Our Journey Read online

  “Katie?” Jo said almost in a whisper.

  “Is that shower big enough for two?” Kate asked while kissing her back in several spots

  Jo grinned and turned, dazed by Kate’s gentle touch. “I don’t know. I’ve never had anyone in there with me.” She smiled and kissed her gently. “Want to try it?”

  Kate grinned, delighted with the proposition. She kissed her and ran her finger along Jo’s collarbone and between her breasts while scrutinizing every bit of her. “I can’t think of a single reason not to.” She smiled and looked up at the mischievous brown eyes adoring her.

  When Kate began to undress, she loved the way Jo looked at her. “I’m ready, are you?” she asked as she reached for Jo’s hand.

  Elated with the view, Jo grinned and opened the bathroom door. It was a marine fiberglass bathroom with no partition between the shower and the toilet except a thin circular curtain. Without pulling the curtain, the toilet would definitely get wet. “I don’t think we’ll be able to run the curtain with the two of us in there. We’re going to have to dry the toilet when we’re finished,” Jo said, smiling and eager to try the experiment.

  Kate looked inside the small bathroom and pursed her lips. “Umm, and I don’t think we can both stand in the shower tub at the same time. I think we’ll have to take turns under the spray,” Kate said.

  “I’ll close the toilet lid and sit while you shower and then we can switch positions,” Jo suggested while smiling. “I think this will be a very fun experiment,” she added still smiling.

  Kate turned the water on and tested it to make sure it was warm. Jo got in and sat on the toilet. Kate immediately walked in after her.

  Grinning, Kate said, “honey, I don’t think this is going to work.”

  “Why do you say that? I think it’s working great.” Jo kissed Kate’s back.

  “Because I think this shower will be a long one, and since you said that we’re not hooked-up to the sewer line, I’m wondering how long it will be before the grey-water tank fills up and we have a bit of a flood here.”

  “Oh shit!” Jo dropped her hands and slumped her head, fully disheartened.

  Seeing Jo’s look of defeat, Kate bit her lip to avoid laughing and grabbed the liquid soap and the sponge. “Here, let’s lather up and rinse quickly. We’ll have to save any lengthy explorations for the bedroom.”

  “This should teach us. Next time, we get a spot with a sewer hook-up! See what I mean about learning as we go?” After toweling dry, they put on T-shirts and settled on the bed to watch the news and to make plans for the following day. Kate was reading travel brochures and talking excitedly about their next stop when she noticed that Jo had fallen asleep.

  She smiled, and this is the one who was planning on an extended shower! Still smiling, she removed the brochures and maps from the bed and covered Jo with the blanket. When Kate was settling down on the bed, Jo opened her eyes. “Umm, sorry, did I doze?”

  “Why would you be sorry for that? You drove all day and you have to be tired. Go back to sleep.” Kate gently pushed her down on the bed and ran her fingers over Jo’s cheek. “We don’t have to make love every night, you know? It’s not a requirement. I know that you’re trying to keep me happy, but I don’t want you to wear yourself out.” She again brushed the back of her hand over Jo’s cheek and kissed her on the nose and lips.

  Jo closed her eyes and smiled, “but—.” Her statement was interrupted by a yawn, which again made Kate chuckle. “But nothing, you’re pooped. Maybe tomorrow I can do some of the driving. Now we sleep, we have a whole life ahead of us.”

  “What if I wake up in the middle of the night all invigorated?”

  Kate chuckled and kissed her. “I’d have to be dead to refuse you.”

  When Jo smiled, Kate turned and Jo spooned her. “Good to know. As short as that shower was, I’ve never appreciated that tiny bathroom as much as I did today.”

  Kate chuckled and turned off the light. When she felt Jo’s arm around her waist, she took her hand, kissed it, and held it to her breast. The warmth of Jo’s body pressed against hers was all she needed.

  ***

  In the morning, when Kate left the bed, Jo protested in a sleepy tone. “Where are you going? You’re warm and cozy. Don’t go.”

