiss in the parking lot was torture and bliss. There was want on our lips and the promise of more on our tongues. There was hunger in us; we both knew it. My moon and her babysitter kept things from going beyond the kisses. All of my good intentions -- no, Jim didn't know, there was no reason to tell him. Right -- and Mark? She kissed away the question. May I please? Her eyes told me: You really have to ask? Umm. I opened the button on her jeans, slid my hand inside and into her, and gave her a hot, fast, and breathless cum, right in the parking lot. Neither of us knew or cared if anyone was watching. I just knew we loved each other. We had before last weekend and we would long into the future. Neither of us knew what shape or texture this new love might take. Nora would be my BFF regardless.

As I undressed, I had a thought and giggled. A text: Care to share a bath with me on the phone? Nora's reply: ;)

The fifteen minute phone call turned into over an hour. We knew each other so well that even on the phone we could picture everything we whispered, gasped and moaned to each other. The very hot water in my tub couldn't match the heat of our conversation and it had turned tepid and pink when we said our goodbyes.

"Ginger?"

"Yeah?"

"Be sure to put warming lube on your nipples before going to sleep."

In the tub, loose and languid, I smiled. It was wonderful and I slept soundly.

Thursday -- I did the languid stretchy thing after my spend. Mark, Mark, Mark, you are in for a surprise tonight mister!! The shower was brisk, the water was hot, and my period was nearly over. Hmm. I would ponder that during work. If a tree falls in a forest is it okay to seduce him on the second date? Makes no sense you say? I have every right to make no sense -- to say otherwise is nonsense. It's my story and I'll tell it as the river and I flow.

Work was a series of rather pointless and moderately productive meetings. The new campaign seemed to be coming along nicely. The smiles and nods in the room indicated as much. Shit, I have to call Kyle! Asshole, either of them, hadn't called me. I thought of the kid in the toy store. Kyle was going to get a new appreciation for who's in charge. Tammy, apparently, could read my mind through the portal of my eyes. Her eyes were round and wide and spoke of her confusion and shock. Kiddo, you will not drink from this fountain.

Kyle was apologetic at my apoplexy. I told him, curtly, that I would contact asshole personally. He suggested that was not a good idea. Furious, I told him where he could stick his suggestion. He stammered; I hung up on him.

I rushed home to shower and get gorgeous. Handsome was picking me up at six. Hmm, sweet and low before or after? My head told me after; pussy told me before. We'll see. Casual Thursday: slacks, a gorgeous silk blouse, and demi cup bra: That should do the trick. Let him gaze in wonder at my wonders.

We were a little late getting to the restaurant. Mark? Two words - shock and awe. Me: smiling. The power we have as we give them sugar in that manner is glorious. I teased him during dinner about 'sweet and low.' He hadn't seen the episode and blushed gorgeously when I told him.

The kiss at the door after dinner was so hot I thought the neighbors might crack a door so I invited him, umm, in. It all seemed to happen very quickly. The slacks were not a good idea, but they were off quickly enough. My idea, for the record. I unzipped his pants, felt his hardness through his shorts. I gasped; he moaned. I pushed his shorts past his hips; his hand lifted my leg as he pressed me to the door. He devoured me with his mouth as he entered me, holding my leg in the air. I wrapped it (them) around his back -- or tried to. It was delicious having a man fill me up. Oh my god, he felt so goddamn good as he fucked me. I came twice before he gasped as he came, which tipped me over again. We would make love the next time -- this was a quick, hot fuck. Wowzer!! I was shy and blushing after, as we kissed.

Of course Saturday was fine. Thursday was fabulous. I peeked from behind the door as he waved before getting in the car. I wondered, after he left, if he was as surprised by it as I was. I luxuriated in the feeling of his wetness in me, leaking from me. I cried in bed. I was so over the moon I had forgotten about a condom. Sleep came, after I did, one last time.

Friday -- A text to Nora: Sore! I smiled as I sent it. Her reply: OMG! You didn't. Oh yes I had, several times. She was jealous and that was before I told her our next date was Saturday. I would let him take me back to his place and yes, I would stay the night. This was on the phone, with the door closed, in the conference room. There was extended silence.

"Nora?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I know; me too."

"Don't be mad at me ... please." If she was, or if we weren't, I would just die.

"I'm not Ginger. I'm really, really happy for you. Can you come over tonight?" Big smiles! Nine o'clock sounded perfect. I would bring the strap on. No, I didn't tell her. That would be a surprise.

"So tell me!"

"I love you too."

An email from Lily came after lunch. The house was listed at $119,500. The bank was willing to take the contract she had drawn up. Could we meet to talk about the details? Hmm. I would think about it.

Nora. What to do with her. I had no clue. I don't just want to be her part-time lover. She's my BFF for a reason. What happened with us was ... hormones? Inevitable? Good lord no. Before Julia? No way. Now it seems everything is possible. When I tell her that I love her is it Emily or Ginger speaking? OMG, it's totally Ginger. Emily loved -- loves her as well. I don't want to make love with her tonight. I want to talk to her, tell her what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling. Good grief, of course I want her - seven ways from Sunday. She's everything I would ever want in a lover, in a ... oh dear god, in a wife? Two weeks ago I was separated, miserable, horny and Emily. Now I'm separated, confused, horny, and Ginger. A Ginger who's very much in love with her BFF. And I'm going to make love with ... oh shit, we need to talk about her, Jim, me, and Mark. Four is too many I think, and I'm not sure, not one bit, how many is enough.

Tammy stared. My eyes were red from crying. I just put my head down and worked. It was hopeless but I did it anyway.

I called asshole from a phone in the conference room so he wouldn't recognize the number on his caller ID. I screamed at him. Jackass, get this done. He told me to go fuck myself. I laughed -- if he only knew. He offered me a hundred grand. Good, that means I'll get the two hundred I want.

"Have your lawyer call mine by the end of the day, Bill." I slammed the phone down and called Kyle. "I want to hear something from you by Monday. Am I making myself clear?" Apparently so. Hmm, how big is Nora's place? Did we need two homes if we were going to ... Oh my god, Ginger, stop it. I know I know. I will, soon. Like the day after never.

A knock on the door; it was George. "Uh, Emily, is everything okay?" I started to cry. The poor guy is so sweet. He stood there, completely confused. Hey, no shit, imagine the world through my eyes. He left, closing the door behind him.

Tammy didn't knock when she came in. I sobbed on her shoulder. Why are life and love so damned confusing? Two weeks ago it wasn't this way? Then again, neither was I!! Oh yeah great. Do I really wanna go back to that life? Fuck no! If you tell someone you have loved forever that you love her and want to be with her forever, does that change things forever? Good god -- a puzzle inside an enigma wrapped in Ginger. Tangled up in blue ... or ginger? Tangled up with Nora!! Yeah baby!!

I apologized to Tammy. No sweetie, I just can't share. I almost kissed her. God help me, what a complication that would have been!! Instead, I hugged her in thanks.

I called Lily after the door closed. "Yes, I'll be there; what time? Okay, 5:30 it is."

Lily stared when she saw me. She took my hand and led me to a conference room. "Sit. I'll be right back." Okay. She had a glass in each hand and used her hip to close the door. She handed me one. "Bourbon; take a sip and talk to me."

Talk to you about what, Lily? Talk about the fact that I don't want to sleep with you? That I'm in love with my best friend? That I have no idea what I want to do about Mark? That I like the idea of the house and don't know if I need it? That asshole is, in fact, living up to his name? That Ginger really is Emily, who isn't Emily any more? She nodded as I talked; only blanched a little when I mentioned her, and sat with me, sipping her drink slowly.

"I have no idea why I'm telling you any of this Lily. It's not fair, really, to dump on you this way. Good lord, I thought my life sucked before when it was just simple, recently separated Emily. Now it's a million times better and I'm a confused wreck." I downed the rest of the glass in one gulp. My throat burned, my eyes watered, and I cried again. I cried on her shoulder as she held me. I kissed her. Yeah, that way. She let me ... for about ten seconds.

She pushed me away gently, smiled and said, "Sex isn't going to solve anything Ginger. You'll feel good for about an hour and you'll feel like shit the rest of what's left of the day. I'm not going to tell you what to do, sweetie; you're all grown up. I will tell you, as your friend -- follow your instincts. Listen to your heart. You know what you want. Listen. Yeah, it may hurt or you may be disappointed, but those things are temporary. You need to feel good about you first, foremost, and always. You already know that!! You're a good person, Emily. I know that about you. You want a laugh -- I knew it about you the way we made love." I stared; she nodded. "I'm not kidding, kiddo. You make your love sweetly, you give without reservation, and that's part of why I wanted more of you. But your heart isn't with me; it's with your Nora. Tell her so, honey. Let the chips fall where they may." Holy shit. She was right of course.

I took her face in my hands and kissed her, sweetly. She let me this time. I lingered on purpose; she understood. She nipped my lip as I broke the kiss. We both smiled. She said, "Now go tell the woman you love that you love her." When I started to speak, she put a finger on my lips. "I know, she already knows. I can tell. This time it will be different and she'll know it." She smiled, her eyes glistening with tears. My god; how lucky am I? She smirked as I stared. "It's why I'm filthy rich, Ginger. I put good people in the right homes for them." I had to laugh at that one. Good point, Lily.

I thought about it all as I drove home. Asshole dumps me, Julia turns me inside out and upside down, my boss gives me a referral to a bisexual realtor with whom I have an affair -- twice. I seduce my best friend in the whole world, we make fabulous love together, I get a lube job, meet a great guy, two dinners, one hot fuck, and the realtor helps me figure it all out. Weird huh? I stopped and got a sandwich at Subway. I poured a glass of wine, ate the sandwich, and pondered.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 02



I called Bill; his voice was cold. I heard Bambi in the background. I apologized for being a jerk earlier.

"I was really, really rude this afternoon. I needed to call and apologize. I'm sorry Bill. I may not be very happy with you right now but that doesn't give me the right to scream and yell or say the kind of things I did. I really am sorry."

He was too shocked to say anything. In the background I heard her say, "Come back to bed Billy." Jesus. Billy? Billy banging Bambi. I giggled. Nora would get a kick out of that. He mumbled something and hung up. Ya get what ya pay for. I decided in that instant that whatever he wanted to give me was okay. Kyle would be pissed -- tough. Nora would understand. I just wanted him gone. I was glad I had called.

I called Jenny. David answered. I could hear the concern in his voice. "I'm doing just fine David, thank you. Really I am. Is Jen there?" There was concern in her voice as well. "I'm going to tell Nora I love her tonight kiddo. She already knows -- but I mean love, love." Silence. "Don't cry Jen or we both will." Too late.

After we both calmed down she said, "Are you sure Em ... really sure?"

"Yeah ... and no, I have no idea what she's going to say. She's pretty serious about this guy she's been seeing -- Jim. So I don't know. And I have a date tomorrow with a really nice guy." She gasped. "I know. I'm going to break his heart and break the date. I'm gay, honey, and I want Nora in my life." Good god Ginger, where is all this coming from? From my heart if Lily was right.

"Um, that all happened pretty quickly didn't it?" I laughed. Yeah pretty much.

"I guess so Jen, but there was always something special between Nora and me. And now, well since last Friday when we made love, it's just better, like HD television or something. Hell, I don't know."

I heard the sigh. "I like what I hear in your voice. You sound good honey. I hope it goes well for you tonight."

I smiled. "Thank you Jenny. About that visit ... the realtor is looking for a place for me to live. She has an offer on a bank-owned property. It's affordable, it's cute, and not all that far from work. This bandbox barely sleeps one, let alone two." I smiled. "And we haven't slept in the same bed together since you were about four during that big thunderstorm." We both laughed. "Anyways, thank you Jen. Love you lots; give my love to David and the kids. Thanks honey." We said our goodbyes. It was just after eight.

I was a nervous wreck. It started when I looked at the clock. I showered and fretted. I love her and I was scared -- more scared than when we made love. She invited me to come this late because we were going to make love. I was going to stay the night. These were things I was sure of. She wanted to know about Mark. That I knew. All I cared about was my friend. I fixed my face and smiled. Nothing fancy for clothes: jeans, sweater -- simple. I put a clean pair of panties and the strap-on in my purse. I took the strap-on out. Put it back in. Buried it, put on a coat, straightened my shoulders, and locked the door. I unlocked the door; I had a headache from the tension. I threw back a couple of Advil, swallowed a couple sips of water, and left. I got to Nora's ten minutes early. Just go Ginger, your lover is waiting. Ginger: terrified.

Nora beamed as she opened the door. I melted. After she closed it we kissed. Arms around each other, close, mouths open, hearts pounding. Annie Lennox: 'Like lovers do.' Yeah, that kiss. She helped me out of my coat, hung it up, and took my hand. She led me to her bedroom. My mouth was dry. We undressed each other slowly. It still takes my breath away how beautiful she is. We fell on the bed together, our mouths and bodies tangled.

We were lovers. She turned me on my back. Her eyes smoldered with passion. She burned me up with it. I was begging for release within minutes of her starting in on me. I was helpless in the heat of her wanting to devour me. She did -- literally. She used her lips and tongue and ate me whole. I held her mouth to me, screaming with joy and astonishment as my body yearned for what she wouldn't give me. She would lead me to the edge, let me lean and see how it would be, then take it away from me. I hated it; she was fabulous. My moans were low and desperate as I begged. I twisted, turned, bucked, trying desperately for that last little bit that would turn the key to the ... oh my god. From deep in my core came a blinding heat; it bubbled over with an intensity that shocked and delighted me. I called her name over and over. The pleasure was wonderfully intense. Just as it slipped away Nora tipped me into another. My stomach hurt from clenching my muscles. My legs were sore from digging frantically into the bed to meet her mouth. My nipples hurt from the tugging and tweaking. It was absolutely wonderful.

Nora let me take my time recovering. She cuddled, kissed and caressed me. I started to cry. She was so sweet after being so thorough in her taking of me. Nora lifted her head, alarmed. I kissed her and smiled. I think I'd better ... oh god. I desperately needed to make love to her. I turned to her and began, kissing everything and anything I could as slowly and deliberately as possible. She was a greedy bitch tonight, demanding, begging, crying out as I pleasured her. Her breasts got special attention; she loved it -- her hands kept me from leaving them. When my fingers slipped deep inside her, she cried out in joy. I fed them to her when I took them out. Her eyes told me what a bitch I was. I kissed her and whispered, "I love you." Her green eyes glowed. I fucked her with my fingers. I kept my eyes locked with hers; I saw them glaze and roll up in her head as the orgasm rushed through her. She bucked, thrust and cried. My thumb teased and pleased. I kissed her dry lips; her eyes were clenched shut, she held me tight as she careened wildly beneath me. She bucked one last time and went completely limp. I let her catch her breath; my head lay in the dew between her perfect, gorgeous breasts. The trip hammer slowed gradually. I waited. She shivered; I pulled the sheet over the two of us.

"Nora, I'm breaking my date tomorrow with Mark."

"What? Why? The two of you just had sex. I'm confused."

"I was confused but I'm not anymore. I'm just going to say this. I want you in my life, us, as a couple. I know you really like Jim, Nora, and I still am asking you to consider ... umm, to ... uh, for us to be a couple. I love you. I know we say it to each other all the time. It was different before, this spark between us. If Julia hadn't come into my life we'd probably never have had a night like we had -- or this one either. Mark was delicious. He's handsome and he's very sweet. And I am sure, as sure as anything I've ever thought of or done, that I love you!"

"If it wasn't you I'd think you were either kidding or crazy but I can see and feel that you're serious. I love you too Emi ... Ginger. I like that name better anyway. Ginger Butler; wasn't that what you told me?" I nodded, smiling, my heart pounding. "I'm not going to tell you what to do about Mark and I know you're not asking me to make a snap decision about Jim. How would we do this? I don't know. The kids ..." She shook her head in confusion. I smiled; me too.

"I have no idea honey. I just know who has my heart -- you. That I'm sure of." She cried - hard, wracking, shaking sobs, hot tears. I held her.

She sighed. "Okay, so are you staying the night?"

"Well, I kind of thought that it was implied because of the hour. Was I wrong?"

"No! You're absolutely right. I would love to have you all night." We both giggled.

"And you shall! It's just a matter of how." Her brow furrowed in confusion. I smiled, got up, went to my purse, put on the harness, and headed back.

Nora's eyes got wide as saucers and then she laughed. "Oh my, I believe I am about to be fucked by my girlfriend."

I smiled, nodding. "You, my beloved, have the choice -- top or bottom."

Nora giggled. "When you fucked Julia, did you ..."

"Both." Nora giggled. "Let me show you how she had me get ready." I held my arms out to my lover.

Nora laughed in delight as she bobbed and licked the dildo. I held her open as she slid onto it. She surprised me and took the whole length in one fast, sexy motion. She moaned and threw her head back. She knew just what she needed; I let her guide me through her pleasure. I was so excited to be locked in love with her that I came a split second before hers took her. She destroyed me! Her hips burned my clit with pleasure. She teased my nipples as I moaned in my orgasm. My Nora exploded, one, then another from my mouth, fingers, and the plastic cock. She rocked, ground, and twisted until she had nothing left. She lifted off of it and groaned.

I showed her how Julia and I played, cleaning it. We laughed, giggled, licked, sucked, and laughed some more.

I asked if she wanted a turn. Her eyes got wide. I helped her into the harness, slid the plastic into place, and smiled. I lay on my back, arms out, and purred, "Fuck me lover." Oh my god; did she ever. Remember that personal trainer she has? That stamina, strength and flexibility was put to good use. I held my legs high and wide for her. I literally could not stop cumming. One rolled to another and to yet another. She smiled at my pleasure and cried out as the volcano blew up inside her. It was a beautiful night of loving.

We took turns in the bathroom. I splashed water on my face and swished it around my mouth. I looked like a woman well fucked. I smiled. We lay together, arms and legs between and around each other and slipped into deep sleep.

Saturday morning. I woke up; no Nora. I looked for a robe; there was one on a hook in the closet. I slipped into it, tied the sash, and went looking. I spied her right away, sitting, her back to me, sipping coffee. I poured myself a cup, bent to her neck, kissed her, and whispered my hello. She turned and smiled warmly. Her eyes were red. I looked around for a place to sit. Nora patted a spot next to her. I sat.

"You've been crying. If you care to, please share."

Deep sigh. "I've been thinking about you, me, Jim. My brain is scrambled. Help me here babe."

I shook my head. "Not fair. I love you, you love me. But you have to come willingly and it has to be your own decision. Jim is another decision and you would hate me if I ever voiced an opinion -- maybe not now, maybe not for a month, or six, whatever. You have to do this your way, in your time frame. Please! I will love you regardless."

Her eyes filled, she lowered her head. I could see her shoulders shake softly as she cried.

"Nora, making love to you is deeply satisfying and wonderfully pleasurable. And if you think it would be easier for you, I'm completely okay with staying away for as long as you need. I made the decision about Mark, not to influence you but because I knew it was right for me. I'm your friend, your lover. But our friendship didn't need physical intimacy, and our love has to have friendship." Good god, where did that come from? Ginger: Philosopher. Nora stared at me; I giggled and shrugged. "I, um, really need to call your Kathy. What you did to me last night -- I gotta get me some."

She laughed. "Yeah, she's good. Trust me baby, you do just fine." She kissed me. "I don't want you to stay away but you might be right. I need to sort this out -- especially about Jim." Her brow furrowed. "I was thinking about my kids too Ginger. Danny and Lisa have always called you Aunt Em. I'm not sure they'd be comfortable calling you Mommy nor am I sure I would be." I jumped all over that one.

"You are and you will always be their Mother. I will always be Ginger." I winked. "We'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it. Don't get too far over your skis babe." She nodded thoughtfully. "I have to tell you something Nora." I waited till she turned to look at me. "This is ... I never had it in my mind to seduce you. It just happened. I love you; and never thought of you, ever, as a lover. It scared me to death but you, and Julia, convinced me otherwise."

"Julia?"

"Julia. I thought to myself that night -- Julia was married, came on to me, and I spent a weekend loving and being loved. She called her Sheri she was so torn and conflicted. They're fine. We will be too, kiddo. Regardless."

I saw understanding and relief flood her face. Nora lifted her coffee cup and said, "Regardless."

I tipped my glass against hers and kissed her. And that's how it started. I loved my Nora the way women do, softly, beautifully, passionately, wonderfully, her slickness and mine together, urging, driving, pressing -- and both of us crying out gloriously as we came, desperately and wonderfully, together. She wanted more and suggested how. I suggested a shower; it was glorious. I washed her by hand. She cried in frustration as I tortured her. I whispered in her ear, as I fucked it, that I needed a taste test to make sure she was clean. That shattering orgasm was simply beautiful to watch.

She was equal parts brilliant, devious, and loving. She turned me to the wall, lifted my hands over my head, and washed me. The washing included three fingers deep in my pussy, driving me to the edge. She slapped my ass as I tried to use the wall for my pearl. She grabbed my hair and hissed, "Bad Ginger!! I'll give you your pleasure." I shivered. She spun me around and ravaged me with her fingers. It was fabulous and she was relentless. Every few minutes the bitch would slip her fingers from me. Sometimes she offered them to me, sometimes she took them, and a few times she spread my juices on each of our breasts, ordering me to clean hers, bending to clean mine. I was a trembling wreck desperate for a cum. Every time I was close, she withdrew those fabulous fingers. A fourth was added; she drove deep into me. I was crazy wild bucking to her. She flicked my pearl with a finger. That was it ... I screamed as my release came in a terrible heat that buckled my knees. I reached for her shoulders to steady myself under her assault. I begged her to keep after me and she did. I sobbed when it finally retreated. When her fingers left me I felt empty. We dried each other, kissing often.

Back in bed, I dragged her pussy to my mouth and returned the savaging she had given me in the shower. She did the same to me. Neither of us lasted very long. The fire that had been started by our lovemaking and continued in the shower still raged in both of us. We each came rather quickly and, certainly for me, wonderfully. I felt her pearl throbbing as my thumb teased it while she ground herself to my eager mouth. We lay together afterward, completely limp and satisfied.

We really didn't have much more to talk about when it came to us. I knew she loved me. I had been crystal clear about my feelings and hopes. I needed to give her space and time and I would. Her situation was infinitely more complex than mine. She had her children and Jim. Plus, she had to go through the same mental machinations I did. Who do I tell? How would they react to it? Think family, friends, neighbors, people from work and more. A decision had to be made for each of them. It was likely they all had to be handled differently. I would do any and everything I could if asked.

I felt my stomach roil. I rushed to the bathroom and threw up. I was totally confused. Dinner had been a sandwich. I hadn't eaten anything -- only coffee this morning. I rinsed my mouth and face. Nora looked at me. "Did you use a condom the other night?" Cold terror filled me. Oh lord, I'm forty seven. I can't be!! Nora held me as I cried.

"My period started Monday. It was all but gone by last night. I can't be, can I?" She shrugged. "Please come with me to the drug store honey. I ... I don't want to do this alone." Nora kissed me. We threw on clothes and headed out. "I have no idea which one to buy. It's been so long." Nora drove; we went in together. She found one right away: First Response Gold. I paid; we left and went to the car. She tore open the package, read the instructions and turned pale. "What?"

"It says you have to wait until six days before your next period to get an accurate reading. But there are two of these things -- so for your piece of mind, we might as well use one now." I bit my lip, trying not to cry. We hurried back.

"What do I do? Pee on the thing?" Rarely have I felt so pathetic.

"I think the best thing is to pee in a glass and dip the tip into it. It says we'll get a 'go' or 'no' in three minutes." My eyes teared again; raw fear filled me. Nora handed me a glass. I went into the bathroom. I peed and cried. I flushed, washed my hands, and set the glass on the counter. Nora took the cap off the end, dipped it in the urine, and we waited three minutes. She held it out to me. I shook my head and closed my eyes. I felt her lips on mine. She shook her head.

"This may not have been morning sickness Ginger. Let me know if it happens again. You'll feel your body change, subtly, right away if you are. Your nipples may well be the first sign -- mine were. You'll have to do this again in three weeks to be sure." She shrugged, took the glass to the toilet, emptied it, flushed, came back and put it in the dishwasher.

We sat on the couch again. I told her about Thursday with Mark. I described 'sweet and low.' She laughed out loud. Her eyebrow lifted. "Yes I swallowed!" Fist bumps and giggles. "He didn't know the phrase or the episode." I told her about the kiss, closing the door, and how he took me. "It was so damn sexy Nora. He held my leg, his fingers moved my panties aside, and he slid inside me easily. He filled me deliciously. I came twice while he fucked me, his own orgasm, the feeling of his cock swelling, the warmth of him deep in me - I came again with him. It was way too quick, but damn it was hot and sexy." She shivered. I smiled. "I was shy after. He was so damn cute." I sighed. "It was glorious honey and, like I mentioned last night, I'm breaking the date. It's not fair to him." She frowned.

"I won't influence your decision, Nora. You have to make it on your own. But you know where my heart is. I'm a lesbian -- my choice. Let me share a bit of what Lily told me yesterday. 'Listen to your heart. You need to feel good about you, first, foremost, and always.'" We both cried a little. "I better go Nora. I have a phone call to make and a heart to break. And you have a lot of thinking to do as well." What I wanted to do was to make love with her ... for the rest of our lives. But this just feels like the right thing to do for both of us. "Please take your time, do whatever you need. I'll be there for you but this has to be right for you and for us."

The kisses were sweet; we both had tears. Whispers of love from each of us; desperate hugs, more tears, and I left. I drove home; no, I don't know how.

"Hi Mark, I need to cancel our date tonight. I know it's rude and it's late. I think you are sweet and wonderful. I'm so glad for what we shared the other night. My ... my heart belongs to someone else and I didn't know it, for sure, until last night. I can't explain it any other way than that and I know full well it's pathetically inadequate. Please, please don't hate me. I hope I'm making some, any, sort of sense."

Deafening silence for what felt like forever. "Okay, Emily. I don't understand but no is no. Whatever the music, the words are the same. I'll miss you and I wish you well. Thank you for calling." Fuck, fuck, fuck!!! He was gorgeous, sexy, and sweet, and I kicked him to the curb on a wing and a prayer, as my heart directed me to. I sighed.

I wanted to call Julia and I dared not. I called Lily -- voice mail. Shit. She's a realtor.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 02



I was changing the bed sheets, preparing to do laundry, when Lily called. "Well?"

"I just told Mark my heart belonged to someone else. He was hurt, confused, and gracious. Nora, oh my god. The loving was unbelievable. I told her -- in between. This morning, when I woke up in her bed, she wasn't there. She was sitting on the couch in the living room. We talked, made love, showered, made love, and I left. She knows how I feel Lily. You were right. She did know. She has things to deal with - her guy and her kids. We agreed that it's best for me to give her space, for as long as she needs and with no conditions." I paused for a moment and blurted, "I might be pregnant."

She gasped. "Oh my god. How old are you?"

"Forty seven; I know. It's not likely but I could be."

"What wo ... if ... umm ... geez." Perfectly articulated.

"Nora and I bought an EPT." Soft laugh. "Like I would know what to buy; it's a twin pack. We used one. It said no, but I have to wait three weeks to be sure." She sighed. "I know; stupid huh. My period started Monday. I was with Mark Thursday; most of it had ended, and it was so spur of the moment. I had bought condoms, but ... umm."

She laughed, "But umm - and nine months later."

"Yeah, yeah, Mother's Day is nine months after Father's Day. I know the jokes ... I just hope I'm not one of them."

"What if you are?"

"Oh god Lily, I can't even begin to imagine. I'm forty seven. There is a little part of me that wants to be a Mom, but there's age and my life. Nora has enough to worry about without me bringing a child into the world and into her life."

"Emily, you damn well better not make that decision based on that."

Silence. Tiny voice, "I know."

"I know you know. So live it."

I nodded. "I promise; I will."

"I know you will sweetheart. Now go do something fabulous for yourself ... anything, a massage, a facial, whatever. Buy a slinky, sexy outfit you never thought you needed and always wanted. Have fun!"

I could only sigh. "I don't know how you know Lily but you're wonderful. Thank you for taking a few minutes for me."

"Ginger, I love you ... even though it's quite unrequited. Be good to yourself honey. You deserve it. Talk to you soon."

Wow, what a wonder she is. The only massage I wanted was from my honey. I 'settled' for a mani, pedi and facial. Last minute? Yeah, and I'm worth it. As I lay back in the chair, being pampered, I thought of Emmy! No, Lily was right; an hour of good and way more of loathing.

I made something for dinner and choked it down, mostly from fear. The wine tasted sour. I soaked in the tub and cried bitter, hot tears. I didn't bother with the vibe. I fretted, tossed, and turned. I love you Nora. Green eyes ... I wasn't sure what I saw in them. I hugged her and cried; sleep was fitful.

Sunday - I woke up way too early to bright sunshine. There was snow on the ground. It must have fallen overnight. It didn't look like much though. Did that really matter? I lay in bed. The empty one. I didn't want to get up, didn't have anything to do, anywhere to go. I knew where I wanted to go -- and wouldn't.

I made coffee and toast, wandering around the kitchen in a tee shirt, panties and socks. Did they make love last night and was she thinking about me? Hopeless. The toast was cold when I took it out of the toaster. I wasn't hungry anyway and threw it in the garbage. I grabbed a book, curled up in a chair, pulled a blanket over me, and cried. Stupid, stupid, stupid -- I let one weekend change everything. I hurt a nice man and turned my best friend's life upside down. And, to complete the trifecta, I may have ... I may be pregnant. How was your week? Read the damn book and shut up.

The coffee was cold. I got more. Too hot dammit; it burned my mouth. Geez! I left it there, put the book down, and crawled back into bed. I woke up to nausea and barely made it to the toilet. Not much more than dry heaves. Fabulous. My god, once in I can't even remember how long and I'm pregnant. I lay my head on my arms on the bowl. I finally pushed to my feet and ran cold water. Red, puffy, desperate eyes looked back at me. What's that saying, "I was never more alone than when I lay in bed with someone who doesn't love me." I think I found a new kind of alone. The phone buzzed - a text: 'I love you.' Oh baby, I love you too. I fell into bed, sobbing again.

I looked at the clock when I woke up. Early afternoon. I sighed. For the first time in a long time I wished it was Monday. At least work would keep me busy. I puttered around the band box, dusting, vacuuming, ridiculous. I turned on the television. There has to be something on. Golf? Ugh. Bowling? Seriously?

Oh, I know!! I got up, grabbed the slip of paper and dialed. "Kathy? Hi, I'm Ginger Butler, a friend of Nora's. Yup, she suggested I call you. She just raves about you. I have no idea what your hours are but if you work on Sundays could we meet?" She didn't work on Sundays but I was a friend of Nora's. "I'd like to hear what you do, what you charge, that sort of thing." She didn't have anything important to do. "About an hour? Okay. Anything specific I should wear? Yup, I have those. Great!! Thanks so much. See you soon."

Yay! I had something to do other than wallow in me. The Lean Cuisine actually tasted good. She wanted me in shorts and a short sleeve anything. I showered, dried my hair, and dressed. This is good! Maybe I'll go visit Nora afterward and tell her about. No, you will not. Sigh.

A knock on the door; a dark-haired tornado blew into the room. She was stunningly beautiful, chocolate brown eyes, long, gorgeous dark brown hair in a schrunchie, absolutely flawless skin that hinted at Hispanic heritage, and lean. She bubbled with energy and personality.

"Let me take your measurements and you can tell me what it is you would like to accomplish with me." Ugh. Measure she did, including that thing that measures body fat. Yeesh.

"Simple, Kathy, whatever Nora's got I want." We both laughed -- if she only knew. She was measuring and writing on a formatted sheet of paper. Height and weight? No sense lying. Date of birth, any health issues? Does me maybe being pregnant matter? I left that out. How many times a week? How much? Fifty dollars an hour. Hmm. She told me she has a lot of very early morning clients as she pulled out an appointment book.

"I have weekday evenings; six on Tuesday, seven on Thursday, and early afternoon, either two or three on Saturday."

"Can we try Tuesday and three on Saturday?" Done!

"How do you know Nora?"

I laughed, "Ten years ago we were taking a spinning class at a health club. We hit it off right away and have been friends ever since. We may be lovers for life one day soon." No, not all of that!

"She's one of my oldest clients, has been with me for five years. She's great." Umm.

"So you do this full time?"

"Yeah, it's taken time to build a clientele but it supports me now, thankfully." Impressive. Is she a good kisser? Stop it!

"It's fabulous meeting you Kathy. Thank you for taking time on a Sunday. I guess I'll see you ... ya know what, let's do all three days this week and see if I can handle it." Shrug.

"Okay. So you know, I have people hit the ground running. Be ready to rock and roll on Tuesday Ginger!" I smiled; she smiled.

God, she's absolutely gorgeous! "I can't wait. This is going to be fabulous." I want to kiss her.

"Good girl; I like that attitude." Oh baby, if you only knew what I was thinking. "See you Tuesday." And out the door went the tornado. Me? I stripped off the clothes and gave myself two fabulous orgasms. No toys needed.

Under the sheet, the pacifier in my mouth, I sent Nora a text. 'Love u 2. Seeing Kathy Tue at 6.' Yeah, I'd had it in me the whole time she was here. Naughty, naughty Ginger! The reply: 'Yay!'

I slipped into my robe. Not hungry in the least. I wrote the times on the wall calendar -- this week and next; what the hell, right? Good, this is progress. When Nora and I make love next I want to be every bit the fit, lean loving machine she is. 'When' with a question mark is probably more accurate.

The phone rang at 8:30. My hands shook as I read the caller ID. "Hi honey. I'm so proud of you. So you met Kathy?" I felt my throat close. "Isn't she just fabulous? You're going to love working with her. She will guide you slowly, help you get in shape." I began to cry. "Not that there's much wrong with your shape as it is." She must have heard me. "Oh geez, Ginger, please, baby, please don't cry. I didn't mean to ... oh shit. I better go. Maybe I shouldn't have ..."

I choked out, "No, please don't go Nora, please. I'm just such ..." I shook my head. "I miss you terribly and I'm so glad you called. Did you and Jim have a nice romantic dinner somewhere last night?" Silence. Uh oh.

"We had a big fight, the worst since we've been seeing each other. It was my fault; I goaded him into it. I felt bad about sleeping with him and I started a fight so he would leave --which he did. I cried myself to sleep. I'm such an idiot."

I'm sorry. I'm human. I admit that I smiled. I can't let my friend make her decision like that. That's not good for either of us. "So what happened?"

"I called and told him I was sorry. Well, I left him a message actually. He didn't answer when I called; he's probably pissed. I don't blame him. I haven't heard back from him." Geez.

"When did all this happen?"

"We'd been out to dinner earlier. We were on the couch and were about fifteen minutes from being in bed for the rest of the night. I called him this morning just before noon. I still haven't heard anything. I have no idea what or where, but we were planning on spending the day and night together. Sorry, Ginger." Yeah, I cringed hearing it but whatever.

"Don't apologize; this is part of our deal. You have to do this the way you need to. Thanks for telling me all that, kiddo. It stings a little but thanks. And don't you dare call him back either honey!"

The laugh was harsh. "Don't worry Ginger. I won't."

"So where could he be?"

"Probably some sports bar ... who ... oh shit, it's him Ginger. I have to go. Call ya back soon as I talk to him. Bye!!"

Good! He called. Let him twist in the wind a bit for being a pouty jerk. Would she ask him to come over, make love, and stay the night? Did I really want to know? No. I wanted my Nora to ... make love with her boyfriend. A deal is a deal. This isn't a tit for tat pissing contest. I giggled. Those tits!! Oh baby! Curled up in the chair, I sat and waited. I shivered and was pulling the blanket over me when the phone rang. It was Lily. Huh?

"How are you doing kiddo? Still pining and fretting?" Isn't she a hoot!!

"Yeah of course, but I also met with Nora's personal trainer and made appointments for three workouts this week."

"That a girl -- excellent. I'm very proud of you Ginger!" I smiled.

"Yeah, thanks, I actually feel pretty good about doing it. So how was your Sunday?"

"Oh, another day, another $10,000." She laughed. "What are we going to do about you honey?"

"Actually, I may be calling you tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Of course; I'll look forward to it. Congrats kiddo, you did something positive for yourself. Night!" The phone rang again as soon as I closed it -- Nora.

"So?"

"He pretty much figured out I started the fight on purpose. No, I didn't tell him why. I asked him if he wanted to come over; he said he thought it would be better if he stayed home tonight. Asshole." We giggled. I pumped my fist in the air. Childish? Yes.

"So are you two okay?"

"Yeah, I think so honey. Thanks."

"Lily called just before you called back. She's very happy that I called Kathy. She wanted to know about the house. Asshole, or his lawyer, is likely to call my guy tomorrow. I've already decided, Nora. I'm going to take whatever he offers. I just want him out of my life." Silence.

"When did you make that decision?"

"Friday night; I had yelled at him and called to apologize. Oh my god; I forgot to tell you ..." I told Nora about hearing Bambi call out in the background and mentioned 'Billy banging Bambi.' The two of us howled laughing.

"Billy? Oh my god, that's too funny."

"I know; maybe I should call her, tell her to call him Fred and buy him a sweater for his birthday." More laughter.

"Oh god woman, you are so fucking evil. It's great. I miss you lover." My eyes filled. "Thanks for making me laugh. See you soon I hope." I choked back tears again.

"I miss you too Nora fedora." It's my silly pet name for her. "See you soon." I heard the smile. We said our goodbyes.

Oh lord it was so good to hear her voice. We'll be okay; I just know it.

How to celebrate? Well, this may not be your idea of a good time but it surely did rock my world. I know, I know -- Ginger, not Shirley. Corny huh? Warming lube on my nipples, followed by nipple clamps, the suction dildo on the lip of the toilet seat, (hey, ya do what ya gotta do) and my vibe. I'm very pleased to report that: A. I didn't fall, B. I didn't faint, C. The neighbors didn't complain, and D. Oh my! I thought of dark brown eyes gleaming.

Oh dear, please excuse me for a few minutes ... my cup runneth over. You-know-who needs me. A girl can't say no to her girl! Me: winking! Hush you, don't spoil the ending.

I luxuriated in the hot bath, leaned my head against the ledge and thought about the week. My heart ached for Mark. He is such a nice man and so cute. I just knew he would find someone who would love him. Could it have been me? Oh my yes! Let me clarify. Emily: the pre-Julia me. My world tipped off its axis that weekend and I'm not complaining. No sirree Bobbi! I smiled. I was looking forward to work, to hearing from Kyle, Kathy, and whatever else the world would bring me. Thank you, Jenny, for being so supportive. Thank you, Lily, for being my friend. Thank you, George, for being such a sweet man and good boss. Thank you, Bambi, for taking 'Fred' off my hands. Thank you, lover, for recommending Kathy, for loving me, and just ... everything. A secret smile; thank you Julia!! I slept very well.

Author's Note: As ever, this is a flight of fantasy; completely fictitious. If there is any resemblance to anyone walking among us my apologies. Another author put it so well: "The site is free. The author is 'paid' in comments and votes." My thanks to the angels at Literotica for their help in giving my stories the nuance I try so hard to create with my writing. I hope you've enjoyed another chapter of a rather long tale!!

This story is dedicated to someone very special -- the 'other' AVL. A little over a year and, remarkably, half a million words later, my life is so much different. Readers from all over the world have found my stories. This is an incredible site with so many gifted writers. Without her prodding, teasing and assistance I wouldn't have found my muse. She saw talent I had no clue I possessed. She saw growth while I struggled to find the right words as I wrote. I'm still in awe and amazed at it all. More than anything -- the response of those who read my stories. Thank you all!!!

Her birthday isn't all that far away. I'm going to struggle a great deal as I believe she's been called home. This story lay unfinished for quite some time. I had to come back to it, finish it, and publish it as a tribute to her. I miss her.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!!



Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 03







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 03



We were slow, slinky, and sexy together. We took our time, kissing, bodies wrapped up in and around each other. I had forgotten how good her body felt against mine. She was lean, energetic, and wanted me. I let her lead. Oh lord; how she led. Whatever it was she'd kept from me, she unleashed furiously. It stopped being slow but, god in heaven, it was sexy. She was everywhere; my she-devil devoured me. I had little bite marks and nips. She was fantastic, relentless and wild. The bitch did everything but tip me into an orgasm. I hated it and it was glorious. Her fingers drove me crazy!! Her mouth did wonderful things to my breasts. I begged for release, she giggled and pulled her fingers from me -- again!!

I finally had enough. I flipped her and fucked her. I took those long, glorious legs, threw them over my shoulders, pinned her arms over her head, and fucked her. My mouth tore at her glorious, if rather diminutive, breasts. Size wasn't a factor; they were beautiful, and they were topped with taut nipples that were thoroughly ravished. Her eyes met mine -- they glittered wild and hot. I watched them roll up and knew it was time. She cried out as her orgasm hit her ... mine was seconds later. She lifted, I pushed, each of us wanting the heat and pleasure to last as long as it could. There is that moment of desperation when you just know it's about to slip away and you want that last little bit. You're near desperate for it and can only hope your lover will help you capture it. Her cries, and mine, were sirens announcing we had, in fact, done so for ourselves and each other.

We lay in a heap of girlie flesh and dew, breathless. I laughed, softly. I kissed her; "I missed you and now I remember why." Her eyes filled -- shit. I grabbed handfuls of brown hair and said, "Lily, you tell me what it is that brings tears to your eyes after we just made such glorious love!!" The look in my eye told her I would brook no nonsense. I slid off her and put my head in my hand.

She blinked and said, "Ginger, could you explain what ... why ... umm, where are you and Nora at?" Is that what this is about? Okay, I guess I understand. I shrugged.

"I don't know Lily. Her deal is way different than mine. I seduced her." She blanched. "I know. She's in a relationship that seems solid. Plus, she has kids to consider. I don't have any of that stuff to deal with. I was lucky -- both my BFF and my sister were okay with Emily and her 'Great Adventure.' And while Nora called me Sunday evening, I'm sticking to my plan of not seeing her until she comes to some sort of decision. So I can't honestly say I have a plan. And I do like you. I admire you; you've done well professionally. It's part of why I asked you to shop with me. You have a great sense of fashion. I need you ... no, I'd love you to help me!" She smiled. "You're beautiful, Lily, and we are good together. There is this thing, though -- I have to be honest. The 'bi' thing ... I turned Mark away, and I'm not sure if I'm comfortable sharing you, Nora, whoever, with anyone. Excuse the expression -- I know it's 'ballsy' of me to put it that way. I think of Ginger Butler as a lesbian." I told her about the L Room and the police woman. Lily laughed.

"Ginger honey, for this new you -- when it rains, it pours!!" We laughed and laughed. "About the 'me-and-men' thing." She shrugged. "I can't say for sure. At this point in my life I'm used to taking whoever presents themselves -- not that I'm some wanton thing." She smirked. "I don't even know if that's proper grammar." We both smiled. "You said you think of yourself as a lesbian? What about Mark?" I nodded. I thought I had told her of my decision but I did again, including the latest phone call. She smiled and shook her head. "That's so you honey. Making sure the guy you jilted was okay even if he was wounded." She kissed me. "That's part of why I'm attracted to you. Told ya before, you make love like you live - giving." I made sure in the second go-round that I took -- completely.

Lily begged me to hurry and screamed at me to stop. She bucked, flailed and beat on the mattress in frustration at my tantalizing taking. Oh, she was pleasured, exquisitely. I made sure of it. She was so close and I wouldn't take her to it. I rose to her parched lips and kissed them wet; her hips tried to take what I hadn't given. I asked her if she would take me into her life. She cried. It was wrong of me, especially in this moment. I wanted to make sure she would remember this night ... my tongue, lips, and fingers worked their torturous magic on her slender, firm form.

Her body gave me notice that she had had enough -- trembling, shuddering, moaning, chest rising and falling as her ragged breaths came quickly. Those long, slender, glorious legs were jelly. Her belly ... I loved it; she shivered. When I kissed her, she smiled -- or tried to. Damp, random strands of hair were brushed away. I let her recover and went potty. When I returned, I held her head as she sipped from the glass of water. Eventually, she padded, on shaky legs, to the bathroom. We lay in bed together after. A soft moan. I smiled and held her close to me. We slept.

Wednesday - I woke up to an empty bed. Damn!! A note in the kitchen: "Thank you baby. I woke up early and headed home. You looked so sweet as you slept I didn't have the heart to wake you - much as I wanted to. Talk later. Love you!"

I shook my head in wonder. Who was what -- and when? Lily? Charming. Nora? Frustrating. Kathy? Enticing. Mo? Intriguing. Who else? Emmy? Yeesh! Me: Delighted and confused by the merry-go-round of carnal choices. And it's only Wednesday! Lord help me. My head slumped as the water scalded me in the shower.

I caught myself wandering as I drove. I smiled and paid more attention. I was hungry this morning; I laughed. I stopped at a Dunkin Donuts for coffee and a blueberry muffin. They would take care of that hunger. I drove to work and wished Lily had, in fact, awakened me. I adore waking up to lovemaking. I giggled. Somebody had commented on a story I had read along the lines of, "Stars are okay but the number of orgasms would be a much better rating system." Yowza!

Poor Tammy. She took one look at me, did a double take, and blushed. Hey kiddo, come on over to my side of the street. You'll love it. I promise. I teased her, "How are you doing this morning, Tammy?" She took her coffee cup and brushed past me without a word. I sat down. I wondered, as I picked at the muffin, how often she fantasized about me as her husband fucked her.

Wednesday was sort of a blah day. I was sore -- my quads and butt hurt. Not as badly as I thought. Hmm, maybe the exercise after the workout helped. I smiled to myself as Tammy came back. She just rolled her eyes. 

"Hey, I invited that realtor, the one who's looking for a place for me, to take me shopping. She dresses so well I thought she'd be perfect. I can't wait." I lobbed another little bit her way. "And how did the conferences at school go?" She stared; I smiled sweetly.

After lunch, my cell rang. Caller ID was blocked. Wow, it was Mo!! How funny -- I had just been thinking about her. 

"Are you busy tonight?" No. I offered to meet after work at the L Room. She suggested getting something to eat first then going to the club. She mentioned a casual place on south Jefferson. That sounded like fun. 5:30?

I couldn't stop smiling. "Sure. See you there." Just a date on a Wednesday night -- dinner, drinks, maybe dancing. I wondered what she looks like in street clothes. This would be fun. I was surprised and glad to hear from her. I came back to my desk from the conference room. Tammy gawked again.

Kyle called. "I should have the check Friday. Do you want to come by and pick it up?" Stupid question. I would wait to hear from him.

I made a quick list of questions for him -- name change, stuff like that. I wanted this done!

The afternoon flew by. I had a little tingle as I thought about my date. Those aches that weren't so achy got achier as the day wore on. Ah hell, it was worth it. I was looking forward to Thursday. Hmm, Saturday at three would make shopping a challenge. I didn't know where Lily had in mind or if they'd be open Sunday -- plus, that's a realtor's busy day. No way would I even think of taking her away from work. Yeah okay, unless there were other items on her agenda. I wish she hadn't left this morning. I smiled. God we're good together. The way her eyes got hot and wild ... oh my!!

I asked Tammy if she wanted coffee, grabbed my purse and headed to the ladies room. I bit my lip when the heat hit me. My tummy hurt when it clenched. Goddamn Kathy! Phew, I needed that. I washed up and grabbed some coffee. From the look on Tammy's face she knew what I'd done. I smiled innocently as I sat at my desk. Finally the work day ended.

The hell with it. I went right to the restaurant and asked for a booth. Yes, another person was coming. Nope, I'm not going there with a cop, not on a first date. What was that I heard? Did I remember Lily? I blushed. That wasn't even a date. It was impossible to miss Maureen when she came in -- her gorgeous red hair was brushed away from her face with strands looped behind each ear. God that is so sexy!! I stood, we hugged for a second. She was fabulous. Her boobs threatened to burst out of her very nice blue blouse. Tight, crisp blue jeans that look painted on. I tried not to drool.

She smiled, "Were you surprised to hear from me? "

I beamed as I answered. "Heck yeah!" As I understand it, police officers don't like to talk to civilians about their job so I kept it casual. "How's your week been?" Fine, blah -- same old. She asked about mine.

"Tuesday was my first workout with a personal trainer." I told Mo about Kathy. She seemed impressed, especially when I mentioned I was seeing her again tomorrow and Saturday. She blinked when I mentioned the lawyer and the divorce. 

"It's okay, Mo, I was married for 27 years, no kids. He left me for something named Bambi." I told her about 'Billy banging Bambi.' She had tears laughing. She is fabulously beautiful. "So what's good here?" She made a few suggestions. I like her. She has an easy, unassuming way about her. I guess I haven't had many run-ins with the law but she didn't fit whatever stereotype you (or I) might have about female police officers. I suspected there was some muscle under all that sleek silk. The jeans certainly looked good on her. Yum. Cop's eyes; yeah, be careful. No staring. Hard not to! She smiled as she caught me.

"Like what you see Emily?" Busted.

"You're very lovely Mo. Sorry, I was just admiring the view. Oh, and please call me Ginger. My married name was Emily Sue Rogers. The single me will be Ginger Butler -- my maiden name. It also has to do with the new me - sort of Emily 2.0." She laughed and nodded

"So how long ... umm, when did you come out?" I told her about the trip, meeting Julia, and the weekend. Her eyes widened at the parts of the story I shared. She nodded at the part about Julia going to call Sheri. I told her about talking with my sister and my BFF. The other part of Nora I left out. She asked how my sister took the news. 

"I guess I'm very lucky Mo. Jenny was real supportive; she could have wrecked me very easily." The food came. We talked as we ate.

She told me some of her story -- 37, played volleyball and softball in high school, was admitted to West Point, (WOW!) played volleyball and was on the rifle team. She sort of knew she wanted to be a police woman, so after her initial posting, she was accepted into the MPs. She didn't talk much about her time in the military. While in the service, she had applied to the Dayton P.D. and was accepted. She'd been 'on the job' for five years. 

I was curious so I asked, "Did you think about serving enough time to get a pension? 

"Yeah, but coming home and getting to work was more important." Okay, I can understand that.

Dinner was great, the company was fabulous. I was trying to remember red hair from my first visit but I wasn't there very long. It was only five blocks from the restaurant to the club -- in better weather we might have walked. We split the bill. She offered to drive us both. 

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" She smirked. Yeah, I forgot, she's the cop.

"If I may be permitted to ask, it's generally thought that you're always 'on duty.' So do you carry your weapon?" She smiled and opened her coat. There was a special sewn-in piece with a snap. Gotcha; clever. 

She shared that places like the L Room liked it when she came in. "They know what I do and the bartenders always feel a little safer. I mentioned 'Candy' and my suspicions as to her real name. She laughed. "You're pretty close."

She snickered as we approached the door. "Candy will be working tonight." How funny. I saw Candy's eyes flash as she saw Mo and widen when she saw it was me with her; me too Candy. Mo waved hello as we walked to a table in the back. Okay, it's a cliché but she did sit with her back to the wall. She invited me to sit next to her. I threw my coat over the chair on the other side of the table; Mo hung hers over the back of her chair. Duh. I'm on a date with a gorgeous woman, who happens to be a cop, and she invited me to sit next to her. How cool is this? 

She never told me and I was too mesmerized by her and the rest to ask how and when she knew she was gay. I don't know; my story seemed so odd. It is mine after all. She had asked me though.

When Candy came by she only looked at me. I smiled. "Stoli please; like the other day." Mo looked at me; she ordered a Sierra Nevada. I know, Mo, I'm with a cop. I'll be a good girl. 

After Candy left, she said, "The reason I order bottled beer is so that no one messes with the drink."

"Really? Is that a problem here, Mo?"

"Not when I'm around. Candy knows I'd kick her ass before hauling her off to jail and then kick it again. So do the others on staff." She said it sweetly and I believed every word. I think I heard most of what she said with the loud music. Candy brought our drinks; I asked her to run a tab. We clinked glasses. She held my hand; hers was cool and soft. 

Wow Ginger, you could get used to this. Me, being a scamp, whispered in her ear, "What does a girl have to do to get restrained, officer?" 

Mo smiled, her eyes sparkling, and kissed me lightly. Oh lord. "I have day shift tomorrow Ginger so I need to be home by ten." Oh well, it is a first date.

I mentioned that I thought this place was well done and that I imagined it was really hopping on weekends. She agreed, "I really like it too and while it's still early on a Wednesday, come nine or ten, the action will pick up." I smiled at the wording. She waited until I had finished nearly all of my drink before asking me to dance. We hadn't been here very long and it was early. I hadn't seen anyone dancing. She took my hand and led me to the floor; it was around the corner. Oh yeah, the stage. I had seen that the other day.

I didn't recognize the song but sheesh Mo is a good dancer. Light on her feet, slinky, and oh my god those hips! I was following her, imitating, or trying to, what she was doing. She sensed me mirroring her and moved closer. She smiled, swerved her hips side to side, and thrust her pelvis at me. I flushed. She ran her hands down her sides and on the way back up, flipped her hair in the air and threw her head back. My knees were weak. I was in a trance, watching and moving with her. She threw her arms around my neck and ground her pelvis into mine. I reached to kiss her; she snaked away, her blue eyes hot. Mercifully, the song ended. I was soaking wet -- not perspiration either.

I was breathing hard when we sat down. Well, she sat down; I rather collapsed into the chair. My quads hurt, dammit, and my butt was screaming at me. "Would you like one more drink, Ginger?" 

"Yes, please and I'll have one of your beers." She smiled, lifted the beer bottle and two fingers. Candy scurried over with our drinks. "Um, you're a really good dancer Mo. Geez that was hot."

"You're cute, Ginger, and I like to dance."

"You like to tease ya mean?" I smiled. She kissed me; that was not a tease. She pulled me to her with her fingers in my hair. It was hot, wet and oh god! "Okay, well maybe not." She threw her head back and laughed. I blushed and said, "I'd like to see you again, Mo." Like on a night when you don't have to be home by ten. Does she have a roommate? Apartment? No, this wasn't about sex, although I just knew that would be fabulous too. I like this woman and wanted to be with her again. What we did didn't matter.

"Yeah, me too; this was a lot of fun tonight. I was kind of a tease on the floor, but you were so flustered I just let loose." She took my hand and squeezed it as she smiled at me. Yeah, I was, and geez she was so hot and sexy. We listened to the music, chatted idly about whatever, watched as the room slowly began to fill, and sipped our drinks. Good grief. It just dawned on me -- you-know-what was in her coat, which she left on the chair when we went to dance. I asked her about it.

"Oh, Candy would have screamed for me if anyone had made a move for the coat -- no worries." She looked at me with an appraising eye. "Thank you, that was nice of you to mention. Not everyone pays attention like you." I smiled. "Let's finish these and go." We did. The bill had one drink on it -- my Stoli. I left a twenty to thank Candy.

She drove us back to the restaurant parking lot and pulled in the back where it was dark. She backed in to the stall. Hmm. She shut off the motor, climbed over the center console like a cat and had me straddled in a blink. Her arms went around my neck and she kissed me. Oh My God!! Don't get me wrong; I liked it. She's a really, really good kisser. I just, no way, ever, did I expect her to do what she did. She unbuttoned my coat as we kissed and slipped her fingers inside. Oh my yes, the nips were in full high beam mode. I moaned into the kiss. Her hands moved. I felt a movement and heard a clink as something hit the glass on the passenger's side door. I broke the kiss. What? I saw someone walk away from the car. Mo put a leather something back in her coat pocket.

"I badged him; some dude from the restaurant. We won't be bothered anymore." My heart was pounding. "My fault, Ginger. I thought being in the back of the lot would give us some privacy. Maybe I ought to let you go home."

I pulled her to me and kissed her like I meant it. I slid my hands, unzipped her jacket and felt for her breasts. Oh dear god. Firm and fabulous; she smiled as we kissed. I pinched a nipple; she squeaked. She did the same to me -- harder. She's fun, sexy, gorgeous, a devastating dancer, and kisses like the devil. Yeah, I probably ought to go -- home with her. No, no, just kidding. Really! Well, 98.5% kidding. The wetness between my legs was the not kidding part. Oh right, and the glass cutters. I pulled her tight, real tight, and then ended the kiss. 

She smiled. "I like how you kiss Ginger."

"Me too Officer Henry. Tell me, how close did I get to being restrained?"

She laughed. "I'd have had the cuffs on you before you even blinked." I knew she wasn't kidding and I liked it. She was fun. Next date? "Can I call you?" Oh god yes, no worries. "My next day off is Tuesday." 

"I have my trainer for an hour at six. We could do dinner afterwards." 

"I'll call Monday to confirm." All this was between kisses. One last, then she drove me to my car. "Please be careful driving home." I smiled and nodded. She waved goodbye and left. She's a gorgeous lady, a fun date, a great kisser, and has a killer body. I floated home and yes, I did pay attention to my speed and other things.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 03



I locked the door, turned off the lights, threw my purse on the chair, and quickly stripped off my clothes. I needed to quell the riot between my legs. It took three; the first two were hot, dangerous, wonderfully and desperately ... oh my. The last was, as orgasms go, rather soft and lovely, and as it rolled through me gently I felt the fire go out. I would miss it until the next time with my fire starter. Oh Ginger, Ginger, Ginger, these lovely people probably think you're some sort of wanton, slutty creature. Am I? She's absolutely lovely. You would have kissed her too, especially if you had seen her dancing. In my defense, Your Honor, I should mention that Mo crawled over the console and straddled me! Me: sticking my tongue out. Brown eyes and red hair were with me as I drifted off to sleep.

Thursday: Kathy -- yum. The scent of a woman was in the bed. I let it fill my senses. Yay me. I had a delicious thought: athlete, soldier, and cop. She would be fabulously fit and a wonderful lover. Oh baby, there's a great start to a morning. My screams of pleasure filled the room. I turned on the other faucet in the shower. Yeah, the water created some steam too. One more left my legs a little shaky. I dried the mirror. My eyes were shiny and warm. I laughed as I thought of Tammy. Maybe I would wear shades just to fuck with her. I ribboned and pacified. Scratchy sweater, nips above the cup. Ginger: In full arousal mode.

I stopped on the way to work for a real breakfast. No Emmy, but I had eggs, bacon, hash browns, and coffee. I hummed as I drove, parked, giggled, and put on shades. Hey, there was sun -- above the clouds. I flounced past Jodi with a bright, "Good morning!" waved at George, and headed to my desk. I hung up my coat and went for coffee. No, I didn't take off the shades until I turned the corner. I lifted them to the top of my head. I smiled and poured coffee. My quads still ached but not nearly as much. Please be careful out there Maureen! My phone buzzed; a text from Nora: K asked about u last nite. Said u were great. Hmm. I love you too. Reply: 2nite @ 7 looking forward to it. xoxo. No reply.

Tammy was staring. What's new? "I had a great night last night and my personal trainer comes tonight? How about you? How was your night?"

"We had pizza." Geez. I smiled and got to work. Another text from Nora: Ok 2 call 2nite after Kathy? Reply: :) I miss her terribly, I love her, and I will keep my word. She's also not the only fish in the sea. I hate that I said that but it's true. 

Oh my god. There was an email from Julia, completely out of the blue. 'Just a quick note to say hi and hope you're well. We're great.' I read it, smiled, and read it about ten more times. What a fab surprise! Hey, it just dawned on me. I didn't puke this morning. In my lust filled fog I hadn't even thought about that. Maybe this is going to be okay.

I needed some time to think about whether to reply. Who could I ask? Duh! Jenny.

I called her cell. "Hi Em, what's up?" Comfort.

"Hi kiddo, I know you're at work. I don't like bothering you, but you're the only person I can ask right now. Remember I told you about Julia, the woman from the conference. You may remember she's married; it was implied that when we left we wouldn't talk to or see each other again. She just sent me a real quickie email. 'Hi, hope you're okay, we're fine.' Do you think I should reply?"

She was silent for a moment. "Emily, are you serious?"

"Umm, yeah Jen, why do you ask?

"This is just not like you honey. This was a nothing email. Just reply back ... a quick something. How are you?"

"Well, let's see. I hired a personal trainer. Tonight is her second visit; she's really fabulous. Bill agreed to a monetary settlement, so the divorce should be final soon. I've met someone new; a really great first date last night, and another for next week. I'd say pretty good overall."

"Wow, sis, that's amazing. I'm impressed. Good for you. About Bill -- whatever makes you happy. As to your new friend, if you care to share, please do."

"Don't laugh. She pulled me over for speeding." Jen laughed. "Yup, a Dayton cop. She just gorgeous, really pretty blue eyes and fabulous red hair. Mo is her name, for Maureen. We had dinner, drinks, and danced some. It was a fun nite."

When my sister laughed I did as well. It was pretty funny. "You get pulled over by a cop and it turns into a date. Who is this person who sounds like my big sister?" We laughed again.

"I so get it. Trust me, it boggles my mind too kiddo. Here's the hysterical coincidence of it all. She saw me on Monday at a lesbian bar. She was there with a friend. She caught me looking at her name plate when she pulled me over and recognized me. It had been my first time there." Silence.

"Oh. Well, you had a great time with her and are seeing her again, so I take it she likes you too huh?" Oh god Jen.

"Jenny honey, if it won't embarrass you to say this -- she really is beautiful, kisses like an angel, and has a great body. And she thinks I'm cute too. Imagine." I blushed and crossed my fingers.

"Emily Sue, you are cute. And I like that you like her. Good for you." Oh god, my sister is wonderful.

"Thank you honey; really, thank you so much. Give my love to David and kisses to the kids. I love you Jennifer."

"I love you too Ginger." We said our goodbyes. I went back to my desk and smiled at Tammy. I sent the reply to Julia. 

I went online and ordered flowers. I sent them with a note: "I'm so glad to have a sister like you, Jen. You are my constant in this ever-changing world of mine. I need to tell you that I love you more. Love, Ginger." I smiled as I hit the send button. That felt really great. Tammy asked why I was crying. I told her. She came and hugged me.

"That was really sweet of you to do Emily. Really it was." She sighed. "I get flowers from Jeffrey maybe a couple times a year. Maybe I'll send some to myself with a card that says, 'From a secret admirer.' See what his reaction is -- or if he gets the hint." She shook her head and went back to her desk. A few minutes later she took her purse and coat and left. I had no idea what to think. I knew the feeling, but her life wasn't mine and I don't have kids.

I went to find Jodi and asked her to follow me to the conference room. "Listen kiddo, this is probably breaking all kinds of rules but I need to tell you something." I described what happened. "Can you look at Tammy's file and see if there's a contact number for her husband. I need to talk to him." I told her why. Jodi: Deer in the headlights.

"Jodi, this is nearly a life and death situation -- and it's about a marriage. We're doing a kind of 'intervention.'" I smiled. "My marriage is over, yours is still rather new, and it's possible Tammy's is close to ... shit, I don't even know what the word is. But please, can you just look? If there is something there, I'll take the burden off you and speak to George. If he says no, I'll just come in tonight and steal the file." I smiled. She laughed. I teased Jodi with, "Mommy's the word." She blushed. I kissed her cheek. "I'm so happy for you sweetie. I won't say a word."

She came back five minutes later with a phone number and the word 'cell' on a Post-it note. I blew her a kiss and went to talk to George. "May I close the door?" He nodded. "George, I have a situation that I need to run by you. It's a personal matter. I sent my sister flowers; long story. I was crying, Tammy asked me why and I told her. She said that her husband rarely, if ever, sends her flowers. Soon after, she took her coat and left." His eyes widened. I waved him off. "Just count it as personal time please. I'm sure she will. Anyway, I thought that somebody ought to talk to her husband. I could do it but I think it might be better coming from you, man to man." Ginger, you conniving bitch. "Have Jodi check and see if Tammy's personnel file has a contact number for him and the two of you have a little chat. How does that sound?"

He had turned pale, then red. "Emily, I think it would be better coming from you. Women are better at talking to men about women. I ... yeah, please, feel free to call him if there's a number available. Ask Jodi to help you. This is really nice of you, Emily, really nice." He smiled, very pleased with himself -- just like I wanted him to be.

"I'll make the call boss." I smiled. "Would it be okay if Tammy takes tomorrow off as well?" A plan was coming into my pointed little head.

"You do whatever you think is needed. This is really great of you Emily. Let me know how it turns out, will ya?"

Putty! No wonder Adam took a bite of the apple. "Thank you so much George. This will be fabulous. I'll be sure to let Tammy know it was your idea." He beamed. I left, winked at Jodi, who heard the whole thing. She bit her lip.

I went back to the conference room and called from my cell. "Jeffrey, this is Emily Rogers. I work with your wife Tammy. Do you have a minute?"

"Oh my god, is Tammy okay? Oh god ... what hospital is she in?" Oopsie ... I hadn't thought of that!! Shit.

"No Jeffrey, it's not that. She's okay. I need you to sit down ... sit down Jeffrey and take your coat off." I waited for his breathing to slow as his panic receded. "Jeffrey, listen to me. I know nothing about your marriage or your life and I want to tell you what happened a little earlier." It may have been cruel but if I'd been in front of him I'd have slapped him just like I did, verbally, on the phone. "It's not my place to tell you what to do but I want to share this. Our boss has given the okay for Tammy to take tomorrow off. You may want to think about getting a sitter, making a hotel reservation, and having a lover's weekend with your wife. And Jeffrey, bring flowers. Send them often, for no reason other than you love her." He cried. It broke my heart. "Jeffrey, just love your wife. I know you do and I know she loves you."

"Thank you Emily -- kids, work, life, they just ..." I 'heard' him shake his head. "I'll do it. The cost is nothing. I love her, really I do. I can't thank you enough Emily. And no, I won't tell her you called." He laughed. "She'll probably figure it out though."

I smiled. "Yeah, maybe so, but it doesn't matter. Spend a little money, pal. Take her to Victoria's Secret. Make her model for you and make a show out of leering. Take her somewhere nice; insist she buy something she knows she can't afford - that sort of thing. Make mad, crazy, fabulous love all weekend with your wife. Oh, and this wasn't my idea. Our boss, George, gave the green light for the whole thing. I'll shut up now since I'm about to get divorced."

He laughed. "Oh my god Emily, thank you so much. Let me go; I have plans to make. Thank you!!"

"Have a lovely weekend with my friend Tammy, Jeffrey." Ginger Butler: marriage counselor. Hysterical.

I waved at Jodi. She closed the door. "He cried; he's going to make reservations, buy her flowers, and take her shopping. I believe the 'Intervention' will be a success. And I told him you green-lighted the whole thing, George!" I winked at Jodi. George beamed.

Jodi came to my desk with me. "You ought to be nominated for an Academy Award, Emily." We fist-bumped.

Tammy wasn't around; I called Lily. "Oh Ginger, I've been plotting our shopping trip. I can move a few things around on Sunday. If you can be free about two, we can shop till the stores close. How are you?"

"I hate that you left. Thank you for your note. I'm great. Got a few minutes?"

"For you sweetie, of course I do. I hated to leave as well but you were sleeping and so beautiful and serene I just couldn't bring myself to wake you -- much as I wanted to."

"And I wish you had! It looks like I'm getting the check tomorrow and I never would have asked you to change things on your busy day. Where are we going?"

"There are two Nordstrom's to choose from -- one in Cincy and one in Columbus at the Easton Town Center. That's where I think we'll go cuz there are a host of other fabulous stores in that mall. We'll have a blast. Then I'll buy us dinner. A great afternoon of shopping, that I promise." Right, and there's the sex afterwards. I laughed to myself.

"I had thought about changing my personal trainer's appointment but you've already gone to the trouble of changing your Sunday so we'll just go then. You want to come by and pick me up? Are we going to have enough time?"

"The store is open till six. We should have at least three hours and honey, if we're still busy, the lady helping us will not kick us out ... trust me on that one." Geez, okay. I've already been party to Lily's 'persuasions.'

"All right. So, how have you been otherwise?"

"You mean since our fabulous night of sex?" She laughed. "Ginger, I was so fabulous and felt so sexy yesterday. I purred and cooed and made some fantastic sales." She laughed again, a wonderful, bubbly laugh. I smiled as she talked. "I ought to pay for your clothes. I think our lovemaking was why I was so ... persuasive." Hmm, I wonder if she seduced someone while making a sale. "Listen, you're at work, and I'm on my way to a showing. I'll call you tomorrow honey. Gotta scoot; bye for now." And she was gone. Good grief, talk about a tornado!

I was tingling. I knew it wasn't just Lily. I had ribboned and pacified myself this morning. It's not only sexy but it keeps me in a constant state of excitement all day long. My back and forth to the conference room to talk to Jenny, the chats with Jodi and George, even sitting at my desk, that glorious pacifier does the most fabulous things to my pearl. In fact, since Tammy's not here ... a little nudge, a little rubbing, oh my gawd. I shook as the orgasm exploded.

I'm writing this on a Sunday afternoon. My honey was peeking over my shoulder as I wrote. She giggled, bit my neck and crawled under the desk. She moved the panties, took out the pacifier and gave me some sugar. The 'low' in sweet and low. Me: blushing. The kiss afterwards was wonderful. I'm sucking on the pacifier. She had read something online, so the pacifier has a little piece cut out of the tip to allow my juices to seep into the plastic! Wiggling eyebrows.

I headed home after work. I stopped and bought a pre-made salad and a couple of other things at the store. I had time, as Kathy wasn't due till seven. I had a glass of wine with dinner. The salad wasn't bad for store bought. It had a variety of lettuce -- romaine and spinach to name a few. It was very nice. I usually make my own but didn't feel like it tonight. Hmm. Do I leave the scent of myself? I smirked. Yeah, I think so. I changed into shorts, tee shirt, athletic socks and running shoes. No, I do not run! Sorry to all you who do - but I believe it was Bill Cosby who said that those who tell you about that high they get when they run will lie to you about other things.

A sharp knock on the door came right on time. In flew the tornado. I smiled and hugged her.

"How are feeling, Ginger? Nora says you're doing great." Oh?

"I was a little sore but not too bad. It's much better today and I'm very much looking forward to tonight's workout with you." Testing! She smiled. As expected, we got right to it. Damn, those muscles that I thought didn't hurt did. It wasn't too bad though. I did smile again as we did the pelvis thrusting thing. It's actually pretty cool to see how high you can get your hips while you hold your tummy nice and tight. There is a nasty tug on your hamstrings if you hold it too long. 

Kathy gave me a hint of what was ahead. "You can bring your hips all the way back to the floor for now but once you get used to doing it, you won't bring them all the way down until you've completed all ten repetitions." Ah ha! 

The low back extension is much harder than she made it seem. And sheesh, you really have to do your breathing just so. It's very easy to find yourself holding your breath. The hour flew by.

"As we go on, will I be doing more than just one set of each of these?"

"Yup, you can start by extending each repetition a little at a time -- ten to twelve, twelve to fourteen and so on. When you get to a certain level, you break them in half and work back up to ten." Interesting!

Another trial balloon: "Do you have another client tonight or am I your last?"

"No, actually you're my last for the night." Hmm ... file that away. Nora is supposed to call tonight anyway.

"I suppose there are nights when you're out late. You said a lot of your clients see you before they work. What is it -- maybe 50-50 split?"

She thought for a minute - doing mental calculations. "Not quite; more at night, but the morning clients are pretty steady and committed. There's more fluctuation at night, what with people getting home at different times." She smiled. "Weekends are interesting. I very seldom take Saturday night and Sunday appointments so I can pretend to have some sort of social life." She smiled gorgeously. These were waters I might test. I like her a lot. I paid her, bid her a good night, and smiled as she left. What a sweetheart.

I washed my face - just to freshen up a little. The phone rang: Nora. I answered as I poured a glass of wine. "Hey you! How's tricks kiddo?" I will be cool and non-committal until I see how things are.

"I'm doin' fine Ginger; the kids are great, work is work, and Jim is good too. How about you? Anything fun to share?"

Not a word about missing me, nothing, zip, nada. "Well, I go to see Kyle tomorrow. I have some procedural questions about wrapping up the divorce and he's supposed to have the check. I bought lunch for the office yesterday to celebrate. That was a lot of fun actually. George turned it into a working lunch and it was fabulous. Ideas were bouncing off the walls, people enjoyed lunch and the meeting. Great stuff; one of my co-workers had kind of a melt down today." I told her about needing to talk to Jenny, the flowers afterwards, and about Tammy and Jeffrey.

"You pulled that off like a champ. My friend Ginger, the master man-ipulator." We both had a laugh at the way she pulled the word apart. "What you did for them was really sweet babe. I hope the guy makes good use of the weekend."

"Yeah, I do too." I was curious about why she was calling. "So what's up girl friend? You emailed and asked if we could talk. What's going on? You and Jim okay?" I might as well aim for the heart.

Silence, a very, very long silence. Uh oh, I could hear Nora crying. She was holding the phone to her body to cover it up. I took a sip of wine and waited. She cleared her throat and said, "Ginger, I think Jim is going to ask me to marry him." I waited until she got the hint and continued. "We've seen each other a few times this week and that's the vibe I'm picking up. I think the fight may have spurred him. Maybe that's what he was doing Sunday. I'm not sure, honey, but that's why I wanted to call. It's killing me, knowing it's likely to hurt you. I love you Ginger and I don't ... I just can't." She cried.

"I'm absolutely thrilled for you Nora Jean. You should know that." You stone cold bitch. "We were friends long before we became lovers. We've loved each other, as friends, for some time now. This doesn't come as a complete surprise, honey." The odds were stacked against it, us, from the start. "And I really, really am happy that my bestest friend is going to be happy with the guy she loves -- and who loves her." I slammed the glass on the table after taking a sip. I hated it. And I was happy for her. And I want her to be with me. Shit. "It's Thursday; are you two seeing each other over the weekend? Isn't the weekend when asshole has Danny and Lisa?"

"Yeah it is and yes we are. We have plans Saturday. He won't tell me where; just that the reservation is at seven. Should I really dress up? Maybe buy something new just in case?" Ginger Butler: fashion consultant. What a riot.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 03



"Oh hell yeah!! I forget; does asshole come get the kids?"

"Yeah, he does, usually before dinner."

"Perfect! Soon as he leaves, you are out the door. Go somewhere nice and buy yourself a slinky, sexy outfit. Absolutely knock his socks off honey." I meant every word and no, I would not go with. In fact, I might call Lily after this!

"I'll do it! And no, I wouldn't think of asking you to go with me. That would be so unfair." Yup. "You sure you're okay with this babe? I was a wreck all day thinking about this call. I was a chicken and sent the email first."

I smiled at her words. No, I wasn't okay and I was sincerely happy for her. So I did the completely honorable and proper thing and lied through my teeth. "I'm perfectly sure, Nora. If he does ask, just be sure to say yes ... only if Ginger is part of the deal." Aren't I the teasing bitch? She was silent for a moment.

"Emily Sue, you are an ass clown! For a moment there you had me going, thinking you were serious. Geez." We both had a good laugh. I said goodnight, thanked her, and told her I was happy for her. I could hear the relief in her voice.

I'm 47, single -- okay, nearly single, somewhat attractive, fairly smart, have a good job, good friends, a great sister, and a fabulous boss. My life is a bit topsy-turvy right now -- and I wanted to throw things. I did not; well, kind of. I put the wine glass in the garbage and smashed it to bits with a hammer. I didn't want to drink myself stupid. And even though I thought about going to the L Room it was probably too late to get dressed up, drive in, and do much. So I just sat, read, and sipped my wine.

Shit! I forgot to ask Nora about Kathy. I thought about it for a moment and called. "Hey are you still awake?"

"Goof, you called, does it matter? What's up sweetie?"

"Umm, I apologize if it's an awkward question, but do you have any hint that Kathy has an interest in me?" I made kind of a cringy face as I asked, "Do you know what I mean?"

"I know you've been wondering. Yeah, she really is lovely and has such a fab personality. I don't get that hit off of her -- but ... oh wait, no, you're not that much longer into it than me, so yeah, your gaydar probably isn't finely honed. I wish I could tell you more."

"No worries honey. I just was curious to get your take on it. Thank you very much. Sweet dreams and have a great weekend!!" Oh well. As I thought earlier, I might very well test those waters. Plus, she's just so damn nice!

