Stolen Moments Read online

  “Let me start by saying the bloods we drew last week look excellent. You are officially in remission. There’s no sign of the cancer anywhere. And now that the chemo is over, your blood cell counts are back within the normal range.”

  “Thank God,” Allyn breathed around the lump in her throat.

  “Lie down, then, and let me have a look at you…”

  After fifteen minutes of being poked and prodded, she was allowed to sit up.

  “I’m very pleased, Allyn. At this point, I think it’s safe to go three months before your next battery of tests.”

  “Are there any limitations as to what I can do?”

  “Not a one.” The doctor patted her arm. “Just listen to your body—it will tell you what it can handle.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Weiss. You’ve been wonderful through all this. Thanks for making an unbearable situation bearable.”

  He smiled at her. “Allyn, you’re a very special young woman. You remind me of my daughter—never lets anything keep her down.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “As it was meant. Okay, you know the drill. Flip this switch over here,” he indicated a red light switch on the wall near the door, “when you’re ready to leave so the nurses will know the room’s free. They’re forever on my case for forgetting to tell patients to do that.”

  Allyn smiled. “Don’t worry, I promise to protect you from the big, bad nurses.”

  “As if. See you in three months.”

  When he was gone, Allyn reached behind her to untie the knot at the back of her neck. She started when the door opened.

  “I could help you with that.”

  Trystan stepped into the room and closed the door decisively behind her.

  Unconsciously, Allyn backed up a step and licked her suddenly dry lips.

  Trystan moved toward her, her eyes watching intently.

  Allyn stumbled slightly as the backs of her legs bumped into the examining table.

  Trystan laughed and continued relentlessly toward her quarry.

  “Um, I—I’ve got it,” Allyn stuttered.

  “I can see that, but I’d still like to help.” Trystan was within touching distance now. “Will you let me?”

  Allyn’s eyes flicked to the red switch. It was still in the “on” position.

  Seemingly reading her thoughts, Trystan purred, “As long as that switch is on, the light outside will stay lit and no one will bother us.”

  “If—if it stays on too long, won’t people be suspicious?”

  Trystan brushed a stray lock of hair from Allyn’s face. “Do you always worry so much?”

  “Can’t say that I’ve ever been in a position to worry about something quite like this before.”

  “No? That’s a shame—a beautiful, desirable woman like you. I would have thought you’d have dozens of women begging you to take them.”

  Allyn blushed and looked down. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

  “On the contrary. I’m happy to have you to myself.” She moved so that their bodies were touching lightly. With her fingers, she lifted Allyn’s face to hers.

  It was the eyes that were Allyn’s undoing—dark brown and teeming with lustful intent. When Trystan’s lips glided across hers, she felt herself melting.

  “You have such soft lips. Very sexy.” Trystan framed Allyn’s face with her hands and kissed her a second time. As Allyn’s lips parted to admit her tongue, Trystan moaned her delight.

  Allyn felt the deft fingers release the remaining knot holding the back of the gown closed and knew a moment’s panic. “Don’t…”

  “Shh. It’s okay.”

  “I have a scar.”

  Trystan stilled her hands momentarily. “In my culture, scars are considered part of the body’s beauty. They are reminders of the body’s journey and its remarkable ability to heal.” As carefully as if she were handling a frightened doe, Trystan lifted the gown from Allyn’s shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

  Reverently, she cupped Allyn’s breasts in her hands, rubbing her fingertips over the hardening nipples. Slowly, she lowered her head and brushed her lips over the vivid red line around the side of the left breast.

  Allyn shuddered.

  “Is this all right?”

  “Mmm-hmm.” Allyn was unable to formulate words. A single tear trickled down her cheek.

  Trystan pulled back to look into eyes clouded with doubt, uncertainty, and fear. Understanding, she said, “I want you. Right here, right now.” Her gaze roamed hotly over Allyn’s slim, but fit, form. “You are perfect.”

  “I—”

  Allyn’s words were silenced by a soul-scorching kiss.

  “I’m going to show you just how I feel about your body.”

