Lifeline

by Susan X Meagher

  "I have my moments," she said. "It’ll come back." She said this with a confident tone, but there was just a small undercurrent of doubt in her blue eyes.

  Looking up at her, Jamie closed her eyes for just a moment and said, "I know it will, sweetheart."

  "I still have glimmers of it," Ryan said. She took her bandana and dipped it into the cooler, soaking it with the ice-cold water. Carefully, she cleaned her mouth, then tried to do the same for her entire face, making good progress. Once she was as clean as she could manage, she approached the table and put her hands on either side of her partner’s hips. Leaning in to avoid getting her dirty, Ryan gave her partner a sexy smile and asked, "What would Elizabeth think of this?" Then she leaned even further and planted a scorcher on her lover’s lips. She lingered for a long while, teasing Jamie mercilessly, only stopping when the boys started to harass her.

  Blinking slowly, Jamie mumbled, "She’d be dead before she hit the ground. A big, muscular woman, scandalously dressed, disgustingly dirty, and kissing me like she owns my body and my soul – shocking, I tell you. Simply shocking!"

  "Aw, that was nothing. I could do much better," Ryan said. "I was hardly even trying to shock." For the first time in weeks, the blue eyes were twinkling with glee.

  "What would you do if you were trying?" the blonde asked, starting to feel a little tingle in a very nice place.

  "Oh, I think I could make old Elizabeth swallow her teeth – if I were to try." She backed up a couple of inches and looked down at her partner’s feet. "Nice. Are those new?"

  "Uh-huh. I needed some new black shoes." Reaching down, Ryan removed the slip-ons and placed them on the table. "Uhm … why are you taking my shoes off?"

  "Just felt like it. You’re a little overdressed." Looking at the attractive green sweater her partner wore, Ryan asked, "Wool?"

  "Uh-huh. It’s chilly out – for mortals."

  "You don’t need it." She reached down and grasped the hem of the sweater, whipping it off her partner before she could utter a word of complaint.

  "Ryan!" Jamie hugged herself against the chill, her cream-colored camisole scant protection against the late January temperatures. "I’m practically naked!"

  Out of the corner of her eye, Ryan could see her cousins trying to look like they were not watching their play. "You’re a long way from naked," she purred. "I should know." As she spoke she was unbuckling Jamie’s belt. "Are you wearing panties?"

  "Of course I’m wearing panties! Have you lost your mind?"

  Suddenly, Ryan gave her a completely serious look. "I hope not. I’m trying like hell to find it again. Playing helps."

  Giving her a look filled with love, Jamie placed her hands around Ryan’s mud-encased shoulders and said, "You play away, sweetheart. I’ll be mortified, but you can undress me in front of the boys if you really need to."

  "No, no, I just wanted to know if you could take your pants off if you had to. Your pants aren’t wool, are they?"

  "No, they’re micro-fiber. Uhm … Ryan … the look in your eyes is starting to frighten me. I can tell you’re going to do something nutty, but I’m not sure what."

  "Nutty? Nah. Muddy? Yeah!" She grabbed her partner and threw her over her shoulder, then made a beeline for the trench.

  "Oh, no! No! Not the mud! Ryan!"

  The boys were stunned into inactivity – all 5 of them watching with gaping mouths as Ryan ran the last few yards and leapt into the muddy trench, sliding several feet as she hit. Ceremoniously, she dumped her kicking lover onto her butt, then got to her knees and started to cover both of their bodies with the cold, wet goo, laughing the entire time.

  Jamie was remarkably filthy in seconds, so rather than getting out, she decided to wallow in it. But she wasn’t going down without a fight. She got to her knees and pushed Ryan onto her back, then grabbed two handfuls of slop and shoved it down her tank top, slapping it to her skin as she did so. "Shit! That’s cold!" the dark woman cried.

  Ryan tried to get some traction, but she had a tough time. Finally, she grabbed her partner, who was trying to escape. They tussled briefly, then Jamie went down, face first. Ryan steeled herself for the reaction she knew would be swift to come. As expected, Jamie was furious – all of her feistiness emerging. "I’ll get you back, O’Flaherty." She hurled herself at Ryan, and the fight was on. The boys came out of their stupors and ran to the pit, watching as the two wrestled with all of their might.

