A Shot at Love

by T. B. Markinson

  “Why’s that?”

  “You have that American confidence.” After passing the cottages, Harriet pointed out another footpath leading through the trees.

  “Like I said, I do in most categories.”

  “But not the girl-chasing one?” Harriet cringed over her desire to hear from Josie loud and clear that Harry had no chance whatsoever.

  “Let’s just say I don’t take after Clive.”

  Harriet laughed. “That’s probably for the best.”

  “A small part of me does envy him some. I have to wonder how much of it is due to the fact that he’s a man. The whole genetic predisposition to spreading his seed. I’ve noticed over the years that men have extremely inflated egos. The thought that they’d get shot down doesn’t seem to dawn on them. I’m not saying all guys are like that. Those like Clive are. It’s odd seeing him dealing with all the women in this village, knowing I’m related to him and struggling with my own confidence.” Josie tucked her chin to her chest. “Losing my job hasn’t boosted my self-esteem any. I mean, what can I offer a woman right now?” She pitched two hands in the air. “And Mum seems intent on marrying me off, like I’m some type of burden. Do you know what she said earlier? She thinks I should chase after Helen because the professor could take care of me. All these thoughts”—Josie circled a finger around her temple—“it’s kinda doing a mind-fuck, ya know?”

  Harriet nodded, understanding why Josie was confused, but not seeing Eugenie’s reasoning. Josie seemed quite capable of taking care of herself. While Josie was in the process of rebooting her life, Harriet had no doubt Josie would come out on the other side in impressive fashion.

  “I wouldn’t take your mum’s comments to heart. You have a chance to examine your life and decide which direction you want to go. Not everyone gets a shot at that, too busy living day to day, making ends meet. Give yourself the time you need to become the person you want to be. I have every confidence what you decide will be the right decision.”

  “Thanks, Harry. I really needed to hear that.” Josie inhaled deeply before letting the air out of her lungs. “I love mornings like this. Crisp and clear.”

  Harriet looked into the endless blue sky.

  “Your turn,” Josie said.

  Slowly, Harriet lowered her gaze. “For?”

  “I shared about my girl-chasing past. Now I’m dying to hear about yours.”

  Harriet stopped on the path, took off her glasses, and wiped the lenses with the hem of her jumper. Replacing them, she said, “I’m not sure where to begin.”

  “By all means, start with the juicy bits.” Josie’s smile contained a hint of naughtiness.

  Incredulous laughter bubbled out of Harriet. “How do I follow that?”

  Josie waved to a bench overlooking the rolling hills to the west. “Shall we sit for this portion?” Not waiting for an answer, Josie took a seat. “Just to let you know, I’m old enough for the X-rated version.”

  Harriet, still standing, said, “You see. This is why I’m shocked you didn’t ask out that woman. Does she have a name?” It was also further proof Harriet shouldn’t take Josie’s flirty statements too seriously. This was only part of Josie’s American personality, not a sign of mutual attraction.

  “She does. It’s a thing we do in America. Supply names to everyone once they’re born. It got confusing to remember everyone’s assigned numbers.” Josie cupped her mouth and shouted, “Hey, Number One Billion and Seven.”

  Harriet pointed at Josie. “You’re hedging. Does that mean you don’t want me to know her name? I promise I’m not working you for a juicy story.” Harriet took a seat next to Josie and squeezed her thigh, surprised by the firmness.

  “I should hope not, but that’s a good reminder you’re on the enemy’s side.” Josie laughed. “She does have a name, but she’s very well-known in the political sphere. I’m not sure if you watch many American political shows with pundits, but if you do, odds are you’ve seen her. She makes the rounds more frequently than a case of herpes on prom night.” Josie shook her head as if puzzling out if that made sense or not but plowed on. “Let’s just call her The Ballbuster.”

  “Okay. How is it you never worked up the courage to ask out Madame Ballbuster?”

  “Ooooh, I like Madame Ballbuster. Nice job.” Josie elbowed Harriet’s side.

