A night out with Delilah, our second year of college and it's just been Teddy's birthday which coincides with a huge game for her in New York. I havnt seen Teddy in the flesh since the Christmas previously when my little crush took life more so than ever, so when I got the tickets and the hotel room info through, I was surprised.
Harper, I miss you! Please come to the game this weekend in New York and see me, it's been too long and I've forgotten what you look like. My team are throwing me a birthday party at the club after, and I can't have a birthday without my girl. Bring whomever you want :)
Teddy x
As Delilah and I stepped off of the train and made our way out to the street, which was bustling and busy on such a warm day, it was the driver with the huge sign that caught our attention
HARPER JAMESON! HURRY BACK TO ME IN STYLE.
TED x
I laugh and Delilah points "well if that ain't a declaration" she muses as we approach the driver, he's all smartly dressed in a suit.
"Hi I'm Harper" I greet and he nods as if he knew what I would look like and opens the door for us.
We step into the expensive feeling town car and look to each other impressed. "This is so cool" Delilah whispers as she strokes the seats. "I wish I knew you were best friends with Teddy Nomikos before this week... that's the kind of info you tell your bi queen bestie don't you think?" She asks me jovially.
I give her a smile "Teddy is the bi queen Lilah... and I fear she may reign right over you"
"I would one hundred percent let that fly"
I laugh and we move off and into the city.
***
The hotel is very opulent. Delilah and I do a double take as our bags are whisked away by a bell boy who looks like he came right out of the eighteenth century.
"We have never looked more out of place" Lilah whispers as we enter side by side.
"Right... I feel as if we are the third class boarding the titanic with the dogs into the hold"
The man at the desk nods his acknowledgement of us. "Miss Nomikos sends her regards... she has set you both up in a state room together on the ninth floor"
Delilah grabs my arm dramatically "hold me whilst I faint" she declares.
I roll my eyes and whack her playfully "thank you" I return to the man with the kind smile and I take the key in his outstretched hand.
"George will take your bags" he says gesturing to the ghost of the eighteenth century bell boy who carries them ahead of us into the elevator.
We stand awkwardly in the elevator with him and count the floors as we go. "Here we are" he states walking into the hallway, a deep red luxurious carpet leading the way to the rooms.
"Miss Nomikos is next door, although she said to tell you she wouldn't be back until eight but she will pop by" he adds and he unlocks the door and it sweeps open to reveal an extraordinary view of the city and a large room, with a couch and a tv, a desk and a love seat that sits under the window. To the left of us as we enter are doors to the two bedrooms and a bathroom.
"Holy shit" Delilah curses as the bell boy leaves us to it. "I've died and been reincarnated as Kevin Mcallister from home alone two"
"I'm not sure how she pulled this off..." I muse "but I'm impressed" I say looking around like a kid in a candy shop.
***
Delilah ordered herself some questionable room service items and laid on her bed flicking though trash tv as I sat on the love seat and swooned over the view, and the fact Teddy was but a moment away. We hadn't been able to make it for the game beforehand, but I was excited to see her after, knowing her team had won, she would be in a good mood.
Knock knock.
I look across the room to the door and bite my lip in apprehension. I hadn't seen Teddy in months, four to be precise, we text back and forth of course but she was incredibly busy with her season on court. I had been watching her games on the TV and her frustrations as her team lost a couple games, the only points they did acquire being down to Teddy herself.
It must have been tough carrying a team on your back when you were as driven as Teddy, she could lose if she felt they gave it their all and be quite calm, but when they fell apart, she got mad and that was something Willa was working with her on, her temper. Willa had quite literally been Teddy's right hand man up to this point, she had taken over a little of her management at the beginning, the training side of things and helped her keep sane and normal among a sea of celebrity and outside influence. With Teddy becoming more famous now and making waves with more prominent teams, Willa found her a more formal management for that side of things and went back to her own love, basketball in the community whilst she wasn't teaching in the school. I swear to god sometimes it felt like basketball took over the house, with both Willa and Teddy, luckily mama could hold a conversation on other topics.
I reach for the door and it swooshes against the carpet as it opens to reveal an eager smile and deep dimples "Harper" she says jumping forward and pulling me into her arms, her dark curls caressing my cheek as she held me. She leans back and holds my shoulders briefly "gosh I missed you" she confesses and my heart flutters as her velvety chocolate eyes take me in.
