Velvet

by iambe

   


     skin. hair. gaze. voice. which first enticed me?
     her touch. her touch upon all about her. her care softening that burnt sienna skin; esteem burnishing her blueblack hair; humanity emanating deepest jet eyes - earnestly engaged. but then, that voice, her sonorous croon exuding all she is and feels.
     i was amazed that the others could not see. well, i admit i expected too much of them, given the setting and all.

     "too good for this dive, that's for sure!" i yelled over rowdies. the song's last note, and no change in the din. she was a jukebox for all they cared.
     "owwww-oooooo!" my solo howl smacked a gap between mob syllables, a micron of silence right back to roar, but just a few more clapping hands. she glanced me a grin and slightest tip of her head.
     next song, some joined me listening, hushing others to hear. hoots chorused mine on closing chord. another glance, tip, then a gorgeous song, as din slid below and a couple rose to dance. sweet and slow, others joined, and their jukebox came alive.
     "look. she's singing to you," my friend ruth whispered. no need to say. my eyes had been fixed from first note.
     music is a passion of mine, a gifted voice a wonder to me. surely our songstress had seen it in me - every rise of my brow, of my breasts in gasps. for, clear through the deepening dancefloor throng, we communed within her tune.
     "she's magnificent. whatever is she doing in a place like this?" hotel restaurant by day, cowpoke bar by night, it resembled one of those black and white photos with one stark color highlight: singer's glow vitalizing our monochrome.
     "gotta start somewhere, i guess," ruth shrugged.
     too much talent is buried in happenstance. fates. starving great artists of every art.
     all matter vanished, but eyes to eyes. a steamy caress by vibrant air, her voice stream brushed my ear, then engulfed me in emotion. i do not exaggerate when i tell you i swooned.
     "i'm in love," i hardly even noticed i'd voiced, giving over and into the narrowing gulf.
     She...was in full concert now, with fans rapt silent, or swaying in pairs.
     yet, diva and i were alone.

     voice and eyes devoured me, intent upon each shudder provoked. the more enflamed my senses and sex, the richer came her tone. it was not just her voice making love to me, but my adoration requiting. i was silent part of a potent duet: all present succumbing to a rhythm pulsating like heat off sun-scorched desert.

     at closing time, she graced us three encores, then still had to tear herself from our pleas. word of mouth would fix her future.

     i tried to get close, for introductions, but there was no possibility. with a goodnight exchange of desirous glances, she was swept up by the crowd.

     "but we have to reach philly by friday, sara. you knew that."
     "yes, you're right. i know. i do know! but ruth...!" i lost my legs and fell on the bed. swooning was a new habit for me.
     "look, there is one chance, sar. breakfast. i'd bet she stayed here after the gig. maybe we'll see her."
     i uncharacteristically sulked as we packed. one brief chance was my only hope. but then, one where there had been none.

     i love southwestern breakfast. huevos rancheros are not the same anywhere else. as i savored that rare authenticity, i kept watch on every corner and door.
     breathing came challenge, swallowing hopeless, when she materialized right before me.
     "it's you!" her eyes as wide as mine.
     fighting off choking covered my speechlessness, until i could quite stupidly blurt, "you!"
     i felt ruth's squirm and private laugh at us: neither singer nor i could speak another word. "um, if you'll excuse me..." she didn't bother continue, aware she would not be heard, but simply stood and walked off.

     we did not introduce, just stepped in to a timeless bond.
     "i have a meeting..." her only words, but eyes echoing my own.
     "we leave soon..." breathless.
     "stay? even the day?" a womon approached, waving to her. "i'll be out in an hour. if you're here... well..." she reached and took my hand, shaking and caressing all at once.
     "deni."
     "s-sara."
     we clung hands and eyes, as the womon pulled deni away. another searing glimpse as she left.
      i turned as ruth rejoined me with a smile and finger wag.
     "no! uh-uh! we have to go!"
     "mindreader," i hotly blushed.
     "like it would take one?"
     "o, ruth...." i had no words, not even breath to say.
     care in her eyes said she heard, anyway.
     "how long then?"
     "o! ruth! thank you!"

     "my car's running. there's a place i'd like to show you. my favorite place."
     "i have to let ruth know when i'll be back. she's been so understanding."
     i'd introduced them in a rush. ruth had decided to see some sights. it was a gorgeous area we'd had to traverse too quickly - that time. we'd taken a leave from work to spend the summer delivering cars. we got to choose our destinations, but we always had a deadline, so we considered these visits samplers: noting areas we each must return with time. we selected those places in a number of ways, one being evenings out at local lesbian events and clubs.
     we really are Everywhere.
     but this town hadn't any visible lesbian activities, so we'd stopped in at the hotel bar for a quick drink with live music, before a resignedly early night.
     uh-uh! when you least expect...

