RISK

by Sam Skyborne

  “It was Lawrence wasn't it?”

  “I thought you might need these.” Lizbeth looked around for somewhere to put the peace offering, but found nowhere obvious. Eventually she put them on top of a closed file on the table.

  Unable to help herself she briefly glanced at some of the photos which lay out on the table surface.

  “I should probably not know you have these?” she said, forcing herself not to look further.

  An awkward silence fell between them. It was clear Toni was not in a chatty mood.

  “Right, well,” Lizbeth began to regret her decision to come. “I had better go.” What was she thinking? She knew Toni well enough to known this would not be easy. Toni was never very good at dealing with personal things head on. When Toni did not reply she turned towards the door.

  “Liz, why did you come?”

  When Lizbeth turned to see Toni sitting there on the pale green and brown bed, in her sweats with her damp hair, she looked so small and vulnerable. “I’m not really sure,” she answered honestly. “I suppose, to check-up that my friend was okay and to remind her that my flat has a spare room that is… bigger,” she pointed at the files scattered everywhere, “with more surface area to spread her things out on.”

  Toni looked around at the modest room as if seeing it for the first time and let out a little chuckle.

  Heartened by Toni’s reaction Lizbeth continued. “And I do provide quite good and accurate room service too, I've been told.”

  Toni covered her eyes as if to prevent the images that came to mind.

  “Don't go there!” Toni said, unable not to smile.

  Lizbeth suddenly realised her unintentional double entendre “No wait, that came out all wrong!” She said, laughing with embarrassment. “What I meant is, you know, you are welcome in my flat, as you are in my life, but both are what they are. The choice is yours.”

  When Toni did not say anything, Lizbeth decided that enough had been said and it was time to go.

  “What are you cooking?” Toni asked before Lizbeth reached the door.

  Lizbeth smiled to herself. She knew her friend so well. “I was planning a light garlic, olive oil and Parmesan pasta served with a bowl of fresh salad.”

  “That’s not playing fair,” Toni grumbled.

  Lizbeth shrugged and continued on out the door smiling to herself.

  Inside the hotel room Toni picked up the files and placed them back in the box. Then she grabbed the box, her overnight bag and her coat and headed out the door after Lizbeth.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Friday

  After making dinner as promised the previous evening, Lizbeth had stayed up late to prepare for a 7.30am meeting with a client, so she was now feeling the strain a little.

  She sat at her desk and scrolled through her phone. The last voice message from Toni was from a couple of nights before when her flat had been ransacked. Once Lizbeth finally listened to the numerous voicemails and seen the text messages, it became clear what had happened. She felt awful for ignoring Toni’s calls, not least because her friend obviously needed her. She was angry with herself for just thinking of her own needs.

  Yes, she was angry with Toni for not being okay with her sexuality and responding so badly, but that was hardly a matter of life and death.

  What if the people responsible for trashing her flat had still been there?

  What if Toni had somehow been injured and ended up in hospital—and she missed the call?

  On some level she had known Toni would have a problem with her sexuality. That is why she had avoided the conversation for so long. Was it really so bad not being out for the sake of a pretty good friendship? Was a shag really worth that friendship?

  She put down her phone and stared out of her office window.

  A few seconds later her phone beeped. She picked it up swiftly, hoping it was Toni.

  Hi gorgeous. Fancy having lunch with me later? Mxx

  She smiled at the text.

  But then it hit her. What was she doing meddling with this woman? Granted she was stunning and highly charismatic and it felt wonderful being with her, but she was Toni’s colleague. This could not go on!

  She started to text back.

  Maxine had got up deliberately early, quite some time before Monika, her sister, normally woke up. She wanted to have some time with Robert, her sister’s husband.

  As she sipped her coffee she assessed the man in front of her. He looked a lot older than she had remembered from her previous visit only eighteen months before. She guessed that was what cancer did to a person. It was impossible to avoid the devastating radioactive fallout that annihilates, not only the primary victim, but all those around them.

