CHAPTER 2
As she turned and walked back down the small slope, it didn’t take much imagination for Bree to picture the look on Matilda’s face. This hadn’t been the first time she and Valerie had ruined the chairwoman’s plans, but it was probably going to be the last. Next term, Kellie, and Valerie’s son, Mark, would be moving on to Junior High and both North Cambridge and Matilda Dougherty would be things of the past. Of the two, she would only miss one.
Forty minutes later, Bree pulled her 2002 Ford Focus into the driveway of her split level house. Exiting the well worn vehicle with a plastic- covered dress in hand, she took a moment to carefully lock the door. North Cambridge might not be the big city she spent her preteen years in, but it wasn’t Mayberry either. Some small town habits were still beyond her.
As she stepped up onto the porch, Bree didn’t see, at least at first, the figure sitting on the bench just off to the right, hidden from the street by the hedges. It was only when she’d reached the top step and the visitor stood up that she realized someone was there. In alarm, she jumped back before recognizing a most familiar face.
“Jesus, Valerie, you almost gave me a heart attack,” she said, coming to a stop just at the edge of the steps.
“Sorry,” the well-dressed black woman said with a apologetic smile. “I figured you’d head right home after dropping Kellie off, but you weren’t here when I arrived. So I decided to wait a bit in case you were on your way. I only sat behind the hedges because I didn’t want that nosey neighbor of yours to see me waiting.”
“You could’ve told me you were stopping by, you know,” Bree said as she brought her key up to the lock. “We did talk, what, a half hour ago?”
“But that would’ve ruined the surprise,” Valerie grinned.
Bree gave her a serious if not angry look, held it for a few seconds, then stuck out her tongue. Valerie responded with a hearty laugh.
“Well, let’s not put on a show for Mrs. Wilson,” Bree said in reference to the inquisitive neighbor Valerie had mentioned. “Since you’re here, you might as well come on in.”
A smile still on her face, Valerie followed Bree thought the doorway.
In contrast to Bree’s blue jeans and white short-sleeved blouse, Valerie wore a dark, navy blue business suit and skirt. Barely an inch taller than the redhead’s five six, the ebony skinned, thirty-two year old was the owner and main employee of a small but growing law practice.
A natural beauty, she wore little makeup and kept her black afro cut short, only a quarter inch in height. Regardless of what she wore, however, the first thing that men, and most women, noticed about her was her thirty-eight inch bust – the contours of which were plainly visible beneath the white blouse she wore under her jacket.
The two women had been introduced three years before by their respective offspring, and quickly found that, despite different backgrounds, they shared a mutual outlook on life, that eventually blossomed into a close friendship.
“Wait a second; don’t you have a new client coming in this morning?” Bree asked as she hung up Kellie’s dress on a hook rack in the foyer.
“Do I?” Valerie asked, a mischievous smile on her face. .
“But Matilda said…” Bree started to say, and then paused. “You are diabolical,” she said instead with a grin.
“No, I’ve just learned from experience,” Valerie replied. “Matilda has a habit of asking for free legal advice, especially if it’s something she doesn’t want her husband to know about. I don’t mind an occasional question or two, but she’s gotten to the point where she should probably be paying me a retainer.”
“I guess I’m lucky that Matilda only talks to me when she absolutely has to,” Bree observed, “and I don’t have anything that anyone else would want.”
“Oh I wouldn’t say that,” Valerie noted with a sly smile.
“So, not that I’m not happy to see you, but what was so important that you had to take time out from your day to come over?” Bree asked as she led Valerie into the living room.
“It just occurred to me, as I was driving to the office this morning, that since I have such a nice new SUV, and you just have that piece of… excuse me, that classic old car out in the driveway,” Valerie said as she came to a stop about a foot from Bree, “that Mark and I should come by about seven-thirty to pick you and Kellie up. Then we can all go to the dance together.”
“That would be fine,” Bree said, a bit surprised that was why Valerie had stopped by. “Although I don’t see why you needed to tell me that personally.”
“Well, I guess I could’ve just called and told you,” Valerie said as she took a large step closer, “but if I had, then I wouldn’t have been able to do… this.”
Bree was caught by surprise as Valerie slipped her arm around the younger woman’s waist and, in a sudden, quick motion, pulled her close. Leaning inward, her mouth pressed against Bree’s as she kissed her in a definitely not just a friend way.
The unexpected embrace took Bree by surprise, but only for a moment. Then she began to respond, her arms wrapping around Valerie even as she opened her mouth to allow the press of the other woman’s tongue.
As their mouths shared a mutual passion, excited hands moved across their bodies. Bree moaned softly as she felt Valerie’s hand close around her breast, squeezing it softly. She moaned even louder as that hand opened just enough buttons to create a passage and slip inside her blouse. Sliding up under her bra, Valerie’s fingers found warm flesh, quickly making their way to her nipple, stroking it to a firm hardness.
Valerie’s other hand was equally active, moving with practiced skill as she undid both the belt of Bree’s jeans and the snaps beneath. Keeping her hand within the redhead’s blouse in place, Valerie moved behind Bree, pulling her so tight against her that her breasts pressed hard into the younger woman’s back.
By now, she’d also pushed Bree’s bra up and off her breasts, exposing both mounds. Moving her hand back and forth, she gave them equal attention, covering the supple flesh with her eager caress.
With Bree’s jeans now loosened, it took little effort for Valerie to bring her free hand under the waistband of the heavy corduroys and then that of the much thinner cotton panties beneath. From there it was but a moment’s journey to the lightly haired mound that was her goal. An excited smile filled her face as she made contact and found it already wet to her touch.