Chapter One
(Thursday 17th October 2002)
Heather had spent most of the morning secretly planning ahead. She should have been listening to her lecturers and tutors but, although she attended classes in body, her mind was elsewhere.
Memories of last night with Viola featured prominently. Looks-wise the girl was somewhere between Whitney Houston and Naomi Campbell. She was easily the most beautiful person Heather had ever met and her supermodel figure was, to say the least, addictive.
Viola featured prominently in the forward planning too. She had taken to same-sex bedroom activities like a duck to water. In fact her eagerness to explore new horizons was worrying. In her role as Vi's first female lover Heather felt a certain responsibility. No way could she let her go blundering out of her depth.
Not without her there as a lifeguard, anyway.
Now, lunchtime at last, Heather entered the Union Bar and was immediately hit by a wave of noises and smells.
Clacking pool balls, cackling gossips, clouds of cigarette smoke and the comforting aroma of recently spilt beer . . . it was all there, all-pervading.
And Heather loved it. Going into the Union always lifted her heart.
Less encouragingly, her targets were nowhere to be seen. Leanne and Debbie were not in their usual prominent position on Lesbians' Corner, cackling and gossiping.
That was an unexpected blow. Those two little beauties were there this time of day, every day. Being somewhere else wasn't supposed to happen.
Not ever.
Heather sighed as she acknowledged planning ahead had its pros and cons. But one tiny con wasn't going to stop her. She'd simply have to wait. This was too important to ditch at the first hurdle.
And it really was important. For some reason Vi had got it onto her head that she owed the Gruesome Twosome a night of sex. Such a notion was ridiculous but she was sticking to it. Expanding her circle of girlfriends was an admirable thing to do, of course, but that particular pairing would . . .
Well, given half a chance, that particular pairing would eat Viola for breakfast, tea, dinner and supper.
Not on Heather's watch, though. Not while she could exert a measure of control.
Approaching the bar Heather couldn't fail to notice the barmaid. Gloria was the wrong side of forty but still glorious. She was also a classic barmaid of long standing. She'd been fielding all the over-the-top suggestions for over twenty years and knew every reply in the book.
She also had the most amazing cleavage ever seen, anywhere, ever.
'Hello sweetie,' she said in greeting, pulling a pint of Marston's without needing to be asked.
'Hello light of my life,' Heather replied on autopilot, 'how's your bum for spots?'
'It's blemish-free at the moment,' said Gloria. 'Play your cards right and I might prove it.'
That wasn't in the script. She was supposed to say: "Wouldn't you like to know."
Heather's ears pricked up. All straight men and lesbians of every description lusted after Gloria. It was a human nature sort of a thing, unavoidable and only in part inspired by her chest. Absolutely straight girls had been known to flirt with her.
Okay, maybe she struggled to attract gay guys, but even they seemed to like passing time of day with her.
By now Heather had been flirting with Gloria ever since fresher's week, ten million years or more ago.
Never mind her predicament with Viola, Leanne and Debbie; this was an opening she couldn't resist.
'I'd love to inspect your delightful bum,' she said, lowering her voice somewhat. 'But you're working in here all the time. Don't you ever get time off?'
Gloria laughed. 'Next you'll be asking if I come here often.'
'Rumour has it you and Joe change barrels together more regularly than you ought to. Out of sight in the back and taking forever about it.'
Joe was the bar manager and one of Gloria's more ardent admirers. Heather's implication did have a germ of possibility in it but was still mostly conjecture. Gloria, as anticipated, admitted nothing.
'That's slanderous,' she said lightly, laughing again.
'I'd like to see you cum here often,' Heather countered. 'But answer my question.'
Gloria's eyes left Heather and swept vigilantly around the bar. As well as looking good she was ace in her chosen profession. Nobody waited more than a minute when she was on duty. And everyone paid up with a smile.
Just then the room was crowded but mainly with drinkers already provided with drinks.
She was also far too astute to pretend she'd really been asked about Joe.
'I have Wednesday off,' she said, almost whispering. 'If you're asking me out, that would be good.'
Heather battled to keep her emotions in check.
Result, yelled her brain, louder than loud.
Technically, due to her new, ever-changing relationship with Vi she probably should have hedged and made a bit of a joke of it. But this woman was twice her age and sexy as heck.
And she was deadly serious. Heather could see it in her eyes.
'Okay,' she said,' 'Wednesday night it is. Does Ye Olde John of Gaunt sound like a suitable venue?'
'Afraid to be seen with me in here, are you?'
'No, quite the contrary; I'm thinking of your reputation, not mine. I'd be proud to be seen with you just anywhere. We can meet up in the town square if you want. I'll even do a Lady Godiva if you insist.'
Gloria laughed yet again. 'Fully clad and in Ye Olde sounds good to me. You can save the Godiva bit for later on.'
*****
Before moving off to serve other customers Gloria pointed out Leanne and Debbie, who were there in the Union after all. They were huddled miles away from the Corner, rapt on one of the video games.
Heather took time to appraise them before venturing across.
The duo weren't really gruesome at all. Debbie was five feet eight, blonde and full-chested with looks to die for. Even the I-want line on her forehead was sexy.
Leanne was an inch or so shorter and plump. Not fat, Heather hastily corrected herself, but plump in a very acceptable way. Didn't old writers use "plump as a partridge" as an expression of admiration for a certain type of young lady? Well, if they'd used it for Leanne they'd have been bang-on. Unlike a lot of girls she looked better for carrying a few excess pounds. A slimmer version wouldn't have worked.
Leanne also had Hispanic blood in her. While Debbie was icy-fair she was black-haired and dusky-skinned. As a girl who tanned well herself, Heather liked the look.
Indeed she liked the look of both of them, even if appearances could be deceptive. Those two had got it together in halls and lived as woman and wife from the start of their second year. As far as the local lesbian pairings went theirs was as solid as any . . . except they liked to experiment, in a sharing sort of a way.
In their particular relationship infidelity wasn't allowed unless it was done as a team. In other words individual flings were verboten yet taking a girl in tandem was perfectly acceptable and highly desirable.
Having been taken in tandem more than once, Heather was cool with that. It was the prospect of Viola being taken in tandem which concerned her.
And yes, Viola did know what she was getting herself into. She actually seemed to relish the prospect.
But not on Heather's watch.
Not as easily as that.
