California Girl

"You swim beautifully," said Marnie, expressing her admiration.

Kelly stopped and treaded water in the deep end. "You would too if you started swimming at the age of five, and practiced two to three hours a day from age eight."

"That's impressive."

"It's actually crazy. I can't you how many hours I spent swimming in unheated pools in the winter. It certainly toughens you up."

Marnie laughed. "I'll take your word on that. I have no interest in finding out myself."

"Sometimes I wished I wasn't any good at swimming. My two brothers were just average, and they left the swim team before high school. I was the captain of our high school swim team, and that helped me get into Pepperdine, so I guess I should be grateful for it. But I gave up a lot of time with my friends to swim laps." Kelly paddled over to the side of pool and rested her elbows on the coping. She reached for her drink. Marnie did the same, stirring it before taking a long draw.

"Tell me about Ireland," Kelly asked, trying to turn the conversation away from her.

"What did you want to know?"

"What do you miss?"

"Mostly my brothers, my best mate Fiona, and my dog," she answered.

Marnie told her about her brothers Blaine and Aidan and her best friend Fiona. She told her about her family's chocolate lab Guinness, who spent most nights sleeping on her bed.

"What caused you to go sideways with Brian?" Marnie asked. The alcohol in her Bloody Mary loosened her tongue so she asked the question that was really on her mind.

"You mean aside from him fucking his administrative assistant in our bed?"

Marnie stopped sipping her drink, stirring it with the celery stick. "Say no more."

"It wasn't as bad as it sounds. Our marriage was really on the rocks a long time before that. His infidelity was just the straw that broke the camel's back. We pretty much hated each other by that point. We decided to stay together to give Tasha some sense of stability for her last years at home. But I think looking back it was a mistake. We've pretty much been at each other's throats the last two years." Kelly took a bite off her celery stick. Marnie watched a bead of tomato juice dribble down the blonde's chin until she wiped it off with her finger and licked it off.

"Hey, I need a refill," Kelly said, waving her empty tall glass. "You?"

Marnie slammed down the remainder of her drink. "These are delicious. Sure ... why not. I'm walking home ... or maybe crawling."

They climbed out of the pool, dripping as they entered the kitchen through the sliding glass door. Kelly went into the refrigerator and took out a pitcher filled with tomato juice and poured each glass half full. She then added two shots of vodka, two fresh celery stalks, a splash of tabasco and ice.

"Umm ... spicey," Marnie commented. She decided that when she went back to Ireland she was going to have Bloody Marys every Sunday morning. The vodka was already flowing in her veins.

They returned to their chaise lounges. The sun ... the blue skies ... the alcohol, and Kelly's skin tight suit put Marnie in an ebullient mood. They started teasing each other as they finished their drinks. It went down easier than the first two.

"Let's go back in," Marnie said, dashing for the pool. She dove in, followed by Kelly, who came up quickly behind her, so quickly that the strong swimmer was inches away from Marnie when she surfaced. The sun was behind her, creating a bright halo of light around her wet blonde hair, slicked back, water beaded on the tanned skin of her face, her blue eyes sparkling. The water level revealed the top half of her breasts, the wet material becoming almost transparent in the water.

They were close enough to feel each other's breath.

"I dream about you," Marnie said, looking into Kelly's deep blue eyes.

"Dream about what?" Kelly asked breathily. She had an inkling where this was discussion was going.

"You know ... us touching each other."

"Touching? How?" Kelly asked, edging even closer.

"Like this."

Marnie cupped her hand over Kelly's sex, pressing her fingers against the taunt material covering her camel toe between her legs. Even in the pool, Marnie could feel the sizzling heat between Kelly's legs.

Facing each other, Marnie couldn't resist but to kiss her host on the lips. It wasn't a chaste kiss, and both of them knew it.

"I'm sorry," Marnie said almost immediately. "I shouldn't have ..."

Kelly kissed her back. "Maybe you should have."

Kelly hadn't kissed a woman in almost twenty years, and when her lips touched Marnie's she knew it was right. Her infatuation with a much younger woman was new to her. The kiss felt like she was satiating her long hidden desires. With the years of celibacy with Brian, her body shuddered with excitement when kissing Marnie. Their tongues swam with each other while they stood in the water, now closer, their breasts pressed hard against each other.