  Trystan lifted Allyn effortlessly and laid her gently on the

  examining table. She leaned forward and pressed her mouth hard against the thin cotton that covered Allyn’s mound.

  Allyn closed her eyes, gasping as wetness soaked the material. Her body pushed forward, quite without her permission, seeking more.

  Trystan stepped back and waited for Allyn’s eyes to open. When they did, she moved her hands seductively to the drawstring of her scrubs, untied the knot, and let the pants drop soundlessly. Top and bra followed, leaving her standing in her silk panties. Without shifting her eyes from Allyn’s, she ran strong fingers down her own body, dipping them into her center.

  Allyn was mesmerized.

  Trystan removed her fingers, brought them to her lips, and sucked them inside, her eyes still riveted on Allyn. “You make me so wet.”

  “I do?”

  “Oh, yes.” She stepped deliberately out of her panties and touched herself again, this time offering a moist finger for Allyn to sample. “See what looking at your body does to me?”

  “Mmm.” Allyn savored the taste on her tongue. Before she could pull Trystan to her, she was out of reach.

  “Not yet. I have too many things I want to do to you first.”

  When Allyn felt cool air caress her triangle and an insistent tongue stroke her clitoris, she was lost. The first orgasm flowed over her like a warm summer rain. She had little time to savor the moment, however, as the feeling of tongue and teeth scraping across her nipples brought her body instantly to attention once again.

  Trystan was above her now, one thigh pressing unrelentingly into her center. Their mouths fused together, bound by the heat of desire. Any self-consciousness Allyn felt was washed away on the wave of the second orgasm. She wrapped her legs around Trystan’s waist, pushing her throbbing center against abdominal muscles slick with sweat. “I want to please you.”

  “And I want you to, so that works out nicely.”

  “I want to touch you everywhere. I want you to feel the way I do.”

  Allyn sat up, forcing Trystan to rise up on her knees. Spent though she was, Allyn was ravenous for her. She cupped Trystan’s mound with her palm, adjusting so that her fingers played fleetingly over a swollen clit.

  “God. Please.” Trystan’s head lolled onto Allyn’s shoulder.

  Allyn smoothed a hand over Trystan’s back, continuing down until her fingers played at the puckered opening. She reached down farther, gathered moisture from Trystan’s center, and returned to the opening, pushing lightly in a gentle plea for admittance.

  “Yes, baby. Oh, yes.” Trystan rose higher, inviting Allyn to go deeper.

  Strong muscles tensed around her fingers as Allyn explored Trystan’s depths. She used her thumb to stroke Trystan from clit to center. Her mouth nipped at a supple neck and throat. Her other hand pinched a nipple made achingly tight with want.

  The power of the explosion, when it came seconds later, rocked them both, leaving them breathless. They clung together, their pulsing bodies searching for equilibrium in a world turned upside down by passion.

  When she could talk, Trystan asked, “Are you okay?”

  Allyn, newly confident, pulled back to look into Trystan’s eyes. She sm
iled. “Now this is what I call a full-service doctor’s office.”

  The laugh was rich and full. “We do try to please.”

  “Oh, better give me the satisfaction survey now, then, before I forget the details.”

  “I’m forgettable, am I?”

  Allyn ran her fingers along Trystan’s jaw line. “No, somehow I don’t think so.”

  “Good,” Trystan said, “because I know I’ll never forget you.” She rose, kissed Allyn sweetly on the tip of her nose, and dressed.

  As Trystan was about to leave, Allyn restrained her with a hand on her arm. “Thank you—for helping me reclaim myself and my sexuality.”

  “Believe me, it wasn’t exactly a hardship. I meant what I said—you are a very beautiful woman.” Trystan leaned forward for one more kiss on the mouth.

  Halfway out the door, she added, “Oh, and don’t forget to flip the switch on your way out. The nurses hate it when patients forget that.” The sound of joyous laughter followed her as she made her way down the hall.

