Unconventional Lovers

by Annette Mori

  Siera kept bringing the subject up about moving out, but her mom wasn’t listening. She kept stating that until Siera finished school they were happy to support her. Her mom wanted her to apply to Washington State University and transfer to their business program, but Siera had struggled enough with school. She didn’t think getting a Bachelor’s degree was important. It took her an extra year to finish at Big Bend, because she didn’t want to leave most of the burden to Bri to keep their business going. It was hard to work and go to school. It didn’t leave a lot of time for fun. Their business was already successful, and she wanted to spend more time having fun with Bri.

  Sasha greeted them at the door, wagging her tail, and Bri ruffled her fur.

  Siera bent to kiss her nose and then stood up facing Bri. “Can we put Sasha in the mudroom and go to your room?”

  “Uh huh. Let me give her some dinner. When Aunt Olivia and Deb come home they can let her out.”

  Bri quickly filled Sasha’s bowl and brought it into the mudroom, where she set it down. Sasha began devouring the meal. Siera followed with a bowl of fresh water that she set down next to the food bowl. Bri closed the door, grabbed Siera’s hand, and led her into her bedroom. She giggled when she pulled out the book hidden in the nightstand.

  “Did you read it?” Siera asked.

  “Some of it. There were parts I didn’t think we would want to try. They seemed kind of icky and might hurt. I thought sex was supposed to feel good. It doesn’t make sense to me,” Bri answered as she sat down on the bed and pulled Siera next to her.

  “Will you show me which pages I should read?”

  Bri nodded.

  Siera watched Bri flip to one of the pages in the book. Siera mouthed the words, as she read over Bri’s shoulder and recognized the complicated word from her earlier conversation with Rain. “I have a hard time saying this word. Rain said this is her favorite. I didn’t know you could kiss private parts. She assured me we have to try it. She invited us to a party a few months ago. I think we should go and meet some other lesbians.”

  Bri smiled. “Okay, that sounds fun.”

  Sierra looked at the picture in the book again. “Um, do you want to try this?”

  “Uh huh, but maybe we should start by touching each other down there,” Siera said. She flipped to another page in the book and pointed. “We can do this.”

  “Okay. That sounds like a good way to start. Aunt Olivia told me she is taking Deb out to dinner. Deb needed someone to talk to. Aunt Olivia wanted to cheer her up. They won’t be back here until later. We have time to try some things out.”

  “I think we should get naked again. I like lying next to you when we’re naked.” Siera blushed.

  “Okay, we can both take our clothes off and climb in bed. I think that’s where you’re supposed to do it.”

  “Don’t watch me, okay? I have belly fat and you don’t.” Siera lifted her eyes to meet Bri’s before standing up.

  “I think you’re beautiful. I love everything about you. Don’t say that kind of stuff.” Bri stood up next to Siera and ran her hand through Siera’s thick silky hair. She pressed her lips against Siera’s. “I love you. I want to show you how much. Aunt Olivia calls this making love. That’s what we’re gonna do right now.” Bri lifted her t-shirt over her head and folded it carefully, placing it on her dresser. She removed her shorts, underwear, and socks and added them to the pile.

  Siera turned around when she removed her clothes, holding them against her body before setting them next to Bri’s, then dashing to the bed. She clambered under the light, summer sheet and bedspread.

  Bri crawled next to Siera and turned to her side. She rested a hand on Siera’s cheek and Siera sighed in contentment.

  Their lips joined and repeated a ritual they’d engaged in since they first started dating. At first their kisses were light and tentative. As they explored what felt good, they started experimenting with their tongues and lightly sucking on each other’s lips. Sometimes, Siera would study the way people in love kissed in the movies. She’d attempt to duplicate their technique until she felt that tingling in her private area, or when she heard Bri respond. Bri would make a sound like when she was really enjoying an ice cream cone or a piece of pizza. That’s when Siera knew she was kissing the way she was supposed to.

