Double Trouble by R. Nolan
© April 2005
This is an original story. The story and characters belong to me. They are not to be used or reproduced without my express written permission.
Disclaimer: This story depicts a love/sexual relationship between two consenting adult women.
Special thanks to: Two very experienced beta’s Evelyn and Wendy for their help editing this story. Also a big thank you to WW for her continued support and encouragement.
Chapter One
The stadium was rapidly filling up as Kris and Jerry made their way to their seats. It had been their tradition, since high school, to attend the first baseball game of the season each April between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. This year, Jerry was hoping his beloved Padres would make a decent showing. In recent years, the team had finished near the bottom of the rankings. He still bragged about the 1984 season when they competed against the Detroit Tigers in the World Series, even though the Padres ultimately lost the series.
Jerry ran into Kris’s back when she stopped abruptly. Peering around her broad shoulders, he saw what had captured her attention. In the row they were heading for, three people were already seated. A man and woman, who appeared to be a couple, if the man’s arm wrapped around his companion’s shoulder was any indication, but who had obviously caught Kris’s attention was the beautiful brunette sitting with them.
“Save the eye candy for later, Kris. Let’s get in our seats,” Jerry said, urging Kris forward.
Kris made her way carefully past the couple and then, tripped directly in front of the dark haired beauty. The woman looked up and their eyes met briefly. Kris allowed her gaze to glide down the woman’s body, she was even more gorgeous up close. Her long hair was braided and resting over her shoulder. Kris’s eyes made it back up to the woman’s breasts and stopped. They were full and straining against the material of her shirt. She unconsciously licked her lips as she wondered if they were as soft as they looked.
Kris finally met the woman’s warm brown eyes and blushed when she realized that she had been caught ogling. The woman allowed her eyes to run up and down Kris’s tall body, returning the perusal. She took in Kris's heavily muscled legs displayed beneath khaki shorts as well as her well toned physique encased in a tank top. Short blond hair and vivid blue eyes completed the stunning package. Kris blushed at the woman’s open appraisal. She stumbled over her own feet and murmured an apology as she finally made it to her seat. She flopped down into the chair and lowered her face into her hands in mortification.
Jerry met the brunette’s sparkling eyes as he carefully maneuvered past her legs. “Don’t mind my butch friend, she’s usually not so boorish. She must’ve been stunned stupid by your beauty.”
Kris lifted her head enough to pin Jerry with a glare, then growled at him.
“What... what did I say? It’s true, girlfriend.”
“Shut up and sit down, Jerry,” Kris demanded. She glanced over at the woman nervously. When she smiled at her, Kris felt her face color again.
Jerry was having a great time. He hadn’t seen his friend this flustered by a woman since she was first coming out in high school. He checked the seat numbers and grinned. He sat down next to the dark haired beauty, then called to Kris.
“Hey, Kris, our seats are over here.”
Kris looked up and groaned when she realized Jerry was sitting next to the beautiful woman she’d just ogled. She got up, mumbling to herself, and made her way over to sit next to Jerry.
Jerry ignored Kris when she flopped down next to him. Turning to the woman seated on his other side, he offered his hand.
“Hi, my name is Jerry, and my less than articulate friend over there is Kris.”
“Hi, Jerry,” she responded with a smile. “I’m Erin and these are my friends, Larry and Rita.”
Jerry shook hands with everyone, then turned and elbowed Kris in the ribs.
“I’m Kris, nice to meet you, Erin.” She offered her hand to Erin, who took it and held it just a little longer than necessary. Kris then greeted Larry and Rita.
Everyone settled back in their seats. Jerry kept up a running conversation, asking questions and telling them how he and Kris attended every opener between San Diego and LA.
Finally, the game started and the crowd noise became too great for real conversation.
* * * * *
Kris only had half her mind on the game. She couldn’t help sneaking peeks at Erin. She appraised the way Erin was dressed in faded jeans, a tight tee shirt and high top sneakers. She wondered if there was any chance she might be gay. Kris sighed and turned back to the game. Her luck never ran that way. The woman was probably straight as an arrow.
After listening to Jerry whine for two innings, Kris finally got up and bought them both some beer. When she returned to her seat, she found Jerry had moved over, leaving the seat next to Erin open. She glared at him but he looked at her innocently.
As the game progressed, Kris silently debated with herself. Erin intrigued her and though she couldn’t quite say why, she wanted to get to know her better. They had spoken casually during the game and she was incredibly funny, and articulate. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring either, Kris had checked.
Rita decided it was time for more beer and convinced Erin to go with her. They were just coming back when the Padres hit a triple. Erin hadn’t regained her seat but was standing in front of it with three beers on a tray. The crowd surged to its feet. A man seated in front of their row knocked Erin backward when he jumped up. She tried to keep the beer from spilling and, at the same time, remain on her feet. She wasn’t successful in either endeavor. A cup of beer landed in Kris’s lap as Erin’s feet slid out from underneath her and she started to fall.
Kris gasped when the ice cold beer soaked her shorts. Seeing Erin about to fall, she instinctively reached out and wrapped her arms around Erin, pulling her into her lap. The rest of the beer spilled over both of them. As the crowd settled back down, Kris sat with a still stunned Erin in her lap. Rita jumped out of her seat and stood facing Erin and Kris.
“Are you alright?” Rita asked. Kris wasn’t sure which of them she was asking so she remained quiet.
Erin seemed to come out of her stupor. She was covered in beer and could feel it running down her sides and between her legs. She suddenly realized just where she was sitting. Her face flamed in embarrassment and she scrambled off Kris’s lap.
She turned to Kris. “I’m so sorry…” she started to apologize, then caught a glimpse of Kris’s shorts. She looked like she had wet her pants. Erin couldn’t help it, she started laughing.
Kris growled at Erin, which made her laugh even harder. “Laugh it up, Erin. You look worse than I do.”
Erin looked down, seeing what Kris had said was true. She was soaked. Her tee shirt was plastered to her body and the front of her jeans were saturated and dripping beer onto the ground.
After everyone had had a good chuckle at their expense, Kris and Erin decided to head to the restroom to try and clean up some of the damage. Erin was momentarily startled when Kris stood to her full height. Erin knew she was tall for a woman at five foot eight, but Kris was considerably taller.
Kris grinned at Erin’s surprised expression knowing the cause. At six foot one, her height attracted a lot of attention. Kris glanced down at the man who had caused Erin to fall and spill the beer. He was oblivious and hadn’t even bothered to apologize. She waited for him to take a drink of his beer, then she stepped forward, ramming her knee into the back of his head. His face went forward and he spilled his beer down the front of his shirt.
He spun around in his seat and glared at Kris. “Hey, watch it!”
“Oh, sorry,” Kris said sweetly, plastering an innocent smile on her face.
Erin slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. She reached out and grabbed Kris’s hand.
“Let’s go, before you get into any more trouble,” she said, pulling Kris toward the aisle.
“Hey, I didn’t do anything. He’s the jerk who didn’t even apologize.”
Erin just laughed and led Kris by the hand toward the restrooms. Once they were out of the aisle and inside the tunnel, Erin still kept hold of Kris’s hand. Kris was perfectly happy with that and never said a word.
* * * * *
They tried to dry as much of the beer off themselves as possible but it was a lost cause.
Erin grimaced, pulling her soaked shirt away from her body. “I smell like a brewery,” she complained.
Kris laughed. “Yeah, I think I’m going to call it a day. I don’t see how they’re going to pull this one out anyway.”
“I agree. Not exactly how I planned on spending my day out. Of course, it wasn’t all bad,” she added, winking at Kris.
The wink did it. Kris decided to take a chance. What was the worst thing that could happen? Erin hadn’t been angry when she’d ogled her earlier. If the woman was straight and got offended, then Kris would just write the experience off and walk away.
“So, I was wondering if, maybe, you’d like to have dinner with me tonight?” Seeing Erin hesitate, Kris hastily added, “if you don’t have any other plans, that is.”
“I’m sorry, Kris. I have to pick up my kids from my ex-husband. He just had them for the day. I don’t think I could get a baby sitter at such short notice.”
“You have kids?” Kris stammered. Boy, you really misjudged this one, she chided herself, not only an ex-husband but kids too!
Erin smiled brightly. “Yes, twins. A boy and a girl, Christopher and Jenna.”
“Well, maybe some other time.” Kris was disappointed, she felt strangely drawn to Erin. It had been a long time since any woman had interested her for anything except a quick lay. She knew she would never see the woman again, and besides, she was obviously straight.
“Is it the kids?” Erin asked, disappointed by Kris’s response. She’d felt an immediate attraction to the tall blond and wanted to get to know her.
“Huh?” Kris blurted.
“It’s okay. I understand if you don’t want to go out with me because I have children. I try and let women know right up front I have kids and how important they are to me.”
Kris wasn’t sure what to say. She was confused, and it showed on her face.
Erin suddenly laughed. “Oh, I get it. You thought you were really off base; kids, ex-husband… big ole straight girl, right? Well, I can assure you, you’re right on base. I’m gay.”
“You are?” Kris gaped, her surprise evident.
“Yeah, I’m gay. I just made a mistake. I married my ex for all the wrong reasons.”
Kris grinned. She really wanted to get to know this woman and wasn’t put off in the least about her children. She loved kids.
“So, how old are your twins?”
