150724.fb2 Lavender Excursions - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 8

Lavender Excursions - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 8

Chapter Eight

Monday morning Kimberly Justin was startled from a deep slumber. Sunlight was streaming through the windows and three meowing cats were lined up around her bed. She glanced at the clock and realized she was going to be late for work. If she hustled, she thought she could make the Monday morning meeting. She flung the covers back and sat on the side of her bed.

"Ouch!" she groaned, clutching the side of her bed. Her head was aching and every movement made it worse. The weekend had given her a hangover far worse than any she'd ever suffered from drinking.

Saturday was a blur. She remembered being shown around Morgan Estates during the afternoon, Laurie and Susan whisking her about and fussing over her like two mother hens. After several protests and Kimberly's promise that she'd call Taryn later, they'd finally driven her home. She woke up with a fever Sunday morning and spent the rest of the day in bed, taking cold medicine and falling asleep over her laptop. "So much for finishing my report," she muttered.

Distressed by Kimberly's bout of inactivity and what they considered feline neglect, her three cats were dancing around her feet.

They meowed and purred and rubbed their heads against her ankles.

"Okay, okay," she said. "Breakfast for you and coffee for me."

Donning her robe, she went into the kitchen, the three cats following her.

They waited by their food dishes while Kimberly started the coffeemaker. She filled fresh bowls with crunchy cat food and made the exchange of empty and full bowls with only a minimal of protest from the three felines.

Kimberly flipped the television on and changed the station to CNN.

She poured some coffee and looked over her appointment book.

"Damn!" she said when she saw Camarin Knight's name stenciled in for lunch. The last thing she needed today was an interview. Now she'd have to take care extra special care with how she looked. "Why today?" she moaned, thinking how nice it would be to dress business casual today. She walked to the bathroom, hoping she'd remembered to buy more aspirin.

Forty-five minutes and three aspirins later, Kimberly pulled into the company parking lot. Thankfully, she had a reserved space. There seemed no end to the need for expanded parking, forcing several employees to search for parking spaces on the street. "Thank God for executive privileges," she muttered. After gathering her things, she locked her car and hurried inside.

Michael, her secretary, frowned when she walked into the office.

"You've got five minutes before the meeting," he said, pointing to his watch.

Too tired to even try to explain her tardiness, Kimberly thanked him for the reminder. It wasn't that she owed him any explanation of her whereabouts, but Kimberly knew how office politics worked. The last thing she needed was an employee speculating about what she did over the weekend. "I don't want to get too close to you," she said.

"Virus," she explained when Michael handed her the messages from her in-box. With the handful of pink slips in her fist, she walked into her office and flung them down on the desk. These were phone calls waiting to be answered and she wished she could toss them in the wastebasket. "I'm got to pull out of this," she told herself. She hung her coat and grabbed a writing pad and pen. There was nothing she hated worse than a latecomer, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

The conference room was on the west side of the building overlooking a pond with a fountain in the center. The last to arrive, Kimberly had no choice but to sit facing the sun. This was a section of the building under renovation. Unfortunately, the windows were not yet tinted. Kimberly's head ached and the sun hurt her eyes, but she tried not to squint as she looked around the room.

"Kimberly, I'm so glad you decided to join us," said Martin. His silver hair the only clue to his actual age, he scolded her with his eyes.

"We were just going over the minutes from last week," he said.

Kimberly heard the voices droning in the background. Although she tried to maintain eye contact with the people sitting around the large conference table, she had to fight to keep from falling asleep.

The meeting seemed to go on forever. Her mind a jumble of confusion, Kimberly wanted nothing more than a few minutes alone to collect her thoughts and figure out what was happening to her.

When the meeting finally ended, she gathered her papers and hurried back to her office.

She stopped by Michael's desk first, remembering to keep her distance because she might still be contagious. She picked up her morning mail and some additional messages. Michael was on the telephone with someone. He looked up, pointed to her calendar, and mouthed a reminder about her meeting with Camarin Knight.

Kimberly acknowledged the reminder and continued to her office.

Camarin Knight said she was a reporter for some new zine called Executive News. When she first approached Kimberly about doing a story, Kimberly was excited. But then she told Pat and her friend warned her to be very careful.

