Hurricane Season

by BJ Phillips

  About eleven thirty she found a McDonalds next to a Racetrack station along the Interstate and pulled in for a quick pit stop. A full gas tank, fast bathroom trip, a couple of hamburgers and a large Coke with extra ice, and she was back on the road, closing on home by the minute. She called Carrie one more time as she pulled out of McDonald’s.

  “Well, I’m almost there,” Shawn said when Carrie answered. “I just picked up a light lunch. Next stop home, I think.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll be even happier to see you pulling into my driveway.”

  “Oh, me, too. Definitely looking forward to that. I’m making good time, so I should be in North Fort Myers by about one thirty or two. You know, I don’t mind driving, but this is tiring.”

  “You were up pretty early this morning, too. Glad you’re holding up so far.”

  “I am, but I’ll probably collapse once I get there. At least for a while. But for now, I’m just entertaining myself with thoughts of you and a nice warm shower. Pretty much in that order.”

  “Yes, a nice warm shower and maybe a nap would be something to look forward to.” Carrie’s grin evident in her voice.

  “Looking forward to seeing you actually is keeping my brain working right now. I can’t wait to see you.”

  “I’m looking forward to seeing you, too,” Carrie said softly. “I’ve been thinking about that since we last talked.”

  Shawn made a dramatic sighing noise, then chuckled. “I guess I’d better pay attention to the road. This kind of talk makes my mind lose contact with what I’m doing. Don’t forget you’re talking to someone who makes up stories for a living. I have a very vivid imagination.”

  “Imagine away, but stay focused on the road, please. I’m sure we can do something about that when you get here, though. Oh, by the way, it’s getting breezy and overcast, but it looks like the storm has slowed down just a little bit. It appears you have a bit more time to get here, so you don’t have to drive quite so fast or worry.”

  “Okay, thanks for the info. That makes it a bit easier.”

  “I’d better get back to work, myself.”

  “Work? Aren’t you at home?”

  “I am at home, but a pie wants to be made. I already have everything I need, but it won’t make itself. Besides, it would be nice to snack on during the storm. See? I can rationalize even making a pie. Call me when you’re closer?”

  “Will do. See you in a while.” Shawn grinned widely as she punched the button on her phone, pitched it into the passenger seat, and decided she had better find some better music on the radio to keep her mind on the road.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  IT WAS NEARLY TWO by the time Carrie took the pie crust out of the oven. She wanted it to be perfect, and it definitely had that golden brown look, like you’d want to eat it all by itself. The chocolate pudding filling would go in shortly and then the meringue, then back into the oven for a few more minutes. But in the meantime, Shawn could be there any minute.

  Carrie had changed her clothes three times while the crust was baking, finally deciding on a pair of white shorts and lavender tank top. She didn’t think she had been this nervous the other times Shawn had been there, but this time was different. Before, other than those wow kisses, she just had fantasies about Shawn. Now, well, it’s possible some of those fantasies could actually happen.

  Shawn was coming to her. She sounded different. She was acting differently. She wanted to be with her. They were going to start over. And they were going to spend quality time together. At least until the hurricane passed. Anything could happen, and she had definite ideas of what that anything should look like. Those hot kisses they shared before were just the beginning. She could almost feel Shawn’s hands on her once again.

  ***

  Shortly after two, Shawn pulled into Carrie’s driveway and parked the Jeep as close to the house as she could. The queen palms on the street were waving wildly in the stiff breeze and rain was spitting hard at her as she grabbed her things out of the Jeep and practically ran to Carrie’s door. Her mouth started to go dry. What am I going to say to Carrie in person? Hi, thanks for having me over? Glad to see you? Should I kiss her at the door? Come on, Shawn! God, I do this for a living. What would one of my heroes do?

  Before Shawn could decide what to do, or even knock on the door, Carrie was opening it, looking radiant. Shawn was sure she had never seen anyone look lovelier. Was that a word? Didn’t matter. It fit. Time seemed to stop while they stared at each other. “Hi.”

  “Hi, yourself,” Carrie said, holding the door open wider. “Come on in.”

