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Kira could not believe her luck. Saya Sinclair, her ex-fiancée, was a few metres away on the sidewalk, hands full of shopping bags and somehow caught sight of Kira the moment she stepped out of the store. Kira cursed under her breath when Saya's surprise turned to determination, and she began to weave her way through the crowded sidewalk toward her.
Kira didn't hesitate to turn the opposite direction and fast-walk back the way she came. She would take the long way to get to her car. She was doing well, avoiding everyone in her path and feeling confident in her ability to escape her ex, when someone stepped out of the café she was passing and slammed into her. She stumbled and reflectively reached out to steady the other person, coming face to face with a stunning young woman around her age.
Kira could only stare like an idiot. They were standing close together, her hands still gripping the woman's left hip and right elbow, an intimate position to be in with a stranger.
The woman blinked at her, then smiled a little. Kira's eyes gravitated toward her dimples on either side of her mouth, and she sucked in another deep breath.
"Well, that was a fast catch," the woman murmured, and Kira sent her an easy smile.
"I apologize. I was in a rush and wasn't looking. Are you alright?" She asked, and the woman laughed a little.
"I'm fine. Nothing harmful about running into a gorgeous stranger. I'm just glad I decided to drink my coffee inside, rather than take it to go. This could have ended up a lot messier."
Kira opened her mouth to speak when Saya's voice called out from behind her. "Kira!" She stiffened and almost turned, but stopped herself. That would only confirm that she heard her ex, and she did not want to speak to her at all.
The woman in front of her glanced curiously over Kira's shoulder, then back.
"Not someone you want to see?" she asked, and Kira sent her a grimace.
"Absolutely not. She's my ex-fiancée."
"I could help get rid of her," the woman offered innocently, and Kira frowned. How would she do that? "You'd just have to act like I'm your girlfriend." Kira's eyes widened, and the woman glanced again over her shoulder, straightening to her full height. Kira noted that she was shorter than her by an inch. "You have about fifteen seconds to decide."
Kira groaned and quickly nodded. "Okay. What do I do?" she asked in a rush, and the woman sent her a tiny, mischievous smile.
"Well, you could kiss me. That tends to get the message across to people."
Kira swallowed the dryness in her throat and released a long breath to quell her nerves. "I can do that," she murmured, and the woman grinned wider.
"Then what are you waiting for? She's nearly behind you."
Kira didn't hesitate to jerk forward and capture the stranger's mouth in a bruising kiss. The woman gasped into her mouth but easily returned the kiss, her hands sliding up Kira's arms to cup the back of her neck. Kira slid her arms around the stranger and pulled her closer just as a finger tapped sharply against her shoulder.
Kira frowned and pulled back, glancing over her shoulder with disdain. Her eyes clashed with Saya's, and she immediately wanted to laugh. Her ex looked livid, and it was precisely what Kira hoped for. She dismissed her to look back at the stranger who had since cuddled in close, dipping her hand into Kira's back pocket. Something subtle but still screamed possession, which Saya didn't miss. The move was extremely hot, and Kira could hardly think.
"Kira," Saya greeted coolly, her eyes scanning the woman from head to toe in contempt before looking back to Kira. "I see you've found yourself a new flavour of the week."
"Original," the stranger said dryly and flicked her hair over her shoulder. Kira bit back a grin and slung her arm over her shoulders. "You write down those insults in your note app?"
Saya's jaw tightened, and she sent her a sharp smile. "I didn't realize I was speaking to you," she snipped.
"I didn't realize my freedom of speech had been revoked in the last minute. My apologies."
Kira coughed to cover her laugh, and the stranger smirked, linking her fingers with Kira's where they hung over her shoulder. "I might have to write that in my note app," Kira teased, and the stranger looked over with an amused smile.
"As long as you list me in the credits."
"Will do, babe."
"I'm sorry," Saya interrupted, an incredulous look on her face. "Babe? Are you seriously dating someone? We just broke up."
Kira sent her an annoyed look. "Oh, please, Saya, we have been over for nearly six months. It just took me till last month to finally say it out loud and make it official."
"We could have worked it out," Saya argued, and Kira scoffed.
"I was clear when we first met that I do not condone cheating. To me, that is one of the worst things you could do to someone in a relationship, and yet you went and did it anyway for months. I will not be having this discussion again. I've moved on, Saya, and you need to, too. I told you never to speak to me again, and that includes out in public. We are done."
Kira didn't let Saya reply; she took a step back, turned with the stranger still under her arm and walked off. Thankfully, Saya seemed to have some sense and chose not to chase again, so Kira made it around the corner without a fuss.
"Your ex is a bitch."
