Chapter 265

Laura ran into Deshona Reed coming out of the ladies room at work. They almost knocked each other down. Deshona gasped nervously and stepped back, nearly dropping her briefcase.

"Laura!"

She looked flummoxed, caught unawares, almost sneaky. Laura was instantly suspicious.

"Deshona. What are you doing here?"

Deshona didn't answer and looked guilty. She also, Laura noted, looked ravishing, as usual. She wore a business suit, but instead of the severe, chalk-striped charcoal she often sported, this one was pale orange and showed off her café-au-lait skin to perfection. A choker of genuine pearls (Laura knew they had to be real since Deshona had money and was not inclined to hide it) drew attention to her exquisite throat. The coat of the suit obscured the firm thrust of her substantial breasts, so large for such a small-boned woman, but Laura knew every inch of the delicious, incredibly round globes and could not keep her eyes from falling to them.

She also felt, all in the space of only a few seconds, an emotional palpitation of real depth. She and Deshona had a checkered past, full of heated passion and jealousy and breach of faith, and they could not ignore the effect they had on each other. Laura had loved her, loved her deeply at one time, though she wondered if her feelings had ever been as deep as they now were for Sara. But Deshona had used her, craving hot sex one moment, then running back to her ex-husband Charles the next, never able to break entirely free.

On the other hand, Laura recalled, their last meeting had been a scorcher. Deshona had dropped by to comfort Laura after her dental surgery, and they had wound up fucking one another senseless with Laura's new strap-on dildo. You couldn't forget something like that. Dreamily, Laura also remembered that it was the same day, in the dentist's office, that she had met Sara for the very first time.

"I had to come by to... to see Reardon. Your boss." Deshona still looked flushed and nervous, very unusual for her, since she was normally icy, aloof, magnificently in control. "We're finalizing that deal. Remember when you brought down those papers for me?"

Deshona raised an eyebrow significantly, and her eyes sparkled with sexual meanings. Neither of them, she knew, would ever forget it.

"I was going to come right by your office and see you," she said, as if to allay Laura's suspicions. "In just a few minutes, in fact," she said, looking at her watch, another expensive piece of jewelry, diamond-edged, in fact.

Probably a gift from that prick Charles, Laura grumbled to herself.

Her feelings were all in a jumble. The emotional residue of her night with Dee Dee still weighed heavily on her. This morning, awakening all coiled and tangled together with her, inhaling the musky fragrance of her marvelous deeply black naked body, rubbing her lips against it, and feeling Dee Dee come to life against her, had been especially hard for Laura. They had fucked again on awakening in a sort of spontaneous conflagration, a sharp, animalistic melding of hot flesh that had almost no emotional content but an acute measure of desperate sensuality on both sides, as if each of them knew that this, finally, was the last time they would ever do it.

And yet, instead of feeling good remembering it-her orgasm, possibly because she had already had several during the night, had wrenched her flesh almost painfully-she was overcome by a sodden feeling of remorse and piercing guilt. Even the thought of Sara's name was almost enough to make her retch. I've lost her, she thought. Lost her. She'll find out. She'll never want to see me again. She'll hate me for sure.

She had to shake herself free of such thoughts, and she could see Deshona looking at her weirdly, as she herself had been looking at Deshona seconds earlier.

"Laura... you okay? You look sick or something," Deshona said, her brow furrowing, concerned, putting one hand on Laura's shoulder.

"I... I'm fine. I think I... oh, I'm sure I'll be all right. I just have to sit down for a minute."

"Let me help you back to your office."

"I can walk," Laura said.

They sat down in her office, Laura behind her desk. The reason for her brief faintness, she realized, was that her feelings for Deshona, sexual and otherwise, had suddenly become all confusingly intermingled with her feelings for Sara and for Dee Dee, everything merging in a wild welter of contradictory yearnings. The thought of Sara made her want to burst out in tears. The thought of Dee Dee did the same, and it also made her blood leap and pulse, since the memory of their hot couplings was only hours old. And the sight of Deshona brought back all her deep longing for the woman, who had put her through such emotional wrenching and such sublime sexual fulfillment at the same time. As an added twist, she felt a quick squirt of hot jealousy at hearing that Deshona had come there to meet with Rhonda, and because she had looked briefly, unaccountably embarrassed on running into Laura.

