Cold (21 page)

"So what would you like for Christmas?" Jo asked as she draped an arm around the blonde's shoulders.

"There's nothing I need." Rocky reached for Jo's free hand, holding it within both of hers. "Please don't get me anything. I have everything I want," she kissed the tips of Jo's fingers, "right here."

Jo pouted. "But I'd like to get you something."

"There's nothing I want," she explained. "And besides, I'd just feel awful because I couldn't get you anything."

"I don't want anything."

"Then that's decided." Rocky chuckled and nudged Jo with her shoulder

"Then maybe there's something I can do for you. Something you've wanted to do or maybe see? How about a show or an evening out in a nice restaurant?"

Rocky shook her head, smiling. But then she seemed to remember something. "You know there is something."

"What? Anything, you know that."

"I'd like to go home."

"Home?"

Rocky watched as Jo's smile disappeared. "Hey, just to visit." She squeezed the large hand reassuringly.

"Oh. Right." Jo was embarrassed; the panic she'd felt for a brief moment had taken her unawares.

"I've never been back there." Rocky closed her eyes for a moment, remembering her home. When she opened her eyes they were watery. "I'd love to show you it."

"Then we'll go." She patted the small hand. "That's settled."

Rocky chuckled to herself. "What have I done to deserve this?"

Jo shrugged, "Why shouldn't you deserve it?"

"Oh, I'm not saying I don't. I must have been good in a previous life or something."

The hair on the back of Jo's neck stood on end at the innocent statement.

"What?" asked Rocky, seeing Jo's gaze turn inward.

"Just something Edna said."

Rocky's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my god ... Edna." She looked up at Jo. "I haven't been to see her; she'll be worried."

Jo pulled Rocky a little tighter. "Believe me, sweetheart. I'm sure somehow Edna knows exactly where and how you are."

"You think so?"

"I'm absolutely sure. But tomorrow," she leaned in and kissed away the worry lines on the blonde's brow, "we'll go and see her and make sure she's alright. Okay?"

The door buzzer invaded the peace of the small house, and Jo stood, leaving Rocky curled on the sofa clutching a cushion in lieu of the tall woman.

She went to the entry phone and pushed the buzzer. "Yeah?"

"Jo? It's Harry."

Jo's face creased into a smile, and she hit the button allowing her friend entry. Then she made her way back into the lounge and to Rocky's side.

"Who is it?" asked the blonde.

"A friend. I'd like you to meet her."

"Not..."

"Trixie?" Jo laughed a distinctively unpleasant laugh. "D'you really think I'd let her up here?"

Harry appeared, framed in the doorway, pulling off a thick, heavy coat. "My God, it's absolutely bloody freezing out." She suddenly took in the scene in front of her and her mouth snapped shut with an audible clunk. "Gosh," was all she could manage.

Jo stood, chuckling to herself, and took the coat from Harry, throwing it onto one of the armchair backs. "Harry, I'd like you to meet Rocky," she said, pushing her friend towards the still seated woman.

Rocky stood as well, and took a tentative step towards the other blonde, warily extending her hand. Her experience of Jo's friends had not been encouraging up to that point.

Harry took the offered hand, shaking it gently. "Hi," she said. "I'm glad she found you."

The three women spent a relaxed evening. Harry and Rocky warmed to each other immediately. Of course Harry really wanted to dislike the other blonde, but found it impossible. Her feelings for Jo were such that she was delighted that the dark-haired woman had found someone to cherish. For that was what she saw when she caught a glimpse of Jo watching Rocky as the smaller woman told her the tale of Jo coming to her rescue. She watched as her friend took the smaller hand in her own, kissing it occasionally, then running her fingers along the inside of her arm from wrist to elbow. She seemed to need to be in contact with Rocky every minute they were in touching distance.

As the night went on, and the sound of the sleet grew louder against the window, Harry decided it was time she left.

"Are you sure?" asked Jo. "It sounds pretty filthy out. You could use the spare bed."

"No, I'm sure. I'll be fine. I have Dad's car." She stood and gathered her coat, slipping it on, then she turned to Rocky.

