They couldn’t talk during the disco songs but they did dance five straight before they sat out and chatted finding more and more in common and intrigued about the other. Krystal found herself very attracted by the sheen of sweat on Eliza’s brow, Eliza found Krystal and the things she had done to be fascinating as they talked and talked. Eliza didn’t realize the passage of time until she looked at her phone and realized it was nearly midnight.
“I’m sorry to say I’m going to have to be going” she told Krystal reluctantly. She had really enjoyed herself and regretted having to leave but she had to get some sleep before her full day tomorrow and she desperately needed her sleep!
“I’m sorry as well, can I come with you?” Krystal asked on impulse.
Turning her head slightly Eliza looked at her looking for hidden meanings. They had enjoyed their witty repartee for the most part and she didn’t know if it was fatigue or what she wasn’t sure how to take the question. “Krystal, I really like you but are you asking if I will take you home?” She didn’t do that!
Krystal wasn’t sure if she had scared this intriguing American off. Eliza had surprised her with the amount of sophistication she showed. She was articulate, well read, and very intelligent. She did want to get to know her better and calling their evening short was not what she wanted in the least. “I don’t necessarily mean it like that, unless you’d like to and then we could at least discuss it, but I really like you too and want to get to know you better.”
“I don’t take strangers home and have one night stands” Eliza told her stiffly.
“No, no, it’s not like that. I swear. I don’t do that either.” Here Krystal paused not sure how to articulate what she meant, she only knew that she hadn’t enough time to get to know this woman and she hadn’t enjoyed herself like this in a long long time. Her life was full of opportunities for one night stands and she hadn’t been one to take anyone up on that offer, ever. Her world was full of casual sex and that wasn’t what she wanted at all. “I want to just get to know you better” she finished lamely.
Eliza understood, or rather she thought she did. She thought quickly, getting to know this lovely woman better and losing precious sleep that she needed badly or going home alone and knowing she might not get that precious sleep because of thinking about this woman. Deciding that life offered few chances she could make up her sleep another time and nodded “yes, if you would like to come home with me, I’d like that.”
They discussed that Eliza would drive Krystal back in the morning before she opened the store. That they might ‘sleep’ together but both understood that it was going to be sleep and not sex that was implied. As they both made it clear it relaxed the situation that they had unintentionally made tense. Aarika had come and gone from their table periodically during the night and just then she walked up again.
“Aarika, Eliza is going to take me home so we can talk the night away” Krystal grinned. “She will bring me back to the hotel in the morning.”
“Are you crazy? You barely know this woman!” Aarika glared at the two of them as she made herself heard over the rock beat.
“No no, it’s not like that!” Krystal tried to reassure her friend “we don’t want the evening to end and we do want to chat.”
Aarika didn’t believe her friend and let her know in no uncertain terms that she didn’t believe the ‘chat’ part at all.
“Aarika, we just want to get to know one another better, relax, I’m a big girl!”
Eliza butted in at that point “Aarika, It’s not that far from my store where I live” with that she took out a business card from her purse and turning it over she grabbed a pen and wrote some things on the back. “Here is my business card and my address and phone number on the back. You can even call it now to see that my cell picks up. I am an honest person and no harm will come to Krystal.”
Aarika was surprised as she read the card. She went to object and Eliza beat her to it.
“Yes, I could have made up the address but not the cell number and you can phone it now.”
Krystal grinned at her friend. How much more fair could Eliza be? Yes they barely knew each other but Eliza was being forthright and honest and providing Aarika with the information she needed to get a hold of both of them if something should come up, which it shouldn’t. Krystal sensed, she knew, that Eliza wasn’t an ax murderer and she hoped to get to know her better, that wasn’t a crime.
Aarika finished examining the card and looked up at Krystal. Studying her friends face for a moment she nodded and said “ok, I’ll catch a taxi when I’m ready to go back to the hotel.”
