Is She, Isn't She?

"I bet you've got a lovely pussy, babe," Chantelle said next, her voice turning husky. "I can just imagine it. I bet it looks really good. A lovely little tight pussy just begging to be licked. Men don't know how to take care of sexy little pussies the same way a girl does. I know exactly how to make you scream, girl, with my mouth. You should do your pussy a favour and show it a good time by showing it to me."

"Ch ..." Jeanie started to protest, but Chantelle cut her off again, and Jeanie's eyes darted quickly to the floor, cheeks definitely hot by now -- but she didn't walk away.

"Your nice little pussy needs to be stroked by someone who knows how. I want to put my fingers into you, and pet your pussy til I make it nice and wet and happy. I bet your pussy is hungry. It needs a tongue in it to make it feel nice. I'll squeeze that lush ass of yours with my hands while I suck on your sweet pussy for you tonight, babe, if you come home with me. I'll fuck you all night long. All you have to do is spread your legs and let me lick. Let me lick your hot, tight little snatch. Your delicate little puss. Come on, say yes."

Jeanie finally raised her eyes from the ground -- and, with a shock, from her seat at the table, Ashley registered that they had darkened with lust. Her pupils were slightly dilated, her lips parted, and she looked aroused. Very aroused, as she fixed Chantelle with murky dark eyes.

"No," she said, her voice controlled and relatively neutral. "That was really inappropriate, Chantelle. I'm going to get your bourbon, and that's enough of that, alright? Cut it out." She leant off the bar and walked away, dark hair streaming down her back, looking a vision.

Meanwhile, Chantelle smirked after her, unperturbed by the younger girl's telling off. When Jeanie came back with the drink, Chantelle winked at her.

"Babe, you look like you need it. And no one can give it to you better than me. I'm the best. You'll never have better. I'll spoil you for all men. That's all I'm going to say."

"And already, you've said too much," Jeanie's eyes fell to the floor, voice firming. "That really is enough, Chantelle. Don't make me have to go to Tony, now."

"I bet you think about me next time you play with yourself," Chantelle shot naughtily, then spun on her heel and strode back over to her table, leaving Jeanie gaping incredulously after her.

Chantelle slid back in to their table and chuckled at the stupefied expressions on her friends faces.

"Never knew you could talk dirty so well, Chantelle, that was pretty hot!" Claire exclaimed.

"I certainly know Jeanette thought so," Chantelle sniggered, radiating arrogance. "The vibes I got from her just now were hot, hot, hot! She wants me. She won't admit it verbally yet, but her body is starting to kick up a fuss and complain about how much it wants me."

"You're too much, Chantelle!" Meredith told her, laughing helplessly.

"That should even the playing field somewhat, wouldn't you say Ash?" Chantelle turned dancing eyes onto Ashley.

"Maybe," Ashley liked to think she was an iron-willed person, a person that exhibited excellent self-discipline and self-control. So she forced her voice to be unruffled. However, inside, she was a different thing entirely.

Having to listen to Chantelle play for Jeanie like that, and talk dirty to her, and watching Jeanie's positive reaction to the whole scene, made Ashley realise very suddenly that she liked Jeanie a whole lot more than she'd previously realised.

She'd known she was very attracted to her, known that she enjoyed the brightness of her company, but the level of anger and upset that was suddenly increasing within her at Chantelle's exchange with the young brunette indicated very real feelings that now, as a consequence, Ashley was going to have to deal with.

What Ashley now realised she had to face was the fact that Jeanie had never looked at her like that, with her mouth parted as though in a light pant, and her eyes dimmed with sexual heat. In all the time they'd spent chatting together, laughing together, not once had Jeanie ever fixed dark eyes filled with want or need on Ashley. That look, apparently, she saved for Chantelle. Chantelle had "it". Chantelle had charisma, Chantelle always pulled any girl she wanted. And now, Chantelle would pull Jeanie. Jeanie, eventually, would succumb to Chantelle's charm -- she'd already exhibited strong first-signs of doing so.

And Ashley was upset. The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. God, she hadn't felt this strongly about a girl for a long time. Her blood heated up whenever she cast eyes onto Jeanie's sexy, slender curves. Her heart thudded uncomfortably behind pale, schooled features, whenever her eyes fell on Jeanie's perfect face.

She sat there in a daze, only listening with half an ear to the conversation of her friends, distressed about Jeanie's attraction to Chantelle, and taking frequent sips from her drink. Whenever she'd drain her glass, one of her friends would replace it for her. Next thing she knew, Tony had sent Bella over to their table with a tray full of free shots for them -- she downed them without thinking, and returned to her wine and the girls' conversation.

