Page 43 of September (New Orleans #9)

“W ell, hey,” Juliet said when she opened the door. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I know. Sorry, I probably should’ve called. I was just really excited.” Gwen smiled widely.

“Excited about what, exactly?”

“I bought a van!”

Carly ran up to the door after hearing Gwen’s voice and jumped on her legs as Gwen walked into the apartment.

“You did what?”

“Babe, I know it’s crazy, but I did it. I saw this van that was perfect for what I wanted just parked on the street, and it had a ‘For Sale’ sign up. Some old woman was there, and I don’t know what her deal is, but she told me to buy it.”

“An old woman told you to buy a van?” Juliet asked, trying to follow.

“Yes. I wasn’t going to do it. I thought I’d write down the info and go online at home to find out more, but she just seemed to know things or understand them somehow.

No clue, honestly. But I went up to the van and looked around.

The owner came out and got his wife, who knows a lot more about cars than he does, and they’re moving and don’t need it anymore, so I took it for a test drive and brought Myra with me because I know nothing about cars.

Anyway, she said it was good and the price was fair, so we ran it over to a mechanic, just to be safe, and it’s good.

He didn’t find anything to be concerned about, so I bought it. ”

“You bought a van today?”

“Yes. I had to have someone cover my afternoon clients because I got all wrapped up in it, but it’s outside now. Can I show you?”

“You brought it here?”

“Yes, I drove it here. That’s going to take some getting used to, but I’m going to ask Myra and Logan, maybe, to help me fix it up.

Bryce, when she’s in town, is usually with Sophie or hanging out with friends, so I don’t want to bother her, but she’s really handy, from what she’s told me, and might be able to help. ”

“Bryce?”

“Sophie’s girlfriend.”

“I don’t know who Sophie is,” Juliet said.

“Oh, shit. Sorry. I’m a little excited about this. Sophie is a friend of a friend, and Bryce is her girlfriend. She doesn’t live in New Orleans, so they’re doing long-distance. Anyway, Logan is a plumber.”

“Logan, the bartender ?”

“She’s a plumber, too. Long story. I can get her to help with setting up the plumbing for everything.

And Myra is a contractor, so I can probably get them both to work for a discount or maybe even just beer.

I don’t know. I’ll ask, but it’s happening.

” She wrapped her arms around Juliet’s neck.

“Babe, I’m going to do it. I’m going to make it happen. ”

Juliet smiled and pulled Gwen into her.

“I’m happy for you and very proud of you for taking this chance,” she said and kissed her quickly.

“Do you want to go see it? It’s just an empty van, but it’s my empty van.”

“Yeah. I’m leaving Carly here, though. She’ll probably run around in it and pee or something before I can stop her.”

“Fine by me. Come on,” Gwen replied, tugging on her hand.

As they made their way downstairs and outside, Juliet listened to Gwen tell more of the story about how she’d come across the van, the old woman, the fact that it only needed an oil change, which she would get later, and how excited she was about having her new business.

“I still need to really flesh out my business plan, pricing, how many clients I need, and all that before I can get started, and I want to pay someone to redo that logo.”

“Why? I like it. It’s cute,” Juliet said, squeezing Gwen’s hand as they walked.

“It’s just a cartoon me,” Gwen shared.

“I know. That’s why I like it,” she replied as they made their way out to the street.

Juliet thought about how happy Gwen was to be taking this step in her life, and while she continued to listen to her girlfriend tell her about the miracle van, she thought about her own career and how she’d yet again not said anything to her boss about how much she wanted to fix a broken system.

The company had grown so fast, and it hadn’t really looked back on the things that needed to be updated.

When Southern Roastery had been founded, they’d only had a small portion of the office space they occupied now.

Today, they could easily host classes there when they couldn’t have in the past.

“So, what do you think?” Gwen asked, pulling Juliet out of her thoughts.

“It’s a van,” she said, looking at it.

“I know it’s stupid to be this excited about a van… It’s not like it’s a luxury car. But it’s mine.”

“Babe, it’s great. Show me the inside and tell me how it’ll all work.”

Gwen let go of her hand and unlocked the back doors.

