3. Dating
When Cici called the following day, I'd just turned the shower off. Getting up with the alarm hadn't been easy. Usually I left the coffee brewing while I showered. Today, I had already drunk one cup and was working on my second. Three nights of uncomfortable sleep and six hundred miles of road travel were taking their toll.
Still, my girlfriend was calling, and I felt a pleasant buzz when I swiped the phone.
"Morning, Cici," I said, hearing the warmth in my own voice.
"Hey, Sam. Why do you sound echoey?"
"I'm still in the bathroom," I said. "Your knack for calling me when I'm underdressed is as strong as ever. I'm still drying off."
"I miss you," she said. "A selfie would help."
"Why, Miss Alicia Reyes! Are you trying to trick me into sending nudes?"
"Um, well, no, I just want a selfie," she said. "I liked having you around."
"I liked being around," I said. "Hold on."
I took the towel out of my hair, then took a photo, careful that the image didn't show more than my collar bones. I texted it to her.
"It isn't so long until Christmas," I said.
"Too long, though," she griped. A moment later, she yelped. "You sent one!"
"Well you asked!" I replied. I turned away from the mirror and took another photo over my shoulder, including the lower curve of my back, just short of my butt. "I told you you might see my tattoo one day."
"Oh wow," said Cici. Is that a dragonfly?"
"It is," I said.
"It's beautiful," Cici said. "But this isn't why I called. I heard from Maureen. The police have arrested the three cabrones. One of the girls in the group knew someone who knew the name of the one at the party."
"Oh, that's great news," I said.
"¡Sí! Maureen said she would be watching to see who represents them, and who pays their bail."
"I'm glad, Cici," I said, hearing the relief in my voice. I'd had a real fear that the creeps might have tried to silence Cici before they could be caught. "I wish I could be there to help you, but I think you're going to be okay."
"Knowing that I'll see you at Christmas helps," she said. "Please don't forget me."
"I won't, Cici," I promised.
After that we talked or texted most days. She wasn't visiting her tree. I left the web page up every morning as I dressed for work, but November and December had turned cold, and hardly anyone visited the green.
Her life was recovering, if slowly. She could only work one-handed, though she could use her right fingers if she didn't try to grip or twist her hand. If she forgot, it was painful. The splints stayed in place, but they came out for physical therapy, which Cici called medical torture. Since her wrist was unwrapped and re-wrapped for each session, she could see improvement from week to week. After a month, the wrapping and splints had been removed completely, though therapy was still torture and she couldn't type or use her hand normally.
She'd decided to delay two classes, as Brooke had recommended. She was bitter about it, but being one-handed was slowing her down too much.
Using the state compensation program meant that her parents didn't see her treatment on their insurance bills, so they didn't know what she was going through, which was good. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to be quite as inconspicuous at school, given the arrests and the interviews of the girls in the photo. There were rumors of the attack, and while most students were supportive, there was also hate mail. Most was straightforwardly misogynistic, but a disturbing amount was anti-immigrant venom. Messages telling her to get her ass back to Mexico. She wasn't wanted here. The incoming administration would deal with her and her kind. Explicit threats that she needed to watch her back.
She made all of her social media private and created a new email address for correspondence with the University and her lawyer, and she called Brooke and me in tears more than once. It was good that she'd slowed her academic pace and had more time to decompress.
Some of the other girls in the group on Halloween were angry that Cici had involved them with the police, but when they realized that their bonding against the creeps could lead to real consequences for them, they were more understanding.
In the final week of the quarter I was again hanging from the back of my couch like a chimpanzee with a literary addiction. I was reading Jacqueline Carey's "Starless" for the first time, though I'd read other series of hers multiple times. I'd been keeping my phone closer to hand, so as soon as my phone pinged my primate digits picked it up and swiped to unlock it.
Cici: "What are your days off?"
She would be coming home next week. To her parents', which concerned me. I might never be able to get close to her while she was living there.
Me: "Still Sunday and Monday."
Cici: "Want to stalk me on Sunday afternoon?"
Me: "I don't think it's stalking if you invite me to do it."
Cici: "Hush. Will you?"
Me: "Alright, my stalking station is still active, and I've done my Xmas shopping."
Cici: "Ugh. Don't remind me. Text when you see me."
I had no idea what she had in mind. Some possible ideas made me grin, but I didn't think those were on the cards. It was too cold and Cici was too shy.
On Sunday afternoon, I brewed myself a mug of herbal tea, and was sipping it, occasionally checking the monitor, when I saw that Cici was in view. I was thrilled to see that she wasn't wearing a bandage or sling.
Me: "ICU."
I saw her lift the phone from her coat pocket, check it, then drop it back into her pocket. She waved to the camera, then pointed at it. After she'd repeated this a few times, I texted her.
Me: "Me?"
She checked the phone again. Then she waved and pointed at herself. Well, this part was easy.
Me: "Me, you. Me and you."
She waved a small package at the camera. Even when she held it steady, I couldn't see any detail beyond a brightly-colored label. No, I had no idea. I figured she'd provide more insight if I didn't reply. It didn't take long until she took something small out of the package and began to eat it.
Me: "I can't think of anything that isn't *very* rude, and I'm sure you're not saying *that* to me 😉."
Even at the camera distance I could see the change in color of her cheeks.
Setting her bag and the package down, she lifted both arms upright, then spread her hands apart. The range of motion of her right wrist looked normal.
She held the pose for a few seconds, then picked up the package again, holding it in her left hand as she raised her arms again.
Me: "You're a tree?"
Me: "You're a fruit tree?"
Me: "You're a nut tree! You're nuts!"
She waved the package before her again. Oh, I got it. There was one fruit that I'd always seen in bright colors.
Me: "You're a date palm."
Me: "Those are dates."
Now that I knew what she was saying, I could have some fun with her.
Me: "You're asking if I like fruit."
Me: "You're offering to share the fruit."
Cici set her right hand on her hip and pointed at me.
Me: "Dried fruit? Do I like dried fruit? Some kinds."
She waved her fists and stomped her foot like a little girl.
Me: "Do I want one of those dates?"
She folded her arms. I could feel the glare through the camera as she tapped her foot.
Me: "OH! I SEE! You want a DATE! THAT kind of DATE! I had no idea."
Me: "You want to go on a date with me next week. Maybe more than one?"
She made a big show of nodding agreement.
Me: "How do we work around your parent issues?"
She held her phone over the package. A moment later, the bright blue cover of a package of dates appeared in the message thread.
Me: "You bought dates just for this conversation? Organic, even! I'm impressed!"
Cici: "You are an ass, and I don't know why I like you."
Me: "Because of all the stalkers in all the world, I'm the only one who's yours."
She looked up at the camera after receiving that message. Then she dropped the dates into her bag, and began to walk away, but she was holding her phone to her ear. A moment later, mine rang.
"Hi, Cici."
"Hi," she said. "I sometimes go to stay with Brooke overnight. She won't mind covering for me if we go out."
"I didn't think Catholics were supposed to lie."
"I never said I was a good Catholic. I think that ship sailed when I realized I like girls. I just said I still go to mass."
"Even though you blame it for your parents' homophobia." I recalled her expression when she'd made that comment. It looked like she was disappointed with herself.
"Theirs is a very traditional church. Latin mass. Pre-Vatican-2 social attitudes. Latin makes it popular with multi-lingual communities, because no one speaks it, so everyone's equal. If I'm not with them, I find a church with a contemporary English service. They still don't accept me being gay, but I don't tell them that part, and they wouldn't try to stone me for it."
"I'm sure they're no happier with lying."
"I can always go to confession." I could hear the amusement in her voice.
"I guess we need to wait until you're home to figure out when you can avoid your mom," I said. "You didn't turn twenty-one yet, did you?"
"I didn't," came her voice, sounding disappointed. "I do have an idea, but we'd be spending time outside. Are you okay for warm clothes and gloves?"
"You're taking me on an outdoor date in Christmas weather?" I tried to make my tone sound incredulous.
"I am. Oh, and could you do anything to fix my bald spot?"
"I can," I said. "Are the stitches gone?"
"They're gone," she said. "You'll get to see what's left."
Cici and Brooke kept me updated on Cici's movements, Brooke being involved because she was part of the deception around our date. She would bring Cici to the salon, which was legitimate, but leave her with me. It was all very teen-clandestine, but I guess that's what you get when your parent can't act like an adult.
I'd penciled her in as my last appointment, so Elaine and the three daytime-only stylists had already left. I was still working on another client when she arrived, with Brooke, who also took a seat. Phil recognized them and called out his own greeting.
Cici's gaze remained entirely on me, and it was entirely due to my professional focus (hah!) that I didn't spend the rest of the session stealing glances at her.
