Taking Chances

by Cheri Crystal

  TAKING CHANCES

  © 2009, 2013 Cheri Crystal. All Rights Reserved.

  THIS BOOK CONTAINS EROTIC CONTENT AND ADULT THEMES. READERS MUST BE OVER 18 TO PURCHASE.

  THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. NAMES, CHARACTERS, PLACES, AND INCIDENTS ARE THE PRODUCT OF THE AUTHOR’S IMAGINATION OR ARE USED FICTITIOUSLY. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ACTUAL PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, BUISINESS ESTABLISHMENTS, EVENTS, OR LOCALES IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL.

  SCANNING, UPLOADING AND/OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS BOOK VIA THE INTERNET, PRINT, AUDIO RECORDINGS OR ANY OTHER MEANS WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR/PUBLISHER IS ILLEGAL AND WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.

  Cover Design: Cheri Crystal

  FIND CHERI CRYSTAL ON THE WEB AT www.chericrystal.com

  TAKING CHANCES

  BY

  CHERI CRYSTAL

  DEDICATION

  Thanks to Lori L. Lake, author and reviewer.

  I took a chance on lesfic, got hooked, and never looked back. It's been a most interesting and exciting climb.

  What Reviewers Say About Cheri Crystal’s Writing

  “The stories are sweet, sexy and quick, much like the interactions between the characters in this collection.”

  ~Curve Magazine

  “…Lobster Box, a funny, charming short story about a Jewish lesbian who finds that someone special through her meddling matchmaker…witty dialogue, humourous prose, and erotic descriptions had me hooked from start to finish.”

  ~Jane Bled, Author

  “[In Lobster Box,] Cheri Crystal mixes some excellent ethnic humor and a little slapstick into this romance to make it one of the best books she’s penned…Each book she writes seems to get better as this author hones her craft to help make it top of the line female eroticism.”

  ~Dee Dailey, Reviewer for The Romance Studio

  “Coming Clean is a fun story with crisp writing…”

  ~Robyn Glazer, Reviewer

  “In addition, the sex scenes are scorching and the ending will make any reader smile from ear to ear. How could any readers not find them- selves enthralled by Ms. Crystal’s writing?”

  ~Danielle, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

  “Keeping Up With Hornelia…Travel through a budding relationship, the flowering of a couple-in-love who enjoy sex with one another (really enjoy it!), then read about what happens when life starts to get in the way…This story from Cheri Crystal is more than erotica, though. It is founded in reality and is laced with a true love story in its short, entertaining span…Appreciate Cheri Crystal’s way with words!”

  ~Anna F, Author and Reviewer

  “I enjoy the frank sexuality…it’s always fresh and fun.”

  ~Carsen Taite, Author

  Cheri Crystal’s first anthology is written and produced with great spirit… Crystal’s flair is consistent throughout the book. Her tales are varied and slip easily into each sex scene. No shadows in here. It is all good open sex and there is something for everyone including: love stories like “Lobster Box,” fun with toys in “Tina in Toyland,” group sex in “Me Too,” voyeurism in “Dogging,” desire in “Gone Fishing” and much more. I found Attractions of the Heart to be a great value.

  ~Willis, amazon.com

  “This [Help Wanted: Clitoris Missing In Action] is a funny and sexy story that had me chuckling and joining in the fantasy. It's great to get some older characters featuring in erotica and a brilliant reminder that you're never too old to enjoy being sexual. I really enjoy Cheri Crystal's voice as a storyteller and am looking forward to reading more.”

  ~Anna S., amazon.co.uk

  Taking Chances

  Maybe I was whining, but didn’t desperation count for anything? What about melodrama? My specialty.

  I spun Melanie around. “What if I sign an affidavit that proclaims you will not be liable for my heart if it doesn’t work out?” I only realized that I had her arms in a vice grip when I saw welts start to form.

  “Jordan, give it a rest.” She half-heartedly shook off my hands.

  My face grew hot and I stepped back, but I didn’t give up easily. “Come on. We both want this. What are you so afraid of?”

