Exchange

by CF Frizzell

  “Mel? Am I dreaming here?” She squeezed Mel’s arm. “No, you’re real. What the hell happened today? Did somebody get to you?” Mel fidgeted with her hat again and resumed their walk. Shay tugged her back. “Something happened, didn’t it?”

  “Let’s enjoy the fair, Shay, okay? It took me since five o’clock to hunt you down, practically three hours, and we’ve finally found each other.”

  “Who was it? What happened?” The idea of Mel being attacked in any way had Shay’s chest in knots.

  “Please, Shay. This is the highlight of my day, so—”

  “If somebody hurt you, Mel, I’ll—”

  “Now, please listen.” Mel exhaled hard and urged Shay out of the path of foot traffic.

  “Mel, so help me, if—”

  “Promise me. I need you to listen, not explode.”

  “I’m listening.” Blood pounded through her veins, and at the sight of Mel’s tears, she started to breathe heavily.

  Mel glanced at the scene bustling around them. “Turner pulled his ad today—”

  “What? That fu—”

  “And we lost Home Depot.” Her voice cracked, and Shay knew she was about to crumble. “Nelson called to say he negotiated a better deal with the Tribune, so he’s not renewing his contract for the supplements. He’s got two more left with us.”

  Shay couldn’t believe Mel still stood before her and hadn’t simply shattered in disappointment. And yet Mel was here, covering the fair and keeping everything inside, as if her day hadn’t included two crippling stabs to the heart.

  Shay pulled Mel behind the barn and wrapped her arms around her. Mel broke into sobs against Shay’s chest.

  “They’d do this just because of rumors?”

  Mel nodded vigorously and coughed as she tried to catch her breath.

  “They spread like wildfire. After the Heights piece, rumors about me personally must’ve just sent them over the top.”

  “That’s crazy, Mel. Can’t be. It’s just stupid.” Visions of Sorvini & Company whispering in the ears of Chronicle advertisers came to mind. “Did the Tribune make ol’ Dick-face a better offer, too?”

  “I-I don’t know. Marie…I went for coffee and…Marie said she heard them. Their cronies from church will follow.”

  “Unbelievable.” She squeezed Mel closer. “Shh, now. You’ll get through this. You’ll beat them at their damn game.”

  “I was under control until now,” she cried. “Oh goddamn them, Shay.”

  “Screw them, Mel. You’re right.” She rubbed her hands all over Mel’s back, desperate to ease her pain. “You’ll get through this. You’re tough. Sometimes we get knocked down, but then we come back stronger. Trust me, honey. You’ll see.” She rocked her from side to side as Mel cried. “I’ll do whatever I can, if you need me.”

  Mel sniffed again and straightened within Shay’s arms. Trails of mascara started down her cheeks.

  “If I need you?” Mel asked, and set a hot, damp palm on Shay’s cheek. “There’s no if, Shay. I’ll need support, yes, because I intend to fight the war that’s coming, and you have no idea, but I want you.”

  An emotional torrent of desire, defeat, triumph, and rage roared through Shay’s system with abandon. She held Mel out at arm’s length to speak earnestly.

  “I want you, too, Mel. Without reservation. Through whatever war you see coming. I swear to God, if I could turn into some superhero for you right now, I would. Seeing you cry makes me lose my friggin’ mind. I don’t want you ever to have reason to cry. Ever.” She watched Mel fumble with the clasp of her shoulder bag. “Do you have tissues in there? Because you need some. You’re not going back out into that crowd looking defeated. You’re tough, proud, and gorgeous. And you kick ass.”

  Mel sputtered as she dabbed her face with a tissue. “You should coach a football team.”

  “Hey. Pull on a helmet, honey. You’re going to lead a winning drive. I just know it.”

  “Going to give it my best shot, Coach.” She blew her nose and tucked the tissues away. “God help me.”

  “You are an extraordinary woman, Melissa Baker. Jesus, how you sweep me away.”

  Mel’s tightened lips labored into a smile as if with renewed purpose. She flattened a palm on the center of Shay’s chest and leveled a look at her that seized Shay’s breath.

