SAPPHIC COWGIRL

A Novella by K’Anne Meinel

SmashWords Edition

Published by:

K’Anne Meinel on Smashwords

Copyright © K’Anne Meinel August 2012

SAPPHIC COWGIRL

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K’Anne Meinel is available for comments at KAnneMeinel@aim.com as well as on Facebook, Google +, and Twitter or www.kannemeinel.com if you would like to follow her to find out stories and book’s releases.

“If you’ve changed your mind, I think I could find go ask for another cabin, I’m sure they have something.”

Alex put her fingers to Marley’s lips to silence her as she sat on the bed and looked deep into her eyes. “I haven’t changed my mind, have you?”

Marley shook her head since Alex had effectively silenced her with her touch, it felt nice though, her fingers touching her lips.

“Are you nervous?” Alex asked next beginning to look worried.

Marley nodded.

“Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind?” Alex began to sound worried.

She shook her head again.

“You don’t say much” she commented a little annoyed.

Marley pulled Alex’s fingers from her lips and said with a laugh “because you stopped me you goof!”

The laughter seemed to relax them both but Alex’s intense look was causing Marley to feel a kind of shudder throughout her, she was jittery and this so wasn’t like her but this was Alex, the woman she’d thought about and tried to forget for years. She looked to Marley to teach her, to let her be her first, to love her. No problem there, she’d loved her for as long as she could remember. They’d been friends from before kindergarten and despite the years away she’d loved her like a friend, a sister, and an unrequited kind of love that she didn’t realize could become this, this feeling she couldn’t exactly pin point. She couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t loved her even in the years she had hated her she had loved her. Marley had resigned herself long ago that they would never be together like this but to find both of them sitting on a bed in a cabin Marley thought of everything that could go wrong and everything that could go oh so right between them.

“I’ll be right back, I promise” Alex said as she got up off the bed with a shy kind of smile that had Marley’s heart going flippity flop.

Marley sat there in her underwear and a t-shirt waiting, remembering.

“And this is our little Alexandra” Mrs. Collins introduced her blond haired and pig tailed little girl to Mrs. Peabody and her little girl Marley.

Marley had never seen such perfect blond hair or a dress that was as clean as the one on the girl before her. She thought of her as the drawings in her picture books, the perfect little girl.

Alex had never seen eyes so velvety brown, they reminded her of her favorite stuffed bear’s glass eyes and she felt warmed at the thought as though she already had a friend here waiting for her.

Kindergarten was scary and a few of the moms had gotten together beforehand to introduce their little ‘darlings’ so that on the first day they wouldn’t be so scared or feel so overwhelmed. A few friendships were forged that day on the ranch and Alex and Marley’s were one of them. Both girls were dressed in their very best dresses, their hair held in by pretty little ribbons, by the end of the day they were muddy and scratched, their ribbons hanging down in tatters, and their mother’s properly horrified but the friendship was fast and enduring.

By the second week in school Alex had busted Tommy Blisters nose with a right hook that would do her Papa proud when he heard of it from an outraged Mrs. Collins. The fact that she was defending her very best friend Marley wasn’t the issue, she was labeled a proper little hoyden.

In the fourth grade Alex was sent home from school for not wearing any underwear underneath her dress, a fact that was found out because Ellie Delaney had dared her to climb the flagpole saying she wasn’t ‘strong’ enough to make it to the top. All the boys could see that she was indeed strong enough, and that she wasn’t wearing any knickers. Her good friend Marley pulled Ellie’s underwear up over her head in front of many of the boys and pushed her into the mud for her. A few of the boys got their faces wiped with mud as well as her fists by the time Marley was finished with them. No one messed with one without having to deal with the other.

They joined the 4-H together at nine and began riding horses, competing, and showing them to the best of their abilities. Alex even trained and showed dogs and her best friend Marley was there to cheer her on at the fairs they attended and showed in.

By junior high everyone knew they were best friends and they allowed a few others into their close-knit friendship but it was still the two of them to the end, until they discovered boys weren’t so bad.

By high school the friendship started to turn. Neither was certain how it changed but it did. Both went a little boy crazy and it seemed suddenly they were in competition not only with each other but for the boys that went to their small one-horse town high school. Now the competitions from 4-H and for school were in earnest. When both of them were in the show ring you could almost feel the level of showmanship rise, no one else stood a chance against the two of them and when it came down to the final two it was a hard judge who had to throw the casting vote. Scholastically both were at the top of their classes and sometimes a lively debate would ensue over a topic in class and their different points of view, teachers learned not to favor one over the other since ultimately their goals were the same.

The boys learned if they dated one of the girls they could never hope to date the other, there was no forgiveness in the girls over this slight. If the boy didn’t have the sense to choose one or the other first he wasn’t good enough for the other from then on and once he broke up with one or the other was a social misfit in whomever he could get to date him from then on. Few of the girls in their small high school wanted Alex’s or Marley’s cast offs.

When college came they went to opposite ends of the country and lost touch except occasionally hearing from the town grapevines and their mothers about the other. It wasn’t a big deal, they had both made new friends, they had both moved on from their childhood friends and games, they were adults now, college presented new challenges and opportunities that their small town could never hope to. On rare occasions they met in the ring again each sizing the other up and seeing what changes college and life had wrought. They both graduated with honors as the town newspaper proudly proclaimed. One from Yale, one from Berkley and then they didn’t hear of the other for many years as they went on out into the big wide world.

“I have a meeting scheduled with Ms. Peabody?” she told the gal behind the desk in the office.

“And you are?” the girl replied trying to sound professional, Ms. Peabody would require it but failing due to the wad of chewing gum in her mouth and her propensity for chewing like a cow.

“Alexandra…”

“Oh here you are” the girl interrupted as she looked down at the scheduling book. “Ms. Peabody is still in the training arena, would you care to wait” she indicated the comfortable looking chairs.

“May I go watch?” Alex asked instead.

The girl looked at her expensive suit with a look that clearly said ‘in that?’ But she nodded and pointed “the box is open and you can go out on the balcony if you wish but don’t make a sound, she wouldn’t like that.”

Alex nodded as she shifted her briefcase from her right hand to her left and began to climb the shiny wood staircase that led up to a viewing box with large glass windows and comfortable leather seats where she dropped her briefcase. A balcony for viewing led from the box with no seating available and she made her way out to this to watch the arena. Inside she could see the famous Gypsy Vanner’s she had come to see as well as the trainer she hoped to provide services for. She also secretly hoped to obtain breeding rights to one of their famous studs but that was on a personal level and her company had no idea she wanted that as well.

The girl watched her walk up the stairs and admired the 2” heels she had on and shook her head, the outfit and the shoes were so inappropriate on a ranch like this it was laughable but she wished she could pull off such a look as she looked down at her own blue jeans and boots. The phone rang and she answered it “Feathered Farms how may I direct your call?”

Alex watched as a tall woman in a Stetson took out a horse on a long rope and not using a whip or anything beyond softly spoken words had it go through its paces. First a walk, then a trot, and then a run that had her laughing. It was the laugh that had Alex realizing that this Ms. Peabody was in fact Marley Peabody as Alex had wondered when she had made the appointment. Peabody was a fairly common name but not in the horse world. Alex wasn’t often in the horse world, at least not as much as she would like but she kept her foot in it by raising horses back on her own farm, a small operation but one she hoped to improve with sperm from one of Feathered Farm’s studs. Her heart sank as the thought that this Peabody might be Marley was confirmed with that laugh. No one laughed as exuberantly as though it couldn’t be contained. It was unique, it was Marley’s and Alex was pretty sure her request to purchase a vial of Feathered Farm’s semen would be denied on principal.

The horse responded to the laughter by perking up, knowing it was pleasing the woman it held its head higher, its gate changed to high stepping and proud, its tail flew out behind it and it looked like it was flying. Alex caught her breath at the beauty of the Gypsy Vanner knowing that a more beautiful horse didn’t exist in her world. Yes there were beautiful Arabs, Quarterhorses, Morgan’s, and many other breeds but she was partial to Gypsy Vanner’s and their beauty touched her heart.

The Gypsy Horse also known as an Irish Cob was not very well known here in the United States having been introduced only as recently as 1996. From their mutual discovery of the usually piebald horse both women, then girls, had fallen in love with the breed. Marley had obviously taken her passion and excelled at it but then Alex wasn’t surprised she had done what she said she would, work with horses to her death.

She watched as Marley spoke to the horse who halted and stood proudly as it was approached. Marley spoke again and the horse bowed, actually bowed to her and lowered its proud head in submission. Marley hugged it and Alex smiled, she too would hug such a beautiful and well behaved horse. Marley removed the rope and pushed the horse away and a wonderful game of tag ensued. The horse would lightly touch the woman with its nose outstretched and then Marley would run and slap it’s rump as it ran away in delight. This continued for a while across the large arena before Marley was winded and with a final slap and a clap of her hands she shouted “enough” and the horse stopped immediately. Marley got up on its back with a single bound and sat there; no halter, no bridle, no saddle or rope…the horse took her around and around the arena on her say so giving her a delightful ride as she held on with her powerful legs before she spoke again and they headed for a door. Marley got down and the horse followed her into what must be the stables.

Alex watched all of that and nearly cried at the beauty of it all envious to a degree but proud for her former friend. Marley had always said she wanted to train horses. They had both wanted to grow up and work with them and raise them. 4-H and their rural lifestyle had given them a taste of it, competition had only increased their love of the beautiful beasts, life had gotten in the way at least for Alex. To see her old friend living the dream they had both shared delighted her, all the pain and angst of high school was forgotten as she admired and shared in the joy on her friend’s face as she anonymously observed her playing with the well-trained animal.

“Ms. Peabody, your ten o-clock is waiting” the girl told Marley when she saw her come in from the stables.

“My ten o’clock? It’s eleven now?” Marley frowned at the gal who was turning out to be a terrible receptionist for the farm as she glanced up at the large clock behind the desk. She had no clue how an office should be run and only wanted to be with the horses but Marley had needed a receptionist and not another horse-crazy girl to muck out stalls and admire her babies.

“It’s okay, I didn’t mind waiting” Alex said smoothly as she walked in behind the receptionist. “I enjoyed watching you train your horse.”

Marley was astonished. Of all the people to walk into her life after all the years since she had left Texas Alex was the last one she would have thought to see. Since her parent’s death and the sale of their little ranch she had founded this little ranch and she had turned it into something she wanted and enjoyed. With a degree in business and marketing and a desire to own horses again she had bought this little out of the way ranch on the California Coast and turned it into a well-known Gypsy Vanner ranch called Feathered Farms. She looked at her old friend, her old nemesis, and had to admit that time had really been kind to Alex. She was still blonde but the expensive haircut and the light touches of sun had really made her a knockout, perhaps it was the expertly applied makeup or the expensive cut of her suit, the combination made Alex look fantastic and Marley grudgingly admitted it as she realized her jeans, t-shirt with a flannel shirt over the top and boots made for an unattractive combination. She had to think hard whether or not she had even brushed her own brunette locks this morning. But this was a working farm and it didn’t matter what she looked like, just her babies. “Well I’ll be if it ain’t Ms. Collins from bumfuck Texas” she drawled exaggeratingly. Marley had lost most of her Texas twang while at Berkley but every now and then it crept in, now she was deliberately recalling it as she smiled a welcome at Alex.

Alex returned the smile and found her heart beating harder at the pretty brunette with the velvety brown eyes. She looked so damned wholesome it was amazing. Used to high powered clients who spent hours every week or so at a gym or a spa this was a refreshing change. “Hello Marley” she said in her sultry voice genuinely glad to see her.

“You’re who I have an appointment with?” Marley asked in her astonishment. “I thought I was supposed to meet some insurance salesman?” she glanced at her receptionist in puzzlement.

“This is” the gal squirmed wondering if she had made another mistake and this one was going to cost her her job.

“I am” Alex said at the same time.

“You’re an insurance salesman?” Marley asked and then nodded to the receptionist to dismiss her, the girl left hastily, vastly relieved to get out of her bosses presence.

Alex nodded and smiled again causing Marley to quietly suck in her breath at the beauty before her.

“What an odd coincidence that you of all people would be the one they sent.”

“Well they knew I knew about horses but I didn’t realize you were THE Ms. Peabody of Feather Farms” she replied nervously wondering if having known each other in another life was a good thing or a bad thing.

“Feathered Farms not Feather” Marley automatically corrected her.

“Oh yeah, sorry” Alex apologized.

“So your here to give me a quote eh?” Marley asked to keep it all business, they didn’t need to go down memory lane or hash out old squabbles.

“Yes, would you like to give me a tour?” Alex asked and secretly hoped, from what she had seen it was impressive.

Marley looked her over from the top of her perfectly coiffed head down her expensive suit to the nylons and the heels and shook her head “not in that outfit” she said dryly.

Alex looked down and laughed “I am a bit over dressed but these are my work clothes, I have more appropriate clothes in my rental if you don’t mind me changing.”

Marley laughed and shook her head “trust you to be ready for anything. Yeah, go ahead I’ve some endless paperwork awaiting my attention, just let me know when you are ready for that tour.”

Alex nodded and hurried out to her car to grab a change of clothes. Although she had waited an enjoyable hour to meet with Marley she didn’t want to keep her waiting any longer than she had already done so. This account was important to their company. These ranches were a gateway to other large ranches and her client list could use another influx of accounts. Alex was good at what she did and she had told Marley the truth when she said they had sent her because she knew horses. She also knew quite a few ranches that could use the insurance policies they sold and with Feathered Farms on her client roster it would lead to more policies for her company. She wanted to be that agent. She hurried back inside and used the bathroom to change into jeans, a white muscle shirt, and well-worn boots. She pulled a checkered shirt on and left it unbuttoned to cover up the t-shirt, adding a belt helped keep up the jeans and she wished she had thought to pack her own Stetson as she had admired Alex’s. It was obvious it was an old favorite as it had a well-worn ‘lived in’ look to it and fit Marley as though an extension of her herself.

Marley was pleasantly surprised to see Alex fifteen minutes later looking similar to the gal she had known back in Texas, an older and much more refined woman though despite the clothes, she breathed sophistication and ‘big city’ in spite of the change of clothing. Marley found she liked it and wished she could just forget the high school years that had hurt her so badly and the gal who had been her nemesis back then. She wanted to remember the best friend she had throughout her childhood and into junior high but the four years overshadowed that. The competition that had begun in jest had become an earnest trial for both of them to not only come out on top scholastically, but personally and then into competitions. It had been a nightmare of one-upsmanship.

Marley was a professional though; she had to be in a business that still was a good ole boys club. Although a lot of women had come very far in breeding, raising, and exhibiting horses it was still a man’s world and Marley had learned to hide her real feelings on so many levels that she was an expert at it. She’d had a lot of ‘men’ advise her against starting this ranch, breeding such frivolous horses, but she had silenced some of the worst nay-sayers as she not only succeeded at it but was sought after for advice and most especially for her stock.

Marley used that professionalism now as she began to show Alex around the home farm, the stables were impressive with their high beamed ceilings almost cathedral-like in their appearance, the rich woods that were highly polished lent an air of professionalism and decadence at the same time.

“This reminds me of some of the photos I’ve seen of some of the English stables with the wood and brick” Alex commented as she admired the architecture and the horses that were babied in their stalls.

“That’s what I thought too when I found this place, this is one of the original structures and I continued on with that theme when I built the training arena, the show arena, and the two other stables” Marley answered pleased that her ex-friend had noticed. She heard the genuine admiration in Alex’s voice and preened at it although she hid it well.

“How did you find this place?” Alex asked as she was shown to the second stable and the state of the art veterinarian section. It was well stocked and had a special table to hold a horse on its side or they could use a sturdy sling from which to suspend a horse and keep it off its feet. Sometimes just letting a horse rest from its own weight was a bonus and allowed it to heal without its own weight causing pain on damaged legs or hooves. A horse’s hoof is like a fingernail and can cause immense pain to the frightened beast.

Marley smiled showing nice even teeth that the braces from high school had straightened, gone too were the pimples that had come with puberty, in its place was a sun-kissed face deeply tanned from hours in the saddle despite the Stetson. “I got lucky, I was at a show in Arizona when I heard someone mention this place and it was too bad it was going up for auction. It would surely have been piecemealed off but after the competition I had a friend take my truck and trailer and horses home and I headed up here into California. I got here and gawd this place was a mess, only the one stable was built and everything was dirty and unkempt for years. The amount of dirt and debris was astonishing. The old man who had owned this place was a hoarder and the few animals he kept around were diseased and as old as him. He was an ornery old cuss and losing the place to back taxes. I introduced myself and said I wanted to buy the place from him. He immediately thought I had millions or that the place was worth as much as the hundreds of thousands of acres that Hearst has over there” she indicated the great Hearst Ranch up the coast from her own.

Alex was fascinated and eagerly waited for Marley to continue on with her story but they were interrupted by handlers who seeing their boss walking about had questions they felt were important about the various animals they were working with. She watched as Marley handled it effortlessly telling big burly men and women how she wanted things handled, what she wanted where, and who she wanted doing what. She wondered if this was an all the time thing or she had just happened on a busy day for Marley.

As they entered the third stable she saw the wide open architecture had been continued. Large wooden beams holding up a glass cupola that provided light into the long clean passageway that held stalls on both sides. The ground below them was not simply cement or dirt but brick and mortar and slightly sloped so when it was washed off it went in the gutters and away from the horses. The rich wooden panels of the stalls with their barred uppers were beautiful in the sunlight that had made an appearance. The tones of the clean and highly polished wood only lent an air of expensive horses.

“This is where we board horses” Alex told her as she explained to make the ranch profitable she kept other’s horses on her ranch. It provided and income where normally horses were a drain. Someone had once said that horses could not be a profitable enterprise but Alex was one of the few who had proved that these hay burners could indeed be profitable. Her ranch had proved it.

The next structure they went into was a basic barn but again the large and high beamed ceilings but no cupola. Inside were a few cows and chickens and ducks as well as a few dogs and cats. Alex was surprised at the contrast until Marley explained that the ranch also had cattle in the far reaches that were a good source of income and they kept the milk cows to feed to some of their horses. The cats were all good mousers and kept the mice and rats down to a minimum. They had vets in training coming down from Davis to rotate through and learn the large animal husbandry. It provided her with a cheap source of vet care and it allowed the students to learn whether they wanted to get into something such as this. It also kept all the animals in tip top shape and care which was why she had state of the art vet facilities.

“I got that idea from that movie we saw in junior high with Mel Gibson, gawd I don’t remember the name but the one where he was on the run with Goldie Hawn?” she remembered smiling to a better time that they had still been friends.

“Oh I remember that wasn’t it called High Wire or something?” Alex mused trying to remember.

Marley shook her head “no that wasn’t it” she hesitated trying hard to remember “Bird on a Wire! That’s it!” she said smiling at the memory.

“So you copied the vet’s room from that movie?” Alex asked incredulous.

Marley nodded “some of that stuff made sense!”

Alex smiled “how many times did you have to watch it before you had everything the way you wanted?”

Marley shook her head at the teasing not used to it “not too many, I had help in the students who wanted a place that would be easy to use and make sense with their large patients and we actually invented a few things together, I actually hold a patent or two along with a couple of former students. That too has brought some income into the ranch.”

Alex was impressed but then not surprised either Marley had been a business major after all. She was enjoying the tour but knew it had to be coming to an end as they were running out of buildings, she had forgotten the show arena and it was impressive. The top was covered in glass like the cupolas in the stables but this was immense and set like a set of diamonds to bring in light from various angles taking advantage of the natural light instead of turning on the electric. It created a warm atmosphere in the mainly open arena which had stands all around and a set of judging boxes halfway down on one side. The floor of the arena was deeply padded with what looked like peat and had been raked recently giving it an even and untouched appearance.

“Geez Marley how did you manage to do this since the broken down building you described the hoarder of having?”

“Oh yeah, I was telling you the history of this place wasn’t I? We were interrupted.” She looked around the place knowing that there was work waiting for her but then there would always be work waiting for her, it was her operation after all. “How would you like to see the herds?” she asked impulsively. She hadn’t let on but she was enjoying Alex’s visit and perhaps showing off a bit at the same time.

“I’d love to Marley but I don’t want to keep you from your work” Alex acknowledged the amount of time she had kept Marley from said work.

Marley shrugged “it will still be there whether I am here or not.” She looked around and seeing a cowboy walking across the common area called “Brent, could saddle up my horse and” she glanced at Alex knowing she could probably handle any horse on the place “Whiskers?” He glanced at her in surprise and then the pretty brunette next to her and nodded as he kind of saluted her with one finger to his hat brim in acknowledgement and headed towards one of the stables.

“Whiskers?” Alex asked dryly wondering if she was about to be hazed by her former friend or was this payback for a million imagined hurts through high school.

Marley smiled “you’ll see, he isn’t what he sounds like.” Then she saw another cowboy heading towards the arena “Mack could you ask Jenni to put up a picnic in one of my saddlebags?” He nodded doing the salute thing again and headed off towards the small house on the property.

“They really like working here I bet” Alex stated as she put her foot up on a rail of a fence as she looked at the horses in one of the corrals. These must be boarders, there wasn’t a Gypsy Vanner in the bunch.

“Yep, it’s not hard to get good workers to work here, it’s hard to keep them though for any length of time, they are paid much more on bigger places and with Feathered Farms on their resume’s they are in demand” Marley said wryly acknowledging the problem in a funny way. “There are a few that are very loyal and have stayed but so many who pass through after only a few years.”

“But how have you grown so quickly, the amount of money I see here that we would insure is quite a bit, you’ve got state of the art facilities and I know how much this sort of thing costs to maintain.”

Marley smiled, Alex was no dummy and she was very astute. No this was not a fly by night operation, she hadn’t started it that way either.

When two Gypsy Vanners were brought up for their ride Alex saw that Whiskers was aptly named. A gelding whose whiskers had to be the longest she had ever seen on a horse it gave him an odd grizzled look but still the beauty of the Gypsy Vanner could not be hid. “Why don’t you cut those whiskers?” she asked as she effortlessly mounted up her leg muscles still strong from a life time of riding.

