Zerendipity
By Kris Howard
Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords
Visit jms-books.com for more information.
Copyright 2011 Kris Howard
ISBN 978-1-61152-100-9
For more titles by Kris Howard at Smashwords visit
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Cover Photo Credit: Kris Schmidt
Used with Permission.
Cover Design: J.M. Snyder | jmsnyder.net
All Rights Reserved
WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published in the United States of America.
* * * *
Zerendipity
By Kris Howard
Kai stared out the window as the first flight from Graceville, Oregon, to Albany, New York, touched down. “How far are we from your parents’ house?” she asked.
“Schenectady is less than twenty miles from the airport.” Liza pulled her bag from under the seat in front of her, and led the way to ground transportation.
The couple scooted onto the back seat of a taxicab. Buckling her seatbelt, Kai winked. “Do your parents ever pick you up from the airport?”
“My dad works weekdays.” Liza sniffed. “And on Fridays my mother frantically prepares for a church-filled weekend.”
“Even two days before Christmas?”
“Especially two days before Christmas,” Liza said firmly. “Tomorrow the church is putting on a Christmas Eve service and afternoon feast, and my mother has her hands in all of it.”
Kai giggled. “Sounds messy.”
The cabdriver pulled to the curb, wheels crunching on ice, and Liza handed him a few bills. Liza unlocked the front door of a tall gray and white house, and called out, “Mother? We’re home.” No answer.
Liza pulled off her winter coat, stripped Kai of hers, and hung both in a closet. “My room is up here.” Liza grabbed Kai’s hand, and pulled her upstairs and into a spacious bedroom. A king-size bed stood in the center of the room, covered with blankets and pillows in various shades of blue and haloed by a lacy white canopy.
“Nice!” exclaimed Kai.
“I’ve had this bed since I started walking.”
“Hm,” Kai murmured. “Big bed for a little girl.”
“Last year I added a down mattress.” Liza flung herself backward onto the bed. She sank into the cushy surface, patted the spot next to her, and smiled lasciviously. “Check it out.”
Kai crawled on and collapsed next to Liza. “Mm hmm.” She raised her head. “Have you ever made love in this bed?”
“Not yet.” Liza rolled onto her side, propped her head on her hand, and raised an eyebrow.
Turning, Kai gathered Liza into her arms, and pulled Liza’s smallish body on top of her own five-ten frame. Hungrily Kai kissed Liza’s full lips.
A door slammed downstairs, and Liza’s eyes flew open. Blinking rapidly, she slid off and stood. “Mother?” she called. “We’re up here.” She stepped to the doorway and gazed down at her mother at the foot of the stairs.
Judith glared up and put her hands on her hips. “We?”
Liza’s jaw dropped. “Uh, Dad told me I could bring home my roommate. Um. Didn’t he tell you?”
“No. He did not.” Judith scowled. “How inconsiderate of you, Elizabeth. Making more work for me during my busiest time of year.”
“But Mother, it won’t be more work.”
“Of course it will,” Judith snapped.
“I’ll take care of it.” Liza turned and looked helplessly at Kai. Shoulders slumped, she faced her mother.
Judith’s nostrils flared. “Is your guest in your room, Elizabeth?”
Liza nodded.
Judith shook her head. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Kai strolled out of the bedroom and stood next to Liza. “Hello, Mrs. Sterling. I’m Kai Hamilton.” She forced herself to smile.
“Pleased to meet you. Make yourself at home.” Judith turned away. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m taking supplies to the church.”
“Do you need help, Mother?”
“No, no. No.” Judith walked purposefully down the hall.
Kai and Liza stared at each other. Raising her eyebrows, Kai mouthed, “Wow.”
Liza clapped a hand over her own mouth and pulled Kai back into her room. She closed the door and leaned against it, giggling quietly.
Kai wrapped her arms around Liza and hugged her hard. “Honey, honey, honey. You have got yourself one tough mama.”
“Ha!” Liza wiped at her eyes. “Ya think?” She stepped back and sighed. “She does have a lot to be angry about.”
Kai threw her arms into the air. “And that justifies…?” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Squeezing Liza’s shoulders, she said, “I admire you for sticking up for your family. And I apologize for making it necessary.” She kissed Liza’s mouth.
Liza stepped back and tilted her head. “My mother just left. I heard her car drive away.” She took Kai’s hand. “Let me show you the house.”
Kai stood still. “Liza? I am not afraid of your mother. Don’t try to save me from her. Okay?”
Liza grinned.
As Liza led her out of the bedroom, Kai continued. “And don’t worry. I’ll be civil. It’ll be good practice for the courtroom.”