  She turned around and walked off, leaving me flat. I don’t know how long I stood there with my mouth down to my tits, but there it was.

  Rejection.

  And from the last person on earth I ever expected it from. My oldest, nearest, and dearest friend. We were fiercely different, yet inseparable, and connected by a long list of events, which coincidentally paralleled for most of our thirty-eight years. I ran to catch up and we walked the rest of the way home from the kosher deli in silence. When I couldn’t stand it a moment longer, I repeated, “What are you so goddamned afraid of? I’m a big girl, and I know what I want.” I didn’t need to search too deep to know what was in her heart. I knew it with every part of me because I felt it too. I couldn’t imagine life without her and I desperately wanted more.

  Melanie was a stubborn woman of very few words, as if she paid for each syllable. “No. It’s more than that and you know it.”

  Always the drama queen, I put my hands on my hips like I meant business. Stamping my foot was a waste of time, too. This wasn’t exactly a new topic for us. When she ignored me, I gave her a playful shove. “Why? Aren’t we entitled to a loving relationship even if our parents might not approve? I think they’d be happy for us.”

  “Then you obviously don’t remember the time we got caught playing doctor behind the bushes…you know the rest.” Melanie turned ten shades of scarlet, and I was two shades behind her remembering our sensual explorations for girls barely over the precipice of puberty.

  “Okay, so we got carried away.”

  Melanie shot me one of her signature smirks—an arched eyebrow, and a curled upper lip. “We were practically naked.”

  “And you were grounded for a week. Oh, man, your mom gave us an awful earful. But we’re adults now.”

  “Drop it!”

  I didn’t blame Melanie for not wanting to relive that day. I could still hear her mother’s sharp slap across her face and envision how hard Melanie fought tears. “I’d never seen your mom that mad. I was so close to crapping in my pants.” I shivered. “She didn’t let me leave until we swore we’d never do it again. She said we were too old for such foolish games. I think that’s how she put it.”

  Melanie shoved her hands deeper into her pockets. I had no idea what happened after I left, and Melanie had her pride, so I didn’t push. I had to lighten the mood that descended upon us like the first autumn frost. We walked past a row of split-level homes distinguished only by the vinyl siding and what was planted in the flower beds beneath the picture windows. Fall was rapidly approaching. I didn’t want to end up like a frozen begonia. I was more like New Guinea impatiens anyway. I wanted Melanie, and I wanted her now. I smiled at my own joke, but Melanie looked way too serious.

  “Aw, come on.” I pointed at my cheek. “Let me have it, right here.” I was all prepared to turn my face so she’d catch my lips instead, but she didn’t bite. Tickling had no effect on her, either. Melanie had the control of a steel drum.

  I set my jaw, but the corners of my mouth curved upwards anyway. “What do I do if I need kisses to keep my lonely lips from drying up and falling off?” I pleaded, treading lightly as we took turns kicking a rock that had to be righted each time it ended up on a lawn. It seemed there were always obstacles to overcome in this life.

  Melanie glared, but kept walking.

  “I know!” I skipped with my brilliant idea. “You can do a breast exam. You wouldn’t want me to miss a lump?”

  “Shit, Jordan.” She stopped walking so abruptly that I plowed into her. “Don’t you dare get sick.” Our moms both had batt
led breast cancer—her mother’s had returned. The guilt of seeing pain in her eyes, no matter how fleeting, killed me.

  “Sorry, bad example. My breasts are fine. Want to see?” I started to lift my shirt, but stopped when a look of horror crossed her even features. When I was with her, I often forgot we were in public.

  “How about as research for when I do find the girl of my dreams?” As if I hadn’t already.

  “Give it a rest.” She let out a long suffering sigh. How she held that much air in her lungs, I hadn’t a clue.

  I shut up, but I didn’t give up. I was going to get my way if I had to tickle, beg, bribe or torment her to make it happen. That’s when I saw the sign stapled to a telephone pole:

  County Fair Saturday and Sunday from Noon to Midnight

  Excellent.

  “Okay, I know how much you love to win. Here’s the deal.”

  She didn’t speak, but I could smell the burning wood. Did I know my friend or what? She could never pass up a contest—pissing or otherwise.