  “You know, Shay Maguire, I think every woman has dreamt of someone wonderful riding into her life. I know I have. You’ve materialized in mine like a fantasy, and I’d be a fool to let you go.” She took Shay’s face in her hands and kissed her powerfully, slowly, masterfully. Shay groaned with pleasure and fought against staggering, unable to feel her feet.

  *

  They bought vanilla and strawberry cones and walked on as the bonfire waned. Shay was grateful that the crowd was diminishing. It had been one hell of a long day, and it was almost time to relax. She wanted time alone with Mel, knew they needed it.

  They checked back at the main barn, where various town organizations swept and tidied up and draped sheets over their wares for the evening. Around them, lights went out and moonlight emerged.

  “I needed tonight so badly,” Mel said.

  “I’m glad it took your mind off things for a while.”

  “Off some things,” she said, as they walked in and out of the shadows of the barns. “But everyone loved the fire. It really was fun, what we saw of it.”

  Shay loved the fire in Mel’s eyes, the desire on her lips when she kissed her. She loved her newfound resolve, too, but just hoped Mel was ready for what it would take to maintain—and what it would take out of her personally.

  “I did see the fire, off and on,” Shay said. What she really enjoyed most was studying Mel’s supple mouth and tongue as she worked on her ice cream.

  Those plush lips curled flirtatiously, and Shay knew she’d been caught watching. Mel raised an eyebrow. Topped by that damn cowboy hat with its cocked brim, the look grabbed Shay’s crotch and squeezed. Mel sidled closer and breathed, “Want some?”

  Shay looked up at the moon. “Help me.”

  Mel held out her cone. Shay did likewise and their eyes met as they sampled each other’s ice cream.

  “Come back to the house with me, Mel. Stay.” She watched Mel’s lips go where her own had just been.

  A deep frown hardened Mel’s delicate features. “I’m sorry, Shay. I can’t leave Nana alone much longer. And I take her to church in the morning.”

  “I want you, Mel. I want us together, completely.”

  “Oh, Shay. I wish…” She brushed her hand along Shay’s arm. “I’ll figure out a way.”

  They took back their cones, and as Mel started to lick hers, Shay bent forward quickly and licked it, too. For a second, their tongues touched. The arousal was instantaneous.

  Mel gasped softly. “Jesus.” She pulled away.

  Shay cleared her throat nervously, unsure how much she should push. She knew she had to temper her nagging impatience.

  “Things are pretty much shut down here. We can walk for a while, at least.”

  The line of red taillights crawling out to the paved road had their attention when Tom Rogers and his family came up from behind.

  “Shay, I want you to meet everyone. Nice hat, Mel. You getting the news from the source, I see?”

  “Actually, I’m enjoying the evening.” She smiled at Shay.

  Rogers acknowledged Mel’s gesture with a nod to Shay and she felt her face heat. She smiled at his wife. “Hi. I’m Shay.”

  “I’m Barbara, and these guys are our grandsons, Joey and Josh. They’re with us for the month of July.”

  “The whole month,” Rogers stressed, and everyone chuckled.

  “We’re twins,” Joey declared, “and we’re in the first grade.”

  Shay crouched to their level. “What kind of grade would you give that bonfire tonight?”

  “An A,” Joey said. “It made my face hot.”

  “I give it an A, too, ’cause the top came cr
ashing down!” Josh added, and demonstrated with a swing of his arm.

  Shay helped Joey finish zipping his jacket. “Maybe you guys will be back tomorrow night for the concert or the carnival?”

  “Yeah, we can’t wait!”

  “Grammy said we can go on the Dino Blaster!”

  Shay looked up at Barbara, then back to the boys. “Wow, you’re a lot braver than me. That thing scares me to death!”

  “I’m not scared,” Joey stated.

  “Grampy says you ride a Harley.” Little Josh had different priorities.

  “Yup, I do. Sometime when you come to visit him, I’ll show you.”

  “Cool!” Josh’s miniature Five Star ball cap almost fell off his head. “Like, tomorrow?”

  “Sure. Like tomorrow. Make sure you guys come find me.”

  “We will!” both boys declared.

  “So, Mel,” Rogers asked. “I think you’ve been one of busiest people in town lately. How goes it?”

