Calla Lilly

For those of you who like a bit of build up this story is for you, for those that would rather get right to it maybe not, whichever your type I hope you enjoy.

Thanks to Slavegirl70 for editing.

*****

I just discovered that I hated moving with a passion. The packing and unpacking of boxes and organizing stuff were just not my favorite things. I had only been in my new apartment for two days and I was already ready to just give up and live out of boxes forever. I flopped on my bed exhausted, frustrated and sad; I had never been in a place where I knew no one before. I got a new job and a great one at that-the only downfall is that it required me to move far out of my comfort zone, thus the feeling of isolation I now felt, curled up on my bed not wanting to move.

My phone rang, just as I was about to get into the deep end of my self-pity party. It was my mother. I didn't need that right now, so I ignored it, but got out of bed anyway. I walked into my barely unpacked bathroom, caught a glance of my red, puffy face in the mirror, and tried to wash the sadness away-only to succeed in hiding it for later. I looked back at myself in the mirror and smiled. This is what you wanted, now be a big girl and finish organizing this apartment before you start work in a few days.

In truth, this is what I wanted. I wanted an opportunity to grow as a person, an opportunity to grow professionally, and I wasn't getting any of that back home. I left behind my mother and a poor excuse for a boyfriend, who dumped me as soon as he found out I was moving. I refused to think about him in an effort to conceal my true feelings of rejection and inadequacy the breakup caused.

I turned on some music and began trying once more to live in the moment, looking for the joy in starting a new life. I danced and unpacked my boxes, looking utterly ridiculous in my plaid pajama pants and t-shirt, singing and dancing like I was a pop star. I needed the release though so I kept enjoying myself, even letting my brown hair out of my ponytail to fling it around while pretending to sing a very sexy song to my very nonexistent lover.

I was in the midst of shaking my plump backside in the air, truly dedicating myself to the performance when I heard a knock on the door. I don't know why but I felt embarrassed-as if whoever it was could see me through the door.

"Coming!" I yelled out, scrambling to turn the music down.

I looked through the peephole and saw a woman standing there-all smiles-with a dish in her hand. She must be a neighbor.

"Hello?" I said, opening the door.

"Hi there, my name's Leia. I live in 4E, two doors over. I saw you moving in and just wanted to welcome you to the building. I figured you must still be unpacking, so I cooked you a lasagna to take at least one thing off your plate." She smiled, showing off her bubbly personality.

I was genuinely stunned by how pretty she was, and it seemed like she wasn't even trying. Her hair was a shoulder length mass of black and brown curls, framing her smiling face, caramel skin and soft brown eyes. She wore a simple tank top that accented full breasts, and a pair of jeans down to some fancy-looking sneakers. She was the type of woman I was secretly jealous of-a natural beauty. But right in this moment I realized I was happy she was here.

"Thank you, that is so very sweet! I love lasagna, and this looks amazing! Oh, excuse me. My name is Kaydence. Come in, please," I said, taking her offered dish and motioning her to enter.

"You sounded like you were having a good time in here." Leia commented, causing me to blush.

"Oh, you heard me in here? How embarrassing! I was having my own little karaoke session as unpacking motivation," I responded, putting the dish down and eliciting a short giggle from my new neighbor.

"It's fine, don't be embarrassed, For one, it's your house and two, you sounded pretty good. You've actually gotten a lot done, from what it looks like. It took me weeks to unpack, I just kept getting frustrated and quitting. Maybe singing is the remedy," she said, smiling at me, presumably making a small joke.

I chuckled a bit nervously at her joke and her persistent eye contact.

"Thanks, I feel like I have an eternity of unpacking to do, but you know can't live out of boxes forever." I shrugged.

"Yeah, I get that. So, are you from out of town or are you from around here?" she asked, taking a seat on the couch with me.

"No, I just moved here for work, still getting settled and learning the area," I replied, once again averting my eyes from her lingering contact.

"That's great! You have no idea. I have lived here my whole life and while I still love my city, I would kill to see it from fresh eyes, you have to let me take you out!" she exclaimed, seemingly ignoring my slight discomfort.

