Delicate Touches Pt. 07

"Might as well have some music, I bought a subscription to Amazon Prime three months ago. I'm listening to bands I haven't heard in years," she glanced at her.

"Any particular choice?"

"No, you choose, I'm pretty broad minded when it comes to music although club mixes give me a headache."

"Me too," Stevie selected one of the recommended playlists, "let's take our chances."

The conversation moved onto other topics like work, their interests, music, movies, hobbies and then their respective families. Stevie came from a family of two boys and a girl, her mother and father had divorced when she was ten and because she was the oldest she'd helped her mother raise the other three children.

"Mum didn't date a guy until Stacey, the youngest was fifteen. I got the shock of my life when I walked in after a day at work to find a man in the bathroom," she smiled, "a half naked man and then mum called out from the bedroom to tell me Stan was in the bathroom."

"So, she married Stan?"

"No, she has a guy by the name of Stephen, he lives in Lilydale and she still lives in Chirnside Park, they like their own space but they're a pretty good couple. Heaps of people have said they should get married but they've resisted so far, more power to them."

"Mine are still married."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"I'm not saying that, I just wonder why dad puts up with her, she can be a real bitch at times but he doesn't bite back. I'm the fiery one."

"I wouldn't have thought that about you."

"Still waters run deep," she smirked.

They lapsed into silence for a few minutes and then Stevie suddenly leaned forward.

"Cake, I've got cake in the kitchen, I plain forgot about it," she glanced at Mei Lin, "you haven't got any allergies have you?"

"Nope."

"It's only carrot cake but I actually made it myself."

"Well then," Mei Lin grinned, "you'd better try to seduce me with your home made carrot cake."

Stevie rose and went through to the kitchen followed by Denis. She came back from the kitchen with a plate of sliced carrot cake just in time to see Mei Lin lift her right foot from the couch to the floor, the younger woman managed a shy smile as Stevie put the plate on the tray.

"Sorry, but it was too tempting."

"Feel free," Stevie shrugged, "you had your shoes off," she sat down and eyed Mei Lin's other foot, "shoe off," she corrected herself and leaning down, she lifted Mei Lin's left foot and undid the laces on the patent leather shoe.

"Nice shoes, where did you buy them?"

"Kmart."

Stevie grinned at her, "you shop at Kmart too?"

"I shop anywhere," Mei Lin stared at her foot as Stevie pulled the shoe off, "I wasn't even looking for shoes that day," she went on as Stevie lifted the foot, "I walked in to buy groceries and when I wandered into the clothing department I saw the shoes."

"Only women can do that," she lifted her foot up and put it on the couch, "when a man goes shopping it's a military operation, he goes in to buy certain things and walks out again as soon as he's found them," she glanced at Mei Lin's feet.

"We women find all kinds of treasures."

Mei Lin's eyes narrowed as Stevie put her hand under her legs and put her feet onto her leg, she let go and leaned over to pick up her drink.

"So, now you're my personal foot stool?" Mei Lin smiled.

"Whatever," she remarked.

Nothing was said for a minute or two and Stevie considered that she'd pushed the boat out too far until Mel Lin slid her left foot further forward and pushed against Stevie's right leg. She glanced down as the younger woman pushed harder and chanced a glance at her. Mei Lin had an intense look on her face as if shifting her leg across had become vitally important. Stevie moved both legs simultaneously and Mei Lin's left foot shot forward and then she giggled.

"Oops."

"You've painted your toenails too," Stevie stared at the red nail polish beneath her white stockings, "Kmart too?"

"Hmm mm," Mei Lin bit back her smile, "I should own shares in Kmart with all the stuff I've bought there and I'm only nineteen," she pulled the skirt back far enough to show the suspender straps, "quite bold for Kmart."

"I'll say," Stevie stared at them, "very nice."

"Thank you kindly," she smiled, "these stockings and the suspender belt were my first act of rebellion," she glanced at Stevie and pulled the skirt back down again.

"And?" Stevie spoke into the sudden silence.

"I wore them to Sunday Mass," she tugged at the skirt, "under this skirt, mum liked the skirt but she had no idea what was underneath, I bought the skirt the same day and wore them both to Mass," she tugged at her belt.

"I'd just come back from Singapore the day before, I was so tired I could barely keep up with the service."

"She would've found out when she washed them."

"I've been doing my own washing since I was sixteen," she clicked a buckle absently, "my clothes, my hair choice."

