Vivian revealed a crumpled note in her hand. “I just wanted to apologize for last night. That was really rude of me, since you were so nice to me.”
Kat tried to scratch her head, but had forgotten that a beanie lay between her fingers and her scalp. Now that she was reminded of how nice it was to kiss this woman in front of her, she had the mighty need to sweat. Could take my hat off, but then she’d see how badly it messed up my hair. There would be no having any of that.
“It’s cool. No hard feelings.”
“I was just so freaked out after that date,” Vivian continued. “Guess I didn’t know how to handle someone coming onto me like that.”
“Like I said, no hard feelings. It’s all good.”
Vivian blew out her pent up breath. “Good. I just didn’t want you thinking that I thought there was something wrong with you. You know, after I was made to feel… I swear I wasn’t taking that out on you.”
“You were, though.” Kat leaned against the counter.
“I… was?”
How cute. Vivian was really that worked up over it. Guess that means she has a soul. Good to know, considering some of the other patrons we get in here. “Yeah. You make it sound like I was the only one kissing somebody last night.” Kat had expected nothing less from the way Vivian kissed. The woman had enough pent-up frustration to shake the foundation of the building. It was only natural for her to murder Kat’s lips.
Vivian still blushed. If she kept it up, she was going to pass out. “Well, that’s all I wanted to tell you. I was in the area because of work, so I thought I would stop by and let you know that I didn’t… that you weren’t… that we…”
Kat couldn’t take this second-hand embarrassment anymore. “Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll get you something to drink? Since you came all this way.”
“Oh, but I…”
“It’s on me.”
Vivian’s eyes widened. “You don’t have to do that. I was the one who ruined everything.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Kat patted the counter, indicating that Vivian should sit her cute ass down. “Because I’m about to make you a killer after-work drink.” Everyone needed a little liquid courage to get through these awkward situations. That may have included herself, but Kat had long learned to not drink on the job.
Vivian eventually hopped into her seat. Kat tried not to think about how darling she was in her little work outfit. The woman even wore a bold, red lipstick that was somehow still conservative enough to work in an office. Whatever she does, everyone around her must be in for a treat to see how she looks every day. That raven-black hair went well with her blazer and skirt. She had worn it back for her date. Kat much preferred to see it down, although Vivian probably considered it her “drab” look.
“What’s in this?” Vivian asked, when Kat produced a single glass for her to imbibe. “Not too strong, is it?”
“As strong as the boss will let me get away with.” Which was to say, hardly strong at all, particularly for a free drink. “I remember you liked vodka. So, there’s some of that in there.”
“You remembered that?”
“I’m a bartender. It’s my job to remember what liquor patrons like.”
Vivian sheepishly smiled as she pressed the rim of the glass to her lips. “Mm!” Her expression ran a gamut of impressed and absolutely disgusted. Kat held back a bigger laugh than the one she let escape her lips. “Shit! It burns!”
“What if I gave you a cherry, hm? Would that help?” Kat pulled a chilled cherry out of its container. She passed it by the stem, fingers grazing Vivian’s.
Vivian helped herself to some water before taking another sip. The cherry still dangled from her fingers. “You trying to kill me?”
“Trying to loosen you up.” This was the woman who downed three? Four? Drinks the other night. She couldn’t handle a little one like this? “Because you look like you need to loosen up a bit. Work got you down?”
She leaned across the counter, only a few inches away from Vivian, who twirled the cherry around the rim of her glass and took a tentative bite out of it. Her bright, white teeth punctured the cherry’s flesh. How reminiscent of the way she kissed when she was really into it.
Kat had to look away before she embarrassed herself. Because Vivian was trying to catch the pit of the cherry with her tongue, and failing miserably. Woo, boy. I could think of a couple of places for that tongue to go. Kat bit her lip and kept that thought to herself.
“My work isn’t really one way or another,” Vivian said. “I work as a secretary in a legal office. It’s a pretty big office, so there are a few of us non-lawyers in there. So at least when the lawyers act like they’re so superior to me, I don’t have to take it seriously. They treat all of us that way.”
“Still wears you down, though, I bet.”
“You get used to it.”
“Nah.” Kat sat back up. “You shouldn’t ever get used to people treating you that way.”
Vivian conceded that she was correct before asking, “So, how long have you been a bartender?”
“A few years. I’ve done a lot of odd jobs, but this is one of the more interesting ones.”
“What else have you done?”
“Well, for one, I have another job during the morning. I work down at the docks as one of the poor souls who sorts fish as my employer buys them off the boats.”
“That’s… gross.”
“Yeah, this place sure beats that by about a hundred miles. Unfortunately, I don’t make enough tending bar to pay my rent around here.”
Beverly poked her head out of the office. “What was that? I ain’t paying you enough?”
Kat laughed. “More like people don’t tip enough!”
Blushing, Vivian said, “I probably didn’t tip enough the other night.”
“I’m just joshing. Besides, who the hell wants to rely on tips to pay their rent? I’d rather have a sure paycheck to cover that and pocket the bonus for something fun, like eating.”
