Threading the Needle

Thank you Terry, careythomas and snow for all your help in editing and improving this chapter. I couldn't have done it without you.

Like almost all of my series, this one will only be understood if you have read the chapters before it. Thank you to my readers for going along this journey with me.

Chapter 15

For Rikki and Winnie, there was no slow leisurely process of waking. As soon as they stirred, they were both too aware of each other to hide how nervous it made them, even though they had rolled apart at some time during the night.

Although she didn't really regret it, Rikki still couldn't help feeling that giving into her desires was a mistake. All of her worries about the inappropriateness of a relationship with a co-worker resurfaced. "I'm her senior at work," she told herself. It didn't matter that she wasn't her direct manager, she still had input into her work and her reviews. "That's why they make it so cut and dried," she thought.

Even the reality that she didn't regret it made Rikki feel guilty. "Why don't I feel worse? I could jeopardize her job as much as mine?" she thought. The feeling of Winnie next to her provided the answer. It felt so good, that she had to resist against the urge to roll over and start kissing her all over again. Their legs were touching, giving her a reassuring sense of connection. It was something that had been missing with Samuel for a long time. She managed to hold herself back but it was hard.

It was even more difficult for Winnie. She was so close to what she wanted but was afraid of grasping for it too desperately and relegating what happened the night before to nothing more than a dream. Rikki's hesitation was palpable. If she pushed, would it drive her away? "I don't want to risk it," she thought. "Even though all I want to do is hold onto her and never let her go." The happiness from last night almost seemed like a cruel jest in the light of day. Afraid to even move, she held herself stock still just in case Rikki thought she was trying something.

"God, I'm making her miserable," Was Rikki's thought as she felt how rigid Winnie was. "I can't stand that!" She reached out and took Winnie by the hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Hey, morning," she whispered.

Winnie squeezed back and whispered good morning in return. Her throat was so dry from nervousness that it came out a little squeak. Rikki giggled and after a second, she did too.

"How are you?" Rikki asked.

Unexpectedly Winnie felt herself blush and shyness come over her. It didn't help her dry throat. "Good. I'm good," she croaked adorably.

"God, she's so cute," Rikki thought. Just as she steeled herself to lean in and give her a kiss, there was a bang on the window and she recoiled. It didn't matter that the sleeping bags were still over them to mostly hide them. It brought all her fears back.

"Hey!" It was Yamile. "Are you two up? I forgot my toothpaste. Can I borrow some from one of you?" she asked.

Rikki sighed and fell back. Her heart was beating as fast as when she was kissing Winnie the night before. She sighed again and then opened the back door to look out at her. "No!" she said.

"No?" Yamile asked as she looked at her friend. "You forgot yours too?"

"No. I just don't want it back after you've used it," she said with a smile. "It's in the front pocket of that backpack on the picnic table."

Yamile laughed and went over to get it. "I didn't wake you, did I?" she asked. "It seemed like you either would be awake or should be."

Rikki looked past her and noticed that the camp was bustling with activity. She glanced at her watch. "We're fine. Right on time to get up," she said.

"Whatever," Yamile said as she fished out the tube of toothpaste and put some on her toothbrush.

Grinning, Rikki leaned back on the sleeping bag again. Looking over at Winnie, she whispered, "Sorry. She's actually right; we need to get going."

"Just my luck," Winnie thought. A kiss would have reassured her. Instead, she felt unsettled, not yet sure where the two of them stood. She tried to hide it with a little smile and a nod. "Okay," she said. Rolling onto her belly, she reached down to get some things out of her duffle bag. The movement pulled the sleeping bag off her, showing her pert little ass covered with a tight pair of panties.

The sight of Winnie's ass like that made Rikki suck in a quick breath. "Is she teasing me?" she wondered, although she realized it was innocent a second later. Winnie wasn't paying attention to her as she wiggled while stretching and digging for her socks. Her concentration allowed Rikki a brief moment to appreciate the view, before she got up onto her knees to be able to get into her own bag that was sitting on the driver's seat.

