by J. Judkins
This included flirting, Kim realized. While it was true Kim had never flirted with Angel, Angel had satisfied this requirement by cleverly implying everything had been Kim’s idea. As it stood, Kim was presumed guilty of making a conscious decision to sleep with Angel without being conscious of making the decision.
If Angel followed the pattern, she could be doing all kinds of erotic things to her before the night was out. The books were supposed to show Kim the pattern so she could stop it, not show her the pattern so she’d have a detailed understanding of what she could hope to anticipate and when she should expect it to happen.
What I should have done is told Angel to stay on the damned couch. But things didn’t turn out that way, did they?
Kim was halfway into her second book when she glanced up and looked at the time. She set the book aside and left for the bathroom to take her shower. It did little to make her relax. She half expected Angel to interrupt with some stunt, but she never did.
Then again, why would she bother? Angel was planning on getting everything she wanted tonight.
Kim took a moment to calm herself down. What if all she was doing was hyping up the danger? Angel told her several times she only wanted to sleep. Kim didn't trust her at her word, but surely she could trust in Angel's devious nature? Angel wouldn’t try something bland and uninteresting. She’d do something extraordinary, something that Kim didn't anticipate. Something grand and unexpected.
At least, that was what Kim hoped would happen.
Thinking about it, she wondered if actively hoping Angel would attempt to seduce her in an unexpected exciting way instead of a boring and unoriginal way said something about her state of mind.
Maybe Angel would try something. Maybe she wouldn’t. In either case, Kim should keep alert for the possibility. Thomas Jefferson once said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Today, that was her motto. Jefferson knew what he was talking about.
Or had it been Admiral Tolwyn from Wing Commander Four?
Why was she doing this again? The answer continued to elude her.
Kim wrapped a towel around herself and hurried to her room, hoping to avoid Angel meeting her halfway and kissing her in the hallway. She closed the door behind her and breathed a sigh of relief, letting the towel drop to the floor.
She went to her closet. Tonight was going to be a night she’d have to give serious thought as to what to wear to bed. It wasn’t likely Angel would succeed at seducing her, but she had to prepare for the possibility.
Or rather, prepare for the attempt. Which should fail.
Which would fail, she amended.
Hopefully.
On normal nights when she wasn’t worried about being seduced, Kim didn’t wear a bra to bed. She honestly couldn’t say whether other women slept with them on or not, but her own breasts weren’t substantial enough for gravity to be a huge issue.
Kim slipped on a bra and found a halfway decent shirt, thankful for the extra protection.
She debated wearing cut off shorts as well, but decided against them, electing to only wear panties, instead. Too much preparation and Angel might get the impression Kim was expecting her to try something, which was true, but only in a single definition of the word. Expecting as in planning for it, not as in, “hoping for and would be disappointed if it didn’t happen,” expecting it.
Kim assessed her appearance in the mirror, frowned, returned to the closet, and picked out a larger shirt, an older one she should have thrown out years ago. It hung partway to her knees, roughly equivalent to a short skirt. It didn’t do much for her appearance, but that was the point, wasn’t it? Kim certainly wouldn’t call it sexy, but more importantly, Angel wouldn’t, either.
Unless Angel is into that sort of look?
Kim ran a hand through her hair. All this preparation and second-guessing herself was wearing on her nerves. She decided to keep what she had on, roll the dice, and take her chances. She opened the door and left it open. Angel should be done, soon.
She didn’t have to wait long. Less than five minutes later, Angel wandered in wearing a much smaller towel that both called attention to and concealed her assets. Kim looked for half a second before tearing her eyes away. It seemed to her the towel would remain in place only if Angel completely refrained from any strenuous activities or sudden movements. Like breathing.
Given that Kim suspected Angel only bothered to breathe to keep up appearances, maybe it wasn’t a problem for her?
At any other time, Kim would make it a point to not stare, but her intellect supplied a counter argument. What’s the big deal? it argued, You’re both women, and she’s mostly wearing a towel. If you keep averting your eyes, she’ll think you’re attracted to her but you’re too shy to look. Stop giving her the wrong impression. Don’t be afraid. It’s just a towel.
But I can’t just stare at her, Kim argued.
So don’t stare at her. Just don’t be so terrified to look.
Kim looked. A part of her mind appreciated the view. The rest of her mind recoiled in horror at what that other part of her mind was speculating to itself. She turned away, blushing hotly.
Kim was so distracted it didn’t register with her that Angel had been carrying a small bag until the moment she started dumping out its contents onto the bed.
This was the jolt Kim needed to regain control of herself.
Kim ignored how Angel’s physical presence had distracted her to the point of her missing things. Instead, she concentrated on how Angel caused Kim’s reaction instead of why. How Angel did it was relatively safe to think about, comparatively nonthreatening. To dwell on the why had unnerving implications.
So how did Angel do it? What was it about her? Kim felt certain she could reason this out. Analyze things rationally.
Yes, Angel was attractive. She had a nice body, very pleasing to look at. Her legs were amazing, her butt was kind of cute, and her eyes were a beautiful deep shade of blue, the kind someone could get lost in. Her lovely breasts felt as soft as her skin, very kissable, and in her hands--
Kim closed her eyes.