  Obviously stronger, Ryan was nonetheless at a disadvantage in the narrow pit. She wasn’t able to extend her arms out to the side, hampering her power and her leverage. Jamie used the narrow confines to her advantage, shoving fistfuls of the cold mud everywhere – down Ryan’s waistband, up the legs of her shorts, into her tank top – her actions making the larger woman laugh so hard that she was absolutely powerless.

  Rory watched for a moment, then noticed a goofy grin on Niall’s face. "What in the hell are you looking at?" he asked.

  "Jesus, Rory, I’ve got lesbians mud-wrestling in my backyard! Why does one of them have to be my cousin! Where’s Mia when we need her?"

  "Out!" he cried, turning each of the boys and marching them into the house.

  "I can cover one of my eyes so I only see Jamie," Niall said, frantically trying to think of a way to be able to stay and watch.

  "Out! The next guy that sneaks a peek gets my boot up his arse!" He eventually managed to corral the boys, giving the wrestlers their privacy.

  Neither woman knew they were alone, just as neither had known they were being watched. They were both so intent on torturing the other that they were completely oblivious to everything in the world except each other and where to put the next handful of glop.

  Jamie launched a cruel offensive, managing to get past Ryan’s slapping hands to sneak up the leg of her knit boxers. She shoved the mud right between her legs, then slapped it in place with her other hand – making a wet plopping noise. "Oh, that’s cold! That’s fightin’ dirty," Ryan moaned.

  "That’s the intent during a mud fight, goofball," Jamie said.

  Ryan knocked the smirk off her face when she hurled herself at her, knocking Jamie to her back. Lifting her camisole with one hand, Ryan grabbed a handful of mud and covered each breast with it, laughing loudly while Jamie screamed.

  Dropping down to hover over her, she grinned and asked, "Cold?"

  "You know it is, you big lug. Now get off of me so I can get some of this slop out of my clothes. It’s starting to itch."

  "Do you give up?" Ryan asked.

  "No, I most certainly do not!

  "Well, then I’m not getting off." She looked around for the first time and asked, "Where’d everybody go?"

  "Search me," Jamie said, poking her head up.

  "Okay." Ryan started to slide her wet, cold hands into every possible place they would fit.

  The blonde started to fight again, unexpectedly getting a knee up to kick the air right out of Ryan’s lungs. She fell onto her in a whoosh, then lifted up just enough to say, "That wasn’t very bright, cookie. I could have crushed you."

  "I can think of worse ways to go," Jamie said, making Ryan’s body bounce as she laughed.

  "Oh, you can, can you?" Ryan leaned in and kissed her tenderly, and all of a sudden the mud wasn’t so cold, her skin didn’t itch so badly, Ryan’s body didn’t feel so heavy, and the ground underneath her wasn’t very hard. All that she felt was a slow rush of warmth that seemed to start at her toes and move up as the kiss continued.

  Someone moaned throatily, and Ryan shifted a little, pressing her firm breasts into Jamie’s. Her tongue slipped into her lover’s mouth and Jamie began to suck on it greedily, moving a leg to let Ryan snuggle a little tighter against her. In a matter of moments they were moving against each other, tortured groans springing from one woman, only to be matched a moment later by the other.

  Ryan’s kisses were so breathtaking that it took a moment for Jamie to realize that her lover’s hand was palpating her breast. Shuddering,
she spread her legs as far apart as she could get them, and Ryan pressed her leg firmly between Jamie’s thighs. The blonde started to tilt her hips, getting a good rhythm going, when reality broke through and she realized where they were and what they were doing.

  For just a second she tried to still her mind and let her body have free rein. This was the most unencumbered she’d felt in weeks and she didn’t want to destroy the magic. But she knew there was a very good chance that at least one of the boys would catch them – and the thought of that was just too much to take. "Sweetheart," she panted out, "we have to stop."

  "Stop?" Ryan lifted her head and stared at her, her blue eyes glassy and unfocused.

  "We can’t have sex in a trench, sweetheart … can we?" she asked, willing to be convinced.

  "What?" The dark head swiveled, and Ryan obviously became aware of her surroundings for the first time. "Oh, my God! We’re humping in a trench!"

  "Yeah. That about sums it up," Jamie said.