“Okay. So, I’ll have the tub over here, and I’m thinking supplies and stuff will go on the other side.” She motioned with open hands once she climbed inside. “And I’d like to have enough space for two people if I can get it, in case the humans want or need to be in here with their dogs.”

“That’s a good idea. Is it possible?” Juliet went to get inside but stopped. “Permission to board, Captain?”

Gwen smiled at her, held out her hand for Juliet to take, and then pulled her up, closing the doors behind them.

“There. Privacy,” she said, wrapping her arms around Juliet’s waist. “You’re really very cute.”

“I am?” Juliet asked. “Or are you just really happy about this van thing?”

“It can be both,” Gwen replied. “Want to know something?”

Juliet wrapped her arms around Gwen’s neck and said, “Yes.”

“When I got in this thing and was about to drive home, I knew where I wanted to go.”

“You came here.” Juliet smiled. “That’s really romantic, Gwendolyn.”

“Oh, you never use my full name,” Gwen said with a lifted eyebrow. “I like it. It’s kind of hot.”

“It is?”

“Yes, Juliet,” she replied and pressed her forehead to Juliet’s. “Say it again.”

“Gwendolyn, that is really romantic,” she said, placing her hand on Gwen’s cheek. “And I’m glad you came over to tell me about this. I’m happy that you’re happy.”

“I’d be even happier if you kissed me right now,” Gwen told her.

“Oh, yeah? I think that can be arranged.”

Juliet leaned in, captured Gwen’s lips with her own, and they stood in an empty van, kissing until Gwen’s hands moved under Juliet’s T-shirt and up to cup her breasts.

“Babe, we should go inside,” she suggested.

“Christen this thing with me,” Gwen requested as she moved her lips to Juliet’s neck. “I want you.”

Juliet opened her eyes and looked out the windshield. There was a truck parked in front of them, but if people were to look close enough, they’d be able to see them.

“Floor,” she said, causing Gwen to smile as she pulled back.

When Juliet moved to lie on the floor of the van, she couldn’t believe how much she wanted to do this.

Never having been an adventurous person when it came to sex, she’d been mostly a bedroom sex kind of woman, but this was different.

This was Gwen being so excited that she’d just done something important in her life that she wanted Juliet to be a part of it, and that excitement was contagious.

She watched Gwen kneel in front of her and pull off her own shirt.

Her bra came off next, and she tucked both under Juliet’s head to offer some protection from the cold, hard floor.

When she reached for Juliet’s sweats, she pulled them off and quickly moved them under Juliet’s body, too, taking away the instant cold sensation that had hit her.

Juliet didn’t just lie there, though. She took off her own shirt and bra and put them under her head as well because that seemed like the best place for them.

Lying there naked now, she watched Gwen remove her shoes before removing the rest of her clothes, leaving them both only in their socks, which made Juliet laugh silently.

Then, Gwen finally moved on top of her as Juliet spread her legs to allow her to settle fully against her.

“I cannot believe we’re doing this here. What if someone sees or hears?”

“They’ll get a nice surprise,” Gwen replied.

“Is this something you do?” Juliet asked her. “Van sex? Should I expect more of this or more like it?”

Gwen smiled down at her, kissed her sweetly, and said, “I’ve never had sex in a van, no. I’m not usually one for sex in public, but I can be convinced if the likelihood of us getting arrested is low enough. You?”

“Never in a van and never in public. I think the hotel room the other night was the closest I’ve ever come to that.”

“A locked hotel room where no one could see?”

“Well, they heard ,” she pointed out and pushed down on Gwen’s ass.

“True,” Gwen agreed, rocking into her. “Want them to hear us right now?”

“I’m thinking about those odds of getting arrested that you just mentioned.”

“We can always tell the cops that we’re van people. This is our new home we just bought, and we’re about to tour the nation after we fix her up.”

“Would you do that?”

“What? Be a van person?”

“Do the whole touring the country in one thing?”

“I’d prefer an RV with a little more space and some road luxuries, but I could be convinced of that, too, as long as I’m with the right person. Why? Would you want that one day?”

Juliet nodded and said, “Years from now, after kids are grown and out of the house.”

