Partners

Partners

by Ann Douglas

"God, that feels good," Paulette Nichols thought to herself as she stepped under the shower and washed off the thin film of sweat that had covered her body during her just completed workout.

The five-foot four brunette couldn't remember the last time she'd been so sore and tired after using the ambulance company's small gym. The reason for her fatigue though, was as near as the next stall. The long-haired blond a few feet away was half a foot taller and eleven years younger than Paulette, to say nothing of being twenty pounds lighter. It was trying to keep up with the new trainee that had exhausted the paramedic so.

Greer Slater had worked at Pierce and McIntyre, more commonly known as P & M, for almost a year now and was only a month away from finishing her probation period. In that time, she had become pretty good friends with Paulette. Despite the difference in their ages and lifestyles, they each looked forward to the days when the duty rotation called for them to be teamed up.

Paulette was the mother of two sons. One now twelve, and the other four. They were the only good things to come out of a failed marriage. Unfortunately, her ex-husband had wound up with custody of both after the divorce. She'd had the misfortune of winding up with a judge who took a dim view of a wife who replaced her husband in her bed while they were still married.

In retrospect, she realized that it had been a mistake, especially since that relationship had gone to hell soon after the divorce as well. The only positive thing about the whole situation was that her sons were happy and living well, and regardless of what she had done, her ex never stopped her from seeing the boys whenever she wanted.

With no one really special in her life at the moment, and her sons spending the month with their grandparents down in Florida, Paulette had promised herself that this was the summer she would finally lose those few extra pounds and get back into shape.

It had been a losing battle that she had been fighting since before her first pregnancy. She'd made the mistake of mentioning her desire to Greer, who had taken it as her personal mission to see that her friend reached that goal. Where they once spent free time after a shift shopping together, they now spent at least part of it in the company gym.

They were workouts that the trainee hardly needed, but she pursued with a vengeance nevertheless. Greer was the kind of woman that men drooled over, tall and slim, with a bust that drew immediate attention whenever she walked into the room. She always seemed to have a string of boyfriends, but that didn't prevent most of the men in the office from making fools of themselves over her.

"I'll meet you outside," Greer said as she shut off the water and reached for her towel on the small hook outside of the stall.

"Okay," Paulette said as she glanced over her shoulder. "I'll be along in a few minutes."

"No problem," Greer smiled as, without even bothering to wrap the towel around her, she walked naked out of the shower and into the locker room.

It was a good ten minutes before Paulette, who definitely took the time to cover herself, followed into the small locker room that had been set aside for female employees . Greer had already dressed and was probably waiting back in the gym area. Quickly putting on a fresh blouse and slacks, the short haired brunette went off to catch up with her friend.

Sure enough, Greer was standing off on the sidelines of the converted garage, watching another of the paramedics go through her gymnastics routine. Kelly Jones was about Paulette's age, but in much better shape. In fact, she was in just as good shape as Greer.

The eyes of those men also in the gym were also on Kelly. It was hard to miss her in the tight spandex pants and tank top she wore. Like Greer, she liked to wear as little as possible when she was working out, much to the delight of the mostly male audience.

Of the six ambulance services that operated across the county under contract to the State Hospital Corp, P & M was the smallest with about thirty employees. It made both for a close knit group, and an interesting mix as well. Partly as the result of a female owner, women made up a third of the work force.

"She's really good, isn't she?" Paulette commented as she stepped up next to Greer and watched Kelly finish up the last of her routine.

She remembered the dark skinned girl once mentioning that she had been on the gymnastics team in school and had even won a few awards in competition. An injury had ruined her chances to take it further, not that you could tell from the way she moved.

"She sure is," Greer said, not taking her eyes off Kelly for a moment. "And have you ever seen such a perfect ass?" the younger woman added unexpectedly.

The question took Paulette by surprise, but she still found herself automatically taking a look at the body part in question. She had to admit, it was a perfect ass. Not that she had really spent any time checking out the backsides of any of her co-workers for comparison. At least not the female ones.

Some women did check out other women, if only to see how they compared. With a body like Greer had, Paulette assumed that the younger woman fell into that category. However, her next words totally blew away that assumption.

"Do you think she's straight?" Greer asked in a voice only loud enough for Paulette to hear.

"What?" she replied, sure she had heard the question wrong.

"Do you think I might have a chance with her," Greer expanded, leaving no doubt as to her meaning. "Or is she only into guys?"

The older woman had no idea what to say. Up until that moment, she would've assumed that Greer was only into men as well. In fact, it was her casual attitude about sex with men that shocked Paulette the first time they'd had a discussion about it.

While the brunette was as sexually active as any single woman her age, she found the fact that Greer viewed oral sex as just another part of making out and had no problem doing it on a first date somewhat disturbing. Had dating really changed in the short time since she'd been Greer's age?

"I think she has a boyfriend," Paulette finally said when she realized that Greer's question hadn't been rhetorical.

"That doesn't mean anything," Greer replied in turn. "Some women like a little variety in their lives."

The statement, Paulette realized, said as much about Greer as anyone else.

"I don't think that applies to anyone who works here," Paulette said, thinking a moment after she said it that ten minutes ago she thought it applied to Greer as well.

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure of that," Greer said with a knowing smile.

Before Paulette could ask what she meant, the blond looked down at her watch and said that she was running late for an appointment. To Paulette's disappointment, Greer wished her a happy weekend and told her she'd catch up with her on Monday.

Looking at her own watch after Greer had left, Paulette decided that she had better get going as well. She had a date with Phil Larson, a man in the neighborhood she had been seeing. He was supposed to pick her up at eight and they were going out to a movie.

-=-=-=-=-

The movie had been the latest comedy and Paulette enjoyed it immensely. With all the pain and suffering she encountered on her job, one thing she appreciated was the chance to laugh.

After the film they went to a small Italian restaurant for a late night dinner. The food, and the company were equally entertaining. Over the course of the meal, it occurred to her that they were reaching a point where she soon had to give some serious thought as to where, if anywhere, this relationship was going.

Phil was a really nice guy, two years older than her and divorced as well. She enjoyed his company when they went out, and after their last date she had enjoyed his company when they'd stayed in as well. While not a terribly imaginative lover, he had made her feel good. At least better then she felt when left to her own devices.

