“I could ask you the same about a lot of things in our…brief marriage.”
Was that a tone of sorrow and regret I heard in her voice?
Did she still love him?
I sighed. Of course she did. Hadn’t I already established she was nothing but a curious and confused hetero who used women like me for amusement?
He ignored her comment and slid into the booth opposite her.
I moved to my left a couple of steps so I could view their profiles easier.
A gleam of lust lit his dark-brown eyes. He jiggled his eyebrows, reached across the table and trailed a finger down her forearm. “Ya know, you could have the best of both worlds. Me and us. A chick. We could make this work, Mel. We really could.”
I rubbed at the tightness forming in the back of my neck and watched the interaction between the exes. It made me sick as hell to see them together—to have to stand by and watch him touching her and propositioning my woman, never mind that she didn’t view me as hers. The song on the overhead changed to Deck the Halls. Deck was right. I gripped a nearby chair to keep from bolting around the partition and decking that prick. A wave of out-of-control possessiveness welled up inside me despite my summation of her character and selfish motivations.
Melanie set down her cup with prim precision and fisted her hands together on the tabletop. She smiled, but maybe I was wrong about her. There was a chilliness in her eyes that told the true tale of her emotions. “So you want to have an open relationship, do you, Will?”
“Yes. Oh my god, that would be so awesome.” He’d answered her before she’d barely finished with her question. His hands shot across the table and he closed them over hers. He lifted one of her hands and kissed the fingertips.
I couldn’t look away. I twined my fingers through the filigreed swirls of cold iron and watched them like a passerby on the highway during a bloody auto accident. My pulse spiked, my jaw clenched and I suppressed a growl that bubbled up in my throat.
You son of a bitch.
But she didn’t seem to mind his attentions. She didn’t cringe or pull her hands away, she just sat there, letting him touch her and show her intimacies that should be mine, not his.
That did it. I couldn’t watch this for another second longer without tearing down the excuse for a wall that stood between me and them. I marched around the partition and up the aisle, approaching Melanie’s back while my gaze drilled into Will’s. Melanie didn’t see me yet, so it pleased me when she yanked her hands free before she noticed me.
Will glanced up in surprise, first at Melanie’s sudden move then at me. His mouth fell open. He pointed at me. “It’s her. The hot Resident Evil lookalike chick in that news report with you.”
“Leslee?” Melanie whipped her head around and spied me. Her eyes were wide and saturated with emotions I didn’t dare name at the moment.
I stopped next to her, crossed my arms over my midriff and jerked my narrowed gaze back on him. “Yep. It’s me. Third wheel here in the flesh.”
Will shook his head and whistled. “Ooh yeah. There ya go, babe.” His gaze raked me from the tops of my boots to my face then stopped on my breasts to openly leer. There was no tingle, no engorgement in my breasts, just repulsion.
I clenched my fists within the fold of my arms. That continued urge to deck him intensified.
“Third wheel?” Melanie blinked with momentary confusion. But comprehension dawned on her face. She shook her head in short jerks. “Uh, no. Obviously, you heard what he said, but I didn’t agree with him. I would never agree to that threesome crap.”
“You’d— What? But I thought you meant—” He snapped his jaw shut when Melanie slapped the table, sending her spoon clattering and latte sloshing.
She forced out a growl of frustration. “Listen, you low-down bastard. I. Don’t. Love you. Anymore. Got it? In fact, I don’t think I ever did. I can’t stand the sight of you. And I can’t believe I never saw through your shallow vanity before I wasted part of my life on you. Now get the hell out of my booth. That’s Leslee’s seat. I invited her here.”
My fists relaxed. She’d rendered me completely speechless and nearly catatonic. I couldn’t believe my ears. Here she was chasing off the devil and welcoming me in his place. I released a breath I didn’t even know I’d been holding. My body started to tremble, but not with anger anymore. It was excitement, passion, utter elation.
Had I just silently accused her not a few minutes ago of being a wishy-washy hetero who’d never buck society’s rules?