"Watch what you say," Pat warned her. "I've heard this woman has no principles whatsoever and she'll do anything to get a scoop on your personal life."

Kimberly thought about her friend's advice and wished she had time to change her mind. However, it would not look good to cancel a meeting only two hours prior to the scheduled time. She sighed and poured herself a cup of coffee. After sorting her messages in order of priority, she started returning calls. The two hours passed without notice. She was so intent on her work that Michael's sudden appearance in the doorway startled her.

"Didn't mean to scare you," he said. "I'm getting ready to go to the training center for my class in the new software program. All set for your meeting with Camarin Knight?"

"Not really, but it's too late to back out now," she replied.

"Need me to come along?" he asked.

Kimberly smiled at her secretary. "No thanks, Michael. I'll be okay," she assured him. Michael seemed more like a brother than a secretary to her. She remembered his fondness for Italian breadsticks.

"We're lunching at Tony B's. Want me to bring you back some breadsticks?"

Michael smiled. "Would you?" he asked, his voice sounding shy and uncertain.

Kimberly smiled. "Of course," she replied. Michael was very athletic, his body as finely tuned as his desk and office space was organized. "How do you keep everything running so smoothly?"

she'd once asked.

Michael had winked, a coy expression on his face. "Kimberly, I do things outside of work. Fun things like spending time with my lover.

Perhaps you need to spend more time doing things to work off the stress."

Kimberly smiled, watching Michael leave. His effeminate gestures and polite elegance hinted to others that he was gay. To Kimberly's knowledge, he confided in no one other than herself and a friend who worked in the legal department. Kimberly found herself wondering about Michael a lot lately. What was his life like outside of work?

Did he keep his personal life private because he wanted to do so? Or was it a necessity borne of the negative stereotyping that took place when people learned someone was gay?

By the time Kimberly returned all her calls and caught up on her mail, it was time to leave for her meeting. She sighed and checked herself in the mirror. "Could be worse," she muttered.

Camarin Knight prided herself on being punctual. When she arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes late, she was not a happy person. Rudely pushing her way through the crowded lobby, she snapped at the hostess. "Has Kimberly Justin arrived yet?"

The elderly couple waiting in line to be seated seemed totally unperturbed by Camarin's aggressiveness. They stepped back and smiled, as if to say, "Go ahead. We have all the time in the world."

Their patience added fuel to the fire already kindled in Camarin Knight. She looked over her shoulder and glared at them.

Kimberly saw Camarin following the hostess to the table. She noticed right away that something was seriously wrong. With all the other things going on, Kimberly was determined to keep her cool with Camarin. She stood and extended her hand. "Hello, Camarin."

"Hello, Kimberly. I'm sorry I'm late," she began. "My taxi got tangled up in a traffic jam caused by road construction on Lakeshore Drive. Doesn't it sometimes seem that winter and road repair are the only two seasons we have."

"Doesn't it though," Kimberly quipped. "I've told myself several times that I should move south. Unfortunately, I just keep saying it rather than doing it." She smiled at Camarin who was now sitting across from her. She didn't look at all like Kimberly imagined. Pat's depiction of her as the ruthless reporter seemed an injustice.

"What keeps you here?" Camarin asked. She smoothed her skirt and leaned toward Kimberly. "Someone special in your life that you don't want to leave behind?" she asked in a conspiratorial tone.

Kimberly smiled again and bit her tongue. "I can't say it's any one thing," she replied. "How about you, Camarin. Anyone special in your life?"

Camarin blushed. If you only knew, she thought to herself. Ah, but the possibilities are endless, said the little voice inside of her. To Kimberly she replied in a somewhat teasing voice, "Hey, this interview is about you!" She spotted the waiter and signaled for him to come over. "A half bottle of zinfandel, please." The waiter nodded and left.

Although she didn't like to drink so early in the day, Kimberly needed something to help her relax. Perhaps if she only had one, she'd be okay. Meantime, she wanted Camarin to explain why she had decided to interview her, of all people. She leaned back in her chair. "So, Camarin, what is this feature article you're wanting to do?

I can't imagine how anything I do would be interesting enough for other people to read."

Camarin smiled and reached inside her briefcase. She handed Kimberly a copy of the phony outline Lisa had written. When Kimberly finished reading, she held up her recorder. "Okay if I tape?"

she asked.

