Chapter 11

“Your complete misrepresentation of my attraction to your body only serves to demonstrate how shallow you are,” Mika said, primly. “But I don’t care, because you have boobs.”

Lauren snorted, barely managing to set her tea down before coughing. Mika reached across and patted her on the back. When she’d cleared her throat, she said, “See, you and I are perfectly matched.”

A distant look crossed her girlfriend’s features. Lauren winced inwardly. That was an insensitive comment. But the look was fleeting, and Mika returned a soft smile. “We do seem to be,” she said. She held her hand out to Lauren. “Shall we go to bed?”

In the bedroom, Mika released Lauren’s hand and crossed to a dresser, taking a headscarf from one drawer. Lauren frowned, her thoughts going to its possible use in bedroom activities, both relieved and saddened when she draped the cloth over the marble bust of Nicole.

“I don’t ascribe magical or spiritual powers to the sculpture,” Mika said softly. “The stone isn’t watching us, and I’m not betraying Nicole by having it in the room, but it feels strange to have her face sharing the room with us. I should move it to the studio, but it’s too heavy to move alone.”

Lauren squeezed her shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay, honey?” she asked.

When Mika turned to her, she saw that her eyes were glistening, but she nodded her head. “You’re going to need to stop asking me that, love,” she said. “I appreciate how sensitive you’ve been to my distress, but I want you to believe that if I’m hurting, I’ll let you know.” She reached out to loosen the belt of Lauren’s robe. “And right now, it isn’t distress I’m feeling.”

Taking Mika’s face in her hands, Lauren brought it to her own, their kiss tender as Mika unfastened the belt, but becoming more intense when she parted her robe and cupped her breasts. As her girlfriend closed her palms around her nipples, Lauren opened her red robe, sliding it over her shoulders. Mika allowed it to fall to the floor, leaving her standing in just her panties, while Lauren slipped off her robe, laying it carefully over the back of a chair, then picking up Mika’s and draping it over the chair.

Taking her hand, Mika led her to the bed, stepping out of her underwear before lying on top of the covers. Lauren dropped her panties, then covered her lover’s body with her own, fitting her thigh between Mika’s.

They moved together, slowly. Lauren was more interested in the passion of their kiss than the friction of their bodies, and Mika’s passion seemed to grow with her own. Her tongue danced with Lauren’s, her teeth occasionally nipping Lauren’s lower lip as their bodies slowly rocked together, Mika’s hard nipples pressing into her breasts.

Moaning softly into the kiss, Mika brought her hands up to Lauren’s ass, kneading her muscles, dragging her closer, clearly wanting more. It was time to give her what she needed.

Gripping Mika’s hips, she held her body firmly against her own, then quickly rolled them over, her girlfriend ending up on top of her, her thighs between Lauren’s. Mika’s face clouded for a moment, as her mouth was disconnected from Lauren’s, but her eyes widened when Lauren wrapped her legs around her and began to use her hold on her hips to grind their bodies together. Lauren felt the short, damp fuzz of Mika’s pussy against her own, the pressure of her mound against her ramping up her own arousal, especially when Mika’s hips began to move, amplifying her motion.

They settled into a moderate rhythm. Both women began to pant, Mika making soft “ah!” sounds with each breath. Her eyes seemed to lose their focus as the sounds she made became louder, but her hands came up to grip Lauren’s breasts, thumbs absently rolling her nipples.

Picking up the pace further, Lauren thrust against her lover. Mika’s body, seeming to be on autopilot, responded, matching her rhythm. Lifting her face, Lauren caught Mika’s mouth with her own. Their kiss was electric from the moment her tongue penetrated Mika’s lips. Mika groaned into the kiss, her breathing rapid, but broke away after a minute, turning her face to the side as she gasped. Lauren pressed her face to the base of Mika’s neck, suckling the skin and pressing her teeth to her.

Mika’s hips slammed into her as she cried out, then began writhing against Lauren, who felt her body twitching in climax. Lauren ground her sex against her until she felt herself reach the place where her muscles tensed in anticipation, then released her own cry as her climax erupted.

Her sex was still sending waves of pulsing pleasure into her when she felt Mika’s body relax. She lowered her girlfriend onto her body, caressing her back, aftershocks still rippling through her. She kissed the place on her neck that she’d suckled, her cheeks tensing in a wry expression as she realized there was a red mark. She would have to apologize for that.