  “We go to the fair and pick a game. Any game. If I win, I get my way. If you win, I don’t.”

  The color rose in her freckled complexion and reached beyond her clear blue eyes. I knew I had her attention when the red hue ran into and under her wind-blown copper bangs.

  “You must not want this as badly as you say,” Melanie said.

  “Oh yeah?” I jabbed her in the ribs with my elbow and met with muscle. Damn. I’d kill for her tight abs, but forget sit-ups. I didn’t do exercise as a steady diet. “We’ll see about that.” I sounded quite confident despite how I felt and was satisfied for the moment.

  Dressed to drive me wild, Melanie showed up in tight black jeans and a tank that said, You have been a bad girl, now get to MY room. She wore her hair slicked back except for the strands that danced across her forehead. The confident grin and tough stance would knock anyone for a loop, but I’d known her most my life and could just ignore it. Unfortunately, my body had its own agenda.

  “What do I have to do to be bad?” I asked, blatantly admiring her top.

  “Huh?” Melanie followed my gaze. “Oh, that. You’re a bad girl for staring at my tits.”

  “I was reading your shirt. You can’t wear stuff like that and then be pissed when people look.”

  “You’re still in trouble.”

  “Goody, can I pick the punishment?”

  “Cut it out. You’re a terrible tease. Know that?” There was that smirk again, but the mischievous twinkle in her eyes told a-whole-nother story.

  “Shall we grab a burger before or after I beat the pants off you in…” I stopped, “…you didn’t say what game we’re going to play.”

  “Let’s see what looks good.” Melanie took my hand, which was not an unusual gesture, but this time her touch scorched my palm. My patience to touch her all over was wearing thinner by the second.

  I quickened the pace and she kept up with me.

  The carnival was already in full swing. All the familiar sights, sounds and smells didn’t register in my already overloaded senses as much as the musky perfume Melanie always wore. The fragrance was somehow more alluring today. I let go of her hand and ran for the ring toss.

  “Nah, for babies,” she said.

  “What about the water gun duck shoot?”

  “Too easy.”

  “You’re impossible to please and you know it.”

  She grinned. But then I saw her looking over to the Test Your Strength booth and figured I was a goner if she thought I stood a chance of out-muscling her. I groaned and she laughed at me. “I’m not sadistic.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Good thing.”

  We’d hit every booth until she found something better. “Okay, this is it.”

  “Rock climbing?” I gulped. “How is this fair?

  “You’ve always wanted to get over your fear of heights since you couldn’t get to the top of the rope in sixth grade.”

  “Thanks for reminding me. I can still hear Jackie Hyena laughing.”

  “Jackie Henning?”

  “If the Hyena fits…” I shielded the sun with my hand and watched as a little kid shouted down to his mother from all the way up to…I didn’t want to think of where. His huge, triumphant grin made me want to smack him. “Can’t we pick something else?”

  “No, this or nothing.” Melanie loved to boss me around. “Wuss.”

  That did it! She was not getting away with that crack. Yet the thought of dangling at twenty-feet above sea level nearly made me lose my lunch...“Okay, smart-ass. Move out of my way.” I strode past her and got in a line long enough to have a trillion second thoughts. We both had a lot to lose, but somehow her dilemma overshadowed my irrational fear of certain death if I climbed that wall. Melanie worked in her dad’s car dealership. She was destined to own the company. But first she’d have to earn it. The only time anyone saw the real woman behind the armor was when her folks weren’t around to scrutinize her every move. I didn’t blame her for being cautious, but damn, when she stepped by my side and the blond hairs on her arm tickled mine, I declared, “Listen. If I reach the top, then you’re doing as I say.”

  “And what do I get if you don’t?” she challenged.

  “Same thing. If you want to play big brother, or be chicken shit when it comes to taking the next step, fine.”

  She forcefully exhaled. Impermeable to her moods, I closed in and whispered, my voice thick with emotion, “What makes you so sure daddy will disown you if he finds out his perfect little girl likes girls?”

