Mad About Her

by Serenity Snow

  Evernight Publishing ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2016 Serenity Snow

  ISBN: 978-1-77233-719-8

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: Katelyn Uplinger

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  MAD ABOUT HER

  Serenity Snow

  Copyright © 2016

  Prologue

  “I told you I couldn’t see you tonight,” the tone was patient despite the slight edge.

  Chloe Driver set the bag of groceries she was carrying down next to the door of the apartment she shared with her girlfriend and slowly headed toward the bedroom. The door must be open for her to be able to hear the conversation so easily.

  She heard a heavy sigh as she leaned against the wall out of sight of the crack in the door.

  “The other night meant nothing,” her girlfriend murmured.

  Pain lanced Chloe’s heart as her eyes widened and rage fired in her belly. She knew her girlfriend had been late for a reason and it had nothing to do with contract negotiations. Still, despite the perfume she’d smelled on her a few nights ago, and the lipstick on her collar she’d wanted to trust.

  Chloe had put aside the pain that twisted in her gut telling her this woman was cheating on her. The fear had simmered inside her, eating away at her, and last night when her lover had gone out, Chloe had fought herself not to follow her to see if she had really been going to her office to grab a flash drive she needed.

  Chloe’s heart had fractured as she waited, counting the minutes it took to get there and back. She had expected her to come right back as she’d promised because when her woman made a promise, she kept it. However, it had taken longer than it should have. She supposed she knew why.

  “Are you listening to me? … No. There is nothing between us. I’m seeing someone, and

  I—”

  Not anymore, Chloe thought as tears swelled inside her. She couldn’t allow this to continue to happen. She wasn’t second best or the fallback girl. She deserved better.

  “Listen to me, I’m not interested in continuing that,” she said. “Now, I have to go. My girlfriend will be home any moment, and I don’t want her to get the idea that this was more than it is.”

  Chloe drew in a deep breath and exhaled before pushing the bedroom door open wider. Her lover was wrapped in a towel on a badly rumpled bed that Chloe had straightened this morning before she’d left. Chloe’s fingers clenched in aching need to caress the creamy brown skin of her shoulders and nape. It was so soft and smooth beneath her hand.

  “Chloe.”

  “It’s too late. Your girlfriend already got the wrong idea!” she said through clenched teeth. “I want you to get out. It’s over!”

  “That conversation wasn’t what it sounded like,” she said calmly.

  “Oh no?” Chloe laughed on the brink of hysteria. “What about the bed? I thought you were working late,” she snarled. Her gaze went over the bed and the ghost of her last girlfriend came back to haunt her. She’d had women in their bed too. “How could you fuck someone in our bed?”

  “No one was here, baby, I promise,” her lover answered softly as she got to her feet.

  “Get. Out.” Chloe threw her car keys at her girlfriend’s head, and she caught them deftly before wincing.

  “Damn girl, why are you being so dramatic? There was no one here.”

  “I’m not blind,” Chloe screamed enraged that her trust had been thrown back in her face. “Whose panties are those on the floor?” Her voice was shrill as hurt gnawed at her and tears slid down her cheeks. Chloe watched her now ex discard the towel on the carpeted floor as she padded to the dresser. Her long lean body was clean lines with sleek muscle. “Why was I not enough for you?”

  “You are, baby. I was just talking to an asshole who was trying to screw over me on contract—”

  “Liar,” she snapped. “Hurry up.” The other woman dressed quickly and retrieved a bag from the closet. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting my shit,” she told Chloe coolly. “I have to have something to wear, Chloe.”

  “Don’t be here when I get back.” She stalked over to the dresser and snatched her keys from it and stomped from the apartment. She dashed away the hot tears burning their way down her cheeks as her heart broke into a thousand pieces.

  Chapter One

  Three weeks later, from the air conditioned car, Chloe stared up at the sign on the three- story brick building with her stomach in knots and her shoulders rising and falling rapidly. The long narrow windows at the front of the building were smoky gray disallowing a view inside.

  She’d only been inside Superfine Studio once after hours, but she knew the floors were all a beautiful blond wood and there was a gorgeous female receptionist at the front counter. That wasn’t why she was so terrified of going in.

  She wasn’t afraid, she chastised herself. She was simply not of the mind to step foot in the place even though she’d come here to do a job, not patronize the business. She had to get the story on the owner as part of a series on lesbian businesswomen her magazine was doing.

  It didn’t surprise her that her boss wanted to lift back the blinders that covered the eyes of the residents of the city. It was LGBT but it was gay men people automatically seemed to think about when it came to the alternative gender community. Her boss wanted to change that.

  Chloe blew out a loud breath and turned off the engine. She had to go in there whether she wanted to or not. She drew in another breath and exhaled it out slowly.

  “Okay.” She smoothed her fingers over her dark brown hair as she gave her reflection a critical look in the mirror. “Doesn’t matter what she thinks of you,” she told herself and then grabbed her purse and made sure her recorder was inside. Then, Chloe climbed out. With her chin up, she strode up to the front door.

