Under the Knife Ch. 01

Hannah wriggled her head under Eden's arm, to rest on her shoulder, her knee bent. She stroked Eden's hot skin, drew circles round her breasts with finger backs and nails.

Eden lifted her head to Hannah in puzzlement, her eyes putting the question.

"I'm tired, Eden," Hannah answered, letting her hand come to rest palm flat.

"I tell you what -- you put the light off and drop the mossie net...but mind your toes!"

* * * *

Hannah awoke first and took Eden's hand from her breast to gently stroke and massage the soft pads of her fingers that seemed so much more elegant than her own. She heard Eden stir and felt a soft kiss on her shoulder.

"Good morning", Eden whispered slowly, reluctant to let the blanket of sleep slip from her dreams.

Hannah shuffled round to face her, happy Eden was awake.

They gazed into each other's eyes for some moments. Eden's were steady, dark as caverns with just a turn of gentle affection to her eyebrows. Hannah's were searching, uncertain; with questions she wanted to ask but had no words for.

Eden could only guess at Hannah's situation, but recognised she stood at an age in her life where big decisions were often made that subsequently shaped a life, such as children. They were a gift Hannah could never fully experience even if she adopted, but Eden wondered how that might affect her later life. She would not be the first woman to either decide against or be unable to conceive, but she knew the doubts and questions could sometimes never leave a woman.

Eden knew it could only be Hannah's decision, but her background would complicate matters. Adoption agencies were fickle and seldom understood the transgender situation. She wondered if Hannah had frozen her sperm prior to transitioning and for a fleeting moment the thought of being her consultant crossed her mind. Hannah deserved the best.

"What are you thinking Eden? I can tell you're thinking but...are you having second thoughts about this?" Hannah asked, taking Eden's hand.

Eden shook her head, closing her eyes in a slow calm blink.

"No, sweetheart. Nothing of the kind. I can see you as my younger self, in some ways. I was just thinking back, that's all," Eden replied with a smile, avoiding what was on her mind.

"I can never see myself being as accomplished as you, Eden. I'm just playing at my chosen career. You make tough decisions every day and I could never do that."

"Oh, what nonsense, Hannah. You've already made a bigger change in your life than most would ever contemplate. Don't sell yourself short. I admire you, and your courage," Eden lifted Hannah's fingers to her lips in a kiss.

"I didn't have a choice, Eden. Maybe that's where that kind of courage comes from though - when our backs are against the wall? Like soldiers that do crazy things and only think about it later. I wasn't courageous, I just wanted to live, to be who I really am." Hannah spoke with more determination than Eden had seen before.

"I'm glad you did, but I'm sorry it became such a desperate situation for you." Eden spoke softly, brushing her hand across Hannah's face and into her hair.

"Pfft. It's all done now, thank heavens. Can we talk about something else? This has all become very heavy. Where's my fun Eden and her gorgeous smile?"

"You got me there, sweetie," Eden smiled with a chuckle. She leaned forward to place a simple kiss on Hannah's lips.

"Again," Hannah chirped, and had her wish granted. "One more to be sure."

Eden moved to give another peck but found Hannah ready for her. She sprang a trap by slipping her hands round Eden's head, kissing her passionately and Eden eagerly responded, letting Hannah's tongue bully her own back into her mouth.

Hannah, kept hold of Eden's head, planting puppy kisses at first, then switching to kiss her neck to make her sigh, pulling her closer.

"So you're not tired anymore?" Eden whispered into her ear.

"Nope, not tired. Hungry. Hungry for you!" Hannah spoke between kisses.

"Hey, not so fast, young lady!" Eden laughed lifting Hannah's head away from where she was walking kisses down her neck.

Eden climbed onto her knees and pushed Hannah back onto the bed and straddled her. She pressed Hannah's hands back onto the mattress so she couldn't move.

"My turn to taste you. I'm hungry too." Eden smiled down at Hannah's blushes.

Eden brushed her nose against Hannah's, then pinched lips together before placing a line of kisses across her closed eyes and forehead, passive, trapped under Eden's hold.

Eden moved to run her wet tongue in circles round Hannah's rosebud nipple, sucking it between her teeth, biting just hard enough to hear the voice of complaint. She moved to the other breast and did the same, then took each wet nipple between thumb and fingers and plucked them like half ripe berries so that Hannah drew up her knees, pressing her thighs together protectively.

"Legs down, Hannah. This is about trust. You trust me don't you?" Eden's voice was firm.

"No emergency caesarean though, please," Hannah smiled trying to lighten the mood, for Eden's mood had become suddenly fierce.

Eden ignored her and kneeled high, an arch between their bodies with her tuft of hair its keystone. She took the flat of Hannah's hand and held it to her sex.

Hannah was astonished to find how wet Eden was, her fingers oiled by the slickness.