“They’ll be four in June. I don’t know where the time has gone. Every day is an adventure, some days more than others,” Erin laughed, indicating her wet clothes.
“I remember when my niece was that age,” Kris said, smiling fondly in remembrance. “She’s eight now. My brother and his family lived here in San Diego ‘til Lindsay was four. I don’t get to see her much anymore, my brother’s in the Navy and they move around a lot.”
“That’s a shame. They grow up so fast,” Erin said sympathetically.
“So, how about dinner some other time?” Kris tried again. She didn’t want Erin to get away without making plans for a date with her.
“That’d be great. Would a weeknight work for you? I could probably get Alice to watch the kids one evening this week.”
“A weeknight is fine with me.” Kris quickly fished in her wallet for her business card. She patted her pockets, then looked sheepishly at Erin. “Got a pen?” Erin pulled a pen out of her purse and offered it to Kris with a smile.
Kris wrote down her home and cell phone numbers for Erin, then handed her the card. “Why don’t you give me a call and let me know what day would work best for you?”
“Got another card?” Erin asked.
Kris looked slightly puzzled but handed over another of her business cards. Erin flipped it over and wrote her personal information on the back before handing it back to Kris.
“I’ll give you a call as soon as I get in touch with Alice.”
A brilliant smile lit Kris’s face. “Great! I look forward to it.”
They had stopped just inside the tunnel to make their plans and exchange information. As they made their way back to their seats, neither could help the huge grin on their face. When they reached their seats, they were met by curious stares from their companions.
Things broke up quickly when Kris and Erin both expressed their wish to call it a day. Goodbyes were said all around before each group went its separate way.
Jerry noticed that Erin and Kris shared a parting grin. His interest really peaked when Erin winked at Kris before turning away.
Chapter Two
As they made the trip home, Jerry watched Kris stare out of the window of the truck with a stupid grin on her face. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. “You scored, didn’t you?” he asked with a smirk. He wasn’t surprised. It wouldn’t be the first time Kris had taken someone she had just met into the bathroom for a quickie. Not that he could blame her, Erin was gorgeous. Most straight men they knew envied her luck with the ladies.
Kris’s head swung around and she stared aghast at him. “What? No! Of course not,” she insisted adamantly.
Jerry’s eyebrow quirked in surprise, not because she hadn’t scored, but the fact that she sounded so appalled at the very idea.
Kris couldn’t believe Jerry would think she would do something like that with Erin. Sure, she’d done it in the past but Erin was…Erin was different. She shook her head, unable to understand it herself.
Jerry looked at Kris curiously. “So, what happened?”
“She told me about her ex-husband and two kids," Kris informed Jerry, trying to keep a straight face.
“Oh, man… I’m so sorry. She was fine too,” Jerry lamented.
Kris couldn’t hold it in any longer and started to laugh.
“What?”
“That’s what I thought too. She quickly informed me she was family. Soon as she can get a baby sitter for her kids, we have a date!”
“Kids, as in more than one?”
“Yeah, twins - a boy and a girl.”
“Are you sure about this, Kris? I mean, you sure you want to get involved with a woman with kids and an ex-husband?” Jerry was shocked. This wasn’t Kris's usual type.
Kris turned to her friend meeting his eyes directly. “I know… I can’t explain it. I just feel drawn to this woman…I want to get to know her. And I don’t mean just to bed her. It’s really strange.”
He could see her confusion and smiled reassuringly. Will wonders never cease? he thought, amazed. He had never seen Kris react to a woman this way. First, she was flustered by Erin, then she admitted that she wanted to get to know her. Erin really must be something special. After what happened with Angela, Kris usually wasn’t interested in anything more than a quick romp between the sheets. “Well then… you should give it a shot my friend. Just be careful.”
“I hear that,” Kris acknowledged.
Kris spent the rest of the trip home lost in thought about Erin, and wondering when she would see her again.
Kris leaned back and took a sip of wine. She was stretched out on her couch relaxing after showering and then, making a quick dinner. Her thoughts once again turned to her encounter with Erin. There was just something about the woman that intrigued her. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
For the past four years, Kris had been happy with casual encounters. She had lost her heart once and vowed never to let that happen again. But something drew her to Erin. It scared her now that she had time to think about it, but it was too strong to ignore. Kris was drawn out of her thoughts by the phone ringing.
Picking it up, she checked the caller ID. Scott Patterson? I don’t know anyone by that name, she thought, setting the phone back on the coffee table. She let the answering machine pickup. There was a pause as the message finished, then she heard her.
“Hi, umm Kris, this is Erin … from the game.”
Kris snatched the phone off the table. “Hi, Erin, I’m here!” She was unable to hide her excitement. “I didn’t realize it was you.”
“Screening your calls, huh?” Erin laughed.
Kris blushed and started to stammer.
Erin laughed again. “No problem… I do it too. I’d forgotten the phone is still in my ex-husband’s name. I never bothered to change it.”
Not wanting to hear about Erin ex-husband, Kris quickly changed the subject. “So, did you manage to get rid of the beer smell? Jerry whined that the inside of his truck smelled like a brewery by the time we got home.”
Erin chuckled. “You should’ve heard my kids, ‘You stink, Mommy!’ Neither of them would hug me and they walked around holding their noses ‘til I showered. But I’ve since been given the duo’s seal of approval, so I think I managed to finally get rid of it.”
Kris laughed quietly at the image of the two kids' antics. “Sounds like they’re a handful.”
“Well, I can honestly say there’s rarely a dull moment around here.” Erin quickly got down to why she’d called. She knew most women were bored hearing about other people’s children. “Anyway, I spoke to Alice and she’s free to watch the kids on Tuesday, if that would be good for you. Umm, if you still want to go out,” Erin said, suddenly unsure.
“Tuesday works for me,” Kris assured Erin quickly. She tried not to laugh when she heard Erin’s audible sigh of relief. “What time should I pick you up?”
“How about I meet you somewhere?” Erin countered, sounding a bit nervous.
Shit… she’s in the closet, Kris groaned. Wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt, she tried again. “I’d be more than happy to pick you up.”.
Erin took a deep breath before responding. She had lost the chance at a few dates with what she was about to say. “If you don’t mind, I’d just as soon meet you at the restaurant. To be honest, I don’t like to introduce my kids to the woman I’m dating until I get to know her a little better. I hope you understand…”
Kris didn’t respond right away. She wasn’t sure if she was offended and couldn’t help wondering if Erin was being totally honest.
“Kids get attached so easily, and they don’t understand when someone doesn’t come around anymore,” Erin explained. From her tone, it was obvious that she was speaking from personal experience.
Kris felt relieved. She respected Erin’s honesty and her concern for her children.
“I can understand that. Do you like seafood? We could meet at Anthony’s in La Mesa around 6pm?” Kris suggested.
“Sure, I’d like to check that one out. I’ve never been there. We usually go to the one at the Embarcadero.”
“We could go to that one, if you prefer.”
“No, the one in La Mesa sounds fine. That’s actually closer to me. I look forward to it, and thank you.”
“For what?”
“For understanding about my kids. Most women don’t.” Erin admitted sadly.
“Not a problem,” Kris assured. “Your kids come first and they should.”
“I’ll see you on Tuesday then.”
Kris and Erin both sighed as the call ended. They were now nervous and excited about their upcoming date.
Chapter Four
Kris tapped her fingers on the table nervously as she waited in the bar for Erin. She had arrived early and decided to have a glass of wine to relax before Erin appeared. Looking down at her clothes, she hoped she was appropriately dressed. A dark blue polo shirt and khaki Dockers covered her lean frame but she wondered if a fancier shirt would have been a better choice. Kris couldn’t remember the last time she was so nervous before a date, then again, she reminded herself, she hadn’t been out on an official date in a very long time.
She turned towards the door when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Erin was just entering the restaurant. She was dressed casually too, in Dockers style pants and a short sleeve button down shirt. Kris breathed a sigh of relief. She took a moment to watch Erin walk gracefully to the reservation desk before rising to meet her.
Erin was checking out the décor of the waiting area when Kris approached.
“Unique, isn’t it?”
Erin jumped at the sound of Kris’s voice, then smiled as she continued to look around. They were standing in what appeared to be an undersea grotto with rocky walls decorated with sponges, mussels, starfish and clamshells. Moray eels stuck their heads out from small caves dotting the wall. Dangling overhead was a school of fish and octopi draped themselves over the light fixtures.
Erin chuckled. “That’s one way to describe it.”
“Check out the bar,” Kris said, pointing to her left.
The bar seemed to have been carved out of rock, forming a cave with bottles of liquor and assorted bar ware residing in recessed niches in the back wall.
“It always reminds me of the nautical version of a Fred Flintstone bar,” Kris joked, making Erin laugh.
The hostess announced Kris’s name and informed her that their table was ready. As they made their way into the restaurant proper, Erin continued to look around. Most of the seats were vinyl upholstered booths. Some were decorated with bright purple seats and seashell cushioned backs, while others had vibrant colored seaweed streamers and teal seats. The primary colors of the whole place seemed to be purple and teal with a healthy smattering of yellow, red, and green. Rocks decorated like a coral reef surrounded the booths. If that wasn’t enough, sitting prominently on each table was a large chunk of rock with convenient slots to hold the salt and pepper shakers as well as sugar packets.
“What were they thinking?” Erin asked, taking her seat.
“Well, it did earn them a well deserved Onion,” Kris snickered.
“Onion?”
