The One to Hold Your Hand, page 16
Reese looked back at Bette to try to judge her reaction. She wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea to stay over, but it was extremely tempting for no other reason than the fact that she just wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet, even with the promise of seeing each other soon. Reese could tell by the way Bette chewed on her bottom lip with her eyebrows furrowed that she was contemplating it as well.
“I mean, I’m down. That is, if I’m invited.” Reese hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.
“Of course,” Bette answered a bit too quickly. “That sounds great.”
The three of them walked to the house to say their goodbyes and explain to their parents what they were doing. Mr. James’s face flushed as he looked between Bette and Reese. “Um, okay. Yeah. That should be fine, right? It’s okay for us to allow that?”
Rachel didn’t hesitate to roll her eyes at their dad. “They're just friends, Dad. They’re also legally adults. They can technically do whatever they want.”
“Let the girls have their fun,” Mrs. James said with a drunken giggle. “We’re celebrating.”
Once the goodbyes were over, Mr. Mitchell announced that he was taking Mrs. Mitchell to bed, leaving Reese and Bette alone in the backyard. Bette tilted her head toward the tree house. “Want to have another drink?”
Reese agreed, and they made their way back up.
“So, give me the lowdown. How did this year really go for you? Were you a big hit with the college ladies?” Bette asked after she handed Reese her drink.
Reese laughed into her cup. “Man, you really don’t waste any time, do you?”
Bette smiled and sipped her drink. “I feel like I only got bits and pieces from you this year, and it was all very PG. If we’re going to be friends, we should be able to talk about this stuff.”
“I guess you could say I did pretty well for myself.” Reese tried to bite back her smile. “Made out with a few girls from the team. Some gay. Some straight. You know how I do.” She moved her hands like she was shooting a basketball since she knew Bette couldn’t resist her cockiness.
“I’m not the least bit surprised. And how many of those girls did you sleep with?”
Reese stared down at her drink and watched as it swirled around in her cup. Bette really wasn’t holding back. Maybe the few drinks they had were enough to loosen her up. Or maybe the Bette who came home from college was much more confident than the girl who had gone. “None of them. I actually didn’t sleep with anyone this year. How about you?”
Bette held up two fingers. “Two girls. My first was actually a girl from the soccer team. Imagine that.”
“You always did have a thing for soccer girls.” Reese was surprised about how okay she felt with this conversation. She had avoided conversations like this with Bette since they went to school with the assumption that it would be weird to hear about her being with someone else. She was happy for her though. This was exactly what she had wanted for Bette. “Was it everything you hoped for?”
“It was good. Definitely fun. I think I made too big of a deal out of it with us. Got inside my own head too much. I should have just let it happen. I wish I had.”
Reese wished she had too. That way she wouldn’t feel so sexually frustrated, which was the case since she was about to be a sophomore in college and had only had sex once and with a guy she didn’t even like. “I’m glad you had a good experience.”
“Yeah. Sex is a good time. Girls certainly know what they're doing down there. That’s for sure.” Bette took another big gulp of her drink as if feeling awkward for just saying that out loud. “I’m really surprised all of those girls could stop at just a kiss. You’re kind of irresistible.”
“A few of them would have been down for more in the beginning, but I kind of lost my appeal when I quit the team in the middle of the season.” Reese winced in preparation for the scolding she knew she was about to receive.
“You quit the team? What the hell, Reese? Soccer is your life.”
“It just wasn’t working out.” She really wasn’t in the mood to go into any more detail than that.
“That’s it? That’s all I’m getting?”
“Rachel had a few months that were really bad. Trying to juggle everything going on with her and soccer was just too much.” She tried not to cry as she thought about how hard it was to explain to her teammates why she didn’t always want to party or why she could have a really good game, then play the next one like she had never even touched a soccer ball before. “No one on the team understood. It was so much different than high school. My friends on the team knew all about what was going on. They were there for it all.”
“Did you actually try to explain what was going on or did you pull the Reese move and blow it off like it was nothing?”
Reese blew out a frustrated breath. She hated that Bette was right. In reality, she hadn’t really given them a chance to understand. She didn’t open up to people. The only person who was ever able to get her to really talk was the girl sitting right in front of her. “Okay, so maybe I didn’t, but in my defense, no one really asked.”
Bette was quiet as if she was contemplating something. “So, don’t take this the wrong way. I think it’s great how much you’re there for Rachel, but I feel like you're constantly giving up your own life for her. Where do you draw the line?”
Reese sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. This was not the direction she wanted this night to take. She had way too many conversations like this the past year. “Now you sound like my family. They all say the same thing, especially Rachel.”
“Maybe that should tell you something.”
Reese’s eyes started to burn as her tears threatened to fall. Damnit. Why did Bette always have this effect on her? “I’m just trying to do what’s right, okay? Everyone wants to lecture me about how I should handle this, but they just don’t get it.” She looked away, hoping she could stop the tears from coming, but it was too late. They ran down her face. “She’s my twin sister. It’s so unfair. Why is she the one who is sick? Why do I get to go to school and play sports and live a normal life when she’s being put through all of this?”
