Act 3
Erin, the Angel
“Hi.” The voice at the other end of the receiver was unfamiliar, yet they felt as if they had known each other for years. Somehow they did as they had exchanged a number of e-mails over the course of two years.
“Hey.” Elizabeth’s own voice sounded nasal and strange to her.
“Are you sure you want me to come over?”
“Yes. Sorry I can’t say much.” There was a brief pause and a cough. ”Your promise of a get well massage sounded good.” Another pause; “I have tried many drugs, but none help. Maybe if you are as good as you say you are I’ll get rid of this pain.”
“Look, I cannot work miracles, but I would love meeting you in person. We could use this as an excuse?”
“Sure.” Elizabeth turned some papers around on her desk and looked at the computer screen. “Your ticket has been bought and will be with you tomorrow. There will be someone waiting for you at the airport once you get to this end.”
“Efficient!” Ace sounded impressed.
“Well, it was my idea and I really want to see you.” Another intake of breath.
“Maybe you should go rest. See you on Friday.”
“See you. Bye.” Elizabeth put down the receiver. She felt excited, but also apprehensive. Inviting a stranger into her house wasn’t something she had ever done. Maybe she should have arranged to meet Ace at a hotel. Many ifs crossed her mind, but she decided not to fret. Once she met her in person, she would decide what to do.
***
The next three days passed by quickly. In a few hours Ace should be arriving and she wanted everything to be perfect. There was not much she could do. She carefully chose her outfit. She went to the kitchen and made sure the food was ready. Delia was a very good cook and had prepared food for the next few days and placed some meals in the fridge and others in the freezer. Elizabeth had given her the week off. She walked through the dining room and took the door to the left, which led to the lounge. She sat on the leather sofa and stared at the swimming pool. The sun had already set and the lights had gone on around the pool. The palm trees gave the impression of summer even though it was almost December.
The front door bell rang bringing Elizabeth to the present. In her nervousness, she chose to go the long way around to the front door. She walked through the piano room into the living room and took the short corridor to the front door. She counted to three before opening the door.
“Hi, I am Elizabeth.” She extended her hand to Ace.
“Erin.” She took the extended hand. Erin’s hands felt as soft as Elizabeth’s. They looked at each other taking in the sight. “Nice place.” She made a small gesture towards the house. “Unexpected.”
“Please come in. It must be cold out there.” She then looked at James, her driver. “James, do you mind taking her things up to the salmon guest room?”
“Of course M’am.” He nodded in respect.
“Once you have done that, feel free to go.” She smiled at him. “And have a fantastic holiday.”
“Thank you M’am.” James lived on the grounds with his wife, Delia. Elizabeth, however, had bought them a trip to Italy as a Christmas present and they thought now was a good time as ever to take that holiday.
Once James had disappeared into the house, Elizabeth took Erin by the crook of her arm and took her to the living room. The fireplace had been lit and the room was nice and warm. Erin took in the entire scenery and seemed taken aback.
“Wow. I had no idea you were rich.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“I.” Elizabeth felt at loss. “I am sorry?” She reached towards Erin’s arms and uncrossed them. Taking her hands she guided her towards one of the sofa’s and gestured towards it. “Make yourself comfortable. I didn’t mean to make you feel.” Elizabeth grasped at words again. “Uncomfortable?” She shrugged.
Erin sat in the sofa and started fidgeting with her hands. She had only seen a house like this on MTV cribs. She had never in her entire life imagined she would be standing in one, let alone be spending an entire week in one.
“Do you want anything to drink? Eat?” A white tissue showed up in Elizabeth’s hand. She discretely wiped her nose.
“Are you going to eat?”
Elizabeth smiled at the other girl’s awkwardness. “Yes. There are several meals prepared for us in the fridge. If you don’t want or like any of it, I am sure we could go somewhere and grab a bite.”
“Cool.” Erin looked around, a shy smile displayed on her lips.
Elizabeth couldn’t believe Erin was here, in flesh. The girl looked tired after the journey, but still exuded sexiness. She was taller than Elizabeth by almost a head. Her red hair was tied in an unruly ponytail with curls falling in every direction and resting gently on her shoulders. Like most redheads Elizabeth knew, Erin’s eyes were dark green in the light of the living room, although she was sure that should she see them during daylight, they would probably be like two emeralds.
“Come on, let us go explore the fridge.” Elizabeth could choose from three routes to reach the kitchen. Seeing that Erin was still in a trance, she decided to carry on impressing her. They walked through the piano room, to the lounge which gave Erin a clear view of the pool, into the dining room and through to the kitchen.
She sensed Erin had stopped walking and when she turned, the redhead was staring open mouthed at the pool.
“Is it heated?” She gave Elizabeth a mischievous grin.
“Yes.”
Unexpectedly Erin ran towards the glass door and tried to slide it open.
“Sorry, that is locked.” Elizabeth tried not to laugh.
“Aw.” As if remembering her manners, Erin walked away from the door and using her thumb to point back at the door. “Sorry about that. It is just that I love to swim.”
“I guess that kinda broke the ice.” They both started to laugh and as if hit by some sort of giggle loop, could not stop. Elizabeth started having a coughing fit and placed a hand on her neck. Erin noticed that Elizabeth seemed to be in some pain.
“Are you alright?” She lifted her hand towards Elizabeth’s cheek and moved the loose strand of hair behind her ears.
“I am ok.” Trying to ignore the gesture, Elizabeth carried on towards the kitchen. “Come on, let’s eat.”
“But, but,” Erin looked towards the crystal blue water. “Pool.”
Elizabeth turned around to look at Erin. She then hooked her arm around Erin’s arm. “Come on child. Eat your food and then we can have some fun.”
Erin hung her head. “Yes M’am.”
Elizabeth stifled a laugh.
They carried on towards the kitchen and noticing the L shape they had just walked, Erin looked out the kitchen’s glass sliding doors and saw the pool again. Squinting her eyes to see better across the pool, she noticed another room.
“What is in there?” She pointed at the room.
“Gym.” Elizabeth answered from inside the fridge. “Lasagne?”
“Home made? Nice!” She looked at Elizabeth. “You have a gym; in your house.”
“Yup. I can exercise at any time of the day. I can also exercise in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep. It is pretty cool.”
