Little 15

"It's OK Janet," She wrapped her arms around the other woman's neck and gave her a squeeze. "I shouldn't have made things awkward by putting that crown on your head," she whispered in her ear. "If I could do it again ..."

"Don't say that, Laurie. Don't you wish for a do-over. That was probably one of the happiest days of my high school career. Just don't -- don't take that away from me, OK?"

"You really mean that?"

"Yes, I do. I just didn't understand it at the time." Janet hugged her and squeezed her eyes tight. It didn't help, and the tears started leaking out anyway.

"I didn't know." Laurie said, holding Janet's head to her shoulder.

*

Janet woke to Laurie nudging her. "Janet. Janet, you're welcome to stay, but you might want to change into something more comfortable. Grab one of my t-shirts from the closet."

A moment later Janet quietly slipped between the covers, clad only in her panties and that t-shirt of Laurie's. She liked the t-shirt, it smelled nice, like Laurie.

*

Chapter 10

Despite the two hour timezone difference, Laurie was stirring before the sun came up. She was used to Maureen getting up early for work, and had adapted herself to that schedule over the years. Normally she would go out for a jog, or on those rare rainy days, putter around the house with a cup of coffee and the day's newspaper before going off to work.

She couldn't really do either of those things this morning, so she settled for snuggling into the covers and enjoying the warmth of the still sleeping Janet beside her. In truth, Laurie didn't feel like she was settling at all, in fact she thought it was quite a nice way to start her morning.

Last night had started out innocently enough, with the two of them seated together at the edge of the bed, sharing champagne and memories. But as the hours wore on, the bottle became lighter, the conversation more intimate, and the space between them smaller.

Eventually, they had ended up lying on top of the covers, facing each other. There was the occasional touch of fingertips on an arm or a cheek, but mostly it was two lonely souls, each taking comfort in the other's company.

Janet stretched and yawned. "Hi," she said, her eyes fluttering open.

"Hey."

"Did we? -- I mean, I think I would have remembered, but ..."

"Nah, you're still a virgin," Laurie teased.

Janet snickered. "That's too bad."

"I would have though," Laurie said, trailing the back of her hand over Janet's cheek. "But you fell asleep."

Janet took Laurie's hand in hers, and turned to look her in the eye. "So I missed my chance then?"

"Would you be more upset if I said yes, or if I said no?" Laurie brought Janet's hand to her mouth.

"What about your girlfriend?" Janet asked, sliding her fingers over Laurie's lips.

"What about your husband?" Laurie asked, as she nibbled a fingertip.

"Who?"

"That's what I thought."

The two women silenced the possibility of more questions with a kiss.

*

Chapter 11

Janet took a moment to savor the soft feeling of Laurie's lips on hers. It was like nothing she'd ever encountered. Before she got married, Janet had kissed a few boys, so she felt justified in her opinion that they were all the same. Always in a hurry. Always thinking about the next move. Never able to just relax and enjoy the moment.

Kissing Laurie wasn't like that at all. Not that Janet didn't feel her desire -- she did -- it's just that Laurie seemed to be more about the journey than the destination.

"Mmm. Is kissing girls always this good?" Janet asked.

"Not all," Laurie said, "just me."

"She's certainly gotten bolder overnight," Janet thought. She weaved her fingers in Laurie's hair, and concentrated on enjoying the tip of Laurie's tongue, as it slid over and between her lips. "Mmm," she moaned, as she pressed her own tongue in return.

The two women pushed aside the bed covers and rolled together on top of the sheets, tongues still engaged in a slow, passionate dance. "I should have kissed you years ago," Laurie said, looking down on Janet from above.

Janet inhaled a deep breath. "Yes -- Yes, you should have," she replied. "So get to it."

Laurie smiled at the remark, lowered her head, and resumed her exploration of Janet's lips. Janet trailed her fingers over Laurie's back, setting off goosebumps. Up and down her fingers went, at first touching and tickling, then massaging and caressing.

