by
Lady Cerulean
"Cassie?" I tapped her body lightly. "Cassie, wake up," my friend stirred, groaning lightly.

"Hey baby, wake up?" I continued to rock Cassie lightly, hoping she wouldn't hit me in her sleepiness. She'd been known to do that. In fact, the small gash on the upper right side of my neck was a result of one of her wicked unconscious swipes and sharp, long natural nails. Cassie's head turned towards mine, her body languid across the white leather love sofa. We had fallen asleep watching the first tape of Titanic, crashing right after the heated foggy windows of the T-Ford faded from the 27" screen.

"Lemme take you home now.” I chuckled mischievously under my breath. “You're drooling all over my leather.”

"Shut up," Cassie moaned, her eyes adjusting to the dim lights of the living room. "I don't wanna go," she whined curling up into a fetal ball and closed her eyes.

I knew when not to argue with this strong island woman. Her jaws were set in a tight line and her scowl was apparent in the sharp lines creased into her forehead. I figured I'd keep the cat in her down and leave her alone.

Recently, Cassie and I had found ourselves spending more and more nights together. Joking with each other and having "bench" talks over tuna always seemed better than doing homework or sleeping.

I sighed, thinking of other options, "Well, let me set up my bed for you. You'll have a crick in the morning if you sleep on this couch." Cassie laid there for a few seconds then turned to me, smiling in a yawn, and nodded affirmatively. Neither of us had class the next day, so I wasn't worried about having to take her home early in the morning. For now, I just wanted to get the old lady to sleep and work off my own sexual tension with my trusty partner.

The more time I spent with Cassie, the more I found myself losing consciousness while gazing into her breast—C cupped, perky, and deep with cleavage. Don't get me wrong though. It wasn't just lust. Cassie and I had been friends for over a year. At first it started out as just another short intense relationship. We'd both had them. You know the ones that last for a month, where both people are totally enthralled in the other's lives. You become "best friends." You share almost everything. Every free weekend you spend with each other. Then, one person moves on—a boyfriend comes home, a two-week Christmas break, you realize that her whining is actually a constant nagging. Would she just shut up? In any case, the phone rings less, you start avoiding each other in public, and eventually you each become just a memory to each other, a token of "good times."

But a year later, Cassie was still here, and I kept falling harder every day I spent with her. Of course, I would let me my mind wonder, sometimes. But for the most part, I put my desires away and just chilled.

"Lay here, I'll be back." I left Cassie on the couch and went to straighten up my room. I stuffed my new caramel brown cyberskin, 8", super thick, dildo under the bed with the stray shorts and wifebeaters that haphazardly decorated the open dresser drawers and chairs. Finally, I sprayed some peach air freshener I’d bootlegged from the China Man and fluffed the pillows. After I deemed the space tidy enough, I pulled out a lavender short/shirt set for her to sleep in, and flipped on the bathroom lights. I picked my leopard satin pjs and a black wifebeater for me to wear, then walked into the living room and shook Cassie again. She falls into sleep fast.

"Come on, babe. I fixed up the room for you. There are some clothes on the bed; you can change in the bathroom." Cassie moaned in frustration. "Come on, girl." I pulled Cassie’s 5’5” curved-in-all-the-right-places frame to her beautiful-in-any-shoe feet. Cassie lingered in my hands a little longer than necessary, her breast resting lightly on mine, before yawning again and sashaying to the bathroom. As she reached the bedroom door, she turned.

“Goodnight,” she said quietly, full brown lips spreading into a seductive smile.

“Sleep tight,” I replied huskily, panties wetting at the thought of her sleeping in my bed. I wonder if her smell will linger after she’s gone tomorrow. I sniffed the air poignantly.