Krystal hugged her friend and turned to Eliza “ok, let’s go.”
Eliza nodded to Aarika and gave her a small grin as she and Krystal left the club.
Krystal was pleasantly surprised at the Mitsubishi Spider convertible that Eliza was driving. It was a cute little car and Eliza didn’t bother putting the top down as she drove it expertly away from the club. Going over the bridge through town which was now very quiet she headed for a more residential area off the strip and was soon pulling into a quiet neighborhood. She explained to Krystal how lucky she had been to find this little bungalow and Krystal was enchanted as they pulled into the driveway. It was a neat little find with welcoming windows and white trim on a powder blue house. Eliza explained it had three bedrooms, two upstairs one downstairs that she had converted into a den/office. Unlocking the door she showed Krystal the efficient little kitchen, the living room, and the den before taking her upstairs and showing her the large master bedroom and the smaller guest room.
“Would you like to use the bathroom up here, I can lend you some night clothes?” Eliza asked.
Nodding Krystal headed for the bathroom as Eliza handed her some satin pajamas from her dresser. Taking out some satin ones for herself she waited until Krystal had closed the bathroom door and quickly stripped off her dress, slip, underwear, and pantyhose. Pulling on the pajamas she quickly put her clothes in the hamper by her door. Slipping back downstairs she quickly removed her makeup with soap and water and used the brush she kept there to brush out her long hair. She felt she looked very plain at the moment but oh well. She heard the water from upstairs and quickly washed herself and brushed her teeth. Heading back up the narrow bungalow steps she met Krystal as she came out of the bathroom. Looking at her she was surprised to see Krystal without her own makeup and pleased how pretty she still looked with a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Krystal was surprised to see Eliza without her own makeup and in satin pajamas already. She had hurried since she thought Eliza was waiting to use the bathroom.
Eliza felt a little awkward. Although they had agreed to ‘sleep’ together it wasn’t like a sleep over from grade school days and she wasn’t certain what to do with this grown woman in her room. Although she had been with women before, never one on such short acquaintance. Krystal solved her moment of awkwardness by coming across the room and taking her in her arms as though they were going to dance. They did in fact sway there to some unspoken music and Eliza liked the feel of this woman in her arms. They both must have felt the moment as they kissed. Eliza was surprised at how good that kiss felt and quickly opened her mouth to deepen it. Krystal was surprised at how good a kisser Eliza was and enjoyed the fact that Eliza quickly deepened it. Krystal got her earlier wish as her hands delved into Eliza’s long hair. Eliza cupped Krystal’s head to hold it in place so her mouth could play with Krystal’s lips. They both enjoyed their first kiss together so much that it continued into a second and third before they even realized it. Finally though they pulled back in amazement and looked deeply into each other’s faces to read what was unspoken there.
Krystal was the first to break the silence “I don’t know what it is about you but I’ve been drawn to you from the moment I met you in your store. I don’t want you to think I do this regularly, getting into strange women’s beds.”
Shaking her head Eliza answered honestly “No,
I don’t think that at all, I too have felt strangely drawn to you. I haven’t slept with a woman in two years and I worried that it was just sexual that I was feeling towards you, but I am so very attracted to you its almost painful.”
Krystal hesitated and then asked “how many partners have you had?” She was still holding Eliza in her arms and they were about six inches apart. Her hands were gently caressing Eliza’s shoulders and arms as she looked into her face as they talked.
“Two, only two, ever. That is women. I’ve been with two men before that and one was my ex-husband who gave me my two sons.” Eliza answered and then asked “and how many partners have you had?” Her own hands were caressing Krystal’s back using her fingertips and short nails to good effect.
“I’ve been with four women in my life and those were fairly long commitments but I haven’t been with anyone in nearly a year” Krystal admitted almost sheepishly.
“Why not? You’re a beautiful woman, what’s wrong with you?” Eliza asked in a teasing manner but was genuinely surprised. Krystal was a catch, anyone would be grateful to be with her.