  She admired everything he had done, his devotion to his wife and life-long partner. This was so rare. In fact, she could not think of a single other individual who could have been a more wonderful husband and father.

  At 10.15am the baby-monitor standing in the kitchen made a noise. He automatically jumped up ready to assume his duty when Maxine put her hand on his arm and said. “Let me.”

  For a brief moment he looked uncertain as if he could not understand the language she was speaking.

  Maxine nodded at him to reassure him and got up and went upstairs.

  Maxine spent the next hour getting Monika up out of bed, bathing and dressing her.

  She had to bite back the tears a few times when she saw how small and frail her sister had become. Her thighs were the size of Maxine’s forearms, her body a skeleton.

  When Monika was finally dressed and ready Maxine called Robert to come and help carry Monika down the stairs. She left them to it in the bedroom, partly to give her sister and her brother-in-law a bit of privacy and spare her sister the embarrassment of needing to be carried in front of her.

  Fifteen minutes later Maxine brought in a large pot of tea and toast into the conservatory where her sister was now seated in her favourite corner armchair. The chemotherapy made her feel sick so all she could really keep down was dry toast and sweet tea.

  At first they sat there quietly absorbed in their own worlds, sipping their tea and watching Robert mowing the lawn outside. Maxy, Maxine’s five-year old niece, was playing with her Action Men in the garden just outside the conservatory doors.

  “So?” Monika said, resting her cup in her lap.

  Maxine knew that ‘so’ so well. She started to smile.

  “So what, Mon?” she asked back, pretending she did not know what Monika was about to ask.

  “So. What is happening in your life? What is happening in my little sister, Lotharia’s2 life?”

  “Nothing much as usual.”

  “Yeah, so you keep saying,” Monika said with a chuckle.

  It was good to hear Monika laugh.

  “You were always a bit of a one.”

  “What is that meant to mean?”

  They laugh together.

  “Do me a favour, Max—”

  “Oh dear. You not pulling the when I’m gone card now are you!” Maxine teased, not really wanting to get serious with her sister.

  “No, but I do know one thing. When you realise you’ve been given a single wild and precious life, things begin to matter—people begin to matter. Those around you.”

  “Then you have done very, very well for yourself,” Maxine said indicating Robert and Maxy. “You have a keeper and an absolute treasure there!”

  “Yes,” Monika agreed. “I have been very fortunate. But I worry about you.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about me!”

  “But I do. At least tell me one thing… Why do you have such an aversion to putting down any roots or finding someone who is more than a fleeting dalliance?”

  Maxine assessed her sister. She realised that now was not the time for a flippant comeback. She placed her cup down on the table.

  “You really want to know?”

  Monika nodded.

  “Okay. Well… I see relationships as akin to a shootin
g star.” She checked to see if Monika was really listening.

  “Go on.”

  “Well, two parties come together to form a shooting star which starts off as all fire and passion, burning with amazing intensity, all consuming and devouring, a wonderful loving experience… until…”

  “Until what?”

  “Until it either crashes, in absolute devastation into a nearby planet or… just fizzles out and the pieces drift along in dead, quiet space together for eternity until… inevitably one of the parties disintegrates, leaving the other alone again waiting for their own demise.”

  A silence hung over them as they contemplated their own versions of that reality.

  Maxine had had her phone on silent during the morning. She did not want any interruptions during her precious time with her sister. Now she saw she had a message from Lizbeth.

  Hi, Sorry can’t do lunch. Maybe some other time. I can’t do THIS right now. Can we be mates? Lx

  Maxine closed her phone and popped it in her pocket.

  Lizbeth liked to work with her door open, despite the distraction of people passing by, because it gave her a sense that she was part of something bigger. One of the reasons she chose this building in which to have her office in the first place, was because it was owned by a small-business co-operative. Everybody in the building had their own small business and worked for themselves. They all shared their services and office-space, helping each other achieve more than they would on their own.

