Sam and Eric aren't ready to call it a night yet

"Well, goodnight everyone," Anita waved as she headed up the stairs.

"Goodnight," Jo said as she slipped into her room. Anita noticed that she barely touched the railing on the stairs, and privately admired her for getting along so well.

Allison went up to her own room silently, while Suki practically ran up the stairs to her room. The twins -

• were right behind her. "Oh!" Anita said. "I didn't see you girls there."

  "Well, we were just talking with each other, and we aren't really ready to go to bed yet," Sam said.

  "Actually, we were kind of hoping someone else would want to stay up with us," Eric continued as if with the same breath. "And it seems you're the only one left. Want to have one last drink in our room?"

  Anita smiled. "I think that might be fun," she said.

  A few minutes later, the three girls were sitting on the beds sipping white wine, Anita on one bed and the sisters on the other. "So," Anita said, "what's it like always having a sister around? I'm an only child."

  "Oh, it's great!" Eric said happily. "You always have someone to talk to, and hang out with."

  "We've always had the same set of friends," Sam added. "Really, we're very much alike."

  "Not entirely," Eric said, some of the enthusiasm gone from her voice.

  Sam rolled her eyes. "For the last time, Eric, I am not the 'pretty one'! You know," she said to Anita, "if we could just get past this one little stumbling block, our relationship would be ideal."

  "For the record, I think she's right," Anita said to Erica. "You're both really pretty girls, and I couldn't pick one of you over the other."

  "Is that why you wanted both of us for your little fantasy?" Sam asked coyly.

  "Sam!" Erica squealed. "That's a little rude, don't you think?"

  "No, I don't mind," Anita said. "The truth is, that was more about the companionship than the sex. I just think it would have been so cool to have a sister around when I was growing up, and to have someone who looks just like me would be even cooler. I'm really glad you guys invited me in here tonight, I was hoping to get to know you both better."

  "So, no nookie?" Sam asked.

  Anita giggled. "One more glass of wine and I might agree to just about anything." She blushed even as she said it.

  Erica raised an eyebrow. "Anything? Have you ever kissed another girl? Because I guarantee that's where Sam is going with this."

  Sam looked at Erica with mock surprise, and slapped her on the arm. "Honestly, Eric, to listen to you people would think that sex is all I ever think about."

  "Isn't it?"

  "That's beside the point!"

  All three girls laughed.

  "Well, to answer your question," Anita said, "I have kissed another girl. Just once. I kissed my best friend on a dare."

  "Did you do anything else?" Eric asked.

  "No, just that."

  "Did you want to do anything else?" Sam asked, obviously hoping.

  Anita thought for a moment. "You know, at the time I was so embarrassed that I just wanted to get it over with, but I've thought about what would happen if the two of us had actually been alone, and been serious about it. And I get so excited thinking about it... I really feel I'd go as far as she wanted."

  "I went all the way with a girl just once," Eric said. "It was really erotic. But I haven't had the guts to try it again. There's another difference between me and Sam, she loves to take chances with that kind of thing."

  "Just tell people you're me," Sam said. "I wouldn't mind."

  "Or kiss me now," Anita said softly.

  Eric looked at her, surprised.

  "I won't reject you, and I won't get upset," Anita said. "I want to. If the fear of someone taking it the wrong way is all that's holding you back, I just removed that problem."

  "You really want to?" Erica asked.

  Anita nodded.

  Erica put down her wineglass and stood up, then went and sat down next to Anita. She ran her fingers through the Indian girl's long black hair for a moment. "I love your piercings," she said. "I don't have the guts to get anything pierced. Not even my ears."

  "Maybe that's something else we can change together," Anita whispered. She closed her eyes and moved in for the kiss.

  Erica's lips met hers halfway there, and she felt the soft fullness of another woman's kiss. Her arms seemed to encircle Erica's body of their own accord, and they pulled each other into a tight embrace. Her head swam with all the old, half-forgotten sensations that came from a woman's embrace.

  She opened her lips and felt Erica's tongue slide smoothly into her mouth, and their breasts pressed together as the kiss grew into something more than an experimental taste. It didn't feel like a game or a dare anymore, it felt like hot lovemaking. Anita remembered why she had felt that she could go all the way on that similar occasion long ago.

  As gently as she could, she pulled away from the kiss, and opened her eyes to see Erica's pretty face only inches away, her lips still panting and wet, wanting more. Then Erica's eyes opened to return her gaze, and Anita was struck by their lovely emerald green which she had missed in the dimly lit living room. Here, and so close, they seemed to hypnotize her.

  She backed away a little further, and then as if in a daze, Anita reached back and began to unlace her top.