The House on Sandstone

by KG MacGregor

  I’ve got to leave soon, and he’ll go nuts if he doesn’t have some help."

  "Yeah, I wish he could get somebody too. He’s worked hard to build that store up."

  "It’s a great place. He was saying that he wanted to get a bookshelf in there, and some board games. I think it has a lot of potential to get even bigger."

  The music stopped and Carly watched as Justine and Tony separated. Suddenly, the blue eyes met hers and the redhead smiled. Without dropping her gaze, Carly retreated to her table, her own smile growing broader as she realized that Justine was coming over.

  "You guys better behave yourselves," Carly warned quietly just before the redhead arrived at their table.

  Rich quickly got up and pulled out a chair. "Justine, it’s nice to see you."

  "You too, Richie. I love your murals down in the coffee house."

  "Thank you."

  "Rich has done some wonderful work. I wish you could have seen his last exhibit in Boston." Daniel patted his partner’s forearm and smiled with obvious pride.

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  In that instant, Justine grasped the nature of the men’s relationship and she couldn’t stop her own knowing smile. "You should both be very proud of how well the coffee house is doing."

  "We were just talking about that," Carly interjected. "We were saying that you ought to quit your job and go to work helping out."

  "Sure you were. What if you were to quit your job instead, and stay there? Stay in Leland?"

  "Don’t think I haven’t thought about it." The playfulness in Carly’s voice belied the seriousness with which she’d been thinking about her job these last few days, and how much she dreaded leaving for Madrid.

  "Coffee in the morning…furniture delivery in the afternoon. Sounds like a nice life,"

  Justine cajoled teasingly.

  Carly could only nod, not trusting what would come out of her mouth if she were to open it. And what would I do in the evening?

  The band broke into its rendition of a 1979 disco tune, and virtually everyone in the room took to the dance floor, including the foursome at the table. Dancing side by side with Rich and Daniel, the women couldn’t help but remember their steamy night at the club in Louisville. And when the music stopped, Justine couldn’t keep from squeezing Carly’s arm, a subconscious thanks for the dance.

  When they left the dance floor, the redhead was whisked away to attend to a few details at the sign-in desk, and Carly found herself back at the table with her friends, sad and frustrated at was almost in her grasp. She and Justine were right for each other, if they’d just forget about everybody else and go for it.

  "Looks to me like you’re not the only one hung up, Carly."

  She looked into Daniel’s eyes and allowed herself a soft smile.

  "What are you going to do?"

  Carly shook her head solemnly. "I don’t know, Daniel. The ball’s in her court–it always has been."

  Two hours later, the crowd began to thin. People promised to keep in touch, and everyone had their reading glasses out jotting down email addresses and phone numbers. Sara and Justine basked in the praise from their classmates, accepting that their success would mean they probably would be tapped to do this again in another five years.

  Carly stopped by the table on her way out to offer her congratulations. "It was really nice, Justine. Thanks for encouraging me to come. I had a great time."

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  "I’m glad you did. And if I didn’t tell you earlier," she lowered her voice so that no one would hear, "you look sensational tonight. I heard a lot of people say so."

  The blonde woman gave her a lopsided smile. "You’re the one who turned all the heads in the room, Justine. Just like you always did."

  Daniel and Rich waited by the door, and Carly turned to give them the signal that she would be along soon.

  "Come home with me," Justine whispered, her eyes smoldering in the dim light. She didn’t know where her courage was coming from, but she had no reservations about the invitation. It was time to show Carly how she felt.

  Carly froze, her eyes never leaving the blue ones. She answered with a nod, barely perceptible, even to Justine. "I’ll meet you outside."

  Chapter 20

  The short ride to the house on Sandstone was quiet, punctuated when Carly took the long slender hand in her own, lacing their fingers. When they entered the darkened home through the kitchen, Justine turned off the porch light, her indication that she had no intentions of either them going back out into the night. She touched the five numbers of her alarm code, knowing that an open door would alert them if Trey should happen to stop by. But Justine didn’t expect that to happen tonight.

  Carly stood nervously in the kitchen while Justine locked up, waiting and wondering just how this dance would start. A part of her wanted to return to their last scene in front of the fire, so they’d have a chance to undo that clumsy encounter. She wanted to look inside Justine’s heart to see if it held any promise for their future. Even if it didn’t, she wanted this chance to rewrite the memory of that drunken night.

  "Will you come to my bedroom?"

  The blonde woman nodded and followed Justine through the house, which was lit only by a soft light in the foyer. When they reached the master suite, her host closed the bedroom door and turned the lock. As Carly stood in the dark, she crossed the room and turned on a bedside lamp.

  Carly stepped out of her shoes and followed Justine to stand beside the king-sized bed.

  "Are you sure you want this?"

  "Yes."

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  "And…how will you feel about it tomorrow?"