“Handling my mother is excellent practice for the courtroom.” Liza laughed. “And probably for the presidency too.”
* * * *
At eight o’clock that night, Kai and Liza still had the house to themselves. “Are you getting hungry yet?” asked Liza.
“For you? Always.”
Chuckling, Liza said, “What about food?”
Kai mock-sighed and looked at her watch. “It’s only five in Graceville. But yeah, a little.”
Liza made sandwiches. They ate at the kitchen table, and then watched television in the media room.
Hearing the click of a door, Liza stood. She tiptoed to the doorway, and peered down the hall. A smile spread across her face. “Daddy!” She turned and beckoned Kai. “Come meet my dad.”
Kai followed Liza to the kitchen, and watched her reach up and hug her father.
“Daddy?” Liza turned toward Kai. “This is my roommate, Kai Hamilton. Kai? Meet my dad, Lawrence Sterling.”
Lawrence’s smile transformed his face from handsome to dazzling. He took Kai’s hand in both of his. “It is so nice to finally meet you, Kai. Beth raves about you.”
Kai grinned. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, sir.”
Putting an arm around his daughter, Lawrence pulled her close. “How’s my future president liking law school?”
Face glowing, Liza looked up at her dad just as he threw Kai a conspiratorial wink. Liza’s face clouded. Firmly she said, “Law school is fine. And I will be the first female president of the United States. You’ll see.”
The door to the garage opened behind them, and Liza and Lawrence turned. Judith walked in and stopped in the doorway. Her gaze shifted from Lawrence to Kai. “I see you’ve met…” Judith frowned.
“Kai,” Liza interjected. “Yes. Dad met Kai.”
Judith lifted a corner of her mouth. “Anybody need anything before I head to bed?”
Lawrence and Liza spoke simultaneously. “No.”
Judith stared at Lawrence a moment longer, and then turned away. “Good night then.”
Lawrence put his hand over his mouth and yawned. “If you kids don’t mind, I think I’ll toddle off too.” He kissed the top of Liza’s head.
“Good night, Daddy.” Liza and Kai watched Lawrence climb the stairs, and listened as he trudged down the hall.
Kai whispered, “Your parents don’t share a bedroom?”
“Do yours?”
Kai blinked. “Well, yes. They share a bedroom and a bed.”
Liza smiled wryly. “I’m the only living evidence that my parents ever slept together.”
* * * *
On Saturday morning, Kai awoke in Liza’s luxurious bed, naked legs intertwined with Liza’s. Stroking Liza’s face, she kissed her soft lips, leaned back, and gave Liza a satisfied smile. “Happy Christmas Eve, my love.”
Pressing herself against Kai, Liza said huskily, “Thank you for deflowering my bed. And last year, me.”
“Deflower.” Kai flicked her tongue into Liza’s ear and whispered, “Such an archaic word.”
Liza took a staccato breath.
“Unless,” murmured Kai, “you want to be stripped.”
Some time later, Kai and Liza walked downstairs, and found Lawrence in the kitchen. Lawrence looked up and beamed. “You girls sleep well?”
Liza stood on tiptoe and kissed her dad’s cheek. “We did.” Pouring coffee for herself and Kai, she asked, “Did Mother already leave for church?”
“Apparently so.” Lawrence scooped eggs onto a plate, added bacon, and handed the plate to Kai. “Help yourself to potatoes.”
They ate at the kitchen table.
After the meal, Lawrence pushed back his chair and stood. “The Jets and Raiders are facing off this afternoon. Anybody interested in watching with me?”
Kai’s eyes brightened. “I’m a die-hard Oakland Raiders fan.”
“Oh, you like bad boys, then.” Lawrence winked. “Well, I’m a die-hard New York Jets fan.” He looked at Liza. “How about you, Beth? I know you’re not much into football.”
“I’m a die-hard butts fan.” Liza looked down and blushed. “Sorry, Daddy.”
Lawrence laughed. “Sounds like we’ve all got a stake in this game.” He stood and carried empty plates into the kitchen. “Kickoff’s at two. Meet you in the media room.” He threw a grin over his shoulder, and strolled down the hall.
“Where are you off to?” called Liza.
“Just to my office. I’ve got some work to do.”
“Daddy? May I borrow the Lexus for a couple of hours? To give Kai a tour of Schenectady?”
“Sure.” Turning, Lawrence reached into his pocket and tossed Liza the keys.
As Liza and Kai stepped into the garage, Kai stopped. “Wait a minute. Shouldn’t we clean up the kitchen first?”