Kira laughed and glanced over at the woman. "Yeah. I should have listened to my family about her. But you know, shit happens, and I got swept up in her manipulations and couldn't see outside of the bubble I was in. Lesson learned."
"That's understandable. I'm Yumeko, by the way."
Kira smiled at Yumeko and stopped off to the side, near a car parked on the street. Only then did they pull away from each other, but remained a foot apart, staring. "Nice to meet you, Yumeko. Thanks for the save. I seriously owe you."
"It wasn't any trouble. I'm always happy to assist a gorgeous woman in a time of need. Especially when I get a kiss out of it." Yumeko's dimples popped with her teasing smile, and Kira chuckled.
"Yeah, I can see that. But seriously. I feel like I need to buy you a coffee or something," she replied.
"Your number will do," Yumeko flirted, and Kira smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You are bold, huh?"
"Absolutely. How else would I get anything I want?"
"Fair enough. Though I didn't expect you to want to see me after this," Kira told her, and Yumeko frowned.
"Why is that?"
"I guess because it was such a strange and awkward situation. I figured I would offer a coffee and then never see you again."
"Well, that does not sound appealing at all. I'm glad you didn't offer that."
"The coffee didn't sound appealing?" Kira joked, and Yumeko sent her a knowing smile.
"The not seeing you part. I'd be an idiot to agree to that."
"I guess you are the smarter one out of the two of us, then."
"Seems like it."
Kira grinned and held her phone out to Yumeko. Yumeko smirked and took it, inputting her number and sending a text to herself before giving the phone back.
"Thanks for making my day interesting, Kira. I'll see you soon," Yumeko said, leaning up to press a deliberate kiss to Kira's cheek. "Try not to knock over any other people."
Kira chuckled and watched as Yumeko walked away, looking back at her after a few paces to send her a wink before disappearing into the crowd of people.
"Damn," Kira muttered to herself, grinning. When she looked down at her phone, she laughed at Yumeko's choice of contact name: ex-fiancée's competition.
Her phone pinged with a text from Riri, her sister, asking her where she was. Kira cursed and checked the time. She was ten minutes late to Sunday lunch at her parents' house.
"Fuck."
Kira turned and ran down the sidewalk toward the parking garage three blocks away, where she had parked her car.
~~~~~~
The lunch was in full swing when Kira burst inside the house, breathless and holding the alcohol her mother had sent her out to get. She quickly yanked all the wine and coolers out of the bags and set them on the kitchen island.
"Where have you been, young lady?"
Kira whirled around and met her mother, Katrina's stern look with a sheepish smile.
"Traffic?" she said hesitantly, and Katrina sent her a flat look.
"Try again."
Kira groaned and waved at the alcohol. "Isn't it enough that I brought what you asked? I don't want to explain the reason I was late," she said petulantly, and Katrina's lips curved into an amused smile.
"Now I am intrigued," she teased, and Kira's cheeks flushed a little as her mother walked toward her, eager to hear the story.
"I ran into Saya, okay?" Kira said, slumping onto the stool behind her, and Katrina paused, her lips twisting with distaste.
"I see."
"And I ran away when I saw her, but she followed. Then I ran smack into this woman who was exiting a coffee shop, and we kind of..." Kira trailed off, her cheeks burning hotter as the memory of kissing Yumeko entered her mind, and her mother chuckled. That pulled her back to the present, and she shook her head. "Anyway, she helped me get rid of Saya. But it delayed me leaving downtown."
Katrina hummed and tilted her her head as she studied her daughter. "I see. Was this woman attractive?" she asked innocently, and Kira sent her a weak glare.
"What does that matter?"
"Well, I just figured she was if thinking about her has you blushing like a school girl."
"Mom!" Kira shouted, embarrassment sweeping through her as she popped up from the stool, desperate to escape, causing Katrina to laugh loudly and pull her in for a motherly hug.
"I apologize for teasing, honey," she soothed, patting Kira's cheek. "But it has been a long time since I've seen you looking so bright-eyed. It is nice to see."
Kira slumped, her defensiveness escaping her in a snap, and she sent her mom a shy smile. "She was so freaking gorgeous," she mumbled, and Katrina beamed.
"Did you get her number?" Kira nodded slowly, and her mother pinched her chin, a proud look on her face. "Atta girl."
"So weird that my mom is my biggest hype woman," Kira replied when Katrina stepped away to start uncapping the wine to fill the punch bowl. She was making her famous sangria.
"Of course I am! It's like watching a real-life romantic drama. A terrible one so far, but still."
"Rude!" Kira said with a laugh, and Katrina sent her a wink.
"The second act always gets better. Don't worry."