  Melanie angrily crossed her arms to stop the minute tremor only a close friend would notice. "Because I've known the man my whole life." She balled her hands into tight fists of fury, which didn't deter me.

  “It’s your prerogative, but you’re not going to get a chance to think about that. Tonight, I’m going all the way.” I stepped up with all the bravado I could muster.

  The closer I got to doom, the more I wished I hadn’t eaten that hot dog for lunch. It didn’t taste as good coming up. I swallowed hard. There were three walls and spotters at the bottom of each. The colorful fake rocks didn’t look like it would support a flea let alone me. My heart pounded out of my chest to the beat of music from other rides. “Got any Valium?”

  Melanie laughed smugly.

  “Oh, shut up.” I gathered up whatever ovaries I could gather, but it wasn’t doing a damn bit of good.

  It didn’t help that the ticket taker was a cute femme eyeing Melanie with a lustful stare. “My friend here will go first, right, Jordan?”

  “Huh?” I hadn’t been paying attention. “You can go first.”

  “No, ladies first.”

  Okay, I wanted this very badly right? Right? All I had to do was get to the top and Melanie would have to do whatever I said. Piece of cake. Not!

  She pushed me forward. “Go on.” It would take more than a gentle push to get me there. How about a shove? A loaded gun? I had visions of being at my own funeral.

  I walked up to the guy adjusting the harness and realized that this skinny kid was going to be my belayer. Ready to bolt, I turned to Melanie, but she blocked the exit. “I don’t want this guy controlling my ropes. Can’t you do it?”

  The femme with the annoying squeak butted in, “It’s against carnie rules.” She gloated and winked at Melanie. I was this close to rearranging her pretty face.

  “Fuck it! Here goes.” I let the kid get me ready and ignored Melanie’s harness joke as I adjusted the leather straps around my pelvis. Nothing was funny at the moment.

  If I had thought climbing to the top of a rope in gym class was scary, this was terrifying. But I had to have my way and so as sure as my will, I took it one step at a time. I looked down at Melanie and she gave me two thumbs up, but after that, I couldn’t look down.

  For being out of shape and scared shitless, I really surprised myself. At almost the halfway mark, I heard Melanie’s whistle and reached for the next stone. My foot grazed it, but didn’t cat
ch. The sudden lurch made my brain fuzzy, and I panicked. Desperately, I tried to hold it together, except the harder I tried, the more I fumbled. Where was that damn rock? I scraped my knee and the sting paled compared to the pain in my chest. The tightening harness made me short of breath. Pictures of Melanie’s lips beneath mine flashed before me. And goddamnit, I wanted her so bad, and she had to want me, too. I was going to do this if I had to dig my nails in stone.

  She was afraid of her parent’s reaction or us getting hurt if it didn’t work out. But if I could show her how far I was willing to go, maybe I could get her to relinquish her fears. I had no idea what to do about the possible loss of her job and inheritance, but I was sure that together we could overcome any adversity. I would have been more confident if my shoes had magnets, but the ache of knowing what I wanted most in the world was stronger than any magnetic force. My foot caught hold and I advanced up the rock. Somehow it didn’t seem insurmountable when I thought of Melanie’s strengths, how she looked out for me and me for her, and how our love was unconditional, like family, only I wanted more. I was ready to take the plunge again, and this time I had the best girl for the job. I trusted Melanie implicitly. I just had to reach for the next rock. This time my foot made instant contact.

  A chorus of, “Go, Jordan, Go!” echoed all around me. It wasn’t that bad if I kept focused on the spot in front of my face.

  Through shouts and whistles, cheers and hoots, I had made it to the top and hung on for dear life, almost too paralyzed to rejoice about my accomplishment. But, I was at once satisfied that I finally did it. Then I remembered that I had to get down too. Cripes, this was impossible, but I wanted to claim my prize and forgot about everything else. By the time I got within spitting distance of Melanie, I was in her arms. It was all worth it when she flashed me the brightest smile ever. She was proud of me, yeah, but way cooler than that was being proud of myself and realizing I was about to get my wish. I thanked my belayer and apologized for having little faith. He understood and congratulated me just the same.