It was after ten so I poured one last glass and sat. I thought about Tammy and Jeffrey and smiled. Love her early, often and well young man. I certainly didn't want her life but she would be lost without it. Nora and I would go back to being what we were for ten years -- best friends. I finished my wine, went to bed, hugged the pillow and cried.

Friday - I didn't sleep well and I wasn't surprised. I showered and dressed and headed to work. Cloudy and cold -- fits my mood! Thing is, winter was coming to an end. Daylight saving time was a week after the Daytona 500. I always think of Daytona and daylight savings as harbingers of spring. I guess men generally talk of spring training.

I hadn't heard from Kyle by 10:30 so I called him. He wasn't in. Ugh! I sent Lily a text: R U available 4 dinner 2nite? Reply: Love 2 if u can wait for me :) I didn't tell her this -- I just didn't want to be alone tonight. No, I didn't tell her that I chose her to be with if she would. I really like Mo but it was way too early to assume that sort of thing. 

My work phone rang. "Hi Emily, it's Tammy." OMG. "I know you're responsible for this, even though Jeffrey won't say so. Thank you so much honey. He's been so sweet. I'm so grateful for what you did."

What can I say? I was grinning from ear to ear. And, no, I wouldn't admit a thing. "I'm glad you and Jeffrey are enjoying your time together Tammy. I don't know what you're talking about, of course. I just know George played a major part in whatever it is you're referring to." She giggled, not buying a word of it. I had to laugh; I couldn't keep the smile out of my voice. "You two love birds have a fabulous weekend girl, ya hear? Leave no stone unturned, carnally speaking." She giggled. "Wear his ass out and make him like it!" I could feel her blushing.

"Umm, I better go. Thanks again Emily." How Tammy! I gave Jodi a c'mere wave and marched into George's office.

"'Operation Intervention' appears to be major success, Major, based on information from my phone call from Tammy." George and Jodi both laughed. Jodi and I hi-fived and George beamed. 

Kyle finally called. "Emily, can you come at lunch?" Hell yeah, once the check is in my hand. Everybody catch that?

Jenny called my cell. She was crying. "Thank you. That was just too sweet. And your note, oh my god. Even David had teary eyes and couldn't do much more than smile and shake his head. Thank you so much honey." Wow! Maybe this 'random acts of kindness' really is a living, breathing thing.

"I don't know what to say, Jen. I guess, just, you're welcome. You really helped me a lot even if you didn't know it. And I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated it -- and you. I have to go. Kyle wants me to pick up the damn check." I laughed. "Talk to you soon huh?"

I headed to the lawyer's office. I heard a siren behind me. God damn! Oh, wait ... I laughed as I saw her smile behind the shades. Mo!! I pulled out my license and insurance card, ready to play along. I rolled the window down, held them out, "Good morning Officer Henry ... have I been a bad girl?"

"Would you please step out of the car Ma'am? I believe a full body cavity search is called for here." We both laughed.

"You scared the crap out of me girl. I'm on the way to the lawyer's office. How you been?"

"Missing you. Where are you going to wine and dine me?" That came with a wink; the other didn't need to be said.

"As a mere civilian, I leave those details to you, Officer! You have my number." It was my turn to wink.

She surprised me ... scribbled her cell number on a slip of paper and handed it to me. "Consider this a warning Ma'am, I expect a phone call ... and soon."

"Thank you Officer, and yes Ma'am, I'll do just as instructed. Have a nice day and Mo, please be careful out there."

She tipped her cap, blew me a kiss, and walked back to the squad. I floated, carefully, to Kyle's office.

The check was for $190,000, from his firm's account. That's what I figured would happen. I had my list of questions and went through them. Yes, he would make sure I could take my maiden name. The other things we chatted about.

"Yup, I'll do everything possible to get a court date as soon as possible. You'll hear from me as soon as I know."

"Okay fine. Next, since the divorce is uncontested, do I have to attend?" Yes. Crap. "Oh well. Okay. Thank you for your help and the time you've spent on this." And, oh my god, I was loose, limber, and slinky the rest of Friday. I'm laughing. Yeah baby, you know what I mean. A text to Lily: cha ching! Response: woo hoo! I giggled. 

The young lady at the drive-through at the bank gawked at my silly grin and the amount of the check. Just deposit the damn thing. I don't care how long the hold is, I have plastic to pay for the shopping spree.

I breezed through the rest of the afternoon. Hmm. What to do right after work? Mo? Would she meet me for a drink? I'd already asked Lily to meet me for dinner. Hmm. I worked, fretted, thought, worked. Okay, decision made. I texted Mo: Care 2 meet 4 a drink -- 5ish? Reply: U betcha -- see u there ;) Two words: She scores!

I put on my coat, grabbed my purse, and headed out the door to the garage and to the L Room. I didn't see Mo's car. I walked in. No Candy either. I sat at the bar, ordered a Stoli. Fuck it. It's Friday, I have money in the bank, a cute girl coming for a drink, and a dinner date. Woo freakin' hoo!! I couldn't believe it when I heard Anita Baker's 'Sweet Love' come over the sound system. Are you shittin' me? Tonight? 

In she walked, every bit as gorgeous as my dreams. She shucked her coat ... oh please help me!! Mo wore a long sleeve, hot pink, button-down sweater, with a deep v front, beyond perfect for the glories. She walked up to me and kissed me like a lover would. Oh gawd!! 

"Georgia, this is my Ginger ... Ginger, this is Georgia." Georgia blinked and smiled. My heart: trip hammers tripping. Grace Slick sang 'Plastic Fantastic Lover'... not tonight Gracie. She was very much in the flesh and right in front of me. My Ginger? Holy conundrum Batgirl! We walked, hand in hand, to a table. "I recognized your car and lit you up. It was evil but I knew you'd like it babe."

How could I not laugh? "I swore a blue streak until I saw your smile behind those shades. Brilliantly devious Officer Friendly, and may I say, you fill out that sweater fabulously." She blushed and, oh my gawd, unbuttoned the top button. She smiled when she caught me gawking again. "Hey, not fair, how am I not supposed to do what comes naturally?" She smiled. Ginger: a puddle.

Better get this out of the way now, given the way this is likely to go. "Mo, I have a meeting with a realtor tonight. She's been looking for a place for me to buy. We're supposed to meet after her last appointment. Just letting you know what the lay of the land is." Oh god Ginger, nice choice of words!!

"No worries kiddo, I have plans later too. But I was glad to get your text and have this chance to spend some time with you. Would this be too forward? I really like you and I would like to get a chance to spend a lot more time getting to know you." The last of that was said as her eyes moved away from mine and fiddled with her glass. Ya know what, at some point in your life, when someone says something like that to you, you just have to go with the flow. I was flowing, trust me on that. I kissed her, like a lover would.

"I would love that Mo, I really would. I like you too. I think there's a chance we could be good together and I'm glad we both have plans tonight, because I like you enough that I want to make extra sure we both take this really slow."

She blushed so gorgeously and smiled so sweetly I knew I had hit it out of the proverbial park.

"You just said what I was thinking Ginger. I'd do you right here but ... oh the scandal." We both laughed.

We chatted idly; I commented, again, on how sexy I thought her sweater was. Eric Clapton's 'Cocaine' played -- we looked at each other and laughed. When Trisha's 'Here Comes Temptation' came on, I grabber her and we went to the dance floor. It's not really a slow dance song but it was today. She felt fabulous melded to and with me. 'All you have to do is touch me and my resistance would melt away.' Trisha, how did you know I would meet this redheaded beauty? 'Looking at paradise?' Oh my god yes. The song ended, the kiss -- not quite. It seems we attracted some attention as we danced. The 'audience' clapped as we walked back to the table together.

When was that day off? Tuesday? How about dinner Monday? We both smiled at the unspoken thoughts. There was one more drink, more conversation ... and more kissing. It was time to say goodbye. Mo made a 'bring the check' motion with her wrist. Mo insisted on paying. What? Am I going to argue with someone who carries handcuffs? Two words -- Puh leez. The kisses in the parking lot were breathless, fabulous, and carried the unspoken promise of a fabulous dinner. 

"Please be careful out there, Officer Henry."

I don't know why I cried on the way home -- really I don't. She'd be fine and we would have a wonderful Monday night. Maureen got to me on a level I wasn't sure I completely understood. Beauty? Yes, but there was something more that I couldn't quite put my finger. There was an air, an aura, about her. Confidence? Was it from her military experience? Being a cop? Innate to her persona? I didn't know but I knew my mind would turn it over and over this weekend. I smiled as my iPod played 'Love Alive.' Oh my yes, keep my love alive. Please, please God, watch over her.

I closed the door behind me. I needed a quick shower and a change of clothes before Lily came to pick me up for dinner. I put on a front clasp bra, sexy Ginger panties, a black top that dipped fabulously low, and a grey skirt with a high waist that I had wondered if it looked good on me since I talked myself into buying it. I knew Lily's eyes would let me know immediately if it did or not.

Oh lord -- Jim Brickman's 'Sound of Your Voice.' Oh Nora ... I cried. None of this crap happened when I was married to asshole. They were just songs, and I loved them for the words, the melodies, and how they moved my heart. Now it felt like every damn song was an arrow from or for someone. I laughed -- 'Clocks.' Lily would be knocking soon. Bingo!! I turned off the music and went to greet the fabulous lady I would spend the night with. 'Am I part of the disease?' No Lily, the question is: Might you be part of the cure!!

It never dawned on me where she was taking me until we were a block away -- uh huh, Paccia Prima!! Oh the glorious coincidence of it. "Lily! It's so nice to see you again. We have your table ready ... follow me please." I laughed a little.

Lily was so cute, suggesting wines, starters, and entrees as if I'd never been here before. I smiled, nodded, and ordered the antipasto. "Darling, how did you know? It's one of my favorite dishes on the menu."

It was there. "So are you Lily!" Snare drum please. She actually blushed. I made my cutest, most adorable fawn face and asked her thoughts on my outfit. She ate me up with her eyes. I think that was a good sign.

She confirmed my suspicions. "I don't think the skirt is your best look but it's very cute." I can live with that. "I love the black top. It sets off your figure fabulously and the half sleeves are brilliant ... where did you find it?" I didn't remember and told her so. The wine arrived -- the Malbec I'd told her about. Lily loved it. I hope you're doing well Mark.

Ordering -- I chose the Campanelle pasta. It sounded luscious. I snickered when Lily ordered the halibut. No, I didn't share my silly joke. She asked if I wanted to switch wines with dinner. I teased and told her I had already picked which side of the street I wanted to play on. She blushed and nodded. If we hadn't been on opposite sides of the table I would have kissed her -- wrong place, right person. Dinner was fabulous and I wanted dessert 

She asked about my day. I told her my tales, both Jenny and Tammy. She absolutely beamed. "How wonderful Ginger. You did fabulously well with Tammy, such a lovely thing to do. And I agree about your sister; it's important to keep in touch with those we love. What a great day you've had." I took a deep breath and spoke of my phone conversation with Nora. I admit, my eyes filled and I needed a sip of wine to compose myself. As I was doing that, dinner was served. That gave me a few more minutes to gather myself. Lily took the lead, "Well, I know you're hurt but you did what you needed to -- and did so with grace and charm. She feels better about herself I'm sure."

"Lily, I have to be real honest. I don't want to be alone tonight. I feel awkward saying it like that and I hope you don't mind too much." She smiled warmly.

"You beat me to the punch, Ginger. I was going to invite you to spend the night with me at my home. I simply insist. Tonight will be about romance and love darling. Together we will help heal your wounded heart."

How wonderfully sweet she is. Beneath all that brass and boldness is a beautiful, warm, loving woman. We ate dinner slowly, not a lot of chatter, and I kept my eyes down a lot. The pasta was simply from another world. I hadn't tasted anything so wonderful (I laughed) since the first time I was here. Bits of roasted chicken, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, all complemented a wonderful broth -- lemon and parmesan the notable ingredients. I put a sliver on a spoon and handed it to Lily. She nodded; she'd had it before, and it was every bit as good as she remembered. I faked my appreciation of the halibut -- it was every bit as good as the first time.

Lily didn't press, she just asked, "I know you're hurting Ginger, but are you okay with what Nora told you?"

I answered honestly. "We were friends for a long time before becoming lovers. She will always be my best friend, Lily. We'll just go back to the way we were before. I have to be happy for my friend. It wouldn't be fair not to." I shrugged; she nodded. I didn't want to talk about it anymore so I kept things light and breezy.

I asked about her day. She laughed. "For me, work is like child's play. I enjoy what I do, so it doesn't even feel like work. There's certainly no drudgery to it, even with some of the frustrations that are inherent in the business. The 'same old, same old' is always wonderfully new with everyone who comes to me. It's part of why I love it so." Those few sentences captured, wonderfully, why this woman was so successful -- simply amazing. We chatted even after our plates had been removed. Did I care for more wine? Maybe, but not here; dessert, I winked. She smiled, asked for the check. I made an effort to help; she wouldn't hear of it. We put our coats on, grabbed our purses, and headed to the car.

She unlocked the car with her key. I knew she had a remote; it was an excuse for a kiss. It was warm and not too long. We both smiled. The ride was nice. We held hands, talked of the restaurant, and more. I was relaxed, wonderfully full, and warm from somewhere deep inside. At a stop light, I took her soft, thin hand, kissed it, and held it to my cheek. Our eyes met -- she smiled warmly. I like this woman a lot. The garage door opened, she turned off the engine, and I followed her into her home.

Lily poured us each a glass of wine. We sat and talked for a while. I asked for more thoughts about the skirt. Instead, she took my hand and we headed to her bedroom. Oh my gosh, how beautiful. More on that later. The gigantic walk-in closet was where we were headed -- big enough for both of us to stand, comfortably. Lily took blouses, skirts, colors, fabrics, each held either over or beneath the blouse or skirt as I faced a full length mirror. Completely amazing -- she commented on how each combination would look on me, how it would add or subtract from whatever color top, how it would help or hurt my face, hair, hips and such. I was simply in awe. I don't think of myself as a slouch when it comes to fashion, but this was astonishing. After the last piece was hung up, she looped her arm around my waist and said, "We are going to have the most marvelous time Sunday." I believed her.

We walked back to the front room, sat together on the couch, and gabbed. She told me how she wound up in Dayton. She was born and raised in Washington State, and had come east for school. Dayton was later, real estate later still. She had been married; they had divorced a while ago, a five year marriage that ended ten years ago. It was a client who seduced her and introduced her to lesbian sex. She smiled wryly -- yeah, she closed the sale. I had to laugh. She told me that she thought she had finally found the right guy, Bob, and was shattered when it ended. She shook her head and stared at her wine. I leaned in and kissed her. She smiled sweetly. I thought to myself: Could your right guy be a woman, Lily?

We were quiet for a few minutes. I giggled. "I got an email this morning from Jenny. Ya know, one of those joke emails that get passed from person to person. Ready?" She smiled. "Why are blonde jokes so simple?" She had no idea. "So men will understand them!" We both howled with laughter.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 03



She had one. "Guy says to his girlfriend, 'One kiss and I'll be yours forever.' She replied, 'Thanks for the warning.'" Oh my god, how we laughed. Lily asked. Yeah, okay, one more glass of wine.

She came back, sat close, and after we clinked, we chatted lightly. She asked about Kathy. I described, as best I could, the exercises. She was impressed. Was I sore? A little, oddly; my hamstrings from the hip thrust thing. I described it, showed her actually.

I laughed as I told her about Nora and how I couldn't wait to get in the kind of shape she's in. Lily just shook her head the whole time I was talking. "Honey, you really don't know how good you look, do you?" I blushed. 

Maybe I'd been worn down by all the years of ... whatever it was with Bill. "I'll be honest, Lily. Being with Julia, you, and Nora. It's ... I don't know, it's brought me back to life. I feel alive, sexual, needy, and" -- I paused. "Yeah, I guess I am feeling better about myself. I just don't think about it that way. Thanks!" Lily beamed.

"That's my girl!" That's my girl -- I think that sounds really good, actually. I think I could like that. Lily must have read it in my eyes. Her kiss was warm; it got hot very quickly. The wine glasses were set down on the glass top table. She pulled me over her lap, facing her. I was flushed, panting, wet and needy. She had the blouse open and off in world record time. She slapped my hand, gently, when I tried to do the same. As she slipped it off my shoulders and arms she bent to my neck and began a torturously slow journey, her surprisingly strong hands holding me still and away from her just enough to drive me crazy. I moaned. Don't laugh please; my quads hurt. Lily giggled when I explained, let me climb from the couch, and led me, hand in hand, to the bedroom.

The walls were a bit darker than a light blue. A queen bed was between two windows, covered with heavy beige curtains. A dark hardwood floor was covered with a thick area rug in brilliant white. A four-legged stool at the foot of the bed, a big, comfy chair and ottoman in white, with blue flowers, next to two doors that opened to a patio. A fabulous terra cotta vanity with a lamp and comfy-looking chair was on the other side of the doors. The bed had a headboard of deep, dark wood, a white duvet and dust cover, and colored pillows. Art, a giant leafy plant in the corner behind the chair, end tables on either side of the bed, the same wood as the bed, gorgeous, simple lamps and paper flowers atop each. I hope I've done justice to the room's beauty. Lily lit a single candle and shut off the lights. It was so elegant and so romantic.

This was to be a night for two women to commune, to love leisurely, to whisper, giggle, kiss, moan, cuddle, laugh, and caress. There would be no desperate race -- how quickly, how thoroughly, how many. Another night? Yes; I believe both of us knew there would be other nights. There was something wonderful that was happening here. It was too soon to give it a name, too soon to even speculate on what it might become. We were slow to undress each other. Each garment unveiled familiar curves, rises, dips, and firm, soft skin. When we were finally finished, Lily led me to her bed. We lay face to face, smiling, arms and legs around and between, comfortably, warmly. 'Snug as bugs in a rug' came to mind. Mind you, there was passion; oh my yes. It was allowed to bloom when it felt right, recede without frustration or rancor. We kissed, caressed, smiled, smoothed, and cuddled. It was so wonderful. A writer writes -- and I find myself wondering if I've described it well. I knew, that night, that it was just what my soul needed. Finally, sleep carried us away together.

Saturday morning - Oh my! I'm laughing as I write, because, for as fabulous and sweet as Friday night was, Saturday morning was that furious and frantic. We took turns tearing into each other, screaming with joy, crying out in frustration, panting, driving, nipping, desperately trying to find breaths when none seemed possible, bodies writhing, trembling, arching, moaning. We loved together, we turned around on each other, we were side by side, first one, then the other, on top; oh my god it was glorious and wild. After, we lay together, apart, recovering, our hearts still pounding, our breaths still coming in short, raspy pants, shivering as the dew cooled. It was in a blink. I giggled, then Lily giggled, and it wound up with us both in tears, screaming with laughter -- literally, side by side. What? The wonderful disparity I just spoke of. We didn't need to speak of it; we both knew.

We stood in the kitchen together, the sun bright, as we shared making breakfast. I was buttering English muffins and spreading jelly and umm, that's when it turned. I dipped the butter knife in the bottle of jelly and turned to Lily. She said, "Uh oh." Yup! I pushed her against the wall, painted her naked skin with blueberry jelly, helped her to her back on the table, and feasted on her. Her lips, her neck, her glorious breasts, her belly button, her hips, and everywhere on her pussy. I licked, lapped, nipped, sucked. Lily came gloriously, again and again -- the fire had only barely subsided.

She whimpered when I had finished with her. Well, what was left of her. I sat on the chair and held Lily as she recovered, head limp and wet on my shoulder with perspiration and tears. I kissed the tears away; she hissed that she would have her revenge. I snickered. Oopsie ... I scampered for 'safety' in the master bathroom. She popped the lock, opened the door, and her eyes glittered as her lips sneered, "Revenge, Ginger, is a dish served in the shower." Oh my lord. More than water was sent down the drain. I laughed ... it was very late in the morning when it ended. A short story could be titled 'Held Hostage in the Shower.'

She had my back against the wall. Her soapy fingers skimmed over wet skin, feather light, leaving me shivering under hot water. Her mouth ravaged my neck, savaged my breasts, leaving red nips on my, umm, yeah there too. She held my gaze as her soapy fingers caressed the soft skin on the underside of my breast, slid down my torso, teased my hips, and slammed into my soaked lips. I lifted to my toes at the ferocity of it. She laughed as my eyes widened as we stared at each other. I saw it in her eyes and gave it back to her with mine. She was suckling on my nipple, sawing in and out of my sex when the first one hit. I screamed as the unbelievable heat exploded in me. She responded by pinching the other nipple; oh god it was wonderful. Lily never stopped, driving me quickly and fabulously into a second.

When Lily turned me to the wall and hissed, "Keep those hands high," I had a momentary flash of red hair, sunglasses, and that slinky body. That image was soon destroyed by the loving Lily savaged me with. She never stopped with those fingers ... the other hand spread my legs wide. I didn't understand until I felt her tongue tease my rosebud. I moaned at the unexpected pleasure. I lowered and tilted my hips in invitation; Lily accommodated. I gasped in surprise. I was weak and breathless as it was; I didn't know if I could give my lover another. I had no choice in the matter. Lily wrapped her hand around the front of me; the other was still sawing in and out of my now sore lips. She loved my pearl ferociously and gloriously. What hadn't gone down the drain did when a third blew me up completely. Lily sensed it, stood, and leaned against me, holding me against the wall as I cried helplessly as it spun, wickedly, through me. Lily reached and turned off the water as I sobbed with joy. She kissed me gently as I hugged her tight.

I thought of my appointment with Kathy -- oh god, there was no way I could do an hour with her after this morning. I whispered it to Lily. We toweled dry and headed to the kitchen. I called, apologized, and said I would pay for the time. Kathy refused; she would see me Tuesday and thanked me for calling. I turned to Lily as we talked, shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. The good news was we finally had a little something to eat -- geez, come on! Food. Lily nuked the coffee; it was awful. The nap wasn't, especially the waking up part. Wiggling eyebrows.

Lily never mentioned, and I never asked, if she missed any appointments. It was near dinner time -after. Yeah, I know ... again! She called out to a restaurant. We each picked what we wanted. I had what I wanted after we'd eaten. Dinner gave both of us energy for the rest. After the fire that raged in us both had finally been sated, the circle closed as we lay quietly, together, whispering, caressing, stroking, brushing imaginary strands of hair. We murmured words of affection, laughing quietly at our passion, silliness and stamina, kissing lips, necks, eyes, ears, chins. The fresh candle burned out long after sleep took us away. It was a day without clothes, with passion, with tenderness, and it was spectacular!

Sunday - Lily invited me to stay at her home while she went out on her appointments. We could leave, from here, to go shopping. Laughing, she offered me a robe as I mentioned that I ought to wash my clothes before we ventured out. She seemed fresh as a daisy as she kissed me and breezed out the door. I put the laundry in the washing machine and lay down for a nap. Lily woke me with a kiss. Oh my god. The laundry! She laughed -- we would shop another day. She took off the robe. Yeah, that's way better than shopping anyway. Scandalous, aren't we? Me: sticking my tongue!! I think I would be going to work Monday. After the dryer dried my stuff we went out for dinner. No, I'm not lying. I wore clothing and we went out. Lily, naturally, knew a little place that was fabulous, open on Sunday, where we could sit in a corner and be the lovers we are. My Lily, scamp, whispered she 'knew' the owner's wife. Oh my god, what did I just say!! My Lily ... just saying it in my head warmed me.

My beautiful sales maven said it was best for me to head home. Like I can argue in the face of her ... whatever it is. She shushed my hang dog face as we kissed and said goodbye.

I thought about it all the way home. Maybe I would ask her about sales; could she teach me? My Lily, hmm, was this love? Yeah, there was an amazing amount of loving, but Friday evening and Saturday evening were mirrors and every bit as glorious as the rest. Mo? Tuesday after Kathy; what to do? Kathy? Lily? It was early enough when I got home to call. I had a long heart to heart with Jenny. God love her heterosexual heart, my sister let me pour it all out to her, tears included. She said what I already knew, which was, in a slightly different way, what Julia had told me. She was just as right as Julia had been. I thanked her profusely and told her how glad I was that she was my sister. It resonated deep in me in a way it hadn't before.

I called Lily to let her know I was home and safe. She shocked me, a little, when she said what I had seen in her eyes. "I love you Ginger." I smiled, my eyes teared a little.

"I love you Lily Russo. Thank you for a weekend beyond my wildest dreams." We both cried a little. I took a deep breath and told Lily about seeing Mo on Tuesday after my hour with Kathy. She laughed wildly at my confession.

"Ginger, you are so sweet. You didn't have to do that; go ahead and keep your date. This is still very new. I spoke from my heart and I know you did too. I have a closing and a showing Tuesday evening anyway."

"I just didn't feel right Lily. I like Mo, really I do. I just had to tell you." It was as if I could hear her smile. We said good night to each other. I was exhausted, sore, and ... I think I was in love. Tell the truth and shame the devil -- is it a surprise to any of you how well I slept?

Author's Note: As ever, this is a flight of fantasy; completely fictitious. If there is any resemblance to anyone walking among us my apologies. Another author put it so well: "The site is free. The author is 'paid' in comments and votes." I hope you've enjoyed another chapter of a rather long tale!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful, romantic Valentines Day!! 



Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 04







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 04



"Good grief Emily, you don't have to thank me, especially after what you did for us last week. Thank you for telling me." We smiled, hugged and went back to our desks. I debated about what to do about Nora. I hadn't heard a peep from her, nor had I called or written, since our last phone call. I turned on my computer. Ah, problem solved. There was an email, asking if we could have dinner soon. Yeah great; she wants to show me her ring. I sighed. Yes, of course we can. How about tomorrow, the usual place, at six? I sent the reply.

I worked, trying to keep busy, trying to keep my mind off Mo, trying to just be. I needed more than an hour with Kathy. Oh yeah, I had to stop and get some cash to pay her tonight. I smiled when I thought of the 'workout' over the weekend with Lily. I suppose that did more than just ... oh my god. Tammy looked at me; I winked and smiled. Honey, you wouldn't believe it if I told you. I smiled the rest of the day.

A text from Mo: can't wait 2 see u ;) I smiled and responded: me too! Geez, I really have a problem on my hands. Umm, there was another one between my legs. I sighed, worked, and when the work day was over, I put on my coat, grabbed my purse, and headed to the car.

Kathy was at six. I had time for a Lean Cuisine and a change of clothing. In between? Yup, there were two, thankfully. I needed that!! I washed up after and had just finished dressing when the knock on the door came. I opened it and smiled as the tornado blew in. She took off her coat and we started. She worked me hard; we talked as I exercised. I apologized again for bailing so late on Saturday. Kathy waved me off; not a problem. How was I doing otherwise?

I smiled. "I'm fine thank you. I'm really enjoying these workouts. I know it's still early ... oh, hey, can we book another couple of weeks?"

"Of course; you do your routine and I'll get my book. I really should put this into my phone. Okay, we're good for the next two weeks." She was pleased; I was as well. My god she's beautiful. Her black hair is lustrous with health. The fitness and energy just radiate from her and her skin is so gorgeous. I need to concentrate on my form (not hers) to be precise with my routines. Kathy's really good, too. If I made a mistake or was lazy with anything, she would stop me, demonstrating as she corrected and let me continue. All said in an even, instructional tone. It's no wonder she's built a successful business. As it always seemed to, the hour was over in a blink. I wasn't perspiring very much and there was no soreness at all. I reached into my purse, gave her the money and hugged her in thanks. Oh my god, I almost kissed her. I turned quickly and went to the door. She breezed out with a wave. I leaned against the wall and shook my head.

Not two minutes later, another knock. I smiled, opened the door -- Mo! She came in, eyes aglow. We kissed, hungrily. I asked for a couple of minutes to change. "Need any help?" I laughed. I knew if I kissed her again we might not leave. I kissed her. Yup, we almost didn't! I was glad I had given myself a couple of orgasms. It took away just enough of the need to ... oh god, she was all over me. Geez her hands are fantastic, her mouth ... she slipped her hand into my shorts, under my panties, and into the wetness. I moaned. She slid her fingers from me and pulled away. I was panting; I looked at her in confusion. She brought the fingers to her mouth. "I know how you taste when we kiss, Ginger. Now I know how you'll taste when we make love." My knees were weak. She kissed me -- hot and quick. "Go change, I'm starving." She smiled a smile so bright. ... I sighed. I put on a fresh pair of panties, left my sports bra on, pulled on some jeans and a blue short sleeve top. I took a quick look in the mirror in the bathroom as I dragged the brush through my hair. Geez, if she sees me in this, we won't make it out of the apartment. I changed into a half sleeve, striped sweater that wasn't nearly as scooped as the top had been. Mo's eyes devoured me anyway. "God you're gorgeous Ginger." I smiled and blushed. I shrugged into my coat, grabbed my purse, and locked the door behind us.

The restaurant was busy but we got a table. Mo looked at the beer menu and her eyes got wide. "What?"

"They have Anchor Steam on tap... one of my favorites. It's not that easy to find it on tap." Okay, I'll try it. I didn't want to fuss over the menu. I just wanted to have a nice meal with a really sexy, gorgeous woman. Mo must have seen it in my eyes. "I surprised you, huh?" I nodded. "I really had no intention of making love. I just wanted to be a tease."

I laughed. "I gotta tell ya Mo; you had me from zero to sixty in a blur. Wowzer!!" I shook my head in wonder.

"So how was your workout? I think I saw your trainer getting into her car; she's about your height, dark hair?" The server came by with our beers. We both ordered.

I nodded. "She's just fabulous! She knows her stuff. She keeps me on task about doing the exercises correctly and is fun to talk with. The hour just flies by." I took a sip of the beer. Wow, it's really good! "Where do you work out?"

"There's a place I really like -- Anytime Fitness. It's open 24/7, they have all the latest equipment, private showers and restrooms, and something called 'Anywhere Club Access,' which means if I travel, I just show my pass and can work out. I get a good rate, too, because I committed to three years. I really like it." She was really enthusiastic about the place. "So do you like the beer?"

"Oh yeah, it's very tasty without being too heavy. Thanks for the tip. I'm actually more of a wine girl."

Mo laughed. "And here I thought you drank vodka -- because of the L Room."

"Nah, just there; I did drink your beer the last time. But I watched Candy make my drink." The food came. "Geez, that was quick, huh?" Mo nodded, we were both so hungry we attacked our food with a vengeance. I had a stuffed pork chop, garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. Mo had bourbon chopped steak, fries, and veggies. I don't know how hers tasted but it smelled good. Our server brought us both fresh beers. Perfect timing -- we clinked glasses. I smiled, leaned over and kissed her. She smiled back. God I wanted this woman! We swapped forks of food. Oh my that's good! Mo asked how I met Kathy. I told her about Nora being my BFF, how we met, and that she had been a client for five years.

"Wow! Impressive; so does Nora know about your, umm, this new you?" Oh shit.

"I think she's about to get engaged Mo. She emailed me today asking if we could meet for dinner tomorrow night. The guy she's been dating seems pretty nice and she's hinted that a ring may be coming." I dug my nails into my thumb to keep from crying. I didn't want to go into the rest of it. Oh lord -- cop eyes. Mo was appraising me with her bullshit meter. She was quiet for a few seconds, then nodded slowly and changed the subject ... sort of.

"So when can we see each other again?" Her lips curled into a little smirk. "Next time will be our third date." Oh lord. Now she's teasing me about it.

"Can I get back to you on that, Mo? I have a meeting with my realtor tomorrow night and Kathy Thursday. The rest of the week looks pretty free. What schedule are you on? Do you rotate shifts? I think I read that once in a novel."

Mo blinked in surprise. "I'm on days through the end of the month and then I go to three to eleven. I'm off Sunday and Monday. Someone asked if I would swap and I said yes, only because it gave me back-to-back days off." She smiled.

"Come on now Mo, you can't even pretend I'm the only one on your dance card."

"No, but you're number three -- with a bullet." Her eyes twinkled; she made the finger-gun thing and dropped her thumb with a 'bang.' I played along, pretending I'd been shot, my arms falling to my sides, my head jerking back then slumping to my chest. She laughed out loud.

"Mo, it's hard to keep a date when I'm DEAD." More laughter from both of us. I wanted her naked and in my bed. Umm, me naked as well, just to make it clear. I heard Lily's voice: "Crystal clear, Ginger!" Shit! Wasn't it Lily who had mentioned the monogamous thing? So was I 'cheating' on her if I slept with Mo? No, but it felt like it was and I didn't know how I felt about that. My moral compass sort of got knocked for a loop when asshole changed the locks. I'd been faithful; I was pretty sure he wasn't. Julia? Shock of my life and not just because she was a woman. Okay, I lied. That too. I felt Mo's eyes on me. I looked at her and smiled. "Sorry; how was your dinner? Mine was really good."

"Just ask Ginger; it's right on the tip of your tongue." I know, and I'm scared. My eyes burned with hot tears.

"I never cheated on asshole -- my ex, or soon to be, in twenty seven years, Mo. I want you so badly. I don't want to rush things or wreck things with us. You're too special; the attraction is so strong. And I feel like I'd be cheating on someone who's also very important to me. It's completely stupid because things are still relatively new with her as well. It sucks telling you this because you shouldn't have to carry around my stuff. But that's how impor ... how much I love being around and with you, Mo." I looked at her and shrugged my shoulders helplessly.

"Christ on a cracker, girl, you're about to make a cop cry. Pay the damn bill and let's get out of here." She smiled; I nodded. I left a tip, paid with my credit card, and we left. The drive back was quiet. Mo reached for and held my hand. She brought it to her lips and kissed it, then held it to her cheek. She smiled at me, eyes soft and warm.

I parked the car. No hesitation. "I want you come in with me Mo." I leaned, kissed her, and opened the door. Mo met me at the back of the car, I took her hand, and we walked to my little shitty band box. I never even turned the lights on. We took our coats off, kissing the whole time, and I walked her to the bedroom.

There was none of the usual first time nervousness, not after that parking lot make-out session. We took each other's clothes off a piece at a time. I went first; she had shot me. Honest to god, that's what I said! If there were any nerves they went away as we giggled. When we were naked, I took her in my arms, kissed her, and whispered, "I want to hear you scream my name!" My tongue darted where my lips had been. She spun me around and pushed me back on the bed. Oh my god. I can barely speak of how she took me.

HA!! That's because she didn't! Gotcha!! I did tell her I wanted her to come in. She replied, "No Ginger, not tonight. I had a really good time again, and I learned a lot about what kind of person you are. So, much as we both want to -- no, not tonight." She smiled, reached across the console, caressed my cheek, and kissed me. Eventually, reluctantly, we both got out of the car. As we kissed, Reenie said, "You are just fabulous Ginger. Call me as soon as you know what your schedule is. I can not wait to see you again."

I watched her drive away, went inside, and cried a little. I was sad and I was happy. I knew she had done what was, in the end, best for both of us. I could look Lily in the eye tomorrow and say that we hadn't made love. Sex? Me: blushing. 

Mo called when she got home. I was so glad she did! Her voice was thick with emotion. It made me feel good that she cared enough to say no and to call. I knew I wanted to see her again. We talked for a bit and said our goodbyes. I fell asleep smiling.

Wednesday -- I woke up with a smile, thinking of Maureen. Someone else had called her Mo-Mo. She called herself Mo. I would find something that was for us. Reenie? Maybe it was too girlie for a cop. I would look online for nicknames. Too funny, huh -- you can go online and find nicknames for names. Not that an author would ever do that of course. Me: not telling. Gingerly, I did the happy feet dance in the shower when I thought about not being preggers. I apologize for the really awful 'gingerly' thingie. I swear, I'm adding more words to mickey soft's damn dictionary than the Urban Dictionary. I treated myself when I dressed. I ribboned, pacified, and scratchy sweatered. Oh for the love of god, get a clue mickey. I'm writing a novel, not a dictionary. Hey wait! Is this a novel, a novella, or a tale of love between women? Do any of you care? Are we having fun on the journey? I hope so. I'm having fun describing it to you!!

I brushed my hair until it shone -- as much as it does, given all the ringlets and things. Why is it that we who have curls and things wish for straight hair and those with straight hair spend billions trying to make theirs curl? Let me know.

I stopped for a meal. I was hungry, which surprised me. No, I don't know why. Emily 2.0 paid much more attention to women, in general, than before. The waitress looked like forty going on death. Poor thing; you know the type. They're on TV all the time. I left a smiley face and a big tip. Not even Wonder Woman can fix everything. I breezed into work smiling. DAMN, it hit me. I had set up dinner with Nora tonight and I was supposed to see Lily right after work. Shit!

I called. "I screwed up, Nora. I have a meeting with my realtor tonight. I completely spaced. I see Kathy tomorrow at seven. Can we meet after that? I know it's late, but ... "

She sighed. "Sure, Emily, that's fine." Emily? Really? Tone and temperature change noted and filed away. You got yours, I got mine. Maybe two. How the hell does this happen? I was sitting at my desk when a song floated through my head. Bon Jovi: 'No Apologies!'

I texted Lily: Luv u muchly -- see u soon. I meant it too. Okay, to be honest, I sent another to Mo: ;) TYVM!

I worked. It was boring. No, no, I shouldn't say that. I love what I do for a living. It was fun, it was nearly always new, completely frustrating, and kept me on my toes all the time. We were a really great team. Grand Master George made sure of that. I had no doubt he wouldn't be with us much longer. He was destined for much bigger, better things.

The day just sort of floated by -- if that makes any sense. There were thoughts of last night and tonight in my head. Red hair, vibrant energy; brown hair, energy, nuance, subtlety. I admit - I have no clue. I really didn't want to, but in the end, there was no one else to turn to, just one who cared. I called Jenny. I sat in the conference room, one leg crossed over the other, a metronome. I had no idea what she was doing and I felt bad about that -- but I needed. Emily, the big sister. I don't know how many times she called me. David loves me; David doesn't love me. Now, not only wasn't I married, I was living a life she knew nothing about. Hmm, Emily hadn't either -- until Julia. Whoa!

Jenny listened, God bless her. She was honest. "You have a problem Em. I think you're right -- let it play itself out. Whichever is right will become clear as time goes on. You, and each of the two you speak of, are all still so new that it's too soon to judge. As to the sex part -- honey, I don't know and can't begin to understand. But this is your life and your baby sister wants you to be happy. So, be! And I love you." Geez, how could I not cry? I told her I loved her too. We said our goodbyes. I sat and pondered, my leg still going up and down. I did get some work done that afternoon.

I left and headed to Lily's office. Thirty minutes later, we were in her office kissing. Yeah, the door was closed -- geez. She pressed herself to me and I did the same. I had missed her. She broke the kiss, grabbed the file, came around and sat next to me. We chatted about this and that. Can I please fuck you tonight? Inside voice!

Lily said, "I think you can be in your new home within forty five days, sixty at the most. A down payment of thirty or forty percent makes it more attractive to the lender." I thought about it. The house is about $120,000. I could do $40,000 and not blink. I'd still have a decent amount left. Let's just go to dinner and make love, Lily.

"I kind of like how this sounds." She smiled, closed the folder, and nodded. 

In the car, she said, "I'm nearly certain we could be in a closing within three weeks." I smiled and nodded. We would have dinner. And the rest? I shrugged; we'd see. I asked, at dinner, about the real estate taxes. 

She smiled. "They're not all that much. With what you're putting down, the combined mortgage and taxes won't be a big deal." A house inspection? "Absolutely, especially since it's been vacant for a while." Would the bank pay for it? She didn't think so but would ask. "If they say yes it will be written into the contact." Did everything seem in working order? She paused, pursing her lips. "Yes, and I think it's a good idea to go this weekend, walk through the house, garage and grounds to make sure. I know someone who does that sort of work. He's not cheap but he is very thorough." Good, thorough is worth the cost. We sipped our wine and waited for our meals to be served. She asked about my date? 

I blushed. "She's fun to be with Lily; no, we didn't make love." She smiled softly. Did I want to stay the night tonight? Of course I did. We would decide when we had to. "How was your day?"

"I thought I had a deal closed, and at the last second it fell through. The guy got cold feet. Seems the latest reports on housing and unemployment gave him the jitters. I tried; his wife was most unhappy. I think it's going to be rather frosty in their bedroom for the near future. What can you do? It was the right home at the right price, but he wouldn't budge."

We talked as we ate. I had the rainbow trout, which was absolutely delicious. Lily had the braised tenderloin tips; it must have been good because she purred as she ate. Oh my gosh, it was. Tender, perfectly medium rare, the mushrooms fresh, light garlic butter. She must have enjoyed the sliver of my trout; more cooing. We talked about the weekend. She was frantically busy. We could see each other for dinner Saturday but she had to work Sunday. What about the walk through? She looked at her calendar. Fairly early Sunday morning? That meant I would stay overnight Saturday. We both smiled. 

Hmm, that meant Sunday night with Mo. Shopping? Lily promised to carve out an afternoon and evening on a Monday -- soon. She was excited for me about the house. I wasn't sure it was the right thing but it was too good a deal to pass up. We had ordered second glasses of wine and were sipping the last of them. We looked at each other and smiled. Yup, it was time to get the check and go. She wasn't happy that I insisted on paying; I did my best 'cop eyes' stare. She rolled her eyes. I left the tip in cash. I remember reading somewhere servers preferred that -- and signed the credit card slip. We kissed in the parking lot like teenagers, laughed about having two cars. I followed Lily home. She pulled in the garage. I turned off the engine, locked the car and followed her into the house.

Lily made sure the doors were all locked after we hung up our coats. She asked if I wanted a glass of wine. I cocked an eyebrow. She smiled, took my hand, and we walked to the bedroom. Visits to the bathroom -- don't want that getting in the way later. I freshened up a little. She was naked, in bed, when I came out. "Hey, no fair!" She smiled. I had un-ribboned, taken the pacifier out, and fixed the bra at work before leaving. Not that she would have cared; just because. I hurried out of my things; left them over the back of the chair at the vanity. Yeah, her eyes were on me as I undressed, just like mine were on her as she lay in bed. She's gorgeous. I already knew that, but we hadn't been together enough that I would take her beauty, or her gorgeous figure, for granted. She, apparently, had many similar thoughts. When I turned to join her in bed, there was lust in her eyes as she drank me in. I blushed, she smiled.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 04



I slid into bed. My lover's arms were open for me. We kissed; I did the stretchy, languid things. She felt gloriously warm and feminine. I loved her, I loved being with her, and she felt so good against me. The kiss was loving and warm ... for a short time. When she broke it, she whispered, "Miss me?" and slid a single finger over my lips, down my chin and neck, between my breasts, down my belly, past my belly button, circled my pearl (bitch!) and slipped between the sopping wet folds of my pussy. I shivered. Dipping just a bit into the moisture, she trailed the goddamn fabulous finger a little lower, rubbing the juices over and around the rosebud. The feather light touch of her finger was amazingly erotic. 

There was lust, hot as lava and dark as night, in her eyes as she peered into mine. I reached up, slipped my arms around her neck, pulled her to me, and fucked her with my tongue. She, in retaliation, slid three fingers into me -- quick and deep. I arched off the bed at the invaders glorious assault. I was panting through my nose as we kissed. I held her to me, my fingers in her thick brown hair. I was horny, desperately so, after Mo and after my little, umm, treats earlier in the day. I bucked and threw myself at her fingers. My legs were spread wide. Hurry baby, please. I felt the heat begin. I moaned; the bitch took the fingers from me. She broke the kiss and spread my scented essence on my nipples and my lips.

I hissed, "You .... ooh, I hate you!" She smiled.

"No you don't lover. We're only just getting started." She licked my lips with her tongue and bent to my breasts. I turned her to the side and pushed my fingers into her. See how you like it, lover! She attacked my nipples. My god, she's just so damn good! She licked my juices off each nipple, then suckled me. I just closed my eyes and sighed. It was sexy, luxurious, and fabulous. My fingers curled, she moaned when I found it. She's very sensitive to pressure on her g-spot; so I teased and left it alone, using my thumb to circle, graze, and torture her clit. She nipped at a nipple in warning. I pulled my fingers out. She bit me. I rolled her to her back, pinned her to the mattress, and fed her a finger. She tried to lunge for the other; I brought it to my mouth. She moaned.

I whispered, "We have all night lover. You ready to rock and roll?" as I pushed my pubic bone to hers. She lifted her hips in answer and smiled. I kissed her softly. She lifted her legs for me and we began. We are perfect for each other when we love this way. She matches me, meets me, helps me ... she's amazing. I held her face with my hands, hers were in my hair. We kissed, we smiled, and I watched as she started to climb the mountain. Her breathing grew a little more uneven. She bit her lip, her face flushing at the effort she exerted. Her eyes glazed, she looked at me, desperate, as it grew. I wanted to watch as she exploded in it.

"Oh baby, oh my god ..." it was hoarse, low, desperate. "Please, Ginger, please!" I smiled, brushing her dry lips with mine. I knew I was close too. Every whispered word brought the flames in me closer to it. She dug her nails into my back, grunted, her eyes rolled back into her head, she tipped her head back, her arms flailed helplessly, and she screamed. Her body tensed, she pushed her feet into the bed to lift to me. We worked together, furiously, as mine inched closer. Her head flew side to side, brown hair limp and wet. She grabbed the bed sheets, screamed, tensed, and bucked again. I went with her, spiraling into it. It was hot, dark and wild, and we loved together, gloriously. One last push; she collapsed in a heap. I continued; mine hadn't peaked quite yet. Oh god, it was wicked. I loved it, it screamed through me, and then it passed. I cried out in desperation -- no, please no, as it receded, slowly. 

We are glorious. I kissed my honey. She was panting, her eyes open and unfocused. We both shivered. I smiled; part dew cooling, part aftershocks. Lily blinked a couple of time as her eyes focused. She smiled. Her brown eyes were warm and soft. I lowered my mouth to hers, it was sweet and warm. I lay atop her and rested my head in scented skin of her neck and shoulder. We were quiet together. 

"Ginger, that was so damn sexy knowing your eyes were watching me every step of the way as we moved together. I was burning up inside; could you tell?" I smiled and nodded. No, not really, but my eyes saw how it had affected her. "I felt so sexy, my lover loving me, while her eyes never left mine. I felt your body hovering over mine, not quite touching, just your nipples most of the time, brushing back and forth. Oh lord!" I smiled into her neck, kissed it. My fingers were roaming lightly here and there. I really wasn't paying that much attention ... they were just moving softly over familiar dips, hills and curves. It was as if I was tracing, imprinting a mental topographic map of my lover.

I brought Lily to her side, pulled up the covers, and we cuddled. She smiled at me. I was completely satisfied. I was content to cuddle, whisper and kiss. Eventually, Lily got around to it. Her eyes filled. "I hated that you were with your cop. I was a miserable witch all day and I cried most of the night. I knew you wouldn't fuck her, and I knew, know, that you wanted to. I know you will, too, and it hurts me, the knowing. There's something about her; Mo, right?" I nodded silently. "There's something about her that you can't shake loose from. Nora turned out just like I thought it would; you too, most likely. This one, she scares me Ginger; I don't want to lose you." I didn't know what to say or do. I knew she was right. Most of all, I desperately wanted to change the subject.

"Could you teach me, Lily? About your business I mean? You're so good at it and I'm fascinated by how you do it so easily. Could you?" She kissed me and smiled.

"Ginger, I was born to sell real estate. I just didn't know it until I got into it and that was around the time of the divorce. I needed money, more than I was making, to be independent the way I wanted. I was awful at it early on. I was desperate and I got suckered -- the ones who looked good, smelled good, and didn't have two cents to rub together. Let alone those with a credit history that would make a ... oh never mind. So why are you interested?"

"Well, you make it look so easy. I'm fascinated, curious, a little envious I guess, and I admire how you carry yourself. You got divorced ten years ago right?" She nodded. "So, it was eleven, twelve years; you were thirty when you started, right? Am I too old to start?" She laughed.

"No honey, there is no age limit. Only what's in here," she tapped my head, "and what's in here," she tapped between my breasts. "God help me, I can't get enough of these glories." She bent to them and the cuddling thing kind of went out the window. Okay, not kind of -- completely! It was quite some time before we finished. We were amazing, we were insatiable, and it was so wonderful and thorough we both fell asleep, together, rather quickly.

Saturday - The morning sun was bright, the sheets were still damp, the scent in the air was fabulous, and my honey was gone. I grabbed a robe, used the toilet, and looked for Lily. There was coffee. My god, it was almost nine. There was a note: Hated leaving without a kiss sweetie. You were sleeping so soundly. We were wonderful together last night. I slept the sleep of the dead; hope you did too. If you're comfortable doing so, you're welcome to have Kathy come here for your workout. Otherwise, I'll see you later for dinner. Hope you won't mind being dessert -- again. Love you, Lily

Hmm ... good question, Lily. How did I feel about having Kathy here? I would think about that for a bit. Or ... I called. Nora answered, "Hey you! How are you?"

Slinky, sated, smiling -- "I'm doing okay, Nora, how about you?"

"Me? I'm just lounging around being the bum on a Saturday morning."

"You mentioned wanting to meet ... are you available for breakfast this morning?"

"It's nearly nine. Yeah, I'll hop in the shower. Can we meet at ten? The usual place? This is a surprise; everything okay?" I spent the night with a woman who loves me; hell yeah.

"Yup. I have Kathy this afternoon and plans for tonight. I thought I'd call; kind of spur of the moment. I'll see you at ten." We said goodbyes and hung up. Our usual place had comfort food 24/7 - big, inexpensive plates of fabulous food. I could find out what was up with Nora and get home to see Kathy. I could even get back to Lily's before she got home. Hmm. A spare key? - I called Lily's cell. "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you. I'm meeting Nora for breakfast, then seeing Kathy at my place. May I ask -- is there a spare key? I could come back after seeing Kathy and be waiting for you."

"Oh Ginger, there is an extra garage door opener in the kitchen drawer. Please honey, take it. What a wonderful idea. I have to scoot but I'm thrilled you called. I'll see you tonight; I can't wait!"

I smiled, found the garage door opener, and scurried to the bathroom. A quick shower, dried my hair, borrowed a clean pair of Lily's panties, and got dressed. Interesting if Nora would wonder why I was dressed the way I was -- the clothes I had worn to work Friday. I stuck the garage door opener in my purse, took my coat off the hanger, and headed out the back door. I clicked the garage door open, opened my car, closed the garage door, and headed out. 

I got to the restaurant a few minutes early. No Nora; I asked the hostess for a table for two. I asked the server for coffee; I needed it desperately. Yes, I had slept well, just not nearly long enough. Nora breezed in a few minutes late. I waved, she smiled, I stood, we hugged. It was wonderful to see her. We sat; it took, maybe, five seconds -- she showed me her left hand. The ring was absolutely gorgeous. Princess cut, gold band filled with little diamond chips -- just lovely. She was beaming. "It's absolutely gorgeous Nora. I'm just thrilled for you. How are the kids doing with the news?"

"Ginger, they're so happy. They just adore Jimmy. It's a little tough for you-know-who. They didn't want to spend that first weekend with him. But I put my foot down; not fair to him. Are you working?" I was in Friday's work clothes.

"I'm heading home after this." I'm not telling her about Lily; no reason to. "I see Kathy later. That is going fabulously. She's wonderful to work with; so patient and thorough. Nora, she just raves about you -- one of her oldest clients." 

"Yup -- five years with her; she's doing wonderfully with her business." I told her about the check; she was shocked. I laughed. I told her about the house and what was new with that. "Wow! So sounds like that might be soon. That's just fabulous. I never thought your asshole would come across." The waitress took our orders and left after pouring coffee.

"Neither did I Nora. It does give me some breathing room. I'll need it to furnish the house." I told Nora about Tammy and "Operation Intervention." We both smiled. 

"That was so wonderful of you, Ginger. I'm proud of my friend."

"You should have seen her; she was like a newlywed. It was so cute. She took me to lunch, hugged me, and kissed me." Nora's eyed widened. "Nah, it was just a chaste, friendly kiss. It was kind of cute though." I told her about buying lunch for the office after the check and how much fun it was for everybody. Nora just stared in amazement. I smiled and shrugged. "So, the big question: when?" She smiled.

"Well, it's going to be at the courthouse. We're not doing a big party afterwards. We figured we might get married on a Thursday and have a long weekend -- Easter weekend. Is it okay if I ask you to stand up for me?"

"Well of course I will -- good grief!" She smiled. "Once you get things nailed down email me and let me know what you need me to do. Do you want a hen party? Or is still a bachelorette party?" She laughed.

"Nah, we can just get a motel room and make love all day." There was a twinkle in her eye. 

I gave her cop eyes, flat and cold. "No!" I sat, gathering myself, letting my anger simmer. "You're getting married, I'm very, very happy for you. That was then, it was absolutely wonderful and it will never to be repeated." I smiled brightly.

"I better go." Nora reached for her purse.

"Sit still. Look at me Nora." She did, stiff with anger. "I'm perfectly okay with all of this ... who we were, the fabulous interlude and love we shared, and with you getting married. I don't regret a minute of it. I want my friendship with my BFF to continue. She'll be married, that's all. Is that clear enough?" I reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

She got up, put on her coat, and left without a word. I sat, sighed, stared at my coffee. The waitress brought the food and looked at me. "She had to go ... give it to someone who might need a break today or one of your staff. I'll have mine." She turned without a word. God damn! I ate my breakfast, paid the bill for both of us, and left. I drove to my place. On the way I had a long talk with myself. I can't control Nora's feelings, reactions, or anything. Yeah, I was a little harsh but I did my best to smooth that over. I don't know what's going on with her -- not my deal. I'd wait to hear from her.

It was close to noon. I had three hours till Kathy came. I needed some down time. I ran a hot bath. I soaked in the heated water, letting it soothe my muscles. I leaned my head back. I knew I wouldn't break my date with Mo tomorrow. I had to find out who she was and who we might be. Lily was right about that; frighteningly so. The margin of yes and no the other night was razor thin. Sunday night - I would let it play out; but there was no doubt in my mind what I wanted. I thought about how fabulous it all was. The night Lily and I had spent last night ... the night we would spend again tonight. I really did love being with her; how good we were, lovemaking aside, together. And here I am, my mind wandering to tomorrow night. Good lord in heaven. The water wasn't warm and I was waterlogged when I got out of the tub. I dried off, put on my work out clothes, and waited for Kathy.

The knock on the door woke me up with a start. I smiled as I headed to the door. I opened it. Nora? Her features were twisted, angry. She slammed the door shut, grabbed me, twisted me around, and pushed me against the door. Something in her eyes scared the crap out of me. I unlocked the doorknob. "What is it Nora? You're so angry! Why honey?"

She slapped me. Her voice shook with rage, "You seduced me, turned me inside out and upside down. I'm going to fuck you, Emily and then I never want to see you again. We're not friends. I don't know your name after today. Take your clothes off ... NOW!" She was shaking with rage. She had a hand in her pocket. That was what scared me. I kicked off my shoes, stripped off the shorts, panties and socks, lifted my top and sports bra and left them on the floor by the door. I stood, hands behind my back, never taking my eyes off of hers. She looked at me and hissed, "Get in the bedroom bitch, on the bed, on your back, hands over your head." I calculated as she talked. She had five years with Kathy; I had a couple of weeks. Before I headed to the bedroom, I turned the handle on the doorknob slightly, leaving it a bit ajar.

I turned and walked, backwards, to the bedroom, Nora following me. I climbed on the bed, on my back, my hands over my head. She climbed on top of me ... from the other pocket she took a thin strand of rope. She bound my wrists to the headboard. Oh lord. The tears flowed silently. She slapped me again. "Don't you fucking cry you fucking bitch. You nearly turned me and it almost cost me the man I'm going to marry. Watch me as I strip. This body that you lusted for is his, not yours; watch one last time." She stood, undressed slowly. She kept her eyes on me. I never once looked at her body -- I kept my eyes on hers. I could see her flush with anger. Would Kathy be aware enough with the slightly opened door to step in without calling my name? I hadn't had time to open my phone and press Mo's number and leave the line open for a trace.

Nora climbed back on the bed, straddled me, and held my nose. I had to open my mouth to breathe ... and I did what she wanted. She held me to her with her fingers in my hair; her juices flooded my mouth and my face. She shook as her orgasm took her. I cried the whole time. Then, suddenly, she was gone. I looked. Kathy had her pinned to the floor, an arm around her neck, her other hand holding Nora's arm high behind her back. She pinned Nora's arm with her knee and put a choke hold on her. Kathy's face was a mask of fury. I saw Nora convulse once, twice, then she went limp. 

Kathy stood, quickly untied my hands and used the rope to tie Nora's hands behind her back. She grabbed the covers from my bed and covered me. She looked me in the face. "Where's your phone, I'm calling 911." I told her, she hurried to my purse. I said, "Look for Mo ... Maureen. She's a cop." She came back into the room and showed me the phone; I nodded. Nora was beginning to rouse. Kathy put her foot on Nora's neck to keep her still as she spat out the words. She nodded, looked at me, nodded again, closed the phone and handed it to me.

I got up, put on a bathrobe, and went into the kitchen. I heard the sirens and the door burst open. Mo! The look on her face was ... I shivered. I pointed to the bedroom. More uniforms came flooding in. Mo came out a few minutes later and sat down next to me in the chair. I didn't remember sitting down. "Can you tell me what happened, Ms. Rogers?" I looked at her; her eyes told me, silently, 'No.' I nodded and told her everything that I could about it all. The email the other day, my decision to call this morning for breakfast, the breakfast, our back and forth, and how she just up and left.

"Why did you open the door?" she asked. 

"I thought it was Kathy; she was due at three." I admitted that I hadn't looked at the clock. I mentioned the bath and that I had dozed. She was taking notes. Two gigantic dudes were leading a handcuffed Nora out the door. Her green eyes were dead and angry, her face ugly with hatred. The most Mo could do was slide her chair closer to me. I understood.

Mo said one of the other officers was taking a statement from Kathy in the bedroom. I nodded and mouthed: please kiss me. My eyes flooded. She looked over one shoulder, then the other. She leaned in. Her mouth was soft and warm; gone in a blink. I closed my eyes with relief. "I didn't have time to get to my phone, dial your number and leave it open. I thought she had a weapon and her eyes were crazed. I was so afraid." That was when I let it all go.

I sobbed as the police officer, my lover, patted my shoulder. "She'll be booked; it's a weekend, she won't be arraigned till Monday at the earliest. I'll pull a few strings and make sure of it. Will you be okay tonight Ms. Rogers?" My married name; keep it formal for random ears nearby.

I smiled and whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow night okay?" and squeezed her hand. 

She didn't smile but her eyes softened as she nodded. "Someone will be in touch; we'll want a more detailed statement. You've been very helpful." Kathy came out of the bedroom, followed by the cop who had taken her statement. She looked at me; I smiled. Mo said, "I think that will be all for now, Ms. Rogers, we'll be in touch." I saw it in her eyes: Call me! I nodded and said thank you. Mo shook Kathy's hand and then mine. They left.

Kathy rushed to me. We hugged. "Oh my god Kathy, you saved my life. I prayed you would notice the door slightly ajar and my clothes in a heap on the floor." I was shaking like a leaf. She held me tight. Oh dear god. I felt every luscious, firm curve of her body pressing against me. I leaned my head on her shoulder and sighed. I wanted to so badly. And now I knew she did too. Right? Geez, like today was the right day to find out? I tried to smile as I leaned away from her. "What's the rate for saving a life?" God love her, she smiled.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 04



"You gonna be okay Ginger? I'll stay for a while if you want." I don't want you to sit with me. I want you in my bed.

"Honey, I think I'm okay. Let's see, Saturday's aren't working out too well for us are they?" We both laughed. I can't explain why, but I leaned in and kissed her. Uh huh, I really did. Light, closed lips, little more than a brush. Her eyes were hot, wide, and I knew, in that moment, that she was too and that she wanted me. I shook my head in frustration and embarrassment. "I'm sorry Kathy. That was uncalled for. You saved me from grave danger and I made a fool of myself. I'm ver ..." Her mouth covered mine; that kiss was not the least bit light breezy.

"This isn't the time or place Ginger but I'd always wondered. The way Nora talked of you, the way you looked at me. We'll figure this out another time." Another quick, warm kiss, and she smiled, touched my cheek with her hand, and left.

No way could I drive to Lily's. No, I had to ... somehow. I took the robe off, threw the workout clothes in the garbage, showered in water as scalding hot as I could stand and still felt like shit when I was done. My skin was red, raw, and sore. My eyes were dull and puffy. I put on underwear, jeans, a sweater, and penny loafers. I stuffed Lily's panties in my purse. I threw on a coat, opened the door, peeked out, and went to my car. I sort of expected the tires to be slashed. I read too damn much. I backed out of the lot and headed to Lily's. I looked at the clock -- shit! It was almost six. I half expected the phone to ring. I checked it ... I had missed a message: running late, dinner reservation at 7, love u! L

I just wanted to get there safely. I opened the garage door -- nope. Phew! I raced inside, closing the garage door as I entered. I hurried in, hung up my coat, and poured myself one big ass glass of wine. I collapsed on the couch. Not ten minutes later I heard the garage door open. I smiled, relieved. I stood, put the glass down. Lily breezed in as usual, took one look at me and came rushing. "What? Good god, what happened? Oh my god, Ginger, tell me! Please!" I sobbed. I was limp, sore, scared, and in the arms of the woman I loved. 

Yup, in that blink of a moment, my mind was made up. This woman would be my future. I didn't want a house of my own. I would stay in my shit box until the time was right. She held me as I cried, part relief, part ... relief. She sat me down on the couch, handed me my wine, and made a phone call. "This is Lily Russo. Please cancel the reservation. I want two dinners delivered. Pick them for me and charge my credit card. Okay, that will be fine. Thank you so much."

She poured herself a glass and came and sat with me. "Tell me all of it." I did, through tears, sobs, shivers, and sips of wine for liquid courage. Her brown eyes never left mine. They were cold with rage, hot with anger, and teared with fear. I told Lily about the breakfast, the rather random comment, and my response that seemed to have spurred her rage. How Nora had stormed out. I could see the fury in her eyes and on her face. She seemed to understand, instinctively, what I had done and why. I told her about the bath, how I had fallen asleep, my shock at seeing Nora, the hate in her eyes, about unlocking the door, leaving it slightly ajar, and praying that Kathy would notice the clothes on the floor. I told her about being naked, hands tied over my head, and what she had forced me to do. I told her about feeling Nora being lifted from me, seeing Kathy hurl her to the ground, then untying me, how she used my phone, how I told her to call Mo. Lily's eyes clouded at that for a moment. She nodded. How I wasn't sure if I could or should come to her house and how glad I was that I had. Her eyes were wet when she kissed me.

The door bell rang -- dinner. Lily signed the slip and put the food on the counter. I came to the table and sat. I wasn't hungry and I was famished. Lily spooned my dinner onto a plate and set it in front of me. I smiled, held my hand out to her; we kissed, softly, hungrily. She pulled away after a while and did the same with her food. She sat as close as the chairs allowed. I pushed the food around the plate, picked at it. I felt her eyes on me and I smiled, badly.

Lily stood, locked the doors, turned off the lights, came to me, took my hand, and let me to our bed. She gently pushed me back on it; I was trembling with fear, remembering. She stood, undressed, and slid back into bed. Her brown eyes were warm, soft, and had tears. "May I please, Ginger?" I smiled, best as I could, and nodded. She undressed me, piece by piece, kissing my flesh, an inch at a time, leaving me trembling with terror and want. I don't know exactly how but she was astride me -- both of us naked, her body warm, mine still trembling, yet desperate and needy.

My beauty was slow, gentle, deliberate. She let me guide her. I was a frenzy of want, frantic for release, relief. I tried to let my body show her ... she was scared too. I finally took her hand, put it between my legs, and whispered "Please!" 

Her eyes filled, she nodded and devoured me, slowly, relentlessly, completely. Any attempt to reciprocate was met with a firm hand. She gave again and again, she left me limp, shivering, breathless, completely satisfied, crying. She held me close as I recovered. She asked for nothing in return. I knew any advances would be rebuffed. The last time we made love we were face to face, body to body, wet sex to wet sex. My eyes never left hers until they couldn't see anymore. I knew she had taken her pleasure when I heard her scream -- echoing, seemingly, forever. The last thing I remembered, oddly, before I slipped into sleep was Heart -- 'Strong, Strong Wind.' I smiled, held her close, and slept, deeply and well.

I woke Sunday in Lily's arms. When she realized I was awake she brushed the hair from my face and kissed me. It warmed and comforted me as the horrible memories flooded my mind. I shivered; she recognized it, and held me close. Her lips were in my ears, "I'm not leaving your side today, Ginger." No, that wasn't fair! Lily had work to do, clients, prospects to care for. I would be okay; I told her so. She argued with me; I was, umm, stubborn. I cheated. I asked if I could bring some of my clothes and things over. She beamed, nodded, kissed me, and headed for the shower. I got out of bed, put on a robe, and tied the sash. I had so much to think about. I know what my thoughts were yesterday -- but this was Sunday. Mo! Kathy? I had no clue. I knew what Lily was. I loved her. I wasn't going to buy the house. I would tell her later. There was no point. Yeah, I might move in with Lily - some time soon. Nora, what the fuck is wrong with you? What did I do that brought out that kind of anger, especially at a time of such joy for you and Jimmy?

Lily came out of the bathroom smiling. She bent to kiss me and hurried into the closet. She came out looking like Lily, my professional sales woman. I stood to meet her, pressed myself to her and kissed her hungrily. "I have to go honey; you have yourself a comfortable day. See you later." I smiled, even as my mind was whirring. I walked her to the garage door and waved as she backed out past my car.

I called Mo. "Christ, Ginger, are you okay? Are you home? Can I come over?" Oh fuck. What time is it? I looked at the clock. Half past eight.

"Yeah, can you come at ten?"

"Sure. You okay?"

"Yeah, kinda I guess. See you soon Mo." I hurried to get dressed, pushed the garage door button, and backed out of the driveway. I had about an hour to make up my mind once and for all. I know, I know -- in the emotion of last night I had said what my heart felt was right and real. No, I hadn't lied to myself. But I knew, deep in some part of me, that 'your cop' had some special kind of appeal. Whatever that attraction was had its hooks in me, way deep. Did I dare explore? And if I did, what would happen to me and Lily? She was already jealous and I didn't think that was, generally, part of her makeup. It was a sign that I was something -- no, way more than 'something' to her. Lily told me how she felt about me and Mo. How it killed her wondering if she and I were ... umm. God help me, I wanted to!! I stopped, grabbed something stupid to eat and some coffee, and headed home. I gulped the food and sipped the hot, blissfully strong coffee.

I stopped, turned off the car, looked around, headed in, looked around again, and walked to the door. I tested the handle; turned the key, and pushed the door open. I shivered. I knew I could never stay here ever again. This place was dead to me. Shit, I called it the band box anyway. I would give notice before I left today.

I stripped the bed; all of it went in the garbage. I hurried to the shower. I scrubbed, I soaked, I cried. I dried myself and my hair, slipped into jeans, bra, sweatshirt, and anklets as the knock came to the door. I shivered. Why the fuck didn't this damn place have a peek hole? I opened the door to a worried, frowning Mo.

I opened my arms to her. She shut and locked the door and came to me. I cried as if it had just happened. She held me tight to her. 'My god, she's strong' came from somewhere in my not quite red head. I kissed her, desperately, as if seeking life, which wasn't that far from the truth. Mo and Kathy both actually. She pushed away, held my shoulders with her hands and studied me. Cop eyes; I smiled. I kissed her at the thought of it. I knew she didn't know and I wasn't going to tell her. She slipped out of her coat, threw it on the chair and gave the band box a quick, thorough once over.

Mo came out of the bedroom with a tight smile. "Getting rid of it all huh?" I nodded, the tears started again. She stepped to me and looked me in the eye. "No, Ginger -- good for you, it's the right thing for you to do." I felt much better. "Want me to help you make up the bed again?" The twinkle was unmistakable. I laughed and nodded. We made the bed. 

I stripped her right after we finished making it. She had her turn and then had her turn again. My god she was a whirlwind of glorious, fit, female flesh, all of it perfectly soft, curved, and firm. How she loved me!! The hints from that time in the parking lot? Oh my god! If you remember it, and I did, take it to the tenth power. She is absolutely gorgeous, which I knew. She has the most fabulous breasts, which I knew. She has the most amazing lean, firm, athletic, insatiable body, which I had correctly guessed. She was a devil in giving, demanding, and taking pleasure.

She ravaged me, gently. She loved me, wonderfully. She teased me; I shivered. I finally recovered enough to take my fill of her. Lord god, as gloriously as she loved me, she was every bit the lithe, fit, fabulous feminine subject of my oral and other attentions and affections. I can't begin to recount the gasps, pants, screams and the rest of it all. I knew we had each examined, explored, tasted, and caressed every bit of each other that was bare to us, surprised us, delighted us, or that we may have wondered about. And if that doesn't give you enough of a visual then (shrug) go get you some!

As glorious as it was there was a lot we needed to deal with. I faced it head on. "Mo, it's probably best for both of us that we not spend the night together ... much as I want to." I smiled and swept a few strands of red hair from her eyes. "I think I need a little time." I could see the 'bullshit meter' in her eyes. Oh well ... it is what it is. I needed more time with her -- and I wasn't sure I had it or wanted it. She tried to pull away; I wouldn't let her. I kissed her, trying, with my lips and the press of my body, to let her know how much I really did want her. And I did!!! There was the conundrum.

She pulled from the kiss and said, "We had to bond Nora out, Ginger." I began to shiver with fear. "I didn't want to, but her attorney made such a stink -- first offense, a bunch of other bullshit, and the A.D.A. really couldn't argue. Apparently her fiancé put up some of the bail money." She kissed me, stood, and began to get dressed. "You may have noticed I locked the door when I came in. If you have somewhere to go - do it. Please!" I slipped on my robe. "I really don't think she's stupid enough to try anything Ginger. I think being in jail scared the crap out of her; her fiancé was madder than hell. She might, depending on how it all goes, lose custody of her kids." She moved to me, hands on my shoulders. "Please be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you." I walked her to the door for one last kiss. I did everything that I could to speak of my gratitude with my lips and hands. Not just this morning but for everything. I watched as Mo walked to her car, she waved and was gone. FUCK!

I hurried to wash up and dress. I threw a bunch of clothes, makeup, and other stuff into a suitcase and headed to the car. I backed out of the driveway and drove to Lily's. I'm a civilian who wouldn't know if she was being followed. I pulled into the driveway and opened the garage door. Damn! I locked the car and headed in the back door, suitcase in hand.

Lily was on the couch, glass in hand, legs crossed. I dropped the suitcase, walked to the couch and kissed her, and sat down. "Mo called me; Nora is out on bail." Lily paled; I nodded. "I couldn't believe it either. She told me that she couldn't believe it. She begged me not to stay at the apartment, though she thought it unlikely Nora would try anything stupid. I went to the apartment, threw some things in the suitcase and hurried back. I'm surprised to see you, Lily, but very glad." Better shut up now.

"You went to your apartment, Mo came, you fucked her, she told you about Nora, left, you packed a bag, and now you basically want to move in with me. That about sum it up, Ginger?" I actually wished Lily had said those words. I hated lying - or not telling the whole truth.

"I was worried about you, Ginger. An appointment canceled, I moved one up, and pushed another back a bit. I came back and you weren't here. I figured you went to your place." She didn't say it.

"Lily, I'm never going back to that apartment. Ever! I don't know if it's smart for us to move in together yet. I don't want to buy that house, as much as I like it. I want you in my life and I don't want to worry about a damn house. If you think you can negotiate a lease on it, fine. Maybe you can find another apartment, I don't know." Lily leaned and kissed me to shut me up. I couldn't tell her. It would hurt her so I didn't. Lily held me as I cried. I figured she knew anyway.

"When did you decide you don't want to buy the house honey?"

"Last night Lily. This morning, after last night -- I don't know." I shrugged. "If I may ... my future is with you. If, that is, you'll have me." I laughed at the way I worded that. Lily smiled. "I don't know what to do about work. Nora knows where I work. There's the parking lot I always use. It's scary enough; now this. I know what Mo told me and it scares the crap outta me. I need to get the rest of my things. The band box is furnished, so I only have that to worry about. Oh shit, Lily, I'm talking too damn much." I shook my head in frustration.

Lily eyed me coolly. "I know how scared you are after yesterday, Ginger. You were very passive in our lovemaking last night. There were several times when I thought you were a breath away from crying during dinner. I'm glad Mo called you honey, and I understand why you don't want to go back to that place. There's no reason for you not to stay here. In fact, I'm glad you will be. About the house ... we'll let that rest for a bit. I would recommend we sign a contract. We can always pull it back later." Lily smiled. "Welcome home Ginger Butler." She leaned in and kissed me. I was on her left; I reached for her, pulled her to straddle me on my lap and held her tight to me. I could feel the smile in our kiss.

I have no way to explain this other than to just say it. I hated how I got here and I was very happy that I was here. I wasn't horny. My god, not after ... can a human being feel any worse about feeling as good as I did? If Lily had given any sign that she wanted to make love, I'd have done so in the proverbial New York second. I swear my fingers that by themselves. I know, I know -- Ms. Freud, your slip is showing. It was nice cuddling and kissing. It was a while later that Lily stood and suggested we take the suitcase to her bedroom to hang my clothes.

I didn't bring everything and I knew we would have some challenges fitting everything in her ... our closet. Lily was already moving some of her things into the second bedroom. No, that's silly. I insisted that my stuff go into the second bedroom's closet. She wouldn't hear of it. She could put seasonal clothing in the other closet. I pouted; she raised an eyebrow and she stared. We both giggled -- problem solved. I laughed and said, "Hey you, we never did have our make-up sex." She rolled her eyes. I smiled. There had been enough lovemaking to cover several dustups. Makeup and the like went into the bathroom. We left some things for later. Lily suggested she needed to welcome me home, umm, in a certain way. Who am I to refuse such an invitation?

No, we weren't married or anything, but that didn't mean I didn't feel a sudden shyness as my lover undressed me in our bed. I whispered, "Have I told you today how much I love you?" She smiled, kissed me, and showed me, emphatically, enthusiastically, and repeatedly how much she loved me. I tried to turn her over (and nearly succeeded) during the first 'assault,' tried again, weakly, during the next, and was too, hmm, what's the word, oh hell -- well fucked, to even try during the next. Please notice I did not say 'last.' Interestingly, the first involved me standing at the side of the bed while Lily's head hung over the edge. Clear enough? Picture me, on shaky, spread legs, fingers on my nipples as instructed, while her tongue pleasured me and a hand wreaked glorious havoc on my clit. The free hand kept me from collapsing on her. I did, as the orgasm shredded me, need to lean on the bed for support. It's hard to type with one hand (wink).

Thankfully, I was able to climb on the bed. Caveat emptor: being on the bed ... oh lord, what Lily did to me. It would take a lot less time to describe what she didn't do to me. I was limp from it, god love her. Oh dear, I may have forgotten to mention that among other things I brought from the sugar shack (band box) were a few toys. So if I tell you that I was limp (and sore) it was because Lily made very, very good use of one of the toys. Her screams of pleasure were as loud as mine, praise be to false, plastic gods. One more -- with Lily on her back and me, screaming for mercy and with pleasure ... oh god, to be with the one you love is a fabulous thing.

We rested. I was in a fetal curl, Lily spooning me. The only way I knew I had fallen asleep was because I felt Lily's lips on mine. And it was dark outside. She helped me to the shower (shiver) and let me soak in the hot water alone ... well, nearly. I did recover enough to give Lily a spend. She insisted we go out to dinner.

We talked in the car and in the restaurant. Was there an alarm system? She paled; she would make a few calls tomorrow. Her garage door opener worked automatically from the car she drove. Mine was one of two. We agreed to hide the other. The codes would be disabled for the 'leftover.' I would keep mine in my purse; never in the car. All windows would be locked; all doors would be checked. The patio doors -- she would have the security company do a security check. 