  The receptionist looked up immediately with a smile plastered on her pretty face. “Good morning, welcome to Superfine.” Her voice was soft and inviting.

  “Hi. I have an appointment with Ms. McMasters.”

  “Okay,” she said and her green gaze slid to the monitor on her desk. “You’re the eleven o’clock.” She turned that smile on Chloe again. “If you’ll just have a seat, I’ll let you know when she’s ready.”

  “Thank you.” Chloe forced her lips to hold their smile despite her rioting emotions.

  “Angeline, give me ten and then send the reporter back.” Chloe’s heart skipped at the sound of that sexy voice. It was all business but it sent heat racing through her body and made her pussy clench.

  “Yes, Ms. McMasters.” Angeline smiled at Chloe. “Take the elevator up to the second floor in ten minutes. It’s just over there next to the windows.” She pointed with a well manicured hand, the nails decorated in red and black checks.

  “Thank you.” She took a seat in one of the plush chairs in the carpeted reception area and checked her phone for messages. Then, Chloe ran through the questions she planned to ask. By the time she’d gone through them, it was time for her to take that elevator ride.

  Chloe stepped off the elevator in a quiet corridor and looked from one end to the other. She had no idea where the office was. The one time she’d been here, she’d been taken up to the third floor for a photo session.

  “Hello, Chloe.”

&n
bsp; She turned slowly, her stomach fluttering even as anger flared inside her. Her gaze met the copper one of her ex, Darice McMasters. Darice had sheared off her already short hair into a shorter cut she’d seen on black men. The style brought all attention straight to her high cheekbones and long-lashed eyes. The cut enhanced the feminine beauty of Darice’s face rather than detracting from it.

  “Darice.” It came out husky and breathless. Chloe cursed herself for not being in better control of her rioting emotions. It had only been three weeks since the breakup though. She was allowed to still be a mess, to still be affected by the sheer sensuality of Darice. Chloe cleared her throat. “Shall we get started?”

  “I see no reason why not,” Darice said in a tone that was all business and Chloe supposed even though she was still trying to get over her ex, Darice was already getting over her. “This way.” She motioned with her hand. Chloe drew in a breath despite the pain in her chest and hurried past Darice. How was she going to get through this? She’d have preferred anger to the cool statue striding behind her.

  “Would you like something to drink, Chloe?” Darice asked in that low, smooth as silk voice.

  “No.” She stepped into an office awash in sunshine as the rustic wood shudders had been thrown open. The desk was stashed in a corner and next to it a bookshelf lounged against the wall. Across the room near one of the narrow windows was an angled work table and a seating area with loveseat, chaise, and coffee table sprawled across from it.

  “Have a seat then and we’ll get started,” Darice said. “Nice earrings by the way.”

  “Oh. Thanks.” Chloe took the loveseat and opened her purse and removed the recorder. She didn’t even remember where she’d gotten them, but she loved them and wore them pretty often. “I might need to meet with you again. Will that be okay?”

  Darice cocked a brow at her. “Naturally,” she replied evenly. “I think it’s a great idea your boss has to do this. The magazine is so much about the superficial side of being a lesbian. I hope she has a full series of articles planned that will show the world that we’re multi-faceted human beings rather than man-haters.”

  “That’s what she’s thinking, and pretty much every reporter agrees,” Chloe answered excitedly and her gaze slid over Darice who was still standing. Her tailored navy pants hung perfectly on her body with her lemon-yellow blouse falling inches over the waistband. The sleeves were rolled up revealing that leather bracelet with the heart charm Chloe had given her three months ago. “More of these articles are in the works.”

  “I look forward to reading them,” Darice said as she crossed the room and grabbed her chair from the work table.

  Chloe’s heart sank when Darice sat in that chair instead of sitting next to her. She missed her so much and still hadn’t brought herself to pack up the rest of Darice’s stuff. She liked being surrounded by it even though it wasn’t helping her to move on.

  “Okay. Let’s get started. I have a shoot in twenty minutes.”

  “That won’t be enough time,” Chloe protested. Not enough time to bask in her company, to be with her.

  “Yes it will,” Darice said, her tone still cool.

  “Fine I’ll make the most of my twenty minutes then,” Chloe rebutted angrily.

  Darice gave her a mocking stare and calmly replied, “First question?”

  “Do you mind if I use a recorder?” Chloe asked stiffly.

  Darice shrugged. “Of course not,” she answered. “I know you like having the tape to fall back on or in case someone tries to accuse you of slander.”

  That was true. Darice knew her pretty well because she’d never hesitated to answer questions about herself or her family. Unlike Darice who never talked about her family or her past. Those things were hidden behind a closed door and whenever Chloe brought either up Darice changed the subject fast or left the room.

  “Did you always want to be a photographer?” Chloe asked.