Okay, start over.
Yes, Angel was attractive. Kim could accept that. Nothing wrong with her or anyone else noticing. She’d found people to be attractive in the past. The only difference was, she wasn’t a person who acted on it. That was left for other people.
It had to be the towel. That skimpy towel alone was responsible for her flustered state of mind. In Kim’s limited experience as an outside observer, women achieved sexiness by wearing certain specific types of clothing, or a limited amount. It drew attention to what it concealed. Being naked also attracted attention, but not being able to see everything at once? That was considered sexy.
As an alien, Angel couldn’t know about such things. Angel cared nothing for modesty. Doubtless she only wore the towel because she’d seen Kim wearing one in the past.
Then it registered what Angel had upended onto the bed. Kim’s mouth went dry at the sight. Various types of underwear, in lesser and still lesser sizes. Fairly expensive, if she were any judge.
Or maybe Angel knows exactly what she’s doing!
“When did you find time to go shopping? You’ve been here all weekend.”
“I bought this on Friday, while you were at work.”
On Friday? Kim thought about this. Friday would have been after the relationship was formed, but before Angel’s confession, the time when she’d indicated that seducing Kim was never part of her plans.
That meant...she wasn’t sure what that meant. “Why?”
Angel opened her mouth and answered the question, but Kim’s brain never registered the answer. At that moment, gravity won its final battle against Angel’s towel.
She watched it happen, staring without blinking as the towel cascaded down Angel’s body, starting slowly, then picking up speed. This being Angel, the fact that she was suddenly naked didn’t bother her in the slightest. She didn't even glance at the towel as it fell from
her body and pooled at her feet. She certainly never attempted to stop it.
This time, Kim didn’t avert her gaze. She openly stared back at Angel’s body, unafraid, just to prove she could do it and not have a problem with it.
"You’re staring,” Angel pointed out.
"I don’t have a problem with it," Kim stated defiantly.
Angel’s smile widened, and Kim realized she was an idiot.
Seeing as Kim was in no condition to continue the conversation, Angel turned her attention to the lingerie on the bed. She leaned over, using one hand to steady herself against the bed while the other sorted through the collection. “What would you like me to wear tonight?” she asked.
“What would I like?” Kim echoed, incredulous. "Why are you asking me? You don’t have to wear anything."
Angel nodded. She gathered the clothing in her arms, selected a dresser drawer and dropped the bundle inside. Then she deliberately crossed Kim’s averted line-of-sight and returned to the bed, pulling back the sheets and slipping inside.
Wearing nothing, Kim realized.
Huh. Walked right into that one, didn’t I?
“You’re staring, again.”
“Am not,” Kim sniffed. And she wasn't. Not really. One or two seconds hardly constituted a stare.
Kim turned out the lights and went to her own side, wondering if Angel planned on making a move. She risked a glance. Angel had turned on her side, facing away.
Kim wasn’t fooled. Clearly, the act was designed to lull her into a false sense of security.
Her mind flashed back to the stories and the dire warnings they gave. She realized Angel had cleverly found a way to circumvent the tearing off clothes stage by simply not wearing anything.
The implications were clear. Angel was going to try something tonight.
Any second now, she’d find an excuse. “It’s too hot, we don’t need the covers," she’d say, or “It’s too cold, let’s snuggle up.” Maybe she’d try giving her a goodnight kiss which would naturally lead to other things. It could be anything. Kim needed to watch for it and stay on guard.
Speaking of which, where was my goodnight kiss?
Kim didn’t ask about it. Angel didn’t offer. Naturally, this increased her suspicion.
Seeing as Angel was passing up the goodnight kiss, she had to have something else in mind. Kim racked her brain, trying to think of what it could be. It would be something underhanded and devious. But what?
The minutes crawled past, and Angel persisted in doing nothing. Kim fluffed up her pillow for the third time that night and shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position. Angel was still feigning sleep. Biding her time, no doubt. Waiting. Hoping to catch her off guard.
Kim found herself starting to get frustrated. First no goodnight kiss, and now this? When was Angel going to make a move? What was taking her so long? She must be doing it on purpose. Yes, that was it. That had to be it. Angel wanted to wait until Kim was half asleep and off her guard, mentally open to some twisted romantic suggestion. Then she’d try something.
She hated to admit it, but so far, Angel’s strategy seemed to be working. Kim felt herself getting sleepier by the moment, but she dared not close her eyes. She glared balefully at the clock. It was already past midnight. She cursed the necessity of staying awake.
As time wore on, she became more frustrated at the delay. She wanted sleep. Why wasn’t Angel trying anything? How long was this going to take? Some people had to get up and work the next morning. How was she supposed to stay vigilant if she was too tired to do it?
This was ridiculous. She couldn’t afford to stay up all night long waiting for something to happen. What was Angel’s plan? Lull her into a false sense of security? Did Angel want her to sleep through her own seduction?
Then Kim had a revelation. She finally understood. It changed everything.
Angel wanted the bed to get a comfortable night’s sleep.
So that was it. Kim wanted to kick herself, but was too tired to do it.