Bette hesitantly reached out and took Reese’s hand in hers. “You can’t blame yourself for not being sick, Reese.”
“But I do. I do every single day.”
As she sobbed, Bette wrapped her up in her arms, placing soft kisses along her face as she comforted her. “You’re okay. This isn’t your fault. None of this is your fault. You’re going to be okay.”
Instead of saying anything, Reese melted into Bette’s touch. It was crazy how a simple hug from one person could make her feel so much better. How it could somehow chase away all of her pain. Yet, this wasn’t just one person. This was Bette. Bette was different.
She had always been different.
Reese reluctantly pulled away after a few minutes and wiped at her eyes. “Could we please talk about something else? Today is supposed to be about celebrating and moving forward.” She laughed lightly through her remaining tears. “Heck, I’d even go back to my lack of a sex life.”
Bette studied her face, most likely to make sure she was actually okay, then laughed with her, the smallest trace of a smile splitting her face. “Well, now that you mention it, you said a few of your teammates had been down for more in the beginning. What stopped you then?”
Reese looked away from Bette and stared down at her hands. Did she really want to admit this right now? When she lifted her eyes back up, the look in Bette’s told her she should. “I don’t know. I guess, since it was going to be my first time with a girl, I just wanted it to be special.”
Bette nodded her head knowingly. “Well, what do you mean by special?”
“Like how it would have been with... you.”
Suddenly, there was a shift in the room. It was one of those shifts that was tangible, almost visual. Everything felt heavy and more important. A want circulated between them. A need.
“Would it still be special with me?” Bette asked. “You know, even though we’re not together.”
Wait, was Bette really asking…? It couldn’t be, could it?
“Everything is special with you.”
Without warning, Bette leaned in and kissed her, and Reese was reminded of everything she had been missing out on this year. Kissing the girls from her team had been fun, but it was nothing like this. It was lacking that connection that was so very present with Bette. It lacked the way they both knew exactly what the other person needed, like the way Bette didn't waste any time opening her mouth so their tongues could connect.
Reese tried to stay quiet, to not show just how much she needed this, but a tiny moan slipped out as Bette deepened the kiss, running her tongue along the back of Reese’s as if she couldn’t get enough of her.
This must have been all of the encouragement Bette needed because she pushed Reese down onto the cold hard floor of the tree house and crawled on top of her. She rolled her hips so their centers moved impossibly closer, and Reese thought she might pass out just from that one movement. Bette kissed her neck, then pulled her shirt over her head. She went back to kissing her as she grabbed her boobs over her bra. Reese felt like she was slacking by letting Bette take complete control, but she couldn’t resist. It was way too hot for her to make any changes to their dynamic.
Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, Bette slid down and kissed at her stomach while she moved her hands to the waistband of Reese’s shorts and slid them down her legs. She did it slowly, but also commandingly. Her nails dug into Reese’s legs as they led the shorts off of her. God, where had she learned all of this? She had an unexpected confidence that was making the whole experience so much better. After the shorts were off, her hands moved right to Reese’s underwear, but Reese wasn’t going to let that happen. Not without gaining some control of her own first.
She put a hand over Bette’s to stop her. “Bette, wait.”
Bette looked up at her and the color drained from her face as if she was worried she had taken things too far. Reese smiled to reassure her, then pulled her up to place a quick kiss on her lips. “Sorry. I just think you’re a little overdressed,” she said after breaking the kiss.
She directed Bette to sit up and slid her shirt over her head, then nodded toward her shorts. Understanding her directions, Bette stood up and slowly shimmied out of her shorts. She was putting on a show and Reese absolutely loved it. Her body heated up as the shorts hit the ground and she took in the girl standing above her. Bette Mitchell was perfect. She was small, but muscular. Soft, but tough. Reese’s body growled like a wild beast had taken up residence inside of her and suddenly seeing Bette in just her underwear and bra wasn’t enough. She needed to see all of her.
Before Bette could lay back down on top of her, Reese sat up so she was situated right between her legs. She slowly ran her hands up Bette’s legs and relished in the way she threw her head back and groaned at the contact. Bette rested her hands on Reese’s shoulders and dug her nails into her skin in the most painfully pleasing way possible. Reese ran her hand over the front of Bette’s underwear and was shocked by the amount of wetness she found soaking through. God, that was hot.
She wanted to make this experience just as good for Bette as it was clearly going to be for her, so as she slipped her hands into the sides of Bette’s underwear, she brought her mouth over the center and used her hands and mouth to pull them down. She could tell Bette enjoyed it by the way her nails dug even deeper into her shoulders. She figured it was going to leave a mark, but she didn’t care. She wanted it to. The marks would serve as proof that this hadn’t just been a dream, because it sure felt like one.
When the underwear was low enough, Bette stepped out of it and without prompting, brought a hand behind her back and unhooked her bra. It fell to the ground and left her standing above Reese completely nude. Reese had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life. Famous works of art and city landmarks had nothing on Bette. She was absolute perfection.
