Come As You Are Ch. 10

"I hate time." Colette put her hand over Vienna's. "Would you mind staying over tonight?" she asked. "You know I can never sleep after I have an attack."

"Not at all." Vienna's lips pressed against Colette's neck once again, this time along the side. "But am I staying over or am I sleeping over?"

Colette's response was to turn around and pull the blonde close. "Does this answer your question?" she asked as both women went to kiss the other.

X X X X X

The four friends sat for a few moments in silence. Confused looks were exchanged, but no one said a word as they processed the last few seconds.

The silence was broken by Sadie gently pushing her chair away from the table. The other three women watched as she made her way through the tables towards the bar. Comstock's was experiencing its post-dinner rush as several groups enjoyed dessert and late-night reservations made their way in, leaving behind several empty tables and relieved wait staff.

Sadie flagged down the bartender. After a moment she turned back to the table, holding a bell-shaped bottle of clear liquor in one hand and four shot glasses stacked in the other. "We're gonna need this," she told her friends while opening the bottle of Patron Silver tequila. "Yeah, you really should sip tequila instead of shooting it, but tonight..."

She smiled as she poured each of her friends, as well as herself, a shot of tequila. After setting the bottle in the middle of the table, Sadie lifted her shot glass towards Colette, prompting her and the other two women to do the same. "Here's to Colette... and Michelle... and Brenda... and, hell, myself. For taking the rulebook of the past ten years and throwing that fucker out the window. Aclamaciones!"

All four women quickly downed their shots. Only Sadie showed a lack of reaction as the other three shook their heads and made faces. "Oh God," Brenda said, "I forgot how disgusting tequila is."

Michelle wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'll stick with mixed drinks, thank you very much."

Colette's response was to reach for the bottle. "Wow," Sadie said as she watched Colette pour herself another shot. "My girl didn't just throw the rulebook out the window, she lit it on fire. Try sipping it, not shooting it."

Colette did just that, taking a tiny sip of the liquid. She grimaced but took another one before setting the shot glass back down. "I could get used to it," she proclaimed.

"Back to the matter at hand," Michelle said after allowing her friends to settle down after the impromptu round of shots. "You and Vienna?" Colette nodded, which caused Michelle to nod her head too. "Unexpected, but that's pretty much been the running theme this evening."

"Guess that answers my question. Are you guys together?" Brenda asked hesitantly.

Colette nodded as she tilted the shot glass back to finish off her tequila. "We've been... hooking up for a while now."

Sadie made a deep noise of disbelief. "How did I not see this? You two hanging out all the time, becoming friends... how the hell did I miss this?"

"Vaginamancy," Colette answered. "Us bisexuals know how to weave an illusion or two." She chewed on her lower lip for a moment. "Remember when I was trying to psych myself up to get my tattoo done over at Sins and Needles, but I kept putting it off? I ran into Vienna at Pike's one night and she convinced me just to go for it. She was working at the front desk the day I got it done and I chatted with her while the artist was working on it. I saw her at Pike's a few days later and commented on how hard it was to get lotion on my back. She joked that she could help me with that, I joked that I would appreciate the help, and from there we ended up back at her apartment."

"Just like that?" Brenda asked.

"Well, a good bit of booze was involved, I'll admit. But," Colette clarified, "after that, we fell into an 'acquaintances with benefits' kind of thing, mainly random hookups after Pike's closed." She pointed to Sadie. "You always left before last call, so you never saw us leaving together."

Colette played with the empty shot glass, rotating it on its bottom edge against the white tablecloth. "One afternoon I was walking down Pine Street after getting approved for my small business loan. I was ecstatic. All these ideas were bouncing around in my head, and I was trying to snatch them out of the air and organize them... and the next thing I remember I'm sitting on the bench outside of Centennial Books, just looking at the ground, not moving or doing anything, with this horrible ball of ice sitting in the middle of my chest. I had gotten caught in a mental feedback loop about all the stuff I needed to do and it shoved me into a panic attack.

"Vienna ended up walking by and recognized what was happening. She got me to her apartment and sat with me until I calmed down. That's the moment we went from fuck buddies to friends. Vienna's been a huge help keeping me grounded, especially since you guys aren't around."

Michelle reached out for Colette's hand. "You know you can just call and we'll drop everything for you."