  “I was ten when I developed my fascination with cameras,” Darice murmured and smiled fondly as if she were thinking of a lover. “I knew the camera would figure prominently in whatever I did for a living.”

  “How does being a lesbian affect your professional life?”

  “It doesn’t normally, but I am out and all of my clients know that I’m active in the LGBT community. So, occasionally, I’ll get a shoot for a female magazine, and the very straight little girls will think I’m watching their little asses. Men aren’t much better. They think all I need is a good fuck. So, they come on strong like they’re the Superman that’s going to change me. I lost a big account with a magazine last week because I punched the prick-assed model for touching me.”

  “Darice!” Darice wasn’t fond of strangers touching her. “Is he suing you?”

  Darice shrugged carelessly. “He was going to, but then I casually reminded him that the business he’s in is iffy. A woman crying rape—a gay photographer no less, just might cost him some jobs, especially if I sued the magazine.”

  “He was groping you?”

  “It happens with men and women,” Darice answered coolly. “But they all usually get the point pretty quickly. Beyond what happens in here, I still have to deal with the jerks who think they can screw me over in a contract because I’m a woman. Some men don’t want to deal with me because they’re intimidated by strong women.”

  “So, you’d say that being a lesbian has as many challenges professionally as being a straight woman?”

  “Sweetheart, being a strong woman is always a challenge professionally. With strongwomen, it’s just business as usual. They want to be the top dog in the arena, to prove themselves to their bosses, so I have to play negotiations like a chess game.”

  Chloe frowned. She’d always thought Darice was lying about negotiations running long and men acting like asses. “Do you sleep with your clients?”

  “I’ve slept with some of the women I’ve done business with, but not while I was with you, Chloe,” she murmured. “But you never believed that.”

  “Because I found lipstick on your collar and you smelled like some other woman’s perfume. Not just once,” she snapped. “What was I supposed to think?”

  “Next question?”

  There was so much coldness in the question that pain cut through Chloe like a laser. She had been looking forward to doing this story as much as she’d feared it. She’d hoped to get answers, an apology, or a request to come back home. All she got was a chill.

  Chloe glared at her, her stomach twisting into knots. Darice hadn’t argued when she’d thrown her out that had said it all. So, why had she held out that slim hope of having any kind of relationship with a woman that would just keep breaking her heart?

  “You’re a photographer. What kind of contracts other than magazine shoots do you have?”

  “Well, SuperFine is built on the base business of photography. We handle everything from portraits and senior class spreads, to sexy photo shoots for individuals and couples. However, I make commercials—mostly for small companies and we do book trailers for writers. The commercials bring in the most money.”

  “Oh.” She’d had no idea that Darice was so multi-talented because Darice didn’t brag or talk too much about her work. She was always doing the talking about her day or the trip she had to make out of town for a story.

  “I don’t know much about the world of commercials, but it seems it still might be a man’s world.”

  “In this city, the business is dominated by men,” Darice answered with a shrug.

  “It’s a boy’s club?”

  “It’s a white boys club which made it harder for me as a lesbian woman to get respect, but I’ve paid my dues. My colleagues respect my abilities as a director. They know when competing against me for a contract, they better bring their A game.”

  Chloe asked a few more questions before saying, “Umm, Darice, would it be okay if I sat in on a shoot and maybe talk to your client?”

  “Not this one. It’s a closed shoot,”
she said with a shake of her head.

  “Oh. Well, one more question?”

  Darice got to her feet and pushed her hands into the pockets of her slacks. “Go.”

  She stood there with an expression so bland, so without emotion, Chloe wanted to slap her. It was like they’d never meant anything to each other. “Do you employ straight women too?”

  “Straight men and women,” she said. “I like to hire from the LGBT community when I can, but I don’t discriminate. Well, our time is up. It was good seeing you, Chloe.” She gave Chloe a nod and headed out of the room without hesitating, without a look back.

  Chloe stared after her, her heart clenching, and tears filling her eyes as her heart broke all over again.

  Chapter Two

  Chloe stared out into the shimmering blue water of the large swimming pool in her best friend Simone Turner’s backyard. She wrapped her arms around her waist as pain played through her, a melancholy melody.

  A faint breeze blew her hair around her face, and she brushed it back with an impatient hand.

  “I’m glad you came over,” Simone said as she came to join her. “It’s about time you started getting out again”

  “It’s only been three weeks, Simone,” she said softly and turned her gaze on her friend. She and Simone had been friends since high school, and had gone to college together.

  “How are you?” Simone asked gently stopping beside her.

  Chloe shrugged. “I’m struggling,” she admitted. She swallowed tightly. “Seeing her today didn’t make it any better.” She missed Darice, and she missed the warmth that filled their apartment. Darice was a bit of a workaholic. She was sort of reserved, yet they’d manage to build a relationship on trust and respect. Their home had been a sanctuary filled with laughter and affection.