Rest and Relaxation (Lesbian Romance)

by Rhavensfyre

  Seriously, she has my kindle, my mug, and my dog? Dani thought, more than a little peeved as she rummaged around in the cabinets for another mug and poured her coffee into that. When she told Allyse to use whatever she needed yesterday, she didn’t realize the offer would extend quite so far. Hell, it even said Dani's mug right on it in big bold letters across the side. Jay had given it to her when she kept stealing his mug in the mornings, and the personalized mug was one of the things she treasured from her time with her uncle.

  Dani thunked the offending mug down on the table and sat down, then took her first sip. Despite herself, she hummed in pleasure. This was way better than the coffee she made. Her coffee was strong and black and could hold a spoon upright in a mug all by itself, but it was not anywhere near what you could call good.

  Erick had blamed her coffee for his hairy chest and Jay said it made his hair fall out from the jitters it inspired. Dani had pointed out that she was neither hairy nor balding so it must just be them. Despite the consequences, Jay and Erick would gracefully accept her attempts to make them coffee every morning along with a healthy spoonful of sugar and a lot of creamer. She smiled in fond memory of the three of them drinking her coffee together in the mornings. They didn’t know that you weren’t supposed to give a thirteen-year-old coffee, but it had never stunted her growth so she really didn’t care.

  Dani laid her head on the table with the mug still wrapped in her hands. That her position and frame of mind wasn’t much different from Callie’s beneath the kitchen table wasn’t completely lost on her.

  As Dani lay there and concentrated on the sensation of the cool wood pressing against her cheek and temple, she contemplated her bug’s eye view of the intricate wood pattern that spread out before her like a map. Another intense yawn cracked her jaw, blinding her to the world for a second. The steam rising from her generic ceramic mug reminded her of the occasional cigar her uncle would smoke. She wondered what it would be like if she could simply inhale her caffeine. It would be so much easier than raising her head to drink.

  Allyse looked up from the kindle and raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I understand how a farm works, but don’t farmers usually get up at the crack of dawn?”

  “They do, but I don’t,” Dani mumbled. She was serious, too. She really hated mornings. It was a good thing she could afford to hire help. She always kept at least one assistant trainer and two barn helpers on the payroll. It was their job to get up early, not hers. The horses would have had to learn to get their own grain out of the storage bin each morning if she had to do it all by herself. Of course, she had a couple of sly ones that managed to pull that stunt off once in a while all on their own.

  Once, she had left an entire month of horse feed overnight in the back of the truck when she had gotten home late and tired. She had woke up in the middle of the night to a strange noise and found two of her escape artists happily munching out of the impromptu grain bin that they had made out of the bed of her pickup truck. After having to closely watch them for twenty-four hours to make certain they wouldn’t colic, she made sure any grain deliveries were scheduled early enough to get the feed put up before everyone left for the day.

  “I could set an alarm for you if you’re planning on falling back asleep,” Allyse said, the sarcasm breaking through Dani’s semi-conscious reverie.

  Dani slow blinked before pushing her head up off of the hard surface of the table.

  Really? Dani thought incredulously. It was her kitchen. She could sleep in it if she wanted to.

  “It’s not that late,” Dani grumbled, slouching back into her chair in a barely vertical position so she could safely drink her coffee.

  “If you worked for me…” Allyse started, speaking in a way that would have made anyone at the receiving end of that cautioning tone tremble back in New York.

  “But I don’t.” Dani interrupted her without even bothering to look up. She finished her coffee in one long draught then stood up without warning. “Now, do you have a list of whatever you need so we can go get it today?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, let me go get changed and then we can head out.” Dani rinsed her coffee mug out in the sink then turned to leave. “And Allyse? Maybe next time you could ask before you borrow someone’s property.”

  Dani said her peace, then took off. She didn’t stop until she reached the privacy of her room. She hadn’t meant to snap at Allyse, but it was too damn early in the morning for someone to invade her personal space like that. Not to mention arbitrarily using her things and then getting after her about sleeping in like she had every right to judge how she ran her farm.