“You don’t say.” Erin moved towards one of the fridges. “Three fridges? And freezer drawers. Extra large. You can store a lot of ice-cream in there.”
Elizabeth looked at Erin and gave a small frown. She walked towards the oven and turned it on. “Lasagne should take about forty minutes to heat up. How about I give you the tour? So you don’t get lost.” She said giving a wink.
“Out there we have the covered barbeque area.” The area stood at ninety degrees from the pool and was separated by an arch. “Pantry in there; the laundry room is in there.”
“All very normal.” Erin said without sarcasm.
“Well, you want the spectacular, I guess. Come on. Follow me.” The crossed the dining room and went up a few steps which led to large oak wooden doors. Elizabeth pushed it open and Erin stood staring at the books lining the walls of the library. The room was octagon shaped and the part of the room furthest from the door was a split level. Red leather chairs were around the room with a small table on which stood beautiful reading lamps covered in cream lampshades. Erin also noticed the large fireplace with the comfortable two seater on one side and two armchairs on the other. A small coffee table sat in between the seats.
“Back there is our office and behind that bookshelf is a passage leading up to our room and down to the wine cellar.” Erin carried on drinking in the scenery in silence.
Elizabeth turned around and left the library. They took a turn to the right of the door and stood at the entrance hall. To the right of the entrance hall almost beneath the stairs leading up was the cloakroom and two toilets. To the left was a set of stairs leading down to the basement. They passed by the render farm, a room filled with computers and also with the appearance of a laboratory, and the garage, which easily held ten cars and some token bikes. At this point, Erin felt she was in a maze with all the twists and turns. They eventually ended up in a locker room and once inside, she noticed four doors side by side, each leading to a private bathroom with shower.
“How about we carry on down the corridor we came from before going up here?”
“You are the guide.” Erin was still looking around the room which looked new. Everything looked spotless. One of the lockers was ajar and she spotted a few monogrammed towels and what appeared to be swimsuits.
She followed Elizabeth towards the end of the corridor and they passed by a security coded locked door. Once they passed through it, a set of stairs led up to a cool room. The smell of the tatami floor drifted to their noses. Elizabeth fiddled with some switches and the room lit up before them. It was a dojo complete with the wooden panels, paper walls and tatami floor.
“Now stand by that window.” Erin did as told and looked outside. The lights went on and flooded the Japanese garden. The pond seemed to move with life and the little red bridge made it look even more authentic.
“Feel free to walk around it.” Elizabeth stayed inside sniffling into the tissue. “The cold night air doesn’t agree with me at the moment.”
Erin walked around the small garden looking at everything, kneeling in front of the granite lanterns, admiring the bonsai, the seats, and every little detail of the garden. She then paused by the pond a saw the reason it looked alive; there were koi fish in it. After about ten minutes, she was done and returned to the dojo.
“How about we leave upstairs for later? Food should be ready in a moment.” Elizabeth switched off the lights and they made their way back to the kitchen.
They sat at the kitchen counter on bar stools. Elizabeth sat mostly in silence and Erin was still trying to come to terms with the things she had seen. To think that there was still another floor or two above them made the house tour even more exciting.
“What’s up there?” Erin pointed with her fork.
“You’ll see.” Elizabeth smiled. She was enjoying her friend’s excitement. When she planned and designed the house, she had wanted it to be her own playground, but sharing it with family and friends made it that much more special.
Once the meal was over, the tour continued. Upstairs there were six bedrooms, the playroom for the children, a home cinema and a gaming room. Erin loved the home cinema, but her absolute favourite was the gaming room which contained an XBox 360, PS3, and a Wii console. There were several shelves with games to choose from and Erin could not decide which one she wanted to play with.
“All of them. I want to give them all a try.” She looked at Elizabeth, her eyes shining in delight.
The gaming room also had its own bar/kitchen. There was a popcorn machine and before watching a movie, this is where people came to help themselves to all sorts of snacks.
Elizabeth showed Erin her room and made sure she had everything, from fresh towels to shampoo, soap, and body lotions.
“Wow, if this is my room, yours must be awesome. Can I see your room?”
“Sure. Follow me.” Elizabeth walked past three doors before stopping at one which stood at odds with the rest. When she opened the door, they were standing in an octagon shaped room. Erin remembered how Elizabeth had mentioned there was a set of stairs leading from the library up to this room. The bed did not stand quite in the centre of the room, but it was at an angle wherewith when Elizabeth woke up, she had light pouring in from all four windows straight onto her bed. Inside the room, Erin followed Elizabeth to the bathroom. It was large and contained a Jacuzzi in which you could easily sit 6 people. The shower box was also a steam room and there were two sinks in the bathroom, a his and a hers.
Erin took a look around and remembered that her friend was married and had children. “Where is the rest of the family?”
“Spending time with their father and grandparents. I wanted time to myself as I am feeling rather unwell.” She looked at Erin. “I am sorry you came at such a time, but you mentioned head massage and get well massage. I thought you could help.”
“I hope so.” She looked at the Jacuzzi. “Maybe we could go for a nice relaxing massaging session? Some hot tea might also help.”
Elizabeth had her arms wrapped around herself. “If you are not tired from the long trip?”
“I am fine, it was only a six hour flight.” She started to leave the room. “I’ll get the tea in the gaming room and do not worry, I’ll try not to get sucked into a game.”
Elizabeth ran the bath and threw in some bath salts and scented bath foam. She had already been in the bath for ten minutes when Erin returned with the tea, a towel for herself and she was in a more comfortable outfit. The silk pyjamas looked good on her. They were a shade of dark green which complemented her eyes.
“Here is your tea.” She placed the tea on the marble top by the Jacuzzi. “How should we do this? Maybe if I sit here?” Erin tried sitting on the edge of the tub and attempted to massage Elizabeth’s shoulder.
“Erin, you are first and foremost, my guest. Would you feel more comfortable out of the tub, or in the tub? Please be honest. We were always honest to each other in all the e-mails exchanged.”
Erin leaned towards the tub and whispered into Elizabeth’s ear. “In the tub.”
Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. She watched as Erin removed each item of clothing. Her well defined stomach exposed as she lifted the top over her head. She was not wearing a bra and her full breasts looked as juicy as two peaches. Elizabeth looked away and bit her lower lip. A shuffle to her left told her that Erin had removed her pants and was ready to get in. She did not look at Erin until she was in and sitting by her. Thighs touching, the proximity made them blush.
“If you move here, I can massage you.” Elizabeth did as directed and sat in front of Erin. The redhead wrapped her long legs around Elizabeth’s waist and gently placed Elizabeth’s dark locks forward onto her shoulder letting them fall upon her breasts. Erin’s firm hands started to knead Elizabeth shoulders and head. “If you don’t mind, I can also massage your face and help open your airways.”
“Hmmm, yes. This is so nice. I wish you had offered before.”
“Had you told me before you were unwell, I would have come sooner. You would probably be feeling much better by now.” The mischievous tone made Elizabeth relax even more into Erin’s arms.
“I have always been afraid of meeting you. Not sure what you would be like in person.” Elizabeth’s eyes were closed and her voice sounded less nasal than before. “Erin felt Elizabeth shuffle and the brunette turned around to face her. “You are amazing.” She planted a kiss on her freckled cheek.
Erin was taken by surprise, but did not hesitate to take Elizabeth’s face in her hands and give her a deep kiss.
“Bugs.” Elizabeth managed to say between taking a breath and kissing Erin.
“My immune system can handle it.” Erin replied without stopping the kiss.
The kiss felt heavenly and both girls felt the electricity and arousal. Elizabeth shifted more so that she was sitting on Erin’s lap and had her legs wrapped around the girl’s waist. As the kiss deepened, Elizabeth felt hands run across her back and then her front and fondling her breasts. She stopped the kiss and leaned back in pleasure. Erin moved her head down and took a nipple between her teeth and teased it with her tongue. Waves of sensation took over the brunette who was looking at Erin with a mingled expression of ecstasy and wonder.
Their lips met again and Elizabeth moved an inch back so that her hand fit between her and Erin’s waxed mounds. She stopped kissing the redhead and looked her in the eyes while her hand gently caressed the other girl’s hard swollen nub. Erin half closed her eyes in pleasure and bit her lower lip. She then reciprocated and both their bodies were entwined in pleasure. The soapy water made them slippery and as they rubbed themselves against each other, each sensation heightened.
Elizabeth threw her head back and moaned. Erin let her head fall forward and she kissed Elizabeth’s neck, the brunette found Erin’s mouth and they kissed and gently bit each other’s lips. Their hands moved faster and their kisses grew more intense. As they watched each other’s rhythm and movement, they both waited before exploding simultaneously.
Elizabeth let her head fall onto Erin’s shoulder and gave the girl a hug. She felt her heart was going to explode. She then realised all that had happened and whispered into the redhead’s ear. “What have we done?”
“Nothing you never suggested or hinted at before,“ Erin looked at Elizabeth. “Are you okay?”
“I think so, yes.” Elizabeth lowered her eyes and avoided looking at Erin. She then walked out of the tub and picked up her towel. “I’ll be in my room. Stay as long as you want to.”
Erin watched Elizabeth leave the bathroom. Many thoughts crossed her mind. She knew they had connected and perhaps that is what had bothered her friend? Or maybe she got it out of her system and didn’t want to see Erin again? Things could not just stay as they were. She wanted to talk to Elizabeth, but perhaps she needed some time to think about things? Erin reluctantly left the tub; she felt like an intruder at the moment and after drying herself and dressing, she sneaked out of the bathroom and tried to leave the bedroom as quietly as possible. She could see Elizabeth’s shape lying on the bed, it was hard not to hear her sobbing. Erin left her friend in peace and went to her room.
Erin was a light sleeper and it did not take much to wake her up. She looked around the room trying to remember where she was and memories of the previous night flooded back. She looked at the clock, the red lights said it was three twenty four in the morning. That made it nine at night where she came from, still too early to get any sleep. She heard the soft footfall on the carpet and turned towards the door. Someone had walked in and stood looking at her.
“Are you awake?” It was Elizabeth.
“Kinda. It is still early in the US. And I am an insomniac, remember?” Erin pulled herself up onto her elbows. “Lose anything?”
“I.” Elizabeth wrapped her arms around herself. “May I?” She pointed at the bed.
“Make yourself at home.” Erin smiled at the irony.
Elizabeth sat at the foot of the king sized bed. “I didn’t want you to have the impression that last night did not mean anything. Or that I did not enjoy it.” Elizabeth made to stand up, but instead moved forward and caressed Erin’s foot underneath the duvet. “Thank you. Good night.” She stood up and left the room.
“Wait.” Erin whispered and more to herself. “Don’t leave.” She dropped back onto the firm mattress. Sleep would take a while. After fidgeting a while, she got out off bed and rummaged about her luggage. Finding what she wanted, she found a socket on the wall and unwrapped the adaptor. Once her laptop was connected, she felt content. She logged into her e-mail account and saw several unread messages. Some from work, others from other virtual friends; one from her husband.
She was wrought with guilt, worse of all was that he knew exactly where she was, who she was with and what was likely be taking place. She had left home light heartedly and never expected much from the trip. It was a hit and miss and although people say a lot when they don’t know the person, when they meet, things are often quite different. They become shy, often they don’t like what they see and realise the mistake. Erin had expected that to happen. It had happened to her several times and there was no reason why this should be any different. Elizabeth had always considered herself Erin’s knight in shining armour. But Erin was now realising that perhaps she was the one who was there to rescue Elizabeth.
She was about to log out of her e-mail when a new message arrived. It was from Elizabeth.
Dear Erin,
I am terrible at expressing myself in person. Sometimes I find it easier to write. Sorry for barging into your room and waking you up. It was inconsiderate of me. What I wanted to say was that seeing you when I opened the front door was a dream come true. You are exactly how I imagined and more. I hope you did not find the house too intimidating and please feel welcome.
What happened tonight was truly amazing. I felt so close to you, my heart is still skipping at the memory.
Thank you so much for making the journey and I am loving having you here in my house.