"Of course," Kimberly replied, feeling a little giddy at the prospect of being featured in an article that would appear on the worldwide web.

"Kimberly, I hear some women complaining that we've sold out.

We're mimicking the male world of corporate politics. What's your response to this?"

The waiter returned with the wine before Kimberly had a chance to respond. He poured a sample for Camarin to taste, waiting tactfully as she tested the aroma and flavor. "Excellent," she informed him. She waited while he poured a glass for each of them. When he left, she settled back with her wine. Kimberly was obviously nervous. She was concentrating on the menu selection, allowing Camarin the freedom to cast her eyes appreciatively over her body.

Camarin eyed her smooth breasts and pert nipples hungrily. The tips were pressing against Kimberly's blouse, teasing Camarin through the fabric. How could she possibly follow the script when the star character was so delectably sexy! She reached for her water glass, trying to quench a thirst she knew had nothing to do with water. Um, um, she thought. Although she already knew what she was going to order, Camarin fastened her eyes on the menu – anything to deter her dangerous thoughts.

Kimberly sensed Camarin watching her. Thinking she was scrutinizing her for purposes of the article, she tried to appear calm and indifferent to her gaze. She was focusing on the menu very intensely, reading the descriptions over and over and not registering anything she read. When she felt Camarin's foot brush against her knee, it startled her. She looked up and saw Camarin's tongue moving over her lips, her eyes half-closed and her expression unguarded. If Kimberly hadn't known better, she would have thought Camarin was flirting with her.

Camarin's breath caught in her throat when she saw Kimberly returning her gaze. She took another sip of water, then returned to the menu. "All set to order?" she asked.

Kimberly nodded and took a sip of the sparkling white wine. When she thought about her life, it really didn't make very much sense.

From the time she became an adult, Kimberly's life had undergone many changes. Now she felt stagnated in a relationship she did not understand. Yet, she could not bring herself to end it. How could someone like her be interesting to someone of Camarin's caliber?

Camarin indicated to the waiter that they were ready to order. Pad and pen in hand, he hurried over to their table.

Camarin ordered first, then mused about the woman sitting across from her. After Kimberly ordered and the waiter left, Camarin posed a question. "Kimberly, what can you tell me about your life?" She smiled as Kimberly eyed her quizzically. "Things like how you got started in business and what prompted you to leave the university where you were teaching." She waited for Kimberly to answer, noticing the way her eyebrows drew together as she thought about Camarin's question.

Leaning back in her chair, Kimberly swirled the wine around in her glass. It was a habit she'd picked up from a former lover. It was very relaxing to watch the tiny bubbles form, then burst. Much like she imagined a woman's climax to be, bursting full and fruity in your mouth. Oh, Kimberly, came the censoring voice of her superego. You can't be having thoughts like this! She frowned, irritated by her own conscience. Why not? she silently challenged it. She rubbed her forehead, trying to focus her mind on the interview rather than the strange thoughts she'd been experiencing since her visit to Morgan Estates.

"Kimberly?" Camarin prompted.

Kimberly realized she was still waiting for her to answer. "The practice of business is not the cut and dried procedure described in textbooks," she explained. "I felt like I was giving students a false impression of how their lives would be. How could I teach them to manage the market and predict market forces when I myself had never managed a business?" Kimberly paused and finished her wine. She was so tired it didn't take much to make her giddy.

"Go on," Camarin urged. She leaned over and refilled their glasses; Kimberly's more than her own. She was supposed to get Kimberly tipsy and off balance. Getting her in bed with another woman would undoubtedly be a challenge. Camarin smiled at the thought. She felt her clit twitching at the thought of deflowering this lesbian virgin.

She crossed her legs, allowing herself to enjoy the sensation. She performed some of her best roles when she was aroused. It seemed to feed her creativity.

Kimberly puzzled over why Camarin was looking at her so intently.

The way her eyes kept straying to Kimberly's chest, she thought a button might have popped open. Or perhaps she'd spilled a drop of wine down her front. "Will you excuse me, Camarin? I need to go to the powder room."

"Of course," Camarin replied, thinking how quaint and old-fashioned Kimberly seemed. She took advantage of her absence and emptied the rest of the bottle into her glass. Motioning the waiter over again, she ordered another half bottle.