  Still, Erick would be mortified if he found out how she had treated his friend. More importantly, Jay would have been disappointed in her. Even if Allyse deserved it, it wasn’t good manners to point out a guest’s social failings. Dani had been a bit of a bitch and she knew it. She made a mental note to make it up to the other woman later, then started getting ready for her day.

  ***

  Allyse sat there in stunned silence as the younger woman walked away without another word. Allyse certainly wasn't used to someone talking to her like that. Once she got past her initial reaction, she had to admit that Dani’s bravado was refreshing. She shouldn’t have jumped on the young woman like that. In fact, she felt ashamed that she had behaved the way she had. This was Dani’s house, and she had just taken over like she always did.

  She looked down at the comfortable little nest she had made for herself. The blackened screen of Dani’s Kindle held no answers, but the empty mug sitting next to it did. She turned the mug around so she could read the bold black letters. Dani’s mug. Jesus, she had been such an ass. So the question of the hour was, why?

  Something thumped beneath the table, then a wet nose pushed against her palm. Callie stared up at her with sympathetic brown eyes, then turned and followed behind Dani.

  Talking to Dani like one of the drones that worked for her hadn’t been one of her smartest moves. Allyse leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling.

  “What is wrong with me?” she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose to fend off the headache generating tension building there. She had fallen back on old behavior patterns because it was what she did to protect herself, especially when she was unsure or uncomfortable with a situation. It was so damned important for her to be the one in charge, the alpha female surrounded by fawning acolytes whose interests were always suspect.

  Allyse was used to being surrounded by beauty and outward perfection. She lived and breathed the industry every day of the week, even knowing that her world was filled with distorted souls and the grasping falsity of vacuous minds who filtered everything and everyone through a bloody sieve of opportunity. That attitude had kept her single and out of other women’s beds since her divorce. Now she was in the middle of nowhere with a woman who slept in late and lounged around in tattered clothing and Allyse didn’t know how to respond.

  Dani didn’t give a damn who Allyse was. As in, Dani knew Allyse was CEO of one of the biggest names in the fashion industry, and she still didn’t give a damn and that made her incredibly and unexpectedly attractive to her.

  Dani made her think of all the things she had imagined only abstractly and made her want to make them tangible. This had unsettled Allyse so much that she had reacted badly in order to mask her growing attraction. Allyse grimaced and shook her head, irritated at her bad behavior. Being Allyse De Leon was more of a curse than a blessing in the relationship department. If she wanted to get to know Dani better, she was going to have to learn to not be Allyse De Leon and just be Allyse. How do you stop embracing your own iconic image? She asked herself, then sighed. It had been so long since she had been just Allyse.

  The woman occupying all of her thoughts chose that moment to appear fully dressed for the day. She was wearing nicer jeans and black cowboy boots and had left the tattered old hoody upstairs. She had changed into a boldly patterned button down shirt th
at she had left open and unbuttoned over a plain tank top. Still too casual for Allyse’s urban sensibilities, but she wasn’t about to ruin things by failing to take her own advice.

  “You ready to go?” Dani asked, flashing a quick smile at her guest. She had come down stairs to find Allyse deep in thought, a slight frown marring Allyse’s otherwise smooth features. Dani stood unobserved for a moment, watching the other woman from the doorway. Allyse was so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn’t noticed Dani’s arrival until she announced herself, but she did a pretty good job of covering it up.

  Dani had to give it to her. She was a cool one. Allyse hadn’t even jumped at the sound of Dani’s voice, just turned her head and focused those odd green-grey eyes at her.

  The frown bothered Dani. She wasn’t used to having company. With the exception of Erick’s infrequent visits, she had the house to herself. There was no one to witness her morning rituals or expect her to be congenial, let alone talkative. Drinking her morning cup of coffee was her quiet time before she would go out and start her day. Her employee’s knew that unless there was an emergency, the farmhouse was off limits. Allyse didn’t know that, but she had borne the brunt of Dani’s morning grumpiness by simply being there.