Love,
Lizzie
Erin smiled. It was typical of Elizabeth to apologise and always think about others. It was clear that the brunette was still awake and she decided to go over to her room. The carpets felt soft beneath her bare feet and it was not difficult for her to sneak into the octagonal room. Elizabeth had left her bedroom door ajar and when Erin walked in, she saw her friend sitting at a desk by the window. The white light of the laptop cast a glow on her face. She saw Elizabeth refresh her e-mail a couple of times before she made her presence known. Erin gently placed her hand on the brunette’s shoulder trying not to startle her, but that was inevitable. Elizabeth jumped off her seat and turned to face her assailant.
“Jesus, don’t do that again.” Elizabeth grasped her nightgown at the chest with one hand.
“Sorry.” Erin tried not to laugh, but failed. “Oh, how I wished I had filmed that.”
“Funny.” Elizabeth took a deep breath and walked towards her bed.
“I read your e-mail.”
“Wow, that was quick. I hadn’t expected you to read it until. I don’t know. Until you were back home?” Elizabeth shook her head.
“Elizabeth. Lizzie.” Erin took a step towards her. “It’s okay.”
Elizabeth sat on her bed and pulled her legs towards her chest. She placed her head in between her arms and started to cry in earnest. Every so often she would shake her head. Not knowing what to do, Erin sat behind her and gave her a tight hug.
“I was afraid of meeting you and now that I have, I don’t want you to leave.” Once that confession was out of the way, Elizabeth felt better and her sobs slowly subsided.
“You know I can’t stay Lizzie. I have a life back home.” Erin felt she was going to cry. This was meant to mean nothing. It had just been a whim. “I can always come back.”
“I could find you a job. I know people. It would be a better job. You seem so unhappy where you are. Your husband could come over as well.” Elizabeth realised the absurdity of their situation and decided to stop talking.
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Elizabeth shook her head and started to laugh. Erin was still hugging her. She held onto the redhead’s hands at took them to her lips. She then rubbed them against her cheeks. “This is so messed up.”
“I know.”
“What are we going to do?”
“Enjoy the little time we have together?”
Elizabeth nodded and looked at the clock. It was Four thirty in the morning. She was exhausted and the strain of her emotions had taken a toll. She crawled under her duvet and patted the mattress. Erin got in under the duvet with her and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Erin woke up the next morning with the sun in her face. It felt warm and refreshing. She tried to imagine what it was like for Elizabeth to wake up to that every morning. She turned to find that Elizabeth was already gone. Her side of the mattress felt cold. The clock told her it was almost eleven. Erin jumped out of bed and called out for Elizabeth. She went to her room, had a quick shower and dressed. The next challenge was to find Elizabeth in that enormous house. Elizabeth could be absolutely anywhere. Erin went down the stairs and tried to remember where every room was located. She noticed a door to her right, which she was sure she had not gone through before, and curiosity made her open it. Standing before her was the lounge and the perfect view to the swimming pool, lying beyond it was a breathtaking garden that seemed to extend out of view. She remembered her way to the kitchen and standing on the counter was breakfast. Everything was set out for her and a note leaned again the jug of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Good Morning Erin,
I hope you slept as well as I did.
Help yourself to anything you want.
I’ll be in the study. If you come to the library, just call out and I’ll be able to hear you.
Love,
Lizzie
Erin helped herself to breakfast and ate slowly. She enjoyed the view to the swimming pool and this morning she had a clear view of the gym. Daylight poured in on the equipment and she could see a treadmill, a bicycle and some other apparatus. A bit further out, she was the bamboo wall and guessed that the Japanese garden and Dojo lay beyond it. As her eyes darted this and that way admiring her surroundings, they landed on a figure by the kitchen door. Elizabeth wore a red knit jumper opened at the neck and cream coloured fitted trousers. Her hair was tied in a knot at the nape of her neck and she wore glasses.
“You wear glasses?” Erin was surprised by that. She had never imagined Elizabeth in glasses.
“Actually, they are reading glasses. I only need them when I am tired, or I have a lot to read.” She smiled at Erin. “Enjoying the view?” She nodded towards the pool.
“It is pretty awesome.” She sipped at her orange juice and then looked at Elizabeth. “You were up early.”
“Not really, you were the one up late. But that is to be expected after your long trip and our misadventure last night.” She walked towards Erin and planted a kiss on her lips. “I had some urgent business to deal with. I am sorry I left you all alone in bed. I promise it will not happen again.”
“Do you keep your promises?” Erin pouted.
“I do.” She felt her heart swell with love for the redhead. “What do you want to do today?”
“Swim!”
“Don’t you want to see London?”
“I want to spend time with you, alone. Remember? We only have one week.” Erin hugged Elizabeth.
“We would still be spending time together.” She looked at Erin’s unruly red curls and gently placed the loose hair behind her ears. “How about we go to town now and then when we come back, we could go skinny dipping?”
Erin grinned and her eyes lit up. “I like that plan.”
Once Erin was breakfasted and Elizabeth had a small lunch, they made their way to the garage.
“Holy shit, you have a Zonda, and a Ferrari, and a Lamborghini, and all those other expensive cars. You are a petrol head!” Erin ran amongst the cars and could not believe her eyes. “And these bikes! WOW!”
“Well, they are not all mine. My husband picked some of them, although I admit, I a more into cars than he is.”
One of the cars beeped and Erin turned to see which one they were taking out. To her disappointment, it was just a Lexus. Although like most things in the house, it was a full hybrid luxury saloon car. It exuded elegance and once inside, Erin felt she could fall asleep in the passenger seat. The ride into town was smooth and Elizabeth was an excellent driver.
Erin soon found out that that Elizabeth’s neighbourhood consisted of large plots of lands with equally large houses. Town was almost one hour and a half away and by the time they reached Oxford Street, it was almost two thirty.
“Here we are, Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street; shopping in all forms for you to enjoy. We can also do a more historic and tourist tour. Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, you decide.”
Erin felt overwhelmed and all she managed to blurt out was “skinny dipping?”
Elizabeth found a place to park and asked Erin to wait while she got a parking ticket. She then opened the door for Erin and politely offered her hand. Erin accepted the gesture gracefully, but felt awkward in her jeans and t-shirt. She felt like a tourist and decided that she would buy some more fashionable clothes; perhaps something expensive so that she could feel more comfortable walking with Elizabeth in public.
