Journeys - SF10

by Meagher, Susan X

  "No rush," the amiable woman assured her partner. "As long as I don't miss dinner, you can't take too long." As Jamie watched the blue eyes blink languidly, she considered that Ryan was never calmer or more laid-back than when they were making love. All of her usual nervous energy dissipated when she was focused on pleasing her partner, and Jamie mused that perhaps one of the reasons Ryan was so sexual was as a way to keep herself calm. Thank God she's hyperactive, she smirked to herself.

  Once more, Ryan snuggled close and delicately traced every part of her lover, her warm, wet tongue gliding over smooth skin made smoother still by her growing excitement. Ryan had never loved her more gently, making her touch feather-light to prolong the experience. Eventually, even the whisper-soft touch overwhelmed Jamie's senses, and she began to pump her hips, signaling her impending climax. "Oh, Ryan, I love you," she cried out, her hands gaining purchase on the white blouse as they flexed convulsively. She gasped repeatedly, her climax building and building while brilliant colors flashed in her tightly shut eyes.

  As the spasms died down, Jamie reached out for her partner, needing the full contact of her body. It took a little maneuvering, but Ryan freed herself from her denim restraints, and climbed up the bed to wrap her still-trembling lover in her arms. "Happy birthday to me," she mumbled softly, drawing a weary chuckle from her enervated partner.

  "Hi, Mr. O'Flaherty… I mean Martin," Mia said, as the head of the family opened the door.

  "Well, hello there, girls. Good to see you both. I haven't heard a word from Siobhan or Jamie since lunch. Would you like me to roust them?"

  "Nah. We can go. We're used to them," she laughed, scampering down the stairs even as she spoke. She knocked lightly, waiting politely until she heard a mumbled, "Yeah?"

  As she opened the door, a much more awake voice cried, "Whoa! Give us a second!"

  Mia poked her head all the way in and said, "It's just us. No worries."

  "Jesus!" Ryan flopped onto her back, shaking her head as she said, "I thought my father was gonna get a lot more information about our little naps than he wanted."

  "Ooo…somebody got lucky on her birthday," Mia observed, seeing all of the usual signs. Clothes were strewn around the room; the blanket and sheet had been pulled from their moorings, and now covered the women in a most irregular fashion; and both members of the pair looked like they had been thoroughly loved. Mia picked up the tiny plaid skirt, and held it up for Jordan to view. "Somebody got VERY lucky on her birthday," the curly headed woman corrected. "Way to go, Jamie. I bet you looked hot in this!"

  "Well, I would have," Jamie smiled, her tousled hair and pink cheeks giving her a very youthful appearance, "but I'm the one who got the present. Ryan wore that little number for me!" She was chuckling as she said this, and Ryan gave her a little tickle for revealing her secrets.

  "My, my, Boomer, this is a side of you I wouldn't have guessed. Do you have any other naughty little outfits lying around here?" Jordan made like she was inspecting the closets, allowing Ryan to wing her with one of her loafers.

  "I was getting my Halloween costume ready," Ryan insisted. "Not my fault that my partner succumbed to my charms once I had it on."

  "Oh, like that wasn't your intent," Jamie giggled.

  "Hey, you're the one who didn't want to wear the outfits we agreed upon," she reminded her.

  "I couldn't come up with anything," Mia informed them. "Can I wear your cast-offs, Jamie?"

  "Why don't you wear Ryan's school uniform?" Jamie suggested. "She sure as hell isn't going out in public in it!"

  "Ooo… a jealous streak?" Jordan asked.

  "No, just a realist," Jamie averred. "There'll probably be twenty women there who have slept with her, and displaying her wares to people who've already had a sample is just bad business!"

  They rushed to get a shower while Jordan and Mia looked through Ryan's closet, trying to come up with acceptable outfits. Still undecided at dinnertime, they all went upstairs to get the meal started. Maeve had just arrived, having brought a large platter of Ryan's favorite cookies as a treat. Jamie was in charge of the meal for a change, and Martin sat on a stool and watched her work in his kitchen for the first time. "I might just get used to this," he said, smiling at his betrothed.

