Chapter 8

Sierra’s heart jerked in her chest, snapping her out of the trance. She looped Tori’s words in her mind, do me, do me, do me. Was it a question or a command? Either way, Sierra didn’t know what to do. “Huh?”

“Wash my back, now,” Tori said. “Unless you expected me to do your butt and legs, too.”

“Ah, no, no, of course not,” Sierra said and switched places with Tori.

Once the girl’s coffee-brown skin was soaked, Sierra raised the bar of soap to Tori’s shoulder, but her eyes were on the smooth globes, beaded with glistening droplets. This half of Saotome was all woman. Sierra wished her butt was that firm, with such a deep, elicit groove cut between her cheeks. “Here goes,” Sierra said and quickly rubbed the soap on Tori’s back.

The difference between giving a friend a back rub and massaging a naked girl with your soapy hands was huge. Sierra grabbed on and sank her fingertips into Tori’s warm flesh, and her mind recoiled. She wanted to do it as well as Tori had, but it wasn’t happening. There had been so much pleasure and even sexual thoughts while she was being massaged, but Sierra couldn’t see who was touching her.

Now that her hands were on a naked girl, and she was trying to reciprocate, Sierra felt ill. She had been on the brink of an orgasm, wishing Tori would keep going. Why would she want to try and get Tori that aroused?

When Sierra said, “Okay, done,” and stepped back, Tori sighed, but Sierra couldn’t tell if it was from disappointment or satisfaction.

After returning from the lounge, while Mandy was taking a shower, Cindy stood in front of the dresser with the TV on it and stared at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol and laughter. They had a great time. Mandy was from a different world and had done things that Cindy hadn’t even dreamed of.

The younger woman had also charmed her, embarrassed her with compliments, and danced with her. They had taken a giggling walk in the snow, and Mandy made it seem like great fun to throw snowballs and make snow angels. They both agreed after getting off the ground that it was too cold and cracked up like teenagers all the way back to the building.

Cindy spoke to her reflection, “What is going on with you?” Maybe she had known about the affair without knowing. It wasn’t that unusual for couples to cut back on sex after years of marriage. That’s what Cindy had been telling herself for longer than she realized.

It had been over a year, and she hadn’t even masturbated. When Cindy brought up sex, Richard made her feel like she expected too much from him after he worked all day. She had started to think there was something wrong with her. Of course, he wasn’t horny; he was getting laid. Cindy hated herself for being so naive.

No wonder Mandy made her feel these things; nobody had told her how pretty or sexy she was for years, and she had been sexually deprived. Why wouldn’t she have a girl crush? Okay, the party is over, Cindy thought, your daughter is next door, and you’re not into women, anyway.

When Mandy finished, Cindy went into the bathroom and undressed. Her nipples stiffened. There was heat growing between her legs. Horny, I’m so horny, she thought. Masturbation and a good night’s sleep would take care of everything. Tomorrow they would be on their way home, back to her regular life, and all the confusing feelings would be gone. Cindy got in the shower, angry that she would have to satisfy herself.

After Cindy showered, she brushed her teeth and put on a nightshirt. When she stepped out of the bathroom, Mandy was in front of the mirror, brushing her hair. It was wet and glistened. The short Puerto Rican lady was wearing a T-shirt that clung to her curves so tightly that Cindy could tell she wasn’t wearing anything under it. It ended just below the humps of Mandy’s butt. Cindy was staring.

A talking head on the TV said, “The Senator while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity. Details after the break.”

Mandy shook her head, and without turning from the mirror, said, “Men, pigs, they’re pigs.”

“You’re right,” Cindy said disgustedly and walked behind Mandy. They made eye contact in the mirror. A scared little girl in pain had replaced the joyful expression Cindy had seen earlier. “What’s wrong?” She squeezed Mandy’s shoulders.

“I know her so well,” Mandy said. “I’ve been through so much with her. I was there for her first BFF, first kiss, first dance, and all the shit a girl like Tori goes through in school. I’ve been through so much with her. I knew she was lying. I saw the fear in her eyes. It was like looking in the mirror.”

“It’s okay.” Cindy eased her arms around Mandy’s waist. “Tell me what’s wrong.”