"I missed you too" I confess "but I'm super happy you invited us"
"Us" she asks and she peeks around me "did you bring a date" she whispers.
I shake my head "no" I confess quickly before Delilah appears "a friend" I say and then as if she was summoned she appears, snaking round the door, she's changed into something a little more revealing and is looking at Teddy as if she is lunch.
"Hi" Teddy says with an amused smile "I'm teddy" she says sticking out her hand.
Delilah observes it and strokes her hand over hers "Delilah" she offers seductively and I hold my hand over my mouth so I don't laugh.
"Oookay" Teddy says sucking in a breath "nice to meet you" she adds and she backs out of the room as if she didn't she may be eaten on the spot.
"Harper we leave at nine. An hour. I will knock when I'm ready to roll" she says and she glances back at Lilah and her smile is mischievous, she's enjoying the awkward flirtation and to be fair Lilah was pretty hot so I wasn't surprised, she just let herself down with the technique applied.
"See you then" I return and I shut the door and look back to Delilah who is still curled around hers "Lilah do I need to sedate you this evening"I ask "or can you hang out with Theodora and not dribble"
She returns to her room laughing "She loves to dribble so why can't I" she asks and I sense my evening will be spent holding back one bi queen or the other. I just hadn't realised that the one I would end up holding was the one I didn't want to release.
***
The club lights are strobing, the club is huge, a sea of bodies all vibing to the DJs set. I hadn't actually been to a club before but this was intense, sweaty bodies, hot, drunk, and from what I could see, a little horny.
I stood beside Teddy and Delilah as we entered and Teddy waved to the VIP section which was filled with an array of famous people, not just sports stars but some A to B listers from the movies or TV. My eyes must have widened considerably as I took it all in, Delilah tapped my shoulder and I gazed toward her and she winked "this is going to be fun" she shouted into my ear.
I ran my hand down my silky emerald green blouse, it wasn't too revealing that my dad would run at me with a blanket, but it's buttons above my cleavage were most definitely,not, buttoned as high as he would like. I had decided on a figure hugging pair of black trousers, like a second skin, they were quite acceptable on the clubbing scene and I didn't feel confident in a dress among so many people, and wondering hands. Teddy looked... insane, she had a sexy, feminine, black two piece set on, that showed off her toned midriff, it was tight, clung to every ounce of her tight flesh and left nothing to the imagination, a lot of eyes fell to her as we entered the roped off area but it was my hand the she reached for, she looked back to me and smiled as she pulled me along with her, she knew I was nervous in this setting, it was most certainly not my usual scene but the security of her hand in mine, it felt comforting. I couldn't help but gaze at her side profile, her gorgeous dark curls bouncing around, they were gorgeously styled tonight, her makeup was impeccable, not that she needed it and my god her tanned skin that glistened under the lights. Theodora Nomikos was the most Devine creature I had ever seen, it was a shame most of the guys here were thinking the same thing, and with that thought we were encircled by a crowd and I lost my grip of her.
***
"Woah you okay" a blonde said as I got pushed back and bumped into her, she was older than us, perhaps a similar age to my mom and Willa, but she was gorgeous and her smile was kind as she helped me step aside safely. "You almost got trampled by Teddy's entourage" she observes with a little laugh.
"Thank you" I say into her ear so she can hear me. "This isn't my scene" I add.
She nods "mine neither I'm far too old for clubbing, but Theodora is persistent" she says and I nod and realise how she says her name so affectionately as if she knows her well.
"How do you know Ted" I ask and she leans back in as she takes a sip of she drink in hand.
"I've known Teddy since she was a young little thing"
I nod and look at her a little curiously. Shit, I knew who this was.
"My names Morgan" she says offering me her hand.
I reach out and shake it a little nervously.
"Harper" I return but she doesn't seem to realise who I am.
"Hey" Delilah says finding me. "There's a guy who wants to dance do you mind me leaving you here a sec" she asks and she looks over my shoulder to Morgan "ooh you found a hot mommy did you" she said teasingly into my ear.
I leant back "It's Willa's ex from moons ago" I reveal.
