Just Friends Ch. 02

So, it was quite natural for Sophie to return Ashley's friendly supportive arm with a friendly cuddle of her own. Just as it was natural for Sophie to place a hand on Ashley's bare knee and to pull her face towards hers. And just as it was in the normal and expected course of things for Sophie's open mouth to lock against Ashley's and for the two of them to join tongues and lips in passionate kissing. And, as the rhythm of Sophie's sobs were replaced by a rhythm of a different kind as her passion built up, there was nothing unnatural at all as both she and Ashley divested one another of their clothes and gave each other much more vigorous and erotic comfort.

Sophie had made love to women many times in her life, and for her Ashley wasn't very special. She was clearly uncertain and gauche with regards to making love with another woman, although it also excited her much more than it upset her. But Ashley wasn't the first woman Sophie had introduced to Sapphic love. She'd even done so on a film set, which must surely be the least romantic place imaginable for this to happen. Nor was Ashley especially accomplished as a lover. Practice in sex, especially with those who were themselves well-practiced, could never be matched by enthusiasm, however great. And Ashley's enthusiasm was certainly considerable, although more was expressed through her excited eyes than by anything she said.

  "I didn't believe that making love with a woman could be as rough and physical as this!" exclaimed Ashley at last, as she lay on her back with Sophie's teeth still nibbling her clitoris.

Sophie could only nod.

There was much that Ashley could learn about sex with women, and it was obvious that she wanted to find out more, but Sophie decided that whoever it was who would be her future teacher and guide in the ways of lesbian love, it wasn't going to be her.

As they lay on Ashley's double bed, the moonlight shining through the thin cotton curtains, Sophie swore softly to herself. Shit! Whatever it was that she'd intended to achieve when she decided to meet Ashley it hadn't been this. Again, just as she always did, she'd let sex determine how she behaved. She was incorrigible and there was no hope for her.

She looked at Ashley's naked body nestled against her, the lips curled in contented sleep and a slight bruise just coming up on the inside of her left thigh. Ashley was a dear, and in the normal course of events Sophie could imagine seeing her again. But Sophie had no need for more lovers in her life.

That wasn't what she wanted.

So it was then that she decided to change her career. At the time she had no idea that this meant enrolling for a course in accountancy. In fact, her thoughts focused no further than moving to a smaller cheaper flat so she could survive for a while before she found a new direction for her life. She knew she'd have to break loose from her friends and acquaintances otherwise she'd just be dragged back into making sex films, and this was what she decided she didn't want to do.

And now, several years later, here she was, every link with her previous life severed. She'd successfully made the change. At first, she still saw some of her old friends in the porn industry for the companionship they offered, both sexual and otherwise. She even occasionally relented and let herself be filmed in a porno, but she did so reluctantly and only for the money that was so easily earned. And she did see more of Ashley and Justin. She even agreed to collude in Ashley's game of deceit, which was to never tell Justin just how affectionate the two women had been that evening. But the deceit wearied her, so when she rented the flat in Wood Green she used that as an excuse never to make the trek across to South West London. In any case, it troubled her that on the one hand the couple was talking about marriage, whilst on the other Ashley expressed in the odd thoughtful smile or overlong stare that she still hoped for a reprise of their evening together.

"It'sso weird seeing you again!" exclaimed Justin, shaking his head as if this might throw off his incredulity.

"Yeah, it is," said Sophie. "And did you get married in the end? Are you married now?"

"Yes!" said Ashley, holding up her ring finger, which Sophie had, of course, already noticed was properly adorned. "We sent you an invite to your old address, but it must have not got to you."

"And you're getting married too?" Justin asked.

"Yes, I think so," said Sophie. "Malcolm. He works in the City. It'll be strange committing to someone like this. It sort of puts a line under everything else."

"It needn't, of course," said Justin.

"It needn't what?"

"Things don't have to stop just because you're married," Ashley agreed. "You can be committed to your partner and still have a fuller sex life than with just one person."

Sophie blinked. What was Ashley saying exactly? "I'm sorry. I don't quite understand."

Justin smiled. "Of course you do, Sophie. You understand better than anyone. Ash and you. Ash and me. The only thing missing was the three of us together. I don't know what I was thinking about in those days, but since you and Ash got it together, she always talked about being a bit more adventurous..."

"Yes," agreed Ashley. "It took a bit of courage at first, but it's easy for couples to meet other like-minded couples on the internet. Justin didn't want to at first."

"Yeah," Justin continued, squeezing Ashley's hand. "It's one thing you and Ash doing it together. I sort of half-expected it anyway, so I wasn't that surprised when she told me. It's another to do it regularly. You know, have a polyamorous lifestyle."

"Polyamorous?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah," said Justin. "You know what it means?"

"Of course," said Sophie. "But you and Ashley, I just never thought."

"We've been doing it for years now," Ashley said with an enthusiastic smile. "There are a lot of us. And there's always space for more!"

"I had no idea you led a lifestyle like that. It's a total surprise to me!" said Sophie truthfully.

"So," Justin said, leaning forward over the bench, clasping Ashley's hand tightly in his own, "when we saw you, we were so excited. Now, we have a much more open lifestyle, a bit like yours used to be when you made all those porn videos, it seems a perfect opportunity for us all to get to know each other again, only this time a lot better and more intimately."

Sophie looked across the table at Ashley and Justin, whose faces were expressing hope and anticipation. Sophie could see behind them the other people in the patio, people who'd been working in the office all day and enjoying the evening sun. There came a sudden rush and thunder of wings as a swan launched itself into the air along the flowing River Thames.

Sophie smiled. "So, you'd like me to come back with you so we can have sex together, only the three of us?"

"Yes!" said Ashley. "Please say yes! I've so wanted to make love to you again after all these years."

"Is this what you want, Justin?" Sophie asked.

"Of course," he said, not a hint of doubt in his voice. "That's what I should have done all those years ago. I just don't know what was wrong with me."

"So, what do you say, Sophie?" asked Ashley. "It's only a short distance to our flat..."

Sophie coughed. She looked at Justin. She looked back at Ashley. She smiled at them, warmly and affectionately. Her mind was made up.

"I don't think so," she said at last. "I think I'd much prefer it if we stayed just friends."