Love in a Pandemic

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Soon we will have forgotten the realities of the Covid pandemic. We will have gotten over the lock downs, the deaths, relegating the dreadful actions of neighbors, stupid politicians, conflicting opinions to the dustbins of our memories. We will also have forgotten the helplessness a lot of people felt when learning of the deaths of family members, friends, complete strangers, but we shouldn't. We should recognize that even in the darkest times, the darkest places, we can still find something worth hanging on to.

LOVE IN A PANDEMIC 1

I was so fucking horny! My vibrator was just not doing it for me any more. I wanted a dick with a live body attached to it! Any dick would have done! I wanted to be filled with cum, even up my ass, I didn't care!

Okay, it's a bit extreme, sure, but the reality is that I am both horny and at risk. If infected with the damned virus, it could quickly get really serious for me. I've a great job that affords me a livable income, I can easily work from home and my boss has been great. I live in a nice part of San Francisco, had a roomie but she moved home months ago. I can't go out unless I am wearing a mask, gloves (when I needed a hazmat suit), which had been a serious heat issue over the summer. I don't shop, just get deliveries, I don't walk, just use a bouncy ball to roll on, do a bit of Tai Chi and yoga, but that's really not enough. I am starting to put weight on, but then a few pounds is not much, I was too skinny anyway.

There was a knock on my door a month ago. I wasn't expecting anyone, no deliveries had called up, so it might be the older woman next door. I looked in the peep hole and it wasn't her, but it was a much younger woman wearing a mask. "Hello" I called.

"Hi, you're Miss Mercuto? I'm Shae, just moved in with my mom, next door. Got a moment?"

I hesitated, "Hold on" I said, as I reached for a mask, then opened the door. Standing there was a masked woman, blonde, about average height but really curvy, in close fitting clothes, accentuating her curves. I gave her that spectacular riposte, "Hi."

"Sorry to interrupt, I'm just introducing myself. Mom told me you were here, living alone so I thought I would say hi."

I shook my head, not really getting it, this rather friendly approach from a complete stranger. I kept up my brilliance with an "Oh."

"That was all, I just didn't want anyone to be concerned with a stranger running around the building."

Then my social senses kicked in, this was an actual person, talking to me. "Oh, look, sorry, I am forgetting my manners, come in." I stepped aside allowing her to enter. "It's been a while since I have spoken to an actual person," I laughed. She came in with a "Thank you," and I got a whiff of her as she walked past, wow, she smelt wonderful, her perfume, a non-smoker, clean, healthy woman.

"I'm Lina, by the way." holding out an elbow which she nudged with a smile and a "Shae." I couldn't see her mouth, but her eyes were crinkled in what could only be a smile and they just sparkled.

"I won't stay long, and I'm asthmatic so you'll have to forgive me if I keep the mask on," she said.

"Are you really? So am I, we're in a high risk category - together then." I was curious as to what lay under the mask, gorgeous, I am betting. I reached up and removed the mask, "I keep the air clean here with filters on the air ducts."

"Oh? How do you do that?" she asked and took her mask off. Yep, gorgeous.

I explained I ran across a YouTube video on how to improve air quality in a workshop. It was really impressive, 20" box fans and filters on the inlet ducts of a mini-split system, then I showed her. The air quality in my apartment is excellent, has to be. I can't go anywhere without a puffer, even before the pandemic on some days. I had to wear the mask I always kept in my handbag and getting home is sometimes a huge relief, just for the clean air. I asked if she wanted tea or coffee, and for the next hour we sat and talked. Just the fact of talking to a live person was exhilarating. Shae said she had better go, a quick introduction that took an hour. To be fair, for a quick precis of our life histories, an hour was pretty good. Shae was easy to talk to and I don't think we were over sharing, for a first meeting, but we had so much in common it was an easy discussion. I invited her back for the next day, for a lunch.

That night, my vibrator ran out of batteries and by morning, it felt like I had rubbed myself raw.

The next day she knocked on the door, I let her in and she hugged me. I stiffened, shocked at the touch of another person. She jumped back and apologized, with a hugely worried look on her face. I cursed my stupidity, here was someone showing me some affection for the first time in months and this is how I react? I quickly reassured her that it was the surprise of an unexpected hug, then stepped in and hugged her back. That was nice, besides she still smelt wonderful, she relaxed in my arms. To feel someone in my arms again, that was such a thrill.