  Bri was usually the first one to kiss her neck or breasts. When Siera discovered how good that felt, she’d started to reciprocate. Tonight, she decided to take the lead and brought her mouth to Bri’s breast as she stroked the sides. She got the response she was hoping for when Bri moaned.

  Her hand traveled down Bri’s stomach, and she twirled her fingers around the soft golden hair below Bri’s belly button. Rain had told her when your partner got wet down there, you were doing it right. Siera felt the moisture, as she moved her hand lower between the other lips on Bri’s body. Bri lifted her bottom off the bed.

  “It feels funny, but good. Can you keep moving your fingers down there?”

  Siera ran her fingers up and down the area that was wet, and Bri continued to move with her. Bri started breathing heavy.

  “I feel like something is about to happen, don’t stop Siera.”

  Bri looked so beautiful moving next to her. Siera continued to move her fingers up and down.

  “Oh, oh, oh, it’s like my muscles are doing a dance.” Bri put her hand on top of Siera’s to stop her movement. “Oh Siera. That was amazing. Now it’s really sensitive. I want to touch you now. You have to feel what I felt.”

  “Okay.”

  Bri pressed her lips to Siera’s and hugged her close. “Thank you, Siera. Will you tell me when I am touching the right places?”

  Siera nodded.

  Bri lightly brushed her hand down Siera’s breasts and began stroking up and down her stomach before weaving her fingers into Siera’s dark curls. Siera felt the tingle build. She brought her hand on top of Bri’s and bravely moved it down to where her own wetness seeped out. When Bri hit a particularly sensitive spot that sent shivers of pleasure through her body, Siera’s own bottom began to move in a rhythm that enhanced the feeling. Siera understood what Bri had described earlier, as that building sensation grew and she didn’t want Bri to stop.

  “That’s the right spot, Bri. Gosh, you’re right. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. It is so wonderful. Just like you.”

  The feeling kept building, until Siera felt a wave of sensation flow over her body. It was the most glorious feeling, and she cried out as Bri slowed her caress.

  “It’s wonderful, isn’t it? I am so happy I met you, Siera. Being in love is about the best thing in the world. Making love is even better,” Bri said.

  “I think we should read more in the book and try some new things.”

  “Me too,” Bri agreed.

  †

  Olivia kept sneaking side glances at Deb, as she drove to the restaurant. She wanted to gauge where Deb was at regarding her decision about a dinner date with her ex. Olivia groaned inside when she thought of Deb on a romantic date with another woman. That image definitely did not sit well with her. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she didn’t want Deb to get back with Carrie. Somehow, over the course of the last three years, she’d developed strong feelings for Deb. The fact that she hadn’t taken that next step hadn’t mattered until now. Olivia knew she had some serious soul searching to do. She wondered what Deb would think about her proposing a redefinition of their relationship. It scared her to consider that possibility, but the alternative terrified her.

  “What? Do I have something gross on my face? You keep looking at me,” Deb blurted out.

  “Sorry. I’m trying to wrap my head around the possibility I might lose my best friend to an ex I haven’t approved of. I want to meet her.”

  “You’ll like her. Everyone does.”

  “No, I won’t,” Olivia answered.

  “Why not? You haven’t met her yet.”

  “She broke your heart. I already hate
her,” Olivia declared.

  “Spoken like a true best friend.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to be your best friend anymore,” Olivia confessed.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Maybe I want to cross that line I drew in the sand three years ago. You said you’d never be the one to cross it.”

  “Seriously? Now you want to cross the line, after my ex strolls back into town?”

  “Sorry. Can you erase that from your head and forget I ever said anything?” Olivia gripped the steering wheel, as she made the turn into the restaurant.

  “No, Olivia, I can’t, but I also can’t deal with that right at this moment. You know you just delivered a heaped spoonful of confusion and angst. We’re going to talk about this, but not tonight. I need a lighthearted night, and you’re going to stick to how we’ve been for the last three years. I’m going to continue to flirt, and you’re going to laugh it off and not take me seriously. We’re going to snuggle together on the couch and watch that movie for the hundredth time, as I fall asleep in your arms. That’s what we do. Don’t change the rules on me now.”

