A Riverboat Encounter

"And what do you want?" Dakoda softly questioned as her eyes darted back and forth between Avery's supple looking lips and her vibrant jade green eyes.

The night air became thick around them, and Avery began to find it difficult to breathe. She wanted...no she felt a gripping desire rise within her to have her lips captured in a tender embrace. Suddenly the boat jerked knocking her forward into the tall dark woman who quickly grabbed her. They looked around, realizing they had just docked as people began filing their way off the boat.

"Would you like to continue our night?" Dakoda questioned.

"Yes. Definitely," Avery heartily answered.

Dakoda lead her for a leisurely walk along the riverfront as they continued talking about whatever came to their minds. They approached a café that was still open, so they decided to step inside for drinks and further conversation.

Avery was very interested in getting to know this intriguing tall woman, and was eager to ask more questions as they picked up their steaming drinks from the counter and took a seat at a small square table. "So did you grow up in Hannibal?" She inquired as she sipped her coffee.

"Oh, I'm not from here. I only work here in the summer time just to keep myself occupied; otherwise I'd get bored. I live in Columbia."

"And what kind of job do you have that gives you the time to be out here?" Avery inquired curiously.

"I teach art history at the University of Missouri."

"Wow a professor, that's wonderful." Avery commented.

Dakoda smiled, and asked, "What do you do?"

Waving her hand in a disgusted manner, she answered, "I work a shit job at a bar and grill in Mexico. Sometimes I help out the bartender but most of the time I serve. It pays the bills. I live with my cousin and her husband, so I don't have many expenses, which is nice. Maybe one day I'll get myself out of that town and do something I can be happy with."

"Well, you're out ofthat townfor this weekend, right? It's a start."

Avery giggled. "Yeah, that's a good way of looking at it. So do you commute everyday? Or do you rent out a room for the summer? Cause isn't Columbia almost two hours from here?"

"Yeah, it is. Commuting would be gruesome. I keep an apartment here, sort of as a second home when I'm here for the summers."

"How long have you been doing this?"

"This is my second year bartending on the riverboat," Dakoda answered. "I used to bartend in college, so I figured I'd put the experience to use when school is not in session."

*******

It was very late when the two women walked back to Anne's Bed and Breakfast, where the short blonde was staying. Neither of them really wanted their night to end, so Avery asked if they would be able to sit along the water's edge and watch the waves. Dakoda was more than happy to lead her behind the inn, over the banks, and down a grassy slope. They sat down, and silently watched the calm waves move across the surface, disappearing into the night. The full moon reflected beautifully over the dark waters of the river.

Dakoda decided to completely un-tuck her white shirt, and began working the buttons free. She could see from her peripheral vision that Avery stiffened ever so slightly. With her undershirt now exposed, she said, "I've been in this uniform for hours, so if you don't mind, I'm just undoing the shirt to feel more relaxed and not be so hot."

"Of course," Avery commented. She couldn't help watch the actions as they occurred in front of her. Long slender fingers on what appeared to be strong hands undoing each button, and then pulling the shirt out from having been tucked in the black slacks.

Dakoda felt much better having the light warm summer breeze brush across her now exposed white T-shirt. She felt vibrant green eyes watching her, and she couldn't help but smile as she pushed her sleeves up a little further. Turning to face the young woman, she openly gazed at the beauty before her, and a soft smile graced her features.

Avery wasn't sure if she enjoyed being looked upon in such a manner. She began to feel the crimson creep up her cheeks. Casting her eyes down, she casually commented, "If you keep staring like that, you're going to give me a complex."

Dakoda reached out, and gently hooking her fingers under Avery's chin, she slowly guided the young woman's face up. "You are absolutely radiant." She delicately caressed Avery's cheek with her forefinger. "You must hear how beautiful you are from folks on a regular basis."

Avery slightly scoffed. "The last person who said anything like that to me was my father when I was eighteen."

"Really?" Dakoda questioned with a frown. "Your boyfriends don't say anything?"

"Not that I recall. Usually what I got from guys was, 'hey sweetheart come sit on my lap,' otherwise they're usually talking to my chest."