Eden returned a slippery hand to Hannah's lips, glossing them rouge; although her desire needed no embellishment.

"Lick." Eden commanded, looking straight into Hannah's eyes.

Hannah obediently opened her mouth, closing her lips round the fingers. She didn't need to be shown again and reached to dip her fingers into the wet folds of Eden's sex, to taste her again. She glanced down to see the egg-white rope making a pool on her belly. Her eyes wide, she was awed and fascinated, never having seen another woman so wet.

Eden watched, aroused by Hannah's curiosity and reverence, shuddering at each soft stroke of her fingers.

Eden spun round, pressing her face into Hannah's sex, gripping her fingers into the flesh of the girl's buttocks to rock her pelvis towards her mouth. Eden chewed gently on the fleshy labia, sucking the soft folds between her lips, dragging them over her teeth.

She'd squatted over Hannah's face and bore down, feeling Hannah's nose in the cleft of her sex, her tongue lapping at first then dipping deeper between her labia.

Hannah could not move. Her arms were pinned under Eden's shins and above her face was the dark heat of sex, richer than any sweet cake and hotter than blood.

Eden's thick arousal filled Hannah's nostrils then trickled to her ear as their movements smeared her face. Her tongue was lost in Eden's butter soft folds, her mouth quickly filled, forcing her to swallow.

Eden lifted herself up, scooping juices onto her fingers to paint them onto Hannah's sex. She rolled the flesh of Hannah's labia with her slippery fingers, riding her thumb up Hannah's folds to graze her clitoris.

She heard Hannah's cry, but she silenced the woman by pressing her pelvis down harder, feeling her own arousal building under the gentle assault of the Hannah's tongue.

Eden bent to her task, replacing her cruel thumb with a softer tongue, to circle and tease Hannah's little jewel as she slipped two fingers into her.

Hannah was writhing, her disobedient thighs gripped Eden's head, blocking out sound, leaving her to the delicate task of tipping the crimson tide of the orgasm she could sense growing, like a wave to the shore.

Eden pressed her fingers home to the knuckles and gave Hannah no rest nor place to escape, until suddenly she did hear her cry, saw her legs straighten and shake in the unmistakable crest of ecstasy.

Eden placed the flat of her tongue over Hannah's sex in comfort to the soft storm that shook beneath her.

Hannah couldn't breathe, and in a moment of panic wrenched her arms free to escape the confinement of Eden's flesh walled prison, pushing her hips away. Hannah gasped at the air as she recovered from her orgasm, then almost angry, pulled Eden's oily sex back onto her face.

She was intoxicated by Eden's potent sexuality, appalled and exultant at the visceral response of her own arousal. She rasped her tongue through Eden's labia, strained to reach the shy bud of her centre. Eden pressed back again, demanded more from her, knowing where the busy tongue could reach, until at last the swirls rose from her core and found a focus on Hannah's mouth.

Eden shook, cradling her bowed head in the triangle of Hannah's thighs and pubis. She breathed in the scents, her whole being intoxicated by the sensations that left her shuddering and overthrown.

She slumped to one side, curled in a ball. Hannah climbed behind her, pulling Eden tight into her arms.

For a few minutes, or perhaps hours, because time had no relevance, they lay, hot and perspiring, hair webbed on their faces, skin flushed as the echoes of their ecstasy drifted away, leaving them drugged and aglow.

Eden uncurled and turned to find Hannah, pulling her into her arms. Hannah lay limp, exhausted, her head on Eden's shoulder feeling the heat furnace-like in the space between their bodies.

Eden was the first to stir, sitting up on the edge of the bed, her hand trailing to touch. Hannah was still and could have slept. As Eden climbed over, she rolled onto her back, accepting the many little kisses to her lips and face.

Eden looked into her eyes, her smile reflected in the contentment of the face looking up at her.

Did Eden give a shake to her head? Hannah couldn't be certain, but she understood the three words Eden mimed to her, that prompted her to reach up and pull her into a tight embrace and whisper back, "Me too."

They watched the emotions play across each other's face, their eyes discovering the anew the beauty and imperfections, the curl of a nostril, the dark quills of eyelashes, the blue pulse at a temple. Finally Eden drew away, leaving Hannah's arms to flop boneless on the bed in a groan.

"We should shower," Eden spoke in whisper.

Hannah nodded slowly, still watching.

"The showers are warm in the dive centre," Hannah replied lethargically, her voice thick with spent arousal.

"Now you tell me!" Eden laughed. "Come on, sweetie. We'll walk over together."

"Urgh, no, no! Don't make me," Hannah groaned hiding her face in her hands, then testing the line of her lips with her fingertips, still wet with sex.

"Yes, we should, lazy bones," Eden replied, standing to drag Hannah towards her by an arm.