"I'm sorry for bringing all this bullshit into your life." She reminded me, curtly, that it was into our lives. Okay. "I have to adjust my thinking. The only 'we' in my life was when I was married." Lily smiled, nodded, and kissed me. The kiss was light and it warmed me to my toes. You're wondering where we went and what we had for dinner? Honest to god I don't remember. It was that kind of day and night.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 04



We headed home after. Lily pulled the car into the garage, clicked the door closed, and we went inside. Lily stood stock still. She turned to me, made a 'shh' motion with her fingers, reached into her purse, and pulled out a gun. Oh my god. I wasn't going to take any chances. I walked to the phone on the kitchen counter, punched in 911and put the receiver down. Lily turned to me, I shook my head -- no, don't. I pointed to the phone. She nodded. 

Not five minutes later, I was at the door, opened it, and held a finger to my lips. The impossibly big dude nodded, waved to those behind him, and they did what cops do, inside and out. They came back with an 'all clear' a few minutes later. I looked at Lily. She was pale. I knew there was something ... I went to her and whispered, "Whatever it is, just say it." She looked at me, blinked, and nodded.

"Officer, there may not be anything missing or whatever, but someone was here tonight. This is my home and I just know it!" Thankfully, the cop in charge had a female as his partner. 

She stepped up. "Ms. Russo, what is it that you sense is amiss?" Lily shook her head.

"I ... honest to god, I don't know exactly. That's what set me off." She looked at me. I smiled and nodded. "I'm not sure. I may just be a little jittery. Ginger was assaulted in her apartment yesterday. We're both a little shook up about that. She found out this morning that her assailant was released on bail. I just ... I might be wrong, but it feels like someone has been in the house. I'm calling a security company tomorrow morning first thing."

The police woman was empathetic; her partner, not so much. She promised that patrols would do a couple of drive bys tonight and notice would be given to the day shift. We thanked them for responding so quickly. Shortly after they left my phone rang. I nearly fainted. The called ID showed it was Nora. I showed it to Lily; she shrugged. I opened the phone.

A man's voice said, "Is this Emily? This is Jim Carpenter, Nora's fiancé." I had waved Lily over and she was listening next to my ear. "I'm sure this is a shock; I apologize for that. May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Yes Jim, this is Emily. How can I help you?"

"Emily, I'm calling to apologize. What happened yesterday was uncalled for on a lot of levels. Among other things I want you to know -- there will be no repeat of yesterday. Her attorney, her parents, the children are all madder than hell. I'm none too pleased to find out some of what went on but that's history now." That last got a major eye roll from Lily. "Nora was simply too embarrassed to call. May I hand her the phone?" That was easy.

"No. I appreciate the call, Jim. I have no interest in seeing or talking to Nora -- ever!" Lily nodded. "I'm going to say good night now."

"I understand and will pass your thoughts along. Thank you for taking the call. I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision. Good night." I closed the phone. Lily hugged me.

"Do you think that puts some closure on this, Lily? Does he have enough influence with Nora to make this crap stop?"

"It's pretty hard to say for certain honey, but he certainly sounded earnest. I'm calling the security company first thing."

"Lily, let's you and me go do our own walk through. We'll start by rechecking and locking all the windows and doors. While we do, you can tell me about your gun." I let my eyes show my unhappiness. She smiled a tight little smile. "I notice that it wasn't visible when the P O L I C E came. Do you have the proper permits?"

"Of course I do Ginger. I'm successful, I have a very nice home, and I'm with strangers in empty homes a lot. If you remember, it was a female client who seduced me. If it had been a man, it could have turned very ugly -- or worse. I know it's happened to others. After the seduction I went about getting licensed. I bought the gun, went to a range, and was taught how to shoot. You're one of only a few who even know about the weapon." We talked about this as we both wandered through the first floor, checking doors and windows. Lily grabbed her purse, we sat down, and she took out the gun. "It's a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber. I use .32 caliber H&R hollow point bullets. If I'm going to shoot, I want whoever I'm aiming at to go down. Here, take it." I shook my head. "It's very light." Lily took my hand and put the damn thing in it. Good lord, it is ridiculously light. I handed it back to her. Lily looked me dead in the eye as she spoke. "I'll take you to the range and you'll learn to shoot." Shit! Hmm, maybe; we would see.

"I'm not comfortable with this, Lily, but we'll see."

"And I'm not comfortable with the woman I love being assaulted and raped and, if Kathy hadn't come when she did, most likely worse. So you'll learn how to defend yourself. And yes, for this, please do talk with Mo." Oh great; I pretty much could guess how that conversation would go. Oh well, these are the kinds of things that happen in a relationship. The unbreakable bond is built strand by strand, an inch at a time.

"I have another session with Kathy on Tuesday. Are you okay with me inviting her over?" I already knew the answer. 

"Of course I am honey. I'd love to meet her, of course, and give her my thanks for saving you from harm. Does she know about us?" I blushed and shook my head. "Oh. Well, then she'll find out Tuesday, won't she?"

"Yeah, she will. I just know you'll like her honey. She's absolutely wonderful. She knows her stuff and is very diligent in getting me to do the exercises just so. I just love her to death."

"My, my I believe my Ginger has a serious girl crush on this Kathy. Do I have yet another one to worry about?" Lily said this with a gigantic grin and twinkling eyes. Crap! I wanted to melt into the cushions I was so embarrassed.

"I kissed her Saturday after she rescued me, Lily. I want to say it was the emotion of it all, but, yeah, she's just so gorgeous. I do have a bit of a crush on her." Lily smiled and leaned in for a kiss. 

"Sometimes, honey, I forget that this is still relatively new to you. You look at every woman you see a little differently than you did before Julia came into your life. I know just how you feel. I was very much 'Lilyslut' for quite some time after my first time. I just want my honey to come home to me." That last was with a wink. This woman of mine -- she does know me and she gets me too!! How cool is that?

We turned off the lights in the front of the house and went to the bedroom. It was late. I used the washroom first. I washed up after ... just to get some of ... umm ... just to freshen up. Lily was sitting on the bed. She smiled at me, stood, kissed me and headed to the bathroom. I slid into bed. I had a moment and cried. I was wildly happy, content and I wondered who the hell this woman in my body was. Emily Sue Rogers? Yeesh! Long gone. Long live the Queen, the Queen is dead ... or something like that. Ginger Butler? Oh yeah baby! Heart's 'Will You Be There in the Morning?' You bet honey, tomorrow morning and beyond. Thinking of the words ... when Lily came out of the bathroom I had tears. She stood and stared. I held my arms out to her and melted into her when she lay with me. It was sweet and slow. 'You're my obsession, my addiction, my drug.' And I took every bit of her -- sweet and low. Her cries of pleasure were sweet music in my ears. I did nothing but give ... often. When Lily finally had her fill we kissed sweetly. She fell asleep on my shoulder. I cried a little about it all. It was just so wonderful. I finally slipped away.

Author's Note: As ever, this is a flight of fantasy; completely fictitious. If there is any resemblance to anyone walking among us my apologies. Another author put it so well: "The site is free. The author is 'paid' in comments and votes." I hope you've enjoyed another chapter of a rather long tale!!

This story is dedicated to someone very special -- the 'other' AVL. A little over a year and, remarkably, half a million words later, my life is so much different. Readers from all over the world have found my stories. This is an incredible site with so many gifted writers. Without her prodding, teasing and assistance I wouldn't have found my muse. She saw talent I had no clue I possessed. She saw growth while I struggled to find the right words as I wrote. I'm still in awe and amazed at it all. This story lay unfinished for quite some time. I had to come back to it, finish it, and publish it as a tribute to her. I miss her.



Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 05







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 05



"Did you get the license plate of whatever it was that just destroyed me, Ginger?" I smiled, got up, found a clean glass, filled it with cold water, and brought it to Mo. I held her while she sipped, slowly. She lay back on the bed. I hurried to the kitchen, grabbed some plastic garbage bags, and went back to the bedroom, throwing things in the bag. Another bag opened, then to the bathroom, shoveling whatever I could find into it. I opened every drawer, checked all the cabinets; grabbed a few things from the shower. Back to the bedroom, opening drawers, checking under the bed -- every loose item went into a bag. I didn't bother with the kitchen. I didn't have anything there I needed to bring with me. 

Mo was dressed when I got back to the bedroom. She smiled her understanding. I had had my interlude and needed to get home. The harsh reality sucked. Mo had ducked into the bathroom to splash some water on her face and make herself somewhat decent -- pretty funny word, given the givens huh? I held my arms out to her. The kisses were soft, loving and poignant. No words needed to be said. I said them anyway. "I love you Mo. I don't understand it, I just know I do. I hate it and I love it. And it kills me to be with you like this and run home to a woman that I love." I shook my head.

"You might be the first and last woman I'll ever say this to Ginger. I'll take whatever I can with you, whenever and if we ever can. I might be a fool to say it, feel it, and do it. Whatever it is we have -- I love it and hate it as much as I think you do. And I'm every bit as helpless in the face of it as I sense you are. Please be safe Ginger, please. Think hard about this gun thing and do what feels right. Call me when you need to. I won't call you at night. I promise." Her eyes were wet with tears. I couldn't help myself. Aren't we a sight to behold? We hugged each other, cried a little, kissed some more, and left. Mo opened the door, led the way down the front stairs and to the cars. Her hand was in her pocket, her eyes swept from side to side. She nodded. I clicked my doors open, blew her a kiss, and threw the bags on the floor in the front seat. She waited till my car doors were closed and the ignition turned before she got into her car.

I waited a few minute then called Lily and told her I was on my way. She was already at the restaurant; I was maybe fifteen minutes away. I pulled into the lot and headed in. I saw my dark haired lover's wave. Her smile was radiant; her eyes were chilly. I would have to figure this out quickly. I sat down after giving her a brief, warm kiss. Our server came to the table. I ordered whatever wine and entree Lily had. I really didn't give a shit about either.

"So Ginger, it seems Mo did get some of your stuff." Blunt - just part of why I love her like I do. "Is everything out of the apartment?"

"Lily, Mo wanted to know how I was. I told her about us coming back to the house last night, about the gun and the rest of it. I told her about Jim's phone call. She was shocked that he called and that I talked with him." Lily nodded her agreement. "She gave me her thoughts on guns. We spent a lot of time talking about you and me. It was hard. I won't lie about that. There's this aura about her ... at least there is for me. She is, for want of a better word, irresistible. Having my period solved a myriad of potential problems. I used my fingers to make quote marks in the air. No sale; cool brown eyes weren't buying a word of it. I went for broke.

"Something happened today at lunch with Tammy." Her eyes were slits. I could read her mind: Another one? "She asked me what it was like -- making love with a woman. I got her off that by talking about date night with her husband. I think I made some headway there. But it's what happened in the garage. As we walked to the elevator I told her, 'We will never be lovers Tammy. I'm with Lily, I love her, and I want to marry her.'" Lily went deathly pale, then flushed.

"You so did not!"

"I so did!! I have no idea where that came from, Lily, but it did. She gawked at me much like you just did. So did I. My hand went over my mouth like I was trying to push the words back in." Lily smiled at that! I shrugged. "And I swear I can not remember having a single conscious thought, ever, about marrying you. But it had to have been in there if I said it." I looked at Lily and smiled. "I guess my Freudian slip was showing or something."

"And what about Mo?" I slumped in frustration.

"Lily, I don't know about Mo. You're right. The woman has something that is undeniably alluring to me. I never felt anything like it when I was married and haven't since meeting Julia. I love you Lily; I mean love you!" I shook my head. I reached for my lover's hand and kissed it. The food and wine had been served as we talked. I had a couple sips of wine and ignored the food. Lily had managed for us to be in a corner, facing the corner, so our words wouldn't carry very far. How she does that I still don't understand. I had a thought and asked, "Have you ever had a 'Mo'?"

My beauty smiled that smile and nodded. "Yup, her name is Elise. She is gorgeous, sexy, body from hell, lover like no other. She had me at hello as the saying goes. She was a drug; I was an Elise junkie. She's married with two kids; we still see each other now and then. My jaw dropped. Wait! Julia and me. Elise and Lily. Huh? No, I was as much a fling for Julia as ... is Mo a fling? Or is Mo my Elise? There was never a shred of doubt in my mind that Sheri and Julia were rock solid as a couple. I was beyond confused. Lily's 'lover like no other' comment -- should I be insulted or should I understand -- given how I felt about Mo. Oh god! I nearly typed Nora's name; in fact, I started to. I shivered.

This isn't a soap opera, people. It's life. Scary, real, conflicted. I had managed to dodge questions about Tammy with the pronouncement about marriage. I laughed. It took me three tries to spell it correctly. Nervous? Me?

Lily fussed at me to eat. I did. The food was wonderful and I was a wreck. "Just say it Ginger. I know it's killing you not to and every bit as much to do so." Christ on a cracker. If I want her to be my wife, and I did, then I had to do it.

"She walked into the bar Lily and I about died. What did they call it in Star Trek -- a tractor beam? That's what she is to me. Something deep inside me is drawn to her like a magnet. I can't figure it out. Was Elise your Mo?" I looked at her, desperate for some sort of answer. She smiled.

"It sounds like it, yes. Every time I see her I am helpless; and that's not meant to demean you, Ginger. I love you. I was stunned at your talk of marriage, but it also warms me. I like the sound of it. We'll have to see how it all plays out." I nodded and smiled. I kissed my honey; she tasted so sweet. I slipped my fingers in her hair to hold the kiss. She jerked away ... oh yeah. I insisted on paying; it was my turn.

We left, each in our own car. I followed her home. The garage door opened, she pulled in, and I rolled up on the other side. She got out of her car and clicked the doors locked. I got out of my car and followed her into the house, the garage door closing behind us. I locked the door and tucked the chain into place.

I kicked off my shoes. Both of our coats were hung up. Lily asked if I wanted glass of wine. God yes. She smiled, got two glasses, and poured one for each of us. She sat next to me on the couch. She clinked glasses with me. "Why did we clink glasses, gorgeous?"

"We clinked to being two women in love, darling." I felt my eyes tear up. How lovely. I nodded and smiled.

"I will most definitely drink to that, my love." I did, then reached and put the glass on the table in front of us, stood, and reached for Lily's hand. She stood, I put her glass down, put my arms around her, and we danced, nice and slow, to unheard music. It was sweet. Lily's eyes were warm and a bit wet. The smile on her face radiated with contentment. She put her head on my shoulder as we moved together. All thoughts of the day and everything else were forgotten as my honey and I slowly moved to the rhythm of love. I winced as a cramp hit. Damn.

A nice hot bath sounded good; a nice hot bath with my honey sounded delicious. Clothing was shed, the water was run, and we slipped into the tub, me first, Lily in front of me, her back to my breasts. We brought the wine. I spoke to Lily about Mo's thoughts on gun ownership and the matter of confrontation. She didn't interrupt me once, nodding several times. The water was getting hotter and the tub was filling. Lily shut the water off. I kissed my lover's neck and shoulder and my hand slid around to the front of her, around her waist. Lily leaned her head back against my shoulder and turned. I kissed her. "Charlie Tobias, the guy at the range, is ex-military and a retired cop. He's told me much the same as Mo told you. I'm not unaware. Why did you change your mind about going?"

A small smile crept across my face. "I have to admit, Lily. I didn't like the idea of you having a gun. I don't like them. But when I held it -- something happened. It didn't happen right away and I'm not sure if you had asked I'd have been able to verbalize it. But I realized I had gotten some sort of rush out of holding the damn thing. I thought a lot about what you said. I'm not sure if I'm going to own one but I ought to learn the proper way to shoot one -- from someone who has real life experience." Phew, that kind of snuck up on me. I'm actually not sure I would have been able to say it even a few hours before with Mo. There was something about her eyes and her voice that struck a chord deep inside. I knew she was right. I would learn to fire a pistol.

Lily was quiet for a time after I spoke. "Emily: Every Minute I Love You." She giggled; we kissed. "It took me some time to get the right words together for that. Do you like it?" I did and I affirmed, vigorously, just how much I did. The water in the tub didn't slosh over the edge too much. My fingers and tongue managed to coax a pair of very nice spends from a very spent brown haired woman. She sagged against me while I cuddled her. My breath was warm in her ear as I whispered my love. She shivered as my tongue delivered an exclamation point. There were little red marks on her neck, shoulders and back where I had demonstrably demonstrated my affection and passion for my honey. My fingers had been quite busy under water. So lost in it all was she that she threw a leg over mine to give me better access. It, umm, did. I think I don't mind getting my period. In fact, I might look forward to next month. Wink!

We cuddled in bed afterward, me in panties and a pad, her, umm, limp. This after a couple more ... no, no, no. We just plain cuddled. It was lovely, really. I didn't want a place of my own. I wanted a place with my honey, right here in our bed, in her house. Shh! She gets upset when I say it that way. We had turned the lights off in the bedroom. That was smart. We whispered (I have no idea why) about things. Just things. Oh all right! Did I really want to marry her? Yes, I think so. Did I know when? Good lord no. What did she think of the whole idea? She smiled, snuggled even closer, a full eighth of an inch I think, and kissed me. For a long time. Which lead to ... that couple more. She begged me to stop. I laughed. She called me a heartless bitch. Yup, your heartless bitch. She barely had energy to breathe let alone enough to slug me in the arm. I feigned protest and bit a nipple lightly. She giggled. No fair, you say? I nipped at the other one. There, now they can both complain. We giggled a lot. I love being in love with Lily!!

The morning sun woke us Tuesday morning. Well, it woke me. Apparently Lily had been rendered rather unconscious from my loving. I smiled as I watched her sleep. She is so beautiful, so sexy, so smart. And to think it all started with an afternoon romp in a motel. Who could have guessed? Tonight she would meet Kathy, my fabulous, gorgeous trainer. I was looking forward to an hour with her. I really missed it! It was a good thing I had those Saturday appointments. I shivered; I think that was what woke Lily up. Our good morning kiss was lengthy and delicious. I heard her stomach growl. I offered my breast. She fed on it, umm, them, which was delicious. Warm, sleepy, sexy Lily; that girl of mine sure is nice to wake up to.

Oh yeah -- the security company was coming tonight. That should be okay; Kathy is at six. We kissed goodbye and headed to our respective jobs. The day went smoothly. No complaints; well, my cramps, but that's just kind of a shrug.

Tammy, for some reason, whispered when she told me, "I put date nights on the calendar for the next seven weeks." That got her a hug. "The first one, this Thursday, includes a visit to a lingerie shop." Big smiles from each of us.

"Good for you Tammy." 

Oh yeah, she had dreamy, soft eyes this morning. She blushed when I mentioned it. "I found that site you recommended. Jeffrey had himself a mighty good night." I giggled and told her about our night. Not bragging, just explaining. She can't help herself; she gawked. I smiled and I told her of Lily's 'Emily' anagram. 

She beamed, "That is so cute!!"

In between all of this we actually got a lot of work done. In fact, all the chatter and such seemed to make the day fly by. It was close to five. I had to hurry to get home, changed and ready for Kathy at six. I did. A call from Lily on the way; her best guess was that she would be home before my appointment ended. Cool.

I washed up a bit, put on a fresh pad, again, and dressed in my workout gear. The knock came right on time. I smiled and hugged my tornado as she breezed in. She smiled, but it wasn't the usual hundred watt variety. We talked for a few minutes about Saturday. I thanked her again for saving my life.

In answer to my question, "The police did call and took another statement." She knew Nora was out on bail. "No Ginger, I'm not worried one bit." I told her about the call from the fiancé. "Wow! That's a surprise. Where's Lily?"

"She'll be home soon; I can't wait to have you meet her, Kathy. I've told her so much about you." She smiled. Enough chatter; we got to work. Actually, we had started during the chatter. Kathy makes sure of it. No idle time on her time. It was about 6:45 when I heard the garage door open. I was on the last of the four routines. Lily came in the house with a smile. I made the introductions as I did my set. Lily and Kathy shook hands. Lily thanked her profusely for her part in Saturday. Lily bent and gave me a light kiss hello. 

"The security company is coming at seven. I guess we'll go out for dinner afterward." That sounded good. 

"Kathy, why don't you schedule me for the rest of the month? I'm in this for the long haul." Lily nodded. Kathy was attentive the whole time, reminding me to bend just so, not to bring my knee all the way to the ground. Every little detail reinforced. I like it and I like her. She could tell that I was making progress. I looked at her, questions in my eyes.

"Yup, you're gaining strength. You may not notice it but I do. It's kind of funny in its own way. To you it may not seem like much but I can see your posture in each of the routines get a little better as you gain strength and tone." That last got a smile from Lily; I stuck my tongue out at her. Kathy laughed. I paid her, she said goodbye to both of us, and left.

"Wow! She's every bit as gorgeous as you said she was, Ginger. I can see why you like her. She's really good at keeping you on track and pays attention to detail." I was smiling and nodding the whole time. The door bell rang a few minutes later. "Why don't you go ahead and change. I'll get started with the appointment." Okay, that would work. I went into the bedroom, closed the door, and stripped off my workout clothes. I rinsed off in the shower and changed into casual clothes for dinner. I headed back to the living room. Some dude was droning about this and that, selling to a professional sales woman. It was comical. I saw the smirk on Lily's face. I walked over and kissed her. That was interesting. The dude turned about ten shades of red. I sat next to Lily on the couch; we held hands.

We both took the guy on a walk through of the house. He had some schematic thing on a tablet. The most vulnerable areas were obvious: front door, garage door, patio door. Motion detectors, window sensors, door sensors, a light on the patio -- all were discussed in detail. There was already a light, operated by a switch in the bedroom, for the patio. 

I asked, "Could it be set up to turn on if the door was breached?" 

He paused a moment. "Yes, I think so. But I'm not absolutely sure and will check." 

"Is it a good idea to have some sort of motion detector on the patio?" Yes. The monitoring service was included. We would each be given safe words to use. I looked at Lily; I was hungry. 

He ended the ordeal with, "I will send an email tomorrow with an estimate and the answer to the question about the light switch. Installation should take a day." Lily asked if they could do it on a weekend. "Yes, we do work on Saturdays."

I'm not sure who wanted him out of the house more - him or us.

We hurried to the restaurant. We were both hungry and ordered quickly. We talked about the security company. Neither of us was impressed with the guy or the service. Lily asked if I had any thoughts. I suggested that perhaps we consider checking with a locksmith to see about getting sturdier locks for the various doors. She brightened considerably at that. It might not be as good but it was an option she hadn't thought of. Thankfully the food came quickly. I was going to order salmon until Lily ordered the Greek chicken. That sounded delicious and it was very good. We attacked the food. Lily kept on about Kathy to the point I decided to tease her. 

"Am I going to have to worry about you and my trainer?" She blushed and shushed me. Like I had room to talk; Lily knew I had given Kathy a kiss Saturday. We laughed about it all as we ate. I told Lily about Tammy, her date night and the adventure she had planned for her husband. She smiled and marveled at how good I was with Tammy. "She loves her husband. I just offer suggestions." I told Lily that I'd shared our bath story and how Tammy just gawked; more giggles.

"Am I going to have to worry about you and your co-worker? I laughed.

"Tammy surprised me with the story of her affair, in college, with a woman. She admitted to having a crush on me; I made it very clear that we would not be lovers." All of that warranted nothing more than a shrug from Lily. We finished dinner, paid the bill and headed home.

We took a few minutes with a glass of wine, relaxing. I loved this part of a relationship and missed it. The comfort of being with the one you love, doing nothing but enjoying her company. Lily put the glasses in the dishwasher when it was time for bed. I checked all the doors, turned out the lights and we headed to the bedroom. After trips to the bathroom, we lay in bed together. Soft caresses, light kisses, whispers, warm body to warm body. Simply marvelous, nothing erotic, and I felt the tingle all the way down to my toes. I felt a deep sense of satisfaction as I slipped into sleep.

Wednesday roared in with a vengeance. Early spring snow; yuck. Like a lot of other things you just deal with it. It takes a little longer to get from point A to point B. I was more worried about Lily than about me -- she was out and in her car often during the day. "It's why my car has all wheel drive honey." Duh! Did I know that? I think so; I just don't pay a lot of attention to that sort of thing. We kissed, said our goodbyes, and headed out. It took me a few extra minutes to brush the snow off but it also let the car warm up. The drive was okay. The work day was fine.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 05



Tammy began to tell me, again, about the night she and Jeffrey had after she'd visited the site I recommended. I grabbed my coffee cup, took her by the hand, and we went into the conference room. I asked her tell me all about their night. She blushed and told me in great detail. Poor Jeffrey; he was probably wondering who the woman in his wife's body was. When she finished, I gave her a task. 

"Go to the ladies room and change the lover from Jeffrey to the woman from college who seduced you." She stared at me. I smiled sweetly, said, "Enjoy!" and left the door open as I headed back to my desk. About fifteen minutes later Tammy came back to her desk. She blushed when she made eye contact. Good. Tomorrow was her date night.

The day flew by. We got a lot done. Tomorrow I would be finished. I'd have to check with George to find out what was on deck for us. It was March -- we would be working on Labor Day soon. I wondered what time Lily would be home from work. I just wanted a quiet night at home. The hour with Kathy seemed to have done my cramps some good. I'd read that somewhere; that vigorous exercise was good for them. Whatever. I just felt better. I called Lily.

"I think I'll be home early. I'll call and have dinner delivered at 6:30." I asked how her day was going. "Fabulous; it's a busy, successful day so far." I was very happy for her. She sounded wonderful.

I made a mental note to call Jenny tonight. It had been a while. Needless to say I wondered how Mo was. Good lord; just thinking of her left me tingling. It was probably a good thing I had my period -- no temptation. Let me amend that. There's plenty of temptation, just no acting on it. 

At day's end, as Tammy and I headed to the garage, I made it clear she was not to have sex tonight. She would save it for date night. She stared at me, I raised an eyebrow. She blushed, nodded, and said, "Yes Ma'am."

I snickered to myself on the way home. "Yes Ma'am." As long as her marriage was going well she would be the happy camper. I was happy for them both. That gave me an idea. We would have to schedule a dinner for the four of us. I would bring it up with Lily tonight. And tonight after dinner I would catch up on reading my book. I snickered; it had been a while. The drive home was quick as most of the snow was gone. That was Dayton in March -- cold enough to snow overnight, and warm enough during the day (if the sun was out) that the snow would be mostly gone.

I pulled into the driveway, opened the garage door, turned off the car, and headed into the house. Not quite six o'clock. I tried Jenny. She answered. "Do you have time to chat?"

"Sure. How are you Emily?" I sighed.

"Jenny, would you mind very much calling me Ginger? It's sort of who I am now -- Emily Sue Rogers was married. Ginger Butler is single." She sighed. I snickered.

"Okay; how's things Ginger?" My bratty sister!

I told her about Nora. I heard the gasp. She was crying when I finished. "I know Jen. I was very lucky Kathy happened along when she did. The call from her Jim surprised me a lot. I think she just flipped out and I have no real idea why."

"My God Em ... Ginger, you are so lucky. I almost lost my sister." I had a lump in my throat when she said it. I guess I didn't think of it like that -- my thoughts were more about Lily.

"So if you think that's amazing or whatever, wait until you hear about this." While leaving out a few details, I told Jenny about blurting out the marriage thing to Tammy. More gasps; I laughed. "Yeah, if you can imagine, my hand went over my mouth as though I was trying to shove the words back in." Jenny laughed at whatever her mind 'saw;' we were both laughing soon.

"So this Lily is really so special that, somewhere in your mind, that thought popped up?" I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, she really is." I described the night we had last night -- dinner and cuddling. I know it was all foreign to her but she was married, so the relationship part of it she could relate to. I hoped that, even if she didn't understand it, she could be happy for her sister's happiness. She was.

"It just makes me so happy to hear the tone in your voice honey. She must be special; I'm so happy for you." 

I asked her about making plans for a visit. "If you want to bring David and the kids that would be fine. Or, if you want to spend a weekend, you could stay here. I'm sure Lily won't mind a bit!" As we talked Lily came home. She smiled and kissed me. I mouthed 'Jenny;' she nodded and went to change out of her work clothes. Jen promised to pick a couple of dates and email me tomorrow. We would talk soon and pick a date. She had dinner working and ours would be here soon as well. We spoke of our love for each other and said our goodbyes.

Just as I finished my call with Jenny, Lily came back. I stood and held my arms out to her. We kissed; it was sweet and warm. The door bell rang; I looked through the peep, opened it, and let the delivery dude in. I put the food on the table and signed the tab, adding a tip. Lily stared; I smiled as I signed as Lily Russo. The dude left. "Yeah, I just signed your name and I liked it." 

We ate dinner, sipped wine, and talked. I told Lily about my challenge with Tammy. That got a snicker. I mentioned that I would like to have Tammy and her hubby for dinner. She was very enthusiastic; she would very much like to meet these two. I asked if it was okay for Jenny to stay with us if she visited; that was met with a raised eyebrow. I leaned over for a kiss. "I love you!" She pulled me to her for a hot, sexy kiss. Oh dear me ... this love of ours!! 

I asked about her day. "I made a sale, had a new listing, and was salesperson of the month for February!" I feigned a yawn. She slugged me, smiled, and got me back in spades. "Looks like I can afford to keep you around for another month." I made mad eyes at her but I knew she was teasing. We do need to work the financial thing out - soon.

I asked Lily the question that was on my mind; her eyes went wide for a second, then she giggled. We cleaned up the kitchen, made sure the doors were locked, and headed to the bedroom. We took turns undressing each other. Lily reached into the night stand for the harness, slipped it over my hips, and tightened it. I grabbed the plastic and slid it between her lips as we kissed. I felt her shiver. She climbed into bed; I followed. We kissed; deep, long, and hot. Her fingers were everywhere; she raked my back, dragged over my breasts, and grabbed my hair. I was wild with need - and love. I was going to make her beg me to fuck her. It took a while, with both oral and other attention, but she did, whimpering. I did.

I talked to Lily the whole time. No I won't share! I loved my lover furiously, tenderly, and well. She held her legs to help me pleasure her -- that was my goal. Even in panties and a pad I was happy to be fucking the woman I love. There was a flash of a moment -- thank you Kathy for my new found fitness! Lily was a helpless wreck beneath me. The first orgasm came in what felt like a blinding flash. I kept after her; moaning now, every thrust was met with lifted hips, but not with the same strength or force. I wanted her pleasure -- my lover, my love; her pleasure, my goal. She found some secret second wind and responded in kind, her hips leading the way. She grabbed at my hair to kiss me; we were hot, tongues darting, teasing, and demanding. I was prisoner to her kiss; she was prisoner to my plastic fantastic love. Lily's second wind yielded, eventually, thankfully, a second shuddering, orgasm. Once it had taken its full measure of her and slipped away she cried silently, spent fully. I held her, kissed her, and loved her ever so gently. I slipped the harness from me, lay with my honey, and we cuddled. Lily went first and I followed, smiling, into sleep.

The memory of last night played in high definition when I woke Thursday. When I turned saw Lily's warm brown eyes. She kissed me, then whispered, "I am so sore you glorious bitch." I giggled. I made mention of the fact Kathy would be here at seven. Lily smiled, a gleam in her eye. We showered together. She told of her plans for revenge; her fingers gave me a shattering sample. I returned the favor, demonstrating with an oral lesson that she wasn't too sore. After, we sipped coffee, ate bagels, and made goo-goo eyes at each other. Yes we were dressed for work. It's a good thing we were or we might not have left the house. We kissed, groped, and said 'I love you' to each other. We got into our cars and headed out for the day. I snickered as a thought came to mind. I parked and headed in to work.

I hung up my coat, winked at Tammy and went to get coffee. Back at my desk, I reached for the folder of the work I was doing and said to Tammy, "Come on, kiddo, we're going to finish this together in the conference room." She eyed me suspiciously as we walked. "How was your night Tammy?" She whined. I nodded sympathetically. "Would you like a suggestion that will prepare you for your date night?" She eyed me, unsure what I had in mind. In a cool voice I said, "Stand up Tammy." She did. "Take off your skirt." She turned crimson and shook her head. "I'll do it for you if you prefer." She looked at the door. "It's locked." I reached for her, pulling her closer. I unzipped the skirt and let it pool at her feet. She stared at me, her jaw slack with shock. "This will have you ready for your night with your husband." I took her hands and brought them to her pussy. "Hold your lips apart." She gasped. I took her panties and ribboned her. I made sure the panties were nice and snug, front and back. I slid a finger up and down each side of her pussy, stood, and brought my finger to her nose, then rubbed the juices on her lips. I thought the poor thing might faint from pleasure and embarrassment. I looked her in the eyes and said, "This will have you on edge all day kiddo. It keeps a very delicious pressure on your pussy and on your clit. You can decide whether you want Jeffrey to see you like this or not. I rather think he'll like it." I brushed her lips lightly with mine. "Now then, we have work to do." I sat down and took out my papers. Tammy still hadn't moved; she was clearly befuddled and flushed. "Put that skirt on; we have to finish this." She slid the skirt up, zipped it and sat down.

I breezed through the paperwork; we were nearly finished. I wanted to be sure we handed everything in to George by lunch. I sipped my coffee, worked, ignoring Tammy, who was sitting, head down, still crimson. I heard a tiny voice ask, in a near whisper, "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I only want one thing Tammy. Your marriage to Jeffrey is important. You love each other. I am only suggesting ideas that might pleasure you, interest him, and have you ready for a wonderful night of lovemaking." I smiled sweetly. Tammy sat with her head down, shaking it in disbelief. "You do believe me don't you?" She looked at me, eyes wide. "Hmm, I can see you don't. Perhaps you want me to seduce you, to take you as my lover." I knew she did. "Is that it Tammy? Do you want me to seduce you?" She nodded. "Is your part of the assignment nearly complete Tammy? I really want to turn this in to George before lunch." She turned her head and looked at me. Her eyes were slightly glazed and showed confusion. "Well?" She nodded. "I didn't hear you."

"Yes."

"Yes what?" Her jaw dropped, again.

"Yes Ma'am." I nodded.

"I'd like some more coffee." I went back to my papers, writing, moving things from one spot to another. Tammy sat --frozen. I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She took the cup, opened the door, and returned a few minutes later with my coffee. I continued working, engaging her in conversation, working to finish the project. I moved my chair closer as I put papers between us. I talked about whether this ought to be changed and put there and so forth. She answered me, still in shock. I acted as though it was just another Thursday. "Did you like the feeling that being ribboned gave you when you fetched my coffee?" Fetched -- a nice touch I thought.

Blushing, she nodded, saying, at my raised eyebrow, "Yes Ma'am." I smiled sweetly, patted her hand, and we worked.

If you're wondering, I'm hardly a dominant personality. I just had a sense that Tammy had a deeply hidden submissive side that was begging to be set free. The ribboning? Let's just say I was sure she'd enjoy it. I wasn't going to push this very far. She's married. I'm in love. Tammy and Jeffrey would have a wonderful date night.

We finished. There were six separate pieces in our part of the assignment. We reviewed each one from start to finish. We made some very minor changes along the way but, overall, it seemed as though we were finished. I asked Tammy if she was pleased with what we'd done. She smiled and said yes. We fist bumped. "Go see if George can see us Tammy; if he can please bring him here." She left. I smiled and shook my head -- not even a bit of hesitation. Amazing.

Tammy came back. "George said he'd be available in ten minutes." I nodded. I opened my phone and sent a text to Mo: Hi, hope u r well. Miss u! xo :)

George came in ten minutes later. I greeted him warmly. Tammy and I made our presentation to him of the work we'd done. He asked a few questions along the way and seemed very pleased. "This is fabulous. The two of you have done first class work on this. I'm sure corporate will be very pleased." We put all the pages back in the folder and slid it across to him. We stood, he shook our hands, and left. I hugged Tammy; we both smiled.

We went out to lunch. I had no plans to go back. I was hoping to hear from Mo; maybe she had today off and would want to meet. It would be nice to see her. I teased Tammy at lunch. "Do you like the feeling of being ribboned?" She blushed deeply. She smiled and nodded. "Tell me."

"I'm so wet Em; I feel like one touch will send me into an orgasm. Walking is sweet torture. Sitting is almost as bad. This is fabulous." I just had to.

"Go ahead Tammy. Send yourself over the moon. I want to watch as you cum." She thought I was kidding; I wasn't. "Do it -- now!" She reached under the napkin. I saw her arm move a little in an up and down motion. Her eyes went to glass, she panted and shivered. I smiled; she was fabulously flushed and deep in the middle of a spend. I could see her shoulders shake. A barely audible moan; her teeth were biting her lip. With a final shiver it passed. She was panting, her eyes were shut tight. It took a minute or so before she opened them and focused. She looked at me and blushed all over again. I whispered, "That was so beautiful, Tammy." She took a sip of water with a shaky hand.

"I can't believe you made me do that, Emily. Right here, in a restaurant, at lunch, with all these people around -- you made me have an orgasm." She whispered that last word; she had hissed the rest. I smiled brightly.

"A: I didn't make you do anything. You touched yourself and B: You're welcome." I motioned the waitress over; I ordered. Tammy just ordered what I did, completely flustered as she was. "It was better for you knowing that I was watching, wasn't it?" Ginger: Merciless tease.

"Sheesh, don't you ever stop?" But she was smiling; I knew I was right. She wasn't the only one who was soaked. I was tingling quite nicely, thank you for asking. We each had a Reuben and fries. Food wasn't really the focus at the moment.

"Tammy, we finished what we had to do. Why don't you head home and prepare for your night." 

"We have to go back. "

I shrugged. "George won't care. We finished ahead of schedule. You heard him; he gave us rave reviews." All that happened as we paid the bill and walked to her car. 

"I'll drop you off at the garage and head home." 

When we got there, I leaned over and kissed her. "You two have a fabulous evening of fun and romance."

She shook her head and said, "You are a wonder, Emily. Thank you. See you tomorrow."

I called Lily from my car. "Hi gorgeous, how's my honey?"

I smiled. "I'm just fine thank you. Actually, Lily, I wondered if you can find a way to clear your calendar tomorrow -- or at least some of it -- and go clothes shopping, which we've never gotten around to doing." There was silence. 

"Let me see what I can do. That sounds like fun; are you taking the day off?"

I explained about the project and finishing early. "Could I interest a girl in a little afternoon delight?" I heard the smile.

"Ginger, you are so sweet. I'd love to but I have a showing in an hour and another at four. They both feel like good prospects. Can I get a rain check for tonight?"

I pretended to pout. "Oh all right!" I giggled. "Good luck babe; see you a little later. Love you lots."

Still nothing from Mo. Damn, I tried not to worry but it's hard. I wanted to call but wouldn't. I wanted to text her again and didn't. She was either busy or she had a day off and was busy. I wouldn't even let myself think of the third option. I wandered up and down the aisles of the grocery store buying food for dinner tonight. We didn't have home cooked meals very often. We would tonight! I bought some olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, some romaine lettuce, a mixed greens bag of lettuce, a nice loaf of Italian bread, shredded cheddar cheese, baby tomatoes, celery and carrot sticks cut up, and stood in front of the meat offerings deciding. I took a pork roast -- not too big. Veggies. Hmm, I got a plastic bag and grabbed a couple handfuls of green beans and a couple of potatoes. A couple of bottles of Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay and I headed to checkout.

Kathy was at seven, so most likely we would have dinner after my hour with her. I pulled into the driveway, opened the garage ... Lily's car. What? I grabbed the groceries from the passenger's seat and headed in. The door was locked -- odd. I closed the garage door and opened the door to the house. I set the groceries on the counter, hung up my coat, and went to look for my honey. I rounded the corner to the bedroom ... Oh My God! I backed out of the doorway, turned and ran for my purse and coat. I opened the garage, ran to my car, turned the key, and left, crying.

I drove about six blocks when I saw a parking lot and pulled in. I shut the car off, lay my arms on the steering wheel and sobbed. Lily and Kathy were on our bed, naked, each one's face in the other's sex. They must not have heard me enter the house -- like that fucking mattered. I was crying so hard I could hardly breathe. I was stunned and heartbroken. What am I going to do? There was no way I was going back there. Okay, I'd go back, get my stuff and move into a ... geez, I have no idea. My phone rang. You bitch!! You think calling me now is going to make this better?

I looked -- it was Mo. Oh lord. My voice thick and hoarse, I croaked, "Hi ... are you okay?"

"Geez Ginger, what's wrong?" I started up again; I couldn't even talk. Mo's voice was cool and controlled. "Ginger, get a hold of yourself and talk to me please." I sniffled and took a deep breath.

"Please, Mo, please, can you meet me there ... at the L Room? I'll explain. Please!"

"I ... shit, it's 2:30. I'll take a couple hours personal time and be there as soon as I can. If you're crying that hard, please drive carefully. Or tell me where to meet you." I shook my head. I knew what I wanted.

"I'll see you when you get there. Thank you Mo." That last was with a very shaky voice.

I was able to gather myself enough to drive and get downtown to the club. I pulled in, shut off the car and looked at myself in the mirror. Oh my god, what a mess. My eyes were red and puffy, my face was blotchy red. I looked like shit. Fuck it; I reached into the center console and put on my shades. Candy did a double take. Fuck you chickie. "Give me a double Candy, and run a tab. And bring me a glass of ice please."




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 05



She set the glasses down on napkins and came out from behind the bar to sit next to me. "Ginger honey, you look like crap." She smiled. "Are you okay?" She was trying to be nice and I appreciated the thought. I shook my head.

"No Candy, I'm not. You're very sweet to ask; thank you. Mo's meeting me here when she gets here. I don't mean to be rude but I'm not really up for sharing." I leaned over and gave her a little peck on the lips and tried for something like a smile. She really wasn't convinced but she nodded.

"Okay, I just didn't want you to be alone. It looks like you could use a friend." That set off the faucets again. Candy put her arms around me and let me cry, god love her. Okay, enough for god's sake Ginger. Compose yourself and pretend you're a big kid. I hugged Candy, smiled my thanks, took the glasses and headed for the table. Thankfully the few people who were there didn't look at me. Apparently the spectacle of my collapse was enough.

I dumped a bunch of ice cubes in the vodka, stirred it with my finger like a big kid, took a sip and then another. The music was so goddamn loud I couldn't hear myself think and I was glad. I had a thought: symmetry. Lily had seduced me the first time I had met her. Well, I was a little vulnerable, having just come from Dallas and Julia. So, if she'd done it with me, she certainly could do it again. Nora? Shit. I had no reason to complain about Lily's morals. Yeah I'd kissed Kathy, though suppose I could claim extenuating circumstances. I had gushed so effusively about Kathy to Lily and I saw the light in her eyes when I teased her. But I never thought she would ... how the hell did she get Kathy's number anyway? My purse, my phone ... I was really pissed off now.

The phone rang -- Lily. Fuck you! Would she think to come here? Had I mentioned this place? In the whirlwind of emotions I couldn't remember. I took another sip of my drink and stared at the floor. I needed to call Jenny to ... oh ... I started again. I wanted her to come and be with me and I didn't. I didn't want her to see me like this -- a complete wreck. This was like Asshole 2.0 except this hurt way more. Years of decay had led to my soon-to-be divorce. This was going along so nicely -- or so it seemed. I laughed bitterly. Simon and Garfunkel's song sounded real good right about now. Wall myself off to everyone. You're being an idiot Ginger. You love Lily. Yeah great; a lovely Thursday surprise huh?

In strode a gorgeous head of red hair with a concerned look on her face. Candy rushed to Mo, handed her a beer and spoke quickly in hushed tones. Mo looked in my direction, shook her head, squeezed Candy's hand, nodded, and headed my way. I stood; she hugged me fiercely. "Mo, please take me home with you." My voice was soft, plaintive, and shaky. Me: begging. She shook her head, kissed me softly and warmly. She sat me in the chair and sat with her back to the wall. I knew she wanted to keep a lookout for Lily. Cop eyes; she'd be able to tell.

"Talk to me Ginger -- please, honey." Her hand reached across the table and squeezed mine. I nodded and took a good gulp of my drink. Mo frowned.

"We had this project at work. My partner and I finished it early and presented it to our boss, who was thrilled. The two of us went out to lunch. She dropped me off before heading home. I called Lily; she had two appointments. I went grocery shopping. I was going to make a home cooked meal as a surprise." I shook my head. "I opened the garage door as I pulled in the driveway. Lily's car was there. I was surprised -- maybe she had cancellations, whatever. I went inside, set down the groceries, and headed to look for her. I ... I turned ... I saw them, Mo." I couldn't stop myself. The tears just came. She stood, pulled me to my feet, and held me, her arms tight around me, my head on her shoulder. I sobbed hot, bitter tears. She let me get it out, kissing my cheek, rubbing my back, holding me.

Eventually we sat back down. I reached for my drink; Mo put her hand on mine softly and firmly. She shook her head. "Not too fast and not too much Ginger, especially today -- please." I smiled and nodded. "What's the rest of it honey?"

I took a deep breath. "I saw Lily and my trainer, Kathy, together, in our bed." Mo's eyes showed her shock. I nodded; she shook her head. "I backed out of the room, got my purse and coat, and got the fuck out of there. I didn't know where to go or what to do. I sat in a parking lot and cried until you called. Then I came here to wait for you. Lily called me. I didn't answer it." I looked at her, bewildered and completely devastated.

Mo's eyes were warm and her body language was ... professional? She was empathetic, sizing up the situation. That's the best I can come up with. I took another sip of my drink. Mo motioned to Candy, who rushed over. "Bring us some coffee and some munchies -- anything, just lots." Candy smiled and nodded. "Does Lily know about this place? Is she likely to come here?"

I shrugged. "She ... I think I've mentioned it. If I did she may come. I don't know for sure, Mo. Please, I don't want to be alone tonight." Candy brought us nachos and coffee -- big mugs, with cream and sugar.

Mo pushed the food at me. Why argue? I ate. "You can't come home with me, Ginger. I have roommates and one of them is my girlfriend, someone I've been with for some time now." Good god in heaven. We'd never had ... no, taken the time to talk about this and it was always out there. The chemistry was so strong we had ignored the details. And, of course, there was Lily. My mind drifted and I shook my head. This was how it all started -- in Dallas, in a restaurant. What had Julia said? Looking forlorn; fuck me all to hell, that was what Lily had said and that, ironically, was how I wound up in a hotel room with her. And here I am again, forlorn -- and alone. Fabulous.

"Okay Mo. You're right; you have your life and your girlfriend. It's preposterous for me to think you'd drop everything for me. I'll pay the tab and get a hotel room for the weekend." I smiled and stood up, leaned over, and kissed her. She grabbed me, spun me around, and pushed me to the chair next to her.

"You jerk. I care about you more than you know. It kills me to know you've gone home every fucking night to your Lily. And now you want me? Christ on a cracker Ginger, sit in my chair for a minute!" Her head was down, her voice low. "We went back to that shit box and made love. I think about it every damn day, Ginger. You tore me up one side and down the other. Geez!" She shook her head. "You're scared too. Of me, my job, and the toll it might take on our relationship." Oh my god! "It scares me too -- the hold you have on me." What? Holy crap, she was crying. My bad ass cop was crying. I leaned in, lifted her chin, and kissed her. Her lips were soft, her kiss was so sweet. I melted.

I heard Candy cough. Mo pushed me away. Fucking hell, Lily was in the doorway, her eyes moving from side to side. Mo was up and at her in a flash. She took Lily by the arm and shoved her out the door. Candy made eye contact with me; something must have shaken her. She came and sat with me and held my hand. I was scared for Lily and scared for Mo. No, I have no idea. I'm just telling you what I was feeling. Mo could destroy Lily physically but she wouldn't. The cost would be her badge. I took a sip of my drink -- and another.

Mo came back into the club. She came to the table as Candy was getting up, nodded at her and sat down. She sipped her coffee. No, her hands weren't shaking. When she turned to me here eyes were warm. "You okay?" My eyes widened; she smiled. "She's gone, Ginger. I told her that you didn't want to see her, not tonight, not until -- whenever. She was furious." A thin smile. "I wanted to punch her lights out. She was verbally offensive until I reminded her that, as a police officer, there were limits to what was tolerated in that area -- especially the names she was calling me. I made rather graphic mention of the fact you found them in bed together. I may have ... umm, gone a little overboard." Another thin smile. "She was extremely specific about what I could do to myself, which I have, many times." Her blue eyes glittered. That smile was a full hundred watts and glorious. I giggled. "I have to tell you honey, this isn't the best night for us to be together and I want to be with you ... well, as much as I suspect you want to be with me."

"Do you have to work tomorrow?" She nodded. Shit. I didn't want to spend the night alone but if I had to choose I would rather have whatever time we could have together than not. I teased her. "Can't you call in dead or something?"

She snickered. "I already have. And all four of my grandmothers have died too." I laughed at that one. Candy must have jimmied the music -- a slow song came on. I grabbed Mo's hand and we went to the dance floor. We were one; body to body, slow, sweet, slinky, sexy. The song ended; the clapping started. We stopped and looked around -- everyone in the joint had come to watch us dance. They were smiling, clapping, crying. Geez ... Mo and Candy introduced me to maybe a dozen or so women -- and I have no clue what their names are. They kissed me, hugged me, and told me how sweet it was ... yada, yada. How fabulous. We finally made our way back to the table.

"You have someone to go home to Mo. I want to be with you but I'm hurt, confused, and maybe it's just better if I spend the night alone. It seems to me that both of us have decisions to make. It seems to me that it's in both of our interests to make them without the complication of sex. ... making love." Mo was listening intently, looking at me with quiet, soft eyes. It was hard for me to read what was going on. "You have to go to work tomorrow and I do as well. I can't thank you enough for coming here for me. I'll see you when I see you I guess." I leaned and kissed her.

"You're really going to leave? You won't stay and be with me?"

"I want to but it ... geez, I'm such a wreck. I was going to make us a home cooked meal. It would have been a quiet night; maybe we'd have made love. Now, I have no clue, absolutely none at all." A flash crossed my mind. I stood, put on my coat, leaned in for a last kiss, and said goodbye. I paid the tab -- over Candy's objections.

I got in the car and listened to Lily's voice mail. She was in tears. 'I'm sorry' (you better be); 'I saw the groceries' (yeah, our nice romantic dinner); 'I feel like shit' (good, I feel worse). There was more; I deleted it. I headed to the office and hurried upstairs. Jodi gave me a funny look. I smiled and waved. I shrugged off my coat and turned on my computer. 

I went to George's office and knocked. He looked up and smiled. "Playing hooky huh?" I smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so. Is it okay if I take a personal day tomorrow George? I have something I need to take care of." His face showed concern; he nodded. I thanked him, told him I would see him Monday, and went back to my desk.

I typed an email to Lily: I don't want to see you or talk to you. You've hurt me very badly. I'm coming to get my things tomorrow -- DO NOT be there. I'll be at the house by nine and be gone by 9:30. Lily, if you're smart, and I know you are, you will never show up at the L Room again. Ginger. There was no reason to add a lot of other things I might have. I shut the computer off, reached into my purse, and dialed Jenny.

She answered. I said, "Hi Jen. Umm, I have a request. Is it okay if I fly to St. Louis tomorrow and stay for the weekend? I need some time to talk with you." Silence.

"Yes of course, Em ... Ginger. I assume it's sudden and it's bad. Care to share?" I sighed.

"I caught Lily cheating on me, in our bed, with my trainer this afternoon Jen." I heard the gasp. "Yeah I know; nice huh? I'm going to get a hotel room tonight, get my things from the house tomorrow, and fly to St. Louis. I'll text you the flight number and times. Where is there a decent hotel near you, honey?"

"There's a Country Inn and Suites in St. Charles, not too far from where we are. Do you want me to come pick you up?" 

"Let me book the flight first. I'll fly out of Columbus on Southwest if I can. I'll get the details to you as soon as I make the reservations. Country Inn and Suites? It seems to me there are a few of those in Dayton. Let me get started. It's probably, what, four your time. I'll call you at home tonight okay?" We agreed on that and said our goodbyes. I turned back to the computer.

Oh good, there's a flight at one that gets into St. Louis around four. Sunday? Yay; there's a non-stop at 6:30 pm that would get me back to Columbus a little before nine. Rand McNally said it's a ninety minute drive. That works. I could get my stuff from Lily's, get back to the hotel, pack a bag for the weekend, and drive to Columbus without rushing too much. I booked a stay at the Country Inn on Yankee Street -- tonight thru Monday. I made another reservation in St. Charles for Friday and Saturday nights. I joined 'Club Carlson' - might as well; I may be there a while. I really didn't want to pay for a room I wouldn't be staying in while I was out of town, but I didn't want my things at Lily's either.

I turned off the computer and put on my coat. Everyone else was gone. I went to my car. Damn, a parking ticket. It was perfect for such a shitty day. I had printed directions from the office to the hotel. Along the way I spotted what looked like a decent restaurant -- Sweeney's Seafood House. I would go there for dinner. I got to the hotel, checked in and went to the room. My goodness; it was gorgeous. It was bright, with a couch, a pretty good size TV, and a hair dryer. They serve a breakfast buffet. Bonus! I used the washroom, freshened up a bit, put on some makeup and fluffed my hair. You couldn't tell by looking that my world had crashed and burned today. Oh well. 

I drove to the restaurant. Oh joy ... table for one. The broiled seafood platter with scallops, tilapia and mahi mahi sounded fabulous. I ordered a salad and rice as the sides. No wine, but the 'Allies Win the War Strong Ale' made me laugh so I ordered it. I had a thought. I'd better send Lily a text. There's no guarantee she'd read the email, so I did. It was the same as the email. I stared at it for a few minutes then hit send. I was virtually certain she would call.

The beer was fantastic. What a hysterical name, huh? As I ate the salad I wondered how something so good could go so wrong so quickly. I took another sip of beer. Not much I could do about it now. Just enjoy your dinner and the weekend with Jenny, David and the kids. So I did. The fish was simply wonderful - absolutely perfect. Dinner couldn't have been better. Except, of course, for the obvious. I will come back here soon. It was bright, had a nice menu, and was crowded. I stopped on the way back and got a bottle of chardonnay -- not too much, since I had to be up and out early.

It was dinner time in St. Louis and I didn't want to disturb that so I put on the boob tube. College and pro basketball and 'Big Bang Theory' -- the choices didn't exactly excite me. I turned it off, got a glass and poured some wine. I took off my blouse and skirt, hung them in the closet and sat on the couch with my book and the wine. 

The call came a little later. I debated as the phone rang. I opened it. "What do you want?"

"Please come home."

"No. It's your home, not mine, not after today." She started to cry. "This isn't helping any. We need to be apart. No, I don't know for how long. You can say what you want, so can I. Each of us has things we can yell about and none of them will help. In fact, they'll only make things worse. Just be sure to be gone when I come tomorrow. I want to pack my stuff, find someplace to stay, and we'll see what happens. Just promise not to be there tomorrow."

"Okay, if that's what you want. I won't be."

"No you jerk, that's not what I want. What I wanted was to come home, fix us a nice dinner, and spend a quiet night together. Now goodnight." I hung up the phone. Oh I was so mad!!! I stormed around the room. I should be home, working out with Kathy, dinner in the oven. God damn her!! God damn the two of them.

The phone rang. She was too damn smart to be this stupid and call again. It was Mo. "Hi."

"Hi yourself; how ... no, oh shit, just tell me what's going on?" I kind of laughed; there was no easy way to ask.

"I'm all done being hurt, at least for the moment. Now I'm just plain pissed off. Sorry I left Mo, but I had a bunch of things to do. I called my sister; I'm flying to St. Louis tomorrow for the weekend. I found a hotel, had dinner, and am sitting here waiting to call Jenny and give her the flight details."

"How many times has Lily called?"

"Two; I let the first one go to voice mail. She called again a little while ago. I told her not to be there tomorrow morning when I come for my clothes and things. She promised she would be gone. There wasn't much more to say."

"I wish you would have stayed. Are you in a hotel? Do you want me to come see you?" Oh my god, of course I do honey. My body ached for the touch and taste of her.

"You know the answer to that Mo. There's nothing more I want tonight than to spend it with you. That's not going to happen. You're home, you have your honey and you're working tomorrow. It's better this way; at least I think it is. I honest to god don't know anymore."

"Okay. This just sucks. I hate having a chance to be with you and not be able to."

"Look, I want us to be more than a fling. I have no idea if that can happen -- for either of us. There's the rub. We are both involved with someone else. Each of us needs to figure our own stuff out before we can deal with us. Right?"

"Yeah, I know you're right. I'm just a cop, not as smart as you, Ginger."

"Oh bullshit Mo! You're smart as a whip, you read people like a book, gorgeous beyond belief, kiss like an angel, and make love like a she-devil." I started laughing. "Oh my god, we are so messed up. I hope we can figure this out."

"I know; me too. Okay, Ginger, you have a great weekend with your sister. I'll talk to you ... whenever I guess."

"I'll call you some time Monday, okay? Have a good weekend Mo and please babe, be careful out there." I hung up. I needed a good sip of wine. I giggled; I wondered if Tammy had the guts to ribbon herself before going out on her date with her Jeffrey. She was going to have a fun night. I sighed and called Jenny.

"Hi Em ... were you able to get everything done? Are you okay? Did you talk to Lily?"

Geez. "Hi Jen ... yeah, I was the busy chick. I'm at a Country Inn, had dinner, made reservations in St. Charles, and have flight details. Ready?" I gave her the times and flight numbers for tomorrow and Sunday. "Is it okay to leave that late?"

"Absolutely. I'll leave work a little early to pick you up. We'll go to the hotel, get you checked in, and have time to chat before heading home for dinner."

"Oh Jen, that would be wonderful. Do you still have the Ford?"

"No, we traded it in and have a Subaru Forester. It's green. I'll find you ... I remember what you look like." We giggled.

"Brat! So what's the weather going to be like this weekend?"

"Shut up about the weather and tell me about you and Lily." I sighed.

"I didn't answer the first time; she left a voice mail. I sent her an email. Told her I was coming for my clothes and things tomorrow morning then realized she might not read it before then. I sent her a text knowing she'd call, which she did. She begged me to come home. I was pretty bitchy Jen -- I told her it was her home, not mine." No comment. "I asked her to promise me that she wouldn't be there. 'Okay, if that's what you want.' That was when I got angry and yelled at her. I hung up on her. I just couldn't talk to her anymore."




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 05



"Wow, what a mess. Well, I'm glad you're coming. It'll be nice to see you. I told the kids and they're excited. Well, as excited as teenage girls get." I laughed. This would be a treat. "Hmm, let's see -- you need to figure out what to bring. Tomorrow, sunny, mid 50's; Saturday, sunny, mid 60's; Sunday, some rain, low 60's. Not too bad overall."

"No, that's not bad at all. Okay, listen, you probably have things to do. I'm going to take a bath and try to relax. Thank you Jenny; I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."

"I love you too Ginger. Bye!"

I have the garage door opener. Should I leave it at Lily's tomorrow? I shook my head; too damn many questions. I poured another glass of wine and went to run the tub. I locked the door and put the chain on. I grabbed my wine and headed to the bath. The water was hot but not hot enough. I dialed it up a little and lay back, a towel under my head.

I was alone and lonely. No kidding. Okay fine! Yes, I'm feeling sorry for myself. Me: gasping! Oh for the love of god! I felt like an idiot for not spending the night with Mo. And I knew that it was the right thing to do. Two wrongs don't make a right -- no matter how right it would have been to be with her. I hate conflict; it's why I allowed Bill to waste ten years of my life. No, Ginger, own it. Okay, I allowed myself to let Bill waste ten years of my life. Are you happy? No, are you happy now? Do I look happy? Am I not in a hotel room, alone, instead of home with the woman I said I wanted to marry? Or in a bed somewhere with a woman who ... geez, I can't even begin to explain Mo. No, I'm most definitely not happy. Did I do the right thing? If you're playing twenty questions you're on about number twenty two. I'm your conscience so shut up and answer. We both already know the answer -- of course I did. It sucked and I did the right thing, twice in fact. Okay, so enjoy your weekend in St. Louis, drink your wine and get a good night's sleep. Trisha sang, 'I hate you some, I love you some ...' I cried, thinking of the last few words. I miss you Lily. I kicked the water off and giggled. That felt good. I took a sip of wine, put the glass on the floor, lay back and relaxed.

I'm in an office. Where, I don't know. Oh my god! I'm being fucked by a strap on and my face is in someone's pussy. I'm holding her hips while I grunt. Who is it? She's holding my head to her sex so that I can't see her face. I have no idea who is behind me ... she holds my hips, and every thrust sends me to the wet sex of the woman I'm fucking with my tongue as she holds me to her. The room is filled with sounds of pleasure. I feel my slacks and panties around my ankles, my nipples are rock hard against the desk, my bra and the jumper -- I feel her thrusting into me, hard, relentless, energetic ... my mouth is frantic, frenzied, trying to pleasure the bucking, wet sex. I feel the plastic speed up. As it does, my center burns from the heat of it. As that happens, whoever it is I'm eating tenses, her legs lock around my ears. I'm in a panic, trying to breathe, but I can't stop -- she's too close. Whoever is behind me keeps pushing my face into whoever I'm pleasuring. I feel her tense, her thrusts are quick, short ... she's close to hers, and I feel myself teeter, about to slip over the edge. I slip my fingers into the pussy I'm fucking and feel her walls clench, deep inside her as she lifts to me. She shivers and it takes her over. I feel it, just as I feel the plastic cock drive hard and deep, deeper still, cries of desperation and want, and her orgasm drives me into mine. I scream into the wet sex I'm pleasuring, my mouth on her clit as it pulses. I suck it into my mouth, gripping it with my lips, lapping with my tongue as my fingers strive to take all of what remains. There are screams of delight, cries of bliss and moans ... black.

I twitched wildly ... my arms flying out of the water, my legs shaking. The water was nearly cold. I looked around ... I'm in a hotel, in a bath, and I'd fallen asleep. What ... no, who was that? I had no idea. My legs trembled, my nipples were hard, and I felt my pearl throbbing. I know my body -- I hadn't cum and I needed to. I touched myself, light and feathery, on my clit, and exploded with release. I cried out -- oh god yes! My other hand slipped inside me ... my movements frantic. Water splashed on to the floor. I felt my face flush, my hips rocked, bucked, oh my god this is ... ooh, one rolled into another without stopping ... crest to crest ... oooohhhh. I was shivering and boiling hot ... oh dear god, this is so fucking good! Please don't stop, please ... I cried out in frustration as I felt it ease away. Damn you!!

I lay in the tub, shivering, spent, flushed, confused. I reached for the wine, gulping the rest of the glass. I set it down, my hand and arm limp over the side of the tub. My heart finally slowed, the flush was gone. I needed to sleep. I dragged myself from the tub, dried myself half heartedly, left the towel on the wet floor, staggered to the phone, dialed in a 7 am wake up, and fell into bed.

I hated the phone in Dallas and I hate it just as much in Dayton. I was on my side, twisted in blankets and sheet, cuddling a pillow. I knew it was a dream and it frustrated me. I couldn't see any faces, nothing. It's absolutely maddening; so why was I smiling? Because it was pretty damn sexy. I did the stretchy, languid thing -- oh god that's so good! I got up, took a quick shower, dried my hair, and laughed at the girl in the mirror. She's not half bad for a forty seven. Her body was beginning to show some wear and tear but she's holding her own. Damn you Kathy! My blues were soft and angry -- if that's possible. It must be, cuz the eyes looking back at me were. I held up the girls. No, they're not twenty, or thirty, not even forty anymore, but they're not bad. I rolled my eyes at myself, brushed my teeth, put on a little makeup. I looked at my unmentionables. No, I'm not putting the panties back on. I'll get a fresh pair when I pick up my things. I dressed, grabbed my coat and purse, and headed to breakfast. Holy crap! Call me surprised! This actually looks yummy. I was hungry -- bacon, eggs, sausage, coffee, bagel. I ate like it was the last supper.

I headed out at 8:15 am. I needed to find a strategic place to make sure Lily did as promised. Juvenile? You really want me to answer that? I know which way she turns as she leaves the driveway. I parked around the corner, out of sight, at an angle where I could watch. Just before nine the door went up, the car backed out and turned to head out, the garage door closing. I waited five minutes, made a snap decision, and walked to the house. My hand in my purse, I clicked the garage door opener. I closed it behind me, opened the door and stood in the hallway. My eyes filled. What I once called home was familiar; it hurt to think I might never be back. I looked around as I moved through the front room. A white envelope lay on the glass table. It was in Lily's handwriting with my name. I put it in my purse.

I found a suitcase, opened it and began to gather my things. I opened the closet. A note, pinned to a blouse. 'I love you' in her handwriting. I put it in my pocket. I grabbed a bunch of hangers and folded the clothes into the suitcase. I opened the drawers for my tops, undies and the rest and put them into the nearly overflowing suitcase. I would sort it all out back at the hotel. I sighed, it turned into a sob, and I fell across our bed, crying desperate, hot tears. Our bed. You idiot, you fucked me and my trainer yesterday. Why? How could you? Yes I kissed Kathy; it was you I came home to every night. Yes she's gorgeous; it's you who ... I wanted to destroy her house like she destroyed our lives. No Emily Sue, don't say that. It's not who you are. I know, I know. 

I headed to the kitchen for a plastic garbage bag. The shoes went in the bag first. The bathroom. I cried as I smelled her scent, the familiar fragrance I love(d) so much. I looked in the mirror -- my lips trembled, my eyes were red. I knew my face and eyes were only tokens of the desolation so deep in my core. My heart was a town left in tatters by a tornado. Families stunned, holding each other, thankful to be alive, gasping at the wreckage, wondering how they would move on, crying for what was lost.

Finally, thankfully, I finished. It took every ounce of energy to close and lock the suitcase -- and barely at that. I needed two hands, clenched teeth and slow steps to carry the damn thing to the front door. I looked up -- goddamn you. She stood just inside the door, hands folded, somber, eyes red, beautiful. I dropped the fucking suitcase and ... I wanted to run and kiss her, tear her clothes off, and take her. I was frozen, stunned, gaping, flushed ... angry!

The words were soft, her voice choked with emotion, "Please don't. I made a terrible mistake yesterday. Please don't do this. I love you Ginger." Her chin quivered. She lowered her eyes. I was furious! And I cried with her.

I can't do this! I have a ninety minute drive, a flight at one in the afternoon, and I have to get all this shit put away at the hotel. I was so angry. I grabbed the suitcase, hissed "Open the fucking door," and struggled with the weight as I carried it outside and dropped it on the driveway. I walked to my car, pulled it past the driveway, and backed in. I popped the trunk, left the door open, and managed to get the suitcase in. I strode, angrily and purposefully, past her to the bedroom. I grabbed the garbage bag and headed back. First she fucked my trainer, now she'd broken her promise. What a jerk! I dropped the bag, pushed Lily against the wall, pressed myself to her, my mouth savaging hers. I had my hands tight in her hair, grinding my hips to hers, feeling her breasts press to mine. It was ugly, mean, and I loved her desperately. I pulled away, left her gasping, eyes wide. Grabbing the plastic bag, I slammed the door behind me and walked to the car. I threw the bag in the trunk, slammed it shut, got in, and drove off. I looked in the mirror; the door was still closed.

What a mess; I was a jumble of emotions. A centrifuge had nothing on me. My heart was pounding, I was angry and I love her. I had to hurry; there was so much to do. I nearly turned the car around ... only about a hundred times. I pulled into the hotel parking lot, raced in, grabbed the luggage cart, and struggled with the suitcase in the trunk. A nice man saw me wrestle with it, picked the goddamn thing up with one hand, and dropped it lightly on the cart. Ugh! I smiled and thanked him. He waved as he walked away; he was cute too. I threw the garbage bag on, hopped in the car, parked it, and raced to the cart. I pushed it to the elevator, which moved at the speed of sludge, and raced to my room. I opened the door, pushed the cart, and struggled to get the behemoth on the bed. Fuck it -- I left it on the floor.

I grabbed the clothes with hangers; they went in the closet. The stuff in the plastic bag was dumped on the bed. Shoes were left on the floor by the nightstand, cosmetics, etc. on the bed. The suitcase now empty, I made selections about what to bring. Son of a bitch! I had forgotten to bring my coats. I hurried to put everything in the suitcase. I clicked off a mental check list; okay good, I had everything I want. Thinking those words left me in tears. I grabbed my coat, my purse, headed to the elevator and out the door. The suitcase was thrown in the trunk. I got behind the wheel, grabbed the directions to Columbus, and headed out. Oops, gas; I filled up. I followed the signs to I-675 North. The drive was easy, the traffic light, and the weather cooperated. I took the ramp to I-70 East to Columbus. I wanted to be at the airport around noon. I should be okay; the drive wasn't a problem. Ah, a sign for the airport, I got on I-670 E. Now I just follow the signs. At the airport, I headed for long term parking. I got lucky and found a spot fairly quickly.

Southwest was at Concourse A. I found it and headed in. I rummaged in my purse, found the ticket, and got in line. Things moved pretty quickly. My bag was checked, I headed to security. Take off my shoes? How ridiculous! I got wanded; I don't fly often enough to keep up with what's okay and what's not. I headed to the gate. Did I bring my book? I stopped, put the purse on a garbage can and checked. Good. I checked the board - an hour in the air, an hour on the ground in Chicago, and an hour to St. Louis. I could grab a snack in Chicago. They announced that boarding would begin in ten minutes. I was very happy to be seeing my sister and her family; I hated the circumstances that led to it all. I heard Group A called. I got in line, I wanted an aisle seat; no problem. I settled in. People wandered past, the seats next to me were filled. Stragglers straggled in. Bags got stowed; I put on my lap belt. Finally, we pushed away from the gate.

It's pretty funny to be on a flight that takes an hour. They barely have time to do the silly lecture, make sure everybody was belted, etc. and we began our descent. I found the signs for my gate and headed that way. I grabbed a sandwich and small water. I stopped in the ladies room. No particular reason to rush. I got to the gate in plenty of time. I munched on the sandwich; boarding began. I found a seat and sent a text to Jenny that the plane would leave on time. She replied: can't wait. I smiled. Once in the air, I finished the sandwich, read, and sipped the water the flight attendant gave me.

St. Louis -- yaay; I headed to baggage claim. The bag showed up and I headed outside. I heard my name, found Jenny waving, smiled, and headed to the car. She looked older; dope, so do I. We hugged, kissed; yup, there were a few tears.

The chatter in the car was nice; sisters. Jen told me about the kids, stuff, the fabric of life. My eyes filled. Jenny looked at me and squeezed my hand. The tears were a flood - again. Did I want to get something to eat? I shook my head. We headed to the hotel. I would check in, put the clothes away and talk there. That sounded like a plan. I stared out the window. I knew I wasn't being very good company. Lily, why? Just answer that one question for me. Why? 

The drive to the hotel was quick. I smiled at Jenny, got out and grabbed my suitcase. We headed in. After checking in and getting the key, we headed to the room. Jenny helped hang up the clothes. I put the rest in the drawers and slid the suitcase in the closet. There was a couch. I looked at Jenny. She shrugged and said, "Whatever you want Ginger, as much as you want." She smiled at me. "Ginger huh? I still have trouble with that. I have to admit -- it fits. David actually laughed when I told him. He likes it too." I blushed and smiled.

"I went to the house this morning. I packed the suitcase and threw the shoes and the rest in a garbage bag. When I brought the suitcase out, Lily was in the doorway." Jen's jaw dropped. "I know; I was so angry. She apologized, begged me not to leave. I did. Before I left, I pushed her against the wall and kissed her, hard and angrily. I don't know what the fuck to do Jen; I love her, and she broke my heart." Jenny was staring at me -- oh, Emily didn't use language like that. I shrugged. "Lots of things are different kiddo. I'm staying in a hotel. It's nice and I hate it. Lily found a house for me to buy, then I moved in. We had talked about me renting it as we worked out our relationship. Then there's Mo -- Maureen, the cop. I told you about her, right?" She nodded. "She's got a girlfriend she lives with. We're so good together. We need to figure out our respective situations before anything can happen. I don't want to be her 'on the side' lover. I need to decide about Lily and Mo and Mo needs to figure out what she wants." I looked at my sister. "You must wonder who the hell I am."

"A little, yeah. Even the flowers - that was so unlike the old you." Ouch! I nodded. "I told you this once when we talked. You have a lot to sort out. I think being apart from both of them is the right thing. I admit that's very much an outsider's view. You did go from a marriage to an affair to an affair pretty quickly. You may want to give some thought to ... when was your last real vacation?" Oh lord. "Honey, if it's been so long that you can't remember, there's your answer." She was right. Tammy and I were finished; it would be a while till the next project came in.

"That's a good idea Jen. I'll look on Monday. So what's on tap tonight?"

"Dinner ... and I have no idea after that; pretty much whatever you want. The girls have plans, naturally. Pat said to say hello, by the way."

"It's impossible that your children are so grown up kiddo. We're not that old." Sisters laughed. "Oh by the way, when I talked to you Wednesday, did I mention I got my period?" Jenny shook her head. "I pretty much knew I wasn't; that just confirmed it. I guess I always wondered about having kids. There was that little part of me, ya know?" Jenny nodded and hugged me. "Hey, I almost forgot, I only brought one coat. You saw it. You want to go shopping tomorrow?"

"Yeah sure, that would be fun. Imagine, the Butler sisters out shopping; been a long, long time since we've done that!" The Butler sisters. My God, it's been a long time since we've been able to say that. "You okay? Ready to head home?" Head home; she didn't mean it that way but it hurt. I hung my head. Jenny reached for me. "I'm so sorry Ginger. I didn't mean anything by it." I know, and my reaction was stupid. Speaking of stupid, there was a fleeting second when I wish she had kissed me. Okay, so now you know that I had. Me: Idiotic.

"Jen, I know you didn't -- and it just shows how much I need to be here. Yeah, I did need to get far away from everything for a little while." I smiled. "I guess you learned how to be such a good listener by being married and having kids. Thank you." I hugged her. "Ready if you are. This ought to be interesting. I can't wait to see the kids."

"Yeah, it's been ... five years?"

"Something like that; it's embarrassing." I shook my head. We headed out. The drive to Jenny and David's house was quick. We smiled as we approached the back door after Jen locked the car in the garage. Enough room for David's as well, apparently.

"We're home ... come see Aunt Emily, kids." Squeals of delight ... two kids, who vaguely looked like my nieces, hugged me. I hugged and kissed them, and gawked. Tall and gangly, Megan's braces were gone; she was gorgeous. Terese, with braces, was caught in that awkward time between childhood and not quite adulthood. My nieces were nearly grown up. I had missed so much of it. I turned and saw David, the handsome devil, standing in the corner, leaning against a wall, smiling, taking it all in. I went to him, kissed him on the cheek. He swept me up in a hug that left me breathless.

"Are you cooking, going to cook? Do you want me to take the girls to the ... what's it called, the great room, and chat with them while you do whatever you're going to do?" Jenny smiled and nodded. "David, please come."

"Girl talk -- umm, I have a sock drawer to redo." I punched him; he laughed a rich, deep sound. I remembered why Jenny loved him so much. 

"Jen, I'd love tall glass of wine. I think I'm going to need it." She poured me some white wine. "Come along nieces of mine, we have lots to catch up on and not much time. I hear you both have busy nights planned."

"Mommmm." The plaintive cry of the teenage girl, embarrassed again, by a parent.

"Come on kids, I'll tell you stories about my bratty little sister."

"Em, I spit in your wine." Everyone laughed. Meg took my hand and led me to a big comfy chair ... they both sat on the floor, legs tucked under them. My knees hurt watching their contortions.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 06







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 06



I called the InTown Suites. Yes, I could visit after work.

I debated and called Lily. "She's with a client. May she call you back?" Sigh.

My phone buzzed while I was on the phone with Lily's office. Crystal. I listened to the message. She had some concrete things and others that needed my approval. Could I come by after work?

I went back to the office, mused, pretended to work, and failed. I knew Tammy was watching. I ignored her. Not out of spite mind you, but she didn't need to have a gateway to my every thought. Besides, tomorrow was her date night so I held the upper hand in the game. I smiled to myself.

I finally gave up and went to meet Crystal.

My first question was, "Can you get me a flight the night of Monday the 19th?"