  “Bathroom, I have to pee.” Kate felt the chill in the air the moment she got up. “Damn! It’s cold!” When she returned to bed, she peeked out the window. “Jo, it’s freezing in here, and there’s snow on the ground.”

  “What?” Jo sat up and looked out the window. “Fuck! I can’t believe it.”

  “Baby, check the thermostat. I was going to, but I nearly froze.” Kate was already under the covers.

  Jo chuckled when she saw Kate with her head under the blanket. “Come here, let me warm you.” The minute she felt Kate’s skin, she cried out. “Damn, you’re cold!”

  “I’m freezing! Please, check the heater,” Kate pleaded.

  Jo laughed and put a foot out on the floor to look at the thermostat. “Man, no wonder! It’s fifty-five degrees in here. I’m going to raise it to seventy-two. Let’s stay in bed until it warms up.” When she settled back on the bed, she snuggled to Kate. “Umm, you’re so warm.”

  “And you’re cold!”

  “Sorry.” Jo tried to put some distance between them, but Kate pulled her closer.

  “Come here, silly, let me warm you.”

  Jo felt Kate’s warm body and immediately felt good. “You’re so nice and warm!” She stroked Kate’s back and nestled into her body. “Umm, in more than one place, actually.” The comment prompted an immediate reaction from Kate, who was already feeling her heat flare up.

  “Maybe we should go south for a while and come back north later,” Kate suggested.

  “I like going south.” Jo’s hands went between Kate’s legs.

  Kate laughed. “Not that south! You know what I mean!” Kate continued to smile.

  “I know what you mean, but do you know what I mean?” Jo wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

  “I know exactly what you mean, and I wouldn’t mind if you went to that south if your hands were warmer. Here let me warm them. Kate took Jo’s hands between hers and exhaled into them. “Seriously, Jo, let’s plan on going to the South until it gets warmer. It might not be safe to travel north yet,” Kate snuggled to her.

  “Okay, let’s track a new route over breakfast. At some point, we need to stop to take care of our legal paperwork, you know wills, powers of attorney, medical directives, all that stuff. In the meantime, I would like to head to that other south now that my hands are warmer.” Tender, soft kisses followed Jo’s comments.

  “I think you should since it’s much closer and already warm. Breakfast and the reroute will have to wait,” Kate replied combing Jo’s hair back.

  An hour later, Jo was about to get up to make breakfast when Kate stopped her. “Let me take care of breakfast.” She kissed Jo, got up, and walked towards the kitchen barefoot, and wearing her long T-shirt with nothing underneath.

  “If you want to do something, you can make coffee and set the table,” Kate said.

  “I need to go to the bathroom first.” When she came back, Kate was already busy in the kitchen. Jo started the coffee, set the table, and kissed Kate on the neck before she went back to bed. She piled up the pillows and snuggled with the comforter to wait for Kate. “I could get used to this,” Jo said from the bedroom.

  “What?”

  “Having a sexy woman in the kitchen making breakfast for me.”

  “If you think having a sexy woman in the kitchen is appealing, you have no idea what it’s like for that woman to know that a hot babe is waiting for her in bed,” Kate replied from the kitchen.

  In the bedroom, Jo grinned. “Something to look forward to tomorrow when it’ll be the other way around. While you’re making breakfast, I’ll reroute our trip.” She looked out the window. “The snow is not much. I figure that it might melt in a couple of hours, and then we ca
n leave. Where do you want to go? Have you ever been to New Mexico?”

  “No, I haven’t. But I’ve read a lot about it. I think we should stop in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. I’ve heard they’re pretty unique places.” Kate sounded excited about the southbound turn of their trip. “I would love to shop for Native American art. What am I saying? I forgot I only have $256 in the bank!” She chuckled.

  Jo was looking at her tablet and didn’t even look up when she spoke. “You have the credit and debit card from our account.” She looked up when Kate came into the bedroom carrying their breakfast.

  “I still can’t believe that you added my name to your bank account and got me a debit and a credit card.

  “Why not? We are a couple. Couples share.”

  “I guess I should be glad that you met me.” Kate sat on the bed. “At least I know I’m not going to take off to Europe with your credit cards!”

