I Kissed a Girl Ch. 01

I stared at the door, listening to the sounds in my apartment. When the furnace shut off, I heard water running in the other room—probably the kitchen sink. A few minutes later, the front door closed, and all was silent again.

I tried to analyze what had happened this morning, but my mind was hazy. I laughed off the sudden thought that maybe Jenna had slipped something into my hangover cocktail. I turned over onto my side instead, snuggling deeper under the covers, and felt dreamland beckoning.

###

I was feeling much better that evening when Jenna showed up again, this time with Chinese takeout...and cigarettes. God bless her. I had slept through lunch and dinner, and my stomach growled as I followed her into the kitchen and took a seat at the island.

"I hope you like chicken lo Mein." She pulled three white, cardboard containers out of the bag, and then started opening cupboards. "I have both white and fried rice. Your pick."

"I'll take fried, if you don't mine. Plates are to the left of the sink. Forks in the drawer below."

I watched her with fascination. How she set two plates on the counter and scooped rice onto the center of each plate in a small mound. How she arranged the lo Mein over the rice. She even put an egg roll and fortune cookie on each of our plates. I blushed. I usually just ate out of the container.

"Thanks." I picked up a fork when she pushed a plate towards me. I had taken one bite before I suddenly remembered my manners. "Geesh. Do you want something to drink, Jenna?"

She waved me back into my seat and turned, pulling two wine glasses out of the same cabinet where she had found the plates. "How about some vino?"

I laughed. "After my experience last night, I'll pass."

"Nah, it'll actually be good for you."

"Okay, Doc." I put another forkful of rice and noodles into my mouth and swallowed before adding, "There should be a bottle in the fridge, but it's not open."

Almost two hours later, we were sitting on the couch again, just like this morning. Only this time, my feet were tucked up under my butt instead of laying in her lap. We each had a cigarette in one hand, a glass of wine in the other. The TV was tuned to a classic movie from when we had been in high school.

While she was laughing at the action on-screen, I was studying her over the rim of my wine glass. I was puzzled by her interest in making sure I was okay. I wondered where Lauren was...and if they were a couple. But ultimately, I wanted to ask her if she would be willing to come back tomorrow.

I had received a text message five minutes ago when she had gone to the bathroom. Danny was "swinging by on Sunday" to pick up the few things he'd left at my place. I wasn't sure I wouldn't meet him at the door with a shotgun...if I only had one on hand.

I smothered a laugh with a big gulp of wine. Did I want Jenna here to provide the weapon or to keep me from killing my ex-fiancé? I did laugh then, knowing it would be the former, or at least she'd help me dispose of his body.

She glanced at me, then the TV, and back at me, raising one eyebrow. "Did I miss something?"

I grinned. "Nope, it was inside my head."

"As long as you don't talk back to the voices, you should be fine."

"I'll keep that in mind." I took one last drag on my cigarette and snuffed it out in the ashtray on the coffee table. "Do you want more wine?"

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" She swallowed the last bit in her glass, then held the glass up to me. "Not that I'm complaining."

"It was not my intention." I pulled the bottle from the fridge and emptied it into our glasses. "I have no idea how to cure a hangover for you."

"Oh, I could teach you."

I paused with the bottle halfway in the trash can. There was something in the way she said it that made me think she wasn't talking about the Bloody Mary cocktail she'd made me. I shook my head, closed the cabinet door that hid the trash, and picked up my glass again to take a sip.

When I sat back down, I handed over her glass and reached for the remote to hit the mute button.

"Something's up." Jenna turned sideways on the couch and slowly lifted her glass to her lips.

My own lips were suddenly dry, and I licked at them before taking another sip. "Danny called."

Her hand froze, her eyes darkening over the shiny liquid.

"Or rather, he sent me a text." I glanced at my lap and picked at a loose string on my sweats. "He wants to come over tomorrow and get his things."

"Is that so?"

I shrugged. I heard her set her glass down, the springs in the couch squeaking as she shifted her weight. "I guess it's better to get it over with."

"You know, you can say no. If you're not ready, that is."

"Will I ever be ready?" I shrugged again in answer to my own question. "There isn't much stuff. I could even get it together tonight. Have it ready by the door so he doesn't have a reason to stay long."

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea." She said it slowly, cautiously, as if still unsure that I was making my own decision or just complying with my ex's request...or rather demand.