Well, okay, I did keep stealing glances at her, but I don't think it affected my work. I did notice that my client glanced over at Cici curiously.
"They're friends," I said to her. "Just back in town. I haven't seen them in a while."
The woman smiled at me in the mirror.
Cici had unloaded several layers of clothing onto coat hooks, and was now sitting in a light sweater and jeans. Her body was a feast for the eyes. Rounded in just the right places. Hips and waist curvy enough to be distinct, not an undefined cylinder, like me. My ass was probably closer to Cici's "no bottom girl" observation than she'd be willing to admit, while hers was perfectly shaped in her hip hugging jeans.
Brooke, not having dressed for staying outdoors, just opened her jacket.
My client tipped me well - Christmas was approaching - and gave me a warm smile as she left.
Cici narrowed her eyes. "Were you flirting with another woman?"
I shook my head. "Not this time," I said. "I won't say I never do, with Phil standing there to call me a liar, but it's a hazard of the job. Once they've doubled their tip for my friendliness, they leave the salon like anyone else."
I held out my arms, and Cici fit right into them. "I've missed you," she whispered.
"Me too," I replied.
"And look at that hair!" she added. "It looks different in person."
My hair was now a silvery grey shading to violet tips, with a golden streak at each temple. I'd sent her photos when Phil had done the work, but this was the first time we'd seen each other since then. Most was in a knot above my neck, but there was a straight gold/violet tail down my back on each side.
I disentangled myself after a few moments to give Brooke a shorter, less intimate hug. Still affectionate, though. She and I had bonded over Cici, and I really did feel we'd become family.
"Will you be staying, Brooke?"
"Should I?"
"I'm not going to do much with Cici's hair," I said, "other than to soften the hack job the ER made. What I want to do is show her how to pin it and easy ways to put it up that will mask the shaved patch. You might be able to help her with the more complex styles, and let her know what you think works best. When the shaved area grows out more we can work it into a fully layered style." I pointed to the chair on my right. "You can swivel Elaine's chair around."
After washing and trimming Cici's hair, I showed her two simple ways to use a clip which would mask the shaved patch completely. One was subtle, which made a narrow central tail which looked good, the other was flamboyant, which would work better with a brightly colored banana clip, drawing attention to a lift and fall above the patch. Then I showed her a way to combine multiple tails that hid the thin hair completely, and looked far more elegant than she'd expect from a five to ten minute prep. That one required practice to complete solo, and I had Brooke take photos of each stage.
Finally, I brushed her hair out completely before drying it further. "This last one isn't for you to reproduce," I said. "I'm going to make you look good for a certain date that I hear you're going on." Cici's cheeks flushed. "It should survive your hoodie, but please feel free to contact me for a refresh."
The bun I formed had curly strands spilling out in several places, forming a high, eye-catching pile that made Cici's eyes wide. Brooke, too, was impressed.
Brooke handed over her credit card when I was finished. She wanted the visit to be her treat. I accepted, but hit the zero tip button before she had to face that dilemma. I made up a bag with a couple of clips and products that I'd recommended, making a note for Elaine of what I took. I'd settle up with her the next day.
Phil still had to finish up with his client. I asked him if he was okay to close up alone, then stepped outside. Cici picked up what must be her overnight bag from her friend's car.
"Uh, is it alright if I bring... ummm..." She lifted the bag nervously.
"Of course, honey," I said. "You can always take it with you if you don't want to sleep over. I'll bring her to you whenever she wants to leave," I added to Brooke.
"You guys have a great first date," Brooke said, as she fastened her seatbelt. We watched her leave, then Cici walked with me to my far less fashionable vehicle.
At Cici's instruction, I drove us to a kebab restaurant, where she paid for my dinner. Which was very good. It had been a while since I'd had kebabs. Once back in the car, I asked for further direction.
"To the gardens, chofer!" she commanded.
"The gardens? At night?" I moved out into the light traffic, puzzled, then I realized why. "Oh, yeah. Nice idea!" I'd seen the Christmas lighting at the gardens from a distance, but not up close. Walking around the decorations was a romantic notion, if a cold one.
The park wasn't crowded, but there were a few families with excitable children, and even some couples, wrapped up as much as we were but clearly happy to be outdoors together. My breath misted in the cold, but Cici's presence made me warm inside.
We could see our breath in the cold air. My nose stung with the chill, but that couldn't mask the freshness of the outdoor air, or the scent of the girl beside me - the perfume I'd noticed as I worked on her hair, and the familiar aroma of the shampoo I'd used on her.
Wearing gloves made hand-holding awkward. After a couple of minutes, Cici released my hand and tucked hers into my arm. We meandered around the paths, brightly lit with thousands of lights in every direction, swaying in the branches of trees, rippling in the flow of water features and sparkling in fountains.
"This is lovely," I said. "I'm glad you brought us here.'
"Mamá likes white lights," Cici said. "I've never understood white lights at Christmas. It's supposed to be bright and merry. Like this," she says, gesturing with her free hand. Then, "Samara! Come over here! I want a photo."
She guided me to where a steady wide waterfall cascaded into a raised pool. I could see the colors undulating over her face, glinting from her dark eyes, as the wind caught differently colored water streams. She held up her phone. "Lean against the pool." I did as she asked, hearing the shutter sound click several times.
Cici moved back to my side, pulling up the photos in the app. She zoomed in on my face. "I wanted to see if the light would reflect from the metalwork. Oh yeah," she said, enthusiastically. Your eyebrow has a golden glow. It matches your hair."
"Bring the camera up again," I said. "I'll take a couple of you."
I snapped a couple of shots, then switched back to my own phone, standing her where the changing reflected colors rippled over her features to record a video. She became bashful, brushing back her curls as she complained that I was focusing too much on her.
As I was dropping my phone back into my pocket, a male voice from behind me asked, "Want one of the two of you together?"
I turned to find a guy about my age with his partner. He'd asked the question, but the way the girl smiled at him, I figured it was her idea.
"Sure," said Cici. "Let me turn the flash back on and we can have the waterfall behind us."
We snuggled close for the photo, then Cici offered to return the favor, so she captured one of the pair in the same pose and then one of them kissing. They thanked us and we resumed our walk. Cici quickly checked the shots, then made me wait as she played with her phone for a few more seconds before thrusting it back into her pocket and putting her gloves back on.
About a minute later, her phone pinged with a notification, and then a few more. I raised my eyebrows.
"I, uhh, sent the photo to our group chat," she said. "And one of you and one of me. So they all know that we're on a date now, not just Brooke."
"Maybe you should check replies, and make sure none of them have called the cops," I suggested, with a grin. "I might have abducted you, and now they know exactly where we are..."
"I'll wait until we reach your place," Cici said, with a grin. Her hand tightened on my arm.
We spent another hour touring the gardens. When we decided that we'd seen everything of interest, the air seemed chillier, so I cranked the heating up as soon as we reached the car.
Cici's eyes travelled over me. She looked apprehensive, but I felt that I could sense desire in her expression. I reached out my left hand to caress her right cheek, drawing her further toward me. She raised her right hand - fully functional, now - to take my left, then moved it to her lips, where she could kiss my palm.
Smiling, I drew her face to me and softly kissed her upper lip. She immediately pressed herself to me, but let me lead the kiss, which I did slowly but thoroughly, suckling her lips, then brushing her tongue with mine.
When we finally broke the kiss, her cheeks were redder than they had been in the cold, and her breathing was heavy. The car's heater was blowing warm, which meant that it had already been several minutes since starting the engine. Cici fumbled the seat belt before securing it in place.
My place was nothing special. Convenient, not too expensive, one-bedroom, but even as small as it was, it was more comfortable than Cici's student accommodation. I showed her where to leave her coat, then she shed her extra layers of clothing onto a chair, until she was down to the light sweater and tight jeans she'd worn at the salon. Her shape was every inch as delectable as I remembered.
Opening the bedroom door, I tossed my own heavy sweater onto the bed, then returned and led her to the couch. She'd pulled out her phone and was already checking notifications. She seemed a little breathless. She held the phone at an angle, so I couldn't see the screen. "They're mostly hearts," she said.
"Mostly?"
"There are, umm, some other emojis."
"Such as?" I asked.
"Umm. Heart smileys. Jayden sent an eggplant. Ashley replied with a stop sign, then sent, uh..." She sighed and held the phone where I could see it. There was a combination of sparkly eyes, peppers, one scissors emoji, a gasping face, and a string of stars. "I don't want to know what she means," Cici finished.
"And this one... who's that? says 'Don't get pregnant.'"
"That's Hunter," she said.
