by Jay, Donna
“Hey, Kate.” Lucy extended a hand and the woman practically glowed.
Kate, Kate, Kate; average height, average build, average looks.
That’s it! Plain Jane, the woman from Paula’s ill-fated party.
Could this day get any more bizarre?
Kelly’s head spun, it wasn’t even nine-thirty and two women from that night were standing before her.
“Nice to see you,” Kate said, holding Lucy’s hand far longer than necessary in Kelly’s opinion.
“Do you come here often?” Kate’s gaze roamed over Lucy’s body.
Resisting the urge to groan at the lame pick-up line, Kelly cleared her throat, a not so subtle reminder they weren’t alone.
Kate released Lucy’s hand and turned her attention to Kelly. “Flat white, thanks.” Her voice was as flat as her order.
Before Kelly could feel affronted, Kate’s eyebrows shot up. She waggled her fingers. “We’ve met, haven’t we?” Her hand stilled, finger pointed to the ceiling. “No, don’t tell me.”
Her animated gestures and the change of her tone from flat to vibrant, amused Kelly and she found herself grinning. For the first time, she understood why this woman had no shortage of bed partners. Like Lucy, Kate had charisma.
In the back of her mind, Kelly hoped that was where their similarities ended. Even though Kelly had no claim over Lucy, for some reason, the thought of Lucy bed hopping was unsettling.
On second thoughts, she wouldn’t mind if Kate and Lucy had one other thing in common. What if, like Kate, Lucy was bisexual?
Kelly squashed that line of thought, not only was she setting herself up for disappointment, but the prospect of dating someone who slept with both men and women had never crossed her mind. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the insecurities that might go hand in hand with doing so.
“Kelly.” Kate snapped her fingers, startling Kelly out of her reverie.
The conviction in her voice, and gleeful look on her face, reminded Kelly of someone who’d just declared the winning answer on a game show.
“That’s me,” Kelly said over the hiss of the coffee machine.
“Have here or take away?” Kelly kept her gaze to her customer, Kate, but she could feel Lucy’s eyes on her like a physical touch.
“Take away, I have to dash. I normally get my coffee in the plaza. No offense, Kelly. I’m sure yours is to die for.”
Kate winked and Kelly blushed unsure if she was supposed to pick up on an underlying innuendo, or if the comment had been innocent.
“I’m meeting one of my clients on his own turf this morning. I’m trying to get him to join the twenty-first century and start using a cloud based accounting system. And, if my mouth doesn’t stop getting away on me, I’m going to be late.”
Lucy chuckled.
Kelly smiled, handing Kate her coffee to-go.
Kate leaned in and like an invisible force drawing them all together, Lucy and Kelly huddled closer.
“The cost of this.” Kate tapped the side of her Styrofoam cup and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper, “Will be buried amongst his bill for my services.”
Is that legal?
“You do know Lucy’s an auditor?” Kelly said, not sure if she was trying to help Kate or dump her in it.
Unfazed, Kate replied, “I didn’t, but I do now.” She looked at her watch. “Shit, I’ve gotta fly. How about we catch up for a drink after work?”
Given the question appeared to be directed at Lucy, Kelly held her tongue, and her breath.
“I’d like that,” Lucy replied, her voice soft, her smile sinfully sexy.
A foreign, unwelcome emotion bubbled up inside Kelly, jealousy .
“What about you, Kelly?” Lucy asked.
She’s just being polite , the green eyed-monster mumbled in Kelly’s head.
Before Kelly could torment herself any further, Jacinta came barrelling through the doors separating the kitchen from the café.
“Oh my God, sorry I’m late. The car wouldn’t start.” She glanced around nervously while tying her apron strings. “Is the boss here yet?”
Ignoring Jacinta’s meltdown, Kate headed for the door hollering over her shoulder, “See you tonight, Aquaba at seven.” And with that, she was gone.
“What was that all about,” Jacinta asked before her gaze landed on Lucy.
She straightened her spine, and put on her most welcoming smile. “Sorry, Miss. I didn’t see you there. Can I get you something or has Kelly already taken your order?”
