Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2005 11:27:06 -0700 (PDT) From: K B <angeldaybreak@yahoo.com> Subject: Cathy's Quest You guys know the drill...This story is my creation and may not be altered in any way. My characters and all the surrounding events are fictional and any similarities are strictly coincidental. If you find that my writing offends you...stop reading! Now, with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the story and I welcome your comments. Cathy stood motionless, still trying to derive some meaning from the voicemail message she'd received from Katrina. Phrases from the message were all that were swirling about in her mind..."this isn't working...we need to move on...I'm just not ready." Cathy and Katrina had been together for almost 6 months, and Cathy thought that everything was fine...great, in fact. The two had discussed moving in together and Katrina seemed just as eager as Cathy did at the thought. Since they had both had disastrous relationships in the past, this one had been a welcome relief. They had met at a party, each stealing glances at the other throughout the evening, compelling Cathy to contemplate her approach. Katrina was adorable in Cathy's eyes...her long, brown hair and her piercing hazel eyes were mesmerizing. The charmingly graceful way in which she moved about the room drew attention from everyone, it seemed, but Cathy was determined to make this angelic creature hers. She grabbed two drinks and made her journey across the room to meet this vision that was Katrina. Handing a drink to Katrina, she said, "I saw those beautiful eyes of yours and decided that I had to meet you. My name is Cathy, what's yours?" Katrina was not unaccustomed to such introductions...she knew she was uncommonly beautiful. Unfortunately, she'd had more than her fair share of overtly crude advances and she found herself tentatively accepting the drink Cathy offered her, ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. She hated that she always reverted to feeling so cynical, but too many had tried to take advantage of her otherwise caring and trusting tendencies. She chose to ignore Cathy's reference to her eyes, "I'm Katrina. Are you enjoying the party?" she replied rather coldly. "I am now that I've met you, "Cathy responded, causing Katrina's defenses to become that much more heightened. "Look, "Katrina started, "I've been through this too many times to count, so if you're only interested in a quick fuck, you're talking to the wrong person." She started to turn and walk off when Cathy stopped her, grabbing hold of her arm. "Hold on! It's obvious you've had some bad experiences, and I apologize for the tacky line I laid on you, but I really am a pleasant person and I'd love to just go and get a cup of coffee or something and talk...if that sounds good to you." Katrina had to admit that the feel of Cathy's hand on her arm was warm and inviting, despite her misgivings about the situation. She allowed a small smile to creep across her face, "Ok, coffee it is, "she agreed, and the two headed to a small coffeehouse near the party. The two exchanged small talk at first, and when Cathy felt that Katrina was feeling comfortable, she reached across the table and caressed her hand. They continued to discuss their various failed relationships. Cathy's lover had moved on to greener pastures with seemingly no regard for what the two had shared over the course of a 2 year relationship. Likewise, Katrina had her own painful experience when the woman she thought loved her turned out to only be using her for her temporary enjoyment. They talked and talked until they realized the evening had turned into a very late night. Although they seemed to be comfortable with each other, Cathy was still a bit apprehensive about asking Katrina to her place. She opted to go ahead and go for broke, however, "It's really late Kat, would you like to come to my place and continue our conversation?" she asked, hoping her question wouldn't be too off-putting. Cathy was pleasantly surprised when Katrina acquiesced and agreed to accompany Cathy. They took their respective vehicles, Katrina following Cathy to her home. As she drove, Katrina couldn't help but ask herself why she was stepping into yet another opportunity to be hurt. She hadn't come to the party looking for anything other than having a good time, yet here she was, on her way to another woman's home. There was something about Cathy though; something that made Katrina think that this would turn out differently. A calm settled over her as she pulled into Cathy's driveway. Once inside, Cathy poured some wine as Katrina made herself comfortable in the living room. The two seemed to pick their earlier conversation up with ease. They discussed everything, getting to know one another better and better as the early morning hours passed. Inevitably, their conversation came to an uncomfortable respite, and an awkwardness began to set in. With the same resolve that had motivated her to approach Katrina in the first place, Cathy reached out a hand and lightly stroked Katrina's cheek. She responded with a concentrated gaze into Cathy's eyes, letting her guard down if only for a moment and allowing Cathy to see the passion that was rising within her. Inwardly, she knew she might be making a mistake by showing her vulnerability, but she was willing to take a chance on Cathy. Cathy needed no other sign from Katrina, and she leaned in for a slow but deep and passionate kiss. Katrina fell into it instantly, allowing Cathy to part her lips and roll her tongue roughly inside her mouth. An almost guttural cry made its