Morgan didn’t get much sleep. She kept seeing the desperate look on Shawn’s face when she thought she’d lost her dog. That desperation turned to anger, and Morgan kept dreaming that Shawn cut her out of her life and said she never wanted to see her again. Morgan hoped that that was just a nightmare and not a reality. She took extra care getting dressed and putting on makeup, hoping to entice Shawn into forgiving her. Morgan pulled into the parking lot a little after eight a.m., and she checked her makeup and hair once more in the visor mirror before exiting the car.
The butterflies were fluttering in her stomach, and she wiped her sweaty palms down the front of her jeans. She took a slow deep breath in and let it out before opening the front door. The jangle of the bells on the upper part of the door announced her arrival. Shawn wasn’t at the counter. Morgan quickly looked around and wondered if Shawn took the day off since her car wasn’t in the driveway when Morgan drove by. Her disappointment quickly turned to excitement and her heart raced when Shawn came through the swinging door that presumedly led to the kitchen area, or maybe her office. When Shawn saw Morgan, she slowed her stride. Shawn’s frown was not what Morgan wanted to see, but at least she was still moving toward Morgan instead of going back through the door.
“Hey.” Shawn’s greeting definitely wasn’t a “hey, great to see you,” but more of a “hey, I guess you’re here to let me have it.”
“Shawn, I am so sorry for not calling or texting you to let you know I had Jameson. I can’t imagine the fear you went through when you couldn’t find him. I promise that I’ll never do that again. But please say you’ll forgive me. I don’t want to lose you. Or our friendship.”
Shawn smiled a little. That could be promising. “I’ll forgive you on one condition.”
“Anything. Just name it.”
“That you’ll forgive me for being such a dick to you yesterday. I was going to come by your place when I got off work to apologize. I was way out of line talking to you the way I did. I’m sorry, Morgan. I don’t want to lose our friendship either.”
Morgan felt the dreaded weight lift from her shoulders. “I wish I could give you a big hug right now.”
Shawn’s smile could’ve brightened the darkest room, and she stepped closer with her arms open. “Come here.”
Morgan stepped in and just like that, all was right in the world again. She could feel Shawn’s back muscles tighten as she wrapped her arms around Morgan. Now was not the time to think of Shawn hovering over her, body slick with sweat, muscles flexed as she drove herself into Morgan. She cleared her throat as she remembered they were in Shawn’s diner. She released her hold, her body heated and her panties wet. That was going to be uncomfortable.
“Hey, Shawny. Who’s your friend?” An older gentleman at a table with three other men laughed when Shawn blushed.
Shawn ducked her head and spoke softly into Morgan’s ear. “I have to introduce you to those guys. They were good friends of my grandfather’s, but don’t pay them no mind. They’re nosy old codgers.”
Morgan looked up into Shawn’s eyes. “I’d love to meet them.”
Shawn grabbed Morgan’s hand and led her to the table. “Guys, this is my friend Morgan Campbell. Morgan, that’s Ernie, Dave, Bill, and this ugly mug is Jack.”
Morgan smiled and shook their hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen.”
“Are you here to have breakfast, young lady, or are you just going to make googly eyes at our Shawny?”
Morgan barked out a hearty laugh as Shawn turned the deepest shade of red she’d ever seen on a person. That Jack guy was a hoot and a troublemaker, Morgan could tell. This could be fun. “Can’t I do both, Jack?”
The men laughed and Morgan winked at Shawn. She could handle these guys, and it was just a little bonus to see Shawn a bit off kilter.
Ernie jumped up and grabbed another chair, whacked Dave on the arm and told him to scoot over. “Why don’t you join us, honey? You can sit next to me.”
Normally, a man other than her dads calling her honey would’ve given Morgan an opportunity to use a few choice words, but she knew deep inside these guys were harmless and not condescending.
“I’d love to. Thank you.” Ernie held the chair for Morgan and when she sat, he helped scoot her in.
“What can I get you, Morgan? I recommend the banana nut pancakes.”
“That sounds perfect, Shawn. Could I also get some coffee?”
“Sure.” Shawn pointed at each of the men. “Y’all behave and don’t go telling stories.”
Once Shawn left, the four men all looked at Morgan. It somehow felt like she was about to be interrogated, and she was tempted to look around for a bright light for them to shine in her eyes.
“How do you know our Shawny, honey?” Jack looked over the rim of his mug as he took a sip of coffee.
He had a head full of thick gray hair and a twinkle in his bright blue eyes. Morgan could tell he was the leader of this group, like a big brother.
“Well, I actually just met her a week ago. I’ve rented a cabin up the street from hers and she’s been nice enough to help me with some things.”