"God, I hope so," Kira sighed.
"Go join the others outside, sweetheart. Your father's new coworker is here, and she brought her husband and daughter. They have been waiting to meet you, Riri has already been introduced," her mother told her, and Kira nodded.
"Sure. Let me know if you need help carrying anything outside."
"I will. Now shoo." Katrina waved her away, and Kira shook her head but did as she was told.
As she walked through the sliding back door that led to the massive two-tier deck, she caught sight of someone who definitely should not be there. They stood by the grill, talking with Arkadi and holding a plate of food. Kira choked on her next breath and cursed, turning and running back inside the kitchen.
"Mom!" She hissed, tripping as she reached the island counter in her panicked frenzy. Katrina looked up at her in surprise. "Who is Dad's new coworker?"
"Keiko Jabami. She's the newest senator, why?"
"What's her daughter's name?" she pushed, and her mother stared at her for a moment, confused, before shrugging.
"Yumeko."
"Oh my fucking god."
"Are you going to tell me what has you freaking out?" Katrina asked her in exasperation, and Kira took a deep breath.
"That's her! The girl, the woman! The one I ran into escaping Saya." Katrina's eyes widened, and Kira ran her fingers through her hair roughly. "Oh god, she's the daughter of Dad's coworker. This is not good. Not good at all. I made out with the newest senator's daughter," she hissed, bracing her hands on the counter.
"Well, that is something I'm sure I wasn't supposed to hear."
Kira flinched and whirled around in surprise, coming face to face with who she could only assume was Yumeko's mother. She gulped and laughed nervously as Keiko stared at her with a surprised yet amused smile. Katrina chuckled from behind Kira, completely unbothered and unhelpful as Kira struggled to say something.
"Um, Senator Jabami. Hi," she said, clearing her throat. "That, uh, that was a joke. I did not kiss your daughter. Like at all."
Keiko nodded, pursing her lips to stop a smile. "Of course. I will assume you were speaking of another new senator's daughter," she said diplomatically, and Kira nodded quickly.
"Yep."
"I will also assume that my daughter must have had the same kind of encounter about an hour ago with a different stranger named Kira." Kira's polite smile froze on her face, and Keiko released a bright laugh along with Katrina. "Oh, honey, your panic was endearing. But you don't have to feel awkward. Yumeko told me what happened the moment she arrived. You two are adults, I have no say in who my daughter chooses to kiss."
"This is the most mortifying day of my life," Kira muttered, swiftly turning and walking away, leaving the older women to laugh together at her expense.
As Kira walked outside, still flush with embarrassment and wanting the floor to crack open and swallow her whole, Yumeko appeared directly in front of her with a surprised but pleased smile.
"Well, hello, stranger," she said, a flirty smile playing on her lips as she eyed Kira up and down.
Kira couldn't help but smile back, her embarrassment from earlier washing away the moment Yumeko was in sight. "Yumeko," she murmured.
"So you are Senator Timurov's mysterious eldest daughter. The universe has a sense of humour."
"You're telling me," Kira said with a small laugh. "I just made a complete fool of myself in front of your mother because I freaked when I saw that you were the Senator's daughter, my mother told me to go greet. I think our mothers are still laughing at my expense."
"Aw, you panicked?" Yumeko teased with a pout. "That's so cute."
"Yes, because I had just finished telling my mother about what happened with Saya and you."
"You tell her we kissed?" Yumeko asked with a waggle of her eyebrows.
"Well, not originally," Kira muttered, and Yumeko tilted her head with a curious smile. "But she found out when I ran back inside and started rambling about how you were the person I ran into, and that meant I made out with the newest senator's daughter. Of which your mother overheard."
Yumeko released a bright laugh, and Kira laughed with her. "Damn!" Yumeko said through her laughter. "I wish I had seen your face when that happened."
"It was mortifying."
"It's kind of cute," Yumeko told her, and Kira rolled her eyes.
"Sure."
"My mom already knew, by the way. If that makes you feel better."
"Yes, I am aware. She told me after I acted like an idiot."
Yumeko giggled and Kira grinned, shaking her head. The two stared at each other for a long moment before Kira forced herself to look around, taking note of everyone's surroundings. Her father was sitting with a bunch of the men, laughing and drinking on the far right side of the deck while a few of the wives were down on the second level in their circle. And then at the edge of the massive pool below, Riri and Mary were huddled together like always.
Kira watched her sister smile shyly at whatever Mary was saying and then accept the sweet kiss that was planted on her lips. She looked away from the pair and refocused on Yumeko, who had since moved away from Kira and was snacking on the chips that were sitting on the glass outdoor table a few feet away.
