All My Tomorrows (7 page)

Maggie shrugged. "I don't know if it matters or not. It… it just took me by surprise."

"Well, for that, I apologize," Jordan replied stoically.

"Jordan, don't be that way," Maggie exclaimed.

Jordan's head turned sharply in Maggie's direction. "How the hell do you want me to be?" she asked angrily.

"Honest, for one," Maggie replied.

Jordan could feel the anger rising in her chest as she gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"I have been completely honest with you, Maggie."

"Not completely. You said yourself there were things you couldn't explain right now."

Jordan continued to stare straight ahead.

Maggie sighed deeply. "Look, Jordan, I don't want to argue with you."

Jordan shook her head. "You just don't understand."

Maggie put both hands on the window frame and leaned forward. "Then why don't you explain it to me?" she suggested firmly.

Jordan reached across the bench seat and threw the passenger door open. "Get in."

* * *

Jordan and Maggie drove to the western fringe of the property to where the land abruptly fell off to the lake. An uncomfortable silence settled over them as they both stared out at Lake Champlain.

Maggie turned in her seat to face Jordan. "Tell me about your accident."

Jordan dropped her hands from the steering wheel and allowed them to fall into her lap. She stared at them for several minutes before she looked at Maggie.

"Like I said, I was sixteen at the time. I was riding my horse, Sally, who by the way was a mustang. Anyway, I was riding Sally across the field and she stumbled and threw me. I landed pretty hard, and at an angle that broke my back at the L1 vertebrae, just below the small of my back. I was in a hover… ah, I mean, a wheelchair until I was thirty."

"Oh, my God. How old are you now?" Maggie asked.

"I'm thirty-two."

Maggie did a quick calculation in her head. "So, you were in a wheelchair for fourteen years? How awful for you."

"Awful doesn't even begin to describe it, Maggie. I grew up on this… er, I mean, I grew up on a farm very much like this one, and I felt so incredibly useless stuck in that chair. I spent a significant amount of time after school in the barn with my father. I helped as much as I could with the horses, and we enjoyed small carpentry projects together, but I didn't venture far from the property. I was an only child and my parents were somewhat older than those of other kids, so it was a pretty lonely childhood."

"Where are your parents now?" Maggie asked.

"They died in a car accident when I was twenty-six."

Maggie was crestfallen as she imagined the emotional and physical pain and suffering Jordan must have endured in her life. "I'm sorry," she whispered softly.

"Thanks," Jordan replied without looking up.

"So how did you come to have the implant?"

Jordan lifted her head and pressed it against the headrest. "I volunteered for a spinal implant development project being conducted at the University of Vermont Spinal Institute. They almost didn't accept me because my injury was so old, but I persisted and eventually, they gave in. This is actually the second implant. The first one lasted for two years then failed several months ago. So far, this new one is working well."

Maggie tilted her head to the side. "So, how does the implant work? I mean, you walk like there is nothing wrong with you."

"The implant sends alternating electrical pulses to both sides of the injury site and in theory it encourages the nerve endings to begin growing toward one another. Hopefully, some day soon, they will bridge the injury site and grow together. In the meantime, I have restored mobility, and with any luck, at some point, the nerve endings in my skin will wake up and smell the coffee too," Jordan explained.

"I had no idea that medical science has progressed so far. It's like a miracle," Maggie exclaimed.

Several more moments of silence passed as Maggie digested the information Jordan had given her. Finally, she touched Jordan's hand. "Jordan, close your eyes," she said softly.

Jordan turned her head to face Maggie and drew her brow into a frown. "Why?"

"Humor me, please," Maggie replied.

Jordan dutifully closed her eyes and waited for Maggie's move.

"Can you feel this?" Maggie asked as she rubbed Jordan's knee with her hand.

"No." Jordan's eyelashes fluttered.

"No, no, no, don't open your eyes. Do you feel this?" Maggie ran her hand along Jordan's thigh.

Jordan concentrated hard but failed to feel any direct stimuli. "No," she said impatiently.

Maggie allowed her hand to roam across Jordan's abdomen and into the crevice between her legs. "How about this?"

Jordan dropped her chin to her chest without opening her eyes. "No. I don't feel anything."

"Surely, you can feel this," Maggie said as she slipped her hand into Jordan's shirt.

Jordan stiffened, but kept her eyes closed.