The two shorter women faced each other for a moment, and then they were hugging. Rocky somehow knew how special this woman was to Jo, and she felt that there was also a small amount of sadness in the woman she now held in her arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered into her ear.

Harry pulled away and held Rocky at arm's length. "Don't be." She looked up at Jo, who was looking on in confusion. "You've got your work cut out there."

Rocky turned her head as well, and Jo found herself the subject of twin sets of adoring gazes. She shuffled from foot to foot until each of the smaller women extended an arm and she bent slightly, joining in the group hug.

Then Rocky backed away, as Jo walked her friend to the door.

Harry was buttoning her coat as the descended the stairs to the front door. "She's lovely," she whispered, holding the door catch but not opening it.

Jo nodded. "She is."

"And you're happy." It was not a question.

"I really am." Jo shrugged, seeming to disbelieve it herself.

"I've never seen you like this."

"Like what?"

Harry punched her friend softly on the shoulder. "Like a love-struck teenager."

"I am?"

"Absolutely." Harry laughed softly at the perplexed look on Jo's face. "But it suits you, so don't go doing anything to ruin it."

"I'm trying really hard."

"And you're doing everything just right by the look on that girl's face." She stood on tiptoes and kissed Jo's chin. "Being in love suits you."

Blue eyes went wide, and Harry patted her friend's cheek. "Don't tell me you haven't realised that yet." Harry shook her head, and opened the door, letting in a blast of frigid air.

Jo held the door open, the sleet hitting her in the face. "I knew that!" she called out to her friend, who shook her head and folded herself into her father's huge car.

Jo watched her leave the small courtyard, and then shut the door against the wind and rain. She stood for a moment with her back to the door. "I knew that," she said again to herself. "I just didn't know it was written all over my face."

By the time she'd returned to the lounge her grin was of epic proportions.

"Knew what?" asked Rocky as she sat next to the blonde and resettled her arm around her shoulders. "What were you shouting about?"

"Something Harry said."

"She loves you very much, doesn't she."

Jo nodded. "She was my best friend... is my best friend," Jo corrected.

"Did you and she ever...?" Rocky waved her hand around, trying to get her question across without saying the actual word.

Jo leaned away from Rocky, peering down at her. "Have sex?"

Rocky sighed. "Yeah."

"No, we didn't. I didn't know she felt that way, until a short time ago. But I'm glad we didn't; it would have ruined our friendship."

"Do you think us having sex would ruin our friendship?" Rocky looked down at the large hand she was holding in her own. But that same hand extricated itself from hers, moved up to her chin and tilted her head up. She found herself pinned by eyes as blue as the summer sky.

"Sweetheart, when we make love I will give you my heart. I promise you that."

"I know," said Rocky.

"All sorted," Jo announced, and threw the cordless phone onto the sofa. "I've found us a cute little hotel just outside Tintagel."

"Really?" The blonde looked up from the Christmas tree. She was placing on it some more decorations that they'd bought earlier that day. She rose and crossed the room, fitting herself neatly at the taller woman's side. "Thank you," she said, leaning in and giving Jo a peck on the cheek.

"I'm looking forward to it; never been to Cornwall."

"You're joking," chuckled Rocky, elbowing Jo gently in the ribs.

"Nope. I've seen the South of France, quite a bit of Spain, the States, Egypt, but I've never been to Cornwall."

Rocky shook her head. "Then I'm glad you'll be with me when we do see it. I can show you some beautiful places."

Jo wound a long arm around her friend. "I'm sure you can. We'll leave the day after Boxing Day."

"Wow, that soon." Rocky became quiet.

"What's wrong?" She gave the blonde a gentle squeeze.

"I'm scared of the memories." Rocky rested her head against Jo's shoulder, her eyes finding the flames of the fire.

"But they're good memories."

"Yes they are. But it's been so long, I'm scared I'll just remember the..."

"The river," Jo finished for her.

"Yeah, the river." She ran her hand along Jo's thigh, feeling the soft fabric of the sweatpants she was wearing. She herself was in a similar pair, with a white teeshirt matching Jo's.

Jo looked up at the clock; it was a little before midnight.

"It's nearly Christmas," whispered the taller woman, and reached down, bringing the blonde's face up towards hers. "Happy Christmas," she said, dipping her head and claiming soft lips.