     "o, my goddess, this is breathtaking!" it was the grand canyon, but no section i, or most tourists, ever saw.
     "this was once the home of my tribe. the meeting i just came from was about getting this land back. i'm doing a benefit performance on saturday. right here, by campfire, overlooking all this!"
     "wow, deni. what a magnificent tribute to a sacred devotion!"
     "more on that later," she grinned, then knelt before and kissed me hard on my mouth. we fell back into that searching gaze, our wonder from the previous night. something inexplicably compelling had met us each as each the other.
     i kissed her hand then up her arm, tasting biting sucking to her neck. we pulled each other's clothes off in a rush, then fell together in a sigh.
     her nipples hard i sucked them slow then harder as she swung round before i knew. i might have thought it overly fast, till i felt her tongue ignite my clit. and i knew i'd have died waiting any longer.
     my head was exactly where i wanted it, between her quivering thighs. as my lips closed on her flaming cunt i deeply inhaled her heady bouquet.
     and i thought i knew swooning by then! i had never coursed such passion before - searing driving famished need that pressed my body hard against hers as i cried out agony. how had i never known of this need? how could i meet it now?
     she took the question out of my hands as she introduced me to places so deep so high so otherworldly - i had lived all decades unknowing me!
     we rocked and rubbed our intimate edges. then she turned and laid me on my back, kissed me as she spread my legs, and slow so slowly draped her cunt full over mine. o! her excruciating tenderness as her throbbing clitoris only barely brushed mine with exploding sex that made me scream. then hard she pushed, then soft then rhythm she swayed and plunged, rose and fell. faster she lunged and harder i rose to meet each throw. and fiercely grabbing, pushing, pulling, we roared and came as one.
     one the other then the other the one we pleasured in turns then together again in wails and grunts and sobs we soared a universe i'd never been.
     then kissing fire to each other's mouth, we held on for dear life and eased us home. seized by orgasm after orgasm, gasping for air we cared no more about, we collapsed and bathed in each other's hot tears.   
     "i knew you, sara. i knew you the instant i saw you."
     "o goddess, deni, it was like that for me too. like a dream. i fell in love with you in that very moment."
     we cried and clung, dried tears then wept.
     "stay, sara. stay with me."
     "darling!" i hugged her tightly to me. "what beautiful words to hear from you." we rocked and cooed, both deep in thought, eyes  searching eyes for understanding.
     "so, you think your tribe could use a good envelope stuffer-slash-paralegal?"
     "who couldn't?" she grinned.
     "then i'll be back very soon, precious one. i'm a bit stunned to realize it, but i can't even imagine living without you now."
     "me too, sara. it's mystical. like...well, like we're long lost family who finally found each other."
     "yes. and i cannot lose you...again." we both shook our heads in wonder.

     piercing, the vision as she walked canyon's ridge. and then, o! i'd only imagined i knew swooning even by then! i met her true voice as she swept me to a next universe. in timeless voice she leased a chant as i walked toward her weaving my ancient chant in hers.
     before us ether came shadow, then form.
     "o no!" deni choked and whipped around, hands clasped over her face.
     "deni! what's wrong?" running to her side.
     "they're here! i've always known and taught they're with us, then i go and forget it all!"
     forms took on features as i gaped on witnessing persons manifesting.
     "they saw!" she wailed, "they saw us!"
     i reached to hold her but she stepped back. "no! how could i do this here?! i knew!" and i knew her meaning, and the taint of shame.
     before us fires roared and naked bodies swayed to an otherworld chant that i felt quicken me. "wait! look, deni! look!"
     they were womyn all, but not all deni's tribe. my mouth fell wider as i realized these womyn were of every existing hue.
     "my goddess," deni dropped to her knees, then laughed and cried and pulled me to her.
     these womyn swayed arms encirling one another, their circle enfolding us. where we both first feared recrimination, we saw they were sweating panting and grinning: some kissing, some moaning, many crying out open orgasm, all were loving with us, and welcoming us home.

     years later i sit as near canyon's edge as i dare, typing on my clunky old typewriter. serenaded by chants of all the world's peoples, i frequently pause to behold deni's world dance with ancestresses of every curve of the earth.

     ir...iy...it is difficult to keep touch with the keys when aswoon.