Marley had admired her getting into the saddle, the jeans she was wearing while designer still pulled taunt in all the right places on her sleek and smooth city body. She caught herself from cautioning the city-slicker remembering that this was Alex and she probably knew as much about horses as she did. “We do, that’s one week’s growth” she said with a laugh as she mounted her own stallion.

“One week?” Alex asked astounded as she looked at the nearly three inch growth at least on the gelding.

Marley laughed again “yeah, he’s a walking shaggy beast. I wish I could have bred him before he was gelded, his hair growth is phenomenal and it’s not just his whiskers but in his mane, tale, and feathers.” She indicated the long hair on his legs “I could use that in some of my mares and their offspring.”

“Where’d you get him?” Alex asked as they began to ride out from the ranch yard watching as Marley leaned down to open a gate her jeans pulling against her ass and her shirt pulling against the muscles of her stomach. She was surprised that she noticed that as she had always known Marley to be fit and trim. It went with being a competitor and riding kept you physically fit.

“Some carnival that didn’t realize they had a Gypsy Vanner was going belly up and wanted to send old Grizzly as they called the shaggy beast to the glue factory. He was too wild for kiddie rides but he can haul a wagon full of anything if you hitch him up. It took a while to get him used to riders but he is an awesome ride if spirited” she smiled as Alex expertly kept him under control her hands strangely out of place with their pale white skin and long fingers and long manicured nails. It was obvious she knew what she was doing as she held on with her thighs and sat comfortably erect in the saddle.

“Was he a mess too when you got him?” Alex asked as she admired the stallion that was simply stunning that Marley was riding. He was solid muscle and the black and white coloring of his coat was superbly kept up and looked like it had been polished with something. Marley was keeping him in line with only one hand and her thighs talking softly to him and giving him commands. It was obvious he was listening to her and her commands were immediately obeyed, his ears twitched waiting for more commands. It was also obvious he was anxious to go for a run as they trotted between gates and his powerful body was barely contained but he obeyed Marley without question and with a hopeful look in his eye and ears twitching for the command he craved.

“Yeah, he took some cleaning up and a lot of patience but he is beautiful and deserved a chance, I think I may keep him around even if I can’t breed him.”

“How far out are we going?” Alex asked.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you have other appointments? I didn’t think when I invited you to see the herds…”

Alex was shaking her head “nothing that can’t be rescheduled” she assured her, she wanted to see what Marley had built here and talk to her, it had been so long, too long.

“Is your city-butt up to some galloping?” Marley asked with a daring grin, her horse’s ear twitched at the word ‘gallop’ hoping it was leading to what he desperately desired to do.

Alex rose to the challenge “I may regret it later but yeah, let’s go, you lead the way!”

The words were barely out of Alex’s mouth before Marley commanded her stallion to gallop and they were off like a pistol shot, two attractive women, one blonde, one brunette, hair flying out behind them and the beautiful Gypsy Vanner’s their own feathered hair flying out behind as well.

“Oh my gawd Marley, that’s the most incredible sight I’ve ever seen!” Alex told her honestly as she slowly closed her gaping mouth at the herd of Gypsy Vanner’s came over the rise to greet the two women. It had started as a small roar of hooves and from afar looked like a fairly large herd but the overwhelming reality of nearly forty horses with black and white and brown and white patches some almost solid white with long manes and tales was incredible. Seeing them floating over the ground rapidly covering the ground they were running along on was breathtaking.

Marley was justifiably proud. This was one of the largest herds of Gypsy Vanner’s in the country and not many people knew how large it actually was. She kept them at the back of her ranch in a dip in the hills that required some pretty heavy duty hiking to find if they could be found. On either side of this particular section were herds of cattle that she kept to help support her operation and dream, a good cover for the quality and quantity of horses she was raising. Few people knew or realized that being this close to the Pacific Ocean caused the grass to have a high content of salt. The animals raised on it were different as a result. She got high prices for her fattened beef raised on it but her horses were an incredible bunch of spoiled and pampered beasts, she had unnaturally healthy animals and she believed it was from the mists that came in at night and stayed into the morning, the grasses that grew here, and the healthy air that abounded.

They ate the sandwiches, water, and fruit from Marley’s saddlebags as they watched the mares, geldings, and the colts and fillies play in the fields and brush around them. They looked so wild and free that Alex found a lump forming in her throat at the sight. Looking at Marley she wondered if she didn’t feel the same at the expression on her face.

She continued her story that she had started earlier after she had proudly shown Alex her herds. “Yeah, he thought he could get millions for this run down place, all the fences were a joke much less the buildings, the guy had so much junk that when I hauled it away as scrap I got a lot for the pounds of iron and steel and believe me it took months of hauling to get it all. The whole place was a real eyesore and run down. People had been dumping things here forever and he had let them. Trying to get the land back after that kind of abuse was a nightmare.” She shuddered as she remembered how hard she had worked.

“How’d you get him to sell and not for millions?” Alex asked as she looked around at the rolling hills that ended in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the north of the ranch and the San Simeon ranches that included the Hearst Ranch and Hearst Castle.

Marley turned them back towards the ranch watching her beautiful and curious horses return to feeding after they had satisfied their curiosity of the intruders. Her stallion had wanted to join his harem but she had spoken to him and he calmed but eyed them none the less looking around for any possibility of a competing stallion. “I explained to him that he was in danger of losing the ranch for back taxes and that a petition had been taken out by people wanting the junk site to be torn down and stopped.” She laughed at how angry he had been at the thought that his precious collection of ‘collectibles’ was being considered ‘junk.’ “We talked round and round literally for days. He wanted too much and I had too little to pay for it. I pointed out that it was going to go to auction unless he did something immediately to thwart those who wanted him gone. Damn he was a stubborn cuss but he thought he had a dumb blonde Oakie on his hands and didn’t realize I was a stubborn Texan.”

Alex smiled and then laughed knowing how often a southern accent could work against you and then how you could turn it on someone and use it to your advantage.

“This ‘dumb blonde’ talked him into signing the property over to her for the back taxes which I could afford to pay.”

“How much was that?” Alex asked enthralled by the story and perhaps a bit envious.

“Forty thousand” Marley said quietly with a look at Alex to see her reaction “but no one knows that so I don’t want it told around.”

Alex nodded as she looked out at the land and realized how much the land would actually be worth and was astounded. “Didn’t he realize he was getting nothing for it after you paid the taxes?”

Marley shook her head “nope, I provided him a place to live, there was this little camper that we took out to the far point of the ranch and he agreed to watch the cows and fence line out there for as long as he could. In exchange I provide him with supplies and keep him from being bothered by anyone which is really what he wanted, he really is a hermit. Very rarely does anyone come across him and even more rarely does he come into the home ranch to see it. I suspect he looks in more often than we know but it’s changed so much from what he had here that it’s unrecognizable.”

“Wow Marley, you really lucked out finding this place” Alex said admiringly.

“Well I don’t know how much luck it was when I was cleaning it up. I fortunately found some old hay wagon platforms that let me put the junk up on the beds and was able to keep hauling stuff to a recycling plant down in San Luis Obispo but that’s quite a trip and you have to tie everything down.” She shook her head at the memory “there were so many trips sometimes I wondered if I was wasting more gas in the trip than the money I was getting for the metals!”

“To look at it now though” Alex looked around as the ranch buildings came into sight in the distance.

“Yeah but that took a lot of years and a lot of sweat and tears” Marley acknowledged.

“Did you take before and after pictures?”

“I did as a matter of fact and during…” Marley smiled at her friend’s question. “Would you like to stay for dinner and see them?”

“You wouldn’t mind?” Alex was fascinated, this was quite an adventure her friend had had and she wished she could have helped but at the same time seeing the result of what she had built she was impressed.

Marley shook her head and glanced over under her Stetson “No, it will be like old times” and then worried that she had brought up bad times with that statement.

“You know, had you told me back in high school that we would be talking like this I would have called you a liar” Alex acknowledged the reference back to old times.

Marley nodded “yeah, those four years were hell weren’t they?”

Alex nodded “I missed you though” she said quietly, she thought too quietly but seeing that Marley raised her head to meet her eyes from under the Stetson she knew she had heard.

“I missed you too, I never could understand how it got so bad” Marley replied.

“I could, you were just too damn pretty and the competition which had been fun became real.”

“Well you did steal Danny from me” Marley teased.

“I did not, he came to me of his own free will” Alex countered as she caught the tease “besides, he didn’t last long did he?”

“Why didn’t he?” Marley asked “I always wondered, he was a good guy.”

Alex shrugged “at first he came to me with a sob story and I bought it, when you and I fought over it I was at first amused and then outraged that you blamed me for his defection. Then you won that one show, gawd I don’t even remember which one it was but the game was on from then on.”

They were coming into the first of the gates and Marley leaned down open it waiting for Alex to walk through on Whiskers before closing it behind them. Alex trotted to the next one wanting to stop the conversation for the moment as the memories assailed her from so long ago and some of the hurt resurfaced. Trotting kept them from talking although Marley’s stallion easily overtook Whiskers but Marley seemed to understand that Alex didn’t want to continue that particular conversation.

Alex followed Marley around the rest of the afternoon admiring as she effortlessly managed and controlled her operation; it was much bigger than she had been led to believe. They went over the various policies that Alex could offer her for the ranch itself much less for individual horses such as her stallions that if anything happened to them could really stop or delay the function of the ranch. A broad policy wasn’t going to work on the unique operation that Marley was operating here and Alex’s expertise was obvious as she explained what she felt Marley needed as well as how the policies would intermix and cover Marley and her operation fully. Marley was delightedly surprised to find that Alex could actually save her money and when she showed Alex her other policies Marley showed her ways to cut costs and actually save money from not only the insurance angle but on taxes. One of the ways was by installing sprinklers into the rafters of many of the standing buildings as well as on the roofs because this area was prone to wildfires and this would help to protect the buildings and the property. Since the ranch had its own wells the sprinklers would not be without a source and didn’t have to rely on water pumped in from inland or an unreliable source. Solar panels could power many of the buildings and power the backup generator since the ranch was rather remote and one of the last on the line to receive power in case of a failure.

“How do you know so much about the sprinklers and solar panels?” Marley asked after Alex provided in-depth knowledge about both and many other things to help the ranch save money including solar powered ranch gates.

Alex smiled “it pays as an insurance salesperson to have knowledge on many subjects and to keep the clients happy. You know yourself being raised in Texas that water is an issue and with all the sun this state gets we might as well capitalize on it and the technology that is out there.”

“Do you have the names of some of the companies that I can contact about this” she indicated the sprinklers and solar panels that Alex had sketched out.

Alex wrote down a couple of company names and phone numbers and handed them to Marley, their hands brushed as she passed her the paper and they both felt the spark of static electricity that had them jump and laugh at their reactions.

Marley looked at the names and numbers thoughtfully and then put it aside for later. “Let’s head in for dinner and catch up further.”

Alex was surprised how small the house was but as Marley quoted ‘take care of the barn and the barn will take care of the house.’ Although it meant that if she took care of her horses they would support her, it really meant that Marley was so busy in her barns that she didn’t have the time to care for a larger house or really the need for it; it was a place to lay her head if she even got to bed at night.

Over a nice roast dinner with plenty of vegetables carefully prepared by Marley’s cook that Alex enjoyed enormously, she hadn’t eaten like this in years, probably since she had lived back in Texas they caught up even further.

“So you continued competitions even after college?” Alex asked as she drank the Atascadero wine that Marley was serving, a local red it tasted good with the roast.

Marley nodded “yeah, Papa wanted me to go into business but I knew I could make a business of raising horses and cattle but I thought it was going to be in Texas. When he died I didn’t have to listen to his arguments anymore and Ma gave up caring. She lives in a retirement home in San Luis Obispo but she doesn’t know me anymore so I stopped visiting, in my mind she has passed away even if I do still pay the bill. They give me weekly reports that are depressingly the same.”

“Alzheimers?” Alex asked with sympathy.

Marley shook her head “no, dementia. The last time I visited she accused me of stealing her jello from her dinner tray, she had no idea she had already eaten it and anyone who was there was suspect but as she didn’t know me anymore I was the target. It was breaking my heart so I decided not to visit any more. Her doctor agreed because he could see it was upsetting me.”

“I’m sorry, your mom was always such a spitfire” Alex said sincerely.

“What about your folks? I don’t hear anything from Texas anymore since I moved Mama.”

“My folks and I no longer speak” Alex confessed.

“Why is that?” Marley asked surprised “you were so close I was sometimes envious.”

Alex glanced up “I got a divorce about five years ago and as we were Catholic I really disappointed them.”

“I never even knew you had gotten married!” Marley exclaimed in her surprise.

Alex shrugged “it wasn’t much of a marriage, I guess I wanted the white picket fence and the happily ever after, I knew he was the wrong one though the day I married him.”

“Where did you get married?” Marley was surprised she hadn’t heard about any of this. Something as important as a marriage in their small town surely she would have heard.

“Saint Therese’s” she stated as she took a sip of the wine and watched the look on her old friend’s face.

“Oh wow, bet it was lovely” Marley stated.

Alex nodded kind of wryly “it was but it also felt so fake, promising to love honor and cherish until death parts you, it was kind of ironic that it lasted only a few months before I realized he was a drunk and an idiot and knew nothing about anything.”

“What do you mean he knew nothing about anything?” Marley asked.

Alex shrugged and then looking into her old friend’s face “he knew nothing about lovemaking and it was probably the worst experience of my life.”

Marley nearly laughed but knowing it was Alex kept it to herself, they hadn’t really talked through the hurt of high school and it would easily be misinterpreted as triumph. “He was no Billy Moier eh?”

“How’d you know about him?” Alex asked astounded.

Marley did smile “he bragged, I’m sorry, at that point I was so anti-Alex that I listened to the gossip about you and cheered when it was bad.”

Alex nodded “he did know what he was doing but despite popular opinion or his own bragging we never went ‘all the way’ as he stated.”

“Were you a virgin on your wedding night?” Marley asked surprised.

Alex shook her head “no but I think Trent was and wouldn’t let his ego admit it, maybe if he had it wouldn’t have been so awful and gotten worse.”

“It got worse?”

Alex nodded as she ate the fine roast and juicy vegetables she had before her, in between bites she told her tale. Trent was an inadequate lover and after a couple of years of mental abuse Alex was a mess and he wanted children. She wanted horses but he didn’t understand that in her and made sure they couldn’t afford it. She tried to save towards owning a small place of their own but whenever he found that ‘extra’ money he had spent it frivolously on things he ‘needed’ whether he needed them really or not. Despite being a good saleswoman and a rising star in the insurance business she wasn’t happy, constantly being berated at home and never having something of her own she felt trapped in a marriage, Trent was a good looking guy and no one in her family could understand that he didn’t treat her well. Anything they did have was due to her hard work, Trent couldn’t manage to keep a job for longer than six months before ‘they’ became idiots or assholes and he had to find another one. Alex suspected that at the six month mark his employers always found a reason to get rid of him or suggest he find a job elsewhere.

“What did Mickey have to say about all this?”

Alex smiled at the mention of her favorite brother “poor Mickey started to believe whatever Mom and Dad told him. I tried, I really tried to make him see what Trent was doing to me but the Catholicism won out in the end. Mickey is all but a priest in his rants about the church and that fanaticism makes me leery of talking to him anymore. The others didn’t matter but it really hurt to lose Mickey.”

“So you are a scarlet woman now eh?” Marley teased.

Alex laughed at their words for a ‘fallen woman’ that they had read about in junior high and found so fascinating. They had both gotten A’s for their reports on The Scarlet Letter since their fascination had led to an in depth study that no other students had attempted. She shrugged “apparently.”

“I’m sorry Alex, I know it had to hurt when Mickey defected” Marley covered Alex’s hand with her own tanned one, it should have felt rough from the work that Marley did but Alex felt the softness and the warmth instead. She glanced up at her friend whose own eyes held the depth of her feeling.

Alex shrugged and slowly pulled her hand away to pick up her knife and cut some more roast on her plate. “It was a while ago, I’m on my own now and doing fairly well.”

“Other than selling terrific insurance policies, which I am going to go for by the way, you’ve shown me that I’m paying too much and if I can save money in anything I will, what else do you do?”

Alex shrugged again not sure if she should tell Marley that she too wanted to raise Gypsy Vanner’s but she had other ideas in the breeding of them and the direction she wanted to go.

“Come on, you can’t work all the time, do you live here in California?”

Alex shook her head “no, I live in Texas, I have a small place about fifty miles from my folks place, I guess I always hoped they would forgive me and I wouldn’t have too far to go when I went back home but it’s obvious to me that won’t be happening any time soon, if ever.”

“You live in Texas and flew here for this meeting?” Marley asked astonished.

“I have the whole Southwest as my territory and I have several companies that depend on my advice to set their goals on what we should be promoting and I advise on different territories for my own company which is why I was sent to approach you about your ranching policies. It’s a lot of travel but they all pay me well and I have my fingers in a lot of pies.”

“It must be terribly lonely for you, what’s in Texas at your place, do you have someone?”

Alex shook her head “no, just my animals and those are taken care of by Morris, you remember him from town?”

“Morris?” Marley asked musingly trying to remember and then her eyes opened wide as she remembered “the town drunk?”

Alex nodded as she smiled and laughed “he is sober ten years now and I offered him a place to live and he takes care of the place when I’m out on the road. He lives fairly well in a house out on the property but he doesn’t need much. When you told me about the old codger who owned this place and what you had done for him it sounded awfully familiar.”

Marley nodded, they had always had a lot in common. “You know, I’m glad you were the one they sent today, I missed you terribly but maybe we needed to grow up to realize that.”

Alex started to tear up in remembrance, all of the hurts from high school began to lessen as she smiled at her friend, the one person who knew the most about her, even more so than her parents or her brother Mickey had. Mickey had been there through the high school hurts but he hadn’t been the girl she had shared all her girlish fantasies, confidences, and friendship with. “You know it didn’t have to be that way.”

“Maybe it did, maybe it was inevitable and we needed that time apart to realize a few things.”

“Like what?”

“That you were closer to me than a sister and I valued that once, missed it when it was gone, and wish we could have it again” Marley shared baring her soul.

Alex stopped eating to look at her old friend “you mean that?”

Marley nodded as she lifted her fork to her mouth “I’ve missed you blondie.”

Alex smiled at the joke. Just because she was blonde many people in junior high had assumed she wasn’t that bright, she had fooled them all. Getting into Berkley had stunned their small town mentalities, why did a gal from Texas want to go so far away from home and to one of those wild ‘California’ colleges? When Marley Peabody had gone back east that had set tongues to wagging as well.

They reminisced for a while before Alex asked “what about you? Any loves in your life?”

A strange look passed over the brunette’s face but she looked deeply into the red of her wine glass as she took a healthy swig of it, the effects wouldn’t be felt for a few minutes but in her mind it gave her the confidence she needed. “Well, there was one but it didn’t really work out.”

“Care to share or is it too painful?” Alex hadn’t missed the odd look or the fact that she needed the wine.

Marley glanced at her and then shrugged “well, I was in college and met a really special someone, I thought it was God’s way of rewarding me for bearing up under the hell that high school had been, I had a new best friend, someone to share with, confide in and love.”

Alex squirmed a little feeling as though she had let Marley down by not being there in high school but then Marley hadn’t been there for her either.

“I fell in love during my junior year, I had been planning on becoming a business mogul and buying up the town, you know I’d show them” she said slightly bitterly.

“You already showed them, we shared the highest grades in school” Alex pointed out.

“Yeah but they still gave it to Stuart who got to make the speeches, we both know it was rigged cause he was a guy, that pissed me off.”

Alex nodded, they had both been burnt by the ‘good ole boy’s’ mentality.

“Anyway I met this fantastic person who showed me what it was like to love and I changed my major from business to horse husbandry and everyone was shocked, they didn’t offer that at Yale you know. I was all set to transfer to finish up elsewhere when my counselor suggested I get my business degree at Yale and then go an extra year or two elsewhere for a master’s degree in animal husbandry. I followed his advice since my love was a year behind me and that meant I would still be in school. I was willing to wait but they weren’t.”

“He wasn’t willing to wait for you to finish school while he did?” Alex was angered on Marley’s behalf.

Marley took a deep breath from the story she had been telling Alex and looked her straight in the face as she said “no, she wasn’t willing to wait” and then waited for the key word to sink in to her friend’s psyche.

“Ohh,” Alex blinked in surprise at what Marley had just revealed by that statement. “You sure it was love and not experimentation?” she asked quickly to hide her astonishment.

Marley smiled wryly and shook her head “no, I realized the difference immediately with Brenda. I hadn’t ever thought of being with a woman until I met her and then once we were together it seemed so natural, so perfect. I was very happy and willing to do whatever she wanted to stay together. She wasn’t too keen on animals I realized a little too late and my desire to get a master’s degree in animal husbandry didn’t thrill her. I also suspect she found someone her senior year but didn’t bother to tell me; instead she froze me out, said things like a long distance relationship was just not working for her even though I hopped a train every weekend to see her. When she left me once at the train station saying she ‘forgot’ I was coming I began to clue in on the fact that I was more enthused by the relationship than she was and I got suspicious. The next weekend I spied on her and saw her with a fairly militant group of gals who were also lesbians and although I didn’t see her pair off I realized I had lost her without really trying. She had fallen out of love with me because she didn’t want to be in love with me anymore.”

“Didn’t you confront her, talk it out?” Alex asked outraged.

Marley shook her head “the next weekend when I visited her I packed up all my stuff that I had left at her place, we didn’t even have sex a lot of the weekends I visited. She didn’t even notice, not the lack of sex or the things I packed. I didn’t call, I didn’t write and as I hadn’t heard from her I realized it had all been an effort on my side to keep in contact, she had simply stopped. It hurt for a long time, this was the first romance I had had like that but in hindsight I see all this a whole lot clearer.”

“Oh Marley, that’s so sad, you shouldn’t be alone because of her.”