"And the shirt?"

"The blouse came from Linda yesterday, she gave me a whole suitcase full of clothes, so this is the first time I've ever worn it," she tugged at a cuff.

"It is pretty," Stevie took a chance and reached out to feel a ruffle and to her surprise Mei Lin moved forward and arched her back, pushing her breasts forward. Their eyes met briefly and then Mei Lin averted her eyes as Denis got out of her basket, she whimpered as Mei Lin put a hand on Stevie's other hand, now was resting on her leg. The sensuality was shattered however when Denis started pissing on the floor, Stevie turned suddenly and swore.

"Fuck it," she released the ruffle but Mei Lin squeezed her hand.

"What's done is done, let her finish and then you can deal with it."

It was only after she'd finished that Stevie moved off the couch to clean up the piss and tell Denis off and when she resumed her place some five minutes later Mei Lin was playing with her phone, she looked up and nudged her glasses.

"Have you got somewhere I can charge my phone?"

"Sure, the power board by the telly, have you got a charger with you?"

"Always be prepared," she moved off the couch.

When she returned however, she sat closer to Stevie, one knee was pressed hard against the back of the couch and her left foot was on the floor. She lifted it onto the futon to pull on the toe of her stocking. The skirt rode down her thigh and she frowned as she pulled on the nylon.

"My feet are sore," she muttered, "the price of vanity, I love the shoes but I haven't broken them in yet," she massaged her foot and Stevie slipped her arm along the back of the couch. She could smell her perfume but couldn't remember the brand.

"What perfume is that?"

"Allure," she turned at the same time to massage her other foot. Stevie's eyes shifted as the younger woman moved her other foot to the futon and put her back to the couch. Stevie didn't move for a few moments and then she let her arm fall onto Mei Lin's shoulders.

Mei Lin moved closer, leaned her elbow on Stevie's leg and grabbed her knee. Stevie felt warmth flowing into her, there was something almost innocent about her gesture. Mei Lin stared at the tv for a few minutes as one song finished and another started.

"Who sings this again?" Mei Lin squinted at the screen.

"INXS," she replied, "my mum used to go to their gigs back in the eighties, she got her tits signed by Michael Hutchence."

"Her tits?" Mei Lin glanced up at her.

"She was wearing a white tee shirt. She still has it too although it doesn't fit her."

"Long before my time, the eighties would have been an exciting time to be alive."

"You almost sound like mum there," Stevie squeezed her shoulder, "I was raised on stories of mum hanging out at the local milk bar checking out the boys."

Mei Lin didn't reply for a minute or so as she contemplated her new position. She was snuggled up to Stevie and yet the other woman hadn't made the expected moves. A new song started playing and she leaned forward to get another piece of carrot cake.

"When it comes to music I'm way behind the times," she spoke up, "my mum even banned ABBA because Benny and Frida lived together as man and wife without getting married first."

"Jesus, ABBA were tame compared to INXS."

"Oh don't get me started on that one, I had a grouse poster of Michael Hutchence when I was in grade six, but because he wasn't wearing a shirt she tore it off the wall and threw it out. I was so fucking mad with her I threatened to leave home, it had belonged to my oldest brother but he gave it to me when he moved out."

"How do you get on with your mum now?"

"It's strained," she leaned forward to massage her foot again, "if I dared come out as gay she'd disown me."

"And your dad?"

"Dad is cool, he's always been cool. I know he gets embarrassed at her lectures but he's too polite to tell her to shut up, he leaves that up to us kids."

"I'm sorry," Stevie rubbed her back, "my mum is supportive, my dad is a shit though but I so rarely see him."

"Where is he?"

"South Australia, he's got a place at Whyalla he works on the docks," she drew her thumb down Mei Lin's spine and was rewarded with a slight shiver as Mei Lin arched her back.

"Oh, that hit the spot."

"It did, did it?" Stevie repeated the gesture, this time using the backs of her fingers as well as the thumb. She did this several times in a row as Mei Lin had another slice of cake. It was harder work putting pressure on her spine because she was working through the cardigan and blouse but she kept going. Finally she dropped her hand to the bottom of the cardigan where it rode higher to expose the blouse and Mei Lin put a hand on her leg as Stevie moved up under the cardigan. Mei Lin squeezed her leg tighter as Stevie continued her up and down movements and then for no particular reason she switched routine. This time she spread her fingers wide and bent them to scratch her back through the silk material.

