Lexington Connection Page 5

  “Which one is she?” she asked.

  “She’s the one up on the rampart,” Jessie replied slowly, turning from Diana back to the castle.

  “She looks like you, from what I can see from this distance.” She looked over the playground again. “You have a castle to climb when you were a kid?”

  “No. There was a community group came in and built it, all the bridges, ramps, a couple of years ago. I think I was jealous. I only had trees to climb.”

  Her dad laughed. “And monkey bars and swing sets, and ladders. Caught her up on the roof one time when I forget to take the ladder down. She was six.”

  “Dad!” Jessie playfully punched her father’s arm, and Diana was surprised to see a comfortable, open relationship. She could not imagine, even as much as she loved her papa, ever playfully punching him in the arm.

  Matt suddenly turned at some ruckus on the playground where two little boys were a little too spirited with their sword play. “Hey! You stop that!” He started toward them with a firm step and Diana had the impression of authority and firmness. Matt glanced over his shoulder. “You going to be late coming in tonight? Or won’t I see you until tomorrow?”

  Jessie flushed again. “Tomorrow,” she answered. She had an embarrassed laugh and he was laughing too until he got closer to the boys.

  “That is not knightly behavior,” he chided them.

  “Good meeting you,” Diana called, relieved more than she could say at the fact they were leaving, and he answered with a wave.

  “You were uncomfortable,” Jessie said as she unlocked the Jeep and opened it for Diana.

  Diana thought of several things she could say and discarded them all. “Yes.”

  Jessie went around the Jeep and Diana leaned over to unlock the door. “How come?” Jessie asked as she got in.

  Diana shrugged. “Didn’t expect to meet your family. I always find meeting families, especially fathers, a little nerve-racking when I’m sleeping with their daughters.”

  Jessie grinned. “Yeah, I guess that can be a little unsettling. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to take you off guard.”

  “I never like surprises, Jessie.” Diana paused. “Your mother must have been the tall and thin one.”

  “She was, but I’ve got Dad’s coloring. I’ve got a lot of Dad in me.”

  They went back to the hotel, to their favorite spot, favorite activity, but at some level they were both distracted.

  “Need to ask you something,” Jessie said finally.

  Diana looked up at her. Jessie was straddling her, across her stomach, most of her weight on her knees but just the same, Diana was pinned down. Jessie drew a finger down between Diana’s full breasts, and Diana wondered if her sudden pounding heartbeat was visible. “What’s that?” she managed to ask in a light tone. She stretched out more, arms wide, legs open, a physical exposure even as she mentally barricaded herself for questions.

  Jessie came up on her hands and knees, teasing Diana’s mouth with her breast. Even as casual as her voice was, even offering herself, Diana knew that Jessie’s coming question would be serious.

  “I know your philosophy is never to explain, and you’re always in the here and now. We don’t talk about anything else, you’ve made that clear, but I need to know something.”

  “What’s that?” Diana asked as she attempted to mouth Jessie’s nipple that she kept just out of reach.

  “You’re not doing anything illegal, are you?”

  “Like what?” Diana said with a half laugh as she just missed mouthing Jessie’s breast. “I must admit, I’m not up on Kentucky sodomy laws but I’m willing to bet that since we’re in the Bible Belt, some of this isn’t exactly kosher.”

  Jessie did laugh, which relieved Diana even as Jessie pushed her back down into the bedding and came down on top of her. She lay over Diana, arm to arm, leg to leg. She bent down to run her tongue over Diana’s lips. “No,” she said in a quiet serious voice, “I mean serious things, like drugs, or guns, or I don’t know, stolen items, or you’re some secret assassin going or coming from an assignment.” She nibbled on Diana’s lip. “Maybe money laundering or some such thing. I don’t know.” She ran her fingers through Diana’s thick hair, sliding under Diana’s head and holding her still so she could kiss her.

  Oh, God, if I ever do anything and the police interrogate like this, I am so sunk! Diana opened her mouth to take Jessie in, feeling the kiss down to her toes, and she curled them until they cramped.

