Pride and Groom

by Gibson, Tannya

  Zoe shook her head. "I didn't win, remember?"

  "You won second," Lexi said quickly. "Besides, I didn't mean it to be taken liberally…literally," she corrected. Zoe took another step back and Lexi followed.

  "Very tempting," Zoe persisted, "but I want to be sure you'll remember being kissed."

  Lexi couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're really not going to kiss me?"

  "I'm really not," Zoe grinned.

  Anger flashed through Lexi. "You're getting even with me, aren't you? You're upset that I didn't kiss you when you asked and now you're getting even! Can you see how incredibly petty you're being?"

  Zoe kept grinning. "I'm not getting even, Lexi."

  "You don't want to kiss me? Fine! I don't want to kiss you either!"

  "Yes, you do."

  Lexi gaped for an instant. "You don't know half what you think you do. I do not need you standing on my property telling me what I want. What the hell was I thinking going after a butch dyke? I must be crazy!" The grin on Zoe's face was infuriating and Lexi stomped into her house to get away from it. Slamming the door was almost as satisfying as the scream of frustration she let out.

  Lexi took a deep breath and heard a scratching on the door followed by a tiny voice.

  "Please mommy? Let me come in?"

  I forgot Cricket again and she's laughing at me, I just know it. Lexi yanked open the door to see her beloved dog held in front of Zoe's laughing face. She gently took Cricket, making sure Zoe saw her scowl before slamming the door again.

  "I'll see you in the morning," Zoe called through the door.

  "Don't bother!" Lexi screeched back.

  "Lock your door, Lexi."

  Lexi locked her door and stomped her feet.

  Chapter Seven

  With the coffee done brewing and only a slight feeling of queasiness to mark last night's overindulgence, Lexi unlocked the front door and sat down in her chair to drink the first of what she estimated would be several cups of black coffee. Cricket jumped into her lap and she gave him a carrot from the treat jar. He immediately settled down and began to chew it up.

  With a quiet couple of minutes in front of her she turned her thoughts to the previous evening. She had been furious when Zoe had declined to kiss her and this morning she felt foolish and pitiful.

  Did she think I was toying with her in the alley? Was I teasing her? I remember feeling a little scared and I thought I was being clever. Too clever by half as it turns out. Maybe she was following some code of conduct she learned in the military. She didn't win, after all. No, that can't be it. Maybe she doesn't like drunks and now I've blown it by turning into a lush. Thank God I quit drinking before I got sick. She probably thinks I have a drinking problem and I'll never see her again.

  Why did I have to call her a butch dyke? I can't believe I was so rude. Nana would wash my mouth out with soap if she knew. I swear I'm never drinking again. Ever. I mean it!

  If only I hadn't gotten scared. She wanted me to kiss her and I wanted it, too, but the closer she gets to me the harder it is to breathe and I panicked. If only I could live that moment over again, I swear I'd…

  The front door opened and Rooter, a Jack Russell/Poodle mix, pranced in followed by his owner, Blair. Shunting her thoughts out of the way, Lexi put her coffee cup down and reached for the excited dog.

  "Well, good morning, Rooter! It's good to see you, too." She looked up at Blair. "Hey! Do you want some coffee?"

  "I was hoping you'd ask," he said and reached for the pot. "I didn't have time for a cup at home. What is it with kids and losing their shoes?"

  "You're asking the wrong person, Blair. I don't do kids." Lexi lifted Rooter to the trimming table. "What are we going to do with you today, Rooty Toot?"

  "If you've got time he needs his feet trimmed and his belly shaved."

  Lexi quickly ran her hands over the dog. "Maybe a little off around his face and ears?"

  "I guess so. The wife is going to pick him up, okay?"

  "Sure."

  Blair thanked her for the coffee and hustled out the door. Rooter started to shake, as per usual. He had been coming in every two weeks for several years for a shampoo and whatever trimming he needed so he was resigned to the inevitable, but the idea of a bath always made him jittery. Lexi transferred him quickly to the bathing sink and started in on him.

  She was towel drying him when she heard the bell over the door. Glancing over her shoulder she saw Zoe standing just inside the door with a red rose.

  "Are you still mad at me?"

