Redemption Falls

That day set the tone for the next two weeks. By the time she had her bag packed, she had seriously thought of doing another runner. She sighed heavily when Sherry pulled in her new mom bomb and honked.

"Hey Amber... Look it what Allen got me.... Oh, sure it's a repo, but it only has like thirty thousand miles on it." Sherry squealed.

"Wow, a real car... he must realize how deep he stepped in it." Amber said impressed.

"Yeah... even the counselor is amazed at the improvement.... Oh, who am I kidding...? I've realized he never loved me, but I'm willing to make the best of it. So, you ready for the big trip?" Sherry shocked Amber with her unflinching appraisal of her plight.

"Yeah, let me get my bags and we're off." Amber smiled at her friend.

They chatted and caught up on the way to the airport. During the two hour drive, Amber started to relax. She hadn't realized how stressed she'd become. She sat back and listened to Sherry drone on.

"He's so much better. Even Momma Martin gave him hell for slapping me like that. Now he basically ignores me, but that's okay. I have AJ to play with. Allen hates that I call him that, but too bad... He's my son too." Sherry babbled as the miles drifted under them.

"Does the counselor know you're in a loveless marriage?" Amber had to ask.

"Well, she's got the idea. She wants to talk to me more after he completes his assigned hours, but I have to admit. I did say 'I do'. So, just because things aren't all peaches and cream, I can't say 'I don't'. I knew what the vows were before I married him."

"I don't know if I could do it. I'm not that strong. I'd have to be really in love with a person to make that kind of commitment." Amber said thinking she'd never get married.

"Sweetie, I know I owe all this to you. If you hadn't come back, I'd be stuck getting slapped and beat on. At least now I have a chance at a decent marriage. It's the best I can hope for. It's not like I can go out and find a lover... and if he did, I don't think I'd mind that much. At least he wouldn't be bugging me!"

"What about sex... if you don't mind..."

"It was never that great. The first time was painful and he only last a few minutes. It's more of a duty than anything. A duty I'd rather forgo if you know what I mean!" Sherry said close to tears.

"I'm sorry... I should never brought it up." Amber said saddened by the simple truth.

"I live with it. Besides it gave me AJ so it wasn't all bad. Now you're back and we're friends again... life is looking up from where I'm standing." Sherry smiled a happy smile and babbled away about the gossip. "I hear a certain new fireman has been asking about you."

"Oh god...! He helped me with a flat tire... I bet they have us doing the mattress tango..." Amber complained.

"I'd tango with him...." Sherry giggled, as they turned the subject and the corner into the airport.

***

Amber's flight went as could be expected, with the usual delays. She took a big deep breath of the fresh air after being cooped in that can for over seven hours. She gathered her stuff and headed to the taxi rack where she followed her itinerary to the small bus headed to the resort her seminar was being held.

After another hour of sitting, she wanted a long bath and dinner. Her only shock was hearing a distinctive laugh. She spun around and looked, but the person couldn't be seen.

"No, it can't be her." She said to herself. "She's still in California." She took her keycard and went to her room. As a hotel went, it fit her perfectly. It was a clean room with a single double sized bed, double insolated so the noise from the hall couldn't be heard. Smiling, she threw caution to the wind, found her suit and headed down to the pool.

As soon as she opened the door, that laugh happened again, sending chills down her spine. Taking a quick look, she saw a blond, but dismissed it a coincidence. She took her first step into the hot tub and a big picture caught her attention threw the glass. It was her. What the hell was Tara Pulaski doing here?

A tinge of fear swept down Amber's spine as she looked around. All of a sudden she had a bad feeling about this. She wanted to bolt, but she knew her work had forked out a lot of money for this. Steeling her nerves she slid into the hot water and closed her eyes.

"I hope you don't mind if I join you." The voice said from behind her.

Amber jumped. "No... sorry come in." She tried to see how Tara looked at her through her blurry vision. "How have you been? I'd never though I see Tara Pulaski here." Amber said boldly.

"Tara Barns.... Well as soon as the divorce is final. I'm glad you could make it Amber..." Tara slid in next to Amber almost touching. "I think we have a lot to talk about. Can I take you to lunch tomorrow? I know now isn't the time or place." No sooner than those word were out.