As she slipped into unconsciousness, she wondered if she’d wake up the next morning with Angel spooned against her or if she’d be spooned up against Angel.
She resolved right then to be outraged in either case.
Chapter Seventeen
"How did you sleep last night?" Angel asked. Her arms rested on the dining room table, a glass of water off to one side.
"Not well," Kim grumbled.
"Was something wrong?"
Kim gave Angel a bleary half lidded glare. "Well, you didn’t try to seduce me,” she remarked. “That was something."
Today was a day for caffeine. On mornings like this one, Kim typically relied on Mountain Dew to get her going. Coffee made a decent caffeine substitute, but she’d never developed a taste for it.
Kim wrenched open the refrigerator and peered inside. Not much left, but it would be enough to sustain her. She took the half-empty twenty ounce bottle and poured a generous amount of the life-sustaining caffeine into her orange juice.
Angel deliberately waited until the precise moment when Kim started to drink. "You wanted me to seduce you?"
Kim tried to control her coughing fit. Eager to assist, Angel took a position behind her and started thumping her back in an ineffective manner until Kim recovered enough to scramble away and put herself on the far side of the table.
Now fully awake, she retorted, "I’m not saying I wanted you to do it. I was just expecting you to do it.”
Angel drew herself up and tried for the emotion indignant. “I told you after you agreed to share your bed, I had no intention of--”
“Yes, yes, I know what you told me.” Kim picked up her glass again and risked taking a sip. “But I still thought you might.”
That gave Angel pause. She backed down. “Oh.”
Kim sighed. “It isn’t your fault, Angel."
"I didn’t realize."
"Like I said, not your fault. It’s just frustrating, that’s all. I spent half the night thinking about it."
"Hmm..."
Kim’s cell phone alarm went off. She silenced it with a grimace. The alarm was set to remind her when she only had a few minutes remaining before she needed to leave for work. This morning she’d been dragging so much she hadn’t even considered breakfast. She decided it didn’t matter and headed for the door.
Angel followed her. Kim paid her no attention, having already begun her mental checklist. Sunglasses, cell phone... "Where are the keys?" she asked aloud, not expecting an answer.
"I have them," Angel told her. She pressed them into Kim's hands and kissed her.
Kim barely had time to blink before it was over. "What was that for?" she asked, surprised.
"For goodbye."
Kim’s breath caught. "You’re leaving?"
"No, you are. That was a goodbye kiss. I’ll see you after work, tonight."
"I wasn’t…I didn’t…"
Angel smiled. "You weren’t ready? I’ll try again," she said, and did so.
This one lasted a bit longer. Kim broke the kiss herself, mostly irritated. "That’s not what I meant. Why are you doing it in the first place?"
"It occurred to me we didn’t share a goodnight kiss last night, and I wanted to correct that oversight. Also, I enjoy kissing you," Angel said, still smiling. She took advantage of Kim’s stunned expression and kissed her again, this time with a lot more passion.
Kim had to grasp Angel to steady herself. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or maybe the kisses were having a cumulative effect. In either case, Kim couldn't bring herself to stop it. Everything faded away. All that mattered to her was Angel, and the warm, blissful feeling welling up within her.
When it ended, Angel stepped away, her hands behind her back in a demure pose. “You should leave for work.”
Kim fled, her mind in turmoil.
Chapter Eighteen
Lucy and Joe were at the coffee machine. Their conversation stopped as Kim approached. She still didn’t like coffe
e, but today she needed the caffeine.
Kim ignored their looks and snapped up one of the cheap Styrofoam cups. After pouring her coffee, she added sugar and creamer, added more sugar, stirred, gingerly sipped it, winced, and added more coffee.
Typical. It was always impossible to get the measurements right the first time, and today was no exception. That was one of the reasons she preferred pre-prepared caffeinated drinks. No guessing was necessary.
"You look exhausted," Joe pointed out.
"That’s because I’m tired," Kim replied, not in the mood for games. She took another sip, winced, and took another.
"Did your girlfriend keep you up all night?" he asked, grinning.
"Yes, she did. And she’s not my girlfriend!"
"She did?"
"If you must know, she wasn’t deliberately trying to keep me up half the night. I just misunderstood what she wanted."
"What did you think she wanted?"
Kim stammered at the accusation and glowered murderously at Joe. "Get your mind out of the gutter."
She stormed off in a huff. Lucy and Joe watched her go.
"Did Kim just admit to something?" asked Lucy.
"I...I’m not sure."
Chapter Nineteen
Kim returned from lunch to find a message waiting for her on her desk. It was from Marsha, the new bane of her existence. The message itself was cryptic, asking only for Kim to see her at her earliest convenience.
She crumpled the note in her hand.
Subtle messages were out of character for Marsha. There had to be a reason behind her actions. Whatever the reason, it wouldn’t be good.
The front reception desk was set up as part of a giant semicircle, facing the main entrance to the building. The back opened to the rest of the office. This was where Marsha spent the majority of her time, lurking, when she wasn’t socializing.
There was a security door to the side which Marsha controlled, but its use was meant only for visitors who didn’t know the multitudes of other ways into the office area.