  Jo grinned. “Just looking at you right now is worth anything. Do you have any idea how incredibly beautiful and sexy you look in that T-shirt?”

  Kate grinned as she sat on the bed with the plate of food on her lap.

  “Umm, this looks delicious. I need food for strength. I have some ideas on how to spend the next couple of hours waiting for the snow to melt.”

  “You do, huh?” Kate smiled and ate. She had only brought in one plate with all the food.

  “I like this idea of eating from the same plate, one less plate to wash. I’ll try to leave some food for you,” Jo said as she pretended to fight Kate with her fork for a piece of bacon. Kate chewed and smiled when she managed to pinch the piece of bacon before Jo did.

  “Okay, I plotted the route heading to New Mexico,” Jo said looking at her tablet, while Kate handed Jo her coffee mug.

  “Sedona, I want to go to Sedona in Arizona,” Kate spoke with her mouth full as she pointed with her fork.

  “I’ve read about the energy vortexes there. Do you believe in that stuff?” Jo asked.

  “I don’t know, but we should explore them, and the Grand Canyon is not far from there. We have to go.” Kate added while chewing.

  When they finished eating, Kate took the plate and mugs back to the kitchen and crawled back in bed. She took the brochures and maps and placed them in one of the overhead compartments and pulled the tablet from Jo’s hands and closed it. Jo smiled as she watched Kate put everything away, and even more when Kate straddled her thigh and kissed her. “So, about those ideas on how to spend the next two hours—.”

  Jo continued to grin even when the sexy brunette captured her lips. When Kate began to kiss her way over her chin and down her neck, Jo was finally able to speak. “Now that I know cooking gets you so hot, you might end up with kitchen duty all the time.”

  “It’s not the cooking that gets me hot, but the gorgeous woman on my bed.” Kate continued to place small kisses on Jo’s face. “Lay back. You’re mine!”

  “You bet! Best order I’ve ever received in my life, General,” Jo said, grinning and massaging Kate’s back.

  “Now that I know I’m a General, I feel very empowered.” She continued to kiss Jo down her neck. “It’s amazing what rank can do.”

  Jo trembled with anticipation, as she watched Kate take her time going down on her. After some time, still panting from her high, Jo barely uttered, “I should have had that extra piece of bacon.”

  After some time, still panting from her high, Jo barely uttered, “I should have had that extra piece of bacon.”

  Kate chuckled and kissed her. “I love you, Colonel.”

  “Glad to be of service, General.”

  ***

  The snow did not melt as forecasted, and they decided to stay one more night at the same campground. Having extra time, Jo took the opportunity to show Kate how to handle the sewer hook-up. “Not too thrilling, right?”

  “No, but vitally necessary, especially for longer showers.” She smiled, winked, and turned around. “Let’s go inside. I’m freezing.”

  With nothing else to do, they cuddled in bed to watch television. “I like it here. It’s cozy.”

  “I was afraid you’d feel claustrophobic in the RV, it’s not very big,” Jo commented.

  “Being here with you is nice no matter what we’re doing. It’s our very own little place in the world, and it’s not that small either. It has three separate living areas, the bedroom, the kitchen and dining area, and the truck cabin. Those chairs up front are very comfortable.” Kate spoke as she switched TV channels. “It’s amazing to find out that we don’t need that much space to live as long as we have all the essentials covered. But that’s under the assumption that people get along as well as we do,” Kate added.

  “Yes, that’s true. So, are you good here? I mean, you like it to the point that you don’t mind the long trip?”

  “Of course I like it! And I’m excited about the trip. It’s an adventure. Why are you asking? What’s troubling you?”

  “I just want to make sure that you’re okay with it, and that you’re happy.”

  “I’m happy, Jo. You make me happy.” Kate’s words had a profound effect on Jo, and it showed.

  “I never thought I could make someone happy,” Jo replied.

  Kate kissed her. “Well, you do, and it’s not just because of the trip. I’d be happy anywhere with you. But talking about the RV again, I think that, although campgrounds and buying food costs money, it’s cheaper than if we were paying rent or had a mortgage.

