Vicky grabbed our hands and dragged us to the end of the hall where she called out, “Can we come in?” Mr. D answered, “Come on in ladies.” We rushed in behind Vicky and she pushed us down on the couch beside Mr. and Mrs. Davenport.
Maira smirked and nodded at the little dynamo and Vic rushed over to the fireplace and started grabbing the now overflowing stockings and delivering them to the proper recipients.
Once they were passed out, Vicky hopped up onto the couch beside us like a little kid and we started going through them. Mine had all kinds of candies and fudge wrapped in bright cellophane and a lovely scarf that would go with just about anything. Then there was an assortment of high quality camel hair paintbrushes that reminded me of that year with the Cohans. I cried again at the memory and thanked the Davenports.
Valla and Vicky were similarly happy about their booty. I was especially impressed with the antique retractable, self inking fountain pen that Valla got. Then Vicky looked around, seeing everyone had finished, then bounded off the couch and started handing out the presents from under the tree. We must have had at least ten each. I was feeling bad that I only brought each person one gift!
We followed Vicky's lead and started tearing into the presents, or carefully unwrapping and folding the wrapping paper in my case. I was amazed at the beautiful clothing I got as well as the high end art equipment I had been eyeballing for months. I tried not to cry when I opened my very own easel. Tried is the operative word.
Valla got some stunning clothing as well that I'd love to see on her... or off her. And an amazing calligraphy set with some beautiful huge leather bound books that had only blank pages for her poetry. I saw her tearing up as well.
Vicky got almost exclusively clothing and the most beautiful and delicate sapphire encrusted silver bracelet. It was breathtaking! Vicky opened the gift from Valla and I and started crying when she saw it. It was a framed photo of the three of us staring off into the night sky. It was her favorite photo of us that was taken by Valla's English Lit professor at an outdoor poetry reading of Valla's works under the stars.
We had pretended to lose it a few weeks ago, to get it professionally mounted and matted in a shadowbox frame, with movie ticket stubs from shows we all saw together and a friendship bracelet Valla and I had wove for her on display.
We were hit by a flying, tackling hug from the pint sized blonde. We laughed and hugged her back. Then Valla and I each opened our gifts from her. They were matching white gold hearts on whisper thin white gold chains. Mine was inscribed with a script V while Valla's had a script M. We put them on then hugged Vicky ourselves, they were so perfect. I couldn't stop smiling.
We turned to Vicky's parents as they opened Valla's gift to them. It was a framed poem done in Valla's calligraphy entitled “Counting”. It became my second favorite poem of hers immediately when I spotted the line about a deafening whisper. Maira opened her arms toward Valla, “It's simply moving Vee!” she said as she hugged her, then Mr. D pulled her into a hug too.
Then Maira picked up the larger present from me and removed the wrapping. They were stunned at what looked like a framed black and white portrait of Victoria with her infectious smile. They both leaned in closer to see that it wasn't a photograph, but hundreds of thousands of tiny ink dots that I put on the canvas using a pin I dipped in India ink. I could probably have done better but I didn't have much time to complete it and... Crap, I'm obsessing again!
It was Maira's turn to cry as I got the same hug treatment from the two of them that they had just given Valla. Then I turned to Valla and pointed to the present from me to her. She had been looking at it all morning, hovering around it, revering it but keeping her distance. She finally removed the wrapping paper and opened the box. She looked in and her jaw dropped, she looked closer. “Are those words? They are. They say... Oh my god! Mia!”
She pulled the sculpted three dimensional white heart that resembled a delicate wire frame made of paper ribbons that I had actually carved out of a single piece of wood. I used a red hot sewing needle to burn thousands of tiny holes through the wood ribbons to form the words from her poem 'Every Day' into it. She was openly crying and smiling now. I finally exhaled, relived that she liked it.
I went to hug her but got a knee buckling passionate kiss instead. She had to support me to prevent my collapse. I wasn't complaining as I did the only thing a sane person would do when the sexiest person alive was kissing them... I returned the kiss, my entire being was buzzing.