She decided to overcome her own confusion by going on the offensive.

"So... you came here to see Rhonda?" she said, her voice curling upward with just a hint of scorn.

Deshona did not want to meet Laura's gaze. When threatened, she automatically turned on the deep freeze. She raised an eyebrow and gave Laura her tightest, most frosty smile. Laura immediately, in spite of her anguish and guilt over Sara and Dee Dee, instantly wanted to rip Deshona's clothes off and fuck her violently. It had been this frigid demeanor, coupled with Deshona's obvious physical appeal, that had attracted Laura in the first place, making her hunger to touch the flame under the ice.

"I told you..." Deshona said, turning her head away, looking out the window deliberately. "Business."

"Oh. Right." Laura was sure Rhonda wanted Deshona. Who wouldn't?

"Oh shit, Laura," Deshona said under her breath. "Don't look so hurt, like a little girl who lost her lollipop. I came to see her on business. I was just getting ready to drop by and see you."

"Really."

"Yes... really. Since when have you become such a nasty, jealous little twit?"

Laura sighed wearily, agreeing tacitly. "I don't know. You're right."

"Come with me for an early lunch."

"It's only ten-thirty. I have a meeting at one."

Deshona glowered at her. "How many times do I drop by and ask you to lunch?"

There was something ambiguous in Deshona's eyes, something clearly beckoning her. But Laura had already tried to hint that she could not afford a long lunch. Nevertheless, she shrugged and stood up, slipping on her coat and grabbing her purse.

Deshona was driving her gun-metal blue Mercedes, and as soon as they were both inside it, she turned to Laura, after starting the barely audible ignition. In fact, Laura could only tell that the engine was running from a slight vibration in the car. "Let's go to your new place. I want to see where you're living now."

Laura smiled primly at her. "I told you I have a meeting at one."

Deshona ignored her. "Tell me where to go."

Laura gave her directions. Deshona, accustomed to driving in the suburbs, was a little spooked by the reckless mayhem of the San Francisco streets, but Laura calmed her and guided her until they pulled up outside Laura's new condo.

Deshona looked around. "Pretty cool. Trees and everything. I didn't know the city had these little secluded spots. You did pretty well for yourself, girl."

Laura, trying not to be glum, made an effort to perk up. "You sure you can get me back there for my meeting at one?"

Deshona raised an eyebrow. "What if you don't want to go back?"

"I have to. It's my job. I don't own my own business, like you."

Again, Deshona ignored Laura's anxieties. "Take me in and show it to me. I'm already impressed."

But the moment the door closed behind them, they were all over each other. Deshona wheeled in her tracks and grabbed Laura, pushing her back into the wall next to the door, sliding her hands around Laura's body and digging her fingers into Laura's ass as she kissed Laura ravenously.

"Oh... shit... it's been so long!" she gasped into Laura's mouth. "God, I need this!"

Laura, though she knew they hadn't come here to drink tea and play checkers, was flabbergasted by Deshona's abrupt passion. But she found that she was equally hungry. You'd think a night of fucking with that exciting and debauched Dee Dee would be enough for me, she thought. But Deshona's fragrance, her hot little body, her frigid exterior and completely wanton need for Laura combined to fan a flame in Laura that always began to burn when she saw this fantastic woman.

"Don't you want to see my new place?" she giggled softly, teasing, knowing that Deshona wanted only one thing.

Deshona was unbuttoning her, Laura's, blouse, kissing her neck. "I want you," she panted softly. "I don't care about anything else."

To Laura, a delightfully erotic thing about Deshona was that she too bought very expensive and sexy underwear, and so you never knew exactly what inflammatory undergarments she might be wearing. It was always an adventure when they undressed one another. Laura toyed with the top button of Deshona's suit coat.

"I don't know about you, but I've got to take care of these clothes. I can't just rip them off," she whispered sexily.

She unbuttoned two of the buttons, then the third, then the fourth, until she could get a finger into the warm, deep cleavage between Deshona's magnificent breasts. She lowered her face to the deep, fragrant valley and pressed her lips to the warm brown skin where her finger had been.

Deshona put one hand under Laura's chin and drew her face back up slowly. Her eyes were burning, swirling. "If you don't take me into your new bedroom, I am going to rip them off right here," she breathed.

