Disclaimers: This little tale is mine and all mine.
Sex: Yes’m. There will be sex in here, and you should know better than to ask if you’ve ever read my work before. J
If you’d like to tell me what a wonderful writer I am or that I royally suck, feel free at: XenaNut@hotmail.com.
Winning Touch
by
Kim Pritekel
Part 7
*****
Christina was shown to the file room by another of the center’s volunteer staff, Brian. He looked less-than-thrilled to be there at all, and gave the blonde a curt explanation of what was in the file room, and what was supposed to be in the file room. She thanked him just as curtly, and was left alone.
When she’d arrived, she’d been told Farren was in a meeting, and would be done in less than an hour. Rather than waste time, Christina decided to get right to the source of the issue Farren had spoken of in her office. Initially, she had intended to help straighten things up, but before she knew it, an hour and a half had passed, and Christina was sitting on the floor amidst a sea of wrongly-filed paperwork.
Farren had been standing in the opened doorway, leaning against the framework for more than five minutes, utterly amused. At first she’d been shocked at the audacity of Christina, waltzing in and taking over the file room. But, then she realized the blonde was doing exactly as she’d been asked to do: help get the community center running smoother. She was certainly enjoying the view: Christina sitting on the floor, one leg bent, the other stretched out wide, almost as though she were about to stretch her leg. She was so completely consumed in what she was doing, the blonde had no idea she was being watched.
Christina hissed as she received yet another paper cut. She was about to stick her finger in her mouth when she caught something – or someone – out of the corner of her eye.
“Oh my god! You startled me,” she said, hand to her chest.
Farren grinned, carefully stepping her way into the room and perching on the edge of a table. “Sorry. You just looked so involved in what you’re doing, I didn’t want to interrupt you.”
Christina looked around, suddenly realizing what she had done. “Um. Wow.” She gave an apologetic look to the brunette. “I really hope you don’t mind that I just kind of dove in. You can’t leave me alone for too long…”
Farren was amused. “I don’t mind at all. Better you than me. I just do not have the patience for this kind of stuff.” She indicated all the papers and files surrounding Christina.
“Really? I kind of like this sort of work. I don’t know – it’s mindless. Allows me to think about other things while keeping my hands busy.”
“I can understand that.” She grinned. “Guess I have no business starting my own business, huh?”
Christina also grinned, turning back to the files in front of her. “I wouldn’t say that. Not everyone has natural business acumen.”
Farren slid to the floor, clearing a spot for herself a few feet away from Christina. “Alright, fine. Teach me. Where do I start?”
“You can start with these.” Christina handed her a stack of pages. “Put them in order alphabetically – last name, and then if there are more than one with the same last name, by first name.”
Farren blew out a breath, but nodded. She was acutely embarrassed for Christina to see the horrible state of the file cabinets. This should have been taken care of long ago, and she had no one to blame but herself. She did as she was told, glancing surreptitiously over at Christina from time to time. The blonde was so quick, so methodical. Within no time, she had half a dozen piles in front of her, compared to Farren’s one.
“I think I’m slowing you down,” Farren commented.
Christina smiled, but shook her head. “No, you’re a huge help. I appreciate it. This is the hard part. Once it’s done, your staff will only need to maintain it.”
“Which, requires me to stay on them, right?”
“That would be correct.”
“Got it.”
They worked on in silence for another half hour before Farren began to get antsy. Again, she glanced over at her silent companion. “You hungry?”
Christina was amused. It almost felt as though Farren were a restless kid, unable to stay still in her seat. She had many students like that. She eyed Farren, trying to give her best “teacher” look. “Are you finished?” she asked quietly.
Farren looked at the three piles in front of her, comparing them to Christina’s nine piles. “No,” she said, feeling every bit the kid Christina compared her to. Even to her, it was more than obvious she wanted to stop sorting through files than actually get something to eat.
“You are worse than my Freshmen,” Christina marveled. “You can go at any time, Farren. Honestly.”
Feeling like a schmuck, Farren sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m acting like a child.
I just get bored easily.”
“What, and you don’t find filing and sorting fun and entertaining?” Christina asked, one brow raised in challenge.
Farren was sheepish. “Not exactly.”
“So let’s make it interesting. Because, Farren? You’re not getting out of helping me sort and file.” Christina pinned the brunette to the spot with an intense, green stare.
Farren complied immediately. “Okay. Let’s talk.”
“Alright. Pick a subject.” She finished the few pages in her hand before grabbing more. “Tell me about your travels.”
Grateful for a subject that she thoroughly enjoyed talking about – as it was some of the most amazing days of her life – Farren began to tell her stories. Traveling all through Europe and Asia after her and Christina’s time had ended together. Her eyes were alive, brilliant with the joyful memories of all that she’d seen, her voice rich and full.