Kira walked over to grab a handful for herself. Yumeko wordlessly handed her a paper plate as the sliding door was pulled open behind them. They turned to see their mothers exiting with the big bowl of sangria and paper cups.
Kira didn't hesitate to take the bowl from her mother. Katrina had mild arthritis and yet insisted on carrying things that exacerbated the pain. "Mom," she scolded as she took the bowl. "Stop carrying heavy things. You know the doctor said to limit weight to under ten pounds."
Katrina scoffed, waving her hand, dismissing Kira's words. "Please, that bowl was five pounds at most," she said.
Kira rolled her eyes and sent her mother a flat look. "I bought you this bowl and I know it holds 320 ounces of liquid when full, which it is, so that means it weighs twenty pounds. And on top of that, the bowl itself is crystal, so add another five to ten pounds to the total weight."
"Don't you use math against me, missy," Katrina warned, and Kira sighed but smiled and turned to set the bowl on the table.
"You are so stubborn," Kira told her when she turned back around, and Katrina smiled, patting her cheek.
"Where do you think you got it from?"
"Dad. Obviously. He's way worse than you."
Katrina laughed lightly and nodded. "You aren't wrong about that. I have finally gotten him to do something in the bedroom he has adamantly refused to do our entire marriage," she said, and Kira screwed her face up and stepped away from her mother sharply.
"Mom! No! Gross," she cried out, covering her ears as Keiko and Yumeko laughed loudly.
"Oh, Kira," Katrina scolded, wacking Kira's hip lightly. "I was talking about changing the wall colour."
Kira dropped her hands and sent her mother a glare. "You could have worded that a lot better, mother," she said.
Katrina grinned and looked to Keiko conspiratorially. "Believe me, the bedroom activities are the one thing Arkadi has no problem giving in to."
"Mom!" Kira shouted in disgust. "Stop talking. I beg you."
Katrina and Keiko laughed, and Yumeko smothered hers with a cough as she grabbed Kira's elbow and dragged her away. "We don't need to listen to what conversation that will inevitably lead to," she told Kira.
"She's a menace," Kira complained as they walked down the steps to the pool. She waved and smiled briefly at the wives as she and Yumeko passed, and then it was just Riri and Mary watching them with twin looks of intrigue. "Ri, you are on mom duty for the rest of the day. I am scarred for life."
Riri sent her a curious look, and Kira sat on the opposite side of the pool, slipping her feet into the cool water. Yumeko took a seat to her left and kicked her feet lazily in the water.
"What did she do?" Riri asked, and Kira grimaced.
"Traumatized me with her and dad's sex life. I now know more than I ever wanted to."
"Oh," Riri said, a bit disturbed, and Mary cackled.
"Your mom is hilarious. I love her so much," she said, and Yumeko chuckled.
"She does seem to be fun."
"She's embarrassing," Kira and Riri said together, and that had Yumeko and Mary laughing.
"Katrina is a hoot. You two are just sensitive. Let the woman live and have no filter. Life is more fun that way," Mary told them.
"I like her," Yumeko agreed, and Kira side-eyed her.
"You would, Jabami."
Yumeko sent her an innocent smile and shook her head. "What? I thought you liked bold women, Timurov?" she teased, and Kira bit the inside of her cheek to stop from grinning stupidly.
"I do," Kira agreed. "But not when it is my mother discussing her lively sex life with my father."
Yumeko snickered, and Riri groaned from across the pool. "Please, change the subject. I do not need that image," she complained.
"Oh, I've got one," Mary said excitedly, a devilish grin on her face as she levelled her stare on Yumeko and Kira. "What is going on with you two? I've never seen Kira so buddy-buddy with someone she just met."
Yumeko grinned wickedly and linked her arm through Kira's arm possessively. "Didn't you hear? Kira made out with the new senator's daughter earlier today," she said with a mocking gasp.
Mary choked on a laugh and looked to Kira in disbelief, then to Riri, who was having a hard time keeping her face neutral as she eyed Kira.
Kira sent Yumeko a glare and got a wink in return. "That... did happen," she said stiffly as she turned to face her sister and Mary. "But it was a cover. I needed Saya off my back when I was downtown. So we faked being in a relationship to scare her off."
"And kissing was necessary for that to work..." Mary said incredulously, and Yumeko giggled.
"Probably not, but I got to make out with a hot stranger and rub it in her ex's face. It was fun!"
Kira grimaced when Riri's stunned eyes met hers. "You pulled the fake-dating trope?" Her sister asked. "In real life?"
"Yeah," Kira sighed, and Riri snorted.
"What rom-com are you living right now?"