After dinner, they found themselves back at the door to her apartment and when Phil kissed her goodnight, Paulette felt his hand on her left breast. As the kiss deepened and he pressed against her, she could also feel the hardness of his erection as well.

Since they had slept together the previous week, Phil had a reasonable expectation that she would invite him in for a repeat performance. Yet the sexual aspect of their relationship was still new enough for him not to take it for granted.

"Phil," Paulette said as she broke their kiss and eased him back just enough to put some space between their bodies, "it's been a really hard day and I'm pretty tired. I think we should call it a night."

"Oh, okay," Phil said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

Paulette caught the regret in his voice and considered changing her mind for a moment. At the very least, she could give him a quick blow job and send him home happy.

Then she thought better of the idea. If this relationship did go anywhere, she didn't want it to fall into a pattern of dinner, a movie, and a trip back to her apartment for a late night fuck.

So instead she have him another kiss goodnight, pressing her tongue deep into his mouth and let him feel her up again. Then she sent him on his way, sure that he'd be taking care of his hard-on before he went to bed. As she opened the door and stepped inside her apartment, Paulette wondered if he would be thinking of her when he did.

-=-=-=-=-

Paulette used the cool night to catch up on her sleep and didn't wake up until mid-morning. After a leisurely breakfast, she picked up the pile of mail that had accumulated the last week and started to sort through it.

Ten minutes later, she dropped the stack of envelopes back onto her work desk. Her mind kept wandering too much for her to concentrate on it.

Curiosity had taken hold and Paulette couldn't get that brief conversation with Greer yesterday out of her mind. The revelation that her friend was bisexual would've been a surprise in of itself, but her statement that someone else she worked with was also had been stunning.

It wasn't even so much Greer's words as the look on her face as she said them. Paulette had seen that expression before. If there was another woman at P & M that was into women, Greer knew it from first hand knowledge.

It wasn't that Paulette thought the possibility detrimental in any way. After all, she believed everyone was entitled to live their own life however they pleased. It was just that she found the possibility so fascinating.

Picking up her copy of the company roster from another cubbyhole, she began to consider the possibilities. There were ten women at P & M, eight when you eliminated Greer and herself. She also figured that she could eliminate Kelly as well since the question about her sexuality was what started it all in the first place. That left seven to pick from.

"Hmmm," Paulette hummed as she wondered which of her co-workers swung both ways. "Who could it be?"

The problem was, it wasn't like the woman in question went around wearing a sign. In fact, Paulette would've had to be pretty naive to think that there was any physical characteristics she could look for that would tell her which woman had gotten to know Greer a lot more intimately than she ever did. No, if there was a clue it had to be in their actions.

Based on sexual morals, or the lack of them, the most obvious candidate would have to be Stacy Moskowitz. The twenty-nine year old redhead had, up to thirteen months ago, worked for the number one service, Anderson & O'Dea. She had been fired after Mr. O'Dea had come into the office one night on the late shift to retrieve some papers he'd forgotten to take home.

The sixty-two year old had been surprised to find the door to his private office unlocked, and even more surprised to find Stacy inside and on her knees in front of one of the new trainees. The young man had his pants down around his ankles and his cock deep in the senior EMT's mouth.

The owner, who sat on the board of Saint Andrew's Church, was totally speechless. Not so Stacy who let the young man's member slip from her mouth and told her boss that she was a little busy at the moment, but if he wanted to come back in a half hour or so, she'd be happy to take care of him too. It had taken her less time than that to clean out her locker.

Janet McIntrye, who owned Pierce and McIntyre, didn't hesitate a single day to offer the fired worker a job. Her sexual habits, as far as Janet was concerned were no one's business but Stacy's and mattered little when measured against the fact that the paramedic, who had served as a medic in the Israeli Defense Force when younger, was the best EMT at a crash site Janet had ever seen. Since she had crossed over to P & M, Paulette knew of at least six male employees who also knew a few other things that Stacy was considered the best at.

Since Janet McIntyre was in her mind, Paulette had to consider the idea that she could be the one as well. The only disqualification she could thing of was that Janet was almost old enough to be Greer's grandmother. Still, that turned on some people. Paulette had a girlfriend who married a man older than her father. It stood to reason that a bisexual woman could be attracted to someone older as well.

Janet McIntyre had been married twice, having outlived both of her husbands. The first of which had been her partner, Ben Pierce. Now she was at an age where she only wanted relationships that didn't interfere with the way she lived her life.

Heather Willis was the next name on the list. In her late thirties, the heavy set woman had been the office clerk for the last four years, handling payroll, billing and the like. Single, she was an incorrigible flirt and Paulette couldn't remember a single day that the dark haired woman hadn't gone braless. This despite the fact that her breasts were both large and heavy. In fact, she seemed to go out of her way to wear outfits that were either low cut or tight enough to give everyone a very good look at her endowments. Despite that, Paulette had never heard of anything ever happening between Heather and anyone else in the office.

The same couldn't be said of Maria Hernandez. One of three married woman in the office, the other two being Cynthia Ford and Faith Rosenberg, Maria was the only one of them who made no secret of the fact that her union wasn't a happy one. That Maria was having an affair with Kirby Marshall, another EMT, was pretty much an open secret. The two of them took every opportunity they could get to get horizontal. That Kirby was also married didn't even seem to enter into the equation.

Getting back to Cynthia and Faith, both were faithful to their marriage vows in every way, or as far as Paulette could tell from what she knew of the two of them. Yet when she thought about that, it really wasn't all that much. The two of them could be gang banging the rest of the staff and she'd never know it.

The last woman on the roster was Kim Lee, who was also the youngest next to Greer. The twenty-three year old Chinese woman seemed to have no interest in anything except work. She had plans to one day become a doctor, but had taken two years off from school for some real life experience. If all went according to plan, she would be leaving in the fall to go back to school. Considering how single minded Kim was, Paulette had no doubt that she would reach that goal.

Her own immediate goal, however, looked like it was going to fall short. As interesting as her conjecture had been, it had gotten her absolutely nowhere. The only way she was going to satisfy her curiosity was if she could get Greer to tell her who in the office she had slept with.