She checked her computer. "Yup, there is a flight leaving Dayton around seven that gets to San Francisco about 11:30pm. Is that okay"?

"Oh my god yes, it's perfect. Can I rent a car that late and drive?" She did a little checking. She looked at me and shook her head.

"Unreal; I can get you a Malibu for less than five hundred dollars for the entire trip." That's almost too good to be true. She nodded and said, "I can make the reservation and hold it for twenty four hours." That sounded good. "I'll be sure to note on the reservation that your flight gets in as late as it does so that someone will be there for you." Fabulous.

She asked me what type of hotel, what type of view. I asked her for some of the choices. Her fingers flew over keys. I sighed a little at some of the options. Going was a must. Going alone? I hated it but needed it. There was a hotel in Monterey with an ocean view. Good; all I wanted was one queen size bed. I asked her to book me in to Monterey Wednesday evening. I would have all day Tuesday and Wednesday to leisurely drive, shop, and dine heading down the coast. I was beginning to feel good about this.

I made a quick decision. "Ya know what Crystal, find me a hotel at the airport Monday. It doesn't need to be fancy -- just a place to sleep. I'll pick up the rental car Tuesday morning, rested, fresh and fed, and hit the road." She smiled. "Do you have a map of California?" She called it up on Rand McNally. "Okay, I can head north to Napa, head west and come back on 110, and then south on Route 1." Crystal was smiling and nodding. "What hotels are in Half Moon Bay?" She called up a list. "No Country Inns?" There was one in San Carlos just a bit east. "Book me there Tuesday night, please."

Today is Tuesday. "Would it be okay if I come after work tomorrow to finalize everything and pay for it?" 

"Ginger, if you're happy with the flights I'd like to book them now." She took care of that while I was still in her office. Good, that's done. "I'll do the hotels and car before I leave today. I can also find some sights to see, places to dine, that sort of thing, before you come in tomorrow." It sounded good to me.

I looked at Crystal as she worked. Yup, she's stunning. Her smile is dazzling. She really is very good at what she does. I thanked her again and said I'd call when I was on my way tomorrow. I hurried back to the office. I hoped Tammy hadn't left. I needed to gush about Crystal. I'm ignoring the snickers from the peanut gallery. Tammy was at her desk. I told her all that Crystal and I had accomplished today, how excited I was, and how grateful I was to Tammy for recommending her sister. She beamed with pride.

"So you're going to leave Monday night?"

"I know. I made the decision to go sooner rather than later. I need to get away. But there are also things I need to get done when I get back -- like find a place to live."

We said our goodbyes in the parking lot. I headed to InTown Suites. I took the tour; they explained the details. The room was not very big. The bathroom was okay. There was a refrigerator, microwave, and stove. The attraction: the rate. There was a nice feature: my credit card and deposit would hold the room while I was out of town for a small nightly charge. Hmm, it's Tuesday and I leave next Monday, so it's a day short of a week. I'd already extended my stay at the hotel for tonight. I would move in tomorrow. I did the paperwork, gave them my credit card and got my key.

I got in the car, sat for a minute, and called Lily's cell. It wasn't clear from the tone of her voice if she was upset with me or upset in general. I had to be clear how I said this. "I apologize for last night. It's not that I didn't want to be with you, but I feel badly about, at least in my mind, taking advantage of you. I don't know where we stand. I need to get away. I hope you understand." I debated about telling her details. I left it at this: "I promise I'll call when I get back in town." 

I felt absolutely miserable after the call ended. I was such a jerk for doing what I did last night. I took a perfectly lovely heart and just stomped on it for all the wrong reasons. Not that there are any good reasons, ex husbands excluded.

I called Lily back. "Hi, are you home?" A sigh.

"Yes I am; why?"

"If it's not too much trouble, may I come and apologize properly in person? I didn't like the way the phone call went."

Her voice was a little wary, "Okay. I'll see you in a few minutes I guess." Oh god, I felt so much better. I hope all of you understand what I mean by that. Yes, I felt better about me, but more importantly I also felt better about us. I have no idea if we'll be able to fix all this but I don't want her to think I'm a jerk. I pulled in the driveway, sat for a moment to collect myself and walked to the front door. Lily opened it before I knocked, stood aside and I went in.

"I don't even want to sit down, Lily. I just want to tell you in person that I feel like such a jerk about last night. It just wasn't the right time for us to make love."

"Shut up Ginger. I know what you mean. I was part of last night too remember? We're okay. Wherever it is you're going I hope you have fun and get the rest and time. I love you Ginger. Now before you go, may I kiss you?"

"You damn well better wench." We both laughed. It was sweet, loving, and neither of us wanted it to end. And we both knew it had to. "I'm going to California. I leave next Monday. I'll call when I get back. I love you too." A quick peck, hands squeezed, and smiles as I left. Phew.

I didn't feel like fish. I went to Fleming's Prime Steakhouse. I was seated quickly, though it was crowded for a Tuesday. Good lord the wine list is amazing. I actually asked the server to pick a Pinot Noir for me. She smiled; apparently I wasn't the only one a bit overwhelmed. I ordered calamari, the peppercorn steak, and asparagus. I desperately wanted to see Mo but no way was I going to call her. That didn't mean I couldn't go to the L Room for a drink. The calamari was wonderful. The wine was out of this world. I was feeling a little better about things. I would pack up tonight before bed -- only laying out exercise and work clothes for Wednesday.

I ordered another glass of wine when the entree was served. I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish it all. I'd have to come back -- with someone. The steak was superb; cooked perfectly, very tender. The asparagus was crisp and wonderful. Working out tomorrow would be good. Oh, I pulled out my little notepad. I needed to ask Crystal about places in California where I can work out. The Country Inns had fitness rooms. But tonight was my last night there. I asked for the check. My phone rang; a big smile.

"Hey you; how's my favorite cop?"

"She's looking for someone to put handcuffs on." I turned fifteen shades of red. "Where are you?" The server brought the check. I signed it, smiled, and mouthed, 'Thank you.'

"I'm just finishing dinner. Where are you?"

"You had dinner and didn't invite me? That's a misdemeanor, a punishable offense." I laughed as I walked from the table to the door.

"I'm at the L Room."

"Let me see if I understand. You're catting around at the L Room without me? That's a misdemeanor, a punishable offense."

"I'm the one with handcuffs."

"How do you know I haven't stopped somewhere and bought a pair?" We both laughed. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"No speeding; I won't come bail your ass out."

"You love my ass. Bye." I didn't speed but I did hurry. There would be no sex tonight. Just a nice night spent with a gorgeous woman.

Candy waved; I leaned over the bar and gave her a friendly kiss. She'd bring my drink over. I smiled and nodded. There, against the wall, was my redhead. She stood, pulled cuffs from her pocket. I had to laugh. She smiled and kissed me -- not a 'friends' kiss. We heard the glass hit the table. Candy leaned in and whispered, "You two oughta just get a room."

Mo stopped long enough to say, "Fuck you."

"You already have," was the retort. Candy giggled as she walked away.

We sat, holding hands, close as the two chairs allowed. "You're in luck Ginger. I have my period, otherwise you'd be mine. I think that's why I was so worked up Saturday and Sunday. I get that way just before it starts."

"Let me make note of that." I pulled my notepad out.

"Are you kidding me? You carry that thing around with you?" I showed her the note about out of town workout places. She looked at me in amazement. "You joined 'Anytime'?

"Well, not yet. They gave me a tour and a seven day pass. I'm going to work out tomorrow, with supervision, after work. I'm really glad, Mo. It's so close to work." She was shaking her head and smiling.

"I'm really, really proud of you Ginger. You're gonna love that place. They're fabulous. Who did the walk through with you?" I had to think a minute. I didn't remember.

"Some Irish name maybe?"

"Erin?"

"Yup, that's her."

"Gorgeous isn't she?" I blushed. Mo laughed. "Nope; I already tried." Damn!

"Let me see if I got this right. You're telling me you hit on some chick at your health club. That's a misdemeanor, a ..." She kissed the rest of it away. I felt the cold steel and heard the click.

"Now are you going to be good tonight or will I have to put that other cuff to use?" I held up my handcuffed wrist and stared at Mo. I heard laughter; Candy was laughing at us. I stuck my tongue out her. She wagged a finger. I gave her the finger. Her eyebrow arched. Mo was laughing at the two of us. "You might have to give her a whirl Ginger. She's really something." I stared, open mouthed, at her.

"My lover is telling me to go after a woman she's had? What kind of woman do you ..." She was laughing too hard for me to continue. She motioned for Candy to come over. Dear god, now what?

"Candy, give Ginger a 'not just friends' kiss." I stared at Mo, stared at Candy. Candy leaned in and kissed me. Her full lips were soft and her tongue found its way into my mouth. Laying eyes on Mo renders me a puddle. Kissing her opens the floodgates of desire and more. Candy kissing me was lighting a match to the flammable fluid between my legs. She finally broke the kiss, gave me a victor's smile, and turned and headed back to the bar. I watched every sexy, slinky step. I was breathless and flushed. I looked at Mo. She was Cheshire cat grinning. "She's good huh?" I moaned.

"Mo, I'm trying to be a good girl." She laughed, a deep, rich sound that carried over the usual din of the music. I was turned on, frustrated and near tears. "Mo, please honey. I'm leaving Monday evening for my vacation." She stopped and looked at me. "I need to do some soul searc -- no, that's not it. I nee. Damn! I haven't been me since Julia. Oh god. Julia was the best damn thing that ever happened to me." Mo listened intently. "See? This is what I mean. I'm hoping some time alone will help give me some perspective and some idea of what my future will be." I reached and slid my fingers down the pale skin on that gorgeous face. I leaned in for a quick kiss. Despite my best intentions my eyes filled. "You are," I choked back tears, "so special. I love you so much. I love my new life. I just want to get it settled. I'm hoping time away will help me figure things out." Mo pulled me close and hugged me.

I heard the whispered words, "I guess there are times I forget about all you've been through. I'm glad you're taking time away. You need it. Shit, we all do. I wish I had more chances to get away." She brushed my cheek with a kiss. "I love you Ginger. But more, I want you to be happy." The tears that were teetering flowed.

"I really do think I, we, could be happy together Mo. I just need some time away. I'm not sure -- but I think you do as well. To be sure. What do you think?"

Sly smile. "I think you're wonderful. Now will you please kiss me?" I did -- a quick peck, my tongue slipping over her lips. I pulled away. Mo's eyes were wild hot. She spun, straddled me, reached for my wrist and cuffed me. She tore into me, her mouth hot and wild on mine. Her hands grazed every inch of me. When her fingers undid the zipper on my slacks I froze. Mo was in front of me, her body shielding mine from prying eyes. She slid her fingers into my panties and, quickly, deep into my sex. My hips lifted, my body shivered and bucked. It happened in a flash -- I was that close. I screamed into her mouth. The pulsing, pounding, persistent white stars behind my eyes matched the heat in my pussy. I knew I was flooding her fingers and hand. Her fingers drove into me relentlessly. I slumped as it left me all too early. I jerked my mouth from hers and lay it on her shoulder. 

"Please, no more." I was still recovering. I felt helpless, foolish, and used. She knew I was vulnerable and needy, damn her. I felt the cuffs open; one, then the other. I grabbed my purse, stood, and walked, a bit unsteadily, to the door. I felt Candy's eyes on me. I smiled at her; she was only a bit player in all of this. I walked to my car, opened the door. I felt her before she spoke.

"You're angry with me?" I wanted to slug her; that would have been pointless, though I know she wouldn't have said a word. I turned, looked at her, my eyes blazing, mouth tight and hard. I opened the door, slid in, started the car, and backed out. I headed to the hotel. I was furious and frustrated. She told me she loved me, then humiliated and abused me. That was love? Yes I had an orgasm. She had that effect on me. I pulled into the lot, slammed the door, and headed to my room. I changed into workout clothes and headed to the fitness center to burn off my anger. I had a basketball game on and was concentrating on the elliptical and my pace when I looked up. She was in the doorway.

There is no possible way to explain this to anyone, including me. I was furious and I was desperately happy. You might wonder how I could be happy to see her after all that. Honestly, I don't know. Mo has always had some sort of 'hold' on me. I've never understood it. It appealed to something very primal, very deep inside me. The thought that popped into my mind as I write is: I'm a moth to Mo's proverbial flame. There have been times I've wondered if her dominance called to me. I was so mad at her tonight. I didn't understand how I could be so angry then and so, umm, flooded to see her standing, all cool and detached, in the doorway.

"Go. Please, just go. I don't want you to be here. You took advantage of me." With every word, Mo took a step toward me. She smiled a tight smile. I wanted to slap her. I didn't; I couldn't. She knew. I saw it in her eyes. She knew she had me. I shivered at what I saw in her eyes. Had I always known? Had she? Her laughing eyes told me -- oh yeah.

She turned and I followed. We went to my room. She locked the door. I stripped and lay on the bed. She found the bag with the toys. She took off her clothes, left her panties on, stepped into the harness, and climbed into bed. She fed me the plastic. I took it and did what she, I, wanted. She told me to turn over and get up on my knees. She slid the plastic cock deep into me. I moaned. She fucked me, relentlessly, her fingers hard on my hips. I pulled the pillows together, lay my head on them, and tweaked and teased my clit. I cried out when the orgasm took me. It was wave after unbelievable wave of intense pleasure. I shuddered when it left me. I was limp, hot and cold.

She told me to turn over. I did. I asked her to kiss me. I got a brush of her lips. Bitch! Why do I need you so? I guided the plastic to my waiting, soaked lips. Her teeth bit my bottom lip. That was going to leave a mark. Why did the thought of it flood my pussy yet again? Her mouth was on a nipple when she grunted, jerked, bucked and cried out. I followed, screaming, into another, driven to it by her fabulous hips driving into my pulsing center.

My body just plain gave up as I surrendered completely to Mo. Something changed. Mo seemed to sense the difference. She slowed, then stopped. She loved me. There was no taking, only loving. She lifted from me; I was only dimly aware of her standing, removing the harness, and slipping in next to me. I just know that her body next to mine was what I wanted. I yawned, felt Mo kissing my neck, smiled, and, gratefully, I slept.

I woke up Wednesday to find Mo on her side, head on her hand, watching me. So ridiculously beautiful -- that's my Mo. I pulled her to me and kissed her. Shit, my lip hurt. "I love you and it drives me nuts trying to understand it baby."

"Maybe you'll find out when you're on your trip lover. I love you too. I give you something you need Ginger, even if you don't know or understand it."

"Then tell me please. I was angry with you last night. And I was so damn glad to see you in the door. I'm still upset about last night." I reached out to pull her on top of me. "And I'm so glad you're still here this morning. I'm so sore I don't know how I'll be able to walk without wincing and I want you to make love to me again. How on earth can there be so many conflicting emotions and such amazing love?"

"Your bags are packed. You said you were leaving Monday. Where are you going?"

"This is too expensive. I like it but I've taken a room at the InTown Suites. They have this deal where I can leave my stuff while I'm out of town and not pay the usual weekly rate. That's one of the decisions I have to make Mo. I have to figure out if I want to own or rent, house or condo, and where."

"And what about Lily? I thought you were living there. Are the two of you over?"

I sighed. "I don't know Mo. I'm not angry any more about Kathy. Lily wrote me a note. No, I'm not going to share the details but a lot of it made sense. It took away some of my anger. I don't ... I mean, I haven't made up my mind about that. Now maybe you understand why I'm such a mess." Damn! I wanted some sort of reaction from her. Not being able to read her was frustrating. It was as if she could read my mind. She smiled, ran her fingers through my hair, kissed me, rolled off of me, kissed both nipples, and started to get dressed.

I got out of bed and walked over to Mo. "I know one thing I want from you. I want more 'us' time that doesn't involve being at the L Room or in bed. I need to be with Mo, not Mo the cop, not Mo my lover, just Mo. If this is love between us we need to just 'be' together. Will you think about that while I'm gone Mo, 'us' time?" The most amazing thing happened. She cried -- body shaking, gut wrenching, uncontrollable. I hugged her close. She laid her head on my shoulder as she sobbed. I slipped my fingers through her gorgeous hair. It was all I could do -- that and hug her close. The crying eased. She finally lifted her head and kissed me very tenderly.

Her voice still thick with emotion, she said, "Yeah Ginger, I want that very much. I don't need to think about it. I want that with you too." She smiled. It was kind of goofy and it may have been the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen. Brought tears to my eyes too. We just might be okay after all.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 06



"I guess you have to go huh? Can we have dinner before I leave?"

"Yeah sure. Can I see you Friday?"

"Okay; there's a place not far from here. Do you like fish?" She nodded. "Sweeney's Seafood House. It's real good. Is seven too late? She shook her head. "I'll meet you there." Blue eyes sparkled. Good, we had a date; a real date.

One more kiss - hot but not too long. Neither of us wanted to get started again. She tweaked a nipple. I took her hand and kissed it. She smiled, opened the door, and left. I hadn't meant to make her cry but I felt better about everything ... except the unbelievable soreness between my legs. I tried to soothe it in the shower. Hmm, I think I'm too good of a soother. That woman just does it to me. Do any of you have a Mo in your life? Have you ever had a Mo?

After dressing I went downstairs for breakfast. Might as well right? On the way back I grabbed the luggage cart and brought it to the room. I thought about asking Mo to help but there was this me being naked thing. I schlepped the bags to the cart, checked to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, and headed to the elevator, then to the car. I managed to wrestle the big bag into the trunk; the little one joined it. I had a very catty thought as I drove to work. I should have Lilly pay the hotel bill. I giggled; bad Ginger. Yeah, so? It's not really wrong to have those sorts of thoughts as long as you don't let them linger. I didn't.

Work was blah. Don't get me wrong -- I love what I do. When we're in the middle of a project like the last one, it's intense, pressure filled, and often very frustrating. That makes days like this so vanilla. You kind of get used to getting jazzed by it. Anyway, we sort of ground through the day. Tammy said she and Crystal talked about me last night. Geez, just thinking about her opened the flood gates again. I smiled.

"Let's go out to lunch Tammy." That got a smile and a nod. "Are you ribboned?" She flushed, giggled, and nodded. "Good girl." It was close enough to 11:30 am. "How about we go now Tammy?"

Smashburgers -- the name alone makes me laugh. The food was very good though. After we ordered, Tammy began to chatter about Crystal. I listened with interest. It seems Crystal was very impressed with some of the choices I made. 

"I was very impressed with Crystal. She's sharp, informed and did a great job for me." Good lord, I nearly forgot that I had to go finalize things with her this afternoon. I would do that and then do my workout.

Tammy was all giggly about date night. "Jeffrey hasn't told me where we're going for dinner or what we're doing after." I asked. "We decided to take turns planning our date nights." I told Tammy what a fabulous idea that was. She beamed. "Ginger, this has completely changed everything. Since you set up our long weekend, and now with date night, things haven't been this good since we were kids." I smiled and squeezed her hand. What I'd done wasn't really that big of a deal. But hey, if it produced the look I saw in Tammy's eyes then I'm happy. I'm happiest for the two of them.

We headed back to work. I was terribly bored. I asked Jodi if there was anything new on the horizon; she shrugged. I sighed and went to my desk. I was too bored to be bored. I needed to use the bathroom. I sat with my head in my hands thinking of my night. Well, as long as I'm here. I was still sore but the spend was delicious. Hey now! If you had the memories of my night with Mo and my throbbing pearl you would have had an orgasm too. Actually, this would be okay. I giggled to myself. I was so ready to rock and roll for my trip. Oh Ginslut, you are something else. This trip was for ... oh my god. I laughed out loud -- self-examination!! How funny is that!! 

I sent Mo a text: What sign r u? Random? No, bored. I need to write that sort of stuff down. I know there are people who live by their horoscopes and I apologize to you if you're reading my tale. I think it's nuts but to each their own!

I checked my personal email. Oh how funny. A woman I know sent me a link to a YouTube video about lesbians and U-Haul. You have to look it up. It was very creative, funny, and fun. I motioned to Tammy; she watched it over my shoulder. I laughed and laughed. She giggled and blushed. Oh Jeffrey, you are in for another fab night. Not my thing but you go girl. I called Jodi ... she laughed as well. She was starting to show. I put my hand on her tummy; she blushed.

I stood and hugged her. "How are you feeling?" Everything was going fabulously, apparently. Yeah, I'm seriously bored. But this is good. I get to spend time with the people I work with who, as I've mentioned before, are wonderful.

Mo: Aries, why? I laughed at her response. I'm bored, I think I love you and want to know more about you.

My text: cuz I care :)

I called Crystal. Can I stop by now? She was with a client; how about 3:30? That works. I don't know why the big hurry. I was going to live in a place that was about the size of my furnished apartment. 

That reminded me -- what's happening with Nora? I called Mo. "I haven't heard a thing about a trial, pleas, or other details, Ginger." That was disappointing. "I love you." I blushed. I could never hear it enough from her. I looked at Tammy, who was making every possible effort to pretend not to listen. I told Mo I loved her too. Tammy smiled. I got up, went to her desk, leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek and tweaked a nipple. 

"You and Jeffrey have a wonderful date night." The poor darling flushed so gloriously!

I drove to Crystal's office. She greeted me warmly. I was way more than warm being with her. She told me about the things she'd set up for me for the trip. I stared at her figure and gave her my credit card. The flights and the rest were booked. She already had my phone number and email. I didn't comment beyond that. She was ever the professional -- shook my hand, wished me well, thanked me for my business. Oh honey! I smiled, thanked her, way too effusively, for her help. She flushed fabulously. No, Ginger, NO! I left with a handful of details: flights, cars, hotels and more.

To the health club!! Yes, I was excited. I flashed my pass -- the lovely behind the counter told me where the changing rooms were and that I should come back to the desk for my 'monitor.' Whatever; changing rooms meant lockers in plain view. Duh, why hadn't I noticed before? Erin? Me: nodding. Remember, Ginger, you're being a good girl, not Ginslut. Yeah, I know, I know. Besides, Mo already told me that Erin didn't play on our side of the street. Mo is much more aggressive about that sort of thing. Hmm. That might be interesting. Could I do something Mo couldn't? One thing for sure -- I needed to change into my workout clothes at the office. This is ridiculous. I'm not a prude or anything but it would be nice for these places to understand not every woman likes being nude around and/or in front of other women. I changed and tied the key into my shoelace. Why? The shorts I wore didn't have pockets. Silly Ginger!

I needed a vigorous workout to burn off energy. I hear the snickering! Stop being so childish. Okay, I did blush. At the front desk, I asked for whoever was going to supervise my workout. Bianca looked at a list of who was working and asked if I had a preference. I swear to God she did! With a straight face I said I prefer women. She blinked and flushed. Good Ginger smiled sweetly. Some dude named Vince came out. Look, I'm writing what I saw. Think any stereotype of over-muscled, really good looking Italian guy you've ever seen. That's Vince. Women whose lashes aren't long enough (for them) would kill to have his. Brown eyes, black, wavy hair. His five o'clock shadows started about one o'clock. I'd bet a dollar he shaved his body hair. He at least had the social grace not to break my hand with his handshake. His deep bass voice told me to follow him. He asked if I had any special interests. I smiled. I told him I had been working with a personal trainer and that a friend of mine was a member here. 

He worked his way through a bunch of machines. He kept setting the weight too low. I upped it; he finally caught on. He was borderline condescending explaining how each machine worked on muscle groups. I did the sets without much trouble. I asked -- there were two and a half and five pound weights that could be added. Vince showed me how. I did one more set with the extra weight added. I felt the difference right away, but the burn felt good. I realized quickly that I wasn't interested in much of the weight stuff. I didn't want to add muscle, I wanted to get fit. That's what Kathy had done -- get me fit. I told him that. He did make one good point. Weight training, even if minimal, would burn calories by increasing my metabolism. We walked to the cardio equipment: ellipticals, steppers, and treadmills. I told Vince I didn't need a lot of help with any of these. Okay, did I have any other questions? I said no, thanked him, got my stuff out of the locker and left. I wasn't sure about this health club thing. I had a seven day pass. I would see Mo for dinner and talk with her. I would write a note to myself about Kathy; one more thing to think about in California.

I went inside and grabbed the luggage cart. The damn suitcase is much harder to get out of a trunk than in. Hmm, that weight training doesn't sound quite as bad. Oh well; I left the two bags inside the door and parked the car. I took the elevator to the second floor and found my room. I set the bags down and took the cart back downstairs; I walked the flight of stairs --see, exercise. I needed to call Jenny tonight. I smiled thinking about her being ribboned. I wondered if she did it again. I wondered about Janice and my sister. Would she? Did she? All this as my clothes were being hung up, put in drawers and the like. The bathroom stuff got put where it belonged. No shelves but a good deal of counter space on the sink. I'll make do.

Damn! This was why I need that notebook. I had meant to make an appointment at my salon and it was late Wednesday. I called and begged. Could I come in now? Yes! Dinner will wait. I got in the car and hurried to the salon. Wash, cut, mani, pedi ... ooh, there's a thought. I would write a note, now, to call Crystal and see about getting a massage and facial somewhere on vacation. Yay!

I'd been with my stylist, Lynn, for several years now. She's good people. A bit older than I am, divorced, kids pretty much grown. We chat, nothing too personal. I did mention I was going to California on vacation. She thought that was fabulous. I gave her a general outline of what I was planning. I thought I heard a twinge of sadness in her voice as she spoke, enthusiastically, about what I was doing. Single Mom, on her feet all day; I always tipped both the stylist and nail person well, but I made sure to leave her a little something extra tonight. I pressed the bill into her hand, kissed her on the cheek and thanked her. I also made sure to thank the manager for squeezing me in last minute. She smiled her thanks.

I needed to find a decent place for dinner. Grindstone Charley's -- hmm, that name was familiar. I hadn't been to the one here, but it rang a bell for some reason. The food was decent. I did it again; I ordered because the name of the item made me laugh. Drunken Chicken - slices of bacon, pepper jack and Jack Daniel's honey bourbon sauce. It may have made me laugh but it was damn good. The chardonnay was nothing special. I needed to stop on the way home to get some wine. I would keep my eyes open for a place to have breakfast. I admit I'd been spoiled by the Country Inn breakfasts.

Back in the car, I saw a grocery store. I bought some things for the fridge and some wine. Hmm, I would be here for five more days. I bought bagels, a small tub of margarine, and orange juice. Good girl Ginger. I took a shower after putting what I'd bought in the fridge. I put on a fresh tee and kept the shorts. I was leery of the carpeting so I kept anklets on.

I got Mo's voice mail. "Hey you, can you please give me a call when you have a moment?" I had to talk to her about this workout place. I thought about Tammy and her date night and smiled. I would get the 411 tomorrow. I called Jenny.

"Hi. How's my very old sister?"

"Bitch, I'm fine." She giggled. "Is my baby sister still sore, or has the magic worn off?"

She was quiet for a minute. Uh oh. "I went to find Janice. She was there. I wanted to have her find me some clothes; I had made up my mind to at least talk to her. She asked how you were." Oh my god. Oh Jenny.

"Why would she do that? I only saw her that once ... I don't understand. Didn't she ..."

"She asked how you were Emily. I turned and left." Jenny's voice was flat; I wanted to cry.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. Um, I have to ask, you at least had it in your mind to speak to her about ... umm, taking some sort of first step."

"Yeah, I finally worked up the courage. I don't know why; apparently my big sister is the chick magnet. Apparently I have 'married with kids' stamped on my forehead in some sort of pink ink." Oh god.

"Well I love you, Jennifer Anne. I think you're a hottie and so does your husband. If you weren't my sister I'd come on to you if I saw you." Oh my god; Ginger, shut up!!

"You would what?" Oh great, now I've gone and stepped in it.

"Nothing; I think you're gorgeous. Yes, you and David have three kids but you've taken good care of yourself. Hell, I haven't had any kids and my body shows some wear and tear. You're a lovely woman Jen. I'm sure you turn your share of heads -- men and women. Janice is an asshole. Male or female, sexual preference aside, an asshole is an asshole."

Silence. This wasn't working. "Didn't you tell me Julia spotted you at a conference or something?"

"Yup."

"So what about after you got home. What did you do then -- wasn't it Lily? Then someone at a lesbian bar or something."

I was quiet for a bit. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"What? It's okay for you and not for me? Fuck you Emily." The slam echoed in my ear.

God damn, could this be any worse? I called Jenny. David answered. His voice was tight. "She isn't here Em. She went out for a walk. What's going on?" Apparently it could get worse.

"David, I don't know. She told me she went to Nordstrom, that she had found the same Personal Shopper who helped me that day. Apparently Janice asked how I was, Jenny was hurt, and it went downhill from there." I could only pray I wasn't adding fuel to an incendiary situation. It seemed I may have. David was very quiet.

"She went to find her, talk to her? She told me about Janice and you." I know David. "I do my share of reading on the net. I read the stories about how more women admit to being bisexual than men. We have a great love life; I guess I'm okay with her taking a walk on the wild side. I love my wife, Ginger." I know you do honey. I want to crawl into a deep hole and pull the dirt over me. "What do I do Ginger?" How the fuck do I know? I'm not married.

"David, I have no clue. Bill and me, it was awful for a long time. I'm sure you know that. This new me -- it came as a complete surprise. I don't want Jennifer to be me. She loves you. I, umm, heard a little about your night with her. Just love her David. Love her till she begs you to stop, then do what you did - have at her again. And I guess if she wants to explore she will. I feel like the world's biggest heel. I'm so sorry for all of this, David."

"Ginger, she can't imagine you being with a woman, but it has made our sex life pretty amazing." I blushed. David, if you only knew how messed up my life is. Geez.

"David, you are such a fabulous man. You love that idiot sister of mine and she loves you. I'm sorry to drag my sorry ass life into yours. I'm going to California Monday night, after the divorce is final, for six days. Not long enough but better than nothing. Ask Jenny to call me please."

"Oh that's great Ginger. Have a wonderful time. We love you. Don't let this get in the way of your relationship with your sister please. I'll talk to you soon, okay?" I cried when we hung up. I didn't want my sister in this mess. Yeah, I know, her life is her life. The phone rang again ... Mo!!

"Hi, are you still sexy?"

"Oh Mo, I'm so upset. I called my sister. She went to Nordstrom and the personal shopper who kind of hit on me wasn't interested in her. She's upset with me; she swore at me and hung up on me. I'm a mess."

"Ginger, your sister's life is her business not yours. I know you love her but take a chill pill." My heart went to ice. I knew she was right but those were the wrong words at the wrong time.

"I have two things to say to you. One, my nickname for you is Reenie. Two, I know you mean well but shut up, okay?"

"Reenie? Oh Ginger, I love it!!" I smiled. "I feel bad for you honey. I think I know how much your sister means to you and I hope she figures her shit out. It'll be okay between the two of you."

"I know Reenie." We both giggled. "So the reason I called is this club you belong to. You're a cop; you have to have muscle, fitness, and probably cardio. I don't want to build muscle. Kathy had me doing stretching and things that had me limber and strong. The cardio equipment is nice but even at the price, I'm not sure. Help me with this will ya?"

"Kathy huh? Are we back to that?" I blushed. I don't know Reenie. I liked how that sounded. Ginger and Reenie, sittin' in a tree, k i s s i n g. I hear the laughing out there in peanut gallery land!!

"Hey, just sayin' she had a way of exercising that was new to me. I liked it and it was working. I love your strength Reenie, but I'm not sure I want or need as much of it as you do, or for the reasons you do. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah it does. Reenie; I like the sound of it, lover. Go back tomorrow, ask for a different trainer and tell her what you want. No, don't do that or I'll never see you again." I blushed. "Have her help you pick the right exercises."

"Okay, I can do that you scamp. You make it sound like I'm going after every hottie that I come across." She laughed and laughed. Okay, so did I. "Bitch."

"Uh huh; you still sore?" I smiled.

"A little and thank you. I'm looking forward to dinner Friday Reenie."

"A little sore is like a little preggers." We both laughed. "Me too Ginger. Are you going to be okay about your sister?"

"Yeah, I will. It will work itself out one way or another. Thanks for calling back ... see you soon." She stung me with her words but I guess that's okay if you're in a relationship with someone.

The little room was a bit claustrophobic but I could live with it -- I think. I needed something. I had my wine but there was something clawing at me. I stood and walked around and around ... it was eating at me. The little black bag was in a drawer. I opened it and grabbed what I wanted. I stripped off my shorts and my panties. I dragged a chair into the bathroom. There was a mirror over the sink. I put the warming lotion on my nipples, looked into the eyes of my lover, and fucked myself with my plastic cock. Her eyes were wild with lust; so were mine. Plain and simple - I was on fire. Her eyes never left me. She felt mine on her and I saw hers go dark and hot. What I saw sent me into overdrive. I lifted my legs to the sink to expose myself to her. She smiled; my fingers were tearing at my pearl, the plastic cock was a blur. When she shuddered as her spend hit her I gasped, my body tensed, and I fell headlong into the heat of it. Her eyes never left me. She ... it was a mystery to me. I could see her but I had no idea who she was. She had a bit of everyone and not enough of any of them to let me feel that I knew who it was. No matter the name, my spend was real, thankfully and desperately so. I shuddered as it slipped away ... on unsteady legs, I started the bath.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 06



I dragged the chair back, steadied myself, and walked slowly to the bathtub. I slipped into the warm water, dialed up the heat a bit and sipped my wine. I let the heat soothe me. I let the confusion and upheaval of the day slip away as best as I could. I did my best to look forward -- to the trip, to what I hoped would be a positive decision about who to be with, where to live, and so forth. Slowly I relaxed and as I did, I felt the tension slip away. I took a last sip of the wine. I set the glass on the floor and smiled. I remembered the dream the last time I had fallen asleep in the tub -- yummy.

I pulled the plug, stood, dried myself, put on clean panties, turned off the lights, and slid into bed. I kissed her, told her how much I love her, and drifted off into a sound, satisfied sleep.

I woke Thursday with a start. This place wasn't as solid as the hotel; noise in the corridor had awakened me. Plus there was traffic on the street, honking, in a hurry to get to work. I was groggy, I looked at the clock but the time was blinking. I opened the drapes; it had rained last night. Apparently it was quite a storm as it knocked the power out. I opened my phone. Good lord! It was nearly nine o'clock! I set the clock to the correct time. No toaster; oh well, the bagels were pre-sliced. I put them in the microwave and dressed. I assumed the weather would continue to be warm.

I smiled at the thought and put on a blue demi cup bra. I felt frisky; I pushed the silk down a bit and pulled my nips out. That would give me a tingle while I worked. Blue cotton top and black slacks. I sighed and put my workout clothes in the bag. I would go even though I had reservations about it. It was Thursday, so today and tomorrow for sure. We'd see about the weekend. I brushed my hair thoroughly. Lynn had done her usual fabulous job with it last night. I smiled. I had a thought and opened the window. The storm had brought in cool air. Yay for that, but I changed to a sweater. I had considered putting my hair in a pony tail expecting the day to be warm. Oh well, I would for the workout.

My cell phone rang. I frowned; who would call this early. Oh dear, it was Jenny. I sat on a chair and opened the phone. "Hi Jen, are you okay honey?"

"Ginger, I'm so sorry. I was such a jerk last night. I had no business yelling and cursing at you like I did." I heard the sigh. "David was so angry with me. Your little sister was scared out of her mind going to Nordstrom. When Janice asked how you were I chickened out and left. And of course it was easier to yell at you than to admit what had my stomach in knots. I'm sure Janice was just being nice asking about you. The fact she remembered you means she recognized me as well. I'm so sorry honey. I hope you'll forgive me."

"Forgive you? For what, being a human being? Geez Jenny, you were about to make a gigantic leap into a very deep pit, your heart was nearly pounding out of your chest, you could barely breathe, and when Janice asked for me, you did the very human thing -- bolted. She gave you the perfect excuse not to go through with it. Of course I forgive you."

"How in the name of god did you know what I was feeling?" Oh please.

"You have to be kidding right? I was in your spot, sort of, not that long ago. Julia came on to me. I was vulnerable, she is gorgeous, and I said yes. I'm certainly glad I did but it doesn't take much to figure out what you were going through. When we were first heading to her room I was feeling much like you were."

"Oh right, then she needed to call Sheri or something, right?"

"Yup. So the big question is: now what?"

"I don't know." Hmm. Confused often means no. Okay, let her make her own mind up.

"Well honey, then sit on the sidelines for a while and think about it all."

"Yeah I guess so. I suppose I ought to go; I just wanted to call before our days got too busy. I didn't want to let this mess sit out there between us." I smiled.

"Thank you for calling Jenny. See? This is why you're the best sister ever. I love you!!"

"I love you. Thanks honey. Hey, call me when you're in California okay? Tell me about all the fun you're having and all the gorgeous women you've met." She giggled; I blushed.

"You're a goof. Bye. Thanks again Jenny." Oh the world was so much better. I drove to work smiling.

I was a little late. There wasn't much going on so it wasn't a big deal. I had on a light beige coat; that went on a hanger. I said to Tammy, "Get me some coffee and meet me in the conference room." She blushed and stood, while I headed to the conference room. She came in, closed the door and handed me the coffee. I smiled. "So how was date night?"

"Oh lord Em, it was wonderful. He took me to this great place -- Fleming's Steakhouse." I restrained a laugh. "The food was amazing. We were in a booth; Jeffrey sat next to me." She blushed again. "It was so romantic. He asked me to wear my red dress; he likes it on me. So I did. I wore some of the sexy lingerie we'd bought and thigh highs. I found out why he wanted to sit next to me. He kept his hand on my leg nearly the whole time we were at the restaurant. He ran his hand up and down my thigh. Oh my god I thought he would find out." She blushed, a deep crimson this time.

"Then he took me to a movie: 'The Vow.' It was a chick flick; he took me to see it. I cried and cried. It was wonderful." I hadn't been to a movie in a long time. Maybe I'd see if Reenie ... wait, did Reenie like chick flicks? I'd have to ask. "He had his arm around me or we held hands for the whole movie. It was so nice. Rachel McAdams is so pretty and so good in the movie. We went out for ice cream afterwards then went home. It was when we were at the ice cream store that I whispered in his ear that I wasn't wearing panties. He choked on the ice cream." She giggled. "He finished the cone in a hurry. We hurried home; I flashed him while he was driving. Umm, that wasn't such a good idea. I thought he would crash or something so I stopped. Oh god, then we got home. He didn't even wait till we got upstairs; he took me right in the hallway, up against the door." I declare; my little sexpot Tammy. I thought she might have another telling me about it. Her eyes were glazed and she was flushed past the collar of her blouse. 

"Just that once or was there more?"

"We didn't get to sleep till well after midnight Emily. It was only our second time; Jeffrey made me feel so special. That had been missing for a while." She looked down at her hands for a moment.

I leaned across and lifted her chin. "That was then and this is now. Please don't do that to yourself. I wish I had a camera on you while you described your night. Your eyes were warm with love and hot from your romance. It was beautiful to watch. Did you ribbon today?"

"Oh my god no; I'm so sore." I laughed; she looked puzzled. I told her about ribboning Jenny on the phone. Her eyes widened in shock. "You ribboned your own sister? Oh my god!"

You had to laugh at her innocence. "Honey, my sister sent me an email. She described how she undressed for her husband, his surprise, and the night of sex they had. I had told her to be sure to ribbon the next day. She did; she said being sore made it even better." Tammy's jaw dropped in surprise. I smiled and nodded. "Go ahead, do it now."

"What, here, in front of you?" She was in disbelief.

"Why not; we're both women. I'm not hitting on you. I just want to see if you do it right." I did smirk. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. And so will Jeffrey, when you show him tonight." Her eyes widened -- I didn't think that was possible. They were impossibly wide; she was paralyzed with embarrassment and disbelief. I had ribboned her the first time. Hmm. I took a chance. "Do you want me to do it?" Her eyes fell; she nodded. "I can't hear a nod Tammy. If you want me to do it then tell me."

"Yes Emily, I wa ..." I coughed. She blushed again. "Yes Ma'am, I want you to ribbon me." I honestly thought if she had been standing she might have fainted. I'd pushed her far enough. She was extremely submissive; I didn't want to take advantage of her. I had no intention of seducing her. Things were going too well in her marriage. She may have fantasized about me but I couldn't risk putting her marriage in jeopardy. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Tammy, go to the washroom and do it yourself. You know how. Even though it's a bit colder today than yesterday we'll go out for lunch; some place close enough to walk so you can feel what it's like. Besides, I have my own little surprise." She looked at me. I lifted the sweater over the bra. She could see my nipples. I smiled. "Did you buy any of these bras?" She nodded, smiling shyly. If you want to get him going, not just on date night, undress for bed in front of him, ribboned, with this bra on. Men aren't capable of resisting their woman dressed like that." She laughed and nodded. "Thanks for the coffee honey. I'm so glad the two of you had such a great night. I love the idea of each of you taking turns planning your date nights." We hugged and left; she headed to the ladies room, me to my desk.

I called Crystal and told her what I wanted. She would check and get back to me before the end of work tomorrow. I told her if she had any trouble not to worry. I was sure I could find something on my own if need be. I just figured through the travel agent association she might know someone out in that area who could help. She thanked me again for my business. I know people were traveling again but hers isn't an easy business. I looked at the clock and shook my head -- it was nearly lunch time. A very productive morning don't you agree? Jenny and I had a nice phone call. I'd gotten to hear about a very lovely, romantic night for my co-worker and her hubby. I almost laughed out loud when Tammy came back to her desk. Someone smiling and blushing like she was it was hard not to laugh. "Well?"

She giggled. "It's just like you said. It's scandalously delicious. Being sore makes it better. I can't believe it but it's true." I looked at Tammy and smiled.

"Are you ready to go for lunch?" She nodded, smiling. We headed out, found a restaurant and were seated. After menus had been handed out and drink orders taken, I asked Tammy, "You had a spend in the ladies room didn't you?" She blushed but looked confused. "A spend; an orgasm. It might be a British term. I read it in a story. I like the word. Orgasm sounds so clinical and cum is so ... I don't know. I use them all from time to time but I like spend. It's unique and soft." I laughed heartily. "Unlike most of my spends." We both giggled.

"How did you know?" I had to roll my eyes. Sometimes she seemed so naive.

"Your eyes gave you away. I saw you when you gave yourself a spend in the restaurant, remember? Your eyes get all warm and soft. The term they use in poker is 'a tell.' Your eyes are a tell." She smiled. "Remember I told you about the cop I'm seeing?" She nodded. "Well, I gave her a nickname that's just for me -- Reenie. She likes it too. We're going on a date tomorrow." Tammy's brow furrowed. "Umm, we normally meet at a lesbian bar downtown." I shrugged. "I told her I wanted to have some 'us' time. So we're going to dinner. I don't even know what kind of movies she likes." I shook my head. "But I'm going to call her and see if she might want to see 'The Vow.' I think it might be fun to go to dinner and a movie. A real date." I laughed. "And on a Friday too." Tammy smiled and squeezed my hand.

"So is everything set for your trip?"

"Yup, all I have to do is get divorced, get on a plane, and head west. I'm looking forward to it Tammy. Crystal did a wonderful job helping me plan it. I knew I needed to get outta Dodge for a while. When she suggested Monterey and Carmel I knew that's where I wanted to go."

"Oh my god Emily you got your hair cut too." I smiled and showed her my nails. "It looks really nice too." I swear, in twenty seven years of marriage I can count on two hands how many times asshole noticed. And most of those were early on while we were both still in love. It's such a small thing but my co-worker noticed and commented. That was all that mattered. It was just a cut. Lynn didn't really take all that much off. We chatted while we ate. It was a nice, relaxing lunch. We were alone in the elevator after walking back. Tammy blushed and nodded when I asked about being ribboned. Two words: cha ching.

I was never so happy that tomorrow was Friday than today. I was bored, antsy, and couldn't wait for dinner with Reenie. I grinned to myself -- the more I said it, the more I liked it. Just for shits and giggles I googled 'Reenie.' Hmm, it goes back to Latin -- Renata, the feminine form of Renatus, which means 'born again.' I wondered what Reenie would say when I told her of my findings. Amazing thing this internet; I wonder if it'll catch on. We diddled, fiddled and twiddled, completely bored out of our minds -- it had to be more than just Tammy and I. All of us who work in our department had to be in the same mood. We bitched about the hours and the stress. We also worked fabulously well together. That lunch -- good lord that seems like forever ago, proved that. Hey, there's an idea. 

I told Tammy; she beamed. We went to tell Jodi, who nodded, smiling. The three of us went into George's office.

"Pizza Friday; there are ten of us in the unit. Four large pizzas should be enough -- maybe sixty dollars. Not every week; once a month, maybe every other week -- what do you think George?" I could see the wheels turning. I threw in the clincher. "If we're working on a project getting everybody together would be a great morale booster. It would also be a pressure release valve. And, there's the potential for what happened when I bought lunch -- brain storming. He said okay. Jodi volunteered to find a good pizza place in the neighborhood that delivered that early in the day.

I went to the conference room and called Reenie. It went to voice mail. "Hi. No rush; would you give me a buzz when you can. I can't wait to see you tomorrow babe." Some of you may be wondering the same thing I am. I haven't heard a word from Lily since Tuesday afternoon. Ya know what? This is as much about her making a decision as it is me making one. You might ask why I didn't reach out. And I would ask you why she hadn't. We had left on okay terms Tuesday. Well, I felt we had. We'd see. I needed for it to be Friday -- and then Monday. I grabbed my workout bag, went into the conference room and changed. I got wolf whistles from the men in the unit. I smiled and waved. I looked at Jodi, who was giggling. I looked at Tammy. Oh dear. The look in her eyes? I looked away quickly on my way out.

I gave the hottie my pass. She slid it under the electronic thingie and we headed to the machines. Okay, well I would at least try. I did some curls, some lifts, some leg things. There was a machine that you would work your hips from the outside and inside. It would help if I looked at the name of the machine -- hip abductor/adductor. I shivered at the word abductor. But I liked the machine. Actually I liked it a lot. I did about twenty hard minutes on the elliptical. I was breathless and sweating when I finished. It was exactly what I needed. Hmm, maybe this would be okay after all. I took the car keys out of my shoes, grabbed a towel, and headed to my car. I looked for a place for dinner. I was hungry.

I decided on Hooters. Laugh if you want but if you're fishing, why not go where the fish are. Okay, I wasn't actually fishing, but the women were gorgeous and so damn young. The food was passable. I needed a shower and ... umm. I finished dinner and my beer, paid the tab and headed to the claustrophobic cave. The shower was hot and felt good. I slipped fresh panties over my hips and dried my hair. I looked at me -- not bad Ginger, not bad at all. Yeah, time, that bitch, had done some damage but I'd starved and exercised enough to keep some semblance of shape. I poured a glass of wine and pondered whether to call Lily. The clock read 7:30 pm. The call went to voice mail.

I pulled on a tee shirt, sat on the bed and read my book. The phone rang a bit later -- Reenie. YAY!

"Hey girl! I wanted to know, do you like going to the movies?"

"I haven't been to a movie in forever. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, my friend Tammy told me about this chick flick, 'The Vow,' and I thought (my heart rate sped up) maybe we could do dinner and a movie, like a real Friday night date. What do you think honey?"

How cute could my cop be? I heard her voice catch for just that little blink. "I'd love it Ginger. I really would." My heart did back flips.

"How was your day babe?" Silence ... oh shit.

The flat cop voice. "It was okay." Goddamn Reenie, I worry about you every fucking time you're at work. Yeah, I know what I just said.

My voice soft and thick, I asked, "Wanna meet for a drink or something?"

Her laugh was soft, "I'd love 'or something' but no, let's wait till tomorrow." I cursed, silently. I wanted to be with her, not for sex, but just cuz.

"Reenie, I'm more than your lover. I'm your shoulder. God knows you've been mine more than a few times. Just sayin' ... this is about being there for you if you want."

"Lover, I want. And I'll be okay till tomorrow." Goddamn you!! I shook my head in frustration. But I let it ride.

"Call me if you have a change of heart Reenie. Otherwise, please try to get some rest. I can't wait to see my honey tomorrow, honey." We giggled, spoke soft heartfelt words of love, and said good night.

It wasn't even nine o'clock and I was impossibly tired. I turned off the light and slid between the sheets. I turned on my side, hugged her, and fell asleep quickly.

Friday! Yay! What will be better than today? Monday -- me, getting on a plane. I made a bagel, drank some orange juice and mused. Oh yeah -- open the window. Still chilly, clear skies, so I dressed appropriately. Meaning I ribboned and pacified. I was excited about date night with Reenie. Can you tell? Plus today was the 'kickoff' to Pizza Friday. That would be loads of fun. Plus, it would kill some time. So I dressed, packed a bag to work out, and headed out. I thought about stopping for coffee and decided just to get some at work. I was bored and the work day hadn't even started. I decided I was a little burned out, more than a little stressed out, and very ... thinking about the last brought tears. Truth is, I was still a confused mess. Oh well; I could only hope a lot of this would resolve itself in the six day trip.

I found myself second guessing my decision to leave Monday evening and come home Sunday evening. It really only amounted to a little more than five full days. I hoped that would be enough. I knew why I had made the decision. It had as much to do with wanting to get on with my life (finding a permanent place to live) as anything. But there was the relationship thing too. That reminded me. I still hadn't heard from Lily. I would not let that worry me. Our last conversation Tuesday felt like it was 'settling.' Does that word make sense? Smoothing over? Making things better? Do any of those help? Umm, hopefully making things better? I shook my head as I parked the car.

I smiled at Jodi as I passed her. She gave me a thumbs up -- oh cool!! Pizza Friday was good to go; she is amazing. I wondered as I walked to get coffee if she would come back after having her baby. Tough times today. I suspected she'd be back and all too soon. I know, I know, not my deal, but I wondered how the kids today ... oh lord, listen to me!

I sighed as I sat down. I turned on my computer and checked email. There were a few random things from corporate but nothing of importance. I scrolled down a bit further and saw an email from a friend. Oh dear lord, I nearly spit up my coffee!! A joke titled 'Housekeeping.' A woman goes to the gynecologist, and after the examination, the doctor says, "Why, it's immaculate in here! What do you do to keep yourself so hygienic?" The woman responds, "I have a woman in twice a week." Is that not hysterical!! Only twice a week? -- said with tongue in cheek.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 06



Tammy wandered in. I looked; usually I was the late one. She winked. Oh dear god, a good morning wake me up!! Yay Tammy. She shared. Apparently Jeffrey had to go out of town for the day. He'd be home late but she wanted a little something before he left. Even I blushed. Is it five o'clock yet? I have a date night tonight. Oh geez, it's Friday and the movies usually change then. I needed to check the times and locations. Hmm, 6:55 and 9:30 pm; that meant I'd have to call and ask when Reenie could be free. There was dinner and movie to consider. It was a little more than an hour and a half. So 9:30 would end just past 11 pm. Hmm. Date night right? YES Ginger, yes. Okay. I'll still check.

Tammy asked if anything was new. Uh, not really. I mentioned I'd had dinner at Hooters. She gaped. I smirked and shrugged. "No Tammy, it was just a place to have dinner." She looked at me. Okay, I laughed. "It's a trout farm but I wasn't fishing." She stared. I bet I knew what she was thinking. Did I hit on any of them or had they hit on me? I had to laugh. "It was just dinner Tammy." Ginger, the minx, winked at her. "Reenie and I are going to the movies tonight."

She smiled. "Are you coming in to work Monday?" Hmm, I need to call Kyle and make sure things were good to go.

"I think so. Court is supposed to be at one. Excuse me for a moment while I call the legal beagle." She smiled. I called Kyle; everything was on track. And yes, I was right about the time. I actually exhaled.

This is a story about life, relationships, work, love, and all of the complexities therein. It's a journey and I have no idea where it will lead. I'm certainly curious and I hope you are too. Reenie? Oh lord. I could only sigh. Lily? I hoped so, but there was this thing that kept niggling.

The smell of pizza wafted. Tammy and I smiled, stood in unison, and headed to Jodi. She had the pizzas and was headed to the large conference room. I took the first piece and gobbled it down. Pepperoni!! I wanted to kiss Jodi. My 47 year old figure didn't allow such luxuries too often. Everyone in the unit wandered in. George embarrassed me terribly by telling everyone this was my idea. I blushed as they all clapped. I felt obligated to say something. I mentioned that it was an idea from the sandwich thing I'd done and that George had agreed that it would not only be fun but a team building idea. Heads bobbed up and down, smiling. I looked at George. He mentioned that corporate was pondering a new program and that he would likely get some idea later today. Oh crap! He was looking at me when he said it. He smiled. Oh good; he was quietly letting me know my leaving was okay.

I was the greedy piggy -- four slices of pizza. Me: puffing out my cheeks. Actually, I felt guilty about lunch. Dinner would likely to be before the movie. Well, working out at the health club would help some but not that much. It was fun. People were chattering, the room was buzzing. It was Friday so there was some who's doing what when sort of stuff. We were a good group. I looked at George. He had what I assumed was a 'proud parent' look on his face. Good!! Things like this would get spread around the company. 'Wait till I tell you what our boss came up with!' Of course, that was likely to accelerate his promotion. I sighed. Eventually the gathering broke up. Everybody (for the most part) did their part to help clean up so Jodi didn't get stuck with that task. 

I was heading to the conference room when the phone rang. Yay -- Reenie! "Hi babe. I was just on my way to call you."

Her voice was tight and thin. "I'll have to let you know about tonight Ginger. We're on our way to something and it may be a while before it's resolved. I have to go." Click. I'm sure I was ghost white. I tried to fight back tears. My worst fears come to life. How do I love someone and worry about them every damn day they go to work? How does anyone? The damn conference room doesn't have windows and I didn't want to stare at walls. I got my coat and purse and left.

I wanted to find a place to sit and think. The sun was warm, I had my light coat on and I was shivering. One of the things that struck me was while I considered myself out I really hadn't yet looked at resources available. This was certainly beyond the scope of anything I'd ever experienced. For as much as my sister loved me I couldn't ask for her help. Lily? Good lord no. Oh geez, I just had a rather odd thought. I could go to the L Room and ask Candy. She might know where I could turn. There certainly had to be other lesbian police officers. Was there some association? Would it be formal or informal? I didn't know if what I needed was spiritual or psychological -- maybe both?

I wanted a drink and knew that was idiotic. There was probably nothing wrong. It was really sweet of Reenie to call me. She had to know I'd feel like I do. I was still grateful. I just wanted her to be okay. I, umm, am not doing well with this fighting the tears thing. I'm sitting on a bench with my eyes leaking. Brown eyes looked at me with concern. Oh my god Julia. I had no idea when we met my life would turn out the way it has. Here I am on a park bench, crying, for something that might not even happen. I sighed. There must be a reason Julia flashed into my subconscious. I hope the two of them are enjoying life. 

I walked to my car and turned the radio to 1290 AM -- the all news station. I don't know; maybe there will be something on there that can help me. As I sat and listened to the news I thought of how silly it was for me to be worrying about something with absolutely no information. So I would assume Reenie was okay and I would worry about her. The phone rang, my heart leapt -- yup. "Hi Sweetie, is everything okay with you?"

A man's voice, "Who am I speaking to please?" Oh my god ... noooo.

I choked out, "Ginger Butler. Who's this please?"

"Ms. Butler, my name is Lieutenant Banks with the Dayton Police Department." I was trembling. "Officer Maureen Henry was injured this afternoon while on duty. She's being evaluated right now at Miami Valley Hospital." I was crying. "She asked that someone call you. Her injuries are not thought to be serious."

My voice was shaky as I said, "Am I allowed to come see her, Lieutenant?"

"I'm not sure Officer Henry will be admitted. She's in the Emergency Room. She specifically asked for you Ms. Butler. Do you know where the hospital is?" I nodded. Oh crap, he can't hear a nod.

"Yes sir. I can be there in ten minutes or so. Thank you so much for calling."

"You're very welcome. Ms. Butler, please drive carefully."

Oh god, the fastest way to get there is on I-75. Please let it be okay, no accidents or backups. You can never tell with Friday afternoon traffic. My heart was pounding. She was all right. That's all I could think about. I got off the expressway. I needed to negotiate street traffic. Patience, Ginger, patience; she's okay and asked for you. I managed a smile when I thought of that. Oh good, I can see the hospital. Now look for signs for the Emergency Room.

Another random thought: Who am I? Oh lord, we had never talked about this. Reenie/Mo - was she out at work? The little I knew about it, this was a touchy subject. I would be a friend and let her lead when I was allowed to see her. I followed the signs. Praise God, there was separate parking for ER. I hurried to the lot, found a spot (that seemed to take forever) and ran down the ramps to the door. I had to find where Reenie might be. Hospitals are a maze. Do I look for police officers? Oh lord, I have no idea. I looked for and found a nurse's station.

"I'm looking for police officer Maureen Henry. She's being evaluated in your ER. Can you tell me where she is?" The nurse looked at me. Yeah, I probably look like shit with my red, puffy eyes. She punched a few keys on the keyboard.

"Down that hallway, turn left." I smiled and thanked her. I followed the hallway and took the first left turn. I had come in through the walk-in entrance. I'm sure Reenie was brought in by ambulance. That seemed to be the direction I was headed, which made some sense. There were usually a bunch of small rooms in a much larger room. I hadn't been in very many hospitals and never in this one, thankfully. What was the guy's name? I kept moving, looking, hoping. Banks. Lieutenant Banks was his name. Hmm, I think I'm in the right place. There were a bunch of uniforms standing around. I saw a pair of eyes find me. My hair makes me rather obvious. He headed my way.

"Ms. Butler?" I smiled and nodded as we shook hands. "I'm Lieutenant Banks. She's fine. There was a little dust-up earlier and Officer Henry got some bumps and bruises. I'm guessing you'd like to see her?" I nodded; he smiled. "Come on then; let's see if we can find a spot for you in the examination room." He pushed open the door and I followed. He led me to a closed drape. "Lieutenant Banks here; am I okay to come in?" The drape was opened and I saw her. Her eye was swollen and there were scrapes on her face. No Ginger, no; no crying. "Officer, someone is here to see you."

Reenie had already found me with her eyes. My god she's beautiful!! I saw the little head shake; I nodded. The lieutenant stepped aside to let me enter. "Hi Ginger."

"Hi Reenie, you doin' okay? That looks like it hurts." The tight smile was there but her eyes were warm.

A sly smile. "You know the saying. You should see the other guy." I didn't want to touch her. I wanted to hold her in my arms till the day after forever. I wanted to make love to her. I wanted her to quit and ... UGH! I was just grateful she was okay. "I guess they're going to let me outta here pretty soon. Can I hitch a ride home with you?" I blinked.

"Umm, of course; do you ..." I turned to the nurse. "Should I wait outside? Will it be long before my friend is released?" The nurse looked at me with amused eyes; she knew.

"We should be done here in ten, maybe fifteen minutes. It's mostly paperwork and the like that's left. If it's okay with the officer you can stay." She looked at Reenie, who looked at her, and then at me and nodded. For some reason it was then that I noticed Reenie was in a hospital gown with her blue pants on. Hmm, did her uniform blouse have blood on it? Could she wear it out of the hospital? Oh! My workout stuff was in the car.

"Hey, if it helps, my workout stuff is in my trunk. There's a tee shirt in the bag. Should I get it for ya?" I saw the look of gratitude in her eyes. She smiled and nodded. The nurse was taking all this in. "I'm in the ER parking lot. I'll be back as soon as I can." She smiled and nodded. I gave Reenie's hand a squeeze and left. I hurried out of the room, past the cops, through the corridors and outside. I ran to the car, grabbed the bag, and headed back. I rushed down the somewhat familiar route, smiled as I passed the lieutenant, and hurried back to Reenie's room.

The nurse was gone; I bent to give her a quick kiss. "Do you hurt?" She nodded with a grimace. I set the bag next to her, grabbed the shirt and handed it to her. I looked for her blouse; it was on a chair. I picked it up; yup, the bra was in it. I handed it to Reenie. She went to open the gown and grimaced. I walked behind her and undid the ties and slipped it off her shoulders. She put her bra on; I did the clasps. I came back around. Mo lifted her arms, her lips thin with pain. I slipped the tee over her head and arms, she did the rest. I made up my mind. She was spending the night with me. She was in some discomfort and I wouldn't let her be alone.

The nurse came back in with some prescriptions and some papers. I snuck a look at the clock. It was past five. Oh well, this was where I wanted to be anyway. I stuffed the uniform blouse in the gym bag. The nurse was giving my honey instructions. I listened. If she was coming with me I needed to know what she had to do. Does that make sense? The nurse smiled at me; I returned it. Reenie was up on her feet. We headed out. When we were outside the doors, the lieutenant was the only one left.

I made sure to shake his hand. "Thank you for calling Lieutenant."

He smiled and nodded. "Officer, you take care okay? Are you on tomorrow?"

"Yes sir, tomorrow and Sunday; I'm off on Monday." He shook his head. 

"I'm approving sick leave for the weekend. Get well Maureen." He nodded at us. I smiled my thanks. We headed down the halls. Reenie followed; she hadn't come in the entrance I had.

It wasn't till we got in the car and I paid the fee that I pulled over and we kissed. I brushed my fingers lightly over her fabulously beautiful, pale skin. "Give me directions to your place Reenie. You can grab a shower if you need one, change your clothes, and then we're going out to dinner. You're spending the night with me." Her blue eyes clouded and she shook her head. "You listen to me woman. I'll take you wherever you get your prescriptions filled. I'll take care of you however you need." I looked her dead on in the eyes. "You will not spend the night with anyone but me. I'm not talking about making love with you either. I mean taking care of you." She cried. I cried.

First stop was the pharmacy. No point in waiting for the prescriptions. After she came back to my car we headed to her place. No one else was home. I took the blouse out of the gym bag. We went in together. I helped her undress. I offered to help her shower. We both smiled. That was very nice actually. There were more bruises than either the lieutenant or Reenie had let on. I washed her hair. No, we didn't do anything more. More to the point -- I didn't. Can you imagine how difficult that was? Reenie rested her head on my shoulder while the hot water beat down on her back and shoulders. I held her. I felt her shake as she cried. I let the hot water hide mine -- sort of. How often had my cop stood in this shower, alone or with her 'friends with benefits,' and let the days work wash from her?

I helped her any way she needed. She threw a few things in plastic bag (fancy huh?) and we headed back to the pharmacy. She came back with her meds and a small bottle of water. She swigged the water and the pills.

"Where do you want to go for dinner lover?" She wanted to go to Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers. Back to the first place we'd had dinner together. How funny! But I'd do whatever, especially tonight. In the restaurant, we ordered and talked.

I pulled out my notebook. She laughed; I wanted details. "Are you out at work?"

She stared for a moment, nodded and said, "It's pretty selective who I've told Ginger." We talked about that for a bit.

"Was that why it was okay having your boss call me?"

She met my gaze evenly and said, "He's not my boss; he's my boss's boss." Whatever!!

I didn't want dinner to feel like an interrogation, especially tonight, so I stopped. "Do you want to go to the L Room? Unwind a little?" I saw tears. Oh, she didn't want anyone to see her like this. Stupid me!

"Yeah, I would, at least for a little while." 

"Reenie, did I see tears?" She looked at me and smiled. The food arrived so we waited.

"You want to be with me when I look like I got run over by a truck. I feel like shit but yeah, if you can stand to be seen with a mess like me, I wanna go."

"A mess like you? Do you know how beautiful you are to me?" I felt the tears start. I shook my head, my eyes averted. I couldn't have cared less about food but I ate. Reenie followed my lead. She didn't know just how scared I had been. Or maybe she did and that was why she had her people call me. The details didn't matter much. I just wanted her in my arms. I mentioned that to her and got a sweet smile in return. I ignored the glares and paid the bill. I waited till we were in the parking lot. My kisses were soft and loving. "So do you want to go to the L Room?" She nodded; I smiled. There was no rush to head to our destination.

"Where's your car?" She told me. "Do you feel okay to drive?" Not tonight. "We'll deal with it tomorrow or Sunday."

I offered my shades to hide the bruises. That drew a stare. "All right, all right, I have them if you want them."

I parked and we went in. Candy took one look at Reenie. Her eyes went wide, her jaw dropped, and her hands went to her chest. She came out from behind the bar and hugged Reenie gently. She whispered a few words I couldn't hear over the pulsing music and kissed her. She smiled, hugged and kissed me. "I'll bring your drinks in a jiffy." I smiled. 

We headed ... oh geez someone was at 'our' table. Candy passed us with the drinks in her hands, went to our table, said something, and the three women got up and moved. Each of them stared as they passed us. She may be bruised ladies, but she's mine and she's gorgeous. She set the drinks down, smiled at us, and went back behind the bar. I helped Reenie with her jacket and took mine off as well. We sat and sipped.

"We don't have to stay long babe. You let me know when you're ready to go, okay." I looked; Reenie was far away. Thinking about earlier I suppose. I waited. When I took her hand and brought it to my lips it shook her out of her trance.

The words were soft enough that I had to lean in to hear them. "It was tough out there today. It went bad so quickly we were caught off guard a little. They weren't that big but they were on something. When I got hit I was spun around; I went down face first, as you can see. I was lucky the asshole didn't go for my weapon. My partner subdued him rather quickly. Tasered his ass actually. I felt like a jackass not being able to handle myself." She shook her head and sipped on her beer. I didn't know what to say; it was the first time Reenie had ever talked about work. I squeezed her hand. She stared at the bottle, picking idly at the label. When she finally made eye contact I smiled warmly.

"I love you." She nodded; I saw her eyes fill. I shrugged and said, "Reenie, you were born to be a cop. You love it. It's more than a job to you; it's who you are. I just have to learn how to deal with it. We're here, you're okay and we'll be fine." She looked at me for a few seconds, looked away, took a sip of her beer, and stared. This is the hard part for me. You've read the stories, so have I. They keep their emotions buried. They have to. It leaks out in other ways: domestic violence, sometimes on the job, too much alcohol. Sometimes it goes further. I can't make her be someone she's not, no matter how much I love her. We sat quietly, together, holding hands, sipping our drinks. I looked; Candy was watching. She smiled at me. I smiled back.

"Can we go?" She never looked up.

"Sure, if that's what you want." She nodded. I took another sip, stood, and put on my coat. Reenie stood slowly. The soreness had to be getting worse. It was probably too soon for another whatever -- medication. I helped her with her coat. I knew that had to grind her soul. I reached into my purse for my pocket book and grabbed a twenty. Candy met us. She kissed Reenie softly. She refused the bill I pressed in her hand and kissed me. I smiled and said goodnight.

We got to the car, buckled up and headed out. The drive was quiet. We got to the hotel and headed up the stairs. I opened the door and flicked on the light. Reenie looked around, looked at me. "I know it's small but the other place was too much money. For a small fee I can leave the clothes and things I'm not bringing on the trip. When I come back I'll start looking for a place of my own." For the two of us, I thought. I hoped. I closed the drapes and hung up my coat. The plastic bag with her clothes was on the shelf next to the fridge. Reenie was sitting on the bed looking at me.

"The tub is actually pretty big. Would you like me to run a bath so we can soak some of the soreness out of you?"

Her head dropped. "You're so good to me Ginger. I've never had anyone care for me like you do." I went to her, knelt in front of her, looked at that beautiful, bruised face and smiled. I took her hands, kissed them, and brought them to my face, looking at her the whole time. I stood and went to the tub. I put the plug in and started the water. I took off my clothes and lay them on the sink counter. I looked ... Reenie was on the bed crying. I hurried and turned off the water. I came back and lay behind her, spooning her. I just held her and let her get whatever it was out. Eventually she stopped. I stayed with her, cuddling. She turned; it had to be painful. I still had my arms around her. She kissed me. Her eyes were swollen and red; one was already changing colors as the bruising deepened.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 07







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 07



I hadn't necessarily intended to write this much about the trip but it was so relaxing and so enjoyable I find myself wanting to share it. Since it was a vacation I treated myself to a massage (Thursday) and facial (Friday). A lot of the stress had melted the last few days. I felt refreshed, renewed and invigorated from the trip and the treatment I received. By the time I heeded my growling tummy it was well past lunch time, which meant it was eleven California time. I found a little place in Del Ray Oaks with outside seating that was open for lunch. A nice salad and ice tea did the trick.

The rest of the day and evening was spent wandering. No agenda, nowhere I had to be, just go where the roads and my mood took me. I walked, window shopped and shopped, watched from sidewalk chairs as the people moved past, sipped on whatever, and watched the gorgeous sunset slip into the ocean as the curtain fell on Friday night. That last was on the balcony of my room with a very nice Pinot Noir. Lights, near and far, twinkled. The sky was so clear at night. The town's lights couldn't dim the glory of the stars.

I cried a little thinking of what might have been. If my ex husband had ever thought to take me to place like this, on a trip like this, what might life have been like? I didn't dwell on it or him. I knew there would be other adventures. I guess it's not much of a secret who I want to share them with. When Reenie called it was late there. She was vague when talking about her day. I didn't press; I knew enough to know when she didn't want to talk about it. I told her about my wanderings and adventures. She was jubilant as I told her how relaxed I was. I did mention my decision about Kathy; I needed her take on it. She said she was cool with it if I was. I smiled.

She sighed when I asked if she was sure she was okay. It had been a tough day on the streets -- that's all I'll share. She was glad to be home and glad to be talking to me. I asked about Candy. Yeah, she'd stopped for a couple of drinks before heading home. Candy was fine; she had asked how I was doing. I shared this little bit with Reenie. I had been sitting at a cafe watching humanity when a thought made me laugh out loud. If I received a phone call from Candy, would she begin by saying, "It is I, Candy." Reenie's laughter came from a place deep inside. That alone was worth the price of the phone call. We ended with warm words of promised love and loving. She's simply fabulous.

Saturday was more of the same. The trip gods treated me well. Sun, mild (60's) temperatures, cool ocean breezes made for a day that begged for my new dress. I began the day with my usual routine. After the shower I put on my underwear and the dress. Those sandals I didn't want -- I had worn them every day. They were outstanding. I'm likely going to get another pair in another color. And yes, I would ask the sales lady for advice on more shoes. Anyway, back to the trip or what's left of it. My last full day was filled with absolutely nothing. Being a Saturday there were a lot more people wandering. So I adjusted and stayed in Monterey. There were plenty of places I hadn't yet seen so I walked. There is this place on Fisherman's Wharf where there are several large rocks that stick up out of the water. Sea lions, dozens of them, crowd for position. The bellowing, the fussing for turf is all rather comical. 

Finding a seat at a restaurant was an adventure. Being a party of one (sigh) meant I could sit at the bar if I wanted. I did. There was a couple to my right and what seemed to be a man by himself to my left. I ordered a Stoli Berri and a glass of ice. That seemed to draw the gentleman's attention. "Stoli huh? That's an interesting choice." They're so cute, thinking they're smooth. I smiled and said thank you. No ring; he was eyeing me. My eyes are up here asshole. "Are you on vacation or extending your business trip?" Okay, that wasn't badly played.

"It's the last day of a very nice vacation. It's back to work on Monday." Hang with me; there's a payoff coming.

"It's a shame you're on vacation alone. Are you not seeing anyone or is he on a business trip as well?"

I smiled ever so sweetly. "He is a she who is a police officer that I miss very much." He asked for his check and left.

Sorry guys. I'm not a man hater. There's Mark, and Jenny's David, who I adore, and my boss. My heart belongs to my cop. The retort came to me in a flash; I laughed on the plane thinking I could have used that when I was married. Umm, I didn't get hit on very much when I was married. 

Anyway, I enjoyed my last full day, especially since it ended on the high note of my honey calling. She sounded great. She had enjoyed her day off. We agreed it was a shame that her day off wasn't Sunday, but that's how things worked out. She laughed when I told her about the dude in the restaurant. She did ask if I was behaving. I pretended to be insulted. 

"And what about you Officer Lusty, have you been the good girl?" 

A moment of silence, then the sound of handcuffs clanging. I giggled. I could see the hundred watt smile under the mass of red hair and blazing blues. God I needed her naked. I made sure to tell her. The sound of lovers sighing followed. We made a pact: no touching till we saw each other again, likely Monday after work. I mentioned splurging for a hotel room Monday night. Reenie said that sounded like fun. Geez, I'm going on and on. We ended with hugs and kisses, words of love and goodnight. I put the phone on the table, poured one last glass of wine, and went back to the balcony where she and I had talked. Eventually I finished, undressed, and fell asleep hugging her.

Sunday was finally here. A flight was at 12:30 pm and it's a nearly two hour drive so I had to get going. I tell you this to explain why I packed Saturday night and called for a 7 am wakeup. I made a quick trip downstairs for breakfast and back for a fast shower. I dressed in casual clothes for the flight. Everything went back in the oversize purse. A quick check of closet and drawers for left behinds and I headed to the car.

Thankfully, traffic cooperated. I got to the car rental return in plenty of time, no need to rush. The shuttle dropped me off, I checked a bag curbside, got my boarding pass, went through security and boarded. So I close this part of the story as I started: me, on the plane, finally heading home.

The jet stream was gusting so we got into Dayton early. No reason to rush since I had to get to baggage claim. The airport was nearly empty. That didn't mean the luggage would arrive sooner. I took the escalator down. There was a sign: 'Henry.' What? I saw a black suit, a black hat, and sunglasses -- Reenie? Couldn't be; she was working. It wasn't till I got closer that I saw the smirk. Reenie!! She lifted her head. Oh my god, the tears. I laughed as I cried. We kissed; I hugged her fiercely.

"How ya doin' Ginger? I think I surprised you, huh?"

"Oh Reenie, you are so wonderful. But how on earth; I thought you were working?"

"I took a couple hours time due." We were walking arm in arm to the baggage carousel. I was in heaven, over the moon happy. We both saw the bag at the same time. Reenie grabbed it for me and led me to the car. Security cameras be damned; we kissed like the lovers we are. It was one of the very best surprises of my life. Reenie took off the hat in the car; out tumbled the mess of red hair. I laughed and laughed and bent to kiss her neck. She giggled and pushed me away. She had done it all perfectly. I had absolutely no idea until I saw the smirk.

We got to the motel, grabbed my luggage, and hurried to the room. The room was lit with candles, the bed was turned down, and there was a red rose on the pillows. I stood, completely stunned, having been rendered speechless. My honey had been here and done this for me ... for us. She held me as I cried. Anything that I thought I knew about romance had been trumped tonight. I was helplessly and hopelessly in love. Somehow, as I had stood taking in the room, she had gotten naked. As I cried she undressed me. What, I'm going to stop her?

She took me by the hand, whispered her request and followed me to the bed. I lay on my back, my hands over my head. She dragged the rose over my skin. Every few minutes she would tear a petal from it and place it somewhere. My belly button, my mouth, my neck, my nipples, the valley between, the dip of my hips, my kneecaps, my eyes, and, umm, that last, yup, she slid it up and down the length of my now soaked pussy. She left the petal there for a moment, brought it to my nose and wiped my lips with it. I was a quivering, shivering, needy, desperate mess.

Her lips, tongue and mouth lapped, teased and loved everywhere a petal had been. I was crying, begging and swearing, desperate for release. She laughed. I knew not to move my hands. I felt something slender in my pussy -- dear god, the stem of the rose. She must have sheared off the thorns. My red-headed wench had thought of everything. I hated her, I begged her, I cried out her name, pleading. Other than the petals and her mouth she gave me nothing. Her fabulous torture continued unabated. I writhed, bucked, gasped, begged, lifted, sagged -- and surrendered.

It was only when she felt me completely give myself over to her that she took me. Oh my lord, how she took me. I think there may have been a song with lyrics like this: 'Over, under, around and through.' That was me on the screaming, blissful, blinding roller coaster ride she took me on and put me through. She sent me into one blinding white heat, then another. I thought she would let up. No, the next was hotter, wilder, and I loved her for it. I could barely move or breathe after it left. My fabulous lover wasn't through. She mounted me, ready to join me for the ride.