  Once inside, she dropped her stuff and closed the door. Her back against the door, she took Carrie’s hand and pulled her gently closer. She placed a soft kiss on Carrie’s lips and whispered, “I have so looked forward to this.” Shawn pulled her into an embrace and nuzzled into Carrie’s hair, nearly drowning in the scent of her. Oh, yes, this was what I have been waiting for.

  “Me, too,” Carrie said, nestling into Shawn’s arms.

  Shawn placed a kiss on her forehead, and smiled as she stroked Carrie’s back. She suddenly lost all her nervousness and just stood there holding Carrie. She felt her heart still beating fast, but it was no longer from nerves.

  Carrie stepped away from Shawn’s embrace, looking her in the eyes. What Shawn knew Carrie saw now was a calmness, a desire. Carrie reached back for Shawn and turned her face up to find Shawn’s lips once more reaching for hers.

  “Carrie...” Shawn whispered against Carrie’s mouth. “I...”

  Carrie silenced her with another kiss. Their lips met again with more intensity. Carrie’s mouth admitted Shawn’s tongue, which began a dance with hers, Carrie moaning in response. Their bodies pressed together, Shawn’s hands roamed down Carrie’s back to her behind, pulling her even closer. She deepened the kiss, answering Carrie’s probing tongue with hers. Shawn could feel the heat of Carrie’s body against hers. Everywhere their bodies touched felt like fire. She was being consumed. This time, Shawn didn’t want to run. This time, she could feel the wall she had built start to crack, then crumble at the touch of one Carrie Alexander. This time, she let Carrie lead her to her bedroom.

  If Shawn had had eyes for anything besides Carrie, she’d have noticed the white painted antique iron bed with the blue and white quilt, the old oak dresser, the standing mirror in the corner of the little bedroom. But she saw none of this. All she saw was Carrie and her gorgeous brown eyes as she reached for Shawn’s shirt. But first, Shawn pulled Carrie’s tank top over her head, revealing those breasts she had dreamed about held only in a pink lace bra. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached out to unhook the bra and release them, the pink lace dropping to the floor.

  “Oh, God, Carrie,” she moaned as her hands caressed her, causing a matching moan from Carrie.

  Carrie pulled Shawn’s polo shirt over her head, revealing Shawn’s sports bra, which shortly came off as well. Carrie reached for the waist of Shawn’s shorts, pulling her closer for another kiss, their tongues playing together. As the kiss deepened, they stood there, their breasts touching, Shawn’s hands on Carrie’s butt pulling her even closer.

  Seemingly unable to stand it any longer, Carrie pulled away, reached for Shawn’s shorts, quickly unbuttoned and unzipped them, pushing them and her boxers down in one move, leaving Shawn to step out of them and kick them aside. Shawn reached for Carrie’s shorts, unzipped them and pushed them down, revealing the pink lace bikinis underneath. In one move, she then pushed them down and Carrie stepped out of them, revealing the rest of the curves Shawn had only dreamed about.

  Finally completely skin-to-skin, their hands freely roamed, their mouths tasted. Shawn ran kisses down the soft skin below Carrie’s ear to her collarbone as Carrie moaned her name. She continued the kisses to the silky swell of Carrie’s breast, finally cupping it and suckling on the already erect nipple. She repeated this on her other breast, hearing Carrie whimper in response. Carrie began breathing
even harder and Shawn gently guided her down onto the bed, crawling in after her.

  “Carrie, you are so beautiful,” she whispered as she continued the line of kisses down her tummy, pausing only when Carrie began giggling.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m very ticklish on my stomach.” Carrie grinned as she stroked Shawn’s hair. “Please don’t stop. Oh, God, that feels good.”

  Shawn grinned back, then softly stroked Carrie’s thigh with her hand as she continued kissing her way down her body to her little triangle of curls. She reached for Carrie’s slit, and moaned again as she felt her fully erect clit and the wetness below. Her mouth back on Carrie’s, her fingers caressed her clit as Carrie pressed against her hand, matching her stroke for stroke.

  “Please, I want to feel you inside,” Carrie whispered against Shawn’s lips, her breathing ragged.