"Why are you suddenly so hot for it?" Laura asked, mischievously, flirting.

"I'm always hot for you, Laura." Deshona winked, a slow, salacious wink. "Anyway, you looked so glum when I ran into you. God, it made me horny. When you're depressed, I just want to take you to heaven, I guess."

Laura scoffed. "You want to take yourself there. All you want is my body. You're as bad as a man."

At this point, the doorbell rang. Since they were standing right next to it, they both nearly jumped out of their skins, alarmed, as if their sexual bantering had been overheard. Laura looked through the peep hole and saw Dee Dee. Oh god. Does anyone else ever ring this fucking bell? she suddenly thought, an unfair reflection, she knew, since Dee Dee had only rung it once before. Oh shit.

"Shit," she said, under her breath.

"Who is it? Somebody you don't want to see, I take it."

There had been times in the past when Laura would have done anything to keep Deshona from knowing that the girl she had spent the night with was again on her front step. But things had changed between them somewhat. Deshona knew she had little right to be jealous.

"It's the reason I was so... glum, as you put it." She unlocked the door. "This will only take a minute."

She opened it. Dee Dee's eyes looked a little vacant, as if while waiting for Laura to open the door she had drifted off into some dream. Laura had seen that look in her eyes several times last night.

"Dee Dee?" Laura spoke forcefully, to snap her out of it. "Dee Dee!"

Dee Dee's eyes swam back into focus. Immediately she looked over Laura's shoulder at Deshona, who was peeping around the door for a glimpse of the visitor. Then she looked back at Laura, her face curving into a knowing smile.

"God, Laura, you already got somebody else in there? You're really a horny one, aren't you."

Laura could not stop herself from blushing a deep apple-red. "What do you want!"

"I... left something here. I just thought I'd ring the bell... in case you hadn't gone to work yet."

Laura realized that Dee Dee was making it all up on the spot, as she went along. She sensed that Deshona had again withdrawn behind the half-open door, realizing that this was an embarrassing scene for all involved, or at least for her and Laura, since Dee Dee seemed to be having fun twisting the knife.

"I think you'd better go," Laura said, coldly.

"I have to pee again."

"That only works once, Dee Dee."

Dee Dee began shifting on her feet, wincing. "I mean it. Sorry. I really have to go. Just a second? Please?"

"You better let her in," Deshona whispered. "You don't want her peeing all over your front steps."

"You let me handle it," Laura snapped, softly but firmly.

"Please, Laura?"

Dee Dee's lovely face was screwed up in anguish, and she hopped back and forth on each foot. Laura caved in. She opened the door, disgusted.

"You know where it is," she said wearily, pointing down the hall.

Since Laura felt paralyzed by shock and guilt and shame and horrible confusion, Deshona had to shut the door.

"You should be more careful who you get involved with, Laura," she whispered, with a tiny hint of a superior smirk.

Laura was tempted to snap at Deshona again, but she realized that her anger was really directed at Dee Dee and it would be very bad to unleash it on Deshona. Instead, she melted, experiencing suddenly an overwhelming physical desire for Deshona, a magnetic passion to strong that she had to reach out to her, caressing her smooth cheek, running a fingertip across her amazingly sensual lips.

"I want you," she whispered. "I want her to go away so we can..."

Deshona raised her 'aloof' eyebrow again. "She's kind of pretty, you know. You have an eye for beauty, Laura."

Again Laura blushed and looked down. Before she could respond, Dee Dee was heading back down the hall toward them, having exited from the bathroom. She took her sweet time about it, sashaying sexily down the hall. Laura could almost hear Deshona swallowing.

"She looks... dangerous," Deshona whispered, barely moving her lips.

"She is dangerous," Laura nodded, also speaking softly so that Dee Dee wouldn't hear, wondering if they meant the same thing.

When Dee Dee reached them, she paused and looked at Deshona, a very meaningful stare. "You like the sistas, don't you Laura." She let her gaze drift down at the gaping jacket of Deshona's suit, where Laura had unbuttoned four buttons and the top black lacy edge of Deshona's bra showed, as well as the bulging moons of her delicious breasts.

Laura pulled the door open. "You were just leaving, I believe."