Ha. Well I’d been wrong—hopefully. Still, I needed to hold back until I found out what all this was truly about. Just because she was kicking him out of the restaurant didn’t mean she was welcoming me into her bed.
Will slid from the booth and stood. He glared at me, then at Melanie. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re really a hundred percent fucking lesbian?”
Melanie rolled her eyes. “You’re pathetic. Now get away from me.”
“You say you can’t stand the sight of me? And you’re the one who’s the sickening gay bitch? Or should I say ‘butch’?” He threw his head back and guffawed.
But then he reached down and cupped her face with his hand. Melanie flinched, yet he wouldn’t let go. He bent and forced her to look in his eyes by dragging her up by the hair at the nape of her neck so her face was an inch from his. “What a waste. That nice pussy of yours along with hers…mm, we could’ve had a lot of kinky fun, the three of us.”
I couldn’t help myself. “Asshole. Get your goddamn hands off her.” I had the back of his shirt fisted in my hands and the words blurted out before they even finished being a thought. It dislodged his hold from Melanie.
She scrambled out of the booth. “Will. Just go. It’s over. There’s never going to be a ‘three of us’, not with me anyway. I’m done with you. Forever. Now go before one of the waitresses calls the cops.”
I got a whiff of his expensive cologne. It churned my stomach. From this close, I could see the gleam of arrogance as clearly as I could see the flecks of black spokes in the brown irises surrounding his pupils.
His upper lip curled in a sneer. He tried to shove me away, but I stood my ground and went toe-to-toe with him, wadding the front of his shirt in my hand this time. The fabric made a ripping noise beneath my tight hold.
I snarled through clamped teeth, “You don’t get the hell out of here, you’ll be very sorry. I know people, people who owe me favors. People who could make your life…shall we say, complicated. You get my drift, you prick?”
“You bitch. Let,” he pried my fingers from his shirt, “go. Do you have any idea how much this shirt cost me?” His mouth was compressed, his eyes narrowed. He stumbled backward, jerked the garment down and tucked it back into the tailored black dress slacks.
Melanie reached out and twined her hand in mine. Her skin was warm and soft, and I detected the faint aroma of the perfume that had haunted me for weeks. Only this time it was real and not a memory. The teasing smell along with the public display of affection she showed me sent my pussy into overdrive. My labia warmed and my clit started a vague throbbing followed by a trickle of moisture onto the cotton of my panties. Then she smiled and winked at me, and my heart melted inside my chest.
“Knowing you, it probably cost more than our honeymoon—which, by the way, I paid for, you cheapskate.” Melanie untangled her hand from mine. Disappointment stabbed at the melty parts of my heart, but it didn’t last long. She slipped her arm around my waist and drew me snug against her side. She leveled a firm look at Will. “Now. Do you mind? Leslee and I have some very important things to talk about.”
Will slapped his hands on his hips and leaned forward, nose-to-nose with Melanie. His upper lip curled in a snarl. “You slut. You and I both know once you get bored with her, you’ll be crawling back to me and begging for my cock.”
Melanie squared her shoulders. “I have never and will never beg you for anything. Besides, why would I beg for something that never brought me plea
sure? Not once did you ever…please me. But with her, all she has to do is look at me and I’m hot and ready.”
My soul and pussy barely had time to absorb those awesome words before he had his hand around Melanie’s throat. “You bitch. You fucking bitch.”
I yanked his hand from her neck, tucked her behind me and shoved against his chest. He stumbled backward and hit the edge of the booth. He got his footing, growled and lunged at me. “You cunt.”
“William, that’s enough,” Melanie said with a reprimanding tone.
He ignored her and came at me, his hands reaching for my neck this time.
I drew my fist back.
And I decked him.
Bone connected with bone, and despite the pain that shot up my arm, boy did it ever feel good. With his head nodding around on his shoulders, he reminded me of a bobblehead. Blood trickled from a graze wound on his cheek, and his eye was already swelling.
He swiped at the blood, stared agog at the red smear on his fingers and glared at me. Wild anger lit his eyes. “Why you fucking—”
“Sir, sir. I’ve got 9-1-1 punched into the phone.” The waitress stepped between me and Will and held up a cordless phone. “Either you leave this minute, or I’ll press the Send button and request a visit from the police.”