After I came back down to Earth I started cleaning up the discarded wrapping paper from the floor around everyone. I couldn't handle it strewn about haphazardly anymore, though I had tried to ignore it, but I needed to fold them neatly and throw them away. But Valla grabbed my hand saying, “No, not yet. There's still one more.” She made me sit back down on the couch.
She nervously brought her other arm from behind her back, displaying a small wrapped box and handed it to me. I happily started meticulously removing the little ribbon and wrapping paper as she spoke. “Mia. Life is too short. I wish I could promise you forever. But all I can promise is to give you every moment I have. I know it is unfair to ask, but my time is short. I want nothing more than to make you feel loved.”
It was a small purple velvet box. I held it up in front of me with reverence, brushing my thumbs across its lid. I steeled myself and flipped the lid open to see the most simple and beautiful, plain white gold band engraved with what looked like Celtic knots. But I could see it was actually a series of Vs and Ms interlaced around it. My jaw dropped as I looked at her, her eyes recapturing mine. I could feel mine starting to water.
She continued with nothing but love sparkling away in her amazing eyes, “Mia Jessica Jacobs... will you make me the happiest woman alive and marry me?” Before her last syllable was out I replied, “YES! ...I could live a lifetime in your eyes.” Her lips were on mine, I had never felt such a soulful kiss from her. I poured my heart into hers as we breathed each others breath.
She broke the kiss and pulled back gasping, then pulling the ring from its cushion she slid it onto my finger. Tears of happiness were flowing unchecked down both our cheeks. I brought my fingers to my lips, reliving that kiss. I turned to the Davenports to see the two ladies hugging, smiling and crying while watching us.
Mr. Davenport cleared his throat in typical male fashion, pretending to not be misting up and hoarsely said, “This calls for a celebration! Hot cocoa and a movie?” We all laughed and settled in on the couch as Mrs. D hurried off and brought in mugs of hot chocolate and cookies a couple short minutes later.
As the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's, rolled the ending credits Valla spoke to the group. “Would it be okay if I stole this enchanting pixie for a few hours? I know it is Christmas day but there's something I have to show her. If there aren't any other plans.” We were assured that nothing pressing was lined up. With a promise of being back in plenty of time for dinner, we got dressed and borrowed Vicky's car keys then set off down the road.
Chapter 13 – Homecoming
As we drove, Valla put some music on the radio and we rocked out, bobbing and singing and laughing. I got distracted many times by the shiny ring glistening on my finger. Valla had to poke me several times to knock me out of my happy fog as I stared at it. “Earth to Mia!” She giggled as I snapped out of it again offering her a huge toothy smile, wiggling my fingers at her sowing off the ring. “What? It ain't often I can show proof to the world that the perfect woman chose me!” I flirted back, but sincerely meaning my words.
She bit her lip seductively and I melted. Damn her and the power she has over me! I grabbed her right hand as she drove and laced our fingers. “So, you still haven't told me where we are going.” I probed, not making it a question.
“Home.” is all she said with a mischievous grin. That's all she offered me as we sat in a comfortable silence the rest of the drive. Just soaking in each others presence.
We crossed Lake Washington at Evergree
n Point and wound up at Yarrow Bay. She pulled into the driveway of a beautiful waterfront summer home and parked in front of the door. We got out and I looked around. The house itself was single level construction with a whimsical, storybook feel. All creams and browns with a bright green, inviting door. The attached three car garage was huge with a matching green door. It was clear it was an expansive home in the back, but charmingly subtle in the front.
Valla jumped out of the car with a smile and ran around to open my door and help me out. How friggin' sweet is she? Then I started noticing some things about the house and property. The yard was unkempt and overgrown in areas that looked to have been gorgeous landscaping at one point. The windows were water spotted and muddy dust caked a lot of the horizontal surfaces from lack of maintenance.