The two women's kisses became more urgent, and that's when Laurie felt Janet's hands sliding under the fabric of her sleepshirt. Laurie sat up straight, straddling Janet's waist, and slipped her sleepshirt over her head. There was nothing but bare skin underneath.

Laurie just grinned as Janet looked at her, eyes wide and mouth agape. "You've never been with another woman before, have you?"

Janet just shook her head.

"Alright then, let's get the awkward teenager stuff out of the way." Laurie took Janet's hands and placed them on her breasts. "These are my boobs. They're fun." Laurie shifted her hips and moved one of Janet's hands between her thighs. "This is my pussy. It's nice and smooth for you. I assume you know how it works."

Janet's look of wonder was rapidly disappearing, being replaced by a frown and quivering lower lip.

*

Chapter 12

"What's wrong, sweets?" Laurie asked.

"Why are you teasing me? It's not my fault I'm not as experienced as you. I'm sure everyone in L.A. is a sexual dynamo, but here in the Midwest ..."

Laurie placed a finger over Janet's quivering lip. She felt horrible. It had been so long since her first time that she had forgotten what it felt like -- not the physical sensations, but the emotions -- the vulnerability of opening yourself up to someone new. Laying yourself bare, and doing something that many people still considered unnatural. "I'm sorry," she offered, hoping it would be enough.

Laurie slid over and off of Janet. Lying next to her, on her side, she was tracing little lazy circles on Janet's tummy. "I'm sorry," she said again. "You seemed so eager, I kind of forgot this was your first time." The lazy circles continued, slowly transforming into figure-eights. "So, if you'd like to start again ... Unless you feel like you want to throw me out."

"Laurie, I can't throw you out. This is your room." Janet smiled.

Laurie chuckled.

"But, if you want to keep doing that." Janet sighed and began lifting the hem of her t-shirt. "If you want to keep doing that, then I guess I could stay." Janet continued tugging at her t-shirt -- Laurie's t-shirt -- until, with Laurie's help, it slipped over her head and ended up on the floor. The figure-eights never stopped.

The two women smiled at each other and kissed again. Janet felt the figure-eights inching lower. "You gonna take this off too?" Laurie asked, as she traced over the silky fabric of Janet's panties.

"Sure," Janet said, tucking her thumbs under the waistband. "But I've got to warn you, not everyone around here gets the full Brazillian like you west-coast babes."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Janet tugged, and Laurie helped. "Well, you definitely keep it neat," Laurie said, switching back to lazy circles. "The way you led up to it, I was expecting a jungle. Is the grooming for him?" Laurie was brushing her fingertips over the downy little strip of hair.

"My husband? No," Janet said. "He hasn't laid eyes on my pussy in years. This is for water aerobics. Can't be all hangin' out in the pool." She grinned.

"So he doesn't go down on you anymore?" Laurie had started up the figure-eights again. Her finger was making loops around Janet's hipbones and crossing over just above the little strip of pubic hair.

"Anymore?" Janet asked. She was finding it hard to form sentences with Laurie's finger doing what it was doing right now. "Try, never did."

"Oh, you poor thing," Laurie cooed as the figure-eights drew lower. "I love to go down."

Janet shuddered a bit. She didn't know if it was from Laurie's comment, or the fact that the middle of the last figure-eight nearly brought Laurie's finger in contact with her clit.

"Would you like me to go down on you, Janet?"

*

Chapter 13

Janet felt the air go out of her lungs in a long, languid sigh. She hadn't even realized that she'd been holding her breath, Laurie held her so captivated. And now -- now Laurie was offering to give her that intimate kiss she had only ever fantasized about. Janet shuddered. "Yes. Yes, please."

"Aww, you're so sweet," Laurie said, giving her a little peck on the lips. "Let me show you what you've been missing."

Janet squirmed. She had expected Laurie to dive right in and get to work, but Laurie's tongue was flitting over her nipple at the moment, making it all stiff and slippery. It was a nice sensation, but Janet had hoped she might start in a little lower.

