Tea Leaves

I reached out to squeeze her hand.

"So," she said gently, voice hoarse. "Concerning Julia, then. I've known her for a while. I've known of her for longer. She was always friendly, always present at parties. I was young, available, vivacious..." she added, giving me a wry smile. "She's..."

"Dark. Tall. Voluptuous."

"Quite. And..."

"Charming," I said softly. "Dangerous. If you like that kind of thing..."

"Which I thought I did. I was younger, and more stupid, and... I wanted to be wanted by her."

"And I'm guessing she was only too happy to... oblige."

"You could say that. At first it seemed perfect. I felt adored, needed, lusted for... but the red flags appeared very quickly. She's nosy, and relentless... and she uses what she learns to wound. She loves to feel like she has something to hold over you. And she uses people to get what she wants."

I watched the way her eyes focussed far away.

"What did she have to hold over you?"

"Enough," she said. "I was stupid and trusted her with some... personal things. She used them to hurt someone who trusted me. I was unwise; I told her what I thought of her to her face and... ghosted her. The party... that was her using you to get even with me. I had no idea she was going to be there; if I'd known I would have never gone. I'd never willingly have subjected you to her."

"It's done, Chloe. It's... water under the bridge and... all that."

She sighed.

"And now look at you," she said, softly. "She's vile. I hate that she got me to do this to you."

"I admit I was hurt. But the wallowing is all on me," I whispered.

"How can I make it up to you?"

"I want you to forgive yourself," I said. "And... forgive me too. I was catty and... and I could have just reached out if I wasn't so intent on playing the victim."

"I could have too."

"So we're both overemotional twits," I said, and she snorted.

"How is your back?"

"What back? I don't have one - just a loosely linked accretion of muscles and pain."

"Jesus Christ, Dawn..."

"Soaking helps. A bit, anyway."

She sighed.

"I can... rub it for you? If you'll... let me."

I watched her for a heartbeat. "Okay," I whispered. "On one condition, though."

"What's that?" she said.

"It's a very hard condition to meet. You'll never manage. I might as well not tell you. In fact, it probably would have been better if I'd never mentioned it at all..."

She stared at me. Then the corner of her mouth twitched up. "You're messing with me now, aren't you?"

"Yes."

I managed a grin.

"Tart," she whispered. "You had me going for a moment."

"Serves you right."

"Are you done?" she said, nodding towards my bowl.

"Yeah, my stomach's a mess."

"Right, then. I'll clear up."

"Chloe?"

"Mhmm?"

"I missed you more than I could put into words."

She gave me a long, sober look.

"Coming from you, Dawn, that is both very sweet and extremely upsetting. I... I can't promise to never be a shitbag again. But I will try my very best not to."

"That's all I want," I whispered.

She stood to took my plate, and brushed her lips against my forehead in passing.

"Move upstairs so long," she said. "I'll be right there."

"I'm just going to wait here for you," I said. "I don't want to be out of reach of you right now."

She shot me a small smile.

"Scared I'll disappear on you?" she said.

"Yes," I answered. I groaned as I eased forward onto the counter and rested my cheek on my hands. "So I'm just going to stay here to make sure you don't."

"I like it when you're so possessive."

I flushed.

"I'm not, really. I'm just... addicted," I sighed.

"I am perfectly content with being your drug."

"Good," I yawned. "I'm wrecked. I don't know if I can even make it upstairs."

"All the stress is draining away, and it will take time for other things to fill the gaps."

"Mm," I agreed.

She closed the dishwasher door and came to me. "Want some help getting upstairs?" she offered.

"I would."

She smiled and took my hand.

"I brought massage oil. I... had a funny feeling I might need it. If you'd like..."

"I've... never tried it."

"Really?"

"Nobody's ever been around long enough to get to this stage with me."

"Well," she said, gently, "I love touching your back, and I'm more than happy to do my penance this way."

"Penance, is it?"

"Well. A bit, maybe," she said. "Mostly it's just self-gratification. I am kind of fond of the feel of your skin."

"Mm."

She supported me as we climbed the stairs, and then gently led me through to my room.

She sniffed, wrinkled her nose.

"Sorry," I muttered. "It's a... bit of a tomb. I'll open the windows..."

"No, lie down so long. Kick those... foul... sheets and so on off. I'll get the windows. Is the spare bed still made?"

"Yeah."

"I'll bring the bedding from there, then."

"Sorry..." I whispered.

