Everything that Shouldn’t Happen
PART 2: It’s just a kiss, right?
‘It was just a kiss, it didn’t mean anything did it?’ Max wondered.
Leaving in the morning had been like riding into that place between sleep and awake, where you’re not really sure if you’ve left the dream. As Asha mounted the bike behind her, she was suddenly so aware of her. . . of her body, of the breast against her back, of the thighs around her hips, the arms around her waist. She could still taste the other woman on her lips.
Neither of them said a word about what had happened as they made the drive back. At least, not until they got to the front of Logan’s building. Asha reluctantly got off the bike and Max immediately felt vacant without the warmth.
“Asha,” Max said. “I—”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Asha said. “It was what it was.”
“Right?” Max said. “Tell Logan I said hi.”
“You’re not going up?”
“No,” Max said. She started to kick off and stopped. “Last night stays between us, right?”
“I’m not going to tell Logan,” Asha assured her. She walked up close to her, ran a hand over her cheek. “I know I have no right to a favor, but I would love it if you smiled today. Just take a moment to smile. And no regrets.”
Max smiled unintentionally. “No regrets,” she replied and drove off.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
Original Cindy was glad Max wasn’t there when she came home with Alec and completely comfortable with her not being there in the morning. She was determined to avoid Alec the next day. Quite simply, it shouldn’t have happened and it wouldn’t happen again. Max rolled into work late, had her usual blah blah blah with Normal and went to work.
Max actually smiled when she said hello to her. The first genuine smile she’d had in a long time. Maybe she’d had a good night with Logan, despite the “no touching” boundaries. She didn’t inquire as they got on their bikes, loaded their packages in their messenger bags, and walked toward the door. She passed Alec coming in with Sketchy. They shared a passing glance, then she mentally whipped sense back into her head again. Small talk was the talk of the day with Max. Alec was easily avoided. Original Cindy focused on Max and the fact she was glad to see her girl in good spirits.
The work day went quickly with Max and Cindy side by side, each having done the last thing they expected the night before, they both felt the need to reclaim themselves tonight. Original Cindy ran into a girl named Chris she had dated awhile back. Still beautiful as her mind recalled. She was part Korean, part black, the result was a beautiful exotic woman. Chris wasn’t even her real name, but she didn’t like her Korean name and started calling herself Chris. They danced, they kissed, and it felt so right. Cindy felt at that moment things were as they should be.
Max sat watching the Cindy and Chris. Memories of Asha flashing through her mind, memories she should hate herself for. It shouldn’t have happened, she never should have kissed Asha. Of all the people, of all the girls she should have ended up kissing, it shouldn’t have been Asha. But it was Asha. She now understood a little about what Cindy loved so much about women. The feeling of soft skin beneath you own, so unlike a man’s hard body. . .it was wonderful. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done something so much about lust and the moment without a heat cycle. The number of times she’d actually kissed someone while she wasn’t in a heat cycle were few and far in-between. Once when she was eleven, another time when she was fifteen, and that time with Logan. Maybe there were more and she just couldn’t remember.
“Hey Max,” a voice said from behind her. She knew the voice. It was familiar, but changed into something so sexy all of a sudden. A shiver ran up her spine.
“Asha,” Max said as she turned around. “What are you doing here?”
“Hanging out,” Asha said. “Logan’s here.”
“What?”
“We were going over some video for Eyes Only. I suggested we go out for a drink, we needed a break and I was hoping you were here.”
“Hoping I was here for who?” she asked in a more suggestive voice than intended. Was she flirting? The moment was gone, she should let it go and move on with her life.
“Can’t we both want to see you?” Asha replied.
“Max,” Logan said coming over.
“Hey Logan,” Max said. He sat down at the bar and ordered a drink, asking each of the women if they wanted anything. They got their drinks and went and sat down at a table.
She still got that same warm feeling from Logan. She still wanted him, but she felt herself looking over at Asha. Their eyes met, eyes that should have regretted their secret, shared fond memories of the moment they had had the night before. But the moment had passed right? Small talk was the name of the game at the table. Their was a man on one side of her, a woman on the other, and she realized she’d go home with either of them. Except one option was out because of the threat of death and the other just shouldn’t be, couldn’t be. She’d kissed her, but all it had been was a kiss, a wonderful intimate kiss, a passionate moment, but she wasn’t that way. Yet, the moment had been sweet, so sweet.
“Mind if I join the party,” Alec said as he appeared out of nowhere.