way from Katrina as she continued to melt into Cathy's kiss. Nothing in the world seemed to matter at that moment except for the exotic feel of Cathy's mouth on hers. Cathy was completely lost in kissing this woman...the feel of her lips was so much more than comforting and she felt her passion beginning to rise. Unable to keep her hands off this vision of beauty, Cathy began massaging Katrina's breasts, kneading each one in turn and tweaking her nipples. She grasped the bottom of Katrina's blouse and seductively raised it up and over her head, revealing a delicate, lacy bra. Cathy gasped at the sight of the beauty before her and began placing kisses over the exposed flesh as she unhooked and removed the bra. Katrina's head was spinning with the influx of sensations. She moaned loudly as Cathy administered her soft and delicate kisses to her wanton flesh. As Cathy moved to her now exposed breasts, she arched her back in an attempt to press as much as she could into Cathy's warm and loving mouth. She delighted in the careful attention Cathy paid to her stiff nipples and almost jumped out of her skin when a small nip was applied. She wanted, no, needed this but hadn't let herself succumb to anyone's advances before tonight. The heavenly twinges rocketing through her body were beyond amazing, making her moan and squirm uncontrollably. Cathy was enjoying the response from Katrina and continued to move her mouth further down, brushing her ribs with her hands as she moved. Arriving where Katrina's naked flesh met the top of her pants, Cathy rose up and removed them...all the while fixated on Katrina's eyes. She ran a single finger against the silk of Katrina's panties, causing her to throw her head back and squeal. Slowly, she slid the panties down, being sure to graze her thighs with her fingertips as she did. Once the obstacles were out of the way, Cathy gently but insistently opened Katrina's legs. Katrina found herself trembling in anticipation as Cathy ran her tongue along the inside of each thigh. She heard herself cry out; "Please!" when Cathy settled between her legs...her mouth inches away from her now sopping pussy. Cathy smiled as she placed her hand atop Katrina's pussy, pulling so as to reveal the clit that so desperately needed attention. She dipped her head and ran a flattened tongue along Katrina's slit, carefully avoiding her clit and resulting in a loud moan of longing. She slowly inserted two fingers into Katrina's hole, crossing them and eliciting more moans as Katrina began to buck her hips. Cathy started to plunge her fingers in and out before flicking Katrina's clit with her tongue. Instantly, Katrina's hands went to the back of Cathy's head...urging her on. Cathy increased her pace and enveloped Katrina's clit in her mouth, pulling at it with her lips and sucking it like a straw. Katrina was in another world, climbing higher and higher to what she knew was going to be the climax of her life. She was speaking only in unintelligible grunts and groans when she felt Cathy's finger caressing her rosebud. It was when Cathy clamped down on her clit, though, that Katrina came violently...thrashing about and screaming loudly. Cathy struggled to hang on as she moved her mouth to collect Katrina's honey. She licked and sucked as Katrina rode out her orgasm and slowly returned to earth. Moving back up Katrina's body, she met her lips and their tongues danced passionately. Without any warning, Katrina rolled Cathy over and tore at her clothes, determined to completely ravish her body. She pressed her mouth to Cathy's and forced her lips open...wanting to explore every crevasse she could find. Moving down to her chest, Katrina devoured Cathy's breasts...leaving not even an inch untouched by her mouth. Hungrily, she continued to kiss and lick her way to Cathy's now throbbing mound. Cathy couldn't believe what was happening. This goddess who had seemed so distant and aloof was quickly bringing her to the heights of pleasure. She felt Katrina's lips opening her up, searching for that button of paradise, and moaned with uncontrollable pleasure when it was found. Katrina's talented lips and tongue wreaked havoc on Cathy's clit and it wasn't long before she exploded with a scream sure to be heard two blocks away. The two spent the early morning hours entwined, sleeping deeply in an effort to recover from the intense pleasure they had each experienced. Over the course of the following months, they fell more and more in love with each other and finally decided that they should move in together. It was following their discussion about moving in that Katrina had called and left her message on Cathy's voicemail. Fearing that her heart had once again been painfully broken, Cathy collapsed in a sobbing heap...not knowing what to think about Katrina's sudden change of heart. She lay on the cold tile floor crying endlessly, wishing she could come up with some way to change Katrina's mind. Perhaps she just wasn't meant to find happiness with another...maybe she was just destined to spend life alone. She finally pulled herself off the floor and stumbled to bed, figuring that some sleep would bring some clarity to the situation. She told herself she'd try to give Katrina some sense of assurance tomorrow as she drifted off to sleep. Sleeping didn't seem to help Cathy in her quest to win Katrina's heart. She spent the night tossing and turning, visions of Katrina completely consuming her every thought. It took every ounce of energy Cathy could muster just to convince herself to get out her bed once morning finally arrived. She stood in the shower still trying to come up some brilliant