"You can tell her I promise I won't get you pregnant," I said.
Cici shook her head sharply. "I'm not going to encourage them!" she said. She pressed the phone to her chest, though she'd shown me the messages now. She was anxious. I got that.
Reaching out, I gently pried her phone from her fingers, and set it on the end table. Then I raised my hand to caress her cheek.
"Are you nervous, Cee?" I asked. I'd never used that name before, but Brooke used it when Cici was tense.
"What's to be nervous about?" she asked, her voice not entirely steady. "I have been looking forward to seeing you for weeks, Sam." Then she took my hand to press it between her breasts. "Do you feel that?" she asked. "My heart is going crazy. Maybe I'm a little bit nervous, and a little bit scared, but I'm a lot wanting to kiss you. And, well, now it seems to be thumping even faster. Or harder. I can't tell."
Without moving my hand out of her hold, I extended two fingers and circled them against her breastbone. "Is it stronger because of where you've placed my hand, maybe?"
"Yeah, it is," she croaked.
"Do you think it would be stronger still if I kissed you?"
She nodded.
"Shall we find out?" I asked. Without waiting for an answer, I pressed my lips to hers. I couldn't hold her to me, since my hand was on her chest, but as her lips were returning the pressure, I didn't need to. I really could feel her heart beating strongly beneath my touch.
Cici released my hand to wrap hers around my neck, so I slipped my fingers over her breast, and squeezed gently. She moaned softly, pushing her chest into my hand, her breathing heavy into the kiss.
My own heart was racing when I drew back from the kiss, then pressed forward again, taking her upper lip between mine, playing my lips and tongue along it, feeling her teeth brush the underside of my lower lip. My fingers and thumb closed around her nipple, which hardened within the bra under her sweater.
When I backed away, I held her eyes. "May I take your sweater off?" I asked, softly.
She nodded, eagerness edging out trepidation. I lifted the thin top, drawing it over the arms she raised for me.
The bra I revealed was attractive, in black lace, showing an appealing but not excessive amount of skin. She raised dark eyes to mine. "Do you like it?"
I drew my finger along the underside of the cups. "I do," I replied, honestly. "I don't think I've really told you how exquisite I think your body is, and it looks perfect on you."
She seemed a little bashful as she said, "Brooke helped me choose it."
It gave me a warm feeling that Brooke had become such an advocate for a relationship between me and the girl she clearly loved.
I lightly flicked the nipple that I'd been pinching. Cici's belly twitched. "Do that again," she said. I obliged, making her shiver. "Gnn... You're making me feel... Something that I really want to feel."
"Are these new feelings to you?" I asked.
She gave me a shy nod. "No one else has ever made me feel like this," she said. "I mean... maybe a good Catholic girl shouldn't admit that she recognizes the feeling, but nothing I've ever done for myself excites me like you're exciting me now Samara. I don't want you ever to stop."
"You excite me too, honey," I said. "But this is our first date, and you don't have much experience. And I'm not a good Catholic girl, so maybe I don't know what I'm allowed to do. I don't want to do anything that would make you regret being with me."
"I know you already, Sam," she said, her eyes on mine, wide and soft. "I don't need more dates to know that I want to be yours."
Taking her left hand in mine, I felt around her wrist for her pulse. It was still fast and strong. Then I found the same place with my tongue, feeling the rhythm of her heart. I closed my lips over the point, drawing my tongue around, then suckling her wrist.
Cici's lips were parted, her eyes soft with arousal. I kissed her pulse point for a minute longer, dragged my teeth against it, then progressed up her lower arm to the hollow of her elbow, drawing a shuddering breath from her when I resumed kissing. This time I moved my hand back to her nipple, brushing it lightly between finger and thumb as I worked.
Returning my lips to hers, I began to tweak her nipple a little harder. Cici wrapped both arms around me, pulling me closer to her, making soft sounds into the kiss. Her nipple was firm within her bra, and I switched to the other, cupping and squeezing her breast. Then I broke my lips from hers and kissed down her neck to the exposed surface of her breasts, nibbling and toying with the smooth skin.
Cici squirmed as I moved my fingers down her side. My nails were short, but still able to tease her stomach and waist. I drew them around, finding places that made her gasp, before running my fingers over her thighs and between her legs. When I pressed a finger on either side of her zipper and began to rub, her thighs clenched and her hips pushed forward.
I drew back from her breasts and watched her face as I continued to stroke the crotch of her jeans, slowly but firmly. Her lips were parted and her eyes dark as her hips responded to my strokes. She began to pant softly. After a minute longer, she began to moan.
Eventually I drew my hand back. My fingers skated over her breast once more, bringing a strangled sob from her throat before I caressed her cheek. "Do you want to go to bed with me?" I whispered.
Cici just nodded and stood. I held her hand tightly until we reached the bed. "Are you nervous now?" I asked. She nodded again. "Do you want to stop?"
She shook her head. This time she spoke. "I want this. I want to be yours. I want to be with you. I'm nervous because I don't know what any of that means, but I want to find out."
I lowered my hands to her waist and unfastened the button of her jeans. Slowly, I pulled the zipper down. "Take them off," I instructed.
She did, revealing lacy panties that matched her bra. She kicked her jeans and socks aside.
"Do you want to post another picture to your group chat?" I teased.
"God, no!" she yelped, involuntarily trying to hide herself with her hands. She dropped her hands as soon as she realized what she was doing. Her cheeks had colored. "Except... there's a tiny little part of me that does, that wants to say, look, I have someone, too. Someone who likes my body and tells me I'm exquisite, and wants to see me like this."
"I'll take a photo if you like," I said, seriously. "Just for you, on your phone. 'This was me, before I lost my innocence to that girl with weird hair and eyebrow hoops. What was her name again?'"
"Ass! I'll never forget you! But wait here." She dashed out of the room, returning with her phone. She stood closer to me in her sexy underthings, distracting me from the phone. Fortunately, all I needed to do was press the button,
She stood demurely before the bed, but my joke seemed to have eased her nervousness. Her face glowed with desire as I pressed the button.
She reached for the phone, but I pushed her back against the bed. "Sit, one moment," I said. "Cross your legs and fold your hands against your knees." She did, looking puzzled. With one finger I carefully pushed her left bra strap over her shoulder, then checked the effect. Moving forward again, I fluffed her hair with my fingertips, turning the updo, which was holding up well, into a wanton, post-orgasmic tumble. I stepped back. "Give me your best smoldering look. Imagine you want to see me naked before you."
The glare she gave me smoldered perfectly. I took the shot, then showed her. "'And this one is the reason I lost my innocence to what's-her-name.'"
She stared at the image for a moment before setting the phone face down. Then she turned to me, with the same look she'd worn for the photo. "It isn't imagination, Sam," she said. "I do want to see you naked."
I began to unfasten my blouse. Cici watched me intently as I slowly uncovered my blue bra. Like hers, it was lacy, but was mostly sheer, with a pattern of flowers that became solid at the center. When my navel was uncovered, her eyes dropped to that for a moment, then returned to my breasts. Smaller than Cici's, they were firm and high, and this bra shaped them nicely. Cici forgot to close her mouth as she took in the sight. I let the sides of the blouse fall. "You can take it off," I said, folding my hands behind me.
She did, letting it slide down my arms, then tossing it to the bed.
"And the jeans?"
I saw Cici's throat work, then her fingers opened the top button of my jeans' fly. Mine weren't skinny jeans, and they had traditional buttons, which she worked her way down, hampered by the fact that I'd cupped the back of her head and was devouring her tongue. She groaned and fumbled her work, but I finally felt the denim sliding down my thighs.
After I'd stepped out of my jeans, I pushed Cici back to the bed, her back falling to the mattress as I lifted her hips and thighs to toss her to the center. I pushed my clothes onto the floor and lay beside her. She was still laughing at me manhandling her when I drew her onto her left side to face me, then kissed her soundly.
I felt her hand slide up to touch my breast. I gently moved it away. "Not yet," I whispered. "I promise you can touch me there, but let me focus on you first. I don't want to get distracted."
She frowned briefly, then shrugged and parted her lips. A moment later she was showing me how much she was learning about passionate kissing. I felt my arousal climbing. I ran my hand up her side, then over her arm to her shoulder. I don't know if she even felt me slip her bra strap down. I don't think so, because she jumped when my hand covered her bare breast, then panted into the kiss.
Her breast was as firm and as smooth as I'd remembered, rounded and supple. Her nipple, still firm from my attentions earlier, pressed into my palm. I felt it roll against my skin. Her hand moved to the back of my neck as she kissed me harder, her legs wrapping around mine.
Reluctantly ending the kiss, I slid her higher on the bed, then lowered my face to her breast.
