The Side Project Pt. 02 Ch. 11-12

Chapter 11: Lexi

Tender Loving Care

Author's Note: These are probably my favorite chapters of all of TSP so far. I hope you enjoy them. Any feedback is appreciated.

Friday, November 24, 2017

Napa, California, USA

After our morning, Cassie-fueled, romp Ky and I decided to putter around the town of Napa for a bit. The weather wasn't as idyllic as it had been the previous few days. It was mostly overcast with the temperature hovering around 50. We didn't accomplish a lot, but we'd both always enjoyed getting to know new places. We'd agreed on one of our first trips together that just walking the streets for a bit without a specific destination was the best way to get to know a new town or city.

We were still on a bit of an early schedule, body clocks partially on Central Time, so we ate an early lunch of Ginsgiving leftovers. Then it was time to head out for our first wine tasting of the day at noon.

Cassie had given us a pretty good idea of what to expect at that winery. Above average wine, average views, mediocre robotic explanations of the wine and the vineyard (which conveniently avoided the fact most of their grapes were grown off site) from the server.

Reed had gotten a reprieve from our Venmo trolling on Thanksgiving Day since we hadn't bought anything. We gleefully resumed our campaign by sending him a request for the cost of the tasting. He replied with a middle finger emoji and a link to a pornographic video that featured a man ejaculating onto a line of cocaine and a nude woman snorting the disgusting mixture.

We trundled over to the vineyard where Cassie worked once we finished paying and I texted her I was waiting in the parking lot, as we'd agreed.

Ky had some stuff he wanted to handle. He wanted to touch base with Reed about whether he'd caught anything in the documentation for the Tuna Run club, and with Jason about any progress on getting our money moved. There was a small gazebo in the yard between the vines and the owners' house. He would hang out there while he made his calls and wait for us.

Cassie rolled up on an ATV a couple minutes later. She waved to Ky, then gestured for me to hop aboard. I did so eagerly.

Cassie and I were both wearing jeans and hoodies. Decidedly not sexy. And not thin material. I still liked holding her around the stomach for safety as we rode.

After a few minutes, we pulled up at a vine where Cassie had left a small collection of tools. We got off the ATV and Cassie began to demonstrate her technique.

"This time of year is easy in a lot of ways. The grapes are in, and now we're setting the vines up for next season. Sometimes that means supporting them. Once they're fully dormant, it means pruning. Sometimes it means giving the fuck up, flagging one for replacement, and preparing to plant a new one in the spring," Cassie said.

We worked in relative quiet for perhaps an hour, with only Cassie's gentle guidance about how to handle unique situations with the vines interrupting our reverie. I really enjoyed it when Cassie got up close and personal with me to demonstrate what to look for and how to support the vines' limbs. Some of it was my barely restrained attraction to her for sure, but a lot of it was also genuine appreciation for her knowledge of the plants.

"You're good at this, a natural, so to speak," Cassie complimented after I'd successfully picked out a vine that could use some support on one of its limbs.

I couldn't help but beam with pleasure at her compliment. "I'm not exactly sure where my place in life is going forward, but I think I know this," I said, "I don't want to work in an office anymore."

"Makes sense. I truly respect you for trying to make a difference from inside the belly of the beast, but being outdoors and working with the land is so much more rewarding," Cassie said.

"You're such a dirt nerd," I joked.

Cassie looked at me, then smirked. "Takes one to know one, I think."

I harumphed and we went back to work. Cassie may have been right about my inclinations. I certainly liked that despite my relative lack of hands-on experience, she thought of me that way.

- - - - -

"Lex, is it cool if I call you Lex?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, of course. As long as I can call you Cass," I said.

"Ok, nice. There's something I feel like I need to bring up to you out of, well, girl code, I guess we'll call it," Cassie said.

I tensed slightly, then nodded. Here it came. The admission she wanted to fuck Ky. And hopefully me?

"So yesterday on the hike while you were really flying, Ky and I got to talking a bit," Cassie said.

And you want to fuck him. Logical. He's so fucking hot and easygoing. He's a perfect fit for you. It's ok. I don't mind really. Can I be there?

"Yeah, sorry about that, I have super limited experience with gummies," I apologized.

"Oh gosh, no need to apologize. You had fun right?" Cassie asked.

"Oh yeah, amazing, but I realize I kind of wandered," I said.