“Have you ever heard of the Orchid and Onion awards?” Erin shook her head. “It was an annual event sponsored by a local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. They used to give out the awards every year for the best and the worst in local architecture, landscape architecture and interior design. The awards were suspended two years ago. I personally think it was because so many of the Onion recipients complained. Anyway, Anthony’s was awarded an Onion the year they remodeled.”
Erin glanced around again, laughing. “I agree, it was well deserved.” Her laughter cut off abruptly. “Oh, that’s beautiful.”
Kris followed Erin’s line of sight to see what had caught her attention. A tile mosaic took up most of the wall opposite them. It was twenty feet long and five feet high. It depicted Neptune and a mermaid riding in a chariot pulled by two white stallions through a seascape of sea horses, swordfish and other assorted marine life.
“That,” Kris said, nodding toward the beautiful mosaic, “and the glass wall,” she pointed to the floor to ceiling wall next to their booth, “along with the lagoon are about the only original elements left from before the remodeling.”
Erin turned to look out of the glass wall next to their table. She had been so stunned by the interior she hadn’t even noticed the large lagoon outside the window. It had a large fountain in the center illuminated by multiple lights. It was a peaceful, tranquil setting to enjoy their dinner. She laughed outright when she spotted the large whimsical fish heads extending from the side of the building that were spouting water into the lagoon.
Their perusal of the lagoon was interrupted by the arrival of their waiter.
“Good evening, I’ll be your server tonight. Would you like to start out the evening with a drink? We’re offering a new drink called Blue Ocean Potion. It comes in a souvenir fishbowl glass with a goldfish shaped straw.” The waiter picked up a display placard from the table advertising the drink.
Erin glanced down at the display that described the drink. “I think I’ll pass,” she demurred with a polite smile.
Kris stared at the advertisement for a second then looked up at the waiter. “Can we get the glasses without anything in them?”
“Sure, you can buy just the glasses if you like.”
“Great, we’ll take two,” Kris said. She glanced over at Erin and saw her puzzled look. “I thought you could take them to Christopher and Jenna. I bet they’d get a kick out of them.”
The brilliant smile lighting Erin’s face told Kris she’d done well. “Thank you,” Erin murmured, incredibly pleased at Kris's thoughtfulness. She met Kris’s eyes and quickly got lost in their vivid blue depths.
The waiter cleared his throat, reminding Erin and Kris that they had an audience. “Drinks?”
Kris encouraged Erin to go first. “I’d like a glass of the house Merlot.”
“Sounds good. I’ll have the same,” Kris informed the waiter.
Erin reached over and clasped Kris’s hand where it rested on the table. “That was really sweet of you to order those glasses for my kids.” Erin smiled appreciatively at Kris. “Thank you again.”
“No thanks are necessary. It’s not a big deal, really.” Kris was happy Erin was pleased but really hadn’t done it for any other reason than because she thought they were something a kid might have fun with.
Erin squeezed Kris’s hand one more time before releasing it. “It is to me.”
The waiter arrived with their drinks and a basket of piping hot bread and special spicy cheese butter to go with it.
“Need a few more minutes to decide your order?”
“Yeah, give us a few more minutes,” Kris said, picking up her menu. “What sounds good to you?” she asked Erin after perusing the menu for several minutes.
“Umm… I’m partial to anything with shrimp,” Erin admitted.
They spent some time discussing the merits of different dishes before finally making up their minds.
Silence reined as each woman buttered some bread and sipped their drinks. Neither made eye contact as both seemed to have suddenly been struck with a case of the jitters.
Finally, Erin broke the silence with a soft laugh. “I know why I’m nervous, I’ve only been out on a handful of dates since my divorce, but what’s your excuse?” she teased. She was surprised when a vivid blush covered Kris’s face.
Kris was embarrassed that her nervousness was so apparent. She wouldn’t meet Erin’s eyes as she tried unsuccessfully to think of something to say.
Erin was immediately contrite. “I’m sorry, Kris. I was just teasing.”
Kris looked up. She felt bad upon seeing the concerned look on Erin’s face. “No, you’re right, I am nervous.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I haven’t been out on a date in a very long time. Guess I’m kind of out of practice,” she admitted sheepishly.
“You’ve gotta be kidding,” Erin said, obviously surprised. “No offense, but I find that hard to believe.”
“Why?” Kris was taken aback by Erin’s response.
“Just look at you! You’re gorgeous and you have a body that won’t quit,” Erin exclaimed, then blushed furiously when she realized what she had said. “Not to mention the fact that you’re smart, fun to be around and own your own business,” Erin added quickly.
“Nice save,” Kris complimented. She thinks I’m gorgeous! she crowed internally, her self-confidence bolstered.
Erin laughed, her face still bright red.
“Let me return the compliment. You’re very beautiful.” Kris’s eyes dropped to Erin’s breasts, “and talk about a body that won’t quit,” she said huskily, unconsciously licking her lips.
Erin’s blush that had just been starting to fade came back in full force. She felt a thrilling tingle at the look on Kris’s face.
The waiter interrupted with their dinners. When he walked away, they started to laugh, the earlier tension broken.
Kris had regained her confidence with Erin’s admission. Smiling at Erin, she started the getting to know you process of every first date. “So, what do you do for a living when you’re not hanging out at the ballpark?”
“I’m a Medical Transcriptionist. I work out of my home for a local company that provides transcription services for several local hospitals. That way, I’m able to work and still be home with Jenna and Christopher.”
“That’s great that you have a job that permits you to be at home with your kids. How long have you been a transcriptionist?”
“Almost four years. I started not long after the twins were born,” she said. “I originally wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. I got my degree and teaching certificate but never got to teach a class of my own. ” Erin added, surprising herself. She normally didn’t tell people about her teaching ambitions.
“Why not?” Kris asked, interested.
“I got pregnant.”
Kris couldn’t miss the sadness in her voice.
“So, I take it they weren’t planned?”
“No… definitely not,” Erin said, her eyes clouding over with the admission.
This time it was Kris who reached out to rest her hand on top of Erin’s, giving it a comforting squeeze. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
“No, it’s okay. As I told you before, marrying their father was a mistake but I’ve never regretted having Christopher and Jenna. I hope someday, when they’re older, I can start my teaching career.”
“What about you?” Erin inquired with a quick change of subject. She didn’t want to talk about her ex. “So what made you decide to start your own computer company?”
“You know, now that I think about it, I don’t remember telling you what I do,” Kris said, arching an eyebrow at Erin in question.
Erin laughed. “You gave me your business card… remember.”
“Opps…forgot about that,” Kris admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. “Let’s see… where do I start?” Kris paused to think for a minute before answering. “I went to college and majored in computer science. At first, I thought I’d just be happy doing tech work. You know repairing computers, fixing software glitches … that type of thing. I took a basic programming course and was hooked. My company writes and installs custom security computer software. Most of our work is in the aerospace industry. There’s a big problem with industrial espionage. I work with companies to secure their computers from external and internal spying.”
“Wow, that must be fascinating work,” Erin enthused.
“It gets interesting sometimes, especially when a company calls us in after they’ve had a problem. Usually, we have to track down the suspect employees and any software they may have installed before we get down to work. Actually, writing a program can be tedious but we’ve been at it long enough to have several templates which we customize for each client's needs. That way, we don’t have to start from scratch every time.”
From there, the conversation turned to common interests. They discussed movie’s they had recently seen. Though in Erin’s case that was pretty much confined to recent Disney releases. They were both pleased to learn that they shared a love of 1950’s rock and roll music and anything related to Science fiction. Kris told Erin of her extensive collections of Oldies music and her huge movie library. The conversation was easy and relaxed without any uncomfortable silences that could happen on first dates.
The waiter returned to ask if they wanted dessert.
Erin and Kris both look down at their plates in amazement. They were surprised to see they had eaten their dinner without noticing it, having been so engrossed in getting to know each other.
Kris looked over at Erin questioningly.
“I’m pretty full.”
“They have great New York style cheesecake… with strawberries,” Kris tempted.
Erin hesitated for about half a second. “You twisted my arm,” she laughed. “But how about we split a piece?”
“Make that one piece of cheesecake with two forks,” Kris instructed the server.
Erin glanced down at her watch. She looked up at Kris in shock. “Do you realize we’ve been here over two hours?”
“No kidding?” Kris said, a quick glance at her watch confirming Erin’s observation. “What time do you need to be back?” Kris knew Erin had a babysitter but she would probably need to be home soon.
“I told Alice I’d be back by ten. She has to work very early tomorrow.”
Kris was disappointed, she didn’t want the night to end. She glanced over at Erin and saw the same look of regret on her face. Kris let that fact console her.
Kris was just about to ask for another date when their dessert arrived. She waited until the server left.
“Could I see you again soon?” Kris asked. “Maybe we could go to dinner, then a show?”
Erin smiled in response. “I’d like that very much, Kris.”
They shared their dessert and made plans for their next date. Erin had to wait until she could talk to Alice before making a final commitment.
The waiter set the bill on the table just as they were finishing dessert and brought over the two fishbowl glasses and straws Kris ordered earlier. Both women laughed at the glasses, which really did look like miniature goldfish bowls.
“Thanks again for these, the kids are going to love them,” Erin said as they got up to leave.
Kris took care of the bill and they made their way outside.
“Did you park down here or up there?” Kris asked, pointing up the hill to the upper parking lot.
