***
Noel spent the next mid-day creating and repeatedly revising comment cards that her guests could use to give her feedback. She knew that it would actually be more effective to talk to them, but she figured the comment cards would appeal to the guests who, like her, preferred to write a comment over saying something that might be deemed critical.
By the time she was finished, it was early afternoon, and she was famished. On a lark, she called Gloria, knowing it was her day off. Luckily, her friend didn’t have anything important going on, and they decided to meet for coffee. Noel had designs on the raspberry scone that the coffee shop made, and she hoped they hadn’t run out.
When Gloria arrived, they took their snacks outside and sat at a table facing the sidewalk. Noel surprised herself by saying, “I’d like to talk about Max.”
***
An hour and a half went by in what felt like moments. Once she’d started, Noel found that her questions were legion, and she learned everything Gloria knew about Max’s family and her early life. Gloria seemed very happy to be able to talk about her friend, and at one point, Noel asked, “Why did you like Max so much?”
“Hmm, that’s a tough one. She had a lot of good qualities.” She looked contemplative, then said, “I think I liked her moral code.”
“That surprises me. Everyone talks about how friendly and welcoming she was. I thought you would have liked her for her personality.”
“Oh, she had a good one. But I knew that Max could be trusted with a secret, a husband or a life’s savings. If I’d found her taking my money out of the bank, I would have believed her if she said she was doing it because she heard the bank was gonna fail.”
Noel laughed, seeing how sincere, yet playful Gloria was being. “You must miss her.”
“I truly do. But seeing people go in and out of her home, enjoying themselves, makes me feel like she’s still here. And getting to know you has been a true blessing. She would have been so proud of you.” She wiped at a tear, shaking her head. “I’m such a crybaby. Ever since Max died I cry at the drop of a hat.”
“You’re grieving her. Can you think of anything worse than having no one cry when you die?” She shivered, feeling a little distressed. “I hope that doesn’t happen to me.”
“I don’t think there’s any chance of that. I don’t know you well, but I can tell you’ve got a good heart. That’s what draws and keeps friends. Maybe you got that from Max.”
“Maybe,” Noel allowed, “But my mom has a good heart, too.” She realized she was still being defensive and added, “Maybe I got a double dose from both of my mothers.”
***
That night, Noel had just set out the wine and cheese when she heard a brief knock on the back door. By the time she was halfway across the small kitchen, Toni was walking in. “You don’t mind, do you?” She looked indecisive as she pointed at the door, indicating her entry.
“What? Do I mind you coming in? Of course not. I’m glad to see you.”
Toni stood just inside the doorway, giving the impression that she was ready to run back out if necessary. “Really?”
“Of course. Would you like some wine? Or…are you in a hurry? You’re not…” Feeling tongue tied, she tried once again. “Can you hang out for a while?”
Appearing a little more at ease, Toni nodded. “I don’t have anything planned. But if you do…” She put her hands into the pockets of her khaki shorts and rocked back and forth nervously. “I don’t want to get in the way if you’re making dinner or something.”
“Oh, I’ve never had dinner here. I go out for my meals.”
Toni took the glass of wine that Noel handed her and leaned against the counter. “You really don’t like to cook, eh?”
“Oh, no, I love to cook. I’m just afraid to have the whole house smell like my dinner. It seems kind of rude to me.”
“You’re not serious. What do you like to cook? Oily fish? Lots of curry?”
“No,” Noel said, laughing. “Nothing too exotic. But people are right there,” she said quietly, pointing at the parlor which adjoined the kitchen.
Toni imitated her volume, but it was evident she was doing so in a teasing fashion. “I know they are, but you’ve gotta eat. You must be sick of all the restaurants.”
Noel moaned. “You have no idea. I’ve been eating a lot of junk. I hate to go to nice restaurants by myself, and the casual ones give you fries or chips, which I can’t ignore.”
“You certainly haven’t put on any weight.”
She looked oddly embarrassed. “No, I never do. But I feel sluggish when I don’t eat the way I normally do.”
“What do you normally eat?”
“Oh, pretty simple stuff. Since it’s been hot out, I’d normally have a salad and some chicken or fish. Maybe a steak.”
“Are you finished here?”
“Yeah, pretty much. I have everyone checked in, so the only thing I have to do is keep the wine and cheese stocked until seven.”
Toni poked her head around the corner and saw the sideboard, which had a bottle of white and a bottle of red resting on it. “How much wine do you usually go through?”
“Three or four bottles of white, and usually only one of red. What’s with all the questions?”
“I’m going to make you dinner, but I’m starving and I want to get going.” She grinned, making Noel’s heart race when she saw Toni’s cocky self back in full force.
Noel opened the refrigerator, took out three bottles of white wine, went into the parlor and lined them up. Then she filled an ice bucket and put one of the bottles in it. She walked back into the kitchen, slapped her hands together, and said, “All done. Let’s go.”
***
A half hour later they were in Toni’s backyard, lighting the charcoal in her grill. “When you said you sometimes have a steak, I just had to have one. And there’s nothing like having it on the grill.”
“I miss my grill.” At Toni’s raised eyebrow, she said, “Janet bought…is buying me out of the house, and she got custody of the grill.”