  “The stoppage has drawn lots of mixed reaction so far. Seems like people are either seeing it as lost jobs or as sneaky business getting caught. Ed Chandler and his lawyer paid me a visit. You can just imagine how that conversation went.”

  “I bet. And Angie?” He flashed Shay a look.

  “He’s been unusually quiet,” Mel said. “Maybe he realizes he needs to lay low, with his court date a week from Monday. Have you seen him since the Heights was stopped?”

  “Only this morning when I ran some supplies out to the site. Looks like he hooked up with Chandler pretty quick.” He elbowed Shay. “And he’s got nothing good to say about you.” He turned back to Mel. “Or you.”

  “Or me?” Mel asked.

  “Yeah, well, he’s got you in Shay’s camp now. Sounds like you’ve ‘fallen under her influence.’” Shay waited for Mel to look at her, but that sassy cowboy-hat look remained focused on Rogers. “He’s not calling you all the names he calls her, yet, but it’s pretty clear that in his book,” and he lowered his voice, “you’re a lost cause because you’re gay.”

  “Tommy!” Barbara scolded in a hush. She checked to see the boys were preoccupied with deflated balloons nearby. “Don’t be spreading Angie’s—”

  Mel stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you, Barbara, but it’s okay. I understand. It’s Angie’s problem, not Tommy’s.”

  “Hell no,” he said hurriedly. “I got no problem with it. Jeez, Shay and I are good friends, and, Mel, we’ve known each other since, well, since you were a little girl visiting your grandma.”

  Shay warmed at their exchange. She needed—Mel needed to take the next step.

  “Never had a doubt, Tommy,” Mel said and took Shay’s arm. “I’m very happy, very excited that Shay’s come into my life.”

  Shay took a subtle breath. I like the new Mel Baker.

  Barbara looked from Shay to Mel. “It’s good to see. Does your grandmother know?”

  “Has there been any fallout about it around town?” Rogers asked.

  “I haven’t sat down with Nana yet. Needless to say, it’ll be one of the great challenges of my life. And yes, there has been fallout, in a big financial way, I’m afraid. But it’s made me see how I’ve been bullied into a corner. It’s time I was a big girl and stopped allowing it, as difficult as that will be. But seriously, I can’t afford it in more ways than one. It’s as simple as that.”

  Shay wanted to applaud. Her face hurt from smiling.

  Tommy hugged Mel. “I’m real proud of you. You’ve got guts. But I always knew that.”

  After all the good nights were spoken and high fives with Joey and Josh were slapped, Shay and Mel returned to their stroll toward the parking field, and Shay longed to put an arm around her.

  “I can’t begin to tell you all the ways you impress me.”

  “Shush.”

  “I hope you’re as proud of you as I am.”

  Mel puffed her cheeks and blew out a breath, as if relieved. “The worst is yet to come, Shay, and I have to walk the walk.”

  “Well, you see you have good friends. You won’t walk alone.”

  Mel turned Shay’s face and kissed her. It was a light kiss, fleeting, but bold for Mel, not hidden by any building or shadow, and the significance of it warmed Shay deeply. “You are an absolute dream, Shay Maguire. After all, I don’t wear just anybody’s hat.”

  “It means we’re going steady.”

  “In that case, you’re not getting it back.” She shifted it into a decidedly seductive tilt.

  “Oh, that’s foxy. And very risky out here.” They were at Mel’s car and Shay wanted to press her against it and kiss her till the sun came up. “We lost time together today. I wish we’d found each other sooner.” She tipped the hat up to let moonlight illuminate Mel’s face.

  “I wish I’d said that, Shay, but I’m covering the fair right through Monday, so we’ll do better.”

  “Quality time together. Promise?”

  Mel put a fingertip on Shay’s lips. “Promise.”

  “I don’t want you to go, Mel. I need your kisses, your smile, your—” She cut herself short. “God, I’m fumbling like a kid again.”

  Mel set a palm to Shay’s neck, and the warmth, the intimacy made Shay’s heart pound.

  “Shay.” The softened voice caressed her lips. “I’ve been thinking the same things about you…and how amazing all this is, how you make me feel.”

  “You make me crazy inside, wanting you.”

  In another move Shay thought quite daring, Mel stepped into her arms. “I’d throw myself at you right now if I could.”