“I parked up there,” Erin said, heading toward the upper lot.
Kris caught her hand and led Erin to a path she hadn’t noticed before. The narrow walkway was surrounded by bamboo. “This leads up to the parking lot too,” Kris explained as she led Erin forward.
Instead of climbing up the steep hill, which Erin had walked down earlier that evening, there were several sets of steps leading up. Kris stopped on a large landing overlooking a stream spilling into the lagoon outside the restaurant. Tall bamboo surrounded the landing with only a small area trimmed back to afford a view of the stream. The stream was illuminated by hidden lights, making it sparkle. It was secluded enough that they couldn’t be seen from below and someone would have to be on the steps directly above to spot them. Kris knew the parking lot was well illuminated so she had stopped them here with a specific purpose in mind.
Erin gazed at Kris questioningly when she stopped and drew them into a corner of the landing. She looked up at Kris when she felt her move closer. Erin hadn’t been this close to Kris since she had unexpectedly ended up in her lap at the baseball game.
“I thought maybe we could say goodnight here,” Kris murmured. Her voice, normally low and husky, seemed to have dropped even lower. Erin shivered at the tone as a delicious tingle swept her body.
“You okay?” Kris asked in concern, placing her hands on Erin’s shoulders.
“I’m good,” Erin finally managed to stutter. She had never been affected by anyone like she was by Kris. She could feel the heat emanating off Kris’s body and it was attracting her like a magnet. Unconsciously, she took a step forward bringing her body into contact with Kris. The resulting sensation caused both women to gasp.
Kris looked deep into Erin’s dark brown eyes. Even in the dim light, she was close enough to see the golden flecks mixed with the brown.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” Kris warned as she lowered her head.
“Okay,” Erin whispered just as their lips met for the first time.
The kiss was soft, their lips just barely brushing. Erin groaned and pressed closer to Kris. The second kiss was firmer, with just a hint of passion behind it. When Kris broke contact and pulled back, she gazed down into Erin’s dilated pupils. Kris’s hands slid off Erin’s shoulders and she wrapped her arms tightly about her, drawing her even closer. She could feel her heart pounding and it was matched by rapid beat of Erin’s heart against her breast.
Erin rose up on her toes, her hand going to the back of Kris’s neck. She pulled her down into another kiss. Feeling Kris’s tongue begging for entry against her lips, Erin opened her mouth to the welcomed intruder. She heard a moan as Kris’s tongue slipped inside but wasn’t sure who made it. At this point, she didn’t much care.
The sound of children’s laughter alerted both women to the fact that they were about to have an audience. They pulled apart reluctantly, both breathing heavily. They separated just as two young boys came charging down the stairs followed quickly by their parents. They smiled and nodded to the couple and their children as they passed.
Once they were gone, Kris tried to take Erin back into her arms but Erin backed up quickly. Kris looked at her in concern.
Erin smiled reassuringly. “One more kiss like that and I won’t be able to drive home.”
Kris smiled in understanding, she was pretty worked up herself. “I really had a good time tonight.”
“I did too, Kris. I promise I’ll speak to Alice as soon as I get home and call you tomorrow.”
“Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.” Kris reached out to claim Erin’s hand.
When they reached Erin’s van, they stopped and stood next to it, neither wanting to leave. Kris wanted so badly to kiss Erin again. She glanced around the parking area at all the people getting out of their cars and making their way to the restaurant. It was busy even on a Tuesday night. She settled for a quick kiss on Erin’s cheek.
Erin had seen Kris look around and knew why she had chosen the secluded landing to say good night. Erin climbed into her van and rolled down the window. “Good night… talk to you in the morning,” she said before reluctantly driving away.
Kris watched until Erin’s taillights disappeared before making her way to her own vehicle.
Chapter Five
“Good date?”
Erin jumped at the unexpected voice. She had been standing in the kitchen lost in thought about her date with Kris.
“You scared me, Alice,” she admonished the older woman. “I thought you’d fallen asleep upstairs. And yes, I had a very good time.”
“I figured as much since you were staring off into space with a big smile on your face,” Alice teased.
Erin looked over at her mother-in-law and scowled. Well, technically she was her ex mother-in-law. “I was not.”
“Yes, you were,” Alice insisted. “How did things go?”
Her relationship with Alice was very open and honest from the beginning. Sometimes, it was hard to remember she was her ex-husband’s mother. She had been very supportive of Erin when she divorced Scott. Alice had stood by her side and informed her son that he was an idiot. Even when Erin confided to her that she was a lesbian, her support had been unwavering. It had been a welcome change from her own mother who never supported her, no matter what she did.
“It was great, we really hit it off. She seems to be such an open and caring person. She even ordered these souvenir glasses for the kids just because she thought they’d get a kick out of them,” Erin said, showing Alice the two goldfish bowl glasses Kris had purchased for the kids.
“Good. You need to find someone, Erin. You’ve been alone too long. The kids are getting older and don’t demand anywhere near as much of your time as they once did. Find a good woman and settle down.”
Erin shook her head in disbelief. “Your son would have a fit if he heard you talking like that. Aren’t you supposed to be encouraging me to get back together with Scott?”
“He may be my son but Scott doesn’t deserve you. Not after the way he treated you while you were pregnant and right after the twins were born. I thought we raised him better,” Alice said, shaking her head in disgust at her son’s behavior. “I realize now we shouldn’t have pressured you to marry him. You would never be happy together.”
Alice walked over and laid her hand on Erin’s forearm. “I think of you as the daughter I never had, and if being with a woman is what makes you happy, then that’s the way it should be. I’m just happy you allow us to share your life and the lives of our grandchildren.”
“You know I would never stop you from seeing the kids,” Erin said sincerely.
“I know, Erin. And Robert and I are eternally grateful for that,” she said, reaching over to hug Erin. “Enough of this serious stuff. I need to head home, 6am comes early.”
“Oh, before you go, could I ask you to watch Christopher and Jenna on Friday night?”
“Got a hot date?” Alice teased with a smirk.
“Only if you watch the kids,” Erin countered, grinning.
“No problem, why don’t you let them spend the night?”
“You don’t have to do that, we’re just going to dinner and a show. We shouldn’t be too late.”
Alice scowled at Erin. “Okay, let me put this another way. Robert and I would really appreciate it if you’d let the kids spend Friday night with us.”
Erin hugged Alice conveying her appreciation. “Thanks.”
They said their goodbyes and Alice headed home. Erin glanced at the clock in the kitchen wondering if it was too late to call Kris. Finally, deciding she didn’t want to appear too anxious, she chose to wait until morning to call.
Erin kept an eye on the entrance to the rapidly filling movie theater. The line to get into the show had been much longer than expected. Knowing the movie was going to be packed, she had offered to go save them a seat when Kris insisted on stopping at the snack bar. Erin smiled and waved to Kris when she spotted her. She stared at her incredulously when she saw what she was carrying.
“What?” Kris asked, seeing Erin’s look.
Kris had two large drinks, a brimming bucket of popcorn and a package of candy balanced carefully on a tray.
Erin shook her head as she reached up to take them. “We just finished dinner.”
Kris grinned. “It’s a rule. You can’t go to the theater to see a movie without eating popcorn. And if you have popcorn, you have to have a drink.”
“And the candy?” she questioned laughingly.
Kris leaned over close to Erin to make sure she wasn’t overheard. “Well, since it’s unlikely I’m going to get what I really want for dessert…I figured chocolate would have to substitute, for the time being.”
A shiver of excitement rippled down Erin’s body and landed right between her legs.
Kris laughed at the vivid blush that rapidly covered Erin’s face. She leaned even closer, gently nuzzling Erin’s ear. “I was talking about cheesecake… what were you thinking?”
“Behave,” Erin whispered, elbowing Kris in the ribs. She couldn’t believe what this woman could do to her with a few simple words. Dating Kris was definitely going to be an adventure, and she was looking forward to every minute of it.
* * * * *
Kris had her arm around Erin’s waist as they exited the theater. The thriller they saw had turned out to be scarier than expected. After the second time Erin grabbed her arm in fright, Kris had put up the armrest between their seats and draped her arm across Erin’s shoulders to hold her close. She spent the rest of the movie distracted by the delightful feel of Erin pressed up against her side.
They stopped by Erin’s van.
“Thank you for a great evening,” Erin said, unlocking her vehicle.
Kris didn’t want the evening to end. Erin had mentioned earlier that Alice and her husband were keeping the twins overnight. She kept meaning to ask Erin if the couple were friends or family.
“Maybe we could go somewhere for a drink,” Kris suggested hopefully.
Erin didn’t want their evening to end either. “Sure…where did you have in mind?”
“I know this quiet little bar over on Pacific Hwy.”
“That sounds good. I’ll follow you,” Erin readily agreed.
Kris gave Erin directions and they both headed out in their respective vehicles.
* * * * *
Erin looked around the small bar with its tiny two person tables and intimate booths. There was an oak bar situated against one wall and in the far corner of the room was a postage stamp sized dance floor. She checked out the patrons and quickly realized this was a gay bar.
Kris noted Erin’s perusal. “Is this okay?”
“It’s great,” Erin assured her with a smile.
Erin went to find them a seat while Kris got their drinks at the bar.
Kris smiled broadly when she saw Erin. She’d chosen one of the secluded booths despite the fact that several less intimate tables were open. Kris slid into the booth and over next to Erin. The length of their thighs pressed together beneath the table.