"You enjoyed nature. That's the whole fucking point. Maybe I should have only offered you half a gummy, but frankly seeing you experience it that way brought us closer in a way I don't think any conversation we might have had could have," Cassie said.

Yeah, while you had a conversation that sounds like it brought you very close with Ky. Out with it, Cassie. I know you want him.

"Thanks, I really did have an awesome time," I said.

"Amazing. I mean between yesterday, and today doing this mundane work on the vines, I can tell you have a genuine interest in the outdoors. My kind of girl," Cassie said, smiling affectionately.

Oh? So maybe it's not just Ky you're interested in then after all? I hope so. I really really hope so.

"For sure. I guess maybe between living in Houston and the corporate grind I lost touch with this side of myself a little. This trip allowed me to reconnect," I said.

"That's really great. I know I'm a little bit of an extremist, but I truly think spending time outdoors is one of the most enjoyable things there is in this world," Cassie said.

Yep, for sure. Right behind sex with hot guys you met giving wine tours right? How about their female companions?

"Yeah, it's kind of therapeutic in a way," I said.

"I suppose. I guess for me it's kind of become a way of life," Cassie said.

"I can tell, it's pretty impressive," I said.

"Thanks. You know, you have the opportunity to do that same thing now too," Cassie said.

Ok, thank you Nature Girl. Proselytizing your philosophy. Why do I have that opportunity? Oh right, the guy I'm banging is suddenly rich. I know you want to bang him, too. Let's hear it.

"I know I'm lucky. I do plan to take advantage of it," I said.

"So that brings me back to what Ky and I talked about yesterday while you were contemplating the mysteries of sparrows," Cassie said. "He was looking at you with, like, total adoration and I muttered this term I learned from a college roommate - kipona aloha."

"What's that? Not familiar," I said.

"It's Hawaiian. Means deep, emotional love. Sort of like true love but deeper in a way. Soulmate might be the better translation. I just saw the way he was looking at you and it slipped out," Cassie said.

My pulse quickened. I knew Ky had strong feelings for me, but hearing it put in such meaningful terms still caused a rush of feelings. Good ones though.

"Oh gosh. I mean, I know he cares. He's been so steady since the day I met him," I said.

"I can see that. He's that kind of guy," Cassie said.

Ok Cassie, I know you want to fuck him. Can you just get on with asking? The answer is yes. Well at least as long as I get to be there. Why do we have to talk about all this emotional shit?

"Yeah. He's everything I've ever wanted, in a way," I said.

"So that's what I really wanted to mention to you, woman to woman. He doesn't think you can feel kipona aloha for him the way he does for you. He told me about you liking girls. Which is totally cool, by the way, but unless I'm totally stupid, I think you feel kipona aloha for him, too. And I think that's something maybe you should tell him," Cassie said.

"Oh fuck," I breathed. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck."

I shook my head. Stupid stupid stupid. How could I let the best thing in my life feel that way? It was all the stupid fucking defenses. All the hand-wringing about being gay or bi or whatthefuckever. Now it was jeopardizing what mattered most.

Cassie seemed to sense my inner turmoil. She put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I started to tear up a little.

"Thank you for telling me. True act of sisterhood right there. Uh, not that I'm not having a great time, but I think I should go talk to Ky now," I said.

"For sure, some things are more important even than outdoor time," Cassie said, smiling.

We hopped on the ATV and drove the short distance back to the main winery buildings. Ky waved when he saw us approach; he was on the phone.

We got off the ATV and Cassie hugged me. I held her tight. I reached up and tugged at the collar of her hoodie so she'd bend down slightly, and I gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Thank you. Truly. I don't deserve friends like you," I said.

"Of course you do. You're a good person, Lexi. Now go make your man's day," Cassie said with a smile.

I smiled back. I fully intended to.

Chapter 12: Kyle

Kipona Aloha

Friday, November 24, 2017

Napa, California, USA

I had gotten quite a bit done while Lexi had been off playing farmer with Cassie. I had connected with Reed and Jason briefly and gotten status updates. Jason was already making progress and was confident all the money would be moved by the end of the month. The man was kind of a jerk, but it seemed like he did good work.

Reed was still working through the documentation for our purchase of the health club but hadn't found any cause for concern yet. However, I had another important reason to talk to Reed that I hadn't mentioned to Lexi: I wanted to see if he was willing to go in with me on buying the Nashville rental house from our trip the prior week. His predictable reaction was 'fuck yeah,' and we agreed to split the cost 50-50.