“This car park belongs to Selfridges, one of the more expensive stores you will find in the area. There are also plenty of expensive and fashionable stores on Bond Street. Oxford Street has a few nice stores, but Regent Street has just the right shops.”
Elizabeth guided Erin around the car park into Selfridges and was assaulted by many bodies. She let out an exclamation and a sigh of disgust. “I forgot about Christmas being a few weeks away.” She paused and let out another sigh. “This way.” She took Erin’s hand and found a concealed lift around the corner. “It should be quieter upstairs.”
When the lift opened, she saw that the floor had fewer people. The clothes looked elegant, stylish and she adored everything she saw. One outfit in particular stood out and when she touched the fabric, it felt soft in her hands. She looked at the price tag and let out a gasp. “I could pay for my car with this.”
Elizabeth smiled. “It is quite stunning and would look great on you.” She picked up the outfit and placed it in front of Erin. After tilting her head this way and that way she concluded Erin should try it on.
“No way. What if it rips? People can tell I can’t afford it.” Erin felt embarrassed and wanted to leave.
“Erin.” Elizabeth took her hand. “You belong here as much as everyone else. Here.” She forced the blouse on Erin. “For fun?”
Erin couldn’t resist the temptation of feeling as if she could afford anything. Even if just for one day. They made their way to the changing room and Erin changed into the clothes. She felt elegant and sexy. The green blouse felt like a flower petal against her skin. It was a dark green and had some details on the front that looked as if the top had been pleated. Instead of buttons, the blouse had a discreet zip which she left open just above her breasts. The trousers were a dark grey and fell perfectly on her hips and thighs. She turned around and admired her bottom in the mirror. She had never owned anything that fit her so perfectly well.
“Are you done in there?” Elizabeth asked standing just outside the curtains. In response, Erin drew the curtains opened and did a spin.
“What do you think?”
Elizabeth looked her up and down pausing when she reached Erin’s bottom and then resting her eyes on the cleavage. Desire rose up in her and she had to stop herself from pushing Erin back into the changing her and taking her then and there.
“Looks good.” The brunette turned on her heels and walked out of the room.
Erin smiled at her reflection and reluctantly removed the clothes. Once she was back in her jeans and t-shirt, she walked out and returned the clothes to their rail. Elizabeth was nowhere to be seen and Erin felt a small panic attack. She started walking towards where she thought they had come from and felt a hand take hers. Elizabeth was walking beside her with a wide smile on her face.
“You look like a Cheshire cat.”
“Can’t help it.” Elizabeth tugged at Erin’s hand and turned to face her. “Please forgive me.” She then presented a black paper bag with silver lettering to Erin. “This is for you.”
Erin’s looked at her in disbelief. “What have you done?” She took the bag and looked inside. “What is wrong with you?” She threw the bag at Elizabeth, who in turn looked surprised. Erin stomped away and Elizabeth followed from a distance letting the girl have her space.
Erin walked around without looking at her surroundings. It was clear that Elizabeth could afford and these luxuries and that they meant nothing to her. Erin struggled all her life to have a roof over her head, a house and her loving husband was at home, trying to meet a deadline so that they would have food on their table and pay their bills. It annoyed her that at a swipe of her debit card, Elizabeth had purchased her the most beautiful outfit and that pride did not let her accept it. She felt awkward and wanted to find her way to the dirty streets, where the common people were.
Elizabeth approached Erin and tried to take her hand, but the redhead shook her off. “Don’t.” Her voice shook in anger, regret and annoyance. She was confused and did not know what to do. She wanted to sit down and cry, but she also wanted to run away.
“Fine. You can follow me. I’ll get us out of here. I know a quiet juice bar around the corner from here.” Elizabeth didn’t turn to see if Erin was following her and carried on towards the exit. After a few escalators and brushing past the general public, they finally made it outside. The cool autumn air hit their faces and Elizabeth heard Erin sigh with relief.
A soft hand took her hand and in a small voice, Erin apologised. “I am not used to being treated like I am worth something.”
“I know.” She tightened the grasp. “But you mean the world to me.”
Elizabeth guided her towards the juice bar and they went to the back. All the tables were empty and they chose one in the far back corner. After placing their orders, they waited for the juices in silence. It didn’t take long before Erin’s cranberry juice arrived. Elizabeth ordered a smoothie containing mango, strawberry, banana, orange and apple juice.
Erin sipped at her drink without saying much. Elizabeth didn’t touch hers. She was still thinking about Erin and her reaction to the gift. It was true that she hadn’t been rich all her life, but she had always like spoiling her family and friends. Now that she could, her generosity knew no bounds. In her desire to spoil people, sometimes she forgot that perhaps it embarrassed the target of her affections. She tapped her fingernail on the table without noticing she was doing it. Erin covered her hand with hers. “Stop that.”
“Sorry.” The tone in Elizabeth’s voice was flat.
“You are upset.” Erin said in a matter of fact tone.
Elizabeth did not answer and proceeded to down her drink. She glass was quite full and she only made it halfway. She took a deep breath and finished her drink the second time round.
“Done?” She looked at Erin.
Erin, who was enjoying her drink, got rather annoyed. “No.”
“I am off to the toilet. Back in a minute.” In the toilet Elizabeth punched the wall angry at herself and at Erin. She knew she wasn’t good at expressing her emotions when it came to relationships and she wished she could tell Erin what was in her mind. She went back to the tale to find that Erin had finished her drink.
“What else is on the programme?” Erin asked with sarcasm. “Buying me shoes?”
“Skinny dipping?” Elizabeth looked at Erin with hope.
“Whatever.” Erin shrugged her shoulders.
“Come on, let us go back home. Safer there.” Elizabeth was a recluse and liked her privacy. Crowds had always bothered her. “We don’t need to leave the house again if you don’t want to.”
The ride home was quiet and Elizabeth did not bother putting on some music. Erin stared out the window and soon fell asleep. Elizabeth glanced at her from time to time, admiring her profile, her cute nose and full red lips. During the ride she attempted to let her hand rest on Erin’s thigh, but it got slapped away.
“I thought you were asleep.”
“Just resting my eyes. Doesn’t mean you can harass me while I sleep.” Erin didn’t sound as angry as her words.
“Sorry.” The genuine tone touched Erin.
“Lizzie. You don’t have to apologise for everything, you know?” Her tone softened.