I heard her whispers through the fog; her soft words lifted me to the peak yet again. I pressed to her as she thrust to me. Weak as she had left me, I found some reservoir to give her what she needed ... what she deserved. She screamed my name as it took her over. The desperate push as she did spun me one last time into another. With not an ounce of energy left I did everything I could to prolong it for her. I felt one last thrust, a gasping cry, then she slumped atop me. We lay together, gasping for shallow breaths. I was shivering as my body cooled. Reenie felt like a furnace atop me. I smiled. I slid my arms around her, held her, and murmured my thanks. I felt the smile. All energy gone, we slid slowly to sleep.

Author's Note: As ever, this is a flight of fantasy; completely fictitious. If there is any resemblance to anyone walking among us my apologies. Another author put it so well: "The site is free. The author is 'paid' in comments and votes." I hope you've enjoyed another chapter of a rather long tale!!

This story is dedicated to someone very special -- the 'other' AVL. Without her prodding, teasing and assistance I wouldn't have found my muse. She saw talent I had no clue I possessed. She saw growth while I struggled to find the right words as I wrote. I'm still in awe and amazed at it all. This story lay unfinished for quite some time. I had to come back to it, finish it, and publish it as a tribute to her.



Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 08







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 08



I turned the corner to my desk. Tammy took one look at me and burst out laughing. I smiled and wondered what was so funny. "Sick huh?" Oh that! I giggled.

"Get me some coffee laughing girl and meet me in the conference room. I want to turn my computer on." Tammy took my cup, still giggling. I opened Kyle's email. There was a letter and an attachment: an invoice. Asshole. I printed it all, put it on my desk and headed to meet Tammy.

She wanted to hear it all. I started with Monday and told her about the sweater, McDonald's and the near carjacking. She stared at me in disbelief. "Yup, that's how random it was. She had to stay; I headed to the court house and the divorce - which is final, finally, by the way." I told her about the name change. "I had no idea how long she'd be so I went back to McDonald's to wait for her call. She had another squad bring her to my car. A couple of hours later I was on a plane."

"Amazing; that mom and her kids were so fortunate. Reenie is so brave. Weren't you scared?"

"Hell yes; I was out of my mind scared. Reenie and the other cop told me what a great job I'd done on the phone. The plan had been for Reenie to come to court with me, come here to say goodbye to everyone and introduce you to Reenie. We barely had time to get back, make love, and hustle to the airport." Oh yeah, Reenie still had my computer. I need to tell her when she called. I gave Tammy a brief description of the five plus days. She listened wide-eyed.

"It sounds completely fabulous, Ginger." She giggled. "I have to get used to calling you that from now on." 

I described how Reenie surprised me at the airport and how she'd decorated my room. Tammy's eyes were very wet. I told her about the minx leaving a message for George about me being ill. We laughed and laughed. She knew it was BS all long. I detailed our Monday, taking Reenie shopping, the dress and shoes, dinner and afterward. I also mentioned that we were going to follow my advice and do our own date night. She got up and hugged me. 

"Ginger, date night has changed our marriage. Good for you." 

We decided it was probably a good idea to get some work done. It was about 10:30 am when Jodi came for me. I knocked on George's door. He waved me in and asked me to close it. "George I want to apologize about not being at work last Monday." I told him about Reenie and the incident. His eyes got real wide and he shook his head.

"This Reenie you're speaking of -- is she friend of yours?" Be a big girl Ginger. Tell the man who she is to you.

"We've been in a relationship for some time now." I gave him my best smile. I got the fish out of water reaction -- mouth opening and closing with no words spoken.

"Oh." He shuffled some papers. "Well, um, I hope the two of you are happy. What I wanted to talk to you about is this. I've been offered a promotion. The higher ups asked if I had a recommendation for a replacement. I gave them your name." Oh my god!! It was my turn to do the fish thing. I was stunned, to put it mildly. "They actually called yesterday. I told them you were out sick." Uh oh. I better come clean on this now.

"George, just dock me for the day. Reenie had a day off yesterday and, umm, called me in sick." I blushed. He smirked.

"She pranked me huh? That's pretty funny actually, especially with the job she has." I nodded, smiling as I thought of my redheaded minx. "How do you feel about the opportunity?" What time does the flight leave for San Francisco?

"I'm overwhelmed and honored George. If they offer it to me, that is. Kidding aside, you've left some pretty big shoes to fill. You're a wonderful boss and I'll miss you terribly." I was still shaking my head in wonder.

"Thank you for the kind words Ginger. You won't really miss me. I'll be your boss. And, without letting the cat out of the proverbial bag, the job is yours if you want it. The person whose job I'm taking took a job with another company. They're looking to move this along pretty quickly. The timing of your vacation couldn't have been much better."

"I guess there won't be any more pizza Fridays," I said with a smile.

"Ginger, I actually brought up your idea as one reason to consider you for my replacement. It was brilliant and creative, both for morale and team building. It's exactly the type of attitude that the higher ups are looking for." I shook my head to clear it. This was all too much. Yes I was thrilled - and stunned. "I'd expect a call some time this morning." He stood and shook my hand. "Good luck. You deserve this." Wow! I thanked him and went to sit at my desk. Tammy asked if I was okay. I probably looked shell shocked as well as pale. It was the last Tuesday in March. I thought for a minute about how much my life had changed these last few months. I never, ever would have guessed this was possible.

I hadn't realized I was staring at the name change papers that I'd taken out of my purse until Tammy asked if I wanted to go out to lunch. I shook my head. I wanted to call Jenny. I didn't want to jinx this but I had to tell someone. Reenie's job doesn't allow for her to be interrupted for something like this -- at least I didn't think so. I had an odd little thought. If this promotion went through it might well pay for my vacation. I giggled on the way to the conference room. Jenny sounded excited to hear my voice.

"Hello sister of mine. How was your trip?" I smiled at the choice of words; they harkened back to our younger days.

"Jen, it was fabulous. I'm completely relaxed and refreshed. And Reenie is fine as well."

"Reenie? Oh, you mean Mo. Oh good. What about Lily?" I told her a little about each of them. She gasped as I told her about the incident the Monday I left. "Oh my god Ginger, you are so brave. And how lucky is that Mom?"

"Jen, the divorce is final. I'm officially Ginger Butler. But that's not why I called." I told her about the conversation with George and the possible promotion. I heard my sister sniffle. Tears?

"Emily Sue, I'm so proud. How wonderful for you. Good luck on the interview. I'm sure you'll do very well."

"I have so much more to tell you. If this promotion does materialize I'm not sure about when I might be able to come see you. This came completely out of the blue. I always knew George would get promoted but I never thought he would recommend me for his job."

"Relax and enjoy kiddo. It seems you and Reenie are doing well." I smiled. I told her about her Sunday surprise, about the promise rings, about our 'us' time, and about our 'date nights.' "Oh my gosh Ginger this is fabulous. There are a whole host of really good things that are happening for you. I'm so happy."

I had to ask. "Sister of mine, how are you?"

A short silence and then, "I'm taking your advice and lying low. If Janice calls or emails we'll see." Okay, that's fine. What about the bigger question? Did she really feel like she wanted to find out what life was like on the other side.

"Okay good; but there's more to it than that. We both know it."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't know Ginger. I honestly don't." I can relate kiddo. Trust me. 

"Okay, well, it's wonderful talking with you. Sorry if I sound like a space cadet. It's been a bit of a whirlwind. Please say hi to everyone. I'll call you again soon okay? I love you Jennifer."

"I love you too Ginger. I'm so glad you called. Please let me know when you get the good news." We said goodbye. There was a knock on the door. It was Jodi. I hurried to my desk.

"Hi, this is Gin ... Emily Rogers."

"Ms. Rogers, this is Bill McClure in Human Relations. Are you available for an interview at 1:30 pm this afternoon?"

My heart was pounding. I tried to sound casual and confident. "Of course Mr. McClure. Where should I meet you?" He told me what floor he was on and to ask at the desk for him. He had an interview room booked for ninety minutes. Oh my god, an interrogation. "Thank you. I'll see you at 1:30. I'm looking forward to it."

Tammy stared. I shook my head. "I can't say what it's about right now. I'll know more later."

"Oh my god, you and George are both going to be promoted. I'm going to be working for you aren't I Ginger?" Fuck! 

"Keep your voice down! I don't know. This just came up. I can't talk about it now." I gave her my best cop eyes.

"Honey, you are so not a cop. You're Ginger Butler, nee Emily Sue Rogers." She giggled, shaking her head.

I needed to kill some time. I was a bundle of nerves. I decided to try and reach Kathy. I took my purse and headed to the conference room again. I was a bit surprised when she answered. She sounded surprised that I was calling.

"Kathy, I'd like to start up with you again if you have room on your calendar." There was a long pause.

"Ginger, I owe you an apology." I stopped her right there.

"Kathy, as far as I'm concerned that's history. You're very good at what you do and I'd like to have you train me."

She sighed. "I held out hope you might call. I saved all three of your times." I told her I had an appointment tonight and asked if she could come Thursday. "Sure, I can do that." I told her where I was staying. "I'll find it. I look forward to seeing you Thursday Ginger. Thanks very much for calling. I really appreciate it." I smiled, we said goodbye. Another item on my list checked off. I fretted and fussed. I still had thirty minutes to kill. I had a thought.

I knocked on George's door. He waved me in. "May I close it?" He smiled and nodded. "George, I don't mean to be a pain but I'd like to ask, do you have any tips or suggestions on how to deal with whatever they'll ask me?" George was a bit surprised at the question; then he nodded. I guess he had been in my chair once.

"Ginger, trust me on this. You have everything it takes to sit in this chair other than actually sitting in it. Just be you. That will be more than good enough." All the nervous energy came bursting out through my eyes. Yeah, I cried. George looked like he'd just shot my dog or something. He looked more disconsolate than I felt embarrassed. I dabbed the tissue at my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Some executive huh?" I managed a wan smile. He smiled back at me. "Thanks boss. I really appreciate the vote of confidence. I'll do my best to do you proud."

I went back to my desk. Tammy gawked at my puffy eyes. I shrugged. "Nerves." I fished through my little emergency makeup bag and tried to repair some of the damage. I shrugged. Totally hopeless. I asked my wing-person (Tammy) for her help. I dumped my stuff on my desk. She took her purse, grabbed a few things, and did a little of this and a little of that. She took my compact mirror and showed me. I would have kissed her but, umm, no.

I hurried to put the stuff back in my purse and went to the washroom. After I washed my hands, I fluffed my hair, applied some lipstick, checked out my overall appearance, cursed not having dressed a little better, and looked in the reflection in the mirror. Yeah, Ginger, you can do this. Tammy gave me a thumbs up. As I passed Jodi she winked and gave me a thumbs up as well. Dear god, who else knows? I headed down a few floors, gave my name and asked for Bill McClure.

A very nice looking man came to greet me. Black hair with some grey sprinkled in, deep blue eyes, a strong masculine face. He looked me in the eye as he shook my hand and introduced himself. Impressive! He led me to a small room; asked if I wanted anything to drink. "Water please." He came back with a one liter bottle and a glass. "Thank you."

"Emily, I'm sure George has filled you in on some of the details. A position opened, he interviewed and was chosen for the promotion. When asked, he recommended you as his replacement in some of the most positive terms we've ever heard. We've had nothing but affirmative reports each and every time your name has come up. We'd like you to replace George as head of the department. Do you have any questions?"

"Mr. McClure, I've been an employee for so long the idea of being a boss seems almost foreign." His smile was reassuring. "I don't even know what sort of questions to ask. Can you give me ideas of what expectations are, salary, vacation, how to manage a staff. I'm sorry to fumble but this has come up so suddenly."

"Emily, are there any changes recently that HR should know about?" A personal question asked in very proper HR terms. George told him. I blushed and nodded. I explained about the divorce and handed the name change papers to him. "May I call you Ginger?"

"Please do." I smiled.

"Ginger, you have two weeks vacation as part of you employment package; that will be expanded to three weeks. There are bonuses based on performance that will be explained a bit later. The annual salary will be $60,000." He smiled. "As I understand it, some of your discretionary budget may extend to pizza Fridays." I smiled. He stood and shook my hand. "Congratulations Ginger. We know you'll do well in your new position. The changes will be effective the first Monday in April." Good lord -- next Monday.

I pushed the button on the elevator for the lobby. I needed some fresh air. I heard the whoop of the police siren and looked up. The brilliant smile and red hair -- impossible! It can't be. It was. She waved me over as she pulled the squad car to the curb. She rolled the window down. "Fancy meeting you here lover. How's your day?" I wanted to take her back to the Crowne Plaza and show her just how grand my day was.

"I just got promoted honey. My boss got promoted and he recommended me. It's effective next Monday. Can you believe it?" The blues shimmered with pride.

"Of course I can Ginger. Congratulations. I'll see you later for dinner and, umm, a celebration." Oh yeah, I would call Lily and cancel.

"Call me when you're clear honey ... we'll figure out the details. I love you." She winked, put her shades back on, and drove off. What a great Monday. Tammy took one look at me, stood and hugged me.

"Oh my god, it's so surreal to think you're going to be my boss. Congratulations Ginger." She kissed me -- on the cheek.

"Surreal is a good word Tammy. I'm still stunned. This is effective next Monday." She gawked. I nodded. She called Jodi over. Jodi's smile let me know news travels fast. She hugged me.

I went to George's office and sat down. He looked at me, smiled and leaned back in his chair, linking his hands behind his head. "Are you ready for the big chair?"

"Ready? Aren't you going to take your chair with you? Or should I keep it to let some of your good charisma rub off on me?" He smiled. "Geez boss, this all has happened so suddenly. I'm more than a little overwhelmed. How do I go about being you?' I shook my head in bewilderment.

He smiled and sat up. "First off, it's George. You're management now Ginger. Second, you don't." I wrinkled my brow wondering. "You don't 'be me.' You just be you. Yeah, it will take some time to settle in but you'll do fine. I was every bit as scared and nervous as you were when I got promoted. I wasn't nearly as smooth and cool as I am today." We both had a good laugh at that. "Honestly, you'll be fine. Keep the door open, the lines of communication open, and always lead by example. That's another one of those little reasons why I recommended you. You were always out front of any task we had. Your work was exemplary and was nearly always completed ahead of schedule. 'Speed of the leader, speed of the team.' Old adage, yes, and it still holds true." Wow! Solid gold, isn't he? I thanked him for his confidence and mentioned I had to call Lily.

"If it's not prying Ginger would you mind sharing?" I explained that since leaving our marital home, I'd been a bit of a nomad. I gave him some detail about what I hoped would happen. "Oh don't be silly. Call Lily and see if she can move the appointment up. If she can, take the rest of the afternoon off. Celebrate with ... Reenie, right?" I smiled brightly as I nodded. "I'm sure the two of you will celebrate your good news tonight. Enjoy!" I admit it - I blushed.

It was just about three when I called. Yes, Lily could see me earlier. Could I be there by four? Yes. I knew things were different the second I saw her come out. The smile was still bright but the light in her eyes wasn't there. She shook my hand, led me back to her office and asked if I wanted anything to drink. Let's just get this done Lily. 

"No thanks. How have you been?" The curtain fell. Ah ha, she's seeing someone.

"I've been busy of course. Things are fine otherwise. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Your tan looks fabulous and you certainly look relaxed." I smiled and thanked her. "I guess we should get down to business. You mentioned it when you called earlier, but would you mind giving me details about what you'd like in the contract?"

"It's pretty much what we'd discussed before. I'd like the rental portion to be for at least six months. I'd like to get comfortable there, buy furniture and the like. If things work out I'll complete the purchase then. If it's necessary I can put down thirty per cent as a security deposit of sorts. I'll leave it to you to work out the best possible terms for me. If you have the time, could we go look at it one more time?"

"Sure, let me find the listing and get the combination for the key." My cell phone rang: Reenie!

"Hi lover, how's your day?"

"All done Ginger. Where are we going to dinner? Or are you dinner?" I smiled.

"Lily is going to show me the house. We ought to be finished about 5:30 or so. Why don't you meet me at the motel? Oh, do you have my computer?

"Yeah, I'll be sure to bring it. Should I just meet you in the room?" I blushed again. Minx!

"Sure, it will give me time to change clothes."

"Oh goodie, I can help with that." Lily was standing, watching, and listening. I couldn't stop smiling.

"We're just on our way out. I'll see you soon." I put the phone back in my purse. "We should take two cars. I have to meet Reenie for dinner."

"I heard. Are the two of you going to live together?" Bitch, it's none of your fucking business.

"I really don't know right now." That's enough of the truth. "Lead the way Lily, I'll follow you." It wasn't long ago I would have followed Lily to the ends of the earth. Now? No, I'm no longer angry. I don't care very much says it best.

As we turned in the driveway I remembered why I liked it. The lawn had been cut, there were short evergreen plants and a nice size tree that had begun to sprout leaves. When we went inside, I was reminded that the entry way tile was also in the kitchen. The house needed a good cleaning but that was more from no one living there than abuse. The kitchen was fabulous. I might want to do some painting and things if I bought it. The master bedroom was excellent with plenty of closet space and lots of windows. We would spend a lot of time during the summer on the patio and make very good use of the hot tub. Two bedrooms and baths were perfect.

Six months -- April through September. That should be enough time to make a decision. I asked, "Do you think you can get them to take a six month lease with an option?"

"Yes I do. And, if you put down ... say $30,000, I'll get them to waive rent payments. That would leave the mortgage at just below $100,000, well within your reach." Yeah, I remembered the earlier figures. Even with taxes and utilities I shouldn't be spending more then $1,000 a month - very, very doable.

"Okay, let's get it done. Will they accept a personal check or should I get a cashier's check?"

"The bank won't let you occupy the house until a personal check clears. It's Tuesday. If you give me the check tomorrow you should be good to go by early next week." Had Lily mentioned the name of the bank? I asked; she told me.

I laughed. "I bank there. That should shorten the time by a day or two."




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 08



"I think you're right." She paused; I knew what was coming. I really didn't want to hear it.

"Lily, let's not go there okay. You're seeing someone; I'm very happy with Reenie. And for the record, I'm starting again with Kathy Thursday evening. So we're all doing well. Let's just treat this like a business transaction for all of our sakes. Please!" I saw the tears. I had to dig my nails into my palm and think of the blue eyes and red hair that were waiting for me. "Thank you for bringing me here. I'm very comfortable with this place and look forward to getting the paperwork done tomorrow. Let's get going, shall we?" We agreed on a time for Wednesday, shook hands, and left.

I hope that didn't come across like I'm a cold hearted bitch. I'm obviously not. I just didn't want to rehash old stuff. What happened is in the past. Look, my 'record' here isn't exactly clean either. Nora happened when Lily and I were just beginning to get beyond the 'romp in the hay' stage. And yeah, Reenie ... oh my god, yeah Reenie! Saying her name makes my heart beat a little faster. Isn't it fabulous? I know I think so. I know it's too early to think about us living together, but you heard me describe that house as if we already were. I was smiling about that thought and others as I pulled in to the parking lot. I headed to the room.

Apparently I was dinner - or at least an appetizer. We lay together, breathless and sated. My red headed minx had been waiting for me, her glorious naked self on the bed. She beckoned me with a 'come hither' finger. Reenie's moth can't resist her flame. I shivering as the dew cooled and thought of how wonderfully I had been taken. My minx introduced a new toy, hers apparently, a soft plastic double dildo. After taking me with her mouth and fingers she slid the dildo in each of us, lifted my legs, and showed me a variation of tribbing I was unfamiliar with. It was frantically delicious, it left me breathless, fully filled and fulfilled, completely satisfied, and fumbling for words to adequately describe it all.

She lay, hand on head, smiling proudly, running her fingers lightly over still quivering flesh. Feather soft -- that was the torture and pleasure as her fingers moved everywhere on my body. She ran her fingers over one breast, lingering on a nipple, the taut flesh still hard and high, circling, teasing, idly. She circled the outer limits of the breast, top, side, bottom, inside. Her fingers stopped. My eyes were closed. I felt the pressure of her fingers change. She pressed an area on my right breast, just inside the valley. I opened my eyes to find concern in hers.

"I do this every month when my period starts. That makes it easy to remember." Shit, it's due any day too. "What is it, a lump?" Her eyes filled and her chin quivered. She hadn't moved her hand from the spot. She reached across, took my hand with the one that had been under her head and brought it to the spot where her fingers were. I did the manipulations, pressing even more firmly than she had. I felt myself go pale. I saw it in her eyes: stark, cold fear. It's not very big but it's a lump. I felt it move when I pressed on it. I couldn't get my fingers around it. It kept moving. I didn't know what it was but it wasn't there before. Oh my god.

I bolted from the bed and found my phone, my ob/gyn and pressed send. I got the answering service. "My name is Emily Rogers. I'm a patient. Please have the doctor call me. I ... I need to speak to her. It's important." They took my name and number. I turned to Reenie. "I couldn't even bring myself to say it out loud, Reenie. How can this be?" She came and held me. We were both crying, naked, having just made love. Dinner would wait. It would be a sleepless night. Sobbing, I begged her to stay the night. It may be nothing or ... not.

The phone rang. "This is Dr. Baran. Hi Emily, you called the service. What's going on? Is something wrong?" I was crying. I handed the phone to Reenie. 

"Doctor, my name is Maureen Henry. I'm a friend of Gin ... Emily's. We just found what we believe to be a small lump on the inside of her right breast. We found it quite by accident. She said it wasn't there last month when she did her exam." Reenie listened and made a motion for a pen. I hurried to my purse, got my notepad and pen and opened it for her. She wrote: '10 am tomorrow.' I nodded. "Thank you doctor. She'll see you tomorrow. Thank you, you too."

"I'm being promoted. I'm supposed to sign papers to rent the house tomorrow. I have a session with Kathy Thursday. I can't do this. I can not be sick. Oh Reenie, what do I do?"

Her voice was strong, "We get dressed and have dinner Ginger. We go to the L Room afterward, dance, have a couple of drinks, and come home and make love. Tomorrow will come." I was trembling, shaking my head. She took my face in her hands and waited till my eyes met hers. "I love you. We'll go together. We'll find out what's going on. Now let's get dressed." She kissed me softly. I guess this is what they mean when they say 'be strong for you.' She was being my strength when I needed emotional support.

We dressed and headed out. Reenie drove. I was numb with fear. I'm not sure I can tell you what I wore. What should have been a night of celebration was something very different. "Reenie, I'm not very hungry. Let's just go to the club okay." She looked at me. "Please."

She nodded, pulled out her phone, called the club, "Candy, yeah, it's Reenie. Order a pizza please. No, large this time. Yeah, we'll be there in about ten minutes. Thanks honey."

"Honey?" Reenie laughed out loud. "Thank you Reenie." She took my hand, brought it to her lips, kissed it and held it to her cheek. She's my heart. We would make it through whatever was inside me and we would make a life together. No need to rush anything. She pulled into the lot. We kissed and headed inside. Candy hugged and kissed us both. I headed to our table and sat down. Tonight the throb of the music was a welcome distraction. Candy and Reenie were talking, or actually, Candy was doing most of the talking. The pizza came. Candy paid the delivery dude. The two of them came with plates, spices, napkins and drinks. Candy sat down across from me.

"Ginger, do you know anything about fibrocystic masses?" I looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language and shook my head. She nodded. "I have them and so does my sister. They're scary as hell. I'm not a doctor but it's possible that this could be nothing too serious. Reenie mentioned your period is due any day. Is that right?"

"Yeah it is." She nodded.

"Be sure to mention that to your doctor tomorrow. Do you have my cell number on your phone?" I shook my head. I handed her my phone. She opened it and put in her name and number. "Obviously you know Reenie has it ... so call if you need to okay?" Her kiss was soft and brief. She smiled and headed back to the bar.

"Wow Ginger, she really likes you." I took a piece of pizza, ate it in two bites, and downed my drink. Reenie stared at me. I inhaled another piece of pizza. I looked at Reenie.

"It just dawned on me that I didn't have lunch today. After George talked to me about the promotion I called my sister from the conference room. I'm starving." I told Reenie about the meeting with Lily. I wanted her opinion. "Was I too hard on her? I want this to be strictly business. Did I do okay?" My cop looked at me. "Reenie, at least one of the skills required to do what you do is conflict resolution. You know exactly what and why I'm asking."

I held up my beer bottle. Candy smiled. I turned to Reenie and waited. "No, I think what you said was a little rough but it was okay. Actually, I probably would have been a lot harder on her than you were. I was pretty surprised when you told me you were going to let her broker the deal for you." I shrugged and ate another slice.

"It was a conscious decision on my part. It was one of the things I thought about on vacation. I needed to resolve and put some things behind me in order to move forward. May your spider spin you a web about our future home?" I batted my eyelashes. Candy heard that as she brought my drink. 

"You two are moving in together? Oh my god, we have to have a party when you do!!" I grabbed Candy's wrist.

"Hush you. No, it's too soon yet. I'm signing a lease tomorrow. But that is not for our adoring public." Candy and Reenie both laughed at my characterization. "It has two bedrooms, two bath rooms, a fabulous kitchen and a great patio and a hot tub." Candy gawked, Reenie stared. I shrugged. "Given the state of real estate today I'm getting a pretty good deal." I looked directly at Reenie when I said this. "The six month lease will give me time to decide if this is right for ... us." I smiled, Candy smiled, Reenie kissed me.

"You two are the definition of cute. Ginger, I'm sure this is a scary night but try to enjoy how much others are reveling in your relationship. There aren't many here tonight but word is spreading about the two of you." She smiled at both of us.

I looked at Reenie. "Are you cute?"

Reenie replied, "Are you cute?" We both shrugged and looked at Candy, who was laughing.

"Candy, did my redhead tell you what she did the night I came home?" Her eyes got wide. I laughed. "Yeah, but that was after the surprise." Reenie blushed. "I was on my way to get my luggage. There was a limo driver with a sign. I almost missed it ... uh, her. The minx had her hair up under a hat. She had me fooled until I saw her smile." Candy looked at a blushing Reenie, who shrugged. "My minx told me she had to work so I was prepared to take a cab. Not only did she surprise me at the airport but the room was lit with candles and there was a red rose on the pillow."

Candy stared at Reenie. There was something in that look that spoke of surprise. She looked at me and blushed. She knew I knew what that stare was about -- something from their past. It was my turn to step up. "Candy, everybody has a past. I know you're happy for us so let it go." I reached for another piece of not so hot pizza and stuffed it in my mouth. They both stared at me. "What? I'm hungry. I didn't have lunch. I got promoted."

Candy knocked the chair over when she stood up and screamed, "Oh my god, you got a promotion? You bitch. You waited this long to tell me." The few that were in the place were looking, wide eyed. I snickered.

"Chill out chickie. It just happened today. Yeah, talk about your surprises. I've been given my boss's job. He will still be my boss but he's moving up the ladder. So perhaps you'll understand if we have to leave ... as in soon." I leaned over to kiss Reenie who was blushing like a virgin bride -- as if! Well, bride, maybe; virgin, as if.

God bless them both, somehow they had taken the focus off of me and made this night full of fun and laughter. I scarfed another piece of pizza, finished my drink, and looked at Reenie. Time to go! I needed a night of loving before my period and tomorrow. Candy and Reenie both seemed to understand the look. Candy took the pizza while Reenie and I prepared to head out. I didn't even bother to ask Candy about a bill. In the car, I lay my head back on the headrest. The next thing I knew we were at the motel. I staggered out of the car and we headed to the room.

Perfect timing ... as we walked in the room my period started. I scurried, cursing, to the bathroom. I cleaned up, padded up, and came to bed. Reenie had her turn and joined me. She held me as the tears flowed. The night had been more fun than I'd expected but in the dark, all the fear came back. She held me. Her strength fed mine. Body to body, my lover held me close and, in her arms, I slipped away to an uneasy sleep.

I woke up Wednesday with a distinct sense of dread. I was groggy and felt as though I hadn't slept well. Reenie looked at me with a mixture of love and concern. I was glad the appointment was early; having to wait till later would have been agony. Reenie suggested that we shower, dress for work, and get some breakfast. I understood her thinking. Keep moving; it would help keep my mind off my worries. The shower was wonderful. We took turns washing each others hair. Soapy hands were delightful. I had a little more freedom with mine and used it to good advantage. Breathless, she cursed and kissed me. I laughed (unwisely) at her threats of reprisal when my monthly visitor left.

After toweling off, drying our hair and the rest we dressed. It was already after eight. I called Tammy and told her I had a doctor's appointment and would be in late. She asked; I was evasive. Reenie had called in last night and let them know she was taking personal time for a few hours. Reenie hugged me tight when she kissed me. Dopey, but we needed to take two cars. Her job was unpredictable. I wasn't particularly hungry but that was nerves. I fought my way through bacon, eggs, and toast. The coffee was hot and strong. I was already way too wired; one cup was all.

Reenie was so good. She didn't force conversation. She sat next to me, disapproving eyes be damned. We have just as much right to be in love and be happy as you do. I fought back tears; her fingers tightened in mine. I would lead to the doctor's office in C'ville. Dr. Baran was a bit younger than me. I had followed her as she moved from place to place before opening her own practice. Everything I had seen her for in the past was routine, as was my late April appointment. She also didn't know about Ginger -- or Reenie. Reenie shrugged when I mentioned it. The bill was on the table. I left enough money to pay it, including a generous tip. It was only a five minute drive. We were early. You're not surprised.

I checked in with the receptionist. They took me in pretty quickly -- amazing, since I was a late addition. A clean gown was on the table. I took off my bra and sweater. The gowns are so flattering; no reason to tie the ties. Dr. Jennifer came in about ten excruciating minutes later. She had the good sense not to ask how I was. I was teetering on the edge of tears as it was. Sorry, the memory of all of it let loose a flood of tears as I type. 

"Reenie, my girlfriend, found the lump with her fingers." I attempted a smile and explained, "Bill and I are divorced; it hadn't been a very good marriage for some time. I changed and went back to my maiden name. And one day while I was driving to work, a gorgeous Dayton police officer pulled me over for speeding. That's how we met; pretty funny huh?" Her smile was warm; it reached her understanding eyes.

I did my best to explain what I had found when I'd felt for the mass. "I couldn't keep it in my fingers." I told her about what Candy shared. She smiled. She asked about family history. "My mother died of complications from diabetes. My dad died from -- well, the death certificate said colon cancer, but my sister and I knew it was from a broken heart. My sister has no history. Oh, my period started late last evening." Dr. Baran nodded ... all the while she had been taking notes.

"Ginger, please take off the gown and lay back on the table." I did. "Can you locate the mass?" I found it; she brought her fingers to the area. I closed my eyes. I was surprised when she asked me to get dressed a short time later.

As I was dressing, she talked. "I want you to have a mammogram of course, but I think it's possible this is exactly what your friend described." She was very gentle as she spoke of my understandable emotions. "No Ginger, I won't give a definite yes or no. The mammogram comes first. I'd like to see you afterwards, later in the month. I'll call if an earlier appointment is warranted." She looked at me and smiled. "Would you like to bring Reenie in so I can explain it to her?" I said yes; I dashed and waved her in. I introduced my honey to my doctor. Dr. Baran was warm and gracious. She explained what she thought was going on, what she wanted to do, and what would happen between now and later in April.

Reenie nodded a lot but her eyes were on me. My smile was a little more ... solid? I felt better. I thanked Dr. Baran; she gave me a little, reassuring hug. She and Reenie shook hands. I handed the chart to the receptionist and mentioned my appointment late in April. She checked and nodded. Did I have the prescription for the mammogram? Yes. We left.

Reenie asked me on the elevator, "How are you feeling babe?"

"Cautiously optimistic Reenie; wouldn't it be a hoot if Candy was right?" We both smiled. "I know you just met her but I have complete trust in Dr. Baran."

"No, honey, I really like her a lot. She seems very caring and a straight shooter. I feel good about her being your doc." My cop the straight shooter!! That last said as we headed, hand in hand, to our cars. Reenie asked if I would be okay. 

I smiled, kissed her hard. "I'm going to see Lily later and sign the contract. Does that answer the question?" A hundred watt smile was my answer. Finally, her eyes filled. It was my turn to hold her while she cried. She had waited until I was okay to let me know how worried she was ... is. She pulled herself together quickly. 

"I promise I'll be okay. Please call when your shift is over." She said she would; we kissed, softly. The love in the kiss included a healthy dose of relief for each of us. Time to go; we headed to our respective jobs.

When I got off the elevator, Jodi looked at me with worry. I pointed to the conference room. I waved at Tammy to join us. I closed the door and gave them the short version of what happened. There were tears and hugs. Sadly, there are very few whose lives have not been touched by cancer. Jodi asked how I felt. I was still nervous but a lot more at ease. Does that sound silly? I see heads shaking. No? Oh good. Sometimes when you do what I'm doing you wonder what your audience is thinking and feeling as they read along with you. I hope all of this makes sense. It was a struggle to keep my emotions in check and write it as it happened. Thanks for understanding!!

I donate to several charities on a regular basis. I made a note to add the Susan G. Komen Foundation to the list. In fact, in my new capacity, I would notify them to check with P&G about matching donations. I laughed at my silliness. I couldn't be the first P&G woman to think of this but I would check.

I asked Tammy to join me for lunch. I needed to stop at my bank and have some money moved to my checking account to cover the check I was going to write to Lily. I also wanted to make sure that the air was clear with Tammy. I like her and I didn't want to lose her as a friend. I needed to make a stop in the washroom. (sigh) The bank was first. That only took a few minutes. We sat and chatted. 

"Ginger, didn't this all happen kind of quickly?"

"Well yeah; actually we were in bed." Tammy blushed and smiled. "Stop me if this is too much. Her fingers were kind of roaming when she found something. It was pretty scary and didn't make for a very pleasant night."

I took this as my opportunity to chat about what was and what had to be. She was completely okay with it all; she understood. When she asked about my promotion I confessed to being completely surprised and overwhelmed. I wasn't totally comfortable telling her every little detail. There was, even if it was awkward, an invisible but tangible 'line in the sand.' I was a marginal athlete but you hear it all the time. There is a difference in moving one seat from assistant to head coach. Mine isn't a head coach position but the analogy isn't that far off. I also mentioned to Tammy that once I was in the house and had it furnished I'd like to have Tammy and her Jeffrey over for dinner.

I fidgeted all afternoon. There wasn't much to do and I didn't want to do it. I wanted to get to Lily's office, sign the papers, and be with my honey. I wandered around. The rest of our group were on the other side of George's office so we didn't have as much interaction with them. I made note of that and needed to figure out how everyone might fit into one ... oh, whatever. There were some warm eyes and expressions of congratulations. There were others that were cold. Duly noted. A friend told me long ago, business was often a zero sum game -- I win, you lose. It's icky but it is what it is.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 08



When I passed George's office he called for me to come in. It was getting late so he just wanted me to know he was going to be spending a good portion of Thursday and Friday with me. He was going to go over the hiring process (my replacement), the budget and the new project our, my, department would be starting. He wanted to go over it with me in person. Friday I would be in charge of explaining the project to, umm, my team.

"It's going to take me some time to get used to calling it 'my team' George." He grinned.

"It's okay Ginger. Think of it like riding a bike or starting as a freshman in a new school. It takes a while to get used to it; then one day, you're okay with it and you really don't even recognize the change."

I asked if I could close the door. He said sure. "There were a couple of people who didn't seem real happy about me getting the promotion."

"Oh don't worry too much about that. Most everyone in the department has been here since I've been in this job. It's a little odd actually to have such little turnover."

"No, I don't think so, not with you as our boss."

George actually blushed. "Well thank you for the compliment. It's pretty normal for people to feel jealous that you were chosen to replace me. It will help, I think, that you and I will be conducting the Friday meeting together."

"I think I might just make Friday pizza day."

"That would be a great idea Ginger. Help break the ice, get the project off on the right foot, and introduce you as the new department head. You and I can meet in the small conference room tomorrow morning at nine."

"I'm going to go sign a lease on a house." I smiled. "Wish me luck"

"Good luck Ginger. A whole lot of good is happening in your life. See you tomorrow."

I went to my desk and called Lily. While I was on the phone with her Reenie called my cell.

"Hi babe; I've got Lily on the other line. I was just going to go out there. Want to meet me and go with?"

"Yeah, actually I would. How about we meet at the motel and go in one car."

"Sounds good; I'll see you at the motel in a few. I love you. Sorry Lily; that was Reenie. She's coming with. We're going to dinner afterward. We'll see you ... well, as soon as we get there I guess." We said our goodbyes.

I hurried to the garage. Traffic was lousy, so it took me a while to get to the motel. I saw Reenie's car. Even with my cramps, the thought of that woman stirs the deepest part of me.

Reenie got up from the chair and came to me. The two of us hugged, kissed, and murmured soft, loving words. There was love in her eyes. I know there is love in my heart. I needed to freshen up. I washed my hands, ran a brush through my hair, and we were off to Lily's office. I made a point of telling Reenie to be nice. The sly smile my minx gave me did little to ease my nerves. At a stop light, my cop made a point of showing me she had her shield on her belt. I chuckled. 

We walked into the office hand in hand (by mutual agreement). Lily came out to greet us. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted Reenie. I felt Reenie tense. Please, baby, let's just get through this. Lily led us to the conference room. A folder lay on the desk. I took the checkbook out of my purse. "Do I make the check payable to your firm Lily?" She said yes and gave me the exact wording; her eyes never left Reenie. I could see anger and jealousy in them. I'm sure Reenie met her gaze and gave it right back. She passed me the papers that needed to be signed.

In a tight, thin voice, "Since the bank is local, you ought to be good to go by the weekend. I'll call as soon as I find out. We can meet at the property and I'll give you the keys." She turned her eyes back to Reenie. "I hope you're happy in your new home Ginger." I saw Reenie's eyes go cold even though she smiled. Lily, you're out of your element here!!

"Thank you Lily. I can apply for a mortgage earlier than six months right?"

Her eyes came back to me. "Oh yes, absolutely!" She spat out the words, "Call me when you and your cop are ready." You bitch. I saw Reenie fidget in her chair. She was pissed. I reached for her hand and took it in mine.

"Lily, whatever the hell your problem is you had better get over it." She stared at me. "I mean it. This had better stop and I mean right now."

"How long have you been fucking her? I know you were when you were living in my house. Does she know I took you in after your other girlfriend raped you?" Reenie burst out of her chair. She never said a word, just stood and stared.

I stood, turned to face Reenie and whispered, "Honey, don't. Please sit down." She did, her gaze never leaving Lily. I turned to Lily and said, "You know what, get your Agency Manager." Her eyes widened in shock. "Now!!" She stood and took the file. I grabbed it out of her hands. She turned and looked at me, radiating anger. I felt Reenie begin to stand again. I pushed her back down. "Get the goddamn Manager. The papers and my check stay here." She stalked out of the room. I looked at Reenie. "Please honey. I can do this." I smiled and kissed her. "Why don't you stand up so the Manager can see your shield?" The blues sparkled and a thin smile came to her gorgeous face. We both stood.

A very angry woman came into the conference room with a contrite looking Lily in tow. She introduced herself as Doris Peters. "Would you please explain what's going on here Ms. Butler?" I saw her eyes glance at Reenie's shield.

"Lily and I had a personal relationship for a time. That has ended. Ms. Russo has been extremely unprofessional tonight. I want someone else to handle this. The alternative, since your firm isn't the listing broker, is to find another office to handle the transaction." Lily was trembling with anger. She was staring daggers at Reenie. "Ms. Peters, look at your agent." Her head whipped around to Lily, who could barely control herself.

The Manager looked at me. "Ms. Butler, I think it's in the best interest of everyone involved that we remove ourselves from this situation. With your permission I'll have someone contact you tomorrow. They'll complete the lease and the rest. You take the file." She moved forward, met my eyes, and shook my hand. "I apologize for all of this. I wish you well." I looked at Reenie, whose furious blues were locked on Lily. I gave her hand a squeeze to bring her back to me. I had the folder and my honey. We left.

I drove a couple blocks from the office, pulled the car to the curb, and turned it off. We needed to talk, to let some of the emotion bleed off. We were both angry; I wouldn't let go of my honey's hand while we sat and talked. Reenie was angry with me for intervening. I knew she wanted to pound Lily into dust. 

In a quiet voice I said, "That would have cost you the job you love." She turned her head to say something. What she saw in my eyes stopped her. I was near tears. I love her so much. Lily was nothing to me. "I apologize for putting you in the middle of this mess. I should have gone to another broker. I felt some silly, misguided sense of loyalty to Lily. I never expected this to happen." Reenie hugged me. I was glad that ugliness was over. My redhead is my future.

I found a restaurant and turned into the lot. It was a sports bar. We left. Texas Roadhouse! Much better. I whispered in Reenie's ear, she giggled and nodded. We ordered ribs, sides and (wink) extra sauce to go. I'm smiling. Can you guess what the night might be like? We both munched on the french fries on the way back to the motel.

Do you remember the bagel episode? Umm, think about barbeque sauce and onion rings and what we might have done with them Wednesday night. Even on my moon there was more than a little pleasure to be shared between the two of us. Do you keep count of the pleasure you give your lover? The pleasure is given because you love her. So you give her every last bit of what she needs ... and then give her more. She would have her turn with me soon enough.

But that wasn't what was on my mind tonight. What matters is us. "Lover, as soon as the bank gives their okay and I have the key, I want to bring you to see the house. It has to be furnished it from top to bottom and I want your input." 

Yeah, implicit in that was that we would live together. Yeah, both of us had leaky eyes. Yeah, we both knew it was more likely than not to happen. Yeah we, umm -- I can't believe I'm blushing this far into the story, with all that I've shared with all of you about us. Think about the last couple of days and all that has happened. Put yourselves in our shoes. (Wink) Maybe you can understand how, after, we were so exhausted we fell asleep in each others arms. Love is a many splendored thing. How hysterical -- mickey soft doesn't like it. Tell Melinda.

I woke Thursday to Reenie nibbling on my neck while her fingers teased my nipples. I sighed luxuriously. My devil's tongue did wonderfully wicked things to my ear as she whispered her intentions. I giggled and shivered, not so easy to do. The shower left me a quivering, shivering, completely satisfied mess. For the squeamish -- my periods tend to be awful for a couple of days and dry up pretty quickly thereafter. Yes, I still padded up after the rest of the bathroom routine. The mirror showed my eyes - soft, warm, and wanting more. We had to hurry to get Reenie to work on time. I was glad my time in this cubby hole would be coming to an end. I would rather sleep on a carpeted floor, sans mattress, than in this dump, though it had served its purpose. As long as my redheaded beauty was in my life where I woke up didn't matter. She had to get to work. The goodbye kiss was hot; she was the only one fully clothed.

I dressed and stopped for breakfast. I thought about Lily. Was it ever anything more than just wanton lust? Were my feelings and words of love simply me doing too much too soon? I shivered as I lingered over my breakfast. She had a carry permit. Reenie is a cop and each knew what the other had. Worried? No, I really wasn't. Lily had a lifestyle and a career to tend to. Reenie? The badge means so much to her. The irony of Lily wanting me to go to the range, get a permit, and buy a gun wasn't lost on me. I finished, paid, and headed to work.

I won't bore you with my Thursday. George and I spent most of the day in the conference room. He talked me through the budget, filling out HR specs for a new hire, and gave me all the details of the new project. Since I'm writing this long after the fact all I can say is if you see our brand in stores you're looking at our work (well some of it anyway).

Oh yeah, I mentioned to George that I needed to go to Social Security and BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) for my name change. He smiled. "Tell Jodi; you're her boss." Duh! I shrugged. It would take a while. 

I did and mentioned the meeting tomorrow. "I'll send emails to everyone and order pizza. You pay for the food and I'll submit a voucher for reimbursement. That's how it works." I was sure my face registered my confusion. She smiled; we would be fine. I would go to BMV first; that would take less time (I hoped).

I did get a phone call from a realtor. I didn't realize it but the firm Lily worked for had a number of branches in the area. I was passed off to one that was in Huber Heights, which was very convenient. Rita Cutler, the realtor, asked if I could come in and do the paperwork. I had taken the folder so I asked for her fax number.

"I'll fax the documents so you can have fresh ones ready." She thanked me. "I'm bringing a personal check; it's from the same bank that holds the title to the house." Rita said she would press them to accept the check as quickly as possible. We set a late afternoon appointment at five. She was looking forward to meeting me.

Reenie knew that Kathy was coming tonight; the realtor wouldn't take too much time. We would try and have dinner before Kathy's appointment at seven. Reenie's call came when I was on the way to the realtor. Uh oh, it had been a tough day on the streets for my honey. She wanted to crash at her place. I was disappointed; I offered to meet her at the club. It must really have been a bad day.

"Thanks Ginger but I don't think I'd be good company tonight."

I gently reminded her, "That's one of the reasons we're a couple." She asked what time Kathy was coming. I told her. Could she call me afterwards? "Of course you can baby." She promised she would. Words of love were exchanged.

I thought about it. We had not had a disagreement yet. No screaming matches. A temper? Yeesh, I knew she had one. Athlete, soldier, cop -- you aren't any of those without having some backbone and some toughness. I suppose it was a good idea for us not to spend every night together yet. Anyway, I arrived at the realtor's office.

Rita, a pretty blonde, was well and professionally dressed with a winsome smile. She had a nice handshake and led me to a warmly decorated conference room. I handed her the folder I'd taken last night. She asked if she could call me Ginger.

"Ginger, I'm really sorry about what happened last night. As it's been explained to me there was some sort of personal component to all this but that's no excuse for what happened."

I shook my head. "I don't want any further dealings with Lily. In fact, I want the realty company to have the locks changed, immediately, at your expense." Rita asked if she could be excused.

A few minutes later she came back with a man in tow. She introduced him as Dallas Miller, one of the managers. "Mr. Miller has assured me we will have a trusted locksmith change the locks. He thinks it's a good idea on your part, given what happened." I stood, shook his hand, and thanked him. He smiled warmly, thanked me for my business, and left.

"I suppose the lock thing is a bit of paranoia on my part, Rita, but I'm not taking any chances. Lily has a very successful career and won't jeopardize it. Let's get this finished shall we?" I signed the new documents and we were finished. Rita asked about the six months.

"I'm dating a Dayton police officer. She and I have agreed that it's too soon for us to live together. The six months is just me buying time." I was completely comfortable with it of course, but it was getting rather amusing to watch people's reactions. The professional smile faded for just a blink, her eyes widened a bit, and then she was back to normal. Yup, we look just like the rest of you. Me: snickering. "Rita, I'm very excited to get into the home and very overwhelmed with the task of furnishing the place from scratch."

She furrowed her brow. "Sorry Ginger, but I'm confused. Why would you have to furnish your home from scratch?" Isn't it odd? I hadn't given any thought to the reaction of others to what was, sadly, my world. I nodded my head and described how my marriage ended. Her reaction was shown through her eyes -- some surprise and lots of sadness. I wasn't sure if it was because I had been married or about how asshole had locked me out of our house.

I needed to go. I thanked Rita for her help. "I'll call you when the keys are available." She thanked me, genuinely, for my business. I had a feeling that, if I wanted to make a stink, the blow-back on Lily would have been toxic.

Dinner, then Kathy. My dinner plans changed now that I was eating alone. Maybe just get a sandwich and take it back to the room. No, I would eat it at the restaurant. I wanted stability in my life. I had to laugh; okay, my new stability. The house was part of that. I thought of the word I had used with George -- nomad. That's how I felt. Even the stay at Lily's, while necessary, wasn't natural. Yes, I would have argued strenuously if you had tried to tell me that back then. I like my sandwiches like I like my ... oh god, you would laugh if you knew how my mind works. Geez, I don't understand how my mind works. I laughed out loud; others stared. Oh well. I smiled as I munched on my sandwich. I ate half and went back to the cubbyhole to change into my workout clothes. I smiled at the knock on the door at exactly seven!

The tornado was still gorgeous. I pointed to a chair. We needed to talk. "Kathy, we're good. I don't know and I don't care about the details. I'm completely comfortable with my decision. You're good at what you do and I want to work with you. My girlfriend wanted to meet you but she had a tough day at work." I smiled. "You may remember Officer Henry." Kathy's eyes got real wide. "We've been seeing each other for a while now." I knew my smile was brilliant.

"Okay Ginger. Thank you." She couldn't meet my eyes. "I'm so embarrassed about what happened. I let myself get seduced." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "The whole time - all I thought of was that I wanted it to be you." Oh my lord! Hmm, if she let Lily seduce her she might find a way to have me as well. Odd, but it made some sort of sense. I sat back in my chair. How do I respond? She was very vulnerable, having shared what she did.

"Kathy, I remember the kiss. I'll be honest. I wrestled with what happened. The shock of seeing you and Lily ... it was horrific. I needed a vacation to get away and try to get some resolution on a bunch of things. You were one of them. I value you and the work you do too much to let the other get in the way." My gaze was steady; so was my voice. "There's no way anything will happen between us." No anger, just tell her the ground rules. I smiled. "My address will change again soon." She smiled. "I have a house rented with an option to buy about five minutes from here. Are we clear about our relationship and are you ready to get started?"

"Yes and yes." We stood. She started me back into it all. It was fabulous. We only had time to do two of the sets. I'd lost some of the tone but she told me I was still ahead of where I had started. I trusted her completely. I let her guide me through the sets, including all the little details that I messed up. I was ecstatic to have her back and get into the routine of the exercises. You may shake your head but, before she left, I gave her a little hug as an expression of my joy at having her back. Her eyes were a little wet, but I think she was both grateful and surprised.

After finishing the other half of the sandwich I called my honey. "Hello beautiful. How's my girl?"

The response was devoid of any emotion. "I'm okay." Hmm. 

"Reenie, do you want company tonight? I can change and meet you if you'd like."

"Okay. Yeah, I guess. See you in a little while." She hung up. What on earth? This felt like more than the job. She was okay when she left this morning. It couldn't be us. There were bad days on the job, but I'd never heard her like this before. I hurried to change and headed to the L Room.

I saw her car, I saw her at our table and I saw Candy. She shrugged and shook her head. I headed to the table. I lifted Reenie's chin and gave her a kiss. Her eyes were flat, the kiss was alarming. Something was very wrong here. I needed my cop to tell me what it was. It was late enough that the crowd was beginning to build. We ... I ... needed a place a lot more private and a lot less noisy. I whispered in Reenie's ear that I would be right back.

Candy met me at the corner of the bar. "Is there a quiet room where Reenie and I could talk?" She smiled. She took my hand, led me to Reenie, and motioned to her. Reenie rolled her eyes, grabbed her coat and purse and followed. There was a room in the back for that was away from everything and everyone. I hugged Candy. She nodded and left us alone.

There were chairs. We each took one. Even as I started to ask the tears started. I fell to my knees in front of her and hugged her while she cried. The tears were a prelude; I would wait. When the words came, they came in gasps, between sobs. I held her and listened.

"Someone found out about me ... us. It was ugly and vicious." I thought about the hospital emergency room. I didn't even remember his name but I didn't see him as the type. Lily? She knew everybody and she was so angry nothing that had to do with her could be ignored. "As angry as I was at Lily last night, I'm that frustrated and upset tonight Ginger. This job is everything to me." I know lover. If this has to do with Lily I'd have her job. "I'm sorry Ginger. I know you were upset about Lily last night. I was too. This won't go away easily. I want my gold shield (detective). I want out of the bag (the uniform) and off the beat. I want a life with you. F U C K!!" That was a shriek of frustration. My tears were hot on my cheeks. "I'm hardly the only gay cop on the force. You met one the other day." Yeah, the brunette, kind of a butch, whatever. You're all that matters Reenie. I leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss. She gave it back to me. Good.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 08



I smiled and slid my fingers over her pale, smooth skin. The blues were still dull. I lay my head in her lap and hugged her hips. All that mattered was her. The job was everything. I knew it. I respected it. Her hips shifted ever so slightly. Hmm. If she needed me, I would, of course. I lifted to kiss her. The response was hungry. Lover, whatever you need. 

I unbuckled the belt, opened the zipper, and lapped at what the denim covered. Reenie lifted her hips to help me get the jeans off. I bent to her. My tongue and lips drew soft sighs. I lifted her legs over my shoulders. She moaned her need as I took her. Give me everything Reenie, every last bit of your frustration, your need. I'll gladly take the weight from you. She surprised me when the spend took her over. She cried out, her body shook, her legs pinned me to my prize, her fingers deep in my locks. One wasn't nearly good enough. I demanded every last bit she had to give. Her cries of pleasure were music. The spasms I felt -- my fingers inside her, her belly quivering, her legs clamping, her head lolling, her breaths panting ... I gave her everything I could. The last spasm, the last gasp, the last shiver signaled she'd had enough. I lay my head in her lap as she recovered. She had become my everything. I smiled.

This wasn't how the night should have played out but 'should' didn't matter. We were better for having done what we'd done. Not the loving, the two of us working through her turmoil. She had come to be with me; she could have stayed home. Her turmoil was our turmoil. The fact we were in this tiny back room of the bar was proof that we mattered. Once dressed and fixed up, we headed back through the bar. I winked at Candy; she smiled. Reenie and I kissed and cuddled in the parking lot. We would spend the night apart. We both knew it was what she needed. I loved her and told her so, passionately. She loved me and told me so, tenderly. I cried most of the way back to the cave. I guess that's part of being in love. I made a quick stop in the bathroom to freshen up. In bed, I fell asleep with a satisfied smile on my face.

Friday - waking up alone is miserable. Friday -- technically it's my last day as employee; my boss and the boss (me) would share the campaign with my staff. Friday -- Reenie had the day off, dammit. Friday -- the last work day of March. I had the last of the bagels. While I showered I wondered if Reenie would mind shopping before dinner -- if we were going to have dinner together. I was sure she'd be up but I didn't want to call too early. What to wear? I wanted to look nice but didn't want to try too hard to look 'boss-ish.' I doubt that's even a word. I think you know what I mean. George was just George. It's one of the really good things about him; he never put on airs. I was so glad he would still be my boss. He would be my anchor while I adjusted to my new role. I laughed; yeah, another new role.

Navy blue button down blouse, black pleated skirt, and comfy black flats were my choice. A demi cup bra and ribboning were for my personal pleasure. Yes, if you're wondering, it's a pad-free Friday. I looked in the mirror as I ran the brush through my hair. Good grief girl, if you're as nervous as your eyes say you are, it's going to be a long day. Okay, so don't stop for coffee on the way to work. On the drive I wondered if a parking space came as a perk. How random!! Jodi would know. One other really good thing about the house -- I'd always wanted a dog. Bill was allergic. Now, with a house of my own (sort of) I (we) could go to a shelter and find a dog. I hoped Reenie would agree. She was a cliff dweller and never had one. One more 'us' thing we would do together. Dang, we still need to do date night planning!

Jodi started off my Friday with, "Good morning boss." I blushed and shushed her. She smiled and asked for my credit card. I fished for it and asked about the parking space. George heard me; yes, there would be a space for me. I admit; I giggled a little. It's just a little perk but still. Okay, this is just between us: a couple of other things perked as well. Jodi smiled and gave me a thumbs-up.

I stuck my head in the door and asked if I could make a quick phone call. George rolled his eyes and smiled. Tammy wanted to know if we could have a going away party for me. I gave her a playful punch in the shoulder and laughed. She's a goof. I headed to the conference room with my notebook and purse. I called my honey.

"Hi babe, I hope I'm not calling too early on your day off."

"Nope, I slept in a bit but I'm awake. Sorry for being such a bitch last night Ginger. Thanks for being so understanding."

"Reenie, when you care about someone you do what's needed. When I was scared witless, you went to the doctor's office with me. You had a miserable day. I couldn't undo it or make it better but I could be with you and be there for you. I love you!" I could hear the smile.

"I love you too. It sucked not waking up next to you too."

"Tell me about it! Hey, can we have dinner tonight? And maybe do our date night planning? And if there's time, maybe do some shopping for furniture."

"Yeah, you have a full day right? Let's meet downtown. Do you know where you want to furniture shop?"

"Umm, there are several, but the one I think I'd like to start with is Morris Home Furnishings. They're in C'ville and they have designers, which may be helpful since we're working from scratch. Ashley Furnishings is another; both are open till nine. I forget; are you working both days this weekend?"

"No, I'm off today and Sunday. Okay, well I'll call you later this afternoon. Good luck Ginger. I love you."

"Love you too Reenie. Enjoy your day."

Okay, let's get this party started. I thought I'd try a little humor. "Okay boss, the boss is ready to get her Friday started."

Jodi laughed; George smiled and shook his head. "Dear god, what have I unleashed." I laughed, blushing. He grabbed a file and headed to the conference room with me. Tammy waved; I stuck my tongue out at her. She giggled.

"Wow, my last day with all of you. You get to move into my office, Ginger, and I have to move to another floor. I think you got the better deal." Why not jump right into the deep end of the pool.

"So boss, the new boss has a question. I've never liked that Tammy and I are separated from the rest of our team. Do you think my new boss could consider moving my office to this conference room and taking the walls of my old boss' office down or moving them?"

George stared at me. The smile came slowly. "I don't believe it. You said it; I've thought it. Good for you Ginger. Let me see what I can do. Your idea of using the conference room as your office works -- at least in the short term. That was the piece I hadn't come up with. It's important that you have your own space but I like the idea of having the rest of the group together. What other ideas have you come up with?"

"Umm, I think I'd like to have this project done in teams. There are nine of us, ten including me. Does this project lend itself to being divided in two parts and letting two teams work collaboratively? By the way, the germ of this came from the day I bought lunch for everyone. The ideas flew around the room. I thought if we could get people working together in groups of four or five it might work." Once the words started they came in a flood. "We could draw numbers out of a hat so that the groups wouldn't get stale or cliques form. Sort of like 'Survivor,' except the teams wouldn't really be competing ... and at some point, the two would merge and finish collectively. I think if everybody knows they have ownership in the finished product they'll own it earlier."

"Damn." George stared at me in wonder. I blushed under his gaze. "You haven't even officially taken over and you've radically changed the way this department will work. It's brilliant. Yes, we'll introduce the idea at lunch. Would you mind if I step out for a few minutes Ginger?"

"No of course not bo... George." He nodded, smiled and left. I didn't want to tell him that what I'd said just popped into my head. Whatever. I have to admit - it was a pretty neat idea. I wanted to call Reenie and scream in delight with her. I'd had a new idea and my boss liked it. Oh god! Was my idea so good that he was embarrassed he hadn't thought of it? Oh my god, I hope not. Of all of the jobs I'd had over all the years George was, by far, the best boss ever.

George came back with another man behind him. Uh oh. "Ginger, this is Ron McDermott, one of the execs that I report to. I wanted him to meet you." What! "Ron, this is Ginger Butler, who I believe is going to be a rising star." I stared at George in wonder. I stood; the handshake was firm. We all sat.

Cool blue eyes looked at me. "Ms. Butler, I hear you've come up with an amazing idea for team building. Would you share it with me?" I had a fish out of water moment and gathered myself.

I laid out what had been cobbled together in an instant. I somehow managed to remember it all. No, I'm not kidding. That's really how impromptu it was!! The whole time I was talking, George's head was bobbing up and down. The smile on Mr. McDermott's face got bigger, brighter, and broader as I outlined my idea. When I finished, he asked if he could call me by my first name. Geez! Of course you can. (Inside voice)

"Ginger, this is great stuff. Moving the pieces around the board, having teams competing without really competing, bringing them together to finish -- it's very creative. I believe we'll use your ten person team (nine) as an incubator and see how it works. If it produces as well as you've outlined, well, who knows." He turned to my boss. "George, you've got yourself a winner here. Good job. We're close enough to the Blue Grass state that I'll use their analogy. Give her enough rein to run." He looked at me and smiled. "You're not even in your new position and you've come up with a brilliant new idea." I blushed furiously. He stood. "It's been a pleasure Ms. Butler. Good luck to you." I thanked him.

He closed the door behind him; I fell back into the chair. George chuckled. "Sorry to spring that surprise on you Ginger, but I had to get out in front of this quickly -- that's how good your idea is. You saw how positively Ron reacted to your thoughts. I can't lie. It's a little about you and a little about me." I looked at him; he shrugged. "I'm the one who put you up for this promotion. If you do well, I do well. That's ... well, it's how the game is played." Ginger: learning.

"If you'd excuse me, I need to use the bathroom." I grabbed my purse and hurried to the washroom. I desperately needed a spend. It only took a few flicks of a finger on my pearl ... and, oh lord! Between being ribboned and the morning I was so on edge it took only a few seconds for a (giggle) splendid spend to blossom. I'm sorry for being so silly. It really was glorious. It took the edge off and, umm, oh god, I'm such a goof -- it added to it. As I sit here writing about the moment I'm sipping on a glass of wine, typing, and laughing. You know who is looking over my shoulder. She's impossible. I can hardly get any writing done with her 'bothering' me. Yeah baby, bother me all you like. 

I had to splash some water on my face to dim the flush. Would George notice my soft, warm eyes? I laughed out loud. My reflection was that of a woman satisfied. Somehow I had become a boss without understanding exactly how. Lunch, and my new charges, beckoned. I hurried back to the conference room - which was empty. I turned and looked at Jodi, who pointed to George's office. Oh, okay. He was on the phone. I went and sat at my desk. Tammy looked at me with curious eyes. I smiled. She would have to wait to hear the news with everyone else.

I headed to the lunch room and found what I was looking for. I went back to my desk, grabbed a piece of paper and scissors and put the final touches on my idea. I took the plastic tub and went into George's office. He looked at it and at me. I smiled. "It's a surprise." He shrugged. We finished talking about how we would describe the project to the group and the order of it all. Jodi stuck her head in the door, "Show time." We all laughed; the food had arrived. I went to my desk, grabbed my purse, and headed to the big conference room with Tammy. Within a few minutes all twelve of us were in the room. It was Friday, there was pizza, and everybody was curious about the project and, naturally, me.

I sat between Jodi and Tammy. Everybody grabbed some pizza. There was soda and water as well. George started the meeting with the obvious: my promotion. When he finished it was my turn.

"Let me start by saying - I have some really big shoes to fill. I'm so pleased that George will continue to be my boss; he's moving up the ladder a step. I expect great things from all of us. We have a wonderful group. I'll do my best every day to earn your respect and trust. Feel free to come to me with ideas. Keep the complaints to yourself." I smiled as I said it; everybody laughed. "George and I will lay out the details of the project then I'll get to our little surprise." That had everyone buzzing. We took turns laying out the new campaign and what was expected. Heads were nodding and people were whispering. Good!

I stood, took a deep breath, and began. "Everybody but Jodi, George and I will take a wad of paper. When all nine of you have yours, you'll read off your number and Jodi will write your name on the board." I passed the tub to Tammy, she passed it on to Craig, and it went around the room. Jodi was at the board; she'd drawn two lines. One by one, everybody gave their team. Tammy 1, Craig float, Chris 2, Nick 1x, Roy 1, Deanna 2x, Bryan 2, Natalie 2, Kayla 1. "Okay, here's how we play. Nick and Deanna are captains -- Nick of Team One, Deanna Team Two. Craig is the floater. I'll explain in a moment. We'll divide up the tasks between the teams. Each team will come up with a name. At some point we'll have the teams combine when we're nearing the finish line."

Craig chimed in first, "Like 'Survivor?'" 

"Yes. Craig, you'll be available to either team every day for whatever they need - just not coffee or silly stuff like that."

"Well damn." That from Natalie; everybody laughed.

I continued, "Each team has absolute autonomy to do their tasks anyway they choose as long as it gets us to the goal."

Kayla asked, "What about you Ginger?"

"Me? I'm the boss; I'll be keeping my sock drawer organized." There were some groans and some laughs. "I'll be in meetings I'm sure." George nodded. "But I trust my boss will try and keep them to a minimum." He laughed. "I'll be with each team as often as possible, helping in any way I can." I made sure to make eye contact with each person in the room. "I'm hoping this little experiment will up the level of team work and excitement. If this works it will be because each of us 'owns' this project from start to finish." George was beaming; Tammy was in shock. Everybody was buzzing. "When everyone is finished with lunch we'll clean the conference room. Then Deanna will take her team to the small conference room. Oh yeah, teams will switch every day so no one gets stuck in the little room. Is everybody okay with this?" Tammy clapped. One by one everybody joined her. I blushed, George beamed and Jodi had tears. "Thank you all. Let's enjoy lunch and get started." George motioned for me; we headed to his office. He closed the door. 

"That was fantastic. I was watching every one of them. You have won them over completely. Any jealousy, any resentment is gone. In one fifteen minute stretch you've earned your stripes as their leader, Ginger. Congratulations."

Wow!! "Did you get the synergy part? I'm really hoping that this will get people to work faster and get the projects finished sooner, and with better ideas and results."

"Yup, absolutely; it's positively brilliant." We headed back. The table was being cleaned. People were already huddled in their teams.

"Captains, when you've got a name for your team, come write it on the board please. Whenever you're ready, Deanna, head out to the small room with your team." She nodded and gave me a wink and a thumbs-up.

Jodi hugged me. George spent the rest of Friday sticking things in boxes. I wandered from room to room, listening, adding, being congratulated, being gracious.

I got a few minutes alone and called Reenie. "Hi lover; any idea yet where you want to meet?"

"Oh shush you; how is your day going?"

"It's much too good to tell you about in one phone conversation. As the boss, I'm thinking an extended pillow talk session is needed." She laughed and laughed. 

"Yeah right; whatever Kool Aid they served at lunch has muddled your brain."

"Bitch!" We both giggled. "We could just get more ribs."

"Ooh, a body painting session?"

"Mmm, it could happen." I had to whisper this, "Plus, I'm ribboned." I could hear the gasp.

"Oh you are such naughty girl. How delicious!" I giggled. "And I bet you're wearing a skirt." More giggling. "Meet me at Cheeseburgers. I want to sit next to you in the booth and check for myself." I was blushing furiously. "We might not get much furniture shopping done."

"I know. I'd better go. I love you."

"I love you too boss." She made a kiss sound and we ended the call. Oh dear, tonight would be fun!

Naturally, it was at that moment Tammy came back to her desk. She looked at me and said, "Well now, sounds like you and Reenie have night of celebrating planned." Busted! I could only nod. It was too late to hide the blushing. "Ginger, where in the hell did you come up with that brilliant idea?" I could only laugh.

"It's sort of embarrassing to admit but it just came to me -- totally off the cuff." She gaped. "I know, amazing, huh?"

"Dear god! Okay, well I won't share your secret. Everybody is so impressed, Ginger. The energy in our little group is sky high." Jodi came flying around the corner.

"Ginger, you have to come see the team names!!"

The three of us walked to the conference room. George was there as well. Team One was 'Moore's Marketeers.' It was a play on Musketeers -- the nickname of Cincinnati's Xavier University. How clever. Team Two was 'Team T.O.W.N.' I looked at Jodi.

"They used initials in their names -- Tillman, Ortiz, Webb, Natalie!!" In my wildest dreams I could never have come up with such clever names.

George chimed in, "Ginger, if these names are any indication, you've hit on something really special." I agreed wholeheartedly with him. This was wonderful. I went to the small conference room, knocked, and said to the group,

"Congratulations to you all on your name. It's fabulously creative. How's everybody doing?"

Deanna said, "Fine boss; we're flying high and already into our stuff." I smiled, shook my head in wonder and left.

I walked to George's office. He said, "It's already four. I'm going to send everybody home a little early; it's Friday."

"Ya know what George. Team Two is already busy with their part of the campaign. What if you tell people they're free to leave whenever the group agrees?" He looked at me sheepishly.

"I think I'm going to let you be the boss. Just promise me you won't give me wind burn when you get promoted again." He's such a nice man. "Have a great weekend Ginger. You ought to go celebrate." I blushed.

"Thank you for all your support George. You have a good weekend as well. I guess I'll see you Monday. You probably know the extension." We both laughed. I hurried to call Reenie.

"Hi babe. If you can leave, I'll meet you at the restaurant."

"Oh goody. I'll see you in about ten minutes."

I pretended to whine, "Geez, that long?" She giggled and hung up. I went and stuck my head in Group One's door. "Did George tell you that you could all leave whenever you decide?" The group was still together ... amazing. I told them all to have a great weekend and closed the door. Tammy came out. She was near tears; she hugged me fiercely.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 09







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 09



"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" I was way more curious than upset. Actually, it explained a lot of things.

"I didn't really feel it was necessary until tonight. Candy won't make a move on you, Ginger. She really likes you. She's totally cool about us as a couple. Georgia is too." She smiled that sly smile of hers. "She kisses really good doesn't she?"

I could only laugh. Candy must have known what we were talking about. I looked up to see her smiling. I blushed. "Yeah, it was hot. I'd be lying if I said otherwise." Reenie took my hand and squeezed it. I leaned in for a soft kiss. "What do we want to order for dinner?"

We decided to order from Cassano's and split a ten inch chopped steak sub. I took the menus back to Candy, told her what we wanted, and told her to order whatever she wanted. We would pay for her sandwich.

"Wow, thanks Ginger." I shrugged and asked her to bring us fresh drinks, no rush, and headed back to the table.

"Did I mention that I love you, Reenie?"

"I think it might have been mumbled once or twice, yeah." Okay fine. I straddled her, wrapped my arms around her, and kissed her breathless. We heard glasses get set on the table.

"Do you want those sandwiches served here or in your hotel room?" Reenie's laugh was stifled by our kiss. I felt her raise her arm and assumed she was flipping Candy the bird. Candy laughed. "You two are impossible." I pulled Reenie's blouse out of her jeans, unbuttoned it, took her bra off, and buttoned it -- sort of. Ginger: payback.

We were both breathless and flushed when I finally lifted from her lap, bra in hand. "Oh dear, I seem to have missed a few buttons Reenie. I kind of like the look." She stared daggers at me. "What?" I calmly picked up my drink and took a sip as though nothing had happened. And, I stuffed her bra in my purse. The sandwiches were delivered. I reached into my purse for my pocketbook. I grabbed it and stood. Candy was paying the delivery dude. She brought ours in a plastic bag. I asked how much; she waved me off.

"Why Reenie, I love the look. Too many buttons though." She reached to unbutton one; Reenie's hands grabbed hers. "Oh my, is Mo-Mo upset with her Ginger?" Candy sat on Reenie's lap and kissed her. "We can't have our Reenie upset can we, Ginger? Hmm, what can we do to bring a smile to her face?" I leaned in and whispered something in Candy's ear -- the one away from Reenie. "Hmm, is that a spider I see?" Reenie looked at me. I smiled sweetly. I took the food out of the bag, opened the foil paper, and fed Reenie the sandwich. She glared at me and took a bite. "Aw, there's my good girl, taking a bite of her sandwich." Candy leaned in and kissed Reenie. Reenie had a mouthful of food and the curse words were muffled. Candy and I were both laughing. Even Reenie had a smile as she tried to chew. Candy got up and headed back to the bar. Reenie's shirt was completely unbuttoned but her breasts -- yeah okay, the swells were visible but her nipples weren't. I buttoned one strategic button to preserve her dignity and turned my attention to my sandwich.

"I'll get you back for this Ginger." I know.

"I love you Maureen Henry." She rolled her eyes, smiled, leaned over and kissed me. "What do you want to do on date night tomorrow? You get to pick what we do this time. Next time is my turn." Oh lord, after what just happened that may not have been the best thing to do. The blues glimmered -- I shivered.

"You have Kathy at six, so I'll meet you there; after, I don't know; maybe a movie and dinner." Hmm, I think it's going to be dinner and Ginger starring as dessert. There are worse things that can happen. We ate as we talked.

"Okay, that sounds like fun. You'll pick the movie too?" Let me pull the string and see what she does with it.

"Yeah, I'll find something." Dang, she didn't take the bait.

"There's the Dollar Saver Theater just south of the Dayton Mall. Maybe you can see what's showing there."

"Oh yeah, that's right. We did see that when we shopped Sunday."

"We're going to wait until tomorrow night for nookie right?" Reenie nearly spit up the sip of beer she had in her mouth.

"Nookie? My god, I haven't heard that word ... I can't remember."

Okay, so I'm a dork. I'm horny and I want her but I would wait. What I really want is the house furnished. I know. Too many 'I wants.' Relax and enjoy the company of the woman you love, Ginger. What will happen, will happen when it's supposed to; trying to rush things is just silly. Besides, Reenie shared something very important with me tonight. I'm really happy about that. 

"Are we ready to go Ginger?" Tonight had been so crazy I hadn't paid a bit of attention to the time. It was getting late.

"Sure, if you are." Reenie started to button her blouse. "They'll just get undone in the car." My redhead smiled. She took my hand and we headed out. I left forty dollars on the bar. Candy came from behind the bar and kissed us both. Reenie told her to say hi to Georgia. We headed to our cars. I clicked my doors open and held the passenger's side door open. Reenie got in; I followed her. I turned and knelt on the floor facing her.

I undid the buttons just like I said and made love to her breasts. My fingers opened the jeans. She lifted to help me get them past her hips. She didn't question and didn't ask, just let me love her. My fingers slipped in easily. She moaned my name, lifting her hips to meet me. I slid deep inside her, adding a third finger. My mouth ravaged her nipples, one at a time. Her hand slipped to her clit. I was okay with that. Audience participation is encouraged. I moved from one glory to the other, leaving wet to cool. I suckled, nipped, teased as my fingers drove into her.

I knew it wouldn't take long. She bucked, her fingers tightened in my hair, I felt her pulse and clench around my fingers. She pulled me to her mouth for a demanding, urgent kiss. She moaned into it as I fucked her. I could feel it slipping away; she groaned in frustration. Don't worry lover. I slid my fingers from her, gave her two and kept one for myself. I bent to her and loved her with my mouth. Her scent was wonderfully musky. I lapped, my tongue determined to pleasure her again. Reenie lifted her jean covered feet up and over my head. I knew where her fingers were; one hand was still in my hair, the other would be toying with a nipple. The next came at her with a raging flood of heat. I felt her belly tense; her legs thrust upward as she arched into my mouth, her fingers holding me tight to her. Cries of pleasure begged me not to stop. I drove my tongue into her, desperate to prolong her bliss. I drank every bit of what her body gave me. I cursed silently as I felt it leave her. I only hoped it had been enough.

I slid up to her mouth. Her legs and arms held me close as we kissed. There was a wonderful blend of thanks and need in her kiss. I was so glad. I think that bond got a little stronger tonight -- and not in the car. Our loving is amazing. I was very pleased Reenie had shared what she did about Georgia and Candy. I like them both. I knew in my heart that Candy and Georgia would be part of our lives and no more. Finally, after we said our goodbyes, I climbed over the console and Reenie waved as she closed her car door. No tears tonight. I fell asleep quickly and slept very well.

Friday, April 6 -- Today marked the end of my first week as a boss. Reenie had the day off. I had asked George about taking personal days, explaining that we'd like to do some furniture shopping on Reenie's day off. He told me to take the full day. I said leaving at lunch would be fine. The groups were fabulous. While speaking with George, I hinted that I thought they'd both be finished with their projects sooner than expected. I would talk to each captain today and ask their opinions. I felt we'd be able to combine the teams by the middle of next week.

Jodi had called the two candidates and schedules interviews for Monday the ninth at lunch and Tuesday the tenth at 8:30 am. I would brief the team captains today. I mentioned earlier that both groups were fabulous. Craig, as the floater, gave each group a little insight into what the other team was doing. It seemed to give each team a little extra motivation. I did speak with Nick and Deanna. Each of them thought their respective teams were ahead of schedule. Both voiced their enthusiasm and appreciation at being included in the hiring process.

There was a benefit, I thought, to having a team member as the floater rather than me. That thought came to me driving to work Thursday. I called George and asked when I could stop by. His vacation started tomorrow so his day was slow; come by anytime. I explained what I'd seen during the week and voiced my thoughts about a new hire. He seemed surprised but promised to give it some thought and give me an answer before the day was over. It was late afternoon when he came downstairs. We huddled in my office with the door closed. George mentioned the possible downside of workload -- right. He really liked the notion of the floater being a team member. He agreed that bouncing from group to group each day seemed to have significant benefits. We talked it over for a good thirty minutes. I would go through with the interviews. If someone blew us away we'd hold the resumes if we needed them later but we'd keep the team as it is.

I let Jodi and both teams know I was taking a half day earlier in the week. Everyone seemed fine with it. Jodi wished me a great weekend. I headed to the cave. Reenie would meet me and we would shop.