"A terrible one, according to our mother," Kira snipped, and that got a genuine laugh from Riri.
"Don't worry, with me as the new main love interest, it will get better," Yumeko said bluntly, and Kira choked on nothing.
Jesus," she muttered, and Yumeko giggled while Mary gaped at the pair.
"Oh, you are so Kira's type," she said with a bright laugh. "This is going to be so fun to watch."
Kira rolled her eyes and turned her focus to the water, before she remembered she forgot to bring food down with her. She groaned and looked back up at the deck in annoyance.
"What?" Yumeko asked, and Kira sighed.
"I meant to grab a plate of food before coming down here."
"I was going to grab a drink, let me get it for you. What do you want?" Yumeko offered, and Kira shook her head.
"No, it's okay, I can get it."
"You are stubborn," Yumeko observed with a slight grin.
"Yes."
"Well, so am I. Now what do you want?"
Kira shook her head but caved and sent Yumeko a small smile. "Fine. Just this once because I'm starving. I'll take a hot dog with ketchup and relish, and some chips."
"Drink?"
"Some of the sangria."
"Perfect!" Yumeko pulled her feet from the pool and stood, sending Kira a bright smile before she walked up to get the food.
"Okay, spill," Mary blurted, and Kira looked at her. "How good was the kiss?"
Kira's face flushed immediately, and Mary gasped, slapping Riri in the thigh with excitement. "Holy shit! Do you see that, Ri? I've never seen her blush before!" She said. "That has to mean it was fucking fantastic."
Riri chuckled and sent Kira a sympathetic smile when she huffed in annoyance and rubbed at her cheeks to get rid of the blush.
"Yes, it was incredible," Kira told them, and Mary fist pumped the air.
"Yes! You got her number right?"
"Of course."
"Phase two complete. Good. Now you just need to ask her out."
"Already thought of that," Kira told her. "I'm going to ask when she's about to leave here."
"Fuck, I am already obsessed with this," Mary said. "You better not mess this up, Timurov."
"Relax, would you," Kira muttered, running a hand through her hair. "I know how to ask people out."
"I'm talking, don't fuck up that date she will inevitably say yes to. I need more friends, and Yumeko and I vibe. I can't have you messing this up for me."
"Of course," Kira said sarcastically. "My apologies."
Riri jerked her chin toward the stairs, and Kira quickly looked to see Yumeko walking down the last few steps, two cups in hand and Kira's plate balancing on her arm. Kira stood and took the plate from her.
"Thank you," she said.
"My pleasure."
"Yumeko," Mary said, gaining their attention. Kira frowned when she saw the mischievous grin on her face. "You haven't had a tour of the legendary Timurov property yet. They have an incredible view of the beach through the trees at the end of the property. Kira will show you."
Kira blinked, blindsided by Mary's sudden intervention, but she forced herself to smile when Yumeko looked at her with an amused glint in her eye. "Oh, will she?" she flirted, and Kira took a drink of her sangria to cover the fact that she was too flustered to come up with a witty reply.
"Oh, and make sure she shows you the treehouse," Riri added, and Kira sent her sister an incredulous look.
Her sister knew that was Kira's favourite place and that she never took people there. But Kira could tell she would have broken that rule for Yumeko even if her sister hadn't brought it up. There was something about the woman that made her want to share all her secrets. Riri sent her a smug smirk, and Mary grinned manically when Yumeko shrugged and nodded.
"Sounds fun." Yumeko looked at Kira expectantly. "Do you want to go now or after you've eaten?"
Kira cleared her throat. "I can eat as we walk," she told her, and Yumeko smiled brightly.
"Perfect. Lead the way, Miss Timurov."
Kira sent her sister and Mary a glare when they started to snicker as they walked away, and got two thumbs up in return. She shook her head and grabbed her hot dog, taking a giant bite and chewing as she led Yumeko down the gravel path toward the tree line.
"So your sister and her girlfriend are not subtle," Yumeko said after a minute of silence, and Kira snorted.
"They are idiots. But they mean well."
"They seem very invested in you being alone with me." Yumeko sent her a teasing grin, and Kira smirked.
"Mary wants me to recruit you to the group so she can brainwash you into being her new best friend. And since you are weak for a pretty face, that job fell to me."
Yumeko laughed brightly and knocked her hip into Kira's. "Cheeky," she said and smiled widely. "I like that. And you can tell Mary I am intrigued. By being her friend and by you."
"Well, that's good. She demanded I not fuck this up," Kira joked, and Yumeko chuckled.
"And how would you fuck it up?"
"By being myself, most likely."
Yumeko took a few chips from Kira's plate and popped one into her mouth as she considered Kira's statement. Kira took the time to finish her hot dog.