  After making the decision to end things with Maxine, she had thrown herself into her work. However, time still crawled by.

  A little before midday she heard the elevator ping from down the hall, followed by footsteps coming along the corridor.

  She listened and tried to picture the gait of the person walking. Could that be Toni?

  She noted the rhythm of the footfalls. They were too deliberate, too confident. She shook her head—Must be a visitor for someone else. She turned her attention back to the document in front of her.

  Subconsciously she became aware that the footsteps had stopped and something attracted her attention at her door.

  She glanced up and caught sight of a pair of boots over the top of her desk. She followed them up to sexy denim clad legs, gorgeous hips, a slight ripped abdomen peeping out under a short top that stretched over shapely breasts. She would recognise that sexy body, leaning against the door frame, anywhere, and now even more so after having spent a number of late night hours getting to know every inch of it intimately. Her eyes finally came to rest on the beautiful smiling face of Maxine. Those lips, she thought.

  She wrenched her thoughts back to reality. She needed to be realistic.

  “Maxine, I can’t—” Lizbeth began to protest.

  Maxine held up a hand to stop Lizbeth before she continued. “You said you couldn’t come out for lunch, I know. But even overworked, successful lawyers have to eat at some point, so I thought I'd bring lunch to you.” She held up a food basket, which Lizbeth had not noticed. “And, I promise, the moment you tell me to leave I will.”

  Lizbeth studied the stubborn gorgeous woman who was so casually confident. She clearly never took ‘no’ for an answer. To be honest, Lizbeth was really glad to see her.

  She glanced at the clock. It was 12:05pm. She had fifty-five minutes. Maxine was right, she did need to eat and, after all, what harm could a picnic lunch in the office do?

  “I’m expecting Lawrence at one,” she said.

  “That's plenty of time.” Maxine smiled but waited at the door.

  On her computer screen, Lizbeth clicked the ‘save’ button on the brief that she had been working on. She put her laptop away and cleared the desk. When she was done she looked up and waved to invite Maxine to come in.

  Maxine pushed herself off from the door frame, stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She brought the basket over and placed it on Lizbeth’s desk.

  Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Lizbeth peeped into the basket. “Hmm, what do you have here?”

  She pulled out a parcel of neatly wrapped cold meat. “Parma ham! With cheese…. and an assortment of crackers…. Nice, Detective! Thanks!”

  Lizbeth had to hand it to Maxine. She knew how to woo someone.

  Lizbeth was so preoccupied with admiring the delicious contents of the basket that she did not notice Maxine had come around the desk.

  “You brought quite a feast. You must be hungry—” Lizbeth’s thoughts were cut short when she felt Maxine’s breath tickle her neck.

  “Oh, I am…” Maxine said in a low sultry voice just millimetres from Lizbeth’s ear, causing goosebumps all the way down her arm and across her chest.

  Lizbeth shook her head and turned to face Maxine in order to stop her. Instead Maxine closed the half a foot gap between them and planted a kiss on Lizbeth’s lips, causing her to back up against the desk.

  “Maxine—” Lizbeth tried to say but her words died mid-thought as Maxine manoeuvred her thigh to press up against Lizbeth's by now pulsing core. At the same time she kissed her more forcefully.

  “…but not for ham or cheese,” Maxine finally finished her sentence.

  Lizbeth felt both trapped and aroused. She knew that the sensible thing to do was to break it off with Maxine, but right now, she wanted nothing more than to have Maxine’s hands and lips all over her.

  Maxine’s piercing green eyes, held her gaze, like a predator staring down her prey. She bent down slightly and slid her thumbs and forefingers under the bottom seam of Lizbeth's skirt. Then she slowly pushed the material up to her hips in one smooth movement.

  “Maxine!” Lizbeth said, suddenly feeling embarrassed and anxious that someone would come through the door.

  Maxine leaned in and placed a single finger on Lizbeth's lips. “Ssh!” She dipped her fingertip just inside Lizbeth's mouth.