I glanced around the living room, trying to make a mental list of what might belong to Danny. That's when my eyes fell on the box of invitations. Suddenly, my mind was made up. I jumped to my feet and started down the hall to my bedroom.

"Kat, wait!" Jenna's footsteps echoed mine. But she stopped in the doorway.

She didn't say anything as I pulled an empty box out of the closet and ducked into the bathroom. Once I'd located all of his toiletries, I moved back into the bedroom, tossing the socks and underwear and T-shirts from his single drawer into the box. I paused only when I couldn't see anything else that obviously wasn't mine.

I had lifted my hand to brush my hair back from my face, trying to think. In the reflection of the mirror on my dresser, I saw the glint of my engagement ring. Still on my finger. I pulled it off and went to toss it into the box, too, but Jenna's hand on my arm stopped me. It was warm. Gentle. Firm.

"He doesn't deserve to get it back."

I felt a strange tingle remain when she took her hand away. I held the ring between my thumb and index finger, watching the light play off the facets of the single stone, off the thin gold band. "Really?"

"Keep it. For now. You can always pawn it."

I shrugged and took the time to retrieve the ring box from my lingerie drawer. But once the ring was secured inside, I tossed the box into the back of my closet. I grabbed the box of Danny's things and headed back toward the living room.

Jenna returned to the couch, picking up her cigarette again. I felt her eyes on me as I went through the DVD and CD collection displayed around the TV.

Our movie had ended, and a new one had begun. The current scene showed a man getting down on one knee in front of a woman at a restaurant. Although there was no sound, I had seen the movie before and knew what they were both saying.

"Damn it. Shut that off." I shuffled through a handful of CDs, tossing two into the box, not caring if they broke as I heard the plastic cases crash together. The TV screen went black. "Thanks."

"Of course."

I dropped the box by the front door, tossing Danny's spare leather coat over it. After one last look around, I scooped up the unopened box of invitations and dropped it as the finishing touch on top of his coat. Then I snorted.

"Ironically, he paid for them with his credit card. Said it wouldn't matter in the long run, because it was going to be 'our' money."

I kicked the box and it shifted, hitting the wall. I turned my back on it and plopped down on the couch, taking one long gulp of wine. It made me feel dizzy for a moment, but I didn't care.

"Feel better?" Jenna's voice held no condescension.

"Yep." I held my glass up, toasting the air. She clinked hers against mine, and then we drank in silence for a while.

She was the first to speak. "If you need me to be here tomorrow for moral support..."

"Thanks, but I should be okay." I was lying, and part of me wished she'd push harder. But she didn't.

"All right. You call if you need me. I put a business card on your fridge." She finished her wine and then stood. "I should get going. Let you get to bed."

I rose, too. "Thanks, Jenna. For everything."

"You're welcome, Kat." She cupped my cheek in her hand, smiling at me for a long moment. I couldn't read the expression in her eyes. I felt she wanted to say something more. But she didn't and just patted my cheek.

I stared after her as she gathered her coat and purse. She gave me a small wave and a smile as she walked out the door.

###

"Kat, calm down!" Jenna's voice broke through my sobs. "I'm on my way. Just hang in there, okay?"

I nodded and then realized she couldn't see me through the phone line. I responded verbally, and then her end went dead.

Ten minutes later, she was rushing through the emergency room doors toward the curtained area where I was sitting sideways on a gurney, my legs dangling over the side, my back to the wall.

"Are you okay?" She slid to a stop, pulling me against her. Her heart was beating wildly against my ear, and her breath came in short gasps.

"You should see the other guy." I hiccupped and swiped my right hand at my eyes and nose.

She stepped back and gave me a good once-over. "How bad is it?"

I tilted my chin toward my left hand which lay in my lap, wrapped in my kitchen towel. "Broke it."

A nurse joined us. She picked up my chart and scribbled something before closing it. "It's a clean break. The doctor will be back in a few minutes to put on your cast and give you a prescription for some pain medication. Sit tight, okay?"

"Sure." I sighed and leaned my head back against Jenna's chest. Her arm felt good around my shoulders. Secure. Warm. Although the doctor had already numbed my hand and given me a couple of pills to swallow, the pain still throbbed up my arm. But Jenna's presence seemed to dull it.

"So you punched him?" She laughed softly.