Then proceeded a blur. Ashley was drunk. They all were. Tansy and Claire got up to dance again and dragged shy Meredith with them -- the shots they had all consumed seemed to make Meredith brave enough to dance, which was unlike her! Chantelle got up and started flirting with another one of her past conquests, to see if she could get lucky that night, and Ashley excused herself to the bathroom.

Once she was in there, the room started spinning. She sat with a bang on the toilet seat, trying to regain her composure under the white lights of the ladies' room, breathing hard.

She didn't know how long she was in there, but it only seemed like five minutes. She remembered vaguely checking her mobile phone and seeing drunken, misspelt messages from her friends asking her where she was. She clumsily texted back to all of them the words "I'm all fine hun", while desperately willing herself sober. She didn't think she could walk straight if she stood up.

Eventually, she decided she had to go out and find one of her friends, tell them she was leaving. She let herself out of the cubicle, out of the bathroom. Back at the bar, the music was thumping, filling her head. She stumbled very unsteadily through the room, hazy eyes blinking as she searched for Tansy, Claire, Meredith ... perhaps not Chantelle, she didn't want to see her at all ... but she couldn't find any of them. She groaned and leant against the wall for support. She didn't feel very well. It had been a long, long time since she'd drunk to drink, and her body wasn't used to it. Lightweight, the rational part of her brain thought, through the curtain of her intoxication. She groaned again.

"Ashley!" exclaimed a voice, a sweet voice, a beautiful voice, a voice belonging to the gorgeous girl of Ashley's dreams ...

Ashley turned lethargically, to see Jeanie standing behind her with a couple of glasses in her hand, apparently just back from a glass run. They were both now standing next to the door that led behind the bar to the serving area, in a thoroughfare that took patrons from one side of the room to the other (the bar was in the middle).

"What are you doing?" Jeanie asked, eyes concerned as she took in Ashley leaning on the wall for support. "One moment!" she disappeared for a split second, leaning into the bar to set the glasses onto a surface for someone else to get rid of. Then she was right back beside Ashley. She put a hand on Ashley's upper arm, fingers squeezing gently, clearly worried. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Fine, hun!" Ashley returned quickly, nodding her head as though willing herself to believe it.

"How's your night going?" Jeanie asked, voice friendly. She was standing very close, Ashley noted, so she could hear what Ashley said over the thrumming music of the bar. She was close enough that Ashley could smell her perfume, actually. And her hair. And a faint sheen of sweat beneath all that from working hard.

The whole experience of having Jeanie so close sent Ashley's senses into overdrive. If her head had been spinning before, now it had doubled in speed ...

"'S fine hun, but I'm kinda sick so I'm probably gonna head. Have you seen ... anyone?" Ashley tried, tried to pronounce all her words, but her pink lips were lazy and it was a real effort to control them.

"No, I haven't seen your friends for a while, at least half-an-hour," Jeanie's eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to make sense of Ashley's slurred speech. "I think they might have left! -- it's kind of late, you know."

"Right," Ashley muttered. "I'll go ... cab then ... bye bye Jean, you're gorgeous," she flung as a parting shot, before she leant up off the wall and made to walk off. But she zig-zagged and landed into a nearby chair, catching herself on the back of it and breathing hard.

"Ashley!" Jeanie dived for her alarmedly.

"I'm alright!" Ashley was embarrassed. "Seriously hun, I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow or something okay?"

"Jesus, no you won't!" Jeanie's brow was furrowed with worry. "You can't go outside and get a cab like this. Have you seen the piranhas circling round the bar tonight? Look, I'll take care of you. Just wait here for a moment, okay? Wait here." Her hands were on Ashley's arms, as she gently pulled her off the back of the chair and pushed her against the wall beside the bar door, holding her flat against it for a moment. "Wait here," she told her again.

"Yep, yep," Ashley nodded complacently, but the moment Jeanie turned and let her go, a blind panic engulfed her and she made a break for the front doors again. She couldn't spend time around Jeanie in the state she was in. She was sure her drunkenness would be a total turn-off, and she needed to get away before she did even more damage to her already limited chances with the gorgeous brunette.

"Hey!" a voice rang out behind her again, and she'd only gone four steps before Jeanie's soft hands closed firmly around her upper forearms, stopping her in her tracks. "Listen, sneaky! I told you to stay right here!"