The guys looked at each other, Bill rolling his lips in to keep from laughing probably now that Morgan reran that sentence back in her head.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Bill.” Morgan calling him on that got the other guys to burst out laughing. Bill was a skinny man, also gray-haired, as well as a gray goatee. Morgan pegged him as the joker and troublemaker of the group.
Shawn came back with Morgan’s coffee and refilled the other mugs on the table. “What’s so funny?”
“I was just telling them how we met. Anyways, gentlemen, and I use that term loosely,” Morgan winked at Bill, “Shawn has been nice enough to take me hiking and kayaking since I’m here by myself.”
Dave nodded. “Our Shawny is as nice as they come. We all love her like she was our own granddaughter. Her granddaddy was one of our best friends.” Dave was a bulk of a man, his protruding belly preventing him from getting too close to the table. He had a face full of hair, including a long beard that reminded her of Santa Claus. Ernie looked to be the youngest of the group with salt-and-pepper hair and a decent physique for a man his age. He was the quiet one of the group.
Touched, Morgan looked at Shawn and grinned. She’d only known Shawn for a week, and she already knew that she was special.
“You guys are just buttering me up so I’ll comp your meal.” Shawn clapped her hand on Jack’s shoulder before she left to help a customer.
“Where are you from, Morgan?”
“Sacramento.”
“And what do you do?”
“How long will you be here?”
“Where’s your family?”
They shot off question after question, from all different directions, and Morgan felt like her head was spinning. She could take it though because they were just looking out for Shawn, and she appreciated that.
“All right, guys. Leave her alone and let her eat.”
Morgan’s eyes widened when she saw the pancakes Shawn set in front of her. There were three large pancakes topped with sliced banana, walnuts, and whipped cream. There were smaller dishes with butter and syrup, but she doubted she’d need that. She slowly and methodically cut the cakes into tiny squares then looked up to see five sets of eyes on her. She stabbed a banana then a square of the pancakes and held it in front of her mouth. The anticipation seemed to be killing the spectators, so she opened wide and closed her lips over the fork and let the warm sweetness envelop her taste buds. She moaned her pleasure and held her thumb up. She loved seeing Shawn pleased, and she knew inexplicably that she wanted to continue doing so.
The guys had finished their breakfasts before Morgan even sat down, so she encouraged them to tell tales of Shawn and her grandparents while she ate. She was only able to eat three-quarters of her breakfast before she felt like she’d burst, and she pushed her plate away. Since the breakfast crowd had dwindled, Shawn pulled up a chair after taking Morgan’s plate away, and she joined them with her own cup of coffee. Shawn sat next to Jack, and it warmed Morgan’s heart to see his affection for her. He placed his arm behind Shawn’s chair and started rubbing her neck, causing Shawn’s head to fall forward. Morgan wished it was her that was rubbing Shawn’s neck muscles, soothing her into submission. Again, with the dirty thoughts. Morgan could be in some real trouble if she didn’t rein in her lust.
They spent another thirty minutes together before Jack stood, followed by Ernie, Dave, and Bill.
“Well, ladies, us old guys better get going so we can get on with our day.” Jack took Morgan’s hand and helped her stand before wrapping her in a gentle grandfatherly hug. While they embraced, Jack spoke softly. “I like you, honey. I like you for Shawny. But if I hear you hurt her, I’ll send my wife after you with a wooden spoon.”
Morgan looked into Jack’s eyes, knowing he was just looking out for Shawn’s welfare, and seeing the love he had for his surrogate granddaughter.
“I would never do anything to intentionally hurt Shawn, sir. You have my word.”
“Good. I hope to see you again real soon. Join us anytime for breakfast. Shawny knows the days we come in.”
Morgan hugged the other three, then they all hugged Shawn after paying for their meal. Shawn came back over to the table and sat with Morgan.
“How did you like the pancakes?”
“I think it’s my new favorite breakfast, but I’m in a total food coma. I might just pass out when I get back to the cabin.”
“Oh, that’s too bad because I was going to ask if you wanted to watch the sunset from Sand Harbor. It’s across the lake from here and the Tahoe sunsets are gorgeous.”
The thought of watching a sunset with Shawn perked up Morgan. “Well, I can take a little nap until you get off work. I’ll be well rested.”
The smile that lit up Shawn’s face made Morgan want to do anything she asked.
“Great! I’ll pick you up at four. I gotta get back to work, but I’ll see you soon.”
“I can’t wait. I just need my check.”
“There isn’t one. Jack insisted on buying your meal even though I told him I wasn’t going to charge you.”
