Chapter 21

They took it in turns to towel off the other and Cory grabbed a comb and sat JJ between her legs. She pulled the comb gently through the dark tresses, smoothing out the knots and massaging the scalp, “That feels great babe, you have magic hands. So what’s in the bag, come on show me.”

Cory leant over and grabbed the bag. She’d seen the Ann Summer’s sign as she’d been waiting and couldn’t resist a quick visit; it was a store she wanted to take JJ to visit one day. She passed the bag to JJ, “Ann Summer’s? What shop was that? I never saw it?”

Cory blushed, “Well it’s not a shop you’d notice unless you knew what it was.”

“And that would be?” JJ had noticed the blush on Cory’s cheeks and couldn’t resist continuing to make her partner squirm.

“An erotic shop, well some would say sex but in a tasteful way. They run parties for hen nights and birthdays.”

"What’s a hen party?" enquired JJ picturing a bunch of hens drinking beer and dancing to music.

“It’s when you take the bride-to-be out on her last night of freedom.”

“Oh we call those bachelorette parties.” JJ understanding completely she loved hearing the differences in their vocabulary.

“I have no idea why they call it a hen night, bachelorette makes much more sense, maybe it’s because the blokes get hen pecked from then on!” Cory laughed, “Anyway the Ann Summer’s parties are where the party organiser comes to your house with samples of sexy underwear and other stuff.”

“What other stuff?” JJ turned to show Cory she was interested.

“Toys and stuff,” Cory blushed. “You know.”

“No Cory I don’t know, tell me more!” JJ had an evil glint in her eyes and a huge grin on her face. “I’m guessing by your beetroot coloured face that the toys aren’t your kiddies toys.”

Cory shook her head and giggled, “Oh no, we had a party for a good college friend, it was Ruth’s birthday at college, I was with Deb at the time but they had underwear, dildos and vibrators.” Cory grinned at JJ she was so embarrassed but the memories of that evening always made her smile.

“Was it fun?” JJ wanted to hear more about Cory’s past and she knew there was bound to be a story behind the smile.

“Yeah it was a giggle. We’d always wanted to throw one of these parties so we arranged it for Ruth’s 21st, it had been Debs 21st the week before so it was kind of a joint thing. None of us had ever played with sex toys so we were a little surprised at the gadgets she produced. Well she showed us one huge black dildo that could be attached to the wall by suckers, so she stuck it to the metal on the gas fire. It was huge! Made me gulp.”

JJ laughed at this, “Okay I have the visual on this let’s move on please. So what happened?”

“Well the night went well and the Party Organiser told us about the metal balls you put inside yourself to make you tighter, and then she told a story of how one woman had gone shopping with them in and they’d fallen out of her when she was in the vegetable department and she’d casually bent down and picked them up with out a wink of an eye! I tell you J these things were big and weighed a ton I have no idea how they put them in!”

“Well I could show you!” JJ turned round to show Cory she was joking.

Cory smirked, “I bet you would! Anyway we played games with condoms where they had the old inflatable foot pumps, and the contestants in that game had to put a condom on the end and then bounce up and down on the pump using their arse and the winner was the one whose condom burst. We had bits of condom stuck on the ceiling for days after! Then at the end of the evening we tried to get the big black dick off the fireplace and it pulled the whole front of the fire off. Try explaining that one to your landlord!” Cory laughed at the memory.

“Oh no, did you fix it?” JJ was enjoying hearing the story and she loved how animated her lover got, plus she was curious as to how much Cory knew about those sorts of toys.

“Yeah we fixed it, then of course we had to buy things, well most of the girls had boyfriends so they bought their boyfriends the underwear in the style of crocodile faces, where they put the willy in one section and the balls in another, then you turn the guy on and the crocodile smiles! Well I was with Deb so I couldn’t get those so I got a very, very small vibrator.”

“Really?” JJ was intrigued she’d never thought sex toys were really Cory’s scene.

“Well it was cheap and I couldn’t say no to buying something so Deb and I got them, they were called ‘Clit Teasers’ I never used the thing, I couldn’t if I’d wanted to anyways as it never vibrated after the first time we switched them on so I tossed it in my desk drawer and forgot about it. Then one day it came back to haunt me.” She turned to JJ, “Your hair’s finished so how about we investigate what’s in the bag.”

“No way, not yet, I want to know what happened with the vibrator. You’re blushing so it must be embarrassing.” JJ nudged Cory as she spoke.