Marley shook her head “I’m not alone, I have my horses, I have my home that I built myself. There have been a few romances, I’ve even tried again with guys but it just doesn’t fit for me anymore and I have to be careful in our small world about any woman I approach because you know how vicious gossip can be in the horse world.”

Alex nodded knowing that very well. It was why she didn’t miss the competitions or shows. It was vicious and catty and stupid. It had been the same thing when she trained and showed dogs but she had learned earlier than with the horses how horrible people could be and dropped that sooner.

“Have I shocked you?” Marley grinned not totally caring that Alex knew and yet she also knew she could trust Alex with the information she had given her.

Alex shook her head “I don’t know, that you’ve loved women should shock me after all we come from such a small town but at the same time having been to Berkley and seen a few things I realized that loving someone isn’t about the sex of the person but rather the person. I think if it gave you happiness for even a small amount of time, a couple of years, you can’t regret it ‘cause it helped you become the person you are.”

“And who am I?” Marley asked quietly as she finished her wine.

“You are a successful rancher who is raising excellent Gypsy Vanner’s as well as cattle and a few other animals. You don’t need a man or a woman to complete you but then you were always a troublemaker” Alex put in slyly.

Marley laughed, they had both been troublemakers. It was as if the four terrible years they had both agonized over hadn’t happened as they chatted and caught up. It was fairly late when Alex suddenly realized the time and said she had to go, she had a reservation at a motel and would be seeing two clients tomorrow.

“Would you like to stay here? I have a guest room and you’re welcome to it?”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to go find this place ‘cause I have no idea where it is and the GPS in my rental is a liar, it would have had me go into the Pacific Ocean if I had listened to it. You can’t fool a Texas gal about which way is which.”

Marley laughed “sure I’m sure, go get your stuff and I’ll show you where the guest room is. We get up fairly early around here so you can sleep in if you want.”

“Well I’ll get up when you do and head out to my other appointments” Alex answered as she got up to go get her suitcase.

They chatted as Marley showed her the guestroom and bathroom and then they hugged goodnight. “I’m glad we had a chance to clear things up” Marley told her sincerely.

“I’m glad too” Alex said heartfelt.

They stayed in contact after that. Alex didn’t ask Marley for the vial she had intended to, for some reason she felt that was crossing the line of their new found friendship and she didn’t want to jeopardize that for anything. Marley tried to take her calls whenever she had a chance to call from the road but liked it best when she called in the evening after the workday was basically done, although on ranch that work was never done and she missed a few of those as well. They managed to talk once every week or two and stay in contact, building a new adult friendship that was better for the time apart and making it stronger. Occasionally a month or more went by and then they had a lot to catch up on but basically the friendship was intact and they both were interested in keeping it that way. Alex tried not to call too often knowing how busy she herself was but she found herself thinking about Marley a lot and as she hadn’t had anyone to confide in for years she used Alex as the confidant she had been missing.

They didn’t see each other again for nearly a year. Their friendship was firmly in place but it was superficial to a degree since it was only by phone. They were as close as they once were but it was different with them being both adults now. Marley was busy taking her stock to shows and getting Feathered Farms firmly entrenched in people’s minds as THE place to look for quality Gypsy Vanner’s and good cattle. She played up the salt grass and the sound healthy stock that she exhibited throughout the west and considered what shows she could do back east and in the Midwest.

It was at the Tucson horse show that they unknowingly ran into each other. Feathered Farms had a large booth with three of their mares and one of Marley’s stallions. She would be exhibiting him in the arena later and showing off his talents and beauty. She had a specially designed riding costume which made her look like a maiden on the back of the horse. She was proud of this costume and had trained Brutus, the stallion on exhibit, to not be afraid of the blowing skirt with its many petticoats. It allowed her to show off in fairs, festivals, and parades. He was a beautiful show horse on his own but with the addition of his lovely owner many a fantasy was created. He also was perfect for hitching up to the little buggy that Marley had to show the versatility of Gypsy Vanner’s.

Alex watched from atop her own Gypsy Vanner mare as Marley showed off Brutus. He was an incredible animal, pure muscle, long flowing mane and tale, feathers on all four of his legs flowing out behind his high steps. She heard sighs from the crowd as he showed off in the arena, his intelligence unbelievable and undeniable. Marley in her costume looked just as beautiful which reminded Alex of the Spanish seniorita’s of old with all the petticoats and style that it showed. She was sure to win the show.

Alex’s own mare shifted impatiently as they waited their turn. Alex hadn’t known that Marley would be here because she had been too busy with her job and arranging to be here herself to call. Marley rarely called her because she never knew where she would be. She tried after all she said the phone worked both ways but Alex did the majority of the calling. Just then the horse that was before Alex’s own was scratched, an official ran up to tell Alex she was next. Her nervousness jumped. She hadn’t competed very often with Leah, her mare, and her costume was rather daring. It was set in a harem girl’s style as close to what she could imagine a gypsy girl’s would look like if she danced. It was rather revealing but she carried it well with her long blonde locks curled out behind her and tantalizing glimpses of her skin in the slits of the costume, a veil across her nose and mouth hid who she was but this too would intrigue the audience. Leah was excited and snuffling impatiently as they waited for Marley to finish her show in the arena.

The way the chutes were set up Marley left from one and Alex entered from another so Marley had no idea that it was Alex and due to the sounds from the crowd may not have even heard the announcement about the change of line up. Alex entered to the song of a racing march which sent Leah around the entire arena her nostrils extended looking fierce as Alex held on with no saddle and a bridle that looked handmade, it matched her outfit and looked as inviting as the gypsy maiden riding her. At first it looked as though the horse were running away with this girl on its back but then the audience realized the horse was slowing with the music and they began to clap in time with the music as the horse slowed to a trot that made it look as though it were keeping time with its own legs and the gypsy maiden on its back. The audience participation is what set Alex apart from the other contestants as the music picked up speed and using her strong leg muscles she rode sideways on her mount and then stood up riding on its back and holding on to the braided rope.

Marley watched as the rider behind her used cheap tricks and the music to keep the audience enthralled. The mare she was using was gorgeous, an absolute beauty, but the lack of trick of the horse itself should count against them or so she thought. It was a beautiful stunt though and the costume divine. She wished she could carry off that gypsy look herself but with her brunette hair it would have looked awful or at least that was what she was thinking. Whoever the woman was she looked the part and the combination with her horse made Marley realize she probably would either win or come in a close second to her own Brutus.

Marley left the exit only after the rider had ridden around the arena at breakneck speed nearly under the body of her horse using strong calf muscles to hold on and show how well trained her mare was. Marley was impressed and quickly handed Brutus off to one of her trainers so she could watch the other three competitors. None of them could rival her or the woman with the mare.

Alex was disappointed that she couldn’t find Marley when she left the arena. She thought she had a good chance of winning if the other three contenders weren’t as good as she or Marley. She didn’t have a trainer so she had to take Leah to her stall and wipe her down herself so she missed the last three contender’s displays. She rode Leah back to the arena for the final walk around the arena getting into line behind Marley and smiling at her through her veil. They all lined up and walked and then trotted around the arena to give the audience a thrill one last time before turning to face the judges. They handed out the third place winner’s ribbon first. The drum rolled for the second and Marley’s name was called. The first place ribbon and trophy and money prize was awarded to Alexandra Collins and her horse Leah. Marley nearly had whiplash from the jerk she gave her head as she looked up at the gypsy beauty approaching on her mare to accept her first place prizes.

Alex had tried to get Marley’s attention to tell her it was her, to lessen the surprise she knew it was going to be. She hadn’t known that Marley had come to Tucson to compete and she hadn’t intended to make it all a surprise. But the arena on the final run through was no place to carry on a conversation and frankly there was no opportunity except when they were side by side. Alex tried to get Marley’s attention but the noise of the crowd and the moment was lost. She gave Marley a wink which she was sure made Marley think she was hitting on her but then Marley’s name was called and she was gone. Alex felt for sure she had won and Leah was sure as well because as soon as they announced their name she gave a little buck as she went forward with pressure from Alex’s knees. The audience laughed in a ripple as they realized the horse had shown off a little.

Alex accepted the award graciously and shook both the third place winner’s hand as well as Marley’s. Marley looked at her incredulously but then Alex was expected to ride around the arena one more time as the others made their way out and she followed behind. The cheers of the crowd showed that they approved the choice of Alex as the winner.

Alex wasn’t surprised to find Marley waiting for her when she left the arena. Someone had taken Brutus off but Marley stood there looking annoyed. Alex slid off of Leah and held onto the handmade bridle “hey I didn’t know you were going to be here I swear” she held up her hand as she started walking Leah towards their assigned stall.

“You could have told me on the phone” Marley hissed angrily. This was the stuff of high school and she wasn’t pleased, had she trusted Alex again only to have the same old shit come back up to haunt her?

“We haven’t spoken in nearly a month, we have both been busy, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you would be here and I only got here in time for the competition last night” Alex defended herself as she removed the veil. People were walking by looking at her curiously or congratulating her on her win.

Marley was annoyed. Each win of her horses helped the prestige of her ranch; it advertised them in ways that were intangible. It created free press. They lost occasionally but to lose to someone she knew, someone she cared about, someone who hadn’t had the guts to tell her she would be competing against and then she realized that Alex had never told her she owned a Gypsy Vanner as well. “You never mentioned that you had a Gypsy Vanner?”

Alex released Leah into her stall and closed and latched the door. Leah was done for the day and knew it so she fell to checking out her water bucket and hoped that the food bucket was filled, it wasn’t yet and she looked at Alex curiously as though to ask “hey, my job’s done, why haven’t I been rewarded?”

Alex turned to Marley “I told you about Leah! I told you how much I loved and adored her. I told you I occasionally competed with her!”

“Yes you told me all that but you didn’t tell me she was a Gypsy Vanner!”

“You don’t own the monopoly on them!” Alex returned heatedly.

Marley glanced at the ribbon and the small trophy with a horse on top. The check too was grasped in Alex’s hand. The whole thing angered her reminding her why she had hated this woman all those years ago. “No, I don’t but in all the time I’ve known you since you came back into my life you think you might have mentioned that you own the very animal I am raising!”

“You know what Alex; I too fell in love with them when we were growing up. I didn’t however go the route you did and make it my whole world. I took one bit of happiness after my marriage and bought Leah, she cost me an absolute fortune. I even emailed you about buying a vial of your precious Brutus’ sperm to inseminate Leah but was told her lines weren’t clean enough. I thought of asking you personally when you came back into my life but felt that was taking unfair advantage of our friendship. I didn’t deceive you as you seem to be insinuating but dammit I’m allowed to compete with my own horse!”

Marley felt a little bad as though she had been arrogant about owning a Gypsy Vanner but she still felt that Alex could have told her. “Why did you never mention that Leah was a Gypsy?” she asked.

Alex shrugged, the harem outfit making her look vulnerable and very sexy “I don’t know, it just never came up really. We were so into Quarterhorses growing up I guess I thought if you assumed Leah was a Quarterhorse that would be okay.”

“You knew I thought that?” Marley asked incredulous feeling betrayed and set up.

“No, I assumed since that’s what we rode growing up that you would think that way. I didn’t deliberately keep it from you; we talked about a lot of things this past year!”

“Dammit Alex, you should have said something to me at some point!”

“Why, what difference would it make, we have another thing in common. It’s not that far-fetched, we had everything in common growing up.”

Marley felt like she had been a bitch. Others were allowed to own Gypsy Vanner’s; it was why she raised them after all so others could buy them. “I can’t believe you wore that, I think you had the audience from showing them some skin!” her voice changed to tease.

Alex relaxed realizing Marley was trying to make amends without losing face “actually they only thought they were seeing some skin” with Marley so close she showed her that the slits actually were flesh colored material and not Alex’s own body they were seeing.

“Clever” Marley responded with a smile “how’d you teach Leah to march to that song?”

Alex laughed knowing that Marley’s anger was dissipating and their new found friendship was still intact. “Come on, I’ll buy you dinner but I have to change out of this outfit first” she went to put her arm around her friend but Marley stiffened up.

“Oh my God I almost forgot I have to get my mares ready for the buggy and Brutus too, I have to go change” she began to rush off but turned to yell “dinner afterwards?” and at Alex’s nod she turned and ran off.

Alex wondered if her gesture at putting her arm around her friend had been misconstrued or if Marley really did have to go get ready. She went to change in her camper on the back of her pickup.

Alex watched as two perfectly matched Gypsy Vanner’s rode around the arena pulling a buggy and Marley in another of her flowing costumes looked striking as well. She watched as the beautiful Brutus did the same thing half an hour later as the audience oohed and aahed about the stunning horses. Other breeds were showcased but the piebald coloring was definitely eye catching. She loved the Gypsy Vanner’s but couldn’t help admiring a pair of Friesians and a few others of the smaller breeds. She knew that Marley was breeding the larger of the sizes of Gypsy’s or what was known as a Grand Gypsy for if the horse is 14-15.2 hands high, it is known as a "classic Gypsy", and if the horse is 15.2 or taller, it is known as a "grand Gypsy." Marley liked the bigger horses so her’s were all Grand Gypsy’s.

It was what drew 1000’s of spectators to these horse shows, the variety of horses, the beauty of them, the best of the best competing. Even the competitions between them garnered the various horses even more fans. It was obvious that Marley had a following as people hooted and hollered when her horses were shown in the arena, calling her name or even Brutus’. There was a crowd around her exhibit when she returned the mares and Brutus to the corral behind her tent where she gave out fliers and business cards and talked to people. Many had come and gone and talked to the two trainers she had there but she really was her best marketing tool, they wanted to talk to the ‘owner’ if they were interested in breeding, training, or buying. Alex watched as Marley was kept busy for hours. Even her gear and rigging as well as her buggy was discussed and Alex was proud of her friend and what she had accomplished, what she was still accomplishing.

It was hours later as the crowds thinned and the two women were dressed in ‘normal’ t-shirts, flannels to take the chill of the evening off, jeans, boots, and the familiar Stetson’s that they were able to go have a steak dinner together. Both had on makeup from competing but had toned it down somewhat, both had the perfume au de horse but neither noticed as it was so familiar to them. They looked like what they were, two Texan women who could handle themselves.

“Damn that was fun today” Marley commented as she dug into her steak piled high with onions and steak sauce.

“I’d like to learn to drive that buggy that looked like fun” Alex returned as she buttered her potato.

They talked about horses throughout dinner and never ran out of conversation as they enjoyed each other’s presence. The irritation that Marley had felt earlier had dissipated; she was kind of embarrassed now about her anger and reaction to Alex beating her fair and square. Leah was a beautiful horse and if she didn’t know Alex owned her she would want to buy her, as it was she wouldn’t mind Brutus fathering a foal on her but didn’t know how to broach it without causing a problem after what Alex had said to her.

They walked back toward the fairgrounds where they were both staying, Alex in her camper and Marley in one of the bunks in the large trailer that pulled Feathered Farm’s stock. Marley’s trailer was almost as fancy as a hotel room would be but then her stock was valuable and the accommodations for both man and beast were nice, it even had running water for a shower. She knew the boys would have made sure the horses were comfortable for the night; they had another two shows tomorrow to show off the horses in before they could pack up and head back home but she had made some really good contacts as she always did at these shows.

“Damn it’s been a long day” Alex commented as they walked along.

Marley smiled, it was like old times being with Alex like this and yet it wasn’t, they were all grown up and mature. Occasionally they said or did something that would bring them back to when they were kids and they enjoyed that too. “I agree and it ain’t over yet, I got tomorrow yet. You heading out tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yep, I’d normally leave first thing in the morning but I’d like to get a look at your horses once more when they perform” Alex complimented her.

Marley smiled, nothing nicer than hearing people admire her ‘babies.’

They walked to Alex’s camper first “If you don’t mind small spaces I think I have a bottle of fruit juice we can split, or are you too tired?” Alex was reluctant to end their wonderful evening together.

“I’ll take you up on that, I can probably manage to stay awake another half hour or so” she teased.

They split a bottle of orange juice as they discussed horse lines practically back to Adam and Eve. Alex grew silent though as their half an hour turned into an hour and she realized Marley would have to go back to her own trailer.

“What’s wrong?” Marley asked realizing that Alex had gone all quiet on her and she was doing all the talking.

Because of the size of the small camper on the back of her pick up they were sitting on the same bench turned so they were facing each other with a table before them. Alex looked into the pretty brown eyes on the brunette she had loved her entire life, first as a friend, then as a best friend, then as close as a sister, and now she realized with a mature woman’s love, this friend was more than that. She glanced away but Marley caught her and looked into those blue eyes and softly asked again “what’s wrong?”

Marley had an inkling of what was wrong, she was pretty astute where her friend was concerned but she didn’t dare hope it was what she was thinking it was. She had been wrong before and this time she didn’t want to be wrong. She knew how she felt but she would never impose her values and tendencies on another, if they were interested they would have to make the first move.

Alex felt a little uncomfortable but those eyes made her want to melt “I was wondering” she swallowed to get some spit working in her suddenly dry mouth “I was wondering” she repeated “what it would be like to kiss you?”

Marley wanted that more than anything, since Alex had come back into her life she had reanalyzed everything about their friendship and realized that they were perfect for each other in so many ways. She had also felt attracted to Alex when she was there to sell her an insurance policy and she had tricked her into taking a tour of the ranch, keeping her there for hours when all she really needed was to look at the old policies and see if she could do better. She had been relieved to get past the hurt and pettiness of high school and find the friendship they had once had only better. The mature Alex was someone she could really fall for and had with their phone conversations. Today’s anger had only been her feeling some of the frustration of their enforced separation due to work and life. So to be fair since she knew her own feelings and she wondered if perhaps Alex was only curious she said “you don’t want to do that.”

“Why not?” Alex asked confused and hurt wondering if Marley wasn’t interested in her that way, all her self-doubts that had led up to this moment causing her to feel terribly insecure at the moment.

“Because you are going to like it” Marley answered back softly with a small smile of encouragement. She had been fair and given Alex an out if she wanted it but apparently she didn’t. She had heard the little hurt in her voice as she answered back.

Alex smiled and leaned in for their first kiss. She was surprised at how warm Marley’s lips felt. At the same time it didn’t freak her out that she was kissing a woman. She felt comfortable kissing Marley. Not like when they practiced at thirteen not on each other but rather their dolls and the mirror. This felt right, this felt normal, and oh wow, this was Marley she was kissing! She had thought a lot about what Marley had told her about her ex-girlfriend and the fact that they had been lovers. She had to admit she was curious about women ever since even going so far as checking them out from time to time on her travels but she had always came back to thinking about this woman.

Marley loved the feel of Alex’s lips against her own, it felt so right. She was comfortable with Alex but she also loved her so it felt really right. She worried about Alex though and how she was feeling so she pulled back slightly and asked quietly “are you okay?”

Alex nodded too shy to say anything and leaned in to continue kissing Marley gently opening her mouth to hesitantly lick at her lips with her tongue. At the return touch of Marley’s tongue she sighed into the kissing, it felt so good! Hesitantly her hands slid up Marley’s arms and around her torso and Marley returned the embrace, the warmth of her body against her causing Alex to feel desire which surprised her in its intensity. She deepened the kiss as her body began to respond to the signals it was receiving.

Marley ended the kiss and pulled back breathing heavily. She smiled into Alex’s face enjoying the feelings that Alex was generating in her own heated body. The trust and love she saw reflected in Alex’s blue eyes she hoped were in her own eyes telling Alex without words what she was feeling. “That was nice” she said breathily.

“Really nice” Alex agreed as they leaned their foreheads together.

“If I had known what this would be like maybe I would have dated you in high school instead of Stevie Wonder” Marley said with a wry little grin.

Alex started to laugh. Stevie Wonder was the nickname of their quarterback Steve Wajenowicz, a sturdy guy of Polish descent who had no brains and all brawn. “Naw, could you imagine if two gals had gotten together in our high school back then?”

“Uh you didn’t know about Patty and Bianca?” Marley asked in surprise.

Alex blinked as she thought back through the years “Patty makes sense but Bianca?” she asked surprised.

Marley nodded, “I actually ran into Bianca at a club in the City and she had left Patty to get out of that one horse town.”

Alex shook her head “who would have thought!” then she realized she had Marley in her arms and thought again ‘who would have thought?’

Marley smiled as she watched Alex and wondered where this would go. She knew where she would like it to go but didn’t want to push it, it was a road of discovery and she didn’t want to ruin it. Too much too soon and it would overwhelm Alex. She would have to let Alex set the pace and see where it went from there.

“Would you like to sleep here?” Alex asked shyly surprising her.

Marley shook her head “no, I don’t want our first time to be in the back of camper, I want our first time, your first time to be romantic and have nice music” they could hear music from different campers and trailers and it wasn’t romantic at all between country western and hard rock. They heard a few drunken shouts and noises as well, it was not conducive to a romantic evening or a first time and Alex had to admit Marley was right. “Why don’t we take this slow and see where it takes us. This is new to you and I want you to be sure before we take it to the next step.”

Alex was sure, at this moment she was very sure but she had to admit that romantic sounded nice and losing her ‘virginity’ to a woman in the back of a camper was not romantic at all.

“What if you just slept here” she tried to wheedle.

Marley smiled, she didn’t want to leave either “I can’t promise that we would just sleep” she admitted.

Alex felt good about that admission, she didn’t want Marley to leave but she would have to let her go until she saw her tomorrow. She leaned in for another kiss that allowed them both to explore each other, their hands weren’t shy either, both were panting from need and want before Alex pulled back first this time, feeling a little overwhelmed at the feelings and emotions that were coming her way.

“Are you okay?” Marley asked echoing her earlier question.

Alex nodded “is it always so ‘intense’?”

“Only if it’s good and feels right” Marley whispered as she gave her friend, her best friend a peck on the lips. “I’m going to go now, I’m sure we both have a lot to think about and I hope I can sleep although I doubt it.”

