The Tennis Star Ch. 02

Iryna laughed. "No, I ordered it as a surprise. She speaks very fondly of her time there. It seems to be a special place. I am proud to support it."

"Carrie, I like her." Mitch moved back toward the kitchen. "Iryna, you want a beer?"

Iryna bargained down to a Diet Coke, and Mitch tossed her one from the kitchen, which Iryna caught easily. "What do you do for a living, Iryna?"

Cindy blushed furiously. "Mitch, Honey!"

"What?" Cindy's incredulous look didn't sway her. "I'm just curious."

"Sweetheart, that's..."

I cut in. Couldn't help myself. "No, no, let's see how long it takes her."

Iryna smirked at me before answering. "I'm a professional tennis player."

"Really? Wow. Ukraine's a great tennis country. You have a couple of women in the Top Ten right now, don't you?"

"We do." Iryna took a sip of soda. "Elina Svitolina and myself."

"Yeah, and, yourself. Iryna Baraskova. On my couch. Holy shit." All the color drained out of Mitch's face, contrasting hysterically with her jet-black hair

"I did try to tell you, Michelle, darling."

"Yes, you did. I'm just going to shut up now. Carrie, you want a drink? Honey?"

Cindy and I put in our orders and I sat down on the couch next to Iryna, who casually put her arm around me while I placed a hand on her knee. The pregame show on my friends' flat screen was totally forgotten.

Cindy sat on my other side facing us while her wife handed her a light beer and my Sprite, before taking her own spot in her recliner.

Cindy passed me the soft drink. "Ok, so we're going to lose Mitch as soon as the game starts, so couple questions." Cindy's mouth hung open for a second as she tried to decide how to start. "How did this happen?"

"Iryna walked naked into my room at work. What was I supposed to do?"

"You are terrible, moya lyuba. She gave a massage. I have my rehab at her work. When she saw me she dropped her board. It was adorable."

"Uh-huh. Then she shows up unannounced to my match last Saturday at my little club, terrifying the locals."

Iryna ran her fingers through my hair. "She was so beautiful, and funny, and sweet. I could not think of anything else all week. I had to do something to spend time with her."

"So you've only known each other for a week?"

God, had it only been a week? It felt longer. I nodded sheepishly. "I guess so." I could sense the protectiveness spike in my friends, and I think Iryna felt it as well.

"It is quick, for me also. But I promise you, I have never felt so excited about someone so soon. Carrie asked me this, did I, what is it? Meet a lot of women? I date rarely. It is dangerous; people do not know I am a lesbian. I could lose sponsors; it could hurt my family. But when I am with her, I do not care about these things. I care only about her." Her hand was gently stroking my arm while she spoke, and I turned my head, eyes watering, and kissed her.

I looked back over at Cindy. "I'm keeping her, I don't care what you say."

Cindy smiled and shook her head. "Girl, welcome to the team."

"Thanks. You understand this has stay between us right now."

Mitch barked a laugh. "Sure. Who the hell'd believe me anyway?"

The national anthem was playing on the TV, and soon the game kicked off, and as predicted, Mitch only had eyes for her Dawgs. Iryna may not understand American football, but she understood sport, and she was a quick study. She asked intelligent questions, and Mitch was more than happy to fill her in.

If you're not from here, college football is every bit as serious as religion in the South, and Mitch was one of its chief evangelists. She'd found a willing proselyte in Iryna, who seemed really to be enjoying herself by the end.

Luckily Georgia won big, as Tennessee was having a really down year and my Bulldogs were competing for a national championship. That meant everyone was in a good mood as evening fell. The chicken wings had been annihilated and we'd put a major dent into the veggie tray and other snacks, so no one was terribly hungry.

Iryna stretched and leaned back. "What do you usually do after the game?"

Mitch took a swig of her beer. "Sometimes we go out to dinner, or to a club. What do you think, honey?"

"I'd rather just hang out, get to know Iryna some."

"I'm OK with that."

I leaned back into Iryna. "Me too. Besides, I got my ass kicked this morning. Need the rest."

Cindy gave me a sympathetic look. "Was it that one girl?"

"Camille? No, it was someone I've beaten before. It was Iryna's fault. She kept me up last night."

Iryna dug her hand into my side, and I squealed and tried unsuccessfully to pull away. "It was my fault?"

