Second Chances (24 page)

Her hardened nipples felt like small pebbles in the palms of her hands.  Allison’s free hand wandered up her body and rested on one of her breasts. She squeezed Reagan’s hand, causing her to grab more soundly onto
her own breast.  Together, they kneaded Reagan’s pliable flesh.

Reagan released her hold on her breasts
, and her hands and arms went above her head to grasp tightly to the sides of the wooden headboard.  The head of the bed groaned and strained under the pressure.  Allison withdrew her sticky fingers from Reagan’s core and twisted and tweaked her tender nipples.  She rolled the sensitive buds between her fingers, pulling on them hard, earning herself yet another loud groan.

Allison shifted her weight, pulling herself up on her knees and lower limbs.  She buried her face deeper into
Reagan’s clenching core, licking hard at her clit. 

“Oh, shit!” Reagan called out, feeling a sharp stab of pleasure attacking her insides.

Allison returned two fingers to Reagan’s tightening sex.  She pushed her digits in hard, forcing her way through the telltale tightness.  She lapped at Reagan’s swollen clit, suckling it more slowly and tenderly. 

Reagan released her hold on the headboard
, and one hand went between Allison’s clenching shoulder blades.  Her back felt damp with sweat.

Reagan felt a slow-building pressure creeping around insi
de her lower abdomen.  She had climaxed before with other partners and from her own ministrations, but this felt new.  “Ah-h-h-h-h…” she groaned out as an intense, yet soothing orgasm washed over her entire body.  She felt like a flower opening up to bloom for the sun.  She felt like she was sinking inside a warm bath while a hot shower simultaneously beat down from above.

Allison climbed b
ack up the bed and wrapped her arms around Reagan’s damp body.  “So?” she murmured into her ear.  She could smell the slight scent of sex and sweat on Reagan’s warm skin. “What did you think?”

Reagan
snuggled herself deeper into Allison’s yielding flesh.  “You were right,” she breathed. She could hear her heart in her ears. “Slow is good.”

+++++

Allison traced her fingertips along the delicate bones of Reagan’s hand.  Outside, the sky was still dark, but she couldn’t fall asleep. Reagan twitched beside her, but she didn’t wake up.  Allison continued her light circles on the insides of her wrists. Reagan’s lips parted slightly and a quiet sigh slipped out.

She stilled her movements and watched the gentle rise and fall of
Reagan’s chest as she slept beside her.  Allison closed her eyes when a sensation washed over her.  She felt so happy, so satisfied, and her heart was so full, she felt as if her chest might burst.  But as happy as she was, she was also terrified.  She could mess this up.  She could lose this perfect feeling.

“Allie?”

Allison opened her eyes at the sound of her name and found bright blue orbs staring at her. 

“What’s wrong?”

Allison gave Reagan a weak smile.  “Everything’s fine. Go back to sleep.”

Reagan furrowed her brow and looked unconv
inced. “Are you sure?”

Allison placed a soft kiss on the tip of
Reagan’s nose.  “Everything’s perfect,” she breathed.  “I promise.”

+++++

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

Reagan awoke to a sharp pain in her side.  A small, yet surprisingly strong foot connected with her lower ribs, shoving her out of bed. She flailed her arms and landed solidly on the carpeted floor.  She swung her legs and feet out wildly from her new position on the floor, but only managed to become more tangled in the sheets that had slid off the bed along with her body.

“God, you’re a sound sleeper,” came a feminine voice above her.

Reagan pulled the cotton sheet away from her face to see Allison smirking down at her.  Her golden hair was pulled back in a messy bun.  She wore a fitted t-shirt with her college’s name tight against her breasts and tiny sleep shorts.

“That’s some alarm clock,” Reagan complained bitterly as she continued to struggle with the stubborn blankets.

Allison stifled a laugh. “I tried to wake you up nicely, but you just kept slapping my hands away and moaning incoherently.”

Reagan pulled at the sheets and finally succeeded in prying herself free. “I think
you
were the one doing the incoherent moaning last night.”

Allison frowned. “Downstairs,” she ordered.  “Now.  We have to make it look like you slept in the guest room.  My mom will be up any minute now.”

Reagan’s mouth opened wide.  “But…”

“Listen, Rea,” Allison interrupted.  She walked over to her bedroom window and pulled the blinds up, allowing more morning sunshine to stream into her room. “My mom might be cool.  One might even call her open-minded, especially compared to my dad, but instead of her walking in on us like this, I’d like to give her
some
warning before I can even think about telling her –,”

“That I ate you out last night?” Reagan interjected with a smug smile.

Allison blushed, but tried to cover it up by rolling her eyes. “Just get downstairs. Please?” she pleaded.

Reagan sighed loudly and scowled as she scanned the room for her discarded clothing.  Her clothes from the previous night were haphazardly scattered around Allison’s bedroom.  Allison helped her along by throwing a t-shirt and pajamas pants at her head.  Reagan caught the clothes and quickly pulled the top on over her naked upper torso.  “Fine,” she grumbled, not looking happy to be putting clothing back on.