  Ryan’s head dropped onto her breast and she moaned, "Fuck! The first time I get out of my head, and we have to stop!"

  Jamie grabbed her and held on tight. "We’ll get there again, baby. I promise you that. This felt really good – really natural. We can get back here again … I’m sure of it."

  "I hope so," Ryan said, worry lines creasing her forehead. She started to get up, but Jamie pulled her back down.

  "You can’t leave until I see a smile on that pretty face. I have confidence in us, Ryan, and I want to hear that you do too."

  The dark woman took a deep breath, then nodded her head, showing her partner a small, but genuine smile. "I believe in us," she said, adding a gentle kiss.

  As they climbed out of the trench, Jamie asked, "Got any bright ideas on how to get home?"

  "Hmm … Rory has cloth seats, and there aren’t any sheets or towels here. Looks like we’re riding in the bed of the truck, pumpkin."

  "Boy, you really know how to show a girl a good time, O’Flaherty," the blonde said. "A bag of chips, a few cheese cubes, a couple of beers, and a tussle in a mud hole. No wonder you had so much luck with the ladies."

  They were both nearly frozen by the time they reached the house. Jamie had steadfastly refused to put her sweater back on, insisting that the mud would ruin it. The same went for her shoes, so she rode home with only Ryan’s chilled body covering her. "You know that I’ll never let you have a moment’s peace if I catch pneumonia from this, don’t you?" she asked, moments before they arrived.

  "Pneumonia is transmitted by a virus or bacteria, honey. Being cold has nothing to do with it. That’s a commonly held, but incorrect perceptio …" Her words were cut off by a muddy hand clapping over her mouth.

  "Can you just let me make an idle threat without injecting reality into the mix?" she asked, chuckling at the look on Ryan’s face.

  Rory pulled into the drive and got out to help them from the bed. To his surprise, he had to help both his normally agile sister and Jamie, since Ryan was nearly frozen. "Get in the shower and stay there until you warm up," he ordered sternly.

  "Yes, Da," Ryan said, giving him a wink. They entered the house through the door next to the garage, confusing Duffy greatly. He quickly calmed down when he was allowed to spend a few minutes sniffing them suspiciously, trying to lick a little of the mud from Ryan’s bare legs.

  As the minutes ticked by, the emotional tone in the room began to change. It had been less than a half hour since they’d been grinding against each other, but Jamie knew the spell had been broken. Ryan seemed a little distant and withdrawn, and hadn’t met Jamie’s eyes since they entered the house.

  "Uhm … I guess I’ll go up to Rory’s shower," Jamie said. "I’ll just get undressed down here so I don’t track dirt through the house. Can I use the bathroom first?"

  Ryan turned and looked at her, holding her gaze past the point that made Jamie uncomfortable. "Stay here."

  "No, I don’t mind …"

  "Stay here. Please."

  "Uhm … okay."

  Ryan’s eyes closed briefly, and she looked like she was about to cry. "I don’t want it to be like this, Jamie. Jesus! We’re hiding in the bathroom to change!"

  "This is temporary, honey. Just until we feel like ourselves again."

  "No!" Her eyes were blazing as she said, "This has gone on long enough! I’m letting this thing control me, and I’m sick of it!" She reached for the hem of her top and pulled it over her head, staring into Jamie’s eyes the whole time. She unlaced her boots and pried her socks off, and Jamie noticed that her hands were shaking. Her shorts were next, then her boxers, which still held a handful of mud. Suddenly, she started to laugh, shaking her head as she said, "Caitlin’s diapers aren’t this disgusting. You’re an evil, evil woman."

  Jamie chuckled right along with her, trailing her hand down her own filthy clothing. "I’m evil, huh? These slacks have to be dry cleaned, you know. What am I supposed to say when I take them in? ‘I fell into a cesspool’?"

  "I’ll take them in for you," Ryan said. "Mr. Assarian is used to my antics. He won’t even blink."

  "You’re a generous woman," Jamie said. She took off her camisole, then dropped the slacks to the floor. As she was taking off her panties, Ryan stuck her head in the shower and turned on the water.

  "Hop in," she said. Jamie did, and was surprised to find Ryan climb in right after her. "I need you to wash my back," she said. "With a scrub brush and Comet cleanser."