Great, Max thought, the last thing she needed right now the king of cockiness.
Original Cindy saw Alec make his way through the crowd and to Max’s table. ‘Good’ she thought. That’s the one he should be pursuing, should be trying to kiss. That’s where he belonged, a part of that little mini drama, not invading her life.
“Is that your boyfriend?” Chris asked.
“Boyfriend? You trippin’. You know Original Cindy way better than that.”
“Nah, I heard your girl Max left and you spent the whole night with that dude.”
“We work together ai’ight,” Cindy told her. “That’s it. I mean I like the guy, but it ain’t like that.”
“Sure,” Chris said. “That’s why your eyes followed him across the room. So what are you now?”
“The same thing I’ve always been,” Cindy said pulling the other woman close. “Want me to prove it to you.”
She kissed her, more in the need to prove something than in the heat of passion. Chris didn’t seem to care.
Alec was the first person at the table to notice Cindy and her partner kissing. He had to admit, he felt a small, insignificant little tiny bit of attraction to her. He hadn’t really expected to be attracted to Cindy. She was a beautiful woman, but of all the pointless pursuits, that was impossible.
“Looks like your friend scored,” Alec said nodding in their direction.
The other three heads turned in the direction of Cindy and Chris. Max and Asha couldn’t help exchanging a familiar glance for a moment. Their night alone rushing through each of their heads.
“One guess at what they’re going to do,” Alec said with a chuckle.
“Shut up Alec,” Max yelled.
“I’m just saying it doesn’t take–”
“Why do you have to say anything?” Max yelled. “What two people do together is none of your business, unless your one of those two people.”
Alec knew right then Max had a secret. It was one of those moments where you knew the person was talking about themselves. What had happened and with who?
“Max,” Logan said. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied frustrated.
Logan glanced at his watch. “We still have hours of video to go through.”
“Maybe Max could help,” Asha said, looking at her with the same warm eyes that seduced her yesterday.
“Sure,” Max said so quickly it scared her. Why was she jumping at an opportunity to be alone with Asha. Because Logan would be there, that had to be the reason. It had nothing to do with Asha, nothing at all.
“Alec, how about you?” Logan asked.
‘Please say no,’ Max’s mind begged. The night was going to be difficult enough.
“Oh joy, I’d love to spend the night watching fuzzy security video,” Alec replied with phony enthusiasm.
Max rolled her eyes.
“Sorry, but I have plans,” Alec said.
“Good,” Max mumbled.
Alec glanced at the three of them. The equation that was them always equaled tension, a tension so thick one could cut it with a knife, but there was some changed variable he hadn’t figured out. He didn’t care, not tonight. he’d figure it out some other day.
Logan had been watching surveillance footage all day. They must have scanned hours of video before Max’s arrival, looking for evidence against this smuggler named Markus. Asha said she had actually had a nap during the day, but Logan being Logan, hadn’t quit. It was no wonder Logan fell asleep in his desk chair, he hadn’t had a bit of rest. Both women stared at him with the same admiration.
“He’s so cute sleeping,” Asha said. “Isn’t he? Just like a little boy.”
Max nodded, feeling awkward sharing their mutual affection for the man.
“You hungry,” Asha asked.
An innocent little question that could be received so many ways. “A little,” Max replied.
Asha went in the kitchen. Max followed, taking up her perch on the counter as Asha raided the fridge. She threw together some sandwiches. They ate where they stood. No words were exchanged. When they were done, they both washed their hands. Asha went and helped Logan lay on the couch. Max wished that she could help, but all she could do was watch from a distance. Logan, would they ever be able to touch again? She couldn’t even shake the man’s hands.
Even as she admired him, she couldn’t deny the electricity flowing between herself and Asha. Everytime she turned around and saw those delicious lips. She wanted to feel them on her own again. She wanted that warm body next to hers. And she hated herself for it. Asha came back into the kitchen.
“Max,” Asha said. “Can I tell you something?”
“What?”
She took Max’s face between her hands and kissed her gently. She wanted to end this. However, she couldn’t resist Asha when she was so close, it was hard. What was she becoming? She wasn’t Max, she couldn’t be. Max was in love with Logan, Max didn’t melt into Asha like this, Max wasn’t ruled by this ache deep inside her for something undefined, incomplete. She felt her nipples respond to the gentle caress of the hand moving under under her shirt. Suddenly she was aware of what she was doing and where she was doing it and it made it all the more exciting. Her whole body was on fire. She didn’t fight the hand that found it’s was into pants. She was already wet with expectation as those fingers traveled to a place denied pleasure for so long. Her fingers moved deep inside, driving her to places unknown before. This was bad, but it felt so good, so so good. She was washed over by her forbidden pleasure. She had to hold on to her new lover to keep her legs from crumbling beneath her. She tried to stop herself from moaning by biting her lip, but she was afraid of drawing blood and finally released the sound deep in her throat.