The door separating us, I switched into my nighties, placing my worn muscle tee and baggy jeans with torn cuffs neatly on the dark carpet beside the bed. I pushed the magic wand metal vibrator I had rescued from the room minutes earlier in between the sofa seats, then drew my shoulder-length, double-stranded hair up into a satin black sleeping cap. I laid on the coach and pulled the soft comforter we’d curled up under during the movie over me, beckoning my fantasies to come hastily.

Already wet from her touch, it didn’t take long for me to conjure up a fulfilling one—Cassie and I on the beaches of a secluded island off the East Coast of South America. She, in a lavender bikini that tightly cupped her full breasts and round butt, straddled me, in cerulean blue swim trunks and a black sports bra. I turned the vibrator on low, easing it lightly towards my inner thighs. Cassie bent to kiss my lips, but at the last minute bent further opting for my sun-toasted neck. Her tongue felt like rain in July to me, pittering pattering down my neck forming long wet lines over and over again. I moaned appreciatively and squeezed my butt cheeks together, rising my groin to meet hers.

“Zoe” Cassie whispered, her eyes handcuffed to mine.

“Yes?” I replied low in heat.

“Zoe?” Cassie’s voice was louder and her eyes faded quickly from their arrest.

Confused, I opened my fantasy-hungry eyes wide, glancing furtively around me. I sighed sadly—no Cassie. Disappointed, I sank back onto the sofa, staring up into the high-vaulted ceilings.

“Zoe?” I sat up quickly; a heated surge shot through my groin—the vibrator, still on, had slid to my sensitive spot. I let out a stifled moan of frustrated pleasure.

“Yes?” I croaked softly, fumbling to turn off the vibrator. No response, I cleared my throat and replied again, louder, “Yes?”

"Could you tuck me in?” Cassie’s voice beckoned like a child’s from inside the closed bedroom. I could hear her twisting in the sheets.

Sighing, I pulled myself off the sofa and walked towards the bedroom. Moonlight peeked sparingly between the dark blinds. I walked carefully towards the side of the queen-sized, feather-padded bed by memory alone. As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I could see Cassie’s head at the north side of the bed—sheets tossed crumpled around her.

“Always have to take care of the children,” I murmured softly, smiling to myself.

“Shut up and tuck me in,” Cassie quipped. I beamed her an evil look she couldn’t see and proceeded to gather the sheets properly around her. Smoothing the 400-thread count, blue Italian designed comforter around her body, I patted her down, searching for her curves inconspicuously, and turned to leave.

“You’re not going to join me?” She called sweetly from her new cave under the sheets.

“No, babe…I’m taking care of the Italian.”

“But it’s your bed. How….” Cassie gagged slightly as I pulled the covers up to her chin and tightened them, playfully choking her.

“Do you need a nighttime story, too?”

“No, the tuck will be good enough.” Cassie replied with resignation.

“Well, goodnight, sweet one.” I bent down slowly, watching her face closely. Her eyes were smaller without her thin silver-framed glasses, and she had wrapped one of my scarves around her head—the purple one. I kissed her lightly on her forehead, then straightening, turned to leave. Cassie stirred.

“I want you to sleep with me.”

“Uhhh…” I mumbled, squeamish, “I don’t think that is a great idea.”

“Please,” Cassie pouted, halting my pace, “I’m scared of the monsters in the closet.” I could hear something beyond mere playfulness in her tone. I steeled myself against the resurgence of the interrupted fantasy.

“Ok,” I said hesitantly, “But just because you’re scared. I’ll be back in a second.” I walked away from the momentary tension, easing into the bathroom. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and took a moment to breathe. I’d be sleeping with the girl I had been fantasizing about since she’d stumbled into my life a short year ago.

Even though she had went to London for a study abroad last spring semester, it seemed that lately I had spent more time with Cassie than I had with anyone else. I applied a light moisturizer to my face and thanked the gods I had moved out of the dorms. Now I had a real place to bring a girl after a night out or when she just wanted to chill. Not to say that Cassie was my girl; we were just friends. Still, it was cool to have her over whenever she needed to de-stress.

