Keep Tahoe Blue

by Nicole Pyland

  “My parents don’t consider me a doctor,” Kellan explained and opened her eyes to stare at the sky.

  “What?” Reese shot up and turned to her. “You are a doctor. You’re a vet.”

  “I guess being a doctor to a bunch of furry creatures doesn’t count. My mom said as much once. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care.”

  Reese moved to lie beside her. She placed her hand on Kellan’s stomach while she looked down at her. Kellan liked Reese there. She liked watching her eyes move slowly over her body and return to her lips and then her eyes. She liked the feel of Reese’s hand on her skin under her shirt and lifted her own hand back up to Reese’s hair to brush it out of her eyes for her.

  “When did you know you wanted to be a vet?”

  CHAPTER 16

  Reese wasn’t sure if Kellan was taking the trail this slowly for her benefit or because she was simply enjoying their time together and didn’t want it to end. Reese had borrowed a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt from Kellan. They hiked hand in hand when the trail was wide enough. Kellan took the lead when it wasn’t to make sure there was nothing Reese could trip over. It had started seriously with Kellan insisting she clear the path and had evolved into somewhat of a joke with Kellan kicking away near pebbles. Reese hadn’t laughed this much in a long time.

  “Morgan, actually, lives up there.” Reese pointed to the trees to their right.

  “Yeah, I know,” Kellan replied and stopped walking.

  “You know?” Reese tugged on her hand. “What do you mean you know? Have you been there?”

  “No.” Kellan turned to her and dropped her hand. “No, I just saw her this morning when I was out here. She was heading out to kayak and mentioned she lived up there. She’s leading a hike this afternoon up at Emerald Bay.”

  “We sort of fought the other night,” Reese said.

  “She told me.”

  “She did?”

  “She said you asked her to back off.”

  Reese let out a sound that resembled a laugh but was more a grunt than anything else.

  “That’s what she said?”

  Kellan took her hand again and continued walking with Reese joining her.

  “I think you two should talk, Reese.” She squeezed Reese’s hand. “It’s obvious you two have a history and that you still have things you need to address.”

  “Morgan and I are fine.” Reese let out a sigh. “She’s just being Morgan.”

  “She used to be your girlfriend. Now, she’s watching you date someone else.”

  “You asked me before how we’d been able to get our friendship back. I thought we had. But now, I’m not so sure.” She released Kellan’s hand but wrapped her arm around Kellan’s waist instead as they continued to walk. “And I don’t want to talk about Morgan anymore today, okay?”

  “Fine with me,” Kellan agreed.

  They made it back to Kellan’s cabin. Reese watched as the woman plated their meal and approached her on the couch. She passed Reese her food while she sat her own plate on the coffee table and went back to the kitchen to grab an unopened bottle of wine. They sipped their wine and ate the slow-cooked meal. Kellan started a fire in the small fireplace before she returned to the couch to wrap an arm around Reese, who felt totally at home snuggling into Kellan’s side.

  “At home, what would you be doing right now?” Reese asked after several quiet moments.

  “Right now? I don’t know,” Kellan replied and ran her fingers through Reese’s hair, which was becoming one of Reese’s favorite things. “I guess I’d be either wrapping up a shift or eating a late dinner.”

  “Alone?” she asked.

  “You know the answer to that.” Kellan’s free hand met Reese’s one on Reese’s thigh.

  “I know you’re single, Kell. I meant your friends.”

  “Sometimes we go out. There’s a bar we go to in the city. We go to After Dark once a month together.”

  “After Dark?” Reese lifted her head to look at her.

  “The museum in the city has this thing every Thursday called After Dark. It’s for adults only. My friends and I get tickets and go once a month. It’s fun. There’s usually dancing, drinking, and exhibits where we sometimes actually learn things. It’s mainly a way to get together and unwind.”

  “And Keira goes too?”

  “Keira is there most of the time,” she replied.

  “What was it about her that made you fall for her?” Reese asked as she continued to look up at Kellan.

  “Where’d that come from?” Kellan pulled back slightly.