"That's really a shame," Dakoda commented, and then placed a hand upon Avery's small one. "I mean it when I say you really are breathtaking....irresistibly breathtaking."

Lost in those azure eyes, Avery managed to mutter, "Thank you," under her breath. She turned her hand up, in order to take hold of the large one that was resting on hers. The feelings evoked within her body made her tingle down to the core of her being. It seemed almost like a slight surge of electricity. Threading her fingers through Dakoda's, and then taking a silent subtle deep breath, she continued, "You're beautiful too...stunning actually." She let out the breath, trying to calm herself. "Umm...I would almost have to say handsome would fit best, especially when you're wearing your black and white uniform."

Dakoda chuckled. "Oh so you like the black tie and vest look."

"It seems to suit you perfectly."

They laughed, but only for a moment as the air between them became thick again with sensuality. Without much conscious effort, they each began to inch forward as their vision darted back and forth from lips to eyes and back again. Their mouths tenderly met. Lips reveled in the warmth and softness they felt. They briefly breathed into each other before tongues gently sought their counterpart to dance slowly as mouths explored.

Avery felt as if she was completely weightless. She melted into the kiss as a soft moan escaped her throat.

When Dakoda finally pulled back, ending the embrace of their lips, she heard the little whimper of protest that came from the young blonde. With a satisfied smirk, she gazed into heady forest green eyes.

All of a sudden Avery let out a yawn that embarrassed her to no end. "Oh my god, I'm sorry." She hid her face within her hands. "Please don't think I'm bored. I've been having such a wonderful night. I can't believe I just yawned like that. It must be really late. Do you know what time it is?"

"It's 4am," Dakoda commented as she looked at her watch.

"Wow. Yeah, I'm usually home and asleep by now even if I worked until closing." She couldn't help yawning again. "Oh hell...I must be really tired. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. Itisreally late. I'll walk you back to your room, and say goodnight." Dakoda stood up, and held out her hand in a gentlemanly manner for the short woman.

As they walked towards the building, Dakoda wondered if they'd see each other again for the remainder of the weekend. She figured she better ask the short woman out again to ensure on seeing her. "If you don't have any definite plans for today, would you be interested in doing some sightseeing with me? I know several places that may interest you."

"I would love to."

"Great," Dakoda responded excitedly.

Avery unlocked the door, and pushed it open. She knew she wanted to turn around and kiss the tall bartender goodnight, but she suddenly noticed Mark sprawled out on the bed as the hallway light shined inside the room. She turned on the table lamp nearby as Dakoda waited in the doorway. What met their eyes was not a pleasant sight. Mark was lying there; butt naked with a brunette whose back was towards them. The room absolutely reeked of booze and sex. Avery was livid, and very tempted to go over and kick him several times. Trying to compose herself, the young woman said through gritted teeth, "I guess I won't be staying here."

Dakoda stepped up behind her, and gently placed large hands on her shoulders. Softly sliding them down, she softly said in Avery's ear, "You are welcomed to stay at my place. Nothing is open at this time, so getting another room is not an option."

"I don't want to impose..." Avery began as she turned around.

The dark woman gently stopped her in mid-sentence with a forefinger over Avery's lips. "Let's get your things," Dakoda said in a hushed tone.

Avery acquiesced with a sigh. They quickly gathered the few items Avery had lying around, shoved it all in her suitcase, and took off. Dakoda wheeled the luggage down the street as they quietly walked arm in arm to her apartment.

By the time they got to the second floor landing of her building, Avery's eyes were unconsciously closing. She was trying to fight to stay awake but it was a losing battle. Dakoda lead her guest to the bedroom where Avery completely disrobed and climbed into the bed without thought or another word.

The tall woman let out a slow sigh as she walked into the kitchen. She had not expected Avery to just get naked in front of her, and now Dakoda was feeling a little warm and tingly. Opening the fridge, she grabbed a bottle of water and took a swig while heading to the couch. After scaling down to her T-shirt and boxers, she lay down, and pulled over the blanket that was lying on the back cushions.

