Disclaimer: Be warned there are rampant POV changes at every bold heading, that's what I get for having pushy characters they all wanted a say.

I'm popping my own literary cherry here so tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is more than welcome, I will beg for it if I have to...... hunnybakedham@yahoo.com.au

The Kissing Bandit

My 36th birthday was the day my life was turned upside down. It was the day I won 1 million dollars, and the day I met the love of my life; even though I didn’t know it at the time. I guess I should really start at the beginning. 

My friends and I had taken a weekend trip to Las Vegas to celebrate my birthday. The last two years had been pretty rough; my lover of 8 years left me for a woman, no strike that, she-demon who had supposedly been my best friend and sister. My sister took my lover and my lover took everything I owned, well except the bills and the mortgage. I had been semi reclusive and particularly anti social ever since. My self-confidence had taken one hell of a beating and my friends decided an intervention was in order to get me out of the house and to have some fun. Leading me to my destiny on the famous Las Vegas strip. 

*** *** 

"C’mon girls, lets go to the one with the sphinx." Toni says 

"Yeah, why not. It’s got to be better than the last one, if not there are what? 138 more to try?." Robin replies with an easy grin "We just need Lady Luck to come along and pucker up and share."  

"Well I hope Liz is the intended recipient, it’s been way too long since you had anything close to a good shag." Toni says archly throwing a smirk in my direction. Toni has been one of my best friends forever, however when I first met her she was a handsome young high school freshman, fresh of the boat from England, named Anthony. Robin on the other hand I have known since I peeked over the back fence when I was 4. Together we discovered Spandau Ballet, The Eurythmics, ra-ra skirts, fluorescent colored socks and T-shirts, blue eye shadow, perms and our shared first love; Jo from The Facts of Life. 

We watch as the crowd parts ahead of us, a gang of gorgeous, fit and toned young Amazons strut and swagger their way towards us clapping and calling "Cooper. Cooper. Cooper." Like a bizarre mantra. Somehow I make eye contact with the obvious leader of the pack, a tall dark haired siren. She winks at me before walking right up to me and kisses me like I have never been kissed before. Her hand is gentle on my cheek and her lips are firm yet tender. Never has a single unexpected kiss made me feel as I did right that second. I knew I shouldn’t, I knew it was a very bad idea but I just couldn’t help myself and I admitted defeat to this sensual onslaught, allowing my assailant to deepen the kiss. An almost shy tongue gently made its way past my lips, engaging mine in a salacious dance. Slowly the kiss came to an end, and the outside world began to intrude. A chorus of catcalls and wolf whistles assaulted my ears. My kissing bandit pulled her lips away and whispered. "For luck" in my ear before joining her pack and disappearing into the crowd. 

"What the hell was that about?" a stunned Toni asks, "I’m sure some of them are students of mine." Toni was a professor at USC, teaching Gender Studies of course. Toni is living proof that sexuality is something you’re born with. When Toni was Anthony he was a flaming Homo; women were something he had never been attracted to. Then in the early 90’s he started on the hormones and eventually had the full ‘chop’, Toni’s words, became a woman and found herself sexually attracted to women instead of men. Throwing Toni’s world very out of whack, and decades of sexual politics and theory out the window. 

"Lady Luck just paid me a visit." I tell them with a small smile coming out of a sensual haze. I honestly felt better than I had in a very long time. More confident, more carefree and to be bluntly honest, horny as hell, but like I would admit that to my friends. I turn and face the nearest casino and determinedly walk towards it, leaving my stunned mullet friends to follow. By the time they catch up I am walking towards the richest game here.  

A big shiny black BMW X5 SUV is sitting on a rotating, clear bulletproof glass tube filled with $1,000,000 dollars worth of multi-colored chips. For $10 you pull the arm down and if you get 5 tiny BMW’s in a row you win both the car and the cash. I put my money in the little slot and pull the arm down. I close my eyes before I release it; picturing the kissing bandit’s smiling blue eyes, I let it go. 

One little BMW 

Two little BMW’s 

Three and four little BMW’s 

My friends are chewing fingernails, biting lips and downing G and T’s respectively, watching the last one turn and turn. 

I can almost feel the warm whisper in my ear. "For luck" 

Lights flash and alarms and noise goes off all around me. Five little BMW’s all in a row. Robin is squealing and bouncing up and down like a 5-year-old, and Toni simply orders a whole bottle of gin. I am still blankly looking at five little BMW’s as five big burly security guards surround us. I must look as puzzled as I feel at all the security guards. What did I do? I wonder. 

"Not to worry Ma’am, it’s just procedure for the big winners, gotta keep the rabble away." He says with a genuine smile. "And congratulations." 

Lady Luck Shine Down on Me 

"And there you have it folks, Cooper Benson scores a double in this most important of games. With 4 minutes left of play it looks like the Trojans have this game well in hand."  