  “I’m just curious. You came here to get over her.”

  “And I think we can safely say I’ve accomplished that,” Kellan remarked with a smile. Reese watched Kellan move until Kellan was hovering over her on the couch. Reese wasn’t sure how it had happened, but she was under Kellan now, and her hands were around Kellan’s waist on her back. “I don’t want to talk about Keira tonight, okay?”

  “I’m sorry.” She rubbed Kellan’s back over her shirt.

  “No, it’s not that,” Kellan began. “It’s not that I can’t talk about her because it hurts. It’s that I don’t want to talk about her because I’m here with you. Keira, I’m starting to believe, was meant to be my friend and nothing more. She and I made a mistake at attempting anything beyond that. I was so lonely that I took it for something it wasn’t supposed to be.” Reese watched the light blue of her kind eyes as flames flickered in them. “She’s found Emma. I think they’re supposed to be together. I found you.”

  “You did?” Reese gulped.

  “You came out of nowhere,” Kellan whispered as she leaned down and kissed Reese gently on the lips.

  “So did you.” Reese kissed her back. “Today was amazing, Kellan. The island was amazing, and our date the other night was amazing, and today was–”

  “Amazing?” Kellan smiled down at her and ran a hand up Reese’s side, under her shirt. “It was.”

  “Can I still stay over tonight?” she asked.

  “Yes.” Kellan gulped.

  Reese leaned up, kissed her chin and asked, “Yes?”

  “Yes,” Kellan replied.

  Reese continued by kissing her jawbone. Her hands moved under Kellan’s shirt but remained still on the woman’s lower back while her lips moved to Kellan’s neck. She kissed gently before allowing her tongue to flick at Kellan’s earlobe, earning an unexpected gasp before her hands began moving higher under Kellan’s shirt. When she arrived at the sports bra Kellan had on for their hike, she stopped, half-wishing there was a clasp there she could undo and also being glad there wasn’t one because she wasn’t sure she was ready to take things any further tonight. She didn’t want to let Kellan down, though, and wasn’t entirely sure why she was holding back.

  Kellan had started kissing Reese’s neck. Her hand had moved to Reese’s abdomen where she ran her fingertips there lightly and then paused just below Reese’s breast, as if asking for permission. Reese moved her lips to Kellan’s, kissing her deeply, but Kellan’s hand still didn’t move. Kellan’s tongue was hot as she moved her mouth away and dragged it over Reese’s already heated skin. Reese’s breath was rushed. Her chest was practically heaving as Kellan shifted slightly, likely to get more comfortable since she was supporting herself on one arm. Her thigh ended up between Reese’s. Reese gasped loudly.

  “Oh,” she exclaimed.

  Kellan quickly shifted back, removing her thigh. She pulled up and stared down at Reese with her hand still under Reese’s shirt.

  “I could use another shower after… today’s activities. Can you give me ten minutes, and then we can put a movie on or something?”

  “Kell, why are–” Reese lifted herself up and gripped Kellan’s hips.

  “Because neither of us is ready for that yet, Reese.” She kissed Reese once more on the lips, stood, and grabbed their wine glasses. “Am I wrong?”

  Reese stared at the woman in front of her for a moment and wondered how she
’d gotten to know her so well in such a short time. Kellan could tell she wasn’t ready to take things further, but Kellan also wasn’t ready to take things further. She thought that this moment was a big deal for the two of them. They could give into the attraction they clearly had for one another, knowing it might be too soon for their new romance, or they could wait for the right time for both of them, knowing that it might not happen anytime soon and also understanding that Kellan was leaving Lake Tahoe soon. Her departure was quickly approaching. Reese gulped at the thought of not having this woman around. Kellan had entered her life and had changed it so completely and so effortlessly that Reese actually had hope that she could find someone and something real when, after Morgan, she’d never allowed herself that thought.

  “Take your shower. I’ll be here.”

  Kellan took the wine glasses to the kitchen, walked back into the living room, and kissed Reese simply on the lips before she ran her hand through Reese’s hair again and stared down at her from her standing position. Reese merely looked up at her and tugged on Kellan’s shirt for her to come back down and repeat her action. Kellan kissed her again with a smile and stood back up.

