Lexi had to reach up to explore the broad shoulders. Muscles came to life before her eyes. Zoe's spine was a long valley down the center of her back and she spread her hands out with her thumbs centered in it.
"I feel stupid," Zoe said nervously.
Lexi's mouth was dry and she almost choked trying to get the words out. "You're amazing." She moved her hands out over Zoe's shoulder blades and slowly ran them down the tapered length of her. She spoke quietly as she explored how short, bunched muscles gave way to long, flat ones. "I've seen women on television-body builders and wrestlers-with bodies like yours. I've never been attracted to them before, but there's something about your body that I find terribly exciting." She dropped her hands to Zoe's ass and felt the roundness bunch under her palms. "There's a hardness to you, but it only accentuates the softness of your skin."
She knelt and ran her hands over the long muscles of her thighs and the short, high ones of her calves. "I'm surprised you shave your legs. I didn't expect that."
"I usually don't," Zoe admitted. "I did it for you."
Lexi smiled and used her hands to turn Zoe. "You don't have to if you don't want to. It makes no difference to me."
Zoe tightened her thighs and Lexi followed them to her groin. Rising to her feet, she smiled as her fingers tangled in pubic hair. "I'm familiar with these muscles." Zoe smiled back.
Lexi spread her hands over Zoe's abdomen and felt the muscles harden under the skin. She couldn't see them, but her fingers could trace each one.
"I'd need to lose weight for those to show up," Zoe said in a voice tight with strain.
"That doesn't sound healthy," Lexi frowned. "I shudder to think how low your body fat is already. Please don't do it for me."
"Do you want to see something weird?"
Lexi smiled, curious at Zoe's embarrassment. "Okay." Zoe's face was beet red as her breasts jumped independently and Lexi burst out laughing. "Oh, my God? I didn't think women could do that. Do it again."
She couldn't help but laugh as Zoe's breasts bounced in odd rhythms. She reached out to stop them and they jumped in her hands. Lexi stepped back and looked down at her own breasts. She concentrated, but nothing happened. Puzzled, she said, "I can feel them, but it's like there's no connection. It feels like my body doesn't know how to interpret the instructions. Maybe I don't have those muscles."
"You have them," Zoe laughed. "But yours are beautiful and don't need to know tricks."
Lexi smiled as she put her arms around Zoe and buried her face in her chest. She could feel Zoe's chin on the top of her head. "Is it strange to hug someone so short?"
"I don't know. I've never held anyone my height."
Lexi reached up and put her arms around Zoe's neck. Pulling herself up she scissored Zoe's waist with her legs. "How about now?"
"This is good, too."
Hanging on tightly, Lexi covered Zoe's mouth with her own and kissed her. Their kiss deepened and she drew Zoe's tongue into her mouth as she was lowered to the bed.
Later, Zoe was lying on the bed recovering as Lexi looked over at the bedside clock. "Your sneaky friend is going to be here in twenty minutes. Can I wear something of yours?"
Zoe made a small noise that Lexi took as consent and she went to the largest dresser. She smiled at the tangled mess of underwear and socks in the top drawer. The rest of Zoe's apartment was so neat she had expected the same military precision in her clothing. The next drawer held T-shirts and while they were folded, they were still disorganized.
"I think there's a blue one in there that might fit you," Zoe said lazily.
Lexi didn't want one that fit. She wanted one that fit Zoe, so she took a gray one off the top. As she started to close the drawer she spotted a box off to one side. For a moment she was so startled she couldn't speak. "There are bullets in your drawer."
"I know."
Lexi closed the drawer and hugged the shirt to her chest as she turned. "Of course you would have a gun," she babbled. "You told me you went shooting and after all you were in the Army. Why didn't I expect that? I should have been surprised if you didn't have a gun."
"Are you all right?" Zoe lifted her head off the pillow to look at her.
"I don't think I've ever known someone who actually had a gun. They never seemed quite real to me."
"It's in the nightstand if you want to see it."
She didn't, but she couldn't help it. She sat down next to Zoe and forced herself to open the small drawer. Lexi knew almost nothing about guns, even in theory. It was much larger than she expected, but regardless of its effort at elegance, she felt that she was just inches from a deadly-and very angry-snake. "Is it loaded?"
"Yes."
Lexi felt gooseflesh prickling her skin. "It scares me."
"It should," Zoe said firmly. "Its sole purpose is to kill people."
Lexi shuddered involuntarily and quickly pushed the drawer closed. Zoe's arms drew her down and she snuggled gratefully into her warmth. "Have you ever killed anyone?"
"No," Zoe answered. "And I hope I never have to, but if there's no other choice, I'll do it in a heartbeat."
Lexi's mind raced uncomfortably. "Are you a good shooter with it?"