By the time she had her stuff, Winnie was under the sleeping bag again. From her contortions, it was obvious that she was taking off her panties and replacing them with bikini bottoms. Proof that she was right came when Winnie tossed her dirty panties up onto the front seat. A moment later, the t-shirt she slept in joined it. After weeks of rafting, she was every bit as much of an expert in changing clothes without being seen as Rikki was. It was a skill that Rikki resented a little at the moment. She would have liked to get a glimpse of Winnie's sexy body.

Even though she was sure that Winnie wasn't teasing her, Rikki couldn't help herself. She engaged in a little teasing herself, lifting up enough as she pulled off her panties that Winnie was able to catch a glimpse of her tush. She was also "careless" enough that the sleeping bag slipped as she was pulling off her shirt, giving Winnie a good look at one of her ample breasts. She felt her nipple stiffen under her lustful gaze. She did her best to hide that it was on purpose and thought she got away with it. "I'm not sure exactly what I want in the end, but having her notice me feels so nice," she thought.

In fact, Rikki was right. Winnie couldn't imagine that her somewhat straight-laced friend would be intentionally flashing her a little skin. She was fairly certain that the teasing she and Lena engaged in the other day was one-sided; both of them enjoying Rikki's embarrassment while hoping that they managed to turn her on. After last night though, Winnie felt like some lines had blurred between them. Intentional or not, Rikki revealing part of her bare torso was enough to stoke Winnie's arousal "Thank goodness I have these shorts. I think my bottoms might already be wet," she thought. "How embarrassing would that be?"

Just before getting out, she decided to pull on a loose tank top to help hide how her nipples were standing up.

"I'm going to the outhouse," she said. "I'll be right back." She quickly walked down the path and out of sight.

Without the Winnie there as a distraction, Rikki finished dressing without any delay. By the time Winnie returned, she had two bowls of granola ready with almond milk waiting to be poured on them. There were no opportunities to chat as some of the other guides drifted by to talk. Still, every once in a while, they would catch each other's eye and smile at their shared memory of their kisses. It wasn't a memory either one of them wanted to share with anyone else -- it was a delicious secret that was theirs and theirs alone.".

Yamile joined them after a couple of minutes. Rikki watched as she interacted with the other guides. "She may be new to the group, but she is already part of it," she thought with satisfaction. It was exactly what she had hoped would happen. The shared pain of the end of their marriages brought two of them closer than they ever were, despite the endings being for vastly different reasons. "She needs more people in her life than just me and the girls," she thought.

When a couple of the less regular guides that she didn't know tried to flirt with Yamile, Linc and Sawyer somewhat over protectively boxed them out. That made Rikki chuckle softly. "I know she can take care of herself, but it's nice to see my friends watching out for her," she thought. While the presence of Julie insured that Sawyer didn't repeat his own flirting of last weekend, she could see a lingering interest in the sexy older woman on Linc's part. It was unlikely to be returned, but Rikki saw no harm it. Yamile's ego could use the boost.

"Okay, we need to go. Let's mount up," Rikki said as she realized the time. Even among the more experienced guides, her authority was unquestioned and they scattered back to their vehicles to start the day.

"Hey, can Lena and I catch a ride with you two? She thought she would leave her car here," Yamile asked.

"Both of you?" Rikki asked. "I would have assumed that she would go with Liz."

Yamile looked over her shoulder to check to make sure Lena was still gathering up her gear from the back of her SUV. "Pretty sure she would have, but Liz didn't give her the option," she said. "I think she just got up and told her that she'd see her at the put-in."

A low groan of contempt from Winnie made her opinion clear. She nudged Rikki. "Indigo is coming over with Weston this morning," she quietly said to Rikki and Yamile. "I bet Liz wants to hook up with her tonight."

"You're probably right," Rikki said. She wasn't even going to make an attempt to defend her best friend. Nothing she had seen in the last few months made her think her think that Liz's behavior would be anything but thoughtless and selfish. "Here she comes," she added as Lena began to walk their way.

Despite being left behind, Lena seemed determined not to let it get her down. Her smile was only one of the things that made her so attractive, but it was a big part of it. Her full lips curled up, seemingly completely genuine. "Hey, guys! I heard you got here late. I'm sorry I missed you," she said.

Winnie went up to her to give her a hug. She also brushed her lips against her cheek. "Sure you are," she whispered. "I hope you had fun."

