A Nice Place to Stay

Ed and Liz were glad to be in northern Michigan for a weekend away late in the fall. Things had been stressful at work for both of them. Liz was under pressure to deliver on financial goals. Ed was under pressure to please bosses who often didn't seem to have a clue.

The little roadside motel they booked for two nights had been revamped. "A nice place to stay" it said on the sign. Nothing fancy, but it was clean and close to the trails, restaurants and lakes they liked to explore.

Over the years they had come to rely on one another. They were truly best friends -- and still deeply in love. They liked their small friend group. Their kids were grown and thriving. They still liked going to concerts, coffee shops, bars, parks and on occasional big trips.

This wasn't a big trip. This was a casual chance to get away -- the kind they could now do with an empty nest, some money in the bank, and a few extra vacation days.

Liz still looked younger than her age, with dark hair (admittedly kept that way with some professional help) and a great figure. Ed kept his balding head and his short beard neatly trimmed. He had put on a few pounds over the years, but Liz still adored his brown eyes, adventurous spirit and boyish grin.

They spent their first day hiking and driving around, exploring roadside stores and small towns. They talked about the kind of place they'd like to own in the area, but still hadn't found the perfect spot. Toward the end of the day, they stopped at a dispensary and bought some gummies that that weed barista said wouldn't put her to sleep but "elevate her sensations. "

Liz liked the sound of that and popped one as soon as they got back in the car. Ed drove. On their way back to the motel they decided to stop and have another drink at a nearby bar. It was typical of places in the area -- rustic, slow (the off season had set in), and friendly.

They sat at the bar. He ordered a whiskey on the rocks. She got a vodka grapefruit -- "not feeling that gummy yet," she smiled. As they reflected on the day and what a relief it had been to get away and turn off the constant flow of emails. They both were half paying attention to a football game on the TV behind the bar.

After about 10 minutes a woman came in and sat beside Liz, despite most of the other barstools being empty. She looked like she, too, had been out hiking. She was smallish, in her mid-40s, fit and cute, but not made up, her brown hair cut in a practical pixie.

She ordered an old fashioned and the bartender nodded. He didn't seem surprised. Then she turned to Liz: "What brings you two lovebirds up here?"

"We needed a getaway from work and kids, so we booked a room at that little motel up the street that just got redone and decided to come up for a hike, some drinks and some adventures."

The woman looked over at Ed. "She keep up with you, dude?"

Ed liked the way this one asserted herself -- a lot of attitude in a small package.

"Keep up?" Ed replied. "I'm usually trying to keep pace with her."

They chatted for more than 30 minutes. Conversation came easy. Her name was Christine, "but friends call me Steen." She had been divorced for a few years, moved up into the area to escape her previous life. Now she sold real estate and painted landscapes, which she sold in a few local galleries.

Liz shared she had Ed had been married for more than 20 years. Steen said she could tell.

Liz also shared that her gummy was starting to kick in. Steen said she could tell, and gave Liz a pat on the leg, then let her hand linger on Liz' thigh. Ed, who had begun paying more attention to the football game on the TV behind the bar, didn't notice.

Liz, feeling the warmth and a small tingle, really didn't mind. It was vacation. She was high. Steen was... cute and friendly.

"What's that old motel like anyway?" Steen asked.

"Oh, it's super cute," Liz responded, speaking in rapid-fire phrasing. "Decent sized rooms, really clean. You can tell redoing the place was a labor of love. Maybe you should see if you can get some of your paintings hung up there. The art isn't the best."

Ed looked over and Steen quickly removed her hand from Liz's legging to scratch her own head.

"Hah, ya, maybe. Not sure they have the budget for my stuff, but maybe I see if they were interested."

Liz chimed in, a bit glazy eyed, but with a big smile. They had been sitting for more than 40 minutes by that point. "I gotta pee." She got up. "Know where it is?" she asked Steen.

"I'll show you. I gotta go, too."

Ed seemed to be paying little attention as the game was back on, but as they walked away he admired their behinds.

Liz went into a stall and peed. As she emerged, Steen was right outside the stall door. She was about 3 inches shorter than Liz, but somehow Liz felt smaller. "May I?" she smiled as she gently touched Liz's hip.

Liz, feeling silly, replied: "may you what?"

Steen gently pushed Liz back into the stall, shut the door and wrapped her other hand around the back of Liz's head and kissed her softly on the lips. She stopped and pulled away to see Liz's reaction.

"Can you do that again, please?" Liz smiled. She had never kissed a woman before -- not like this anyway.

More firmly this time, Steen placed one hand on Liz' lower back and the other on Liz's neck. She kissed Liz again. This time Liz kissed back. Their drinks made the kisses sweet and boozy as their tongues touched. Liz wrapped her arms around Steen and enjoyed what seemed like a five-minute kiss. The softness of Steen's lips and her tiny tongue made it unlike anything she had ever experienced. LIz's perception shift and she realized she never kissed someone so short.

They heard someone else enter the restroom and go into a neighboring stall. Steen snickered and Liz almost burst out laughing. Steen flushed the toilet and they washed their hands, feeling a little naughty -- Liz feeling dizzy and mildly guilty.

She had told Ed she sometimes fantasized about being with a woman. Ed had always told her he'd be fine if that was something she wanted to experience -- as long as he didn't lose her.