  "I have a feeling we're going to have to come to an agreement of some sorts on the kitchen, Mr. O'Flaherty," Maeve said. "I don't think I can bear to give up control of my kitchen completely."

  "We'll figure it out, love. No problem is insurmountable."

  Conor came in and said hello to everyone, with a small awkward pause when he got to Mia. He had seen her since their brief affair, but they had not been in such close quarters since then. "How have you been, Conor?" she asked cordially.

  "Good. Nothing much has been going on. I think I'll go and clean up before dinner. I've been playing basketball all afternoon." He exited quickly, and Ryan shared a discreet shrug with Mia when the smaller woman caught her eye.

  For reasons that eluded her, Ryan was absolutely surprised when she sniffed the scent of lasagna baking away in the oven. Pulling Jamie into the dining room for a moment alone, she rested her forearms on her partner's shoulders, loosely linking her hands behind her neck. "I don't know why, but it didn't dawn on me that you'd make lasagna for me. Thank you, baby. I really appreciate it."

  "That's our new birthday tradition, love," Jamie informed her. "Hours and hours of lovemaking, then I'll fill your little tummy with your favorite food."

  "Could you have a better idea?" Ryan mused, seriously thinking it was not possible to outdo this one.

  Ryan put herself in charge of fixing Jordan up with a costume, and Jamie agreed to help Mia get into her schoolgirl outfit, since she had decided that it would look nice on her. Mia and Jamie went upstairs to Martin's room, and Ryan and Jordan stayed downstairs so they didn't get in each other's way. "Do you have any ideas, Jordan?" Ryan asked.

  "Yeah. I'd like to look as different from normal as I can. I wanna mix it up for a change."

  Ryan regarded her friend for a moment. Jordan generally either looked like a model for The Gap, which she was, or an athlete. She usually dressed a little more stylishly than her peers, and looked quite feminine, not having even a touch of androgyny in her appearance. "I can make you look like a pretty authentic construction worker, or a tough leather woman," Ryan decided. "Any interest?"

  Jordan swallowed. "Well, I guess I could, but if Mia's gonna wear that school uniform I won't look like I belong with her. I'd kinda like to have the same theme."

  "Hmm," Ryan said, thinking about the challenge for a moment. "I think I can hook you up."

  A little while later, Jordan emerged from the room, heading upstairs for a vote. Martin caught sight of her first, and he laughed heartily. "Maeve, look! Our little Siobhan is back!"

  Maeve turned and joined her fiancé as they both laughed at the shyly grinning woman. Jordan wore a pair of Conor's carpenter's jeans, his size 36-inch waist dwarfing her 28-inch body. The waistband was rolled over several times to make them stay up on her slim form, but they still sagged dramatically. Conor's barn jacket likewise hung on her body, the sleeves rolled up so she maintained the use of her hands. One of Ryan's baseball caps sat on her head-backwards, as was the style of the owner. Under her arm she carried Ryan's skateboard, and Ryan's Bad Badtz Maru backpack was hooked over a shoulder. In total, she looked unbelievably goofy and so unlike herself it was shocking, but entirely humorous.

  "Do I pass?" she asked.

  "Are you trying to look like a little hoodlum skateboarder?" Martin smiled.

  "That's the general idea," Jordan agreed.

  "You pass with flying colors," Maeve smiled, sending Jordan in search of additional votes.

  With a light knock, Jordan poked her head into Martin's room. "I'm ready, how about you?"

  "Come on in," Jamie advised. Jordan did so, and broke into a grin so broad it was comical.

  "I didn't realize I had a thing for Catholic school girls unti
l just this minute," she said.

  "That's exactly what I said, not six hours ago," Jamie echoed. "Who knew?"

  Mia did look adorable, and Ryan was giving her such a frankly appraising look that Jamie came up and backhanded her in the gut. "Off limits, Buffy," she growled.

  Ryan actually blushed, much to Mia's pleasure. "I was just thinking of how much more fun high school could have been if there had been girls like you there during my senior year," Ryan admitted.

  "I would have given you a run for your money," Mia agreed, smiling broadly.

  "Without a doubt," Ryan agreed.

  "You look absolutely adorable, Jordan," Mia insisted. "You look just like the kind of ruffian I would have been attracted to in eighth grade."