After a long moment they separated, and Rocky gazed into the blue eyes above her. "I love you, Jo." She shifted around until she was straddling Jo's lap, and wound her arms around the dark head, holding on for all she was worth as the taller woman clasped her tightly.

Jo's lips found her neck, her hands disappearing beneath the teeshirt and smoothing their way up her sides and then to her back.

Rocky cupped Jo's face and forced her lips away from her neck so that she could claim them again, pushing her body hard into the one below her. She felt large hands caressing every inch of her back, and she leaned back into them. Rocky looked down into the face of the woman who had so recently come into her life.

Jo's eyes were half closed, her skin glowing in the light from the fire and the lights on the tree. And Rocky's heart clenched at the sight. She reached behind her, her hand closing on one of Jo's hands, which had come to rest on her hips. She drew the hand round to the front, looking at it intently. "Will you be gentle with me?" she whispered.

Jo's eyes closed, knowing exactly what it was that Rocky was asking, and knowing what Rocky was offering.

"Rocky, maybe we should wait, I shouldn't have..."

The blonde placed trembling fingers against soft moist lips. "Who's sitting on who here?"

Jo didn't trust her voice, so just nodded. Rocky was cast in the golden glow from the fire, which danced in her hair. Never losing eye contact with Jo, she slowly peeled the teeshirt off, then gathered the large hand again and placed in on her breast.

Jo couldn't understand why she could no longer see. Then she realised her eyes were filling with tears. She blinked them away and took in the sight in front of her. The most beautiful sight she had ever seen. She watched her own hand as if it belonged to someone else. It was being lovingly cradled in a smaller one, the thumb of that small hand brushing against her knuckles as it was pressed into soft flesh.

She looked back up into the blonde's face and saw a host of different emotions in the green eyes. She saw love, and hope, but she also saw fear, and for the briefest of moments tried to pull her hand away from the inviting softness it was nestled against. "I don't want to hurt you." She didn't realise why she said those words - hurting the gentle woman was the furthest thing from her mind.

"You won't." Rocky now had both of her hands holding Jo's against her flesh. "I want you," she whispered. She leaned forward, pressing her lips against Jo's, running her tongue across full lips.

Jo's free hand cupped the back of the blonde head, pulling Rocky deeper into the kiss. And Rocky, feeling Jo's other hand kneading her breast, released it and clutched onto the white teeshirt her friend still wore.

Jo was halfway up the stairs, the blonde's legs wrapped around her waist and her own arms holding Rocky close, before she realised they'd left the comfort of the lounge. She didn't stop to wonder from where she'd got the strength to carry them both up the stairs, and she didn't care. She staggered into the bedroom and deposited them both onto the bed, covering the smaller form with her own. She rose up enough to pull the sweatpants off the blonde, and then eased herself back down, pulled once more into position by Rocky. She felt small hands pulling at her teeshirt, and allowed it to be pulled over her head and thrown to some dark corner of the room.

Both women sighed at the sensation of flesh on flesh. But in the back of her mind caution still ruled for Jo. "You okay?" she asked between kisses.

"I'm great," came the breathy whisper.

Jo ducked her head and took a hardened nipple between her teeth, flicking it with her tongue. She felt small hands tangle themselves in her hair, but they weren't pulling her head away from the torture, rather confirming that the blonde was enjoying what Jo was doing to her.

Jo raised her head again to look into the face of her lover. Her lover. She'd thought about this moment even before she'd met the woman she now held naked in her arms. She let her hands roam across skin as smooth as silk. She felt the muscles beneath that skin tremble as her hand made its journey down across taut breasts, across a quivering abdomen, and then to the very edge of silky curls. There she stopped, watching the blonde's face very carefully for any signs of discomfort. Her hand detoured, coming to rest on Rocky's hip.

Rocky let her hand fall from Jo's head to her shoulder, then she tentatively cupped the taller woman's breast, rubbing her thumb across a hardened nub. She looked shyly into blue eyes. "Is that nice?" she asked.

Jo swallowed hard. "Very nice," she gasped.

"Tell me what to do," she whispered, watching her own hand as it caressed one breast to alertness before switching to the other.