*******

It was about 10am when sea green eyes groggily opened. In the distance, Avery heard the faint sound of music coming from somewhere. She slowly looked around as she tried to remember where she was.Oh yeah, this is Kody's apartment.A smirk graced her features, and her nose wrinkled as she contemplated what went through her mind.Hmm, I wonder if she'd let me call her Kody. I definitely like the sound of it.When she threw the blanket off, and saw her nakedness, she was somewhat surprised she slept that way in a stranger's bed. Not dwelling on it too much though, she searched through her suitcase for a long T-shirt and panties.

Dakoda was busy in the kitchen making omelets and hash browns. With a spatula in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other, she was swaying her hips as Carbon Leaf played in the background. After taking a quick sip of her coffee, she slid the last omelet onto the plate, and then checked on the potatoes. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a beautiful short blonde with disheveled hair sporting a huge grin. She turned and winked at the young woman before dishing the spuds onto their plates. "Good morning. Are you finding my little dance here humorous?"

"Maybe," Avery sarcastically commented. She climbed onto one of the stools at the counter, and watched the tall beauty set the plate of food in front of her.

"There's coffee and I've got orange juice. Do you want both or just one?"

"I'll start with coffee. Thank you." Avery answered.

Dakoda set down a fresh mug and the cream in front of her. "The sugar is right there," she said as she pointed to the small Tupperware container. "I hope you like omelets. It has mushrooms, tomatoes, and Swiss cheese."

"It sounds fabulous, thank you." Avery waited for her new friend to take another swig of coffee before she proceeded with a sarcastic comment that she had been toying with. "Wow, you made me breakfast and I haven't even slept with you yet."

Cerulean eyes widened and Dakoda started to choke on the last of the hot liquid. Quickly covering her mouth so as to not spray coffee everywhere, she regained control of her swallowing.

Avery humorously asked, "Are you okay?" When she received the nod from across the counter, she decided to start eating. She looked around the cozy place, and noticed how much light came into the place from the floor to ceiling windows. Green eyes took note of the rumpled blanket and pillow on the couch. "Did you sleep out here?"

Dakoda nodded with an, "Mmm hmm," as she chomped around a mouthful of food.

"But why? You have a huge queen size bed in there. You didn't have to stay out here."

"I wanted to be polite and respectful. Plus, we didn't have time to discuss sleeping arrangements because....well I believe you were already snoozing when you started undressing." Dakoda answered.

"I guess you're right. Sorry for having been so rude with falling asleep like that."

"Hey it's okay. So did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I slept wonderfully," Avery answered. "Oh, I just remembered, may I use your phone?"

"Sure." Dakoda handed her the cordless from off the fridge. While the young woman made the call, the tall hostess poured each of them another cup of coffee, and also brought out the orange juice.

After a few statements, Avery clicked the receiver off, ending the call. A huge evil grin grew across her face.

A black eyebrow rose up Dakoda's forehead, wondering what that was all about. "You seem happy...in a devilish sort of way."

The young woman giggled as she answered. "I called the Bed and Breakfast to inform them I have already left, and if they would kindly mail the receipt to the address I provided. The receptionist was happy to oblige. There is no way I am going to pay for Mark the ass to be there for the weekend. It's bad enough that I paid for one night when I wasn't even there."

"Maybe you can get him to pay you back."

"That'll never happen." Avery sighed. "I don't know why I stayed friends with him. He's changed so much, ever since he started hanging out with new friends. And in my opinion these so called 'friends' are nothing but thugs. It's a shame, cause he used to be such a nice guy."

"So you're going to stay with me for the weekend," Dakoda stated with a hint of sarcasm. "You just automatically assume I'm going to take you in, huh?"

Sea green eyes grew wide. "Oh my, I'm not assuming I'd stay here...I mean I'm not going to take advantage of you like that." She picked up the phone again, and asked, "Do you have a phone book? I will call another place and reserve..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a slender finger was placed over her lips. "Hey," Dakoda softly started, "you can stay here. I was just playing, okay? I would very much like for you to stay here, if you don't mind."

Blue and green eyes connected with one another...lost inside glassy pools that reached into their souls. Without being fully aware of it, their bodies began to move closer to each other, almost as if magnets were pulling them together. Lips gracefully found their counterparts, and tongues ignited into passionate flames. Deep down in the recesses of Avery's mind, she couldn't help but believe that there was so much more to this tall and intriguing woman than what was seen on the surface. She felt a longing...a deep seated innate desire to get to know more of her newfound friend.