"I did. Thanks," Lena whispered back, feeling slightly relieved. Even though they agreed that they weren't going to be a couple, a little part of her worried about how Winnie would react when she was with someone else. She wasn't sure if she thought Winnie would be jealous or just not like the situation with Liz. "I'm not blind. I know what she thinks of Liz," Lena thought. As she looked over at Rikki, she suddenly realized that all three of her friends had similar opinions. For a moment, she bristled at their judgment, but it was only for a moment. "They care about me and just want what is right for me," she told herself.

"It's fine," she told them. "I know what I am getting into with her. She's a free agent, but so am I." To emphasize her point, she gave Winnie a kiss, catching her a bit by surprise. She hesitated for a moment before returning it. Lena pulled back before it could gain any traction. With a saucy smile, she walked over to Rikki.

Unlike Winnie, Rikki figured out what Lena was planning. When she leaned in for a kiss, Rikki pulled her close and planted a big kiss on her. In response to her probing tongue, Lena opened her mouth and sucked it in. For a few seconds, their French kiss escalated in passion. As it ended, both were panting slightly. Rikki's attention was fully on Lena as was Yamile's. Consequently, all three of them missed the flash of jealousy that passed over Winnie's face. As quickly as it appeared, she suppressed it.

Being more mature, Yamile hid her own brief stab of envy far better than Winnie. Even if someone had been looking right at her, Yamile's face would have given nothing away. She was, however, distracted enough that she didn't notice that Lena had moved right in front of her.

Her smile turned wicked. "Your turn. You can tell me who kisses better, me or Rikki," Lena said. On the ride over, Yamile confessed her little secret. It wasn't really fair and Lena knew it. "After admitting to kissing Rikki, how can she deny me?" she thought as she bent her head forward. Unlike the other two women, Yamile was visibly uncomfortable with the kiss although she went along with it. Once again, the distraction of the kiss caused them both to miss something.

"Oh my god," Rikki thought as Lena blurted the secret out. Her eyes immediately went over to Winnie and she cringed to see the hurt look on her face. "She thought she was my first. I let her believe it." Her cheeks burned, but her embarrassment was made worse by the knowledge that she hurt someone so close to her.

"It's that all this is to her, a game?" Winnie asked herself. She felt the connection between the two of them stretch and threaten to rip apart. She turned and started moving things from the front of the SUV to the back. It gave her something to do to distract herself from the pain.

"See? I just kissed three hot women. I have options tonight beyond Liz!" Lena said. "I can be choosy too."

Winnie turned back and looked at her. "Yeah, you say that, but we know differently. If she wants you tonight, she'll get you," she said. Her tone was angrier than she wanted but helped her feel a little better to lash out even if Lena wasn't the direct target of her irritation. She turned back and finished what she was doing.

Stunned by Winnie's words, Lena's face fell. She glanced around at the other women. Although surprised by how sharp she had been, it was obvious that they both agreed. "No one thinks I can resist her," she thought. She grabbed her bag and threw it into the SUV. As soon as everything was out of the way, she pushed the seat back up and climbed into one of the back seats. She looked out the window as everyone else got in. Faced with their skepticism, her own confidence faded away. Remembering how hard she came last night, she thought, "Maybe I really can't resist."

The sour mood continued on the drive to the put-in. Rikki kept looking over at Winnie who was pulled away, leaning against the door with her hands twisting in her lap. She wanted to reach over and grab hold of one of them to squeeze it tight, but didn't dare with the others there. Instead, she thought about what she would say if she could get a moment alone with her.

Fortunately, it was not that far to the put-in. As she pulled in, Rikki noticed Indigo and Weston. It looked like they just arrived. Liz was talking with them, giving the telltale signs of flirting with Indigo. "Great. Now Lena has to show how strong she is, even if she is dying inside," she thought to herself, but by the time she parked, Indigo was already walking away, towards the raft she wanted and started to pump it up.

Rikki looked over at Liz. Even though she was still talking with Weston, it was obvious part of her attention was on Indigo. "Wow, good for you, Indigo," she thought. "It's about time someone resisted her." Unfortunately, at the same moment she caught sight of Lena walking over to Liz and Weston. True to form, Liz shifted her focus onto a more willing partner, although when Lena was distracted for a moment talking with Weston, she glanced back over at Indigo with a puzzled look.