  "I’ll want it then too." The truth of her words struck Justine like a thunderbolt. She didn’t want this just for tonight, but for all the nights to come. That’s what it was like to be in love. One small step closed the distance between them, and Justine dropped her head to touch her lips to Carly’s.

  Carly slid her mouth against Justine’s, ever so softly…ever so slowly. This was what they had missed the last time, the chance to savor the sensations of touching one another and tasting their closeness. As their kisses grew more intense, she moved into Justine’s embrace, feeling the quickening pace of both their hearts as their bodies came together.

  Working together, they freed themselves of their clothes, finally falling into bed to relish the feel of warm skin from head to toe. "God, you feel so good," Justine murmured, hooking both hands beneath Carly’s shoulders as she settled her long body on top. After a slow, deep kiss, she dropped her head beside Carly’s to nuzzle her ear.

  Carly’s hands wandered up and down the muscular contours of the taller woman’s back, coming to rest at the top of her buttocks. "Justine…Did you mean what you said? Will you want this tomorrow too?"

  Justine rose up and looked seriously into the questioning green eyes, understanding that her flighty behavior after their earlier encounters was responsible for Carly’s doubt. "I will, I promise."

  "What is it…that you want?" The blue eyes looked back at her in confusion, and she felt Justine shift her body to the side.

  "What are you asking me?"

  The blonde almost wished she hadn’t asked the question, but what she most wanted to hear was that Justine wanted her…and not just the intimacy they were about to share.

  "I’m in love with you, Justine."

  "Oh, Carly." She lowered her head to drop a kiss on the blonde woman’s cheek, then on her forehead, and finally on her lips. "That’s what I want tomorrow…for you to love me."

  With both hands, Carly clutched the back of her head and pulled her back down for a fiery kiss, which Justine returned with equal passion. She could feel her toes curling as she pushed herself against the strong body on top.

  Justine emptied her mind of her will, allowing her hands to roam where they would, marveling at the way Carly’s body responded benea
th her. Instinctively, she discovered the touches and sensations that drove the woman higher, and her own arousal peaked as well. "I love you," she whispered, finally sliding her fingers through Carly’s wet center.

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  "God, Justine…." She opened her eyes to find her partner lost in concentration, savoring her first bold exploration of another woman’s sex. Justine’s eyes were closed, but her mouth was open and her breathing was deep and slow. "That’s so nice."

  Justine pushed inside, at once captivated by the way her fingers were encircled in the velvety cocoon. Rhythmically, she slid in and out, adding another digit when Carly opened her legs wider.

  "Oh, yes…that’s it…." Carly dug her fingers into the taller woman’s back as she arched off the bed, the rush of heat erupting from her core. She lowered herself to the bed, stroking the sides of her lover’s face. "God…feel what you did to me."

  Justine was fascinated by the throbbing sensations, knowing that those happened for her only when she came hard. "That was…so amazing." Eager to discover more, she lowered her head to take a nipple into her mouth, knowing it was just a stop on the way.

  "Justine…." Carly pushed her gently to the side, rolling over on top and draping her leg between Justine’s. Her body was too sensitive to endure another touch without rest and recovery. With twinkling eyes, she gently teased her lover. "Should I ask where you learned to do that so well?"

  "I have no idea," the redhead answered, smiling timidly. "I just did what I wanted to do."

  "It was perfect." Carly leaned forward to deliver a kiss. "It was like you knew exactly what I needed," she whispered. "But I have other needs, too." With excruciating slowness, she trailed her tongue across Justine’s collarbone and chest, stopping for what seemed like ages to taste first one nipple, then the other. When she shifted lower in the bed, she heard her lover’s breathing hitch, a clear sign that Justine knew what Carly intended.

  Wordlessly, Justine parted her legs and bent a knee to give Carly access to what they both wanted. When she felt the woman’s tongue stroke the length of her sex for the first time, she shuddered and drew an arm to her forehead in abandon. "Oh, god…that’s so good…so nice." The soft tongue circled her hardened clitoris, then plunged inside her.

  "Ooh, Carly. I love that…I love you."

  Carly wrapped one arm around Justine’s thigh to pull her closer, and with the other hand, slipped two fingers inside. After only a few gentle thrusts, she felt the sudden contraction, and slowed her touches to draw out the orgasm. The moment Justine called out her name was the sweetest, most satisfying experience Carly had ever had.

  **********

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  "Wake up, sleepyhead."

  Carly opened one eye to see Justine leaning across the bed, smiling shyly as she tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. She was dressed in a dark blue wool suit with a soft white shell underneath.

  "I need to go to church. There’s coffee in the kitchen if you want it."

  Carly rolled over, orienting herself to her new surroundings. The bed was soft and warm, and Justine was much more hospitable than she had been the last time they woke up together here. She reached out and brushed her hand against the woman’s forearm. "You look nice."

  "Thank you." She tugged the sheet down to reveal the tops of Carly’s naked breasts. "You look nice, too."

