Ember Flowers Read online

  Jo passed the older woman her beer. It was taken with a small grateful smile. A sip before it was passed back.

  “She’d been having a seizure, we didn’t know it would happen. She fell. Hit her head. Hard. I found her on the floor. By the time I’d called an ambulance to meet us it was pretty much..too late.” A somber look overcame her features. She remembered the frantic phone call, the erratic navigation back to port. The quiet of the waiting room. Turning off the life support.

  The normally cool gaze softened. “I’m so sorry.”

  A shrug of her shoulders. “Sold the boat a week later. No sailing since - besides that time with you.”

  The tall woman turned a bit of bark over in her hands, having picked it off the old log she sat on. “How..how long ago was this?”

  A smirk. “Then I’d have to tell you how old I am?”

  The blonde smiled, eyes narrowed in thought. “You don’t look a day over thirty five?”

  Jean chuckled. “You’re being considerate, flattery will get you no where. I’m forty two.”

  Shapely blonde brows raised in surprise. “Really?”

  “Yes Officer, you wanna check my license?” with a sneer full of mischief.

  Jo’s voice took on a hard edge, but any authority was feigned. “License and registration. Keep your hands where I can see them.”

  Jean snorted as she reached into her nap sack, tossing over the wallet, a clink of shrapnel in the change compartment. She raised her hands in mock surrender.

  Grey eyes pinned her with an amused glance. “Got my eye on you..” She looked down, pulling out the license. Nobody avoided looking like either a drug dealer or an insomniac in their posed uncomfortable portrait. Jean somehow managed to look great. A summer glow to her cheek, glossy shoulder length hair rather than her usual pixie. A younger face. The dark long lashed eyes were the same, almost the same. Absent of the lines made by grief.

  Another glance, a smile, she tossed it back. “Seems like you check out, won’t have to run your plates.”

  They sat there watching each other for a moment. Jo smiled to fill the silence. She looked away when their gaze became a little intense. Her new tent was an easy segue.

  “So..what do you think?”

  She nodded over at the extravagant construction of weatherproof fabric, zipped compartments and a mini shade sail that resembled an awning. Jo obviously had an engineering degree to put it together.

  Jean snickered.

  “What?” Grey eyes were indignant.

  “How much did you spend on that thing?”

  For a moment the blonde looked a little sheepish. “Little under four hundred..” She’d realised instantly that money wouldn’t impress her.

  “For a tent?!”

  “It’s more than a tent, it’s weather proof, non perishable, it even has little windows that let you see out but not let the bugs in.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  The Sergeant looked around. “You haven’t set yours up?”

  The older woman patted the padded sleeping bag. “I prefer to see the stars.”

  “But you don’t even have a mattress? You’ll be sleeping on rocks all night? The mosquitos will get you?”

  Another shrug and a whimsical grin. “Part of the fun. You gotta relax Jo.” The Sergeant found herself smiling back, her friend’s attitude was infectious. A self confidence, a calm. Perhaps it was the scenery too, the serenity was all around them.

  “So tell me about your little girl?”

  Jo’s eyes gentled, the mention making her smile. “Her name is Annabelle, she’s almost two. She’s full of energy, wears me out.”

  Jean grinned. “They tend to do that.”

  Jo stood and held her finger up a second, signalling her to wait. She made her way into her tent. The sound of rummaging in a bag. She returned a short while later, long strides, purse in hand. A cautious glance reassured by a smile. She motioned Jean to come and join her side by side on the log. Dusting off her hands, the older woman sat beside her.

  The policewoman opened a small purse bound flipbook of photos.

  “Here she is, this is her at a month old.” The image depicted a baby girl with a silvery cap of hair smiling at the camera. Blue eyes instead of grey.

  A flicker of hazelnut eyes over Jo’s unblemished skin. “I can see the resemblance.”

  Another image. “This one is recent, this is her playing with the neighbour’s puppy.” A toddler depicted with the dachshund puppy squeezed between her chubby arms. Then the last one. Jo stretched out on a cabana chair in a bikini with her daughter sitting on her lap, matching sunscreen stripes across their cheeks. The photographer was out of the shot.