“She’s here on business,” Kelly replied, beating Lucy to the punch.
A pang of remorse rippled through Kelly when Lucy snapped her mouth shut. She hadn’t meant to speak on Lucy’s behalf, but she didn’t know if the staff were fully aware of why Lucy was there.
Keen to get a move along, Kelly made introductions. “Lucy, Jacinta.” She turned to Jacinta. “Jacinta, Lucy.”
Lucy waved at Jacinta. “Nice to meet you.” She glanced at Kelly. “And yes, your co-worker has already taken my order. Shall we?” She picked up her briefcase.
Wide-eyed, Jacinta cupped her hands around her jaw and mouthed, “Go for it. She’s hot.”
Biting back a grin, Kelly put a finger under Jacinta’s chin, pushed her mouth shut, and whispered into her ear, “Don’t go there.” As an afterthought she added, “Remember, the lady’s here on business.”
On their way upstairs, Lucy turned to Kelly. “To repeat Jacinta’s words, what was that about?”
“Oh, I was just telling her not to forget to fill the pie warmer, and to come and get me if she needs any help.”
“Right, and I’m here to check the plumbing.”
Unable to help herself, Kelly waggled her eyebrows. “Really? Last time I checked my plumbing worked just fine, but I’m happy to take a second opinion.”
When Lucy faltered mid-step, alarm shot through Kelly. Had she gone too far? What the hell was she thinking? God, they hadn’t even made it to the office and she was flirting like a shameless hussy.
As Kelly’s foot hit the next step, relief swept over her when Lucy’s laughter rang out. She released the breath she’d been holding and exhaled a nervous giggle.
“You’re incorrigible,” Lucy said, still chuckling as they reached the landing.
Vowing to herself to act more professional, and prove to her boss she was worthy of being assigned the task at hand, Kelly unlocked the office and ushered Lucy in ahead of her.
The room was small but functional. A large desk dominated the left-hand side, and two filing cabinets took up the right. Kelly wrinkled her nose, it also smelled musty.
“Speaking of your plumbing, are you going to join me and Kate for a drink tonight?”
As much as Kelly was tempted to jump at the opportunity to spend more time with Lucy, she refused to play third wheel .
“She invited you, not me,” Kelly stated as she strode across the office to let in some much-needed fresh air.
She pushed open the window and inhaled the crisp spring air, along with lingering fumes of early morning traffic.
“Don’t play coy, Kelly. It’s not very becoming.”
The reprimand was like a slap in the face. She wasn’t playing coy, she wasn’t playing anything. Kelly didn’t play mind games. Prepared to defend herself, Kelly pivoted.
The warm smile that greeted her made her forget what she’d been about to say. Instead, she blurted out what had been on her mind since Kate waltzed into the café and sized up Lucy.
“She’s hot for you.”
That goddamn alluring smile, the one that set Kelly’s insides on fire, slid onto Lucy’s face.
Without a word, she clicked open her briefcase, got what she needed and sat behind the desk, looking every bit like she belonged there.
Kelly leaned back against the filing cabinet, the cool metal a stark contrast to the heat simmering low in her belly.
The hard drive whirred as Lucy hit the power button. “Password?”
“Huh?” Kelly asked, sounding like an imbecile and hating herself for it.
When the fog lifted, Lucy’s request hit home. Kelly gave her the temporary password Jennifer had assigned for the auditor.
“I figured I might as well boot up the computer so I can start gathering the data I need while we talk.”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t keep you.”
“It’s okay, I’ve been known to multi-task. Apparently, it’s a woman thing.”
Kelly chuckled. “So I’ve heard.”
Doing her own bit of multi-tasking, if talking and working could be considered as such, Kelly pulled out the small gold key Jennifer had entrusted her with and turned to the personnel files.
“I’ve known Kate for some time now.” Lucy’s voice drifted over Kelly’s shoulder. “While Paula pretends to be understanding of Kate’s lifestyle, in going so far as to invite her to the occasional party, it’s painfully obvious that Paula’s extremely uncomfortable around Kate. However, I get her.”