"I don't know, I have all this unpacking to do, I mean I haven't even unpacked all my clothes." I began making up excuse after excuse.

"Ok, I get it," she chuckled once more, "the offer is still on the table, just let me know when you're ready. I will let you get back to it. It was a pleasure meeting you, and please take your time with the dish," she said getting up and heading to the door.

I almost wished I had said yes. She was going to leave and I was going to be alone once more and so far she was the only person who'd been nice to me.

"How about we share this lasagna for dinner? You cooked, so I can go get some wine," I suggested, almost out of desperation. But my idea was met with her warm smile.

"I would like that, but how about we do it at my place, if you don't mind?"

"Yeah," I chuckled, "that would make more sense. Any particular wine you like?" I asked, handing her back the dish.

"Surprise me, I think the two of us will get along very well. I have no doubt your selection will be perfect. See you in...let's say two hours?" she said, giving me what I was beginning to understand as her trademark smile.

I didn't know how to respond to that kind of ambiguity, so I just smiled back at her and said, "Yes, two hours sounds perfect."

"Looking forward to it, Kaydence. I haven't had a dinner date in months." She gave me a wink before turning and walking down the hall.

I stood there for a moment watching her walk before catching myself staring at her backside. I closed the door and immediately panicked. What in the world do I wear, and what wine do I pick? That's when it hit me. Did she say 'date?' I stood there, attempting to process that last part but I could only come to one conclusion, it was just a friendly date. So why in the world am I panicking? She is obviously cute, but I am not gay! And just because I find her attractive doesn't mean she's gay either.

I put all that nonsense out of my mind and went to tearing apart boxes looking for something to wear. I settled on one of the first casual dresses I found; it was a blue spaghetti strap, which hugged tight right above my waist and flowed down to my knees. I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror, turning every which way until I was satisfied that I would be able to feel confident and sexy next to her.

Shoes and accessories were an easy selection, a few gold bracelets to match a gold choker and a nice pair of heels to bring it all together. First part was done, now it was time to figure out where to get wine and what to get.

I walked out of my apartment feeling very sexy and almost hoped my new friend was in the hallway to see me. After a quick google search I found a place that should have a reasonable wine selection within a short distance from the apartment.

In front of the wall of wine selections her voice came back to my mind. She was sure my selection would be perfect. No pressure! I wanted to blow her mind. I looked at the clock and realized I had already been browsing for twenty minutes, so I finally settled on a Barolo and headed back.

I had my wine selected carefully, I had my outfit selected carefully from what I could find, and I stood in front of 4E, somewhat nervous but excited to be doing anything but thinking about how far away from home I was. I knocked.

"Heyyyy, right on time Kaydence! I like that and you look amazing-your legs are fierce right now. Come on in!"

She opened the door, looking radiant and excited to see me, as if we had been friends our whole lives. It made me feel so welcome in her home. She invited me into her apartment and I could already feel its warmth, and it smelled like home. I had only just stepped in and I was already completely comfortable and relaxed. She wore black skinny jeans that hugged her ample curves, a pair of closed toed black heels and an almost sheer white top that gave you a slight glimpse of her black bra; she looked amazing and was busy complimenting me?

"My legs? You look amazing-and I must say I love your home! It feels so warm and welcoming," I said, trying to repay her compliments while handing her the wine. "Oh, and if you have never had it, this Barolo is incredible."

"I bet it is. I can't wait to hear why you picked it as I am sure there is a reason. You seem like a very calculated woman." She put the wine in on the counter next to the rack containing a few more bottles; she obviously had wine frequently.

"Come on, let's eat. I am starving!" She guided me to her table, which was already set. She had even gone so far as to light a candle.

I sat down and had to admire the obvious amount of effort put into the table setting and the meal. I felt like I was in a nice restaurant, despite the size of her dining area. It was almost like a cozy booth setting. She came in with the wine opened and poured glasses for the two of us and served the salad. We made small talk over the salad and sips of wine, discussing how our days went, but I found myself distracted by her eyes, they drew me in long enough for my mind to chastise me for going too deep.