Christina listened with interest, but then her focus landed on Farren’s mouth, watching as teeth, lips and tongue played to form the words and sounds. She looked into the brilliant blue of her eyes, and found herself lost there. She was shocked to suddenly realize that – I want her. Shocked by her own thoughts, Christina felt her heart begin to pound in her chest, her mouth running dry.
Confused, and acutely uncomfortable, she decided she spoke, without even realizing she was going to. “Are you sorry you stopped?”
Farren stopped, mid-sentence. She looked at her companion, confused. “Stopped what?”
“Skating. Are you sorry you left it all behind?” Christina stopped creating piles and looked at the brunette, for some reason truly wanting to know.
Farren rested the pages in her hand on her thigh and sat back against the wall behind her. “No,” she said at length. “I spent half my life performing for people. For coaches and rivals. And, for myself, I guess.” She shook her head. “I don’t miss it, no. I love to skate, and the life at the time was wonderful – exciting.”
“But?” Christina asked, hearing the hesitation in Farren’s voice.
“But, I don’t know.” She looked at Christina, her eyes, which had been bright moments before, now were sad. “I think I’ve lost part of myself along the way, somewhere. I don’t really know who I am, Christina.” She met the blonde’s understanding gaze, though could tell Christina wanted more explanation. “You went back to school, finished and now you have academia. You have –“ she stopped herself, wanting to say, you have love with Wyatt, but stopped herself. She didn’t want to sound as pathetic as she felt. “I just wish I had my own niche.” She shrugged and let out a long sigh. “I’m not sure where I belong.”
Christina could feel the sadness coming off Farren in waves, and it broke her heart. “What about this?” she asked softly, indicating the community center around them. “Does this not fulfill you?”
“It does. Absolutely, it does. It’s been a lot of work, and a huge commitment. But definitely worth it.” Though she was extremely proud of what she’d accomplished, she still felt a heavy sadness. A sadness which seemed to have come with Christina, and one she couldn’t shake. She was grateful for the soft knock on the frame of the file room door.
“Farren? I need you out here,” Cindy said, repentant for having to interrupt.
Farren looked at Christina, giving her an apologetic smile.
“Go ahead. I’m fine. I’ll be done here soon, anyway,” Christina said, squeezing Farren’s hand to emphasize her words.
Thankful, Farren left, getting her composure back.
Left alone, Christina grabbed all of Farren’s piles, slowly adding them to her own, all the while her mind whirring. What the hell? She was actually glad Farren had been called away, as she still hadn’t gotten her body under control. As Farren had been talking about her world travels, Christina had been overcome by an undeniable need to kiss the beautiful brunette, and then let Farren do whatever she wanted after that.
That line of thinking wasn’t like her at all, and no one had ever had the privilege of such physical freedom with her. No one. Her mind took her back to one of the last nights she’d been at Farren’s palatial estate, that night on the ice. Closing her eyes, she could feel the cool of the ice on her face, and the warmth of the brunette behind her. Then their kiss.
A shiver passed through Christina at the memory, her fingers reaching up to touch her own lips. She let out a deep, trembling sigh, then returned her attention to her task at hand.
*****
Christina played with her food, her mind very much not on the conversation that was all around her. She sat at Wyatt and Jeff’s house, their spontaneous get-together in full swing. Two other gay couples – friends of Jeff’s – and Mary, a fellow faculty member where she and Wyatt worked.
It had been a long day at work, then time spent helping at the community center, and the weekend loomed ahead. She’d only agreed to the dinner because she figured a social setting would help get her mind off of her evening spent helping Farren paint a back office.
“Tina?” Wyatt looked at his friend, waiting for her to look at him. Nobody was home. “Christina!”
Christina’s head jerked up, eyes wide as she made her way back to earth from where her mind, once again, had begun to wander. “What?”
“Pass me the peas, please.”
“Yeah. Sure.” Christina passed the large bowl to her friend, ignoring the amused snickers of the other dinner guests. She felt foolish, and truly just wanted to go home and be alone. She was becoming more and more confused over her growing – and unsettling – wants, where Farren was concerned. It was beyond her realm of understanding.
“Tina, help me for a minute,” Wyatt said suddenly, setting the bowl of peas of aside, and rising from his seat. He waited until his friend followed, then led her to the kitchen. Once there, he made sure the swinging door had fully closed before turning to his friend. “What’s up with you?”
“What do you mean? I’m sorry I didn’t hear you ask for the peas.”
Wyatt shook his head. “It’s more than that. “I’d asked you four times, but this has been going on for the better part of a week. If not longer.” He stared at her, trying to get her to look at him, even as her gaze found every and anything more interesting than him. “Something is wrong, and you can’t lie to me. Your mind is in outer space.”