"Have people told you they don't like you being yourself?" Yumeko asked, and Kira hummed, keeping her eyes forward even when she felt Yumeko's stare.
"You could say that," she said, picking a couple of chips from the plate and popping them into her mouth and chewing mechanically to avoid explaining further.
"Well, I am completely enamoured with everything I've seen from you so far," Yumeko stated, and Kira looked to her quickly. "I've never had a crush on someone so quickly."
Kira released a short, disbelieving laugh. "Wait, what?" she asked.
Yumeko shrugged. "I'm serious. The moment I saw your face when you caught me, I was stunned. And then we kissed and I knew I was in trouble."
"That sounded like a line."
Yumeko gasped and slapped Kira's arm lightly. "It was not a line!" she reprimanded and Kira laughed.
"Sure."
"Don't act all aloof now, Kira Timurov. You were the one who admitted you panicked when you saw me again. You were just as affected as I am." Yumkeo pulled Kira to a stop, forcing her to meet her gaze.
"Ah." Kira clicked her tongue. "See this," she waved a hand between them. "This is the part of me people generally don't like about me. I get weird when things shift and become a bit too real. I make jokes because I am highly uncomfortable with emotional intimacy or any kind of compliment."
Yumeko's disgruntled look softened into understanding, and she tilted her head, eyeing Kira curiously. "You can kiss a stranger, but the moment you receive a compliment or someone says they like you, you get weird?" she asked quietly, and Kira shifted on her feet.
"Pretty much. I have a hard time believing people see me like that. At least when it goes past superficial looks."
"Is your ex someone who had a hand in ruining your self-confidence?" Yumeko asked, the soft look hardening into something akin to anger as if she knew the answer already.
Kira swallowed thickly and turned away, beginning to walk again. "Come on, I'll show you the treehouse," she said.
Yumeko followed, but Kira knew she wasn't going to let this point of conversation go. She didn't seem the type to shrug these things off for the sake of making people comfortable.
"I knew I should have punched her," Yumeko muttered as they reached the fork in the path, and Kira snorted, directing Yumeko to the left where a tall two-level treehouse stood.
"You'd have beaten my family to it if you had."
"Does she shop downtown often?" Yumeko asked innocently, and Kira sent her a look.
"No."
"I feel like you are lying."
"I am saying whatever I need to to keep you out of jail for assault."
Yumeko grinned and took the last of the chips from Kira's plate and shoved them into her mouth. She chewed and turned to face the treehouse, finally focusing on it.
"Oh, shit," she said around her mouthful. "You guys are rich."
Kira laughed and took Yumeko's hand, pulling her toward the ladder. She had Yumeko climb first, then followed. Once she reached the first landing, she dropped the paper plate near the ladder and retook Yumeko's hand. She led her to the right and around the front of the treehouse, where the trees open up to a view of the ocean.
Yumeko gasped and gripped the railing in excitement. "It's amazing!" she said, an awed look on her face.
"I used to hide out here all the time as a kid. My dad would have to carry me away half the time physically. I once slept out here for a month one summer. My mom made my dad sleep in a tent down below to make sure nothing happened to me," Kira said, laughing at the memory.
Yumeko peered over at her, a soft smile on her face. "That's cute," she said quietly, and Kira cleared her throat.
"I suppose."
"It seems like you have a close family," Yumeko said as she turned to face Kira, resting a hip against the railing. Kira smiled slightly.
"Yeah. I have nothing to complain about."
"Except when your mother makes innuendos about your father." Yumeko laughed at Kira's disgusted look and slid closer, hooking a finger through the belt loop of Kira's jeans.
Kira took a slow breath and peered at Yumeko with a pounding heart and sweaty palms. She forced her hands to move and placed one lightly on Yumeko's left hip while the other found the woman's right wrist.
Yumeko smiled when Kira's fingers slid up her forearm, stopping at her elbow. She angled her chin up and cocked her head to the side, silently challenging Kira with her dark, piercing eyes.
"Are you trying to get me to kiss you again?" Kira whispered, and Yumeko hummed, lightly tugging Kira closer by the belt loop and pulling her along as she walked backward so her back rested against the side of the treehouse. Kira stood in front of her, a mere few inches away.
"Is that something you'd be interested in?" Yumeko asked, tilting her head back to meet Kira's intense stare.
"I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since we parted this morning."
Yumeko's throat bobbed with a swallow, and she inhaled slowly. "Me neither," she confessed.
"I'm not one for flings, Yumeko," Kira told her, placing her left hand on the wall so it was propped beside Yumeko's head.
"Same."
"If I kiss you, this will mean something to me."