  Jean’s momentary blush. “Oh. Hot that day huh?”

  The policewoman had thought nothing of it, until seeing her friend’s rosy cheek.

  “Hungry?”

  “Starving.”

  The gardener stood, opening a lined bag and arranging an assortment of sausages and spiced chicken on the tarnished wire frame over the fire. She wiped off her hands and sat back beside the taller woman on the log, shifting the embers with a long stick. The blonde didn’t seem to mind the company, but tucked her arms into herself slightly to make room.

  A grin, her eyes flickered over little diamond stud in Jo’s ear, her polished nails. “I know you’re not vegetarian?”

  A cautious smile and a shake of her head. “Smells great.”

  The Officer wore a subtle scent of blossoms and musk. Jean decided it suited, uniquely her.

  That warm smile, the occasional fleeting glance at Jean’s lips. Jo didn’t seem uncomfortable. The older woman tried to read the signals, unsure.

  With a fork and a pocketknife she pulled a piece of chicken off the heated wire. Cooked nigh to perfection after a few minutes over the crackling flame. She pulled the cut apart with her fingers, a little stickiness stuck to the tips. She blew on the hot digits, cooling the meat, it stung a little. Satisfied, she held the morsel out to the blonde’s mouth.

  Sitting so close she saw her shiver. A fleck of uncertainty in her friend’s eyes. The older woman said nothing, just watching the soft lips.

  A pink tongue, neat white teeth, a pleased smile.

  “Good?” The word was thick in her throat. She couldn’t take her eyes off those lips. Joanne nodded, and Jean found herself drowning in silver grey.

  Jean sucked the remnants of spice off her own fingertip. Her tongue darting out over her bottom lip.

  A short huff of air and the blonde stood. The hurried words came out as she strode away, when she was almost inside the tent. “I’ll..I’ll be back in a minute Jean, gotta check my phone.” The rustle of fabric and the buzz of a zip closing. An unspoken barricade.

  Hazelnut eyes drifted to the ground, she threw a twig into the fire, sighing. Thinking she’d screwed up.

  Jean was sure she’d ruined things. It hadn’t been her intention to take her friend out here and seduce her, she had just wanted to spend time with her. To take her away from the stress of her every day existence. The trouble was, Jo was beautiful, but she was attracted to more than that. Sudden melancholy, worried that their dynamic would have changed with her more overt action, she slunk back to her sleeping bag. Sighing softly to herself.

  By the time Jo came back out of her tent, Jean was laying on her back, arms laced under her head. The food was cooling beside the fire.

  Crunches of footsteps over the dry leaves, the gardener arched to see the origin of the sound. Surprisingly, Jo was heading in her direction, a determined look on her face. Blonde hair swishing with her steps. The tall form bent down and stretched out beside her on the bag. Jean was confused, it didn’t help that she could hardly breathe.

  The blonde woman sighed, her brows were drawn together in thought.

  “Jo..?”

  “Yes?”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you, I’m sorry.”

  The tall woman didn’t answer, instead she pointed up at the night sk
y. “So. Stargazing. Do you know any of these?” Pointing to the overhead constellations.

  It took a second to get her brain working. “Constellations..Yes.” She pointed over to two bright stars unobscured by trees. “That’s Gemini, the twins.”

  Grey eyes followed her arm.

  “That’s Canis Major, part of Orion. See the dog?” She pointed over to an array of stars partly hidden by a silhouette of branches. A nod crinkled the fabric beside her head.

  Then south of their position. “Over there..that’s..mmf!” Her next words were muffled against soft pink lips. Pinned partly under the taller woman’s body.

  Jean’s eyes closed after a surprised gasp. Her hand strayed to cup an angular cheek, a few locks of honey silk caught between her fingers.