Shit, I wish our announcer would get off the happy pills. If I score any more goals he is gonna do some serious damage to himself. He’s supposed to be rooting for the home team anyways. 

"Coop!" I turn to the call, putting on a burst of speed to lose the poor sap that has to tail me around the pitch. Rico boots the ball towards me in a long and perfect arc, I land it on my chest, roll it down my body and take off towards the goals. Some fancy footwork gets me past a determined defender with the ball still in my control; two pissed looking players are heading right for me so I boot the ball over to Janet who is in the clear and make a dash toward the goal square. Janet kicks the ball hard and straight towards me, I take a leap and header the ball toward the goal. The siren goes off as the ball is in flight. Freaky thing is you could hear a pin drop, even thought the opposition is still trying to stop the ball. Awww shit, these guys should get the hell out of soccer and take up mud wrestling instead, they all took a dive for the ball and landed in the mud. I could’ve sworn I heard the soft swoosh as the ball hit the back nets. 

"Benson scores agaaaaaaaiin, Three goals tonight, assuring the Trojans a place in the national championships, Happy Birthday Cooper." Blah blah blah blah. Hell they make it sound like I played out here by myself, I’ve got a great team who make sure I have the ball when I can score. Rico and the rest of the team tackle me to the ground, hugging me and slapping my ass in a very jock kinda way. I’m hauled up and carried into the change rooms. 

*** *** 

"C’mon Fireball, you’re 21 now and we are in Las Vegas! We can go hit the casinos, blow some cash, get drunk on tequila, get tattoo’s and scope out babes. Not a bad way to spend a night in Vegas!" Rico tells me as we shower. The tall Argentinean waggles her eyebrows, trying to imitate me. 

"Yeah Coop, let’s do it! Coach says we can as long as we’re back before the bus leaves in the morning." Snoopy says as she flicks me with a wet rolled up towel. 

"Lady Luck was loving you tonight Fireball, go blow some steam with the rest of the seniors, you earned it Kiddo."  

"Thanks Coach, I think I will. With this much luck maybe I can win some cash." Even though I’m on a full ride scholarship, money is pretty tight for me. I don’t have the time for a job between schoolwork and soccer training. My Mom’s deadbeat trailer trash that cares more about her next drink than her kids: My four brothers all joined the Navy as soon as they hit 18 to get the hell away from her. Hell if I wasn’t a kick ass soccer player I couldn’t have even gone to college. The USC soccer coach had been scouting me since I was 15, with out Coach Walker’s encouragement I probably would have dropped out of high school to get a job. I owe Coach a lot; even now she is always there when I need some guidance. You’d think she got paid to raise us, not just coach the team, she is more like a mom to 20 odd college girls. So if Coach tells me to go have fun who am I to argue? 

Maybe a night on the strip would do me some good. 

*** *** 

"15K, You gotta be so happy Fireball. You can afford to get a life now or even buy your fine self a woman." Rico taunts, as my roommate she knows I have no life outside of soccer and homework, hell with my sexual history I might never get laid. We exit the casino and head back towards the team’s hotel. 

"Coach said Lady Luck must love me!" I grin, covering my morose thoughts. 

"You gotta pass it on chica, you gotta share it around, find someone who looks like they could use it. You don’t want her to turn bad on you, she is fickle, you know?" She tells me seriously 

"How do I do that?" 

"You’ll know how when the time is right." 

Rico is a strange one; she can be as vapid as a cheerleader some days, and sharp as a tack on others. She is also very superstitious. I learned early on not to argue because she is usually proven right. 

"Let’s hear it for the birthday girl, the best damn striker in the game!" one of the other seniors calls out. 

"Cooper. Cooper. Cooper. Cooper!" they all chant, as we walk through the crowds I spot a small blonde, even though she is talking and smiling with friends, she looks lonely and in need of some luck, I hope Rico is right when she says I can pass it on. I don’t know what to do about it though. I’m watching her laugh at the tall vaguely familiar brunette next to her when we make eye contact. I know how to pass it on. I wink at her then walk right up to her and kiss her. I must have been doing it all wrong before, because no kiss has ever been like this one. I can feel my pulse racing and stomach clench in anticipation and desire. Ever so subtly the kiss changes and her lips become pliant and welcome. I gently begin to explore her mouth and her velvety tongue joins the game.  

We gently pull apart and I whisper "For luck" in her ear before being swamped by my teammates and dragged back to the hotel.  

I hope it worked. 

Schadenfreude

"I can’t believe you did this, it’s fantastic Liz." Toni says with a grin "It’s a great mix, Queer books, Queer poetry readings and great coffee, I could live here!" 

Tomorrow is the grand opening of my investment. I sold off my old place, paid off the mortgage and bought myself a bookstore with my million dollars. Upstairs is a spacious apartment for me to live in and write my book. 