“It’s not so embarrassing to speak of, but I wanted the ground to swallow me up at the time. When I left college I chucked all the odds and sods from my desk into my rucksack and forgot about them. One day, mum picked me up from work, as I still hadn’t passed my driving test, I would drive to work with her in the passenger seat and then she would pick me up and let me drive home.

Anyway we were driving along when she mentioned she’d been cleaning my room and had come upon some condoms, well I nearly shot off the road when she said this. I did mention to her that she must have been doing a thorough inspection of my room but she said my brother had borrowed my rucksack and dumped its contents on my bed.”

“Ouch! I bet you were pissed at your brother?” JJ asked as she settled next to Cory, taking the blonde in her arms and running her hands through her hair.

“I was when she came out with her next line, which went along the lines of ‘I also found a small pink thing with batteries in it.’ I could have died.”

“Oh no, what did you do? I bet you blushed.”

“Probably I was trying to think on my feet, and keep the car on the road, so I told her it was an intense muscle massager and they handed them out on the Physical Education course for groin strains and other muscles that were hard to reach.”

JJ burst into fits of laughter, “No way she never brought that story, did she?”

Cory shrugged, “I have no idea as I suddenly changed the subject and never ever asked her. The vibrator went in the bin when I got home, it never worked anyway. Then I beat the crap out of my brother and told him to be more careful what he took from my room.”

“Your mum’s a bit old fashioned isn’t she?” JJ sensed a shift in the mood.

“Old fashioned isn’t the word for it, she’s very religious and has her views about sex and marriage. She can’t always see past this and it has caused problems for me in the past. It used to wind Sam up but now we’re married she’s okay as we’re not doing anything wrong now in her eyes.”

“I bet she didn’t like you and Sam living together then.”

“Nope that was a big falling out, I was mad at her for a long time. When I returned from college I had to go back to sharing a room with my sister after four years away. So in the end, they let me use the dining room as a bedroom but even then it wasn’t the same. I wanted my space especially when Sam and I began seeing each other, as he would come up at weekends. Mum had lived in the naďve world where she assumed Sam and I slept on sofas when I went to visit him. It wasn’t until my sister’s wedding, and I decided to stop at the hotel with Sam did she realize, and the attitude and grief I got was immense.” JJ squeezed Cory to let her know she understood and a silent gesture to get her friend to continue.

“Well a friend of mine lived in a shared house and one of their house mates moved out so she offered the room to me. After my sister’s wedding I took them up on the offer and my mum went ballistic, she phoned me up and said I was just moving out to sleep with Sam and that he was after just one thing and once he got it he’d be off. Needless to say Sam was not amused and wanted to have it out with her but I wouldn’t let him. Anyway he got his revenge at the wedding.”

“What did he do?”

“In his speech he asked what it was he was after. He reminded her that she’d said he was only after one thing and once he got it he’d be off and he obviously hadn’t had it as he was still here 3 years on.”

JJ grunted a short laugh, “I bet she was livid.”

“Yep she went red and glared at him, of course everyone else thought it was hilarious. Hey, how come we’ve moved from seduction to my life history?”

“Honestly I just want to hold you and hear as much as I can about your life Cory, I’m scared about tomorrow.”

“Scared?”

“Yeah scared that I might never see you again.”

Cory turned and placed her hands either side of JJ’s head, “Never babe, I promise you it won’t end up like that. You’re the one I want. Granted, we have some major decisions to make but you’re the person I’ve spent my whole life searching for. I need to be strong now and do what I should have done 8 years ago. I will not give up on us JJ.”

JJ nodded, she’d always been in control and now she was feeling so insecure, so unsure of where her future was heading. “I just worry that I’m forcing you to choose between Sam and me.”

“No babe. How do you feel about Sarah?”

“Well I love her, but as a friend, not a lover or lifetime partner. At the beginning it was fun and then it became safe; she wouldn’t hurt me like Tina did. But we’ve just been going through the motions. I’m sure she feels the same she just doesn’t like the fact that I’ve made choices.”

“So have you made choices?” Cory knew where she was going with the conversation and wanted to hear what JJ had to say.

JJ paused. She had made her decision and she’d also heard what Cory had just said. She swallowed her nerves and looked into soulful eyes, “Yes I’ve made my choice. I want you Cory. I don’t know how but you’re all I want.”

“So did I make you decide that?”

JJ looked blankly at Cory, then the light switched on in her mind, and she smiled. “No, I knew I wanted you before I came, I can’t explain it but I came here purposely to see if there was an attraction and I’d decided about Sarah weeks ago. I just needed to face the truth.”