Delilah's eyes widen "holy shit balls" she returns looking back to her, not so subtly, and I nudge her with my elbow so she stops gawping "She's stunning" she observes open mouthed "I would" she adds with a teasing smile before I push her playfully.
"go dance" I beg and she leans in and kisses my cheek affectionately before heading off to the tall guy who awaits her and wraps his hand around her waist ,way too familiarly, it makes me shudder, but Delilah loved touch, she didn't shy away from it as long as it was someone she liked.
I look back to the crowd around Teddy and observed her laughing and dancing with some of her team, glasses full of champagne being chucked back.
"A drink?" A guy with a shaved head asks me as he sidles by.
I shake my head "I don't drink, but thanks" I say awkwardly and I don't notice but I retreat backward, my purse held tightly against my waist before I bump back into Morgan and she steadies me before I fall back over her again.
"I'm so sorry" I beg righting myself and moving away.
She taps the stool beside her "come sit on the awkward table" she offers. "We can help each other get through this experience in one piece" she adds with a knowing smile.
"So do you live in New York" I ask Morgan and she nods.
"Yes, part of the year we do" she returns and I wonder who "we" is now.
I glance down at her ring finger and yep there's a ring. "Sorry I should probably just save my wife she's being thrown around back there by one of the basketball team and she looks a little in need of a save"
I nod in response and watch her move over the dance floor, she taps a tall girl on the shoulder, they exchange words and then she takes the hand of the pretty brunette and they dance together, her head on her shoulder. Cute, she was married, she seemed happy. I remembered how her sister had described her in that burger bar, how she had been so heartbroken by her break up with Willa that she never could talk about her and I hope that she doesn't realise who I am, I didn't want to make her think of her either.
My gaze is broken by Teddy appearing, her goofy smile making me return it "hey" she says wrapping her arm around my shoulder "I wondered where you went" she said "here" she says handing me a tall glass "I brought you a soda... I know you don't drink"
"Thanks" I say taking it out of her hands and having a sip.
"Are you okay" she asks and she looks around "where is the friend" she wonders and I look around and spot her in a crowd dancing slowly with her new beau.
"There" I point and Teddy follows my finger.
"ahh she found herself a play thing" she notes impressed. "Good for her" she says looking back to me and placing her hand on mine on the table "are you aware that you were talking to Morgan" she asks.
My eyes widen "yes" I state loudly "thanks for the heads up by the way" I add sarcastically and she looks to her dancing with her wife and laughing as she flung her around.
"that's her wife Annie they have been married for about five years, three kids... she's pretty happy now" she muses and she returns her gaze to me, her fingers stroking my hand lightly under hers.
"Did it take her long to get over her" I ask, still watching her curiously.
Teddy took a deep breath and sat on the stool beside me "ages... she was with this other girl before Annie, she had her first child in that relationship but the whole relationship was a band aid for the heartache of Willa.... And it ended after about three years. Annie and Morgan though are amazing together, they have two sons, Asher and Gage and her daughter from the previous relationship. I won't tell you what her name is because honestly you wouldn't believe it"
I look back to her with intrigue "tell me" I beg.
She smiles teasingly "well let's just say her girlfriend at the time didn't catch on but should have and she would have saved herself a tonne of heartache. She called her Jameson" she reveals eyes wide.
"Fuck...off. She did?" I reply shocked.
"Callie told me that Morgan didn't even put two and two together at the time and it was only when her mom made a point of asking her, when they got home from hospital, that she realised what she had done. I quite believe her to be honest, she pushed Willa so far from her mind but she was still seeping back in, to the point she saw that name in a baby book and felt a strong connection to it, well we all know why and then when she realised she freaked out and considered changing it for a while there, she was mortified. But Jameson really suits her name, and the girlfriend, still none the wiser didn't want to change it"
I let out a laugh "that's...insane"
"Teddy... Teddy" her friends all begin to chant from the dance floor and she smiles and appeases them "I better go back to the mob" she says letting my hand go from hers "will you come and dance" she asks.
I shrink a little "maybe" I lie.
She knows it and laughs. "I will be dragging you up later" she threatens and she runs back to the crowd who pull her in within seconds and she disappears again into the sea of people.