  “All right. Change of plans, let’s get something to go and head back to my house so we can make this an early night. You’ll probably be tossing and turning all night long now, because I’m an idiot.” Olivia put the truck in park and paused before opening the door.

  “Yes, you are, but I love you anyway. Good thing we have the girls to buffer the awkwardness, which I will only allow for thirty minutes,” Deb said, as she pulled on the handle of the truck door and got out.

  Olivia chuckled. “God, you can be so bossy and precise.”

  †

  By the time Deb and Olivia arrived at Olivia’s house with to-go containers in hand, they’d returned to their normal friendly banter. Each was carefully making an effort to brush the confession under the rug. Deb wasn’t about to admit how Olivia’s declaration had landed on her. She’d fallen in love with Olivia a long time ago but would never come out with that admission, because she was sure Olivia did not return her feelings. The unrequited love was painful enough, but the prospect of not having Olivia in her life was beyond what she was willing to endure.

  Carrie had been gone a very long time, but when she stood there in the emergency department, all those unresolved feelings came rushing back to Deb. She honestly did not know what she would do if Carrie wanted to give their relationship another chance. Now, Olivia was dangling another possibility in front of her. One that she’d longed for. Life was simply not fair.

  Everything was quiet in the house, except for Sasha, who was whining in the mud room. Deb wondered where Bri and Siera were. They were normally back at the house by now.

  “I’ll let Sasha out. Why don’t you see if the girls are hanging out in Bri’s room? We can get the movie started soon and pull out the Ben & Jerry’s for dessert,” Olivia said.

  Deb started walking to Bri’s bedroom and noted the door was closed. For a moment, she wondered whether she should open the door and possibly violate their privacy. She discarded the notion she’d be interrupting anything major. As she turned the doorknob and opened the door, she called out, “Hey girls, we brought…oh shit, sorry.”

  Deb glimpsed enough to realize both Siera and Bri were naked together in bed, and she surmised from their harried fumbling that she’d interrupted a very intimate moment. She quickly closed the door and nearly ran into the living room to keep Olivia from making the same mistake.

  “Um, give the girls a few moments and don’t interrogate them, okay?”

  “What?”

  “I’m pretty sure I interrupted a very intimate moment. Neither one of them had a stitch of clothing on, and by the frantic rustling of the covers, I’d venture to guess they were on an exploration of each other’s bodies,” Deb explained.

  “Oh shit. Do you think we should intervene? We’ve been allowing them free rein for quite some time. Sex is kind of a big deal. Are you sure they’re ready for that?” Olivia asked.

  “God, now you sound like my sister. They clearly love each other, and I think they’re a perfect match. Besides, you found the book. What did you think they’ve been doing—playing tiddlywinks?”

  “What about your sister? She’s going to blow a gasket. She already thinks Siera should start separating herself a little from her attachment to Bri, because it will be too painful when she attends WSU in the fall.”

  “You know as well as I do Siera has no intention of continuing her schooling. Why the hell should she? Shit, they probably make as much money on their business as I do working as a staff nurse.”

  “I know, but who’s gonna give your sister that updated memo?” Olivia asked.

  “We are. Remember? United front.”

  “Maybe you can introduce the topic and then kind of ease into our suspicions that the two of them are, maybe, a bit more serious with one another than Kathleen is willing to envision,” Olivia suggested.

  “Oh no you don’t, you are not going to leave me the task of telling my sister her daughter is finally having sex with her girlfriend.”

  “Jeremy?”

  “Um, I don’t think so. He wants to continue to have sex with his own wife. If he lays that bomb on her, she’ll shoot the messenger, and her aim is very precise,” Deb answered.

  “Well, somebody has to fill her in.” Olivia sat heavily on one of the kitchen stools.