"You girls like some company?" A middle aged man asked politely.

"Come on in, the water feels great." Tara smiled at the portly man.

"Great... My wife will be here shortly and I'd promised her I'd save her a seat. I'm Wilber Mott.... Ivolene is my wife..." He babbled happily.

"Hi Wilber... I'm Tara, and this is an old friend Amber. We're here for the banker's convention." Tara supplied as Amber willed herself far, far away.

"Oh, I didn't know... We're retired... Ivy picked this place. We're headed to the Grand Tetons." He talked happily away, as an older woman came in.

"I see... I leave you alone for five minutes and you find the prettiest girls around to flirt with." She scolded her husband with a big smile.

"Hi sweetheart... this is Tara and Amber... they are bankers here for a convention. They used to work together, but Amber had to go home and help her mother." He briefed his wife as she scooted into his lap. They chatted about everything and nothing for forty five minutes and all parted in a relaxed good mood.

Amber headed straight to her room and locked the door. She tried to make sense of what wasn't said by Tara. Did she set this all up? Was she mad? What was going on? She called her mom and told her that she had made it fine, and got irritated when she found out Trace had left her alone. Sighing, she got ready for bed and willed herself to sleep.

Sleep, when it did come, didn't come lightly. She had nightmare about Tara posting signs about her past, all over town, to get even with her. Seeing one of the signs sent her mother over the edge and she had to wear a sign saying 'Whore' to her mother's funeral. Amber tossed and turned as the nightmares tormented her mind.

After three cups of coffee, she was debating a fourth. She knew she'd need the caffeine to stay awake. "You better go light on that... They only give like two potty breaks and you don't want to miss anything." Tara said behind her.

"Oh, good morning... I didn't sleep well." Amber stuttered.

"I know. I hate not sleeping in my own bed. Well, we need to get seated." Tara followed Amber and sat next to her.

Amber's nerves kept her awake. It took her awhile to focus, but Tara was all business as she took notes as the lecturer droned on about falling interest rates and ways to increase money flow in the down market. At the break, Tara told Amber.

"They put the boring ones on first. They figure you are less likely to fall asleep right after you wake up. So are we on for lunch?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, sorry... sounds great. You can tell me everything that's happened since I had to rush home." Amber said thinking she should just get it over with.

"It's going to take longer than lunch to tell you that much." Tara smiled as they headed back to their seats.

The morning dragged as one boring speaker after the next came up and gave their lectures with the mandatory PowerPoint display. Amber had to be nudged twice from falling asleep.

"It will get better, I promise." Tara said the second time she had to keep Amber from nodding off. "I'll share my notes... this is great stuff to know for promotions."

"Sorry, I need more sleep." Amber tried to be attentive, but her lack of sleep and fears were getting the best of her. Finally, they called for a two hour lunch break.

Amber followed Tara to her room where there was a large tray already set up. "I thought this would be better... I know you have questions but let's get some food. I'll explain everything... I promise." Tara said sweetly.

Amber was confused. Tara had never been this nice to her before. Her biggest fear, if this is a set up. She had to ask. "Am I to blame for the divorce?"

"Whatever gave you that idea? Oh my god, you've been so nervous.... I'm sorry. I should have realized. Please sit and I'll serve." Tara blushed. I've worked this whole thing up in my head... I never thought..."

"It's okay, I mean after that night, then the letters and me not even coming back to work. A lot has happened in the last six months."

"Oh god, yes it has. You don't even know. I guess I'll start there. Well the club has been shut down by the health department. It seems one of their brothers, was spreading stuff around. Lucky for me I was there only the one time.... I've heard that over half of them are suing... the ones brave enough to be open about going.... I hope you are okay?"

"Nothing permanent... I had to take some medications for awhile but I'm clean and clear now. I've been tested, retested and so on..." Amber said blushing.

"Oh, I didn't know.... And to be honest, at first I didn't care. I have to tell you the truth. At first I was so mad at you I couldn't see straight. Then I get this notice at work of all places... I about fainted." Tara looked down and sighed. "You made me feel so loved and special that night and then you disappeared...!"

"I didn't know you even liked me. You always talked down or teased me at work.... Then my mom had a stroke that night and everything snowballed from there." Amber said defensively.