Marnie eased back to catch her breath. It wasn't her intention to seduce Kelly. She was just being friendly. Kelly was Emily's best friend. But what now? It felt like Lauren all over again. Love in all the wrong places. Marnie could feel the deep hunger in Kelly's wanting kisses. She felt twitches in her most private of places as they tried to merge their bodies into one.

It felt natural for Marnie to take what she wanted. She squeezed her hand inside Kelly's tight suit, wiggling her fingers and fighting the friction of the wet skin and artificial one to cup her breast, to feel the hardened nub of her erect nipple.

"Kiss me," Kelly begged softly. It felt so good to have her breast lovingly caressed. So good to be wanted again. She didn't care what people thought. She was in a dark place for longer than she could remember and it felt wonderful to be able to let go again. Her feeling emboldened her to wrap her arm around Marnie and pull her tight. Marnie could feel the power of her grip. Then she felt Kelly's fingers find her wet center, the lips ripe.

"Ohhhh ..." moaned Marnie. Kelly's inexperience wasn't apparent. Her finger pushed deep into Marnie's hot cunt. She probed for that soft tissue of the G-spot, the part that made her cum. It was Marnie's trigger as well, and the unexpected sex and the excitement of the moment brought her to a heart fluttering climax.

"Miss ... " she uttered, too shy to say Kelly's name, as the orgasm made her knees weak, but she stayed upright from the buoyancy of the water.

"Oh Gawd," she gasped as a second, and stronger climax surged through her. She grasped Kelly's shoulder to stay upright. She squeezed the hard muscle built up by twenty years of competitive swimming. Kelly backed herself with Marnie loosely holding on to her until her back was to the pool coping. She jumped up so she was sitting on the edge of the pool with her legs dangling in the water. The Bloody Marys gave her the courage to ask for what she wanted. She spread her legs apart, the curling hairs of her pussy peeking outside the edges of the suit. She hooked her finger into the crotch and pulled it aside, showing her inviting, slippery lips.

"Love me Marnie," Kelly said, her voice husky and speaking the only thing on her mind. She leaned backward with her arms extended and received the redhead's tongue, parting her lips and snaking her curved tongue inside to find the warm, soft center of her new lover.

"Yes ... yes ... that's it." The feelings were exquisite. Brian didn't like going down on Kelly, and no one had ever paid attention to what she wanted. Marnie knew what she wanted. Lauren taught her to be a good lover. The sex with Kelly was more exciting to Marnie than it was with Lauren. Now she was the teacher and Kelly was the student.

Marnie started tongue fucking her California girl. Kelly could hear sloshing noises as Marnie's tongue drew in and out. It was beyond good and she was wondering if she was going to cum too soon.

"Stop ... stop ..." she said so she could catch her breath. So to assure Marnie that it was good, she added "It's too good. I don't want to cum yet. I want to enjoy it."

Marnie slowed her pace, circling her tongue around Kelly's nub and sucking in the lips, creating gasps and sighs as she tried each new technique. She then did what Lauren enjoyed most. She tongued the small patch of skin between her pussy and anus. Kelly lifted her hips up in surprise. No one had ever licked her ass before.

"Marnie ... what ..." she started to say as Marnie wet tongue swabbed the area lower, brushing against the anus, and the nerve endings that were never erotically touched. Marnie rimmed her asshole, then speared the middle, opening it up for a harder push.

"Ahhhhh ..." Kelly moaned as her ass was good and properly eaten. To Kelly, this sex was the most beautiful thing she had experienced. The blonde's hand instinctively dropped between her legs to touch herself, her pussy lips coated with slippery juices.

"Yes ... yes ... yes ..." she urged, fingering her pussy as Marnie licked and tongue fucked her asshole.

Marnie put her hands over Kelly's sinewy thigh muscles so she could pull herself deeper, feeling Kelly's anus winking as pulses of newfound pleasure made her throw her head back. She huffed in short breaths as her orgasm built until the pleasure overwhelmed her and she let go. Washed away, her feet thrashing in the pool, all energy drained. She put her hands on the back of Marnie's wet hair and sagged against her, her breasts pressing against the top of Marnie's head.

The enormity of what happened finally dawned on her. She had just had sex with her best friend's live-in guest. "Jesus, Marnie. What did we just do?"

"We did what people do when they want to love each other."