"Yes, you can feel that. How about this?" Maggie reached far enough inside Jordan's shirt to feel her left breast and capture her nipple between her fingers.

"Ah," Jordan exclaimed as a sudden bolt of desire shot directly to her core. Her eyes flew open and she pressed her own hand into her abdomen. She looked at Maggie. "Do that again."

Maggie applied pressure to the hardened nipple. Once more, Jordan nearly doubled over.

"Damn," Jordan quivered as ripples of pleasure ran through her. She looked at Maggie. Her eyes were wild with wonder and desire. "I can feel that deep within my core. It feels incredible."

Maggie smiled. "This is your first time, isn't it?" she asked softly.

Unable to speak, Jordan just nodded. To Jordan's dismay, Maggie retracted her hand from inside her shirt.

"Well, your first time will not be in the front seat of a beat up old truck. Drive us home."

CHAPTER 6

Jordan left a large cloud of dust in her wake as she accelerated the old pickup truck across the plains and nearly brought it to a screeching halt in front of the farmhouse. She jumped out of the driver's side and quickly ran around the front of the truck to open Maggie's door for her. Maggie took her hand as she stepped out of the truck. Together they ascended the porch steps and came to a halt at the top.

Jan was standing inside the house, just behind the screen door. "Well, well, well. Isn't this interesting," she sneered.

Jordan took a step toward the door, but was stopped by Maggie who glanced at her and silently communicated that she would handle the situation.

"Don't start, Jan. Has the hospital called yet?" she asked.

Jan narrowed her eyes. "Hospital? Why would the hospital call?"

"One of the carpenters fell out of the rafters directly to the floor of the new barn. We had to call an ambulance to come after him. Jordan stabilized his neck until they got here. I hope he's going to be okay," Maggie explained.

Jan put her hands on her hips. "No, they haven't called yet."

Maggie reached for the screen door handle and pulled it open. Jan stepped aside to allow them to enter. Maggie nervously paced back and forth across the room as she spoke.

"Jan, I need you to go to the hospital to follow up on this for me. This is very important. I'm afraid the carpenter might hold the farm liable, and I need to be sure he's going to be okay. The last thing we need is for a lawsuit, never mind losing the farm in the process."

"We'll lose the farm over my dead body," Jan exclaimed angrily. "Who was it?"

Maggie tried to remember the man's name. "Don something."

"Feldman," Jordan supplied. "Don Feldman."

Jan was clearly surprised. "Don Feldman? I know him. Quite the ladies' man, or at least he thinks he is. Which hospital did they take him to?"

"Well, it was the Shelburne Rescue Squad. I would assume they'd take him to the UVM Medical Center," Maggie replied.

"Okay, I'll go check it out. I'll be back in a few hours," Jan said.

"Take the truck. The keys are still in it," Jordan called after her.

Maggie and Jordan watched as Jan ran down the porch steps and jumped into the truck. Seconds later, all that remained was dust. Maggie closed the house door and leaned her back against it. She reached a hand out to Jordan. Jordan walked toward Maggie and, without touching her, leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on the redhead's lips. She then took one step back and extended her hand, into which Maggie willingly slipped hers. Jordan gently pulled her away from the door and led her toward the bedroom.

Jordan pushed the bedroom door open and allowed Maggie to pass through before her. She closed the door behind them and pulled Maggie into her arms. They stood there for what seemed an eternity, with Maggie's face pressed close to Jordan's chest. Jordan could feel Maggie tremble in her arms. "You're trembling. Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine. I just want you so badly, I'm having a problem containing my desire," Maggie explained.

Jordan released her hold and took Maggie's face between her hands. "You are so beautiful," she whispered as her mouth descended once more.

She gently teased Maggie's lips, caressing them with her tongue, asking for permission to enter. Maggie was hardly able to breathe as she parted her lips and readily accepted Jordan's tongue into her mouth.

"I want you," Jordan rasped, barely able to contain her desire.

Maggie's ardor grew as she pulled Jordan's hair to force her closer. "Make love to me," she insisted breathlessly before plunging her tongue into Jordan's mouth, tasting and caressing in a duel for dominance before breaking for air.

Jordan's hands wandered freely over Maggie's body. She placed her hands on Maggie's bottom and squeezed. Maggie sighed aloud. A low growl emitted from Jordan as she pulled Maggie's shirttails out of her jeans and ran her hands under the shirt and over the creamy white skin of her back. Maggie arched her back in an effort to press herself into Jordan's touch.

