Grace Falls

by H. P. Munro

  Alex pulled on Maddie’s hips urgently needing more contact as Maddie molded their bodies closer together; their hips moving, attuned to the rhythm of their breathing, pushing deeper against each other. The direction of their kisses became more haphazard as they fought to taste any area of skin closest to them. Their breathing increased, until both women were panting, their bodies glistening with a light sheen of sweat as their rhythm quickened.

  Finally, unable to resist the pull any longer, Maddie lifted her hand and slipped it between their slick bodies. She felt her body respond to the gasp that came from Alex’s mouth as her hand moved towards the other woman’s heat. The muscles in Alex’s stomach tensed at the light caress and her head snapped back involuntarily as Maddie’s touch became more persistent. Maddie leaned closer and pressed her lips against the exposed neck, Alex’s hips still moved in time until she flashed her hands out and gripped the covers at her side. As she let out an involuntary moan, her fists clenched the material, pulling it from the bed as her body contracted. Her back arched as she paused, her mouth open in a silent cry, before her body let go of the tension and collapsed backwards on the bed. She looked up at Maddie who was still hovered above her, a look of wonderment on her face.

  “I’m sorry,” Alex laughed, she was grateful for the heat already visible in her cheeks. “It’s been a while,” she said apologetically.

  “And it’s still early, plenty time to catch up on that lost time,” Maddie smirked, as she lowered herself down, kissing her way down Alex’s body. “Best not to waste any of it.”

  ***

  Hazy sunlight bathed the room as Alex woke slowly, her body ached in ways that it hadn’t for years. As her brain registered the stiffness, a smile played on her lips as she recalled the cause. She could feel the warm body of the cause of the dull ache in her muscles, pressed against her back; lips nestled against her shoulder, moving slightly with each regular breath she took as she slept.

  They had continued to revel in each other until the clock which, despite several attempts, Maddie had yet to locate, struck midnight. Finally, exhaustion in both women took hold and they had fallen asleep holding on to each other; neither willing to admit they were scared of waking in the morning and finding the other gone.

  Alex placed her hand over Maddie’s, allowing her fingers to slip between the sleeping woman’s digits, knitting them together. She gave a sated sigh and allowed her brain to switch off again into a lazy doze.

  When she awoke again she was aware of dark brown eyes regarding her thoughtfully, she turned and was met with a broad smile.

  “Hi.”

  She turned in Maddie’s arms. “Hi yourself, did you sleep okay?” she asked, burrowing her head under the brunette’s chin and looping her leg over Maddie’s.

  Maddie wound her arms tightly around the smaller woman. “Like something that sleeps really soundly,” she said grinning. “You?”

  “Hmmmm,” Alex hummed in reply.

  “No regrets?” Maddie asked nervously.

  Alex shook her head, “None.”

  She felt her libido kick in again as the soft hairs leading to Maddie’s sex tickled her thigh, she lifted her head and started to nibble at Maddie’s neck.

  “Again?” Maddie moaned playfully. “You broke me. Seriously broke me last night.”

  Alex lifted her head up, her lips puckered in a pout as she flashed Maddie puppy eyes. “Really?” she moved her body so that she was on top of Maddie.

  “You may actually be responsible for my death,” Maddie said, her eyes wide with sincerity.

  Snorting with laughter Alex pushed herself up onto her hands and locked her elbows, taking the opportunity to push her pelvis against the woman beneath her. “But what a way to go,” she replied.

  Maddie moaned at the contact and flung her arms around Alex pushing the heels of her hands against her ass, kneading the soft flesh in time with Alex’s movement.

  “Definitely would be a happy death,” Maddie agreed craning her neck to allow her to take one of Alex’s breasts into her mouth, she toyed with the nipple before releasing it with a pop. “What time is it?”

  Alex looked over at the clock. “Six. We’ve plenty time,” she smiled taking her bottom lip between her teeth as she watched Maddie’s face flush, brown eyes turning almost black as arousal took hold. She moved Maddie’s legs so that she was positioned between them, using her own thighs to push them further apart to allow her more access.