-=-=-=-=-

Putting her curiosity behind her, Paulette carried the breakfast dishes into the kitchen, dropping them into the dishwasher. Then she headed into the bathroom and bedroom where she quickly showered and dressed. It was her first weekend off in over a month and she promised herself that she would take advantage of it. A nice walk along Mullany Street where they held the flea markets sounded just about right.

She was just about to head out the door when the phone rang. With one foot already in the hall, she was tempted just to let it ring. Then she admitted to herself that she knew she would spend the rest of the day wondering who it might've been. Hoping it didn't turn out to be some annoying telemarketer, she stepped back into the apartment and picked up the phone. It didn't take ten seconds for Paulette to regret not having listened to her first impulse.

"Paulette, I'm so glad I was able to catch you," the highly recognizable voice of Janet McIntyre said through the receiver. "I beeped you twice but something must be wrong with your pager."

There was nothing wrong with Paulette's pager. Despite the insistence of P & M that their employees wear them all the time, the brunette refused to do so. Her days off were just that and the minute she got home the beeper was tossed aside.

"What can I do for you, Janet?" she asked, hoping that she had just forgotten to fill out some form.

"I just got a call from Kirby Marshall," Janet said, causing the hairs on the back of Paulette's neck to stand on end. "He's not feeling well and won't be in for his shift tonight. It must be some kind of bug going around because Maria called in last night with the same symptoms."

"I'll just bet they're sick," Paulette immediately thought. "More likely one or both of their spouses are away for the weekend and they decided it would be a good time to shack up somewhere."

"So I'm left with one less crew for tonight," Janet continued, "and with the number of people we have on vacation this week, I'm really in a bind."

Paulette, like all the employees of P & M knew that the contract with the State called for them to field a certain number of units every shift. If they didn't, the contract could be canceled and they'd all be out of a job. Twice already this summer they had received fines for not having the minimum requirement. Some of the bigger firms had no problem keeping tabs on the competition and turning them into the state regulator, knowing that they'd pick up additional business if the smaller outfit folded.

"Who am I going to be riding with?" Paulette said in resignation, knowing where the conversation was going and deciding to cut right to the chase.

"I'm still working on that," Janet replied, "but I should have someone by the time you come in."

"Okay," Paulette simply said, thinking that the flea market would have to wait for another day.

"I really appreciate this, Paulette," Janet said as she brought the brief conversation to a close. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

As Paulette hung up the phone, she knew that was a promise that would never be kept. By Monday morning, Janet would have forgotten all about it and be faced with a whole new set of problems in keeping P & M a going concern. That was all right, she told herself as she headed back into the bedroom to change into working clothes. She knew the pluses and minuses of this job when she took it.

-=-=-=-=-

"I'm sorry you were the one Janet caught in her net," Jim Parks said as Paulette stepped into the office for the keys to her rig. "I know you haven't had a weekend off in a while."

"Those are the breaks," Paulette grinned as she lifted the key ring off the wall. "So who did she get to ride with me?"

"Pete Lowery," Jim said, looking down at the sheet on his clipboard as not to have to look her in the eye when he said it.

"Fucking wonderful," Paulette said under her breath.

If there was one person that exemplified the disadvantage of working for the lowest ranked company, Pete Lowery was it. The man was more than crude. Bad enough that he took almost every opportunity to brush up against a woman, if not actually put his hands on some part of her body, the aging medic thought women were always after him.

"Guess I'd better make sure I have my pepper spray," she said in a louder tone.

Before Jim could comment on that, the office door opened and a new arrival entered.

"Well, it looks like Monday came a little early," she said.

Paulette turned out and was surprised to find Greer standing there in black jeans and the equally black leather jacket that she wore on her motorcycle. Under the jacket she had on a sleeveless, white halter top that hugged her like a second skin.

"What are you doing here?" Paulette asked, knowing that Greer had the weekend off as well.

"The same thing that you're doing," Greer smiled, "making a little overtime."

Greer's unexpected arrival gave Paulette an idea. She told her to wait outside for a minute. Once she was gone, the older woman turned back to Jim and in her friendliest tone, asked who Greer was riding with. Just before she had turned, she had undone the top two buttons of her blouse, giving a much clearer view of her own not inconsiderable assets.

"Sonny Smith," he said, his eyes immediately drawn to the exposed flesh.

"Jim, could you do me a big favor and switch her and Lowery?"

"You know Janet doesn't like me to change the rotations around," he replied, his eyes never moving.

"Well since we're both here on our day off, it's not really part of the rotation," Paulette said as she pressed her case, as well as her breasts up against the countertop, giving Jim a very good look down her blouse. She hated using tactics like this to get something, but she hated the idea of spending the next eight hours with Lowery even more. "Besides, since I'm doing the company a favor I'm sure Janet wouldn't mind."

"Oh all right," Jim finally said as he finally pulled his eyes back into their sockets. "I guess Smith and Lowery deserve each other."

"You're a dear," Paulette said as she backed away from the counter.

The night shift manager lifted a folder and turned his attention back to the never-ending piles of paperwork. He was sure that when Sonny Smith showed up just a few minutes before the start of his shift, god forbid he should show up any earlier, he would be in here complaining that he had to put up with Lowery as well. The man might not try to cop a feel from Smith, but he was still a really obnoxious bastard in other ways.

"Well let Sonny Smith complain all he wants," Jim thought as he dismissed the expected protest. "I don't owe him any favors. Besides, the view had certainly been worth it."

By that time Paulette was already out the door and catching up to Greer, closing the buttons of her shirt before she was out the door. When she spotted the tall blond, she had already traded her leather jacket for a white company issue that covered her halter and was standing by the long row of ambulances.

"Looks like you're all mine, honey," Paulette said as she caught up to her, tossing her the keys to her vehicle.

"Always," Greer replied as she grabbed the keys in mid-air.

Paulette didn't hear her. The single thought that dominated her mind was to get her rig out of here before Smith or Lowery showed up. When they found out they had each other as partners rather then Greer or her, they were going to be unhappy campers indeed.

-=-=-=-=-

The night went pretty quick as the area they were assigned to provided a large number of runs, especially on a Saturday night. Before their shift was over, they'd responded to two traffic accidents, a knifing, an accidental shooting and one heart attack.