“That’s exactly my point, I’ve known Sam and I have our problems for months now. I’ve tried to talk to him, but he blanks me out. I love him and he’s a great guy but JJ we have a real chance here to make a life together and that’s what I want. I choose you.” She fiddled with her finger and then pulled JJ’s left hand towards her.

JJ glanced down and watched in awe as Cory slipped a small gold sovereign ring on her wedding finger, “This ring was my graduation present off my granddad. It’s really the most precious thing I have off of him and when I look at it I am reminded of how proud he was of me. I want you to wear it.”

“No Cory I can’t, it’s yours, and it means so much to you.” JJ was flustered. She was touched at the thought but didn’t want to take something so valuable away from Cory.

Cory placed her fingers to JJ’s lips. “Exactly J, it’s because it means so much to me that I am giving it to you to look after. I’m coming back for it. I would never want to lose the ring and I know you’ll look after it; I’m trying to show a commitment to you. The ring means everything to me and so I hope you understand that I will be back to collect it soon, hopefully to replace it one day with one of my own for you. Do you understand?”

JJ nodded. There were tears streaming down her cheeks, and she didn’t know what to say. She’d never had anyone trust in her like Cory was, and she leaned forward and pulled the small woman into a hug. “I love you Cory, I love you so much.” She felt the blonde’s body shudder, and held onto her even tighter.

“I….love..you too J, so much,” sobbed Cory.

The two stayed that way for a long time, when one stopped crying the other would say soothing words and then it would all start again, neither willing to let go of the other and neither wanting to break the connection. Finally JJ straightened up, she rubbed her sore red eyes and settled herself back on the bed, her arms left open as an invitation to Cory.

“So where do we go from here?” JJ hated to ask but she wanted to know what Cory had planned.

“Well you catch a plane and speak to Sarah, although I think she knows it’s coming from what you’ve said and from hearing you on the phone to her. Me, well I go home and tell Sam it’s finished. It’s not going to be an easy conversation but I now have an inner strength I never had before, I now have a reason. I should have done it November but chickened out, gave it one more try.”

“Then I guess we look at the larger picture?” JJ had thought about this for days and really didn’t know what options were open for them.

“I guess so, there must be several ways to get one of us into the other country. I could teach in the US, you could get an IT job here, or we carry on seeing each other at holiday time. I don’t know babe but what I do know is we’ll do it together, search for the answers together. Can we just forget about tomorrow for a while?” Cory felt mentally exhausted; she snuggled into JJ’s arms and closed her eyes.

“Sure babe, we’ll do this I promise you.” JJ pulled Cory closer and closed her eyes too.

For the second time that day, the ring of a mobile phone woke both women from their slumber; Cory stretched out and grabbed the phone off the bedside table, “Hello.” She mumbled wiping the sticky sleep from the corner of her eyes, sore from crying. She felt JJ stretch beside her and pull her closer.

“You sound tired love, you okay?” Cory’s mum asked anxiously.

“Sorry we were napping you know what touring London can do to the body. What time is it?”

“Seven pm.” Her mum replied down the phone.

“How’s granddad?” Cory asked nervously playing with JJ’s fingers that were wrapped around her waist.

“Well he’s no worse than he was in the week but he is looking a little jaundice and the doctor wasn’t overly optimistic. He did say it could be his liver playing up. He’s very low in spirit and I wondered when you’d be back. Sam said he didn’t know and as I haven’t heard from you I thought I’d check you were okay.”

“I’m fine mum, thanks for letting me know, I’m back tomorrow I’ll pop in on the way back up, I’ll take the M40 rather than the M1. I should be there around lunch, so Sam’s been to visit?”

“Yes he spent yesterday with your granddad, you two are okay aren’t you? He was a little shirty with me when I asked.”

“We’re fine mum, Sam’s just being Sam don’t worry.” Cory could feel JJ recoil as she said the words she turned to catch the hurt look in the beautiful blue eyes, her eyes sent an unspoken message to JJ and she felt the brunette relax behind her.

“Mum I have to go and this is an expensive call for you, I’ll phone when I leave the airport.”

“Okay say goodbye to JJ for me it was nice to meet her and Cory drive safely those salesmen drive like lunatics. I love you.”

“I promise to drive safely, thanks for calling mum say hi to granddad and JJ says it was nice to meet you too.” Cory winked at JJ and then pressed the disconnect button. “What I said to my mum was just to pacify her I don’t need her interfering and she has enough on her mind at the moment.”