  “Time of death six o one,” Maddie moaned as she hooked her legs around Alex’s waist and felt her heat press directly against her own pulsing arousal. They rocked together, their breathing becoming more ragged as their passion increased. Staring into each other eyes, Alex felt the now familiar tensing of Maddie’s muscles at the beginning of her orgasm. She smiled as she continued the rhythmic movements of her hips, recognizing the fluttering that signaled the start of her own climax.

  Maddie lifted her torso off the bed pulling Alex’s body flush with hers; she exhaled loudly against the blonde’s neck as her body released its tension, her body twitched with aftershocks as she felt Alex ride out her own orgasm before flopping down on top of Maddie.

  “I may just have killed myself,” Alex exhaled, feeling as though her heart was about to leap out of her chest it was beating so rapidly.

  “How about a leisurely shower?” Maddie asked, letting her legs fall from Alex and thump softly against the bed. “Since we really smell of sex.”

  Alex gave a sniff against Maddie’s neck. “We do. God, I’ve missed smelling of sex! Smelling of sex rocks!” she sat up quickly straddling Maddie’s stomach. “You know what also rocks?”

  Maddie cocked an eyebrow, while allowing her hands to roam up Alex’s thighs, “What?”

  “Being first in the shower,” Alex yelled, pushing her hands down onto Maddie’s chest and propelling herself off the bed.

  Maddie let out a loud ‘Oomph’ as the air was knocked out of her lungs, then set off in pursuit of a naked Alex yelling, ‘Not fair’, as she ran.

  ***

  They stood in the bathroom with goofy grins, their eyes locked, as they dried themselves. Finally, dragging her eyes away Maddie tipped her head upside down to towel dry her hair when there was a knock at the door. She stood back up straight, stumbling slightly as the speed she generated surprised her.

  “Stay here,” she instructed Alex as she pulled her robe off the peg behind the door and tied it as she ran down the stairs. She opened the door to a weary looking Sam, his blue eyes rimmed with red.

  “Your car sucks ass,” he moaned, holding out a set of keys. “Freaking pig of a job to do on your own.”

  “What?” Maddie said, taking the keys and looking at them in confusion.

  Sam looked at her with a scowl, “It’s fixed, it’s in the shop, you can get it whenever. Just bring Peter’s car in and swap.” He turned and set off down the steps, before pausing and looking back, “Oh and I saw Lou on the way over, tell Alex they’re running short of Sweet’N Low.” He nodded pleased that he had remembered the message.

  “Okay,” Maddie said absently still looking at the keys to her car, which felt like they were burning a hole in her hand. “Wait, what do you mean tell Alex?”

  “She spent the night here didn’t she?” Sam replied.

  Maddie’s mouth opened, “How the hell!”

  Holding his arms out from his side Sam shrugged. “Grace Falls!” he said as way of an explanation.

  “Has no secrets,” Maddie said sadly. As she swung the door shut, her attention returned to the set of keys weighing in her hand, “Or maybe just one.” She tossed the keys into her medical bag at the door and turned, taking the stairs two at a time, to get back to Alex.

  “Everything okay?” Alex asked as Maddie returned to the bathroom.

  Maddie smiled pulling her into hug, “Everything is wonderful.”

  “Who was at the door?” Alex asked, feeling her body sink into Maddie’s embrace.

 
Placing a light kiss on Alex’s exposed shoulder Maddie closed her eyes, she hated lying but she didn’t want the reality of their situation to intrude on their time together, not when it had been so perfect, “It was Sam with a message from Lou apparently the coffee shop is running short of Sweet’N Low.”

  Alex nodded. “Yeah I know I picked some…woah, he came here to tell me that?” she asked as the significance of Maddie’s words hit home. “Jesus, I’m beginning to think that our houses are bugged or something. How the hell?”

  “That was what I said,” Maddie muttered out of the side of her mouth. “Does it bother you, people knowing?” she asked, rubbing her hands up and down Alex’s arms.

  “No…yes…no,” Alex frowned. “Does it bother you?”