  The blonde woman smiled. It was almost unfathomable that Justine could be up and about after the long night of lovemaking they’d shared. Over and over, they took turns touching and tasting one another, all the while proclaiming their love.

  "Listen, if Trey shows any signs that he’s ready to talk, I may ask him to come back here with me."

  "It’s okay…I’ll get dressed and go." She gave Justine her most understanding look. This was a condition she knew and accepted.

  "Carly, I…I meant what I said last night…every word. I love you." She squeezed the smaller hand, hoping to reassure her lover of her resolve. "I need to settle this with Trey…but I won’t let him take this away."

  "Really, it’s okay. You need to fix things with him." I don’t want anything between us again. "I need to get over the ridge…see if I can slip in the back door without anyone noticing. Like that would ever happen."

  Justine kissed her goodbye and walked toward the bedroom door. "You can lock the back door and pull it shut behind you, okay?"

  "Okay," Carly answered, her lips still tingling from their morning kiss. "Call me?"

  "I will."

  **********

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  Carly turned off her ignition and stared through the windshield at the lake. The path went all the way around, her mom said…a half-mile in all. It was a pretty nice day for the end of December, but she had a little trouble believing that people really enjoyed this kind of thing.

  Not to worry, though. Before too long, she would enjoy it too!

  From where she was sitting, she could see a handful of others walking or jogging around the path, already started on dropping those holiday pounds.

  Nothing to this.

  Carly got out and began to jog slowly along the path, reminding herself about why she was out here doing this. Justine liked running; she looked forward to it; and being physically fit was important to her. It was a demarcation of sorts, a line between when she had command of her life and when she did not. Running was a symbol of control.

  And it gave her a body to die for!

  This hurts my foot.

  Carly remembered how Justine had smiled at the other runner at the dance club in Louisville. It was obvious that this kind of thing was something she appreciated in other women, too. Justine wanted to run a marathon someday. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could do it together?

  Now it’s my whole shin. Maybe I need to slow down a little. It’s just the first day.

  Justine was going to be proud of her for this, just like she was that Carly had stopped smoking. She’d have to find a place to run in Madrid. There were probably parks around the city, or places near the university. And when Justine came to visit, they could go together.

  How is that going to work? Ow, there goes my knee.

  Justine probably got two or three weeks vacation every year. She could come to visit in the summer for a week, and she might even want to bring Emmy. And then she could come back next fall. And Carly would try to come home for a couple of weeks next Christmas. If they planned it right, they could see each other every three months or so.

  And the time in Madrid would be gone before they knew it.

  Justine loved her. Of that, Carly had no doubt. Their lovemaking had been so much more than physical. They talked into the night about how these feelings had been pent up for so long, and how it felt so wonderful to finally be able to set them free. When Carly mentioned having to leave soon, Justine assured her that they would find a way to work it all out. They’d both been searching for this feeling for too long and they weren’t going to let a few thousand miles get in the way of it.

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  Man! Why does my side always hurt like that when I run?

  Since this was her first day, Carly had vowed not to overdo it. Two times around the lake–a mile–was the limit she’d set for herself, but she could probably double that tomorrow, as long as she wasn’t sore. She was now was almost halfway around on her first lap, which meant only a quarter of a mile, and she was rapidly rethinking her plan.

  Her legs and feet were screaming, and it felt like her guts were going to explode out of her side at any second.

  Carly slowed to a walk, panting to catch her breath. This would work…If she walked back to her car from here, that would be a good cool-down exercise.

  And what might happen after Madrid? There were lots of possibilities, she realized. Trey and Emmy would both be in college by that time…adults, practically. That w
ould free up Justine to come along with her, as long as she landed her next job in a country that would allow an extended tourist visa. Justine wouldn’t need to work; Carly made plenty of money, and all of her living expenses were paid for by the company.

  Maybe she could get on with a project in Australia…or Singapore…or down in the Yucatan. That would be a pretty nice life. It wouldn’t be bad at all to stay in the field if Justine could share all of these places with her.

  She got back to her car and plopped down sideways in the driver’s seat, pulling off her left shoe and sock in one motion. A blister had already formed on the top of her big toe.

  God, it feels good to be in love!

  **********

  It was a day of mixed emotions for Justine. Trey was a no-show at church, and that bothered her a lot. He was usually pretty dependable when it came to Sunday mornings, but nothing he did of late made much sense. JT said he’d been gone most of the weekend, and that his friends hadn’t been by at all.

  All afternoon, she’d hoped to hear from her son, but it was almost dark and there was no word. It was probably going to take another visit to his bedroom at dawn to get him to talk to her.

  But there was also reason to celebrate, and Justine let herself do that today too. The smile that graced her face off and on all day was because of Carly, and she wasn’t going to give that up, no matter who asked or why. Being in love was too special–too rare–to be pushed aside for anything else.

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  Justine laid a split log diagonally across the two others that surrounded the fire starter.