"Don't, please," she said. She kissed my cheek. "Here. I'll get your robe. There," she whispered as she slipped it off my shoulders.

She kissed the nape of my neck, and I shivered.

"Lie down so long, love. I'll be right back."

I slowly eased myself down onto my stomach, whimpering as my back lodged protest after protest. I shifted into the middle of my mattress and shivered as the chill fresh air dispensed with the staleness of the room.

Chloe returned with an armful of blanket and duvet. She covered me to my hips, then closed the windows again.

"Don't want you to catch a chill," she said as an aside.

I watched her as she removed her hoodie and the worn vest under it. She fumbled behind herself to unclip her bra, then dropped it to one side.

She squatted down to rummage in her bag, and I flushed as I enjoyed the way her small breasts jiggled as she moved.

"I love your body," I said softly.

She glanced up at me, and smiled. "It's good to see that particular smile back," she replied. "Ah, here we go."

She pulled a small bottle out of her bag, and came to the bed. "I'm going to sit on you," she said softly. "It will be easier."

"On me, is it?"

"Uh huh. Spread over you," she said, cheeks flushing as she grinned. "I'm sure that's going to raise all sorts of protests..."

"Oh yes," I murmured. "Let me make sure I write them all down to submit later."

She threw a leg over me and rested her weight on my bum. "That alright?" she breathed.

"Uh huh. No pain. It's all in my mid and upper back. Lower back's... fine..." I whispered.

"Right."

Cool liquid spilled on my skin and I gasped.

"Sorry," she chuckled. "I guess I should have warned you. Dawn? I'm going to start on those muscles, now..."

"Okay..."

I groaned as she spread the oil out on me.

I closed my eyes and let my thoughts slowly wander as she gently coaxed my muscles out of their habitual spasm. Her fingers drew sparking brushstrokes along my skin, and I let out a long, slow sigh as I felt the remaining tension between us ebb. I reached back with my left hand, found her knee, and curled my fingers along it to anchor myself.

"God, you've done yourself in properly this time," she sighed.

"I was stupid, I know..."

"I'm not nagging," she said softly. "Just..."

I squeezed her leg, then groaned as she bore down on me with more force.

"Feels like it's easing a bit," she said.

"Uh huh..."

"I won't do too much tonight, Dawn... I don't want to bruise you and it's going to take quite some time to sort this. We'll deal with it by degrees. I'll run you a bath once we're done here..."

"I'd rather you just held me. I don't want a bath, I just... want to feel you beside me again. I need that more than... than anything else."

She shifted, and I shivered as she brushed her lips to my shoulder.

"So be it," she breathed. "I won't complain."

"Good," I muttered. "Because I don't have energy enough to spank you."

Time seemed to drift; I was content there, content with her comforting weight on me as she moved back and forward across my back. I stopped paying attention to her grumbling, answering only in soft, lazy monosyllables as she prodded and kneaded me into something several degrees closer to humanity. Each time she took a break she'd lean forward and touch her cheek to mine, and I'd inhale the scent of her and make a stupid little sound that I couldn't quite control.

"Dawn," she said at last.

"Mm."

"I'm going to come lie next to you now."

"Mm."

"I'm going to strip."

"Mm."

"Is that a yes?"

"Mm."

She laughed softly. She shifted, and I listened to the rustle of fabric.

She threw blankets and bedding over me (raising goosebumps everywhere) and then slid slowly in beside me.

I rolled onto my side, slid my arm around her, and snuggled in close.

"Hey," she breathed.

"Hey."

"Am I forgiven?"

"I forgave you the moment I saw you standing there outside my door."

"Oh. So... all this was just you seeing how much I'd grovel?"

"Yes."

"Tart," she said, softly. "I'll get you back. You wait and see."

"I know you will," I whispered. "But that's tomorrow's problem. Right now I'm just enjoying being this close to you again."

I shifted slightly so that I could kiss her.

"Don't ever leave me again," I breathed.

She pulled me closer, and I felt the way she shuddered

"Shan't. Won't," she answered me.

"You'd better not," I yawned. I smiled to myself as she kissed my cheek.

She slowly trailed her fingers up and down along my back.

"Sleep, love," she whispered. "You're broken. You need rest. Go to sleep, now."

And I did.

.:.

I slowly surfaced from deep, luxuriant nothingness into warm, soft reality.

Fingers were on me, exploring me... teasing slowly along me...

I mumbled, turned my head slightly, eased my legs open a fraction, signalling my permission to her.

The fingers paused, then probed slowly.