  “No,” she said breathlessly when Jessie released her.

  “Not into drugs or bootleg liquor or anything like that?” Jessie still asked seductively.

  Diana drew back. “Are you crazy? Drugs’ll kill you, later if not sooner. I’ve never even tried pot!” She looked up at Jessie, who pulled back from her in obvious disbelief. “Have you?”

  Jessie came up on her elbows, evidently surprised at the question. “Yeah,” she said reluctantly. “Once or twice in college. It didn’t do anything for me.” She blinked. “Well, actually it did. It put me to sleep.”

  Diana laughed, relieved. She shook her head. “No, I’ve never done anything. I have this control thing; I know it’s foolish. The idea of putting something in me that would make me out of control.” She shuddered. “Can’t imagine why anyone would even want to do that deliberately.” She shook her head but turned back to look up directly into Jessie’s face. “As for any of the other things you mentioned, no.” She made her look as direct and as open as she could. “And I’m not even going to ask where those questions came from.” She wasn’t laughing now, she wasn’t angry; she knew she had done nothing to arouse suspicions except not explain anything.

  Jessie searched Diana’s face, then bowed her head to kiss between Diana’s breasts. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I have a suspicious mind. I thought it better to ask rather than let it nag on me. I didn’t want something like that unspoken to lie between us.”

  Diana deliberately relaxed. How could she be offended? She reached up to caress Jessie’s face. “I don’t want that either,” she said. “I’ve done nothing illegal; I’m not doing anything illegal. I just don’t want to talk about the life I have away from you. It’s very different, and coming here to see you is a marvelous release, an escape, a restorative, and I don’t want to bring any baggage with me. I promise you, it’s not anything that will touch you. I just think being with you is one of the best things that has happened to me and I need to keep you this way.”

  She realized even as she spoke the words that seemingly came from nowhere that they were the truth. She didn’t realize her eyes had filled with tears until Jessie wiped them, bent down and kissed her neck. “I’m so sorry,” Jessie whispered. “Suspicious minds. Forget I said anything.”

  Diana lifted Jessie’s face to her. “Make me forget,” she commanded. She slid her arms around Jessie and pulled her down. “Pull me into your world, hold me there. I want to be with you.” She shuddered when Jessie shifted her weight downward and Diana opened up to welcome her.

  This was what she wanted. Jessie’s tongue drove away all thoughts of past and future, just the present and as Jessie’s hands slid under her ass and lifted her, she lost all coherent thought. She was conscious of Jessie’s hair tickling her, her hands strong enough to hold her and the heat flowing between them. She raised up, propping herself on her elbows, looking down at Jessie’s dark head buried between her thighs, wanting this moment to last forever. She shuddered as she dropped her head back, giving herself over to Jessie, Jessie of the dark eyes, Jessie of the strong hands, Jessie of the quick tongue. Her entire world consisted of this moment, this woman, this loving.

  The visits continued throughout the winter, Diana coming through town and meeting up with Jessie, usually at the Bungalow; Jessie with her little black bag with a change of clothes and whatever else she needed waiting for her in the Jeep, and then they went off to wherever Diana had rooms this trip, spending a great deal of time in bed. Diana marveled at her luck
. Jessie was almost always available, maybe not the whole weekend but some of it. No one had ever held her attention this long much less this intensely. Sooner or later, with everyone else, there had been questions, demands, wanting more and Diana would disappear. Jessie did none of this. She asked no questions, volunteered few things about her life. She seemed quite content with Diana dropping into her life for a weekend here and there and then disappearing for weeks on end. Her only indication that she enjoyed Diana’s attention was a folded piece of paper she handed Diana with her phone number.

  “Here,” she said, her dark eyes direct. “Call me when you get to town next time. I may not make it down to the bar.”

  “All right,” Diana had said. She tucked the number in her wallet but hadn’t given her number in exchange. She was smitten but she still wasn’t ready to take chances.