  “What are your plans for tomorrow night?” she asked with her hand on Reese’s neck.

  “I’m going out to dinner with Remy and Ryan.”

  “Oh.”

  Reese stood, reached for her, and asked, “We’ll make it a double date?” She smiled and placed her hands on Kellan’s cheeks. “Say yes, Kell.” She nodded Kellan’s head for her, causing Kellan to laugh.

  “Yes.” She pulled away from Reese’s embrace. “I’ll be right back.”

  “What you wore last night when I came here, do you wear that to sleep in every night?” Reese asked as Kellan made her way toward the bedroom door. “The white tank and those shorts?”

  “Oh, sometimes,” Kellan replied. “Sometimes, I sleep naked.” She winked at Reese and backed into the bedroom with a laugh at what was likely a shocked expression on Reese’s face.

  Kellan showered and emerged with wet hair. Reese found herself enjoying the position of lying in Kellan’s lap while Kellan played with her hair and ran her fingers along Reese’s abdomen. They remained that way until the movie ended. Then, they moved to the bedroom. Reese slid under the blanket after Kellan and found herself instinctively moving into the woman’s outstretched arm, placing her head on Kellan’s chest. It felt so much better than the last time they’d done this when she’d been near freezing. Kellan had worn a black t-shirt and a pair of worn sweats to sleep in. Reese found herself trying not to laugh at how much Kellan had covered her body as opposed to last night when she hadn’t been expecting Reese. Reese had borrowed another pair of soft pants and a t-shirt of Kellan’s to sleep in and loved the fact that their clothes all smelled the same. It didn’t take long for her to slide a hand under Kellan’s shirt and rest it just above her hip. They said nothing to one another because they’d spoken so much throughout the day that words weren’t necessary. Reese closed her eyes to listen to Kellan’s breathing while she felt Kellan’s heart beating beneath her.

  CHAPTER 17

  “Kellan?”

  “Hey, Keira,” Kellan greeted as she sat outside on her blanket and stared up at the sun.

  “How are you?” Keira asked as she was clearly surprised to be hearing from Kellan. “Are you back?”

  “I’m still in Tahoe,” she replied. “I’m staying a little longer than I planned.”

  “How much longer?”

  “I don’t know yet.”

  “So, you’re not coming back anytime soon?”

  “I don’t know.” Kellan closed her eyes tightly at the brightness. “I know you’ve called a couple of times. I’m sure Hill and Greene told you I talked to them. I didn’t want you to think I was leaving you out.”

  “I did think that, but I understood. At least, I’m trying to understand.”

  “I’m sorry, Keira.”

  “Sorry for what?”

  “For dumping all that on you and then leaving.”

  “You don’t have to be sorry, Kell. I just want to know you’re okay.”

  “I am. I think I am anyway.”

  “What happened? We were good. We were friends, and then–”

  “I got it wrong, I think. I thought I was in love with you, Keira.”

  “You thought?”

  “You and I met; we fell into bed. I thought I fell in love with you. But I don’t know that that’s what it was anymore.”

  “What do you think it was then?” Keira asked.

  “I guess I was lonely. When I met you, I was really feeling it. A lot of the people I’d grown up with were coupling off. I was watching it happen at wedding after wedding. You were at one, and it was nice being with someone again. When I thought I’d lost you the first time to friendship, it hurt, but I thought we could work our way back. When we did, it felt good to be with you like that again. I guess I called you today to tell you that I understand now.”

  “You do?”

  “I understand that you and I are better as friends. I think I needed time away to figure that out.”

  “I’m glad you went away, Kell. I do want us to be friends again. I hated that I hurt you like that, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “I know.” She sat up on the blanket to take in the full beauty of her surroundings. “How’s Emma?”

  “She’s good,” Keira replied. “We’re good.”

  “Good.” That was far too many goods for this brief conversation. “So, I met someone.” She bit her bottom lip, and her hand moved to cover her mouth.