“Can I just tell you how much I already love those guys? They’re a riot, and they sure do love you. Thank you for introducing them to me.”
“They’re pretty far gone on you, too.”
“I’ll fix us something to eat while we watch the sunset.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can fix something.”
“Nonsense. You’re working and I have the time. I’ll see you soon, right?”
“You will. And, Morgan? I’m really glad you came in today.”
Morgan quickly hugged Shawn, not wanting to linger and get worked up again. “I am, too.”
* * *
Shawn raced home after work, grabbed Jameson, a warm blanket, and a jacket before heading to Morgan’s. She was just exiting the car to knock on Morgan’s door when she stepped out onto the porch holding a bag in one hand and her jacket under her other arm. Shawn went to her and grabbed the bag from her so Morgan could lock the door.
“Still not willing to leave your door unlocked?”
“Old habits die hard. Besides, you never know when a random dog might come along, open the door that’s unlocked, and jump up on the couch with me.”
“Happens to you a lot, does it?”
They both got in the car and closed the doors.
“You have no idea. It’s a total thing. Hi, Jameson. Ready to see the sunset?” Jameson licked Morgan’s face and Shawn laughed.
“I hope you don’t mind dog slobber.”
“Not from this handsome guy.”
Shawn turned her SUV left on Highway 89 and followed the road along the North Shore. Morgan had filled Shawn in on the stories Jack, Bill, Dave, and Ernie told about Shawn.
“Those guys are great, but they can sure embarrass a person. They’re also very nosy, especially about my love life.” Shawn gripped the steering wheel and she glanced over at Morgan. “Uh, I mean, not that I have a love life to talk about or anything.” Geez, she kept putting her foot in her mouth when it came to Morgan.
“So, you’re a virgin?”
“No!”
Morgan laughed and placed her hand on Shawn’s arm that was still gripping the wheel.
“I’m just kidding. Not that being a virgin at, what? Thirty-five? Is a bad thing.”
“I’m thirty-eight, I’ll have you know, and I lost my virginity in college, thank you very much.”
“Tell me about her. I mean it’s still a while before we get there, right?”
“Seriously? You really want to know?”
“I’ll share mine if you share yours.”
Oh, man. Morgan had no idea what she did to Shawn with her suggestive words and her constant touching. All of it was driving Shawn mad. How was Morgan able to keep her in a constant state of arousal without even knowing it? Or did she? No, Morgan wouldn’t do that. Besides, she’d brushed off Shawn when she went to kiss her the other night. She said she wasn’t ready for anything, and Shawn would abide by Morgan’s wishes. But still. Shawn was only human.
“All right, but it’s not that interesting. It’s kind of crappy actually. I was a freshman playing on the college’s softball team. One of the seniors on the team had a friend a few years older than her. I was at a team party one night, and my teammate’s friend started hitting me up. We ended up in a vacant bedroom, and she started kissing me. I was a little on edge because I’d never kissed a girl, or woman before. But she was telling me how cute she thought I was, what a good player I was, how she couldn’t believe I was single. She said she really wanted to kiss me, and I thought I was going to lose it. I was so flattered that I allowed her to take my hand, and she led me to the room. Anyways, she took her time in the beginning, kissing me. Then she placed her hand on my leg, and it startled me. God, I was such a dork.”
Shawn glanced over to see Morgan’s eyes and attention on her so she felt compelled to continue.
“We kept kissing and touching each other, and before I knew it, she was undressing me, and she put her hand inside my underwear. She had me so worked up, I popped off like a sixteen-year-old boy. My breathing hadn’t even returned to normal when she kissed me, told me to get dressed, and she left the room, leaving me there with just my sports bra and underwear on. Well, I got dressed and went to look for her so we could talk and hang out, maybe exchange numbers, but she’d left.”
The car was quiet except for the hum of the engine and the radio playing softly. Shawn looked over to Morgan who looked incredulous. Her eyes and mouth were equally wide open.
“Pretty shitty, huh?” Shawn looked back at Morgan who was shaking her head.
“That’s one of the worst stories I’d ever heard. I can’t believe she just did that to you.”
“Yeah. I felt so ashamed, especially after my teammate said that was her friend’s MO. It took me a while before I wanted another woman touching me.”
“God, Shawn. I’m so sorry that your first time wasn’t with someone caring. I mean, come on! She just left you there.”
“Well, she didn’t know it was my first time.”
“That doesn’t matter.” Morgan threw her hands in the air, and Shawn thought she might hit something. “Any decent person would stick around, maybe talk a little. But she just left you.”