Out of the corner of her eye, Laura could see that Deshona was mildly mortified. She had immense dignity and self-possession, was if not rich then very well-off, owner of her own consulting firm, exquisitely dressed and coiffed, very protective of her reputation, and not accustomed to being thought of by strangers as a lecher or lesbian, or even a bi-way swinger. Laura could feel her shrinking back in distaste.

Dee Dee tilted her head and tried to be charming. "Sure you want me to go? I could stay. We could have a party."

"Let me put it this way. If you don't go, I'll call the police." Laura could hardly believe the words that were coming out of her own mouth.

Dee Dee's face suddenly fell. She appeared to be deeply insulted. "You don't have to do that," she said, moving through the open door, out onto the steps. "You don't have to be so cold about it."

"Oh Dee Dee... !" Laura said in exasperation.

Dee Dee glanced back over her shoulder as she headed down the steps. Laura's eyes were on her incredible bottom, and with a quick glance she could see that Deshona's eyes were too. Deshona herself had a lovely taut little butt, but it could not compare, few could, to Dee Dee's high, round masterpiece.

"You don't have to worry," Dee Dee said. "I still won't tell her."

Laura's eyes followed her to the 'Guests' parking lot and watched her get into Sara's car. Then Laura closed the door and locked it with a dramatic jerk of her wrist.

"Tell who about what?" Deshona said, still faintly amused by Laura's unpleasant little scene.

"Oh... don't pay any attention to her," Laura said, flustered by the whole thing. "Now, where were we?" She flirted with Deshona, peering up from under her eyelids sexily. "I think I was doing this."

She gave Deshona a suggestive smile and lowered her face back into her alluring cleavage. Again Deshona pulled Laura's face up by the chin. Her eyes were quizzical, amused, pulsing with sex, and at the same time troubled.

"Sure you don't want to tell me?" she asked softly. "It's none of my business, but it looks like you've got yourself some trouble."

Laura let her eyes burn into Deshona's. "I want you."

Deshona smirked. "I want you too, but this has kind of got me out of the mood. Why don't you tell me about it and we can sort of, you know, drift back into it."

Laura wilted. She was out of the mood now too, suddenly. That fucking Dee Dee! she thought.

"Only if you come into the bedroom with me while I tell you," Laura pouted, seductively.

Deshona nodded, pursing her lips, her black eyes flickering with puzzled amusement, reluctantly letting Laura draw her down the hall. As soon as they rounded the corner, Laura was horrified to realize that she had not made up the bed. There it was for all to see: a huge mattress covered by rumpled, wrinkled and sweaty sheets and blankets, a place where quite obviously violent, passionate fucking had been going on, and not a brief episode either. Nobody could make that much mess without continued thrashing and squirming.

Deshona slowly walked over to the bed and bent down briefly, sniffing. Her eyes twinkled with awe and humor-but nothing like the fiery jealousy Laura had feared-when she looked back up at Laura. With one careful finger, she lifted a portion of the twisted sheet, grinning.

"I can smell her," she said in a barely audible voice. "I can smell you, too. Smells like you two have been screwing in here for a week."

Laura chewed her lower lip. "Only... last night."

"You must've made an impression on her," Deshona smiled, dropping the sheet from her finger and returning to Laura.

"I apologize for... making you see this."

Deshona shook her head. "Don't. I know I... that you... live your own life when I'm not around."

"Want me to change the sheets?"

Again Deshona slowly shook her head. "I kind of like that smell. It turns me on."

"Oh?" Laura perked up. "Are you getting in the mood again?"

Deshona rested both arms on Laura's shoulders and brought her face close. She rubbed Laura's nose playfully with her own. "I think one kiss might get me there," she whispered. "But first I insist you tell me what she meant. Tell who?"

Laura's shoulders slumped. She realized that her anguish showed in her face. Deshona frowned, concerned.

"You can tell me, Laura," she whispered. "I won't tell either. I don't even know anybody to tell."

Laura sat with her on the edge of the very rumpled and fragrant bed. She could smell Dee Dee in the sheets too, and the odor was shockingly erotic. God, it smells like a whorehouse in here, she thought. If that's what a whorehouse smells like. How would I know?