  This came at the end of a good weekend. Jessie had taken Diana on a personal tour of the horse farm, white fences, long low barns. Diana had decided springtime in Lexington was a beautiful time of the year, the grass really was blue. The white board fences looked fantastic against the fields and watching the long-legged new colts and fillies discovering grass and trying out their spider legs was a public relations dream. Jessie had been very much at home as she led Diana through pastures and fields. Then she had taken her to a secluded spot, and pulled out the picnic basket and blanket from the back of the Jeep.

  “Well, aren’t you a wonder,” Diana marveled. “It’s been ages since I’ve been on a picnic.”

  “Ages for me too,” Jessie replied. She handed over the blanket for Diana to spread as she pulled out the small cooler, retrieved the bottle of wine, the chilled wineglasses.

  “Oh, aren’t we doing this in style?” Diana sat on the blanket, watching her lover pour the wine. Jessie just got better and better. “You are a treasure.” She took the glass of wine, tasted, nodded in appreciation. “I don’t understand why you’re still fancy free. Why someone hasn’t snapped you up. Not that I’m complaining—I love the time we spend together. But, Jessie, even at the risk of shooting myself in the foot, you deserve to be appreciated full time.”

  There was a ripple of discomfort, of closure across Jessie’s face and she busied herself emptying the picnic basket. She only looked up when Diana laid her hand on Jessie’s forearm.

  “I didn’t mean to pry. You are just so good, not just in bed. You’re thoughtful, considerate. You’re beautiful.” She smiled at Jessie’s flushing. “I can’t imagine there is no one out there trying to win you.” She turned over Jessie’s hand, bent down and kissed her palm. “I’ve seen women fall over you at the bar. You like the solitary life?”

  Jessie pulled away and went back to the picnic basket. Diana watched her, seeing the unease, the discomfort. It was the first time she had seen Jessie uncomfortable and as much as she regretted saying anything that might spoil their time together, she was curious. “Jessie?”

  “I don’t live alone, I’m not solitary,” Jessie said abruptly. “I live with my dad, with my little sister.” She looked up at Diana as if seeing how she took that information. She sat down cross-legged on the other side of the picnic basket. She took a gulp of wine, set it down on the closed portion of the picnic basket. “I know, you’re wondering why a woman of my age is still living with her dad instead of having her own place.”

  “No,” Diana answered quickly. “Not at all. I still live with my dad. We’re very close. Rather than him live alone and me live alone, why shouldn’t we live together?” And that was true for her, as far as she went.

  There was some small relief in Jessie’s eyes but there was also pain and guardedness. “If you don’t want to say anything,” Diana said carefully, aware that she was close to breaking her own rules for living in the here and now, “that’s fine. On the other hand, I’m a good listener and you know you won’t have to face me with the knowledge you’ve spilled secrets. I know sometimes that makes it easier to talk.”

  Jessie nodded. “I know.” She wouldn’t look up at Diana. “It just touches a lot of things and I haven’t really been able to talk about it.”

  Diana immediately thought of any number of things a woman wouldn’t be able to talk about. Her little sister was really her daughter. She had an incestuous relationship with her father. Her mother didn’t die, she ran away with Jessie’s boyfriend. Her father was abusive and she was guarding her sister. Stop it, she told her galloping imagination. You’ve been reading too many lurid novels, too many tabloids, watched too many soap operas. Stop and listen to her because if she talks, you really need to listen.

  “I guess you would say I’m waiting.” She drank some of the wine, stared at the glass. Diana knelt beside the picnic basket and pulled out the plates, the crackers and cheese. She laid them out, set the plate close to Jessie and sat back down. She was interested in whatever could upset this calm, self-contained woman.

  “For?” Diana finally ventured to ask.

  “When I was in college,” Jessie finally said slowly. “I met someone.” She glanced up at Diana and Diana nodded, encouraging. “I mean, I knew about myself and I had fooled around some but I was waiting.”

  “For the special someone,” Diana supplied when Jessie paused again.