  “True.”

  Kate kissed her again, and as she did, Jo slid her hand down and pulled on Kate’s underwear.

  “This feels odd still.”

  “What?” Jo asked, wondering what Kate meant.

  “Being nude in the middle of a campground.”

  “Why? We are safe here. Let me put you at ease. I always check all doors when we come in for the night, and see that switch there?” She pointed to a red switch next to the upper part of the bedroom door. “It’s an alarm system. If anyone touches any of the door handles, lights come on, and an alarm sounds inside the RV to wake us up. Then I have three choices, I push that other button there and turn on a bunch of lights around the RV, or the button to set off an outdoor alarm, or I bring out my other girlfriend.” Kate smiled and frowned at the same time while Jo pulled out her gun from a compartment on her side of the bed. “I think you have already met Lola.”

  “Oh, shit!” Kate rolled her eyes. “You’re just like Grams and her Winchesters.”

  “Yes, it’s like she said. We need to protect ourselves and, as you know, I know how to use this baby well.” She put the gun back in the drawer and turned to cuddle to Kate again. “I’d like to show you how to use it once we’re out in a desolated area.”

  “Okay, but I won’t use it unless it’s a matter of life or death.”

  “Precisely, as it should be. You’ve just passed lesson number one.”

  “So, no need to worry. You’re safe with me,” Jo said grinning.

  ***

  The next morning, they left the campground and drove south towards Utah with plans to visit Bryce and Zion National Parks. Since the parks are not far from each other, they spent a week in the area and visited both. Then, they continued their southbound trip towards the Grand Canyon and Sedona.

  Their first stop in the area of the Grand Canyon was the North Rim. The campground was on the right, just off the main highway. The minute they parked, they proceeded to connect the RV to the facilities in their pad.

  “Hi, y’all!” A woman from another nearby RV said as she approached them.

  “Hello,” Kate replied in her usual friendly tone. Jo merely smiled, being her usually cautious self with over-friendly people.

  “Where are you guys from?”

  Kate wanted to reply but hesitated not knowing exactly how to respond. She was originally from Wyoming but had been living in Nashville, and Jo had taken off in the RV from Chicago but was not returning there, or would they? The truth was that Kate was at a loss as
to where they were truly from, so she said the first thing that came to mind. “We just came from northern Wyoming. How about you?”

  The woman, who appeared to be in her late sixties replied, “we’re from Tennessee. We just got our RV and took off. To be honest, it has not been easy. We still don’t know how half the things work.” The woman chuckled after making her statement. “I haven’t washed my hair in five days!” She laughed, “that’s why I’m wearing this baseball cap. Not a good hair day!” Kate and Jo laughed too.

  “Our RV has not turned out to be as comfortable as we thought,” the woman explained. “The bathroom is tiny, and there’s hardly any storage. Not to mention that it’s too long and hard to maneuver. I think that when we get back, we’re going to trade it in for something better.”

  Jo looked at the vehicle parked next to them and raised an eyebrow before looking at Kate, who was still smiling. All of a sudden, a short woman, from another motorhome, joined them. She had gotten out of a tiny Mini-Cooper towed by what appeared to be a former school bus now turned RV. It was apparent that it had been a school bus because it was painted yellow.

  “Oh, my God! That is a huge vehicle.” The woman wearing the baseball cap declared in a high-pitched tone, obviously referring to the bus and not the Mini-Cooper. “How many people can you fit in there?”

  The short woman laughed before she spoke in a very southern accent. “Well, I always tell everyone that ten can party, but only two can sleep.”

  The woman with unwashed hair laughed her heart out. “Oh my! That’s a good one!” Kate and Jo also laughed as they listened to the conversation. “You’ll need to show me the inside of it later, and now I think I better go help Henry. He has a lot of difficulties bending to plug the camper into the outlets. I’ll see y’all later.”

  “Sure,” Kate said, still smiling.

  When they were inside their RV, Jo finally spoke. “I don’t know what kind of RV she’s looking to trade for that one! That is a loaded Mercedes Sprinter. She’s not going to find anything better than that in that size or smaller.”