She still hadn't said a word and I didn't want to be the first to vocalize. I could tell by her movements that this is something she needed to do, it was important to her. The front door deadbolt had an electronic keypad and she punched in a four digit code and twisted the lock. It thunked open and she pushed it in, gesturing for me to enter with a dazzling smile and a twinkle of mischief in her catlike eyes.
I walked in and looked around. The large open living room went the entire depth of the home, with huge glass panels in the back wall revealing a large yard with a dock stretching out to the lake. The furniture and hanging lamps were all covered in white sheets with dust covering the sheets. The polished stone floor was inlaid with walnut to form a lattice pattern on the floor and the giant area rug under the sitting area was dull with dust.
Even in its unused state it was breathtaking. I turned to see Valla smiling like the Cheshire Cat. “Home.” She grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers. She leaned in and gave me a barely there kiss, our lips shared a whisper of contact. She didn't move away, instead she just smiled and spoke, her lips nicking mine as she did. “I figured that we'd need a place of our own if you had said yes to me.”
I blinked. “Of course I was going to say yes! I said yes long before you asked today. How could you have thought otherwise?”
She gave me another quick kiss and backed off still holding my hand as she spoke softer “This was my home growing up. Until... my father died two years ago from a brain tumor. I haven't been back here since.”
Her face saddened and she looked far away as she spoke of him I had never pushed her on the subject of her father. “My whole life I knew I would be gone before him. It was supposed to be a fact. But it goes to show you that nothing in life is certain. He was my best friend. It was just a matter of three months between when they found the tumor and when he left me.”
I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She continued, “I applied to be an emancipated minor instead of getting lost in the social services machine. I had to get out of here, too many memories to haunt me. I rented an apartment with funds from my inheritance and finished my senior year in high school. I got the scholarship in English literature that we had both dreamed of for me. We had the money to put me through the college of my choice but I wanted to do it all on my own merit.”
She turned to me and her wistful, melancholy expression turned into something softer and tinged with want. “And I found the love of my life.” Her voice was huskier. She bit her lower lip, melting me to the core. “With you, we can make this feel like a home again... If you want.” She looked, searching for an answer to her question in my eyes.
I smiled back, entranced by her ever-changing eyes. “It's beautiful. I love it. And to be totally, honest, home for me is YOU... Wherever you are. I'm so in love with you Valhalla Abbey Taylor.” She looked both relieved and happy all at once.
She licked her lips, her eyes darkened with lust. I could feel it radiating off of her in waves, causing interesting things to happen to some embarrassing areas on my anatomy. God, I want her! She turned and pulled me behind her as she went down a hall, to the right, and past what looked like a master bedroom into a smaller one.
With one hand she ripped the white sheet off the bed, causing a small dust cloud, and then she pushed me backwards onto the bed with her straddling me. Her voice was husky and raspy with desire. “I gave you a promise. It's time.” My entire body became a tingling inferno as I remembered her promise. My toes curled when her lips crushed against mine, her hands desperately clawing off my clothes. Although I despise the word, as it seems so crude and raw, I had never felt so horny in my life.
***
Now let me tell you, even though neither of us had any experience with lesbian sex and felt we didn't know what to do, our bodies were so in sync that we instinctively knew what to do to please each other. Valla's face had never looked as beautiful as when she was climaxing. It was a new goal in my life to see that expression as often as possible. And the amazing things she did to me I didn't think were possible!
So anyway, needless to say, she fulfilled her promise to me... twice... and with interest! If it were possible to die from over-arousal I'm sure I was on the cusp of it. As we laid in each others arms, sweat soaked hair across our faces and basking in the afterglow I raggedly offered, “You know, I think I might be gay.” We both laughed hard and kept laughing every time we looked at each other.
My sides were hurting so bad by the time we could look at each other without cracking up. But then our eyes locked, amber meeting emerald and I felt my lust resurfacing. Valla was stronger than me. “We will never leave this bed if we don't get up now. Let's get cleaned up and I'll give you the tour.”