The sudden ringing of the telephone broke them apart from the enjoyable kiss.

"Hello," Dakoda aggravatingly stated into the receiver.

Avery took the opportunity to drink a glass of orange juice, and stack the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. By the time she was finished wiping off the counters and stovetop, Dakoda was done with the call. She saw the tall woman run long fingers through shoulder length inky black tresses, and let out a sigh. "Is everything alright?" Avery gently inquired.

Ocean blue eyes faced her, and said, "Yeah, things are okay. That was just my ex. It's nothing but drama with her."

Avery was a little surprised with this new knowledge, even though she knew she shouldn't be surprised at all. "Are the two of you on good terms?"

"Yeah, we somehow managed to stay friends after the break up. Sometimes I wonder why though, cause she's such a pain in my ass."

"I know what you mean. Mark is a royal pain in mine." Curiosity getting the better of her, Avery decided to pose a few more questions. "How long ago did the two of you part?"

"It's been two years now." Dakoda softly folded her arms across her chest, and sported a little smirk on her lips. As a black eyebrow slowly made its way up, she wondered what other questions the short blonde was going to ask.

"I hope you don't think I'm prying," Avery commented. She sat back onto the stool and continued sipping her juice.

"Not at all. You can ask me whatever you'd like." Dakoda grabbed her glass from off the counter and took a swig.

"Why did the two of you part ways?"

"Basically due to a difference of opinion. She wanted codependency, and I wanted us to be interdependent." Dakoda downed the remaining contents of the glass before she continued. "Why did you and Mark separate?"

"Each of us wanted different things out of life. I want to better myself, get a degree, travel, and experience so much in life. He wanted me to cook, clean, and take care of his needs while he went out drinking with his buddies. He just didn't stimulate me...mentally and physically." Avery began to finger the top rim of her glass as she got lost in some of her thoughts.

Dakoda briefly looked at the time. She wanted them to continue their conversation, but she also wanted to show Avery around. Contemplating for a moment, she figured they could do both while they were out and about. "We should get dressed and get going. I have to be at work at 5pm, and I did say I would take you sightseeing today."

************

They stood at the top of Lover's Leap, overlooking the vast valley below them. Dakoda shared with her the legend behind the name of the cliff. "So the young lover's were caught in a passionate exchange of affection by the Chief of the tribe. It was his daughter who was in the embrace of the squaw from the rival tribe across the forest. He was so infuriated with the sight that he jumped out of the bushes where he and a few of his men were hiding. The young lovers were frightened with the confrontation. When the princess saw the fury in her father's eyes, she knew that he would kill her lover. So grabbing her love's hand, they ran as fast as they could until they reached this cliff. This is when they suddenly realized that they had nowhere else to go. The chief and his men surrounded them, and the chief screamed for his daughter to come to him, but she refused. The lovers looked at each other, and declared their undying love out loud to all. With tears streaming down their faces, they wrapped their arms around one another, and without looking anywhere else but into each other's eyes; they simultaneously leapt off the edge of the cliff, and plunged to their deaths."

"Oh my god that's absolutely awful," Avery commented with distraught as she circled her arms around herself. "No one is allowed to judge or say who you can love."

Concerned that maybe she shouldn't have told the story, Dakoda embraced the young woman. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Avery quickly looked up into ocean blue pools. "Oh no, you didn't upset me. The story is sadly beautiful and morbid, and yet very touching. I hate that people in society try to impose themselves on others. It's just my reaction to the story." She laid her head on Dakoda's chest, accepting the comfort that was offered. "What a way to die like that for the sake of love." Avery muttered.

Dakoda slowly rubbed her friend's back with full broad strokes. They spent some time walking along the trails of Lovers Leap, and talking of their lives. Before long, Dakoda announced that they needed to get back to her place so she could get ready for work.

********

That night Avery purchased tickets to be on both of the riverboat tours, in order to be near the tall dark bartender who definitely didn't mind. After the dinner, Avery took a seat at the bar to gaze upon Dakoda as she worked.