Elizabeth looked genuinely confused. “Of course I do. If I say or do anything that hurts you or offends you, I should apologise. Or else it would just be rude.”
Erin smiled. It was clear that Elizabeth would never really know how not to apologise. She was honest and caring. Erin loved that about Elizabeth and although she was angry, it was not at Elizabeth, it was at herself, her inability to accept her kindness.
The car slowed down and they took a few turns and were back in the garage. They got out of the car and Elizabeth got the black bag out of the back. They made their way towards the locker room and Elizabeth went up the stairs to the gym. She then unlocked the glass door leading the pool and ran back down.
“Here you go.” Elizabeth threw a towel and a bathrobe at Erin and stripped down to nothing. Erin smiled and mirrored the gesture. With just their bathrobes hanging loose on them they ran up to the pool. Erin tossed the bathrobe and towel aside and jumped right in. Her wet head emerged and she looked for Elizabeth in the pool. She then found her friend lounging on a deck chair.
“Hey, you are supposed to be in here with me.” Erin’s mood had improved significantly since they arrived at the house.
“Might make my cold worse.” A tight smile showed on her face.
“Aw, come on.” Erin got out of the pool and sprinkled some water onto Elizabeth. “Now you are wet and you have to come in.”
“No, I don’t.” the brunette dried herself and looked defiantly and Erin.
Erin, being taller and stronger, picked Elizabeth off the deck chair and gently carried her into the pool. Elizabeth hated being carried, but she tried not to struggle for fear of Erin losing her balance and dropping her. The water gently lapped at her feet, her legs and she felt herself being hugged by the warm water.
“See, wasn’t that bad now, was it?” Erin was still holding Elizabeth in her arms.
They looked each other in the eyes and Elizabeth could not resist the urge to kiss the redhead. As their lips were almost touching, Erin pulled back. “No, someone has been a naughty girl today and must be punished.” She let go off Elizabeth who dropped into the pool.
“WHAT?” A wet Elizabeth emerged and she gave Erin an angry look before. “What do you have in mind as punishment?”
Erin raised an eyebrow. “You’ll see.”
Elizabeth felt a strange sort of excitement in her stomach. She went underwater and searched for Erin. Finding what she was looking for she reached out to pinch her bottom. However, Erin was faster and managed to escape. When Elizabeth came back out, Erin tut tutted her. “Naughty naughty.” She then swam towards the brunette and grabbed her by the wrists. “Now what should we do to the naughty girl?”
Elizabeth noticed the length of rope in Erin’s hands and quickly realised it belonged to the bathrobe. Se also watched mesmerised as Erin expertly bound her wrists to the rung of the ladder by the deeper end of the pool. Each wrist was bound to an end and she had her back to the ladder. Erin had done a good job and she could only move her legs. Approving of her work, Erin swam around Elizabeth looking her in the eyes all the while.
Erin swam towards Elizabeth leaving her face an inch apart from the other girl’s. She then grabbed Elizabeth by the waist and raised her slightly so that her breasts were above the water. She took the brunette’s pink nipple into her mouth and teased it for a while and then switched to the other. She heard Elizabeth moan in pleasure and pulled away.
She swam around Elizabeth again, like a shark playing with its prey. She could see the desire in the other woman’s eyes and wanted to give up this whole punishment idea, but she was enjoying herself. She approached the brunette again and this time rubbed her entire naked body against her, pecking at her neck and her lips, never allowing Elizabeth to land a kiss on her. She suddenly felt trapped by two legs.
“Naughty Lizzie. You know that is not allowed.”
“You are not teasing me and leaving me.” Elizabeth said from in between clenched teeth.
“Fine.” Erin’s hand found Elizabeth’s swollen nub and caressed it. After a few moments Elizabeth loosed her grip and Erin pulled free.
Elizabeth tilted her head back and let out a moan. “I hate how you make me feel.”
“Imagine how you make me feel.” Erin smiled innocently.
“Come here.”
“No.”
“Come here. Please.”
“Nope.”
Elizabeth closed her eyes in defeat. Her desire killing her. When she opened her eyes, Erin was floating in front of her, lips almost touching. Elizabeth leaned forward to kiss her and Erin held her behind her head, kissing her deeply.
In between each tongue caress, Elizabeth managed to get a few words out. “I love you.” She kissed Erin again. “I love you so much.”
They stopped kissing and Erin looked her in the eyes. “I love you too.”
Elizabeth started crying. “I am sorry about today. I just wanted it to be special. You are my princess, remember? I am you knight. I am supposed to sweep you off your feet.”
“It is okay. You don’t always have to be my knight. How about we switch roles for a moment.” Erin brushed Elizabeth’s dark locks from her face. “I am sorry too. About everything.” She took the brunettes wrists and untied them. “There you go.” She held Elizabeth in her lap. “Let me take care of you.” She carried Elizabeth to the shallow side and walked out the pool. She then took her little princess to the deck chair and lay her upon the open bathrobe. Erin picked up the towel from the floor and carefully dried Elizabeth. “We don’t want you catching a chill.”
Elizabeth sneezed. “Oops. Told you I shouldn’t have gone in.”
“Nonsense.” She picked Elizabeth up again. “Let us get you nice and cosy.”
Erin walked into the gym and found the door out. Elizabeth tried to guide her, but Erin chided her and said she had to try finding her way around. She found the stairs and carried her brunette princess up and found her own room. Erin gently placed Elizabeth on the salmon coloured duvet and wrapped her in it.
“Back in a minute.”
Elizabeth wondered what the redhead was up to. She came back with two mugs of tea and something tucked into her bathrobe pocket. It didn’t take long for the content of the pocket to be revealed. Erin, as gently as before, uncovered Elizabeth and sprayed the contents of the can on her naked body. The cream covered her nipples and Erin sprayed a line down towards her mound and made a swirl with the cream.
Erin licked the cream of a nipple. “Tasty.” She said smiling at Elizabeth.
“I see the teasing continues.” Elizabeth smiled.
“Yes. But I might allow you to touch me.” Erin kissed Elizabeth on the lips simultaneously caressing her eyebrow with a finger.