  "How about now?" the tall blonde asked quietly.

  Mia didn't answer verbally. She merely nodded her head, and pulled Jordan close for a very friendly kiss.

  "Well, our work here is done," Ryan said. "Now it's our turn, Spot."

  "Spot?" Jordan asked, wondering what she had missed.

  "You'll see," Jamie promised, taking Ryan's hand as they walked downstairs to dress.

  It didn't take either of them long to prepare. Martin had bent the regulations of the San Francisco Fire Department by borrowing the gear of one of the members of his battalion who was on vacation. The young man was close to Ryan's size, and he gave his permission easily, knowing that Martin's daughter would treat his uniform with respect. It was a cool night, making Ryan glad that her costume would provide some much needed warmth. She wore a San Francisco Fire Department T-shirt, navy blue emblazoned with a red Maltese Cross that was bisected by large crossed axes. A bright yellow slicker with strips of reflective tape on the hem and the placket, matching pants with red suspenders to hold them up, and her own boots finished off her costume perfectly. In Jamie's opinion, her cutest accessory was her father's helmet, which fit her surprisingly well once he made a small adjustment. San Francisco firefighters still wore the old-style black leather helmets, with the long duckbill in the back to keep water from running down their necks, and Ryan looked like she was born to wear it. Jamie was so impressed with her look that she found herself wavering on her reticence to have Ryan join the department. "Wow…there would be a massive increase in pyromaniacs if you joined up," Jamie teased.

  "And people would join up in droves if all of the mascots were as cute as you," Ryan insisted, tweaking Jamie's black nose. The smaller woman had ordered an adult sized full-body 101 Dalmatians outfit for herself, reasoning that if Ryan was a firefighter, she was going to be her faithful mascot. The white fleece suit with the big black spots really did look adorable on her, and her extra touch of using make-up to produce a black nose and whiskers really enhanced the look.

  The smaller woman turned and wagged her tail at Ryan, earning herself a kiss.

  Jamie didn't have to take too much teasing, everyone agreeing that she and Ryan looked adorable together, and the group was finally ready to set off. Conor took pity on them, and offered to give them a ride over the hill in his truck, to which they all gladly agreed. As they approached Castro, Conor shot Mia and look and asked, "Have you ever been over here for Halloween?"

  "Huh-uh," she said. "I don't think I've been over here for anything. Is it fun?"

  "Well, you won't find many eligible men," he said, chuckling a little.

  "That's not why we're here," she smiled, and simultaneously noticed that Jordan tensed up beside her. "We're just going to party with our friends," she added.

  "Oh, you'll have fun," Conor assured her. "Even though you won't meet any eligible guys, I'd bet a few women wouldn't mind picking you up."

  "Also-not interested," she smiled, giving Jordan a surreptitious pat on the leg.

  They had a marvelous time together, just as Conor had predicted. Both Mia and Ryan attracted more than their share of looks, neither Jamie nor Jordan being up to their own usual babe-magnet status. Most of the evening was spent looking at the costumes that the other revelers wore, with the leather look being the choice of a full 25% of the crowd.

  Through most of the night, Mia held Jordan's hand or grasped her upper arm when the crowd got too thick. Jamie noticed this, and was pleased with her friend's comfort with the situation. She was about to mention this to Ryan, when a voice from behind called out, "Mia? Is that you?"

  The curly haired woman dropped Jordan's hand like it was a hot rock, turning to find Melissa, her old friend from high school, and her lover. "Yep, it's me," she smiled. "How are you, Melissa?"

  "I'm great!" she said, wrapping Mia in a hug. "Mia, this is my lover, Andi. Andi, this is Mia Christopher. You remember Jamie Evans and her partner Ryan O'Flaherty, don't you?"

  "Yeah. How are you both?" Andi asked, extending a hand for both women to shake.

  "We're good," Jamie said, her eyes shifting to a very uncomfortable-looking Jordan.

  "So, Mia, what are you doing here?" Melissa asked, glancing furtively at Jordan, who had yet to be introduced.

  "Oh. Well, I've never been to Castro, and Halloween seemed like a good time to start," she said, not elaborating any further. "Jamie and Ryan are our tour guides."