"I know. I want it to."
Kira sucked in a deep breath and dipped her chin just enough so their noses brushed. "This feels insanely fast. I didn't even get around to asking you out yet," she murmured, and Yumeko's lips curled into a cute smile.
"Consider this our first date, then. The first of many. Because you already drive me crazy."
"You want to jump into this headfirst? We don't even know each other," Kira whispered, breath hitching when Yumeko's fingers skimmed her sides as her hands settled on her hips. With her right hand now free, Kira placed it on the treehouse so both hands bracketed Yumeko's head.
"I'm not one for tiptoeing around what I want, Kira. I am impulsive in most things in my life, and so far, that gambling has paid off. I don't think I will lose this hand."
"Damn it," Kira muttered and ducked her head to kiss Yumeko hard. Yumeko responded eagerly, her hands slipping into Kira's hair and pulling her even closer.
"Fuck," Yumeko muttered as they pulled back to breathe. "I am in so much trouble with you."
Kira smiled and pulled her hands back from the wall to grip Yumeko's hips. She leaned in to kiss Yumeko again, softer but still passionate. "I am so screwed," Kira mumbled against her mouth, and Yumeko's fingers tightened in Kira's hair.
"I'm not one to believe in it at all, but I'm starting to understand the whole love at first sight thing," Yumeko whispered.
Kira released a breathless laugh. "Well, it's certainly lust at first sight," she replied, and Yumeko smirked.
"That it is."
"Give me a few weeks, and I may be completely in love with you," Kira joked, and Yumeko laughed.
"I wouldn't hate it."
"Good."
"Great. Now keep kissing me, Timurov. I haven't gotten enough yet," Yumeko told her, and Kira grinned but obliged.
She captured Yumeko's lips in a slow, deep kiss as she pressed the length of her body against Yumeko. The woman groaned and melted into Kira, one hand leaving her hair to wrap around Kira's back and pull her even closer, nails digging in, and Kira loved it.
She pulled Yumeko away from the wall, as their kissing picked up pace, and blindly walked them through the door of the treehouse a few feet to the right and kicked it shut behind them. She didn't want anyone to see their compromising position if someone came searching for them.
Yumeko switched their positions once inside, and soon it was Kira weak against the wall, getting the life kissed out of her.
~~~~~~~
"Oh, they are about to get freaky," Mary said with a snicker from behind the large rock they picked for cover. Riri sent her girlfriend an exasperated look.
"Babe, please remember you are speaking about my sister. I do not need that image in my mind."
Mary looked away from the treehouse to send Riri an innocent smile. "Of course. They are not about to fuck. Not at all," she replied.
Riri sighed and Mary laughed, pulling her in by the waist and looping her arms around her back. Riri couldn't help but sink into the embrace and cup Mary's face. "You are a menace," she whispered with a fond smile, and Mary smiled.
"You love it."
"I do."
"You also love that your sister has finally found someone who seems to be obsessed with her the way she deserves."
Riri smiled at that. She did find it refreshing that Kira seemed to glow in the presence of Yumeko. She wasn't stiff like she was with her past partners. She smiled and blushed, and Riri never thought she would see her sister act so soft. And she saw how Yumeko watched Kira. It was like Riri's sister was the most fascinating thing she had ever seen. She could hardly look away. Even when she went to get Kira food, Riri had seen her looking over at the pool every few seconds to catch a glimpse of Kira.
Riri liked that. She liked that someone felt like Kira was worthy of admiration and didn't want to miss a second of her company.
Yumeko and Kira may have met only a few hours ago, but Riri knew this was going to get honest, fast.
"I want them to work out," she told Mary, who nodded.
"Me too. Kira deserves to be happy finally."
"Do you think they will last?" Riri asked hesitantly, and Mary pursed her lips as she looked toward the treehouse, deep in thought.
After a moment, she looked back and sent Riri a soft smile. "Yeah, I think so. We had a whirlwind of romance in the beginning, too, and we are still together three years later," she said.
Riri's heart skipped a beat at the mention of how they came to be, and she ducked her head to press a soft kiss to Mary's lips. "Still in it forever?" she asked in a whisper, lips brushing Mary's as she spoke.
Mary smiled and kissed her again, harder, before she nodded and said, "Just waiting on that ring, Timurov."
Riri laughed breathlessly and pulled back to meet Mary's playful gaze. "You know this is a two-way street, right? You could propose to me," she pointed out.
"I'm not the rich one."
"You are a freaking forensic pathologist. You are rich," Riri argued.
"I'm only twenty-six, I'm in student debt!"
"Your parents paid that off as a graduation gift," Riri said flatly, and Mary laughed.