  Maddie shrugged, “Even if it did, I can’t do anything about it and I wouldn’t swap the time with you for anything.”

  Alex grinned. “Oh you’re smooth,” she murmured against Maddie’s lips.

  Maddie pulled away. “And I’m all clean and freshly showered, so no getting me all worked up again,” she chided.

  Biting her top lip Alex reached into the shower and switched the water back on, and dropped the towel she had wound around her body.

  “How about we multitask?” she pulled at the ties on the Maddie’s robe.

  “Well when you put it like that!” Maddie smiled allowing Alex to push the robe from her body and pull her back towards the shower, “How can I refuse?”

  Chapter Eight

  “C’mon Zoe, pick up,” Maddie growled tapping her fingertips impatiently against her desk as she waited for her friend to answer. The moment she heard Zoe’s sleepy voice murmur ‘hello’, she launched into her news. “I did it. I mean, we did it.”

  “What you talkin’ ’bout?” Zoe yawned loudly into the phone. “Why are you calling me at the ass crack of dawn an’ speaking in tongues?”

  “It’s not early it’s…” Maddie trailed off as she remembered the time difference. “Shit Zo, I’m sorry, it’s nine here.”

  “It’s okay, I’m assuming that by your ‘we did it’ you’re talking about you and Alex? Although why you think I’d be interested in your getting some enough to be woken up at seven a.m. when I’m not due in work until three, I don’t know. You realize that I’ll get you back when you get here.”

  Maddie could hear the smile in her friend’s voice and for a moment, she hesitated, as she knew that her next words would likely change her friend’s expression, “About that Zoe.” Taking a deep breath Maddie plowed on, “What would you say if I said that I was considering staying?” She closed her eyes waiting on the anticipated explosion on the other end of the line. An explosion that didn’t come. “Zoe? You still there?” She heard a deep sigh. “Zo?”

  “I’m here,” Zoe replied, her tone sounded exasperated. “I’m just trying to figure out what to say to you.” Another few seconds passed before Maddie heard rustling then a low growl, “Okay, is it the girl, the job, or the town that’s got you thinking about throwing away a perfectly good job?”

  Maddie let out her breath, grateful that Zoe hadn’t simply questioned her sanity and lambasted her, “All three. I can’t describe this feeling Zoe, I don’t have the words to do it justice.” A hesitant smile danced across her lips; this town had taken her in and appreciated what she could do to repay that kindness. Patients brought her home-made baking; although her recent experience had made her slightly wary of such produce. The office; heroffice, was decorated with flowers given to her by grateful patients and drawings created by kids, while she spoke to their parents, had started to adorn the walls. She had blossoming friendships and, more importantly, she had met someone who had simply taken her breath away. Her smile grew as she thought about Alex. She wasn’t ready to go, she wanted to stay. She wanted to build a life in Grace Falls. Words formed in her head only to die on her lips before she put sound to them.

  “I’m happy,” she said finally.

  “This is so unlike you Maddie. Jesus, it took me a month of pleading with you to even consider leaving Atlanta, and you were miserable there after Joanna left.”

  “I know,” she laughed.

  Zoe must have heard something in her voice because she gave a resigned sigh. “You’ve become a lesbian cliché; a girl shows you her lady garden and you U-Haul your ass,” she laughed. “I’m pleased for you. God knows you deserve some happiness, just promise me take a bit more time to think this through. Speak to Alex and make sure you’re both on the same page.”

  “You did not just call it a lady garden,” Maddie snorted.

  “I’m hanging up now. I’ll call you later to check that you’re not some imposter who has body-snatched my usually cautious friend.”

  Maddie smiled, “Okay, sorry for waking you.”

  “No you’re not.”

  Maddie sat looking at her phone after ending the call, a sense of calm satisfaction washed over her; never one to gamble on anything she felt that finally she had found something, someone, worth taking a risk on.

