They collapsed on the couch facing each other. Oksana was suddenly at a loss for words. Now what?
She watched her…Ex-client? Lover? Annie looked down at her fingers and continued to chip away at the leftover nail polish on her left hand. Thank God the ring hadn’t made a return.
Oksana waited. Annie took a deep breath then looked her in the eye. “I’ve done a lot more thinking today, but tell me how you’re feeling.”
Oksana reconsidered what she’d been planning to say. This was the first time since before their little romp that they’d had a real conversation that hadn’t started off with the spark of a heavy emotional charge. For some reason, she hadn’t expected Annie to be so considerate. She wasn’t used to considerate.
“I’m nervous about what you want,” Oksana admitted.
“What do you mean?”
“This is a lot.” Oksana gestured between them. “You want to start a relationship before you end one,
and
you are new to being with women. I don’t know anything about your relationship with Jeff. I don’t know that you’re not running from something bigger.”
Annie nodded, but twisted her lip with uncertainty. “I get it. That’s fair.”
“Are you looking for something new?” Oksana said. That cute face had gotten away with murder all week. “Are you trying to break from some mold you feel trapped in? I just can’t be the person to help you figure that out. If you’re even remotely unsure about me then I should leave.”
“No. I was happy with Jeff, but there’s something I feel for you that I don’t feel for him. That I’ve never felt for anyone. He and I, we melded together. We met, and after so long without any drama, I thought why not get married. But when I first met you, I was excited. You remember, I gushed over you for like three sessions.”
Oksana did remember. Annie had told her how beautiful she thought she was. She had gone on and on about how glad she was that she actually liked her and that she hadn’t gotten stuck with some weird health nut. It was part of the reason Oksana found it so hard to fight her attraction to Annie. She always had the nagging feeling that Annie might have gone for her under different circumstances.
“I know how it looks and sounds. I know I’m coming off as a complete flake, but I have to tell you, I’m not impulsive.”
Oksana snorted in laughter. Annie smiled back, nudging her leg. “I’m serious. I’d been planning our affair for months, well
the
affair, for months. I did plan on going to The Maypole to see if any other woman caught my eye, but this whole time I’ve been thinking about you. I want to be with you and see where that goes, but I want to know what I can give you to make
you
think it’s worth giving me that chance. Besides, I know we just slept together this week, but we met three months ago. That is something.”
Annie had a very valid point. This part of their relationship was new, but their connection wasn’t. Oksana gave that thought its footing. Still, there was more to straighten out.
“I’d also like to know the last time you were tested.”
That sobered Annie right up. “Oh, ah…right before Jeff left, just in case he brought any surprises back from his trip. I’m good to go. I’m also not pregnant.
You
?” She smiled again, lightening the question.
“I got tested right after my ex and I split. I haven’t been with anyone since.”
Oksana let that hang in the air, giving Annie a moment to ask what she could tell was on the tip of her tongue.
“How long has it been?” Annie said quietly. Oksana wanted to believe that Annie was full of shit, that Annie was going to take her down in a blaze of selfish glory, but this tone was sincere. It wasn’t about Annie getting what she wanted. It was about Annie showing she actually cared.
“Three, almost four years. I know it sounds like a long time, but really, it was good for me. I needed that time to grow up a little. Though I haven’t been acting all that mature lately. I am clean.” She took a deep breath and pushed the ghost of Vivian off the couch. “I’m not going to ask you about Jeff or your family. I’m staying out of that, but
I
need time. And I need you to be completely honest with me and yourself.”
“I can do that.” Annie nodded confidently.
“There’s a good chance you might lose some friends when you end things with Jeff. I want to be there for you if that happens, but I don’t want to take the blame, and I don’t want to be hanging on to us if you suddenly realize you should be with him. I don’t trust you,” Oksana said plainly. She needed Annie to understand.
“But,” Oksana leaned forward and kissed Annie on the mouth. As she pulled away she smiled again at the look of shock slowly fading on Annie’s face. “I also know that this could turn out to be a good thing. For us both. I like you and I want to spend more, less confusing time with you.”
Annie’s eyes glistened in the low light as she replied. “I want you to trust me, but I know that will take time. What can I give you tonight? What can I give you this weekend?”
Oksana sighed and finally relaxed into the couch. Annie reached over and softly stroked Oksana’s hand.
“My grandma wants to meet you, like tomorrow.”
“Really?” Annie smiled as if this was some small triumph.
“Yeah. And that’s the other thing. I’m not interested in getting hurt, but I also have a family. My sister is getting older. Still, for the next few years, I technically have a daughter. She’s already excited about the idea of us, so I have to keep her in mind.”
“Do they know you’re here now?”
“Yes. I didn’t tell Kat all the details. My grandmother knows everything.”
“Everything?” Annie’s eyebrows shot up.
“I didn’t tell her how good you are at eating pussy, but—”
“I’m good at eating pussy?” Annie’s frown flashed to a dirty grin.
“Shut up. In my last relationship, I tried to protect my ex. I made excuses for things she did because at the time I didn’t think they were strange. And when we broke up, Baba made me promise I wouldn’t lie to her about my life anymore.”
“I think that’s a good bargain.”
“It is, but when I was coming home late or staying out all night this week and checking my phone like crazy, she knew something was up. I told her the whole truth.”
“Does she think I’m some sort of whoring trollop?” Annie patted her thigh. “Come on.” Oksana wasn’t doing a good job at hiding how exhausted she was. She followed Annie’s lead as she moved to the far side of the couch and rested her head on Annie’s flannel covered thigh and closed her eyes. Annie began stroking her hair. She’d be asleep in no time if she didn’t keep talking.
“No. She just doesn’t like games.”
Annie’s thigh flexed under her cheek. “Neither do I.”
