Chapter 7

At the time, Margaret didn’t know, but as an adult, she knew that kiss had been one of the most significant events in her life. Like steering an ocean liner, the course had been changed, but it would be a long, slow change, leading Maggie right to where she was now.

Consequential as it was, as a kid, terrified by how it made her feel and unsure if Sammy felt anything, Maggie acted as if it didn’t happen. Sammy did the same. They went on like that, doing their best to act normal until it couldn’t be ignored anymore.

Sammy was reaching for something, and her face got close to Maggie’s. Their eyes met, and Maggie’s insides snapped tight. They froze. Sammy’s lip quivered, and Maggie saw her own fear reflected in her friend’s eyes. For the first time in their lives, Sammy said, “Maggie may ... I?

She didn’t have to answer; they both knew it was inevitable. Their second kiss was better. They were a tiny bit more comfortable, and it might have lasted a little longer. Then Sammy laughed and said, “It’s practice, we’re practicing, that’s all.” It would have crushed Maggie if the truth hadn’t been written on Sammy’s face.

Their practice was reserved for a long time while they both investigated boys and never discussed their feelings for each other. It was two years before that first turn of the rudder showed any major course change.

Maggie woke up in a panic. Sammy had spent the night, and Maggie realized she was holding her friend’s arm against her chest. Sammy was behind her, leaning against her back. A leg was tangled up with Maggie’s, and she could feel Sammy’s breasts on her back.

They were silky soft, and Maggie needed to slip out from under the arm and get away without waking Sammy up. There was no reason for both of them to be embarrassed. The problem was Maggie didn’t want to move away from something that felt so good. She closed her eyes, hoping she’d wake up and find out that Sammy had resolved the awkward situation.

“Psst, can I have my arm?”

The wisps of breath so close to her ear sent a tremor down Maggie’s neck. It didn’t stop until it reached her groin and caused her to jerk. Without releasing the arm, she asked, “Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?”

With her lips touching Maggie’s earlobe, Sammy asked, “Why aren’t you wearing panties?”

Why, where, when, how does she know? The sound of her heartbeat was suddenly thumping inside Maggie’s head. Sammy’s thigh was stuffed between hers, dangerously close to her crotch. “I asked first.”

“It got hot, so I took it off,” Sammy said. “I didn’t know you were going to be spooning me during the night.”

“Um, I think you’re doing the spooning, all piled up on me.”

“Only cuz you grab my arm and drag me over on you.”

“Did not.”

“Says the girl still going to second base with my arm.”

“That’s just because you stuffed it in there.” Reluctantly, Maggie released Sammy’s arm.

“You know,” Sammy started and moved back. As soon as the leg was gone from between her thighs, Maggie missed it, and her body seemed to ache, wanting it back. It had been like a pillow she’d put there, except a million times better. “This is okay with me,” Sammy finished.

Maggie turned back toward her friend, and Sammy threw a leg across her stomach. Now, not only could she feel it, but Maggie could see Sammy’s tit. It was soft, warm, and heavier than Maggie imagined it would be. Sammy’s nose touched hers, and Maggie looked into the girl’s big brown doe eyes. Her thick lashes flapped in slow motion. Maggie knew they weren’t practicing anymore.

Once their lips touched, and without hesitation, Maggie’s parted. The peppermint candy that Maggie had smelled was now in her mouth. They swapped it back and forth playfully, and somehow, there wasn’t anything gross about it like ABC gum.

As Sammy straightened her leg, Maggie panicked, knowing her shirt was up past her hips and her friend’s thigh was going to cross over her exposed mound. Right as the first strawberry curls were being crushed and Maggie’s heartbeat pulsed in her engorged nipples, Sammy’s hand shot up under her shirt.

It was a sensory overload, and Maggie might have bitten Sammy’s tongue when the full weight of the thigh pressed down on her pubic bone and Sammy’s hand reached her tit. In a way, she had gone to second and third base at the same time.

Sammy broke the kiss, stared into Maggie’s eyes, and pinched the nipple between her fingers. Maggie had never been so scared, so excited, and so ready for this to be happening. Unexpectedly and without permission, Maggie’s pelvis shoved up, trying to get more of what Sammy’s thigh was giving.