by A. C. Grey
Zoey was hurt. Clearly she’d done something wrong. She’d finally given in to her feelings, only to have Tess reject her. She was bewildered beyond belief. She struggled to figure out what had happened, but she was tipsy and her brain was not firing on all cylinders. Zoey watched as Tess made her way to the couch. “Wait. It’s stupid for you to sleep there. The bed is huge – plenty of room for us to share . . . that is . . . if you don’t mind sharing . . . I mean, I understand if you don’t feel comfortable . . .”
Tess smiled reassuringly at Zoey, realizing that maybe she’d just hurt her feelings. “Thanks, Zoey, I’d like that.” As they headed to the bed, she struggled to find a way to put Zoey’s mind at ease. As they took opposite sides of the bed, she turned over to face Zoey. Gently placing a hand on Zoey’s cheek, she smiled. “I’m so glad I met you, Zoey. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together. We’re going to be an awesome pair, you and I.” With that, she turned over and shut off the light.
Zoey spent a good deal too much time staring at the ceiling, mulling over thoughts about the sleeping beauty beside her. What did this all mean? One minute, Tess was shamelessly flirting with her, the next minute, she was pulling away. She thought they’d “have fun together” and that they’d “make an awesome pair.” What the hell did that mean? She was so confused. Finally, mentally and emotionally exhausted, she fell into a deep slumber.
When Tess woke the next morning, she awoke to the most pleasant sensation she’d had in quite a while. Even if they weren’t consciously willing to admit their feelings yet, their unconscious selves clearly were. In the night, they’d shifted. Somehow, Tess’s head had come to rest on Zoey’s shoulder, one arm slung loosely around her waist. One of Zoey’s arms cradled her from behind. Unwilling to disturb Zoey and possibly end their embrace, Tess contented herself to just lie in Zoey’s arms, thinking about what bright possibilities might be on the horizon.
Zoey pretended to sleep, enjoying the feel, the smell, every sensation of the redhead in her arms. She wasn’t sure how they’d migrated towards each other, but she knew one thing. It was perfect. She could see herself waking up like this every morning for the rest of her life. That thought sent a jolt running through her. She’d known Tess for less than a week and she was already making plans about the future! That was scary. And thrilling. And just right.
Chapter Seven
Eventually, the annoying reality of the morning interrupted their mutual reverie as Tess’s alarm blared through the silence. Both women, feigning an abrupt wake up, stirred. Tess lazily picked up her head up off of Zoey’s shoulder and gazed into her eyes.
“Oops.” She offered a shy smile. “Guess I must have shifted during the night. I hope I didn’t make you too uncomfortable.”
Zoey smiled back, unsure she was ready to reveal what she was feeling. “No . . . uh . . . it was fine. I didn’t mind at all.”
Tess took a moment to look into her deep brown eyes, trying to get some sort of read on what Zoey’s words had really meant. Was she being polite? Was she feeling anything close to what she herself was feeling? Zoey needed to apply whatever tricks she was using here to the poker table – she’d be a star in no time. Finally, giving up, Tess sat up. “Well, uh . . . I should get dressed. I’ve got to go do a book signing in a few hours.”
Zoey sat up in surprise. “You have a book?”
“Yeah. You didn’t know? For someone who wants to be a pro, you sure don’t seem to know a lot about the poker world.”
“Yeah, I guess not. I never really got into watching poker on TV or anything. I read a few books on poker strategy, but obviously not yours. I’ll have to buy a copy. Now I’m curious to see what your take is.”
Tess grinned. “Oh, you don’t need to do that. I’m giving you private lessons, remember.”
Zoey blushed, thinking again about their encounter last night with the chip tricks. Her heart sank a little as she remembered Tess’s decision to pull away. Putting on a brave face, she got out of bed and went to find some clothes. She called over to Tess. “So, you want me to drive you back to your car?”
Tess shook her head. “That’s okay, I can catch a cab. I don’t want to be a hassle.” Of course, she really did want to be a hassle – a daily hassle – a constant interruption in Zoey’s life, but she reminded herself to pace things slowly.
“It’s not a problem. I want to. I like to . . . “ Zoey cut herself off. She’d been about to admit that she liked spending every minute with Tess. Catching herself, she continued. “I’d like to get some sunlight and fresh air. Spending all day in a casino makes you lose track of the days.”
Tess beamed. “Okay, super!” She didn’t attempt to mask her enthusiasm. Even though it was just a short drive, it was a little extra time. Hoping that she could extend their time further, she contemplated her next move. “So . . . what are your plans for today?”
“Well, the Rio has a decent-sounding tournament starting at noon. I thought maybe I’d go over there and play.”
Tess nodded in agreement. “It’s a good tourney. I play it on occasion. It gets some real pros sometimes. You’ll get some good practice against them. Of course, there will be your fair share of amateurs and tourists who think they know how to play. Keep your eyes out for them. They’re easy pickings.”