She hopped up from the floor and pulled the pajama pants on.  She looked down and grimaced.  Not only were they too long for her short legs, but they also had ice-skating polar bears on them.  “You
so
owe me,” she grunted. 

Allison knew it was completely wrong of her to demand that Reagan act as though the previous night hadn’t happened, but she wasn’t prepared to deal with the consequences of their actions.  Yes, she had been the one to initiate sex.  Yes, she had had an amazing night.  But now, the morning after, she couldn’t help but feel rattled by how bold she had been in bed.  The fact that she’d had sex with a girl wasn’t paramount on that list of reasons to feel unsettled. Instead, she felt more embarrassed by how aggressive she’d felt with Reagan.

Reagan’s head popped back up when she felt familiar hands back on her hips.  Allison’s palms came in contact with a small strip of naked skin between the top of the too-large pajama bottoms and the bottom hem of the v-neck shirt.  Reagan’s skin felt warm and soft, triggering memories of what had happened between them just a handful of hours earlier.

Allison placed a gentle kiss on Reagan’s twisted mouth and pulled back with a small smile.   “And believe me. I can’t wait to settle up my debts.”

++++++

“So do you girls have any big plans today?” Jill Hoge asked as she whisked the batter for her world-famous pancakes. The metal utensil clicked against the glass mixing-bowl.

The two girls glanced briefly at each other.  Allison raised an eyebrow at Reagan who merely shrugged in response. Reagan had made it downstairs just in time to throw some blankets on the guest bed to give the appearance that she had spent the night sleeping downstairs, rather than upstairs with her arms and legs wrapped around Allison.  Allison’s mother had descended the second-floor staircase shortly afterwards; and now she, the two girls, and Lucy stood around the island in the kitchen.

“I’ve been promising Lucy we’d go to the pumpkin patch this weekend,” Jill continued.  She sprinkled some cinnamon into the liquid mixture. “You know the one, Allison, with the hayrides and the apple picking?”

“Oh, yeah. I remember that place.” Allison nodded.  She flashed a quick smile at Reagan. “Have you ever been to a pumpkin patch?  That seems like something you’d be way into.”

Reagan shook her head. “I actually haven’t,” she remarked. “We always got our pumpkins each year from a stand out on the highway.”

“Oh, you
have
to come with us!” Lucy insisted in a high-pitched voice.  She bounced slightly on her stool. “Mom, tell Reagan she
has
to come.”

A knock at the back door interrupted their conversation and all eyes went to the kitchen door where Carly had her hands and face pressed up against the window.  Her nose was angled to one side and her lips and cheeks looked warped from being squished against the pane of glass.  Lucy giggled and immediately hopped off her stool to let her inside. 

Lucy laughed again when she opened the kitchen door. “You know Mom’s gonna make you clean that window now,” she snickered, pointing at the smudge spots Carly’s face had left behind.

Carly strode into the back room, followed by her twin sister.  “It’s totally worth it as long as I still get breakfast,” she beamed, rubbing her hands together eagerly.

Jill checked the turkey sausage on the front burner.  “Good morning, you two,” she smiled.  “Breakfast’s almost ready.  Carly,” she announced, “the Windex is under the sink.”

Carly’s face fell and Beth gave her sister a playful nudge. “You thought she was kidding about that, huh?” she giggled.

Reagan felt suddenly uncomfortable surrounded by so many people, hostile or not.  Everyone was acting like this was the most normal thing in the world – Saturday morning breakfast in the Hoge house – and she felt like an extra and unwanted appendage.  She reached for a piece of toast from the stack that teetered on a plate in front of her for something to do.

Allison playfully slapped Reagan’s hand away. “Wait until the rest of the food is ready,” she lightly chastised. “My mom is making vegan pancakes just for you.”

Reagan gave her a mischievous smile.  “Sorry,” she said quietly. “I’m just really hungry. I didn't have popcorn last night, so the only thing I had to eat since dinner was your – mmrrpph.” 

Her speech was quickly silenced when Allison hastily shoved a piece of toast into her open mouth.  Reagan smiled around the toast and began to chew noisily, smacking her lips. Allison looked flustered, and her hazel eyes darted around the kitchen to take stock if anyone had overheard their conversation.  Her friends and family all looked too distracted by the sounds and smells of breakfast to notice them though.

“Lucy,” her mother called out, putting the last of the pancakes on a serving plate, “get everyone a plate would you, sweetie?”

The teenaged girl sulked, but wordlessly obeyed her mother’s request.  Once everyone had a plate and silverware, the group heartily dug into the food in front of them.  Jill had made enough food to feed a small army.

“Awesome as usual, Mom,” Allison grinned as she bit off the end of a turkey sausage.

“I agree,” Reagan echoed the compliment.  She washed down a large mouthful of vegan pancake with half a glass of orange juice. “Thank you for making breakfast, Mrs. Hoge.  It was really kind of you to make vegan options for me.”

“It’s no problem at all, Reagan,” Jill waved off Reagan’s gratitude.  Reagan made a mental note of the action.  It seemed both Allison and her mother had a gift for deflecting compliments. “What kind of person would I be if I made you go hungry while the rest of us enjoyed breakfast?”