As interesting as they all were, eventually they would just blend in with their collective memories of a thousand different calls a year. The one exception was the last call of the night. It was one that both of them would remember all their lives.

"That was incredible," Greer gushed as she and Paulette stepped through the automated doors of the County Hospital's Emergency Room. "I can't remember the last time I felt so pumped about something I did."

"Yeah, it was pretty amazing," the shorter woman said as she pulled open the passenger side door of their ambulance and climbed inside.

"I guess it was old stuff to you though," Greer said as she climbed in on the opposite side and started the engine.

"Actually, that was my very first time." Paulette smiled.

"No way," Greer said as she turned and looked across the cab. "You were so cool and collected. I was so nervous that I thought my heart was going to burst."

"Well if you could feel my heart you'd have seen that it was beating just as fast." the senior EMT said as she leaned back with a self-satisfied smile. "Still, it was all worth it, just for the moment when I held that baby in my arms and felt its heartbeat and watched her take her first breath."

"Definitely," Greer agreed as she turned into the flow of traffic and headed back to base.

-=-=-=-=-

As the kaleidoscope of street lights flashed by, Paulette shifted her attention from the view outside to her partner. The night had been so busy that she hadn't had a chance to bring up the question she had wanted to ask Greer. Now, with the night's work behind her and with her body wanting to unwind, she let it fill her thoughts once more.

Watching Greer, she realized that her interest had expanded beyond just a curiosity about who is was that the younger woman had slept with. More and more, Paulette found herself wondering what it was like to make love to another woman.

She found herself looking at Greer, feeling as if it was the very first time. A strange feeling, she had to admit, seeing how many times she had seen her co-worker naked in the locker room.

Her gaze started with the contours of her face, and the long, flawless blond hair that framed it. Moving down, she continued onto the soft folds of her neck and the large, perfectly formed breasts below that dominated her form. With the white company jacket now hanging open, Paulette could see the dark nipples pressing against the thin material of her top.

The older brunette suddenly felt a surge of envy towards those men, and women as well she now knew, that had the chance to touch those rounded globes. What would it be like, she found herself asking, to have one of those pointed nipples in your mouth? The possible answer to her question caused her heart to beat faster once more.

Just before they pulled into the yard, her gaze had reached Greer's long legs; covered by her pants, but visible in Paulette's memory. Also in her memory were images of the dark bush between those legs, brief glimpses of which told her some time ago that the younger woman wasn't a natural blond.

"Earth to Paulette," Greer repeated for the second time, finally getting the other woman's attention.

"What?" Paulette said, roused from her musings.

"You looked like you were somewhere else for a minute," Greer said.

Looking out the front window, Paulette realized that they already back in the parking lot and in their assigned spot. She hadn't even noticed them entering the yard.

"I guess I was thinking about something," she said.

"No shit," Greer laughed.

Paulette had to laugh too, if only to hide the embarrassed flush that now filled her face.

"Why don't you stow the gear and I'll drop off the keys in the office," Greer said as she dropped down out of the cab.

"Okay," Paulette agreed, superfluously it turned out as Greer was already half way to the office.

It wasn't until the door closed behind her that the brunette realized that she hadn't taken her eyes off Greer all the way across the yard.

"Great, now she's got me staring at her ass," she grinned as she jumped down to the ground and went back to stow their gear.

-=-=-=-=-

"We're all clear," Greer said ten minutes later when she emerged from the office. "I signed us out."

"Thanks," Paulette said as she closed the back door of their unit, triggering the spring lock.

"So you heading home?" Greer asked.

"Guess so," the older woman answered. "I'll probably wind up in front of the TV for a while. I'm usually too keyed up after a shift to fall asleep right away. Especially, one like tonight. Plus I slept pretty late today."

"I hear that," the leather jacketed blond said as they walked to the other side of the fence where personal vehicles were parked. "I'm still pumped."

Reaching her car, Paulette opened the trunk and tossed her gym bag into it. She had just unlocked the door to the driver's side when Greer, who had parked her motorcycle two spaces over stepped up to her.

"Instead of watching reruns, why not come over to my place for a while?" Greer suggested. "We could pick up a pizza and a six pack and enjoy the night air."

The offer took the shorter woman by surprise. In all the time she had known Greer, she had never been invited to her home. In fact, she didn't even know where she lived. The girl didn't even have a home phone, just a cell.

"Sounds like fun," Paulette said after considering the idea for a few moments.

"Super," Greer smiled as she crossed the empty parking spot and untied her helmet from the back of her cycle. "I already called ahead to a great place I know on the way. They'll have our pie ready when we get there."

Straddling the large bike, Greer strapped on her helmet and jumped down on the starter. A loud roar filled the air as it caught on the first try.

"I don't know where you live!" Paulette called to her over the noise.

"No problem," she shouted back. "Just follow me, I'll make sure I keep it slow so you can keep up."

With that she threw it in gear and did a wide circle across the near empty parking lot. Shrugging her shoulders, Paulette climbed into her car and started the engine as well. She headed for the main gate where Greer was already waiting.

For the next half hour, Greer led Paulette on a winding trip through the city streets, twice losing her, despite her promise to keep it slow. The girl seemed to only have one speed, the brunette mused, on or off her motorcycle. Finally she pulled over to stop in front of an all night pizza parlor that stood in the shadow of the North River Bridge.

Greer held her hand up to Paulette, extending her fingers to say she'd be back in a few minutes. Not wanting to get out of her car, Paulette simply waved okay and spent the time looking out the windows at the neighborhood they were in.

Paulette had never liked the waterfront, even though a lot of the old warehouses had been converted into living space over the last few years. A lot of young people thought the area newly chic, with a number of bars and other small stores slowly moving into the area.

Greer's sudden appearance at her window caused Paulette to jump. The younger blond apologized for startling her and said that she figured the pizza would do better in her car than strapped onto the back of her bike. She also said that it was only two blocks more to her apartment.

Greer's home turned out to be one of the converted commercial buildings. Paulette followed her into the lobby and onto what was once a freight elevator. They took it all the way up to the tenth floor where Greer further surprised her guest by heading for the stairs that led to the roof.

"You live on the roof?" a curious Paulette asked.

"Sort of," Greer laughed as she looked back over her shoulder. "Come on, you'll see."