Over lunch, our talk quickly turned to men. Well, two girls having lunch, what else would we be talking about? I confessed that I was seriously deprived. My boyfriend had transferred to LA and I didn't want to leave the relatively much cleaner, i.e.. better air quality, San Francisco. Shae too had male issues, her last boyfriend dumped her. Our conversations continued for the next week, daily, at lunch, even dinner with her mom one night.

One day, after lunch in my apartment, things took an unexpected turn. On the lounge sofa, we were taking coffee when she said, "I swear, the next person I sleep with is going to be a woman, she will understand me a lot better, so it's gotta be easier all round." My heart skipped a beat, so I replied, "Me, I just want to get laid and I really don't care who's tongue it is!" We both laughed at that, then Shae came back with "Yep, I'm at the point where I really don't care who I'm getting hot and sweaty with." Without thinking, I threw caution to the wind and said, "And I wouldn't mind that at all!" Shae looked at me and quietly replied, "I think I would love that."

The tone in her voice, the look in her eye sobered me quickly, what the fuck had I just said? Was I hitting on her? I stuttered, "S-S-S-." Shae came on with, "Yes, I've never been with a woman, but if I was, I would like it to be someone who is beautiful, smart, friendly." She paused, then added quietly, "Someone like you."

I hadn't really been with a woman either. As a teenager, I did kiss my bestie and we did touch each other, the tiny lumps that were becoming our breasts, we talked about touching each other's pussy, but we never did, we were never that brave, I think. I was struck by the thought now, that I could have a warm body all over me, even without a penis, I held out my hand, she took it, then leaned in and we kissed. I felt the soft skin of her lips, the taste of food and coffee, the warmth of her face, the aroma of her body and it felt good.

What had come over me? I had no idea, but is this what it is like in a women's prison? You can't get sex, there's no male available, so the next best thing is a warm body, any warm body? Had the pandemic had turned my apartment into a cell? I certainly needed companionship, she was available, and willing apparently. Was I becoming a lesbian?

We slowly broke apart, "I've not been with a woman either," I said, "I think I would like to, with you."

We kissed again and again. My nipples were hard, my panties grew increasingly wet. I took her hand again and led her to my bedroom. We lay on the bed and kissed, touching each other. Her breasts were soft, her beathe sweet, her taste even sweeter. She stopped me, then sat up and reached over to lift her sweater off, followed quickly by her blouse. "Touch me," she whispered as she lay back to kiss me. I ran my hands over her bare skin, only to have to run my fingers over her bra strap. I felt for the clasp and with one hand, just snapped it open, lots of practice with my own. I didn't try to take it off her, just left it, running my hands over her smooth skin.

I felt her hands under my jumper, tugging my tee upward, feeling for bare skin. I wasn't wearing a bra, which I don't usually when I am at home. I quickly raised my arms, letting her take them off me displaying my bare breasts to her. Her hands quickly ran over my nipples, making them as hard as little pebbles. I was wearing a skirt with no stockings, but if I hadn't been wearing panties, the drips would have been all over the skirt and sheets. Shae's bra slid off a shoulder and the cup wire caught us as I leaned in to kiss her. Shae leaned back and threw it off, exposing her breasts to me fully. They were magnificent.

Shae's breasts were the right size for her frame, largish, but not overly large, round mounds of woman, capped with pink areola, colored like a little girl's nipples actually, with a strong, protruding nipple. I just had to suckle them, so I took one into my mouth. Personally, I love being suckled while masturbating, or being masturbated. I slid a hand down her body and try to undo the button holding her jeans together. It came apart, but the zipper was defeating me. Her jeans were tight enough to prevent my hand getting down them until Shae pulled the zip down, then wriggled her cute ass a little, pushing her jeans down.

My hand flew to her mons, soft and with the really short bristle of a partly shaved pussy. This had to be a mowhawk, I felt. My fingers slid into the dampened channel between her labia lips, over her clit while my own lips sucked her nipples. She must love the same thing I do as her legs flew apart, allowing me unfettered access to her pussy. I stroked her clit and labia, occasionally putting a finger inside her love tunnel. She whimpered, yes, really whimpered at the pleasure this gave her. I suckled harder as I felt her body tensing, I stroked over her clit and plunged two fingers inside her and her back arched, she gasped and then moaned and cried out her release. This didn't seem long at all, she must have really been horny, maybe as bad as me.