"Your skin is so smooth," I murmured into her. "And your boobs are a delight, so lovely to touch." I licked around the edge of her right breast, then followed the path with my lips.
Cici was breathing heavily. She threaded her fingers into my hair as I kissed. "I think... I feel your lip piercing against my skin." She huffed out a breath. "When we kiss, too."
"Does it bother you?"
"Nooo..." she replied. "It reminds me that it's you." Her belly quivered as I tongued the edge of her breast against my teeth. "That's comforting, and exciting. And..." She broke off for a moment, then continued, "you're making me tingle everywhere, doing that."
I let my tongue spiral in to stroke her nipple. Then I parted my lips, closed my mouth around the tip of her breast, and rubbed my tongue against it, pressing firmly. Cici's hips pressed hard against me.
"¡Ay, Dios mio!" she groaned.
She squirmed as I kept kissing her nipple. I thought it had still been hard when I peeled her bra cup down, but it felt like stone within her soft skin, now.
After a while, I lifted my head, squeezing her breast with my hand while my mouth wasn't on it. "Much as I love the bra you and Brooke chose, I think it's time it came off, don't you?"
Cici nodded. I reached behind to unclasp her bra, then peeled it off, rolling her onto her back to gain access to her left breast. I closed my mouth around her nipple and sucked. Her hips rose, and she panted.
"Oh, Sam! ¡Me vuelves loca! ¡Te amo!"
I had no idea what she'd just said, but her tone told me she was excited. So was I. "Your breasts are caramel with chocolate centers," I said. "But I prefer to have them in my mouth than the most expensive candy I can imagine."
"I like them to be in your mouth, too, cariño. They are yours."
Grinning, I returned to her nipple, while sliding my fingers down her body, then explored the front of her sex with my middle finger. Her panties were wet, and I could feel soft fur within. With my right hand I flattened the tip of her breast between finger and thumb, then lapped at the squashed areola and sucked at the nipple, my left fingers pressed to her hood. Her hips rolled side to side as she groaned.
Closing my lips around her nipple, I bit down on it, using the grip to stretch and tweak the firm center. As I did, I firmly rubbed her sex.
"¡Ay, Samara!" she cried out. "¡Dios! My God! I don't think a good Catholic girl is supposed to feel this way."
"Then let's be naughty together," I mumbled around her breast. "Kiss me."
Cici didn't even wait for me to raise my face to hers. She grabbed my arms, tugging me higher, then seared my lips with her kiss.
Moving my finger inside her lace panties, I felt for the firm nub of her clit, caressing it as my thumb pressed against her hood. Cici moaned and writhed, then broke the kiss as she cried out. Her belly convulsed against the heel of my hand, her breasts quivering as her body spasmed.
She mumbled again. It was barely audible between shuddering breaths, and I couldn't hear individual words, but they seemed to be Spanish.
When she had stopped shaking, I sat up, then gently drew her panties off. Her body glowed, and her expression was a mix of affection, tenderness, and lust. I ran a finger gently over her breasts.
Cici grabbed my hand, lifted it to her lips. She frowned for a moment. I guess she'd forgotten that my finger would be coated with her musk, but her expression cleared and she kissed the finger anyway.
"Exquisite doesn't even cover it," I murmured as my eyes roamed her nude body.
"Nothing covers me now, cariño," she said. "Maybe you noticed that. But you still are wearing clothes."
"What is that word?" I asked. "Cariño?"
"It means, uh, sweetie, honey, darling," she said. "It's a name girlfriends or lovers use with each other. And it seems that your touch drives English from my head, so it's better for me to have a Spanish word for you."
"I like it," I said. "Of the other things, I think you said you were crazy? I didn't catch anything else. Well, I caught Dios."
"Crazy?" Cici screwed up her eyes for a moment. "Oh, ¿Me vuelves loca? It means you turn me on. You drive me crazy."
"Me vuelves loca too, then," I said with a grin. "When I was sleeping in your bed at your apartment, you said something as I fell asleep. Do you remember what it was?"
Cici shook her head, but her cheeks were turning a rosy shade. "No, I don't recall," she said. I was fairly sure she did. Maybe it was something that was too embarrassing to share. I left it alone.
"And still," she said, "you are wearing clothes. Very sexy clothes, but you promised me they would come off."
"I also said I didn't want to get distracted," I said, "but now that I've stolen your innocence, I'm all yours. If you still want me."
"¡Idiota!," she said. "You know I do."
Sitting on the bed beside her, I held out my hand, guiding her into my lap. She sat on my thighs as I caressed her arms. "Are you prepared for what you will find?"
"I think so?" Cici's eyes were tracing the contours of my bra. They were darkening with desire, but there was some doubt, too, given what I'd said.
I took her hands and placed them on my breasts. Her fingers explored, then her eyes widened.
"I said, if you were very lucky, you could count them all," I said.
"Your nipples are pierced!" she yelped, accusingly.
"This is why I didn't want to distract you earlier," I said. "Does it upset you?"
She thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. "If you've chosen the piercings for aesthetic reasons, I know I'll like them. May I take this off?" She pinched the neckline of my bra and tugged to indicate what she wanted to remove.
"Oh yeah," I said.
Cici reached behind me. She fumbled for a moment before I felt the straps loosen. Her eyes widened even before she'd drawn the straps down my arms. When it was gone, she focused on the titanium bars with the opalescent dark CZ tips.
"Those are... umm... It feels strange to study another girl's breasts, but they're so... umm... sexy. I want to touch them, and kiss them like you did mine. Is that okay with the things in?"
I grinned. "Very. The 'things' let you twist them with your tongue and tug them with your teeth. It isn't all visual aesthetics."
"Tug and twist?" Cici looked horrified. "Why would you want me to hurt you?"
Giving her a raised eyebrow look, I asked, "You don't remember me pulling on yours?"
"Uhh, I... There was so much happening to me. Did I like it?"
"When your vuelves is feeling crazy, your body reacts differently," I said. "Like how you have to build up to touching yourself?"
"You can't use the word like that," she said, her cheeks coloring. "You should learn Spanish before trying to be an idiota in two languages." She reached out a hand to caress my breasts. "Oh my God, I'm touching them."
"You are," I agreed. "And when I'm aroused, then, you can stretch and twist them until I'm a little puddle of lust on the bed. Just don't try to pull them out. I don't want the ER staff to laugh at me."
Cici winced at the idea, but she didn't stop touching. I leaned back onto my hands, lifting and presenting my breasts for her inspection. She beamed with delight and began to fondle, poking and squeezing.
"Try pinching," I suggested.
She frowned, but after a moment she touched my left nipple gingerly, feeling its shape and the shape of the barbell poked through it. Placing her finger and thumb on either side, she squeezed lightly.
"Harder," I said. "I'm already turned on, you don't need to be gentle."
She pinched more tightly, though still not hard. She'd learn.
"Can I kiss them?" she asked.
"Of course."
Then her enthusiasm did take hold. She kissed her way over the side of my left breast, her fingers sliding around as she felt its response and resilience. I lifted a hand to stroke her hair, and she glanced up guiltily, as if she'd almost forgotten there was more to me than the breast she was fixated on.
"I can't believe I'm really doing this," she said, cheek touching my breast.
"Please believe I want you to," I said. "You're making me feel very good."
"I, uh, liked it when you sucked," she said. "Can I do that? I mean, with the things? The bars?"
"The jewelry makes no difference to suckling my nipples," I said. "And I'd like it."
As Cici lowered her head to her task, I repositioned my hands on her ass, still arching my back to lift my breasts to her. I wriggled as I pulled on her body, until her sex was wedged against mine, then I rolled my hips to move us against each other.
As focused as she was on kissing my nipples, I wasn't sure she noticed the movement for a while. Then I felt her hips start to move, strengthening the motion. She began to pant through her nose.
"Tug on it gently," I said. "Don't bite, but close your mouth until you can feel the metal, then move your head back.... Ahhh! Yes, like that." She tugged again, dragging another gasp from me. "I am so turned on for you right now, Cici. I want you so much..."
She drew her head back, letting my breast fall. Her bright eyes reflected my need. She was bouncing in my lap now. Sitting in my lap reduced our height difference, and I drew her closer until my nipples rubbed against hers. She wrapped her arms around me, now huffing out a sound with each rapid breath. She seemed on the point of losing control.
Pressing my lips to hers, I sought her tongue, then kissed her aggressively. She panted roughly into the kiss, then squawked as I felt her body tighten against me. I let my pending climax loose and groaned into her mouth as her body shuddered in orgasm.