“Shit, this has been a long week. I just want to relax. Some short girl keeps fucking up my carefully orchestrated yet calm existence.”
“I’m sorry.” Annie laughed. Her other hand slid under Oksana’s jacket and gently stroked her ribs. “I called Paulo this afternoon. I straightened everything out, and he gave me the final amount. He said your job is still safe.”
“I know. He’s my boy. He told me.”
“Good. What are we now?”
“We’re becoming friends. Meet my family, break up with Jeff, and then we can be something more.” Oksana buried her face deeper into Annie’s lap, lifted her tiny T-shirt, and kissed her stomach. Annie giggled.
“Friends who have sleepovers?”
“Are you asking me to sleep over?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll think about it.” On the TV, Richard Gere and Julia Roberts were haggling about her fee for a proper interview. Oksana loved that movie, but thought the bit worked better when Roberts was playing a hooker. She sat up for a moment and peeled off her jacket. “I can’t believe you’re watching this.” She grimaced as she made herself comfortable back in Annie’s lap. Annie’s hand went right back to her head, fingers massaging deeply around her temple. She’d be drooling in no time.
“I couldn’t help it. Plus, it was this or a marathon of
Extreme Wedding Cakes
.”
“That sounds terrible.” Oksana yawned. Then something else occurred to her.
“Where were you and Jeff planning to live?”
“He’s planning to move here. He has a loft studio space in Koreatown, but he was going to rent that out. Hopefully, I can talk him into keeping it.”
“And if it’s too late for that? I mean, what if he’s already found someone to take over the lease or whatever?”
“Then I’ll offer to help him find a new place. If he’ll let me.”
“This is a huge clusterfuck. I hope you know that,” Oksana said, snuggling deeper into the couch and closer to Annie’s heat.
“I know,” Annie said quietly. Her fingers moved to Oksana’s temple. “Go to sleep.”
Seeing no reason to argue with that suggestion, Oksana dozed for a long time, finally feeling some sort of peace. She wanted to run, get as far away from Annie and her wedding party as possible, but it had been a long time since she’d been touched this way. A longer time since she’d been as happy as she was now. As Annie continued with her gentle petting, Oksana fell fast asleep.
*
A while later her own snores woke her up.
“Come on.” Annie nudged her gently. “Bedtime.” Oksana stood, rubbing her eyes like a toddler while Annie began shutting down the house. Once the lights were off and pizza stowed safely away, she followed Annie to her bed.
“You want something to sleep in?” Annie asked, eying her closet.
“I usually sleep naked,” Oksana admitted. “I’m in workout gear ninety percent of the time. I like letting my body breathe.”
“I’m okay with that.”
“Of course you are.” Seeing no point in being bashful since Annie had already sampled all the appetizers at Oksana’s buffet, she stripped down to her birthday suit, but by the time Oksana stepped out of her boy shorts, Annie was frozen on the other side of the bed. Her mouth was hanging open as she gripped the corner of the covers.
“What?” Oksana asked as she roughly rubbed the underside of her tits. “You’ve seen me naked before.”
“Yeah, but—Never mind. Hop in.”
Oksana climbed into bed. Annie turned off the lights and joined her. They both rolled in the darkness, facing each other. In real sleepover fashion, Annie pulled the thin white sheet over both their heads. After a moment Oksana’s eyes adjusted to the slanted light coming through the bedroom window. There were no trees in Annie’s backyard, and the light pollution from her neighbor’s security beams was outstanding.
Annie reached over and touched the sunflowers across her stomach.
“You have to tell me about these.”
“All a tribute to Mother Russia.” Annie’s eyes lit up as Oksana let her accent drawl. That slight reaction was good to know for the future.
Annie’s hand drifted higher to the letters stacked up Oksana’s side. “What does this say?”
Oksana’s skin twitched a little and she licked her lips. “It’s my surname.”
“Grinkoff?”
“Good God.” Oksana shuddered and laughed as Annie flattened every flow-able syllable. When she replied, Oksana let her accent come in fully as she gave Annie her first Russian lesson.
“It’s pronounced Gorinkov.”
Annie repeated back in the same spine-tingling fashion as before.
“Your accent is horrible.”
“My French teacher in high school wanted to kill me. Straight As and I sounded like a stupid American right till the very end,” Annie said, smiling.
Oksana leaned forward and kissed her dimpled cheek. “You just—” She gave up, shaking her head into the pillow. “I’ll help you if I can.”
Annie’s eyes softened. “I like this. Being here with you.”
“It’s not so bad for me either. Take off your shirt.”
Annie hesitated for a moment before she sat up and pulled the baby tee over her head. “I thought you needed some time.” Her voice came out breathy, a little desperate.
“I do, but I want to touch you while we wait,” she said, but Oksana kept her hands on her side of the bed.
Annie scowled and slid a little closer. “Did you do this when you were younger? Have sexy sleepovers with girls in your class and make them take off their shirts so you could feel them up?” Annie was having way too much fun.
Oksana shrugged.
“Tell me.”
“You go first.” Oksana smiled.
“No, it’s boring. All boys. Two in junior high. Three in high school. Two in college. Then…” Yeah, they all knew who came next. Even Baba and Paulo knew who came next. Oksana tried not to let it bother her.
“Ew. Boys are gross.”
“Tell me,” Annie said.
“There were a few turns in the minor leagues, but I didn’t get another girl off until I was sixteen.”
“Oh, I feel like a pervert listening to this. Go on.”
Oksana thought for a moment, gazing at the dark curves of Annie’s tits, their generous size weighing them down toward the mattress, creating the most distracting cleavage. Oksana shifted her legs a bit, rubbing her thighs together. Apparently, it didn’t take much from Annie to make her wet.