Blind Cougars
”So what’s up next?” Therese asked as they’d made it into the safety of their assigned room.
She was lounging in an easy chair dangling her feet over the armrest. She’d picked up an apple from a gift basket placed in the middle of the coffee table in front of a fireplace. ”I feel like I’ve arrived at some fancy inn instead of a private home.”
Watching Therese sink her pearly teeth in the polished surface of a red delicious, Carol felt light-headed and seriously out of place. Only a moment ago they’d ascended the stairs all eyes peeled on their rear ends. Carrying her suitcase on her right hand, Therese had had her left one on the small of Carol’s back. Her palm had pressed her waist delicately, yet determinedly enough to remind Carol to put one foot after another in calm, steady succession. Once they’d been out of the prying sight, Therese had withdrawn her hand.
”Knowing Abby, there’s probably a printed programme somewhere,” Carol said opening her luggage. A black, lace-trim slip fell out of it as she struggled to turn the suitcase around with its top half open.
”Yeah, you’re right,” Therese confirmed picking up an ornamented sheet of paper lodged between two bananas and a kiwi. Instead of reading it right away she hopped on her feet and reached for the chilled bottle of champagne waiting in a silver cooler. ”How about some bubbly… Carol?” Therese’s smile was distinctly sly yet Carol couldn’t really fault her for it. She had given if not an outright false at least a misleading name at first, and it had taken her some time to explain it away in their initial phone conversation.
”Not a biggie,” Therese had summed up calmly. ”We all feel the need to shield our true identity every once in a while. Even from ourselves.” Carol recalled her acknowledgement vividly as she accepted the sparkling flute Therese handed out to her.
”Aperitifs at seven in the parlour,” Therese read from the programme, ”and dinner at 8.30…” She glanced at her watch. ”We don’t have a lot of time if we really need to tog it up. Want to use the bathroom first?” As if assessing Carol from head to toe, she sank back in the chair clearly enjoying her drink.
”Sure.” Reluctantly Carol placed her almost untouched champagne glass on the mantelpiece and picked up her necessities. A luxuriously thick guest towel folded on her arm, she stepped inside the opulent, lapis blue-tiled washroom that resembled more a private spa than a bathroom. She closed the door behind her.
The spray of warm water soothing her naked body, she stood under the shower her eyes rapturously closed. Wiping the water out of her hair and face she noticed how the mirror in front of her gave an unrestricted view of the bathroom door. To her great surprise it appeared to be slightly ajar.
Wrapped in a mere towel, she suddenly hesitated to join Therese in the other room. Cursing her childishness, she mustered up her courage and walked right in. The moment she dared to glance at Therese, an eager knock landed on the door. Therese, who was waiting for her turn in the shower wearing only a dress shirt over her burgundy bra and panties, sprang into action. Getting rid of her shirt and bra she pulled the cover off of the king size bed and mouthed a silent order for Carol to obey:
BETWEEN THE SHEETS, NOW.
As if in a trance Carol did what was asked of her and slid in bed with the towel still on. Therese yanked it forcefully away causing Carol to yelp with surprise. Having dropped it on the floor on her side of the bed, she proceeded to slightly rumple the sheets they were now hiding under.
”I know you’re in there,” Abby laughed wholeheartedly, ”I can hear you breathing not to mention the other stuff…” She waited a little while. ”Are you guys decent? Can I come in?” The door handle was being pushed down. Carol closed her eyes for a quick second. She had no idea how she would pull this one off.
”Oh, I’m sorry…” Abby did sound a bit embarrassed but she made no attempt to look the other way when she saw her friend in bed with a beautiful stranger. ”Seeing you two lovebirds…” she started shaking her head lovingly. Staring breathlessly at Abby, Carol felt Therese’s lips graze her bare shoulder, the beads of water still on its smooth surface. ”…it feels more like Christmas than a birthday to me!”
What was I thinking coming up with this charade? Carol lamented feeling guilty about deceiving her dearest friend. Of all the cockeyed ideas I’ve ever had this has got to be the most ridiculous ever. Therese being so very close again had a much more serious effect on Carol than the incident downstairs. When the young woman’s heated skin brushed against hers, the silky hairs on Carol’s neck, back and arms stood up and quivered in the current of static electricity.
Confused, Carol felt paralyzed, both in and out of her body at the same time. A part of her levitated far above the three of them, watching and analysing each word, move and gesture. I don’t belong to this set-up, Carol told herself convinced by the floating, inexplicable weightlessness of her demure denial. On the other hand she was solidly anchored in the situation at hand, palpably present in more ways than she was willing to admit.
“Anyway, I just wanted to steal a moment alone with you and just…” Stopping abruptly, Abby ran her hand through her auburn hair, “…just gawk at you in peace and quiet! Carol – I had no idea. How can you keep something like this from me?” She looked at her both amused and hurt, the latter emotion shadowing the quizzical smile on her lips.
“I’m sorry, Abby,” Carol started already crushed by regret, “I think I owe you an explanation…” Before she could continue, Therese cut in.
“We most definitely do,” she spoke briskly taking over the conversation once and for all. Fussing momentarily over the sheet that was barely covering Carol, Therese strengthened her hold of her naked body. “This is such a new thing for both of us, and I guess we’ve both been reluctant to tell anybody just yet.” She gazed at Carol in a way that could’ve been described as deeply loving.
“Didn’t want to jinx it, you know?” she admitted aiming an adorable look at their hostess. “I even thought it might be too early for me to come here but I just couldn’t say no to her…” Therese mussed Carol’s hair and placed a tiny kiss on her unsuspecting neck. “I mean who could say no to this woman? She’s truly worth her weight in gold.” The last sentence was enough to snap Carol out of the obscure stupor Therese’s touch had lulled her into.