I nodded. "Gave him a bloody nose, too, I think. He called on the way over. Asked if I could step out for a few minutes while he collected his things. I told him to be a man and face me. Plus I didn't want him stealing anything."

She handed me a tissue, and I paused to blow my nose.

"When he finally showed up, I opened the door and asked for his key. Once he'd handed it over, I shoved his box out into the hall and punched him in the nose. Slammed the door in his face. That's when the pain hit me. I screamed and kicked the door. Forgot I wasn't wearing shoes. Broke a toe. That's taped up right now."

"Oh, my!" She laughed harder. "Then what?"

"He asked if I was okay. I told him to go to hell. After I saw him drive away, I grabbed my purse and asked my neighbor to drive me to the hospital. She insisted on staying, but I told her I would be fine."

"Oh, Kat." She tilted my chin up, and I saw that same expression I had seen the night before.

Before she could say anything more, the curtain was pulled aside.

The doctor took a seat on a stool and pulled on a pair of latex gloves. "Let's get this wrapped so you can get home and get some rest, okay?"

###

"I'm staying, and that's all there is to say."

"Fine, but I'm never a good patient. I tend to turn bi-polar." The drugs had finally set in, and I was mad that I had let my anger control me. If I'd just let Danny do what he had asked, I wouldn't be in this situation. Although, I had to admit it felt good to take out my frustration on him.

"I'm tough. I can handle it." Jenna guided me to my bedroom. "You are going to take a nap. I'm going to run home and grab a change of clothes. You know, you're lucky you have this week off."

"Oh, joy. Just how I wanted to spend my vacation."

She laughed. "Are you always this sarcastic, or is it just the drugs talking?"

"Who knows? Ask Danny."

"I'll ignore that one."

I waited until she left the room to change into sweatpants and a sweater with some difficulty. Then I climbed into bed. The last thing I remember was my head hitting the pillow.

When I woke and wandered into the living room, Jenna had set up her laptop on my dining room table. However, she was standing in my kitchen stirring a pot of chicken and rice soup. Just the smell of it made my mouth water.

"Oh, good, you're up. How's the hand, Sugar Ray?"

"Funny." I grabbed a box of oyster crackers from the pantry and then took my usual spot at the island. When she pushed a steaming bowl in front of me, I closed my eyes and breathed in deep. I didn't wait for her to join me before I dug in. I think I actually moaned a couple of times.

"I take it you're feeling better." She brought her bowl over and sat beside me.

"Yeah. You know, I could get used to this personal service."

Jenna only smiled. She took a couple of bites and then got up again.

"I feel bad," I said, watching her pour two glasses of milk and then sit back down. "You're getting more use out of my kitchen than I ever have."

"So you don't feel bad that you're being a bad hostess, just that I'm using your kitchen?"

I frowned. "That's not what I meant. I'm sorry I was mean to you earlier."

She elbowed me gently. "I'm giving you a hard time. Relax."

After the lunch dishes were cleared, I retired to the couch, but she went to do some work on her laptop. I found a movie on cable that I hadn't seen, so the rest of the afternoon passed by with us in our own little worlds. It was early evening before I heard her shut down the computer.

"Are you hungry?" Jenna sat down opposite of me. It was becoming a familiar seating arrangement.

"No, I think I'm good for now." I grabbed the pills and glass of water she held out to me. I swallowed them in one gulp and then snuggled deeper into the corner of the couch.

"Are you tired?"

I shook my head. And then yawned. "A little. But I don't want to sleep too much during the day. I won't get any sleep at night. I am, however, curious."

"About?" She pulled a leg up under her and turned toward me.

"Lauren."

Jenna's eyebrows went up, but she didn't say anything.

"Is she like...your..."

"Friend."

"But not girl...friend?"

"No."

"Oh."

"We work at the same company. That's all."

"Oh."

"Why?"

"No reason." Had she moved closer?

"Really?" There was amusement in her voice now.

"I just thought...the other night...at the bar."

"Girls out for a drink after work. It's a comfortable place to go where we don't have to worry about guys hitting on us. Plus her brother works there. The bartender?"

"Oh!"

"Please forgive me, Kat, but I have to do this."

I had just exhaled when her lips covered mine. I gasped in surprise—fully awake now—and put my good hand on her shoulder to push her away. But instead of moving back, she kissed me harder, pushing me back against the arm of the couch.