Alex smiled and agreed. She did have a lot to think about and what this would all mean. She was glad Marley hadn’t taken her up on the offer to spend the night. At the same time she wanted the closeness and the feel of this woman against her. The caressing and petting hadn’t been enough, she wanted more, she needed more and yet she was a little afraid, she wasn’t sure what to expect actually, it wasn’t like being with a man after all.

Marley reluctantly left her after kissing her once more, a rather chaste kiss considering their last passionate one. She smiled down at Alex and whispered “I love you, you know?” as she left.

Alex knew she should say it back, she did love Marley back but her throat had gone dry again. She smiled weakly as she watched Marley leave.

Marley had a terrible night’s sleep. Usually she could ignore the guys and their noises as they slept but that night in her bunk they seemed amplified and annoyed her. There were several times she wanted to get up and wake them so they would be as miserable as she was. She almost got up to bang on Alex’s camper door and join her but knew they should take this slow and if she went back she would make love to Alex. She didn’t want something sleazy or tawdry. She had reached an age where she wanted Ms. Happily Ever After, not Ms. Right Now.

Alex tossed and turned for hours wondering if she should have insisted or could she have? She hadn’t felt this unsure of herself in a long time and second guessed herself for hours. She knew she wanted this relationship, she’d thought about it many times over the past months, hell, over the past year. She had rented several movies that were ‘lesbian’ in nature and she knew the ‘act’ didn’t gross her out, in fact it appealed to her and as Marley was one of the only lesbians she knew she also knew she wanted her to be the first, perhaps the only. She’d loved her their entire lives but she didn’t know how to proceed. What exactly was romantic between lesbians? She came up with that answer pretty quick realizing that anything that was romantic between a heterosexual couple would be romantic between two women or two men. How silly of her to think it would be ‘different’ for a same-sex couple. She realized though that it would be different, this was Marley, her best friend of nearly a lifetime even if they had been apart for many years. They had sunk into the friendship again as though they had never been apart, to realize that it could be more was just a bonus. Alex felt as though she couldn’t wait and yet she kept wondering if Marley would find her too unknowledgeable, too unknowing and then again she had researched the subject ardently as she realized she wanted to have a relationship with a woman, she wanted Marley.

“I had a rotten night’s sleep and it’s all your fault” Alex told Marley upon meeting her for breakfast, they had started texting at about 6a.m. to meet up.

Marley looked at her over her sunglasses and said “ditto babe, ditto!” Her own red eyes testament to not enough sleep and too much thought.

They shared a smile knowing each had lost sleep for the very same reason. They sat at a picnic table having bought breakfast from one of the food vendors and were eating together and enjoying each other’s company again after their restless night’s sleep. They chatted effortlessly, they had so much in common, they both knew where this was heading and were happy that it was with the other.

Watching Marley control the horses effortlessly pulling either a wagon or the buggy was amazing. Alex couldn’t help admiring the muscles she could see through that ridiculously beautiful dress she wore but it looked totally effeminate on her. She had to wonder what it would be like when Marley held her naked in her arms, those muscular arms, and she shuddered at the thought in anticipation. She found herself having to go to the camper and change her panties and make sure to put a panty liner in this time. She wanted to help pack up Marley’s gear and horses but she had the boys to help her and Marley wanted to spend the last few minutes she could with Alex. They sat in the cab of Alex’s truck after she had loaded Leah into her own trailer. Alex looked out at the organized chaos of the end of a show as people packed up and left. Marley wondered if Alex had regrets about where this was going. Neither was saying anything and then both spoke at the same time.

“You want …” began Marley.

“So when …” began Alex and then stopped to let Marley continue.

They both laughed a little as they realized they were kind of tongue tied.

Marley figured it was up to her to make the next move “I’d like to take you to a place I’ve seen once, do you think you can take off from work?”

“What about you, what about the ranch?” Alex asked figuring turnabout was fair play.

Marley grinned “I think the boys can manage a few days without me, gawd knows they would like it” she laughed.

“Ah, you’re the kind of boss that’s always there eh?” Alex teased.

Marley grinned unrepentedly “yeah they can handle it while I’m at shows but I rarely leave completely unless I’m delivering a horse cross country and even then the few times that has happened the owner meets me half way or we use a shipping company or something.”

“You need to trust those boys more” Alex teased “or aren’t they any good?”

Marley laughed knowing what Alex was getting at “I know, I know, I’m micromanaging but jeez I love those horses and it’s my life.”

Alex of all people knew exactly what Marley meant. It was a whole level of horse crazy that some people just never got, a passion that surpassed all others, a dedication that defied reason. That she was willing to give it up for a few days to spend time with Alex touched her. She knew how hard that might be. “Are you sure, I could come to California and try to make it a business…” she began to say.

Marley cut her off though “no, I kind of want this to be special, there is a place I went once by myself and I’d kind of like to show it to you, I think you will understand once you’ve seen it. Could you fly into Jackson Hole?”

“Wyoming?” Alex asked to be sure.

Marley nodded and glanced at her to see if she was interested or alarmed.

“I’m sure I could I’ll just have to take some time but I’ve got heaps of vacation due me so I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“If you can’t afford it …” Marley began but Alex cut her off.

“I can” she smiled a mysterious little smile “I can afford it, believe me.”

Marley looked at her directly and smiled a little shyly “if you change your mind … I mean, I’ll understand … are you sure about this, I mean if you want to end this right now I’ll understand. I don’t want to lose my best friend over this.”

Alex appreciated it, she really did, but she was sure, she did want this “I do want this Marley, more than anything.”

Marley looked at her and their eyes met, Marley’s soft velvet brown ones darted between the familiar blue of Alex’s and she grinned “okay then, I’ll make the arrangements and let you know the date so you can get yourself to Jackson Hole and we go from there okay?”

Alex nodded and asked quietly “two weeks?” She didn’t know if she could hold out much longer than that, she didn’t know what she expected but she knew she wanted to be with Marley and soon.

Marley looked down at her hands hiding a little grin, she too was excited and anxious she looked back up and said “two weeks sounds about right.”

Alex leaned forward slightly and they had to organize the tilt of their heads so that their Stetson’s didn’t collide as they shared a kiss. It started out innocently enough but both realized as it deepened that the next two weeks were going to be very very long.

Alex watched as Marley walked back towards her booth noticing the way she walked and surprised she had never really thought about it before, she watched until Marley was out of sight and then she slowly eased out of her parking spot and into the sporadic traffic leaving the grounds and onto the highway. She headed east toward New Mexico and onto the interstate that would take her home to Texas. It was a long exhausting drive and she stopped every now and then for gas, munchies, and to check on Leah. The horse seemed to travel better than Alex was on this trip. She was already missing Marley and had way too much time to think. She wanted to call her but didn’t want that awkwardness when you are on the phone with someone and they have people around them. Marley’s cowboys would be in the cab of her truck with her and she wouldn’t be able to say much so Alex didn’t call her. The many miles across Arizona and into New Mexico and across it though gave Alex tons to think about, the what if’s, the could be’s, and the anticipation that was causing a curl in her stomach.

Alex emailed a request for time off as soon as she got home, got Leah settled, the trailer cleaned out and parked out of the way and the truck unpacked and put in the shed. Her regular car would take her into work tomorrow and she only used her truck to haul the trailer or hay or a million other things on the small ranch that was her place. She looked around in the darkness and felt pride in the win she had obtained, she felt bad that Marley hadn’t won but was pleased with what she had accomplished. Marley had teased her about the ‘harem’ outfit but complimented her on it as well whispering that she’d like to see it again sometime with enough innuendo that had made Alex blush.

Alex had thought continually in the miles it took to get home about where this would go. Yes she was able to see that the invitation to Jackson Hole, Wyoming was so that they could make love but she wondered what then, was this a test of some kind, if she failed did this mean the relationship would go no further. No, their friendship could endure anything after the trial by fire known as high school, this though was an adult test on a level she was certain she wanted whether through good or bad. It wouldn’t be bad though, would it?

Marley was quiet on the drive across the desert from Arizona. She drove all the way to Los Angeles before turning over the driving to one of her hands. The rest stops didn’t seem enough to get the kinks out of their backs but these were necessary not only to get gas but needed calories that had been burned all weekend long and to check on the horses who were weathering the trip fine. Marley loved looking in on them in her ultra-deluxe trailer. There was room for more than the four she was transporting and the buggy was on top collapsed down so they could go under bridges easily but she rarely carried more than four at any given time. She loved seeing their whites and browns and blacks, the flowing manes and tails, the feathers on their feet. They watched for her too to see her eyes and know that they were taken care of. She checked to see if any of them were stressing and had been known to take them out and walk them around a rest stop if she felt they needed it. It had created excitement the few times she had done this since a lot of people hadn’t seen Gypsy Vanner’s and these were exceptionally fine specimens.

Driving though gave a person way too much time to think and as her cowboys weren’t big talkers it was a quiet ride except for the country music station they listened to or the discs when the static got too bad.

Marley wondered if she was pressuring Alex but knew she really hadn’t. Alex might not know what she was getting into here. Being in a relationship with a woman wasn’t like being in one with a man. You still had a lot of people prejudiced against it. It wasn’t going to be easy. Then they did have a history, a long one. It was why she worried about irreparably harming it. Alex had been her best friend forever, what if she didn’t like making love with Marley. Her kisses though, and Marley nearly groaned aloud thinking about those and how hot they had made her, indicated she was willing. Marley knew she shouldn’t think this to death but how could she help it. This was a big step and with her best friend.

Alex sent Marley a text message the next day when she woke up. Her office knew she was coming in late so she had been able to sleep late after her long drive from Arizona pulling the trailer. She didn’t expect a reply since she knew Marley wasn’t that technologically savvy so she was pleasantly surprised to get a ‘hey good afternoon’ back from her own text of ‘good morning.’

Alex showered and got going and they exchanged periodic texts during the day. Marley tentatively made the arrangements for their trip to Jackson Hole and beyond pending Alex’s schedule. Her own she knew she could free up, she had good help and her cowboys might actually be relieved to get the boss out from under foot. She knew she needed a vacation from her work even if she did love her ‘babies’ and taking a trip with Alex would definitely be relaxing. Alex heard from the home office by late that afternoon approving her requested time off, with weekends she would be gone ten days, she got a ‘ALL RIGHT’ in all caps from her text to Marley. She laughed when she got that, for someone who wasn’t tech savvy she was doing ‘all right!’

They were right; the two weeks did seem to take a very long time to go by. They tried to talk every night on the phone and send random texts from their cell phones but Marley didn’t get the best reception in the hills that she lived in and they were both very busy, Marley with her stock, Alex with her clients, they were both very tired but they tried. The Friday they were to meet in Jackson Hole Marley took a flight out of San Luis Obispo and down to Los Angeles and then up to Jackson Hole. Not very efficient but it got her there.

Alex was a little luckier. She took a flight out of Dallas since she was there on business at the home office and up to Jackson Hole. She was thrilled to see the pretty blonde standing around in her Stetson waiting for her.

Marley was startled to see the svelte business suited Alex get off the plane from Dallas, she hadn’t expected her to be all dressed up. It made her feel dowdy in her cowgirl outfit.

With a big hug Alex wrapped her arms around Marley knocking her Stetson askew. Marley gave her a big smile in return as she returned the hug and then pulled back and adjusted her hat. Alex looked all corporate in a business suit and heels that showed off her nice legs. Marley felt too countrified wearing her usual jeans and a t-shirt and her Stetson.

“Gawd, I look like a slob next to you! Look at you!” she drawled her exclamation to hide her embarrassment.

“I just came from work so I haven’t had time to change” Alex answered embarrassed to be so over-dressed as she looked around at all the casually dressed people in the airport waiting for these smaller flights. Several had turned to look at the two women embracing.

“You look terrific” Marley said admiringly eyeing her expertly applied makeup, her hair up in a bun, and the obviously expensive suit she was wearing.

Alex blushed but was pleased. “I think we should have compared notes so we knew when we’d meet up.”

Marley laughed “I should have realized that not too many flights would be going up here. I was thinking since mine took the longest to get here that I’d just see you waiting up here for me.”

Alex had to laugh at her Louise Vuitton luggage versus Marley’s duffel bags. A truck with a tall man came and picked them up, a big king cab with the words ‘Echo Acres’ emblazoned on the sides. Marley wouldn’t tell Alex where they were going either and the name on the truck gave her no clue so she tried to look out at the view but they were soon climbing into the pine trees and she couldn’t see anything with the approaching night anyway.

“So where is this place?” she tried to ask casually but Marley wasn’t telling and instead started talking horses with their driver. They had a lot of mixed breeds as well as quite a few Quarterhorses and Mustangs in the mix. He could tell that they were horse people by how confidently they talked about the various merits of the breeds even if the one looked like some jet setter or something in her suit, she would learn though on the ranch what to wear he thought.

It took nearly an hour to get to the ranch and as he pulled in the driver who had introduced himself as Jason said “they will have kept chow hot for you all so if you’re hungry I’ll put your gear in by the bunks and let you eat before it gets too late.”

They thanked him as he directed them to the building for ‘chow.’

Alex breathed “bunks?” to Marley but with a mysterious smile she headed for the food.

“Howdy Marley, nice to see you up here ready for some fun?” a short redheaded woman with a quirky smile greeted her.

“Well you did promise some if I headed up here” Marley returned with her own smile as she enveloped the woman in a hug.

“So who’s the friend?” the redhead asked eyeing Alex’s business suit as everyone had since she had gotten into this part of the country.

Alex mentally rolled her eyes, she knew she would have done the same thing in their place but being on the receiving end wasn’t pleasant. Using her best Texan drawl, making sure the woman heard she was a down home southern woman she held out her hand “Howdy, I’m Alex Collins.”

The woman was surprised to hear the accent and shook her hand eyeing her warily “well you are welcome here, any friend of Marley’s is. I’m Sydney Pleasanton and my husband and I own Echo Acres, you two get some chow and talk about the route your takin’ up to the higher pastures so we know where to look when ya’ll get lost” she grinned to show she was teasing.

Alex nodded and smiled and waited until they were putting meat and potatoes on plates to whisper to Marley “higher pastures?”

Marley shook her head “just go along with things you are gonna love this place I promise you.”

Alex sucked in her breath at the double entendre but it was the look in Marley’s eyes that made the promise.

Dinner was pleasant and Sydney told them all about Jackson Hole and the ‘celebrities’ that came through the valley and all the amenities if they decided to come back early. What to watch out for and some of the views they could look for on their way up to greener pastures.

“Do you all get grizzlies up here?” Alex asked as she used her fork and knife carefully as her mama had taught her. With her outfit and manners it only made Sydney confirm in her mind that this was a ‘city girl’ despite the southern accent.

“Oh yes, you will have to make sure to leave nothing out up there or they will go through it. Shudder up the windows when you all leave” Sydney advised.

Alex got the impression that this lower ranch was only the ‘gateway’ to the ‘upper pastures’ where cabins were and guests could stay for indefinite periods of time. Her son and his wife lived up there year round and handled that end of the operation. They ran cattle and horses and guests used it for a vacation away whenever they wanted to experience a ‘dude’ type ranch.

After dinner they headed to the ‘bunk’ house which was indeed what it sounded like with eight bunk beds which slept sixteen easily. A couple were occupied they could see by the gear on the ends of them so Alex knew this was not where they were going to consummate their relationship. It was barely furnished with a communal bathroom at one end and a kitchenette with a small refrigerator, a microwave, and a coffee pot. They were alone in the large bunk house for the moment and Marley took Alex into her arms.

“What is this?” Alex asked with a grin wondering what she had agreed to for the next week and a half.

Marley smiled at her for once not looking down on the brunette whose city heels made her as tall as Marley for a change “just go with the flow, it’s a ‘dude’ ranch but actually a working vacation ranch. We don’t have to herd cattle or horses, I’m looking forward to the views” she indicated the mountains beyond the ranch buildings but her eyes were looking at Alex and telling a different story.

Alex felt a lightning bolt of desire streak through her as she leaned in for a welcome kiss. It deepened rapidly and she was contemplating how difficult it would be to make love on the narrow bunk behind them when they heard noises of others returning to the bunk house. She groaned in dismay and Marley stepped back with a knowing grin. “Tomorrow” Marley whispered as she leaned down to pull one of her duffel bags onto an empty bunk. Alex did the same with her Louis Vuitton luggage and by the time whoever came into the bunkhouse they were both looking for pajamas.

“Hello, I’m Frank and this is my wife Susan and we’re from Illinois” a short squat man came forward holding out his hand to be shook.

Alex and Marley met two other guests and that was it but apparently it was early in the season. They chatted for a while getting acquainted and Alex found that she and Marley were the only two going up to the upper pastures the next day. They changed into pajamas in the bathroom and got under the covers. Facing each other from across the eighteen inches separating their bunks they looked at each other long and hard before sleep claimed either one.

“Hey sleepyhead, wake up, let’s gooooo” Marley teased as she shook Alex awake with her hand.

“No” Alex groused as she tried to hide under the covers and pillow. She was instantly taken back about twenty years to countless sleep overs that she and Marley had had and as Marley was an early riser she was always the one waking Alex.

“I bring coffee” Marley wheedled enticingly.

Alex peeked one blue eye out from under the pillow and saw Marley holding out a steaming mug of coffee and looking beautiful despite the lack of makeup. She wasn’t sure if she was more happy to see the coffee or the woman and then realized they both were very welcome. She came out from under the pillow fully and sat up stretching.

Marley nearly laughed at the familiar gesture, Alex was a slug-a-bed and always had been. Dragging her out of bed for their excursions had become an ingrained habit that came back effortlessly despite the years.

Once Alex was sitting up Marley handed her the coffee. It was thick enough to keep a horseshoe afloat but Alex murmured “mmmm” not intending to sound erotic but it hit Marley in the nether regions like a bolt of lightning. Sleeping mere inches from her, unable to touch her, and knowing that this night they would probably finally make love had her feeling twitchy.

It wasn’t until Alex had swallowed nearly half of the hot brew that she deemed life worth living and opened her eyes fully. She saw that Marley was dressed for the day and she looked around at the others who were still sound asleep. She glanced out the window not surprised to see that Marley was up before the sun. She shook her head, typical. “You afraid of missing something?” she whispered so as not to wake the other guests.

Marley nodded unapologetically, she wanted to get to the upper pastures. She had seen them only once before on a visit and heard about others, she was anxious to get there and not just so that they could consummate their relationship. She wanted Alex to see these places and to enjoy herself, to remember this first time pleasurably. She grinned to herself at the double entendre.

They left the remainder of coffee on the middle of the stove to stay warm and Marley added a little water knowing not everyone liked thick coffee as a good Texas cowgirl would. Alex was dressed similarly to Marley in a cotton t-shirt that buttoned daringly down the middle, the buttons seemed to strain to hold in her ample breasts. Over this she put a flannel shirt and tucked them both into her jeans as she buttoned them up. She pulled the flannel back out to give her an easy breezy look so she was comfortable as she pulled on socks and stamped lightly into her boots. She ran a brush through her hair and checked that no makeup was left from the previous day on her face. Even with no makeup Alex was a very pretty woman. Marley thought so as she watched her friend get ready and then the two of them headed for chow.

Neither of the women were surprised that breakfast was hot and waiting for them as they helped themselves to flapjacks, bacon, and eggs. With a second cup of coffee, this one thicker than the stuff Marley had made Alex finally felt humanly awake. She smiled when the red haired proprietor stopped in and stopped dead seeing the ‘city’ girl dressed all country. Sydney was astounded by the transformation of the woman, even with no makeup she was a beauty and with proper clothes she could pass for a country girl any time of the day.

Sydney brought a topical map to the table and discussed their options for trails up to the higher pastures and what they could expect to see if they chose one trail over the other. They would be pushing twenty cows up with them to ‘help’ out Sydney and it should take them anywhere from four to six hours to make the trip up there. “You gals aren’t snobs about riding Quarterhorses are you?” Sydney said with a grin knowing that Marley raised those pretty little Gypsy Vanners.

Both women laughed knowing that Sydney was pulling their legs.

“I have a mule that will be going along for the trip to carry your luggage and some extry supplies” Sydney informed them “he gets a little ornery but I’m sure you can handle ‘im” she addressed Marley still not sure about the woman who had arrived in a business suit at her ranch.

Both women ate a huge breakfast as they listened to their host and gave her most of their attention. Sydney knew that a well fed guest was a happy guest and since she considered Marley one of them with her ‘western’ ways she would assume she ate like a true westerner. She was still holding out judgment on the ‘city gal’ although she seemed to be holding her own in the eating department.

As they got up and put their plates on a counter thanking him for breakfast the cook smiled and nodded to them as he took the dishes to wash. They made their way outside and Alex was surprised how cold it really was but as the sun had begun to come up she could see they were ringed in by mountains, some of them still had snow on them, many were still in shadow in the early morning. As they went back to pack their gear quietly because of the other sleeping guests they each pulled out a jacket to wear on the ride that could be discarded later. Marley laughed as Alex pulled out a matching set of gloves and Alex glared at her for a moment but she wasn’t going to freeze! She put her Stetson on with a flourish.

Carrying their luggage outside they were pleased to see two fine brown haired Quarterhorses all geared up for them and a large mule that held his own from the looks of him. A pack saddle was on him and the women handed the hand their luggage as he finished packing things into the packs and on top.

“Well you ladies have a good time” Sydney warned them as she pointed to the trail head. “The cows are in that pasture over there, don’t lose too many” she teased with a grin at Marley as she watched the ‘city’ gal mount up with an ease that told her she knew how to ride. She settled into the saddle as though it were nothing and Sydney knew she was a country girl at least at heart. Some of the people they got here said they could ride, she hadn’t asked this one and now was relieved she hadn’t, she would have looked like a fool asking this one if she knew how to rode.

The hand who had saddled up the horses for them opened the gate to the pasture and with a two fingered salute to his hat he gestured them through. Marley rode through with the lead rope to the mule attached to her saddle and began to ride wide around the cows Sydney wanted taken up and Alex went to the other way to catch the other gate and to see how difficult it was going to be, cows sometimes took a notion to not go where they were being herded, it was still early in the day and they could become troublesome. As Marley began riding around them they all rose up, those that weren’t already standing around in the morning chewing their cud and began to move slowly away from the encroaching horse and mule. The mule watched curiously wondering if he could get away with anything but something told him not to bother, the hand on his lead rope was too sure despite it being tied to the saddle. He followed along watching the cows and the woman on the horse in front of him.

