Johnnie drove home without the radio. Her eyes burned from lack of sleep, and her bones felt as though they were melting beneath her skin. The stress of the previous night and morning was finally taking its toll, and she knew it was useless to fight it. Elaine was going to be okay and she couldn’t be more thankful. And even though she wasn’t sure what to think of the other woman who had called her and been there, she owed her a thanks as well.
She pulled into her covered parking space and headed for the stairs to her loft. She needed a hot shower and something to eat. Hopefully, she had some yogurt in the fridge. Feeling like a ragdoll, she unlocked and pulled open her large door. She blinked a few times to make sure the image she was seeing was real.
“Where have you been?” Gail rose from the couch wearing nothing but boy shorts. She held Johnnie’s face in her hands. “I’ve been worried sick.”
Johnnie felt like collapsing in fatigue and defeat. She’d completely forgotten about Gail.
“I told you you could stay the night,” Johnnie said, mainly to remind herself.
“Yes.” She grinned and wrapped her arms around Johnnie’s shoulders. “But we didn’t get to the good part.” She kissed her and tried to plunge with her tongue.
Johnnie pulled away in reflex. She closed the door and headed toward the fridge.
“What’s with you?” Gail followed.
“I’m tired.”
“Why didn’t you answer your cell?”
Johnnie opened the fridge, unopen to drama. “Did you eat all of my yogurt?”
“It was all you had here, so yeah.”
Johnnie retrieved the orange juice, screwed off the lid, and downed several large gulps.
“You still didn’t tell me where you were or why you left.”
Johnnie replaced the juice and sighed. “A friend of mine was in the emergency room.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Monica?” Gail had always been jealous of Monica. And seeing Johnnie and her together at Amsterdam’s obviously set something off in her. It was probably why she’d shown up. Johnnie knew this, but she’d still let her in. She never could get over the look in her eyes when she pleaded. She’d said she had nowhere to go. That she missed her and wanted another chance. She’d said all the right words. The words Johnnie always wanted desperately to believe.
“No, not Monica.”
“Then who?”
Johnnie crossed to her bedroom where she sat and removed her boots and socks. She crawled up to her pillows and curled up on her side. Her bed felt unbelievably good. So good she could stay there for all eternity. She closed her eyes as she sank farther into the feather duvet.
“Johnnie?”
Johnnie startled and felt movement on the bed. Gail had crawled up next to her. Johnnie felt her spoon her from behind. It was an unusual move. Gail was hardly ever affectionate. It meant she wanted something.
“I need to sleep,” Johnnie said.
Gail groaned. Then she pulled closer and whispered in her ear. “I’ll give you a good night kiss.”
Johnnie closed her eyes and felt her flesh break out in goose bumps as Gail teased her ear with her lips and tongue and lowered her hand to her waistband. Too tired to fight, Johnnie relaxed and then moaned as Gail’s fingers found her center.
“Oh, yeah, that’s it,” Gail whispered in her ear.
“Don’t talk,” Johnnie said, mind already on Elaine and her powerful words. She tried to imagine how Elaine touched the other woman while pretending she was Johnnie. Had she stroked her like this? Spoken in her ear? Milked her until she was as wet as she could get? She groaned and rolled onto her back. It was no longer Gail touching her, pleasing her. It was Elaine, and Johnnie wanted to make it good for her. She moaned louder, pumped her hips, lifted her shirt, and lifted her breast above her bra to pinch her own nipples. She was lost in a world of Elaine, and when she came, she came hard and loud and violently, holding Gail’s arm to her, coming up off the bed and crying out for her. She called her from the depths of her soul until her voice was raspy and spent.
Again and again, the wave of pleasure came and she rode them as hard as she could for as long as she could. When she finally stilled, she fell back onto the bed and shivered with aftershock. Her hand was still gripping Gail’s arm. She let go and Gail pulled it away quickly. She looked angry, but Johnnie was too fucking happy to care.
She sank into her pillow and grinned. Her eyes fell closed with fatigue.
“Who the fuck is Elaine?” Gail demanded.
Johnnie heard her and felt the sharp nudge to her shoulder.
“Johnnie? Johnnie?”
“Sleep now,” Johnnie said.
She felt Gail climb from the bed, heard her dress, and then heard the door close behind her when she left. Johnnie once again turned to her side and curled up. She drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Elaine.