Mika murmured something she didn’t catch. When Lauren asked what she’d said, she was silent for a moment before saying, “Just how much I like making love with you.” Lauren didn’t think that had been quite what she’d heard, but she let the comment pass.

“You know, I didn’t bring my PJs, either,” Lauren said. “I have a tee shirt and shorts in my bag. Should I wear those?”

“I don’t mind if we sleep naked,” Mika said. “I like to feel your body against me.”

“Alright then,” Lauren said, sliding off her. “I’m ready to sleep now. You wore me out.”

“Me too,” said Mika.

Leaving in the morning was awkward in a way that Lauren hadn’t considered. If she just dressed and left it would feel like a one night stand. It was anything but that.

So after she’d recovered her panties from the floor and her shorts and tee shirt from her bag, she woke Mika.

“What is it, love?” her girlfriend asked, once she’d become conscious.

“I need to go,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. I’ll text you.”

“Alright, I’ll come to the door with you,” said Mika, sleepily.

Naked, she followed Lauren through the house, turning her for a kiss before she left.

Lauren’s hands explored her lover’s nude body as they kissed, her arousal climbing. Finally she stepped back. “God, I wish we could…” she said. “I’m going to be pressed for time as it is. And, uh, you may need to wear a scarf for a couple of days. Sorry about that.”

Mika frowned, then touched her neck where Lauren’s mouth had been. “Naughty girl,” she said. She yawned. “It was worth it.”

On the following Tuesday, Lauren invited both Mika and Mandy for dinner. She knew they’d said hello to each other in passing, but she was close to both, and she was sure that encouraging friendship between them wouldn’t risk their landlord / tenant relationship.

Mika showed up first, in impossibly tight jeans and fleecy boots, which she immediately stepped out of. Since Lauren didn’t have guest slippers – she’d need to remedy that – her girlfriend entered the house in the bright pink socks Mika had seen at their first meeting. When she took off her coat, though, she wasn’t wearing the fox tee shirt.

“Hah!” Lauren exclaimed. “Great minds think alike.” She turned to show Mika that she was wearing the boobies tee shirt, while Mika was, of course, in her small tits shirt. With an attractive neck scarf hiding her hickey.

Mandy arrived a few minutes later, also in wooly socks and jeans, with a lemon blouse. She had dark blonde curls, a small nose and grey-blue eyes that had once inspired passion in Lauren, but now inspired warmth and familiarity. Her eyes immediately took in Lauren’s and Mika’s tee shirts, and she snorted. “Oh, God, you two. Way to make a girl feel like a third wheel without saying a word.” She thumped a bottle of wine down onto the table, and gave Lauren a hug, before holding her hand out to Mika. “Nice to meet you officially, Ms. Landlady.”

“Mika,” said Lauren’s girlfriend. “I feel like I know you already.”

“She knows you,” Lauren interjected, “because I had to convince her we weren’t having a snogfest in your apartment. Flat, I mean,” she said, winking at Mika.

“A… what?” asked Mandy.

“It was a joke,” Mika said. “I did not think you two were having an affair.”

“An affair?” Mandy was wide-eyed. “You couldn’t pay me to sleep with Lauren!” Then she frowned at her friend. “Well, I guess you could pay me, but the question is how much, and who would want to?”

“Dinner’s nothing special,” said Lauren. “I knew I wouldn’t have time to cook, so I threw everything into the crockpot this morning. It’s just a winter stew. You didn’t turn vegetarian again, right?” She directed the question at Many.

“Not since Jen and I called it quits,” she said. “It wasn’t a bad option, but I got out of that relationship craving meat. And sex.” She turned to Mika and raised an eyebrow. “Maybe I shouldn’t say that part if you think Lauren and me might be having a… snogfest? on the sly? That sounds very… Austin Powers, right?”

“Oh God, don’t even mention that film,” said Mika, “and I don’t think that at all.”

Lauren had opened and poured the wine. She handed a glass to each of them, then waved them to the table. “She’s certainly not going to think it when you get settled in, is she? Hint, Mika, Mandy doesn’t have fifty cousins, all hot and about her own age. If she tries to tell you that, suspect shenanigans.”

“I can’t help being popular with the ladies,” Mandy said. “I’ll talk to you about modifying the lease if one persuades me to let her move in,” she added, to Mika. “It’s happened before. But I’m not going vegetarian for her, however good she is in bed.”