Marley hazed out the cows giving them enough time to stretch out their own kinks. “I’m always waking someone up” she called to Alex who grinned appreciatively at the joke. The cows began to head towards the gate Alex was at and when she opened it they began to plod through. Two tried to immediately veer off the trail that led up and to the higher elevations where they were to head and Alex easily headed them off on her horse exerting pressure and guidance without seeming to move her hands or legs. Sydney stopped watching at that point as she saw the ‘city’ girl fade and the country girl take over, she had expertly handled that and knew what she was doing.

“Put away your horse” she told the hand who had one saddled and waiting in case Marley couldn’t handle the cows by herself. She had seen enough to know that Marley had all the help she needed.

Alex was astounded at the views they got as they rose slowly in elevation following the trail they had worked out with Sydney at breakfast. The thick woods kept the cows on the trail and Alex rode just enough ahead to see the beautiful trees, the mountains rising up and looking cold, distant, and yet within a hands throw or so it seemed. It was beautiful to see the forest waking up as wild animals got out of their way on the trip up. Alex saw animals she knew she would never see down in Texas and enjoyed looking around. She switched with Marley so that she could lead for a while too, they exchanged a smile and a kiss from the back of their horses, reminding both where their destination led in more than one way. Alex didn’t mind riding the drag either as the cows knew where they were going and had been this way many times; they just needed prodding from time to time.

Marley couldn’t get over the views, this was her second time up here and the first had been over cast and gloomy. She was thrilled to see for miles when they came out from the woods and overlooked a canyon or could see another set of mountains. The snow on them looked cold but as the sun rose above them they both got hot and removed their jackets, tying them to their saddles.

They stopped at about nine in the morning and made a fire for coffee and to give everyone a break. Marley had chosen a meadow that made the cows want to graze so they wouldn’t wander far. There was even a small stream for everyone to get a good drink of mountain fed water. Alex made the coffee, a little weaker than Marley had for their morning coffee but still thick. “Grow hair on your chest” she teased conjuring up their childhood giggles at the horrifying thought, especially to two impressionable girls.

They sat back and enjoyed the sunshine as they sipped their coffee and their horses blowed at the loosened saddles. The mule eyed them curiously wondering why they had stopped and content to eat the grass they had tried to befriend him with.

“It’s beautiful up here Marley, how did you ever find this place?” Alex asked as she finished her coffee and began to put out the fire with the last in the coffee pot making sure no coals remained.

“Oh Sydney had a line on a couple of Gypsy’s that had horses for sale and I came up here, they were up in the higher pastures hiding out for one reason or another living in a vardo and she drove me up there.”

“There’s a road up there?” Alex said exaggeratingly as she rubbed her posterior for effect.

Marley laughed at her as she put her arm around Alex’s slender waist and pulled her close “but the ride is so worth it” she said as she gently rubbed Alex’s buttocks.

Alex was surprised and pleased at the sensations this started and she leaned in for a kiss forgetting that they were both wearing Stetsons and knocking them to the ground as she enthusiastically kissed Marley. They had both had a lot of time to think today as they rode up from the valley and knowing what lay at the end of the trail and each was eager in their own way.

Marley wasn’t surprised at how much she wanted this woman who had been on her mind for days, weeks, months, hell years! What surprised her was that Alex wanted her just as much. She hadn’t allowed herself to think of Alex this way, ever. It wasn’t that Alex wasn’t attractive or someone she would want, but she screamed hetero and Marley hadn’t allowed her thoughts to stray to her friend in this manner. Just because she liked women didn’t mean she liked every woman and she had experienced that with many hetero women who assumed you were trying to ‘convert’ every woman you met, they should be that lucky! Even when she realized she was a lesbian, she never suspected that one day, some day, she would be here with Alex and they would both be anxious to make love to each other. She still wondered if this was going to a ‘one time’ thing for Alex, if she was experimenting, she knew her own heart and even if it was just this once she knew she had to have her, had to know what it was like to make love to the one woman she had trusted and loved her whole life. She only hoped and prayed it wouldn’t ruin their newfound friendship.

Alex would have made love to Marley right then and there on the ground of that meadow next to the remains of their campfire but one of the horses made a sound of fright and that had Marley who had been ready to take Alex down in the meadow turn suddenly and look around. She had forgotten where they were for a moment.

“Maybe we better be going” she nodded towards the horse Alex had ridden who was looking north across the meadow where it had either heard or smelled something “I forgot there are cats up here.”

“Cats?” Alex asked confused as she came down from the euphoric high she had temporarily been on from kissing Marley “as in mountain lions?”

Marley nodded as she went to tighten the girth on her horse’s saddle. Alex gathered up the two coffee cups and the now cooled coffee pot and moved towards the mule which was also looking north across the meadow. She packed quickly and tied down the flaps. She moved to her own horse to tighten the cinch as Marley checked that the coals were all cool, Alex found herself mesmerized by the length of her fingers stretched out where the coals had been, something that distracted her. Marley looked up and smiled at the confused look on Alex’s face. “We should be up there soon” she said reassuringly. Alex might be ‘country’ but she hadn’t been around big cats before “I have a rifle in case we need it” she gestured to the apparatus on her saddle that Alex had totally overlooked.

Alex mounted up and found she hadn’t tightened the girth enough and hopped right back down to tighten it, her face was red as she couldn’t remember the last time she had made such a mistake but she told herself, she hadn’t been this distracted in a long time. She glanced over to see Marley hadn’t noticed, or at least she didn’t appear to have noticed as she gathered the lead rope for the mule and mounted up effortlessly. Alex found herself admiring her tight little ass in the jeans and nearly got stepped on by her own horse. She mentally slapped herself as she tightened the girth and mounted up. “I’ll take the mule so you have your hands free if you need” she said as she nodded towards the rifle and she held out her hand for the rope.

Marley nodded in agreement and handed over the mule who wondered if he could get away with anything with this new handler but he was more concerned by the smell coming from across the meadow that told him ‘danger.’ He followed when Alex began to get back on the trail and waited for Marley to start drifting the cattle towards her. Marley rode a little quicker this time as she could see some of the cattle becoming aware of whatever smell was coming in from the north and getting restless, getting them into a herd and headed up the trail would take their simple minds off whatever it was. She worried that she should have given Alex a gun as she was out front but with the mule to warn her she hoped that would be enough. She used her foot to kick one of the slow plodding cows in her irritation and then felt bad for the dumb beast; it wasn’t its fault that she was in a hurry now.

It took another couple of hours to make it to the upper pastures and they had been spotted. A tall red headed man that could only be Sydney’s son was waiting and directed them into a pasture that he was holding the gate to, after the last one was through he closed it with a bang and looked up at his two guests. “You must be Miss Peabody” he said as he eyed the brunette and then turned to Alex “and you is Miss Collins?”

“Please I’m Marley and this is Alex” she said as she leaned down to shake his outstretched hand.

“I’m Derek” he said with a smile showing perfectly straight if someone big teeth. He shook Alex’s hand and said “how was the ride?”

Marley told him about it as they walked back towards a set of corrals and a barn they could see in the distance. She mentioned the horses upset in the meadow down below and he nodded when she said she thought it could be a cat but hadn’t been sure as they decided to get the hell out of there.

“Wise choice, there is grizzlies up here too” he told them and watched both of them out of the corners of his eyes to see their reactions. He was a little disappointed when neither of the women reacted but then they had just herded twenty head of cattle up the trail alone without help, they were made of sterner stuff than what his mother usually sent up and without a guide it told him a whole lot more.

“You can put your gear in any of the cabins, we don’t have people up this early in the season” he said as he gestured to a row of tiny long cabins beyond the barn. “I’ll take care of your horses and mule” he told them.

They both got down and unloaded their luggage from the mule, he was surprised that the brunette had duffel bags and the blonde regular luggage, for some reason he would have thought it was the other way around. He was even more surprised though when they chose one of the farthest cabins and went into the same one together. Maybe they were more frightened than he had thought.

“It’s really pretty” Alex said looking around at the single roomed cabin with a fireplace, a dresser, and an actual bathroom, she had worried that it would have just an outhouse, she was dying for a shower.

“Yeah, Sydney and her husband built these years ago from what she told me” Marley agreed as she set down her gear.

“Let’s go look around” Alex said as she put down her suitcases next to the only dresser in the room, she suddenly felt nervous as she looked at the bed where she and Marley would take this further.

If Marley realized Alex was nervous she didn’t show it as they walked around the ranch yard and looked out over the prettiest views yet. The upper meadows were perched or rather hanging over the huge valleys below them and the view was breathtaking. Anything moving down there was smaller than an ant if it could be seen through the miles. With the clean clear mountain air they both breathed it and the sights in until they could hold no more. With it came their appetite and they headed back up the ranch yard to be directed to a small dining room that Derek’s wife Gail was serving dinner or hot lunch. They ate heaps of mashed potatoes, fresh green beans that had been put up the previous year, and pork chops. It had a generous portion of gravy and milk or water for a beverage. Marley teased Derek about eating pork over beef and the four of them got along famously. The two women could see that Gail, was very pregnant.

Derek evidently knew about Marley’s horse ranch and they talked horses over the meal as Alex kept quiet and listened. It was interesting to hear other’s points of view about Marley’s ranch. Occasionally they included her in the conversation but Gail exchanged a conspiratorial look with Alex and the two of them ate until there just wasn’t any more room until Gail magically brought out a cherry pie for desert. Somehow, somewhere, they all found room for a generous slice of the pie and the four of them managed to put the entire pie away.

“Geez, if I continue to eat like that I won’t fit in my clothes when I go back to civilization” Alex grouched “but if it all tastes as good as that, I’ll go happily” she smiled at Gail who blushed at the compliment.

“Good grub” Derek said to his wife as he got up to go to work and pinched her buttock. Gail blushed even deeper if that was possible

“If you two take the path up the west side of the ranch you will see some real pretty country” Gail offered as the two women rose. “It will help walk off your lunch” she said shyly.

“Can’t we help you with the dishes or something?” Marley asked but Gail assured her she was fine and pushed them out the door.

“Guess we’re going for a hike” Alex commented dryly as they both put on their Stetsons and headed to the west side of the ranch.

Gail was right. The view was almost as beautiful as the hanging ridge overlooking the valley’s below. This side must be the other side of the mountain and a whole new set of mountains and valley’s greeted their eyes as they looked about and sighed over the view. They quietly held hands as they walked along and just enjoyed each other’s company. They were gone for hours and their lunch well digested before they headed back to the ranch. Alex was hurrying a little faster than Marley since she needed a bathroom. Squatting in the woods was fine if you had to pee but they had no toilet paper for the other duty and she wasn’t about to use leaves. Marley had laughed at her and offered poison ivy and they had shared a laugh at the thought of what that would do. It wasn’t so funny though a while later as Alex telling Marley she had to ‘go’ so badly made the thought a necessary deed for Marley too and they both hurried to the cabin to use the bathroom. Alex made it first and Marley stayed on the porch to give her plenty of space while she hopped from foot to foot in anticipation of relieving her own colon.

Supper that night was as bountiful as dinner had been but both women ate a bit less. If it wasn’t the anticipation of what they knew the night was going to bring, it was the overly full feeling that they couldn’t walk off that kept them from gorging themselves. They played a couple of hands of cards with their hosts before feigning yawns which weren’t too fake in this higher altitude and heading back to their cabin.

Marley captured Alex on the porch and in the darkness kissed her deeply and madly. They were both breathless when she pulled back to try and look at Alex but with no light other than the sky full of stars and no moon up she couldn’t see what she was thinking. She could feel it though with her other senses. Alex’s body felt warm against her own, her breathing was erratic, and she could feel her heart beating madly in her chest which was pressed against her own.

Alex was thrilled at the kiss; it warmed her all over despite the chill of the cold this high up in the mountains. She desperately wanted Marley and the anticipation had nearly killed her. Knowing Marley wanted her made her feel so good. She felt a little shy as she said breathily “I’ll take a shower first.”

Marley nodded and Alex slipped inside. Marley wished at this moment that she smoked to give her something to do with her fingers that had wanted to be touching her friend’s lush body. At the moment she didn’t care that they had been riding half the day and walking the other half, she wanted Alex dreadfully and she was waiting impatiently. It was then that she thought about the cute little fireplace, she could at least start the fire. Besides the warmth it would bring to the small cabin it would be romantic as hell. She opened the cabin door and locked it behind her. She took off her jacket and placed the logs in the fireplace with kindling between them remembering some of her friends who had tried to get them into the girl scouts as children and because she was Lutheran and Alex Catholic they couldn’t go. Her kind of Lutheranism offered an alternative to girl scouts called Pioneers and they weren’t nearly as good as what the two of them heard about girl scouts. They had learned to make a fire themselves anyway, with older brothers and sleep outs Alex learning had been inevitable and she shared everything with Marley. She had a fire going in no time at all. Next she took votive candles from her bag and lit and placed them around the room making for an even more romantic atmosphere. She tried the radio on the dresser but all she got was static so she turned that off.

Sitting on the end of the bed Marley removed her boots looking at the ones Alex had worn and discarded before she went into the shower. She sat there, it seemed to be taking Alex a very long time to shower and she was nervous. When she heard the water stop she nearly jumped up to pace. Instead she got up and grabbed some clothes to change into as Alex came out of the bathroom. Marley looked over at the sexy woman who was brushing her long hair and using a towel to help dry it. Alex’s eyes locked with her and they both hesitated for a moment.

“Hope you didn’t use up all the hot water” Marley grouched to hide her nervousness as she headed into the steamy bathroom.

Marley washed her hair and every spot on her body twice being careful to shave under her arms and her legs twice. She realized what had taken Alex so long as her own shower lengthened. She turned off the water and using a towel she dried her own hair before attacking it with a brush and clearing all the snarls. She put anti-perspirant on before she began to dress. She didn’t have real sexy underwear but had purchased some new stuff for this trip. She favored French cut bikini’s and slipped into a pair with the sides cut high on her hips and forming a perfect V on her pelvis. Pulling over a clean white muscle t-shirt she thought it looked obvious that she had no bra on and she realized then she was delaying going into the bedroom.

As Marley came out of the bathroom Alex went by her into the bathroom muttering “it’s about time” before closing the bathroom door.

“Are you okay?” Marley called through the closed door.

“Yeah” she heard muffled.

Marley blinked as she looked around the room. Alex had moved all of their clothes over to the dresser. Neither of them had unpacked preferring to live out of their bags and pull out what they needed. Their dirty clothes, what wasn’t on the floor of the bathroom was neatly next to the bed. Marley saw that Alex had done some straightening up. Then she heard the iPod that Alex had put on the dresser, it was playing a song that took her back to their teen years. She shrugged and got into the bed pulling down the far side to welcome Alex when she came back, if.

“If you’ve changed your mind, I think I could find go ask for another cabin, I’m sure they have something.”

Alex put her fingers to Marley’s lips to silence her as she sat on the bed and looked deep into her eyes. “I haven’t changed my mind, have you?”

Marley shook her head since Alex had effectively silenced her with her touch, it felt nice though, her fingers touching her lips.

“Are you nervous?” Alex asked next beginning to look worried.

Marley nodded.

“Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind?” Alex began to sound worried.

She shook her head again.

“You don’t say much” she commented a little annoyed.

Marley pulled Alex’s fingers from her lips and said with a laugh “because you stopped me you goof!”

The laughter seemed to relax them both but Alex’s intense look was causing Marley to feel a kind of shudder throughout her, she was jittery and this so wasn’t like her but this was Alex, the woman she’d thought about and tried to forget for years. She looked to Marley to teach her, to let her be her first, to love her. No problem there, she’d loved her for as long as she could remember. They’d been friends from before kindergarten and despite the years away she’d loved her like a friend, a sister, and an unrequited kind of love that she didn’t realize could become this, this feeling she couldn’t exactly pin point. She couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t loved her even in the years she had hated her she had loved her. Marley had resigned herself long ago that they would never be together like this but to find both of them sitting on a bed in a cabin Marley thought of everything that could go wrong and everything that could go oh so right between them.

“I’ll be right back, I promise” Alex said as she got up off the bed with a shy kind of smile that had Marley’s heart going flippity flop.

Marley sat there in her underwear and a t-shirt waiting, remembering.

Alex came back smelling of a light perfume she had combed into her now nearly dry hair as she pulled it back in a horsetail to keep its length out of their way. She had nearly forgotten to put on anti-perspirant or powder and had waited anxiously for Marley to get out of her shower so she could go back in. She knew better than to use powder on her nether regions since she assumed at some point that Marley would touch there, perhaps more. It was the more that had her feeling a bit nervous.

Alex saw that Marley had pulled the blankets and sheets down on the far side and was sitting there waiting, she had to wonder if Marley was as nervous as she was? She got into bed without looking at Marley and sat there too. She turned to turn them off and asked “you want the lights out” but found Marley pulling her hand back.

“No, leave them on” Marley said quietly as she forced Alex to look at her, really look at her at close range.

Alex felt the blow of those beautiful eyes they looked at her so intently. She gulped self-consciously.

Marley could sense Alex’s nervousness; it matched her own, seeing Alex gulp she said quietly “we don’t have to do anything you aren’t ready for.”

Alex was afraid she was going to do something foolish. She had wanted this for so long that it was killing her. Marley being chivalrous wasn’t part of the scenario in her mind. She shook her head nervously and unconsciously her mouth pleaded to be kissed.

Marley saw the way Alex’s mouth puckered slightly and gently leaned in to kiss it. At the first touch Alex sighed into her mouth parting her lips to welcome Marley’s tongue which gently licked at her lips encouraging them to open. Hesitantly Alex raised her hand to put the warmth on Marley’s shoulder and to maintain her equilibrium, for some reason she felt unbalanced. Her world was steadily beginning to whirl and she desperately wanted to lie down but didn’t want Marley to think badly of her to be so … wanton.

Marley’s thoughts were far from any such trail. She was gently kissing Alex helping her to relax. The warmth of Alex’s hand on her bare shoulder though was welcome. She lifted her own hands to gently run her fingers up both of Alex’s arms feeling the goose bumps that formed as she caressed back down as well before taking Alex into her arms, deepening the kiss, and beginning to caress her warm back.

Alex could feel a fluttering like feeling inside of her knowing Marley was here holding her; she tentatively began to hold her back knowing how warm her chest felt immediately as they held each other in their arms. Alex could feel her nipples harden as the fabric of her shirt and then Marley’s brushed against them. She admired the muscles she had sensed rather than seen before as they were totally in view with the t-shirt Marley was wearing.

Gently, slowly, Marley lowered Alex to the bed so she could lean over her and kiss her thoroughly. Their tongues began a dance where there was no competition between the two women, just a give and take that each relished from the other. Marley caressed alongside Alex’s face, her fingertips touching her jawline and under her ear catching the sigh in her mouth with her lips and tongue.

Alex was glad to let Marley take the lead, although she had studied up on the subject she felt inadequate at the moment of actual lovemaking between two women. Marley was making her feel so good, so right, it shouldn’t be this hot though should it?

Marley gently began to touch with her fingertips down Alex’s shoulder and lightly across her chest gauging her reactions as she kissed her ardently. Alex squirmed a little but Marley took it that she was becoming aroused and not uncomfortable and began a determined march towards the erect nipple she could see out of the corner of her eye.

Alex sighed when Marley’s fingertips brushed against her erect nipple and unconsciously arched into the warm palm that followed. Marley’s fingertips returned and gently tweaked the nub that had a small whimper escape the woman. Marley pulled back slightly to look down at Alex and gauge whether that whimper was pleasure or pain and seeing the bemused look on Alex’s face she determined Alex had liked it and returned to kissing her deeply as her hands continued their exploration.

Marley gently caressed on the outside of Alex’s t-shirt and then found the bottom of it and began to slide her hands up inside it, the feel of Alex’s warm flesh against the palms of her hands was delicious.

Alex didn’t know what to do with her own hands so she caressed Marley’s back and neck with her own fingers and hands, feeling the ripple of the muscles she had admired. She didn’t know it but several times she hit a spot on Marley’s neck that had the blonde stiffen slightly and had Alex been more experienced she would have realized what it was and followed up with a set of lips and a tongue to drive the woman crazy.

Marley loved it when Alex touched her in return. As she raised the t-shirt she loved the warmth and desperately wanted to kiss every inch of what she was exposing with her hands but at the same time she didn’t want to leave Alex’s lips unattended as the kissing was delightful and exciting. As she lifted the t-shirt above Alex’s breasts she could feel their weight holding the shirt down before they bounced free of the fabric. “Let’s take this off” she whispered against Alex’s lips creating a shiver in Alex that they both felt.

Alex rose up slightly and helped Marley to pull her shirt off freeing her breasts for Marley’s perusal. Marley sucked in her breath never realizing that Alex had been so well endowed as the bra’s she wore hid a lot from their padded depths. Alex’s breasts were a nice size, at least a C with well-formed areolas and a large nipple in the center of each. Her mouth watered at the sight, her hands ached to touch, and she indulged in both, her mouth captured one, her fingers and hand the other. Alex fell back to the bed arching in supplication to Marley’s administration. Gently Marley licked, mouthed, and sucked to ascertain how much Alex could stand. Not only were they beautiful breasts but Alex had waited a lifetime for someone who would appreciate them. Not only did Marley appreciate them she worshipped them and gave them due consideration. Alex nearly came from the admiration that Marley heaped on first one and then the other. Her own hands were encouraging Marley and finally pulling Marley’s shirt up to release her own breasts.