Within moments, Jordan released the clasps of Maggie's bra. As the bra released, an almost orgasmic wave of relief filtered through Maggie's body. Jordan then unbuttoned Maggie's shirt, and pushed it off her shoulders only far enough to trap her arms in the process. Her lips explored Maggie's neck as she continued to push the shirt down off her arms. The shirt drifted to the floor, followed closely by Maggie's bra.

Not to be outdone, Maggie deftly made short work of the buttons on Jordan's shirt as her garment joined the growing pile on the floor. Maggie admired the toned muscles of Jordan's arms as she ran her hands over her deltoids, across her collar bones, and down over her breasts. Within seconds, Maggie pulled Jordan's sports bra off over her head and threw it on the floor. Skin to skin they embraced. Nipples hardened against one another.

An involuntary spasm wracked Jordan's body.

"Are you okay?" Maggie asked.

"I am feeling things I've never felt before, Maggie. It's a bit overwhelming."

"Do you trust me, Jordan?" Maggie asked.

"With my life."

"Then relax and enjoy this. I promise not to hurt you."

"I believe you, Maggie."

Jordan pulled led Maggie to the side of the bed. She lowered her mouth once more to Maggie's neck and nuzzled her ear as her hands teased and squeezed her nipples to full erectness.

"Jordan," Maggie moaned as she grasped Jordan's hand and encouraged more.

Jordan's hand left Maggie's breast to unbuckle her belt and jeans. She eased the zipper down to gain valuable operating room as she slipped her hand inside. Jordan nearly doubled over with lustful hunger as she found the evidence of Maggie's passion while alien pangs of passion flooded her own core.

"Maggie. You are so wet. My God, what you do to me."

"Please, baby, I need more," Maggie begged as she reached between them to unzip Jordan's jeans and push them off her hips.

Jordan kicked her jeans off then lowered herself to one knee as she pulled down Maggie's jeans and panties and helped her to step out of them. She then dropped to both knees and pressed her face into Maggie's abdomen and firmly gripped the bulbous curves of Maggie's bottom.

"Maggie, I need you," Jordan whispered.

Maggie grasped the sides of Jordan's arms and encouraged her to stand. She pushed Jordan's panties to the floor. Eagerly, they embraced and lowered their entwined bodies to the bed, where they lay in each other's arms like braided rope, kissing, exploring and breathing common air.

"I am so in love with you," Jordan confessed.

Maggie rolled on top of Jordan and placed one finger on her lips. "Shh, don't say that. You barely know me."

Jordan smiled. "I have known you for a hundred years, and I will love you for a hundred more," she replied as she reached down between them and slid two fingers inside of the woman above her.

Maggie dropped her chin to her chest, her red hair falling into Jordan's face. She moaned loudly as she pressed herself down onto Jordan's hand.

"Jordan, baby, that feels so good."

Jordan gained the upper hand and rolled Maggie onto her back. She continued to plunge into her lover as she grasped a handful of Maggie's hair at the back of her head and devoured Maggie's mouth. Maggie's moans became louder and Jordan could feel the vibration of her voice echo between their mouths.

Jordan suddenly retracted her fingers. Maggie moaned in protest. "Jordan, no, please, I need you."

"Shh, relax my love," Jordan whispered as she placed gentle kisses along the length of Maggie's collarbone.

Maggie placed her hands on Jordan's head and pushed her downward.

Jordan chuckled. "All in good time, my love. All in good time."

Jordan continued to place butterfly kisses across Maggie's breasts until she reached her nipples, which she absorbed into her mouth, one by one and captured between her teeth. With the sensitive nub gently held captive, Jordan flicked each one with the tip of her tongue until Maggie shuddered with delight. Jordan allowed her hands to run freely over Maggie's abdomen as her mouth slowly made its way southward. Maggie's hips rose to meet Jordan's mouth, demanding satisfaction.

Then, just as Jordan captured Maggie's sweet spot between her teeth, she drove two fingers once again deep into Maggie's core. Maggie's chest arched off the bed and she was unable to contain the scream of desire erupting from her throat.

Maggie's body began to stiffen as her muscles tightened around Jordan's fingers. "Harder, baby, please," she begged as Jordan increased her rhythm.