Listening to Therese’s willing confession, Abby seemed to relax a bit. “When did you meet, if I may ask? And where?” Carol wasn’t at all ready to answer any detailed questions.
“A couple of weeks ago, I think,” Therese revealed pensively. “On one of those online services,” she added truthfully. “I’d say we both knew right away what we were getting into, didn’t we, sweetie?”
The green, playful light of Therese’s eyes didn’t distract Carol this time. “Yes… darling,” she confirmed her heavy heart gradually resuming its earlier, normal pace. Carol felt suddenly exposed and almost humiliated although she didn’t understand why – she had indeed brought all of it upon herself. She inched away unnoticeably but just enough for Therese to take a hint. She let go of Carol under the sheets.
A mishmash of clinking crystals, laughter and unnecessarily loud parlance greeted them as they entered the parlour. Once again Carol admired the tasteful elegance the interior of the three-storied limestone house exuded in abundance. Abby fitted right in as well as her significant other Genevieve who’d made a name for herself as a successful downtown gallery owner. Carol enjoyed both of their company and had it been just the three of them, she could’ve very well picked up a book from one of the numerous shelves encircling the room and become absorbed in it without any objections.
”Wouldn’t you just love to take up one of those leather-bound volumes and retire to your room to read?” Therese muttered to Carol under her breath. She looked stunning in her beautiful black gown with a generous neckline. Her hair was done up in sleek fashion allowing her long flawless neck to draw the attention it most certainly deserved.
Carol had refrained from studying her appearance in any further detail but now she felt compelled to look at her. Maybe she had read too much into it but she’d found their rapport rather strained after Abby’s departure. Therese had taken a quick shower and afterwards they’d gotten themselves ready without a word exchanged.
“Let me introduce you to the ladies,” Abby said mostly to Therese after getting them drinks. “This is my Gen…” A tall woman with a sandy coloured hair flashed a perfect set of shiny teeth as she extended her hand to Therese who smiled graciously back. “Kim and Sandra – I’ll leave the proper introductions to you…” Kim’s eyes dropped to Therese’s cleavage, which made Sandra cough vocally. “And you’ve met Megan already…” Quick to focus on Carol alone, the redhead hardly glanced at Therese.
“Carol darling, we really ought to catch up,” Megan purred taking a step closer, “where were we the last time we talked?” She attempted to pull her apart from the rest of the women scurrying around. In the toilet, Carol recalled begrudgingly.
“I think you should catch up with the bartender over there,” Therese interrupted, “Your glass is empty and I’m sure the birthday girl could use a refill as well.” Anyone could see Abby had hardly tasted her Cosmo. “Baby,” she said softening her voice to Carol, “Help me do the rounds with all these people… you know how terrible I am with faces and names.” Nodding politely to Megan, she ushered Carol to move along.
“Thank you…” Carol mumbled when they were finally out of earshot. “This was the second time already you managed to save me from her clutches.” She was very grateful, and she didn’t mind showing it.
“So she’s the real reason I’m here?” Therese asked somewhat amused. “To thwart the advances of one sex-crazed cougar suffering from a severe case of red-green colour blindness?”
Cougar. Carol couldn’t help but shudder at the word. “Red, green… what do you mean?” Can’t I really take care of myself?
“As in traffic lights – red light, stop – green light, move forward,” Therese explained, “She, however, seems to have the signals all mixed up. Your stop sign only eggs her on.” They had stopped next to the terrace doors. “Do you think we could step outside for a while?”
They entered the lovely manicured garden behind the main building and strolled leisurely around an inactive lily-shaped fountain. “Too bad it’s not working,” Therese commented after a weighted silence. “It’s a waste of its existence not having it do its duty.” Not caring one bit about her dress, she sat on the edge of it and dipped her hand in the still water.
“Waste of existence…” Carol repeated after her. “The Sartre quote makes me wonder if you find gatherings such as this a waste of your time?” The hand breaking the surface of the pond slowed down but only momentarily. “Why did you ask if I had made the right choice?” Therese’s initial question had bothered her all this time.
“Let’s just say a quote like that doesn’t exactly attract clients.” Therese pulled her hand out and shook it dry. “The agency isn’t too hot about it either.”
“Why do you have it there then?” Carol was now even more interested to hear her motives.
“For that very reason,” Therese said in a manner that deflected any further inquiry. “Look, you don’t know me and I prefer to keep it that way. You’re ready to pay ten grand to get some arrogant bitch off your back, which basically boggles my mind, but I’m not going to presume a damn thing about you either, okay?”
She drew a calming breath and glanced back at the house. “Sorry…” she continued soon after, “I didn’t mean to get all worked up about it… I will do my best to help you, I hate people like her giving a bad name for the rest of us.” Her voice was cordial, even apologetic.
“The rest of you? What do you mean?” Carol had to ask. What on earth could Megan have in common with someone like Therese?
“Well, the lesbians, of course,” Therese replied willingly. She was quick to notice the surprise on Carol’s face. “What? You thought I was straight as well? Whatever gave you that idea?” Embarrassed, Carol averted her eyes. It wasn’t as if she’d pegged her as straight, she just hadn’t thought of her as gay either. “Did you think I’m not a dyke because I said I wouldn’t fuck you?” Therese asked sharply. “Because if I did, that would indicate me as being one, right? Carol Aird, you have a lot to learn - and not just about the adult entertainment business,” she scoffed and strode across the lawn towards the glass doors.