The lasagna was served immediately after the salad was finished, along with vegetables and homemade garlic bread. I attempted to help her get everything, but she insisted that as I was the guest I should relax and enjoy the wine. She seemed to be a very experienced cook and it was immediately proven after my first bite of the lasagna. I gushed over how good it was, almost forgetting my manners and speaking with my mouth full.

"Thank you! I'm glad you like it, very few things feel better than appreciation of a cooked meal." She absolutely glowed with pride. "So this wine is absolutely fantastic, tell me what led you to make this choice?"

"Ahem...well," I cleared my throat and took another sip of wine before I could answer. I was unsure of how this would be received. "I am going to be a bit honest here. I do not know you very well and you may not like my answer. I do not wish to offend you in your own house."

She leaned forward and picked up the bottle, topping both of our glasses off before smiling at me. "Whatever you are about to say, I will recognize that you mean no ill will, but you must be honest because now you have me interested." Her eyes studied mine calmly and coolly over the rim of her glass.

I took another sip and inhaled deeply. "Well, a Barolo is a standard choice for pastas, especially lasagna, as it complements the full flavor of the sauce. However this particular one is a representation of our date-the wine is a dry Italian red with ripe cherry, raspberry, dark flowers & creamy Vanilla Spice. My day was going pretty dry before you put a splash of color and flavor into it being so welcoming. I took another sip before the last part. You represent the dark flowers and the Vanilla Spice. Please don't be upset with me, I do realize it might be in bad taste to make mention of our ethnic backgrounds like that."

She laughed, loud and full, adding to my discomfort-unsure if it was sarcastic.

"Girl, you have to have some pretty thick skin to grow up around here! That wasn't even mean and you are so worried." She sipped her wine, eyes dancing as she watched my expression go from tentative to smiling along with her. She went on, "I apologize for laughing-I am not offended at all-I actually think it was very sweet and thoughtful of you to pick something that completely captured the moment between us. You just turned this whole night into a work of art and for that I thank you. Cheers!" she sincerely replied, raising her glass.

We both drank deeply and finished our food with less dramatic questions and conversation, mostly comparing our childhoods. We laughed so much, partially because of the similarities and differences in our lives and partly due to the bottle in front of us quickly nearing its end. Once we were both full and the bottle was empty I got up and started to clear the table only to have her attempt to stop me.

"Look, you cooked, I can at least help clean up so let me do this!" I said, stamping my foot and letting the sound of me heel hitting the floor echo in the room.

She stood and stared me in the eyes just long enough for me to want to give up before she responded, with warmth in her voice, "Ok, you can help clear the table, I will wash and you will dry. See you in the kitchen, Vanilla Spice." She walked out into the kitchen, leaving me to be mesmerized by her swaying hips.

I cleared the table and walked out into the kitchen with the dishes, only to hear music playing from her living room. It was a female singer, although I didn't know which one.

"Keep the glasses out, I opened another bottle. It won't be as good as the first but it will still satisfy. Oh, and I hope you don't mind, I am going to take off these shoes feel free to follow suit unless you have a weird feet thing," she remarked, leaning forward to pull off one shoe, then the other.

I did in fact follow suit, it seemed rude not to and in my current state I did not need to be in heels. She smiled when she saw me take mine off and began washing dishes.

"You have very pretty feet, Kaydence," she complimented me, letting my name drip like honey off her supple lips.

Why was I staring at her? Relax Kay...

"Thank you Leia, you have very pretty everything," I said, meaning every word of it but feeling self-conscious about actually saying it.

"You are so sweet; don't be embarrassed, I think you are a very beautiful woman as well, with a soul to match-just like in the song playing." She was giving me an out with the music.

"I do like this, who is it?" I asked.

She chuckled at my ignorance.

"Her name is Jill Scott, and don't worry. Hang around me long enough and I will brush you up on black culture, Vanilla Spice." She bumped me lightly with her hips before handing me the last dish to dry and grabbing her wine glass.