***
After an hour of people watching and chatting to Lilah every time she would return to me, I stood up and decided it was probably time to actually go and dance. I let lilah and her new beau drag me onto the dance floor, his friend taking my hand I wasn't quite realising he had a friend waiting for me but hell it was just a dance.
His hands snaked around my waist, my blouse lifting slightly as his hand was placed on a smidge of flesh above my hip. I felt myself recoil slightly at the contact but it wasn't purposefully done and so I let myself loose, feeling the rhythm flow through my body, dancing, smiling as he whispered in my ear some joke about the song choice and it feels nice. Lilah is right beside me, she reaches out periodically when a song we love comes on and we dance around each other. It is only when I return to the friend, I think his name is Joe, that I feel a hand on my arm and turn to find Teddy, she looks surprised to find me on the dance floor and not where she had left me.
"Can I have a dance" she asks and I nod and excuse myself from Joe and she pulls me by the end of my finger tips to the corner of the dance floor, she tugs me against herself and wraps her hands around me, so tightly I press into her, her large brown eyes lifting with a smile "this is nice" she says and I can tell by the way her voice sounds husky that she has had a bit to drink, one of her hands leaves my waist and runs through my long auburn hair, "you look lovely" she says softly and for the first time ever her eyes wonder to my lips.
"Teddy" I ask.
She looks back up from my lips quickly like she had been caught out "yes"
"Happy birthday" I say with a smile and my hands move from her back and down to her hips.
"Thank you Harps... happier for having you with me" she confesses. "Will you come back to mine with me"
I frown "what...now" I ask.
"I hate to leave a party early" she observes looking around us "but I just want to spend time with my favourite person" she confesses returning her attentions to me "while I have you... all to myself"
"Okay" I agree "let me just tell Delilah"
She nods "meet you at the exit in two minutes" she says and she lets me loose.
I wade back through the crowd and find Delilah "we are heading back to the hotel, do you want to come with us" I ask.
"Yes, but can I bring my friend back with me" she asks with a naughty grin.
"Sure, I mean at least we aren't sharing a room here" I return and she grabs her date and follows me to the exit.
I see Teddy's confused look as she sees them approach beside me "don't worry they have plans of their own" i state.
She smiles " I bet they do" she says one eyebrow cocked as we head out into the night.
***
Delilah and her beau pass by us to the second stateroom and I wave limply "don't do anything I wouldn't do" I call.
Delilah turns on her heel and points at me "that phrase is not meant for saints like you, you literally wouldn't do a thing and I need a thing.. or two" she says teasingly pressing her key into the door and disappearing with her tall date, he smiled like the Cheshire Cat.
"I can only imagine what you have to listen to beside her in your dorm" Teddy says as she enters her room with me following.
"I will for sure have PTSD when I leave college"
"No doubt" Teddy adds as she enters the room and removes her black leather jacket hanging it over a chair.
I take mine off too and follow her into the room, she kicks off her heels and I slowly take mine off and join her on the couch.
"Wait" she says standing and reaching around her back, she undoes her bra and slowly eases out of it, guiding it down an arm hole before throwing it across the room and taking a relieved breath. "Much better" she states but now all I can see is nipples through her tight black top.
Up, look up Harper. "I would do the same but I'm pretty sure it's against my modesty requirements" I say as she observes me humoured.
"do it... release the girls...let them free to breath" she suggests playfully.
"I can't ... I put on one of those bras that undoes from the front and then I won't be able to get it off without taking my top off entirely.
"It undoes at the front" she asks frowning. "Show me" she asks intrigued and I can tell there's nothing else behind that but there is for me and she had no idea how that made me feel for her to look at my flesh.
"No" I say shyly.
She pokes me jovially "come on I've always wondered what they are like" she asks "is it comfy"
I nod "pretty much" I give in and slowly unbutton my blouse, my fingers fumbling with the buttons and she reaches out and helps, and oh my god it was innocent but it made me feel like a warm wave washed over my torso to have her unbuttoning me.
Once the last button is undone I pull it open and her eyes drop, wondering over the bra, it's lacy outline, the clasps between my breasts, but they don't stop there, her eyes linger, they move across my chest, and I feel my chest rise and fall a little quicker to have her eyes on me this way, and I shut the blouse with one fistful of the material and stand quickly doing it back up "so there you have it" I say and i move away.