Elizabeth didn’t think twice and hugged Erin tightly making sure to smear her with the cream. They separated and looked at each other giggling. “Oh dear, what a mess. I guess I’ll have to lick you clean.” Elizabeth straddled Erin and managed to flip her over onto the mattress. With short tongue strokes, she gently licked the cream off Erin. She lingered on her nipples and teased them as much as possible. When she was not licking the nipples, she would tease them with her fingers. Erin attempted to kiss Elizabeth, but was pushed away, and when she tried to caress Elizabeth, her hand got slapped away.
Elizabeth slowly made it to the mound and as she approached the delicate area, she spread Erin’s legs apart and used her tongue to explore the area. She tasted Erin inside out, gently sucked on the hard swollen nub teasing it with her tongue. When Erin was wet with desire, Elizabeth slipped a finger inside her and slowly massaged the area loosening it. She looked at Erin seeking permission to explore further. Erin moaned and nodded her approval. Still looking at Erin, Elizabeth put another two fingers inside her. The redhead moaned in pleasure and begged for more. At this point, there were four fingers inside Erin gently flexing and stretching.
“Are you sure?”
Erin nodded and moaned. “Yes. Stick them all in. Fuck me hard.”
Elizabeth got her fist inside Erin wishing not to hurt her, but the redhead was lost in a world of ecstasy. She moaned and twisted in pleasure.
“Oooooooooooh, fuck me.” Erin’s eyes were closed and her body continued to writhe in utmost delight. “That’s so good.”
Elizabeth’s hand caressed Erin, almost pulling it out and then she would plunge it back in. The enjoyment she was giving Erin turned her on as much as she were being fucked herself. Erin started laughing and Elizabeth frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Oh yeah, this is so amazing, I almost feel high.” She sighed and laughed again. “Don’t stop. Oh, please, never stop.”
Erin’s body twisted with each and every orgasm until she was fully satisfied. Elizabeth was amazed and loved that she was able to give her lover so much pleasure. Elizabeth gently removed her hand and went down on Erin again; she licked her clean and teased the swollen nub until Erin shouted in delight.
Still lying down completely spent, Erin looked at Elizabeth with love in her eyes. “That was amazing, you are amazing.” She opened her arms and Elizabeth lay in them. Erin hugged her. “I want to stay here with you, forever.” She kissed the top of Elizabeth’s head and inhaled the scent of her hair.
They stayed like that for a while and when Erin tried to moved, she noticed that Elizabeth was rather still. “Lizzie?”
There was no response. Erin gently rolled Elizabeth off her and noticed the brunette was fast asleep. She smiled and decided to surprise her friend. Erin grabbed the bathrobe from the floor and wrapped herself in it. She ran downstairs to the kitchen and rummaged through the fridge looking for something light for them to eat. Everything seemed to have a place in the kitchen and it wasn’t difficult for her to find a tray to place the food on. Once she was satisfied with the items on the tray, she returned upstairs and hoped Elizabeth was still dozing.
She saw Elizabeth stir and open one eye when she walked in. In a groggy voice, Elizabeth asked her how long she had slept for.
“Thirty minutes, give or take.” She placed the tray on the chair beside the bed. “I got us some food. The stuff in your fridge is amazing. Fresh sushi! When was that prepared?”
“Hmmm, must have been while we were away, although Delia was leaving for Italy this afternoon.“ She frowned trying to think. “She must have done it this morning, before leaving. That woman is unbelievable.“ She smiled fondly.
Once Elizabeth was sitting comfortably, Erin produced the tray and placed it in between them.
“How did you find all this?”
“Your kitchen is very organised. I would say someone here is slightly OCD?”
Elizabeth smiled in reply. It was true that she had certain compulsions and could not help herself.
Elizabeth looked at the small vase with the rose button. Erin had thought of everything. She had even found the sake in the drinks cabinet. Elizabeth picked up a California roll with her chopsticks and fed it to Erin. The remainder of the meal was spent in silent adoration. Glances exchanged, words not spoken, they were in a world of their own. Once the food was gone, Erin placed the tray back on the chair and they both fell lightly upon the pillows and into each others arms. They kissed and explored each others bodies, this time, with less violence. The caresses were gentle, the touching was light, rather than having sex, they made gentle love.
When Elizabeth woke up the next morning, Erin was still fast asleep with her arms around the brunette. Elizabeth kept her promise and did not leave the bed until Erin was awake. She tried to move as little as possible in Erin’s arm, but managed to turn just enough so that she had full view of Erin’s face. After a few minutes she fell asleep again only to be woken by a light kiss on her lips.
“Wakey wakey.” Erin whispered into Lizzie’s ear. “And don’t think I didn’t know you were staring at me while I slept. You are not that light that when you turned you didn’t wake me up.”
“Hmm? Ah, sorry.” Elizabeth smiled and planted a deep kiss on Erin’s mouth.
“Horny? So soon?” Erin said huskily.
“Always.” She crawled over Erin and started a repeat of the previous night’s love making.
About one hour later they were showered and dressed and making their way down for breakfast.
“What do you want to do? Stay holed in for the remainder of the week?” Elizabeth look at Erin who had a thoughtful expression on her face.
“Lots of games to play, lots of rooms to defile and movies to watch. If bored, we can always exercise or go for a swim.” Erin looked teasingly at Elizabeth. “And if we are really bored, we can sit by the fireplace in the library and read a book while smoking pipes.”
Elizabeth laughed at the thought. She admitted she never got bored at home and always found something to do. She still had not shown the space of the house she used for writing although the thinking was down in various rooms depending on her mood.
The remainder of the week was spent either playing games, at times competing or taking part on the same side, watching movies, and defiling every room in the house.
Towards the end of the week, both girls’ mood took on a bluer tone. Erin would be leaving the following day and they did not want to part ways. As a parting gift Elizabeth decided to take her to a romantic restaurant not far from where she lived.
“Do you have evening attire?” Elizabeth asked casually.
“No, I did not know I would need one.” Erin asked in an equally casual tone.
Elizabeth smiled. “Please do not be angry, but do you remember that black bag? Containing that beautiful outfit?”
Erin did not want to fight and by now she understood Elizabeth better than before. “Thank you Lizzie. It will be perfect.” She hugged Elizabeth and took the bag from her.