  "Oh Zoe, I'm so sorry." She kept a hand on Rooter so he wouldn't jump out. "I was so rude to you last night."

  "Rude?" Zoe looked genuinely perplexed.

  Lexi wrapped Rooter in a towel and moved him to a drying cage. "I called you a butch dyke and…"

  "I am a butch dyke," Zoe smiled.

  "You were nothing but nice to me and I teased you and called you names. I feel like such a jerk."

  "I brought you a flower."

  Lexi felt like her confession was slipping out of her grasp. "Well, thank you, it's lovely, but I'm trying to apologize."

  "For what?"

  "For being a jerk last night."

  "You weren't a jerk," Zoe said as she laid the flower on the desk and started looking around. "You were a brat."

  Lexi thought her eyes would pop. "What?"

  "This is a nice place. Can I have a cup of coffee?"

  Before she could respond Zoe had picked up a Styrofoam cup and was filling it. Lexi watched her doctor it with creamer and sugar. When she could speak she asked, "What did you call me?"

  "A brat." Zoe leaned against the desk and crossed her feet.

  "You come to my place of business, call me a brat and help yourself to my coffee and…and…" Lexi sputtered helplessly.

  Zoe smiled. "You wanted to kiss me so bad that you literally threw a fit when I said no. It was the first time in my life that I was happy someone was mad at me." Zoe looked at her watch and set her coffee down.

  Lexi's surprise was so complete that she didn't even try to evade Zoe's hands. In a flash, she was astride Zoe's crossed legs, Zoe's breath hot on her lips.

  "I don't have much time before the cab gets here so I'm going to kiss you now," Zoe whispered. "Will you remember this?"

  Unable to breathe, Lexi nodded. Her eyes closed as Zoe's mouth gently sampled her own. There was nothing butch about Zoe's lips. They were warm and soft and full and she tasted of corn flakes. Between kisses, Lexi could smell the clean scent of soap and cool skin. She put a hand to Zoe's hair and was surprised at how soft it was. She had assumed that it was bristly because it was so short.

  All too soon, Zoe was releasing her. She lifted her fingers to Zoe's moist lips in wonder. "Wow."

  "Are you still mad at me?" Zoe asked.

  "Maybe later when I've had time to think about it," Lexi said quietly.

  "Will you have dinner with me on Friday?"

  "Of course." Lexi seemed to have no volition left.

  "Seven?"

  Lexi nodded absently, her eyes still locked on Zoe's mouth.

  Zoe stopped at the door. "Lexi?"

  She looked up into Zoe's serious eyes. "Yes?"

  "The next time we kiss it will be because you initiate it. Just because I look butch doesn't mean I want to be in charge of everything. Okay?"

  Clarity came slowly and brought a smile along. "Don't forget your coffee." She handed the cup over while making sure their fingers touched. "Thanks for bringing my car home."

  "Anytime."

  As the door closed Lexi began to wonder how Zoe had gotten the car started without the keys. She quickly opened it and called after her, "Hey! How did you get my car home?"

  "Trade secret," Zoe laughed as she got into the cab.

  Lexi waved and watched her drive off. She couldn't decide whether to dance or hug herself so she did both.

  ~***~

  "…And then she kissed me," Lexi said into the phone
.

  "And?" Jay asked.

  Lexi snuggled deeper into the couch and pulled the lap blanket up to her chin. "And then she left."

  "Getting details out of you is like pulling teeth," Jay teased. "How was the kiss?"

  Lexi could hear Freddie in the background. "What kiss?"

  "Zoe kissed Lexi and she won't say anything about it," Jay explained.

  "She tasted like corn flakes," Lexi offered.

  "Corn flakes?"

  "Yeah. Kind of sweet and wholesome."

  Jay laughed and Lexi knew he had his hand over the phone by the muffled sound of it. "Sweet and wholesome, she says."

  The phone sounded juggled and Freddie's voice came on the line. "You sound like a Cheerio's commercial. We want to know if she made your toes curl up and smoke come out of your ears."

  Lexi laughed. "It was very nice, Freddie. But it takes a little more than a single kiss to make my toes curl up."