  The Newest Wrangler

  Clio Jones

  I was the newest wrangler on the Lazy J ranch. I’m not sure why I thought I could do this work. As a girl, I’d ridden horses and I’d loved the power horses had. It was more powerful than anything I knew, until some ten years later I discovered the power women had over me. Femmes in particular, and then Lisa, who’d been my partner until a rather rude awakening a couple of months ago. After Lisa left me, I just about became a one-woman museum to the past of our happy relationship. My friends put up with me for so long, and then they got tough. What I needed, they said, was to get out of town. They didn’t really care where. Or how. Or who I met there, as long as she was sexy and took my mind off one certain femme.

  The Lazy J was one of the only ranches to use queer-friendly language. I figured enough dykes had cowboy fetishes that some queer ladies would pass through here on a summer trip. I’d made sure to find someplace that would take a lesbian wrangler. Now I just needed to find someone who would fuck one, before I got back to Chicago and my wondering friends.

  The ranch was amazing, though. The Wyoming countryside was gorgeous. If you wanted something breathtaking, I could take you on one of the many trails that wound through thick pine forests up the hillside, lush with midsummer flowers. Columbines, yarrow, and buckwheat nestled together in clumps. I’d learned to identify them quickly, because the guests always asked to enhance their wildlife experience. Nameless streams slid around the trails, from snow runoff and the mountain lakes that lay tucked away like little turquoise and hematite gems the tourist shops sold. On a warm day, I’d nap in the sun when we got a break and fantasize about the time Lisa and I made love in a meadow. We’d almost gotten caught, but it had been worth it. Lisa. Shit.

  A new batch of tourists and horses was coming the next day. We often traded stock with some of the other ranches. Every time we got a new load in, all the wranglers would be busy fitting the saddles and watching the new riders to make sure we didn’t have any major accidents waiting to happen. For me, this usually meant a lot of mucking out stalls, getting up early to feed the horses, and staying late to clean up at the end of the day. In a few more weeks, if all went well, I’d be leading rides and leaving the dirty work to one of the fourteen-year-old local boys who hung out at the ranch.

  First thing in the morning I met Kim, a perky blond wrangler with a California accent who looked like she’d been airlifted in from a boardwalk in L.A. Serious actress type. I knew she was going to be trouble when the first thing she said was, “Welcome. You’ve been here a while, I guess, but I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you. Look forward to working with you.” I prefer the cowboys. Usually, they just grunt hello and leave me well enough alone, and if I have a question they don’t make me feel like an idiot.

  “I’m sure you won’t see me much,” I said to Kim, then turned back to organizing the tack room.

  “You’re going to be my shadow for the week,” she said. “Coming on all my rides. Dan said so.”

  “I doubt it,” I said. Dan was the head wrangler, and he hadn’t told me anything about this girl.

  “Helen, right?” she said, stepping in close. Her eyes were gray, with a little flash of brown near the pupil. Real interesting eyes. She was wearing a little tank top with a men’s flannel, unbuttoned, over it. Probably her boyfriend’s shirt. I could see a thin tan line where a necklace used to be, but the rest of her was golden and freckled. I let my eyes take in the rest of her—strong, wide legs, nice hips, and a little bit of cleavage showing. “You are Helen, right?” she said, giving a big smile that showed her perfect teeth.

  “Yes,” I said, a little ashamed to have been caught staring. I held out a hand, but she had turned away.

  “Great,” she said, looking back at me with a playful smirk on her face. “Then you can give me a hand with the horses so I can hit the Jacuzzi before dinner.” I followed her, shaking my head. For a minute, I thought she was teasing me, but she clearly had her mind on something else. I’d have to find Dan before dinner and see if he could have me changed to one of the guys. I didn’t want to make small talk with Kim halfway up the side of a mountain while yuppies from Seattle talked about the rustic ranch environment. Not at all.

  The guests arrived in time for dinner, and my mood only worsened from there. So far, the guests had been decent, and some very sweet. But now we had the weepy recent divorcée and her embarrassed teenage son, two retired couples from Nevada, a family of five from Maine, and two gay men from Miami who looked somewhat shell-shocked. I was pretty sure none of these people would have anything to say on the trail, which might make them ask me why I was here. Or leave me open for more really fun talk with Kim about her perky, perfect life. I mumbled something about an early start and slunk off after Dan, who was nowhere to be found.