He snapped his gaze to the waitress. “What the hell? She hit me.”
“You’ve been raising your voice in my place of business, intimidating them and getting in their faces. It was self-defense. I saw you try to choke them both.” She raised her eyebrow as if to say, “You know you have no excuse here.”
“That’s bullshit. She—”
“Okay, have it your way.” She started to punch the button, but Will stopped her just in time.
“All right, all right. I’m going.” He sighed and started for the door, mumbling and growling the whole way. When he got to the exit, he turned and added, “Um, Mel, I’ll be joining up with Bards Holdings. And I’ll see to it that all of you gays are purged from this town—no, this state—and put in your rightful place.”
The shop owner marched over to him and held up the phone again. “Sir, this is your last chance. Either you leave now, or I’ll see to it that you’re purged from this shop and put in your rightful place. In the back of a squad car.”
Will shoved open the door and stalked out.
“God, what a number-one asshole.” Melanie plopped onto the seat of the booth.
I slid in across from her. “Uh, I think Charles is tied with him for that honorable position. Geez, we sure know how to choose our men, don’t we?”
Melanie snorted. She picked up her cup and sipped her latte. “Not me. Not anymore. I’m done with men.”
“Really?” Hope and something warm and fuzzy bloomed in my groin. “You—”
The waitress set a cup and saucer in front of me and smiled. She slid the phone into her apron pocket. “Me too. I don’t think there’re any decent ones left in this world, and that one really took the cake. Speaking of cake, can I get you anything, ma’am? A chocolate-chip scone? Soup? Coffee? Or would you like to share the pot of latte I made for your friend?”
“Latte. I’ll have the latte with Melanie.”
“All righty then.” She tidied the table, plucking up empty sugar packets and a plate with a half-eaten cinnamon roll.
I gripped her wrist and held the woman’s bright-blue gaze. “Thank you. Thank you for intervening. I think I would have killed the bastard if you hadn’t stepped in.”
She winked. “Not before I got a hold of him, sugar. I had a husband who couldn’t keep his fists out of my eyes or his fingers from crushing my windpipe. So I’d just as soon’ve been the one to dump your fellow in the nearest river first.”
She popped her gum and winked again, then spun on her heels and returned behind the counter.
“I’m really sorry about all this. I think Will must’ve seen my car outside and did a U-turn. I was alone one minute, the next there he was standing at my table like a drooling dog.” Melanie rolled her eyes.
“It’s okay. I’ll admit, at first I wasn’t sure if you’d invited him or not, but now I get it. I’m sorry, I just didn’t know what this was all about.”
Melanie swiped her hand over mine. Her touch was affectionate, almost seductive. “It’s fine. I totally understand.”
“I… So…” I poured a cup of latte and lifted it to my lips to blow on the steam. The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg filled my nostrils. Mm, I’d never had a pumpkin latte before, and I loved it that I was sharing this first with her. My direct gaze finally met Melanie’s over the rim of the cup. She looked fresh and beautiful. And happy.
Spicy, frothy liquid spilled over my tongue and warmed my throat. Or maybe it was thick emotions deepening my voice. “You said you’re done with men. Along with texting me and asking me to meet you here, that makes two things I’m now curious about. What’s up?”
She placed her cup on the saucer and chewed on her bottom lip. Oh how that made me crazy with the urge to kiss her. Her eyes rose to meet mine while she traced the rim of her cup with a fingertip. Her nails were painted with snow-white polish and decorated with various holiday mini-stickers—wreaths, stockings, Christmas trees and candy canes. I imagined the long fingernails scraping down my back in the throes of girl-on-girl passion.
“I’ve really missed you, Leslee. I mean really.” She reached across the table and held out her hand until I set mine in hers. The squeeze she gave my hand felt as if she’d pumped fire through my bloodstream and ignited tiny flames to my nipples.
“Really?”