They went up to their respective rooms to get ready. Elizabeth was faster getting ready and waited for Erin at the bottom of the stairs. She heard the footsteps at the top and watched Erin walked down the stairs. It was a stunning site. Her hair fell loosely upon her shoulders and glistened in the artificial light. The green top with its low cut revealed the pale skin beneath it and it had been complemented with a white gold chain containing and small diamond. She had put on the discrete matching earrings. The set had been another gift from Elizabeth.
Elizabeth raised her hand to take Erin down the last few steps. “You look like a dream.”
Erin looked at Elizabeth, who was wearing a black dress which came down just below her knees. This was complemented by a pearl necklace. The high heels added some height. Her hair was up in an elegant knot. Erin thought to herself that she would have fun pulling it apart later on.
They walked hand in hand to the car. This time Elizabeth chose the Zonda.
“We are going to our romantic dinner in that?”
Elizabeth smiled at Erin. “I thought you might as well enjoy the best ride in the house while you can.”
They hopped in and the car zoomed in and out of narrow roads until they reached a lake. There was a well lit structure and as they approached it, Erin noticed the lanterns around the roof and the fairy lights around the door. Large decorative plants on either side of the entrance.
“Hi Lorenzo.” Elizabeth greeted the host.
“Cara mia! How are you doing Elizabeth?” He took her hand in both of his.
“I am fine, thank you. How is your wife? Better?” A look of concern crossed her face.
“Ah, she is much better, thank you. She can now walk around the house.”
“Send her my best wishes.”
“Thank you. Thank you.” He then turned his attention to Erin. “And who is this red haired beauty?”
“She is a good friend of mine visiting from America.”
“Oh, America! I love New York.” He clasped his hands in delight. “Now ladies, I have the very best table for you.” He ushered them to a table by the large glass window giving them full view of the lake. Like the door, the window had fairy lights around it. “it has the best view while still offering you some privacy.”
“Thank you Lorenzo.” Before sitting she turned to Lorenzo and asked him for her usual red wine.
“Of course Elizabeth.” He returned a few minutes later with the red wine.
“You must try this.” She looked at Erin.
Erin took a sip and let the liquid swirl around her mouth for a while. “Nice. I like it. I actually do like this red wine.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “No more cheap red wines for me.”
The candlelight threw shadows across both their faces and they sat for a second just admiring its effects. Elizabeth held back the urge to run her hand along Erin’s face. She then picked up the menu, even though she knew what she was going to order, and helped Erin choose.
“Tortellini is my favourite. “ Erin said after a while.
“Everything here is good. Lorenzo runs a great kitchen.” Elizabeth looked around as the other diners started to come in. “I will have the cannelloni.”
Erin looked around and now understood why she had to dress up. Most of the clientele looked high class; the gentlemen wore suits and ties, the ladies had black dresses or elegant female suits. Erin felt comfortable and relaxed.
Elizabeth found Lorenzo and gave a short nod.
“Ready to order?”
“Yes. A tortellini for my friend and a cannelloni for me. For starters, if you could bring a selection of anti-pasto, please.”
“Of course. Extra artichoke hearts?”
“As usual, please.”
Lorenzo discreetly took his leave. Once the starters arrived, Elizabeth helped herself to some artichokes. “My favourite.” She closed her eyes and enjoyed the flavours.
When she opened her eyes again, Erin had made a triangle with her arms and rested the chin of the tip of her fingers. She was staring at Elizabeth and for a second, Elizabeth thought she would get up and kiss her.
“Erin. Do you want to meet again?”
“Yes. Yes yes yes.” The eagerness in her voice was evident.
“How does two weeks in Japan sound to you? Let us say six months from now.” Elizabeth looked serious.
“It sounds far away.”
“E-mails and phone calls until then?” Elizabeth thought the solution feeble, but she could not think of anything better for now.
They switched topics and talked about the past week clearly avoiding the inevitable separation. The main course came and went. They ordered desert, tiramisu ice-cream. It tasted heavenly and they ate it as slowly as possible not wanting the night to end.
When the bill arrived Elizabeth took care of it and thanked Lorenzo for a wonderful evening. Lorenzo walked them outside talking to Elizabeth and being charming to Erin.
“See you soon Elizabeth. Ciao.” Lorenzo smiled and waved oozing Italian charm.
“Ciao Lorenzo.” Elizabeth returned kissing him on both cheeks.
“Ah, I see you came in the splendid machine.” He looked at the Zonda. “Magnifico.”
Elizabeth smiled and got into the car. She had already taken Lorenzo for a ride in it and he was impressed by the speed of the car. He also liked the design and preferred it to the Ferrari. They talked about cars from time to time when Elizabeth’s husband was not around.
The ride home was quiet and once they were inside the house, they kissed urgently and passionately. Erin finally got a chance to unwind Elizabeth’s hair and let it cascade down her back. They started taking each others clothes in the garage and walking about the basement corridors without objective ended up in the wine cellar.
“Wine!” Erin grabbed a bottle at random and found a bottle opener quite easily.
They drank from the bottle and carried on kissing and caressing each other. Elizabeth grabbed her by the hand and dragged her as far up the stairs as possible without making it to the ground floor. They fondled each other on the stairs and Elizabeth slipped down a step to pull off Erin’s small pants. She licked her inside out and then lay upon Erin, one hand caressing her inner thighs and wet moist mound. The other stroked her arms, breast, hair and face, not quite sure where to settle. Elizabeth’s eyes tried to take in all of Erin at once and imprint her in her mind. She hugged the redhead and kissed her all over. She looked her in the eyes and silently pleaded with her not to leave.
Erin considered for a second not boarding the plane. It still was not too late for her to turn back and return to Elizabeth’s arms, but she had to go back to America. She had to tie loose ends if she were ever to return to Elizabeth. Erin stood up and went to the departure gate. Walking down the tunnel towards the plane was the most difficult thing she had ever done in her life. She hoped that next time she did, it would be to return to the arms of the love of her life.
Elizabeth stood by the bedroom window looking at the sky, watching the planes fly over her house. Tears ran down her face unbidden. Arms wrapped around her and hugged her. The male voice vibrated through her. “Was she that great?”
She leaned into his shoulder. “More than you could ever imagine.”
A welcome silence took over.