  Jamie looked her over as the water made the mud streak down her body. "I think your hair is gonna be the hardest. Need some help?"

  "Sure." Ryan’s body was a little stiff and unyielding, but she bent at the waist and let Jamie lather her up. Two vigorous applications of shampoo did the trick, then Jamie put some conditioner on the long tresses and left it on to penetrate.

  "My hair’s a mess, too," she said, running her hand through a few clumps.

  "Let me return the favor." As Ryan’s fingers massaged her scalp, Jamie let herself savor the gentle, desperately missed touch. Ryan had a way of making her feel completely loved when she washed her hair, and she tried hard not to think of whether this was an anomaly, or if Ryan would be able to share this with her again.

  All too soon it was over, and Jamie felt the suds cascading down her body as Ryan rinsed her with the hand held showerhead. "All done?" she asked.

  "Uh-huh. I got your head, neck and shoulders. You still need some work on your ears, though."

  "Thanks." Jamie smiled at her, but Ryan was already withdrawing. She turned her back and started to wash the rest of her body, not uttering another word. Jamie did the same, feeling heartsick over the walls that seemed to rise so easily and fall so slowly. She was just about finished when Ryan draped her washcloth over the rod. "Honey, you’ve still got mud on your back and on the backs of your thighs," Jamie said. "Want me to get it for you?"

  Ryan stood stock still for a moment, and Jamie could nearly feel her struggle with her answer. "Sure," she said briefly, her voice tight with tension. Jamie took her own washcloth and lathered it up, then started to work on Ryan’s back. The long body was nearly rigid, but that only lasted for a few moments. Ryan obviously tried to loosen up and let Jamie touch her, and after a bit, her posture relaxed significantly. "That feels good," she said.

  "You’re probably stiff and sore, aren’t you?" the blonde asked.

  "Yeah … actually I am. That was damned hard work."

  "How about a little massage?" Jamie asked, cringing in anticipation of the rejection.

  Again, Ryan struggled with her answer for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. That would help."

  Jamie’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head, but she hurried to take advantage of the opportunity to touch her partner. She took the tube of shower gel and squirted a generous amount onto her hands, working up a good lather. Starting at Ryan’s shoulders, she massaged the gel into her skin, using her thumbs to press hard into the muscles, just the way Ryan liked it. "Boy, you’ve developed thes
e muscles," she murmured as she worked.

  "Boxing really does it," Ryan said. "I was able to work harder today than I ever would have been able to before I started banging on the heavy bag."

  "I like ‘em," Jamie said. "Although I’d prefer to have them covered with a thicker layer of fat."

  "I’ll get there," Ryan said. "Now that I don’t have those grueling basketball practices, I should be able to keep some weight on." She leaned over a little bit more, giving Jamie a better angle. "Boy, that feels good," she sighed. "I miss our massages."

  "Then lets start them up again. It’s a nice way to get reacquainted with each other’s body."

  "’Kay. I’ll try."

  When Jamie reached the small of her back, she worked the muscles hard, making Ryan moan with pleasure. "I’ve never known anyone who likes it this hard," the blonde said.

  "I’ve never had a massage that was too firm," Ryan said. "I just love the pressure."

  Jamie squatted down a little to work on Ryan’s legs, digging into the thigh muscles with as much force as she could generate. "Nice," Ryan purred. "You’ve got very good hands."

  "Thanks. I think you’re finished. Wanna do me?"

  "Uhm … sure. If you’d like."

  "I’m a little stiff, too. Just work on my back for a few minutes, okay?"

  Ryan did so, letting her strong hands caress Jamie’s muscles in a firm, but tender fashion. "How’s this?"

  "Perfect. I could never take it hard like you do. I like to be pampered."

  Ryan slid her arms around her partner, hugging her tight. "I’m gonna try my best to pamper you more, sweetheart. I’m so sorry for abandoning you for so long."

  "Hey, you didn’t abandon me, baby. You just needed some space. It’s okay, really."

  "Tell me what you need," Ryan said. "I want you to have what you need, Jamie."

  "I’m getting what I need, Ryan. Really, I am." She turned in her warm embrace and looked up at her partner. "What do you need, love?"

  Her eyes closed and she whispered, "I need to be touched. I ache to feel your hands on my body."