The Vicar Ch. 03

"I'd be happy to meet her and thanks for the dinner invitation," she glanced at Janine, "we'll accept it but first we'd like to get a room."

"Of course," he pushed away from the windowsill, "I'll get you some keys, any preference?"

"Just one with a double bed, we're together," Katie replied.

"No problem," Richard smiled crookedly and led them back into his living quarters.

"So what do you think?" Janine asked a little while later as she changed into a blue shirt and tweed skirt, "I mean I know you're doing this through the Foundation but is it feasible?"

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't," Katie tugged at a rope holding the canopy in place.

"For the record though, let's just say that my willingness to have this as my address has lit a fire in the right place. Setting up something like this is easy enough, but getting someone willing to put in the hard work to keep it running is harder. You've got an enhanced police disclosure check, your credentials are checked and double checked, nothing is left to chance. All the tabloid press need is the hint of wrongdoing or a shady past and they'll pick away at the scab until it bleeds."

She let the canopy fall free.

"Well I'd pass an enhanced disclosure check easily enough."

"Precisely," Katie looked at her, "but this is something I can get my teeth into, I need to spend time outside the office away from the hustle and bustle. This place is close enough to London for an easy commute and if I lease out the second bedroom in my London flat then I can stay there overnight if needs be. It also means I can give mum's old house to a refugee family, which wouldn't have been possible given our present arrangement."

"So my coming out could have other more tangible effects," Janine zipped her skirt closed, "that's a different reason for coming out."

"So we don't have to use the unrestrained desire clause," Katie smiled crookedly.

"No, it's an old and tired argument," she threaded the belt through the belt loops.

"But you'd be here most of the time."

"That's the plan," Katie eased onto the bed and leaned against the bedhead, "we're in the twenty first century, we've got broadband, the Internet, smartphones and while I might be working here most of the time I'll be in the same building."

Janine fastened the belt as she contemplated her answer. What would it be like?

"I'd want more than that," she eventually replied.

"More," Katie regarded her as Janine turned to face her.

"More as in commitment. I'm sacrificing my career for love, so in return I want marriage, I know it'll be a civil ceremony but making it all official like that would bring me across the line."

"You think you can make an honest woman out of me?" Katie smiled crookedly.

"You're already an honest woman," Janine knelt on the bed.

"But if you and I were married and we moved here then I'd feel better about being a deputy manager or manager."

She looked down at Katie.

"I love you, Katie Goldsmith, but lately I've found myself wondering how long this can last. We see each other a couple of times a month, but the only time we can have sex is at your flat in London, we had to leave in separate cars just to get here because people know you're gay. Eventually we'll be caught out, it's inevitable, we'll get careless and I'll be hauled up for a disciplinary and probably stripped of my authority."

"Come here," Katie reached for her.

Janine laid down beside her and Katie rolled onto her side.

"You know what I love about you?"

"My tits?" Janine smirked.

"Apart from those," she squeezed a breast playfully.

"It's your loyalty. I've been in serious relationships before or so I thought, but the women I made commitments to almost always found my work life hard to adjust to. I'm obsessed with saving the world, one life at a time, and eventually the relationship died. You're not the only one making a sacrifice here, I'll have to find some balance and just let the world go to hell for a day or two."

She ran a hand through Janine's hair.

"You're the best thing to happen to me," she leaned forward and kissed her gently.

"I accept your proposal, I will marry you."

Janine's heart skipped a beat as she parted her mouth for Katie, the kiss lasted a few seconds longer before they broke free.

"Well that was easy," she smiled, "and none of us had to get down on one knee."

"I never liked kneeling," Katie grinned, "it smacks of subservience, we're both equals."

"And no diamond rings either," Janine put a hand on her breast, "cubic zirconia is perfectly acceptable for me."

"A woman after my own heart," Katie flopped over onto her back, "so, when can we break the news?"

"After I resign," Janine shifted her position so that her knee was between Katie's legs.

"I want Vera to be one of my bridesmaids," she looked up at her, "who's going to be yours?"

"I have someone in mind," she traced a line down her front, "so, what do we do for the rest of the afternoon?"

