The Damaged Steps

*** Chapter 3. All Aboard.

She did not want to be here right now, not on this cruise ship. Nor did she want to go back to her girlfriend, Laura.
Nonetheless, Kerry was feeling homesick, even among an enjoyable group of travel colleagues, who shared her love of her profession. She longed for her maisonette, her bedroom and the comfort of a life shared with Natalie, in her dressing gown and PJs, on their couch.

She had slipped away from the throng, no longer interested in looking for companionship, or trying to make do with her girlfriend of 2 years. She decided she no longer cared enough to continue that romance as she was just... NOT in love with Laura. She also had enough of the shallow life of picking up a girl in every dance gala, holiday resort or in her gym.
None of it was working any more.
So here she was, lying on a bed of a luxurious Cruise Liner, alone, tired and more than a little cranky.

She decided she needed to masturbate so she could get to sleep. When alone this was a release valve for her, and normally didn’t take too much time to achieve. She knew that by releasing the magic oxytosin in her system she could get to sleep quickly, thereby keeping all of the past ten years of intrusive images of her friend’s 36Cs and sexy behind at bay.
She rubbed her décolletage cream around her breasts and shoulders, feeling tenseness in her neck and shoulder muscles. She decided to concentrate as she moved a hand to her panties. Her favourite TV girl was Maura Isles, from the Rissoli and Isles programme, her favourite fantasy woman, and had been her favourite “go to girl”. She recalled her favourite Maura scenes but as she moved to her pussy lips, she found to her annoyance that even her fantasy was just not working.

She stretched back on the bed, now more frustrated than ever, growling in annoyance, and further away from sleep.

She decided to try one more time, trying to encourage her cunny only to find an image of Natalie in tight cream slacks and a barely noticeable thong bent over the Couch with the remote control. Suddenly she could feel herself moisten up.
She pulled away in dismay. She had never done that, and was not about to rub her lady garden to images of her dearest friend. But very intrusive images of Natalie, coming out of the shower, with the tops of her breasts showing, did not help one bit. She groaned.

Her hand could feel even more moisture down there. So she decided just this once to let her mind loose to find its own images that she could get aroused to. She thought about what colour nipples Natalie might have, and what size would they get to if she tweaked them. All of a sudden her cunny was running with her own juices and she was able to freely push her fingers in. Wondering if Natalie shaved her cunny and what it would taste like added further lubrication all over her fingers. An erotic image of Natalie fingering herself as well was all it took to push her over the edge.

It was so powerful that she blacked out with the intensity of her orgasm and this took her into a relaxed slumber, which turned into deep sleep rapidly.

As she slept to the gentle rocking motion of the cruise liner, her dream slowly took shape, disjointedly, but unforgettable. She was dressed in a tuxedo out dancing with Natalie, who was so sexy looking in a shimmering dress with long silk gloves and her hair in a chignon. Her dream took her off to an elegant new apartment. She was then out shopping happily looking for a “new look”. She remembered that she knew Natalie’s ring size. She spend a long time in jewellers shops looking for a special ring, and found it in an antique jewellers, an exact shade of green, and only that shade would do! .

She woke up with a start, accepting that although she was no Miss Marple, she knew very well what the dream meant.
She realised that the last year of frustration was for only one reason.

***

As Kerry wended her way back to Manchester, she pondered why it was that Natalie had never met her dream girl. And as she wondered, she hoped, and started to cry with emotion. She so wanted to believe, as she cursed herself for her own stupidity in not realising sooner how she felt.

They were friends for so long that they knew each other’s tells so well. She knew Natalie so well that she could tell that Natalie and her were getting closer, but she had never dared hope. She accepted that she had been a fool for so long, too afraid to make even the slightest move.

Did she have any chance of winning Natalie over?
Her own “Never say die attitude” kicked in. She was not going to die wondering. She knew that to be fair to her current girlfriend she would have to break off that relationship first.

With all of her skill at planning holidays, she was going to go all out for somewhere special for Natalie, where they could be alone. How could she indicate that she was interested in becoming more than friends?
What way would Natalie react, would she scare her off if she got romantic?
How could she even attempt to seduce Natalie, she had already told her.... in inglorious detail...... how she went about it!

*** Chapter 4. The Split.

“Laura, we need to talk, this is just not working for me”
So began Kerry’s apologetic explanation to a very tearful girlfriend, in Salford.
Heedless of Laura’s pleas to give her a chance, and a rant in which all of Kerry’s shortcomings as a girlfriend were laid bare, Kerry’s exasperation turned to action.

With one last swift sentence of apology, she quickly packed up her few overnight belongings, and called a taxi to bring her back to her maisonette. There she found Natalie, looking a little shocked and embarrassed to see her back so soon. She put it down to the fact that Natalie was wearing a sweater of hers.
As they sat on the sofa, Kerry munched on some of Manchester’s best hand-made chocolates.
“As you can see from my bag in the hall Nat, I have come from Laura’s place. While I was away I decided to end things as I just do not love her, and need to move on. I also decided that I am going to change. No more quick romances for this Yorkshire Lass, I have had enough to last a lifetime. I know I was not a good girlfriend to Laura, and she made it abundantly clear that I let her down, very badly. I am ashamed to say that she was right”

Natalie, although secretly thrilled, did her best to hide her delight, and commiserated with Kerry. As she finished a beer, she hugged Kerry close to her. She was surprised to find that Kerry’s nipples, unfettered by a bra, were so prominent. She gloried in Kerry’s unique scent, a body wash of sensual musky oriental fragrances that always got to her.

Overcome by a sudden urge to kiss Kerry’s neck she broke the hug and quickly offered tea, which she knew Kerry could not resist, especially with chocolate biscuits. This had always been a medicinal aid when dealing with the emotions of Kerry’s broken romances. Over tea, Kerry broached the subject of getting away together for a one week break, which Natalie heartily agreed with.
“I have a week’s holidays due so you can organise it for us Kerry, I will go wherever you can set up. We can drive in Daisy. She has just been serviced so needs a good run.”

The next morning, Kerry used her travel nous to shortlist some locations, and brought home Natalie’s favourite Siamese take away. Over a happy meal together they settled for a trip to Somerset. They selected a seaside cottage location outside Weston-Super-Mare with authentic 1950’s decor which Kerry was keeping a secret. With Taunton, Bath, and Bristol close they would have a range of places to visit. They did worry about the time to get down the M6 motorway, but reckoned with a week’s break it was worth it.

She decided to arrange a trip to Bristol zoo, and a night out for them in Bath as part of the getaway. She bought Natalie a gorgeous dance dress and matching long pink shimmering gloves for their dance night. She knew just the complementary outfit she would wear on their night out, but that was going to be another secret. She intended to be alone with Natalie as much as possible.

They handed in their holiday requests which were both approved and Kerry got a converted Mill cottage with 50s decor booked, just by the seashore. She also arranged two tickets to a ballroom extravaganza. She took care to research all of the best pubs that served a good range of micro brewery based beers. Having completed all her plans, ordered in all their favourite food delivered to the cottage, she decided to play it cool, at least until they were due to leave.

Natalie, on the other hand was in a flutter of expectation, at the thought of having Kerry to herself for a week. She wondered how brazen she could get with her night wear, and indeed, if she should pack some miniskirts and dresses to show off her well toned legs. One way or the other she was going to wear her favourite 1950’s slips, corsets and bras. After all, a girl had to bring her finery, handbags and best shoes.
She smiled as she wondered if she had enough suitcases!