Christina sighed, leaning back against the fridge, arms crossed over her chest in a protective hug. She could come up with a million and one things to give as an excuse for her recent behavior, but decided against it. It was time to put her feelings and confusion outside of herself. Finally she nodded.
“Yes, something is wrong. Well, I don’t know if ‘wrong’ is accurate, but something definitely is up.” Christina looked at him, wishing with all her might that Wyatt would guess or be able to read her mind. She wasn’t entirely sure what the right words were for what was “up”. It obviously wasn’t going to happen, as he stared at her expectantly. “I can’t get Farren Hankins off my mind. There, I said it.”
Wyatt smiled at the petulant look on the blonde’s face, but it quickly disappeared as he realized that, though her words may be fairly tame, there was a great deal more behind them than just simply thinking about the woman often. “Okay,” he said carefully. “Why is that bothering you?”
Christina let out another long sigh. “Damn it, Wyatt, I want her!” she hissed, surprising even herself with the vehemence of her statement.
Wyatt could only stare, what he would say interrupted by the entrance of Jeff into the kitchen.
“Everything okay?” he asked, looking from Wyatt to Christina.
“Yeah. Tina’s in lust!”
Christina buried her face in her hands, groaning as Wyatt put an arm around her shoulders.
“No way, really?” Jeff asked, excited.
“Guys, please stop. I don’t want the whole damn house to know,” Christina pleased, shrugging out from under Wyatt’s arm.
Both guys looked at her, then Wyatt smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I just want to see you happy. I got excited.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Jeff asked her.
Christina shook her head. “I really don’t know. My experience with this is nil, and to be perfectly honest, I just feel like an idiot.”
“Why?” both men asked at the same time.
“Because I’m thirty-five years old, and yet I don’t know how to get the attention of someone I’m attracted to! And, I’m thirty-five years old, and I realize for the first time that I’m attracted to a woman.” Christina was upset with herself, almost feeling like she was defective, compared to the rest of the normal world.
“We can’t help you with the woman realization part, but we can help with the attracting said woman part,” Jeff said, his eyes aglow with excitement.
Wyatt looked at his partner. “Samantha?”
Jeff grinned with a nod. “Samantha.”
“Who’s Samantha?
*****
Jeff’s sister Sam was a professional makeup artist, and a trip. Christina felt unsure, looking at the younger woman’s Goth-like appearance, replete with a dog-studded collar. Christina was her captive, sitting in one of Jeff’s kitchen chairs and under the intense scrutiny of the makeup girl.
At length, Samantha pulled up a chair and sat in front of the blonde. “So, you’re trying to attract a hot chick, huh?”
Christina cleared her throat, uncomfortable. “I’m trying to get the attention of a specific woman, yes.”
“Sweet! Well, you are with the right person.” Samantha opened her makeup kit, sorting through the various tubes and jars.
“Jeff said you have several boyfriends,” Christina began, unsure if this was the right way to go.
“That I do,” Samantha said, comparing various shades of foundation to Christina’s skin. “What is your normal makeup routine?”
“Um, I don’t really have one. So, if you go through several boyfriends, how can you help me?”
Samantha gave her a Cheshire cat grin. “I have several boyfriends by design, not desperation.” She returned her attention back to her makeup. “I like variety in my life. Do you like makeup?”
“No, not really. Variety in boyfriends?” Christina asked, eyeing all the tubes and jars Samantha was setting out on the table with a wary eye.
“In everything, actually. This,” the makeup girl held a few strands of her jet back hair between her fingers, “it’ll be pink in two weeks. Green after that.” She shrugged. “Just don’t like the same things. I get bored easily.” She sat back, once again studying the blonde. Her eyes narrowed when her gaze settled on Christina’s eyes. “Why aren’t you wearing any eye makeup?”
Not sure how to respond, Christina blinked.
“You have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen! Woman, what are you doing?!”
Christina was taken aback by the vehement passion behind Samantha’s words. “Thank you. I think.”
“Oh, girl,” Samantha said, her voice soft as she rested her hands on the blonde’s knees. “I am going to make you look irresistible. Don’t be afraid,” she said, putting a finger to Christina’s lips, forestalling anything she might have to say. “Just trust me. Okay? I’m not going to change you, just make the already-you that much better.”
Christina was nervous, but nodded, deciding to give this strange woman full freedom. “Alright. Let’s do it.”
Samantha’s look could be described as only pure evil.
*****
Farren finished the last of her water, tossing the empty plastic bottle into the recycling bin, just outside her office door. She held a file folder against her chest. A group of kids had been signed up at the center the day before, and she needed Cindy to call each of their parents, making sure the juveniles had their permission.
