CHAPTER 6
Three weeks later.Jurina was pacing back and forth in her living room, stopping now and then to take a nervous look around the apartment. Tonight, Rena was visiting her place for the first time, and she wanted to be sure everything was perfect. Lately, they had been both so busy with their job. Rena often had late meetings and business trips, while Jurina liked to stay late at the office to progress on the blueprint of the time machine.
They had been seeing each other after work, but never the opportunity to invite Rena at her place had presented itself until today. After a month of dating, Jurina believed it was the right time to move things forward. All she needed was to find a date that fitted their busy schedules, and they agreed on this Saturday evening.
Jurina stole a peek at her watch in apprehension: the other girl should be here at any moment. As she was about to check one last time that everything was in order for Rena’s arrival, the metallic voice of her humanoid robot sounded behind her back.
“Mistress, you’re behaving strangely this evening.” Alfred came to stand in front of her. “Are you sick? Do you need medicine?”
Jurina looked down to him in confusion. She had been so engrossed in her thoughts for the past two hours, that she had barely paid attention to her faithful servant. “No, I’m fine. Why are you asking that?”
“It’s the third time you’re checking that everything is in place. If you’re not sick, then does it mean you don’t trust Alfred?”
“Of course, I trust you,” Jurina reassured him. Alfred had been of great help these last two hours, tidying the apartment and preparing everything necessary for her dinner at home with Rena. Jurina’s perfectionist side had led her to double-check behind him, and it occurred to her the wrong impression it must had given. “You were perfect,” Jurina said, but could tell by her robot’s worried look that he wasn’t convinced. “You were, really. I just want everything to go well tonight.”
“Why wouldn’t it go well? Mistress likes Rena-san, and Rena-san likes Mistress. Nothing can go wrong.”
Jurina smiled, amused by her robot’s unique sense of logic.
Deciding she had done enough pacing for the evening, Jurina went to take a seat on the sofa, her robot’s feet sounding on the floor as he followed her. She looked up at him and took a deep breath, knowing deep down that he had a point. For some reason, apprehension refused to leave her, but she couldn’t do anything about it. “It’s normal to feel a bit anxious when you invite for the first time to your place someone who means a lot to you. And Rena is someone special to me.”
Jurina hoped her explanation would satisfy her robot’s curiosity, but all she got in return was a questioning stare. She searched in her head a better way to explain things, a little frustrated with herself when nothing came to mind. An apologetic smile fell upon her lips and she extended her arm, gently patting the robot’s head. Alfred may be an intelligent and evolved robot, there were many things that escaped his understanding.
At the sound of the door ringing, Jurina stood up at once. Her guest had arrived. Anticipation built up at the pit of her stomach, and she went to open the door. When she locked gaze with the 26-year-old woman standing on her doorstep, her mouth curved into a large smile, happiness shining from her as she invited her in. Rena Matsui, the person she could now proudly call her girlfriend, was mesmerizingly beautiful.
As soon as the door closed behind her, their lips met, Jurina pulling her closer while Rena’s arms slipped around her neck. They hadn’t seen each other all day, and Jurina had missed the drugging sensation of Rena’s warm lips against hers. Jurina didn’t consider herself as a clingy girlfriend, but the older girl had such a magnetic effect on her that if was hard to stay away from her.
Their lips never parted as they renewed their affection with gentle kisses, neither of them showing any sign of wanting to break free. Jurina relished the contact of their lips brushing slowly against each other, and the feeling of Rena’s warm body secured in her arms. When Rena whispered her name between kisses, Jurina fluttered her eyes open, warmth spreading through her chest when the older girl ran her fingers through her black shoulder-length hair with affection.
The gesture prompted Jurina to press Rena’s body closer against hers, and she smiled into the kiss when the other girl giggled in reaction. She gave Rena one last lingering kiss before pulling away, just enough to sweep over her form in appreciation. The 26-year-old girl was wearing her familiar black trench coat, along with matching long leather boots. Ah yes, that’s right. The weather forecast had announced rain for today. However, she was a little startled to discover that her appearance was not as neat as usual.
Her long black hair was perfectly dry, but her coat showed sign of having met the rain at a few places. An amused smile moved to Jurina’s lips at the sight, and she couldn’t help but tease her. “You got a little wet.”
“I-I did,” Rena conceded, a little embarrassed. “Lately, it happened more than I would have expected.”
Jurina took a step back, giving her enough space to let her remove her coat. However, she soon noticed that something else was monopolizing Rena’s attention, as she was now looking behind her back. Startled, Jurina turned around, only to discover the one and only Alfred standing behind her.