"I know, but because of Vienna, you don't have to. I don't want to disrupt your lives." Colette sighed. "We all have lives and careers now. It's not like right after college where we can hop in a car and drive two-to-three hours on a whim to see each other, and Sadie, you're always on the road or working on another video."

"As Michelle said, I'll drop everything if you knock on my door."

"And you know I'd feel horrible for doing so. I love you all, but we all have lives now. That's the reality."

"Well reality fucking bites," Brenda proclaimed to nods from the other women.

Michelle was looking towards the ceiling as her brain worked its way towards a mental connection. "You're sleeping with Vienna, but you hooked up with Garrett? How the hell did that work?"

Sadie leaned forward, clapping her hands excitedly. "Oh, please say a threesome, please say a threesome!"

"No!" Colette laughed as she playfully snapped her napkin at Sadie. "Garrett didn't know about Vienna and me. Vienna said it wasn't anyone else's business, even Garrett and Gio's, and I went along with it."

"Why didn't you at least tell us?" inquired Brenda. "We've known you're bi since high school. Being with a woman wouldn't have bothered us."

"Seriously, there's three of us at this table who've eaten at the Y," offered Sadie.

"It wasn't that. I... the best way to say it is that I didn't want the baggage of being 'official' with anyone after how my marriage ended. Even mentioning that Vienna and I were hooking up would come with questions or comments I just wasn't ready to deal with. So I just kept it a secret." Colette suddenly put her face in her hands. There was a slight tremor in her voice as she told her friends, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you guys. I really didn't."

"Hey, hey, hey." Brenda slid her chair around the table. "Don't." She put her arm over Colette's shoulders. "Your reason for keeping you and Vienna a secret is just as valid as our reasons for keeping our hookups with Garrett off the books. No one's mad, right?"

"We'd be hypocrites," Michelle stated. "And to be honest, it feels like Garrett's a new knot in the ties that bind the four of us together. It's been a while since I've felt this close to you three."

Sadie laughed. "Finding out you're Pogo Sisters with your best friends will do that." Her laugh got bigger as Colette peeked over her fingers, joining Brenda and Michelle in staring at Sadie with confusion. "Pogo Sisters. We've all jumped on the same stick."

"Oh my God." Once Colette joined the other women in coming down from a fit of giggles, she gestured with her hands. "Alright, alright, back to the story. And we're this far down the rabbit hole, so I'm not sparing the details..."

X X X X X

Colette reached up and adjusted the showerhead slightly so that the spray wasn't drowning her and Vienna as they kissed without urgency. Their embrace was that of two lovers at the end of the long day seeking simple relief in each other's arms. Vienna's fingers traced themselves down Colette's spine, walking down and marching back up, while Colette let her hands rest against the top of Vienna's tight butt.

Colette pulled Vienna closer to gently nibble on her ear. "Hey," she asked quietly, "after the reunion do you think you can help me get in shape?"

"Sure. That just crossed your mind now?"

"You've got a dynamite body, and since I'm holding it at the moment I was reminded to ask you." A light application of teeth on Vienna's earlobe, just above the tattoo of a dark green star, accompanied her statement.

Indeed, once free from the thrift store clothing and low-life sense of fashion, Vienna Polley could have easily motion-captured for Lara Croft - firm legs, toned arms, fantastic tits, strategically placed tattoos, and a tight butt. During their first encounter, Colette had complimented Vienna on her rear. The smile that Vienna gave at the comment was one of the brightest Colette had ever seen from Vienna. "Boobs come naturally," she had told Colette. "You gotta work for a great ass."

"I'm looking and feeling ragged," Colette explained. "I let myself go setting up the store."

"I noticed. After the reunion, we'll sit down and talk. Deal? OK then," Vienna said once Colette had nodded in agreement, "back to the making out." Vienna trapped her against the wall under the showerhead. The cold tile made Colette's back arch, but her gasp was drowned out by Vienna's subsequent kiss.

Vienna gently pressed her wet body against Colette while she kissed her, occasionally letting her tongue dart into Colette's mouth before pulling away. She leaned back, letting the water rush over her face, allowing Colette to lick and suck at her throat for a few moments. From there Colette's mouth dropped to Vienna's breasts. She took a nipple into her mouth to run her tongue over it. The dark red nub crinkled in response.

