Women Kissing.
A short story by Robert Cormack.
“I have tried sex with both men and women. I found I liked it.” Dusty Springfield
Lauryn was trying to get into Marie Claude’s pants. She’d been trying all evening, but nothing was working. Even when she told Marie Claude she was beautiful, Marie Claude just laughed.
“You’re really something, Lauryn, you know that?” she said, then looked around the bar, eyeing different guys.
When Marie Claude got up to use the washroom, Lauryn watched her weave through the bar. Guys looked at her as she passed. Who wouldn’t? She was a good looking woman. Everyone at the travel agency where they worked told her she could be a model. A few guys asked her out. She turned them all down. Lauryn figured she had a shot.
One afternoon, she said to Marie Claude, “Doing anything Friday?” and Marie Claude said, “What did you have in mind?” She smiled when she said it. Lauryn took that as a clear sign of intent.
She just kept laughing, and looking at guys, and drinking the drinks Lauryn bought her. Lauryn was running out of ideas.
So that Friday, after work, they’d come to Lauryn’s local, and she’d introduced Marie Claude to her friends, and everything was going great, except Marie Claude wasn’t picking up her signals. She just kept laughing, and looking at guys, and drinking the drinks Lauryn bought her.
Lauryn was running out of ideas.
There was a conversation going on the other side of her. It was her writer friend, Aaron talking with Serge, this fashion photographer. Serge was explaining to Aaron why his stories weren’t selling.
“Stop writing what people expect,” he was saying. “It’s like photography. You need an element of surprise.” Serge knew about surprises. He’d been a teenage gigolo, a thief, and a porn actor.
Aaron nodded. He really wanted to be a writer. He’d even given up his job as a computer animator. Now he could barely make his rent. His hair was scruffy and his sweater had holes in it.
“You have to catch people off guard,” Serge went on, then suddenly kissed Aaron on the mouth. “See what I’m saying? You weren’t expecting that, were you? I’m not gay and neither are you. If I kissed Lauryn, you’d be surprised, but you wouldn’t be shocked.”
“I’ll kiss you now if you like,” Serge said.
“I would be,” Lauryn said. “You’ve never wanted to kiss me before.”
“I’ll kiss you now if you like,” Serge said.
“I wish Marie Claude would say that.”
“What’s the problem?”
“I keep putting out signals. All she does is laugh.”
“Maybe she’s not gay.”
“That’s what I’m wondering.”
“You’ll know if I kiss you.”
Lauryn looked at Serge. He had a point.
“Kiss me when she comes back. Let’s see what she does.”
When Marie Claude returned, Serge gave Lauryn a long kiss.
“What’s gotten into you two?” Marie Claude laughed. “I didn’t know you liked Serge, Lauryn. When did all this happen?”
“I’m trying everything tonight,” Lauryn said. “I’m going to kiss Aaron, too. Serge says we’re supposed to surprise people. He just kissed Aaron.”
“You kissed Aaron?” Marie Claude said to Serge.
“Watch this,” Lauryn said.
She leaned over and gave Aaron a lingering kiss.
“How’s that?” she said. “Is that unexpected enough for you?”
“You shouldn’t tell us beforehand,” Serge said.
Lauryn reached over and planted one on Marie Claude.
“How about this, then?”
Lauryn reached over and planted one on Marie Claude.
Marie Claude laughed. She was pretty drunk.
“You’re crazy, Lauryn, you know that?”
She didn’t pull away, though. Lauryn thought about kissing her again. Then this guy appeared at the bar. He was dressed in a business suit. Marie Claude smiled, he smiled back. He asked her if she wanted a drink.
“Sure,” she said, crossing her beautiful legs.
Marie Claude was really getting into this guy.
“She’s going to leave with him,” she told Aaron and Serge. “What am I going to do?”
Serge thought for a minute
“Tell her Aaron wants to sleep with both of you,” Serge suggested.
“I don’t want to sleep with Aaron.”
“I haven’t agreed yet,” Lauryn said. “Why’s Marie Claude going to agree to this, Serge? She looks like she’s ready to jump that guy.”
“You don’t have to. Just say Aaron wants to get a hotel room and have a threesome. Once you’re there, you can jump Marie Claude.”
“Do I get a say in this?” Aaron asked.
“I haven’t agreed yet,” Lauryn said. “Why’s Marie Claude going to agree to this, Serge? She looks like she’s ready to jump that guy.”