Patiently Deshona listened while Laura told her about Sara, then about Dee Dee. At first Laura was reluctant to let Deshona know how deeply she felt about Sara, but as she was talking, her voice soft and murmuring and hushed and solemn and intimate, she began to cry silently, almost without knowing it, and the full depth of her feeling simply poured out. Deshona put one arm around Laura's shoulders. To Laura's great relief, she was not angry, or hurt, just warm and supportive, nodding, cooing as she had been when she had dropped by to comfort Laura during her dental ordeal. She hugged Laura very close when Laura broke briefly into genuine hot sobs, but Laura recovered quickly.

"Let me go wash my face."

"Let me kiss away your tears."

Laura broke out in half-tragic laughter and jumped up. "No... I'm washing my face. Stay right there."

Unfortunately, while Laura was washing her face, the doorbell rang again. Both of them knew who it was. When she emerged from the master bathroom, she saw Deshona standing again by the side of the bed, looking entrapped. Snared accidentally in my little love drama, Laura thought, ruefully.

"Should I answer it?" Laura asked.

Deshona shrugged. "You don't want her making a scene for all your new neighbors."

Laura scowled. "Almost everybody who lives here is at work anyway, at this hour."

Deshona raised her eyebrow. "Still..."

"I know, I know."

Laura went to the door. She took a deep, calming breath before opening it. Dee Dee smiled at her, a contrite smile, a small child's plea for indulgence and understanding.

"Have to pee again?" Laura asked, bristling with sarcasm.

Dee Dee shook her head. "I... left something in the bathroom. I'm sorry, I know it sounds stupid. But it's true."

Laura formed her mouth into a thin, sharp line, glowering at Dee Dee. "I can get it for you. What is it?"

Dee Dee looked abject, ashamed. "I... can't let you see it. Too embarrassing."

"Dee Dee, you are so transparent. What a cheap trick."

Dee Dee looked suddenly sick at heart. The stricken, pained, desolate look Laura had seen so many times passing through her eyes last night returned.

"I'll only take a second," Dee Dee said, meekly.

Laura shook her head. "Go on... hurry up."

She couldn't believe the welter of feelings that passed through her as Dee Dee slipped by and down the hall toward the bathroom again. She had given in because suddenly she had felt like she was whipping a sick cat, or lacerating a poor fellow creature who was down on her luck by unleashing savage, self-serving insults on her. I fucked this girl repeatedly only hours ago, she remembered with chagrin and undeniable pleasure. I fucked her beautiful body until we both moaned and screamed. How can I treat her like shit, now that she is on the outside, looking at me and Deshona?

She stood by the front door, holding it open, wishing this whole thing would be over quickly, when she saw Dee Dee standing at the end of the hallway in front of the bathroom, looking somehow desperately back at her, not going in. Exasperated, Laura closed the front door and went to her.

"What's the matter?"

"I... think she's in there. Your friend."

The door was indeed closed. Laura was puzzled. Why would she use this bathroom instead of the one in the bedroom? she wondered. But before she could speculate further, Deshona opened the door and stepped out, shutting off the light at the same time. She looked surprised-or at least feigned surprise, Laura thought-to see them both standing there.

She also, to Laura's deep shock, had unbuttoned the rest of her suit coat, so that now it gaped open, revealing her black slip and lacy black bra, and more of her bulging, very round breasts than had been visible before. Just like her, Laura thought. Tastefully stripping. Not too much... just a hint... just an accident. A very elegant tease. Look at that smug little kittenish smile on her face. Oh! Are you both here? I... you know, I didn't know anyone would be looking at me... now that I'm showing off a little more of my perfect body. Oh dear.

Laura saw Dee Dee looking at Deshona's cleavage, the same lovely, shadowy, perfumed spot where she herself had just been pressing her face moments earlier. Laura pursed her lips. Another convert. She's dying to do the same thing.

"Dee Dee left something in there," Laura said, surprised to hear how cold her voice still sounded.

"Oh... sorry," Deshona murmured, stepping aside.

Dee Dee emerged a second later from the bathroom, clutching a small zippered purse, looking relieved. "Got it. Well... I'll be going."

But she didn't move. In fact, none of them moved. They just stared uncomfortably at one another. We don't want her to leave, do we, Laura thought. I don't want her to leave either, god help me.

"Want to stay for a minute?" she asked Dee Dee weakly, feeling deeply ashamed of her quick reversal.

Dee Dee beamed. "I guess you could talk me into it."