After giving the other breast the same attention, Colette stood back up and kissed Vienna again, this time with more passion. It was Vienna's turn to gently caress Colette's chest. Her thumbs ran over Colette's erect nipples, eliciting a sigh of pleasure from her lover. Once that task was complete Vienna's hands took separate paths. One hand moved to the back of Colette's neck while she kissed her shoulder. The other hand slid down over Colette's flat stomach ("too flat," thought Colette) and towards the center of her body. When Vienna gently dragged her fingers through the thatch of black hair, Colette carefully parted her legs, using her lover for balance.

Nimble fingers spent the next few moments touching Colette everywhere except her womanhood. Vienna ran her hand along the inside of Colette's thighs, made a slow, teasing circle around her lower lips. On a few occasions, she brought her hand back up to push against her stomach before bringing her fingers back down. Colette knew it was all part of the game. Still, she moaned and whined in frustration each time Vienna teased her, with the blonde now pushing and slowly rubbing her slick front against Colette's body.

When Vienna took her hand away, Colette shot her a questioning look which quickly faded away as Vienna removed the stainless steel showerhead from its holder. "What are you planning on doing with that," Colette asked with a mischievous smile.

"Stop getting sprayed in the face for one. Making out with a sexy woman can distract you from being waterboarded for only so long. That and using it on you, of course."

"Setting 3. And don't hold it right up against me." Colette chuckled as Vienna tilted her head to the side. "You think I've never used that to get off? I had my first orgasm because of it."

Vienna held the showerhead off to one side as she once again kissed Colette. The raven-haired young woman wrapped both arms around Vienna's shoulders, using her body to keep upright as they made out. Colette could feel the pulsing sprays of hot water against her right flank as Vienna slowly ran the showerhead down her body. There wasn't any more teasing or hesitation on Vienna's part. She shifted her body to one side, exposing the juncture between Colette's spread legs. Both young women looked down as Vienna brought the shower head close to her pussy and the pressurized stream of water hit Colette's body.

The first pulse of hot water caused Colette to gasp with delight. Her eyes rolled back in her head for a brief moment at the rush of pure bliss that ran through her. "Yeah," she managed to get out, "right there." Vienna complied. She held the showerhead exactly where Colette told her to, inches from her pussy, while gently licking and sucking on her neck. The spray from the showerhead beat a steady rhythm against Colette's lips, each one causing another flare of pleasure throughout her lower body. She spread her legs even further, one foot pressed against the side of the stall, giving the spray better access to her most intimate area.

The spray, at best, brushed and lightly tickled her clit, which was now calling for direct attention. "Let's sit on the floor," Colette suggested while Vienna licked her earlobe, " I can spread my legs better that way."

"You're the boss," Vienna murmured. Both women carefully made their way to the floor of the shower. Colette kept her back against the tile wall and slid down onto her butt, while Vienna, one hand on the wall for balance, ended up straddling her ankle. Colette got as comfortable as she could, hands on the floor next to her and her feet wide apart, lewdly exposing herself to her shower mate. Vienna leaned forward, once again nibbling on Colette's neck and ear as she resumed using the showerhead.

In her new position, Colette could feel the pulsing water cascading between her legs. The rhythm of the showerhead was a perfect complement to the throbbing in her clit. Her orgasm was distant, but beginning to knit itself together. She moaned quietly, unconsciously making the slight adjustments that allowed the water to hit her in just the way that would set her off. Her breathing quickened. She felt the internal heat building inside of her, and her moans got a little louder.

"Shhh," Vienna teased. "You'll wake your grandmother. Maybe I should stop..."

"They will never find your body," Colette shot back as good-naturedly as she could in the throes of her building climax. Vienna turned the showerhead in response, causing the sensations in her clit to magnify as it was sprayed from a new direction. It was enough to bring her climax rushing forward from the depths of Colette's soaked pussy. She began to pant, her chest flush, her head tossed back against the shower wall, her skin feeling like it was on fire.

Between the water on her clit and Vienna's tongue and teeth on her ear, Colette's entire body shook. She quivered on the shower floor from the intense throbbing of her clit. Colette had to push the showerhead away as she came. Vienna immediately set it down on the tile floor. She rested her head on Colette's shoulder, soaking in the residual effect of her friend's climax.