Smiling at the compliment Krystal thought and then answered “I’m fairly picky, I don’t do casual. The first one was my ‘experiment’ and then I realized I really was a lesbian and we enjoyed learning with each other but then after a year realized neither of us was ready for a commitment and we went our separate ways, amicably. That was when I was 18. I dated some men but not one of them have I ever wanted to sleep with. I tried but couldn’t make myself have sex with any of them. Kissing and caressing by them felt invasive and I finally stopped trying that after a few years.” She grinned ruefully, acknowledging she had at least tried.
“If you have never been with a man then what about the daughter you mentioned earlier?” Eliza asked naively.
“Oh, that was my third girlfriend and my idea. We thought it would be terrific if we had a child together, we planned to get married but by the time I got pregnant she lost interest. It was kind of sad but there you have it and once I was pregnant I certainly wasn’t going to get rid of it and I love my daughter, she is terrific, her name is Selena.”
Enjoying children Eliza asked “how old is she?” she could see the genuine pride in Krystal’s voice as they talked.
“Ah, she is two now” she said with a smile.
Thinking quickly Eliza she mentally counted off on her fingers and asked “wait, you said you had four relationships, one is missing?”
“Ah, three were just relationships, one was a marriage. I married a wonderful woman several years back but she died” at this revelation Krystal hung her head a little, Eliza could see the genuine regret when she continued “I don’t consider her ‘just’ a relationship, I loved her incredibly and she was taken from me.”
Softly Eliza asked “how did she die?”
“It was a freak avalanche in the Alps where we were skiing. She got caught and I was rescued. Sometimes I wonder if I should have died there.” Eliza could hear the catch in Krystal’s voice and pulled her close for a hug. She didn’t want their conversation to cause her pain.
“I’m sorry, you obviously loved her very much, I didn’t mean to hurt you by my questions.” Eliza told her sadly.
Pulling back Krystal looked at her to see the genuine sorrow for her and appreciated her understanding. It still hurt, it would always hurt. This wasn’t the time or the place though. “Her name was Selena; I named my daughter after her in her honor. My little Selena is nothing like the woman I married.” She laughed ruefully. “In fact, she would be angry with me for naming my daughter after her but she would also find it wonderfully ironic.” She smiled remembering the woman who was long gone, who she sometimes had trouble visualizing anymore, who’s picture was all she had left of her besides her memories.
Gently Eliza kissed her. This sweet action more than anything else melted Krystal on the spot. Her knees began to buckle as the kiss deepened. Firmly she changed her thoughts. Pulling back slightly she asked “what about you? Why two men, why two women? What happened?”
“Ah for that we should sit down.” Eliza pulled from Krystal’s embrace to pull down the bedspread and then the blanket. Reaching across she flicked the blanket and cover sheet down on Krystal’s side and invited playfully with a pat on that side. Krystal got into the bed and pulled the cover sheet up to her waist. Leaning back against two comfy pillows she waited for Eliza to continue her story. Eliza got in on the left side of the bed and pulled the cover sheet up as well. Using the sheet as a distraction she began her own recital “I was with my first man at 19. I was feeling depressed and down and very unsure of my teenage body. Men weren’t attracted to me and I never had considered a woman.” Her eyes flicked up to look at Krystal at that moment. “A friend introduced me to this man through her own boyfriend one day and we disliked each other at first sight. I don’t remember to this day how it happened but I allowed him to have sex with me that night and take my virginity. It was a mess; I bled for several days after that. My friend said the bed looked like someone had been murdered. Needless to say it was not a good first experience.” Swallowing Eliza continued. “A year later I met my husband. He seemed like a good man, young but hard working. I was wrong on several accounts. Being naive and hoping to love someone who would take care of me, provide for me, and give me a happily ever after I put my trust in the wrong man. He took advantage of my naiveté and got me pregnant so I would have to marry him. He seemed to resent that he wasn’t my ‘first’ and that I wasn’t a virgin when he met me. He then proceeded to abuse me until I had no self-esteem left. Once he had me with the two children his abuse continued until finally I had to get out and I took the children and ran to protective services. The ensuing divorce was nasty but what he didn’t know is that I had written down in my diaries what he had done and when, there was a carefully kept log of all his abuses and the worst of them corresponded with hospital visits. He was lucky not to be arrested. I was lucky that he didn’t want visitation rights once his abuse became public knowledge and his reputation ruined in our little town. Man, was he angry, I thought I was going to die. Once the divorce was final I gathered what I had left and moved across the state to start over.” She stopped for a moment to let the bad memories pass before continuing.