"Oh, oh, don't stop," Mei Lin shivered.

"You like that?"

"Yes," she sounded almost turned on, "I like that."

Stevie moved up and down one side of her back before moving to the other side but a minute or so later Mei Lin turned slowly and deliberately. Once again she pulled her right knee up hard against the back of the couch and brought her other foot around to the other side of Stevie's legs. Her next move was somewhat clumsy due to her positioning and the skirt she was wearing, but she drew her foot up Stevie's legs and then let it slide down again. This went on for a few minutes, Mei Lin rubbed her leg whilst Stevie kept scratching her back with her left hand but eventually the younger woman slowed and put her foot on the floor.

Stevie touched Mei Lin's left hand with her right, sliding it up to the cuff and then back again, Mei Lin seemed fascinated with this action and turned her hand so that her palm was facing upwards. Stevie flicked her fingers along her wrist and Mei Lin's fingers splayed outwards and when she did it again Mei Lin moved her hand forward to do the same to Stevie's wrist.

Stevie still had her hand halfway up her back and the cardigan was pulled tightly against her breasts but Mei Lin didn't seem to mind as they stroked each other's wrists, she only looked up briefly when Stevie slowly and deliberately traced the outline of her bra strap. Mei Lin brought her other hand up to Stevie's tie. At first she just rubbed thumb and forefinger against it as she went higher and when she reached the knot she looked up into Stevie's eyes. You could read the hesitation in her eyes as she rubbed the knot.

She glanced down at her cardigan buttons straining against the pressure exerted by Stevie's hand up her back and Stevie's other hand slid along her sleeve to the belt buckles. She inched her hand up the front of the cardigan grabbing the hem, carried on to her shoulder. Mei Lin winced as Stevie found the shoulder strap and then her hand slipped under the cardigan, which exerted even more pressure on the top button of the cardigan. She fingered Stevie's tie as the older woman brought her hand down the cardigan to the top button.

She tilted it back and forth a couple of times before finally slipping it through the buttonhole. The sudden release caused her eyes to shift and a slight smile nudged her lips. Stevie drew one hand down her spine and rested her fingers in the vee of the cardigan. Mei Lin looked into her eyes and then leaned forward to rest her forehead against Stevie's forehead. She let her breath out slowly and then raised her head slightly.

Mei Lin tilted her head to one side and kissed her lightly on the lips. It was a tentative kiss, she merely held her lips against Stevie's but the older woman sensed a shift in the atmosphere, and a moment later she pushed back, opening her mouth slightly and forcing Mei Lin's open at the same time. Mei Lin winced and tried to pull back but then she let go and let Stevie lead the way as their lips remained locked together. Towards the end of that kiss she undid the second button and the cardigan parted a little more.

Mei Lin pulled back suddenly and stared into her, one hand was still on Stevie's tie but the look in her eyes was a mixture of wonder and hesitation. For a few moments she thought Mei Lin was going to pull back and move away but then she tightened her grip on the tie and tilting her head again she kissed her on the lips and this time she took the lead, her mouth parted and Stevie tasted her softness. She pulled her hand down Mei Lin's back to her belt and hooked a thumb behind it as Mei Lin's lips tugged at her lip. The kiss ended abruptly but then resumed again as she pushed hard against her, now there seemed to be an urgency to her kissing. Stevie slid her thumb around the belt to her front and Mei Lin moaned something that was lost because their lips were locked together, Stevie reached her front but just as she found the buckles Mei Lin pulled back.

Her face was slightly flushed and her eyes were alight, she had a timid smile on her face as if she'd just seen something amusing happening just behind Stevie. She fixed her eyes on Stevie once again and then the smile widened as she released the tie and bringing her other hand up as well, rested her hands on her neck. A moment later she leaned forward for another kiss and Stevie was surprised at the intensity of the kiss, she was putting everything into this one. A tongue slid forward into her mouth and then withdrew just as quickly.

This time it was Stevie who broke contact as she felt the familiar symptoms of arousal. When Mei Lin stared into her eyes again she sensed the armour had been pierced and yet she still felt that the younger woman was still just timidly exploring her. This theory turned out to be correct when she moved her hand from the buckle to the third button on her cardigan. When she hooked her fingers behind the cardigan Mei Lin looked down and then up again, she had a look on her face that hinted of desire mixed with fear. Stevie pulled outwards, taking the cardigan with her as her other hand rose to Mei Lin's face. She stroked her cheek gently and Mei Lin swallowed as the hand went down to her neck.

