True Confessions

by P. J. Trebelhorn

  “Good morning.” Lynn walked up behind Jessie, put her arms around her, and pulled her back into her. Lynn didn’t object when Jessie took hold of her hand and moved it up to cover her breast. “You have no idea how sorry I am for falling asleep on you last night. I was so looking forward to what you had planned when you finally got me alone.”

  “Breakfast can wait.” Jessie switched off the stove and turned in Lynn’s arms. “We didn’t go to the store, so we don’t have much anyway. I was about to heat a can of soup you had with your kitchen stuff. Good thing you didn’t bother to unload at your parents.”

  “Did you check the date on the can?” Lynn wrinkled her nose. “I haven’t bought soup in about three years.”

  Jessie laughed. “Then why did you bring it?”

  “Honestly, I wasn’t really paying much attention to what I was throwing in those bags. All I could think about was getting back to Portland.” Lynn moved her hands to Jessie’s butt and pulled her closer. She moved to kiss her, but stopped millimeters from Jessie’s lips. “What do you say we go back to the bedroom for a little exercise, then I’ll go to the store and buy us enough food to last a week?”

  “I say yes.” Jessie closed the remaining distance, but pulled away with a grin when Lynn tried to put her tongue into her mouth. Lynn moaned at the loss of heat, but Jessie took her hand and led her down the hall to the bedroom.

  *

  Lynn opened her eyes a couple of hours later and moaned when she felt Jessie almost glued to her back. Jessie’s hand was on her breast, her fingers teasing her nipple, and Lynn covered it to stop the movement.

  “You wear me out,” Lynn said. She sighed and allowed her eyes to close again. “It’s a very nice feeling.”

  “Sorry, but I can’t seem to get enough of you.” Jessie’s mouth was on the back of her neck, and Lynn moved away so she could turn over to face her.

  “I don’t recall saying it’s a problem.” Lynn pushed a stray lock of hair out of Jessie’s eyes. “I guess I’ll just have to be tired for the rest of my life. I could probably live with that.”

  “I love you, Lynn.” Jessie’s expression turned serious, and Lynn was worried about what she was about to say.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?”

  “After Wayne did what he did to me,” Jessie paused, and it was apparent she was trying hard to not cry, “I honestly didn’t think I’d ever want to love anyone again. But I do. You have no idea how much it killed me to say I didn’t want to be with you.”

  “Jess, it’s okay.” Lynn urged her closer and held her while Jessie pulled herself together. After a moment, Jessie backed away and wiped at her tears. “Okay, I can see I need to set up a ground rule here. I’d rather not talk about Wayne at all, but since he’s the father of your child, that probably isn’t feasible. So, my rule is—no talking about him while we’re in bed. It’s kind of creepy.”

  Jessie laughed, and Lynn kissed the tip of her nose. “Deal.” Jessie sat up and rested against the headboard.

  Lynn didn’t object when Jessie encouraged her to lay her head in her lap. She closed her eyes and enjoyed Jessie’s touch as Jessie threaded her fingers through her hair. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Anything, baby.” Lynn sighed with contentment and made herself comfortable.

  “You told me you’ve always been in love with me. When exactly did you know?”

  “I was seven.”

  “I’m serious.” Jessie slapped her playfully on the shoulder.

  “So am I. This family moved in across the street from us right before my birthday that year. They had a little girl my age, and my parents made me invite her to the skating party they’d planned for me at Oaks Park. I really didn’t want to invite her. God, I didn’t even know her. She didn’t have any friends at school, and I’d never spoken to her before. My friends and I were going to have fun roller skating and riding rides, and I didn’t want to have to worry about the new girl, but they forced me to include her.

  “Anyway, we were at Oaks Park, and my favorite ride was always the Haunted House. My dad made me ride in the same car with the new girl, and I protested, but do you think he’d listen to me? About halfway through the ride, she got really scared, put her arms around my neck, and screamed right into my ear. Then she buried her face in my neck. She stole my heart and never gave it back.” Lynn resituated herself so she could look into Jessie’s eyes and smiled as she lightly ran her fingers along Jessie’s cheek. “That was twenty-six years ago. And until last month, I couldn’t get the courage to tell her how I felt.”