Alex was speechless, she hadn’t imagined what Marley’s own breasts would look like, she had assumed they would be as big as her own and they were but Marley had a lifetime of horseback riding and other physical activities behind her that had bounced her mammaries lower, they were longer and skinnier than Alex’s but just as mouthwatering to the gazing brunette. Never having touched another woman’s breast she was hesitant at first and then felt them with wonder. Marley could see the look on her face and felt it down to her toes as Alex gently took one nipple in her own warm mouth and felt up the other hesitantly. Kneeling above her Marley fed her breasts one at a time to her friend’s warm mouth. Switching now and then as she enjoyed Alex’s ministrations, her own fingers and hands kneading Marley’s. Slowly she pulled them away for now as she leaned down and began to lick and mouth Alex’s ample breasts and hearing her breath come harder as she made love to her.

Marley slipped a leg between Alex’s closed legs encouraging her to spread them as she began kissing her way down Alex’s flat stomach. She hooked her fingers on the underwear and pulled steadily until she knelt and pulled them off Alex. Now naked Alex gazed at her, her blue eyes showing desire and wanting’s that only Marley could take care of at this moment. Marley thought about teasing her a little but wanted nothing more than to plunge inside her at the same time. She noticed that Alex shaved and a nice little landing strip was waiting for her as she began to caress up the inside of Alex’s legs. It wasn’t enough as Alex writhed beneath her encouraging her to move faster.

Alex was on fire. She couldn’t remember a time when she had felt this aroused. Even self-service had never aroused her to this fevered pitch. Her husband sure as hell hadn’t, ever. She needed Marley inside of her and she was taking an awfully long time to get there. “Now, I need you now” she eeked out of the panting she was doing arching her hips towards Marley who kneeled above her and between her legs.

Marley couldn’t resist a plea like that and she crouched down between Alex’s legs to lower her lips to Alex’s extended clit that was peeking out waiting for her, she could smell the odor that was uniquely a woman’s, uniquely Alex as her fingers began to play with the wetness she found there. The gentle circles she played around Alex weren’t enough as Alex whimpered below her.

“More” she panted begging.

Marley couldn’t let her stay in this pain, the begging sent her fingers plunging inside, her mouth and tongue on her clit creating the same dance and Alex arched off the bed like a springboard as she responded.

The feel of Marley inside her had her gasping for something she knew not what, she only knew she needed that fullness, that heat, the tongue on her clit was something she had never felt before and she arched to maintain contact and perhaps get it deeper into Marley’s mouth. She felt an odd little tingling and she grasped at it as though she were on a faint trail riding. Following it, it seemed to get stronger, she continued to follow the thread and it got stronger and stronger tingling and spreading. Alex gasped as she experienced her first full orgasm at Marley’s hands, at anyone’s hands, she couldn’t believe the feeling spreading through her as her body bucked and spurted. Marley grinned as she felt her lover give up to the feelings that had been building in her. It was a welcome surprise to find Alex spurting into her hand and onto her lips as she came. Her bucking nearly hurt Marley when her pelvic bone came up but Marley hung on to her clit with her lips as she rode out Alex’s orgasm and soothed her as she came down from it.

Marley gathered her in close to warm her with her own body as she shivered in the aftereffects of her orgasm. It had hit her hard and Alex was still a little befuddled by it as she analyzed what she was feeling. Her lips were still tingling as were her toes.

“Are you okay?” Marley finally asked as she listened to Alex’s breathing return to normal.

“Is it … is it always that intense?” she asked naively but didn’t have anyone else to ask.

Marley leaned up to look down at Alex and see if she was serious. She could see the confusion on Alex’s face and she realized then what had happened. “You’ve never had an orgasm before?”

Alex tried to turn away in her embarrassment but before she could turn her head far Marley had stopped it with her touch and looking deep into her eyes “I was your first?”

Alex swallowed and nodded as she squirmed. She was a full grown woman who had never experienced what some women took naturally. Her husband had never given her an orgasm and she had been raised not to touch there. The last year she had experimented with self-service with a toy or two but knew she was still missing something, something that Marley had shown her in a relatively short amount of time. Once found though she knew she would never miss that thread of feeling again. She watched as the velvety soft brown eyes she loved so well softened further as tears formed.

“I can’t tell you how honored I am at this moment and I know that sounds weird but I am” a tear leaked from one of her eyes.

Alex caught it with her finger and lifting it brought it to her lips to lick it off as she began to smile. “I’m glad it was you” she whispered no longer embarrassed.

Marley returned the smile as she watched the most erotic thing with the tear being licked off Alex’s finger. It made her aware of her own need for fulfillment as she lay half on Alex, her leg between Alex’s, her pubic bone against Alex’s hip bone. Gently she ground down to remind Alex that she was there and they had some unfinished business.

Alex’s blue eyes widened as she felt the wetness against her hip. She knew that some women came at the same time but she was pretty sure that Marley hadn’t, not yet anyway. She reached up and pulled Marley’s head close to her own so she could kiss it. Once they were involved in that she gently rolled them both over so her own body covered Marley’s and she began to use her weight to gently grind down on top of Marley’s. The moan she received in response reverberated against her tongue and told her she was doing something right. She began to kiss her way down to Marley’s breasts accidentally hitting the spot on her neck that her fingers had found earlier. Marley gasped as she went limp in supplication hoping and praying that Alex would understand and continue to touch there.

Alex was surprised and kissed there again as Marley gasped again. She licked and nuzzled until Marley was writhing a bit, anxious for her to continue and loving every moment of the time she spent on the spot on her neck. Alex filed it away for future reference as she returned to kissing her way towards Marley’s breasts. Now that she was on her back, they still pointed south from their weight but they spread out a bit more now looking full and more than a handful. Alex nuzzled the dark nipples and gently sucked them inside but Marley had enough of foreplay and pushed her further south with her hand on the back of Alex’s.

Marley would have pushed Alex’s face between her legs but didn’t want to frighten her this first time. Her ‘innocent’ foreplay though was driving Marley crazy and the sucking and licking on her neck had started a fire between her legs that needed to be put out. If not with Alex’s tongue and lips she would settle for her fingers and hoped she got the hint as she grabbed her hand and pushed it down her body to where the V joined her legs together.

Alex smiled realizing that Marley who had so much more experience than her was anxious to feel her there. She took a deep breath as she looked down on Marley’s clit. Marley didn’t shave and it still managed to peek out beyond the hair. If there was any time to chicken out and not become a ‘full blown’ lesbian this was it. She didn’t have to go down on Marley but when she thought of how Marley had taken care of her and her own hunger she realized she didn’t care about labels and she wanted Marley to feel the same pleasure she had given Alex. She swallowed and then hesitantly leaned down to her first taste of a clit. She was surprised that it was dry though. Then she realized the wetness she could feel against her hand and arm was from between Marley’s legs and not from this high up. She touched that wetness and brought it up. It seemed to please Marley as she let out a gasping sound. She played with the wetness some more watching Marley out of the corner of her eye as she kneeled next to her. She pulled her own hair out of the way that had come out of her horsetail during their lovemaking and tasted again. It was warm, it was a little salty, but it wasn’t bad. It smelled delicious to her untrained senses though. She began to play with the wetness using her tongue on Marley’s clit as she experimented.

Alex had no idea what her innocent playing was doing to Marley’s senses. She wanted harder, deeper, and wilder and the tentative playing was driving her insane. She didn’t want to scare Alex but she was in need, desperate need of what Alex could give her if she would only do it all … harder. She tried to grind her hips into Alex’s mouth but to the inexperienced Alex she thought she was being pushed away. Marley put her hand on Alex’s shoulder, she didn’t dare put it on the back of her head like she would have liked to, and encouraged her to return. “I need more” she gasped trying to convey her need.

Alex realized she was doing something wrong and hesitantly put one finger inside Marley feeling how wet her hole was. She realized there was room for another and put that in as well as she watched the response from Marley.

Marley sighed with relief that Alex was catching on, her fevered body needed release and the full feeling of her fingers inside her was exquisite. She thrust against the fingers to give Alex another hint.

Alex caught on, Marley needed the thrust of her fingers and she remembered how Marley had tongued her clit at the same time. She pushed her long hair over her shoulder again and leaned down to tongue Marley’s clit harder as she thrust learning the rhythm. She saw out of the corner of her eye as Marley arched into it enjoying it.

Marley glanced down and saw Alex going down on her, that alone was nearly enough to send her over the edge. The feel of her inside of her was enough but still she held off as the tension in her body mounted and she fought cumming. It was as Alex caught the rhythm though that Marley lost control as her nipples hardened frightfully and her body spasmed out of control. She gave a shout as she bucked and writhed beneath Alex’s ministrations.

Alex kept going despite being nearly bucked off and sent off the edge of the bed where she was kneeling, she had knelt next to Marley instead of between her legs and this position nearly had sent her flying as Marley came and thrashed her body. Marley nearly sat up as she shouted out and her hands clenched on the pillow before falling back to the bed. Alex was fascinated to watch Marley orgasm as she was so new to it herself. She kept thrusting, licking, and playing until Marley stopped spasming and rasped “enough.”

Alex looked up to see Marley looking completely replete in her orgasm. She gently wiped her fingers on the sheets that she had just pulled from her friend’s body, they were pruny. She used the back of her hand to wipe the wetness from around her mouth off her cheeks and lips. Gently she lay down next to Marley who welcomed her as she gained her breath back and her body came down from the high she had forced higher. It had been very good but then she had more control over her body than Marley did. It did require more time to come down from it though.

Alex was cold and the fire had burned down as they made love. She pulled the sheet and blankets over them and curled up tightly with Marley to share the body heat. Marley threw out a leg she was still so warm and then stiffened when the sheet rubbed across her still engorged and tender clit. She held Alex tightly against her not ready to speak and grateful that Alex was quiet, she didn’t want to talk about what they had just shared, it was even better than she had anticipated and she hoped, prayed really that Alex felt the same.

Alex was dissecting how she felt at the moment. She had experienced a physical sensation like no other in her life. That it was Marley who had given it to her made it extra special. She started to doze off as she became warm against Marley and her body heat.

Marley was happy to hear Alex fall asleep. She was finally feeling ‘normal’ again and her body heat returning to normal as well. She knew she would have to get up and go to the bathroom soon but didn’t want to disturb Alex or awaken her so she held it in. The more she waited though the more she had to pee. It was agonizing and only the thought of accidentally peeing in the bed finally got her up and out carefully making sure that no cold slipped under the covers to awaken Alex who turned and mumbled as Marley froze sure she had woken her. As she turned on her side the opposite way Marley rushed to the bathroom and left the door ajar so its closing wouldn’t wake Alex as she rushed to the toilet to pee. Upon her return she piled a few more logs on the fire, one big one that should last all night and brushing her hands off, blew out the remaining candles, turned off the iPod and she returned to bed. She was pleased when Alex turned back to her and throwing an arm across her cuddled up against her, it had been cold in the bathroom and feeding the fire and Alex’s warmth and presence were very welcome.

They woke up within minutes of each other and while Marley looked at Alex to see if there were any regrets she was pleased when Alex smiled at her brilliantly and leaned over for a ‘good morning’ kiss, a habit that Marley was pleased to start that very morning. They looked outside and saw that it was snowing. It was probably raining at lower elevations but up this high and this early in the spring the snow could get quite deep. They washed and dressed warmly to go eat with Derek and Gail carrying snacks with them as they wouldn’t be ‘exploring’ the upper meadows in this snow. It was too easy to become disoriented or lost and at these elevations it was too unsafe so they planned to ‘read’ the books that Gail generously lent them. Instead they explored each other and learned what each of them liked as they made love over and over. It became a very carnal few days as the snow continued. By the end of the third day they were both feeling a bit of cabin fever but they knew more about the other than they had ever thought they would. They walked out joyfully in the rapidly melting snow as they threw snowballs and explored using their boot prints to find their way back.

The week they spent up there was marvelous for them as they talked and made love, made love and talked. Alex found a capacity in herself that she could have only imagined in romance books. Marley found that Alex was multi-orgasmic and brought it out of her delightedly. Alex found Marley to be an excellent teacher, lover, and companion, much more than the best friend she had been her entire life. She loved her so much it brought tears to her eyes at the thought that this week would end.

They rode side by side when they could on the way down the mountain, Marley was holding the rope to the mule and their luggage, not too many supplies were in the packsaddles now except for emergency rations that everyone hoped they wouldn’t need. “Now what?” Alex asked and Marley knew exactly what she meant.

Marley had fretted over this idea herself. She knew she wanted to continue the relationship with Alex but how? Alex had her own life, Marley had the ranch. “I don’t have all the answers” Marley said quietly “but I’d like to continue this” she indicated the incredible week they had just spent her hand taking in the upper meadows they had just left.

“So what, we get together whenever I’m in California?” Alex asked feeling hurt and petulant.

Marley shook her head as she looked at Alex, she could see the hurt and she felt some of it herself “No, that’s not what I meant, I want you with me always but I can’t come to you as often as you could come to me. I can’t ask you to give up your life for me but if I could, I would.”

Alex was quiet for a while; in fact she was so quiet that Marley was sure she had blown their idealic vacation somehow. When Alex began to talk though Marley couldn’t help the little glow of happy that began to burn in the pit of her stomach. “I think I could probably set up an office in San Simeon or Cambria and work from there. I’ve been telling my bosses we need to set up more agents to help me cover these areas and having four states is three and a half states too many” she mused. She looked at Marley to gauge her reaction and seeing the hopeful look on her face she asked “do you think there would be room on the ranch for me and Leah as well as my dogs and cats and maybe Morris?”

Marley tried not to start crying but she nodded as she smiled through the tears “I don’t want you to give up your job for me.”

Alex chuckled “I’m not giving up anything; in fact I’ll probably make more money in the long run by training and setting up these offices. Besides, I could quit tomorrow and have enough income that I could retire.”

“What?” Marley asked confused as they negotiated a narrower section in the trail. Alex had moved ahead as she said the last of that and Marley was afraid she misunderstood. It wasn’t until they were side by side again that Marley asked her to repeat that.

“Remember those companies I referred you to with the solar companies, the sprinklers?”

Marley nodded confused “yeah, they came out and gave me an estimate that seemed very low but I went for it and am making payments on what they installed.”

Alex chuckled which further confused Marley as to where this conversation was going. “I’m a major stockholder in those companies as well as others. I don’t have to work at the insurance company. I do it because I love to work. I had planned to do something similar to what you are doing and Leah was my first horse towards that goal but I wasn’t ready to quit, now I think I can have the best of both worlds.”

Marley stared at her surprised “so you’re rich?”

Alex shook her head “no, just well taken care of, I’ve invested everything I could except for what I needed for my little farm. If I come to live on your ranch I’d like a stake in it if you will let me. We can add windmills back in the hills out of sight and sell the extra energy back to the electric company after it takes care of all our needs. We could add on to the house. We can acquire more horses and cattle if you want.” Her voice had risen with her enthusiasm.

Marley resented the suggestions instantly. It was her ranch after all. She had built if from nothing. Now Alex wanted to come in and change it? Then she realized how foolish she was thinking. This was Alex. If she invested in the ranch and took out an office nearby that meant she would live there and be with Marley full time. She had lived alone for a long time; did she want to live with Alex? She knew she wanted to continue to see her but living with her had been so far-fetched she hadn’t even considered it.

Alex could see the indecision on Marley’s face and thought maybe she had assumed too much. She thought Marley would welcome her and her money to help her continue in her dream, what could be their dream. Her dreams were suddenly crushed and insecurities rose to nearly choke her. She got it. She was good for sex but as a partner she must leave a lot to be desired. Suddenly she was angry. She kicked her horse and trotted ahead on the trail. When it widened out to a meadow or a wide trail she kicked the horse into a gallop. Behind her she heard Marley calling to her.

The mule balked at going any faster than the walk they had been doing for so long. Occasionally she got him up to a trot but no way would he go to a gallop as Alex was doing. She realized her mistake immediately and the hurt she had inflicted on Alex unintentionally. There was no way she could keep up without dropping the lead rope and leaving the mule and she didn’t dare do that because she wasn’t sure the mule would come down the mountain to the lower ranch without being led. She watched helplessly as Alex rode out of sight.

Alex got to the lower ranch long before Marley. She was still pretty hurt and angry. If she had her luggage she would have demanded a ride into town and the airport as it was she could go nowhere without her return ticket, money, or things. It gave her a lot of time that she didn’t need to think and pace.

“Where’s Marley?” Sydney asked surprised to see the horse brushed down and in the corral and Alex pacing outside the bunkhouse.

“We had a fight and I came on ahead” Alex told her shortly hoping she wouldn’t ask for details.

Sydney nodded seeing that Alex was still strung pretty tight. There was no sign of the city girl in this jean and flannel wearing gal. Her hair was a mess from her wild ride down the mountain but she looked so agitated it only added to her wild look. “Well supper is at sundown” she said in return as she left her guest to her thoughts.

Alex waited an hour before she began to worry about how long it was taking Marley to get down the mountain. When a second hour went by she was pacing not because of her anger or hurt but genuine anxiety over the amount of time Marley had been gone. A lot could have happened with mountain lions and grizzlies out and with it being early spring they were probably hungry. She had read somewhere that mule meat was one of their favorites and very tasty. ‘She probably is doing it deliberately to upset me’ she thought spitefully. When Marley finally showed up after two and a half hours Alex didn’t let the relief show on her face. Instead she went to the mule and began to unload their gear, not only her own but Marley’s as well.

Marley looked at her to see if she would talk to her and decided she wasn’t going to. She unsaddled the horse she had ridden and brushed it before releasing it into the same corral that Alex’s horse was in. By then the mule’s pack saddles were empty and hanging in the barn. Alex went to take their gear into the bunkhouse while Marley brushed the surprised and pleased mule before releasing it in corral.

Supper was quiet as only Sydney had anything to say. The other guests had left with all the rain they had gotten. Marley confirmed they had gotten snow up in the mountains and that was about all she added to Sydney’s conversation. Alex ate silently until she was full and went to pack her bags for the trip they would be taking in the morning.

“What’d you say to her, she rode in her with a bit in her mouth” Sydney asked.

Marley shrugged, she wasn’t willing to discuss it with anyone but Alex. She finished her supper and headed over to the bunkhouse to have it out with Alex. She had had a lot of time to think as she pulled that stubborn mule reluctantly down the mountain nearly wrenching her arm off at the shoulder. It had sensed her urgency, her desire to go faster, and steadfastly slowed them down until Marley had nearly beaten it. She got to the bunkhouse and found their gear at opposite ends, Alex was making a statement. Her suitcases were neatly packed and at the end of one bunk, Marley’s duffels were at the other end of the bunkhouse on a bunk and had obviously been thrown there. There was no sign of Alex.

Marley found Alex in the barn by some of the horses petting them the single light overhead creating a lot of shadows. “Care to talk this out or are you going to sulk?” she asked.

Alex stiffened at her tone. She had heard her come into the barn and several of the horses she was petting turned to look so she had known someone had come in. At Marley’s voice though she turned angrily. “What would be the point?”

“Perhaps if you heard me out you’d understand?”

“What? That you don’t want me around all the time on your ranch? That I’m good enough for a fling but that’s all? That you want a sometime lover?”

Marley felt crushed, it was as bad as she had thought. She sighed, “Do you want to hear what I have to say or do you want to go on believing all that?”

Alex just stood there, it was dark and while the one small light shone overhead it wasn’t really enough to see each other except in shadows. She waited quietly not answering Marley but not encouraging her either.

Marley finally began; she got tired of waiting “when you first suggested moving I was surprised. I thought you had a life in Texas that you wouldn’t want to give up.” She waited to hear if Alex would argue or at least add something. “I didn’t ever think you would give up your job, I thought it would be terribly presumptuous of me to even hope or ask.” Again she waited to hear if Alex would jump in, when she didn’t, Marley continued “in my surprise I guess I suddenly felt protective of my ranch as though you were invading my space.”

Alex was listening, she was petting the horse and sometimes the other when it reached out and insisted, but she was listening. She didn’t like what she was hearing though.

“I never thought what I was dreaming; you living there would or could come true. I was surprised and then when you started talking about the things we could do to improve the ranch I guess I got a little hurt, like what I had already done wasn’t good enough and here you were coming in and horning in. I said it wrong and I didn’t mean to throw your offer back in your face.” She was crying and she didn’t care if Alex knew it or not. “I didn’t ever think of you like a sometime lover, I just didn’t think we’d ever be able to manage more than that and I’d resigned myself to that. This week has been incredible and I love you, but please, please don’t be angry because I didn’t react the way you thought I should.”

Alex spoke for the first time “I guess I thought I’d misjudged you, that you’d gotten what you wanted from me and when I offered more you were rejecting it.”

Marley shook her head but she doubted Alex could see it “no baby, no. I wanted more but didn’t dare hope. Your ideas are great but I’ve been alone and doing it all alone for so long it startled me is all.”

Alex could hear the tears in Marley’s voice and it broke her already cracked heart and she started crying too “I only wanted to help, I’m so impressed with what you’ve built, you are doing exactly what you always said you would and I wanted that too but thought I had to have all this money to do it.”

“I’m living on a shoestring, I’ve built it up by scrimping and saving and doing without so long that I’m not used to letting anyone help me. You saw it with the help I have, I don’t dare let them do anything without my okay because I’ve micromanaged for so long because I can’t afford mistakes.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way anymore, we can expand, we can relax a little, but we can do it together if you want.”

“I’ve never had anyone to depend on other than myself, I’m not used to it and I’m going to make mistakes here. I’m sorry if you were hurt by what I said.”

They were both crying as they talked and by mutual consent they found themselves in each other’s arms.

“I just want to help, I want what you have but I just want to be with you” Alex sobbed into Marley’s neck being careful not to hit her spot and after a week together making love knowing exactly where it was.

“I know and I want you to be there, I just need to learn to let you” Marley told her as she hugged her close.

They slept that night on a bunk together, not making love, just holding each other close. It wasn’t easy. The bunks were made for a single person only and a narrow single person at that. They lay on their side and talked about their plans. Neither got much sleep on the narrow perch, they held each other and kissed and murmured their love as they talked and dozed. By morning though they had made some tentative decisions.