"Make love on satin sheets?"

"Not a good look," Katie grinned, "trust me, I've been there, got the tee shirt to prove it."

Nevertheless, despite their playful mood, both women decided to head into town to check out the sights. The high street had a good selection of cafés, restaurants and charity shops, it even had Specsavers, much to Janine's relief.

"At least I won't have to go into Chelmsford for my regular eye tests."

All in all, the town was small but had all the basics close at hand, including an art supply shop somewhere off the high street. Granted the prices of canvases weren't exactly cheap but she had an idea brewing in the back of her mind as they made their way back to the Birds and Bees.

Richard merely shrugged when she asked if the paintings hanging throughout the hotel were part of the sale.

"I should think so," he replied, "we had some interior design expert decorate the place. My wife thought it was money well spent," he stared a picture of two jagged lines intersecting against a blue background.

"Personally I always thought the pictures ugly. Modern art should come with an arrow and a sign, this way up because for the life of me I can't even tell you if that is the right way up."

"Primer would do it."

"Pardon?"

"Primer," she adjusted her glasses, "you cover the old picture in primer and paint a new picture over the top, I've just taken up drawing again, maybe it's time to start painting again."

Katie finished her phone call and rose to join them in front of the painting.

"It looks like something a five year old would do while waiting for mummy and daddy to finish playing doctors and nurses," she smiled.

Janine burst out laughing at that.

"Something I agree with."

***

"So what do you think?" Katie looked up at Janine in the mirror a few hours later.

Janine managed a sly smile as she watched Katie removing her makeup.

"I think you look just as beautiful without makeup."

"Please," Katie shot her a soulful look, "it's me you're talking to, I meant about the place."

"I think it's perfect," Janine laid back on the bed and propped on her elbows, "but right now I'm waiting for something to fall through the roof."

"We haven't checked up there yet," Katie glanced up momentarily.

"I meant something from the heavens, it seems that every time something good comes into my life there's always a flip side, it's like God makes bargains with us. I'll give you this if you give me that," she looked down at herself.

"Well in a way that's true," Katie wiped her face once more, "you're going to have to resign from your position, I think that's sacrifice enough," she spun around on the stool and placed her hands between her legs.

"Tell me honestly," she studied the carpet.

"Are you really going to be happy here? I might be gone two days a week, it all depends on the workload but while I'm gone you'll be here running things."

"Will the Camden Foundation go along with my appointment?"

"They'll probably suggest a manager in my absence but leave that to me, I'm the lawyer."

"I trust your judgement," Janine kicked off her heels.

"I may not be a church goer," Katie looked at her, "but I know a thing or two about God and gods for that matter. Maybe this is God's way of blessing you and me, it's the nature of man to question his existence, make bargains with the gods or spirits of the land, our ancestors have done it since time immemorial. It's what makes us human, the ability to question our existence," she stopped as Janine burst out laughing.

"What?"

"Have you ever considered a career in the church? I haven't heard such profound words in years, where the hell were you when I was preparing my Sunday lessons?"

"Probably fast asleep or channel surfing."

"Come here," Janine tapped the bedspread, "the night is still young and I don't have to take the service tomorrow."

"So it's time for sin?"

"Absolutely," she slid back along the bed and put her head on the pillow, "God, did I just say what I thought I said?"

"I heard you say it," Katie knelt on the bed and flopped over beside her, "you most definitely said absolutely when I asked if it was time for sin."

"Damn," she put a hand behind her head and stared at the ceiling, a moment later she giggled, "the ceiling needs painting, I think."

"That is such an old married thing to say," Katie stroked her front, "and I haven't even bought a ring yet," she rested a hand on her breast.

"Or a dress," Janine stroked Katie's hand absently, "my God, I never thought I'd see the day I went shopping for a dress," her eyes shifted to Katie.

"What happens with lesbian weddings? You're not going to turn up in a tuxedo are you?"

"Not likely," she squeezed her breast gently, "it's our day, we can both wear dresses or tuxedos or whatever the hell we want. Tradition is there to nurture us not smother us."