We moaned together as I kept her face pinned to mine, until she finally broke away, resting her head against my shoulder as she mumbled incoherently in the way I'd heard before.
Kissing her neck, I slowly eased our movements. There was wonder in her eyes as she met mine again. "It happened to you, too," she said, her words almost sounding like an accusation.
"It did, honey," I agreed. "I came with my sweetie, and it was wonderful."
Climbing out of my lap, Cici pushed me onto my back, then settled against me. She lifted a finger to toy with my nipple jewelry. Watching the way my hardened nipple tilted when she touched it, she murmured, "Te amo con todo mi corazón, mi cielo."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
She twisted against me and kissed my neck. "It means I like your body."
"I need to get a Spanish teaching app," I griped.
"You should do that," Cici agreed. "So, have I seen all of your secret piercings now?"
"Uhm, what do you think?" I asked.
"Is there anywhere left?"
I raised an eyebrow.
Cici's eyes tracked down my body, stopping at my panties. "¡No me digas!" she said.
"Take them off," I said.
Her eyes grew wide at the suggestion, but she slipped down the bed, and pulled my underwear down a few inches. Then she looked up at me in shock.
I reached down to pull my panties all the way off, then lay back down, as her eyes turned back to my sex. "It's called a VCH," I said. "Vertical clitoral hood piercing. Yes, it hurt to get pierced, but it's been fully healed for a long time. You can touch it."
She seemed full of doubt, but ran her finger over the titanium bead. The metalwork was plain, with no gem.
"Does it... affect you if I touch it?" she asked.
"Yeah, it does," I said. "It can feel very good. That one is less for ornamentation and more for sensation."
She was stroking the bead now as she studied my sex. "What about the nipple bars?"
"Mostly ornamentation, but it's arousing when you play with them."
"I thought looking at another girl, umm, here, would be gross," Cici said, "but this is kind of... umm... beautiful."
"I'm glad you think so, honey," I said.
"Can I keep touching it?"
"Of course," I said. "Lie down and get comfortable. You can find it with your fingers."
She moved back up the bed to rest her head on my shoulder. Then I felt her touch drift down my body. Her fingers began to caress the titanium stud. For a time I had little reaction, though just the thought of her having her fingers against my pussy was arousing. Eventually the sensations built. Cici recognized the change in my breathing and gave me a mischievous smile, then began to lick my nipple.
I'd begun to moan when she covered my breast with her mouth and began to play her tongue against the barbell. She sucked and stretched my breast. It felt amazing. She didn't try to hold me back, and when I came it wasn't a mind-shattering climax, but still a satisfying one, and I felt my heart overflow for this beautiful, sexy girl.
My dream was interrupted by beeping. I opened my eyes to a naked girl in my bed, whispering, "Shit, shit, shit," as she poked at her phone.
"Morning, honey," I croaked. "Who are you texting?"
She blushed. Her rounded breasts quivered as she lowered her phone.
"Just the group," she said. "I forgot to turn the notifications down. I texted the photos you took last night."
"The ones in your bra and panties?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Both of them?" I asked.
She nodded again. Her expression was a little sheepish.
Still, she knew her friends better than me. "How did they take it?"
"They all seem excited," she said. "Lots of emojis with party hats and hearts. And eggplants and peaches," she added, her cheeks coloring again.
"Have you told them I took precautions to stop you getting pregnant?" I asked.
Her fingers danced crazily over the phone. "Sam told me to tell you she took precautions to stop me getting pregnant," she said before pushing the button.
"What precautions?" she asked. "I mean, that's what they're asking."
"Being a girl," I replied. She keyed the message in and laughed as she sent it.
"I'll make us coffee," I said, and climbed out of bed.
After I'd set the coffee maker running and got mugs ready, I moved back to the bed, pulled up my pillows and sat beside her.
"Owen wants a photo from this morning," she said, with a grin.
I glanced down at Cici, her bare breasts swaying above the duvet that lay around her waist. "Do you want to send him one?"
"God, no," she said. She let me see the string of negative emojis she sent him.
Ashley had sent, "Welcome to the ex-virgin club."
She sent, "TY!" then turned to me. "Am I an ex-virgin? The church always said virginity was 'never having known a man.'"
"By any sane definition, yes," I said. "We had sex. You're not a virgin. On the other hand, virginity doesn't have a sane definition, and it's not a helpful concept. You've made love for the first time. I'm very glad it was with me, and I'll be thrilled to do it again. We gave ourselves to each other willingly. But if you had made love to Ingrid first, I wouldn't feel that you were any less special or any less deserving of love and romance than you are."
Cici nodded uncertainly.
"I might still track her down and set her on fire, but that would be because she treated you badly," I said.
She grinned. Her phone beeped again. She'd turned the volume back up enough that she could hear notifications. "Brooke wants to know if she can pick me up at eight-thirty."
I sighed. "I guess so. What I'd like to do with you would take the rest of the day, but I know you have to keep your mother happy."
She was typing in her response when I saw a text pop up. "Are you still naked? Is she? Pics or it didn't happen." She stopped typing and shook her head, blushing. After she resumed entering text, another appeared. "Have you told her?"
As soon as Cici saw it, she tilted the screen away from me, guiltily, and I quickly looked away. Maybe she wouldn't notice I'd seen it. "I'll be back with coffee," I said, and headed back to the kitchen.
Cici had a big grin on her face when I returned with two coffee mugs.
"Lie on your stomach!"
"Okay," I said, setting the coffee down. "Why?"
"Your Princess commands it!" she said, twirling her fingers to indicate rolling over.
"Those days are gone," I griped, but rolled over. Her fingertips traced over my lower back. "Oh, I see."
"Right," said Cici. "I want to see the dragonfly."
The tattoo was several inches across, at the small of my back. The blue dragonfly was centered on my spine, with blue flowers on either side.
Cici leaned down to kiss it. Her fingernails traced the whole design. As light as her touch was, sensing the close attention she was paying was erotic. I hated that she had to back away. "Mmm, I wish we had more time, now," she said, reluctantly. "I will kiss it again next time."
"I look forward to it," I said, rolling over and sitting up. I presented her with her coffee.
"How is your mother?" Cici asked.
"She's fine," I said. "You mean about me being a lesbian?"
"That, and in general, I guess."
"She's more concerned about my piercings than the fact I like girls," I said, "which I guess is understandable. My dad doesn't care about either. We're close. Or we would be, if they hadn't moved to California for work. I miss my little brother, but we FaceTime often. They'll like you."
"You think so?" Cici asked.
"I've no question at all," I said.
I replied to a new message from Cici on my lunch break.
Cici: "So far, so good. Mamá has not interrogated me about the sleepover."
Me: "You doing anything Monday evening?"
Cici: "I was going to see Brooke & others but no firm plans."
Me: "There's a weekly dance at an LGBTQ club, 18+ no booze if you're interested. Friends welcome if they don't mind being surrounded by The Gay."
Cici: "Where?"
Me: "Club name Gabby's. I used to visit sometimes but it's mostly college kids so I stopped. You'd fit right in LOL."
Cici: "I'll talk to Brooke. Be nice not to watch everyone else drink & be merry."
Me: "If you can swing another sleepover I'd love to have you stay again."
Cici: "❤️🔥❤️🥰💓👩❤️💋👩🥇😮💨"
Most of Cici's friend chat group joined us at Gabby's. I drove myself, Brooke brought Cici and Jayden, while Owen drove Ashley, Hunter and Eileen, whom I hadn't met before. The last had a red pixie cut, blue eyes, a left nostril ring and labret piercing with a plain titanium stud. She wore an off the shoulder knit crop top, which revealed a floral tattoo on the back of her left shoulder, and a dangling crystal heart in a belly button piercing.
I smiled at Eileen. "Maybe you're the reason Cici didn't balk at my metalwork."
"Mmm, could be," she said. Her eyes darted down to my breasts. I couldn't tell if she was checking me out, or if she wanted to know if there were any signs of nipple jewelry. I'd assumed that the rest of Cici's friend group was straight, but I could have been wrong.
My bra would hide the barbells, and Eileen didn't stare, though I would have told her if she'd asked.
Even though the semester had ended, the club was in its larger configuration, the partitions fully withdrawn. That meant it was easy to find a table that would seat us all. The group was figuring out where to sit when I heard a voice from behind me.
"Sam? It's Sam, right?"
The girl who asked was almost my height. A second girl, a short, curvy brunette, stood beside and slightly behind her.
It had been three or four years since I'd seen the tall girl. She had golden curls. I recalled that she used to wear green glasses, though the last time I'd seen her she'd been wearing nothing for several hours but a narrow gold choker, under a large duvet in her chilly apartment. I remembered it well, since I was also under the duvet, wearing even less.