They remained at the edge of the pool, Kelly dangling her legs into the pool, listening to the faint whine of the pool pump motor and the water lapping against the inlaid tile under the coping, when a shout punctuated the peace and quiet.

"Mom!!"

Tasha's voice reverberated off the choppy waters of the pool. Tasha was home early from the day camp. There was a gas leak, which cut the camp short. Kelly hadn't checked her phone so one of the other campers brought her home. She was stunned to see Marnie in the pool, with her head between her mother's legs. It was crystal clear to Tasha what was going on.

Kelly and Marnie separated quickly and awkwardly. Marnie lost her balance and fell backwards, drenching her face. She came up quickly and sputtered water. Kelly tugged her suit back into place. Tasha had already turned around embarrassed and headed back into the house.

Tasha was furious. She stomped through the house to her room, slamming the door behind her. Kelly quickly lifted herself out of the pool and grabbed a towel, drying herself as she followed her daughter, her heart pounding in her chest.

A million thoughts were racing through Kelly's head -- none of them good -- as she rushed to her daughter's room.

"Tasha!" she cried out as approached the closed door. She heard her daughter sobbing on the other side of the door. "Please let me in," she said plaintively.

Marnie stayed put the pool area, though adrenaline was pumping through her veins. It was the same terrible feeling she had when she was accused by Pamela Wentworth of having a improper sexual relationship with her instructor. She wanted to help, but she knew this had to be resolved between Kelly and her daughter. Her heart ached as she heard Kelly begging to be let in.

Kelly pressed her cheek against the door. "Please ... honey ..."

Hearing nothing, she cracked the door open. Tasha was sprawled out on the bed, facedown.

"What the fuck, Mom?" she said between heaving sobs.

"I'm so sorry Tash. I just got carried away ...".

She sat up. There were streaks of tears on her face. She felt hurt and betrayed.

"With ... with ... her. She tried to collect herself, taking short, quick breaths. "How could she do this to me? I ... I ... I thought she liked me."

Kelly sensed her daughter needed comfort, and moved closer until she could put her arm around her. "She does sweetheart. She can like us both."

"But she ... she loves you."

"I don't know about that sweetheart ... I know we have feelings for each other."

Saying that reminded Tasha of what she saw. She broke away from her mother's embrace. "I just want to be left alone."

"OK, honey." Kelly got up off the bed. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her, leaving it open a crack. "I'll be in the kitchen if you want to talk." She then closed the door and went into the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee. She saw Marnie tip toeing out, and waved a silent goodbye.

"We need to talk," Marnie mouthed. She pointed to her phone.

Kelly nodded, watching Marnie quietly slip out the door. She wasn't sure she could put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

* * *

It was the middle of the night. Kelly was on her third cup of coffee when Tasha shuffled in, bleary eyed.

"So she really likes you?" Tasha asked.

Kelly smiled at her daughter. "I think she does."

"Well I think she's great."

"She is honey. She's special. We can both see that."

"Mom, I didn't know you were into girls," Tasha finally blurted out.

Kelly raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes. "To tell you the truth honey, I didn't either.

"So tell me ... why her? Was that why Dad left?"

"No ... it wasn't that at all. Look, this whole thing with Marnie came up after Dad moved out. There were other things going on. As far as it being a woman, I guess you're old enough to know that I was dating a woman before I met your Dad."

"I thought I knew you ..."

"You do honey. My sexual orientation isn't usually discussed ..."

"You surprised me ... someone I thought was so predictable."

Kelly rose up from her seat and gave her daughter a hug. Tasha relaxed and let her be cradled in her mother's strong arms.

"I'm happy for you Mom," Tasha said. Her crying jag turned into retrospection, and she realized her mother had nothing but heartache for the last two years of her father's residency, and her relationship with Marnie was her effort to put some joy in her life.

"I know you are honey, and I love you for it."

* * *

It was early the next morning when Kelly's phone rang. She picked it up off the nightstand and saw it was Marnie. She was exhausted, having slept restlessly.

"So how did it go?" Marnie asked eagerly. She was worried her relationship with Tasha ... and Kelly, was irreparably harmed. She thought it would be rude to call before 8:00, so she called at precisely 8:01.

"I think she's better," Kelly half yawned. She didn't get to bed until 3 a.m. and only got to sleep after eating two gummies an hour later. She was still feeling the effects when her phone rang.