"Am I a good shot?" Zoe's arms tightened a bit. "Don't expect to see me in the Olympics any time soon, but I do okay. There's a range up on Old Canyon Road that I go to every couple of weeks. You can come watch sometime if you like. Someday, if you ever want to, I can teach you about them. It's kind of relaxing."
Lexi's distress started to ease and she felt silly. "How many guns do you have?"
"Only the one." Zoe brushed her hair aside and began kissing her neck while she spoke. "I used to have almost a dozen, but my last therapist said I was overcompensating. When I stopped being mad I realized she was right, so I sold all of them to a dealer. That was when I stopped working out so hard. I was trying to make myself invulnerable, but it's impossible."
Lexi was struck by an image of Zoe, armed and buffed out in order to protect herself from ever being hurt again. "It must have been a hard time for you."
"It was brutal getting to clarity, but once I understood what I was doing and saw how useless it all was, I felt incredible. Everything I had been doing was feeding my fear and giving it power over me. When I let it go, I discovered that my fear was afraid of itself. I still have the occasional dream and some men make me nervous, but for the most part, fear leaves me alone. The older I get the more I understand that strength is in your mind, not in your fist."
Cricket yipped from the living room before she could respond and Zoe bolted up as the doorbell was pushed repeatedly. "Cantina," she hissed. "I swear I'm going to paddle her for this."
Lexi laughed and pulled on the T-shirt as Zoe dove for the dresser. The shirt came to mid thigh and Lexi felt decently covered, so she closed the bedroom door and went to let Cantina in. ?Hey? Come on in."
Cantina held up a shopping bag with a grin. "Chocolate ice cream by way of an apology and I also…I thought you were just going to talk. Look at this place?"
Lexi looked around to see her clothing strewn about and the dining room chair tipped over. Funny, I don't remember that. Embarrassed, she began to gather her things. "We did talk, you know."
"Oh sure, I believe you." Cantina laughed. "You probably shouldn't bend over like that though."
Mortified, Lexi raced for the bedroom. Leaning back against the inside of the door she saw the humor in it and began to laugh at herself.
"What is it?" Zoe was just pulling up a pair of sweats.
"She's teasing me, babe. Shoot her."
Zoe laughed back as she pulled a shirt over her head. "What did she say?"
"She told me not to bend over." Lexi tossed her clothes at the bed and lifted her shirt to wiggle a naked hip at Zoe.
Zoe sidled up to her and pinned her to the door. "Do you want me to shave her head?"
"Maybe just a circle on the top," she whispered back. She put her hands behind Zoe's neck and pulled, ple
ased when Zoe cupped her ass and lifted her. "In the back where she can't see it." She could feel the vibrations of Cantina's knocking on the door at her back. "Will she go away if we ignore her?"
"Not a chance," Zoe murmured into her neck. "We'll have to feed her first."
"I can hear you guys whispering," Cantina complained. "Is this any way to treat a guest?"
"A self-invited, manipulating guest," Zoe said loudly. "Cool your jets, girl. We're getting dressed."
"I doubt it," Cantina groused.
Zoe sighed. "I don't think we should let her meet Freddie."
Lexi laughed and pushed at Zoe's shoulders. "We have to eat anyway," she said as she was set on her feet. "Next time I just won't answer the door."
Zoe grabbed a pair of shorts from the dresser and knelt to hold them open for her. "It wouldn't do any good. She still has a key. I've tried to take it away from her, but I think she's got it hidden outside somewhere. I can never find it on her."
Lexi stepped into the shorts and let Zoe pull them up. She had been undressed any number of times in her life, but she couldn't remember ever being dressed by someone. She put her hands on strong shoulders and tried to find some reason not to do what she wanted to do. Unable to find one, she threw caution to the wind. "She doesn't have a key to my house."
"Good idea," Zoe whispered as she tightened the drawstring about her waist. "Next time we'll go to your place."
Lexi swallowed. "I was thinking…every time." She watched Zoe's easy smile change to one of hopeful wonder.
"You mean…?"
Lexi's hands trembled as she cupped Zoe's face. "Come live with me."
"Are you sure?"
"I know it's soon. Maybe even too soon, but I have a feeling about us. I want you with me, and not because you have furniture. Please, Zoe, say yes?"
"Yes?" Zoe scooped her up and spun in circles. "Yes? Yes? Yes?"
Lexi hung on tight, laughing hysterically, as Zoe celebrated. When they ran into the bed, Zoe dropped her and turned to yank open the door.
"She wants me to live with her?" Zoe shouted to a surprised Cantina. She spun back to the bed and began to jump on it. The third leap made her head connect with the ceiling and she dropped to her back like her strings had been cut.
Lexi reached for her. "Are you okay?"
"We'll be great together," Zoe sighed happily as she pulled Lexi into her arms. "I'll never hurt you and I'll keep my things picked up. I won't smoke anymore. I'll pay my share on time and I'll…"
Lexi put her hand over Zoe's mouth and turned to a grinning Cantina. "Will you give us two minutes, please?"