  Shawn obliged, with one finger into her wetness, then two, Carrie breathing sharply at each, then an “Oh yes, oh yes,” as she moved steadily against Shawn’s hand. Shawn claimed Carrie’s mouth again as her hand claimed the rest of her. Carrie called out Shawn’s name as she came, with Shawn nearly coming herself from hearing her. She rolled them over and pulled Carrie close, their bodies intertwined, but shortly Carrie had other plans.

  “Oh no, this isn’t over.” Looking into Shawn’s eyes, Carrie caressed Shawn’s face, placing soft kisses on her lips, her forehead, and then kissing her way down Shawn’s chest. Shawn suddenly gasped and moaned as Carrie reached Shawn’s breast, kissing her way to her nipple. Shawn reached for Carrie, bringing her back for kisses that deepened as their tongues danced once again. Carrie’s hands continued their exploration of Shawn’s tummy. Her fingers reached the soft skin inside Shawn’s thighs, trailing her hand gently against them and ultimately arriving at the soft curls where they met.

  Shawn moaned into Carrie’s mouth as Carrie’s hand cupped her and she felt fingers delve into her wetness. She began moving with Carrie’s hand as their mouths claimed each other. Shawn reached for Carrie and once again her fingers slid into Carrie as they both reached their peak and tumbled over together.

  Afterward, lying in Shawn’s arms, Carrie listened to the pulse of Shawn’s heart beating in her ear and the sound of their breathing as the downpour outside began in earnest. The steady pinging of rain on the metal roof and the whine of the wind around the house made her feel like they were the only two people in the world. She smiled and reached up to place a soft kiss on Shawn’s lips. “What’re you thinking about?”

  “Mmm…thinking about how delicious you are.” Shawn gazed into Carrie’s eyes. “I can’t believe I ran from this.”

  “Well, I sure can.” Carrie laughed softly. “But wow, was the wait worth it! Oh, my God, that felt so good.”

  “It sure did. It feels so right to be here with you. So very perfect.” Shawn sighed slowly, and softly stroked Carrie’s cheek with her fingertips. “Right now I can’t imagine being anywhere else in the world, and I’m so glad I got here in time. I couldn’t wait to be here and show you how much I care for you.”

  “I care very much for you, too. You make me crazy, but you also make me feel like no one else ever has. This feels very right to me, too.” Carrie cuddled just a little closer, her leg across Shawn’s thigh, her toes softly playing up and down her calf, listening to Shawn’s breathing slow as she fell asleep.

  Carrie sighed. The wind was now howling around the house, but she knew the storm was still quite a ways off the coast. Bring it on, Grace. Let’s get this over with. She snuggled a little closer to Shawn, her head on Shawn’s chest, and dozed off smiling.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  SHAWN CAUGHT A WHIFF of something wonderful as she opened her eyes. There was pretty much no doubt what it was, but as Carrie walked past the bedroom door, she called out. “By any chance do I smell chocolate pie?”

  Carrie looked through the door, came in and sat on the side of the bed. “Well, look who’s up! As a matter of fact, you do.” She placed a soft kiss on Shawn’s lips. “Did you have a nice nap?

  “I did. That felt so nice. All of it did.” Shawn smiled a sleepy smile, her eyes still half closed.

  “Well, I figured since the power was still on I’d finish that pie I started earlier. I’ve started supper, too. Why don’t you go take that shower you wanted, then come to the kitchen and keep me company?”

  “Mmm…sounds like a great idea.”

  Shawn stretched, crawled out of bed, and took a quick shower before putting her clothes back on. She smiled as she remembered what was happening when those things came off just a few hours ago. Once she was dressed, she wandered into the kitchen, came up behind Carrie, and put her arms around Carrie’s waist. Carrie leaned back into Shawn’s arms with a little sigh.

  “Oh, that feels good,” she said. “So is this a ‘kiss the cook’ thing?”

  Shawn left a little kiss on the back of Carrie’s neck, then snuggled a little closer. “Maybe,” she said. “But I’ve discovered you’re much more talented than just cooking.”

  “Oh yeah?” Carrie said, turning around and putting her arms around Shawn’s waist. She leaned into Shawn’s embrace, her lips barely touching Shawn’s ear, she whispered, “And what kind of talent would that be?”