She admitted that her brand of self-deprecating humor wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but once Vivian realized the bartender was joking, she began to laugh. I bet that drink is helping. With any luck, Vivian would be a barrel of laughs by the time the after-work rush started.
“What other jobs have you done?”
“Ah, bit of this, bit of that. Done construction, worked at shops… one time I was that person who holds the STOP sign on the highway. Rain or shine, I was out there directing traffic like a total knob. The pay was so not worth it.” She decided to redirect the conversation before Vivian dug too deep into the boring specifics of her companion’s work experience. Seriously, this is the best job I’ve ever had. Let’s leave it at that. “What about you? Always dreamed of being a legal secretary?”
“Yeah, right. My degree is in graphic design. Unfortunately, I don’t have the hustle for self-employment, and nobody wants to employ designers these days.” Vivian nibbled on some peanuts. “So I took the first job that would give me full-time employment and some insurance. Good thing I did, ‘cause… surprise! I got sick. Don’t even want to think what those bills would have looked like had I been without.”
“Everything works out for a reason, I guess.”
“Kinda like you tending bar where I have a shitastic date?” Vivian caught herself before she could dive deeper into that pool of thought. “Can I ask you one last personal question?”
“Why not?”
“What’s Kat short for?”
Kat snorted. “What do you think?”
“It’s either Katherine or Kathleen.”
“Which one do you think suits me more?”
Vivian narrowed her eyes. “Kath… leen.”
Kat sucked in her breath and flattened her palms against the bar. “I always thought so too. Regrettably, my mother was a spiteful woman who decided there weren’t enough Katherines in the world.”
“Aw, man.”
“Could be worse, I guess. I h
ear there were some great Katherines in the past. Don’t know of any famous Kathleens.”
“What about Kathleen Turner?”
“Who?”
“She was in Romancing the Stone. It’s my sister’s favorite movie. I would know. I live with her and have to frequently watch it.”
“Never seen it, and never heard of her.”
“You’d probably like her. She’s famous for her husky voice. In fact…” Vivian checked something on her phone before continuing. “She did the voice of Jessica Rabbit.”
“Oh, yeah, her. One of my first gay awakenings in the ‘90s. I was so jealous of her nailing that cartoon rabbit stud.”
Vivian laughed so hard that she almost knocked the last of her drink over.
Their conversation was cut short when two patrons ambled in and said their hellos to Kat. She remembered them enough to know what beers they would order. Vivian watched on with mild interest as Kat filled their orders and took their money.
One by one, more people arrived, having just gotten off work and deciding a drink at the local watering hole was in order. Vivian stayed in her corner and texted on her phone while Kat was kept busy until her shift replacement arrived five minutes late.
“Sorry!” a high-pitched voice called over the increasing volume of the small bar crowd. “Bank line got me!”
Kat went into the back to sign off with Beverly and grab her meager things. But as she pulled her hat and gloves out of her mini-locker, she decided to check to see if Vivian was still at the bar. The newest bartender had no idea that Vivian hadn’t paid for her drink and left her alone.
Because yes, she was still there, looking like the prettiest secretary to ever walk into Kat’s mundane life.
“Shit’s not fair,” Kat said to Beverly on her way by the desk. “Pretty women make the world so unfair.”
“Why’s that?” Her boss called after her.
“Because they reject you.” Kat closed the office door on her way out.
Chapter 5
She hadn’t brought her hat and gloves with her. Instead, she used her discount to get a beer from her coworker and walked over to where Vivian played some game on her phone. Good. Nobody had caught on that she was a single, available hottie worth hitting on. Because Kat had decided that was her job now that she was off the clock.
“You play pool?”
Vivian almost jumped out of her work clothes. “Huh?”
Kat gestured to the empty pool table. “You play?”
“No… never.”
They were cornered near the entrance. All Vivian had to do was slip between Kat and the wall, and she would be well on her way out the door. Kat made sure she had that out. She was fully prepared for rejection.
“You wanna play?”
“Oh, I’m no good.”
“Neither am I. I know the rules, but I suck. Come on. I’ll teach you how to play, and you’ll already be better than me.”
Vivian looked between her empty glass and the illuminated pool table. It was dark out. No matter what, she would be going home in the cold, dark night. The least she could do was stay warm a little longer. I bet I work earlier than you do, Viv. Kat had to be at the docks bright and early to start sorting crab. A truck was going out by noon. If she didn’t have it filled by then, she could kiss that part-time job goodbye.
This was worth staying out a little late for, though.
“I don’t want to keep you from your life. Didn’t you just get off work?”
“Yeah, and now I get to do what I want. Maybe I want to hang out with you.”
Vivian shook her head in disbelief. “No idea why.”
Are you kidding me? Should Kat go for the real answer, or make something up? Should she play her hand now? Wait until Vivian was more relaxed to make her intentions known? What should I do?
“Because,” Kat leaned in closer, her lips only an inch away from Vivian’s ear. “A woman who kisses like you is someone I want a second shot with.”
Vivian tensed, her palpable aura smothering Kat. “So it’s like a date, huh?”