Greer pushed open the door at the top of the stairs and led Paulette outside. The first thing she noticed was that the building was even more in the shadow of the bridge than where they had stopped for pizza. People on the walkway above could actually look down on them. Scattered around the roof where little collections of chairs, flower gardens and a few barbecue grills. It was obvious the tenants of the apartment below used the spots to sunbathe or have little parties.

In the center of the large area was a long structure about ten feet wide that ran almost the length of the building. About a third of it seemed to have been converted to storage sheds, but the rest of it was a single unit. It even had a door and several large windows, through which Paulette could see white horizontal blinds.

"Home sweet home," Greer said as she put the pizza and the six pack on a large wrought iron table just outside the door.

"You live here?" Paulette asked, still trying to take it in.

"It's not as bad as it's looks," Greer laughed. "Come on, I'll give you a quick tour while I get us some plates and glasses."

Sure enough, the inside of what Paulette had first thought was a hastily built shack did turn out to be a lot better than the exterior. From the days when the old building had been a manufacturing plant, the roof and the floors beneath it had been heavily reinforced. Far from being a shack, the inside looked more like a transplanted motor home than anything else.

The accommodations might've been compact, but it seemed to have everything a young single might need. A small kitchenette with overhead cabinets, with a two place table next to it took up a third of the space, while a not uncomfortable living area filled most of the rest. An area that doubled as a bedroom when the sofa converted to a bed. The small bathroom even had a stand up shower. Paulette had seen studio apartments that didn't look as nice.

"I take back what I said," she said in an apologetic term. "This is sort of nice."

"Thanks," Greer grinned as she handled Paulette the two plates she had taken from one of the cabinets, leaving the glasses for herself. "Well we better get to that pizza before it gets cold."

"This is pretty good," Paulette said as she finished off her second slice, washing it down with the last of her cold beer.

"Want another?" Greer asked as she noticed her friend's empty glass.

"Sure, why not?" Paulette said as she leaned back against the cushioned lawn chair.

Greer reached into the bucket of ice she had stored the beers in, pulled out another can and tossed it to Paulette. Leaning forward, she caught it in mid-air.

"This is nice," Paulette thought as she refilled her glass, dropping the now empty can into a large trash bin.

The night air carried a cool breeze off the water and despite the nearness of the bridge, there was a quiet across the neighborhood. Of course the fact that it was two in the morning had a lot to do with it.

"I'd have loved to see the look on Lowery's face when he finally came in and saw that he was riding with Smith instead of you," Greer laughed as she refilled her own glass as well and moved her chair over next to Paulette's. "I'll bet be was pissed off to high heaven."

"Well you know the old saying," Paulette said as she took another long taste of her beer. "Better to be pissed off then pissed on."

"I don't know," Greer laughed, "pervert that he is, he might like something like that."

"That's a thought that's enough to make you sick," Paulette countered, trying hard not to picture that image.

"That old prick even once tried to grope me one night when I had to ride with him," the blond went on. "He tried to make it look like it was accidental, but no way that it was."

"Why didn't you turn him in?" Paulette asked.

"I wasn't sure that anyone would've believed me," she explained, "seeing as I was the new girl and everything."

"That's the problem, no one turns him in and he thinks he can get away with it," Paulette said, thinking that she was as guilty of that failing as Greer.

"Oh I'm sure he didn't think he could get away with it," Greer grinned. "Not after I had a knee-jerk reaction and kicked him in the balls. I happened to be wearing my riding boots that day. I think he was walking funny for the rest of the week."

"Oh my," Paulette gasped.

"Hey, no one touches these babies that I don't want to touch them," Greer laughed as she brought up her hands and cupped her breasts for emphasis.

Paulette suddenly realized she had the opening she needed and quickly shifted the conversation to what Greer had said yesterday in the gym.

"Greer, you know I really like you and consider you a good friend," she began.

"And I like you too," the younger woman interjected.

"But I have to say that you really took me by surprise yesterday in the gym."

"Yesterday?" Greer repeated, as if trying to remember what Paulette was talking about.

"When we were watching Kelly work out," Paulette said, hoping that would spur Greer's memory.

"Oh, when I said that she had a great ass."

"Actually, what you said after that."

A blank look flashed across Greer's face as if she didn't have the slightest idea what Paulette was talking about.

Paulette didn't know what to say. How could she ask Greer about something like that if she didn't remember saying it in the first place?

"Relax, I'm only kidding," Greer abruptly laughed, seeing the expression on her friend's face. "Of course I remember"

Paulette let out a long sigh of relief.

"You were surprised when I told you that I was bi," Greer said, saying the words that were stuck on the tip of the brunette's tongue.

"Surprised might be too mild a word," Paulette corrected.

"Does it bother you?" Greer asked.

"I think curious is more the word this time."

"About my being into women?"

"Yes, and what you said after that too."

"About my not being the only one in the company who was," Greer said.

"Yes."

"Well why don't we take it one curiosity at a time," Greer grinned. "If you have any questions, maybe it would be easier if you just asked them."

"All right," Paulette said, pausing just long enough to finish off the rest of her beer, the effects of which made her relaxed enough to ask the questions that had been filling her mind on and off since yesterday. "Have you been into girls long?"

"Probably just as long as I've been into boys," Greer said. "No, I take that back. I was with my first girl before I went all the way with a guy."

"Who was she?"

"Gwen Carter, she was my best friend in junior high," Greer answered. "I think she was the only classmate that looked at me and saw a person behind a set of tits." she added, remembering how all the boys, and even most of the girls, had looked at her differently when she had been one of the first girls to develop and kept on doing so as they got older.

"I was going to ask if you like it," Paulette said, "but then realized what a stupid question that is. If you didn't you wouldn't be doing it."

"Not likely," Greer laughed.

"What's it like?"

"I've lost track how many times I've been asked that," she replied after a brief reflection, "and I still don't have an answer. It's not like I can say well it's like this with a guy and then tell you how it's different with a woman."

"Okay."

Both women paused for a few moments as Greer reached into the ice bucket and pulled out the last two cans. She offered one to Paulette who indicated with a wave of her hand that she'd had enough. Not wanting to drink alone, the younger woman dropped both of them back into the ice.