“Because it’s unexpected,” Serge replied. “She’s probably slept with lots of guys. She hasn’t slept with you and Aaron. It’s a different thrill.”
“She could also laugh in my face,” Lauryn said.
“Do you want Marie Claude or not?”
“It’s a crazy idea, Serge.”
“Maybe Marie Claude likes crazy.”
“I don’t know,” Lauryn said. “Let me talk to her.”
When the businessman finally went to the washroom, Lauryn leaned over to Marie Claude. “Hey, are you interested in a threesome?”
“I’ve only just met the guy, Lauryn.”
“No, I mean with Aaron. He wants us to get a hotel room.”
“When did you get into threesomes?”
“Come on, Marie Claude,” Lauryn said. “He’ll be gone tomorrow. Let’s do a threesome. Aaron’s ready to go over to the hotel now.”
“Serge said we should try new things. What about it?”
“I don’t know, Lauryn. This Ron guy’s better looking.”
“Come on, Marie Claude,” Lauryn said. “He’ll be gone tomorrow. Let’s do a threesome. Aaron’s ready to go over to the hotel now.”
“You’re something, you know that?” Marie Claude said.
She got up to use the little girl’s room again.
While she was gone, Ron came back from the washroom. He looked around for Marie Claude. “Where’s your friend?” he asked Lauryn.
“She’s over at Thursdays,” Lauryn said. “She said to tell you that’s where she’d be. You’d better hurry. Guys are always coming onto her.”
“Where’s Thursdays?”
“Next street over.”
“Okay.”
He paid for his drink and left.
Marie Claude came back and asked what happened to Ron.
“He took off,” Lauryn said.
“He was going to buy me dinner.”
“Forget dinner, Marie Claude. How about that threesome.”
Marie Claude looked at Aaron and Serge.
“I think I’d rather do Serge.”
“Then we’ll do Serge.”
“Serge,” Lauryn said. “Marie Claude wants you in the threesome.”
“Shouldn’t you ask him first?”
“Serge,” Lauryn said. “Marie Claude wants you in the threesome.”
“What about Aaron?” Serge said.
“Don’t worry about me,” Aaron said. “It was your idea, anyway.”
“You might as well come along,” Serge said.
“Now it’s a foursome?” Marie Claude laughed.
“Why not?” Lauryn said. “Come on.”
She paid the bill and guided Marie Claude to the door. The four of them walked across de Maisonneuve, then down Rue de la Montaigne to the hotel.
At the entrance, Lauryn said, “I’ll take care of things at the front desk.” They waited for her by the elevators. The piano player in the lounge was doing a lousy version of Come Rain or Come Shine.
Lauryn came back with the key, linked arms with Marie Claude, then walked to the elevators. Aaron and Serge watched them walking. Both women had beautiful legs.
Serge was always saying Montreal women had the best legs.
When the elevator doors opened, Lauryn slapped Marie Claude’s ass.
“Get in there,” Lauryn said.
“What’s with you tonight?” Marie Claude giggled.
As soon as they got up to the room, Marie Claude wanted to check her make-up in the washroom. Lauryn fiddled with her hair in the mirror.
“Start making out with Marie Claude,” Lauryn said to Serge. “I’ll do the same with Aaron. Then I’ll work my way over.”
She pulled Aaron down on the bed. When Marie Claude came out of the washroom, Lauryn and Aaron were making out.
Marie Claude sat down next to Serge.
“So how does this work?” she said.
“I guess we just start,” Serge said.
Marie Claude looked over at Lauryn and Aaron necking. Then she looked at Serge’s hairy chest. He had the hairiest chest she’d ever seen.
He unbuttoned his shirt while Marie Claude lay back. Marie Claude looked over at Lauryn and Aaron necking. Then she looked at Serge’s hairy chest. He had the hairiest chest she’d ever seen.
“I’ve never done a foursome,” Marie Claude said to him. “Have you?”
“Once or twice,” Serge said. “I used to be in porn.”
Aaron suddenly stood up. He said he needed a glass of water. Lauryn shifted over close to Marie Claude.
She put her hand across Marie Claude’s stomach.
“What’s gotten into you?” Marie Claude giggled.
Then Lauryn squeezed one of Marie Claude’s breasts.
“Jeez, Lauryn,” Marie Claude giggled again, “play with your own tits.“
Serge stood up and said he needed a glass of water, too.
“Don’t leave me alone with this woman,” Marie Claude laughed.
Serge passed Aaron in the hall and winked.