I finished right behind her, washed my hands and let her guide me into her dimly lit living room. It seemed the closer I got to the music the more in sync with it I became. I imagined this is what guys must hope happens when they play Barry White.

"Sit down get comfortable," she motioned to her couch. "So Kaydence, let's play a game-a get to know each other game-instead of engaging in routine small talk. Is that something you would be comfortable with?"

"Yes, I think I could try something new, how does this game of yours work?"

"Simple. We take turns asking each other questions designed to really get to know each other. Relevant questions, the kind of questions you think but don't say. For example you could ask me something like, 'What do you consider your greatest fault?' And I would have to answer honestly." She explained, holding my gaze as I was determined to not be the one to break eye contact this time.

"So basically we are going to ask each other a series of personal questions? I think we are past not being honest with each other-wine will do that to a girl," I giggled.

"Ok, I'll start. Were you dancing today because you were sad?" she asked.

I took another sip; this was going to get very deep very quickly.

"Yes, I miss home and was feeling very alone before you knocked on my door," I replied in earnest.

"I could feel it when you answered the door. I'm glad I could cheer you up. Your turn."

"You cooked homemade lasagna for a total stranger, why?"

It was her turn to take a sip and pause a moment to formulate her answer, which had me on pins and needles.

"When I saw you moving in you were by yourself. I was like that-I remember how it felt having nobody when I started a new life for myself, so I did what I do best. I cooked for you," she answered, leaving me in a bit of a grateful shock.

"You are so sweet. Thank you so much-can I hug you?" I asked, holding my arms out and taking her in, feeling her hair on my face and breathing in her scent. I held on to her a moment longer than reasonably expected and did not feel guilty. Being that close to her was amazing.

"Ok my turn. Are you the type of girl that spends an extra fifteen minutes rooting through her clothes just to find a bra and panty set that matches your outfit or do you just wing it and put whatever on?" she asked, finishing her glass.

I knew I was feeling the wine, but I did not expect myself to do what I did next. I stood up and lifted my dress, showing her my baby blue panties that matched my dress and said, "Fuck those fifteen minutes, I look good!" We both immediately burst into laughter to the point where I was in tears and my sides hurt.

After what seemed like an eternity, we slowly began to regain our composure and I knew it was my turn, "So, what is the one thing you dislike most about your personality?" I asked, diving deep.

"Wow, um ok, well, let's see..." She took a long sip out of her glass and looked me directly in my eyes. In my inebriated state I could not look away as she pulled me in with those big brown eyes.

"I think about things far too much. I don't take chances, don't take risks-I play it safe. I dislike the fact that I let the perfect opportunity slip right past me because I was too scared to act on it." She never broke my gaze, and seemed to get closer to me while she talked.

"My turn." I felt her hand on the side of my face, pulling me towards her slowly and I let her guide me. "When are you going to stop pretending you don't want to kiss me?"

She gave me no time to respond, pressing her full lips against mine, kissing me passionately. I was completely under her spell and enjoying every second of it. She commanded every moment, delicately prompting me to open my mouth to receive her tongue and let it explore with expert precision. I felt my entire body electrify from her touch. I inhaled her scent and it was stimulating. I tasted her mouth and was aroused. She had me completely and I did not want to let go.

She slowly broke our kiss much to my dismay. My eyes were still closed when she took the glass from my hand and set it somewhere I did not see. I opened my eyes just in time to see her coming down on top of me, leaning me back into her couch. Her warm smile told me everything would be ok and her eyes assured me this was going to feel amazing, but I still had one protest left.

"Leia, I'm not gay," I whispered, as she lay on me completely.

"I know," she whispered back. "I also know you feel this like I do; take a risk my Vanilla Spice."

She began kissing me once more, running one hand through my hair and slowly grinding her thigh into my pussy. The soft singing in the background coupled with the unknown and wine made for a very erotic setting and I was drunk off it all. Our tongues danced until I felt I would explode from how turned on I was, I ran my hand down her back and under her shirt just to feel her skin, only to have her stop me.