After a few moments, Colette turned her head and kissed Vienna on the cheek. "I needed that," she whispered. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." She nuzzled Colette's cheek. "Let's clean up and get to bed."

"What about you? I don't want you to feel neglected."

Vienna gave Colette a light peck on the lips in response. "You owe me one. Right now you need sleep."

The two women helped each other get to their feet. Over the next few minutes, they cleaned up, dried off, and pulled themselves under the thick weighted blanket on Colette's queen-sized bed. "Today went well," Colette said to herself as she settled in, "and tomorrow will go well too." As she rolled over and draped one arm across Vienna's body, the dyed blonde was on her iPhone. After a few seconds, the sounds of a guitar came over the low volume, barely audible to Colette's ears. Vienna set the phone on the bedroom floor next to the bed and settled in, Colette's body pressing against hers. Both women were on their way to sleep as the lyrics of Veruca Salt kicked in.

# I'm afraid I will never change #

# It's ok, I am not ashamed #

# I can say that my bed is made #

X X X X X

# Go shorty, it's your birthday #

# We gonna party like it's your birthday #

"Nice ringtone," Colette mumbled into her pillow.

"And who's the one who showed me Happy Death Day?" Vienna groused in return. One hand reached out from under the blanket to fish for her iPhone. "It's Garrett," she said as she read the text. "Everything went fine last night, and he's opening this morning. So there's no rush to come down."

Colette made a noise of affirmation. As she stretched and rolled over, the sunlight streaming through the wall-length windows made her wince. "What time is it?" she murmured, one arm finding its way around Vienna's waist.

"6:00."

"Why the fuck is he up at 6:00?"

"To hit the pool. He always goes swimming as soon as he wakes up. That's why I made sure he got renewed his old Y membership - so he could keep his routine."

"Again, and why the fuck is he up at 6:00?"

"Garrett's one of those freaks who can get by on four, five hours sleep a night," Vienna grumbled.

"I'd hate him if he wasn't helping me out." Colette pulled Vienna closer to her. The blonde rolled over, coming face to face with her friend. She ran a hand through Vienna's frazzled blonde, black, and rainbow strands, eliciting a sigh.

"Any bad dreams last night?" Vienna asked softly.

"Someone helped scare them away." Colette lightly massaged her fingers against Vienna's scalp. "Do you work today?"

"My first client's at two," Vienna answered. "I was planning on having lunch with Garrett today so I took the afternoon shift, to make sure he wasn't bunkering down and going feral. Guess that's out the window though."

"I'll make sure he goes to lunch with you." Colette's fingers squeezed and kneaded Vienna's neck, drawing an almost-purr in response. "He's been working non-stop since you convinced him to help me out. Which I should say 'thank you' for. As well as saying 'thank you' for getting me home last night." Colette smiled sleepily, shifting under the covers as she stretched. "Will you drive me back to town? I should be there to help Ryan and Garrett open."

"You should be here getting some sleep," Vienna countered, sighing as Colette scratched behind her ear.

"I can't. It's not only the first week, but it's also the Ski Festival. This whole week is one big stress test, both for the store and me. If being super busy is what set me off last night, then I need to just immerse myself in the chaos and get used to it as best I can. It's like watching Primer. You either stop the movie or keep watching and rewatching until you figure out what's going on."

"I'm assuming that's a movie reference," Vienna mumbled as Colette stroked her ear. "If you make a reference I don't get, it's a movie reference." Vienna quietly enjoyed Collette's attention for a few moments. "I'll drive you down," she said eventually. "I have to anyway, your car's still at the store. Two conditions. One, take a Valium before you go. Two, if the store's running fine you're coming to Pike's afterward. It's Wednesday night, and you know what that means."

"Karaoke Roulette." Colette's sigh was one of reluctance. "I'll take a pill if I feel like I'm going to get worked up," she said. "But I'm not going to pre-game one. And it's the opening week. I can't just take a night off because I'm stressed."

"Girl, you're beyond stressed. At least you were last night." It was Vienna's turn to run the back of her hand along Colette's cheek. "You can't be at the store seven nights a week open-to-close. You're going to go insane. At some point, you'll have to trust Ryan or someone else to run things when you're not around. Besides," she added, "what did your doctor say about self-care and realizing when you need it? If Dr. Knowles didn't always go to Hawaii during the Ski Festival I'd be pestering you to squeeze in an appointment this week."