“Oh God,” Max whispered softly.
“Max, Asha,” Logan suddenly said from the other room.
“Shit,” Asha said.
Asha was forced to stop, leaving her unfulfilled. Max adjusted her clothes as they broke apart. It was so abrupt, Max was left with an empty feeling, incomplete. Despite that feeling, she couldn’t let it happen again, she shouldn’t have let it happen at all. did she have a brain anymore. God, she’d just been finger fucked by Asha in Logan’s kitchen, of all the things that shouldn’t happen that was high on the list. Logan came in still rubbing his eyes, his glasses in his hand.
He put his glasses on and looked at the two women.
“What are you two up to?”
Max couldn’t answer. Asha smiled.
“We were a little hungry, so we treated ourselves,” Asha told him.
“Oh,” Logan replied. “Well back to work,” Logan said.
“Logan, you need sleep. Max and I can handle it.”
“You sure?” Logan asked.
Max looked over at Asha then back at Logan. She nodded in agreement.
“It’s good to see you two getting along.”
The women shared a private half smile.
“You sure you’ll be okay?” Logan asked.
“Yes, go to bed. We’ll keep ourselves entertained,” Asha told him.
Logan went off to his bedroom.
“We got to find a better way to do this,” Asha said.
“This isn’t happening,” Max said. “It can’t happen.”
“If you say so,” Asha replied. “But if you want to finish what we started here,” Asha said walking up to her. “Just say the word.” She kissed her gently on the cheek and traced a path to the corner of her mouth. “Now we better make Logan happy and actually get some work done.”
Max watched Asha leave the kitchen. Max’s eyes were glued to her fluid movements. Then she followed. It was time to get back to business. However, her body didn’t want business, it wanted pleasure. These feelings were new. It wasn’t love, it was lust, pure desire. She didn’t know what to do with it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
Original Cindy laid back in the tub. Chris was gone, but she had proven what she needed to prove, to herself and to Chris. Alec, her boyfriend? That was just crazy. She didn’t know where Max was, gone again? What was that girl doing with herself? She’d share when she felt the need.
She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them he was standing in the doorway. Max could do that, appear and disappear. She should have snapped at him, told him to leave, but for some reason she didn’t.
“You adding breaking and entering to your resume,” Original Cindy asked.
“Already there, seems to be a survival habit with us X5s,” he stated. “I see your friend left.”
“Yeah, and you’re leaving now,” Original Cindy told him.
“What if I don’t?”
“I’m going to get out this tub and kick your cute little genetically engineered ass.”
He smiled and came into the bathroom. He seemed to have found some satisfaction in that statement.
“Leave,” she demanded again.
“You don’t want me to,” he stated bluntly and stole a kiss.
She tried to resist responding, hoping it would make him go away. But it didn’t last, she liked the feel of him and her body betrayed her. What made this guy so damn intoxicating? He dared to touch her as his lips claimed hers. His hand moved down her body and her mind told her to tell him to stop, but the words weren’t in her. She let him do what he wish.His big hands cupped her breast and she didn’t care, she wanted him to touch her. His his hand moved down her body and his long fingers found thier way inside. She didn’t want to accept him, but her body accepted him anyway. He was skilled and it was almost impossible to fight what felt so good. She couldn’t believe she was letting this genetically enhanced pretty boy touch her like this, but she let him. This man actually made her tremble, leaving her confused all over again.
“This can’t happen,” Original Cindy said as she climbed out of the tub afterward.
“But it is happening,” Alec told her.
“Original Cindy isn’t into guys.”
“Maybe not, but you’re into me,” Alec told her. “If you were Max, what would you tell her to do.”
She could have lied. But she told him exactly what she would have told Max in this situation. “If it feels good, go wit it.”
“Take your own advice,” Alec replied.
He walked up to her and claimed her lips. She yielded to him. He then made his exit. She hated the fact that he had this power over her.
Alec couldn’t explain to himself why he had done it and he didn’t bother trying. Attempting to make logic out of the “why” would just result in a dead end, so why bother traveling that rode. He done it because he wanted to and that was the end of it.