"Fuck. Why did I tell you that?" she said with a shake of her head. Riri grinned and swept Mary's hair back from her face and placed a sweet kiss on her nose.
"I will propose, Mary Davis," she whispered, and Mary swallowed. "And it will be when you least expect it."
"Okay," Mary said. "But don't make me wait too long. We can't have those freaks in the treehouse beating us to the punch."
Riri laughed brightly and hugged Mary. She kissed her head and kept one arm slung over her shoulder when she pulled back. "Come on, we can tell my mother that Dad owes her fifty bucks," she told her.
Mary grinned and let Riri lead her back to the house, her arm hooked around Riri's waist as they walked. "I can't believe he bet against her. He has to know his daughter is a complete sucker for a pretty girl," she replied.
Riri snorted. "I think he likes to think Kira is more innocent than she is. He would pass out if he just witnessed what we saw."
"Poor guy," Mary sighed. "Does he think we do nothing but kiss?"
Riri laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, no. He walked in that one time, remember? It was the first few months of us dating, and he dropped by my apartment to fix the kitchen sink. We hadn't locked the door."
Mary gasped and released a cackling laugh. "Oh fuck! I forgot about that! You chose that day to fuck me on the kitchen counter," she said through bouts of her laughter.
Riri grimaced and shuddered at the memory. Her dad's blank, pale face is something she will never forget. She can admit now it was kind of funny, but in the moment, she had been mortified and her dad had left without a word, texting her he would be by the next day at a specific time. It took him nearly three weeks to look her in the eye again.
"Maybe we should send him out here in search of Kira," Mary mused. "It's only fair she gets to experience the same horror."
"I don't think I could do that to my poor dad," Riri sighed.
"Send your mom?" Mary asked, and Riri glanced at her, a slow smile creeping across her face.
"Say we couldn't find them? But that we were sure they were planning to go to the treehouse?" she said, and Mary grinned proudly.
"I love when you join in on scheming."
"It's only fair that Kira gets the same trauma I do. And our mother is more insufferable than our dad. She will never let it go. It will be fun to watch Kira squirm when it is brought up."
"Agreed. And now that she is with Yumeko, she is happier and no longer a sad puppy that we need to coddle because of her breakup. I think this is a reasonable plan."
"Perfect," Riri said and let go of Mary so she could link their hands together and drag her up the steps to the deck. "Mom!" She called out, and Katrina looked over quickly, stopping her conversation with Jo, Arkadi, and Keiko. Everyone else had left the party while Kira and Yumeko were off together. "We didn't find them."
Katrina frowned and stood from her chair to meet Riri and Mary as they crossed the deck toward the group. "They weren't at the beach?" she asked worriedly.
"No. We walked past the treehouse first and didn't see them, but they did mention they would be there. So we may have missed them if they came back from the beach to the treehouse after we passed it."
Katrina hummed and glanced toward the group. Keiko walked over with a concerned look. "What is it, Katrina?" she asked.
"They didn't see Yumeko and Kira. I'm going to look for myself. They couldn't have gone far."
Riri looked to Mary, who was trying her best to keep a neutral expression as she nodded. "Probably a good idea. I'd check the treehouse first. We took the main path to and from the beach, but they could have taken the other one if Kira was showing her the full property," Mary told them.
"Alright. Then let's go look, shall we?" Keiko said to Katrina, and Riri had to clench her teeth tightly to keep her composure. That was not what they planned.
Mary sent her a wide-eyed look as the two women headed down the stairs in search of their daughters. "Oh shit," she muttered, and Riri grimaced.
"Well, Kira will definitely be traumatized," she said slowly, and Mary snorted.
They watched the two women disappear into the trees, and after a long pause, Mary turned to Riri and said, "Popcorn? This is going to be a fun show."
Riri grinned and looked at her girlfriend.
"You read my mind." They rushed into the house to make their snacks and grab drinks, ready to sit on the deck and wait for the four women to return.
"Hey!" Arkadi called out, forcing Riri to stop halfway through the door and look back at him. "Where are you two going in such a rush?"
"To get some popcorn and snacks," Riri said with a shrug. "You want some?"
Arkadi paused, glanced at the empty chip bowls on the table and then looked back at her. He nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. Don't forget to grab some of your mother's candy stash. I know she's hiding those mini chocolate bars I like."
Riri grinned and saluted him before ducking into the house. By the time Kira, Yuemko, Keiko and Katrina returned, the popcorn and candy bowls were nearly empty while Arkadi and Jo had eaten all the chocolates Katrina had tried to hide.
Riri couldn't wait to hear what her mother had to say. And based on her sister's face, it was going to be an incredible story.