“Morgan, it’s okay. I got over it. My follow-up was a much better experience, and that first woman actually taught me what not to do. I learned to always treat my lovers with respect and make sure we’re on the same page.”
They pulled into the parking lot of the beach, and Shawn backed into the space so they could sit in the back to watch the sunset. She released the rear lift gate, put down the third-row seat so Jameson could join them, and sat in the back. Morgan started pulling foodstuffs out of the bag and opening the containers that had salami, cheese, gourmet olives, and crackers. She handed a bottle of wine and a corkscrew to Shawn to handle that task. Everything looked delicious, including the Pinot Grigio.
Morgan beamed. “It’s a charcuterie board without the board. I also cooked a chicken breast for Jameson.” She looked so proud of herself that Shawn had to consciously keep her hands from grabbing Morgan’s face and kissing her senseless. Instead, she used her hands and mouth to nosh on the food Morgan had prepared, letting her know that everything tasted great. They still had about thirty minutes before the sun set, plenty of time to eat and talk some more.
“Your turn.”
“My turn? For what?”
“I told you mine. Time for you to tell me about your first time.”
Morgan handed Jameson a piece of chicken and he gently took it from her fingers. “After hearing your story, I don’t think I want to tell you now.”
“That bad?”
“No, it was much better than yours. I don’t want you to be jealous.”
Morgan laughed when Shawn started tickling her and Jameson barked at their antics.
“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you. Geez. So, here it is. My high school girlfriend and I had sex in my car after the movies one night. That’s it.”
Shawn shook her head. “That’s all I get?”
“What more do you want?” Morgan covered her mouth since she’d just taken a bite.
“Don’t make me tickle you again. How old were you? How long had you been together? What happened to her? What movie did you see?” Shawn asked innocently, batting her eyes and giving Morgan her sweetest smile.
“We were both eighteen. We’d been together for a year. She went away to college. And I don’t remember the movie. I think Julia Roberts was in it.”
“Morgan! I swear, it’s like pulling teeth with you.”
“Okay, fine. Her name was Gemma. Probably still is. She and her family moved into our neighborhood the year prior, we had some classes together, and we became friends. I had an immediate crush on her.”
“What was it about her that attracted you?”
“I’m not sure exactly. She was cute in a girl-next-door type of way. She was super smart and so funny. There were many times I cried from laughing so hard with her. I wasn’t out in high school. In fact, I was still trying to figure out why I was more attracted to girls than boys. Anyways, the summer before our senior year, we spent our days at the community pool, and our nights having dinner at each other’s houses. One night, we hugged good-bye, but it was different. It felt different, than our normal hugs. When we broke apart, she kissed me on the mouth, but she looked shocked and ran into her house. I was a mess because it finally clicked for me that I was a lesbian. We didn’t speak for a week and it nearly killed me. I missed her so much and I kept replaying that hug and kiss in my mind over and over again. Finally, I couldn’t take not seeing her so I drove to her house, picked her up, and we went for a drive. Sorry this is so long. Are you bored yet?”
Bored? No. Riveted? Yes. Shawn was enjoying listening to Morgan, even if it was about her having sex for the first time. “No, go on.”
“We confessed our feelings for each other and then we kissed. It was awkward at first. Teeth banging into each other, you know? But we practiced. A lot. But we were both too scared to do anything more. We spent the entire school year just holding hands and kissing, a little over the clothes action.” Morgan wiggled her eyebrows, making Shawn laugh. “Over the next summer, we couldn’t spend enough time with each other. We were both going away to college on separate coasts. One night, we went parking after the movie, and we got braver, probably because we knew our time together was coming to an end. We fumbled around, fondling each other in the back seat of my tiny Honda Civic.” Morgan laughed recalling the memory and it made Shawn smile.
“We finally unbuttoned and unzipped our shorts, and we stuck our hands in each other’s underwear. It took longer than it should have to orgasm, but we didn’t know what the hell we were doing. We finally came, almost at the same time, and we spent the rest of our night holding each other until we had to go home because of curfew.”
“That was such a sweet story. And now I am jealous that your first time was special.”
“Yeah, it really was.”
“Morgan, look.” Shawn pointed across the lake where the sun was starting to set. The sky was a magnificent mixture of orange, pink, and purple breaking through the few clouds in the sky.
Morgan’s mouth opened, which she quickly covered with her hand. When she turned to face Shawn, her eyes were wet with unshed tears. “That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Shawn kept her eyes on Morgan and said quietly, “Sure is.”
