The Things Inside Our Hearts

Usually this was something that Carrie would have commented on straight away. But in the minutes just passed she had been swept clean off her feet, unable to do anything but lie there as her body was admired. She knew what was coming next – either fingers or a tongue, and Nell was already clearing her route, spreading the legs of her lover far apart until she could almost see between the folds of her shaved pussy. But what Nell did next took Carrie by absolute surprise.

Instead of lower her head or reaching forward with her hands, the brunette was moving closer to the bed, pushing Carrie's legs wider apart in the process, until the hemline of her dress was tickling along the inside of Carrie's thighs. She lifted the edge of her dress and rolled it up around her waist to reveal a thin strip of dark hair that led directly to her protruding clit.

Again Carrie felt the urge to spring forward and bury her tongue in this woman's pussy. She remembered the sweetness of the peaches and found herself wondering how much of the sweetness was from the actual fruit, but the thought didn't stay with her long. Nell was now leaning over her body, stray strands of her long dark hair falling over Carrie's skin in hundreds of silken caresses. She was running her fingers through the Brit's hair, soothing and stroking as she lined herself up for the next move.

Suddenly taking hold of Carrie's hips, Nell eased her pussy slowly onto the other, enjoying the warmth, the softness and the neverending wetness. She rocked for a few moments, finding the ideal position so that their clits were touching and would continue to do so no matter how frantic the grinding might become.

Carrie, who'd never experienced this kind of physical pleasure found, herself whimpering. She could feel everything, and the tighter the Dutchwoman ground against her, the more certain she became that this woman's copious juices were now beginning to trickle inside her. The realisation sent another surge of electricity through her and soon she was rubbing back just as hard, feelings her thighs becoming soaked from the intensity of the act.

Nell's eyes were closed and her breathing was becoming heavier by the second. She was close to coming, and in anticipation of the moment Carrie was spreading her legs even wider, willing this dark-haired beauty to an orgasm all over her dripping pussy. Pressing harder still, Nell lowered her lips to one of Carrie's nipples and began grazing her teeth against it, enjoying the way it hardened in an instant and deepened to a dark crimson.

Soon the thrusting and grinding became more and more erratic. Both women were sweating and soon Nell was forced to stop and remove her dress completely. It happened at a crucial moment. Carrie's pussy was already twitching in the first stages of orgasm when Nell drew away. But the sight of this woman's flawless breasts proved more than enough to ease Carrie's disappointment.

Nell soon climbed up on the bed next to her and began easing her body over the sheets so that her legs were finally on the bed. Carrie was like a rag doll in her hands, and making the most of the situation, Nell set about rearranging her body, bending her legs at the knees and pulling her legs further apart until the blonde was in a position that left her completely vulnerable.

Taking her time, the Dutchwoman placed a knee either side of Carrie's head, lowering her pussy to a tempting distance but keeping it agonisingly short of the young woman's tongue. She held the position as she leaned forwards, resting her hands against Carrie's inner thighs as she lost herself to the scent of female arousal.

Her pussy descended on Carrie's mouth just about the same time her own tongue made contact with the blonde's velvet folds. Both women arched from the first touch, but the tongues kept dipping again and again until they were eating each other out with the voracity of a lifetime of sexual drought.

Carrie brought the first surprise in the form of her index finger, which she slid all the way inside the brunette with perfect ease. Never one to be outdone, Nell followed suit; but by the feeling of fullness in her pussy Carrie knew that Nell had slipped an extra digit inside her. The second finger was soon followed by a third, and then a fourth wriggled its way into her ready hole.

Carrie moaned as the tongue and the fingers set to work. She was trying desperately to keep up with the slow probing rhythm but struggling as the waves of ecstasy began to surge through her body. Her head was spinning and above her she could feel the beautiful brunette thrusting and grinding against her touch. For a few moments it felt like she was no longer in her own body, instead watching this erotic scene from a corner of the room, drawn to its passion, its intensity and the single bright flame that burnt between them.