  Harriet waited, unsure why she really needed to hear the answer given what she’d overheard earlier. Josie didn’t want to shag Harriet. Period.

  Josie tugged on her earlobe. “I don’t know. I just didn’t. It’s not something I’m proud of. The crippling fear around beautiful women.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you. Forgive me for pushing the subject.” Yet another sign Harriet was alone in her wanting. It was hard not to glance at her own chest, remembering Eugenie’s comment Josie chased tits and ass.

  “You didn’t upset me, although you did push a bit.” Josie held up a finger and thumb without much space in between. “It’s hard to explain. Why I can be confident in some areas and not others. I mean, I feel completely comfortable around you.”

  “That’s because you don’t want to shag me,” Harriet said with too much honesty.

  Josie turned her head to look Harriet full-on. “For the record, I never said that. Not once.”

  “Still, it was made clear earlier—”

  “I’m not sure it was. Maybe you’re projecting.”

  “What does that mean?” Harriet sounded as baffled as she felt.

  “You don’t want to sleep with me, so you’re trying to plant the seed in my head I don’t want to have sex with you.” Josie spoke in a tone that conveyed what she was saying made perfect sense.

  But it didn’t to Harriet. “That’s preposterous. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to have sex with you?”

  “You, apparently.” Josie crossed her arms. “Not once did you try to make a move when I was at your place. I practically threw myself at you.”

  “I don’t remember that part of the evening, and if you really think I don’t want to, you’re as mad as a hatter.”

  “Does that mean you do want to fuck me?”

  Harriet’s attempted retort morphed into incomprehensible sputtering.

  Josie sprung to her feet, forging ahead in the direction they’d been heading before stopping.

  Harriet gave chase. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m walking. That’s why you stopped by, so we can walk together. As best buds. That’s all.” With a hand to her forehead, Josie muttered more to herself, “I’ve been such a fool.”

  Harriet shook her hands in the air, before saying, “Josie, please stop.”

  Josie did, but she didn’t turn around.

  Harriet asked, “Can you tell me why you’re mad at me?”

  “I’m not.” It sounded as if Josie spoke with clenched teeth.

  “You are. Please tell me. I can’t make it better unless I know what I need to fix.”

  Josie flipped around. “Do I need to draw you a map so you can figure out where this went wrong?”

  “It would be helpful.”

  “I feel like an ass. That’s all. When I feel this way, I go into attack mode. It’s one of my many flaws.”

  “Why do you feel that way?” Harriet knew she was missing the obvious, but what was it?

  “Jesus!” Josie spat out. “Do you need an ego boost or something?”

  “What are you talking about?” Harriet didn’t even attempt to mask her exasperation. “All I know is we were having an enjoyable stroll together, and now you’re staring at me like you want to pluck out all my eyelashes, one by one.”

  “I would never do that.”

  “Are you sure?” Harriet circled a finger in the air. “That’s the vibe I’m picking up on.”

  “You have lovely eyelashes. Thick and long. They draw attention to your stunning deep-blue eyes.”

  Harriet’s mouth opened and then closed.

  “Are you getting the picture yet, Harry?�
��

  “I…”

  “Don’t worry. I know you don’t find me attractive.” Josie started to march away again.

  “I’ve already told you only an insane person wouldn’t find you attractive.”

  Josie flipped around. “I don’t care about anyone else.”

  “Who do you care about?”

  “Oh. My. God.” Josie shook her hands in the air. “How am I having this circular debate with you? It’s maddening.”

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “You don’t have to say anything. We should finish our walk, say goodbye, and continue our days as if nothing ever happened. Yet another example of how putting oneself out there doesn’t pay off when it comes to women.” Josie wheeled about.