  ***

  “Okay, so you take them three times a day after food and no alcohol,” Maddie instructed as she guided her last patient of the morning out into the hall of the clinic. She sighed as she watched her leave. In spite of her initial reservations, Maddie was enjoying the role of a family doctor and, although she missed the hustle and bustle of the ER, she loved building a relationship with the people she treated. She turned to head back into her office when she spotted Alex leaving one of the examination rooms, one hand plunged into the pocket of her jacket.

  Alex softly closed the door behind her and stepped into the hall. Her head shot up in surprise as Maddie said her name.

  “Alex, are you okay? Is Jessica okay?” she asked quickly, gently taking her by the arm and guiding her into the office and closing the door behind them. “Has something happened?” Her eyes were wide with concern as she scanned Alex’s face trying to decipher her reasons for being in the clinic.

  Alex gave her a small smile, “I’m fine I just needed to see Mack.”

  Maddie frowned in concern, “Are you sick?”

  “No, no. I…” she squeezed her eyes tight and gave an embarrassed sigh pulling her hand from her pocket.

  “What?” Maddie gasped looking at the support that encased Alex’s wrist. “What have you done?”

  Alex furrowed her brow, “It’s what we did that’s the problem.”

  Gently cradling Alex’s wrist Maddie inspected the brace, “We?”

  “I have tendonitis.”

  Maddie’s eyes widened in response, she pulled her lip into her mouth to quell the laughter that was starting to bubble up.

  “Go on yuck it up,” Alex groaned. “I blame you entirely, well sort of,” she smiled. “I haven’t had it for years but it would appear that last night flared it up.”

  Maddie pulled her close, “I’m sorry. Are you free tonight? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  Alex rested her chin on Maddie’s shoulder, “I should be. I’ll have Jessica though.”

  “That’s okay. We can behave, especially since it looks like you’re out of commission anyway,” Maddie chuckled.

  “There are other things I can do to you that don’t require my hand,” Alex whispered into Maddie’s ear, smiling as her words received a shiver in response. “I’ll see you tonight,” she grinned, pulling away and walking backwards towards the door.

  Maddie shook herself out of the reverie that Alex’s whisper had placed her in. “I’ll see you tonight,” she smiled as Alex left before sitting back down behind her desk and pulling open her drawer. As she looked down at the contents she gave a small laugh at the orange tippy cup still there from her first day in the clinic. She hooked her finger through one of the handles and brought it out placing it onto the desk in front of her. Tracing her fingers around the lid she snorted softly as she remembered her reaction when Lou had brought it out. She clenched her jaw and reached into the pocket of her white coat an
d pulled out her returned car keys, leaning her elbows on the desk she slipped her finger through the metal hoop and held them up to inspect them. A knock on the door roused her from her thoughts.

  “You okay for your next patient?” Mack asked, poking her head round the door.

  “Absolutely,” Maddie replied pulling herself up and placing the cup and her keys into the desk drawer before closing it. “Tell them to come in.”

  ***

  “Hey Daddy Cool,” Alex smiled as she straightened up and pushed her half-finished crossword to the side. “How was the first night at home with Ben?”

  Peter smiled broadly, “Well, I’ve just dropped Ruth and ‘Nighthawk’ off at the clinic for a check-up and I’m here for a bucket of coffee. Does that tell you how things went?”

  Alex noticed the dark rings already around her friend’s eyes. “Well you’re in the right place for a pick-me-up,” she turned and started to pour a large cup of coffee.

  Pulling the crossword puzzle around to face him, Peter started to check idly through clues that Alex had yet to solve. “Lou not in today?” he asked.

  “Day off,” Alex answered over her shoulder.

  “So you’re coming tonight?” he said, reaching for a pen to add a word into the puzzle.

  Alex placed the coffee down in front of him. “Hey,” she said, plucking the pen from Peter’s fingers. “Tonight?” she lifted the puzzle and put it out of the mechanic’s reach.

  “Ben’s sign ceremony,” Peter frowned. “It’s tonight in the bar, didn’t Sully tell you?”

  Clearing her throat, Alex shook her head, “Haven’t seen Matt today, he dropped Jessica off at school this morning.” She started to move cakes around on the display in the hope that looking busy would stop Peter from asking why there was a change to their usual schedule.