And the figure-eights! The figure-eights were nearly making her crazy. Each brush of Laurie's fingertips through her downy hair was creeping ever closer to her sensitive nub. Almost, but not quite. Janet hadn't gotten the impression that Laurie was a tease, but there was a lot about this woman she had yet to discover. This maddening little dance with Laurie's fingers was one of those things.

As the tango of fingertips continued, Janet felt her nipple being drawn into Laurie's warm mouth, teased with Laurie's tongue, and then set free with a pop. But not entirely free, Laurie continued with a little nibbling before moving on. No sooner was the exquisite torment over, than Laurie switched to the other side, teasing until the slippery flesh was equally hard and crinkled.

Janet would have complained about the slow, agonizing pace, if she had been in any kind of state to do so. But as it was, she just lay there moaning, drawing her breath in rapid ragged gasps, bucking her hips, and hoping. If she were a religious person, she might have been praying -- praying to the god of just-out-of-reach orgasms -- hoping for an answer.

Finally the figure-eights stopped, and Janet was able to fill her lungs once again. But her respite was short-lived. "Let's see if you're ready," Laurie said. Janet was still dazed and quivering as Laurie changed tack and raked her fingernail up the inside of her thigh. This move set off a quivering that lasted until Laurie stopped just shy of Janet's entrance.

"Mmm," Janet begged, grinding her hips on the mattress.

Finally, Laurie teased her open with a finger. "Ooh, I think you are ready," she announced.

Janet went rigid as she felt Laurie's finger pressing into her. She was gentle, but determined. Deeper and deeper she pressed, until ... "Oh, god," Janet cried out. Laurie had found that special spot, and was massaging and pressing. She was gentle, but Janet shuddered and squirmed under her ministrations, having never been so expertly touched.

At the same time she was filling her, Laurie guided her thumb so that it was pressing against Janet's clitoris. She rubbed little circles. The two sensations -- finger and thumb -- were heavenly together. Every little motion of Laurie's hand set off intense tremors in Janet's thighs.

"Don't you dare come before I get my tongue in there," Laurie teased.

Janet wasn't sure if that was going to be possible, but she was having trouble forming coherent thoughts, and didn't know how to articulate her need. "Oh god," she heaved and wrapped her fingers in Laurie's hair. She hoped that would be enough.

"Oh no, that's not how it works. I like to take my time. So get your hand off my head and figure out what you're going to do to hold off. Think about baseball or something." Laurie chuckled a little.

Janet just groaned.

Laurie began moving down over her Janet's quivering stomach, leaving a wet tongue-trail, and planting little kisses as she went. Every once in a while she would pause, and flick her tongue back and forth, or in little circles. Janet assumed it was a preview of things yet to come and was now shuddering and moaning almost non-stop. Until ...

*

Chapter 14

Laurie figured she had teased this poor woman long enough. She poised her tongue at the base of Janet's swollen lips, paused to inhale the scent of her lust, and began a long, slow lick upward. Laurie took pride in her work, and absolutely loved what she was doing to this woman underneath her. The way Janet trembled and moaned filled Laurie with an excitement she hadn't felt in a long time.

Still moving and pressing with her finger, Laurie began exploring Janet with her tongue, sliding over her moist folds. As if she had any question, Janet's pungent taste told Laurie everything she needed to know about her state of arousal. She was shuddering almost non-stop, and Laurie almost felt guilty about making her wait any longer.

"Oh -- Oh, fuck!" Janet cried out, thrashing on the mattress. Laurie decided it was time. She would give Janet her release. Picking up the pace of her finger, and continuing the tongue motions that had Janet so flustered, Laurie began humming. It wasn't a tune that had ever been sung, it was just a long low hum -- a hum that tickled and vibrated in just the right place, in just the right way.