They talked about the movie and other inconsequential things, both taking silent note of how comfortable they were with each other. The atmosphere at dinner had been just as relaxed. They had spoken on the phone every day, sometimes several times in the same day, since their first date, which most likely accounted for their ease.
Erin was curious about something Kris had said on their first date. “I was wondering…” she started hesitantly, not quite sure how to phrase her question.
Kris’s eyebrow rose in question, wondering what was on Erin’s mind that was making her so tentative all the sudden. “What is it? You can ask me anything,” Kris assured her. She had some questions of her own and hoped if she was honest with Erin, then she could ask them of her too…
Erin took a deep breath before beginning. “You mentioned before that you hadn’t been out on a date in a long time. I was just wondering, why not?”
Kris was tempted to give a flippant answer, like she just hadn’t met the right woman, until now. She really didn’t want to talk about her past but knew she couldn’t put it off forever. Besides, she was interested in hearing about Erin’s past and, if she wanted answers, it was only fair to provide some of her own first. She felt Erin’s eyes on her, watching and waiting.
Sighing mentally, she began. “About five and a half years ago, I got involved with a woman I met at a business seminar. I had dated casually in college but for the first couple years after graduating, I was too busy getting my business off the ground to date much. Angela was my first serious relationship. I really thought she was ‘The One’.” Kris paused to take a sip of her drink. She could feel all the emotions from that time trying to surface.
“My business had finally taken off and we had secured several contracts. I was working long hours but I thought I had it all; a successful company and a beautiful girlfriend I loved. I would’ve married her if I could. After dating for six months, we bought a place and moved in together. We planning on spending the rest of our lives together, at least that’s what I thought. By that point, we had even talked about starting a family.” Kris scrubbed her hands across her face, trying to push her rising emotions aside. She took another large sip of her drink.
“From there, things started to deteriorate. We had some problems before we moved in together but I thought maybe it was just the stress of trying to keep up two households. But things got worse, not better. No matter what I did, she wasn’t happy. Angela complained bitterly about my long hours and how I was neglecting her. When I did take time off, she complained that I was smothering her.” Kris couldn’t help the bitterness that had crept into her tone. She looked over to see Erin’s reaction.
Erin reached out and clasped Kris’s hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze, silently urging her to continue.
“We’d been living together about a year when it all came crashing down. I came home early one Friday afternoon. I wanted to surprise her. I’d rented a suite for the weekend at the Hotel Del Coronado. I thought, maybe, if we had some time to ourselves we could talk things out, get our relationship back on track. I was surprised to find Angela’s car in the driveway when I got home, as well as a car I didn’t recognize parked behind it. I quietly let myself in…” Kris’s voice trailed off, her throat tight with emotion. Very few people knew the real reason behind her and Angela’s breakup.
Erin’s hand tightened on Kris’s reassuringly. She reached out with her free hand and stroked Kris’s arm. “You don’t have to tell me the rest.” Erin could guess what had happened. She couldn’t imagine how terrible it must have been to find her girlfriend with another woman.
Kris shook her head. “No…I need to.” Erin nodded. “I didn’t find anyone downstairs, then I heard voices coming from upstairs. The only thing upstairs was our bedroom and the master bath.” Kris met Erin’s understanding eyes. “I caught them in our bed in the middle of the act,” she said, her voice harsh with remembered pain.
“Oh, Kris, I’m so sorry.”
“That’s not the worst of it. I found out later she’d been seeing him for months and was pregnant with his child,” Kris said bitterly.
“Oh my God! It was a guy!” Erin exclaimed in disbelief.
Kris nodded miserably. “Tell me about it. It would’ve been hurtful enough if it had been another woman… but that was really a slap in the face.”
Erin didn’t know what to say, she was stunned by the revelation.
“I went into a deep depression for almost a year. I swore I’d never allow anyone to get close enough to hurt me like that again.” Kris shook off the bad memories. “That was four years ago, and I haven’t been out on a date since.”
Erin quickly realized what a chance Kris was taking emotionally to date her. Not only did she have an ex-husband but also children by him. After Angela, Erin was amazed that Kris would even consider seeing a woman who had been married.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I want you to know, Kris, I give you my word. I’m not going to go back to my ex-husband. I promise, some day soon, I’ll tell you how I ended up marrying him, but I have no doubts. I am a lesbian.”
Kris wasn’t sure how but she knew Erin was telling the truth. She had to believe her or there was no way anything could ever develop between them. After her experience with Angela, Kris never thought she would trust anyone with her feelings again but, for some reason, she trusted Erin.
“I do believe you, I have to,” Kris admitted emotionally. “I was drawn to you from the first moment I saw you. I know this doesn’t make any sense, I mean, this is only our second date but I feel very strongly for you. I want to see where this goes. I want to let go of the past and start anew.”
“Thank you,” Erin said, placing a sweet kiss on Kris’s lips.
“What was that for?” Kris asked when the kiss broke. “Not that I’m complaining,” she added with a smile.
“For giving me a chance despite my past. I know how hard that must be for you. You make me feel something I’ve never felt before. It’s like there’s a built in connection between us, and it feels good,” Erin earnestly tried to explain, hoping Kris would understand.
“I know, I feel it too.”
“So, where do we go from here?” Erin questioned intently.
“My place?” Kris offered teasingly while waggling her eyebrows.
Erin laughed. “I don’t think I’m ready for that just yet.” She glanced over and noticed several women dancing to the music from the jukebox. “Dance with me?”
Kris smiled brightly and stood, offering her hand to Erin.
* * * * *
Kris opened her arms as they stepped onto the dance floor. Erin willingly moved into the circle of her arms, pressing her body close. They fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle. They began to dance as if they’d done it a hundred times before. There was none of the awkwardness that usually accompanied a new dance partner. Kris shuddered in arousal when Erin buried her face in her neck and pressed even closer.
Erin was lost in the sensations coursing through her body as Kris moved against her. She had danced with Cathy a few times while they dated but it had never felt anything like this. She could feel her nipples tightening in reaction to the pressure of Kris’s breasts and belly brushing against her as they swayed to the music. Erin groaned when Kris’s hands slid down and cupped her butt, pulling her close and then, pressed her thigh between her legs. Erin’s hips jerked in reaction against Kris’s thigh. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and dampness pooling between her legs. Her arms tightened convulsively where they were wrapped around Kris’s back. She lifted her head and lost herself in Kris’s vibrant blue eyes. Her lips parted unconsciously in invitation.
Kris readily accepted the silent request, leaning in to capture Erin’s lips in a heated kiss. Erin readily opened her mouth, sucking Kris’s tongue deep, causing them both to groan. Neither woman heard the music end. When the torrid kiss finally broke, they were standing alone on the dance floor. They blushed when several women winked and gave them a thumbs up as they made their way back to their booth.
Erin stared shyly at the table once they were seated and seemed unwilling to meet Kris’s eyes. She was embarrassed by how ardently she’d responded to Kris.
“Are you okay?” Kris asked worriedly, wondering if she’d overstepped with the kiss. She had just gotten so caught up in the feel of Erin’s body against hers that she hadn’t been able to stop herself.
Erin looked up when she heard the concern in Kris’s voice. “I’m fine…I just… never had that happen before.”
“You’ve never been kissed on a dance floor before?” Kris asked in surprise.
“Yeah, I mean I have but I never lost all sense of my surroundings from just a kiss. It was like no one existed but us,” she disclosed, still amazed at the intensity of the kiss they shared.
Kris grinned cockily and buffed her nails on her shirt. Erin laughed and reached over to playfully smack her on the arm.
“I should probably get going,” Erin said reluctantly.
Kris glanced down at her watch and was surprised at the lateness of the hour. They had been in the bar much longer than she realized. Time just seemed to fly when she was with Erin.
“Please let me see you home,” Kris said. Erin visibly hesitated. “I won’t get out of the truck. I just want to make sure you get home safely. It’s late and I don’t feel comfortable with you driving the streets alone.” Kris sighed in relief at Erin’s nod of acceptance.
They shared a good night kiss in the parking lot before heading out in their respective vehicles. True to her word, Kris followed Erin home, and then waited in her truck for a light to come on inside the house before driving away.
Chapter Seven
“Are you going to pout all night?”
Kris crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Jerry. “I’m not pouting.”
Jerry mimicked Kris’s stern posture, laughing at her. “Yes, you are. But being the wonderful friend that I am, I came over to save you from yourself.” He reached over and poked Kris in the ribs. “Come on.. so she canceled on you, it’s not the end of the world. Come out with Tony and me.”
“Forget it. I don’t want to sit around all night and watch you two throw yourselves at each other.”
Jerry tried to look hurt but Kris wasn’t buying it. She continued to scowl at him. “We’re going to Drake’s to play pool. Come on, it’ll be fun. Who knows, you might see some hot chicks. That’ll take your mind off your troubles,” he teased.
“Not everything is about getting laid! I’m not interested in picking up a woman for a quickie in some bathroom,” Kris’s replied acerbically.
“Oh sure, girlfriend…since when?” Jerry snorted.
“Bite me!”
“Eww… now you’re just being gross,” Jerry complained. “Come on, Kris, what’s going on? This just isn’t like you. What’s the big deal? Erin cancelled cause her kids are sick.”