Kimberly looked herself over very carefully in the mirror. As far as she could tell, nothing was amiss. Her headache looming bigger than ever, she massaged her temples. This was not a good day for her. She thought about the evening ahead. Mark had invited her to dinner and the prospect was not a pleasant one. On impulse, she left the restroom and stopped at a public phone in the lobby.

She dropped coins into the slots and listened to the familiar jangle as they slid into place. The dial tone sounded and she punched in Mark's number. Not wanting to talk to him personally, she called him at home. Two rings and his answering machine came on. She waited for the beep, then let him know she couldn't make it this evening.

"I have so much to finish on this new contract we're working out with one of our vendors," she explained. "I really wish I could make it, honey. With this promotion coming up, I can't afford to screw up this contract. Thanks for being so understanding, sweetie. I'll call you later." Kimberly hung up the phone and returned to her table.

She was too distraught with guilt to notice Camarin's inquisitive gaze.

"Everything okay?" Camarin asked very pleasantly.

"Yes," Kimberly replied. "I just needed to freshen up a bit and make a quick phone call."

Camarin watched as Kimberly discreetly edged her wineglass toward the middle of the table. Her hands were trembling and she looked a little pale. "Are you certain you're okay?" Camarin asked, the concern in her voice very genuine this time.

Kimberly smiled and made a dismissive gesture with her hand.

"Just tired," she said. "Now where were we?"

"You were explaining to me why you left teaching and took a job in business. I understand that. What I don't understand is how you came into your first job at the level you did. That's awfully unusual, don't you think?"

"Luck of the draw, I suppose," Kimberly replied. "The company was being reorganized when I applied. They were looking for new blood and someone with the skills to put more emphasis on employee development. With the labor shortage and the increased demand for better customer service, the company was starting to lose its edge over the competition. They decided I fit the bill. However," she explained,

"I was offered the position with the express understanding that my continued employment hinged on how well our department performed in beating the competition."

Kimberly paused and reached for her water glass. She'd already taken the first sip before realizing she'd picked up her wine instead.

What the hell, she thought. She'd just broken her date with Mark and she was telling her life story to someone who might very well plaster a negative image of her all over the Internet. She finished the glass and closed her eyes to savor the sweet intoxication. I want to beoblivious, she thought. Totally, thoroughly oblivious for a change.

Camarin was making notes, trying to play a convincing role as a reporter. Although it wasn't part of the script, she found herself wondering about the woman sitting across from her. What made her tick? How did she come to this crossroad in her life? Did she know it was a crossroad? "How does it feel to be in line for a vice-presidency in your company, Kimberly?" she suddenly asked. "Is it frightening?

Exciting? Tell me what it's like."

Kimberly smiled. "That's a good question," she replied. "I can only say I've made a point of getting to know our customers – found out who they are and what they want. If you're out of touch with your customer base, you're losing the only control you have in your market." Kimberly shrugged. "It's really not that complicated," she added.

Camarin reached for a carrot stick, munching it while thoughtfully watching Kimberly's countenance. She wasn't listening to her words so much as she was reading her gestures and expressions. Her green eyes flashed with the intensity of her moods. Camarin decided that Kimberly Justin was a very complex person. Perhaps Taryn had taken on more than she realized. It would be interesting to see how it all fell out in the end.

Meantime, the second bottle of wine was almost empty and it was three o'clock in the afternoon. Everything was going as planned.

"Kimberly, I believe there's a good story here but I have so many more questions I need answered." She closed her hand over Kimberly's. Giving it a tight squeeze, something to indicate their common bond, she continued. "I imagine you must have things you need to finish at work this afternoon. Why don't we end our meeting here, then get together again over dinner tonight? My place," she added. "I love to cook and besides, it'll give us a little more privacy."

Kimberly thought it over. She did have some work to finish and she'd already broken her date with Mark. Why not? "Okay," she said.

"Just tell me when and where." Kimberly took her pen and calendar out of her purse.

Camarin smiled, thrilled at the thought of having Kimberly alone in her house. It made her wet just thinking about the possibilities and where it might lead. There was nothing wrong with a little fantasizing, was there? "Seven o'clock okay?" she asked.

Kimberly agreed and wrote down the directions to Camarin's house.