Kat backed off. “It’s whatever you want it to be, Viv.”
Black hair twirled between Vivian’s fingers as she kept her elbow propped up against the bar. “Vivi,” she said.
“What’s that?”
“Everyone calls me Vivi. Not Viv.”
“Okay, then.” Now they were getting somewhere. “Do you want me to teach you how to play pool, Vivi? ‘Cause I’ll buy you a beer on top of that free drink you got already.”
That beautiful smile may have been a result of that beer, but Kat didn’t care. Not when Vivian said, “I’ll have what you’re having, Katherine.”
“Ye-ouch,” Kat purred. “Making the case for Kathleen over here.”
She helped Vivian off her stool and dared to keep their hands intertwined on their way over to the pool table. The only time she dropped the hold was when she shoved a cue into Vivian’s hand and promised to be right back with that other beer.
Lucky for her, Vivian was still there when she made her triumphant return. Kat’s date (if that’s what it was) had even removed her blazer and draped it across the corner of the pool table. Vivian’s blouse was even prettier than Kat had imagined. Especially with those top two buttons undone.
“So you take this stick,” Kat said, wrapping her hand around Vivian’s, “and hit the balls into the pockets. There’s some silly score keeping thing that has to do with the numbers on the balls and what pockets you put them in, but who gives a fuck about that when you get to hit balls with sticks.”
“You sure you know how to play this game?”
I know I want to see you bend over to hit one in the corner pocket. “Let’s take it one step a time. See if you can get those damned balls in the damned pockets first.”
Vivian yanked the cue out of Kat’s hand. “I used to play softball. Shouldn’t be too different.”
“Of course you played softball.” Kat leaned against the wall while Vivian got the balls ready for play. Pretty sure they’re not in the right order. Wait. Is there an order? Oh, well. “Did you think we would allow you in here if you never played softball?”
“So what position did you play?”
“Third basewoman, thank you very much.”
“I was shortstop.” Vivian lined up her cue. Yup. That view of her bending over was exactly what Kat wanted. Had any woman in a pencil skirt ever looked this good playing pool? “Which means we would have stood right next to each other for most of the game.” Kat hissed through her clenched teeth when the cue ball made contact with the others. A rainbow display of her frustration bounced around the table with clicks and clacks that roused the attention of some of the other patrons. “That’s how relationships get started in college.”
“I was thinking high school.” Kat hadn’t gone to college. “But I like your version too.”
“You wouldn’t have liked me in high school, though. I didn’t even know I was gay yet.”
“I did.”
“Of course you did.”
“What makes you say that?”
Vivian looked up from her next shot. Cleavage, as ample as it had been two nights ago in that dress, greeted Kat. “Because a woman who oozes as much confidence as you must have been doing this whole lesbian thing for a while.”
“How old do you think I am?”
“Old enough to know what you’re about.”
Kat had no idea what to say to that. Other than, “Damn.”
They hung out for almost an hour, playing pool with the addition of two more patrons who wanted to play. It was more difficult to flirt in the immediate presence of another couple, but before one of them had to leave, Kat was informed that she had a hot girlfriend.
“She’s not my…” Ah, never mind. Let the woman think whatever she wanted. Kat wasn’t opposed to the whole bar thinking she was dating Vivian. It would definitely send up a flare alerting every single female in the vicinity that Vivian was somewhat spoken
for already. Until she made it clear that she had no continuing interest in Kat, anyway.
But a woman who kept sending her those kinds of looks, and letting her get close enough to kiss – let alone brush against her butt every time they switched positions? Vivian was interested. The question was just how much. And maybe when can we go finally go to bed together?
Kat didn’t usually get this hopeful around other women. She was more likely to take what bones were thrown to her and not worry about the others. Sometimes dates didn’t pan out. Chemistry fizzled. Personalities flared. But so far, every time she was around Vivian, Kat remembered what it was like to want a woman so badly that a fire burnt in the depths of her body and her brain cooked up asinine plans dumb enough to embarrass her at a later date.
But not right now. Right now, all Kat could think about was putting her hands all over that body and spreading kisses from Vivian’s ear to her shoulder.
I’m screwed.
“We’re out of balls.” Vivian sighed. “So how do we know who won?”
“You did. You kicked my ass.”
“How?”
“Because I decided it was so.”
Vivian pursed her lips into a sour smile. “You’re a hard core flirt, you know that?”
“I could back off.”
Nobody came near them, even though the bar was now almost at max capacity. Everyone was at the counter, laughing, talking, and ordering their drinks with friends and lovers. It was the kind of busy night that made Kat happy to work in such a vibrant place with likeminded women who didn’t mind if she flirted with them a little. Most women didn’t respond to her flirtations with anything but gratitude. But every once in a while, someone like Vivian came along and threatened to punch her in the heart.
How could anyone reject her? She was stunning in such a simple office uniform and with her hair down around her face. Yet Vivian was so self-conscious… and women like Shari had not helped one bit. When a woman’s self-esteem was already shot, it was easy to make her feel like the ugliest, most unwanted soul in the universe.
Liquid Courage Page 4