Date night Tuesday was wonderful. Reenie was waiting for me. She and Kathy were cordial. We decided to go to the early show of 'This Means War.' It really was very good. There was a little tiff about Reenie staying overnight. We settled it this way: Reenie would bring an extra set of clothes on date night, stay over, and leave early. We also agreed to try it for a couple of weeks and see how it worked. It worked for her regular days off too. We got take out and headed back to the cave. I suspect you know that our lovemaking was sweet, spectacular, and satisfying. Wednesday morning, as we said our goodbyes, we agreed to avoid scheduling date nights on my nights with Kathy.

I had done a little nosing around on the computer. I wanted to check out Morris Home Furniture. They had designers and they had this really cool "room planner" thing. You could plan rooms on a computer, including downloading graph paper and furniture icons. Since neither of us really had a clue what we wanted I suggested we ask if the designer could come with us for an in home visit today. Reenie agreed enthusiastically. I think she missed me. (Wink)

It was mid-afternoon when we got to Centerville and the store. It was Good Friday, but the weather was fabulous, so there weren't many people in the store. I asked for a designer. The young lady made a call. She told me that someone would be with us shortly. Reenie and I wandered a bit looking at sofas, couches, fabrics ... geez it was confusing. 

A voice called, "Ms. Butler." We turned. A stunning blonde smiled as she walked to greet the two of us. "Hi, I'm Tara, Tara Randolph. Welcome to Morris Home Furnishing. How may I help you?" 

I introduced Reenie. "This is my girlfriend Maureen Henry. I've recently leased a home and we need help furnishing it. As you may imagine it's empty." Tara's eyes lit up -- rather comical but expected. "The house isn't too far from here. I know it's kind of out of left field but would you be willing to look at it with us so you know what the layout is? I saw that you offer room planning service. If you're going to be our designer, we thought it might be helpful if you saw the house."

To her credit, Tara never blinked or missed a beat when I described our relationship or what we wanted. Hmm. Family? I put that thought out of my mind. Tara asked if she might be excused so she could speak with her manager. Of course. 

Reenie whispered to me, "My god that woman is gorgeous." I smiled; I'd noticed. She was a bit taller than me, had gorgeous eyes, and oozed confidence and poise with her words and body language. I'll try to be subtle. Those weren't her only assets. Tara returned a few minutes later with a notebook and purse in hand. We were good to go, so we did. Reenie pulled the passenger's seat up a bit to accommodate Tara's longer legs.

The trip to the house was about twenty minutes. Tara was very gracious sharing her background, which was impressive. "I owned my own design business for quite some time and sold it two years ago. I finally was able to travel, relax and enjoyed myself." She mentioned a cruise to the Caribbean and extended trips to Europe -- Italy, France, Belgium, and England. "I got bored and wanted to work but on my terms. Morris allows me that freedom." Reenie and I looked at each other. I thought, whoa, we really lucked out. The back and forth was wonderful. I pulled the car into the driveway.

Tara's first comment was on the fabulous curb appeal. I smiled. I opened the front door. I made a mental note to crack at least a few windows to get some fresh air in the house. Tara had her notebook open, going from room to room, making notes, page by page, of each room. Reenie and I followed quietly. Tara loved the kitchen, the patio, and questioned what we wanted to do with the extra bedroom. Reenie spoke up. She mentioned a headboard in the master bedroom but no clue as to the other. I stifled a smile. I mentioned getting a dog. That was noted as well. Tara seemed to have a good enough eye to draw and get accurate dimensions without the laser measuring thing. Impressive. I looked at Reenie and raised my eyebrows; she nodded in agreement. While the three of us wandered from room to room, Tara asked about our jobs. Reenie tensed; I squeezed her hand and gave her the information she needed. Tara said she had what she needed in the house. The rest would be on the drive back to the store and in a conference room. We headed back.

I won't bore you any more than I may have. The gist was: Did we have any idea of style, favorite fabrics and colors? We laughed -- yeah, kind of. Not modern. Tara chuckled and mentioned that she needed a bit more help. We both groaned. The trip back to the store was filled with questions. She asked and we did our best to answer. The questions kept coming ... subtle but more and more penetrating. I looked at Reenie. Her eyes let me know she was impressed. We were, in spite of ourselves, making progress. This gorgeous, experienced woman was proving to be a godsend.

After we had spent a bit of time in a conference room, the inevitable question came: budget. I told Tara the truth. 

"I don't want to break the bank but Reenie and I have talked and agreed. We value quality. A little more spent now would pay off over time." 

The smile came slowly and was brilliant. It seemed we'd answered well. "How should I contact you?" I gave her my cell number. "May I call during business hours?" Absolutely. Tara stood, shook Reenie's hand and said, "Thank you both for the opportunity to be of service." Her smile was sincere and reached her eyes. I smiled when we shook hands. 

Reenie and I talked on the way out to the car and in the restaurant. I was confident that when Tara called it would be with several different options for each room -- well within the paltry guidelines we had given her.

We stopped for a late lunch. In my subtle way I let it be known my hunger didn't just extend to food -- by tracing ranch dressing from the chicken wings on Reenie's lips, then kissing it off. As you might imagine, it was dark -- after. We had ordered extra to take back to the cave. That made what was left of the night a carnal delight. That body painting thing - glorious. Hot and tasty referred to more than the barbeque sauce. Reenie's day off had proven to be simply fabulous. We slept, spent, bodies entwined, covered in ... oh never mind. Lovers who had loved thoroughly slept soundly together.

Tuesday, April 10 -- The second of the interviews was completed this morning. Dorothy Camp was an impressive candidate. She had graduated from Indiana University and was close to finishing her MBA in Marketing, part time, at Wright State. Divorced, with a twelve year old son, she had been contacted by a recruiter. Dotty, as she preferred to be called, wasn't unhappy where she worked but felt it was good to explore new opportunities. I appreciated her honesty. 

She responded very positively when I explained the working interviews with potential co-workers. "I think it's great to have me work on an actual project with others from your department." She didn't know that I had taken an older project, pulled a few pieces from it, and used that to conduct the interviews with Nick and Deanna.

It was close to ten when Jodi brought Dotty back. She bubbled with enthusiasm. "Ginger, if the rest of your group is like those two, this is a great place to work. They treated me like an equal, asked me questions and listened to my opinions and suggestions. It was great! Thank you for the opportunity to interview." I promised to be in touch as quickly as possible, explaining my boss was on vacation till next Monday. A shadow of disappointment crossed her face but she expressed understanding. I genuinely and warmly wished her well and thanked her for her enthusiasm and interest.

Monday's interview was at lunch. Reed Jackson had his undergrad from U.D. -- Dayton. Young (twenty two) he was working temp jobs and bartending while looking for his first full time job. "Yes, I admit it's a little frustrated but I'm happy to keep my name out there doing temp work. There is always the hope that one of my assignments could turn into a full time job." It was very obvious that he was bright, ambitious, and itching to get his career started.

He was wide-eyed after the project work with Nick and Deanna. "They are both so professional and friendly; they were quick to accept my thoughts and comments." He raved about the atmosphere. "Chris shared your team concept. I don't think I've heard of anything so original." As computer literate as you might expect for someone his age, he had done some digging about Iams, P&G, and the product lines. A nice, impressive young man, I thanked him for his interest and promised to be back in touch. He took my explanation of the delay in stride. He shook my hand and said, "I'm really grateful for the chance to interview and hope the results will be positive." His smile was genuine and warm.

I asked Deanna and Nick to go to lunch with me. We went to First Watch, where I did have that Monterey Club George had. It was very good! Nick and Deanna were very candid about Dotty and Reed. Nick said, "Dotty would be a great addition. She's a bit reserved but very knowledgeable." They both really liked Reed. Deanna echoed Nick's comments. "His youthful enthusiasm and computer skills will serve him well."

I urged them to be completely candid. "Do either of you have any reservations?" Nope. I nodded and said, "Where do your teams stand?" Both thought they could merge Wednesday and finish Thursday. Deanna actually thought they might be ready to merge today. I told them both we'd merge early tomorrow morning.

After we got back to the office and I used the ladies room, I went to my office and closed the door. I wrote notes on the interviews with each candidate. I noted Chris and Deanna's thoughts, and Dotty and Reed's feedback. It was kind of crappy that we wouldn't be hiring either of them. Dotty had a job; Reed would remain in limbo. Kathy tonight; date night was tomorrow. I would call my sister. It felt like it had been forever.

I spent the rest of the afternoon with Deanna's team. This foursome is scary good together. Deanna was right -- they might well finish by late this afternoon. The work was brilliant. It was crisp, clear, and told the story to perfection.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 09



Tuesday with Kathy was great. We extended the sets. She was all over me about every little detail which was fine with me. This wasn't about ego. It's about strengthening my core and getting fit. Kathy was right. Tonight, for the first time, I could feel the difference. I could do the knee bend without touching my knee to the carpet.

I stopped and picked up dinner before Kathy. I called Jenny later. I caught her up on the news. There was Reenie, work, the house, the designer, shopping and the mammogram. She was worried but I told her we hadn't found the lump on our last exam. I promised to let her know the outcome and about progress on the house. It was good to catch up. We would set a date for them to visit. We exchanged I love you's and goodbyes. She didn't mention Janice so neither did I.

"I was wondering when you'd call!" Isn't Reenie the best? "How was your day?"

"I missed you. I had the second of our interviewees in today. She's very impressive; a good candidate. The two teams will merge tomorrow. If they finish Thursday I'm going to surprise them by giving them all the day off Friday."

"Oh that's just fabulous, Ginger. I can't imagine how excited they'll be."

"I know; I just don't want this to become an expectation, you know? I'll have to find ways to congratulate them for finishing ahead of schedule, but they also have to continue to do really good work."

"Ooh, the taskmistress speaks. I'm only teasing. I do understand. So what do you have planned for us tomorrow?"

"Umm, to be completely honest, today was so busy, and I had Kathy and called Jenny, I haven't been able to give it much thought. I'll come up with something. Is there anything you want to see or do?"

"I want rope to tie your hands and feet to stakes driven into the ground and let passersby ravage you." I laughed as she talked. I knew there was a wild child in my Reenie, but she was only kidding. I would have to think of something fun to do. We talked about her day. Nothing special was going on at work. Sometimes when she told me that, I wondered if she didn't want me to know; she knew it worried me. I promised I'd let her know when I heard from Tara. I think Reenie is as excited about the house as I am. We talked a while longer. You already know how silly we are together and how much in love we are so I won't tell you every last bit of what we said. I think that the promise rings are a lot closer to reality.

Wednesday, April 11 -- I asked Tammy for suggestions for date night. She asked if I'd ever heard of a site called ActiveDayton. No. Amazing isn't it? I went to my computer and called up the site. I found three pages of things to do on a Wednesday! Oh my god, there is something tonight called 'Clash of the Comics' at the Dayton Funnybone. How funny, it's at the Greene Town Center. It started at 7:30, which meant we could have dinner first at one of the many restaurants, then go to the show. How about that? From no clue to a great date night and - it was close so we wouldn't have to drive too far. Actually, I'd ask Reenie to meet me there. I sent a text to Reenie asking her to call when she could.

I walked to the small conference room and motioned for Deanna to come out. "Are you ready for a merge Deanna?"

"Oh yeah, Ginger, we were ready yesterday." 

"Okay, let me check with Nick. Do you want to announce it or do you want me to?"

"No boss, this is your show; you do it." I smiled and headed to see Nick. When he came out I asked him the same thing.

"Yeah, I think so. Deanna's ready, right?"

"Yes, she is. I'm going to make the announcement to your team as long as I'm here. Then I'll tell Deanna's team and bring them in." That was okay with him. Jodi smiled as I walked past. She was as excited about this as any of us. Part of her job as my assistant was to act as unofficial go-fer, getting whatever reference materials or other things we needed to finish projects. I truly don't know what we're going to do when she goes on maternity leave. Think Radar on 'M.A.S.H.' -- she knows how to do and where to find so quickly it's scary.

"Townies, it's merger time." Cheers from the entire group; they packed up and headed to the big conference room. Once everyone had settled into chairs, I congratulated them all for the fine work they had done. "This has been wonderful. I've watched you all and I couldn't be more proud. I'll let the captains and Craig pull everything together and then everybody get busy and get this finished. I'll be ..." my phone rang -- Reenie "back just as soon as I take this call." I smiled and left. 

"Hi babe; do you have a couple of minutes. I have an idea for tonight."

"Hi lover; yeah, okay, what's the plan?" I laid it out for her. She was completely surprised and excited. Reenie wanted to go back to The Pub -- the selection of beers. I laughed. That was fine with me. Could she grab some extra clothes for tonight and meet me at the restaurant around six? "Absolutely Ginger, that works great for me. Wow, you pulled a rabbit out the hat girlfriend. I love you; see you later."

The rest of the work day was fabulous. Sure, I joined everybody but I wasn't really needed. Actually, I did volunteer a couple of times to get fresh cups of coffee and water. For this first project I was more interested in letting everybody do their thing. I got a surprise phone call around four from Tara.

"I have some selections and some ideas that I want to share. When are the two of you free?" I mentioned I was seeing Reenie tonight and that she had a day off Saturday. "That's great. Why don't you call me tomorrow if that does work for you both and we'll set a time?" I agreed to do just that. How exciting -- I couldn't wait to tell Reenie at the restaurant. 

As the day ended I asked Nick and Deanna what their thoughts were. Both thought they'd have everything wrapped up tomorrow. When did they want to do their presentation? They asked if they could do it just after lunch. Great, that's all set. Tammy hung around; she asked, I told her what we were doing. I gave her a hug and thanked her for the idea. She had to hurry -- tonight was their date night as well. No, she wasn't going to Funnybone -- we both laughed.

I had plenty of time to get to the restaurant and meet Reenie. I took my time driving and still got there fifteen minutes early. I asked for a booth and told the hostess to look for a gorgeous redhead with blue eyes. She smiled and led me to another part of the restaurant. Reenie!! Her back was to me; I thanked the hostess. I snuck up behind her and kissed her neck. She jumped in surprise and smiled when she saw it was me. My god she's beautiful! I slid in next to her.

I started with Tara. Reenie had a one word response - yes. She said she didn't care about the time. Whatever was good for Tara. I pulled out my notebook to add two things: call Rita -- painting and cleaning. 

"Ginger, how did you find out about this comedy thing?"

"Tammy told me about the site." I laughed. ""There were three pages of things to do."

"Three pages on a Wednesday in Dayton -- I would never have believed that."

That's how date night started. Dinner was really good. Last time we'd been at The Pub it was for appetizers. They had a really good menu of pub-type food. I had the fish and chips; Reenie had the corned beef Reuben Panini, which was really good. She had her Smithwicks and told me to have a Bass Ale, which was better than I expected. The Funnybone was just as funny as you might expect. Ten comedians, two hours of laughter -- we had tears. You wouldn't recognize any of their names. Neither did we. We went back to The Pub for a drink then headed home.

Date night was more about 'us' than it was about lovemaking. And you know full well that we loved each other that night. It's amazing what a few days apart can do. We were tender, we were desperate, and we loved each other late into the night. Exhausted, satisfied, and body to body we slept. 

Thursday, April 12 - I don't know how she does it but, on her day off, Reenie woke me. Her urgent mouth and fingers roused me from sleep. My fingers held her to my pussy as she sent me, screaming, into ... oh god, there's another. I bucked, gasped, groaned, and begged her not to stop. When she did, after it slipped away, we held each other.

I finally staggered into the shower. I had an important, busy day ahead. It would have to wait. Reenie wanted some. She whispered it in my ear when she joined me. I love my redheaded scamp and I showed her just how much. I turned her to face the wall and used her. Yeah, I was determined to have her spend and spent. My hand between her legs kept her from falling to her knees when I finished with her. My breath hot in her ear, she groaned when I whispered that I couldn't wait for Saturday. She was sound asleep when I kissed her and headed to work. I smiled a lot all day Thursday.

After getting coffee I called Rita. I asked her for help finding a cleaning service, explaining that we were meeting our decorator Saturday. "Absolutely Ginger. Let me see who's available and how soon." About painting -- "I'll call the bank but I don't think there will be a problem. My office made it clear you're likely to buy the house. I agree it's wise to ask." She had a question. "What did Reenie think about the house?" I smiled as I answered. She sounded genuinely thrilled.

Jodi told me the conference room was a beehive of last minute activity. Good. I asked her to ask Tammy, on the sly, to meet me to refill our coffee cups. A bright smile and nod -- she gets it. I thought about something. I knew she didn't have the education or training but Jodi might be the perfect addition to the team if and when. She knew what we did and she knew all of us. Like she said, she'd been here for four years. There's something to be said for osmosis.

I asked Tammy, when she meandered in, how she felt things were going. I got a big smile and two thumbs-up. "Ginger, you and I have been here a while. What you've done is just ... it's hard to explain. We've had so much fun, worked so well together, and now that the two teams are together, there's this friendly competition to complete the task today. I think it's going to be brilliant. I just know you're going to love the presentation." Wow! How cool is that!!

After lunch the group gave me their presentation. Their story board and the rest was simply the best I'd seen in my time with them. Yeah Ginger, there's good and bad in that -- you were part of that group. And yeah Ginger, you're their boss and suggested the team concept and the rest. I waited until I was sure they were finished. It really wasn't a speech so much as a thank you. I have to tell you -- I had tears. My people had outdone themselves. Was it the new team concept? I wasn't really up for digging that deep today.

I walked around the room, shook each hand, offered congratulations and thanks, and stunned them with the announcement that they had Friday off, with pay -- not vacation time and not personal time. If there was ever a doubt about the 'team' concept their reaction left no doubt. Hugs, high fives, laughter, and some tears. I met Tammy's eyes and motioned. She followed me to my office. I needed a conduit, so I explained I didn't want this to become an expectation. She understood and would pass the message along. She hugged me in thanks.

Jodi came to say goodnight. I told her to enjoy her day off. She looked stunned. "Jodi, you're a team member too."

I called Reenie -- how was her day off?

"I slept till eleven thanks to you." I smiled. I asked what she was doing. "Not a whole heck of a lot. Why? What's up?"

"Well, it's your day off and I'm about to leave work. I wondered if you wanted to spend some time with me." I smiled as I said it -- I knew what the response would be.

"I got my period today and the cramps are murder. You have Kathy tonight." Damn! With all the happened I'd forgotten about that. "By the time you're through it will be sort of late for dinner. How about we meet after work Friday babe? We can figure out what to do after that. Saturday, after Tara and Kathy, will be ours to spend together any way we want."

Well isn't that special? "I'm sorry you're not feeling well Reenie. I guess you're right. It's probably better for you to lay low tonight. I'll find out from Tara how long she thinks she'll need with us, then decide about the time. I'll text you and let you know okay?"

"Yeah, that's perfect. I'll call when my shift ends and let you know how I'm feeling. Maybe we can have dinner. You liked the Boulevard Haus right?"

"Oh gosh yes! The food was wonderful. That sounds like a plan. Well, I better figure out what to do for dinner. You feel better girl! I love you and I'll talk to you tomorrow." Shit, shit, shit. I know what bad cramps are like. I thought about what to do for dinner. I hadn't been to Sweeney's since I'd moved to the InTown Suites. I had the trout with dirty rice and cottage cheese. Absolutely perfect; great food, not too much, and I didn't have to rush to get back and change. The workout was wonderful, I read for a while, and though I missed my honey, I did enjoy the quiet evening.

Friday, April 13 -- Yeah Friday the 13th is today. That's not why I gave everybody the day off. I never have understood the whole phobia about that number. Anyway, since I was going to be the only one in the office I slept in, dawdled, and had breakfast. It was kind of odd to have everyone gone. I went through old files in my desk, deleted a lot of old emails, and caught up on some intra-office computer stuff that I hadn't had time to get to. There was one I did read. Apparently P&G has joined a growing list of companies blocking access to popular media sites because they slow down company's computing capacity. Interesting.

Reenie!! "Hi babe, how are you feeling?"

"Are you at work Ginger?"

"Yeah, I am. And yeah, I'm totally bored."

"You're a goof. You gave everybody the day off and you went in?"

"Well, my honey is working. I'm not going to sit around the cave all day. How are you anyway?"

"Better thanks. I'll be fine for dinner."

"Oh good. You're so sweet to call and say hi. I suppose you have to go huh?"

"Yeah, I probably should. I have a suspect to collar. I'll see you soon okay?"

"Okay. Thank you so much. Oh my god!" My redhead had her cell phone closed as she rounded the corner to my office with a big grin on her face and her handcuffs swinging on her finger. "What on earth?"

"I knew you'd be here ya goof." She walked into my office and sat on the corner of my desk. "So I called in for lunch and thought of you." We both laughed.

"So what are you going to do ... cuff me and have your way with me?"

The blues danced mischievously. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, you'd take advantage of me, especially in your condition! That is so not fair."

She grabbed me out of the chair, spun me to the wall and kicked my feet apart, grabbing my hands and pulling them behind my back. She had me cuffed before I could say her name. "Reenie!"

"Do you have any contraband, anything that can stick me ma'am," as she patted me down, spending a little too much time on certain areas. (Wink)

Okay, I'd play along. "No officer. I'm clean."

"I think your record and the complaint we received warrant a more thorough search." She spun me around, unbuttoned my blouse and slid it over my shoulders. She lapped at the valley between my breasts, then rose and kissed me. I loved it. She knew we'd be all alone. I kissed her back. She looked hot in her blues and I knew what treasures the unflattering uniform hid. I blushed when she went for the belt and zipper of my slacks. 

"You slut, you're ribboned! I think I'm going to have to see what you're hiding behind those panties." She bent and licked at the soft, now soaked skin between my legs. I moaned. She stood, took her night stick off her duty belt, slapped it in her palm and let it slide over my breasts. "Do I need to use this baton to make a point with you, ma'am?"

"What kind of point officer? I'm really not in much of a position to resist."

She slid the night stick between my legs. My eyes closed and I moaned; she had it at just the right angle to hit my pearl. Reenie leaned in to kiss me and used her night stick and her hips to excite me. "Oh god Reenie, you're going to get me off." She smiled as I gasped the words into her mouth. "Oh fuck, ohhhh ...." My excitement at seeing my lover and the way she teased me sent me into it all too quickly. Oh god, it was so fucking good. I felt her mouth on mine, her fingers toying with my nipple, and that damn night stick pleasuring me. I felt the heat of my orgasm blow up inside me as her hips and the round wooden instrument of pleasure pressed against my sex. I let her take me; yeah, like I had a choice, cuffed and pinned against the wall. I felt tears well up in my eyes. My Reenie loved me.

She held me close after it slid away. I was naked, vulnerable, and felt totally safe. Okay, not so naked but you know what I mean. Reenie pulled the bra over my breasts, buttoned my blouse, and unhooked the cuffs. I zipped and buttoned my slacks and the belt and tucked in the blouse. "Now that you've had lunch officer, would you care to have lunch with me?"

Reenie threw her head back and laughed. She hugged me and laughed. She ran her fingers through my hair, over my body and laughed. She kissed me and said, "Lover, I have to go. I'll let you do whatever it is you're going to do and see you for dinner. What time are we meeting Tara?" Good grief. With a morning full of nothing, I'd forgotten to call.

"Shit, let me call her while you're here." I hit the speed dial. "Hi Tara, it's Ginger Butler. Reenie and I are okay with whatever time tomorrow. How long do you think you'll want to spend? Two hours? Okay, does 12:30 work for you? Do you want to do this at the store or the house? The store ... okay, that's great. See you tomorrow. You too. Bye."

"Cool, so we see her at 12:30, you have Kathy at three and the rest of the day is ours. I'd better go." We walked to the elevator. She looked at me. Her eyes shone with love. She kissed me, smirked, tipped the bill of her cap, and got into the elevator. "You have a good day ma'am." I waved as the door closed. I stood and stared at the elevator. I knew, without knowing, that Reenie had planned the whole thing the moment I'd told her everyone had been given the day off. That's just like my redheaded scamp. I thought about how she 'taken' me. She knew I liked being restrained, that I loved being told what I could and couldn't do. This was as far as she'd ever taken us. I loved it.

I could take my time with lunch. I drove to Smashburger. Yeah, the name still gives me the giggles. The food is yummy though. Their mushroom swiss burger -- can you believe anyone puts mayo on a burger? Gross! I told the very cute server that. Audrey scrunched her nose and agreed. I had the BBQ, bacon, and cheddar burger. It comes in two sizes: smash and big smash. I kid you not! I've got the giggles sitting here typing it. I asked Audrey if I could buy a pint of 'smash sauce.' Ginger: plotting. She said she would check with the manager. Apparently it's not for sale. However, the manager thought it was an interesting idea and would send a note to the higher ups. I left a decent tip.

Back at the office, keeping very busy doing absolutely nothing; I couldn't remember if I was to call Rita or if she was going to call me. I checked my little notebook -- damn. So I called her. Yes, I could paint and yes, she had a couple of choices for cleaning services. When did I need them? I told her we were seeing the designer tomorrow. It didn't make a lot of sense to have the cleaning service in until the furniture was close to being delivered. She agreed. Did they work Saturdays? Yes, one of them did. She thought there were a couple more that did as well but they were not as highly recommended. I smiled to myself. This woman was worth her weight. I thanked Rita and wished her a great weekend.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 09



I couldn't think of anything to do and I had roughly three hours until Reenie might call. I settled for writing evaluations of everybody in the unit. I'd known everyone for some time now. I wrote the reports through my new lens. They would be my perceptions of their strengths and weaknesses. I used a separate sheet of paper for each of them and wrote the first things that came into my head. I wrote a little for each of them and then came back and tried to flesh them out. That's all I'll say about it here. It was an interesting exercise. And, I guess, it wasn't a bad way to kill some time on a dull Friday.

I finally had enough. I went online to find out what time Boulevard Haus opened for dinner. Five o'clock. I sighed. I headed downstairs, found a bench in the sun, and read. Seasonal temperatures, partly sunny -- they were calling for rain over the weekend. The book is good. I call them my 'Great Eight' - the eight female authors I read. Lisa Gardner's 'Live to Tell' is terrifying and spectacular. It's hard to read when you're people watching. And while it's interesting to people watch, it's rather pointless when your heart is already spoken for. I smiled when I thought of my redhead. Minx scared me in the shower, then cuffed me and used her night stick in a wonderfully unfair way. Yeah, the nethers are tingling, the flood gates have been opened, and the high beams are -- well, high! My Reenie does that to me, god love her.

I didn't want to spend the entire afternoon in a bar but eventually I got to the L Room. Georgia greeted me with a wave. Apparently the message had been received. Her kiss and hug were warm and friendly, nothing more. "It's nice to see you? We keep missing you on our visits. Anything new in your world?" Apparently not - my question was greeted with a shrug. "Can I have a raspberry Stoli and a glass of ice?" Yes I'm meeting Reenie. "We're going out to dinner."

I went to our table. As I sat down the cell phone rang. Yay!! "Hi lover, I finally got bored and just got to the L Room. Boulevard Haus doesn't start serving dinner till five."

"I'll be there in a few minutes, okay. I'm looking forward to it." I had a bad vibe about the tone and the words. I was worried about my honey. The buzz went out of me like a pin in a balloon. I could only hope I was wrong. I fidgeted and fretted. She breezed in the door with a wave for Georgia. She smiled at me. I stood and kissed her, my arms holding her to me after the kiss ended. She leaned her head on my shoulder. "I'm okay Ginger."

We sat. Georgia brought her a beer. She squeezed Reenie's hand, a look of concern on her face. "Thanks Georgia," with a sixty watt smile. Georgia looked at me; I shrugged. I didn't know either -- yet.

"Tell me when you're ready okay?"

"I will!" The anger bubbled over. She looked down and shook her head. "Sorry Ginger."

"I'm here, I'm not leaving and I'll listen, whenever." She nodded. "It happened again didn't it?" She looked at me sideways. "So why don't you just put in for a transfer?"

"It won't matter. It will follow me wherever I go. Some righteous assholes wanting to make their pathetic points about religion, women on the job, whatever. It won't stop. And if I let it get to me too bad, I'll wind up with a thirty day rip or worse." It felt like she wanted to hit something.

"Does that gym you belong to have something you can hit?"

She laughed. "You mean you don't want to be my punching bag Ginger?"

"Umm, Reenie, I love you ... but no thank you." I leaned over and kissed her again.

"The police gym does but my club doesn't. We can go to dinner babe. I'll be okay. What did you do this afternoon?"

"I tried to keep busy. I wound up writing what you might call reviews of everyone on the team. I tried to detail strengths and weaknesses, that kind of thing, if that makes sense."

"That's actually pretty cool. You've been around them all for a while; you probably have a good feel for who they are."

"That's part of what I took into account. This was the first project I've led and it was a fascinating learning experience."

"Geez, listen to you, all bossed up." She smiled and pinched my cheek.

"I didn't feel all bossed up this morning, cuffed and pushed against the wall." Reenie laughed, loud enough to catch Georgia's attention. Reenie, still laughing, made the 'get us another round' signal. When Georgia brought the drinks my honey told her what she'd done to me this morning. Georgia's eyes were wide as saucers.

"Oh Mo, that's just so funny."

"Oh yeah Georgia, is that so?" I snarled. The two of them looked at me and burst out laughing.

"Way too late to go all outraged on us Ginger," teased Georgia.

"Plus, she liked it. Tell her Ginger." I was beet red; I didn't know if Georgia could see Reenie's hand between my legs.

"Yeah, okay, I liked it, damn you," I hissed.

"Tell her just how much, honey bunny. And tell her your little secret too." Georgia barely stifled the laugh.

"She made me cum." My eyes burned into my redhead's. "And I was ribboned."

"What the fuck is that?" Georgia asked.

"Show her Ginger." I snapped my head around. "Go ahead."

"I thought we had an understanding."

"We do. You know that. This isn't ... it's okay."

"No, I don't think so."

"Listen, whatever this is I don't want to get in the middle okay?" Georgia got up and went back to the bar.

"Reenie, what's going on? After that time with Candy I thought we had an agreement. I don't want to share. I don't want anybody but you. It's one thing to tease about what we did this morning; it's quite another to have me ... I don't know if you wanted me to ribbon her or show her that I was. And neither of those is an option -- for me."

"Maybe I just better go." She picked up her purse and stood.

"This is your decision; to leave? About this? Do we matter that little to you for you to just walk away?"

She spun and stared at me. She was angry, but not with me.

"You're not angry with me Reenie. Don't push this on us. We're too good together. I can deal with you being angry. Please, just be angry about the real problem, not this." She stood in front of me, staring but not focused. I really didn't know if she'd leave. The fire in her eyes slowly dimmed. I stood and held her in my arms. All the frustration, anger and humiliation poured from her in wracking sobs. I looked; Georgia had tears. I smiled. My fingers smoothed through the curls, my lips kissed her cheeks and neck. I let my honey get it all out. I knew I would never leave her and wanted her to know that I wouldn't.

As she calmed, I pushed the table with my hips and let Reenie sit, facing me, on my lap. I knew she wouldn't want everyone to see her tear stained face and puffy, red eyes. I reached into her purse for her makeup bag and handed it to her. She dabbed at her eyes. I dipped the cocktail napkin into the glass of ice. She looked at me. I smiled, shrugged, and held up the glass of ice. She giggled. I was being silly but was trying to ease the pain she was feeling.

When she was comfortable, Reenie took her seat. "What can you do? I mean, what can you do that won't get you in trouble either with other cops or the bosses?"

"I don't know but I don't want to talk about it tonight. Let's go have dinner, okay?" I shrugged. 

We both drove to the Boulevard Haus. Getting a table was no problem. Reenie immediately felt better when she looked at the menu. We decided to pig out and ordered potato salad, which was warm, and sauerkraut balls. Reenie ordered a Warsteiner Pilsner for me, which she said was a safe choice. She ordered a Warsteiner Dunkel, which she explained was a dark lager. All I knew is mine was very good. She insisted I try a sauerkraut ball, which was better than I thought it might be. For entrees, we ordered German Beef Stroganoff and the sausage sampler. The server said the sampler came with potato salad. Reenie asked if we could substitute potato pancakes. We shared our dishes, which were decadent and delicious. The beer dulled Reenie's angst.

"Why would anyone order fish at a German restaurant?" Reenie laughed and admitted she had no clue.

We both had too much to drink. Reenie didn't want me driving to the cave and asked if I would come back to her place. It sounded like a good idea. We would leave my car at the restaurant and come back for it in the morning.

The apartment was in a six flat, three stories. Reenie explained, once we were inside, that each of them brought a little something and none of it was new or high-end. I kissed her quiet. I didn't care about that. She left a note for Candy and Georgia that I was spending the night. I assumed that if they came back it would be late. She told me I was likely right.

I was a wreck, worrying about Reenie. We cuddled. She was a tightly coiled spring of tension. We had to find some way to work through this and I had no clue. I wasn't part of the blue wall. I didn't even know where to turn for help. I held her to me, my fingers slithering over all of her, trying to feather the tension from her, praying that my comforting touch would help her relax. Reenie's kisses were indications of her turmoil. While her body, lips and tongue were soft, hot, and yielding, tonight they subtly echoed the tumult I was certain she was feeling. There was something needy and desperate in there. Making love wasn't the answer. She would stare at the ceiling until sleep took her, uneasily.

"Baby girl, turn on your tummy please." She sighed and complied. "Let my fingers try to work some of this out of you, lover. Please, focus on my hands, feel my strength and my love for you, and try, just try, to let your body and soul relax." 

I kissed her neck and began to massage her lithe, strong form. I prayed for strength, stamina, and guidance. I started with her feet, stroking, kneading, kissing. I worked my way up a leg, a fabulous inch at a time. I got off the bed, crossed to the other side, and started on the other leg. I worked her over. I could feel her tense if I found a particularly tight spot. I stayed until I felt the knot loosen. I had no experience, nothing to guide me but my knowledge of the feminine figure beneath me. What my fingers took, my lips and tongue gave, soothing and loving.

I slid the panties down over her cheeks and kneaded them like dough, a side at a time, as I straddled her thighs. The further north I went, the more active my lips and tongue became. I took my right hand, the meat of my palm, and ran it from her tailbone all the way up to the hair line. She moaned in pleasure. I was careful not to put too much pressure where her kidneys might be. Yeah, my fingers may have strayed to the curve of a breast. So? The bigger muscles high on her back got the most attention. Broad, long strokes, as if trying to iron the tension out of her. I felt her rise and fall as she sighed. I leaned and kissed her ear and neck, whispering my love, leaving tangible proof behind.

I was particularly diligent with her shoulders and neck. There was, to my uneducated fingers, evidence of a tremendous amount of stress there. When I finally finished I lay atop her and slid my hands over her arms, slipping my fingers into hers. Reenie's face was between the pillows when she murmured, "Are you going to leave me in a puddle or are you going to give me some relief?" I giggled.

She turned over and raised her arms to me. I took them, lifted them over her head, leaned in to kiss her, and whispered, "Keep them there." She moaned her frustration. I nipped at her lip in rebuke as I flicked a hard, taut nipple. 

"Please Ginger." 

Tears filled my eyes. I bent to her mouth as my finger slipped into her panties, finding her pearl. She moaned her need into the kiss. I felt a tear fall; she had to feel it. I moved to her breast, sucking as much of her as possible into my mouth, laving, teasing, nipping, loving. Her hips bucked to my fingers in her desperation. Breaths came in short, raspy pants. She wouldn't last long and it would be an explosion when it took her over. I moved to her other breast, loving it as I had its twin. My free hand tore at her with my nails, dragging along goose bumped flesh.

She cried out, "Ginger, ohhhh!" She lifted off the bed as her back arched. I struggled to keep my mouth to her. The pearl pulsed as I strummed, teased, and pleasured it. Her hands dug into my hair. I tore free and slid to her nubbin, guiding her hands to her nipples as I strove to give pleasure to my lover. I tugged, nipped, and sucked it whole into my mouth. She screamed my name, tensed, bucked one last time, and collapsed. I lay my head on her pubic bone as she shivered. I slid to her, warming her. I felt her tears as I pushed stray hairs away. I kissed her, she held me tight. I pulled up the sheet, lay my head in the cove of her shoulder and neck, felt her breathing grow steady and slow ... and cried for the woman I love.

Saturday, April 14 -- I woke up alone. It wasn't the cave -- where's Reenie? The door opened and she padded in with two mugs of coffee, nearly naked. Well, when in Rome right? I sat up and reached for the steaming cup, and brought it to my mouth only to stop as she cleared her throat. I lifted my eyes. Oh! I set the cup on what passed for a night stand. My lover's mouth found mine. Her kiss ... well, it seemed as though last night's efforts had the desired effect.

Oh dear -- perhaps more. As she made urgent, fevered love, I became aware of telltale sounds of lovemaking beyond the walls of our bedroom. Candy and Georgia? Chicken or egg? I gave myself over to the ministrations of the beauty in our bed. She was loving, she was fabulous, and she ministered, though not in a spiritual sense. Hmm, good question ... can one love physically and spiritually? Like I give a rat's ass -- I was a wreck, a glorious, spent wreck, indeed and in deed.

We sipped the not-so-steamy coffee as we sat cross-legged on the bed. "Candy and Georgia gave you two thumbs up for your efforts last night," Reenie said with a smile.

My retort was, "My efforts or your cries of pleasure?"

"Umm, should we invite them in and ask?"

I choked on my coffee and scowled. "No! Did you hear them while we were making love this morning?"

"Of course I did goofy head? They're very excited you're here, Ginger. They want to come join us."

"Reenie, don't start that shit again. You know how I feel about it."

"I know, I know baby; it's just that they would like to be part of our lovemaking." I was getting angrier with every word.

"Are you trying to piss me off so that I'll end this? Because I will if you keep it up."

Her eyes widened in alarm. "No, honest I'm not." She sighed and shrugged. "The truth is, when I told them that I told you about the three of us they were totally cool. I wasn't lying Ginger. Candy does think you're hot. But she also loves the two of us being a couple. I was just, okay, to be totally up front, I was testing to see if you'd give in. I don't want anyone in this but the two of us. I know Lily was right when she said you and I started when you were living with her. But that was then and this is us." She looked down, took another sip of coffee, and was quiet for a few minutes. When she spoke, the look in her eyes was earnest. "I can't wait for the house to get furnished, Ginger. I keep this to myself but I can't wait to move in with you. I hate you being in that little shit hole. You could move in here but I don't know if you'd do that." Hmm. She had invited me to stay with her because we'd had too much to drink last night. I'd never considered living here. 

"Are you serious?"

Her brow furrowed. "Well, yeah. I mean, why not. Do you want to go ask the girls?"

I snorted. "Give me a tee shirt or something." A sly smile crossed Reenie's lips. She put the cup down, slid off the bed, opened a drawer and threw one to me. She went to the bathroom; I pulled the shirt over my head. She came out of the bathroom and took my hand, her eyes twinkling with mischief. I stood. She brought her hand from behind her - a pair of scissors. Reenie held the hem of the shirt and started cutting. "Jesus H. woman, what the hell are you ... hey, be careful with those things! We like my girls remember?" She was cutting the tee shirt way too close to the bottom of my breasts. She walked her way around me, cutting as she went. 

When she finished, she smirked, "Okay, we're ready to go see the girls."

"Oh yeah, the girls will see the girls you bitch. Any movement and they'll be visible. That was your intent all along wasn't it?" She giggled and nodded. "Incorrigible, that's what you are." She rolled her eyes at my song parody.

Candy and Georgia were both lounging comfortably on the sofa in the front room. Both were fully clothed -- in panties. I was taken aback for a moment. Then it dawned on me. The three of them were probably completely comfortable just as they were. Reenie and I paraded around naked all the time.

Candy snickered when she saw my customized shirt. "Nice, Ginger. Who's your tailor?" Georgia turned, laughed and looked at Reenie. Apparently this was not new. Reenie led me to the overstuffed blue chair to the right of the couch. I know the cloth covering was blue. The blanket covering it was green and looked like it may have been used on a queen size bed in a previous life. Here it served to cover what was too ugly to be shown. The damn chair was wide enough that the two of us could fit side by side. However, that was not the case. I was given the honor of sitting in the chair. Reenie lay across my lap, her legs hanging over the side, facing the two on the couch. Georgia had curled up under a blanket, her head resting on Candy's leg.

"So kids, we want to ask -- how do you feel about Ginger moving in with me, um, us, until the house gets furnished?"

Candy bubbled, "Oh my god, are you serious? That would be awesome!" Georgia lifted her eyes to look at Candy. It seemed that she was aware of Candy's crush. She looked from Candy to Reenie and smirked.

Reenie asked, "Georgia?" Georgia, apparently a woman of few words, shrugged and nodded.

Candy asked, "So Ginger, how long would you stay if you do move in?"

"I'll know more after we meet with the designer this afternoon. Speaking of which, we need to get dressed and get going. I guess we'll see whichever of you is working at the club tonight." Candy raised her hand. Reenie popped off my lap and gave Georgia's nipple a flick as she walked past. I smiled at Georgia, who rolled her eyes. Reenie changed into comfy clothes. I had my yesterday clothes and a clean pair of panties, courtesy of my redhead. Did she help me put them on you ask? Tsk, tsk ... such impudence. We said our goodbyes to the girls and headed out. We had diddled and dawdled and needed to get a move on to get to Tara's office for our appointment. The car was at the restaurant; we headed to the cave. I wanted to change before we headed to our appointment.

The next two hours were exhausting and fabulous. Tara's detail was detailed. I mean everything from towels, bedding, soap dishes, sofas and chairs, plates, patio furniture, art, all things small and large. Truth be told, we hadn't really given her a lot to work with. That was on us, not on her. But she used what little we did give her to paint a masterpiece. She, brilliantly, suggested we leave the extra bedroom unfurnished until later, when we'd been in the place for a while and had a better idea how we might use it.

I promise not to talk about every room. But to give you an idea, the entertainment center (stop yourselves!) would be on one wall of the living room, and a two cushion, three loose back pillow, rolled arm, skirted couch opposite, with two gorgeous rolled arm, skirted chairs on each side. An oval glass-topped table in front of the couch, two smaller, round glass-topped end tables on each side. Both had gold plated bases. She suggested, as the room was a very pale blue and the carpet a deep red, the furniture should be off white. A gold-plated three bulb triad floor lamp would be in the corner. 




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 09



About the bedroom -- the headboard was brass (like Reenie!) and while it was absolutely gorgeous and ornate, it was, well, let me put it this way - Reenie fidgeted a lot in her chair when she saw it. 

It was when Tara said, "We can do this in stages to hold down the cost" that I know I paled. She looked at me with calm, confident eyes and said, "Ginger, I've done everything possible to give you the best possible price." I took a moment to reflect on the fact we were (she was) decorating from the ground up. Well, I did have a toaster. Don't you dare laugh! One year, no interest. Okay, that softened the blow some.

How soon? The bedroom set could be done within a couple of weeks. Workbench? Laugh at the term -- it's said in jest. Knowing us the way you do you're probably snickering as well. It's a firm mattress, low profile box spring by Stearns & Foster. Not stiff-as-a-board ultra firm mind you. I simply don't like pillow-soft mattresses; Reenie (she's so cute!) said she couldn't care less as long as I was in it (the bed) with her.

Some of the other furniture would take longer. Details (plates, silverware, glasses and the like) could be done in a week to ten days. Art and window treatments (listen to me!) could be done in stages but relatively quickly.

I've condensed a very thorough, exhausting two-plus hours into about five hundred words. I hope I've given the general flavor of what Tara had done. She was so gracious. "I know you're on information overload. Please take a couple of days to consider all of this. I have to tell you, this is not something that comes my way every day -- furnishing a home from A to Z." She turned to my honey. "Reenie, when's your next day off?"

Reenie responded, "Tuesday, but that's probably too soon. Sunday the twenty second is next. Is that okay with you?"

Tara nodded, "Absolutely; it's ideal, actually. It gives you both a full week. I'm available for questions in the meantime." Her smile was bright. "Okay you two, have a great weekend. I look forward to finishing this and I better be invited to the house warming party!" We all laughed.

Oh shit, a house warming party. I found out, once asshole dumped me, my so-called friends were just that -- so-called. They sure in hell wouldn't want to be around Ginger and her redhead. Oh the scandal!! I would have to make a list. Who would, who wouldn't, and who might -- that would be fun!!

Just as we were saying goodbye to Tara, my phone rang. Kathy wanted to know where I was. Damn. I told her I would be there in five minutes. We hurried to the cave. I made apologies, quickly changed clothes and explained as she guided me through my workout. Kathy was very excited. She engaged Reenie in conversation about the details. Thankfully, Reenie did not bring up the headboard. The hour flew by. Kathy was another name for our house warming party. Yay!

After Kathy left, Reenie mentioned lunch. However, she neglected to mention that I would be lunch. Think Reenie and Ginger in the shower. Uh huh. I had a workout after my workout. My redheaded bitch actually tried to spidey me my way. I laughed so hard she got mad. I love how she takes her revenge, even if it leaves little red bite marks and very sore nipples. And that was just in the shower. Oh god, she's reading over my shoulder. I'll be back some time soon.

They call writing a solitary discipline!! I will not comment on the discipline part ... no, no. Solitary? Well, not today.

Okay, back to it. After our hunger had been sated (wink) we needed to find food. We decided to find that theater near the Dayton Mall, see what was playing and when, buy tickets, have dinner, and come back for the movie. We'd already seen 'The Vow' and 'This Means War' so the choices were 'Safe House' and 'A Thousand Words.' I asked Reenie if we could see the Denzel Washington flick. She said okay. Wow! It was just short of two hours of edge of your seat, heart pounding drama. If you care, both of us give it two thumbs up. No, it's not a chick flick.

I think that seeing a heart pounding drama might have added a little spice to our night. Then again, it might have been the two plus hours spent with our future. It might have been that we were lovers. It might have been that the sun came up in the east this morning. Reenie set the alarm before we began to say goodnight, which took a while, thankfully. It had rained fairly steadily all day. I left the windows in the cave open enough to get what fresh air there was into the room. All I remember about falling asleep was that my lips were pressed to hers, as was my body, and that it was all good!

Author's Note: As ever, this is a flight of fantasy; completely fictitious. If there is any resemblance to anyone walking among us my apologies. Another author put it so well: "The site is free. The author is 'paid' in comments and votes." I hope you've enjoyed another chapter of a rather long tale!!

This story is dedicated to someone very special -- the 'other' AVL. A little over a year and, remarkably, half a million words later, my life is so much different. Readers from all over the world have found my stories. This is an incredible site with so many gifted writers. Without her prodding, teasing and assistance I wouldn't have found my muse. She saw talent I had no clue I possessed. She saw growth while I struggled to find the right words as I wrote. I'm still in awe and amazed at it all. This story lay unfinished for quite some time. I had to come back to it, finish it, and publish it as a tribute to her.



Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 10







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 10



"Thank you for that Roy. Until recently, I was one of you. When Reenie surprised me this afternoon I made the decision to introduce her to some of the people who are important to me." I saw several heads nod. "So back to business -- everything okay here?" No one said a word. "Okay, I'm off to visit with the 'Dolls.' Come find Jodi or me if you need anything, okay?" I smiled, stood, and left. Jodi and Reenie were still sitting in my office. I saw Jodi looking at the promise ring. She and Reenie seemed to be getting along famously.

I headed to Tammy's room, listened for a little bit, and entered. "How's everybody doing?" Tammy's eyes were dark with anger. The atmosphere was tense; the room was quiet. "Ladies, speak your mind."

Deanna was the first to speak. "Ginger, I'm not comfortable with you and your lover."

Much to my surprise, Natalie jumped in to defend me. "Deanna, we know about your beliefs. Just let Ginger live her life. She's not asking you to do something you don't believe in. She introduced us to Reenie. Give her some credit. That can't have been easy." I looked at Tammy; she winked at me. Okay!!

"Deanna, I appreciate your speaking up. My life is not what I imagined it to be several months ago. I never believed I might be interested in, let alone in a relationship with, a woman. I really do love my Reenie. I guess all I can hope for is that you'll accept me for not just who I was but who I am. Emily may be Ginger, and I may have gone from having a husband to being in love with a woman, but I'm still who I've always been."

Smart ass to the last, Kayla chimed in, "Yeah, but you're the boss." Everyone laughed.

"Yeah, and I'm very glad. Get some work done okay? Don't spend the rest of the afternoon talking about me." I smiled, waved, and left.

Jodi was back at her desk. I slumped in my chair. Reenie looked at me with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it was a little rough but it will be okay. There was some resentment when I was named to replace George. That always happens. And now there's this. So we'll see. At the end of the day you can only come out once, right? Besides Reenie, you're important to me. My work does not define my life or who I am. You, and my work, are important to me." You coming here today ..." I shrugged and shook my head. "Ah the hell with it, I'm just glad to see you."

There was a knock on the door. It was Kayla, who asked, "Ginger, may I please have a moment. Oh, hey Reenie. It was nice to meet you. Mind if I talk to the boss for a few minutes?"

"I'm gonna give you two some privacy. It was nice meeting you too Kayla." She gave me a kiss and closed the door.

Kayla sat and said, "Ginger, I'm gay. I don't broadcast it but I've been with someone for nearly five years. Good for you. Your Reenie is gorgeous. You deserve to be happy; we all do. It seems Tammy knew. We'll keep Deanna in check, don't you worry about that. I like having you as our boss and not because you're a woman. You're smart and creative. Doing what you did today shows a whole lot of guts too."

Excuse me while I sit here stunned! Kayla is black, a former basketball player who majored in marketing. Lean and lanky, she is really sharp and a very, very good worker. No way would I have guessed. Nor does it matter.

"Well, thank you, first and foremost. I appreciate your support and your candor. I certainly won't reveal what you just told me. This is work. Our personal lives are nobody's damn business. It was my choice to tell everyone today, just like it's yours not to. We're good Kayla." She smiled, we bumped fists and she left, leaving the door open.

"Jodi, would you come in here please?" When she did I said, "Let's make tomorrow pizza Friday, except let's get subs or something. We're going to have the entire group together for lunch. I want this done with."

"You got it boss. I'll get menus to each team and take their orders." Jody beamed. "Good idea Ginger." Reenie had come in and sat in the other chair while we were talking.

"What the hell time is it anyway?"

Reenie looked at her watch. "Almost 4:30; you want to skedaddle?"

"Yeah, let's go get a drink and decide what to do about dinner. You have any ideas?"

"I know it's odd but I wouldn't mind going back to that restaurant we were at Saturday. Their food was really good!"

"Oh, you mean The Filling Station? Yeah, that really was good. Do you have a change of clothes at the cave?"

"Yeah, of course I do." Reenie shook her head and said, "Geez, your mind really is off track today."

"I know babe. I'm sorry. Let's go." We headed to the cave. The plan was to drop off Reenie's car and take mine to the restaurant. Reenie had other plans. That woman of mine is an inexhaustible pool of energy. As we made love one more time she told me, her eyes wet with tears, how proud and how grateful she was. I had stood up for myself, for her, and for us. While our hips rocked together, the pink plastic inside each of us, her kisses, her fingers, and her voice were soft. I locked my legs around her, grabbed her sweet ass with my hands, and gave us both what she wanted. After, we lay side by side, breathless, smiling, messed, mussed, satisfied lovers.

"Reenie, I have no idea how I'm going to muster the energy to shower and go to dinner. You've liquefied me. It's absolutely wonderful." She giggled and dragged me to the shower. She thoroughly washed my hair -- twice. The hot water soothed me even as her fingers and tongue dragged me, again, through her spin cycle of pleasure. Her tongue teased and played with the winkling rosebud while her fingers teased, tortured, and pleasured me inside and out. I moaned, begging her to stop. I trembled, crying out when she wouldn't and another blinding blast of pleasure burst from deep inside me. Even as my body shook, my legs wobbled and I sobbed, afraid I would collapse, she kept after me. When I was certain I had nothing left to give, she tore another from me.

Drained, I leaned against my redhead as she dried me. I pleaded with her to let me sleep as she dressed me. I whined as she buckled me into the car. I muttered curses as I slumped against the car door. She laughed at my protests as we walked into the restaurant. She sat next to me in the booth. I leaned against the wall with my eyes at half mast. She ordered drinks and food for both of us. She took my left hand and kissed the ring finger. I smiled.

"There's no way I can tell you how much I love you, Ginger." She kissed my neck. "I try to show you. Our lovemaking is only part of who we are. I'm so proud to wear this ring. I'm so happy!" I opened my eyes. My honey had tears again.

"Maureen Henry, listen up. I know that you love me. However we say or show it is just perfect. What's most important is that I love you and you love me. Period. End of story." I took another sip of my beer. "You and Jodi seemed to get along very well. She's pretty wonderful isn't she?" Reenie smiled and nodded. "Did she tell you how far along she is?"

"Yeah, she's so excited about having a baby. It's so sweet. Your boss seems like a really nice guy too."

"George? Yeah, he's the best. I had no idea I would ever get the chance to be a boss, but just about everything I do I learned from him. He's got a fabulous wife. Once we get settled I'd like to have George and Janet over for dinner." Dinner was served. I realized I was ravenously hungry. The burger was tasty. Excuse the rather unladylike term but I wolfed it down. The good news was that, for whatever the reason, the food revived me. Reenie was a very grateful recipient of my rejuvenation. Back in the cave, her cries gave voice to her bliss. Her bliss and her cries lasted deep into the night. I'm smiling as I type. Viva la second wind.

Tuesday, April 24th -- We had our lunch. I had spoken with Tammy and Roy, asking each of them to let everyone from both teams to know that questions of any kind could and would be taken without any repercussions or hostility. There were very few comments or questions. I wasn't sure whether I should be pleased or frustrated. After we'd cleared the remnants of lunch, Chris's team retreated to their room. I had sat with his group in the morning and Tammy's after lunch. It was bothersome that my presence in the rooms seemed to dull the enthusiasm and creativity. I could only hope that it would diminish in the days and weeks to come.

Thursday, April 26th -- I was a wee bit nervous going to the doctor's appointment. Only Mother Nature could arrange to have my period arrive when I was in the shower. Well, at least it gave Dr. Baran a reason to watch as I did my breast exam. She affirmed I was doing it correctly and thoroughly. 

"Ginger, the mammogram came back clean. I want to see you in three months. It's strictly precautionary," she said with a smile. Okay. Later that morning I called Reenie, as I had promised. She was relieved, of course, but dismayed to learn I'd gotten my period. I smiled -- I figured it was because the bedroom furniture was to be delivered tomorrow.

We had dinner together before my visit from Kathy. We spent quite some time talking about details. We talked about stuff like landscaping. Reenie laughed when I asked about cutting the grass. She'd never done it. She would be at the house early to greet the cleaning crew on her day off. Katie had called late Monday with a quote. It seemed a little expensive but I suspected it was because it was being done on rather short notice. That was on me. I had already given Reenie a key to the house. Tara called this afternoon to say the delivery truck would be there late morning. Reenie would instruct the crew to do the master bedroom first, then the kitchen and the other bedroom. The rest would wait till Saturday. Reenie would organize and put away all of the other things that were being delivered. Hell no she didn't mind. She viewed it as her home too, even though we hadn't agreed on a firm date for her to move in.

My cramps had been particularly bad today. I was tired, so some of the talking was done in bed. We were both excited about tomorrow. It was kind of comical. As of tomorrow, we would both have clothes in three locations: the cave, the crash pad, and the house. I slept very well and dreamt of being with my redhead -- in our home, in our bed.

Friday, April 27th -- Yay; today is the day. Reenie had the day off. I had to work. But we were both excited. After the usual morning routines and dressing, we stopped for breakfast.

After we had both ordered, I said to Reenie, "I know it sounds a bit silly, but once I finally get in the house I'll feel like I've rejoined humanity. It feels like I've been a nomad forever." I reached and covered her hand with mine. "The only thing that's better than being there will be when you join me." My honey smiled.

"I know, Ginger, I feel the same way. I haven't lived in a house since I was a kid. I feel like I have to pinch myself sometimes the way my life has turned. Meeting you, the chance to live together in a house, it feels like dream." Geez, I hadn't thought of that. Reenie had been in the service and is a cop. Her life ... well, I suppose it makes sense that she feels a little like it's a dream come true.

"It will take some time babe, but we'll make it a home. Our home." We had been gabbing between bites of breakfast. "I guess I better head to work." We hugged, kissed, and said our goodbyes in the parking lot. The one place I didn't want to be today was work. But I'm the boss and work is where I would be.

I got a phone call at work from Rita. The bank wanted a proof of insurance on the house. Oh my god! It never crossed my mind. I apologized, thanked Rita for calling, and placed a frantic call to Lucy Buck, my agent. My ex and I met Lucy when we first moved to town. I don't even remember how.

"Lucy, hi, this is Emily ... Rogers. Geez, it's been a while. How are you?"

"Emily! What a wonderful surprise. I'm doing just fine. How can I help you this morning?"

"Lucy, it's really a long story but I need some help right away. Bill and I are divorced."

"What? Oh my, I hope you're okay Emily."

I laughed. "Oh Lucy, I'm so much better than okay. I'm divorced, I changed my name, and I'm renting a home in Huber Heights. I completely forgot to call earlier. The realtor just called. I need insurance." I gave Lucy my new, legal name and the address of the house. When she asked about details on the house and the bank, I responded, "Lucy, I'll give you the name and phone number of the realtor who's handling things for me. Her name is Rita Cutler. She's just fabulous and she'll have all the information you need. Can you handle this today?"

"Absolutely, um, Ginger." We both laughed. "I can bind coverage as soon as I call Rita. I'll fax her a copy of the declarations page, showing a policy number and all the rest."

"Oh Lucy, I'm so glad. Thank you. I'm going to have to come by and say hello. Do I owe you any money today?"

She laughed. "Honey, it's okay. Our agency will handle everything. The company we pick will send you a bill. You'll probably even be able to pay the premiums online. Oh, now that I think of it, I'll also change your car insurance to reflect the new address. Is there a garage?

"Yup, sure is."

"Okay good. I'll take care of everything. Ginger, give me a call when you want to come by. It will be a treat to see you."

"Lucy, you're my hero. There are so many things about this house that I simply haven't thought of. I guess, with all the changes in my life, maybe we should talk about more than just insurance on the house. I'll let you go so you can call Rita. I'll talk to you soon, okay? And thanks again!" We said our goodbyes. I called Rita and told her to expect a call from Lucy. She thanked me and assured me she'd be able to fax whatever Lucy needed. Phew! Excuse the expression, but, that's one fire put out. 

I wondered if there would be any more - from work. The atmosphere in each of the rooms Friday was very collegial. I admit that I was both pleased and relieved. It felt as though a confrontation, or the potential for one, had subsided.

Reenie called around one, as excited as I've ever heard her. "Ginger, the bedroom set is even more fabulous than it looked. It's gorgeous. The dresser, the nightstands, lamps, all of it -- I just love it! There are boxes everywhere in the kitchen." She laughed. "It'll take me a while to get everything put away but I love it. It already feels like home. The cleaning crew was wonderful. The bathroom smells so clean and the there isn't a dust ball anywhere. They even wiped down the inside of all the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen." How cute is she? I could visualize her bouncing up and down as she was talking. "I can't wait till you come home. Where are we going for dinner tonight?" 

Reenie's enthusiasm and joy were contagious. I was smiling and nodding. She was talking so fast she was like a runaway truck. I wanted to jump through the phone and kiss her. I settled for, "Baby, I don't know, whatever you want. It's your day off. You pick the place tonight okay. You sound so happy, Reenie. I love you bunches."

"Is everything okay there Ginger?"

"Oh yeah, everything is great. I suppose I should pretend to get some work done today right? I'll see you soon okay? Have fun with your unpacking and the rest." I couldn't stop smiling after the call ended. I admit that I floated through the rest of the work day and was very happy when it ended.

I headed home. I love saying that. Yeah, it's our home now. But that Friday ... no, even then I admit that I thought of it as our home. It's okay really. Perhaps it's occurred to you that we really haven't known each other all that long. I know. Yet it feels like she's been part of my life for a long time. I stopped trying to understand it some time ago. I just revel in what is rather than questioning why. Did you see the movie 'Good Will Hunting?' There's a bit by Robin Williams' character that's something like this: "She's not perfect sport, neither are you. It's all about whether you're perfect for each other." Trust me on this: I'm not perfect. Reenie? Nah, she's not either. But we seem to be 'peas and carrots.' How? You want the truth? I don't know and I don't care.

I smiled when I saw Reenie's Accord in the driveway. I pulled my car next to hers. She bounded out of the front door just as I closed the door. She kissed me and dragged me inside. Hi neighbors! Oh well. Reenie was in shorts and a tee shirt tied in a knot under her breasts. Umm, no, she wasn't wearing a bra. Maybe the workbench would get its first use before dinner. She babbled as she dragged me into the master bedroom. I stopped dead in my tracks. Reenie had the bedroom arranged beautifully. The bed was made, the duvet was gorgeous, and the pillows were scattered in casual perfection. I marveled at Tara's creation come to life. It was fabulous, it was feminine and it felt, no, it was -- home!

In just those few minutes I was unhappy that the whole damn house wasn't done. Yeah, I knew it was completely silly. It spoke more about my need than reality. And I was okay with that. Reenie took me to the bathroom. It smelled as clean as she had described and it looked fabulous. Reenie had hung the shower curtain. The towels and some of the little nothings were scattered around perfectly. Who knew my cop had a little decorator in her.

We walked from room to room. What had been cleaned today was obvious. Reenie said the crew would be back early tomorrow morning. I could tell from the tone of her voice she was disappointed that she wouldn't be here but she'd done the 'heavy lifting' today. I had the task of being here while the rest was done. This was another great recommendation from Rita. I was hungry. Reenie agreed it was time to head to dinner and mentioned going back to Texas Roadhouse. No way could I do anything but agree after all the work she'd done today.

We decided on a full slab of ribs, split two ways, with a Caesar salad, also to be split. You may remember our other visit wound up as takeout. Reenie was miffed that they didn't serve beer. After we split the salad, I shared my adventure with Rita, the bank and my insurance agent. Reenie was astounded. 

"I admit I was embarrassed about not remembering all the details." 

A little fire in her eyes, Reenie said, "Ginger, you're being a goof. Just because you were a homeowner once doesn't mean you would remember every last thing." Okay, I had to agree with her point.

During dinner Reenie asked about moving in permanently. I suggested that we target the end of May. When she pouted a bit I reminded her it was only five weeks away. I suggested that she bring clothes to the house tomorrow. I was planning to do the same. I mentioned that the day was coming to discuss how to divvy up expenses related to the house. She agreed with my thoughts that it might take a good five or six months to get a decent idea of how much was being spent every month. Yes, until the rest of the furniture was delivered, we would continue to share time between the cave and the crash pad. The ribs were fabulous. The dinner left us satisfied.

After being in the house, going back to the cave was a terrible letdown, especially for Reenie. But it is what it is. It gave us a taste of our future. That was a huge plus. It was too soon in my period for us to make love. That did not mean that we didn't stretch out on the bed, naked but for my panties, and love each other. We do and we did. It was, even though there was no lovemaking, extraordinarily intimate. When I fell asleep it was with a smile on my lips and love in my heart.

Saturday, April 28th -- It was painful to have Reenie leave but she did. I stopped for a donut and coffee and headed to our house. Yeah, I smiled as I thought how natural it felt to say that. I sat in the driveway, staring at the house, coffee in hand. I left the car and opened the front door. After putting the coffee and my purse on the kitchen counter, I went back to the car to grab some of my clothes from the back seat, hipped the door closed and headed to the bedroom closet. I hadn't brought much, just a couple of outfits, both business and casual, some tops, intimates, and the like. Yeah, there are two dressers -- one for each of us. I could only pray the walk-in closet would be big enough.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 10



The doorbell rang -- the cleaning crew. I peeked outside. A car was in the driveway, and three women were waiting. I opened the door and invited them in. They had all their own gear. Did they have their instructions for today? One of the women said yes. I cursed silently. I should have had Tara deliver the kitchen furniture with the bedroom set. I would call. Maybe it was in stock and could be delivered sooner rather than later. As it was I sat cross-legged on the floor sipping the rest of my coffee. I heard voices and vacuums dimly as I vegged out.

The doorbell rang again. I wondered who it might be. I looked through the peephole. Flowers? I opened the door. A dark haired, middle age man announced the delivery. I took the flowers, set them on the kitchen counter and reached for my pocketbook. I grabbed a five dollar bill, went back to the door, and gave it to the driver with a thank you. The card was inside the paper wrapping. It was from Rita! "Congratulations Ginger and Reenie. Best wishes to you both. With thanks, Rita." How wonderful. I gasped when I tore off the remaining paper. Inside a cardboard case was a four-sided picket fence planter with orange tulips, blue crocuses and a pretty little yellow flower I didn't recognize. It was absolutely adorable. Rita wasn't in when I called so I left a voice mail message gushing with thanks for her very thoughtful gift.

I took a chance and called Tara. She was in. She asked how Reenie and I liked the bedroom set. 

"Tara, Reenie is over the moon happy! It's even more gorgeous than in the pictures. She had the bed completely made up when I came home yesterday. Thank you so much. The reason I'm calling is to ask if you have any clue yet when the rest of the furniture will be coming; specifically, the kitchen set. The cleaning crew is doing the last of their work and I'm on the floor in the kitchen."

She laughed sympathetically and said, "Let me look into it Ginger. Can I call you back this afternoon?"

"Please do. I have an appointment at three with my trainer; that would be great. Thanks so much, Tara. Talk again soon." I looked at the empty cardboard boxes stacked in the corner and shook my head. Ginger, you don't even know what day the garbage gets picked up. There were so many little details that I had to take care of. I sighed, stood, grabbed my purse, found my little notebook, and began to make random two and three words notes.

I laughed out loud when the thought came to me. Duh. Jenny -- my sister would know all this stuff. I called the house phone on the chance they might all still be home. Oh shit. It was prom day. Jenny would have her attention focused on that. Thankfully, David answered the phone. He chuckled at my mentioning the prom and the preparations. 

"You're quite right, Ginger. Jenny and Meg are both at each other's throats with Terese egging them both on. I just try to stay out of the way of the cross fire. What's new? How are you?" I gave him a few highlights of the last week, focusing on the house and furnishings.

Finally I got around to my reason for calling. "David, I'm finding that even though Bill and I owned a home for years, I've either forgotten many of the details or Bill handled them. I realized today I don't even know what day garbage pickup is. Can you help me?"

With a soft laugh he responded, "Ask away Ginger." I told him what I'd done, what I'd forgotten and what I had written down. I asked if there was anything else he could think of. He asked a few questions about things like the furnace and water heater. I hurried to my purse and found the listing details. I read them all. "You might want to find out about warranties and who serviced all those things for the previous owner. If they're still in business they would know the history of all the appliances." His suggestion was a good one.

"Oh my god David, that's brilliant. I can check with the realtor. You're just the best. Thank you."

"I'm very happy to help Ginger. How are things with you and Reenie?"

I told him about the promise rings. I can never really get a read on whether or not David approves. However, he was very sincere when he said, "Ginger, that's just great. The two of you are a fabulous couple and very happy. I hope we get to meet your Reenie soon." I promised to invite them to the house warming party -- whenever that would be. I scribbled a quick note of reminder. I gave my sincere thanks and asked him to give my love to my sister and the girls. I hung up feeling much, much better about things.

I hadn't, obviously, been paying much attention to time. But, seemingly out of nowhere, the crew appeared. Apparently they had finished. The sturdy blonde who seemed to be in charge asked me if I wanted to look over their work to make sure everything had been taken care of. We started with the master bedroom. I complimented her on how clean everything looked and smelled. In each room, curtains were open or blinds were up so I could confirm they'd cleaned the windows inside and out. Each room bore marks of a vacuum. I thought they'd done a great job of cleaning.

As we came back to the hallway I thanked each of them and shook their hands. I saw eyes dart to the leader -- Jana. I had asked. She translated my thanks. They smiled and nodded. Jana asked me to write a check. I asked if I would get a receipt from Katie, her boss. She shrugged; she didn't know. Emily either would have let it go or relied on Bill to handle it. Ginger called Katie's cell. She assured me she would mail a receipt Monday. I asked her how to make out the check. She gave me the company's name. I thanked her for her help and the crew's efficiency. I handed Jana the check.

I had a thought as I drove to find something for lunch. I called Kathy, gave her the address for the house. She agreed to meet me. After a quick sandwich, I headed to the cave. I brought an extra set of workout clothes back to the house, along with a book. I changed into workout clothes and headed out the back door. I giggled. No, the hot tub wasn't filled yet. But that didn't mean I couldn't bring a towel with me, lay it against the wooden chair frame, and get some sun while reading. Aw geez, the hot tub. David and Jenny didn't have one. I'd have to find someone to help me -- us -- with it.

I read, sat in the sun, and daydreamed of what might be. The book, though it was by one of my 'great eight,' lost out to my dreams. Things were going swimmingly with Reenie. Of course I still worried every time she went out the door. That was my life now. I had to turn that part of it over to God. Saturday, my period, our bedroom set. Damn! Oh well, out of my control. I hadn't heard from Tara yet. The sun was hot in the early afternoon sky. I stood, took the towel, and moved to the shade of the patio. I sat and read. Sorta.

Had I done the right thing coming out at work? It certainly wasn't about me -- or Reenie. For as 'open' as the world is supposed to be, things still are what they are. Besides, I hadn't been Ginger for all that long so I really didn't know. Emily had her thoughts. Sure, she is me. Doubts? Nope. Regrets? Oh please! Besides, this is about work. I really like the people I work with. It really did matter to me that they felt about me the way they did before. Am I making sense? I sighed. Some things that were aren't. I'm one of them.

I heard the doorbell. Oh good. I stood, walked to the front door and let Kathy in.

"Ginger, this is fabulous! Can I get a quick tour?" Easy; only one room had furniture. She gushed about the house and hugged me. We started my workout. By now I was close to moving to a second set of repetitions. "It's not that things are getting easier, it's that you're getting stronger." That was exactly what I wanted! The hour went by quickly as always. Before she left, Kathy asked where to meet me Tuesday. I said the cave. She laughed.

The cave. I thought about moving. There's a joke! Reenie wouldn't be bringing much more than her clothes. No need for a U-Haul. That got me giggling. It was forever ago, but there was a YouTube video about U-Haul. Please do look for it if you're not familiar with it.

The cell rang again. Reenie! "Oh god baby, how are you?"

"Ginger, it's Tess McDonald. Mo asked me to call." My blood ran cold. No! No! I began to cry. "Ginger, she's okay. Just relax. She's been shot but it's not serious, just a flesh wound." I was crying so hard that I couldn't talk. My world nearly came to an end. Shot? Not serious? She's my everything! "Ginger, talk to me!"

"I, um, you say she's okay? Where is she? I need to come and ..." I cried.

"Same place as last time. It was a through and through." What the fuck is that? "She may have to be kept overnight to make sure there's no infection or complication. So yeah, but please take your time and drive carefully. Look for me when you get here, okay? Do you remember what I look like?" Yeah, but I'm not going there.

"Okay, I'm leaving now. I'll look for you when I get there. Thank you Tess." I flew out the door and into the car. The good news was that it's a Saturday. It helped me get to the hospital quickly. I ran to the E.R. It was filled with blue. I searched for who I thought might be Tess. She found me.

"Come on Ginger, let me take you to her. She's okay! Really. The bullet went in and out but it missed the bone and anything important." You fucking idiot. Important? Everything about her is important to me! I tamped that down and squeezed her hand, nodded and made what I hoped was a friendly smile. She held my hand as we weaved through the crowd. She pulled the curtain back. I saw my honey. Her eyes were closed, her face serene. The hospital gown was off her shoulder and there was a gigantic bandage. Her arm was in a sling. A nurse was keeping tabs on my Reenie.

"I'm Kerri. Are you Ginger?" I nodded. "She's okay Ginger. We gave her an anesthetic before putting in the stitches. The pain meds have her out." She was speaking in a whisper. I felt my eyes tear. She took my hand. "Ginger, the bullet missed anything vital." She stopped until I lifted my eyes to meet hers. "She'll be okay -- really." I saw the certainty in her dark brown eyes, which settled me. I smiled my thanks. "Do you have any questions?"

"Why is her arm in a sling?"

"We don't want any kind of movement of that arm for a couple of days. Even with no other damage, there's soft tissue that's involved as well as the chance of internal bleeding. Immobilizing the arm will keep things calm and allow whatever swelling there will be to go down." I think I understood all of that.

"Is she going to be kept overnight?"

"I'd say yes. They'll check tonight for signs of bleeding or infection. If all that is okay they'll probably send her home tomorrow, sometime after rounds, with prescriptions for antibiotics and pain. Does she ... where does she live?"

"She'll stay with me at our house," I said without hesitation.

Kerri took my answer in stride without even a blink. "Okay good. I'll look for a doctor and get one in here, okay?" I nodded. She got busy doing nurse things while I sat in the corner.

My cell phone rang. Kerri looked at me; I grabbed the phone and hurried out of the room. It was Tara.

"Hi Tara, hold on a second, okay." I hurried out of the emergency room. "Sorry, what's up?"

"Everything okay Ginger?" I really didn't want to get into that with her right now.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. Do you have any more information for me?"

"If you're going to be home, we'll deliver the kitchen furniture tomorrow." Dammit! I didn't know if Reenie would be released. I guess I'll have to roll the dice.

"That's great Tara." I might as well ask. "What's the rest of it?"

"It's the end of April, Ginger. I expect the house to be fully furnished no later than the middle of May. There's something you're not telling me ... what is it?" She wasn't enough of a friend that I wanted to share what happened to Reenie today.

"I'm sure you had to pull some strings to get a Sunday delivery, Tara. I'm truly grateful for that. I'll wait to hear from you about when everything else will be arriving." I wanted to get back to my honey. "I really do have to run. Thanks so much for your call and have a great weekend." I put the phone on vibrate and slipped it my purse as I walked back to the ER. My redhead was awake! The pain she felt was etched on her face. Dull blue eyes brightened when she saw me. I strode to her side, leaned over and kissed her. "This is getting old, Officer Henry."

She managed a wan smile. "Trust me Ginger, this isn't my idea of a fun Saturday." She shook her head, grimacing. "It's another example of why we hate domestic calls. They can go bad with absolutely no warning." Kerri walked in.

"Ah, the patient has joined the party. From the look on your face Maureen, you're not having much fun. With the meds you have on board, you shouldn't be in this much discomfort. Can you put a number on your pain -- from one to ten?"

"A strong seven. What did they do to me? Why is my arm in this thing?"

"Well, the bullet went in and out. It missed anything important -- bones, tendons, and the like. I don't want to make light of it. You have a couple of holes in your arm which have been stitched. You've got antibiotics and pain meds on board. If the doctors give you the green light you can go home tomorrow. The sling is to keep you from moving your arm and injuring yourself. The stitches are still very new." Reenie looked at me. I nodded, winked and smiled. She shrugged.

I was unhappy about how much pain Reenie was in. "Kerri, is the pain from the wounds or is something else going on?"

"A gun shot wound is never much fun. Even though we said it didn't do any damage to anything significant, Maureen is going to be in some pain for a while. I'm not real comfortable with her pain level. Let me go find a doctor and get him in here. I'll be right back."

Reenie's eyes closed. I walked to the uninjured side, took her hand and brought it to my lips. She smiled. I would let my honey dictate how much we talked. Her face contorted in a grimace and her hand squeezed mine. There was no way I was going to let go of her hand. I wanted to scream for Kerri but didn't. I had no idea what was going on with Reenie and I was pretty sure she didn't either. I saw tears slide down her cheeks. I leaned, kissed one away and whispered, "I'm not leaving, not now, not ever. I know you're hurting. Please, try and relax and tell me what, if anything, I can do."

