Rest and Relaxation (Lesbian Romance)

by Rhavensfyre

  Setting an alarm on her cellphone, Allyse let the sunlight and warmth gather around her and envelope her, encouraging her to slip down onto the blanket. A nap in the sun surrounded by the sweet scent of apples seemed like a perfect way to relax. Lying down beside Dani, she scooted over until she could move Dani's arm, then smiled contently when Dani instinctively wrapped her arm around her and pulled her tight against her. With her head resting on Dani's shoulder and her arm draped across Dani’s waist, Allyse realized that she was right where she wanted to be. Yes, this is definitely the perfect way to relax. A beautiful girl in my arms, a dog at my feet, and the scent of apples in the air. Allyse closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her, tumbling her into nothingness as her body relaxed into Dani’s sleeping embrace.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Dani woke from a dreamless sleep. Her body felt warm and heavy from lying in the sunlight, the golden glow flowing thickly around her like sweet honey. An irksome noise intruded where it had no place, not in her apple grove and had the effect of nails on a chalkboard against sensitive ears. What the hell is that annoying beeping? Fighting against her sun tinged lethargy, Dani tried to sit up and failed. A weight on her chest kept her pinned to the blanket and the warm earth beneath it. She looked down. Soft hair tickled across her neck and chin, fine enough for the breeze to steal individual strands and play with it and close enough for her to smell her shampoo. She took a deep breath, breathing in the familiar scents of her orchard, the sweet heavy smell of apples and wildflowers increased somehow by the unique scent that was all Allyse. It was a heady combination, one that she could become addicted to quite rapidly.

  Allyse was sleeping peacefully, her head neatly tucked into the crook of Dani’s shoulder and one arm slung across her middle. Her sun muddled brain was rapidly working its way past its fuzzy state, making the irritating noise invading her ears all the more annoying.

  She finally realized the beeping was an alarm—an irritating, high pitched and repetitive alarm that was impossible to ignore.

  “Allyse, honey? I think it’s time to wake up.” Allyse didn’t wake up though. Instead, she snuggled in deeper, making a soft noise in her throat that she could have appreciated more if it wasn’t accentuated by the annoying alarm.

  “Allyse, your alarm is going off,” Dani repeated, this time a little louder.

  “Hmm? What was that?”

  “Your alarm is going off.” This time she barely breathed the words. Allyse was so close. She could easily kiss her if she wanted to. She gazed down at the tousled haired woman in her arms and focused on the slightly parted lips that were the perfect shade of pink—so much better than the lipstick Allyse seemed to adore. Yes, Dani thought, she definitely wanted to do that. Bracing herself on one arm, she rolled sideways until she was gazing down at the still drowsy woman. Half asleep, Allyse looked up at her with that hazy, heavy lidded expression that made Dani’s decision inevitable.

  Allyse accepted her kiss without reserve, opening herself up to allow Dani's tongue to explore the hot depths of her mouth. Dani found an eager tongue willing to dance with hers, making the kiss something both sweet and demanding. A delighted hum sounded deep in her throat, a happy noise that was echoed by a soft moan from the other woman. Ending the kiss before she drowned in it, Dani’s lazy smile widened into a satisfied grin at the lustful expression marking Allyse's face.

  “Hey there.”

  “Hi.”

  “Now that I have your full attention, your alarm is going off,” Dani said, enunciating each word carefully to make her point. After all, she had been forced to repeat herself three times. It was almost amusing, the face Allyse made when she realized that her alarm had been beeping urgently at her all this time and she had been too preoccupied to even hear it.

  “Alarm? Oh, the alarm. I’m sorry. I didn’t want us to oversleep,” Allyse exclaimed and rolled away.

  Dani stood up to stretch and get the kinks out of her back while Allyse dug around for her phone.

  “Ugh. I don’t think I moved once since I fell asleep,” she complained, then cast a grateful glance over at Allyse when the intrusive noise suddenly stopped. “Oh, thank God. That was driving me crazy. Are you ready to head back?”