  Harriet reached for Josie’s hand, but she couldn’t think of the right words, let alone utter them aloud to convince Josie she was wrong. So very wrong. Harriet did the only thing she could think of. She kissed Josie full on the mouth.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Shocked, Josie instinctively pulled back, but luckily her senses returned quickly, and Josie placed her hand on the back of Harry’s head, pulling her lips back to Josie’s and deepening the kiss. Josie didn’t want to waste any more precious time dancing around her attraction to Harry, even if she was Harry the Scandalmonger. That didn’t matter right then or there. All that did was Harry.

  Harry’s hungry tongue pressed farther into Josie’s mouth, causing Josie to moan in ecstasy, spurring Harry to push the kiss past the hot level to a knee-buckling, I hope this never stops stage.

  In between, Josie panted, “Why didn’t we do that earlier?”

  Harry kissed her before responding, “I didn’t know you liked me.”

  Josie pressed her forehead to Harry’s. “I really thought I was being obvious about it. I mean, I wore my I want you dress to dinner. Even my mum said I looked like I was trying to get lucky.”

  “Can you wear it again?”

  “Did you like it?”

  “You have no idea.” Harry nodded excitedly as if she needed to be understood completely. “It took everything I had not to, how would an American say this, jump your bones?”

  “Proper Brits don’t say that?” Josie teased.

  “Oh, it was used in a British song, but the meaning meant to literally stomp on someone. I think the first time it was used to mean sexual intercourse was in an Esquire magazine article sometime in the mid-sixties. According to something I stumbled upon on the internet, so who knows if it’s true or not.”

  Josie chuckled, her smile widening. This moment was just so Harry. “And you remember the details?”

  “Well, I thought of the phrase recently and decided to research it.” Harry ran her thumb over Josie’s bottom lip.

  “You were thinking of the phrase just ’cause…?” Josie left the rest unsaid but then corrected herself by adding, “Or were you thinking of wanting to jump my bones? Given our miscommunication since day one, apparently, I want to avoid it as much as possible from now on.”

  Harry laughed. “When thinking of you after you left my cottage, I couldn’t sleep, and the phrase popped into my head. Being the nerd that I am, I dug a little deeper.”

  Josie kissed Harry on the mouth, sweetly. “It’s one of the things I like about you.” My mum not so much, but Josie kept that thought to herself. It wasn’t like Josie could tell Harry not to be Harry-like around her mum. It’d probably make Harry even more uncomfortable around her mum, and Josie couldn’t imagine how that would play out.

  “Is it now?”

  “What can I say? Nerds get me hot.”

  Harry really laughed. “So, I’ve been put on notice that all nerds will benefit from sharing odd factoids during intimate moments?”

  “Not all. I don’t know how to say this, but ever since that first night, when I saw you on the footbridge, I felt a connection to you. I know it sounds ridiculous, and I’m not really the type to believe in bullshit like that, but it happened. I’ve been trying to process it ever since.” Josie waved a hand in front of her face as if saying it was driving her mad.

  “What have you come to?”

  “I don’t know. How’s that for an answer?”

  “It’s honest. And you aren’t alone.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I felt something, too. That night.”

  Josie had to laugh, considering Harry had said the bare minimum, while Josie had shared a tad more. “Ah, your brevity also gets me hot.”

  “I’ve never been known for being verbose. Unless incredibly nervous.”

  “You aren’t now?”

  Harry shook her head. “This feels right.”

  Josie threaded her fingers through the hair on the back of Harry’s head, pulling them into another kiss. One that started sweetly but passionately. Slowly, the heat factor edged up. And up. Harry’s hand snaked underneath Josie’s shirt, the cold fingers making their presence known on Josie’s bare skin. Harry’s other hand worked its way under the shirt as well. The woman may be short with words, but her actions were doing wonders for Josie.

  “Why are we nowhere near a bed?” Josie asked.

  “Only seems fitting given everything.”

  “I’m done with the universe being against us. It’s time we wrestle our fate back into our control.” Josie acted this out.

  Harry grinned. “Spoken like a speechwriter.”

  Josie laughed. “It may have been slightly over the top. That’s why speeches are reworked and reworked usually right until the words are finally spoken.”