Kelly’s stomach went into free fall. How much did Lucy get Kate, and on what level? She fumbled with the lock on the filing cabinet, unsure if she wanted to look Lucy in the eye when she said whatever was coming next.
“What I love about Kate is she’s unapologetic about her desires,” Lucy said, her tone matter of fact. “She doesn’t string anyone along. She loves men and women in all shapes and forms. If she’s not hurting anyone, I say all power to her.”
The green-eyed monster reared its ugly head again. Was Lucy one of Kate’s conquests?
As if reading Kelly’s thoughts, Lucy put her mind at ease.
“Kate flirts with me, it’s in her nature. But her playful manner is harmless. She hasn’t overstepped any boundaries since I turned her down.”
Did Kate have no shame? Surely most people checked their gaydar, or bi-dar, if that was even a word, before coming onto someone .
Annoyed on behalf of Lucy, Kelly yanked the key out of the filing cabinet and spun around.
“She hit on you?”
Lucy mock pouted and looked down at her body. “Is that so hard to believe?”
Kelly tried hard not to stare at the cleavage Lucy had unwittingly drawn her gaze too.
“No, that’s not what I meant. Weren’t you offended?”
“I was flattered, actually.”
Trying to understand, Kelly pursed her lips. “Do you like it when women come onto you?”
“You know what, Kelly?” A look Kelly couldn’t decipher glistened in Lucy’s eyes.
It was a cross between sassy and sultry, and it held Kelly captive. She couldn’t look away even if she wanted to.
“The last time you dangled that hook, the night of Paula’s party, I had the most bizarre dream.” She paused then added, “And you were in it. Crazy, huh?”
Lucy cocked her head to the side as if daring Kelly to say something .
With her heart lodged firmly in her throat, Kelly shrugged, feigning a calmness she didn’t feel. “Dreams, they’re weird.”
Elbows on the desk, chin on her hands, Lucy stared at Kelly, her gaze so intense Kelly broke out in a cold sweat.
“Ever had a dream so vivid you could’ve sworn it was real?” Lucy leaned back in the chair.
What the ever-loving fuck?
Heat flared in Kelly’s cheeks and guilt gnawed at her conscience. She had no way of knowing if Lucy was making general conversation or digging for more.
Kelly had to get out of there, and fast. The last thing she needed was to draw another incorrect conclusion and embarrass herself.
“Can’t say I have.” Kelly shrugged off the question. “I better go check on Jacinta. Holler if you need anything.”
“I will.” Lucy picked up a pen and Kelly strode toward the door.
“Oh, and Kelly.”
Hand poised on the doorknob, Kelly froze, cold dread chilling her to the bone.
“Don’t forget my coffee and muffin. See you at ten.”
***
The next hour and a half went by painfully slow yet way too fast. Kelly hadn’t watched the clock at work for longer than she could remember. She loved her job and was never in a hurry to leave.
As much as she wanted to dismiss Lucy’s comments as general chit-chat, every time Kelly thought about what Lucy had said, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. No matter how often Kelly told herself she was projecting, she couldn’t shake the feeling.
When the clock struck ten, butterflies took flight in her belly. For a minute, Kelly considered asking Jacinta, or the kitchen hand, Benjamin, to deliver Lucy’s order. But not only would that be cowardice, it would also be letting her boss down.
Slipping back into the persona of barista, Kelly put a napkin and muffin on a plate then picked up a large mug.
Shit, how did Lucy have her coffee? Kelly racked her brain and came up blank. Had they even discussed that?
Reminding herself Lucy was there on business, and Kelly had a job to do, she bounded up the stairs. The door was ajar, so Kelly didn’t bother knocking.
The sight that greeted her was incredibly inappropriate yet oh so right.
A delicious throb pulsed between Kelly’s legs as she savoured the sight filling her vision.
Lucy was on all fours, head under the desk, backside in the air, mumbling under her breath.
Urges Kelly had tried to suppress bubbled to the surface. Images of grabbing the ruler off the desk and cracking it across Lucy’s backside flooded her mind, closely followed by Kelly dropping to her knees and caressing the tender globes.
“Gotcha,” Lucy declared triumphantly.