  “Do you take it black?” Kim asked the next morning. “I thought you would. I brought us coffee.”

  “I bet you don’t even need coffee in the morning,” I grumbled. Then I relented. “That’s sweet of you. Where are you planning on taking them for your first ride?”

  “Our first ride,” she said. “We’re in this together.” I bit my tongue on the sassy remarks and followed her out of the barn. She’d made a chart of which horses to saddle up. She pointed to a blue sliver on the map: Prairie Star. It was a short, woody trail, with a nice meadow and a couple of scenic waterfalls. One of my favorites, actually.

  “I’m impressed,” I said.

  “Good. Drink up, though, cause we’re going to have to spark some life into this little group.” Then she smacked my ass with a crop as she strode into the barn and began leading out the horses. I nearly spit my coffee out. This girl—I just couldn’t get a handle on her. She was so cocky. So sure of what I wanted, which was the weird part.

  The Prairie Star trail ride was better than we thought it would be. The gay couple got talking to the retirees about Miami RV parks, and the Maine mom went after the divorcée to plan a shopping trip for western wear. I let Kim talk, figuring she’d lose interest in me if we got this part over with. When we got to the meadow, Kim and I tied up the horses. The dudes trickled off to eat their picnic lunches. I figured I’d have about an hour for a nap, which was good. My body ached.

  “Come here,” Kim said. “There’s something I want to show you.” She took my hand in hers and strode off across the meadow. She was wearing men’s jeans, a striped shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a black felt cowboy hat. The hat cast shadows across her face, so I couldn’t read her. The field was quiet until I heard the rush of water growing steadily louder. I hadn’t seen any streams near here.

  “No one knows about this,” Kim said. “I like to keep it that way, but you looked so sore and tired.”

  “No worse than usual,” I said.

  “Don’t try to hide it. Keep hiding everything from me, Helen, and we’re never going to be friends.”

  “We’re not—” I began, but shut my mouth when
we disappeared into the trees to see water rushing down a rock face, crashing to the ground several hundred feet below. I hadn’t noticed the trail went up so high. “It’s lovely,” I said.

  “Just like you,” she said, coming up behind me. Now her hat cast shadows on me. When her hands circled my hips, my body stiffened. “I know what you think of me. It’s not true, though, you’ll see.”

  “What do I think?” I asked, trying not to gasp as her hands moved up to finger my nipples. She pulled lightly on them, rubbing with her fingers against the thick cloth of my shirt.

  “You think I’m some ditz,” Kim said. She bit me on the back of the neck, a warning. Light. Playful. “You think I’m the friendliest, dumbest wrangler yet. You don’t think I’m strong enough—” Another bite, this time falling on my shoulder and sinking deeper. A shock of pain rippled through my already sore muscle. I tried not to wince. Simultaneously, her hands tugged harder at my breasts, kneading the skin sharply. “But I can hurt you. Much more than she did—whoever it was, the little bitch that broke your heart.”

  “Lisa,” I said.

  “Fuck ’em,” she said. “How’s this for the surprise of a lifetime?”

  I meant to yell. I meant to ask her who she was for coming up on me like this, and that we could get fired for this. I surprised myself altogether by saying, instead, “Let me.”

  “Let you what?” Kim laughed. “Always the gentleman, huh, feel like you have to reciprocate? This is just a tease, cowboy. I want you to spend the rest of the afternoon thinking about me. Riding in your saddle, rocking back and forth, thinking about my body hiding under all these clothes. I want you to be so wet you’re trembling and you can’t wait for dinner to be over so you can find me in the cabin. Or the hot tub. Or the pasture. We can fuck in all three places, I don’t mind.” With that, Kim was gone.

  True to her words, I did suffer on the long ride back from Prairie Star. I forced myself to ride at the end of the line, so far behind Kim that I could not even hear the chipper twang of her vowels. I struck up a conversation with the Miami men about the scene in Florida. Yet I still felt a light, ghostly touch of her hands on my breasts, and my lips, dry and chapped, twitched to kiss her sweetly while I unfastened her belt and let the Wyoming wind tickle her bare ass as my hands busied themselves in her wet cunt.