“They’re not very expensive,” Toni said, teasingly.
“No, but buying a house by myself is. I’m living in an apartment and I don’t think my landlord would like it if I started barbecuing indoors.”
“You wouldn’t like it either. Carbon monoxide is not your friend. I learned that in firefighter school,” she said, smiling cockily.
“Maybe one day I’ll have a yard again.”
“You’re always welcome here.” The look Toni gave her was surprisingly sincere, absent of any hint of a tease. “Let’s go inside, and I’ll make you my favorite summer salad. I bet you’ll like it.”
***
Noel watched Toni bustle around putting out plates, napkins, silverware and some candles on her outdoor table. “My father would never allow us to have dinner outside. He always said he didn’t put food on the table for the flies.”
“Flies? What are these creatures? Things that live in the city?”
“You know, come to think of it…I haven’t seen many flies around here.”
“We get them, but not that often. We’ve usually got such a good breeze that I think they head for calmer air. I’ll be back in a flash with the salads.”
Noel sat down and waited for Toni, who appeared seconds later bearing large plates full of a colorful mix of greens and fruit. “This looks fantastic!”
“I could eat this every day.” Toni sat down and put her napkin on her lap and they both took bites. “Mmm-mmm.”
“Oh, wow, lots of good things in here.”
“Orange slices, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, a little red onion, goat cheese, and a citrus vinaigrette.”
“You’re quite the cook.”
“I like to cook, but I don’t do it for myself all that often. If I’m alone, I usually go out.”
“I got on this self-love kick earlier this year.” Noel laughed at herself. “I set the table, lit candles, made myself a difficult
and delicious meal, and listened to music while I ate. I thought it would make me feel like I was worth going to a lot of trouble for, but it just made me feel like a loser who was all alone.”
Noel caught sight of Toni’s hand start to reach out, then stop abruptly and rest on the table. Her face was full of empathy when she said, “That must’ve been so hard for you. I hope you’re feeling better now.”
“I am. I really am. I wasn’t very happy about having to come down here, as you well know, but it’s working out well. It’s like a much-needed vacation.”
“I knew you’d like it,” Toni beamed.
“Did Heidi tell you that someone made me an offer?”
Toni couldn’t have faked her reaction. Her eyes grew wide, her mouth dropped open, and she turned pale in milliseconds.
“I rejected it,” Noel said, hurriedly. “I’m still not sure why I turned him down, because the money was excellent. But he wanted to gut the place, and he wanted to start right away.”
Carefully, Toni took another bite of her salad, looking like she was avoiding eye contact for a few moments. Finally, she said, “Maybe you’re just not ready to leave.”
“That’s what I decided,” Noel said. She waited until Toni looked at her and added, “I haven’t had a long enough vacation.”
***
After dinner, Toni cleared the dishes but they stayed outside, polishing off a bottle of wine. Toni was clearly charmed to hear about Noel’s conversation with Gloria, and she spent a few minutes praising Gloria and all of the kindnesses she’d shown Max.
With regret, Noel took a look at her watch, and said, “I guess I’d better go.”
They hadn’t touched each other all night, and when Noel stood up Toni did too. They both made a move to kiss goodnight, but it didn’t go smoothly—with both of them wincing and rubbing their noses. “I didn’t see…”
“Yeah. That wasn’t very smooth.”
“Maybe we’d better try again,” Toni said. She made a move towards Noel, who this time stood still. Their lips met for just a second, then Toni started to pull away. But Noel still had her eyes closed, her lips slightly puckered, just waiting for more.
Obviously unable to resist, Toni went back in for another kiss and found herself smiling through it when Noel’s hands went to her shoulders and pulled her close. That set off a chain reaction that had them kissing each other with astonishing passion. It was as if they had days’ worth of unquenched desire they were at last able to dispel.
When Toni felt Noel’s hands slide under her shirt and unhook her bra, she pulled away briefly. Her eyes were slightly unfocused and she blinked slowly. “We should go inside.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Dutifully, Toni picked up their glasses and the wine bottle and led the way inside. She started to lead Noel to the sofa, but Noel grinned at her and tugged her towards the bedroom, saying, “Unnecessary stop.”
“I love a girl who knows what she wants.”
Noel punctuated her sentence with kisses. “I. Want. You.”
Toni’s smile was nearly beatific, and while they stood next to the bed, she started to undress Noel kissing her the whole time. Once she had her blouse off, she stopped to admire what was likely a brand-new bra. This one was designed to make Noel’s modest breasts appear immodest, and from Toni’s reaction it was very successful. She left the bra on, while she finished undressing Noel. Then she ripped her own clothes off in seconds and they tumbled onto the bed.
Toni seemed unable to get enough kisses to satisfy her. She reluctantly left Noel’s mouth and started to move down her body, kissing her breasts through the lacy bra. “I love this,” she said, sliding her fingers across the fabric, feeling Noel’s hardening nipples.
“Thanks. I decided that I have to start dressing sexier if I want to feel sexier. I’m saving my sports bras for the gym.”
Toni pushed herself up to an elbow and gazed at Noel curiously. “Is that really an issue?”