  "Women!" Freddie snorted. "Why do you have to make things so difficult? Either it was exciting or it wasn't!"

  "It was exciting," Lexi laughed, "but don't try to pretend that you're an expert on women. Reading Cosmo doesn't make you an authority."

  Freddie snorted. "I'll bet I've been with more women than you have."

  "And more men, too."

  "She's calling me a tramp, Jay." Freddie's voice lowered. "How many men have you been with?"

  "None!"

  "But, how do you know for sure if you don't try everything?"

  "Don't be silly, Fred. It's not about sex, it's about love."

  "One kiss and you're in love?"

  "I didn't say that," she protested.

  "You most certainly did. Here, talk to Jay."

  Lexi gave a big sigh. "How do you put up with him, Jay?"

  "He makes my toes curl up," Jay laughed.

  ~***~

  Lexi was ready 45 minutes before Zoe was due to arrive and she fidgeted nervously the entire time. Am I dressed okay? What if she shows up in jeans and here I am in a dress? I hope she doesn't try to take me bowling 'cause I'm really not dressed for it. I should have asked her what to wear but she had just gotten through kissing me and I couldn't remember my own name. And when should I kiss her? Should I do it right away or should I wait for the right moment? What if there is no right moment? Maybe I should change into higher heels. No, I don't want to look like I'm trying to be taller and besides, I'd probably twist an ankle and look like a dork.

  Lexi caught herself chewing off a nail and ran to the bathroom to file it even, then started fussing over her hair. She worried that her dress was too nice and then that it wasn't nice enough.

  With five minutes left she went to the front door and looked through the peephole. It afforded her a view of the street and she watched as Zoe's Chevy pulled up. Lexi began to relax as she watched Zoe check her watch, her hair, her collar and her teeth before checking her watch again. She looks as nervous as I feel!

  When Zoe finally got out of the car, Lexi smiled at her black slacks and vest with long-sleeve blue shirt, noting that her clothes made her seem even slimmer and taller than usual. She decided that she liked it. As she approached the door, Lexi could see a slim gold chain around her long neck and she carried a small bouquet of wildflowers. Zoe stood at the door and checked her watch again before knocking.

  Even though Lexi had seen it coming she still jumped and it made her laugh. Hiding behind the door, she opened it.

  "Come in!"

  "What's so funny?"

  "Nothing," she giggled. "It's too embarrassing."

  Zoe bent over to pet Cricket. "What's she laughing about, boy? Anything I should know about? Something between my teeth maybe?"

  "No," Lexi admitted. "I was watching you through the thing" she pointed to the peephole "and when you knocked it made me jump."

  Zoe straightened. "You look very nice."

  Lexi blushed with pleasure. "Thanks. I wasn't sure what to wear. We didn't talk about what we were going to do and I was afraid it would be bowling or something, in which case this dress would be totally inappropriate. But, on the other hand, if we were going to…"

  "Lexi."

  She made herself stop talking and looked into Zoe's face.

  "These are for you."

  Lexi reached out and took the proffered flowers. "Thank you, Zoe, but I don't have anything for you. I don't even know what you like."

  "I like you," Zoe said with emphasis.

  Unsure how to respond to that and maintain her dignity, Lexi took her flowers to the kitchen. She pulled a vase from under the sink and filled it with water. "I like your clothes," she called to the living room. "You look great in black." She dropped the wildflowers into the water and fluffed them.

  Zoe spoke from only a few feet away. "This is okay then? I didn't want to embarrass you by being too butch."

  Lexi shook her head and put the flowers on the dining table while she thought about what Zoe's words implied. She didn't want Zoe to be ashamed of being butch or worrying that she didn't like it. Maybe she had never been interested in a butch woman before, but she was now and she didn't want Zoe to change only to try to please her. After a moment to organize her thoughts she pulled a chair out from the table and held it for Zoe.

  "Do we have time to sit for a minute?"

  "Of course."

  Lexi pulled another chair out to face her and sat down. When Zoe sat down in front of her, Lexi took one of her hands and turned it over to undo the cuff. She spoke as she neatly rolled the sleeve up. "I'm not embarrassed by you, Zoe. At first I was nervous with you because…well, I guess because you're different than any one else I've dated." Lexi stopped rolling just short of Zoe's elbow and straightened it carefully before starting the other one. "I'm finding out that I like how you look. It makes me feel…" she glanced up quickly then down again, "breathless."

