Love's Autograph (20 page)

“
Yes, that's true,” Ellie said. “And you're now cyber-stalking me, I see. I’m not saying I don't get numerous offers, but I turn them down. Especially lately.” Ellie sat up and slid closer to Ria on the couch. She slid her right hand into Ria's left.

“
That must be crazy having all these women wanting you,” Ria said.

“
It’s crazy, but not what I want. Right now, all I want is you,” Ellie said. She pulled Ria's hand to her lips and kissed it. “Why did you stop?” Ellie asked.

Ria leaned toward Ellie and kissed her again,
swinging her right leg over Ellie's legs to straddle her. Ellie dropped Ria's hand and put both of her hands on the side of Ria's thighs. She reached back to Ria's rear and pulled Ria closer to her. Their kissing deepened. Ellie pulled away from Ria's lips and then kissed from the bottom of Ria's v-neck up to her throat, up her neck. and then to her ear.

“
I’m so in love with you,” she whispered in Ria's ear. Ria turned and found Ellie's lips with her own and fell sideways on the couch, pulling Ellie on top of her. Ellie pulled herself away from the kiss. She held her body above Ria with her left elbow as she used her right hand to push the hair off Ria's face. She kissed her chin, her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, and then lightly kissed her lips. Ria's body rose to meet Ellie's. Then Ria pushed Ellie off the couch and onto the floor.

“
Maggie,” Ria said.

“
Oh yeah, she’s just in the living room,” Ellie said. “You want to stop?”

“
Yes. Well no, no I don't want to stop,” Ria said. “But we should. I don't want her to wake up and not know where we are or to walk in on us. Can we go back out to the kitchen?” Ellie bit her lip and reached up and brushed Ria's hand.

Ellie bit her lip and said,
“Sure.” Ellie sighed, pulled herself up to the couch and then to her feet. She reached her hand out to Ria and helped her up. They walked hand in hand to the door. Ellie reached to open the door and before she could turn the knob, Ria turned her around and pushed her against the door. Ellie's eyes met Ria's and Ria pressed her lips against Ellie's again. This time harder and faster. Ria pushed her hips into Ellie more urgently than before. Her leg found its way between Ellie's thighs. Ria stopped and groaned, stepping back from Ellie.

“
Why didn't you tell me the first time we met that you were my date?” Ria asked. “You would've saved us a bunch of grief, me some bad dates, and I wouldn't have missed out on this amazing kissing.”

“
I don't have an answer for that. It seemed like the thing to do,” Ellie said as she stepped toward Ria again. Ria held Ellie at arms’ length. They headed down the hallway and Maggie was still sleeping, or pseudo-sleeping, on the couch. Ellie and Ria sat across from each other at the kitchen counter.

“
What time is it?” Ria asked.

“
About 12:30,” Ellie answered. “Hungry?”

Ria nodded. Ellie looked into the living room at a sleeping Maggie,
then walked around the counter while keeping eye contact with Ria. When she reached Ria she leaned in and kissed her. At first Ria resisted, but then she gave in and pulled Ellie into her. They kissed softly and quietly and then harder. Ria pushed her off and mouthed 'stop' to Ellie. Ellie smiled and walked to the other side of the counter.

“
So, order in?” Ellie asked. “Sorry about that, I've been waiting for this for a while.”

“
You're not sorry about that and no, I can cook,” Ria said.

“
I know you can cook, but there is no food here. Unless you want a mustard and ketchup shake, ordering out is our only option,” Ellie said. “We can get anything here. One perk of the many perks of being a rock star is concierge. I can get any kind of food delivered. Thai, Chinese, Italian, Cuban, what would you like?” Ellie pulled out a bundle of menus from a drawer. They ordered Thai.

“
So,” Ria started, “I can't believe you didn't tell me how famous you were. Why did you do that?”

“
As you can imagine, it's hard to know if people like me or the idea of EJ Way,” Ellie said.

“
You think I’m that shallow?” Ria asked.

“
No, but I guess part of it was being able to live a normal life for a while. I didn't have to be EJ Way with you. I could be Ellie,” Ellie said and then whispered. “But funny because you didn't kiss me until you knew I was EJ.”

“
Not funny. I kissed you because of you coming to help with Maggie, and because I'm attracted to you,” Ria whispered.

“
You are, huh?” Ellie said.

“
I’m guessing you told Maggie,” Ria said.

“
No, she figured it out herself. Duh, my picture is all over the place,” Ellie said. “Any real lesbian would know me.” Ellie mocked Gwen.

“
Let's keep this between us for now,” Ria said as she pointed back and forth from herself to Ellie.

“
Okay, why?” Ellie asked.

“
I want to make sure we know what this is before we disappoint her okay,” Ria said.

“
Yeah, okay. As long as you don't wear those black boots,” Ellie whispered and winked.

“
We'll see,” Ria said. “But back to your stardom. I don't know where to start. I've never known anyone famous. You don't have gigs you have international tours with thousands of people in stadiums. I was picturing you in dark pool halls with fifteen people listening.”

“
You were picturing me? What was I wearing?” Ellie teased.

“
So, you're being watched everywhere you go. Is that what happened at lunch that day when we had to make a canoe getaway?”

“
Yes,” Ellie said.

“
Why do you want this?” Ria said as she pointed from herself to Maggie.