  They then moved carefully lower, stroking a chin, sliding further to a toned shoulder. Longer digits slipped behind Jean’s neck and pulled her closer. Kisses traded back and forth, the blonde may have expected it to be forceful, insistent. There was passion, no doubt, but not the harshness she was expecting. Jo could feel Jean’s pulse race along her neck. Murmurs and a teasing tug of her bottom lip, a brush of their tongues. Strong arms pulled her closer, gliding across Jo’s back.

  When they did finally pull away Jo felt dazed. Her entire body heightened to almost painful with only a kiss. Jean was gazing up at her with an astonished look.

  “I..wasn’t expecting that.”

  Grey eyes flickered over her face. “Tell me about it. I’ve never kissed another woman before.”

  A hand reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “..And how was it?”

  Brief eye contact. Her lips lowered to Jean’s again, with a softer, less urgent exchange. Brushing of sensitive flesh, with a touch of an exploratory tongue. Her larger hand rested on Jean’s ribs.

  After a moment Jo met her eyes and murmured. “Good.”

  Jean felt wonderfully light headed. Necking with a gorgeous blonde out in the wilderness. Her tongue teased Jo’s bottom lip before it was allowed entry into the Officer’s mouth. It met with a tentative press of fingertips into Jean’s collar. They had somehow ended up side by side, with the older woman’s arm around her.

  “Jean..wait..stop. Let me catch my breath.” Mumbled against her lips.

  A husky chuckle. “Mm. Don’t take too long.” A gentle hand stroked her cheek.

  The tanned arm slid around to gather her closer, she rested her head on Jean’s flexed shoulder, the woman’s palm stroking her back. There was a comfortable mood between them, new, unfamiliar, but comfortable. Her heart raced in her chest.

  “Can I stay here?” It was bizarre, she usually hated cuddling.

  Dark brows shot up toward her now messy bed hair.

  Pale cheeks tinted pink towards a fair temple. The older woman made her feel like an unsure teenager again. “Oh, not like that, I mean sleeping.”

  The statement was met with an amused grin.

  Narrowed eyes. “Damn it, you know what I mean?”

  Jean chuckled softly. “Yes, I know what you mean, and yes, you can sleep here - on the ground with the rocks and the mosquitos and me.”

  Her captured breath released. Jo resisted the urge to nuzzle into her, she didn’t even know what this was. They shifted slightly, a burr as the sleeping bag zipped up around them.

  ***

  The cop awoke first. The creeping sun having triggered the timer on her body clock. A moment of heightened self awareness, aware of the arm looped around her waist. The warm body pressed against her back. Soft breaths feathering against her neck.

  The horses nickered somewhere nearby. Early morning just before dawn, no painting of gold, the air was still cool.

  The hand resting on her stomach stroked her belly through her t-shirt. A yawn as the older woman woke behind her.

  “Morning Jo..” A cautious greeting. A weary stretch of denim covered legs. They had slept fully clothed, an unusual occurrence for either of them but neither had wanted to move.

  “Good..morning Jean.”

  A barely felt kiss pressed against the blonde’s neck. “Everything OK?”

  “Y-Yes.”

  Jean propped her head on her knuckles. Her calloused hand rubbed the blonde’s shoulder gently. “Sleep OK?”

  “I think so. Neck is sore. Must have slept funny?..”

  A little grin. “Actually, you used me as a pillow for most of the night.”

  The blonde was horrified, she sat up and rubbed her face, groaning. The sleeping bag bunched as she moved.

  ***

  The rest of the hour they spent organising themselves, a kettle on the fire for hot water, Jo got changed in her tent. Emerging in a fresh t-shirt and long cargo shorts.

  Jean was pouring them tea when Jo joined her on the log. They hardly spoke. Both deep in thought.

  The ride back was equally quiet, not tense, just thoughtful. Neither knew where this would lead, only that it had been a very pleasant, revealing evening. Jean held the reins when Jo mounted up. They both left the clearing a little confused.

  The house was as they left it, Jean dismounted first, with a chivalrous exchange she offered to take Jo’s hand as she got back to the ground. The blonde responded with a twitch of her brow.

  “So old fashioned Jean..”

  “Are you complaining?”