  “Oh, my God, Carrie,” Shawn murmured, barely able to keep her knees from buckling. She swallowed hard. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”

  “I sure hope so, at least that’s the idea,” Carrie whispered again against Shawn’s ear. She pulled away a bit and left a soft little kiss on Shawn’s lips. “Hold that thought till after supper. We’d better eat while we can still have something warm. Why don’t you go sit at the table and talk to me.”

  Shawn took a seat at the little kitchen table. She couldn’t help herself. She kept staring at Carrie. She wanted to touch her. Everything about Carrie suddenly seemed important…the way she held a spoon, the little piece of hair that had escaped her ponytail, the tiny freckle on the back of her left knee. Shawn drank in every single thing about her.

  As if she knew she was being scrutinized, Carrie turned around and caught Shawn’s stare. “What?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What are you staring at?” Carrie brushed the back of her shorts. “Is there something on me?”

  “No, nothing. I was just admiring you. I’m sorry if I was being too obvious. I like looking at you.”

  Carrie’s face turned a bit pink, right down her neck to her tank top, even as she grinned back at Shawn. She turned back to the stove, picked up the dish of scalloped potatoes, and without looking at Shawn, placed it on the table. She did the same with the plate of ham she took from the oven and the dish of green beans. Carrie brought the biscuits to the table last, and finally looked over at her.

  “Dig in. I hope you aren’t too tired to eat. I know you’ve had a very long drive today, not to mention how busy you were after you got here.” She grinned.

  Shawn raised her eyebrows suggestively. “Yes, we were both busy after I got here, weren’t we?” She didn’t need an answer and she didn’t need a second invitation to reach for a spoon. “And yeah, it was a long drive, but so worth it. All I wanted to do was get back here in time. I couldn’t stand the thought of you here and me there during this storm. I haven’t eaten since that early lunch on the road.” She dished out several spoons full of potatoes. “This looks and smells so good.”

  “It was nothing…Well, a little something. I had already decided to cook some of what was in my fridge. This is one of those hurricane meals we had as kids. You know, where Mom cooked up anything that might go bad while the power was off. The pie was something special I made for you, but the rest, well, it was just supper. I’d planned to do this anyway, but it’s nicer you’re here to share it with. And it’ll be even better to have you here with me to go through the storm.”

  As if on cue, the lights flickered, and then went out. Carrie lit a couple of hurricane lamps, put one on the table and one on the
kitchen counter before sitting down to eat like nothing happened. Shawn looked over at Carrie, her face aglow from the lamp, and wondered how she could ever have doubted that she was the one.

  “You look beautiful in lamplight,” Shawn said, and then realized she hadn’t said it out loud. She sighed, picked up her fork, and speared a piece of ham.

  Carrie just smiled.

  “I was just out at BJ’s yesterday afternoon.” Carrie reached for a biscuit. “I was glad to see there wasn't anyone grabbing up all the bottled water or batteries. You’d think it was just another day. I noticed even the gas prices have not gone up. I noticed the same thing at Publix as well.”

  “That’s a good sign,” Shawn said, in between mouthfuls of scalloped potatoes.

  “Either people were just not panicking, or a lot of them were figuring on taking off for higher ground when it hit. By the way, have you talked to Kelly today?”

  “Yeah, I talked to her this morning while I was driving. She was pretty much all set. She did say, though, that she knew several people who were evacuating. Some because they’ll be required to, and some because they have little kids who are already scared because they went through Hurricane Christy last year. Guess it scared them enough they didn’t want to be here for this storm. Speaking of evacuating, Greg texted me that he was one of the evacuees from the beach area. He took off for Georgia, to his dad’s. That’s his standard evacuation plan.”

  “Oh good,” Carrie said. “I wondered how he was, but assumed he knew what to do and would be safe.”

  “Oh yeah, Greg’s been living at the beach long enough to know when to get out. It’s part of living there. You know, I always wondered where people went when they evacuated if they didn’t have family to go to. Do they just drive until they feel safe and then go find a hotel where they can hole up until it’s safe to come home?”