Suddenly there was some kind of commotion. When they looked around the corner, Marie Claude was standing up, tucking her shirt into her skirt. “You’re really serious, aren’t you?” she was saying to Lauryn.
She saw Serge and Aaron standing there.
“Did you three plan this?”
“Don’t get pissed, Marie Claude,” Lauryn said.
“You did, didn’t you?” Marie Claude said.
She grabbed her purse and started for the door.
Marie Claude opened the door. There was Ron from the bar. A tall woman with red hair was standing there with her arms crossed.
Outside in the hall, a man was yelling, ““You never said this was for money.” Then a woman yelled back, “What did you think we were doing?”
Marie Claude opened the door. There was Ron from the bar. A tall woman with red hair was standing there with her arms crossed.
“Marie Claude,” Ron said.
The woman flopped her hands at her sides.
“He’s all yours, honey,” she said and started for the elevators.
“Who’s she?” Marie Claude said.
“I met her at Thursdays,” Ron said. “I went there looking for you.”
“Who said I was going to Thursdays?”
“Your friend at the bar,” he said.
Serge, Aaron and Lauryn appeared at the door.
“Her?” Marie Claude pointed at Lauryn.
“Yeah,” Ron said.
“That’s low, Lauryn,” she said, “even for you.”
“Sorry, Marie Claude,” Lauryn said. “I was giving you signals all night.”
“I can’t believe you’d do this.”
Then she turned to Ron again.
“Where’s your room?”
“Right next door here,” he said.
“Come on,” Marie Claude said him. “This is your lucky night. Listen real good, Lauryn. Believe me, you’re going to hear plenty.”
She pushed Ron through the door, slamming it behind her. Then she opened it again and put the Do Not Disturb sign out. “That means you, Lauryn,” she said and slammed the door again.
Serge went and got three beers out of the bar fridge. Lauryn sat on the bed. Aaron was sitting next to her.
“There’s your story,” Serge said to Aaron, handing each of them a beer. “A woman wants another woman, but so does this guy. She lies to both of them. The other woman ends up in bed with the guy. The first woman has to listen to them going at it in the other room.”
“Shut up, Serge,” Lauryn said. “This is all your fault. You and your dumb ideas. Now I’m never going to get into Marie Claude’s pants.”
Marie Claude was letting out loud groans, and making the headboard bang against the wall.
Marie Claude was already making sounds in the next room. Lauryn stuffed some pillows behind her head. Marie Claude was letting out loud groans, and making the headboard bang against the wall.
Serge sat down next to Lauryn. He sipped his beer, listening to Marie Claude next door. When the headboard hit the wall, Lauryn stuffed more pillows behind her head. “Look,” Serge said to Lauryn. “The guy’s been working all day, right? And he’s been drinking. Maybe he’ll pass out.”
“How does that help me?”
“Marie Claude might get bored and come back here.”
He was lying on the other side of Lauryn now. She was between him and Serge. Both men were resting their beers on their stomachs.
Marie Claude was still moaning in the next room.
Lauryn pounded on the wall.
“It can’t be that good,” she yelled.
She flopped back down. Then she started banging the headboard against the wall. “I can be just as loud as you, Marie Claude,” she yelled, sitting up again, putting her ear against the wall.
“I think they stopped,” she said.
Serge looked at his beer.
“This tastes flat,” he said, closing his eyes.
“I can’t believe I listened to you,” Lauryn said. “Of all the dumb ideas. I still have to work with her, you know. And now I have a hotel bill.”
“Sorry,” Serge mumbled.
“I don’t see you offering to pay the hotel bill. It was your idea.”
“Yeah, well, sorry doesn’t cut it,” Lauryn said. “I don’t see you offering to pay the hotel bill. It was your idea.”
Serge started snoring softly. Then so did Aaron.
Lauryn stood up, got her purse, her coat and walked out the door. In the hall, she tore the Do Not Disturb sign off Ron’s doorknob. She dropped it and walked to the elevator.
The doors opened and there was the woman with the red hair again. “Going down?” she asked.
“Sure, why not,” Lauryn said.
The redhead smiled at Lauryn.
“What’s your name, honey?” she asked.
“Lauryn.”
“You want a drink?”
“I wouldn’t mind. I have to check out first.”
“Take your time,” the redhead said. “I’ll meet you in the lounge.”
Robert Cormack is a blogger and author of “You Can Lead A Horse to Water (But You Can’t Make It Scuba Dive).” You can join him every day by subscribing to robertcormack@medium.com/subscription.