They got in the car and began the short drive to Tess’s car. They sat in comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts. Zoey silently debated whether to do what her heart was screaming for her to do. Finally, gathering her courage, she reached over and laid her hand atop of Tess’s, which was resting atop the gear shifter.
Tess let out a small gasp of surprise as she looked down at their joined hands. She looked up and offered Zoey a small smile. They chose to continue the ride in joyful silence. They were bridging the gap towards each other. Slowly. But they were getting there.
As Zoey pulled to a halt near Tess’s car, Tess leaned over and gave her a chaste peck on the cheek. “Thanks so much, Zoey. For everything. I’ve had a terrific time with you.”
Tess exited the car and Zoey felt as though all of the energy, all of the life inside her vehicle had just been sucked out. She was going crazy. This woman was driving her insane. It was scary. It was intense. It was . . . thrilling. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her window. She rolled it down to see what Tess wanted.
“What’s your phone number? I’ll give you a call. Maybe we can hook up later?” Tess held up her phone, ready to enter Zoey’s number.
Zoey was temporarily speechless. Of course, she didn’t mean hook up, she meant meet up. But Zoey’s mind couldn’t help but go there.
“Uh . . . Zoey? Hello? Earth to Zoey?” Tess waved a hand in front of her face, breaking her out of her thoughts.
“Oh, uh, right.” Zoey quickly rattled off her digits and Tess typed them into her phone.
“Super! I’ll talk to you later. Good luck in the tournament, Zoey.” And with that, the redheaded ball of energy and sexiness was gone. Zoey leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes, pausing to take some deep breaths. She was in serious trouble. And that trouble was named Tess McLeod.
Both women spent the next part of the day doing as they’d planned. Tess was bored out of her mind, sitting in a bookstore, signing copies of her book on poker for eager fans. Normally, she loved meeting her fans, but her heart just wasn’t in it. Probably because her heart wasn’t even in the bookstore. It was over at the Rio with a certain rookie player. Tess silently thanked her lucky stars that she’d developed a pretty decent poker face and was able to give each of her fans a smile and a kind word.
Similarly, Zoey headed over to the tournament at the Rio, struggling to focus on the poker and not on the fact that she already missed Tess. The strength and depth of the feelings she was experiencing was a new and frankly terrifying experience for her. It was as if she couldn’t breathe and Tess was her only source of oxygen. What was even more frightening was the fact that they weren’t even togeth
er. Sure, they had both flirted, they had both toyed, they had both hinted, but nothing had happened. And yet, she was already feeling as though the one for her, the one she was meant to be with, for eternity, was none other than Tess McLeod.
Zoey took her seat at her assigned table, suddenly feeling like the game wasn’t going to be the same. Not the same challenge, not the same thrill, because Tess wasn’t there to experience it with her. She needed to get a grip. Even if she ended up with Tess, which was still a big if, it wasn’t like she’d be able to spend every waking moment with her, or that she’d only be able to play poker when Tess was there. Summoning her courage, she managed to push aside her feelings and focused on the game.
* * * * *
After Tess’s book signing came to an end, she took some time to run some errands and ran home for a much needed shower. She’d been so distracted by Zoey that she’d been running around in the same clothes for two days and had neglected her personal hygiene. Hopefully her fans hadn’t noticed.
Once she was refreshed, she found herself drawn back to her car, heading to the only place she wanted to be – the Rio – to see if Zoey was still there. She knew she should have called, but she wanted to see her and she wanted it now.
Zoey had done well. She’d employed all of her skills – making the right moves, folding her hands when she thought she should, playing off of her opponents’ weaknesses, and had managed to gain a good number of chips. She was on fire, playing as if she couldn’t lose.
Zoey had made it down to the final two. It was her against a seasoned pro named Jim Testa. She’d heard of him and was naturally a bit nervous. She struggled to focus, her nerves getting the better of her. She was so intent on the cards, that she hadn’t noticed the redheaded spectator who had just crept in to watch her.
Tess was thrilled to see that Zoey had made it all the way to the end of the tournament. She was heads up against Jim, who would definitely make it hard for Zoey. He was a solid player and wouldn’t let her get away with anything. It also didn’t help that Jim had about twice as many chips as Zoey.
Tess observed the action for a while, when finally, it looked as though there was a hand that might end the tournament. Zoey had pushed all of her chips into the center, announcing she that was all in. Zoey began to chew on her lip nervously and Tess’s heart sank. It was clear, at least to Tess, that Zoey was not confident about her hand. She was obviously on some sort of bluff . . . and if Tess could see it, no doubt a good player like Jim would pick up on it. Sure enough, Jim matched her bet. He turned over a pair of nines, which was good enough to beat Zoey’s pair of threes. She’d been knocked out in second place.
Zoey was heartbroken. She rose from the table and quickly shook Jim’s hand before making her escape. She was in such haste that she didn’t notice Tess waiting for her. She was brought out of her thoughts by a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Hey.” Tess said as Zoey looked up.
“Hey. I didn’t know you were here. I take it you saw my humiliation.”