  “She feels the same way.” Jessie took hold of Lynn’s fingers, bringing them to her lips. “Trust me.”

  “I trust you with my life.”

  “I want to begin every day in your arms like this, Lynn.”

  Lynn quickly rolled onto her back and, with her good arm around Jessie, pulled her on top of her.

  “How about if we start now?” Lynn moved her hand behind Jessie’s neck and pulled her close for a kiss. When Jessie’s hips pressed against her, Lynn wrapped her legs around Jessie’s waist and held her in place. “God, Jessie. You feel so damn good.”

  “I need to be inside you, Lynn,” Jessie whispered into her ear. Lynn allowed her legs to relax and moaned while Jessie kissed and licked her way down Lynn’s neck. “You’re so sexy. I love the way you react to my touch.”

  “I love the way you make me feel.” Lynn arched into Jessie when her mouth closed around a nipple. “You make me feel so much.”

  She lost herself in Jessie’s loving touch. Jessie’s fingers were between her legs, stroking her slowly—torturously. Lynn’s breathing quickened when Jessie teased her opening, and she groaned her disappointment when Jessie moved away.

  “So impatient,” Jessie murmured.

  Lynn was grateful that Jessie seemed to be of the same mind. She held her breath when Jessie entered her, filling her more fully than she’d thought possible. Jessie pulled her fingers almost all the way out before thrusting them back in again. Lynn thrust beneath her, matching her movements and holding on tight to her when Jessie tried to navigate down between her legs.

  “Stay here,” she whispered, wrapping her legs around Jessie again, opening herself even more and causing the heel of Jessie’s palm to press against her clit with each thrust. “Oh, Jess, so good, baby. I’m gonna come.”

  “Let it go, Lynn,” Jessie said, breathing in gasps. “I want to feel you come with me inside you.”

  Lynn was afraid she might combust when the first twinges of orgasm began low in her belly. She thrust harder against Jessie’s hand and pressed her head back into the pillow. The moment Jessie’s teeth grazed the underside of her chin, Lynn arched her body and cried out as a ball of fire exploded between her legs and her orgasm ripped through her body.

  An eternity seemed to pass before the humming throughout her body receded. Jessie slowly removed her fingers, and Lynn whimpered at the void left behind. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” she managed in a raspy voice. She couldn’t seem to open her eyes, but she didn’t care. She felt something she’d never felt before—satisfaction. The bed moved, and she grabbed Jessie’s hand. “Where do you think you’re going? I’m not anywhere near finished with you.”

  “I certainly hope not.” Jessie chuckled. “I just needed to catch my breath. I can’t keep my hands off you, and that makes it difficult to calm myself.”

  “What makes you think I want you calm?” Lynn grinned and finally managed to open her eyes. “I kind of like you breathless.”

  Jessie laughed, but then moaned when Lynn slid her hand slowly down Jessie’s torso. The cast kept her from doing everything she wanted, but she quickly nestled between Jessie’s legs. The heady scent of Jessie’s arousal made her light-headed. Lynn closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

  “Damn, you’re so beautifully sexy,” Lynn murmured with reverence before taking Jessie’s clit between her lips. She eased off when Jessie threaded her fingers through Ly
nn’s hair, something Lynn was quickly beginning to realize meant she was close to coming. At Jessie’s whimpered protest, Lynn entered her with her tongue, reveling in the wetness that coated her face.

  “Please don’t tease me, Lynn.” Jessie’s breaths were ragged with need. “I need you so bad.”

  “I’m right here, baby.” Lynn ran her tongue the length of Jessie’s sex, eliciting a groan that made Lynn instantly hard and ready again. “Ah, fuck, the things you do to me, Jess.”

  “You do some pretty incred…oh, yeah.” Jessie went rigid beneath her when Lynn took her clit in her mouth again. Jessie held her tight to her body as she came hard all over her face. Lynn didn’t stop her insistent sucking and licking until Jessie went limp and had to push her away. “Stop…fuck…I think you’ve wrecked me.”