"Shh," she whispered when I whimpered. She ignored my struggling, kissing me again, her hand sliding behind my neck.

Part of me wanted to continue resisting. The other half said to give up. The latter side won, and I found myself kissing her back. Her lips were soft, her breath warm against my mouth. When the tip of her tongue glided over my lips, I parted them, moaning as her tongue darted inside.

I didn't know what to do with my own hand. It itched to touch her out of instinct, like when I was kissing Danny. But Danny was the last thought in my mind at the moment. I didn't imagine that Jenna was him. I knew who was kissing me, who I was kissing.

And a part of me rejoiced that I hadn't initiated the intimacy.

My right hand trembled, but I guided it to her arm and then her head. Her hair was silky, sliding through my fingers. And then I was gripping her shoulder, holding her to me almost desperately.

For several minutes, all we did was kiss. She was so gentle, but every move she made was done with apparent precision, as if she wanted to make sure I experienced the pleasure, too. The thought almost made me cry.

Her kisses became more languid—more erotic. Her fingers kneaded my neck, my scalp, tangling in my hair. I felt my stomach tightening in desire. When she brushed against my breast, I gasped.

I arched against her body, squeezing my eyes tighter. Her hand moved down my side and up under my sweater. I moaned when it slid against my skin and cupped my breast.

A muffled moan of surprise escaped her own lips when she realized I wasn't wearing a bra. She squeezed my breast in response, rolling my nipple between her thumb and forefinger. Her lips moved down to my jaw and then my neck, nuzzling me there with gentle nips and licks.

"Jenna!" I managed to get a good breath in and out, my mind reeling from the sensations she was creating in me.

She stilled. "Do you want me to stop?"

I whimpered. "Hell, no!"

Her laugh rumbled against my chest, and I smiled, forcing my eyes open. Her violet gaze locked onto mine. I moaned at the desire I saw reflected there. What I had to admit had been there since Friday night. Possibly longer.

"May I suggest we take this to your bedroom?" She grazed the back of her fingers against my cheek, brushing her lips against mine. "I don't want to hurt your arm. And we'll both be more comfortable."

I nodded, reaching my mouth up to hers to kiss her back.

She jumped up and helped me to my feet. I followed her down the hall, my heartbeat racing. She glanced once over her shoulder, her lower lip between her teeth as she smiled broadly at me. When we reached the side of my bed, she took my face in both of her hands and pulled my mouth to hers again.

I felt my knees shake and grasped her arm with my good hand. I wondered in the back of mind if I should be doing this. I pushed the thought away when her hands moved down to my breasts.

"Do you mind?" she whispered, tugging my sweater up.

I released my hold on her so she could pull my sweater over my head, mindful of my cast. I was too scared to do the same for her—unsure how I would do it one-handed—but she didn't seem to mind. She resumed kissing me, cupping and massaging my breasts once again. My nipples hardened almost painfully against the cool air of the room and the feeling of her thumbs rubbing them.

Jenna turned me so my back was to my bed. With a gentle push, I was sitting down, staring up at her, panting. Maybe I was just curious, or maybe I wanted to do this because it was so taboo. Either way, my breath caught at the knowledge of where this would lead.

She stared down at me for a long moment, and then crossed her arms across her chest, pulling her own sweater up and over her head in one motion.

I stared at my high school classmate in a pair of jeans and a navy demi-bra. Definitely Victoria Secret; I had the same one in red and black in my drawer. My fingers twitched, and slowly, I raised them to graze over her hips. I felt her shudder under my touch as I moved my one hand higher up her side. She leaned toward me so I could reach her.

I was used to touching myself when Danny wasn't around. But to feel another woman's breasts was a whole new sensation. The material of her bra was silky. Her breasts were full, firm, and overflowed the tops of the cups to create almost perfect heart-shaped cleavage.

Her nipples puckered against the material, just as mine were. I brushed the pad of my thumb against hers, feeling it harden instantly. She sucked in her breath in a loud hiss, leaning into my touch.

"You're accepting this more than I had anticipated."

I giggled to cover my nerves and shrugged. I cupped her breast completely, squeezing so it expanded further over the edge of her bra.

"Aren't you even a little curious why I showed up yesterday?" She licked her lips and gasped again when my fingers grazed her bare skin.

"I kind of figured it out." I ran the tip of my finger under the edge and tugged it down until her swollen nipple popped out. "Since I know about Lauren now."