"No, no, OK, ha ha, please stop." I writhed in her arms as she tickled me, finally doing the only thing I thought could distract her, kissing her deeply. It worked, and I lost myself for a moment before remembering where I was. When we broke apart I turned to my friends, my face burning crimson.

Mitch casually took a pull from her beer. "Please, don't stop on our account." Cindy was shaking with silent laughter.

"Ok, that's enough of a show for you two. Pizza?"

Pies were ordered and we spent the intervening time just talking, telling our stories from college, which will NOT be put into print here. Iryna was fascinated with the college experience, but I knew she had deeper questions. Finally, after the food had arrived and she'd had a beer, she found the courage to ask them.

"So how did you meet? You knew right away?"

Mitch and Cindy looked at each other; that little glance that only people deeply and committedly in love can share.

Mitch reached out and took her wife's hand. "I knew. She was captivating."

"You're so full of shit." Cindy laughed. "You thought I was, how'd you put it? A stuck up, uptight, prom queen bitch."

"Maybe, but a beautiful stuck up, uptight, prom queen bitch."

"Gee, thanks."

"Well, you were always strutting around with that GQ boyfriend of yours. I really hated him. That's something."

Cindy sighed and turned back to Iryna. "Anyway, our coach paired us together for doubles. I was not happy. I mean, she was arrogant, brash..."

"A full on dyke."

Cindy smiled at her wife. "Yes, that too. So we worked together, and took me a while to admit it, but she made me a better player. I know this'll come as a complete to surprise to everyone, but I tend to over think things". Mitch and I both laughed.

"Mitch didn't think at all. She, just, um, lived every point. I had to play with more passion not to just get swallowed up."

Mitch's eyes softened. "And she made me play tennis, instead of just hitting the ball. It took me about a month to admit it, but we were a perfect team. By the end of the season I'd fallen hard. But she was straight."

Iryna's eyes widened. "So you did not like girls?"

Cindy shook her head. "I didn't think so. I'd had boyfriends all through high school and even one in college. I'd had sex, and I liked it fine. I figured I was pretty normal.

I knew I hadn't ever been in love, but I hoped that would come. But she was becoming my best friend. Mr. GQ dumped me because I wasn't spending any time with him and I really didn't care." Cindy giggled. "And then you took me out to commiserate. We went to a party where we danced."

MItch nodded and looked at her wife. "Yeah. We were just goofing around, I wasn't letting myself touch you. You were breathtaking, and I was trying to be a friend. And then the DJ put on something slow, and I figured we'd go sit down, so I started to move away, and she looks at me and says 'Don't wanna stop yet.' She wraps her arms around my waist and lays her head on my shoulder. I remember my brain just fuzzing out. I put my arms around her and we rocked together through that song and the next. By the end of that I was done, absolutely and fully in love. And then we slept together."

Cindy spluttered for a second. "We, well, uh, OK, we slept in your bed. We did not have sex."

"I stand by my phrase."

Cindy breathed out in exasperation. "I'd had too much to drink. I remember her undressing me, which I loved, and her making me put on a T-shirt, which I hated. We climbed into her twin bed and I kissed her, but she wouldn't take advantage. I remember waking up in her arms, feeling relentlessly happy. So I did what any level headed young girl would do when she finds out she has new and unusual feelings for her lesbian best friend. I grabbed my clothes and ran like hell."

"She didn't talk to me for a week."

"I was terrified. I knew what it would mean. But, hey, it's college, maybe it's just a phase. I just needed to get it out of my system, right? So, I called her. It took a summer and a few months back at school sophomore year, but eventually I sorted it out. It didn't take long after that for me to realize it wasn't a phase. She is who I am supposed to be with." The pair were looking at each other now, and the feelings were obvious.

I looked up at Iryna, who had a tear in her eye. "And your families supported you?"

Cindy's face darkened some. "Not mine. I hid it all through college. I finally had to come out after graduation, I couldn't take it anymore." Mitch stood up and went to put her arms around her wife. "My father told me I was going to hell, and that I wasn't welcome in their home until I repented. My mom just cried. I wasn't allowed to see my little sister, and she was only thirteen at the time. I have an older brother too, he was the only one who was supportive. He gave me away at our wedding, and even that caused strain between him and my dad."

A tear rolled down her cheek and she hugged Mitch close. "But her family's been great."