  “Just let me get my computer bag,” Allyse said.

  Dani nodded and started gathering up the few things they had brought out with them, flinging her tattered hoody over her shoulder instead of putting it back on.

  It was Allyse’s turn to enjoy the view. Short hair and a tank top with the right physique could be an incredibly sexy combination, and that proved true with Dani. She eyed the sleek muscles with something bordering on envy. There was just something about the slope of a neckline where it met the shoulder that made you want to map out those curves with either fingertips or lips. Allyse averted her eyes when Dani turned and held out a hand for her, sure that every lascivious thought was visible in her face.

  On their way back to the house, Allyse took advantage of their small talk to try once more and find out what had happened last night. Just before they left the orchard, she stopped Dani with a touch of fingertips on her forearm. This was Dani's safe place. Maybe she would feel more comfortable confiding in her here.

  “Dani, will you tell me what I said or did last night that upset you so much?” she asked, gently laying the palm of her hand against Dani’s face so that she wouldn’t turn away. She sought out those expressive brown eyes with her own, begging her with a look to let her in.

  “It really isn’t a big deal now, Allyse. I took your refusal as a rejection and my mind jumped ahead to its own conclusion.” Dani looked somewhat abashed at her behavior. “A wrong conclusion. I assumed you had changed your mind about me.”

  Allyse sighed. Dani must be talking about last night in the bathroom. She hadn’t meant her refusal to sound like a rejection. If anything, it was the exact opposite. Her words had come out unintentionally sharp because she still fell into an almost catatonic state of shock every time Dani flaunted her naked body in front of her.

  “I’m sorry you took it that way. It was never a rejection, sweetheart. I was just tired and sore and didn’t want to fall asleep on you again.” Allyse wanted to kick herself. She should have realized that Dani might have taken her words the wrong way. She didn’t quite think the same way as other people and could be very literal at times. Hence, an offer to curl up in bed and watch TV was just that. It was Allyse who had taken that offer and made it more. She had been afraid that her increasing desire would make her do something stupid, or worse yet, something unwelcome. In light of Dani’s wake-up call a few minutes ago, Allyse had to wonder if she was being honest with herself, or if she was purposefully avoiding the chance at greater intimacy for a completely different reason. She wasn’t protecting Dani, she was protecting herself. And why would I do that? She asked herself, then answered her own question with another. Because you haven’t a clue what you’re doing, do you?

  “As I said, it’s no big deal,” Dani said, dismissing yesterday with a quick shrug, then neatly changed the subject before resuming their walk back down to the house. “Now, onto more important things. Are you going to tell me where we’re going for dinner?”

  “No, but don’t worry. I am sure you’ll like it.”

  “How do you know that if you won’t tell me?”

  “You will just have to trust me,” Allyse shot back just as they made it back to the house. She went first so she could hold the door open for Dani.

  Dani sighed dramatically. “Okay, if you insist. I am going to take a quick shower and get changed. I expect to be in there for at least fifteen minutes, you know, just in case you feel like taking a peek again.” Dani winked and waggled her eyebrows suggestively before sprinting up the stairs.

  Allyse stood frozen in the living room for a full minute after Dani left, her pounding heart anchoring her feet in place while everything else raced uncontrollably. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, radiating embarrassed heat that had somet
hing to do with what Dani had just said and everything to do with where her thoughts had gone from there. Did Dani want her to peek? The woman was straightforward to a fault, even when she was teasing. The problem was, Allyse wouldn’t mind doing just that, but she also knew that they might miss their reservations if she did.

  ***

  Dani showered quickly, then pulled out the outfit Allyse had put together for her. She didn’t have any problem with the black jeans or button down shirt. Also black, the silk shirt had come from Erick on one visit or another and gone straight into the closet. She never even bothered to look at the maker, all she knew was that it was probably expensive and that Allyse had recognized it right away.