She was graduating in the upcoming spring. Unsure of where she’d be going, many weekends found her seriously stressing the little things. For instance this weekend, it was time for the Caribsa Talent Show again. Even though she wasn’t the director this year, she was still in the middle of things. So I was always dropping her off to meetings and massaging her afterwards to get the tension out of the little arguments that tended to flare up between the members.

In any case, Cassie was in my bed tonight, of all places. It looked as if my sexual tension would only increase as the night progressed. Damn her.

While we were watching the movie earlier, I had massaged her back. Maybe I was just taking things wrong, but it seemed as if her ass moved purposely under my crotch as I straddled and oiled her down. Hmmmm…

Cassie wasn’t scared to run naked around me either, literally, which at first had me blushing something serious. Now, I just imagined that she was a monkey, which was how she acted sometimes, and I would just to laugh instead of wetting up. I had even taken it so far as to start calling her Chimp. She always pushed me playfully when I did it, but it was our little game. She called me Meat in response, as a reference to the pounds I had put on body building while she was overseas.

I think she knew how it made me feel, but she did it in spite of that knowledge—the naked thing. Claimed she didn’t need to change herself for no one—me included. I was cool with that, as long as she didn’t mind dancing with me while I was strapped. In fact, one night I dared her to come to Barcode and I think she actually enjoyed it a lot, but that’s another whole story.

I adjusted my boxers and ran my hand through my twists, then proceeded back into the room. Cassie had moved over, disrupting my tight tuck a bit, but I climbed into bed carefully anyways. Her face turned to me; her stomach rubbed the sheets. I squirmed around in the bed for a bit before settling into a near stomach down position, head towards Cassie. I attempted to sleep.

At first, I could hear every breath she made. Her breathing slowed but remained deep for several minutes. I cleared my throat, twisted, and settled down to sleep. I was on my way to REM. My body had twisted: I was now sleeping on my left side, left arm supporting my head.

As I felt Cassie’s body shift closer to mine, I opened my eyes groggily. I could see a close-up of Cassie’s newly streaked blond and sandy brown hair. I groaned and tried to move, but the bed springs creaked as if it were banning me to my position. My clit pulsated, as I smelled her scented perfume wafting lightly from her neck.

Suddenly, she turned, rolling her body over until she was face-to-face with me. Her right hand rested in the new space between us, and her left hand brushed my breast. I gasped, then closed my eyes and thought of Santa’s factory and icicles and Chicago streets in January, trying desperately to keep my breathing quiet and slow. After a long minute, I calmed down.

Though this wasn’t my most optimal position, I could deal with it. I rolled slowly unto my back, quietly thanking the mattress for allowing me this one slight rotation. I held a little tune from Nina Simone in my head, thinking about the class work that I had to complete for my WebCT class by the end of the week. My mind counted down my responsibilities, rocking me gently to sleep.

An hour passed before I woke up with a start, Cassie’s head rested on my chest, her arms draped lightly across my stomach. Her right leg clung almost desperate to mine. My body tensed with panic. OhmyGod! What if she wakes up? What if she moves and our lips meet? What will she think I am trying to do? This is exactly what I wanted to avoid! I groaned and tried to stay in my place. My sweat glands went into overdrive and my body began to shake with the intense effort.

As my breathing returned to normal, Cassie began mumbling under her breath. I strained to make out her words, but they were indecipherable.

“Zoe?”

My head jerked in response then relaxed. Her eyes were still closed in sleep; I looked at Cassie’s calm face. She thinks about me during her sleep. Uh oh. I cabbage patched in my imagination and grinned impishly in reality.

“Mmmmm….Zoe…”

Once was ok, but twice. Damn, what was she thinking? I decided to just lay, listen, and watch. She licked her lips, as she whispered in her dream.

Cassie’s right hand moved to my breast, and she began to caress it. I elicited a moan in my mind. Then, groaned inwardly as my own sounds reverberated on the bedroom walls. I couldn’t take it anymore.