As her body caved in to orgasm, she heard Nell let out a small cry. They were both coming - together. The room was becoming dim, and Carrie's body was turning rapidly into lead. Only the sounds remained of Nell's moans and her own pounding heart, and soon even those faded into nothing.

When she opened her eyes again, her head was resting on Nell's chest, her arm drawn over the brunette, who was watching her intently.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, darling." A warm smile had spread across her face, and Carrie noticed for the first time that the woman's fingers were resting against her cheek, lulling her to a state where it was impossible to do anything but lie there while her senses came back into focus.

"I hope the walls to this room are thick, because if not I doubt whether any of your neighbours could have slept through that!"

Carrie managed a faint smile. "I don't think I can move…"

"It's ok. I don't want you to move, darling. I want you to lie here in my arms all night. Just keep your head on my chest and let me hold you."

Carrie felt her last reserves of energy fading. She felt more contented and more secure than she had done in her entire life, and as she sank deeper into the Dutchwoman's arms she heard the words that she'd been waiting for –

"I love you, Carrie… It does matter what I might say or not say, do or not do… I love you - and I always will."

When she woke the next morning it was to an empty bed. The sunlight was streaming through the window and the bustle of the busy streets floated along the horizon. Carrie glanced around the room, half-expecting to see Nell emerging from the shower or coming in through the front door with a newspaper in her hand, but there was no sign of the beautiful woman, apart from the indentations in the sheets.

She rose to a sitting position and ran her fingers through her hair. She glanced at her clock but the digits stood flashing at 3.07. Panicking, Carrie made a swipe for her watch. She was usually up and dressed long before the rest of the city. Her face fell as she saw that she was already half an hour late for work.

She picked up the phone to make the apologetic phone call, but realised as soon as the receiver touched her ear that it was dead. She replaced the handset and took a quick look at the socket. It had been unplugged, and when she turned it on she found two separate messages from Forster. The first came across as being concerned and understanding, but in the second the diplomat's practised tones were very much strained.

Carrie groaned. It was hardly a good impression to make in her first month on the job. She had enough riding against her as it was without making careless mistakes. Nell had probably overslept too, and rushed off in the same kind of hurry as she had the previous evening. Without wasting any more time, Carrie leapt out of bed and hauled on a light business suit. When she came to put on her shoes, though, she found that one of them was missing. She searched for a while in all the obvious places before cutting her losses and turning to look for another pair. When she saw that there were no pairs as such, just random shoes that each missed a partner, she felt like screaming.

Nell. It had to be. Some kind of practical joke. The phone, the shoes and now, as Carrie reached for the handle of her door she found it locked. The key, which she normally kept in the lock, was nowhere in sight. This was taking things that little bit too far.

Carrie was a good judge of people as a rule, and not for one second had she considered Nell as the prankster type. The early morning games confused Carrie almost as much as they annoyed her. She hadn't seen this one coming. Even in her lightest moments Nell had never been anything but dignified and mature.

Carrie peered around the room in search for a note or a scrawled message that might somehow make sense of the situation, but everything was exactly how it had been left the previous night. A drawer still open, one candle that had burned down to the base, but nothing else that might seem strange or unusual. What bothered Carrie much more, though, was that there was no sign of her room key. Without it, she was effectively a prisoner in her own room, utterly dependent on the hotel to send someone up to let her out.

Carrie returned to her bed, odd shoes on either foot, and sat down to review her situation. Somewhere deep inside she was still half-expecting Nell to leap out at any moment, laughing as she dangled the key and a couple of the missing shoes. But as the seconds dragged on into minutes, she realised she was waiting for an event that would never happen.

Annoyed, she picked up the phone and dialled through to the switchboard. It rang for an age before being answered, and even then the receptionist had difficulty understanding a word of what Carrie was saying.

"Hello, which room are you calling from, madam?"

"Fifty three. I've misplaced by keys and need someone to come and unlock the door please."

"Which room was that?"

"Fifty three."

"I'm sorry ma'am, you need to speak louder."

"FIFTY THREE!"