She was around two years younger than me, barely out of her teens when I'd last seen her. Her slender frame was as I remembered, but she'd acquired an adult's poise. "Emma!" I said in greeting.
The golden-haired girl beamed at me. I felt my face warm slightly as I wondered if Cici would pick up on any history. "It is you!" she said. "How are you? I haven't seen you in years."
"Yeah, I haven't been here in a while," I agreed.
I introduced Cici as my girlfriend, then the rest of the group. I was fairly sure I didn't know Tiff, Emma's girlfriend, from my previous visits. Cici was eyeing me speculatively. "I really wasn't sure if I'd know anyone from four years back," I said.
"I have another semester of my masters," she said, "but Tiff's gainfully employed in the area, so we'll be here for a while."
She and Cici immediately started talking about postgrad studies, and she was added to the seating arrangement, while I found myself dragged to the dance floor by the short girl, Tiff. She didn't seem the kind of person who took no for an answer.
After a couple of minutes gyrating, Tiff drew me down to speak into my ear. "You must be one of the futonistas."
"The, uh, what?"
Tiff grinned at me. "Futonista. No, don't look at me like that! Not futanari. Futonista. Of the futon. Emma's, specifically. I just want you to know there's no reason to feel awkward. Just between you and me."
"Uh, I see," I said, understanding why she'd dragged me to the dance floor. "So you took her off the market?"
"Over three years now," she said.
"I guess I was one of the last, uh, futonistas, then," I offered.
"Oh, God, that probably means I heard you," said Tiff. "Maybe the less said, the better." She wriggled against me. "Let's go back, I want to borrow your cute GF. She's more my size."
"Okay," I said, "but when you say, just between you and me...?"
"Don't fret," Tiff said, "Not a word about futon exploits or Emma's poor roommate's sleepless nights..."
"I mean, she knows," I said, "in general, she does."
Tiff had a hand resting on my waist to stay close enough that we didn't quite have to yell. "I understand." She grinned. "When you get together with a girl whose weekly trysts have been costing you half a night's sleep, you have to be willing to be aware of some specifics."
"So you were her roomie?"
"Still am," she said. "Always will be. Is she the one?"
"Huh?"
"Your GF. Cici? Is she the one?"
"I... I think she might be," I said. "I just worry that she deserves someone better."
Tiff leaned back from me at that, looking up at me with a raised eyebrow. Then she shook her head, moved her hand to my back, and propelled me in the direction of our table.
It took Tiff a few minutes to pry Cici loose from her conversation, but finally she coaxed her onto the dance floor. A pair of young women stole Ashley and Eileen from us.
Tiff danced close to Cici, a hand on her waist, mouth close to her ear, just as she'd been with me. I wondered what she was saying. Though I'd only met her ten minutes ago, I was pretty sure she wouldn't be spilling my secrets.
I offered to get drinks, but Brooke suggested we all join the dancers, so we did, Cici soon moving back to my side.
We returned to the table without Ashley or Eileen. Brooke and I picked up drinks, which were needed by then. Tiff was keeping everyone entertained when we returned. I dropped into the seat beside Cici and slipped my arm around her shoulder.
She leaned against me, then murmured, "Are you worried someone will ask me to dance, cariño?"
"I just like to touch you," I said. "You should dance all you want."
"I just want to dance en tu cama."
"Into what?"
"No, en tu cama," she said.
"N2 cama? What does that mean?"
"You need to learn Spanish, cariño."
"Is that even Spanish?" I asked. Raising my voice, I said, "Hey, does anyone except Juliet here speak Spanish?"
"Ay, don't do that!" Cici yelped.
"A little," said Tiff.
"What does N2 cama mean?" I asked.
Emma was there first. Smirking, she said, "It means, 'in your bed'. Is your girlfriend trying to tell you it's time to leave?"
Cici facepalmed, her cheeks glowing.
"I'm sorry, honey," I said, grinning at her embarrassment. "I didn't know."
"You know everything I say to you in Spanish is private, mi cielo," Cici retorted.
"That means my sky," offered Tiff, helpfully.
"My darling," said Emma. "My heaven, really."
"Sweetie," added Hunter.
"Thank you all," I said, sarcastically. "Anyone want to recommend a Spanish app?"
"You do need to learn," Brooke agreed.
Cici's curls shook against me as she nodded.
Eileen and Ashley returned eventually. They were both breathless and brought drinks with them.
"Seems everyone wants to buy me a drink," said Eileen.
"I wonder why," said Brooke, dryly. "How often were you propositioned?"
"Not every time!" said Eileen.
"Twice," added Ashley. "Twice explicitly. Another, maybe. I told them all another time, I was with friends."
"Will there be another time?" asked Brooke.
Ashley glanced at Eileen, who nodded. "There might be."
"Talk to us before you commit to anything," Tiff suggested. "We have a..." She glanced at Emma.
"'Proven track record'?" suggested Emma.
"Proven track record of keeping girls safe," Tiff finished.
Her girlfriend contradicted her. "Tiff has a proven track record of getting girls in trouble, but she has good taste. If you do want to visit, let's trade numbers."
"I, uh, am coming back with you, right?" Cici whispered when we decided to leave.
"Yeah, of course," I said.
"Okay, I need to pick up my bag from Brooke's car."
Cici seemed subdued on the drive to my apartment. When we were inside, I took her coat, then asked if she was okay.
She frowned for a moment. "You were, uh, with Emma," she said. "Before, I mean."
"Why do you think that?" I asked. I was surprised. I was sure Tiff wouldn't have said anything.
Her expression turned sour. I'd disappointed her.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't exactly intend to deny it. I should say, how did you know?"
She nodded in understanding. "The way you reacted when you saw her," she said. "You don't blush like I do, but your cheeks, and your eyes..."
I sighed. "That must be how Tiff knew, too," I said. "Yeah. It was one time." I motioned to the couch. She didn't really seem upset as she sat, but she remained frowning. I went to the kitchen and poured us each a small whiskey, with ice and a little water. She took the drink and I sat beside her.
"I can't hide my past," I said. "I could try to pretend that I'd never fooled around, never been interested in another girl, never been with anyone, but it wouldn't be true. You know who I am."
She nodded. "I know," she said. "I don't want you to be anyone else, but it just feels weird, you know?"
She took a sip of her drink, then made a strangled noise. Eyes watering, she gasped. "¡Madre de Dios! What is this?"
"Whiskey," I said. "I thought you were a practised drinker in private."
"Beer!" Cici said. She took a very tentative sip of her drink. "This burns. It's working to distract me, though. Were you with her... uh, here?"
"No," I said, with a quick headshake. "At her place. Which I guess was Tiff's place, too."
"Oh, hmm." She scowled at her whiskey, then said, "I won't ask again, not about anyone. I know there are others, and I'll probably meet them, but this first, it just made me think about it? Her and you, I mean."
"I know, honey," I said. "That's why I brought the whiskey. If you'd prefer just to talk tonight, that would be fine."
Cici shook her head. "No, I meant what I said earlier. I just want to talk first. Have you had feelings for these girls?"
I shrugged. "That's hard to answer. Yes, because why would you even be with a girl you feel nothing for? You feel excited to be with someone, but to stay with them? No. One or two, I thought, maybe, but the feeling didn't grow."
"And me?"
"I think of you all the time. I miss you when you're at school. I miss you when you're across town at your parents' house. I miss you when Brooke takes you away. Those are feelings I've never had before."
She smiled, finally, and took another careful sip of her drink. "I think that's all I need to hear. I already knew the rest, so I know I will be okay with it."
"What were you talking to Tiff about for so long?"
"Are you the one who's jealous now?" Cici grinned wickedly.
"No, I just wondered. Though if you'd been dancing that much closer," I held my finger and thumb a fraction of an inch apart, "I might be."
"She wanted to know about me, since I'm new," she said. "She's an engineer. I'll be studying and working here. She thinks I should be a regular customer at the club, if you come with me. There are other couples, and a good atmosphere, and live music during the semester."
"That's all true," I said, "and if you like the place, sure. Is that all?"
Cici shook her head, frowning at me. "She said you wondered if you deserved me."
"I've never met Tiff before," I said, "but it seems she's a meddler."
"I think she's a woman with insight," Cici said. She took a larger sip of her whiskey, then winced and cleared her throat. "And I think I need to show you how much I think you deserve me, cariño." She turned on the couch to sit in my lap. I managed to take a quick swallow of my own drink, setting it down as her lips met mine.
Being so close to her all evening, knowing that I was going to spend the night with her, had left me seriously horny. It wasn't long before I'd lifted off her shirt and was kissing her neck, then down to her bra. The hook was just below my lips. I ran my fingers over her stomach, then up until they met at the fastener.
