by Harper Bliss
“This is me asking for a second chance, again,” Margot said. “But this time, I’m asking for the right reasons.”
Claire sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. She knew that she would never get back the Margot she fell in love with, because the person sitting next to her was not the woman she had met a few months ago. This was a stripped bare, torn down version of Margot, with her arms and heart wide open. As if Claire was meeting the real Margot de Hay for the very first time.
“As I said,” Claire managed to squeeze through the thickness in her throat. “Love won. And I love you.” She ran her fingers up Margot’s wrist. “And I can hardly say no after witnessing the most romantic proposal ever.” She clasped her other hand to her chest. “For me anyway, because I know Juliette through and through, and that…” She pointed a thumb in the direction of the hallway. “I don’t even have words to describe the sheer impossibility of it in my mind, but here we are. I was there to see it with my own two eyes.” She got up from the bed and yanked Margot up with her. “My answer is yes, but I do have conditions.”
“Of course.” Margot drew her lips into a lopsided grin.
“I don’t know how this evening will end, but if and when we end up in bed together—be it tonight, tomorrow or next week—you give up control to me.” She inched closer to Margot. “I think it’s time you learned to surrender.”
Margot chuckled. “Really?”
“Oh yes.” Claire nodded and threw her arms around Margot’s neck. “And I will use those handcuffs you bought.”
“Is there any room for negotiation?” Margot’s arms curved around Claire’s waist.
“None whatsoever.” Claire stared into the blackness of Margot’s eyes, happy to not have to waste any more energy—and hung-over mornings—on getting over her.
“We’ll see.” Margot tilted her head and leaned in.
When Claire kissed her she knew she’d made the right call. And when their lips opened and their tongues met, and weeks of pent-up lust and anger and frustration uncoiled in her stomach, she wiped the slate clean. Because, love may have won, but without forgiveness—and second chances—she wouldn’t be standing in Margot’s embrace, thinking of ways to try and make her submit.
STEPH
They had retreated back to the sitting area with a bottle of cognac and Steph sat watching Dominique chat with Nadia, who was showing off her engagement ring, when Margot and Claire re-emerged, hand in hand.
“Hallelujah,” Steph shouted. “There must be something in the air tonight.”
In response, Margot and Claire just smiled at each other sheepishly.
“It’s your move, babe,” she said to Dominique. “Bonne chance, if you want to upstage a proposal and a long-awaited reunion.”
“That’s hardly fair, Steph,” Juliette said. “Clearly, Dominique’s big gesture is that she’s here with us tonight, after having raised her hand so defiantly during the vote on Monday. What more do you want?”
“Fine. The oldies have it.” Steph admitted defeat. “I guess we won’t be stopping at Les Pêches tonight.”
Margot and Claire joined them in the sofa, practically sitting on top of each other. Was everyone happy now? Steph sipped from her cognac and glanced around, her eyes, as always, automatically halting at Dominique. Sure, it was wonderful that Juliette and Nadia were getting hitched and that Claire had succumbed to the power of love and had decided to give Margot another chance. But, basically, these two outcomes might as well have been written in the stars. The most astonishing fact was that she and Dominique were attending their first social function together, that they sat here, as a couple, amongst Steph’s friends.
“Come here,” Steph gestured at Dominique, feeling the effects of hard liquor after wine and champagne.
Nadia cocked her head as Dominique squeezed herself into the sofa next to Steph, a big smile on her face.
Steph snuck her arm behind Dominique’s back and tugged her close. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered in her ear.
“Oh, look at our Stéphanie,” Claire joked. “She’s gone all lovey-dovey on us.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Dominique said, leaning into Steph’s embrace. “She’s clearly drunk.”
“Drunk on love,” Steph heard herself say, her words beginning to slur. The others burst out laughing.
“What’s that, sweetheart?” Dominique asked. “Is that your phone vibrating or did you bring something from your toy box?” She tucked her hand between their touching thighs.
“Not even I would bring a vibrator to a birthday party.” Steph fished her phone out of her pocket and checked the screen. “Oh christ, what does she want?” She looked up and stared into Juliette and Nadia’s overjoyed faces. This was not the time to mention Sybille’s name. Whatever it was, she would deal with it later. It was after midnight. She was drunk. Her friends had just gotten engaged.