"I'm sorry I started that ..."

Kelly was waking up, and cut Marnie off to make clear Marnie wasn't solely at fault. "I wouldn't have let you if I didn't want to."

There was a long pause. Kelly wanted Marnie to go next. She did, and dropped a small bomb. "Maybe we should let things cool for a while."

The words hung in the air. Kelly never backed away from a fight. "Maybe we shouldn't."

"Kelly, I can't believe I'm being the prude. I'm sure Tasha was offended, no matter what she said. I don't know if I can face her again. And Emily? What would she say? I can't believe I put you in this position."

"As I said, I could have said no ... but I didn't want to. I wanted to, and I want to again. Marnie, that was some of the best sex of my life. I know I shouldn't feel this way but I do. I'm lusting after you when I'm not with you. Before we made love I wasn't sure how you felt about me. I'm at least ten years older than you. I can't believe I feel this way but I do. Marnie, I want you. Tasha will be fine. You let me worry about her. And Emily ... fuck her if she can't get on board. You're the best thing that's happened to me in as long as I can remember."

Marnie was still stinging from her break-up with Lauren. She couldn't get past her doubts, even though Kelly was speaking the truth. "Can we at least take it slow? Let's at least do that. And make sure it isn't something less."

Kelly was wide awake now. She could sense in Marnie's voice that their relationship was slipping away. "I don't agree, but I understand how you feel. Sure ... let's just be good friends, but it's not me standing in the way."

"I understand. But you know, with Lauren ...". Marnie kicked herself after she said the words. Why was she turning down the chance to love again?

Kelly cut in again. She wanted to be sympathetic, but her lack of sleep made her irritated by Marnie's lack of fight. "I told you I don't agree but I understand. Breaking things off with Lauren was very painful. I get that. You don't want to make the same mistake again. You want to be sure."

"Thank you ..." Marnie started.

"You call me when you're ready," Kelly said flatly, then hit the icon to terminate the call. She shouldn't have been mad, but she was, perhaps irrationally. Marnie held her phone in front of her and stared at the screen, wondering what just happened.

* * *

A week stretched to two and then to three. Kelly still visited Emily's, though less frequently, and her interactions with Marnie were awkward and forced. They barely spoke a word to each other, Kelly driven mostly by stubbornness and Marnie by her self-doubts.

Something good had happened to the two of them, but instead of helping each other recognize what they had, they decided instead to focus inward, Marnie on her work, and Kelly on her swimming. Marnie was in fact busy, cite checking and editing her draft thesis, so it was easy to try to push her thoughts about Kelly to the back of her mind.

Kelly's way to cope with stress was to swim. She did a full workout, with ten laps of butterfly followed by another twenty of freestyle. Her shoulders were burning and the endorphins from the vigorous physical exercise left her with a feeling of exhilaration not unlike the feeling after good sex. Being in the pool reminded her of Marnie, and she felt an ache that punctuated her exercise induced euphoria. She hopped out of the pool and shivered as the light breeze raised goosebumps on her golden hued skin.

Kelly was showering in her own bathroom, the familiar surrounding now foreign to her as she wondered who she really was. She thought again about Ashley. Their affair lasted to the end of the school year, but came to a complete end when Ashley moved back to Cincinnati to work in the family's restaurant business (a franchise of a well-known chili dog purveyor, if you must know). Ashley begged Kelly to move out after graduation, but falling in love (or so she thought) with Brian intervened. After living with Brian for almost twenty years, she was now convinced that she should have moved back to Cincinnati with Ashley.

Kelly looked at herself one last time in the steamed up mirror, seeing the fuzzy silhouette of a big breasted blonde. She was pleased. She was just past her fortieth birthday and could outswim her club's twenty-five year olds. She was proud that she had kept up her swimmer's physique with five time a week sessions. She took out all of her anger in the pool, but left little time for herself, or for love. Marnie was the first person to make her feel wanted in as long as she could remember.

* * *

Marnie refocused her energies on her dissertation. She was closing in on a final draft and was making preparations for the defense of it before a faculty jury. She was pleased with her final work product, but desperately wanted another set of experienced eyes on it. She had forwarded the draft to Lauren, but hadn't heard from her. She wasn't holding out high hopes that Lauren would invest the dozens of hours required to effectively critique her dissertation so her lack of responsiveness was expected.