"Would you believe that I spend a good half hour yesterday trying to figure out who it was you were talking about when you said that you weren't the only one at P & M who liked women," Paulette said, breaking the pause. "I finally decided that I didn't have the faintest idea."

"Oh that," Greer said, "I guess I should explain about that too. I just made that part up. None of the other women on the job really interest me."

"Except for Kelly of course."

"Actually, you can include her as well," Greer added. "Oh she's really hot, there's no denying that. But the fact is I really can't stand women who think that they're all that, and Kelly definitely has too high an opinion of herself for my tastes."

"Then why did you say...." Paulette started to say but was cut off by Greer.

"I guess I just wanted to see what your reaction would be."

"My reaction?" a confused Paulette said, her mind swimming from more than the few beers. "I don't understand."

"I guess it was because there is one woman at work that I am attracted to, but I had some serious doubts as to how she would feel if I told her about it."

No one had ever accused Paulette of being dense, and tonight was not going to be the first time. All the pieces suddenly fell together as she realized that Greer was talking about her.

"Greer ... I ..."

"No, please don't say anything," the tall blond said as she rose from her chair and leaned over the still sitting Paulette. "At least until I had the chance to do this at least once."

Her lips pressed against Paulette's in a passionate kiss. It caught the brunette by surprise, but only for a second. Paulette responded instinctively, without conscious thought, and their lips caressed each other in a soft, warm, loving embrace.

Feeling Paulette react, Greer increased the pressure, parting the older woman's lips and sliding her tongue deep within her mouth, exploring the depths with her touch. As she did, her hand reached down and undid the middle buttons of the brunette's blouse, slipping her fingers inside and then under the bra beneath.

"It's so soft," Paulette thought, describing both the touch of Greer's lips and her hand. A rush filled her body, adding to the moist tingle she felt between her legs.

Greer kissed her a second time, then a third as her fingers sought out the nipple of Paulette's breast and began to massage it between her fingers. She could feel it growing hard beneath her touch and heard a soft moan pass from the older woman between her kisses.

"Do you want me to stop?" Greer asked, breaking the kiss but leaving her hand right where it was, pressed against the warmest of flesh.

The question swirled through the fog that had gripped Paulette's mind. The irony of what was happening didn't escape her. Only a little over twenty-four hours before, she had been in just about the exact same situation with Phil Larson. The answer, therefore, should've been the same.

"No," she said.

"You want me to stop?" Greer asked, a touch of disappointment in her voice.

"No, I don't want you to stop." Paulette said as she pressed forward and kissed Greer on her own. "I don't want you to ever stop."

They continued to kiss as Greer withdrew her hand from beneath Paulette's blouse and went to work on the long row of buttons that held it together. In no time at all, her fingers undid the last one and the folds of the short sleeve shirt fell open, displaying the soft skin below.

Greer broke their kiss and smiled seductively as she looked down on the bounty spread before her. She reached down and ran her fingers across the exposed top of Paulette's breasts, sending a shiver through the prone woman's body. Bending her head lower, Greer kissed the soft flesh as her hands slid under the cups of her bra and pushed the material upward. Her fingers closed around the now erect nipples, squeezing them and the flesh around them.

"Oh yes," Paulette gently moaned as she arched her head back and closed her eyes.

Soft cries of pleasure that grew in volume as Greer replaced her fingers with her tongue. The young blond started at Paulette's right nipple, tracing a wet circle around the pointed tip before guiding it between her lips, sucking it gently. At least at first.

Greer pulled the hard nipple and surrounding flesh into her mouth, massaging it with her tongue and lips. Both of her hands kneaded Paulette's large globes as she carefully manipulated the thick nipple in her mouth, tickling it with her tongue and teasing it with her teeth.

The trainee shifted to Paulette's other nipple, and went to worked on that with equal enthusiasm. Long minutes passed as Greer made love to both her mounds with a continuing series of soft, wet caresses and hard, delightful bites.

Greer's hand dropped down to Paulette's belly, stroking it with her fingers. As before, it was followed by her tongue as she slowly trailed her darting appendage off its treat and drew concentric circles around her belly button. Paulette was unable to suppress the giggles as the younger woman tickled her in that sensitive spot.

Her hand moved even further down, undoing the belt and zipper on Paulette's pants, pulling them down just far enough to allow easy access. It followed the path to paradise, passing under the waistband of her panties to come to rest against her dark, thick tangle of hair.

A hard gasp escaped from Paulette's lips as she felt two of Greer's fingers move inside her. With slow, careful movement, the blond quickly found the pearl at the center and began to massage it.

"Oh, yes," Paulette purred as she felt the effects of that touch pass through her body in the most delightful ways.

The soft caress quickly increased, in speed and intensity. The small tremors that had fluttered across Paulette began to grow in scope.

Spurred on by the look of bliss that filled Paulette's face, Greer took a strong hold on the sides of the brunette's pants and pulled them down and off her legs. Not missing a beat, she pulled off her panties as well, tossing them over her shoulders to land somewhere on the roof.

Her eyes focused on the thick, dark bush between Paulette's thighs as Greer dropped her knees down to the hard roof and lifted her new love's legs high and apart. Paulette looked down with anticipation as her blond haired associate buried her head between her legs, her talented tongue reaching deep inside of her most private of places.

"Mother of Mercy!" Paulette gasped as felt Greer's tongue wash across her clit, not even pausing to consider that the nuns in her Catholic grammar school might think it strange that she would remember that long forgotten plea at such a time.

The younger woman's touch was electric, sending sparks across the length and breadth of Paulette's body. It was as if someone had thrown a light switch and her body had suddenly shifted into overdrive.

Greer's tongue seemed to be everywhere at once, and those few spots it didn't seem to cover were taken care of by the blonde's equally talented hands. Back and forth Greer moved, causing Paulette to soar among the stars that filled her field of vision as she looked up into the rich night sky.

That any number of people in the surrounding buildings could look out and see her was the furthest thing from her mind. This from a woman who was once too nervous to even partially disrobe in a lover's lane.

Greer's oral ministrations continued without abatement, producing delights that Paulette had missed for far too long. All of the stories she had heard over the years about only a woman really knowing how to please another now rang true to her. In what seemed like no time at all, she found herself on the threshold of orgasm. It was a place she found herself not wanting to go, because it reminded her that eventually this feeling would have to end.