Ed turned as they sat back down. "Thought you girls got lost in there." He looked at Liz, who was a little flushed and flustered. Steen gave Ed a wry smile, "ya, that gummy definitely kicked in."

Steen giggled and gulped her well whiskey old fashioned. Ed was amused. "Well, we better get the check and head back to the motel."

Responding what seemed like a little too quick, Liz turned to Steen: "Come check it out. We'll show you our room and maybe the owner will be around, and you can sell her some paintings."

Steen slugged back the last of her drink. "Sure, why not?! You gonna buy my drink, Ed?"

Ed shrugged. "Sure. Anything for the local thirsty artist. Follow us there."

The motel was less than a mile up the road. When Liz got in their car, she looked at Ed and said "well, that was interesting."

"Ya, I like her. But you know I like my girls, funny, cute and independent," said Ed, leaning over to give Steen a kiss. Something seemed different when their lips met, but Ed couldn't put his finger on it.

"You two made fast friends, too. For a second, I thought I saw her hand on your thigh," Ed said as he pulled out of the bar's driveway.

"She did! She was totally rubbing my thigh!" Liz blurted out. "And she kissed me in the bathroom!"

Ed almost swerved off the road. "What? Really? Uh, and what did you think?" He was trying to regain his composure. He was surprised, but not upset.

"It was really great, Ed. And I'm sorry. And I'm not. And we're almost back to the hotel. And we can just tell her that I don't feel well and she doesn't need to see the motel room."

Ed looked at her as they pulled into the motel parking lot. Steen's Jeep Wrangler wasn't far behind them. "Liz, don't be stupid. Let's see if she can sell some paintings. Opportunities like this don't happen every day." He smiled. His tone made it clear to Liz that Ed was just going to see how this all played out. He had a feeling "sell some paintings" would take on a new meaning after today.

They parked and got out. The motel office was clearly locked. No one was there. A sign on the window said reservations could be made online and offered an emergency contact line.

Steen read the sign and shrugged. "Guess we'll have to try talking to the owner another time."

Liz grabbed Steen's hand, a little loopy, but definitely having fun. "We can still show you the room!" She pulled Steen toward Room 14. Ed unlocked the door with his phone and the girls ducked in. "Anyone want something else to drink? There's a store across the street."

"I wouldn't be opposed to a canned cocktail or glass of rose or something," Liz said. Steen looked at Liz, then back at Ed who nodded at her. She recognized it as a nod of approval.

"I'll have one of whatever you get her," she smiled.

"Be back in 10-15 minutes," Ed said, the door shutting behind them.

This time Liz grabbed Steen and pushed her down on the king sized bed. Steen laughed.

"I told him we kissed," Liz said. Steen pulled Liz on top of her and they again started making out.

Liz felt Steen's hand on her breast over the button-down camping shirt she was wearing. A minute later, she felt Steen's hand slip into her black leggings. A finger dipped inside Liz's already soaking vagina then pulled out and rubbed the wetness on her erect clitoris.

"You OK?" Steen paused.

"Don't stop," Liz pleaded, pulling her leggings down. All her defenses were officially down.

Steen continued kissing Liz, unbuttoning the camping shirt to expose Liz's large, pale breasts. She wrapped her arms around Liz and unfastened her bra, pushing it out of the way to allow her to lightly kiss her chest, circling her nipples as if to tease her while again dipping one hand between Liz's legs now spread legs.

Liz gently fumbled with the back of Steen's head, as Steen continued circling her erect nipples and rhythmically rubbing Liz's clit.

Finally, Steen gave Liz what she wanted and she kissed her nipples. The feeling immediately amplified what was happening between her legs. Liz was going to cum and Steen recognized it.

Steen stopped rubbing her and slinked her head beneath Liz's breasts as her hands moved up to to continue stimulating Liz's nipples. She was reading every squirm and sound Liz was making.

Liz didn't realize it, but she was gently pushing Steen's head between her legs, feeling her warm breath and her chin move down her stomach. She was so close.

Then she felt Steen's tiny tongue flicking on her labia, moving around for a few seconds before settling into rhythmic circles on her clitoris.

Steen inserted two fingers from her small, soft left hand, finding Liz's g-spot as she continued her masterful oral art. Her right hand pinch Liz's left nipple.

Liz finally went over the top, squeezing Steen's head between her legs as she let out a loud "Yes!" Steen continued to stimulate and Liz complete riding the wave, the wetness on her fingers became a flood.

Steen came back up to Liz's lips and kissed her. Liz could smell herself on Steen's lips and was giddy. "That was, um, unexpected," Liz laughed.

"You better get those leggings back on," Steen laughed. "Your husband is going to be back soon."

Liz took a deep breath, grabbed her panties and bottoms and went off to the restroom to straighten herself up. Steen licked her fingers, then wiped them on her pants.

A few seconds later Ed knocked as he unlocked the door and came back into the room, brown bag in hand. He found Steen, looking slightly disheveled but pleased with herself, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Steen smiled a guilty smile. "I wondered when you'd get back. Liz is in the girl's room again. I'll take one of those drinks now."

Ed tossed her a canned cocktail and cracked a beer open for himself. He could smell what had happened and Steen knew it. But, instead of stating the obvious, he gestured at the room. "So, what do you think of the motel?"