JJ nodded she understood, “So how’s your granddad?”

Cory shrugged her shoulders, “No better in fact I think worse but I’ll see for myself tomorrow, mum thinks his liver is giving up.”

JJ hugged the blonde and kissed her head, “You hungry Pumpkin?”

“Pumpkin? Where did that come from?” Cory smiled.

“Don’t know it just seemed like a Pumpkin moment. God I think I’m turning into my own mother. I’m starving and if I’m hungry you must be famished.”

“Now you mention it I am a little peckish. What do you fancy?” Cory got off the bed and stretched her back out.

“We could do the restaurant here again and then come back here and investigate the contents of the bag. I still haven’t looked inside it.”

“I’m sorry J, I guess my emotions got carried away.”

“Hey no apologies yours and mine both. We still have the whole night ahead of us and I’m looking forward to it babe! I guess we should put some clothes on?”

“Well we wouldn’t want to shock the other patrons but I sure like the view from where I’m standing.” Cory smiled.

“You are so beautiful when you smile.”

“And you are so cute when you blush, now move your arse I’m hungry.”

The restaurant was mildly busy and the two ordered a pizza and some garlic bread to share, JJ wanted to know more stories of Cory’s time at college and Cory wanted to know about JJ’s ice hockey tours They spent an enjoyable few hours swapping stories and getting to know more about each other. The wine flowed freely and with it their tongues, soon they were laughing and giggling like fools and thoroughly enjoying each other’s company.

Towards the end of the evening Sandy went past the table, “Hey JJ when do you fly out?” she asked as she collected the empty glasses.

“Hi Sandy, tomorrow morning it’s an early flight, this is my friend Cory.” JJ nodded towards Cory and smiled.

“Hey Cory, I heard all about you last night.” The bar tender looked in JJ’s direction and raised her eyebrows. JJ nodded and then blushed. “Well safe trip and I hope to see you again one day.” She shook JJ’s hand and walked back towards the bar.

“Why Ms Matthews I think you’re blushing yet again and what was that nod for. Don’t think I didn’t notice that.”

“Well I feel like I’m in a déjŕ vu conversation as we had the same sort of conversation this morning about Ange. I sort of mentioned to Sandy last night that you were special, well she told me she thought I thought you were special. I’m babbling again aren’t I? Anyway last night I was a little down you never came to the bar and so she was asking, I think, if we were okay or maybe if we were a couple I have no idea what she was asking but nodding seemed the best response.” JJ took a sip of her wine and relaxed into her seat.

“For a confident woman you sure get embarrassed easily.”

“It depends, seems to happen a lot around you.” JJ grinned and patted Cory’s hand, “You want to take the rest of the wine back to the room and finally investigate the contents of that bag.”

“Do you have to ask, where’s the bill?” Cory signaled the waitress and handed her credit card to her. A few minutes later Cory was signing the receipt and following JJ out of the restaurant.

As they walked down the long corridor towards the room, JJ took Cory’s hand, “Do you want to take a walk for a bit?”

Cory looked at JJ, “I thought you were in a rush to see what was in the bag?”

“I was, I still am, I just thought we could get some fresh air and walk off some of the pizza. If you don’t want to that’s cool too.”

“No a walk would be good, can I get my fleece first it looks a little chilly out.”

They walked to the room and Cory put the bottle of wine in the small fridge in the corner of the room, and grabbed her fleece along with JJ’s coat. They headed into the car park area. The hotel was just off the M25 so there were no walking areas near but the hotel had a small garden area and a couple of benches. They held hands and walked for five minutes in a comfortable silence, neither wanting the moment to end.

The night was clear and the moon shone brightly, “I love nights like this.” JJ whispered. “The air is so crisp and fresh and the stars can be seen so clearly.”

“Same here, I love gazing at the stars too. I only know Orion’s belt and the plough.”

“The plough?” JJ looked quizzically at Cory.

They paused and Cory pointed up to the few stars shining the brightest, “There those six stars there.”

“Oh those, yeah I call that the Big Dipper but I can’t name many constellations I’d love to get a telescope one day and maybe go up to the observatory near home.”

Cory put her arms around JJ’s waist, “How about we make that one of our first dates when I come out at Easter.”

JJ pulled back shocked, “When did you decide that?”

“When you arrived last Sunday! Seriously I have no idea I don’t want us to be apart for too long and my next holiday is mid April. I get two weeks off so I thought I could come and see you, if you want me to?”

“Of course I do, you just surprised me so we can make plans for then.”