Just when she thought she couldn’t enjoy that body any more than she already was, it slid back down on top of her, connecting with her body perfectly as if they were the last two pieces of a puzzle. Bette wasted no time removing Reese’s remaining clothes and immediately kissed across her whole body as if she couldn’t get enough. What started on her mouth moved down across her chin and neck, then onto her chest, followed by her stomach.
When Bette reached the spot between Reese’s legs, she looked up at her for reassurance. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
Reese nodded desperately. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.”
That must have been all the reassurance Bette needed because she immediately let her tongue run up Reese’s center. And with that one motion, Reese lost all control. She had never felt anything like this in her entire life. Her whole body buzzed in anticipation. She was barely holding on, yet desperate for so much more.
Luckily, Bette was ready to give her just that. She ran her hand through her folds as her tongue continued to work.
“Oh God. Yeah. Please. Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop,” Reese begged. She never would have guessed she would be someone who was vocal in bed, but the words slipped right out, just like the low moan that followed. “Oh, wow. Right there.”
She wasn’t even sure where right there was because she felt Bette throughout her whole body. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, Bette sucked her clit into her mouth and pushed two fingers deep inside of her. Reese moved her hands into Bette’s hair to encourage her to keep going. As her hands and mouth continued to move on her, Reese began to see stars, until her vision went completely white as the orgasm took over. She was pretty sure she shouted out Bette’s name as she climaxed, but she honestly couldn’t focus on anything other than the feeling of her whole body losing control.
When the orgasm subsided, it was like she came crashing back down to earth. Almost like she had been floating outside of her body and was now back inside. Back in that tree house where she had spent countless hours growing up. But it didn’t feel awkward like she feared it might. It felt right. Like this was exactly where she was supposed to be and who she was supposed to be with for her first time.
That thought brought her back to the girl who had just given her what had to be one of the most earth-shattering orgasms any human had ever received. But Reese was still just as competitive as always, and she couldn’t let Bette beat her at anything, even if it was sex.
***
Bette was shocked when Reese wasted no time flipping her over so she could be on top. It seemed she was ready to return the favor, and Bette knew it wouldn’t take long. She was already so turned on. She almost climaxed just from watching Reese orgasm. She had never seen anything like it and was honestly shocked that she had done that to her.
Reese kissed Bette hard as she rolled her body up against her in the most tantalizing way possible. She continued to move against her as her kisses traveled down her neck and across her chest until she took a nipple into her mouth. She rolled it around on her tongue, while pleasuring the other one with her fingers. Bette wasn’t sure how long that went on before Reese switched, making sure each breast was as equally cared for.
Bette whimpered as one of those hands moved from her chest but was satisfied when it came to rest between her legs. Reese moved her fingers expertly over her center as if she had done this many times. If she didn’t already know, she would have never guessed this was her first time with a girl. These thoughts, along with all other thoughts, were ripped from her mind when Reese pushed a finger inside of her. What started out as one finger quickly became two and then switched to three.
As Bette rocked her body against those fingers, Reese moved her own body against Bette’s. Between her mouth still working on Bette’s nipples, her body pushing against Bette’s, and her fingers penetrating her, it felt like Reese was everywhere. How one person could do all of this was absolutely mindblowing.
When Bette pushed up harder against Reese’s finger, Reese picked up the pace of her thrusting. Bette was getting close, so she grabbed Reese’s ass to pull them even tighter up against each other. Reese threw her head back and moaned, and watching that was enough to send Bette over the edge. An orgasm shot through her, then lingered as Reese continued to ride her. She didn’t know how she would last given what Reese was putting her body through, but she climaxed once again at the sight and sound of Reese climaxing against her.
Reese’s body went limp and rolled off of Bette. As Reese removed her fingers from inside Bette, one last shiver ran down Bette’s spine. They were both quiet as they stared up at the ceiling of the tree house and tried to catch their breath.
After a few minutes, Reese turned onto her side and looked at Bette with so much desire that it almost gave her the energy she needed for round two. “Is that how sex always is with a girl? That was… that was…” She blew out a long, shaky breath. “Wow. Just wow.”
Bette couldn’t help but laugh, mostly because she couldn’t think of a better way to describe it herself. “Like I said, sex with girls is pretty great, but I can’t lie. I had sex with two different girls multiple times this past school year, and it never felt like that.”
A cocky grin surfaced on Reese’s face as she rested her elbow on the ground and then leaned into her hand. “So, what you’re saying is I’m pretty good, huh?”
Knowing exactly how Reese’s mind worked, Bette did her best at feigning nonchalance. “I mean, it was good, but you can definitely do better.”
Reese’s smile grew even bigger. She clearly knew what Bette was doing, but Bette could tell she was ready to take the bait. “Is that so?”
“Yep. You just need some practice, but I bet with enough of it, you could be pretty brilliant. Maybe even the best.”