  The low ankle boots Allyse had chosen were another matter altogether.

  “What’s wrong with plain, comfortable and broken in cowboy boots?” Dani glared at the shoes on her feet, then made a slight wardrobe change Allyse would just have to put up with. Her cowboy boots were actually more expensive than the boots Allyse had chosen for her and made of better leather, but more importantly, they were hers.

  When she wandered back downstairs Allyse was already there, waiting for her. How the hell did she get dressed quicker than me? Allyse smiled up at her as she walked down the stairs, her eyes lighting up with something Dani could only hope was open admiration. She felt every inch of the slow once over Allyse gave her as her eyes slowly travelled down her body. An intoxicating combination of warmth and tingling started at the base of her neck and gave her goose bumps that only worsened when she moved, the silk shirt sliding across her skin like an echo of a caress. Dani saw Allyse’s lips twitch when she caught sight of her cowboy boots and it seemed like that appreciative light dimmed a bit. To her credit, she didn’t say a thing, just shook her head as if saddened by Dani’s lack of fashion.

  “What? They work.” Dani gazed down at her boots. She felt like she needed to defend her choice. They were clean and recently polished, what did the woman expect?

  “They will do,” Allyse proclaimed in a haughty voice tinged with amusement. She sounded like a queen passing judgment on Dani’s appearance and finding her acceptable.

  “You look nice,” Dani offered, trying to find the right words. She was more nervous than she was letting on and had to use all her skills to appear calm and self-assured. “Actually, you look better than nice,” she added.

  Allyse had changed into an elegantly cut pant suit thing that was as foreign to Dani as a dress. She was sure it was expensive, and if she was a different sort of woman it was probably something to drool over, but she wasn’t kidding when she said her fashion sense was seriously lacking. She smoothed her hands against the sleek silk and wondered if Allyse had an ulterior motive in putting her in all black. She didn’t have to worry about matching, which was great, but she looked downright plain standing next to the colorful social butterfly taking her arm and leading her out of the house. Once they left the house, all eyes would be on the dressed to kill woman standing next to her. Secretly, Dani felt relieved, even thankful. She could hide in plain sight in this outfit.

  “Thank you, so do you,” Allyse said. “Shall we go?”

  Dani stopped, planting her feet stubbornly in the middle of the entranceway and refusing to move any farther until Allyse stopped and looked at her. It might be her own concern fueling her response and making her sensitive, but couldn’t shake the feeling that Allyse was just humoring her. “If my boots really bother you that much, I’ll go change them out.”

  “What? No the boots actually work,” Allyse exclaimed, then stepped closer after quietly examining Dani’s face for a moment. “You look very nice. In fact, you look positively striking in that outfit. All in black like the anti-hero—a real life cowgirl all the way down to the boots, and out on a date with me. It’s absolutely delicious.”

  Dani froze. Striking? And here she thought she was the one dressed down so Allyse could grab all the attention.

  Allyse grinned and grabbed the keys out of Dani's hand, heading for the door without her. She managed to get out the door and down the steps before Dani figured out how to get her legs moving again.

  “Wait. Hold up for a second.” Dani ran after her. When Allyse stopped to look back at her, Dani took advantage of her momentum and wrapped her in a breath stealing embrace. With heels on, Allyse was a bit closer in height and that made it easier to do what she wanted. “And you are beautiful. I’m sorry I couldn’t find the right words, you know, when I first saw you.”

  She might have sounded shy, but what she did next was bold, bolder than she’d dared in a long time. Dani lightly brushed her lips across Allyse’s, then kissed her more firmly before dancing away. It was way too easy getting lost doing that. “Now, can I have my keys back?” She stuck her hand out and wiggling her fingers. “Come on. Give.”

  “Nope. I’m driving tonight.” Allyse smirked and dangled the keys in front of her, daring her to try and take them.