  Jordan was staring at the ground by this time, so Jamie jumped in. "Melissa, this is Jordan Ericsson, one of Ryan's teammates from the volleyball team."

  "Hi, Jordan," Melissa said, echoed by Andi. "Have you been to Castro before? Or are you a novice also?"

  "I'm a novice," she smiled. "Just passing through."

  "Well, it was great to see you all again," Melissa said, her eyes fixed on Mia. "You should call me sometime."

  Jamie piped up and said, "You can call us too, Melissa. We're listed under my name."

  "That's a deal, Jamie," she said, giving Mia one final gaze as she and her lover departed.

  Without a word, Jamie tugged on Ryan's sleeve, trying to give their friends a little room if Mia wanted to explain who Melissa was, and why she was acting so standoffish. As soon as their friends were a safe distance away, Jordan asked, "Old friend?"

  "Uh…yeah. We slept together in high school. I told you about her," she reminded her.

  "Oh. Yeah. I forgot her name," Jordan admitted. "Kinda didn't think I'd ever have the pleasure."

  "San Francisco is kind of a small town," Mia decided. "Especially when you don't want it to be."

  Jordan bent down a little and looked Mia in the eye. "You okay? Did that bother you?"

  "Yeah. It did a little. Thanks for asking," she said softly, giving her lover a small smile.

  "Hey, I care about you," Jordan reminded her, tucking an arm around her waist. To her surprise Mia patted her hand and removed it, instead holding her hand for just a minute before dropping it.

  They caught up with Jamie and Ryan, but the mood of the evening had been ruined, and within a short while both Jordan and Mia were ready to go. It was late, after midnight, so they all agreed to walk back together.

  Ryan and Jamie did their best to hold up their end of the conversation, but it didn't help much. The walk seemed longer than usual, probably because of the awkward silences. Just before they reached the house, Ryan offered, "You guys are welcome to stay over if you're too tired to drive home."

  "No, thanks," Mia said immediately. "We're fine."

  They changed back into their clothes and took off just a few minutes later, promising to return the next day for Ryan's party. As Jamie watched them drive away, she said, "It's tough being in a relationship when you're trying to stay in the closet, isn't it?"

  "I wouldn't recommend it," Ryan agreed softly.

  "I guess Jamie's prediction was wrong," Jordan said, trying for a light tone to her voice.

  "What about?" Mia asked absently, as she concentrated on getting them out of the often-confusing streets of Noe Valley.

  "She thought Ryan would run into a bunch of old lovers, and I don't think she did."

  "Yeah. Must have been a slow night," Mia chuckled. "Apparently, it happens frequently."

&nbs
p; "Uhm…does it happen…frequently…to you?" Jordan was staring intently out of the passenger window, and when Mia shot a glance at her, she could see some lines of stress around her mouth and eyes.

  Mia sighed, having a feeling that she needed to concentrate to answer this question. They were still on 24th, and she pulled up to an empty meter and put the car in park. "What do you really want to know, Jordan?" she asked quietly. "You know that I'll tell you anything, don't you?" She placed her hand on her friend's thigh, but Jordan didn't respond to her touch.

  "Did you sleep with Conor?" Jordan asked, still not looking at her.

  Mia blinked, not having expected the conversation to head in that direction. "Yes, I did. I went out with him twice, and I slept with him once."

  The blonde head swiveled in her direction and tilted in question. "You didn't like him enough to go out more than twice, but you still slept with him?"

  There was just a hint of censure in her tone, and Mia found that her hackles were rising. "I won't try to justify my sexual behavior to you, or anyone else, Jordan." She removed her hand from her friend's leg and crossed her arms. "It's truly none of your business."

  Jordan slumped down in her seat, her long body not having much room to move, but taking every inch she could manage. "I apologize," she said softly. "You're right. It's none of my business."

  Mia wanted to say that it was Jordan's business to know her well, but she saw how unreceptive her friend was, so she decided to hold her thoughts until they could discuss the matter less emotionally. "Can we talk about this later?" she asked. "I'm really beat."

  "No need," Jordan said. "I appreciate that you answered my question. That's all I wanted to know."