Not wanting to be caught ogling, Kelly backed up, straight into the doorjamb. The sharp edge bit into her shoulder and the door let out an almighty creak.
Busted.
“Damn,” Kelly cursed under her breath .
Still on all fours, Lucy glanced over her shoulder. When her gaze landed on Kelly she smiled, backed up, and slowly climbed to her feet.
“Pen.” She held it between them as if to explain why she’d been crawling around on the floor.
Relieved Lucy hadn’t called her out for staring at her backside, Kelly pointed to the desk. “There are spares in the drawer, you know?”
A wry smile spread across Lucy’s face. “I figured there might be. But, Kelly, I try not to make a habit of putting my hand into someone’s drawers without their permission.”
Fuck, fuck, fuckitty, fuck.
Another comment that could have an underlying message, or be totally innocent.
The twinkle in Lucy’s sparkling green eyes suggested the former. If they kept up this dance, Kelly would be a nervous wreck long before her shift was over.
Taking a huge gamble, Kelly put Lucy on the spot.
“If there’s something on your mind, Lucy, just come out with it. ”
“Okay.” Lucy straightened some papers, banging them on the desk. “I have what I need from the employee files so you can lock those.”
Just like that, they were back to business. Kelly didn’t know whether to laugh or scowl. She did neither. If that was how Lucy wanted to play it, Kelly would do the same. She locked the filing cabinet then turned back to Lucy.
“How do you have your coffee?”
“Two and moo, thanks.”
The woman was irresistible. A single comment and Kelly went from brooding to laughing.
“Milk and sugar, or soy and sweetener?”
“I like the real deal.” Lucy gave Kelly a pointed look.
“Me too,” Kelly replied, trying not to read more into the words than intended.
The rest of the day went by like clockwork. Jennifer came in for a few hours in the afternoon, which meant Kelly had no good reason to return upstairs.
When four o’clock rolled around, Kelly slipped out the backdoor, relieved and disappointed at the same time that she didn’t see Lucy as she exited.
Chapter 13
Home alone, Kelly almost drove herself insane with th
oughts of Lucy. She had it bad for someone she had no right to be crushing on.
Lucy lived with Kelly’s ex-girlfriend, Paula, for goodness sake, and Kelly still didn’t know if Lucy was even into women. The two times she’d hinted for information, Lucy had turned the question back on Kelly.
And if that wasn’t enough, there was the bigger issue Kelly couldn’t ignore. Was Lucy the mysterious woman who’d haunted Kelly’s dreams since the night of Paula’s party, and, if so, what the hell was she supposed to do about it?
The second Nicole stepped foot inside at seven, Kelly leapt to her feet and gave her a quick hug. “Thank goodness you’re home. Where have you been?”
Giggling, Nicole kissed her on the cheek. “Love you too.”
A hint of alcohol lingered on Nicole’s breath.
“I’ve been at Fitzherbert Park. You know Steve plays hockey on Tuesday nights.” Nicole narrowed her eyes. “Why, what’s going on?”
Caught up in her own misery, that detail had totally slipped Kelly’s mind. Come to think of it, Nicole often stayed at Steve’s on a Tuesday night, so she was damn lucky Nicole was standing before her, eyeing Kelly curiously.
Taking a minute to let her flatmate dump her handbag and kick off her shoes, Kelly headed for the kitchen. “What are you doing home? Have you had dinner?”
After hanging up her car keys, Nicole followed Kelly to the fridge and nudged her aside. “Yep, I had some pizza.” She yanked open the door and pulled out a bottle of wine.
“We all went back to Gary’s after the game. I got stuck with his airhead girlfriend. She talks like, you know, like one hundred miles an hour, like, oh my God, like, did you see the shot Gary took? Like, I nearly peed my pants. Like, it was way cool…”
Nicole stuck a finger in her mouth and gagged.
Her own dramas temporarily on-hold, Kelly chuckled. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly.” Nicole held up the bottle and Kelly nodded. “I downed half a glass of wine, then used the excuse I had to drive to get the hell out of there.”
Kelly took the glass Nicole handed her and they walked side by side back into the living room.
“What about Steve?” Kelly asked.