  “You what? You met someone? Like a girl?”

  “Yes, like a girl. Well, a woman. Her name is Reese.”

  “And you like this Reese?”

  “I do.”

  “I’m glad, Kell.”

  “Me too.” She smiled and ran her hand over the blanket.

  “Emma just got here. We’re heading out to lunch. Can I call you later?”

  “Sure.” Kellan considered for a moment. “Actually, I’ll call you when I can. Is that okay?”

  “Yeah, that’s fine. Are you worried I’ll interrupt you and your new lady friend?” Keira mocked.

  “Goodbye, Keira.”

  “Yeah? I’m glad you called.”

  “Me too.”

  “And I’m glad you have someone you like.”

  “Me too.”

  Kellan had been dreading making that call. She’d wondered if hearing Keira’s voice after so long would somehow retrigger her old feelings. Hearing Keira’s voice, though, had only reassured her that those feelings she’d confused for love were gone. She stared out at the water again and wondered at its magic and its ability to help her heal. Then, she glanced down at her phone and shot a quick text over to Reese. Reese was at school and was probably busy working. But moments later, as Kellan stood and prepared to go back inside, her phone made a sound. She read the text that told her Reese missed her, too.

  ◆◆◆

  “It’s nice to meet you, Kellan.” Remy held out her hand to a very confused Kellan.

  “Rem, you’ve met,” Reese chastised her sister.

  “Not as your sister and the woman dating you. We met as two people shopping for ice cream. It’s different now.”

  “Yeah… no, it’s not.” Reese tugged on Kellan’s arm and moved them both toward their table. “Sorry,” she whispered into Kellan’s ear once they’d sat down.

  “For what?” Kellan smiled at her. “I can handle your sister, Reese.”

  “You can, can you? Good to know.” Remy sat down at the table across from them and next to Ryan, who immediately grabbed for his menu.

  “Sorry, I’m starving. I haven’t eaten all day,” he apologized and busied himself by looking over the menu.

  “Kellan, I’m glad you could double with us tonight. Reese and I haven’t had a double date in forever,” Remy said.

  “Am I ordering wine?” Ryan looked over a
t his girlfriend.

  “Red, probably,” Remy said.

  Reese admired how the two of them fit together so well. Remy pointed to something on the wine list. Ryan wrapped his arm over the back of her chair as the waiter approached and took their drink order. Ryan added a couple of appetizers to the order. Reese noted that he’d ordered the spinach dip, which was Remy’s favorite thing in the world. Remy smiled at him when he’d ordered it without her instruction.

  “Kellan, how long are you staying?” Ryan asked as he placed the menu on the table.

  “I don’t know yet. I extended my rental through the next week.”

  “I thought you were considering staying for two,” Reese said.

  “I am. I just haven’t firmed it up with the rental company.”

  “Oh.” Reese looked away from her, but Kellan took her hand under the table, causing Reese to turn back to her. “Anyway.”

  “You could always stay with us,” Remy offered. “If the rental is unavailable or something. We have a couch that folds out, or I’m sure Reese would volunteer her room.”

  “You can just take Remy’s room, since I’m going to kill her later. She won’t be needing it anymore.” Reese glared at her twin.

  Ryan and Kellan both laughed as the siblings stared on.

  “I’ll talk to them tomorrow. It’s available. I just wasn’t sure.” Kellan said after their waters and wine had arrived. “But now I am.” She gave Reese’s hand a squeeze.

  “You two are adorable,” Remy teased and received another glance from Reese that was clearly telling her to knock it off. “What? It’s your fault, Reese. You never bring any of your ladies around for me to get to know.”

  “God, Remy! We’re leaving if you keep this up.”

  “Okay. Okay.” Remy held out her hand defensively. “I’ll stop.” She laughed. “Sorry, Kellan.”

  “It’s okay; I don’t mind. I actually kind of like watching her squirm like this,” she joked and turned to give Reese a smile. “Kidding,” she added when Reese gave her a similar glare to the ones she’d been delivering to Remy.

  “It’s the Lee girls.”