A moment or two later Stevie undid the button and then slid one hand beneath the cardigan to the blouse and the other along her collar and around to the brooch. She rubbed a thumb against it but didn't try to undo it as she slid her other hand across her belly. Every movement seemed so slow and drawn out, and yet she could tell it was arousing her because Mei Lin was embarking on her own exploration, sliding her fingers up the pleats but stopping short of her breasts. She did this several times in a row before finally moving over her breasts to to her upper chest, her fingers were spread out as she rubbed up and down. She had a look of concentration in her eyes as if she was trying to anticipate Stevie's next move or build enough confidence to go further.

And yet for all the sensuality of the moment, Stevie was actually quite content to leave things as they were for now. If this was as far as she went with Mei Lin today then she could be satisfied and that state of mind was new territory for Stevie. She moved down to the fourth button and Mei Lin looked down as she undid it, the cardigan was now held together by a single button that soon slid through the buttonhole and when the garment fell open Mei Lin exhaled slowly and then looked up into her eyes.

"I have to pee," she told her.

"Not on my new couch," Stevie poked her playfully in the belly.

Mei Lin smiled at that as she eased away from her but before she rose from her seat she leaned over and kissed her firmly on the lips.

"Don't go away."

Stevie merely nodded as Mei Lin rose and walked out, Denis woke up and stared at her and then at her mistress. She leaned forward to check her phone. There was a recent update on Mia's Instagram showing her on the back of Nicki's bike as it roared along the highway, the next shot was a selfie of Mia and Nicki leaning against the front of Mia's Porsche. The final shot in the video montage showed Nicki riding in front of Mia. The implication was obvious to her at least, something had happened between Mia and her, there was no mistaking the satisfied look on Mia's face.

Stevie looked up as Mei Lin came back into the room, she diverted to her phone to check the charge and she too caught the montage Mia had posted, it had been shared by Nicki as well. There was also a Snapchat message from Nicki to Mei Lin. It was a selfie of Mia and Nicki sitting on a couch together.

Mei Lin stared at the phone as she processed this new information. She knew Nicki had gone back to Mia's place last night because Nicki had texted her to tell her not to wait up. She put the phone back down and returned to her position on the couch. It was actually a relief to get that particular message. For the last few days especially, she feared that one of them would give into temptation and take their relationship with each other to a place it didn't belong. Mei Lin's eyes shifted as she put the phone back down and returned to her original position in the corner of the couch.

"Nicki's going out with Mia?"

"It looks that way going by Mia's Instagram," she eyed her own phone.

"Well you said she was fluid," Mei Lin nudged her glasses.

"Even so, she's never shown any real interest in women, and she's had plenty of offers," pulled the coffee table out of the way, "we might arsehole that table, as long as we don't get too energetic."

"What kind of offers has she had," Mei Lin watched Stevie push the futon into the corner.

"Most of the time it's just flirting but one woman in particular was really keen on her. Sian was a dual national, American and Aussie citizenship but she offered to put Mia up in her house down in Sorrento. She spent nine months of the year travelling from America to Europe, she was fucking loaded and the general idea was that Mia could do her own thing, fuck whoever she wanted as long as she was available for three months."

"Sounds like a sad case."

"That's exactly what Mia said. She was polite about it at the time but after the gig at her place she went home and penned that song we sing, nobody's bitch," she raised the mug.

"So I guess some good came out of it."

"Good for her," Mei Lin spread her legs and put one foot on the futon and bent her right leg to rest her knee on the back of the couch. The skirt was now flared out in what to Stevie's mind was a clear sign that she wanted to go further, from this position she could plainly see the suspender straps on her left leg.

"Shit, you don't realise how big it is until you move the futon into place."

"Tell me about it," she grinned, "I actually toyed with the idea of using this as a bed and turning my bedroom into a study."

They lapsed into silence for a little while each lost in their own thoughts. Stevie was trying to read Mei Lin's mood and Mei Lin was contemplating her options. She had been here for nearly three hours and the thing she had both fretted and longed for with equal strength hadn't happened yet. They'd kissed and their session on the couch had taught her something new, she liked kissing women. A man would have had his pants off after the first five minutes.