"See, there you go again," Janine slapped her hand, "where do you come up with these sayings?"

"Divine inspiration?"

"You're divine all right," Janine stared into her eyes, "I could fall into those eyes and never want to come out again."

"Now who's the word wizard," Katie stroked Janine's front, "you should write romance novels in between doing your Basil Fawlty impersonations."

"I can just see me writing bodice rippers," she grinned.

"Is that right," Katie tugged at one of Janine's buttons, "we should get in some practice?"

Janine swallowed as Katie undid the button to form a deep vee that stopped just short of her cleavage. Katie, traced a finger down the vee to the fourth button and then back up the other side to her collar. Janine rested a hand on Katie's breast, the cashmere jumper soft against her hand, she could feel the outline of the bra beneath it and squeezed it gently. Katie smiled crookedly as her hand slipped down the vee to the fourth button and a moment later she daintily unpicked it.

"Oh no," Janine looked down at herself, "now you've done it, you woke my babies."

"A shame," Katie pulled the material over the nude-coloured bra, "they look so peaceful right now," she squeezed the breast and Janine closed her eyes and sighed.

"They like to be held."

"Do they now?" Katie massaged the breast, "this is nice?"

"Ecstatic," she took off her glasses and laid them on the bedside table, "now you'll have to kiss them as well."

Katie undid another button and spread the material right out to expose both breasts and then changed her position so that she was straddling her. Janine's hands rested lightly on her stomach as Katie leaned down and began to kiss her way down the vee, pausing at each breast to find her nipple beneath the cup and nibble it before kissing her way back up to her throat. Janine's sighs came in slow and deep.

Katie undid another two buttons and then sat up and pulled her jumper over her head and tossed it to one side. She had a white tee shirt on underneath that showed the shape of her breasts and the outline of the bra. Janine moved her hands further up to Katie's breasts and began to massage them slowly and methodically. Katie was tracing little circles across Janine's belly as she arched her back slightly, allowing Janine to get a good grip of her breasts.

A minute or so later, Katie undid her belt and leaning over Janine, she kissed her gently on the lips with a soft and passionate kiss. The grip on her breasts became firmer as Katie danced her fingers down Janine's front, feeling the other woman rise and fall beneath her. Janine pulled the tee shirt out of Katie's waistband and moaned softly as Katie began kissing her way down to her breasts, she felt as if she was floating already. Janine reached Katie's jeans and she undid the button and worked the zipper down.

Katie groaned as Janine's hands slid down the front of her jeans to the moist panties and she let the other woman finger her for a few more minutes while she kept kissing her mouth and body in turn, each minute saw the two women becoming more and more aroused until finally Janine propped on her elbows and began to rise slowly, forcing Katie to a sitting position but still astride her. Both women stared into each other's eyes before going on.

Hands moved over bare skin, Janine pulled Katie's tee shirt up and over her head, and in return Katie pulled her blouse out of the waistband of her skirt and undoing the last button, spread the garment right out. The polyester material felt like satin under her fingertips as she pushed it over her shoulders and bowing her head, began to kiss and bite her shoulders. Janine exhaled slowly and heavily as the sensation took her higher and higher.

She undid her cuffs as the garment slipped down her back and there was a pause while she removed it completely and flung it to one side. They kissed again, their hands resting against the others breasts, the kissing became more intense, several kisses in a row and each one was longer and more passionate.

Janine felt Katie's hands on her arse and then the zipper slid down and the clip came undone, her hands moved down behind the skirt and she grabbed her buttocks firmly and began to mould them slowly and relentlessly. Janine whimpered as she responded in kind, tugging Katie's jeans down a little further to find her cheeks. Their kisses became more intense and passionate and finally they broke free. Both women were breathing heavily and trying to drag this out for as long as possible and yet they were well past the point of no return and who would want to go back?

"I'll do you first," Katie pulled the skirt further down over her hips and Janine obediently rose above her to let the skirt fall down and then she was sliding back over the bed. Katie went the other way, taking the skirt with her and dropping it on the floor.