“This is Alfred, my humanoid robot.” Jurina shot her robot an amused look. He was looking at their new guest with great interest. “Alfred, this is Rena.”
Rena approached and kneeled in front of him, smiling as she shook his hand. “Hi Alfred. Nice to meet you.”
The robot didn’t reply to the friendly greeting, and Jurina arched an eyebrow. Alfred was a polite and well-behaved robot, and his silence confused her. Had he not heard her? Was there a problem with his audition? His sight seemed to work perfectly fine, considering how intensely he was staring at their guest.
“Mistress Rena…”
Jurina didn’t believe her ears at the dreamy tone in her robot’s metallic voice. Since she acquired him three years ago, never had she distinguished such a peculiar and strong fluctuation in his voice. She didn’t even know his program was capable of it. And, for some odd reason, it appeared that the presence of their new guest had triggered this unusual response.
“Please don’t hesitate if you need anything.” The robot’s big blue eyes were transfixed on Rena as he held her hand back tightly. “I’m at your entire service.”
Jurina met her girlfriend’s hesitant look. Rena was taken aback by her robot’s strange behavior and his sudden devotion to her. Rena’s mouth opened and closed a few times, her eyes flickering back and forth between Jurina and the robot, not knowing how to react to the small robot that refused to let go of her hand.
Jurina smiled at the amusing scene unfolding in front of her, now having a good hunch of what might be happening. As curious as it may seem, Alfred had purely and simply fallen under the charm of their guest. To be honest, she did wonder how Alfred would react to meeting her girlfriend for the first time. In the end, it appeared she had nothing to fear. Alfred was completely fond of her.
“Alfred.” Jurina intervened, when the robot showed no sign of wishing to separate himself from Rena. “Can you go and prepare the food?”
The pair of blue eyes that had been captivated by the woman in front of him paid attention to her. For an instant, Jurina wondered if he was going to obey, as he didn’t move an inch. Thankfully, Jurina didn’t have to repeat herself, as he produced a small sound of agreement and his small mechanical white fingers slowly let go of Rena’s hand.
Rena raised to her feet, her gaze following the robot moving towards the kitchen. “Your humanoid robot seems nice and very curious. Is there any specific reason why he called me Mistress?”
“Ah, that…” Jurina cleared her throat in discomfort.
Rena’s question was legitimate. It was a respectful term only used by robots to call their owners. Aside from herself, never had he called anyone in that way until today. Jurina was starting to get an idea of what might be going on inside her robot’s head. Not only Alfred already seemed particularly attached to their guest, Jurina wondered if he hadn’t convinced himself that Rena was not just a passing visitor, but she would soon become a permanent resident.
Jurina didn’t believe to have said anything to give him such an impression. Every time she chatted with her robot and answered his overflow of questions regarding the development of her relationship with Rena, he acted far too impatient and eager to see things moving forward between them. Jurina didn’t feel at ease sharing with Rena her robot’s strange and embarrassing behavior. She preferred to play it safe, even if it meant having to tell a small white lie.
“I have no idea why he said that. Alfred is a robot full of surprises.” Jurina made sure her tone sounded convincing enough to conceal the truth. Judging by Rena’s reaction, her explanation had satisfied her enough, not detecting an ounce of doubt within Rena’s small brown orbs when the latter smiled and leaned closer to give her a kiss.
Jurina was tossing and turning on the sofa, unable to sleep. A small groan left her lips in frustration and she fluttered her eyes open, casting a look at the digital clock on the wall. 00:22. Way past her usual bedtime. Why on earth couldn’t she find sleep? Ah, that’s right. She couldn’t sleep because her head was filled with thoughts of Rena. Her girlfriend whom she had invited over tonight and was currently sleeping in her bedroom.
Jurina closed her eyes shut, much in vain. Not only couldn’t she stop thinking about her, she didn’t feel sleepy at all. Pushing the bedcover aside, she took a seat on the sofa, pondering on finding an occupation. Maybe it would tire her enough to put her to sleep? While thinking of a potential activity that could do the trick, Jurina’s keen hearing perceived the sound of little feet moving on the floor.
Jurina blinked, discovering that her robot had left his loading station by the television and was approaching her position on the sofa. Despite the darkness surrounding her, his large blue eyes glowed in the night. “Can’t sleep, Mistress?” Alfred raised his left arm and opened his hand. “Please take this pill. It will help you fall asleep.”