  Shay’s insides liquefied at the image of Mel shedding all reservations. She steadied her breathing and dared to lean against her until the car door met Mel’s back. The curves, the softness of Mel pressing into her stole her mind. “I want you, all of you.”

  “We’re pushing our luck out here.”

  Shay kissed her upper lip, then the lower.

  Mel stroked Shay’s hair back. “We have to behave.”

  “Let’s not,” Shay whispered. She squeezed closer and nuzzled her neck, Mel’s fingers in her hair making her dizzy. “God, I hate behaving.”

  Mel took Shay’s hand and held it against her leg. Her voice shook at Shay’s ear. “I’m not so fond of it myself, so…God, Shay. I’d better go now.”

  A hollow ache rose in Shay’s chest. She braced an arm against the car roof to keep their bodies separated and offered only a resigned sigh.

  Mel closed her eyes. “I can’t see that soft, hurt-puppy look. I lose my mind over you.”

  “I like that,” Shay said, and put light fingertips to Mel’s cheek. She kissed her tenderly. Mel reached for her, drew her shoulders in tightly, and Shay felt her tremble.

  She lifted her lips from Mel’s just enough to whisper against them. “You are all I think about, Mel.” She kissed her briefly. “When my head aches from all this, I think of you.” Again, she touched her mouth to Mel’s. “When I’m lying in bed, I think of you…and wish you were with me.”

  Mel brought her lips to Shay’s this time and kept them there, kissing her deeply, clutching her. Mel squeezed her shoulders, sent a hand up into her hair, and lengthened their kiss. Shay shifted her hips into hers, kneaded Mel’s ribs, adrift in the feel of her, in Mel’s passion, in her own desire. She grazed a palm over Mel’s breast, closing her fingers around it, and groaned against Mel’s neck.

  Shay almost shuddered as the moan in her ear fanned the flame between her legs and searing heat threatened to take control. She stepped in farther, edged between Mel’s legs, and hugged her tightly. Mel’s fingers dug into the muscles across her upper back and her tremulous breathing pushed Shay closer to the edge.

  “Mel, Jesus, I want to make love with you.”

  “Shay, we’re…here…Oh, please, don’t let go.”

  “I won’t. I can’t.”

  “You feel so good.”

  “Let me kiss you, caress you everywhere.”

 
Mel lifted her head. “Shay.” She trailed a fingertip along Shay’s jaw, over her lips, then spoke against her mouth. “Come home with me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “No, but I don’t want you to let go, and I can’t let go of you.”

  Shay kissed her deeply, Mel locked within her arms. “I could kiss you all night. Your kisses…You absolutely destroy me.”

  Mel’s head thudded onto Shay’s shoulder. “You make me throw every care away. I’ve never felt want like this, Shay. It’s you. I know it’s you.”

  Shay could barely speak. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Mel shut and locked the shed doors, wrapped her fingers around Shay’s hand, and led her into the old farmhouse kitchen, never more thankful that Nana went to bed early and slept like a rock. Rolling the Harley across the yard and into the shed had taken some doing, but they’d succeeded and now headed up the back stairs.

  Mel closed her bedroom door and turned on a lamp. “Once we leave for church, the coast will be clear.” She hated sneaking around like schoolgirls. Hated that she hadn’t the courage to do this right. But at the moment, Shay just stood in the middle of the room, hands in her pockets, grinning, and nothing else mattered.

  Mel shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re standing here.”

  Shay drew her into a snug embrace, and Mel linked her arms around Shay’s neck.

  “It’s just us now.” Soft, warm kisses landed on Mel’s shoulder, her cheek, and Mel captured Shay’s mouth with her own. Shay’s hands slipped beneath her blouse, glided up her bare back, and the sheer breadth and strength of them made Mel quiver. She didn’t care that Shay knew how willing, how thoroughly swept away she felt.

  Mel rubbed her nose along the underside of Shay’s jaw before settling her lips against her throat. The smooth skin was warm and soft as she pressed a long kiss to it, enjoying the resistance of the hardened tendons that underscored every part of Shay she’d touched so far. And she wanted to touch them all. Shay’s moan rumbled against her lips, and Mel nipped at her throat, excited to have roused her.

  “Jesus, Mel.” Shay kissed her hard.