“Yes. And I’m so sorry if it seemed like I’d used you or was being selfish. It’s just that I needed to…” She swallowed. “I needed to be sure. But I am now. I want to be with you, Leslee. I want us to give things a try.”
I got lost in her tear-filled eyes. They sparkled like golden Christmas lights. The irony was that at that particular moment, her words entwined with the carol Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, and the part about “eyes all aglow” came over the speakers. Intense happiness and love washed over me, and I fought the urge to leap up and shout my joy.
“Things? As in a relationship?”
She nodded and a lone tear trailed down her cheek.
I reached up and wiped the moisture away. To me, it represented finally erasing the uncertainty of what had stood between us all along, that roadblock that had been there since I’d hired her at the hotel and gotten myself entangled in an instant crush.
She closed her eyes, sighed and turned her face into my palm. The moist kiss she planted there sent tingly heat racing up my arm.
“Leslee. Oh how I’ve missed you.” She gripped my hand and kissed my fingertips, my wrist, my knuckles. “Please tell me I’m not too late, that you don’t hate me and…and that you’re not seeing someone else.”
I couldn’t hold back anymore. I rounded the table, dropped into the booth next to her and took her in my arms. A cloud of musky perfume and soft hair engulfed me, along with the overwhelming emotions of relief, elation and a sense of coming home. She clutched me with frantic movements and burst into sobs that tore at my heart.
I rocked her and let her press her breasts into mine. “Shh, shh.” Her hair, like strands of silk, caressed my palms as I petted her head. “It’s okay, baby, it’s not too late. I’ve missed you too, and no, I don’t hate you and I’m not seeing anyone.”
“R-r-r-really?”
“Are you kidding?” I gripped her shoulders and drew her back so I could look into her drenched eyes. She looked gorgeous, scrumptious, entirely edible and loveable even with streaks of mascara smudged beneath her eyes. “After being with you, no one will ever measure up. You’re all I’ve wanted ever since you sashayed into my office for your interview.”
She grinned, drawing my gaze to her full, glossy lips. “You said that same thing the night we made love.”
I chuckled. “And you denied sashaying.”
“All right, all righ
t.” She giggled. “So I sashayed. And I’ll admit, I did it on purpose because as soon as I saw who my boss was going to be, my heart went into overdrive and I wanted to hold your attention. Only I didn’t know why at the time. Now I do.”
Her gaze held mine, mesmerizing me as I waited for more clarification. “Why?” I finally asked.
“These last few weeks after losing our jobs and being apart, I had a lot of time to think and make plans.” She licked her lips and my mouth thirsted to taste her again. “I-I really think I might be—well, all I know is I’m attracted to women, not men. I don’t like putting tags on myself or us or anything, but the truth is I’ve never been turned-on by guys. Ever. And all I have to do is look at you and I’m wet and hot and ready to have sex. That just says it all to me.”
I held her face in my hands and kissed her with gentleness and a hunger that nearly had me shoving her back on the seat and devouring her. “Mmmm, you can say that again.”
She got into the kiss but then pulled back. It was as if she had to get the words out before she lost her nerve. “So I can only conclude that that’s what it is. Seriously. Lesbian or not—does it really need a label? But being with you just felt…normal. Really, really good and right. Being with Will and all the other men in my past? I mean, shit, I could only orgasm if I was fantasizing about a woman, and still to this day I never notice men. Never. They do nothing for me, nothing. Especially not now after being with you.
“Leslee, I know it’s a gamble for you, but I really want to give this a go—you and I. I need a chance to explore this part of me that I think I’ve suppressed even since Kaydee and I were kids and she confessed her out-of-the-closet news to me. I think I knew deep down that I felt the same way, but I wasn’t brave like her. She didn’t give a crap what society or family or friends thought of her. But being the shallow person I used to be, I did care. Did. Don’t anymore. Do you understand?”
“Completely.”
Melanie squealed and hugged me tight. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel so blessed.”
I reached for my cup and saucer and dragged it across the table then I topped off both of our cups with fresh, steaming latte from the pot. As I lifted the cup to my lips, I groped for her hand under the table and twined my fingers into hers.
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