"Yeah, I learned that later. Almost too late. Anyway, I made an appointment to get checked, and went home hoping his family had left." Tara went on.

"What's with his brother and his wife?" Amber wanted to know.

"Oh, that's the good part." She sneered. "That wasn't his wife! That's their sister." She nodded at Amber's shocked face. "Let me tell you what I walked into when I came home to tell him about the notice." Tara put down her full plate, not even pretending to eat any more.

"Picture if you will... coming home to tell your husband that the party place he insisted on going to, now's under investigation and finding..." She sighed again. "I came in and all the family was there. Let me see if I remember it right... Daddy was doggy fucking his daughter while the boys were tag teaming his wife, their mother."

"WHAT...?" Amber shouted.

"Yeah, what a home coming...! It seems I married a freak. He'd been fucking mommy and daddy since he was old enough to get a boner. They all have. Like on their fifteenth birthday, either mommy or daddy deflowers them and they have family tutoring sessions about sex. What really grossed me out was when Tom cleaned up his brother's dick after butt-fucking mommy dearest as daddy egged them on."

"You got to be kidding me...?" Amber couldn't even think of her brother... she shivered.

"Yeah, the big family plan was I was going to be brood mare for this family of fuck ups... oh and sister was supposed to find some guy at the party and get knocked up, but she missed her brothers' dick so much, she got stupid and pulled him out as he was trying to knock me up. If they didn't spike my drink, I'd never let Tom touch me... I can't stand the pig."

"I can't... don't... What the fuck?" Amber asked

"Yeah, if they don't want the family secret out... well let's just say I'm getting a very good settlement in the divorce. From what I can tell, they're already softening up someone else... I wish her luck, but I'm out of there.... And that brings me to you." Tara looked with longing at the woman who she wanted to be loved by.

"What about me? Like I said..." Amber asked perplexed.

"Yeah, about that.... Have you ever had a crush on someone and not known what to do about it? That was me. I never, not even in college, thought about another woman, and then I met you. I didn't know what to do with myself so I acted like a child and teased and put you down so you'd notice me." She blushed, knowing she had to take the risk.

"You're kidding... right?" Amber didn't know what to say.

"I wish...! And then you never came back to work. That night, as soon as you touched me, I knew it was you. I didn't care about anything else but you touching me... loving me. I was in heaven. Then that prick tried to get me to blow him... I bit him on purpose you know. He was distracting me from the pleasure I never thought I'd have... then blissful climax...."

"Wow... I never... I just, and you were there and I dove in...." Amber tried to explain.

"I'd gone home with you and never let you out of our bed, if you'd let me!" She stated flatly. "The thought of anyone else loving you still makes me see green."

"Wow... again, wow... um. There has been no one since that night..."

"Oh good...! I, well I'd hoped.... Then when you applied at the bank there and asked for a reference... I wrote it up once I knew you were there helping your mom.... I felt for the longest time you'd just played me and left." Tara was on the verge of tears.

"I was looking forward to seeing you at work, but..." Amber told her the truth, but not the whole truth.

"So I wasn't just a one night stand?" Tara pleaded.

"No...!" Amber didn't know what to do. For the first time in months, her pussy was wet and those old cravings hit her hard.

"Oh god... thank you!" Tara cried out as she put to action something she had wanted for so long. She jumped up and grabbed Amber in a fierce hug. "I wanted to hold you so bad yesterday in the pool..."

Amber had forgotten how good it felt to hold a woman. She hugged Tara back and silenced her with a hot kiss, which let her know just how she felt. In seconds her hands were raking over her tight nipples as she groaned into her mouth. She felt her own nipples being pulled and twisted between the lace of her bra. They almost forgot everything, but the alarm on the cart went off, startling them.

"Oh shit...!" Tara breathed. "We have fifteen minutes before we have to be back."

"We haven't eaten yet..." Amber smiled.

"I was hoping to be eating you...." Tara teased.

"Don't start... they keep a roll call... I don't think my boss...."

"Yeah, mine either, since I set this whole thing up..."They pulled back and started straightening up their clothes. "Grab something and we'll eat on the way there. You'll need it." Tara said, tucking back in her blouse.

"Dinner...?" Amber asked, picking up a sandwich and pickle slice.