"You're eager tonight," Cici whispered.
"I am," I agreed, as the bra fell away. My lips parted around her left nipple. I tongued it gently, closing my lips over it, then lapping, pressing it to the roof of my mouth and suckling hard.
Cici squirmed in my lap, and I gripped her waist and held her in place as I kissed, feeling her nipple hardening to my tongue. Her breathing was heavy. She leaned against me, resting her cheek on my head.
When I switched to her right breast she moaned, then mumbled, "Voy a bailar contigo en tu sofa también, cariño."
"What did that mean?" I asked, around her breast.
"I will dance with you on your couch, too," she said.
"Ah, right, because you want to dance to en... ummm..."
"En tu cama, idiota," she said. I could hear the grin in her voice
"Okay," I said. Grabbing her butt, I stood. Cici squealed, wrapping her arms and legs around me, as I staggered toward the bedroom, then tossed her onto the bed.
She slid her opened bra down her arms as I unfastened her skirt, getting it and her hose off almost before she'd finished untangling her straps. Then I tugged off my own top and slipped off my jeans before gripping her thighs and dragging her to the edge of the bed, where I began kissing her inner thighs.
"Oh, God, Sam," Cici groaned, "why does that feel so good?"
Her hands lay on the bed, her rounded breasts rising and falling with each breath. Her areolae were slightly puffy. They were cinnamon coffee circles, not much darker than her skin, while her nipples were the color of hickory, wide and proudly upright. They rose higher as I continued to kiss upward along both of her inner thighs.
When I reached the crease beside her left hip, I looked up into her eyes. Leaning forward, I kissed her navel, drawing my hands up her body to slide over her breasts, pinching her nipples and rolling them between finger and thumb.
I moved further forward, to kiss her neck, then touched my lips to her ear. "May I taste you?"
"What do you mean?" Cici asked, her voice thick with arousal.
"I want to kiss you between your legs," I said. "I want to lick your clitoris. I want to make you come with my mouth. Will you let me do that?"
She just groaned, her body pressing up against me.
"May I?" I asked again.
"¡Sí!" she croaked. "Yes, Sam! Anything!"
I smiled against her, then kissed my way back down her body. She cried out as my fingers caressed her swollen labia. She was so wet that I had no need to lick my fingers as I slid them against her, parting her lips with both hands, then softly licking them.
"Sam..." she groaned. "¡Dios! That feels..."
I spoke directly into her labia, letting her feel the vibrations. "I'm going to taste you, Cici," I said.
"Ahhh!" she called out as I planted small kisses on each lip. Then I slid a single finger into her, twisting it as I curled it forward, feeling the rough surface of her G-spot. She babbled a few words that I didn't recognize before crying out again. Her hands moved down to tangle in my hair, but she didn't move me away as I continued to kiss and lick at her labia.
Cici thrashed on the bed when I caressed her clit with the tip of my tongue. This time she was clearly calling to God in Spanish as she rolled side to side.
Raising my lips, I spoke directly into her clit. "I love the way you're dancing now."
Her back rose from the bed, and she grunted, but I just held her there, breathing onto her sex, until she sank down. I felt the tension in her sex and her thighs. She was so close to her limit.
Moving my left hand back up, I squeezed her right breast in a slow rhythm as I stroked inside her sex. Then I circled her clit, before beginning to lap at it.
The damn burst. Cici's passage clamped hard around my finger, her rigid thighs squeezing my neck. She cried aloud as her back arched, and I held her passion for as long as I could before letting her relax.
She was still jerking with aftershocks as I stripped off my bra and panties, and engulfed my lover in my arms.
Much later, I pulled back the sheets and guided Cici into bed, spooning her from behind. She'd let me go down on her again, but wasn't quite ready to do the same. I assured her that was fine, I loved the feel of her body against mine in any way she wanted, and I'd come twice against her thigh and her fingers.
"This was so wonderful," she mumbled.
"For me too, honey," I murmured, kissing her neck.
A little later, I was gently stroking the sides of her breasts. I could tell she wasn't asleep, because her fingers kept caressing mine. "Hey, honey?"
"Hmm?"
"The other morning, when you were showing me the texts, what did it mean, 'Have you told her, yet?'"
She stiffened, but only for a moment. Then her thumb drew down my finger again. "I hoped you hadn't seen that."
"I did," I said. "I don't know who sent it."
"Hunter," she said. "And I have told you."
"What was it?"
She was silent for a moment, then said, "Te amo con todo mi corazón."
"I think I remember that. You said it means I like your body, I think?"
"It means, 'I love you with all my heart'," she said, her voice unsteady.
"Oh," I said, startled. A warm thrill settled over me. "Oh. Umm... that's not the same at all."
Cici's head shook. "It's not."
"And you were supposed to tell me this... Hunter knew this... before we slept together?"
"Mmm," she said.
I kissed her neck, and moved my hand to her belly, holding her gently to me.
After a moment, she continued. "Yes, I was already in love with you then. My friends knew."
I kissed her earlobe. Butterflies were dancing in my belly. "When?" I whispered.
"I think I was already in love with you when you and Brooke came to see me," she said. "I knew it when you stayed with me and did so much for me. I... I told Brooke. I didn't tell the others until I came back here."
"But you didn't want to tell me," I said, softly. "In English, that is."
Her curls brushed my forehead as she shook her head. "I thought it was too soon," she said. "When I told Brooke, it was too soon. And I didn't want to make you feel you had to say it back."
"Honey, I told you earlier, I want you to be with me. I don't want you to go back to your parents." I tried to think about how to say what I wanted. "I guess... I've been reluctant to admit how I really feel, because I'd also be admitting how much it would break me if my brilliant young girlfriend leaves me in the dust. You seem too good to be true."
Cici wriggled out of my embrace and turned to face me. "Sam, I'm not going to leave you. I'm not too good or too smart or too young, and I hope I'm not too naive. You deserve every part of me, because I love you."
Her face was no more than an inch from mine, her eyes meeting mine. I felt her nipples caress mine as I lost the last of my reserve and fell completely under her spell. "Teach me to say it to you," I whispered. "I love you with all my heart."
Cici's smile was both soft and radiant. "Mi amor," she said.
"Mi amor," I repeated. "That means 'my love', right?"
She nodded. "Te amo... con todo... mi corazón."
"Te amo con todo mi corazón, mi amor," I repeated.
The fullness of our love bloomed within my chest as she kissed me.
I spent only one more night with Cici before she had to leave. She couldn't keep lying to her mother about overnights at Brooke's without her becoming suspicious. I did see her with friends twice more, but then she was gone.
In mid-January I returned to Gabby's. I was open with Cici about doing so. I wasn't there for casual hookups, of course, which were part of the club's ethos, but to build more friendships within the community that Cici and I would be part of when she returned full-time.
I discovered that Tiff's "proven track record" of getting girls into trouble was mostly pushing them out of their comfort zone and into casual encounters, but that she also was quite protective of her partnered friends. Since I showed up without Cici, Tiff was eager to introduce me to others in her friend group, so that I'd be less likely to be led astray by the more assertive girls seeking hookups.
I didn't feel that was a risk for me. I spent a good amount of my work balancing charming and refusing women who were interested in having my fingers in other places than their hair. But I was happy to make the acquaintance of other girls.
"I know you," I accused one of them, whom Tiff had introduced as Kayla. She had full, shoulder-length hair which was dark, but glowed with vibrant cool colors throughout. "I've seen you at the salon. I work for Elaine."
Kayla smiled. "Did she do your hair, too? It looks like one she'd recommend."
I shook my head. "No, a friend who works with me. But we all want to be Elaine. She's maybe a little more subtle than Phil and me, but we all love adventurous clients."
My work came up again a few weeks later. Grace was a friend of Tiff and Emma, but she was younger and usually part of a group of younger students. She approached me to mention that she was a fan of my hair. Her own was a very attractive pale lavender, but she'd decided that she wanted to try something new, and wondered where I'd had mine done, thrilled to learn that I could do the work, and promised to think about what she would like.
She was with her friends Hayley and Ysabel. The three of them were juniors. I promised to introduce my girlfriend, who was their age, as soon as she returned.
Hayley was a curvy blue-eyed blonde, who wore glasses and was often annoyed by the frequent attempts to pry her from the group to dance, while Ysabel, like Cici, was of Mexican descent. Her skin was slightly paler than Cici's, her dark hair in two braids. She found my attempts at learning Spanish both laudable and amusing, because my accent remained terrible and my progress was slow.