"Oh god! -- Oh god! -- Oh god!" Janet yelled. Laurie felt the familiar bearing down on her finger, and desperate thigh clutch of a woman going over. Janet squeezed so hard that it was difficult for Laurie to breathe, let along continue what she was doing. She persevered however, and held on -- enjoying every jolt, every spasm, every gush of moisture -- until finally, Janet's grip slackened.

Laurie lay there panting for a moment, filling her lungs with much needed air. There was a smile forming on her lips, as she kissed her way up to Janet's tummy. Pausing there for a moment, she basked in the warmth of the woman under her. "Oh god," Janet was moaning. "Laurie, that was ... oh my god."

"See what you've been missing?" Laurie teased.

"Mmm," was the only response from Janet.

Laurie pushed her way up the bed and lay next to Janet. The two women wrapped their arms around one another, saying nothing for a long while. It was Laurie who finally broke the spell.

"Sorry sweets, I don't want to throw you out, but won't your husband be expecting you sometime today?"

"Oh, shit. What time is it?" Janet pawed around desperately until she uncovered the hotel alarm clock. "Shit. I don't suppose I could talk you into giving me a ride to my parents house?"

"Sorry, I took a cab. Want me to order one for you?"

Janet took a deep breath. "I know this might seem like an odd request, but would you come with me? I feel like I'm running out on you, and ..."

"Sure, let me get dressed."

*

Chapter 15

"You girls can't just live on coffee, you know." Janet's mother was giving the two women a talking-to as she brought out what she referred to as a proper breakfast and placed it before them. "I mean honestly, what do you eat?"

"Mom."

"I'm sorry to embarrass you in front of your friend honey, but it's true. And how have you been Laurie dear? I haven't seen you since high school. But I have to say, you haven't changed a bit. Recognized you as soon as you stepped through that door."

"Found it," Janet's father announced.

"What's that, Dad?"

"The picture of you two from high school. King and Queen of France. Your sophomore year."

"You guys kept that? Jeez, that was ... a lot of years ago."

"I couldn't get rid of it," Janet's mother said. "You two were so cute together. I've never seen you look so happy, dear."

"I'm honestly surprised you two never got together," Janet's father added, before placing the dog-eared photograph on the table.

"We did make a pretty good king and queen," Laurie said, smiling.

Janet couldn't help herself, when she looked at the picture on the table and then to the woman seated beside her, she broke out into a broad grin.

Her revelry was short lived, broken by the chime of her phone. "It's David," she said, "he's on his way over."

"I should get going," Laurie said. "I still have to pack before my flight." She dug out her own phone and punched in an order for a cab.

"I'll walk you out," Janet said.

"It was lovely to see you again Laurie," Janet's mother said.

"Yes, I do hope it won't be so long until next time," her father added.

The two women made their way to the front porch. There was a chill in the air, but that didn't stop them from making the most of their last few minutes together.

"So," Laurie said, "what do we do now? About us?"

"I don't really know. I wish we weren't so far apart." Janet stared at her shoes, while trailing her fingertips over Laurie's arm.

"I know."

"And I think I still owe you some mind-blowing oral ... "

Laurie grinned. "It's OK. I enjoyed doing it for you. I'm glad I got to be your first." Laurie's grin began to slacken as she saw the cab making its way down the street.

"Let's stay in touch," Janet said, pulling out her phone.

"Definitely." Laurie had her device in hand.

"I'm gonna miss you. I wish we had more time."

"I know," Laurie said, as the two women embraced.

Janet waved as the cab pulled out of her parent's driveway. She walked into the living room, sat down on the sofa, and cried.

*

Afterword

If you were expecting a happily-ever-after ending, I am sorry. Not every story can end that way, and I just didn't see it as being very plausible in this one. I do think that Laurie and Janet will stay in touch, and perhaps one day find the courage to leave their respective unhappy relationships. And if they're truly lucky, they just might just find their way into each other's arms again.

Now go listen to Depeche Mode's Little 15 and try to forget.

-Wax Philosophic