Busying myself I check the refrigerator, grabbing a couple sodas and turning and throwing one back to her, she is still sat staring at me, quite strangely for Teddy, like she's completely overwhelmed.
"Are you okay" I ask.
She snaps out of it "yeah sorry" and she opens the bottle and takes a sip.
We sit opposite each other again and this time she looks like she wants to ask me a question.
"I feel like you want to say something" I ask her and you usually didn't have to, Teddy told you everything, she was quite upfront and straight to the point.
"Harper I am a little drunk... so excuse what I am about to do... but can I ask you something before I do?"
"Sure" I say nervously, my tongue running over my lips as she looks apprehensively back to me.
***
Harper Jameson, in front of me, her shirt open and exposed, a quite innocent question to check out her fancy bra and now my innocent question is leading me down a pathway of thoughts that have never before entered my mind as her beautiful body is before me, and I gulp a little. My eyes wonder over her perfect rounded flesh that pushes out the top of the bra, soft and plumped by the curves of the underwire, the sphered curves of which I observe, that slip down between the clasps. I envision running a finger tip down between them, unclasping the metal between my fingers and releasing the fullness of her to my hungry eyes and my greedy hands that can't think of anything but touching her, and then as I steal my eyes back away I find her hazel eyes observing me back.
She sees it, the look that I have never offered her and she stands and removes herself instantly. I sit in shock, my mind whirling with Harper, why was my mind whirling with Harper. I feel a little dizzy, a little overcome and I realise I am far far too drunk to have her here alone with me. I wasn't sure I could hide it, the way I felt, perhaps I shouldn't hide it. Let's face it head on and see.
She sits back down after throwing me a soda. I take a sip and place it down on the table and return my gaze to her, her beautiful auburn hair tricking down her shoulders like lava about to engulf me. I want it to, I want to know what it's like for one second, to be in its path, to be that close with her, and so I ask;
"Can I kiss you?"
Her eyes widen a little like she is taken by surprise, but her body reacts before she speaks and she nods, licking her lips, of which look so kissable. "I just don't want to go to sleep on my birthday without having a beautiful girl kiss me first... it's a tradition at this point" I say with a grin.
She smiles back "of course it is" she says rolling her eyes jovially and the tension is broken just enough for me to reach out and run my hands up her jaw, my lips pressing to hers, catching her words almost as they were about to leave her, and instead she whimpers a little as her mouth opens and accepts mine.
A soft and sweet caress, my bottom lip pulling hers in, a rush of tingles floods down my spine, my hands tenderly trace her jaw, slowly slipping up into her hair as I draw her closer, and without hesitation my tongue finds hers and as it does, the lava I admired from afar, it engulfs me. Harpers scent, her soft and sweet mouth, her tongue pressing to mine... stop!!! I pull away and try and steady my breathing that at this point is stupidly erratic and giving me away.
Harper looks absolutely adorable sat there, her hair ruffled up by my hands, her lips pinked and her hazel eyes lifting to meet mine.
"Wow" she whispers touching her lips.
"Wow" I return in the same way, touching mine, both cross legged opposite each other.
And our eyes slowly take each other in like neither of us have more words than that to offer, nothing that made sense anyway.
"That was a wonderful birthday kiss" I finally reveal with a smile that lifts my cheeks.
She relaxes a little and smiles back "well my own mama did preach about kissing your friends did she not" she returns jovially.
I let out a husky laugh, "Allie perhaps didn't have the best advice since she then longed painfully for that best friend for eighteen years..."
"Yeah that's true... she did"
I watch her closely, it's like she's considering that fact, and then what just happened, so I quickly interject " whereas this was a birthday gift"
She smiles "if that's the case I will take back the bag of gifts in my room"
I frown and reach out and slap her thigh jovially "Um... no" I reply playfully stern "I want all of my presents please"
She winks "I bet you do" she says teasingly.
I frown but laugh with it "okay flirty gurty" I tease back.
We could laugh and tease, but the fact was, once you see a friend that way, there really is no walking it back.
The night that followed was fun, nothing else inappropriate happened, but we slept in the bed together, ate far too much room service and crashed with a movie.
A night that kind of changed it all, with that ...
Damn kiss.
Oh Harper Jameson, It can't be unseen, and it can't be unfelt... what do I do with it now?! What do I do...