"Could you repeat that?"

"FIFTY THREE!!!" Carrie was now shouting at the top of her voice, articulating every syllable with the precision of a cut diamond, but her words were lost on the hapless operator, who found it impossible to make them out through the whines and crackles of a line that clearly needed to be checked by an engineer. He sighed and replaced the handset, noting the problem on his expanding To Do list.

A thin line of perspiration appeared above Carrie's brow as she threw the phone to the floor. The key had to be somewhere – unless, of course, Nell had locked it from the outside. Carrie moved back to the doorway, but this time dropped to her knees to peer under the gap. Sure enough it was there, resting on the floor just a foot from the outside of the door. The adrenalin was now pumping through her body, clearing her mind of everything except finding a way out, and as Carrie saw the key her solution came in a flash. She needed something long and thin enough to slide underneath the heavy door, and an untwisted coat hanger was ideal for the task.

Once the key was safely back in her hand, Carrie didn't bother handing it in at the reception desk. The detour would have taken her at least another five minutes, while the underground parking, where her car was housed, lay directly below her. She flew down the stairwell, stumbling slightly in her odd shoes, and then leapt into the car, pausing only briefly to pull her jacket out from the slammed door. She thrust the key in the ignition and gave it a sharp twist.

There was a tired wheeze from the engine and the dash lit up, but apart from that – nothing. Carrie tried again, refusing to believe that her day could be going this badly, but her efforts were a waste of time. The young blonde swore and lashed out in frustration at the front panel. She was instantly deafened by a loud jingle, and realised that her blow had inadvertently turned on the car stereo. At least all the electronics appeared to be working.

Finally admitting defeat, she stepped out, threw a light scarf over her head and braced herself for the walk. She was already horribly late. A couple more minutes were hardly going to make that much difference anyway.

She set off at a blistering pace, headed directly for the tallest building in the skyline, which was her place of work. It was a difficult journey, where she was shunted and buffeted mercilessly by the pressing crowds, almost having to fight as she worked her way through them to reach her destination.

Carrie could be stubborn along with the very best of them. There were times such as these when it could be used in her favour, but plenty of others where her friends and family both swore that her headstrong perseverance would one day get the better of her. But that day wasn't today.

As the rounded the corner that led towards the embassy, Carrie slackened her pace and paused in a nearby alleyway. In any normal place of work, her lateness would have been forgiven and perhaps even smiled at. Her, however, it was likely to be used as ammunition – part of a long list of minor transgressions, which would eventually lead to her dismissal. Carrie wasn't a natural pessimist, but deep down she knew that she'd been defeated by the overwhelming odds. In a strange way the realisation came more as a relief than any stinging disappointment. She'd done her best, but the old adage had come true – it really was no place for a woman, and the young blonde had grown weary of battling against the rising tide.

She was still some way from the security cordon when she first heard the sound of the approaching vehicle. It was a black van and as it screeched around the corner on two wheels, Carrie knew that it wasn't going to stop. As it whizzed past she caught a fleeting glimpse of the driver, his eyes dark and focussed as he regained control and leaned harder on the gas.

Gunshots rang out from the guard post, but the van charged on regardless. There was a piercing scream as one of the bullets hit a tyre and deflated the air inside it, sending the vehicle skidding across the road. But it kept going. It was now gathering speed and cut through the metal of the security barrier with a loud crack.

People were running. The guards were now leaving their posts, firing shots wildly as they retreated as quickly as they could. Within seconds the van was going to plough into the front wall of the embassy, directly below Carrie's office and the adjoining room of her boss. But then something else happened.

Without warning the van erupted into a fireball, leaving the ground in slow motion as the force of the blast crashed through the building. The van made a steady arc, before coming into contact with the roof and descending with a force that caused the entire street to shake. Above the general roar pieces masonry could be heard breaking away and shattering on the sidewalk. Carrie looked away for a moment as a large shower of plaster fell onto her shoulder. When she looked back it was impossible to see beyond the advancing cloud of dust. Coughing, she turned in the other direction and headed back the way she'd come. Car alarms were now screeching all around her, and above them soared the all too familiar wail of sirens.