Ashley winced upsettedly and slumped against the wall where Jeanie put her, energy sapped, sick to the stomach and giving up.

"Alright!" Jeanie said, watching her. "I'll literally be two minutes. Please just wait here, Ashley. I'm going to tell Bella or one of the boys that I'm going to take my break now, okay? And I'll run you home. Just stay, okay? Wait here for me."

Ashley nodded numbly and Jeanie slipped into the bar door. She was back a moment later, her handbag slung over one slim shoulder.

"Okay," she carelessly grabbed Ashley's hand, in order to help her walk. "We're going to go out the side door." She led Ashley towards the staff exit.

The people were much sparser away from the main areas of the bar, which made it easier to move, easier for Jeanie to lead Ashley comfortably around all the obstacles as the approached the exit. A tall broad butch called Eliza, whom Ashley knew as an acquaintance from the bar, and who had tried hitting on her a few times, saw them and bounded over, pissed herself.

"Ash, you drunk girl! Come and have a drink with me, you tight little piece of ass! I've been wanting to get into those jeans of yours for yonks now babe, you know that! You look like you're all ready for a good time right now, you look loaded! You won't be giving me your cool-blonde routine tonight, will ya? Come sit on my knee ...!"

"Um, hello?" Jeanie's voice was icy. "That's really inappropriate, she's not feeling well."

"Who are you, bitch?" Eliza peered aggressively at Jeanie with piggy, drunk eyes.

"I'm staff," Jeanie snapped back, "and if you want to use language like that with me, I'll have security throw you out and Tony will give you a holiday from this place for a while, how about that?"

"You the new hot girl!" Eliza stepped back, recognising her. "I thought you were just a random!"

"Should have taken a closer look then, shouldn't you? Now, move! And don't touch her!" she hissed, when Eliza raised a hand like a salami and laid it on Ashley's cheek as though to pull her face up for a quick pash. Jeanie had no intention of letting that happen. She yanked Ashley's arm hard, and wrenched the tall blonde out of Eliza's grip. "For heaven's sake! Put your foot out of line once more tonight, woman, and you'll be kicked out faster than you can blink! Now back off!"

"Didn't know she was spoken for," Eliza muttered angrily, standing down. "She was single as far's I knew."

"It's not ... you just don't try to pull that shit when she's been drinking, that's what I was trying to ... that's not the point!" Jeanie became flustered for a moment, before her voice turned snappy. "We're wasting time. Move!"

Eliza stepped aside, and Jeanie squeezed Ashley's hand tighter as she drew her towards the staff door. She pushed it open for them, and then Ashley was hit by the cool night breeze. She shivered involuntarily.

"Are you feeling okay?" Jeanie asked, teasing her bottom lip between her teeth as she fixed anxious eyes onto Ashley in the dark. "Your face back there ... I didn't really like the colour ... and your breathing ... you just look really unwell."

"I'm so sorry!" groaned Ashley, shaking her head sadly. "I'm so humiliated!"

"No, don't be!" Jeanie's fingers were still firmly laced with Ashley's, and she began to lead her across the outside carpark and over to what was apparently her car. "You're acting fine, you're not doing anything silly! It was just that you looked a bit ill, that's all. And I didn't want to leave you to the mercy of a cab driver! One ripped one of my friends of by like, a hundred dollars once just because she was drunk and he could take advantage of the situation. What sort of friend would I be if I allowed that to happen to you?" she gave Ashley's hand a squeeze and grinned over at her.

Subconsciously, Ashley supposed, she'd been building things up in her head again already. There was the concern. Jeanie's protectiveness against Eliza. But now, there was the label. Friend. At once, all those subconscious, not-really-processed hopes, thoughts and classifications were immediately dashed on rocks. Ashley grimaced.

"Don't worry, Ash," Jeanie said kindly, misreading the reason for the blonde's unhappy face. "You'll be safe at home soon. This is my car. Just let me let you in -- I don't have central locking."

It was a small white 1989 model. Jeanie had her keys out of her handbag and the next thing Ashley knew, her door was unlocked and opened for her from the inside. She unsteadily climbed into the car and sat beside Jeanie, hands in her lap, body tense. Alcohol was still pounding her system.

"You're going to have to tell me where you live, Ash," Jeanie reminded her. "I haven't been to your place before."

"Redman Parade, flat number eight, number ... fifty-two ..." Ashley slurred.

