Chapter 20 #2
“What?! Give me the phone! Hello, Kaia? What the hell is she talking about? A one-night stand? Yeah fucking right! That better be a joke. I will drive there right now and beat your ass. Save your flower for Daisy.” Blair’s screeching voice came over the line, and I groaned.
“God, Blair, gross! Never say that again, please. Also, are you two ever apart?”
“No. Now tell me, what the hell is this I hear about you inviting a hooker over for sex?”
“Oh my God. She’s not a hooker. At least, I don’t think she is. I met her on my walk around the town and she asked me out. I called her this morning, and we started talking and—”
“And you asked her for sex? Or she asked you? If she’s trying to take advantage of you, I swear to God!”
I groaned. “Will you stop? First of all, I’m an adult, okay? And second, I guess I technically asked her. I told her I needed a distraction from my life back home, and…” I trailed off, leaving my meaning hanging in the air.
“Oh, sweetie.” Blair’s voice was soft and sympathetic, like she knew exactly what I meant. “You really think sleeping with a stranger you have no connection to is going to help you get over Daisy?”
“I have to try,” I whispered. “This whole trip has been nothing but thoughts of her. Everywhere I go, something or someone reminds me of her. Living with her has only made things worse. I’m already looking for somewhere else to live. Now I need to look for someone else to love.”
“I hate this for you, babe. Remind me again why you can’t just tell her how you feel?”
I groaned, wiping away the tears I hadn’t realized were falling. “She’s my best friend, B. I’m afraid if I tell her how I feel, it’ll ruin our friendship and I’ll lose her altogether. I can’t take that risk. Can I please talk to Drea about this? She’s the expert and I need advice.”
“She was the expert, missy. I don’t agree with this, but you have to do what you think is best. Hold on.”
“You’ve gotten my love upset, so explain yourself.”
“I’m sorry. I need to know what to do. How do I have a one-night stand? I was planning on just getting drunk so hopefully I’d forget.”
“Kaia, that is not you at all. What’s going on?”
“Drea, just… please. I need a distraction. I need to move on. I have to.”
She sighed. “I don’t like this side of you, Kaia. Start with a conversation. I know you’ll be in your head about it. Let her take control, but set rules and boundaries. Be honest and safe. You still have the Mace I gave you?”
I chuckled. “Yes, mother, I do. And the taser Blair gave me for my birthday. I’m safe. She already knows what I’m looking for.”
“Okay, good. If you drink, don’t get too drunk to where you won’t remember, please. You both need to consent.”
“Thanks, Dre.”
“Are you sure about this, Kai?”
I sighed. “I’m just trying something new. If you and Kenzie can do it, why can’t I?”
“Because it’s not who you are, love.”
“Outside the bookstore and loving Daisy, I don’t really know who I am. Maybe this is me, Dre. I’ve got to go. Thanks for the advice.”
I hung up without another word and made my way to the shower. I had several hours to kill, but I wanted to get the day started. My first stop after my shower would be coffee, then maybe to the mall to find something to wear for my date, if you could call it that.
A knock sounded on my door an hour and a half later, and I jumped up, wiping the sweat off my palms. I was wearing a simple red dress for easy access and comfortability. I opened the door to find Corrinne smiling at me with a bottle of wine in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other.
“Wow, do you do this for all the women?” I asked, inviting her in and setting the flowers in the ice bucket with water.
“Only the pretty ones.” I looked at her and she winked.
“Aren’t you charming? I don’t have wine glasses, but I have little coffee cups. Have a seat on the couch. Make yourself comfortable.”
She laughed. “That’s perfect. Thank you.” She took off her jacket and laid it on the back of a chair before settling on the couch.
I poured the wine and brought it over to her. I sat down, and we made a toast. “To spontaneous adventures,” I said.
We drank our wine and asked each other the usual questions. What do you do? Do you have any kids? How old are you? Any plans for the holiday?
“Before we go any further, I’d like to have a conversation and set expectations.”
I nodded, setting my cup down on the table and turning to face her. “I have to admit, I’m a little nervous. I’ve never done this before. I mean, I’ve had sex before, but I’ve never done it with someone I didn’t really know already. I’d like it if you could take control?”
She smiled, taking my hand. “That’s okay. I’m not, like, an expert or anything, but I’ve had my fair share of hookups. We can start slow and go from there, okay? I’d really like to kiss you. May I?”
I nodded, eager for her to kiss me. I had no clue what I was doing, and my stomach felt like it was in my throat, but I had to let her take control or I’d never get anywhere.
Based on her words, I trusted her to take care of me and lead me through this.
It didn’t hurt that she was attractive, either.
She cupped my face and leaned in to press our lips together. The kiss was tentative and soft. She wasn’t demanding, but she wasn’t giving up, either. Eventually, she moved her tongue across my lips, asking for permission. I opened my mouth, granting her access, and she took it, kissing me deeper.
