Homecoming

by Nell Stark

  Sarah’s smile turned sheepish. “Sorry. I usually wake up a little horny, and with you here…” She trailed off, arching her eyebrows.

  “Mmm. I see.” Rory pressed up experimentally and grinned when Sarah gasped. “First of all, don’t you dare be sorry. Second of all, I fully intend to take advantage of your weakened state, and to enjoy myself while I do, but I won’t move a muscle until you tell me why you were all tense a minute ago.”

  “You drive a hard bargain,” Sarah said. She leaned in for another kiss. “So…here’s the thing. I got back into Yale. Just found out a few days ago.”

  “Oh.” Rory suddenly found it hard to swallow. It’s okay, she told herself through the panic. We can do long distance. New Haven isn’t that far away, and—

  “So, here’s the other thing. I’m not going.”

  Rory pulled back, shocked. And determined to change Sarah’s mind. “What the fuck? You have to go! It’s Yale, for fuck’s sake!”

  But Sarah shook her head. “Nope. I’m not. I don’t want to, and you can’t make me.”

  “What are you, twelve?” Rory paused when she realized that she was almost shouting. She sighed, deciding to take a different tack. “Okay, look,” she said. “Just give me one good reason why you should stay here.”

  “I can give you a few,” Sarah said, leaning forward to kiss her nose. Rory struggled not to smile. It was hard. “For one thing, URI costs a lot less, so my debt won’t be nearly as bad when I graduate.”

  Rory frowned. That was a good reason. Very rational and reasonable. “But—”

  “For another thing,” Sarah cut in, “I’m happier here than I was there.”

  “You are?” Rory didn’t know much about Sarah’s experience at Yale, but she had always imagined it as an idyllic time. “You’re not just saying that, right?”

  “Remember how you told me last night that I have to trust you?” Sarah said. “Well…now you have to trust me.”

  “You’re not staying because of me, right?” Rory blurted. Oh God, she thought, feeling her cheeks get hot. What an arrogant thing to say.

  Sarah smiled, propped herself up on one elbow, and cupped Rory’s cheek with her other hand. “Sort of, I guess,” she said softly. “Or maybe it’s more that…I’m staying because of me. Because of how I feel about you. Because you make me happy. I know I could go back, and that we’d be okay, but…I don’t want to.”

  “I don’t really want you to, either,” Rory confessed.

  “I know.”

  “Oh? You know?” Giddy with relief, Rory rolled them over so she could be on top. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

  When Sarah opened her mouth to reply, Rory kissed her deeply, sliding her tongue along Sarah’s teeth. She pressed up again with her thigh, and was rewarded by a low groan. Rory pulled back, then, licking her lips. Sarah’s eyes were hazy with need, and she apparently couldn’t stop herself from arching against Rory’s body. So, so beautiful.

  “I just have one question for you now,” Rory said, pausing to nip at Sarah’s jawline.

  “Oh?” Sarah asked, her breathing labored. “What’s that?”

  Rory slipped one hand between them and pushed just the tip of her finger inside Sarah. She felt so good—so tight and wet—that Rory had trouble catching her breath. Leaning forward, she put her mouth next to Sarah’s ear, flicking the sensitive lobe with her tongue.

  “Wanna be my roommate again next year?”

  “Yes,” Sarah gasped.

  It was her last articulate syllable for a long time.

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later, Sarah stood on the sidewalk outside Hutchinson, her arms encircling Rory’s waist. Next to them was a pile of boxes. Sarah checked her watch and hugged Rory tighter.

  “What time did they say they’d be here, again?”

  “Three.” Rory turned in her arms and planted a kiss on her chin. “Will you stop worrying, please? They didn’t flip out on the phone. They’re not going to yell at you, or whisk me away to straight camp. Okay?”

  Sarah blew out a sigh. “I know. Sorry.” Her look turned speculative. “Maybe if you kiss me again, I’ll feel better.”

  Rory rolled her eyes but obliged. “There. How’s that?”

  “Mmm,” Sarah said. “Have I told you yet today how good you are at that?”