  “Do you need to eat breakfast? I don’t want to rush you,” Allyse asked. “Naw, I’ll pick something up later. Can I see your list so I know where we should go?” Dani held her hand out, assuming a woman like Allyse would be organized and have taken the time to write everything down. She was right. Allyse handed her a piece of paper. Her elegant script swooped and dipped across the thick parchment in a well delineated list of needs. Dani smirked at the expressive writing style. Allyse certainly had no issues with self-esteem. Even if you had never met the woman, the bold swoops and heavy lines practically gave away Allyse’s personality.

  Dani’s own handwriting was barely legible, refusing to keep to the boundaries. There wasn’t much of a pattern to analyze and she liked to think that it reflected her creative nature. It was a nicer thought than admitting that she never cared enough to improve her handwriting skills in school.

  “Okay, we have two choices. Baltimore or Annapolis?” Please choose Annapolis, Dani thought to herself. “Which one would you prefer?”

  “Your choice, whatever is easiest for you.”

  “Annapolis, then. It’s farther away, but the atmosphere is better,” Dani said. Either place was a full day trip so the extra miles didn’t matter, but Annapolis was a bit more laid back. Baltimore was just too noisy and everyone was always in a hurry. It was just a stressful place to visit. Annapolis also had a rather large mall that carried some of the higher brand stores she thought Allyse would appreciate.

  Dani led them out to one of the barns and slid open the wide door. Allyse had been hanging back, no doubt expecting Dani to reveal some dilapidated old pickup from the pitch black interior. Dani enjoyed flipping the light switch on and watching Allyse’s face transform into surprised disbelief.

  “What? Did you expect old tractors and a rust-bucket truck?” Dani asked. She had converted the entire barn into a large garage where she kept her vehicles. Bright white florescent lights shone down on them from high in the rafters, revealing a short line of vehicles. There was a pickup, but it was far from dilapidated, and wasn’t what she had in mind for today. She bypassed the truck with an apologetic pat on its hood then stopped in front of her baby. Her Mustang rarely got to come out and play, but a trip to the city was just the excuse she needed to pull the bright yellow sports car out of the garage.

  “I’m not sure what I expected,” Allyse admitted. “She’s beautiful.”

  “Yeah, she is.” Dani lovingly ran her fingertips along one gleaming fender before opening the passenger door with a flourish.

  A playful smile and a wink made Allyse weak in the knees and separated Dani’s actions from those of a thousand other times someone opened her door for her. Dani wasn’t some unknown valet just doing their job for a tip, she was being downright gallant. It felt wonderful and strange and she wanted more of the same.

  Allyse admired the leather interior of the muscle car, the sleek lines looked powerful, and she had to admit to a slight thrill when Dani turned the key and the Mustang roared to life around her. Dani flipped her visor down and pulled out her sunglasses from their holder.

  Sliding them on with practiced ease, Dani turned and grinned at Allyse.

  “Ready?” She asked, shifting the car into first gear. She rolled out of the garage, keeping the tires rolling at a snail’s pace until she cleared the concrete block walls. Then she popped the stick into second gear so fast she could feel gravity pressing her back into the bucket seat. Dani gunned the powerful machine out her driveway, loving the feel of the engine growling with barely contained muscle. A quick sideways glance at her white knuckled passenger provided her with an entirely inappropriate sense of satisfaction that evolved into guilt. It was a childish way of getting back at Allyse for this morning, and that wasn’t how she wanted Allyse to see her. Dani slowed down a bit after that and didn’t take the corners quite as fast as she would have flying solo. She didn’t need Allyse suffering a heart attack because of her driving.

  ***

  “I’m not normally a mall person, but this one is actually pretty nice,” Allyse said, trying to charm Dani back into a conversation.