“Cindy?” she called out, rounding the corner to the main lobby. She stopped short, nearly dumping the file onto the floor.
Standing at the main desk, talking to Cindy, was the sexiest woman Farren had ever seen. It took her a moment to realize it was Christina Simms! She wore light makeup, which Farren only noticed because she’d never seen the blonde with makeup on before, other than her skating days. What caught her, however, were Christina’s body. Something about her was different. A confidence that exuded from her, which pretty much had the same affect as chocolate, wine or any other aphrodisiac that could be named.
“Hey,” Christina said, walking over to where Farren stood. No one looked better in jeans than the former skater: her hips, though narrow, still had a very feminine sweep to them. She had no belly to speak of, and her thighs were strong, filling out the denim enough o grab attention, but not distract. Christina wore a white button-up shirt, the collar unbuttoned a button or two beyond was likely appropriate. If the blonde moved just right, a teasing hint of cleavage would reveal itself, only to disappear in the next movement.
Realizing she’d been addressed, Farren blinked, barely managing to drag her focus up to Christina’s face. “Hi.” She suddenly wished she’d not finished her water, as her mouth was very dry.
“I know it’s not my usual day, but I had some free time, so I figured I’d come to help.” Christina’s grin felt strange to her, but she knew it looked good. After all, she’d practiced in front of the mirror in her bathroom long enough the night before. She could tell it was all having the desired – at least she thought so – effect on Farren. The brunette seemed nervous, unsure of herself, which Christina could not ever remember seeing with the confident, almost cocky Farren Hankins.
“Oh. Um. ‘K.” Farren flashed a quick smile, trying for all the world to get herself together. She could smell the blonde’s perfume, which was nearly making her swoon. She backed up a step, gasping slightly as her back came into contact with the wall. She felt like a frightened puppy as Christina took a step closer. She felt trapped, like she had nowhere to go but the green of those eyes, which were now all the more potent as they were highlighted by subtle, smoky tones.
Christina was baffled. She tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, taking a slight step back. It was only then that Farren seemed to relax. “Are you okay?” She noted the brunette was holding the folders she carried in front of her like a shield.
“Yes!” Farren answered quickly, a completely false smile following. “Can you call these parents, please?” she held out the file folders, realizing it would be the quickest escape. “They need to confirm the membership of their children.” With those hurried words, Farren disappeared back down the hall and into her office, leaving a very confused Christina in her wake.
She slammed the door shut, leaning against it and taking a deep breath. “Jesus,” she whispered.
Never in her life had she been affected by someone like that before. Her heart was pounding, her mouth like cotton, and her fingers begging for just one touch of Christina’s flesh.
“She’s taken, she’s taken,” she whispered, eyes closed tightly. “I don’t do that anymore. No more seducing straight women. No, siree, not me.” She blew out a long breath, nearly yelling in surprise as a loud knock sounded on her office door. She turned and yanked it open, startling Cindy, who stood on the other side.
“You okay?” Cindy asked after a moment, her eyes big.
Farren nodded, heading around her desk and plopping down in her chair. Cindy followed, sitting across from her. “What’s up?”
Cindy studied her boss for a moment, not saying anything, but not able to hide her smirk, either. She’d witnessed the whole thing in the lobby. It was rumored about Farren’s sexual orientation, but Cindy had never had concrete proof until just now. Farren had looked torn between ravishing Christina right there in the lobby, and running screaming into the early evening.
“What?” Farren asked, on the defensive. She could see it all shining in Cindy’s eyes, but wasn’t about to go there with her employee.
The girl shook her head. “Nothing. Christina told me she was going to call the parents, so that’s cool. We’ve got a birthday party this weekend, and I know you usually don’t work weekends, but would you mind helping? It’s going to be a big one, and I don’t know if me and Kenny can handle it ourselves.”
Farren groaned, leaning back in her chair. She absolutely loved the fact that families were using the center more and more for celebrations, as the fee to use it for parties helped the center immensely. But, she hated working the parties. A gaggle of laughing, screaming children was not her cup of tea.
Cindy knew she had an ace in the hole. “Christina Simms offered to help.”
Farren sat up in her chair. “She did?”
“Yep.”
Farren stared at her for a moment, trying to keep her excitement level down. She knew Cindy had already caught what had just happened, and didn’t need to escalate it any further. “Alright, I’ll be here. What time?”
Cindy knew she had landed a major victory by getting Farren to help out at the weekend party. Less work for her, anyway.
Left alone in her office again, Farren sighed, rocking her chair back and forth. She thought again about Christina, and the mega reaction she’d had to her. What had done it? What had gotten her so riled up? It was no secret Christina Simms was a beautiful, totally desirable woman.
Farren ran a hand through her hair, leaving a mussed up do in her wake. “Crap.”