"She's worried about her future, though," I said. "Our friend Brooke says she'll have no problem getting into grad school, while Cici's not as confident. I'm way out of my depth about anything in education, but she says classes and research programs are being cancelled because of NIH cutbacks."
"The grad program might not be tied to specific research programs," Hayley said. "If they are, she's right to be concerned."
"And if she's Mexican, I'm sure she's troubled about DEI backlash," said Ysabel. "Minorities are getting pushed out of positions they've earned. We get called 'DEI hires' by 'woke departments', even when race has nothing to do with our success."
"Yeah, she's mentioned that, too," I say. "It's another part of her experience I can't relate to, but I'm worrying on her behalf."
A week after V-Day, Cici called me at work. I was working when my phone rang. I was going to decline and text her that I'd call her back, but my client said, "Go ahead," so I swiped answer.
"Hey, Samara! Guess what?"
"I can't, Cici," I said. "I'm working. It sounds like it's something good?"
"¡Sí! ¡Muy buenas noticias! I am accepted into the PhD program."
"That's awesome, Cici," I said. "I'll call you this evening. I'll have a drink to celebrate your success. It's a shame you're not allowed to join me."
"I'll find a beer somewhere," she said, before I returned to my work.
The next good news arrived by text.
Cici: "Guess what?"
Me: "I might be able to, this time, but I'll hold off if you want me to call you."
Cici: "No, go ahead."
Me: "Now you're in the grad program, the company you want to work for would be stupid to reject my SUPERGENIUS girlfriend, so I'm going to guess you have a job offer."
Cici: "Wow! Way to spoil my surprise! 😇😡🤡💯💖💖💖"
Cici: "More long-distance beer tonight?"
Cici: "🥳🎉🍺"
Me: "You should have two beers! And then maybe you'll send n00dz!"
Cici: "😲😲😲😲😲"
My Gabby's friends were thrilled with her news, and looked forward to meeting her.
"Now she's looking for an apartment," I told them, "and her budget is already more than my rent."
Over Spring Break, Cici introduced me to Elián and his boyfriend by video. Brooke and I would have the chance to meet them when we helped Cici move out after graduation.
That seemed to be the beginning of the end of Cici's relationship with her mother. She decided that she wasn't going to exclude Elián from her graduation ceremony. She'd been considering whether to try to keep the peace for longer, but it wasn't fair. Family bigotry had denied her brother the opportunity to go to college. Cici wasn't going to tell him he couldn't see his little sister graduate.
When she told her mother that, she decided that she and her husband wouldn't be there. She screamed at Cici for speaking to the "unnatural" person who was not her family. If Cici had held onto any remaining hope she might be able to navigate her own coming out with them, it died at that moment. She wasn't even sure that her mother would allow her to return home after favoring Elián.
In late May, Cici signed a lease remotely for an apartment that she and Brooke had found. It was a two-bedroom, in a complex close to the lake, with a pool and convenient bus access. She wasn't planning to buy a car for a few months.
Just before finals, Cici turned twenty-one. Liz chaperoned her for her first public drinking experience. She texted me the following day asking me to promise never to let her drink again. I declined. She had decided that since she was Mexican, she'd start with tequila. Maybe I could have anticipated that, and warned her...
Grace showed up for her appointment with a definite idea of what she wanted, which was to keep her hair mostly straight, but color it white with pink and blue stripes.
"After the conversation we had with Bel and Hayley, I started thinking about how I could make a difference," Grace said. "I have time, since my girlfriend dumped me, so I started volunteering at a trans kids' support group. I want to make my hair a trans flag to show I support them, and to let them know I'm a safe person."
"So, overall white with blue and pink painted stripes?" I pinched her hair into a side tail. "One blue, one pink? Or symmetrical with blue and pink on each side?"
"Symmetrical," she said, confidently. "Pale blue stripe at the front, pink behind it, white or pale grey base."
"The white will take well, since you're very close to that now," I said. "Okay, I can do that. Elaine may want a photo for her book. We've nothing like it in there now."
I layered her hair into a wind blown look, lightened it to silvery white, then added pale blue and pink streaks. She was more than happy with the results.
After her next visit to Gabby's, I began to get requests for my services from other patrons. Stylist services, that is.
June found me lounging in Brooke's comfortable car as we made our second and final trip to see Cici in college.
"It's nice not to feel Cici's well-being depends on us rushing," I said.
"True, but she's probably worrying about everything she needs to take care of," Brooke said.
"We can help her with that," I said. "And I shared my location so she can see when we will arrive."
It was hard to find parking, with the whole student body preparing to move or leave, but Brooke finally did. Cici was waiting for us outside her apartment, with a young man I recognized as her brother Elián. I hugged my girlfriend, whispering, "Missed you," before giving her a brief kiss, then turning to meet Elián. He didn't look much like his sister, being taller and broad-shouldered, with a strong jaw, but his eyes were identical, to the intelligent glitter in their depths. He was a little shorter than me and wore a suit and tie. To my surprise, he hugged Brooke and me both. Of course, he was Brooke's friend before Cici was, but I was happy that he'd accepted me into his partially exiled family.
Beside him, his boyfriend Mike was all smiles. He was closer to my height, also in suit and tie.
The ceremony was in a stadium, and we were far from the rows of graduates sitting below. We'd been trying to identify Cici from above.
"Is that her?" Elián asked Brooke. "Third from the end, uh, sixth row back. Next to the rainbow gown."
Not that there weren't other rainbow gowns. As well as floral garlands, bright dresses and other non-traditional graduation wear. But with the count, it pinpointed the girl he was looking at.
"Oh, yeah, I think you're right," said Brooke. "Looks like her curls, and I think she's wearing glasses. Yeah, that's her."
"I'm so proud of her," he said. "I wish I could see Inés, too. I miss her. Have you met her?" He'd turned toward me with that question. "Our sister?"
I shook my head. "You're the only other family member I've met," I said. "Cici's worried that if I meet anyone else her secrets will all be revealed."
"Well, you do have a distinctive style, Sam," he said.
"Yeah, I know your mother would hate me," I said. "And I do understand why Cici has to protect herself. I'm also glad she picked you over her to be here. I'm glad I got to meet you."
"I miss Inés and Tomas both," he said, regret crossing his face, "but I think you'll be a good sister, Sam."
We continued to chat through the ceremony. The speakers' words washed over me, and the only part I found interesting was my girlfriend's walk across the stage. Still, the event was important to her, and, it seemed, especially important to Elián, who cheered loudly.
We spent the evening proving to Cici that it was possible to drink tequila without health risks, though we were both woozy when we squeezed into her twin bed that night.
We weren't there just to see her graduate. We were moving her out. We'd booked a one-way van rental for the move to her new apartment. The booking was in my name, since Brooke wasn't yet twenty-five.
The four of us, including Cici's roommate Liz, dismantled the apartment. Elián spent part of the day with us, helping to take the couch outside without damaging the door frames. It had been promised to friends of Cici and Liz who weren't leaving.
The sorry-looking reclining chair that Liz favored wasn't in good enough condition to donate, so we carried it out to the trash. If someone wanted to take it, they were welcome.
We didn't need Elián's help to package up the rest of the apartment, so he headed back to work. We prepared the TV, boxed up the other electronics, along with Cici's clothes, cooking equipment and all of her worldly possessions that weren't at her family's house, then became a cleaning whirlwind, washing down woodwork, counters and the stove, and vacuuming with the machine that Brooke had brought with her. Cici and Liz exchanged long hugs, ensured they had each others' numbers and addresses, and then we were three.
After dinner, Cici and I spent our final night in the awkward bed. Without much room to move, Cici took her time exploring my most sensitive piercings with her fingertips until I erupted with pleasure beside her.
"At least I have good memories from this bed, cariño," Cici said. "You touched me here, and now I have touched you, too."
Brooke picked me up early, dropping me off at the van rental. An hour later I was blocking the parking lot as we - with Elián's help again - transferred all of the boxes, her bike, the TV and other electronics, and all of Cici's remaining belongings into the van.
We made one final trip to the tree on the green. It had rained in the early morning, but was only cloudy when we arrived, though the ground was wet. I'd installed an app that allowed me to download a video stream, and after fighting through all of the ads, I recorded the four of us standing there waving. Then Brooke, Elián, and I moved aside, and I captured Cici as I'd first seen her in the camera, over a year ago. She even sat on the wet grass for a photo.
"We'll give the room a final check and take care of the paperwork," said Brooke, when I'd emailed the videos to each of them. "We'll meet you at home."
"Okay, I'm going to share my location," I said. "You'll probably pass me fairly soon. I'm not going to be speeding in this."
Cici kissed me goodbye and I drove her belongings away from the place she'd lived since before we'd met.