I shuddered, took a breath, exhaled.

My body was warm, my lips were slick.

I was unutterably content.

A kiss to my shoulder, I tensed, then relaxed again.

A finger gently exploring me, easing past the narrow gap of my entrance.

I moaned softly, turned my head more, frowned.

"That's... nice..."

She kissed my cheek, then my lips, and I leaned in against her to demand more.

She started to slip her fingers gently in and out of me, and I pulled my left knee up to open and rotate me more.

"Like that?" she breathed.

"Uh huh," I mumbled, still half asleep but more than happy to let her do what she wanted with me.

She eased out of me, and I moaned a quiet "Nooo..." until I felt her slip back in.

I shuddered as my thighs shivered.

"Oh," I whimpered.

"I love being in you," she whispered. "I love how you always clench those muscles on me."

"Mm," I moaned. "God, Chloe, you smell so good..."

She laughed softly, and drove her fingers deep into me. I groaned, arched, clenched my fingers into the cool cotton sheets.

"Pity you're on your tummy. Otherwise I'd have my tongue on you already," she whimpered.

I gasped as my body spasmed. I pushed my hand under myself, touched myself, felt the gentle pressure of her fingers pushing past mine...

She shifted, moved partly onto me, resting her chest against my back. I squirmed as her nipple brushed me, curling my toes at the breathy little sigh she let out.

"I love your body," she whispered. "I love you, but I am completely in love with your body. I love the way you smell, the way you taste, the way that hair of yours is always ever so slightly dishevelled... I love how wet you get for me, those little frantic noises you're making right now..."

I groaned deep in my throat as my entire body shook. She increased the tempo of her movements, spreading me over the two fingers she'd slipped into me, driving me upwards, shaking, whimpering, and soon enough begging...

"Chloe," I moaned. "Chloe, kiss me, kiss me, please, I'm going to come and I need you to... to kiss..."

I convulsed, cried out, grunting, gasping as she began to twirl and twist and thrust her fingers into me until I unable to form words any more.

Laughing softly, she gathered me in against her, cradling my head against her, kissing my brow, my cheeks, my lips...

And I lay against her, spent, my heart forever hers, barely able to summon the energy to stroke and cuddle her as she fingered herself to her own quiet completion.

Then I curled against her, arm draped over her, hand on her warm belly, listening to her as sleep carried her away again.

I held her for what felt like hours, until pins-and-needles burned in my arm. Then I gently eased out from behind her and stealthily found my robe. I tugged the bedding over her and squinted at the half-light of almost-morning.

She'd earned a few more hours of sleep as a reward for her... labours.

And I had words that needed to be written.

So I snuck downstairs, found my laptop, and set up at my kitchen counter once more. I put some of her Darjeeling on to brew, and opened my manuscript, and began to write...

And the words flowed like water, and time drifted away from me.

"Dawn?" she said from the doorway - an attractive half-clothed yawn on legs. I blinked, looked up, noticed the change of lighting.

Morning.

I stretched with a groan, and gave her a wry little smile.

"Hello, gorgeous," I said. "Sleep well?"

"I missed you," she said as she came to me. "Was hoping you'd still be there when I woke, but I guess the words wouldn't leave you alone, right?"

I reached out, pulled her to me, and nuzzled against the warm skin of her exposed breast. I smiled at the small soft laugh she gave.

"Yeah. Sorry. I was compelled. Had some rough stuff I needed to get into the draft..."

"Mm. How are you feeling?"

I'm... honestly, I'm great," I said. "You?"

"Sleepy. Just... remind me, it's Tuesday, right?"

"Yes," I laughed.

"Oh. Good. That means I have time."

I smiled up at her. "Time for what?"

"Time to spend with you," she whispered. "Time to sit next to you, time to drown in your eyes. Time to marvel at how lucky I am to have met you."

I pulled her down, seated her on my lap and wrapped my arms around her. "That makes two of us then," I said, flushing.

She smiled down at me, then bent forward to kiss me.

"I love you," I whispered, when she eventually released me.

"Ditto," she breathed.

I squeezed her once more, and she climbed off my lap.

"Tea?" I offered.

"That would be lovely," she smiled.

So we brewed a pot, and sat on the worn step that led out to the garden, and watched the birds who were busy at the feeder and birdbath.

Her hand was warm on my inner thigh, and my heart was warm and full of her light.

My book of solitude and loneliness was done; the last leaf turned and the cover firmly closed on what had once been.

It was time to write the first words of a different tale.