"Oh God! Oh God! Oh ... my ... God!" Paulette panted in a breathless voice as her body abruptly seized and pulsating waves of ecstasy ripped explosively across her body.

Greer could feel the force of Paulette's orgasm as she held her as tight as she could. All the while, never pausing a heartbeat in her efforts. If she could step back and look down at the older woman she had brought to the summit of desire, Greer would've seen the closest thing to heaven on earth in her expression. A look of almost perfect bliss.

Only when she felt Paulette grow limp in her arms did Greer finally look up and see the wide-eyed delight that filled her eyes as her chest heaved up and down in what resembled in no small way the first breaths of the child they had delivered hours before. It had been a rebirth for the EMT as a whole new world was opened up for her.

Greer ran her long fingers across Paulette's pussy one more time, reveling in the pleasures she had brought her friend. A broad smile filled her face as she bent down and kissed her wetness once more time before once more sliding her tongue the length of her body, retracing the path she had taken such a short time before.

A warm film of sweat covered Paulette's body as Greer made her way, again tracing small circles along the brunette's abdomen and then through the rich valley between her breasts. A single kiss on each erect nipple was enough as Greer crawled up on the chair as well until once more their lips met.

"I had no idea," Paulette managed to say as she finally found her voice once more.

"Well now you do," Greer grinned as she leaned down to kiss her again. "Do you feel like trying some else?"

"Do I?" Paulette replied with exuberance.

Greer took hold of the bottom of her halter and pulled it up and over her head. She had been wearing nothing beneath it and now presented to Paulette the breasts that just about every man in the office would've given his paycheck to just get a good look at.

"I couldn't help but notice you checking out the girls when we were heading in tonight," she laughed as she caused her mounds to bounce. "Maybe you'd like a better look, or maybe even a touch."

Paulette didn't hesitate a second as she reached up with both hands and cradled the perfect globes in her palms. Greer's skin was warm to the touch as she brushed her thumbs over the pink circles and against the stiff nipples. All of her life, the thirty-two year old had wished she could have breasts like these. She grinned when she realized that in a way, now she did.

Her fingers continued to play with the malleable flesh and she leaned in and covered both Greer's mounds with kisses. Back and forth she moved between the delightful orbs, moving closer and closer to the prize in the center.

"Mmmmm," Greer moaned as the neophyte lover reached one of those prizes and took it between her lips.

The question to the answer Paulette had asked herself hours before now presented itself as she drew Greer deep inside her. She suddenly understood why men were so fascinated with a woman's breasts and how wonderful they could be. Again and again she moved from nipple to nipple, doing her best to duplicate what Greer had demonstrated on her own mounds. From the way Greer moaned and writhed against her, Paulette figured she wasn't doing a bad job at all.

"Oh baby," Greer said as she tossed back her head, sending her long hair in every direction. "Are you sure this is the first time you've done this?"

Paulette answered with her eyes, that yes indeed it was. If you looked deep enough, you could also see that she already knew it was definitely not going to be the last.

Greer pressed her large globes against Paulette's face, sharing the warmth that filled her body. Paulette responded once more with kisses, both soft and hard. Her hands moved across Greer's body as well, exploring the softness of it all.

"That's it baby," Greer went on as she shifted her weight and pressed Paulette down onto the lawn recliner. "You're doing it oh so right."

Paulette could feel her own breasts on fire as she pressed them against Greer's. Hot flashes ran up and down her body as her nipples rubbed against their counterparts, growing even harder at their touch. Harder and oh so sensitive.

"Greer, I want to taste you," Paulette suddenly blurted out, amazed that those words had ever come out of her mouth. Yet once they did, she continued with unbridled passion. "No, not just taste, I want to devour every inch of you."

Greer had to smile. Paulette's sudden passion was something she'd seen before, but hadn't expected to see it in her friend. More than a few times, Greer had picked up a woman in a bar who had come there just out of curiosity, never imagining that they would actually do so much as kiss another woman. Before the night was over, they had been on their knees in the bathroom with their head buried between Greer's legs.

Yes, the development was unexpected but Greer was more than delighted to take full advantage of it. Climbing off Paulette, she quickly rid herself of the rest of her clothes, leaving only her sneakers as the older brunette had done. The roof was hardly the place to be walking around barefoot.

Standing otherwise naked in the night air, Greer opened a long, plastic storage bin that rested against the apartment and pulled from it an oversized, and heavily padded, down comforter. Stretching it out as far as it would go, she handed the far end to Paulette.

"This will a lot more comfortable than the roofing tiles," Greer said as she backed up and stretched it across an empty section of the makeshift patio.

As Paulette helped her spread the comforter, she wondered for a moment why they didn't just go inside and make use of the pull out couch. Greer must've been reading her mind because she mentioned a second later that there was nothing like making love under the stars, even in the middle of the city.

Not waiting for Paulette, Greer dropped down onto the makeshift bedding and propped up her head on one bent arm. A look of desire filled her face as she glanced up at the still standing brunette.

"Come and get it, baby," she purred, lifting one leg to give a good look at the dark bush within.

Paulette tossed aside any remaining inhibition that might have reasserted itself and joined Greer on the comforter. They kissed once more, their hands running up and down the lengths of each other body. Paulette made it a point to slide one hand down between Greer's legs and feel for the first time the wetness of another woman.

"Mmmmm," Greer groaned as she felt the touch of her fingers.

Greer moved her own hand between her legs as well, taking a gentle hold of Paulette's and guiding it to her clit. Pressing two of her fingers against it, she began to rotate them in a clockwise motion. After the second revolution, the older woman took up the task on her on.

"That's even better," Greer said as she withdrew her own hand.

Paulette continued to gently massage the walls of Greer's pussy, adding a third finger to the mix. As she did, she looked up and deep into the younger woman's eyes.

"How long have you been planning this?" she asked, the question having entered her mind several times during the night.

"Does it matter," Greer said with a deep breath. beginning to really enjoy the neophyte's touch.

"It might," Paulette replied, her fingers still moving.

"If I said almost from the day I met you, would you take your hand away?"