Sydney was pleased to see them come in the cookhouse for breakfast together laughing and chatting if blurry eyed. Whatever burr had gotten under their saddles they had smoothed it over. She herself drove them to the airport and they all talked horses the entire way. She was pleased to find out that the ‘city girl’ was a good ole country gal like herself and could hold her own despite her first impression. She was dressed country now as she returned to Texas but according to what they were talking about she was going to be moving soon to California to help Marley run her ranch. Something about windmills?

It took four months before Alex had enough people in enough offices set up to handle the amount of work she set them. They could do exactly what she had been doing only by having a central office instead of the main office they all reported to her in Cambria where she had opened her own office and she reported to the main one in Dallas. The amount of business coming in was phenomenal and only rarely did she have to travel and handle it herself. She saved most of her traveling for horse shows accompanying Marley and the Gypsy Vanner’s they both adored. Her office also handled an outpost for windmills, solar collectors, and sprinkler systems for the various ranches up and down the central coast and when she began to convince the wineries to go with her she opened up another division that kept her and the staff she was forced to hire extremely busy.

Marley was thrilled the day Alex and Leah as well as the other various animals and Morris came to live permanently on the ranch. It had taken three months to sell her little farm in Texas and driving a U-haul with her car behind it and Morris driving her truck with the trailer behind it made quite the little caravan. Alex had a way with people that Marley adored. She found them a decent receptionist for the ranch and sent the other one to the stables where she was happier. They added onto the ranch house turning it into a bit of a showplace in keeping with the style of the stables with large beams of shining wood, big windows bringing in light from all angles and views that were breathtaking, solar collectors on the roof giving them freedom from the power grid that was so unreliable. Their house and their ranch in fact became a good selling point for Alex’s businesses.

Alex found a genuine Vardo that she and Morris immediately set out to remodel and repair to show off at the various shows. It was perfect for two women to ‘camp’ in at the shows if they wanted and helped to sell their Gypsy horses who pulled it effortlessly and made for an excellent portable ‘office’ when they weren’t showing it.

They were very happy together as they watched their enterprises grow and prosper, Marley learned to let a bit of her micromanaging go and Alex finally had someone in her life she could depend on and whose pride in her made her feel wanted and needed and loved. Above all there was the love and anyone in the horse industry who objected to a same-sex relationship found that eventually they had to deal with this dynamic duo in some way and learned to respect them for their achievements and not judge them for their relationship.

~End~ K’Anne Meinel

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If you have enjoyed SAPPHIC COWGIRL, you’ll look forward to K’Anne Meinel’s splendid and unforgettable first novel:

SHIPS

CompanionSHIP, FriendSHIP, RelationSHIP

In print and E-book and available at fine retailers

SHIPS

CompanionSHIP, FriendSHIP, RelationSHIP

~ CHAPTER 1 ~

Have you ever met a person that you just were so in synch with? You knew immediately that they were someone special for you? Would you know how lucky you were? Would you know they were the one?

Joan was sitting at the convention, yawning. It’s been a very busy day. Signing prints, shaking hands, listening to conversations until her ears rang. It is already 4 o’clock. One more hour and she is released from this prison. Her manager comes up with another print to be signed. Sitting there at the table she glances around. Her booth comprises a 40’ wall of her various prints. She has more but they wouldn’t fit on a 40’ wall. Her originals fetch six figures sometimes, most only five figures. More than enough to make her life comfortable and indulge in more painting at her leisure. More paintings meant more prints and more money, a vicious, comfortable cycle

As it is the end of the day there are less people viewing the various artist’s prints and collections. Her booth is on a corner at the end of the row. First or last depending on where you started in the convention center. Looking around Joan notices a tall blonde woman viewing the only three originals she brought with her to this show. They are new. Not in the catalogs or on the internet yet. The prints are in the works so she can now sell the originals.

This woman obviously likes what she sees as she is smiling and looks as though she is talking to herself, not aloud but nodding to her own thoughts. Intrigued Joan rises and walks over to the woman. Standing out of the woman’s way but in her line of vision Joan gives her a little smile. The woman turns her full attention on Joan and returns the smile.

“So what do you think?” Joan asks with a little nod towards the three new paintings.

Turning back to them the woman answers “Intriguing. I could get lost in the daydreams that that one creates.” She indicates the one with pink and blue clouds and cream. In fact that’s its title: Clouds and Cream.

Remembering its creation, Joan nods and examines it too. It does have that effect. You look into it and begin daydreaming immediately. For every person its different dreams yet the same effect.

“Good thoughts I hope,” Joan answers.

“Very,” comes the quick answer.

Looking on to the other prints the woman begins discussing the merits of some. Many seem to interest her. Her knowledge of the prints is very good. She indicates a couple that she has copies of. Chatting with her Joan realizes this woman must be a collector. They talk about almost all the prints displayed before Joan introduces herself.

“I could sign your prints if you’d like,” she offers.

Amazed the woman turns to her and says, “YOU’RE the artist?”

Not sure if she should be insulted or not Joan nods and gives a tight little smile.

“How wonderful!” The woman exclaims. “I’ve often wondered about the person behind these creations. I’ve seen your catalog and it makes me want more of them.”

Genuine enthusiasm makes Joan relax. They continue chatting about the various paintings and the stories behind some of them. Examining the woman, Joan wonders what it is about her that makes it so easy to talk about her paintings. It is a very personal thing to most artists.

Joan looks at her as with an artist’s eye. The woman stands about 5’9”. Her hair is blonde and streaked with lighter blonde; a typical site in California for this time. It looks like she has a nice perm in it. It falls to just below her shoulders. She has the sides pulled back with clips revealing small diamonds in her ears and an ear clip on the left one. She is wearing an off white pantsuit with a baby blue blouse. The blazer fits her beautifully. She carries herself well. Her eyes are brown and twinkling, her nose long and narrow. Her mouth not too thin but definitely not lush. Her face is lightly made up. She is very easy to talk too. Before Joan realizes it they are announcing over the loudspeakers that the day at the art show is over.

Joan’s manager comes over for a couple of last minute signatures and she complies. The manager then begins to drape their booth with the protective drop clothes. Joan helps and the job is finished quickly. Saying, see ya later, the manager departs. The woman Joan has been speaking with is still standing there watching Joan.

“Would you like to catch a cup of coffee, dinner, or something?” The woman asks.

“I don’t drink coffee or tea either for that matter,” Joan grins, “but dinner sounds great!” Nodding her head in approval. She has enjoyed the conversation with this woman over the last hour or so.

The woman introduces herself. “I’m Grace Monroe by the way, Dr. Grace Monroe.”

Holding out her hand Joan says “Joan Woods, artist extraordinaire.” Startled that she has been talking with a doctor all this time.

Grinning Grace takes her hand, her face lights up in an elfin grin. There is a spark that both of them feel. Neither let’s go but startled glances are exchanged. The tingle goes all the way up their arms. The handshake goes on a moment longer than necessary before they both realize. Turning, they head for the exit at the end of the convention center.

Along the way they chat about other artists and their works. As they reach the parking garage Grace asks “Would you like to take your car or mine? Or would you like to go over to one of the hotels?” Her head indicates towards the Hyatt in front of the convention center entrance.

“I’ve been using taxis to get around this time. I’m staying at the hotel” Joan answers.

“Then you’re probably sick of hotel food. Let me take you to a good restaurant I know.”

Grace leads Joan to a sleek forest green Jaguar coupe. Admiring it, Joan catches Graces eye. Grace is grinning like a Cheshire cat. “My one indulgence” she states. Once more Joan is taken by the elfin grin she sees. Pressing her key button the doors unlock for her and they get in. Grace drives smoothly out of the parking garage and to the payment kiosk. Shaking her head as it cost $10 just for parking she says “What a crime!” Turning to Joan she explains that a family could never indulge itself going to a convention and having to pay the expensive fees that they require and forget trying to eat there too. It unfortunately keeps the masses away from things like this. The sleek car pulls out onto Harbor Blvd. and away from the convention center. Grace and Joan continue chatting as though they are old friends. They pull into a nice hole in the wall restaurant a few minutes later. “They have great steak” Grace states.

Going inside it’s apparent it’s a reservations only restaurant but Grace is spotted and immediately seated. A lot of “Yes, Doctor, How are you Doctor” goes on as they are seated.

Impressed despite herself Joan asks “They know you?” Her right eyebrow rises a little with the question and the small grin on her face makes the sarcasm funny.

Slightly blushing Grace explains that she knows the owner and his family. That she has helped them periodically.

“What kind of doctor are you?” Joan asks.

“I’m a psychiatrist. I work at U.C. Irvine over in Orange.”

Immediately uncomfortable, Joan just sits there. Noting her silence and her obvious distress Grace asks “Is something wrong?”

“No offense, but psychiatrists and psychologist have always made me uncomfortable.”

“Really? Me too. Do you know why?” At Joan’s shake of the head she continues “Well we’ve been talking for over an hour now and you’ve been fine. Is it just the title or something else do you think?” Joan shrugs and tries to relax.

The waiter hurries over and takes their order. Joan orders a salad with no dressing but extra croutons. Then for the main course she orders soup and fruit. Grace orders a steak, baked potato, and green beans.

“You don’t eat meat?” She asks Joan.

Joan explains that she has trouble if she doesn’t watch her diet. Sticking to fruits, vegetables, and light meats keeps her system in balance. No weight gain and everything runs smoothly.

With a few glasses of wine Joan relaxes and realized that Grace is probably right. The title psychiatrist is probably what was bothering her. Grace turns out to be a very wonderful person. They talk not only about art but medicine, history, and a variety of other subjects. Before they know it is 8 o’clock. They even had desert but they are tying up one of the tables.

Both are reluctant to end their conversation. Their blooming friendship was something both wish to pursue and it was apparent to both. There was also a subtle tension building in the air. Grace offered a suggestion “I’ve been invited to a party, would you be interested in going?”

“I don’t think I’m properly dressed” Joan responded, indicating her flowing outfit. She was dressed ‘artsy’. Her brown hair with its red highlights was long and flowing to below her waist. She isn’t tall but has a fine figure. A high bust with wide shoulders and a muscular look to it. Her waist is trim.

“Believe me, your fine. It’s just some friends of mine and they won’t care if you come half dressed.” Hesitating a moment she added, “Well, maybe the half-dressed part they would mind. But not in a bad way” she mused. They shared a laugh as they walked back to the Jaguar. Chatting about friends and their idiosyncrasies their conversation continued.

Grace headed the Jaguar back down Harbor Boulevard towards the convention center and past it heading in the other direction, further into Anaheim. Pulling through a residential area she parked in front of an old house that had been converted into apartments. You could see people were already there as several were standing on the steps with beers in their hands. As Grace and Joan walked up they parted to let them into the front door of the house. Taking their jackets was a guy that looked vaguely familiar to Joan. Grace led them into the living room to meet their host. People were sitting around on everything available - couches, the chairs, the tables, a few on the floors. Some were standing and chatting. The room was fairly full.

Suddenly a voice aimed directly at them “GRACE!” A short black headed woman with a very short haircut came towards them. Her face was the palest of white and she wore bright red lipstick. Her black hair was shaved as a man’s on the sides and she had a braided pony tail down the back. Her black hair was matched by black eyes; a very striking person. She was dressed in jeans and a tight sweater. Holding out her arms for a hug she grabbed Grace close. Joan looked on in amusement. Something she had noticed earlier finally making itself clear. Most of the people at this party were or had to be gay. Not that gays give off any strange vibes but just how they were behaving and looked made things apparent to Joan. The woman talking to Grace seemed vaguely familiar. When Grace turned to introduce Joan the woman surprised both of them by interrupting with “JOAN? My god I haven’t seen you in like 20 years!”

Surprised Joan looked closer. Thinking back 20 years to when she would know this woman. Indeed she did know her. They had worked together at a parts supply house.

“JO! Oh my goodness. I never thought I’d see you again. This is your house?” Joanne was a close friend once, one alienated by Joan’s ex-husband.

Grace was amazed that they knew each other. Further explanations revealed how they knew each other, how Grace and Joan had met.

Joanne pulled Joan over to others at the party. She knew several people, stunned to see them again after so long a time had passed. She saw Tina, Addie, and Ken, the guy who had taken her coat. All gay friends from the parts store. Another friend, Tracey, who hung out with all of them - straight and wild. Due to her relationship with her ex she hadn’t seen them forever. Thrilled they all talked and caught up. Grace stood back and listened.

Joan explained what she had been up to. She was divorced. Gave up on the parts house as it was a nowhere job. Went back to school. Raised the boys. There were three of them now. The friends were amazed as Joan had been the least likely to have children. They were all so excited to catch up. As parties go, this one went on and Grace wandered off to different friends and groups. She knew most everyone in the house. During the course of the evening Joanne and Joan found themselves alone and talking.

“I always wondered what happened with you,” Joanne stated.

“I looked for you but by the time I was free to do so, I couldn’t find a Joanne Chavez in the book. No one knew where you were either and I couldn’t find the others either.” Joan indicated Tina, Addie, Tracey, and Ken.

“Was it hard?” Jo asked.

Joan immediately knew what she meant; her marriage to Craig. It had been awful. They were young and Craig somehow made everything her fault. They were poor but he made it worse with his irresponsibility. Nodding in answer she took another gulp of her wine. Looking around for Grace absentmindedly. She saw her ensconced in a very undignified bean bag chair in the corner, surrounded by people all talking loudly.

Jo noted where her eyes had strayed. “You know she’s gay don’t you?”

Turning back to Joanne, Joan answered “Yes, I’d have to be pretty obtuse not to realize that at this point.”

“And you two just met today? Joan nodded. “I thought you were straight?”

“I am.”

“Then what be haps here?”

Smiling at the funky way of asking. Joan shook her head. “I don’t know to be honest. I just don’t know.” Looking again at the corner where Grace was she was in time to catch her eye and exchange a smile. One of those party smiles. Yes, I know where you are, Yes, I’m having a good time too.

It was about 11 o’clock when Grace came searching for Joan. Joan had met some of the most interesting people. Not just the few people she knew but others she had talked with, debated with, exchanged information with. Several were invited down to the convention. It was a relief finally to stop talking. She’d seen Grace around the party too they’d exchanged looks a few times. It was odd how intense those looks were.

“Hey you, are you about ready to go?” Grace asked.

Smiling Joan nodded. They headed for Joanne and a last goodbye. Stay in touch. Don’t let it be so long. Joan gave Joanne and the other four one of her cards with her email address on it. Hugging each of them goodbye.

Grace helped her on with her coat and they walked out of the house. The immediate silence was loud. Almost overwhelming. They got into the car and just sat for a minute.

“That was odd” Grace indicated the house with a nod of her head.

“Yes, wasn’t it though. I haven’t seen those people for ages. I missed them.” Joan answered with a little smile.

“Were you involved with any of them?” Grace asked.

Laughing Joan answered “No, not possible. If you had known my ex you’d understand, we were all just friends at work.”

Joan looked at the house with a nostalgic wistfulness. Remembering the young people she had known then. The adults they had all become. Grace watched her face. Finally Joan turned and looked at Grace. Something seemed to connect between them. Almost an electrical current between their eyes.

Grace leaned forward and lightly kissed Joan on the lips. Joan felt a tug from somewhere below her belly button. She kissed Grace back. Opening their mouths the kiss deepened. Grace raised her hands and cupped Joan’s face holding her there. Joan raised her own hands and put them on the outside of Graces. Then she slid them along to Graces shoulders and under Graces hair. Pulling her head closer to Joan’s. They had been kissing heatedly and caressing each other for a while before Grace pulled her head up.

“For a first kiss that was something.” She panted slightly.

Stunned for a moment, Joan sat there looking deeply into Graces eyes. She had never. She had never, ever, had the thought of being attracted to another woman. But what she was feeling for this woman went beyond normal attraction. She felt it deep inside her. Her whole body was tingling in anticipation. Panting herself, she broke off eye contact, and leaned her forehead on Graces shoulder.

Grace kissed Joan’s forehead and just held her close. She’s shocked, thought Grace. She’s fighting this attraction. I know she feels it. I do too. I felt it at the show. I felt it at dinner. I felt it all through the party. Now, I feel lust like I’ve never felt it before. I want this woman. I NEED this woman. I have to take it slow though. She’s scared. She’s in virgin territory, pardon the pun.

Their breathing returned to normal. The windows on the Jag had all fogged up. Joan pulled her head off of Graces neck and looked into her face. Grace could see the puzzlement but she also could see the wanting in Joan’s eyes. Let her make the next move Grace thought. And Joan did. She took her hand and caressed Graces jaw line. Back and forth. Under Graces ear she lightly tickled with her fingers. Her eyes never left Graces. Joan could read the pleasure on Graces face from the caresses. Grace knew the minute that Joan decided to kiss her again. Heated caresses followed.

A loud noise outside the car attracted their attention. They reluctantly pulled apart. Both were panting. You could smell the want, the need, in the air. Both sat back in their bucket seats. Finally Grace turned to Joan. “Would you like to see my place?”

Joan knew what Grace was asking indirectly. It was a big step. Joan didn’t want to lose this person who had come into her life so suddenly. Not trusting herself to speak, Joan nodded.

Grace started up the Jag and pulled away from the curb after the efficient defogger had cleared the windows. Reaching out she touched Joan’s hand. Joan immediately took Graces hand in hers.

Off Harbor Boulevard she turned onto the 5 freeway heading south. Needing her hand to shift she released Joan’s. Immediately she recaptured it when she was done shifting. They resumed their conversation as though nothing had happened. Grace effortlessly pulled from the 5 freeway onto the 55 heading for Newport Beach where her apartment was located.

She told Joan about her apartment and how she had been fortunate to find it through friends who didn’t want to rent it out for summer rentals as it would get trashed. The money was nice but not the headaches. It was one of several they owned in a row. The apartments were actually on the islands in Newport Bay.

The 55 ended into Costa Mesa and they drove through to Newport Beach and over the bridge onto Balboa Island. Multi-Million dollar homes were on these islands. They were crammed into every available space.

Grace told Joan how lucky she was to live in the boonies as Joan had told her of Wisconsin. Joan lived in a central Wisconsin town called Wausau. She had moved there after her divorce with her three sons. She had a gallery there in an old converted building downtown. Her apartment was upstairs and convenient. Her sons were grown now. Her youngest in college. Her oldest had even made her a grandma last year.

As they drove down a street on the island they came to a security booth. The officer looked up and saw Grace. Waving he pushed a button that opened the gate. They pulled up in front of Graces apartment and she parked the Jaguar. Grace walked up to her front door and unlocked it; opening it she let Joan precede her into the front room. Grace showed her around. To Joan’s right was a kitchenette to her left the living room. Further into the living room a hallway that led elsewhere. Opening her blinds onto a beautiful water frontage Joan asked about the dock in front of the apartment.

“You have a boat?”

“No, I always wanted one. Just never took the time to actually GET one.” Grace smiled.

Grace went into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of wine. Holding it aloft to show Joan she silently asked if Joan wanted some. Joan nodded and Grace proceeded to fill two wine glasses full. Carrying the wine bottle under her arm and the two wine glasses in her hands she went to sit on the sofa. Joan joined her there. Grace handed her one of the glasses, a deep emerald green with cuts in the crystal. Joan found her hand was shaking a little. Grace noted that as well.

“Relax.”

“I don’t know why I’m so nervous.” Joan lied.

“Don’t you?” Grace raised her eyebrows in question.

Smiling wryly down in to her glass Joan lifted it for a drink. It ended up being quite a gulp and she almost choked. Coughing and laughing she did indeed relax. They resumed their conversation. The talk was easy and non-invasive. Just two people getting to know one another.

Joan told her about living in CA all those years ago. Repeating some of the story that had been told at the party. She told a very small amount about her disastrous marriage. How she had only been 18 when she married. Her first son born at 19. Her second at 21 and her third at 23. By then the marriage had turned very sour.

“What can I say? I was young, naive, and in love with the idea of a happily ever after marriage. The sad thing is once he drained my bank account he went after my mom’s and once that was gone, so was he.”

“Actually, the happily ever after is what a lot of people dream for. They don’t realize that Cinderella or Snow White probably had stretch marks, that their nails broke washing the castle, and that they got fat with age and children.” They shared a laugh at the image this portrayed.

It was relaxing and the time flew. It was 1:00 before they knew it. For Joan it was even later with the time difference. Stifling a yawn, she put down her empty glass. The wine bottle was now empty with their concerted efforts. Joan realized something right then. Her apparent prejudice against psychiatrists and psychologists was gone or at least against this particular one. Grace was easy to talk to. Not only that, Joan liked hearing what she had to say. It wasn’t judgmental. Her life hadn’t been any easier than Joan’s. She was human. She was real. Looking over at Grace she realized how much she liked this person. How attracted she was to this person. How much she wanted to BE WITH this person.

Grace had been watching Joan throughout the afternoon and evening. Talking with her at the show she immediately sensed Joan’s diverse intelligence. That had drawn her immediately. Her body was attractive as well. She had to be about 5’7”. Just 2” shorter than Grace’s 5’9”. She held herself tall and walked with an easy going gate. Her incredibly long brown hair was held back with clips and it flowed past her waist. The red streaks in it looked natural and were. The clothes she wore flowed along her body. She wasn’t thin by any stretch of the imagination. She was big boned but not fat. Her face was round but well defined with high cheekbones. Dark green eyes were framed by dark brown thick eyelashes and eyebrows. Her nose was cute and not too long. Her lips drew you in. It was her smile though that really made her pretty. Her teeth weren’t perfectly straight. She wasn’t beautiful but when she laughed it made her seem so.

Grace had watched her as they talked all evening. She was unconscious about the flow of her own body movements. Grace thought of this as her artistic movements. Joan would have laughed and called these her autistic movements had she but known Graces thoughts. Grace watched her effortlessly fit into the party and chat with the people she had known. Making new friends from complete strangers. She hadn’t been the life of the party but her diverse interests made her easy to talk to. She drew people to her. A lot of people would have had trouble just fitting in at a stranger’s party, especially a gay stranger’s party. Not Joan. It hadn’t troubled her in the slightest.

