They switched places when Regan was finished in the bathroom and a few minutes later Callie emerged to find Regan in bed, her hands laced behind her head, knees tenting the sheet. She didn’t seem to notice when Callie slipped into bed, but a few moments later she turned to her and said, “I’m really sad.”
The sorrow in her beautiful eyes made Callie’s heart ache. Instinctively, she opened her arms and Regan burrowed into her embrace like a child. They lay there for a long time, thoughts drifting in and out like the breeze of the air conditioner ruffling the curtains. The question had been rumbling around in her head, but it slipped out with no warning. She heard herself ask, “What’s more important than sex?”
“What?” Regan’s voice was muffled because she was pressed against Callie’s t-shirt.
It was too late to turn back. Acting like the question was just a continuation of an earlier conversation was the only thing that made sense. “You said that sex wasn’t in your top five things. What is?”
“Hmm.” Regan pulled away and rolled onto her back. She was quiet for a while, clearly thinking. “I’m not sure in general. But I can tell you what I loved best about Angela.”
“I’m interested.” And that was the truth. Right then it was immeasurably important to know what was most important to Regan.
“Okay. I…uhm…” She cleared her throat. “It’s still hard to think about her. About the good side of her.”
Callie reached over and put a hand on Regan’s arm. “You don’t have to…”
“No, it’s okay. I think it’s good to talk about her. It might help me get some stuff off my chest.”
“Okay. But don’t think you have to talk just for my sake.”
“Gotcha.” She was quiet for a time, then said, “She was generous. With her money and her time. Did you know we met when we both worked on a Habitat for Humanity project?”
“No. You’ve never said how you met.”
Callie could see Regan’s thin smile by the light of the moon. “We both volunteered on a project about halfway between my house and hers. She has a tough job and she travels a lot, but she still volunteers for things.” She took a breath. “Not just doing stuff to make the company look good, either. None of that community service crap a lot of people participate in because their firms make them.”
“Like Marina,” Callie quietly said.
“Oh, I’m sorry…”
Callie touched her gently. “No need to apologize. I’m just speaking the truth.”
“Okay. Well, she belonged to a church and she did a lot of stuff with them. Tutoring and things like that.”
“Interesting. Are you religious?”
“No, that was her thing. It was good for her and kept her involved in her community. It was hard for her being a black woman in a white industry. Belonging to her church centered her.”
“That’s cool. Very cool.”
“She’s a good person,” Regan said, her voice shaking again. “She was scrupulously honest—except for the cheating. The type of person who’d go back to a store if she found out they’d undercharged her.”
“Wow. Marina would have called her friends to boast.”
“No comment.”
Callie patted her. “It’s fine with me if you speak your mind about Marina. You can’t think worse of her than I do.”
“Don’t count on that.”
“Tell me more about Angela.”
“’Kay. Uhm, I guess the things I liked best about her were her honesty and her work ethic and her desire to do the right thing. She was just…someone I looked up to.”
“Do you think that had anything to do with why things didn’t work well…sexually?”
“Why would that be involved? Aren’t you supposed to respect the person you love?”
“Well, yeah, but maybe you weren’t on the same level, you know?”
“No, I don’t. No idea.”
“I’m not sure if this is nonsense, but the best sex I had was with Marina and I didn’t respect her much. Maybe hot sex goes with…I don’t know…not caring too much? Does that sound crazy?”
Regan didn’t say anything for a while, but when she did her voice was soft and low. “I’d rather love a good person I wasn’t into sexually than have great sex with a bad one. Maybe you’ve got a point, but I hope you can have sex and love and respect for someone. If you can’t, I know which one I’d give up.”
Callie didn’t say another word. She felt like she’d revealed too much. If Regan felt so strongly about being with a good person what would she think of having killer sex with a dirtbag like Marina? But after just a minute or two Regan curled up against her again. Callie held her tightly, occasionally stroking her hair or back and, after just a few minutes, she felt Regan not only relax, but fall asleep. Callie continued to touch her gently, sharing in Regan’s sorrow even as she slept. She held her for a long time, savoring this chance to caress the woman she was falling for. But she didn’t feel a sexual charge, even though their bodies were nearly entwined. Regan needed a friend tonight, and that was a role that Callie relished as much as she did the newly discovered sexual pull, and it was a role she would never violate.
*
The next morning Regan was staring at Callie when her eyes first opened. She jerked awake. “You scared me!”
“It’s because we’re about three inches apart in this little bed.” She backed up as much as she could. “Better?”
“It wasn’t how close you were. It was those big blue eyes locked on me. You look happy this morning. Are you always this alert when you wake up?”
“No. But I have something planned and I wanna get going.”
Cassie slapped at her lightly. “Then wake me up!”
“I did. By staring at you.” She adopted a dramatic, creepy tone. “The intensity of my gaze burned right through your eyelids.”
“I think it might have.” Callie sat up and rubbed her eyes. “What are we doing?”
“We’re sitting in bed, not progressing.”
“Fine.” Callie stood up and headed for the bathroom. “You could have showered first and then we’d be ready sooner.”
“Now you tell me!” Regan called out to Callie’s laughter. “Where were you when I needed you?”