"No," Paulette smiled, "but if you said that it was a sudden inspiration, I might have. I wouldn't want to think I was just your new flavor of the week."

"Never," Greer said as she leaned forward and kissed Paulette on her cheek.

"But, speaking of new flavors," Paulette said, her eyes once more glancing down between Greer's outstretched legs, her eyes now speaking volumes as she withdrew her fingers and bringing them to her mouth.

Greer watched in fascination, as she always did when a woman tasted her for the first time. It was something she found highly arousing.

"Mmmmm," Paulette said approvingly as she savored the new sensation.

"I'm glad you like it," Greer said as she ran her fingers along the underside of Paulette's breasts. "Why don't you lay back and relax," she added as she gently eased the dark haired woman down onto the comforter.

Paulette smiled in anticipation as, laying on her back, she watched as Greer crouched down and placed her legs alongside her head. Her eyes opened wide as she saw her first close up of another woman's sex. Long seconds passed as she studied the dark patch, the hair of which had been tightly trimmed. For the first time, she noticed that Greer had a tiny tattoo just to the right of her pussy. No more than a half inch in length, it depicted a bright red rose.

Her period of introspection lasted only a few more moments as Greer dropped even lower, bringing her pussy to within a tongue's length above Paulette's mouth. Reaching up with two outstretched fingers, Paulette caressed Greer's, then slid her thumb and index against the folds and spread her sugar walls. She sighed deeply as she took in the rich pinkness within, quickly locating the already excited clit that was the heart of the beautiful flower.

Paulette licked her lips, then leaned in and bridged the distance, her tongue sliding up and down the soft flesh as she sampled the blonde's delights directly from the source. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt an excitement she hadn't felt since she was a teenager.

"Oh yes," Greer purred softly as she felt Paulette enter her and brush against her sensitive spots.

Greer could usually tell in the first few seconds if a woman was good at giving head. Like many men, some women only did gave it a minimal effort. Her snap appraisal of Paulette was that while she might be a little crude as far as technique, experience would soon correct that. Eventually, she would be a first class pussy licker.

An evaluation that she came to appreciate even more as time passed and Paulette became both more comfortable and confident in what she was doing. The movements of her tongue brought surging pleasures deep within Greer. Gratifications fueled by shared desires.

Reaching back behind herself, Greer slipped a free hand between Paulette's outstretched legs. With considerable skill, she slipped her fingers inside of the brunette and began to expertly manipulate her sexual hot spots. Such was her familiarity with what she was doing that she could turn her attention back to the pleasures Paulette was bringing her and return some of that without having to really think about it.

Greer's body began to gyrate as Paulette, spurred on by her own building delights, pressed even further within her, pumping her tongue in and out of the younger woman. Her hands moved up and down the sides of Greer's body, adding to the soft caresses between her legs.

"Yes, yes, oh yes," Greer called out as her body heaved back and forth as the surging heat of their passion spread across her. A passage that was quickly paving the road to orgasm.

Despite her inexperience, Paulette could feel the changes in Greer's body. She responded by bringing one of her hands back down and thrusting three fingers hard into the blonde's highly lubricated opening, mirroring what the blond was doing to her. Pulling them back just as quickly, she repeated the action over and over as her tongue continued its attentions.

"God yes!" Greer shouted, loud enough for any of her neighbors still awake to have heard as she tossed her head back, just as the simmering fire within her exploded.

Waves of ecstasy, of an intensity Greer hadn't expected, ripped through her. A torrent that took Paulette by surprise as well, but one that she quickly made every effort to enjoy. Eagerly she took in as much of the physical manifestation of Greer's orgasm as she could.

It was also enough to set off the pent up energies that had been rebuilding within her as well. While not as powerful as those buffeting Greer, the resulting eruption joined with her excitement to bring it pretty close.

Both women rode the sexual storm, enjoying every moment of their joining. Greer cried out again, shuddering and trembling as the last surge of passion rocked her. This was followed by a mutual wave of exhaustion as the last vestiges of their climaxes faded.

Also feeling the after effects of her own orgasm, Paulette dropped her head back against the ground. A broad smile filled her face. Greer mirrored that smile as she slid down Paulette's body and laid against her, their arms wrapping around the other. Silently, looking deep into the other's eyes, they shared a long, satisfying kiss.

A kiss that was followed by a second, and then a third as they rubbed their bodies against each other, sharing the slowly fading warmth of their flesh. Nestled against each other, they closed their eyes and drifted into slumber as their weariness won out.

-=-=-=-=-

Their bodies were warm once more when Paulette opened her eyes some hours later, this time the result of the light of the rising sun as it washed over them. Her arms still wrapped around her, Greer's eyes were still closed. Despite the fact that what had been covered by the cloak of night was now clear for anyone to see from adjacent buildings, as well as the walkway on the bridge, Paulette felt no urge to wake her.

Instead she brushed back a loose stand of hair that had fallen across Greer's face, marveling in the fact of what had happened last night. Never would she have ever imagined, outside of her most secret thoughts, the things she had done.

"Good morning," Greer said, her eyes opening as the slight movement of the smaller woman's body woke her.

"Good morning," Paulette beamed.

"Still here huh," Greer grinned.

"Where did you think I'd be?" Paulette asked curiously.

"I just thought that things might look differently in the light of day," Greer replied as she sat up.

"Now that I think about it," Paulette said as she also sat up, "things do look a little different."

A look of concern flashed across the younger woman's face. She really hadn't expected an answer, especially a possibly negative one.

"You're even more beautiful in the morning," Paulette beamed, then laughed at her own joke.

Greer had to laugh too, it wasn't often that someone put one over on her.

"Speaking of the light of day," Greer added, "don't you think we should get inside before someone spots us. I really don't worry about such things but you ...."

"Well we're paramedics, aren't we?" Paulette asked.

"Yes," Greer answered, wondering where that had come from.

"Well if anyone saw us, we can just say we were practicing our CPR skills," Paulette grinned.

"Funny lady," Greer grinned as well, looking down at their unclothed bodies, a condition that made that alibi somewhat dubious.

With that, both leaned forward in a warm embrace and a deep, passionate kiss. Neither of them noticed the small crowd of early morning bridge walkers that had gathered as an audience. If they had, it was questionable if either would've cared.

END