“Ingrid will be here soon.” Liza slapped the garage-door button. “My mother had a cow about a stranger working in her kitchen. But Dad insisted.” Liza smirked. “When something matters to my dad, he gets his way.”
Liza eased out of the driveway and headed toward downtown Schenectady. While driving along the streets of the Stockade Historic District, Liza slid the fingers of her free hand along Kai’s thigh and across her lap. With Kai’s hands up her shirt and down her pants, Liza drove through the campus of Union College—the oldest planned college in the United States. Shakily she found parking near the center of town.
The couple donned coats, and nonchalantly sauntered past City Hall and along snow-dusted streets. They wandered in and out of shops along State and Jay Streets, and ravenously devoured potato-cheese soup and fresh-baked brown bread at Ambition Cafe.
Back at home, Liza pulled into the driveway, and waited as the garage door opened. Glancing at the dashboard clock she said, “It’s almost two. Let’s go watch somebody kick someone’s ass.”
As they stepped from the garage into the kitchen, Kai said, “It’s interesting that you’re intrigued by the asses of men.”
Liza shrugged. “Before I met you, I was a fan of all male anatomy.” Her hand flew to her mouth, and she peered around the room. Seeing no Dad, she continued more quietly. “I still have a healthy aesthetic appreciation.”
Kai grinned. “Well, let’s go feed your eyes some candy then.”
* * * *
After the Raiders won the game, Kai high-fived Liza and extended her hand to Lawrence.
Shaking Kai’s hand, Lawrence said, “Close game. Good fun watching it with you two.”
“Anybody want to play Scrabble?” asked Liza.
They set up the board at the kitchen table, and Liza won the first game. Near the end of the second, Lawrence played the word ‘sequels,’ earning a fifty-point bonus and exuberant congratulations.
The door from the garage opened, and laughter ceased at the sight of Judith. Grimly, Judith placed a bag on the kitchen counter, and began unpacking it.
“Merry Christmas Eve, Mother,” said Liza.
“Same to you, Elizabeth. And to the rest of you too.” Judith sighed.
“How was the feast?” asked Lawrence.
“It went well. These are some of the leftovers. I wish you and Elizabeth and—Kai?—Kai had come to at least the church service.” Judith sniffed. “You can lead a horse to water…” Her voice trailed off. After folding the bag, she rubbed her forehead. “I feel a migraine coming on. I’m going to go lie down.”
“Can I get you anything?” asked Lawrence.
“No. Thanks. I just need to rest.”
A few minutes later, Lawrence won the Scrabble game. He and Liza and Kai quietly stored the game, ascended the stairs, and went to their rooms.
* * * *
Kai and Liza emerged after sunrise on Sunday morning. Walking into the kitchen, Liza said, “It feels like no one else is here.” She opened the door to the garage and peered in. “The Lexus is gone, but Mother’s mini-van is still here.” Frowning, she said, “I’d better check on her.”
While Liza walked down the hall, Kai sat at the kitchen table. A shaft of sunshine streamed through the window and onto her face. She closed her eyes, absorbing its warmth.
Liza returned. “Mother’s still sick.” She poured juice into a cup and spooned yogurt into a bowl, and carried them back down the hall.
Lawrence walked in from the garage, holding a thick newspaper. “Merry Christmas, Kai!” He paused. “Why are you all alone?”
“Liza is in her mom’s room.”
Lawrence sighed. “Judith is still sick then?”
Kai nodded.
“Sometimes these things last for days. She probably won’t be able to get out of bed, much less prepare Christmas dinner.” Lawrence pursed his lips. “Judith cooks by heart—no written recipes—so I can’t begin to take over.”
Liza came back into the kitchen and sat at the table. “Mother is quite sick. She says she wants to be left alone.”
“So very not Mae West,” Lawrence murmured. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a phone directory and said cheerfully, “I’ll try to find a restaurant that serves Christmas dinner.”
Kai stood. “I’ll get my laptop and look for a restaurant online.” Moments later she returned with her computer and USB modem. After plugging in both, she tapped at the keyboard and stared at the monitor. “Says here that Marche’ is an excellent restaurant in Albany. And they’re serving Christmas dinner.”
“Phone number?” Lawrence picked up a phone. The restaurant had one opening for a party of three, and Lawrence booked it. Switching off the phone he said, “Four o’clock.”
Kai and Liza went to Liza’s room to “get ready for dinner.” They took a bath in Liza’s Jacuzzi-size tub, made love there and again in Liza’s bed, returned to the tub, and finally dressed.