Jordan held her close as Maggie's body arched off the bed and she cried out her release.

"Let it go, Maggie. Let it go. I want all of you, forever," Jordan whispered gently as Maggie's orgasm subsided.

Jordan gathered Maggie into her arms and held her close as her breathing returned to normal and the pleasurable tension left her body.

Several moments later, Maggie rolled Jordan onto her back. "Your turn," she said. "I want this first time to be special for you."

"Just being here with you makes it special, Maggie," Jordan replied.

Maggie dropped a delicious kiss on Jordan's lips then licked her way along Jordan's jaw line to her ear. Maggie's tongue penetrated the cavity. Jordan moaned as she felt a wave of desire invade her abdomen. The intensity of the invasion was unsettling and ecstatic. She had never felt so out of control in her life. She began to tremble.

Maggie raised her head and looked at Jordan questioningly. "Are you all right?"

Jordan forced a smile to her lips, but was unable to chase away the tears at the corners of her eyes. "I'm okay. A little nervous, maybe, and a lot scared, but I'm okay."

"Do you want me to stop?"

Jordan tucked a lock of wild red hair behind Maggie's ear. "No, love. Don't stop. I want you to make love to me. Please?"

Maggie smiled and placed another deep kiss on Jordan's lips. "Anything you want, lover. Anything you want."

Jordan tilted her head back as Maggie kissed her throat. With her tongue, Maggie traced her flesh to the indentation where Jordan's collarbones met above her breastbone. The erotic feel of Maggie's tongue circling the indentation drove her crazy as she grasped the sheets on both sides of her body and arched herself closer to Maggie.

Maggie took her cue from Jordan and moved downward, biting Jordan's skin along the way. Each gentle strike brought a spasm to Jordan's abdomen. Maggie stopped at Jordan's breasts and gently ran circles around each erect nipple before sucking them one at a time into her mouth and capturing the hardness between her teeth. She flicked the sensitive nub with her tongue repeatedly.

Jordan's hands flew up to Maggie's head. Maggie looked up. "Harder, please," Jordan urged. Veins protruded from Jordan's neck and her face and chest were flushed crimson as she strained against the ripples of desire spreading through her.

Never before had Jordan felt such intensity of emotion. Any other experiences paled in comparison to what Maggie was doing to her. "Maggie, I need you. Please release me," she begged.

Maggie once more moved downward, not stopping until she could smell the aroma of Jordan's readiness. "Hmm, lover, you are indeed ready for me, aren't you?" she cooed as she slipped her tongue between the folds of Jordan's womanhood.

To Jordan's dismay, she had absolutely no feeling from Maggie's caresses.

Maggie continued her efforts for the next few minutes until she realized there was no change in Jordan's demeanor. She raised her eyes and looked at Jordan over the expanse of her abdomen and saw the apology in her lover's eyes as she mouthed the words, I'm sorry. Maggie raised her head and cocked it to one side.

"I'm sorry, love. I don't feel anything. I'm so sorry." Jordan began to cry.

Maggie was confused.
Didn't she say she felt the burn of desire in her abdomen?

Not wanting to admit defeat, without warning Maggie plunged two fingers deep inside of Jordan. Curling her fingers upward, she thrust in and out of Jordan, massaging her most sensitive spot with each thrust.

Jordan's head slammed back into the pillow. "Ah!" she screamed out. "Don't stop. Please, don't stop."

Tears rolled down both women's faces as Jordan's thrusts matched Maggie's. Jordan grasped the bed sheets on both sides to anchor herself as her hips rose higher and higher off the bed. Waves of desire pummeled her body as Jordan's orgasm raced through her, setting every nerve ending on fire.

For what felt like an eternity, ripples of aftershocks ran through Jordan's body as Maggie held her close. Finally, the spasms subsided, and Maggie gently slid her hand out of her lover then wrapped her arms around Jordan, who was crying uncontrollably. "It's okay, baby. You are safe. Let it go, lover. Relax."

Jordan was nearly incapable of speech as sobs tore through her chest. "I love you, Maggie," Jordan said as she burrowed her face into Maggie's neck.

"Hmm," Maggie replied as she continued to hold the fragile woman.

Before long, Jordan relaxed and drifted off to sleep in Maggie's arms. Maggie turned her head and placed a delicate kiss on Jordan's forehead.