“Yeah, it is. I told you that Janet’s leaving kinda messed with my mind.” She grinned. “I meant to tell you that I loved the note you left me. That was the nicest thing anyone’s said to me in a long time.”
“I meant it,” Toni said. “Every word.” She braced herself over Noel’s body and gazed directly into her eyes. “You’re a very beautiful woman, and hot, hot, hot to boot. She’s an idiot.” She acted as though she were spitting, making a face as she did. “You’re smart, and pretty, and kind. The only way her new girlfriend could be better is if she was all that and really, really rich.” She tilted her head, as if the thought had just occurred to her. “Hey, wait a minute. You own The Sandpiper outright. You’re rich, too! Joke’s on her!”
Noel put her arms around Toni’s neck and pulled her down until they were nose to nose. “I wouldn’t have blamed Janet if she’d left me for someone irresistible. Someone like you,” she said, grinning seductively.
Toni closed the distance between their lips, measuring Noel’s receptivity. Even though they’d only had sex once, Toni had learned a good deal about Noel. One thing she’d noted immediately was how exquisitely sensitive her breasts were. There were few things Toni enjoyed more than a woman’s breasts, but the experience of kissing and suckling them was increased exponentially when her partner enjoyed the sensation as much as she did. And Noel clearly enjoyed having her breasts played with in any way Toni chose. Having a sex partner who was open to just about anything was a huge plus, and so far, Noel had hung right in there and taken everything Toni had to offer. Looking at her slim body made her mouth start to water, and she spent a moment reconsidering her long-held belief that generous curves were what most attracted her to a woman. Maybe the woman behind the curves was more important than she’d thought. There was only one way to find out.
***
It was late when they both fell onto their backs, breathing heavily. Toni’s voice was so thick it poured from her lips like syrup. “Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.”
“I’ve got to get some water. Do you want anything?”
“More energy. I want to do you again and again and…”
Noel scratched her belly, feeling the heat that rose off her damp skin. “You have done me again and again and again. Really well.”
“You’re absolutely killing me,” Toni said, looking strangely puzzled. “I don’t know what you do, or how you do it, but I could honestly go at it all night. It’s just this old body that keeps betraying me.” She teasingly tried to lift an arm, shaking her head when it refused to move.
“You’re adorable,” Noel said, kissing her sweetly. “Be right back.” On the way to the kitchen, Noel stopped in the bathroom, found Toni’s toothpaste and put some on her finger to give herself a hygienist-unapproved brushing. She washed her face and fluffed her hair up, not looking bad for having rolled around in bed for over an hour.
She poured herself a big glass of ice water and stood at the kitchen sink drinking most of it. Then she filled the glass again and went back into the bedroom. She was just about to make a comment when she saw that, once again, Toni was sound asleep. Torn, she debated her options. Now that she knew she wasn’t just a one night stand, she felt more confident about getting back into bed. But the thought of getting up and walking across town before dawn wasn’t very appealing. And she had no idea of Toni’s sleep habits. She might be the kind of woman who needed to have the whole bed to herself, and if that was true, Noel didn’t want to learn that by being kicked in her sleep.
So, she started to get dressed, hoping that Toni would wake up and ask her to stay. But that didn’t happen. She repeated her escape plan from their previous coupling, and listened with a pang of unquenched longing as the keys dropped onto the wooden floor.
When Noel got home she could tell she was going to have a hard time relaxing enough to sleep. Lovemaking—or rather, sex, she reminded herself, careful with the nomenclature—tended to energize her. She was reading a book that she wasn’t particularly interested
in, so she picked it up and headed for bed, hoping it would bore her into sleep. On the way, she looked between two heavy books to see how the Gerbera daisy was doing. She didn’t usually save keepsakes and mementos, but she had decided to make an exception for Toni’s gift, and now a pink blossom was carefully being pressed.
***
The next morning, Noel was replenishing a tray with fresh muffins when she heard the back door open. She turned and smiled when she saw that it was Toni. Her hand went to her mouth and she started to giggle when Toni held up Noel’s recently purchased bra by the straps and made it dance. “You sure were in a hurry to get out of my house.”
Noel went over and snatched it from her and stuffed it into the pocket of her shorts. “I wasn’t in a hurry. I was bored. There was nobody to talk to.”
“Don’t blame me. You’re the one who knocked me out.”
Noel let herself take in Toni’s summer work attire. She wore a chocolate brown tank top tucked into cream-colored painter’s pants that she had turned into shorts. White socks just managed to peek out from the tops of her ankle high brown work boots. “That’s a nice look you’ve got going on there. Where are you off to today?”
“I’m helping Roxy with a paint job.”
“I hope it’s indoors. You’ll get burned with your shoulders exposed like that.”
“It’s not only indoors, it’s on the second floor of a place right down the street. No air-conditioning,” she added, wrinkling her nose. “As soon as I’m done, I think I’ll go run into the ocean.”
“Call me if you’re gonna strip on the way. I love a good show.”
Noel heard someone clear her throat and she turned around to find one of the guests standing in the doorway. “Are there any more muffins?” she asked timidly.
Susan X. Meagher - The Legacy Page 11