"I hope it goes well, I always dreamed of doing this. Cally always told me it would be a waste of time and money." 

"Well you know what I think of Cally, and she is the last person to take advice from. She cheated on you with YOUR sister for a whole year! Don’t let anything she ever said affect you Eliza, you are going to be owning your dream and still have the time to write. Don’t let her ruin that."  

Toni is right as per usual. What the hell would Cally know? I’m going to do this and I’m going to love doing it. 

*** *** 

‘Cliterature’ has been open a month now and I have been very pleasantly surprised. Sales have been way above what I projected and everybody seems to like it here. Tonight Paula Ruben is reading from her latest lesbian poetry book, and a lot of the local USC students are here because her latest book is on the recommended reading list for ‘Gender Studies 4B’. Everyone is happy and relaxed, and it looks like it’s going to be a huge success. The tinkle of the front door tells me more people have arrived; I turn around and am captured by familiar intense blue eyes. The Kissing Bandit is in my store. I can’t help the smile on my face. She smiles broadly back with a definite twinkle in her eyes, and I know she recognizes me. I am about to go over and thank her for the lucky kiss when a strong hand grabs me firmly by the upper arm. 

"This is a *nice* place Liz. When we heard we knew we had to stop by and congratulate you in person." Insincere brown eyes meet mine. 

"Thanks Cally, it’s going great." I say trying to quiet my pounding heart. It still hurts to think I wasn’t good enough. She broke my heart and now she wants to rub it in. 

"It’s very….rustic, but cosy isn’t it." My dear little sister Jessica says with a crocodile smile. I don’t know how to get them the hell out of my store without causing a scene. It may be petty, but it’s my store and I don’t want their bad vibes here infecting it. I feel a long, strong arm circle my waist and a gentle kiss placed on the side of my neck. I can’t help the shiver and the smile. This is so familiar. The Kissing Bandit to the rescue. 

"Hi, I’m sorry to interrupt but I need to borrow my favorite blonde for a moment." The Bandit says in a strong friendly voice. I can see Cally’s nostrils flaring; she does that when she is really unhappy about something. 

"Aren’t you going to introduce your friend Liz?" Cally almost snarls. I’d be terrified if I didn’t have these muscular arms around me. I don’t think I will ever forget how aggressive Cally can be. 

"Cooper Benson." So the Bandit has a name. She extends one hand towards my unhappy Ex who looks at it like it’s attached to Typhoid Mary. "It’s nice to meet you, but I really need to speak to Liz. Maybe we can chat some more later on." I’m led firmly yet carefully away from the gruesome twosome and towards the office behind the sales counter. 

"Thank you" I say quietly as she closes the door. 

"Your welcome, it was pretty damn obvious that you didn’t want to talk to them. And the blonde looked way too smug about it. I hate people like that." 

"Yeah well, not only did she break my heart she likes to rub it in my face. But I really don’t want to ruin my night by talking about them." 

"I’m bigger than both of them, I could go rough em up some for you if you want?" a lopsided smile accompanies this statement, making the kissing bandit look like an earnest and eager 5 year old. This offer while appealing on most levels, would no doubt get my budding friend into a truckload of trouble. Cally is a shark in a suit, otherwise known as a litigation lawyer. What was I thinking??? 

"I don’t think it’s worth it…Cooper, is that really your name?" 

"Yeah, sure is. Your Liz right?" 

"Eliza Sheridan" I say holding out a hand. 

"Cooper Benson, very pleased to meet you." She takes my hand in her very large tanned one. 

"I owe you a debt of gratitude you know." I tell her confidently, as my fingers explore the strong hand in mine. I’m not sure where this new found confidence came from, but I intend to make the most of it. How many times in my life would I be in a position where I owe a gorgeous, young thing like Cooper a kiss. 

"No you don’t, aggravating people like that is my life’s work. I consider it a pleasure." 

"Not just for that." I say as I draw closer to the tall woman before me. I lift my free hand to her silken cheek, stroking a high cheekbone with my thumb, drawing her down to my level. 

"For the luck" I whisper before my lips meet hers.

God Save the Queen 

Aw hell, there must be every student in my class here. What the bloody hell was I thinking? Never ever put you’re favorite authors on the recommended reading list. I should have known every baby-dyke on campus would show. 

"Toni. Should have known you would show up to make my day complete." 

Oh God. Satan is in the building along with Benedict Arnold. 

"Of course I’m here Cally, my evil bitch detector went off and I had to respond, it’s a little like the Bat Signal only it’s a pitchfork instead of bat wings." 

"Think your clever don’t you She-Man." Satan spits at me. 

"Why don’t you just slither off back to your hole, Liz is doing just fine without you around." 

"When did child protection laws change to make dating children legal?" 