Jurina was touched by her robot’s thoughtful attention, but shook her head negatively at the blue pill he was showing to her. With that powerful pill, great invention of the last decade, you could fall asleep in less than ten seconds. And without any side effects. Under other circumstances, she would have considered his offer. In the past, she had already used that miraculous pill more times than she could count.
Tonight, she decided to pass, hoping for sleep to claim her naturally. “Thank you, but I don’t want to use it. I just need to find another way to occupy my mind.”
Alfred closed his mechanical hand, but didn’t leave her side. “Can I ask you a question, Mistress?”
Jurina frowned a little. What could her robot want to ask her at such a time? It was past midnight. A time very unusual for a series of questions. However, she had to admit the distraction was appreciated. Maybe a little chat was all she needed to fall into Morpheus’s arms? “Yes, what is it?”
“Why are you not sleeping in your bed? I’ve been trying to understand since 10:22 p.m. what logical reason you could have for offering Rena-san your bed and choosing yourself to sleep here. I couldn’t find an answer in any of my programs. I even looked it up on the network, but my research came back with no result.”
Jurina was slightly caught off guard. Lately, it appeared Alfred enjoyed asking impossible questions. At least, it definitely felt this way, as she found it more and more difficult to answer. “Rena is my guest,” Jurina whispered, making sure to keep her voice low enough to not accidentally wake up the other girl sleeping in the bedroom. “It’s common curtesy to offer your guest the best accommodation possible. It wouldn’t be considered proper to have her sleep on the sofa.”
Jurina left out the fact that she wouldn’t be capable of keeping her hands to herself very long if she shared a bed with her girlfriend. After being at her service for more than three years, there was no doubt that Alfred was aware of every single one of her tastes and habits. However, if there’s one thing she was not ready to share with him, it was her carnal desires and sexual urges.
Alfred seemed to meditate her reply, but Jurina could guess he was not over with the subject. A prediction that got confirmed when he spoke again. “Don’t you want to sleep with Rena-san?”
“Of course, I want to sleep with her.” The answer left Jurina’s lips naturally, before widening her eyes in shock at how it sounded. Her innocent robot only meant it in the literal sense, but she thought it wiser to reformulate. “I mean, of course I want to share a bed with her,” she corrected, relieved when it seemed by Alfred’s unfazed look that he truly didn’t catch the double meaning. “But it’s something quite… intimate. Both parties need to agree and feel comfortable enough about it.”
“Mistress has never shared a bed with Rena-san before,” Alfred stated, to which Jurina confirmed with a nod. “But I’m sure Rena-san wouldn’t mind if you joined her. After all, Mistress and Rena-san engaged in a lot of intimate activities after dinner. I even fear Mistress missed most of the movie, which is a real shame as Alfred happened to find it very entertaining.”
Her robot’s tone was nothing but genuine, but Jurina felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Now, she was conscious to have been far too distracted by her girlfriend’s presence to pay attention to her robot’s whereabouts. In fact, Jurina didn’t even recall seeing Alfred around when she had suggested a movie to Rena, and they had comfortably settled on the sofa to watch it. She was convinced to have told him that she wouldn’t need his assistance for the rest of the evening, but it appeared her humanoid robot had not gone very far after all.
She and Rena hadn’t done more than kissing, yet she was embarrassed by the thought that her robot was present and witnessed everything. Jurina was still processing the news when she caught the sound of the bedroom’s door opening. She didn’t have the opportunity to react that her robot had preceded her, his eyes widening as he glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the bedroom. Without warning, he turned around, disappearing from her sight as fast as his little feet could carry him.
Jurina followed his flee in amusement as he retreated to the charging station, the light of his glowing blue eyes fading in the darkness. The green light located on the right side of his neck turned red, indicating that the robot had disactivated himself. When bare foot sounded on the floor behind her, Jurina forgot all about her loyal servant, and glanced up when Rena appeared beside the sofa. Jurina had not a clue what prompted her to leave the bedroom at such a late time of the night, but a part of her was pleased by the unexpected visit.
“I can’t sleep,” Rena confessed.
Jurina gave her a concerned look. “Is something wrong? Are you cold? There’s a switch by the side of the bed to adjust the temperature. It will heat the bed in a few seconds.”
“Yes, I know. But no, that’s not it…” Rena smiled faintly.
Rena’s fingers were tapping lightly against the side of the sofa, her eyes firmly set on her the whole time. Rena’s behavior unsettled her a little. Why did she say that she couldn’t sleep? Was something troubling her? And what about the long and lingering gaze her girlfriend was sending her, giving her the strong impression that she was expecting something from her?