approach to take with Katrina...a magical string of words that would somehow compel her to rethink her decision. It seemed, though, the more she thought over the situation, the more completely befuddled she became. Part of her wanted to jump in her car and go straight to Katrina for a face-to-face discussion, while the other part was terrified of saying or doing anything that might end in driving Katrina even further away. Sitting down at her computer, she began typing a message, feeling that maybe this was the best way to break the proverbial ice that seemed to have formed between them. "Damn!" she said, suddenly. "I almost got her to move in with me and now I'm sending her an email? What is the matter with me?" she wondered aloud, all too aware that there was no one nearby who would answer. She paced about the room, struggling against what should have seemed to be the easiest, most logical conclusion. In the depths of her heart and in the soul of her mind, she knew she must speak openly and honestly with Katrina. She also knew that the only thing keeping her from doing just that was pure, unadulterated fear; not just the fear of losing Katrina, but the fear of being hurt...again. With great trepidation, Cathy picked up the phone and slowly dialed Katrina's number. "Hello?" Katrina answered, with the same heaviness in her voice that Cathy had heard in the message she'd left. Cathy hated hearing that in her voice, a voice that was usually so chipper and full of life. "Hi, Kat, it's me," Cathy replied, "I got your message, and I think we need to talk." Katrina let a small sigh escape before saying, "Yes, I owe you that much. It's just that..." Cathy stopped her there, "No Kat, not on the phone," she managed to utter with a noticeable tremble in her voice. She paused for a moment and tried to regain her composure, "Can we meet at the coffeehouse?" she asked, hopefully. After a brief pause, Katrina answered, "Ok. I can meet you there at seven tonight. Will that work?" "Seven it is," Cathy answered, "I'll see you then. Bye." She needed the conversation to stop there. Any more and she was sure to lose what little composure she had left. -------------- The day seemed to drag for Katrina. She wanted to give Cathy some explanation, but after hearing her voice earlier that morning, she became filled with nothing but dread, which soon changed to an emptiness that she couldn't fathom. She heard the slight tremble in Cathy's voice and it pained her knowing her words were the cause of it. Over the previous months, she had allowed herself to grow closer than she ever had to a lover. She always held a little of herself in reserve, so to speak, and had never fully given her heart to anyone. As the day continued to drag, Katrina replayed some moments from the previous six months. She recalled the time Cathy had surprised her with a weekend trip to the mountains and all of the thoughtful considerations Cathy had made with her in mind. Katrina never liked the idea of camping, unless it meant pitching a tent inside a suite in a nice hotel. Cathy had rented a fully furnished cabin for the two of them and took special care to have all the amenities that she knew Katrina would need in order to feel relaxed and comfortable. Her mind lingered over visions of the two making love for hours on end in that cabin, the snow-capped mountains as their backdrop. She remembered that it was then she realized how well she and Cathy fit, almost as if their bodies had been specially created to perfectly fill every need in the other. Katrina closed her eyes as she recalled the feel of Cathy's skin as she ran her hands down her back. She could almost feel the softness and warmth of Cathy's lips against her own and remembered with longing the comfort she gleaned from this connection she seemed to have with her. The feeling of Cathy's stiff nipples between her fingers became almost real as Katrina allowed her mind to remain in her memory of this moment. She kissed her way down Cathy's abdomen, stopping briefly to tease her navel, before arriving at the top of her mound. Lowering her head, she took in a long breath, allowing Cathy's intoxicating scent to swirl about her mind. She gently parted Cathy's lips, slipping her tongue in between her folds and tasting her sweetness. Her tongue soon found Cathy's waiting clit and began circling it while she plunged her fingers deeply into her. Her pace quickened as she drove Cathy closer and closer to an orgasm, which came with such fury it consumed and almost overwhelmed Katrina's senses. The chiming of the clock broke Katrina's train of thought as it reminded her she was to meet Cathy in only four more hours. Somehow, she would have to come up with a way to explain her sudden change of heart. The problem was, the more she thought about their exploits, the harder it was for her to remember what was causing her hesitancy. ------------------- Cathy wandered about her living room aimlessly. She had tried to waste some time by prolonging her earlier errands, to no avail. She had absolutely no idea what could have caused Katrina to bail on their relationship. Katrina had been completely upfront with her initial fears and concerns when their relationship began, but Cathy thought she'd done all she could to allay those fears. In fact, her own fears about stepping into another relationship...another opportunity for her heart to be shattered...had been quashed, although momentarily as she found herself on the verge of being wounded. Things had been going so well, she thought. She remembered the events of the previous week, when Katrina talked her into going dancing. Cathy had