Mika and Mandy both seemed to enjoy the stew. Afterward, the three sat on the couch with the remaining wine, considering what movie to watch. When Mika saw that the new Wallace and Gromit movie had been released, her eyes lit up. It turned out that Mandy also had enjoyed watching earlier movies in the series. Lauren had never seen one, but was happy to let the consensus decide, and though she was puzzled by some of the events the other two women laughed over, it was still a funny movie. She promised to watch the earlier installments with Mika at some point.

When Mandy left, they agreed to repeat the experience soon, with more wine and taxis. Or maybe at Mandy’s place, where none of them would need to travel, if Lauren agreed to cook.

“I like her,” said Mika, after Mandy had left. “She’s very… open, isn’t she?”

“I think it’s because she’s an ex and a best friend,” said Lauren. “She and I have no secrets and no shame with each other. Even with a close friend you might tend to be a little coy and a little flirty. She and I are well past that, and you get the blunt treatment by virtue of being my girlfriend. So yeah, I don’t see why the three of us can’t be good friends. She’ll probably succumb to wanderlust in a year or two. She still wants to see the world.”

“I respect that,” said Mika. Then she added, “Is it time for me to leave, too?”

“Oh, hell, no,” said Lauren. “I have a magic trick I want to show you. Come with me.”

Mika gave her a puzzled look, narrowing her eyes as she recognized the route to Lauren’s bedroom. “I think I’m going to like this magic trick?” she said, her tone speculative.

“Maybe,” Lauren conceded. She took the hem of Mika’s shirt and began to pull it up. “See, what happens if I remove ‘small British tits’?” She pulled the shirt over Mika’s head, her girlfriend willingly raising her arms for her. “What am I left with?”

“Oh God.” Mika laughed. “Small British tits. But I can do better. If I take off ‘boobies,’ what do I get?” She yanked Lauren’s tee shirt up and off.

“A bra?” Lauren offered.

“Not for long,” Mika said, stepping close.

As January progressed, Mika contacted Lauren less often, and was less enthusiastic about going on dates. Movie night was the last time they’d slept together. It was disappointing, but not surprising. Lauren was fairly sure she knew the reason, and that they would get past it. If Mika needed space she would give it to her.

She was surprised when Mika invited her to an art gallery, and of course she agreed.

Mika was quiet, but not withdrawn. The gallery was a showing of multiple students. Some of the work Lauren felt she could relate to, and some she found alien. Mika found an entirely different set of work interesting. Lauren wasn’t sure if she’d ever come to appreciate most of them, but after Mika’s explanations, she felt she understood a little about why Mika did. Especially the sculptures.

When they were sitting with coffee, Mika admitted the reason for the invite.

“I would have asked you to come to the park with me again,” she said. “I wanted to see you in a neutral location. Somewhere private, but not intimate. But today’s high isn’t going to hit freezing, and I didn’t think either of us would want to suffer that.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Lauren replied, apprehensively. “So, what’s up?”

“I’m sorry I’ve been absent the last few days,” Mika said. “On the seventh… the seventh of February…” She had to stop to clear her throat. “It will be the fifth anniversary of Nicole’s accident. Every year has been hard. This one, I think, won’t be as bad as the others were, largely because you’ve made my life brighter, but I can’t just turn off grieving about what happened, especially on the seventh, and I’m dreading it.”

“Honey, I’ll understand completely if you say no, but would you like me to stay with you on that day?”

Mika frowned in surprise, as if the idea hadn’t even occurred to her. “I… think I would,” she said. “Can you? It’s Friday. And I will absolutely not be up for having sex, or any kind of intimacy.”

“Hugs, maybe?” Lauren suggested.

“Oh yeah, hugs. Hugs I think will help keep me tethered. You do understand, don’t you?”

“I think I do, honey,” Lauren said. “And what I don’t understand doesn’t matter. I’m not going through your grief process, so I’ll follow your lead. If you want a hug, you can have one. If you need me to fuck off, I’ll fuck off.”

Mika let out a weak chuckle. “I don’t think I’ll tell you to fuck off,” she said. “Uhh… would you like to come with me on St. Valentine’s? I always visit her grave. I visit her parents and then drive to the cemetery. I could leave you with them.”