"Yeah, I'd been out since I was thirteen. I'm an only child, my mom almost died having me. So they didn't really complain, even if I was a total butch. My mom was a little sad not to have someone who loved to shop for clothes or put on makeup, but we found our common ground. And now she has a daughter who does love to do those things. They think Cindy hung the moon."

"It's why I was happy to take your name. I feel like I really do have a family."

"My dad almost cried when you told him you were doing that. I think a silly macho part of him felt like a failure in not having had a son to carry on the family name."

"Oh! Wedding pictures!" Whatever melancholy Cindy had been feeling had passed and she jumped off the couch to grab their album, a beautiful dark blue book with two overlapping hands on the cover, each wearing rings, and embossed lettering. Michelle & Cindy, April 8th, 2017.

Cindy wormed her way in between Iryna and me, and they began thumbing through the album while Mitch sat on the armrest on the other side. I felt a little pushed out, but I'd seen the album, so no biggie.

As they moved from picture to picture I found myself daydreaming about what telling my parents about Iryna would be like. I didn't think they were homophobes, but it's easy to accept a stranger's differences. It can be another thing entirely when it's your own daughter.

After Iryna had had a good laugh at me in that turquoise bridesmaid dress, we spent the rest of the evening chatting and trading stories. Iryna really opened up, and was having a wonderful time. I couldn't stop smiling; just watching her laugh and joke and just be her, the way she was when we were alone. It was after midnight when we made our way to the guestroom. I'd pulled on my long T-shirt and slid in under the covers. Iryna had brought more conservative PJ's, silk tops and bottoms. When she'd climbed in I turned out the light and rolled over to face her.

"Did you have a good night?"

"Yes, moya lyuba. Thank you for this. It was like having real friends."

"You told me you have lots of friends."

"Not like you. Not that I can be me around. Tonight I did not have to hide, or be careful. I could be with you and it was OK. That felt wonderful to hold your hand, to tell someone how special you are to me."

"Even after just a week?"

"Only a week? It feels like so much longer."

I could feel myself tearing up, so I leaned in and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around me and I snuggled in. Our mouths moved together gently, it was a sweet, adoring kiss, not pushing to anything else, just making love with our mouths and tongues. Eventually I turned in her arms, spooning against her.

The night was quiet, I could hear Iryna gentle breathing whistling through my hair. I was slipping away when I heard a sound from the other room. I looked back over my shoulder at Iryna, who had a silly smile on her face, her incredible blue eyes looking up at the wall by our head. Then we heard it again. No question, that had been a moan of pleasure.

"Is that...?"

Iryna just nodded and giggled.

"I think we got them worked up talking about how they met."

"Well, they know how to relax"

The soft sounds were becoming more insistent. I spun so I was facing Iryna. "You know," I brought a finger up and ran it over her ear. "It would be rude to just listen. We could..." I kissed her neck, earning a sigh. "Y'know, join in." I began to work her neck in earnest. I was rewarded with a deep-throated growl, and I moved down over her collarbone.

My hands ran up over her silk pajamas, finding the top button and undoing it. I kissed the creamy skin revealed, feeling the rumble of her sigh beneath my lips. As each button popped open I moved further, licking slowly through the valley created by her firm, tall breasts, down over the soft skin of her stomach.

My tongue circled her navel as the last fastener gave way, and my arms slid up her torso, caressing her breast, and pushing the top over her shoulders. She lifted herself on her elbows and shrugged the garment off and onto the floor. Her head fell back to the pillow with a cry as my hands found her nipples, pinching and twisting lightly, just the way I knew she loved.

I moved down over her lower abs, hooking my chin on the waistband of her bottoms so I could go even further. As I lifted the material my nose was struck with the smell of her arousal, and my playful teasing became real need. There was something about her scent that reached deep into my brain and flipped a switch, filling me with a hunger I hadn't known I was capable of.

My hands left her breast and slid down to her PJ bottoms. Iryna lifted her hips and off they went, revealing her beautiful pussy as her legs fell back wide upon the bed. I felt a thrill thrum through me as I shifted my body for a better angle. I could feel the tension and anticipation in my lover, and I made it my personal mission to make Iryna come loud enough that Mitch and Cindy would have no question as to what was going on.