“That wasn’t humiliating, Zoey. You came in second place! Against a great player. You were awesome. Sure, your poker face and reading skills still need a little work, but you’ll get there. Most people would be thrilled with a second place finish. It’s great.”
Zoey smiled wanly. “You’re right. But why do I feel like a failure?”
“Because you’re an idiot.” Tess grinned and punched her playfully on the arm. “Now come on, if you’re not doing anything, I’ll make you dinner.”
Suddenly in a better mood, Zoey quickly agreed. After collecting her second place prize money from the cashier, they headed out. Zoey followed Tess in her car to Tess’s place, which was just a short drive away.
When they got there, they stared at each in awkward silence for a few minutes. Finally Tess spoke up. “You looked tired and stressed.”
Zoey nodded. “A little. They don’t tell you how much sitting at a poker table all day messes with your muscles. I am so stiff and sore.”
“It totally does. I get regular massages and should own stock in a bubble bath company for as many hot baths as I take. I take one after every tournament. It de-stresses me. Speaking of which, it’s going to take some time for me to cook, why don’t I run you a bath while I make dinner? You can unwind a bit.” Zoey quickly agreed, a hot soak sounding like heaven.
Tess made dinner while Zoey soaked. She struggled to focus, not wanting to take off one of her fingers with her knife. It was difficult, when all she could think of was the naked woman a room away.
Zoey finally emerged from the bathroom and they had dinner, with easy conversation.
After they cleaned up their meal, they made their way over to the couch. Tess smiled. “So seriously, Zoey, you did awesome today.”
“Yeah . . . but Jim could obviously read me like a book and I couldn’t do the same to him. Can you help me with that?”
“Sure. It’s just something that takes some practice. How about this. We’ll take turns telling each other something. Then the other person has to decide if they’re bluffing – if they’re lying or not. That way, you’ll get practice reading me and also practice your own skills of deception.”
Zoey agreed. “Okay, I’ll go first. Ummm . . . my middle name is Ermentrude.”
Tess studied her. “I hope for your sake that you’re lying, but somehow, I think that’s true.”
“Damn. Got me . . . and I hate it too. Not sure what my parents were smoking when they named me that.”
Tess smiled. “Okay, when I was in high school, I pretended to be totally obsessed with Mark-Paul Gosselaar from Saved by the Bell, but I really had a thing for his co-star Tiffani-Amber Theissen.”
Zoey cocked her head and studied the redhead. “I’m going to say that’s true.”
“Yep!” Tess said, letting Zoey know she was right.
“I’m afraid of heights.” Zoey said.
“Hmmm. . . somehow I think that’s true.”
Zoey shook her head. “Nope.”
“Damn. Oh well, it shows you’re learning!” Tess replied. “Okay, my turn. I really like spending time with you.”
Zoey smiled. “Well since you’d be really mean to admit to lying about that, I’m going say that’s true . . . and that I feel the same way.”
Tess nodded.
“I feel something between us, and I’m not sure what it is, but I like it . . . a lot.”
Tess smiled, loving the way this game was suddenly headed. “True. I feel it too.”
It was Zoey’s turn to grin. “I assume that’s not a lie. Okay . . .” She looked briefly into Tess’s eyes before nervously fidgeting with her fingernails. Not making eye contact, she mumbled her next line. “I want nothing more than to kiss you right now . . . and that scares me a little.”
Tess’s heart swelled. She let out a husky sigh as she gently lifted Zoey’s chin so that she could gaze into her eyes. “Then I guess I’d better hope I’m reading you right . . .” With that, she gently captured Zoey’s lips with her own.
The kiss started out slow and gentle as they both explored the sensation. Quickly, though, it turned in a more heated direction. Tess’s tongue gently teased the seam of Zoey’s lips, silently asking for permission to enter. A low hum echoed from Zoey’s throat as she granted Tess entrance, snaking her arms around the redhead’s waist, drawing her closer. Their tongues tangled, transferring all of the built up tension and emotion that neither had been able to verbalize. Tess pulled back hesitantly, resting her forehead against Zoey’s.
Doubt crept into Zoey’s expression. “Did I do something wrong?”
Tess smiled. “Not at all. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going too fast for you.”
Zoey shook her head. That was all the answer Tess needed as she crashed her lips against Zoey’s once more. They were falling, as if going over a waterfall of emotion, and neither was in any position to stop their descent. Not that either one wanted to.
Chapter Eight
Zoey lowered her hands, taking her time sampling, her fingers spread over Tess’s rib cage, stopping just short of the curve of her breasts. She couldn’t stop her breath from quickening as Tess’s tongue flicked over her lips, between them, met her own. Her taste was sweet and uniquely feminine, and it streaked straight to her center like an arrow on a target.
Zoey was lost in the magic of the kiss. She’d never felt anything quite like it before. Sure, she’d had her fair share of romantic encounters, but somehow, she felt as though she’d never really been kissed before tonight. Suddenly, each and every one of her senses was awake and alert for the first time in her life.