  “I hope not.” Lynn kissed her way back up to Jessie’s lips, taking a moment to pay particular attention to each tantalizing breast along the way. “I have plans for you that run an entire lifetime, not just this morning.”

  “Good to know.” Jessie laughed but the sound came out weakly. She managed to get her arms around Lynn and pulled her up on top of her. “I wish someone had told me sex could always be this incredibly mind-blowing.”

  “I love you so much, Jess.” Lynn couldn’t hold herself up on her broken wrist any longer, and she rolled off onto her back.

  “I love you too.” Jessie curled up against her, one hand moving lazily across Lynn’s abdomen. “More than I ever thought possible.”

  *

  Lynn had her head pressed into the pillow with her eyes closed when Jessie’s hand suddenly stopped its motion, her body going rigid. Lynn’s eyes flew open.

  “Did you hear that?” Jessie asked.

  “Fuck, the only thing I can hear is the pulse roaring in my ears.”

  “I’m serious, Lynn.” Jessie pushed off her and sat on the edge of the bed, her attention drawn to the doorway.

  “What was it?” Lynn jumped out of bed and quickly pulled on her sweatpants and a shirt before going to sit next to Jessie. Jessie was obviously spooked, and although Lynn hadn’t heard any noises, it was apparent Jessie had.

  “It sounded like glass breaking.” Jessie grabbed Lynn’s hand when she stood to check things out. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to go see what it was.” Jessie shook her head and refused to let go of Lynn’s hand. Lynn knelt down in front of her. She could tell from the fear in Jessie’s eyes exactly what she was thinking. “Baby, there’s absolutely no way he could know about this house. My dad just closed on it last month. A cat or raccoon or something probably knocked one of those flowerpots off the railing on the front porch. Just let me go check. I’ll be right back.”

  “Lynn, if he ever caught us together like this,” Jessie indicated the disheveled bed and her lack of clothing, “he’d kill us both.”

  “He won’t find us like this. I’m hoping he’ll go to jail for this.” Lynn raised her cast. “If luck’s on our side, maybe he’ll leave you alone after that.” Lynn let Jessie hold her for a minute, then pulled away.

  Jessie searched her face and glanced toward the door before she let go of Lynn’s hand.

  “Be careful, all right?”

  “Stay right here.” Even though the house had been completely quiet for the past few minutes, Jessie’s fear had obviously affected her. Her heart was racing, and it had nothing to do with the activity they’d been about to engage in moments ago. She searched the house and saw no broken windows. The kitchen yielded no answers either, so Lynn opened the front door and saw a flowerpot in pieces on the porch, just as she’d predicted. She let out her held breath and chuckled at her own nervousness. She closed the door and went back to the bedroom. “It was a flowerpot.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.” Lynn held a hand out to Jessie and pulled her to her feet. “I’m going to take a quick shower, then head to the store for some groceries. Care to join me?”

  “For the shower or the grocery trip?” Jessie gave a slight smile, but it was obviously forced. Lynn could tell she wasn’t completely at ease yet.

  “Either. Both.” Lynn gave her a roguish grin. “Your choice.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Jessie had taken Lynn up on the offer of a joint shower, but decided to stay at the house while Lynn went to the grocery store. She was putting wood in the fireplace when she heard a knock at the door. She smiled and shook her head, because Lynn had left not five minutes earlier. She must have forgotten something. As Jessie neared the door, she hesitated, remembering the broken flowerpot from earlier. She wasn’t totally convinced that an animal had knocked it to the ground.

  “Who is it?” she asked, standing next to the door.

  “Officer Mullins, Seaside Police, ma’am. Mike Williams from the Portland PD called and asked that we check on you.”

  Jessie eased aside the curtain covering the tall pane of glass next to the door and peered out. He was holding his badge up for her to see, and she was suddenly glad she and Lynn had someone like Mike to look out for them. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

  “Sorry to bother you, ma’am,” he said with a polite smile as he removed his hat. “Officer Williams seemed to think you might be in some danger.”