Reed wasn't a real estate attorney by trade, but was pretty sure he could handle brokering the purchase. He'd already been looking into what he would need to practice law in Tennessee, and this would send him to the next level of motivation.

I had it in my head that I wanted to make the house my Christmas gift to Lexi, and I knew making that happen in time would be tough, so I wanted to give Reed some incentive to move quickly.

"You know, Texas A&M are bowl eligible. Do you think LIMPs miss going to A&M bowl games in person?" I asked.

"Certainly not," Reed said.

"Don't you think it would be nice to welcome Allie and friends to your nice, newly purchased rental house for a party while their husbands are off watching that bowl game?" I asked.

"Fuck! You're a genius! I'll get this shit moving yesterday!" Reed exclaimed. I knew my audience.

After signing off with a properly motivated Reed, I fired up a group text with Brandi, Jackie and Rose to find out what their plans were for Christmas and New Year's. I figured the only way to make buying the rental house for Lexi a better present was to stock it with horny, bisexual Sigma Sluts. I probably wouldn't mind either.

To my surprise, rather than a text reply, I got a phone call from Jackie. "Jack, how are you!?" I asked in greeting.

"I'm good! You're on speaker with all three of us," Jackie said.

"Hey Rose, Hey Brandi!" I called.

"Hiya Ky!" Rose said.

"We just finished our second naked pillow fight of the day and are modeling our sexiest panties for Rose to judge," Brandi said.

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Living the lesbian throuple dream then, Brandi?"

"Ugh, throuple is so, like, 2016," Brandi said in a faux Valley Girl voice.

"My apologies that I'm not up to speed on your latest terms. What are you guys these days? Triple? Triad? Thriple?"

"We're a triangle!" Rose exclaimed.

"Uh, ok I guess?" I said.

"Well we can't 69 if the three of us are together. It would be rude to leave one girl out. And if we're all eating each other's pussies at the same time it makes a triangle," Jackie explained.

"Yeah we put that shit in the bylaws, Rule No. 15: No 69s while the third member of the triangle is present without her permission," Brandi said using the mock serious tone the Sigmas always did when discussing their rules.

"You three are the Sexual Bermuda Triangle. Many a person has gone missing caught up in your sexiness," I said, chuckling.

"Oooohhhh, I like it!" Rose exclaimed. "Rule No. 16?"

"I vote yes!" Jackie yelled.

"It is thus decided. In polite company the triangle shall now be referred to as the SBT," Brandi declared.

I laughed. "I've missed you all and it's only been what, five days?"

"Well six since I've had your dick in me," Brandi said. Very Brandi thinking.

"Are you in dick withdrawal?" I teased.

"I'm doing alright actually. In the wake of your little girlfriend's lesson, I've noticed a distinct improvement in technique from my girls," Brandi said.

"Speaking of, where is our dearest Lexicon?" Rose asked.

"You guys will probably think this is hilarious. So we're actually in Napa for the holiday."

"Wait, hold on, what? Like California? How did that happen?" Jackie asked.

"Reed lost a bet. He's funding our little adventure." I went on to explain our Venmo trolling and how Reed's responses had been getting increasingly unhinged, which had the girls in stitches.

"So anyways, Lexi, as she does, has befriended and become smitten with this smoking hot girl we met who works at a winery. They're currently off discussing the finer points of vineyard maintenance," I told them.

"Sounds about like Lexi," Jackie said.

"I know. So on to why I texted you ladies, I'm planning another Nashville trip as a surprise Christmas present for Lexi, and I was wondering if you three might be interested in coming down for some Rule 14 action?" I asked.

I heard the Sigmas, or SBT I supposed, conferring quietly.

"We have some family obligations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but all three of us could take off that week between Christmas and New Year's. Maybe we could meet up on like Wednesday, the 27th and stay for a few days?" Rose offered.

"Heck yeah, sounds amazing. Can't wait to see you three again. I'm working on a fun surprise for where we'll stay, but I promise I'll have something set up and will text you all updates," I said.

"Sweet, let us know what we owe you, we don't want to keep being freeloaders," Jackie said. I smiled to myself, realizing the Sigmas still had no idea about our money.

"We can work through settling up closer to the date. You girls just get your time off set up," I said.