  Lizbeth sucked at it gently.

  Maxine removed her finger and hooked Lizbeth's panties with her forefingers and ripped them down as she knelt on the floor in front of Lizbeth. As the cool air hit Lizbeth’s wet folds her legs suddenly felt weak. She instinctively steadied herself by grabbing onto Maxine's shoulders, and as if compelled by mind control she stepped out of her panties, spreading her legs as she did so.

  Maxine grabbed her hips firmly and pulled her towards her.

  “I can’t…” Lizbeth tried to argue but again her words died in her mouth as Maxine’s soft lips connected with her centre. Lizbeth glanced down and her breath was taken away by the beautiful sight of Maxine’s green eyes looking up at her as she tongued, licked and sucked her soft flesh.

  “Oh God!” Lizbeth closed her eyes and allowed Maxine control. “Please…”

  Maxine stopped and pulled away slightly. “Oh, so now it is okay to want me?” she teased with a crooked smile.

  She did not wait for a response, instead she ran her thumb over Lizbeth's sensitive skin, sending shivers through Lizbeth’s body.

  “What do you want?” Maxine asked.

  Lizbeth could hardly stay standing let alone get any words out. “Please... Maxine.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Please…” Lizbeth groaned.

  “Tell me.”

  Lizbeth knew that Maxine would not let her off. If she wanted Maxine to finish what she had started she would have to speak.

  Maxine lowered her head closer to Lizbeth's throbbing clitoris.

  Lizbeth let out a low hiss. “Oh, God! Yes.”

  Instead, Maxine stopped and hovered teasingly close. “Hmm?” she said. “Say it.”

  Lizbeth could almost feel the vibration of her voice. She scrunched the fabric of Maxine's jacket in frustration. She lifted a hand to pull Maxine closer but Maxine caught it and redirected it to hold onto the desk behind her.

  “Tell me or I'll stop.”

  Lizbeth knew that was not a threat. She gripped the desk tightly. “Please…” Lizbeth could hardly breathe, let alone get the words out. “Please… fuck me.�
��

  Instantly Maxine pressed her warm mouth over Lizbeth’s soft flesh and thrashed her clit with her strong tongue.

  After only a few brief minutes Lizbeth could not hold it any longer. Luckily, Maxine’s strong arms were wrapped around her hips to steady her as she rode out the exquisite tremors of her orgasm.

  Once Lizbeth had calmed down, Maxine backed away, smoothed Lizbeth’s skirt back in place and got up. She planted a soft, almost chaste, kiss on Lizbeth's mouth, allowing her to taste herself on Maxine’s lips.

  Lizbeth opened her eyes and smiled before troubles clouded her features.

  “Ssh!” Maxine soothed and placed a gentle finger on Lizbeth's lips again. “Don't over analyse. It happened. It was good. That's all.”

  Maxine placed another chaste kiss on her lips. She then smiled a kind reassuring smile.

  They both heard the elevator ping, through the closed door.

  Lizbeth panicked. “That must be Lawrence!” She licked her lips and straighten her skirt. “Oh Christ! Max—”

  Maxine abruptly placed a finger to her own lips indicating that Lizbeth should be quiet. Then she calmly helped Lizbeth straighten her clothing, while they both listened to the approaching footsteps.

  There was a knock and the door started to open.

  Maxine noticed Lizbeth's panties still lying on the floor at her feet in clear view of the door. She ducked down and swiped them up just in time as Lawrence entered. She turned her back to the door and wiped her lips with the panties, giving Lizbeth a mischievous wink, before she swiftly stuck the panties in her jacket pocket and turned to greet Lawrence.

  Lawrence, stopped in his stride. “Oh, sorry! I didn't know you had company,” he said. The moment he had entered he could sense he had clearly interrupted something.

  He notice Lizbeth’s rather scarlet complexion and shifty manner, as if she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar—he noticed the basket on her desk—or hand in someone’s lunch basket.