“
So, I was worried about you wanting me more because I was famous, but here you don't want me,” Ellie whispered. “See I told you it complicates things.”

“
I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around it,” Ria said. “You have to give me some time.”

“
Mom?” Maggie said as she sat up on the couch.

“
Hey sweetie,” Ria said as she walked over to Maggie and sat next to her on the couch.

“
Did you kick Gwen out?” Maggie asked.

“
Maggie,” Ellie started. “There probably is a better way to ask that.”

“
Will Gwen be living there when we get back?” Maggie asked.

“
Well, Gwen and I decided to take a little break,” Maggie said.

“
What does that mean?” Maggie asked. “What does a break mean?”

“
Yeah, what does that mean?” Ellie eagerly asked.

“
Does it mean you are over or over for now? How long is the break? Is she moving out and possibly moving back?” Maggie asked.

“
Well, it means that we're not going out right now, but we're not fully broken up,” Ria said.

“
That means you could get back together,” Maggie said. “That does not make me very happy.”

“
Well, I'm sorry but it's my decision,” Ria said. Ellie had sat down in a chair to the side of the couch and was looking at the floor. “We'll see.”

Maggie asked,
“Did you and Ellie have any interesting conversations?”

“
Yes, we talked about me being EJ Way,” Ellie said.

“
Isn't that cool, Mom?”

“
It’s sure something,” Ria said. “I’m not sure why you kept it from me.”

“
I figured you should like her for her, but not because she was famous. I wanted her to be plain Ellie. It's like a superhero’s secret identity.” Maggie said. “Maybe we can go to one of her concerts now?”

“
That would be nice,” Ria said as she tousled Maggie's hair.

“
I don't know, the tour is sold out, and the scalped tickets are expensive,” Ellie teased.

“
You couldn't get us free tickets?” Maggie asked.

“
She's kidding,” Ria said. “She's a joker.”

“
I am starving,” Maggie said.

“
I thought it took five days to starve?” Ellie teased.

Maggie answered,
“I am not actually starving. I am hungry, but trying to be more dramatic by saying I am starving.”

“
We ordered Thai food. I ordered you your chicken pad Thai,” Ria said.

“
Yes!” Maggie said. “Where is your bathroom?”

“
Can I please use your bathroom?” Ria corrected.

“
Can I please use your bathroom?” Maggie echoed.

“
Yes, it’s the first door on the right,” Ellie said. Maggie walked down the hall and Ria patted the couch next to her. Ellie came over.

“
So, you guys aren’t broken up?” Ellie asked.

Ria said,
“We didn't want to break up. We want to take a break. I can see other people.”

“
Yeah, but I'd rather have you to myself,” Ellie said.

“
I think I can persuade you otherwise,” Ria said as she leaned toward Ellie and nibbled on her neck.

“
You're pretty... good... at convincing,” Ellie said. The toilet flushed down the hall. Ria started kissing Ellie's lips and Ellie pulled away.

“
We have like three minutes,” Ria said. “She washes her hands that long.” Ria started kissing Ellie again. Ellie pulled away and moved from the couch to the chair. Ria frowned, crossed her legs, and then looked at her wrist as if a watch was there. She swung her leg back and forth and tapped her finger on her wrist. The water turned off in the bathroom and out walked Maggie.

“
Some wasted time,” Ria said.

The three of them sat at the counter to eat lunch.

“
Maggie, can you please put the notebook away,” Ria asked. “You know the rule. Nothing at the table.”

“
I am trying to figure something out,” Maggie said.

“
I understand, but you need to put it away during lunch,” Ria said. Maggie put the notebook away.

“
What you working on?” Ria asked Maggie. “Or is it Top Secret?”

“
I cannot tell you, but it is not Top Secret,” Maggie said.

“
Okay,” Ria said.

“
You might be able to help me though,” Maggie said.

“
Oh, okay shoot,” Ria said enthusiastically.

“
I need some ideas on how to get someone to agree to do something,” Maggie said.

“
Is this something illegal?” Ellie asked.

“
No, not illegal,” Maggie said as she rolled her eyes.

“
Why do I think this is something that I'm going to regret giving you advice on,” Ria said.

“
I don't think anyone will regret it,” Maggie said. “Mom, you're the one saying I need to work on my social skills.”

“
Okay, okay,” Ria said. “Getting someone to agree to do something.”

“
You can persuade them to do it,” Ria said.

“
Can I write these down?” Maggie asked.

“
Yes, this
once
,” Ria answered.

“
Okay what else?” Maggie asked as she opened her notebook.

“
You can pay them, bribe them, trick them,” Ellie offered. Ria gave her a disapproving look.

“
Some nicer ones are to do something nice for them, make a deal,” Ria said.

“
Doing something nice sounds like a lot of work. What do you mean by make a deal?” Maggie asked.

“
Like if I wanted your mom to wash my car,” Ellie started.

“
You
don't have a car,” Maggie said.

“
Well, if I had one,” Ellie said.

“
You would have your staff do it,” Maggie said.

“
Just say I wanted your mom to wash my car,” Ellie said. “I could say I'd go grocery shopping for her.”

“
Mom likes grocery shopping,” Maggie said. “I get it. I can do something for someone, and if I do that the other person can do something for me.”

“
That might work,” Ria said. “Who are you trying to get to do something?”

“
You.”

“
I knew it would come back on me,” Ria said. “What do you want me to do?”