"Amazing, can't wait to see you and Lexi again!" Rose said.

"Hey, speak of the devil, she's just pulling up now, gotta go. Keep this quiet so it's a surprise, yeah?" I said.

"You got it, Ky," Brandi said.

"Byeeeeee," all three girls cried and then hung up.

I watched Cassie and Lexi disembark from the ATV and exchange a long hug. Lexi pulled Cassie down for a kiss on the forehead, then walked towards me with a determined expression on her face.

"Ky, we need to talk," she said once she was within speaking distance. Oh fuck.

- - - - -

"Ermm, alright, what's up?" I asked. I thought about everything I had just been working on setting up for Lexi, and my eyes got a bit watery, much to my shame. Had she and Cassie had some sort of breakthrough? Was that tender moment I'd just witnessed between them Cassie pumping Lexi up to give up on men forever and be with her?

"It's not bad, but it is serious," Lexi said, clocking my worried expression. "Come on, this is more of a private discussion, let's head back to the rental."

We trotted to the car and I woodenly started the engine then pulled out of the lot. Lexi's reassurance it wasn't bad helped, but I still felt like my emotions were all over the place.

"So what's the deal?" I asked once we'd turned out onto the paved road.

"I think it's more a sit down conversation than a car conversation. Eye contact and shit," Lexi said.

"I think we have a pretty good history with serious conversations in the car," I noted. I was thinking about both our discussion where we initially discussed Lexi being bi after our threesome with Rose in Nashville, and the talk where we agreed to move in together when we got back to Houston.

"Yeah, I'm actually not so sure that's the case," Lexi said. My anxiety spiked again. What the fuck was this about?

I kept my mouth shut. It was only about a ten minute drive back to the rental. I followed Lexi up the flagstone path to the front door, wondering if my life was about to disintegrate.

The table in our rental wasn't really a proper dining room table. More of an oversized breakfast nook table for four. I thought about the wonderful meal we'd shared at it with Cassie the night before. End of an era perhaps?

"Is this a 'we should pour wine' type of discussion?" I asked.

"Hmmm," Lexi mused and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I think it might be. Open the nicest bottle we have left."

Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Smoke 'em if you got 'em or we only drink the best to celebrate? Mechanically I retrieved the corkscrew and grabbed a bottle of Bordeaux. Lexi's favorite. Maybe that was good luck.

Lexi was seated at the table, brow furrowed. I set the glass of wine in front of her and took my seat facing her. She sipped the wine, looking thoughtful.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush," Lexi started. "Cassie told me about your kipona aloha discussion from yesterday."

Panic flashed through my system. What the fuck Cassie? I thought you were a smart girl with a modicum of discretion.

"Well look, I was a little high and..." I started.

"Stop. Stop. I'm not mad," Lexi said, holding up a hand. "Well not at you. I'm mad at myself. Disappointed."

Ah, fuck. Here came the sledgehammer. My feelings had gone too far for her to handle. I braced myself.

"I've had up too many walls. Been too guarded. Been afraid," Lexi said.

"It's ok, I mean, I get it. You're in a weird spot emotionally," I said. I was thinking about our talk from the day before about Lexi's evolving thinking about her sexuality.

"No. Actually, nothing about it is ok. You are the most important person in my life. And it's not close. You mean the fucking world to me, Ky. I can not imagine a life without you in it. I know shit has been crazy. I know I've been afraid. I know I've revealed stuff about myself that's surprised you. But that doesn't change my true feelings. I love you. I feel kipona aloha for you. I want to be with you forever," Lexi said. She was starting to tear up.

Holy shit. Ok. I took a deep breath.

"Whoa, um wow Lexi. Come a long way from the girl who only admitted she had feelings for me a week ago," I said. I was very off balance, but I was starting to feel hope. Now I just needed to avoid saying anything stupid.

"I mean it Ky. I love you. I'm done with the fucking weird shit about labels. I'll take any label you want for me. Up to and including wife if that's what you want."

"Holy shit, Lex. For real?" I asked.

"Yes. That's what you mean to me." Lexi spoke with utter conviction. Tears were running down her cheeks.

"And what if I wanted to be exclusive? Husband and wife with the house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, 2.5 kids, and a dog?" I asked. I was pushing it here, but I wanted to know this was real.