  “I’m sure he only wanted to make sure we got here okay,” Jessie told him.

  “No offense, ma’am, but if that were the case, why didn’t he just call you?” The man was right, but Jessie wished he’d stop calling her ma’am. It made her feel old.

  “We turned off our phones when we got here.” Jessie shrugged apologetically before walking to the dining room and looking through her purse. “I must have left my cell in the car last night. I’ll call Mike as soon as my girlfriend gets back and let him know we’re okay.”

  “All right.” For some reason, he seemed reluctant to leave. He put his hat back on and tilted his head at her. As if remembering something he’d forgotten, he looked at the small notebook in his hand. “Would you be Jessica Greenfield or Lynn Patrick? I need to make a note of who I spoke with.”

  “I’m Jessica.”

  “Very good, ma’am. You have a nice day.”

  Jessie shut the door and bolted it so she could return to the fireplace. She wanted to have a nice fire going when Lynn returned. She’d tossed the last of the kindling in and was about to light the match when she heard another knock at the door.

  “Jesus, it’s like Grand Central Station here tonight. Who is it?”

  “Officer Mullins again, ma’am. Just one more thing.”

  She hesitated because the voice sounded different, but her fingers acted before her brain could engage, and as soon as she turned the deadbolt, the door crashed open, slamming into her and knocking her off balance.

  Jessie had only a moment to realize who it was before Wayne grabbed her by the neck. As he sneered at her, he picked her up with one hand before he slammed her into the wall beside the door. He held her there by the throat, and Jessie was dimly aware that her feet weren’t touching the ground.

  “You fucking bitch,” he said through clenched teeth.

  Jessie was surprised that his breath didn’t smell like alcohol. Thinking that he could do this without being drunk scared her even more. She tried to concentrate on breathing, which was difficult with his hand on her throat.

  “You’ve made a fool out of me, and I’ve lost two jobs because of you now. I got fired because I had to spend the night in jail when that dyke broke her arm and I couldn’t get back to Vegas on time. Why do you keep doing these things to me, Jessie?”

  “Wayne,” she managed to say between desperate gasps for air. “Amber—”

  “Do you think I’m stupid? I know she’s not here.” His eyes darted around, and he seemed to be having trouble focusing on her. He might not have been drinking, but he was definitely high on something. He laughed and shook his head as he grinned wickedly. “I also know your girlfriend left ten minutes ago. We’re
all alone, Jessie, and believe me, I’ll have plenty of time to finish what I came here for before she gets back.”

  He looked around the house but quickly returned his attention to her. The pressure on her windpipe was becoming unbearable, and she was afraid she might pass out—or worse.

  “Police…” Jessie gasped. She began to claw at his arm. She’d been trying not to fight back, knowing that would only make him angrier, but as her air supply dwindled, her survival instincts kicked in.

  “Don’t you worry about Officer Mullins.” Wayne laughed again as he pulled her away from the wall and slammed her back into it. Jessie saw little white floaters in her line of vision, and the room started to swim. Just when she was certain she could no longer fight the darkness that threatened, he dropped her to the floor without warning and strode toward the kitchen. “There’s no chance in hell he’ll be able to help you.”

  As Jessie rubbed her neck and struggled to breathe, she heard him open the refrigerator and take out one of the beers Lynn had brought with her from San Francisco. If Wayne intended to kill her, hopefully Lynn wouldn’t walk in on him. In fact, if that’s what happened, she hoped Wayne would be gone long before Lynn got back. She heard him twist the cap off the beer and toss it on the counter.

  Jessie remembered her purse on the dining-room table. She crawled in that direction, pleading with whatever entity might be listening that Wayne would stay in the kitchen long enough for her to reach it. Her throat burned horribly, and she fought back tears. She refused to let him see any weakness in her. She’d almost reached her purse when a laugh came from behind her; then he grabbed her by the back of her shirt. He threw her over onto her back and straddled her, immobilizing her. For one horrendous moment, she was certain he intended to rape her.