  “Yes,” and there was relief in her voice that Diana understood.

  “And that was?”

  “Julie.”

  “Julie.” All right, Diana thought. Throw away all the soap opera ideas and think instead that Julie really did a number on you. “And Julie hurt you?”

  “No.” Jessie looked up in quick denial. “Julie would never do that.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Wrong guess,” Diana apologized. Well, that was a quick defense, she thought, more curious now. “Tell me,” she commanded. “I mean, we’ve got the afternoon, don’t we? And you haven’t talked about Julie to anyone, have you?”

  Jessie had this puzzled expression. “It doesn’t bother you that I would talk about another woman?”

  Diana smiled. “Honey, you and I have this thing: when we’re here, we’re here. Otherwise, we have lives that don’t include each other. For whatever reason, that’s been working for us. You want to talk about Julie; what have I got to lose by listening?” She watched Jessie mull this over. She took a cracker and cheese, nibbled on it, as she let Jessie think. “I take it Julie’s no longer in your life?” she asked after what she thought was a sufficient amount of time.

  Jessie shook her head. Clearly this was difficult for her.

  Diana was curious now; at the same time, she was inviting confidences she had no intention of reciprocating. “Honey, if you don’t want to talk about this, it’s okay. We can have a marvelous picnic.”

  “No,” Jessie said reluctantly. “It’s just, you’re right. I haven’t talked about Julie to anyone. And,” she looked up at Diana, still putting things together, “we do have this strange thing, don’t we? I feel more comfortable with you, and it’s because I know we can have a great time and then you’re gone. You’re not in the rest of my life. We have these great times in bed and that’s it.”

  Most women want more, Diana thought as she sipped her wine. I know why it’s good for me. I wonder why it’s good for you.

  “We met at a ballgame,” Jessie started slowly.

  Diana lay down on her side, her head propped up on her arm. It was a familiar story, meeting at school, then running into her at the gay bar. They got to know each other and one thing led to another, they discovered over Christmas break they really missed each other and then the friendship went to a deeper level. Over spring break, they became intimate and it was glorious.

  “Then finals week, I got a call from home,” Jessie said slowly. “Julie and I had been planning on spending the next week together before we went home. My finals were finished before hers and I was waiting. Mom called, said that Dad had a heart attack, a bad one. I needed to come home right away. I couldn’t get hold of Julie, left her a message but I was on the road within twenty minut
es, max. I couldn’t get home fast enough.” She stopped there, took out one of the ham sandwiches.

  “But your dad was all right, he made a recovery.”

  Jessie handed off a sandwich to Diana. “Yes, but everything else went to hell in a handbasket.” There was strain on her face that warned Diana to be patient. “It was a bad one; he had to take an early retirement. He needed care and before he was up and around, Mom got sick. There was Nicki to take care of, Dad to take care of. Mom was going to doctors all the time, in and out of the hospital as they tried to find out what was wrong with her. She was getting sicker. I was taking care of everyone. It’s hard being a caretaker.” She looked up at Diana. “No one understands what it’s like unless they’ve been there.”

  “It’s hard,” Diana agreed. “I’ve only been there part of the way, but enough to know it’s difficult.” There was a moment’s silence. “How old was Nicki?”

  “She was eight.” Jessie smiled as she spoke of her sister; there was real affection there, not just duty and responsibility, Diana realized. “My folks got teased that they couldn’t stand the empty nest so Mom got pregnant when I hit high school. She thought she was going through menopause but she was pregnant instead.”

  She sighed and continued. “I didn’t make it back to school. Mom got sicker, chemo, just went downhill so damn fast. Before we even had time to adjust, she was gone.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Diana reached out for Jessie but Jessie didn’t see it.

  “I never made it back to school. Dad still needed care; he couldn’t handle Nicki by himself. We were all shaken by the loss of Mom. I went from college student to full-time mother of Nicki, caretaker for Dad. When he recovered more, I was able to finish up my college credits here at UK.”