Lexi sighed and hesitated. I knew that wasn't what she really wanted. "Yes. If that's what it takes. I'm completely done with any other guy as long as I live as far as I'm concerned. I have been for a while. If what it takes to be with you is no more girls either, I'm fine with that."

I smiled, feeling the tension break. "Of course I don't actually want that, but it's damn nice to hear I matter that much to you. I love you, Lexi. Have since halftime of the first game where we met."

Lexi grinned at me. Fuck she was beautiful. She waggled her hand in a maybe gesture. "It was more around the 60th minute for me, when you hit that fucking amazing through ball to Bucky for our fourth goal. Wanted to make sure you weren't always going to just defer to me."

I laughed and remembered the moment. I'd faked an easy side foot pass to Lexi to get the opponent, who had become accustomed to me doing that, out of position and then hit one of the best balls of my life to our teammate. My first assist as Lexi's teammate. But definitely not my last.

"Wine was a good call," I said. "A toast. To us. To our kipona aloha."

We clinked glasses.

I stared into Lexi's eyes. The tears had dried up. They'd been replaced by fire now.

"Ky, take me to bed and keep me forever," Lexi said, co-opting the famous Top Gun line for her purposes.

"Lexi, you can be my wingman anytime," I replied.

"Bullshit Ky, you can be mine."

- - - - -

I had sort of expected our clothes to fly off, but that wasn't how it went.

By unspoken mutual agreement we seemed to treat the removal of each successive garment as an opportunity to explore a new area of each other's bodies. I never knew I could feel such intense connection from kissing a woman's lower back. I never knew I could feel such intimacy from having a woman caress the back of my knee. I never knew I could feel such excitement from stroking a woman's clavicles. I never knew a woman kissing the underside of my forearm could be sensual. Apparently I had a lot to learn about being in love.

All I was sure of was that I definitely knew I liked being openly, unapologetically, in love.

"Feels like the fucking Exxon Valdez sprung a leak in these," Lexi said, pulling off her panties and getting on her back.

I couldn't help but laugh. I briefly ran my hand over her slit. She was as soaked as advertised. "Have I told you lately how much I love how much of a nerd you are?" I asked.

"You have not, but now that you have a new lexicon to use on your Lexicon, I like it," Lexi said. She had a silly grin on her face. "Now fuck me?"

"Apparently your eloquence has not increased despite your newfound feelings," I said. I lined up my dick and pushed it into Lexi.

Lexi groaned as I filled her but then she made eye contact.

"They're not newfound feelings. They're newly acknowledged feelings. And I shouldn't have kept them from you for so long. But I did. And while I kind of regret that, I also think if you had pushed me too hard before this, I'm not sure I would have handled it well," Lexi said.

"In a way, I sort of feel like we always knew this was there, Lex. We've had it since early on... it was just scary," I said.

"You're right. Now make love to me, Ky. Please?"

Who was I to tell a pretty girl, who I was deeply in love with, no?

It was slow and methodical. Savoring the connection. Savoring the intimacy. Savoring the feelings, both emotional and physical.

"Ky, there's something else I want you to know. I know we have a lot of slow, sensuous sex. You thought I liked it that way because I was kind of gay, right?" Lexi asked.

"Well obviously I didn't realize that until recently, but yeah," I said.

"That's only a half-truth. A lot of times it was because I just wanted to feel deeply connected with you, babe. To feel close and deeply intimate with you," Lexi said.

I didn't respond verbally. I just stared into Lexi's eyes. The bright green orbs I loved looking at expressed true emotion. I felt a deep, deep connection with Lexi. We had unlocked something new that afternoon.

"You always take care of me. It's time for a role reversal. I'm going to help take care of you today," Lexi said. "Let's see if we can cum at the same time."

She moved one hand to her clit and began to rub. With her other hand she formed a 'v' shape around my thrusting cock. It provided some extra stimulation that rapidly took me from enjoyable lovemaking to starting to think about cumming.

"I'm getting close, lover," I said after a few minutes.

"Me too. Go whenever you want. You know feeling you filling me up kicks me over the edge," Lexi said.

At the last moment I dropped to my elbows and slipped my forearms beneath Lexi, holding her tightly as I began to fire my seed deep into her depths. She began trembling beneath me as we orgasmed simultaneously.

Lexi slipped her arms out from between us and wrapped them around my back. She held me tight to her chest and we reveled in the afterglow. I was reasonably confident I was the luckiest man on the face of planet Earth. Kipona fucking aloha.