“I know. I was just really looking forward to seeing her. I had a great dinner planned, I was even gonna cook.” She glared at Jerry when he smirked. “Not only that, but I haven’t gotten to talk to her for more than five minutes at a time in days,” Kris whined, a pathetic look on her face.
Jerry shook his head in amazement. He hadn’t seen Kris act like this about a woman in years. Not since Angela, he mused silently, scowling at just the thought of her name. “You’re really serious about her, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I am. I told her about Angela,” Kris admitted quietly.
Holy Shit! Jerry was stunned. This was more serious than he thought if Kris had told Erin about Angela. As far as he knew, he was one of only a handful of people who actually knew what happened between them. “What’d she say?”
“That she was sorry I had to go through something like that. She assured me she was gay and had no doubts.” Kris smiled in remembrance. “She also thanked me for giving her a chance, regardless of her past.”
Jerry took a good look at Kris’s expression. She’s a goner! he groaned. He had only seen that look on her face once before, when she fell for Angela. He just prayed this would turn out differently for her. He had his doubts about her getting involved with a woman who not only was a divorcee, but who also had children. If Erin were ever to decide she was straight after all, Kris would never recover.
The very fact that she admitted she felt strongly for Erin was amazing in itself. Her telling Erin about Angela was, in his opinion, nothing short of a miracle. He knew he would have to tread carefully.
“That’s good, Kris, but…um… do you believe her?” he asked cautiously. He flinched when Kris’s face clouded over. He knew an explosion was coming.
Kris was ready to blast Jerry for questioning Erin’s integrity but realized his concern was valid. She forced herself to calm down and tried not to snicker when she saw Jerry visibly relax. “Yes, I believe her. I don’t know how to explain it, but it feels like there’s a connection between us. She says she feels it too. It’s different from what it was like with Angela -- with her, I realize now, I was just in lust at first and came to love her later. With Erin, it’s... I just…” Kris’s voice trailed off, she hesitated to put what she was feeling into words.
“Sounds pretty serious,” Jerry prompted.
Kris looked Jerry right in the eye. “I’ve fallen for her Jerry…hard! I’m sure I’m in love with her.” Kris felt her heart flutter in her chest. There, she had actually said it. Kris had thought about it long and hard when she’d returned home the night she told Erin about Angela. That’s when she realized she had fallen for the beautiful brunette. But Kris was also well aware of the fact that it was too soon to tell her.
It took Jerry several tries to get his voice to work. “Have you told her yet?” he finally squeaked out.
“No…it’s too soon, I don’t want to scare her off. We’ve only been on two dates although we’ve spoken at length on the phone every day since our first date, at least we did ‘til her kids got sick. Hell, I haven’t even met her kids yet,” Kris groused.
“What about the kids, Kris? Are you sure you want a ready made family? What if they’re real brats?”
Kris laughed. “Knowing Erin, I’m not worried about it. Everything she’s told me about them, good and bad, has just made me want to meet them more. I’ve been worried sick about them all week. Erin sounded really worn out when we did manage to chat for a few minutes this week,” Kris told Jerry anxiously.
Jerry knew there was no sense in airing his doubts. Kris had already made up her mind. He just prayed she was right.
“Well, in that case, I hope everything works out for you and that Erin feels the same.”
“I don’t know if she’s in love with me, but I know she has strong feelings for me. I can see it in her eyes.” Kris tried to reassure her friend, knowing what he must be thinking.
“So, what’s her story, anyway?” Jerry questioned, curious to know more about this woman his best friend had fallen for. “How did she end up not only married to some guy but having his kid, if she’s gay?”
“I don’t know,” Kris admitted sheepishly.
“What?” Jerry shouted. “What do you mean you don’t know?”
Kris sighed in frustration. “I know! She promised to tell me all about it. I was going to ask her about it at dinner tonight.”
This was going to be Angela all over again, Jerry groaned, he just knew it. “That’s crazy, Kris! How do you know this isn’t just some kind of experiment? Do you know if she’s even been with another woman? Do I have to tell you the statistics of how often a woman stays with her first? My God, girl… you’ve got to get a hold of yourself,” Jerry ranted.
Kris’s expression sobered. “I know all that. I know this must sound crazy to you. Hell, it sounds crazy to me… but none of it matters. I have to try… I can’t explain it. I just have to try… no matter what.” Kris met Jerry’s eyes, begging him to understand.
There was nothing else he could do. Jerry leaned over and gave Kris a warm hug. “You know I’ll be there, no matter what,” he assured solemnly. He stood up.
“Now, enough of this serious stuff. Get your butt in gear and let’s go play pool!” he forced himself to smile, not wanting Kris to see just how worried he was about the situation.
“I can’t…” Kris began.
“No excuses…move it woman!” Jerry tried to drag Kris off the couch.
“No, really, I can’t. Erin said she would try to call tonight after she got the kids down. I don’t want to miss her call.”
“You’re going to spent your Friday night sitting by the phone just in case some woman might call? Jerry snickered. “My, my, how the mighty have fallen,” he teased. “Hello…Miss Computer Geek…ever heard of a cell phone?”
“She’s not just some woman,” Kris defended grumpily, “and I don’t want to try and talk to her over the noise in Drake’s.
Jerry threw up his hands in surrender and headed for the door. “Okay, if you change your mind, you know where we’ll be.
Chapter Eight
Kris snatched the phone off the table before the second ring. She grinned when she saw the caller ID.
“Hey there. How are you?”
“Hi, Kris, I’m tired but good. The kids are much better,” Erin said, obviously relieved. “I’m really sorry about having to cancel our dinner. I just didn’t feel right leaving them after they’d been so sick all week.”
“I’m sorry we missed our dinner but there’s no need to apologize. The kids needed you and that’s where you should be. I understand they’re your first priority, as they should be,” Kris reassured.
“Thanks for understanding. How can I make it up to you?” Erin asked.
Kris went off into fantasyland as her mind filled with images of all the ways Erin could make up for their broken date. She was pulled out of her fantasy by Erin’s voice.
“Kris? Kris?”
Kris blushed fiercely, glad that Erin couldn’t see her face. “Sorry about that,” she said, her voice dropping to a husky purr, velvety with arousal.
Erin gulped, surprised at her body’s response to Kris’s voice. Suddenly, she wasn’t feeling tired at all. “That’s okay,” Erin managed to croak out. “So, what can I do to make up for tonight?”
Kris forced herself to focus on the question and not slip away again. “How about dinner at my place as planned, you bring dessert?” Kris suggested, already knowing what she wanted for dessert.
Erin shocked herself when her mind immediately fell into the gutter at the thought of what, or rather who, she’d like for dessert. She shivered with arousal at her thoughts. This just wasn’t like her, she had never entertained such sexual thoughts about anyone before.
Kris grinned at the extended silence, wondering if Erin was thinking anywhere along the same lines.
“Earth to Erin,” she called out teasingly.
“Sorry… I um… I…” Erin stuttered, causing Kris to chuckle. She cleared her throat several time. “That sounds great. When?”
“You pick the day.”
“How about Sunday? That’ll give me a chance to make sure the kids are really okay,” Erin suggested.
“It’s a date,” Kris agreed happily.
“Great…” Erin said, then paused, “I wanted to tell you…I’ve really missed talking with you everyday,” she admitted shyly.
Kris’s heart soared. “I missed you too, Erin.”
They stayed on the phone for another hour before Erin’s exhaustion became apparent and Kris urged her to hang up though they could’ve easily talked for hours.
They both went to bed that night with a smile, happier than they had been all week.
Kris glanced around her living room one last time. Erin was due any minute. She gulped nervously when the doorbell rang. Brushing nonexistent wrinkles from her clothes, she went to answer the door.
Kris couldn’t help staring at Erin. She looked wonderful in soft faded blue jeans and a short sleeve shirt opened to the waist, revealing a yellow v-neck tee shirt underneath. Kris realized just how much she’d missed her over the last week. Finally, remembering her manners, she motioned Erin inside.
Erin had been enjoying her own perusal. Kris looked great in tight fitting black jeans that hugged her muscular thighs and a dark blue tank top that set off her light blond hair and made her blue eyes appear even darker than normal. Erin was reminded again that Kris was a strikingly beautiful woman.
Kris closed the door and turned, startled to find Erin standing so close that they were almost touching.
“Hi,” Kris greeted softly. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Hi, yourself,” Erin countered with a soft smile. “Thanks for inviting me.”
Kris saw Erin’s lips move but wasn’t aware of what she said. Not allowing herself time to think about it, she closed the small distance between them and drew Erin into her arms. Seeing no resistance in her eyes, she kissed her softly at first, then deeper when she started to respond. Kris groaned and felt her knees grow weak when Erin’s tongue pressed gently into her mouth. She eagerly accepted the offered appendage and their tongues danced together in her mouth.
Erin moaned, her body trembling with arousal. She pulled back from the kiss feeling out of control. She looked up into Kris’s eyes, shocked at the burning passion she saw there. No one had ever looked at her that way before. She felt excited and slightly scared. An electric tingle spread through her body right down to her toes. Knowing she wasn’t ready to go where that fiery gaze promised to take her, she slowly pulled away from Kris.
Kris whimpered in protest at Erin’s withdrawal, her body was on fire. She couldn’t remember any woman ever stirring her so with just a kiss. Erin placed a restraining hand on Kris’s chest when she reached for her again. Kris saw the uncertainty and fear in Erin’s eyes and fought to curb her raging libido. The last thing she wanted to do was scare her away. Kris took a deep calming breath to regain her composure.