"You'll have to carry me, Eden. What have you done?" Hannah groaned again; then, realising she had played too long, she finally sat up.

"Okay, you're right. There's a whole day awaiting. Oh, la! My legs are wobbly still," she laughed, hanging herself round Eden's shoulders. They kissed briefly again, in affection, casually acknowledging the deeper feelings that had grown between them.

* * * *

"Here, there's some more mangosteens and I think these are called pomelo." Hannah had bought some fruit at a stall near the beach after their shower and had set out some plates in the veranda.

"Yum! These are so, so fresh Hannah -- I don't think even Waitrose sells these.

"What time are you diving?" Eden asked, wiping her chin with the back of her hand as she wielded a paring knife.

"I think they said to meet at 10.30, then we're off for two dives so we'll be back around three o'clock I guess. Are you sure you don't want to come along? You could snorkel off the boat and still see plenty of fish."

"I've got a missed call from home, but they'll still be asleep. I can't think what it can be about but I ought to phone them back. Then I'm going to chill, read, snooze," replied Eden, brandishing a dog-eared paperback.

"I'll see the boat when it returns so I'll come meet you. Or else I'll see you here or that bar where we went last night. Are you sure that's okay with you?"

* * * *

Hannah loved the sea and her academic career, but having the opportunity to combine those loves with a holiday in tropical water was a real bonus. She'd found dive trips were a melting pot of different cultures, languages and backgrounds, but the conversation on surface after a successful dive was always one of shared excitement and bon amie. Since underwater conversations were limited to pointing and hand signals, later explanations of "No, I meant the sea urchins" were essential debriefs and source of fun.

At two o'clock, after a good forty-minute dive everyone on the dive boat felt they'd had a great day. Now they could relax, enjoy a beer; relish their plans for the evening as the boat headed back toward Shark Bay.

Hannah and Eden hadn't made any plans yet, but that didn't matter. That was the whole point of a beach holiday.

The boat docked, they hauled the heavy gear ashore, rinsed it, said farewell in a dozen languages. Hannah went off to find Eden.

She didn't have to look far for Eden was waiting outside the centre. Her expression was definitely not in a holiday mood. Hannah could immediately see something was wrong.

"Eden?"

"Hannah, I'm so sorry. I have to go, like right now. There's a ferry at three."

Eden had a serious demeanour and was already wearing travelling clothes -- the sort that cover your toes, that have pockets, that have a hoodie in case it's wet.

"My partner phoned. Her son has been in a traffic accident and it's serious. She needs to be by his side and there's no one to mind my daughter, so I've gotta go." Eden blurted her dump of facts on the suddenly wretched Hannah.

"Oh no, that's awful. Would you like some help? I could fly back with you," Hannah enquired, cradling Eden's hand.

"Thanks Hannah. I did think about asking, but the flight would complicate things -- it was easier to grab a cancellation ticket for one."

"I can see that. Well done. Then you must go -- you need to get home. Now. Do you have a taxi waiting? We can call one from the dive centre."

Eden began a second apology, but Hannah cut her off.

"Come on you. Is this your only bag, honey?" Hannah took hold of the baggage and carried it to the taxi stand. "I'll come with you to the ferry. It's the quickest way back to Samui."

They arrived a few minutes later at the little port in Koh Tao. Hannah was anxious to ensure Eden could get on her way without delay, but there were necessarily some minutes to kill before the ferry left for Koh Samui, then a flight to Bangkok and home.

A terminal of any sort is a rotten place for conversation but Hannah was also on guard, mindful that they were also perfect venues for thieves and muggers. She hugged Eden from behind, the bag hiding like a timid dog between their feet.

"I want to say something meaningful, Eden. The best I can think of right now is 'stay focused and watch your back till you're home'. The rest, well you know how I feel. I hope you do." Hannah pressed her lips to Eden's ear as she spoke.

Eden inclined her head to speak, but her quiet words were lost in the sudden shrill whistle and shouted commands from the ferry crew. "Koh Samui passenger board now please, Koh Samui, Koh Samui ferry!"

Hannah steered Eden away with a hand to her back. Eden briefly squeezed Hannah's hand before stepping into the line for the boarding ramp.

Other passengers crowded onto the boat with unruly wheeled suitcases or hippy rucksacks, heels and boots, tourists and travellers. Eden stood out by fitting none of those categories - being unique was why Hannah loved her.

With a plume of trailing foam, the boat slipped away into the shallow waves of the bay.

They made open-handed waves and blew kisses and Hannah suspected Eden was still watching as the boat swung south for home.

Hannah turned away from the water, oblivious to the bustle of holiday music and cajoling taxi drivers.

For her, the island was a greyer place.

End of Part One

My thanks again to Electricblue66 for his generous help, sparrow catching and encouragement in my writing.

Link to Part Two