  “Why don’t we concentrate on breaking the news about the house and no WSU in the fall, before we move onto the next phase of attempting to convince my stubborn sister her dreams and Siera’s dreams aren’t quite the same thing?”

  Deb turned her head and grinned when the two young women emerged from Bri’s bedroom with their hair completely in disarray. They both had shy smiles, as they tentatively approached.

  Deb couldn’t help herself as she asked, “Did you have a nice nap, girls?”

  Olivia snickered. “Are you girls still up for watching Fire with your old, decrepit aunts?”

  “Yeah. I love that movie. I gotta get up early tomorrow. We scheduled some appointments before graduation,” Siera said.

  “How come you didn’t take off the whole day?” Deb asked.

  “Mrs. Carlson said it was an emergency. Buffy rolled into something rancid. I told her we could clean her up, if she brought her in at seven,” Siera replied.

  “I can run you over to the clinic in the morning, if you want. Do you mind if I crash here tonight?” Deb asked. “I made sure they scheduled me off for Siera’s commencement ceremony,” she added.

  “You don’t need to do that. I can take her. I’ll head into the clinic early. I only scheduled appointments until eleven. I’ll come back and pick you up; that way you can sleep in. We’ll have ourselves a big slumber party. How does that sound?” Olivia asked.

  “Awesome,” Siera and Bri replied.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  The warmth of the sun tickled Deb’s cheek, as she opened her eyes and reached above her head to stretch. The first time Olivia had led her to the guest bedroom and tucked her in, she’d asked why Olivia kept the blinds partially open. Deb didn’t mind the sun waking her early in the morning; she was simply curious. Olivia had explained when Tom and Jerry were kittens, Jerry got his head stuck between the blinds. Olivia had to cut one of the strings to keep him from choking to death. If she didn’t keep them open, just a little, so they could look out at the birds, she was afraid they’d strangle themselves. Deb could see it happening, because on several occasions when she crashed at Olivia’s house, she’d woken up to the young cats playing with the blinds and looking outside with rapt attention to the chirping birds. This morning, they weren’t in her room and only the sun had woken her.

  As she stretched, she remembered Olivia waking her up the night before. Deb had fallen asleep wrapped in Olivia’s arms on the couch, again, while watching L Word reruns. She could still feel the warmth of Olivia’s lips, as they brushed across her forehead when she’d said goodn
ight. Olivia probably thought she was already asleep, but Deb noticed her lingering in the doorway before padding off to her own bedroom.

  Deb stared at the ceiling, as she wondered what she was going to do about Carrie. She hadn’t called her back yet to arrange dinner. With the excitement of Siera’s graduation today, along with Olivia’s blunt declaration, life had gotten very complicated. She knew she owed it to both Carrie and herself to listen to what Carrie had to say. Deb wasn’t sure what she was hoping for. She knew she was in love with Olivia, but she was a little pissed it had taken her three years to indicate any interest in something more than a friendship and only after hearing Carrie was back in town. Maybe Deb should have started dating someone seriously, to prompt the green monster’s arrival earlier.

  She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was still early, so she rolled over and closed her eyes in an attempt to fall back to sleep. She heard the girls stirring in Bri’s room and smiled. Now that she realized Siera and Bri had begun to explore their own physical relationship with one another, she longed for that missing piece in her life. Since meeting Olivia, she’d gone on a few dates but hadn’t returned to her previous pattern of short-term flings with women she knew she’d never develop serious feelings for. She missed the intimacy. Yet, if she analyzed her relationship with Olivia, they had that intimacy in every single way except for that one very important aspect. She’d managed to take care of the need on her own, but it wasn’t the same as sharing with another person. She knew if she got back with Carrie, that wouldn’t be an issue. They’d always been compatible in the bedroom.

  Deb rolled over again and concentrated on getting a few more hours of sleep, so she would have enough energy for the busy day. She’d promised to help her sister with the party decorations and was planning on going over to the house at nine. That would give them plenty of time to decorate and get the food ready. Finally, she drifted back to sleep. When she woke again, the house was quiet.