Shae fell back with a huge moan and a sigh, sliding her nipple out of my mouth. She caught her breath and said, "Wow! That was fucking intense!" She gasped, "I really fucking needed that!" She pulled my face to hers and kissed me, she then lifted her hips and removed her jeans and panties in one motion. Throwing them off the bed, she then kissed me, tugging my skirt upward, "Now I get to play with you."

I let her pull my skirt up, reach under my damp panties and touch me, the first person to do so since Rob left. Shae gently stroked me and kissed me, suckled my breasts as I had done to her. She then stopped, just as I started to really enjoy it. She sat up and started to pull the rest of my clothing off me. Shae then kissed me before my clothes hit the floor, then my neck, my breasts, then my stomach. Was she going down on me? YES! Without any hesitation whatsoever, her tongue found my clit and licked my labia. This was so sexy! I was lost in a sea of bliss, then it happened, I came, hard. I felt every part of me just convulse, the relief that swept over me was so strong I screamed it.

Fuck! That felt so fucking good! I caught my breath and went to kiss Shae. For some reason, she pulled away and said, "I'm covered with your cum!"

"So?" I said,

"But- But- I'm not a lez!" The reality of what she did had just hit her.

"Neither am I," I said, "But what you just did to me, that was wonderful!"

"Look, I just got carried away, sorry." then she added, "I better go."

"Don't you dare!" I said, "Don't be sorry and don't go, stay."

""But-"

"But me no Buts!" I said. I then reached for her and wrapped my arms around her, breast to breast. "No, I've never done anything with a woman before. Neither have you. But what we just did, I want to do again! Not because I'm actually a lesbian, but because I want to bring to you, to me, a sense of love. I've never thought about a woman before, but this pandemic has made me so alone! I need you to stay with me. I want you to love me, and for me to love you so I won't be so fucking lost. That's what I want from this, to feel like life is real and not just four walls. You do that for me, you bring me life." I then kissed her, deeply. "And I want to explore it more, with you."

We did, still do and we survive the pandemic.

LOVE IN A PANDEMIC 2

Flying business class is a luxury I couldn't afford but my boss told me that LA to Sydney, Australia was the longest flight in the world, and they wanted me in good condition when I got there. Yep, I can go along with that. All good, right?

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We will be landing in Sydney airport in approximately one hour. Please remain seated after landing, the aircraft will be boarded by Australian Border Patrol personnel who will supply you with masks. We have just been informed that upon arrival, you will be taken to a facility, tested for coronavirus and remain in quarantine for two weeks." Well, the message was a bit longer than that, more polite, but that's what he told us. Quarantine? What the fuck?

That's what happened. We got masks and told not to take them off, put on a bus and taken to a hotel. It's wasn't five star, but it was okay. We would not be permitted to leave the hotel, under any circumstances up to and including the end of the world. Some of us would have to share, not enough rooms for one each. Oka-a-a-y, but not happy with sharing with a stranger. I was assigned a room, and told I would be sharing. His name was Alexandre Arti-something-Eastern-European. Not happy, but under the circumstances, being alone for two weeks was not an attractive option either. Oh well, put up with it.

My room was actually roomy, with a queen sized bed along one wall. Family type room as there was a large sofa couch in a corner that had bolts holding it in place and what looked like a wheel under the front corners. I took a shower, freshened up, dressed and turned the TV on. The trip had been long, and I was dozing, or rather, watching the TV from the insides of my eyelids.

I heard the door open so wakened with a start, a woman came in. "Oh, sorry," she said, then she looked at the door. "This is 408, what are you doing in my room?" she asked.

"Your room? My room, I was assigned here and been here for an hour."

"What? I was told I was sharing a room, and that was 408!"

"I'm waiting for a guy, name of Alexandre."

"Oh," she said, "I think someone has fucked up. My name is Alexandra, with an 'a'," she said.

Shit! I thought. I might get a room to myself after all. Lucky me! "We'll have to go downstairs and sort this out."

"No, we have to stay in our rooms, use the phone," she ordered, and her tone told me she would not be disagreed with.

I picked up the phone and rang the front desk. "Hi, this is Kevin Brown, room 408, we have a problem. - No! Please don't put me on h- Damnit!"