Rena’s feet moved forward and she walked around the sofa. Jurina detected her intention to sit and she scooted further away, Rena taking a seat beside her and slipping her hand inside hers the following moment. They shared a smile, and Jurina gave her hand a light squeeze, lacing their fingers together. Jurina couldn’t help it; she took advantage of the proximity to capture Rena’s lips.
The older girl returned the kiss, but Jurina couldn’t shake the odd feeling that something was not right. Rena was unusually tense, and Jurina slowly broke the kiss to look at her. Rena was a confident woman who knew what she wanted, and never hesitated before making a decision. In fact, it was part of this aspect of her personality that got Jurina attracted to her in the first place. But, right now, Rena’s body language spoke louder than words. Something was clearly bothering her.
“This doesn’t feel right. You shouldn’t be sleeping here.”
Jurina’s eyes flared wide with surprise, getting a better grasp of the situation. Earlier on, Rena had not protested when she had offered her to sleep in the bedroom, even if her small hesitant look hadn’t gone unnoticed. Jurina had not thought too much of it, convinced to be doing the right thing, and simply made sure her girlfriend was well settled in for the night when she turned the lights off.
Jurina was about to explain why she had opted for this arrangement, when a pair of lips fell upon hers. Closing her eyes, Jurina let out a moan, granting Rena’s silent wish when she nibbled on her lower lip. Parting her lips, the kiss deepened, their tongues touching and dancing together.
Jurina snaked an arm around Rena’s waist, massaging Rena’s back through the thin fabric of her tee-shirt. Rena’s kisses were becoming more demanding, much to Jurina’s delight. She secretly enjoyed it when the older girl took the lead, which happened more and more frequently these past few weeks. Was it her imagination, or her girlfriend was even being bolder than usual tonight?
When Rena broke their heated kiss, Jurina was grateful for the small respite, allowing her to catch some air and get a better hold of her emotions. A flicker of doubt made her anxious, asking herself if it wasn’t wiser to stop before the situation escalated. They had only been dating for a month, and Jurina feared the other girl might not be ready to bring their relationship to the next level.
Jurina never made it a secret; she had had a few lovers in the past. One girl in college mattered especially to her, up to the point that after two years of dating, Jurina imagined a possible future with her. Fate decided otherwise. One evening, Jurina caught the girl she loved the most in the world in bed with someone else, the infidelity shattering her heart into pieces. Time had passed, and her heart had eventually mended, opening up to new opportunities. She had had a few flings, but nothing serious, and it wasn’t until her encounter with Rena that she decided to take another leap of faith.
Jurina didn’t doubt the sincerity of Rena’s feelings for her, but she couldn’t forget that she was experimenting all those emotions for the first time. One evening, the CEO had admitted that this was her very first relationship. Jurina received the revelation with surprise, but she wasn’t put off by her inexperience. She had already fallen too deeply in love with Rena to care any less.
Jurina jolted out of her thoughts when the older girl extracted herself from the embrace and raised from the sofa. When Rena extended her hand, Jurina gave her a small perplexed look. “Come. I refuse to let you sleep here.”
Jurina swallowed hard, conflicted. A part of her wanted to get up and accept the tempting invitation, but another wasn’t sure that they were on the same page. Refusing to let any form of misunderstanding come between them, she decided it was best to be honest with her. “I want to follow you,” Jurina said, the pull to take that offered hand becoming harder to resist as the seconds went by. “But I’m not sure we are both ready for the same thing.”
Silence enveloped them, and Jurina felt a small pang in her chest when she saw the older girl withdrawing her hand. She took it as an evident sign that Rena had understood her intentions were anything but pure, and was declining them. Jurina forced a smile, not wishing to be alarmed by the rejection. After all, it had only been a month. She simply needed to be a little more patient, which she was more than willing to do for someone she believed to be completely worth it. Having Rena’s heart and being by her side already made her the happiest person alive.
“I’m sorry,” Rena murmured.
Jurina shook her head, refusing to let her feel guilty. “Why are you apologizing? It’s fine. There’s no rush. Why don’t you go back to bed? Try to relax and empty your head, I’m sure you’ll fall asleep again.”
“No, that’s not why I’m apologizing. I’m apologizing because I shouldn’t have let you sleep here in the first place.”
