To my readers, please feel free to leave feedback for me so that I know that you liked my stories, what you would like to see, and perhaps maybe suggest one. Please also vote on how you liked it, every vote does count. If you'd like to read it over and over again, favorite it and come back to enjoy it like an old friend. I look forward to hearing from you...K'Anne
*
As Melinda drove home from another hot Florida day she looked at the rolling clouds coming in off the gulf and wondered if she would make it home before the rain came down. Not that every cloud that rolled in would bring rain but this was Florida, it rained every five minutes it seemed sometimes. She sped up marginally to beat the rain but failed when it started to sprinkle as she pulled onto her residential street. Looking down the road she had to turn on her wipers before she reached her driveway. Pressing the button on the console of her car the garage door opened effortlessly as she pulled into her spot of the three car garage. She noted Em's SUV was parked in its spot but that didn't mean she was home, she could have taken her bike out for a quick ride which she did a lot to keep in shape. Melinda hoped not with how hot the day had been, dehydration could set in so quickly and with it raining now she quickly parked and checked the rack for her girlfriend's sports bike. It was hung up as usual and this relieved her mind. She pressed the button and the garage door quietly closed behind her as she shut off the engine to her car. She sat there a minute in the quiet taking a deep breath to unwind from the hectic day she had just survived.
As she entered their house from the garage she felt the cool blast of the air conditioner. It wasn't as high as it would be if she had been home alone. Em was from a northern state and her version of air conditioning was to open a window. Although that worked some of the time, here in southern Florida the humidity made it impossible MOST of the time. Melinda put her keys on the table by the door and put her briefcase on the chair that Em kept there for that purpose. She noted Em's sleek alligator bag was already there. She looked up to see if she could see her girlfriend but she wasn't visible from the short hallway that led to their front door from the garage. She turned right which went directly into their open and spacious kitchen. Looking on the large countertop that was perfect for entertaining she was surprised to see it set up. The far side of it was a bar into the family room and it contained place settings. It annoyed her for a moment because she just wanted a quiet night alone after the hectic day when it occurred to her that it was Thursday, it was family night. She grinned. Em certainly hadn't forgotten, she had gone ahead and prepared it for them.
Walking through the family room she saw further evidence of Em being prepared. Chips and popcorn were in sealed bowls on the coffee table, the channel changers lined up for their Thursday evening ritual. The room was impeccably clean. The newspapers and magazines they read neatly stacked in the magazine rack, the pillows fluffed just so. No evidence of the family in their family room. Melinda gazed around the room in pleased delight. Em knew that it was Melinda's turn to clean but had gone ahead and done more than her fair share. Melinda knew that Em really didn't have the time and was pleased that she had gone ahead and done it for them. The couch was to her right along the wall facing the plasma screen television over the fireplace. On each side of the fireplace were bookshelves crammed with books that Em loved so. The two laz-y-boy chairs were to her left with a passageway between them and the couch. She walked in front of them to the French doors of the deck and looked out.
The grill was hot from the coals of the burning wood in it. She hadn't wanted a grill like this, she preferred propane but Em had convinced her it was better to burn natural wood than gas and Melinda had to admit the flavor of the foods that came off this grill was fantastic depending on the kind of wood they burned and the smells were heavenly. She smiled when she saw the kabobs neatly sitting on a plate with a net over them to keep away the bugs. Big rich chunks of beef were on several skewers, thickly cut vegetables on others. Chicken which had apparently been marinated in some type of sauce still sitting in the sauce sat on another plate waiting to be skewered. Corn on the cob waited to be put over the hot coals.
She looked to the left of the grill and smiled at the buckets of iced Corona sitting there waiting for her to just pop the top off and let the cool beer slide down her parched throat. She opened the door, sliding it back to go out on the deck with its overhang keeping the big fat drops of rain from ruining their picnic. She wondered where Em was as it wasn't like her to leave the coals burning. As she sat down at the table she reached for a Corona only to stop in surprise. In another large bucket was more Corona but the she laughed at the bottles. The bottles were at least two feet high and the glass was turned and made squiggles. They looked like something you would win at a Carnival. They clearly read Corona but she wondered if they were real. Em had them on ice so she had to wonder at their authenticity. There were six of them and they looked cool, refreshing, and oh so inviting in the heat of southern Florida.
She wondered if Em had invited anyone else to 'family' night. Her sister and brother both lived with their families nearby but Thursday was THEIR night, for THEIR family which consisted of the two of them, two dogs, and three cats. She wasn't looking forward to entertaining or amusing anyone else after the long day she had put in but the amount of beer and food made her wonder. She heard noises coming from around the back of the house and saw Em and the boys come around the corner. Em was a red-headed Anglo and Melinda smiled as she saw her. Her red head meant her white skin was not a good thing in the sun of southern Florida but she gamely tried time and again to maintain a tan despite her body's natural tendency to burn. She stood 5'6" was athletically built with broad shoulders she joked she could be a football player with. Her large hands meant she could cover more square inches of skin in a caress and for that alone Melinda could adore her she often teased. She didn't have the freckles most redheads sported, instead her smooth white skin reminded Melinda of porcelain. When she did manage to tan instead of burn it was an interesting contrast.
The boys saw Melinda immediately and with delighted barks of welcome they rushed up the deck to greet her home after a long day away. She spent a few minutes petting them in greeting as they poked their noses into her hands. She told them how beautiful they were as she smoothed back their curly hair and laughed back into their own laughing faces. Poodles have such expressive eyes. These two though she swore were more intelligent than people. They were their kids though and Melinda and Em loved them just like they were.
"Hey baby, about time you got here, it just started raining" Em greeted her with a smile.
That smile melted Melinda each time she saw it. There was just something there that warmed her heart. Maybe it was the kissy lips, maybe it was the brilliant white teeth, or maybe it was the barely there dimples that captured her attention. Her smile though was nothing to the sparkly hazel eyes that made Melinda speechless each time she looked into them. These momentary lapses had embarrassed her for years but she covered well from long practice.
"It started as I turned on our street" she smiled in return after getting her voice back.
Em leaned down for a kiss and would have ended that with a peck if Melinda hadn't prolonged it. Em didn't mind.
When Em had seen Melinda sitting on the deck she too had wanted to let out a joyful bark of welcome like the boys did. Her heart gave a little leap whenever she saw this sexy woman and knew that she belonged to her, she belonged WITH her. The Latina beauty was superbly shaped. Her 36C breasts barely kept in the blouse that Melinda wore, they strained at the fabric. Her coppery skin just ached to be caressed. Something Em indulged in whenever possible. She smiled at the petite brunette from across the yard as she followed the boys onto the deck.