  Dani considered pouting to get her way, but she just couldn’t make herself do it. Instead, she gestured grandly with her injured hand towards the barn where the cars were kept. “Lead the way, then.”

  When they got to the Mustang, Dani waited next to the passenger door but didn’t climb in. It didn’t take long for Allyse to realize her passenger was missing. She started the car, then rolled down the window and leaned over the stick shift to stare up at Dani. “Aren’t you getting in?”

  “What, you aren't going to open my door for me?”

  “What?”

  “Well, you planned the whole thing. You’re driving my car and taking me out to dinner, so I figured you were trying to be the butch one,” Dani explained, her deadpan expression believable enough that Allyse started fumbling with the seat belt while trying to apologize at the same time. “Oh please, Allyse, just stay in the car. I’m teasing you. Like you could be the butch one.” Dani practically snorted before breaking out into laughter then spryly climbed into the passenger seat of the sports car.

  “Are you always such a brat?”

  “I don’t know, maybe when I was younger. You would have to ask Erick to find out,” Dani answered with a mischievous smile. “But I can tell you, the horses just don’t get my sense of humor. They never laugh at my jokes.”

  Allyse just shook her head, she had no idea what to say to that.

  ***

  Allyse drove Dani’s Mustang with an easy style that took full advantage of the car’s powerful engine and handling. Slim fingers rested lightly along the stick shift, her easy way of driving the powerful car revealed a more than casual relationship with fast cars.

  “When did you learn to drive a sports car? I thought Erick told me you didn’t drive.”

  “I’ll have you know I own an Aston Martin Rapide,” Allyse answered while neatly taking a corner about as fast as Dani would have. “Unfortunately, she lives in my garage most of the time.”

  Dani mentally flipped through her catalog of fast cars. The Aston was so Allyse, elegant, sleek and powerful—everything Allyse embodied but done in steel and chrome. “Yeah, that’s a nice car.”

  “It is, but I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised at how well your Mustang handles, too. I noticed it the other day but obviously circumstances kept me from commenting.”

  “Yeah, well she isn’t exactly stock anymore.” Dani’s grin widened as she thought of all the modifications her favorite vehicle had undergone. She wasn’t about to tell Allyse, though, not if she wanted to keep her guest from getting a speeding ticket. From the direction they were heading, Allyse was taking them into Maryland. The 83 south was notorious for speed traps, especially since it was all downhill.

  “I was wondering. Maybe I should come down one weekend with the Aston and see how she fares?”

  Instead of answering Allyse’s question, Dani asked her own, flipping the conversation to a new topic as easily as she changed the radio station. “Allyse, why are we going to Baltimore?”

  “It’s where the restaurant is
.”

  “By the Inner Harbor?” Dani persisted. There were several good restaurants in that area of Baltimore.

  “Yes,” Allyse admitted. “Why don’t you let me surprise you?”

  “You’re right. Sorry, I’ll just sit here quietly.”

  Allyse rapidly found out that sitting quietly meant continually playing with the radio. After watching Dani fidget next to her for a while, Allyse came to the conclusion that this was a sign of boredom. She just wished Dani wouldn’t try to listen to three songs a minute in snippets of twenty seconds each.

  “How old are you, exactly?” she asked. Allyse was being sarcastic, but Dani took the question at face value.

  “Just turned twenty-eight, why? You don’t have to worry. I’m legal.”

  “I was just thinking how young you are to be running such a large farm,” Allyse lied. It was a good cover, though, and since Dani had slouched back in her seat and given up on playing with the radio, Allyse figured she should run with it.

  “Oh. I’ve been running it since I was twenty, so it’s really not a big deal,” Dani shrugged her shoulders.

  “That’s really young to undertake such a large task.”

  “If you say so,” she muttered. At nineteen, her uncle’s health had started to deteriorate and Dani had stepped up and started taking over the daily workings of the farm so he could concentrate on getting better. The only problem was, he never did get better. By that time, Dani was already running everything, so she just kept on running it.