She was an amazing kisser. She knew what to do with her tongue, her lips, her hands. Everything was moving the way it was supposed to. There wasn’t a spark yet, but I had to keep trying. I wasn’t giving up.
She grabbed my waist and pulled me so I was straddling her.
That position helped a little, and I kissed her harder.
Her hands moved down until she gripped my ass and pulled me closer to her.
I groaned into her mouth, but when her hands made their way underneath my dress and snaked around to my front, I pulled away, grabbing her hand.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “I just… It’s nothing. Go ahead”
“Are you sure? We can stop if you—”
I silenced her with a kiss and placed her hands back on my ass. She moaned into the kiss, and I slowly rocked back and forth on her, need taking control over my thoughts.
After a few more minutes of kissing and grinding, she moved her hands to my front and under my dress. She toyed with the hem of my underwear, and when her hand found my soaked center, I whimpered. “Fuck!”
My whimper turned into a soft sob when she started sucking my collarbone and her hand dipped inside my underwear. “You’re so wet, Kaia.” She hummed against my neck as she rubbed my clit.
It felt so good, and yet… my brain wouldn’t shut down. It was like it didn’t want me to enjoy the moment. This beautiful woman was trying to make me come, and it seemed like my orgasm kept getting farther and farther away.
I tried to shut it off and focus on Corrinne, but I couldn’t. When I closed my eyes, trying to enjoy the sensations happening between my legs, all I saw was Daisy. It wasn’t Corrine kissing and rubbing me, it was Daisy. I opened my eyes when her fingers and lips left my body and she sat up.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re crying, Kaia. Am I hurting you?” Her voice was so soft, and she didn’t sound angry that I hadn’t come yet.
I wiped at my face and groaned when my fingers came back wet. Of course I was crying in the middle of sex with this stranger. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
I got off her and sat on the couch looking so embarrassed. She stood and came back a few seconds later with a bottle of water. “Drink this.”
I thanked her and took a sip. “I’m sorry, Corrine. I just… can’t. I thought I could.” I shook my head. I felt like such an idiot.
“Tell me about her.”
My head snapped up, and I looked at her. She shrugged. “You said you needed a distraction. People usually only say that if they’re going through a breakup.”
I groaned. “It’s not really like that. I was never with her. She’s my best friend.”
She nodded like she understood. “Ahh, in love with the best friend, huh? That’s a bitch. I’m sorry. Can I say something? I don’t mean this offensively, but one-night stands aren’t really your thing, are they?”
“Not really, no.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
“What?”
“Don’t change who you are just because you want your circumstances to change.
If you two being together isn’t an option, then find one that is.
Go out and meet people you actually might want a future with.
But don’t change yourself to make it happen quicker.
Getting over someone sucks, especially if you never had them.
Trust me, I know. It sucks and it’ll take time, but everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. ”
“I don’t know who I am. Maybe a one-night stand is my thing and I don’t know it because I’ve never tried.”
She smiled. “Do you want to try again and see? I’m more than happy to help you find out, but I don’t want to push you.”
I shook my head, already knowing the answer to that. “I think you’re right. I don’t think they’re my thing. I’m sorry.”
She kissed my cheek and stood up. “I think you know exactly who you are, Kaia. Embrace it and don’t change it for someone else. You have my number if things change. I’m also more than happy to be a friend if you need one.”
She opened the door and left without another word.
She was right. I did know who I was. I was Kaia Celeste Rhodes. Bookstore co-owner. Grieving daughter. Loving best friend. Monogamy-seeking lesbian. And I’d do well to remember that. I texted Drea and Blair to update them on the night:
Me: She left. I couldn’t do it.
Blair: Good! When you get home, we will be having a discussion about this!
Drea: We love you, kid. We just want you to be happy.
Blair: Yes, babe. We love you. We’ll help you figure out the next steps, if you want us to.
Me: I love you guys. My next step is to house hunt, so if you want to tag along, I won’t say no.
Blair: Hell yes! I’ll start looking too!
Drea: I’ll get out my checkbook.
Me: Don’t even try it!
Drea: Ugh, fine! But I’m buying you a housewarming present and you can’t say no!
Me: You are not using my new house as an excuse to buy me a car! I told you my jeep is just fine! She gets me to where I need to go!
Drea: Okay, I think we need to spend less time together. Fine, no car. What about a pool? Jacuzzi? A dog? You’ll miss Duke when you leave. You need a pet!
Me: How about a ring for Blair?
Blair: Oh, I love that compromise!!
After five minutes of no answers, I assumed they “went to bed” for the night, and I turned off my phone. This trip had gone a lot of different ways, but I was excited to see where the future would take me. I was starting to hope I would find my person and keep Daisy as my best friend.