They gathered their things and left. Each one wondering what the other was thinking, neither realized the parallel course their thoughts were taking. It would be an interesting evening indeed.

When Kimberly got back to her office, she found a note on her desk. Michael reminded her that he had the afternoon off. Deciding to make the most of the quiet, Kimberly started reviewing a contract with a vendor. She jotted notes in the margins and made changes in some of the wording. It was evening before she realized how much time had passed.

The janitor knocked softly on her door. "Do you need me to come back later?" he asked.

Kimberly glanced at her watch. She had a half-hour before she was due at Camarin's house. Fortunately, she kept a change of clothes in her locker downstairs. "No, I'm just leaving," she told him.

Hurriedly, she cleared her desk and powered down her desktop computer.

Fifteen minutes later, Kimberly was showered and towel drying her hair. The locker room was almost empty. She pampered with her make-up and dabbed perfume on her wrists, behind her ears, and in various other intimate places. It was a habit, since most outings these days were with her fiancee. She wondered how Mark was doing, but her thoughts were only transitory. She closed her locker and checked once more to make certain she hadn't forgotten anything. Feeling anxious and a little timid, she left the office and started to Camarin's place.

Promptly at seven o'clock Kimberly rang the doorbell at Camarin's house. When the door opened, Camarin greeted her with a smile and a very appraising look. "Don't you look nice," she said, motioning Kimberly inside. "I don't know if I should be flattered or disappointed."

"What do you mean?" Kimberly asked, a puzzled expression on her face.

Laughing, Camarin took Kimberly by the arm and led her into the kitchen. "Either you think highly enough of me to dress so well or you have plans to go out afterward. Which is it?"

Kimberly took the barstool Camarin pulled out for her. That strange giddy feeling came over her again. "I … I don't have plans for later," she stated in a very matter of fact tone.

Camarin smiled at her guest. "Just checking. Wouldn't want to make you late for another engagement," she said. After handing Kimberly a cocktail, Camarin returned to her cooking. She knew

Kimberly was engaged to Mark, a man she'd been dating since college. The prospect of being this woman's first female lover was very enticing. She knew she'd have to watch her step tonight.

"You seem to be one of those women who truly enjoy cooking,"

Kimberly commented as she watched Camarin.

Camarin paused for a moment, surveying the chopped vegetables she had prepared. "Yes, I am," she replied. "This is one of my favorite dishes. It's a vegetable stir-fry with just a hint of diced shrimp and scallops. I hope you're hungry."

Kimberly smiled. "Actually, I'm quite hungry. No time for breakfast and we wound up skipping lunch."

"Good," Camarin said. "In that case I'm going to enlist your help in chopping the rest of the vegetables. While you're doing that, I'll prepare the sauce." Camarin took an apron from behind the bar.

When Kimberly reached for it, she pulled it away. "Let me," she said.

"Wouldn't want you to mess your hair." She turned Kimberly around so she was facing away from her.

Her heart beating uncontrollably fast, Kimberly took a deep breath.

She tried to steady herself against the counter. When she felt Camarin pressing against her from behind, she also felt a very definite tingling sensation between her legs. What is going on with me! she thought to herself. She moved forward as much as possible, her body pressing against the kitchen counter and her back no longer pressed against Camarin.

Laughing, Camarin pulled Kimberly back into place in front of her.

"How can I possible get this over your head if you're so far away from me," she teased. Very gently, she settled the apron over Kimberly's neck and pulled it down over her waist and hips. She reached around her to straighten a loop that had become twisted around her neck.

Kimberly gasped when she felt Camarin's hands brushing over her nipples. The points grew hard and excited. She felt Camarin's breath on her bare shoulder. Shivering, she pulled away from Camarin. "I can do this," she said, her fingers searching for the loop of apron that was twisted.

Not to be out-maneuvered, Camarin waited patiently for Kimberly to straighten the apron. When she finished, Kimberly reached for the knife and started to cut the vegetables. "Let me show you," Camarin told her. She circled Kimberly from behind and placed her hands over hers. "Like so," she said, guiding Kimberly's hand through the cutting motions.

Kimberly was very aware of Camarin's body pressing against hers.

She felt Camarin's groin pressed against her butt and her breasts brushing against her back. The sheer fabric of her dress melded with Camarin's body. She moaned uncontrollably. The knife dropped and she felt Camarin's hands about her wrists.