On a cabinet behind where Juliette was sitting, another phone lit up while emitting a loud beep.
“That’s mine,” Juliette said. “I’ll just turn it off.” She rose from her seat, giving Nadia’s shoulder a squeeze. “Or perhaps word has gotten out already.” She shot them all a grin before sauntering off to fetch her phone.
Steph witnessed Juliette’s features stiffen as she glanced at the screen. “It’s from Sybille,” she said, apparently not having any qualms about mentioning her former assistant’s name in her home.
How strange. Steph looked away from Juliette and dug her phone out of her pocket again.
“Are you all right, babe?” she heard Nadia ask Juliette, but Steph’s eyes were glued to her own phone’s screen, a text message from Sybille flickering on it.
Just a heads-up, as a courtesy from 1 PR professional to another… this will be Le Matin’s headline tomorrow.
Fear and anger raged inside of Steph as she clicked on the image Sybille had included in the message. Le Matin’s bright red heading appeared on top, underneath, in bold black letters, the newspaper’s weekend edition headline read:
THE REAL REASON WHY DOMINIQUE LAROCHE VOTED FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
The headline was positioned on top of a collage of pictures of Steph leaving and arriving at Dominique’s Avenue Foch address, including the first one Sybille had delivered to Juliette, alongside the picture of Dominique in the Assemblée with her arm stretched firmly.
Steph’s stomach dropped at the sight of herself on the front page of this rag, but immediately, instinctively, she thought that a few grainy pictures wouldn’t prove anything, unless…
A second message from Sybille arrived.
And in case you’re wondering, yes, the ‘sources close to’ = me. ;-)
Steph looked up, at Juliette’s ashen face.
“Cette saloppe,” Juliette said.
“What’s going on?” Dominique asked. “Bad news?”
Steph took a deep breath. Her head was swimming, but the shock of seeing herself on the front page of Le Matin had, at least, sobered her up. She passed her phone to Dominique, the image of Le Matin displayed in full screen mode.
“Putain,” Dominique said. She turned to Steph, panic in her eyes. Then something else took over. Perhaps because she was a politician, or perhaps even because, on some subconscious level she’d been expecting this, Dominique’s glance turned from frantic dread into cold steel in a split second.
“What?” Nadia had gotten up as well, rushing to a perplexed Juliette’s side.
“It’s out,” Juliette said. “It will be all over the news tomorrow.”
“What?” Nadia appeared none the wiser.
Dominique shot up out of the sofa. “That Stéphanie and I are together.” Her voice was calm and collected.
“Are you kidding me?” Claire chimed in. Dominique handed her the phone.
“Are you sure this is real? Not some practical joke?” Nadia asked, her eyes on Juliette’s phone.
“I’ve seen enough of these mock-ups to know this is the real thing,” Domini
que replied.
“This is no joke, babe,” Juliette said. “This is revenge.”
“I hate to do this to you tonight.” Dominique took charge. “But let’s make some coffee and get to work.” She turned to Steph. “Life as you know it, has just ended, babe.”
THE END
The first episode of French Kissing: Season Two will be released in January 2015.
Dear reader,
I hope you enjoyed the first season of French Kissing. If you did, would you consider leaving a review? I would be very grateful because reviews are so important and help me, the author, as well as other readers.
You can find links to French Kissing: Season One on all retailer websites and GoodReads here: harperbliss.com/french-kissing-season-one
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Thank you for buying and reading my work. Without you I wouldn’t be able to do this.
Harper xo
About the author
Harper Bliss has travelled the world in search of sexual satisfaction. She now resides in a hot Asian country and dedicates her time to writing down the stories that have inspired and aroused her.
Harper is the author of the High Rise series, the French Kissing serial and several other lesbian erotic romance titles. She is the co-founder of Ladylit, an independent press focusing on lesbian erotica.
You can e-mail her at [email protected]
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Other Harper Bliss Books
For a complete list of all Harper Bliss titles, please visit harperbliss.com/books
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