I rolled over and hovered inches from Cassie’s face.

“Cassie…” I shook her, “Cassie, what are you doing?” I whispered fiercely. Cassie’s eyes opened abruptly, wide in confusion. “You were touching me.” I clasped my breast protectively. They burned with her touch.

“Oh my!” Cassie stuttered unclearly, sitting up in the bed. “Oh no,” she groaned, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I was just dreaming, and…and…” Cassie searched for the right words feverishly, her regret written all over her face. I sat up, dragging my legs over the side of the bed.

“I’m going to sleep on the couch,” I stated harshly. I knew I was probably really stupid for waking her. I should have let her keep going, but I knew that having sexual relations with me was not what she wanted. So, I took the first step away.

“I’m really sorry, Zoe…I didn’t mean it. I mean…I did…but I didn’t.” My ears perked at her slight admission to her own desire, but my feet kept walking steadfast towards the door.

“I’m sorry to have made you uncomfortable,” she whispered in the dark.

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable,” I stopped and looked at the little island girl lying on my bed, then turned away, “but let’s not talk about it now, Cassie. I’ll talk to you in the morning.” Hand on the doorknob, I thought to myself, at least I’d have my trusty friend to help me get to bed. I looked at the clock on the desk quick. 2:48. Shucks, I’ve just wasted three hours.

“Do you not like me now?” Cassie asked in a girlish voice. I could hear the sincerity and concern in her voice. I couldn’t just blow her off.

“I do like you Cassie,” I sighed, leaning heavily on the doorknob. “I like you a lot, more than you could ever imagine,” These last words stumbled out desperately, “but I also know that it’s not like that with you.” I paused before continuing on, “I don’t think sleeping in the same bed helps the situation any, especially when you touch me…”

“I like you too,” a quiet whisper.

“…like that.” I rambled on caught up in the explanation I’d been dying to let out, “I can’t deal with it. I’m sorry. We’re friends and I love being that with and for you, but I can’t be there like that for…What did you say?” My words stopped tumbling out of me as the meaning of the whisper registered.

Cassie cleared her throat and said slowly, her dialect accentuating each word, “I like you too.” When I looked up, our eyes met. The lust and desire in each other’s eyes mirrored the other’s, but there was more to it. I could see that behind the desire, overshadowing it, in fact, was a soft, stronger emotion. Cassie’s shoulders sagged. “I’ve liked you for too long for me to ignore it anymore. At first I could…because it was so strange the way we met up and then I went to London and then it was the summer and you were busy, but we keep spending more and more time together and it is getting harder for me to ignore these feelings I have…towards you.” Cassie’s voice trailed off. She looked to the wall, to the floor, to the Marley poster, everywhere except me.

I walked to the side of the bed, sat down, and slowly turned to Cassie, “Really?” My voice was quiet and wavering, my palms—slick with sweat and shaking as if I was in the midst of an asthma attack. In fact, that is exactly what it felt like. I could barely breathe and my heart seemed to be caught so far up my stomach I was certain it was blocking the passages to my lungs. I concentrated on calming down for her.

Cassie nodded her head, looking unapologetically into my eyes. I climbed into the bed beside her, taking her in my arms and kissed her full, then deep, then passionately, then like a tiger in heat. She kissed back, responding with kisses the same way I gave them to her. Her hands moved across my body like waves, kneading the tension away. I guess I wouldn’t need my vibrator after all.

Cassie and I made love for the first time that night. In fact, we made love our first five times that night. I even tried out my new toy on her, which she liked very much. We have been together five years now. I’m taking her to Des Lourdes, her favorite restaurant in Atlanta, this weekend. By candlelight and with a specially made dish compliments of the chef, I am going to ask her to marry me. Think she’ll say yeah?

The End

Copyright © 2002. Used by permission of author. All Rights Reserved.