“How about I show you around?” Kris finally suggested.
Erin smiled gratefully, thankful for Kris’s understanding. She knew Kris was very aroused but the fact that she was willing to put it aside to make her comfortable meant a lot to Erin. “Thanks,” she said softly.
Kris nodded her head in understanding. She led her guest into the main living area. The living room was a good size, with track lights running the length of the ceiling giving the room a warm glow. The room had a casual lived in look and was furnished with comfortable looking overstuffed furniture. In the open dining area, a sliding glass door provided a fantastic view into the wooded canyon below. The kitchen was separated from the dining room by a wall of cabinets and a counter.
Kris led Erin out of the kitchen and into a study located just off the front foyer. It was the first clutter Erin had seen since entering the house. The large desk had two computer monitors sitting side by side and was covered in computer printouts. The floor was littered with dismembered computers and the bookshelves lining one wall bulged with huge computer books and stray computer parts.
“As you can see, this is where I do most of my work,” Kris said with an embarrassed grin.
“So, you work from home, you don’t have an office?” Erin inquired curiously.
“We do have a office. It’s a small company, there’re only ten of us including Betty, our secretary. She mans the office, answers the phone, sends out the bills… everything that keeps the business running. I visit prospective clients to decide what they need and write up the proposals. I’m usually on-site when we set up our system and get it up and running. At that point, my employees take over and provide any additional services the client needs. I do most of my work here or on-site with the client. I try to get into the office a couple of times a week or Betty really gets on my case. You’ll have to meet her, she’s a real character.” Kris laughed self-consciously. “That was probably more than you wanted to know. I tend to get carried way when I talk about my business.”
“No, I want to know everything about you,” Erin declared.
Kris smiled brightly. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the place. The bedrooms are downstairs.”
There was a short hallway at the bottom of the stairs. “I use this as a workout room,” Kris explained, stopping in the first doorway off the hall. Next to it was a full bathroom with a large Jacuzzi. Erin glanced into both rooms before following Kris down the hall. At the far end was the master bedroom - a large sleigh bed dominated the room. The furniture was all darkly stained oak. The walls were painted a warm blue with the carpet set in a deeper blue tone. The bed was covered in a southwestern style comforter accompanied by several large pillows in matching shams.
Erin gazed at the big bed, wondering what it would be like to share it with Kris. She shivered slightly at the thought. Looking up, she found Kris’s eyes on her. She glanced away and a light blush spread across her cheeks. When she looked back, Kris raised an eyebrow and smirked as if she knew what Erin had just been thinking. Erin felt her face flush bright red.
Kris grinned, then motioned toward a door in the far wall. “And last but not least,” she said, stepping into the master bath.
Erin gasped when she walked into the bathroom. Not only was the floor and countertops made from granite, but so was the largest shower she had ever seen. It ran along the length of one wall and was enclosed by floor to ceiling glass walls. In addition to multiple showerheads, there was a wide bench opposite the showerheads. Kris opened the shower door so Erin could look out the window set in the back wall of the shower stall. It offered a view of the canyon below but strategically placed trees blocked anyone from looking in.
“Wow! I’ve never seen anything like this, Christopher and Jenna would love it. Our shower is too small for all three of us to shower together. I have to take them in with me one at a time but we could all fit in here.”
Kris smiled wistfully, wanting to be included in that ‘we’.
“Did you add this shower?” Erin asked.
“No, this was all here when I bought the place. Only thing I added was the Jacuzzi in the other bathroom. I like to soak and I don’t exactly fit in a standard tub.” Kris’s stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, “Ready for some dinner?”
“Sure,” Erin said. She continued to look around as they made their way back upstairs. “You really have a beautiful place here, Kris. I hope you’re not disappointed when you see my house. With two young children, it’s decorated in early American clutter.”
Kris’s eyes widened in surprise and she turned to look at Erin, wondering if she realized the significance of what she had just said.
Erin’s startled expression answered that question. Kris started to give Erin an out but she cut her off.
“No, I meant it, Kris,” she assured. “Maybe not tomorrow but if you’re still willing, I’d like to invite you to my place and introduce you to my children…soon.”
Kris pressed a warm kiss on Erin’s lips but pulled back before it could escalate.
“I take that as a yes?” Erin teased.
“Definitely a yes,” she assured as they came to the dining room table that had been set for an intimate candlelight dinner for two. “I hope you’re hungry. I have salad, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and steaks to grill.” A sudden thought occurred to Kris. “You do eat meat, don’t you?” she asked nervously, mentally kicking herself for not having asked sooner.
Erin smiled and reached out to give Kris’s arm a quick squeeze. “It all sounds great! What can I do to help?”
Kris smiled in relief and directed Erin into the kitchen.
Erin and Kris sat on opposite ends of the couch sipping their wine. Dinner had been an enjoyable affair. Kris told Erin of her current projects at work then inquired about her week and the twins. She knew how hard it must have been on Erin and several times during the week, she had wished there was some way she could help. It wasn’t often that she felt so helpless. Erin, at first, seemed reluctant to share the details but at Kris’s gentle insistence and obviously sincere concern, she finally relented. It made Kris feel like Erin was letting her into her life by sharing her concerns about her children.
Erin smiled at Kris. She had been surprised when Kris asked about the twins over dinner. Overcoming her reluctance to talk about them, she was pleased at Kris’s genuine interest.
“Dinner was wonderful, Kris,” Erin complimented.
“Thanks for your help,” Kris replied with a smile.
Erin laughed. “I hardly consider putting the salad on the table and flipping the steak once much help.”
“You helped clean up the kitchen.” She had tried to convince Erin to leave the dishes but she refused. Kris had finally given in and they had cleaned up together.
“It was the least I could do after such a great dinner. I didn’t feel right leaving you to clean up the mess later.”
“So, what time to you need to get back?” Kris asked, hoping Erin wouldn’t have to leave right away.
“I told Alice I’d be back by eleven. She has to work tomorrow. She’s a Red Cross volunteer at a local hospital. Her husband, Robert, works three half days a week at the same hospital. He’s a Radiologist. After his heart attack three years ago, he semi-retired. He doesn’t want to given it up completely.”
“Are Alice and Robert friends of yours?”
Erin hesitated, wondering how Kris would react to her relationship with Alice and Robert. “Umm… actually Alice and Robert are my, umm, ex in-laws.”
“Excuse me?” Kris was sure she hadn’t heard right.
“They’re my ex-husband’s parents. They live up the street from me.”
“Oh…” was all Kris could think to say.
“I know this probably sounds strange but Alice, especially, was incredibly supportive not only during my pregnancy but also later when Scott and I divorced. She was the first person I came out to,” Erin explained.
Kris stared at Erin in astonishment.
“I guess, maybe, it’s time I told you about my past, huh?” Erin asked rhetorically. Kris just nodded her head. “Could I have another glass of wine?” she asked, knowing she was going to need it to get through the story.
Kris headed into the kitchen to refill their glasses. Erin used the time to try and bolster her courage for the coming revelations. She had never told any of her dates the whole story of her marriage. Kris had been more than forthcoming about her relationship with Angela. She could do no less. She needed to tell Kris the truth, even though she realized it was less than flattering to herself. She wanted no secrets between them. When Kris returned with the wine, Erin patted the seat next to her. She needed the comfort of having Kris close.
Erin sat quietly sipping her wine for quite some time. Kris was beginning to wonder if she had changed her mind.
Finally, Erin began. “I met Scott at the library during my junior year in college. He was in graduate school for his MBA. Up to that point, I’d rarely dated. I wanted to concentrate on my studies and I’d never been much for socializing anyway. He pursued me for several weeks until I finally relented and we started dating. Dating Scott seemed safe somehow…I liked him, but I didn’t have a strong sexual attraction towards him. I’d seen my mother ruled by her passion for men and I swore I would never let that happen to me. Even then, I think I knew deep inside that I was attracted to women but I just couldn’t admit it to myself. Not long after we started dating, I met his parents. I realize now that I fell in love with Scott’s family and the security and loving acceptance they provided. I’d never had that before.”
“What about your folks?”
“My mom got pregnant with me while she was still in high school. I never knew my father. According to my mother, she didn’t know who fathered me. It could’ve been any one of several boys she ‘dated’,” Erin said bitterly.
“Do you have any contact with her now?”
“No!” Erin responded vehemently. “Last I heard, she was in Florida with husband number six, I think.
Kris wanted to ask more but knew from Erin’s tone that the subject of her mother was closed.
“Anyway, back to Scott and his family. Right from the start, I was invited to all the family functions. They made me feel like part of the family. I convinced myself that I was in love with Scott. We’d been dating for about six months when I slept with him for the first time. It wasn’t a bad experience. I really didn’t feel much of anything aside from a little pain.” Erin looked over at Kris to see how she was taking all this.
Kris’s expression was carefully neutral but Erin was encouraged when Kris reached out and gently stroked her arm.
“Then what happened?”
“We continued to date when Scott’s schedule permitted. We saw each other until the end of my senior year. Scott had received his Masters at the end of my junior year and started working for a small investment firm. We slept together infrequently. Truthfully, I never got much out of it but it made Scott happy so I went along with it. In a way, it made me feel in control of the relationship because I wasn’t ruled by my libido as it seemed so many of my friends were when it came to the men they dated. A month before I completed my student teaching assignment, I found out I was pregnant.”