"You're not a very good student, Kimberly," Camarin whispered in her ear. Tongue darting out, she pressed the moist tip against Kimberly's skin. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked.

Without allowing Kimberly time to answer, she raised her arms and pressed her hands against the wall behind her. She smiled a knowing smile at her young captive.

The position was awkward as well as frightening. At a loss for words, Kimberly tried to struggle free. Camarin pushed her right back. This time Camarin placed her hands down further, forcing her to bend at the waist. Kimberly gasped when she felt Camarin's fingers moving expertly over her hips.

With one hand, Camarin caressed her captive's ass. Stuck out so invitingly, how could she resist? When Kimberly did not remove her hand from the wall, Camarin smiled and cooed. With both hands, she kneaded the firm flesh in her fingers, squeezing softly at first, then a little bit harder. Harder still, she made Kimberly yelp. Baby yelps, they were nothing like the ear splitting shrieks Camarin wanted to hear. No need to push her because she knew Kimberly would soon be begging for it. And Camarin would give it to her most willingly.

When she felt Camarin pressing her mound against her ass, Kimberly thought she was going to faint. The heat from Camarin's groin was so hot that it seemed to scorch her skin through the sheer fabric. Dazed and confused, Kimberly suddenly envisioned Camarin's mound poised over her mouth. She imagined her tongue licking the wet folds and plunging into the dark recesses, the very core of her.

She imagined taking that swollen nub into her mouth, sucking it from within the folds of her inner and outer lips. Oh, to suck until it stood erect, the proud peak staring at her, teasing her and daring her to try and deflate it. Kimberly moaned, longing to bring this vision to life.

As Camarin rubbed her clit against Kimberly's ass, she felt the first orgasm begin. Faster and faster, she pressed against the rounded flesh, her clit quivering and her body convulsing as the first orgasm shook her. Within seconds she felt another rushing along behind the first. Roughly, she pulled Kimberly's arms down and pressed her hands onto the counter. One more, she told herself. "Yes, oh yes,"

she murmured as she fucked herself on Kimberly's ass. As the last orgasm burst through, she bit Kimberly's shoulder. She tried to stifle the scream that threatened to reveal the height of her excitement.

Kimberly cried out instead, more from surprise than pain.

Camarin's bite was really nothing more than a nibble on her shoulder.

It was what followed that caused her to scream in pure hot raging pain. Camarin yanked her dress up about her waist. Her hands were deliberately rough and hurtful. She jerked Kimberly's panties down, just enough to bare her ass. Kimberly could hear her moaning with excitement and she, too, started to moan.

Enraged to hear signs of her initiate's pleasure, Camarin reached for the leather strap she kept hanging underneath the counter. Knowing her young captive wouldn't dare make a move, she took the strap to the sink and wet it. Perfect, she thought as she took aim at Kimberly's ass. She couldn't wait to hear the first scream. Her only regret was that she'd forgotten to set up her camcorder. She didn't even have her tape recorder because she'd left it in the bedroom.

Drawing back to her full height, Camarin focused all her energy on the first blow. The strap came down sixteen inches, then fourteen inches, then eight inches, and then four inches. Finally, she heard the rendering slap of wet leather against bare flesh. "Exquisite," Camarin murmured. Taking only a moment to savor that first utterance, she unleashed a volley of blows. Kimberly's ass was soon covered with red welts. It was a lovely sight, her first mark on this lesbian virgin.

Camarin was purring with pleasure when she finally laid the strap aside and turned Kimberly to face her.

"My lovely little queer. To think I've outed you all by myself!

Now come," she whispered, guiding Kimberly gently to the dining room that adjoined the kitchen. She pulled a softly padded chair out for her.

Kimberly winced in pain as her bare ass made contact with the padded surface. Too dazed to think and too crazed to understand, she knew only one thing for certain. This woman had rendered her helpless. In that tiny fragment of time, Kimberly had experienced more pleasure than in all her lovemaking with Mark. Her head leaning back against the wall, she drifted in and out of sleep. She would awaken, see Camarin somewhere nearby, and then sleep once more. The last thing she remembered was Camarin bending over her and kissing her on the forehead. She was lying down somewhere, her body sinking into the soft warmth beneath her. She slept soundly the rest of the night.