It took a moment for Morgan to realize Shawn was talking about her. The glow of the fading sun put this ethereal light on to Morgan’s face, and Shawn thought she looked like an angel. Morgan placed her hand on Shawn’s cheek, and Shawn looked into Morgan’s eyes, down to her mouth, and back up into her eyes. Shawn’s breathing quickened, as did her heartbeat. When Morgan leaned closer, Shawn’s eyes closed, and she felt the softness of Morgan’s lips. The kiss didn’t last long, way too short in Shawn’s opinion, but it was probably the sweetest kiss she’d ever had. The fact that it was with Morgan at sunset in her most favorite place made it all the more special.
They turned their attention back to the sunset, but Shawn couldn’t think of anything else except for Morgan’s lips on hers. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. Morgan had made it clear that she hadn’t been interested in a fling. Shawn thought their kiss must’ve been a “being in the moment” thing for Morgan. Shawn wouldn’t make the first move out of respect for Morgan’s wishes, but if Morgan decided to change her mind and want to get together with Shawn, she certainly wouldn’t turn her away, even though she wanted more. The more time she spent with Morgan, the more she wanted of her. It would be impossible not to fall for her, which, inevitably, would lead to a broken heart that Shawn wasn’t sure would heal. The sky had darkened, the sun had disappeared completely behind the mountain, and the temperature was dropping.
“You ready to head back?”
Morgan shrugged. “I guess so. I wish that could’ve lasted longer.”
The sunset or the kiss? Shawn wondered because she definitely wished the kiss lasted longer. They packed up the food, folded up the flannel blanket they’d used to cover their legs, and headed out of the parking lot. They spent the first few minutes talking about the sunset and the view from that side of the lake. Shawn told Morgan that Sand Harbor was a popular place for people to photograph because of the blues, greens, and turquoise of the water, not to mention the clarity. There were also large boulders that stuck out of the water that made it fun to kayak around.
“Whatever happened to Gemma?”
“Excuse me?” Morgan looked at Shawn like she didn’t know who or what she was talking about.
“Gemma. Your first? Whatever happened to her?”
Morgan sighed and looked out of the window. So many thoughts and emotions ran through Morgan that day. She was lost in thought as she glanced at the lights and buildings in the small towns they passed by as they drove back home. That was an interesting word to describe Morgan’s vacation cabin. The longer she was there, the more it felt like home to her. Shawn could also have a little to do with it, but she didn’t want to think about that while Shawn was asking about Gemma.
“We both left for college at the end of the summer. We tried to do the long-distance thing, but there were too many miles between us. We haven’t kept in touch. Life just got in the way, I guess. Last I heard, she was living in Washington.”
“Have you tried to find her on social media?”
“I’m not on any sites. I have no use or need for it. The people I’m interested in keeping in contact with, I call or text.”
“Wow! I guess you’re one of the few that don’t use it.”
“Am I missing out?”
Shawn laughed. “Probably only on rage or indignation on social justice and politics. Oh, but there are some pretty cute puppy and kitten videos.”
“Hmm. I don’t think cute videos are good enough reason for me to join them.”
They were almost back to the cabin, and their night would be coming to an end. Maybe that was a good thing for Morgan. She’d kissed Shawn. She’d told Shawn a few days ago that she wanted to be friends, but Morgan now found herself wanting more, which was confusing her. She knew Shawn would be interested just by the way she looked at her. Shawn’s eyes were telling if one was paying attention, and Morgan definitely was. They should probably talk about the kiss but not tonight. Morgan needed some time alone to think about what she wanted.
They pulled into Morgan’s driveway and Shawn put the gear in neutral. Morgan was torn between reaching over the center console to hug Shawn and fleeing from the car.
“Thanks for tonight. I had a great time.”
“Same here. Listen, I have a ton of things to do after work tomorrow, but I’m off the following day. How about we take a drive around the lake? I can take you to some beautiful spots if you want to take some pictures. We can take a hike, grab some lunch. Interested?”
Morgan was definitely interested. Plus, not seeing Shawn tomorrow would give Morgan time to get her thoughts and feelings under control.
“That sounds fun.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at five thirty a.m.”
“What? Why so early?”
“You’ll see. Dress in layers.”
Now Morgan’s curiosity was piqued. “Okay, I’ll be ready.” Morgan reached into the back seat to pet Jameson on the head. “I’ll see you later, cutie-pie.” Then she reached over and petted Shawn on the head, making Shawn laugh. “I’ll see you later.”
“What? I’m not a cutie-pie?”
Morgan looked at her and raised her left eyebrow. “Oh, you’re something all right. Good night, Shawn.”
“Night, Morgan.”
Once Morgan opened the door then closed it behind her, she heard Shawn’s car back out of her driveway. Shit. What was she going to do about her growing feelings for Shawn?