Cantina pouted, but humor peeked through her expression. "I never get to see any of the good stuff. It's just not fair."
When the door closed, Lexi turned back to Zoe and saw tears. "I only want two promises. Don't ever tell me you love me when you don't and when you do love me, tell me all the time."
Zoe pulled her hand away. "I do love you, Lexi. Those are the easiest promises I'll ever make."
"I'm not easy to live with," Lexi warned. "I'm bossy and unreasonable and…"
"I don't care," Zoe interrupted. "I'm no picnic either. I'm moody and I like time alone. My friends call me out for car emergencies at all hours and my family…" Zoe groaned. "Oh, god. You haven't met my family. You may want to reconsider."
"I thought you said they were great."
"They are. But taken in a group it's kind of like Cantina on steroids. My mom's going to ask you in the first five minutes if you want children."
"I'll just tell her that I have complete faith in your ability to pull it off."
Zoe chuckled. "Do you want children?"
Lexi shook her head firmly. "Not in the slightest."
Zoe sighed in relief. "Then I only see one problem."
Lexi wiped at her tears. "What's that?"
"We still have to feed Cantina."
EPILOGUE
"I heard another rumor today."
Zoe's hand hesitated ever so slightly in caressing Lexi's back. "Miriam?"
Perfectly content, Lexi didn't move from her spot on Zoe's shoulder. "Mmm hmm."
A sigh came from the tall woman. "You know, it never ceases to amaze me how a woman with so much natural class and intelligence can be such a fishwife about gossip."
Lexi giggled at the truth of that statement. "Be nice, baby. She's my friend."
"I know. Mine, too." Zoe's arm tightened briefly. "So, what's the scuttlebutt this time?"
"Apparently...we're happy."
Zoe threw her arms out on the bed. "Good God! What will they think of next?"
Lexi laughed in delight. "I know! After all of the mean, crappy things people have said about us, and now this? It defies all reason."
Zoe chuckled softly. "My favorite was you being a dominatrix in disguise."
Lexi lightly slapped the flat belly under her hand. "Keep dreaming, baby."
"Oh, I will. I will."
"You and your twisted fantasies," Lexi teased lovingly.
"Heh heh."
Lexi snuggled a little closer. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about an idea I had."
"Okay."
She was a little nervous to be bringing it up, but she'd thought about it from every angle and had decided that it really was what she wanted to do. "You know how you talk sometimes about starting your own shop?"
"Yes."
"Well, I've figured out how to do it sooner rather than later."
"Oh, really? Lay it on me, sweetie."
Lexi closed her eyes and crossed her mental fingers. "All right. After you ask me to marry you, I'll put your name on the deed to the house." She felt Zoe go very still and rushed on so she could get it all out. "We can mortgage it for whatever you want because it's all paid for. You're a vet, so you can probably get some help on that front, too, and then we can use the money to start Family Motors. I'll still have my shop, so we'll have enough money to get by while you get things rolling. It could work."
Zoe was silent for a long moment. "I'm not going to marry you for the house or the money, Lexi."
"Of course not. You'll marry me for love."
Zoe shifted and rolled Lexi to her back. Leaning over her, she looked into her eyes intently. "You can't risk your home and your business on my dream, honey. You just can't."
Lexi reached up and put a hand to the side of Zoe's face. "I've never wanted to do anything more in my life, Zoe. You are the best choice I ever made and I want to bet everything that I have, everything that I am, on our future. I don't want to hold anything back. I don't see it as a risk. It'll be an adventure."
Zoe shook her head. "I don't know the first thing about running a business."
"I do. So does Freddie. And you know that Jay will be a huge help. Heck, even Miriam will be useful considering all of her experience with advertising and promotion. We'll all teach you. Besides, it's the vision that's important and you have tons of that. You talk all the time about how you would do things different and your ideas rock. We can do this, baby. I want to do this."
"But to risk your home?"
"I'm going to put your name on the house regardless, Zoe. I don't even think of it as my house anymore. It's our house. I already talked to Nana about this and she told me that a house is just a tool. Home is in our hearts. She's behind this decision one hundred percent. So am I. Let's use this house to make your dream a reality."
There were tears in Zoe's eyes. "You're my dream, honey."
"And you're mine. But, we're allowed to have more than one dream. Say you'll think about it?"
Zoe lowered her head to Lexi's shoulder silently. Several minutes passed. "Okay. We'll think about it. There's a lot of research and planning to do, so we're not going to rush into anything."
Lexi sighed in relief. She had been so worried that Zoe would reject it out of hand.
"As for the first part of your little plan..." Zoe raised her head and there was a wicked glint in her eye.
"Yes?" Zoe
laughed and a shiver of anticipation shot through Lexi.
"When I ask you to marry me, it will be for no other reason than because I love you. Is that clear?"
Lexi hid her smile. "Yes, baby."
THE END
Pride and Groom Page 19