"We had no idea either of them had any kind of weapon, let alone a gun. A neighbor called it in. He was beating her. That was the call we got; dispatch sent two of us to respond. I was backup, had a hand on my weapon, which was still holstered. My partner had cuffed the dude and was patting him down. I was watching him and the perp and took my eyes off the woman." She shook her head. "All of a sudden the bitch had a gun. I never saw her go for it. She fired at him, missed and turned the gun on me." She looked at me. "I fucked up and will probably take some kind of suspension. Luckily, my partner subdued her before she was able to get off another shot at either of us." She grimaced thinking about it. "Goddamn it hurt. Spun me around like a top." Her eyes left me and moved to the entrance. I turned my head and saw a familiar face. I didn't remember his name but he was here last time.

"I'm sorry I don't remember your name. I'm Lieutenant Banks." He offered his hand, which I shook.

Reenie said, "Evening Loo. This is my better half, Ginger Butler." I whipped my head around to stare at her. Wow! "Sorry for the screw up out there today, sir." She shook her head. "I took my eyes off the woman. I really messed up." She was beating herself up something fierce.

"Officer, let's focus on you getting healthy right now. We'll deal with the rest later." His eyes were dark brown bullets as he stared at the two of us. I met his gaze without flinching. If she could be strong with him in her condition, I'd be damned if I'd be anything less. "Ms. Butler, where's the nurse?"

"She's out looking ..." Just as I responded, Kerri and a doctor came in. The doctor looked annoyed at the crowd.

He said, "I need to examine the patient. You'll all have to clear out," in an authoritative voice. Kerri looked upset. I didn't like this. I sat in a chair in the corner; Lieutenant Banks said goodbye to Reenie and I and left. Kerri's eyes found mine; the smirk and nod were brief but I saw them. I turned to my honey, whose eyes were locked on to mine. I gave Reenie my brightest smile and hoped it was enough. The doctor had removed the bandage and was examining the wounds. He was barking instructions to Kerri. He asked a few questions of Reenie; her answers were short and terse. I saw her eyes go to slits as she talked. She didn't like him, his questions, or his attitude. When she looked, I mouthed 'I love you baby.' Her eyes went soft, though her lips were pursed in pain.

"Ms. Henry, I'm going to have you admitted overnight. It's more precautionary than anything. I want to be sure your wounds don't get infected before you're discharged. Another twelve hours on antibiotics should help a great deal. I'm not as concerned with the pain level right now. Your body has suffered a significant insult. Staff can monitor the wounds, your pain and your medications overnight. We'll be doing rounds early tomorrow. If the wounds are clean and we get the pain under control a little more, we'll send you home." As he was talking I walked to Reenie and took her hand. Kerri was behind the doctor, nodding in what seemed to be agreement.

I piped up, "Do you have any thoughts about physical therapy?"

He looked at me dismissively and said, "And you are?"

"My name is Ginger Butler," I replied with a thin smile.

"The nurse will fill you in, Ms. Butler."

"Kerri, why don't you get the doctor a Midol? He's obviously having a bad day." He glared at me, looked at Reenie, turned on his heel and left. Reenie laughed; Kerri covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Sorry Kerri, but that dude has the bedside manner of a debt collector."

"Ginger, you're my hero. Dr. Thomas is not well thought of among the staff. While there's no doubt being an E.R. doc is a challenge, you hit it on the head. The way he treats people is horrid. As for physical therapy, I'm sure whoever makes rounds in the morning will want to see Reenie soon after she gets discharged. The decision about therapy is likely to be based on how she's recovering."

"Can Reenie eat anything?" My stomach was reminding me I hadn't had dinner.

"Yeah, I can have a tray brought up once she's in a room."

"I thought I might go to the cafeteria and grab something to eat. If I bring back a sandwich, cookie or something, would that be okay?" I was looking at Reenie when I said it. Her eyes showed her gratitude. She lifted her good arm up to me. I bent; her mouth was soft. The kiss, well, it wasn't quite as soft.

"Ginger, it will be a while till we get a room for Reenie. Why not do what you just said. I'll take good care of our girl." Kerri really did have a lovely smile. There were flecks of green in very dark brown eyes. Her brown hair was pulled back in a practical pony tail. She wore a floral print jacket over a plain white pullover top and pants. She watched with a hint of amusement as she saw my eyes flick over her. No worries kiddo. It's just my eyes taking inventory, as it were, of who was caring for the woman I love. I knew she knew!

"Honey, you have anything specific I can bring back for you?"

"An Anchor Steam and a slice of pizza." Oh yay! Even with a bad injury Reenie's sense of humor hadn't left her.

I whispered, "I love you Officer Henry. I'll be right back." I smiled at Kerri. "Hey, you want a cookie?" She laughed. I headed to the cafeteria. I grabbed a sandwich, something pretending to be potato salad, a bagel and cream cheese for Reenie, a chocolate chip cookie for Kerri and coffee for me. I put a lid on the coffee, paid for the food, wrapped the rest in napkins, and stuffed everything but the potato salad in my purse. I ate that in the elevator and ditched the container in the garbage can in the bathroom. Hey, ya gotta do what Mama Nature tells you to! Plus, it was only two days past the beginning of my period. I needed to freshen up a bit. After, I headed back to my honey.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 10



The room was empty. I panicked, ran out to the nurse's station; no Kerri. I asked one of the nurses, "Do you know where they took Maureen Henry?"

She looked for the chart, opened it, thumbed through the pages and said, "Radiology -- they wanted to do some x-rays."

"Is Kerri with her?"

"No, she's at dinner."

"Okay, thank you."

I sat in the little exam room and waited. X-rays on a Saturday night shouldn't take too much time -- I hope. I thought of a book I had finished recently. There was something about a police officer getting shot while on traffic duty. I didn't remember the exact words. It was something about the wife being in a lot of pain and not making much sense. I put my head in my hands. Goddamn you Reenie. You admitted you made a mistake today. It could have cost you your life.

I felt, rather than heard, someone come in. It was Kerri. She looked at me, walked over and put her hand on my shoulder.

"What's the matter Ginger?"

I shook my head. "I'm trying Kerri, really I am. I love her and I try to be strong about her doing what she does, but days like today, I don't know if I can ... if I have what it takes. I can't tell her to leave. She loves it too much."

"In 2002 I lost one of my brothers, a Marine, in Iraq." She shrugged. "It's not the same. I don't know what to say."

"You see it every day, Kerri. How do you deal with it?"

"You wall off from it emotionally, Ginger. You have to. Well, that and rotate to other parts of the hospital. Otherwise it gets to you." I stood and we hugged. "She'll be okay Ginger. They're waiting for a room to open up. They'll bring her back here if one isn't available. You may as well wait here." I nodded and remembered the cookie. I fished in my purse, found it, and handed it to her. She laughed. "You're a nut, you know that?" She smiled and shook her head. "Thanks, it's very cute that you did that."

I sat while Kerri did some cleaning. I took a sip of my coffee and pulled the sandwich from my purse. Kerri heard the noise, looked, and smiled. It was food. I barely tasted it and washed each bite down with coffee. I didn't even ask; Kerri took my coffee cup to refill it. How sweet! I took out my little notebook and wrote her name in it. We'd have that open house one day and Kerri Brady would be invited. Kerri strode purposefully with my coffee.

"They've got a room Ginger. Go up to the fifth floor and ask at the nurse's station. They'll take you to Reenie." She put her hands on my shoulders. "Take good care of your cop, Ginger." She smiled. "I wish you both all the best." She gave me a little kiss on the cheek. I took the elevator, found the nurse's station, and was led to Reenie's room. She smiled when she saw me.

"Hey you, how ya doin'?" I pulled the napkin from my purse and held it up.

"I bring treasures my dear." After a sweet, soft kiss, I opened the napkin. Reenie smiled up at me.

"Food! My lover brings me food! Yes!" She tore into the bagel, much to my delight. I handed her my coffee while I poured ice water into a glass. She squealed when I showed her the cream cheese. I tore off the wrapper and handed it to her. She crushed the container so that the cream cheese landed, in a blob, on the bagel. After smoothing it around, she brought it to her lips and purred contentedly as she ate. She made a sudden move with the hand of her injured arm, stopped, and paled from the pain. I offered my hand; Reenie's eyes were clouded with pain as she squeezed it. When the wave passed she ate the rest - carefully. 

A dark-skinned, waifish woman came into the room, announcing, "I'm Lani, your nurse. How are you Ms. Henry?" Her eyes were a couple shades darker than her hair, which hung nearly to her waist in a french braid. Unlike Kerri's, Lani's uniform had been tailored and revealed a slim, curvy figure.

"It hurts. It's been getting stiffer as each hour passes. I guess that's to be expected with what happened today." Lani made a note in the chart. She checked the levels of the medications hanging from the I.V. stand. Before she left she took Reenie's temperature and checked her blood pressure.

"Call for me if you need something, Ms. Henry." She left; Reenie rolled her eyes.

"Sweetie, being kept overnight poses a bit of a problem. Tara called. She's going to have the kitchen furniture delivered tomorrow. I can either be here late or we could call Candy. What do you think?"

"Candy will likely be working late, Ginger. I'll keep. You do what you have to do, okay? I guess you want me to come to the house when I'm released."

"Yeah, I really would. We can stop at the crash pad and get more of your clothes tomorrow. Whenever they schedule physical therapy we can have them do it at the house as well."

A woman came in with a tray of food. "I have a dinner for Ms. Henry."

"That's me," said Reenie, eyeing the tray. "Thank you." She smiled and left. Reenie attacked the food with gusto. The ice cream -- murdered. The roll -- buttered and inhaled. Turkey slices were eaten. Something masquerading as gravy and green beans were untouched. We split the coffee. I tried to remind my blue-eyed devil that breakfast was a long way off. She was unmoved. She smirked and said, "My arm doesn't feel so bad after the ice cream."

"I know how to make that arm feel really good," I teased. She laughed. The gleam in her eye let me know my advances did not fall on deaf ears. Sadly, a hospital is not the best place to be amorous. I actually thought it was a pretty good idea for me to head home. I wanted to know how Reenie was going to sleep with her arm in the sling. I was sure they didn't want her rolling over onto her right side. I mentioned that, she nodded, and I stepped into the hall to look for the nurse. I turned my head left, right, and back to the left. When I saw Lani I waved. She nodded and made an 'in a moment' signal with her hand.

When she came in I asked, "How do you plan to have Reenie sleep tonight?" That seemed to impress her.

She smiled, saying, "She'll sleep on her back." Oh great! Reenie is a belly sleeper. We exchanged glances. "We'll use pillows and blankets to make sure she can't turn that way." Looking at each of us, she said, "We'll keep an eye on her during the night, check her pain and the bandage, and make sure she gets as much rest as possible." I looked at Reenie. She shrugged. Make the best of a bad situation I guess. "How's the pain Ms. Henry?"

"It's about the same; maybe a little better." Lani seemed satisfied, nodded, and left with the food tray. That was my cue.

"Lover, I'm going to head home. I'll bring some clothes for you tomorrow. Try and get some rest okay, especially after the day you've had." I leaned over for a kiss. It had slipped my mind that I was still in my workout clothes. Someone had noticed. Her hand slid into my shorts and cupped my sex. Thank god there was a pad. Scratch that. Unfortunately there was a pad guarding the entrance. I groaned my frustration into the kiss, which quickly deepened. My period did not end her investigation. Reenie moved her fingers to my now throbbing clit and teased it, leaving my legs weak and my breaths shallow. Naturally, my meanieface minx stopped. My fingers found a taut nipple and gave it a good, hard tug. Bitch bit my tongue! Isn't being in love fabulous?

We were a couple of giggling, out-of-breath teenagers after breaking the kiss. I leaned my forehead against hers as we whispered sweet nothings to each other. I groaned but nodded when she told me I was not to get myself off tonight. I had absolutely no idea how we were going to make love with her arm in the condition it is. I also had not a shred of doubt we would figure it out. One final kiss, heartfelt I love you's and I left. Yeah, believe it, I desperately wanted to stop at the nurse's station and ask for a cot.

Sunday, April 29th -- The drive home had been uneventful and I'd crashed, slept well, but woke feeling sluggish and lonely. I'd set the phone on the night stand before I fell into bed. First stop was potty. Next was getting coffee started. I brought it with me into the bathroom for my shower. Gritting my teeth at Reenie's 'order,' I finished quickly. I had a thought in the middle of my shower. I need to get to the BMV. If the worst happened, they would look at the address on my license. That address was from my previous life. Weird how the mind works isn't it?

After drying myself and my hair, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I looked sleep deprived and worried. I had no idea how I should look or feel after the love of my life had been shot. Ginger, there is no reason to focus on that. Be thankful she's okay and going to come home. I did just that with a short prayer of thanks. My eyes filled with tears. They just did.

After the rest of the bathroom routine, I dressed casually -- jeans, sleeveless top, and running shoes. I guzzled coffee and wondered what to do about Tara and her promised delivery. It was only 8:30 am. I decided a text would be a reasonable communication for a Sunday morning. Apparently my idea was on the mark. The return call came quickly.

"My god Ginger, is Reenie okay? What do you need me to do honey?"

"Hi Tara, yeah, she was okay when I left last night. That's why I sent the text. They kept her overnight. I just wondered if you knew what the delivery time might be."

"I don't know Ginger. You want to get to the hospital right? Is Reenie going to be released today?"

"Yup, I just don't know when yet."

"Ginger, why don't I come to the house and wait for the delivery. You can go when I get there."

"Good grief Tara, I can't ask you to do that. You have a job and customers and ..."

"Honey, don't you worry about me. You go take care of your sweetheart. I'll be there as quickly as I can." Not much point in arguing; she was off the phone. I shook my head. What a thoughtful thing Tara was doing. I pulled some clothes together to bring to my honey, made the bed, had more coffee, and waited. The thought flitted through my mind that Candy and Georgia would be pissed to find out Reenie had been shot and I hadn't let them know. Tough shit. Yes, I genuinely like both of them. Both had likely worked late last night. We'd stop by the crash pad, spend as much time as necessary -- no, as much time as ... oh, whatever.

The doorbell saved me from having to think about that mess. Tara's blue eyes were clouded with worry as she rushed to hug me. The hug was a bit too close and a tick too long but I let it slide. She murmured soft, consoling words. I admit -- I could use a dose of consoling. She released me, stood back, appraised me, and nodded.

"You look tired Ginger but that's to be expected." She smiled. "Go, I'll hold the fort till the delivery comes. You have my cell. Call me when you're leaving, okay? I'll call you if the delivery has been made before you leave." She shushed me out of my house. I grinned as I drove to the hospital. Open house? Oh yeah, Tara is definitely on the list.

After parking, I headed to the floor and Reenie's room, waving as I passed the nurse's station. A voice called to me, "Are you Ginger?" Geez, this hair!! A slender, dark haired man in scrubs walked toward me. "Ms. Butler, I'm Ron. Ms. Henry was examined by Dr. Adelson this morning. She'll be discharged soon. All that's left is some signatures."

"How's she doin' Ron? How was her night?"

"The night shift said she had a good night. They woke her to check her wounds and pain levels but let her sleep as much as they could." He shrugged. "A hospital isn't always the best place to get rest when you need it."

I had to ask. "She's going to be okay right?"

"She did well last night and this morning. It will take a little time for the wounds to heal. But yes, she'll be as good as new soon." I wondered about that. He handed me an envelope which I stuffed in my purse. "There are prescriptions and info about what and what not do with her arm." He saw my questioning look. "The sling." Ah! "Dr. Adelson wants Ms. Henry to call for an appointment tomorrow." He smiled. "Enough talk. Let's go see your Maureen."

Reenie was in a chair. I was thrilled!! She squealed with delight, stood and hugged me with her good arm. We kissed like the lovers we are! I hugged her as tight as I dared, not wanting to let her go. My heart! Only I could hear the soft mewl of pleasure deep in her throat. When she finally turned me loose I showed her the prize -- the bag with her clothes!!

She kissed me, grabbed it gingerly (Sorry, it was there!) and hurried to the bathroom, the blues bursting with joy.

The door opened a couple of seconds later. Those gorgeous eyes showed frustration. "Come help me please." I smiled. We managed. That's all you need to know. Do I see eyes rolling!! Really? I helped her into panties, jeans and sandals. I slid the bra strap up the injured arm first, then the other. Same with the half sleeve top. Injured arm first, then over her head, injured arm tight to her front as she slid her other arm into the sleeve. Okay?

After the sling was in place, Reenie kissed me and whispered, "You are fabulous Ginger. Thank you for thinking to bring me something that covers the bandage on my arm."

Ron had the biggest smile on his face when we came out. He held the clipboard while Reenie signed what I guessed were the release forms. We thanked him and stopped at the nurse's station to thank everyone. Ron sidled up behind Reenie with the obligatory wheel chair. She rolled her eyes. I couldn't stifle my giggle. Her eyes burned a hole in me (sorta) on the elevator and on the ride out to the curb. I ran to the car and hurried to the cashier and my honey. As I rolled up, she bolted from the chair and climbed in. We waved to Ron. He's a nice guy.

Once in the car, Reenie's first words were, "McDonald's." I had to laugh. She had a Big Mac, fries and chocolate shake. I had a double cheeseburger, fries, and water. Hey! A girl's gotta watch her figure! Besides, I loved every lovely inch of Reenie's! Lord knows I watch hers enough. Horny? Ya think?

I drove to the crash pad. We agreed it was late enough that Candy and Georgia would be awake. We entered as quietly as possible. That was interesting!! They were naked, completely engrossed in their lovemaking and caught unaware. Reenie's snicker got their attention.

"You fucking bitch, what are you doing here?" That came from Georgia, completely out of character as far as I knew.

"Hey asshole, I got shot. So shut the fuck up before I kick your ass from here to next month."

Both of them, naked as they were born, scrambled to Reenie. I helped her pull up the sleeve so they could see. Any antagonism was gone -- they fawned over her like mother hens. There wasn't much for me to do. Reenie's eyes let me know this was exactly what she anticipated. I knew it as well. They sat Reenie on the couch, brought her a glass of ice water and cooed over her. I stood behind them, smiling, laughing silently. When Reenie turned around to find me, Candy did as well. She bolted from the couch and hugged me.

"Ginger, how are you? This had to have been awful for you." She leaned in, kissed me and said, "I hate you to pieces for not calling and telling us." Yeah, it was one of those kisses. This really wasn't the time or place to make a stink about it. I gently pushed her away after a few seconds. Okay, it was more than a few. Candy is a really good kisser! Yeah, I find her attractive. And yeah, she was very naked. I looked over her shoulder. Reenie winked at me, a smirk on her face.

I looked at Candy and said, "Sweetie, I didn't want to call until I knew for sure that everything was going to be okay. We figured the two of you would be working late anyway and didn't want you worrying. Reenie is going to stay at the house while she recovers." Candy started to say something; I shushed her with a finger over her lips and a shake of my head. "The two of you are welcome anytime, kiddo. The house will be fully furnished in a couple of weeks. When Reenie is fully healed we'll have an open house. We're here to bring most of her clothes home."

Candy looked at me with surprise in her eyes. She turned to Reenie who nodded, grinning. Does anyone remember that my period arrived Thursday? This was Sunday; every fiber of my being was tingling. My lover was three feet away. A gorgeous, naked female stood in front of me. Mirth-filled blue eyes looked at me from the couch. Lust-filled brown eyes looked at me from eighteen inches. Reenie and I had interrupted Georgia and Candy in the midst of their lovemaking.

I took a deep breath and walked to my redheaded beauty. "Let's get your clothes, gorgeous." She stood and we walked to her bedroom. There was a suitcase on the floor in the closet. I had no idea if it would be big enough to hold what she ... well, I had no idea how much or what she wanted to bring to our house. I smiled -- our house!

We packed a bunch of clothes in the beat to shit suitcase. The girls threw some shoes and other stuff in a garbage bag. Makeup, perfume, and personal things went in a ratty old purse, which was stuffed in the garbage bag. Reenie left enough 'stuff' that Candy and Georgia understood the move wasn't permanent yet.

All three had tears when it was time to say goodbye. Yeah, I really like them. It had taken a while for me to get to know them better but they're good people. They live unconventional lives and work unconventional jobs but ya know what, they do what they gotta do to make their way in this world of ours. Who the hell am I to judge! The three of them fell in together and I came into the picture 'after.' Why am I sharing this? Honest to god, you really have to ask? It's what I do ... tell those of you who have read this far what I'm thinking and feeling.

In the hubbub at the crash pad I forgot about the envelope Ron gave me. I reached into my purse and handed it to her. "We have to stop at a pharmacy. There are prescriptions we need to get filled. What else is in there?"

"There are several pages of things to do and not do with my arm." Reenie looked at me and grinned. "Sex is not mentioned if you're wondering." We laughed.

We talked about calling Dr. Adelson tomorrow while we waited for the prescriptions. There was no reason to go home and come back. I'm ignoring the snickers!!

In the car, Reenie was quiet as we drove home. "Lover, are you okay?"

"Ginger, I don't know if I want to do this anymore." My blood ran cold with fear. I looked. Her head was turned. She was looking out the window.

"Do what anymore babe?"

"My job." Oh my god! I pulled into a parking lot, turned off the engine and sat, stunned. This didn't feel like the time for me to talk. I reached and took Reenie's hand, kissed it, held it to my cheek, and waited.

It took a while but she turned her tear-stained face to me, her eyes red and swollen. "I fucked up twice. This time it nearly cost me my life. This shit never happened when I was an MP. This fucking city, it's ... it's a sewer. I have you, someone I never thought I would ever have, and you hate what I do." I started to interrupt. She shook her head. "No baby, don't. I'm not blaming you. I never knew what love was until you came along." She held up my hand. "This ring that we wear, it's everything to me. It's so much more important than my fucking job. And I love being a cop." Her eyes filled again as she shook her head. "I'm such a mess. I'm sorry." My heart ached with love and concern.

I leaned in and kissed her. She grabbed my hair and pulled me tight, her mouth demanding and warm. I moaned my need into our kiss. Her fingers moved from my hair to my breasts. Goddamn!! Did she have any clue how horny I am? That sleeveless top I wore? BIG mistake! It gave her access to my assets. Mistake? Not! My hormones moaned with disappointment as I panted and said, "Baby, we need to get home for this!" Sharp, cutting blue eyes blazed with need.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 10



I turned the key, started the car, and headed home. Our home, where I hope we would spend the rest of our lives. Any of you who have ever been with someone know the stories. I've had and heard my share. Relationships take a lot of work. This woman was worth whatever it took. Emily? I shook my head. She didn't know about this. Me? I had no clue, but I was learning, day by day by glorious day. I smiled as I drove. We would be okay. We ARE okay!

I clicked the remote and the garage door opened. After the car was turned off, and the door closed behind us, we hurried into the house -- never mind the clothes and the rest. What was on our minds (yeah, I'm giggling) was NOT clothing or moving. It was about what she, and me, needed - which was 'Sexual Healing.' Thank you Marvin!

We were tornadoes, tearing off our clothes, racing to the still new bed, giggling, shy yet familiar, intimate and hesitant. I had no clue about who would lead nor did I care. All I knew was that my lover was in our bed, in my arms, naked, sexy as all get out, and ... oh god. She started in on me, an inch at a time. Oh sweet Jesus Reenie, I love you.

I lay back and luxuriated in my lover's loving. I honestly couldn't recall the last time we'd made love. The truth is I couldn't have cared less. The here and now was what's important. My blue eyed beauty had me writhing with her kisses, licks, and fingers. My nipples were full, sore, and wet. I desperately wanted her mouth on my sex but my breasts were the focus of her attention for the moment. She teased, nipped, and licked every inch of each of them.

I felt her tense and looked. Reenie was pale, her mouth a thin line as she pursed her lips. In that instant it all stopped. Passion would be there whenever. We'd taken the sling off. Mistake? My woman had been injured and we had to be careful. She didn't protest when I turned her to her back. I lifted and kissed her, saying, "We need to be careful. You have stitches. It may not be life threatening but we still have to be careful. What did you do?"

She shrugged, "I was stupid again. I moved it in a way I knew I shouldn't." I didn't like her frame of mind. I suppose it was only natural after what happened to her. But I'd heard and read how hesitating for even a second at the wrong time was a matter of life and death -- for more than just my cop. She continued, "It's going to take a little while to adjust to what I can and can't do." I saw her chin quiver. I leaned and kissed her again. Her response was desperate with want. 

I pulled her arms to her sides and rolled on to my back. I kept my arms around her and we kissed. I didn't know what was going on in her head. The passion in her kiss could have been any number of things. I decided to accept whatever it was and enjoy it. She squirmed, broke the kiss and said, "Please let me love you Ginger. I'll be careful." I did.

Remember that passion? Um, it hadn't gone very far away. She was a one handed tornado. Well, a careful two handed, redheaded tornado. Me: smiling! Writing of it this long after the fact is both fun and heartbreaking. Why? Because I love her and she was injured. Thanks a lot! Now I have tears. Geez. A deep sigh, a smile, and it's all good.

I'm laughing. It was so much better than good. I get to sit back and think as I write. I've told you so much about us. Yeah, okay, us means Reenie and me. Ginslut went thru some 'growing pains,' as a friend told me a while ago.

We ordered out. It wasn't the most romantic meal we'd had but it was nice to sit (naked) in our kitchen and enjoy a meal in our home. You know what they say about Chinese food. Wink! Reenie had roast pork with broccoli. I had Mongolian pork. We split shrimp egg rolls and white rice. No, I'm not sharing what we did with the sauce. Nunya bidness!

What? Did I answer the door naked? Really??

We're eating, enjoying, chatting idly, when Reenie said, "When did this stuff get here?"

I froze. Holy crap! "Um, I sent Tara a text this morning. She insisted on coming and waiting so I could go get you." Reenie's jaw dropped. I nodded and said, "I know. Isn't she fabulous? I better listen for the message that the furniture's been delivered." We giggled. Yup, the message was there all right. I let Reenie listen after I had.

Reenie got the giggles and said, "Oh my god!! Imagine us tearing our clothes off in our hurry to get to bed after getting home and stumbling into Tara!!" We laughed our fool heads off. I know you'll find it hard to believe! Ginger: Eyeroll

After we'd caught our breath I explained, "I remembered the look Kerri gave me in the E.R. so I set my phone to vibrate. I remember feeling it jiggle but couldn't answer it. That must have been the call ... and we heard the message." I shrugged, looked at my redhead and asked, "What about work tomorrow?"

"Oh yeah, I better call the station. I'll be on medical." She stopped for a moment to think. "My days off are Tuesday and Thursday so I'll probably be on medical Wednesday as well." She looked at me. "I guess Friday." She made a sour face and said, "By then I'll probably hear about any disciplinary action they'll take too."

After Reenie called in to the station and we'd cleaned up the kitchen, we headed back to bed. A quick visit to the ladies for each of us seemed like a good idea. As I waited for my sweetie, I smiled, thinking about being here with her. It seemed like we'd known each other so long but we really hadn't. Funny isn't it - two hearts coming together as quickly as they did. Know what I mean? I can't imagine life with... Good lord, Ginger, don't!! I swallowed the boulder in my throat and smiled at my beauty as she came to join me.

Reenie melted in my arms. Whatever had been going on behind the gorgeous blues was swept away in the urgency of our kiss. I felt my eyes fill. She had loved me completely earlier and it was my turn. I made love to her tenderly. I went slowly, taking my time, exploring familiar nooks, crannies, hills and valleys. She moaned, begged and cursed in her frustration. I absolutely refused to give in to her, not to be mean, but because this night was special. Smile. Just like all the others! As we slowly climbed up the hill it kinda got a little more frantic. You can't help but get swept away by the passionate cries of the woman you love! As we lay body to body, her legs and arm holding me tight, we climbed the last little bit to the peak and screamed in delight as we came together.

The rest of the night was more of the same, alternating between crazed and delightfully slow. Please forgive me for not going into detail as much as usual. What happened after is just as important!

Reenie had to take her meds one more time. As we spooned, Reenie in front of me, I asked, "You okay lover?" She nodded. It had taken her a little time to find a comfortable spot to rest her injured arm. One of the throw pillows seemed to help. My arm was around her waist as I kissed her neck. "Are you sure?" She nodded again. "It hurts huh?" She shuddered; I felt her shake as she cried. I cried with her. I was finally able to choke out, "We'll get through this Reenie." She shrugged. Oh god. I didn't know whether to keep talking or wait. I chose to wait.

It was a couple hours short of forever in the minutes that followed. When she finally spoke, Reenie's voice was raspy and thick. "I hurt, I'm scared, I'm not sure if I want to do this anymore, and I can't imagine being anything but a cop." We cried together. Every last bit of me ached for her. In a whisper, she asked, "Are you mad at me?"

I was too stunned to answer right away. Reenie took my silence as a 'yes' and slumped. I held her to me as tightly as I dared, kissed her neck and whispered, "Of course I'm angry lover. I was scared; I could have lost you." I needed a deep breath before continuing, "But you're going to be okay! I don't know how to deal with this. I'm guessing you don't know either. I suppose it was a little bit of a bad break getting hit in the arm. A few inches to the right and it misses you and a few inches to the left and your vest catches it." Reenie nodded. I kissed her neck and brought my hand to the valley between her glories. As my fingers lightly traced circles here and there, I whispered, "I probably could have figured out how to help cope with any bruising." She giggled as she nodded. It was a bit longer before we fell asleep. Wink

Author's Note: As ever, this is a flight of fantasy; completely fictitious. If there is any resemblance to anyone walking among us my apologies. Another author put it so well: "The site is free. The author is 'paid' in comments and votes." I hope you've enjoyed another chapter of a rather long tale!!

This story is dedicated to someone very special -- the 'other' AVL. A little over a year and, remarkably, half a million words later, my life is so much different. Readers from all over the world have found my stories. This is an incredible site with so many gifted writers. Without her prodding, teasing and assistance I wouldn't have found my muse. She saw talent I had no clue I possessed. She saw growth while I struggled to find the right words as I wrote. I'm still in awe and amazed at it all. This story lay unfinished for quite some time. I had to come back to it, finish it, and publish it as a tribute to her.



Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 11







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 11



Reenie laughed so hard I worried about her arm a little. (Silly huh?) When she recovered, she said, "You are so precious. It was a kiss babe. She's not tryin' to get in your panties. She knows who we are and is totally cool with it." The pizza delivery put an end to all that. We took our drinks and purses and sat at the bar. Georgia joined us when she could. On a Tuesday evening in early May that was often, and it prompted me to ask Reenie a question.

"You used to play softball. Didn't you tell me you played at West Point? Do you still play?"

Her eyes widened with every question and the smile broadened at the same time. "You remembered. God, I love you!" She kissed me. "Yeah, I do. There's a Police League for both men and women. I've played for a couple of years but this year isn't going to happen. I'm pretty pissed off about it too. What about you?"

What about me? "Well, I'm cute, kinda, I guess."

Dumbfounded, she stared at me for a moment, then laughed so hard she had to put her head on the bar. Georgia walked by and stared. I grinned as I shrugged. Reenie grabbed for a cocktail napkin to wipe her eyes, still laughing, kissed me and said, "You're nuts, ya know that? That may have been the funniest thing anyone's ever said to me in my life. Where on earth ... how." She called to Georgia, saying, "You gotta come hear this." Georgia strolled over and Reenie said, "We were talking about me playing for the Police League softball team. I asked Ginger if she played." She looked at me and said, "Tell Georgia what you said."

Whatever I'd said was blurted without thinking. Chagrined, I said, "I haven't got a clue."

The two of them stared at me and each other. Reenie said, "She said 'I'm kinda cute I guess.'" Oh yeah, I think that was what I'd said.

Georgia shook her head, patted my hand and said, "Poor Ginger." I have no clue what's going on with that girl of mine. She's got the giggles or something, cuz she started laughing again.

I said to Georgia, "Would you please ask whoever's here to take whatever they want of the pizza. I've had enough and I think laughing girl here has too." Laughing girl glared at me; Georgia and I started laughing. What a night!

On the way home I told Reenie that I wanted to call my sister. On the couch, her head was on my lap while we talked. I gave Jenny the update on my honey's injury. I wanted to talk about the prom but Jen wasn't having any of that.

"That can wait. She's going to be okay?"

"She's seeing the doctor tomorrow morning. The wound is fine; we've cleaned it as instructed and changed the bandages. There's no blood so everything seems to be okay. She's taking her meds. I guess we'll know more tomorrow." When I told Reenie I was going to call we agreed not to mention any possible disciplinary action from the incident.

"Okay, well, you have to be relieved." I looked down at my blue eyes and smiled.

"Yeah, it was a little scary there for a bit. So how did it go Saturday?" Long story short – fantastic! And there was more.

"Are you and Reenie coming to Megan's graduation?"

Startled, I asked, "Um, this is the first you've mentioned it Jen. When is it?"

"No way Ginger, I know I told you before." No you haven't. "It's Saturday the 26th. Oh, and I almost forgot. Patrick will be home by then." Oh my god. I hadn't seen my nephew, their oldest, in forever.

"Well, if there was any doubt about us coming, it's gone now!! Hold on a sec." I had to check. "Reenie, you probably heard. Jenny wants us to come to Megan's graduation." I told her when it was. She had to go look at the calendar.

When she came back she said, "I'm off on that Saturday. I'm also off on Thursday the 31st and June 1st."

"You okay with meeting my sister and her family?" I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

"Sure, this is as good a time as any. We won't be the focus of attention and it'll be a nice atmosphere. We gonna fly?"

"We'll figure that out later. Let me talk to Jen." I did. "We have a few things to figure out but yeah, we'll be there. Thanks for the invite."

"If I did forget I'm terribly sorry. I hope it doesn't mess up any plans you have." I smiled. "What about the house? What's the latest? Are you having an open house?" She got me with that.

"I guess the only thing I know is our decorator said she expects the rest of the furniture to be here by the middle of the month. So far only the bedroom and kitchen furniture has been delivered, along with some other stuff." She laughed.

"Interesting that you decided to have those rooms delivered first, big sister. Does Reenie like the bedroom set?"

"Ask her yourself." I handed the phone to a suddenly pale Reenie. "Go ahead lover, introduce yourself to Jenny."

She covered the phone and said, "I hate you!" I snickered and blew her a kiss. "Hi, it's Jenny right? I'm Reenie, thanks for inviting us." The rest of it was cute. They seemed to do just fine. A very relieved redhead handed me the phone.

"Hi. Well I guess we have some scheduling of our own to do." I smiled as I thought of it. "I promise to let you know as soon as we set a date." She groaned; I laughed. "It's okay Jen; we'll figure it out and see you at the end of the month."

I told my honey about my nephew. "I haven't seen Patrick in five years. Geez, he was Terese's age, fifteen, when I last saw him." I was embarrassed. "I could hardly believe how grown up the girls were; Pat must be a hunk at twenty."

Reenie asked, "Who does he look like?"

I had to think for a moment. "He got his mother's coloring, a fair complexion. His hair is brown like David's and his eyes are brown like Jen's." I paused, adding, "If I have this right, he's going to graduate next year. Damn, I forgot to ask Jen about that."

"I'm sure you'll talk with your sister again. You can ask her then. This should be fun. I'm looking forward to it."

I was so happy Reenie felt that way. We talked about whether to drive or fly for the graduation, about our housewarming, and about making a list. Reenie laughed when I pulled out 'the notebook' and went through some of the names. I told her to be sure to add her names to the list.

"Is that an order?" My blues were twinkling.

"Uh, hmm, sorta I guess. You don't mind do you?" One arm or not I knew she could take me – not that I'd mind. Wink!

The giggles hadn't gone away completely it seems. "This is fun! I get to boss you around because you enjoy it. I have no idea what to do with this 'you' but I'll be thinking about it." The inferno on my face that had started as a blush spread as my lover talked. But I knew my smile gave voice to what I couldn't say.

The blues smoldered as she said, "Time for bed Ginger. You need to be fucked!" I did ... and she did!!

Tuesday, May 15th – Yay, the last of the furniture is being delivered tomorrow. We'll have a fully furnished house to live in - our own little castle to call home. As it happened, Reenie has today and tomorrow off too!! And date night was last night. Wink. More on that in a minute.

Reenie's doing very well. We went to the doctor's appointment on Wednesday the 2nd. Dr. Adelson was very nice; she told us we'd done a fine job caring for the stitches and changing the bandages. She wanted Reenie in the sling until the next appointment, which she wanted at the end of the following week. It all worked out great; Friday the 11th was a day off for Reenie and they had a late afternoon appointment available. The sling wasn't necessary and Reenie's meds were for fourteen days. Dr. Adelson didn't see the need to renew them. Reenie was overjoyed to have the use of her arm, which she demonstrated rather vigorously that evening. We stayed the night at the crash pad; it was closer to her station.

Work was fine. Jodi had told everyone about what happened. Everyone was very kind and asked how she was doing when I came back after the doctor's appointment Wednesday. We actually got the Guys and Dolls together that afternoon and wrapped up the project the next day. No, they didn't have Friday off. But we did have a fun lunch!

Reenie and I had agreed that Sunday would be our last day at the crash pad. We had talked about taking the girls out to dinner to thank them for having us at the crash pad. Reenie reacted strongly.

"Ginger, you're making it sound like they did us a favor. I live there with them. We're all friends. Sure they took care of me when I was injured and you were at work. But that was how we lived before ... us." She had a point there.

"Can we make them our first dinner guests?" Blue eyes sparkled as she gave me her gorgeous smile.

'That would be fabulous! Absolutely." That's how we wound up at the club Sunday night ... after we stopped at Smashburger. If you're laughing, good; I was as well. But she's so cute how I can say no? Even though I brought it up, I let Reenie tell the girls.

"We'd like to invite you both to the house so you can be our first dinner guests."

Georgia smiled; Candy was ecstatic. "That's awesome! Thank you so much. What can we bring? Do you know when you want us to come? Didn't you say you have a..." Georgia swatted her on the arm. "What?"

"Slow down blondie! The furniture's not there yet. Reenie's not even living there full time right now." We're still not sure about that. "And I bet Ginger doesn't even know how to fill the hot tub, let alone all the other stuff that goes with it." Oh my god, she's right! Poor Candy; she was so excited. It was as if Georgia had stuck a pin in her balloon. 

"It's okay Candy. You're excited for us and so are we." I looked at Georgia. "Geez, you're more right than you know. I haven't given the hot tub much thought. I've gotta find somebody to check it out and tell me, um, us, how to take care of the damn thing." What happened next was hysterical. Reenie reached into my purse and pulled out my notebook. She grabbed a pen from Candy's blouse and wrote a note: 'hot tub.' The other two just stared. Reenie handed Candy the pen and put the notebook back in my purse ... all of it very nonchalant.

Georgia surprised me by asking, "What was that all about?"

"Reenie thinks my notebook is hysterical. I write myself notes about little things I don't want to forget. She thought it would be cute to beat me to the punch and do it before I did." The other two looked from one of us to the other.

Candy was the one who finally spoke. "You two are creepy in love."

I took the hand with the ring in mine and laid it on the table so our rings were visible, then put my arm around the woman I love. "And what exactly is your point?" Reenie laughed and kissed me. It was a minute or so before the kiss ended.

"Are you two gonna get married?" We stared at Candy, then at each other. I'm not sure which of us was more surprised.

"Uh, geez, it's like ... um, I have no clue." Reenie looked as shocked as I felt. I looked at our friends and said, "Reenie asked me if I would wear a promise ring. I said I would if she would." She nodded. "But marriage ... geez, we really haven't ..." I looked at Candy. "Where did that come from?"

She looked at Georgia and said, "We've talked about it. You two are so obviously a couple that it would be something that might have come up." She shrugged. "I didn't mean to embarrass either of you."

Reenie looked at me, a smirk on her face, and said, "Are we a couple?" The other two laughed.

I heard my voice catch as I said, "You goddamn better betcha we are lover!"

Georgia shocked us when she sang (badly), "And they call it puppy love." Oh my god how we laughed!!

Candy added to the laughter when she opined, "I don't think a very Mormon Donny Osmond had two lesbians in mind when he sang that song."

Reenie deadpanned, "Is that on the playlist here?" That did it!! There wasn't much of a crowd on a Sunday night and those who were left just shook their heads as they heard us laughing. What the hell. We pulled some tables together and made a night of it with some of the other regulars. Why not, right? No, I haven't talked much about them. This whole thing has taken on a life of it's own as it is!! But Candy, Georgia and Reenie knew many of them and, over the months, I'd gotten to know them as well. Know as in 'Hi, how are ya, what's new?' Shrug. You know what I mean.

I'm not sure this is relevant other than to explain Candy and Georgia. Saturday was the night they both worked at the club. They took turns tending bar and dancing the rest of the week. It was only because they had chosen this Sunday to work together, though it wasn't really needed, that the four of us were able to share a very intimate, funny night.

Reenie had to work Monday. Well yeah, so did I. We had to leave even though the night had turned out to be something way beyond our wildest expectations.

We undressed, took our turns in the bathroom, and lay on our sides, entangled in each other. It was slow and sweet that night. We whispered and giggled about the night as fingers roamed idly over familiar terrain. The passion was always there, the igniter never clear but never far away. Tonight? There was a moment, as we kissed, when Reenie locked her fingers in my hair and pressed herself to me, that lit the flame. She wanted to lead and I was all too happy to let her.

I sighed with pleasure as her fingers and mouth skimmed my flesh, teasing here, taunting with a hint there, leaving a wet trail in other spots. She took her time as she often did. Some nights that was just what I needed. I can't explain it but I have tears thinking of those nights and shivers thinking of that night. Do you understand?? I was teetering between pleasure and frustration when she turned into a frenzied demon. I surrendered without hesitation as she tore me up, loving every bit of me, quite literally, from head to toe. What I remember most of all was how thoroughly she loved me, how she left me breathless, shivering, and totally spent. 

Date night was Monday as I mentioned. We had dinner at The Pub and saw an interesting movie – 'Dark Shadows.' It's a very unusual story with a pretty amazing cast. Johnny Depp was fabulous. We really enjoyed it. We went home after the movie and sat on the patio, enjoying the gorgeous evening. Tara, in her usual fabulous fashion, had made sure that the patio furniture was delivered early enough that we could do what we were doing. There was a lot to talk about.

"Last night was fun wasn't it?"

Reenie looked at me, a smirk on her face. "Which part?"

I laughed and said, "Georgia is right, you are impossible. It's always about sex with you."

She deadpanned, "And that's a problem because ...?" Hmm!

"I'll change the subject." She laughed. "I asked at work today. I didn't think we'd be the only ones who would have a hot tub, but it appears that we are. I have to call Rita tomorrow and see if she can help." Reenie nodded.

"The furniture is being delivered tomorrow and Wednesday. When do we want to have Candy and Georgia over?"

"I don't know. Should we do it before the graduation or wait till after? And the same for the housewarming party ... we had talked about waiting till the end of the month for you to move in full time. You still okay with living here and at the crash pad?" I thought about it for a second. "I guess that sounds silly, but there are things like driving to work to consider so I thought I'd ask."

"No, I get that. I'll figure that part out ... pretty much already have. You brought your clothes back yesterday. I left mine there." Reenie paused for a moment. "I guess I gotta say this, honey. It's kinda scary thinking about doing this full time. I've never loved anyone like I love you and I've never lived full time with someone other than the girls. And that's much different than us." She shrugged. "Is it okay that I said that?"

"Well of course it is, baby. I was married a long time, so I know what it is to learn to live with all the little things that make a full time relationship 'work.' There's going to be a period of adjustment for both of us. Yes we see each other just about every day, but it's not the same." I had gotten up as I talked and sat on the edge of her chair. I kissed her and said, "I love you. This will work! We'll have our bumps along the way but it will work." She smiled.

"Did I mention I love make up sex?"

"What? Do you wanna start a fight just so we can make up?"

"And what if I do?" I could kinda see her eyes as they twinkled.

"You'll do or say anything to get in my panties huh?" She grinned and pulled me to her. And that about wraps up my tellin of our Monday night!!! It was completely unfair of her too. She had Tuesday and Wednesday off. I didn't. It made for a fabulous, extremely passionate, and very late night. Ginger: worn out.

I needed a good night's sleep after what my fabulous redhead did to me Monday night and Tuesday morning. I yawned all the way to work. Goofball called me every half hour or so, bouncing off walls excited as one delivery after another came. I love her!! Tammy laughed - Reenie was yelling so loud I had to hold the phone away from my ear. I had the phone on speaker for about five seconds until ... oh never mind! Jodi smiled as she set some papers on my desk and left.

I thought I'd walk into a lust-filled inferno. Instead, the blues were dull with pain. When I asked, she said, "I got my period this afternoon." Oh! That might explain the whirlwind (floodgates opened remembering!) last night. I have to admit that I was disappointed. For all I whine about it, is there a better kind of exhausted than what we do to each other??

We went out to dinner. Nothing fancy, just dinner. "I called Rita. She told me to look on the side of the hot tub and on the water heater to see if there's a sticker for whoever the company is that put in the hot tub." Reenie perked up at that!

"That's great! You do the water heater; I'll grab a flash light and check for a label." We stopped and bought a flashlight on our way home. Ginger: shaking her head. The things you don't think about till you need them! I found a label on the water heater for a company in Huber Heights! Yaay! We ran a very hot tub, loved each other gently, and slept well.

Wednesday was fab. I called the hot tub (pool and spa) company, talked to a very nice young dude, explained ... our situation, and scheduled an appointment. Check! I also called Jenny.

"Hey you, how's Reenie?" I had to think about how to answer that.

"She's fine thanks. Her arm is nearly back to one hundred percent. The doctor cleared her to return to work after last Friday's appointment." I smiled. "By coincidence, she had yesterday and today off which worked out great for the last of our furniture. She's giddy with excitement." I got up and closed the door to my office. I thought it might be a good idea.

"I don't understand. Is there something I don't know?"

"Yeah, she was in the military for a while, then joined the Dayton police. She's never been in a home like ours and has never had furniture like we have. It's really kind of ..." I choked up a bit.

"Geez, Em, this one really has a hold on your heart doesn't she?" Still unable to talk at the moment I nodded.

It took a while but I cleared my throat and said, "Yeah, she does Jen. She asked me if I would wear a promise ring." I smiled remembering. "She cried when we bought them. And she bitched at me for paying for both of them."

"Wow, this is really serious huh?"

"It's pretty funny actually. Her roommates asked last Sunday if we were getting married. We both nearly keeled over in shock." I was glad I had closed the door. Jenny was quiet.

"Really?"

"Jen, don't worry. We told the other two it was way too soon to think about that. Just last night we talked about living together full time and all that comes with that." I smiled thinking about last night! "There's a long way to go." I had a thought. "Have you and David thought about how the kids will react to meeting Reenie?"




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 11



"You beat me to it ya brat!" Yay big sister! "Pat's in college, Meg's ... well, Meg. Terese is the only one who may not understand things between the two of you and, to be honest, we're not a hundred percent sure of that, the way kids are these days. So just introduce her as 'Reenie' and let the kids figure it out." Jenny mentioning Patrick reminded me what I wanted to ask. "David and I are sure the two of you will be discreet. And the fact that you'll go to your hotel Saturday evening ... well, it just is what it is. Are you okay with that?" I was way more than okay with everything she'd said.

"You and I must be sisters or something." She laughed. "You hit everything Reenie and I talked about." Do I hear grumbling? You think I tell you everything? 

"Hey, there was something I forgot to ask you last time we talked. It's terrible that I don't remember; is Patrick in his second or third year at Mizzou?"

Jenny laughed. "Silly Ginger. He's a sophomore. He's actually doing better in college than he did in high school. He says it's because he's taking courses he likes and wants to take. He has to work at it though; school has always come pretty easily for Megan, though she works hard as well."

I needed to wrap this up. "I haven't made our reservations yet but I will as soon as we're finished."

"The sooner the better Ginger. I know it's a high school, but extended families and the like ... do it soon okay?" I was already busy on the computer.

"Yuppers, I hear ya girl. I'll have the reservations made a few minutes after we're done. Anything else I should know?"

Jenny must have been thinking. "I'm gonna tell you what David said to me, honey. Don't be surprised if Terese says something to you about you and Reenie. She's really smart and very outspoken. But you probably already know that!"

I could only laugh. "Oh my god yes, she's just like Mom in that regard." Sisters were quiet as we remembered.

"Um, I have to go. One of my flock needs me. I love you Ginger. See you soon." I completed the reservation at the same Country Inn I'd stayed at the last time I had visited. And yeah, I did actually work!!

Speaking of, George had given me the heads up on a new project. We did the drawing for teams and the rest on Monday the 21st. Whether it was fate or coincidence, Kayla was one of the captains. She knocked on my door late Wednesday and asked if she could talk to me. I smiled and waved her in. She closed the door. Uh oh!

"Ginger, I need to talk to you about Deanna." Aw shit, this again? "It's not all the time, but she's making snide comments. It was one thing when it was the 'Dolls' but these teams are mixed and it's hard to get a read on who thinks what. I think some of the guys are uncomfortable but don't want to say anything. Plus, she's the floater." Oh great!!

I nodded and said, "Thanks Kayla, I appreciate your coming to me with this. I'll figure out a time to speak to Deanna." I shrugged and said, "One way or another, these kinds of things have a way of working themselves out ... I think!" I need to talk to George! Kayla was normally energetic but calm. She fidgeted in the chair and looked uncomfortable. I went with my gut and asked, "You seem kind of upset. What's on your mind?"

A smile formed on her cute face. "I really like you, Ginger. I liked Emily too; don't get me wrong." I laughed, knowing exactly what she meant. "She's gotten under my skin. There have been a few times I've nearly blurted out what I shared with you." Oh my god! She must have seen the look of concern on my face. "It's okay Ginger. Ever since I told you, Brittney, my honey, and I have talked about this." Her eyes twinkled as she said, "I don't think she'll be coming in on her day off any time soon." We both laughed. "But I'm tired of only a select few knowing who I am and who I love."

Wow, is she amazing or what? "Good for you! We live, we work, we love, and we have every right to do so just the way the Deanna's of the world do." She nodded. "You two do what feels right for you. Reenie and I are totally cool with what I did that day." I shrugged. "I love her and I was really glad to introduce her to all of you."

"How's she doing? Is her arm all healed up?"

"Yup, she's doing just great. The house is all furnished; she and I can finally call it home. You could probably hear her howls of delight every time a delivery was made." Kayla laughed. "You and Brittney can count on an invite when we have our open house." Her eyes sparkled and she got the biggest smile on her face.

"That's wonderful, Ginger. I guess you haven't settled on a date since you didn't mention one." Smart isn't she?

"We're going to St. Louis this weekend. My sister's second child is graduating from high school. We have to wait a few days for Reenie's June schedule to be posted before we settle on a date. But I'd count on a weekend in June."

I could see the gears working behind her eyes. "You said we; first time for Reenie meeting your sister's family?"

"Yup; we're going to drive. It's not bad ... about a six hour drive to St. Charles, which is just outside of the city. It'll be great; give us some time together, time to talk, have some fun. We're looking forward to it."

Kayla stood. "Thanks boss. I appreciate you listening." She smiled. "I always knew you were special. Getting to know you as my boss confirms what I always felt." Anybody understand why I nearly teared up?

After Kayla left, I slumped in my chair. 'Heavy lays the head that wears the crown.' I think! Ginger: shrugging!

We left on Friday after work. It was kind of a pain having to drive in rush hour traffic, at least till we got on the interstate. I-70 all the way to St. Louis, then follow the signs, just like the Rand McNally driving directions told me/us to. Once I had the route, I had looked for restaurants. Dinner was at Niemergs Steak House in Effingham, Illinois. Where else are you gonna find a menu that includes Buffalo chicken tenders and filet mignon. And I'm talkin' seven ounces for less than fifteen dollars!! Reenie whined about no beer until I reminded her we had a couple hours driving time left. Um, I may have mentioned that a clear mind might mean a very carnal night. We slept very well if not very long ... oh never mind!!

I HATE MY SISTER!! She called at an obscene hour. I mean, the graduation is like next year or something. Holy crap, it's ten in the morning. Reenie, wake up!!! Anyway, we had to hurry, shower (which was fun!), get dressed, and find something to eat. Praise the lord, their breakfast was wonderful! We caught the tail end of it and then hurried back to the room to get dolled up. My heart is bursting thinking of how cute my honey looked in her dress. Only I would know she was ribboned. Ginger: evil!  

Details: The graduation wasn't until two in the afternoon. Jenny wanted us there early enough so they could get Meg to the school on time and get decent seats. You may remember the drive from the hotel to their house was like nothing. David greeted us with hugs and kisses. I hugged and kissed him; Reenie looked at me wide-eyed. I laughed.

"You must be Maureen ... or Reenie, as Jenny calls you. Welcome, it's a pleasure to meet you." Her eyes met mine; he got the full hundred watt smile. "Why don't you come in, let Ginger go upstairs to see her sister and the girls, and I'll get you some coffee." Isn't he the best?? I smiled at my heart, squeezed her hand, and headed upstairs to bedlam.

Hysterical!! I remember the chaos of being a teenager, however vaguely, and the fussing with my Mom and my younger sister. If you've followed my/our story, you may remember David standing against the wall, watching as the girls fawned over me. I stood in the doorway of my sister's bedroom and watched the mayhem. No reason to say a word!! Terese happened to turn her head, caught me in the doorway, and screeched, "Aunt Emmy!!" Umm!

I was smothered in hugs and kisses. Jenny and I looked at each other; her eyes glistened as the smile on her face grew brighter. I walked the few steps to my sister. We whispered our little nothings as we hugged. Uh huh, we both had tears.

Jenny said, "Come on girls, let's go meet Ginger's friend Maureen." They both froze, turned to their mother, then to me.

I smiled and said, "She's wonderful. I know you'll like her. I do!!" They looked at their Mom, who looked at me. "Lead the way, Jen." She did. David and Reenie were as casual as can be on the couch. I'm laughing, thinking about it. If you knew David like I do, you'd be as relaxed with him as Reenie was that Saturday!!

Reenie saw the girls, looked at me and stood. Eyeing the two of them like the cop she is, she said, "You must be Megan! Congratulations honey." She gave Meg a little hug and turned to a very standoffish Terese. "Ginger has told me so much about you, Terese. I'm very glad to meet you." Biggest smile!!

I saw their eyes flick between their parents, me, Reenie and each other ... all in the space of about five seconds. Shrug!

I looked at Jen, then David, moved so Reenie and I were next to each other, smiled and said, "My Reenie is really special to me." I looked at her and smiled. "We're both very excited to be here for Megan's graduation." Yup, it was a little 'awks' as Megan would say. I guess that's how kids that age talk. It was obvious their parents were okay with Reenie so we'd let them take their time and see how adorable she really is.

David, god bless him, knowing what I'd just done, said, "Why don't the three of you finish whatever you were doing so we can get to the graduation." Thank you David!! The three of them hurried up the stairs!! He turned to me and said, "That was perfect Ginger." He looked at Reenie and said, "I can see you two are as much in love as Jen and I are." I'm not lying; he really did say exactly what I typed. I yelled at my redhead to come look. She nodded, smiling, and ... uh oh! I'll be back some time soon. I think!!

If you're wondering about my nephew – never fear. He was 'window dressing.' When his mother called him in to meet us, he looked, got the biggest grin on his face, and hurried to hug me. Oh My God!! The baby-faced boy I knew from five years ago was taller than his father, handsome as can be, and squeezed the breath out of me. And I loved it!

Gasping for air, I kissed his cheek and said, "My god Pat, you must need one big stick to keep the women at bay." His sisters were hysterical. He blushed. I smiled and said, "I don't know if your Mom and Dad told you about her, but I'd like you to meet my Reenie." I motioned to her with my arm and held her close to me. "She's really special. I'm so glad to get the chance to for all of you to meet her and get to know her."

The kid didn't bat an eye. He smiled, shook Reenie's hand, and said, "Nice to meet you." I guess there's more than one kind of 'education' that goes on in college.

Reenie was just spectacular. "Ginger, your Aunt Emily, was really unhappy that she missed your graduation, Patrick. I'm glad we could both be here this weekend. Plus, I get to meet all of you." She had to stand on tip toes to give him a peck on the cheek. He blushed! Jenny and I made eye contact. She winked; I smiled.

It wasn't a very long drive to the school. Jenny and Megan hurried to do whatever they needed to while David led us into the gymnasium to find seats. Jenny found us when she was ... whatever! The graduation was boring and fabulous. Not my kid, but it was my kid sister's daughter. Like Reenie said, I was really glad we were there for Megan. Besides, I had this fabulous redhead next to me, holding my hand!! She hissed warnings about later. Reenie: ribboned!

David, playing the role of doting father perfectly, had a dozen roses waiting when Megan came out after the proceedings had ended. Reenie and I were introduced to a seemingly endless array of parents and grads. There were some interesting looks at the two of us but overall it was okay. I'm positive it was intentional and I know it was appreciated that David stood close to Reenie while Jen was by my side. No, we didn't hold hands. I might get some raised eyebrows, but it just wasn't the right thing to do. This day wasn't about us; it was about Megan and her parents.

As we walked to the car later (yeah, their SUV was big enough to hold all seven of us) I mentioned to David that Reenie and I wanted to pay for the dinner we were heading for. He looked at me as if I'd just told him I had leprosy!

"Come on Dave, I got promoted, you've got three kids." I shrugged. "Let big sister do something beside just show up. Please." I never call him Dave. Only Jen does, which I knew. It was Ginger breaking out the Butler sister's charm.

"I don't like it very much, Ginger, but if you insist ... okay." I did say please, which I'm not sure is insisting. But who am I to argue. They'd made a reservation at the Bonefish Grill. The menu was great. I looked at the wine list and stopped when I saw they had J. Lohr Chardonnay! Sold! Honest to god, Reenie couldn't stop grinning at the draft beer list. I pointed to the 'Skinny Dip,' which had us both giggling. Reenie pointed at something called 'Dead Guy Ale.' I knew what she meant – Fred. Remember? My ex and the sweater thing? We laughed about it later ... still do actually!!

The menu was astonishing. Minx pointed to 'Lily's Chicken.' I just about lost it!! I have to share this little gem. I laughed out loud when I saw a dish called, 'Bang Bang Shrimp.' The girls looked at me. I had to explain.

"An author I like, Robert B. Parker, had a book that included twin sisters who were nicknamed 'The Bang Bang Twins.' It just struck me as hysterical that a restaurant would have that name for a dish they serve." David and Jenny laughed. Reenie turned red stifling her laughter. Neither Meg nor Terese seemed to have a clue what I was talking about.

How funny - Patrick asked me for the name of the book. I grabbed my notepad, scribbled the title, and handed it to him.

I did get Megan to laugh though. "Meg, I wonder if the Bonefish Grill's takeout menu is called 'phone fish.'" Reenie choked on her beer. My sister looked at me as if I was from another planet. David grinned.

After the server took our orders and drinks had been served, David gave a wonderful toast to his daughter. It's private!!

It took a while, but Terese finally got around to asking, "Aunt Emmy, how did you and Reenie meet?"

We looked at each other and smiled. "I'm a Dayton police officer. I pulled your aunt over one morning for speeding." Jenny and David knew of course. The kids cracked up.

"I was daydreaming, not paying much attention. There wasn't much traffic." I looked at Reenie, smiled and said, "She let me off with a warning. I thought she was cute, so I gave her my phone number. She surprised me and called ... maybe a week later." I shrugged. "That's how it all started."

Terese asked her Mom, "You and Daddy knew all about this?"

Jenny responded calmly, "Yes. Emily called one night; we had a long talk." She looked at me and smiled. "I won't lie; I was a little shocked at first." I knew what was coming and had to fight back tears. "I knew she'd been miserable with Bill for a long time. It was a relief when she told me they were getting divorced." She looked at each of their children as she talked. "You can probably see how much they are in love. I'm happy for both of them." I wiped my eyes with a napkin. My honey squeezed my hand.

Reenie bailed me out. "We're having an open house next month. I know your Mom and Dad will be there; if the three of you can make it, we'd love to have you see the house."

Megan chimed in, "My club team has tournaments and stuff all summer. I guess it depends on when you have it."

That gave me a chance to ask, "Meg honey, it's great you're going to Northwestern. You must be so excited. I don't know much about lacrosse but I know that team is ... how many championships have they won?"

Megan beamed as she said, "They won five in a row, lost in 2010, and won last year. In fact, they're in the championship today against Syracuse. I'll watch it later. It's kinda scary, but I'm super excited." Her Mom and I exchanged glances.

"I'm sure we'll get to see you play."

David added, "It's really an honor for Meg. Most of the kids on the top programs come from the East Coast. The level of competition there is pretty intense from what we hear."

Terese wasn't finished. "You two live together?"

"Shut up brat. They're adults; they can be in love just like Mom and Dad are." Terese glowered at her brother. "Well it's true! Especially if ... Ginger was as miserable as Mom said she was. If she's happy, what difference does it make who she falls in love with?" Good grief.

"It's okay Terese." I smiled warmly to reassure her that I meant what I said. "I appreciate your brother saying what he did. We're just trying to find our way through a relationship like anybody else would. It's not a problem in the least if you're uncomfortable. I hope it'll grow on you like this one has on me." I smiled at my redhead, who stuck her tongue out at me. That got a laugh out of the five of them!

Dinner was great. There were seven different orders – fish, chicken, and beef. I had to have the Lily's chicken. Chicken breast, goat cheese, sautéed spinach, artichoke hearts and a lemon basil sauce – it was delicious. I teased Reenie about the halibut; she ordered rainbow trout in lemon butter – absolutely mouth watering good! We both had a baked potato.

The conversation was delightful. Reenie shared some of her background; Pat was interested in her military experience. It was a warm, lovely evening. Jenny raised an eyebrow when I gave the server my credit card. I winked. Little miss never misses a thing asked, "Why are you paying Aunt Ginger? My Dad normally does that." Reenie giggled. Kid's a hoot!

"Honey, Reenie and I are happy to be with all of you this weekend. It's a pleasure to have such a lovely dinner together and it's not a problem whatsoever to pick up the tab."

When we got back to the house everyone watched the Northwestern lacrosse game but Pat. He left nearly immediately for a date with what his sisters said was his hottie girlfriend. Megan was glued to the game, pointing out players she'd met on her visit. She seemed particularly enthused about Shannon Smith, commenting that she held several records. It was a back and forth game with Northwestern prevailing in the end.

"Back-to-back championships; how cool is that?"

"That's quite the challenge Meg. Good luck to you." Megan blushed at Reenie's comment. 

We said our goodbyes after agreeing to meet back at the house before going out to breakfast.

"It's roughly a six hour drive. I think we'd like to be home by seven or eight; we're an hour ahead as you know."

Jenny smirked and said, "Yes, sister of mine, I know. How about you two get here around ten. We can take two cars so you can get on the interstate after breakfast."

I looked at Reenie; she shrugged. "Sounds like a plan." Goodbyes were warm. I made sure to whisper a few words to Terese to let her know we were okay with her. My sister and I had a moment that I think only sibs can have. Our hug was ... please excuse me for a moment.

The drive back to the hotel was quick. The rest of the night wasn't!! Reenie had been a very good girl, having been ribboned all day. She made me pay in the shower and afterward. I'm laughing as I write about it.

She growled in my ear, "I'm gonna make you melt like ice at the equator." She made good on her 'promise.'

I didn't know she had packed a couple of our toys. Nor did I know she had the toy she surprised me with that night. She called it a 'g-spot vibe' before we fell asleep. She loved my breasts while her fingers teased my pearl ... and more. I thought I'd had about every kind of orgasm possible. I was wrong. They came one after another after another. I thought she'd finished with me when she removed the toy. Wrong!




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 11



She mounted me, kissed me, and whispered words of love and more. I locked my legs around her and gave her everything I had left until she grunted, tensed, and called my name as, her head thrown back in abandon, she ground her sex to mine. After she had crested and lay in a heap atop me, I hugged her to me, turned us on our sides and pushed my leg between hers. She smiled as we kissed. We moved, as we'd done so often, as one. When you love someone like I love my redhead, nothing is left behind. Every last thing I knew I gave to her every damn time we danced this dance. I knew she was going over the cliff and pulled her mouth to mine. She was frantic as we kissed. It felt as though she'd lost it completely. I helped her take whatever she needed and held her afterward.

I woke up Sunday and watched as my honey slept. Remembering our Saturday, I smiled. I leaned, slid my hand between her legs, and whispered, "Wakey uppy lover." My tongue followed my words as my fingers teased her soft folds. She jerked awake, then relaxed, as she felt my hand and body on her. We were a little late getting to Jenny and David's!!

Breakfast was wonderful. Thankfully, we had made love before checking out. Mama Nature decided to make her monthly visit while we were dining. Jenny followed me into the ladies room as my eyes had pleaded with her to.

"Everything okay at home Jen?"

She laughed. "Absolutely; Pat was all over Terese this morning but it went pretty much like I had told you it might. I really think she's more okay with it all than she let on. Meg just seems to be on a high after graduating. She's so excited to be going to Northwestern." She smiled at me just before I ducked into a stall. "Did you two have a fun night?"

"Yeah, and Mother Nature rewarded me with my period." I shook my head. It had been forever since we'd talked about it and I just had to. "What's up with you and Janice? Did the two of you ever hook up?" As I said that, I had put the pad in my panties, wiped, and got myself put together. I opened the door to the stall to a very flushed younger sister. 

"David doesn't know, Em, so you can never tell him this." Uh oh. "I was with someone a couple years ago." Holy crap, Reenie was right!! "It didn't last very long. She wanted more than I was willing to give and I couldn't risk David finding out. To answer your question, no, I didn't pursue anything with Janice." She sighed. "I honestly don't know. Maybe I should have. She did seem interested. I'm a little jealous of you and Reenie, but I do love David. I don't want to upset him. And I'm just not sure if I'm bi or if I was just curious." She looked at me and said, "I'm glad I did it though. As good as Dave and I are together, it's so different. You're not mad at me are you?" Geez, Jen.

I kissed her lightly on the lips, hugged her and said, "You're my sister and I love you. Of course I'm not. It hasn't been all that long since my weekend with Julia. We better get back. But before we do ..." I took a deep breath and said, "When I was in California, I had a few moments where I thought about what might have happened if Bill hadn't ... no, that's not right. I wondered if things might have been different if we had been able to have kids." I shook my head and said, "But my life is out there at the table with your family. Let's get back to them."

Blue eyes watched as we strolled back to the table. I winked at her and mouthed, 'later.' I got a slight nod in return. The rest of breakfast was great. Reenie teased Pat about his 'hottie.' The girls giggled. He blushed but smiled. I noticed that Terese kept glancing at Reenie. There wasn't any malice or anger in her eyes that I could see. David chimed in now and then with his usual little gems. Jen's eyes met mine; I hope my eyes let her know what I was thinking. 

The goodbyes in the parking lot were sweet. David and Patrick each took turns taking my breath away with their hugs. I whispered a couple of things to Meg ... mostly about looking forward to visiting her wherever she would play in the years to come. Terese? 

"You're a little spitfire like your Grandmother." Her eyes got wide as saucers. "Your Mom and I talked about it." I kissed her cheek as I smoothed her hair with my fingers. "Don't ever change okay?" Her eyes leaked as she nodded.

Jen? "I love you. Thanks for a wonderful weekend. We'll let you know about the open house soon as we can."

Reenie looked a little surprised when I handed her my keys. I could have driven but I was in the middle of my first day of my period. She nodded when I explained – after we'd waved goodbye and headed out of the parking lot. When we were on the interstate, I pulled the latch to let the seat back a little to relax. Didn't mean we couldn't talk though!

"You probably want to know what Jen and I talked about." She turned her head and smirked. "You were right; she had been with someone."

"No shit?"

"I was surprised, but she explained some of the circumstances." I mentioned the vague reference to 'wanting more than I could give.' We agreed there were too many possibilities to speculate. "She seemed ambivalent about Janice; it felt like it was more about wanting to keep things solid with David. That felt real genuine to me."

Whatever the reason, what Reenie said next surprised me a little. "They really do seem to be happy together. Whatever works I guess. Their kids sure are great." I smiled; Reenie was quiet for a bit. When I looked at her, she looked like she wanted to say something but was thinking about it.

"What is it babe?"

"You ever think about having kids?" Thud! It dawned on me I may not have told her about that part of my marriage.

"Did I tell you about the struggles Bill and I had?" She glanced at me.

"No, I don't think so."

"Long story short – after a lot of time and money, we were told he couldn't impregnate me. That contributed to things falling apart, though it wasn't the only thing." I saw her grip tighten on the steering wheel. "Reenie, please, that's something neither of us had any control over. The rest?" I reached and touched her hand with mine. "You and I are what we are because of all the rest that happened." I smiled. "I couldn't be happier with how my life has turned out."

"Goddamn you! I can't drive and cry at the same time." I had to laugh. I reached over and began to unbutton her blouse. "You asshole; I'm a cop, I'm driving seventy miles an hour. Are you nuts?" I leaned in and whispered my response in her ear. She giggled. "Okay, I deserve that after last night. But please don't. I'll pull over at the next rest stop if you want to play." I already had the belt undone on her jeans. She fumed, "STOP already you bitch!" I did. Honest! Wink!

She sighed as she lay back on the car seat. Yes, it was midday. Yes, we were at a rest stop. No one could see me under the steering wheel as I wrecked her. The windows were closed – she made sure of that! Once, twice, and one more left her breathless and begging me to stop. Her promise to let me cuff her to the headboard was my price for stopping.

Breakfast was late and we'd filled up the tank before we got on the interstate so we drove straight through. That meant plenty of time to talk. My redhead had plenty on her mind. But I wanted to get back to what we had talked about earlier.

"Kids are pretty much not something I think about anymore – given my age. But you're younger than I am. Is that something you've thought about?"

Quiet for a few moments, she said, "Yeah, I have. I was never with anyone that I cared about enough but I always wondered." She shook her head. "After getting shot, I don't know if I want to bring a child into the world with all that goes into being on the job." She laughed. "Can we get a dog?" Yeah, I laughed too!

"Goofball, yeah we can. Let's get back to the other. We haven't talked much ... or maybe I should say, I've kept quiet about something. You said you weren't sure if you wanted to continue your career with Dayton P.D. Care to share?"

"I appreciate you giving me some room Ginger. I was in a pretty dark place immediately afterward. I knew I'd messed up. The three day rip and the eight hour 'refresher' course was a small price to pay, plus it helped me get my head on straight again." I smiled. "The time on medical gave me time to think; that helped a great deal. But ya know what really got me turned around?" I was pretty sure I did but I shook my head.

"Getting back out on the street was just what I needed. Phil Sullivan, the dude I was with that Saturday, came up to me in the station and told me he wanted to ride with me. I wanted to kiss him but I know how jealous you can get." My tummy hurt from laughing as hard as I did. My redhead did as well. "I'm sorry, lover. I know you're hurting from your first day on your moon. But jokes aside, I'm okay, happy to be a cop, and promise to take care of myself as best as I can." That last came with a quick glance and a shrug. I understood – sorta. That Saturday proved things happen pretty quickly.

"Hey, I'm not sure if I mentioned this ... in order to get today off I had to swap days with Tess." She hadn't. Ugh! Reenie saw me roll me eyes and said, "She specifically mentioned that some sort of sexual favors from you would have to be involved as part of the trade." I nearly broke my neck jerking my head to glare at her. She kept her eyes on the road and her nostrils didn't flare, so it was next to impossible to tell if she was teasing me or not. "You okay with that?"

Why not play along? "Yeah sure. Why not? She seemed pretty nice. The first time I met her, after the McDonald's thing, she was pretty complimentary. And she was helpful enough when you were in the hospital." I must have sounded fairly convincing. Reenie turned to look at me. I shrugged and said, "You okay with that?"

I'm not a cop. I couldn't keep a straight face. She hit me! Really hard! It hurt too!!

Okay, okay, what hurt was lying like I just did. Actually, she got off the expressway, pulled over on the shoulder, turned off the car, climbed over the center console and straddled me.

After she kissed me breathless she said, "Ginger, nobody gets a piece of you except me." She kissed me again and whispered, "Except maybe Candy." We both howled laughing. I'm not really sure she was kidding about that!

We stopped at a rest stop to use the ladies room. I needed to freshen up too. We both bought some water. Jenny had suggested we order an extra sandwich for the trip; must be because she's a Mom. It helped a lot. I would have to thank her when I talked to her. Yup, I wrote it down – in the stall, so Reenie didn't laugh at me.

It was raining pretty hard though central Indiana and it seemed to follow us home. We talked about all kinds of little things, but the main topic was the housewarming party. I pulled out my notebook and read through my list. I kinda had an idea of who Reenie might invite, but we still needed to talk about it. 

"I already have Candy and Georgia on the list as well as Tess. Who else do you want to invite; any family?"

The answer was short and sharp. "No."

What's up with that? "Ya know, for as much as we talk about everything, you never bring up your family, Reenie."

"Yeah, I know. Just leave it alone please." Geez!

"Okay, I will." We had just crossed the border into Ohio and were less than an hour from home. Reenie looked at me and smiled when I said that. 

"I know; it has a nice ring to it. Home! Where do you want to have dinner?"

"Not Texas Roadhouse. Have you ever been to Fricker's?"

"No, but I've heard of them. Aren't there a bunch of them in the area?"

"Yup, I think there are three or four. Use my phone and see if there's one near ..." she smiled, "the house."

I did; there was. "Holy moley, it's only a few miles away. Get off at Old Troy Pike and turn right on Chambersburg."

It was loud, it was crowded and we had a great deal of fun. We did ask to be seated outdoors. The hostess thought that was pretty funny ... until she saw Reenie's stare. We sat at the bar, Reenie with her beer and me with a Stoli Razberi. (I finally saw an ad for it with the correct spelling!)

"Are you tired after all that driving?" She looked at me and laughed.

"You're kidding right?"

"Yup; I just wanted to make sure you have enough energy for later." She paled. "Uh huh, remember your promise?"

"But I've been a good girl today."

"Hmm, this is interesting. I don't think I've ever heard you whine be ... OWW! Geez, that hurt!" She smiled sweetly. "It's a good thing I love you Maureen Henry or you'd be in ... OWW! All right already, enough with the proving how strong your hands are."

She gave me the full hundred watts. "You like my hands as I remember." Ginger: putty!

"Sure do! Actually, I better go freshen up before our table gets called." Scamp asked if I needed any help. I laughed. "Not on my first day babe." I gave her a kiss and said, "Be right back!" I headed to the ladies room.

I was putting myself together when I heard the door open. A voice said, "Excuse me, are you with the redhead at the bar?" It sounded like the hostess. I hurried out of the stall. "You'd better come with me. There's been a disturbance."

I pushed past her, flew out the door, and ran to the bar. All I saw was red hair. Oh thank god, she's standing. My heart can beat again! I pushed through the crowd. Reenie was putting handcuffs on some idiot who was cursing up a storm.

The hostess, who was just off my left shoulder, said, "Apparently you gave your girlfriend a kiss before you went to the restroom. It seems that man said something offensive and wouldn't stop. I didn't hear it all but it escalated. The police have been called." I heard the sirens. "I'm Rachel, by the way."

Without looking at her I said, "Ginger. So you know, Maureen Henry is a Dayton police officer."

"Oh, let me get to the door and tell the officers that." I felt her leave. I watched as Reenie kept the foul-mouthed fool from struggling. I couldn't see her eyes, but from the set of her jaw, she was really angry!

A male voice said, "Milly?" I froze. In disbelief, I turned.

Dear god, it was Bill. "Did you see what happened?"

"Yes, after you kissed her, he came up to her and started in ..." I didn't want to talk to him or hear what he had to say.

"I'll make sure to tell the officers to get your statement, Bill. Let me get to Reenie. Do not leave!" He obviously hadn't expected the tone of my voice. He stiffened; I saw the anger in his eyes. "Don't waste your time." I saw the door open. Rachel talked to the officers as they walked toward the dispersing crowd. She looked at me and gestured. I turned to find Reenie looking at me. I smiled. 

"Ma'am, the hostess tells me you're with the officer." I turned to face him. "I'm Officer Stewart; your name please." I spoke over my shoulder as I saw another officer move to Reenie. 

"Ginger Butler." I pointed to my honey. "Officer, the redhead, Maureen Henry, is with the Dayton Police." He had a note pad and was writing my name. I pointed to Bill. "This gentleman, Bill Rogers, is someone you should talk to." 