At Kris’s questioning look, Erin explained. “I can’t take birth control pills, they give me migraine headaches. So, I was using a diaphragm…” Erin picked up her wine and took a sip, she looked down into her glass refusing to make eye contact. “Scott didn’t like to stop sometimes so I could put it in. He complained that it ruined the spontaneity of the moment and he absolutely refused to wear a condom. I was stupid and didn’t insist and well… I got caught,” Erin admitted, her face flushing with embarrassment.
What a jerk! Kris thought, but carefully kept her opinion to herself.
“When I told Scott I was pregnant he insisted I get an abortion.”
“Bastard!” Kris blurted out, unable to stop herself. Sorry,” she quickly apologized, not wanting to offend Erin.
“It’s okay, no need to apologize. I called him that and worse at the time,” Erin said. “Are you sure you want to hear the rest of this?”
“I want to know everything about you, Erin.”
That earned her a bright smile and a quick kiss on the lips before Erin took up the story again.
“When Scott’s parents found out about the pregnancy, they immediately began to encourage us to get married. Scott’s an only child and both Robert and Alice were excited about their first grandchild. I wanted my child to grow up knowing their father. I saw the wonderful relationship Alice and Robert had and convinced myself Scott and I could have that too. Scott was reluctant, I think he knew he didn’t love me and he’d made it clear he didn’t want a child. But eventually, he bowed to pressure from his parents to be responsible and marry me. I quickly found out dating Scott and being married to him and pregnant were two very different things. I guess I was so enamored with being part of a family that I never allowed myself to see how self-centered and selfish Scott really was. If it wasn’t about him, he wasn’t interested.”
Erin stopped to take a drink of wine and compose herself. Kris waited patiently and rubbed her arm in silent support. Erin smiled gratefully at Kris, then took up her story again.
“I had terrible morning sickness early in my pregnancy. Scott was less than supportive and angry at the disruption of his schedule. I used to attend work related social events with him while we were dating. He always seemed so proud to have me on his arm but the bigger my belly got, the more distant he became. He resented my advancing pregnancy and complained that I wasn’t supportive of him or his work. He was furious when he found out I was having twins. It was like I’d planned it intentionally to spite him…I shouldn’t have been surprised, he’d made it clear he never wanted a child, much less two. ” Erin’s voice trailed off when she noted the growing anger on Kris’s face.
Kris couldn’t believe anyone could be so cruel and callous to the woman carrying his children. “I’m so sorry, Erin, pregnancy should be a magical time,” Kris said, fighting her rising anger at Erin’s ex.
“It’s not your fault, you weren’t there.”
“I wish I had been!” Kris insisted fervently, tears in her eyes. She ached for the terrible way Erin had been treated.
Erin felt tears come to her eyes at Kris’s words.
Kris knew there was more. “Tell me the rest,” Kris gently encouraged.
Erin sighed heavily. Kris reached out and put her arm around Erin’s shoulder and drew her close. Erin rested her head on Kris’s shoulder and prepared herself to tell the rest of the story. She had worked hard to let the pain and anger of that time go… but telling the story was bringing back very painful memories.
“By the time I reached my sixth month, we were sleeping in separate bedrooms. Scott complained my restlessness disturbed him and he needed his sleep ‘cause he worked for a living.”
Could this guy be any more of an ass? Kris thought angrily.
“Alice and Robert were a Godsend during my pregnancy. They were both appalled by Scott’s behavior. Alice was the one who attended my doctor’s appointments with me and ensured that I took care of myself.”
Kris reached out and cupped Erin’s chin urging her head up until they made eye contact. “You’re doing great, keep going.”
After taking another healthy sip of wine, Erin settled back against Kris and continued. “I went into labor early one morning. I told Scott before he left for work. He said ‘fine, these things take time, I’ve got an important day today. Call me if the contractions get closer.’ I spent the day by myself. By that time, I was so large I could barely get around. I called Scott at work late that afternoon and told him I needed to go to the hospital. He said he’d call his mother and get her to take me. He had an important dinner meeting with a client and couldn’t miss it.” Tears started to slide down Erin’s face and she angrily brushed them away.
“Why didn’t you call Alice earlier?” Kris inquired gently. She could see that this was an emotional subject for Erin.
“I don’t know.” Erin shrugged. “I guess by that point I felt like a big, fat, useless burden on everyone,” she explained as tears continued to fall.
“Oh, Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” Kris pulled Erin into her lap and hugged her tight.
Erin looked deep into Kris’s eyes and saw nothing but understanding in her loving gaze. If she hadn’t been in love with Kris before, she was now. She wiped her eyes and gave Kris a somewhat watery smile.
“Sorry about that, even though it’s been awhile, the memories of that time are just hard…” Erin tried to explain, embarrassed by her loss of control.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it was a very emotional time for you.” Kris was more than sympathetic.
With Kris’s reassurance, Erin took up her story again. “After Christopher and Jenna were born, things just deteriorated further. Everything about them irritated Scott. They cried too much, they woke him up at night, I devoted too much time to them and didn’t have time for him or his needs… the list just went on and on. That’s when I realized things were never going to get better. I admitted to myself that I didn’t love Scott and never had. I finally understood that I had used him to try to get the family I’d never had growing up. I felt more for his parents than I did for him.”
Erin looked up at Kris. Kris leaned down and placed a soft loving kiss on Erin’s lips. Thus fortified, Erin continued.
“I figured I’d rather have the kids grow up with just me than to get older and realize that their father thought of them as nothing more than a nuisance. He started staying out late at night and on weekends. I don’t think he ever touched one of them in the two months he lived with us after their birth.”
Erin sighed as memories of the time flooded her. She shook away the depressing thoughts.
“When they were two months old, I ask Scott for a divorce. I think it was more of a relief if anything by that point. Plus, he had the added satisfaction of being able to say I asked for the divorce. It was as if it absolved him of any responsibility for the break-up. Alice was my champion during that whole time. She and Robert stood by my side and supported me during the divorce.”
“What happened wasn’t your fault, Erin. You tried to make it work,” Kris said.
Erin smiled lovingly at Kris, pleased by her support. “Scott was shocked and angry with me when his parents didn’t rush to his side. He claimed I’d turned them against him. They helped whenever they could with the kids. Alice has been a lifesaver many times in the last five years. I don’t know how I would have managed without her and Robert…”
Erin sniffed, wiping away her tears. She looked Kris directly in the eyes, wanting her to know how important this was to her.
“But the truth is, although I made a mistake marrying Scott, I’ve never regretted for a single moment having Christopher and Jenna. I can’t even begin to tell you what they mean to me. As hard as it is sometimes to be a single mom, I wouldn’t trade my life for anything,” she declared.
“We all make mistakes, Erin. You’re luckier than most that your mistake also brought you your greatest joy. The important thing is you learned from it and moved on with your life. Looking back now, I saw all the warning signs with Angela that things weren’t right but I ignored them. I didn’t want to admit I’d made a mistake. You tried to make the best of the situation you found yourself in and provide the best home possible for your children. I think you’re an amazing lady to be raising two children on your own.”
Erin was amazed at Kris’s understanding and compassion. She didn’t say anything, just tightened her arms around Kris’s waist and buried her face in her neck. She was overcome by a sense of peace and security she had never felt before. It was a sense of finally being where she belonged.
“How are things between you and Scott now?” Kris asked.
Erin looked up at Kris and smiled trying to lighten the mood. “Things have gotten better in the last two years. Scott and I reached a point where we accepted that we were both responsible for what happened and that our marriage was a mistake.” Erin met Kris’s eyes and shrugged resignedly. “I can’t say we’re exactly friends… but we do manage, for the twin’s sake, to spend holidays as a family with Alice and Robert. And he has gotten better about the twins. Just this year, he started picking them up and spending one Saturday a month with them. Unfortunately, now that I’ve accepted my sexuality and started to date, it’s gotten kind of rough again. He still hasn’t accepted the fact that I’m a lesbian, but that’s hardly surprising.”
The moment was broken by the ringing of a phone. Erin realized it was coming from her purse. The only person who would be calling her was Alice. She quickly slid off Kris’s lap and grabbed her purse.
“Hey, Alice, is everything alright?” Erin asked. She listened intently for several moments. “No way!” she exclaimed loudly. “Thanks for letting me know, I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
Kris listened to Erin’s side of the short conversation. “Is everything alright?” she asked Erin after she hung up.
“Yeah, that was Alice, she was worried… it’s after midnight!”
Kris’s eyebrows flew up in surprise and she glanced over at the clock on the mantle. “I had no idea.”
“I know, me either. I told her I’d be right home.”
Kris nodded in understanding and escorted Erin to the door. She drew her into a heartfelt hug. “Thank you for sharing that with me, I know how difficult it must’ve been,” she whispered softly near her ear.
Erin lifted her head off Kris’s shoulder and met her eyes. Erin’s look was open and vulnerable.
Kris leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It was filled with promise. “When can I see you again?” Kris questioned when the kiss broke.
“I’ll give you a call tomorrow after I talk to Alice,” Erin promised before placing her head back on Kris’s shoulder.
They hugged for several long minutes, basking in each other’s warmth before Erin pulled away. She knew Alice was waiting.
Kris walked Erin out to her van, then made her way back to her condo. Her mind was whirling with everything Erin had told her that night.