Rena took her hand, giving it a light, decided tug. The invitation was silently renewed, the explicit desire dancing in her girlfriend’s eyes destroying Jurina’s last shred of resistance. Jurina nodded and intertwined their fingers, following the older girl as she slowly led them to the bedroom. As soon as the bedroom door closed behind them, their lips reconnected, wishing to express in every kiss, touch and caress their mutual affection and attraction. There was no haste in their actions while they removed their clothes, taking time to look at each other and savor the special moment.
Once no more piece of clothing covered them, they slid under the sheets and Jurina slowly moved on top of her, struck by the vulnerability displayed when Rena’s body trembled underneath her touch. It didn’t matter how confident Rena proved to be on a daily basis, especially when she assumed the role of CEO of one of the leading companies in the country. Right now, she was in unknown territory, and Jurina imagined how frightening it had to be to not be in control.
Jurina gave a nervous swallow and tenderly cupped Rena’s cheek, brushing her lips lightly with her own. Nothing she could say would ever be enough to fully erase the apprehension that had appeared in the depth of Rena’s brown eyes. The moment was too important, too anticipated to achieve such a miracle. But it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to do everything in her capacity to make sure Rena kept the most pleasant memories of her first time.
Jurina kissed her neck and shoulders while she caressed her whole body with gentle hands, not missing a single spot. She worshipped the flawless skin she was discovering and touching for the first time, so intimately yet so carefully and gently. She could feel Rena’s heart pounding beneath her palm, matching her own. She slowly caressed and kissed her breasts, Jurina’s pulse fluttering when Rena’s breathing became shallow and a few moans of pleasure escaped her quivering lips.
Jurina slid one hand between Rena’s thighs and gently parted them, tasting the waters. Rena’s chest was rising and falling with rapid intakes of breath, and she was now gazing at her a little apprehensively. Jurina gave her a soft, reassuring smile and cradled her face between her hands, feeling a deep sense of love and admiration for the woman secured in her arms. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” She whispered softly against her lips, and Rena’s eyes gleamed with sudden emotion.
Rena opened her mouth to speak, but as words seemed to fail her, her mouth instead captured hers in a soft and gentle kiss. They shared long slow melting kisses, Jurina feeling Rena reaching for her hand and progressively guiding it back on her thigh. Jurina fluttered her eyes open, understanding the silent invitation conveyed. She kissed her again with all the love she could impart from her soul and her hand descended, rubbing against the soft curls there, tentatively exploring. Very gently, she probed her entrance with her finger, parting her folds so she could settle her fingertips inside. Little by little, with no haste, after a few gentle attempts, she broke the fragile barrier and entered her wetness.
An anticipated cry was muffled against her shoulder and Jurina paused her progression, pressing a quick kiss to her temple. She wrapped her body into her protective arms, wishing to reassure her that she had nothing to fear. Taking her time, Jurina planted a kiss on her hair, then on her cheek, on her nose, and then her kisses trailed slowly to her mouth. She felt her girlfriend beginning to relax, allowing her to invade her mouth, moving with her at the pace she set, giving in once more to her control.
Jurina’s hand fondled her wetness gently, transforming her pain in moans of pleasure. Jurina stroked her more deeply, gliding her finger back and forth inside her to explore her soft, hot flesh. Rena moaned and squeezed her, and Jurina felt a flash of joy nearly as intense as the pleasure she was getting from making love to her.
At each stroke, Rena moaned a long-draw-out sigh of pleasure, and Jurina felt Rena’s body respond eagerly, knowing that she was close to her release. Jurina felt her walls clenching and tightening around her finger, and she added a second digit, guessing the beginning of her climax as she breathed her name, and she pushed her over the edge. When she tensed and rocked against her, she knew she was close. She gave her more, increasing the speed of her strokes, heightening the pleasure.
Rena cried out, and Jurina kept her fingers inside, letting her feel everything as she rode out her orgasm. As Rena clung to her, still rocked by the intensity of her climax, Jurina’s heart was beating erratically, realizing that her most perfect fantasy of all was well within reach. Shuddering in her arms was someone she loved with all her heart; Rena brought her a sense of peace and belonging she didn’t believe she would ever feel again. Jurina lifted her head and when Rena opened her eyes, smiled down at her, witnessing the emotion and pleasure bright in Rena’s eyes. Jurina moved her lips tenderly against hers, her eyes moistening with happiness as she refused to ignore her instincts. Now more than ever, she was absolutely sure of it. She had found the one in the person of Rena Matsui.
TO BE CONTINUED
Version edited on August 20, 2019.