I bent to my work. It was a job I loved, after all. I moved around her pussy, luxuriating in her delectable flavor, the silkiness of her wet skin. I heard her lapse into Ukranian as the bucking of her hips became more insistent. I was good at reading tension levels in people, a pro, you might say, and even after just a few sessions of lovemaking with Iryna I was able to judge her pretty well, easing off as I felt her approaching her tipping point, keeping her moaning and crying out for release. At first she'd tried to stay quiet, but the further along we got the more she became insensate to where she was and upped her volume. Finally, when she was hollering and moaning my name I ran two fingers over her opening for a moment before plunging them inside while bearing down on her clit, driving her miles over the edge. I held on for dear life, riding wave after wave of her pleasure.

"Oh, moya lyuba, that was, that was ... oh, you are wonderful." Still breathing heavily, Iryna pulled me into her arms, and I laid my head on her chest, listening to her racing heartbeat and feeling the warmth of her body.

"You're so much fun to do that to."

"You truly like it?" Iryna's eyes dropped shyly.

I pushed away slightly and looked her in her gorgeous eyes. "Of course I do, sweetheart. I love everything about it." I kissed her softly. "Being close to you, giving you pleasure. The way you smell and taste, how your body moves when I touch you just right." I ran my fingers gently through her hair. "The way you say my name. It's heaven." I snuggled back into her chest, and her arms wrapped around me. "Why? Don't you..."

"Of course I do, moya lyuba. But I have known I wanted this since I was very young. For you it is so new."

"It doesn't feel new. It feels like something ... old ... that I just found. But that's always been mine." I giggled. "That doesn't make any sense, does it?"

"I think it does." Iryna looked over her head at the wall, where the soft moaning had been replaced now with more insistent grunting and gasping, along with a slapping sound if you listened closely. "They are not done yet."

"I think Mitch got out their toy." Iryna looked at me quizzically. "A strap-on. Ever use one?"

"Yes, but I do not think I could now with my knee, until it heals." Iryna's voice dropped, like it did when she was nervous. "You would like this, someday?"

I'd loved everything we'd done, and I was getting the feeling it was only going to get better. Did I need that? With guys, I'd enjoyed penetration usually, particularly if they'd taken the time to get me ready, which was less often. But really by the time it was really starting to feel good, they'd grunt a few times, make a petition to a deity, and it'd be over. And then there'd be a mess.

But I knew with Iryna getting me ready wouldn't an issue. There'd be significantly less mess, and she wouldn't stop until I was satisfied. When I thought about that, it sounded wonderful. "Sure, sweetheart, I think I'd love it."

"Good. But since I cannot yet, we will have to improvise, yes?" Iryna slid quickly down the bed, hooking my leg with her arm and pulling me around so I was straddling her. Then I squealed as she almost lifted me up by the waist and placed me over her mouth. A shudder passed through my body as I felt her breath on my sex and I grasped the headboard as I lowered my hips down to her waiting mouth.

"Oh, God!" Her mouth just enveloped me, her tongue dancing and diving through my folds. I knew that Cindy and Mitch could most likely hear my moans and gasps through the wall, but I didn't care. All I cared about was the tongue massaging my clit, and the finger circling my back door, which was making me crazy.

I was grinding my pussy into Iryna's mouth, feeling that delicious tension building deep in my core. I looked down, where Iryna's crystal blue eyes stared up at me, her nose pressed against my mound, cheeks dimpled from the suction she was applying to my little nub. Oh, it was wonderful. The finger she had rimming me suddenly slipped inside and I went off like a rocket. Every spasm of joy caused me to jerk my hips forward and bang the headboard against the wall.

Still reeling from the aftershocks I slipped back down the length of her body, feeling that desperate desire to be held I always get after sex. Iryna's arms wrapped around me, our legs entwining together.

"Oh, my Carrie, my beautiful one." She continued to whisper sweet words into my ear as I snuggled into her, and I knew, at that moment, resting against her, that for the first time in my life, I was in love. Hopelessly, helplessly in love. It had only been a week, maybe two. But I also knew that she was leaving. It couldn't last past eight.

My dreams that night were a mess, terrifying and heartbreaking, even though I didn't remember them. But when I woke I was still in Iryna's arms, spooned up against her. I could feel the strength of her, the softness of her breasts against my back, her breath as it tickled my hair. The warmth of her body filled me, chasing away the last of the night's shadows. But nature and the smell of sausage and coffee drifting in from the kitchen eventually got us out of bed.