The more she watched and listened and talked the more aware of the attraction she became. Kissing Joan in the car had scared her. She was scared that she had frightened off this intelligent, amazing, woman. So far though Joan didn’t show any signs of bolting. Grace was determined to proceed with care. She wanted to KNOW this woman, intimately.

Watching her hide the yawn she suddenly realized how late it was for Joan. Apologizing she offered her the couch or the bed, whichever Joan preferred.

Caught off balance she stammered her reply “but I thought, I thought that you...” and she trailed off. Blushing at her apparent misunderstanding Joan turned slightly away.

Realizing that Joan was embarrassed Grace quickly went to reassure her. Leaning over on the couch she caught her by the shoulder and turned her back. Joan’s head rose to look her in the face. “I didn’t want to do anything that you didn’t want to do. Okay?”

Nodding but mute Joan looked for that spark she had seen before. It was there in Graces eyes. Again something seemed to reach out between them. Joan leaned slightly forward and met Grace halfway in a searing kiss. It didn’t end. Before she knew it Joan found herself pushed back on the couch with Grace half over her. She could feel the desire in her own body. Her crotch was wet with it and pulsing. Grace’s beautiful body was pressed against her own and her hands were caressing her. Joan’s own hands were kneading Graces shoulders, pulling at her, sliding down her back to pull her even more on top of Joan. Grace deepened the kisses, drawing a half moan from Joan. Panting heavily Grace pulled back. Looking deep in Joan’s eyes she asked “Are you sure?”.

Joan whispered breathlessly “Very.”

At this Grace stood up, pulling herself up and off Joan. It took a second to get her balance. Looking down at a bewildered Joan she held out her hand and pulled Joan up and off the couch. Planting a kiss on her lips Grace led Joan down the hallway. Her bedroom was decorated with modern furniture. Cold and sterile. A small lamp was switched on by the bedside. Joan could see into a bathroom across from the bed.

Leading Joan to the bedside she took her in her arms and just held her. Joan relaxed in her arms, pulled slightly back and looked up into Graces face. Bending slightly Grace met Joan in a kiss. It wasn’t enough for either of them. Grace quickly began to undress Joan. Joan tried to follow suit but was nervous and inept. Stilling Joan’s shaking hands, Grace put the hands on Grace’s body in mute appeal for caresses. This Joan did understand, want, and could do. Swiftly Grace took off Joan’s flowing blouse. Underneath was a satin push up bra. Surprised at this Grace took the time to kiss along the top of Joan’s breasts. Throwing the blouse to a chair, Grace unhooked the bra from in front and Joan’s breasts spilled out into Graces face. Grace buried her nose between them.

Joan was watching with a detached air. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself. Grace obviously knew what she was doing and Joan tried to follow her lead. Joan’s hesitant hand on Graces body was doing more than Joan realized. Grace was already losing control. She took deep breathes and calmed herself. She didn’t want to scare Joan at the intensity of her passion. Not yet. Not when it was all so new to Joan.

“Are you all right?” Joan asked.

“Yes, it’s just that I want you. Immensely. But I don’t want to frighten you.” Grace breathed in her ear.

“It’s all right, I’m not frightened. If something doesn’t feel right, I’ll let you know.”

With that Grace felt much better and began raining kisses down Joan’s neck and chest, leading to her breasts that were spilt out of the bra. Pulling the bra off the rest of the way, Grace threw it on the blouse. Reaching for Joan’s pants fastener Joan stopped her. Grace looked up to see the desire flooding Joan’s eyes. Joan reached to remove the blazer that Grace was wearing. That too wound up on the chair. Joan gently began unfastening the buttons to Graces baby blue blouse, a lot more competent and not shaking now. Her fingertips grazed Graces flesh. Pushing the blouse off her shoulders the whole thing was stopped because they hadn’t unfastened the buttons at the wrists. Grace was effectively trapped in her own blouse. Joan’s shoulders began to shake with laughter. After a moment of frustration, Grace joined her in laughing at their predicament. This eased the tension a bit and relaxed both of them. Pulling the blouse back on she quickly released her wrists and threw off the blouse. After a moment’s hesitation Joan unfastened the bra holding in Graces breasts. This too was discarded. Joan stopped, uncertain and nervous. Grace lifted her chin with one finger and gently kissed her, which soothed her fears, igniting more of her passion. Joan wasn’t sure how this immense attraction had come about but she wanted this woman more than she could bear. In short order they were both standing there naked. Joan shyly looked everywhere but AT Graces body. Grace had no qualms and looked lustfully over Joan’s.

Pulling her in for an embrace, Grace could feel the tension in Joan’s body. The unfamiliarity of a woman’s body was scaring her, despite her wantings. Grace soothed her with gentle caresses. Nothing intimate. Just gentle caresses. Soon Joan was returning those caresses and reaching to Grace for a kiss. Joan surprised Grace with the intensity of the passion that came with that kiss. Grace wondered if Joan was as aware of what she was doing as Grace was. She didn’t think so. The caresses became more fevered and gently intimate. They both wanted it, they craved it. The first touch below her navel had Joan making small moaning noises, unaware how inflaming they were, they coincided with her harsh breathing from the kisses they were exchanging. Graces hand circled lower to Joan’s lower hair. Definitely red in color, her fingers stretched through it, touching lightly. Joan took her own hand and pressed Graces harder against her crotch, slightly grinding it in, her hips pushing against the hands. Surprised, Grace granted her wish.

At the first touch of her clit Joan’s knees began to buckle. Grace lowered her to the bed and began making love to her in earnest. No hesitation. Determined caresses meant to arouse her. Joan was nibbling along Graces shoulder but she actually bit her when Grace touched her wet crotch. Moaning in a pleading sort of way, Joan was on fire. Grace set out to put more fuel on the fire by placing a finger inside of her and moving slowly. Joan bucked up at that hand. Two fingers and she was moaning, shamelessly. Grace knew her own crotch was wet from these goings on. She placed Joan’s other hand on her own crotch and cringed a little at how zealously Joan imitated her. Slowing her down a little to an even rhythm had them both in ecstasy. Grace came quickly. She knew her body well and knew the desires that had been building all night. She captured Joan’s mouth again with her own and deepened the kisses; deeply her tongue plunged, imitating her fingers. She could tell by the gushing moisture on her hand and the moans coming from Joan how close she was to a climax. Grace captured Joan’s scream in her mouth as she came. Grace didn’t stop the rhythm though. She continued until Joan had come a second time. Little cries followed for a time. Grace was amazed at the power of Joan’s climax. Smiling to herself at what she had caused, she lay down next to her, kissing her breasts and her mouth, in a thank you. Soothing caresses followed. Not wanting to frighten her by doing other things to her, Grace decided not to proceed any further tonight.

When their breathing had returned to normal, Grace rose and went to the bathroom to clean up. As she had left so abruptly, Joan was confused. She laid there stunned. Her own insecurities surfaced and she thought she had done something wrong. Joan was about to follow to the bathroom when Grace returned with a warm wash cloth. She proceeded to wash between Joan’s legs much to her mortification. Joan reached for the cloth to finish and Grace let her knowing she needed to adjust. Joan was surprised and then embarrassed at the amount of cum that she was cleaning up. It seemed to be never ending. Finally she rose to go to the bathroom and finish cleaning herself.

Shyly returning to the bedroom she saw that Grace had pulled off the bedspread and pulled down the sheets. She was unselfconsciously naked as she adjusted the pillows. Joan watched her from the bathroom door. Grace looked up and with her hand invited her into the bed. Hesitating only slightly, Joan joined her. Grace pulled her into an embrace with Joan’s head resting on her shoulder. They snuggled together.

“Any regrets?”

Moving slightly to face up to her Joan replied “No, should there be?”

“That depends on you actually. I don’t have any.”

“I don’t think I do either.”

Smiling, Grace leaned over and kissed her gently. Lying there together, holding each other was just so nice. Both became drowsy.

“Grace, I must tell you something.”

Instantly awake and looking for her regrets Grace let Joan rise up. “What?”

Her face a mixture of emotions Joan was looking down at her hands. They were entwined with Graces in a hand hold. Disentangling them, Joan took a deep breath and blurted “I’ve never had a climax before.” Her faced flushed with her confession. She looked up to Grace and noted the amazement in her expression.

“Never?” She asked in astonishment. The passion that this woman had shared with her made that statement sound like a lie.

Joan shook her head. Her face was darker if possible with embarrassment.

“But you were married for seven years, you said.”

Nodding in agreement Joan looked back down in mortification. “I know I’ve been close several times but never actually made it over the mountain.”

Blown away at this news, Grace could only stare. Pulling herself together she realized how vulnerable this woman was who lay in her bed. “Not even by yourself?”

Shaking her head Joan looked up. Grace could see the hurt that this news had inflicted on this woman. Reaching over, Grace again took her hands in hers and said “Hey, this isn’t ANYTHING to be ashamed of, okay? I can tell you I KNOW for a fact that it couldn’t possibly be your fault. After what you just showed me you never need to convince me that you can’t orgasm. You may not know it but that was pretty powerful stuff.”

Looking up to see if she was just being placated, Joan smiled. Returning it, Grace again pulled her against her chest, kissing her on the way down, cuddling her close. They both drifted off to sleep.

~End~ Chapter 1

K’Anne Meinel

K’Anne Meinel first wrote SHIPS in 2003 over the course of two weeks. She then played with it for several years before publishing it as an e-book on Smashwords.com and then being approached to publish it in book form. After that it was published on Amazon.com as an e-book. In the meantime she published some 35 novellas and novels of various genres. Originally from Wisconsin many of her stories have taken on locations from and around the state. A gypsy at heart she has lived in many locations and plans to continue doing that. Her fans have compared her to some of the great authors of our times including Danielle Steel and Dean Koontz. Videos of several of her books are available on YouTube outlining some of the locations of her books and telling a little bit more…giving the readers insight into her mind as she created these wonderful stories.

Other Novels and Novella’s from K’Anne Meinel: (*notates a Novel vs. a Novella)

Alone in the Laundromat can she get away with what she needs to do, does she dare? What about when she is discovered?

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/179782

Hasn't there always been a place you wanted to go to, that you dreamed about? What if you made it a reality with the one that you love? All your fantasies and dreams come true?

Beach Dreams:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80945

This is what happens when I wear a bikini for the first time. A short erotic story that tells a tale for those who understand that BIKINIS ARE DANGEROUS!

Bikini's are Dangerous 1:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79917

Once again we prove that Bikini's can't be trusted, that these itty bitty scraps of material, are DANGEROUS!

Bikini's are Dangerous 2:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79923

Proving that Bikini's are more than just for swimming.

Bikini's are Dangerous 3:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79925

Rio de Janeiro is well known as the world's premiere beach destination. Will I wear my bikini or not as they are also known for their nude or clothing optional beaches...BIKINI'S ARE DANGEROUS!

Bikini's are Dangerous 4:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79926

When you are unsure about your body, being around those who are not only fit and trim but bikini clad can be inhibiting as well as distracting. As I work on my body, my confidence and my attraction to this bikini clad body that helps me achieve these results develops. Finally admitting our mutual attraction leads to a situation that proves BIKINI'S ARE DANGEROUS!

Bikini's are Dangerous 5:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81621

All FIVE in the series

*Bikini's are Dangerous The Complete Series:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/85476

Dealing with the death of your best friend, the second parent to your children, your mother is hard enough but Kay now also has to deal with the house she had bought for them to all live in. It’s a ‘fixer upper’ and requires a lot of work for the single mom. A new home, a new life, new friends leads to a family she hadn’t anticipated or planned for…

Kay is doing the best she can, trying to deal with everything when Jackie enters her life. They become good friends but how was Kay to know that she would change her life in ways she had never anticipated…

*Children of another Mother:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/90971

20 Erotic Short Stories

*Erotica:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/77347

A warm loving relationship, a warm loving body, who wouldn't want to come home to that? What happens to Melinda & Em on Family Night...

Family Night 1:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81619

Melinda & Em show that Family Night isn't the same every week and especially NOT for two women in love.

Family Night 2:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81620

What would you do to be with the one you love....this fantasy tale answers that question but not necessarily in the way you would expect.

Fantasy:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80954

How do you cope with a life that you are bored with? You make a new one right? Be careful what you wish for because you might get a whole lot more than you bargained for….

When you’re bored with your current life, take a trip, that always changes things right? What Analisa Meunier didn’t realize is that for every decision you make in your life it can change everything. A new life, a new country, a new family, a new threat to all of that…will she survive? Will they?

Baroness Lydia Von Horn has never met an American like Analisa Meunier. Hiding her own identity leads to problems in their initial relationship, but making a family, a life, and surviving with both intact is the real challenge.

From Oconomowoc, Wisconsin to Hammerbruke, Germany, from Cambria, California, to Munich, Germany, their lives and trials and tribulations take them around the world.

*Germanic:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/95725

Video: http://youtu.be/2lNcDhYG7yE

What happens when you fall in love with your best friend? What if that best friend is a GHOST?

Stacey is your normal teenager, living with the the 'normal' teenage angst moments. She just happens to have a friend who is a ghost. This takes her on a journey, while it would have been normal for most people, it is guided by her friend Renata who just happens to be dead. As the years go by and Stacey experiences life she finds that love eludes her until she realizes it has been there all along. What do you do when the love of your life turns out to be a GHOST?

Ghostly Love:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79912

Video:

http://youtu.be/zyC5CNIfNvg

Claudia is looking for a new playmate/partner. Can she train one to her satisfaction? Brenda is looking for...she isn't sure what but in Claudia she finds a woman she can admire, trust, and eventually love. Can Brenda heal Claudia's cold heart?

Heel or Heal Book 1:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79931

Leah is blonde, Anglo, and up until recently, unable to fulfill her fantasies that she has been having with her internet friend for months. A sudden winfall allows her to seek out her friend, her potential lover, and fulfill those wants, desires, and fantasies.

Carmen has never felt like this for an Anglo, she herself is a Latina and her friends cannot understand her being faithful to a woman she has never met.

Meeting each other for the first time is explosive.

Internet Dreamers:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/85852

Alexis isn't KEPT in the standard sense of the word. She has her own life, her own money, she is her own woman, and yet Sasha keeps pulling her back....an intriguing idea for all of us who wonder what it would be like to have unlimited funds to do what we want, when we want, and with whom...

Kept:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80944

This author’s humorous view on kissing

Kiss:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/85187

When you unexpectedly fall in love, don’t you take it for what it’s worth? Don’t you love the person while you can? When you can? What if they live on the other side of the globe though? Could you handle that long of a distance? Patience becomes the word when two women of independent character fall unexpectedly in love. From different lifestyles, to different geographic locations, the problems of maintaining this relationship seem astronomical. Just when they think they have solved these minor problems, new ones seem to pop up. Will they survive a Long Distance Romance?

Eliza is from the Midwestern United States, Wisconsin. Independent, a business woman who has finally achieved her dream. She is determined to fulfill and continue to live this dream when in walks a woman that knocks the old dreams out of her head for new ones. Will she someday have the woman of her dreams? Should she abandon that what she knows for the unknown? Can she have what she knows she wants?

Krystal is from Austria. Rich, cultured, and bored; she has seen everything and done everything. A side trip on another trip to the United States proves to be interesting when she walks into Eliza’s store and is knocked on her back side by the feelings that this woman provokes. The distance thing is easy to someone who owns a jet but even she has responsibilities back home. Will she be able to have this woman she has fallen so deeply in love with? A woman who fascinates her, intrigues her, and challenges everything she is? Even if all her dreams come true, is it enough to keep them together?

*Long Distance Romance:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79633

Video: http://youtu.be/hcHq56MYe-A

A short story that isn't quite what you expect it to be. Warm, loving, and erotic, joining the MILE HIGH CLUB wasn't going to turn out like expected.

Mile High Club:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80956

Meeting a mysterious woman in a bar, Deirdre's life is about to change. The abuse from her husband stops suddenly as this woman enters their lives. What does this woman want in exchange for her help?

Mysterious Malice (Book 1):

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92162

Murder requires technique, it requires meticulous planning, and genuine care if you’re going to do it right, right? Random acts of violence are not Alice’s style, however when forced on her, well let’s just play along….

Meticulous Malice delves deeper into who Alice really is…let’s play by HER rules…

Meticulous Malice (Book 2):

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/93958

Making a mistake is something Alice DOESN'T do. Can she deal with the fact that someone might not have needed to die? Can she deal with it when someone else makes a fatal mistake? Into Alice's arena comes Senator's Cecilia and Ken Edwards, is the interest she sees for her money, her power, or her desirable body? Pursuing this 'friendship' will create consequences none of them intended...

Mistaken Malice (Book 3):

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/113580

Alice is angry and wants revenge for her sister's death...her lesbian lover is her target!

Malicious Malice (Book 4):

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/143560

When Alice gets a plea for help from a friend of her sister can she do anything to free her from the bonds of a sadistic man determined to have her? What about the bonds that Kathy begins to place on Alice's cold little heart, how will this affect the killer in Alice....

Masterful Malice (Book 5):

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/144472

*Malice Masterpieces The First Five Books:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/144835

Alice is getting married, has she finally fallen in love…and first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby or babies in the baby carriage? Is this possible for Alice’s cold little heart?

Matrimonial Malice (Book 6):

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/166053

Dealing with the death of her wife, Alice finds raising a teenage daughter and two other children to be a challenge. She hadn’t planned to ever be a parent, but for the love of her wife, now deceased she will do what she has to.

A threat to her teenage daughter leads to other revelations that bring out the ‘old’ Alice we all know and loved….her predator instincts are aroused…what will she do next?

Mourning Malice (Book 7):

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/178214

In book 8 of the MALICE series Alice finds out the truth about the past year and the manipulations others have enacted on her and her family. Her anger burns hot and she returns to what she was born to be...a killer. Our anti-hero returns as she wreaks vengeance for the sake of her family...

Murderous Malice (Book 8):

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/212923

The New Jersey Turnpike is an interesting stretch of highway. On the Parkway, we couldn't wait after stopping at a road stop...could I tempt her?

On the Parkway:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81021

Based on a Spanish soap opera out of Madrid Spain, this short story is my take on what would have happened had I been there.

Quickie ~ Against the Car:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81024

I'm too tired to think straight when I'm attacked by my girlfriend...

Quickie ~ Against the Wall:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81026

My girlfriend attacks me and takes me over the back of the couch...

Quickie ~ Over the Couch:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81029

It takes some persuasion but I take my girlfriend Under the Pier

Quickie ~ Under the Pier:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81030

Ashley is a Midwestern girl who is enjoying the life in Southern California. She learns to surf, a lifelong dream that wasn’t possible in Illinois. Now she meets professional surfer Willow Samuels who becomes a good friend to her. How good isn’t really apparent until she realizes there is a mutual attraction. Can a virgin such as Ashley cope with the feelings that are building inside her for the famous surfer? Can a Midwestern girl with all the morals and hang-ups ingrained in her overcome them to actually enter into a Sapphic romance with this woman?

Ashley is conflicted when she realizes she is having feelings for her famous friend Willow. When Willow makes a pass at her she realizes that her friend is gay and attracted to her, how can she overcome a lifetime of ethics and values that just might destroy the happiness that Willow offers her?

Sapphic Surfer:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87237

Video:

http://youtu.be/jHj0LJzFlRU

Ships are created when a straight woman finds herself falling in love with a gay women. The complexities of maintain such a friendship and relationship over the next 20 years…

Joan is a world renowned artist who is straight, has three children, and is content with her life when she meets Grace, a respected psychiatrist who also happens to be a lesbian. Joan is conflicted and has to deal with her feelings, the incredible woman she finds herself in love with, and the relationship that occurs over the next 20 years.

*SHIPS:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70153

Paperback:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ships-kanne-meinel/1106019278

Video: http://youtu.be/OXRE-958kY8

Relaxed inhibitions happen when my girl drinks double her quota...

Snoggered:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/89662

Firm bodies, flashing flanks, beauty...and the horses aren't bad either! It all begins in a stable...

Stable Affair:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80957

Loving a woman is hard enough, living with her is as well, add children to the mix it makes it impossible, especially when they are STOLEN!

Sheila went through a painful divorce, her ex-husband is biter and vindictive. Leaving him for another person, a woman is more than he can bear, revenge is on his mind!

STOLEN:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/118290

Sam is a unique woman. She goes after what she wants in life, wherever it may take her. This time it takes her to Southeast Asia to pan for diamonds in the islands. It’s dirty, hot, and dangerous. Her trip is worth it though as she finds what she came for, finding a woman who is intrigued by her, the adventure, and more is just a bonus. Felicia goes along on another trip; could it be fatal for both of them to go deep in the jungle to search for these elusive stones?

The Rockhound:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/118285

Erin Ingram is an enormously successful Hollywood star. She has stared, directed, and produced many films over her long career, starting as a child. She has even won several Academy Awards. She is also a closeted lesbian. Will announcing to the world that she is in love with a woman destroy her long and successful career? Is the world ready to let the ‘girl next door’ come out of the closet?

Meeting Erin Ingram was a delight and a surprise to author Kate McCall. Better yet, there seemed to be an attraction. Getting to know her she was thrilled at their relationship as it developed. Her own career as a successful novelist made her more than equal for the talented Ms. Ingram. Will announcing their relationship to the public destroy their love, their careers, or their blended families?

*To Love a Shooting Star:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/88209

I nearly drown as I make love to my girl in a pool...or a pool of water...

Wet & Wet Again:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/81032

Biography page on Smashwords:

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kannemeinel

K'Anne Meinel Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/K.Anne.Meinel.Fan.Page?sk=wall&filter=2

Or contact me @ kannemeinel@aim.com.

Blog: http://kannemeinel.wordpress.com

Sensual Sapphic Video: http://youtu.be/oxDIKNNRNC0

Biography of Books Video: http://youtu.be/lXFhJd3nUos

First Movie about book covers: http://youtu.be/PDavhcwQ4PE

For a complete listing and news: www.kannemeinel.com