  A little over a half hour later, the policewoman stood by the car door, looking at her with an apprehensive smile. The horses brushed and let loose to wander the paddock.

  “Thanks Jean, for the ride, for everything.”

  A few steps crunched in the gravel of the drive. Jean stood beside her. A hand raised to her cheek, the blonde didn’t move away. Dextrous fingers slipped the sunglasses off the fair angular face.

  Nothing was said, the back of her fingertips stroked Jo’s cheek gently. “Drive carefully home, OK?”

  “I will.”

  A smile, the sunglasses were given back to her. The blonde slid into the driver’s seat and pressed the button for the window. Jean leant on the open sill with her forearms.

  “Jo?”

  The blonde head was looking over her shoulder checking the drive was clear. She looked back to see warm eyes looking at her.

  “You know where I am, you, your little girl. You know you’re always welcome here right?”

  She smiled and nodded. “I’ll speak to you soon Jean.”

  “OK.”

  Jean bit her lip. At the risk of seeming too keen, the brunette leant through the car door and gave her a soft peck on the lips. Jo smiled in surprise, and brought the glasses back down over grey eyes.

  “Speak soon.” Tanned knuckles rapped on the roof and the blonde was driving away.

  A shake of her head and a smile as she made her way back into the house.

  Chapter 13

  Jo had been in and out of deep thought since their camping trip together. Even a few days later it still played on her mind. Their shared attraction had shaken her foundations. Before Jean’s arms were around her, she could rationalise her feelings by saying they were friends. She knew she wanted more. If she wasn’t so petrified of all these new feelings, the confident, outgoing part of her might have taken things further. If Jean had been a man she would have woken naked. Not fully clothed, and wondering what the hell was going on.

  She was attracted to Jean, her dreams were certainly telling her so. They would start with some slide of skin on skin, and would always end the same way. A nightmare as everyone looked at her with judgement and disgust.

  Home again, she’d tidied up from what she came home to the other day. Jo felt a bit like she was standing at a cross road, not sure which direction would bring the crash. A chirpy little voice beside her brought her back to the present. Annabelle was running her toy matchbox truck over the lip of their outdoor table. A hand ruffled her daughter’s hair, blue eyes looked over at her indignantly. She smiled at the cute pout. She had her today, at least her daughter’s needs were simple, she enjoyed being her mo
ther.

  “Joanne? Are you home hon?”

  A high feminine voice and a knock on wood floated through the house. Her daughter smiled. Their neighbour Kerry, to her toddler, ‘the one with the puppy’ was at the door. A short round woman always full of laughter.

  Jo got up, her daughter was already barrelling ahead of her, a little patter of feet over the tiled floor. Slow strides as she got up to answer.

  “Just a minute Kerry.”

  The tall blonde stood at the door, sure enough, her neighbour, their puppy and Kerry’s three year old son were on the other side.

  “Taking Ben to the park Jo, would you and cutie like to come along?”

  A smile from the Officer, her daughter was already looking up at her with a nodding grin.

  “Sure, let me get my stuff.” She needed some fresh air.

  ***

  Lots of green grass for the kids to roll around on, tall trees with thickly weaving boughs, a play gym nearby. They sat on their usual wooden bench. The scrawled graffiti always annoyed her. Minor crime. Juveniles who got away with a slap on the wrist.

  Jo threw the squeaky toy to the dog as the kids vied for its attention. Kerry smiled at her. They’d been neighbours for almost three years. Her neighbour knew about her stressful job, knew pieces about her difficult home life. At least - what Jo would allow to be known. No doubt her friend could hear the shouting though.

  Kerry had become somewhat of a confidante. Her jolly disposition and youthful cheekiness had made her guard drop before she knew it. Dinner at Jo’s. Their children played together, the Sergeant liked Kerry’s husband too. He was often away working the mines, home on and off. She and Kerry kept each other company, even if it was a hello or a quick chat at the fence.

  “You seem far away Jo, something on your mind?” A question from the long haired brunette, her dimples showing below her kettle nose.