I honestly don’t have a sodding clue what she is talking about, but I keep my face neutral and just play along. I can only hope and pray that Liz does have a strapping young college date. Lucky Liz is if she has, she could do with a jolly good rogering. 

"Blow it out your arse. Liz was too good for the likes of you anyway, at least she still looks young enough to date whoever she wants too." I have to walk away from that smirking face before I throw a fist at it. Even though I am a woman now in every way, I still punch like the man I once was. I quickly scan the shop looking for Liz; she tends to fall to bits after Satan and Co visit. The door to her office is closed but the light is on, maybe she’s in hiding. 

"Liz?" I ask as I open the door. Well Liz is here all right, but I have no idea who the lucky wench she is kissing is, I think climbing and consuming would be better terms. It’s a strange thing to watch your friends kissing someone, especially when its Liz. She is like my sister, and she hasn’t been out on a single date since Satan did a number on her and the closest she’s come to a good ravishing is the ‘kissing bandit‘ as Liz calls her. And I don’t quite think a single kiss in the middle of Las Vegas counts even if the kisser was tall, dark and devastatingly gorgeous, just like her current young Redwood. Bleeding great bollocks, it couldn’t be. Could it? What are the odds? 

I make my escape, and release a sigh as I close the door. 

"Is she in there teaching ‘Cooper’ to read Dr Seuss?" Please God, give me the strength to NOT break her nose. Hang on a second Cooper? Even though Satan has managed to make the epithet sound a hell of a lot like an anathema. Cooper is bloody famous on campus. The captain and star striker on the women’s soccer team, every member of faculty wants her in their class and their pants, and the students bloody worship her. She is athletic, intelligent and bloody gorgeous, not to mention, by all accounts; genuinely nice. The type who rescues little old ladies from trees and helps kittens cross the road. Disgusting really, no one could possibly be so bloody nice without having some sort of serious malfunction or psychopathic tendencies. But if it is Cooper in there being climbed like an oak tree, good for bloody Liz, she has done what everyone else has wanted to do since Cooper was a freshman. 

"She is ‘Otherwise Occupied’ so run along before I have one of those lovely little lesbian Wicca’s vanquish you back to the fiery pits of hell." I need a coffee and a fag and a G&T not necessarily in that order, and possibly an antiseptic shower after talking to Satan.

"Well I’m just going in say goodbye, Jessica and I have dinner reservations at 9." I watch the scene like its in slow motion. Satan opens the door abruptly and her jaw drops in a fascinating combination of conflicting, what we mere mortals call, emotions.  

Liz and Cooper’s attention is drawn away from each other and towards the visibly steaming Satan. 

The Devil Went Down to Georgia 

"Go away Cally." Can’t she see I’m busy? So very, very busy. My lips find themselves captivated by the baby smooth skin that lies just below the cute pink ear before me. The owner of this prime real estate is also distinctly happy with the attention, I can feel the skin shiver and break out in goose bumps, and the tiny happy sigh that escapes kiss swollen lips. 

A large warm hand has found it’s way under my shirt and is driving me insane with its gentle teasing movements across my lower back, I never knew it could be an erogenous zone until just now. My own hands are full of firm muscular shoulders. I know that this whole situation is incredibly out of hand, that I should stop it before it’s way to late, but my body and my hormones are definitely in charge. Thank god for small mercies.  

I feel hands take a firm grasp of my hips and lift me into the air and onto my desk, Oh my! Just how strong is she? I have never been at all attracted to big strong women; I have always found it a big turn off. Something about being overpowered and made to feel weak just doesn’t do it for me. But this is a whole new feeling, she may be able to lift me like a rag doll, but it just turned me on even more if it was at all possible. Like it was done for me and because of me rather than to me. 

"For fucks sake Liz, you’re practically fucking the child. Have a little dignity would you." Cally snarls, I can feel Cooper growl under my lips before I hear it. What is it they say about poking sleeping bears in the forest? Somehow I think that Cally has a very short stick.  

"Besides since when have you liked buff butch women? You always said it was the most unsexy look you had ever seen." I think the stick just got shorter. The growling has gotten louder now, it’s almost like it has a direct link to my hyper-sensitized clit. Her lips meet mine in a gentle kiss as our eyes connect. Before Cally can make another comment, Cooper is up and has her out the door, slams it and locks it before stalking her way across the room with a feral look in her eyes. I have to say it’s the single sexiest thing I have ever seen. All of my most basic and primitive needs and desires have taken over, I want nothing more than for her to throw me over a broad shoulder and take me to her cave; or at least upstairs to my apartment and king sized waterbed.  

I slide off the desk and walk over to the door leading to the stairs. I just knew having my office here was a great idea. 

"Cooper, please take me upstairs." I ask gently, if she says no I will resort to begging and pleading. Instead I find myself lifted into sculpted arms and carried tenderly all the way up.

Continued in Part 2

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