Alexandra came into the room and leaned over, flicking the speaker on. The room was filled with second rate muzak, to which she grimaced, "I hate fucking muzak" she muttered.

"Okay, what's your story?" she asked.

"Story? I haven't got a story."

"How did you get here, you're a Yank with that accent, so where're you from?"

"Oh, right." Bit slow on the uptake here. "I work for a food distribution company and came to shake some hands, drink some wines and do some deals. Be going back in two weeks. Or maybe not."

"No, not. All international flights in and out have been suspended. So I heard in the airport."

"What? Suspended! For how long?

"No idea, but likely to be a while, that's for sure."

"Because of the virus?" Alexandra nodded. "Shit, how am I supposed to get out of here?"

"Like everyone else, on foot. Look, it'll sort itself, but in the meantime we got another problem to solve." The muzak cut off at that moment and this cheery voice said, "Hi, thank you for holding, how can I help?"

"By sorting my room out, for starters," Alexandra stated. "You got me bunked in here with a guy, not a woman."

"Sorry? Hold on, Room 408, Kevin Brown and Alexandre Arti-Artimock-v-ha,

"Atrymocwka," she said, (pronouncing it Atri-mocver rolling the first 'r' I noticed], "And it's AlexandrA, not AlexandER."

"Oh, dear me. Um-um-um, look er- I'll get the Manager to call you right back." The line went dead.

"Might be a while," Alexandra said, "You're Kevin, I'm Alex." I nodded at her introduction. "What a fucking mess. I haven't had anything like this happen since I got out of the Army." I stayed silent.

A few anxious minutes later, the phone rang, I picked it up and Alex leaned over and hit the speaker button.

"Hi, Ms Atrimower," said a man, "I'm the Manager."

"Yes, so can you manage getting me out of this room and into another?"

"Mmm, no, sorry but we are all full up for quarantine. I'm sorry, I don't know how this happened-"

"Somebody can't tell the difference between an 'e' and an 'a', I suggest."

The manager stumbled into strangulated erms and ums and aaahhhs and sorry's. Then he came back with, "We had no say in the pairings for singles, we could only assign rooms. But that doesn't solve the problem. We have no more space, so I'll call around to the other medi-hotels and see if they can accommodate you."

"Or Mr Brown," Alex replied, "There are two of us here." There was that tone again, steel in the voice.

"Oh yes, of course, or Mr Brown. I get back to you as soon as I have something." He hung up before either of us could say anything.

"This could be fucking awkward," Alex said. "Typical rushed Government balls up!"

"Okay," I said, brilliantly, trying to bring the temperature down. "Look, Your bags are here, and I'm sure you would like to freshen up. There's plenty of towels and a lock on the door."

"Very thoughtful of you," she replied, a little guardedly. "But one of us won't be here that long."

I let it go. I returned to my position on the sofa and was half watching the TV and half dozing. It only seemed a minute when the phone rang and Alex picked it up. She seemed to have changed, how the fuck did she do that? Then I glanced at the clock, it was an hour and a half after the last time I looked. Well, so much for being wide awake then. I looked at her, really for the first time. She was about 5'7", late thirties, early forties, short dark hair, maybe an athlete when younger, a wedding ring but no engagement ring, she did say she was in the Army, with an Aussie accent that is unmistakable. Local, then. A really nice all round good looking woman, five to ten years older than me, I thought. She had her back to me, nice ass.

"Yes, how did you go?" Silence, then I saw her tense a little. "Okay, someone is going to hear about this, I can tell you. Not happy, Jan!" Who the fuck is Jan? That's not the manager's name, I'm sure.

"Well let me know, soon as." Silence then she hung up the phone. She looked at me and said, "Well, that's fucked that!"

"Erm...?" I said, with a look of infinite patience and wisdom.

"I'm bloody well stuck here for the night, at least," Alex cried, "Fucking bureaucratic morons have only done enough to cover the collective backsides of the bloody politicians- again! And I gotta wear it! There's no fucking room at any of the other medi-hotels. We're here for two fucking weeks!"

"Well, I'll try and make it easy for you. I'll sleep here, on the couch, you take the bed. I don't think I snore, but I can't guarantee anything else. It could get seriously difficult if we don't respect each other's privacy. So, for the moment, I suggest we just keep to ourselves and try not to piss each other off. If we can do that, then we have a chance of getting through this. Believe me, I do not want to wake up with a knife in my throat."