*
They both hustled to get ready and were soon in line at a local coffee bar. Regan said, “I made reservations for something cool, but it’s kind of expensive.”
“Under five hundred dollars?”
Gasping, Regan said, “Of course!”
“Then I’m fine. I haven’t had to spend much money this week. I’ve got five hundred dollars left in my budget for the trip and it’s burning a hole in my pocket.”
“This will take less than twenty percent of your bankroll.” She chuckled. “Roll. That’s appropriate.”
“Are you gonna let me in on the joke?”
“Sure will. As soon as we get there, I’ll tell you where we are.”
Callie gently pulled Regan’s ponytail. “I’m glad. I like surprises.”
With a tender expression that somehow let Callie see into her soul, Regan said, “I wouldn’t do them if you didn’t like them.” Then Callie turned to look at the pastries, so that Regan wouldn’t see the longing in her eyes.
*
An hour later, they were tooling around the Freedom Trail on a Segway tour. Callie had heard of Segways, but she’d never seen one. Nevertheless, she loved the experience and she kept sidling up to Regan and saying, “Thank you for this. It’s outstanding!” before she’d dart away, giggling.
*
At 1:35 p.m. the first pitch was thrown at what Callie hoped would be the first of many games she’d see at Fenway Park. The day was warm and clear, the fans were incredibly enthusiastic, the game was a complete sellout, and the Red Sox won with a walk-off homer in the ninth inning.
As they filed out of the stadium, Regan said, “Would you like to go to the second best sports bar in the country?”
“Uhm,
okay, but why don’t we go to the best one?”
“I have no idea where that is. I just know this one claims it’s the second-best. And the beers are a third the price they are in the stadium.”
“I should hope so! I don’t usually pay that much for dinner! I made that one beer last six innings. It was warm, but they weren’t gonna get that kinda money off me twice.”
The bar was just around the corner and it seemed like most of the fans were heading there. “This place gets really crowded, but it’s a lot of fun.”
“I like fun. And I like crowded bars. Remember how crowded the place in Provincetown was?”
Regan grasped her arm and pulled her to stop, making hundreds of people veer around them. "Would you rather go to a lesbian bar?”
Callie guided Regan to stand behind a light pole, giving them some breathing room from the crush of people streaming by. “A sports bar is great. It’s like a doubleheader.”
“Are you sure? You seemed to really enjoy the place in Provincetown.”
“I did. But that was then and this is now. Now we’re in a baseball mood.”
Regan took her by the elbow and started to walk towards the bar. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m positive.” They put their heads down and fought like a pair of salmon to get in the door, but they finally managed.
Regan went towards the bar and returned a mere twenty minutes later with four beers. “Drink up,” she said, grinning slyly. “Next time, you’re buying. Then we can compare notes on how many people put their hands on your ass.”
*
Callie had just gotten back from her turn to buy and she declared, “One guy rubbed his shoulder against my boob, and another one blatantly put his hand on my butt while leering at me. Not too bad.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “Some guys turn into predators when they get into a place like this. Women are a little more subtle.”
Regan winced. “That’s why I thought you might prefer a lesbian bar. That and the other thing,” she added, grinning.
“What other thing?”
“Chasing girls. You seem to be really good at it.”
Callie let out a squawk of dissent. “I’ve never chased a woman or a man. I don’t do that.”
Regan laughed at her reply. “I saw you with six or seven different women in P’town. Not to mention the one you were playing tonsil hockey with.”
Looking haughty, Callie said, “I didn’t ask one person to dance. I never do. And I didn’t kiss her, she kissed me. She pulled me onto her lap, not the other way around.”
“Oh, I see. You just flash those dimples and women chase you. I can see how that would happen. You’re too cute to ignore.”
“I’m not exactly shy, but I’ve never had the nerve to put myself out there. I just wait for an invitation.” She smiled sweetly, her devilish side showing through.
Regan tried not to stare, but it wasn’t easy. Those dimples could make a grown woman weep. And when that smile flashed and those white teeth gleamed, it was enthralling. Where had the glum mood gone? Impossible to say, but no one could stay in a bad mood when Callie was around. Lying in her arms the night before had miraculously made the day dawn brighter and sweeter. How could that be? It must be the aura she gave off. Calming and nurturing but also playful and almost giddy. What a double play.
*
It was late when they finally stumbled into their swap. Neither knew where the light switch was, and they fumbled and bumped into each other for a few minutes, giggling the whole time. Regan tried to flip Callie’s nose to get the light on and Callie stood in the center of the room and clapped loudly, several times, before grumbling, “The Clapper is a wonderful addition to any home. We should leave one as a gift.”
Regan finally located the switch on a tiny bit of wall between two door frames. When the bright, unflattering light clicked on, she immediately shut it off. “Whoa! This is why lighting in bars is always soft and flattering.”
“Hey! Was that intended for me?”
Regan switched it on again. “Of course not. But it’s harsh and it hurts my eyes. I’m gonna find some candles.” She hunted around the place, finding a pair of poorly used pillars. “Some people don’t know how to use a candle properly,” she muttered, before lighting both and setting them on the breakfast bar. When she turned off the overhead lights, she sighed with pleasure. “That’s better.”