* * * *
As Lawrence, Liza, and Kai sipped after-dinner coffee at Marche’, Lawrence lifted his cup. “Merry Christmas, ladies.” Looking at Kai, he continued. “It has been a pleasure getting to know you.”
Liza’s smile faded. “So you’re taking off again?”
“My flight to London leaves at eight tomorrow morning.” Lawrence smiled sadly. “I won’t be home until next week. When do you go back to school?”
“We fly out a week from tomorrow.” Liza gulped. “It was lovely spending Christmas with you, Daddy.”
* * * *
Early Monday morning, Liza put yogurt, juice, and buttered toast on a tray, and carried the tray to her mom’s room. She returned to the kitchen, and sat at the table across from Kai. “My mother is feeling well enough to take care of herself, but she still wants to be alone.” Liza paused. “Ever been to the city?”
“New York City?” Kai’s eyes sparkled. “Never been, and always wanted to. But isn’t it far away?”
“Less than four hours by train.” Liza stood. “Let’s look up schedules and hotels.”
In her room, Liza sat at the desk and switched on her computer. Kai pulled up a chair and sat next to her. Silently tapping, Liza said, “Okay, we have business class seats on the train departing at noon today, a cab picking us up here at eleven, and reservations through Monday, January 2, at the Hilton.”
“A whole week in New York City!” Kai grinned. “Oh! What about our flight back to Oregon?”
Liza phoned the airline, cancelled their flight from Albany, and arranged one from LaGuardia.
* * * *
That night, after chatting and giggling all the way to the city, Liza and Kai arrived at the Times Square Hilton, and began to unpack. Placing her underwear in a drawer, Kai glanced up and quietly wolf-whistled. “Yummy,” she purred.
Grinning, Liza draped sheer purple lace over her blouse, and struck a pose. With shining eyes, she watched Kai take a step toward her. “Wait a minute, wait a minute.” Snapping back the teddy with one hand, Liza extended the other, palm out.
Kai stopped mid-stride. Liza slowly pulled from her suitcase a shred of fabric, and stretched a purple thong over her hips. Kai groaned.
Turning on her heel, Liza slipped into the bathroom and closed the door. Cracking the door open, she thrust her mouth into the slit. “Do you want me dirty or clean?”
Kai chortled. “Dirty please.” She stripped, snatched a t-shirt from her suitcase, and shrugged into it. Absentmindedly rubbing the shirt’s Graceville Harley-Davidson logo, Kai glanced into her underwear drawer. “Nah,” she whispered, and jumped into bed.
Liza emerged from the bathroom, naked but for strategically placed purple lace. Kai’s face opened into a broad smile. She sat up and spread her arms. “Come here, darlin’.”
Liza glided across the room, and hopped into bed. Turning toward Kai, she kissed her deeply. Devouring Kai’s mouth, Liza slowly moved her bare leg over Kai’s lap, and straddled her.
Kai slid her hands up under Liza’s transparent teddy and along her smooth skin, and skillfully manipulated Liza’s taut nipples.
Liza moaned. “Wait,” she gasped. Lifting Kai’s shirt, Liza slithered her body down Kai’s, kissing her way to Kai’s breasts. Between mouthfuls, Liza murmured, “My turn to sex you, my love. I love you madly. Deeply.” Liza trailed a finger down Kai’s belly and over her sex. “Your slipperiness is so hot.” Nibbling, wriggling, Liza positioned herself between Kai’s legs. Suckling Kai’s sex, Liza pressed her hands against Kai’s thighs. “Open up for me? Let me in?”
Kai obediently spread her legs, and took a shuddery breath.
Liza emerged briefly and licked her lips. Fluttering her fingers along Kai’s slickness, Liza breathed, “I love the taste of you.” She slid her fingers deeply into Kai, and slowly out. “I could thrive on your essence and never need food.” Slipping her fingers back inside, Liza locked her lips around Kai’s throbbing nub and teased it with her tongue. Kai twitched and began to tremble. “There it is,” Liza crooned. “Mm-hmm.” Waves of passion carried Kai, and her body clenched and convulsed. “That’s it,” whispered Liza. “Let it go. Let it go.”
As Kai’s body relaxed, Liza moved up and smiled into her eyes. Stroking Kai’s face, Liza said, “Kai. My beautiful Kai. Triumphant and tempestuous like the ocean.”
THE END
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ABOUT KRIS HOWARD
Kris Howard is a master’s-prepared computer programmer. She lives in Southern California with her wife, a dog, and two cats. Kris’s passions include photography, friends, water, women, and the Pacific Northwest.
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