Krystal leaned over and gently caressed her cheek, to remind her that it was over, she was with someone else now, or for the moment, and to offer her support. Eliza reached up and held the hand to her cheek for a moment before continuing.
“I was working with a sign company when I left him and I started making my own signs out of my garage when I moved. The company I had worked for went under and I began soliciting their accounts. The people who remembered me started to order and I began to grow, slowly but surely. My children started school and I found myself getting lonely. I didn’t really fit in with the other mothers but one stood out and we began to become friends. I found myself attracted to her but I was surprised to find she felt the same. Neither of us had been with another woman. We fell in love and discovered what each of us liked, what worked for us, we shared a house together until her daughter and my two sons were teenagers. We were gossiped about all around town and it became awkward for our children. Her daughter began a campaign to break us up and eventually it succeeded. Marg couldn’t take the stress and eventually she had to move out, she told me she wanted to be with men now and she proceeded to marry the first one that came along. They were married three months after she broke up with me. That was hurtful and we haven’t spoken since.”
“That’s terrible, you couldn’t reason with her?” Krystal asked.
Shaking her head Eliza had been watching Krystal’s kind face as she told her story. “I was so lonely and I realized I needed to be happy with me, one day I met a woman off the internet and we ended up going to lunch, that night I ended up in her bed but I wasn’t attracted to her, I was very lonely though. She and I ended up having awful sex. We tried dating for a while but she was more screwed u
p than me. I decided at that point that I wasn’t ever going to try casual sex again and to concentrate on my boys and business.” She grinned at Krystal “and then today in walks a beautiful woman who blew all my good intentions out the window with her smile” she leaned forward for a kiss “and I find myself wondering how someone I am so attracted to, could wind up in my bed to just ‘talk?’”
Krystal laughed, she had been wondering the same, if she were insane to agree to come home with this woman, if she were insane ‘just to talk’ when she really wondered about that body under the satin pajamas. Pulling Eliza close she just held her and caressed that wonderful hair. It really felt wonderful holding her and winding her fingers through the silky hair. “I think perhaps fate is laughing at us and wondering if temptation might be good for our soul?”
Eliza grinned at the deliciously accented Austrian she was holding. Whatever perfume Krystal used it clung to her or her hair and smelled breathtaking. Eliza wondered if she would get any sleep and really didn’t care if they stayed up all night talking. They did indeed talk until the early morning hours, getting to know one another; it was nice for both of them. Eliza finally couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer, she had been working too hard for too many weeks and sleep was precious, she drifted off in the middle of her conversation with Krystal telling her about her sons. Krystal laughed softly as she watched this beautiful and incredibly interesting American fall asleep.
Since Krystal was from Europe, the time difference, and her own night owl activities, she could sleep in catnaps and be fine for days. This trip with Aarika was just a diversion in an endlessly long line of diversions. She was tired of the nightlife, she was tired of the same people, the same dramas, the change in scenery had done her good, she enjoyed traveling but she was bored. Eliza had proven to be an interesting person for her to know, she really had enjoyed herself, and she looked forward to getting to know her better. She too drifted off for a few hours.
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