  Harry’s hands gripped Josie’s sides. “What do you propose?”

  “You really like the idea of me proposing, don’t you?”

  Harry sputtered, “I-I… it’s just a word.”

  “Says the woman who crafts crossword puzzles. I loved yesterday’s clue for flirt.”

  “I needed a word that started with a V.” Harry shrugged.

  “Does that mean the vixen answer had nothing to do with me?”

  “Are you working tonight?”

  “I guess the abrupt change of subject means that’s a yes. And to answer your question, I am working tonight. Why?”

  “We still haven’t had your wine in the garden. It’ll be chilly, but the night will be clear.”

  “That’s right. God, that Tuesday night was a total disaster.” Josie rested her forehead against Harry’s.

  “Not completely. It gave me a great clue for the puzzle.”

  “I knew it!” Josie pulled away to gaze into Harry’s amazing eyes.

  “How are your fingers?” Harry boosted Josie’s hand to her lips and kissed the tips.

  “Are you asking out of politeness or for another reason?” Josie winked.

  “I… Oh…” Harry’s face went up in flames.

  “I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t mean to shock you. Not in that way. Please excuse my American crudeness.”

  “Only if you excuse my prim and properness.”

  “I couldn’t figure out the simmering clue,” Josie said. “In the crossword.”

  “Yearning.”

  “Really?” Josie’s voice cracked with enthusiasm.

  Harry nodded.

  “I’m off tomorrow night.”

  “Care to come over? I promise not to burn you this time.” Harry looked to the blue sky overhead. “If I remember correctly, the weather will be slightly warmer. Not much considering it’s December, but one glass in the garden won’t be too painful.”

  “Will there be more kissing involved? I know we’ve only just entered that phase, but I can’t lie. I’m hooked.” To emphasize this, Josie kissed Harry.

  “Yes. Lots and lots of kissing.” Harry kissed Josie.

  “Sounds promising.”

  They sealed it with another kiss. A long, lingering kiss that neither of them seemed interested in ending.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After escorting Josie back to the pub, Harriet walked into her cottage, feeling as
if she could conquer the world. Or at least next week’s crossword, because doing anything that required more brain power would take her thoughts off Josie, who truly was the Sultana of Seduction. Oh, that should be a clue!

  She made a cup of tea and cracked into some of her special shortbread she’d purchased in Edinburgh last summer. Harriet had been saving it for the right occasion, and this seemed like the perfect moment.

  Sitting at her desk in her office, she got to work on the puzzle, wanting to drop more clues for Josie to demonstrate how smitten Harriet truly was.

  Not too long after, there was a Skype call.

  “What’s a good clue for bones?” she asked Camilla.

  “Hi to you, too.”

  “Oh, hi.”

  “Are you referring to human bones?”

  Harriet dipped shortbread into her tea. “Yeah, I think so.”

  “What are you eating?”

  Harriet mumbled around a bite, “Shortbread.”

  “I want some.”

  Harriet lowered her hand as if making sure Camilla couldn’t reach through the screen and snatch it.

  “Oh! Stephen King wrote a novel called Bag of Bones.”

  “Not sure that’s the image I want.”

  “You’re a huge King fan. I thought you’d get a kick out of that one.” Camilla scrunched her face. “Wait. You want a bone image for what?”

  “Oh, nothing.” Harriet dipped a shortbread into her tea out of view of the camera, replaying the jumping-bones conversation with Josie. Realizing she’d been silent for too long, she asked, “What’s new with you?”

  “I’m thinking of coming up tomorrow.”

  Harriet dropped the shortbread into her tea. “You can’t!”

  “Why not?” Camilla tilted her head to the side, like a confused puppy.

  “Uh, I’m having the room painted.”

  “Why? It’s our uncle’s place, not yours. No reason to improve a place that isn’t yours. If you want to throw out money, just give it to me.” Camilla stretched out her hand.

  “Regis is paying for it.”

  “And it has to be done tomorrow?”