“Yes we can make plans, the only thing that will stop me visiting is granddad but I think this weekend may be his last but you never know. I plan to go home tomorrow, talk to Sam, sort out the living arrangements and then seven weeks and I get to see you again. I love you J.”

JJ smiled, she loved this woman so much, “Sounds like a plan to me, it’s getting a bit chilly shall we go inside.”

They sauntered slowly back to the room, Cory turned on the CD player and JJ lit a few candles that they’d picked up in Leicester Square, she dimmed the main lights and the room took on a gentler atmosphere. As the slow, soft songs rang quietly from the player, Cory and JJ kissed, slow soft kisses. Their bodies swayed to the music and they seemed lost in a world of their own.

Cory led the dance and moved her partner slowly towards the bed, the kisses grew deeper and deeper and their hands explored above their clothing, as they paused to catch their breath Cory bent down and picked up the small carrier bag, “I will have my fun now.”

JJ looked inside the bag; she pulled out a small heart-shaped object very much like soap. She raised an eyebrow towards Cory.

“It’s a solid massage oil, it becomes liquid when it touches warm skin and it’s edible.”

“Mmm that sounds enticing, what’s in it?”

“A mixture of orange, spices, petulli something, I can’t remember the proper name and chocolate to name but a few. It smells nice.” She took the small package out of her partner’s hand and drew her back in for a kiss. Her hands unbuttoning JJ’s flies and moving inside the trousers to feel the soft, firm flesh beneath her hands. She pulled JJ nearer and slowly lowered the trousers down her partner’s long, lean legs.

After the trousers were discarded she pulled the jumper up over JJ’s chest and nuzzled the breasts in front of her, “I’m going to miss these they have to be my favourite part of your body, besides those eyes.” She looked up to see the named objects shine with desire.

“They’re going to miss you too babe, trust me.” JJ growled back, her lust was building and all she wanted to do was take Cory there and then but she knew she had to relinquish her control to Cory.

Cory resumed her task and removed JJ’s jumper and unclipped the black, silk bra that held her favourite beauties prisoner. She bent to pick up the solid massage oil and slipped it out of its wrapper. As she continued to kiss JJ she rubbed the block slowly over JJ’s shoulders, the smell was intoxicating and she felt the pulse between her legs quicken. She moved behind JJ and used her free hand to rub the oil in, kissing the pathway her hand made along the tanned skin.

“Ummm it tastes divine and so do you.” She pushed JJ towards the bed; JJ took the lead and lowered them slowly onto it. Cory sat astride her stomach and gazed down upon her lover. She moved the massage block over JJ’s shoulder, then circled it over the breasts, JJ’s nipples were pert and Cory couldn’t resist tasting them, she licked the oil gently and then took the left nipple deeper in her mouth sucking more and more, she heard the groans escaping JJ’s mouth, she bit down lightly on it and felt the juice of her lover seep slowly out of them, a tangy taste of sweat escaped onto Cory’s tongue.

She looked up into JJ’s eyes and then moved down for a kiss; JJ’s tongue ran along Cory’s lips and teeth; she kissed the top lip and the bottom lip, then kissed her on the chin and moved down her neck. Her hands reached down to Cory’s and she took the massage block out of it. JJ rubbed the oil down Cory’s shoulder staring into her lover’s eyes the whole time. She traced the oil with little kisses and made her way down to the blonde’s right breast, she repeated the movements that Cory had just done on her. She switched to the left breast and then kissed between both breasts.

Cory retook the massage block and pushed herself back up to sitting, she trailed the oil down JJ’s stomach, moving herself down the further south she traveled. She stayed around the tummy button area, licking and dipping her tongue deeper and deeper into the cavity, she then returned towards JJ’s head kissing her way back up, retracing the oily path.

They continued to take it in turns with the massage block, each enjoying the taste of the other, JJ could feel the pressure building between her legs, she needed a release and she needed to release Cory. Hearts were pounding and passions were rising, they both moved their hands over the others body.

“Together babe, I want us to come together,” rasped JJ, she moved Cory round and raised her head towards Cory’s core, simultaneously Cory lowered her head and breathed in JJ’s scent. Tongue’s moved around the buds, inside and out until finally the orgasms ripped through both of them and they collapsed into each other. Cory turned her body back round and pulled herself up JJ’s body.

“I love you so much, I dreamed a dream and for once it came true.” She kissed the taller woman, tasting herself on the swollen lips.

“Me too babe, me too.” JJ closed her eyes and said a silent prayer to whatever gods were listening.

Part 22

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