Janine was now down to her bra and underpants. Katie removed her jeans and crawled forward on all fours to kiss her body. It was a slow and delicate disrobing as they removed bras and panties and when they were naked Katie fetched her vibrator. Janine watched as she lubed it with oil. She felt wet and turned on, her eyes locked on the long silver vibrator and Katie smiled.

"Long John Silver is ready."

Janine giggled as the vibrator slid into her moist passage, its progress aided by the addition of some oil and then whimpered as the toy came to life at the touch of a button.

"Oh yes, go deep."

Katie obliged and she clutched her breasts as the toy rocked back and forth, stretching her as she went in deeper. Janine pushed against her as Katie dragged it out and then lowering her head, began her slow tongue bath. A wet tongue slicked over her moist lips to her clitoral hood and then back down again, the vibrator moved back in again, twisting slowly in a corkscrew motion. It went as far as possible and Janine cried out as Katie found her clitoris and slid her tongue over the organ, the vibrator moved out and then in again, each pass drove her closer and closer to the edge until finally she was peaking. Her vaginal wall contracted around the vibrator as she let go with a series of cries and finally she flopped out on the bed and exhaled.

"Better?"

"Much better," Janine's eyes flashed open as Katie withdrew.

"You're going to punish me now."

"Too right I am," Janine rolled over and pulled her vibrator out of a bag, "prepare to meet thy doom."

"Fucked again," Katie sat up and putting her back to the bedhead, grabbed the brass uprights, "oh my God, you bought a Rampant Rabbit."

"I bought it online the other week, it's still a virgin too."

"I'm impressed," she licked her lips.

"You will be," Janine slid it inside and thumbed the button.

Katie's eyes closed in ecstasy and she let out a long sigh as the vibrator went deeper and when Janine turned on the clitoral vibrator her cries became deeper as the other woman proceeded to bring her to orgasm. She had become used to this woman's touch. Janine might have been a little hesitant and clumsy a few months ago but regular sex play and a sense of adventure had seen her technique improve immensely.

It could have been the combination of several things, the decision to move into this place, the rather unusual marriage proposal, the fact she knew this woman intimately or was it just that she was so turned on right now but Katie reached climax far quicker than normal. It actually surprised Janine when she slid back down the bed and exhaled noisily.

"Fuck me, what happened there?"

"I think you had an orgasm."

"Sometimes it is quick for me," Katie smiled blissfully.

They fell asleep in each other's arms not long after to sleep the sleep of the redeemed.

***

It was an overcast day when Janine tendered her resignation to Bishop Holsbury, her immediate superior. Despite her eagerness to be 'done with the matter' it took a further six weeks before the Foundation approved the purchase and in that time she'd done her best to keep her desires under control. It showed in her face when she explained the reasons for stepping down and although she half expected Holsbury to talk her out of it he seemed resigned.

"You're the second this month," he shifted in his seat, "I suspect there will be more."

"It's with regret," she sighed, "but I cannot serve two masters and I do love her."

"Your courage is commendable," he replied, "and while I cannot give my blessing, I do wish the very best for you. It's a shame to see you go but I accept your resignation," he studied her for a few moments as a slight smile played over his face.

"In my more meditative moments I find myself wondering what we would do if Christ came to Earth in human form once more. What we do with him or her?"

"I fear we would crucify him or her all over again," she replied, "do you think he would send a woman?"

"I would," he straightened up, "because every time we found the answer to one of her questions, she'd change the question again."

She laughed at that a few moments later and Holsbury held out his hand.

"All jokes aside, I salute your courage and I thank you for your honesty. Go in the peace of God and may you find happiness in the union of marriage."

She felt the lump in her throat as she shook his hand. It remained with her as she stepped outside the building. Her phone beeped a few moments later.

Katie: How did it go?

Janine: I did it! You must be in contact with God, I've just stepped outside now.

Katie: I know.

Janine: Where are you?

Katie: Across the street, look to your right.

Janine stared across the street and finally spotted her standing under an umbrella, her coat buttoned up and the brim of a hat partially hiding her face. They met a minute or two later and Katie greeted her with a smile.

"Care to share my umbrella?"

The End.