A couple of security guards were now thundering towards her, grim-faced beneath the dirt and sweat that covered their faces.

"Clear the area!" shouted one as he passed Carrie. "Move right to the end of the street until you hear otherwise."

A subdued procession of passers-by were following some way behind the guards. Some were crying, others clutching part of their bodies that had been injured by flying debris, but many more walked past in an emotionless daze. There had been several car bombs on almost a weekly basis since Carrie had arrived. But none of them had ever been as big as this, or targeted a foreign power.

As she wove her way along the hysterical streets back to the safety of her hotel room, she thought of the people inside the building. They may have been shits, but they hadn't deserved this. The majority of them were like her – just ordinary people trying to forge a career – and there, but for her guardian angel, would she have been had the morning turned out differently.

Her hands were still shaking as she saw the welcome sight of her hotel. There was nothing she could do now, but wait. Phone her parents and then wait for news of those inside. She worried about how Nell would react when she heard of the bomb. They hadn't exchanged numbers, and apart from the vague description of where she lived, Carrie had no way of getting in contact with the only friend in the region she had.

The thought made her vulnerable, and instead of going straight to her room she opted to sit in her car for a little while in the coolness of the underground car park. There was nobody in sight, and for this Carrie was unduly thankful. She needed a few moments to be alone and gather her thoughts before she faced the world again.

When she heard the sound of voices, her heart sank. With the exception of one woman, Carrie couldn't deal with the strains of human contact at that time. Nervously, she glanced around the cavernous chamber, but there wasn't a soul in sight. As she approached her car the voices seemed to get louder, until she realised that in her haste to get to work, she'd left the radio playing. Now, as she climbed into the vehicle and locked the doors around her, the became surrounded by the voice of a frumpy ex-pat reeling off the morning's news without so much as a flicker of emotion in her voice.

"And of course we'll have more news of the explosion at the British embassy later on in the programme. And now for news of another blast – this time in a residential area of the eastern district. The explosion occurred shortly after 3am local time after a struggle between American intelligence personnel and a group of insurgents. According to reports, the building had been under surveillance for several months, and it is widely believed that a homemade explosives factory had been discovered in the basement. There were several fatalities as a result of the blast, and although official figures have not been given, it's believed that among the dead were four Americans and a woman of Dutch nationality."

Carrie froze and processed the information slowly. The presenter moved on to the next item, which was about recent increases in oil prices, but the words floated over Carrie's head like particles of dust. All the politics, the faux-diplomacy and the atmosphere of a world poised on the trigger were of little consequence to the blonde woman now. Instead, Nell's words rang like sirens through her mind, giving the delays and setbacks and inexplicable annoyances she'd been through that day an undertone of something else – something that she could hardly bring herself to contemplate -

"I am from the Netherlands – and I'm the only Dutch person in the country, if you must know…"

She must have got it wrong. They had been together, making slow sensuous love until the break of dawn. She had fallen asleep in this woman's arms – yet woken up without her, and the uncomfortable emotions brought down every barrier within Carrie as she threw her head onto the steering wheel and sobbed. They were tears of silent heartbreak.

As summer rolled into autumn and autumn froze and cracked into a long cold winter, Carrie's pain lessened but never really left her, and now, as she stood in her old office for the first time in thirty years, it came flooding back to her in a long and poignant daydream.

"Ms Morgan?"

Thirty years of dust and nothing had changed.

"Ms Morgan?"

Carrie ran her fingers through her greying hair and turned to face the young intern.

"You called for me. Is there anything you'd like me to do?" He was fresh-faced, earnest, and displayed the kind of reverence towards Carrie that he might have done to a member of the royalty. But that was the way most people acted around Carrie these days. Committed to her cause, she'd ridden the storms of her career and finally made it to the top. The woman's touch had finally arrived in a country that had known nothing but conflict for decades. Carrie was back, and this time things were going to be very different.