rhythm, but she always felt like a contemporary version of Frankenstein...stiff and very tense, when it came to dancing. Katrina had arranged a very mysterious evening for the two of them, telling Cathy only that she should dress comfortably and meet her at one of their favorite clubs. When Cathy arrived, she was introduced to a dance instructor who'd been hired by Katrina for a couple of hours before the club opened for the evening. By the time she was finished working with the instructor, she had learned a few moves she felt comfortable with. Katrina had brought clothes for them to wear once the club opened and had even secured a dressing room for them. Cathy recalled how she felt so grateful to have someone who loved and cared for her enough to consider her insecurities the way Katrina did. A mischievous grin sneaked across her face as she remembered grabbing Katrina in the dressing room and "helping" her out of her clothes. She recalled the surprise in Katrina's face as she engulfed each nipple in her mouth, circling each one in turn, as Katrina wiggled out of her jeans and panties. Cathy then cradled Katrina's pussy in one hand while continuing to attend to her breasts. She thrust two fingers into Katrina and used her palm to give stimulation to her clit. Cathy remembered letting Katrina ride her hand as she whispered sweetly in her ear, until she threw her head back and let out a scream, quickly muffled by Cathy's free hand. Cathy's daydream was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She glanced at the caller ID, saw that it was most likely a solicitation, and chose not to answer. She also noticed the time...six o'clock. Only one more hour, she thought. ------------------ Katrina's wall clocked announced the time in six seemingly endless chimes. The hours she'd spent in introspection had led her to the conclusion that Cathy really did love her. She also came to realize that if she hadn't let her fear and petty cautiousness take over, however briefly, she'd be hiring movers and boxing up all her belongings...ready to begin her life with Cathy. Then it hit her. What if she'd hopelessly derailed things by letting fear take its foothold? What if she'd done to Cathy the very thing she was so afraid someone would do to her? Her mind was made up now, and Katrina knew that she couldn't show up at the coffeehouse empty-handed. She ran into the bathroom to freshen herself up, grabbed her keys and headed to the bookstore around the corner. She knew that Cathy loved Jane Austen and noticed that the only novel missing from her bookshelf was Sense and Sensibility. She stopped in, bought a copy of the book, and made her way to the coffeehouse with only minutes to spare. ------------------ Cathy knew that the time had come and her meeting with Katrina was only about thirty minutes away. While she dreaded the thought of losing Katrina, she decided that she would respect whatever decision she made. She straightened her clothes and spruced up her face before heading to meet Katrina. As she walked toward the coffeehouse, Cathy thought more and more about how much she really loved Katrina. She further determined that this time she wasn't going to sit back and watch this woman walk out of her life...she was going to fight like hell to keep her. Glancing at her watch, Cathy saw that she only had a few minutes before their appointed meeting time. She hurriedly surveyed the block and spotted a flower shop across the street. She crossed the street and entered the store looking not for the first bouquet of flowers she laid eyes on, but for the bouquet. And there it was; a bouquet of roses, stargazer lilies and snapdragons, surrounded by the perfect greens and other trimmings. She bought the bouquet and rushed out to get to the coffeehouse in time. ---------------------- Katrina arrived at the coffeehouse and found a secluded table. She stared at the book in her hands, praying that its purchase would help her convey the desire she longed to express. She ordered coffee for herself and Cathy and waited with great anticipation for Cathy's arrival. In glancing at the book she'd bought, she dropped a napkin onto the floor. She bent to pick it up and, when she returned to her upright position, was greeted with the most beautiful floral bouquet she had ever seen. Behind the bouquet was Cathy, sheepishly smiling so as not to draw attention to her slightly quivering bottom lip. Katrina accepted the bouquet and threw her arms around Cathy's neck, "I'm so sorry I've put you through this," she whispered in Cathy's ear. Cathy pulled back and looked at Katrina questioningly. Katrina motioned for her to sit. She began to pour everything out...about her fears and about how she had let them get the better of her. Cathy could sense the tone of contrition in Katrina's voice and while looking into those eyes of hers, she found herself filled not with anger or hurt, but with compassion and love. She raised a finger to Katrina's lips and said, "Shhh. I understand, Kat. " Katrina's eyes began to fill with tears as Cathy continued, "You haven't lost me, my love." After a few moments of silent weeping, both knew even without speaking that there were going to be boxes and a moving van in the very near future. Katrina suddenly remembered the book she'd bought, "Oh, sweetie, I almost forgot. I just didn't think I would be able to live in a home with an incomplete Jane Austen collection," she said as she handed the book to Cathy. Cathy looked up at Katrina and smiled, "How about we forget about the coffee and get out of here?" she suggested. Katrina grabbed her flowers and replied, "I thought you'd never ask!"