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

  “I am,” Allyse said, then detoured to the right. “This should be the last store.” Allyse’s heels sounded crisp against the marble flooring, matching the heavier click of Dani’s cowboy boots as they walked in. A few curious people stared at them as they passed, but Allyse couldn’t say whether they were simply being rude or if they were thinking the same thing she was. She caught their reflection in the mirror and tried to suppress an uncharacteristic giggle. She was mortified when a strangled half snort managed to escape and she clasped her hand over her mouth before Dani’s expression made her lose it completely.

  “What’s so funny?” Dani asked.

  “Look.” Allyse pointed at their reflection and then nodded at the store clerk. “I wonder what she’s thinking?”

  Dani looked in the mirror then down at her boots. “Huh. I guess we are pretty mismatched. Maybe I should have worn my cowboy hat?”

  Allyse did laugh then and was rewarded with another lopsided grin. “Maybe next time?”

  Dani paled a little. “Next time? Why don’t we get through today first, okay?”

  The next thirty minutes were spent terrorizing the store clerk and loading her down with potential outfits. Dani only stepped in when Allyse forgot what she was buying for and reverted back to shopping for “city clothes” as Dani put it.

  “Hey, Dani. Will this work?” Allyse opened the door to the changing room only to find an apologetic clerk and Dani nowhere to be found. She was one second away from calling Erick when Dani showed back up, carrying a small bag of her own and no explanation or apology for sneaking off.

  Dani looked at her, then down at the phone in her hand. “No work, remember?”

  “How do you know that?” Allyse asked, stuffing the phone back in her purse. She was not going to admit that she was about to call Erick for a rescue.

  “Erick told me you were here to rest, not to work.”

  “I could have been checking on my girls,” Allyse said.

  “Were you?”

  “No,” Allyse admitted, then felt she had to explain. “I can’t call them until this afternoon because of the time difference. They’re out in California.”

  Dani gave her an odd look, then shrugged. “Okay. Are you ready to head out?”

  ***

  Unfortunately, Allyse wasn’t done, and that wasn’t the last store.

  “Hey, Allyse?” Dani asked, standing outside yet another changing room.

  “Yes?” came the muffled reply from behind the slated wooden door. A salesperson hovered nearby, ready to assist in a minute. Dani wanted to laugh at the woman’
s nervous behavior. The only reason she was hovering so close was the chance at ringing up a ridiculous amount of sales from Allyse. The woman knew how to shop and the saleswomen seemed to have an unerring knack for sniffing out a customer with money. They were like hounds fighting for a bone. Dani leaned against the wall and stared down at her scuffed boots. She never got this much attention when she shopped alone.

  “Are you about ready to eat? I made a reservation for us.” They had been shopping for hours and Dani hadn’t eaten yet. If she didn’t eat soon she would start to get cranky, and that was never a good thing.

  “Okay, hold on.”

  “To what?” Dani smiled at the stony faced saleswoman watching her with more than a little suspicion. Maybe she mistook Dani for the hired help with all of Allyse’s bags lying at her feet. Whatever it was, her attitude woke up her sense of humor. She was bored, and it was time to play.

  “Your horses.” Allyse fired back, not missing a beat.

  “Can’t, they aren’t allowed in the mall. Oh, hey. I forgot to ask you. Do you think you will want to ride while you’re here?” Dani let the question linger, adding to its suggestive nature. The smug look on the saleswoman’s face slid a bit as she caught on to the potential meaning of their conversation.

  “Ride what?” Allyse asked around the sound of rustling clothing. Dani’s smile grew, her lips curling back on white teeth as Allyse fell right into her verbal trap.

  “Why, the horses of course.” She practically leered in the direction of the woman. The saleswoman looked rather uncomfortable now. She kept shifting her eyes from Dani to the dressing room door. Unfortunately, Dani found herself caught in her own trap as she tried not to think about what else Allyse could ride.