  After making sure that the rolled cuffs were even Lexi took one of Zoe's hands in hers and ran a hand over the muscled forearm. "I like your arms and hands. I like being able to see them. When you fixed that thing in my car I couldn't take my eyes off of them. Do you mind wearing your sleeves like this?"

  Zoe cleared her throat. "I prefer it actually."

  Lexi smiled. "By the way, where are we eating tonight?"

  "We have a table on the terrace at the Park View Lounge for 7:30."

  Lexi stood up, but didn't let go of her hand. "We'd better go."

  "We have a few minutes," Zoe said.

  Lexi looked down into her eyes and knew with complete certainty that Zoe was waiting to be kissed. She also knew that Zoe would not say or do anything else to encourage her. She could not remember ever feeling quite so vulnerable as she now did. With her free hand she tentatively stroked her fingers over Zoe's face and down her throat, then leaned over and softly kissed her. She pulled back to see Zoe's eyes closed in concentration and impulsively sat in her lap. With both hands she pulled Zoe's mouth to her own and teased her lips open. As her tongue darted into the sweet taste of her, Zoe's arms came around her and held her tight. The kiss became increasingly enthusiastic and Zoe was the one to break it with a gasp.

  Lexi relaxed into the strength of the arms around her and buried her face in Zoe's neck. "That was nice."

  "More than nice," Zoe muttered. "I'd really like it if we could do that again later."

  "Me, too."

  ~***~

  They were met at the door of the Park View Lounge by the hostess and escorted to their table without having to announce themselves. Lexi wondered if Zoe came often or if she had set up the entire scene in advance. A privacy screen had been set up so that no one in the restaurant could see them and sunset was not too far off. Lexi took a moment to enjoy the view before sitting down next to Zoe.

  "I've never eaten here before. You must eat here a lot; the hostess didn't even have to ask your name."

  "She knows my name," Zoe grinned, "because she's my sister."

  "No way."

  "It's true. Madeline
is my next youngest sibling and the assistant manager here. She arranged all of this on the house, so feel free to have anything you like." Zoe opened a menu and laid it between them. "They make their own pasta here and it's very good. The seafood is supposed to be excellent and they make a wonderful salad with artichoke hearts and asparagus tips."

  Lexi scooted her chair a little closer to Zoe and placed a hand on her thigh before leaning over to study the menu. "What's your favorite thing to eat here?"

  Zoe put her along the back of Lexi's chair and began rubbing her back. "I like the Eggplant Parmesan with Alfredo noodles. That's probably what I'll order. Would you like some wine?"

  "Oh, no," Lexi laughed. "I'm not ever drinking again."

  "Why not?"

  "After how I behaved the other night?"

  "That won't happen again," Zoe chuckled.

  "You're so sure of that?"

  "I fully intend to kiss you later so it won't be necessary. I'm going to have a glass of white wine and you're welcome to join me."

  "Kiss me now," Lexi demanded. Zoe's lips were on her throat when the hostess returned.

  "I leave you alone for two minutes," Madeline said with amused indignation, "and it looks like I should have set up a bed out here."

  "Can you do that?" Zoe laughed.

  Lexi was mortified. "Don't you dare."

  "You must be Lexi," Madeline extended her hand. "I'm Madeline. Don't let this big moose embarrass you. Her manners are atrocious, but she's really just a big softie. I've seen her cry at TV commercials for crying out loud."

  "Don't pay any attention to her," Zoe whispered loudly. "She's the family idiot."

  "Better the family idiot than the family freak," Madeline grinned.

  Zoe clutched her chest dramatically. "Mom is going to switch you good for that."

  "If she can catch me," Madeline boasted. "And if you tell her you're a snitch."

  Lexi watched the conversation with great interest. Having never had a sibling she was always intrigued by how such relationships worked. This one seemed full of taunts and jibes that sounded hurtful, but appeared to be a front for great affection. It looked like fun and she wished she knew the first thing about joining in.