“That sounds really nice,” Gwen replied, rolling into her some more.

Juliet reconnected their lips then, and she thought they would be fast, given their location and Gwen’s apparent excitement, but she’d been wrong again.

Somehow, they were moving slowly against one another as if they had nothing to worry about and nothing else to do but touch each other on a cold van floor, and it was incredibly romantic, even though that probably wouldn’t make sense to anyone else.

When Gwen finally moved her hand between them to stroke Juliet to her first orgasm, Juliet hung on to her back, because she had nothing else to hold on to, and let the sensations take her over without worrying about anyone hearing or seeing them through the window.

After letting her come down just a bit, Gwen moved inside her and spread Juliet’s legs wider to allow herself better access, bringing her to another orgasm, and Juliet wasn’t sure how she knew, but she knew nevertheless.

Maybe she’d be able to figure it out later when her brain was able to work properly again, but she did know it now: she was in love with Gwendolyn Benedetti, a woman she’d all but just met and had spent every day with in one way or another.

She wasn’t ready to say the words yet because it felt too soon to even feel them, let alone put them out in the world where they might not be returned, so she focused on showing Gwen how much she meant to her.

She rolled them over and waited for Gwen to situate herself on their clothes, with both of them laughing at how ridiculous they were being.

“We have a whole apartment with a bedroom upstairs,” Juliet said, laughing as she pressed her face to Gwen’s neck, letting her hold her for a minute.

“We’re just practicing for the future trip in the RV to make sure we can still have amazing sex in it. So far, I think we’ll be fine.”

Juliet kissed Gwen’s neck and moved her hand into her folds.

“So far, huh?” she teased before she sucked Gwen’s earlobe into her mouth.

“Well, I’m a little worried about trying to go down on you in the van, but I think in an RV with a bed, we should be fine.”

“I think we’ll be okay,” Juliet said with a small laugh and curled her fingers.

“Yup. Okay. Definitely okay,” Gwen agreed, closing her eyes.

Juliet lifted up to stare down at her, loving how Gwen’s face looked when she was about to come. She really wished they could stay in this moment forever because there was still that traveling threat hanging over them if she didn’t take care of it soon.

After Gwen came down, Juliet thought about making her come again, but Gwen seemed content to just hold her in place on top of her and rub her back.

“I guess that’s what the old woman meant,” Gwen said into the silence.

“Huh?”

“She said good things would happen if I bought the van. She must have meant sex, which is weird, but it was good, so she was right.”

“Babe, you would’ve gotten sex with or without the van. If fact, if you want to get dressed and go upstairs, we can do this some more,” she replied, kissing her collarbone.

Gwen chuckled and said, “Well, then I don’t know what she meant, but I’m glad for it. She just had this way about her that felt very trusting; like I needed to listen to her because she wouldn’t steer me wrong. She was like someone’s grandma. You know how grandmas have superpowers.”

“Will we get superpowers when we become grandparents?”

“Probably. I think we get the mom ones first, though.”

Juliet kissed her cheek a few times and asked, “Should we get dressed?”

“In a minute,” Gwen replied. “I just want to hold you.”

Juliet didn’t mind that at all. Despite being a little cold, she had the warmth of Gwen’s body helping with that.

Then, a thought hit her. She was going to talk to her boss about work.

Her girlfriend’s excitement over her new business, sparked by this plain white van and, apparently, an old woman who had convinced Gwen to look further instead of just getting to it later, had Juliet wanting to be excited about her own job again.

It was impossible, of course, because a random woman couldn’t have known anything about either of them, and she couldn’t have known that Juliet had been pretty miserable at work lately and needed to speak up and say something about it, but maybe that was the good thing the woman was referring to without even knowing about it.

Juliet hadn’t had the courage to do it before, but lying here with Gwen now, thinking about how this van won’t be empty for long, had her picturing herself helping Gwen groom dogs when she could and driving with her whenever she had a day off or just wanted to go along for the ride.

She couldn’t do that if she weren’t in town.

“You’re quiet,” Gwen said after a few minutes.

“I’m happy,” Juliet replied, meaning it.