"If you want to eat... then in the restaurant. If not, then here, but I don't think ...." She let it hang.

"Okay restaurant for food and then either here or my room for dessert!" Amber smiled as they left the room. They giggled all the way back and sat next to each other.

Amber wanted to see how far she could take things. So, as soon as they dimmed the lights, for the next presentation, she scooted closer to Tara. At first she just let her leg rest against the other woman's as Tara took notes. She rubbed her leg, causing a sweet friction and warmth and still Tara ignored her for her notes.

Amber stretched and looked around seeing everyone's attention on the big screen. She knew the information already, so she took the game a bit farther. As she set her arms down, she reached under the table with her hand and put it in Tara's lap.

Tara flinched, but refused to take her eyes away from her note pad or the screen in the front. Amber started stroking her leg until she reached the hem of her skirt. She felt the twitch as she put her hand under it, but still no eye contact. She stroked her fingers between her thighs and Amber saw Tara bite her lip, but refuse to move her eyes.

After a few minutes of this, Tara opened her legs wider, giving the hand between her legs more room to wander. Amber slowly took advantage of the new area of exploration as she moved her hand farther up over the tops of her stocking and garter clips. Looking at Tara face, she saw the beads of sweat, but she still refused to acknowledge Amber sitting next to her.

Amber was lost in the game, but knew when to call it quits. She reached up and her hand was on the desk top as the lights came up and the lecturer asked if there were any questions. Tara put her pad down and unconsciously smoother her skirt as Amber smiled.

"I'll get you for that!" Tara hissed and excused herself to go to the ladies room as Amber just smiled bigger. The next two sessions, Amber had to keep her attention on as they pertained to her section of the bank, but the last session, neither woman needed, but it was part of the overall program.

As soon as the lights dimmed, Amber's hand was under Tara skirt. The first clue, there was nothing but skin. Before she could move her hand, Tara leaned over and whispered.

"You made my pussy wet earlier, now don't embarrass me by making my skirt wet too. My panties are in your purse so everyone around wouldn't smell my juice on them." She smiled as Amber reached up and found Tara's shaved wet pussy lips with nothing to stop her fluid from sliding to her ass and seat. "Now behave and pay attention...!"

Amber wanted nothing more than to dip her finger into that wet quim and taste her fingers. She tried to pay attention, but her mind fogged over with lust as she thought of having sex again in so long. By the time the lecture was over, she wanted nothing more than to forget about dinner and get right to dessert. As soon as she stood, her stomach betrayed her.

"Someone needs to eat." A balding man behind her said, offering.

"Yeah, we have a dinner reservation... thanks anyway." Tara said as she led Amber out. "I wondered how long it would take for the sharks to circle."

"Isn't he a vice president?" Amber asked.

"Yeah... and he has his bisexual secretary waiting in his room so if he can find the right person.... Everyone knows he's a poon-hound. With him, it's dinner dancing then your drinking his cum out of his assistant while he fucks her ass. I think even his wife knows, but she holds the purse strings." Tara led the way.

"Wow, do all these things have all the sex?" Amber tried to keep up.

"Yeah, but I never let it get to me.... Until you that is.... I hope your room is insulated, or your neighbors are going to complain about the noise." Tara smiled. "No hanky-panky at dinner. Our table in right in the middle since I arranged for the seminar.... This is business." She warned.

A little over an hour later, Amber was ready to crawl out of her skin. They had turned down many offers of drinks and dancing. Finally Tara excused herself and whispered. "I'll meet you at your room... I have to do this thing...."

"Okay, make it quick, or I'll start without you." Amber looked around and squeezed her ass hard. She rushed to her room, thought about taking a shower, but decided she would drag Tara in with her. She called down for a bottle of white wine and fidgeted until Tara showed up.

As soon as the door closed, they were on each other. "Oh god, I never thought I'd get here." Before they got to the bed, blouses were open and hands were exploring. "You feel so good!" Tara jumped as someone knocked on the door. Amber closed her top and grabbed the bottle from the startled teenager.

"I got us some wine" Amber said as she turned around and found a very naked sexy Tara on her bed. "For later...." She set the bottle down and stripped for the woman who watched lustfully.

"Get that sexy ass over here" Tara commanded as soon as Amber was naked.