"Well, nothing I can do for Lena. She's a big girl," Rikki thought as she went to the back of her vehicle to grab what she needed. Although Winnie was there alone doing the same thing, she noticed Lena coming back to them. She would have to wait a little longer to talk with her. Yamile joined them as well.

"Hey, we all are on Liz's float. Weston is leading the first float. Indigo has the next one and we are last," Lena said. They all could tell that she was pleased with how things worked out. Because she was facing away from her, she missed Liz walking across to where Indigo was. Whatever tack she tried didn't work as Indigo barely looked at her, focusing instead on the up and down motion of the pump she was using. By the time Lena had her gear and turned around, Liz was already moving away, but it was obvious what happened. Lena's eyes narrowed slightly as she felt a trace of resentment, but it was directed at Liz, not Indigo. Whatever the reason for her lack of Interest, Indigo was being clear. "Why can't Liz leave it at that," Lena thought. She sighed and walked over to grab a raft. A little bit of her wanted to pick one close to Indigo's. "She understands better than anyone else," Lena thought, but she didn't dare approach her. "Maybe her mood has to do with me," she thought as she moved down along the riverbank to claim a raft she'd used before.

Back at Rikki's SUV, Yamile handed over her bag. "Here is my stuff," she said. "I'll be back with the bus."

Rikki smiled. "Look at you, a shuttle bunny already!" At Yamile's questioning look, she smiled wider. "It's what we call girlfriends, boyfriends, and other rafting groupies," she explained.

"I guess I qualify as a groupie," Yamile said with a grin. "I'm not anyone's girlfriend."

"Yet!" Rikki said. They both laughed. "See you in a little bit," she added. As the car drove off, she looked over her shoulder. Winnie was still standing there. She could see the return of the hurt look and she sighed before turning around. "Hey, Winnie, let's find rafts and talk, okay?

Winnie's eyes searched her face, trying to read below the surface and catch some glimpse of what was going on in her friend's mind. Despite her doubts, she wanted to believe in what had been kindled between the two of them. The alternative was too devastating. "All right," she said. Unlike last night, they walked with a good couple of feet in between them. They found a couple of boats away from the river, a fair amount of distance from any other rafts.

"I'll go get a pump," Winnie said after throwing her gear into the raft she wanted. She headed off without waiting for Rikki to say anything.

While she was gone, Rikki used the time to think a little more. Although she could think of several excuses, the idea of dodging the issue didn't sit well with her. "That's how I got into this last night," she said softly.

When Winnie came back, Rikki offered to help her pump up her raft first. Winnie nodded, still not saying much. Undoing the valve, Rikki held the hose tightly in it as Winnie began to pump up and down. As she knelt there, Rikki looked up at her, thinking "At least she is looking at me." She took a deep breath and started trying to get herself out of the mess she created.

"Winnie, I'm sorry. I should have told you last night about kissing Yamile. I chickened out. Things were going so well with us, I was afraid it'd mess things up. So I gave the literal answer, not the one you were asking. That was wrong," she said.

Rather than answering right away, Winnie took her time to think about it. She used finishing with a tube and moving on to the next one as an excuse to delay. "What were you afraid of messing up?" she finally asked.

Rikki didn't need any time. She knew that answer. "Us," she stated.

"I like you a lot, and I didn't want you to think I was slutty, you know making out with you after kissing Yamile last weekend. Last night was special and I didn't want to ruin it," she said.

Winnie couldn't help smiling a little. "You know, kissing two different women doesn't make you slutty. I'm pretty sure I'm not slutty," she said softly.

Rikki blushed, although she wasn't sure why. "Yeah. Well, I felt that way a little," she said. "But only about me! Not you!" she hurriedly added.

Winnie finished with another tube and moved on to the last one. As she began pumping again, she looked at her. "Why were the two of you kissing?" she finally asked.

Now Rikki blushed even harder. Once more, she immediately knew the answer. She cleared her suddenly dry throat. "Well, between you and Lena, and the Liz and Indigo, it was hard not to hear you all going at it. Before we knew it, we were both feeling turned on and lonely at the same time. It was all mixed up together. We just kind of fell into it."