The dim light did make the place look much nicer and it cast a golden glow on Callie’s features that Regan found impossible to ignore. She slapped her hands on the bar to snap herself out of her musings. “One more for the road.” She went to the refrigerator and pulled two beers out, handing one to Callie. “Are you woman enough?”
Taking the challenge, Callie twisted the top off and slugged down a healthy amount. Regan matched her, holding the bottle to her lips and letting it drain for a few glugs.
“Well played. You, my friend, know how to pound the brewskis.”
“I don’t do it often, but I’ve got the touch,” she admitted, grinning goofily. “Now let’s get back to our discussion.”
“It was an argument,” Callie decreed. “And I won.”
“It wasn’t an argument, and if it was, I won. I know when a woman’s interested in me, and the woman in question was most definitely not.”
“She was looking at you every time I peeked at her. Every time,” Callie emphasized.
“Not buying it. And if she was, she must have thought she recognized me. Maybe she had her wedding at the Inn. She was married, you know. She had a big, big diamond on her left hand and the guy with her had a ring on too.”
‘Well,” Callie said, banging her bottle on the table, “he might as well start looking for a lawyer, because she was into you. Big time.”
“Was not. Not, not, not, not, not. I always know when a woman is into me. It’s a sixth sense.”
“You always know?”
“Always.”
“You’ve never, ever, not even once, been wrong?”
“Never. Not once. Never will be wrong.” Regan slammed her bottle onto the table hard enough to break it, but the glass held and she stood there, looking smug.
“Where did you get this power?”
“I don’t know. But I guarantee I have it.” A flurry of thoughts raced through her mind. She knew she was right, so it was time to gut it up and spill it. She looked vaguely triumphant when she added, “My powers tell me that there is someone who’s interested in me.”
Callie looked like she’d fallen into a hole. Her eyes blinked a few times, showing what looked like fear. “Who might that be?”
“Someone I know. She just started looking at me like this. It’s only been a few days, but I’m sure I’m right.”
“Tell me more,” Callie said, swallowing audibly.
Regan moved to stand at the end of the bar. She leaned over, rested her arms on the Formica and gazed deeply into Callie’s eyes. “You, Callie Emerson, have been looking at me in a certain way for a few days now.”
“I have?” Callie choked out.
Regan tapped the neck of her bottle against Callie’s. “You have. You’ve been looking at me like you want to kiss me.” She put her bottle down and rested her chin atop a fist, holding her head just a few inches from Callie’s. “Am I right?”
“Uhm…I…well…”
“I’m right,” Regan said, practically purring. There was no way to back out now. It’d been a long time since she’d tried to seduce a woman, but she knew what worked. People loved confidence and she could bring it. “You actually look like you want me to kiss you.” Her voice dropped down to a timbre meant to weaken knees. “I’m right, aren’t I? This is how you get women to make the first move.”
Callie could only nod. She looked frightened, but she leaned in. A sure sign. Regan moved even closer and their lips touched—delicately and fleetingly.
Regan took in a breath and slipped her hand across Callie’s cheek, letting it rest just under her ear. One finger slid
across the lobe, then down her neck, making goosebumps break out. Regan tilted her head and gazed deeply into Callie’s eyes, then moved towards her again, letting their lips brush tenderly, then insistently.
They moved into each other, their lungs expanding as their bodies touched from breasts to hips. Each place their bodies met switched on a sensor. Energy throbbed in Regan’s breasts, her belly, her thighs. Everywhere that Callie’s warmth pervaded was alive in a new way.
Regan’s head tilted back and her mouth opened to Callie’s daintily probing tongue. As soon as that warm tongue entered her mouth, Regan was gone. Callie could have pushed her to the bar, the chair, the floor…any sturdy surface would have been just fine. She laced her arms around Callie’s neck and pulled her in, hoping she didn’t take a bite out of the luscious woman.
Her body wanted more. More than she could fathom. She needed Callie’s hands to touch every part of her. Every part that had been yearning so insistently for the magic she knew those hands could create. Just as that thought registered, Callie’s hands slid to her ass and pulled her forward forcefully. Their bodies pressed hard into each other, and Regan’s head felt as though it would explode from the overload of sensation flooding her mind.
Then her hand was on Callie’s breast and the moan that welled up from her made Regan weak. But she held on, opening her mouth a little wider to let Callie’s delectable tongue anchor them together.
But the pull to merge was just too strong. Regan had to be horizontal. With their mouths still locked together they fumbled and banged their way into the bedroom, falling onto the bed with a thump. Regan pulled away and reached for her shirt, pulling it over her head so that Callie could reach her breasts. Lingering for just a moment she looked down and saw fervid desire in those green eyes. Just like Callie had planned the whole thing. No hesitation. Not tentative in the least. Just like she’d looked at Marina…at God knew how many other women. Other women while she’d been with Marina. Any woman on the list. Nothing more than animal passion. No love. No respect. No consideration for the consequences. And she’d agreed to all of that before she’d ever set foot in Marina’s apartment.
Doublecrossed Page 17