"Great!" Jeanie smiled at her, and programmed the information into a little GPS unit she had attached to her car. "My parents brought me this for Christmas because I have no sense of direction," she revealed to the almost senseless Ashley. "It's the most useful little thing ever. Hey, you're pretty close! Should take me just over five minutes to get there! Do you want to listen to some radio?"

"I just want to hear your voice," Ashley thought -- then, to her shock and horror, realised that she'd accidentally spoken those words aloud in her inebriated state.

"Haha, okay!" laughed Jeanie. "Tunes might annoy you in the state you're in anyway, I guess, and you're probably sick of music -- it was so loud in the bar! I swear, I used to like AC/DC but they play them every night at the bar and god, I'm so sick of them!"

"Yeah," was all Ashley could manage. She was so embarrassed about what had come spilling from her mouth.

"Slack of your friends to leave!" Jeanie wore a slight frown. "I'd never do that to one of my pals!"

"I texted them I was alright," Ashley mumbled. "I didn't think, I think they thought I was gone already."

"Hm," Jeanie accepted it, eyes scouting the traffic ahead. "Who was the huge girl who tried to kiss you?" she asked next.

"Eliza, she always hits on me," Ashley rolled her eyes. "She's so not my type," she declared.

"Haha no, I could tell you weren't really feeling it," Jeanie laughed again. "If your face was pale before, it turned white when she stampeded towards you!"

Ashley giggled tiredly. Jeanie's easy, cheerful chatter was as soothing as it was enjoyable.

"Sorry you had to use your break to ..." she roused herself to slurringly say, but Jeanie cut her off.

"Don't be silly, Ash, I offered and I wanted to," she said, gently. "It's not a big deal at all. Almost there," she added, with a quick glance at the GPS.

She pulled over to the side of the road and put the car into park.

"Okay, thanks so-much," Ashley said, tugging at the handle.

"Sorry Ash, that handle is broken from the inside," Jeanie admitted. "This car is a bomb. I'll have to get out and open it from the outside. Hang on." She kicked her own door open and strode confidently around the car. She pulled the door open for Ashley and stood back.

"Thanks!" Ashley said again, standing up unsteadily. "Thankyou so much, Jeanie. You're so kind and beautiful." Damn it, the alcohol made her gushy and affectionate.

"As long as you're okay," Jeanie smiled at her.

"Thankyou," Ashley stepped up close to her, and put her arms around her shoulders for a hug goodnight. A flood of emotions came over her -- she'd been struggling to control them all night, but now alcohol had made it so that her resistance was right down low. "Jeanie," she pulled her close and whispered to her, as Jeanie's hands encircled her back to make sure neither of them lost their footing, "I really want to kiss you," she muttered into Jeanie's ear.

She heard rather than saw Jeanie's throat muscles work as she swallowed. There was silence for two long seconds.

"Oh Ashie," Jeanie got out with difficultly, pulling Ashley to her body and hugging her close.

That's all she said. Her arms were tight around Ashley, holding her securely. Ashley hugged her back, lips and nose falling to land in the delicate crevice between Jeanie's neck and her shoulder blade. She was very aware of the sweet scent of Jeanie's skin under her nose, of the beautiful brunette's luscious breasts pressing against Ashley's own, slightly smaller ones. Ashley's nipples went hard at the contact -- she was drunk and undeniably horny and Jeanie's body against hers just felt ... perfect ... but ...

Ashley hugged Jeanie to her even tighter. It was a consolation hug. Jeanie didn't want to kiss her. That hurt. It hurt a lot. Ashley could feel Jeanie's heartbeat, keeping a steady beat. Her own pulse was racing with alcohol, lust ... and pain. Jeanie was rapidly becoming all she could think about, and the fact that the younger woman obviously didn't feel that same way made Ashley's chest ache with sadness.

One of Jeanie's arms held Ashley around her back, the other hand went tenderly to the back of her neck, and she cradled Ashley's head into her shoulder.

"Oh Ashie," she said again, voice affectionate and low.

"I gotta go!" Ashley roused herself. It was humiliating, getting a consolation hug. A rejection hug. She needed to get away from Jeanie immediately and pretend that nothing had happened. "Thanks so much again." She pulled herself away from Jeanie and turned without looking at her, and started up the driveway to the block of flats.

"Will you be alright?" Jeanie called after her.

"Yes!" Ashley's feet moved quickly up to the front entrance. She ripped her keys from her bag and started stumbling for the lock, but her fingers didn't seem to want to work and the keychain feel to the floor with a loud jangle.