I saw Officer Stewart turn and find Bill. "Thank you Ms. Butler. I'll be with you in a minute."

I turned back to Reenie, who was busy with the other Heights cop. Whoever the fool was who had bothered her, his face showed his anger but he was quiet. Apparently the appearance of 'real' police officers made him realize this wasn't something he was going to walk away from. 

I heard a female voice say, "You must be Emily." Oh good lord, it had to be Bambi. I turned to find a head of blonde hair, on a woman who looked to be under thirty, with a Nora-size chest. "I'm Lucy. I saw you talking to Billy. Are we going to have to go to the police station?"

"You must be Bambi!" Reenie's hundred watt smile contrasted fabulously with the flush of anger on the blonde's face. "I'm Reenie and this is my Ginger. I take it Billy saw what happened; he's talking to one of the Heights uniforms." She looked at me, smiled, and kissed me. "Hi lover. Your kiss set off a little commotion. Nothing I couldn't handle." She turned back to Lucy. "Did Fred like his sweater?" I couldn't help myself; I laughed!! Furious, the blonde turned and stormed away. "God that was fun!"

"Can you believe this shit? We come here for a fun Sunday night meal. You wind up in an altercation of some sort, the cops are called, and we meet not only asshole but Bambi." I smiled and said, "I wonder if Hollywood's best could come up with something that funny!!"

I'll cut through the nonsense and give you the bottom line. The idiot was charged with assaulting a police officer. Bill's statement pretty much sealed the deal. Jail time? Nah. He will have a record, which will mess up his life but good!

Why even mention the whole thing? It all started with me giving my honey a kiss! I mean, really? Is it not 2012?

It was god awful late when we finally got home. It was only after we had soaked in the tub (wink!) and were in bed that I realized Monday was Memorial Day! 

I mentioned that little detail to Reenie, who said, "Geez, that's why the traffic around Indianapolis was so heavy!" 

My honey had to go to work and I could sleep in. As we lay in bed, there were quiet whispers and soft giggles. My face was in the soft cove of her neck, my fingers idly drifting over familiar peaks and valleys. Which she hates.

"What did that jackass say to you?"

"Ya know what Ginger? It's not really worth mentioning. He was being an asshole, which is okay." I made a face. "I know, I know ... it's not right, but it just is. I tried to ignore him. Dude to my left told the idiot to leave me ... us alone. I never even turned around until he laid hands on me." She shrugged. I lifted my face and looked at my beauty. "I'd about had enough anyway. I was reaching into my purse for my badge. He put his hand on my shoulder and tried to turn me around. I found my cuffs, got him on the floor, and cuffed him before he even knew what was going on." She chuckled.

"The manager, Rachel, came into the restroom and told me what happened. I hurried out, saw you had him on the ground and told her you were a cop. She left to go meet the squads. That's when Bill came up to me."

"That must have been sweet."

I snorted and said, "I asked him if he'd seen what happened. When he said yes, I told him the police were on the way and not to leave." I smiled. "He wasn't very happy with the tone of my voice."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure you were all sugar sweet with old Fred."

"It was after he'd walked away that Bambi came up. Can you believe her name is Lucy?"

"Are you serious? That name totally does not fit that bimbo. Did you see the rack she had?"

I laughed. "Yeah, those are gonna be fun in about fifteen years. Whatever; she can have him." I snuggled in a few inches. "I have what I want.' I kissed her tenderly. "What does my cop want tonight?"

"I'm still a little jazzed from earlier. Would it be okay if I fucked you?"

"Whatever you need babe; take me any way you want." I looked into those gorgeous blues and said, "I'm all yours, only yours, and yours any way you need. I love you and I trust you." I saw her eyes glisten with tears. "We have our promise rings, we have our house and we're living together. We need to give this some time, Reenie, but I want more. Something that's meaningful, something permanent. There's still some learning to be done for both of us. We'll ..."

Reenie pulled me to her with those strong goddamn hands and kissed me breathless again, which I love! After she had flipped me on my back and cuffed me to the headboard so quickly I didn't have time to protest, which I wouldn't have, she looked at me and said, "Why the hell did it take me thirty seven years to find you?"




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 11



I was panting from the kiss and so turned on I could feel the moisture as it dripped from my pussy. I gasped, "Thank god I was a space cadet that morning. It was a Wednesday, right?" She nodded. "I mean, the famous Bogart line, 'Of all the gin joints' or whatever it was. Meeting the woman of my dreams on a traffic stop? What sort of trip would a writer have to be on to think that one up?"

Yup, we giggled for a while. And then we didn't.

Here's what I want to tell you about our Sunday night. It turned into Monday morning - if you're keeping score. I'd been loved by this woman just about every way imaginable. She strong, athletic, flexible, and we're fabulous together. But you know that if you've followed our tale. She was a little rough with me that night. I was okay with it. I'm gonna share a little something since she's not home as I write this. It had been building since she'd gotten shot. You'd have to know her like I do to know that about her. There was this 'thing' just below the surface every time we'd made love after that Saturday. Part of me thinks she was scared to let me see it. Afraid that if she did, I'd run. I wouldn't have, but I get why she felt that way. I'm crying as I type. Yeah, that's how deep she is into me.

I took a little nap during it all ... as in, fainted. That's how intensely pleasurable it was for both of us. And that's how happy I was to be the object of her passionate, intense affection!! Trust me folks. What we do, how we do, it's not for everybody. But she's my everything and I'm all hers, just like she's all mine!!!

Goddamn alarm screamed at an obscene hour. Bitch set it that early just so I'd give her ... um, us, a couple of orgasms before she left for work. I was still limp and twitching when she kissed me goodbye after she'd showered and dressed. She tweaked a nipple. I love her!

I'd fallen asleep without going potty – big mistake! Thankfully I was able to get back to sleep for several hours. The bed still reeked of our night and morning. I sighed happily as my fingers moved over my body. I won't even pretend to be a writer, so I hope you forgive my rather random thoughts.

I took my coffee and my book out to the patio and lounged like the woman of leisure I was. Ginger: giggling.

I woke with a jolt, realizing I'd fallen asleep in the sun. Not a good combination! Well, at least I'd get an early start on my tan. It's Memorial Day, in our house, on the patio. I sat back and thought about all the great things that had happened since the year began. Okay, there was another reason for my smile – the dream I'd had while I was sleeping. Wink!

I was lost in thought when I heard a voice, "Hi, you must be our new neighbor. I'm Carol; Happy Memorial Day."

I looked. Either the fence was tall or she was short. Not much of her face showed; black hair and smiling blue eyes were all I could see as I stood and walked toward her. "Hi, I'm Ginger Butler. Sorry, I was kind of zoning out. Carol is it?"

"Yup, Carol Bicknell. My other half, Dan, is watching the Reds on TV. How do you like the house?"

I smiled. I might as well get it out early. "My honey, Reenie, and I love it." Carol's face showed her surprise at Reenie's name. "The kitchen is really nice, we love the fenced-in yard, and what a bonus that it's nearly June. We'll make good use of the hot tub." Carol's face remained neutral. "Did you know who lived here before?"

Nodding, she said, "Janet Alexander moved in four years ago; bought the place from the estate of Betty Wetzel. Poor thing went pretty quickly. It was a shame." Hmm, she seems pretty plugged in. "Janet moved here from her hometown of Omaha. When she lost her job, she couldn't keep up." Her eyes watered. "We felt so badly for her when she left. She really seemed devastated. Did you say Reenie?"

"Yup, Maureen Henry is her name. She's a Dayton police officer." I smiled. "She's hard to miss with the red hair."

Her laugh was infectious. "I noticed. It's nice to have a cop living next door. What do you do, Ginger?"

"Carol, rather than talk over this fence, please join me on the patio. I'm sure I can find something to drink. It'll be easier than standing, plus I've already gotten a head start on a tan." She came around to the open gate. She's cute! My height, slender, pretty, casually dressed as you'd expect. We shook hands and chatted idly as we walked to the patio.

"Oh, you've had it furnished. This is fabulous, Ginger!"

I smiled. "We had to furnish the place from the ground up, Carol. We went to Morris. One of their designers, Tara, worked with us. She's wonderful. She'll be at our housewarming party. I hope you and ... oh geez, I'm so sorry."

She smiled. "Dan."

Embarrassed, I shook my head. "Gotta get back on the ball I guess. Anyway, yeah, I hope you and Dan will come. We're waiting for Reenie to get her June schedule. Hey, since you're here, who are our neighbors on our other side?"

"That would be Bill and Lauren Novick. They're a bit older than you and I." She lowered her voice. "You might find that Bill will be a little distant to you and Reenie. He's not what you'd call open minded. Lauren does the best she can to keep him in check. There's another charming lesbian couple in the neighborhood. Jane Smith and Mary Harper – they're from Chicago if I remember correctly."

I took it all in. This is our home, these are our neighbors. We'd have to find our way through all of it – and them. "I'm sure Reenie will look forward to meeting Bill and Lauren. Pretty hard to shake up a street cop in this neck of the woods."

There's that gorgeous laugh again. "That is a good point Ginger!"

"Good grief, what a great first impression I'm making. Would you like something cold to drink?" I shook my head. "I'm not exactly piling up the 'good neighbor' brownie points." I made quote marks with my fingers as I talked.

"Oh sure, whatever you've got will be just fine." I kinda broke into a cold sweat wondering if I had anything suitable. Note to Ginger: Food shopping, as in today! I don't even remember when I'd bought it but there was some cranberry juice. I said a silent prayer of thanks, poured a glass for Carol and more water for me and headed back to the patio.

We were talking about how my honey and I met and why the house had to be furnished when my cell phone rang. "It's Reenie, Carol. She's calling to let me know what time she'll be home." Carol made a move to stand up and leave. I shook my head and motioned for her to sit as I said, "Hi babe. How's your day?"

"It's all good so far, lover. You doin' okay after our night." Oh gawd! I know I blushed fifty shades of red. 

"I am chatting with our next door neighbor, Carol. We need to go food shopping when you get home." Carol laughed. I winked. "Any thoughts about the rest of our day? Are we going to meet the girls?"

"Lemme call them and see what's up. I'll call you from my car. Gotta scoot; I love you!"

I might as well! "I love you too babe." Carol smiled. "Let me know when you find out; bye!"

"Ginger, you are too cute. You both are it seems." She stood. "I'm afraid Mr. Dan might be thinking he has to forage in my kitchen for something to eat. Trust me, it's not pretty when he does." Her smile was genuine. "It's been a delight meeting you. Please, let's do this again when our better halves can join us." I laughed.

"Carol, I haven't met Dan but I'm pretty confident you are the better half." She smiled.

"Well, as long as he thinks so I guess we'll stay married for a while longer." Her eyes twinkled. "Whatever the formula is, it's worked this long. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke."

"You got it kiddo. Have a great rest of the holiday." We walked together toward the gate. "Wonderful treat meeting you, Carol; I look forward to meeting Dan." She waved as she left. I sighed as I walked back to the patio. The landscape that is my life continues to change, however slightly. I'm now part of a lesbian couple in a neighborhood. I smiled. Yaay!

My phone rang. "Hi baby. Are you on your way?"

"My June schedule sucks ass, Ginger. I have no idea what kind of fool drew this thing up but it couldn't be any worse – especially for us." I giggled to myself. I needed to calm her down.

"You mentioned our night. I take it you haven't spent too much time thinking about it." Reenie was quiet for a bit.

"I was so wound up that I'd completely forgotten you had gotten your period before we went to breakfast. I appreciate that you would use a towel so we could make love. Are you okay? I know I sorta lost it." I smiled.

"You listen up girl." I knew I was about to cry; this wasn't the time for that! As my eyes leaked, I said, "We are so much more than about lovemaking. Last night? If nothing else, that should be the keystone – if you ever doubted us!"

Reenie was quiet for so long I was a little worried. "I don't know exactly what I did to deserve you." What? "I'm just so glad you want to be with me, let alone love me like you do." I was still a little stunned at the previous sentence. "I called the girls. We can meet them at the crash pad if that's okay with you. We'll figure out dinner and the rest."

I smiled. "That sounds great. Are you coming home to change or do you want me to bring clothes?"

"Sucks having two cars, but it seems silly to come home to change and drive all the way back. You okay with that?"

She's such a goof. "Dope, of course I am! I'll bring a top and the rest." I giggled. "See if you can get the two of them to keep their hands off of you – at least till I get there." I heard the snort.

"I'd say 'fuck you' but, after last night, that seems like an empty threat. See you soon babe; love you!" Goddamn right!

As we talked, I had gone to the bedroom and found some things that felt right, given the time of year and temperature. I put them in a plastic bag and headed to the car. Even with the holiday, it took a little time to get to the band box.

I walked in to what I kind of expected. The three of them on the couch, making out as best as three can – being two on one. Laughing, I said, "Glad the band's back together." Three hands gave me the single finger salute. Great!

As my redhead came, kissed me and we walked to the big blue chair, Candy said, "Mo was telling us about last night. Anything you care to add?"

"Did she tell you about my wasbund?" Three confused faces looked at me.

My redhead said, "What the fuck is a wasbund?"

"I have no clue when or where I read about it. It popped into my head as we talked. I think this chick was talking to her lover about her ex. That was what she called him. The two of them couldn't stop laughing. That's what I remember."

Georgia piped up with, "You seriously need to get laid." 

Reenie laughed as I said, "What?"

Candy said, "I think you just stepped in it, babe. You should have known better with these two."

A chagrined Georgia shook her head while Reenie's head lay on my shoulder as she laughed.

It was bugging me that I couldn't remember exactly how or where I'd heard that funny word. I listened as the three jabbered away about this and that. Finally it came to me!

In my excitement, I blurted out, "I got it!" Heads turned. "Sorry; I figured out where I heard that goofy word." None of the three said anything so I continued. "It was when we were at the doctor's office for Reenie's appointment with Dr. Adelson. Her receptionist and one of the nurses were talking. The nurse was telling about a friend of hers who had been married to a professional athlete." The three still looked puzzled. Chagrined, I said, "Anyway, the other woman used the word to describe her ex-husband." Three blank faces stared. "Hmm, I guess you had to be there."

Candy looked at Reenie and said, "Did you fuck her stupid or something last night?"

Reenie kissed me, put her hand between my legs like she owns me, which she kinda does, and said, "Or something." We both laughed. "Ginger took a little nap during our lovemaking." I'd told her the phrase." Reenie looked quite pleased with herself. "She did recover quite nicely if our morning was any indication."

"Geez, does the whole world need to know every detail of our sex life." I was shouted down rather quickly.

"Who the hell are you kidding, Ginger? We both know, and everybody at the L Room knows, the two of you can't keep your hands off each other." Guess that's true. Oh well!

Reenie said, "Speaking of which, where are we going for dinner?"

Georgia said, "Red, only you can go from talking about sex to having dinner." Reenie looked at me. I shrugged.

"Let the record show: I'm not complaining. I can assure you that kitty isn't complaining." Reenie giggled as she blushed. She tried to hide her smile in my neck. It really hadn't even dawned on me but I had to ask. "Aren't the two of you working tonight?" Reenie got up, took the bag of clothes and went to her bedroom to change.

"We were busy over the weekend. The L Room is closed and we took the night off." That's about as many words at once I've ever heard from Georgia.

Candy asked, "Mo told us about the trip and about Megan." From the bedroom came a string of obscenities. Megan?

I got up, strolled to the door and asked, "What about Megan?" Reenie was pulling a coral tank top over her shoulders.

"I got a hit off of her that she might be gay." She looked at me and shrugged. Geez! I was more puzzled than upset. "Look honey, one quick weekend isn't enough to say for sure. It's just a feeling; I could be completely off base, too."

"Can you put words to the feeling?"

Reenie came to me, put her arms around my neck, and kissed me tenderly. She whispered, "Please don't be upset with me." I smiled. She's such a goof. I slipped my arm around her waist, pulled her to me, and we walked back out to the room. I pulled her to my lap. Candy looked mortified. "When Terese started asking you about us, Megan never looked up. She didn't ask any questions of either of us. This is more me being a cop but I caught her glances now and then, the quick, furtive kind. It's not much to go on and I really didn't ... no, that's not right. I'm not really sure and I didn't ... don't want to upset you. She seemed really nice. All of them did." Her eyes glistened with tears. "I feel like a jerk for this coming out. It's not much more than speculation on my part."

I couldn't let her feel like this. "Listen to me girl. Who I am is still sorta new; it's been part of your life for a long time. The work you do, watching, paying attention - it's what you were trained to do. It saves lives! I never dismiss anything you tell me. I can't. Setting aside who you are to me, I wouldn't." I kissed her, with feeling. "You're full of shit about my niece." Reenie's face fell; Candy and Georgia cracked up. She turned and glared at them.

"You morons, she was teasing." Reenie turned to me. I laughed and nodded.

I did an absolutely miserable British accent and said, "You are the weakest link. Goodbye!"

After the laughter, taunts and the rest, we had to decide on where to have dinner. It came down to Smashburgers or Beer and Cheeseburgers. Reenie's plea for beer made it a moot point. But it's never simple. In the car, the conversation was about who would sit with whom. I'll do my best to be as accurate as I can – it was too funny!

"I wanna sit with my honey."

"Blondie, which is it - your honey or your crush?"

"Asshole, my crush is your honey." Candy was blushing as she spoke.

"Georgia, do we let your honey sit with her crush?"

"You tell me, Mo. Her crush is your honey!"

"I'm gonna knock all three of your pointed heads to ... OWW! Goddamn, that hurt you bitch!"

"But you love me!"

"Fuck ... oh never mind. We have!" The car blew up as we all laughed.

That's how I wound up sitting next to Candy, across from a beaming Reenie!!

Reenie ordered her beer and mine – Sierra Nevada for her, Killian's for me. I asked her why not the Warsteiner, which was so good at the Boulevard Haus.

"Because it was on draft there; this is bottles. It makes a big difference." Shrug. Live and learn.

I suggested the jumbo basket appetizer. It came with our drink orders. Candy whined, as we ate, that the appetizer had so much food we might not need to order dinner.

"Shut up ya big baby. We can order one burger, maybe two, and share." Candy glared at me. I kissed her, which not only shocked her but sent Reenie and Georgia into fits of giggling. Geez she kisses good!

It was nearly disgusting how we inhaled the food. Yeah, there was another round of drinks. It's only beer right?

Which turned into another.

And another.

The food was great, the company was great, and the beer was great. Those last two were ... I'm gonna slug you if you say 'great.' Anyway, the last two nearly led to an 'awks' moment. To those of you who figured out why – ding, ding! Who was I sitting next to? Um hmm! And where was my redhead sitting? Um hmm! Awkward! Not just kissing but groping and ... stuff. We let the chic with the badge drive just to be 'safe.' It wasn't too far back to the crash pad. Thankfully. The ride was very quiet; the restaurant hadn't been. We all said our goodnights and yes, there were good night kisses as well. No, they were not the restaurant kind of kisses!! Candy and Georgia went to their bedroom; we went to ours.

First thing I did was pull my Reenie to me and kiss her. The way she responded let me know she was on the same page I was – thank God! Sure, I had been turned on. But! We took turns in the bathroom; me last. Maybe this is TMI. What I mean was we were together. I was at the sink while she was on the toilet. Then we switched. All the while we talked.

"I know you wanted to. Why didn't you let it happen with Candy?"

I was one part embarrassed, one part angry. "You would have been okay with it if I had?"

"Ginger, we're a couple. They're a couple. You already know Candy has the hots for you. I know you ... well, I think you would. I think you'd like to. Am I wrong?" No.

"Yes and no babe. I ... geez, it's hard to put into words what's rolling around in my head and heart. I've told you about Bill right?"

"I think so ... at least, I think, most of it."

"Okay, then let me do it all. This feels like the right night to get this on the table for us both to look at and talk about." At that moment, we were both standing. Blue eyes looked into mine; she stepped to me, hugged me tight, and kissed me. That moment – writing about it now, brings tears. That night, it was what I needed.

"I knew, like a wife knows, that he wasn't faithful. I never pursued it, never questioned him, never looked in his pockets, any of the usual shit a curious or suspicious wife does. Maybe I was stupid. Maybe I just didn't want to know. It doesn't matter now. But it hurt. Looking back on it, I think part of why I responded to Julia like I did was my need to feel." Reenie smiled. I'd peed, padded, washed my hands, and we headed back to bed. She pulled the covers up; we cuddled.

"She made me feel alive. She thought I was cute." I shrugged. There were tears just below the surface. "I won't lie. If it had been Mark, I might have wound up in his bed. Maybe fate had you in mind that weekend - who knows." Reenie leaned over me and kissed me. I felt the tears fall. We cried as we kissed. I'm crying writing about it. I'm such a girl!!

We were quiet for a while. Reenie finally asked, "Did you come close to actually spending the night with Candy?"

Moment of truth. "The attraction is hardly as secret. Yeah, it was more than a flicker of a thought." I took a breath and said, "I had a flashback moment to the sight of Lily and Kathy." We were cozy under the covers but I shivered at the memory. Reenie kissed me and slipped her fingers through my hair. "Baby, we're so good together. I don't want to ever do anything that messes this up. I don't know if you'd be upset if I had a fling with Candy but I don't wanna find out."




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 12







Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 12



After my little emotional outburst, I was spent and embarrassed. I dried my eyes, blew my nose and thanked Georgia. "Thank you. It was really sweet of you to sit with me. I wish I'd kept my goddamn mouth shut."

I kissed her but before I could say goodbye, Georgia said, "Don't be a moron!" Stunned, I pulled away. "Sorry, that was harsh. What I meant was – this had to come out, Ginger. Reenie loves you. You two have never really had any kind of argument have you?" Well, kinda. I shook my head. "I didn't think so. Yeah, she has her reasons, but she's a jerk for not telling you. And I'll bet a dollar Candy is going to tell her exactly that." She saw the look in my eyes and smirked. "No, I'm not gonna tell you. Reenie has to." She shrugged. "Or maybe Candy will; I don't know exactly. Stop putting the blame for this on your shoulders. That's just stupid. And you're not stupid." I took a few minutes to process all that.

"Thanks, I think." She laughed. "You're right, it does have to come out. I don't care what the details are. What I care about is that woman of mine. This is important to her and I want to know. Everybody has a past." I took a deep breath. "You're the first person I've told about this, Georgia. I was kidnapped, left in a remote forest, and raised by ... Ow!" Bitch pinched a nipple. (Kinda felt good!)

"Get outta here ya goof. Go home, drink some wine while you soak in the tub, and go to bed." One last kiss and I left.

In the car, I thought about home. The wine and bath sounded good. I didn't want to sleep in our bed alone. I made up my mind just that quickly. I stopped, bought a bottle of wine and headed to my destination.

The Country Inn & Suites had rooms available. Yay me. I was able to use my Carlson Club points and got the room for free. The room was still bright and well appointed. The Jacobs Creek Shiraz (twist top cap!) was wonderful. The bath was hot and soothing. I really didn't feel very sexy but ribboning myself ... what? I just wanted to, okay?

Saturday morning was bright and sunny. Why doesn't the weather know my mood? Cloudy, windy, and rainy works!

Breakfast was free, which made that decision easy. I stayed in the room and wrote out the rest of the invitations. I'd get the addresses when I got home, which I was in no hurry to do.

I stopped, bought some groceries, and headed home. It was just past noon. My phone hadn't rung if you were wondering. I turned the car off in the garage. I hated the thought of going into that empty house that we (gulp!) love so much. I opened the windows, put away the groceries, and turned on my computer. I'm writing this in the present, but I still can't talk about this, let alone type it, without laughing. You know how jokes get passed around? Among all the other stuff was something that came on Friday. It's just too funny not to share.

Subject: Canadians talk orgasm

From: Charlie (last name and email redacted) 

To: Ginger Butler (email redacted) 

Date: June 1, 2012  3:35 PM EDT

A professor at the University of British Columbia was giving a lecture on 'Involuntary Muscular Contractions' to his first year medical students. 

Realizing this was not the most riveting subject, the professor decided to lighten the mood slightly. 

He pointed to a young woman in the front row and said, "Do you know what your asshole is doing while you're having an orgasm?" 

She replied, "Probably moose hunting with his buddies."

It took 45 minutes to restore order in the classroom.

Thank you for the laugh Charlie, wherever you are!

I finished the invitations, looked online for the address of the Huber Heights post office, and rushed to drop them off. Phew, just made it. Good, that's done. Let me hurry back to my empty home and sit and stare at the walls. Ugh!

I put on one of the bikinis Janice had recommended. Yeah, I smiled a little. After grabbing some lotion and a towel, I slathered up, unhooked the back of the top, and lay on my tummy.

I woke up when I felt hands on my legs and kisses on my neck. I smiled. My honey is home! I relaxed. Yeah lover, you can do whatever you want for as long as you like.

"Ginger, where did you get the cute bikini?" I froze. Candy? Her voice was in my ear and the hands were ... I sat up and turned around. A smirking Georgia looked at me.

"How the hell did you two double freakin' bitches get into my house?"

"How do you think? With a key."

"No goddamn way. Only Ree ... where is she? Did you bri ... what's going on?"

"I told her she wasn't welcome at the crash pad anymore and told her to go home."

"Really? And she agreed? Just like that?"

Candy and Georgia looked at each other. "Absotively not. She put up one hell of a fight, as you can imagine."

"What kind of word is that?" I shook my head. "Where is she?"

"Absolutely and positively combined; the hell with the word." I glared. "I'm not impressed. I told her to stay in the bedroom until we came and got her. Sit down Ginger. We got some talkin' to do." I felt Georgia behind me. She put the back of my bikini together and whispered something in my ear. I giggled. Yeah, she may have copped a feel.

"Can one of you get the wine out of the fridge and bring it to me with a glass. I have a feeling I'm gonna need it."

While Georgia went to get what I'd asked for, Candy began. "You know she loves you right?" I made a face. "Yeah, it's a stupid question. You know she went to West Point." I nodded. "She was in ROTC in high school." Huh? "West Point is in New York. Which means it was far away from where she grew up. And it was something of a sanctuary."

I was missing something and didn't have all the pieces to the puzzle. "Sanctuary?"

"Come on Ginger, you're too smart to be this dense." I was on edge anyway and didn't like being talked to like this.

"I can't take her but I sure in hell can you. Now stop with the atti ..." I took a breath. "I'm sorry, Candy. Go ahead."

"She was abused from about nine until she left." The tears started at the word 'abused' and didn't stop. I heard bits and pieces. Stepfather ... politician ... big shot ... mother ... police. My face was in my hands as I sobbed. The woman I love. Geezuz. I'm crying as I type. She insisted I put this in the story. I really didn't want to. Anyway, back to Candy.

"Reenie found that the military wasn't quite the 'shelter' she'd hoped for." She looked at me carefully. "She didn't talk much about her time did she?" I shook my head.

"I didn't think much of it at the time but no, she really didn't." Candy nodded.

"Everything she did in high school was to build a résumé to get into West Point – and out of the house. Sports, ROTC, all of it." I nodded. "Sorry Ginger, I'm jumping around a lot. She was in the service when she put in an application to the Dayton Police Department and was accepted. She came here not knowing a soul."

"Where is she from?"

"Kodiak, Tennessee." Three heads turned to the voice. I was on my feet in a second, my arms around my honey, crying. I kissed her like I hadn't had water for weeks. I'd been in love once, but that was underbelly of the pig pale compared to the glorious rainbow of colors that was the splendor in my arms. "I love you Ginger. I'm sorry."

I slid my fingers into a beautiful head of red hair and whispered, "I never want to spend a night like I had last night."

"Me either gorgeous. These two bitches yelled at me until the sun came up." Snickers bubbled behind us. Eyes locked on mine, she said, "My last name isn't Henry."

Three voices screamed, "WHAT?"

She hissed over my shoulder, "Shut up!!" To me, she said, "It's my grandfather's first name. My last name is Ross. I changed it when I turned eighteen to make it harder to find me." She shrugged. "I really didn't think they would, given how things went. But I ..." she stopped, took a deep breath and said, "I didn't want to take any chances."

"Emily Rogers? Maureen Ross? Nuh uh, lover. We are who we are now - Ginger Butler and Reenie Henry." We kissed.

I looked in those gorgeous blue eyes and sang, softly (and badly), "I hate you some, I love you some ..." my eyes filled, "and I missed you the most." She smiled and nodded.

"I missed you too Ginger."

The air had been sorta, kinda let out of the proverbial balloon. I'd been so worried about Reenie that, now that she was home, what was there to worry about. Interesting – even as we stood arm in arm, it felt like something was about to happen. With these two around, I could never be too sure!! Friends? Yes. Temptation? Oh my gawd!!

Desperate to diffuse what I thought 'might' happen, I offered, "Anyone care to go out for dinner?" God, I'm an idiot!

"Why go out when we can dine in?" See what I mean?

"Candy, shut the fuck up. Ginger is being nice. You don't have to turn everything into something sexual."

Candy was looking at me the whole time Georgia was talking. I'd seen that look before and not that long ago.

"Maybe Ginger can make up her own mind what she wants for dinner." The innuendo was obvious; I blushed.

My blue eyes had been taking it all in. Her voice chilly, she said, "Candy, I love you. And I swear to god, if you keep pushing I'll turn you into dust." The warm never left her eyes and I knew she wasn't kidding!! Georgia did as well.

"Let's go you. We have to get to work and they have to get busy enjoying their weekend. Say goodbye!"

I thanked Candy and Georgia for what they'd done. I'd learned more as time went on. How they all had met, how it had played out, and, most importantly, how sweet the two of them were.  Kisses and hugs all around; we waved goodbye as their car headed down the street. After the door closed, Reenie laid her head on my shoulder.

Her voice plaintive, she asked, "Are you okay knowing what happened to me?" I had wondered how she'd ask.

I took her face in my hands, kissed her softly and said, "I think the question is: How do you feel about me knowing?"

It took her a little time. She looked and said, "As dumb and dumber told me, I was being an idiot thinking you would think less of me." I stared in disbelief. "I'm sorry Ginger, honestly I am. I was scared." She shrugged her shoulders. "Silly maybe, but it was real, at least to me." I nodded my head. Annoyed? Yes of course. Angry? No, not one bit.

"It's probably not something you were real eager to share." That led to me asking, "Speaking of which, Georgia sorta hinted that they knew, without telling me." I wanted to be sure to add that. "How did that come to be?"

"You mind if we sit on the couch while we talk?"

I smiled. "Not in bed?"

She pinched a nipple playfully. "Later, if you're lucky."

I rolled my eyes. "You know as well as I do this is best discussed on the couch." This silliness was said as we walked.

"Were you lonely here without me?" I saw her chin buckle.

"I didn't come back here babe." Her head turned, eyes showing surprise. "I spent the night at a hotel." A nod let me know she knew where I'd stayed. "I did the invitations after breakfast and, after coming home for the addresses, hurried to the post office. Got there just in time too." I smiled. "What's with dumb and dumber?" She laughed. "Seriously, you wanna talk about it?" I thought I should give Reenie a chance if she wanted to. I wasn't going to push if she didn't.

We sat, holding hands. I could feel her uneasiness, odd as it might sound, in her hand. The closest thing I can call up in my memory bank is an electric current which, you may have guessed, had been there since we met!!

"My mother told me my father died when I was very young. She remarried after a while." Her eyes slid to me. "I hated him!" Her voice was ice and anger. I wanted to hold her, comfort her, and I would ... when she was finished. "She was shopping. I was home alone ... with him." She shivered, remembering. "I hated him with a passion!!" My eyes teared.

"I was nine the first time." Candy said that. Voice flat, she continued, "It hurt. I learned quickly never to be alone with him." A short, sharp laugh. "That didn't work; he'd come into my bedroom at night." A deep sigh. "Puberty only made it worse. It gave him more ways to abuse me." I wanted to throw up; my jaw hurt from clenching my teeth so tightly.

Several minutes passed before she continued. "He made me do ... other things." I closed my eyes. "My idiot mother was no help; she refused to believe me. Nice huh?" She shook her head. "I only had two choices; leave or kill myself." I leaned in, took the woman I wanted to spend a life with in my arms, and held her as we cried. Cried for ... all of it!!

The sun was long gone when we woke after making love – emotionally, frantically and more. Hunger ruled. McDonald's won. Think Big Mac and special sauce!! Let your minds wander. Ours may have! Ginger & Reenie: not tellin!

Sunday was better. My minx insisted I say so! She's somewhat persuasive so I have. I'll be back ... shrug ... soon!

Have I mentioned that I'm writing this while we're on our ho ... Will you stop that!?!?

She didn't. I'm glad!

About work – I spent Monday in the conference room as the teams wrapped up their work on the project. There were a couple of times I had to stop and ask for clarification on some pieces they'd done. I'm not sure who was more surprised – me or the others in the room. I'll leave out the specifics and just say this: I pointed out (gently) that if I had questions, others might as well. Everyone froze; that was my point. I asked the group to put their heads together and see if there were different words (and pictures) that could tell the story just a bit more clearly. It happens. Tammy and I had it happen to us. What was clear to us wasn't to George when we presented him with our story boards. No big deal.

We went out to lunch on Tuesday as planned. Sadly, what should have been fun went south very quickly. Yup – Deanna. It was just casual conversation between workers, friends. There was no reason for it to get out of hand. Tammy asked me about my weekend. I skirted the personal stuff that no one needed to know.

"We had a pretty fun, casual Saturday. A little after getting back from the post office, Reenie's roommates, Candy and Georgia, showed up. They're always a hoot to be with. Candy bitched a little about the hot tub not being ready to use."

"So not only are the two of you lesbians, her roommates are as well?" Deanna shook her head in disgust.

I saw the anger in Kayla's face. No, no, no, don't Kayla, she's not worth it. But I think she'd finally had enough.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Ginger didn't say they were, and what difference does it make if they are? They're her friends. That they might be lesbians is not only no one's business, it's completely irrelevant." I'd never seen Kayla so angry; I think that's the reason this happened. "You never had any problem with Ginger before, Deanna. Now that she's come out to us, you can't even be civil around her? You gonna feel that way about me too?" A few gasped; everyone was shocked. "That's right, I'm gay, and I live with the love of my life. Her name is Brittney. You gonna treat me like you treat Ginger, you bitch!" I felt awful for Kayla, not what she'd said, but what had set her off that led to this. 

"You're one of them too? Oh my god."

"One of them? What kind of person are you, Deanna?" I was shocked at the vehemence in Chris's voice. "It's not only disgusting, it makes you look like a jackass."

This had to stop. "Everybody calm down please." I looked at Deanna. "This can't continue Deanna. There's only one person who's being offensive and it's you. Stop it; you have the right to your beliefs but you do not have the right to speak to people the way you do. Forget that I'm your boss; I'm speaking to you as a woman and a friend."

"You're not my friend. You're a lesbian, living in sin, and you're going to hell." She stood up, threw her napkin on the table, and said, "I've had enough abuse from you idiots." She looked around the table. "Bad enough that there's one; now I find out that there is another." Her face was red with fury. Without another word, she turned and left.

Jodi cried softly; Tammy's arm was around her shoulder. There was an uneasy, embarrassed silence. Okay Ginger, time to be the boss. "I'm sorry about all this. It's unfair that all of you had to witness what happened. As I understand it, she's made many, if not all of you uncomfortable." I looked at Kayla, who seemed very calm. "George is aware of all that's been going on. I intend to speak to him when we get back."

Roy Massey, the most senior of the group, spoke up. "Ginger, this doesn't reflect badly on you." All around the table, heads nodded. "Gays are everywhere. You showed a lot of character when you introduced Reenie. It hadn't been all that long since you'd been promoted. Not everybody was comfortable, but that's on us, not on you."

Nick Moore chimed in with, "Damn right. We knew you as Emily; Ginger wasn't quite as much a shock as meeting Reenie and finding out who she is to you." I had to laugh. A few others did as well.

"Thanks Nick. I appreciate that!"

Natalie asked the obvious. "What's next Ginger?"

With a glance at Jodi, I said, "As I mentioned, I'll huddle with George. I'm guessing he'll want me to talk to Human Resources to make sure we follow whatever guidelines need to be followed." A wry smile. "Is that vague enough?"

Another surprise was waiting for us when we got back. Jodi picked up a piece of paper on her desk, glanced at it and handed it to me. Good lord, Deanna quit. I looked at Jodi and shrugged. I didn't want her to see the relief I felt. I went into my office and called George, who asked me to come up immediately.

I stopped in front of Jodi's desk to ask, "Are you okay?" She smiled.

"I was unhappy for you and angry at Deanna. I felt kind of silly crying." I gave her a kiss. 

"I'll be back soon. I think I'd like to talk with everyone in the conference room, okay?" She nodded. Off I went.

I showed the letter to George. His eyes showed surprise, the only visible reaction. I gave him chapter and verse about lunch. He listened, nodding occasionally. When I finished, he asked a simple question. "Are you okay?"

"I think so, yes. I'm relieved and upset. Upset is silly; upset that Kayla gave in or whatever and said what she did." I raised a hand as George was about to speak. "I know, not my problem." He nodded. "She told me privately. I just don't like that she was provoked into something she may not have wanted made public. I'll be quiet now."

"You're funny, Ginger, but I understand how you feel ... or I think I do. What's next?"

"I'll have Jodi call Reed and get an update on what he's doing to see if he's available." He nodded.

"Sounds good to me. Please keep me informed. By the way, Janet told me to ask if you want her to bring anything to the housewarming party." He smiled. "I'm just being the good husband."

I shook my head. "I'm looking forward to seeing Janet again, George. I'm cheating and am having the party catered. My insurance agent gave a glowing recommendation to a local company. I'd better get back. I need to tell everyone the news." On the elevator I thought – the good news.

There was a surprise I thought I'd write about. After I'd told everyone that Deanna had quit, and after the room had quieted a little bit, Bryan Tillman surprised me by asking, "What about the extra ticket?" Everybody laughed – Bryan was a huge Reds fan. I'm sure he had a reason for asking; maybe there was someone he wanted to bring.

Roy stunned me when he offered, "I think Ginger should bring Reenie." If there's a shade of red called volcano, I'm positive that was my face!! To call me surprised would be a drastic understatement. Tammy enthusiastically voiced her approval. After two or three others had as well I stood and said, "You're all guaranteed really good reviews." Peals of laughter echoed off the walls. "Seriously, thanks very much. My cop ..." I shrugged, "I'll ask if she can go." Looking at Bryan, I smiled and said, "At least one of you may be disappointed if she can." He laughed.




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 12



I forgot about something. With the weekend and the hubbub Tuesday, I hadn't mentioned that I had called and spoken to Tara and asked her to do her magic to furnish the second bedroom. The party was the driver; Jenny and David were my why. No, I hadn't asked if they were staying with us, but it felt like the right thing to do. And I knew that I was going to buy the house, and that we were going to live there. Yeah, I smiled typing that!!

Tuesday wasn't our date night – Kathy. She bubbled about being invited. Reenie watched, eyes dancing with amusement at Kathy's enthusiasm. I worked like a dog, which was exactly what I needed after that day! After Reenie helped me shower (eyeroll!) we went out to dinner. Yeah, we'd had a few minutes to talk before Kathy but not nearly enough. She promised to see what could be arranged. She cared about baseball about as much as I do, though she did admit to being a little interested to see a professional game in person.

"Did the hot tub people call and confirm for tomorrow?"

"Yup, they'll be there between one and five. It sucks that I have to spend the afternoon at the house waiting." Uh oh, there's that smirk. She's up to something. "Maybe I'll have Candy come keep me company." Bitch!

"Maybe I'll meet Georgia for lunch." I furrowed my brow as if I was thinking about something. "Maybe she'll want to be lunch." Damn her, the bruises on my thigh are gonna be there for a week. 

The baseball game Thursday (the fourteenth) was great. There were fireworks when home runs were hit; three if I remember correctly. The fact that date night was the night before might have made it better. No, I didn't go to work Thursday. Why bother as late as we woke up. Everybody seemed excited that Reenie was with us. I think she earned lots of brownie points when she bought everyone a beer. It was a little awkward that my honey was the focus of attention, but it was so much more relaxed than it would have been if you know who had been there.

Reed Jackson was ecstatic that I'd called the day before the baseball outing. So much so that I had to gently correct him when he called me Ms. Butler. (Gritting teeth!) "Reed, I appreciate the gesture. We're a small group; we work closely together and are on a first name basis." I smiled.

"Sorry Ginger." We both smiled. "When ... Jodi called, I could hardly believe it. It's been a little unfair; I'm not sure I've done my best work the last few days waiting for this interview." Wasn't it cute that he fumbled a bit with Jodi's name?

"We finished our last project earlier this month, so there's no rush. Jodi will take you to HR to do the paperwork." I stood, smiled, and said, "You made a great impression on your first interview. I think everyone will be very happy to have you join us." We shook hands; dude nearly broke mine in his enthusiasm. 

Tara came through with flying colors ... but we knew (and you did too!) that she would. Reenie graciously agreed to stay home Friday morning (the fifteenth) for the delivery. She called, excited.

"It's fabulous! I mean, it's not all that much, but it fits the decor (really!) perfectly. And the bed has a headboard." I spit coffee all over my desk, damn her.

When Jenny and I talked, I had told her that we had the second bedroom furnished so they could stay with us. "I found a Hampton Inn that's close to your house and the airport Ginger. Why not? We can have breakfast Sunday before we leave. David made sure our flight home would let us do just that." Shrug. It was hard to argue.

I made a reservation for dinner Friday night at Fleming's. I wore the blue dress that I bought at Talbot's. Reenie wore the gorgeous green dress she bought at Nordstrom. I really felt shitty – Jenny and David were dressed way more casually than we were. My sister's eyes shot daggers when she asked me to wait while she changed.

"I'm sorry David. I should have told you we were going to dress up a little. Jenny was really pissed."

He laughed. "Ginger, the two of you look fabulous. Jen will get over it." He looked at Reenie. "And how are you feeling? I'm not sure I asked when the two of you came to Meg's graduation?"

Reenie's glance at me was blank. I shrugged my shoulder. Ah! Eyeroll. "I'm fine. Shoulder's all better, no ... nothing. How's Meg's summer coming?" Oh geez Reenie! "Is she all amped up about college and her lacrosse?" Please don't!

Oh my god!! Jenny came out of the hotel and I ... okay, she's my sister. And I drooled. Yeah I'm gay, and she looked gorgeous!! A white, seersucker, layered skirt, a blue and white pinstripe shirt with cap sleeves, tied off above the waist, and red flats. Totally cute, absolutely Jenny! Reenie, who's not a clothes hound, turned and said, "Wow!" Uh huh!

"Jen, that's just too cute."

Voice chilly, she said, "Thanks." Bitch! No, I didn't look in the rear view mirror.

Dinner was great. Among other things discussed was me. Maximus eyerollius. As in ...

"Ginger, I was so caught up in all the graduation stuff with Meg I never did mention how fabulous you look. What have you done differently?" I saw the slight turn of Reenie's head and just knew what was coming.

"She started and is still doin' me!" I think I blushed till Sunday. David choked on his martini. Jenny just stared. Reenie's smile was angelic. Naturally. "You two want to go dancing after dinner?" Oh my god! I grabbed her thigh. She flicked my hand away like it was a flea.

Jen and David looked at each other; David shrugged. "Okay, that sounds like fun." May lightning strike me dead! 

At the L Room, Candy headed for the two of us and slowed when she saw Jen and David. Her eyes moved from Reenie to me. Each of us kissed her; Reenie whispered in her ear. Quick on the uptake, she said, "I'm Candy, nice to meet you." I saw David's eyes flick to mine. Sorry dude can't help ya!

'I'm Candy.' Geezuz! Nobody would have batted an eye if she'd said, 'I'm Mary Jane.'

I'm pretty sure David caught on to where we were before Jen did. Yeah, that's not totally fair. Being the only dude in the place was pretty much a tip – especially since they knew Reenie and I are a couple.

Yeah, I caught a few smirks, giggles and more from the regulars. I think a few guessed that Jenny was my sister and David her hubby. I admit that I relaxed when I felt and saw that the room was okay with our 'guests.'

And I'm still gonna kick Reenie's ass ... I think! hope!? wish? Anyone?

Yes we danced. Yes my redhead upped the ante. You would expect anything less? She shouldered David out of the way and slinked in front of Jenny while I moved behind my sister. Thankfully, I can't tell you what my sister was thinking as she looked at my heart. I just know what I saw in Reenie's eyes. And I'm not tellin'!!

I followed her lead and moved closer. We both ground ourselves against my sister as the music pounded down on what was now a very crowded dance floor. A quick glance at David ... shock was the word. I think, as I write today, that he really didn't believe Emily ... now Ginger, really is who I am. Then there's the ... what do you call it – realization? that his wife was very comfortable dancing as intimately with Reenie as Jen was. Uh huh, there may have been whatever about me, but certainly none about my beauty.

Candy's kisses on our way out were, looking back on it, intentional. Mouth to mouth for Reenie and I and cheek to cheek for Jen and David. "Georgia and I are excited about the party tomorrow night. Thank you so much for coming by tonight. It was great meeting you both." Her eyes lasered on an obviously embarrassed Jen. "Ginger has told us so much about you. You're every bit as lovely as she said you were." Looking at David, she added, "Lucky dude, dude!"

Color me faint! It was a quiet ride to their hotel. Goodnights were what you'd expect – warm and wonderful.

I've been writing for several hours and my 'you-know-who' beckons. Who am I to resist!?!

On the way home I said, "You're so evil." She laughed. "It was fun though. Did you see the look on David's face when we were dancing with my sister?"

"Uh huh. I think someone's gettin' lucky tonight." She turned and looked at me as her hand snaked up my thigh. "Not as lucky as you're gonna get." Thankfully the hotel wasn't far from home. "Be sure to ask her tomorrow, when you're at breakfast, if she's sore." All I could do was sigh.

We didn't even make it inside the house, let alone the bed. Reenie pushed me against the hood of the car, lifted my skirt, and took me with her fingers. "Keep your eyes on me." I did. Well, for a while anyway. I managed to take my dress off, which was fun. She took advantage and, after pushing my bra up, devoured my breasts. Yeah, I meant to say devoured.

Let me veer off course for a moment. Not all that long ago, as we soaked in the tub, Reenie asked me, "I've gotten a little rough with you a few times, Ginger. You've never complained or asked me to stop. Are you okay with it?"

I smiled. "Yeah, I am. You're real strong babe, and I like it when you use that strength to take me. I kinda like a little pain, which I admit is a shock. The first time you roughed me up some was a surprise. But not really." I shook my head. "I'm not saying this very well. I was caught off guard. But I knew there was something eating at you since you got shot. I know you were mad at yourself," she nodded, "and you were probably mad at ... the world?" She laughed. "Anyway, I want you to feel free with me, just like I do with you. It's not a regular part of our loving, nor would I want it to be. I like you taking control, being physical with me. The street has to do something to you, take a toll." She nodded again. "And if our lovemaking can be a way for you to ... for lack of a better term ... 'vent' a little, well, I'm totally okay with it."

My redhead vented Friday night. She spun me around so I faced the car. "Put your foot on the tire." I did. She pushed me down and said, "Did you see how your sister looked at me?"

"No babe, I was behind her." She laughed.

"I know. I pushed David out of the way because I saw in her eyes that she wanted me." I wasn't sure if that's what I'd seen at dinner, but it wasn't a complete surprise. "I don't know when, but she's going to find herself a lover, Ginger." She pushed a vibe into me after turning it on. She pulled my hair, bringing my head up. Nipping on my neck, she hissed, "So you like this huh?" I nodded, my eyes closed. What she was doing was pleasurable. Even chewing on my earlobe was sexy ... probably had more to do with who was doing it.

"When do I get a turn with you?" She was kissing my neck, leaving behind a trail of wet.

Her warm breath came before her tongue, in a whisper. "When I'm done with you." Gawd! I shivered deliciously.

I woke up Saturday to find that my lover still wasn't quite done with me. As she wreaked her loving on me yet again I thought – well, Jenny isn't the only one who'll be sore at breakfast. Eyes bright with love, she kissed me as I panted, spent, again. She bounced around the bedroom after her shower, humming to herself as she dressed. We kissed goodbye.

"I'm done with you." She tweaked a nipple and left, a hearty laugh echoing from the hallway. My last thought as I drifted into sleep was – isn't she the besterest!!

The phone woke me. I mumbled a sleepy, "Hello."

An equally sleepy voice asked, "Where are you? I thought we were going out for breakfast." I laughed.

"It seems your morning was like mine." Jenny snorted.

"When are you coming?" I laughed. "I'm hungry." Laugh times two. "I hate you!" Color me hysterical!! She hung up.

After we'd placed our orders I said to David, "What a shame that you don't have a car. Guess that means you'll have to stay at the hotel all day." He laughed; my sister threw her napkin at me. Better a napkin than a knife!!

David dryly remarked, "Reenie is quite the dancer." Jen blushed. 

As innocently as possible, I replied, "Yup, she sure is. Did you enjoy being at the club?"

"Will you just stop it?" Weak Jenny, that's really weak.

"Well, it was interesting being the only guy in a lesbian club. But it seemed like a fun crowd. They sure play the music loud." Yup, it's just a few decibels less than a jet engine. "Who all is coming to your party tonight?"

"A bunch of people from work, a couple of neighbors, the realtor, our interior decorator, Reenie has a couple people from the police force, um ... oh, her roommates of course." Who else did I invite? "I might be forgetting ... oh, the Emergency Room nurse who took care of her last time - and her doctor." Dammit, I'd forgotten to invite Dr. Baran. Oh well.

"What about Reenie's family?" I sighed.

"Jenny, Reenie's family is something she doesn't talk much about. Do me a favor, okay, and do not bring it up." 

She started to say something. David cut her off, "Honey, it's pretty clear from the way Ginger talked that it's best not to even ask. Just drop it, okay?" That got him a bit of a glare but, when her eyes came back to me, I nodded. She shrugged.

I'd been dying to ask since she called, so I did. "Little sister, you sounded like you hadn't been awake too long when you called." I smiled sweetly. "Are we sore much?" Jenny may have been bright red, but she was smiling ear to ear. Dude that he is, David preened like the king of the hill, all proud of himself. Ah well, she wasn't the only Butler sister who was well and truly fucked last night ... and this morning. Wink!!

"Don't you have to cook or something?"

"I've already been 'or something'd' and the party is being catered." David's sense of humor trumped my sister's eyeroll.

"We brought swimsuits. You said you had a hot tub right?" Ah, very good David!

"Absolutely, and it is June. Please feel free. Reenie and I have enjoyed being in the hot tub." Subtle huh?

The people from the caterer called and said they'd deliver and set up about 4:00 pm. That sounded perfect.

The area was in the midst of an extended hot weather streak. It wound up being one of the hottest summers the country, let alone our region, had endured in some time. Mid-June was more of the same. We were lucky at the game Thursday. Our seats were in the cover of the upper deck for some of the afternoon. Today? We had the benefit of starting sorta late. I'd set up as much as I dared on the patio. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea but we'd see how it worked out.

The above, written in the here and now, was in my head as I straightened up the newly furnished second bedroom. My redhead and I woke up this morning in said bedroom. She had 'suggested' we needed to test drive the bed. Grin!

I had to go pick up all the party stuff at the liquor store. The weather being what it was, I bought a couple extra bags of ice and a cooler. You never think about this stuff when you're buying (or renting) a house. Well, all that stuff had been at the house - Emily's house. My snot, while looking over my shoulder, suggested that I make them part of the party story. No thank you dearest! Those two will never darken our doorway.

Reenie got home just as the caterers did. "What did you order?"

"Nice weather, light breezes, and sun." Jayne, the lady from Christy's, snickered. She was setting up the dishes on the kitchen table. The chairs had been put on the patio. "Hopefully our lovely catering lady has brought everything we ordered." She blushed. Reenie rolled her eyes. "Why don't you go shower and change into whatever you're wearing." It's not easy talking when the two of us were melded to each other, including mouth to mouth.

She breathed, "Aren't you going to join me?" The heat in her eyes amazed me. I have no idea why!

"No, I better stay and ..." She bit my lip. "Jane, do you need any help here?"

A bright, wide smile on her face, she shook her blonde curls and said, "No thanks."

In the shower, after we'd washed each others hair, I said, "You never cease to amaze me. You'd think after last night and this morning that appetite of yours would be sated." 

Reenie stopped what she was doing (not telling!) and said, "You're complaining?"

I took a breast in my hand and offered it to her. "No, of course I'm not." She immediately latched on to my nipple, while also resuming what she'd been doing. "Do you like Abra?"

"Mm hmm."

I held my other breast and said, "Would you care to say hello to Cadabra?" She did. One very silly night we decided that would be their names. Why? Because she likes them so much so that my clothes would magically disappear.

It's crazy good being in love with this woman!!

Let me get to the party. First, the food – I want to get this out of the way. It was superb! Actually, it was better than that. I made sure to thank Lucy for the recommendation. Anyway, a veggie tray with dip was the appetizer. Roast beef and baked ham, long grain rice and sonoma blend veggies were main course options. I'd never heard of sonoma blend but it was awfully good – broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, and both yellow and regular carrots, bias sliced. There, that's done.

Drinks were a 'get your own' deal. Everything was set up on the counter in the kitchen. Ice was in the freezer and cooler – the cooler ice also kept the beer cold. Oh, while I had asked people not to, some brought desserts. Details? Nope.

I was a little surprised that Tara was among the first to arrive and even more surprised when she introduced the dazzling young woman she was with. "Ginger, I'd like you to meet my wife Marie."  Great puddles of girl goo Batgirl! Sexy, slender, and stunning, she was blessed with natural blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Reenie ... help!!

Always smooth, I said, "Pleased to meet you Marie." My honey appeared at my side. "Tara, you've met Reenie." An amused Tara nodded. "Marie, this is my heart, Reenie." Cool blue eyes took in my beauty.

"Tara's told me a good deal about you both. Your home looks fabulous. My wife was thrilled to have the opportunity to furnish it from the ground up. I hope you both enjoy it." Her smile was brilliant.

Tara added, "Ginger, I'm sure you won't mind. We're here early as we have another affair to attend a bit later."

"That's why we decided to make it four hours. It's June – people have all kinds of things on their calendars." I turned to Reenie. "Would you like to show Marie what Tara's done for us?" She gave me a sly smile and a nod.

As they wandered off, I said to Tara, "The second bedroom looks great. Reenie just loves the furnishings." I blushed.

Always gracious, she replied, "I'm glad you both enjoy it, darling. I thought it fit well – comfy and functional." The doorbell rang again and I excused myself. 

The guests kept coming and coming. I'll mention some but not all – which doesn't mean Reenie and I didn't appreciate every last person who did come. George and Janet – he's my boss; she's absolutely delightful! Cute as the day is long, with a bubbly personality to match, Janet is such a doll.

With unabashed glee, she kissed me and said, "I love your house Ginger." She looked at Reenie. "George has kept me up to date on the 'new you.' I'm glad he listened to my recommendation to promote you." George: embarrassed. After giving my redhead a kiss on the cheek she said, "You've got to be Reenie. Wow! You really are lovely."

"Hi Janet, thanks. I got to meet George when I surprised Ginger that day at her work." Reenie looked at me. "She's pretty cool huh?" Isn't she cute?

I blushed and said, "I'm glad to know who the boss is in your house." They both laughed. "Go wander ... there's plenty to eat and drink."

And so it continued.

Tammy and Jeffrey – I'm laughing. He's actually quite studly in a late thirties sort of way. Well there's George, who's a slightly older version. Anyway, he was totally cute. He even kissed me - which was the definition of awkward!




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 12



"Hey, hi Tammy, this must be your ball and chain." Tammy laughed, Jeffrey blushed. I wanted to smack Reenie – who held my hand way too tight. "He's pretty cute for a guy. You two do the nasty last night?" Oh my god!

Jeffrey laughed. "Reenie, I'm sure you know that Ginger's date night really helped our marriage." A beaming Tammy nodded vigorously. "I know you were teasing – but everyone in a relationship, married or not, should have a date night." When he looked at his wife it was all about love. "We both want to thank you." Whatever dude.

Lucy? Oh my gosh! I already told ya how people raved about the food. She was too cute. "So does this mean I'll get you in my office to talk business?" She said it with a smile. I nodded.

"Yeah, there are some things I need to talk to you about now that this one is in my life." Damn her – my ribs! "Is there some sort of insurance for your girlfriend poking you in the ribs?" Lucy laughed. I stuck out my tongue at my honey.

Reenie surprised me when she said, "Maybe I'll come too. I've got car insurance and stuff. We'll see." Who knew?

I'm not going to do something on everybody. You'd be bored. But she's my sister, so I have to give you something about them. I'm snickering. Jenny looked like she needed a nap; David looked well satisfied. Clear enough?

I gave them both a quick tour of the house and then asked if they wanted to see the hot tub. Jenny demurred.

"Let me get the two of us a drink. Honey, do you want a beer?" He did. 

Once we were away from prying ears, David let me know what was on his mind. "I have no doubt you and Reenie talked about Jenny." You bet! He looked a little embarrassed when he said, "She was very aggressive with me last night. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it, but I couldn't help but wonder who she was really making love to." Geez Jenny, what have you done!! Or was Reenie at fault here? I wasn't sure. And, I had no idea what to say to David.

"Has she given any indication that she's thinking about acting on the fantasy? She hasn't with me; not for some time."

"Nope, there hasn't been a word since early on with Janice." Yeah, Janice – who was interested in me! Damn! "I'd like you to talk to your sister, Ginger. It feels like she'd open up more to you about it than me." He doesn't know she already had a taste of that fruit. I sighed. David looked at me with pleading eyes. "You probably think I'm a coward and, to be honest, I am a little scared." He looked away for a moment. His shoulders sagged a little. "We have a good marriage, or at least I think we do. I don't want to lose her, but if she feels she needs to explore this, I'd like ..." He shook his head, unable to continue. I don't need this, not one little bit.

"All right, I'll talk to Jen." Although I wasn't sure it was the truth, I had to say it. "David, I can't imagine the two of you getting divorced. I'm sure it's not always easy but, at least from the outside, you and my sister have a solid relationship."

"She really looks up to you, Ginger." He smiled a little. "And she'd kill me if she knew I said that to you." I laughed.

I was so happy to see Kayla! After we hugged, she introduced her honey. "Ginger, this is my Brittney. Brittney, this is Ginger Butler, my boss." She looked around. "Where's Reenie?"

From just off my left shoulder I heard, "Here." The goof pinched my butt. "How ya doing Kayla?" She looked at me with that smirk. "Another redhead huh? She's a hottie too!" Yup, she is!! Poor Brittney turned about ten shades of red.

I gave Brittney a kiss, saying, "My redhead is a cut up sweetie. She is right though; you are really pretty." I looked at Kayla. "And you ... how come you never told me that your honey was a redhead?" 

"We talk about it all the time at home. When she came home the day Reenie showed up, we laughed all through dinner." Eek! Brittney has one of those tiny, impossibly high voices. She looked adorable in a navy spaghetti strap sundress, with a hint of a tan on otherwise very pale, lightly freckled skin. Brown eyes glimmered with love, under short-ish red hair that was, for the most part, combed off a pretty, round face.

I was getting something to eat from the veggie tray when Tammy asked, "Is Crystal coming?" OOPS!

I blushed and said, "Damn, I forgot to invite her." Tammy's face fell. "Sorry babe, but I forgot to invite my doctor as well. I thought I had everyone's name in my little notebook. I have no clue. Are you and Jeffrey having fun?"

"Yup, it's fun to see the people we work with outside of work. We've talked to several others as well. Your neighbor Carol is cute. Have you met a lot of them ... your neighbors?"

"No, actually not, just Dan and Carol and Bill and Lauren. They're on either side of us. I'm pretty sure Bill and Lauren won't be coming." I told her why then asked, "What did you think of Brittney?"

"She seems nice." That is such a girlie answer, Tammy. She laughed at my glare. "Nice try boss." I cracked up. 

"I guess with Kayla being as strong as she is, I expected her honey to be a little more like her.

Tammy shook her head as she smiled. "Ginger, not everyone can be like you and Reenie." I stared, confused. "Stop it! The two of you are really strong personalities. Well, I guess I'm saying that based on Reenie being a cop." Oh my god, Tammy said that not knowing that Reenie was behind her. She had her in cuffs before Tammy knew what hit her. The look of panic – I thought Tammy might have wet her panties.

"Is that what you meant Tammy?" my cop breathed in her ear. Wide-eyed, looking at me, Tammy nodded vigorously. I could not believe the brat did that, especially to someone like Tammy. I looked around for her husband, who was nowhere to be found – thankfully!!

"You two have fun. I'll wander among our guests." Tammy didn't talk to me for two weeks after I did that!!

Having visited with a few of the party goers, I found my sister and took her outside. I got right to it.

"I couldn't see because I was behind you, but Reenie told me what she saw in your eyes. Are you on the prowl, have you been on the prowl, what's going on with you?" Her initial reaction was surprise, but what came next was a shock.

"Back the hell off, Emily!!" Emily? "I'm not a kid anymore and I do not have to answer to you."

Whoa!! Had I been too blunt with my questions? Was she hiding something? Of course my sister doesn't have to answer to me! That was the least of my concerns. Hmm, that's a good question. What are my concerns and why? It's really odd, because I'm writing this bit of detail months after it happened. I remember the conversation in my head as if I it was happening now.

"Okay, Jen, maybe I came on a little too strong. I hope you know that I'm not judging you." She frowned. "Anything you want to tell me." I saw that her eyes had moved from mine and were looking over my shoulder.

"Oh my god, who is that?"

I turned to see Reenie, with Kathy in tow. "Look who I found!" Kathy was in a black and white polka dot blouse, a white skirt, and white pumps. The two of them looked like they'd been friends for years. I saw Kathy's eyes flick from me to my sister and back. "Kathy, this is Ginger's sister Jenny." I had already given Kathy a kiss.

"Hi Jenny; yup, I can see the resemblance. It's very nice to meet you." The two of them were shaking hands. My eyes met Reenie's; they registered amusement and curiosity. "How are you, Ginger?"

"Everything's good Kathy. We got a break with nice weather for the party. As the sun goes down, I'm hoping our guests will come outside. The house really isn't big enough for this many people." I turned to my sister, whose eyes were glued to Kathy. "Kathy is my personal trainer, Jenny. It's her workouts that have gotten me in shape." Reenie snickered. "I'm ignoring you!" The other two laughed. Reenie came and stood next to me, her fingers digging into my ribs. Damn her!

"I'm present at some of those workouts." No way was I getting out of this without giving her a kiss. Tough duty huh?

Eventually we got something to eat and joined Candy and Georgia at a table on the patio. The sun was quite a bit lower in the June sky and, for Dayton, the air was pretty dry. There was a lot to talk about.

"Who was the gorgeous blonde with the gorgeous blonde?" Reenie and I laughed.

"Tara is our decorator and Marie is her wife." Reenie looked at me as she spoke.

I said, "Neither of us knew she was a gay, let alone married." Reenie nodded.

Georgia asked, "Where did you get this food! It's delicious."

Candy looked hurt. "You don't like my cooking?" Reenie smothered her laughter ... badly!! "Shut up bitch. I wouldn't let you boil water!" 

Reenie asked, "You both met Ginger's trainer?" I laughed, thinking about Kathy's last name.

Candy jumped in. "Yeah, I spotted Jenny and what's her name laughing and carrying on in a corner." She looked at me. 

"I'm not my sister's keeper." It was lame but it was all I could come up with.

Never one to pass up a chance, my beauty said, "That's the very definition of lame." Bitch!

Georgia surprised me when she said, "No, Ginger's right. Her sister is an adult. It's hardly her job to be her ... whatever."

I knew what she meant but Reenie jumped in with, "Judge and jury?"

"Exactly," I said. "I'm not sure if anything's wrong, but David's worried." I saw Reenie's questioning look. "He saw what you did babe. He asked me if I knew anything, which I don't." I gave an exaggerated shoulder shrug.

I was a little disappointed that Jodi and her hubby didn't come until 'after' dinner. Kerry explained, in between bites, "We did too much today Ginger. Jodi wanted to get some shopping done, and we went grocery shopping as well. We were out for quite a while and she was completely worn out." Jodi, happily munching on roast beef, nodded. "Once she lay down for a nap, I didn't want to wake her up. I hope it's not an inconvenience that we're here so late." He's so cute!

"Of course not Kerry; it's an open house, so people can come and go as they please. Our decorator and her wife were here very early and left rather early. They had another party to go to." I looked at Jodi. "Has the tired thing gotten worse as the months have gone on?"

After taking a sip of her water, she said, "Early on I didn't know what to expect. It's kind of a hit and miss thing. My Mom told me some stuff, but she also said every pregnancy can be different. Today did catch me by surprise though."

I had a thought and excused myself. I found Tammy and said, "Can you come with me for a moment? I'd like to talk to Jodi about a baby shower." She brightened immediately. When we were back at the table I said, "Tammy and I would like to have a baby shower for you. It would be women from work and spouses of the guys." I looked at Jodi and said, "It's the middle of June so there's no rush. But give some thought to when you might like us to have it, okay?"

She looked at her husband. "We've talked about me going on leave around the middle of August. That would be wonderful. Thank you so much."

Sunset was around 8:30. Everyone was gone except my sister, David, Candy and Georgia. The six of us lounged on the patio, relaxing and chatting. It was fun. 

Candy asked, "Who's Rita Cutler?" 

We both answered, "Our realtor." All of us laughed.

Reenie said, "When that jerk Lily had her meltdown, Ginger pretty much forced a change in who was gettin' us this place." She looked at me and asked, "Did I ever meet Rita?" Good lord, I had to think about that.

"Isn't that odd? I'm not sure you did. She called on a Friday and introduced herself, called me on Saturday when the check cleared, and took me to the house. I got the keys that day." I looked at Candy. Why do you ask babe?"

"She was real nice, pretty easy going and personable." Candy looked at my sister. "Did either of you get to meet her?"

Jenny looked at David, who shook his head. "I saw you and several others chatting off and on, but she didn't introduce herself to me and it seems she didn't to David." She looked at Reenie. "Who's Kerri?" Reenie looked at me.

I said, "Which one?" Jenny looked puzzled. "There's Kerri the nurse and Jodi's husband Kerry." Jenny laughed.

"How funny is that? Two people named Kerri, two spellings, two sexes." My sister looked at me. "I swear – only you."

My redhead jumped in with, "Yeah, and how about Kayla's wife Brittney. Talk about a bunch of redheads."

I looked at Reenie. "I don't think you were there when Jodi's Kerry told me this. It seems some nights they reverse spoon – his back against her tummy." I smiled. "I guess he likes to feel the baby kicking." Even David smiled.

"I did that." He shrugged. "It's probably about as close as a man can come to feeling what it's like to have the baby moving inside the mother." We all 'Aww'd.' I don't think that's a word or how you spell it if it is. Do I care? No!

I said, "Getting back to your Kerri – did you talk to her?" Reenie nodded. 

"She had a pretty good lookin' guy with her. She introduced him as Russ without any other explanation. They did seem pretty comfy together." I saw Reenie's quick glance at David and wondered what that was about.

Jenny was either being dense or persistent. "I get that the female Kerri is a nurse. But who is she and why was she here?"

Reenie, who by now was on my lap, (grin!) explained, "She's the emergency room nurse who took care of me when I got shot. She was pretty cool; Ginger told her the day I got released that she'd get an invitation." She looked at me asked, "You didn't get a chance to talk to her, huh?" I shook my head, a little chagrined.

"No, and I wish I had." I looked at Candy. "We told you about her right?" She looked at Georgia, who had followed our lead and had Candy on her lap.

"You may have. There was a lot goin' on those first few days. I'm not sure her name came up. She's cute though."

"Brittney - did any of you get to meet her or Kayla?" I smiled and kissed my honey.

"Whatever the reason, Reenie was amused that Kayla didn't tell me that her wife was a redhead. I guess it was something they'd laughed about – probably the coincidence of it all."

Brightening as she remembered, Jenny said, "Oh I remember her. I liked her sundress. That voice – ugh!" 

"I'm sure you and David are in a hurry to get to the hotel." When Reenie said that, I shook my head. Georgia and Candy laughed like crazy. A clearly embarrassed Jenny smacked David as he tried to stifle a smirk – very much in vain.

I needed to change the subject. "I was mortified when Tammy asked me if I'd invited her sister. For whatever reason, I'd forgotten to invite Crystal, the travel agent who'd done so much to make my trip as much fun as it was." I shook my head. "At least I could tell my friend that I'd forgotten to invite my doctor." Reenie turned and stared.

"You forgot to invite doctor gorgeous?" Bitch!

David, who'd been quiet as the hens were chatting, chimed in with, "Paging doctor gorgeous." We all cracked up!!

And so it went. It was a little after ten when Jenny said, "I guess we better get going. We'll see you in the morning for breakfast." Reenie snickered; Jenny glared. Reenie was not impressed. I laughed; I don't know what the hell my sister was thinking. Reenie is not going to lose a stare down.

All of that made what happened next all the funnier. "Georgia and Reenie will take you back to the hotel while Candy and I clean up here." Yes, I did that on purpose, but without thinking. My sister made a face, but I'd said what I wanted (I think) and wasn't going to change now.

After giving David a kiss, I asked him, "Did you enjoy yourself? I'm sure it was a little odd not knowing anybody."

Always gracious, he smiled and said, "Absolutely Ginger. I got to meet a bunch of people, most of whom I'm not likely to see again." His eyes twinkled at that last. I blushed, knowing what he meant. "The house is great. Your decorator did a wonderful job." His eyes held questions that I couldn't answer. "Isn't it funny? After five long years, we've seen you three times and Reenie twice in the last few months." I was near tears.

"Take care of my sister, Dave. I know she loves you. Let me know if there's anything I can do, whatever it is. Please!"

He nodded, then surprised me with a gentle kiss on the lips. He followed that up with his traditional bear hug.

Next was my sister, who seemed amused. "A kiss on the lips huh?"

"It was a surprise for me too, Jen. Did you enjoy yourself?" Let's see if she takes the bait.

"Yeah, I did. Your caterer was above and beyond. I love your house. Not as much as mine of course, but I can see why you bought it." She corrected herself. "Are you going to buy it?"

"I can't think of any reason we wouldn't. Reenie likes it as much as I do. We're going to get a dog soon." I smiled. "Anyway, you better get going. We'll see you for breakfast tomorrow right?"

She leaned in and whispered, "Shut the fuck up, Emily." Then laughed. "Our flight is at four. Why don't we make it brunch ... to be safe? Call us when the two of you are ready." She stopped herself just before she said, 'to eat.' I think.

Just before they left, Jenny turned her head and found me. I lifted an eyebrow. She winked, which told me nothing.

Candy was already busy gathering plates and stuff. I got the garbage can, put in a fresh bag, and put it in the middle of the living room. Cleaning was easy; we didn't need to talk much. I wanted to stab myself with a fork. How silly of me to have her here with me. Again! I didn't want to say anything and I didn't want anything to happen.

I was thinking about what Jenny said, what she hadn't said, and what that wink might have meant, and I didn't feel Candy next to me until she said, "Ginger?" I jumped about a foot, my heart pounding in my chest. Alarmed, she stepped back and said, "Are you okay? I'm sorry if I startled you," and gently put her hand on my shoulder. "Can we talk?"

Not that long ago, this beautiful woman was naked in her apartment and wanted to do a lot more than talk.

"Do you know why I told Reenie she wasn't welcome at the crash pad?" Huh? What?

"Um, no, I don't." What on earth was she getting at? I admit to not wanting to let my guard down.

"Georgia told me what she said to you that night when Reenie left you and came to our place." Honestly, I only vaguely remembered. Candy's eyes were bright, but not with lust. "We've known her for a while now, Ginger. Neither of us has ever seen her so emotionally available, so happy, so ..." she stopped, searching for the right word, "content." She smiled and said, "She loves you Ginger." She kissed me, adding, "I do too, but that morning, when you ... couldn't." I had tears. "I knew what the two of you have is too precious, too special." We both had tears. She reached for my hand and held it up. "Some day soon, there's going to be more than a promise ring." Uh huh, she was holding my left hand. Her eyes bright with love and tears, she said, "I love you." After moving a bit closer, she put her arms around me and we kissed. I never hesitated and hugged her close. She didn't open her mouth; I hadn't expected her to. It wasn't that kind of moment nor was it that kind of kiss. 

After all this time, it won't shock you that our kiss was the exact moment that the other two appeared.

My redhead crowed, "You owe me a dollar Georgia!" Candy made a move to pull away but I held her to me and opened my mouth. She laughed and responded. She pawed me, which I reciprocated. Uh huh, give 'em a show.

Georgia said, "You two gonna come up for air any time soon or should we go to bed?" Laughing, we broke the kiss, turned, and went to our honeys.

"Let's spend what's left of the night in the hot tub." Candy loves that hot tub!!




Emily's Home - Ginger's Out Ch. 12



If you're wondering, we didn't do the hot tub naked. Yes, it was tempting. But with our rather homophobic neighbor, it didn't seem like a good idea to wander from the house and back with nothing on. Sure, we could have all worn bath towels and nothing else. Did we? Smile. You decide!

Candy said to Reenie, "Jenny kissed you on the lips when the two of you said goodbye."

"Yeah, she did. I surprised her though; I opened my mouth." We laughed.

I kissed my girl and said, "That's why she pulled away so quickly."

Reenie's smile was the sly smirk I love. "You noticed that huh?"

"Uh huh, you bet." I had a funny thought. "Hey, did we ever have makeup sex after you stormed out of the club?" All three of them were hysterical. I laughed as well. I know it was pretty ridiculous ... but what the hell.

Four friends chatted comfortably on a warm June evening. Lover paired with her lover. Like ducks, all was calm above the water, not so much beneath. Wink!

Reenie was the one who mentioned Kathy and my sister. "Ginger and her sister were talking when I brought Kathy out here. Jenny's eyes locked on to Kathy like lasers." She turned to me. "You noticed right?" I nodded.

Georgia added, "We saw the two of them getting something to eat. If someone didn't know she is your sister, you'd think they had something going on." It was speculation, plain and simple.

"Jenny and David go home tomorrow. That'll be the end of that." Reenie gave me an odd look but I dismissed it.

"When are you having us over for dinner?" Georgia asked.

Reenie spat, "Bitch, you had your dinner tonight!" I was startled. Candy and Georgia both laughed. Was I missing something? She looked at me. "I'm off next Sunday, and Tammy and her husband are coming the following Saturday. These two will whine for decades if we don't have them here first." The other two stopped laughing and glared. 

"That's fine." I looked at our friends and said, "You two bring the food."

Two voices shrieked, "What?" 

Reenie laughed. "She's kidding, you goofballs." Turning to me, she said, "That was pretty damn funny Ginger."

Georgia looked at her honey and asked, "We saw the kiss when we came in. What were the two of you talking about that led to it?" Candy looked at me, as if to ask permission. A bit surprised, I nodded.

She cleared her throat and began. "I talked about the Friday night when Reenie left Ginger at the club." She looked at Reenie. "Course I left some things out. Mostly it was about how happy we both were that she'd finally found someone special, someone who loved her the way she'd never been loved before. We'd seen her go through her share of maybes, never woulds, and shouldn't haves." We laughed at the descriptions and knew exactly what she meant. She continued, "Now that you know why she left that night, you understand her reluctance to share something so ugly." We all nodded.

Reenie added, "There were a lot of tears that night. Some of them were shed about you not sleeping with Candy that day at the crash pad." My lover kissed me tenderly. I saw the sheen of tears that she bit back. "It meant so much to me to know that you love me enough not to give in." I was losing my battle. "We all knew Candy had a major crush on you. It was obvious that there was interest on your part." Yeah, tears won! "I admitted to dumb and dumber that I would have been okay with it, as I told you that morning." The sly smile came back. "You ready for that make up sex?"

Perfect!! We all laughed, even as we brushed away our tears. The four of us kissed each other, friends loving friends.

As we wrapped ourselves in towels before heading in, Reenie said, "Make sure the doors are locked when you go to bed."