Deshona gave Laura a spare, mysterious smile. Without saying a word, she walked back down the short hallway and into Laura's bedroom.

"Well, I guess you got your way," Laura said to Dee Dee under her breath.

"I don't know why you're so mean to me. I thought you liked me." Dee Dee's eyes were wide and mock-innocent.

She's about as innocent as I am, Laura thought.

"She's great looking," Dee Dee whispered as they moved together toward the bedroom too. "I guess you got me hooked on this. What a great body."

Laura frowned at her. "Let's be a little more subtle, okay? You're a bright girl."

"Ooops!" Dee Dee gulped, reminding Laura for the very first time of her sister Sara. "Sorry."

In the bedroom Deshona, more brazen than she had ever been with Laura up to now, had already removed the suit jacket entirely and was folding it on the easy chair. She looked back over her shoulder, still saying nothing, her eyes soft and shining and expectant. Then she stood upright and turned to face them.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Laura?"

Oh brother, Laura thought. Deshona, this is the dope addict sister of the woman I love. Dee Dee, this is the fire-and-ice business consultant who stole my heart before Sara happened along. From this mordant reflection, Laura unaccountably began to cry without notice.

Silent tears streamed down her cheeks. Choked sobs shook her chest. Both Deshona and Dee Dee looked at her in amazement, then deep concern.

"Laura... you all right?" Dee Dee asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Deshona took a step forward, her smooth forehead furrowed. "Laura."

Laura shrank back a step or two, taking a deep breath, quickly wiping the tears away with her hand. How humiliating! she thought. She didn't know why she was crying. She knew she was perfectly capable of doing it as a cheap manipulation and wondered if that were the cause. On the other hand, she sensed that she had fallen into a trap so deep that only tears could get her out of it. Or could they?

"I'm... okay," she blubbered. "I'm okay." She put up her hand, like a police officer telling drivers to stop. "I'll be all right. Really."

Now Deshona had an arm around her shoulder. Dee Dee was only watching.

"Come over here and sit down on the bed," Deshona coaxed her gently.

Deshona held her for a few moments. Dee Dee had gone over to the vanity table where she was unzipping her small purse and taking something out.

"I don't know why I did that," Laura confessed, finally back in control of herself. "How weird."

She felt Deshona's smooth, sensual lips brush her cheek. "Probably a little chemical imbalance," Deshona whispered.

Deshona's lips moved lower, onto Laura's neck, then up to her ear. Laura could feel Deshona's warm breath everywhere on her skin, which made her shiver and press her thighs together. Deshona's fingers began to unbutton Laura's blouse and caress the skin of Laura's back.

Dee Dee looked over at them. "Either of you want to do a line of coke with me before we get started?" she said, matter-of-factly.

Both Laura and Deshona looked at her blankly.

"It's really rad for sex," Dee Dee said. "Really. It'll make you, like, fall over the edge."

As if sunk in some zombie, sleepwalk state, Laura shook her head slowly, again unable to believe this phantasmagoria of weirdness she had got herself into. I can fall over the edge without any help from that, thanks, she was thinking. She looked at Deshona, who seemed equally befuddled. Gosh, we're both really out of it, aren't we, Laura thought. Two old ladies who don't take drugs.

"None for me, thanks," Deshona said calmly, echoing Laura's thoughts, then turned more deliberately to Laura's blouse buttons.

It was as if Dee Dee had not even shown up, and she and Laura were again intimately involved in the slow, exciting buildup to their ultimate coupling. They had done this before, many times, and the fact that a beautiful young girl was across the room snorting cocaine while they caressed each other seemed to lie beyond the purview of their awareness.

Laura felt herself melting. Even though Dee Dee's presence implied very hot and exciting moments down the road, for a few seconds she found herself wishing that the girl were gone, that only she and Deshona shared this moment, that they could take every inch of the way as slowly as possible, without having to accommodate another person, and end in a fierce conflagration of fucking and climaxing as they had so many times before. She wanted to obliterate her guilt over Dee Dee in a bonfire of fucking, and she suddenly realized that this simple need was the reason she had consented to come here with Deshona even though she had a meeting at one o'clock. The recollection of the meeting suddenly panicked her, but Deshona was very involved in undressing her by now, and the sensations of her lips on Laura's naked skin was enough to distract Laura from her anxiety.