“Oh, Mom!” Lucy squealed suddenly. Her high-pitched voice caused Reagan to drop her fork and it clattered noisily on her nearly empty plate. “Can Carly and Beth come to the pumpkin patch with us, too?”

Jill laughed at her daughter’s enthusiasm. “Lucy, they might have other plans today,” she gently reminded.

“That’s that pumpkin patch just outside of town, right” Carly stated excitedly. “I’m totally in.  How about you, Beth?”

Her twin sister nodded. “I could totally go for an apple donut.”

Jill smiled kindly at Reagan. “Okay, so that just leaves you, Reagan.  How about it?”

Reagan felt everyone’s eyes suddenly burning into her.  This family bonding stuff was right up her alley, but the fact that it was with the Hoge family and Allison’s high school friends made her uncomfortable.  But, if she got to spend another day with Allison, she reasoned, then who was she to deny herself some fun?

Reagan flashed the group a brief smile. “Okay,” she caved. “Count me in.”

+++++

“Ahhhh!! I
love
Fall!” Lucy squealed as their car pulled into a makeshift parking lot.  The fallow field was crowded with other vehicles, and families walked hand-in-hand around the impressive working farm.  As soon as her mother parked the SUV, Lucy’s seatbelt was off and she jumped out of the passenger-side door.

“Lucy!” Mrs. Hoge called out after the teen as she rushed toward the ticket booth.  “Don’t get lost!”

Reagan smirked at Allison, who sat beside her in the backseat.  “I take it your sister’s a big fan of Fall?”

Allison unbuckled her seatbelt. “She’s not the only one,” she revealed with a shy smile.  “Even I’ve got to admit that there’s something about apple cider and pumpkin seeds and scarves that makes me a little weak in the knees.”

Reagan leaned in close, causing Allison’s heartbeat to accelerate. “I know what else will make you weak in the knees,” she boldly murmured.

Allison shuddered. “Don’t, Reagan,” she breathed. “Not here in front of everyone.”

Reagan’s hand slid onto the Allison’s taut thigh and subtly moved up. She could feel the heat emanating under Allison’s jeans.  Sitting so close the entire ride without being able to touch had been acute torture.  She’d never been with someone who she wanted to touch
all of the time
.  It was new and a little overwhelming.  After restraining herself around Allison for so long, it felt like the floodgates had been opened after last night. “What’s wrong?”

A sharp rap on the backseat window startled Allison.  She instinctively slapped Reagan’s hand away and looked up.  Beth’s smiling face beamed back at her, no sign on her face that she’d seen the intimate interaction.  She and Carly had ridden up in her vehicle since there wasn’t enough room for all of them in the Hoge’s car. “C’mon, you guys.” Her muffled voice reverberated through the back window. “Your mom got us all tickets for the hayride.”

“We’ll be right there,” Allison responded.

Reagan took her time taking off her seatbelt. “So I take it I’m not allowed to touch you anymore.”

Allison flashed Reagan a pleading look.  “I’m not embarrassed to be seen with you Rea, I promise. But I still need some time to adjust to what happened last night.”

“You’re the one who wanted to have sex,” Reagan pointed out.

Allison flushed. Why did that word sound so abrasive to her sensibilities? “I know I did,” she admitted, unfastening her seatbelt as well. “Just please.  Give me some time.”

Reagan mumbled something under her breath and exited the car.  Allison scrambled after her.  “Rea, wait.”

Reagan ignored her and continued stomping towards where their group had collected in a line waiting for the hayride.  She only stopped when Allison successfully snagged her by the elbow.

“You’ve giving me whiplash.”

Allison immediately dropped her hold. “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to grab you so hard.”

Reagan shook her head. “I mean this Hot-and-Cold, Stop-and-Go attitude, Allie.”

Allison worried her bottom lip. “Can we just enjoy the day?  We don’t get to see each other too often.”

Reagan released a heaving sigh and ran her fingers through her loose hair.  “Fine,” she conceded.  “We can put this sleeping-together-thing on the backburner.” She leveled her eyes on Allison.  “But we
are
going to talk about this, Hoge.  You can’t run away from it forever.”

Allison swallowed hard and nodded. “I know.”

+++++

“Good afternoon, everybody,” came the cheerful voice over a scratchy P.A. system. “I’m Farmer Jeff,” the man behind the wheel of the green tractor introduced himself, “and welcome to Harvest Acres. In just a little bit we’ll be going deeper into the farm, past the apple orchard and into the pumpkin patches.  Once we get there,” he continued, “I’ll stop the tractor and y’all can go pick your own pumpkins.  So for now, just sit back and enjoy the ride.”

The P.A. cut off and the engine of the John Deer tractor revved loudly.  The speakers crackled before a muffled John Denver song blared out of them.  Farmer Jeff fiddled with the controls to the giant tractor.  The attached trailer lurched forward, and the group inside banged into each other.  Finally, the farmer manipulated the tractor into the right gear and slowly inched the farm vehicle forward.