I growled, “I'll clean you up... again.” Licking my lips and staring at her crotch seductively, my mouth watering. She stood and pulled me to my feet, placing a quick but passionate kiss on my lips. God she tastes great.
She whispered, “I've created a monster.” with a playful laugh. Then she shooed me into the attached bathroom. “Should be towels in the cupboard, soap and shampoo under the sink.”
I started the shower grumbling in my frustrated state. Then smiled to myself knowing that I was hers as I washed away our earlier activities.
***
Once I was cleaned up I realized there wasn't a blow dryer there so I dried my hair the best I could, running my brush through the long tresses of ebony. Valla wandered back into the room with a towel around her. I assumed she used another bathroom in the house. I would have welcomed her into the shower with me, but this was smarter. We would have wound up on the floor of the shower an hour later and still panting if she had.
She sat me on the bed and grabbed the brush from me, running her fingers through my hair to fluff it up and get air circulating through it to dry faster as she brushed. Is it wrong that I found that hawt too? Did she just smell my neck? When she was satisfied she gave me a quick kiss on my pulse point, sending goosebumps across my flesh. Then she whispered, “God, I love your long raven hair.”
Then I returned the favor and worked on her hair. Her brown locks were so luxurious feeling as they slid between my fingers. I could do this all day. I enjoyed pampering her. She moaned in satisfaction, “That feels good baby. Have I mentioned how much I love you Mia?” I kissed her behind the ear in answer as I finished up the best I could with her hair.
We dressed quickly and she proceeded to drag me out of her childhood bedroom and around the house for a whirlwind tour. She showed me the guest room, then the huge master suite with a walk in closet that was bigger than the VV Lair, and the huge master bathroom with two showers and a giant jetted tub on a pedestal in the middle.
The kitchen was unbelievable with a white marble tile floor, a breakfast bar on the food prep island, and the black walnut cabinets accentuated with stainless steel hardware that matched all of the stainless steel appliances and exhaust hood. The black granite counters were a counterpoint to the floor.
The dining area was just an extension of the kitchen area. It gave a warm, friendly feel to an otherwise huge space. It flowed out to the living space I had seen earlier. I noticed the large stone fireplace dominating a wall by the seating
area in the great room. Someone had put a lot of thought into the layout of this house. We were talking about anything and everything, often breaking into fits of laughter.
Then she dragged me out to the kitchen again and through a side door to the attached garage. It was huge, with a polished concrete floor. Workbenches along one wall were covered with sheets and on the far end was a large vehicle covered like everything else. “We could set up a studio for you in here.” she whispered in my ear, her breath hot on my neck.
Last stop was back into the living room and then outside through one of the huge glass panels I thought was a window but was actually a swiveling door on seemingly invisible hinges. She laced our fingers as we walked along a winding cobblestone path to the dock. We bundled into our coats from the bitter winter wind and sat on the end of the dock, swinging our feet in the air like children, to continue our chat.
“So? Whaddaya think? Can you see us living here?” She looked hopeful.
I alleviated any doubt with my response, “It couldn't be more perfect... just like you.” We kissed for a few moments, not the animalistic kissing from earlier, but tender, gentle kisses meant only to convey our love.
We looked out over the lake, watching a small plane with purple wingtips and a big wavy purple stripe on it lazily flying above the water, and we shivered. “Brrr.” she stated with a silly grin, kicking away with her combat boot encased feet.
“Yeah, brrr.” I smiled back. We got up and made our way back inside, she made a quick detour to the garage to grab a garage door opener from a hook on the wall and put it in her purse.
“Ready hot stuff?” She asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Always!” I replied happily as we walked out the front door.
We took a step after she locked the door before she stopped and pulled me back by our intertwined hands. “Just a sec.” She said with a smile as she pressed a few buttons on the lock “There... now type in a four digit code.” I typed my debit card pin number and the number pad flashed a couple of times.
Music of the Soul 1, 2, & 3 Starter Bundle Page 31