  “Flatterer.” But Rory kissed her again. And then once more for good measure. “I’m going to miss not seeing you all the time,” she said, once Sarah was breathless and much more relaxed.

  “It is going to be weird, isn’t it?” Sarah said. “But at least we have a few days before you have to go to the big city.”

  “And I’ll come to Wakefield every chance I get,” Rory said. “You can take me sailing.”

  “Maybe I’ll come to New York every chance I get,” Sarah countered. “You can introduce me to all your movie star friends, and we can eat street dogs and hang out in the Village.”

  Rory laughed. “Sure you don’t want to go to Ellis Island and up the Statue of Liberty while you’re at it, tourist?”

  Sarah pretended to push Rory away. “You making fun of me?”

  “Always.”

  Just as Rory leaned in for another kiss, a red minivan pulled up next to them. Sarah recognized Mr. and Mrs. Song in the front seats. “Hey, look, there are your parents,” she said, putting about two feet of air between herself and Rory. Despite her resolution to remain calm and collected, Sarah felt her stomach drop into her feet. Don’t be such a ’fraidy cat. If they start yelling at you, just keep cool. Rory is the most important thing. Just be what she needs.

  Rory stepped forward, smiling, when both car doors opened. “Hi, Mom and Dad,” she said, giving each of them a hug.

  Sarah was in awe of Rory’s ability to act normally. Her palms began to sweat as the Songs approached. She nearly jumped a foot when Rory took her hand. Oh jeez. PDA in front of the ’rents.

  “You remember Sarah, of course,” Rory was saying.

  Sarah watched their reactions closely—neither of them seemed thrilled to pieces to see her, but they weren’t slamming her up against a wall or cursing her out, either. Okay. That’ll work. I’ll take it.

  “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Song,” she said. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “Hello, Sarah,” Mr. Song said. “How did your spring semester finish up?”

  But before she could answer, Rory was speaking for her. “Oh, she did great, Dad. Totally aced her bio and chem courses. She’s got a 4.0, you know.”

  “Ah, excellent,” Mr. Song said, nodding his approval.

  “We should put you in touch with Thomas and Gwen,” Mrs. Song said. “Rory’s cousins who are in medical school. Remind me to give you their e-mail addresses, Sarah.”

  Sarah knew that her smile was far wider than the situation called for, but just that tiny demonstration of acceptance and support had made her day. “Okay,” she said. “That’d be great. Thanks so much.”

  After they had made small talk for a few more minutes, Rory’s dad opened the trunk and began piling Rory’s things inside. Sarah immediately began to help.

  “See?” Rory said, whispering as they lifted one of the heavier boxes toward the car. “No sweat.”

  Sarah smiled, still not completely at ease but definitely relieved. “They are being very cool about it.”

  “So,” Rory said once all the boxes were loaded. “You’ll follow us there, right, Sarah?”

  “Yep. As long as it’s still okay for me to stay with you for a couple of days.” Sarah looked between Rory’s mother and father, both of whom nodded. Rory’s dad even smiled.

  “You’re always welcome in our home,” he said.

  “Thank you,” Sarah said, hoping that her tone of voice conveyed just how much that sentiment meant to her. She turned to Rory. “See you soon. Have a safe drive.”

  “You too, baby.” And then, to Sarah’s complete shock and amazement, Rory curled both arms around her neck, rose slightly onto her toes
, and kissed her. Thoroughly.

  She could have jerked away. She could have not returned Rory’s kiss. But instead, Sarah wrapped her arms around Rory’s waist, pulled her as close as she possibly could, and gave back what she had been given. Unafraid.

  About the Author

  Nell Stark grew up predominately on the East Coast of the USA. She attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, where she met her partner, Lisa. She is now pursuing her doctorate in medieval English literature in Madison, Wisconsin. When she’s not researching, teaching, or writing, she’s either playing World of Warcraft or spending time outdoors. Nell is also a contributor to several erotica anthologies, including Erotic Interludes 3 and 4, Wild Nights, After Midnight, and the forthcoming Romantic Interludes.